Assignment for Webb
By Bernadeen
Chapter 4
Harm's Apartment
North of Union Station
Thursday, 0700 EST
Harm woke on the couch, his stomach queasy, his head pounding and a taste in his mouth that he hadn't experienced in a long, long time. After the hurtful scene with Mac last night, he had really gotten drunk. Well, if all those bridges weren't already in flames, they were now. He forced himself into the bathroom, stripped his clothes off and stood under the shower, hoping the steaming water would carry away the after affects of the alcohol and the pain of hurting Mac. It would take more than a hot shower to do either, but he did feel slightly better as he dried himself. His flight was at noon, but there was no reason to stay at his apartment. He dressed in clothes he'd left out when he packed yesterday afternoon. After calling a taxi, he took one last look around his apartment to be sure there wasn't anything else he had to take care of. In his bedroom, he pulled the closet doors open. All his uniforms .. white for summer and blue for winter .. hung neatly. He wondered whether he would ever have the right to wear them again.
As he walked past his desk, he remembered something he'd found last evening while sorting out his papers. Opening one of the small drawers, he lifted out a picture. It was a snapshot of him and Mac with baby AJ at his christening. With the picture in his hand, he slipped on his flight jacket and tucked the picture into an inside pocket. She might hate him but she couldn't prevent him from carrying her picture. He suddenly felt an overpowering need to have some small part of her with him on the next dangerous phase of the mission.
South Texas
Thursday
1600 CST
Harm pulled his dusty rental car to a stop in front of a door marked "office" at the small airfield in southern Texas. He'd called Zeke when he arrived in Texas to get exact driving directions to the airfield.
The door to the office was unlocked but no one was there. Following his instincts, Harm walked through the connecting door into the hangar. Two men were working on the engine of a small cargo plane. Harm recognized Zeke even after more than 15 years. He hadn't changed much. He was slender but wiry .. he moved with the grace of a cat. Dark hair and twinkling brown eyes in a handsome tanned face made him a hit with women, Harm remembered. Zeke saw him and called out, "Hey, Harm, buddy. Welcome!" Gracefully alighting from the ladder he had been using to reach the engine, he loped over to pull Harm in a welcoming hug.
Harm knew this show was for the benefit of Zeke's mechanic and responded in kind. "Zeke, long time. How you been?"
"Can't complain .. can't complain. Hey, Stan." Zeke turned toward the other man working on the engine. "Stan, meet Harmon Rabb. I told Stan you were coming. This is Stanley Grainger, my ace mechanic and occasional pilot. He likes his planes on the ground better than in the air, though, so I do most of the flying. That's why I can really use another pilot. You up for it?"
"That's why I'm here. It's not like I'm going to get any offers from the big carriers." Harm joked back.
"I told Stan about your recent trouble with the Navy. Hope you don't mind. We've both been there so no one's making judgments here."
"I don't particularly want to advertise my stupidity, but if we're all going to be working together, I guess Stan has a right to know."
"Let's the three of us get some supper and I'll explain the set up here." Zeke said as he led Harm toward the office. "I called around in town and found you an efficiency apartment at the Tumbleweed Inn. It's cheap .. nothing's very expensive down here compared to DC, I guess .. they serve a good breakfast in the dining room for a little extra rent, if you want it. They said you wouldn't have to sign a lease until you knew whether you'd be staying."
"Thanks, that sounds great."
South Texas
Friday
0900 CST
Harm had found the furnished efficiency apartment at the Tumbleweed Inn comfortable and the owner/manager, Shirley Smith, a friendly, motherly woman. After a wonderful home-cooked breakfast .. Harm even ate a slice of bacon so as not to hurt Shirley's feelings .. Harm and Zeke were at the air field reviewing future flights. Last night Stan, Harm and Zeke had had a pleasant supper and talked about business, as well as other things. They had all hit it off remarkably well. Stan's story was similar to Zeke's and Harm's. He had been in the Navy and gotten discharged for suspected drug use. He didn't have a drug problem .. never had .. just youthful stupidity.
Zeke told Harm they would drive over to a nearby town today to pick up a shipment. This was a rural area and Zeke also ran a small ground transportation business. Now they were driving north on a hard surfaced state road. Zeke unexpectedly slowed down and turned off on a dirt trail. The truck bounced over ruts left during a rare wet spell and finally pulled up beside several large boulders so big that the truck was hidden from view in most directions. Zeke put his finger to his lips and silently got out of the truck, motioning Harm to follow.
Zeke walked around one of the boulders and found a spot where the wind was blowing especially hard through a kind of wind tunnel created by the valley and the rocks. "It should be safe to talk here," Zeke explained. "This wind interferes with most long-distance listening devices. I can never be too careful in trucks, planes, or any buildings. Maybe I'm paranoid, but so are these drug lords, and they could easily bug my locations if they suspected anything."
He perched himself on a rock and Harm did likewise. "Stan knows about our occasional illegal deliveries across the border and he's OK with them. He doesn't know about my other … affiliation, though, so we have to be careful what we say around him. He seems like an okay guy and I've known him quite awhile. I just don't entirely trust him is all." Zeke explained.
"What I needed to talk to you about is that yesterday after I got your call that you were coming for sure, I had a chance to talk to my contact in the cartel. Asked him what they were going to do about pilots after losing two. He said they were looking for a couple of replacements .. asked if I was interested. I said no, I was doing fine with my own business and helping them out occasionally .. but I had just gotten a call from a buddy who got booted out of the Navy and was coming down to see me. I said you might be interested. He asked who and I told him. The guy on the news .. pilot turned lawyer, he asked. I said yeah. He seemed real interested. So either they buy your story and you'll get a contact soon or they think you're a plant and they try to kill you .. maybe both of us. It's a risk."
"I knew this was a dangerous assignment when I accepted it. But what about you? This could put your life at risk."
"Harm, we both flew Tomcats. It's the danger and being good enough to overcome it that's half the fun. I don't have any family .. there's no one I have to worry about if I buy the farm so I'm in this all the way. How about you? Wife? Girlfriend?"
"No one except my mother and step father, and a half-brother. My dad went MIA in 1969 and I wouldn't like my mother to have to go through losing a son. But none of them depend on me .. they all have their own lives .. so the risks I take are my own."
"OK." Zeke stood up. "Let's continue with the freight run."
JAG HQ
Friday
1320 EST
Mac sat at her desk deep in thought, and not about the file open in front of her. She had called Clayton Webb Wednesday night after that awful scene at Harm's apartment, but he said he was out of town and would be gone for awhile. He couldn't tell her where .. classified. She didn't want to get into her request concerning Harm over a cell phone so she asked him to call her on a secure line the next day at work. She hadn't heard from him, either Thursday or Friday. Had he gotten caught up in something or was he avoiding her? Something in her gut told her there was some connection between Harm's recent trouble and Webb. That was ridiculous, of course. Why would the CIA be involved in Harm's drug possession charge? Unless ….
It suddenly hit her. As far apart as she and Harm had gotten in the last few months, she just couldn't believe his basic honesty and integrity had changed. True, if he really was using cocaine, his values could be compromised. But she had always had a special sense when it came to Harmon Rabb. She told him once that she always knew where he was. That wasn't quite true any more, though she did feel a certainty that he was now far away from DC.
What if … she had to think it through … what if Webb had gotten him involved in some undercover mission? What better cover than to be himself .. Navy hero now disgraced and dishonorably discharged for drug possession? And what if his treatment of her on Wednesday evening .. the awful, hurtful things he said … were done only to keep her away from him .. to protect her and so she wouldn't inadvertently jeopardize the mission? And if her guesses were right, who knew about it? The Admiral had to know. After all, he prosecuted and made the deal so that Harm would be dishonorably discharged but with no confinement. He couldn't have carried out his mission if he had ended up in Leavenworth.
All right .. just stop and think, MacKenzie. Is this just wishful thinking on your part? That Harm hasn't really been drummed out of the Navy in disgrace and he didn't mean all those hurtful things he said to you? How could she find out for sure? She couldn't confront the Admiral. She had to see Webb.
Once again she dialed Clay's cell phone. When he answered, she tried to sound casual, "Clay, did you forget to call me back?"
There was a two second pause before Webb answered, "Mac. Sorry. I got involved in something and couldn't get to a secure line."
The pause told her a lot. So did his claim not to be able to get to a secure line. Just how dumb did he think she was .. he's always able to find a secure line .. that's the business he's in.
"Listen, Mac, I really can't talk now but I'll call you tomorrow. I promise." Clay continued.
Mac was finished playing games. In her best no-nonsense voice, she said, "Webb, you'll call me within the hour. Don't try to con me. I know just enough about your current operation to be dangerous. If you don't want me stumbling into something, call me back!" and she cut the connection before he had a chance to respond. 'Okay, let's see how worried Webb is by my threat,' she thought.
Fourteen minutes and 28 seconds later her phone rang. The caller ID said "secure call." 'Looks like Clay is a little worried.' Mac thought as she picked up the phone.
Almost before she finished identifying herself, Webb was talking. "Mac, just what do you think you know?"
"I know you've gotten Harm involved in some kind of undercover operation." Always sound like you know more than you do, she had learned long ago, when dealing with the CIA.
Again there was a few seconds of silence. "Who have you been talking to?"
'Well, well, my instincts where Harm is concerned aren't so rusty,' she thought with satisfaction. "Where are you, Clay?"
Cautiously he answered, "Texas."
"Is that where Harm is?"
"How do you know he's not in DC?"
"I just know. Now tell me what's going on?"
"Mac, this is strictly a need to know basis, and you don't need to know."
"Think again, Clay. My sources tell me that Harm's in danger. That means I have a need to know."
"What sources? … oh, never mind. The Admiral can fill you in. In fact, there might be a role for you here, too, if he agrees. I'll contact you in a few hours." And with that the connection was broken.
So she was right. The Admiral did know what was going on.
She walked out of her office and stood in front of Tiner's desk. "I need to see the Admiral."
"He's .. he's on the phone," Tiner said nervously.
"He won't be long," Mac said firmly.
As she predicted, the call ended less than a minute later. Tiner looked surprised and impressed with the accuracy of Mac's prediction. Before Tiner could pick up the phone to ask the Admiral whether he could see Mac, the intercom buzzed. "Yes, sir."
"Tiner, if Colonel MacKenzie is out there, send her in." The Admiral's order surprised Tiner even more. Was everyone developing ESP, he wondered.
Mac knocked on the Admiral's door and entered at his command. She came to attention and waited for him to acknowledge her. AJ took a few seconds to assess Mac's composure. Webb said she knew something of what Harm was involved in and was insisting on being let in on the operation. Webb implied that Mac had been upset and worried about her former partner. Right now, though, she was the picture of stoic Marine determination. She didn't appear upset, but she had always been a master at hiding her emotions.
"Webb tells me you have learned something of what's happening with Mr. Rabb and want to be brought in on the operation." He paused for her response.
"Yes, sir."
"At ease, Colonel. Have a seat." As Mac sat in front of the Admiral's desk, he continued. "This is Webb's operation and I didn't like it from the start. However, it was voluntary and I allowed Commander Rabb to make the choice. He took the assignment, even after my efforts to discourage him. … Just how much do you know … and how did you find out?"
Mac toyed with trying to bluff, but she had learned that no one could tell Admiral Chegwidden anything but the truth .. he always knew when someone was not being entirely honest. "Truthfully, Admiral, I don't know much." Mac paused but rushed on when it appeared that the Admiral might shut her down. "But I know three things: Harm would never jeopardize his Navy career for drugs; he's in Texas on some kind of undercover assignment for the CIA; and he's in a great deal of danger. I'll admit I may have led Clay to think I know more than I do, but I've got a really bad feeling about this and I need to be brought in on it."
To Mac's surprise, the Admiral answered, "I agree that you need to be brought in. I would feel a whole lot better if you were there to watch the Commander's back. Webb will be calling you with details in a couple of hours when he's got it set up, but he wants to insert you into the operation. Here's what's happening.
"The DEA and CIA, along with other government agencies, have been working together to bring down a drug trafficking cartel that operates all the way from South America to Texas. They have the cooperation of the governments of Mexico and several South American countries. Our government had gotten two agents inside the cartel. One was a pilot. A few days ago, there was a plane crash and two pilots were killed, including our agent. The cartel is out recruiting new pilots."
"And that's where the Commander fits in. Recently dishonorably discharged and disillusioned with the Navy. Ripe for recruitment into the cartel, particularly since he had been using their product." Mac ventured.
"Exactly. A flight school acquaintance of Rabb's runs a small air freight service in southern Texas. He's been known to make some illegal trips across the border, transporting merchandise both ways. Rather than arrest him, the DEA recruited him. As a cover, his acquaintance with Rabb has been turned into a close friendship. Name's Ezekiel Desmond, usually known as Zeke. He has a mechanic named Stanley Grainger, who doesn't mind the illegal activities, but doesn't know about Zeke working with the DEA. Both Desmond and Grainger are former Navy, forced to resign because of suspected drug use. Webb says they're not part of the cartel but do have contacts in the organization. It's the connection to get Rabb inside.
"Webb and several other agents are in the area, monitoring the situation, but they dare not be seen. If the cartel suspects anything, Stan, Zeke and Harm all could be killed."
"So I could be in a role that would allow better communication of Harm's situation and what he finds out in the cartel?"
"Something like that, I expect. Webb hadn't had much time to think about it when he called me." The Admiral paused when the intercom buzzed. "No calls, Tiner."
Before the Admiral released the com switch, Tiner said quickly, "Sir, it's Mr. Webb. He was insistent …"
"Thanks, Tiner." AJ hit the hands free button. "Webb, that was fast."
"Admiral, things are moving quickly so here's what I've got. Is Colonel MacKenzie with you?"
"She's here and you're on speaker."
"Okay. Mac, you're going to be Sarah Desmond, sister to Zeke. You've been living elsewhere and have come to visit your brother. You and Harm know each other through Zeke, and once were … close. You'll need to play the ex-girlfriend trying to rekindle a romance as the reason you're sticking close to Harm. We'll have your full cover and background ready by the time you get here. I'll get word to Harm and Zeke that you're coming so they'll be ready to play the part. Any questions?"
"Sounds like it could work. I'll call you when I know what flight I'm on."
AJ couldn't resist a last word, "Webb, take care of my people. You won't want to come back to Washington if this mission goes badly for them." And he broke the connection without allowing Clay to answer.
"You okay with this, Colonel?"
"Yes, sir. Commander Rabb and I have been in dangerous situations before and have always been fine, as long as we're together." A slight flush crept up Mac's face as she realized that her comment hadn't come out quite the way she intended. Nevertheless, her expression remained impassive.
"All right. Good luck. Dismissed."
TTTTTTTTTT
Back in her office, Mac made her own flight reservation. It was safer that no one knew exactly where she was going. Minutes later she breezed past the receptionist, saying vaguely that she had an assignment out of town and the Admiral knew where to reach her. After stopping at her apartment to change out of uniform and throw clothes in a carry-on bag, she drove to the airport. She had managed to get an early flight and within two hours of her first conversation with Webb, she was on a plane taking off for Texas.
The flight gave her some time to think. It would be fun to be on an assignment with Harm again. It had been a long time. Oh, she knew it was a dangerous mission, but danger had always been part of the lure of military life for both her and Harm. He had tried so hard to get rid of her a few days ago that he would probably not be happy to hear she was coming. Too bad. This was a mission and they both had to play their parts flawlessly if they wanted to get out alive. She grinned. It could be fun playing Harm's girlfriend. She wondered just how much they would get into the part.
TTTTTTTTTT
Webb was waiting for her when she deplaned. In the parking ramp, in Webb's nondescript car, he briefed her further. He laid out her background cover .. nothing too complex so she could remember it easily since there was no time for her to memorize lots of details. He handed her a small pistol for her purse or that could fit into her waistband at her back. He also gave her a knife and sheath designed to be strapped to her leg. Next he gave her a small device for detecting surveillance bugs, but cautioned her not to remove the bugs since that would give away the fact that she knew about them. Finally, he pulled out a ring case and opened it. Inside was an antique silver ring with a jade stone. "Wear this at all times. It has a water proof transmitter so we can track your movements."
Webb showed her a picture. "Your brother, Zeke. Luckily you really do look like brother and sister. He's been told that he's going to get a visit from his sister Sarah and that she and Harm have a history. We didn't have time for much more and we couldn't get to Harm directly. Zeke will tell him. He'll figure it out when he sees you. Tell Harm you want to stay where he's staying. It's the Tumbleweed Inn and we know there are rooms available.
"One more thing, be very careful what you say .. always stay in character. We know that the cartel is extremely cautious. It could have bugged vehicles and buildings at Zeke's place. Your room at the Inn will probably be alright, but check it. Assume everything else is bugged. Zeke has been making occasional deliveries for them for awhile and they might have done it just as a precaution. Any questions?"
"How do I reach you if I need to?"
Webb gave her a slip of paper. "You know my cell number. Here's another number that will get you to an agent. Memorize it and destroy the paper. We'll be around and we've got Mexican connections if you cross the border. Remember, we can track your movements and the Academy ring Harm is wearing also has a transmitter. Good luck, Mac."
Mac picked up her rental car and with directions that Webb had given her, set out to see her 'brother.'
TBC