Everything In Time
Chapter 10
Wednesday April 12, 2006
1730 Local Time
Rabb Home
Ashby Place
Fairfax, VA
Diane went right home after her interview with Khalid. When she came in from the garage, she met Harm in the kitchen. He just opened his arms and let his wife melt into him.
After he held her a while, she looked up at him. Harm looked down on her with such love that it broke her heart. Without saying a word, she brought his head down to hers and gave him a kiss that stretched into infinity. When they finally disconnected Harm said, "Remind me to never get between you and our kids."
Diane smiled and gave him a light tap on his chest and replied, "You better believe it. Where are they, most importantly where's Mattie?"
"She's in her room and the other kids are watching TV in the playroom."
"What do the younglings know?"
"Nothing. They just thought it was extra special that I came to pick them up."
"Okay, I'll go speak with Mattie after I change."
Diane went into the bedroom side of the house and into her bedroom and changed into her favorite jeans, 3 button polo shirt and ballet flats. Then she walked down the hall to Mattie's bedroom and knocked on the door.
"Mattie it's Mom."
Mattie went and flung the door open and practically collided with her mother as she engulfed her in a tight clinch. She started crying on her shoulder.
Diane held her just a tightly and stroked her hair and let her cry it out. After about a minute Diane suggested, "Can we sit down sweetie?"
Mattie let go and went to sit on her bed. She picked up her favorite stuffed lion that she had since her childhood and held it close to her chest as Diane went to sit at the foot of the bed facing her daughter.
"Well, I suppose you're wondering what that clusterfuck was today."
Mattie smiled at her mother's use of her sailor's language and replied, "Well yeah!"
"Well, in the year before we adopted you, your father and Aunt Sarah went on a mission for the CIA. They were successful in keeping stinger missiles from getting into a terrorist's hands. Unfortunately, that terrorist, named Sadiq Fahd, got away and came to America looking for them. He managed to shoot your father. (Mattie gasped at that.) After that your Uncle John, Aunt Sarah and I took him out. Now his ashes are part of the 495 Beltway around DC."
"So, who was after me today?"
"His brother Khalid Fahd. He was looking to kidnap you and the younglings in revenge for his brother's death. Your Uncle John and I found out about him in the course of gathering intelligence about terrorists in general. These idiots somehow feel the need to have their egos stroked by advertising themselves on the internet, attempting to gather recruits to their cause. His name came up. We had an informant in his camp who told us that he acquired the article about my promotion to NCIS director with a photo of Sarah and I in the Navy Times. It seems that for the past year, he had a team of spies here watching ours and the Marshalls' movements."
"How did you find out that he was in America?"
"We managed to get his itinerary for his trip to DC from our informant just before he took off from London. We were able to follow him from when he landed at Dulles Airport to his friends' apartment and then his friends' friends and keep an eye on you. You've known that because of my position, you've always had a security detail shadow you and the kids. You know that we would never let anything happen to you all. I'm sorry that we couldn't tell you about the operation."
"Yeah, I know that, but it really freaked me out that anyone would even try anything."
"Yes, I know the feeling. Right now, our people are searching for any of their associates. Until we find them all, Kate Larkin and Michelle Weatherly will take you and the kids to and from school and the airport. Kate will stay at the school while Michelle will go with you to the airport. We'll also put you through a protective driving course with the Secret Service this weekend at Quantico. Your Uncle John set it up."
"Wow, you're going all out with this."
"Yes, we are. It's the best way to protect you and let us go on with our lives."
"Well, I can go with that. Hell, the driving course should be fun."
"That's the spirit. Come on, I don't know about you, but I'm famished. Your father is making dinner."
"Oh, then we won't have any dead animal tonight," Mattie said with a laugh.
Diane had a good laugh as she and her daughter walked out to the dining room arm-in-arm.
Thursday April 13, 2006
1100 Local Time
USN JAG Regional LSO / NCIS-MCRT HQ
Office Building
7 North Washington Street
Falls Church, VA
Harm was coming in from an early morning meeting with General Creswell at the Navy Yard. As he walked through the bullpen on his way to his office, he spotted his XO, Cmdr. Carolyn Paget speaking with one of their better young attorneys, Lt. Catherine Graves. He caught Carolyn's eye and said, "XO when you're through with Lt. Graves could you and Lt. Cmdr. Austen come see me in my office please."
"Aye, sir. Lieutenant, leave your report with your opinions with my yeoman and I'll give you my recommendation before the end of the day."
"Aye, aye ma,am," Graves replied.
As Graves turned away, Carolyn went over to Lt. Cmdr. Loren Singer-Austen's office and knocked on her closed door, before she opened it and went in. When Loren looked up and saw Carolyn, she stood up to brace to attention.
Carolyn waved that off with, "Shake a leg commander. The boss wants to see us."
Loren's response was, "Aye ma,am." as she followed Carolyn out.
They both marched straight to Harm's office. His yeoman, a young female Marine Lance Corporal named Rita Brava pointed them to the door, which Harm left open for her to come in. Carolyn still politely knocked on the lintel and went in at Harm's "Come in Carolyn, Loren and close the door."
Harm forestalled the two officers bracing to attention with, "Both of you have a seat."
Carolyn was a bit concerned as she dropped the rank protocol to ask "What's going on Harm? Is everyone alright?"
Harm smiled as he appreciated his XO's and friend's concern. Since they began working together at the RLSO, they had become very close personally as well as professionally. So, when she used his name, Harm dropped the rank protocol as well.
"Yeah Carolyn, everyone is fine, but just barely. Mattie was almost abducted yesterday. Diane's team of agents were on top of it and prevented it."
"Oh my God. Who would be so audacious?" Loren asked astonished.
"The brother of the one that shot me and who Diane and Sarah took down the summer of 2003."
"Fahd had a brother? Why did he go after Mattie?" Carolyn asked.
"From what Diane told me, her agents found out that he wanted revenge for losing his brother. He wanted to make us suffer from losing our children the way he supposedly suffered from losing his brother."
"Did NCIS get Fahd?"
"Yeah, he's being held in the brig at Quantico. He aligned himself with some Chechens, who I hear have many contacts on the cellphones they were carrying. NCIS, DHS and the FBI are in the process of finding them now. The only thing I'm concerned about is that they knew so much about our activities and personal information."
"What did they know?"
"How many children we and the Marshalls had. All our movements and travels. Where we went to church, school and work, etc. NCIS is just beginning to search the residences of the Chechens today."
"What do you want us to do?" Loren asked.
"I want you both to coordinate with our NCIS Investigators across the hall for a complete review of the Marine Security Detail Visitors' Logs and a review of our staff and their clients. I want to know if anyone of them was leaking information about our office and personal details. It's possible someone may have been forced to give information. Remember what Lindsey did to you Carolyn."
"Yes, I do. We'll get right on it. Don't worry Harm we won't let anyone hurt us the way Lindsey hurt me."
"I know you won't. I know I can count on you two so I'll let you get on it."
Just for the courtesy and to bust his chops, Carolyn and Loren got up and braced to attention to give their captain/friend a hearty, "Aye, aye sir!"
"Go on get out of here smart alecs." Harm humorously replied waving his hand in a shooing motion.
Carolyn smiled herself as she and Loren beat it to the door. They went across the bullpen and then across the hall to the NCIS/MCRT Bullpen. They found one of the Major Crime Response Team Leaders, Special Agent Abigail Borin, conferring with her team members Special Agents Paula Cassidy and Stan Burley.
Abigail was formerly a CGCIS Team Leader. After working a murder case with Gibbs, he convinced her to switch services to NCIS. Now she turned when she saw her friends Carolyn and Loren come into the MCRT Bullpen.
"Commanders, what can we do for you today?"
Carolyn told her of Harm's concerns and his plan to remedy them.
"Great minds think alike. We heard of the operation through the NCIS/JAG Intranet ITrak report sharing system and BOLOs for the other associates of Fahd and his friends. I was just about to brief Stan and Paula on the incident."
Borin picked up a remote control and turned on her section's viewscreen. It was sectioned to show Khalid Fahd in the center with photos of the individuals who were arrested with him the previous day in sections surrounding his photo.
"As you can see, we've already started our investigation. Paris is relaying all the information they've gleaned from interrogating the Chechens and diving into their cellphones. I was just going to send Stan and Paula out to interview a couple of associates that live nearby. Also, I was going to speak with Gunnery Sgt. Estrada downstairs to get the visitor logs from the ITrak system. Now that Captain Rabb has assigned you to help, it will be easier and I'll keep you both in the loop."
"That's good, I'll leave Lt. Cmdr. Austen to work with you on this. Loren, I want to see everything you get," Carolyn instructed.
"Aye ma,am it'll be as usual when we've conducted our other investigations," Loren replied.
As Carolyn and Loren were speaking with Borin, 2nd Lt. Sergei Rabb, in plain clothes, was checking in as a visitor in the lobby Marine Security Desk. He had a lunch appointment with his brother. As he walked through the bullpen, he greeted those persons that he knew. Being that he was early, he stopped at CPO Janine Ryerson's desk to chat.
"Good morning Chief. How's the family?"
"Just fine lieutenant, little Jared is growing like a weed and I'm expecting another one in November," Janine delightedly announced.
"Well congratulations on the new addition. You know Jen is expecting twins in July."
"Yes Capt. Rabb told me…" Janine was replying but cut herself short when Sergei softly exclaimed, "Boshe moi, he's here?"
She paid more attention to Sergei when he softly asked, "What is that petty officer's name making copies and how long has he been here?"
Janine turned around to look at who was working at the office copier, "Uh that's Mike Allen. He's been here about 8 months Why; do you know him lieutenant?"
"Yes, but not as Mike Allen. Don't say anything Chief. I have to see Harm! Excuse me please."
He walked away quickly before "Michael Allen" could turn to see him.
When Sergei got Corporal Brava's desk, she automatically called into Harm's office saying, "Captain, Lt. Rabb is here for your 1200."
"Send him corporal," Harm instructed over the intercom.
Sergei knocked and went in at Harm's "Enter!"
Sergei went and embraced his brother and said, "Harm, I heard about Mattie. How is she doing."
"She's fine. She's chafing under the personal escort, but she'll be fine. Right now, Cmdrs. Paget and Austen are working with NCIS across the hall to see if anyone here was helping the Chechen kidnapers and Fahd."
"Well, I think I can help find one right away."
"How?"
"I think one Chechen is working in your office. According to Chief Ryerson, he goes by Mike Allen. His real name is Mikail Alhanov. He was a guard at the prisoner camp where I was held before Mr. Webb made the exchange to get me out."
Harm's eyes widened at the revelation. He calmed down to say, "Let me call Agent Boren in here to speak with her. We have to do this quietly. Otherwise, he may bolt."
Harm picked up his phone and made the call. Then he called Cpl. Brava in and instructed her, "Pull PO1 Michael Allen's SRB and do it quietly."
"Aye sir," Brava replied.
Shortly after Boren and Loren walked into the office.
After Harm explained Sergei's suspicions, he instructed, "Abbey, I want you to put surveillance on Allen. Loren review his SRB, (Rita walked in with the SRB), which Cpl. Brava just brought in. Do it quietly. I don't want him spooked. Let me know what you find out before we secure for the day."
With that Harm & Sergei left his office through the back stairs so that Allen/Alhanov would not see them. They went to a restaurant that the LSO personnel favored. The greeter recognized Harm right away and escorted him and Sergei to Harm's usual table.
Once they were seated and the greeter walked away, Sergei began, "So tell me brother, what happened with Mattie and Diane?"
"Well, I can tell you as it goes back to our family protocols from when we were on the lookout for Sadiq Fahad. It seems he had a brother named Khalid. He came to the US looking for revenge for his brother. This time he wasn't acting alone. He had a team of Chechens as part of his crew. We're still trying to figure who he got the information about our family from."
"Should I be worried for Jenishka and Tamaska?"
"I would say so, but not to the extent of us and the Marshalls. From what Diane's agents gleaned, they had a lot of information on us, but they didn't mention you or Jennifer. Still, I would set something up for you at Cherry Point also tell Jen to speak with her CO at Bethesda and the Security Director at GWU. I'll send them both emails on what to look for when I get back to the office."
"Sounds good brother."
At that the waiter came to take their orders. They ate and chatted about other familial things.
Harm said goodbye at the lobby as he went up to his office. He went into his office to try to get some work done; but it was fruitless. His mind was on a carousel as he kept going back and thinking that he had a spy in his command. About 1700 hours he was brought out of his round about thinking when Cpl. Brava phoned in to tell him that "Cmdr. Paget, Lt. Cmdr. Austen and Agent Boren are here to see you sir".
"Thank you corporal. Please come in with them and bring your steno pad to take notes.
He ushered them into his office to sit at the round conference table. After they sat Harm asked, "What did you find out?"
"It seems our Mike Allen has a perfect record, too perfect," Abigail stated.
"How come?"
Loren picked it up, "He went through Great Lakes with flying colors in 2004. His record in the Navy is true; he's served without any trouble since leaving Great Lakes. He went through the Navy Justice School for the required classwork to be assigned to an LSO. Before the Navy though, that's where we ran into the Twilight Zone."
"What did you find?"
"Nothing that's what. It looks manufactured. His SRB says he was born in New York City, specifically Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn. Though his original birth certificate from that hospital is non-existent. He got a duplicate from the New York City Department of Health. His original NYC addresses are also bogus. All his records for NYC public grammar school and high school, community college, childhood immunizations, etc. are all bogus. When we made calls to the schools he listed, we found that they do not have any record of a Michael Allen matching his pedigree. Someone went to a lot of trouble to set up a backstory on paper and get him into the Navy and then assigned to your command" Boren responded.
"But who?" Harm asked.
"Maybe the Iranians. They're known to back the Chechen Muslims," Loren surmised.
"Possibly, but it also has to be someone in this country with ties to Fahd. I mean when we searched Sadiq's background information and contacts on his flash drive, we didn't find any mention of a brother, or that he ever stayed in contact with anyone named Khalid," Harm finished in exasperation.
"So, if Sadiq didn't mention or even contact his brother, who fed Khalid the information of you and your families and who put Alhanov in place?" Carolyn asked.
"I don't know, but we better find out and quick; or we may have a repeat of Mattie's abduction," Harm replied.