"Grave of The Witch": Chapter 03 – Undercover and sassy.
A/N: AU. This is a fictional story, in a fictional Alternative Universe, about fictional characters who entertained us in a fictional TV series between 1995 and 2005. Mike. Characters borrowed with love and appreciation for the great team who brought us "JAG"; may your following careers blossom.
A/N: AU: "they aren't mine, I'm just playing with them - apart from any fictional character created by myself". See Phase One of this story for the whole disclaimer A/N. Feel free to PM me if you spot any typos - my goal is 100% error-free. Feedback and comments are also welcome; I see plenty of followers and visitors to this story. Your opinions, critiques (and requests as PMs) are always welcomed.
A/N: link to Canon Episodes: "Rogue" S5Ep07 First aired Tuesday 09NOV1999
A/N: Publication date: 16-NOV-2021: This is chapter three of my experiment; thanks for all the feedback and encouraging PM communications following Ch02. Real life is mad-busy, hence the shorter chapter this month. Mike
Characters from FFNET – Mattie, Jennifer, AJ, Galindez and (obviously!) others…
GoTW-GoTW-GoTW-GoTW
Monday 24th May 1999: 07:56hrs PST
Entry checkpoint, JAG LSLO, San Diego Naval Base, CA
Rene Sorling was a week into her deep cover as "Lt Loren Singer". She had practiced wearing her uniform (including placing her cover – perfectly centred - on the crown of her head); by this time, getting dressed was now automatic. She had polished all her shoes until they gleamed and she looked the model Navy junior officer – as was the plan.
"Loren" was enjoying filling out the "legend" which the CIA had concocted for her. "What woman would not relish having a date of birth which shows her to be two years younger?" she had rationalised. She knew a few - admittedly vain - men who would likely appreciate such an age reduction, but she was going to maximise the benefit of her cover.
The start date for her assignment had been deliberately chosen. By starting two weeks before the Memorial Day commemorations, she would have her feet "under the table" and would be building her network of seemingly-casual contacts within the LSLO when social activities were organised. Several fellow junior officers had invited her to join their social groupings and she had already begun to weave the image of a reserved, slightly stand-offish, young woman who was laser-focused on becoming the first female JAG.
Nevertheless, she gave in to her fondness for softball and was welcomed into the reserve team for the Inter-Service game on the Saturday of the Memorial day weekend.
After that game, sipping a chilled drink and looking out over the Pacific, she realised that this assignment could be fun.
Of course, the ringing of her "personal" (i.e. CIA-provided) cell-phone broke the mood. Excusing herself from her new friends, "Loren" stepped away.
"Hello little brother" she announced for the benefit of any eavesdropper. The "brother" response indicated that she was clear of any eavesdroppers – standard tradecraft when undercover, using a simple and apparently-innocent phrase.
"And a good afternoon to you, my dear Loren. Initial reports indicate that you have settled in well and you are giving off the right vibes. Congratulations."
Even from the East Coast, the approval in Clayton's voice was clear. She couldn't yet work out why his voice in her ear caused a warmth in her body – but she wasn't going to lose the moment.
"So, there is a standing invitation to Manderley; would you care to pick a weekend for June?" He continued: "Midsummer Day is actually the Saturday, June 26th."
"Hmm, that sounds like a summons?"
"Nope, just an invitation. But there will be a garden party at Mother's on the Saturday, so I would welcome your presence to help reduce the average age – and to keep me company, of course."
The chuckle in his voice was clear and "Loren" found herself warming to this older man, speaking to her from across the continent. Her love-life had stopped with the death of her CIA boyfriend in a busted op that Clayton had been involved with. The intensity of that relationship still burned, deep within Maria Sorling's soul. But that did not preclude "Loren Singer" from initiating an amorous adventure – even if simply to "scratch an itch"; but she would need to think this through.
She made up her mind about Manderley. "OK, I'll book a long weekend and come across on the Friday morning, staying until Monday afternoon. Saddle up the horses, because I plan to ride."
"It will be my pleasure; so long, 'little sister' and I'll see you next month." Then he was gone, leaving "Loren" to put the cell-phone away and join her new-found friends and colleagues as they settled the team structure for the next game.
The social life and workload would continue until mid-October (with roughly monthly visits to Manderley to preserve her sanity).
GoTW-GoTW-GoTW-GoTW
Friday 25th June 1999: 16:43hrs EST
Stables block, Webb family home, Manderley (location redacted)
"Wow Clayton, I must admit that I've enjoyed a great ride. Thanks for setting this up." She dismounted from the Arabian and patted the horse's neck with her gloved hand, unclipping the chin-strap of her riding helmet. A sugar lump, from the pocket of her riding jacket, rewarded the horse and was eagerly consumed before she handed the horse off to the stable lad and turned to face Clayton.
"Let's book in for August if that's OK? God, Clayton, it is nice to be myself for a weekend."
He looked at her in admiration. Even ignoring the 13-year age gap, "Loren Singer" was attractive, young and good fun to be around. She advanced towards him, removing her riding jacket so that he could see her white blouse over a snug-fitting pair of jodhpurs. In flat-heeled riding boots, she only came up to his chin as she gave him a friendly hug.
"Come on, Clayton, let's go find a cold drink."
He followed her up to the house, admiring her snugly-clothed rump and stamping down ruthlessly on several arousing thoughts which crowded into his brain. Oh brother, this supervisory assignment was going to be challenging! What was it about his attraction to sassy women? Sarah "Mac" Mackenzie at JAG HQ always treated him with barely-concealed contempt.
GoTW-GoTW-GoTW-GoTW
Tuesday 26th October 1999: 12:43hrs PDT
JAG Regional HQ, San Diego Naval Base, CA
By mid-October, Rene Sorling was thinking of herself almost continuously as "Loren Singer". Her time in San Diego had enabled her to settle fully into her "legend" and to be fully-acclimated to life in the US Navy.
It was now time to head east, to take up the target position in JAG HQ in Falls Church. The reassignment paperwork would be filed, sliding her seamlessly into the Virginia location where the real part of her mission would begin.
Investigations throughout the year had been unable to pinpoint the source of the leaks from within Falls Church, so "Loren Singer" would be transferring east after Halloween.
Her commanding officer had been impressed with her contribution to 'Team SD': "Lt Singer, it has been a pleasure to have you serving here – as I shall note in your fit-rep. Best of luck in Falls Church."
"Thank you ma'am. I shall miss the team."
"Loren" saluted and took her leave of San Diego. Agency relocation specialists closed up her home in La Jolla and seamlessly moved "Loren Singer" eastwards to Virginia.
GoTW-GoTW-GoTW-GoTW
Monday 8th November 1999: 08:00hrs EDT
JAG HQ, Falls Church VA
"Lieutenant Sims; this is Lt Loren Singer, transferred in from San Diego."
The two blonde lieutenants shook hands as the bubbly Harriet began to introduce "Loren" to her new working base. "Loren" kept a sharp lookout as Harriet burbled her ways across the bull-pen and guided Loren to her new office. By lunchtime, Harriet was sure that she had a potential new friend, although she noted that Loren seemed a little reserved.
Two days later when she was chatting with Loren in the break room, she received a partial explanation when Loren "let slip" a brief comment about "healing after my boyfriend died in the line of duty."
That was enough to push back against Harriet's natural friendly inquisitiveness – and to begin establishing Loren Singer as slightly reserved and slightly prickly but with an entirely-plausible justification; it enhanced the "cover" of her legend.
The evening report to Clayton (delivered in a private salon behind a small pizza joint on the north side of DC) was positive.
GoTW-GoTW-GoTW-GoTW
Mission objective accomplished; cover developed. Agent in place.
Now for "Loren Singer" to go on the offensive and begin research and surveillance of her target. Clayton had slid across a slim pack of the latest background material across the table in the restaurant. In the seclusion of her small apartment later that evening, Loren began to absorb the latest intel before feeding her shredder.
GoTW-GoTW-GoTW-GoTW
End of Ch03 of "Grave of the Witch" - "Undercover and sassy".
Mike: England, 16-NOV-2020