PART 14
0500 Zulu
Mac's Apartment
Georgetown
Harm didn't even bother changing out of his flight gear as he made it out ofAndrews and found a car he could commandeer to Mac's place. He and Skates had gone over the flight with the powers that be who would get back to them after they checked the plane out for any problems.
Using his spare key, he was happy to see that the locks had not changed. "Mac?" He said softly. He figured that she wasn't home due to him not
seeing her Corvette parked outside. Tripping over the duffel bag, he fell to the floor. "Damnit." Standing, he turned on a lamp and saw what he had tripped on. Thankfully he wasn't too late. "Thank God."
Walking to the sofa, he sat down and leaned his head back for a moment. On the ride over he'd try to put together something nice to tell her. But, he
figured a "Please stay, I love you." should do the trick. If it didn't, there would be a lot of begging and groveling. He wasn't usually that way,
but, he needed his Marine in his life.
Looking at the coffee table, he saw a note scribbled down in Mac's hand writing. 'Commander, Sea, Fort, Washington, Sea, 933'
"Nine-Three-Three." He said in a low voice. "That's the hull number for the USS Barry." Grabbing the paper, he headed out of the door. Somehow he knew she was in danger.
0535 Zulu
USS Barry
Washington Naval Yard
Palmer took a look at Mac's head and pressed a damp rag into her head injury. "Ah, there we go." He'd patiently been waiting for Harm's return
but little did he realize that it would be sooner than he expected.
She looked at him fighting the fear that was causing bile to rise up at her throat. Had she been in a different situation and not helplessly tied up to a chair, things would have been different. "I bet you want to know how I escaped?" He said and at her nod he continued. "I got good at impersonating people. . . so I had someone else take my place. . . the authorities are
running around trying to find someone else." He laughed and watched her expressions. "So now we wait for the commander. . . this is going to be very enjoyable. I am going to show you what it's like being with a real man and
Harm will get to watch." His hand darted upward, startling Mac. He slowly traced down her neck to her breasts. "Don't worry, I'll be gentle." As he
moved forward to kiss her through the tape, Mac jerked her head as hard as possible and nailed him. It was a good attempted that eared her a
backhanded slap. Palmer stood, towering over her and took some deep breaths.
Harm got off the car a very far distance away from the USS Barry. He decided it would be better to head in on foot rather than be discovered too
early. As quiet as possible, when walking around a destroyer, he made it around the ship. It wasn't long before he found Mac with her head lulled to
the side. "Mac?" He whispered softly, trying to get her to rise. "C'mon Mac." Just when her eyes opened slowly she saw them go big as saucers.
Soon after he felt a blow to his head.
When Harm awoke, he was strung up by his arms with a rope that went upward and around a large beam. His toes were just barely touching the floor and right across from him was Mac. "Good morning, Commander." Palmer said, walking in front of him. "I trust you are well rested, you are going to need your strength."
Harm laughed simply because every time he'd thought they were rid of Palmer he managed to sneak his way into their lives again. "Don't you ever get tired of trying to get back at me?"
Palmer grinned and brought the same rope that was tying Harm into some contraption he had built. "Nope. It's just my mission in life."
"How'd you get out?" Harm asked, attempting to figure out what was in his grand design.
Palmer stopped for a moment and seemingly thought about the question. "Well,
I managed to get another prisoner to impersonate me. . . and you do remember how good I was at that."
"Yea, I also remember that eventually you were nailed." Harm said nonchalantly while keeping an eye on Palmer and Mac.
Palmer shrugged. "I've gotten better at it. . . So, escape was easy. I had a friend or two on the inside."
Harm nodded. "That was the escape plastered all over the TV. . . they said you were caught."
"They said. . .yea, apparently it doesn't look too good if someone makes it out. . . so they covered it up." Palmer made his way over to a tripod where a shotgun was situated and made a few knots in the trigger.
"What do you want from us?"
Palmer made sure the rope was secured and then made his way back to Harm.
"For you to suffer. . . I figured that me having my way with the pretty colonel over there would probably wind you up some and I decided to add more stakes to the game." He tugged at Harm's rope and made it tighter. "If you so much as move from your toes, that shot gun will go off and her life is over."
Harm and Mac both paled at the thought. As much as he would try to hang on for her sake, he knew that inevitably he'd get exhausted. "So I killed her."
Palmer nodded. "Jilted lover type of thing. . . It's a cliché, but it still is a goodie. . .I'll then make sure you spend your life rotting in Leavenworth with me."
"Please. . . do whatever you want to me, but don't hurt Mac." Harm said, watching the sadness in her eyes.
"No can do, flyboy." Palmer made it over to a small desk and opened up a letter. "A confession, just in case."
Mac opened here eyes and tried signaling to Harm. She moved sideways a much
as she could on the chair hoping that he'd figured out her plan. He watched.her motions and figured that she was going to tip over the chair. He nodded and prayed to God that he would have a clean hit at Palmer.
Palmer stood and walked over to Mac, turning the chair so that he back was facing Harm and the shot gun. "Don't want you two to think that I am in the line of fire." He said with a smirk. "Now. Where should I start?" He looked Mac up and down, a look that disgusted Mac. Yet, she waited until the right time. Once he came down to her again, she used the same tactic and managed
to slam her forehead into his. Then, with one swift move, she brought the chair to the ground making Mac groan loudly. Just as soon as she hit, a shot sailed through the air, catching Palmer on his chest and bringing him down to the ground.
Quickly, Harm began to swing his body, his arms aching from the strain. He managed to bring his legs over the beam and held on as he loosened the ropes. Once he was free, he dropped to the ground with a loud thud and made his way over to Mac. Sitting her up, he removed the tape from her mouth and then proceeded on attempting to remove the rest of her bindings. "Harm! Look
out!" She yelled as Palmer rose up behind them and jabbed a knife into Harm
's thigh.
Hey yelled loudly in pain and managed to dart his elbow back quickly and.squarely hit Palmer in the chest, bringing him down to the ground. He
stopped for a moment and removed the sharp weapon out of his thigh before turning to their assailant. Palmer took a pistol out and shot, missing Harm completely. Harm dropped over him and tried to gain control of the weapon.
Spinning over, Palmer wound up on top of Harm who was trying to flip him back again. When he did, the pistol went off once more firing a round that grazed Harm's shoulder, ricocheted off the bulk head and slammed into Mac's.chest. "NO!" Harm yelled as he mustered some sort of superhuman strength that managed to gain control on the pistol. He pulled the trigger and one shot made it through Palmer's skull killing him instantly. Harm got his bearings and managed to move off of Palmer, realizing that their first shot did not end his life because he was wearing a bulletproof vest.
Finally he staggered over to Mac finding her pale and with a quickly decreasing heartbeat. "Hang on Marine." He said gently through his tears.."Hang on."