| Subject: ...For Meritorious Service, Chapter 26a, conclusion |
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TxJAG_b
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Date Posted: 16:29:15 04/03/09 Fri
In reply to:
TxJAG_b
's message, "...For Meritorious Service, Chapter 25d, part two - continued" on 16:25:09 01/08/09 Thu
...For Meritorious Service, Chapter 26a conclusion:
BLT HQ, 36th MEU
Mirbullah, Iraq
The Washington DC Major Case Response Team filed into the darkened room. They had done this many times before at the Navy Yard, but it still felt a little odd to be doing this in reverse – viewing Abby’s Lab from a foreign location rather than the other way around.
But instead of Abby’s face, Gibbs stood looking at the test pattern on the screen. Tony stood with Commander Faith Coleman, behind and to the right of Gibbs.
“You *did say* you had an incoming teleconference call from NCIS Headquarters?”
An obviously flustered Corporal was busy tapping keys on his keyboard. “Yes Sir; sorry Special Agent Gibbs, we’re having a little trouble with the signal. It’ll be just a moment….”
Tony leaned over and whispered to Faith “Glad we’re not in the firing line this time.”
Faith merely quirked one of her eyebrows in response.
Tony didn’t like the way it seemed that this JAG Corps lawyer looked right through him sometimes. “Hey, I’m just saying – it’s not good to keep Gibbs waiting.”
That comment made her eyebrow go higher. “Is this another Gibbs’ rule?”
“More like the *golden rule* when working with Gibbs, Commander.”
The Navy Commander and Agent DiNozzo turned their attention to the nervous and sweaty Corporal who had the silver haired NCIS Agent leaning over his shoulder.
“Are we getting *any closer* Corporal?” The irritation in Gibbs voice was becoming evident.
“Ah, al-almost got it, sir, Special Agent Gibbs…” The clicking and tapping of the keyboard keys grew more furious.
“Corporal?”
“There it is!! Oh thank you God, there it is! Oh! Sorry Sir!! I mean--”
The NCIS Special Agent waved the Corporal away and motioned for him to be quiet. Tony and Faith fought hard to suppress smiles.
Tony looked at the coalescing image on the screen. Behind Abby were several other people, including Ducky and the other JAGC lawyer, Major McBurney and someone else he hadn’t expected to see.
“McGeek?! You’re letting that Probie come up and work in our office, Boss? Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, isn’t he brand new to the field--”
Gibbs just turned and looked at his senior field agent and subordinate. It was that angry stare that the Senior NCIS Agent had used many times.
Tony looked like a deer pinned in headlights. He involuntarily swallowed. “Shutting it, Boss.” He said just as quickly.
The silver haired NCIS Special Agent turned back to the screen.
“What have you got, Abbs?”
Abby Sciuto was rubbing her temples. “A really bad headache from reading all that stuff Commander Rabb sent, but that’s not what you want to hear…”
The big teleconference screen immediately split in two showing what Abby had showed Ducky and the others a little while ago. “…we found matching characteristics on the bullet from Lewis’ weapon and those slugs recovered at the scene of Lieutenant Dodge’s death.”
“Ducky also found that Captain Lewis’ background is completely made up – a total fiction.”
“Like a well crafted fairy tale, Jethro.” Ducky added.
Gibbs nodded. “What else do we know about Lewis?”
At this point Tim McGee thought it was okay to chime in “Uh, not much, sir; Captain Jacques ‘Jac’ Lewis been pretty much flying under everyone’s radar; outstanding service record and fit reps…”
Just like the information in the report from Fornell. ‘Squeaky clean.’
“Known associates?” Gibbs said tersely interrupting Tim’s wandering report.
Now it was McBurney’s turn. “That’s where we might have something, Gibbs.”
The image on a screen split again, this time the other side showed two service records. One for Captain Lewis and one for Master Gunnery Sergeant Rudy Wilbane. “He’s friends with a Master Gunnery Sergeant, Rudy Wilbane.”
McBurney continued. “The Master Gunnery Sergeant’s real name is Rafid al-Wahib, but he changed it when his family moved to the United States after Operation Desert Storm. When we cross-referenced his real name, and we found he had contributed to a few charities known to have ties to the 9-11 attacks.”
It was rare when Gibbs was flabbergasted. This was one of those times. Tony swore he could actually see his Boss’s blood pressure rising. Gibbs did not like being surprised.
“And this *was missed* in his security review? What about his connection to Lewis?”
The NCIS Medical Examiner sought to calm his friend. Which admittedly wasn’t an easy task. “One mystery at a time, Jethro. They didn’t miss the name change in his security review…”
Before the silver haired NCIS Agent could say anything else, Abby added. “More like it was dismissed, Gibbs…”
McBurney nodded his agreement with her flippant comment. “There was an investigation, but the Regional Investigative Coordinator who was in charge said in his report that the Master Gunnery Sergeant didn’t know they were fronts for funding terrorist operations. The agent said and I’m quoting from the note attached to the report ‘…further investigation revealed that Master Gunnery Sergeant Wilbane’ or al-Wahib ‘was telling the truth.’”
Gibbs felt embarrassed, which in turn, made him angry - again. He knew who that Regional Investigative Coordinator was. Sedrick Phillips. He had conveniently done Rudy Wilbane’s review. The former RIC had played him again.
Now it was Ducky’s turn again. “As for his connection to this whole mess, Master Gunnery Sergeant Wilbane and Captain Lewis also worked together during Operation Anaconda.”
“When Colonel Bill Murphy was killed--” Gibbs said thinking aloud. He had read the reports on what the press had said had happened and he’d be willing to bet that a certain JAG would be pretty pissed off when he learned that Captain Lewis had been present during that ‘friendly fire’ incident.
Abby was now smiling. “Exactly; plus we found that some of the bullets recovered from Murphy matched the bullets found at the Dodge murder scene.”
The Goth Forensic Specialist was worth her weight in gold. “Good job Abbs.”
She had found the one piece of evidence that could be used to nail Phillips, Wilbane, and Lewis…maybe even Colonel Livingston herself.
But instead of glowing in this praise from Gibbs, Abby was quick to point out she wasn’t alone in this hunt for the truth.
“Oh it wasn’t just me, Gibbs. Special Agent McGee has been a big help; very big…helped me with Commander Rabb’s files, locating the missing action reports from Operation Anaconda and Colonel Murphy’s death--”
Gibbs nodded acknowledging what Abby was trying to say. “I get it Abbs; thank you for your help, Special Agent McGee. I’ll let your supervisor at Norfolk know what an asset you’ve been to our investigation.”
Tim McGee nodded. “Uh, thank you, ah, Special Agent Gibbs.”
The senior NCIS Agent gave him a nod back. A little nervous, but the kid showed potential.
Abby though, wasn’t finished. “Oh wait Gibbs, Major McBurney and Ducky and Commander Coulter; they were also a big, big help as well…”
Gibbs sighed. “I figured that Abbs…”
“It would be nice if you thanked them too…”
For some reason, the NCIS Forensics Specialist was being more forward than usual. Gibbs decided to remind her that there was a limit to what he would let her get away with “Abby--!”
“Yes Gibbs?” the NCIS Forensics Specialist replied timidly. Pissing off Gibbs had not been on her to-do list today.
Her meek response was enough to put off his reprimand. “If you let me talk, I’ll thank them.”
Abby nodded her head, eyes cast downward like a school child that had been scolded. “Right Gibbs, sorry.”
Ducky shook his head. “No need to thank us, Jethro; we want to catch these ‘dirtbags’ as bad as you want to.”
The silver haired NCIS Agent smiled at his old friend’s use of a term that Gibbs commonly used to refer to bad guys.
Faith leaned towards Tony and whispered, “Can dirtbags be female?”
Tony cocked an eyebrow at her with a look of ‘are you kidding?’ on his face. “Dirtbags can be male or female.” He quickly whispered back. He didn’t want to miss any of this.
“I know you do, Duck; and we will.”
Gibbs focused on the JAG Lawyer. “Major?”
“No thanks is necessary, Gibbs, I was just glad to help.”
“Tell Admiral Chegwidden that NCIS would be glad to help with the Colonel Murphy cold case.”
John Michael McBurney began smiling. “I’m sure he’d like that, Special Agent.”
“Abby!”
“Yeah Gibbs!”
“Send us everything you have up to this point--”
McGee quickly spoke up in her defense. “It’s on its way, uh, Special Agent Gibbs; Abby, uh, that is, Ms. Sciuto, she just sent it out with a special courier….”
Gibbs’ eyebrows, as well as Abby’s, were raised at the probationary Agent’s use of his Forensic Specialist’s first name.
Gibbs wondered just what the heck was going on back there between those two?
“And Abby--”
She quickly finished the sentence for him “—right O great Navy Criminal Investigator; I’ll send you anything else that I find on Captain Lewis and Master Guns Wilbane.”
2100 Local
Shark Two [Mac’s Unit]
Initial Rally Point (IRP)
Somewhere Northwest of Mirbullah
Once the ‘meeting’ was over, everyone got back to the routine of getting ready for the next leg of their recon mission.
Victor looked at his watch. “Well, this has been fun, but now it’s time for breakfast, Marines, He said to the three Staff Sergeants. “We’ll eat in shifts, so someone watches the perimeter at all times.”
“Aye, aye, Master Guns.”
As the group broke up, the Master Guns made his way over to Mac. Victor gave her that smarmy smile. “So you’re investigating Colonel Livingston?”
The Light Colonel followed his cue; Gunny still suspected some members of the platoon. She nodded. “Yes, Master Guns. There’s reason to believe she aided and abetted the insurgents, provided them with intel and logistics support.”
“She’s a piece of work, isn’t she?”
Mac almost laughed. Instead she coughed. “Yeah, a real piece of work.” She replied wryly.
She could see the twinkle in Victor’s eyes has he continued. He was really enjoying this. “Well, it looks like you and I get to eat with the first shift. Shall we go over to the chow hall?”
“Lead the way, Master Guns.”
Kayce was sitting with Sergeant Szymas, ‘Lance Criminal’ Crockett, Evan Mickens, Eddie Willet and Staff Sergeant Dallas. Lance Corporal Crockett looked up at Mac and Victor’s approach.
“Care to join us, ma’am, Master Guns? We’ve got a lovely view of the sand dune next to us…”
Mac smirked. “How can I resist such an invitation, Lance Criminal?” Both Mac and Victor sat down with the group and everyone began opening their MREs
Eddie shook his head after peering inside his packet. “Damn, I have bravo deltas, again.”
Evan snorted. “Trade ya; I got beef, grease, and shrapnel.” Eddie made a face and shook his head no.
Kayce chuckled and tossed Eddie a packet. “Here…mix that with some of my powdered bug juice; that’ll take the edge off it….” Eddie tore open the packet and poured the powder into his open bag.
Mac leaned over and looked in the bag that Willet was now methodically stirring.
She blanched. “That looks--”
Kayce interrupted “—pretty unappetizing, but trust me ma’am, after eating these things for a few months, you’ll try anything once to make’em taste different.”
Mac nodded in understanding. Rations, no matter how well prepared in the MRE tended to get bland after a while. Nutritious, but bland. Marines were famous for coming up with unique home-cooked recipes by mixing the contents of various MREs.
Willet stopped stirring and took a bite of the pinkish mass. “Good stuff, Kayce…” he said between mouthfuls.
Kayce nodded. For a few minutes, the group ate in silence, simply enjoying the chance to relax, if only a few moments.
Staff Sergeant Dallas finished his meal first. “So Colonel, where to now? Did Colonel Livingston tell you our objective?”
Mac traded a look with Victor. “We keep heading northwest.” Was all she said in response.
Eddie Willet spoke up next. “Ma’am, do you really think that al-Sahood and his bunch have their hideout up here somewhere?”
“All intel points to that, Corporal. We did find that they had an operational BMD personnel carrier.” Mac replied.
That prompted Dallas to speak up again. “So we know that al-Sahood somehow got hold of some WMDs and maybe a FROG or SCUD tractor trailer rig, but begging the Colonel’s pardon, what does he intend to do? Use those Iraqi improvised slingshots to fling them into Camp Puller?”
Victor chuckled at that comment. “Try a rocket propelled missile, Dallas. And not one of those cobbled together Al Hussein missiles.”
That got everyone’s attention. And Victor continued.
“A Romeo 17 Echo missile -- aka, NATO designation, SCUD-e.”
Mac picked up the story from there. “It’s the export version that the Soviets sold to Saddam. Not as sophisticated and missing some of the bells and whistles that the Soviet missiles had, but nevertheless it’s still a deadly missile with the right payload, and launched from Soviet built MAZ-543P transporter erector launcher.”
Crockett and the others could have taken exception to this lawyer telling them about a weapons system they knew all about, but to find this kind of weapons system in the hands of the insurgents made them give her a little leeway…. The Lance Corporal shook his head in disbelief. “I thought all of those things were destroyed when we took Baghdad….”
The Light Colonel explained how the SCUDs were missed. “Sahood’s clever. He knew that Saddam had sent one of his SCUD batteries to the units defending Kerbala. It’s the same one that fired salvos into Kuwait when we first began to move into Iraq.”
Now Victor picked up the story again. “When it was realized that Kerbala couldn’t be defended, the generals sent the SCUDs south to bolster the defenses of those combat units north of al Nasiriyah.”
“But we didn’t find any SCUD launchers when we assaulted Mirbullah…” Evan interjected.
Mac nodded in acknowledgment of that statement. “We know. Intel thinks they’re hidden somewhere north of here…”
Dallas summed up the group’s unspoken thoughts. “So we’re looking for a place big enough to hide a few SCUDS?”
“And their transport and launch vehicles….” Added Victor.
Everyone was silent. It was a sobering thought. It seemed the recon team had thought they were just looking for some beat-up tractor-trailer rigs with a few al-Hussein missiles. Now they knew what Mac and Victor knew. Somewhere out there was who knows how many very reliable Soviet-built SCUD launchers…with operational SCUD missiles…armed with a deadly payload.
Mac was now faced with a dilemma.
Darcy had given her explicit orders not to unveil the specifics of the actual mission objectives until they reached the Objective Rally Point. But the Marine JAG Lawyer didn’t want to wait that long. Despite the fact it might tip off the bad guys still left in this unit, she wanted all of them to know what they were really getting into. Telling Dallas, Kayce and the others during their meal and seeing their reaction made up her mind. As soon as everyone finished eating, she’d tell all of them.
It might even cause the bad guys to show their hand early. At least she hoped it would.
2130 Local
Camp Chesty Puller
Thomas ‘Zeke’ Fuller was walking around behind his vehicle commanders. The acting CO for Rover platoon was just finishing up an evening briefing with his men.
“…and on a personal note, each of you guys should tell your crews they *suck* at close quarters combat.”
“Aw c’mon Zeke…”
Sergeant Fuller turned swiftly and faced Corporal Appleton, commander of ROVER 2. “No Jake, you come on! You know as well as I do that crews have to be proficient! You remember Al Nasiriyah? Those AMTRAC crews never thought they would be fighting for their lives either!”
He moved back toward the group of LAV commanders. “You guys have to get it together! We are not going to be here forever. Your crews are getting sloppy and we can’t afford that--”
“You’re right, Sergeant Fuller, they can’t afford to be sloppy….”
Everyone in the assembled group looked up at the sound of the voice. Stunned silence. Staff Sergeant Fuller was the first to react. “Colonel Baxter! Sir, we…I mean, I--”
Andrew Baxter held up his hand. “Don’t sweat it Sergeant; do you and your men feel up to a little recon mission?” The MEU XO held up a sheet of paper.
Zeke walked over and eagerly took the sheet from the XO. “Yes sir; you want it done, consider it done. We’ve been itching to get a little payback…”
But Colonel Baxter had some sobering words for the acting commander of Rover platoon.
“Staff Sergeant, I came down here personally to impress on you that this is to *strictly* be a recon mission. Colonel Livingston’s Recon Marines are already on the hunt for al-Sahood and are in the process of locating his hideout. Your *job* is to work with the local provisional Iraqi army units and investigate the roadways and terrain in and out of the area they find and report back to me.”
Zeke was stung by the comment. “Do we pull back as well, sir?” The response was supposed to be snotty. He didn’t like this kind of mission.
Baxter understood his sentiment, but wasn’t about to apologize for what he had said. He gave the acting CO a dry smile. “No, stay out there…Livingston’s Force Recon people may need your help. Just be sure the way is clear for us to enter….”
That meant this was more than just a sneaky poking around mission. Maybe even the whole battalion would be involved. Zeke nodded his acceptance of his orders. “Aye, aye, sir.”
“Make out your orders and get your people moving to meet up with the provisional Iraqi forces, Sergeant.”
“Aye sir.” Fuller pulled out a large pad and begins scribbling down his platoon orders. Then he looked his assembled vehicle CO’s.
“All right guys, listen up, you heard the Colonel, we’ve got a recon mission. We’re going to be working with the Iraqis, so pay attention….”
2200? Local
Somewhere North of Mirbullah
Amir nodded to his co-worker. The young arc welder put the mask down over his face and began welding the metal plug in place. It wouldn’t be perfect, but it should be good enough to repair the tank’s front armor plate and provide the crew enough protection for them to carry out their mission.
Samir al-Sahood watched as the young man finished his welding job. Once the welder was done, Samir would have a fully operational platoon of tanks. By no means though, would it be a crack battle ready unit.
To spearhead the attack, Samir and his confederates had been able to acquire a combination of tanks with bulldozer blades and a couple of mine clearing tanks – these would push their way through any American minefields they might encounter.
His ‘tank platoon’ consisted of three repaired Romanian TR-77 main battle tanks and one still damaged Assad Babil or ‘Lion of Babylon’ T-72 battle tank. The Assad Babil tank, due to her battle damage, had a tendency to shed her tracks if she ran at anything higher than second gear, so she would bring up the rear, mopping up any remaining resistance.
In the face of an alert combat ready American force, this unit probably would not make it through the first minutes of battle, but he had planned for that.
The Americans he would be facing would be the demoralized survivors of his Hydrogen Cyanide attack. A chemical concoction that he and his sub-commander, Hamid Faoud al-Harib, had smuggled out of Afghanistan, across Iran and into Iraq.
This knockout punch would be delivered by the two operational MAZ-543P TELS and two Free Rocket Over Ground -7 [FROG] missile launchers that he had carefully preserved and prepared for this assault. All four would be carrying the HCN loaded missiles.
These four missile trucks were all that was left of Saddam’s 223rd Operational Tactical Missile Brigade. The remaining trucks were worthless junk that he would use as decoys for the inevitable American airstrikes.
While the vaunted American aircraft bombed his decoys into oblivion, the strike force would be waiting below the floor of this special Iraqi Battalion Defensive Position. Special, because it had a self-contained underground bomb-proof ‘garage’ for his strike force.
And when the airstrikes were done, he would strike back with his missiles and in the chaos that would follow, his armored unit, the remnants of the 10th Brigade, 2nd al-Medinah Armored Division and 606th Brigade of the 11th Infantry Division, would avenge those killed in this so-called Global War on Terror.
He would show the Americans what a Terror War really was.
2210 Baghdad/1910 Zulu
1910 Zulu/1410
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Jason and Marla thought they were facing the mole in the JAG Office but it turned out Cathart was just a curious tech wanna-be. He was intrigued that someone was using spyware, trojans and key loggers to infiltrate JAG. It seemed that Seaman knew a thing or two about how the mole might have accomplished his work.
While Jason still didn’t entirely trust Cathart, he did provide them with knowledge about how this infiltration was done that they didn’t have before.
Marla though seemed to be friendlier to Cathart and actually seemed to be eager for his help. That made Jason wonder if Marla might be Darcy’s mole. After all, she did come on board after all this started…
Jason’s ponderings were put aside when Lieutenant Sims came in the computer tech room and asked for Cathart’s help.
As the Seaman left with Harriet, Marla blew out a sigh of relief.
“You were worried?”
Marla nodded, relief flooding her pert features. “Cathart’s too curious. I thought he might be the mole, so I played the dupe, hoping he would show his hand…. Thank God the Lieutenant came in when she did; I was running out of sparkling conversation…”
“You mean, none of what you told him was true?”
Marla Givers looked genuinely shocked and hurt. “You thought? —that I would? …Oh man, we have to find this mole and soon…before we start turning on each other…. C’mon, let’s get back to the Bullpen….”
2301 Local
Camp Chesty Puller
Ashton Briggs looked over Colonel Livingston’s report again. The Colonel and her black ops recon units had discovered the insurgent main base of operations north of here. She was going to lead three teams of her best troops on a parachute insertion in an agricultural area just south of the insurgent’s positions. The rice and rye fields combined with date palm orchards that were interspersed in that area would be perfect cover for that type of operation.
From there they would join up with the black op units and move overland to the insurgent positions and eliminate that threat once and for all. Ashton kept telling himself to remain focused. It was July 2003, and they were in Iraq. They had been here for almost six months…. At least the pills that Darcy had given him were helping him keep on track.
He was just so tired, as soon as they finished off these Saddam goons they could join the celebrations in Baghdad. No, wait a minute…that happened back in April…. So what was today’s date…?
“Sergeant?”
Jenkins stopped typing on his laptop and went into the office of the 36th MEU CO.
“Yes Colonel?”
“That was a real good dinner, wasn’t it?”
“Yes sir; it was….” It was the fourth time this evening he had asked him about dinner.
“You liked that garlic sauce they used?”
That was the fourth time for that question, too.
“It was…pretty good…. The first time Jenkins had said ‘it was kind of like his Mom’s’ Then when he asked the second time, he thought the Colonel was teasing him, so he said it was ‘too greasy’ to which the Colonel agreed, got out a bottle of liquid antacid, and took a healthy swig.
The third time, Jenkins thought that Briggs was testing him, so he said he thought it was ‘too spicy’ and was surprised when the Colonel agreed with him and took another drink from his antacid bottle.
Jenkins was worried; in less than six hours, the 36th MEU would be involved in combat operations and his CO seemed befuddled and acting as if he were rehearsing a scene for a show. Maybe it was just a nervous tic, but the Sergeant never remembered him doing anything like this before.
---TBC…
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