| Subject: ...For Meritorious Service, Chapter 27 - continued |
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TxJAG_b
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Date Posted: 10:27:25 04/29/10 Thu
In reply to:
TxJAG_b
's message, "...For Meritorious Service, Chapter 25d, part two - continued" on 16:25:09 01/08/09 Thu
From Tuesday:
************
Kayce nodded, “Especially if they use those, ma’am--”
Mac focused just beyond the first defensive line. Coming out of an underground bunker were two ZIL-135 eight wheeled rocket launchers and their re-load vehicle. Behind them were three massive MAZ-543 missile transporter erector launchers [TELS]. These were followed dutifully by an attending Range Rover and GAZ jeep.
Mac recognized the vehicles from her recurrent dream. They looked even more menacing than they had in her vision. “We’ve got to warn Briggs now,” she snapped.
...For Meritorious Service, Chapter 27
NCIS Headquarters
Abby had worked non-stop since Beauregard Livingston’s badly bloated body had been found. The Goth Forensic Specialist had been air-expressed what she needed while Doctor Mallard and Commander Coulter prepared to work on the physical remains, which would arrive much later.
Fornell must have moved heaven and earth to get a flight arranged so quickly. It would be hours before the JAG and NCIS Medical Examiners would learn everything that poor Beauregard could ‘tell’ them, but Abby was determined to nail Darcy D’Acerville with her own evidence.
Her various lab machines were working at full tilt. It was not much to work with, but some soil samples, some hair samples, a badly deformed ring and broken necklace chain were all that Abby had to go on.
“Come you guys,” she urged her machines. “Work like you’ve never worked before…”
Various charts and tables were thrown up on her display screens showing percentages of chemicals, various dyes, metal compositions, water bacterial makeup and so on.
Abby took a large gulp from her nearby Caf-Pow. The music thrumming from her speakers was a fusion of punk rock and urban beats.
The doors to her lab opened and Tim McGee stared wide eyed at Abby Sciuto.
With her jet black hair in pigtails and wearing that lacy short black dress that peaked out from underneath her pristine white lab coat, Tim was having all sorts of unprofessional thoughts.
“Timmy! I’m so glad you’re here!” she said embracing him in an impromptu hug. “What did you find out about our wicked witch?”
Tim cleared his throat and moved away from her toward the computers. “Uh, I need to make connection with Fornell’s team in Louisiana; um, may I?” he nodded toward Abby’s second computer. Despite having worked with her these past several days, he still felt uncomfortable about her exuberance.
“Be my guest.” Tim smiled and began hitting keys. In moments the intimidating image of FBI Special Agent in Charge Tobias Fornell was staring at him.
“Special Agent McGee,”
Tim involuntarily pulled back from the screen. “Ah, Special Agent Fornell,”
Fornell didn’t waste any more time talking to this junior agent from Norfolk. (Gibbs must be scraping the bottom of the barrel to get a kid like this up here…) He looked at Abby.
“Ms. Sciuto; what have you two found?”
Tim had heard the scuttlebutt that Fornell was a lot like Special Agent Gibbs, so he ignored the snub.
Abby gave the image of Fornell a big smile. “Well, the hair that you found is definitely Colonel Livingston’s--”
The FBI agent dashed any hopes that this might be good evidence. “That doesn’t help me Ms. Sciuto; since they both drove it, hair from both of them would be found in the car. Anything else?”
Chastened, she looked at Tim and then back at the screen. “Well there was also some skin on the ring….” Abby began hopefully. She knew it was flimsy but right now it was the best she had.
“Which matched the Colonel?” The FBI Special Agent in Charge wasn’t dismissing this.
Now Abby was her old cocky self again. “Yeah!”
But Tobias Fornell was just playing with her. “She could explain that away, Ms. Sciuto – it’s probably badly degraded too – right?”
“Yeah,” Abby’s normally bright eyes were looking toward the floor. Tim really wanted to comfort her.
“Perhaps I can be of some assistance, Special Agent Fornell…”
Fornell looked past the two at the coroner entering the room. “Doctor Mallard; your body won’t arrive for another couple of hours…
Ducky waved away his explanation. “That’s quite all right Special Agent; I believe that I might be able to help in another manner…”
“Meaning?”
“Well, you said that Beauregard Livingston had his hands clinched under him, in defensive posture, correct?”
“Yes, that’s how we found him, Doctor, face down in the trunk. But what does that have to do with--”
“Is the local coroner still on site?”
“Yes he is, but--”
Ducky gently cut off the FBI Special Agent. “May I speak with him, please?”
Fornell sounded as if he were growling and then turned away from the camera and spoke to someone they couldn’t see. In a moment, a portly gentleman’s chubby face was looking at Ducky.
“Ducky! How are ya’ll doing?”
“I’m fine, Jean Pierre; by any chance, have you been able to open Beauregard Livingston’s hands?”
Jean Pierre looked doubtful. “His hands are mighty bloated, Ducky; and just might disintegrate…but for you, I’ll give it try anyway,”
Ducky smiled at his friend. “Thank you Jean.”
Jean Pierre went away from the camera, his face replaced by Tobias Fornell’s.
“Why do you want to look at his hands, Doctor?”
“Just a hunch I have Special Agent…” Ducky said obliquely.
“Ducky! Ducky!! You were right!!” an excited voice said off screen
“What? What did you find?” snapped Fornell turning toward the voice.
Jean Pierre hurriedly came back to the camera. “Doctor Mallard thought Beauregard might be holding onto some evidence and he was right!” He held up a still recognizable pendant with two lengths of broken chain trailing from either side.
Abby leaned in and looked closely at the chain and pendant. Her eyes lit up in recognition of the necklace chain pattern that she could see. “Tim!”
“Way ahead of you Abby,” Tim McGee said as his hands seemed to float across the keyboard as he focused the webcam on the pendant.
“Tell me you’ve got something McGee….” Fornell said to the Norfolk rookie.
But Tobias should have known that Tim McGee was in his element. “I do, sir; this pendant is a match for only one of four sold in that area. They were specialty pieces made exclusively with special inscriptions for their owners. Two were sold on E-Bay last year and the third was returned to the jeweler for repairs just last week. That just leaves the fourth pendant--”
“And one of the people who purchased this style pendant was Beauregard Livingston.” Fornell finished for him.
*~*
The howling roar of the supersonic fighter aircraft over the battlefield was deafening.
Porucznik Wawrzyniak and Podporucznik Jodlowski had pulled their gunships behind the FEBA to stay out of their way. Some of the Marines looked up at the sound of the jet aircraft that were so close to the ground.
Lieutenant Borden of CO of Slugger Four and Sergeant Mausert of CO Chisel Two looked up simultaneously.
“Take Cover!!” Borden yelled to both crews. They as one, scrambled underneath their disabled vehicles.
Kapitan Chidorz closed the hatch on his personnel carrier and barked into his radio. “All crews button up!!”
*~*
Kayce nodded her agreement with Mac’s assessment and began to radio Colonel Briggs. “Mike Nine Fox, Mike Nine Fox; this is Sierra Six Mike, Over.”
“Sierra Six Mike, authenticate--”
“That won’t be necessary, MacKenzie. Corporal, cher, please do put down the radio and step away.”
Mac’s blood froze at the Cajun lilt in that female voice. Somehow Darcy had found out what they were doing. The insurgent probably hadn’t bought their story at all. Though her back was to Livingston, she knew she wasn’t alone.
Meanwhile the radio operator in 36th MEU command post repeated his request, unaware of what was going on. “Sierra Six Mike please authenticate, over.”
Mike Nine Fox this is Sierra Two Seven; I authenticate: Charlie…alpha…juliet…uniform …november; disregard last transmission, over.”
Reassured by being given the proper code word, the radio operator didn’t question what had just taken place. Mistakes happen. “Confirmed Sierra Two Seven, disregarding last transmission – out.”
Darcy turned off the radio. “Turn around MacKenzie, Danvers…” the Light Colonel and Kayce turned to see Darcy and three of her Force Recon Marines along with a smiling Jacques Lewis; all had their rifles trained on them.
MTAC, NCIS Headquarters
Washington Navy Yard
Tom Morrow shook hands with the Navy/Marine Corps’ Judge Advocate General. Despite the fact it was not even 0400, both men looked as they did during the day – not worn down and disheveled.
“How are you doing AJ?” Morrow asked as the two men started to sit down in the darkened room. A test pattern was showing on the large screen in front of them.
AJ Chegwidden gave the NCIS Director a wry smile and gentle chuckle. Tom Morrow’s ability to be congenial, diplomatic and still get the job done was going to take him places one day.
“Well, truthfully, I’ll feel a lot better once my JAGMAN team is back in Washington,” AJ confessed.
“Can’t say that I blame you,” Tom replied honestly. It was the first time since this all began that the two men had a chance to sit down and talk rather than play politics. “I’d rather have my Major Case Response Team working on cases here, too.”
The Admiral had to admit to himself that he hadn’t expected such a frank response from Director Morrow. He made a mental note to get together with this man once this was all over.
One of the MTAC technicians turned to face both men. “Director Morrow? We have satellite feed from the battle area…”
“Bring it up.” He ordered.
The technician nodded and after typing in the sequence on his keyboard to bring the satellite transmission online, he turned back to the NCIS Director. “On screen, sir.”
As the image coalesced on the screen, AJ thought about how much this room was like a movie theatre--the only things that were missing were the odor of popcorn and sticky floors.
“Connect me with Special Agent Gibbs….”
The technician nodded and punched a series of keys. After a few moments he turned back to Director Morrow. “Um, I can’t seem to raise him, sir.”
The Admiral and Director exchanged a look; both knew that atmospheric anomalies sometimes played havoc with radio transmissions.
“Try Commander Coleman,” The Navy/Marine JAG suggested. The Director nodded his agreement and the technician punched a few more keys.
On the screen, Director Morrow could see that 36th MEU was clearly stalled. The drone aircraft circled forward edge of the battlefield, showing the Marines efforts to overcome the insurgent’s dug-in positions.
“I’ve got Commander Coleman, sir.” the MTAC technician announced.
The image shifted to Faith Coleman dressed in camouflaged fatigues and wearing a Kevlar helmet. She looked so unlike the well-groomed JAG Corps officer who had stood in AJ’s office back in April.
“What’s the situation, Commander?” Director Morrow asked.
“Gatorforce has run into well prepared insurgent positions northeast of Mirbullah.” Faith replied in her usual ‘just the facts’ manner.
“Just how bad are they stalled, Commander?” The Navy/Marine JAG probed. Since she was in his chain of command, he might be able to get her to elaborate.
“It’s a stalemate at the moment, Admiral. However, there are reinforcements on the--”
Before she could finish, her voice was cut off by the sound of thundering jet engines roaring overhead.
Both men looked at each other in surprise. The Admiral responded first to this new element.
“Commander!” Admiral Chegwidden barked trying to regain control of the situation the only way he knew how. “What the hell is going on?!” But Faith Coleman was nowhere to be found.
Director Morrow responded in his own way. “Get that drone view back now!” He snapped.
The technician nodded and began typing furiously. “Yes sir!”
The image on the screen shifted back to the drone’s camera which showed a squadron of Tomcats and a flight of Hornets bearing down on the insurgent positions.
Both men watched as the jet aircraft began their strafing runs.
“Carrier planes from USS Patrick Henry, Director!” The technician called out. “VFA-218 and VMFA-721!”
(VFA-218?) AJ Chegwidden thought as he watched the jets attacking the insurgents. Leaning back in his chair, he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and shaking his head. He was feeling one of his infamous Rabb-induced headaches coming on. (That’s gotta be Rabb…)
*~*
Harm could see the line of Marine vehicles down below him, in seconds they would be over the battlefield. Stray tracer rounds arced up from the insurgent positions.
Flying in a ‘v’ formation with two of Major Epperson’s Hornets on either side of them, Harm and Nicole’s Tomcats lined up their targets. Harm saw a flash off to his right. He instinctively thought – SAM!
“MANPAD! Snap her over and roll ten degrees right, Eagle 22!” He ordered. “Eagle 21 rolling in hot!!”
“Firing flares! Weapons free!” Nicole called out, “Engaging targets with 20 mike mike!!”
Supergirl [Eagle 22] walked a line of twenty millimeter cannon shells up to and over the top of an approaching insurgent OT-64. The vehicle shuddered under the impact of the rounds before disintegrating in a fireball.
Harm toggled his bomb release; his Mark 83 1,000 pound bomb drifted free of its mounts and flew into the mouth of a cave which up to that moment had been spewing mortar fire and 57mm anti-tank shells. The hole in the rock vomited flames and tossed out the twisted remains of the elderly 57 millimeter ZiS anti-tank gun.
Rhino [Eagle 23] was next. He sent two 2.75 Zuni rockets into the top armor of a sluggishly moving T-55 that had been trying to back away from a Marine infantry assault. The Marines lead by 1st Lieutenant Price had wisely taken cover, but the tank, crippled by the Marine’s SMAWs could not get to cover in time.
The rockets found their mark and the tank detonated, sending its turret flipping away from the body of the tank like a frying pan.
Flying Cloud released another bomb; this one on a blockhouse that had a squad of Marines lead by Gunnery Sergeant Sanchez pinned down. While they hugged the soil around them, Eagle 24’s bomb ripped the blockhouse open like it had been hit by a wrecking ball. Chunks of blasted concrete rained down in front of Sanchez
And so it went; as the members of Eagle squadron either fired their 20mm cannons or released a bomb or fired a couple of rockets, Major Epperson’s flight did it’s best to discourage any anti-aircraft fire by strafing suspected anti-aircraft positions.
Then as quickly as it had started, it was over. Eagle squadron and Hunter flight were gone. Except for the crackling of fires and the stray report of an automatic rifle, the battlefield was eerily silent.
Faith (who had barely made it back outside) and Bud picked themselves up off the ground and stared at the other Marines and Sailors who probably had the same shell-shocked looks on their faces. Sergeant Dewert already had his hands full as he, Colonel Baxter, and a few other subordinates began their first series of radio calls.
“Gatorforce One, radio check…” Sergeant Dewert mentally kept his fingers crossed that Hawkins had survived this one.
There was a pause. Dewert licked his chapped lips and tried again.
“Gatorforce One, come in; radio check…”
There was static for a moment. Then. “Sonva—that was close!” It was Lieutenant Jim Hawkins’ unsteady voice.
Sergeant Dewert smiled. “Are you okay, Gatorforce One?”
“Affirmative…affirmative; we’re all okay….”
“One this is Leader. How about your units?”
“Wait one, Gatorforce Leader; I’m getting responses now…”
Andrew Baxter could hear the cacophony radio reports bombarding Lieutenant Hawkins and his radio operators. Miraculously, other than a few salty words, Gatorforce One reported no casualties.
Sergeant Dewert turned Colonel Baxter. “Gatorforce Two reporting in…no casualties sir!”
Dewert’s good news seemed to open a fount of information from the FEBA. Two other radio operators chimed in.
“Colonel! Slugger Four and Chisel Two are okay! Warthog Four and Slugger Two say they can get tow lines attached and drag them to Major Kelly’s position!”
“Colonel Baxter! Captain Chidorz and Lieutenant Korczak are requesting permission to aid the recovery efforts!”
Andrew Baxter quickly assessed this positive turn in events and decided to take advantage of it. “Tell’em they have their permission. And tell Major Kelly to provide the Captain with infantry support until his men can dismount!”
“Aye, aye, sir!” said Dewert with a big grin on his face. Finally, things were starting to go their way.
---TBC…
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