| Subject: Sleight of Hand, Part 16 |
Author:
Incatnito
|
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 23:11:01 08/09/02 Fri
In reply to:
Incatnito
's message, "Sleight of Hand, Part 1" on 23:35:30 07/28/02 Sun
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church
1115 Local
PO Tiner sat at his desk, organizing folders to file. It was turning into a pretty good day. The Admiral had actually smiled when he came in this morning. He had assembled the office staff, told them that Colonel MacKenzie had been in contact and everything would shortly be straightened out. He even thanked them for their patience and dedication. Jason smiled, the only unhappy one was probably Lt. Singer. He'd have bet money she had her personal items boxed up and ready to move into the Colonel's office. Commander Rabb had called in to say he was headed to Norfolk to interview a client, he sounded happier, too.
There was that rumor about the Admiral being involved in the near riot at the Vietnam Memorial yesterday afternoon. Apparently the news coverage wasn't very clear. Tiner thought about it and then shook his head. Nah, if the Admiral had been detained by the police, yesterday would have seemed like a walk in the park compared to today. Jason tensed when he saw Congresswoman Latham enter the bullpen and breathed a sigh of relief when she went past the Admiral's office. Yes, today was going to be perfect.
Bobbie and Sturgis entered the bullpen just as AJ came out of his office, coffee mug in hand. He smiled, "Congresswoman, it's good to see you. I take it you and Commander Turner are off to lunch?"
"Yes we are. It's good to see you too, Admiral. Cmdr. Turner was just telliing me about the break-in last Friday, is Mac going to be okay?"
"Yes, I believe so. We're keeping her in a safe location, at least until we can locate the escaped prisoner that tried to kill her."
"Admiral, we have a problem." Clayton Webb stood in the entryway to the bullpen. At his desk, Tiner's eyes widened, 'oh no!'
"Webb?" AJ turned towards the CIA operative in surprise, "You're supposed to be keeping an eye on the Colonel."
"That's just it, Admiral. She's gone." Webb scrubbed a hand through his hair. The entire bullpen had gone silent.
"Gone? What do you mean gone? What the hell happened?!" AJ took a step towards Clay.
"She took off. I thought she'd gone back to her room to lay down. When I went in to check on her an hour later, she was gone. The bedroom window was open." Webb spread his hands, "How could I have known?"
"What aren't you telling me, Webb?" AJ's voice had gotten dangerously soft.
Webb hesitated a moment, "She didn't know about the charges against her or her place being ransacked. When I told her, she just went ballistic. Said she'd had enough and she was going to finish this, once and for all. I thought I'd managed to calm her down. I guess I was wrong."
"You guess? You... Guess?!" The Admiral advanced on Webb, who took a nervous step backward.
"Admiral!" Sturgis' low, urgent tone cut through the tension. The office staff was frozen in place. Both men blinked, finally aware they had an audience.
AJ glared at Webb and then glanced at Sturgis and a wide-eyed Bobbie Latham. "My office. Now." He turned around and headed back to his office with long, angry strides.
NIS
1217 Local
Charlie Jacobs looked at the blinking light on his phone. His yeoman had told him who was on the line, he was trying to decide how to handle it. Finally, he punched another button on his intercom, "Phillips, there's a call on line three, I need a trace." He listened for a moment, "Thank you."
Then he picked up his phone, "Colonel MacKenzie, this is a surprise."
"Is it? You and I need to have a talk."
"Certainly. Why don't you come in?"
"I don't think so. My health has been precarious enough lately."
"I don't know what you mean."
There was a sigh. "If this is the way you want to play this, fine. Just remember my patience is precarious, too. She hung up.
Jacobs sat for a moment in thought, then he punched the intercom, "Well?"
"Not quite long enough for a precise location, but we'll have a general vicinity in another couple of minutes, sir."
"No, don't bother. Thank you." Jacobs sat and considered. Thanks to his source, he'd already heard about the blow-up at JAG. Now this. He wouldn't accept anything at face value, Webb was a devious son of a bitch. AJ could be just as cunning. He reviewed the conversation, MacKenzie had sounded... determined? There was a slight edge to her voice, could have been anger... could have been fear. He noticed she had dispensed with military courtesy, talking to him as an equal. He could just wait and see what developed, despite the oblique warning not to string her along. Did she actually have the evidence? That was the key. Jacobs pulled out his cellphone, he had some things to set in motion.
Washington, DC
1222 Local
The metro bus pulled into its stop and the slender brunette got off. After scanning the area, she started walking up the street. Nerves taut, she resisted the urge to continually glance over her shoulder. 'Suck it up, Marine.' Mac thought to herself, 'The final round of this game is just beginning.' She had picked the phone location and timed the call to coincide with the metro's regular stop. Thirty seconds after she'd hung up, she was sitting on the bus on her way out of the area.
Eighty-two minutes later, Mac walked in to her hotel room. Carefully locking the door behind her, she turned and jumped at the sight of a man standing in the doorway of the bathroom.
"I'm sorry, Sarah. Did you forget I would be here?" James asked, smiling.
Mac leaned against the wall, slightly breathless, "I thought Harm had the first watch."
"We traded. He said something about spending the night with you... " James raised his eyebrows innocently.
"You can stop right there, Lieutenant." Mac fixed him with a mock glare, "... Or I'll call and tell your mother that you're being mean to me."
James raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, you win." He turned serious, "So, how did it go?"
Mac settled on the bed and then carefully shifted until her back was against the wall. Her side still hurt. She looked over at James, "I'm not sure. I've given him something to think about. He's being cagey as hell." She ran a hand through her hair. For a brief moment James saw strain and fear chase across her face, then the mask dropped back into place. "I hate waiting, but letting Jacobs stew is probably the best thing." She looked at James and smiled, "How's your poker?"
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church
1310 Local
Tiner stood up as Congresswoman Latham and Commander Turner exited the Admiral's office. Webb had left over half an hour ago. Jason had been both relieved and surprised not to see any blood on him. The story of the Admiral breaking Webb's nose several years ago had settled into office legend. Now, depending upon one's feelings about the CIA, every visit of Webb was looked upon with apprehension or anticipation. Tiner walked to the doorway and looked in. The Admiral was standing with his back to him, gazing out the window.
"Sir? Can I get you anything?" Despite the inherent danger of working for a retired SEAL (everyone knew you had to be a little bit crazy to become a SEAL... ), Jason liked Admiral Chegwidden. He knew the Admiral felt responsible for all those under his command, it had been a tough week for him.
"No thank you, Tiner."
Jason hesitated and then said, "I'm sure the Colonel will be okay, sir. She is a Marine."
The Admiral turned and looked at him, Jason stiffened. Then AJ smiled and said, "I'm sure you're right. Thank you, Tiner. Close the door on your way out."
AJ watched until the door had shut and then turned back to the window. The plan was in motion and all they could do was wait. They had tried to cover every contingency, but AJ knew from experience how fluid the situation could become. At least Bobbie Latham was on board - after the initial, obligatory grumbling about not being in the loop from the first. AJ smiled, he had no doubts Sturgis was going to get it with both barrels as soon as she could get him alone.
NIS
1710 Local
Admiral Jacobs looked up as Inspector Peterson bustled into the room. He was holding a small cassette player. "Admiral! Our wiretap finally picked up something interesting. I think you should hear it." With a flourish, he placed it on Jacobs' desk and pressed 'play':
"Admiral, Colonel MacKenzie's on line two."
"Colonel! Where are you? Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Admiral."
"Mac, you need to come back in. We have to deal with this situation. Whoever's trying to kill you is still out there."
"Why didn't you tell me about the charges, sir?"
Jacobs and Peterson heard Admiral Chegwidden sigh, "Mac, none of your friends believe any of those charges are true, but running away is making you look guilty."
"It will still go to court, won't it sir?"
"... Probably."
There was a bitter laugh, "So essentially my career is finished. Even if I'm acquitted, those charges will be on my permanent record. I'll never make it past another promotions board."
"Mac, your life is more important. Come in, we can protect you while we figure this thing out."
"Right now, you're batting .500 in the protection department, sir. You're lucky Webb turned up in the right place. I don't know if I can chance it. Given enough opportunities, even an idiot like Inspector Peterson might get it right. I don't want to be in NIS custody."
"Colonel, I could order you to come in."
"Don't - I have to go. I need to consider what's best for me. I'll contact you again, sir."
The tape ended. Jacobs looked at Peterson thoughtfully, "I assume you put a trace on the call?"
"Yes sir, it was a payphone. No one was there by the time we got to it."
Jacobs gazed at him for so long, the inspector began to fidget nervously. Finally the Admiral said, "Yes, that would follow, wouldn't it? ... Thank you Inspector, you may go."
Washington, DC
1820 Local
Harm stepped into the hotel room and quickly closed the door. He turned around and looked at the two people sitting on the bed. "You two are playing again? What are the stakes this time?"
"Washington." Mac glanced at a legal pad, "So far I've got the Dept. of Defense, the Smithsonian and the Jefferson Memorial. James just won the White House." She sniffed the air, "Dinner?"
Harm held up three large bags, "Greasy, heart-clogging burgers with the works for you two, salad for me." He looked at Mac, "How did the conversation with the Admiral go?"
Mac grimaced a little and then said, "Fine."
Harm's eyebrows lowered, he looked over at James, "What isn't she telling me?"
James glanced at Mac and then shifted his attention to Harm, "She was on the phone longer than thirty seconds. Those NIS agents missed her by about a minute, scared the hell out of me. They must have been in the area."
Harm's eyes widened in consternation, Mac held up a hand, "Don't start, I was far enough away and I'm being as careful as I can." She smiled, "At least this time, I have back-up."
Harm sat down in the room's only chair, grumbling. "I'll be glad when this is over." He was well aware that Mac, of all people, knew exactly what risks she was taking and why, he just didn't have to like it. He watched the two dig into their food, the stress was beginning to get to her. He knew Mac well enough to pick up on that. It was one of the reasons Harm wanted to be here tonight. He'd been with her in all kinds of situations, if she started coming apart - he'd be there to get her through. The race to bring Archangel down wasn't the only one Mac was involved in. He glanced up and saw her watching him, she arched an eyebrow. He raised both hands in mock surrender and pulled out his salad.
James sat and watched the byplay. He wondered about their relationship. (He'd mentioned his curiousity to Webb and gotten a laconic "Aren't we all?" in return.) Obviously, they were best friends and knew each other well. He just couldn't decide if they were involved. He felt he knew Mac better than the tall commander, having spent more time with her - and listening to his mother's keen observations. They seemed well-matched. James was pretty sure a lesser man would have a tough time dealing with the iron-willed Marine Colonel. He gave himself a mental shake and glanced at his watch. "Hey Sarah, what time is it?"
Mac looked over at him and grinned, "1832." It had become a kind of game with them. Emma had evidently told James about her internal clock. He'd taken to pouncing at unexpected moments, she hadn't missed yet.
"Time to go." James stood up, gathering the trash from dinner. He headed for the door and then looked back, "You children be good, I'll see you in the morning." He left.
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
| |
Feedback: 