|
Lost and Found
Author: Pixie Rating: PG Category: JAG Story Disclaimers: Neither JAG nor its characters belong to me. I'm not making any money from this little escapade, so please don't sue me.
****** Part 3 ******
0830 Zulu (0330 Local)
Mac moved restlessly in her sleep, unaware that her body was acting out the stages of her dream. She twisted and turned, her legs first tangling in the sheets, and then kicking them off entirely. She moaned once, the muffled sound serving as soft accompaniment to the thunder that rumbled beyond the windows. Suddenly, with a small, sharp cry that could have been either pain or fear, she sat up, her eyes blinking open, her head turning toward the window, but without seeing the rain that beat against it. It took several long moments for her breathing to calm and awareness to return, after which she grabbed a robe and headed for the bathroom and a hot shower. There'd be no more sleep for her tonight. Thirty minutes later, showered and dressed in casual clothes, she stood in the kitchen, waiting for the coffee pot to finish working its magic. She drummed her fingers impatiently while she glared at the machine, willing it to work faster. Finally, mug filled, she went to the living room. She set it on the end table, and then made herself comfortable on the couch. It was still far too early to go to the office, and too stormy for the SAR team to have headed out. She was restless and impatient. She knew now. She knew exactly where they needed to look. What she didn't know was whether or not they'd listen to her. The last time something like this had happened, she'd had Admiral Chegwidden around to back her up. This time, she was on her own. When the helicopter had gone down, forced into the mountain by a microburst, they'd been miles from their flight path. She already knew the emergency transmitter wasn't working. Major Sotheby had told her that much earlier in the day. She also knew that the wilderness area where the crash had occurred was both remote and densely wooded. Locating the downed helicopter was going to be like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. She had no idea why they'd been so far off course unless they'd been trying to avoid the storm. She shook her head roughly and stood up. This was getting her nowhere. Ignoring the cooling coffee, she hurried to the bedroom to change into her uniform. There was nothing she could do here, but there might be something she could do from the office. An hour later, she sat in her temporary office, and for the first time, she wasn't uncomfortable sitting in the admiral's chair. Harm needed her, and she'd finally figured out something she could do to help. With a sure hand, she looked up the number she needed, and picked up the phone. She was pretty sure she knew what the response would be, but she had to at least try. If they turned her down, as she fully expected they would, she would go to plan B She straightened when a tired voice answered the phone. "Major Sotheby." "Major. This is Colonel Mackenzie at JAG." "Colonel. I'm afraid I don't have much information for you." "Has the SAR team left yet?" "Not yet. The weather's clearing, though. They expect to leave within the hour." "I have some information that might prove useful in the search." There was a beat of silence before the major spoke. "What kind of information?" Mac took a deep breath. This was it. Sink or swim. "I know where they are." Silence again. She could almost hear the wheels turning in the major's mind, but to his credit, his voice gave no clue to his feelings. "Where?" She gave him the latitude and longitude information then waited while he looked it up. She heard a low whistle. "Ma'am, I'm sorry, but that location's fifty miles off their flight path. It just doesn't make any sense." She'd expected that reaction, had prepared herself for it, but it still stung. "I assure you, Major. That's where they are." "One moment please, Ma'am." She heard a muffled conversation, including what sounded like a snort of derision, before the major came back on the line. She clamped down on the urge to let the major know just how much that annoyed her. It wouldn't help anything if she lost her cool now – no matter how desperate she was to get Harm some help. "Ma'am?" Major Sotheby came back on the line. "Would you mind telling me how you know this…exactly?" Mac sighed. She really didn't want to have this conversation. Her…abilities…weren't something she really wanted made public – especially to strangers. Still, this was about Harm, and at this point, she was willing to do anything if it would only bring him safely back home. "I just know, Major." "Somebody contacted you?" "You might say that." He missed the twinge of irony in her tone. "Ma'am. If' you've heard from somebody on that chopper, we need to know about it." "No, Major. I haven't heard from anybody on the chopper." "Then how…?" "It doesn't matter. Are you going to send the SAR team to those coordinates?" "If there's time after they complete the standard search pattern we will." Mac blew out a frustrated breath. "And how long will the standard search pattern take?" There was a brief pause while he consulted his notes. "From what I see here, and from what I know about the flight path, I'd say it could take several days, Ma'am." "Several days! He could be dead by then!" "Ma'am, I'm sorry. I understand your concerns, but I can't change the search parameters based on the information you've just given me. I'll have them check it out after they finish the standard pattern. I'm afraid that's the best I can do." Mac's frustration was evident in her voice when she answered. "I understand. Keep me informed, Major." "Yes, Ma'am." She ended the conversation and returned the phone to its cradle. Then she stood and walked to the window, staring sightlessly into the first glimmering hint of dawn. Now what? Every instinct she possessed was screaming at her to go after him. The mere thought of him out there, lost, maybe badly hurt, was making her crazy. She couldn't leave Falls Church, though. For the next few days, at least, she was acting JAG, and that meant she might as well have been chained to her desk. No matter how badly she wanted to help, no matter how desperately she longed to go and find him herself, she was duty bound to her responsibilities here. The only faint glimmer of hope was the fact that she knew he was still alive. As long as she could still feel him, she would keep fighting. She turned away from the window at the soft knock on her office door. "Yes?" Jennifer came in with another stack of forms to sign and memos to review. "You're here early, Jen." "Yes, Ma'am. Couldn't sleep. Any news about the commander?" "Not yet. The SAR team should be departing Fort Bragg within the hour." "They're only just now starting to look?" "They were grounded by the weather." Mac picked up a pen and sat down at her desk, beginning to sign the papers, barely glancing at them as she did. "How's Mattie?" she asked. "She's worried." Mac looked up. "I'm sure she is. This must be hard on her." "On you too, Ma'am." "On all of us." Mac neatly deflected Jen's hidden message, then went on. "Is she with her dad today?" "Yes. I think she's going to stay with him until she hears about Harm." "That's probably best." "Ma'am? Can I ask a question?" The serious tone in Jen's voice brought Mac's eyes up from the paper she was scanning. "What is it, Jen?" "Why aren't you doing anything?" Mac's eyebrows shot up at that. "Excuse me?" Jennifer had the sense to realize she was treading on dangerous ground but, true to form, barreled ahead without thinking through the consequences. "When you were in trouble, Commander Rabb gave up everything to go after you. I guess I just…" she trailed off with a self-conscious shrug. "You wonder why I'm not on my way to Fort Bragg instead of sitting here signing memos and reviewing court cases?" "Yes, Ma'am." Mac sat back in her chair and considered the petty officer for a few long moments. By the time she finally spoke, Jen was beginning to look a little nervous. "Admiral Chegwidden retired, Commander Rabb is missing, we have enough active cases in the office to keep thirty lawyers busy – never mind three – and you wonder why I'm sitting here instead of running down to North Carolina to look for a needle in a haystack?" "When you put it like that, Ma'am…" "When I put it like that, you should realize that you're way out of line, Petty Officer. You're dismissed." "Yes, Ma'am." When the door closed quietly behind Jennifer, Mac stared grimly at it. Maybe she'd been hard on Coates, but the girl had to know that there were boundaries that should never be crossed. Better to learn that now, with her, than later, with a new admiral in place. Mac spent the next hour planning her day, reviewing paperwork, and fielding a call from the SecNav about the search. She handled staff call, informed them that the search for the downed Black Hawk had begun, and was about to head for the break room for a fresh cup of coffee when Jen buzzed to ask if she had time to see Bud. "Send him in," she answered, setting the empty mug back down and taking a seat. It was barely 0850 and her day was already chaotic. Bud came in and closed the door behind him. Mac indicated that he should sit down. "What can I do for you, Bud?" "It's about the commander." Mac sighed. "Et tu, Bud?" He looked puzzled. "Never mind," she said. "What's your question?" Bud looked uncomfortable. "What is it, Bud?" she prodded. "It's just that I can't help remembering…" "Yes?" she was starting to think wild horses might be required before Bud finally said what was on his mind. "It's just that, when Commander Rabb had that accident on the way back from quals a few years ago…" Mac realized what he was trying to say and stood up abruptly, moving to the window to stare out at the gray morning. "Ma'am?" He sounded concerned now, and she hastened to reassure him. "I'm fine, Bud." She rubbed the back of her neck and turned to him. "You remember that I found him that time." "Yes, Ma'am." "And you're wondering if I can do it again." "Actually…Yes." Mac turned back to the window, and her next words were so quiet, he had to strain to hear them. "I know where he is, Bud." The tone of defeated frustration in her voice went right over his head. He couldn't hear past his own feelings of relief and excitement. "Then you can go get him!" "No, Bud. I can't." "You can't?" The disbelief would have been almost comical if she'd been in the mood to appreciate it. Instead, she was mildly irritated. "No, Bud. I can't." "I don't understand." "I have responsibilities here." He looked at her, puzzled. "Ma'am. I may be out of line, but didn't Commander Rabb have responsibilities here when he came after you?" "You're right, Bud. You are out of line. Way out of line." She let that hang in the air between them for a moment. "When Harm came after me, he didn't walk away from a leadership position to do it." "Ma'am, I…" "That's enough, Commander. You're dismissed." A hurt expression settled over his boyish features as he stood and came to attention. He executed a formal about face before leaving the office. Mac heaved a sigh when the door closed behind him, then collapsed into her chair. Great. Just great. So far this morning, she'd been laughed at, had her authority questioned twice, and signed a dozen memos and forms that she couldn't even remember. Meanwhile, she was no closer to getting help for Harm. A sudden idea occurred to her, and she grabbed her cover and purse before leaving the office. She told a stunned Jennifer Coates that she'd be out of the office for a couple of hours, and left headquarters, turning her car towards McLean before she could second guess herself. Fifteen minutes later, she pulled up in front of A.J.'s house. She sat there for a few minutes collecting her thoughts, and then she took a deep breath, picked up her purse, and left the car, setting the alarm without conscious thought. It wasn't until she knocked on the door that it occurred to her that he might not be home. She knew he hadn't left on his summer trip with Francesca yet because he was taking part in the Change of Command Ceremony on Monday morning, but he could still be out doing any of a hundred other things. She said a quick silent prayer while she waited. When the knob turned a few seconds later, she breathed a sigh of relief. Now she just had to convince him to help. "Mac? What are you doing here?" He looked at her, taking in the shadows under her eyes and the tension in her back and shoulders. "Is everything all right?" "No, actually. It isn't. May I come in?" "Of course you can." He held the door wider, and she walked inside, waiting until he closed it and turned to face her. "Harm's missing," she said bluntly, then watched as the momentary shock in his eyes was replaced by amused resignation. "What did he get himself into this time?" She felt a stab of defensiveness on Harm's behalf. "It wasn't his fault, Admiral." He heard the irritation in her voice, and changed tactics. "Come sit down." He guided her into the living room. "Can I get you a drink?" "No, thank you. I'm fine." She caught his arm before he could move away. "I need your help." "My help?" "Yes." He crossed his arms and rocked back on his heels, not sure he wanted to hear what she was going to say next. "I know where he is…" "Then he isn't missing." Mac sighed. "Perhaps I should start at the beginning." "Might be a good idea." She did sit down then, and when he'd seated himself across from her, she plunged in. It took almost twenty minutes to tell the whole story, and by the time she was done, A.J. looked grim. "You say the people at Fort Bragg won't check the coordinates you gave them?" "They will, but not until after they finish the standard search, and that could take days." He sighed. "So what is it you want me to do?" Mac took a deep breath. This was where things could get sticky. "I want you to go after him." "Mac…" She cut him off before he could voice his objections. "I know he's alive, Admiral, but I don't know about the other people who were with him." She looked into his eyes and allowed a hint of desperation to creep into her voice. "And I don't know how badly he might be hurt. He might not have a week to wait for the SAR team to find him." A.J. considered her words for only a few moments. Then he sighed. "Where is he?" "Do you have a map?" His look of disbelief that she would ask him such a question drew a small smile from her. "Just a second." Minutes later, the map was unfolded on the dining room table and the two of them bent over it, heads close together and pencils in hand. Mac pointed to a location deep in the Appalachian Mountains. "Here. He's in a narrow valley. The mountains on either side are steep, but if you enter from the north end," she pointed. "Here. I think you can get in fairly easily." "Okay, let's see." A.J. spent a few minutes looking at the map, and then pointed to a thin line about ten miles from the valley she'd indicated. "That looks like a logging road. I should be able to find a place to park along there, then hike in." He considered the distance, and then glanced at his watch. "It's going to take a good six hours to drive down there, then another five or so to hike in. If I'm going to get there before dark, I'd better get going." "You'll do it, then?" "Of course I'll do it." He looked at her curiously. "Did you doubt it?" Mac hesitated. "You and Harm haven't exactly been on the best of terms lately." A.J. snorted. "That's an understatement." He considered her, apparently debating just how much to say. "I don't have a lot of time to go into this right now, but you need to know that I was hard on Harm for a reason." Mac lifted her hand to stop him. "It's really none of my business, Admiral. I'm just glad you're going to go after him." "I'm a SEAL, Mac. I don't leave men behind." Mac considered pointing out that he'd seemed willing enough to leave her in Paraguay, but decided this was neither the time nor the place for that discussion. "Thank you, Admiral." "You're welcome." She left then, comforted by the knowledge that A.J. would do everything in his considerable power to bring Harm out safely. A.J. hurried to the garage to get his backpack. Quickly, and with the ease of years of experience, he loaded it with a first aid kit, food, and bottled water. He added a change of clothes, an emergency transmitter, a hand held GPS, and an old fashioned compass. He had never learned to completely trust technology. He tossed in a jacket, some waterproof matches, and a small tarp that could serve as either shelter or blanket in an emergency, and he was ready to go. Within thirty minutes, he was on his way out of town. ************ Harm stood at the edge of the overhang, looking out over the valley. He'd spent a busy morning trying to turn the crash site and their temporary refuge into something vaguely resembling a shelter, and now he was taking a break to consider his next move. He glanced over at Colonel Palmiro. She'd been restless all morning, and he suspected she would wake soon. He felt sorry for her. With that leg, she'd be much more comfortable asleep then awake. Awake, she was going to be in excruciating pain, and there wasn't much he could do about it. He'd been down to the crash site at first light. The storm had moved off by then, leaving the valley in a sort of misty dream world. Thick gray fog had blanketed everything, and he hadn't been able to see more than a few feet in front of him. If he hadn't stumbled across a skid of the downed helicopter, he might have missed the crash site all together. As it was, he'd managed to add a few new bruises to his record-breaking collection. He'd been relieved to find that the storms had kept animals away from the bodies of the dead pilots. He wouldn't have wanted to explain that to their families. This was going to be hard enough as it was. He'd known burial was out of the question. He didn't have any tools, and the family would want the bodies back for proper burial back home – wherever home was. In the meantime, to protect the men from hungry predators, he'd blocked access to the helicopter as well as he could. He wasn't sure his efforts would be fail-safe, but it was the best he could do. That done, he'd scavenged for anything that might make waiting for the SAR team a little less miserable for himself and the colonel. The sigh of relief he'd exhaled when he'd stumbled across the survival kit was heartfelt. The items inside - matches, chocolate bars, utensils – wouldn't exactly make them feel at home, but they would keep them alive. He'd dragged the kit up to the shelter, and then set about finding enough dry firewood to start a fire. They didn't need it for warmth, but the smoke would help keep insects away, and might catch the attention of the rescue team. He was building the fire when he heard a groan behind him and realized Colonel Palmiro was finally waking up. He moved quickly to her side, stopping her from moving too quickly with a gentle hand to her shoulder. "Lie still," he said. "You're pretty badly hurt." "What the hell happened?" she mumbled, her voice hoarse. "We were in a helicopter crash," he answered. "I'm sure it'll come back to you soon. Just try to stay still." "My leg's killing me." "Yeah. I figured it would be. You broke it in the crash. I've got a splint on it, but I'm afraid you'll need a doctor to set it right." "Where are we?" Her voice, though still gravelly, was a little stronger. "Best guess?" "Yeah." "Somewhere in the North Carolina mountains." "Radio?" "Destroyed in the crash. Along with the emergency transmitter and my cell phone." "Survival kit?" "Also mostly destroyed. I've salvaged what I could. We should be okay for a few days." "Flare gun?" "Got it." "Thank God." Harm chuckled at that. "I'm afraid I'm finding it a little difficult to be grateful right now." "Well, it could have been worse. We could've been killed." "I'm afraid the pilots were." She looked at him, her face pale with pain and grief. "Both of them?" "Yes. I'm sorry." She turned away from him, and he left her to her grief, going back to laying the fire. A few minutes later, he had a small flame, which he fed carefully until he had a respectable blaze going. Then he sat back against the wall of the cave, grateful to get his weight off his injured ankle. ************ Mac was reviewing the script for the Change of Command ceremony when her phone rang. "Colonel Mackenzie." "Mac, it's A.J." "Oh. Hello, Admiral. Where are you?" "Just about to begin hiking in. It's pretty mountainous here. I'm surprised I have a signal at all, and I doubt I'll have any once I get into the woods." "I understand." "Any word from the SAR team?" His voice was hopeful, and Mac wished she had better news. "Just that they're still searching." "Idiots." "Excuse me, Sir?" "If they'd listened to you, Harm would be back by now and I wouldn't be risking my neck going after him." "Yes, Sir." "You don't have to call me 'Sir' anymore, Mac. I'm retired now." "I know, but it's going to be a hard habit to break." "Hmph…Well, I'd better get going. Any message you'd like me to deliver to the commander?" Mac considered that for a moment. "Just…tell him it's too quiet around here without him." "I'll tell him. And Mac?" "Yes, Sir?" "I fully intend to bring him out alive." "I know you do. Thank you." He brushed aside her gratitude and ended the call. Mac hung up and leaned back in her chair. With a little bit of luck, A.J. should find Harm before dark. She crossed her fingers, said a little prayer, and half wished she believed in good luck charms. Then, with a sigh, she bent her head back to her work. ************ "How long was I out?" Harm turned from where he'd been staring into the fire, looking over at the colonel. "About eighteen hours." "So it's Thursday?" "Thursday afternoon, yes." She sighed. "Bill's probably worried sick by now." "Your husband?" "Yes. He's a civilian. Teaches high school history in Fayetteville." "Ah. Yeah, I can see that he'd be worried." "He's been after me to get out of the Corps, but…" "You can't bring yourself to give up your commission?" "No. I love the Marines. I can't picture myself as a civilian." "I understand. I tried being a civilian not too long ago." He shook his head at the memory. "It wasn't exactly a roaring success." She laughed a little at that. "You must be good if they took you back." Harm thought about the backhanded way the admiral had invited him back. "Or something," he said. "Or something?" "It's a long story." She looked pointedly at her leg, then up at the empty gray sky. "Doesn't look like we're going anywhere anytime soon." "Let's just say my C.O. and I agreed to a cease-fire." His voice still held a trace of bitterness, and rather then dwelling on the memories, he decided to change the subject. "Do you and Bill have any kids?" "Not yet. Bill wants kids, but I convinced him that I need to practice on something easy first." She grinned at him. "We have Moby, instead." "Moby?" "He's our goldfish." Harm laughed out loud at that. "Interesting name for a goldfish." "Well, he's got delusions of grandeur. What can I say?" She shifted slightly, grimacing in pain as the movement jarred her leg, then went on, her voice determinedly cheerful. "Bill's angling to move up to a Guinea pig, but I've been putting it off. I just don't know if I'm ready for the responsibility, you know?" He smiled at her. "I have a teenager. Believe me. I understand." She grinned. "Are the rumors true?" "Which rumors?" "The ones that say teenagers are impossible." "Nah. Mattie's a good kid." "Glad to hear it." "I'm sure she's worried too, though. I'm glad she has her dad for support while I'm gone." "I'm confused. Aren't you her dad?" Harm put another stick on the fire, then turned back to her. "No. I'm just her guardian. She's been staying with me while her dad works through some pretty serious personal issues." "I see." She looked at him closely, and he wondered what she was thinking about. "I'll bet you're a good dad," she finally said. He laughed. "Based on what?" She shrugged. "I don't know. Instinct? Intuition?" "I do my best." They sat quietly for a few minutes, listening to the birds and staring at the crackling flames. Harm allowed his mind to drift, thinking about Mac, and Mattie, and the people back at JAG. When the colonel spoke again, he started slightly at the sound. "I'd bet your wife's as worried about you as Bill is about me." He looked over at her. "I'm not married." She raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "You're joking." "Nope." "That surprises me." "Why?" She lifted and dropped a shoulder. "I don't know. Handsome man like you? And you must be reasonably intelligent if you're a JAG officer." He smiled crookedly at her. "You're embarrassing me now." "Sorry." She looked appraisingly at him. "There's someone special in your life, though, isn't there." Harm thought about Mac. 'Special' hardly described what he felt about her, but for the moment, it'd have to do. "Yes," he said quietly. "There is." Something about the look on his face must have given him away, because the colonel's eyes widened slightly. "You love her." "Yes." "But you're not married?" Harm hesitated. "It's…complicated." She grew quiet then, and Harm reached into their small stash of food supplies to pull out a candy bar. He handed her half, and put a piece into his mouth, allowing it to melt on his tongue. The rich sweetness slipping down the back of his throat did little to satisfy his hunger, but since they had no idea how long they'd be stuck here, he was rationing their supplies carefully. When the candy was gone, he took a few sips of bottled water and handed the container over to her. They only had four bottles, so they were being careful. She sipped, handed it back, and he replaced the cap before storing it safely at the back of their shelter with the other supplies. Then he looked over at her, noticing that her face looked pinched and white. "You should try to sleep." She indicated her leg. "With that?" He shrugged. "It's worth a try." "You're right. I'll give it a shot." "While you rest, I'm going to gather some more firewood." "You sure you're up to it?" "I have to be. We can't let the fire go out." He left her there, easing his way down the mountain until he found the dead tree he'd located earlier. It was a rich source of firewood and he should be able to collect enough to get them through the night without too much trouble.
********** Commercial Break **********
Tired of TV characters that won’t do your bidding? Take control!
From the makers of “The Sims,” it’s “The JAGs”!
Direct every aspect of your favorite character’s life! Pair them up with their destined soul mate, and let the sparks fly! Let them move in together, get married, have kids, and move up the career ladder of success!
Game comes complete with detailed bodies and faces of all your favorite JAG characters, a variety of outfits, various locales from the show, and an Imagination Mode, which allows you to create cozy homes or sprawling mansions for your favorite duo! Your unspoken desire is the game not played. Play it.
******************************************
|
