:: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas ::Part One Christmas Eve will find me 29 November 2002 Clayton Webb stared down at the woman sprawled on the mussed bed. He felt like a real heel as he knotted the tie to the damn uniform. He considered leaving her a note but knew he couldn’t. Pulling the blue jacket on, he looked in the mirror to check the row of medals and ribbons above his heart. He made sure that the Lieutenant Commander’s Bronze Oak Leaves were secure. Grabbing the white cover from the floor by the door he stepped out into the warm Hawaiian night. Hailing a cab at the curb he rode back to base in a dark bitter mood, the past two weeks unreeling in his head. He never let himself get emotionally involved with the people he was investigating. But Amy Li, through sheer good nature, had managed to ensnare him. From the beginning he had serious doubts that the bouncy happy person was selling secrets to the Chinese. Now it looked like he was right. If it hadn’t been for the fact that Chai Xinyu was one of China’s best operatives and that Amy had lunched with him several times -- and had been seen passing mysterious papers to the agent on two occasions. The thing that puzzled the local CIA and Naval Intelligence officers was that they were so open about it. The first thing that Webb had done when he landed a week ago was to personally verify Xinyu’s identity. While the two had never met, over the years, Webb had been on two different surveillance details that focused on Chai Xinyu’s movements. "Yeah, that’s him." He sighed when Tony Norton, the local CIA rep, had taken him to the hotel room that overlooked the Beachcomber’s outdoor dining area. "What the hell is she thinking?" "Got us, boss," Tony had grinned. "Several guys have tried to get close to her but she ain’t havin’ nothin’ to do with us." That was probably because they were all so heavy handed. The best way to get close to her, he decided, was to send someone in as a colleague where she worked. Unfortunately, the locals had all pretty much shot their wads trying to pick her up after work. He tried to rope Rabb in on it, but AJ had quashed that right away. "He’s busy, Webb," AJ had laughed just before hanging up the phone on him. Even with his new promotion Webb had decided to tackle the project himself. Lieutenant Li worked in the procurement office, approving budgetary and capital requests for the entire Pacific Fleet. This time of year the workload was especially heavy so it was easy to fit Webb in as a temporary. Li had been friendly toward him. When he shyly explained this was his first time in Hawaii and he didn’t know anyone, she had insisted upon showing him around. "I understand. I was born in Bangor." They had gone out a couple of times, nothing very heavy. He hadn’t made the mistake of putting the moves on her. Two nights ago after a late dinner, she had kissed him on the cheek before running up the steps to her off-base apartment. Tonight they met at the officer’s club. Since it was after Thanksgiving the place had been decorated with bright twinkling lights and a palm tree done up like a Christmas tree. "Bobby!" she called out excitedly when she spotted him at the door. "You’re late! I thought you left the office hours ago." Sitting down on the stool next to her, he told the bartender, "Scotch," before turning his smile toward her. "I had some phone calls to make. Sorry." "Oh, that’s okay." Both her hands grasped his arm. "Everything is on me tonight. Drinks! Dinner! Afterwards." She blushed prettily and he suddenly had to fight the urge to brush a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Her long black hair was done in a bun at the base of her neck and was usually very neat. He studied her flushed face and bright eyes and his heart sank. At lunch she had hurried out and the boys finally got a decent mic reading on her meeting with Xinyu. Before today, Xinyu must have been jamming their equipment because they never could get a read. Moreover, Xinyu was too smart to allow anyone to get too close, always choosing a secluded table where eavesdroppers would be conspicuous. Today, just as he had passed her an envelope, the radio Xinyu always had with him fell to the ground and broke. The CIA had a clear recording of the rest of their conversation. "Here you are, Lieutenant Li, a check for \\$150,000. What are you going to do with all that money?" "Oh. I have my plans, sir." "The paperwork?" "Right here. I certainly hope all works well for you and...." "Yes, yes. I am sure that it will. You will remember what I told you about confidentiality." "Who am I going to tell, Mr...." "Yes, of course you are right, Lieutenant. Good luck and remember. If you decide to sell anything else, you will call us first." Quickly he had gathered up his briefcase and the remains of the radio. Later they had found little evidence of the jamming device. The conversation alone could put her in prison for years. The only mitigating circumstances would be exactly what she had stolen and if they could get it back or neutralize the damage. Now she looked so excited he couldn’t believe she was a traitor. He rallied his emotions and studied her. "Why so excited? You win the lottery?" "Better," she purred. "You gonna tell me?" He sipped his drink. What she said next nearly choked him. "I sold something today that made me a fortune!" It took every ounce of strength he possessed to give her an appropriate look of surprise and not gape at her like she was some kind of green alien. "What did you sell and what kind of fortune." He wouldn’t have thought her grin could get any wider. "Come on, I’ll tell you over dinner." After dinner they had walked along the beach. It was hard for him to maintain any semblance of his cover. He was too engrossed in mentally kicking himself for not ordering a better background check. After she had told him exactly what she had sold and for exactly how much, he had excused himself and gone to the john where he found a rather abashed Tony Norton and another agent waiting for him. "I don’t suppose any of you rocket scientists thought to check her background to see if she might conceivably have something personal to sell? Perhaps, to a Japanese Oil Company?" His hiss of disgust was more damning than yelling would have been. Norton sputtered. "But you said yourself it’s Xinyu!" "I didn’t say she wasn’t being played. I’m not saying we aren’t being played. Just check it out." He washed his hands and then reached inside his shirt to pull the microphone from his chest. The pain of the adhesive ripping from his skin felt right. Amy had told him about the patents her uncle had left her when he died two years ago. How none of the American oil companies were interested and how wonderful it was that an old friend of her uncle had contacted her. "Bobby, I can’t believe it! After Amoco and Chevron turned me down, I figured I just had a bunch of useless paper." She insisted on ordering a rather large and surprisingly vicious concoction called a scorpion. He hadn’t drunk nearly his fair share of the enormous two-person drink so she was definitely feeling no pain, though she walked easily beside him. "Uhm.... What exactly is this marvelous invention?" He finally asked after she had insisted they walk along the beach back to her apartment complex. "Oh, some gas fume filfer. Lil’ bitty thinnnnnng," she giggled. That’s when the evening really began to get out of hand. He was taken by surprise when she snuggled under his arm, wrapping her arms around him tightly. She nearly pulled them down to the sand. She smelled good. Hell the beach smelled good. All of goddamn Hawaii smelled good. He longed for the familiar pollution of DC. He let his arm drape around her shoulder, his hand resting on the top of her arm. Suddenly she pulled away and unbuttoned her uniform jacket. "Too hot." she muttered petulantly and started to fling it over her shoulder. He barely caught it in time. While he was carefully folding it over his arm she was busy pulling at the tab on her shirt. "What are you doing?" he asked, his concern growing as each button was pulled from its hole. "Too hot." "Well do you think we can wait until we get back to your place. I mean, unless you have a swimsuit on underneath...oh...no swimsuit." He gasped as the moonlight caught the tops of her firm pale globes covered by a very non-military bra. "You like?" She grinned as she walked up to him. Gulping, trying to figure out how to extricate himself from the situation, he could only nod. When she took his hand and brought his fingers to her mouth he fought to control the groan that was trying to escape. He lost the battle as she began to suck sensuously on his middle finger. "Uhm...Amy...uhm...Lieutenant Li." Dropping his hand, she stood on tiptoe and demanded a kiss. He had no choice but to push her away or comply. He tasted rum, coffee and something else that captivated him. His arms proved traitorous as they held her to him. When he pulled away, she moaned in frustration. "Hey, come on Lieutenant, let’s get you home," he whispered. "’Kay. Catch me." She turned suddenly and ran off down the beach. He should have let her go. He should have turned around and left her, but when she stumbled and fell he found himself running up to see if she was hurt. By the time he reached her she was back on her feet. Her laughter was delightful. Pulling him into another long kiss, she pushed him away again only to take his hand in hers and pull him the last little distance. He told himself he only wanted to make sure she was safe inside. He told himself he would just kiss her one more time. He lost count of how many one more times their lips had explored each other before he felt her fingers begin to insistently tug at his coat, then his shirt. He lost all control when her hand caressed his burgeoning erection through the suddenly tight uniform pants. He pushed her against the wall and began a slow assault on her smooth incredible skin. Nipping and biting his way down from her impossibly long neck his lips burned her skin. She held his head to her nipples as he feasted on her. Her skirt, slip, hose and panties were flung behind him and when he buried his lips in her soft triangle she cried out as her first orgasm of the night took her. She had been a wildcat in bed and he blushed as he remembered just how good it had felt. God, he was such a louse. He threw the cab driver too much money and stomped up the stairs leading to the BOQ where he was staying. He would get the rest of Norton’s report tomorrow and then slink out of town. He knew there was no future in seeing her. He ripped off the tie and started to throw it to the floor again, but sanity was finally returning and he carefully stripped out of his uniform, hung it up and went into the bathroom. He examined himself in the mirror, awed by the damage she had done. There were several scratches on his back that were so red he was surprised there wasn’t blood on the shirt. He couldn’t remember the last time he had this many love bites. She sure as hell was good in bed. Maybe.... He shook his head in disgust and stepped into the shower, suddenly so tired he could barely stand. He fell into bed and almost immediately, sleep overtook him. :: :: ::
29 November 2002 He wasn’t sure where the pounding was coming from. He wasn’t sure why he couldn’t escape the blinding light. Mostly, he wondered why so many people were yelling so damn loud. A hand gripped his shoulder and tried to pull him out of bed. His CIA training kicked in and he lashed out. :: :: ::
29 November 2002 When he woke again the headache that had been there since he first heard the shouts struck him between the eyes, traveled down to the pit of stomach and would have doubled him over if he could move. Opening his eyes he peered down at his feet. He was sitting in a chair bolted to concrete. He couldn’t move anything but his head and that hurt like hell. He had something gray on. Taking a deep breath was a big mistake. Once the stars cleared, he tried to slowly raise his head only to lower it to avoid the bright glare shining in from the barred window. "Well, well. Our Lothario awakes." The soft voice might have been pleasant had he felt even remotely human. He wondered when the drugs had been slipped to him. Before the pounding he thought. But who? Why? "Where?" The word was barely a croak. His throat was too dry to attempt anything else. He heard the tap-tap of her heels. Saw the slender ankles as she stepped in between him and the window, allowing him to attempt to raise his head again. His eyes traveled up a trim white skirt to a white shirt tucked into it. By the time he reached the ribbons on her chest relief and fear warred within him. Her lips were set into a stern line. The brown eyes flashed in anger and disgust. "Well, Commander Adams. So good of you to finally wake up and join us." "Where?" he repeated. "The brig, Commander." "Why?" "Oh, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten," she spat out. "Who the hell are you?" That sentence had cost too much and he fought to keep the bile at bay. She must have seen his pain because she called out. "Hennessy, bring Commander Adams a bottle of water. Newsom, you can uncuff him now." A gruff voice cautioned. "You sure, Commander? You saw what he did to Peterson." "What did I do?" he whispered. "Oh come now, Commander." Her voice was full of contempt. "Surely, you aren’t going for that defense." He struggled at his binding. "Damn you! Just tell me." "See Commander Pike. I told you. You can’t...." A bottle of water was thrust to his lips and he drank greedily, then promptly threw it back up. She jumped out of the way and a man placed a wastepaper basket under him. They uncuffed him and threw towels on the table beside him. After he had cleaned himself up as best he could, he glared around. The woman was leaning one shoulder against the wall studying him. "Look, Adams. We’ve got you dead to rights. You want to give me your side of the story." He sighed and buried his hand in his hands. "What story? What the hell am I supposed to have done?" He had almost convinced himself that some enemy had kidnapped him and was setting him up for some psychological scam when her next words plunged him to the brink of unconsciousness. "What happened, Adams? It get out of hand? She balk at doing something kinky and it pissed you off? Is that why you pistol-whipped her before you shot her? Of course, from what the MP’s told me, it looks like she gave out the punishment pretty good herself." He went perfectly still. His head was suddenly clear. He knew exactly what she was talking about and he had no idea what to do about it. He lifted his head and he could see his look shocked her. "Who’s dead?" "Oh for Christ sakes," she sneered in disgust. "Just tell me. who. is. dead." "Lieutenant Amy Li. And Commander Robert Adams, you are under arrest for her murder." His voice turned deadly cold. "I see. You have proof, I assume." She pushed off the wall and came to stand directly in front of him, forcing him to straighten in the chair and crane his head to meet her gaze. "I have enough, Commander." Nodding his head he leaned back in the chair. "And I supposed the fact that I left her sleeping peacefully at 0345 hours means nothing to you." "No, Commander. Not since the neighbors heard you screaming at her at 0430 and the gunshot at 0445." "I assume you’ve...." He caught himself. He was going to ask her if they had taken drug tests on him. He flexed his arm and wondered if the pain was from the needles drawing blood or from whoever had administered the drugs he was sure were in his system. He had to get word to the Agency, but how? "Well, then. If your case is made, I guess you’re going to have to just throw me in my cell and bring me to trial." He needed to think and needed to be away from her to do so. He had little doubt that his boss would handle this. There would be hell to pay, of course. He should have left her on the beach. Maybe then she would be alive. Why had she been killed? Was it Xinyu? Of course it was. But why? Kate Pike stared at the disheveled man before her. There was something decidedly strange about him. According to the personnel file they had thrown at her this morning, he had fifteen years in service; all but three in administration. The three had been in the Gulf War where he served on board the Patrick Henry. His ratings were nothing special and his ribbons and medals were all service achievements. Why did she feel a quiet strength and a sense of danger about him? Maybe because he just pumped three rounds into his girlfriend? "You will be assigned council, of course." He sighed. "Of course." He peered at her shoulder boards and then at her name above her breast. "Commander Pike." :: :: ::
2 December 2002 Commander Katherine Pike was going over the Li murder case; the evidence against Commander Adams was solid. Admiral Barrett had assigned Lieutenant Todd Owens to handle Adams’ defense. Poor Todd. True he was new, but he was eager. Unfortunately, Adams wouldn’t even talk to him. Tiredly, she rubbed her eyes. While Adams would be a walk in the park, she had a dozen other pending cases to worry about. "Hey, you’re going to pop your eyes out if you do that too hard." She looked up and gasped. "Harm! What the hell are you doing here? How’s Mac and the baby?" Harmon Rabb stepped into the office and leaned against the wall. "Mac’s fine. Haley Marie is doing great! Wonderful! You want to see pictures?" His grin told her she had no choice. "She’s a cutie, Harm. Mac going back to work?" "Eventually. The Admiral told her to take all the time she wanted. But I think she will try." He shrugged and smiled. "It’s up to her." "And Admiral Chegwidden?" "Same old, same old." "So, what brings you to my part of the world?" He face grew serious. He would do this. The Director of the CIA had personally briefed him in the admiral’s office. The admiral was willing to fly down if necessary. Rabb didn’t want it to become necessary. But they had to know what had happened and Webb wasn’t talking. "You’ve got an old friend of mine in your brig. I read about it on the case logs and I want to talk to him. Maybe take his case if you have no objections." "Who?" "Robert Adams." "Shit." "What? Kate, I read the report. There is no way he did this. I’ve known...Robert a long time. He doesn’t have it in him." That much Rabb believed with conviction. Even the admiral had balked at the idea of Webb losing control and the Director had sworn that there was no hit order on the woman. Not that Webb would be the assassin. Not that the CIA condoned such tactics anyway. "Oh, yeah?" she snarled as she stood and handed him a thick report. "Tell me that after you’ve read the evidence." :: :: ::
2 December 2002 Webb sat on his bunk, his arms wrapped around his knees, staring at the walls of the small cell seeing only her laughing face. He head throbbed from trying to figure it out. No one had contacted him yet and he fought down the irrational thought that they would just leave him here to rot. He knew exactly how this would play out. They would get word to him to plead guilty. After being sentenced to life at hard labor and transferred to Leavenworth he would be quietly released. Adams would die very messily in prison. If anyone ever spotted him in DC and insisted that he was Adams he would merely shrug and say, "gee, I guess I had a twin I didn’t know about." It had happened before. It was SOP. He heard the muffled voices. He groaned when the tumblers snicked in their sockets. He wasn’t up to the puppy dog of a defense attorney they had assigned him. Hell, Todd Owens made Bud Roberts look like a bulldog in comparison. He buried his face in his knees only to jerk it up at the sound of the familiar voice. "Well, Robert, you’ve really gotten yourself into a pickle this time." He took several deep breaths. It made sense. It made perfect sense. Of course, Mrs. Rabb would probably beat the shit out of him when they got back. He hadn’t even been by to see her since the birth before he was sucked into this stupid fiasco of a case. Mac and Harm’s baby girl was only three weeks old, but Harm had assured him the day after her birth that she was beautiful, with dark hair and eyes, just like her mom. Lifting his face from his knees, he was struck by the concern on Rabb’s face. There was no amusement in his eyes, no smirk on his lips. Following Rabb’s lead he sighed deeply. "Hello, Harm. I didn’t know if you would hear about it." "Why didn’t you call me, buddy?" Webb watched as Rabb put his briefcase down on the thin mattress and opened it. "You look really terrible in prison gray." He solemnly joked as he pulled out a small device that looked like one of those personal dictation recorders. Webb recognized the CIA equipment for what it was. Not only was it to sweep the area for bugs, but it was a signal to Webb that Rabb was sanctioned by his boss. The small device was one of the agency’s newest toys. "I didn’t do it, Harm," he whispered. "Never crossed our minds that you did, Robert." Rabb slowly scanned the room. The light stayed green. "Mac sends her love and support." Rabb’s look told him that the message was from more than just Mac. "Your Uncle Phillip said to hang tough. He's sure we can get you out of this mess." Webb raised his eyebrow. He had no Uncle Phillip. The Director of the CIA was Phillip Remington. "Well, you know Uncle Phil, he always looks on the bright side." "Yeah, but even your cousin Al doesn’t believe it. And you know how much Al loves to see your ass in a sling." A smile finally appeared on his lips. It took Webb a moment to figure out Rabb was referring to Admiral Albert Jethro Chegwidden. "Al?" he mouthed. Rabb lowered himself to the cot. His hip was resting on Webb’s foot. Keeping his voice very low he demanded. "How are you doing?" Webb wasn’t used to having anyone but his mother show him concern. But he relished his friendship with Rabb and Mac and all the other people at JAG that he had become inexplicably enmeshed with. Even he and AJ had come to an easier camaraderie in the past few years. In fact, he had engineered the Admiral’s introduction to his current girlfriend. Well, reintroduced. Well, perhaps not really a girlfriend, though she was a woman and friend. Webb wasn’t really sure if the grouchy former SEAL would ever make it to the altar. "How should I be doing?" he asked tiredly. Rabb’s voice dropped even lower. "What the hell happened?" "I don’t know!" Webb hissed back. "Dammit, Cl...." Rabb looked like he was going to grab him by the neck. "Look, Harm. The lady and I had dinner. We went back to her place. Stuff ensued. It was wild, wonderful and a little rough, but nothing that she didn’t encourage. I never hit her. Hell I didn’t even tie her down." He watched as a faint blush colored Rabb’s cheeks. "I left her place at 3:45 in the morning. She was sound asleep and very much alive. I went right back to the base. I took a shower and went to bed and...." He remembered how tired he had become. "Shit," he finished in a whisper. "What?" "Somehow they got to me." He stared at his hand. It would have been easy. The Agency had any number of drugs that could be absorbed through the skin, from solutions to make someone throw up for hours to quick acting knockout drops. "You think Xinyu?" Webb’s eyes darted to the door, then the detection device, finally glaring into Rabb’s eyes. "Don’t." "Christ, don’t you get it? We don’t have a clue on what is going on." "What does Norton say?" Rabb studied his friend for a moment before dropping the next bomb. "We can’t find him. We can’t find Lieutenant Warren either." Warren had been the ONI agent assigned to the task force investigating Li and her connection with Xinyu. "What the hell?" Rabb sat back regaining some of his control. He desperately wanted to tell Webb everything they had found out; or rather what little they had been able to piece together. But he knew he was playing by CIA rules right now. Taking a deep breath he continued calmly. "Uncle Phil says to hang in there. We will do everything we can to clear this mess up. Tell me everything you remember." Webb closed his eyes, the retelling was harder than he had expected even though he had gone over and over it in his mind for the past two days. He kept his voice low and hard, reducing the evening to staccato sentences. He wouldn’t meet Rabb’s eyes. When he was finished Rabb gently cross-examined him. "Were you tired when you were in the cab?" "No. Just really pissed." "Why?" "Why? Are you crazy? I don’t do that!" "You don’t make love to women?" The tone was typical Rabb teasing but when Webb looked at him he saw the underlying question. He finally managed to shock the former top gun. "I don’t fuck suspects." A shocked gasp escaped. "Jesus, Webb." "I don’t know why I did, only that it felt good at the time. Hell, I felt like a first-class prick afterward." Clay glanced at his hands briefly to compose himself before pinning Harm with a glare. "Anything else?" Rabb pulled himself together. "When did you feel sleepy?" "In the shower. I didn’t think anything about it then." He ran his hands over his face. "But I figure that, whoever they are, sprayed something on one of the doorknobs -- probably inside. Any residue would have been washed off later." "You think they came inside? You think the base guards saw them?" Webb just shrugged. Rabb stood up, gathered his material and gazed down at his friend. "Let me check around. Your uncle and cousin may come out. Maybe just Al, though. Phil’s really busy. But we’ll get you out of this, buddy. Webb leaned back. Was he understanding Rabb correctly? There was only one way to find out. "So what do you want to do? You think I should plead guilty if they offer a deal?" Rabb shook his head. "No. You said you didn’t do it, I’ll see what I can dig up. May take awhile." :: :: ::
5 December 2002 The next three days were extremely hard. Webb replayed every damn second over in his head. He didn’t sleep well at night. He had spent other nights in other prisons. All of them had been in foreign countries. He was somewhat surprised at how similar prisons sounded at night. When he did manage to fall asleep, the same dream woke him. He should have walked away from her. He should have been more of a professional. Her death was his fault. On the sixth morning after his arrest a guard came and escorted him to an interrogation room. Commander Pike, dressed in whites, her hair pulled back in a tight French braid, sat at one end of the table. Pointing at the chair across from her, she said, "Sit down, Commander." "Where’s Commander Rabb?" He knew he shouldn’t be here without Rabb present. She knew it too. He could tell by the way she kept looking toward the door. "He said he would be here at 0900. He’s late, its 0915." A brief smile kissed her lips. "We’ll wait. Sit down." Glancing at the guard stationed just inside the door, Webb slowly lowered himself to the chair. Placing his handcuffed hands on the table in front of him he studied Pike. Something, not concerning Amy Li, finally intruded on his thoughts. "You know him, don’t you?" Kate looked up from the file she was unsuccessfully trying to study. "Excuse me?" "Commander Rabb. You know him." Kate lowered her eyes back to her papers. "We both work for JAG, Commander." "No. I think I remember, weren’t you partners once?" She flipped a page. "A long time ago, Commander. You shouldn’t be talking to me without your lawyer present." Forgetting for just a moment what they were about here, he allowed himself to consider Pike. She wore no cover. Rich brown hair was pulled back in a complicated twist. Long graceful fingers held the manila folder so he couldn’t see what it contained. Not that he wanted to. The white uniform blouse seemed to accentuate her curves. Even though her head was bent forward he could still see the blush rising on her cheeks. She knew he was studying her. He wanted to get a rise out of her so he parried. "Oh. I see. You’re still in love with him." "If you say so, Commander." She didn’t bother to look up. For the first time since he arrived in Hawaii Clayton Webb genuinely smiled. "Very good, Commander Pike." Before she could respond, the door to the interrogation room was pushed open and Rabb came in. In unison the two people at the table gasped. "What the hell happened to you?" Rabb touched the bruise under his eye and grimaced. "Nothing. I had an argument with a witness last night." "Who?" He looked from one to the other. "You two practice this routine?" Kate, who had stood up when she saw him, sat back down and busied herself with straightening the already neat file. Webb, who after another look at the 6’6" Marine guard, had wisely remained sitting. Harm sat at the table between the two. He gave Webb a slight frown of apology before sighing. "So, Kate. What have you got to offer?" Webb mentally nodded. So, they couldn’t find anything. He was going to plead out, accept the sentence and then the Agency would spring him from Leavenworth. He really hadn’t expected Rabb to accomplish anything, not in four days. He had so many questions. He hoped that Rabb would fill him in afterward. Damn this felt funny. He remembered the time when he broke Rabb out of a prison cell. But it would be better this way. Maybe he could direct the operation from DC. He sighed. Maybe not. If he were very lucky, maybe he would be out of Leavenworth by Christmas. "No offer, Commander Rabb. I don’t need to." Webb and Rabb stared at her. She slapped the folder down on the table scattering the papers. A small plastic envelope escaped from it and slid across the table just out of reach of Webb’s fingers. His eyes met hers. "We’ve got more than enough to get a guilty verdict. Of course, if you want to save me the time, you’re welcome to plead guilty." Webb’s fingers reached out and pulled the evidence bag toward him. Inside was a bronze oak leaf, tatters of Navy blue wool still attached to the pin. They had been smart, very smart. "What else?" he whispered. Kate kept her eyes locked on his. "Traces of semen in her mouth, not very much, but enough for a type match." She had been very adept at oral sex, but had pushed him away before he came. "Your skin was under her fingernails." The scratches on his back were now just a light pink. "Your rank pin was clutched in her hand. Your fingerprints were everywhere -- doorknob, furniture -- THE GUN!" If her words hadn’t been enough, the pictures she drew from the folder and threw in front of him nearly made him vomit. "You want to plead diminished capacity? Now is the time to do it. But don’t expect much." A whoosh of breath escaped his lungs. The pressure in his head must be what a stroke would feel like. He couldn’t look at Rabb. Suddenly a blinding anger seized him. He wanted to kill the bastards that did that to her. His fists clenched and opened compulsively and he couldn’t speak, didn’t dare move. If he did, his control would be gone and he would start throwing anything he could get his hands on. Kate watched the man before her fight for control. She had studied every record and report she could find on Commander Robert Adams. It wasn’t much but the reports didn’t quite seem to fit the man before her. She had seen the cunning in his eyes when he had first entered the room. His questions about her relationship with Rabb had been concise, sharp and probing. She had felt his silent study of her. His self-control in the face of the evidence she had placed before him was incredible. He was good looking and she had little doubt that Amy Li had found him pleasing. What had happened to make him lose all control and kill her? The hands opened. The slight heaving of his breast stilled and when he lifted his face to her she almost gasped at the intensity of passion she saw there. For a moment she felt drawn to him. But the muscles around his lips relaxed and by the time he turned his attention to his attorney, control was his again. "What do I do, Commander Rabb?" He asked formally. Harmon Rabb sighed. He had spent 44 of the last 48 hours pounding the streets. The admiral had flown in last night and together they scoured the Island looking for Norton, Warren or Xinyu. They found Warren just three hours ago. He touched the bruise again. A reluctant witness hadn’t hit him. A loose rock had struck him as he and a CIA agent, sent from Washington, climbed down a cliff to get a better look at the wrecked car containing the body of Lieutenant Warren, still strapped in his seat. The waves from the ocean crashing in around the battered, almost blue body. The force of the crash had ripped the seat belt from its housing on the driver’s side. Agent Norton’s body was nowhere to be found. Long skid marks tracked the car’s final moments on the road above the cliff. They didn’t need an autopsy to know that the crash hadn’t killed Warren. The exit wound from the bullet had blown the back of his head off. Director Remington’s orders were clear. Taking a deep breath he whispered. "Robert, there is too much evidence. I recommend you plead guilty." Kate Pike sat back heavily in her chair. What the hell? She had seen Harmon Rabb fight more hopeless cases than this. Yeah the evidence was conclusive. Yeah, they had the poor bastard dead to rights but Rabb didn’t even ask for a deal! No impassioned plea for mercy. No requests for extension so he can prepare his case. He must really want to get back to Sarah MacKenzie and his newborn. Rabb? For some reason, Lieutenant Commander Adams’ response almost surprised her more. "Okay, Harm, if that’s what you think." She had seen the fire and anger in his eyes. To hell with it, she decided. Maybe I can make it home for Christmas after all. "Fine," she snapped. "I’ll draw up the papers. You’ll be transferred to Ford Island to await the bench sentencing." She gathered up her papers and left them alone. "Guard, I’d like a moment alone with my client," Rabb managed in a fairly calm voice. "Sure, thing Commander. I’ll be right outside," the low rumble agreed. Rabb walked over to the small window overlooking an expanse of neatly clipped lawn. Webb finally came and stood beside him. "What’s happened?" "Norton and Warren are both dead. We can’t find Norton’s body but Warren was shot in the head before the car they were riding in plunged over a cliff." Rabb couldn’t look at him. "Jesus Christ. What about Xinyu?" "We're still looking for him. But that’s not all." Webb glared at him. "What the hell else could there be?" "I tracked the cab that drove you home." "Yeah?" "The driver supposedly committed suicide last night." "What!" Webb’s voice rose to a shout. "What the....?" "Calm down. That’s why Remington wants you off the island. We think you might be next." "But why, damn it!" "Clay, we have no idea. Every tiny little lead dries up and dies. Literally. The waiter that served you drinks? No one has seen him since Friday night." Clay ran his fingers through his hair. "Aren’t the locals getting suspicious?" "Of what? A suicide? A missing person? You think anyone locally knows about Warren’s body? The only out and out murder was of Lieutenant Li and we’ve got her murderer -- at least as far as everyone is concerned. Chegwidden and I will stay and see what we can find out. Once you're back in DC we’ll get you regular reports." "Mac is going to kick my ass across the Potomac." Rabb sighed long and low; his wife has been hell on wheels lately. "Yeah, you better watch out for her." Webb didn’t miss his double meaning. "Damn it, Rabb. Go home. Once I’m out of here, let the Agency handle it." "It's a Navy issue too, Clay. Besides, we are less conspicuous than a bunch of suits running around." "Doesn’t Pike know Chegwidden?" "Yeah, that’s why he’s still at the hotel. He’s lying low. I really don’t like Kate in the middle of this either." "I should be out there helping." "Yeah, sure. Maybe we’ll sit you on the beach and see who takes potshots at you." The smile on Webb’s lips never reached his face. "That wouldn’t prove much. I wonder how many people want me dead." "Well if you don’t get back to DC in one piece and watch out for my wife and kid while I’m out here, you can add me to the list." "Are they even going to bother with the pretense of taking me to Leavenworth?" "Got too. Hey while you’re there, say hi to that bastard Palmer and make sure he’s really there?" "You don’t think it’s him do you?" Excitement brightened both their eyes for a moment. "Nah. Maybe. No. Better check to make sure." Rabb stared out the window again. "You should be back by the end of next week. I know Kate. She’ll try and ram through the sentencing hearing. Who knows though, maybe we’ll get lucky." "Maybe." Webb chewed his lip. "Find them, Rabb. Li might or might not have been dirty, but she didn’t deserve that." :: :: ::
6 December 2002 When he returned from the showers the next morning, he found his khaki uniform lying on the bed. He was surprised to be moving so quickly. Just as he finished buttoning the shirt, he heard the locks slide open. "Come on, Commander. You’re being transported over to Ford this morning." The giant from yesterday, Corporal Newsom, waited patiently as Webb grabbed up the cover on the cot. "This is quick, isn’t it?" Webb asked the broad back as they moved down the corridor. A grunt was his only answer. When they reached the main entrance, he was led to a small room where the guard cuffed his ankles, then his wrists. Webb took a steadying breath. It would be over soon. The sentencing would be later today, tomorrow at the latest. Rabb might or might not have anything for him. But at least he was getting off this godforsaken paradise. He wondered how long he would be left in Leavenworth. Last night his nightmares had been the worst. He had stood over her, not as he really remembered her though. She was sprawled obscenely as she had been in the crime scene photos. A smoking gun hung from his fingers. That wasn’t the one that woke him though. He was just sitting in a cell at Leavenworth, huddled in a corner, knowing they were never going to come and get him out. The sunlight nearly blinded him. "Over there, Commander." The guard pointed to a black Jeep Cherokee. Newsom opened the door, helped him in and then attached his cuffs to a chain secured to a ring in the floor. Reaching around Webb, he pulled the seat belt across his lap. The front passenger door opened and he was surprised to see Commander Pike settle herself into the seat next to the driver who couldn’t have been more than twenty-two or -three. "Morning, Seaman Kennedy." "Morning, Commander." Webb caught the pleased smile on the kid’s face. The door across from him opened and his giant slid in next to him. "You got enough room back there, Newsom?" She turned, but ignored Webb. "I’ve never got enough room, ma’am. But, I’ll be fine." "Commander Adams all secure?" "Yes, ma’am." "Fine." For just a moment their eyes met before she turned around. "Let’s go, Kennedy." "Aye-aye, ma’am." The chain was long enough that he could lean back in the seat. Resting his head he closed his eyes. He had no desire to look at the passing scenery. If he never saw Hawaii again he wouldn’t mind. He forced himself not to think about the murder. Tried not to think about the time he would have to spend in the Kansas prison. His mind wandered and he found himself once again considering the pretty Navy lawyer in the front seat. He knew she and Rabb had been partnered for a while. He vaguely remembered she had been involved in that case where she ended up having to charge her former captain with harassment. He always studied cases involving the JAG staff and for a while it looked like she might actually come to Washington. He wanted to hear her saying something that had nothing to do with death. "So, Commander Pike, you like it here in paradise?" She turned back and looked at him hard. "Yeah, its fine, Adams. You like it too, don’t you Newsom." The Marine grinned evilly. "Oh yeah. It’s beautiful, all deep green and a regular riot of colors. Nothing like prison gray. I guess Kansas can get really cold in winter." At the grimace that flickered across his face, Kate felt a twinge of regret. The poor bastard only wanted to talk about something other than the death. She hardened her heart. Well then you shouldn’t have killed her. What drove you to kill her, Commander Adams? "Ten-four, base. Transport 2 out." Seaman Kennedy put the radio back in its handset. "That was base, they advise there is a ten-car pile up on H3. You want to take the scenic route around the island or take 61 across?" "Damn. I have to meet with Admiral Barrett later this afternoon. Either way is going to take forever. Take 61." Pike snapped peevishly. Webb had to brace himself as the driver made a quick turn off the major cross-island road. They dipped down into a valley and around an S curve. Bright flashes of ocean caught his eye as they climbed back up a steep hill. "This is the best alternate?" He looked over at Newsom. An evil grin lit his face. "Nah. We’ve got to get to 61. That’s not too bad. Why? Are you that anxious to get to your cell? Enjoy the view and shut up...sir." "God I hate this road. How much farther to 61?" Kate gritted between clenched teeth. "Shit! Sorry ma’am." Kennedy blushed. "Oh for God’s sake. You’re a regular jinx, Adams." Kate stared out at the rockslide covering the narrow access road. "Now what?" "I’ll have to go back to that side road ma’am. It’s a good thing we got us the Jeep." Webb sat rigid in the back seat. His mouth was suddenly dry and he instinctively tugged at the handcuffs. "Where does the side road lead?" He demanded. "To your damn jail cell, Commander." Newsom growled. "It will just take us a little longer." "Commander Pike, can you use that gun on your hip?" Webb ignored the Marine’s startled gasp. Kate turned and stared at him. The look that denied his accountant background was back on his face. She had caught glimpses of it several times during the days she had interrogated him. Usually it was just a flash to be quickly covered up. Now it was firmly in place. "Why?" she demanded and turned to trade glances with Newsom. "Because I think you’re going to need it. Corporal, get yours out. Point it at my head or my groin or wherever you damn well please but I would appreciate it if you would uncuff me." "Fat chance, you bastard." "Pike, please. This isn’t right. Something's wrong. It’s too damn pat." "Pat for who, Commander Adams. We have traffic pile-ups all the time. Rockslides too." "On the same damn day?" Before she could answer the rear window shattered and Newsom who had just drawn his gun, slumped forward. Blood splattered the side window and Webb. The headrest protected most of Kate’s face. "Oh shit," Kennedy screamed. The Jeep began to swerve on the road. "Pike, get down." Webb ordered just as another shot spider-webbed the windshield. Kennedy, blind now, wrenched the steering wheel hard to the left driving the car up the side of the hill. Webb thought it was a hell of a lot better than the right, which seemed to drop directly down to the sea. He spared a second to realize that this was the way Norton and Warren had died. Looking around widely, he tried to see their attackers, all the time struggling with the handcuffs. "Kennedy. Kennedy! Answer me!" Kate struggled with her seat belt. When she reached forward and pulled the young driver back she groaned. "Oh God, no." Blood dripped down from his mouth and gushed from hole in his neck. She hadn’t even heard the bullet that had passed through the windshield, leaving it crackled but intact except for the perfect hole. She ripped open the door, only to fall out and slide down the hill a ways. More shots rang out, hitting the body of the car, and she fought the urge to flee, leaving him chained inside. Were they there for him? To free him? Who? Why? Marshaling her fear, she fought her way over to his side of the car. She was surprised when the door opened easily. "Damn it, Pike. Get the hell out of here." "Why, are they here to free you? Who are they, Adams?" "No, they're probably here to kill me, and if you don’t get the hell away from here they'll kill you too." "Who are they?" "I don’t know!" She struggled up into the car and leaned over him. Pushing Newsom’s body back against the seat she searched his jacket pockets until she found the key to the cuffs. Another bullet hit the back of the car and she smelled the gas fumes clearly. So did he. "Please, Kate, go. I don’t want you to die because of me." Her head jerked up to meet his pleading eyes. "Forget it, Adams. You’re my prisoner." She reached down and quickly released the leg irons. She freed the cuffs from the chain, but she put the key in her pants pocket. "Come on." She backed out of the car just as flames began to lick out from the undercarriage. "Move it." She backed up the hill only to crouch and cover her head as a bullet sent splinters flying from a sandlewood tree nearby. She turned to find he had managed to get out of the car. Newsom’s sidearm was in his hands. She braced herself, but he just glared at her. "You said it, Pike, move it." He deftly ran up the hill ducking behind a large Akia. Several shots rang out. "Wait for it," he yelled, arched around the tree and let off a series of shots in the direction the gunfire had come from. Quickly she scuttled up the hill, her leather soles slipping in the moss and decay of the forest floor. She leaned her back against a tree, her breast heaving, her eyes glued to him. "Who the hell are you, really?" "Now? You want to know now! Jesus, Pike." Suddenly the Jeep erupted in a bright ball of flame. "Come on. It’s the only cover we’re going to get." He managed to put the gun in his pocket and scrambled after her through the shrubs and plants that blanketed the hillside. As they climbed, the shrubs began to thin and they had to crouch low. Sun sparkled down through the trees and Webb felt like one of those ducks in a shooting gallery. He finally pulled her behind a large rock. They crouched there, trying to catch their breath. "It would be a hell of a lot easier to run if you would take these off." "Why are they trying to kill you, Adams?" She thought for a moment and raised her gun to his head. "Who are you?" "Look, you’re going to have to settle for ‘a friend of Harmon Rabb’." He met her cold stare calmly. "Or do you think he set this up? Because I sure as hell couldn’t have." The finger on the trigger twitched. He sighed and leaned back against the rock. "You got it in you, Pike? Can you pull the trigger? In cold blood?" "They killed Kennedy and Newsom." "I didn’t." "How do I know that?" He shrugged. He wouldn’t insult her. "You don’t. Hear that?" The wind rustled in the leaves and a plane departing from Honolulu International was still low enough for them to hear. The commotion had stilled the animal life. She could just make out the human voices somewhere below them. As the plane moved out of range the voices became more distinct. Her eyes grew wide as she stared at him. He couldn’t understand Japanese. He knew a few words but she obviously understood a lot more then he did. "You son of a bitch," she hissed, but reached into her pocket for the key. The woods were instantly silent again. Had they heard her? He strained, listening for the slightest footfall. He didn’t need to bother. They could clearly hear the others begin their assent. Giving him one last glare, she stood, turned away from him and started climbing higher still. He had no choice but to follow her, rubbing his wrists as he did. She set a steady pace, though how she did in the leather-soled shoes was beyond him. His pant knees were filthy from all the times he slipped. He had to admit that the view was exceptional. Her firm bottom was usually only a foot or two from his face. Unfortunately, the men behind were obviously having no trouble following them. He lost track of time. When he had been arrested they hadn’t let him keep his watch. He wouldn’t miss it, it had been provided for him with the uniforms, but it bugged him not knowing. If Mac were in front of him, she would probably be showing off telling him every twenty minutes exactly what time it was. He could just ask Pike, but from the look on her face and the vigor with which she had questioned his parentage, he didn’t want to risk her wrath. Of course, she would have to tell him what she had heard eventually. "I didn’t know you spoke Japanese?" he ventured when they rested again. "Now that really was very stupid of you, wasn’t it?" she snarled. Sweat stained the back of her shirt. He watched in fascination as a drop started at her brow, trickled down her cheek, along her throat, only to disappear into the vee of her breasts. The lack of sleep was rapidly offsetting the flood of adrenaline and he was beginning to have a hard time concentrating. "Excuse me?" "Damn you, you bastard. Did you use her and then throw her to the wolves? Or was she some kind of double agent and you killed her?" Her voice rose with her anger. He was by her side in an instant. Grabbing her arm he forced her to look at him. "Tell me exactly what you heard." She tried to twist away but he held tight. Her rage grew and without really thinking she brought her gun up, only to have him twisted it out of her hand. "What was it, Commander?" She closed her eyes, and a tear joined the sweat on her cheek. "Please let go, you’re hurting me." Immediately he released her, but he kept the gun. "One of them said ‘the boss doesn’t care what we do with the woman, but the Assistant Director of the Central Intelligence Agency is to be captured alive’." When she opened her eyes she was surprised to see him sitting on a rock near the drop off, his head down. Newsom’s gun was still in his hand. Her gun was on the ground next to him. "How very arrogant of me," he sighed. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she snapped. He shook his head and instantly felt dizzy. "I’ll explain later. Look we’ve got to find some water and soon. I’m already feeling nauseous, which means I’m dehydrated." She just lifted her shoulders. "Sorry, SIR, I left my bottle of water in the car." "Cute, Pike." He stood and managed not to fall back to the rock. "Let's go. I swear they’re getting closer. She had to agree and it sounded like their numbers were growing. The problem was they had nowhere to branch off to. Every turn they made the men behind them followed. "You’re the damn spy. Can’t you figure out a way so they don’t follow us?" A sneer played on her lips. "Or are you just a damn bureaucrat?" He pushed past her to take the lead. He continued the climb because...because what else was there to do? He might not understand the language but he knew voices and had distinguished at least seven distinct ones. There was little he could do about taking all of them out. And for him to even the odds, he would have to let them get closer and that he was loath to do. About an hour later he felt her hand on his arm. Looking down he saw she was holding out a large yellow fruit in her other hand. "Here. It’s a guava. They plant them along hiking trails. They’re a good source of energy and it should quench your thirst." He watched her bite into the flesh and followed suit. It was bittersweet and it quite possibly was the most wonderful thing he had ever tasted. "Don’t eat the seeds." He sat next to her on a fallen log and proceeded to devour the delicacy. When she was done she reached behind her and pulled a large flat green leaf from a bush and used it to wipe her juice-stained hands. He mimicked her actions. "We're going to have to find water. The bugs will be all over us now. Grab two more and we’ll take them with us." She pointed over his shoulder. The fruit was nestled within sheltering leaves and as tired as he was, he would have missed it. "You some kind of back to nature lawyer?" He tried to make a joke out of it but the anger had returned to her eyes. "Come on. We can’t let them get too close." "Have you got any kind of plan besides just staying two steps ahead of them." "Well I was kind of hoping Rabb would play true to form and ride up and rescue us, if you must know," he snapped. The look on her face froze his heart. Grabbing her arms he pulled her toward him. "Tell me," he whispered. "There was an accident last night. Nothing serious, but he’s in the hospital. I was going to tell you when we got closer to Ford. Owens was going to handle the rest of the case. Tell me something. Was Rabb privy to what was going on? Was he part of the setup? What was the deal, Mr. Assistant Director of...." "Knock it off, Commander. Rabb only knew after the fact. He was never a part of the operation." "Just answer me one last question?" "No." "No, you won’t answer a question?" "No, I didn’t kill her. Which is the only damn question you have a right to ask, Commander Pike." :: :: ::
6 December 2002 They huddled together under the overhang. Above them they could hear rapid chattering between their pursuers. Nearly a thousand feet below them stretched a rocky death. It was a desperate plan, but their only hope. It had been dusk when they reached the top. There were only two ways to continue. The scenic path along the side of the mountain that the State Forestry Service had paved in bark would have been the obvious choice. They would be sitting ducks had they used it. There was no place to hide or seek shelter. The steep side of the mountain would be impossible to climb -- in either direction. Their followers would easily catch them. Kate stood there, hands on her hips glaring at him in the misty twilight. When he had shrugged and started to turn away from her she had stepped back and stumbled over a rock. He grabbed just before she fell over the side. Holding her to him he could feel both their hearts pounding in terror. She clung to him, tears of frustration threatening to spill. "Let me go -- please," she whispered hoarsely. "Yeah, sure. No problem." But still he held her as he looked down at the valley. The sun had set far out over the ocean but the valley was bathed in vivid misty orange. Wisps of rising mist danced across the dulled green. She tried to push away, but his whisper in her ear stilled her. She listened to the plan and nodded into his shoulder. When he released her, she turned and at the top of her lungs screamed very loud for just a moment. As she was screaming, Webb was pushing a rock over the edge and as he broke a small tree off at its center, he grinned at her and yelled. "Nooooooo." Letting his voice die at the end of the word. Then, grabbing her hand he led her to the lookout rail. Carefully they climbed over the side. The lookout had been built at the very edge of the cliff, but far enough back that the metal poles had a firm anchor in the sheet of rock that formed the base. He had meant for them to just hide in the shrubs but she had found the tiny erosion-formed space. She stretched out and moved back as far as she could. He climbed in after her. If he moved too much, he would tumble down the steep hill. She wasn’t sure how long they lay there, her face buried in his neck as he held her. She wasn’t even sure if he could maneuver his way back out without falling, certainly not in the dark. The bad guys were just above them. The rock muffled their voices, but she caught snatches of words carried by the wind over the side. "They’re going down the hill," she breathed. Her lips were so close to his ear she was sure he had to hear her. But he didn’t move. It took her a moment to register the fact that his breathing had evened out. "You son of bitch. You’re asleep!" She started to pinch him, hard, but stopped and considered the man she was holding in her arms. She wasn’t sure why, but she did believe he hadn’t killed Lieutenant Li. He jerked awake sometime later, rousing her from her light doze. "What time is it?" he whispered. Testing her muscles she gritted out. "I can’t get to my watch. You’re on my arm." He maneuvered until he was lying on his back, pulling her to lie partially across his chest. If he stretched his arm out, his hand dangled above the drop off. "Ow! My arm’s asleep." Her whisper was buried in his chest. She struggled until her one arm rested near his collar. In doing so her other hand grazed, none too gently, against his groin. "Ooph. Watch it. You want to be a little gentle down there, Pike," he hissed. "Don’t flatter yourself, Adams." He glared at her but then sighed. "Webb, okay." "Uh?" Momentarily confused, she pushed up to find that there was just enough light left to see his very green eyes. "Clayton Webb. I...." He groped for the words. "I just don’t want you to call me Adams anymore. Okay?" "Yeah, sure. Assistant Director Webb." He heard the bitterness at his betrayal in her voice. She lifted up the watch for him to look at. He lifted his head to peer at it and then sighed. "The damn thing is broken." She shrugged. "Sorry." "Mac would know." He breathed piteously. She studied the man under her. "Gee, who was it that accused me of being in love with my former partner? You two got history, too?" A slow blush crept up her cheeks at the confused look on his face. "Me and Mac? What? Are you nuts? How fruitless would that be?" Feeling her weight move across him suddenly made him feel very uncomfortable. "Uhm...you think they're still up there?" "Well, if you hadn’t fallen asleep, you would have heard me before. I think they left someone up there to make sure we didn’t trick them." Her voice, while low, carried a definite note of disgust at his weakness. "Hey, you try sleeping in the brig for five nights straight having the...." His voice trailed off. He wouldn’t tell her about the nightmares. "Can you scoot out and let me up?" He peered over the edge of the overhang. They had left one guard. The glow of a cigarette marked his impatient pacing. Carefully, Webb moved along the rock until he could pull himself up onto the lookout. The man actually turned his way as he lay flat on the ground. All he did was flick the cigarette over the cliff. He had just turned around when Webb pushed himself up, a shock of adrenaline offsetting the pain in his muscles. The man’s neck was broken before he had a chance to turn around. Dragging him to the side of the cliff, Webb unceremoniously dumped the body over the side. He stood there, his hands on his knees. The rush gone, the pain nearly doubling him over, he tried to catch his breath. He felt her hand on his back. "Did they kill her?" He just shook his head. "Hell if I know what’s going on. Come on. Lets see if we can find a place to hide and maybe get some real sleep until morning." They trudged through the undergrowth. As the moon rose high over the mountains they found they could see the slope of the mountain clearly. They had moved farther down and away from where the car had been abandoned. The trees become sparse and Webb kept glancing around trying to spot their pursuers. He hoped they fell for the trap. But right now all he wanted was to get some rest. They heard it long before they came upon the small waterfall hidden in the recesses of the volcanic rocks. The moonlight seemed to dance in the pool below the cascade. He found a moss-covered sanctuary within a thick growth of strawberry guava. "What’s this?" He pointed to a nearby bush. The purple fruit seemed to glow in the night. At the mumbled reply he cocked his head at her. "’Scuse, me?" "Passion fruit. It’s edible." He pulled two pieces off the bush, started to rub them on his shirt, but changed his mind. Making his way to a small pool of water that had formed in a rock close to the edge of the falls, he rinsed them off before handing her one. For the first time since they left the Jeep he spoke in a normal voice. "I’ve never tasted these before, what should I expect?" She broke open the fruit and showed him how to eat the pulp, spitting out the seeds. "Really juicy. I’m glad there’s water nearby." She sighed. "I really would like to clean up." "Go ahead. I’m sorry; I don’t even have a handkerchief." He lowered himself down to the soft patch. The thick leaves of the surrounding plants snapped and a heady fragrance assailed him. He tried to not look at her as she peeled the uniform shirt from her body. He found he was disappointed that she wore a thin strapped tee underneath it. She splashed water on her face and over her arms. She used the shirt to dab off the moisture then proceeded to wash some of the grime from the shirt. The last thing he remembered before he fell asleep was how beautiful she looked in the moonlight as she stretched up to lay the shirt out to dry. She stood over him watching him sleep. The moon was beginning to move behind them now and the night grew darker except for the millions of stars. They had saved each other’s lives today; had shared an exhausting adventure together. This tugging at her heart was just a reaction to the stress. She wanted nothing more than to get back to base, find the real bastards, get him on a plane back to DC and go home for Christmas. It was warm and there was no need to nestle next to him. She settled a little way from him and lay there staring up at the stars. :: :: ::
7 December 2002 The screeching of large black crow followed by the screams and cries of a large flock of tiny blue sparrows woke her. She was disoriented for just a moment until the memories of the previous day flooded in on her. Sitting up she looked around. She was alone. Panic started but she spotted a small pile of fruits and berries on the ground next to her. She was even surprised to see a small mostly ripe banana. Rising, she stretched and worked the kinks from her muscles. The wind caressed her bare shoulders. The sun hadn’t yet cleared the eastern ridge of mountains and it was cooler than she liked, but it WAS December. She thought about Christmas in DC and was surprised at the twinge of regret she felt. It had been two years since the fiasco that returned her to the islands. She often told herself that she didn’t regret the decision. She did regret never finding out who the rat was who leaked the information. She knew now that it hadn’t been Sarah MacKenzie-Rabb. She started to dip her hand into the water that had collected in the rock for a morning drink when the movement in the pool below her caught her eye. A giggle escaped her lips. And for a moment mischief poked at her. He was swimming, completely naked. She saw his clothes, carefully laid out on a small tree next to the water. She thought it very telling that even as dirt-stained as they were, he had taken such care. She stood there watching him. His muscles flexed and she admired the firm buttocks just below the surface of the water. When he suddenly turned on his back she found herself staring into jade green eyes, the amusement apparent. "A voyeur lawyer. Sounds fitting." He treaded water and considered her for a moment, remembering the beauty in the moonlight last night. "Join me?" Her breath caught in her throat and for just a second she considered it. "No, I’m fine -- I uhm -- where’d you find all the fruit?" "The Safeway." "Funny, Ad...Webb." When he purposefully swam toward his clothes she turned her back to him. "I’ve been keeping an eye out. We’re pretty secluded here. I could almost grow to like Hawaii." His voice was just behind her and she knew he hadn’t had time to put his clothes on. "Oh, Hawaii is paradise. Hadn’t you heard?" she retorted. "Kind of dull though?" "Sometimes," she whispered. Suddenly she didn’t want to continue the conversation. Not with him so very close. Steadily she walked back to the pile of fruit. Squatting down, she picked up the banana and began to peel it. "Can I have that papaya?" "Sure." She held it out behind her. His fingers touched hers and she shivered. When he didn’t immediately let go, she pulled back her hand and was almost disappointed that he let go. "So what’s the plan, counselor?" There was a smug pleased sound to his voice that angered her. She would show him. Taking a deep breath she turned to face him. He sat on a boulder. His tee shirt clung to his damp skin. Dark patches of moisture covered the hips and thighs of his uniform slacks. She let her breath out in a whoosh. A small smile tugged at his lips. "Problem?" "None," she snapped. "Except getting back to base." The teasing was over. He nodded glumly. "How bad was Rabb hurt?" "The hospital said a concussion." "Who told you?" "Who told me what?" He sighed. "Who notified you that he had been hurt?" She shrugged. "A hospital employee. Said he was conscious but he was still getting tests. She said his partner was with him. Who’s he partnered with now?" "Whoever the Admiral assigns him. Why?" "Well, I swear the woman was practically purring when she mentioned the guy." Webb laughed. "I hope to hell women still find me that attractive when I’m bald." "Bald?" She gasped. "Chegwidden came with him?" Webb suddenly got busy pulling on his socks. He carefully examined his shoes. When he thought about them coming here, it made his chest hurt. He had always been a loner and it felt good and painful all at the same time that these two men had flown halfway around the world to help him. "Yeah, I guess so. Remington probably pulled in some major favor to keep the Agency out of it." "Okay," she agreed. Sensing his embarrassment, she kept her smile hidden from him. "So they’ll trace our route, find the car and...." As if on cue, they heard the thump-thump-thump of helicopter blades overhead. He shaded his eyes and looked up. The markings were of Island Cruises. He breathed a sigh of relief. "It’s one of ours," he shouted above the noise. Climbing up to the top of one of the largest boulders next to the falls he waved his arms. He felt Kate come to stand next to him, adding her own waving to his. "They see us. I don’t know how they are going to get to us though. The helicopter made a pass overhead and he strained to see who was inside. Hoping it was Rabb, or at least AJ. What he saw made his heart sink. "Oh shit." "What’s wrong." She had only made out the form of the words. The helicopter was so low now. The smile had vanished from his face. He was no longer looking upward. Instead he was scanning the area around them wildly as if looking for an escape route. She saw his confusion and fear. Grabbing her by the shoulders he pulled her close until his mouth caressed her ear. "There’s no reason why you should, but I’m begging you to trust me." She pulled back and stared into the green eyes and finally nodded her head. "Then just RUN LIKE HELL!" he yelled. Taking her hand he pulled her off the rock. Instead of going back the way they had come -- their path was clearly marked in the broken shrubs and plants -- he dragged her toward an impossibly narrow opening in the cliff side. The line of bullets halted their progress and he spun around to find the chopper floating overhead, the ugly looking rifle pointing at them. "Don’t move, Mr. Webb," the amplified but familiar voice called out. "I’ll kill her where she stands." Clay stepped in front of her and glared up at the face of a man who was supposed to be dead. He didn’t bother to say anything. But she did. "What the hell is going on? Why is Jack Parker waving that gun at us?" "Who’s Jack Parker?" He looked at her in surprise. "Honolulu police detective. Said that Amy Li had been complaining about her boyfriend not leaving her alone. He was trying to get information on you for over a week." "Well, just because we are both probably going to die here, I’ll tell you this much. I’ve known your Jack Parker for nearly five years. Only he’s CIA, not local and his name is Tony Norton. Rabb told me he and AJ found the car that Norton and an ONI agent were using at the foot of a cliff. Norton supposedly had been ripped from the car by the force of the crash." They watched anxiously as the pilot spoke on the radio. They had little doubt that their position was being relayed to men on the ground. "Now what I heard makes sense." She said so softly that he almost missed it. He turned away from the helicopter and the traitor inside and looked at her. "What? You never told me." "Well I told you they only wanted you, right?" "Yeah." "They said you had information that the big boss wanted and that’s why they had lured you out here." "I can’t let them take me, Kate." "Then I guess we’re going to have to run, Clayton," she said, using his first name to let him know she was on his side. "Step away from each other." Norton shouted from the helicopter. "NOW!" Webb shouted and pushed her toward the drop off. He jumped over the side after her. He knew that if he was so damn important, they wouldn’t hesitate to shoot her, but if he stayed close perhaps they would hold off. They reached the other end of the pool. The angle from here was nearly impossible. Climbing out of the water he spotted a cut in the rock. "Through there." He pushed her inside and followed her. Branches, roots and overgrowth scratched at every inch of exposed skin. He hated that she was in front but the cut was so narrow he couldn’t get past her. They had run for quite awhile, the thumping of the helicopter still overhead, when she spotted another cut-off. She stopped so fast that he nearly knocked her to the ground. "You. go. that. way." He struggled to get his breath. She shook her head emphatically and clutching his hand, pulled him into the new passage. They had only taken a few steps before they realized that this pathway sloped downward. "Maybe...." She stopped him and looked overhead. "Maybe they won’t be able to track us." "Kate, he is still radioing our position. He’ll send in ground forces." "So what do you want to do? Stop and give up?" He shook his head and nodded for her to continue. The slope became more and more pronounced and they found they had to cling to tree branches and each other to make the descent. Rocks cascaded down ahead of them. The passageway grew more and more dark the deeper they went. "I hope to hell this doesn’t just end in some kind of drop off," she hissed out. "Stop for a minute," he panted. Holding on to a thick plant growing out of the rock, he reached around her. "Look." "How the hell did you spot it?" She whispered as she helped him carefully pull back the vegetation covering the opening. "Hey I’m a trained spy, thank you very much." At her snort, he insisted. "Really, I...oh hell, saw the damn pig try and get out of our way." "A pig went in there?" She held back. He pushed her gently into the opening. "Yeah, Kate a pig." It wasn’t much of a cave, and the pig decided that there wasn’t room for the three of them so it scurried out, squealing loudly. Clay tried to smooth the vines and bushes covering the opening. He prayed that they would catch their breath long before the pursuers passed them. He also prayed that the pursuers would not notice the damage that had been done to the side of the hill. The cave was so tight that she had little recourse but to huddle next to him. They remained in crouching positions. Both listened as jumbled voices drew closer and closer to their position. Each silently cursing for allowing their weapons to be lost. When two men careened past the little cave, both instinctively reached out and clutched the other’s hand. They crouched there frozen almost afraid to breathe. Her knees were starting to cramp and she turned her head so she could whisper in his ear. "What do you want to do now?" As he turned to answer her, their lips brushed. He knew she would jerk away from him, so he tried to brace them both. Instead, he found that she leaned into his embrace. Surprise, delight, passion and fear shot through him, but he parted his lips and was further shocked to find that her tongue met his half way. When they parted they touched foreheads. "You mean besides that?" he murmured. Her sigh wove its way into his heart. What had she done to him? She didn’t answer but nodded. "Well, we can’t wait until dark, we’ll never make it down the path. And I don’t think we can climb back up." "What if they are waiting at the base of this thing?" She leaned forward and laid her head on his shoulder. "I don’t know, Kate. What do you want to do?" She kissed him lightly and then lowered herself to peer out through the vines. "Oh hell, let's try it." He joined her at the mouth of the cave. It was very green and dark outside, the sun barely filtering through the leaves. "Okay, but I go first." She rolled over and pulled him down. This time the kiss was demanding and she held him to her. "Get us out of here alive, Clay. I like this, a lot." He slowly and as quietly as possible led them down the cut. He noted the heavy damage done to the plant life from the others’ rapid descent. He played several options over in his head but hadn’t a clue on how he was going to get them out of this if they were waiting for them. The cut leveled off and widened. He froze, keeping his body between her and anyone in front of him. He listened for any sound. Straining to hear anything besides the noise of the birds. Suddenly they were blown to the ground as an explosion shook the area. A heavy object fell into the trees just above them and they rolled out of the way just in time as a fireball whooshed down the cut in the rock they had just left. The high pitched whine of Seawolf helicopter drowned out all other noise. First they saw long ropes snake through the trees and then five Navy SEALs in full camouflage gear rappelled from the canopy. He was just helping her to her feet when one of the SEALs stepped forward and saluted. "Commander Pike. Mr. Webb. Admiral Chegwidden’s compliments." Home :: JAG Index :: e-mail Paula :: e-mail TheLadyT |