I want to apologize to everyone for not having this out on Friday as it was supposed to. Life just got a lot more hectic with school starting than I ever thought it would.
So, without further adieu....
A couple of notes beforehand:
I'm taking great license with many things in here, namely the way the
DC police operates. Any inconsistencies are dramatic license, I
don't know how the 911 system operates, I made this up, but TC tells
me it sounds good :> Also, on tv jurisdiction disputes are always
handed differently, so just go with it.
One for the Money 1/2
by Jen
Virtual Season 4, Finale
Disclaimers: Not mine, never will be, no money is being made, blah,
blah, blah.
Author's notes: I've obviously made this whole thing about the 911
service up (at least Harm's involvement in it) please extend your
suspension of disbelief. I know it's crazy. I'm also borrowing a
few characters from other CBS shows, see if you can guess them :>
Summary: A simple murder investigation turns complicated for Harm
and Mac, as the JAG staff faces new and exciting possibilities.
****
Tuesday evening
Mac had resigned herself long ago to the fact that quiet moments were hard to come by between her and Harm, even more so since they had gotten engaged. It was one of the many reasons why she treasured nights at home with him. This particular night was being spent on his sofa, their arms wrapped around one another. His kisses were warm and soft against her lips and she knew she never wanted the evening to end. But it had to.
Earlier in the week the Admiral had came calling to Harm, Mac, and Sturgis about a call he had received from a friend of his in the police department. Chief Mannion had asked Chegwidden if he could borrow some of his senior attorneys to help staff the 911 call center on the overnights. It was an idea he wanted to pursue about cooperation between the various government/law enforcement branches. AJ had been only too glad to volunteer his three top lawyers for the spot. Baby Tina spared Bud the same draft. Harm, Mac and Sturgis had each signed up for one night. Last night was Mac's and tonight was Harm's.
Mac's night was fairly routine as far as police emergencies went. She had only taken a few calls, mostly just minor traffic accidents. She had arrived on Harm's doorstep at 0500 to take him jogging with her, before she went back to bed. At least the Admiral had given them the day after their overnight shift off.
"You need to leave soon, Harm," She said between kisses.
"I know," he answered trying and failing to extract himself from her. With one final kiss to the lips, he pushed away from her quickly and rose off the couch. "Are you staying here tonight?" He asked.
"It's easier than going home." Most of her belongings were here anyway. Since their engagement she had all but moved in. Their engagement, even their relationship was still under wraps to all but Bud, Harriet and Sturgis. They had just never found the right time to tell the Admiral. It did occur to her that the longer they waited the harder it would become to tell him. She fingered the engagement ring on the gold chain around her neck. Harm spotted the sad smile immediately and knew what she was thinking.
"We need to sit down and tell the Admiral about this."
"I was just thinking of doing that tomorrow when you are out of the office."
"I think we should both be there," Harm protested.
"It needed to be done last week, I think the sooner the better," she replied, trying to keep some sense of calm in her voice. The thought of telling the Admiral about their relationship was something that terrified both of them. They hadn't really thought about what direction their careers might take. They knew they wouldn't be able to work in the same chain of command and be married, but neither wanted to think about who was going to give up what. Out of sight, out of mind was their catch phrase.
Harm grabbed his wallet and his keys off the desk. "Just don't do anything without talking to me first, okay?" he requested, walking toward the door. Mac rose and walked up behind him. She gave him a soft kiss on the lips and nodded her assurance that she wouldn't.
****
Sabryn Wilson waved goodbye to her friend Fiona and ran toward her house. The winding porch was a welcome sight to her, although she had expected to find her grandfather waiting for her in the swing like he always did when she had spent the day with Fiona. This was the house her mother had grown up in, she and her mom lived with her grandparents and her Aunt Michelle. She knew her mom and grandmother were shopping and wouldn't be home until late. Michelle was working all the time, so it was just her grandfather tonight.
Sabryn was sharp for a ten year old. She was worried when her grandpa wasn't in his swing and she was even more worried that the television wasn't on. Wednesday's meant The West Wing and he never missed it. She looked around the living room and kitchen for him and didn't see him.
"Grandpa!" She yelled running up the stairs. He wasn't in the upstairs bathroom either. She looked in all the rooms up there, her voice getting louder with each yell for him. She finally came to the last room, the one he had shared with her grandmother for fifty some years.
She touched the door and felt the cold splinters of the finish. She couldn't hear any sounds coming from the room. Slowly she pushed the door open, her eyes settling on the bed. It was covered in the latest afghan her grandmother had crotched. After that her eyes shot to the floor, and her grandfather.
She noticed immediately that her grandfather wasn't just asleep on the floor. She went over to him and placed a hand on his stomach. She screamed when he didn't move and ran for the phone. Her mother and grandparents had both drilled it into her head to call 911 if anything ever happened.
**
Harm was already into his second hour of the 1900-0500 shift at the call center. After a half hour crash course in the ANI/ALI system that would track a call if the caller wasn't able to give an address, and a ten minute lecture on how to keep people calm, his night had been as quiet as Mac's. He noticed how funny the headset seemed on his head and wondered if he looked as silly as he felt. Moments later his set beeped.
"911 what's your emergency?" he asked.
"My grandpa won't wake up." The voice on the line sounded terrified to him, and he waved Terri, one of the senior operators over.
"Do you know your address?" he asked.
"NO," she answered. Terri had already set the ANI/ALI to work on the address. Once the address popped up she gave it to the EMS. She would keep them apprised of the situation on their way to the home.
"What's your name, honey?" Harm asked the crying girl.
"I'm not supposed to tell my name to strangers." Harm couldn't help but chuckle.
"Well, my name is Harm. Now we aren't strangers, so can you tell me?"
"I suppose," she answered. He could barely make out her words over the tears, but he could. "My name is Sabryn."
"That's a very pretty name Sabryn. Are you at home?"
"Yes, are you sending help for my grandpa?"
"Yes, sweetie, but I want you to stay on the line with me until they get there, okay?"
"OK."
"Does anyone else live with you besides your grandpa?"
"Mommy and grandma are shopping, they won't be back until it's time for me to go to bed."
"Is there anyone else we can call to come stay with you until they get home?" He heard the sirens in the background of the call. "Sabryn that's help, can you go answer and then talk to me some more?"
He heard the loud clunck of the phone being set down on a table. A few minutes later she was back with him.
"They're here, Harm I'm afraid."
"I know, sweetheart, is there anyone I can call for you?"
"My Uncle Rick lives nearby."
"What's his last name?"
"He has the same last name as me, Wilson." Terri ran through all the Rick Wilson's, she and Harm both cursed when they found several dozen.
"Do you know his phone number?" She read it off for him and Terri dialed the number. After talking with him for a few minutes she hung up.
"He said he'll be there in less than ten minutes," She told him.
"Sabryn, your Uncle will be there in ten minutes. Can you talk to me until then?" Harm asked. Terri shook her head at him as if he'd said the wrong thing, but Harm ignored her. He wasn't leaving a terrified ten year old alone.
****
opening credits....
Have you picked your fall tv schedule for this season? If not, might I suggest you check out The O.C., catch the 'summer finale' Tuesday at 9. Marvel in all the teen angst and be glad you aren't rich and living in California, or not.
****
Wednesday morning
Mac was in her office reviewing a file for her next trial. Through her open door, she was surprised to see Harm step off the elevator. He wasn't supposed to be in today, since he'd pulled the all nighter last night. She set aside her paperwork and crossed the bullpen to see him.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Have you seen this?" He held up the days paper with the story of Admiral Martin Wilson's death last night. She had read the paper this morning, and the Admiral had briefed them over it at the morning meeting. Since the Admiral was retired, it was a DC police matter.
"Yes, why?"
"Did you read the part where his granddaughter called 911?"
Mac's eyes widened in surprise. Harm must have been the one to take the call.
"Harm, you can't..." She started, but knew right away what he was thinking.
"Mac, I talked to her for ten minutes while we waited for her uncle. I need to do something about this."
Mac just shook her head as she watched him turn on his heel and go into the Admiral's office. Before she could stop to think about what she was doing, she followed him.
*
"He's on the phone," Coates told Harm after he asked to speak with the Admiral.
"Well, I'll just wait until he's free."
"It's the SecNav, sir. It could be a while," she countered.
"Technically, I'm not even supposed to be here. I can wait all day." He smiled knowingly at Mac when she walked up. After all the two had been through together, somehow he knew that she would want in on this one too.
*
Across the bullpen, Bud was in his office on the phone. When Harriet knocked on his door, one hand in AJ's and the other holding Baby Tina, he waved her in.
"Yes, sir. Today at six is fine." He replaced the phone on it's receiver and cast a wary look at his wife.
"Who was that honey?"
"Jason Kent from Kent, Masters, and King." He saw the knowing recognition in her eyes/ The law firm was one of the largest in Washington D.C.
"They don't get much bigger league than that. What did he want?"
"He wants to meet with me tonight." Seeing her questioning glance, he added, "He didn't say why."
**
Wednesday afternoon
DC police station
Detective Moore handed the autopsy report to Harm. He glanced it over and handed it to Mac.
"I'm glad to see you two. Right now we are swamped and don't have the resources to devote to this. If you don't mind, we would like to hand it off to your department."
Harm glanced at Mac, gauging her reaction. He only came here expecting to offer to help, he didn't want the whole investigation. But if they wanted to give it to him, fine.
"As you can see, the preliminary cause of death is strangulation. Forensics haven't found any prints that don't belong there, no sign of forced entry and nothing missing."
"Well, it looks like we have our work cut out for us, Harm." Mac smiled, knowingly.
***
www.bobandtom.com
Visit it today, but please don't take any gynological advice from
them.
***
Bud sat in the posh waiting area of the law firm. The high ceilings, comfortable furniture and surroundings, screamed money. He wasn't entirely sure what he was doing here. In fact he was kind of afraid.
"Lieutenant Roberts, I'm Jason Kent." Bud looked at the tall African-American man who was extending his had toward him. "Let's go into my office, shall we?"
Bud got to his feet and followed him across the thick carpet. The office overlooked the city, clearly it was one of the highest buildings in the city.
"I'm sure you're wondering why I wanted to see you."
"Yes, the thought had crossed my mind." Bud answered. Kent poured himself a glass of bourbon and went to pour Bud one. Bud started to protest, but then changed his mind at the last minute.
"I've been following the harassment case you were involved with. I am very impressed."
"Thank you sir." Bud tried very hard not to be nervous by nature or to let it show.
"As you may or may not know, Kent has a very large discrimination practice. We are always looking for bright new talent to add to our pool. You are all of those things for us."
"Thank you, but I've never thought about leaving the Navy."
"I know, I read about your accident and how you fought to stay in the service, that is very admirable. But, you've proven yourself, don't you think it might be time to move on?"
Bud didn't answer. He looked around the office, trying to imagine himself in one just like it. He remembered when Colonel MacKenzie had briefly left JAG for private practice and how out of place she claimed to be. He didn't think he would do any better.
Jason Kent scribbled some numbers on a piece of paper and handed it to Bud. "Take this home, talk it over with your wife. Are you doing anything Friday evening?" Bud shook his head no, he was in awe of the salary offer, or what he assumed was the salary offer. "I'll have my secretary call you, you and your wife can join my wife and I for dinner."
Bud got up to leave, as he approached the door, Jason said, "with that salary, you'd never have to worry about money again."
***
Same evening
JAG Headquarters
Mac and Harm had spent the day talking with the crime scene investigators and the coroner. It was seemingly the perfect crime. They really had no evidence to go on. The hadn't talked to the family yet, they were saving that for later tonight or tomorrow, out of respect for their grief.
They were both surprised when Chegwidden walked into the room.
"I want you to make this your priority. I wasn't going to let you do it, but since the DC police don't want it."
"Technically, it's NCIS territory," Mac said, looking between the two men. Harm was still struggling to come to terms with the treatment he received from the team not that long ago. Mac knew that, but also knew he was getting better at it.
"Well, if you don't come up with something in a few days, it will probably go back to them. Colonel, can I speak with you for a moment?" Harm took the cue, and rose from the table.
After the door had shut behind Harm, AJ sat down beside Mac.
"I had an interesting conversation with the SecNav today."
Mac nodded. They both knew that Mac had been waiting with Harm while AJ was talking to his boss. She waited for him to continue.
"I'm being offered a position at the Pentagon." Mac's eyes went round in surprise. "It's a newly created position and I'll be coordinating a lot with Homeland Security."
"Are you going to take it?" Mac asked. She had always thought JAG would be his last stop.
"I'm thinking about it. It's a chance at something new, to make a difference in the new world order."
"Will it mean another star?" Mac asked. Her commanding officer nodded. "What does Meredith think?"
"That I should take it. Truth be told, I am going to take it, I'm just not sure who is going to take my place here. I always thought it would be you or Rabb." There was more to the story, Mac knew. What did he mean 'thought'. "They have told me I can bring someone with me. Mac, I'd like that to be you."
"I wouldn't be practicing law would I?"
"No, but you'd be helping catching terrorist. With your language skills, you'd be an asset. It would mean a fast track to another promotion, more time at home, and other things." His voice faltered in a very non-commanding way.
"What other things?" She asked.
"Come on, Mac, I'm not blind. I know about you and Rabb. I'm just wondering when the wedding is."
Mac knew this was her opening, she withdrew the ring around her neck and held it out to him as far as it would go. "We haven't set a date yet."
"Well, this should make things easier for you. I really need someone with your talents working with me."
Before she could even think about it, Mac found herself agreeing with him.
"I'd love too."
***
to be continued....
Next on JAG....
Admiral Wilson's murder isn't as simple as it seems. A daughter who had been kidnapped as a child, a past in Vietnam his family never knew of....
And, how will the changes at JAG affect our characters? Will anyone's life ever be the same again?