Title: Charade/A Case of Mistaken Identity Author: Rising Sun E-mail: jagrslc@yahoo.com The FF of Rising Sun is archived at: http://www.geocities.com/jagrslc For updates on FF by Rising Sun join: jagrslc-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Rated: PG-13 Classification: JAG Story/Adventure/Romance: Harm/Mac Summary: Mac's special training comes in handy for personal reasons. Spoiler: Rogue Disclaimer: JAG characters portrayed belong to JAG, CBS and Paramount Television. No copyright infringement intended. All other characters depicted are purely fictional and any similarities to actual people are purely coincidental. Feedback: Would be nice. so where is it? Story Written February 2002 1300 - FRIDAY PHILLIPS FLAGSHIP WATERFRONT AT 900 WATER STREET SW, WASHINGTON D.C "Oh my feet are killing me!" Mac declared as she lowered herself into a chair. Porter Webb smiled. Ever since she had had to brief Mac in the ways of the world of the rich the two women had become friends. "Gives new meaning to the phrase shop till you drop doesn't it?" "Indeed . on my last mission for Clayton I met some women who had it down to an art. You Porter have it down to a science." Mac said. "Thank you. I think." The older woman replied. The waiter arrived with the menus and as they perused the list Porter inquired, "How's that baby of yours?" "Baby!" Mac snorted, ".at eighteen months he is more toddler than baby." "But they are so adorable at that age." "They are aren't they? Harm is in his element. He and HR are up to God knows what while I get this break." Mac replied. "Enjoy it my dear . they grow up fast." Porter advised. "You know the best part of this?" Porter shook her head. "The break." "Excuse me?" Mac counted off; "Pregnant for nine months and now with HR, Clayton and or Alexandra haven't been able to rope me into any of their harebrained schemes." Porter chuckled as she turned her attention to the menu before her. "Do you trust me?" she asked Mac in mock seriousness. "Implicitly." Mac matched the tone. Porter ordered. + + + TWO HOURS LATER. "I am not used to two hour lunches Porter." Mac confessed. "Now there I know you are not being completely honest." She admonished. Mac looked at her. "I mean me not one of my incarnations." "You can separate the two?" "I must or I'll quickly loose my sanity." Mac revealed her secret. "I see." The older woman mused. "Well are you ready?" "The bill." Mac began. ". will be taken care of." She finished. "Now shall we?" "By all means." ============================== VICTORIA'S SECRET GEORGETOWN PARK "Does it fit?" Porter asked through the door. "Does it ever!" Mac enthused. She had given up begging Porter not to buy her anything three shops ago. So she just enjoyed the outing. "Take a look." She swung the door open and stood in a black teddy. Porter gave her a professional look. "There is something to be said for being in the Military if after having a baby you still look like that." "Why thank you. I'll take that as a stamp of approval." Mac grinned and closed the door to replace her clothes. + + + Mac had finally managed to limit Porter to six outfits, but enough was enough and Mac had reached her limit. Her various incarnations may not know how to limit their spending but she did. "Good evening Ms Kennedy." A man said to Mac. She was about to correct him as she automatically did with every person who mistook her for the daughter of the President of the United States when she saw the gun. "What the." "Now Ms Kennedy don't fight us on this or folks will get hurt I promise." He cautioned. She caught the plural. "We?" "Sarah?" Porter began to move to join her. "Hold it lady." A second man appeared. Mac took the opportunity provided as Porter distracted the men albeit unintentional. The men were ready and the second man shot Porter in the shoulder as the first pistol-whipped Mac. Pandemonium broke out. They dragged a dazed Mac out of the store. "I told you Ms Kennedy don't fight us on this or folks will get hurt." + + + "You're hurt!" A sales woman emerged from behind the counter. "Let me call 9-1-1" "Do that dear." Porter said as she pulled out her cell "Clayton. Mother. we have a situation." She bent to pick up Mac's handbag. ============================== 1809 LOCAL SAME DAY WEBB'S RESIDENCE ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA The front room of Porter Webb's home had become an impromptu command post. Eventually they would all relocate to JAG or the Compound but for now she was content to allow the first steps to take place under her roof. The EMTs had hovered over her until she had taken a firm stand with them. The bullet had gone right through her and as far as she was concerned a clean bandage would be acceptable for the moment. She adjusted the weight of the precious bundle that she carried. Porter had relieved Harm of HR as soon as he had strode into the house. He and Webb had gone into an instant huddle. Having provided her son with a complete statement then having repeated herself to the Police Porter was only required to confirm details. The doorbell rang. The butler announced Admiral AJ Chegwidden. he too joined the huddle. The doorbell rang again and this time the huddle broke. "Ma'am . presenting Ms Mackenzie Kennedy." The man announced. Harm's head snapped up. "Ms Kennedy! What are you doing here?" he asked the clone of his wife. "I have reason to suspect that your wife has been kidnapped." She replied. She handed over a sheet of paper. "My father received a note that his daughter had been kidnapped. Now in light of the fact that I was safe and sound we assumed that the Colonel was the one grabbed. That is a photocopy of the note." "What do they want?" AJ asked. "For now . nothing." Webb said as he finished reading the note. "It just says that they have Ms Kennedy and they will be in touch." "Do they not realize that they have the wrong woman?" AJ asked. "After all there was no entourage, no secret service . it was just two women out for a day together." They all looked at Mackenzie Kennedy. "Humm to the despair of my guards I am infamous for slipping my collar and going off with my girlfriends and just be. So the fact that it was just Porter and Mac would not seem out of the ordinary if the kidnappers had monitored my movements for any period of time." She looked from face to face then posed a question. "What do you think she will do?" "Ma'am" AJ quizzed. "Well obviously they think they have me. What do you think she will do?" "She will assume the role." Porter said without hesitation. Harm nodded in agreement as did Webb. "It's in her best interest to assume role to fool the kidnappers. To keep both your lives safe, hers would become instantly disposable if they knew they had the wrong Mac. They'd just kill her and then try for you again." AJ explained. "I agree." She said. "Mac has played me before she can do it again. My father wants to meet you." She said to Harm. "Ma'am?" "You, Clayton, Mrs. Webb and the Admiral. Luckily for me I have all of you here and I don't have to seek you all out." The baby gurgled. "Oh is that yours?" Porter chuckled "Hardly. He's a Rabb." "Mac's?" She was intrigued. ". and mine." Harm said. "Of course." She smiled. "May I?" She took the baby from Porter and Harm was pressed not believed that his wife had been kidnapped. "Shall we?" she moved to leave. The rest followed. =========================== EN ROUTE Mac was in a panel van and she could not see where she was going. "Where are we going?" She asked and got no answer. It hadn't taken her long to realize that there was a mistake in identity. Her brain went into over drive. Her head hurt from the hit. She looked at her kidnappers they were both young . mid twenties if a day she judged and obviously supremely confident in the caper for they had not made the effort to cover their faces. There were now three of them as the two kidnappers were with her and there was a driver whom she could not see. She made a decision. She would have to assume the role of Mackenzie Kennedy. Thankfully she knew the woman in a way that would now serve to save her life, she made the mental shift of gears and waited for the kidnappers to make the next step. She assumed that the President would have been contacted and the mistake realized. What happened next she had not a clue . but she needed to play for time. "What do you want with me?" she tried to engage the two again. "Lady." Man two replied "Shut up!" Man one said, "Sam is that any way to speak to the daughter of the President of the United States?" "Leave me alone Larry." Sam retorted. "I don't see why we have to travel in silence." Mac countered. "Of course my father will pay what ever you demand. I cannot speak for the President." "Kennedys" Larry snorted, "All you think about is money. You think we grabbed you at this particular time because we want money?" Mac spotted a clue when presented to her. They didn't want money. What was happening now or soon that kidnapping of the other Mac could affect? She racked her brains. She went fishing. "My father cannot allow me to affect policy for a nation." Sam smiled, "Were it just a country eh?" The two men laughed. Behind the watery smile she gave them she continued her analysis. Whatever was happing had a significance that went beyond the shores of America. Did that mean hemispheric or global? She racked her brains to figure out what was on the immediate world agenda. She resisted slapping her forehead as a Military person it should have been obvious! It was SALT! The Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty! It had to be! She needed to confirm her suspicions. "I hope that your nutritionist realizes that I don't take much salt in my food." She commented. Sam's eyes opened wide at the statement. That was all she needed. Larry tried to cover. "Salt?" "Yes salt. You know the white granules used to cook." Mac replied. "Oh that!" Larry signed. "What else is there?" She asked innocently. "Yeah we cook ok." Sam assured her. She had them; now to get the hell away from them. The van continued to bounce along. FRIDAY - 2318 LOCAL VALHALLA, RESIDENCE OF THE KENNEDY'S Warner Kennedy, President of the United States stood to welcome his daughter and the entourage. "Has it been that long kiddo?" He jested as he watched his daughter Mac cross the floor with baby HR in her arms. "He's the Colonel's" She explained. "Daddy you know Admiral Chedwiddgen, Commander Rabb, Clayton Webb. This is Mrs.." "Porter?" Warner cut across his daughter. "Porter? Oh my God it is you! You look . " he paused "Great considering the sling." The rest of the group was stunned. Porter Webb was a woman of many surprises. "It's nothing Mr. President just window dressing to appease my son." She assured him. Kennedy swelled to twice his size. "Did you just call me MR. PRESIDENT!" She smiled and inclined her head "OK Warner." "That's better." He said and then turned to Webb. "He belongs to you?" "He does." Porter replied. "Now that I look . I see Neville in him." Warner admitted. "You don't know how much of Neville is in him." Porter confessed. "Daddy." "Ah yes to the business at hand." The President focused to the task at hand. "I am proposing to repeat the caper of the last time." Mac Kennedy revealed. AJ eyes narrowed "Caper?" Harm was confused. "Yes while Mac was in Mexico posing as me. I was here posing as her. I hid in plain sight as it were." Before anyone could react Warner spoke. "Mac. your Mac was like a daughter to me for a while. She was prepared to face danger and play the part of my daughter . the least we can do is step in when she needs help. Albeit we seemed to be the target for the kidnapping." The four people looked at each other. Did they have a choice? AJ spoke. "As the person who had the most contact with Ms Kennedy I know it can work, but for how long? That is the question." "We will have to carry it." Mac said. "We will have to carry it." AJ nodded grimly in agreement. Lives were at stake. ============================== FRIDAY - 2345 LOCAL SAFE HOUSE The vehicle finally stopped. Sam cranked his revolver. "Now we can do this the easy way or the hard way. The choice is yours." "Oh by all means the easy way." She chose. The three of them stepped out and headed for the house. The vehicle drove away and she never once saw who had driven them. Larry unlocked the door. "This is home until we say different. We'll try to give all that you need all we ask is that you stay put. If you don't ." He shrugged "then we'll have to hurt you." Mac held up her hands in mock surrender. "I am many things dumb is not one of them." "Well alright!" Sam grinned. Mac froze as a female voice floated across the room, "THAT is not Mackenzie Kennedy!" ============================== FRIDAY - 2350 LOCAL VALHALLA, RESIDENCE OF THE KENNEDY'S Mackenzie Kennedy spoke to Harm before the group left. "It will be alight." She assured him. "I have to believe that." He had taken HR from her when the little boy had fallen asleep. "Do you really intend to step into Mac's shoes?" "I have too." He nodded. "You have a problem with that?" She was concerned; he had to be on board for this to work. "I don't know." he trailed off. "We'll take it one day at a time. Starting Sunday." "So soon?" he said. "She'll be missed at work if I don't step in." She pointed out. He nodded. "Sunday it is." ============================== FRIDAY - 2350 LOCAL SAFE HOUSE "What!" Larry said. "You said." "I beg your pardon!" Mac was indignant. ". and who are you to challenge my pedigree?" "Carla. This is Kennedy if she isn't then who is she?" Sam demanded. "Mackenzie Kennedy has long hair." Mac cut across her. "THAT is the evidence you present to challenge my family bloodline? I suppose you have never heard of a hair dresser?" Carla paused still suspicious. "You cut your hair?" "And will grow it again one day." Mac assured her. "Mmm." She accepted. "Any problems?" "Nah!" Sam was relieved. "Went as expected." Larry assured Carla. "Good. Stay with her I'll be in touch." She turned to Mac, who again raised her hands in mock surrender. "Model Citizen Mac. I assure you." "Good." Carla stated then left. ============================== SUNDAY - 0800 LOCAL RABB RESIDENCE The doorbell had rung and Harm answered it. He stood there dumfounded for there stood Mac. "Mac?" He whispered. "Kennedy not Rabb." She said. His disappointment was tangible. "Come in." he stood aside. "Your hair." "It will grow back." She assured him. "If we are to do this then the hair had to go." "Mommy!" HR came toddling out. She scooped up HR. "Hey there!" standing with the eighteen month old in her arms she turned to Harm. "Mac had told me that if you guys had kids she'd nickname the first one Rabbit. but I heard you call him HR." "She calls him Rabbit now and then. at special mother/son moments." He explained. "I call him by his initials HR for Harmon Rabb." "OK." She said. "I traveled light. do you mind?" "Sure." He picked up the one case from the floor. "May as well deal with the awkward moments now. the sleeping arrangements." She plunged into the touchy subject. "There is a guest room." He said. "Of that I had no doubt." "Follow me." He led the way giving her the guided tour of the house at the same time. Once settled in Mac returned to join Harm and HR in the family room. "I'm not staying." "What! Then why?." She cut across him. "I'll be back. but I'm spending the day with the Admiral. From past experience as Chief of Staff at JAG I know how to run the office. but I need to review her cases. not to mention catch up on the scuttlebutt." He nodded. "Ms Kennedy." "Oh for heaven's sake Harm!" she snapped. "If I am willing to step in to help save my doppelganger the least you can do is get with the program and call me Mac! I sure as hell can pass for her!" "Sorry. I. this is disconcerting. You look so much like her. Even HR doesn't know the difference. I'm just afraid that if I relax that the illusion will become reality and I'll forget who you really are." He was miserable. She softened. "I'm sorry Harm. I should realize that this is doubly hard for you. I am not the type to seduce other women's husbands I promise. Due to my uncanny resemblance to your wife, however should you slip I will not let you slide. Deal?" "Deal." They shook hands to seal the agreement. ". and Mac?" She smiled, "Much better. yes?" "Thank you." He said as he handed her a set of house keys. "You are welcome." And with that she was gone. ============================== 0930 LOCAL ADMIRAL CHEGWIDDEN'S RESIDENCE Forgetting for a moment which Mac he was dealing with AJ hauled Mac Kennedy into the house. "Mac! The story has burst! Oh sorry ma'am." She shrugged mentally she'd deal with the situation later. She'd gotten Harm squared away the Admiral should be no problem, for now though her curiosity was getting the better of her. She slipped into Colonel mode. "Story sir?" At her address he paused slightly but the story was running and he didn't want her to miss it. SAME TIME SAFE HOUSE ". inside sources say that Mackenzie Kennedy is being held by extremists who have not revealed their demands yet. In the mean time the White House remains tight lipped. This is Stuart Dustan for ZNN." "See?" Mac pointed out. "Now there can be no doubt as to my identity. Can there!" "Hey I knew it was you." Sam defended. "Extremists! They called us extremists!" He was obviously offended by the title. Mac raised an eyebrow at him. "You have kidnapped the daughter of the President of the United States of America . I'd call that extreme." "Bah!" Larry responded. She took the opportunity to pry. "What do you all want any way? You say it's not money and it seems that no ransom has been demanded. So?." "Ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country." Sam quoted John F. Kennedy. "Ok so you know Uncle Jack and his speech. but you didn't answer me." She quipped. "We want nothing." Larry explained. "All will be revealed in time be patient." Mac rolled her eyes. ============================== TUESDAY - 1309 LOCAL PORTER WEBB'S RESIDNECE "Clayton!." Porter was pleasantly surprised it was not often that her son's schedule allowed him to visit. "Mother." He kissed her on the cheek and then sat next to her on the luxurious sofa. "What brings you here?" She asked then demanded "Any news of Sarah?" "Unfortunately none. It's like an Houdini act. before a mall full of people and despite the press coverage no one has seen her. We don't even know if she's still in the country!" he was frustrated. Porter was grim. "Both Mac's can only keep this charade on for so long, Clayton. One of them is bound to slip. A slip that may cost a life." "I know. I know." The pressure was becoming unbearable. "I can only hope that because they have done it once before that that gives them an edge." "In all of this the one I am most concerned for is Harmon." She informed him. "He is faced with the fact that his wife has been kidnapped yet is still with him." "I don't think I could face it." Webb empathized. "To save the life of the woman you love. you would endure anything. and that is what he is doing." She educated her son on the ways of the heart. "Hungry?" He nodded. They headed for the kitchen. "Mother I didn't know that you knew the President?" "AH! that is what brings you here not home cooking." She teased. "Mother you don't cook." He pointed out. "But I am curious. He seemed to know father too." They were alone in the kitchen so she told him. "If you are lucky there are times in your life when you can actually recognize a crossroad when you come to it. I have been privileged in my life to recognize such a moment. it is not easy. In fact is positively frightening for you can see the repercussions of the decision, what ever it maybe. My moment came when I had to choose between Warner Kennedy and Neville Webb." She looked her son in the eye. "The decision is obvious the struggle to reach the decision was not." Webb was stunned. "You and the ." "Yes and that is all I will say on the matter." She warned. "Mother!" He wailed. "Clayton." She used a tone that brokered not insubordination. He knew the tone, surrendered and ate. ============================== FRIDAY - 1330 LOCAL RABB RESIDENCE Mac was feeding HR with a minimum of fuss. "You are very good with him." Harm observed. "As I am sure is Mac. I don't believe for one moment that he is a devil with her and an angel with me. Kids don't operate that way." She replied. "At least the ones that I know." "Oh and what would you know about it?" he queried. "I will have you know that I am the clan champion baby sitter. I may be an only child but my father is not. I have cousins enough to people a small Russian state. and I have babysat the majority of them. HR is a dream compared to some of the demons I have had to face." "That explains the ease with which you handled him from day one." "He's such a cutie." Mac kissed the toddler on the forehead "aren't you Rabbit?" Harm closed his eyes in pain. She raised her head in time to catch him. "I sorry. I didn't think." He waived his hands. "Don't make it a problem Mac. You are good with him. and at least we are shielding him from this nightmare." "But for how long?" She was irritated. "I can't believe that this is dragging like this?" "Is it that difficult?" He asked. "Mac. my Mac that is. does the charades so effortlessly that I never think to ask her if in fact it is indeed easy." She considered the question. "The first time . I did it was on a whim. I needed a place to hide and be save and I just stepped into her shoes because we had spent time together for her to learn to be me and in the process I had learned about her and so in a way it was easy." HR reached for her and she picked him up without even thinking about what she was doing. "This time it is easy as well as difficult. Easy because I have done it before. Difficult because I must also contend with you and HR. Last time you were off in Mexico with her so in effect I was leading the single life." "Where as this time you have a husband and child to contend with. A distraught husband at that." He added. "An attractive husband and an adorable baby." She corrected and saw his guard go up. "Harm relax, I'm not hitting on you." She could see that he was still suspicious. "Harm if I want to bed you . you will have no doubt on the point but more important nor would Mac. I am not interested in you that way. So relax or be uptight the choice is yours." She stood. "Here hold on to your son. I need to clean up the evidence of the feeding." As he held on to HR he asked her a question. "What do you mean . but more important nor would Mac." "A woman knows when another is interested in her man. Mac is a sharp cookie. You think I'd make a play for you no matter how discrete and she wouldn't know? It's the same ability that allows us to know when our mate is cheating." She never stopped the cleanup as she answered him. He was fascinated. "Are you saying that if you and I ." "Slept together she'd know?" She cut across him, and then stopped what she was doing to face him. "Damn straight! Aside from the fact that the way we'd interact would change. She'd smell it." His forehead furloughed. She chuckled. "Harmon Rabb! Don't tell me that you have never noticed that a room has a particular sent after sex!" "Sex?" HR echoed. She slapped her hand over her mouth in horror. Harm grinned. "I'd forgotten the parrot." She colleted herself "Pay no attention to him when he says it. Getting agitated over it will encourage him to repeat." she chuckled. "I'm sorry about that." "No worries he'll say worse as he gets older I'm sure." "Bet money on it." She moved to the sink. ============================== SUNDAY - 2330 LOCAL OVAL OFFICE The Secretary of the Navy entered his CO's office. "Sir?" "Nelson! Sorry for the late hour but this just came." He handed a paper to the SECNAV. "I understand sir." He assured the President as he read the paper his anger grew. He could barely contain his emotion. "Breath Nelson or you'll have a stroke." Warner advised. "I take it you know this Raglan person." "In deed sir. We've had our encounters with Ex Navy SEAL Raglan the last being when the Pentagon hired him to test security at military bases. Then as now he went too far as he and his team hijacked a nuclear sub and then proceeded to demand millions of dollars in ransom or he would take aim on a U.S. target namely New York City. Now this!" "He seems to be still in the hire of the Pentagon." Warner said dryly. "To the best of my knowledge he is not." Nelson assured him. "But Raglan has a strange sense of patriotism. He will not harm Ms Kennedy. Now that he has made his point that security still does not meet his standards he will release her." "SECNAV! Security has not fallen short only of Mr. Raglan's expectations I assure you!" Warner roared. "No sir." The President calmed down. "Now what." "She'll be home soon. How is up to him, but she'll be home soon." "So you are saying to wait." "Unfortunately yes sir." "Thank you Nelson. Apologize to Mrs. Nelson for me for getting you home at this late hour ." Warner dismissed the man. ============================== MONDAY - 0500 LOCAL SAFE HOUSE Mac awoke. It was quiet, too quiet. There had been enough noise the night before but being locked in her room she had no idea what had caused the noise. She sat up. The door was unlocked she cautiously stepped out and began to explore the house. The place was empty. she was alone. Not only was she alone the place had been stripped. no. She reassessed her conclusion. It had been cleaned up. The beds had been made, kitchen cleaned, all trace of use had been removed. The only evidence that the place had been a holding cell for a kidnap victim was the victim herself. She headed for the front door. She opened it tentatively, but it swung open easily. And like that. Mac was free. There was a car in the driveway with keys and a note. Ms Kennedy, You are free to go. There is a map in the glove compartment of this car. Drive safe. Raglan The situation seemed unreal, but she didn't question it. After checking the engine and other parts for a bomb she jumped in and sped off. ============================== TWO WEEKS LATER - 1330 LOCAL RABB RESIDENCE "I still can't believe that no one has managed to catch Raglan." Mac said as she fed HR. "Even after I led them to the safe house." Harm grinned. He hadn't stopped since she had returned to him. "What?" the grin was contagious and she smiled back. "Nothing." He chuckled. "I really don't care. That may sound bad but I'm just so happy that you are back." "You mean my twin didn't make up for my absence?" She teased. "Not funny." He sobered up. She stood. "Here hold on to your son. I need to clean up this mess." "Sex!" HR stated suddenly. Mac stared at Harm dumfounded. His voice went up an octave. "I can explain!" THE END