Season X – Episode 2 “Second Son" By Jared Chapman Disclaimer: I do not own JAG, or any of its characters used in this story. Those of you who do…please don’t sue me. I’m just another one of the thousands of fans who love your shows and I am not profiting in any way from this story. Those of you who read this story…please do not copy or redistribute it. You could get me in trouble and that’s just not nice! However, if you wish to archive it, please send me an email and I will be happy to say ok! Rating: PG Category: Entire series will be Harm/Mac and Other Romance Spoilers: A little bit of everything to date. Summary: Episode 2 of the fictional season entitled “Season X.” Just when it looks like time is running out on two brothers, an unexpected visitor makes new beginnings possible. 1025 Local Time Tuesday 7/22 JAG Headquarters Falls Church, Virginia As his second cup of coffee made it to the desk, Harm sat down to rough draft a brief for one of his cases, when he heard a knock on the frame of the open door to his office. When he looked up he saw his father and himself reflected back in the man that stood in his doorway. No matter how many times he saw his brother, the first thing that always came to his mind was his father. He smiled for a moment at the memories that flashed thru his mind, until he caught sight of an obvious pain etched in his brother’s eyes. “What is it, Sergei? You look like your dog just died,” he asked. His brother didn’t say anything at all. He just handed Harm a folded sheet of paper and plopped down in one of the chairs across the desk. When Harm unfolded the paper, he found a letter from the immigration board. After reading the letter quickly, Harm instantly understood why his brother was so down all of a sudden. There on the page, four people who knew nothing of their story, who knew nothing of the struggle and the heartache that these brothers had been thru, had decided Sergei’s fate. His request for citizenship was denied. Harm’s hands immediately balled into fists of rage. It was all that he could do to keep from screaming at the top of his lungs. How could they deny the son of a war hero, the son of a man who sacrificed his freedom and eventually his life for his country, a chance at the American dream? So many different emotions flooded thru his body all at once causing Harm to almost miss his brother’s next words. “Not my dog, brother. Just my dreams.” ---Cut to opening credits--- * * * * * 1035 Local Time Tuesday 7/22 JAG Headquarters Falls Church, Virginia “Enter,” the Admiral called out when he heard the knock at his door. When the door opened, two attorneys entered and stood at rigid attention in front of his desk. “Colonel Mackenzie and Lieutenant Alton reporting as ordered, Sir,” Mac announced crisply. “At ease, people. Have a seat,” the Admiral motioned to the chairs in front of his desk. “We have just received word of another collateral damage issue in Afghanistan. Apparently, a Marine helicopter attacked a group of trucks somewhere near the northern border. It turns out that the trucks belonged to one of the local militia groups that have been supporting us in the region. The SECNAV has ordered a JAG investigation into the incident. The two of you will depart for the Seahawk on the 1850 transport and Captain Johnson will make arrangements for your transport in country. Any questions?” “Yes, Sir. Did the Marine pilot give a story?” Mac asked, her voice full of concern for her fellow Marine. “No, he has not. That is one of the reasons that you were chosen for this investigation, Colonel. The pilot, a Captain Tom Follows, is being detained at the field center near Kabul. He refuses to speak to the Army JAGs at the field center. I am hoping that he will talk to a fellow Marine.” “Yes, Sir.” “Colonel, you are dismissed. Lieutenant Alton, please remain behind for a moment.” When Mac was gone, A.J. sat back behind his desk and a strange smile came over his face. This confused the young Lieutenant. “Sir, what is it?” “Lieutenant, I want to give you an advanced warning concerning this mission.” Now Tim was really puzzled. “What kind of warning, Sir?” “Lieutenant, no less than ten seconds after Commander Rabb finds out that Colonel Mackenzie is going in country without him, he will be in your office for a little chat. Colonel Mackenzie doesn’t need his protection, or yours for that matter, but that isn’t going to ease his mind any. What I am trying to say is that I want you to assure the Commander that you won’t let anything happen to the Colonel. That way I don’t have to deal with a nervous wreck while the two of you are away.” When the Admiral finished both men were smiling. “I don’t suppose you could explain to me what the deal is with the Colonel and the Commander, Sir?” “Son, I’ve spent the last six years trying to figure that out. If I ever do, I will let you know.” ---Cut to Harm’s office – Same time--- “I have just over two weeks left,” Sergei said as he paced across the length of Harm’s office. The young man had spent all of his life in Russia and his mother still lived in Russia, yet he couldn’t help but feel crushed. He finally had a link to his father and a chance at living in America, and now it was all being snatched away from him at once. Harm, for all the good it was doing, was still sitting at his desk trying to figure out some way to allow his brother to stay. He had asked his mother three different times to allow them to use his father’s letters to her for DNA testing. If the DNA from the envelopes matched Sergei’s then the immigration board would have no choice but to grant Sergei citizenship. However, it looked as though his mother would not be able to let go of the letters. For all intensive purposes, the fight was over, and Harm knew it. “We still have two weeks, my brother,” he heard Sergei say softly. “Perhaps we should focus on that and not on my leaving.” “You’re right as usual, little brother. I have quite a bit of leave time coming and my schedule is light. Let me go see if the Admiral will give me a couple of weeks off,” he said, his frown forced into a smile as he strode toward the Admiral’s office. “Just wait here, Sergei. I’ll be right back.” Sergei laughed at how quickly his brother had decided what to do. He walked around to Harm’s side of the desk and sat down in his brother’s chair. They were so much alike that sometimes he didn’t even remember that they had just met. Lost in thought, the young Russian didn’t even notice the lovely older woman that was walking toward the office until he heard the knock at the door. ---Cut to bullpen – same time--- Mac was on her way to her office to prepare for her trip when she noticed a familiar looking older woman walking out of the elevator. She quickly decided to go over to see if she could be of help, but she was taken by surprise when the woman saw her and a great big smile came over her face. “Oh, dear, you must be Mac!” the woman exclaimed, walking right up and pulling Mac into a hug. Instantly, Mac remembered where she had seen this woman before. She was the one in all of the pictures in Harm’s apartment: Harm’s mother. “Mrs. Burnett, it’s so nice to finally meet you,” she said as the two parted. “Harm has told me so much about you. “Likewise, dear. In fact, you are all that Harmon ever seems to talk about these days.” “Really, well I hope he says good things,” Mac replied, feeling a little bit embarrassed. She couldn’t help but be overjoyed to hear that Harm talked about her with his mother. That could only be a good thing. “Well, he once told me that you were the most beautiful and intelligent creature that he had ever met. I see that he was right about the beautiful part and I have no doubt that he was telling the truth about the rest.” Now Mac was blushing from head to toe. ‘He thinks I am beautiful, and he told his mother so!’ Her mind was racing and she almost didn’t catch the next thing that Trish said. “Is that troublemaking son of mine here today?” “Yes, he is. That’s his office over there,” she replied, pointing to the office where they could see the silhouette of a man sitting behind the desk. “Well, it was nice to meet you, Mac. Perhaps you should have dinner with Harmon and me while I’m here.” “I would like that very much.” Harm’s mother smiled at Mac and then turned towards Harm’s office and knocked on his door, having no idea what lie in store for her on the other side. ---Cut to inside Harm’s office – Same time--- Sergei had leaned back in Harm’s cushy leather chair and he had his feet up on the desk. His brother had a nice office and a nice apartment and two nice cars. He wanted a chance to have a life like his brother’s, but now it appeared as if he would end up working in a factory in Russia for the rest of his life. His thoughts were interrupted by three soft knocks at the door. “Enter,” he called out, trying to sound like his brother. The air of confidence that Harm displayed had always amused him, even in something as small as answering a knock. On the other side of the door, Trish hesitated for a moment. That voice didn’t sound like Harm. But then she looked at the sign on the door again that read: ‘Cmdr Harmon Rabb, Jr.’ and she decided she must have been hearing things. She turned the doorknob and walked in expecting to see her darling son. Instead, she stood in shock at the sight in front of her. Ever since Harm first told her about Sergei, she had always had her doubts that the Russian was really her late husband’s son. Now as she stood staring into those same blue eyes, her questions were answered. Sergei was equally as shocked to see Harm’s mother standing in the doorway. Harm had shown him pictures, so he knew who he was looking at. Still, he had never actually expected to meet her, at least not yet. Finally, after staring at each other for a long moment, Sergei finally found his voice. “Hello, Mrs. Burnett. I’m Sergei.” ---Cut to Commercials--- * * * * * 1125 Local Time Tuesday 7/22 JAG Headquarters Falls Church, Virginia Harm strolled across the bullpen with a smile from ear to ear. After waiting nearly a half hour to get in to see the Admiral, he had been granted leave until the day after Sergei was scheduled to leave. He would miss his brother greatly, but at least they would have the next two weeks to make memories. He was almost to his office when he heard Mac calling to him from across the room. “What’s up, Mac?” he asked as he strolled up next to her. “What are you smiling about, flyboy?” “Oh, just the fact that I have the next two weeks off.” “Really, how did you manage that?” she teased. “Actually, I’m taking leave to spend time with Sergei. The immigration people just slammed the door and it looks like he will have to go home in a couple of weeks,” he replied as the smile fell away from his face. “Harm, I’m so sorry,” she replied. Instantly, her conversation with his mother flashed thru her mind and a look of terror came over her face. Harm noticed right away. “Mac, what’s wrong?” “Harm,” she began, covering her face with her hands. “Did you leave someone in your office?” “Yeah, Sergei is in there waiting for me. Why?” “Harm, I just sent your mother in there,” she said quietly. “Oh, no.” ---Cut to inside Harm’s office – several minutes earlier--- At first, Sergei thought that Trish was going to pass out right in the doorway, but she was more stable than he thought and soon they were both sitting in the chairs in front of Harm’s desk. For a long time, neither one of them said anything. Then suddenly, Trish took one of Sergei’s hands and looked right into his eyes. “You look just like him, you know,” she said as tears began to form in her eyes. “That is what Harm says. We look very much alike,” he replied softly, his own tears threatening to fall. After a few more moments of silence, Sergei spoke again. “I am sorry to cause you pain. I know that it is hard for you that I am here. But, I am going back to Russia in two weeks. Immigration will not let me stay.” She squeezed his hand and wiped a stray tear from his cheek before she replied. “It isn’t you that is causing me pain, Sergei,” she replied softly, in that reassuring tone that only mothers can use. “It’s just that the memory of your father is still fresh, even after all these years. Sometimes it’s hard to accept that he was able to move on. It was easier when I thought he died in Vietnam.” “I understand. I think it will be better for you when I am gone.” She had to smile just a little at his words. He was so noble, just the way his father and his brother had always been. She paused for a moment as the decision that had been weighing on her mind for weeks became very clear. “You’re not going anywhere, Sergei. Not if I can help it,” she said as she reached into her purse and handed him a stack of old letters. “The letters!” he exclaimed breathlessly. “I want you to use them to prove that you are Harmon’s son.” Both of them were now crying openly and before she knew it, Trish was pulled up and into Sergei’s arms. They both held onto each other and cried for the man that only one of them had known, but both of them loved. They didn’t see the tall Navy Commander enter the room, but they felt it when he wrapped his arms around both of them, his tears flowing as freely as theirs. ---Cut to Mac’s office – one hour later--- Mac was scurrying around her office and tossing files into her briefcase for the trip to Afghanistan when she heard a knock at the door. When she looked up she found Harm standing in the doorway with a smile from ear to ear. “I take it your mother didn’t react the way you thought she would,” Mac said, her smile instantly matching his own. “Mac, she brought the letters. She wants Sergei to stay!” he exclaimed, gathering her into a big hug. For a long moment neither one would let go of the other. Mac didn’t care at the moment why he was hugging her; she just lost herself in the security of his strong arms. The moment was perfect. She wasn’t Colonel Mackenzie and he wasn’t Commander Rabb in that brief space in time. It was one of those rare moments that they got to be just Sarah and Harm. It only lasted for a few brief seconds, but neither one of them was willing to break the spell that hung over them. That is until they heard the sound of a throat being cleared behind them. They immediately whirled around to find Lieutenant Tim Alton standing in the doorway wearing a grin from ear to ear. “Sorry to interrupt, Ma’am, but Tiner just came by my office to let us know that we have been bumped up to the 1615 transport.” “Thank you, Lieutenant,” she replied. “Yes, Ma’am,” he replied and turned to leave, but Harm stopped him. “Lieutenant.” “Yes, Sir?” “About the hug…” Harm started to explain, but Tim interrupted. “What hug, Sir?” he said with a wink and a smile before disappearing from the doorway. Harm turned to Mac and smiled. “Looks like you’ve got a pretty good partner there, Colonel.” “Yeah, but he’s not as good as my old partner,” she replied with a wink. For a moment they just looked at each other as their feelings were conveyed thru their eyes. Then the word ‘transport’ stuck in Harm’s mind. “Mac…” ---Cut to Tim’s office – Ten minutes later--- The young Lieutenant had been expecting Commander Rabb any second, and sure enough he heard a swift knock at his door. “Come in, Sir.” “Lieutenant, the Colonel just told me about your assignment in Afghanistan, and I just wanted to come by and ask you for a favor. “Yes, Sir?” Tim replied while trying to act like he didn’t know what Harm was going to ask. “After what you just saw, I don’t think that I need to tell you just how much your partner means to me. Please don’t let anything happen to her, Lieutenant,” Harm asked, the level of desperation in his voice startling Tim just a little bit. “Commander, Colonel Mackenzie is pretty tough. I know she will be fine, Sir.” “I know she is tough, Lieutenant. It’s just that, before, I was always there to watch her back. I was in control of the situation or at least a part of it. This time I have to trust her to you, and that’s not an easy thing for me to do. If anything happened to her I don’t know what I would do.” “I understand, Sir. I won’t let anything happen to the Colonel, you have my word on it.” “Thank you, Lieutenant.” ---Cut to Commercials--- * * * * * 1530 Local Time Wednesday 7/23 Navy Testing Facility Norfolk, Virginia “Harm, what are you doing here?” Lt. Commander Teresa Coulter exclaimed when she saw her good friend in the doorway. “What? Can’t I come visit a friend, now and then?” he replied with a smirk. “Yeah right! As good as it is to see you, Harm, you can’t fool me into thinking that you came all the way down here to say hello. Now, what’s up?” “Actually, I do need your help. Do you remember when I called you about getting DNA samples from old envelopes?” “Yeah, something about a brother?” Just then, Sergei walked into the room and a huge smile came across Teresa’s face. “I don’t know about the immigration people, but as far as I’m concerned, the resemblance is enough,” she said, walking over and extending her hand to Sergei. “Lt. Commander Teresa Coulter, this is my brother, Sergei.” “It’s very nice to meet you, Sergei.” “You too, Commander. My brother tells me that you are a brilliant scientist,” he replied with his thick Russian accent and the trademark Rabb smile. “Ah, I see he has your charm, Commander,” she replied in Harm’s direction. “Ok, let’s have those letters and we can get this show on the road.” ---Cut to Field Center, Kabul, Afghanistan – Same time--- After a long flight and short dusty ride thru the desert, Mac and Tim finally arrived at the Army field center where Captain Follows was being detained. When they entered the field center, the first thing that stuck out was the amazing amount of activity going on all around them. After several minutes of searching, the two officers finally found the office of Colonel Frank Dempsey, the commanding officer in the region. Tim quickly placed four solid knocks on the door and they waited to be admitted. Several moments went by with no answer and Tim was about to knock again when they finally heard a gruff voice on the other side of the door. “Enter!” Tim quickly opened the door and held it for his partner as the two officers made their way into the office. They found a short gray-haired man, probably in his late fifties, sitting behind a beat-up oak desk with a phone to his ear. He motioned for them to sit while he finished his conversation. When he was finished he looked up at them and they both noticed the worn look in his eyes. Colonel Dempsey had definitely seen some action. “Colonel Mackenzie and Lieutenant Alton, is that correct?” he asked with a patient tone. “Yes, Sir,” Mac replied. “As you can see, we are just a little busy around here, so I will keep this brief. Here is a copy of the incident report along with a list of personnel that may be helpful in your investigation,” he said, handing a file across the desk to Mac. “Your pilot won’t speak to our JAGs, so we really don’t know much. I could probably get upset and do something about that, but, frankly, I’ve got enough on my plate. This guy is a Marine and that makes him your problem.” “Yes, Sir,” they both replied and then waited for the Colonel to continue. “On your way out, you should find Private Grouse at one of the front desks. He can show you to your temporary quarters and to the room where we have been keeping Captain Follows. After that, you are on your own. The Humvee that you came in on is at your disposal. That is all.” “Yes, Sir. Thank you, Colonel,” Mac replied as both officers stood and exited the office. Ten minutes later they were entering another room, this one about half the size, with a small cot on one side and a leaky ceiling on the other side. When they entered the room, a tall African-American Marine snapped to attention. “At ease, Captain. I’m Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie and this is Lieutenant Timothy Alton. We’re here to investigate what happened on your last mission.” “Yes, Ma’am.” “Would you care to give us your side of the story, Captain?” “Yes, Ma’am. I was returning from a routine patrol near the border when I spotted a convoy of small trucks heading into the mountains. We had reports of suspicious activities in the area, including some reports of Al Qaida fighters in training. When I saw the convoy, I radioed to base for instructions but I received no response. I decided to follow the trucks until I could get instructions from base command. The trucks were about to disappear into the mountains when I began taking fire from the rear truck. That’s when I returned fire, destroying three of the trucks at the rear of the convoy. The two lead trucks were able to escape into the mountains.” “The militia group is claiming that they never fired on you, Captain. Add to that the fact that your helicopter sustained no damage whatsoever and I think you can see why we are having a little trouble believing you,” Tim answered sternly. They had decided on the way to Captain Follows’ makeshift cell that Tim would play bad cop so that Mac could play good cop. Hopefully she could get the young Marine to tell them everything. “None of the bullets hit the chopper, Lieutenant. But they were firing on me. I could see the muzzle flashes,” the Marine pilot shot back at Tim. Now it was Mac’s turn. “Captain, are you certain that you saw muzzle flashes? Could it have been a flare or some kind of attempt at signaling you?” she asked him in an understanding tone. “No, Colonel, I am certain it was muzzle flashes. I saw the weapons when I first came up on the convoy. I clearly saw two of the men pick up rifles and fire in my direction.” Sensing that they wouldn’t get any further with Captain Follows until they had something to go on, Mac nodded to Tim and then spoke to the pilot. “Captain, we are going to talk to the militia and take a look at the scene of the incident. If you feel there is something that you would like to add, let the guard know and we will talk again before any report is filled.” “Thank you, Ma’am” ---Cut to McKay’s Delicatessen, Norfolk, Virginia – Same time--- Commander Coulter had taken Harm and Sergei step by step thru the process that she would use to match the DNA from Harm Senior’s letters to Sergei’s DNA. Then she had taken a blood sample from Sergei and sent the two brothers away. It would be at least two days before the results would be in. On the way off the base, Sergei had asked that they stop in Norfolk and eat before the drive back. Harm could sense that his brother wanted to have a talk and he readily agreed. Now the two men sat at an outdoor table, working on a pair of chef salads. “Something on your mind, little brother?” Harm asked after several minutes of small talk. He already had a pretty good idea of what was troubling his younger brother and he had no idea how to answer him. “Actually, there is something that I wanted to talk to you about.” “Shoot.” “Well, it’s about your mother. I never expected her to bring those letters, let alone receive me so warmly. It’s kind of overwhelming.” Harm had to smile as the memory of finding his mother and brother in each other’s arms the day before flashed in his mind. “Honestly, neither did I. My mother never ceases to amaze me, even to this day,” he replied with a smile. “This is a good thing, though. Don’t you think?” “Yes, of course. I am very happy that your mother wants me to stay in America. I guess I am just a little worried about fitting into your family. I don’t want to make any problems or cause any sadness.” His response was so patently Rabb that Harm couldn’t help but chuckle. “Sergei, don’t worry about that, ok? You are a part of my family, no matter what. No one expects you to give up your past or try to be something that you’re not, either. Just be yourself and give my mom and my step dad a chance to get to know you,” he responded with a reassuring smile. “I feel much better now,” Sergei replied. “Good, because when we get back we are going out to dinner with my mom and Frank. I know he really wants to meet you.” “Sounds good to me.” ---Cut to Humvee somewhere near Afghan border--- The road to the scene of the incident wound thru a hundred miles of desert canyons. With the road being little more than a dirt path, the drive would take the better part of a day, and Mac was relieved when Tim volunteered to drive. Both partners spent the first hour of the drive in silence, both trying to focus on the investigation and trying to piece together what little they knew. Soon they were tired of thinking about it and Mac decided to start some conversation. After all, they had been so busy at the office that they hadn’t had much chance to get to know each other. “It just occurred to me, Lieutenant, that we have been partners for nine days, thirteen hours and twenty four minutes, and I still don’t know your story,” she started, flashing him a killer smile. “How do you do that, Ma’am?” he asked when he realized that she was exactly right. “Don’t even go there, Lieutenant. Commander Rabb has been asking that question for six years and I still haven’t told him. “Yes, Ma’am.” “Ok, Lieutenant. Spill.” “I guess we have been too busy to really get to know each other. What do you want to know, Ma’am?” “First of all, when we are out of the office or out like this on an investigation, you can call me Mac. You can start by telling me where you’re from and how you ended up as a SEAL.” “Well, Mac, I was born and raised just outside of Miami. Like any young boy, things like soldiers and war movies always fascinated me. When I graduated from high school, I applied at Annapolis and I was accepted. It was during my first year that I decided I wanted to be a SEAL.” “What happened to make you leave the SEALS?” Mac asked, now really curious. “Actually, I can’t really tell you any of the details. I’m pretty sure the mission is still classified. My team was boarding a ship at sea when there was a large explosion on the deck. I woke up the next day at Pearl with my leg in a sling and a splitting headache. My leg healed up quickly, but the headaches never went away. Whenever I’m in a stressful situation I get a massive headache. I wanted to continue as a SEAL, but the doctors refused to clear me for duty until I changed my designator.” “I’m sorry,” Mac replied while thinking how similar his story was to Harm’s. “Don’t be. I’m not,” he replied with a smile. “I feel like I’ve really found my place as a JAG. Sure, I miss it sometimes. But, the excitement of trying a case or doing an investigation like this one is good enough for me.” “That’s good to know. It’s always nice to have a partner who loves what he’s doing,” she said with a faraway look in her eyes. Tim picked up on it right away and decided that now was as good a time as any to ask the question that had been on his mind. “So, are you going to tell me about Commander Rabb, Mac?” Mac was startled by the question and at first all she could manage was a weak smile and a shrug. When she recovered she decided to answer a question with a question. “What about Commander Rabb?” “You two seem pretty close. I take it you were partners at one time?” “Yes, we were, a long time ago,” she replied with another faraway look. ---Cut to Commercials--- * * * * * 1245 Local Time Thursday 7/24 Afghan Desert --Cut back into the middle of conversation between Mac and Tim driving in HUMVEE-- “Ok, let me get this straight,” Tim said with a laugh as Mac finished another story about Harm. “You met in the White House rose garden, he defended your uncle, you’ve followed him to Russia and been shot down in a stolen Russian MIG, you’ve been trapped on a submarine under the arctic ice, rescued a downed stealth fighter from a desert in the middle east, foiled a coupe at the Sudanese embassy, and you located him in the middle of the ocean with telepathy when his plane went down?” he asked, a look of disbelief visible on his face. “Yeah,” Mac replied with a sheepish smile. “Man, I thought I had lead an interesting life!” he exclaimed, which made Mac laugh even more. “One more thing I have to know,” he said as a wicked grin came over his features. “Shoot.” “Why does he call you Ninja Girl?” he asked with a chuckle. ---You see Mac’s face go bright red then – cut to Harm’s office – same time--- “Come in, Captain,” Harm said with a smile when he saw his partner step into the open doorway. He noticed immediately that Cindy seemed nervous. “Thank you, Sir. Aren’t you supposed to be on leave, Sir?” “No, I decided to postpone my leave until things are final with my brother’s citizenship. What’s on your mind?” “Well Sir, I was just wondering if you had heard anything from Colonel Mackenzie and Lieutenant Alton?” she asked, trying to sound casual. Over the past few days before he left for Afghanistan, Tim and Cindy had managed to have lunch together several times and she could already tell that they were going to become good friends. She couldn’t explain it, but for some reason she was worrying about the handsome SEAL. After all, he was just that: A SEAL. For some reason, though, she couldn’t shake the worry. Harm recognized the look in her eyes, but decided not to say anything about it. “Not since early this morning. Colonel Mackenzie called to let me know that they got to the field center ok. They were planning on a trip to the site of the attack, so they are probably on their way there right now.” “Are you worried about her, Sir?” she asked, surprising both of them. After thinking about his response for a moment, he answered. “A little bit. Why do you ask?” “Sir, it’s obvious that you and the Colonel mean a lot to each other.” “It is?” Harm asked, curious as to what she meant by that. “Well Sir, I don’t know the Colonel all that well, but I don’t think she would let just anyone call her Ninja Girl.” Harm couldn’t help but smile at that. “No, I guess she wouldn’t, Captain.” ---Cut to attack site – Several hours later--- After nearly eight hours of driving, Tim’s whole body ached as the two officers walked the last few feet to the site of the helicopter attack. The shells of the three trucks were still there and Mac and Tim quickly made a sweep of the area before beginning their investigation. For the better part of an hour, the two JAGs swept thru the wreckage of the vehicles, looking for any evidence of weapons or ammunition. Finally satisfied that they weren’t going to find any, they met up at the rear of the last truck. “I don’t see anything here to back up Captain Follows’ story, Colonel,” Tim said with a wearied expression. In truth, he had been doubtful of the pilots’ story from the beginning. To him the whole thing just reeked of a trigger-happy pilot out looking for some action. “I agree. There is nothing here that is of any use to us anymore,” Mac replied. She, on the other hand, desperately wanted to believe the Captain’s story. But, she found herself slowly starting to have doubts. Just as she said this, the two officers were thrown to the ground by a tremendous explosion behind them. When they recovered enough to look, they discovered their HUMVEE in a hundred flaming pieces. Then they started to take small arms fire from the cliff above. Before she could react, Mac felt herself being pulled behind the truck and out of the line of fire. The whole ridge was crawling with Al Qaida fighters. “Colonel, do you see that cave over to the left?” Tim asked calmly as bullets clinked off of the burnt out truck behind them. “Yes,” “Let’s head for it then. We can hide there until they are gone. Keep your head down,” Tim replied. Then they quickly crawled on their hands and knees until they were obscured by a group of rocks. ---Cut to Minor’s Café – Arlington, Virginia--- Young Sergei Zukov sat lost in thought as he waited for his lunch companion to arrive. Just before coming to the café, he had received a call from Commander Coulter with the DNA results. As he expected, they confirmed what he and Harm had known from their first meeting. The two men were indeed brothers. Now that he knew he would indeed be staying in America, his thoughts turned back to his homeland of Russia. In his heart, he knew that staying in America was the right choice. But still, he couldn’t help the natural second thoughts from coming to the surface. Most of all, he missed his mother and hoped that someday he could find a way to bring her here to America. The young man was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice the pair of gorgeous aqua eyes that were taking him in from across the room. After staring at Sergei for several minutes, a tall, blonde woman in her early twenties stood and crossed the café with every intention of making a new friend. When she reached his table, Sergei finally looked up and he instantly flashed the young woman a trademark Rabb smile. “Hi there. I’m Jessie,” the young woman said, extending her hand. Sergei returned the handshake gently. “I’m Sergei. It is a pleasure to meet you, Jessie,” he replied with a thick dose of his Russian accent, which caused the young woman’s smile to widen just a little. Meanwhile, just inside the entrance to the café, Frank Burnett watched the whole scene play out with a satisfied grin. ‘You’re brother would be proud,’ he thought as he watched Sergei come away with a phone number scrawled in lipstick on his napkin. Once the young woman was gone, Frank made his way over to the table unnoticed by Sergei. “That was good work there, Sergei. You definitely have the Rabb touch!” he said, startling the younger man a little. “Mr. Burnett, it’s good to see you. Thank you for inviting me to lunch,” he responded politely. “Sergei, for the third time, it’s just Frank,” the older man replied with a laugh as the two men shook hands. After a few minutes of light conversation and a good meal, the conversation turned towards Sergei’s future in the United States. “Now that you know for sure that you will be able to stay here, what do you think you want to do, Sergei?” Frank asked curiously. Sergei thought for a couple of seconds before answering and realized that he really hadn’t given the subject much thought. “I honestly don’t know, Frank. In Russia, I flew helicopters in the Army. Perhaps I can find a job flying helicopters here.” “That’s not a bad idea. There are a lot of companies that fly their employees by helicopter these days. I could make a couple of calls if you’d like.” Sergei smiled at the offer coming from Harm’s stepfather. He had very much enjoyed his time with Harm’s parents over the last couple of days. “Thank you, Frank. I would really appreciate that. You and Trish have been so kind to me these last couple of days. I can never thank you enough,” he replied as the two men stood to leave the café. “You’re a part of our family now, Sergei. Don’t ever forget that. You can come to us anytime and for any reason.” “Thank you,” Sergei replied with a handshake and a smile. Then Frank patted him on the back and the two men walked out of the café like father and son. ---Cut to cave in Afghanistan – just after nightfall--- Mac and Tim had managed to keep out of sight by moving from cave to cave for the past several hours. With their radio having been destroyed in the HUMVEE, the two JAGs had decided to wait for nightfall to make a move. Now, with the darkness leveling the playing field, the two Americans were preparing to turn the tables. As she checked her weapon and ammo, Mac glanced over at her partner who was doing the same. She watched as a thick cloud settled over his features. She recognized that look from watching Harm prepare for a mission in the air and she knew that her new partner was now in SEAL mode. After they were both ready to move, Tim reached into his pack and produced a thick black case with no markings on it. “What’s in the case, Lieutenant?” “Seal scout survival kit, Ma’am,” he responded without looking up. Then he opened the case and removed two silencers for their rifles and two pair of night vision goggles. After putting on the silencers and goggles, they made their way out of the cave and quickly moved back toward the three wrecked trucks. When they were only a few yards away, Tim motioned for Mac to duck down behind a group of fallen rocks. A moment later he was next to her and the two officers listened to the Al Qaida fighters as they ate and talked around a campfire a few feet away. “What are they saying, Colonel?” Tim asked when he remembered that Mac spoke fluent Farsi. “They’re talking about the helicopter attack,” she replied and then strained to listen to the rest of the conversation. A few moments later, she sank back down with a shocked expression on her face. “What is it, Ma’am?” “The men in the three trucks were Al Qaida. They were on their way to Italy for a terrorist attack on our embassy there. It looks like Captain Follows is a hero,” she replied with a small smile. “What about the other two trucks that got away?” “The other two trucks carried the weapons that were to be used in the attack. I think one of them said something about recruiting new fighters in Kabul. Maybe the trucks went there for reinforcements.” “We’ve got to get back to the field center and warn them,” Tim said with a look of determination. With that the two officers lowered their goggles back over their eyes and prepared for the attack. “How many, Colonel?” “I hear four voices.” “Ok, you take the right and cover me from that pile of rocks over there,” he instructed with a motion to the right. Normally, Mac would not have taken to getting instructions from a junior officer, but in this situation Tim’s training was crucial and they had decided without words that he was in charge for the moment. She quickly nodded and then moved quietly into position. Several seconds passed with nothing happening. Mac could see the four men from her position and was ready to fire at a moments notice. Then she saw Tim dash out from behind on of the burnt out trucks. In a flash, the ex-SEAL put down two of the terrorists with his rifle before it suddenly jammed. Mac took out a third from her position behind the rock pile, but she couldn’t get a shot on the fourth guy who had managed to pull a knife and was now locked in hand to hand combat with Tim. It only took a couple of seconds for Tim to end the life of the terrorist with a sickening snap. But, when he looked up, he realized that the fight was not over yet. Mac struggled as hard as she could against the man who’d managed to sneak around behind them and hold her hostage. Now Tim was faced with the decision of a lifetime as he drew his side arm from it’s place at his side. The fifth terrorist now had a gun to Mac’s back and his arm around her throat. “Shoot him, Lieutenant!” she hollered at the younger officer as he raised the weapon and took his aim; all the while Harm’s words were running thru his mind. ‘Don’t let anything happen to her, Lieutenant.’ “No, don’t shoot him, Lieutenant. If you do, the woman dies,” the terrorist spat back. All the while, Tim was silently signaling his plan to Mac with the subtle motions of his head. When he gave the signal, she rolled as hard as she could to the left as a single shot rang out. The terrorist fell dead in the sand with his pistol still cocked in his hand. “Thank you, Lieutenant,” Mac said with a relieved smile when it was all over. “Don’t mention it, Ma’am. After all, I’m pretty sure if I didn’t bring you back in one piece, I’d be a dead man anyway,” he replied without thinking. Then he noticed her bemused expression and he knew he’d end up explaining. “Ok, spill it, Lieutenant. What did the Commander say to you?” ---Cut to Commercials--- * * * * * 1534 Local Time Saturday 7/26 JAG Picnic Falls Church, Virginia “Welcome back, Colonel,” Commander Sturgis Turner greeted Mac in the parking lot of the park the Admiral picked out for their annual picnic. “Thank you, Sturgis,” Mac replied before turning to the lovely woman clinging to Sturgis’ arm. “It’s wonderful to see you, Congresswoman.” “It’s just Bobbi today, Mac,” she replied with a relaxed smile. Mac couldn’t help but feel happy that Sturgis and Bobbi were getting along so well. Before the conversation could go any further, they heard the Admiral calling to them from the picnic area. “Mac, Sturgis, Bobbi, come down here. I have an announcement to make,” he called. All three were instantly intrigued and they hurried down to the picnic area. When they got there, they found the rest of the JAG staff assembled as well as Harm’s mother and stepfather and Sergei. Mac’s eyes darted from Sergei to Harm asking the question without words. When Harm caught the look in her eye, he simply smiled and nodded. Mac returned his smile wholeheartedly and then walked over to Sergei. “Congratulations, Sergei,” she said, giving him a big hug. “Thank you, Mac. I am so glad to be staying here in America.” “Yeah, now all he has to do is get a job,” Harm joked with playful punch to his brother’s arm. “Funny you should mention that, Commander,” the A.J. interrupted. When he received curious glances from everyone concerned, the Admiral decided to make his announcement. “Now that our great nation is blessed, or perhaps cursed, with two Rabb boys,” the Admiral began causing everyone to laugh heartily. “It seems only fitting that they both have the opportunity to serve their country like their father before them.” Both Harm and Sergei looked at each other in shock at what the Admiral was obviously saying. “So, after several attempts, I finally convinced the SECNAV that a second Rabb in the military would not be the end of him,” he finished, causing another round of laughter from everyone except Sergei and Harm. He then stood up and handed Sergei a black, felt covered box. When he opened the box, Sergei found a brand new set of Marine Captain’s bars and a letter from the SECNAV. When he finished reading the letter, he handed it to his brother to read and then turned to explain to everyone else. “I’ve been offered a transfer of commission from the Russian Army into the Marine Corps. I’m going to fly Apache helicopters!” He exclaimed before being enveloped by his brother’s arms. They where soon joined by Trish and Frank in a moment that would last a lifetime in four hearts. When they finally let go of each other, Trish took both of Sergei’s hands and looked right up into his eyes. “Your father would be so proud of you,” she said as she dissolved into tears and fell back into Sergei’s arms. ---Camera pans away showing the entire group clapping while Sergei holds Trish in his arms and the last thing you see is Mac stepping into Harm’s embrace--- ---Cut to Executive Producer credit--- * * * * * End of Episode 2 Send Feedback Back to Season X