The Space Between Chapter 2: Hope In You For Me Part 1/8 By Jared Chapman Disclaimer: I do not own JAG or any of the characters 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 show 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-13 (some violence) Category: Harm/Mac Angst and Romance Spoilers: A little bit of everything to date. Summary: Chapter 2 in the series. Takes place two years after the end of Chapter 1. Harm is a P.O.W. being held in Iraq after he was shot down during “The Mission.” Mac, who thinks Harm is dead, has adopted a little girl who was abandoned on her doorstep. Can Harm escape and make it back to his love? What will Mac do when her own life is threatened by her work? Feedback: jared2142@hotmail.com Archive: BTL From Chapter I: Mac was now smiling from ear to ear. She looked down at the precious little angel that she held in her arms and she whispered in her ear. “It’s just you and me now little angel.” * * * * * TWO YEARS LATER 1852 Local Time 4/5/04 Roberts Residence Rosslyn, Virginia Mac stomped her foot as she got out of her car. This was the fourth day in a row that she had been late to pick up Rose. Not that Harriet would mind watching her a little while longer; she just adored little Rose. Several months before, Bud and Harriet had been blessed with their second child, a little girl that they named Harmony. Harriet had decided to resign her commission and stay home with her two children and she had offered to watch Rose while Mac worked. The arrangement was the best that she could hope for, but Mac hated days like today when she would have to work late. More than anything, she wanted to spend more time with her daughter. When she got to the door, she could hear the children playing just on the other side in the Roberts’ living room. She knocked three times and waited impatiently for Harriet to answer. When she opened the door, the frown that Mac had been wearing disappeared and it was replaced with a broad smile. “There’s my little girl,” she said when she saw Rose playing with little A.J. The little girl looked up when she heard the familiar voice and a big smile crept across her cute features. Mac couldn’t help but marvel at how adorable her daughter was. She had the cutest little face with brown eyes and wavy brown hair. Yes, indeed, she was one proud mother. “Mommy!” the little girl cried out and then toddled over and attached herself to Mac’s legs. She reached down and scooped the little girl into her arms. “Mommy missed you, Pumpkin. Did you have fun with Aunt Harriet today?” Rose smiled and nodded her little head and then wrapped her arms around her mommy’s neck. “Harriet, I’m sorry I’m late again. I got caught up with a witness.” “Don’t worry about it, Mac. She’s no trouble at all,” Harriet replied. She watched as her friend smiled and laughed with her child and it made her happy. Harriet was sure that Rose was the best thing that ever happened to Mac. After she lost Harm she was so down and all of her friends were beginning to think that she would never be the same again. Now that she had Rose, she was back to the Mac they all remembered, and Harriet was glad. “I guess we’ll see you tomorrow. Thanks again.” “No problem, Mac,” she replied and then walked over to give Rose a kiss goodbye. “I’ll see you again tomorrow, little one.” “Bye-bye, Aun Haret,” “Bye-bye, sweetheart. See you tomorrow.” * * * * * Same Time 4/5/04 Secret Prison Baghdad, Iraq The past two years had been like something straight out of a horror movie for Harm. During the day, he and Chris would bake in their hot, humid cell below the bakery. At night, two guards would come and haul one of them away for interrogation. The Al Qaida officers would grill them over and over about different cities and buildings in the U.S. They wanted to know details about the American Naval bases in different parts of the world and they wanted details on where the U.S. kept their secrets. Of course, Harm and Chris rarely knew the answers to the questions that they were asked, and when they did know they refused to give up the information. Both men paid dearly for their silence. Their bodies continued to deteriorate from the poor conditions and from the daily beatings. Harm’s only comfort came from the thought of Mac. Every day he was away from her his love for her grew stronger. He knew that she thought he was dead, but he still held out hope that one day he could escape and return to her. When he woke up on this morning, he didn’t remember anything from the night before. Chris then informed him that he had been unconscious for nearly two days. Apparently, he had been beaten very badly and had been tossed in the cell and left to bleed. When Harm tried to roll over, he began to feel just how badly he had been beaten. “Ooooh,” he moaned loudly. “Chris, man, we have got to get out of here.” “I tried three times before you got here, Harm. There’s just no way.” “That was just you, Chris. Let’s work on a two-man plan. What do you say?” Harm asked while trying to muster a flyboy grin. “What have I got to loose?” Chris sighed in defeat. He was sure that any escape would fail, but the alternative was just as bad. He knelt down and helped Harm onto one of the cots, and they started planning their escape. * * * * * 1936 Local Time 4/5/04 Mac’s Apartment Georgetown Mac had just finished tucking in little Rose. After a bedtime story and a glass of warm milk, the little girl had fallen fast asleep. Now, Mac found herself wandering around the living room looking at the old photos she had of her and Harm. How she wished he could be here to see Rose. She would have loved to have him stand in as Rose’s father. She could just see him cuddling the little girl in his strong arms and singing her to sleep. She could see her growing up and Harm growing more and more protective of her. She could see him dressed in his dress whites waiting to walk her down the aisle and give her away. She had had these thoughts many times before over the past two years, but they didn’t bring tears anymore. Now, they just brought a sad smile of remembrance. She slowly walked over to the window and whispered to him. “I miss you, Harm.” * * * * * TWO WEEKS LATER 1902 Local Time 4/21/04 Secret Prison Baghdad, Iraq For just over two weeks now, the two fighter pilots talked and plotted in between being taken for interrogation, and they were no closer to coming up with a plan then when they had started. The security in this little prison wasn’t all that high, but the layout of the basement and the way that the guards went about their watches proved to be two very difficult obstacles. At one point, Chris had suggested that they try to take out the guard that came to bring them their meal. That plan was scrapped after they noticed that another guard was always standing by when the meals were handed out. They found themselves back at the drawing board once again. Now, the two old friends lay on their bunks, waiting for the evening ritual to begin. It was Chris’s turn to go tonight, and, even though he had been thru interrogation many times before, he shook on his cot as he waited for the men to come and take him. Just then, the two men heard the door to the basement open and they knew it was time. Harm lay silently on his cot as two guards came and took Chris away. Just as they dragged him thru the door, Harm saw the answer to their problem. He couldn’t believe that in all this time they had missed it. A plan quickly formed in his mind, and by the time the men returned with Chris he was confident that they could escape. * * * * * Same Time 4/21/04 JAG Headquarters Falls Church, Virginia “Damn, late again. The Admiral is going to kill me,” Bud mumbled under his breath as he ran to catch the elevator. When it stopped at JAG Ops, he hurried to his office and stashed his cover and briefcase before high-tailing it to the conference room for the morning staff meeting. He was met by the very greeting he had expected. “Nice of you to join us Commander Roberts. Please, have a seat and make yourself comfortable,” A.J. said sarcastically. Right after Harm was shot down, A.J. had made a big push for Bud to take his place. He didn’t want to transfer in another senior attorney, so he worked to get Bud promoted to Lieutenant Commander. Ever since that time, the young man had been trying very hard to fill Harm’s shoes. Sometimes he tried a little too hard. “I’m sorry, Sir. It won’t happen again.” “That’s what Rabb used to say,” The Admiral replied without thinking. Although they all remembered Harm with great fondness, it was kind of an unwritten rule that he wasn’t to be mentioned during work. There were still too many emotions for too many people. As soon as he said it, he looked at Mac as an instinct. She smiled her reassurance that she was ok, and he decided to continue. “I guess his great litigating skills weren’t the only thing that rubbed off on you, Mr. Roberts,” he said with a smile intended to lift the mood. “Just don’t let it happen again.” “Aye, Sir.” “Ok, moving on. Commander Roberts, you will be accompanying Colonel Mackenzie to Naples for a terror tribunal. Your flight leaves at 1545 this evening. See Tiner for your travel arrangements.” He was about to continue when he caught sight of Mac out of the corner of his eye. She looked so sad all of a sudden. ‘Nothing I can do about that right now,’ he thought and continued with the meeting. When the meeting was over, he motioned for Mac to stay behind. “You didn’t look too happy about going to Naples, Colonel. I hear it’s really nice there this time of year,” he said trying to gently get to the problem at hand. “It’s not Naples, Sir.” “Then what is it, Mac? Talk to me.” “It’s Rose, Sir. I haven’t gotten to spend very much time with her over the last few months. First, I had to go to California in February. In March it was Puerto Rico. Now it’s Italy. Sir, I know it’s my job, but I have to wonder if my priorities are in the right place.” “I understand how you feel. But, Mac, you knew that this would happen when you took on the responsibility of caring for Rose. I don’t really see how I can change anything,” he replied, never expecting what she would say next. “I know, Admiral. Maybe it’s time for me to move on. Will that be all, Sir?” “Think hard about what you just said, Colonel. You have a great career here at JAG. Dismissed.” “Aye, Sir.” * * * * * The Next Night 1853 Local Time 4/22/04 Secret Prison Baghdad, Iraq After Chris woke up in the morning, Harm explained to him what he had seen when they dragged Chris out the night before. Now they waited for Harm to be taken so that Chris could get a look at the situation for himself. Within five minutes, the door to the basement opened and the evening ritual began again. This time Chris watched carefully, and sure enough, the guards did exactly what Harm had said. First, two soldiers would come down the stairs and head for their cell. When they did that, the guard that had been on duty would step out for a cigarette. The two soldiers then grabbed Harm, one under each arm and began moving him toward the stairs. Just as Harm had said, for a split second they had their backs turned to Chris and their weapons were exposed to his reach. He didn’t do anything this night. They had decided to wait until the following night. Harm was still stronger and it would be better if he tried to jump the guards rather than Chris. After watching the two men leading his friend up the stairs, Chris collapsed onto his cot and drifted off to sleep. He dreamt of freedom for the first time in years. * * * * * The Next Day 1327 Local Time US Naval Base Naples, Italy They had felt the tension in the air from the moment that they stepped off of the plane. After two years of terrorist tribunals, the situation was still very delicate and understandably, the Admiral wanted two of his best to prosecute the case. The base commander, Admiral Scott, and a slick looking American civilian lawyer by the name of Jim Brickenstein greeted them in front of the base headquarters. Both of the JAG lawyers immediately disliked Brickenstein. Anyone who would volunteer to defend a terrorist, pro-bono, just had to be the scum of the earth. When the four of them reached the Admiral’s office, he gave them a quick rundown on the case and handed out files to each lawyer present. “Colonel, I take it that you and Commander Roberts are well aware of the unusual procedures involved in one of these tribunals?” the Admiral asked. “Yes, Sir. We both have prior experience with terror tribunals.” “Very well, the two of you can give Mr. Brickenstein a quick rundown on what to expect before the tribunal begins tomorrow. That will be all. Dismissed.” “That was fun,” Bud muttered as they made their way to the VOQ after finally finishing up with Brickenstein. “Was it just me, Colonel, or did Brickenstein seem a little dumb?” he asked seriously. Mac couldn’t help but laugh to hear Bud talk about someone that way. “No, it wasn’t just you, Bud. I’ll see you in the morning.” “Yes, Ma’am.” * * * * * Same Time 4/22/04 Secret Prison Baghdad, Iraq The time had finally come to launch their planned escape, and, just like clockwork, the Iraqi guards were falling right into their hands. At the same time as always, the two Iraqi soldiers made their way down the stairs and into the cell. The other guard stepped outside for his cigarette just as he always did, leaving the odds at two on two. Harm lay in his bunk pretending to be asleep. He was waiting for just the right moment to attack. At exactly the moment that the two soldiers turned their backs to leave with Chris, Harm sprung at them from behind. He grabbed the sidearm of the one on the right and put him down with a quick shot. Meanwhile, the other guard let go off Chris to reach for his sidearm, but he was too slow and he quickly joined his friend, dead on the floor. The two pilots made their way quickly across the basement only to be met with shots from the guard at the doorway. He had heard the shots and was coming to see what had gone wrong when he spotted the two prisoners fleeing. For a moment, the two pilots were pinned down behind an overturned table. Eventually, though, a well-placed shot from Harm put the soldier down and they were able to sneak out of the bakery and into the alley. They were now out of their prison, but both men knew that they were far from safe. * * * * * 2117 Local Time 4/22/04 Outskirts of Baghdad For several hours the two prisoners made their way thru the back alleys and streets of Baghdad. Several Times they were nearly spotted by the constant patrols roaming the streets. They also knew that, by now, their presence would have been missed and the dead guards discovered. Surely the hunt was on by now. With Harm in the lead, they reached the outskirts of the city. The ducked behind a clay one-story hut and took a moment to discuss how to get past the military presence that surrounded the city. “Ok, Chris, just one more obstacle and we are out of here,” Harm said when he saw how tired the other man looked. In reality, Harm knew that he stood a much better chance of making it out alone. Chris had been in the prison far too long and his body was having trouble just getting this far. Harm could never leave his friend behind, though, and he was determined to help get him home to his family. After a few moments the two men noticed a large delivery truck pull up to the checkpoint just ahead of them. It had what looked to be a dump truck type bed on the back and it was covered with a thick plastic tarp. ‘Perfect,’ Harm thought and then quickly explained his plan to Chris. They waited for the guard to search the back of the truck and then make his way back to the driver’s door. “Now,” Harm whispered and they made a quick dash across the open and climbed into the back of the truck. For a few long moments the truck didn’t move and Harm began to think that maybe they had made their move too soon. He was just about to risk a peek when the truck finally started moving again. The two men relaxed against the large sacks of grain that occupied the back of the truck. “We’re going to make it my friend,” Harm said with his first real smile in two years. “Yes, we are.” * * * * * 0935 Local Time 4/23/04 US Naval Base Naples, Italy While Bud stood in front of the members of the tribunal, making the opening statement for the prosecution, Mac’s thoughts had drifted thousands of miles away to her daughter. She knew that Harriet was taking good care of her. In reality, she knew that that was part of why she felt so guilty. Poor Rose spent more time with her Aunt Harriet than she did with her own mother. For the hundredth time, Mac wondered why she was here. Why wasn’t she home with her daughter were she belonged? She was still very proud of the career and life that she had built for herself. After all, she was one of the most feared lawyers in the service and she had earned every bit of that reputation. No, she certainly didn’t regret her career for one second. But, she had to wonder if it was time to pursue something else, something that wouldn’t take her to the ends of the earth all the time. Mac’s thoughts were interrupted by a loud noise coming from outside the courtroom. Suddenly, four Arab men with automatic weapons burst thru the doors of the courtroom. They then began firing randomly around the perimeter of the room, causing everyone to hit the floor. From her position underneath the prosecution’s table, Mac could see that, not only did the terrorists have automatic rifles; they were also wired with explosives. A single thought went thru her mind and it shook her to the core. ‘Suicide bombers.’ Before Mac could even begin to think of a course of action, she saw the sergeant at arms make a move from the corner of the courtroom. He drew his sidearm and began firing on the terrorists. Mac lunged from her position under the table, knocking the sergeant down and wrestling the gun from his hand. After he recovered his senses, he glared up at her and was about to ask her why she had done that. He never got the chance. One of the gunmen walked right over and shot him in the chest. Then he looked over at Mac with a look of amusement. “That was very quick thinking, Colonel. If one of us had been hit, we would all be dead,” he said with a wicked smile. Then he turned to the rest of the hostages, who had all been rounded up in the back of the courtroom. “You see this?” he asked while opening his jacket to reveal the bomb attached to his body. “If any of you try anything like this sergeant just did, we will blow this building and you will all be dead.” When he was finished he motioned one of the other gunmen over and told him to guard Mac. Then he handed her a phone. “You are going to phone in our demands, Colonel.” * * * * * Same Time 4/23/04 Unknown Village Northern Iraq After traveling non-stop thru most of the night, the truck that carried Harm and Chris stopped, in a little village just south of the border, for fuel and supplies. The two men knew that they had been lucky to ride this far without being discovered and they decided not to stretch their luck. Harm quickly took a peek around in each direction before motioning for Chris to follow him. They jumped down from the truck and ducked in behind a small hut to regroup. “What do we do now, Harm?” Chris asked anxiously. “Do you know where we are?” Before answering Chris’s question, Harm took a moment to scan their surroundings in the dim light of early morning. He could make out several dozen small buildings in the immediate vicinity. Judging from the types of buildings and the terrain that surrounded the village, he guessed that they were probably just a few miles from the northern border of Iraq. “I’m not exactly sure what village this is, but I know that we have been traveling north for quite a while. The border shouldn’t be too much farther.” Before he finished, Chris spotted an abandoned barn-like structure a few hundred yards to the north on the edge of the village. He quickly pointed it out to Harm. “Why don’t we hide out in there until nightfall. We need to get some sleep.” “Sounds like a plan. Let’s get over there before we are spotted,” Harm replied. Soon the two men were safely into the old barn. There they found two old rugs that were covered in dirt and oil. They used these to take cover, one man each side of the barn. It didn’t take long before they were both sound asleep. * * * * * 1845 Local Time 4/23/04 JAG Headquarters Falls Church, Virginia The call came in long after most of the JAG staff had gone home to be with their families. Commander Sturgis Turner was still at his desk, burning the late night oil as his friends so affectionately put it. He didn’t really need to work late tonight, just like he didn’t have to on most of the nights that he did. After nearly twenty-five years as a single adult, he had learned that working late was much better than going home to an empty house. At least working kept his mind occupied. Now, he groaned inside when he heard the phone ring. At first he didn’t want to answer it, but eventually he decided that he couldn’t just let it ring. “JAG Ops, Commander Turner speaking,” he grumbled into the mouthpiece. “Commander Turner, this is the Secretary.” “Yes, Sir. What can I do for you, Sir?” “I need to speak to Admiral Chegwidden. Is he still in?” “No, Sir, the Admiral and the rest of the staff have gone home for the day. I am working late.” “Well then Commander, I’ll just let you know what is going on and you can pass the word on to the Admiral. The terror tribunal that was scheduled to start today in Naples was just taken over by armed gunmen. According to reports, each one of the four gunmen are wired with explosives and they are threatening to blow up the courtroom if their demands are not met. I believe two of your colleagues are in that courtroom.” “Yes, Sir. Colonel Mackenzie and Commander Roberts are prosecuting the terrorist.” “Indeed. The four gunmen have demanded that we release the accused and grant them all safe passage to Iran. I just thought that you all would want to know.” “I see. Yes, Sir. I will contact the Admiral right away.” When he set the phone down, his heart sank right into the pit of his stomach. He quickly pushed aside the thought that had come into his mind, and then he picked up the phone again and dialed the Admiral’s number. After a very brief conversation, it was agreed that the Admiral would go over and break the news to Harriet while Sturgis called any other members of the staff that would want to know. They agreed to meet at JAG so that they could monitor the progress of the negotiations more closely. When he was done making the calls that he needed to make, Sturgis was alone with his thoughts. Or, one thought in particular. ‘Not again!’ * * * * * 2035 Local Time 4/23/04 JAG Headquarters Falls Church, Virginia It had been nearly two hours since Sturgis had taken the call from the SECNAV. Now he looked around the bullpen and found it absolutely crawling with people. Nearly every single member of the JAG staff had put their evenings on hold, and where now waiting anxiously for word on their friends. Feeling a little stir crazy, Sturgis decided to head for the Admiral’s office for an update. When he got to the door, he knocked firmly and waited to be granted entry. When the door was opened he found, not only the Admiral, but Clayton Webb and the SECNAV as well. All of the men were wearing long faces and Sturgis began to expect the worst. “Commander Sturgis, come in and have a seat,” the Admiral said, motioning him to a chair in the center of the office. “Sir, has their been any word?” he asked with a worried frown. He would never admit to anyone just how worried he actually was. With the death of their mutual friend as the catalyst, Sturgis and Mac had become close over the last two years. It was nothing like what Mac and Harm had shared for sure, but he valued her friendship just the same. It was very hard to even think about losing another friend this way. “I’m afraid I have some bad news, Commander,” Clay said while stepping toward the center of the room. “What is it, Mr. Webb?” “According to our intelligence, these terrorists have no intention of leaving that building without at least one of them staying behind to blow it up. Even if we agree to release their comrade, the results are the same.” “So, what does this mean? What are we going to do now?” “Well, the President and his advisors are considering a SEAL raid to neutralize the threat. The tricky part is, all of the gunmen are wired with bombs. If we take them out one at a time, or if we miss a shot, the others could detonate themselves. Game over.” “So the SEALS would have to take out all four men at the same time?” “That is the plan, yes.” The plan sounded extremely dangerous and rather unlikely to succeed. Sturgis looked to his CO, a former SEAL himself, for reassurance. The Admiral nodded and gave him a reassuring smile. “If anyone can get it done, it’s the SEALS.” * * * * * 1324 Local Time 4/24/04 Unknown Village North Iraq The sun beat down hot against the sand as two young boys scurried off to play. They quickly made their way to their favorite play spot, an old abandoned barn at the edge of the village. Soon they were having fun rolling in the old hay that still covered the floor of the barn. They didn’t even notice the two pilots who were sleeping underneath the old rugs. That is until one of them moved. “What was that?” the younger of the two boys asked, looking to his older friend. “I don’t know, I think it came from underneath that rug,” he replied. The two boys talked in whispers in their native language while trying to figure out what was going on. Finally, the older boy made his way carefully to where Harm was sleeping and pulled back the rug. He gasped slightly when he saw the American laying there and he nearly passed out when Harm shifted in his sleep. For a long moment he was frozen there, staring at Harm in shear terror. Then he quickly put the rug back over the American and ran out of the barn, his young friend trailing just behind. * * * * * Same Time 4/24/04 US Naval Base Naples, Italy The hostages were getting very tired at this point. They had been standing back against the wall from the very beginning of the ordeal and many of them were now having trouble staying upright. Mac had tried everything to get the terrorists to let them sit down, to let them have food, but these men were cold blooded and they weren’t the slightest bit interested in the welfare of the hostages. Mac knew that this was not a good sign. Her Marine instincts told her that this situation was not going to end in a negotiation. She was quickly jarred from her thoughts by a ringing phone. The leader of the gunmen picked up the cell phone from the defense table and handed it to Mac, who had been chosen as their negotiator. She was surprised to hear Admiral Chegwidden’s voice on the other end of the line. “Mac, don’t let them know that you are talking to me. Pretend as if you are talking to the crisis negotiator like before,” he said quickly and Mac fell into step with him. “Yes, Mr. Smith. I am here.” “Good, now Mac, we are sending in the cavalry but we have to get them all at once. We can see three thru the windows, but the fourth is out of view. Can you tell me were he is without giving yourself away?” “That is good news, Mr. Smith. I take it there will be paperwork involved. What time will you be ready to release the prisoner and his friends?” she replied. “Ok, Mac, I understand. Give me clock position in reference to you.” “Did you say six o’clock, Mr. Smith? I didn’t quite catch that.” “Keep your head down, Mac. We’re coming in.” With that Mac threw the cell phone at the leader of the gunmen and dove behind the bench. The other hostages screamed and dove for cover as well as the SEALS made their appearance on all sides. In seconds, it was all over. The four gunmen lay on the floor, still attached to their unused bombs and the man that they came to rescue was staring down the barrels of six Navy issue assault rifles. For the first time since the siege began, Mac made eye contact with Bud. He looked pretty shook up, but he was not hurt. Mac let out a long sigh. Her decision was made. * * * * * 1445 Local Time Abandoned Barn Somewhere in Northern Iraq The two young Iraqi boys were now running back toward the barn with the older boy’s mother in tow. When they got to the barn, the two pilots were still sleeping beneath the oily rugs. The boy’s mother grabbed a pitchfork from a large pile of hay and positioned herself in front of where Harm was sleeping. Slowly, she reached down and began to poke at him with the handle end of the fork. It took a couple of pokes, but eventually Harm rolled over and uncovered himself. When he did he was staring at five pointed forks at the sharp end of the pitchfork. He looked up into a pair of sparkling brown eyes attached to a young Iraqi woman who was maybe twenty-seven or twenty-eight at the most. She looked more scared of him than he was of her, despite the fact that she held the pitchfork on him. “You are American?” she asked in broken English. “Yes,” he responded carefully, trying to read her intentions in her eyes. She wasn’t giving anything away, though, so he decided to try another tact. “We aren’t going to hurt anyone. We are just passing thru.” He was surprised when she backed off a few steps. She began looking around quickly and she whispered something in the native language to the two boys who quickly went to check the door. “There have been many soldiers looking for you today. They have traveled to the north towards the border,” she said as she dropped the pitchfork so that he could sit up. “Stay here until dark. I will send my son to get you both after the sun has fallen,” she continued in a whispered tone. She quickly put the pitchfork back where she had found it and joined the boys at the door. In another moment they where gone, leaving a very confused Harm behind to wonder if he should trust this woman. After another thirty or forty minutes, Harm decided to wake up Chris and tell him about his encounter with the Iraqi woman. He was very skeptical, but Chris wasn’t doing very well at all. If the woman could offer some care, they would have to take the chance. * * * * * 1854 Local Time Small Clay Hut Somewhere in Northern Iraq The young boy had returned just as the woman had promised, and now Harm and Chris were sitting at his mother’s table, eating a hot meal. The woman introduced herself as Delilah. She explained that she had spent several years in the United States with relatives before coming home to Iraq. She explained that she had been widowed several years ago and introduced them to her son whose name was Araf. She was sympathetic to the American pilots and she assured them that they could hide safely in her home until the search for them moved elsewhere. At this point, Harm was still a little skeptical. Perhaps because of the very long period that he had spent in prison, Chris was much more receptive to the help from Delilah. After their meal, Chris fell asleep again on a soft mat that Delilah put out for him on the floor. Harm, on the other hand, decided to remain awake and find out more about their host. Delilah remained awake for a while and continued talking with Harm. Eventually, though, she retired as well, leaving Harm with his thoughts. He soon found himself thinking of Mac again. He wondered what the last two years had been like for her. He wondered if perhaps she had moved on and found someone else. After all, it wasn’t like they were ever really together even though they had come close. He pushed this thought from his mind. Even if it were true, he didn’t want to think that way. The hope of being with Mac was what drove him to escape, and right now he needed her strength. “I need you Mac,” he whispered into the night air. Somehow, he knew she could hear him. * * * * * TWO DAYS LATER 1326 Local Time 4/26/04 Dulles International Airport Washington, D.C. Mac laughed at her partner as they made their way off the plane back home. Bud and Harriet had talked on the phone probably ten times during the two days that they had been forced to stay in Naples after their ordeal. Still Bud was so anxious to see his family that he was literally running up walkway towards the gate. There had been endless meetings and debriefings following the terrorist attack and they had been unable to get home as quickly as they would have liked. Mac, herself, was anxious to see her little girl and hold her in her arms. She had just been thru the ordeal of her life and nothing would mean more than to see her daughter. She soon found herself running right behind Bud. When they finally rounded the last corner and caught sight Harriet and the kids, Mac was stunned to see someone else standing there waiting for her. A huge smile came over her face when she saw her Uncle Matt, standing there tall and proud, holding little Rose in his arms. She didn’t say anything when she finally reached them. He just extended his free arm and he wrapped her up in a bear hug. She was so happy to see him that tears started to soak the shoulder of his dress shirt. Then she heard her favorite little voice, and her heart soared. “Mommy, Uncle Matt came home.” “Yes, he did, baby. Isn’t it great?” “Yep,” the little girl replied and laid her head down on the Colonel’s massive shoulder. “I like Uncle Matt,” she said softly. Mac looked up from his other shoulder and saw his tears start to fall as well. “Now I have both of my special girls,” he said with a big grin. “And, I’ll bet they’re both hungry too.” “Yes, Sir,” they both replied in unison. The Colonel just chuckled and lead them down the thru the terminal, Rose securely in one arm while the other circled Mac’s shoulders. When they were all settled in the car, Mac asked the question that had been on her mind since the moment she had seen her Uncle in the terminal. “When did you get out, Uncle Matt?” “Just yesterday.” “Thanks for being here to pick me up, Uncle Matt,” Mac whispered to him. “It means a lot to me.” “Where else would I be?” * * * * * 2005 Local Time 4/28/04 Somewhere in Northern Iraq After spending four days hiding in the little clay hut with Delilah and her son, Harm and Chris were ready to get moving again. They both felt much better after eating and sleeping comfortably in the young woman’s home. The Iraqi soldiers had decided to move south the day before and they had not returned. The two pilots decided that it was now or never. The two men thanked Delilah and her son for their gracious care and then carefully crept off into the night. Harm was in the lead and Chris followed close behind as they weaved their way in and out thru the pathways of the little village. When they got to the edge of the village, they paused behind a large cart and scanned the surrounding area. Before they went any further, the two men decided to check the weapons that Delilah had provided for them. Harm looked over the semi-automatic rifle that he was carrying while Chris made a check of the pistol that he carried. Once they were both satisfied that they were prepared to defend themselves, Harm whispered instructions to Chris. “Delilah said that we are only a few miles from the border. Let’s head north and get out of here.” “I’m with you, Harm. Let’s go.” With that the two men moved cautiously from their hiding spot and began to make their way up the road towards the border. Just outside of town, the two men had to make their way up a small hill. When they got to the top, they looked down and found themselves starring at four Iraqi tanks and two-dozen soldiers at the bottom. The two men barely had enough time to duck behind an overturned cart at the side of the road before shots echoed out. Harm quickly began to return fire with the rifle, but he soon realized that he was the only one shooting back. When he looked over at Chris, the look in his friend’s eyes was haunting. He saw a man defeated. The color, which had begun to come back to Chris’s face when they thought that they would make it, was now gone. Harm continued to fire until his limited ammunition were spent. Then the two men heard the tanks make their way up the hill. After several days and several hundred miles, it was over. When the lead tank made it to their position, they found a familiar face standing before them. It was Jack Dawson. “Bravo, Gentlemen. A truly heroic escape, if I may say so. However, it was all for not.” With that he ordered the soldiers to load Harm and Chris into a waiting transport truck. When the vehicle reached the village where they had hidden, the transport stopped and Dawson got out of the truck. He deliberately left the door open so that Harm and Chris could see what he was doing. When the looked out they saw Delilah and Araf standing in front of their hut with soldiers all around them. The hearts of the two men immediately sank, thinking that they were going to be punished for helping them. Instead, Dawson walked up to Delilah and planted a kiss on either cheek. He then handed her the reigns of two of the soldier’s horses and motioned to the driver of the truck that they were ready to move out. When he was back in the truck, he looked at the two pilots with a smug smile on his face. “How does it feel to be sold out for a pair of old nags, gentlemen?” * * * * * 1936 Local Time 4/28/04 Mac’s Apartment Georgetown After putting Rose down to sleep, Mac wandered out into the living room of her small apartment. There she found her Uncle Matt working on starting a fire in the fireplace. “Uncle Matt, it’s almost May. I don’t really think we need a fire tonight. It’s not all that cold,” she said with a smile. It was truly wonderful to have her Uncle back after all of this time. “Sarah, you would be surprised at how many little things that you miss when you are locked up in a place like Leavenworth,” he replied with a small chuckle. When he finally got the fire going the way that he wanted, he wandered over to one of her bookshelves and began to look at the pictures she had up of her career. He was so proud of her and all that she had accomplished. Over the past few days, though, every time that he brought up her career, she had changed the subject. He was becoming worried, and he decided that it was time to ask her about it. “Sarah, I know that there is something bothering you. Every time I mention something about your career, you change the subject. That just doesn’t seem normal for someone who just got promoted to full Colonel.” As soon as he started, she knew that this would be the talk. There would be no changing the subject and no pushing the issue aside. More than anyone else, including the Admiral, she hoped that her Uncle would understand. She hoped that he could see just how much she had thought this out and just how right her reasons were. “Uncle Matt, when my leave is over next week, I am going to resign my commission,” she said quickly and then waited for his reaction. He was silent for a long time and it was almost as if he hadn’t heard her at all. She was about to say something more when he suddenly turned and walked over to sit next to her. “Sarah, you have a wonderful future in the Corps. You have already achieved so much and you have so much more ahead of you. Of course, this is your decision and yours alone. But, I would like to know why you are doing this now? It isn’t because of Harm is it?” he asked gently. “I would be lying if I told you that Harm’s death had nothing to do with this, but it’s not in the way you are thinking. Harm’s death taught me that some things in life are more important than others. I loved Harm with all of my heart, but I let my career get in the way of being happy with him. He did the same thing. He put his career and flying in the way of us being together. We both made a mistake and it cost us the happiness that we could have shared. I am not going to make that same mistake with my daughter. I have been out of town more than I have been home so far this year, and this last assignment nearly cost me my life. When I was alone, I could accept that. But, now I have a daughter to think about and I have to put her first.” The words all came out in a big rush and she looked down avoiding her uncle’s eyes. She was so afraid that he would be disappointed that she didn’t dare look up. Then she felt his hand against her chin and it guided her face up to look at him. There were tears in his eyes and a smile on his face. “That is the smartest thing I have ever heard you say, Sarah,” he said as he enveloped her in a warm hug. Soon his shirt was soaked from her tears, but he was too proud of her to care. * * * * * 0858 Local Time 4/30/04 JAG Headquarters Falls Church, Virginia “Good morning, Colonel. Welcome back, Ma’am,” Petty Officer Jason Tiner said politely when he saw at the door. “Thank you, Tiner,” she said with a sad tone that was not lost on the young man. “You need to see the Admiral, Ma’am?” “Yes.” A few moments later she was standing at attention in front of A.J.’s desk. “At ease, Colonel,” he said with a curious expression. “You still have leave until the end of the week, Colonel. What’s on your mind?” “This is, Sir,” she said solemnly as she handed over a sheet of paper. She didn’t notice, but a single tear crawled slowly down her cheek as she watched her mentor read the letter of resignation. His emotions played out clearly on his face as he read the letter, and it tore at Mac’s heart. She didn’t want to disappoint him, but she felt that he would be. After he finished the letter, he walked over to the window and stared out into the courtyard for a long time. Finally, Mac couldn’t take the silence any longer. “I am very sorry, Admiral.” As soon as she said it, he turned to face her and she caught sight of the tears that were now streaming down his face. In all of the years that she had served under him, she had never seen him cry. It made her own tears come down fast, and before she knew it she was wrapped in his arms. “Don’t be sorry, Mac. I understand,” he said with his chin resting on the top of her head. “I’m just really going to miss you.” “I’m going to miss you too, Admiral,” she said with a sniffle. “I am going to miss everyone here. I just can’t continue to be away from my daughter, not after this last time.” “I know,” he said as he released her from his embrace and looked into her eyes. “Just promise me that you will take care of yourself and little Rose.” “I will, Sir.” * * * * * 1316 Local Time 4/30/04 Baghdad, Iraq Because of severe weather it took the convoy nearly two days to make it back to Baghdad. In that time, Harm and Chris had been given only a couple of stale crackers and a little bit of water. By the time the truck pulled into the alley behind their bakery prison, both men were on the verge of passing out. Harm looked over at Chris on the other side of the truck, and his heart broke at what he saw. After thirteen years of being a prisoner the poor man was finally broken. When he thought about it, he could understand. After all, he had only been in prison for just over two years and his countenance was waning as well. When the truck came to a stop, the two men were lead directly back to their cell and tossed on their faces. The last thing they heard before they passed out was the cruel drawl of the Englishman that they hated so. “Welcome home, Yanks.” * * * * * End of Chapter II To be continued in “The Space Between III: Walking Out of Here” Authors Note: Thank you all for the feedback on this story so far. I am afraid I am going to have to leave you hanging for a little while. I will be on vacation for a week, so chapter 3 will not be out until sometime around the 25th. Sorry about that...I promise it will be worth the wait :-)