TITLE: "Wounds to Bind " Chapter 3 AUTHORS: Anne R. and Pat Steiner SUMMARY: Summer 2003. Paraguay is over. But Harm and Mac have been irreparably changed by what happened. Life changing decisions are made both professionally and personally. CLASSIFICATION/RATING: J/S/R/A PG for language and some violence. SPOILERS: A Tangled Webb especially, but in any of our work, any JAG episode may be referred to. FEEDBACK: If you're so moved but never expected nor begged for. Addy is ssbpmn@aol.com. Please however, we request you respect the work, and the effort that goes into writing it. NOTE: All parts of this story and previous chapters, as well as much of our other works, are available at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AnniePatJAGstories The message archives are open to all registered Yahoo users-no subbing required. Please ignore any notice of adult content you may see-there is no R nor NC17 content there. Other archives containing our stories: http://thearchive.mine.nu:85/exlibris/ or http://www.netroenterprises.com/exlibrisjag or BTL- http://www.wtv-zone.com/trgarchive/btl/ http://destined.to/btlarchive - {BTL H/M Fanfiction archive.} ======== From the Conclusion of Chapter 2— Thirty days--four weeks--had passed since she had bid Harm a tearful goodbye. Some of that time she put him out of her mind totally; other times she dwelled on his absence. Some days she felt she was moving ahead with her life--a life that more and more seemed to be with Clayton Webb in her future. Other days she felt her life was on hold. On hold awaiting the safe return of Harmon Rabb. She changed into Clay's surprise, and flopped onto the bed. For all of three seconds. From the pile of clothes Clay had dropped on the bedroom floor, the pants specifically, there came a ringing sound. Clay's cell phone. Three rings and it stopped. Voice mail. Almost immediately, it rang again. Whoever was attempting to get Clay's attention was not satisfied with leaving a message. She rolled from the bed and with two fingers only, moved his socks and boxers to get to the waistband of the pants. "Hello?" "Clay. . . I-need-to-talk-to-Clay." The voice was barely audible and the words came out separated by what seemed to her like gasps of pain or attempts to draw in enough air. "Who is this?" She demanded, then all at once she knew. Dropping back onto the bed in shock, she gripped the phone until her knuckles were white. "Harm?" "Sarah." The word came out in a gasp before the line suddenly disconnected. "Harm" she screamed into the phone. "Harm answer me." ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ "Wounds to Bind" Chapter 3--- But the line was dead and Mac sat there willing the phone to ring again. She was still clutching the phone when Clay stepped out of the shower. "Honey what's wrong?" he asked at once. "Your phone rang. It was Harm. He's in trouble Clay. Bad trouble." Clay let out a long sigh and sat down on the bed next to her. "I was afraid that could be the case." Mac's eyes widened as she looked at Clay. "You knew he was in trouble?" she whispered. "And you didn't tell me." "Sarah I didn't know anything specific. I wasn't privy to what was going on with Taylor and Harm's mission. All I knew was there was rumors that the whole thing was going to hell real quick." "You knew and you didn't tell me" she repeated. "I didn't know he was in trouble. I swear to God if I had known for sure, you would have been the first to know. But no one was talking about the mission any more. Suddenly the lid was down tight." "Where is he?" "All I know is he was in Venezuela." "You know more than that" Mac accused. "Dammit Clay I want to know what he's involved in." "No you don't" he sighed. "Because when I tell you, you're just going to freak." "It's that bad?" she gasped. "Clay tell me now." "He and Taylor went after a man named Baracas. A man the Agency is pretty sure is concocting biological weapons." The color drained from Mac's face and she stared at Clay for several seconds before she could talk. "No. This isn't happening." "Sarah I'm sorry. I didn't tell you any of this earlier because I knew you would be upset. Taylor was confident they were going to get Baracas without any unusual problem so I didn't feel the need to tell you what he was doing. Not to mention I'm not in the habit of disclosing CIA ops." "That's why he came to say goodbye" she whispered. "Harm came to see you before he left?" Clay frowned. "You never told me that." "He wanted to say goodbye. I didn't understand why then but now I do. He knew how dangerous this was." "Yes it was. And Taylor, well let's just say that she's a lot like me. She thinks she can handle anything." "We have to find him. We have to get him help." Clay let out a long sigh. "Sarah you know how these things work." "No. Do not even tell me you're not going to tell anyone at the Agency that he called. He's in trouble Clay. He's hurt or worse. You have to do something." Before he could answer his cell phone rang again and Mac quickly answered it. "Harm" she breathed. "Harm is that you?" "I need to talk to Clay" Harm managed. "Tell me where you are" Mac begged. "Please. We'll help you." "No" The word came out with as much conviction as he could muster. "No Sarah. I need Clay." "You don't get Clay without me" she whispered. "Dammit Harm tell me where you are so we can help you." To her surprise, Clay suddenly yanked the phone from her. "Harm its Clay. What happened." "Baracas has the virus. He's going to use it. You have to stop him." "Where are you?" "No. You have to get Baracas first." "We can do both. Are you still in Venezuela?" "No, and that's all you're going to get from me. Listen close now. He's going to hit Frenchman's Reef. He's going to put it in the ventilation at the resort there to prove to the people he's got as buyers that it works." "My god he'll kill hundreds of people just to prove a point," Clay gasped. "It's not always lethal. It's like West Nile. Kills some people, hardly sickens others. But yeah you've got to stop him." Clay held the phone away to think, just enough for Mac to grab hold. "Harm are you sick or hurt? Talk to me." "Mac I. . .," he gasped not expecting to hear her voice. "I don't matter right now. At this point you don't even have twenty-four hours. Let me talk to Clay." "No. Not until you tell me how to get to you." "No way. Soon as the threat is neutralized. . ." there was a long pause with several coughs and when Harm came back, he was struggling more to speak. "Clay. I need Clay Mac. Now." "Harm I. . ." She tried, only to find her words cut off by a sharp sob. Clay took the phone from her shaking hand. "It's Webb. What can I do?" "The contact at Frenchmen's is named Christian Lucas. He's on our side. I think. I hope. He'll help. Find him. He'll know Baracas and the ID he's using." "OK we'll take care of it. Now where are you?" "I'll keep. Clay don't attempt to evacuate or go in there with force. He's got secondary targets lined up if you do that." "I understand. We'll take care of it." "We no. No we. No Mac, Clay. Promise me. Do not take Mac. Not after what I saw happen to. . .just don't." "OK calm down Rabb. I've got it under control. Now tell me where you are. Harm?" The line was dead. "Sorry Sarah. He's gone," Clay told her quietly. "Don't say that," she gasped, her mind taking 'gone' for 'dead'. "He's hung up Sarah. And I've got to get started. He wasn't kidding. Baracas is planning to attack Frenchman's Reef in St. Thomas. Show off his stuff." "We're going to St. Thomas?" "Me. I. I'm going," Clay told her. "I'm going to get this bastard Baracas and then make Rabb tell me where he is." "Clay something was bad wrong with him," she wailed softly. "He's hurt isn't he?" "I don't know," he replied seriously, not wanting to voice his fear as to what really had happened to Harm. "I'm going with you." "Not while I'm conscious," he growled, pulling a bag from his closet at the same time. "Whatever it takes," she returned. "I can help you. You can't do this alone. And I won't let you." "Sarah he doesn't want you involved. And for good reason." "What are we dealing with Clay? You said this Baracas guy was into biological weapons." "He has a virus he wants to sell" Clay sighed. "And he wants to prove it works before he does." "Oh god" Mac gasped. "Harm." "I don't know. He wouldn't tell me anything. But I can guess that he's likely been exposed to whatever it is." "No. We have to find him. We have to help him. You can trace the call can't you?" "Sarah I need to stop Baracas first. You know that. Harm said I have less than twenty-four hours to get to St. Thomas and stop him." "St. Thomas. Thousands of tourists" she whispered. "Exactly. That's why I have to move on that first." "Making Harm expendable." "Sarah you know me better than that, but this is what I have to do. You don't know how much I want to help Harm. But I have to get Baracas first." "I'm going with you." "No." "Dammit Clay you can't tell me no" she shouted. "I'm going with you. And that's all there is to it." "I love you and so does Harm" Clay whispered. "And neither of us want anything to happen to you. I am going to do my best to get back the man you love." "Clay" she started. "It's okay Sarah. I've always known that this wouldn't last. But what little time I had with you I wouldn't trade for the world." "I don't know what to say" she whispered. "Say you'll stay here. Like Harm and I want." She shook her head. "I can't do that. You know that." He threw up his hands in surrender. "Then get dressed. I want to stop at the Agency first. We need to get someone who knows about this virus." An hour later they hurried down the halls of CIA headquarters, in search of Doctor Carissa Mueller. She was new to the agency but Clay had been assured by Kershaw that she was the best epidemiologist on staff. "He didn't even care about Harm and Taylor" Mac muttered. "Sarah you know this business" Clay sighed. "It's like Paraguay. We were expendable." "I hate this business." They finally reached the lab area and a few minutes later spotted the young woman. "Dr. Mueller?" Clay asked as he approached the petite brunette. "Yes. And you're Clayton Webb. Kershaw just called." "Do you have a set of bags packed?" he asked. "We've got a plane out of Andrews in an hour? I need you on it with us." "Fortunately I haven't given up too many of my traits from the Army" she smiled. "I still keep a bag packed in the car." "Thank you" Clay sighed. "I don't have much information on what we're dealing with here unfortunately." "I understand. Kershaw said he was going to download what he knew and have it on a laptop for me when we go back up to his office." "Great. Then we better get moving." "I guess I'll have to introduce myself" Carissa smiled to Mac. "I'm Dr. Carissa Mueller. You are?" "Colonel Sarah Mackenzie, JAG Corps" Mac responded. "My ex partner, the former Commander Rabb is the one who's in trouble." "I see. Well hopefully we can get that virus before anyone gets infected." "It's possible he's already been" Clay said quietly. "Along with Taylor Wallings." "I don't know enough to tell you anything real helpful at this point" Carissa sighed. "I'll know more once I see the data from Kershaw. I'm sorry." "Let's go" Mac whispered. "We're wasting time." They stopped into Kershaw's office just long enough to pick up the laptop before heading to Andrews. Once aboard the plane, Carissa immediately began to review the information the agency had about the virus. "You okay?" Clay asked as he looked over at Mac. She'd been silent since they'd taken off and he knew her thoughts were on Harm. "Why did I let him do this?" she whispered. "I could have stopped him." "You want to tell me how? Sarah he has his own mind. And he made the decision to leave JAG and do this." "Because of me. Because of us." "Harm's a big boy Mac. He can make his own decisions. For whatever reason and motivation. You don't bear any responsibility there." "Nice words, but I don't believe it." "Do you believe I love you?" "Oh yeah I do that," she smiled softly despite her worry. "That much yeah. It's in your eyes and your touch. You're gentle and tender and everything a woman could want." "But my name is not Harmon Rabb." "That's it. That's it exactly. The only thing you did wrong was fall in love with a woman who couldn't love you back, not with all her heart." Her last three words caught in her throat as she remembered another time when she said those exact words. When she was explaining to Chloe why the wedding between Mic and her would not ever be. Why the Australian left DC. "Did you try?" he asked gently. "I did, and I can say with all my heart honestly there. I did want to love you. To be loved by a man who loved me was a prize. A great gift. And unlike before, you were not with me in part to possess something that Harm might have wanted." "Lost me." Another short sad smile. "Mic Brumby. He loved me too, and I loved him. But it wasn't even anything like what I feel for you. I'm amazed at how many different kinds of love the human heart is capable of in fact. Thing with Mic--some of his motivation was simply that his chief rival in this world, Harmon Rabb, would possibly have me." "OK now I see," Clay nodded. "Well I promise you we're going to do our damnedest to get him back." "Thank you. That's all I can ask." She bit her lower lip in thought before going on. "Clay, you haven't mentioned Taylor. Neither has Harm. . ." Her voice trailed off and her eyes asked the question her mouth did not seem to be able to. "Tell me what you're thinking. Please." Clay nodded slowly, reaching for Mac's hand. "Gut feeling--they were both infected. She's dead. He's sick." Despite being prepared to hear that, Mac shuddered hard. "And dying?" "No not necessarily," Clay assured her. "Remember he said it was like West Nile. Or even like flu. Why do some people get deathly ill, others not even sick enough to miss work? Doctor back me up here." "Cari please," she frowned. "Doctor Mueller is my mother. And that's right. Immune systems are all different. Some strong, some weakened. What I'm getting at here is that Baracas wasn't intending to peddle something instantly deadly. Or something that would cause eventual death in one hundred percent of the cases. He was engaging in a little mind play as well, using panic and fear as weapons too. Some people would get sick pretty quickly and die soon after. Some would incubate the virus, take it home, some would get sick and hover between life and death while their families lived in fear. Not only of watching the victim die, but of getting it themselves." Mac listened solemnly, picturing Harm alone and ill, wondering if he would live another day, and a lone tear tracked down her cheek. "I'm sorry Sarah," Clay said softly, flicking at the dampness with his finger. "If I could trade places with him--if that would bring him back to you--I would." "Clay. . .excuse me," she gasped, knowing she was about to lose control and not wanting to in front of the doctor and Clay. He got to his feet at once to let her by. "Mr. Webb, there's a lot going on her I don't know about," Cari observed mildly. "I guess I'll have to catch on as we go." "Yeah I guess so. Start by calling me Clay please. And she's Sarah. Well to me. Everyone else calls her Mac." Cari nodded. "And you're involved?" "We have been yeah. But I was kind of holding Harm's place for him. Harmon Rabb, the man I'm going to find after we stop Baracas." "He's infected?" "I think that's likely." "OK. Well then you'll need me along for that," she smiled. "Probably not, no," Clay shook his head at the diminutive woman, who would have to exaggerate to claim being over five-one. Cari at once read his thoughts. "Listen Mr. Webb. Don't let this tiny body fool you. I'm an expert in hand to hand as well as with six types of firearms. Plus I'm an internist as well as a microbiologist. I keep up. On all fronts." "Well OK, I am impressed," he admitted, looking at her with renewed interest. "Admittedly we need help, and there wasn't any way to launch an op on this short notice. I just hope the guy Rabb told us to hook up with is on our side." A few minutes later Mac returned from the bathroom and Clay without hesitation opened his arms to her. He still loved her and he would continue to do so. To love and comfort and care for her, until the man to whom her heart really belonged could take over. ============= They landed in St. Thomas a few hours later, heading immediately by cab to Frenchmen's Reef. "Christian Lucas is his name" Clay said as they reached the resort. "Somehow we have to find him." "Harm didn't tell you anymore than his name?" Mac frowned. "No. I'm not sure he was completely sure he was on our side. But right now he's all we got." His cell phone rang and Mac waited anxiously as he answered it. "Webb." "Are you in St. Thomas yet?" Harm asked. "Yeah we're here-just arrived. But we need some help. You need to tell us how to get in touch with Lucas." "Let me talk to him" Mac begged when she realized it was Harm. "Please. I want to see how he is." "Tell her I'm fine" Harm told Clay, having heard Mac's voice in the background. "Right now what matters is finding Lucas." "Harm we have Dr. Mueller with us" Clay said quietly. "She's a microbiologist and a lot of other things. I want you to talk to her." "Kershaw had all the information we had" Harm said weakly. "If you're worried about me, don't. You're mission is to find Lucas." "Where?" "He's at the resort. He does maintenance. Somehow you'll have to find him without Baracas realizing who you are." "Okay we'll figure out something" Clay sighed. "We don't have much time do we?" "Less than twelve hours" Harm managed before a round of coughing stopped any more words. "Harm please talk to Carissa. She might be able to help." With that he thrust the phone at Carissa before pulling a reluctant Mac away. "Dammit Clay why did you let her talk to him and not me?" she hissed. "Because she can help him and you can't" Clay sighed. "She's the doctor. Maybe there's something she can tell him that he can do that will help before we get to him." "He's getting worse isn't he?" she whispered. "Yes. Now remember Carissa said everyone doesn't die." "If he has no one to treat him he will" Mac wailed. "Clay we have to find out where he is and get to him." "We have to find Christian Lucas before Baracas turns this place into hell." "NO" she shook her head. "I want to find Harm." "Sarah look me" Clay ordered. "You are a Colonel in the Marine Corps. You know what the right answer is here. The right thing to do. I know I don't have to remind you that." For several seconds she simply looked at him before nodding slowly, tears pooling in her brown eyes. "I'm with you," she said quietly. "But the moment Baracas is nabbed, we are on the next plane to wherever Harm is." "Agreed. I'll get you to him Sarah. I promise." "Before it's too late" she whispered. "If there is a God, yes before it's too late," Clay said softly. Carissa disconnected the call and slowly walked over to Clay and Mac. "Mac if it's any consolation, he's hanging in there" she said quietly. "He's sick but he refuses to tell us where he is until we find Baracas." "Will he be okay until we get to him?" Mac whispered. "I don't know. Everyone's system is different. He did tell me that he's alone. That Taylor Wallings is already dead." "Oh my god." Mac shuddered hard as she imagined what he was going through. "And he's dying," she whispered again. "Possibly," Carissa said softly, giving Mac a sympathetic smile when she winced sharply. "But if he's strong and healthy with a good immune system, he may hang in there until we get to him." "I don't understand why he can't tell us where he is," she murmured. Clay's hands dropped to her shoulders and she at once folded herself against him, needing his reassurance and comfort. "Honey the reason he won't tell his location is pretty simple," he offered. "Think about it. He knows what the priority should be and so do you. He also knows if it was you in trouble he'd have a hard time with that concept. He would by flying to you." "Like Paraguay," she gasped and shuddered. "He gave it all up for me." "For us. He pulled my ass out of the fire there too. Him and Gunny. And he knows if we knew his location we might be tempted, and we all know we can't. Rabb would be the first to sacrifice himself for the hundreds we're trying to save." She nodded slowly, her head moving against his chest. "Clay you and I. . .I'm sorry and I don't even know where to begin with any of that." "Since the day you and Rabb met, your heart has belonged to him. Now I don't pretend to understand why. Why you've waited for him all these years." "I don't think I know. Except that he's done his share of waiting too. There have been times when he was ready and I wasn't." "I know," Clay nodded. "Lots yet to settle. Right now we're going to get a room. We can't accomplish anything standing around in the lobby. Cari?" "Hmmm? Oh that's fine sure. I need a place where I can sit anyway with the laptop. What about our contact?" "Ask when you check in. Mac, you and Cari do that. Two beautiful women checking in for a few days of fun in the sun. Mac check on Lucas." Mac nodded, pulling herself from Clay's arms and sniffling back the last of her tears. At the desk with Cari, she gave the clerk her best smile. "Hopefully we don't look like we swum here," she laughed. "It was a long flight. " "Not at all. Two lovely ladies. Please let me know what I can do to make your stay more pleasant." "Well actually," Mac tried that smile again. "We're looking for a Christian Lucas. If you see him or he asks, can you put him in touch with us?" "Mr. Lucas has good taste. I most certainly will." With a bare nod to Clay, Mac mouthed the room number on the fourteenth floor and she and Cari took the elevator up, Clay joining them a few minutes later. "Whoa this is not bad," he approved once they had let him in, his eyes straying to the balcony and the two swimming pools with the beach and the blue ocean beyond. Teeming with families. Families who in the hours after midnight would be inside, thinking they were safe in their rooms. Instead they would be breathing in microbes of disease and for some, death. "What now?" Mac asked, exhaustion and worry for Harm making her want to simply ask for direction. "Now we're going to flop on those comfortable beds there and see if Mr. Lucas doesn't get in touch," he told her firmly. "If not, then I don't know. I could call Homeland Security and make them order an evacuation somehow, but if Baracas told Harm he had secondary targets--well he's not the type to joke." "I don't think I can stay still much less sleep," Mac said softly, willing not to cry right then. "Mac if the ca-ca hits the fan, you may not get much sleep for a long while. Plus soon as we get Baracas, we're going to make Harm give up his location." "Oh yeah. Thanks for reminding me," she sighed, adding under her breath, 'Lord keep him alive'. Clay read her thoughts, and gave her cheek a quick kiss. "To bed with you. Now. I'll be right here." Before she could argue, he had her led to the bed and was easing her down. "Clay my phone please. In case." He smiled and handed her her purse, watching her close her eyes and adding a prayer of his own to hers, 'Lord, she needs him. Please let it happen'. Cari was on the balcony when Clay joined her, dropping heavily into a lounge chair. "Share?" she offered, holding out a bottle of Heineken beer from which she had taken a long swallow. "I like your style Dr. Mueller," he smiled despite his concern. "How is she?" Cari motioned back toward the resting Marine. "Holding up. Well as can be expected," he sighed. "Hurting bad of course." "You love her don't you?" "Oh yeah." "Enough to give her up?" "If this ends badly, I may not have to," he smiled slyly and then shook his head. "And I can't believe I just said that. I love her. And because I do, I want her happy." "You're a good man Clayton Webb," Cari laughed. "You know you're kind of a legend. And you know what else too. We've actually met." "No we haven't," he objected at once. "I would have remembered you." "Christmas dance three years ago. I had just come onboard. You'd had a few and so had I and we danced and we actually. . .," she paused and giggled lightly for affect. "What did we do?" he gasped. "Kissed. In the hallway, both of us coming from the bathrooms." "I. . .I do remember. I think." "Well don't trouble yourself, but you are a good kisser. I've never forgotten it." "So that was your introduction to the Agency?" "Pretty much. I guess they like me. They keep me around, though I get offers from the CDC now and then." "I bet you do. Your credentials are impressive. Virology, bacteriology, immunology. What happened--you couldn't decide what you wanted to be when you grew up?" "Better than wanting to be James Bond," she returned. "OK yeah guilty--but those movies were pretty easily impressionable on a little boy. That was it at first. After that, well I just thought I could make a difference I guess. Now most of the time I feel like a giant Chinook swimming upstream." "You're a good agent Clay. Like I said before, you're legend." "Was that before my muck up in Paraguay" he said with a small smile. "Almost getting the woman I love killed along the way." "It wasn't all your fault." "No but I shared the responsibility. And it's only because Harm saved us that we got out. There was nothing I could do." "You owe him," Cari said softly. "And I plan on repaying that debt by finding Baracas and then getting to Harm before it's too late. And please tell me it's not going to be too late. I don't know if you gave Mac the sugar coated version but you know I want the truth." "Truth is he's alive. That's better than Taylor." "But you can't be sure he'll still be alive when we get to him" Clay sighed. "The fact that he's alive tells me the odds are slightly in our favor" Cari answered. "His immune system is obviously stronger than most. Taylor didn't have a chance." "I can't believe she's dead. I mean, I guessed something was really wrong but I didn't want to think that was the case. She was one of the best. And of course now this is going to drive Mac crazy." "She seems like a strong person. She got through Paraguay with you didn't she?" "Yeah she did" Clay sighed. "She was ready to sacrifice herself to save me." "So she does care about you" she smiled. "Sarah and I have always had our bond" Clay admitted. "But once she had met Harm, I knew I'd lost her. There was something about them from the moment they met." "How do you know that?" "I'm the one who brought them together" he smiled. "I got her assigned to JAG. And from that moment, her heart belonged to him." "Well she's giving up a pretty good guy too" Cari smiled. "Thanks. I needed to hear that. And I feel like we should be doing something besides sitting here waiting for Lucas." "Well we left word for Lucas. I think we have to wait for him." "I'm not good at the waiting game" Clay sighed. "I know time is running out. Not just here but for Harm." There was a knock at the door and at once Cari stood up and hurried to it, Clay right behind her. "It's a man" she whispered as she looked out the peephole. "Let's see if it's Lucas" he urged and Cari slowly opened the door. "I had word some lovely ladies were looking for me up here" the man smiled. "Please come in" Cari nodded. "Mr. Webb I recognize you" Christian Lucas said once they were behind closed doors. "Mr. Rabb told me that you would be coming." "He also said you would know how and when Baracas was going to make his move" Clay sighed. "What can you tell us?" "There is not much time. He is moving forward tonight. I am to help him get to the air condition system so he can release the virus." "Is there a backup plan if he doesn't make it?" Cari asked. "He has a man on stand by if he doesn't call at the appointed time." "Where?" Clay demanded. "Another resort. But I think we can get Baracas and get to the other resort before that time." "I hope you're right" Clay sighed. "What time does this all go down?" "Just after midnight tonight. We have a few hours. I thought it would be best if I got Baracas all the way to the system and then you were waiting there." "Good plan" Clay nodded. "He'll have the virus on him then right?" "Yes. And once we stop him we'll have enough time to get over to stop his other man." Clay nodded slowly, thinking over options, which at that moment were in very short supply. That hundreds of lives were in the balance weighed heavily on him. "You could be setting us up for a very ugly death." "I could be," Christian nodded. "But I guess that's a chance you'll have to take. Look Mr. Webb I'm risking my life meeting you." "Harm Rabb said you were on our side. He thought---he hoped." "Mr. Rabb was a good man. So was his partner." "Do not use the past tense to refer to him," Clay hissed. "He's going to be fine." "Someone you're close to?" Christian raised his eyebrow suggestively. "Lovers from way back," Clay replied with such heavy sarcasm that Christian knew at once he was wrong. "Mr. Rabb is very close to someone whom I care a helluva lot about. We're going to get him out after we do the job here." Christian shook his head. "You'll need help." "Are you offering?" "I might be. If the price was right." "Well first we have to get through this," Clay growled. "Which brings me to my next point. If you cross us--if you're setting us up--well no matter what happens, I'll find you." "Look Mr. Webb, you're going to have to trust here some," Christian said quietly. "You won't get into the ventilation maintenance tunnels without me. I'll get you in just before I meet up with Baracas. I'll show you where you can wait. And once you intercept, I'll help you." "Or help him defeat us." "Look Mr. Webb I didn't have to do this. I could have just not contacted you." Cari had been listening quietly and at that point she came up to Clay, wrapping her hands around his arm. "Mr. Lucas, Mr. Webb is understandably a little cautious. He's had a bad experience in South America some weeks back." "I know," Christian nodded, letting himself smile at the pretty doctor. "All I can do is put the offer to help on the table. Meet me at 1145 by the big fountain in the back courtyard. If you want." "We'll be there," Clay said firmly. "Just remember what I said. You cross us up. . .well it would suck to be you." Christian Lucas gave them a half smile and fled the room. "You don't trust him do you?" Cari whispered when they were alone. "I've gotten to where I don't trust anyone," he admitted with a self depreciating laugh. "Even me?" That hit him hard and he shook his head vigorously. "No. Yes. I mean. . ." Turning to her, he dropped his hands to her shoulders, bending way over so he could look her directly into her eyes. "I hate this. I do trust you. And that's very unusual for me. Normally I'm wary around people I've just met. People I don't know. Which obviously you already knew that. But not you." "Thanks Clay," she whispered. "I don't get close to people easily either. Men particularly. For the most part they have no clue what I do. I tell everyone I'm a researcher with State, but they don't understand the travel or the long hours." "I would understand," he smiled softly and to the surprise of both of them, leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Mr. Webb" she smiled. "I do believe you are hitting on me." "After this mess if over I'd like to get to know you a little better. You think we could arrange that?" "What about the Colonel?" "It isn't obvious to you that she's very much in love with Harm?" "You're assuming we're going to get to him in time" Cari said softly. "We have to" Clay said vehemently. "She'll be devastated if anything happens to him. I won't let that happen to her." "Because you love her." "I won't deny that I will always have feelings for Sarah. But those feelings aren't enough to make a permanent relationship. She loves Harm and I know that." "And I hope for everyone's sake that we do get to him in time. Course that's assuming we get through tonight without a hitch." "It's fifty-fifty with Lucas. I could trust him and then again I'm not sure." "We don't have much choice," Cari said quietly. "He's all we have." "I'm suddenly wishing you two weren't going to be involved in this" Clay admitted. "In case it does go south." "Hey remember my training. And I think Mac can likely handle herself just as well." "You two could probably kick my butt" Clay smiled. "Not that I ever want to find out if you can or not." "No you don't" she laughed. Mac woke a short time later and Cari filled her in on the specifics of their plan. "I'm not sure we can trust this guy," Clay said to Mac when she finished. "But we don't have much choice." "No we don't. We need to get this over with so we can get to Harm. He hasn't called as he." "No" Clay said softly. "I'm sure we'll hear from him again soon." "What if we don't?" Mac whispered. "God Clay we don't even know where he is? What if he's too sick to call us? We'll never find him." "Sarah calm. We'll find him. I promise. Once we have Baracas, we'll be on the first plane to wherever he is." "If we haven't been double crossed by Lucas" she sighed. "This whole thing is a mess Clay. A big mess." "Which we will take care of tonight. I promise." "Don't make promises you can't keep" Mac whispered. "Sarah I will do everything in my power to make sure we get to Harm before it's too late" Clay said seriously. "You know that once we have Baracas and his other man, Harm will be first priority." "He should have been first priority to begin with" Mac snapped. "I know that you don't really mean that. And I think we all need some chill time before we meet Lucas." "No I don't" Mac sighed. "I'm sorry. This is all just getting to me." "It's okay" Cari assured her. "Like Clay said we all need to chill. I know this is hard for you, especially not knowing about Harm." "I just wish we'd heard from him again. I'm so afraid he's really sick now." As if on cue, Clay's cell phone rang and Mac waited anxiously as he answered it. "Tell Mac I'm OK," Harm said softly as soon as he heard Clay's voice. "Uh. . .no. That's something you need to tell her yourself. She's pretty upset and worried," Clay told him firmly. "Things here are proceeding pretty well. Lucas made contact, and we're trusting him. I already told him he'd better not be messing with us, but it would be good to hear that you think he's on the level." "He's your only shot. What choice do you have?" "None. Harm I'm still mulling an evacuation." "Clay if you do that, he's got secondary targets. All you'll do is cause panic there and then bring death to another location." "OK OK. You're right. We'll handle it. How are you doing, and guess what--big surprise-- there's a Marine here jumping up and down like she was five and I'm talking to Grandma and she wants a turn." "I'm fine I told you." "Right. And I'm going to be the next chief of covert ops. Here's Mac." Clay handed Mac the phone, and when he did not move, Cari tugged his arm. "Let's give them the room huh. You can take me downstairs to the Fleur D'Monique bar and buy me one of those drinks with the little umbrellas." "Yeah OK. If we make it a double so I don't have to remember I'm drinking with people under a death sentence," he groused, taking her arm and giving Mac a wave. "OK Flyboy we're alone," she sighed, sinking onto the bed and cradling the phone. "Now I want to know how you really are." Expecting him to minimize his illness, she was even more alarmed when he suddenly blurted out, "Not good." The cold of ice went into her veins. "Harm?" "Sorry." "No don't be sorry, talk to me. Now." "I'm running a fever I can't shake and my chest hurts," he admitted. "Every time I cough it's like a knife going through me." "Harm please," she gasped, fighting off tears that she knew were useless. "Please tell me how to help you. Where you are?" "When I find out you've gotten Baracas," he told her softly, his words muffled by a cough he was trying to suppress. "Mac, something else." "Yeah?" "Look when I see you--if I see you--that doesn't mean you and I. . .I mean I know you and Clay. . ." "Harm stop right now," she snapped. "Right now the only thing that's important is that you're going to be OK. The rest of it. . .well right now I don't even care about." She took a long breath before adding, "About Taylor. I'm sorry." "Thanks. It was bad," he said quietly. "A bad way to die." Another shudder went through her. "Well you listen up Sailor. You and I have a lot of unfinished stuff between us. So don't even think about checking out on me. We're going to handle this op tonight and then I'm going to see you. So you give us a few hours and then you call, and by god when you do, you better have exact directions on how we can get to you." "I will I promise. Now you promise me something. You be careful. I don't want anything happening to you Mac. Unfinished stuff remember." "I'll be careful. You just hang on sailor. Promise me that please." "I'm trying" he sighed. "I just want to know you get Baracas first. That's all that matters right now. This whole op went to hell but I'm going to make sure it ends right." "It will. With Clay and Cari, it will. I'm glad we have her with us." "She knows her stuff that's for sure." "Yes she does" Mac said softly. "I'll call you back in a few hours" he said quietly. "And then hopefully this mess will be over." "It will be. You just stay with us Harm. We'll be there for you as soon as we can." "Bye Sarah" he whispered before disconnecting the call. "Please don't let him die before we get to him" Mac whispered. "Please Lord. Not before I tell him that I love him." Cari and Clay returned to the room and a short time later they began to prepare for their mission. "God I haven't been this stressed since I don't know when" Clay sighed as he paced the room. "I really wish you two weren't going to be there." "Clay you need us and you know it" Cari sighed. "For our brawn and brains." "Your brains" Mac said quietly. "You're the one who knows how to handle this stuff." "Very carefully. And as soon as its all in our possession, we'll get the team in to take care of it." "And then we find Harm" Mac murmured. "He didn't tell you where he was yet did he?" Clay asked. "He said he'll call back later once we've gotten Baracas. I just hope we're not too late. He's getting worse Clay. You heard him." "Yeah I did" Clay sighed. "And he is worse." "I've got the necessary stuff to treat him if we can get to him in time" Cari said quietly. "We just have to get to him." A short time later Lucas knocked at their door and they followed the man up to the roof of the building and the air conditioning system. "Okay he'll be here shortly" Lucas informed them. "I'm going to let him in and bring him up here." "We'll be waiting" Clay nodded. "And once we get our hands on his batch of the virus, we get over to the other resort and get his henchman." "That will be easier. He's simply going to be waiting inside the resort for the call from Baracas." "Good. Let's do it then." Mac and Cari took up positions behind Clay as they waited for Lucas to return with Baracas. "Cari you're mission is to get the virus from him once I've gotten to him. That's all that matters." "I know what I'm doing" she said to Clay. "Just make sure he doesn't get it open first." "Please God" Clay murmured. Thirty nerve wracking minutes passed before they heard the door to the ventilation system room open. "Show time" Clay hissed and they all readied themselves for the attack. Christian Lucas had been true to his word and he led Colin Baracas straight into the trap. It all went off without a hitch, Clay and Mac quickly subduing Baracas while Cari handled the virus. "I did not betray you Mr. Webb" Lucas said to Webb. "No you did not. And the Agency thanks you for your assistance. You can be assured that we will be in touch again." "We need to hurry to make it in time" he said as he looked at his watch. "The other virus will be released in a half hour if Baracas does not call." "Clay we need to keep this with us" Cari said quietly. "Until we get it to the team." "I was afraid you would say that" he sighed. "I consider it safer than any kind of live ordnance," she smiled at his consternation. "No stability problems, anything like that. Only if something cracks the container can it be a problem." "Then we need to see that doesn't happen," Clay hissed. "OK, all we need to do is subdue the next threat. Christian, don't fail us now." "I'll bring a van around front and take you to the target." Clay nodded and relaxed against the nearest wall, taking in several long breaths. Mac could no longer contain her worry for Harm and she reached for Cari's arm to get her attention. "Cari, he's running a fever that he didn't have before and he says his chest is killing him," she said softly, fighting back tears. "He's not going to die is he?" "He's probably developed a secondary pneumonia," Cari told her carefully. "He's going to require some expert care when we find him." "You can help him right? Antibiotics?" "If his infection is bacterial by all means. For that part of it. I also have some anti viral that may help. But for the most part, Mac think of this as the flu. Most healthy people shake that off. But people with health problems can't as easily." "Taylor," Mac whispered. "Harm said she died a bad death." "Well an autopsy would give us a clue there. It could be for some reason her immune system was compromised. Or it could be she simply was one of those unlucky people the virus hit hard and fast and her body couldn't muster forces to fight." "None of this is making me feel better about Harm." "I know. I'm not one to blow sunshine up your rear I'm afraid." "I have what I think is a very interesting question," Clay said mildly, not moving from his stance. "Doctor, when we find Harm, how do we avoid him infecting us?" "Oh my god I didn't think about that," Mac gasped. "Cari, we can't find him and stay away from him. We can't not. . .I mean I have to. . ." "Hug him?" Cari smiled "Well that was kind of my plan," Mac admitted with a wry face. "Not mine," Clay laughed softly. "Well it's like chicken box. You're most likely to infect someone in the forty-eight hours or so before you break out, and then once you do, the contagion level lessens. I think we're clear." "That's a relief," Mac sighed and Clay gave her a small smile, reading her thoughts. Knowing that she craved holding him. At the same time so much had happened between them, some of which he was part of the problem. Could they overcome the gulf that had opened between them--while he was one hundred percent behind the attempt, a small part of him doubted they would be successful. Sometimes love is not enough, no matter how pure of heart. Christian was waiting with the van and it took but a few minutes to make their way to the next resort. "Okay now what?" Clay sighed. "How do we find him?" "I know who he is. Follow me." Knowing they had to trust Christian, they did so. He led them inside the resort, to the bustling outside cabana bar. "Good Lord look at all these people" Clay hissed. "And the only one that matters is that one" Christian said quietly as he pointed to a man in the corner of the bar. "He's the one we have to stop." "Easier said than done" Clay muttered. "No I can handle this" Cari smiled. "No way in hell" Clay said quickly. "We both go" Mac spoke up. "I'll charm him and then you can grab the vials from him." Cari nodded and before Clay could protest the two women started towards the man. "God I hate this" he murmured as he and Christian took seats nearby. "If anything happens to either of them." "Nothing will. We are here to make sure of it." Mac and Cari smiled broadly as they reached the man. "Hi" Mac said as she and Cari sat down at the small table. "You look lonely over here. Maybe we can help." "I'm waiting for a friend" the man answered. "Well while you're waiting" Mac smiled seductively. "How about a drink?" "Look I'm not interested. Go away." "You don't really want that do you?" she said as she moved closer. She finally caught sight of the vials in his pocket and her eyes moved from them to Cari. She nodded her understanding, waiting for the moment to make her move. "I want you two to go away" he hissed. "Now." "Oh come on" Mac teased as her hands went to his chest. He grabbed her hands to push her away, Cari moving in at that moment. Distracted by Mac, Cari reached for the vials. "No" he shouted as he grabbed Cari's hands just as she pulled the vials from him. His hands went to the vials in an attempt to crush them. Clay and Christian sprang from their seats but in a moment it was over. Mac had leveled a blow to the man's abdomen, crumbling him over in pain and allowing Cari to get the vials. "Okay that was too scary" Clay murmured as Christian subdued the man. "You two okay? More importantly, are the vials secure?" "They look okay" Cari said as she studied them. "I think we're good." "Thank you God" Clay breathed. "Harm" Mac said softly. "We have to find Harm." "We have to wait for his call" Clay reminded her. "We dont know where he is." "What if he can't call? What if he's too sick?" "I know where Mr. Rabb is" Christian said quietly. "I will take you to him now." "You've known all along where he was and you didn't tell us" Mac exploded. "He's dying and you didn't tell us." "He made me promise not to tell you until this was over. He wanted to make sure Baracas and his associates were not going to go through with their threats first." "So where is he?" she demanded. "He is on the island. I have not seen him because he was afraid I would be exposed and then no one would be able to stop Baracas. But I have been in contact with him and I know where he is." "Take us to him" Clay ordered. "Now." "Mr. Webb it is not like we can just drive there. The island is off the Venezuelan coast." "Boat. We can hire a boat from a dozen places here and go there." Christian nodded. "Of course. Assuming someone knows how to navigate, and the weather cooperates. And then there's the matter of the hijackers." "I'm sorry?" "Drug runners in these waters prey on small boats which have clean registry. Often they attack and kill those aboard, dropping the bodies overboard, then use the boat to make their delivery, abandoning it when they are finished." "OK that's out," Clay said firmly, looking at Cari and Mac. "I'm assuming there's an airstrip on the island or that a pontoon plane could land off the shore?" "Yes to both. I didn't know you could fly." "I can't," he retorted. "On the other hand I can lay my hands on cash money. American dollars. What's it going to take?" ==================== It was a tired threesome that made their way back to the hotel, leaving Christian to engage the plane they would need. Mac at once curled up on one of the beds, the phone in her hand. Despite her best intention to lie awake awaiting Harm's call, she dropped off to sleep almost at once, only to wake three hours later in the throes of a nightmare. They had found him, curled up on a cot in a now deserted building. Wrapped in a green blanket he was not moving. She ran to him, flinging herself down onto her knees and rolling her to him. Except that it was not Harmon Rabb's face that unfolded from the blanket, but a grotesque skeleton caricature of the features she loved. She screamed and sat up, dripping wet, bringing Clay to her side at once, Cari behind him. "Sarah honey it's OK," he soothed, giving her a small shake to complete the awakening process. "Oh Clay it was awful," she whispered, and her eyes widened when she realized the time. "He's dead Clay. He would have called by now. He's dead." "No. No I refuse to believe that," Clay growled. "In fact, Mac--listen to your heart. I think it would tell you if he was." "I don't feel him Clay. Honestly I don't," she sniffled softly. "I was before, but not any more." "Maybe because you're tired and stressed and upset," he offered, at the same time sending up a fast prayer. "He'll call. He probably just fell asleep. Cari, back me up here--people running a fever sleep a lot." "Yes they do," she nodded quickly. "Right I hadn't thought about that. It's called being in a coma," Mac hissed bitterly. "Mac we're going to need all the faith and positive thinking we can get while we're getting him out," Clay told her gently. "Cari can you take her in the bathroom and help her get into some dry things before the air conditioning in here gives her something worse than Harm's got. This place is like an igloo." "Mac come on. You'll never get back to sleep all wet like that," Cari urged. "I don't think I can sleep anyway," she sighed, nevertheless submitting to Clay's lifting her to her feet. The start of the shower water and the first ring of the phone happened at the same moment. Clay dived across the bed where Mac had left it. "Rabb this had better be you," he screeched. "Clay." One word, weak and desperate and Clay let out a long sigh. "Harm thank God. We're coming. As soon as we get can get a plane we'll be there." "Baracas?" "Taken care of. All the virus is in the right hands now." "You did good Webb" he managed before a long cough took his breath away. "Harm buddy you have to hang on" Clay said quietly. "There's a woman here who needs you. So help me God if you're not alive when we get there.." "Take care of her Clay. Promise me you'll do that." "Dammit Harm do not talk like that. We're coming. Cari will take care of you when we get there. You're going to be fine." "Trying Clay" he gasped. "But I want your promise." "I will not promise you that because it's not going to happen. I mean it Rabb. You saved my butt in Paraguay and I'm going to save yours now. You hear me. Mac loves you and she needs you. You are not checking out on her now." "Love her too" Harm whispered before disconnecting the call. "Please God" Clay begged as he hung up. "Please let us get to him in time." "Clay?" Cari said quietly as she walked up behind him. "It was Harm. He's not good. We have to get him now." He dialed the number Christian had given him and a moment later waited for good news. "Tell me you have something. We need to go now." "I just pulled into the resort. I have a plane waiting." "Give us two minutes and we'll be there." He pounded on the bathroom door. "Mac we need to move it. Christian is waiting downstairs." The shower turned off and a moment later Mac hurried out. "Christian called?" "Yeah he's waiting. Come on." "Nothing from Harm?" she asked quietly. "No" Clay lied and Cari shot him a look. There was no point telling Mac of Harm's call. Unless he had to. She nodded and a moment later they hurried from the room and down to the front of the hotel where Christian was waiting. "Sorry it took so long. Even with American money sometimes it is not easy to find someone to do these kinds of crazy things." "But you have someone right?" Clay demanded. "Yes. You will be there shortly." They climbed aboard the plane a half-hour later and once in the air, Clay let out a long sigh. Mac had fallen asleep next to him, tossing and turning as she moaned Harm's name. "Clay you should have told her" Cari said softly. "No. It would have upset her more. He's going to be okay when we get there. He has to be." "And if he's not." "Then I tell her that he loved her. And hope that she can get over losing him." "So you can have her?" "No. So she can have a life. I don't want her to spend the rest of her life alone because she lost the man she truly loved." "You're a good man Clayton Webb" Cari smiled softly. "With a very big heart." "Don't you dare tell anyone" he sighed. "It would ruin my legend status." "After this one you will be legend." "Harm had it all in place. He had Lucas on our side. And he knew what was going down. He's the one who deserves the credit." "Hopefully he'll be alive to get that credit" Cari sighed. The wheels of the plane touched down several hours later and they hurried off the plane, Christian leading them to a waiting truck. "We are close" Christian told them. "Soon we will be there." Mac nodded, the cell phone still clutched in her hand. It had not rung, heightening her fear that Harm was dead. He would have called if he were alive. Called to tell her to come and get him like he'd promised he would do. "Sarah" Clay said softly. "He's dead Clay" she whispered. "He would have called by now. He's dead." "No he's not. I talked to him." "You talked to him?" she screeched. "And you didn't tell me. And you didn't let me talk to him? How could you?" "Very easily. Talking to him would have only upset you." "More than I already am?" she raged. "Clayton Webb listen to me, if we find him dead and I could have had some final words with him, I never will forgive you. Never." He opened and closed his mouth in several attempts to counter what she was saying. Finally he encircled his hand around her wrist, more firmly than he needed to. "Even if you could have talked to him, which you will soon anyway, you wouldn't have told him how you feel. How do you think this whole mess happened. At least in part. Because the two of you won't just open your mouths and speak your mind---and your heart." "Clay," Cari gasped in surprise, reaching out to tug his arm, seeing that he was hurting her, both in words and physically. "Sorry," he responded, dropping her wrist. "It's just that if they'd been honest with each other from the start. . ." "And nothing you can do or say right now is going to change that is it," Cari scolded. "Mac are you OK?" She nodded as she rubbed her wrist. "You should have told me Clay." "OK I should have. But I didn't. I made the best decision at the time. Tell me you're happy with all the decisions and choices you've made in your life." For a long moment she stared at him, unsure how to respond. "If he dies. . ." That was all she got out before she burst into tears turning away from him as far as she could. "OK I handled that well," Clay muttered, and his look to Cari dared her to interfere. "This is the encampment," Christian announced pulling the truck into a small clearing at the end of a long rutted road. "It is deserted now of course. After they were exposed, Harm and Taylor were brought here so they could be watched." "Never mind," Clay groused, stepping out of the truck and offering his hand up to Mac. An offer he withdrew at once, as soon as he saw her glare. "Oh--my--god," Mac whispered as soon as her feet hit the ground and Clay had stepped out of her line of sight. "Mac you OK?" Cari asked from somewhere behind her. "No." Her reply was barely audible. Cari jumped down to her side, putting her hand on her shoulder. "What do you need?" "To find Harm alive and well but it's not going to happen," she whispered, pulling from Cari's grasp and taking several strides toward one of the buildings. "How does she know that is the one where Mr. Rabb is?" Christian questioned. "Because this was what I saw," Mac flung back over her shoulder. "He's inside here. On a cot. He'll be wrapped in a green blanket. Or rather his body will." She took another few steps toward the door and Clay unrooted himself from his spot, sprinting past her, blocking her way. "Cari, can you. . .would you go in first?" he called, and firmly planted his feet in front of the doorway, his body language daring Mac to try to go around him. THE END Watch for Chapter 4 in the near future