Disclaimer: Taking them out to play, promise to put them back. All characters of JAG belong to Donald
Bellisario and Belisarius Productions; no copyright infringement intended.
Spoilers: Everything up to Hero Worship.
Author Notes: I've been lurking about the fanfic site for quite a while - so many great stories that I got
inspired. However, I'm a reader, not a writer and this is my first attempt at writing anything. Sooo, please
be kind, if you must flame - keep 'em small (I'm terribly sensitive - they'll go a long way!).
Part 1
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, VA
1310 Local
Mac closed another file folder and sat back with a sigh. Thank God it was Friday and this week would finally be
over. It looked like Bud had gotten through his DOD without any serious damage. She had hated her part in it but,
fortunately, Bud had understood the difference between friendship and duty. And she felt sorry for young seaman on
the John Cooper that she had prosecuted in the Article 32. Not so sorry as to let him off the hook, of course. Rath
had blithely cut corners and outright ignored safety regulations until they had literally blown up in his face. He
was lucky he hadn't killed anyone; but still, he was just a kid. She was grateful she wouldn't be handling the
court-martial.
Well, Mac mused, at least she got to spend some 'quality' time with Harm. That Squid - he was at his most passionate
when he didn't have a legal leg to stand on. What was that saying? 'When the facts are against you, argue the law.
When the law is against you, pound on the table and yell like hell.' For a moment, she thought his playing the
emotion card during his closing might actually get the young man off. Rabb was good, no doubt about it. "Truth,
Justice and the American Way. I wonder if he's wearing a Superman suit under that uniform of his? ... Hmmm, now
there's a visual..." Mac chuckled quietly to herself.
"So counselor, is that a Thank-God-Its-Friday smile or did you just discover a bare spot on your desk?" The amused
voice of her favorite aviator cut into her thoughts. Mac looked up to see a relaxed Harmon Rabb leaning against her
doorframe with his arms folded across his chest.
"Actually, Mr. Rabb, this is the smile of a Chief of Staff who has just dumped her entire caseload on a certain
Squid." She smiled sweetly at him.
With a look of mock horror, Harm solemnly intoned, "Oh my, poor Sturgis..."
Laughing, Mac waved him into a chair. "Big plans this weekend, Sailor?"
"Nah, Sturgis invited Bud and me over to watch the basketball game tonight." Harm grinned, "Boys Night Out. How
about you?"
"Tonight, nothing more strenuous than a bubble bath, a box of chocolate and a good book. If the weather stays this
nice tomorrow, I thought I'd put the top down on the 'vette and take a drive through the countryside."
"Want some company?" The words were out before Harm had a chance to think about it. He tried to look nonchalant while
watching Mac somewhat anxiously.
Mac raised both eyebrows before her eyes took on a mischievous gleam. "Are you talking about the bubble bath or the
drive?"
For a split second Harm sat perfectly still, then leaned forward twirling an imaginary mustache and waggling his
eyebrows suggestively, "My dear Colonel... ," he purred in a truly horrendous French accent. The rest of Harm's
reply was lost when Tiner knocked on the doorframe and stuck his head in the office. "Colonel, the Admiral would
like to see you as soon as possible."
"Thank you, Tiner." Mac groaned inwardly and looked wryly at Harm. "Why isn't the Admiral asking for you on a
Friday afternoon?"
Harm placed a hand on his chest and proclaimed sonorously, "It is because, in my heart, I am pure..."
Mac rolled her eyes, "Give me a break. Why do I have this sinking feeling that my plans are about to change?"
Harm smiled sympathetically as he stood up, "Hey, if you need help just yell." He followed her out and watched her
walk over to the Admiral's office. Grinning to himself, he headed back to his office - the weekend was looking up.
Admiral Chegwidden's Office
1317 Local
After hearing 'Enter', Mac walked in and came to attention in front of the Admiral's desk. "Colonel MacKenzie,
reporting as ordered sir."
"Have a seat, Colonel," Admiral Chegwidden said as he shuffled through some papers on his desk. Finishing, he
laced his fingers together and regarded his Chief of Staff for a moment. Mac waited patiently, the Admiral
excelled at getting right to the point. "Colonel, are you acquainted with a Petty Officer Daniel Lattimer?"
"No sir, I don't believe so." Mac looked slightly puzzled.
"Well, apparently, he knows you. He's been arrested for drug possession with intent to distribute. He is refusing
to talk to anyone except you." AJ sighed. "He is... was... Admiral Jacobs' yeoman."
Mac's surprise showed. "Admiral Charles Jacobs of Naval Intelligence, sir?"
"That's the one," AJ replied, "Lattimer is currently being held at the brig in Quantico. Charlie's anxious to
get this cleared up, one way or the other. So... the sooner you get started, Colonel, the better."
"Aye aye, sir." Mac came to attention and at the Admiral's dismissal, pivoted smartly and left his office. "Damn,"
Mac thought to herself as she hurried back to her office to gather her things. Almost an hour drive to Quantico plus
a couple of hours to interview Lattimer (that name still didn't ring any bells), then another hour or so to come back
and start sorting through her notes. Well, maybe after she organized things she would just take the whole mess home.
That way, at least, she would still get her bubble bath and box of chocolate. Continuing that line of thought brought
her back to the earlier conversation with Harm. She smiled; she'd almost had him for a minute before he had countered
with his lecherous Frenchman imitation. God, that was the worst accent...
"If you're smiling, I guess your plans didn't take too bad a hit." Harm stood by her door, looking in.
"More like augmented," Mac said as she closed her briefcase and glanced around the office. "I get a preview of this
weekend's drive with a trip down to Quantico and back."
"Anything serious? I could rearrange my afternoon schedule if you think you'd like some backup." Harm offered. He
and Mac had always worked well together and after this past disastrous year, he welcomed opportunities to get their
friendship back on track.
"I don't think so, but thanks anyway. It's an alleged drug-dealing petty officer who apparently thinks I'm
SuperLawyer. He won't talk to anyone else." Mac grabbed her cover and purse and headed out the door. "I'll give
you a call tomorrow, if you're still interested," she said as she headed for the elevators. "You WERE talking
about the drive, weren't you?" She laughed lightly, one eyebrow quirked. The elevator doors closed, blocking her
view of a slightly bemused but smiling Harmon Rabb.
"You're looking smug, Commander." Harm turned to find Sturgis behind him.
"Why not?" Harm replied, "I'll be caught up with my paperwork in another couple hours. I've got the weekend off. By
the end of tonight, I'll be twenty bucks richer and now it looks like I've got plans with Mac tomorrow."
"You asked her for a date?" Sturgis asked, eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Uhhh, no, not exactly. She mentioned taking her 'vette for a drive through the countryside and I sort of invited
myself along. She didn't say no." Harm added, a little defensively.
"I see." Sturgis smiled and started back to his office. Midway, he stopped and turned around, "What do you mean
you'll be twenty bucks richer?"
"That's what you're going to owe me when Kansas kicks butt tonight," Harm grinned at his friend.
Quantico Brig
1427 Local
Mac turned away from the window as the guard brought PO Lattimer in. "Thank you, Corporal. Please wait outside."
She waited until he had stepped out before turning to Lattimer. "Well, Petty Officer, let's hear your side of the
story. And then perhaps, you can tell me why I was the only JAG you would talk with."
"It's not what it looks like, Colonel MacKenzie!" PO Lattimer blurted. "I was set up!"
Mac contained the urge to sigh. "Petty Officer, according to the arrest report, they found crystal meth in your
locker and small bag of amphetamines taped to the back of one of your desk drawers."
"Honest, Ma'am. I don't do drugs and I don't deal." Lattimer glanced around the room and lowered his voice. "I don't
know who to trust anymore, Colonel, that's why I asked for you. I saw you on CourtTV last year. I know you're only
interested in the truth."
Mac's face kept its calm facade while she silently cursed that miserable TV show and the SecNav who had gotten her
into it. "Exactly what truth are we talking about?"
"I've been Admiral Jacobs' yeoman for almost two years," Lattimer began. "About 7 months ago, I was reorganizing
data on the computer when I came across an odd file. Well, actually it was a partial file, like there had been a
system glitch and a copy was generated without someone realizing it."
"Lattimer," Mac interrupted, "Is there a point in here somewhere and what does this have to do with the drugs?"
PO Lattimer flushed, "Ma'am, the thing is I'm kind of a computer geek and this file made me curious. I started
trying to reconstruct it in my spare time. ...Have you ever heard of 'Archangel'?"
Mac shook her head, "Is there some reason I would?"
"Well, no, but neither had I. Colonel, almost everything that goes on in Naval Intelligence is cleared through
Admiral Jacobs and comes across my desk. Not details or anything, mostly overviews and general memorandum.
'Archangel' had been going on for a while and apparently not within channels. Once I had figured out what to
look for, I started to... uh..."
"Snoop?"
PO Lattimer winced and if possible, looked even more nervous. "Yes Ma'am." He paused for second and then said in a
rush, "Ma'am, did you know that Admiral Jacobs hates people of Arabic descent and especially the Palestinians?"
"That's enough!" Mac was on her feet and leaning over the table towards the Petty Officer. Coldly furious, she
continued in a deadly quiet tone, "You called me down here so you could accuse a senior officer, a highly
decorated, widely respected, senior officer of being a bigot? Do you somehow imagine that this would mitigate
the drug charges? Or are you going to threaten to make this public in order to gain leverage? Either way, you've
picked the wrong attorney!"
"No, Colonel! Please, you've got to listen. Someone else has know, has to stop them. They know I know, they're
going to kill me!"
It was the desperate fear on the Petty Officer's face that made Mac slowly sit back down. "Go on."
"Ma'am, 'Archangel' is not only a covert operation but also a network. Admiral Jacobs is part of it, but there's
more and they're scattered across the services and the government agencies. They think the only way to stabilize the
Middle East is for the United States to control it and the first step is the eradication of the Palestinians. They're
trying to manipulate the Israelis into doing it for them. Every time a peace initiative looks like it might have a
chance, they sabotage it. That ship the Israelis grabbed that was filled with weapons? That wasn't Arafat, it was
'Archangel'."
"Lattimer, no one's going to believe this without some sort of evidence. I'm not sure I believe it." Mac stared
at the Petty Officer. "You're telling me this Archangel network has people throughout the intelligence community,
as well as the military? And they're out to overthrow the Middle East? Can you prove any of this?"
"I can't prove everything, but I've found enough files to substantiate a lot of what I told you. It's all copied
on a CD that I've hidden." Lattimer wiped a nervous hand across his face. "Last week, I made a mistake. I
mentioned an incident in front of Admiral Jacobs that I should have had no way of knowing. He didn't react
and I thought, maybe, he didn't realize what I'd said. Three days ago, I became aware I was being followed. I
got really scared; I figured that at some point soon I was going to have a 'lethal' accident. So, I contacted a
guy I knew from college and bought the drugs. Then I paid him extra to call in an anonymous tip to the military
police. They showed up yesterday, found the drugs and arrested me. The Admiral stood and watched the whole thing
and then went back in his office. He never said a word."
Disbelief washed across Mac's face. "Now you're telling me you set yourself up? These are felony charges, Petty
Officer. They're not going to go away. What were you thinking? Do you realize that your credibility just went into
the toilet? This story is already unbelievable and now it will look like a drugged-out sailor trying to shift
attention away from himself and get revenge against a superior officer."
"Oh God," Lattimer slumped down in the chair with his head in his hands. "I was terrified, I still am. I don't
want to die. I didn't know where to go and then I thought if I was in the brig, at least I'd have guards around
me." He looked up, "Please Ma'am, tell me you believe me. These people have to be stopped."
"I don't know," Mac answered frankly. "I think I need to see evidence before I make any decisions. Where do I find
this CD?"
Lattimer looked undecided for a moment, then sighed. "I guess I can't ask for more at this point. There's a hardcover
book about Napoleon Bonaparte in the bottom righthand drawer of my desk. Peel the paper away from the inside back
cover, it's in there."
Mac stood up and began gathering her notes. "Alright, Lattimer. I'll stop by your office on my way back to JAG. If
anyone asks, I'll just say you asked me to bring you something to read and mentioned the book. Then I'll see about
transferring you to the brig in DC. I would guess you'd rather I didn't try to get you released?"
"No thank you, Ma'am," Lattimer said as Mac walked to the door to summon the guard. "Oh, and Colonel? Please be
very careful."
Part 2
NIS
1735 Local
It took twenty minutes of "No-I'm-Not-An-Enemy-Spy" before Mac was (reluctantly, she thought) escorted to PO Lattimer's
desk. She sat down for a minute to try and get feel for the Petty Officer and his work habits. Besides, it so
obviously annoyed the arrogant, young Lieutenant who was accompanying her. Well, patience was a necessary skill
for someone in Intelligence; he might as well start learning that now. After waiting another minute, she reached
down and opened the righthand drawer. It contained a number of books and CDs, as well as a portable CD player.
Deciding it would draw less attention, Mac grabbed three books, a handful of CDs and the player.
"I don't think you're allowed to remove any of that," stated the Lieutenant, somewhat pompously. "This is a
crime scene."
"Why, thank you Lieutenant," Mac calmly replied in a tone she usually reserved for elderly dogs and small
children, "But I believe the MPs have already secured the evidence."
"Well, I'm pretty sure none of this is supposed to leave the building. It's a matter of security," the Lieutenant
persisted with a slight edge to his voice. As far as he was concerned, there were too many chair-warming, paper-pushing,
SOB lawyers in the service. He didn't think of them as being real military; they'd probably cry or wet their
pants if they ever heard a shot fired in anger. No doubt they received their commissions based on the number
of military personnel they railroaded into Leavenworth. Now here was this female, pseudo-Marine light bird
taking up his valuable time.
"I see," Mac gazed at the Lieutenant for a long moment. Then standing up, she continued, her voice becoming
colder. "I presume that you'll be able to show me the regulation that states that an attorney can't collect a
client's requested personal items after a crime scene is released? Then perhaps you can show me the policy
change here at NIS that allows a junior officer to ignore military courtesy? I would hate to think that you
took it upon yourself to be disrespectful. ... Although, I suppose I could excuse your behavior due to a lack
of intelligence. So which is it, Lieutenant? Policy or stupidity?" By now, Mac was in the Lieutenant's face and
he was braced at attention. "I'm waiting."
"My apologies, Ma'am. No excuse." Tightly controlled anger was evident in the Lieutenant's face. 'Who the hell
did SHE think she was?'
"Lieutenant," Mac said, quietly, looking him in the eye, "If you're hoping for a long and successful career in
Intelligence work, I would suggest you forego making snap judgments based on personal prejudices. It will
someday get you, or those around you, killed. Then find a master chief who would be willing to teach you how
to play poker. You're too easily and obviously provoked."
"I agree completely, Colonel."
Mac turned to find Admiral Jacobs standing in the entryway. She popped to attention, "Lt. Col. MacKenzie of the
Judge Advocate General, sir."
"As you were." Admiral Jacobs said, walking into the room. "Lieutenant, why don't you bring me a cup of coffee?
Black, two sugars - take about five minutes. So, Colonel, I assume you've agreed to defend Danny... PO Lattimer?
What are his chances?"
"Yes sir." Mac replied. "Sir, at this point, I'm still putting all the facts together but I'd have to say, at the
very least, he's probably out of the Navy."
"Damn. I suppose he told you he's been my yeoman for the last two years? I have to admit, I didn't see this coming."
The Admiral regarded Mac solemnly. "If you need me as a character witness, I'd be more than happy to help."
"Thank you, sir. I still need to review all my notes before I formulate a strategy. Then, perhaps, we can arrange
an interview at your convenience."
"Just give me a day's notice, Colonel. So, was there a reason for your visit to NIS or did you just feel the need
to put some arrogant young pup in his place?" The Admiral's craggy eyebrows lifted in amusement.
Mac flushed slightly. "I apologize Admiral, if I overstepped my bounds. PO Lattimer asked me if I would bring him
something to read. He said he kept some books in his desk. I just went ahead and grabbed the CDs and the
player, too."
Admiral Jacobs waved a hand in dismissal and smiled. "Everything you said was true, Colonel. Besides, hopefully
it will do the young man good to realize that some... ahhh... 'legal weenies'... have teeth." He walked to the
desk and glanced over his shoulder. "Are these the books?"
"Yes sir." Mac carefully maintained her composure.
The Admiral casually fanned through the pages of each book and looked at the CDs. "I've read the book on Napoleon.
Fascinating, are you interested in military history?"
"I lean more towards paleontology, sir." At the questioning look by the Admiral, Mac continued, "I grew up out
west, not far from some fossil beds. I was hooked at an early age."
At that moment, the Lieutenant returned with the Admiral's coffee. Thanking him, the Admiral turned back to
Mac, "Tell Danny I'm thinking of him and give my regards to AJ, he tells me you're one of the best."
"Thank you sir, I will." Mac popped to attention again, "Permission to leave, sir?"
"Granted. Lieutenant, after you've escorted the Colonel to her car, come back up to my office."
"Yes sir." Mac gathered all the items and followed a chastened Lieutenant out of the building.
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, VA
1850 Local
Mac sat in her office and contemplated her notes. She had closed her door as soon as she had returned; it was her
'Do Not Disturb Without A Damn Good Reason' sign. She had given the whole matter a lot of thought on the drive
back. After giving Lattimer the benefit of the doubt, she had decided that a healthy dose of paranoia would be a
good thing. At the moment, all the notes and briefs on her desk and computer dealt only with the drug charges,
everything else was back in her briefcase. Glancing out at the bullpen, she saw that it was nearly deserted.
Harm and Bud were both already gone when she returned. They had actually left on time so they could get over to
Sturgis' by tip-off. Mac smiled and picked up the note she had found attached to her computer screen. It was a
cartoon of a 'vette zooming down the road and the words: 'Wish I was here.' Definitely Rabb's handiwork, she'd
call him in the morning and roust him out of bed.
Sighing, she returned her attention to her desk. "Stop stalling," Mac chided herself. She knew once she looked at
the CD, there would be no turning back. Mac tried to suppress the uneasy feeling that she was already irrevocably
caught up in this; her instincts were telling her that Lattimer was indeed telling the truth. Inadvertently, she
scanned the bullpen again. 'Stop it!' Picking up the book, she opened it to the back and ran her hand down the
inside cover. The Petty Officer had done a good job; there was no way to tell that a CD was secreted there.
Staring at it for a moment longer, Mac came to a quick decision. She'd do this at home on her laptop. As long
as she stayed off the internet, there was no way for anyone to hack into her files. Stuffing the book into her
briefcase, she gathered everything else, left her office and nearly jumped out of her skin when the Admiral
suddenly appeared.
"Easy, Colonel," Admiral Chegwidden said with a slight smile, the SEAL in him was always pleased at successful
ambushes, even the unintentional ones.
"I thought you had left for the day, sir," Mac managed to get out. Her heart was beating wildly. 'Pull it
together, Marine!'
"No rest for the wicked," AJ wondered at the reaction that remark caused, then continued smoothly, giving his
normally unflappable Chief of Staff time to recover, "How is the Petty Officer's case looking?" What in the world
had her so flustered? Rabb had left hours ago...
"Not that good at the moment, Admiral. It looks like the prosecution will have a pretty solid case." Mac replied
in what she hoped was a normal tone.
"Is everything all right, Mac?" AJ asked carefully. He didn't want to leap to any conclusions, not after his
last brilliant attempt when he ran off her appointment and then accused her of matchmaking. She hadn't exactly
dressed him down - Rank Hath Its Privileges - but he wasn't anxious to repeat his mistakes.
"Fine, sir. It's been a long week, I'm tired and, apparently, a little jumpy." Mac said with a small smile. She
couldn't quite bring herself to mention the bombshell PO Lattimer had dropped on her - not yet anyway, not without
proof. 'For god's sake, MacKenzie, this is one of the few people you trust implicitly. Straighten up or he's going
to think you belong in the pysch ward at Bethesda.'
"Then I assume you've decided to call it a day?"
"Yes sir."
They walked over to the elevator together. "You aren't planning to work through the weekend, are you? Or do I need
to make that an order?" AJ said with an amused look on his face.
"That won't be necessary, sir. Actually, Commander Rabb and I are planning to take a drive in the country if the
weather holds." Mac winced mentally, 'Good move, now you're babbling to your CO about your personal life.'
"I... see," AJ kept the laughter out of his voice with difficulty. He looked over at his Chief of Staff who was
staring stoically at the elevator, apparently trying to make the doors open with willpower alone. Deciding to give
her a break, he added, "Charlie... Admiral Jacobs called me this afternoon. You made quite an impression on him. He
said if you ever got tired of being a 'legal weenie', he'd be happy to have you over with NIS." AJ glanced at the
elevator as the doors opened and missed Mac visibly tensing at Admiral Jacobs' name.
Forcing herself to relax, Mac replied, "That's flattering, sir, but I don't think I'm cut out for the cloak and
dagger business." Stepping into the elevator, she turned and looked at the Admiral, "Good night, sir. I'll see
you Monday."
Walking across the parking lot, Mac got into her corvette and dumped everything in the passenger seat. She
started the car and then sat there for a minute. That uneasy feeling was back, the same one she used to get
in the desert just before a thunderstorm... or late on Friday nights when her father was due home. Shaking
her head, she decided to make a few stops on the way home.
Mac's Apartment
Georgetown
1940 Local
Entering her apartment, Mac put her briefcase and various packages on her desk. Stepping into the kitchen, she
stuck the Chinese take-out in the microwave and put the tea kettle on the stove to boil. Then stopping in the
bedroom and getting out of her uniform, she pulled on some comfortable sweats and walked back to her desk. Opening
her briefcase, Mac pulled out 'Napoleon Bonaparte' and placed it to the side. She started up her laptop and then
removed the rest of the files. Hearing the kettle start to whistle, Mac grabbed the book and headed for the kitchen.
She had decided to try to steam the back inside cover off. Holding it gingerly over the tea kettle, Mac smiled
wryly. She had no idea if this would work - her only reference was that it always did in the movies. Hopefully,
it wouldn't damage the disk (wouldn't that be perfect... ). Five minutes later, still somewhat amazed, she was
holding the CD. It had been enclosed in a thin, vinyl envelope. With considerable trepidation, Mac walked over
and sat down at her laptop.