0300 Hours ZULU
West of Belem, Brazil
Andy's attention was focused on the handheld device that resembled a common GPS - which is how they had gotten it through customs. Andy had joked with the humorless guards that he was afraid of getting lost in the jungle and needed the GPS to prevent that from happening.
Now, studying the screen, Andy followed Ramon and Harm, just ahead of Victor. "Anything yet, Andy?" Harm asked.
"Nothing."
"Perhaps we are not close enough?" Ramon suggested.
"This thing has a fifty mile range," Andy explained.
Ramon stopped on the path and held up his hand. "Listen."
They all stopped and after a moment Harm heard noises. Male voices, the sound of machetes cutting through undergrowth. Turning to the others, Harm indicated silently that they should move off of the path and hide. Victor got the message easily, but had to grab Andy's arm and pull him into the bushes and onto his stomach.
Harm and Ramon ended up on one side of the path, watching as booted feet moved down the path, several of them angrily muttered about the futility of their search. When one of the men mentioned a name, Harm's eyes widened in alarm and unconsciously sought some sign of Victor across the way. If he'd heard correctly, then they had a bigger problem than they had first thought they had.
They remained where they were for several minutes after the group passed by them, making sure they wouldn't be overheard or that they didn't have stragglers bringing up the rear. Speaking quietly, Harm asked Victor, "Did you hear what they said?"
Victor nodded, his expression solemn. "Yes, sir. One of them mentioned Saddiq."
"Damn," Harm said.
"Hey, guys," Andy said, staring at the receiver. "I have something."
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"Which way are we heading this time?" Beth asked Keeter. She saw him look around for a moment, as if trying to get his bearings.
Finally he pointed. "That way."
"We just came from there, Jack," she told him. Putting out a hand, she tried to touch his forehead, but he pulled away. "I need to see if you're still running a fever."
"I'm fine," he insisted, slowly levering himself up and leaning heavily on his crutch. "Let's go. We'll go northeast this time." He took one step - and fell forward onto his face.
"Jack!" Beth called, kneeling beside him and gently turning him over. "Jack?"
"Go on. Tell - tell Harm that I'm - sorry."
"I'm not going to tell him anything," Beth insisted. "Because I'm staying here with you."
"You need to get back to Lucy."
"We'll *both* get back. You just need to rest a little longer, that's all."
"My leg feels like it's on fire, Beth. I'm running a high fever and can't even stand up."
"Perhaps we could be of help."
Beth gasped and gave the man a grateful smile. "Thank goodness you're here," she said, hoping to bluff him. "My friend and I were out hiking and he hurt himself. If you could get us to a hospital or a doctor -"
"Where is your guide?" the man asked. "You're obviously not locals and only locals travel through the jungle without a guide."
"He went for help," Beth lied. "But that was late last night and we decided not to wait any longer."
"I think you and your friend parachuted out of a C-130 just before it crashed in a ball of flame."
Beth laughed. "A what? Neither of us likes to fly. We -"
"Please do not insult my intelligence, miss. You will come with us."
Beth immediately went for her weapon inside of her backpack, only to freeze as she saw three rifles pointed in her direction. "I have orders to return you both alive if possible." Beth's hand brushed the transponder, pressing the button to activate it before she pulled her hand out and raised it as one of the men took her backpack from her, slinging it over his shoulder.
The man spoke to the men with him, and they helped Keeter to his feet.
"His leg is broken," Beth told them.
"He will be fine - for now," the man told her, "How long he remains that way depends on what he can tell my employer about who you and he are here. Let's go."
"You're making a mistake," Beth insisted. "We're just tourists -"
The man grabbed her arm, pushing her forward. "Then you will have to convince my employer of that when you speak to him. If he will listen."
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"Wait a minute," Andy said, stopping on the path. "This can't be right."
"What?" Harm asked.
"The signal's moving now."
"Moving?" Victor questioned.
"Then something's wrong. Keeter and Beth wouldn't leave it on if they were on the move," Harm insisted. "What direction?"
Andy pointed to the west. "In that direction."
"Ramon, what's in that direction?"
"Only a few small haciendas. Including that of Miguel Garcia."
"You think they were captured?" Victor asked Harm.
"Either that or one of them is seriously injured," Andy surmised.
"If that was the case, they wouldn't be heading *back*," Victor pointed out. "They'd be going toward Belem for help."
Harm didn't comment on either possibility. "Let's go. Keep your eyes and ears open."
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0400 Hours ZULU
Garcia Hacienda
"Who are you?" the man asked as he stood over Beth and Keeter. Beth didn't think she'd ever seen such cruel eyes.
"I'm Beth O'Neil. This is Jack Keeter. We're tourists," Beth insisted.
"Without passports? Or any identification?" he replied.
"We were afraid to take it with us in case we lost it. It's in our hotel room in Belem."
"What hotel?" the man asked.
That stumped Beth, and when she hesitated, the man sneered. "Come now. Surely you know the name of the hotel where you and your friend are staying."
"What does it matter? We're Americans who are here exploring. We've done nothing wrong and my friend needs medical attention. The men who found us said that he would get help. And I demand to talk to -"
"You have no rights here, Miss O'Neil," he declared, his eyes glittering. "Except those that I deign to give you."
"And who *are* you?" she asked, feeling Keeter move restlessly beside her, worrying that he might wake up and try something foolish that would get him or both of them killed.
"Saddiq Faad," he told her. "I'm sure you know the name."
Beth did know the name. She'd heard it often enough in briefings and from Harm. But she kept her face from revealing that knowledge. "No. I've never heard it."
"You do not lie well, *Beth*. Your eyes give you away. Perhaps we will do something for your friend after all." He gave a signal to the men standing near the door. "Take him."
"Where are you taking him?" Beth asked, blocking their approach as another man came into the room with the transponder, speaking to Saddiq who showed the device to Beth.
"This was turned on when my men found it in your belongings. It is a tracking device isn't it?"
"I don't know. I've never seen it before." Keeter was starting to moan, and Beth knew she didn't have much time.
"They why was it in your belongings, woman?" Saddiq demanded to know. "It will not matter if someone comes to rescue you. They will find you dead and then they will join you."
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"The signal's gone, Harm," Andy said. "But it was static for some time before that happened."
"Where?" Harm asked, stopping to take out the map so that Andy could pinpoint the location using the coordinates from the transponder.
"Here," Andy said, pointing to a spot on the map.
"And we are -?" Victor prompted, causing Andy to look at the indicator again before showing them the spot where they were standing.
Ramon nodded. "They were taken to Garcia's hacienda. We are not far from there - but it is heavily guarded."
"We'll manage," Harm said. "Andy, I need you and Ramon to go back to Belem. Contact Papa Bear and let him know what's going on. Tell him that we believe that our old friend from the Chaco Boreal is here as well. We'll meet you back there."
"You and Victor are going in alone?" Andy asked.
"We did it once," Harm reminded him, and Victor nodded.
"We make a pretty good team. Head straight for Belem, Ramon. We'll follow as soon as we get Beth and Keeter out."
Andy still hesitated. "You two take care. It would be a shame to break up the team so early in the going. I'm just getting used to having two loudmouth jet jocks around."
"We'll see you back in Belem before nightfall," Harm promised, shaking Andy's hand. "Come on, Gunny. Let's go get this done."
They went toward the Garcia hacienda, and once they were far enough away, Victor asked, "Why'd you send them back to Belem?"
"Andy's not trained for a mission like this," Harm said.
"I'm sure he's had some training."
"He's an aeronautical engineer, Gunny. And besides, if we don't get back, I want someone on the outside to know that Saddiq was here." He gave the other man a curious glance. "Don't think we can do it?"
"Didn't say that. Just curious as to how far we're going to take this."
"What do you mean?" Harm asked, keeping his expression neutral.
"Are just going to get Beth and Jack - or are you planning on trying to take out Saddiq, too?"
"I hadn't thought about it. First thing we have to do is get those two out of there. Then we'll see."
################################################################
Beth paced the small room, frustrated that she hadn't been able to stop them from taking the just awakening Jack with them. She had managed to ignore his screams that began a few minutes later, but now the silence was fraying her nerves even more. Was he dead, or had he simply lost consciousness again?
When the door opened suddenly, Beth turned in fear, gasping as two of Saddiq's goons dragged Jack back into the room and dropped him onto the floor before leaving. Beth knelt beside him. "Jack?" His face was cut where they had hit him - probably repeatedly, and she could smell burning flesh. His shoes were gone - and she noticed burn marks on his ankles. "Jack, talk to me."
"Think Lucy's mind if I share her angel?" he asked slowly, as if the effort to speak was painful. He took a deep breath and gasped, placing a hand to his side. "At least I don't feel my leg anymore."
"You can save him," Saddiq said from where he had suddenly appeared in the doorway. "Tell me what he would not. Who you really are and why you were in that airplane."
"Even if we tell you what you want to hear, you'll still kill us," Keeter said. "We have no guarantee that you'd left us live."
"No, you have guarantee about anything," Saddiq agreed. "I could kill you here, now."
"Then do it," Beth said. "Because we won't lie to you just to save our lives."
"I will do just that - but first I will give you the same chance to talk as I gave your friend," Saddiq informed her, calling his men in. They grabbed Beth's arms. To Keeter, Saddiq said, "Perhaps you will be moved to speak when you hear her screams."
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"I wonder where they're being held?" Harm said as he and Victor surveyed the compound from nearby.
Victor pointed to a small building. "That one. There are several armed guards around it - someone's coming out."
Harm felt an eerie sense of déjà vu when he saw Beth's red hair as Saddiq's men pulled her toward another building and shoved her inside. "You go for Beth. Keeter's probably in that cabin."
"What about a distraction?" Victor asked.
Harm indicated a third building, this one larger. "I'll be willing to bet that's a storage facility for drugs and weapons. I'm sure I can find something there to create enough of a diversion so that we can get this done. Give me a couple of minutes to get something going. At the first sign that I've succeeded, get to Beth."
"Will do, sir."
Harm circled the compound, running into two guards, both of which he was able to sneak up on and grab, twisting their heads sharply. He deliberately ignored the sound, knowing that once this was done, he'd have to face up to it. But at the moment, he couldn't afford the luxury of reflection. He had a job to do.
The jungle went right up to the back of the building, and Harm ducked low until he found a window that he could look through. It was dirty and hard to see through, but he was able to see the explosives stacked against one wall - along with what appeared to be more Stinger missiles.
Saddiq was one determined SOB, Harm realized. Stepping back, he pointed his weapon at the explosives and fired off two quick rounds - causing a fireball that engulfed most of the building and creating secondary explosions.
Rolling, Harm made his way to the cabin and found Keeter sitting beside the wall, looking like he'd been on a ten days survival course instead of less than twenty-four hours. "Keeter!"
"Harm. I told her you'd come for me, buddy. She didn't believe -" Keeter's words fell off as he looked past Harm to the door.
Harm turned, his weapon ready - not surprised to find Saddiq Faad standing there, fire in his dark eyes. "Infidel!" he declared, raising his own weapon toward Harm. "You are the one who destroyed my plans in the Chaco Boreal. I've been waiting for this moment -" Suddenly he smiled and the weapon lowered - until it was pointing at Keeter. "I will kill your friend first - and then you. Allah will be victorious."
Harm dropped his weapon and stepped in front of Keeter. "You don't have a fight with him. You do with me." He stood there, arms out, waiting. "So do it. Get your pound of flesh. I won't stop you."
Saddiq's eyes narrowed, as if suspecting a trick of some kind, but they remained on Harm as he moved across toward the window. "He might not," Keeter said as he pointed Harm's discarded weapon at the terrorist, "but I will." He fired once - hitting Saddiq directly between the eyes.
Victor and Beth appeared in the doorway as Saddiq fell, and Harm checked his pulse. "He's dead," he confirmed as Victor and Beth helped Keeter to his feet. "Let's get out of here. That whole shed's liable to blow up and when it does, it's going to take the outbuildings with it."
They found an old, battered Land Rover and after some coaxing, the engine started and Gunny drove down the narrow jungle road, heading east, as fast as he could go. Beth, sitting in back with Keeter, smiled as he spoke. "You owe me twenty, O'Neil."
"I don't have it with me," she told him. "But you'll get it."
"Why does she owe you twenty, Keeter?" Harm asked, turning around to look at his old friend.
"She didn't believe you'd come down here to get us. Figured the Company would say no. I told her she didn't know you as well as she thought if she believed that would stop you."
"They did say no at first," Victor confirmed. "But Harm convinced Deputy Director Kershaw that it was in their best interest to let us do it."
"First things first. We need to get Jack to a doctor. His leg's broken. And after Saddiq's men tortured him -"
"We'll find a doctor. And by this time tomorrow, we'll be home."
"Thanks, buddy," Keeter said, putting a hand on Harm's shoulder. "I owe you another one."
"Hey. I owe you. I'm just glad you picked up on what I wanted to do when I dropped the gun."
"You *dropped* your weapon, sir?" Victor asked. "With Saddiq Faad in the room?"
"It was the only way to make him think he was safe. He thought Keeter was worse than he was, and I was unarmed."
"You're crazy," Beth declared. "You're *both* certifiable."
################################################################
Two days later
Mac's Apartment
Georgetown
Harm waited for the door to be answered, the files that Mac had left at his place in hand. He wasn't really surprised when Clayton Webb opened the door.
"Rabb. What do you want?"
"Who is it, Clay?" Mac asked, coming into view, obviously just about to leave and have dinner out, if the tight black dress she was wearing was any indication. "Harm. Come in."
"No. I'm expected somewhere. I just wanted to drop these off." He gave her the files. "The Imes cases. I made notes on each one. And I wanted to tell you that Saddiq Faad is dead. I'm sure Webb will get the details tomorrow and share what he can with you." He started to turn away, then hesitated long enough to add, "You're beautiful. Bye."
He was almost at the stairs when he heard her door open again and she appeared. "Harm," she said, moving toward him. "I think we should talk."
Harm laughed, shaking his head. "About what?"
"Us."
"You're the one who said there was never going to be an 'us', remember?" he reminded her in a firm tone. "And even if you hadn't, there's still not an 'us'. You have someone else now. And I'm sure he's not happy about having to wait in your apartment while you talk to me."
"I never meant that we weren't still friends," Mac insisted. "Please? Lunch? We could meet at JAG, and -"
"No. I'm not quite ready for that. I'll call."
"You haven't yet."
"I will. After my next mission."
"Okay." Her apartment door opened, and Webb appeared.
"Sarah, we're going to be late for our reservation -"
"I have to go. Be careful?"
"Always."
Harm turned toward the stairs, aware that they were probably right behind him. For the first time since he'd known her, he realized that he wasn't going to keep a promise to Mac. He wouldn't call. Being just friends with her was something he wasn't ready for yet, either.
Taking out his cell phone, Harm dialed a number. "Hey . . . Yeah. I know I'm late. I'm on my way . . . Really? Well, tell Lucy that she wait a little longer and give me fifteen minutes?" He laughed. Lucy, Beth's partner, had insisted on treating Victor and him to dinner this evening. And he thought it was just what he needed to take his mind off of his problems. "On my way," he promised, slipping behind the steering wheel of the Vette.
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Chateau Rive
Arlington, Virginia
"This is a nice restaurant," Harm noted as they sat waiting for their meal to come out of the kitchen.
"One of the owners is an old college friend," the blonde haired, blue-eyed Lucy told him. "She owes me for helping her get through calculus."
"She took calculus and now owns a restaurant?"
"She started out to be an engineer," she said, grinning. "Talk about a disaster. But she's a fantastic cook."
"Uh oh," Beth muttered. "Don't look now, Harm, but Col. Mackenzie and Clayton Webb just walked in."
"Great," Harm sighed, picking up his glass of wine and taking a drink. "Which way are they heading?"
"This way," she said, and reached over to cover his hand with hers, talking under her breath to Lucy, "Play along, Lucy."
"Won't be necessary, Beth," Harm insisted, pulling his hand free and smiling as Mac and Webb stopped beside the table.
"We meet again."
"So we do," Harm said.
"Hello, Gunny," Mac said. "Ma'am. Mr. Webb."
"I heard you retired and went to work with Blaisdell's bunch, Victor. Anytime you'd rather do real field work again, just let me know."
"I think I'm happy where I am," Victor said.
Mac nodded at Beth. "Miss O'Neil."
"Beth, remember, Colonel?"
"And this is Lucy Davis," Harm told Mac. "Beth's partner."
Beth smiled as the realization dawned in Mac's eyes. "Don't ask - *that's* what all that was about?"
Harm smiled as well. "Slow on the uptake, Colonel. Need to work on that."
Lucy smiled warmly at Mac as Beth completed the introductions. "It's nice to meet you, Col. Mackenzie. Mr. Webb."
Harm saw the hostess hovering. "I think your table's ready."
He watched as Webb placed a hand on Mac's arm to guide her through the tables to theirs, and then released the breath he'd been holding. "I'm sorry, Harm," Lucy apologized, putting her hand on his arm.
"It's not your fault that they decided to come here of all places. It's okay. I can pretend they're not here. What were we talking about?"
"Lucy's college friend," Victor reminded him. "The one who was going to be an engineer and became a chef?"
"Go ahead and laugh, Victor," Lucy admonished. "Because you won't once you're tasted her cooking."
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Gina Camparelli was a dark haired, dark eyed petite woman who greeted Lucy with an effusive hug. "I'd be jealous if I didn't know you were straight, Gina," Beth said with a grin.
"Then I'll just hug you, too, Beth," Gina decided, and proceeded to do so. She smiled politely at Harm when they were introduced, but practically glowed when Beth made the introduction to Victor. "I hope you two aren't together -" she said, glancing at Harm and Victor, causing both men to redden in embarrassment.
"No," Victor assured her as Lucy and Beth both laughed at their discomfort.
"Not at all," Harm agreed.
"Good," Gina said. "Because I was hoping to talk Victor into having dinner with me on Monday evening, since it's my only real night off."
"Sure. I'll have to let you know. I - never know for sure if I'll be in town -"
"Don't tell me you work with Beth, don't you?"
"Fraid so."
"Oh, well. I'll just have to adjust, I suppose." She grabbed a napkin and wrote down a number. "Call me when you know something for sure. How was dinner, by the way?"
"Excellent," Harm assured her.
"Not bad," was Victor's answer. "For an engineering major."
Gina swatted him playfully on the shoulder. "I have to get back to the kitchen. Enjoy your evening."
The remainder of the evening was spent teasing Victor about his reaction to Gina and hers to him. Harm joined in, but he was slowly beginning to think that he was the only person in the room without a partner - or a potential partner. Everywhere he looked, people were paired off. A quick glance in the direction of Mac and Webb's table confirmed that pairing as they were leaning together, talking softly.
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The next morning, Harm, with no mission on the horizon, stopped by to see Keeter in the hospital before driving out to Blacksburg. Flying always cleared the cobwebs and right now, he felt like there were a lot of them that needed to be cleared.
The battered pick up truck he'd seen before was sitting outside of the hangar, so he went to the office, intending to let Mattie know he was going to take 'Sarah' up for a few minutes, but when he saw her sitting at the desk, bent over a stack of papers, he could sense there was something wrong. "Hi, there," he said, and she jumped, looking up at him with surprise that changed into a delighted smile.
"Hi yourself. You're here early today. And two times in one week. That's unusual. Decided to take me up on my job offer, I hope?"
"Sorry. Still have another job. I was going to take the Stearman up for awhile," he said, watching as she pushed the papers into a drawer and closed it. "Is everything okay, Mattie? You seem - upset."
"Everything's fine," she said. "Really. I just need to get my dad to talk to some of the clients to get what we're owed so we can pay some bills."
"I can pay for my hangar space now," he told her, reaching for his checkbook, but Mattie shook her head.
"I wasn't talking about you."
"I'll still pay. What do I owe?"
Mattie gave him a figure, almost wincing. "If that's too much -"
"No. I think it's more than fair," Harm assured her, writing the check. "You know, I'm surprised I haven't seen your father around more."
"He's usually passed out on the sofa," Mattie told him, taking the check. "Thanks."
"My pleasure. Your dad drinks?"
"Does a fish swim?" she countered. "That's why my mom's dead!" He saw her wince as she realized what she'd said.
"Mattie, is your dad running this place at all?"
"Not really," she admitted slowly.
"What about school?"
"I don't need school," she said, moving past him to head for one of the crop dusters in the hangar. "I know what I need to know. My mom left this place to me. Just like she left the house to me. I don't need my dad around screwing things up, okay?"
"You're wrong about school. I think I should talk to your dad -"
"You can't. He's - out of town."
Harm saw the panic in her eyes. "I thought you said he was passed out on the sofa?"
"Okay," Mattie said, turning to look at him. "Truth? He took off after mom's funeral."
"He abandoned you?"
"No, he left me with relatives. *His* relatives. People who only wanted me around as a free babysitter or ignored me or got *too* friendly. I can take care of myself. I can drive and I have a place to live."
"How long's he been gone?"
"Six months."
"Mattie, that's not good. You're only fourteen years old."
"Almost fifteen," she pointed out. "I guess you're going to turn me in, aren't you?"
"I should. But I'm going to do whatever I can do to help. Other than crop dusting. I can write some letters to your clients and creditors as your attorney and then I'll see if we can't find a more permanent solution to a place for you to stay. If I were home more, I'd consider filing to become your guardian."
"You don't have to do all of this, Harm. I don't expect -"
"I know. But I want to. You want to go flying?"
"Now?" she asked.
Ten minutes later, they were airborne, and Harm was smiling, finally feeling as though he had someone in his life. Okay, so maybe she was a fourteen-year-old girl, but she needed him. And right now, that was important.
The End