Author: Rising Sun
E-mail: jag@lucianstuff.every1.net
FF Updates: jagrslc-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
URL: http://www.geocities.com/jagrslc
Rated: PG-13
Classification: JAG Story/Adventure
Summary:
You get there you win your life. We
catch you then you loose your life.
Disclaimer: JAG characters portrayed belong to JAG, CBS and Paramount Television. No copyright infringement intended. All other characters depicted are purely fictional and any similarities to actual people are purely coincidental.
100 Center Street belongs to A&E TV. No copyright infringement intended. All other characters depicted are purely fictional and any similarities to actual people are purely coincidental.
The Jerry Springer Show belongs to ???. No copyright infringement intended. All other characters depicted are purely fictional and any similarities to actual people are purely coincidental.
Performing in this saga:
Kate Bush sings “The Hounds of Love”
Feedback: Would be nice.
Credits:
http://greenwichmeantime.com/info/timezone.htm
http://www.galleryofguns.com
Story Written October 2001
It’s in the trees!
It’s
coming!
Afraid
of what might be
Hiding
in the dark hiding in the street
And the
world was dark and bleak
The hounds of love are hunting me
SUNDAY - 1300 LOCAL
DOLPHIN MALL, MIAMI, FLORIDA
Mac was mall crawling.
She had needed a break from the case she was working on and a look round the mall seemed like a good thing to do. That had been mistake number one. She was now loaded down with bags for it seemed every store had a sale that she could not resist. Her excuse was that Little AJ needed this and Harm had mentioned that he wanted that… and wasn’t Harriett looking for that very item? The result was that she was broke. Well almost broke.
She headed for the bathroom.
Mistake number two.
======================================
1300 LOCAL
DOLPHIN MALL, LADIES TOILETS
There was one other woman in the room when a pile of bags with two legs entered the toilet facilities. It was Mac. She peeped round her load and aimed for the miraculously empty booth. How she would cope in the booth she would decide once she navigated her way there.
She never got there.
As she walked past the only other occupant Mac felt a hand grab her from behind. The spilt second it took for her to realize what was happening and to drop her load so as to defend herself it was all over. Mac lay unconscious on the floor.
======================================
TWENTY-FOUR HOURS LATER (MONDAY)
1800 LOCAL
JAG HQ, FALLS CHURCH, VA
“Tiner!” AJ swung his office door open causing the Petty Officer to have a near coronary.
“Yes sir.” Tiner jumped up and snapped to.
“When was the last time you heard from Colonel Rabb!”
“Friday sir, round 1800 eastern sir.”
“Its 1800 now Tiner get her on the phone!”
“Aye sir.” Tiner relaxed as the Admiral returned to his desk.
Half and hour later Tiner’s buzzer went off “Yes sir?”
“Tiner! What is the problem?”
“Sir the Colonel is not answering her cell sir.” He explained.
“Get me Colonel O’Mally.”
“Aye sir.”
Within five minutes the Colonel was talking to the Admiral.
“Tiner!” AJ swung his office door open causing the Petty Officer to have a near coronary for a second time.
“Sir!”
“Book me a flight to Florida!”
“Aye sir…” Tiner replied. “Umm sir? For tonight?”
“First flight out Tiner first flight out. Correction. Get me Rabb then book two seats to Florida on the first flight out.”
“Aye sir!”
======================================
TWO DAYS LATER (TUESDAY) - TIME UNKNOWN
LOCATION UNKNOWN
Mac lay unconscious on the floor.
The sounds of conversation began to seep into her brain. She was groggy. Slowly the events at the mall began to reassert themselves on her memory.
Her internal clock kicked in with a vengeance. [It was 1714 ZULU making it …she did a double take 1714 local. How can that be?] She thought and then provided the answer. [I’m no longer in the U.S. or even continental America. There were very specific places where local and ZULU matched: London, England, Dublin, Ireland, Edinburgh, Scotland, Lisbon, Portugal, Reykjavik, Iceland and Casablanca, Morocco] She focused. It was warm and humid. It felt tropical the sounds around confirmed that assumption. There were all sorts of shrieks and whistles being carried on the gentle wind. [Present conditions narrowed the candidates to Portugal and Morocco. She needed to see where she was.]
She moved only to discover that she was tied. [Damn it!] She cursed herself [how had she managed to get herself in this situation?!]She began adding up the facts as she had them and came up with one conclusion; she had been kidnapped from the mall two days ago. Drugged and kept drugged and tied even though she was drugged. But to what end?
The door opened.
“Oh Charles is that ANY way to treat a lady?” A man with a British accent walked in. He had a vicious scar down his right cheek. Mac stared at him.
“You can always cut her loose.” Mac assumed that this was Charles. “But remember the last Sheila you let loose gave you that scar you carry.” Charles was Australian.
“Mmmm you may be correct on that point. But look at her Charles. I swear your team has out done itself this time she is a beauty, indeed a beauty.”
“You are welcome I am sure Patrick. She looks fit. We should get good value out of her.”
Mac remained silent.
“Doesn’t say much does she.” Patrick observed. “At least sit the beauty up Charles. You will have her think that we are barbaric here.”
With only the Australian and the Englishman as reference Mac still had no idea where she was. “Where am I?” She asked after Charles had pulled her into a sitting position.”
“Doesn’t matter luv.” Charles informed her. “The result will be the same.”
“Tut tut tut Charles.” Patrick admonished “No need to be so obnoxious to a lady who is about to give us so MUCH pleasure.” With that statement Patrick licked his lips and undressed Mac with his eyes.
“So what’s your name!” Charles demanded. “You arrived with no ID.”
“Beauty.” Mac replied.
Patrick roared with laughter till he cried. “Oh I swear that was priceless. It was worth the exertion of getting you here.” He wiped his eyes. “If you promise to behave I will cut you loose.”
“Define behave.”
“Ohh beauty and brains too!” Patrick was impressed, “This is going to be special. By behave I mean no attempts to escape, no attempts at bodily harm.” He touched his cheek instinctively.
“I promise no such thing.” She said.
“See you can’t trust her!” Charles was triumphant.
“On the contrary. If she had said yes then I would not have trusted her. Cut her loose.” He instructed.
“What!”
“Oh give me that.” Patrick reached for the hunting knife Charles carried and cut Mac loose. “There you go beauty.” He watched as she worked the circulation back though her wrists and ankles.
“May I use your bathroom?” She asked.
“Of course how perfectly uncivilized of me. This way.” She stumbled. Two days drugged and tied tended to have that effect. Patrick steadied her. “Steady there my dear.” He then led her to the adjoining room and waited until she emerged.
When she walked out he said, “Walk with me Beauty.” The house was colonial and spacious and well maintained. Charles had disappeared. They made their way down the stairs. “Now if you would just wait until this evening all will be revealed. There really is nowhere to run until I say so.”
“You can’t blame a girl for trying.” She replied.
“Of course not and I would not think any less of you if you tried. It would be an exercise in futility, however. But have at it. You really are exceptional. It promises to be a great game.”
“Game?” Mac pounced on the word.
Patrick tapped his nose. “Tonight at supper all shall be revealed. We sit at 7:00 pm there are clothes in the closet of your room. Formerly your prison… I know, but there you have it. Life is suppose. I am sure after two days you desire a bath and change.”
“Actually I do.”
“See? Have at it. The house is yours to explore and I shall see you at seven.” With that Mac was left to her own devises.
======================================
TUESDAY - 1211 LOCAL
DOLPHIN MALL, CARPARK
“We just located her car sir.” The Captain led Harm and AJ to the rented car.
“It’s clean. Not been tampered with but it seems to have been here a couple of days.”
“Mall security have anything to say?” Harm asked, he was still reeling from the Admiral’s call and the mad dash to Florida.
“Not a word not a clue. A case of nobody saw nothing.” O’Mally revealed.
“What’s your next move Captain?” AJ asked.
“How can there be a next move sir? There are no leads. There are no witness or willing witnesses. No indication that the snatch happened here. The car may have been dumped here and the Colonel grabbed anywhere… and sir?” O’Mally continued, “She could be any where.” He paused “Dead or alive.”
Harm turned and walked away. No matter how correct the Captain was that is not what a husband wanted to hear about his wife. He prayed, “Oh God be with her. Bring her back to me.”
======================================
TUESDAY - 1900 LOCAL
LOCATION UNKNOWN
Patrick had been irritatingly correct - there was no way to get out. Security was impressive and the fact that the guards spoke French and not Portuguese eliminated Portugal and left Morocco as the other possibility ... a likelihood that was still to be confirmed.
She stepped into the dinning room wearing a simple sleeveless white dress with a deep neckline. It kept her back covered and fell to her knees. The ensemble complimented her olive skin.
“Ah Beauty you look exceptional… come meet the rest of my guests.” Patrick enthused. “Charles you already know. This is Edwin, Felix and JC short for Jean-Christophe.”
“My dear gentlemen this is Beauty.”
“That she is.” JC said and betrayed a French accent. The other two were American.
[Quite the motley crew] she observed. She sat in the chair offered by Patrick.
Dinner was as impressive as the manners and deference the men showed to her. The more sophisticated the situation became the more Mac was on her guard. Under normal circumstances the dinner would have been the envy of Congresswoman Bobbi Lathum as it were the situation was rife with danger compounded by the fact that the danger was unknown to her.
Finally the meal was over. But the ordeal continued. Mac wanted to scream as Charles and Patrick launched into a debate over the latest cricket scores of Australia vs England as England toured Australia. Finally Felix had had enough. “OK guys I think its time for business.”
“Indeed Felix indeed.” Patrick agreed. “Beauty.” He called out to her and she walked over. “To put it simply and to get the wait over with …” Mac held her breath “We are hunters, but there is only so much excitement in that, and so every now and then we gather to hunt the rare and exotic. That… my dear is you.”
Mac had not heard right she stared blankly at him.
“Ah ... yes… well… there you have it.” Patrick said.
Still she stared.
“We will provide you with five days water, a knife and a gun should you so desire. Not all our prey has wanted a firearm.” Edwin said.
She swung round to face him “Not all… there have been others?”
“Mais oui.” JC confirmed. “Your aim is to get to Casablanca. You get there you win your life; we catch you then you loose your life.”
“We start at dawn which is at 5:05 tomorrow morning. That gives you an eight hour lead; for you leave tonight.” Patrick continued. “There are camouflage clothes in your room, together with the water and knife. Oh you didn’t say if you required the firearm.”
“I require it.” She said and turned to leave. “I’ll collect it when I return from my room.”
“She took that well.” Charles observed.
“As I said exceptional.” Patrick said.
======================================
2347 LOCAL
SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
As promised Mac was now dressed in military camouflage, and armed with a twelve-inch bowie knife and a Beretta Cougar with one clip no spares. “We are the hunters after all not you.” Patrick had explained.
Charles had doubts about Mac. Seeing her in the military outfit had sent up his antenna but he did not act on the forewarning. That had been an hour ago.
Mac had been dropped by helicopter in the middle of nowhere. The hunt was on!
She headed for the tree line. Once there she did a visual recon as best she could in the moonlight [thank you father.] She reached down and smeared her face. Her next concern was the need for a river for various reasons. One – she needed a water supply incase what she had ran out. Two – she needed to hide her tracks and three communities are established along rivers. [Follow a river in the direction of its flow and you are bound to find civilization.] Her survival instructor had taught.
She was on a plain and that shadow in the distance looked like a mountain, she gambled that there was a valley beyond with a river running through it. She headed in that direction masking her tracks as she moved.
======================================
HUNT DAY ONE (WEDNESDAY) - 0545 LOCAL
SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
“I told you this one was unique!” Patrick said.
“Confound it! Patrick! This woman has had training of some sort. When have you EVER known us to loose a trail from the get go?!” Felix ranted.
“She’s military.” Charles stated flatly. All eyes focused on him. “I don’t know for a fact but I watched her in that camouflage she seemed at home in it. Did you see how she examined that Beretta? She knows her way around firearms.”
“Don’t military wear dogtags?” Edwin asked.
“They may have fallen off in the grab. Or she just didn’t have them on. She was in civilian clothes when she was delivered.” Felix replied.
“Did anyone search her to see if she had dogtags?” JC said sarcastically.
“Please gentlemen I do not make it a habit of searching women for dogtags. For other things and reasons yes… for dogtags? I should think not.” Patrick snorted at the very thought.
“Voila.” JC pronounced judgment.
“Had it occurred to you that may be she is not military at all but an extremely beautiful woman with brains… a lethal combination, under any circumstances?” Patrick said. They turned at a call from JC, who had wondered off with his dog.
As they gathered round, he pointed. “She stood here for a while, then turned north. Her tracks disappear after five meters but until we find different I say we keep to the north.” JC was the tracker of the group.
“And what if she turns south and we miss the sign?” Charles challenged.
“Which is why we have the dog. Sacre imbecile.” JC pointed out.
“Casablanca is north.” Patrick said, “She will keep north, she’s smart.”
She has no map,” Edwin pointed out.
“Who needs a map? “ Felix explained “She has the rising and setting of the sun.”
“She’s military.” Charles stated again.
JC rolled his eyes. Why he hunted with this pack was beyond him. Patrick was the only one with a semblance of brains.
======================================
HUNT DAY ONE - 0545 LOCAL
SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
Mac had kept to the cover of the trees but that was thinning fast. She saw when the posse had landed. If there had been any doubt to the lethal nature of her situation despite all that had unfolded before, it was no more and illusion. She was in the fight of her life for her life.
She double-checked the Beretta Cougar. Of all the hardware that Patrick had on display in his gunroom and there had been much to see, this was the only decent item. The Beretta Cougar Model 8045 a 33.5-ounce pistol with a 3.6-inch barrel. Usually it came with two eight-round .45 ACP magazines but he had given her only one.
“We are the hunters after all not you.” She remembered him explaining.
Be that as it may the damn thing worked and with the ability to produce clusters ranging from 2.00 to 2.75 inches at two hundred yards it was by far the weapon she needed.
She took a drink of water and continued towards the peak.
======================================
HUNT DAY ONE - 1355 LOCAL
SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
Mac had reached the base of the mountain and prepared for the climb over, which turned out not to be as harrowing as she had anticipated for there was a river cutting across it! Again she prayed her thanks. Now she faced a decision: to enter the water or not. It was 1400 if she entered now and moved through it for a minimum of one hour that gave her a minimum of two hours to dry off – she decided.
Mac adjusted the backpack secured the Beretta and moved into the waterway.
======================================
HUNT DAY ONE - 2345 LOCAL
SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
Mac had made a judgment call. After emerging from the water she continued to follow the rivers path until two hours after sundown.
She was running a cold camp under a full moon and there before nature and God she striped down completely. She consumed the fruits she had collected on her trek took a drink of water and smiled as she thought of Harm and how he constantly teased her about her diet.
[FLASHBACK]
"Well, you have all the major food groups here.
Starch, grease, dead animal, and, uh, ketchup."
[END OF FLASHBACK]
The thought was the first she had allowed herself about her husband since the nightmare began.
She pulled out the massive towel that she had taken from the bathroom that Patrick had so graciously let her use. She wrapped herself up in it, with a knife in one hand and her gun in the other; and braced herself for a long night, for if she remembered correctly this country was home to a rich diversity of wildlife that included gazelle, wild boar, panther, wild goat, baboon, fox, rabbit, otter, squirrel and horned viper. Despite the multiple dangers Mac fell asleep with the thought of Harm on her mind.
It was now 2345 local and Mac was fully dressed in the dried clothes. Automatically she checked the bowie knife and berretta. She was ready to move out.
======================================
WEDNESDAY – 0700 LOCAL
JAG HQ, FALLS CHURCH, VA
Webb walked though the slowly filling bullpen. AJ had summoned him. Summoned him! Just who did the man think he was one of his JAG men! He was no better AJ called and he jumped just as high as Mac.
“This had better be good AJ.” Webb said as he walked though the open office door. “I had to cancel breakfast with mother for this.”
“Close the door behind you Webb.” There was no humor in the Admirals voice and Harm looked like hell. He closed it then sat and waited.
“Some time over the weekend Colonel…”He paused and adjusted, “Mac went missing. We don’t know if it was case related and there has been no ransom note. There are no clues and no leads. We have no idea if she is in the US or not.”
Webb was stunned. He looked at Harm and knew this was no joke. “I’ll put my people on it.” He stood and walked out.
======================================
HUNT DAY TWO (THURSDAY) - 0945 LOCAL
SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
The dogs brought the hunters to the point where Mac entered the river. JC exchanged a few words quietly with Patrick.
“OK gentlemen here is what we will do. Charles, Edwin and Felix will cross to the other side to find where Beauty emerged. JC and I will follow down this side in the same attempt to identify where she emerged. For emerge she must.” Patrick explained.
Under grumbles of protest at getting wet the three crossed. Midway Felix lost his footing and went down.
“Grab the damn fool!” Charles yelled at Edwin.
“I can’t find him!” Edwin replied. “Look, there he goes!”
The four men looked down river to see Felix bobbing along.
“Is he alive?” JC whispered.
“Who the hell knows? Go grab him!” Charles said as he finished crossing the river with Edwin and gave chase, while JC and Patrick did like wise. Half an hour later they finally pulled the lifeless body of Felix out of the river.
“We have never lost a member of the hunt before.” JC said.
“Indeed, but this cannot be attributed to the beauty. This was nature unfolding as it should.” Patrick said.
“The body?” Edwin asked.
“Leave it here. Let the carrion have at it.” He replied “Suffice to say we may have missed the exit point of Beauty. But to be on the safe side we had better double back…”
“Not necessary.” JC interrupted. “The dogs would have got the scent, she came out lower.”
“Well done JC. Gentlemen.” Patrick looked pointedly at Edwin and Charles. They grumbled but crossed the river to continue the search.
======================================
HUNT DAY TWO - 2049 LOCAL
SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
The hunters sat round a roaring fire. They had found Mac’s scent and were now camped at her site of the night before.
“We are falling behind.” Edwin stated.
“I know.” Patrick said. “We have never faced a prey such as this one, and where it may have been amusing in the beginning it is now wearing thin. I do not like to loose gentlemen.”
“And your suggestion?” Charles asked.
“One more day and if we are still no closer to the prey then we will have to hunt from the air.” Patrick said.
“Interesting.” JC said.
======================================
HUNT DAY THREE (FRIDAY) - 1355 LOCAL
SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
“Ahhhh!!!” Charles screamed.
Edwin came running with the same result. “Ahhhh!!!” he screamed.
JC and Patrick approached with more self-control – it save their lives. First Charles then Edwin had fallen into a pit of stakes.
“Mon dieu.” JC made the sign of the cross. “She did this?”
“No” Patrick was examining the pit. “It’s a natural formation but I suspect that she lined it with the stakes. I told you she was smart.”
JC looked at the man next to him. [Ingles, I will never understand them.] “Who is hunting who?”
“Very good question my friend. Suffice it to say that those two are dead. It is left to you and I to finish this.”
“Chopper?”
“No.” Patrick said. “I owe this prey the dignity of a face to face kill. Shall we?”
======================================
HUNT DAY FOUR - 1355 LOCAL
SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
Finding that pit had been a Godsend and she had thanked him for it. It seemed that God had had a vested interested in the outcome of this * game * and so far it seemed he was on her side… and if God is on your side who can be against?
Her deity manifested himself when abruptly Mac came across a road. To be accurate what she saw first was the bridge. As she climbed off the riverbank she then discovered that the bridge carried a road. Civilization! Mac felt a strong urge to kiss the tarmac. Instead she fell to her knees and said a prayer of thanks. Now which way? It was easy with the river it went in one direction a road went both ways. It was a 50/50 chance she headed east.
======================================
HUNT DAY FOUR - 1507 LOCAL
SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
Finally a vehicle came along. She thumbed and was passed straight. Come to think of it why not? She was in camouflage, her face smeared and hair in a mess. She looked like something that the cat had brought in then thrown out. Looked like it was going to be a long road back.
======================================
HUNT DAY FOUR - 1537 LOCAL
SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
A number of cars had passed and Mac had stopped asking – until the truck came along. She asked and it stopped.
“Is this the way to Casablanca?” she asked, momentarily forgetting the language to use.
“Pardon?” the driver said.
Mac switched and repeated in French.
“Ah oui élever dedans.” <Oh yes climb in.> he said..,
which she thankfully did.
======================================
HUNT DAY FOUR - 1716 LOCAL
CASABLANCA
The driver delivered her into the heart of the city at the
Place de Nations Unies. He explained to her that the Consular Service hours in
Casablanca ran from 13:30 - 16:00 and the compound could be found at 8, Boulevard Moulay Youssef.
She thanked him
and headed in the direction he had indicated.
She was soon at the entrance to the Consulate requesting access, regardless of the time. The guard had challenged Mac as soon as her disheveled presence emerged from the night. Her only ID was her dog tags. For some reason the hunters had not examined her despite her lack of ID as Charles had claimed. She had hid the tags for that dinner of oh so long ago and retrieved them later.
The guard snapped to and picked up the phone to call his superior … the place began to hum.
======================================
HUNT DAY FOUR - 2017 LOCAL
SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
The folks at the Consulate had been first horrified then amazed then angered at Mac’s story. Despite her ordeal she now led a team back the way she came. It would not be difficult to retrace the steps; it was almost a certainty that the hunters were following the river. All the Marine team had to do was follow the same route in the opposite direction.
JC and Patrick were soon in the custody of Marines.
Patrick smiled when he saw her. “Beauty I may not have completed the hunt to my satisfaction but I was correct it was a delightful * game *”
“It is Colonel Sarah Rabb.” She said and turned away.
“Jesu. Charles was right she is military.” JC groaned.
======================================
FRIDAY – 1600 LOCAL
JAG HQ, FALLS CHURCH, VA
Webb walked through the bullpen and all eyes followed him. Now he knew why he wouldn’t run for President… too many watchful eyes. He headed to AJ’s office.
“We got her.” Webb announced then saw Harm “Don’t you work on the Hill now?”
“I find myself where my wife needs me. You got a problem with that?”
“None.” Webb said.
“You said you found her.” AJ prompted.
“We did.” He confirmed “Actually she found us. It seems she was grabbed at Dolphin Mall as suspected and taken to Casablanca to be the prey in a rich boys hunt. The river got one and Mac go the another two and two are under arrest after she came back at them with a Marine team.” He reported.
“I know of only one Casablanca.” AJ said.
“The one and the same… Morocco.” Webb confirmed. “The two surviving playboys are Jean-Christophe Le Clerc … French made his money like most these days in the net boom then got out before the down turn. Rich, smart, idle. The money makes itself with no encouragement. His partner in the hunt… Lord Patrick Ashley… English … old money neo royalty, again rich, smart, idle.”
Harm grinned with relief. [Thank you God.] “What now.”
“She returns on Sunday.”
======================================
SUNDAY – 2025 LOCAL
DULLES INTERNATIONAL
Harm fidgeted, paced and fidgeted some more. Mac’s flight had arrived at what felt like ages ago. He looked at his watch again. Where was she!?
Finally his world in the form of Mac emerged and to Harmon Rabb Jr. she never looked more beautiful. He took two long strides, scoped her up and swung her round.
“Mac! Oh Mac I missed you so much!”
“Hey flyboy.” She grinned at him.
“Now that you are back. I’m whole” He bent and kissed her. She kissed right back. “Now I am fine.”
“Speak for yourself flyboy … I find that near death experiences serves sharpens my appetite for all things. Take me home… do not pass go… do not collect $200.00”
“Yeees ma’am.” Harm beamed.
======================================
TWO WEEKS LATER.
JAG HQ, FALLS CHURCH, VA
“Colonel Rabb reporting for duty sir.” Mac had been given time off and was eager to get back in the swing of things.
“Colonel! Welcome back!” AJ smiled as he waived her into a chair.
“Good to be back sir.”
“In case you had an interest Matonni finished up your case in Florida and won.”
“I’m glad sir, but my concern now is the status of the case of the People vs Le Clerc and Ashley.”
“Of course. State is working on it, as the men are non-US Citizens there is some paper work to follow. But we will get them here for the trial.”
“Of course.” What she would have given to be the prosecution on this case! “Who will prosecute sir?”
AJ inflated before her eyes. “Some playboy grabs my Chief of Staff! This I take personally Colonel. I will prosecute!”
======================================
SIX MONTHS LATER
It had taken a long bitter battle but finally the two remaining members of the hunt were to be tried on U.S. soil in a civilian court.
The press was in a feeding frenzy with American, French and British television covering the story since someone had read the court docket an realized that there was a big case brewing if the Judge Advocate General himself was in attendance, with Captain Rabb on secondment from Capitol Hill in second chair.
======================================
DAY ONE
0900 LOCAL
100 CENTER STREET COURT
The first day saw introductions, the reading of the charges and opening statements; as the week before the battle for the jury had been waged.
First the introductions:
A distinguished gentleman of approximately fifty years old stood. “Your honour if it please the Court I am Ronald Ashley twenty fifty Early of Ashley, Queen’s Council representing Lord Patrick Ashley.” He sat.
The second lawyer stood he immediately revealed himself as a Southerner. “Your honour Jean-Phillipe Marquis representing Monsieur Jean-Christophe Marquis Le Clerc.”
AJ and Harm completed the round.
+ + +
Judge Cynthia Change addressed the four. “Welcome to my Court Gentlemen… and I do mean that – Gentlemen. I expect a certain level of professionalism here. This is NOT the Jerry Springer Show and I will hold you in contempt should you make the mistake of disrespecting this Court. There is already a media Circus out there do not bring it in here… Am I clear?”
The four gave their collective acknowledgement.
“Good.” The Judge said. “Now Mr. Ashley I have already read your brief and your petition is denied. This court holds jurisdiction and your client your client will be tried by this Court. Bailiff read the charges.”
As instructed the Bailiff read them out.
“Patrick William Ashley you are charged with the following:
Kidnapping, Conspiracy to kidnap
Attempted murder, Conspiracy to murder
Inflicting bodily harm, Conspiracy to inflict
Illegal trafficking in human cargo, Conspiracy to traffic in human cargo
Contravention of international immigration, Conspiracy to contravene international immigration
How do you plead?”
Patrick responded in his clear confident voice “Not Guilty.”
The Bailiff focused on JC “Jean-Christophe Marquis Le Clerc you are charged with the following…” The Bailiff read the same charges with the addition of Aiding and Abetting the execution of each of the counts. The charges ended with “How do you plead?”
JC voice was as certain as his partner in crime. “Guilty.”
AJ, Mac and Harm stared across at the defense table.
The Court erupted.
The Judge fought for control of her Court and finally got it. “Mr. Marquis, does your client wish to have the charges read in French?”
“A moment to confer your honour.”
“A moment Mr. Marquis.”
The two went into a huddle. Marquis addressed the court. “My client is fluent in English your hounour and he assures me and the Court that he understands the charges as read and he maintains his plea of Guilty.”
“That being the case Mr. Marquis your client shall be taken into custody and sentenced at a later date…” She shifted her focus to Ashford. “In light of present developments Lord Ashley does your client wish a second reading of the charges? And yes you may discuss it with your client.”
“Thank you, your honour. “He turned to confer with Patrick and finally truned to the bench. “Your honour my client has accepted that discretion is the better part of valour and wishes to change to a guilty plea.”
“Very wise of him Lord Ashley. As with his partner he shall be taken into custody and sentenced at a later date…” She banged the gavel “Till then this Court is in recess.”
“All rise!” The Bailiff barked.
All stood as the Judge let, the prisoners were escorted out and once again chaos broke out in the Court.
Mac was in a daze. “Anticlimactic no?”
AJ was packing his brief case “With Le Clerc changing his plea the way he did Ashley knew we had a corroborating witness against his client.”
“Grrrrrr” Harm said, “I would have still liked a shot at him. What kind of battle is it when no shots are fired!”
“The best kind Captain… the best kind.” AJ replied.
THE END