�Oh, but I do,� Chris said, cutting off the irate southerner. He locked the smaller man in a stern glare, until Ezra looked away. When the younger man looked back up to begin another argument, Chris added, �You�re the undercover expert. You should pull it off easily.�
Ezra looked at his hands, which were rested on the tabletop, and sighed resignedly, �Who am I going to be?�
The black-clad man smiled in triumph, �Lieutenant Commander Zachary Carlisle. The file is on your desk. Memorize it, we leave tomorrow.�
*** ***
Ezra yawned deeply as he meandered through the armory, doing an inventory of the weapons stored there. As expected, he�d already found several discrepancies. Having to rise much earlier than he was used to was taking its toll on the undercover man. It didn�t help that what sleep he was getting had been interrupted by terrifying nightmares. With a sigh, Ezra shook the sleepiness away and scribbled on his notepad some more and stifled another yawn.
�Tired, Commander?�
Ezra gasped and spun around. Between being tired and being absorbed in what he was doing, he hadn�t heard anyone come up behind him. Ezra looked at the man who had spoken to him and noted that he was at least as tall as Buck, with light brown hair and intelligent blue eyes. He also noticed that the man wore pilot�s wings and was a commander. Snapping to attention and saluting, as Chris had taught him, he said quickly, �No, sir.�
The commander nodded and said, �As you were.� Ezra relaxed and looked up into those intelligent blue eyes once more. The commander looked around at the shelves and said, �I�m Commander Harmon Rabb, with JAG. I was hoping I could ask you a few questions.�
Ezra nodded and set the inventory sheet down on a shelf. With another quick nod, he replied, �A pleasure, sir. I�m Lieutenant Commander Zachary Carlisle.�
Rabb scowled slightly, �A lieutenant commander doing inventory? Isn�t that a little uncharacteristic?�
Ezra shrugged slightly and offered the explanation he had planned if anyone questioned his actions, �I only just transferred here. As such, I am attempting to better acquaint myself with the arrangement.�
The commander nodded, seeming pleased with Ezra�s answer. Turning his attention back to the smaller man, he asked, �Well, how long ago did you transfer here, Commander?�
�A week ago, sir,� came the softly spoken reply.
Harm scowled, �You probably won�t be much help then. I�m investigating an incident that occurred about a week and half ago. That would be before you arrived.�
The smaller man shrugged slightly and said, �Sorry I can�t be more helpful.�
Harm watched as the lieutenant commander returned to his inventory and added, �Give me a call if you hear anything you think I might be interested in.�
The smaller man looked up and nodded slightly, �You have a card with your number on it, sir?�
Harm handed him a slip of paper with a phone number scrawled on it, �That�s my cell number.� The southerner nodded and took the paper. Without another word, Harm turned and left the armory to meet his partner.
*** ***
�Did you find out anything at the armory?�
Harm looked over at his partner and shook his head, �The person in charge just transferred in a week ago. He wouldn�t know anything about the murder.�
Mac scowled slightly, �That�s awful convenient.�
Harm nodded, �I was thinking the same thing myself.� Harm shook his head, �You should have seen it, Mac. He was doing inventory. A lieutenant commander doing inventory?�
Mac frowned and shook her head, �That�s unusual. Why would he be doing something that he can easily assign to a subordinate?�
Harm shrugged, �Said he wanted to get familiar with the set-up. Although he didn�t use those words.�
Mac chuckled, �What do you mean, he didn�t use those words?�
Harm shook his head, �Well, he used five-dollar words instead, but that�s basically what he meant.�
Mac shrugged, �It makes sense. He would need to get familiar with the layout, if it�s different from what he�s used to.�
Harm shook his head, �Yeah, but I can�t shake the feeling that something isn�t adding up about Lieutenant Commander Carlisle. What�s a southerner doing in Colorado anyway?�
Mac chuckled, �Harm, this is the military. People travel all over the place, they go where they�re sent. It has little to do with where they were from originally.�
Harm nodded and mumbled, �I suppose you�re right. But something still isn�t adding up. I think I�ll take a look at his service record.�
Mac shrugged slightly, �Suit yourself, Harm.�
*** ***
Ezra finally finished the inventory and slipped the form into the pocket of his uniform. He looked around cautiously and pulled out his phone. Quickly dialing his partners, he waited a moment for the lines to connect, then said softly, �Chris, I can�t talk long. I discovered some discrepancies in the records. I have copies of the official inventory and the separate one I did, as well as acquisition forms. I�ll get them to you later.�
�Good job, Ezra,� Chris replied to the southerner, adding, �Was there anything else?�
Ezra nodded and said quietly, �Yes, a JAG officer was here, asking some questions. Commander Harmon Rabb?�
Chris nodded slightly, �Okay, we�ll expect a hit on your service record from them then. Thanks for the heads-up, Ezra.�
�A pleasure, Mr. Larabee,� Ezra replied and glanced around quickly, �Someone�s coming. I have to go.� Without another word, he closed the phone and slipped it into his pocket. Just as he settled into the chair in his office, the door opened to reveal a tall, strong-looking lieutenant. Ezra recognized him immediately and returned the salute, �At ease, Lieutenant Graham. What can I do for you?�
The lieutenant looked at Ezra with such a cold glare that the smaller man had to fight the urge to flinch. �Commander Johnson asked me to get you, sir.�
Ezra got to his feet and said, �Thank you. I�ll be along presently.� The lieutenant nodded and quietly left the room.
Ezra shook his head. What could the commander possibly want? With a sigh, Ezra grabbed his coat and hat and followed the same path the lieutenant had taken. As he emerged from the armory, he was grabbed and pulled behind some large crates.
Ezra gasped and began to struggle futilely, as he saw a large man in a ski-mask approach him. The man gave a solid punch to his midsection, causing the smaller man to double over and cry out in pain.
The man restraining Ezra dropped him to the ground and they proceeded to kick him in the back and stomach. After a few minutes, they stopped and one said, �Whatever you think you�ve found, forget it or next time we�ll kill you!�
Ezra could hardly move, but managed a slight nod. He heard the footsteps retreating down the corridor between the buildings and started to roll onto his back, but stopped as the pain increased. With a sharp cry of pain, Ezra curled himself into a tight ball and whimpered softly. He knew he had to get moving, or no one would find him, but he was in too much pain to act.
*** ***
Mac and Harm were headed to their vehicle, when Mac heard what sounded like a sharp cry. She looked up and said, �Harm, did you hear that?�
Harm obviously had, because he looked over in the direction of the sound. �Sounds like someone�s in trouble.�
After a few moments, they heard another cry and rushed toward the sound. Coming to the area between the armory and one of the hangers, they looked around, but couldn�t see anything. Harm scowled in confusion, �It sounded like it came from over here.�
Mac frowned and shushed the commander, �Listen. Do you hear that?�
After listening for a few moments, Harm realized he could hear someone whimpering softly. He nodded and the followed the sound to its source. Harm gasped, when he saw a small man with chestnut hair curled up in a tight ball behind a bunch of crates. Harm rushed to the man�s side and said quietly, �Commander Carlisle? Can you hear me?�
The smaller man winced and tried to pull away. Harm grabbed his shoulders and said, �Shh, it�s all right. We�re not going to hurt you. It�s Commander Rabb. Remember me?�
The southerner relaxed somewhat and forced his eyes open. Harm was relieved to note that, while the green eyes were glazed with pain, the man seemed to recognize him.
Mac spoke up softly, �Ambulance is on its way.� She frowned at the smaller man. Who had done this to him and why? Then she noticed that he was trying to pull something out of his pocket.
Harm noticed too, and took his hand gently, �What�s this?� Taking the folded papers, he looked at them quickly. Harm glanced up at Mac in surprise. �Mac, these are inventory sheets and acquisition forms from the armory. One is dated last week, the other one is from today. They show weapons as being missing.�
Mac scowled, �You think this is why he was beaten up, because he found a discrepancy in the records?�
Harm shrugged, �It�s possible. Do you think it�s related to our murder?�
Mac started to reply, then noticed that Commander Carlisle was nodding slightly. Pointing, she said, �He seems to think so.�
Before Harm could say anything, the ambulance arrived. The paramedics rushed over to the scene. One of them, a tall black man, knelt beside the wounded man. In a soothing voice, he asked, �Where are you hurt?�
The southerner stifled a sob and gasped out, �Back, stomach.� The paramedic nodded and started quickly, but gently, checking over the man. After a few moments, they were able to stabilize the patient and put him onto a gurney.
The other paramedic, a tall man with a mustache, mumbled softly to the wounded man, �It�s all right, pard. You�re safe now.� The lieutenant commander relaxed and was soon dozing.
Harm looked at the two men, with concern, �Is he gonna be all right?�
The taller of the two nodded, �Just as soon as we get him to the hospital, he�ll be fine.� That said, the two hopped into the ambulance, one in the front, the other with the patient. Harm shut the back doors and the ambulance set out for the base hospital.
Harm and Mac decided to head to there as well. Maybe the lieutenant commander could shed some light on the case.
*** ***
When they arrived, Harm went to check on the man�s condition with the staff, while Mac made her way to his room. She noticed that an orderly was in the room with Commander Carlisle. Mac scowled, the man was ostensibly settling the injured man into his bed, but she could hear him whispering softly to him as well.
Listening closer she heard, �Ezra, what did you do with the papers? Did they take them from you when they beat you?�
Mac watched as the smaller man, whom she knew as Lieutenant Commander Zachary Carlisle, slowly shook his head. In a raspy voice, he said, �N-no. I gave them to that...that JAG person.�
The �orderly� nodded, �Okay, Ezra.� He scowled, �Here drink some of this, Ez.� The smaller man took a few sips of water from the cup being held for him, then settled back against the pillows. The �orderly� nodded and said softly, �There, now you get some sleep. We�re all around, we�ll keep an eye on you. You�re safe, just relax and get well, okay?�
Commander Carlisle- Ezra- nodded and replied, �Yes, Mr. Larabee.� The �orderly� nodded and gently placed a hand on the smaller man�s forehead.
The �orderly� stepped back and shook his head, then turned around and almost ran into Mac. He gasped and looked as though he was ready to fight her if necessary.
Mac scowled and said, �I�m Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie. Who are you and who,� she pointed to the sleeping man, �is he?�
The �orderly� sighed, �Come in, shut the door.� Mac did as he asked and waited for a moment. The �orderly� smiled, �Colonel MacKenzie, what I am about to say cannot leave this room.�
Mac nodded. Where had she heard that before? Usually Webb prefaced anything he told them with those very same words. But something about this man told her that he wasn�t CIA.
Her suspicions were confirmed when he continued, �My name is Chris Larabee. I�m with the ATF here in Denver. We�re investigating an arms smuggling ring, run off this base. Our contact was murdered last week and we sent this man,� he pointed to the sleeping form on the bed, �undercover to find out who had done it and who was behind the arms smuggling, assuming they were the same person.� Mac scowled slightly, but nodded. Chris shrugged, �His name is Ezra Standish, obviously, he�s also with the ATF.�
Mac nodded slightly, �Were you planning on telling anyone about all this?�
Chris shrugged, �No, and I wouldn�t be now, except that I was so worried about Ezra that I didn�t hear you come in behind me.�
Mac scowled, �Why are you posing as an orderly?�
Chris scowled, �With the information Ezra knows, he could put these people away for a long time. Because of that, and the fact that they realize he has that information, his life is in danger. The easiest way to keep an eye on him is to pose as hospital personnel.�
Mac�s eyes grew wide as realization hit, �The paramedics?�
Chris nodded, �Were also ATF agents, yes. When we received your call that a Commander Carlisle had been attacked, we knew Ezra was in trouble and took action. It was easier treating him, since he knew he could trust the paramedics.�
Mac scowled, �My partner, Commander Rabb, has the evidence you were asking him about.�
Chris nodded slightly, �I know. He called right after Commander Rabb left and told us that JAG was running a parallel investigation.� With a deep sigh, Chris added, �Unfortunately, that means I�m going to have to talk to both Commander Rabb and your superior.�
Mac nodded, �I think that can be arranged.�
Chris smirked, �We need to keep this as low-key as possible. If the wrong person finds out that Ezra is an agent, he could be in even greater danger than he is now.�
Mac scowled slightly, �Then why do you trust me?�
Chris shrugged slightly, �Ezra didn�t know who the paramedics were going to be, that�s why he handed off the evidence to your partner. If he trusts you, then I trust you. Ezra is an excellent judge of character.� He glanced at the sleeping man and added softly, �You have to be to do what he does, or you get killed real fast.�
*** ***
The next day, a Lieutenant Ethan Williams and a Sergeant Michael Vincent arrived at JAG headquarters for a meeting with Admiral Chegwidden, as well as Colonel MacKenzie and Commander Rabb, who were on a conference call. After the two men were shown into the office, the lieutenant glanced around quickly, then looked directly at the Admiral, �Sorry for the subterfuge, Admiral, but it really was necessary.�
AJ scowled, �Subterfuge?�
The man nodded, �I�m Agent Chris Larabee, with the Denver ATF. This is Agent Vin Tanner.� Vin nodded and leaned quietly against the far wall.
The Admiral�s scowl deepened, �What�s this about?�
Chris shrugged, �You are investigating a murder on a military base in Colorado, correct?�
The Admiral started to reply, when Commander Rabb spoke up, �Cut to the chase, Agent Larabee.�
Chris nodded slightly, but Vin spoke up, �We are too, as well as an arms smuggling ring.� Chris glanced at Vin, at his nod, the quiet Texan continued, �We had a guy undercover there, he got attacked yesterday.�
�Lieutenant Commander Zachary Carlisle, sir,� added Mac.
Vin nodded, �Right, �sept his name is actually Ezra Standish. He passed off some valuable information to one of your people.�
The Admiral frowned, �Is this true?�
Harm spoke up, �Yes, sir. Commander Carlisle- that is Agent Standish- gave me inventory records and requisition forms that clearly show that some weapons are unaccountably missing from the armory.�
With a nod, Chris said, �Rather than competing for the information, we propose to work together. We�ll finish our investigation, you can court martial the military personnel, we�ll handle any civilians.�
AJ scowled slightly, �Sounds good to me, but why are you willing to work with us?� In AJ�s experience, this was not how federal agents operated.
Vin smiled, �We don� care about who gets the credit, we just wanna get the weapons off the street, �fore anyone gets hurt or killed.�
Chris scowled slightly, �Anyone else, at least.�
The Admiral nodded, he liked these agents already. He looked at Agent Larabee and said, �What�s your man�s condition?�
Chris sighed, �They expect he�ll make a full recovery, but he�s hurting pretty bad right now. He�s going in and out of consciousness and we haven�t been able to get much out of him about the attack.�
Harm�s voice came over the line, �Mac and I planned on visiting him today, sir. To see if he could tell us anything.�
Chris nodded, and the Admiral smiled. AJ said, �That�s a good idea, Commander. Keep me informed.�
�Yes, sir,� replied the two JAG lawyers, as they hung up.
AJ turned to the two agents, �Are you two going to head back to Denver now?�
Chris shook his head, �I�m gonna stay and help coordinate with you and your people, but Vin will be returning to help the rest of my team with the investigation.�
AJ nodded slightly, �What is the excuse for this meeting?�
Chris grinned and replied, �Sergeant Vincent went AWOL and I�m his CO.�
AJ chuckled, �He�s about to go AWOL again, then?�
Vin smiled and replied softly, �Yup. That�ll give Chris an excuse to keep visitin� ya.�
AJ smiled and nodded slightly, �All right. I expect I�ll see you soon. Good day, Lieutenant. Sergeant.� The two agents smiled and left the room.
