the Light
Chapter 8 (Pt 1)
The courthouse.
Harm stood alone outside the large double doors, lost in thoughts. The verdict was in. In a few minutes one painful chapter of his life will come to a close. Mac and the others were already inside. He told them to go ahead without him. He wanted to be alone for a few minutes.
His friends tried their best to show their support to him, and he was grateful to them for it. Harriet spoke to him a little while ago.
Harm smiled at the memory.
**Flashback**
Harriet walked up to him, holding her son by the hand.
"Sir, I-," she faltered, giving him an awkward smile. "Little A.J. and I just wanted to wish you the best of luck, Sir. Bud's not going to be able to make it here today, so I ... we..." Harriet paused, unable to find the right words, and then suddenly she reached up on her toes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for being our friend, Sir," she whispered before pulling away. With that she walked off, and he remained standing just as she left him, glued to the spot.
**End of flashback**
Harm shook his head in bewilderment, thinking over that event. "Harmon Rabb, Jr., you are a complete dope when it comes to reading people."
"Talking to yourself again?" A familiar voice broke into the solitude of his thoughts, startling him. "You know that's one of the first
symptoms of a mental disorder?"
"What the hell are you doing out here, Webb?" he sighed, looking over at the agent. "I told everyone I wanted to be alone for a few minutes."
Clayton Webb shrugged indefinitely, shoving his hands in the pockets of his perfectly pressed pants.
"Three reasons, actually. One, they're about to announce the verdict, and you should really be in there for that part."
Harm opened his mouth to say something, but Webb silenced him with a shake of his head. "Two, I never got a chance to tell you face-to-face how incredibly sorry I am for getting you into all this mess. I was-"
This time Harm didn't hesitate to interrupt.
"You did say that to me, Clay," he objected quietly. "That and much more. Back in the hospital ward." He shrugged in turn, mimicking Webb's earlier gesture. "I don't believe I was fully conscious at the time... but I remember hearing you ... bits and pieces." Harm trailed off, offering him a small smile, which Clay returned.
But the smile soon faded from the agent's face, replaced by a frown of concern; one that made the other man's heart skip a beat.
"There's also reason number three."
"I'm listening."
Webb sighed before continuing. "Two suspected Al Qaeda operatives were arrested a couple of days ago when they tried to enter the country."
"And-?" Harm tensed, trying to steel himself for what was to come.
"I just got off the phone with one of my men from the Agency. ...They escaped custody this morning," Clay finished, shrugging helplessly.
"They WHAT?!"
Webb stepped forward, placing a hesitant hand on his friend's shoulder. "This may or may not be connected to the trial. All I'm saying is ... be careful. Keep on the lookout. I'll try to arrange for someone to keep an eye on you as well."
Harm nodded absently. This wasn't over. Whom was he kidding?
"Let's go inside," he offered. "We can deal with this later."
***
A couple of minutes later.
Inside the courtroom.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have you reached your verdict?"
"We have, Your Honor."
"The defendant and counsel will rise." Judge Braxton turned his attention back to the jury's foreman. "Please publish your verdict."
Harm felt Mac's hand cover his, squeezing it lightly in a show of support. He responded in kind, his own attention riveted to the face of the defendant.
"Ali Akhbar, on the charge and specification of plotting an attack against a US target this court finds you ... guilty. On the charge
and specification of assisting in the actions that resulted in the deaths of four American naval officers this court finds you ... guilty.
On the charge and specification of assisting in the inhumane and unlawful treatment and an attempted murder of an American prisoner this court finds you ... guilty."
The judge nodded curtly. "Do you have a sentence ready?"
"Yes, Your Honor. We recommend the maximum sentence allowed under given circumstances - the death penalty."
Judge Braxton looked over at the defense table and raised his gavel.
"Mr. Akhbar, I concur with the jury's decision. You will be presently transported to the maximum security prison, where you shall await your execution." The gavel landed with a loud thump. "The court is dismissed."
The courtroom exploded in a myriad of voices all around Harm. Somebody was patting him on the back; somebody else was screaming something in his ear. The naval officer seemed oblivious to it all. His eyes were glued to Akhbar's face, watching him intently for any sign of fear or dismay. There was none of that, however. The Afghani looked like a man who not only expected this turn of events, but was well prepared for it. The smug, self-assured expression on Ali's face worried Harm. He thought back to his very first tribunal aboard the Seahawk - what seemed like ages ago. That time a similar expression on the defendant's face preceded a gruesome suicide in the darkness of his cell. What was Akhbar up to?
As if in response to his silent question, the Afghani turned his head, his eyes searching for something or someone at the back of the room. Intrigued, Harm followed the man's stare just in time to see two dark-haired men exit the courtroom. Webb's earlier warning flashed in his mind, and Harm turned sharply to the agent, grabbing a hold of his jacket.
"Clay, I think I saw them."
"Who?"
"Those men you talked about."
Webb's face tightened with concern, earning worried glances of those around him. "Are you certain?"
"I'm not, but I think we should check this out, just in case."
"Check out what?" Mac asked worriedly.
He shook his head. "It's nothing to worry about. Just want to make sure that Akhbar isn't up to something." Harm tried his best to sound as nonchalant as possible, while he watched the prisoner being led out of the courtroom by two armed guards.
"You know what they're supposed to look like?"
Clay nodded somewhat hesitantly. "I've seen the photos..."
"Let's go then."