The Next Conflicting Phase
Part Nineteen
It wasn�t so much that he disliked Sheffield, personality-wise he was much easier to deal with than Nelson had been, but he didn�t appreciate the man questioning his every move on this case. All it was doing was slowing him down, and that was the last thing he wanted. He was doing everything he possibly could to move this along as fast as possible, and the delays and politics were causing him as much stress as the case itself.
Fortunately for Harm, he didn�t have to deal with it all alone; he had two lawyers as his co-counsel who were perfectly suited for the case. Commander Elizabeth Gracen was the daughter of a diplomat and a Harvard law professor, spoke three languages, had a knowledge of international law that put him to shame, and was a terror in the courtroom. And Major James Comer was a twenty-year veteran of the Corps, who had passed up numerous career-advancing posts in favor of staying where the action was; he�d been on the front lines and seen everything there was to see. Mac had served with him in Bosnia, and had recommended him as soon as Harm had told her about the case. Comer knew better than anyone about the costs and sacrifices of war, which ones were acceptable and which weren�t, and he also knew how to convey that to others. In fact, there had been times in the last few days when he had wondered why he was there at all. God knew he would much rather be at home with Mac, he mused glumly.
Harm didn�t realize how long he�d been lost in thought until he noticed that the others had begun gathering up their things. Cursing inwardly at his lapse in attention, he began scooping up his own files and shoving them into his briefcase. He had just stood up to follow Gracen and Comer out the door when Sheffield asked him to stay behind. Suppressing a sigh, Harm obediently sat back down and waited for the others to file out, wondering what the Secnav could possibly find to discuss that hadn�t been discussed already.
Sheffield waited until Commander Gracen had shut the door behind her before turning to Harm and asking, �I wanted to know what you thought of Commander Gracen and Major Comer. I know you requested them specifically; how well are they working out?�
�Very well, sir,� Harm responded immediately, happy for the chance to point out the hard work both lawyers were doing. �The Commander�s background in international law and the Major�s experiences as a battlefield JAG are proving invaluable on this case.�
Sheffield nodded thoughtfully. �They appear to be very knowledgeable, talented attorneys,� he agreed quickly, but something about his tone that set Harm on edge. There was something more that the Secnav was trying to get at, but Harm had no idea what it was. Still, whatever it was, the least he could do was try and keep Gracen and Comer out of it.
�They are, sir,� he assured Secnav, �and perfectly suited for this case. I�d trust either one of them as first chair.�
Sheffield�s gaze sharpened, and Harm had the distinct feeling that he�d walked into some kind of verbal trap.
�Really? Is that why you�ve been training them to take over the case?� Sheffield asked pointedly, and Harm couldn�t stop himself from flinching just a little at the Secnav�s veiled accusation.
�Sir?� he asked, feigning confusion. He had in fact been training them to take over the case; making sure they were up to speed on everything, and that they were capable of dealing with the pressures of a high profile case. It was a perfectly reasonable thing to do; after all, you never knew what could happen in a situation like this, and it was best not to be caught flat-footed. But despite that rational, Harm knew in his heart that the real reason he was doing it was because of Mac, and he had the sinking feeling that Sheffield had figured that out.
�I overheard them talking before you arrived,� Sheffield explained, rising from his seat and coming to stand in front of Harm. He leaned casually against the table. �They mentioned that you�re including them on every step of the investigation, and that you�ve had them practicing on how to handle the case if you weren�t there. Planning on going somewhere, Commander Rabb?�
�No, sir. I�m not planning on going anywhere,� Harm responded immediately, and then added, �But it�s always good to be prepared for any eventuality.�
�And what eventuality are you preparing for, exactly?� Sheffield asked.
�I don�t know what you mean, sir.�
Sheffield raised his eyebrows disbelievingly. �Come, Commander. It�s been pretty obvious that you aren�t happy about being on this case, and I suspect that it has to do with something more than just the political ramifications.� He gave Harm a shrewd look. �Perhaps it has something to do with your relationship with Colonel Mackenzie?�
Harm stiffened. He might have been thinking about Mac when he started briefing his co-counsel, but not for the reasons Sheffield seemed to be hinting at. �Mr. Secretary, I�m not sure what you�re implying,� he answered stiffly, �but I can assure you that I am giving this case one hundred percent of my effort.�
�But not of your attention,� Sheffield countered.
�No, sir. Not of my attention,� he conceded willingly. He drew himself up ramrod straight in his chair and added, �And with all due respect, sir, I�m not going to apologize for that. I realize that you asked specifically for me, although there are other lawyers out there who could do the job just as well if not better, and I have been doing my duty to the absolute best of my abilities. But I can�t just stop worrying about the Colonel�s health, and if you expect me-�
�The Colonel�s health?� Sheffield interrupted; a confused look on his face. �Is Colonel Mackenzie ill?�
�She has cancer, sir,� Harm informed him, and was surprised to see the shocked look on Sheffield�s face as he leaned more heavily against the table. �The Admiral didn�t tell you?�
Sheffield shook his head, and Harm noticed that his face had lost some of its color. �No, when I asked for both of you he said that it probably wasn�t a good idea, appearance wise, to have two officers who were living together as my attorneys,� he explained with a small shrug of his shoulders, regaining some of his composure, �I agreed, and told him to pick one of you. AJ picked you; he didn�t say why.�
�No, sir. He probably didn�t think it was relevant,� Harm volunteered hesitantly, still confused by the strength of the other man�s reaction. �Neither one of us is more or less qualified to take your case than the other, so I�m not sure which one of us he would have chosen if Mac�s treatment schedule hadn�t eliminated her as one of his options.�
Sheffield looked sharply at him. �Treatment schedule? Is the Colonel scheduled for chemotherapy?�
Harm shook his head. �Radiation, sir.� Something about Secnav�s demeanor made him explain further. �They caught the tumor early enough that she doesn�t need chemo.�
Sheffield nodded in understanding before asking a bit hesitantly, �May I ask what kind of cancer? If it�s not too personal a question.�
�No, sir. She doesn�t broadcast it, but she�s not hiding it, either.� Not anymore, he added silently to himself, but he didn�t think Sheffield needed to know that. Harm wasn�t sure why he needed to know any of it, but it wasn�t a secret, and it was never a good idea to say no to the Secretary of the Navy. �She has breast cancer, sir.�
�I�m sorry to hear that,� Sheffield said solemnly, and Harm could see the sincerity in the man�s eyes. �But you say that they caught it early? That�s good.�
�Yes, sir. She�s going to be fine,� he answered immediately. The response was automatic, almost instinctual at this point; but despite the endless number of times he had said it to others, he still hadn�t managed to convince himself.
Something of what he was thinking must have shown on his face, because Sheffield looked at him and said, �But you still worry.�
�Yes, sir,� Harm admitted softly after a moment�s hesitation. This wasn�t something he ever thought he�d be discussing with the man, and he wasn�t sure of the wisdom of talking about personal matters with him, but there was something about Sheffield�s attitude that compelled Harm to answer honestly. �The doctor�s have assured both of us that the radiation isn�t painful, but...�
He trailed off, unable to find the words to describe his fears, but Sheffield just nodded knowingly. �I understand. With something like cancer, I don�t think you ever stop worrying. I know I haven�t.� At Harm�s startled look, he admitted quietly, �My wife. She went through the whole thing, surgery, radiation, chemo. She�s fine now, thank God. Cancer free for almost ten years.�
And with that statement, Sheffield�s reaction made total sense; hearing about Mac�s illness had reminded him of his wife. And despite knowing virtually nothing about the man, Harm felt a sudden affinity for him. For the first time since he�d met Sheffield, he saw the man behind the position and the politics. And what he saw was a man who quite obviously loved his wife, and who had suffered a great deal when she got cancer. A man who was a lot more like Harm than he would have ever thought possible.
�Ten years; that�s great,� he told Sheffield sincerely, not sure what else to say. It was great; and the fact that she was doing well after so long, when she had obviously had a more advanced case than Mac�s, gave him a little more hope for their future together.
�It�s wonderful,� Sheffield agreed readily, before shrugging and adding wryly, �But I still worry.�
Harm wasn�t sure if that made him feel better or worse, but he appreciated the man�s honesty; and the fact that he had opened up to Harm. It obviously wasn�t easy for him to talk about his wife�s illness, especially to a subordinate, and the fact that he was willing to put aside their respective positions and talk to him as just another man who understood what it was like to have a loved one with cancer impressed Harm greatly. He still wasn�t sure he trusted the man when it came to careers and politics, but in this moment he definitely respected him as a person.
Sheffield spoke again, drawing Harm�s attention back to him. �The doctor�s right, you know,� he assured him, �Radiation is painless.�
�Yes, sir.�
�Doesn�t make you feel any better, does it?� he asked with an understanding smile.
�No, sir,� he admitted.
�I didn�t think so,� Sheffield flashed him a quick grin before an inscrutable look crossed his face as he asked seriously, �You really think that Commander Gracen and Major Comer could take over this case without it hurting our chances?�
�Yes, sir, I do,� Harm answered with absolute conviction. Whatever his motives for prepping them, he knew that the other two attorneys were more than capable of handling this without him. In fact, although it bruised his ego a little to admit it, Commander Gracen was at least as good a lawyer as he was. Not only because of her thorough knowledge of the law, but also because of the way she commanded the courtroom.
Sheffield nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answer, and clapped his hands together. �Very well, Commander,� he said briskly, rising from the table and moving back to his seat. �Then you just keep doing what you�re doing. You�re dismissed.�
And with that, the personal conversation was over, and they fell back into their roles as officer and Secnav. Harm blinked once, thrown off a little by the abrupt turnaround. Something about Sheffield�s demeanor made Harm think that he had come to some kind of decision about something. He just had no idea what that something was.
�Sir?� he questioned curiously, but Sheffield just raised an eyebrow at him and then stared pointedly at the door, so he hurriedly stood and picked up his briefcase, knowing he wasn�t going to get any more answers tonight. �Yes, sir,� he said, snapping to attention, before turning sharply and exiting the room.
Harm headed back to the hotel feeling a strange combination of relief and bewilderment. It had helped him immeasurably to be able to talk, if only for a moment, with someone who had been where he was now. He had just never imagined that someone would be the Secretary of the Navy. And he wasn�t at all sure what Sheffield�s last comment had meant. A small part of him hoped that the man, recognizing what he was going through, was going to let him go home to Mac, but he knew that was just wishful thinking. Just because Sheffield empathized with what Harm was going through didn�t mean he was going to risk his own freedom and his country�s reputation so that Harm could go home and hold Mac�s hand. And Harm understood that, but it frustrated him because he was telling Sheffield the truth. Gracen and Comer were completely capable of handling this without him. In fact, Gracen, with her father�s diplomatic ties and her own experiences as a JAG, had just as much right to be first chair as he did. The only reason she wasn�t was because Harm, by handling things like the Tribunal and the high-profile case against Stuart Dunstan, had cultivated a reputation as a lawyer specially equipped for the big cases. It was a reputation he had worked hard to get, but at the moment it only frustrated him.
Harm finally made it back to his room, and quickly stepped inside before someone saw him and demanded another meeting or interview or strategy session. It was almost one in the morning, and he was tired. He was just so sick and tired of this. Tired of the endless reports, of the twenty-hour workdays, of the reporters and politicians and brass that were keeping him from getting his job done. He wished, for about the thousandth time since he�d arrived, that Mac was here with him. And not just because he missed her more than anything; but also because he needed her to keep him grounded, to keep him sane. Something no one else seemed to remember, but he could never forget, was that on every one of those high profile cases, he and Mac were working together. Not that he didn�t think he could do it on his own; because he had every confidence that he could. He just didn�t want to.
He kicked off his shoes and flopped back on the bed, flinging an arm across his head with a sigh. He wanted to call her. He needed to call her, just so that he could hear and be calmed by the sound of her voice. She would be home. It was almost seven p.m. in D.C.; they had probably just finished eating dinner. It would be the perfect time to call. Perfect for her, but not for him. Because the minute she realized what time it was here, Mac would give him hell for staying up too late and not taking care of himself.
He looked over at the phone. To hell with it, he thought. Let her scold him for being up too late; at least he would get to hear her voice for a few minutes. He rolled over and plucked the phone from its cradle, quickly dialing the house. It rang once, twice, three times before it connected and a blessedly familiar voice scolded, �Why aren�t you asleep?�
Harm grinned. She was so predictable sometimes. �Hello to you too, Mac.�
�Hi,� she answered sternly, �Now answer the question.�
�For your information, I just got back from a meeting with Secnav,� he told her, his voice a little smug with the knowledge that he had a foolproof defense. �It�s going to take me a few minutes to unwind enough to sleep, so I thought I would pass the time talking to my favorite person in the world. Is that okay with you?�
�That it�s one a.m. there and you�re still awake? No,� she shot back. Her voice softened, �But that I�m your favorite person in the world; definitely.� She paused. �Assuming of course that you were talking about me and not your mother.�
�Hmm,� he pretended to ponder that for a moment, before shaking his head and saying, �Nope. Mom�s a close second, but you�re still number one.� She rolled her eyes, but couldn�t help the small, pleased smile that crossed her face.
�How is mom, by the way?� Harm added. �Is she sitting there waiting impatiently for the chance to tell more embarrassing stories about me?�
Mac laughed. �No, she�s filled her quota for the day,� she assured him. �She�s actually not here. She made up some excuse about going to the store, and she probably won�t be back for a while.�
Harm frowned. �Why would she be making up an excuse? Is something wrong?� he asked, concerned. �Did something happen?�
�Harm, relax,� she told him, shaking her head. She should have known he�d jump to that conclusion; he was pretty predictable himself. �Nothing�s wrong. She just wanted to give Jen and me a chance to talk alone.�
�Jen? As in Petty Officer Jennifer Coates?� he clarified, surprised. Coates hadn�t said more than a few words to Mac since she found out about the cancer; despite his and everyone else�s best attempts to talk to her.
�The very same,� Mac confirmed. �She came over to apologize for her attitude the past few weeks.�
�As well she should,� he answered firmly. He liked Jen, a lot, but her attitude had caused Mac a lot of pain; partly because it reinforced her own fears about her illness, and partly because it reminded her too much of last summer. And that was the last thing she needed right now.
Mac didn�t see it that way though, not anymore. Not after Jen had explained where she was coming from. Now it was just a matter of explaining it to Harm.
�Harm, be nice,� she scolded him. �This has been hard on her. It�s brought up a lot of bad memories about her mother�s death, and how abandoned she felt. We�re the only family she has, and she didn�t know how to handle the thought of losing one of us, so she just withdrew. She was just trying to protect herself. I can understand that.�
�Yeah, I know you can,� he answered ruefully. He would hope she could; after all, it was the same thing they�d both been doing most of their lives. Harm had figured that�s what Jen was doing; he just hadn�t thought she�d admit it. Curious to know why she did, he asked, �So what changed her mind?�
�I guess the Admiral decided enough was enough and sat her down and had a talk with her. Told her that once you made someone your family, you couldn�t unmake them, and if you tried to pull away and something happened to that person, you would still feel the same pain regardless; probably more because you�d have all the regrets of things unsaid.�
A small smile crossed Mac�s face at the thought of the Admiral deliberately initiating such a personal conversation with Coates. He liked Jen, but her habit of prying into his life drove him crazy, so he must have been really fed up to give her an opening like that. Fortunately, Jen appeared to be figuring out what the Admiral�s boundaries were, and hadn�t pushed it.
Harm was impressed with the Admiral�s insight, and grateful that he had finally stepped in to deal with the situation. If nothing else, it would make life at JAG a little more pleasant. �So things are okay now?�
�Yeah. We had a nice talk,� she told him. Then she looked down at what she was holding in her arms and grinned. �And she brought me a present, which always helps.�
�A present, huh?� Harm asked, intrigued. �What kind of present?�
�The kind that I can curl up with at night so I won�t be as lonely,� she answered mysteriously, deciding to tease him a little. �His name is Max.�
�His name is Max?� He knew Mac was playing, so he decided to play along. Pretending to be jealous, he said menacingly, �For his sake, he better be someone of the canine or feline variety.�
�Nope,� she replied cheerfully. �But does that mean we can get a dog? I don�t like cats.�
Harm groaned at her pathetic attempt to change the subject. �Mac,� he said warningly, his curiosity now outweighing his desire to play, �Who is Max?�
Mac laughed. �Power down, sailor,� she told him, �Max is my very own Build-A-Bear.�
Build-A-Bear. He tried to think of where he had heard that name before, and got a mental flash of Mac standing in front of a row of furry stuffed animals, and engaging in endless discussions on which one would be best for the newly christened James Kirk Roberts. It was one of the longest Saturday�s of his life; although he had to concede that the bear they ended up picking out was pretty damn cute. Mac even let him put it in an aviator outfit. Still, a stuffed bear for a newborn was one thing; a stuffed bear for a thirty-something female marine was another.
�A teddy bear. Jen got you a teddy bear?�
�Yep,� Mac answered happily, not seeing any problem with a grown woman having her own teddy bear. �An adorable black bear; complete with cammies.� Still holding Max in her arms, she couldn�t resist giving him a little squeeze. He was just so cute. Turning her attention back to Harm, she defended Jen�s choice of gift.
�She had given her mom her stuffed bear when she was a kid to make her feel better when she was in the hospital,� she told him, relaying Jen�s somewhat embarrassed explanation, �so she thought it might do the same for me.�
Harm smiled. That sounded just like Coates, doing something sweet and thoughtful, and then getting embarrassed about it. She and Mac were a lot alike that way, and it was one of his favorite qualities in both of them.
�And does it?� he asked, although the happiness in her voice already gave him his answer. �Do the same for you?�
�Yeah, it does,� she confirmed, �He�s soft and cuddly, and I can take him to bed with me.�
�Yeah, well,� Harm warned her, �you better tell Max not to get too comfortable in that bed.� He cringed when he heard the tone of his voice. It was pretty sad when he missed Mac so much that he was getting jealous of a stuffed animal.
�Don�t worry, Harm,� Mac reassured him with mock solemnity, �Max and I have talked, and he understands his place in my life. And in my bed.�
�Good,� he answered, managing to keep most of the petulance out of his voice. To distract himself from thinking about why Max was occupying her bed, he asked, �Why Max, by the way?�
Mac hesitated before answering. She knew they�d get around to this eventually, and resigned herself to the fact that it was her turn to be teased a little. �His full name is Miracle Max,� she admitted with a sigh. �Jen thought it would be funny.�
�Ah, yes, I forgot that Jen knows about your secret obsession with �The Princess Bride�,� Harm snickered. Jen was right; it was pretty funny. It was also pretty brave of her to tease Mac like that, considering the dire threats against her health and happiness Mac issued should she ever reveal Mac�s secret. She hated the thought of her big, bad marine reputation being ruined if people found out she liked such a sappy, goofy movie - which he could understand because he felt the exact same way. Harm had actually been surprised that she had told Jen how much she loved it, but Mac said that things had gotten pretty boring on the Seahawk at times, and they had found themselves talking about all sorts of unexpected things. She was also quick to point out that she knew a few secrets of Jen�s as well.
Mac allowed Harm a few minutes to revel in his amusement at her expense before shutting him down by telling him, �Laugh while you can, squid. Trish and I have already decided that you�re getting a bear of your own as soon as you get home.�
That drew Harm up short. �I most certainly am not,� he replied indignantly. �I�m not going into a shop and picking out a teddy bear for myself.� Just the thought of going into that store and being forced to stand there while Mac and his mom held up various animals for his approval had him shuddering in horror.
But Mac was not to be deterred. �Fine,� she told him calmly, �Then we�ll pick it out without you.�
Even thousands of miles away, Harm could see the evil grin on Mac�s face and knew that he was fighting a losing battle. If he didn�t agree, she would not only pick out the most embarrassing, girly stuffed animal she could find, she�d probably deliver it to him in the middle of the bullpen.
Heaving a huge, martyred sigh, he said, �Fine. I�ll go pick out the bear. But we�re not showing or telling anyone about this. Understand?�
�Understood,� Mac responded with mock solemnity, just barely fighting back a fit of giggles. �No show and tell.�
�You�re asking for it, Marine,� he warned her. This time Mac couldn�t hold it in, and she burst out laughing, and Harm couldn�t help but smile himself. It had been too long since she�d just let go and had fun like this.
�It�s nice to hear you laughing,� he told her softly, before asking seriously, �How are you feeling?�
�Fine,� she answered lightly, still grinning a little.
Despite her happy tone, though, Harm wasn�t completely convinced. There had been something in his tone the last time they talked, but when he asked her about it, she just told him that it would wait until he got home. He�d talked to his mom later, and she had told him the same thing, and reassured him that Mac was alright, but she had sounded pretty subdued so he wasn�t sure he completely believed her, either.
�Are you sure?� he pressed her. �Because yesterday when we talked-�
�Harm, I�m fine,� she interrupted, wanting to reassure him, �I really am. Promise.� Her voice softened as she added lovingly, �And a big part of that is because of this sailor I know who was really smart and sent his wonderful mother out to keep me company.�
There was a long moment of silence. Mac had wanted to reassure him, make him feel better, and thank him, but his lack of response was making her begin to think that she had failed. Then Harm finally spoke.
�Really smart, huh?�
Mac laughed. She should have known. �Yep,� she answered firmly, willing to stroke his ego a little if it meant he would stop worrying about her, �Highly intelligent.�
�And funny?� he added hopefully, milking it for all it was worth.
�Hysterical.�
�Cute?�
Mac snorted. �That goes without saying. I�d even go so far as to say handsome. And very kind and caring,� she continued before he could fish for more compliments. Then her voice took on a sultrier note as she added, �He�s also pretty good with his hands.�
Harm swallowed hard. It had been a while since he�d heard that tone in her voice, but it still caused the same stir of desire in him.
�Only pretty good?� he challenged huskily, stirring the same desire in her. Her body shuddered a little in response to the heat beginning to pulse through her veins.
�Really good. Fabulous,� she amended, and her voice was practically a purr when she added, �And I can�t wait �til he gets home so he and I can explore that aspect more...thoroughly.�
�He can�t wait, either,� Harm responded, his body already tensing in anticipation at the blatant promise in Mac�s voice. Trying to turn the tables a little, he said, �And you know, he thinks you�re pretty good with your hands, too. Actually, he thinks you�re pretty good, period.�
Mac smiled. �Only pretty good?� she responded, mimicking his teasing tone from moments ago. As much as she wanted to continue the seduction, it didn�t seem fair to either of them to get them both worked up when he was so far away.
�Really good,� Harm responded, recognizing what she was doing and gratefully going along. His pants were becoming uncomfortably tight. �Fabulous. Stupendous, even.�
She laughed. �You�re pretty good for a girl�s ego, you know that?�
�Right back at you, Mackenzie,� he smiled. The smile faded when he looked over at the clock and saw how late it was. �I should probably let you go,� he told her regretfully.
�Yeah,� she agreed with a soft sigh, �you need to get some sleep.� Harm snorted; as turned on as he was right now, that didn�t seem very likely.
Mac hesitated a moment, and then asked seriously, �Harm, are you okay?�
�I should be asking you that,� he responded immediately.
�You already asked me that, and I answered. Now it�s your turn,� she told him firmly.
�I�m fine.� Still trying to make his point, he added, �And I�m not the one who starts radiation treatments in a few days.�
But Mac had a point of her own to make. �No, but I�m not the one stuck by himself on the other side of the Atlantic,� she countered. �I have your mom, Harm. And Joe and everybody at JAG. You don�t have anybody to talk to or make sure you�re okay. And that worries me,� she admitted softly.
�Well, don�t let it worry you, Mac. I�m okay.� He could practically hear her eyebrows rise in disbelief, so he conceded, �I�m not saying I�m great. I miss you like crazy, and I�m praying that this circus ends soon so I can come home, but I�m handling it okay. So stop worrying.�
She snorted softly and rolled her eyes. �Right. I�ll stop worrying when you do.� Harm laughed ruefully, knowing that neither one of them was going to manage to stop worrying about the other.
�You know that you can call me, right?� Mac told him. �Anytime, even if it�s three in the morning here; I don�t care.�
�I care,� he argued. �You need your rest.�
�I�ll rest better if I know that you�re going to call me if you need me,� she said earnestly. Her voice turned pleading. �Promise me, Harm. Promise me that you�ll tell me if something�s wrong. Or even if you just need to say hi. Promise.�
�I promise, Mac,� Harm said softly. She knew him too well, he thought; she knew that he would never break a promise he made to her. �I love you; you know that, right?�
�I know. I love you, too.� And then, despite her almost overwhelming desire to keep talking to him, she sighed and started to end the call. �Get some sleep, Harm.�
�I will,� he told her. Reluctant to say goodbye, he hesitated before telling her, �I�ll call tomorrow.�
�Okay. Good night,� she whispered softly.
�Night.�
Hanging up the phone, Harm looked miserably around his lonely hotel room and prayed for something to happen soon that would end this case, because he wasn�t sure how much longer he could go on missing Mac like this. Sighing unhappily, he stripped down to his boxers and crawled under the covers, resigning himself to another night of holding her only in his dreams.
Tuesday
The Hague, Netherlands
0010 Local
Harm sat in the suite of rooms that were serving as the Secnav�s �cell� while he was awaiting trial, trying to stifle yet another yawn. It was late, just after midnight local time, but Sheffield had insisted on meeting with Harm and the other two lawyers handling his case. It was the fifth time in less than two days that he had called a meeting to get a progress report; and Harm was sorely tempted to forget protocol and tell the man that they�d be making a hell of a lot more progress if he�d quit asking for so many reports. The only thing stopping him was the fact that the Secnav was still an unknown to Harm; he didn�t know if he�d be commended for his honesty, or brought up on charges of insubordination.