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Unconditional Love 1: The Investigation Begins
Rating: IM15 for now Summary: Harm and Mac get sent to the Patrick Henry for a JAGman investigation, and get more than they bargained for. Disclaimer: JAG, NCIS and their characters are owned by people who can afford much better lawyers than I can afford, so please don’t sue me. However, any mistakes in describing procedures or items on a ship are all mine.
0830 ESTJAG Headquarters“And finally,” the Admiral said, wrapping up his Monday morning staff meeting, “Commander Rabb and Colonel MacKenzie – you’ll be heading to Norfolk to perform a JAGman investigation on the Patrick Henry.”
“What happened, sir?” Mac asked.
“Petty Officer Ron Talbert went out on liberty Saturday night, and ended up at the Norfolk Medical Center the next morning, in a coma.” The Admiral looked at his notes. “They found traces of cocaine and heroin in his bloodstream. We need to find out if this was accidental or deliberate.”
“Do you have any further information, sir?” Harm asked the Admiral.
“Not much at this point. The doctors have been focused on saving the boy’s life.” He handed Harm and Mac each a folder. “Here’s everything they’ve determined so far.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“That will be all. Dismissed.”
After the meeting, Harm and Mac gathered in her office to review the facts of the case, as they knew them.
“It says here,” Mac read from the report, “that his roommate, a Petty Officer Green, was the last one to see him conscious, and was the one who found him the next morning.”
Harm made a note. “He should be one of the first we interview when we get down there. Was he out with Talbert the night before?”
“It doesn’t say in the report, but it’s possible.” Mac read one. “Now this is very interesting. The petty officer had been in trouble with the law before enlisting, but because he was a juvenile, the record was sealed. Wonder what the trouble was?”
Harm shifted in his seat. “If it is, I don’t know how we’d be able to find out. And how would it help us?”
“It could give us insight into who might have wanted to do harm to PO Talbert.”
“True. But according to his file, Talbert had a problem with discipline once he joined the Navy. We may have a long list of people who didn’t get along with the petty officer.”
“But how many of those had access to cocaine and heroin?”
“All questions that we aren’t going to be able to answer until we get there.” Harm got up. “So let’s get going. Want me to drive?” He jingled his car keys.
“Sure, but that means I get to pick where we eat lunch,” Mac countered. Harm made a face, but didn’t debate the point with her.
1230 ESTUSS Patrick Henry, Norfolk, VA
The captain of the ship greeted Harm and Mac as they walked up the gangway. “Colonel, Commander, good to see you again. I only wish it were under better circumstances.”
“We do as well, sir,” Harm responded. He eyed the deck, where they were lining up F-14s.
“Never gets out your blood, does it?” The captain had followed Harm’s gaze.
“Never, sir,” Harm grinned back at him. “But you find other ways to boost your adrenalin.” Mac just rolled her eyes.
“About this case, sir,” Mac broke in. “We’ve identified some potential witnesses we’d like to talk to. Can you make them available to us?” Harm pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to the captain.
“Yes, I can do that.”
He looked it over. “I tell you, this has done a number to the morale on this
ship. Petty Officer Talbert, for all of his problems, was pretty popular.”
He sighed with resignation. “PO Talbert’s last drug screening came back positive. For marijuana.”
“So why was he still on the ship, sir?” Harm asked.
“I believe I can answer that question, Commander Rabb.” Harm heard a vaguely familiar voice and turned to find NCIS Special Agent Gibbs standing there. “So, we meet again.” He nodded towards Mac. “The difference is this time, we’re on the same side.”
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