Author’s Note : This story was inspired by the ‘Picture is Worth a Thousand Words’ challenge titled “The Captain.” But I knew that I’d never get the story finished by that deadline, and didn’t want to ask for an extension, so I incorporated the challenge picture titled “Gaze (2)” and offer it for that contest.

Rogue Wave

By R. L. Keller

He was standing… He wasn’t sure where he was standing. It wasn’t beach; at least, it didn’t feel like beach. It almost felt like water under his feet yet it was solid. But maybe he thought ‘water’ because of the wall of same immediately in front of him. It was a weird wall – straight up, solid, and as he followed the wall up with his eyes he couldn’t find the top because it kept growing, the top staying just ahead of his line of sight. Then suddenly he did see the top – and instantly wished that he hadn’t. It was curling over his head, enveloping him, and he couldn’t seem to make his feet move from the spot…until everything went black!

As his senses started to re-engage slowly, one at a time, Lee because very confused. He didn’t remember falling asleep. In fact, suddenly he didn’t remember much of anything. What? his fuzzy brain asked, but the only answer at that point was no clue. With no idea of passing time his next thought was lying flat on my back? Where? But his brain wasn’t able to sort through the limited input it was getting.

His next bit of awareness was slightly more informative – still flat on his back, no pillow, but what was under him felt firm but soft. Mattress? Not my bunk on Seaview – none of the comforting vibrations life aboard his submarine always gave him. Very far off he could hear sounds but malfunctioning senses still refused to coalesce into anything that made sense, and the only thing trying to figure it out did was set his head to pounding harder than it already was. When did that happen? Deciding that he might just prefer non-functioning senses at the moment, he fell back into oblivion.

The next time he became aware, things were better. Sort of. He still had no idea where he was. Or how he got there. He was able to identify that he was laying on a somewhat narrow bed. Sounds were still muffled and muted but with some serious effort he was able to focus enough to identify a smallish room. There was one window, but it was apparently dark outside. There were two doors – both closed, so no help there.

Ah hah, a clue, he thought when he discovered a pole next to the bed holding a bag of fluid, and he followed the tube leading from it down to his left arm. Hospital hit his brain with disgust. He hated hospitals! How the blazes did that happen?

But thoughts of fluid sidetracked the disgust to put a different thought into his brain and he wiggled in preparation for getting up. One of the doors must lead to a head, he theorized.

“No!” came firmly from his right, in a voice he thought that he should recognize but didn’t. The intonation was flat, no help at all for identification. It took a surprising amount of effort to turn his head that direction, and even more to bring the figure he found there into focus.

“Chip?” Forming even that one word required major effort.

“Yes,” came back in not quite the impersonal tone of the first word.

“Head.” Lee was getting ticked that he could only manage one word at a time.

Chip’s answer didn’t help Lee’s attitude. In the teasing voice the blond used during private conversations between the long-time friends he told Lee, “Use the tube – you’ve managed just fine for the last twenty-four hours.”

Unfortunately, Lee’s still muddled brain cells hadn’t totally worked through the sentence when one of the doors opened and another face Lee recognized walked in. “Finally,” Dr. Will Jamison let out a breath. “I was starting to get worried. Even though the MRI didn’t show any damage to his skull I didn’t like that he wasn’t regaining consciousness.”

“Not sure just how conscious he is,” Chip answered, not so teasing this time.

“Ah,” Will nodded, and walked over to the bed. “Skipper?” He laid a hand on Lee’s arm.

“What…happened?” Lee got out slowly.

“Hey, he managed two words in a row,” Chip quipped. “Sort of, anyway.”

Will frowned at the blond but his eyes went back to Lee’s face. “You don’t know?” When Lee merely looked at him, he continued. “What’s the last thing you do remember?”

Lee pondered the question for long enough that the frown returned to the doctor’s face. “Not sure,” he finally got out, still slowly but at least the words were connected with only a very slight hesitation.

“Humm,” Will mumbled. “But you recognized Chip and I. You know who you are.” Chip snickered at the expression that appeared on Lee’s face, and Will grinned. “A start in the right direction,” and he patted Lee’s arm.

A few seconds later, “Norfolk?” Lee slowly turned his head back in Chip’s direction. “Repairs?”

“Better,” Will approved.

“Yes, Lee, Norfolk Naval Shipyard. You left me to supervise the repairs while…”

“Chip,” Will cut him off. “Better if he remembers on his own.”

Which dragged another frown from Lee, but also sent him back to one of Chip’s previous statements. “Twenty-four hours?” His voice was starting to work better as his brain responded to stimuli, and he focused on Will’s face. “MRI?”

Will nodded. “You had us worried.” Lee continued to frown. “What’s next after pulling into Norfolk?” he asked.

“And leaving me with the repairs,” Chip added. “Not to mention the dipstick from Base Maintenance.”

Lee closed his eyes and neither Will or Chip interrupted. “Minor,” came out softly. He glanced at Chip. “Dive planes got bumped.”

“Better and better,” Chip told him. “Then…” he encouraged.

“What dipstick?” Lee looked at Chip.

“Not important now,” Chip told him. “I’ll tell you later. What else do you remember?” he encouraged.

The pause was longer this time. “Head,” finally came out softly.

“Headache, Skipper?” Will asked, and frowned when Chip almost giggled.

“This is where you walked in, Jamie,” the blond got out between chuckles. “He’s aware enough to be fussing about the catheter.”

Will grinned. “First things first. Let’s see if you can sit up without too much pain.”

“Why?” Lee demanded – or as close to a command as he could get.

“Why, what?” Will asked. “Why have you sit up?”

Lee glared at him. “Why pain?” he clarified, once more starting to wiggle. Both Will and Chip reached to hold him down.

Will took a deep breath as he reached for the button to raise the head of the bed. “Because, Skipper, you crashed your car.” Lee just continued to stare at him.

“Big time, buddy,” Chip confirmed, back to serious. “Tried to drive it off a cliff.” It was his turn to take a deep breath. “Very nearly managed it, too.”

Lee sent them both a confused look as his head neared more their level. “Car?”

Chip wasn’t totally sure what Lee was asking so he started from the beginning, and this time Jamie didn’t stop him. “You borrowed a car from the motor pool to go meet a friend for dinner. Anything sound familiar?” Lee shook his head slowly. “Guy named Steve Abbott. I didn’t recognize the name.”

At that Lee nodded. “Not Annapolis,” he told the blond. “And I sort of remember the call. I know him from…” He sent Chip one of his through-the-lashes looks.

“ONI,” Chip grumbled softly and Lee nodded, his eyes still lowered.

“What next, Skipper?” Will asked, wanting to interrupt what had all the makings of a Chip rant at Lee’s continued involvement with the Navy’s intelligence gathering agency.

Lee was silent for a bit, not really looking at either man. “How’s the car?” he changed the subject.

“Totaled,” Chip told him bluntly. “Another dozen feet and you’d have been totaled as well.” That came out harshly, and filled with emotion. Lee did look directly at Chip then. Chip let out a deep breath before continuing more under control. “At some point that section of guard rail had been replaced and the old section was apparently just tossed into the brush. Maybe they meant to come back for it later,” he postulated with a shrug. “You broke through the new railing, went down about a ten-foot drop, the brush and rail slowed you down – thankfully – and you landed on a rock outcropping just short of a forty-foot cliff.”

“Somebody reported the hole in the new railing to the local police and they found you when they went to check it out,” Will continued. “That was about 0300 yesterday morning.” Lee sent a glance at the darkened window. “Not quite 0300 this morning,” Will confirmed.

Lee closed his eyes before asking Will almost softly, “Can I get out of here and go back to Seaview now?”

Will frowned as Chip snickered, but the frown was actually a cover – Will was a little surprised that it had taken this long for Lee to ask. “Although, he admitted to himself, Lee’s attention has until just now been focused on trying to remember why he was here in the first place. “How about we give it a few more hours?” he told his very worst, but unfortunately his most frequent, patient. “The Admitting Physician will no doubt want to see you…”

“Even though Jamie was quite adamant that if she was really wise she’d have nothing more to do with you,” Chip added with a grin.

“She?” Lee all but growled, and both Will and Chip snickered softly. Much to Lee’s displeasure.

“Down, Skipper,” Will ordered, before spoiling the effect with another grin. “Straight answer,” he continued, “for a change,” he switched back to an order. “Pain level.” He headed off whatever Lee started to say. “And I realize we’ve barely let you move. But first impression.” Neither he or Chip said anything as Lee slowly tested joints and muscles.

“Sore,” was Lee’s evaluation.

“Headache?” Will asked.

Lee gave that some thought. “Not really.”

“Good seat belts,” was Chip’s response.

Lee rubbed his chest. “Apparently,” he admitted.

Will nodded. “That’s to be expected, under the circumstances. But also why we couldn’t figure out why you remained unconscious so long.”

Lee’s confused look returned. “I sort of remember headed out to meet Steve, but…” He looked at Will.

“Don’t worry about it, Skipper,” Will gave his shoulder a quick pat. “My guess is it will all eventually come back.”

“And then you’ll probably wish that it hadn’t,” Chip added helpfully, with another grin. Lee reached out a hand to smack him and all three finally grinned – Lee much less than the other two.

The door once more opened, admitting a forty-ish woman wearing a white lab coat over khaki’s. “Welcome back to the land of the living, Commander,” she said pleasantly with a smile as she walked up to stand next to Will. Both he and Chip had to bury grins as Lee’s expression went instantly hooded. Chip was unfortunately less than successful, which caused Will’s grin to return as well. “Miss something?” she continued to Will, her own smile widening.

Will knew that he didn’t dare say what was going through his mind – and Chip’s as well, no doubt. Lee was not an easy patient to deal with at the best of times. A woman doctor in the room, when Lee had already been fussing about the catheter… Will had to quickly get control before things took a decidedly unpleasant turn. “We,” he nodded toward Chip, “were doing our usual ‘how coherent is the Skipper’ routine.” His voice went more stern as he sent a nod Lee’s direction. “We have, unfortunately, had too much experience in that department.” He finally made introductions. “Dr. Helen McClintock, Skipper. She was in Emergency when you were brought in.”

“Really?” she addressed Lee directly, going back to Will’s first comment. “I wouldn’t think that Admiral Nelson would put up with anyone who, shall we say, wasn’t in total control of himself.” She frowned when Chip totally lost it and had to turn away as there was a soft growl from the bed.

“That’s just the point,” Will explained with a frown of his own. “Cdr. Crane will always put himself in danger before anyone else when it comes to hazardous situations.”

“Ah,” Dr. McClintock nodded. “That explains the, shall we say, battle scars on his body.” Chip snorted, burying a growl of his own as Lee’s expression went back to hooded. “And your evaluation, Dr. Jamison?”

Will took an extra second to reply. “Better than I was expecting, actually, considering how long he was unconscious.” He nodded toward the door. “Let’s continue this conversation elsewhere. Cdr. Crane hates medical talk.” Once more Chip snorted, this time with a grin, and Dr. McClintock frowned. But with only a moment’s hesitation she followed Will out.

Once the door was closed Lee once again wiggled. “No,” Chip told him firmly, but the smile stayed on his face. Lee sent him a glare but surrendered fairly easily, and the pair waited in easy silence until Will returned alone.

“Chill, Skipper,” Will ordered as Lee once more started to move. “I’ll deal with Dr. McClintock but I expect cooperation from you.”

The door had once more opened quietly halfway through Will’s sentence. “And I’ll make that an order,” came in Admiral Harriman Nelson’s gruff voice, softened slightly by the hint of a smile. “What the blazes happened, Lee?”

“A question I’d like answered as well.” Another man followed Nelson into the room, dressed in civvies.

“Special Agent Tyler, NCIS,” Nelson identified the man. “He’s investigating the accident.”

“Sorry, sir,” Lee answered. “Sirs,” he amended with a glance at the agent. “I can’t remember anything beyond getting Steve’s call.” He still spoke slowly but without hesitation between the words, and shook his head sadly. “I barely remember that,” he admitted.

“Nothing beyond the call?” Tyler challenged. “Getting a car from the motor pool? Where you had dinner?” At Lee’s continued negative shaking of his head, the agent frowned.

“What does Steve say?” Lee caught the instant frowns that hit the other three Seaview officers’ faces, and continued cautiously. “Surely you’ve talked to him by now.”

“We couldn’t locate him, Lee,” Nelson said. “No one by that name in the phone book. Sparks,” he referenced Seaview’s head radioman, “didn’t have a call-back number. I even tried Admiral Jones.” He sent a glance toward Chip at mention of ONI’s Director. “He had no idea that Abbott was even in the area. Seems he’s been on extended medical leave.”

“Gee, wonder how that happened,” Chip growled very low, but still loud enough to be heard in the small room. It earned him a frown from Lee, nods of acknowledged agreement from both Nelson and Will, and a raised eyebrow from Tyler.

“We have firsthand knowledge of ONI assignments going haywire,” Nelson semi-answered the agent’s unasked question. “Lee?” he asked as the brunet started shaking his head slowly.

“I don’t think…well,” he looked at Nelson, “at least I don’t remember that he actually gave me a number during the call.”

“How were you supposed to meet up with him?” Tyler asked.

“Delveccio’s,” Lee named a popular bar/restaurant in Norfolk frequented by Navy personnel and locals alike, then startled. “How did I remember that?” he asked Will.

“Because bits are starting to come back,” Will assured him with a smile.

“But…” His voice once more trailed off.

“But what?” Nelson urged gently.

Lee sent him a blank look. “I don’t remember, sir.”

“Don’t remember what?” Tyler’s urging wasn’t so gentle, and Lee sent the blank expression his direction.

“Nothing much past the call, sir. I have a vague notion of leaving Seaview.” He shared a glance with the other three Seaview men. “But even that’s fuzzy.”

“What about that call, Commander?” Tyler continued. “What was said?”

“It surprised me, Special Agent,” Lee told him. “It came through Seaview’s Radio Room, which isn’t unusual, really.” All four others nodded. “And Steve didn’t really say much. He knew Seaview was docked, did I have time to meet him for dinner. I knew him through ONI but we weren’t close.”

“He didn’t give you a reason for the meeting?”

“No, sir.” Lee sent a look at Chip and with a slightly sheepish grin continued. “It was just a good excuse to leave Chip, Lt. Cdr. Morton, with the repairs.” Nelson and Will chuckled openly as Chip grumbled not quite under his breath. Lee’s grin went even more sheepish.

“Trust me,” Nelson told the now confused agent. “It’s best to let that one drop and not get in the middle of those two.” His nod indicated his senior officers.”

“Not if you value your sanity,” Will added with a frown, and even Chip’s grin went sheepish to match Lee’s. Nelson chuckled softly.

“How long will Cdr. Crane be in hospital?” Tyler asked Will.

Before Will could do more than start to open his mouth, Lee answered. “No longer than it takes me to find my clothes,” he growled with a glare.

Nelson’s chuckled “Lee” was drowned out by Will’s firm “Commander.” Chip added a “Chill,” before Nelson took command of the conversation. “Seaview will be in port for several more days at least.” He glanced at Lee. “Some meetings have come up that need my attention.” Lee flinched as he sent a glance toward Chip. From the blond’s expression he was aware of the change in plans and shared Lee’s unease – Nelson and Washington, D.C. didn’t always go together well. “Lee will no doubt be moved back to Seaview as soon as Dr. Jamison is comfortable that it’s safe to do so.” That last was said with a firm look at Lee, who acknowledged the implied order with a small nod. “If you have further questions, or Lee’s memory returns, he’ll be available to you.”

“Thank you, Admiral.”

“Now that that’s settled,” Will took over, “how about you all leave and let me decide when the Commander will be where.” Lee sent him a glare as Chip and Nelson both grinned and nodded, and the Admiral all but escorted the NCIS agent out. Chip hesitated with a raised eyebrow at Will. “Go feed your face,” Will ordered the blond with a glance at his watch. “You haven’t eaten in over seven hours – has to be a record.” It caused Lee to snicker – just as Will intended. He’d been keeping a close eye on Lee and knew that as conscientious as the younger man was, not being able to remember the last almost thirty-six hours was causing anguish. Lee could be broody at times and his friends, of which Will was pleased to acknowledge included him, would do what they could to help Lee through the rough patches.

“Jamie…” Lee started as the door closed behind a still-reluctant-to-leave Chip. But the blond had caught Will’s eye and sent him an ever so slight nod that he understood the doctor’s tactics and left without another word.

“Chill,” Will ordered. “You want out. I want you out.” Lee sent him a look. “I’ve worked with Dr. McClintock before. I like her; she’s a great physician. No way am I inflicting you on her any longer than is absolutely necessary!” Lee had the good grace to lower his eyes and soften his glare, and Will finally smiled. “Relax, Skipper. A couple more tests, just to make sure that there’s nothing residual that will come back to bite us both…” his grin broadened as Lee nodded. He knew that Lee would never intentionally cause Will grief if it could be avoided. He simply hated to ever admit that he wasn’t 100% fit, and Will had to get a bit sneaky on occasion to slow him down. “By the time Chip cleans out the hospital cafeteria,” he smiled again as Lee snorted softly, “I suspect that I’ll be comfortable moving you back to Seaview.”

“Where?” Lee asked so softly that Will almost didn’t hear him, but still knew exactly what Lee was asking.

“Behave, and as long as nothing shows in the tests, your cabin,” he told the younger man. “Strictly Sick List – totally off duty until further notice,” he added with a glare.

“Yes, sir,” Lee offered softly, using the joke that he shared with Jamie, that he’d ‘sir’ an officer of lesser rank. While it wasn’t vocalized, both knew that it was Lee’s way of acknowledging his respect for Will – something he gave openly to very few people, and Will was very appreciative that he’d been let into the small circle of people that the intense young man called friends. Will nodded and started another exam.

Chip wasn’t at all surprised to find Admiral Nelson waiting somewhat impatiently at the elevator at the end of the hall. He was a bit surprised to see Agent Tyler with him, and decided that was why the Admiral was frowning. But he addressed Chip under control. “Get tossed out as well?”

Chip decided to play along. “The only thing louder than ‘Dedicated Commander’ is ‘Dedicated Doctor’. It was safer to leave.”

Nelson grinned. “I was just explaining a few ground rules to Special Agent Tyler. He’ll get a lot better cooperation from both Lee and Will if he treads lightly.”

“Yes, sir.” He sent the agent a look. “But if I may ask, what’s the interest besides a simple car accident? I know that it has to be investigated but why NCIS?”

“My question, exactly,” Nelson added with a small glare at the agent.

“As I was just explaining,” Tyler started slowly. It seemed to Chip that he wasn’t used to being challenged by a Lieutenant Commander, especially with an Admiral present, and Chip had to carefully control a smile. Seaview wasn’t ‘usual’ for a lot of reasons. “The accident itself was in a strange place,” the agent continued. “Despite the guard rails that’s a fairly safe, if off the beaten path, stretch of road.”

“But I gather that the rail had to have been replaced at some point?” Nelson asked.

Tyler frowned. “Teenagers,” he muttered. “And texting. At least, the local police think so. There wasn’t much left of them.”

“Lee’s an extremely safe driver,” Chip assured him.

“So I’ve been told,” Tyler said carefully, with a glance at Nelson. Again Chip had to control his expression. “And the initial blood work showed no signs of drugs or excessive alcohol.”

“Chip!” Nelson’s order stopped the explosion that was instantly evident on the blond’s face. “I have already explained that Lee would never take drugs, nor drink too much to drive impaired.”

“No, sir!” Chip still sent a glare at the agent.

“While Cdr. Crane’s blood alcohol level was within legal limits,” Tyler said levelly, “we still don’t have any idea of when the accident actually happened. It could have been several hours before the test was actually done.”

“Lee wouldn’t drive drunk. Period!” Chip’s look dared the agent to argue. Tyler wisely didn’t take the bait.

“And his record agrees,” Tyler said with a nod. “I still have to check, and especially as we can’t seem to find who he said he was meeting.”

“That is weird,” Chip backed down.

“At least we know now where they met. Hopefully we can start a trace there.” He tried a small smile. “No one else on the boat talked to the guy?”

Chip’s face instantly went nasty at the implication that Lee might have lied, but Nelson cut him off before he could blast the agent into the next time zone. “You’re welcome to question Sparks, ah, Lt. Sines, our Radioman,” he said to Tyler, but keeping an eye on his still furious Exec. “Sparks took the incoming call. Lee was in the Conn and took the call in the Nose.” He nodded toward Chip. “Both Chip and our Second Officer, Lt. James, heard Lee’s end of the conversation, as I’ve already told you.” That last came out firmly, and it finally caused Chip to relax. Now he knew why Nelson had been frowning when Chip had walked up to he and Tyler.

Tyler sent Chip an almost cautious look. “And for sure you’d have already said if there was anything in that conversation that would give a clue to any of this,” he said with a carefully controlled tone.

“Yes, sir,” Chip also controlled his voice, and out of the corner of his eye caught the grin that hit Nelson’s face. “Nothing much to Lee’s end. He seemed surprised to hear from the guy. Lee didn’t really say much, just listened for a bit, said ‘yes’ or ‘okay’ a couple of times. Once he disconnected Lee went over a couple things with Chris, ah, Lt. James, and I, then said that he was meeting this Steve guy for dinner and he’d be back by 2300 hours.” Chip sent Nelson a quirky smile. “I harassed him about leaving Chris and I with the repairs…”

“Typical hijinks,” Nelson translated for Tyler.

“And Lee took off,” Chip finished with a shrug.

“Would your radioman have listened to the call?” Tyler asked.

“No,” Nelson and Chip answered at the same time. Chip deferred to his boss. “Being a semi-civilian boat,” Nelson continued, “once the call was identified as personal Sparks would have turned off his headset until the call was completed.”

Tyler nodded. “But I’ll double-check once I get back to the boat,” Chip told him.

“If you’re headed there now, could I tag along? Just covering all the bases,” he added quickly as Chip’s frown reappeared.

“Actually,” Chip told the agent with a sheepish glance at Nelson, “I was just headed to the cafeteria for breakfast.”

His boss chuckled. “He’s safe now,” Nelson told him softly. Chip started to respond, glanced at Tyler, and shut up. Nelson chuckled harder and told Tyler, “Chip’s not sure Lee’s safe in his own bunk.” He just waved a hand at the agent’s look of confusion. “Never mind. Inside joke,” Nelson explained.

Tyler reached into a pocket, brought out two cards, and handed one to both Nelson and Chip. “If anything comes up, don’t hesitate to call.”

“And please let us know if you turn up anything,” Nelson said. Chip figured that he wasn’t the only one who heard the order in Nelson’s otherwise calm sentence when Tyler immediately nodded.

“Of course, Admiral,” was, however, all that he said. They all shared the elevator to the ground floor but then went in separate directions.

* * * *

Ten hours later found Chip standing at Seaview’s chart table going over the repair sheets COB Sharkey had just brought forward. He tried to cover a huge yawn but failed badly, and sheepishly glanced around to see if he’d been caught.

Lt. James quickly averted his gaze, but knew that he was too late and figured that he might as well say what he was thinking. “Got things covered here, XO, if you want to go crash for a few hours. Don’t imagine you’ve had much sleep the last day with what happened.”

Chip started to say, “I’m fine,” stopped himself just in time since he was always sniping at Lee for using that line when it was obvious that he wasn’t, but was saved from saying anything when Ensign William Haskins, the back-up radioman on duty while Sparks took Shore Leave with a good many of Seaview’s crew, called to him.

“Mr. Morton, there’s an NCIS agent topside requesting to board and speak with the Skipper.”

“That’s not happening if he’s actually asleep,” Chip muttered to no one in particular. Then he frowned at Chris. “But I’m not holding my breath on that one.” Chris nodded agreement.

It hadn’t been a strenuous day for Seaview’s XO but Chris was right – Chip hadn’t gotten a whole lot of sleep since being notified at 0100 the previous morning that Lee hadn’t reported back aboard when he’d said that he would. No one was too worried at that point but the call about 0345 from the base hospital whipped everyone into a frenzy, and in particular Chip, Nelson, and Will. While Nelson had been in and out during the next twenty-four hours Chip had no idea if he’d rested at all. Chip knew that Jamie claimed to have grabbed a few hours here and there in the Doctors’ Lounge. Chip, himself, had barely left Lee’s side, unwilling to let his ‘brother in all ways except blood’ out of his sight. Chip wasn’t sure why; it wasn’t like Lee had never been hospitalized before. But something about the car accident unsettled him, and his solution was to stand – well, sit – vigil until Lee regained consciousness.

He’d doddled a bit over his breakfast, giving Jamie some private time with Lee and smiling to himself because of it. While all of Seaview’s crew, and most of NIMR’s employees, knew that Lee and Jamie had great respect for each other – despite the eighty-decibel ‘discussions’ that occurred between the two on occasion – Chip was one of only a few who knew just how deep that respect and friendship went between the two strong-willed men.

He’d still been a bit surprised, when he returned to Lee’s room a full hour later, that Lee was as relaxed as he seemed to be and wondered out loud if perhaps Jamie had been shooting off the supply of loaded syringes Lee and Chip frequently accused the doctor of using way too freely. Jamie had laughed as he left, and Lee explained that Jamie hadn’t found anything not already known with the added tests, had promised Lee that he could go to his cabin on Seaview instead of a stopover in Sick Bay, and Lee had promised to behave. Chip had muttered something about “that will be the day,” but then laughed himself and helped Lee get ready to leave the hospital. That didn’t include a fresh uniform – someone had grabbed slacks and a polo shirt from the civvies Lee kept aboard and delivered them to Jamie at some point. Lee grumbled softly, but not too hard as Chip teased him a bit about his reaction to Dr. McClintock.

To Chip there was no doubt that Lee was dealing with a good bit of body aches from the crash, and knew that Jamie was equally aware. But both kept silent through the process of getting Lee back to Seaview, merely helping as much as Lee would allow. And Lee, with quick nods, let each know that he appreciated their not harping and overly ‘mother-henning’ him, which he absolutely hated. All three sighed heavily once Lee was parked on his bunk with the last two days’ worth of ship’s logs, although Chip was sure that it was for entirely different reasons. He shared a quick grin with Jamie as they left Lee’s cabin and headed in different directions.

Now, nearly six hours later, Chip had been willing to accept Chris’ suggestion – although not without a snipe or two just to keep up appearances – until word that Special Agent Tyler was there. With a frown he sent Chris to escort the agent to the Nose, and called Jamie forward.

Chip was mentally noting the frown on Jamie’s face as he came through the aft hatch when steps on the spiral stairs announced Chris’ return with Agent Tyler in tow. He took one look at the agent’s face and switched gears. “Something’s happened,” he announced, making it a statement, and all but glared at Tyler.

Nor did Tyler waste any time. “The body of an as yet unidentified man was found about four miles from where Cdr. Crane’s car was found. The description matches the man Crane was seen having dinner with at Delveccio’s, and tire tracks at the scene match the car Crane was driving.”

“No way,” Chip growled. If he hadn’t been so mad at what Tyler was implying he’d have noted Chris James taking a step back at the vehemence in Chip’s voice.

Tyler didn’t back down but he also wasn’t about to be intimidated. “But you understand that I still need to speak with Cdr. Crane.”

“It won’t do much good,” Will entered the conversation. “As of the last time I checked on him, about an hour ago, he still hadn’t remembered anything more about what happened.”

“I don’t like the implication any more than you all do,” Tyler spoke to Will, but included the other two in his glance. “Cdr. Crane’s record speaks volumes, as does everyone I’ve talked to who knows him.” He shrugged. “I still have to investigate.”

“Understood,” Chip got himself back under control. Barely. “You have the Conn, Mr. James,” he told Chris but never taking his eyes off the agent, and received the Lieutenant’s instant, “Aye, sir, I have the Conn.” He motioned for Jamie to lead the way back up the stairs. Tyler followed and Chip brought up the rear, still seething inside.

He was standing… No, it’s not a beach. He knew that much. And as he looked around the wall of water returned, once more growing…growing…beyond his ability to find the top. And once more he felt the panic of it covering him, drowning him, leaving him helpless… Wait – what? A voice coming from…

A grumbled “Come” followed Will’s soft knock on Lee’s cabin door, and if he hadn’t been so tense the Doctor would have smiled. When he’d checked earlier he assumed that Lee figured it was Chip and didn’t mind acknowledging how worn out and in pain he actually was. When he saw Will instead he instantly tried to cover, then grinned as Will glared at him, and the CMO finally grinned as well. Will hadn’t stayed long, but they both knew that he would keep close tabs, at least this first day. He figured that’s what put the grumble in Lee’s voice this time.

But as Agent Tyler and Chip followed him through the door Lee, who had sat up as Will came in, turned and started to stand. “Commander, sit,” Will ordered as he turned chairs around to face the bunk for himself and Tyler. He assumed that Chip would take Lee’s desk chair, but the blond instead chose to stand just inside the now closed door, practically at Attention, the hard expression still on his face. Will noticed both Lee and Tyler take note of Chip’s stance before they focused on each other. But Will noticed something else – Lee was now fairly under control but his eyes, frequently so expressive, were struggling to catch up with the faces around him. Will had a feeling that Lee had actually been asleep before Will’s knock, and had further reason to be unhappy at Agent Tyler’s intrusion. But he kept the thought to himself – Chip didn’t need any more reason to be angry.

With another glance at Chip, Tyler explained to Lee his reason for coming. But Lee could only shrug and slowly shake his head. “Sorry, Agent Tyler. With you describing what Steve was wearing I can sort of remember meeting him.” He sighed heavily. “Did the wait staff at the place indicate we’d argued or anything?”

There was a snort from Chip’s direction. The others glanced his direction but Tyler spoke to Lee. “Actually, no. They all said that the two of you seemed to be having a pleasant, friendly, dinner. Said that you each had a drink before dinner but only coffee with the meal, and left together shortly before eight pm – although no one had any idea if you left in one vehicle or two. The assumption is that you went somewhere else, a bar or whatever, and continued to drink.”

“Assumption is the mother of all screw-ups,” Chip quoted softly. Lee frowned, Will smiled, and Tyler actually nodded.

“So far we haven’t found any place within five miles that remembers either one, or both of you, coming in that evening. But then, you also could have gone back to his place.”

“You’ve found it?” Lee asked hopefully.

“Unfortunately, no,” Tyler admitted almost reluctantly, and all were momentarily silent.

Until Chip snapped his fingers, and instantly had the others staring at the almost happy expression on the blond’s face. “Hey, I’ve seen this script,” Chip said with a grin.

“What are you talking about?” Lee demanded. “Script?

“Sure,” Chip told him with a grin. “Magnum, P.I. The 1980’s TV show. Magnum wakes up in hospital after smashing up his Ferrari. Well, Robin Masters’ Ferrari, as Higgins pointed out loudly.” He sent the others a mischievous grin.

“Chip…” Lee warned.

“No, wait. Magnum gets accused of murdering a woman he was hired to find, the sister of his client, but he can’t remember a thing about the whole evening. Turns out he was drugged and his clients actually murdered the woman.”

“But Cdr. Crane wasn’t drugged,” Tyler pointed out. “Blood work proved that.”

“Actually, Agent Tyler,” Will spoke up, “as you’ve already pointed out, since we don’t know when the accident actually happened there’s no way to know how much time had passed before blood was drawn. Some drugs work through the system quite rapidly and leave no trace.”

“Humm,” Tyler frowned, not liking having his own arguments thrown back into his face but unable to refute the statement. He did wonder at the look of…speculation?...that had come over the doctor’s face all of a sudden, but didn’t know the man well enough to question it. Apparently not so the other two.

“Jamie?” Lee asked softly.

Will shook him off. “Nothing, Skipper.”

Lee didn’t believe him for a moment, but he also knew that challenging the man was useless and focused back on Tyler. “Now what?”

“I keep investigating. You stay in town.” There was a definite order in that last.

Lee nodded. “Not going anywhere, at least for the next several days while Admiral Nelson is in D.C.” He took a deep breath, saw Will stiffen at that implied sign that Lee was fighting pain, and raised a quick hand that direction as he asked Tyler, “Can you tell me how Steve was killed?”

Agent Tyler appreciated how Crane had asked the question. Frequently such details were kept quiet – especially when dealing with a suspect. But he saw no reason in this case not to answer. While circumstantial evidence did point to Crane’s involvement in whatever was going on, Tyler himself found it hard to believe a man with Crane’s standing in the military community would suddenly turn rogue. Not that he’d actually say that out loud until or unless further evidence acquitted the man. “With prejudice,” he now told Crane. “Two shots to the chest, close range, one more to the back of the head.”

“Executed,” Lee said softly, and shuddered. “Caliber?”

“Nine millimeter. Nothing special about the rounds.”

“You’re welcome to test my service revolver,” Lee offered.

Tyler actually smiled. “You wouldn’t be that stupid,” he told Lee. “Not with your record.” Lee nodded back almost shyly.

“If you’re through,” Will stepped in firmly, but didn’t finish as Lee frowned.

“Jamie…” Lee started but was interrupted.

“All for now,” Tyler assured all three men, and stood.

“I’ll escort you out,” Chip told Tyler as he opened the door. But he stopped and carefully controlled a smile as he saw COB Sharkey standing quietly at the corner of the corridor. “Ah, Chief, great timing. Please escort Special Agent Tyler topside.”

“Of course, sir,” and he headed toward the boarding hatch with the agent in tow. Chip stuck his head back inside the door to find Will not so gently urging Lee to lay back down. With a grin he headed back to the Conn.

Lee sent the once more closed door a glare before looking at Will. “Magnum, P.I.?” he asked the doctor.

Will chuckled. “But you do know what he was up to.” He made it a statement.

Lee nodded. “A way to defuse my nervousness and his temper tantrum.”

It was Will’s turn to nod. “Worked on me as well,” he admitted. “His expression wasn’t doing my nervous system a lot of good. He…” Will just shook his head.

“Ticking him off is definitely not a good thing.” He lowered his eyes. “I should know.”

Will laughed openly before once more getting back to business. “So, suppose you don’t tick me off and lay back down.”

Lee’s instant frown brought Will’s smile back, and Lee smiled too as he carefully returned to a prone position. “Tomorrow?” he asked softly.

“Slowly, limited stairs, and no uniform,” Will told him, meaning don’t be wandering all over the boat, and still no duty.

“Understood,” Lee told him, and Will left. Lee did wonder briefly about the look that hit Jamie’s face as he left, but it didn’t last long. As desperately as he didn’t want a repeat of the unsettling dream and tried his best to stay awake, sleep once more claimed his aching body.

Will, for his part, hurried to his office, then had Haskins place a call for him.

Chip had barely made it back to the Conn, ignoring Lt. James’ rather pointed look as he once more had to cover a yawn, when Haskins notified him of an incoming call from Admiral Nelson. “Now why doesn’t that surprise me,” he told the deck over his head before turning to Chris. “Saves me trying to call him,” he told the lieutenant, had Haskins send the call to the Nose, and closed the crash doors as he headed there. He didn’t particularly care if the few crew present heard the conversation – the way scuttlebutt went through the boat everyone would know all about it in record time anyway. But he had a feeling Admiral Nelson wouldn’t be in the best of moods and, while the entire crew knew about Nelson’s infamous temper, there was no reason to ‘showcase’ it, as it were. “Yes, sir,” he answered respectfully.

“Just talked to Admiral Jones.” Nelson wasn’t known for wasting time.

Chip decided it was safest to follow suit. “Special Agent Tyler just left.”

“Harrumph,” Nelson growled. “How’s Lee?”

“Extremely sore but behaving himself. I don’t expect that to last.” Being a bit irreverent had worked on both Lee and Jamie. Chip thought that he’d try it on Nelson.

It seemed to, as Nelson snorted softly. “Tyler?”

There were times when it was helpful being able to translate Nelson’s one word demands. “He’s willing to accept that Lee didn’t kill the guy, but there’s not enough evidence to rule him out as a suspect.”

There was ‘something’ muttered too low for Chip to hear, and no way was he going to ask his boss to repeat it. “That was what Robert,” he referenced Admiral Jones, head of ONI, “told me,” Nelson said, his voice more under control.

“Tyler did make it clear that he didn’t want Lee leaving Norfolk,” Chip told him.

“It looks like I’m stuck here for at least another three days.”

“With luck this mess will be cleared up by then.”

“One can hope,” Nelson told him before switching gears. “How much rest have you gotten?”

“Have you been talking to Lt. James?” came out before Chip could stop it, and he had to listen to Nelson’s chuckles.

“I rest my case,” Nelson got out with a grin.

“Yes, sir,” Chip agreed softly, followed by another big yawn. But then remembered something. “Oh. Sir. I almost forgot,” and then had to listen once more to Nelson’s soft chuckles. It was SOP that Seaview’s XO never forgot anything! “That call we got from Base Maintenance the other day…”

“The one about ComSubLant ordering all ships be inspected against some possibly faulty wire that might have been used for recent repairs.”

“Yes, sir. With everything that happened afterward, when the guy they sent to do the inspection showed up yesterday Lt. O’Brien, who had the Conn at the time, sent him away and told him we’d call when we were ready. Apparently the guy was pretty ticked that he had to reschedule, but gave Bobby a number to call. Sir, I checked the logs and it’s been awhile since we’ve had that kind of work done here at Norfolk, but Bobby said that the guy seemed adamant that we be inspected while we’re here.”

“Might as well go along – less hassle then trying to argue the point,” Nelson told him.

“Figured that as well, sir. But I think that I’ll have someone from our own Maintenance crew shadow the inspector. We do tend to do a few things a bit differently.”

“Good, Chip.” Nelson agreed. “Sounds like a plan. After you get some rest!” There was no mistaking the order in Nelson’s voice on that last sentence.

“Yes, sir. I’ll crash right after I make sure Lee eats a decent dinner, and call the guy first thing in the morning.” Chip wasn’t about to totally surrender. He’d spent far too many years watching Lee tap dance around some of Nelson’s orders to not have picked up a pointer or two.

Apparently Nelson was thinking much the same thing. “Understood,” was said with humor quite evident in his voice, and the connection was broken.

“New orders, Mr. Morton?” Lt. James asked carefully as Chip opened the crash doors and returned to the chart table. He was slowly getting used to Seaview’s sudden change of plans and direction any time the Admiral had an itch that needed scratching.

“Only for me,” Chip told him with half a grin. “Make sure the Skipper eats dinner, make sure he’s tucked in for the night, then make sure I’m tucked in for the night.” Chris barely kept from laughing out loud, but was saved from whatever Chip was about to retort which, from the look that crossed the blond’s face would have been stern – although they both knew that it would have been in jest; well, at least mostly – as Will came down the spiral stairs.

“He still sleeping?” Chip asked as he nodded towards Officers’ Country.

“Or pretending to,” Will told him. “He’s getting better at fooling me.”

Chip grinned broadly. “Just got off the horn with the Admiral.”

“Anything new?” Will demanded. Chip shook his head as Will’s eyes gave him an up and down. “And when was the last time your head hit a pillow?”

It was Lt. James’ turn to grin broadly, and Chip threatened to backhand him before answering. “Told the Admiral I’d crash…” All three men cringed at that unfortunate choice of words, and Chip continued in a slightly bashful voice, “just as soon as I made sure Lee ate dinner.”

Will nodded. “Good. I’m going ashore for a couple of hours. Frank,” he referenced his head corpsman, “is on duty if you need anything.” Chip knew that he meant ‘if Lee needed anything’, and nodded. “I’ll expect to find both you and the Skipper asleep in your bunks when I get back.”

“Bunks for sure,” Chip agreed. “Asleep?” He waggled his hand back and forth.

“Understood,” Will told him, and headed back upstairs to the boarding hatch.

“Wonder what he’s got planned?” Chris asked quietly of no one in particular.

“Usually safer not to ask,” Chip answered anyway, and both got back to their respective paperwork.

Not quite an hour later Chip, one arm balancing a tray loaded with both his and Lee’s dinners, tapped lightly on Lee’s cabin door. He wasn’t at all surprised at the instant “enter”, and grinned when he found Lee sitting at his desk instead of laying in his bunk. “Rats, you’re awake,” he grumbled. “Thought I might get all this,” he nodded at the tray as he turned to close the door behind him, “to myself.” But the effect was spoiled by the broad grin on his face. Lee returned it, although not so broadly, as he made room on the desk. Nothing was said as Chip sorted out the tray’s contents; Cookie’s special beef barley soup, half a ham sandwich on his homemade bread and a bowl of peach and pear chunks for Lee; a whole ham sandwich, fruit and potato salad for Chip. There was also a large carafe of coffee, two mugs, and a plate of four of Cookie’s infamous ‘Death by Chocolate’ brownies. As Lee started to reach for the coffee he flinched, and sent a quick glance Chip’s way to see if he’d noticed.

Nothing much got past the blond but he chose to ignore the moment and, as if it was going to be his next move anyway, poured both mugs full of the potent brew before finally sitting down in the visitor’s chair next to the desk. “Caught up on the logs?” he asked by way of simply making conversation as he reached for his sandwich.

“Definitely caught up on my sleep,” came out waspishly, but a small smile hit Lee’s face as Chip snorted. He glanced at the door. “Was sort of expecting Jamie to come harass me.”

“Off boat,” Chip managed to get out around a big bite of sandwich. He chewed and swallowed before continuing. “Came down about an hour ago, said he’d checked and you were sleeping…” He grinned when Lee muttered something too low to be heard clearly. “Said he was headed out and would be back in a couple hours.”

“Admiral Nelson?”

“Called just before Jamie left. Admiral Jones had apparently just updated him about finding Abbott.”

“What did he say?” Lee asked carefully. He knew that Chip didn’t always handle Nelson’s temper storms well.

Chip shrugged. “About that, not much. We covered a couple of other things.” Chip stopped and sent Lee a frown. “And then he fussed about how little sleep I’d probably gotten and basically sent me to bed,” came out in a slight snarl before his expression went sheepish. “I told him Chris had already beat him to it,” he admitted.

“And yet you’re still up.”

“Told both the Admiral and Jamie that I’d crash just as soon as I’d made sure you ate dinner. So eat!” That last came out an order. Lee stiffened ever so slightly but almost instantly chuckled, and the pair polished off the meal in amiable conversation.

As Chip stood to put the now empty dishes back on the tray he sent a look at Lee with a quick nod toward his bunk. Lee sent back a glare. Its only effect was, Chip shrugged and told Lee, “Jamie should be back soon. We both might as well surrender now.” It was Lee’s turn to nod with a quirky grin.

Neither man heard, or was even aware, when Will poked his head into both cabins about an hour later. With a grin he headed to his own bunk. His news could wait until morning.

* * * *

Lee wasn’t surprised to find Chip relaxing in Lee’s desk chair when he came out of the shower the next morning. He’d taken longer than usual and knew that Chip would have heard the water running. If they’d been at sea he might have been more cautious of using the extra water. But in port it was a luxury he allowed himself after the last few days.

On his part, Chip had heard Lee’s shower turn on just as he was finishing getting dressed and waited patiently just in case Lee might need an extra hand getting dressed. Not that Lee would ever ask, of course, and that thought put a soft grin on Chip’s face. It died instantly when Lee stepped out of the head, giving Chip a good look at the collection of contusions Lee’s body had collected in the crash. The most vivid ones were where the seat belt had crossed Lee’s chest, and on his right hip where the belt latched. The thoughts of how much worse the injuries could have been allowed Chip to put a totally benign expression on his face and let him kibitz casually about a bit of boat’s business as Lee finished drying off and started to dress. But a soft growl escaped as Lee automatically reached for a fresh uniform. “Civvies,” he ordered, and sat up straight.

“Blow it out your ear,” Lee muttered good-naturedly, and continued.

Chip kept quiet. This was an argument Lee almost always won – that as long as what he was doing had anything to do with Seaview or NIMR, whether he was on duty or not, he demanded that he be in uniform. At home it was nothing for him to wear ratty jeans and a t-shirt and no one, including Chip, knew what was behind the division. When asked, Lee would just shrug and make some off-hand comment about his merely being more comfortable.

Just as the pair was about to head for the Wardroom there was a soft rap on the door and it opened before Lee could say anything. Will took one look and glared at Lee, hands on hips.

Lee sent him a small smile. “Wardroom and Nose, Jamie. I promise.”

Will grumbled something softly but the frown left his face, to be replaced by a small smile of his own. “Two out of three isn’t all bad,” he acquiesced, accepting that he’d allow the uniform as long as Lee kept to Will’s other two restrictions. All three nodded and headed for breakfast.

Chip was just getting Lee settled at the table in the Nose, a stack of boat’s logs and Duty rosters as well as Lee’s ‘In’ basket within reach, when Sparks, back from Leave and on duty this morning, called forward that the inspector was topside requesting permission to board. “Well, demanding,” the radioman added softly.

“What inspector?” Lee made a demand of his own.

“Told you once already,” Chip told him as he grabbed up the current Duty roster. “On the other hand, you probably weren’t coherent enough to remember.” To Sparks he said, “Have the guy escorted here, and call Maxwell forward.”

“Aye, sir,” came back instantly.

“What inspector?” Lee said firmly, enunciating each syllable slowly.

Chip sent him a grin, but went immediately back to his ‘XO on Duty’ face as steps on the spiral stairs headed down sounded at the same time as Seaman Maxwell, head of Seaview’s DC team, hurried through the aft hatch.

Lee stood slowly, carefully, as the newcomer hit the last stair. The guy seemed to hesitate ever so slightly, but Lee decided that it was probably his first sight inside Seaview – she was impressive.

“Andy Gillean,” Chief Sharkey, who had escorted the man down, made the introductions. “Seaview’s captain, Cdr. Crane”, he indicated Lee, “and her Exec, Lt. Cdr. Morton.”

“Pleasure to meet you both,” Gillean said as he shook hands. “Didn’t expect to see you, Commander,” he told Lee. “Didn’t I hear something about a car accident?”

“I’m fine,” Lee gave the man his stock answer, and carefully avoided looking at Chip. “What brings you to Seaview? My XO hasn’t quite gotten me up to speed yet.” That last was said with a grumble in his voice but half a smile on his face.

“Some possibly faulty wire got past initial inspection and was used for repairs. I’ve been assigned to check all ships that have been in port for the last four months. That includes Seaview.”

“This is Seaman Maxwell,” Chip told Gillean, indicating the crewman standing quietly to one side. “He’ll accompany you on your inspection and make notes about anything you question.”

“Not necessary,” Gillean tried to wave off the seaman. “I’ll give you a copy of any notes I make.” He sent Chip a smile. “I prefer to work alone.”

“Yes, necessary,” Lee told him firmly. “We don’t allow anyone not a vetted member of the crew, for any reason, to wander around Seaview unattended.” So, that was a big fat lie; they had visiting scientists aboard who were allowed access to unrestricted areas. But Gillean didn’t need to know that. Also, Gillean would be in some areas normally restricted to crew so Lee’s order wasn’t totally untruthful. “Admiral Nelson’s orders.” It was always useful to use the Admiral’s name in such circumstances, true or not. Nelson’s reputation for eating anyone below the rank of admiral, and there were even a few notable examples of that happening, was legendary. Civilians didn’t stand a chance against him. “Seaman Maxwell,” he continued with a small smile of his own, “is one of our best Damage Control specialists. He knows his duties front ways and back, and won’t hinder your inspection.” There was finality in Lee’s voice that wasn’t lost on the inspector.

“Understood, Commander.” He looked at Maxwell. “Faster started, faster done.”

“Of course, sir. This way,” and the pair headed through the Conn and out the aft hatch.

Sharkey had stood quietly during the discussion and now headed back up the stairs, but hesitated when Chip asked Lee, “What’s wrong?” The COB turned and saw a frown on his Skipper’s face.

“Nothing,” Lee answered, and slowly sat back down at the table.

“Lee?” Chip said with warning in his voice, and Sharkey had to quickly bury a grin. While there was never any doubt who was in command of the boat and who was the XO, the friendship that existed between the two senior officers frequently allowed Mr. Morton to use a tone of voice that on any other boat would not have gone over well at all.

“Chill, Chip,” Lee now told the blond. “I just…” He looked toward the aft hatch. “I know that I’ve never met Gillean before.” He shook his head. “Guess he just reminds me of someone else.”

Chip accepted the comment but also sent a quick look at Sharkey. The COB sent a quick nod back; Maxwell wouldn’t be the only crewman keeping an eye on the inspector while he was aboard, and he hurried back up the stairs.

“That was unnecessary,” Lee said dryly, having caught the non-verbal exchange.

Chip shrugged. “Just keeping my record clean,” he replied with a quirky grin. “You’re still off duty. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep anything from happening on my watch.” Lee muttered something decidedly snide before they both cracked up. Chip poured them both a mug of coffee, left Lee at the table working on reports, and took his back to the chart table.

The morning peace aboard the docked boat was broken not quite two hours later by an alarm sounding. Before Lee could do more than stand up, however, Maxwell’s voice was heard over the all-boat intercom. “Sorry, XO. Everything under control. Mr. Gillean accidentally triggered a sensor in the Circuitry Room.”

“Which is precisely why we require an escort,” Chip muttered to Lee, who nodded. Chip reached for a mic. “Understood, Max. Conn out.”

Now that Lee was standing, he grabbed up the Duty logs he was finished with and brought them to the chart table. Chip frowned. “Obviously Gillean isn’t the only one aboard who needs watching,” he muttered.

“As far as I’m going,” Lee told him. “Not used to sitting that long at one time.”

“Gee, I never would have guessed.” Chip grinned. “Surprised you lasted that long,” he teased.

“Harrumph,” Lee did a pretty good Nelson impression but grinned as well, and the pair worked side by side for a bit before Lee, reaching for a different clipboard, flinched.

Chip took a step back and crossed his arms over his chest, but before he could say anything Sparks called forward. “Sirs, I think you need to hear this.” Lee and Chip shared a quick look and headed for the radio shack – the aft port section of the Conn. As they approached, Sparks turned on his external speaker. It didn’t take either man long to figure out what they were listening to, and both men stiffened.

Sparks had obviously been monitoring the secure Norfolk base channel; that was one half of the ongoing dialog they were listening to. The other half was quickly identified as the USS Henry M. Jackson, the only Ohio-class SSBN not named after a US state. Originally going to be named the USS Rhode Island, she was commissioned shortly after Washington State Senator Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson died while in office. Jackson was regarded as one of the nation’s leading voices on military affairs and had championed the Navy’s submarine service in a number of significant ways, hence the renaming.

Transmissions were terse and chaotic but slowly started to become more controlled, and the three slowly sorted out the problem. Fire, a submariner’s worst nightmare, had broken out on the Jackson but was being contained and the sub had managed to surface safely. Systems were still down but it was thought that enough could be repaired to let the sub limp back to Norfolk, where she’d left barely a week previous but hadn’t actually gone that far as they were on a bit of a ‘shakedown’ cruise testing some new equipment. Two escort ships were being scrambled as rapidly as possible to reach the sub and accompany her back to port. Lee and Chip both took a deep breath and sighed heavily at that last. Neither realized that Will had quietly walked up behind them until they turned back toward the chart table and found him frowning.

But he’d obviously been there long enough to have figured out what was happening because his voice was soft as he asked Lee, “The sub’s out of danger?”

“Not totally. But the fact that they got to the surface, and the fire is apparently under control, should let them stay safe until help arrives.”

“Then…” Will took a step sideways and nodded toward the Nose. Chip snickered and Lee frowned. But he also nodded and headed forward, Will walking softly behind him. Will refilled Lee’s empty coffee mug, poured some for himself, and sat down across the table.

Lee knew what he wanted. “Stiff and sore,” he admitted with slightly lowered eyes as he sipped his coffee.

Will nodded. “To be totally expected. Could have been a lot worse.” It was Lee’s turn to nod. “I just need you to take things easy for a few days.” That caused Lee to frown, which caused Will to grin. “Yes, Skipper. I am perfectly aware that slowing you down is on a par with trying to stop the tides from changing.” His grin spread as Lee lowered his head and gave Will the ‘through-the-lashes’ look his friends were extremely familiar with. “You were slammed hard against the seat belt. That bruised ribs, which in turn bruised your lungs a bit. Stamina is going to be an issue until everything heals and is once more functioning normally.”

“Bummer,” came softly from the chart table. While Will had not been speaking loudly he’d counted on his voice carrying as far as where Chip was standing.

Lee sent the blond a frown but Will’s grin once more appeared. He was about to broach the subject of what he’d discovered the previous evening when footsteps on the spiral stairs turned into a man Will had never seen before, followed by Seaman Maxwell. Out of the corner of his eye he saw COB Sharkey come quietly in the aft hatch and stop just short of the chart table. Chip sent him a nod and walked most of the way to the table in the Nose.

“Finished, Mr. Gillean?” Lee addressed the newcomer.

“With what your man here,” he indicated Maxwell with a grumble both in his voice and on his face, “would let me get to.” He indicated his notebook. “I still need to see the main boxes in the aft storage areas.”

“I’d already checked, sirs,” Maxwell spoke to both Lee and Chip. “Norfolk maintenance hasn’t been near those areas in over a year.”

Both Chip and Lee nodded, and Lee smiled. “No need for you to check them then,” he told Gillean pleasantly.

“My supervisors won’t be happy,” Gillean continued to complain.

“Have Captain Lindstrom call me,” Lee told him, naming the Base Maintenance supervisor Lee was most familiar working with.

“I believe he’s on Leave,” Gillean told him a bit snidely.

“Captain Gorse, then,” Lee told him. Gillean frowned.

“Isn’t that the man Admiral Nelson…ah…” Chip sent Lee a questioning eyebrow.

Lee, pen in hand, wiggled it in Chip’s direction several times. “Forgot about that, Chip. Thanks.”

“That performance I do not need a repeat of,” Chip told no one in particular softly.

“Whatever.” Lee looked back at Gillean. “We’ll deal with it.”

“There are several junctions that aren’t standard,” Gillean changed tactics. “I can have an electrician.here this afternoon. Shouldn’t take him more than a day to correct the problems.”

“Maxwell?” Lee asked the seaman.

“I tried to tell him, sir, that everything he pointed out was wired according to Seaview specs.” The seaman’s voice was apologetic.

Lee smiled and waved him off. “Mr. Gillean, I did tell you that we tend to do a few things differently. They work for us and we have no reason to change anything. The fact that you set off one of the tamper-protection alarms is a perfect example. I gather,” he cut off whatever the inspector was about to say, “that you found none of the questioned wire.”

“No.” His voice was flat, his expression almost hard.

“Then there’s no reason to take up any more of your time,” Lee told him pleasantly. “We appreciate your diligence to your duty. COB Sharkey, will you escort Mr. Gillean topside?”

“Of course, sir.” Sharkey came forward to stand at the base of the spiral stairs.

Gillean shook his notebook, not exactly toward Lee’s face but the implication was still there. “I really must insist that these issues be addressed.”

“Seaman Maxwell?” It was Chip’s turn to enter the conversation.

“All of Mr. Gillean’s concerns have been duly noted,” the seaman told his XO. Chip dismissed him with a nod and waved hand, and the seaman headed through the Conn toward the aft hatch.

“Then once the Admiral returns we’ll run them past him,” Lee took back control. “As Seaview’s designer he has the final say on any changes.”

Gillean’s expression left no doubt that he wasn’t happy. But it was also evident to everyone present that there wasn’t a thing he could do about it. With almost a growl he turned on his heel and stalked up the stairs, Sharkey right behind.

“Geesh,” Chip muttered softly.

“I second that,” was Lee’s agreement. He belatedly noticed the puzzled expression on Will’s face. “Apparently there was some possibly faulty wire used for repairs made here the last several months and they’re trying to track it all down before it can cause problems.”

Will nodded. “Suppose that’s what caused the issue this morning on the Jackson?”

Lee and Chip shared a surprised look as neither had even given that possibility a thought. They both shrugged, and Lee looked back at Will. “Considering that the base is aware of a problem, it will no doubt be a major part of the investigation.”

Will nodded. He was just about to bring up his bit of news, now that he had both Lee and Chip in the same place, when sudden activity on the dock caught everyone’s attention. Chip wondered out loud what trouble Gillean had caused now and earned a light backhand from Lee, but it became apparent rather quickly that whatever happened, it involved the USS Kentucky, tied up across the sub dock from Seaview.

Despite Norfolk’s docking size there was only one finger that was equipped to handle submarines. Seaview’s unique design had created, over the years, a slightly different parking procedure. All ships, including subs, were backed into their slots, but not Seaview. It became evident the very first time that Seaview was docked that, because of her front windows, it made more sense that she be parked nose in so that no civilians, and specifically people on the tour boats that cruised the harbor, could see inside. Also, because she was semi-civilian, Seaview was parked out at the end of the dock as opposed to closer in, even though space there might be available. Her crew, and in particular her officers, liked the arrangement as it kept them a bit more out of the everyday work flow.

Gillean was seen hurrying down the dock. “No doubt headed to lodge a formal complaint against Seaview and her command crew,” was Chip’s off-hand comment, and all three officers nodded with a slight smirk on their faces. Whatever was going on it didn’t last long. Chip pointed to the stack of reports in front of Lee and with a chuckle headed back to the chart table. Lee muttered something too soft for Will to hear, but the momentary glare directed his way gave him a pretty good idea of the content. With a grin of his own he headed up the spiral stairs. Now didn’t seem the right time anymore to aggravate Lee, and Will was pretty sure that’s what would happen. That left Lee no one to mutter at so, with a deep sigh, he went back to his reports.

Chip kept a casual eye on Lee as he worked on upcoming crew assignments, and when the brunet started showing signs of restlessness about 1100 hours suggested a casual stroll down to the Missile Room where Chief Sharkey was supervising some training drills for a couple of Seaview’s newest crewmen. Lee raised an eyebrow – Chip was usually a tyrant at helping keep Lee under Doc’s orders. As if reading Lee’s mind – something he was actually pretty adept at after all their years of friendship – he grinned. “You’re about to go stir-crazy from all the inactivity, and better I keep tabs than turn my back and you vanish.” Lee sent him a glare. “Besides, by the time we amble down and back it will be time for lunch.” Lee muttered a decidedly rude comment but then grinned, as did Chip, and the pair headed aft. Slowly, not their usual purposeful walk. But Lee did appreciate Chip’s willingness to stretch Jamie’s limitations even that little bit.

They were immediately made aware of the CMO’s displeasure when they entered the Wardroom about forty-five minutes later. But in actual fact Will was surprised that Lee had been as good at following instructions as he had been, and was fairly sure that both Lee and Chip knew it. He sent a nod Chip’s way when Lee momentarily had his back turned talking to Higgins, Cookie’s assistant. Chip almost screwed it up by snickering softly in acknowledgement that he had Will’s approval of the maneuver. They both had a feeling that Lee still understood as he hesitated ever so slightly in his discussion with Higgins about the day’s lunch selections. His face carried a slight smile as he turned and took his usual place at the table, Chip next to him and Will across from Chip. Conversation was amiable. Neither Will nor Chip – nor Higgins for that matter, from the expression that crossed his face a time or two as he kept track of comings and goings in the Wardroom – was overly thrilled with what little Lee actually ate. Will was just happy that Lee chose to eat at all. Enforced inactivity often led to limited appetite for Seaview’s captain.

Several of the JO’s wandered in during the meal – port time meant limited duty time, but Seaview’s entire crew was conscientious about their departments and it was rare for things to be left for last minute. Will sat quietly as Lee quizzed the others casually about this and that. It was something he would usually do on his ‘walkaboats’, the any-time-of-day-or-night strolls through the boat. Will often envied, and always enjoyed, Lee’s laid-back style of leadership. The crew thrived under it, and Will reaped the benefits in a multitude of ways. A relaxed crew functioned better, with less stress and fewer accidents, than an unhappy one. That didn’t mean that they relaxed their standards – just the opposite. Because they knew that they were appreciated they were even more focused and diligent, not wanting anything they did to mess up the status quo.

Will knew that the informal information sharing had helped Lee as well when he willingly went back to the Nose once the meal was over. Will knew that Lee would rest better that night if he was allowed a little freedom during the day – but only if he was kept from too much frustration over what he couldn’t yet do. To that end he once more wandered forward about 1500 hours. A slightly frowning Chip told him ‘something’ had recently happened, although Lee sent him a small smile before going back to whatever report he was currently working on. It seemed to involve a rather complicated set of equations, and gave Will a headache just looking at it.

“I’m in the mood for a bit of fresh air,” he said, not specifically to either Lee or Chip. “Skipper, want to join me?”

“Diesel fuel, natural gas fumes from the loaders. Not to mention the noise. Lots of good stuff out there,” Chip grumbled, mostly to himself but still audible to the others.

“Works for me,” Lee told him with a grin. He sent Will one of his little shy grins as it was obvious that he was stiff and sore getting up. But Will studiously ignored the effort and carefully adapted to Lee’s slower pace as they signed themselves out at the boarding hatch, telling Seaman Jackson who had the duty there that they wouldn’t wander far, and no doubt be back in under an hour.

The talk was light and general, chatting off and on about the activity around Norfolk’s always busy dock area, until Lee asked quietly but with a quirky grin, “What’s up, Doc?”

Will snorted at the old Bugs Bunny cartoon line, but nodded. So very little got past his Skipper. “Just wanted to see how you’re doing, and figured that you’d be more comfortable talking away from the rest of the crew.” Lee was always very interested in his crew’s lives but kept so much of himself private.

“Still haven’t remembered anything else about that night,” Lee admitted almost shamefully.

“Don’t dwell on it,” Will told him. Not that it would do much good – Lee let the world control him a bit more than his friends considered healthy at times. Will was once more tempted to relay the bit of information he’d obtained, but hesitated – again. He knew Lee well. The conscientious young man, instead of accepting the outcome more easily because of the intel, would in all likelihood go ballistic because of it. A thoroughly ticked off Lee Crane was not a pleasant sight. It didn’t happen often – thankfully. But Will had experienced it a little too much to be accused later of instigating it without sufficient reason. “Try to let yourself heal, both body and mind, at whatever pace comes naturally.” Lee frowned, causing Will to smile. “Yes, I know. ‘Naturally’ to you is full out, absolutely no speed bumps.” His grin broadened as Lee sent him a little shy look.

“Something like that,” he admitted.

“Do you ever just veg?” Will asked him.

Again the little shy smile. “Not very often,” he answered softly. “At least,” he added more firmly, “not usually without being ordered to.”

Will laughed out loud at that pointed reminder that it was mostly Will who did the ordering. “Somebody has to,” he easily took responsible for his actions. Lee sent him a quick glare but almost instantly smiled softly, and the pair ambled in silence for a bit. “What had Chip in a snit?” Will finally asked.

Lee sent him a sideways look. “Figured that it was him calling you forward that instigated this.” His hand gave a small wave, indicating the dock and implicating Will’s invitation for the walk.

“Nope,” Will told him easily.

Lee sent him another look, then sighed heavily. “Sometimes having your big brother/best friend as your Exec is a pain.” While the complaint could easily be heard in the words, the expression on Lee’s face was a soft smile and Will grinned again.

“I have heard that a time or two,” he admitted, and his grin broadened as Lee’s went sheepish.

“Chip went off to Engineering for a bit.” Lee’s expression went even more shy.

Will chuckled softly. “And you took advantage of his absence…”

Lee nodded. “I only walked back to the chart table to double-check some figures on the Nav charts,” he almost whined.

“And got caught,” Will guessed.

Lee nodded. “Well, sort of. I started to study the chart, then…” He looked at Will. “I guess I got to thinking about the other night,” he admitted softly. “It’s all so confusing, Jamie. Why can’t I remember?” Will hesitated, and Lee continued. “I guess I was just standing there, puzzled, frustrated… Mostly confused,” he said with another soft smile. “Had my head lowered, looking at nothing. Well,” his voice changed to a light snipe, “that’s what Chip said,” Will acknowledged it with a short nod, “before he growled and sent me back to the table in the Nose.” That came out in a definite growl. Will didn’t help – he laughed out loud. “Yeah,” Lee grumbled before once more going silent. Will was just deciding that, all things considered, a ticked off Lee might be better than a self-berating one when Lee made the decision for him. Almost too low for Will to hear, Lee said, “I didn’t kill him. Did I?” and his look pleaded with Will.

“No, Skipper, you didn’t. You couldn’t.” Will’s voice was firm.

“How can you be so sure?” Lee’s voice was still almost unsteady. “You weren’t there.”

“But I know you, Skipper,” Will told him adamantly, took a deep breath, and got out the rest of it. “And, I now know that you were drugged, no doubt fairly early in the evening.”

Lee stopped dead in his tracks and stared at Will. “You said…”

Will raised a hand. “I know exactly what I said. The blood drawn after you were admitted showed no signs of drugs in your system.” Lee opened his mouth but again Will raised a hand, cutting him off. “It was something that Chip said.” He grinned as Lee raised an eyebrow. “Well,” Will admitted, “several somethings that were said actually.” Lee crossed his arms over his chest. “We don’t know for sure how many hours passed between the accident and when you were finally treated. Some drugs pass through the system so rapidly that they are hard to trace.”

“But you said…” Lee tried again.

“So,” Will cut him off, “Chip was teasing you about the catheter…” He stopped and chuckled softly as Lee mumbled something under his breath that Will chose not to hear. “I had the hospital lab run some specific tests on the urine samples Dr. McClintock had, thankfully, saved. Some drugs, while no longer evident themselves, leave behind specific metabolites that can be tested for, but usually aren’t as a general rule.”

“You found them.” Will wasn’t overly pleased with the flat quality of Lee’s voice.

“To be specific, the lab found them,” Will tried a small smile but Lee’s expression didn’t change. “I can say with some certainty what drug was used and when it was administered, given the level of metabolites found.”

“When?” It wasn’t so much a question as it was an order.

“Given the time you left the boat, around the time you would have had dinner.” Will watched the younger man closely as Lee closed his eyes, unsure just how Lee was going to accept this bit of news.

Lee momentarily wasn’t sure either. Instant anger at both whoever had drugged him, as well as at Jamie for keeping that knowledge from him, was his first thought. He almost instantly excused the doctor, however, his trust in Jamie’s judgment balanced with the fact that the police and NCIS didn’t really suspect him allowed that to pass quickly. Jamie would have immediately spoken up if Lee’s freedom had been threatened. On the other hand… He opened his eyes. “Who else knows?”

Will nodded, thankful that Lee had instantly grasped the significance. “At the moment, the hospital tech who ran the tests, Dr. McClintock, and me. If necessary we inform Special Agent Tyler, but for right now there’s been no need to make that public.”

“Letting whoever did it think he or she got away with it,” came out more under control. “I think Tyler should be told.” Lee told him, definitely back from his momentary snit. “It might be extremely useful to his investigation.”

A short sharp whistle from the direction of Seaview’s Conning Tower turned both of their heads in that direction. “And perhaps the lab tech couldn’t keep her mouth shut,” Will muttered softly as they both recognized Agent Tyler’s form standing next to Jackson at the boarding hatch.

“Not necessarily a bad thing,” Lee told him. Will was extremely glad that Lee seemed to have himself much more under control, and could have easily kicked himself for keeping the information to himself for so long. It was his turn to smile sheepishly as Lee sent him one of his shy grins. “Probably just as well it stayed quiet this long,” Lee told him somewhat philosophically, and Will was reminded of just how easily Lee seemed to read minds once in a while.

It turned out that Tyler hadn’t yet been apprised of that bit of intel, he’d simply gotten stuck and was going to make another run at Lee. Both Will and Lee had to bury grins as it was Chip who came a little unglued at the news, Lee having convened the meeting back in the Nose. Neither bothered to enlighten Tyler on why Chip took the information so personally and Chip buried his mutterings, after the initial outburst of indignation, into his coffee mug. Tyler quizzed Lee about who he remembered being near his table at dinner and Lee once more could only shake his head and admit that he barely remembered sitting down, let alone the meal itself. Tyler told them that he’d have another go at the restaurant staff but not telling anyone why, and see if he got anything different this go-round.

He was just standing up to leave when Admiral Nelson all but flew down the spiral stairs, stopping with a glare at the agent. “Why are you still hounding my captain?” came out in one of his harshest four-star demands.

“It’s okay, sir,” Lee told his boss, also carefully standing. “A bit more information has come to light and we were just discussing the implications.”

“You’ve remembered more.” Nelson’s voice was noticeably more under control, although his expression wasn’t.

“No, sir,” Lee told him.

“I had some further tests done,” Will took over, and went on to explain. Nelson was nearly as ticked as Chip but got himself back under control fairly quickly.

“I’m guessing, of course,” Lee once more spoke, “since I still can’t remember…”

“And now we know why,” Chip muttered.

Lee sent him a frown but nodded anyway. “Steve Abbott wanted the meet to tell me something, and someone else didn’t want him to.”

“Why wouldn’t he have just called Robert?” Nelson asked, and then had to explain to Tyler that he was talking about Admiral Jones, head of the Office of Naval Intelligence.

“No clue,” Lee admitted.

“Harrumph,” was Nelson’s opinion and it caused nods from the other three Seaview officers.

“His office hasn’t been overly helpful with my investigation,” Tyler told the others.

There was a mutter from Chip’s direction and Lee reached out and gave the blond’s shoulder a quick slap, causing Nelson to finally grin ever so softly. “My XO doesn’t consider them helpful, period,” he told Tyler.

“Are you done with your meetings, Admiral?” Lee asked.

“I’d still prefer Cdr. Crane not leave town,” Tyler got in before Nelson could answer.

“You can’t still think him guilty of killing Abbott,” it was Chip’s turn to interrupt.

“Of the crime, no,” Tyler admitted. “But he’s definitely involved, and that makes him at the very least a material witness.”

Nelson sent him a momentary glare, but finally answered Lee. “Actually, no,” he admitted. “Wanted to check on things here,” he sent Lee a particularly knowing look, and both Chip and Will struggled – unsuccessfully – to bury grins. “But I’ll be another couple of days at least in D.C.”

“Understood, sir,” Lee did a bit of muttering himself, with a quick glare at his XO and CMO.

It was Nelson’s turn to grin ever so softly. But it disappeared almost instantly, and his voice was firm as he told Tyler, “If you’re done here I need to speak to my officers before I head back to the Pentagon.”

From the expression on the Admiral’s face, as well as the appearance of a crewman wearing a Master-At-Arms insignia, Agent Tyler figured that he was leaving whether he was done or not and decided not to argue the point, having heard far too many stories about Nelson’s infamous temper.

Once he was gone Nelson sent a look, mostly at Lee, and the other three sat back down at the table. Nelson joined them after pouring himself a cup of coffee, downing it in about four swallows, and refilling it. Lee and Chip shared a quick shudder and Will nodded.

“Had a little talk with Robert,” Nelson started. Lee sat up a bit straighter, Chip frowned, and Will again nodded. Nelson’s mild smile once more appeared. “There’s a reason ONI has been less than open with Tyler about this investigation.”

“Besides just them being their usual ashcans?” came softly from Chip, and Lee once more smacked his shoulder.

“You do know, Lee, that striking another officer is a serious offense,” Nelson observed.

“Only if I press charges,” Chip growled. Lee threatened him with another smack but both Will and Nelson chuckling stopped the action.

“Harrumph,” Nelson got out around his smile, and took a more leisurely swallow of coffee as both younger men turned their attention back to him. “Apparently Abbott is a bit ‘persona non grata’ around ONI,” he continued. “And no longer on the payroll.”

“Why?” Lee couldn’t stop himself from asking, even though he knew Nelson would no doubt explain.

“Even face-to-face, Robert was hesitant to specify,” Nelson told him. “But he hinted that Abbott had become unreliable, or untrustworthy, or something along those lines.”

“That would explain why he contacted you, Skipper,” Will said. “He somehow had intel, but couldn’t pass it on himself because he was no longer believed.”

“Makes as much sense as anything else,” Lee agreed. “But he must have been watched by whoever. They thought he passed what he knew, or,” he sent a look around the table, “thought that he knew…” and got three quick nods, “to me. And the solution was to kill him and blame me.”

“Thereby making anything you said suspect as well,” Nelson added.

“But I don’t remember anything,” came out as a frustrated complaint, and he worked hard to get himself back under control.

“Unfortunately, they may not know that,” Nelson told him.

“You were obviously not meant to survive the crash,” Will told him carefully. While he was speaking to Lee he was keeping a surreptitious eye on Chip, and noted that Nelson was quietly doing the same thing.

“Then why the drugs?” Lee demanded.

“For the exact reason that you did survive,” Nelson explained, trying to be patient.

“And because,” Will added for precisely the same reason as he noted both younger men becoming tense and agitated, “it kept you compliant while they set everything up.” At that both Lee and Chip took deep breaths and settled back a little more in their chairs.

Nelson nodded toward Lee as he took another sip of coffee. “No more wandering around on the docks by yourself.” The voice was soft but the order was still very evident.

“I had Jamie with me,” Lee countered with an impish grin. “And it was his idea in the first place.” Nelson snorted, Will frowned, and Chip got even for one of the slaps.

“While we all have reason to never underestimate the good doctor…” Nelson leveled a look at Lee.

“Understood, sir.”

“Good.” He drained his coffee mug and stood to refill it. “Now, what was Sharkey muttering about? Something about an idiot inspector?” Both Lee and Chip grinned, and together explained about the base inspector.

But instead of being amused, Nelson frowned. “We’ve worked with base maintenance since Seaview was first built. They know we do things a bit different around here.” He shrugged. “And yes, some of it might not work so well on regular subs, but it does work for us and they know it.”

Lee shrugged. “This guy’s new, I guess, and trying to impress his bosses.”

“Mostly he ended up comic relief for Maxwell and Sharkey,” Chip added with a grin.

“No bad wire,” Nelson clarified.

“None found by the inspector, and since they had time – and apparently too much energy – Maxwell sent the entire Damage Control Team through the entire boat. Well…” Chip amended, “They’re still at it.” Nelson raised an eyebrow at his XO. “Far be it for me to discourage thoroughness,” he told his boss. The other three all grinned.

Nelson added a nod. “Then I’ll grab the reports I came for and head back to the viper’s nest.” He sent a look around the table. “And you did not hear me call it that.” Definitely an order.

“Hear what, sir?” Lee asked innocently. Nelson snorted softly, polished off his coffee, and headed up the spiral stairs.

Nelson hesitated before entering his cabin as he heard soft steps headed his way, and Will appeared. “You couldn’t have asked Lee to fax the reports to you in D.C.?” It was the doctor’s turn to act innocent. Nelson grinned, opened his door, and invited Will in. Once the door was again closed, Will continued. “He’s fine, Admiral.” He shrugged. “Actually, he’s a lot better than he has any right to be, all things considered.”

“Harrumph,” Nelson muttered, collapsed into his desk chair, and invited Will to occupy the visitor’s chair. “Why is Lee always the target?” He wasn’t actually expecting an answer, but he got one anyway.

“Because Lee will always jump in head first if there’s a chance that he can right a wrong. And anyone who’s ever spent even a little time around him knows that.”

Nelson sighed and nodded. “But it can get a little frustrating trying to keep up with him.”

It was Will’s turn to snort. “Which Chip can easily attest to.” Both men grinned. “Admiral Jones?” he asked.

“Is as much in the dark as we are.”

“Or claims to be?” Will inquired.

Nelson sent him a look. “You’ve been hanging around Chip too long, apparently,” he observed dryly. “You’re getting as cynical as he is.”

“Actually, I suspect that he’s picked up a bit from me.” Will sent the look right back before they both smiled again.

“No,” Nelson sighed again, “I didn’t really get the feeling that Robert was holding back about anything except why Abbott was no longer in favor with him. And that’s not anything he’d likely share under any circumstances.” Will nodded. “He seemed as genuinely puzzled as the rest of us. Said that as far as his office knew Abbott was somewhere in Louisiana; that he’d gone back to the family homestead once he was relieved of his credentials.”

“I’ve been a little surprised that Lee hasn’t questioned Agent Tyler more about any investigation into Abbott’s background and what he might have been doing in Norfolk,” Will admitted.

“Probably knew that Tyler wouldn’t tell him anything anyway about an ongoing investigation.”

“And when has that ever stopped him?” Will grumbled.

“Point taken,” Nelson agreed. “Well…” He heaved another huge sigh. “Back into the lion’s den before someone volunteers me in absentia for something.” He glared when Will snickered and stood up, but it didn’t last. Grabbing several folders from his middle desk drawer he rose and both left the office, Will headed toward Sick Bay and Nelson toward the boarding hatch.

“Admiral to the Conn,” halted Nelson and he headed instead down the spiral stairs.

“What’s up,” he asked Lee, just returning the mic in his hand to its holder. He had no idea why Lee grinned broadly at Nelson’s almost imitated question of Lee’s to Will earlier, but the grin was quickly buried.

“Wasn’t sure when you were headed back to D.C., sir, but they’re just getting ready to tow the Jackson to the dock. You might get stuck here for a bit considering the accident. My guess is that, with crew Leave plus investigation into what happened, the dock area could get a little crazy."

“Just headed out, actually,” Nelson told him. “But thanks.” He indicated the folders in his hand. “Be back as soon as I shove these down a few peoples’ throats.”

Lee unsuccessfully buried a snicker. “Yes, sir.” Nelson grinned as well and headed off.

* * * *

Lee’s prediction about dock activity proved to be spot on. It didn’t bother most of Seaview’s crew; those on the boat stayed aboard, and those on Leave but due back any time before midnight were sent a text to stay on shore until O-dark-30. Hopefully by that time the majority of the chaos would have calmed down. Chip had a slightly ulterior motive – a good portion of the activity could be seen out Seaview’s front windows, which kept Lee occupied for the most part and not trying to be all over the boat, just ‘checking on things’, and driving both the blond and their CMO crazy trying to get him to rest.

Chip did have one small moment of indecision. Working on a slightly revised Duty schedule as Sparks and Chris James were busy sending out notifications to onshore personnel, he heard Lee snort softly and growl something too low for Chip to make out actual words. “Lee?” he asked carefully, not totally sure what had triggered Lee’s apparent mini-tantrum.

“Gallean,” Lee grumbled, looking at him but waving a hand out the window. “That man apparently doesn’t know his six from a hole in the ground. He claimed Captain Lindstrom was on vacation and I just saw him board the Jackson.”

Chip shrugged but relaxed. “Or because of the accident he got called back.”

It was Lee’s turn to shrug. “Yeah, more likely,” he admitted. “That’s going to be one big mess. I remember there was an incident on the Seahorse while I was in command.” He was talking about the fast-attack sub he’d commanded just before coming to Seaview. “Not nearly as bad as this one seems to be, from the radio calls. But we pulled into Bremerton for repairs and I didn’t think the reports and debriefings were ever going to stop.”

Chip grinned broadly. “The Navy really hates it when you break their toys.”

“More so than the Admiral?” Lee asked innocently. They both half-grinned, half-grimaced, and went back to what they were working on.

Footsteps on the spiral stairs about 1730 hours caught both of their attention and turned out to belong to Will, who ambled over to watch out the windows. “Surprised it took you so long to come enjoy the show,” Lee told him, his head buried in several sheets of navigation charts.

“Planning your next vacation?” Will asked once he’d figured out what Lee was studying. He heard Chip snicker from the chart table.

Lee sent Will a small frown but answered calmly. “The next cruise is for NOAA, to check on several of their unmanned weather stations. The Admiral wants to combine it with replacing a bunch of ocean bottom data collectors. I’m trying to plot the most efficient course.” He sent Will a small grin. “He doesn’t always make it easy.”

Will returned it. “You manage quite well nonetheless.”

“Eh,” came from the chart table, and both Lee and Will looked up to see Chip waggle his hand back and forth a couple times.

Will snickered before waving his own hand slightly toward the windows. “Any news?”

“A little,” Chip answered. “Chief Sharkey has been keeping watch from the Boarding Hatch and giving us the occasional update.”

“Mickelson,” Lee named one of the crew, “was nearly back to the front gate before he got his text and decided to come back anyway. Took him nearly an hour, although he said that part of it he spent kibitzing with several of the Jackson’s crew who were standing out on the dock. Apparently a main junction box in the Circuitry Room exploded.”

“Exploded?” Will challenged.

“What he was told,” Chip confirmed. “Could have taken out the entire power grid and they’d be dead in the water.”

“Dead being the operative word,” Will muttered.

“They got lucky,” Lee continued. “Because they were doing the additional testing before heading out for maneuvers they were still in somewhat shallower waters. And also, because of the tests, they had extra crew in the room when it blew. There were minor burns,” he hurriedly explained at Will’s instant sucked in breath, “but they were able to instantly shut things down and grab extinguishers before the fire spread.”

“Thankfully,” Chip and Will both let out deep breaths and Lee nodded.

“The bad wire?” Will asked.

Lee shrugged. “Haven’t heard.”

“But Mickelson instantly joined Maxwell and his team going through Seaview with a fine-toothed comb,” Chip added.

“Gee, I wonder why,” Will muttered not quite under his breath, and both younger men nodded. They all watched the ongoing activity across the dock for a bit until Will sighed heavily. “Dinnertime,” he announced to no one in particular.

Lee frowned but Chip grinned. “Knew there had to be a reason you came forward,” Lee grumbled at his CMO.

“Can’t leave everything to Chip,” Will happily accepted the blame.

“Do appreciate the assist,” Chip got out between snickers. “My CO can be a real handful – hard to keep up with.” Both he and Will cracked up. Lee sent them both a glare that quickly changed to a small grin, and all three headed for the Wardroom.

* * * *

Lee spent a restless night. He managed a couple hours of sleep before the ‘wall of water’ invaded and he jolted awake. At least now he knew why he couldn’t remember anything beyond leaving the dinner with Steve Abbott. But that didn’t explain why he couldn’t remember the dinner itself, or what Abbott may – or may not – have told him. By Special Agent Tyler’s report, both he and Abbott had left under their own power. His frustration making him unable to lay quietly he got up, washed his face, and sat at his desk for the remainder of the night, not really sleeping but at least able to keep from fidgeting or heading out for one of his ‘walkaboats’, the latter guaranteed to get him in trouble with both Chip and Jamie! He was pretty sure that he’d slept another indeterminate amount of time closer to morning as he woke again shortly before 0545. This time without the nightmare, thankfully. But still not a full night’s sleep so he yawned his way through his shower, etc.

He thought that he had it finally under control as he headed for the Control Room but another huge one hit just as he reached the bottom step of the spiral stairs. He frowned as he realized that Lt. Keeter had caught him. “I thought you were on Leave,” he muttered. But he knew Keeter realized that he was joking when the lieutenant grinned.

“Back about 0200, sir,” Keeter answered formally. “Was supposed to be here at midnight but…” He nodded toward the windows. Lee took a look at the ongoing beehive of activity around the Jackson.

“Had to fight your way home?” Lee asked innocently as he joined Keeter at the chart table.

“Almost,” Keeter agreed. “Security at the gate was bad enough but I swear it was worse getting past the Jackson.”

“You heard? Well, besides the quick text we sent out.”

Keeter nodded. “Got an earful once I finally got back aboard.”

Lee sighed heavily. “Could have been a lot worse.”

“Yes, sir,” Keeter agreed with a shudder.

“There you are,” came from the stairs, and Chip scurried the rest of the way down.

“And what were you expecting, Mister?” Lee faux-growled at his XO.

Chip started to open his mouth, decided that honesty at this particular moment might not be the best answer, and grinned instead. “Your head still stuck in the navigation charts,” he lied. “Did you ever get the next cruise sorted out?”

Lee let the lie go; he’d never get Chip to admit that, no doubt after a quick check of Lee’s cabin the blond would worry that Lee had left the boat. “Just getting caught up,” he said lightly. “Then going in search of coffee.”

“And breakfast,” Chip added. Lee shook his head but all three men grinned. Keeter gave both a bit more detailed report than his and Lee’s brief conversation, and CO and XO headed for the Wardroom.

Lee unsuccessfully tried to bury another yawn as Will joined the pair about fifteen minutes later. “Didn’t sleep well?” the CMO asked gently. He knew that, while Lee had so far been fairly cooperative, the younger man was feeling enough better that challenging him head on would only anger him so he tried to keep his tone light. When Lee only frowned he continued. “Of course, you do know that yawning is also your body’s reaction to the bruised ribs and lungs.”

That popped both Lee’s and Chip’s heads away from their breakfasts. “How’s that?” Chip asked as Lee remained silent.

Will finished the swallow of coffee he’d casually taken after the comment. “Because the ribs restrict a bit of lung expansion, and because they, too, are a bit bruised and not functioning at 100%, a yawn is a way for the body to take in an extra amount of oxygen without causing quite so much pain while everything heals.” He shrugged. “Things will get back to normal in due time.” He grinned as Lee’s frown deepened. “Yes, Skipper, I know. Not fast enough.” Lee muttered something under his breath as Chip glanced at his friend and snickered. “What’s on the agenda for today?” Will asked, again keeping his voice light and friendly.

“Lee’s going to finish the nav charts,” Chip promptly spoke before almost giggling. “Chris isn’t on board to dump them off on.” One of the major hiring points for young Lt. Chris James had been his aptitude in navigation. Lee threatened his insolent XO with a cocked elbow, but didn’t fire it as Will also grinned broadly.

“Keeter didn’t say,” Lee finally asked the blond. “I’m assuming that Maxwell and his crew finished the wiring inspection?”

Chip nodded, once more serious at that reminder of ongoing issues. “And then I promptly tossed them all off boat to get some R&R.” Both Lee and Will nodded. “Their report is somewhere on the chart table.” He sent the other two a look. “They were thorough!”

“All things considered…” Will started, and all three nodded with a grimace.

“I’d like to go have a talk with Lindstrom,” Lee added. “Find out exactly what happened.”

“No,” came out flatly from Chip with a glare to match.

“Would he know yet?” Will tried to defuse a bit of the sudden tension instigated by Lee’s wanting to leave the boat.

After a quick glance at Chip, Lee answered. “A preliminary idea, at least. From what we’ve heard, the crew stopped the fire pretty fast. All the evidence shouldn’t have been destroyed so the actual cause should be pinpointed fairly easily.” He shrugged. “At least, I would think so.”

Chip, after a deep breath during Lee’s explanation, nodded. “Most of the time on a sub, because so much is metal and doesn’t burn, figuring out the point of ignition isn’t a big issue. Well,” he glanced at Lee, “unless the fire gets too big.” Lee sent him a nod. “When I get to the Conn I’ll have Sparks call over to the Maintenance office,” he told Lee. “If Captain Lindstrom has an extra minute maybe he can come over here and give you an update.” He grinned mischievously. “He’s always trying to get more of a look at Seaview’s innards. You can give him a tour while you chat.”

“Humm,” Lee muttered. He pointed an eyebrow at the blond but nothing more was said on that subject. Will buried a grin over Chip’s way of trying to keep Lee aboard. And truth be told, Lee did enjoy showing Seaview off, especially to other Navy personnel. Not that he openly rubbed in the advantages of Seaview versus regular Navy vessels. But still…

“Doc’s plotting something,” Lee heard Chip mutter.

Will realized that he’d let some of the grin break through. “And what makes you think,” he fired back, “that it has anything to do with you two.”

“Told you,” Chip told Lee knowingly. Lee nodded as Will merely shook his head, and all three concentrated on their meal.

Chip made good on his comment to call Base Maintenance as soon as he got back to the Conn. Will sidetracked Lee for a few minutes with a request to report to Sick Bay before heading forward. Chip snickered and Lee glared, but Will didn’t keep him long enough to start a battle. Lee did finally admit that he hadn’t slept well; he knew that Will, while continuing to monitor his progress, was trying to stay out of his face as much as possible. Will merely nodded at the news. He’d track Lee down that evening and try to get him to accept a bit stronger pain med. Although, he wasn’t going to hold his breath that Lee would accept it. Which he admitted, and sent Lee off with a bit of a grin on both men’s parts over the very familiar ‘war’ that the pair frequently participated in.

“Escape so soon?” Chip teased Lee as he walked up to the chart table. Lee glared and Chip snickered, then handed Lee Maxwell’s inspection report. He also reported the call, and told Lee that Capt. Lindstrom would try to stop by Seaview about 1230 hours. “Apparently he’s heard about Cookie’s meals,” he snickered again.

“Then he’ll be disappointed,” Lee told him. “Cookie was just leaving the boat as I walked forward. Said Higgins would put out sandwich fixings and fruit for lunch.”

“Best not let Lindstrom know that until he’s safely aboard and you’ve had a chance to question him,” Chip advised, and both men grinned. Reluctantly, Lee headed to the Nose with his navigation paperwork, nothing else even remotely available to put it off.

Thankfully for Lee’s sanity, for some reason he was more able to concentrate on the project than he’d managed the day before and within an hour had a plan mapped out that he was actually happy with. Being so familiar with Admiral Nelson’s frequent sudden changes in directions, when he went over the plan with Chip he grinned as he pointed out where he’d added at least three extra days to the cruise here and there to cover any little ‘extras’ Nelson might choose to include along the way. Chip nodded his approval and headed off to bring some of his own reports down to the Nose to work on while Lee went off on one of his ‘walkaboats’, the casual meander through the boat he frequently used to catch up with whoever happened to be on duty.

Lee wandering back into the Conn after being gone barely an hour had Chip glancing up with a grin. “No one to play with?” he asked with a snicker.

“You’ve sent three-fourths of the crew off on Leave,” Lee grumbled, coming to a stop at the chart table.

Chip nodded. “There’s just enough crew in the Conn to run drills if you’re really bored.”

“Humm,” Lee pondered, and got grins and expectant looks from the half dozen crewmen around him.

But before he could decide on an action there was an unholy blast and accompanying fireball blown upward. Down the dock on another pier, but visible from Seaview’s front windows, the Destroyer USS Starson nearly disappeared in a thick black smoke, flames appearing as the smoke ebbed and flowed in the breeze. Lee was so startled that all he could do was stand and stare, as did everyone else in the Conn. “Ohmyg..” crept out as he watched, aghast at the destruction he was witnessing, and the almost certain loss of life. There were instant memories of terrorist attacks on U.S. Navy vessels in foreign ports – the USS Cole came to mind. But Lee couldn’t even fathom anything like that happening at Norfolk. Security had always been tight, and after 9/11 even more so. There were tourist boats that cruised the port, but the operators were heavily vetted and they didn’t come close enough to the docks to create anything of the magnitude he was witnessing unfold out Seaview’s front windows.

Once the instant shock wore off Lee and several others walked forward to watch. There was no use doing anything else; they’d only end up in the way of Base crews scrambling to fight the fire and limit the damage. Lee started to have Chief Hauck increase security around Seaview, once he got over the instant shock, and realized that he could already hear the MAA issuing orders to do just that. He and Chip shared a grim nod and continued to watch the efforts being made to limit the destruction.

Very gradually ‘chaos’ made a turn for ‘controlled’. Lee glanced at his watch and could only shake his head when he realized that over two hours had passed.

“Don’t think Captain Lindstrom is going to make it here today,” Chip offered at his elbow.

“No joke,” Lee agreed.

“You going to be able to eat anything?” Chip knew only too well how something like this would affect his friend.

Lee didn’t answer for a bit, but finally looked at the blond. “Do I have a choice?”

Chip sent him a knowing look. “Under the circumstances I don’t think you’d get an argument,” he admitted.

“Might as well try,” Lee told him. “Nothing else we can do.” The pair watched a few more minutes before reluctantly heading for the Wardroom.

It turned into a long, frustrating, afternoon. The entire base had immediately gone into lockdown – no one, period, allowed in or out. Admiral Nelson had called, mostly to confirm that Seaview and crew were all safe. Lee was able to confirm that the boat was safe but two crewmen who were on Leave had yet to respond to text messages sent out. It was hoped that they’d simply turned off their cell phones – against protocol but not unknown to have happened. COB Sharkey was already muttering about extra duty, while keeping his fingers crossed that they hadn’t been returning to the boat and walking past the Starson at just the wrong time. It was disconcerting because, with all the press coverage, one would think that they would have called in on their own, as a bunch of the crew that were on Leave already had even before texts had gone out. Chip joined Sharkey in muttering about fit punishments, but more so to try and get Lee to think about something other than their possible involvement in the disaster as the brunet became more and more morose as the hours went by with no word. When they did finally call, at 1845 hours, it was a toss-up who yelled the loudest, Chip or Sharkey, threatening all sorts of retaliatory mayhem against the pair. Seems they’d partied a little too hardy the night before, finally crashed in their shared motel room about 0900, and had just woke up. Lee and Will, who’d wandered forward to try and coax the two senior officers to the Wardroom for a belated supper, just stood back and let the pair blow off what everyone knew to be extreme worry-driven steam.

There had finally been a press release from the base about 2000 hours. While damage to the Starson had been extensive and no determination could be made at this time if she would be repaired or scrapped, loss of life had been minimal for the simple reason that most of the crew were on Leave and only an Anchor Watch and some maintenance personnel were aboard. The death count at that time was three but there were nine more injured, two critical, so figures could change. Still, everyone was relieved as it could have been much worse had more of the crew been aboard.

Lee was standing in the middle of his cabin, having been escorted there by his stubborn XO but undecided as to whether he could actually sleep or just remain dressed and sit at his desk as he was still extremely ‘wired’, when a soft knock on his door sounded. “Come on in, Doc,” he said with a sigh.

Will poked his head in the door, a small grin on his face. “That predictable, am I?”

Lee sent him half a grin back. “Been one of ‘those’ days,” he admitted, and Will came the rest of the way in. His expression changed to a glare when he spotted the small paper cup Will was holding.

“Please?” was all Will said. He was prepared to be summarily dismissed. However, every so often Lee actually accepted his judgement, having enough confidence in and respect for the Doctor’s logic.

It took a bit but Lee finally nodded, held out his hand for the meds, and walked into the head. Will was gone when he came out a couple minutes later and Lee kept a half grin on his face as he changed and laid down. He had a feeling that he’d surprised Jamie as much with this bit of cooperation as he had himself.

Which didn’t stop the glare he sent his CMO the next morning when they met in the Wardroom. Or the smirk on Will’s face because of it. Chip sent a look between the pair, shrugged, and ignored them both, which caused both Lee and Will to snort softly as all three sat down to eat.

“Anything new?” Will asked, not really specifying to which one.

“One added to the death toll,” Lee told him.

“And two more, if Chief Sharkey has his way,” Chip added, “when the base finally opens and Seamen Baker and Wilkes finally get back aboard.” He sent the other two a wiggled eyebrow.

“I rather suspect neither young man will be getting that blotto’d again for a very long time,” Lee told Will. “They both serve under O’Brien in Engineering. Bob’s been comparing notes with Sharkey.”

“Oh-oh,” Will muttered, but shared a grin with the other two.

“What’s your worst hangover story, Skipper,” Will asked by way of keeping the conversation teasing and light.

“Jerry Levin’s Wetting Down,” Chip snickered.*

“No,” Lee corrected. “That was your worst.”

“Yeah,” Chip muttered before he sent his friend a grin. “But it sure had its moments.” He snickered again and even Lee grinned.

“Skipper?” Will nudged softly. He’d heard the Wetting Down story. Now he really was curious.

Lee sent both men one of his little through-the-lashes looks. “Joint exercise with several Greek ships,” he said softly.

“Oh gad,” Chip sputtered. “Ouzo.”

“Yeah,” it was Lee’s turn to mumble. “Haven’t been able to touch the stuff since.” When Chip and Will stopped chuckling he pointed an eyebrow at his CMO.

Will took the hint. “Sake,” he named his ‘poison.’ “In this case, spiked punch following a seminar in Tokyo.” He cringed. “It was very warm in the room and the punch went down so blasted smooth.” Both younger men cracked up.

“Skipper to the Conn,” in Lt. Keeter’s voice, came over the all-boat intercom. He sounded calm so Lee poured himself another mug of coffee before both he and Chip walked forward. As they came through the aft hatch Keeter nodded toward the Radio Shack. Lee switched direction, and sent Chip a quick grin when the blond followed him.

Sparks, back on duty, moved his headset from its normal position to around his neck. “A call from Special Agent Tyler for you, sir,” he told Lee. “He’d like to see you at the Base NCIS office.”

“I gather he was on base before the Lockdown?” Chip asked.

“Or because of special circumstances,” Lee told him, “was let back in.” Both Chip and Sparks nodded. “Tell him I’m on my way,” he told the Radioman, then added with a sigh, “however long it takes me to get past that,” he sent a nod toward the pier.

“Understood, sir.” Sparks put his headset back in place and Lee and Chip continued to the chart table where Chip officially took the Conn and sent Keeter off duty before he turned to Lee.

“You’re not going off-boat alone,” he stated flatly. As Lee opened his mouth, Chip cut him off. “Admiral’s orders. Remember?”

Lee reluctantly nodded. “Suggestions?”

“Ask Tyler to come here?”

“Were that an option I suspect that he’d already have showed up.”

Chip nodded at that logic. “Kowalski?”

Lee sighed heavily, but with the shadow of a grin. “Watchdog it is,” he surrendered, and Chip called Seaview’s senior rating forward.

Once past the scene of yesterday’s disaster it was an easy walk to the NCIS office on base. Special Agent Tyler sent a curious glance at Kowalski, but it was Lee who answered. “Long story, Special Agent. Ignore him.” He sent the rating a wink. “I’m trying to.” Kowalski grinned somewhat sheepishly. He’d gotten his instructions from his XO, in front of his CO. It had been short – don’t let Crane out of his sight! Lee had rolled his eyes but hadn’t refuted the order and the pair had left. Tyler pointed an eyebrow at Kowalski but nodded toward the office he’d come out of, making no comment as the seaman followed Lee through the door.

“You’ve learned something.” Lee made it a statement once the office door was closed.

Tyler nodded and pointed to the two chairs in front of his desk as he sat down behind it. Lee glanced at Ski as the rating chose another chair against the wall, and finally sat down where Tyler had indicated. “We finally got lucky and found out where Abbott was staying.” Lee couldn’t help himself – he sat forward in the chair. “It didn’t tell us much,” Tyler admitted.

“Where?”

Tyler stiffened at the order in Lee’s voice but answered easily enough. “A small, out of the way motel a dozen miles out of town. Pay by the week. We were finally able to track down his family, and Abbott was driving a car registered to a cousin. We found it in the Long-Term parking at the airport and inside was a receipt for the motel. Unfortunately, either Abbott was a slob or the place had been thoroughly searched.”

“Searched,” Lee grumbled. “Steve was a neatnik.”

“That was the consensus,” Tyler told him. “Along with the fact that we found a smashed camera with a missing memory card, and a power cord for a laptop, but no laptop.”

“Not a laptop,” Lee corrected. “Smart phone.” He was not really looking at Tyler so missed the hard look the agent sent him. Not so Kowalski, and Tyler sent the rating another speculative glance. “I’m going to guess no prints in the car?” Lee brought Tyler’s focus back to him.

“Wiped clean,” Tyler confirmed. “Why no computer? It was definitely a computer connection; too big for a phone. And before you ask, a phone was found with the body. Unfortunately, smashed beyond any hope of getting anything off of it. I repeat – why no laptop?”

“Steve traveled light.” He cringed ever so slightly. “Had to, for the most part.”

“I don’t suppose that you’ve ever discovered why ONI won’t discuss him?”

Lee shook his head. “Admiral Nelson spoke to Admiral Jones face-to-face but got nothing beyond the fact that Abbott had been relieved of his credentials.” Lee shrugged. “It’s not a question Jones would answer in any situation so his refusal doesn’t necessarily mean anything.”

“Even now that Abbott’s dead?”

“Maybe more so because of it,” Lee told him. “One of the things that makes him so respected as Director of ONI.” He glanced at Ski. “Turtles notwithstanding.”** Lee grinned as the rating snorted softly at mention of Admiral Jones’ visit to Seaview.

“Don’t suppose that you’d care to explain that statement?” Tyler asked dryly.

“No, sir,” Lee told him formally. “Need to know. Dealt with, and not your jurisdiction. Sir,” he added with a small smile. “I wonder why they left my phone alone,” he said almost to himself.

“You had one with you?” Tyler almost pounced. “I’d questioned the hospital but it wasn’t listed when you were admitted. I just assumed that you didn’t carry one.”

Lee sent him a sheepish grin. “Don’t carry it aboard but have a small one for when I’m off boat.”

“But GPS tracking would have let us know where you were days ago…” His voice trailed off as Lee starting shaking his head.

“Nothing that fancy,” he admitted. “No GPS, no camera, barely accepts texts. I don’t use the address book because the few people who have the number, I recognize their numbers and don’t answer if it’s from an unknown.”

“Which is probably why no one bothered with it,” Tyler decided, and Lee nodded. “But you had it on you?”

“Know that I put it in my pocket before I left Seaview.” He shrugged. “It was with my stuff when I was released from the hospital. Well,” he corrected, “my XO had everything when I was released.” He shared another quick glance with Kowalski, who tried unsuccessfully to bury a smile.

“Humm,” Tyler muttered after watching the exchange, and shuffled through several file folders before finding the one he wanted. “Wallet, watch, ring…” he was apparently reading something from the hospital report. “No mention of a phone.” He looked at Lee. “Do you have it on you now?”

Lee shook his head. “As far as I know it’s in my desk drawer on board Seaview.”

“Shall we go see?” Tyler’s voice was firm despite the polite request.

Lee smiled softly and shrugged. “Not a problem.” All three men stood, and Lee walked beside Tyler as they headed back toward the submarine dock, Kowalski walking a couple steps behind. Conversation was light until they reached the area around the Starson. Lee spotted Capt. Lindstrom standing with several others. He’d have liked to stop and ask a few questions but didn’t expect Special Agent Tyler would appreciate the delay so kept walking. But just at that moment Lindstrom spotted him and waved a hand, said something to the men he was with, and headed Lee’s direction.

“Sorry I missed lunch yesterday, Crane,” Lindstrom said amiably as he got close enough. He grimaced and nodded toward the Starson, obvious damage showing in multiple places. “Sort of got sidetracked.”

“Yeah,” Lee told him. “Didn’t do much for my nerves when it went off, either. Any idea yet what happened?” Lindstrom glanced at Tyler. “We’ve had other issues to deal with,” Lee told him with a sigh.

Lindstrom nodded. “We still can’t get investigators into where we think it started in the engine room. Too much damage and they’re taking it slow so as not to miss anything.”

Lee’s turn to nod. “We’ve just been wandering if it had anything to do with the faulty wire problem.”

“What faulty wire?” came from both Lindstrom and Tyler at the same time, Tyler’s demand a good deal more firm and loud than Lindstrom’s puzzled question.

Lee shared a quick look with Kowalski before answering, now slightly puzzled himself. “The faulty wire that got through inspection and used on several repairs before it was caught?” He said it as a definite question. “You’ve had some guy inspecting every ship that came into port looking for it,” came out more firmly.

“What guy?” from Tyler was drown out by Lindstrom’s “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Lee shared another glance with Ski and took another deep breath, getting more confused by the second. “Gallean. I think his first name was Andy?” He looked at Lindstrom.

“I don’t know anyone by that name,” the Captain stated flatly with the beginning of a small glare.

“Well, he had creds from Base Maintenance,” Lee told him. “Said that he’d been ordered to inspect every vessel that had been in Norfolk for the last bunch of months. Said that some defective wire had gotten past initial inspection and been used to make repairs, and he was tasked with tracking it all down. We kind of wondered if that’s what caused the fire the other day on the Jackson.”

A decidedly vulgar term slipped out of Lindstrom’s mouth. “No way. No such screw-up happened, not to mention we keep detailed reports on all work done. If we had found a problem we’d know exactly which vessels were involved, and exactly where to find it on board.” He stared at Lee. “He ‘inspected’ Seaview?” There was no doubt about the inflection he used.

“Under watch,” Lee assured him. “Even with creds he wasn’t allowed unsupervised access.” Lee paused. “And he wasn’t happy about it.” He looked at Ski. “But I know I’m extremely happy.”

“Aye, sir,” the rating heartily agreed.

“Not only was he watched,” Lee told Lindstrom, and included Tyler in a glance, “But Maxwell, Seaview’s lead DC team member, was the one doing the watching and was enough ticked at the guy to head up a total inspection once the guy left.” He sent Ski another look. “We were kind of teasing behind his back.” He looked back at Lindstrom. “Not so much now.”

“Can you describe him?” Tyler once more joined the conversation.

Lee grinned without humor. “We can do better than that. Seaview has surveillance cameras in the Conn.”

Chip had a moment’s hesitation when Lee stormed into the Conn followed by Tyler and Lindstrom. Kowalski also entered, but hung back. Once Lee started the explanation, however, Chip’s expression turned hard and he headed for the small computer set in the back of the Radio Shack. Sparks had obviously been listening as he already had the playback going, and it only took a bit to find Gallean, or whoever he was, standing in the Nose when he first came aboard, all smiles.

“I’ve never seen that man in my life,” Lindstrom growled when the playback was paused, focused on Gallean’s face.

“You say he claimed to be inspecting all vessels?” Tyler asked.

Lee nodded. “What he said. I’ve seen him on the dock since.”

“Once I spread this picture,” it was Tyler’s turn to growl, “you won’t be seeing him again unless it’s in a line-up.” He turned to Lee. “You mentioned something about the Jackson incident?”

Lee shrugged. “Only that we heard some of the radio transmissions. It was after Gallean had been here and it was wondered if the faulty wire had maybe caused the fire.”

“Or it was caused because of this guy’s visit,” Chip wondered out loud. He looked at Lee. “Now I’m really glad I had him watched.”

“Me, too,” Lee muttered. “Oh,” he turned to both Lindstrom and Tyler. “He was also ticked that we wouldn’t let him replace what he claimed was problem areas of wiring.” His smile to Lindstrom was almost real. “He wasn’t happy about how Admiral Nelson has some things wired.” His expression went firm again. “Claimed that he could ‘have an electrician here that afternoon’.” This time there were two rather vulgar phrases muttered. Sparks made both Lindstrom and Tyler disc copies of several minutes of the surveillance tape. As everyone moved back toward the Nose Lee asked Tyler softly, “You still want my phone?”

“I have a slightly higher priority at the moment,” was growled back at him. “Although…” he hesitated, and glanced at Lindstrom before continuing. “Could Abbott somehow have gotten onto Gallean’s game? Whatever the heck that is.”

“Home grown terrorism,” Chip almost spat out, but just loud enough to be heard.

“I’m sorry, Special Agent,” Lee said sadly. “I wish I could help you. But I just don’t remember.”

“Lee?” Chip interrupted. “That day when Gallean was here. You said something about him looking familiar.” All faces focused on Lee, who briefly closed his eyes before turning to Tyler. “I remember making the comment,” he admitted. “But…” He shook his head. “Sorry.”

Tyler indicated the disc. “Somehow I think that you just made up for it,” he told Lee honestly. Both he and Lindstrom nodded, and headed off to Base Security with their new information.

* * * *

The next two days were quiet aboard the giant submarine. All repairs to the dive planes, plus a full inspection of the boat by an even larger, all volunteer, team led by DC Specialist Maxwell, certified Seaview fit for duty. Even Doc had, for the most part, backed off and left Lee alone to wander all over his beloved boat. Admiral Nelson had phoned several times and was due back the following afternoon. There had been no word from either Base Maintenance or Special Agent Tyler, but crew moving in and out had reported even tighter security checks. Both Lee and Chip had stayed aboard. Lee had teased Chip about getting in some R&R but the blond said he’d rather do it at home. Once Seaview got back to Santa Barbara she wasn’t scheduled out again for two weeks, and Chip was hoping to spend part of that time with his sister and her family north of San Francisco. He’d teased Lee about heading to Portland, Oregon, where Lee had a very special friend. But Lee had remained noncommittal and Chip hadn’t pushed.

Lee still wasn’t sleeping well, troubled not so much by solid walls of water but instead a mind so full of unanswered questions that it wouldn’t calm down enough to let him relax. The second night Doc happened to walk into the Wardroom about 2330 hours, catching Lee with what he assumed was a large mug of coffee in his hands.

“No wonder you can’t sleep,” Will muttered, frowning. The frown deepened, then turned sheepish, as Lee sent him a glare.

“And what are you headed for at this hour of the night?” Lee grumbled before he also went sheepish and indicated the mug. “Hot chocolate,” he admitted.

“There’s more on the stove,” Cookie said from the doorway into the Galley.

“Works for me,” Will readily accepted the substitute. “Past your bedtime as well,” he observed as the chef handed him a steaming mug moments later.

“Got sidetracked and was just finishing making the batter for buttermilk pancakes for tomorrow. It’s better if it sits overnight in the fridge.”

“And you don’t have to get up so early in the morning,” Lee teased him.

“That, too,” the premier chef, and back-up Nuclear Reactor Technician, agreed with a grin.

Lee pointed an eyebrow at Will as the doctor took a sip of the cocoa. “Chill, Skipper. All’s well with your crew.” He shrugged. “I was close enough to the end of my book that I didn’t want to put it down, and it took me longer than expected to finish it.” He grinned as Lee chuckled softly. “Didn’t really want coffee, but…” He shrugged.

“Same here. Well,” Lee said sheepishly, “wasn’t reading. Just not quite ready to settle down yet.” Will nodded. No sense beating that dead horse. Seaview’s young Captain survived on so little sleep, it drove those around him a little batty. “Discovered that Cookie was still up,” Lee continued, “and he offered to make this.” He emptied his mug. “Just about to head for my bunk.”

“I won’t hold my breath,” Will mumbled softly, just because it would be expected.

Lee took it exactly as Will intended, and grinned. “See you at breakfast.” He handed his mug to the waiting chef and headed out the door.

“You’d better be there,” Will threatened softly once the door was safely shut. He shared a quick grin with Cookie, handed his now empty mug to the chef as well, and also exited. Cookie grinned at the ongoing sniping match between CO and CMO, cleaned up the Galley, and headed for his own bunk.

Lee fell asleep almost as quickly as usual, his thoughts much more peaceful than they’d been all day. The unusualness of that crossed his mind as his head hit the pillow. He wondered briefly if Jamie and Cookie had conspired earlier in the evening to ‘doctor’ the hot chocolate but quickly decided that there had been no way for either to predict that Lee would go near the Wardroom, or accept the substitute for his usual coffee even if Cookie offered it. A stray thought flitted briefly past his brain – someone somewhere in his travels cracking a joke about ONI service eventually making you paranoid. Better never repeat that to Chip, Lee grinned softly, rolled over, and was almost instantly asleep.

The wall of water was taller than he’d ever seen it before. But maybe because it was stretched further it seemed to be thinner. Not transparent, but for the first time Lee could see shadows that seemed to emanate from the far side. He tried to reach forward, to put his hand through the shimmering darkness to make a hole so that he could see more clearly. But his feet wouldn’t move, glued in place for some reason, and the water remained just out of reach. He decided to concentrate on the shadows, to try and decipher what they were. And for a bit that seemed to work. He thought that he could make out at least one human form. It was hard; the shadows kept shifting their shapes, at once almost human and grotesque monster at the same time.

Frustration started to overcome his attempt to stay calm. He didn’t understand why his feet wouldn’t move. He couldn’t make his hands reach the water, even though it seemed to be directly in front of his face. The shadows continued to shift; images he thought that he should recognize would instantly morph into something evil and frightening, and yet he had no idea why he was fearful because they didn’t seem to come any closer.

But he was afraid. And that startled him and caused his unease to worsen, which caused his frustration to build and he tried to lash out; to break whatever invisible bondage was holding him to this spot. He struggled as hard as he could, his body screaming with the pain his muscles were sending to his brain. Which only infuriated him more and he struggled even harder.

“Lee,” filtered into his brain and he tried to find the source. From somewhere came the thought that the voice was his salvation from whatever hell he was descending into. He tried to shout, to ask the voice to keep speaking so that he could find it through his continued freefall but when he opened his mouth it seemed to instantly fill with water and he felt himself drowning, unable to breathe, and knew that he was dying.

“Lee,” came loudly this time and Lee felt his hand gripped strongly. He was suddenly able to take a deep breath, his eyes popped open, and he found himself lying in his own bunk, blankets scrambled around him, and Admiral Nelson sitting by his side with one hand gripping his hand and the other gripping Lee’s shoulder.

“Sir,” Lee said softly, took a deep breath, and tried to sit up.

But Nelson kept his grip. “Just stay down and try to relax, Lee, until you’re more awake.” He sent his young captain a small grin. “That one was nasty.”

“Understatement of the century,” Lee admitted. He took another couple of deep breaths and looked around, not totally surprised to see Chip standing back a few feet in his PJ’s and robe. “Sorry,” he told the blond and then frowned. “Surprised you didn’t call Jamie.”

“Was going to,” Chip admitted, “but the Admiral walked in.”

“Sorry, sir,” Lee told his boss.

Nelson shrugged it off. “Got done stuffing the last report down the last idiot’s throat and decided not to wait until tomorrow…” he glanced at his watch, “well, later today,” he sent Lee and Chip a quick grin, “to come back.” He glanced down the length of the bunk. “Heard a noise and decided to check before heading to my cabin.” He sent another quick grin between his senior officers. “Chip beat me by about thirty seconds.”

“Having a staff meeting and didn’t invite me?” came from the door and Will walked in dressed much the same as Chip. “Skipper?”

“I had a nightmare, okay?” Lee growled, frowned until Nelson let go of his hand and stood up, and Lee sat up and swung his legs around to sit on the edge of his bunk.

“A doozy,” Chip growled right back.

“Yeah,” Lee admitted somewhat reluctantly.

“You want to talk about it?” Nelson asked.

Lee took another deep breath. “Not particularly.” Nelson merely grinned softly as both Will and Chip nodded. Lee simply didn’t open up about such things.

“Any chance you can go back to sleep?” Will did ask.

“I’m sure Jamie would be more than happy to help with that,” Chip offered helpfully. Lee sent him a glare, but Nelson chuckling sent Lee’s focus back to his boss.

“Suppose we all leave and see how well he manages on his own,” Nelson told the others, sent Lee a small nod, and left. Chip followed after him but Will stayed a second longer.

“Skipper?” he asked carefully.

“If I had to guess,” Lee admitted after a deep breath, “I’d say that whatever was used to drug me left me just enough aware, for just enough time, that I knew I was losing control of the situation.”

Will nodded. “And that loss of control is haunting you. Totally understandable given what we now know.” He paused. “And something that you need to accept; there was nothing you could have done differently to change the outcome.”

“But what if there was?” came out harshly. “What if I screwed up?” came out a good deal softer, but in a voice filled with pain.

Will forced himself to grin, hoping that it would help Lee to relax as he told the younger man, “I know you far too well to ever think that you’d not do everything within your power to protect those around you. The very fact that you couldn’t points to someone simply creating a scenario beyond your ability to handle. Totally not any fault of your own. Period,” he added with conviction.

“Just need to convince my brain,” Lee admitted with a shy smile.

“Understood,” Will told him with his own grin, but did point an eyebrow.

“Rather try it on my own,” Lee told him. Will nodded – he was fairly sure that would be the answer to his unasked question, but he wanted to make the offer just in case. He grinned, mostly to himself, as he headed back to his own cabin for what little was left of the night.

Lee grinned also as the door shut behind his CMO. And his friend. Friends, he amended silently, and sighed heavily. He stood and headed for a very quick shower and change of PJ’s to get rid of the sweat left over from fighting the nightmare, the smile growing. His friends; he so appreciated having somehow landed in the best job in the world, surrounded by the best people he could ever hope for. The grin stayed on his face as he straightened out the scrambled blankets and laid back down, not sure if he could go back to sleep. But he did.

And awoke to find Chip perched on the corner of his desk, fully dressed, a smirk on his face. Lee glanced at the chronometer and nearly gasped as it read 0745. Chip snickered, sent him a broad grin, and ambled out. Lee gave his head a shake and headed for his shower – again – going through his morning routine in record time. Just two hours late! He decided that it was no use going to the Conn before hitting the Wardroom – Chip would just whine until he’d had breakfast. Besides, Lee was in serious need of coffee.

A big smile hit Cookie’s craggy face as Lee came through the Wardroom door. “Fresh pancakes in three minutes,” the chef called out. Lee figured that Chip must have warned him Lee was finally awake, and was doubly glad that he’d come here first as he poured his first mug of coffee.

Nelson, too, was apparently alerted because he followed Lee in barely thirty seconds later. “Obviously you slept,” he observed with a grin as he, too, headed for the big coffee urn.

“And without any of Jamie’s cocked and loaded syringes,” came out in a grump, but Lee instantly sent his boss a sheepish grin. Nelson chuckled and sat visiting with Lee about boat’s business as Lee ate. The Admiral then headed to his lab and Lee headed for the Conn for what he knew would be major teasing from Chip about over-sleeping. Lee accepted it easily, and grinned broadly himself when a bit of the last thoughts he’d had before falling asleep after the nightmare, about friends and friendships, came to mind. He let Chip go at him for longer than he might normally have allowed, just because, but finally grabbed up the current Duty roster and headed out for a tour of his boat.

He was talking to Seaman Wilkes, one of the two young crewmen who’d been tardy answering their texts, assuring him that neither his XO nor his COB would fire him out a torpedo tube halfway home, when he was interrupted by a page to report to the Conn. He sent Wilkes another quick grin and headed forward, sure that the seaman would never let something like that happen again.

Somehow Lee wasn’t surprised, when he came down the spiral stairs, to find Admiral Nelson visiting almost amiably with Special Agent Tyler. Nor was he surprised to find Jamie standing quietly to one side. Nelson motioned Chip forward and the blond nodded, gave the watch to Lt. James, now back from Leave and, Lee suspected, on Duty in the Conn for this specific purpose. Chip closed the crash doors before all five men sat down at the table.

“Gallean?” Lee decided not to waste time.

Tyler nodded. “Real name Arthur Brandon Gatrarus. Facial recognition got us squat, but one of the waitresses at the place you met Abbott remembered seeing him talking to one of the kitchen help a couple days prior. Didn’t think anything about it at the time; she’d stepped out back to have a smoke, was sort of amused because the two instantly shut up when they noticed her and she just figured that she’d broken up a drug buy of some sort. Especially as the guy didn’t show up for his shift the following day, and he hasn’t been seen since. The owner showed us his work card…”

“Fake,” Lee muttered.

Tyler nodded. “But the picture from the copy of his driver’s license was enough to give us facial recognition for a man named Miguel Angel Solari. A pretty impressive rap sheet.” Tyler shuddered but didn’t elaborate. “Running known associates brought up a couple of other people, and running them eventually got us a brother – Gatrarus. Seemingly a legit contractor out of Baton Rouge. Not sure we ever would have made the connection,” he admitted.

“Steve’s family was from around there,” Lee said quietly.

Tyler nodded. “It’s speculated that’s where Abbott got wind of ‘something’ and followed Gatrarus up here.”

“He’s not talking?” Nelson asked.

“Dead,” Tyler said flatly. He got four raised eyebrows pointed at him. “Not by us,” he told them. “Found him yesterday afternoon.”

“Outlived his usefulness.” It was Lee’s turn to speculate.

“A decided possibility,” Tyler agreed.

“So it ends without a positive outcome,” Chip muttered not quite to himself.

“Not so,” Lee corrected. “Think of how many other vessels could have been damaged or destroyed if he’d not been stopped.”

“Not to mention the loss of life,” Will added, and the others nodded.

“Did we get the kingpin?” Tyler continued. “No, unfortunately,” he answered his own question. “That’s pretty obvious. Once we discovered Gallean/Gatrarus he went from asset to liability.” He got nods from the others. “Oh, we won’t stop looking,” he assured them and again got nods, this time with more conviction.

“Chop off one limb, another one grows,” Nelson told the others. “But we keep chopping, nonetheless.”

“Got that right,” Tyler agreed. He sent Lee a look. “Sorry about your friend,” he said sympathetically.

“For whatever reason he’d ticked off ONI, he didn’t give up on his commitment to defend his country against terrorism.” Lee sent Nelson a determined look. “And my After Action Report will reflect that fact.”

“Good,” Nelson told him. “And I’ll see that Robert…” He glanced at Tyler. “Admiral Jones,” he identified for the agent, “personally gets a copy.”

“Appreciate that, sir,” Lee told him with a small grin.

“And you can be assured that Abbott will feature prominently and proudly in my report as well,” Tyler told the others.

“Thank you, sir,” Lee told him. He didn’t realize that his expression had changed until there was a soft “Lee?” from Nelson’s direction. He sent his boss a shy smile. “The antidote for fifty enemies is one good friend,” he quoted softly.

“That sounds vaguely familiar,” Chip told him with a raised eyebrow. “Your last fortune cookie?”

Lee threatened him with an elbow but stopped when the Admiral chuckled. “Aristotle,” Nelson supplied. “Over two thousand years ago.”

“And just as appropriate today,” Will joined in.

Lee sent a quick look around the table to his friends. “However it happened, and even with what did happen, I’m glad that Steve considered me his friend.”

~ fini~

*See “The Wetting Down” by R. L. Keller

**See “A Turtle’s Tale” by R. L. Keller