Honor and Betrayal.........PT
40
Rating: PG
13, to R D, L
*************
EXT
BRIG
2420 HOURS
Alarms wailing out their warnings and spot lights scanning the
grounds, security personnel are on full alert as they search for Rabb, Malory
and Tate.
INT
BRIG/PETERSON'S
CELL
2432 HOURS
As a cell by cell bed check is in progress, Peterson sits smugly on
his rack listening to the alarms and the scuffling of footsteps as they come
down the hallway toward his cell. As the SP draws nearer,
Peterson stands and walks to the bars of his cell.
PETERSON
(as the SP approaches)
What the hell's going on, Sergeant?
SERGEANT
(as he passes by Peterson's cell)
A couple of prisoners are unaccounted for,
Sir!
A look of satisfaction coming over Peterson's face, he watches the
SP move on down the hallway.
******
INT
BRIG'S LOCKER ROOM
2433 HOURS
His head pounding with deep throbs of pain, Harm slowly
regains consciousness. The screaming alarms only adding
to the torturous pain ripping through his skull, he slowly curls his body
tightly into a fetal position shielding his ears from the piercing sound with
his hands. Through blurred vision, he slowly becomes
more aware of his surroundings, discovering Malory lying on the floor just
a few feet away. Slowly and with great difficulty, Harm
struggles into a sitting position, his every movement making him painfully
aware of the battering his body had endured. His struggle
successful, he leans back against the cold surface of the metal
lockers for support. As he sat waiting for
his vision to return to normal, the tenderness of his bruised
wrists brings the realization that the shackles which had bound him for such a
prolonged period of time had been removed. As his vision
cleared, he is able to study Malory's face closely.
Noting his eyes open slightly and then close again, the simple movement
sparks a ray of hope in Harm for Malory's survival. Harm
slowly attempts to get to his feet. Weak and dizzy, he stumbles over to
Malory and collapses to his knees beside the young Lieutenant.
RABB
(shaking Malory as he deals with the pain piercing
through his skull)
Lieutenant!..... Lieutenant.....come on ....wake up!.......Do
you hear me?......Come on you've got to make it through
this.........you've got a wife...and...a kid.........come on Malory,...... wake
up!
Malory responds to Harm's voice, his eyes opening slightly and then
closing again.
RABB
(his face cringing from the pain in his head)
Come on, Lieutenant!.......Wake up............that's an order, damn
it!
Malory eyes open once again. His lips attempting to form
words........but his words only proceeding from his lips in faint
whispers. Desperately trying to hear Malory's words over the wailing of
the alarm, Harm draws closer to Malory. Malory's eyes closing once
again.
RABB
(with determination)
Come on Lieutenant.......hear that alarm?....They're looking for us
now. It's only a matter of minutes before they find us........come on
Malory......hang on........p l e a s e!
Malory's lips begin to move again, the words coming from his
lips barely audible. Rabb draws closer to him placing his ear close to
Malory's lips and listening carefully to his words.
RABB
(confused by Malory's words, he pulls back to observe the man's
face)
What?
MALORY
(trying desperately to get his words out)
Nin......ty.....sev'n........it's all ...th...ere....
His words fainting into whispers, Malory loses
consciousness. Frustrated, Harm leans back against the
lockers his strength drained by his efforts to aid Malory.
Finding his Navy bath towel resting on the bench in front of him, he pulls
it from the bench onto his lap trying desperately to warm himself from the cold
temperature of the room. Too weak to move, Harm begins
to call out.
HARM
Hey!.....Somebody.....we need
help!.......Anybody!
Several minutes passed before Harm heard the locker room door open
and the sound of footsteps coming toward him. With all the strength
he could muster, Harm calls out again.
HARM
Hey!.......Over here!
As the sound of the footsteps draw nearer, Harm gazes up to see
Master Sergeant Durant and Corporal Tate standing at the end of the long row of
lockers. Shocked at the sight of the two men, Tate hastily walks
toward Rabb.
TATE
Good God, what the hell's going on here? Who did
this?
HARM
(glancing momentarily to Durant)
Never mind that Corporal! Just get Malory some help
fast. He's in pretty bad shape.
DURANT
He's right, Corporal! Make the phone call
stat!
On the Master Sergeant's command, Tate rushes away.
Leaning over Malory, Durant examines him closely.
DURANT
I don't know, Commander, looks as though we might be a little
late in getting this guy any help. he's lost a lot of blood!
(leaving Malory's side) Let's take a look at
you!
He stoops down beside Rabb and attempts to examine the laceration
across his forehead.
RABB
(pushing Durant's hand away)
I'm fine!
DURANT
Just trying to help, Commander!
RABB
Yah, I just bet you are!
************
EXT
HIGHWAY/ MAC'S VETTE
2448 HOURS
In route to the
US Naval Brig, Mac and AJ find themselves in grid lock traffic on the DC
Beltway. In frustration, both stare ahead of them at the red break
lights of the countless other automobiles literally parked on the highway
before them.
AJ
(irritably)
Only in the DC Metro area could one find this sort of grid
lock traffic at this ungodly hour of the morning!
MAC
If we get off at the next exit, maybe we can get around all this,
Sir.
AJ
Well, anything's better than sitting this one out. (he pauses
catching Mac's gaze as she turns to him) Although we both know that
nothing we do here's going to have any impact whatsoever on what's going down at
the brig at the moment.
Mac turns away from the Admiral and stares out at the traffic ahead
of her.
MAC
Nothing except a good prayer, maybe!
AJ
(carefully observing Mac's concerned
expression)
If you feel it will help, Colonel, by all means, pray
away!
MAC
I'm not sure I'd know what to say, Sir! Devout, I
am not!
ADMIRAL
(gazing out the passenger window)
I doubt that the man upstairs is very
particular about the kind of words one uses, Colonel. Just how much you
want whatever it is you're praying for.
Mac gazes at the Admiral somewhat surprised by his
interjection.
AJ
(noting Mac's expression)
What?
MAC
I'm sorry, Admiral, I just never thought of you as a very spiritual
person, Sir!
AJ
I'm not! Well, ...at least not ordinarily,
anyway. (he pauses for a moment) Just drawing on one of lives many
experiences is all, Colonel.
MAC
Sir?
ADMIRAL
When I was a teenager I spent my summers working on a ranch
in Wyoming.
MAC
(interrupting with surprise)
You were a cowboy, Admiral?
ADMIRAL
For a few summers, yes!....And as Mister Roberts and yourself are
the only ones privileged with that information, I'd be my suggestion that you
keep it to yourself, Colonel!.....Understood?
MAC
Yes Sir, of course!
ADMIRAL
Good.......Well........as it turns out, the owners of this
ranch.......my employers, were very devout people that were very
passionate about sharing their faith with the hired
help. In fact, they'd hold a special feast every
Wednesday night in conjunction with their Bible meet. None of us could
ever pass it up. The food was too damn good. Catch was,
you had to be there from the get go, otherwise the doors were locked and no one
else allowed in or out until the meeting was all
over.
MAC
I take it that you came out of it all with more than just a
satisfied appetite, Admiral.
ADMIRAL
I did indeed, Colonel! It was the little
things I learned about that summer that saw me through some of the toughest
times in my life.....including Vietnam! (he pauses for a long
moment as if deep in thought) I believe there are times when we all
need something outside ourselves to find the strength and courage to get passed
some of lifes obstacles. We all find that source in one place or
another..... We have to..... It's a matter of survival.
MAC
Unfortunately, some of us find that source in a bottle of
liquor or a syringe. I wish I had spent my summers on that
ranch in Wyoming, Sir!....Maybe I would have avoided some of the pitfalls I've
managed to stumble through in my life.
ADMIRAL
Getting past the obstacles in life is what builds character,
Colonel. Granted it's not any fun getting around them, but it's what makes
us who we are. Don't look back on your life with regret, Colonel,
just look forward at what's ahead. That's what's
important.
As Mac steers the car to onto the ramp of the highway's exit, she
silently considers the Admiral's words.
******
EXT
BRIG
0110 HOURS
As Mac's vette pulls up to the Brig's main gate, a medivac
helicopter circles overhead and then slowly, and skillfully descends to the
surface of the parking lot outside the brig's main entrance. As they are
cleared through the gate, Mac pulls out and steers the car toward the parking
area. Noting an additional ambulance parked outside the front door, Mac
and AJ exchange glances each able to read the concerned expression on the
face of the other.
******
INT
BRIG'S LOBBY
0120 HOURS
As Admiral Chegwidden and Colonel Mackenzie enter the main
entrance, two EMT's escort Malory's gurney toward
them. As it passes by them, their concerns deepen as they
observe Malory's battered body along with the life support equipment he's
hooked up to. Following behind the gurney is Colonel Lehmann and Master
Sergeant Durant.
LEHMANN
(greeting them with a pale,concerned
expression)
Admiral Chegwidden.......( turning to
Mac) Colonel.....
MAC
....Mackenzie.
LEHMANN
(acknowledging Mac)
Of course. (gazing to AJ) Look.......I'm really sorry
about....
ADMIRAL
(interrupting)
Where's Commander Rabb?
LEHMANN
In the infirmary, Sir!........The corpsman's decided that it's
necessary to send the Commander to the hospital.
ADMIRAL
His condition?
LEHMANN
That's uncertain, Sir!......He seems to have suffered quite a blow
to the head and the corpsman feels that he may have a pretty serious
concussion. He's just not sure at this point.
ADMIRAL
How and where did this attack take place, Colonel?
LEHMANN
Apparently........as the Commander was showering,
Sir!
ADMIRAL
Showering?.........At 2330?........Isn't that
unusually late for an inmate to be hitting the showers,
Colonel?
LEHMANN
Yes Admiral........final lock down is at 2130.
ADMIRAL
Then why in God's name was Rabb there in the first
place.
LEHMANN
It was due to the extra security measures that were imposed in an
effort to prevent this very thing from happening?
ADMIRAL
Explain!
LEHMANN
(irritably gazing to Durant)
I believe that the Master Sergeant could explain it better than I,
Admiral.
Realizing he's about to take the heat for the attacks on Malory and
Rabb, Durant's gaze meets the Admiral's.
DURANT
I'd ordered that the Commander be confined to his cell unless he
had an escort to take him wherever it was he needed to go, Admiral. Over
the last week or two, an influenza outbreak among the staff had already
strained our resources of available personnel, and as a
result, Corporal Tate was unable to find the spare time needed to fulfill
the Commander's request for a shower until 2300 after he had
completed his regular duties on the cell block.
ADMIRAL
(concluding)
So, in essence what your saying is that what was supposed to have
served to protect him, actually aided in the orchestration of his
assault.
LEHMANN
The irony of it all, Sir!
ADMIRAL
Indeed!......But one thing you both can be assured of, heads are
going to roll over this one! I'm expecting a full investigation into the
matter and I want the parties responsible brought to justice. Now,
I'd like to see Commander Rabb.
**********
INT
BRIG INFIRMARY
0135 HOURS
Gazing out upon the medivac helicopter standing outside the window
of the infirmary, Commander Rabb lays in an partially upright position on
a gurney as he silently observes the EMT's lifting Malory's gurney
into the helicopter. Shutting the door behind them, the rotors of
the chopper increase rapidly in speed until the chopper takes to flight lifting
slowly at first and then once reaching a reasonably altitude, veering off and
disappearing from Rabb's sight.
An IV hooked up to his left hand, a visibly shaken Rabb leans his
head back against the gurney trying to relieve the agonizing pain piercing
through his skull. There is a corpsman and two EMT's present in the room
with Rabb. As the Admiral, Mac and Lehmann enter the infirmary, one
of the EMT's completes the task of placing some gauze over the deep
laceration across his right temple and forehead.
EMT
(addressing Rabb as he flashes a small light into
Harm's right eye)
Look straight ahead, please. ....Are you
experiencing any vision problems?
RABB
Some.
EMT
(as he flashes the light into Rabb's left
eye)
Blurry?......Spotty?
RABB
Both.......at times.......but I think I'm fine, really!
EMT
(taking the light away from Rabb's
eyes)
Not if you're vision's impaired and you're having a lot of
pain.
ADMIRAL
(interrupting, as he walks toward Rabb)
What's your prognosis, then?
The EMT turns toward the sound of the voice to see Admiral
Chegwidden and Colonel Mackenzie and Colonel Lehamnn entering the
room. Surprised to see the Admiral and Mac, Harm's eyes meet
Mac's as they walk to the foot of the gurney. Mac is obviously
shaken as she observes Harm's battered face.
EMT
Well, it looks as though he may have himself a pretty serious
concussion, along with a few bruised ribs. Certainly worth a trip to
the ER for further examination and observation.
LEHMANN
(turning to the medical service corpsman)
Do you concur, Lieutenant?
CORPSMAN
Yes Sir!
ADMIRAL
Good, because regardless of what anyone has to say about this, the
Commander's not going to spend another night in this God forsaken place.
RABB
Admiral,........with respect Sir, but if you take me out of
here now, we're never going to find out who did this to
Malory.
ADMIRAL
(gazing to Harm in shock as he addresses the EMT's
and corpsman)
Give us this room, please!
The three men quickly vacate the room.
ADMIRAL
Commander, just what the hell are you inferring
here?
RABB
That someone on the inside is responsible
for orchestrating this whole thing on Peterson's behalf and I want the
opportunity to be the one to flush him out.
MAC
(shocked)
Harm, .......
LEHMANN
(interrupting)
Captain Peterson was in his cell the entire time, Commander.
RABB
Oh, no doubt, Colonel!.....And that's exactly my
point.
MAC
You know who did this, don't you?
RABB
I have my suspicions, Mac, but I can't prove
it.
LEHMANN
(suspiciously)
Whom do you suspect?
RABB
I can't say, Colonel!.......Not until I'm sure.
ADMIRAL
So, what you're asking me to do then is to leave you in here as a
target of sorts.
MAC
Harm, ....no,... that's crazy.
RABB
No Mac, not crazy.......desperate!.......I want the sonofabitch who
did this.
MAC
At what expense, Harm!.............Your life maybe? Or maybe
after what happened to you here tonight, your life somehow doesn't seem
important to you anymore.
HARM
(angrily gazing back up to Mac)
Mac, this isn't about me! ....This is about what they did to
Lieutenant Malory.
MAC
(her eyes steadfast on Harm's)
Is it? Or is it that you can't even begin to deal with what
happened to you, Harm.
HARM
Nothing happened that I can't handle, Mac. And right
now I'd rather not be having this conversation!
ADMIRAL
(recognizing Harm's sense of embarrassment, he
gently but firmly interrupts)
Colonel, I think we had better allow the EMT's to finish what they
came here to do. (noting Harm's and Mac's eyes never leaving one another)
.......As for your suggested tactics for getting the people responsible,
Commander, I refuse to allow you to put yourself at any further
risk. So the answer is no. We'll find
another way.
With those words, the Admiral abruptly turns and walks out of the
room with Lehmann following close behind.
RABB
(as the Admiral disappears out of the
door)
How much did you tell the Admiral about our phone conversation,
Mac?
MAC
(lying, trying to protect Harm from further
embarrassment)
Nothing. Well, I mean
nothing other than what was necessary. So, don't worry, your
secret's safe with me, Harm. You know that!.......But that doesn't mean
that you don't have to deal with what happened to you here
tonight.
RABB
Mac, what was said to you on the phone....it never went that
far. I wasn't........
He turns away from Mac, a sense of deep anxiety evident in his
demeanor.
MAC
Raped, Harm,..........the word's raped! It's gets easier to
say it out loud after awhile. Especially once you come to terms with the
fact that it really did happen.
RABB
Mac, I just told you.......
MAC
I know what you told me, Harm, but your eyes and your demeanor
reflect something entirely different. Maybe physically they didn't rape
you, but emotionally and spiritually, they definitely stole
something away from you tonight. And like myself, you're going
to have to deal with it a little at a time.
At that moment, the EMT's return. Mac and Harm's eyes remain
steadfast on one another for a long moment. Mac then reluctantly turns
away and starts to walk toward the door.
RABB
(addressing the EMT's as Mac draws closer to the door)
Would it be possible for the Colonel to accompany
me in the ambulance?
Mac pauses, then turns back to Harm with a slight smile on
her face.
EMT
(gazing to Mac with a look of approval on his
face)
Well, I don't see why not. Bethesda Naval Hospital's a good
45 minutes away, so I'm sure you could use the extra company.
*************** To Be Continued
************