HONOR & BETRAYAL PT 26
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INT
JAG OPS
COURTROOM
Rabb enters the courtroom briefcase in hand. Already
present is Captain Peterson, and LCDR Brumby, along with LCDR Imes, LCDR Mattoni
and Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie. Rabb walks to the front of the
courtroom his eyes steadfast on Peterson. As Rabb reaches Peterson and his
co-counsel, he places his briefcase down on the table before him.
PETERSON
(gazing past Rabb to Mac who is standing on the other side of
the courtroom with Imes and Mattoni)
Well, Commander Rabb, are you ready to discredit that
bitch!
Rabb eyes meet Peterson's in an angry glare. Hearing
Peterson's words of contempt, Brumby comes forward anticipating Rabb's reaction
as he himself felt a surge of anger rise up in him.
RABB
(anger in his eyes, but with a strangely
calm voice)
Well, lets just say that I want a quick ending to all this,
Captain!
Rabb partially opens his briefcase, reaches into it and pulls
out a weapon immediately pressing its barrel directly against Peterson's
chest.
PETERSON
What the hell.......
BRUMBY
(horrified)
Harm....hey...what the hell are you doing? .... Are you
crazy?.......
RABB
Just stay back, Brumby!
Gazing towards the Seargeant at arms standing guard at the
doors of the courtroom, Brumby takes heed to Rabb's words and steps
back.
BRUMBY
(addressing the sergeant)
Sergeant, we have a situation here!
The alarming tone in Brumby's voice draws Mac's attention as
well as Imes and Mattoni. All are horrified by the scene before them as
they observe Rabb holding a gun to Peterson's chest.
PETERSON
(his eyes wide with fear)
I'd surrender that weapon if I were you,
Commander!
As the Sergeant at Arms makes his way toward the front of the
court room, he pulls his weapon out from his arm holster and takes aim at
Rabb.
SERGEANT
Commander Rabb, I'd advise you to drop your
weapon!
RABB
Not in this lifetime, Sergeant!
MAC
(addressing the Sergeant who has dead aim on
Rabb)
I'll handle this, Sergeant, please put the weapon
away!
SERGEANT
No ma'am! It's my duty to take the Commander down if he
doesn't surrender his weapon immediately!
MAC
(walking towards the Marine)
Sergeant, I am relieving you of that duty!......Now please put
you're weapon away!
As the Sergeant stands down, Rabb squeezes the trigger of his
weapon discharging three consecutive bullets into Peterson's
chest.....Peterson's body being violently thrown backwards into the railing
behind him and then to the floor. The Sergeant immediately reacts by
taking aim at Rabb and discharging a single debilitating round into Rabb's left
shoulder. Rabb succumbs to the gun wound and falls to the floor near
unconsciousness. Mac rushes to Harm's side and kneels beside him.
Imes, Matoni and Brumby draw close to Harm's side as he lay on the floor in a
pool of blood.
MAC
My God, Harm!.....Why?
RABB
(his breathing labored his ability to
speak affected by the agony emanating from his wound)
He would have walked, Mac!....The evidence.....was .... too
circumstantial.
**
INT
RABB'S
APT
Leaning over his desk with his head laying on his left arm and
perspiring profusely, Rabb awakens from his nightmare startled and
confused. His left shoulder in agony from the position he had kept it in
for an extended period of time, he lifts his head up and then slowly brings his
arm down to his lap the agony obvious in his expression. On the desk in
front of him is Peterson's case file........the hours he'd spent working out
Peterson's defense driving him to an exhaustive state and into the deep
sleep that had produced his nightmare.
Taking in a deep breath, Harm slams the file shut and
for a long moment, stares wearily at the cover of the file before
him.
***************************************
INT
JAG OPS
ONE WEEK LATER
Rabb walks down the hallway towards the courtroom doors as
Becker approaches him from the opposite direction.
BECKER
Commander Rabb!.....I was hoping I'd catch you before you went
into court.
RABB
(pauses at the courtroom door greeting Becker with a nod as
Becker walks to him)
Colonel!......What can I do for
you?
BECKER
You got the Malory court martial moved back on the
docket. Why?
RABB
Because I didn't want to have to juggle the Peterson and
Malory court martials in the same week, Colonel! Do you have a problem
with that?
BECKER
Actually, no! But apparently it's given Malory some
extra time to think things over.
RABB
What do you mean?
BECKER
He wants to talk about a plea bargain. Says he has some
pertinent information in regards to the Peterson court martial.
RABB
What is it?
BECKER
He wouldn't say! He says he won't talk about it until
you're present.
RABB
What?.....Why?
BECKER
Don't know!....I'm only conveying what the man told
me.
RABB
Well, I'll try and meet with both of you later on this
afternoon, but I can't guarantee it!
BECKER
Fine, Commander!......Whenever you got a moment or two to
spare!
With those words, Becker walks off down the corridor....Rabb
gazing after him with a puzzled look in his expression.
**************************************
INT
JAG OPS
COURTROOM
Rabb enters the courtroom to find Lieutenant Commander Brumby,
and Captain Peterson already present at the front of the courtroom as are
Lieutenant Commander Imes, Lieutenant Commander Mattoni and Lieutenant Colonel
MacKenzie. Rabb walks towards the two men feeling a strange sense of
dejavu as he approaches Peterson.
RABB
(sharply as he reaches Peterson & Brumby)
If I were you, Captain, I'd
avoid making any disparaging remarks about the Colonel!
PETERSON
Excuse me?
RABB
(making direct contact with Peterson's eyes as he opens his
briefcase slowly)
I had a nightmare the other
night, Captain! In it, I walked into the court room ...just like I
did now... and when I walked up to you, you called the Colonel
....well....not a nice name. Anyway, I reached into my
briefcase....kinda like now (reaching into his briefcase).....pulled out a
weapon and shot you three times point blank in the chest.
At that moment, Rabb pulls Peterson's case file
out of his briefcase and quickly slams it down onto the table before him
startling Peterson.
RABB
(smiling slightly at Peterson's reaction knowing that he has
rattled him)
But don't worry, sir! It was just a nightmare and I
don't usually carry a weapon around in my briefcase.
Under his breath, Brumby laughs slightly with
amusement as Peterson gazes piercingly into Rabb's eyes.
PETERSON
(irritably)
Can't say as I appreciate your sense of humor,
Commander!
RABB
Well my apologies, sir!..... But I really wasn't
attempting to be humorous.
With those words, the bailiff comes forward
announcing the entrance of the presiding judge.
>**************** TO BE
CONTINUED***********************