"The better part of valor is discretion."
Shakespeare's 'Henry IV, Part One' V.IV.119
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Undisclosed Location
0400 Zulu

With gentle, almost loving gestures, a man dressed in dark, nondescript clothing placed an Annapolis ring, a single, signed statement, and two battle-scarred dog tags into a small, lined box and sealed it tightly. Hours before he had destroyed files, uniforms, medals, and ribbons...anything that linked him to the United States Navy. Everything that linked him to his life. A few moments alone with a computer had wiped out all traces of his career. All thirty-four years of the life he had dedicated to the Navy were gone with a few, simple keystrokes.

But there were those who would still remember him and those who would give anything, do anything, to know what he knew. That's why he had to leave tonight. It was a coward's way out, and he knew it. All his life, he'd been told that there was no valor in escaping and no honor in hiding, but he had no choice.

Taking care to make no noise, leaving no trace of the officer he had been, the man stood to his full height, pushed a faded baseball cap well over his silver hair, and stepped out into the unseasonably cool night. The city lights gleamed around him, but no one paid attention to the quiet, older gentlemen who made his way down the uneven sidewalk. No one realized that they were seeing the fall of a great man. In essence, they were watching the death of Admiral William L. Franklin.

{insert theme music and title credits}

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JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, VA
1920 Zulu

Harm sat quietly at his desk, his mind not entirely on his work. The past weeks had been draining. Not only had he had to deal with the unsettling end to the Flanders' case, but he also felt the conflicting emotions that flowed through him every time he saw Mac.

This summer had passed with fleeting moments of fire and ice between them. At times, Harm could almost feel the pressure of Mac's lips as her mouth heated his own, and he could still see the promise of the future in her eyes when they spoke of how they needed to have that conversation that never happened. At other times, he remembered how it hurt when Mac pulled away, how he himself had pulled away...and how easily Renee and Mic fit into that wide chasm of space between them.

Running his hands through his hair in a uncharacteristic and restless gesture, Harm didn't notice Mac standing in the doorway staring at him. She gave herself a long moment to search the tired lines on his face and see the emotion that she almost recognized as defeat in his posture. Mac knew that Webb's visit and subsequent revelation about Commander Flanders had hit Harm pretty hard. He felt guilty, and perhaps something else. More than anything, she wanted to talk to him about it, tell him that she felt the guilt too, but she honestly wasn't sure of where she stood with him now. Would empathy be welcome? Would *she* be welcome? The roller coaster of their relationship was more than she could understand, and now she was scared it was a little more than she could handle.

Feeling as though she was spying, Mac finally took a deep breath and said quietly, "Harm?"

The voice was soft, but it caused Harm's head to immediately rise as he locked eyes with Mac. Trying to hide the thoughts that he was so sure were readily apparent on his face, he said lightly, "To what do I owe the pleasure, Colonel?"

That earned a small smile from Mac, who leaned slightly on the doorjamb and replied, "Admiral Chegwidden wants us in his office ASAP, and by the looks of things, it appears we should start packing our bags."

Harm quickly grabbed a legal pad and pen and moved around his desk before cocking a brow at Mac. At his unspoken question, Mac said, "Missing person. The last time he was seen on a Naval base was two days ago, and now we've just gotten an unverified report that he's been spotted enjoying a moonlit gondola ride along the Grand Canal."

Now Harm's eyes became wary as he replied, "Since when do we investigate two day old missing person cases, Mac? And since when does the Navy send us to Venice to do it?"

Lowering her voice, Mac locked eyes with Harm as she said, "Since Admiral Franklin went UA."

His only reply was a quickening of his pace as he and Mac neared the Admiral's office.

{scene change...exterior of the building...the interior of the Admiral's office}

"Tiner, hold all my calls...No, Tiner, I don't care if the President himself calls. No calls."

The Admiral's clipped voice took Harm as no surprise. He had an idea of all the calls that Chegwidden had been receiving...and one from the President wouldn't be far from the truth. Quickly remembering Mac's words, Harm realized that Admiral Franklin had been missing for two days. He was surprised that the entire Navy hadn't fallen apart in that short time, and he instantly wondered why it hadn't. He didn't have time, however, to consider it much because he saw the Admiral motion for he and Mac to take a seat.

The Admiral's eyes never left the two of them as he said, "How much do you know?"

Mac glanced at Harm, who nodded that she should answer. "Only what you've told me, Sir. Admiral William Lee Franklin was last seen visiting the Naval Base in Rota, Spain. It was a scheduled stop, and the Admiral was given a welcome fit for a king. He was supposed to leave Rota yesterday morning and return stateside, but he hasn't been seen since the ceremony held in his honor two nights before. Now we've received an anonymous call stating that he's been spotted in Venice."

Admiral Chegwidden nodded his head slightly before he replied, "And that's pretty much all anyone knows, Colonel."

Harm glanced from Mac to his C.O. before he said, "How, Sir? Something like this would be all over the news. The disappearance of a high-ranking man like Admiral Franklin would set off bells and sirens everywhere."

Taking a deep breath, A.J. leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. "You have no idea how difficult it has been, or how difficult it will continue to be, to keep this out of public knowledge."

Both Harm and Mac took a closer look at the Admiral, saw the tired lines on his face, and realized that his role in keeping this news secret must have been difficult, as well. Shaking them from their observations, A.J. said quietly, "And now the two of you have become part of a ever-widening circle of people who know that Franklin is missing."

The two shared a quick look before they turned their full attention to their C.O. "What can we do, Sir?"

"As you know, we received a tip that Franklin has somehow ended up in Italy. We don't know who this information is from, and everyone is afraid that there's no way to tell, but we can't dismiss it. To be honest, it's all we have to go on, at least as of yet. So, it seems the two of you have been nominated to go on a wild goose chase...or maybe a wild pigeon chase, as the case may be. You leave Dulles in three hours."

Trying to hide their shock, both officers sat a little straighter in their seats as they replied, "Yes, Sir." However, after silently questioning Harm with her eyes, Mac replied, "Sir, would it be possible to see the Admiral's service record? Even though he's been quite the public figure in the past few years, I know little to nothing about the man. Anything to help us know him better would aide this investigation."

A.J. sighed for the second time in several minutes and replied, "There are no service records, Mac. As of two days ago, William Franklin ceased to exist. All service records, personal files, hell, even the record of his time at the Academy, it's gone. According to the Navy, Franklin never even enlisted. All other documentation of his life is gone, so according to the world, William was never born."

Neither Harm nor Mac missed the fact that A.J. had called the man by his first name. He saw their recognition immediately and tried a grim smile. "Yes, I knew him. Even though we may not be able to prove on paper that the man is alive, those of us who remember him know. We know that he would not just leave...at least not without a good reason. And believe me, if William doesn't want to be found, he won't." He paused a moment and assessed his two officers. He knew the past months had not been easy on them, professionally or personally, but he couldn't let that stand in the way of this case. Standing, he said, "If he is there, I need you to find him."

Not even looking at each other, both officers replied, "Aye-aye, Sir."

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San Marco Square
Venice, Italy
1945 Zulu

As he walked quietly through the vendors and tourists that still crowded the square even as dusk neared, Harm couldn't help but steal a look at Mac as her eyes poured over the sculptures and mosaics that adorned St. Mark's Basilica. Neatly sidestepping a young boy giving chase to one of the countless pigeons, Harm spoke softly, "First time in Venice, Colonel?"

Mac looked down before she allowed herself to blush at Harm's comment. She knew she must look like a tourist gawking at the Basilica and the palaces, but somehow she didn't care. The beauty of this lagoon city wasn't lost on her. Putting a smile on her face, she replied, "As a matter of fact, it is. Though I imagine Harmon Rabb, world traveler, has been here many times."

Harm didn't pause before he answered, "Actually Mom and I spent a couple of weeks here one summer when Frank was on business. She fell in love with it on sight and makes Frank bring her back as much as possible. In fact, I'm sure she would be jealous knowing that I'm here now...if I'd had time to actually tell her I was leaving."

Nodding in understanding, Mac thought of how quickly the past hours had gone. After their brief meeting with the Admiral, both Harm and Mac had frantically tried to get ready for this trip. Harm simply swung by his loft for clean clothes, and belatedly remembered to call Renee's service to let her know that he would be gone for several days. For Mac, it meant grabbing her packed bag, asking Gunny to look after Jingo, and leaving a distracted message on Mic's answering machine telling him that she was on the next flight to Europe and promising to call when she returned.

The next thing she knew, Mac had found herself sitting beside Harm on a plane bound for Heathrow. A connecting flight to Italy and a relatively short ferry ride to Venice left them exhausted and more than a little jet lagged. Because neither of them had dared discuss the case in such public areas, they still felt they knew nothing about the man they were sent to find. Truth be told, they practically *did* know nothing about the man.

Now they were strolling along the square as if Admiral Franklin would somehow materialize in front of them. Mac swallowed a laugh at that thought and then caught Harm's questioning glance. "If you've found something amusing about this, Mac, I'd love for you to share it with me."

Sobering, Mac looked up at Harm and led them to a small alcove in front of one of the expensive shops that lined two sides of the square. Looking everywhere but into Harm's eyes, she attempted to shake off some of the weariness that seemed to encase her. She sighed deeply and stifled a yawn as she said, "Nothing about this is really funny, Harm. It's just that we're standing here in one of the most beautiful and romantic places on Earth...and we're looking for a man who may or may not exist. We have no idea where Admiral Franklin might be, if he went of his own will, or why he left if he did go UA on his own. We have nothing." As she ended her explanation, she was unable to stifle the next yawn that escaped her lips.

Harm leaned lightly against the stone wall, the last twenty hours catching up with him, as well. "It's true, Mac. We have nothing, and from what we do know about Admiral Franklin, if he doesn't want to be found, he won't be."

Mac nodded solemnly and reached up to rub her tired eyes. As her hands lowered, she saw that Harm was staring at her intently. Then she felt his hand gently rub across the shadowed skin beneath her eyes, and she was surprised that she couldn't suppress a shudder at his touch. Biting her lip, she heard his soft words. "You're exhausted, Mac, and so am I. Neither of us will come up with anything without some sleep. I don't know how, but maybe something will be clearer tomorrow."

The tenderness in his voice made her heart skip a beat, and her own words echoed in her ears. 'One of the most beautiful and romantic places on Earth.' Yes, here in the red-gold light of the setting sun, with an ancient and exquisite palace as a backdrop, she had never been anywhere so romantic in her life...and she wasn't thinking about the man whose ring graced her right hand. Instead, her thoughts were with the man whose touch she could still feel on her skin.

Taking a deep breath, she attempted to stop that roller coaster feeling that raced through her again. Mac tried to smile as she replied, "Maybe you're right, Harm. After a good night's sleep, we'll be ready to go after the Invisible Man."

Harm shook his head at his partner, knowing that the moment they'd almost shared in 'the most romantic place on Earth' had somehow passed. Hiding his disappointment, he said, "That sounds like a plan, Colonel." He put a light hand on her back and led her along the sidewalk in the direction of their hotel.

Neither of them noticed the man who watched them from a discreet corner...smiling.

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Along the Grand Canal
Venice, Italy
2030 Zulu

"Admiral Chegwidden was right, Harm. Franklin doesn't want to be found...even if he is here."

Though Harm didn't say a word, he nodded his agreement. They'd spent hours searching the city, asking questions, creating and revising cover stories as they'd asked tourists and locals if they'd seen a man fitting Franklin's description. At times, they'd pretended that Admiral Franklin was a favorite uncle who'd left town never to be heard from again. At others, Mac had portrayed the jilted lover who was looking for the man who'd left her at the alter and taken her life savings. Sometimes, they'd claimed that Franklin was Mac's long-lost father who was rumored to have settled in the small city. After hours of endless questions and no answers, they'd almost decided that the man had never been there. Or if he was, he'd changed his appearance. It seemed that they were back where they'd started from...with nothing.

"Maybe there's something we're missing, Mac. We can try the islands, Murano or Burano or whatever they're called," Harm replied as he tried to come up with some other strategy to find the missing man. He smiled, however, when he heard Mac's reply.

"Tomorrow, Harm. We can take a little boat trip to the islands tomorrow. As of now, I think we've walked every inch of this city...and I have the blisters to prove it."

Both Harm and Mac had decided that uniforms would not be appropriate for this particular assignment and had dressed accordingly. As they neared one of the countless bridges that crossed the canals, Harm looked once again at the clothes Mac had chosen. A flowing sundress skimmed the tops of her knees, and it's pale blue color accentuated her dark complexion. Harm glanced down at Mac's feet and saw the sandals that completed her casual attire.

"Looks like you forgot the comfortable shoes, Mac."

He said the words softly, and Mac found herself staring up into his eyes as they both leaned against the bridge railing. It wasn't exactly the observation deck of a carrier...or even the cold, metal railing of that ferry in Australia, but Mac figured it would do. Licking her lips nervously, she began to speak, but stopped when she heard Harm continue, "A great career, a good man, and comfortable shoes...lots and lots of them. Two out of three ain't bad, I guess."

Harm paused for a moment and stared at how the fading light cast shadows across Mac's face. "Is it really two out of three, Mac?"

Mac's eyes widened as she realized that they were about to have the conversation they'd been trying to have all summer. Trying desperately to gather her thoughts and choose the right words, she began slowly, "Harm, I..." His gaze was so intense that she barely saw the movement out of the corner of her eye. A lone figure faded into a dark corner without a sound. Her already soft voice dropped another notch. "Harm, we're being watched."

His eyes growing narrow, Harm barely suppressed a curse as he realized he and Mac had lost yet another opportunity. Instead of dwelling on that, he whispered, "Where?"

Mac leaned closely into his neck, and she realized that to anyone passing...or watching...it would simply look like two lovers taking advantage of the still night. She whispered, "Behind you. In the passageway."

Nodding, Harm replied, "Then let's go that way." He linked his arm with hers as they strolled across the bridge. Mac gave him a gentle nudge as they passed the darkened corner, causing Harm to lean down as if to brush a gentle kiss along her jaw. Instead, he peered into the darkness hoping to catch a glimpse of their audience.

Mac tensed as she felt his breath on her skin, and she had to force herself to relax as she heard him whisper, "He's gone now."

Their voices still low, they continued on along the old, cobblestone walkways, silently agreeing that they would stay in plain sight, hoping to lure the man to them again. Hours later, they had pretended to enjoy a late meal at an outdoor cafe, window shopped at all the shops Mac claimed were too expensive to enter, and even toyed with the idea of a moonlit gondola ride. All the while, they kept watchful eyes out for the man they felt had shadowed them that evening.

Finally giving in to exhaustion and realizing the futility of looking for two invisible men, they headed towards their hotel. Once again, Harm had his hand placed protectively on the small of his partner's back as he led her through the lobby doors. That hand remained there as he looked into the small lounge area and saw a tall, silver haired man with a grim smile.

"Colonel, Commander, it took you long enough."

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Harm tried to hide his shock as he unconsciously came to attention and said quietly, "Admiral Franklin, I presume."

The man merely nodded, and Harm knew that the Admiral didn't need uniforms or stars to demand respect. Waiting silently, Harm and Mac didn't move until Admiral Franklin motioned them towards a private alcove. They sat after the Admiral did and remained silent until he said, "I guess you two found me."

Mac almost smiled, "No, Sir, I would say that you found us, or maybe you wanted to be found."

Admiral Franklin did give a grudging smile. "Well, Colonel, I suppose I did want to be found, but I know that I didn't want to be lost in the first place."

Not sure that he wanted to know the answer, Harm asked slowly, "Then why leave, Sir? Your star is rising, and there are those that believe strongly you could make the Joint Chiefs someday...and soon. Why throw your career away now?"

Taking a weary breath, the older man was still imposing, but suddenly looked every single day of his sixty years. "Son, some things are even more important than one man's career."

Mac leaned forward and said, "Sir, what could be that important?"

Shaking his head, Franklin replied, "I took an oath to protect this country, and there have been many times throughout the years that I've almost had to give my life to do it. Today, I didn't have to give my life...just my identity. If I don't, we could stand to lose more than a three star Admiral. A lot more."

At that moment, both Harm and Mac knew that this went a lot deeper than either of them realized. They waited patiently until the Admiral said, "I know things that others can't, things that some wouldn't believe. Things that would rock the Navy and our country to the core."

Harm cleared his throat and spoke quietly, but firmly. "If you know these things, Sir, then why leave? Why not clear the air and make a change? The Navy has lived through scandal before and survived."

Shaking his head sadly, Franklin replied, "I once believed that, too, Commander Rabb, but the things I know would destroy everything we've worked for. Everything we've accomplished in the past two hundred years would be gone in the blink of an eye."

Mac fought the urge to raise her voice as she replied, "What 'things,' Sir? What aren't you telling us, and how does your giving up your life fix anything?"

"Colonel, I appreciate your concern, but as I said before, this is about more than me. I'm afraid that I can't tell you the things you want to know, and if you only knew, you'd be grateful for that fact. But I can answer your second question. My dropping out of sight is just one in the last of a chain of events that will ensure that this incident will never come to light. In exchange for my disappearance, a high ranking official will voluntarily leave his office and remove himself from the public eye. He'll make some excuse, enjoy a government retirement pension, the president will appoint someone new, and the country will go on about its business. No one will be the wiser, but a traitor will be out of power, and I'll be able to sleep with a clean conscience."

Mac shook her head, "Why not expose him, Admiral? Why let him enjoy his life, his family, when you've given up everything? You could blow him out of the water..."

"And destroy a country's faith in its leaders, its military. That's not something I want to do, Colonel. That's not something I can live with." He finished sadly, yet sat with a strict bearing that betrayed his years in the Navy.

"Where do we fit in, Sir? Why did you find us?" Mac then paused a moment before she said, "You made the call to tip the Navy off that you were here."

He smiled a little and shocked the two officers. "When I first saw you yesterday, I knew who you were. Hell, I think I even guessed who A.J. would send. As I watched you today, I figured that you two would be the last step in my plan. You'll return to Washington, and your official report will say that the investigation was a wash. A man fitting my description was here...on vacation with his grandkids...or maybe even running off with his jilted lover's life savings."

At that, he glanced at Mac, who smiled a little in return. Smiling broadly despite the circumstances, he said, "I don't believe anyone would leave you at the alter, Colonel, though I do like that story better than the one where I was your father."

Giving a genuine smile, Mac said quietly, "Yes, Sir."

Franklin took a quick look at his watch and sobered instantly. "After the report is filed, things will eventually quiet down. I'll simply be an old man who was tired of the Navy, and didn't want to wait for his honorable discharge. I'll be forgotten, dismissed."

"But, Sir, anyone could file that report and make it believable."

"Yes, but not anyone knows that I've written an affidavit that tells everything I know in shocking and uncensored detail. Watch the news, Commander, Colonel. If the man who resigns ever makes a reappearance into public life, I'll need you two or A.J. to get it into the right hands." At that moment, the older officer pulled out a thin, sealed envelope and handed it to Mac. "This will tell you where to find this information. I didn't want to bring anyone else into this, but I found that I had to. If anything happens to me..."

He didn't finish that thought. In fact, no one wanted him to. Instead, Mac took the offered document, rose, and stood at attention, with Harm following her closely. In unison, they said softly, "Yes, Sir."

Admiral William L. Franklin stood and broke protocol by snapping off a quick, discrete salute. Turning sharply on his heel, he strode out the door with a look of grim determination on his face. As he neared the edge of the walkway, he pulled a small, but deceptively heavy sealed box from his pocket and gave it a shake before he dropped it into the murky, polluted water. With that single gesture, he let go of his identity, and a man without a name stepped silently into the shadows.

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Hotel Venezia
Venice, Italy
2330 Zulu

It seemed like a lifetime, but it was only a few hours later when Harm and Mac emerged from a small office in the hotel. The phone call to Admiral Chegwidden had been full of double meanings and long silences. Harm and Mac knew that a long, long meeting was coming when they returned to Headquarters, though right now they didn't want to think about it. Nor did they want to consider the envelope that would remain sealed until it was needed...if it was ever needed.

Instead, they quietly trudged to the elevator and waited for it to reach their floor. Although they had remained silent since they'd hung up with the Admiral, Harm couldn't help but comment when he saw Mac lean heavily against the wall and step out of her binding sandals. "Comfortable shoes, Mac."

She looked at him, her eyes tired, but quite serious as she replied quietly, "They're still on my list, Commander."

His voice even with hers, he said, "What else do you need, Mac? What else do you want?"

"We still need to finish our talk, Harm. There's so much I want to say to you...and I only hope I can find the words."

Mac's body was only a mere whisper from his as he remembered when he'd heard similar words from her. Tilting her chin upward so he could look directly into her eyes, Harm said, "No one's leaving this time, Mac. We're both right here. We'll find the words together. I promise."

Mac could only smile in reply as she listened to the soft ding of the elevator. She stooped slowly to gather her shoes and said, "Why don't we talk in my room?"

Harm nodded his head and quietly followed her through the silent hall. He watched Mac put the old fashioned key into the doorknob and had to hold back a gasp as the door opened quickly on its own. He fought anger and defeat as he saw Mic Brumby's smiling face behind the door.

"Mic? What are you...what're you doing here?"

Mic held out his arms to Mac as he said, "You didn't think I'd let you spend two nights without me in a city this romantic, did you, Sarah?"

Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Mac stiffly accepted Brumby's embrace. "But, Mic, Harm and I....we need to...we're still working."

"You can't work all night, love. Everyone deserves a break." He placed a feather-soft kiss on Mac's forehead before he looked over at Harm. "Plus, I think the Commander will be busy tonight."

As if on cue, the door to Harm's room opened, revealing a negligée clad Renee Peterson leaning against the door. Mic smiled broadly at Harm, "Ms. Peterson was a lovely traveling companion."

Feeling the hope drain from his heart, Harm glanced over at Renee, who offered him a smile and the promise of something more. He tried to smile in return as he walked towards his room, but he knew that it looked forced...simply because it was. He knew he wouldn't be surprised to see the same emotion playing on Mac's face, but he had to find out.

Cautiously, he turned. As he looked back at her, their eyes met for a fleeting moment, and they shared two sad smiles that faded with the sounds of closing doors.

{End credits}