The Four Percent Solution - 206

[A substantial and significant episode- Cdr. McCool's words are in italics.] Christmas eve Mac (M) was driving in the rain, and was distracted by her personal feelings, triggered by a radio program, causing her to toal her car. During the ambulance ride, she had "flashbacks within flashbacks" back to the previous two months. She had gone to see Lt. Cdr. V. McCool for sleeping pills, due to having insomnia. M was flippant and evasive. McCool was judgmental, challenging and held the prescription over Ms head in order to extract information. M finally told her that W (W) had faked his own death, deceived her, had no sense of what he put her through and did it with his mother's help! Dalton had been stalking her, and had been shot by a cop who was also stalking her. She was saved by Harm (H) but not before being captured and held. She revealed that she had been leaving the lights off at night in her apartment. "Not having to look at choices you've made." She said that she discusses things with H "endlessly." She had lived with Brumby, who then left; but, hadn't lived with W. She initially refused to talk about having children; but, then confessed she had had diagnostic surgery - advanced endometriosis - that left her with less than a 5% chance of possible conception. She regretted waiting too long. Right guy didn't appear? "I Wasn't looking." She said she was involved with H, "in ways you can't imagine. We've been dancing around a relationship for 8 yrs" What's keeping you apart? "Me... him. We made a 5 year deal for having baby." A backup plan. A set up for failure? She had told H about her endometriosis because the 5 years are up. H had told her that: "it didn't change things. There is IVF, surrogacy, donor eggs. HOW doesn't matter, only that it happens between US. I'm tired of looking in on your life, I want to be a part of it." M said: "I can't do it" - because she thought he had an agenda - namely: the loss of Mattie.

Why didn't you allow yourself a chance to consider it? "It is too close to Ws death". H hadn't shown emotion at Ws death, but told her: "I've been concentrating on what you were feeling - I'm going to miss the way YOU looked when you talked about him - No pressure, lets just look into possibilities." M said "He gave me space… (not what I wanted)." M went to H during crises in her other relationships. Will he ever abandon you? "No" Isn't He the one you’ve always intended to be with? Why do you always choose to be alone? That made M cry. "I've always wanted to CARRY a child," she said, "raising one is not enough." Harriet had told her that pregnancy felt like "Collaborating with God." "I've never created anything," M said. M had seen H with Alicia Montez (the attorney from a previous episode) the previous night. "H has moved on." "If I could have the conversation with W again I would ask different questions… but, I will never see him again." "My chances of drawing closer to H are less than 5%." Well, McCool said: I'm offering a 4% return on your personal investment, a satisfying conclusion to former relationships, a bright outlook on a future one, a shot at having a family… that’s better odds than a T-Bill! M didn't get the sleeping pills she was requesting.

H came to the ED because M had been repeating his name to the ambulance attendant. He gave up his usual X-mas eve trip to "the wall" (Vietnam memorial for his father) to stay with M instead. She told him "I've been pushing you away… I’m sorry." H said "nothing's changed, I'm still here. Enjoy the miracle, you're alive." M replied "The best thing about that news is that we both are."

The Man On The Bridge - 215

[An interesting, but complicated mystery episode with a unexpected ending, although no military action like we've come to expect.] The car belonging to Cdr. Adam Kohler, a top naval biodefense researcher, was found abandoned on a bridge without a trace of where he went. H (H) and M (M) investigated, along side Rod Benton of the FBI anti-terrorist unit, and all evidence pointed to It having been a suicide. But, there was progressive disclosure of clues such as: H finding a flashlight on the bridge with a partial print on it along with Kohler's blood; sideswipe damage to Kohler's car; files of bioweapons data found erased on his computer's hard drive; and spy-ware found on his computer along with information about his fathers death. His father, Robert Kohler, had also been a top bioweapons researcher; but, he had been accused of selling information to the Russians. Before trial, however, he committed "suicide" by jumping out a several story window. H found that Hank Olin, an ex-CIA agent turned private investigator, was the one who had sloppily investigated Robert Kohler's treason and death.

In an "NCIS-like," rapid-fire, disclosure of sophisticated forensic info, a trail of clues was revealed leading back to Dr. Morris Sperling, Kohler's boss, and Sperling's wife Marta. With Webb's help they found that Marta had been a KGB spy who had been "looking for a scientist to marry." Sperling gave her the secrets, then had "set up" Robert Kohler as the spy When Kohler discovered the truth, Sperling and his wife murdered him using the CIA "assassination manual" technique (used also by the KGB), of drugging with Nembutal, hitting on head and throwing from a great height. After H, M & Benton confronted Sperling with their findings, Sperling denied knowing anything about Adam Kohler's death. The flashlight, belonging to Sperling, had "gone missing" several days before; someone had previously "side-swiped" his car in the parking lot; Adam Kohler had "picked" a fight after a meeting in clear view of video surveillance cameras; Sperling had never seen the bottle of Nembutal, which was found in his desk, and matched the Nembutal found in Adam Kohler's coffee cup etc. Although they had him dead-to-rights, H reviewed the video tape and found that Kohler's car actually had been damaged BEFORE leaving the meeting's parking lot, as Sperling had said. They let the Sperling's go, after the FBI had bugged their car and house. Adam Kohler then called Sperling "from the grave" and arranged for a meeting back at the bridge. Adam had discovered the truth about his father's death, then faked his own death/suicide and masterfully "set up" all the clues to point back to Sperling, believing that whoever investigated his disappearance would also be smart enough to discover the Sperling's guilt. Kohler got Sperling to discuss his fathers innocence and that he and his wife had "assassinated" him. Police surveillance did get it on tape.

Bud (B) was assigned to review a female marine's, Cpl Maria Hoyos, request to box in the men's league which had been turned down by her CO. Cresswell played his tiresome "lets see if you're smart enough to guess what I'm thinking" game warning B that: "I have definite feelings on the matter," but not telling him what they were. Hoyos told B that she didn't want to be just "an exception," and that she wanted any female to be able to box like the men. B "shamed" Cr into using his influence at the pentagon for equality reasons; but was told that "I want to have a little give and take with her in the ring 1st, to test her mettle." Cr told Hoyos "you want to fight with men you might as well start with me" - to try and back her down? Then he continued the charade, ordering her not "to hold back" etc; but then only sparred with her claiming "you didn't think I was going to throw leather did you?" She lied and said "of course not." Cr told B that that he thought she was capable and that he would suggest to her general that he let her compete with the men. When B looked surprised, Cr threatened him with "you thought that I didn't think women should compete with men!?" As Cr took a step toward him, into his face, B stood up to him and said: "yes." Cr backed down and said "you were right" and walked away.