(Author Note: This is the 3rd Installment of my Mac & Gretchen Cover Up series. It's based on the 1984 Television show that originally starred Jon-Erik Hexum as a gorgeous secret agent known as an 'Outrider.' Mac Harper is a partner with Photographer Dani Reynolds and works undercover as her Male model. Together they solve cases and help people in trouble when there is nowhere else to turn. (What a plot! But so 80s!) I will make references back to my first 2 stories and bring in recurring OC's. Take a peek at the first two, you may like it and want to follow along with this one. Thanks for reading!)

Chapter 1: Mapped out crime

Reno, Nevada (Just after Ten pm)

Augustus Kostopoulos, known as 'Gus' to his peers, finished washing his nervous hands in the private bathroom. He came out, snapping on a pair of white rubber gloves. It was time to get to work. The journalist had a cozy office. He admired the shiny, cherry wood bookshelves stacked high with volumes on every subject and also the matching desk, with reams of papers in precise little piles and all appropriately labeled. There was a holder for pens, and a separate one for pencils, mail and any other office residuals. His penmanship was immaculate; he even had his paperclips organized. The man was a neat freak if Gus ever saw one. After busting the locks, Gus haphazardly sorted through the putty file cabinets. He came up empty. He moved to the desk, dumping the drawers upside down and spilling their contents all over the polished wooden floor. His composure was wavering. The bookshelf was the next logical place to look, but after tearing through it like a madman, he still didn't find it. Where was the damn thing?

-Oo-

Nathan Huxley pulled up to the Reno Sun building and parked his silver Lincoln in his private spot a few feet from the entrance. He flipped open his planner and crossed off his daily 'To Do' list. He had just come back from a visit with his nine-year old grandson, Jacob. They went to the library together and returned his book on exotic sea animals. All the children in his class had to write their weekly essay on their favorite one. Nathan always encouraged these assignments and gladly helped Jacob prepare for it each week. After that excursion he took him to the park for an hour, then came back to his daughter's place to have a home cooked meal. It was a labor of love; his daughter and her family resided in Virginia City, while he lived in Reno with his wife, a twenty-four mile drive away. He returned afterward to his own apartment, but Dolores was out for the evening with girlfriends from her book club. He decided it was a good chance to go back to the office and hammer out a few more pages of his latest novel.

Nathan halted by the vending machine and plugged in some quarters for a can of soda and a Hershey bar. If Dolores caught him with those, he would be in for it. The doctors constantly warned him about his blood pressure and caffeine was not allowed in his diet. Who paid attention to their diets anyway? He checked his reflection in the glass, his dark eyes were sunken in and the wrinkles around them were more pronounced.

"I really need more sleep." He decided. "But I can do that when I'm dead!" He took a long swig of soda and unlocked his office.

-Oo-

Gus was sprawled in the middle of the floor, shaking out each book from the shelf. Sweat poured down his face and he trembled with dread. It had to be here, Huxley never bought his work home with him. The man knew his priorities, but he was also a workhorse. This was the first night this week that Gus was able to get in the office without Huxley being present. His employers were getting highly impatient, and Gus immensely feared the consequences for coming back empty handed. When the door opened, he froze and jumped to his feet, stumbling over the wine-red throw rug.

Nathan foolishly realized he should have called the police when he heard the rustling inside. The late-night janitor knew that his office was off limits unless he specifically asked for a clean up. He pushed the door open and caught sight of the intruder. He was a smarmy-faced man, with thick and balding black hair, sloppily growing past his collar. He wasn't tall, but he was robust, having the look of an ex-boxer. The man's expression resembled a frightened raccoon and his black, shaggy mustache twitched uncontrollably.

"Who are you? What are you doing to my office?" Nathan demanded. His heart nearly stopped upon seeing the wreck. "It's destroyed!"

Gus wasn't prepared for this intrusion. He ran to the right corner of the room and picked up the largest object he could find, a bust of writer Nathaniel Hawthorne.

"Where is it Huxley? You know what D'agostino will do to ya if you don't turn it over!" He shouted.

"That creep? I'm not afraid of him or his two-bit muscle, and that includes you. I procured it, and I need it for my research, then it goes to a museum! Get out of here! I'm calling the police!" Nathan threatened.

He suddenly remembered what he had done with it. He was never so careless, but Jacob kept demanding his attention. Although a meticulous man, Nathan was prone to distraction. He clasped his mouth.

"Oh no! The sea creature-book!" He moaned and turned to run.

"No you don't! If you don't give it up or tell us, then it's over for you!" Gus' hands shook fiercely and his violent temper flared.

He rushed toward Nathan, wielding the bust. He took his first swing and Nathan went down easily, but was still conscious. Gus, being the low-rent thief that he was, knelt beside him and swiftly picked Nathan's pockets, taking both his wallet and daily planner. Nathan groaned and looked up, his vision blurred. The last thing he saw was the serene bronze likeness of his favorite writer bearing down upon his head, and then blackness…

-Oo-

Maddie Duncan-Forsythe ran her fingers over the large, blue book in her hands. She had been waiting four days to take it out from the Library. It had the best information on her favorite sea creatures, seals. The book was thick and loaded with pictures for her to copy and draw from. She was developing a knack for art and loved to be creative with Miss Lewis' projects. When Gwendolyn Forsythe parked beside the house, Maddie ran up the stairs to begin her essay. She only had this weekend to complete it. As she flipped through the pages, a worn, yellowed piece of paper flitted to her pink rug. She put her pencil down and picked up the paper. The edges were beginning to tear off at her touch so she slid the paper into her palm and carefully placed it on her desk.

Maddie ran her tongue over her lips with childish excitement. She loved finding secret things. A glance at her cream-colored bookshelf betrayed her flair for adventure. She had a growing collection of arrowheads and other baubles she found on her treks around the land near her new home. When she opened the paper, her large, brown eyes glowed and she smiled. It was a detailed map dated from 1864. She recognized the names from her history lessons; they were areas that covered about three miles from the house. Her gaze fell upon the faded red 'X' at the lower, right hand corner of the map and she clapped happily. It was just what she was hoping for, a treasure map!

There was some odd writing alongside it. It was written in script and close to being illegible. She would have to study it later; she was just learning how to write cursive in school. As much as she wanted to start exploring, her schoolwork came first. Gwendolyn, her new mother, was a stickler for her education. She sighed and gently closed the map. It needed to be kept in a safe place. She opened her desk drawer and pulled out her diary. It was off limits to everyone, and even had a little gold lock on it. She slipped the map inside and resumed her schoolwork.