I'm very sorry it took me so long! I have not in any way forgotten this story, I assure you! I wasn't sure whether to make this in the FBI bullpen, which I originally wanted to do, or to make it with these characters. Well, here you guys go. Hope you enjoy! And don't worry, I'm planning to take you to the bullpen soon, so stay tuned!
The landscape during the several hour flight had varied from the Mesa in Utah, to the flat plains of Kansas, to the hills of Missouri, to the Rocky Mountains. Some of the view below the plane was covered in snow, especially as the fabulous foursome flew nearer to their destination. "Is it just me, or does it seem a little cold in here?" Jesse asked.
"We're not in the valley of the sun anymore, Jess." Steve smirked. "I warned you. I told you it was gonna be cold here."
"Hey! I just asked a question." Jesse groaned. "You don't have to jump all over my case, Mr.-I-Told-You-So!" Amanda and Mark giggled at them.
"Ooo," Amanda chided, "I think the cabin fever is already setting in!"
"Not to mention the jet lag." Mark grinned.
Steve pursed his lips in embarrassment. He was getting bored and restless on this flight-had been for the passed four hours-anxious to get off and wanting to get settled in their hotel before Jesse got them lost in their nation's capitol. Plus, Jesse was complaining from his own hypertension and it wasn't easing Steve's mood. He really, really, really didn't want to get stuck in DC traffic, especially since they didn't know their way around this city. He couldn't help picturing all the disastrous and really embarrassing scenarios they could most likely get into, courtesy of Jesse's curiosity, and...most likely Mark's! Steve had already taken so many walks around the ship to stretch his legs that he felt he knew the plane by heart now. They still had three more hours before reaching the airport and Steve didn't know what else to do to occupy himself besides pacing around or scraping Jesse's nerves. He'd felt absolutely silly for thinking this, but Steve had decided to go into cop mode and scrutinize through observation every passenger or crew member on the plane he saw, in case they were up to no good! He told himself he was being as cynical as his father, but at least it gave him something else to occupy his mind with. Sadly, no one had raised any red flags or acted the least bit suspicious.
Mark had kept his mind busy reading one of his favorite mystery books. Almost anything involving crime or a mystery was a welcome distraction from that stale old lecture he'd be attending, plus his three 'children' were plenty of entertainment to keep his flight from getting dull.
Amanda had emailed Lucy Dotson before they'd left and hoped that they'd all get to see each other again. It had been one exciting but also sobering experience when Jack Hudson and his task force had been assigned to LA to help catch a massive and vicious serial killer. Mark, Steve, Jesse, Amanda, and Delores had become fast friends with the FBI team and when Sue and Lucy had been kidnapped by the murderer, they'd pulled together extra hard to find them before it was too late. It had been a narrow catch, mostly thanks to a bunch of smart hunches and lots of technological help from Agent Tara Williams. Then they'd nearly lost Jack, who'd been critically injured during the stakeout! But all in all, he'd survived, they'd caught the bad guy Jeffrey White who was executed shortly after that, and they'd all been good friends ever since.
Amanda had corresponded with Lucy a lot, and loved the tidbits she gave her on Jack and Sue who were finally engaged, and in the last preparations stage of their upcoming wedding! And Amanda had not spared any details from Delores!
Jesse's biggest plan was to do as much sight-seeing as he could while they were in DC and bring back home as many souvenirs as he could. He'd had no intention at all of attending the conference with Mark,-Amanda had already volunteered herself once- but as a punishment for his part in persuading Steve to come along against his will, Steve had more or less manipulated his 'little brother' into attending one full afternoon lecture with Mark. Jesse had tried to charm and whine his way out of it, but Steve-being around his father too long, who was the biggest con-artist (in a good way) he'd ever met-had managed to corner Jesse and before he knew it, he'd found himself begrudgingly agreeing to Steve's threat. Steve had sternly told him that if he didn't do it, Steve would personally, gladly stamp him and ship him back to LA where Jesse wouldn't get to do any sight-seeing. Jesse had laughed that one off, so Steve found a more effective tactic: he'd gone into bad cop mode and threatened to keep Jesse handcuffed to their hotel room every day from breakfast till dinner if he didn't go to the conference with Mark. Now that had sunk in, and Jesse had no doubt that Steve would carry out that threat! So, it was agreed, he would go to one, but only one! He secretly swore to himself that when they got back home he would rig it so that Steve would be stuck with three full shifts at BBQ Bob's, including cooking, serving, and cleaning! The thought alone made Jesse smirk with satisfaction. He wouldn't be surprised if Mark discovered his little plot, but he was sure he'd understand.
How were any of them supposed to know that a shifty low-life who was part of a very big crime plot was accompanying them to DC!?