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Albuquerque, NM
"Good Morning Inspector" Stan walked into the office and stood in front of Marshall's desk.
"Morning Stan" he looked up and feebly smiled at his boss.
"How was your weekend?" asked the older man.
Marshall looked up and shrugged, "I think I'm going home for a few days. Mom's been asking me to come out to Texas. So I guess I'm taking vacation time off."
"Sure, sure, when do you plan on starting your vacation? How long are going to be out?" inquired Stan.
"I don't know yet, let me look over my witnesses and I'll let you know by the end of the day." Marshall looked back to his computer, getting back to work.
Looking at Stan walk into his office he went back to work. He felt disoriented, not knowing which way was up. Knowing that until he found Mary, he wouldn't be able to have a good night sleep. The dreams he had been having of her getting shot, dying in his arms had him in a near panic. Something he knew could cause him problems at work, he had to always be on top of his game or people could get hurt.
He ran into the hospital, following the gurney that carried a non-breathing Mary. Running beside the gurney, calling her to him. Begging to hold on, to not die. "Hold on Mare, you can't die on me."
The doctors, paramedics and nurses running in front, behind and beside the gurney, trying to keep her alive. She was not responsive, she was bleeding out.
A nurse tried to stop him at the double doors, but he pushed her aside and followed his partner inside. The doctor started chest compressions, but her heart flat-lined, one yelled, "She's coding, we need to shock her."
While one doctor continued with the compressions, the other reached the defibrillator, a nurse standing besides him placed pads on her chest. "Stand clear charging, charge 200!"
Mary's body jumped as the shock passed through her body, Marshall stood to the side of the room, observing.
"Charge to 250! Stand Clear!" another shock, the first doctor still compressing her chest after each shock.
"Charge to 360! Stand Clear!" the shock made her body jump once again, and still her heart flat lined.
All doctors and nurses stopped what they were doing, the one that shocked her looked up at the wall clock and said in a monotone voice, "Time of death; 2315"
"NOOOOO!" Marshall pushed a nurse away and collapsed on top of a bleeding Mary. She was so still and so cold.
Marshall shook his head at the remembered dream, a dream that still left him shaking in fear, a dream that had woken him up in tears, sobs that shook his mattress.
He felt like he had exhausted all his connections, except the ones closest to him. Marshall knew it wouldn't be difficult for his father to locate her, he had enough security clearance and people in really high places to help him find her. But he also knew his father wouldn't do that, he believed in not abusing your position for something as trivial as finding a person that doesn't want to be found. Unless it was a fugitive, which he was really good at finding.
Marshall would have to wait to get home to ask his father in person, that would only be the best way to convince his father. Seth was not a simple man with simple values, his professional values were high and expected nothing less from his children.
Reaching out for his phone he called his mother, the woman answered after the second ring, "Hello?"
"Hi mom, thought I'd give you a heads up. I'm coming out in a few days, need to clear my head and I know being home will help. Will dad be around next week?" he questioned, making sure the older Mann would be home. If not to locate the former partner, but to at least call her. Any form of communication would be fine.
"Oh sweetheart! I'm so glad you've decided to come home. Your father and brothers will be thrilled, not to say that your nephews and nieces will be ecstatic with the news." Alicia exclaimed, excited herself that her youngest would be coming home for a visit. "How long will you stay?"
Marshall looked at his calendar and shrugged not wanting to commit long term, "A week"
Groaning in frustration the woman scolded, "Marshall Mann! You mean to tell me you're coming home for just one week? Do you think that'll be enough for your old mother?"
Chuckling he answered, "Yes mother, I think a week in the company of all those Mann's will be enough."
"Fine young man, I'll have a surprise when you get here then" she said secretly.
"Mom, no blind dates, please!" he begged.
"No blind dates..." she murmured.
They talked for a few minutes until Stan called out to him, "Marshall, my office!"
"Gotta go Mom, see you later" he hung up.
Dallas, TX
Seth walked into his house and found his wife by the front window, knitting, with a huge smile on her face, "Hello honey."
"You won't believe who's coming to town!" Alice got up and walked over to her husband, her hands around his waist hugging him.
"Marshall" he muttered in a toneless voice.
Alice stepped back and glared at her husband, "What's wrong with him coming home?"
"Sweetheart, there are things I just can't tell you. You already know this, and it is very important for the sake of our..." he suddenly stopped, knowing he was about to say something that would give him away. Only his wife could decipher what he was keeping from her and most importantly from his son, muttering, "Never mind. I can't wait to see him."
"How convincing" she murmured as she went back and sat on her lounge chair, her spirits down. Feeling like she was between a rock and hard place. Now more sure then anything that her husband was definitely keeping something from her and she was the right person to find out. She hadn't been married to Seth Mann and mothered three children, all Marshals and not learned a trick or two.
Seth sat across from her and studied her, knowing she was quiet because she was plotting something. He only feared that once she found what she was looking for, their marriage wouldn't take a plunge. Nothing scared him more then losing his wife, but he had to protect his son, even if that meant that his wife would make him sleep on a lumpy sofa.
"Shannon!" bellowed the old man, Chief Reese.
Mary got up and walked around her desk rolling her eyes at her partner, Stevens, "What'd I do now? How come he never calls you?"
Stevens grinned and shrugged, "I'm the favorite!"
Reese had liked how well Mary and Stevens worked together and had made them partners. With her extended experience Reese knew that Stevens would learn a lot from her. She had complained at first, not wanting a rookie, even if Stevens had been a Marshal for five years. Mary couldn't complain since she was the one that decided to leave her previous partner in her dust.
She walked into the chief's office scowling, "What'd I do now Chief? How come you never call on Stevens? Is it cause he's your favorite?"
Reese sat back on his chair and studied the inspector, "Close the door and take a sit"
Mary froze at his serious tone, turned around and closed the door, and sitting on a chair across for her boss. Frowning at him, "OK, now what?"
"Did you leave any unfinished business in Albuquerque?" he asked as he studied her facial expression, to try to figure her out.
Shaking her head she scowled at the older man, "No, I made sure I took care of all my business before I transferred out here."
"McQueen has been calling DC trying to locate you, the higher ups won't give him your location because that would be a risk they are not willing to make. They don't have the security clearance to find you, even if they are good at their jobs." he sat up and rubbed his chin, shrugging, "Maybe it's time to call Chief McQueen and ask him to stop trying to locate you."
Mary's nerves started to quake, she wasn't afraid of getting her ass chewed out by her old Chief, but she really didn't want to talk to Marshall. Knowing that he would sound disappointed in her, but if she was honest with herself, she was more afraid that he wouldn't want to speak to her.
"I'll call him" she got up and walked out without being excused. She sat behind her desk and ignored Stevens questions. Mary didn't know what to do, it seemed like her past was finally catching up to her. A recent past that scared her for reasons unknown. I love you, I love you...what the hell did that mean? Why am I questioning a dream? It was just a mother humping dream Shannon, she thought.
Jumping up she muttered as she walked by her partner, "I'll be back later."
She left the building and hopped into her car, driving towards the Trinity River Greenbelt park, a great view of Downtown Dallas, TX. Nothing would compare to the great views of Albuquerque, NM but she didn't have any other choice. Dallas, TX was her home now, for better or worst. Or at least until she gets tired of being in this miserable hot weather.
Stopping at a sandwich shop to get something to eat as she thinks about what she would tell Stan. How do I tell my mentor not to look for me? How do I talk to the man that had been more of a father figure then her own father? How do I ask about a partner I decided to abandoned? More importantly, how do I justify what I did without giving up the real reason for her tricky departure? Sorry Stan, I had to go because Marshall just can't give up on his dream, her conscience leered.
Blinking rapidly to push back the unshed tears, tears she had spilled since the moment she had arrived at the hospital and Marshall had still been in the OR. She hadn't shed as many tears when her father had abandoned them. Shaking her head to shake out her stray thoughts, she parked and got off her probe. With sandwich bag in one hand and drink in the other, she walked and sat on the grass, looking out into Downtown Dallas, TX.
It took her two hours to decide what to say to her previous Chief, but it would have to wait a few days. She didn't have the stomach for it, not at the moment.
When she finally made it back to the office her partner looked at her questioningly, "Where'd you get off to? Some inspector Mann came to look for you."
Mary sat behind her desk and groaned, "Did he...say anything?"
"No, just asked if you were around." her partner shrugged and went back to his paperwork.
She logged in, preoccupied about why the older Mann had come looking for her. Did something happen to Marshall? Damn it Seth, what the hell do you want with me now? she thought.
TBC
