Usual disclaimer still applies. I don't own In Plain Sight or the characters therein. These tale is meant to fill the void between seasons and I promise to leave them pretty much where I found them... maybe a little worse for wear...

This work is not meant to contest ownership, and as always, no money is made from the writing of this tale.

So sit right back and enjoy (and if you do (or don't) please let me know.

Mary awoke to the smell of coffee brewing and wasn't surprised to find Marshall standing in front of her waving the cup under her nose as if it was smelling salts.

"That smells good," she said as she sat up. Taking a sip she seemed to come to life. "It tastes even better."

"Isn't's doing... she added a little chocolate to the brew."

"You did say I had to start pulling my own weight," Isn't commented from across the room where she was lounging and nursing her own cup of coffee.

Mary raised her cup in salute. "You're hired..."

"I ordered pancakes," Marshall informed her as she started gathering her things. "But the clerk at the desk told me that the kitchen was closed by the fire board the other day... Something about the wiring..."

"Figures," Mary grumbled as she took another sip of coffee and headed to the bathroom to change.

"The manager did say that the waffle place down the street does passable Belgian Waffles... which I figured you wouldn't mind," he added a little louder, making sure Mary could hear him through the door.

"What did Stan have to say?" She asked, her voice muffled as she changed.

"They may have a line on the guy who planted the device... Other than that... just the usual, keep your heads down and call him in the morning..."

As he waited Marshall turned on the TV, hoping to get the regional weather and traffic reports. He had just settled onto the edge of the bed when Mary exited the bathroom fully dressed and ready to go.

"What are you doing?" she asked in disbelief.

Marshall gestured towards the TV. "I was..."

"Waffles are waiting.. chop-chop..."

"Never should have mentioned waffles," Marshall mumbled to himself as he shut the TV off and gathered his things.

"But you did so now we're going," Mary answered brusquely.

"Word to the wise," Marshall advised Isn't. "Don't get between Mary and her waffles."

This earned a smile from Isn't and a scowl from Mary.

Fortunately the promise of waffles saved him from an untimely demise at the hands of his partner.

Stan watched as the story was repeated at the top of the hour, this time supplying more information and more pictures and painting an even more worrisome picture of Isabelle Manning's fate.

He had tried everything he could think of to get in touch with Marshall and warn them, but he knew all too well that Marshall would have turned off the phone as soon as he'd finished the call. He had no doubt that his inspectors would adapt, but he hated feeling helpless when it came to their safety.

"Charlie," he called the younger inspector into his office.

"Yes S... Chief?"

"Charlie, I want you to call the Little Rock Field office, technical group... I need to know if anyone has accessed NCIC... called in any wants or warrants on Isabelle Manning."

"Yes sir... and then?"

"Then you stay on the line until they find that person and arrest them... do you understand?"

"Yes sir..."

He began working on a plan on how to turn this around, but there was nothing they could do the story had already aired and odds were it would go national very soon.

The diner was a simple one room affair, with the kitchen open to the counter area. Two waitresses and a cook worked the counter while a third waitress moved between the booths.

As Mary led Isn't to a booth, Marshall scanned the area before joining them.

"Doors. Side and front," he said quietly to Mary who simply nodded. There were only two ways in or out of the diner. The booth Mary had chosen gave them a good view of both.

"As long as one is available, we should be good," Mary replied in the same tone as she studied the combination menu place mat.

"Ooh, look, fresh strawberries," she said changing the subject.

Marshall rolled his eyes and shook his head. He knew it was an act and that Mary was ready for almost anything but it still made him feel like he was more chaperone than partner.

Charlie's annoyance was quickly blossoming into full fledged anger. "This is Inspector Charles Connor," he stated letting his anger tint his voice as he fought to control it the way he'd heard Stan and Mary do on more than one occasion.

"I am calling from the Albuquerque Field Office. We need to know who has accessed information on ..."

He paused as he was once again cut off.

"I don't care if that information is handled by the FBI... I'm asking you..."

"No... yes...Fine..."

He stared at the phone for a moment and then shook his head. 'Stan is not going to like this,' he thought to himself as he walked back to Stan's office.

"Chief," he called from the doorway.

"Well?"

"Little Rock said that that information is handled by the FBI and that we should call them directly rather then use their resources to do our dirty work..."

Stan looked at him expectantly. "And..."

Charlie looked at him, frowned slightly, then smiled. "And... I'm calling the FBI to see if they can get me the information."

Stan nodded. The kid was learning, but he was still too unsure to take the initiative. He gave Charlie another three months of working around Marshall and Mary before that ended.

The waitress arrived to take their order and Mary looked and was about to order her waffles when she noticed the TV behind them.

"Uhm... could you give us a few more minutes?" she asked, trying very hard not to stare at the screen.

The waitress smiled. "Take your time hon, just let me know when you're ready."

Mary continued to smile until the waitress had left them, then quickly turned to Marshall. "We need to leave now."

He frowned slightly, trying to figure out what was important enough for Mary to abandon the promise of waffles.

"Behind me and to the left," Mary explained, and waited for him to focus on the TV, all the while checking to see if anyone else had noticed yet.

It didn't take him long to see what had worried her.

"Oh... this is so not good..." he muttered as he watched pictures of Isn't scroll across the screen. "I'll get the check, you get to the SUV."

Mary nodded, already ushering Isn't out of the booth and leading her toward the door.

"Come on... we've got to go... now."

Her tone was urgent, but she moved calmly, keeping Isn't away from the customers' view. As they passed the TV, Isn't froze for a moment and Mary had to prod her along.

"There's nothing we can do about it now but keep moving," she urged.

No matter how bad things had seemed last night, they were that much worse today.

"Is?"

Once they were clear of the town, Marshall had back tracked his way around the town and headed in yet another direction. He was worried about their situation, but he was more worried about the woman's reaction, or more importantly her seeming lack of reaction.

The woman sat in the back seat, a stunned look on her face. "At least it's my picture... not Is's."

She was obviously shocked, but something told Mary she wasn't nearly as shocked as she should be. "Every member of Escobar's gang is going to be looking for you and that's all you can say?"

"I can say a lot more, but from where we're standing the point is moot. It puts you all in more danger because everyone's going to be looking for me... and the whole sitting duck thing doesn't sit well but..."

She sagged back into the seat before elbowing it angrily. There was a lot more she understood that she wasn't saying.

Marshall studied her for a few minutes before nodding. "No more undercover work."

"No, not for a while..."

"I think you should be more worried about the immediate consequences," Mary said studying the rear view. "We're about to have company."