A/N: This one may be my favorite. Love me some old school Johnny Mac. More bits are coming-at least 3 more, I think. Anyone have suggestions for others shoot them my way. Until next time-PCGirl.


Timeline: After October 1, 2003, when Jolie are on the way to the pool tournament in Philly


John McBain kept his eyes on the road as they drove to Philly-a silence enveloping him and his new-what did he call her? A mark? A means to the end of this case? He always tried to think of whoever he was working with as expendible-not an actual person with a story or feelings of their own.

With all the hurt he'd had in her personal life it was better that way. Safer that way. Not just for him, but for the other person as well.

"So tell me about yourself," he said, pretending not to have read the file the Bureau had given him. The lost, yet unkown, Buchanan heiress that showed up two years ago to take what was hers. There are details the file never conveys. Not how her personality reminded him of a firecracker and you had to watch out or be severly burned.

Or how her eyes seemed to sparkle when she first met him. And then smoldered when he touched her earlier to try and move her for a better pool shot. The electricity that went through him with that simple touch had awoken a part of him he'd tried to keep buried for the past five years.

He hears her start talking about Atlantic City, asking him of he'd ever been there and he lies, saying just once or twice. Then listening to her start describing the sights, sounds, and smells that he knows all too well. They seem to have so much in common it's scary. Two AC kids who made it out of there after being raised by a single mother. He's not the gambling type, but what are the odds.

He needs to get a message back to the Bureau quick-that this case needed to be done soon. Because he had a feeling if he stayed any longer than needed there was going to be a bigger problem on his hands than he was willing to take on.