They walked quickly in the dark, the road just barely visible in the moonlight. Not for the first time, Gus was glad they lived in Santa Barbara. His shirt was sticking to his back from sweat and the air was slightly muggy, but the summer night was warm without being hot and the sky was clear without any clouds to obscure their light.

"Wait, they were in a strip club?!" Shawn asked in bewilderment as he limped down the road.

"Yeah," Gus said, staying close in case Shawn needed help, "I'm almost positive. I didn't- she didn't see much, but the music, the smells, the fact that she was up on a private stage… It's definitely what it felt like."

"Wow, that is… such a Bond villain move. Maybe I wasn't that far off with Goldfinger…"

"More like Silvio Dante, really."

"Who's that?"

Gus sighed, knowing what Shawn's reaction would be. "Gang guy in the Sopranos who owned a strip club."

"... You've watched the Sopranos?!"

"Explosion Gigantesca was on hiatus. I needed something to fill the hole in my life."

"You need help."

Mosquitoes swarmed around Gus' face, his scratches stung when sweat dripped over them, the bruise on his hip pulled with every step. They kept walking.

"How hurt was she?" Shawn asked in a small voice.

"It probably hasn't happened yet, remember? It might not even be tonight."

"I know. How hurt was she?"

"I told you, it felt like she'd been shocked a few times. Her muscles were cramping and she had burns around the chain. But that was it, I didn't feel anything else."

"But you said he was 'showing her off' and they were in a strip club," Shawn said with a frantic edge to his voice.

Gus shook his head and answered quickly, "She was fully-clothed. And she wasn't hurt anywhere else, I promise."

Shawn let out a long breath. "Ok… ok. And it doesn't matter because we're going to save her before it gets to that anyway."

"Exactly," Gus agreed, knowing better than to point out that they were still a couple of hours away from a phone.

"Right. So. Now that that's out of the way… Oddjob was the best Bond mook."

Gus rolled his eyes. "Of course he was, that doesn't mean I'm going to let you play him in Goldeneye…"

They walked and talked and argued, two bruised friends trying to reach the end of a seemingly endless road.

"Shawn, the devil did not play better!"

"Oh come on, just because it was scratchy sounding? I took a violinist on a date once, take her word for it if you won't take mine."

"Johnny played so well he conjured up background singers. He deserved that gold fiddle."

"And he was arrogant and stupid to make the deal. The devil deserved his soul."

"... We're never going to Georgia."

"That's probably smart."

A stitch was growing in Gus' side, his feet were starting to ache, and they were both starting to sound out of breath.

"Ok… I think we might… need to slow down," Gus panted out.

"No no no, we… need to save Jules!" Shawn argued as he kept up the pace.

"Dude, there's… no way we've walked… more than two miles yet. We can't… keep this up."

"Title of your sex tape."

"...What?!"

Shawn sighed and slowed down, his limp more pronounced. "It's not funny… if I have to explain it…"

They walked. And walked. And walked.

"Gus, It's totally a sandwich!"

"Oh my god, no."

"It's bread, meat, bread. Sandwich."

"Tortillas aren't bread, Shawn."

"Sure they are, they're just bread that's been squeezed into submission."

"What, it's completely different!"

"And now you're saying they don't count as real bread? That's racist, man."

"Don't make me smack you."

"Man… It's not fair," Shawn complained.

Gus sighed out, "What's not fair?"

"We got to see a gang fight in real action, we got threatened by a mob boss, and now we're racing to save Jules…" Shawn threw his hands into the air, "and I'm bored."

"How long have we been walking?"

"An hour, maybe?"

Any idea how far we've gone?"

"Halfwayish."

Gus chewed his lip in thought. "Ok… So that means we have enough time to think of the real reason we stole your dad's truck."

"The… real reason?" Shawn asked in confusion.

"Yep. I was thinking that we saw a werewolf and wanted to make sure it wasn't going to eat anyone," Gus answered with a completely straight face.

"... No, no, you're not thinking big enough. We saw aliens. Taking over the town. We're Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum!"

"Let me guess… You're Goldblum."

"... Do you NOT want to be Will Smith?"

"You're sure she wasn't more hurt?"

"Yes, Shawn, I'm sure."

"Are we there yet?"

"Shawn."

"Are we there yet?"

"Please, don't."

"Are we there yet?"

"I will kill you."

"What if we saw an ice cream truck?"

"We snuck out of our safehouse because we heard a creepy van playing music in the middle of the night and thought there might be sweets?"

"Yeah, I'd believe it."

"I guess it's better than the body-stealing telepath idea…"

"Do you think you could actually take over my body?"

"No."

"You should try-"

"NO. Subject change. Now."

"So, where am I gonna be hung? Hunged? Hanged. Where am I gonna be hanged… That doesn't sound right either."

"It's hanged, and I don't know. Somewhere with lots of rope."

"That… is not helpful at all."

"Sorry, next time I'll try to dream more specific for you."

"Thanks, that would be helpful."

"Just… avoid places with lots of rope for a while?"

"... Dude, you're brilliant! I can't go to the docks anymore!"

"Your dad's boat has all of one rope…"

"Don't ruin this for me!"

"I've heard it both ways."

"Really… You've heard that a shark is just a dolphin with extra teeth?"

"I have now!"

"That doesn't count!"

"I've heard it both ways."

"You're sure she's-"

"Yes."

"Do you think there's racoons out there?"

"Probably, but they won't bother us."

"Right. They're just out there. Watching us. Like the creepy little mask bandits they are."

"At least they won't eat you. If you really want to worry about something, worry about bears."

"Helpful. Thanks so much."

"And don't get me started on the rattlesnakes!"

"Oh my god, you're the worst."

"Shawn, when Despereaux abandoned us, we were ten hours away from the city!"

"Yeah, but at least he didn't throw us out of the car."

"Just because you have a man-crush on him, it doesn't mean-"

"I do not! I just think he's really smooth, and super cool, and possibly a super spy, and he could totally star in a movie if wanted to, and… Oh my god, finally!" Shawn cheered as they reached a large crossroad.

Gus looked forward and saw that their road stopped, the underbrush falling away quickly after the edge of the pavement. He looked up and down the new road, still not seeing any signs of civilization. "Ok, where do we go now?"

Shawn turned and started walking. "We're about half a mile away. There's a station right before the big trailhead."

Gus caught up as he asked, "Ok, any idea who you're actually going to call once you get there? Or what you're going to say?"

"I figure Vick's our best bet. She either knows where Jules is or she knows how to get ahold of Cassidy, who knows where Jules is. She also knows about you, so she'll be easier to convince."

Gus' stomach flipped with nerves. "Could you… maybe not tell her about the dreaming or the future stuff?"

"Yeah, easy," Shawn said with a casual wave of his hand, "We were around Klebb's goons and you sensed that Jules was in trouble and where she's being held."

Gus sighed in relief. "Thanks."

"No problem."

"There it is! Holy crap, that took forever." Shawn pointed and started jogging towards a small building set just off of the road.

Gus matched his pace and they quickly reached the front door. He knocked and called out, "Hello?! Is anyone there?"

They waited for a minute before Shawn reached out and tried the doorknob. "It's locked."

"What do we do now?" Gus asked with a hint of desperation. The ticking clock in the back of his mind chimed urgently, reminding him that they didn't have time for delays like this.

"Hold out your hand," Shawn instructed as he dug into his pockets.

"What, why?" Gus asked as he held out his hand. Shawn reached out and dropped a few small pieces of metal into his waiting palm. "Oooh…"

Gus pocketed all but two of the paperclips and bent them into more useable shapes before kneeling down and sticking them in the lock. It took less than a minute for him to smirk and push the door open.

"Nice!" Shawn said as they entered the house. There was a click and the world suddenly burst into blinding light. Gus squeezed his eyes closed as Shawn quickly complained, "Ah, it burns! …Ouch. Sorry, should have warned you."

"Yeah, you should have…" Gus grumbled as he squinted his eyes open, blinking several times as they adjusted to the light after being in the dark for several hours. Shawn walked past him and Gus took a moment to look him over, making sure there weren't any hidden injuries he should know about.

Shawn was covered in dirt, there were raised welts on his neck, his shirt had several new holes, and he was still limping heavily, but he wasn't bleeding and he wasn't favoring anything else besides his leg. Gus nodded in satisfaction before looking around the cabin for anything useful.

He found the kitchen and quickly checked the fridge, smiling widely when he saw what was inside. He made his way back over to where Shawn was inspecting a landline phone and offered his prize. "Check it out. Water bottles."

"Oh, thank god," Shawn celebrated as he took the offered bottle and drained half of it in one long gulp. Gus sipped his slowly, savoring each mouthful as he watched Shawn dial the phone and wait impatiently.

"Come on, come on…" Shawn muttered as he fidgeted with the phone cord. He suddenly straightened up. "Chief! Oh good, I wasn't sure if you'd be in this late, but I figured with the drug bust and the-" He stopped talking and listened for a few seconds, his shoulders drooping at what Vick said. "He called you? Uh… Sorry about that. We just needed to borrow his truck… It doesn't matter. Look, Juliet's in trouble and you-" His thoughts flared a slight red as Vick interrupted him for a second time. He answered her heatedly, "No, this isn't like the last few times! I know she's good at her job. I also know that her cover's blown and you need to get her out of there!"

Gus sighed and put down his water bottle as he decided he was tired of only hearing one side of the conversation. He walked next to Shawn and gestured for him to share the phone. Shawn rolled his eyes but rotated the handset so they could both hear out of it.

"...not supposed to even know what she's doing! I told you before, stay off of this case!" Vick completed her rant.

"I already tried to stay off the case and that didn't work at all, remember?" Shawn argued back as Gus heard several muffled sounds from the other side of the call.

Vick huffed out a sharp sigh before her phone clicked and she answered, sounding further away, "You're on speakerphone. Agent Cassidy is in my office, and he's interested in what you have to say."

Shawn made a face of annoyance before speaking with authority, "Agent Cassidy, I've had a vision. I know you put Detective O'Hara undercover in Novikov's gang. I know that her cover is blown. You need to get her out, now."

There was a small silence over the phone before Cassidy asked, "Um, not that I don't believe you, but... Chief Vick says that you've had similar reactions to the other times Detective O'Hara has been undercover?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm the Kyle Reese to her Sarah Connor," Shawn snapped out. Gus rolled his eyes at the deliberate movie reference. "Chief, you said it yourself, my visions are extremely accurate. This one is just like those."

"Just like those?" Vick asked, sounding slightly worried.

"Yes!"

"Look, I'm not sure if you understand just how big of an operation this is," Cassidy said with a hint of stress in his voice. "We can't pull any asset out now without jeopardizing the whole thing. I understand that-"

Shawn's thoughts flared red, "I don't give a damn about your operation. That 'asset' has a name, and Juliet O'Hara is one of the best-"

"Shawn," Vick interrupted gently, "Why don't you tell us about your vision?"

"Not until he agrees to pull Jules out," Shawn said grimly, his face set in determination.

"Who do you think- You can't just… Do you have any idea how many people Novikov has killed?" Cassidy asked in frustration. "I've been tracking him for years and we're finally in a position to nail him, and you're going to hold pertinent information on the case hostage just because a detective willingly took a dangerous assignment? She knew the risks and she volunteered anyway."

Gus covered the receiver before Shawn could snap back an answer. He asked quietly, "Why not tell him what we know?"

"You heard what he said!" Shawn hissed back. "She's just 'an asset' to him!"

Gus winced at the epithet but continued his argument. "If Novikov is arrested, then Jules is safe."

Shawn shook his head, his eyes dark. "If the feds storm the building, what do you think happens to the cop Novikov's already got?"

Gus sighed, wishing there'd been an indicator of the day or time in his dream. He realized it was safer to assume the bad guy already had Juliet, he nodded in agreement before letting go of the phone.

Shawn answered Cassidy, his voice deadly calm, "This is your last chance. Get Jules to safety and I'll tell you everything I know. And I'll come with you when you storm Novikov's place to make sure you actually find and get him."

"I'm beginning to understand why Agent Wright didn't like you very much…" Cassidy said tightly.

Vick spoke up with a hint of command in her voice. "You said that she'd have a burner phone to use in case of an emergency, what could it hurt to send a message out? Mr. Spencer's visions are very accurate. And he is very good at finding people."

"For christ sake… fine. I'll send the text." Cassidy's voice grew quiet as he grumbled, "No wonder this place has a reputation."

Shawn exchanged a surprised look with Gus before verifying, "You're getting Jules out?"

Cassidy snapped back, "I'm texting her the code for 'contact us ASAP'. Once we have your information and a plan, we'll go from there."

"And if she doesn't answer, then you assume she's in danger and find a way to rescue her," Shawn said firmly.

"Do you always let civilians take over your cases like this?" Cassidy asked in exasperation.

"Oh, he tries to take over plenty," Vick said calmly, "I only let him when I think he's right."

There was a beat of silence as everyone waited for her to continue. Shawn grinned when it became clear that she had said all that she was planning to say.

Cassidy sighed. His voice was cool and professional as he said, "If she doesn't reply then we will assume she's been compromised. All measures will be taken to ensure her safe return, as long as it doesn't endanger the op or any of the other assets we have in play. That's my offer, take it or leave it."

Shawn made a face and gave Gus a questioning look.

Gus nodded and whispered, "We won't be able to save her on our own…"

Shawn sighed and answered, "Deal. But if you call her an asset again, I will punch you in the face and gladly take the jail time."

Gus rolled his eyes at the dramatic phrasing, but he understood the feelings behind it.

"Fine," Cassidy agreed, apparently not fazed by the threat. "What can you tell me about Novikov's place?"

"Chief, did he send the message?" Shawn asked stubbornly.

"Yes he did, answer the question Mr. Spencer," Vick said with a slight edge to her voice.

Shawn answered promptly, bringing his free hand up to his head. "I saw a meeting at a bar. A bar with dancers and poles. Large enough for a private stage area and a soundproof office. He's doing his business there."

Gus raised an eyebrow and nodded towards the psychic gesture, Shawn stuck his tongue out and kept his hand in place.

"A strip club," Cassidy said in disbelief. "Really?"

Shawn rolled his eyes. "This isn't San Francisco, it's Santa Barbara. We have all of five strip clubs, it shouldn't take long to prove I'm right."

"Alright, I'll send out some people to check your intel," Cassidy said. "I need you back at the precinct, preferably with another spirit that can confirm Novikov's location and let us know what to expect once we're inside."

"Why don't I ask them to make you a coffee while they're at it?" Shawn griped.

"Shawn…" Vick sighed, "Would you please just come down to the station?"

There were days that Gus didn't envy Vick at all. Like the sort of day where she supervised a huge drug bust, worked on the paperwork late into the night, apparently dealt with an angry Henry, and now had to juggle two stubborn men. All while worrying about the safety of one of her best detectives.

Shawn seemed to pick up on her exhaustion and answered with less heat, "I would, Chief, but Gus and I don't have wheels right now."

Vick sighed again. "Why am I not surprised…" There was a knocking sound and a few moments of silence before Vick asked, "Where are you? Detective Lassiter can pick you up."

Lassiter's voice suddenly came through the phone. "What- I'm a taxi service now?!"

Gus really didn't envy Vick.

"We're in a ranger station twenty minutes north of town," Shawn answered before rattling off the address.

Lassiter was the one to break the silence first. "What the hell are you two doing way out there?"

"Well… Funny story." Shawn spoke quickly, "We were sorta kidnappedandofferedajobbythemob…."

"You were kidnapped?!" Three voices yelled through the phone.

"Barely! We were barely kidnapped!" Shawn argued. "We're fine- Gus, tell them we're fine."

Shawn angled the phone further towards him and Gus rolled his eyes as he said, "We're fine, we were just thrown out of a moving car and then had to walk for hours through bear-infested woods."

"Not helping," Shawn hissed before speaking normally, "See, we're fine, we just need a ride."

"Yeah, I got them… Again." Lassiter's grumble was quickly followed by the sound of a door closing.

"Does… this sort of thing happen often?" Cassidy asked.

"You have no idea…" Vick muttered, just loud enough for Gus and Shawn to hear. She asked them, "Do I need to send an ambulance with him?"

"Nope, we've just got some scratches and bruises. Honestly, it's probably one of the better kidnappings we've had," Shawn reassured her.

"Good lord, I need more coffee," Vick grumbled. "Agent Cassidy, do you need to ask them anything else before I hang up?"

"Novikov kidnapped you… Did you meet him?" Cassidy asked.

"Sort of," Shawn answered. "My reputation proceeded me."

"It's 'preceded you'," Gus corrected.

"It's the same thing," Shawn argued.

"No, it's not."

"I've heard it-"

"Boys!" Vick snapped in her best mother-voice.

"He talked to us on a video call," Shawn answered quickly. "Couldn't get any psychic readings on him."

Cassidy sighed. "Dang. Let me know if you think of anything important that he said. I need to go make some calls."

"Detective Lassiter just left, he'll be there shortly," Vick told them. "Please, try not to get into any trouble before then…"

"Will do, Chief," Shawn said before hanging up the phone. He sighed, "Well, that could have gone better…"

"It also could have gone worse," Gus pointed out as he grabbed his water bottle again. "Finish your drink."

"You're such a mother hen," Shawn grumbled as he grabbed his bottle and quickly drained it.

Gus rolled his eyes and continued to sip his water slowly. "Someone has to watch out for you. Heaven knows you won't do it."

"I did fine when I was on my own," Shawn complained as he started to riffle through the drawers in the room.

"Uh-huh," Gus answered unbelievingly. "Three motorcycle crashes, you were doing great."

He walked over to the sofa on the other side of the room and sat down, sighing in relief as he was finally off of his feet. Shawn gave up his snooping and flopped onto the couch next to him. He looked Gus over before breaching the topic they'd both been avoiding. "So, you ok?"

Gus shrugged and took another drink as he thought about his answer. "I thought we were back there when I first woke up. And that sucked. But, like you said, it was honestly a decent kidnapping. We got through it and nothing bad happened, and that… feels important? I dunno. You?"

"Pretty much the same." Shawn huffed a laugh. "Man, our lives are weird."

Gus raised his bottle in a toast. "Amen, brother."

Shawn smirked slightly before looking around the room. His expression fell as he looked at the clock on the wall.

"What?" Gus asked, noticing the change.

"You said there was music and people… Most clubs will be closed in a few hours."

"So either she's already in trouble…" Gus realized as his stomach jolted.

"Or she doesn't get grabbed tonight." Shawn finished the thought. "I guess we'll know once we get to the station."

He crossed his arms while his legs jittered, and he continued to watch the clock ticking away the seconds. Gus pulled out the pillow from behind his back and held it out. "We're doing all we can, and Jules is tough, she'll be ok."

Shawn took the offered pillow and squeezed it to his chest, resting his chin on the top edge. "I hate this."

Gus knew that staying busy would be better for both of them than just waiting and sitting with their thoughts. He asked, "Would it help if I told you everything I can remember about the dream? You could maybe Shawn-vision something I missed."

Shawn raised an eyebrow. "I can't exactly 'Shawn-vision' something I can't see. Too bad I'm not actually mini-psychic, you could beam it over."

"Yeah," Gus agreed. He hadn't told Shawn, but he'd tried sending several broadcasts since their conversation in the car. Shawn had never reacted and he'd given up on the idea, even if he still thought he was right about his friend's intuition landing somewhere on the psychic spectrum. "But you can still ask questions and I'll see what I can remember. I remember dreams a lot better than real life stuff."

Shawn shrugged. "Alright, it beats just sitting here. Shoot."

So, Gus told him his dream, adding in as many details as he could remember. Shawn stopped him several times to ask clarifying questions, like the color of the walls, what food was on the buffet, if the men were drinking, what they were wearing, how they were sitting. Gus reached the end of the dream and Shawn asked for more information, like whether it felt like Juliet had been in that position for long, if she seemed to recognize the second man, if she had been able to see any watches or clocks.

Gus answered everything as well as he could as he listened to his friend's cresting thoughts. Shawn suddenly stood up and went back to the drawers, rummaging around and grabbing a few things before coming back to the couch. He flipped a notebook open and readied a pencil before broadcasting a reference page with dozens of faces on it. "The other guy, what did he look like? Face shape, eyes, notable features…"

Gus' jaw dropped. "Seriously? There's no way… I've seen your art at your dad's house."

Shawn gave him an exasperated look. "Gus, don't be a knock knock joke without a punchline. Why would I tell Dad I could do something if I could get away with him thinking I was terrible at it? You saw me draw Zippy... You know, I'm pretty sure that's when Jules first fell for me…"

"Really? Here I thought it was your eight-year-old girl's voice that did it," Gus deadpanned. He thought for a second before closing his eyes and remembering the dream. "Alright, impress me. Full face, wide oval shape, scruffy five-o-clock shadow…"

He talked and Shawn sketched, showing him the reference pictures multiple times to try to narrow down the features. They were so caught up in the project, they didn't hear the car pull up until someone was pounding on the door.

Gus was on his feet, his heart beating in his throat and his chest throbbing as he squared his body to the threat, keeping Shawn out of sight.

"Spencer, Guster, you two had better be in there…"

Gus blinked and looked down at the couch, not remembering actually standing up. He shook his head at himself as he walked to the front door, noticing the throbbing in his chest was just the reverb of a cannon. Maybe he was a bit rattled by the kidnapping.

Lassiter started complaining as soon as the door was open. "Guster, aren't you supposed to keep Spencer away from these sorts of situations." He didn't bother hiding his obvious scan as he checked Gus for injuries.

"Lassieface! What took you so long? Let's go!" Shawn called as he squeezed by them and walked to the car, his limp barely noticeable.

Lassiter yelled after him, "There's towels in the back seat to sit on! Do not get your dirt all over my car!"

Shawn threw a hand up in exasperation before opening the front door and promptly sitting down, wiggling around on the obviously-not-protected seat.

Lassiter grumbled about ungrateful ruffians as he turned back around and looked into the cabin, "Where's the ranger?"

"There wasn't anyone here, it's just us," Gus answered.

"Then how did you get in?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"...No. Get in the car, Guster."

Gus grinned and turned off the lights before pulling the door closed behind him. He remembered when Lassiter would have arrested them on the spot for technically breaking and entering. The detective had come a long way since then.

He decided to show his appreciation for that change by not pushing the towels to the side when he climbed into the back seat. Shawn held up the notebook and asked, "What do you think?"

Gus studied the man's face drawn on the paper. It was rough and shaded with crosshatches, and it was obvious where Shawn had erased and started again, but the face was definitely recognizable. "I think your dad would flip if he knew you could do that. The eyebrows need to be angled down more and less cheekbone, but it's close."

Shawn started extending the eyebrows down as Lassiter slid into the driver's seat. He looked over and rolled his eyes. "Great, you brought an art project. Are you two going to braid each other's hair next?"

"Lassie, I clearly can't braid Gus' hair, he's bald." Shawn answered absently as he worked.

Gus groaned, "I am not-"

"Why did you draw Carlos Jacott?" Lassiter asked, interrupting the argument.

Shawn held the notebook up so Lassiter could see it more clearly. "You know this guy?"

"Did I not just say his name?" Lassiter asked with an eye roll as he pulled away from the ranger station. "Answer the question."

Gus heard an echo of Lassiter's last three words in a different voice and a shiver ran through his body. He tried to ignore it; they needed to focus on Juliet, not on that.

Shawn shook his head slightly before answering, "He's someone working with Lysenko, I saw him in a vision."

Lassiter sighed. "Are you just incapable of being mature and using his real name? And don't give me that 'vision' crap. You're not a psychic."

"I figured you'd like Red October… And do you really want to be arguing about my abilities when Jules is in danger?"

"You always think O'Hara's in danger. And your 'abilities' are wrong," Lassiter said smugly. "He works for the Caminos, not Novikov."

Shawn's thoughts crested before he shook his head. "That doesn't make any sense. He's giving information to Novikov, information about the Caminos."

"Cassidy did say that Novikov starts to recruit from the gang he's trying to get rid of," Gus pointed out.

Lassiter paused before growling out, "Damnit, I knew something felt off about that bust. I thought it was just-" He stopped himself as the cannon reverb shifted slightly, making room for pop rocks that weren't there. "He used to be the Mantis' informant. When we caught that wacko, Jacott became a CI for us. But if he flipped…"

"Then Novikov knew about the planned bust from him," Shawn finished. "He knew to hang back and let you guys do the work for him."

"Shit." Lassiter started driving faster. "O'Hara and I arrested Jacott three years ago on drug charges. He knows her."

"Do you believe me now?" Shawn asked grimly as he watched the road.

Lassiter's only answer was to turn on the sirens as he accelerated even faster.