Thanks for the reviews! The end is coming...:( Oh by the way, for those that wish for me to continue, now that I've started writing, I think you'll have to kick me out before I stop. :)
"This is Mary" murmured sleepily.
"Mary, its Martha!"
Hearing her witness' name made Mary jump up, "What's wrong?"
Sobbing sounded through the phone made Mary very nervous, "Martha, what's wrong?"
"I-I called Michael!" wailed the witness through the phone.
"Dammit, I'll be right over. Hide in the bathtub!"
Hanging up she was about to speed dial 3 to Marshall but remembered that he was about to get married in 2 days. Dials Ben instead, "This is Ben"
"Ben, it's Mary. Martha called Michael. I'll meet you at the office as soon as I get her." she hung up and dials Madeline as she quickly changes her clothes and pulls on her boots.
Madeline's groggy voice answered, "'ello?"
"Madeline, can you come over and stay with the girls? I have a work emergency."
"On my way!"
It took her 10 minutes, but as soon as she pulled her car into the driveway Mary was grabbing her Glock, badge and keys, thanking her on her way out the house.
"Damn it!" she jumps in her car and turns it on, tires screeching as she backs out and heads over to Sara.
She reaches Martha's and looks around, nothing looked out of place. She walks up the stairs and as soon as she reaches the 2nd floor landing she spots a car speeding her way, "Damn it all to hell!"
The door is unlocked so she pushes in and runs into the bathroom, "Martha, it's Mary. Come on let's go. I think we got company. Hurry!"
Martha comes out carrying a small duffel bag and crying. "I-I'm sorry Mary. I just miss him so much!"
Grabbing her arm pulls her out of the bathroom muttering, "Too late for sorries now. When the hell did you call Michael?"
Michael had been Martha's fiancé, he had refused to join WITSEC. He had an ex-wife and children. Apparently the people looking for Martha had put a tracer on his phone, knowing eventually Martha would call him.
Mary didn't wait for her to answer. She looked out the window and spot the car parked across from hers. There was a man standing outside looking towards the apartment building, he then proceeded to walk over to the wall with the mailboxes.
Deciding that it was the right moment, Mary pulled on Martha, "Shut your trap, don't even make a peep."
Martha rein in her emotions and covered her mouth with her hand.
Mary pulled open the door and walked over to the stairs, the man was nowhere to be seen. Damn, where are you asshole?
Once she spot his position still by the mailboxes she took that opportunity to come down and around the stairs. They ran to Mary's car and Martha climbed in through the front seat.
Walking into the Sunshine building scowl in place Mary saw Stan waiting for her with Ben by his side inside Marshall's office, "Hey Stan, what are you doing here?"
Rubbing his bald head he blushingly said, "Well, since you know…Marshall is getting married in a few days. I thought I should cover for him."
Mary frowned and nodded, "Well then, we got a situation."
"What happened?"
"This dumbass called her ex and as we predicted he was bugged." Mary sighed
Stan got up and walked around the desk. "Martha, when did you talk to Michael?"
Sniffling she looked up, tear streaks running down her face, "Yesterday afternoon"
"It only took them about 10 hours to locate you. We're gonna have to move you now."
Stan walked back into Marshall's office and picked up the phone. A few minutes later, Martha was laying in a sofa in the conference room and Mary was waiting by her desk. Stan came out of the office saying, "Mary, I'm going to call Marshall. You're transporting this witness tonight."
"No! Marshall's getting married in 2 days! You can't just do that."
"Yes, yes I can. He's the Chief!"
"Dammit Stan, I won't do it then! Abigail will think I'm doing this to spite her!"
Stan growled, "I don't care!"
Mary sighed and said, "Look I'm sure Marshall will be too busy with last minute preparations to notice us gone. Ben and I can just transport the witness"
Resigned he tried one more time, "Mary, when Marshall finds out you took off without his knowledge…he'll be very upset, and not just at you."
"I don't care. I'm taking Ben."
Later that morning Stan was pacing the office when Delia walked in. "Hey Chief! I brought some banana nut muffins!"
"Yeah, thanks Delia."
She turned at the muttered words and noticed Stan looking nervous, pacing. Looking around she didn't see Ben, normally he was in way before anyone else. She smiled and turned back to Stan.
"Where's Ben?"
Stan froze and turned to look at Delia, "Marshall's going to kill me"
Delia's smile froze and she frowned, "Why?"
"Look, Mary had an emergency witness transfer and she took Ben. Don't tell Marshall! I won't be in the office for the rest of the day." He practically sprints to the elevators but as soon as he hears the elevator coming up right before he pushed the button he runs to the stairs and disappears.
Walking to her desk, Delia turns on her computer and waits for the elevators to open. In walks Marshall frown in place, ever since Allison's visit he had been frowning. Don't tell Marshall! her mind screams.
Marshall looks at Mary's desk then turns to look at Ben's. Looking up he sees Delia and feebly smiles, "I see you brought your famous banana nut muffins."
He grabs a muffing and takes a bite, "Scrumptious, thanks Delia"
"You're welcome Chief"
Walking to his office he notices that Stan isn't in yet, "Hey, Stan's not in yet?"
"Yeah, seems like it." Delia turns and starts working on her paperwork.
An hour later Marshall looks up and frowns walking out of his office, "Hey, did Mary call?"
Delia was on her way back to her desk, dropping the paperwork she had in her hands. Stooping down to pick them up Marshall runs over and helps her.
"Huh, no I haven't heard from her."
Marshall frowns at Delia, she was looking at her paperwork and she looked nervous. He looks up and notices that Ben still isn't behind his desk. "What about Ben? He's always here before any of us."
"Nope, haven't heard from him either"
"Where are they?"
"I don't know what you're talking about"
"Where's Stan?"
Delia walks hurriedly to her desk and starts typing a mile a minute. "I don't know"
He pulls out his cell phone and speed dials 1, rings for a few minutes, "This is Mary, just leave your damn name and number"
Ending the call he speed dials 2, it goes directly to voicemail, "This is Stan, please leave your name and number and a detailed message"
Marshall frowns and turns to Delia, "OK, tell me what is going on!"
Delia turns to Marshall and whispers, "Mary went on an emergency witness transfer and took Ben"
"What the hell?!" Marshall explodes, "I'm Mary's Chief, she can't just take off without my knowledge!"
"I-I know that Marshall, please relax. I'm sure there's a perfectly good excuse why she didn't call you." Delia tried to pacify him but it didn't seem to be working.
"There's no good excuse."
"You're getting married in two days" came from behind him. It was Stan.
Marshall swirls around and scowls at Stan, "That's not your call Stan. I'm the Chief at this office and I should have been called!"
"Well, as much as it was your call Mary made it hers. She called Ben and asked me not to call you"
"Who's the witness?"
"Martha"
"Martha Fisher?!" Marshall's frown deepened. "Argh! I can't believe Mary didn't call me!"
"She thought it best that Abigail didn't get upset."
"Upset? About what? This is my job! She can't make that call just because my fiancée might get upset" running his fingers through his hair he walks over to his office and slammed the door shut.
Mary delivered her witness in Minnesota the day before Marshall's big day and anything that could go wrong did. From the moment they left Albuquerque she felt the uneasy feeling she got when she acquired that witness. When they finally arrived at the drop off in Minnesota she spot a truck parked across the street.
She turned to look at Ben which was looking at her, nodding towards the truck. He immediately went on alert reaching for his Glock, inside his jacket. She took out hers from her lower back.
He reached out and took Martha's elbow pulling her between him and Mary. As soon as they knew it was secure they practically jogged over to the new inspectors.
Keeping an eye on the truck she reached the other Marshals, extending her hand out, "Marshal Mary Shannon, this is my partner Marshal Ben Franklin and this is Martha, the witness"
The moment they handed Martha over all hell broke loose. Two men jumped out of the truck and started shooting. Ben and Mary both ran towards their truck, coming around the truck when fire was aimed at them. Mary was slightly glad that they were getting shot at instead of Martha. She motioned for the other Marshals to leave, mouthing GO!
As the other Marshals SUV tore out of the parking lot, she turned to look at the two shooting at them. She caught glimpse of the goon that had been following them.
"Ben, get in the truck!"
"NO! You get in the truck first!"
"Damn it Ben! I'm senior Inspector and I call the damn shots. Now get your ass in the truck!"
Grumbling, he took a couple shots at the goons and ran towards the driver's side. As he opened the door he caught sight of another man taking an aim at him. Mary had seen the same man and launched herself covering Ben.
The bullet pierced her shoulder, she yelled in pain. She rolled with Ben to the ground, as soon as their bodies hit the ground she jumped up and pushed Ben into the truck.
Ben turned to look at her as she jumped into the truck right behind him. She turned the truck on and sped off the parking lot, keeping an eye on the other truck. She was able to watch the second shooter run back to the truck, where the goon that had tracked them was. Making a few turns it wasn't until they were on the road for half an hour before Mary was able to pull over into a liquor store to get something for her gunshot wound.
"What are we doing here?" Ben looked over at his partner. She had been quiet the whole time, glancing at the rearview mirrors every few seconds.
Mary turned and looked at him, exhaustion in her eyes, "I gotta get something for this" she pointed to her arm.
"We gotta go to a damn hospital! Not…not a damn liquor store!" Ben glared at her, he jumped out of the truck and came around. He opened the driver's door and pushed her over to the passenger seat. "I listened to you once, but not this time."
He jumped in after she moved over to the passenger seat. Pushed a few buttons on the GPS and found a hospital. "I'll go on one condition. You don't tell Marshall!"
"Deal" Ben knew he was lying, but Mary didn't give him another option. She really needed to get to a hospital, the amount of blood she had lost was making him nervous. He had pushed his shirt into her jacket while she drove like a madwoman, but he knew she had still lost quite a bit of blood.
TBC