They found Grant standing outside the women's restroom. "She's in there." Grant answered the questioning eyes. He moved aside and let Jessica in.

Jessica walked into the room and found Alex staring at her reflection in the mirror.

"I can't handle them destroying me a second time." The distraught woman began. "I've got contracts on the table and a presentation for a science exposition that I have to rebuild from scratch. That FBI agent had no right to come here. The court decided that they had everything they needed. If they want the rest I have to give it to them."

"I know," Jessica replied softly.

"It took me years to get my reputation back up. If it weren't for the inheritance I would have been on the streets a long time ago." Alex furthered her rant.

"They destroyed your credit." Jessica agreed.

"They can't do this to me!" Alex yelled. Jessica winced at the sudden outburst and stepped closer.

"You won't let them." Jessica assured. "Grant won't let them, Rick and I won't let them. You've never taken anything sitting down before. If they want a fight we'll give it to them. They'll learn the mistake they've made." She spoke with confidence.

"That's right." Alex nodded. "They won't know what hit them. I need to get those contracts with the AMA signed immediately. If I don't sell some of my stuff now it'll be waiting for them to steal it. I want to know if Ford is interested in the vehicle designs I sent them or not. If I still own those I'm dead for sure. McDowell helped me with those, legally they aren't exactly mine."

"That's no problem. I'm sure someone will like your work." Jessica smiled. "Come on. We're Lawrence women, since when did we let anyone walk all over us?"

Alex grinned back. "Daddy would be proud." She said as she hugged her sister.

"Then let's show them what they get when they mess with a Lawrence!" Jessica shouted.

They went back out to the others.

Walter hung up the hotel room phone and sighed. Two days had passed. With the Lawrence mansion under construction and 'Inspector Gadget' the latest local fad he had been unable to complete much work. And now it was too late. Alex had sold the designs that McDowell had started with her. Now that she was no longer the owner the FBI couldn't touch them. While normally Alex could have been arrested for selling things the FBI had claim to, the courts had awarded Alex the right to sell or willingly handover whatever research the FBI had missed.

He stood up and paced. Walter had little else he could do until the FBI decided something.

He loosened his tie and took it off. With a change in plans on the way he was nervous. Seeing as he had already blown it the first time there was no way he could get near Alex. And that would make his job much harder.

Walter was ashamed of how that meeting had went. He'd been so nervous and scared that his own prejudice had tainted his thinking. Though he still thought that a man becoming a cyborg was unethical. He sighed.

Rick's palm flew to his face the minute he saw it. The artwork Jessica had comprised for the logo and icon of her own boyfriend was humiliatingly cartoony. She had drawn a series of full color images depicting some of the unbelievable things Rick could do. She hadn't disfigured him too much, just given everything a touch of undeniable cartoon emphasis.

For one thing, she'd made him just a bit more clumsy than he usually was. His short black hair had grown in length and reminded Rick just a bit of Einstein's wild hair. The coat and hat were showcased rather nicely and some ridiculous stuff they didn't have had been added. That horrible catch phrase was pasted to a few of the pieces.

Over all he knew it would be better to play along. But Jessica was leaving to visit a friend in California for the weekend. So tonight they were having dinner before she left early the next morning.

"Do I have to be such a cartoon character?" Rick asked.

"Rick, you have to understand. Cyborgs are not always the hero in our storytelling. In order to build up a good view of you we have to endear the people of this city to you. And that is made by reminding them of your humanity." Jessica began. "Now most people believe that silly trope that 'cybernetics eat your soul'. If you're portrayed as compassionate, brave, and just a little clumsy, the people will better connect to you. People want to see something human in you. If they don't, they won't trust you to protect them."

Rick nodded. It made sense. "Good," she smiled. "Now Alex wanted to know about designing a second coat for you."

"Wait." Rick grabbed her hand. "It's Friday night. All business for Inspector Gadget will have to wait till Monday morning. I'm asking you to go on your date with Rick Barnes." He said.

Jessica kissed his cheek. "Of course." She set the art boards down.

"Thank you."

Dinner was at Outback Steakhouse. Rick and Jessica sat there talking long after they're plates had been cleared. "Rick." Jess started a new conversation after a few minutes of silence. "Why haven't you ever mentioned the word marriage?" They had known each other for seven years. And had been dating for five.

Rick's face flushed. "Well," he rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess I haven't brought it up."

Jessica was looking at him intently. "Do you not think of me that way?" She asked.

"You're the only person I would consider marriage for." Rick replied instantly. The words surprised him as they came out.

"Then why not?" Jessica asked a pleading look in her brown eyes.

Rick almost hesitated, but for some reason he had no thinking involved. "I don't know." He replied. He certainly felt a deep connection to her. And while he didn't just fling the word love around, it was obviously there.

"Are you afraid?" Jessica asked. So far he hadn't said anything that made her worry or angered her. She was beginning to think that he was just too busy with everything else he had on his plate.

"No." He replied frowning. "I don't think that's it."

"Are you worried about how it would effect Penny?" She continued.

"The two of you get along as if you were mother and daughter. It would probably be good for her." He answered. She smiled at that.

"Do you love me?" Jessica asked.

Rick didn't have to think but he knew if he waited just a second or two before answering it would be wise. "I love you." He replied sincerely with a smile.

"Ok." Jessica replied. "Are you just too busy to give it any thought?" She pressed.

Rick felt like he was taking an exam. But judging by Jess's reaction he'd answered them correctly. "That could be it," he said with a sheepish smile. "I guess between taking care of Penny, my work, and formerly keeping a lid on certain facts I just didn't put any thought into it."

"Well I think I see an opening there." Jess said emphatically.

Rick couldn't disagree. He nodded.

"But I don't want any proposal tonight or this next week. You have to surprise me, and put some effort into it." She instructed.

"Of course." Rick replied. Who was he to argue with his girlfriend?

When he dropped her off at her house she kissed him before climbing out of the car. "You keep yourself out of trouble while I'm gone." She said pulling away. "I don't want a repeat of my last out-of-town weekend."

"Yes ma'am." He gave her a mock salute. She giggled. "I promise I won't get myself stuck to a junkyard magnet again."

She smiled. "I'll call you when I arrive safe and sound." She said as she opened her door and got out.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Rick watched her open her door and go inside. He waited a few more seconds until she turned on the front light. It was a sign that nothing was out of the ordinary.

He pulled out and headed for home. He tried not to dwell on the events that had happened the last time she left. But she'd already sparked the memory.

It had started with a complaint about some scrap metal being stolen from a junkyard. And then the dogs guarding the said yard were found dead. Killed by gunshots. Rick was sent to check up on things. This was months back and he'd been trying to keep from getting noticed.

Of course the suspect ran right under the activated electromagnet. Rick didn't even see the dang thing until it was too late. As he passed under a shadow he felt a shudder from within and then his feet lifted off the ground. He hit the magnet with a painful thump.

The magnet was too powerful for him to fight against. He was completely incapacitated. And what was worse was that the magnet's energy field began to cause his own systems to act weird.

The suspect had ran off without even glancing back. For a solid ten minutes Rick had to scream for someone to turn off the magnet. The hum it made was deafening to a point that the operator barely heard him despite his vocal amplifier. When the magnet was shut off Rick fell two stories to the ground. With his operating system trying to recover he had no time to respond accordingly.

He met the hard dirt with a lung crushing smash that jostled every joint, gear, and circuit board far worse than they were designed to withstand. He managed to stay awake and successfully called Alex and the Sergeant.

It had taken Alex and Grant three days to repair all the damage. Jessica came back from her trip before they were finished and found him in a sorry state. She'd gotten so mad at him for his carelessness.

"What kind of idiot doesn't realize there's a deadly magnet floating over him?" She had yelled at Rick while he rested between repair sessions.

"This idiot." He'd snapped back. "I was in pursuit. How could I have known?" He had made a good point. He was focused on a man who could possibly have the nerve to take a human life.

For Rick the whole story was a bit humiliating. He should have known better than to run willy-nilly in a junkyard. He shook his head to dispel the memory.

The next morning Walter showed up at Rick's house. Rick looked at him in surprise. "Agent Riggs, what do you want?"

Walter shifted his weight nervously. "I'm here to apologize."

"Why?' Rick asked warily.

"Because we were wrong." Walter answered. "I also want to congratulate Lawrence on selling all the files I originally came for. Please let her know that we're also looking into her allegation about the stolen files being used."

"So you're going to leave us all alone just like that?" Rick didn't believe him.

"I am done here for now, but I am going to return in a few weeks."

"Why?"

"That I can't say." Walter said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a plane to catch."

"Until next time Agent Riggs," Rick said closing the door.

What Walter hadn't mentioned was that the FBI still wanted to see some of the files Alex had. Some that the FBI was willing to buy from her. Not all of her work was as insane as her cybernetic designs.

But before he could do that he had to let the scientist cool down. And then he would be accompanied by his partner.