Disclaimer for entire story: I do not own any part of The Mentalist as Bruno Heller does. No copyright infringements are intended and I do not receive any compensation for this story. Only reviews which are greatly appreciated.

I have been known to take requests and, since "on the lam" stories aren't anything I'd ever conceive of much less contemplate writing on my own, the concept and nudging belong to UnhealthyViewingHabits. The story, however it ends up for the good or bad, is my own.

I am still working on correcting the errors that take me forever to see.~Calla

#

"Jane." Jane wondered briefly what his old friend was doing interrupting his brainstorming session as he looked up from the file he was studying.

Now that they'd gotten Lorelei back from the FBI, the woman was singing like a canary. Well, a drunken canary as what she was giving them was more pieces to the puzzle than actual linear clues leading to his royal bloodiness. Once he figured out exactly what those pieces meant and how they fit into the bigger picture, Red John was toast. It was simply taking a while to get the job done. Hopefully, they'd manage to keep the golden goose around a while longer. If they didn't, Jane was sure he had enough to get him closer to the serial killer than he'd ever been. While it wasn't enough, it was a comfortable place to start.

It was also obvious Red John hadn't meant things to work out the way they had. Their getting Lorelei back from the Feebs wasn't part of the plan. Jane was under no illusion that most of the information she'd fed him was anything but what her master wanted him to have. However, that being said, Lorelei had had a change of heart recently and given him information of more value. She'd not turned on Red John. Not in any way. She'd simply been human and let slip things she'd not meant to. Jane tended to have that affect on people, even Red John's disciples.

Setting his file aside, Jane turned his attention to the man standing so impatiently before him. To anyone else, he appeared as inscrutable as ever. To Jane, he was an open book. That there was something on Cho's mind concerning him greatly was broadcasting loud and clear. Jane knew the only something causing that barely perceptible tick in the Korean Agent's jaw now that Summer was out of his life was his boss. As reluctant as he was to admit it, Jane wasn't all that comfortable with that idea. Not that he thought Cho had a thing for Lisbon; he didn't. At least he didn't think he did. Then again, it was Cho. Who really knew with him? Moving on, Jane simply didn't like another man feeling the need to protect Lisbon outside of the field. That was his responsibility and had been for years. He'd done a fairly good job if he said so himself.

"What's up, Cho?" Jane asked. "You need to talk to me?"

"Yeah." Jane briefly wondered why he still expected the Agent to elaborate when that wasn't his style.

"I'm all ears." Jane returned the file to the box at his feet.

"Not here. I'll meet you on the roof in ten." Cho obviously meant exactly ten from the way he was looking at his watch. Jane nearly smirked realizing the stuffed shirt little penguin meant to time him. Oh, well, he still had long enough to make a cup of tea and get to their date without being late.

"Fine, Cho. I'm to assume it's not my ears you're worried about." Jane quirked a brow and smirked as Cho rolled his eyes at him in frustration.

"You're down to nine, Jane." Cho silently tapped his watch pointedly.

Rolling his eyes again, Cho turned around and headed for the stairs. He was so done with Little Jane Games. He wouldn't mind ordering one of those killer hot dogs Rigsby was always woofing down. The ones loaded with all the chili, cheese, and slaw. Or maybe he'd have Kraut instead. Yeah, that sounded good. He better get one for Jane. And a couple of orders of crispy fries. It wouldn't hurt to thoroughly bribe the monster since he was asking for a really big favor. Walking over to the counter, Cho placed his order and pulled out his wallet. Hauling his take over to the small round table by the banister he glanced at his watch and started counting down. Jane had all of twenty seconds….

"Okay, My Man Cho, what do you feel is so urgent you had to interrupt my work?" Not that he minded all that much since he'd been spinning his wheels not really getting anywhere.

"Lisbon. She's getting too much like you." Cho said without preamble.

"And that's bad how?" Jane asked accepting the dog Cho offered.

Glancing at Cho's quarter eaten hot dog, he noted they were basically the same except the other Agent's was loaded with homemade Sauerkraut reeking pungently while his was loaded with a sweeter smelling tangy coleslaw. Somehow Jane thought he got the better end of the deal. Taking a bite, knew he was. Swiping a fry, he decided he was in gastronimical heaven. There was something to be said for greasy cop food.

"Minelli's going to bust her chops before she's done." Cho took a sip of his soda.

"In what way?" Jane asked. He'd been much too busy piecing together the leads Lorelei was giving him the last few days to pay all that much attention to Lisbon's personal vendetta with the rich Spook.

"Lisbon's out of control." Cho said as though that said everything.

"What do you mean out of control?" Jane asked again.

"She's acting like you, Jane. She's allowing her personal vendetta to get in the way of her common sense. She's following Rafferty where she shouldn't and popping up all over the place. What's even worse, he knows she's there. If she keeps it up, Lisbon's going to have as many complaints in her file as you do and Minelli's not going to be able to keep them out." Cho pierced Jane with an accusing glare.

"What's your point, Cho?" Jane asked as though he needed to be told.

"She's not just bending the law she's damned near breaking it. When she does, they'll fire her. What do you think that means for the rest of us if the boss get's canned?" Jane knew it wasn't concern for his job causing Cho to speak so freely.

Jane felt a pang of guilt. Cho really cared about his boss. Her whole team did. They didn't want to work for anyone else. He knew that. He'd helped keep them together and gotten them back together more than once. He'd also noticed Lisbon starting to ravel around the edges soon after her witness was supposedly shot in a carjacking gone awry. He'd commiserated with his friend for a brief moment and reminded her it was impossible to save everyone. She'd given it her best.

If the woman chose to leave protective custody for the evening there was nothing she could do about it. That Melinda Alcott managed to slip the experienced team assigned to guard her for the evening long enough to end up dead was on the victim's head. She'd not been the brightest of women to choose a man like Liam Rafferty as a lover in the first place. Lisbon hadn't appreciated his comments and told him so.

With hindsight, Jane regretted some of the things he'd said. Lisbon hadn't particularly liked Melinda; but, she'd given her word to keep her safe in return for her testimony. She'd failed miserably. In her mind it didn't matter that Melinda died due to her own bad decisions. Or that she'd deliberately ignored the rules and worked very hard to slip the people assigned to guard her.

Lisbon was a seasoned cop. She should have been able to anticipate such moves and she hadn't. Well, it wasn't exactly her who'd failed as she was in a meeting with Bertram, LaRoche, and Minelli on another high profile case at the time her witness had been killed. It was the team protecting Melinda who hadn't anticipated her determination to be free for the evening. It hadn't helped his boss's frame of mind that Alcott's father had quite clearly and vocally blamed her for his petulant, spoiled daughter's demise.

As for the scene of the crime, it was a perfectly believable scenario. Melinda Alcott was the daughter of a very wealthy man. She drove a very expensive car well worth breaking down for the parts. She'd stayed at that charity event much too late and parked in a secluded place. She'd slipped her guards fully intending to have one last night on the town before she went back into protective custody. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility that someone was waiting in the darkness for just such an opportunity in the midst of many such opportunities. Melinda just happened to be the first to slip out of the party alone and vulnerable. Plausibility aside, all that mattered in the end was the car was gone and their only witness to Rafferty's crimes was left on the asphalt drowning in her own blood.

Jane winced slightly at the thought it really didn't matter how it looked. He and Lisbon had known better. Liam Rafferty had known Melinda Alcott couldn't stay away from the benefit sponsored by her father in her name. Her ego wouldn't let her. He, or one of his henchmen, had lain in wait to assassinate her which was exactly what he'd done. Considering the work he'd done for the government, Jane would place a hefty bet on Rafferty himself pulling that trigger and wrapping up the oh-so-annoying loose end in the pretty package with one well place bullet from a silenced pistol. Melinda probably hadn't even seen it coming.

Jane thought back over the last few weeks when he'd been more consumed with connecting the dots Lorelei was feeding him than being there for Lisbon as she'd always been there for him. He'd noticed she was getting more withdrawn and spending was too much time studying Liam Rafferty. The warning bells had gone off in his head that obsession was coming. He'd ignored them as Lisbon was too good a cop to turn rogue. She was too by the books to ever step that far out of line. She preferred arresting bad guys to killing them. Everyone knew that. He'd dismissed her actions as those of a good cop gathering the necessary information to catch the bad guy and make it stick. Perhaps he should have looked a bit closer from what Cho was implying. It sounded like he should have stepped in a while ago and separated the huntress from her prey.

"Again, what's your point, Cho?" Jane asked.

"Since you're the bad influence, it's your job to make Lisbon stop the craziness before it's too late." Cho said as though it were the most reasonable demand in the world.

"And how do you propose I do that?" This ought to be interesting.

"Remind her who she is. Remind her CBI Agents don't do vigilante justice. Remind her she isn't you. It's a place to start." Cho suggested.

"Yeah, well, Cho, that particular Spook killed the witness she encouraged to step forward all but in front of Lisbon's eyes and taunted her inability to touch him when she was holding the proof in her hands." Jane reminded Cho. That little development had come later. It was probably what ultimately sent Lisbon into a tailspin if she was actually in one and Cho wasn't over reacting. "That's going to be a hard thing to make Saint Teresa forget. I'm not sure even I'm up for the job."

"Yeah, well, I'd suggest you get up for it." Cho said.

"Or what?" Jane asked.

"Suffice it to say if Lisbon ends up doing anything stupider than she's already done, we're coming after you. I get first dibs, Jane. Rigsby and Van Pelt will deal with what's left." From the look in Cho's eyes, Jane didn't doubt he meant business.

"Are you threatening me, Cho?" Jane asked knowing full well he was.

"It's a promise." Cho said.

"I see. I guess I'd best figure something out fast though we both know Lisbon will kick my ass herself about the time she figures out I'm trying to get between her and Rafferty." Jane stated what they both know.

"Yeah, but she's more merciful than me." Cho's voice was totally blank underlying the very real threat behind his words.

"Perhaps she is. I think I'll take my chances with her." Jane agreed.

"I don't get why the boss isn't letting go. When that evidence disappeared from the locker if should have been enough to tell her Rafferty can't be messed with." Cho stated with finality. "Especially considering she already knew he had political immunity."

"Yeah, she should have, Cho; but, that first taste of the chase is a heady thing. You're high on the belief you can catch your prey and bring him to justice. It's only later you realize the truth: the longer the hunt continues the more all consuming it becomes. You're powerless to stop. It's become too much a part of your soul. There's always the possibility you'll wake up one day to discover you've sacrificed everything you are and will ever be to a pursuit you may never win." Jane admitted honestly.

"Why don't you stop?" Cho asked.

"Would you under the same circumstance?" Jane asked.

"No, I don't guess I would. Not if I thought there was hope." Cho answered.

"There's always hope, Cho. I won't allow myself to believe there isn't. Not as long as I have a breath to breathe." Jane said.

"Not as long as guilt still keeps that ring on your finger." Cho glanced at the narrow gold band adorning the other man's hand.

"I'll see what I can do with Lisbon." Jane stared out over the parking lot as he ran a hand through his hair refusing to admit or accept that truth.

"Good." Cho stepped away from the banister long enough to toss his trash in the can as he lifted his cell to his ear gesturing for Jane to wait. Clicking his phone, he stuffed it back in its case. "We've got to go, Jane." Cho said.

"Whatever it is, Cho, you go. I've got a file on my couch awaiting my return. I'm not willing to start a new case." Jane said fully intent on going downstairs, making a cup of tea, and returning to his search for the missing lead in Lorelei's notes.

"You'll want to start this case." Cho firmly stated.

"Yeah, why so?" Jane asked.

"Jane, that was Lisbon. She wants us to meet her at Rafferty's place." Cho informed the other man not at all surprised by the questioning quirk of his brow.

"Why?" There was something ominous about Cho's tone.

"He's dead." Cho stated blandly.

"I won't ask how as I'm sure you're going to tell me." Jane followed Cho down the stairs.

"Shot between the eyes." Cho tossed over his shoulder.

"How long ago?" Jane asked what Cho wasn't volunteering.

"Sometime in the last couple of hours." Cho admitted.

"I see." Jane said knowing exactly what was behind Cho's tone.

Lisbon had been out of the office goodness only knew where for that whole time frame. They certainly didn't. Jane couldn't help the tingle running through him at that unwelcome thought. Whatever was happening, it wasn't good. He'd bet on it.

"We need to get to the crime scene. I'm driving." Cho punched the elevator button.

This wasn't their case and could never be; but, he didn't blame Lisbon for wanting to be in the loop somewhere. It was perfectly understandable. He also didn't blame her for wanting her team to visit the crime scene for any number of reasons. To get independent verification of her findings wasn't the least among them. Looking up, Cho decided they'd gotten to his SUV faster than he'd expected or he'd been too deeply in thought to pay attention to his surroundings. That wasn't good. He needed to get his mind back on the matters at hand like driving.

Barely giving Jane time to close his door, Cho almost squealed out of the parking lot in the direction of a particular high end gated community. Rafferty had some pretty heavy secrets on people high up to have gone from operative to very, very rich almost overnight. It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize the man had been a pretty heavy hitter and deviously smart. Possibly too smart for his own good or he wouldn't be dead. Cho refused to even acknowledge the thought attempting to swirl around in his head.

"We're here." He said unnecessarily as he yanked the key from the ignition and opened his car door.

"Yeah, I'd say we are." Jane agreed as he followed the Korean Agent through the massive doors into the mansion.

Jane pondered what a single man needed with such a place. Oh, that's right, Rafferty came from the wrong side of the tracks. The house was for show. He was rubbing his ill gotten gains in the face of his betters and there was nothing they could do about it. Liam Rafferty had the money and clout to back his impudent mouth. He couldn't be touched even by his strongest enemy. Or maybe he could and just didn't realize it.

"Hey, boss." Cho walked up to stand beside Rigsby and Van Pelt hovering around Lisbon.

"There's nothing much to see here. Someone surprised Rafferty in his study and got the drop on him before he could get his pistol from the drawer." Lisbon said staring at the man hunched over his desk with a bullet hole between his eyes.

"Oh, I'm sure it wasn't that simple, Lisbon. This place has more security than Fort Knox. Whoever got in here had inside knowledge of the most intimate inner workings of this place. They caught Rafferty unaware." Jane observed as he poked about here and prodded there in typical Jane fashion.

"I'd say you're right. It was probably some associate he double crossed or an old lover. Rafferty wasn't exactly an upstanding guy. We'll have to wait and see how the case plays out. It's not our file and there's nothing left to see. Rafferty's dead and it obviously wasn't suicide or an accident." Lisbon glanced about the study one last time before thanking the detective in charge and leading her team out of the room. Exiting the house, Lisbon stopped by her SUV to address her guys.

"We need to get back to the office. We've got the Stillwell case to work. Neither Minelli, LaRoche, nor Bertram are pleased we haven't made more progress." They'd all taken her to task for being too distracted by Liam Rafferty to lead her team as she should.

Well, Rafferty was dead and there was nothing she could do about it except rectify the Stillwell situation. The case was getting her undivided attention and her team was about to get the proverbial cattle prod to their lazy butts. They needed to work double time to make up for the ground they'd lost. Honestly, her team was the best. Lisbon doubted they'd lost any time at all. The Stillwell murder was complex and convoluted. She'd known from the start it was going to take a while to sort out even with Jane involved. Correction, even with Jane half-assed involved which was about to stop, too. The Lorelei Files could go on the back burner for a week or two. Red John would still be there when the Stillwell murder was solved. She was sure of that.

"We'll meet you there." Cho said.

"Guys, why don't you ride with Cho and Jane can ride with me. We need to have a little discussion about the Stillwell case." Lisbon said in a tone daring anyone to complain.

As expected, Rigsby and Van Pelt piled into Cho's SUV while Jane joined Lisbon in hers. In a matter of minutes they were on the road deeply engrossed in a conversation about what would and would not be happening until the Stillwell case was solved. Judging by the stiffness of Lisbon's body, Jane decided his wisest course of action was to agree with his boss to her face and do as he pleased later.

#

Two days later Lisbon sat at her desk studying potential suspects in the Stillwell double homicide. The problem wasn't in having too few viable potential murderers in the mix. It was in having too many even after eliminating a hefty number from the list. The Stillwell's weren't nice people from what she'd been able to discover. There were way too many people who'd gladly drown them in their own toilets.

"Lisbon." She snapped into her cell wondering exactly who was calling her on her private line from a number she didn't recognize.

This wasn't like her CBI cell she had to answer. This was her personal line known only to close friends and family. Oh, and her team as well for emergencies on threat of death if they ever revealed it. As such there was nothing saying she had to answer this call. Yet here she was with said phone plastered to her ear.

"Lisbon." The familiar masculine voice sounded in her ear.

"Jane, where are you?" Lisbon knew something funky was going on as this wasn't his usual cell number and his tone was off.

"I'm up on the roof grabbing a bite." Actually, he was grabbing another of the hot dogs Cho had bought him the other day with a soda and fries. He hadn't had time to grab a cup of tea.

"Then why are you bothering me instead of stuffing your face?" Lisbon asked as she studied the newest information she'd gotten from Simms on the Rafferty case.

"Because it's more important I talk with you." Jane continued through the silence on the line. "Lisbon, you need to get out of there as fast as you can."

"Why?" Lisbon's snort clearly said, 'do what?' without saying anything.

"Lisbon, don't ask questions. Just do as I say. I'll explain later." Jane sounded slightly more agitated.

"Okay." Jane had that certain tone in his voice she hadn't heard since he'd failed to hypnotize her that night on the McTier case. It harbingered nothing good. "What next?"

"Get your purse, tell the guys you're going for lunch at that fish and chips place you like, walk calmly to the parking lot, and get in your SUV. Go to room 24 at the Carlson hotel. You won't need a key." Lisbon rolled her eyes at Jane's bossy tone.

"Jane, I'm not going to that hooker dive." She'd catch cooties just looking at that place.

"You don't have a choice. You've got forty-five minutes, Lisbon. Don't be late." Lisbon puffed up slightly at the rude click in her ear.

Deciding there was more going on here than met the eye, Lisbon grabbed her purse from her drawer and sat it on top of her desk. Sliding into her jacket she palmed her keys and headed for the bullpen hoping Rigsby hadn't wandered off to find something to eat and Grace wasn't off flirting with Ackerson again. That so wasn't going anywhere which was probably why they were doing it. It was just a little harmless fun to ease the monotonous moments.

"Hey, guys, I'm going out to get lunch at Pope's. I'll be back in a few." Fortunately, Rigsby was in the middle of eating take out from that home cooking diner across the street. They all were as Cho and Van Pelt had overflowing white boxes in front of them too. Obviously no one was going to ask her to bring them anything back.

From Jane's cryptic demeanor that was probably a good thing. Lisbon waved her hand at the mumbled acknowledgements and headed for the elevator. Pulling her SUV from the lot a few minutes later, Lisbon stopped at Pope's for an order of beer battered fish and the best fries she'd ever eaten before hitting the road again. Scarfing her take, she glanced at the clock on the dashboard deciding she still had plenty of time. She'd made it into and out of the restaurant ahead of the lunch time crowd.

#

Parking her SUV in the isolated parking lot, Lisbon made her way through the mostly deserted run down park fingering her gun and up the seedy side street. This was not a safe area for a lone woman to be walking. Even a well trained cop. In a matter of minutes she found herself walking up the back of the ramshackle hotel and knocking on the door of Room 24. She wasn't at all surprised when Jane opened the door, his head in a towel. The last time she'd physically seen him, he'd been climbing into a bright blue sports car with a cute little blonde she'd hoped wasn't a lunch date. The mysterious telephone call had come later.

"What's with the cloak and dagger show?" Lisbon said once the door was securely locked behind them.

"Make yourself at home, Lisbon. We're going to be here a little while." Jane said.

"I am so not touching anything in this room, Jane." Lisbon's eyebrow rose to the ceiling.

She did not want to know what they'd find on that bed if forensics shone one of those niftly little lights across the mangy duvet and sheets. It would definitely be an over the top yuck moment she was sure.

"Suit yourself. What's with the cloak and dagger show is your friend Eleni in forensics gave me a call a few hours ago, Lisbon. They're finding your trace all over the crime scene in far more incriminating ways than a cop at the scene would leave." Jane said.

"What do you mean, Jane?" His words weren't making any sense as she'd never been anywhere near Rafferty's place. At least not the inside. The exterior was a different matter.

"Lisbon, you were out of the office for a couple of hours during the time Rafferty was killed. Two hours in which no one knew where you were." Jane stated the undeniable truth.

"I've already told all of you where I was. I was investigating a lead." Lisbon defended herself.

"You were standing in an out of the way corner of the park all alone awaiting a snitch that never showed. Even if witnesses can verify you being there at some point, they won't be able to testify to you being there the entire time. If I recall what you said, your snitch had you move to four different locations before you finally figured out he wasn't coming." Jane reminded her.

"Yeah, something like that." Lisbon agreed.

"Lisbon, even if witnesses testified to seeing you at some point during the time you were missing how much water do you think that will hold against the fact your fingerprints are on the murder weapon along with the rest of the evidence they'll surely fabricate? Eleni bought us some time at the risk of losing her job by delaying the results until I could get you out of Sacramento. You owe her big for this." Jane pointed out.

"Jane, I can't leave. I've got to go back and clear my name." She didn't really have a choice.

"It's not going to be as simple as Carmen, Lisbon. I found this beneath my pillow when I came into the office this morning." Jane held out the small post it note with the familiar smiley face in what would no doubt prove the victim's blood were it tested.

"Red John killed Rafferty." Lisbon started at the slip of paper in disbelief.

"I'd say so. He's upped the ante, Lisbon. It's personal now." Jane confirmed her worse fear.

"It was always personal, Jane." It had been from the start.

"Not for you and not like this." Jane corrected her false belief.

"We can't go back." Lisbon said in horror as reality truly dawned on her.

"No, Lisbon, we can't. Not yet." Jane agreed.

"Not until we clear my name and that'll never happen. Not with his people tampering with evidence." Lisbon buried her face in her hands.

"Not necessarily never; but, sorting this mess is going to take a while. Red John's sphere of influence goes even wider and higher than we thought." Jane refused to destroy her hope even if it couldn't help but take a ding at his words.

"What about my team?" Lisbon asked.

"Obviously, they'll get a new leader; but, we know where their loyalties lay. We'll figure out a way to keep in touch." Jane promised.

"Okay. What do we do now?" Lisbon was totally clueless how one went about this whole on the lam business as it was nothing she'd ever contemplated doing.

"We finish disappearing and it starts with this." Opening a small case, Jane took out a delicate pair of shears.

"What are you doing, Jane?" Lisbon eyed the shears speculatively as Jane herded her into the bathroom to sit on the newspaper surrounded toilet.

"Lisbon, you can't walk around looking like this. You'll be recognized immediately. We're going to cut and dye your hair exactly as I've already done to mine. I figure we can safely burn one and a half to two hours here so we need to get a move on." Jane said.

"Do we have to?" Cutting her hair was one thing; but, dying it another. What if they made so many changes she ceased to know herself? If she ceased to be Teresa Lisbon? She wasn't sure she could live with that.

"Lisbon, while we're altering your outward appearance, nothing can change who you are and who you will always be. Take comfort in that and let me do what must be done." Jane coaxed.

"You do know how to cut hair?" Lisbon asked knowing she'd not be all that surprised if he did.

"Lisbon, you'd be amazed at what I can do. You seem to forget I'm carney at times. We didn't exactly roll into town and head for the nearest beauty salon." Jane said as he attacked Lisbon's hair before she had time to protest. "I'm not taking all that much off just changing the style. I like you with longer hair. Besides, they'll be expecting something drastic like you chopping it all off and going blonde." Jane reminded her.

"Yeah, that makes sense. What makes what you're doing so different?" Lisbon asked hoping Jane had really thought this through.

"Leaving the length and going a nice soft shade of golden red that's what. I had an old friend swing by the beauty supply store as well as a couple of other places for me earlier today. She got everything I need. We rendezvoused in the CBI parking lot in plain sight." Jane informed her.

"Your blonde lunch date I presume?" Lisbon wanted to smack that smirk off his face.

"The lovely daughter of a very old client who owes me big you mean." Jane corrected her.

"What happens when the police find her?" Lisbon asked.

"She won't say a thing if the police ever find her and they won't be able to push too hard. Mia's daddy can push back harder. If that doesn't work, they don't want to tangle with Mia's mommy. She's the big guns in the family." Jane whispered in her ear.

"I see. I won't ask any more because I don't want to know." Lisbon cringed at the snipping of the shears.

"It's probably best that way. Anything Mia spills will be too inaccurate and too late to matter beyond making it as sound as though she's willingly cooperating anyway." Jane dragged a comb through her hair before carefully evening an edge.

'I see." Lisbon hoped he'd finish soon. She really didn't like strange men cutting her hair and Jane was nothing if not strange.

"I'm not sure you do, Lisbon." Jane set the comb and shears aside.

"It's honor among thieves." From the way he was talking about Mia's parents they were ten hues of shady. She'd bet her badge on that.

"Maybe you do." Jane said as he began opening boxes and mixing solutions in a black plastic bowl with a hair color brush.

In a matter of minutes he'd coated her hair in the thick goop like he knew what he was doing. Shoving one of those nasty plastic caps on her head, Jane glanced at his watch as he sat on the side of the none-too-clean looking tub. She so wouldn't touch that thing with Jane's feet if it was humanly possible to rinse her hair in the sink. If it wasn't, she was keeping her socks on.

Nearly an hour and a half later, Lisbon found herself standing in front of the mirror staring at her reflection with a dazed expression on her face. She was wearing a sun dress nothing like what she would normally wear along with low heeled gemstone embellished sandals. Her makeup was brighter to bring out her hair that was now a shade of goldish-red she'd never, ever have thought to wear had she wanted to dye her hair. She didn't know what to think. It wasn't that she was unattractive exactly. She wasn't and she even liked her hair. It was all just so different and difficult to comprehend this woman standing before her.

If that wasn't enough, Jane's curls had been tamed and he gone a darker shade of brown. While dying his hair wasn't beyond comprehension, seeing him in anything but suits was and that was exactly what she was doing. Jane was wearing an expensive silk shirt and a pair of dress slacks along with loafers that probably cost more than she made in two weeks. He looked normal and quite nice actually. However, there wasn't a three piece in sight and that was just plain weird. She might honestly run screaming out the door if he pulled the blue jeans out any time soon. She could only hope that didn't happen or she'd know she'd descended into Lala Land.

"What now, Jane?" Lisbon asked.

"We walk out the back door into another life." Jane said as he gathered the two small bags he'd brought into the room.

"Just like that?" It couldn't be that simple.

"Just like that. I'll give you the details later." Jane said as he gave the room one last once over.

Their clothes were safely ensconced in one of the suitcases and their trash in another. Somewhere along the way hundreds of miles from here he'd toss the plastic bags containing the discarded dye bottles and hair clippings in a dumpster never to be thought of again. While Lisbon was clueless where they were going, he'd already made the necessary arrangements for them to disappear into the crowd right down to the several switches of automobile they'd need between here and their destination. He'd let her in on his plans as they unfolded. The less concrete things Lisbon knew ahead of time the better. She wouldn't have time to second guess every step of his plans and she couldn't fight him.

Lisbon would have little choice but to go with the flow which was exactly as he wanted it.