FAMILY SPIES
"
***************************************
"Good morning Amanda," Lee said as he entered the Q Bureau.
"Good morning to you. What's on the agenda for today?" she replied, looking up from the filing cabinet.
"Oh, we have to run some background checks on some new recruits for the Agency, interrogate some defecting KGB agents and wrap up the closing reports on Woodshop. I'm glad that case is over."
"Amen to that. Sounds like a pretty full day. Anything else?"
"Did I neglect to mention PT?"
"PT?"
"Personal time. We'll have to squeeze a little of that in too." "Well, I should be sorely disappointed if we didn't," she teased, planting a kiss on his nose. They embraced and held each other a moment before Amanda returned to her filing and Lee sat down at his desk to sort through some papers.
***************************************
*Knock! Knock!* "Come in," Billy called out as a tall brunette in a blue pant suit entered his office with a folder in her hand.
"Are you Mr. Melrose?"
"Yes. May I help you?"
"I don't know. I'm looking for someone whom I believe works for your Agency. A Mr. Lee Stetson?"
"Yes, he works here. And who are you?"
"I'm here on the Niagra assignment from MI-5 officially. But I'm also here with on personal business. You see, my name is Kathleen Stetson and your agent Lee is my brother."
====================================================
"Lee is your what?"
"Brother, sir."
"We understood Lee to be an only child."
"Everyone did. You see, the night my parents were hit, my mother went into early labor and I was delivered two months premature by the paramedics from the fire department. By the time the ambulance arrived, both my parents were dead, so they were listed as DOA and no one ever thought to look into it any further, assuming they were killed instantly. Now because they were agents, the hospital was unable to trace my my family, so no one knew to contact my uncle. I was adopted by a family in Britain and although we tried to find out about my history, we came up with little more than a few dead ends. Then about seven years ago, I guess the "spy blood" that runs in my family kicked in and I was recruited for MI-5 by someone I believe is a mutual friend of ours, Lady Emily Farnsworth. She agreed to help me find out where I came from and whether I had any living relatives and I think she was even more shocked than I to find out Lee was my brother. I understand she helped on his first field case. She assigned me a case in America so that I could meet and up until now I've been terribly excited about seeing my brother, but now I wonder if I haven't made some terrible mistake."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, sir, how's Lee going to feel about all of this? I mean, he's established his life, his career, his relationships, none of which includes me. Isn't it going to disrupt his whole world to discover he suddenly has a sister he's never known about until now, 37 years into his life? Maybe I should just do my assignment and return home."
"Well now, I think that's Lee's decision, don't you? Look at it this way: do you think he would rather know about it now when he still has the opportunity to include you in his life or later when he's contacted as the next of kin and finds out you knew about your relationship and never told him?"
"I hadn't thought about it that way, sir, but I suppose you're right. Lee must have a great deal of respect for you,sir."
Billy thought back to all the times they had pulled each other through some tight spots, like when Lee was injected with a virus and they'd had to find the antidote with only seconds to spare or when Billy had been kidnapped and drugged, unable to remember the events that had transpired that weekend, Lee had helped him break into the embassy, search through classified documents and search for a missing disk with the names of hundreds of operatives. "We both have a great deal of respect for each other." He told her how to get to the Q Bureau and wished her the best.
"Will you come too, sir?"
"No, this is something you and Lee must deal with on your own, and remember, whatever happens, you will always be family."
She flashed a smile that confirmed she was indeed a Stetson and said "Thank you, sir."
As she left the Bull Pen, Billy breathed a quick prayer that Lee's temper would not flare and pressed the intercom. "Amanda?"
"Yes, sir?"
"I need your help with the KGB transcripts."
"I'll be right there." She gathered up some files and headed for the door.
"You're not leaving me, are you?"
"You heard Billy. He needs me. Besides, you'll be fine."
"Only as long as I have you."
"Well, don't fret, I'll be right back," she said, smiling. She opened the door and saw a very attractive woman who looked vaguely familiar. "Can I help you?" she asked.
"I'm looking for Mr. Stetson." Kathleen replied.
At his desk, Lee heard the woman ask for him and stood up. "I'm Stetson. What can I do for you?"
"If you'll excuse me," Amanda said, eyeing her warily as she left . As she walked down the corridor, she wondered to herself if she had just met Cindi with an "i."
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Lee continued to look over the papers spread out on his desk, expecting the woman to state her business, but Kathleen stayed by the door, gaping at the brother she had never met before. Lee became nervous as this strange woman continued to gawk at him and decided to break the silence. "Um, you're staring. Is something wrong?"
"Mr. Melrose sent me up here because I have something important to tell you and I'm not sure how you're going to take it, but I felt you should know."
"Know what?"
Kathleen took a deep breath, gnawed on her botttom lip for a few seconds, then decided to simply be blunt. "Lee, I'm your sister, Kathleen." Lee turned pale and rested both hands on his desk to steady himself. He felt like he'd been decked full force in the stomcah and it knocked the wind out of him."Lee, are you alright?"
"I have a sister?" he managed to whisper, completely dumbfounded as the impact of what she had said began to sink in.
"Yes, Mother delivered me after they were run down."
"Why haven't you come until now?"
"I didn't know about the relationship either until about two weeks ago and it was a little difficult to find you without Emily's help. We spies do live rather seclusive lives you know."
"We? You mean you're a-"
"I guess it must run in the family. Listen, there's a lot we need to talk about. Can we meet somewhere for lunch?"
Lee was silent for several moments as a second wave of shock paralyzed "Uh, yeah, sure." He tried to think straight enough to name a place for lunch. "Do you know where Monk's is?"
"Doesn't everyone involved in the intelligence community? Is one o' clock alright?"
"1:00's fine."
"Very well, I'll see you then." She started to leave, then turned around and gave him another look-over, trying to imprint every single feature of his in her mind in that one stare. She took in his deep blue eyes, a little greener than her own, his thick brown hair and the attached earlobes it nearly covered. She examined his nose, definitely a mark of their relationship and his mouth which she knew would deliver an intoxicating grin if she was ever capable of giving him anything to smile about. She admired his hands, just like the ones in the pictures of her father she had seen, very strong, warm, tender, capable of expressing all the love in his heart simply by wrapping them around you. She noticed his height and knew it was yet something else they shared since 5'10 was above-average for a female. She finally managed to take her eyes off of him and headed back down the stairs and out the door, turning in her visitor's pass to Mrs. Marsten as she left. Lee finally drew in a full breath for the first time since Kathleen dropped her bombshell. He thought about her resemblance. Based on her looks, she definitely fit in with the Stetson clan, but wasn't it a bit of a stretch to believe that thirty-seven years could have passed before anyone had unearthed any information on their relationship, especially since she was also in Intelligence? He needed to talk to Billy about all of this, to get it off his chest and find out if there was any validity to what he had just been told. He began to gather up his papers when Amanda reentered. She noticed that he did not look well.
"Lee, are you all right? You seem a little flushed. Who was that woman? What did she say to you?...Lee, will you answer me?...Lee! Look at me. What's wrong?"
"What? Oh, it was nothing. Listen, I need to go run some errands and I won't be able to take you to lunch today. I'll call you later."
"But Lee-"
"I have to go. I'll see you later."
"How much later?"
"Later, I don't know when."
"Lee, what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"You're lying to me, Lee Stetson."
"No, I'm fine-" he regarded her for a moment and saw the look of concern on his face and grabbed her hand, and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Okay, so I am lying, but I can't talk about this right now. Bye," he called out as he slammed the door behind him.
************************************
"Billy, I want to know what is going on around here! Some woman just wlked into the Q Bureau and told me I was her brother."
"It's true, Lee. I just got off the phone with Emily and she confirmed that Kathleen is indeed your sister. Emily helped with the research herself. Blood tests, lab analysis, everything matches. She is Kathleen Stetson, the second child of Major Mathew and Jennie Stetson."
"But, Billy, why hasn't all of this come to light before now?"
"Well, Scarecrow, it's not like anyone ever had any suspicions you might have other siblings and if Kathleen hadn't been so determined to find out about her family history, it probably would have never been discovered." He let that sink in, then ventured, "Are you going to get to know her?"
Lee nodded. "We're having lunch together."
Billy nodded his affirmation. "Good, have a nice time." Lee rose and Billy added, "Lee?" He turned and gave Billy his attention. "Whatever happens today, remember you two are family and you always will be."
"Thanks Billy." Lee slung his coat jacket over his shoulder and left. ************************************
"And so, with Emily's help, I finally managed to locate you, and that's pretty much it."
"I'm- I mean, I don't know what to say. I never dreamed I had any other family and certainly didn't expect them to just come walking into my life one day." Kathleen regarded him for a moment and then rested her hand on his, as if by doing so she could hear what thoughts were racing through his mind. "And what is your life now? Are you married to your work, or is there a Mrs. Stetson?"
Lee blushed and smiled demurely. "Both. The woman who was leaving when you came in this morning is my partner and wife, Amanda. She lives with her mother and two boys in Arlington."
"You don't live together?"
"C'mon, you know what happens when two agents become romantically involved. We'd be looking for a different line of work post haste."
"Yes, I suppose that's true." She sighed, hating to leave, but realized duty called and apologetically said "Well, I have to be going. I'm here on assignment and have some reports to make."
Lee caught the look of disappointment and felt a twinge of it himself. "Yeah. Look I'd like to get to know you better and I'd like you to meet my family. How about dinner around six? Amanda won't mind. After dealing with my impulsiveness, she's pretty good with last-minute decisions. I'll pick you up. Where are you staying?"
"63 Cambridge Avenue, Apartment 1205. I'll be waiting." They rose and she smiled, "Listen, I'm really glad things worked out. I was afraid-"
"That I'd take one look, call you a liar, among other things, and tell you to get out of my life before I threw you out and insist you never return."
"Something like that, yes." she said, grinning.
"That might have been true a few months ago, but fortunately Emily and Amanda taught me the virtue of a little patience. I don't know where I'd be without my wife." He smiled as he thought about her setting milk in the fridge, washing deishes, sending the boys off each morning with hugs, kisses and a nutritous lunch, managing to dodge her mother's curious inquiries about her job with those "odd film people" and slip out to her back porch so often for those little evening rendezvous he cherished so dearly. He hoped even if they were able to move in together one day he would still be able to sneak up on her unexpectedly from time to time. Kathleen guessed what he was thinking and smiled in reply.
"I can guess. A lonely, impatient, irate bachelor switching girls as often as I change planes."
"That's a pretty fair assumption, I'd say. C'mon, I'll walk you out to your car."
As they left, a man at the bar set down the paper he had been reading and after paying for his drink, went to the phones. "They're leaving now. I'll have her for you within the hour." He hung up and went to his car.
"Alright, Kathleen, I'll see you in a little while."
"I'll be there. Bye." They embraced and parted ways. Kathleen drove straight home, her thoughts racing. She entered her apartment to find a man she recognized as a KGB agent pointing a gun at her.
"Ms. Stetson, will you be so kind as to come with me?"
"I'm afraid you must have me confused with someone else. My name is Ann Foxworthy. Now who are you and what are you doing in my home? "
"Just walk."
"She's your what?" Amanda nearly screamed.
"Shh," he said, taking the knife she was using to chop garlic with and clasping both her hands in his., and decided to slow down. "My sister, Amanda. Can you believe it? I actually have family…" he thought about that, cherishing the ability to say it at last, then returned to his train of thought. "Now listen, I invited her to dinner tonight to meet all of you and-"
"Tonight? Lee, how am I going to get dinner and the house ready in time and what am I going to tell Mother and the boys?"
"The truth. What's wrong with me bringing my sister over? They should have a chance to meet her. I mean, I've met your relatives and they should approve of mine if we're going to go on seeing each other. It's only fair, and I know you'll do a great job with dinner. The house looks fine. I've got to run. We'll be back around six, okay?"
"Understood, Scarecrow."
"Very good, Scarlett.You know that codename really fits you very well." They giggled, kissed, and he left.
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Back at Kathleen's apartment, two Soviet agents waited for Lee. "You're sure he'll come?"
"Yes, he told the woman he would pick her up before six."
"Do you think he's an agent, too?" "I suspect so, but it doesn't matter. He's the only leverage we have to get what we want from Kathleen."
"I didn't even know she had family. How'd you find out?"
"That was all they talked about at lunch. Apparently they found out about it just now, too."
"Do you really think he's important enough for her to sell out?"
"If she went to all this trouble to find him, I'd say he's pretty important. Shh, I think I hear him coming."
Lee saw that the door was ajar. "Kathleen?" he called out, drawing his gun and cocking it. He slowly opened the door and whipped around the corner to see a man with a gun just before he blacked out.
"Now you grab his legs and we'll carry him down the back stairs."
"What if Kathleen doesn't agree to our terms?"
"Simple. We terminate the both of them."
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"I'm not going to ask you again. What are you doing in the United States?" the man snarled.
"I already told you: I'm here on holiday. I've always wanted to see Washington DC and I thought this would be a good time to come. I had some leave from work and had saved up enough for a plane ticket so-"
"Stop it! I have had enough of your pathetic lies!" he cried, slapping her across the face. "We know you are a British agent and that you are here on assignment to find the source of a leak at MI-5. Now you will tell us what we want to know."
"Why should I? You can do whatever you want with me. I wouldn't give the KGB anything if they paid me, Russian swine."
"Ah, but we have something you want: your brother."
Kathleen turned pale. "Lee? What have you done with him? If you harm one hair on his head-"
"Then you will give us what we want?"
Kathleen considered this a moment, then said, "I want to see him first."
"You're not in a very good position to be making demands, Ms. Stetson," he said, indicating her bound wrists and ankles.
"Unless I see him, I won't know if you're lying or not. You may not have him, or you may have already killed him and are just trying to call my bluff so I'll give you information for no reason."
He hesitated a minute, then turned to a guard, "Vladimir, bring me the American." A few minutes later, he returned with Lee, whom he shoved to the floor. "We'll just leave you two to get reacquainted. I'll be back shortly," he said, locking the door behind him.
"Lee, are you alright?" He didn't look well; he had a large knot on his head, a cut under his right eye and his shirt was torn.
"Kathleen, I…" he turned his arm over and she could see the prick mark of a needle on his skin.
"Oh, Lee. What did they give you?" But Lee was unable to respond. "Oh, Lee, I'm so sorry I got you into this. Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you, I swear it. I love you." "I…love…you…too," Lee managed as his eyes began to roll back into his head.
"Lee, just hang on," Kathleen pleaded, trying not to cry.
Molokovich re-entered with Vladimir and another guard who carried Lee out. "Now we can discuss a trade?" he sneered. "What is he worth to you?"
"What do you want for him?"
"I like how you think. We need some very good information and a valuable counter-agent to present to our agency. We know you have official documents with you concerning the nature of MI-5's leak, which could prove very useful to us. We will release you, you will retrieve the papers, we will contact you and arrange for an exchange. As far as the agent we take with us, you may decide whether you want Lee to travel to Russia or you would prefer the pleasure of our company. Is that satisfactory?"
"Yes, I will get the papers and wait at my apartment for your call."
"Very well, and just to make sure there are no tricks, Vladimir will accompany you." As if on cue, Vladimir entered. He untied Kathleen and handed her the keys.
"You will drive," he said. Molokovich and Vladimir conversed in Russian for a moment, then pointed to the door.
"Move, Stetson."
Kathleen drove to the Agency and parked. "IFF? What is this?"
"This is where we pick up the documents."
"If you are lying and the documents are not here, I will kill you."
"I have no doubt of that." They entered and Kathleen approached Mrs. Marston's desk. "Good morning, Mrs. Marston. Could you please tell Mr. Melrose that I need the Waterfall documents right away."
She picked up the phone. "Sir, Ms. Stetson is here and would like to have the documents on Waterfall…No sir…Alright sir." She hung up the phone. "He'll send them right down."
"Thank you." A man soon descended the stairs and handed her a file folder. "Thank you," Kathleen said and left, followed closely by Vladimir.
Once in the car, he said "You will drive. I will inspect the documents." They went back to her apartment. Kathleen saw a shattered vase lying on the floor and realized how Lee had gotten the knot on the back of his head. "Sit down on the couch and keep your hands where I can see them." He paced back and forth for about twenty minutes until the phone rang. "Pick it up, slowly."
"Hello?"
"Alright, Ms. Stetson, which agent are we keeping?"
"You can have me."
"Very well, then. We will meet you in Jefferson Park with your brother. Bring the documents and we will make the trade."
"Very well." She hung up and Vladimir gave her the keys. "I'll drive," she said grimly.
"I will go and contact Molokovich. You stay here." Vladimir walked to a car on the other side of the park. She watched as Molokovich climbed out of the car and Lee followed. He still looked dazed and injured, but at least he was able to walk on his own, kathleen thought to herself.
"Begin walking towards us," Molokovich called out. "We will release your brother. Do not try anything or we will kill him instantly, do you understand?"
"Understood, sir."
"Start walking." She headed towards them with the file. Molokovich turned to Lee.
"Go on, Mr. Stetson. We have no further need for you. You sister has taken your place." Lee looked at him vaguely and obeyed, walking in the direction of his sister.
"Keep walking until you get to the woods," she said when they were within earshot. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"I…I think so. What happened?" "It's all right. Everything has been taken care of. I love you. Goodbye, Lee."
"Wait, where are you going?"
"With them. I must, for both our sakes. Now go on, before they kill you."
"But-"
"Just go, Lee, and remember how much I love you."
"I love you too, Kathleen."
"Go." She quickly grabbed his hand, cradling it only a fraction of a second, then released it and walked on. Lee walked into the woods where he found Billy.
"Scarecrow, are you alright? What happened?"
"They gave me some truth serum, I'm not sure what they asked. Billy, what is going on? Where is Kathleen going?"
"No time, Scarecrow. We have to hurry if we're going to be in time to save her."
"Save her? From what?"
"Those KGB agents. They'll kill her."
"Why is she with the KGB?"
"C'mon, I'll explain in the car."
"So Kathleen agreed to a trade: she would give over herself and the documents if the Russians would agree to release you."
"But Billy, she's an agent; what does she think she's doing? She might as well be defecting, giving up classified information and herself."
"That's what she wants them to believe as well, Scarecrow. But the documents she has are fabrications we created when she first arrived and when the Russians discover they have phony papers and an agent who's unwilling to betray her country, they'll terminate her, which she already knows."
"Then why-"
"Lee, she's your sister. You are her only family and she was willing to give up anything to make sure you could make it back to yours, even if it meant sacrificing her life, which hopefully won't be necessary. But if it is, she's ready. She loves you."
Lee sat in silence. He couldn't believe that a woman he had known barely more than twenty-four hours was willing to die in his place. Sure they were family, but what did that really mean? Amanda had taught him that a family was made up of people who loved each other so much that no price was to great to pay to insure that the others could be happy. Sure he loved Kathleen and was glad to have her for a sister, but if the circumstances had been reversed, would he have so readily stood in Kathleen's place? While he wanted to believe the answer was yes, he couldn't be certain. He was jarred out of his thoughts as Billy screeched to a halt outside the airport terminal. "Scarecrow, you stay here." Lee nodded numbly, too stunned at the transpiring events to even argue. Billy followed two other agents into the building and Lee soon heard shots. He anxiously looked toward the double doors which opened to reveal Billy approaching with his gun still cocked.
"C'mon, Kathleen, c'mon," Lee pleaded silently. The doors opened once more to reveal the other two agents, carrying Kathleen. Her left jeans leg was drenched in blood, but she smiled and waved to Lee, who breathed a quick sigh of relief. They drove her to Galilee where the N.E.S.T. team stitched up her leg and set it in a cast. Lee wheeled her out to Billy's car, and he dropped them off at Kathleen's apartment. She changed and then they rushed over to Amanda's house just in time to be exactly twenty-four hours late for dinner.
Dotty opened the door. "Mr. Stetson, we were expecting you yesterday. This must be your sister. It's so nice to meet you. What on earth happened to your leg?"
"Oh, um, just a little accident at the airport."
"You know, I have always thought that traveling by plane was foolish. Amanda does it all the time when she goes on these overseas assignments with Mr. Stetson for IFF, but I have always said, 'Just give me a nice train ride and you can keep your planes.' The scenery is much more pleasant and the trip is so relaxing. Everyone flies because they're in such a rush to get somewhere and then what happens? They get jet lag! Now let me just ask you, did anyone ever get jet lag from riding a train? Of course not! Train rides are so relaxing and everyone is so pleasant. No one is ever pleasant in an airport. Why? Because they're all in a hurry to get somewhere and so they don't watch where they're going and then accidents happen and people get hurt and then everyone's even more upset then they were before and-"
"I'm sure Ms. Stetson will keep all that in mind. Now why don't we go in and have dinner?"
"Of course, dear. My daughter is really a wonderful cook, Ms. Stetson…" Dotty said as she headed towards the dining room.
Amanda looked at the two anxiously. "Are you both alright?"
"We're fine now. Sorry about dinner yesterday, love."
"Don't worry about it. C'mon, you two must be starved. Oh, by the way, it's nice to meet you Kathleen. I'm Amanda and well, you've already met my mother."
"Yes, she seems to be quite adamant about airplanes."
"Oh, don't mind her. She's just nervous about meeting Lee's family and wants to make a good impression."
"I heard that, Amanda." The three spies tried to supress their laughter as they headed into the dining room.
A few weeks later, Lee and Amanda took Kathleen to the airport to fly back to England. "Well, I think you did a great job. You came here, found the leak, stopped it, and saved a top American agent in the process.," Amanda commended her sister-in-law, as she elbowed Lee in the side with a playful grin.
"Thanks for the compliment Amanda. I hope Emily is as pleased."
"Um, Amanda, could you excuse us a minute? I need to talk to Kathleen alone."
"Sure, I'll just walk over to the gift shop and look around." She knelt down to hug Kathleen. "It was so good to meet you, Kathleen. We hope you'll get to come spend the Christmas holidays with us. We'd love to have you and I know my boys and Mother would love to see you again too."
"Thank, you Amanda. I'd like that. I'll try and make it back for Christmas."
"You take care now and give Emily my love."
"Will do."
"I'll be waiting for you, Lee."
"Thanks, Amanda. Don't spend any of those twenties you got in Munich. I'd hate to have to bail you out of jail again." Amanda turned and stuck out her tongue at him. He looked at his sister. "I can't thank you enough. I mean, you were willing to die in my place and there aren't very many people who would do that."
"We're family, Lee. That's what families do for each other."
"You and Amanda have begun to reconstruct my view of family love and trust."
"She's a wonderful woman, Lee. You couldn't have done any better. Don't lose her now."
"I'd be an idiot if I did."
"Hear, hear. You take care now, and if everything works out, I'll see you again at Christmas if not sooner."
"Sooner?" "Well, you know, I could always get another assignment stateside, you know," she winked and flashed him a smile. "Anyway, take care of yourself and that beautiful wife of yours and her two sons and don't forget to never mention flight travel to her mother again."
"That you can count on."
"I love you, Lee Stetson."
"I love you, too Kathleen Stetson. And remember, whatever happens, we're still family."
"That sounds vaguely familiar," she said, smiling.
"Billy taught it to me. Well, you'd better get going."
"Yeah, I guess I should." They embraced tightly, then the stewardress wheeled Kathleen onto the plane.
Lee turned and walked over to Amanda, who rose and wrapped her arm around his waist. "You're really going to miss her aren't you?"
"It's really incredible Amanda, how you can know someone such a short time and develop such a close bond to them."
"I should think you'd be used to it by now," she teased.
"I suppose I should. Do you think she'll make it back for Christmas?"
"Well, I think that Lady Farnsworth's favorite niece could probably persuade her to give an employee the chance to be with her family for Christmas, don't you?"
"Oh, I don't know about Lady Farnsworth's niece, but I'm pretty sure Amanda King could do it."
"Stetson. Amanda Stetson. Don't forget, I'm family too."
"And no matter what happens, you always will be."
"Ohhhhhh, aren't you sweet." They smiled at each other and walked off, her arm in the crook of his.
THE END