Lee sighed and reached a hand up to rub his tired eyes. He had spent the past few days following an old pastor travelling the back woods of Connecticut merely because he was the only known associate of one Thomas Ingram, international assassin for hire; even if the association was one of relation. Pastor Geoffrey Mills of Surrey, England, was here visiting the local Baptist Church to give a series of lectures on the joys of ministering to those in poorer countries.

This was a chicken feed assignment and well below the normal routine for an agent of his many years of experience. But, unbelievably, Lee was the only living person in existence to have been close enough to Thomas Ingram to be able to recognize him even if he were in disguise. The current head of the Agency told him to 'suck it up' and dust off his binoculars, he was in the field for this one.

He wasn't even sure if he was happy or upset that Amanda wasn't with him. Her company surely would have made the time pass faster. But given the cover that was worked up for him - the only birds he had ever looked at with his binoculars had been the girls on the beach in his younger days - being out here crawling through the brush seeking out the nest of the yellow-bellied something or other might give him a valid excuse to be seen in the woods. He was now behind the row of houses his target was currently staying in. Unfortunately for Lee, being dressed like a demented tourist insulted his sense of style. He was just glad there was no one there to get a picture.

Lee tensed as he heard a rustle coming from the brush to his right that was out of place from the regular evening noises of a neighborhood settling in for the night. His hand slowly reached for his gun that was nestled inside the binocular case slung over his shoulder.

Aiming at the underbrush, he held his breath as the rustle grew louder. His finger was a millimeter away from pulling the trigger when suddenly a small, fluffy bunny hopped out at him.

His exhale blended quietly into the night as he re-holstered his weapon. "You're a cute little fella," he practically whispered into the cooling night air. The hand that moments ago had been prepared to take a life if needed, was now gently petting the little guy with a twitchy nose.

"My wife would love you. She loves all things cute and adorable, and if she was here I'm sure she would make me share my supper with you. But I only have some beef jerky and, from what I understand, you guys only eat vegetables," he softly explained to the rabbit now cuddled up against his leg, thoroughly enjoying the head scratching he was receiving.

'Must be someone's lost pet.' Lee thought to himself as he pulled the little guy up onto his lap. He concentrated on his memories of the map of the local area he had studied this morning, trying to remember where the vet was located. He just knew Amanda would yell at him if he just left it out here on its own.

But before he could finalize how he would leave the little guy on the vet's doorstep without being seen, a voice calling out "Chip!" broke the relative silence.

"Chip, you naughty little bunny, it's time to go inside!"

The rabbit on Lee's lap squirmed like mad to escape the loose hold he had it in.

"So your name is Chip?" he whispered into its ear as he lifted the wriggly bundle and placed it back on the ground.

"Be good!" he called after him quietly as Chip vanished back into the brush.

Chip hopped off towards his mistress' voice, anticipating a yummy treat of apples at home; though he had to admit he felt a twinge of regret at leaving that interesting man behind. He was pretty sure they could have had an awesome adventure.

As Chip entered the clearing and saw his mistress all thoughts of adventure fled his tiny mind as he zeroed in on the carrot she was holding out to him. Who needed adventure when there were juicy carrots to eat instead?