REINDEER GAMES
Scarecrow and Mrs. King are owned by Warner Brothers and Shoot The Moon. All SMK characters remain their property. The story premise and characters created for this story are the property of the author. The author has not profited from this story.
Credits
Story Premise By: Laura
Written By: Laura
Editors: ele, Lori, Deb and Patti C.
It's Christmas Eve and the day is progressing without a hint of trouble. That is until word arrives that an injured courier issued an imminent danger warning that puts the brakes on the annual Agency Christmas party, much to the chagrin of Lee Stetson who has found the celebration not to be as bad as he had always feared.
References are made to Ernie the Camera, a delightful character found in 'All The World's A Stage' written by Richard Raskind (teleplay) original air date May 12, 1986 as well as the SMK Virtual 6 episode 'I Do Believe In Spies' written by Laura.
Prologue
December 24
Washington DC 2:30 AM
The streets of Washington DC were dark and deserted. A lengthening mist blanketed the district making the surreal town even more unreal. Lights glowed only to have their luminance swallowed by the swirling cloud. An occasional vehicle would cross the man's path, the fog churning with the exhaust.
He didn't know why the Carl Sandburg poem came to mind. This fog reminded him more of a ravenous, prowling lion than a little cat stealing about on padded feet. Fear lived in this vapor, stalking you, feasting on the apprehension it found there.
And he was afraid that he would be its next victim.
The flash of headlights in his rear view mirror caused his heart to pound. He silently cursed himself for letting his mind wander, for not paying attention to his tail. His mind racing, he ran the yellow light at the cross street, dousing his lights in an attempt to lose his pursuer. The pursuer he knew was close behind. His foot heavy on the gas, he thought he had reached safe harbor when suddenly a car shot around the corner, its twin headlights boring into his line of sight, momentarily blinding him. Instinctively he swerved, hoping to avoid a collision. The driver of the oncoming car had other intentions.
The impact had him straining against the seat belt. He was thrown into the steering wheel, struggling to grab it in a vain attempt to steer out of the spin. His attacker slammed into car again, forcing him into a telephone pole.
Blood was dripping down his forehead; the windshield was cracked from the broken pole that lay across it. His breathing came in labored rasps; he knew he had punctured a lung in the crash. He tried to sit up, moaning as his broken arm throbbed with pain. Grabbing the wheel with his left hand, he struggled to pull himself upright.
The door was pulled open and he was wrenched from the car, a scream of anguish escaping him, only to be swallowed by the fog. His vision cleared for a moment as he focused on whoever had pulled him from the car.
He laughed, choking on the blood that filled his throat. He had been run off the road by one of Santa's elves.
Act 1
Agency Counterintelligence Bullpen
Christmas Eve 2:45 PM
"…You know Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. But do you recall… the most famous reindeer of all? Rudolph…."
The elevator opened and Lee stepped out to the strains of Christmas music flooding the floor. He sauntered down the hallway toward the bullpen Christmas party, which from the noise level was in full swing. Beaman was outside the office, arms folded over his chest and leaning against the wall, watching the merriment within. Lee walked over to the agent and matched his position.
"Passing on the punch this year?" Lee saw the corner of Beaman's mouth quirk in response to his question. "Beats hanging by a rope over a cliff in Quebec during an avalanche," Lee inclined his head toward the festivities within, his words a reminder to Beaman of last years Christmas Eve escapades in Quebec.
"Depends on your perspective," Beaman remarked, his eyes never leaving the action in the bullpen.
Lee followed the man's gaze and found Francine in the arms of Matthew Donnelly. "I guess it does," he sighed. "What the hell is she doing with Donnelly?"
"It looks like they're making merry under the mistletoe. "
The man's derisive assessment certainly wasn't far off the mark Lee decided with a mental shrug. "Why aren't you in there? You should be in there. I sure as hell would be in there, I wouldn't step aside."
"You did when Joe King came back home."
"You're right and I would have. But it wasn't my choice to make, it was Amanda's."
"And this is Francine's," Beaman shifted his feet and sighed. "I can't change what is, or rather what isn't and I won't stand in the way of her trying to find happiness."
"You should tell her you…ah…tell her," Lee groped for the words, not wanting to say the one word that would explain it all. What the hell he thought, Beaman was a smart man; he'd know what he was trying to say. "If you, you know, if you care about her, you should tell her how you feel," he finished.
Beaman looked at Lee, his eyebrow raised in surprise at Lee's advice. "I should move on."
Lee shook his head, something here wasn't right. "Look, there's got to be…" A group of people turned the corner, loud and boisterous as they quickly entered the bullpen. One of the women stopped when she saw the two agents and hurried over.
"Beaman baby, long time no see!" Roxanne from accounting was bedecked in golden garland which she untwisted and wrapped around Beaman's shoulders, using the ends to snuggle herself up against him. "Ohhh Beaman," she purred. "I've been such a bad girl this year. Come with me and I'll show you exactly what I did to get on Santa's naughty list!" Roxanne giggled, finishing her proposition by giving Beaman a kiss.
Efraim gave Lee a nod and put an arm around the cooing Roxanne; he turned the giggling woman around and headed down the hall away from the bullpen and the revelers within.
"Beaman, do you know what the hell you're doing?" Lee called after the retreated couple.
"Yeah I do, I'm moving on," Beaman tossed back.
"Idiot," Lee muttered as he watched them walk away.
"Was that Roxanne with Efraim?"
Lee jumped at Francine's question; he hadn't heard her sneak up on him. "Yeah, she mentioned something about showing him how she got on Santa's naughty list," he told her bluntly, watching as the woman's eyes widened in surprise. "You know Francine, you may have just lost that chance you always wanted to find happiness," he inclined his head toward the receding couple. With a sigh, he turned and walked away.
As he stepped into the elevator he glanced back and caught a quick glimpse of Francine; her shoulders slumped and her head down. He pushed the button and the door closed on the party.
Act I Scene II
The Q Bureau
Christmas Eve 3:30 PM
Amanda's arms were piled high with brightly wrapped boxes topped with ribbons and bows. Holding the stack steady with her chin, she eyed the closed Q Bureau door. She sighed and bit her bottom lip before lifting her foot and tapping on the door. She stepped back as she heard Lee move across the office toward the door.
"Why didn't you just say something Amanda? " He grabbed several of the precariously perched boxes from Amanda's arms as she walked past him and into the Q Bureau.
"Why are you hiding up here? I thought you were going to go down to the bullpen and celebrate?" Placing several of the boxes down on her desk, Amanda looked over the tags, handing several of the gifts to Lee.
"I did," he told her as he unwrapped one of the presents Amanda had given him. He pulled out a scarf and frowned. "Why does everyone always get me a scarf?"
"I can't possibly imagine why," Amanda stifled a laugh; her remark heavily laced with sarcasm.
Lee rolled his eyes and dropped the scarf back into the box and sat on the corner of his desk and watched as Amanda opened her gifts. "I went down to the party and ran into Beaman."
Amanda grimaced. "Eggnog?"
"No, he was outside the bullpen watching the spectacle. Francine was pretty chummy with Donnelly under the mistletoe. So when Roxanne showed up, she wrapped Beaman up in some garland and made quite an interesting proposition. He took her up on it and left."
"Francine has been out of sorts the past day or two. I know she had dinner with Efraim and his family the other night. When I asked Efraim how things went, he just rolled his eyes and said 'family'. I guess they had an interesting evening. But I know there's nothing between her and Donnelly; she said he had more hands than a squad of wide receivers at open try outs!"
"Don't let Beaman hear you say that. Meeting the family can't be all that bad," Lee remarked. Memories of officially meeting Dotty and the boys flooded his memory and at Amanda's incredulous look he revised his statement. "Okay, meeting the family can be hell. But running certainly isn't Francine' style."
Amanda looked up at her husband, her brows raised. "I think she's afraid."
"Of Beaman? Please, she isn't afraid of anything," he grunted. "And she's certainly not afraid of Beaman!"
"Don't you scoff at me, Lee Stetson. Things between them have been getting pretty serious and she's bound to be skittish. You should know all about that; expert that you were at avoiding feelings. And for the record, Beaman didn't take Roxanne up on anything tonight, I saw him put her in a cab just before I came upstairs."
Lee shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "Well if that's the case, I'm never gonna find out what she did to get on Santa's naughty list!"
"Lee!" Amanda cried out, surprised by her husband's statement.
"Well, it sounded interesting!"
There was a knock at the door as it swung open. "Sorry to interrupt," Beaman announced as he stuck his head inside the office. "We just had a call from DC police; they found one of our agents early this morning and transported him to the hospital. Seems they just managed to ID him as one of ours; Billy wants us all downstairs now."
"Any idea on which agent it is?"
"None; by the way, Billy's blaming you for the timing of this,'" he turned and left, the door swinging closed behind him.
Amanda frowned. "He seems happy to have something to work on."
"Yeah, I would too if I had just bundled Roxanne off home alone."
Trying not to laugh, Amanda swatted her husband on the arm and started for the door. She turned, tilting her head and smiled at him, "Are you going to stay here and open the rest of your scarves or are you coming down to the bullpen with me?"
"They're all scarves? How do you know that? Lee hurried to catch up to Amanda as she left the Q Bureau. "Amanda, how do you know they're all scarves? You're just saying that, you don't really know, do you?"
"You'll just have to wait and see, buster!"
Lee's mood lightened as he entered the elevator and Amanda straightened his tie. Well, he thought to himself, if they were all scarves, his Christmas shopping for next year was already finished!
Act II
Counter-Intelligence Bullpen
Christmas Eve 3:30 PM
Francine passed out the documentation that had come in from the initial Metro Police report. A quick biography and formal picture of the agent as well as crime scene photos were attached.
The agents assembled grimaced at the sight, Amanda shook her head sorrowfully. "Sir, do we have any idea who may have done this? Or why?"
With a heavy sigh Billy read over the information Francine handed him. "The agent is Martin Baker, Scarecrow you worked with him once or twice, didn't you?"
"Yeah, it was about 5 or 6 years ago; he's a damn good agent. What was he doing back in DC? Last I heard he was the intelligence liaison to NATO."
"I have no idea but he managed to give the Code Crail…."
"What the hell is a Code Crail?" Lee asked.
"Code Crail, imminent danger to the public at large," Francine supplied, her tones clipped and business like.
"Who makes up these names?" Lee shook his head and shrugged.
"May I continue, please?" Billy asked. "As I was saying, he issued the Code Crail to the N.E.S.T. doctor in a brief moment of consciousness. In the meantime, we need to find out what happened and what he was carrying. That means no more party people. Lets get moving on this if any of us want to be home for Christmas tomorrow."
The bullpen went into action; dips, chips and cookies were quickly removed and the hum of computers and the ringing of telephones replaced the Christmas carols.
"Scarecrow and Amanda get out to the hospital and see if you can find out what happened to Baker. Francine and Beaman go check out his vehicle at the DC impound. I want everything bagged and tagged. Let's move people"
"Yes, Sir!"
Act II, Scene II
Georgetown General, N.E.S.T. Facility Secure Ward
4:23 PM
Lee and Amanda walked down the hushed hospital corridor, entering the N.E.S.T. area with a flash of their badges. Finding the room that the agent was in, they softly opened the door and entered.
The agent was hooked to a barrage of monitors, an I.V. and other assorted medical equipment. Lee stepped to the side of the bed and looked at the bruised and battered agent lying there.
"Damn! It is Baker! I don't think you've met him Amanda; he's a damn good agent."
"He doesn't look very good right now. I don't think we're going to get anything from him in this state."
"She's right."
The two agents turned toward the door where the N.E.S.T. doctor had entered. Amanda put her hand on Lee's arm as he reached for his weapon inside his jacket.
"I'm Dr. Travis, the head N.E.S.T. trauma surgeon. I take it you're from the Agency?"
Both Amanda and Lee pulled their identification out for the doctor, who nodded after a cursory look. "He was conscious enough to give the N.E.S.T. code when the police found him. He's in pretty bad shape."
"Did he say anything when he was brought in?"
"Just the usual ramblings; has his family been notified? He was talking about Santa and elves; probably something to do with his kids."
"He doesn't have a family. He's divorced and he doesn't have children. Did he say anything else?"
"He just kept talking about Rudolph and Santa's elves, that's it," the doctor shrugged.
"Doctor," Amanda jumped into the conversation. "What are Mr. Baker's injuries?"
"Multiple knife wounds to the chest. Missed his heart, deflected by a rib but went into his spleen. Concussion, a collapsed lung, he's sustained a sizeable loss of blood and severe head injuries from the initial car accident. Some of the bruising is consistent with marks left by fists. They worked him over pretty good. He's not in a coma, but he is heavily drugged."
"They," Amanda asked.
"Yeah, see the bruising here and here?" The doctor pointed to several bruises on the man's face. "The width of the knuckle bruising is different; it looks like whoever did this took turns."
Amanda visibly shivered at the description of the assault and the resulting injuries.
The three looked at the man lying in the bed connected to tubes and monitors that recorded his very fragile life signs. Lee shook his head, the look on his face determined. "I hate to do this, but I'm going to have to try to question him. I have to find out what he was carrying, if anything."
"Lee! You can't question him, he's unconscious and...and just look at him!" Amanda was horrified that Lee had even suggested he question the man.
"Amanda, you know the drill. I have to; Doctor?"
"You can try, I can't say if he'll hear you and be able to respond."
Lee nodded his understanding as he leaned over the agent. "Baker? It's Stetson. Lee Stetson. You're in the hospital. Can you tell me what happened to you?" There was no response from the man in the bed. Lee tried again. "Marty? It's Lee, what happened to you? Can you tell me who did this to you—what you were carrying?"
The man stirred slightly, his blood pressure monitor beeping loudly. The doctor hurried to the bed and lifted Baker's hand, feeling for his pulse. "He's starting to come around, or at least he's making an effort at it. Try one last time then you're going to have to let him rest."
"Who did this, Marty? What were you carrying?"
All three watched as Baker's lips moved. Amanda grabbed several tissues and dampened them in the pitcher of water by the bedside, wiping his lips to ease his speech.
". . . Just. . . Dasher and Dancer. . . elves. . .did this. . . . Rudolph. . . ." Baker lapsed into unconsciousness.
The doctor shook his head as he quickly checked his patient's vital signs. "That's it. He's out. You're lucky you got that out of him."
"Thanks," Lee said, the tick in his jaw working overtime. "Look, if he comes around, give me a call at the Agency, will you?" The doctor nodded at Lee and took the card that Amanda handed to him. "Take care of him, doc, he's a good man."
"We take good care of them all."
Lee held the door for Amanda. "Call if he says anything." Lee closed the door behind them as they left Baker's room. "Damn, Baker's a decent guy. And tough as nails; he must have been worked over pretty good to make him senseless. That song must have been the last thing he heard on the radio."
Amanda nodded. "I feel really bad; it's awful to be alone and hurt like that at Christmas. Dr. Travis said they didn't find anything on him, maybe who ever did this got what they were looking for."
With his hand at its customary spot on Amanda's back, Lee led her to the elevators. "Did he really say elves did this to him? He must have taken a good one to the head."
"Could he be trying to tell us something?" Amanda buckled her seatbelt and waited for her answer while Lee climbed in the Corvette.
"About elves; you're the expert on this stuff Amanda, you tell me."
Amanda shrugged. "I don't know any elves that would do to anyone what that man was subjected to."
"Know many elves?" Lee shot her a sly grin, waiting for the tart comeback he had come to expect and looked forward to.
"One or two," Amanda replied with a smile. "Do you think Francine and Efraim will find anything in his car?"
Lee maneuvered the 'Vette through the busy DC holiday traffic. "No, they won't find anything in it; whoever did this probably went over it with a fine tooth comb."
"Maybe it's worth looking at again. Maybe something will jump out at us."
"An elf or two?"
Amanda laughed. "No, no elves and certainly not the ones that did that to Martin Baker. But, we'll know it. . . ."
". . . When we see it!" Lee joined in to finish with Amanda.
"Lee? He did mention reindeer."
"When? I didn't hear him say anything about reindeer."
Amanda began to sing the carol, "You know Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. But do you recall…the most famous reindeer of all?"
"How do you remember all those names?"
"Practice," at Lee's amused look, Amanda continued. "He said 'Just Dasher and Dancer'; I think he's trying to tell us something. He said Rudolph too. Could this have anything to do with Ted Rudolph? Didn't he retire to California with his daughter?"
"He did. Last I heard he was completely out of the game. We would have known if he had come back into the field."
"I guess." Amanda sighed as she leaned back against the leather seat.
Lee glanced over. "Hey, you sound down. What's wrong?" He reached out and took her hand in his, giving her fingers a reassuring squeeze.
"Oh nothing, well, alright, it's another Christmas Eve and we really should be home right now, but instead, here we are chasing around Washington after who knows what, trying to make sure that Christmas comes tomorrow."
"I know," Lee sounded almost as forlorn as Amanda did. "Look, I'll take you home, finish up and then join you there. It's not like we're gonna find anything that the Agency recovery team missed. Baker was probably just saying the last things he heard before he was attacked. It doesn't mean a thing."
"No. I would have thought that by now you'd know better; I'm you're partner, and this is what partners do. I'm going with you."
"Amanda…"
"No Lee, I'm going with you."
"A-man-da!" Lee glanced at the woman beside him and sighed. The set of her jaw told him all he needed to know: she was going, and that was that. "All right, but if we don't find anything, I'm taking you home."
The car phone rang and Amanda picked it up. "Hello. Hello Francine, yes, we just left the hospital and were, oh, all right then—we'll meet you there," she hung up the phone and glanced at her husband. "They had Leatherneck send one of our tow trucks to bring Baker's car back to the Agency garage. They'll meet us there."
"Good. Maybe I can get Leatherneck to part with a bottle of his best; after all it is Christmas Eve!
Act II Scene III
The Agency Garage
Christmas Eve 5:22 PM
As Lee and Amanda walked into the Agency holding garage; Leatherneck crossed the floor to meet them. "Too bad about Baker, he's a great guy. DC's finest took a quick look and Beaman had it sent here. We went over it with a vacuum, Scarecrow. You ain't gonna find anything in it."
"We just want to look, Leatherneck," Amanda replied, her arms wrapped around her body in an attempt to ward off the chill of the deepening night. "You never know what you might find."
"Yeah, yeah, I know you spook types, you wanna see for yourselves. I have some papers and anything we found in the car over in the office, Francine is in there looking at them now. Follow me, and I'll show you the car."
"Thanks Leatherneck," Lee apologized to him as they walked to the car. "Sorry to keep you from your plans tonight."
"I'm used to it with you around Stetson, especially at this time of the year. Mrs. Stetson, I'd a thought you'd break the boy of this particular Christmas tradition?"
"I'm trying to Leatherneck!"
"Don't give up; I've got my money on you. Here it is, careful of the windshield; the frame is unstable from wrapping itself around a telephone pole."
Beaman stood beside the twisted wreckage, his jacket off, tie loosened and shirt sleeves rolled up. He nodded to Lee and Amanda as they joined him.
"We'll keep that in mind Leatherneck, thanks for the warning. Anything," Lee asked Beaman as he opened the door and stuck his head in. Amanda walked around the outside, jumping as Lee popped the trunk.
"Nothing in there but the nuts and bolts. Anything that was left was either lifted after the crash or it's in with Francine. I've got them ripping the seats apart," he indicated with a tilt of his head to the small army of men stripping the material and stuffing from the seat frames.
"It's pretty clean in here Lee," Amanda called from the back of the car. "Maybe I should go see what Francine has in the office."
"You go on; I'll be there in a minute after I tell Beaman what Baker had to say."
Lee finished his search of the car and wiping his hands off, filling Beaman in on what Baker said from his hospital bed as he followed the agent into the garage office. Amanda and Francine were seated, looking through items neatly arrayed in plastic evidence envelopes.
"What we have here is a mighty interesting array of chewed gum, empty gum and Snickers wrappers, Crispy Crème Donut bag, paper coffee cup, assorted empty snack packages, ages' old newspapers, a very naughty and I might add, overdue video and a partridge in a pear tree," Francine remarked with a disgusted shake of her head.
"Seems he didn't exactly have a healthy lifestyle," Amanda agreed.
"Occupational hazard," Lee added. Anything else of interest in there?"
"Just this receipt for 'Pictures With Santa' from The Shops At Georgetown."
Amanda frowned, "I thought you said he didn't have any children?" She took the receipt from Francine and looked at it.
"He doesn't, he's divorced and they didn't have kids."
Amanda handed the bagged evidence to Lee. "What about other family?"
"None that I know of. These were taken last night, just before 7," Lee crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. "Any pictures of Baker with Santa Claus in the car by chance?"
Beaman shrugged. "What you see is what you get, Stetson."
"It was worth a shot. Well partner, what do you say we head to the mall?"
Amanda stared at Lee as if he had grown another head. "On Christmas Eve? Are you crazy?"
"Best time to go," Lee told her as he put out his hand to her. "No one there but us real die-hard shoppers."
Taking his hand, Amanda stood up. "That's what I'm afraid of. Those last minute shoppers are wild."
"In the meantime," Beaman interjected. "I'll take Francine back to the Agency and see if I can come up with anything through Crypto on Dasher, Dancer and company. Right now though, things are looking pretty grim."
"I agree, but it's a good idea to give it a shot," Lee nodded his approval. "Call us if you come up with anything, Beaman. Come on, Amanda. Let a real shopper show you how it's done. We'll check out Santa and I'll show you the dark side of holiday shopping!"
Act III
The Shops at Georgetown
Christmas Eve 5:47 PM
Georgetown was brilliantly lit as Lee and Amanda hurried along the walk toward the entrance of the shopping center. Christmas music played softly in the air as the last minute shoppers frantically dashed from store to store.
"I've never been in here this late on Christmas Eve." Amanda told Lee as she rubbed her hands together to warm them.
Lee grinned. "This is about the only time I'm ever in here. I hate shopping."
"Oh really?" Tell me something I don't already know."
"Well, I never know what to buy anyone. "
"You buy everyone scarves."
Lee shot Amanda a belligerent look. "Well now I have you to take care of all that stuff. And besides, everyone needs . . . ."
"I know, I know; everyone needs a scarf. Look, there's Santa's Workshop. We may be too late."
Both agents hurried their steps as they made their way to the center of the mall. The large chair was empty; there were no longer any lines of children waiting to entrust their Christmas wish lists to Santa. Walking hurriedly around the display, Amanda pointed to a young woman dressed in an elf costume by the cash register.
"Sorry, we're closed," the elf announced without looking up as Lee and Amanda approached. "Santa had to rush off to a cast party."
Amanda held out the receipt they had found in Baker's car. "Can you tell me if this picture is still here? I know it's late, but could you possibly check for us?"
Heaving an exaggerated sigh, the elf took the receipt and knelt down to a large bin under a table. Pulling out an envelope, she frowned as she checked the number and quickly looked inside, "That's strange. There's no photo with Santa, just these."
Amanda took the large envelope and pulled out the pictures. Lee looked over her shoulder at several different shots of Baker around the Santa enclosure; one with an elf, one with Santa's sleigh and finally one along side the string of reindeer. Amanda raised her eyebrows at Lee as she pulled one picture in particular from the stack. "These have been paid for, haven't they?"
The girl nodded as she slipped her coat over her costume. "Yeah, you have the receipt; you can take them if you like. I have to tell you, those are in the running for strangest Santa photos this year. You should see some of the things people do on Santa's lap! Anyway, if you don't mind, I'm done for the night; Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas," Amanda echoed, still studying the picture.
Lee stood and looked at the backdrop used for Santa's workshop. "I'm going in there to look around. You check those pictures again for anything we missed."
"Lee, you can't go in Santa's workshop!"
"No one is here and it's not Santa's workshop. Sing out if anyone takes an interest."
"How about a chorus or two of Jingle Bells?"
Lee raised his eyebrows and winked. He easily hopped over the diminutive white picket fence and disappeared into the little red and white hut passing as Santa's workshop.
With a quick look around, Amanda pulled the photos from the envelope again and looked at them closely. Something in the picture with the reindeer caught her attention.
Lee had jumped back over the short fence and put an arm around Amanda's shoulders. "There's nothing inside that structure; it's all storage with costumes and candy canes, that kind of stuff. Did you find anything useful in those pictures?"
She shook her head, frowning. "Nothing I can put my finger on. But this picture, something is different in this one." Amanda showed Lee the picture of the reindeer.
He shrugged and took her hand.
"Look, let's pick up my presents, and we can take it back to the Agency and work on it. "
Act III Scene II
The Shops At Georgetown
Christmas Eve 6:20 PM
"We don't have to rush, Lee. You could have talked to your 'friend'."
"Amanda. . . ."
"Well, she seemed pretty surprised to find you had married. And were a stepfather to boot!"
"A-MAN-da. . . ."
"She certainly was very distraught to hear the news."
"Amanda, will you stop?"
"I just find it amusing to run into your old girlfriends. They turn up everywhere."
"Like bad pennies," Lee mumbled.
"What?"
"Amanda, will you let it drop?"
"But..."
"Amanda!"
"Okay! It's dropped, it's dropped!" Amanda came to a stop as they walked past the Santa display again. "Lee, where are the reindeer?"
"The what?"
"The reindeer, they're gone. They were just here and now they're gone." Amanda pointed to the empty spot in front of the sleigh that rested on fiberglass snow.
"Maybe they're getting an early start on dismantling the set."
"I think you should look inside again."
"I already did. There was nothing in there."
Amanda gave Lee a slight push toward the fence. "All right, I'm going," he rolled his eyes. "What am I looking for?"
"The reindeer, it's something in the pictures, but the answer is with those reindeer." She gave him another shove when Lee looked like he would argue with her.
Lee mumbled as he hopped over the fence that surrounded Santa Land. He walked up to the building and elbowed the door open. Looking around, he was about to leave when he heard a noise behind him, turning as a footstep sounded in the darkened interior.
"Lee?"
He sighed when he saw the men dressed in elf costumes, each with a gun and pushing his wife in front of them.
He caught Amanda as they gave her a shove towards him. "I guess it breaks some sort of Santa Land law to reconnoiter for outlaw candy canes on Christmas Eve," Lee joked, trying to bluff their way out of the situation at hand.
The only response was the cocking of their pistols.
"I take it that means it's a cardinal rule that I've broken by hunting down stray candy canes. You guys sell them on the black market? Is there some dealer on K Street waiting for his red and white stash?"
"Lee, I don't think it's a good idea to. . . ."
Amanda stopped short as one of the elves hit Lee upside the head with the butt of the pistol. She grabbed him as he swayed; pulling the scarf from around her neck to stem the blood that began to run down his face. The bigger of the two elves pushed them through the door of the display and hurried them to the back hallways of the mall.
"Lee," Amanda whispered as she helped him down the hall. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I didn't see that one coming. Amanda your scarf is ruined!"
"It's all right; you'll give me another one for Christmas."
"Shut up!" The short elf growled as he gave them a push through the door of a maintenance room that the other elf was holding open. "We need the film."
Amanda and Lee looked at one another. "Film?" Amanda shrugged as she looked at both the elves and Lee. "We don't know what you're talking about."
"The film, the film," the words were punctuated by the short elf waving the gun in front of their faces. "You have the film!"
"We don't have any film."
The taller elf grabbed the envelope that held the Santa Land photographs. Pulling them out, he quickly thumbed through the photos before tossing them on the floor. "Nothing! We want that film! Gimme that bag!" He pointed at the bag that held Lee's gifts.
"There's nothing in this bag but Christmas presents and they're all scarves. It's all he ever buys," Amanda cradled the bag against her body, unwilling to hand over the gifts.
"Amanda, give him the bag," Lee warned her as the short elf leveled his pistol at Amanda.
"No. These are presents for your friends, and these men should respect that. You don't open other people's gifts."
"Amanda. . . ."
The short elf shoved Amanda, pushing her into Lee who grabbed her and steadied them both. The door slammed, leaving them in the darkened room. Amanda dropped the bag, running to the door and pulling the handle.
"Shoot! It's locked."
Lee looked at the scarf he had been holding to his head and threw it on the floor. "What else did you expect? That was a stupid thing to do, Amanda, hanging onto that bag like that. That elf is just crazy enough that he could have shot you. Promise me; no more stunts like that!"
"I'm sorry, I won't. I just...I don't know. It's Christmas."
She sounded so forlorn that Lee smiled. "Hey, we'll get out of this. We always do." He pulled her into his arms and hugged her, rubbing her arms in the chill of the room.
"One day we might not."
"Not today. This is Christmas Eve and if there's one thing I've learned from you, there are miracles a plenty about on Christmas Eve!"
Amanda laughed. "There's that silver lining you're always finding! That's one of the things I love about you."
"I knew it had to be my sunny disposition," Lee joked as he fumbled with his collar and cuffs. "Ha! I knew I had one with me," he chortled, holding a lock pick and lock wrench up for inspection. "There we go!" Lee carefully opened the door and looked down the hall for their captors.
"Where do we go now?" Amanda asked as she scooped up the pictures and fallen gifts.
Lee took her by the elbow and led her carefully down the hall, stopping at the juncture to the mall before striding into the center court. "Mall security; we'll look over their tapes to see where our boys went. I want a team down here going over employment records to find who those two are and when I get my hands on them…."
He didn't need to finish his sentence, Amanda understood him perfectly.
Finding the mall security office, Lee stiff-armed through the closed door. They surprised the security guard at his desk enjoying a little Christmas cheer with his female counterpart on his lap.
"Hey! Who do you think…."
Lee had his badge and I.D. out in a flash and under the man's nose. "Federal agents; I want to see your employee records and surveillance tapes--now!"
Looking at the identification, the man shrugged. "That's gonna take time and I don't have the people available to do that tonight; don't you know it's Christmas?"
Lee rolled his eyes, "Yeah? Ho Ho Ho!"
Act IV
The Shops At Georgetown
Center Security 7:02 PM
The mall security office was filled to the brim with Agency personnel in addition to two rather befuddled security officers. Lee, behind the desk and on the telephone to Billy, waved off an offer of a cup of coffee.
"Thanks Billy, tell Beaman to step on it." Hanging up the telephone, he rubbed his eyes and looked for Amanda. Michelson pointed to a small room in the back of the security office. Lee went in search of his wife and found her indulging her fascination of Ernie the Camera.
"Billy said Beaman and Francine are on the way over to fill us in. Donnelly is working the phones in Europe, but that seems to be coming up empty. Anything in those pictures jump out at you?"
"Not yet…."
"Stetson, I've got your elves," Ernie called out.
"What have you got for me, Ernie?"
Ernie pointed to the screen with one hand while munching on a reindeer shaped cookie from a nearly empty plate in front of him. "Right here and here; anybody know where that loading dock is?"
"Level 3, M Street; I'll take you there!" Everyone turned to the security guard who perked up at being able to join the discussion.
"They aren't there now," Francine announced as she walked into the room; much to the chagrin of the security guard. "We just parked there."
Efraim Beaman reached around Francine and handed a file to Lee. "That's what came out of Crypto, which amounts to nothing special. But you'll find this interesting; the CIA walked in and tried to shut us down by saying they were the lead agency on Operation Just Cause; that little action going down in Panama. They tried to move Baker from NEST and Smyth sent armed guards with orders to 'shoot to kill' anyone not verbally authorized by him to enter the room. They said they want first crack at any of their 'graduates'."
"Graduates, you mean School of the Americas? Are you telling me these two men are CIA trained?" Lee frowned; graduates from the CIA's School of the Americas were considered thugs, henchmen and assassins and he considered he was being kind in his assessment of the CIA run training camp.
"Looks that way; what can you tell me about the elves?"
"They well could be a couple of the CIA's graduates. South American accent, almost imperceptible; here's their picture," Lee handed Beaman the photographs that Martin Baker had taken. "Did the CIA tell us they were Panamanians?"
Beaman shook his head. "We didn't get that far."
Francine summed up the activity. "So what we have is Baker in NEST, the CIA sticking its fingers in our business and danger to the public at large in the form of Central American elves."
"Lee, what Agent Baker said makes sense now; remember he said 'Just' and 'Dancer and Prancer'?" Amanda interrupted, wanting to remind Lee as the pieces of this particular puzzle came together. "Remember? He must have been trying to tell us of a link to Operation Just Cause and the reindeer. But why would they steal Rudolph and Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve."
"They didn't steal those reindeer, ma'am. They're delivering them to the President's Park to be displayed by the National Christmas Tree," the security guard told them. "There's a special concert this evening for children and they expect a large attendance."
Francine reached for the phone while Amanda picked up the picture of the reindeer to study it one more time.
"I know what's wrong with this picture; look at the harnesses on the reindeer and sleigh; they've been changed to rope," she pointed to the white rope looping the occupants of the picture and the leather harnesses in other pictures.
Lee took the photograph and looked at it closer. "That doesn't look like rope to me," handing the photograph to Beaman.
"That is det cord," Beaman pronounced.
"Det cord? Why the hell would anyone put detonation cord on Santa's sleigh?"
The agents looked at one another and Francine still on the phone to Billy, told him to scramble the bomb squad to the President's Park.
"I hope we're not too late," Lee said as he grabbed Amanda's hand.
"I hope you have one more Christmas miracle up your sleeve Lee, because we really need one tonight!"
Lee, with his arm around his wife, hurried from the security office; Francine and Beaman right behind them. "So do I Amanda, so do I."
Act IV, Scene II
National Christmas Tree, The President's Park
Christmas Eve 7:50 PM
Streaming ribbons of flashing lights made their way through the District, all converging on the Ellipse at the White House. Lee pulled the Vette to a stop and as he and Amanda climbed out, they stopped for a moment and watched as Marine One-the President's helicopter-ascended into the night sky to join a formation of identical choppers as they moved the President and his family to a secure location.
Turning toward the National Christmas Tree, Lee and Amanda hurried over to Billy.
"I want that sleigh, reindeer and any errant elves found and in custody! Get a picture from Francine and move it people!"
"Sir, we have to move those people away from the area," Amanda called over her shoulder as she hurried to the crowds around the tree.
Music from the band filled the air with Christmas carols. The voices of children joined and encircled them with their words of joy and peace. Lee elbowed through the crowds, pulling Amanda through the crush of people.
They emerged by the fence that encircled the tree. Beaman and Francine joined them, all of their gazes looking over the crowds and scanning the grounds.
"There! What's in that present beside the tree?" Amanda indicated several very large boxes decorated as presents arranged by the tree.
Lee and Beaman began to push down the fence to check out the boxes when the National Park Police officers patrolling the area grabbed them. "Amanda," Lee called out knowing that Amanda would corral the officers and explain what they were doing.
Reaching the boxes, the two men carefully examined the exteriors for wires, lines, anything that could trip an explosion if it was wired to blow. Lee spied several lines leading to the National Christmas tree and began to carefully move the fake snow away from the wires and boxes.
"What did you find?" Beaman asked, taking in the setup. "Careful, that's det cord. It could be wired to a detonator and blow upon movement."
"I really appreciate your optimism right now, Beaman," Lee muttered. He stood and shook his head. "I can't see where it's connected inside this box. We have to move it."
Beaman had been tracing the wires as they came out of the box to see what they were connected to. "Damn, there's det cord wrapped around the base of this tree and there's a lot of it. If this goes, it's gonna be bad."
"Where's the bomb squad?"
"We should wait until we get the crowds away from here before we try to move these boxes."
"LEE! The tree, the stars are blinking!" Amanda's voice came across the lawn causing both men to turn and look at the tree.
"I think we've run out of time," Lee said as he looked at Beaman. "I've had enough of these reindeer games, how about you?"
"To last a lifetime; okay the detonator is probably inside these boxes. Since it looks like it's on its final count down, let's lift them off and find the timer. Ready?"
Lee nodded and both men began lifting the brightly wrapped boxes that covered the sleigh and reindeer. Once uncovered, they frantically searched for the timing device.
"Nothing on the reindeer," Beaman told him as both he and Lee began digging through the packages in the sleigh.
"These weigh a ton, they must have filled these boxes with metal," Lee bit out. He saw Beaman's nod just before he was grabbed from behind.
"Back off," Beaman demanded as Lee struggled to disengage from his attacker. "You're interfering with Federal Agents in…."
The man produced a stiletto, the flashing lights from the tree glinting off the hardened length of steel. Beaman threw one of the boxes, knocking the knife from the man's hand just as he tried to plunge the blade into Lee's back. Lee grabbed the man and punched him before tossing him over his shoulder to land heavily on the ground, unconscious.
"Thanks," Lee went right back to hunting through the packages as Beaman came around the sleigh to cuff the man.
"A move I borrowed from your wife's playbook; unorthodox but effective."
Lee nodded and continued his search. A scuffle broke out behind him and the explosion of a gun just as he found the timer caused him to drop it and turn, pulling his own gun free.
Beaman had cuffed the one park ranger who Lee could see was one of the elves that had held Amanda and him prisoner. Beaman was leaning against the sleigh, gun in hand. The elf that had clubbed Lee with his pistol lay on the ground bleeding from a gun shot.
"I found your elves," Beaman cracked weakly.
"I found the timer, and we're running out of time. It's a standard CIA assembly; if I cut the detonation cords, we should be able to stop ignition of the tree and boxes. The timer will probably blow though."
Beaman turned and dropped to his knees. "I happen to have a knife; pull it out of my arm and cut the cord. Toss the box as far as you can into the park and get down." He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth, "Damn, this thing hurts!"
Lee grabbed the man as he started to fall forward. He quickly helped him down, leaning the injured agent against the sleigh. Drawing a deep breath, he looked Beaman in the eyes. "Ready?"
"Do it," Beaman visibly steeled himself and groaned as Lee pulled the blade quickly from his arm. Turning back to the device, time seemed to slow as the lights on the Christmas tree flashed and voices from the crowd reached him. He noticed that Rudolph's nose blinked in chorus with the tree. Lee's mouth became a grim determined line as he steadied the box and with one swift slice of the stiletto, cut the detonation cord from the timer. The timer began to blink furiously, Lee ran behind the tree and threw the box onto the grounds of the park and hit the ground.
A moment later, a thunderous explosion shook the night. Silence offered a brief respite from the ear numbing blast; then screams from the onlookers turned the quiet to chaos. Climbing to his feet, Lee hurried back to Beaman who had pulled himself up to his knees and was struggling to stand.
"You hanging in there," Lee asked as he knelt beside Beaman to help lift him to his feet.
"Yeah, it hurts like a son of a …." His words were broken by Francine arriving on the scene, Amanda right behind her.
"Efraim, what did you do? What happened to you-are you all right?" Francine put her arm around her partner to steady him as she demanded answers. "You're bleeding," she accused!
"I had my first knife fight."
"You don't carry a knife!"
"I know, I carry a SIG and in a fight between the two, the SIG wins hands down," Beaman said, the pain in his voice clearly audible over the gallows humor he employed.
Lee put his arms around Amanda and hugged her. "You okay?" he asked and sighed when she nodded and squeezed him tightly.
"That was a little close," Amanda scolded her husband.
Lee laughed; the sound grim to his own ears. "They're always close, Amanda." They stepped back as the ambulance crew arrived and inspected Beaman's wound while Francine quoted the rule book regarding close quarters combat.
"Well, another Christmas Eve under our belts, " Billy announced as they watched the man Beaman shot carried off the grounds on a stretcher. "He'll be okay," he relayed the information the medics had given him. "But the CIA wants him. Duffy is at the Agency to start the legal balls rolling and Smyth is in his office ruffling feathers at the CIA. He's been able to discover that the CIA knew there was a conspiracy involving a couple of their Panamanian graduates to retaliate for Operation Just Cause. He's using that admission to press his agenda."
"We know that Smyth is in his element when he's upsetting the apple cart up on the hill." Lee stopped at the ambulance where they were about to load Beaman. "Good job back there, Beaman. But I bet you're wishing you had left with Roxanne," he joked.
Beaman smiled half-heartedly; his eyes darting to Francine. "The thought had crossed my mind," he replied and waited for his partner to comment.
"I want to talk to you about that Efraim," Francine launched into the man. "What did you think you were doing? Roxanne had been indulging in Leatherneck's special punch all afternoon and was…."
"I thought I was putting her in a cab to send home. I don't take advantage of intoxicated women; though there is one woman I wish had taken advantage of me when I had been in a similar state!" Francine gasped at his comment and Beaman caught her hand in his as she started to comment. He pulled her close and placed his thumb over her lips. "Francine, not now," he ordered as she blushed.
The medics lifted Beaman into the back of the ambulance and locked the stretcher down. "Are you coming with me?" he asked, closing his eyes and putting his head down when Francine climbed into the back with him and gently took his hand in hers.
Lee closed the doors with a grin. With a slap of his hand on the window, the lights and sirens came on and the vehicle pulled away. "I'd say we've found someone who can handle Francine!"
Billy laughed, "So it seems. And now the two of you need to get back to the Q Bureau and file the reports before anything else happens tonight."
"Awww Billy, come on! It's Christmas Eve; we can take care of it on the 26th!"
Walking to his own car, Billy shook his head. "I never thought I'd live to hear you say that! File it tonight Scarecrow; after all this is your own little Christmas tradition." With a wink, Melrose got in his car and headed back to the Agency.
Linking her arm in her husband's, Amanda turned toward the Vette. "If we hurry, we can get things finished and meet Mother and the boys at church for midnight services and have a nice dinner when we get home."
"Now that's one tradition I'd be happy to see replace my old one," Lee commented.
"We'll work on it, together."
Lee glanced at his wife in the darkened interior of the car. He'd tell her about Beaman saving his neck later. He turned his eyes back to the road and let his thoughts wander.
"What are you thinking about, sweetheart?"
"Miracles, Amanda. I'm thinking about miracles."
TAG
Christmas Morning 1:40am
4247 Maplewood Drive
The family room was awash in the glow from the Christmas tree lights; the colors falling softly on the walls giving warmth to the room far beyond what the temperature actually was.
As he entered the room, Lee stopped and smiled. He was carrying two mugs of hot cocoa and feeling smug as Amanda had finally entrusted him with her secret marshmallow hiding place.
While the cocoa had been heating, Lee had called the hospital to check on Beaman. Francine had relayed the degree of the injury Beaman had received and his treatment; she also mentioned that she was staying with Efraim to see he did what he was told. Hanging up the phone, Lee had smiled and shook his head; he certainly hoped Beaman knew what he was getting into.
Amanda held up her hands for her mug of cocoa. She took a sip and smiled her approval. "I heard you on the phone to the hospital; how's Efraim?"
"Not bad it seems, considering who has taken over the administration of his care. Francine said he had quite a few stitches; it seems the stiletto cut the muscle clean through his arm," he grimaced along with Amanda who shivered at the thought. "He's in a sling and on pain killers for the night. Francine's gonna stay with him."
"Seems she's forgotten all about Donnelly; but I don't think she'll overlook Roxanne and Beaman together as quickly!"
"I asked Beaman earlier if he knew what he was doing; seems he knew exactly what he was about. Francine may have her reservations but she's not about to let anyone else move in on what she considers to be hers!"
"Well, I hope it works out for them."
Lee nodded his agreement. "Yeah, me too; he's not a bad agent. Oh and Francine said that Baker's condition was upgraded from critical to guarded."
"That's good!"
"Yes it is."
"I'd say that constitutes another Christmas miracle; how many today?"
Lee wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders and hugged her against him. "I'd say two or three."
"Add another with Efraim stopping that man from stabbing you!"
"You saw that? I thought you were too far away."
"Stetson, you should know that I see everything."
"True. How's the hot cocoa?" A diversion was at times, the wisest course of action he decided. Especially on Christmas Eve.
The corners of Amanda's mouth lifted even as she bit her lip to keep from smiling. "Excellent, the hot cocoa is excellent; perfect marshmallow deployment."
Lee put his mug on the coffee table, taking Amanda's from her as well. "I studied under the best," he stood and offered her his hands, smiling when she quickly placed hers in his. He pulled her up and into his arms, kissing her.
Amanda pulled away moved to the stairs, "Will you turn off the tree lights?" She asked him with a soft smile.
Moving to the tree, he flipped the switch and the room was cast into darkness. As was his habit, he stopped and looked out the window.
A light snow was falling, covering Maplewood Drive with a soft blanket of white. He felt his throat tighten as he thought about his wife and her Christmas miracles. He pulled the long, thin blue box from his pocket that held his Christmas present to her. No scarf in here, he thought to himself with a smile. He turned and bounded up the stairs, eager to make her understand that he knew all about gifts and families and Christmas.
After all, she was his own, personal Christmas miracle.
The End
The School of The Americas:
The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHISC or WHINSEC), formerly the School of the Americas (SOA; Spanish: Escuela de las Américas) is a United States Department of Defense facility at Fort Benning near Columbus, Georgia.
Between 1946 and 2001, the SOA trained more than 61,000 Latin American soldiers and policemen. Some of them became famous for having been responsible of human rights violations, such as generals Leopoldo Galtieri and Manuel Noriega, dictators such as Bolivia's Hugo Banzer as well as some of Augusto Pinochet's officers. The terrorist Luis Posada Carriles was educated there in 1961, although he never graduated. Critics of the school argue that the education encouraged such practices and that this continues in the WHINSEC. This is denied by the WHINSEC and its supporters who argue that the alleged connection is at best, weak. According to the WHINSEC the education now emphasizes democracy and human rights.
To the author's knowledge, no event as portrayed actually transpired. The story is purely fiction and the author freely admits to using the unsavory (and unproven) reputation of the above school for fictional intrigue.
Crail is an actual name of a red toned color. Ever need to find the name of a color? Here's a great link. /phernalia/name-that-color/