Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs King is copyrighted by Warner Bros and Shoot the Moon Production Company. Typical lines, situations, clichés, etc are borrowed from SMK.
Additional Notes: Filler scenes for 'Burn Out'. Thanks to barnstormer for the idea and suggestions.
Amanda King hesitated outside the office door. Had Billy ever called like that before and left a message with her mother? She didn't think so, but Lee's car was out front, so this must be right. Maybe Lee had told Billy that she knew the whole 'burn out' thing was a cover, and this was where they were going to rendezvous to discuss things.
She rapped lightly on the door, and heard a voice telling her to come in. Upon entering the room, she was surprised to see a man she didn't know. And Lee did not look happy. Obviously she shouldn't have listened to her mother.
"Lee!" Amanda exclaimed. 'Did I just blow his cover? He's going to kill me!' she thought.
"There's your victim, Lee. I want you to kill Amanda King." Peter Brackin announced.
Amanda gulped. 'I meant that figuratively!' crossed her mind. Before she could do anything else, Jack Harris was behind her with a gun.
Lee Stetson assumed that it was Jack Harris who had brought Amanda in. He didn't realize she'd fallen for the old 'phone call from the boss' routine.
Brackin drove them out into the country. Lee was in the front seat with him, Amanda sat in the back with Harris. Obviously it was too much to hope that they could sit together, they might have worked out a plan of escape! Their eyes met briefly when they got out of the car. They hadn't exchanged a word, Amanda hadn't spoken at all since her exclamation upon entering the room.
Lee's stomach churned as he raised the gun Brackin gave him, and aimed at Amanda. He'd never shot an unarmed person before, whenever he'd killed it had been in self-defense. And Lee didn't think he could shoot Amanda even to save his own life. But they were being watched by Brackin and Harris, and Lee had no doubt that both were perfectly willing to kill Amanda if he didn't shoot her, if he made even the slightest move to rebel.
He calmed himself by focusing on her eyes. Although Amanda's body language communicated that she was frozen with fear, her eyes reassured him of her trust and belief in him. Her eyes mirrored the moment he came to his final decision, almost as though she was reading his thoughts.
Lee squeezed the trigger, Amanda spun at the exactly the right moment, and tumbled down the embankment. The three men looked down to find her unmoving body had come to rest against some bushes.
"Good job!" Brackin congratulated Lee on his first execution.
"You satisfied?" was Lee's short response, as he returned the gun to Brackin. He had to go sit down. If he looked at Amanda again, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from rushing down the hillside and gathering her up in his arms.
When he got back to the car, Lee realized that Harris and Brackin had not followed him. They were still standing in the spot where Amanda had been. He panicked, what were they talking about? Were they unconvinced that she was dead? Would they check? Would they shoot her again, just to make sure? He shouldn't have left them, he wouldn't be able to stop them from here. He sighed in relief when they turned towards him and walked back to the car.
"I know how you must feel." Brackin commiserated, as they drove away, responding to Lee's silence "It's not easy killing a woman."
Lee ignored the comment, instead prompting Brackin to tell him about the plan. He listened with only partial attention. Briefly he wondered if throwing up would blow, or reinforce, his cover. He concentrated on breathing evenly, trying to calm his stomach, trying to quell that nagging doubt. Lee was a crack shot, surely he had missed her as intended, it was just fine acting on Amanda's part that caused her to fall at just the right moment. He couldn't think about the alternative, he'd never forgive himself if he'd so much as grazed her with the shot. He still hadn't forgiven himself for slapping her.
He hoped she hadn't become injured when she rolled down the hill. Who knew what rocks and other debris had been in her path? And what about when she ran into that bush? What if she hit her head? Or broke an arm or a leg? Lee would rather die than hurt Amanda in any way.
Lee mentally shook himself. He had to stop this train of thought, all he could do now was concentrate on Brackin's plan. He had to trust that Amanda could take care of herself, after all she had whacked Harris with a branch yesterday. He had to go along with Brackin's plan and trust that Amanda would find a way to send for back up.
***
Lee was pretty much operating on auto-pilot as he went along with Brackin's heist. He just made sure not to hurt the guards, and watch out for Brackin and Harris. It was best not to think too much about what he was doing, other than working out a plan of his own for capturing Brackin. He knew it was about time to set his plans in motion once they got finished loading the money into Brackin's trunk. And that's when the cavalry arrived, in the form of a big, loud semi.
'Amanda!' Lee thought. He'd wondered how she was going to find backup, almost expecting her to show up with the National Guard. Trust her to come up with something more confusing. Brackin and Harris were confused for sure when the semi crashed through the shed. Lee was able to catch Harris with his guard down, while Brackin made a run for it.
***
After Brackin and Harris were subdued, Lee gave Amanda the codes to call The Agency on the CB. He and Travis handcuffed the bad guys to some nearby posts to wait for the clean-up crew. Travis was thanked again and sent on his way with a number to call at IFF for repairs to his truck.
Lee and Amanda leaned against Brackin's car while keeping an eye on their prisoners, who were still out cold.
"Are you OK?" Lee put his arm around Amanda's shoulders and hugged her to his side, his earlier fears dissipating seeing that she was all in one piece.
"Oh, yeah, sure. Just a few new bruises, and this sweater will never be the same." She smiled up at him reassuringly.
"Well, you did a good acting job of being shot. It was very convincing." He didn't remove his arm, leaving it casually draped across her shoulders.
"Really?" Amanda grinned. "I fooled you even?"
"Of course not, I'm the one that shot you, remember?" Lee denied, "I know how to miss when I have to!"
"Sure, Scarecrow!" She nudged him with her elbow.
"Well... it was an unfamiliar gun, if it had been my gun, I would have known for sure..." Lee prevaricated.
"Oh, Lee! You were really worried! That's so sweet." Amanda was touched. "Seriously, I never doubted you."
"I know, I could see that you trusted me. That really meant a lot to me, Amanda, it made this whole experience a lot easier." Lee gave her shoulder a squeeze. "You never gave up on me at all, the whole time I was playing a 'burn out' you were sure that I would get over it."
"You might as well realize you can't fool me, Stetson!" Amanda warned, "Next time you're playing 'arms dealer' or 'burnt out agent' you ought to let me in on it from the beginning."
"I swear, it wasn't my fault, this time! I told Billy you'd never believe me as washed up." Scarecrow preened.
Amanda rolled her eyes, but was saved from having to answer by the arrival of a half dozen Agency vehicles. Suddenly uncomfortable with their chummy demeanor in the presence of their co-workers, they straightened up from leaning against the car and awkwardly faced each other.
"Well, partner, looks like the reinforcements have arrived. Another day, another dollar," Amanda held her hand out to Lee.
"Yep," Lee agreed, "Good job, partner!"
They shook hands then turned to face Billy as he approached.
The End.
Additional Notes: Filler scenes for 'Burn Out'. Thanks to barnstormer for the idea and suggestions.
Amanda King hesitated outside the office door. Had Billy ever called like that before and left a message with her mother? She didn't think so, but Lee's car was out front, so this must be right. Maybe Lee had told Billy that she knew the whole 'burn out' thing was a cover, and this was where they were going to rendezvous to discuss things.
She rapped lightly on the door, and heard a voice telling her to come in. Upon entering the room, she was surprised to see a man she didn't know. And Lee did not look happy. Obviously she shouldn't have listened to her mother.
"Lee!" Amanda exclaimed. 'Did I just blow his cover? He's going to kill me!' she thought.
"There's your victim, Lee. I want you to kill Amanda King." Peter Brackin announced.
Amanda gulped. 'I meant that figuratively!' crossed her mind. Before she could do anything else, Jack Harris was behind her with a gun.
Lee Stetson assumed that it was Jack Harris who had brought Amanda in. He didn't realize she'd fallen for the old 'phone call from the boss' routine.
Brackin drove them out into the country. Lee was in the front seat with him, Amanda sat in the back with Harris. Obviously it was too much to hope that they could sit together, they might have worked out a plan of escape! Their eyes met briefly when they got out of the car. They hadn't exchanged a word, Amanda hadn't spoken at all since her exclamation upon entering the room.
Lee's stomach churned as he raised the gun Brackin gave him, and aimed at Amanda. He'd never shot an unarmed person before, whenever he'd killed it had been in self-defense. And Lee didn't think he could shoot Amanda even to save his own life. But they were being watched by Brackin and Harris, and Lee had no doubt that both were perfectly willing to kill Amanda if he didn't shoot her, if he made even the slightest move to rebel.
He calmed himself by focusing on her eyes. Although Amanda's body language communicated that she was frozen with fear, her eyes reassured him of her trust and belief in him. Her eyes mirrored the moment he came to his final decision, almost as though she was reading his thoughts.
Lee squeezed the trigger, Amanda spun at the exactly the right moment, and tumbled down the embankment. The three men looked down to find her unmoving body had come to rest against some bushes.
"Good job!" Brackin congratulated Lee on his first execution.
"You satisfied?" was Lee's short response, as he returned the gun to Brackin. He had to go sit down. If he looked at Amanda again, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from rushing down the hillside and gathering her up in his arms.
When he got back to the car, Lee realized that Harris and Brackin had not followed him. They were still standing in the spot where Amanda had been. He panicked, what were they talking about? Were they unconvinced that she was dead? Would they check? Would they shoot her again, just to make sure? He shouldn't have left them, he wouldn't be able to stop them from here. He sighed in relief when they turned towards him and walked back to the car.
"I know how you must feel." Brackin commiserated, as they drove away, responding to Lee's silence "It's not easy killing a woman."
Lee ignored the comment, instead prompting Brackin to tell him about the plan. He listened with only partial attention. Briefly he wondered if throwing up would blow, or reinforce, his cover. He concentrated on breathing evenly, trying to calm his stomach, trying to quell that nagging doubt. Lee was a crack shot, surely he had missed her as intended, it was just fine acting on Amanda's part that caused her to fall at just the right moment. He couldn't think about the alternative, he'd never forgive himself if he'd so much as grazed her with the shot. He still hadn't forgiven himself for slapping her.
He hoped she hadn't become injured when she rolled down the hill. Who knew what rocks and other debris had been in her path? And what about when she ran into that bush? What if she hit her head? Or broke an arm or a leg? Lee would rather die than hurt Amanda in any way.
Lee mentally shook himself. He had to stop this train of thought, all he could do now was concentrate on Brackin's plan. He had to trust that Amanda could take care of herself, after all she had whacked Harris with a branch yesterday. He had to go along with Brackin's plan and trust that Amanda would find a way to send for back up.
***
Lee was pretty much operating on auto-pilot as he went along with Brackin's heist. He just made sure not to hurt the guards, and watch out for Brackin and Harris. It was best not to think too much about what he was doing, other than working out a plan of his own for capturing Brackin. He knew it was about time to set his plans in motion once they got finished loading the money into Brackin's trunk. And that's when the cavalry arrived, in the form of a big, loud semi.
'Amanda!' Lee thought. He'd wondered how she was going to find backup, almost expecting her to show up with the National Guard. Trust her to come up with something more confusing. Brackin and Harris were confused for sure when the semi crashed through the shed. Lee was able to catch Harris with his guard down, while Brackin made a run for it.
***
After Brackin and Harris were subdued, Lee gave Amanda the codes to call The Agency on the CB. He and Travis handcuffed the bad guys to some nearby posts to wait for the clean-up crew. Travis was thanked again and sent on his way with a number to call at IFF for repairs to his truck.
Lee and Amanda leaned against Brackin's car while keeping an eye on their prisoners, who were still out cold.
"Are you OK?" Lee put his arm around Amanda's shoulders and hugged her to his side, his earlier fears dissipating seeing that she was all in one piece.
"Oh, yeah, sure. Just a few new bruises, and this sweater will never be the same." She smiled up at him reassuringly.
"Well, you did a good acting job of being shot. It was very convincing." He didn't remove his arm, leaving it casually draped across her shoulders.
"Really?" Amanda grinned. "I fooled you even?"
"Of course not, I'm the one that shot you, remember?" Lee denied, "I know how to miss when I have to!"
"Sure, Scarecrow!" She nudged him with her elbow.
"Well... it was an unfamiliar gun, if it had been my gun, I would have known for sure..." Lee prevaricated.
"Oh, Lee! You were really worried! That's so sweet." Amanda was touched. "Seriously, I never doubted you."
"I know, I could see that you trusted me. That really meant a lot to me, Amanda, it made this whole experience a lot easier." Lee gave her shoulder a squeeze. "You never gave up on me at all, the whole time I was playing a 'burn out' you were sure that I would get over it."
"You might as well realize you can't fool me, Stetson!" Amanda warned, "Next time you're playing 'arms dealer' or 'burnt out agent' you ought to let me in on it from the beginning."
"I swear, it wasn't my fault, this time! I told Billy you'd never believe me as washed up." Scarecrow preened.
Amanda rolled her eyes, but was saved from having to answer by the arrival of a half dozen Agency vehicles. Suddenly uncomfortable with their chummy demeanor in the presence of their co-workers, they straightened up from leaning against the car and awkwardly faced each other.
"Well, partner, looks like the reinforcements have arrived. Another day, another dollar," Amanda held her hand out to Lee.
"Yep," Lee agreed, "Good job, partner!"
They shook hands then turned to face Billy as he approached.
The End.