International Affairs

Amanda sat at Lee's desk trying to find the top of it. She thought that with all the time he had taken off to be with the family that Francine would have found at least the corner. "Francine, how did you work in here with this?"

"Amanda, do I look like I want to take on a mission of death? You know you have been the only person to ever make sense out of his system. If YOU can't find something than in all reality Lee doesn't have it or he has it with him. What are you looking for?"

"The Milan file; it has two folders and I only have one."

Francine looked at her with a look of curiosity, "What is the Milan file?"

"It is something Lee said he started right before the twin's birthday; that is why he was stuck in the office for two days before you could get him to come home. He even worked on it during the week of Joe's funeral; he thought I never noticed him calling the Agency daily and making late night calls."

"I know the calls to here were just daily checks of briefings. I kept telling him that between me and Billy we had it all taken care of but he needed to be sure. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary going on here; Lee never asked about anything from Milan though."

"No he hasn't talked about this a lot so naturally I want to know what he is up to before he does something crazy; like go out in the field."

Billy and Lee came in and Lee raised his eyebrows as he noticed Amanda at his desk and he asked her, "Amanda what are you doing to my desk?"

"I am doing nothing to your desk; your files on the other hand I am trying to organize."

"Well, stop it, will you. You know I can't find thing when you move them around, I have a system."

Moving away from his desk she waved her hand over the mountain of files and said, "By all means figure it out." She sat down and as Lee took his seat and Billy took one Lee looked at the massive pile in front of him and moved three folders and held up what he was looking for.

"See right here; Billy this is what we have so far, which isn't a lot. I got a call from Agent Giovanni a few weeks ago and he wanted to know if we had heard about any connections to some missing teenage girls. I told him that was a matter for local enforcement or the FBI. He told me he thought that a human trafficking ring was taking the girls and were either being sold for money or just traded out right for guns and drugs."

"What did he want from us? Like you said this is usually a matter for the FBI not us."

"At first I wasn't sure what we could even do but then last week Constance asked Amanda and me to keep an eye on Katie because she had to go to Milan for two months. Still not thinking anything about it, when got home last night Constance called to talk with Katie but before she did she told me that her factory there caught fire. It was small and not a lot was harmed; except for her computer and some files in her office. Something began bothering me when she told me that. I looked over my file I had at home and in a sideline notation that Agent Giovanni sent me I kept seeing the word 'fires'. Two other fires happened within the four months; same thing with small fires in the office, computer damage and paper files burnt."

"Do you think the fires, factories and girls are connected, Scarecrow?" Billy asked.

"Yeah I do I just don't know how yet. That is why I was wondering if you could allow me to send a team over to do our own investigation and see what we come up with. If we can't make a connection or be able to help Agent Giovanni then they come home and we get back to what we do here."

"I don't have a problem with that but put a limit on time for this; if your team gets there and find it warrants our time then have them bust it open, if not bring them home and try to help stateside. If he thinks the girls are leaving here maybe we can help more form here. Your team will know where we will best be able to help when we get there. Who were you planning on sending?"

Lee looked over at the petite blond sitting on the couch next to his wife and Francine said, "Me?"

"Yes, Francine I want to send you. You are one of the best agents in this whole building. You know the language, the landscapes, and you have a dozen Italian contacts that would do anything for you at the drop of a hat. I need you on this." He was practically begging her; Lee thought she would have jumped at the chance to go to Milan.

"Sure I have no problem with that; I'll need a copy of the files and who are you sending with me?"

"You can choose your own team; no more than three other agents with you. Just give me the names of the agents you will be taking and then have your team ready to leave in the morning. Now I have about three meetings of my own to get ready for if you will excuse me."

The next few hours were a busy time for Amanda. On top of helping Lee reorganize his notes for his meetings she also set up the transportation agenda for Francine and her team. At around four in the afternoon she realized the time and that Lee wasn't back from his last meeting with Billy and the President. Francine came into the bull pen and stopped by Amanda's desk and asked if Lee and Billy were back yet. Amanda told her no and suggested that she go home and let her husband know how much Francine was going to miss him while she was gone.

"You do have an early flight tomorrow; it leaves at five in the morning, go home and spend time with Effraim. You two don't see enough of each other anyway."

Laughing Francine said "This from a woman who literally makes an appointment to see her husband at home."

Amanda laughed and said, "I know but just because we see them every day doesn't mean that they are seeing us. You need time together where the rest of the world isn't involved. Francine, why didn't you ask Effraim to go with you on the assignment?"

Francine looked down and Amanda saw her blush some as she said, "Because of the agent I am going to be working with. Agent Giovanni and I had an affair a few years ago."

"Francine you were two consenting adults nothing to be ashamed of. I am sure your husband knows that you have a past; just like I am sure he has, and that Lee and I had. This isn't going to be weird for you will it? I mean I have never seen you anything but professional."

"Thanks Amanda but no Effraim doesn't know about this part of my past. Amanda I don't mean just an affair, I mean I was the other woman. It was a real affair. He is married and as far as I know he still is; not that anything is going to happen, I love my husband; but next to my husband and Jonathon he really did a number on me."

"I see, are you sure you want to do this assignment Francine?"

"Why wouldn't she; my wife is the best at what she does?" Effraim walked up and said.

"Well, um, because. . ."

"Because I don't know how long this case will be and surprisingly I kind of like hanging out with my husband." Francine said reaching for his hand.

"Of course you do; why wouldn't you?" Effraim emphasized his point by leaning in and giving his wife a kiss. "Francine you ready? Did you see Lee?"

"Not yet, uh Amanda can you give this report to Lee."

"Sure and here is the flight information and case packet for you and your team to go over on the plane. Francine," Amanda said so only Francine could hear, "if you need anything at all just call me, day or night okay."

Francine smiled and said "Thanks Amanda I know please just make sure Lee gets that file report."

Amanda watched Francine and Effraim walk from the bull pen and she went back to work when Lee snuck up on her an hour later she jumped and he laughed at her.

"Okay, anything that looks like it could be a major disaster on the horizon or will I get to see our family tonight?"

"You have four messages and Francine dropped this file off and Mother called and wanted to know if she should keep the twins or met us at the house."

"I think meeting us should be fine; besides we have the Corvette today, no car seats in that one. Just let me do a few things and then we can leave. Can you go down to Crypto and see if they have found out anything on Jenson's drop from the pizza place."

"Sure I'll just be right back." Amanda turned and left the office as Lee opened the folder from Francine. It was just a simple surveillance on a new recruit and it looked like Lee was going to have the pleasure of explaining the right and wrong times to be in a strip club when you're assigned to a visiting dignitary. 'Was I ever this ass backwards as a rookie' he thought as he called for the rookie in question to come into his office.

Amanda came back to see a young man of about twenty-two practically running out of Lee's office looking well and good embarrassed about something. Almost immediately she saw her husband walk out of his office, lock the door, and whistling.

"You're way to happy, Stetson, does the guy still have a job?"

"For now he does now let's say we bust out of here." Amanda just nodded and took her purse from the drawer and then left with Lee still laughing as he explained the situation to his wife.

TWO WEEKS LATER

It had been two weeks since Francine had left and as beautiful as her surroundings she was beginning to see a clearer picture of the situation and she hoped she was wrong. When she and the other agents arrived they were met by Agent Anthony Giovanni and taken to their hotel and then right to the investigator headquarters. She was told that all the owners of the factories were being watched around the clock. Francine began to inquire as his theory of the ring.

"Agent Desmond,"

"Beaman," she corrected and showed her wedding band set on her hand.

"You're married now I was unaware congratulations. As I was saying we feel like there is only one leader who is profiting from this operation. From what we understand but can't seem to confirm, is that he handpicks the girls and then his men bring them in. From there it looks like they may have been held in the burnt factories being moved between them, until they are either sold or traded."

"How do the fires fit into all of this?"

"We think that evidence was being held on the computers and in the files that burnt in the fires. The only person that doesn't really fit in all this is Constance Rainer; she hasn't been to this factory for over a year until about a month ago; she came in to do some annual clean-up as she calls it. Word is that she wants to close the factory. She said that the orders coming from this factory was well below where her quality and standards were set. She told us that she came to look at the books, computer records, financials, just about everything but the kitchen sink. She was here a week when the fire happened; she was at the factory and almost died from smoke inhalation, she was lucky her husband was with her, he called it in and found her."

"That doesn't really surprise me; he was her bodyguard for a number of years before they married. I know her through mutual friends." She explained further as he gave her a curious look at the statement.

"Where do you want to start?"

"At the beginning, where was the first fire."

For the next two weeks Francine and her team visited every factory that had a fire and spoke to every person from the original investigations and with the help of some of her contacts a few that Agent Giovanni hadn't talked with. She seemed to be closing in on something or someone; the only problem with that was a soon as she seemed to have it figured out it vanished.

Frustrated she went back to her hotel after talking to a contact and getting nowhere she walked in and saw the room lit with candles and rose petals spread out on the bed and she thought for a minute that Effraim had come to surprised her, only to find Anthony standing on her balcony holding a glass of wine out to her.

"Tony, how did you get in here?" This was the last thing she needed.

"Francine, you have been here for two weeks and we haven't had any time alone together; so I thought I would make the time." He said as he moved closer to her. She got a funny feeling in her stomach as he moved closer to her.

"Tony, I don't think that this a very good idea. I am not the same woman you knew a few years ago. I admit I may not apologize for our affair, but I do regret it and do not have any plans on starting it back up." She turned to walk to the door to open it for him and he said, "I miss you, Francine."

Stopping just shy of the door she turned on him and let her anger unleashed on him, "Missed me?! You expect me to believe that after all these years you have changed and that you have been in Italy pinning away and waiting for me? It wasn't like when I knew you I was undercover; you've known where I have been all these years. If things really had changed and your wife wasn't in the picture why then haven't you contacted me in all this time?"

He crossed the room and placed his hands on her face and began to kiss her. She resisted the kiss and when he continued she pushed him away from her. She saw her lipstick on his face and she told him, "You better wash your face before you go home to your wife." She then opened the door and before Tony could walk out Effraim walked in. He saw the room, the bed, the wine, the man in his wife's room with lipstick on his face and before Francine could say anything he walked over to the man and said, "I think you need to leave on your own now Agent Giovanni before I help you leave out the window. Also, unless it deals directly to this case stay the hell away from my wife." Effraim was fuming and as tony left the room he began to pace and Francine became worried. She had never in all her years ever seen Effraim as mad as he was at that very moment.

"Effraim, he was here when I got back; I thought it was you when I first saw the room."

"I heard you; I heard what you said. Is that what I have been to you a substitute for him or Jonathon these past two years? I really didn't think we had any secretes between us."

Francine sat on the bed and she was really worried that she would lose her husband. "This was the only one, you knew about Jonathon. I haven't always been proud of some of the things I have had to do for this job, but when I met Tony I wasn't on a job. I was just Francine Desmond and he was just Tony Giovanni. We met a party and it wasn't long after Jonathon had left me." Her tears burned her eyes and she tried to stop them but she couldn't. The more she explained the harder she cried; she was certain that it was more for the pain in his eyes than reliving the affair.

"I was lonely and feeling pretty worthless and he was handsome, sweet, and seemed to understand. He told me he had just gotten out of a pretty long term relationship and one date led to another and another and then when I was pretty secure that things were moving along I saw him out with his wife and son. When he saw me he introduced me to her as a visiting agent on assignment; an extremely classified assignment. She seemed really sweet and didn't question his explanation and then he came to see me that night. He thought it was great that I didn't react when I saw her; he told me that was what made us so great together. I was so mad but I still couldn't stop what we were doing and then I was told it was time to come back and that is all. I left Milan a week after that and have really tried to avoid coming here since."

"You never answered my question, Francine, am I just a substitute for the ones that got away; your consolation prize; the one you accepted because you knew I was a sure thing?"

His words were worse than if he had slapped her across the face, "No, you were never a consolation prize; not once, not ever. You at first were the last thing I ever wanted and then you stopped trying so hard and I found myself missing you being around. I missed you hitting on me and then I heard a rumor about you and that Roxanne being in the copier room."

"What were you surprised that a woman found me attractive?"

"No, I was surprised that you found her attractive. I was jealous okay. There I said it, I know it sounds strange but at the time all I knew then was that I didn't want you but I didn't want you with anyone else. I know that sounds crazy but that is what I was feeling. How was I going to tell you that and not sound crazy?"

"I don't know but I wish you would have told me; I would have waited until you didn't sound crazy."

"I know you would have but I wasn't going to ask you to wait for me to figure my life out. That wasn't fair to you. What made you back off any way?"

"Amanda; she told me that maybe I was trying too hard. If I wanted you to notice me she said maybe I had to let you find me; if I wasn't always there then you had to make the effort."

Francine laughed and said, "Leave it to Amanda and her way of thinking. She was right you know I did start looking for you. Did you do this to the room for an early Valentine's present?" She moved her hand over the room and he just nodded.

"I asked Agent Giovanni to help me surprise you by keeping you away from here as long as he could. I had the hotel staff set things up for me when they cleaned your room and then I waited for you to come back. Good things I like long books to read. I must have been in the garden when he came up because I never saw him, but I did see you. I thought I would give you a few minutes to take in the room and then I was going to surprise you."

"That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you Effraim Beaman, I love you so much. Am I forgiven?"

"Do you have any more secrets, Mrs. Beaman?" He asked as he knelt in front of her. She shook her head no and he leaned in and before he kissed her he said, "Then all is forgiven." Later as Francine slept Effraim called Lee at and told him that he would be staying on until Francine was done and he hung the phone up before Lee could protest. His wife was his concern and he wasn't leaving her.

Valentine's Dance in Arlington

Two days after Lee spoke to Effraim he was sitting in his office when the phone rang, "Stetson, here."

"Lee, I was hoping you were still there; you promised the kids they could use the Corvette for the dance and you took it with you, they have to leave in an hour."

"Damn, I forgot. I was just going over double checking something and waiting for Francine's check in. She was going to try and have Effraim make contact with the seller's contact. She seems to closing in. I will have any calls from Francine transferred to the house; if she calls before I get there you know the drill, take the information and relay it to me when I get there. I'm on my way to bring the car to the kids, but I may have to come back in."

"Okay, just be careful and we will see you in about twenty minutes. I love you."

"I love you too, see you soon." He hung the phone up and left the office with instructions for any calls from Francine or anyone from her team to be transferred to his house.

"Okay, fellas, your Dad will be here in twenty minutes to trade vehicles. You two look great, where is Katie at, I thought she was almost done."

Philip said, "She is upstairs; I thought she was ready too, I guess not."

Amanda went upstairs and knocked on the bathroom door, "Katie, Lee will be here in a few minutes are you ready or do you need any help?"

Katie opened the door and said, "No, I'm ready, let's go downstairs."

The two went downstairs and Philip walked over and gave Katie her flowers and then a corsage; he leaned close to her and gave her a tiny kiss, "Dad is on his way then the four of us can leave."

Blushing she said, "Okay Philip; Brittany your dress is so pretty where did you get it?"

The two teenage girls talked and Amanda took pictures while waiting for Lee to get home. Philip and Jamie just rolled their eyes and sat to wait for their Dad.

Lee walked in and the boys seemed excited to leave. Lee handed Philip the keys and then told the girls how lovely they looked and kissed each of their hand. His gave his speech on how to act, not to fight, and be back at a reasonable time. "Most importantly you four have fun."

"We will Dad and don't worry I'll drive carefully." Amanda and Lee watched as they drove out of the driveway and then went back in. Amanda asked if he had time to eat with her and the twins before heading back in. "I sure do. I had calls to be redirected here, so I have time for dinner and even some family time."

"I like the sound of that." Together they began to make dinner when the twins came in from playing outside in the yard, getting excited as always when they saw their Dad. The phone ringing interrupted paly time for a minute. Lee raised his finger to let them know to hang on, "Hello. Oh, hi, no you just missed them. She looked great. Yes, I am sure that Amanda took lots of pictures for you when you get home in a few weeks. How is everything going there are you making progress in getting your files back in order? Okay, I see, well, she is just doing her job. Francine is just trying to help, let her do her job okay? Okay, I'll talk to you later; bye, yeah me too."

"I take it Constance doesn't like Francine poking into her files?"

"No, she doesn't at all. She said she is having a hell of a time getting her files back in order. Her assistant here faxed her over the records she had on file here but they aren't matching so Francine made a copy and is trying to make sense out of it and no Constance is resisting the help."

Thirty minutes later Lee answered the phone to hear Philip screaming, "She's gone, Dad. We can't find her anywhere."

Lee looked at Amanda as he asked, "Who can't you find Philip?"

"Katie."