CHAPTER 10 - Interrogation

Lee had changed clothes and was walking towards the door when there was a knock. Thinking it was Amanda trying to hurry him up, Lee opened the door with a ready smile on his face. "It's OK Aman…," he began, his smile fading as he recognised the man before him.

Lee reached for his gun, but Burgess pulled one out first. "Nice and easy," he said, holding out his hand. Sighing, Lee handed over his weapon and raised his hands.

Burgess forced Lee back into his apartment and shut the door behind him. "You weren't as injured in that crash as I thought," he commented in a disappointed tone. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to worry about finishing you off."

"Well, I'm sorry to be such an inconvenience," retorted Lee sarcastically.

"Don't worry, you won't be for much longer," Burgess replied, confidently. He raised the gun and aimed directly at Lee's head.

Lee stared unflinchingly back at the man, desperately trying to think of something to say or do to stall him. It couldn't end now, not when he had so much to live for.

Just then, there was a loud banging at the door and a woman's angry voice called out, "Michael Sullivan, you open this door right now."

Lee relaxed a little as he recognised Amanda's voice. Burgess gestured to him, but Lee made no response at all. "You've got the wrong apartment, lady," Burgess shouted back, glaring angrily at Lee.

"Don't you dare try that trick with me again, Michael," came Amanda's voice. "If you won't open the door, perhaps this policeman I've brought with me can."

With that, there was more banging on the door. Muttering an oath, Burgess turned slightly and Lee seized his opportunity. Kicking out his leg, he knocked the gun from Burgess' hand. Burgess swore again and turned wrathfully towards him.

Lee faced his adversary, who made a sudden dive for the discarded gun. When he realised Burgess' intent, Lee ran over and just managed to kick it out of his reach before he got there.

As he turned back to Burgess, Lee underestimated the other man's quickness and much to his surprise, was caught squarely on the jaw with a punch. Stunned, Lee took a couple of steps back and raised his hand to wipe away, what he knew from the taste in his mouth, had to be blood. "Why you...," he growled, through gritted teeth. With his right hand, Lee grabbed the man by his shirt and drew back his left to deliver a devastating punch. The man's head snapped back and he slumped into unconsciousness.

Shaking his hand to ease the pain, Lee picked up the gun with his other and walked over to the door, where Amanda was still calling and banging on it. He opened it up and she stepped back, startled.

"It's OK Amanda, he's out," explained Lee, standing back to let her in.

She entered and looked at him in concern. "Are you alright?" Lee was about to answer when Amanda noticed his lip. "No, you're not alright," she exclaimed, horrified. "Look at your poor mouth." She pulled out a tissue and started to dab gently at the already drying blood.

"Amanda, I'm fine," Lee assured her, catching hold of her hand in order to stop her. "He just re-opened the wound from the accident. It's no big deal. It was a lucky punch," he added derisively.

"I can see that," said Amanda, trying not to laugh. Lee grinned back as best he could.

"How did he get your address?" asked Amanda, as the thought suddenly materialised in her head.

Lee shrugged his shoulders. "From what I read in his file and considering his job, he's bound to have a lot of contacts, Amanda. It wouldn't be that hard once he had my name, which he more than likely got from going through my wallet or possibly from some rookie nurse at the hospital."

Amanda shivered slightly as she thought of what a close call Lee had had. He noticed her tremble and seemingly able to read her mind, he wrapped his arms around her, comfortingly. "Hey, thanks to you, I'm fine. You were just great," he praised.

She looked up at him and smiled. Not one for passing up an opportunity, Lee immediately pressed his lips to hers. Amanda moved into his embrace to deepen the kiss but they were disturbed by the sound of a low groan behind them.

Lee reluctantly broke away from her, clearing his throat. "Look, I want to have a little chat with our friend over there. Why don't you use the telephone in the bedroom and call for back-up. Just give me about five minutes."

Still flushed from their kiss, Amanda nodded, but before she could turn to go Lee added, "Oh, and Amanda, when you come back in, just follow my lead OK?"

"OK," she replied.

Once she was out of sight, Lee walked over to Burgess and tapped his cheek until he awoke. Realising Burgess was still groggy from the punch, Lee hauled the man to his feet and roughly sat him down on the couch. Burgess shook his head in an effort to clear it and upon seeing Lee, made to go for him again.

"Uh-uh," said Lee, aiming his gun at him. He pulled back the safety. "Believe me, I WILL use this." Burgess glared menacingly back at him but, seeing that Lee remained unperturbed, he settled back against the couch and folded his arms in a pathetic act of defiance.

"OK, buddy, where's the disk?" asked Lee, getting straight to the point as usual.

"I don't know what you're talking about," replied Burgess, dismissively.

"Oh, come on," derided Lee. "I know it was you who chased me the other night."

Burgess shifted uncomfortably in his seat but still didn't admit anything. "I told you, I don't know what you're talking about," he denied, his voice rising slightly.

"I know you killed Miller," stated Lee, noticing a flush creep up the other man's face. "And Lambert."

"I didn't touch Lambert," Burgess blurted out indignantly. Seeing the satisfied smile spread across Lee's face, Burgess realised what he'd said and paled.

"But you did kill Miller, huh?" queried Lee.

Burgess remained silent and Lee flicked a contemptuous glance over him before leaning forward for emphasis. "You won't be so quiet when I get you back to the Agency. By the time I've finished with you, you'll be begging to tell me everything you know," he promised, smiling grimly.

Lee's quiet threat was delivered in a voice as cold and hard as steel. Burgess swallowed and looked away.

Amanda came back into the room and Lee stood up, looking at her. He raised his eyebrows in a silent question and Amanda nodded back, saying, "There are two men in the area. They should be here in a couple of minutes."

"Good," he said, with a curt nod. He looked at his watch and sighed. "Well, you'd better get going Amanda or you're going to miss your meeting with Barnhill."

Burgess' head snapped up and his mouth dropped open in shock. "B…Barnhill? C…Conrad Barnhill?" he questioned, feeling his stomach drop.

"That's right," confirmed Lee. "He's one of us."

"What?" exclaimed Burgess. He couldn't believe this. Barnhill was a fool. A stupid fool.

"Yeah," confirmed Amanda, quickly overcoming her own surprise at what Lee had just said. She just hoped he knew what he was doing. She didn't want Conrad to get into any trouble. "He's been keeping us informed all along."

Burgess looked hard at Amanda for a moment and realised he recognised her from the party. He'd seen her talking to Conrad just before he'd sought out Miller. Groaning inwardly to himself, he also remembered having caught Conrad in his office earlier. Looking from one to the other, he wondered just how much they knew. He'd been very careful to make sure nothing incriminating had ever been left out in the open.

Lee watched Burgess closely, trying to see if he would break. He had hoped that just mentioning Conrad would have been enough but, with a resigned sigh, he knew as soon as he saw Burgess' face take on a resolute look, that it was going to take more than that to get to him. There was a knock at the door and Lee motioned for Amanda to answer it. She stood back and allowed the two agents waiting outside to enter.

"Take him back to the Agency," ordered Lee, "and watch him carefully."

The two men handcuffed Burgess and took him away. Lee turned to Amanda and ran his fingers through his hair. "Damn it, I thought he'd talk if we mentioned Conrad's name," he moaned in frustration.

"So, what will you do now?" asked Amanda. "Interrogate him?"

"Interview him," said Lee absently, automatically correcting her. He turned away, deep in thought and Amanda checked her watch.

"Well, I'd better get going or I really will be late meeting Connie and getting to the labs," she informed him, starting for the door.

"Wait Amanda," said Lee, grabbing her arm. "I don't want you to go there with him."

She turned and looked at him in surprise. Thinking he was still jealous, she smiled tenderly and reached a hand out, placing it against his cheek. "I thought we'd already sorted this out," she chided softly. "You know how I feel about Connie."

Lee smiled briefly before sobering and taking hold of both her hands. "The reason I don't want you to go to ChemiMed with him Amanda, is because I want you to bring Conrad to the Agency," he admitted quietly. "I have a feeling that if Burgess actually sees him with us, he'll break."

"But, what if Burgess escapes? Connie would be in danger….," began Amanda worriedly, not at all happy with Lee's idea.

"He won't escape and there'll be no danger Amanda," Lee assured her, confidently. "All Conrad will have to do is let Burgess see him and leave. What could go wrong?"

Shaking her head, Amanda gave him a rueful smile. "Connie pretending to be a spy. You're right, what could go wrong?"

END CHAPTER TEN