Beyond Plan D

Chapter 11

It was late at night and Amanda had just started washing the dishes. Mother and the boys had already retired upstairs. As she rinsed a plate, Amanda happened to glance out the window and then smiled softly to herself.

Against the moonlit skies, she could make out a tall, dark silhouette.

Lee.

Quickly placing the plate on the dish rack, she dried her hands on the kitchen towel and adjusted her hair. Then looking cautiously all around, she slipped out the back door.

"Leee!" she whispered out into the darkness for their usual backyard rendezvous.

The dark silhouette walked into the porch light.

And Amanda gasped.

It wasn't Lee!

She had never noticed before how similar in built and height Augie was to Lee.

"Augie! What are you doing here!" she wanted to know.

"Mandy!" he smiled, "heeey! I'm here because I needed to talk to you about something."

Amanda glanced back at her house and all seemed quiet, so she turned back to Augie.

"Okay," she said, softly "but couldn't this wait until tomorrow?"

"Wellll," he hesitated, "it's something I wanted to say...in private. To you only."

Uh-oh

"Ohhhhh," Amanda said, and then noticed the seriousness of his expression, "everything's alright, isn't it?"

"Sure."

"You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"

"I did nick myself shaving this morning, but outside of that, nope."

"Then what?"

She held her breath, hoping it wasn't some really bad news.

"It's just..." he was fighting the words, "remember I told I wanted to be a spy?"

"Yes?"

"Forget that. I've changed my mind."

"That's it?" Amanda took a breath of relief. It could have been worse, "Oh Augie! Thank goodness it's only that!"

Augie looked hurt, "Gee, so glad you're commiserating with my misery!"

"What? Oh no! Augie! I didn't mean it that way!" Amanda recovered, "It's just I'm happy that...never mind...what changed your mind about wanting to be an agent?"

"It's just spywork is not everything it's cracked up to be," Augie said disappointedly, "Where are the women? The free, massages? The foreign locales? The cool gadgets? And again, because it's worth repeating: Where are thewomen?"

Amanda tried to be patient, "I already told you, Augie, that spywork isn't always exciting!"

"Yeah, I know, I mean, Plan D was fun and all, but I thought there would be more to it! I wanted to at least be able to say secret phrases like, 'The beagle has landed,' or 'The rose is in the garden, repeat, the rose is in the garden', or how about, 'Operation Drown-a-Rat is a go...'"

Amanda bit her lip to keep from smiling. She certainly has come a long way since she started at The Agency.

"If it makes you feel any better, Augie, I never got to say those phrases, either," she told him and then asked, 'You're not thinking of pulling out of our team, are you?"

He perked up, "Our team?"

"Yes, our team...the team that was successful in stealing back the Fairy Tale Imperial Egg from a very bad person," she summarized, "That team."

Augie looked excited, "Say that again, Mandy."

Amanda was confused, "about stealing the Imperial Egg back?"

"No!" he stated emphatically, "the part where you said, 'our team'. You mean, I'm part of the team?"

"Yes, of course, Augie, but why-"

"Oh, Mandy, baby! You've made me so happy!" Augie broke out in a smile, "We're a team! Like a family! So that would make Lee my brother, or maybe it would be better if he were a cranky cousin; and you, my sister; Billy-Boy my dad; and Franny my evil step sister!"

Amanda considered Augie's words.

"In a twisted sense, I suppose that could be true...if it makes you feel better.."

"It does! Oh, it does!" Augie was over the moon, "I was going to ask you to be my trusted non-bikini best friend, but now you can be the sister I never had, despite having four of them back home!"

"That's quite a...compliment, Augie."

He looked at her intently, "Soooo...can I...hug you now?"

"A...hug?" Amanda looked unsure.

He nodded, "Families do that."

"I suppose..." Amanda decided and then paused and lifted her index finger, "if you promise to keep your hands in the safe zone."

"Safe zone?" he asked, "are there really any of those on the body?"

"Yes," she told him decisively, "Don't touch too high, or too low!"

Augie's face brightened as he opened his arms.

"I promise! Oh I promise! Hug me, Sistah! Hug me!"

He enclosed his arms around her and gave her a big bear hug.

"Ooof...Augie...I...can't...breathe..." Amanda stated, twisting her head to try and get some air.

"Who needs air when you can breathe in family love!" Augie exclaimed.

As Augie continued his hold on Amanda, an unmistakable voice suddenly could be heard speaking out into the night.

"Had I known your backyard was going to be this busy, Amanda, I would've taken a number."

Augie instantly released Amanda as Lee approached them. Upon hearing Lee's voice and seeing him in the moonlight, Amanda entire body seem to tingle.

As always, Lee was dressed like he just stepped out of a GQ magazine, with his blue leather jacket and tailored blue jeans. It was hard to say how long he had been there, but from the way he stared possessively at her, Amanda assumed he had been there for a time and probably witnessed...

"Oh hey, Buddy Boy!" Augie greeted him and then put his arms as if to protect himself, "Now, don't be getting upset with what you just witnessed...it's not what you think..."

"What am I thinking?" Lee asked, lifting one of his eyebrows.

"Uh..." Augie rushed his words, "that maybe the world needs less judging and more hugging?"

Amanda assured him, "Lee, nothing is going on between Augie and me."

"That's good to know," Lee commented, "because I couldn't tell if Augie was trying to strangle or hug you."

"Like I would ever try and hurt our little Mandy!" Augie said, looking indignant.

"So, Augie, we're good, right?" Amanda asked, "You're still on our team if we need you, right?"

"Ourteam...riiiiiight!" he winked as if they were sharing a secret.

As Augie looked from Amanda to Lee, he saw them exchange an awkward glance. Even he was perceptive enough to know when he was the third wheel.

"Ah, gee, will ya look at the time? It's getting rather late!" Augie announced, pretending to look at a watch, yet his wrist was bare, "and I'm sure the two of you would be ecstatic if I went, right?"

"No need to rush out on my account," Lee said vaguely.

Amanda and Augie both gave Lee a funny look. Little did they know that Lee was having second thoughts about being alone with Amanda.

"I know why you don't want me to leave!" Augie figured out.

"You do?" Lee swallowed hard as he tried to deny Augie's statement, "I mean, I never said that! But, uh, just out of curiosity, why do you think I don't want you to leave?"

"The same reason why I don't want to leave!" Augie said certainty, "I hate goodbyes. They always make my throat hurt," he sadly sniffed, "wouldn't you agree?"

"Well, that IS a reason," Lee neutrally acknowledged.

"I figured as much, " Augie nodded, "But, I really must skedaddle! However, keep in mind these prudent words: Families never say goodbye; they just say 'see you soon'!"

"Who's family here?" Lee asked.

Augie shook a jesting index finger at Lee, "Ha-ha, Lee Baby, always the kidder, aren't you? Anyway, see you soon!"

He waved, turned, and was gone before Lee and Amanda could offer any resistance.

.

After Augie's departure, Lee turned to Amanda. It was becoming more and more difficult to breathe normal when she stood near him and he couldn't understand why. She seemed to be gazing at his face, studying his expression, waiting for him to speak out.

Lee subconsciously scratched his cheek.

"So, uh...regarding that little hug you gave Augie earlier..."

"You mean, Augie gave me," she corrected him.

"Either way, what was that all about?" he asked.

"Well, Augie was just feeling down about not having an exciting spy life," she explained, "He thought he would end up with more women, just like James Bond..." she paused, "or perhaps, you..."

Luckily it was nighttime so Amanda could not see Lee's face turning red.

He chuckled awkwardly.

"Yeah, welllll..." Lee fumbled for words, "the stories about me keeping company with various women have been greatly exaggerated, Amanda!"

"Is that so?"Amanda asked, not sounding the least convinced.

"Yes it is and speaking of such," Lee turned the attention back to her, "I wasn't the one caught in a friendly embrace!"

"You mean, Augie? That doesn't even count!" Amanda claimed as she peered at him closely, "You're not jealous, are you?" she teased.

"Jealous over Augie? Nooo! Never over him!" Lee assured her, as he looked around in the backyard to admire the greenery, "although I do sometimes get envious over your flourishing rosebushes!"

Amanda laughed, and Lee was grateful that things seemed okay between them.

Lately he has been musing about how much he enjoyed being in Amanda's company. Standing in the darkness with her, she was almost close enough to touch, almost.

Amanda suddenly spoke out, "So Lee, do you want to talk about what happened yesterday?"

There it was. Out in the open. It was so easy for her to bring up the conversation. Somehow her usual honesty and sincerity made her even more mysterious and appealing to him.

"You mean about the success of finding the Imperial Egg?" he stupidly asked.

Amanda must have a lot of self control in order for her NOT to roll her eyes.

"Noooo," she responded patiently, "I'm referring to what happened between us," she leaned over and whispered, "you know, the almost-kiss!"

Lee wasn't prepared.

"Oh, that! Yeah, well..." he tried to make it sound like no big deal, "it certainly was...unexpected, wasn't it?"

Amanda considered his words.

"Now, Lee, I know you're used to being... 'close'with any female that crosses your way, but I'm letting you know, that..." she paused, "that's NOT the way it's going to be between us!"

After all, she had her pride to consider.

Oh good, Lee thought, Amanda just assumed he considered her as another one of his lady friends.

"Okay, I can live with that," he told her, hoping that would be the end of this conversation.

"You do?" Amanda asked and then continued at a faster pace, "I mean, I would totally understand why something would almost occur between us, if, let's say...you were, for instance, feeling something different..."

Oh god, he internally groaned, she wanted tocontinuethis conversation!

His nerves were jumpy but he managed to keep his composure noncommittal.

"Amanda, I assure you that I don't know WHAT you mean when you mention about feeling something different!"

Please let this be the end of it!

She plaintively told him, "I'm talking about emotional attraction."

Of course she would make it perfectly clear to him what she meant, with no room for him to weasel around.

Lee looked away, "I... don't know, I just...can't..."

Amanda could see their chat was getting uncomfortable for him and really, that was the last thing she wanted to do to him.

After all, she thought, Mother always told her that patience is the key in solving all problems.

"I understand," she acknowledged, and then switched topics, "So you came here for a purpose."

But Lee was too busy trying to think of what he wanted to say next, to really listen to her words, "Look, Amanda, I know you want answers, and it's perfectly understandable that you do and I accept the fact that-...uh, WHAT?"

His face showed complete bafflement

The quick change in subject had thrown him for a loop.

She knowingly smiled, "It seems as if you came here tonight to tell me something, probably regarding the mission. What was it? Was there some recent development I need to know?"

Lee cleared his throat, glad to be given a reprieve.

"Uh, yeah... sure, I did come here to discuss... the, uh, mission..." he recovered, "you see, I had spoken to Billy earlier today and he informed me that we don't need to break into the Smithsonian, after all."

Amanda looked surprised, "So it's good news then?"

"Not quite" he countered, glad to be on solid ground again, "because it also means that there'll be no swapping of the real Imperial Egg for the fake one at the museum."

Amanda was completely puzzled.

"But we have the real one in our possession!" she reasoned, not understanding, "Why won't we be putting it back in the museum before the arrival of the Russian diplomat?"

"Because the arrival of the Russian diplomat is what screwed up our entire plan," Lee explained, "you see, Russian Ambassador Boris Kozlov arrived here unexpectedly two days early from Moscow and some overly helpful employee at the Smithsonian then handed over the Imperial Egg to him! Luckily their Russian antiques specialist wasn't part of Koslov's arriving entourage, so he couldn't validate the authenticity of the Egg."

Amanda considered the ramifications.

"So what you're saying..." she said slowly, "is that Russian diplomat Kozlov is now in possession of..."

"...the fake Fairy Tale Imperial Egg," Yep, most definitely yep," Lee acknowledged.

.

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(I read somewhere that Louis Welch, the actor who played Augie, was originally hired to play BB's stunt double! That is why his built/coloring is so similar to BB. Can anyone out there verify this fact?)

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