Disclaimers: Scarecrow and Mrs. King is copyrighted to Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Production Company. This story, however, is copyrighted to the mentioned authors. This story is for entertainment purposes ONLY. If you would like to add it to an archive, please just let us know.
Summary: This story takes place after the series has ended. It's a "sequel" of sorts to our story "More Than Meets the Eye." A man from Lee's past turns Amanda's family life upside down.
Author's Notes: We did extensive research surrounding the Vietnam War and events that took place during that time. Some scenarios mentioned really did occur; we just added the wonderful world of SMK to them. Any airplane scenes mentioned we checked with a flight expert to handle any reality issues as we wrote. A very special thank you to Tammy for beta reading and being a true part of helping us write this story.
Timeframe: Thanksgiving the year they were married.
Rating: R (some suggestive situations and language)
Giving Thanks for What We Have
By Diane & Amy (Two Phantoms)
Chapter 7
As soon as Lee and Amanda had left the room, Dotty rose from her seat. Clenching her fists, she stared at the man she hesitated to call her husband. "HOW DARE YOU!"
Frank was quite taken back by the sudden outburst from his wife. In all their years of marriage he had never seen the intense anger and resentment that now flashed in her eyes. "Dotty, I know this is hard to accept, but I was hoping we could…"
Interrupting him, Dotty shook her finger as she shouted, "How dare you jump back into our lives after so long! How dare you act as if nothing has changed!?!"
Frank widened his eyes as he watched her face turn from pale to fire red in seconds. His mind reeled with questions as to why she was so angry. Amanda had accepted him back in her life, why couldn't his wife. "Dotty, what are you shouting for? And what are you talking about?"
Walking past Frank's chair, Dotty took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. Looking out the window at the darkening sky, she tried to collect her thoughts. 'Why am I yelling at Frank? He's been just as cheated out of the last twelve years as I've been.'
Frank wheeled his chair over to her and attempted to take her hand in his. He so desperately wanted to touch her soft skin and make sure that he wasn't imagining things. Of course, the exchange that had just taken place was proof enough that she was real.
As Frank's hand brushed hers, Dotty turned back around. Tears were welling up in her eyes. "Oh, Frank, I know it must've been difficult for you all these years."
Seeing the tears in her eyes and hearing the softer tone of her voice, Frank took this opportunity to gently grasp her hand. "Dotty, you know I would've come home if I could have. I don't know what our Panda told you, but…I truly believed you to be dead."
Hearing him speak the same words Amanda had told her earlier brought the anger flooding back to her body. Yanking her hand from his, her eyes turned cold as she stared at her husband. "Frank West, don't feed me that bologna! You may have won Amanda over with that sad story of your accident and some sorry excuse of a telegram telling you we were dead, but I won't buy it."
Moving his chair backwards a little, he was once again confused by this sudden outburst of anger from his wife. At least one thing was certain; her temper hadn't changed much. "Dotty, honestly…it's not a story--"
"I know," Dotty continued as she clenched her fists and looked at the ceiling, "that war can change a man, a person, but I know you, or at least I did back then. The Frank West I knew, loved, and married would never have indulged in any kind of self-pity. He would've come home seeking the truth. He would have wanted to see for himself that his family was gone. I don't know you." Her last words were spoken with pure venom as she gazed into his eyes.
"Dotty, I didn't…I mean I never thought…the trauma of the accident…the events that took place…" Frank couldn't figure out what to say to her. Amanda had so willingly listened and accepted him back. Why was Dotty being so hard to get through to?
Dotty leaned back against the windowsill. Holding her right hand to her forehead, she looked down at the floor. "You know what Frank West? I've always kept you very close to my heart. It took me a long time to believe that you were gone and that you would never be coming back to hold me in your arms, to make me complete again."
Looking back at Frank's scarred face and glistening eyes, she continued. "I finally got on with my life. Oh, why did you have to show up now?" Her voice had begun to crack as she thought of Kurt and the life she had been planning with him. She looked more closely at the man sitting before her, the man she knew to be her husband. She should be glad he was back, but she just couldn't shake the resentment for so suddenly feeling cheated for missing out on so much.
"I can't deal with this right now. I thought I could, but I really can't. Goodbye, Frank."
With that, she turned and headed out of the room.
Frank watched his past walk out the door. Maybe she was right. Maybe he should have insisted on going home to check on things. Maybe he should have had Richard Fire or even Lee check into it for him. He put his head in his hands and let misery take over.
~~~~~ ~~~~~
Lee wrapped his arms around his wife as they sat on a bench in the gardens outside the home. Enjoying the solitude of the moment, they were oblivious to the chill of the winter day as the warmth from their love enveloped them. They were so lost in each other that they didn't see Dotty enter the gardens through the glass doors.
Dotty pulled her coat closed then brushed the remaining tears from her face. Taking a deep breath, she approached them. "There you two are. The receptionist said she saw you head this way."
Amanda was startled by her mother's voice. Looking at her watch, she realized that barely ten minutes had gone by. Concern was written on her face as she took in Dotty's unhappy features. "Mother, what happened? Is Daddy all right?" Lee released his embrace, allowing Amanda to rise and walk towards Dotty.
Dotty avoided her daughter's questioning eyes as she walked past her and nodded her thanks to Lee as he rose and helped her take the seat on the bench Amanda had just vacated. Having the few moments alone in the elevator, she'd managed to calm herself from the emotional roller coaster she had just ridden. She knew she hadn't been fair to Frank, but she couldn't help it. She had needed to unleash the anger that had built up over the years. "I don't know… looking at him…there in that room…alive and coherent…I suddenly realized just how much we had really lost over the years."
Amanda was now very much confused and followed her mother back to the bench.
Finally, looking up at her daughter, guilt wracked her soul for her earlier behavior towards Frank. Reaching up and taking Amanda's left hand in hers, she felt the tears begin to spring to her eyes yet again. "I let my anger take over...I'm sure I left your father in a state of hurt and confusion."
Lee watched his mother-in-law dealing with her emotions and realized that the Captain was probably feeling quite alone at the moment. Raking his fingers through his hair, he began walking towards the doors, pausing just behind his wife. "I'd better go up and check on him."
Amanda gently grabbed his arm as he passed. "No, Lee. Let me." She quickly kissed her mother on the cheek and headed back inside.
Lee watched Amanda enter the building before turning his attention to his mother-in-law. "If you need a shoulder to lean on, Amanda's taught me the finer points on being a good listener."
Dotty let a small smile cross her lips as she stood. "Thanks, Lee. I think I might take you up on that. For now, do you mind if we find a warm place inside to just sit?"
Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he replied, "Not at all." Leading her into the building, they walked past the receptionist and into the downstairs lounge.
~~~~~ ~~~~~
Amanda gently knocked on her father's door. Not hearing a response, she cautiously entered the room.
Frank had heard the knock and wished that it would be Dotty returning. He slowly looked up and even though he was a little disappointed it wasn't his wife, he was glad to see his daughter enter.
Walking over to him, she knelt on the floor beside his chair. "Daddy, are you okay?" Reaching out, she took his right hand in her left.
"Oh, Panda. I knew your mom would be upset, but I didn't think she'd be so angry." He looked into the brown eyes of his daughter. "Maybe I should've come home all those years ago. Maybe…"
Squeezing his hand, Amanda gently stroked his cheek with her right hand. "Daddy, you can't sit here and wonder about what-ifs and maybes. She'll come around. I think a lot of it has to do with Captain Kurt."
Frank's eyebrows raised questioningly at his daughter. "Captain Kurt?"
Amanda realized that she never mentioned her mother's plans of getting remarried. "Oh,
gosh." Looking into her father's eyes, she replied, "Captain Kurt is Mother's fiancée. They met about two years ago. Mother started taking flying lessons from him…"
"Your mother is learning to fly? Your mother, who got sick at the very thought of flying?" Frank responded, the shock evident in his voice.
Never releasing his hand, Amanda rose and moved over to sit in the chair beside the window. Frank moved his wheelchair to keep pace with his daughter.
"Yeah, it came as quite a shock to me, too. I guess that was when I realized how much she'd changed and all she'd overcome. Captain Kurt is a wonderful man, Daddy. I think seeing you has made everything so much more real, and so much more confusing for her."
"I guess I can understand that." Frank's voice was quiet as he spoke. He began to ponder what Amanda had just told him. His Dotty had moved on. In fact, life itself had moved on while he sat in a wheelchair hiding out in Boston. "I mean, I guess now I can understand why your mother was so upset with me."
Amanda squeezed his hand again. "Don't worry, Daddy. Everything will work out. You'll see. I'm just thankful to have you back in my life, again. I want you to be a part of our family again."
Frank looked into the glowing face of his daughter. "I know, Panda, I know. We all just need a little more time to figure everything out."
Looking at the clock, she realized it was just a little past four o'clock. "Will you be all right? We really need to get back to the house. I left the boys with Captain Kurt, and well, I know how your grandsons can be if they are left for too long with fresh blood to try and trick."
Frank gently pulled on his daughter's hand. "Go on. Have your husband call me later and fill me in the latest Weasel developments, okay?"
Bending down, Amanda placed a kiss on his cheek. "I will, Daddy."
"I love you, Panda." He released her hand and watched as she headed towards the door.
"I love you, too." Giving him a gentle smile, Amanda closed the door behind her and went to find her mother and husband.
~~~~~ ~~~~~
Captain Kurt's eyes darted back and forth from the eldest to the youngest of Dotty's grandchildren as he relaxed in the comforts the front porch provided. Sighing at the sight of her active grandchildren, he continued to hope that they would still be part of his future. He regretted never having any children of his own, and Dotty's family filled the empty void in his life so well. Shaking his head at the never-ending negative thoughts of what might happen or might not happen, he tried to focus on what was in front of him now.
A soft smile graced his wrinkled features as he watched a helpless passerby trying desperately to avoid being captured on film. Rubbing his hands over his face, he privately wished that Lee Stetson had never given Jamie that camera.
Jamie smiled up at the older man relaxing in the swing. "Smile, Uncle Kurt."
Captain Kurt flashed his widest smile. As soon as the flash had gone off, Jamie turned around to continue his attack of capturing the images of the few guests coming and going on film. When the last had departed from view, he then began to take pictures of the neighboring homes and any passing vehicles that went by.
Phillip had become bored with the lack of activities around the old house. Bounding up the steps to the porch, he took a seat next to the Captain. "Hey, Uncle Kurt. What do you say we drive off in that Caddie of yours and take in the sites?"
Moving his legs down from the table before him, Captain Kurt straightened in his chair. "I promised your mother and Lee that we would stay around here until they got back." Patting Phillip on the back he continued, "They've only been gone a few hours. It shouldn't be too much longer, now. They said they'd be back around five o'clock."
Phillip sighed and placed his head in his hands. "Man, am I bored. Would you care if I took a walk down the street? I won't be gone long."
Captain Kurt looked at the depressed state his hopefully 'soon-to-be grandson' was in. He really wanted to hit it off with the boys because he knew that they were going to be a big part of the rest of his life. "All right. But be back in an hour! Don't you be late, or your grandmother will join your mother and Lee in skinning me alive."
Phillip jumped up from his seat as the words "all right" escaped the older man's lips. "I promise." Running down the steps, he momentarily hesitated as he yelled to his brother.
Jamie was too involved with his photography of the unsuspecting neighbors to hear his brother's attempt to get his attention. Adjusting his camera lens to focus on one particular neighbor, he jumped as his brother gave him a slap on the back.
"Hey, Jamie. I'm heading off to explore that neighborhood. You know the one we talked about with Lee last night. Wanna go?"
Jamie peered out from behind the camera to look at his brother. "Nope. I think I've found my own little interest to hold me over for the next few hours." He could feel the heat rush to his face even as he spoke the words.
Phillip walked over to his brother and looked into the adjoining yard. There on the porch sat a cute little brunette, about Jamie's age, with her head in a book. "Oh, I see, Dufus."
Jamie gave Phillip a good punch in the arm. "You don't see anything, worm head."
Phillip gave a good-natured laugh as he turned and headed down the sidewalk. Waving to the Captain and Jamie, he yelled his promise to be back in an hour.
~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Entering the van, Weasel relaxed against the leather seat. The knowledge that he could watch the activities of the jubilant family from behind the tinted glass of the van sent a wave of contentment through his lanky body. As ideas formed in his mind for a solution to his latest problem, a sinister smile crossed his hardened features. "This just couldn't get any better."
Tightening his grip around the doorknob with his left hand and wiping the sweat from his brow with his right, Weasel's employee kept his eyes focused on the young man that his boss was referring to. "Hmm…what, boss?"
Weasel's jade green eyes narrowed at the passenger beside him. "Shit, Simon. I don't think you ever listen to a damn thing I tell you." Taking a deep breath, his eyes once again fell on Phillip. "According to the info I got, that boy is not only Scarecrow's stepson but he's Nighthawk's grandson as well. I can kill two birds with one stone."
Nodding his understanding, Simon shifted slightly in his seat and pulled his gun. "Ya want me to take him out?"
Raking his fingers through his thick red hair, Weasel released a loud sigh of disgust. "No, you idiot. If we kill him, it will gain us nothing but two pissed-off men seeking revenge. No, I want them to suffer a long time, and I think the capture of the boy will serve that purpose nicely. I also want to make sure that Nighthawk doesn't suddenly get a brainstorm and figure out that he's had the remainder of that list in his family's possession all these years. I want it back!"
Simon's forehead crinkled as he processed his boss' words. "I thought it was only a partial list that he'd been given."
Slamming his fist against the steering wheel, he turned to look at Simon. "Do I have to remind you of every little detail?" Taking a deep breath to regain control of his temper, he continued. "Agent Martin gave him the remainder of the list the day before we shot Nighthawk down. My informant told me that part of the list was a written one given to Nighthawk, but the half that contained all the high-ranking officials we had in our little game was on a piece of microfilm that Martin gave Nighthawk. That's when you kidnapped Martin for me."
Again nodding his understanding, Simon looked down at the gun he still had clutched in his hand. As the memories of the assignment began to come to him in bits and pieces, he played with the trigger. "He's the one you had me torture before I killed him to find out where the film was."
Taking the gun out of Simon's shaking hand, Weasel placed it on the seat between them. "Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't have left you in that hospital for lunatics. Yes, he was the one." Clearing his throat, he cranked the van and pulled up to the house Phillip King had just entered. "The only thing that we could get out of Martin was that Nighthawk had no knowledge of having possession of the microdot. Martin had given it to him in a gift for his daughter, Amanda West."
Simon remained quiet for a few minutes in hopes that his boss would continue his explanation. When he didn't, he asked, "So, why didn't you kill Nighthawk when ya had the chance?"
Turning his sharp jade eyes back to the bulky man beside him, Weasel explained. "Okay, I thought the crash would've killed him, but it didn't. Shit, he ended up not having any serious injuries at all. So I arranged for him to be injected with what was supposed to be a lethal amount of poison. It didn't do its job right. It only caused serious damage with his blood circulation. The only bonus was that the doctors had to amputate both his legs. However, the loss of his legs didn't diminish his spirit. He was still determined to return home, so I made arrangements to have his family killed and his home burned to the ground. That way he would have nothing to return home to."
Simon reached down on the seat and began to fiddle with his gun. A wide grin showed off his missing teeth as the memories flooded back. "Oh, now it's all coming back. I thought I did a damn good job of making it look like an electrical fire in their pleasant little home."
Weasel gently removed the gun, once again, from Simon's rough fingers. His killing machine seemed to be a little more off than usual today. "Did you take your medication this morning?"
An evil laugh filled the van as Simon's normally brown eyes turned black and he focused them on his superior. "Do I see fear in your eyes?"
Weasel's eyes narrowed, meeting Simon's intense stare with his own. Pulling a bottle from his coat pocket, he handed it to Simon. "No, I do not fear you, my friend, but you and I both know that if you don't take your medication, you lose control. If that happens, I won't be able to keep you from going back to the loony bin."
Simon's eyes remained locked with Weasel's, as his mind mulled over the possibilities. Taking the bottle, he opened it and retrieved two small blue pills. "Perhaps you're right. I don't wish to go back." Placing the pills under his tongue, he closed his eyes and let them dissolve.
Weasel watched as Simon's features immediately began to soften. Deciding that the beast was once again controllable, he carefully continued the earlier conversation. "You did a fine job with the fire…except you burned the wrong house."
Opening his now-softening brown eyes, the uncertainty of his abilities returned. "So…are you mad at me?"
Still doubtful that his blood-lusting beast was completely calmed, Weasel used soft words. "Of course not, Simon. My phony telegram to the Captain ended up working better than expected. Earlier today, my man at the hospital had time to search Nighthawk's room and found no trace of anything that would contain the microfilm. The old man must've sent it to his daughter before the crash. Maybe it was lucky that you burned the wrong house. This time, however, we'll just have to make certain that the good Captain's family retrieves the gift he sent his daughter, and the boy will be the perfect bait. Then when we're all done, I'll let you do the honor of taking out the whole family."
A shiver went down Weasel's back at the glint of happiness that flashed in Simon's eyes as he picked up the packet of pictures that lay on the dashboard and began to flip through the photographs. "Nighthawk's daughter is quite lovely. I may take my time with her."
Turning his attention to the door opening at the house, Weasel shrugged his shoulders. "Let's just get the kid and take it from there. I'll get him to come over to the van. When he's at the door, you pull him in and chloroform him."
Weasel did not wait for Simon's response as he opened the door and casually walked across the street. "Hey, kid. Could you help me a minute?
Phillip looked up at the quickly approaching man. Still excited from the visit with the young blonde girl, he ignored the warning bells ringing in his ears. "What can I do for you?"
Weasel pointed towards the van and placed his right hand gently on Phillip's shoulder. "My van won't crank, and I've got a sick dog in the back. It's too cold for me to walk him to the vet. I wanted to go make a phone call to get a friend of mine to pick us up, but I didn't want to leave him alone. Would you mind staying with him for a few?"
Phillip's mind began to race with his mother's constant warnings of strangers and the recently-added comments from Lee on the subject. Looking up at the strange man before him, he shrugged his shoulders and began to walk with him across the street. "How about if I stay outside the van and watch him through the window?"
Tightening his grip on Phillip's shoulder, Weasel's green eyes danced. "Sure. I'll just introduce the two of you and then be off."
As Weasel released Phillip's shoulder and opened the door, Phillip leaned inside the van to find the sick animal. "I don't…"
Simon's wide hands grasped the boy's arms as he shoved him to the floorboard. Taking the chloroformed-soaked rag from the seat, he placed it over Phillip's mouth until the young body's struggling ceased. "He's out."
Weasel smiled contentedly as he closed the doors of the van and returned to the driver's seat. He had to put his new game piece safely away before putting the next step of his plan of into action. Too preoccupied in thought, neither man had noticed the dark item that had fallen on the sidewalk during the struggle.
Weasel's eyes narrowed at the sight of the approaching Blazer. "Well, speak of the devil. Get down, Simon. The mighty Scarecrow is coming our way."
Simon did as he was told and crouched in the floorboard of the van as he listened to the hum of the engine. "Do you think he spotted you?"
Weasel adjusted his sunglasses then put the van into motion. "Nope, but I feel like he's in for a real eye opener when he gets back to his cozy getaway and realizes I have his son."
~~~~~ ~~~~~~
As Lee pulled into the parking lot of the bed and breakfast, he could feel the hair on his neck begin to rise. Quickly exiting the Blazer he surveyed his surroundings. Amanda's body snapped to attention at the sudden actions of her husband. She quickly opened her car door to join him. "Lee? What's wrong?"
Without looking at his wife he pointed to the house. "Go find the boys. Something isn't right."
Amanda didn't hesitate and started to call for her boys. Dotty exited the vehicle, deep in thought over her husband's sudden reappearance. She slowly walked to the house. She wanted to find Kurt and talk to him about her discoveries. Jamie, hearing his mother's call, quickly exited the house and ran over to her. "Hey, Mom! Hey, Lee!"
Amanda placed her hands on her son's shoulders. "Jamie, where's your brother?"
Jamie looked down at his feet. "I knew you'd be mad."
Lee stepped behind Amanda and firmly placed his hands on her shoulders. "Jamie, where is Phillip?"
Jamie looked up at Lee when he heard the unfamiliar tone of demand in the older man's voice. "He went to talk to that girl down the street. You know, the one he was telling you about last night. He was supposed to be back by now."
Lee looked down the now darkening street. "Amanda, check with Kurt and find out the details." He released Amanda's shoulders and sprinted down the street.
Amanda maintained a calm expression in her features as she guided Jamie into the house. "Mom, is Lee mad?"
Amanda stopped at the top of the steps then pulled Jamie into her embrace. "No, Jamie. He's just worried about Phillip. It's getting dark, and we're in a strange place. Phillip shouldn't have taken off without adult supervision."
Jamie could sense his mother's nervousness and returned her embrace tightly. "I'm sorry, Mom."
Amanda stroked her son's soft brown hair with her fingers. "It's okay, Jamie. There's nothing for you to be sorry about. Phillip is old enough to know better. Let's go find Captain Kurt, shall we?"
~~~~~ ~~~~~
Lee's heart raced as he left the girl's home. Phillip had left over fifteen minutes ago, and he hadn't seen him anywhere. With the house being this close to the White Swan, there was no way he would have missed seeing him on his way over here. Raking his left hand through his hair, he hoped that Phillip had taken a short cut home through the backyards and that he had just missed him.
Looking back up the street in the direction of the bed and breakfast and seeing nothing but empty yards, Lee felt his stomach begin to knot. He'd had this same overwhelming feeling many times over the past five years whenever Amanda had turned up missing.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, he crossed the street to look for any evidence of Phillip on his way back to the house. His eyes caught a glimpse of something wedged against the sidewalk curb. Bending down to pick up the familiar black hat, he acknowledged his stepson's fate. "I swear that I will find you, Phillip."
Chapter 8
The soft rubber of Amanda's tennis shoes made a slight squeak as she continuously walked over the wooden floor of the front entrance. Her eyes immediately focused on the wooden door as she heard approaching footsteps. Opening the door, her eyes locked with her husband's, and her heart felt as if it had slowed to the point of stopping as her eyes traveled, hesitantly, from his angered eyes down his arm to his left hand, finally coming to rest on her son's hat. Her husband's white-knuckled grip barely registered. "Lee--"
Lee pulled the screen door open and entered the house. Shaking his head, he reached out to his wife and pulled her close, offering the only thing he had to give at the moment: his strength. "He wasn't there." He felt her trembling increase and closed his eyes, hating that he'd had to say those words. "The only thing I found was his hat." Pulling back slightly, he looked into her eyes. "I need to call Billy and get some backup up here."
Amanda closed her eyes and laid her head against her husband's broad chest. "I can't loose my little boy."
Lee gently stroked her hair as he watched his youngest stepson quickly coming down the steps. "I promise I'll find him, Amanda." Sighing, he said softly, "Until then, your gonna have to be strong"
Realizing that something was wrong, Jamie stopped at the bottom of the steps. "Where's Phillip?"
Amanda froze momentarily. Blinking back tears, she slowly pulled away from Lee's comforting arms and looked into his eyes for the support she would need before completely pulling out of his embrace. Taking a deep breath, she placed a professional mask over her features and then turned to her youngest. Walking over to Jamie, she took his hand in hers and led him to the living room. "Jamie, we need to talk."
Jamie glanced back over his shoulder to watch Lee gently lay Phillip's cap on the entrance table. Lee stood silent for a moment collecting his thoughts, before shoving his hands into the back pockets of his jeans and following them.
Amanda placed her hands on Jamie's shoulders and guided him to sit on the couch. Kneeling before him, she dropped her hands onto his knees. "Jamie, I don't know where to start or how to explain this to you except," she paused imperceptibly, seeking and finding her husband's unyielding support, "to just say it."
Jamie glanced up at the strong figure of Lee now behind his mother. Looking back to his mother, he nodded for her to continue. "Is Phillip in trouble?"
Amanda hesitated until she felt Lee's hand on her shoulder. "Jamie, today your grandmother, Lee, and I went to visit someone at the Veteran's hospital. That person was Frank West, your grandfather."
Though his eyes widened at this news, Jamie remained quiet, as he looked first to his mother and then up at Lee. Amanda stood to take a seat beside him on the couch. Taking his hands in hers, she continued. "Your grandfather wasn't killed in the war as we'd been led to believe. Not only that, but an evil man told your grandfather that we had all been killed. Your grandfather believed that man and never returned home. The same man arranged for us to believe that your grandfather had been killed in a helicopter crash trying to save the lives of other men."
Lee waited for a string of questions or at least a sudden outburst from his stepson but was surprised to see his face remain emotionless.
Amanda looked up at Lee then back to Jamie. "Jamie, we believe the man that did all of this has taken Phillip. We don't know what his intentions are, but I promise that we'll find your brother."
Jamie jerked his hands from his mother's and stood. "I'm going up to our room and get my camera. I want to take a few more pictures." He stood slowly and all but ran across the room. Never glancing back at the two adults who remained silent in the living room, he bounded up the steps, two at a time.
Amanda stood and started to follow him. Lee placed his hand on her shoulder as she started to walk past him. "Amanda, let me talk to him."
She snapped her head around to look at Lee. "He's my son!" She immediately gasped at her own words, a stricken look on her face. Reaching out to touch his shoulder as tears sprang to her eyes, she whispered, "I'm sorry, Lee. I didn't mean it that way."
Lee pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Gently stroking her hair, he shook his head slowly. "I'm worried, too, Amanda. It's okay." He inhaled her gentle scent and closed his eyes. "I expected a string of questions or at least some anger, but he threw up a few walls instead." He pulled back slightly and looked into her saddened eyes. "I'm kind of an expert at that type of thing. Let me go up and talk to him a minute."
Amanda gave him a watery smile. "If you need me, I'll be here waiting." Placing a light kiss on his lips, she stepped back. As she watched him ascend the stairs, she wrapped her arms around herself and sat down.
Lee ran his left hand through his hair as he looked at the door that stood between him and his stepson. Knocking softly on the door, he opened it slightly. "Jamie, can I come in?" When there was no response, he stepped into the dimly-lit room and immediately saw Jamie sitting on his brother's bed.
Jamie remained quiet as Lee took a seat beside him. Lee could tell that he had been crying as he watched Jamie wipe his eyes with his sleeve and turn to face away from him.
"So, Sport. Wanna talk?"
Jamie shook his head no and stood up. Lee watched the slim figure staring out into the night for a moment then looked down at where Jamie had been sitting. Picking up the crumpled photograph, he straightened out the edges then held it up to the lamp beside the bed. A single picture held a thousand words, Lee thought as he looked at the happy family celebrating last Christmas together. Phillip and Jamie stood tall on opposite sides of their mother while Joe stood behind the three with his arms outstretched around his family.
Lee placed the photograph, face up, on the nightstand then went to stand behind his stepson. "Jamie, we need to talk about this."
Jamie shoulders slumped with resignation as he turned to look at Lee. "First, Dad leaves us to 'fulfill' his dream. Now, Phillip is gone. I feel like I'm losing everyone I love, and I can't do anything about it." Pushing past Lee, he flopped on the bed and placed his head in his hands.
Lee knew exactly how he felt. He had lost so many people he'd loved in his life, and now the thoughts of losing his stepson before he even had the chance to tell him how much he loved him burned deep in his soul. Joining Jamie on the bed, he placed his right arm around his slim shoulders. "Jamie, I promise I'll find Phillip."
Jamie's tear-streaked face looked up at the man he now considered a friend. "Lee, are you going to leave us, too? What if you decide that we're not what you need? Dad decided we weren't enough to make him happy, and now Phillip's been taken away from me."
Lee felt the world drop out from under him momentarily. He tightened his grip around Jamie's shoulders. "Jamie, I'm not going anywhere, and Phillip will come back to us. Your dad left by choice and not because you weren't good enough. He loved you both back then, and he still loves you. Phillip…well, he hasn't left you; he's just missing. There is a difference. Look, I need you to be strong, but not talking about things will help no one. Believe me, once you build up walls to protect yourself from feeling anything, they're very hard to take down."
Jamie leaned against the strong shoulder offered to him. "I knew something was wrong when you and Mom got here last night. Mom just didn't seem herself. I know it sounds stupid, but I just had that feeling."
Lee warmly smiled at the knowledge that Jamie had inherited many of his mother's capabilities. "It's not stupid, Jamie. I know you have a lot of questions about your grandfather and what is going on. I promise to tell you all that I can. Do you want to talk about it now?"
Jamie pulled away from Lee and shrugged his shoulders. "I already overheard Grandma talking to Uncle Kurt before I came down about Grandfather. I actually think it's cool that he's alive and that we get to meet him. I was on my way down to talk to Mom about it when I saw the look on your face, and I knew something was wrong with Phillip." Standing, he walked over and picked up his camera, and then glanced back at Lee. "I guess there isn't much more to know, is there?"
Lee stood, giving his stepson a tight smile, and walked towards the door. "No, there's not much more to tell you right now. I'll be downstairs with your mother if you need to talk." Opening the door, he watched Jamie take a seat back on the bed with his camera in hand.
"Thanks, Lee."
Lee started out the door then turned back to look at him. "You're welcome, Jamie." Lee hesitated placing his hand on the edge of the door above the doorknob. "Jamie…"
Jamie looked up at Lee. "Yeah?"
Lee's words were barely above a whisper. "I love you." Closing the door behind him, he headed down the steps.
Jamie wiped the newly-formed tears from his face as Lee's last words began to register. Relaxing back against the soft pillows, he thought over everything Lee had just said to him. Rolling over to his left side, he pulled the extra pillow close to his chest then closed his eyes. 'Maybe, Lee will take care of us.'
As Lee approached the top of the stairs, he could hear his mother-in-law ranting while Amanda explained the situation with Phillip. Deciding his presence might add fuel to the fire, he slowly walked down the steps and slipped out the back door to go to his vehicle. He needed to call Billy and get protection set up for his family. He also wanted to obtain a complete report on Weasel's activities from Interpol. As he walked around the front of the house, he felt a presence following him. Pulling his gun from the waistband of his jeans, he pressed his body against the side of the white house and waited for the intruder to show himself.
The shadow appeared before Lee with hands extended. "Ya know, Scarecrow, Harry was right. You're quite good. I didn't think you'd notice me."
Lee continued to point his gun towards the man. Gritting his teeth, as he realized it was the same man from the other morning, the one Amanda had mentioned to him last night. "All right, out with it. Who in the hell are you? And why are you hanging around my family?"
Shrugging his shoulders, the older man pointed to the front of the house. "It's cold out here, boy. What do you say we head for your Blazer, and I'll explain?" Beginning to walk towards the light offered from the front porch fixture, he continued. "I think its time you learned the truth."
Lee hesitated before sliding his gun back into his waistband, but kept his left hand protectively over it as he followed the other man towards the Blazer. Reaching the vehicle, Lee opened the driver's side door and entered. As he hit the unlock button for the passenger side, he again pulled his gun and placed it on his lap.
A broad smile flickered across the older man's face as he entered. "Why don't you put the iron away, Scarecrow? I'm going to pull out my identification, so don't shoot me, okay?"
Lee narrowed his eyes at the man and maintained a tight grip on his gun. "Get out your I.D., but you'd better do it nice and easy, or I'll have no problem shooting you."
The man gingerly pulled his black wallet from his breast pocket. "The name is Richard Fire. I'm an officer for the Secret Service."
Lee reached over took the wallet from Richard's hand. "Secret Service! What the hell is going on?" As his eyes scanned the credentials, he relaxed somewhat. Handing the wallet back to Richard, he returned the gun to his waistband.
Slipping his wallet back into his jacket, Richard looked out the window towards the brightly-lit house. "I've been assigned to watch over the family of Frank West."
Lee looked over the man carefully, trying to place where he had heard his name before. "Why wasn't I told about this?"
Turning his warm brown eyes back to the hotheaded agent beside him, Richard sighed. "Lee, if you'd known what was going on, you would've pulled your wife and stepsons out of the equation without a blink of an eye. We couldn't afford for you to do that. We needed time to figure out exactly what Weasel is up to and how he still had a connection to Nighthawk."
Lee eyes opened wide as he digested the information. "How in the hell do you know that we're married?"
A rumbling chuckle came from the figure beside him. "Scarecrow, it's hard to hide anything from Big Brother."
Slamming his hand against the leather steering wheel, Lee's eyes turned cold at the humor the man found in this situation. "So the higher ups thought it would be all right to put an innocent family at risk to get a little information. My stepson is probably in the hands of that damn maniac while we sit here with our thumbs up our butt!"
Raking his fingers through his graying hair, Richard glanced over at Lee. "We didn't think the kids would be a target. I've been following you and Amanda. I figured with your past history with that scum, he would've come after your wife. When the rest of the family arrived, I arranged for a couple of guys to watch over the boys, but I should've known not to leave rookies to watch after kids. They got bored when Phillip stayed so long at the girl's house and took a donut break. When they got back, they saw you leaving the house and finding Phillip's hat."
"Where the hell were you?"
"I stayed behind and talked to Nighthawk after you and the ladies left. I wanted to see what he remembered about the group of renegades. I had another officer follow the three of you back here. The agent I sent with you called me when he learned what happened. I filled Nighthawk in and then left to come here."
Reaching for the phone, Lee looked at the calm man beside him. "I need to call Billy and get some of my own people here to make sure that the remainder of my family is safe. I think they need to be moved to a safe house with twenty-four/seven guards."
Shaking his head, Richard placed his hand on the phone before Lee. "Actually, the Swan is a safe house that many of the President's men have used over the years. We're in a code red at the moment, and soon the house will be locked down. The owners…caretakers are agents. They'll make sure that everyone stays put and out of trouble."
Lee leaned his head back against the seat and placed his left hand over his eyes. What had begun as a small throb at the back of his neck was steadily working its way to his temples, and he knew it was only going to get worse. "It seems almost ironic that I would happen to pick a safe house to take my family to on a fun trip."
Another softer chuckle escaped Richard's lips. "Lee, do you honestly think it was a coincidence that you stayed here over the years when you came to visit? Do you remember the first time you stayed here?"
Lee straightened in his seat and furrowed his eyebrows. "What in the hell are you talking about?"
"We've been watching anyone who has had contact with Nighthawk ever since he came back to the States after the war. After we witnessed your first visit with him, we arranged to have Cindy convince you that this was the place to stay. Do you remember her?"
A brief smile crossed Lee's lips. "Yeah. That was a long time ago."
Rolling his eyes Richard continued. "She's one of my agents. We found out about your status as an agent and your connection to Nighthawk. Deciding that this was the best place to keep an eye on you, we sent her out to encourage you to stay here. If my memory serves me correctly, you were quite the playboy until Mrs. King was dropped into your lap." A wide smile crossed his lips as he smacked his knee with his hand. "Lord, how the higher-ups squirmed when they found out that Amanda was one of us. "
Lee rubbed his temples with his fingers. So much was starting to fit into place that had happened over the years. "So, Smyth knew about Amanda?"
"Yep. He was told to make sure that you two stayed together. We figured that if we put the two of you together, it'd be easier to watch you both. So, if anything ever came up about Nighthawk, we'd immediately know without having to keep a watch over you two day and night. The only things that we didn't count on were that Amanda would turn out to be such an excellent agent, or that you two would fall in love."
Lee threw his hands up in the air. "So that's why Smyth has been such a hateful son-of-a-bitch. He's had to leave us alone by direct orders from the President?"
"Yes. He never liked the thoughts of a housewife amongst his own well-trained children. So, I'm afraid he made it hard on you."
Lee once again leaned his head back onto the chair. "So he knows we're married?"
Pulling a cigarette from his pocket, Richard nodded. "Yep. He wasn't a fun one to deal with when he was told to leave the two of you alone."
Changing the subject from himself, Lee began questioning Richard about Nighthawk. "I follow everything you've been telling me, but why is Nighthawk so important to the President? I can't figure out why the President would go to all this trouble just to keep tabs on one pilot all these years? Better yet, why didn't anyone tell Amanda that her father was alive?"
Richard lit his cigarette and took a deep draw. "As you know, Nighthawk had a list of couriers that Weasel used and a list of contacts in the government. We received a distorted message over our radio communications from one of the privates in Nighthawk's camp right before Weasel's men attacked and killed them. There were two lists: one was a list of couriers, the other contained a list of government officials, some of whom are quite possibly still holding office. We never found the list. Nighthawk was, as you know, crippled by the crash. His memory of the event was pretty much null and void."
Stopping to roll down his window, he flicked his ashes onto the concrete below. "Now, to answer your question about we never told Amanda that her father was alive. Well, that was to protect her from those thinking they could use her to obtain information about the list. If everyone thought she had no contact with him, then she'd be safe. Besides that, you kept her in enough trouble."
Lee slightly coughed as the smoke encircled his face. "So, somebody decided to make the decision about her life, not to mention her mother's life, for her!"
Looking out the window at the house, Richard took another long draw on his cigarette, causing it to give off an eerie glow in the darkness of the vehicle. "Yes. I didn't agree with it, but that's what happened. When we learned Weasel was about to re-enter the States, we decided it was time to reunite the family for their own protection. We sent Melrose the information for you to meet your informant. We knew you couldn't come here without paying a visit to your war buddy. And you inviting the rest of the family was a surprise, but it might help Nighthawk in the end."
Glancing back to the young agent beside him, he continued. "If anyone gets their hands on that list before we do, there could be some serious ramifications in the big house. They could blackmail officials that were involved into doing things to put or national security at risk. If Weasel gets a hold of it, we'll never know how deep all this shit runs and what could be going on today with those men."
Lee straightened in his seat and rolled his own window down slightly. "So, am I correct in assuming you think that Amanda and her family's presence here will bring back Nighthawk's memory?"
"Yes. That's why we had all this security set up."
Lee turned an angry face at the man beside him. "Well, I don't think they do their job very well. Phillip's gone!"
"Yeah, I know they slacked, but I've got a crack team airborne at the moment. Weasel must have received more information about something or has another big deal going down and wants all of this past stuff finished."
"I'm going to call Billy and have him send in some of my own." Lee picked up the car phone and dialed the office. "Scarecrow here. Get me Melrose!"
~~~~~ ~~~~~
Amanda closed the door to the bedroom she shared with her mother and leaned against it. Kurt was with Dotty now, and she felt safe in the fact that he would protect her mother tonight. Amanda had given her mother as much of an explanation as she could. Trying to be strong for her mother, she had held back her own tears for what seemed like an eternity.
She straightened and moved before her sons' room. Opening the door slightly, she smiled at the shadow of her youngest, safe and asleep. She quietly closed the door and began to head for the stairway. As she neared them, she heard a faint ringing in her ears and realized the sound was coming from within her. She tugged her lower lip with her teeth as her chest tightened and she desperately tried to catch her breath. Arriving at the top of the stairs, she reached out to grasp the banister as her knees buckled as the stress and worry she'd been keeping hidden caught up with her. She forced herself to sit down on the top step. Wrapping her arms around her legs, she rested her head on her knees.
Lee and Richard entered the house deep in discussion over the arrangements that Billy had made. Looking to the top of the stairs, Lee saw the shaking form of his wife. "I need to—"
Richard gave Lee a reassuring slap on the back. "Go on. I need to talk to the caretakers for a few, but I need you and Amanda back down here as soon as you can. We need to get started on straightening out this mess. I feel sure we will hear something from Weasel anytime now."
Already turned away, Lee nodded absently to the senior agent and quickly closed the distance between himself and his wife. Sitting on the step below her, he placed his hands on her arms, grimacing when he felt the intensity of her trembling. "Amanda?"
Amanda lifted her head to look into his soft eyes. "I'm scared." Reaching her hands out for her husband's support, she turned her body towards him as he moved next to her, enfolding her in his arms. She tried to speak again, but clenched her teeth against the sobs that threatened to overwhelm her.
Lee felt her body jerk as she fought with her emotions. As she tightened her arms around him, he thought his heart would break. Drawing her closer, he whispered in a voice filled with emotion, "I'm so sorry."
Amanda shook her head, slowly at first and then with more conviction. Releasing her tight hold, she drew back in his arms, and took his face in her hands. "It's not your fault, Lee." When he started to speak, she brushed his lips with her own. "No, don't even believe for a second that it is." Dropping her head to his shoulder, she said, "I just had a bad moment. I'll be okay."
Lee laughed mirthlessly. "You're always okay, Amanda. Whenever anyone needs you, you're there for them, without hesitation or thought for yourself. You amaze me beyond words." He gently disentangled himself from her embrace and stood, pulling her up with him. Standing at the top of the stair for a moment to give them both a chance to gain their balance, he said softly, "You'll never stop amazing me."
Taking a steadying breath, Amanda smiled softly, almost shyly. "I love you."
With the back of his right hand, Lee caressed the side of her face. "I love you, too." After another moment, as they clasped hands and drew strength from each other, he said, "We need to go downstairs and talk. Are you ready?"
"Yeah. As long as you're with me, I'm ready."
Lee tilted his head and regarded her tenderly. Taking her hand in his, he led her down the steps and into the living room. Guiding her to the couch he sat down beside her without ever releasing her hands. "Amanda, I will find Phillip." Sighing, he continued, "I spoke to Billy, and well, there's some other information I need to tell you. Are you up to it?"
Amanda leaned against his shoulder and sighed. "What else could there be?"
~~~~~ ~~~~~
Phillip brought his hands to his head and released a loud moan. As he opened his eyes, fear raced through his young body. The small room he found himself in was littered with empty boxes and crumpled newspapers. Rubbing his head, he looked towards the only light in the room, the moon made soft shadows on the opposite walls, revealing the bars that enclosed the window frame. "Mom? Are you here? Where am I?"
The door squeaked open, and Phillip scooted back across the bed until his body molded against the wall. Squinting against the bright light that engulfed the room when the shadowy figure flipped the light switch, Phillip's eyes widened as they adjusted to the light. Gulping the fear that was quickly rising in his throat, he yelled at the frightening stranger that entered. "I want to go home! Where's my mother?"
Weasel smiled at the boy's obvious fear of him. "Don't worry. Your mommy will be here shortly. If you know what's good for you, you'll be a good little boy and do as I say."
As Weasel approached him, he pulled a shining blade from its sheath on his leg. "I just need your coat and a little proof that I have you."
Phillip jumped from the bed and retreated to the corner. "Let me go!"
Weasel slowly stalked the thin form, his jade-green eyes glowing with excitement at the fear so thick in the air. "If you hold still, this will be…hmm… not so painful."
Phillip tried to push past the man before him, only to be caught in Weasel's strong arms and flung him to the bed. The force of the shove was so hard, Phillip ended up slamming his shoulder against the wall, and he cried out in pain.
"Take off your jacket…or I'll cut it off!"
Phillip, now even more frightened than before, did as he was asked and handed it to him.
Weasel stepped forward and grabbed the boy's hair. "Hold still." He yanked harshly at the hair on the back of the Phillip's head and slashed downward with his knife. Looking at the strands he now held, he muttered, "This should do nicely. All right, I've got a message to prepare." Turning, he headed out of the room and locked the door behind him.
Chapter 9
Richard stopped in the front entrance as he noticed the headlights of a van and multiple cars entering the parking lot of the Swan. Glancing at the two agents holding each other for the support they would need in the following hours, he opened the front door to greet the incoming agents and Nighthawk.
Richard cringed at the regret he held. He would never be able to make it up the man being assisted into his wheelchair, for not telling him about his family. 'You've paid the price for your country. It's time your country gave you something in return.' Richard exhaled a large sigh over his thoughts as he headed down the stairs to assist the Captain into the house.
Nighthawk watched the agent descending the steps and struggled to hold his anger in check. He wanted badly to lash out at someone for the deception that had made his family suffer over the past twelve years. "So, Fire. Where the hell is my family?"
Lighting a cigarette, Richard stopped in front of the crippled pilot. "They're inside. I haven't told them, yet, that you were going to be here. I figured I'd laid enough on them when I filled Lee in on the events surrounding all this shit."
Frank rolled his eyes and huffed sarcastically. "Yeah, I'm sure my son-in-law took it with a grain of salt."
A small smile spread over Richard's features. "Yeah, well, he let me live. I guess that's a good start. Come on. Amanda and Lee are in the living room, and we need to get started on figuring out why Weasel still wants you, and why he has your grandson."
Lee met the entourage of agents at the door. Speaking briefly with Lorna, he asked the caretaker to verify each agent's identification, then stepped out onto the porch just as Richard pushed the Captain's wheelchair to the bottom of the steps. "Need a hand, Frank?"
Frank looked up at the young man before him. Their eyes locked as Frank looked for pity or sorrow in them. Instead, he found admiration and sincerity. "Damn right, boy. Get down here and haul my ass into that house. I need to see my baby and meet my youngest grandson."
Lee quickly joined his friend at the bottom of the steps and placed his hands on the right side of the wheelchair and looked towards Richard. "Ready to for lift off?" he asked. Richard nodded at Lee and lifted the left side of the chair.
As they ascended the steps, Frank looked at his son-in-law. "I hope you handle this thing better than you do a plane." he released a rumbling laugh as he spoke.
Lee and Richard eased the wheelchair onto the porch. "See, Captain?" Lee said as he stepped around front of Frank. "You made it in one piece. My skills have greatly improved since we last shared a plane."
Richard raised his eyebrows and let a soft whistle blow through his lips as he walked around the two arrogant men and entered the house.
Frank reached for the screen door then stopped. "Lee."
Lee stepped behind Frank and placed his hand on his shoulder as he looked where his eyes focused. "Yeah, Nighthawk."
Wheeling his chair to face Lee, Frank looked up at him with a pondering expression. "She's the most beautiful and amazing woman I've ever laid eyes on. Except, of course, her mother."
Lee's eyes softened as he watched Amanda ushering the agents around the living room. He smiled as he heard her giving each of them as much of the details of the case as she knew at the moment. "Yes, she is."
The Captain smiled at the unconscious change of demeanor he'd seen in Lee once before when the young man looked at Amanda. His thoughts wandered back to the past and he sighed as he wheeled his chair to the edge of the porch. "Lee, I think we need to talk about the last time you came to visit me."
Lee shuffled his feet as he slumped against the porch rail. "Yeah, we never really discussed that, did we?"
Looking up to the sky, Frank let out a heavy sigh. "You know that I'm not very good at saying 'I'm sorry.'"
Turning to look out at the yard, Lee placed his hands on the rail and turned his eyes to where the Captain's focus lay. "Yeah, I know. I'm not too good at that myself." His lips pursed slightly as he thought about how much he and the Captain seemed to have in common.
Continuing to keep his eyes averted away from Lee, the Captain placed his hand over that of his friend's. "I said a lot of things I shouldn't have. I didn't—"
Lee pulled his attention from the sky and looked at his long-time friend. "I'm sorry, too. We don't have to talk about it."
Frank's eyes locked with Lee's. "Yes, we do. I'm sorry you lost your partner and I wasn't there for you. I should never have taken my own self-pity out on you. You've always been like a son to me, and I turned ya away."
Lee gave the wrinkled hand a tight squeeze. "It was a tough time for both of us. We both didn't get our hot-headed reputation for nothing, you know."
A soft chuckle could be heard in the night air as Frank returned Lee's grasp. "Us…hot-headed? Noooo--"
Lee joined in his laughter. "So I'm told."
Frank's voice became somber as he thought about Lee's last visit. "It was the anniversary of my family's death, and I took it out on you. I never should've told you that you didn't understand how it was to loose everything. You already had lost so much in your life, and then your partner was taken away the same date that my family was ripped away from me." Taking a deep breath, Frank looked back out at the open sky.
Lee shoved his hands in his pockets as he stepped back from the rail, walked over, and eased himself down to sit on the front steps. "Did I ever tell you why I finally decided to call you three years ago?"
Frank rolled his wheelchair behind Lee. "Nope. I just figured you took pity on an old man." He watched Lee lean back and prop his elbows on the step behind him.
Keeping his eyes alert to the passing pedestrians, Lee smiled at the memory. "A very special woman came into my life about two years before I called you. It took me a little while to pay attention, but she started to make me realize that family was important. Even though I thought I didn't need anyone, she kept after me to become 'normal.'"
Frank remained quiet as he cast a quick glance into the house, his eyes finding the brunette in the living room who was assisting Lorna with hostess duties at the same time she was discussing official matters.
Lee closed his eyes as the smell of fresh brewed coffee flowed out into the cold night air. "She didn't even realize that her gentle ways and constant understanding of my fly-off-the-handle moods opened my heart to love again. I was so lucky to have found Amanda."
Frank placed his hand on Lee's shoulder. "So, you told her about me, and she got you to call?"
Still watching the passersby, Lee stood and climbed onto the porch. Laughing mirthlessly, he said, "I didn't tell her about you till we were on our way here. No, she helped me deal with my uncle, Colonel Clayton, and I realized that I was missing time with what little family I had left. I also realized that I couldn't let my stubborn ways keep you out of my life, too. So, I picked up the phone and gave you a call."
Frank wheeled his chair to follow Lee to the door. "I'm sure glad you did." Lee looked up at Frank's eyes glistening with unspent tears. "I've missed a lot of important years. I hope you'll be able to help me get back a few of the memories I've misplaced."
Lee nodded his unspoken agreement, thinking of some of the memories Amanda had helped him regain. Both men could here the activity growing in the house and knew the team would soon be preparing for the lockdown stage of the program.
"Lee," Frank said as Lee reached for the screen door handle, "I've got a favor to ask of you." Lee stepped back, tilting his head at his friend's almost hesitant tone. "I've had the nurses and doctors at the hospital pestering me for years to get some prosthetic legs and go into physical therapy. After all of this is over and my grandson is home," his eyes darted briefly toward the door as Amanda's quiet laugh floated out to them, and then he looked back at the young man next to him, "can I count on you to help me?"
Lee reached over to place a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You know I will. Come on, let's go help that daughter of yours out before she has all our agents drinking coffee and relaxing on the couch."
Frank reached up and placed a hand over Lee's, where it rested on his shoulder. "Thank you, son. Thank you for loving my daughter, for protecting her over the past five years, and for being there for her when I wasn't. "
Lee gave the older man's hand a tight squeeze. "No thanks needed. Believe me, I'm the one who's thankful. I just wish I'd realized sooner…"
Frank turned his chair around to face Lee. "What do you mean?"
Shaking his head, Lee ran his left hand through his thick hair. "Nothing really. Maybe I'll explain it to you over a few beers and a steak after all of this is over. Let's get in there!"
Frank rolled his chair to the door as the younger man opened it. Lee followed, giving the wheelchair a little extra push to get over the threshold. Amanda turned away from the agent she'd been talking to and smiled warmly at the vision of her father and Lee entering the house. The presence of her father didn't alarm her; instead she felt at peace with the knowledge that her father had come home to his family. Extending her hand towards him, she took her father's in hers and headed for the living room. "Daddy, come over here next to the fire. You must be frozen."
Jamie stood, fascinated and a bit nervous, at the top of the steps. 'So, this is my grandfather.' The boy took a few steps down to get a better look at the man in the wheelchair.
Lee looked over at the stairs to see his stepson watching the scene before him. "Jamie," he said quietly, stepping closer to the staircase, "come on down here. I want to introduce you to a few folks."
Jamie slowly walked down the steps, never taking his eyes off the man next to his mother. Stepping close to Lee, he whispered, "Lee, is that really my grandfather?"
Lee placed his hand on his stepson's left shoulder. "Yep. Want to go meet him?"
Jamie looked up at Lee. "Yeah, I guess so. Who are all these other people running around with guns? Are they the police?"
Lee nodded and, tightening his grip on the boy's shoulder reassuringly pulled him towards the living room. "Something like that. They're federal agents who are here to make sure that the man who took your grandfather away from you guys so long ago, doesn't cause anymore harm to us. They're also here to help us find Phillip."
Jamie stayed close to Lee as they walked towards the living room. Pausing when they had reached the doorway when he caught sight of his mother. Suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to be near her, he slowly made his way over to where she was. "Mom…"
Amanda smiled warmly at Jamie and wrapped her right arm around his shoulders as soon as he had reached her side. "Jamie, this is your grandfather, Captain Frank West."
Jamie stood silent as his eyes met those of the older man. Frank extended his hand to the young man before him. "Nice to finally meet you, Jamie." He glanced up briefly at Lee who had wrapped his left arm around Amanda's waist and moved to stand behind his stepson.
Jamie's hand trembled as he reached out to shake the disfigured man's hand. "Yes, sir."
Frank released Jamie's hand after a brief shake. He could see the uncertainty in the boys eyes caused by his scars and the absence of his legs. "I must look like something out of a horror movie to you, boy."
Jamie took a step back closer to Lee. "Yes, sir…" When Amanda opened her mouth to reprimand her son, Lee tightened his embrace to stop her. "I mean no, sir. It's just…you don't look like all the pictures Grandma and Mom have of you."
Frank's robust laughter filled the room. The agents in the surrounding rooms momentarily stopped their tasks of setting up communication posts and boarding up the house to look at the usually quiet man. "I've definitely changed. I'll have to tell you some stories one of these days." Wheeling his chair towards the couch, he motioned for Jamie to take a seat.
Jamie hesitated as he looked over at his mother. "Mom?"
Amanda gently extracted herself from her husband's embrace, placing her hand on her son's shoulder and walked with him over to the couch. Sitting down, she patted the seat beside her for Jamie to sit. "Jamie, your grandfather has been through a lot. We all have some catching up to do, so Dad, why don't you tell him a little about yourself."
Frank gave Amanda a lavish wink and started telling Jamie about some of his wild escapades in the sky. Jamie quickly became enthralled in his flamboyant tales and eased back into the couch, oblivious to everything but his grandfather.
Dotty and Kurt stood in the doorway of the living room, both quiet and, in their own way, nervous at the situation that was quickly unfolding. Dotty took Kurt's hand in hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze before they joined her family. "Frank, I see you've met your youngest grandson."
Frank's brown eyes held a hint of green in their sparkle as Dotty drew near. 'So many wasted years that can never be reclaimed.' He shook his head to the regrets echoing in his mind and gave his wife a lavish smile. "Yes, Dotty. He's a wonderful young man."
Dotty gently smiled at Jamie, noting his apparent comfort in talking to his grandfather. Taking a seat across from the couch, Dotty gave Kurt a brief smile then turned her attention to her husband. "I didn't realize that you'd be coming here."
Frank patted Jamie's hand then proceeded to roll his chair beside his wife. "I'm sorry to throw all of this at you at one time, Dotty. With Phillip's kidnapping, they decided to bring me here for protection."
Dotty closed her eyes and tried to regain control of the anger that flashed through her body. Opening her eyes, she found Frank's soft eyes pleading with her. "I understand that this man is after some information that you might have?"
Frank's voice cracked as he spoke. "Yes, Dotty. If I'd known that any of this could've happened, I would've stayed in 'Nam. I'm so sorry for the pain I've caused my family."
Dotty looked into the sad eyes of her husband, and a sudden realization hit her. Frank had suffered just as much as, if not more than, she had all these years. At least she'd had Amanda and the boys to keep her mind occupied and her life fulfilled. He'd been left with nothing. "It's not your fault, Frank. Besides, I have know, deep down, that we'll get him back."
Kurt watched the family before him and could feel his dreams quickly slipping away. Turning to seek out the solitude of the night air, he stopped at the sound of Dotty's voice.
"Kurt, come back over here and meet Frank West."
Kurt stiffened as he re-entered the room, unsure of what to expect from the man sitting beside the woman he loved. Frank extended his hand for Kurt to shake. "Nice to meet you, Kurt. Amanda mentioned that you're a flyboy, too."
Kurt accepted the handshake and gave Frank a grateful smile for his understanding. "Nice to meet you, too."
The reunion was quickly ended as the sound of footsteps running up the front steps was met with the sound of numerous guns being drawn and aimed at the door. Fighting the urge to go for his own gun, Lee quickly gathered his stepson and mother-in-law and, leaning into Amanda, who had immediately joined him to provide a human shield, herded them towards the stairs. "You guys had better head upstairs."
Dotty started to refuse, until she felt Kurt's hand on her back, urging her to comply. Hearing the knock on the door, Lee nodded to two agents to follow them to their bedroom and maintain a watch over them. After seeing them safely out of site, he placed his body in front of his wife as he drew his own weapon in anticipation of the intruder.
As another soft knock came from the other side of the door, Richard opened it. The man dropped the package into Richard's hands at the site of all the guns aimed at him. Agents swarmed around him, pushing him against the wall and searching him for weapons. "Hey, where's Lorna?"
Lee walked over and carefully picked up the package. Taking it over to where the man was pinned to the wall by two agents, he asked, "Who are you?"
The man looked nervously around the room. "Some guy on the street gave me a bottle of liquor and told me to bring this package here and give it to a woman named Amanda."
Lee's eyes narrowed as he grabbed the man's shabby shirt by the color. "What man?"
Nervously licking his lips, the man looked around, finally seeing the friendly face of Lorna coming into the room. "Lorna, tell this guy who I am."
Lorna joined Lee at the door where the man was being handcuffed. "He's a homeless man that I give hot meals to once or twice a week. He's harmless."
Lee continued his penetrating stare at the frightened man. "What did the man look like?"
Cowering under the intense scrutiny of the hazel eyes, the man eased his way back against the wall. "Tall…bright red hair…really green eyes."
Lee snorted with disgust. "Get him out of here." Taking the package into the living room, his eyes locked with Frank's as both men agreed that Weasel had sent it. Laying the package down on the coffee table, Lee carefully checked it for traps before opening it. "Okay, everybody, get back."
Amanda stood beside her father, her hand tightly wrapped within his bulky fingers, as she watched Lee gently remove the brown paper. Glancing up at Amanda before opening the lid, he gave her a small reassuring smile. Turning his attention back to the package, his hands began to shake lightly as he lifted a familiar coat from the box.
Amanda's eyes were riveted on the coat clutched in Lee's hands. She abruptly released her father's hand and closed the distance to her husband. "Lee, that's Phillip's coat!"
Before Amanda could reach him, Lee balled the coat up and shoved it back into the box. "Yeah. I'll have the lab look over it for clues." Lee handed the box to Richard then turned to face his distraught wife.
Amanda pushed past Lee and grabbed the box from the unprepared agent. "Lee, I want to see that. It's my son's!" She jerked the box from the man's grasp and yanked the lid off. Her eyes immediately clouded with threatening tears as she pulled the coat from the box, allowing the container to drop to the floor. "Oh God. Please let him be all right." She closed her eyes as she hugged the material to her chest. Burying her face into the coat, she began to sway suddenly.
Before anyone else could react, Lee's arms were wrapped solidly around Amanda's body. Murmuring softly to her, he gathered her close and bent his head protectively over hers. Many of the room's occupants looked away, giving the couple a moment of privacy, while a few watched the intense display of love with a twinge of envy.
Gently, Lee turned his wife in his arms and, ensuring she was once again steady on her feet, put his hands on the coat she was still clutching. "Amanda, let me have Richard send it to the lab for testing. Check for fingerprints and anything else they can find."
Amanda tightened her grip momentarily before relinquishing it to Lee when she saw her father approaching. Her words were barely above a whisper as she nodded and let him take her son's coat. "Okay."
Taking the coat from his wife, Lee handed it to Richard then took Amanda's hands in his and led her to the couch.
Frank leaned over the arm of his chair and picked up the empty box. "There's a letter in here." He pulled the letter from the box and handed it to Lee. "It's addressed to Amanda."
Amanda looked up at Lee as he opened the letter. Attached to the upper corner was a handful of Phillips blond hair. Covering up the strands with his palm, Lee began reading the letter aloud, as all eyes focused on him.
Mrs. Stetson,
You have something that belongs to me. For the return of my microfilm, I will make sure that your son is returned to you. The longer you wait to give me what I want, the worse shape your son will be in when he is returned to you. To give you a hint, it's contained in the last gift your father ever gave you. Retrieve the item and wait for further instructions. You are to do this alone. Scarecrow is to stay put, or the boy will die.
Weasel
Lee closed the letter and then looked up at Frank. "What's he talking about?" He rose and walked over to Richard, slyly passing the letter to the agent. Noticing his wife's attention focused on her father, he whispered, "Have that hair tested, too. Find out if it really is Phillip's."
Richard nodded his understanding and headed into an adjacent room to arrange to have the items sent to the lab.
Amanda slowly sat on the couch as she remembered the gift that Weasel was referring to. "Daddy, do you remember the china panda you sent me? I received it just before we got word about your chopper going down."
Frank rolled his chair in front of Amanda. "I do now. Oh my God, Panda."
Amanda closed her eyes and leaned back against the couch. She had to think of what to do. She knew that Lee would never let her do this alone, but the life of her child was at stake.
Lee joined her on the couch and placed his left hand on her knee. "Amanda, where is it?"
Opening her eyes, Amanda looked to her father. "Jamie broke it when he was three." She didn't dare look at her husband, afraid he would see the deception in her eyes.
Frank tilted his head to the side and studied his daughter's eyes. "So you don't have it anymore?"
Shaking her head no, she turned to her husband. "Why would I keep it if it was broken? What do we do now?"
Noticing how tired and drained his wife looked, Lee tightened his grip on her hands. "I think you need to go and get some rest while Richard, Nighthawk, and I come up with some sort of a plan to get Phillip back."
Amanda leaned over and placed a soft kiss on his check. "I think you're right." With that said, she stood, placed a gentle kiss on her father's check and headed for the stairs. "Goodnight."
Lee looked from his father-in-law to the woman retreating up the steps, and then back, locking eyes with the older man. "That was way too easy."
Frank looked questioningly at him. "What do you mean?"
Lee looked back at the man in the wheelchair. "Your daughter never gives in like that without a fight."
"Maybe she's just tired," Richard put in. He didn't know Amanda like Lee did, but anyone could see that the woman who had just ascended the stairs was definitely exhausted.
Turning his attention to the older gentleman, Lee shook his head. "Trust me, Amanda's not telling us something. I can feel it."
"Well let's get some plans laid out, and then you can head upstairs and check on her." Frank suggested. Lee reluctantly nodded, and the trio began to head into one of the downstairs rooms to discuss their next plans. As Frank followed the other two men, he glanced quickly towards the top of the stairs. He was pretty sure Lee's hunch about his daughter was right, but now was not the time to get sidetracked. Weasel was out there somewhere with his grandson, and they needed to devise a plan to get Phillip back safely, since the only bargaining chip they had no longer existed.
To be continued…