Chapter 12
Laura and Amanda were escorted brusquely into the cold, dark space. The men who accompanied them, one of whom was now sporting a black eye, wandered off into the shadows, leaving the women alone for a moment. While they looked around trying to decide which way to run, a switch was thrown with a loud clunk. Three banks of lights flooded the crate-filled warehouse with a sickly yellow glow.
"How nice it is to meet you, Mrs. Steele, Mrs. King."
Tupolev's face was bathed in the green light of the computer screen, giving his already pale face a devilish hue. He turned off the monitor and stood.
"Much as I'm sure I will enjoy the company of two such beautiful ladies, I do hope our time together is short. By now, your partners have figured out what has happened and what I want in exchange for your safe return. It is so refreshing to deal with such professionals. I despise having to waste time on ransom demands."
Amanda and Laura glanced at each other, but did not respond.
Tupolev ignored their silence. "I think it is best if we separate you. Mrs. King, you will remain with me."
A bolt of lightning split the night sky as Tupolev's men reappeared and herded Laura to the opposite side of the building, where they handcuffed her to a pipe.
*
Remington and Lee, dressed in pilfered commando fatigues, rushed across the empty parking lot and crouched in a doorway on the eastern side of the warehouse. Both were rainsoaked and cold.
"Keep an eye out while I open this," Lee said, pulling a set of lockpicks and wirecutters out of a pocket.
Remington complied. He moved out of the way and tried to find a spot where the waterfall coming down over the eaves was not constantly drenching him. Finally, he resigned himself to never being dry again and let the water run down his face.
Lee pocketed his toolkit and announced, "We're in." His hand went to the doorknob.
"Wait," Remington said. "I see a small problem."
"What? There were two security systems. I got them both."
"I think," the detective said as he pointed out a small screw set into the doorjamb, "that our Russian friends have come up with something new."
The screw was holding a very thin wire, no thicker than fishing line, that ran up the side of the building and disappeared.
Lee asked, "What do you think it is?"
"I've no idea."
"How about suggestions?"
"You cut it and I'll hold my breath."
Lee let out a short laugh. "Ok. Here goes."
He cut the wire and listened. No sirens went off and no flurry of activity was heard inside, so he turned the handle. They ducked inside and immediately climbed up to the second floor.
"They must be down at that end. I see lights." Lee pointed to the far end of the warehouse. "Let's go."
They picked their way among boxes, crates, and bins until they reached a point where the floor abruptly ended and opened onto the level below. They stayed in the shadows and peered down.
Lee whispered, "The man at the desk is Tupolev. Amanda is off to the right, surrounded by guards. I don't see Laura."
Remington was worried.
"Where is she? And where's Roselli? I don't like this."
They watched quietly for a minute. Remington leaned back against a box.
Someone tapped him on the shoulder.
"Did anyone ever tell you that you look good soaking wet?"
He spun around. "Laura!"
She put a finger to his lips. "Shh. I have to get back to my pipe in about two minutes, so listen carefully. The guards by Amanda leave her about every ten minutes to come check on me. Sometimes they all go for a walk; usually, it's just two. I've been free for almost an hour now, and they don't suspect a thing."
Lee asked, "Have you seen anyone else? These odds aren't good, and I don't want them to get any worse."
"I've been all through the warehouse. They're it." She pointed to the mob of muscle around Amanda just as two men broke from the group.
Laura gave Remington a brief kiss. "Be back in a minute."
She vanished down a ladder, then came back into view on the far side of the bleak office space below. Remington watched in amusement as she reattached her handcuffs, told off the guards who were used to it by now, then picked the cuffs with a bit of wire as soon as they were gone. She materialized in the loft once more.
"How's Amanda?" Lee asked.
"She's fine. They're just holding us waiting for you. Tupolev is very confident that you'll trade Dr. Wilcox's research for us."
"That's only the last resort, but I'll do it."
Lee turned back to the scene below.
"Do they ever leave her?"
"They did once. The computer beeped, and Tupolev called them all over. I couldn't hear what they said, but the goon squad seemed a little more on edge after that."
Remington looked worried. "When was that?"
"A minute or two before I found you."
"Lee, I think we have another problem. They know we're here. We shouldn't have cut that wire."
"So what are we going to do?" Laura asked.
Lee answered, "I don't know. Tupolev was smart to separate you. If they find one of you gone, they're still got the other, and you can't work together to plan an escape."
"But I'm already out. As long as they think they've still got me, you can rescue Amanda while I create a diversion."
"What do you have in mind?"
"I'll escape. They'll concentrate on me."
Remington added, "But you'll be long gone."
Lee said, "Right. The car is around the back of the next building. Use the car phone to call in the Marines."
Lee and Remington scrambled down the ladder, leaving Laura to find her own way out. She skirted a few boxes and wove among the crates. She had almost made it to the back stairs when a hand shot out, clamped onto her arm, and dragged her into the darkness. Laura found herself on the receiving end of an ardent kiss.
"Laura, what are you doing here?" Anthony Roselli asked after he released her and checked that no one saw them.
"Tony?"
"Laura, whatever case you're on, you've got to drop it. You'll louse up the whole thing."
"Tony, what's going on? What have you got to do with all this?"
"I'm undercover. This is about to break wide open. I've got to get down there and see what's going on."
"You don't know?"
"Know what?"
"Tupolev and his men kidnapped me and a friend of mine. Remington and another friend are going to get her right now."
Tony's eyebrows went up. "So it's not 'Mr. Steele' anymore."
"No, it's not. If he sees you, he will not be happy."
"And what about you? Are you happy to see me?"
"Look, Tony. You once said that if I could honestly say I have no feelings for you, you'd leave me alone."
Roselli shifted his weight. "I did."
"Well, I don't, so back off."
He studied her face.
"And if you ever kiss me again, Remington will be the least of your worries."
Laura poked him hard in the chest with a finger, and Tony backed off a step.
*
"Psst! Amanda!"
Amanda turned around as best she could with her hands cuffed to a ring in the wall.
"Lee, am I glad to see you," she whispered in relief. "Be careful. The guards will be back any minute."
"I doubt that," Lee said as he and Remington emerged from their position behind a crate filled with VCRs. "They'll be busy for a while."
Lee did not need to elaborate. While he quietly released his wife, a commotion began across the floor. Excuses and orders were given in loud Russian, and the guards ran off in several directions.
Lee ushered Amanda back behind the crate. The three headed for the door.
"Wait!" Amanda whispered. "What about Laura?"
Remington replied, "She's out in the car calling in the cavalry. Let's get going before you're missed as well."
They resumed their dash for the exit, but stopped abruptly as a Russian goon appeared in front of it. Lee turned on his heel and scanned for another door.
"Mr. Stetson! Mr. Steele!" Tupolev's voice reverberated through the warehouse. "Please do not waste time trying to escape. All the exits are manned, and you have no backup."
"Then we're even, Anatole, since you've got no bargaining chips," Lee shouted back.
Tupolev laughed. "Mr. Roselli!"
Anthony Roselli stepped to the loft railing, a surprised Laura held at arm's length in front of him.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Steele," commented Tony.
Remington scowled and acknowledged, "Antony."
Roselli continued, "Well, gentlemen, we can play musical hostages all night, or we can make this easy. Give us the research, and we can all go our separate ways."
Lee whispered to Remington, "We're boxed in."
Remington replied, "We've been played for fools all evening. Laura never made it to the phone, so your friends are not going to appear out of the woodwork to help us."
"You're saying we have to hand over the disk."
"What else can we do?"
Tupolev shouted once more, "Mr. Stetson! Do you have the research?"
Lee cursed under his breath and yelled back, "Yes!"
"Then you will turn it over to me."
Lee stepped cautiously into the light and reached inside his shirt.
"Lee, how nice of you to cooperate, but you'll forgive me if I do not trust you."
Lee drew his hand out and raised his arms as the Russian went on, "Give the disk to Mrs. King. She will bring it here."
Scarecrow winced. "No way. Then you'll have them both again."
"The point is moot. I have the four of you right now."
Lee stepped back and handed the disk to Amanda. He hugged her and said, "Just do what he says and we'll all get out of this." He could tell she was scared, but up to the task.
"I hope so."
Amanda walked across the cold concrete with the disk held straight out. Tupolev remained near the desk and let her cross the entire distance.
"Please sit, Mrs. King." He waved at the desk chair. "You will verify the contents for me."
Amanda sat, noticing her purse as well as Laura's on the floor by the chair leg. She pushed the disk into the drive and pressed a few keys.
Screen after screen filled with diagrams and formulae. Satisfied, Tupolev ordered Amanda to eject the disk.
She fumbled as she plucked the disk from the computer. It fell to the floor, but she recovered it with only a look of warning from the Russian.
He snatched it from her and shouted a command in Russian, then in English.
Up in the loft, Roselli said, "Bye, Laura," and vanished.
The Russian doormen did the same, as did Tupolev. Laura stood there for a moment in confusion, then joined the others below.
"Aren't we going to follow them and get it back?" she asked.
Lee answered, "We have no idea where they're headed, but I'll call the Agency and get a team on it."
"We're already on it, Scarecrow." Billy Melrose's voice, its tone decidedly nonplussed, rang out.
A swarm of agents burst in.
"The four of you will be lucky if you're not tried for treason!"
Lee began, "Billy, we'll get it back. Tupolev can't get far."
Amanda interrupted, "Boy, I do hope we get him. Jamie will be awfully disappointed if he doesn't get that disk back."
Lee gave her a quizzical look. "What?"
"That disk that Mr. Tupolev just left with. Jamie needs it for a school project. If we don't get it back, I guess I'll have to buy him another one."
Laura, Lee, and Billy remained confused, but Remington had it.
"You switched the disks when you dropped it."
Amanda grinned. "Yup, I did. The real one's in my purse."
Lee turned to his boss. "Well, how about that, Billy?"
"Maybe you won't be tried for treason. But you will have to answer to Francine," Billy laughed, "because she wants your head."
He headed back outside to direct the teams.
"Amanda," Lee breathed, "do you know how dangerous that was? What if he'd caught the switch?"
She took his hands. "Well, he didn't. I couldn't let him get away with that information. The security of the whole country was at stake."
Lee hugged her again, ignoring the Steeles who were doing the same.
Lee asked, "Are you alright? You look exhausted."
"I'm fine. I just need to go home."
"I'll take you home on one condition: a doctor checks you out first."
"Do you know what I have to go through to get you to see a doctor?"
"I know, but just humor me. You haven't been feeling well lately, and this can't have helped."
Amanda patted his hand and said, "Ok."
Lee wrapped his arm around her, and they started for the car. Over his shoulder he called, "Hey, Steele. Get a room!"
Remington Steele ignored him.
Laura whispered, "That's a good idea."
"I've got some unfinished business to take care of first, Laura."
Chapter 13
"What business?" Laura asked. "The Agency will get Tupolev, and Amanda has the disk."
She paused, then added, "They'll get Tony, too."
"I don't think so, Laura. He's still here," Remington stated.
"He wouldn't hang around. There are agents everywhere."
"Yes, but you're here. You don't think he'd just leave after finding you again, do you?"
"He might. I told him to back off."
"Of course you did, Laura. You also told me to do that many times, though not in so many words. I never listened."
"Good point."
He left Laura there and walked out into the middle of the room.
"Antony! Shall we do this the easy way," he shouted, "or the hard way?"
There was no answer except the pounding of rain on the metal roof.
"I can have fifty agents in here searching for you in one minute," Remington yelled. "Or we can end this like gentlemen. Give yourself up!"
There was still no answer, so Laura tried, "Listen to him, Tony. Make it easy on yourself."
Tony's calm voice came from behind them, startling them both.
"You're right. I should have run when I had the chance."
Remington said, "You were up in the loft. How did you get down here without us seeing you?"
"If you were really ex-CIA, you'd know."
To himself, Remington said, "Hmm. I'll have to ask Lee."
Laura exclaimed, "I don't believe you two! One minute you're ready to kill each other, and the next you're having a civilized conversation."
"It's a fine line, Laura," explained Remington. "A fine line."
"Steele was right about why I'm still here, Laura."
She asked, "And?"
"And, no matter what you said or what you must think of me now, there was something in your kiss that told me I needed to hang around."
An incredulous Remington stammered, "What kiss?"
Laura ignored him and said, "Tony, I told you. I have absolutely no interest in you. At all. I'm in love with Remington."
Remington repeated, "What kiss?"
This time, Tony ignored him. "And is he in love with you? It seems to me you weren't quite sure about him in Ireland."
"A lot has changed since you last saw us."
"What?"
Laura held up the back of her left hand for Tony to see.
"That's not the ring you wore in Ireland," Tony observed.
"Roselli," seethed Remington, "have you ever heard of a jealous rage?"
Laura's attention turned back to her husband. She said, "There's no need for one."
Roselli agreed, "No, there's not. I've got my answer now." There was a pained look on his face.
"That you do, Antony. Now I want one. Why did you do it? You're a detestable chap, but I never would have figured you for treason."
"This all started as a legit undercover operation. Then Shayne came to me with this coding system, and the money got very, very big."
"I've stolen paintings worth $100 million. That still wouldn't be enough to make me betray what I believe in."
"Well, Steele, I guess that's the difference between you and me."
"There are a lot more differences than that," Laura added.
Remington met her gaze with a smile in his eyes.
Tony stuck his arms out, wrists together. "Time to be taken away in irons, I guess."
"I seem to have left my shackles in my other suit."
Remington and Laura escorted a sullen Anthony Roselli out into the rain and into the custody of the Agency.
Chapter 14
"Doc, what's the word?" Lee asked as the tired-looking doctor emerged from the exam room.
The doctor took the time to swat Lee's feet, which were propped up on the doctor's overfilled desk, with his clipboard before saying, "This is the last time I come in at all hours for you."
"I know, I know. I owe you. How is she?"
"She's fine."
"I was overreacting."
"Sort of."
"What do you mean, 'Sort of?' Do I have a reason to overreact? You said she was fine."
"And she is."
"Quit toying with me, doc."
"At this hour, just be glad I'm not using you for target practice."
"I'll just ask Amanda."
Lee headed for the exam room door.
"You know, Stetson," the doctor said, "you do owe me. And, depending on how much you want me to keep quiet, you may owe me very big."
Lee, confused, entered the exam room and shut the door behind him.
"Hi."
She was sitting in the lone chair in the room, fidgeting with a fingernail. She looked up and smiled.
"Hi, yourself."
"So, how are you?"
"I'm good. The doctor says I'm good."
"Then what's going on? Doc said something about keeping quiet." Lee paused. "You didn't tell him, did you?"
"No, I didn't tell him."
"Then what?"
"I think you should sit down."
Lee complied by perching on the sink.
"Amanda, what is going on?"
"I don't know how to say this."
"You're not ok?"
"I'm fine, Lee. Really."
"Amanda," Lee pleaded, "the suspense is killing me."
"You know, I've only had a minute to think about this. I remember what I said to Joe, but that was different."
Lee raised his eyebrows.
"Amanda, are you trying to tell me what I think you're trying to tell me?"
"I guess so."
He leapt off the sink, scooped up his wife, and spun her around.
The doctor was just opening to door to leave when he heard the whoop of joy come out of the other room. He shook his head and smiled, then left.
"Lee," Amanda laughed, "you've go to put me down. You'll hurt your ribs."
She poked him in the side. He winced and deposited her on the floor.
"Now we have to tell Billy and your mother."
"My mother. What am I going to say to her?"
"Don't worry about it. We'll tell her together. Billy, too." He thought for a moment, then added, "But you've got to let me tell Francine."
Chapter 15
It was nearly three-thirty in the morning when Laura lowered her grimy body into the immense tubful of bubbles.
"Laura, have you seen my watch?" Remington called from the bedroom. "It wasn't with the rest of my clothes at the Agency."
She called back, "No, I haven't."
He nudged open the bathroom door with his foot while rummaging through a suitcase. "Sorry, Laura. What did you say?"
"I said I haven't seen it."
"What could I have done with it?" he asked, shutting the suitcase and turning. "I just can't..."
He stopped when he saw her in the bath.
"So that's what's taking you so long in here."
"I was going to take a shower, but, after today, I really needed the relaxation of a bath. I can get out now if you want the tub."
She made a show of preparing to lift herself out of the water.
"This is where you're supposed to tell me to stay in here and enjoy myself."
He sat on the edge of the tub and turned up the corners of his mouth.
"Not if you're going to get out and walk all the way over there to get your towel." He indicated the shelf across the room where she had left it.
She sat back down and splashed him. Laughing, he held up his hands in surrender.
"Easy, Laura. I've been damp enough for one day."
"I still don't see why you changed your clothes," she said, running her finger under the lapel of his jacket. "Like I said, you look good soaking wet."
Remington eyed her lasciviously.
"One thing I've learned through the years is not to accept flattery from a naked woman."
"Why?"
"You can never trust them. They're always up to something."
"You know, you could be right."
She grabbed him by the lapels and pulled him into the tub.
The End