**Disclaimer**
What?! These characters aren't real?! NOOOOOOOOO!!! I can't be!! Oh well.
What?! No, don't tell me...darn it! Warner Brothers owns all rights and regulations to the Scarecrow and Mrs. King series?! This is insane! I'll sue!! I'll make this the biggest lawsuit in years!! Man, I really need a hobby.
THE INCONSPICUOUS LETTER
It was an ordinary Wednesday morning at the agency. Agents of the desk and field were all hustling and bustling about, giving and receiving new manila envelopes with the usual big, red lettering stating, "CLASSIFIED" or "EYES ONLY".
Billy, Lee, and Francine were all gathered around Billy's desk in his office debating and arguing on how they should accomplish this new matter of national security that had just been brought up.
"Lee, Francine, hold it!" Billy screamed, trying to break up the avid fight the two were having.
"Billy, be reasonable man! The only way we'll be able to stop Morris is to storm in an take over!" Lee explained, somewhat loudly.
"And risk the lives of everyone who goes in?" Francine retorted, hotly. "We don't even know what their artillery situation is, all we know is that for this kind of assignment it will be big. Very big!"
"People, please! Now let's try to figure this out with a sense of rational behavior." Billy stated, now getting a little irritated himself.
Before the conversation could go any further, there was a sudden knocking at the door.
"Come in"
Amanda walked in and quickly handed over a stack of papers neatly folded in manila folder.
"Here are the bank notes you wanted, sir. I'm sorry they're a little late, but Philip had his Little League game, then Jamie needed my help with is science project, and you know, sir, I-- I actually forgot about them until yesterday afternoon. I'm... I'm sorry, " Amanda babbled, and hung her head.
"That's all right, Mrs. King. I completely understand."
"Ahh, Amanda, since we're on the subject of Little League and science projects, how's your life in modern suburbia?" Francine asked in her usual mocking smile.
"Cool it Francine," Lee commented. "Uh, Amanda, we were right in the middle of something that we need to --"
"Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt anything. I'll leave now. I'm sorry," Amanda explained and she walked toward the door.
"Wait a minute Mrs. King," Billy called, then turned to Lee, "Scarecrow, why don't you let her help you, I mean, she knows the area pretty well.
"Billy, wait a minute, this is an assignment for professionally trained agents, not the chairman--er, excuse me, chairwoman-- of the PTA." Francine complained, but Billy had his mind somewhere else. He had turned to Amanda again.
"Mrs. King, are you busy tonight and possibly tomorrow?"
Lee was actually not that fond of this situation and was trying to protest the whole time, but with no such luck.
"Wait, ho-ho-hold it! I don't think-- Billy---wait--can I say something here?!"
"Well, sir, Mother and the boys are on a week long camping trip so no, I'm not busy. What is it you'd like me to do?"
"Lee will tell you all the details later today when you two get together. Scarecrow, I expect this operation to start no later than by 7:30 tonight. As for our little argument on how the operation should be done, it's over. I will tell you how we accomplish this, it will be an inside investigation. A little poking around and then we'll drop the bomb, okay? And Amanda will be a part of it, too," Billy added, nodding and slanting his eyes towards Lee.
Lee and Francine both opened their mouths to protest, but Billy interupted,
"Of course, if that's a problem, I can always put Fred Fielder as your partner, Lee."
Lee's eyes widened, and immediantly turned his head to Amanda and said, "I'll be at your house at 7:00."
* * *
That evening, Amanda was straightening up the house, which as what she usually did during the day, until she heard the familiar slight rapping on her back door. Amanda put Jamie's shoes at the base of the stairs and hurried over to the back kitchen door.
"Hi, Amanda, coast clear?"
"Yeah, Mother and the boys are on the camping trip, remember?"
"Yeah, sorry. Force of habit," Lee replied, and followed Amanda to the living room.
"All right, Amanda --" Lee started.
"Would you like some coffee?" Amanda asked, coffee pot in hand.
"Ahh, uh, no...thank you Amanda, but I have had your coffee before and I think I'll pass this time."
"Oh, all right," Amanda replied, unaware of what Lee had said, put the coffee pot back in the maker. When Amanda returned, she sat down across from Lee.
"What was Mr. Melrose talking about when he said 'she knows the area pretty well'?"
"Amanda, we have had a major security leak in our area and we have reason to believe that it is Morris that is the crack in the pipe."
"Who's Mr. Morris?"
"Taylor Morris. We recruited him about seven years ago from Buffalo, New York. He was a field agent for the first four years until an accident involving his family caused him to burn out."
"Oh no, what happened?" Amanda asked, her motherly instincts kicking in.
"On an assignment Morris was involved in, he was passed classified information, very vital to the Russian Intelligence downfall, without his knowledge. The Russians found out about it and kidnapped his wife, Mary, and three-year-old son, David, as a precaution. Since Morris didn't know he had the information he couldn't persuade the Russians to let Mary and David go. The Russians forced Morris to watch as they tied Mary to a chair, and then shot her with a .48," Lee regretfully explained, with a distinct tone of morose.
Evidently, Lee and Morris' family were very close friends.
"Oh, my gosh! That's awful!" Amanda breathed, unable to comprehend the feeling of seeing your spouse being shot right in front of you eyes.
"That's not all. They gave Morris one more chance to tell where the plans were and they would save David, but Morris still had no idea he had them. They took Morris and David down to the Potomac. They took David out and walked him over to the pier. Morris was forced again as they dropped David into the Potomac."
Amanda was too appalled to speak.
"When Morris later found out that he actually had the plans in his personal file, he was devastated. He almost committed suicide. We tried to put him out on the field again, but he was too distraught, thinking that he might have the documents people would demand. Eventually he just lost it. We had to fire him a year afterwards." Lee finished.
"Oh, my gosh! That's just terrible, that poor man. But, Lee, why would he work for the country that killed his wife and son?" Amanda questioned with a voice that represented both puzzlement and sympathy.
"That's what doesn't track. We don't know why, but he has." Lee shrugged.
"Couldn't it be like a set-up? I mean, like what happened to me? They could dirty up his record to make him look unsavory and very suspicious, couldn't they?" Amanda asked.
She had bee accused for being a double agent by Mr. Larner, one of Billy's superiors. It turned out to be Larner's secretary Margaret Brock.
"Well, we both know Czechoslovakian Intelligence can, because they did do it to you, but we're dealing with the Russians. We don't know if they can or not. We have enough evidence, though, that could lock Morris in irons for espionage for life, and if we bring him in, we could determine if he was set up or not. Like we did for you."
"Right. So what's our assignment?"
"You mean my assignment. Your just part of a cover. We know that Morris will be at Emilio's at 8:00 tonight, and we will go there as a couple on a date, and watch Morris to find the final hardening piece of evidence against him." Lee contradicted, then explained.
"But, if there is a possibility that he's being set-up, how will you know what to look for, and did you say 'date'?" Amanda asked, never really liking the situations where she and Lee pretended to be either married or dating.
"Yes, I did. Amanda, it won't be as bad as before. And I know what I'm looking for."
* * *
"Lee, you said he would be here at 8:00, and it's," Amanda glances at the wall clock, "now 8:30. Are you sure Billy said Emilio's?"
"Yes, I'm sure, because he just walked in the door," Lee said, eyes fixated on a tall, thin man walk in and slump down on the bar stool that was, luckily, the closest to the table where Lee and Amanda were sitting.
After an hour of careful surveillance, which was not that successful, Lee was starting to get frustrated.
"Damn it, Morris, come on!" Lee fumed, banging his fist on the table.
"Shhh! Lee, calm down. He'll hear you," Amanda hissed. But to their luck, Morris was so into his beer mug to even care whet was going on around him.
Morris, slammed down his beer mug and demanded that it be filled up. As the bar tender poured another big mug-full, Morris was slowly moving his right hand into his jacket pocket.
All of a sudden, Lee noticed the split-second gleam of the light reflecting off the barrel of Morris' .38.
"GUN!!!" Lee screamed, and bolted towards Morris.
As pure reflex and instinct, Morris whipped the gun out at Lee and fired. Lee fell, grasping his right shoulder. At that Amanda, fell down next to Lee, but he pushed her away. Morris began to spray bullets all around the restaurant. All hell broke loose. Bullets flying, people screaming, and running away. When Morris ran out of bullets, he sprinted towards the door.
Lee, who had only been grazed by the bullet, leapt up and told Amanda sternly, "Amanda, stay here!"
He bolted out the door and down the left alley. Amanda realized that she could help and crawled up the chair and ran out the back door of Emilio's and into the alley. She saw a figure running up the alley towards her and immediately she grabbed a wooden board and hid by the back door. As the figure rushed past her, she brought down the board with a huge blow, hitting the figure in the back. The figure hit the ground, and immediately Amanda was trying to hold him down. It was a challenge.
"Lee! Lee! I got him!! LEE!" Amanda was screaming in between fights to get up.
"Amanda. Get OFF! It's me!" Lee groaned, as Amanda leapt off and helped him up, babbling all the way
"Oh, my gosh! Lee, are you okay? Oh, gosh, I'm so sorry. Here, let me help you up--I'm so sorry, are you okay?"
"Amanda, shut up! Yes, I am fine. What are you doing here!? I told you to stay there!" Lee cried, still clutching his bleeding shoulder.
"Oooh, Lee. You're hurt. Come on, let me wrap that up." Amanda cried, helping Lee into his car, and bandaging the wound.
"Ah, Amanda--OW!--Amanda, please--ouch!--Amanda, I'm fine!" Lee finally pointed out after the bandage was placed. "Now, come on. I'm taking you home." Lee said this with a tone of hostility Amanda had never heard coming at her before.
In the car, there were a few minutes of silence, then Lee broke it by saying, "Amanda, what did I tell you in there? I told you to stay there where it was safe. But, no, you had to go off and nearly kill me and help me lose Morris!!"
"Lee, I was trying to help. Anyways, how can you have called that place safe after it was just shot up like that? It was instinct on both counts. To get away and be safe, and to help a friend."
Lee was really mad, and that didn't help his attitude on the situation. "Oh, instincts, huh? You were following instincts? Let me tell you something Amanda King, it will be a miracle if you are ever able to train as a professional agent! You don't meet up to the standards! You are supposed to obey commands!" Lee was fuming.
Amanda was speechless. Lee had been mad at her before, but not this mad.
"And Amanda, you especially don't meet the standards to work with me. You have never did anything I have told you to do ever since we met at the train station. You were supposed to give the package to the man in the red hat, but instead, you mailed it!"
Amanda couldn't take it anymore. She snapped. "I'M SORRY, OK!?" Tears were rolling down her cheeks, as Lee pulled up to her driveway.
Amanda opened the car door and stepped out. She turned to Lee and tried to say this stiffly, even through her tears, "Lee, I'm sorry. I know that probably doesn't mean anything to you now, but for the future I just want you to know that I am sorry. Also, I want you to know that I am going to hand in my resignation to Mr. Melrose in the morning. Good-bye."
Before Lee could say anything, Amanda was already through her front door and she was gone.
* * *
At the agency, Lee stormed into Billy's office, right arm in a sling.
"Damn it, Billy! We were so close!"
"Calm down, Scarecrow. Listen, we have a lead. Our source told me that Morris is booked on a flight to Geneva. I have booked you on the next flight over. You leave at 5:00 tonight." Billy handed the plane ticket to Lee.
"Yeah."
* * *
Amanda woke late that night thinking about that whole evening. She thought she and Lee were friends. She never knew Lee felt that way about her. It made her cry even harder.
All of a sudden, she heard a noise downstairs. She climbed out of bed and crept down the stairs. On the way, she picked up Philip's baseball bat. She turned the corner and tip-toed into the kitchen. All of a sudden, Amanda felt a moist cloth being jammed into her face from behind. The ether in the cloth made Amanda pass out. The intruder dragged Amanda's limp body into the back seat of his car and sped off.
Amanda woke up and realized that she wasn't in her bedroom. She was in a solid white room with a small cot in the back corner. She got up and walked over to the door. Suddenly, the door burst open and Morris was towering over her.
"Hello, Mrs. King. So nice of you to join me."
Amanda was too scared to speak.
"Now that I have Stetson out of the way, I can ask you these very important questions, in private. No interruptions."
Amanda brought up every ounce of courage she had ( which wasn't that much at this time) and quivered, "Wh-what do you mean 'out of the way'?"
"Please, Mrs. King. Don't think you don't know. Of course if you are referring to me killing him, you're are wrong."
Amanda breathed a sigh of relief.
"No, I have sent him on a wild to goose chase, to Austria. He wont get in the way now. I have to do away with myself for just a few moments, so please try to make yourself comfortable."
He clicked his heels, turned, and left.
"Oh, my gosh." It was all she could say.
Two hours later, Morris was back except that he had the same .38 he had had at Emilio's pointed straight at Amanda.
"Now, Mrs. King, if you don't want me to use this on you, I expect you to do exactly as I say."
He walked over to Amanda, grasped her shoulder, and pulled her over to a desk he had just set up in the corner. He sat Amanda down and placed a sheet of paper in front of her. He pulled out a shimmery green pen out of his breast pocket and forced it into her hand.
"Okay, here's what's going to happen. I am going to tell you what to write, and you will write it down, no complaining."
He started talking as if she were writing a letter. In fact, it was a letter to Lee. Amanda immediate, out of instinct, pleaded for him not to force her, but his reply was the cocking of the hammer. Finally, through battles with her conscience and her tears, she finished the writing. Morris gently pulled the letter off the table, folded it, and placed it in an envelope.
He turned to leave the room, and just before he closed the door, he turned around and said, "Thank you, Mrs. King."
Amanda sat there, shaking and contemplating what she had just done. The thought was so unbearable, she broke down and cried.
* * *
Lee was on his way home from DC because he learned that he was wrongfully told. He reached the airport and was met by Billy, who was disappointed that Morris wasn't found, yet grateful that Lee had come back safely.
"Scarecrow, the only logical explanation is that Morris tricked us into thinking that he was in Europe so that he could carry out whatever plan he has going on in his head."
"Actually, that is the most logical thing I have heard in the past 24 hours."
Francine got out of the car, walked over to Lee, and handed him an envelope.
"Here. That was on your desk this morning."
Lee opened the envelope and pulled out a letter.
"It's from Amanda!" Lee gasped. Billy and Francine gathered aroung him as Lee read aloud:
"Dear Lee,
I'm sorry you had to learn it like this, but I have left for California. I thought about what you said to me, and you're right. I am not up to your standards as a partner for you. Another intelligence agency (I can't tell you which one) out in California has asked me to transfer to their field sector, and I have agreed. I realize this is a shock for you and I am very sorry. You were in Europe and I wasn't able to tell to your face, but I know it is for the best. You helped me see that. I wish you the best and please don't come out here and try to convince me to come back. My mind is made up. I will never forget you and I will always remember what you have done for me here in DC
Good-bye,
Amanda King"
Lee looked up and whispered, "Oh, my God. What have I done?"
* * *
Several hours had passed as Amanda sat in the corner, gripping her knees together, and occasionally sniffing. Amanda's nerves were shot in such a way that every little sound would cause her to jump and shriek slightly. Of course, Morris didn't know this because he had been gone all that time since Amanda wrote that letter. Suddenly, he ripped the door forward with such a clatter that it almost gave Amanda a heart attack. She jumped so hard, she was up on her feet in an instant.
Breathing hard, Amanda managed to get out, "I really wish you wouldn't do that."
Morris smiled slyly and answered, "Not to worry, Mrs. King, I will not startle you like that again. In fact, I am going to take you somewhere." He swiftly moved towards Amanda, rope in hand.
"Are you letting me go home? Please, I have a mother and two small boys at home. Phillip,10, and Jamie,8."
"Too bad for you that you probably won't ever see them again."
Morris turned Amanda around rather abruptly and tied Amanda's wrists together with the rope he had had in his hand.
Amanda quietly moaned at the thought that she would never see her family again or, them her.
Amanda preceded Morris to a black limo that was parked in front. Morris "helped" Amanda into the car by thrusting her in head first. She almost hit her head on the side window. Morris gracefully climbed into the car next to Amanda.
"Driver!" Morris said sharply. "You know the destination."
That he did. The driver turned the ignition over, pulled out onto the street, and sped off.
* * *
Back at I.F.F., Lee was sitting at his desk, head in his hands, staring at the Amanda's letter. Francine was walking by and noticed that Lee had been in that same position for the past two-and-a-half hours.
"Lee, are you okay?" Francine asked, pulling up a chair and sitting down next to him.
"Yeah," Lee gruffed, looking up from the letter, "I'll be fine."
"You have been looking very upset recently. Are you sure you're--"
Lee sighed in exasperation. Francine didn't know about the letter. He handed the letter to Francine, who was confused.
"What's this?"
"That's why I have looked upset recently," Lee said, glumly. He was still staring at the letter, as if he was willing it not to be true.
Francine read over then gasped in disbelief, "Amanda in a field sector in California? Um, I mean, that's just awful," she quickly added after seeing the look on Lee's face.
Thankfully, Billy stuck his head out of his office and called, "Scarecrow, come in here. Bring the letter, too."
Francine gave the letter back to Lee and he walked into Billy's office. When Lee shut the door, Billy immediately tightened the blinds so that no one could see in.
"Scarecrow, what's wrong with you? You haven't been yourself lately."
"Oh, I don't know, Billy. Damn, Billy...it's-it's all my fault. If I hadn't gotten so mad at her Wednesday, she would still be here." Lee was still clutching the letter in his hand.
"Is there something going on between you two, Scarecrow?" Billy question, eyeing Lee suspiciously.
"No, Billy. It's just that I brought her into this business and now I drove her out of it. We are friends and partners. Nothing less, nothing more."
But that's not what Lee felt, at least not totally. They had been together as partners for about a year and a half now, and they had several assignments where they had to act as if they were married or engaged to get married. There was something about that that made Lee feel differently about Amanda than you would think. He knew that he cared for her and her children, because it was his doing that got Amanda into that situation. He was battling in his mind whether if he was in love with Amanda or not. No, I'm not, Lee thought, I can't. She's a surburban housewife and I am a spy-- Lee cringed, he never liked the word "spy". We couldn't work together well like that. We just couldn't. But, we do -did- work together well. I don't know.
"You didn't see Amanda after you two had the fight, did you Scarecrow?" Billy asked.
Lee jumped, he forgot Billy was there, and to Lee's surprise, Billy had the letter in his hand. While in thought, Billy had taken the letter from him and was studying it himself.
"What?"
"Amanda. Did you see her after you fought?"
"No."
Billy turned his back to Lee and was mumbling something that Lee could not decipher.
"Billy? What are you saying? I did do well in the code department, but it works better if I could hear it," Lee said, walking around Billy's desk, trying to see his face.
"Stow it a second, Scarecrow. You said you never saw Amanda after Wednesday night?" Billy asked, eyes still focused on the letter.
"Yeah, why?"
Billy looked slowly up at Lee and said, "Then how could she have known that you were in Europe?"
"Well, she could have--" Lee stopped and wondered, How could she have known?
"No one saw Amanda and yet, she still delivered this letter right onto your desk."
"Yeah...yeah, you're right. Let me see that a minute." Billy handed the letter to him, and Lee studied it for a while.
After a couple, Lee exclaimed, "Wait, Billy, look at this." Lee pointed towards the end of the letter. Billy rushed over, and tried to see what Lee was talking about. "This whole letter is in Amanda's handwriting except for the last three words. See here: 'here in DC'"
"Maybe her hand just got tired," Billy stated skeptically. He still believed that Lee was creating a way to say that Amanda hadn't left.
"No. Look, I know Amanda. If she can type 90 words a minute, she can write 100 if she focuses hard enough, and she doesn't get tired."
"What are you saying, Scarecrow? That Amanda hid a clue in the letter?" Billy asked, still apprehensive, but believing in him more and more.
"Yeah. Yeah, I think I am. Hold on." Lee grabbed a pen and started writing.
"But if Amanda's still here, why would she write us saying that she was in California?" Billy asked, still questionable.
"If I'm right, you'll see that she was forced into writing it. See look, various letters are written straight," Lee said, still writing down letters down quickly on the paper.
"She's trying to tell us something, do you think?" Billy looked up at Lee.
"Yeah. Yeah, I know she is. See look." Lee turned the paper so that Billy could see.
It read: "TAYLOR MORRIS. KIDNAPED. HERE IN DC"
"My God. Morris has her?" Billy exclaimed.
"You got to admit. She can think on her feet. She didn't have another 'p' to write, but she got her point across," Lee said, almost in awe.
"Where would he keep her?"
"I don't know where he would keep her, but I do know where he would take her. Come on!" Lee cried. He and Billy ran out the door.
* * *
The limo slowed to a stop. Morris popped open the car door and pulled Amanda out. Amanda finally got to see the final destination: The Potomac.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. King, but this is where out little acquaintance ends," Morris snickered, leading Amanda to the end of the pier overlooking the Potomac.
"Mr. Morris, sir, I know you are trying to set revenge on the people who killed your wife and son, but killing me won't solve it!" Amanda was searching far back into her mind for everything motherly and family related she could think of to convince Morris to reconsider.
"Shut up! Nothing came change my mind!" Morris pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and used it as a gag around Amanda's mouth.
Amanda was wriggling and squirming violently, trying to break free from his grip on her wrists, but he was too strong.
Morris whipped Amanda around so that she was completely facing the rippling water, reflecting the colors of the sunset.
"Good bye, Mrs. King," Morris whispered devilishly in Amanda's ear.
Amanda felt the pressure of Morris' hands at the base of her spine, and the sinking feeling in her stomach as she fell, and finally the freezing shock as she plunged into the dark and icy waters of the Potomac.
With a smile of content, Morris turned on his heels and sauntered down the pier towards the limo. His private celebration was disturbed by a sudden screech of tires. Morris whipped his head to see a silver Corvette skid to a stop 20 feet away from the limo.
"Morris!" Lee screamed as he ripped his gun out of the left side of his coat and fired several shots.
Morris ducked and scurried forward to the protection of his armored limousine. He quickly, silently, pulled the same .38 he had used in Emilio's. Morris whipped up and let go all his bullets in Lee's direction, resting his arm on the hood of the car.
Lee had just come up to shoot and immediately ducked at the sound of the shots. He counted the shots silently in his head as Morris emptied his clip. The prolonged silence told Lee that Morris was reloading and Lee immediately took action. He ran past his Corvette and ducked behind a pillar.
Morris shot up to release more bullets only to find that Lee was not in the same spot. He turned to search, and fortunately, for Lee, he turned to face him. As pure reflex, Lee fired. Once--twice. He saw Morris fall. Lee jammed the gun into his jacket and ran at Morris.
He came upon Morris with such speed, he almost tripped over him. Morris was conscience, but barely. Both shots impacted Morris' chest. Blood was flowing freely and made it look as if his white shirt was being dyed red while it he was still wearing it.
That didn't matter to Lee, he kneeled and gripped the collar of Morris's shirt and demanded, "What have you done with Amanda?!"
"She has joined my son, David," Morris coughed, sputtering up blood. He started to raise a terribly trembling arm and hand and barely pointed his finger towards the Potomac before he went limp. His once trembling arm flopped down to the dirt.
Lee steered his eyesight towards where Morris was pointing. The sight he saw struck fear in his heart as he had ever felt. Amanda's body was floating on the surface of the water.
"AMANDA!!" Lee yelled.
He ran to the water's edge, ripping off his jacket in the process. He dove into the water and swam frantically to save her. When he reached her, her eyes were shut, her mouth was open slightly, and she wasn't breathing. Lee swam and pulled her limp body to the shore.
He untied the handkerchief around Amanda's mouth, lips blue from the freezing water, and the rope that bound her bruised wrists. He turned her onto her back, and attempted to breathe the life back into her.
As Lee blew his own breaths into her, he was muttering, "Come on, Amanda, breathe!" The point was to get her to exhale the air forced into her lungs. He bent down for the third time, determined not to give up on the only woman he really cared about. "Amanda, please. Don't let the last word I ever said to you be in anger," Lee whispered.
As Lee was about to bend down for the fourth time, Amanda suddenly coughed up all the water she had swallowed in the lake. Lee immediately sat her up and held her soaking wet, shaking body into his own. Amanda was coughing and spitting and sputtering up liquid which was partially mixed with blood.
Amanda opened her eyes to find herself on the shore, with Lee's strong arms wrapped around her, and his head encasing hers to his chest. She realized that she was alive and in the safety of Lee's arms at one, and it overwhelmed her. She started to sob.
Lee hugged Amanda closer and tried to calm her down by softly saying, "Shah, Amanda, it's okay. Take it easy, take it easy. You'll be all right."
Amanda pulled away from Lee's grasp and peered right into his beautiful hazel eyes.
She threw her arms around him and sobbed as she spoke, "Oh, Lee. I'm so sorry. I should've stayed there. If I did, none of this would've happened."
"No, Amanda. It's my fault. Look, it's okay, don't cry," Lee tightened his embrace on her for a moment, as to comfort her. He pulled away and placed his hands on either side of her jaw, so that he was holding her head up.
Amanda sniffed, then said, "I was so scared."
Lee brought her into his chest again and embraced her tenderly.
He whispered, "I know. I know, I was too. More than I have ever been before in my life."
Too little, too late, Billy and six back-up agents arrived in their brown agency cars.
Billy called, "Scarecrow!" He saw Lee holding Amanda and rushed over to help them.
"A little late, aren't you Billy?" Lee asked. He got up, walked over to his jacket he had discarded before he dove into the water, and helped Amanda get into it.
"Are you all right, Amanda?" Billy asked.
"Yes, I think so." Amanda started to shiver hard.
"Amanda, you're freezing. Come on, I'll take you home. Billy, Morris is on ice over there," Lee pointed to Morris' body at the base of the pier.
Lee helped Amanda into his car and he drove her home.
* * *
Amanda was dressed in a long sleeved shirt and jeans later that night. She started to fix herself a mug of hot cocoa in the kitchen before she heard the familiar tapping at the kitchen door. She put the mug on the counter and walked over to the door and opened it.
"Hi, Amanda." Lee said leaning on the drain pipe. She is so beautiful, he couldn't help thinking.
"Hi," Amanda said, crossing her arms.
"I just came by to check on you, see if you were okay."
"I fine, except I still get cold thinking about it," Amanda replied, re-crossing her arms.
"Yeah, I would imagine."
There was silence.
"Is you shoulder all right?" Amanda brought her hand up and brushed his injury in question.
Fighting the rush of adrenaline, the result of the soft touch of Amanda, Lee replied, "Yeah, it's all right. It was only grazed."
Neither one could think of anything to say. Lee just looked her over with the sense of wanting. He wanted to bring her into his arms again. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted her to be his own.
Amanda finally broke the silence by quickly stepping forward and kissing him gently on the cheek. "Thank you," she whispered.
That wasn't what Lee expected. He stared into her brown eyes, and finally he thought to himself, Yeah, it would work.
He put his arms around her and tilted her head to his. They shared a kiss that would last all night.
What?! These characters aren't real?! NOOOOOOOOO!!! I can't be!! Oh well.
What?! No, don't tell me...darn it! Warner Brothers owns all rights and regulations to the Scarecrow and Mrs. King series?! This is insane! I'll sue!! I'll make this the biggest lawsuit in years!! Man, I really need a hobby.
THE INCONSPICUOUS LETTER
It was an ordinary Wednesday morning at the agency. Agents of the desk and field were all hustling and bustling about, giving and receiving new manila envelopes with the usual big, red lettering stating, "CLASSIFIED" or "EYES ONLY".
Billy, Lee, and Francine were all gathered around Billy's desk in his office debating and arguing on how they should accomplish this new matter of national security that had just been brought up.
"Lee, Francine, hold it!" Billy screamed, trying to break up the avid fight the two were having.
"Billy, be reasonable man! The only way we'll be able to stop Morris is to storm in an take over!" Lee explained, somewhat loudly.
"And risk the lives of everyone who goes in?" Francine retorted, hotly. "We don't even know what their artillery situation is, all we know is that for this kind of assignment it will be big. Very big!"
"People, please! Now let's try to figure this out with a sense of rational behavior." Billy stated, now getting a little irritated himself.
Before the conversation could go any further, there was a sudden knocking at the door.
"Come in"
Amanda walked in and quickly handed over a stack of papers neatly folded in manila folder.
"Here are the bank notes you wanted, sir. I'm sorry they're a little late, but Philip had his Little League game, then Jamie needed my help with is science project, and you know, sir, I-- I actually forgot about them until yesterday afternoon. I'm... I'm sorry, " Amanda babbled, and hung her head.
"That's all right, Mrs. King. I completely understand."
"Ahh, Amanda, since we're on the subject of Little League and science projects, how's your life in modern suburbia?" Francine asked in her usual mocking smile.
"Cool it Francine," Lee commented. "Uh, Amanda, we were right in the middle of something that we need to --"
"Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt anything. I'll leave now. I'm sorry," Amanda explained and she walked toward the door.
"Wait a minute Mrs. King," Billy called, then turned to Lee, "Scarecrow, why don't you let her help you, I mean, she knows the area pretty well.
"Billy, wait a minute, this is an assignment for professionally trained agents, not the chairman--er, excuse me, chairwoman-- of the PTA." Francine complained, but Billy had his mind somewhere else. He had turned to Amanda again.
"Mrs. King, are you busy tonight and possibly tomorrow?"
Lee was actually not that fond of this situation and was trying to protest the whole time, but with no such luck.
"Wait, ho-ho-hold it! I don't think-- Billy---wait--can I say something here?!"
"Well, sir, Mother and the boys are on a week long camping trip so no, I'm not busy. What is it you'd like me to do?"
"Lee will tell you all the details later today when you two get together. Scarecrow, I expect this operation to start no later than by 7:30 tonight. As for our little argument on how the operation should be done, it's over. I will tell you how we accomplish this, it will be an inside investigation. A little poking around and then we'll drop the bomb, okay? And Amanda will be a part of it, too," Billy added, nodding and slanting his eyes towards Lee.
Lee and Francine both opened their mouths to protest, but Billy interupted,
"Of course, if that's a problem, I can always put Fred Fielder as your partner, Lee."
Lee's eyes widened, and immediantly turned his head to Amanda and said, "I'll be at your house at 7:00."
* * *
That evening, Amanda was straightening up the house, which as what she usually did during the day, until she heard the familiar slight rapping on her back door. Amanda put Jamie's shoes at the base of the stairs and hurried over to the back kitchen door.
"Hi, Amanda, coast clear?"
"Yeah, Mother and the boys are on the camping trip, remember?"
"Yeah, sorry. Force of habit," Lee replied, and followed Amanda to the living room.
"All right, Amanda --" Lee started.
"Would you like some coffee?" Amanda asked, coffee pot in hand.
"Ahh, uh, no...thank you Amanda, but I have had your coffee before and I think I'll pass this time."
"Oh, all right," Amanda replied, unaware of what Lee had said, put the coffee pot back in the maker. When Amanda returned, she sat down across from Lee.
"What was Mr. Melrose talking about when he said 'she knows the area pretty well'?"
"Amanda, we have had a major security leak in our area and we have reason to believe that it is Morris that is the crack in the pipe."
"Who's Mr. Morris?"
"Taylor Morris. We recruited him about seven years ago from Buffalo, New York. He was a field agent for the first four years until an accident involving his family caused him to burn out."
"Oh no, what happened?" Amanda asked, her motherly instincts kicking in.
"On an assignment Morris was involved in, he was passed classified information, very vital to the Russian Intelligence downfall, without his knowledge. The Russians found out about it and kidnapped his wife, Mary, and three-year-old son, David, as a precaution. Since Morris didn't know he had the information he couldn't persuade the Russians to let Mary and David go. The Russians forced Morris to watch as they tied Mary to a chair, and then shot her with a .48," Lee regretfully explained, with a distinct tone of morose.
Evidently, Lee and Morris' family were very close friends.
"Oh, my gosh! That's awful!" Amanda breathed, unable to comprehend the feeling of seeing your spouse being shot right in front of you eyes.
"That's not all. They gave Morris one more chance to tell where the plans were and they would save David, but Morris still had no idea he had them. They took Morris and David down to the Potomac. They took David out and walked him over to the pier. Morris was forced again as they dropped David into the Potomac."
Amanda was too appalled to speak.
"When Morris later found out that he actually had the plans in his personal file, he was devastated. He almost committed suicide. We tried to put him out on the field again, but he was too distraught, thinking that he might have the documents people would demand. Eventually he just lost it. We had to fire him a year afterwards." Lee finished.
"Oh, my gosh! That's just terrible, that poor man. But, Lee, why would he work for the country that killed his wife and son?" Amanda questioned with a voice that represented both puzzlement and sympathy.
"That's what doesn't track. We don't know why, but he has." Lee shrugged.
"Couldn't it be like a set-up? I mean, like what happened to me? They could dirty up his record to make him look unsavory and very suspicious, couldn't they?" Amanda asked.
She had bee accused for being a double agent by Mr. Larner, one of Billy's superiors. It turned out to be Larner's secretary Margaret Brock.
"Well, we both know Czechoslovakian Intelligence can, because they did do it to you, but we're dealing with the Russians. We don't know if they can or not. We have enough evidence, though, that could lock Morris in irons for espionage for life, and if we bring him in, we could determine if he was set up or not. Like we did for you."
"Right. So what's our assignment?"
"You mean my assignment. Your just part of a cover. We know that Morris will be at Emilio's at 8:00 tonight, and we will go there as a couple on a date, and watch Morris to find the final hardening piece of evidence against him." Lee contradicted, then explained.
"But, if there is a possibility that he's being set-up, how will you know what to look for, and did you say 'date'?" Amanda asked, never really liking the situations where she and Lee pretended to be either married or dating.
"Yes, I did. Amanda, it won't be as bad as before. And I know what I'm looking for."
* * *
"Lee, you said he would be here at 8:00, and it's," Amanda glances at the wall clock, "now 8:30. Are you sure Billy said Emilio's?"
"Yes, I'm sure, because he just walked in the door," Lee said, eyes fixated on a tall, thin man walk in and slump down on the bar stool that was, luckily, the closest to the table where Lee and Amanda were sitting.
After an hour of careful surveillance, which was not that successful, Lee was starting to get frustrated.
"Damn it, Morris, come on!" Lee fumed, banging his fist on the table.
"Shhh! Lee, calm down. He'll hear you," Amanda hissed. But to their luck, Morris was so into his beer mug to even care whet was going on around him.
Morris, slammed down his beer mug and demanded that it be filled up. As the bar tender poured another big mug-full, Morris was slowly moving his right hand into his jacket pocket.
All of a sudden, Lee noticed the split-second gleam of the light reflecting off the barrel of Morris' .38.
"GUN!!!" Lee screamed, and bolted towards Morris.
As pure reflex and instinct, Morris whipped the gun out at Lee and fired. Lee fell, grasping his right shoulder. At that Amanda, fell down next to Lee, but he pushed her away. Morris began to spray bullets all around the restaurant. All hell broke loose. Bullets flying, people screaming, and running away. When Morris ran out of bullets, he sprinted towards the door.
Lee, who had only been grazed by the bullet, leapt up and told Amanda sternly, "Amanda, stay here!"
He bolted out the door and down the left alley. Amanda realized that she could help and crawled up the chair and ran out the back door of Emilio's and into the alley. She saw a figure running up the alley towards her and immediately she grabbed a wooden board and hid by the back door. As the figure rushed past her, she brought down the board with a huge blow, hitting the figure in the back. The figure hit the ground, and immediately Amanda was trying to hold him down. It was a challenge.
"Lee! Lee! I got him!! LEE!" Amanda was screaming in between fights to get up.
"Amanda. Get OFF! It's me!" Lee groaned, as Amanda leapt off and helped him up, babbling all the way
"Oh, my gosh! Lee, are you okay? Oh, gosh, I'm so sorry. Here, let me help you up--I'm so sorry, are you okay?"
"Amanda, shut up! Yes, I am fine. What are you doing here!? I told you to stay there!" Lee cried, still clutching his bleeding shoulder.
"Oooh, Lee. You're hurt. Come on, let me wrap that up." Amanda cried, helping Lee into his car, and bandaging the wound.
"Ah, Amanda--OW!--Amanda, please--ouch!--Amanda, I'm fine!" Lee finally pointed out after the bandage was placed. "Now, come on. I'm taking you home." Lee said this with a tone of hostility Amanda had never heard coming at her before.
In the car, there were a few minutes of silence, then Lee broke it by saying, "Amanda, what did I tell you in there? I told you to stay there where it was safe. But, no, you had to go off and nearly kill me and help me lose Morris!!"
"Lee, I was trying to help. Anyways, how can you have called that place safe after it was just shot up like that? It was instinct on both counts. To get away and be safe, and to help a friend."
Lee was really mad, and that didn't help his attitude on the situation. "Oh, instincts, huh? You were following instincts? Let me tell you something Amanda King, it will be a miracle if you are ever able to train as a professional agent! You don't meet up to the standards! You are supposed to obey commands!" Lee was fuming.
Amanda was speechless. Lee had been mad at her before, but not this mad.
"And Amanda, you especially don't meet the standards to work with me. You have never did anything I have told you to do ever since we met at the train station. You were supposed to give the package to the man in the red hat, but instead, you mailed it!"
Amanda couldn't take it anymore. She snapped. "I'M SORRY, OK!?" Tears were rolling down her cheeks, as Lee pulled up to her driveway.
Amanda opened the car door and stepped out. She turned to Lee and tried to say this stiffly, even through her tears, "Lee, I'm sorry. I know that probably doesn't mean anything to you now, but for the future I just want you to know that I am sorry. Also, I want you to know that I am going to hand in my resignation to Mr. Melrose in the morning. Good-bye."
Before Lee could say anything, Amanda was already through her front door and she was gone.
* * *
At the agency, Lee stormed into Billy's office, right arm in a sling.
"Damn it, Billy! We were so close!"
"Calm down, Scarecrow. Listen, we have a lead. Our source told me that Morris is booked on a flight to Geneva. I have booked you on the next flight over. You leave at 5:00 tonight." Billy handed the plane ticket to Lee.
"Yeah."
* * *
Amanda woke late that night thinking about that whole evening. She thought she and Lee were friends. She never knew Lee felt that way about her. It made her cry even harder.
All of a sudden, she heard a noise downstairs. She climbed out of bed and crept down the stairs. On the way, she picked up Philip's baseball bat. She turned the corner and tip-toed into the kitchen. All of a sudden, Amanda felt a moist cloth being jammed into her face from behind. The ether in the cloth made Amanda pass out. The intruder dragged Amanda's limp body into the back seat of his car and sped off.
Amanda woke up and realized that she wasn't in her bedroom. She was in a solid white room with a small cot in the back corner. She got up and walked over to the door. Suddenly, the door burst open and Morris was towering over her.
"Hello, Mrs. King. So nice of you to join me."
Amanda was too scared to speak.
"Now that I have Stetson out of the way, I can ask you these very important questions, in private. No interruptions."
Amanda brought up every ounce of courage she had ( which wasn't that much at this time) and quivered, "Wh-what do you mean 'out of the way'?"
"Please, Mrs. King. Don't think you don't know. Of course if you are referring to me killing him, you're are wrong."
Amanda breathed a sigh of relief.
"No, I have sent him on a wild to goose chase, to Austria. He wont get in the way now. I have to do away with myself for just a few moments, so please try to make yourself comfortable."
He clicked his heels, turned, and left.
"Oh, my gosh." It was all she could say.
Two hours later, Morris was back except that he had the same .38 he had had at Emilio's pointed straight at Amanda.
"Now, Mrs. King, if you don't want me to use this on you, I expect you to do exactly as I say."
He walked over to Amanda, grasped her shoulder, and pulled her over to a desk he had just set up in the corner. He sat Amanda down and placed a sheet of paper in front of her. He pulled out a shimmery green pen out of his breast pocket and forced it into her hand.
"Okay, here's what's going to happen. I am going to tell you what to write, and you will write it down, no complaining."
He started talking as if she were writing a letter. In fact, it was a letter to Lee. Amanda immediate, out of instinct, pleaded for him not to force her, but his reply was the cocking of the hammer. Finally, through battles with her conscience and her tears, she finished the writing. Morris gently pulled the letter off the table, folded it, and placed it in an envelope.
He turned to leave the room, and just before he closed the door, he turned around and said, "Thank you, Mrs. King."
Amanda sat there, shaking and contemplating what she had just done. The thought was so unbearable, she broke down and cried.
* * *
Lee was on his way home from DC because he learned that he was wrongfully told. He reached the airport and was met by Billy, who was disappointed that Morris wasn't found, yet grateful that Lee had come back safely.
"Scarecrow, the only logical explanation is that Morris tricked us into thinking that he was in Europe so that he could carry out whatever plan he has going on in his head."
"Actually, that is the most logical thing I have heard in the past 24 hours."
Francine got out of the car, walked over to Lee, and handed him an envelope.
"Here. That was on your desk this morning."
Lee opened the envelope and pulled out a letter.
"It's from Amanda!" Lee gasped. Billy and Francine gathered aroung him as Lee read aloud:
"Dear Lee,
I'm sorry you had to learn it like this, but I have left for California. I thought about what you said to me, and you're right. I am not up to your standards as a partner for you. Another intelligence agency (I can't tell you which one) out in California has asked me to transfer to their field sector, and I have agreed. I realize this is a shock for you and I am very sorry. You were in Europe and I wasn't able to tell to your face, but I know it is for the best. You helped me see that. I wish you the best and please don't come out here and try to convince me to come back. My mind is made up. I will never forget you and I will always remember what you have done for me here in DC
Good-bye,
Amanda King"
Lee looked up and whispered, "Oh, my God. What have I done?"
* * *
Several hours had passed as Amanda sat in the corner, gripping her knees together, and occasionally sniffing. Amanda's nerves were shot in such a way that every little sound would cause her to jump and shriek slightly. Of course, Morris didn't know this because he had been gone all that time since Amanda wrote that letter. Suddenly, he ripped the door forward with such a clatter that it almost gave Amanda a heart attack. She jumped so hard, she was up on her feet in an instant.
Breathing hard, Amanda managed to get out, "I really wish you wouldn't do that."
Morris smiled slyly and answered, "Not to worry, Mrs. King, I will not startle you like that again. In fact, I am going to take you somewhere." He swiftly moved towards Amanda, rope in hand.
"Are you letting me go home? Please, I have a mother and two small boys at home. Phillip,10, and Jamie,8."
"Too bad for you that you probably won't ever see them again."
Morris turned Amanda around rather abruptly and tied Amanda's wrists together with the rope he had had in his hand.
Amanda quietly moaned at the thought that she would never see her family again or, them her.
Amanda preceded Morris to a black limo that was parked in front. Morris "helped" Amanda into the car by thrusting her in head first. She almost hit her head on the side window. Morris gracefully climbed into the car next to Amanda.
"Driver!" Morris said sharply. "You know the destination."
That he did. The driver turned the ignition over, pulled out onto the street, and sped off.
* * *
Back at I.F.F., Lee was sitting at his desk, head in his hands, staring at the Amanda's letter. Francine was walking by and noticed that Lee had been in that same position for the past two-and-a-half hours.
"Lee, are you okay?" Francine asked, pulling up a chair and sitting down next to him.
"Yeah," Lee gruffed, looking up from the letter, "I'll be fine."
"You have been looking very upset recently. Are you sure you're--"
Lee sighed in exasperation. Francine didn't know about the letter. He handed the letter to Francine, who was confused.
"What's this?"
"That's why I have looked upset recently," Lee said, glumly. He was still staring at the letter, as if he was willing it not to be true.
Francine read over then gasped in disbelief, "Amanda in a field sector in California? Um, I mean, that's just awful," she quickly added after seeing the look on Lee's face.
Thankfully, Billy stuck his head out of his office and called, "Scarecrow, come in here. Bring the letter, too."
Francine gave the letter back to Lee and he walked into Billy's office. When Lee shut the door, Billy immediately tightened the blinds so that no one could see in.
"Scarecrow, what's wrong with you? You haven't been yourself lately."
"Oh, I don't know, Billy. Damn, Billy...it's-it's all my fault. If I hadn't gotten so mad at her Wednesday, she would still be here." Lee was still clutching the letter in his hand.
"Is there something going on between you two, Scarecrow?" Billy question, eyeing Lee suspiciously.
"No, Billy. It's just that I brought her into this business and now I drove her out of it. We are friends and partners. Nothing less, nothing more."
But that's not what Lee felt, at least not totally. They had been together as partners for about a year and a half now, and they had several assignments where they had to act as if they were married or engaged to get married. There was something about that that made Lee feel differently about Amanda than you would think. He knew that he cared for her and her children, because it was his doing that got Amanda into that situation. He was battling in his mind whether if he was in love with Amanda or not. No, I'm not, Lee thought, I can't. She's a surburban housewife and I am a spy-- Lee cringed, he never liked the word "spy". We couldn't work together well like that. We just couldn't. But, we do -did- work together well. I don't know.
"You didn't see Amanda after you two had the fight, did you Scarecrow?" Billy asked.
Lee jumped, he forgot Billy was there, and to Lee's surprise, Billy had the letter in his hand. While in thought, Billy had taken the letter from him and was studying it himself.
"What?"
"Amanda. Did you see her after you fought?"
"No."
Billy turned his back to Lee and was mumbling something that Lee could not decipher.
"Billy? What are you saying? I did do well in the code department, but it works better if I could hear it," Lee said, walking around Billy's desk, trying to see his face.
"Stow it a second, Scarecrow. You said you never saw Amanda after Wednesday night?" Billy asked, eyes still focused on the letter.
"Yeah, why?"
Billy looked slowly up at Lee and said, "Then how could she have known that you were in Europe?"
"Well, she could have--" Lee stopped and wondered, How could she have known?
"No one saw Amanda and yet, she still delivered this letter right onto your desk."
"Yeah...yeah, you're right. Let me see that a minute." Billy handed the letter to him, and Lee studied it for a while.
After a couple, Lee exclaimed, "Wait, Billy, look at this." Lee pointed towards the end of the letter. Billy rushed over, and tried to see what Lee was talking about. "This whole letter is in Amanda's handwriting except for the last three words. See here: 'here in DC'"
"Maybe her hand just got tired," Billy stated skeptically. He still believed that Lee was creating a way to say that Amanda hadn't left.
"No. Look, I know Amanda. If she can type 90 words a minute, she can write 100 if she focuses hard enough, and she doesn't get tired."
"What are you saying, Scarecrow? That Amanda hid a clue in the letter?" Billy asked, still apprehensive, but believing in him more and more.
"Yeah. Yeah, I think I am. Hold on." Lee grabbed a pen and started writing.
"But if Amanda's still here, why would she write us saying that she was in California?" Billy asked, still questionable.
"If I'm right, you'll see that she was forced into writing it. See look, various letters are written straight," Lee said, still writing down letters down quickly on the paper.
"She's trying to tell us something, do you think?" Billy looked up at Lee.
"Yeah. Yeah, I know she is. See look." Lee turned the paper so that Billy could see.
It read: "TAYLOR MORRIS. KIDNAPED. HERE IN DC"
"My God. Morris has her?" Billy exclaimed.
"You got to admit. She can think on her feet. She didn't have another 'p' to write, but she got her point across," Lee said, almost in awe.
"Where would he keep her?"
"I don't know where he would keep her, but I do know where he would take her. Come on!" Lee cried. He and Billy ran out the door.
* * *
The limo slowed to a stop. Morris popped open the car door and pulled Amanda out. Amanda finally got to see the final destination: The Potomac.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. King, but this is where out little acquaintance ends," Morris snickered, leading Amanda to the end of the pier overlooking the Potomac.
"Mr. Morris, sir, I know you are trying to set revenge on the people who killed your wife and son, but killing me won't solve it!" Amanda was searching far back into her mind for everything motherly and family related she could think of to convince Morris to reconsider.
"Shut up! Nothing came change my mind!" Morris pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and used it as a gag around Amanda's mouth.
Amanda was wriggling and squirming violently, trying to break free from his grip on her wrists, but he was too strong.
Morris whipped Amanda around so that she was completely facing the rippling water, reflecting the colors of the sunset.
"Good bye, Mrs. King," Morris whispered devilishly in Amanda's ear.
Amanda felt the pressure of Morris' hands at the base of her spine, and the sinking feeling in her stomach as she fell, and finally the freezing shock as she plunged into the dark and icy waters of the Potomac.
With a smile of content, Morris turned on his heels and sauntered down the pier towards the limo. His private celebration was disturbed by a sudden screech of tires. Morris whipped his head to see a silver Corvette skid to a stop 20 feet away from the limo.
"Morris!" Lee screamed as he ripped his gun out of the left side of his coat and fired several shots.
Morris ducked and scurried forward to the protection of his armored limousine. He quickly, silently, pulled the same .38 he had used in Emilio's. Morris whipped up and let go all his bullets in Lee's direction, resting his arm on the hood of the car.
Lee had just come up to shoot and immediately ducked at the sound of the shots. He counted the shots silently in his head as Morris emptied his clip. The prolonged silence told Lee that Morris was reloading and Lee immediately took action. He ran past his Corvette and ducked behind a pillar.
Morris shot up to release more bullets only to find that Lee was not in the same spot. He turned to search, and fortunately, for Lee, he turned to face him. As pure reflex, Lee fired. Once--twice. He saw Morris fall. Lee jammed the gun into his jacket and ran at Morris.
He came upon Morris with such speed, he almost tripped over him. Morris was conscience, but barely. Both shots impacted Morris' chest. Blood was flowing freely and made it look as if his white shirt was being dyed red while it he was still wearing it.
That didn't matter to Lee, he kneeled and gripped the collar of Morris's shirt and demanded, "What have you done with Amanda?!"
"She has joined my son, David," Morris coughed, sputtering up blood. He started to raise a terribly trembling arm and hand and barely pointed his finger towards the Potomac before he went limp. His once trembling arm flopped down to the dirt.
Lee steered his eyesight towards where Morris was pointing. The sight he saw struck fear in his heart as he had ever felt. Amanda's body was floating on the surface of the water.
"AMANDA!!" Lee yelled.
He ran to the water's edge, ripping off his jacket in the process. He dove into the water and swam frantically to save her. When he reached her, her eyes were shut, her mouth was open slightly, and she wasn't breathing. Lee swam and pulled her limp body to the shore.
He untied the handkerchief around Amanda's mouth, lips blue from the freezing water, and the rope that bound her bruised wrists. He turned her onto her back, and attempted to breathe the life back into her.
As Lee blew his own breaths into her, he was muttering, "Come on, Amanda, breathe!" The point was to get her to exhale the air forced into her lungs. He bent down for the third time, determined not to give up on the only woman he really cared about. "Amanda, please. Don't let the last word I ever said to you be in anger," Lee whispered.
As Lee was about to bend down for the fourth time, Amanda suddenly coughed up all the water she had swallowed in the lake. Lee immediately sat her up and held her soaking wet, shaking body into his own. Amanda was coughing and spitting and sputtering up liquid which was partially mixed with blood.
Amanda opened her eyes to find herself on the shore, with Lee's strong arms wrapped around her, and his head encasing hers to his chest. She realized that she was alive and in the safety of Lee's arms at one, and it overwhelmed her. She started to sob.
Lee hugged Amanda closer and tried to calm her down by softly saying, "Shah, Amanda, it's okay. Take it easy, take it easy. You'll be all right."
Amanda pulled away from Lee's grasp and peered right into his beautiful hazel eyes.
She threw her arms around him and sobbed as she spoke, "Oh, Lee. I'm so sorry. I should've stayed there. If I did, none of this would've happened."
"No, Amanda. It's my fault. Look, it's okay, don't cry," Lee tightened his embrace on her for a moment, as to comfort her. He pulled away and placed his hands on either side of her jaw, so that he was holding her head up.
Amanda sniffed, then said, "I was so scared."
Lee brought her into his chest again and embraced her tenderly.
He whispered, "I know. I know, I was too. More than I have ever been before in my life."
Too little, too late, Billy and six back-up agents arrived in their brown agency cars.
Billy called, "Scarecrow!" He saw Lee holding Amanda and rushed over to help them.
"A little late, aren't you Billy?" Lee asked. He got up, walked over to his jacket he had discarded before he dove into the water, and helped Amanda get into it.
"Are you all right, Amanda?" Billy asked.
"Yes, I think so." Amanda started to shiver hard.
"Amanda, you're freezing. Come on, I'll take you home. Billy, Morris is on ice over there," Lee pointed to Morris' body at the base of the pier.
Lee helped Amanda into his car and he drove her home.
* * *
Amanda was dressed in a long sleeved shirt and jeans later that night. She started to fix herself a mug of hot cocoa in the kitchen before she heard the familiar tapping at the kitchen door. She put the mug on the counter and walked over to the door and opened it.
"Hi, Amanda." Lee said leaning on the drain pipe. She is so beautiful, he couldn't help thinking.
"Hi," Amanda said, crossing her arms.
"I just came by to check on you, see if you were okay."
"I fine, except I still get cold thinking about it," Amanda replied, re-crossing her arms.
"Yeah, I would imagine."
There was silence.
"Is you shoulder all right?" Amanda brought her hand up and brushed his injury in question.
Fighting the rush of adrenaline, the result of the soft touch of Amanda, Lee replied, "Yeah, it's all right. It was only grazed."
Neither one could think of anything to say. Lee just looked her over with the sense of wanting. He wanted to bring her into his arms again. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted her to be his own.
Amanda finally broke the silence by quickly stepping forward and kissing him gently on the cheek. "Thank you," she whispered.
That wasn't what Lee expected. He stared into her brown eyes, and finally he thought to himself, Yeah, it would work.
He put his arms around her and tilted her head to his. They shared a kiss that would last all night.