Scarecrow and Den Mother
Amanda awakens and blinks her eyes several times to get her bearings. She hears the shower running and humming from the bathroom. She reaches out her arms and stretches. Throwing her legs over to her side of the bed she gets up and walks across the polished hardwood floor to the bathroom and joins her husband in the shower.
"Sweetheart", Amanda whispers, her breath against his ear and arms around his waist, "don't be stealing all the hot water. Save some for me".
Lee turns around, shows off those dimples he knows she can't resist, grabs her hands, detangles her arms from his waist and whirls her around and whispers back, "that won't happen, especially if you let me wash your hair and body before the hot water disappears".
As he washes her hair, she absentmindedly thinks about having to go to work after this luxurious treatment. "Lee, sweetheart?"
"Mm", he responds agreeably.
"What time do you think you will be home from work? I must finish some expense reports and if Mrs. F." (as that is what Amanda lovingly calls her boss, at least to Lee), "lets me off early, can we go to that nice new restaurant in town? The boys are old enough to make their own dinner and we'll be home before they go to bed", Amanda adds.
Lee agrees and asks, "bring home some of those chocolate covered strawberries to eat in bed?"
"Of course, that's one of the best things on the menu", Amanda laughs.
As she is drying herself off, she hears the boys already down in the kitchen making their own breakfast. She grabs her robe and heads out to the landing of their top floor calling down to them, "Jamie, Philip, your dad and I are having dinner out tonight, so you will have to fend for yourselves. Could you start the expresso machine before you leave for school?"
Philip shouts up, "sure mom, have a great day. Tell dad good morning and good-bye for us".
Amanda retreats to the bedroom where Lee is almost finished dressing. "Dang it!" she exclaims, "I missed it".
"Missed what darling", Lee asks.
"Missed seeing you dry yourself and get dressed", Amanda slyly says as she puts her fingers to her lips and smiles.
"I can see you are still in that sexy robe, so why don't I watch for a change?" Lee teases.
"Stop or we will both be late for work. Philip started the expresso, so pour me a cup and I'll be down as soon as I'm dressed". Amanda chuckles. "If he had only woke her up when he did, they would have had time", she thinks to herself.
She arrives in the kitchen to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Her coffee and a toasted English muffin and jam on a saucer is waiting for her.
"Amanda, sorry, but I have to leave now or I will be really late for that location shoot", Lee apologizes. He kisses her cheek before heading out the door, and she hears the motorcycle revving up its motor.
Amanda finishes her breakfast, pours the remainder of the coffee in a mug and heads out the door herself, punching the alarm code after her.
She drives towards work, carefully checking her rearview mirror making sure she is not being followed. She has become a little OCD over the last few years knowing some agents were compromised because they got sloppy. Remembering it's her turn to do the coffee run, she places her order through the intercom in the Starbucks drive thru. She parks her Wrangler in the garage of a non-descript office building, placing her files and purse in her large carry bag, and manages the coffee carrier and bag of assorted pastries. He hands full, she jabs the elevator button with her elbow and then when the elevator arrives, puts her bag down and presses the button to the third floor. The door opens and Francine is waiting for her tapping her foot, but sees how full her hands are, simply reaches and gets the bag off the floor.
"Thanks Francine, you're a doll", Amanda says.
"As long as you brought me my favorite Danish you are forgiven", Francine says. "And Emily is on the warpath looking for you", she adds.
Amanda heads to her office, puts the coffees and pastries on her desk, purse in the drawer and unlocks the safe containing her gun. She heads over to Emily's office and along the way hands out a coffee to her assistant and lets him pick a muffin. She knocks on Emily's door and she is on the phone, so she nods to Amanda to enter, smiling when she sees her coffee and pastry.
Emily hangs up the phone and asks Amanda to shut the door behind her. "Amanda", Emily starts, "I know you like working alone and normally this wouldn't be an issue, but for the first time in years we have to work alongside a sister Agency. I'm going to have to partner you up with another agent. There is a very important summit coming up in Dubai and you both are going to need all the help you can get. And before you start arguing and giving me excuses this comes from the top. There will be a briefing tomorrow, but I wanted to give you a heads up. Word is he is the best in his department, and they want the best in mine. Here is his dossier, take your time to research it before you go home tonight", Emily sternly states.
Amanda scans the papers as she is walking out of Emily's office. She whips around quickly and says, "Scarecrow? What kind of code name is Scarecrow?" Emily shrugs and points Amanda out of her office.
Amanda passes Francine on the way out and Francine says, "that bad?"
"Yep", Amanda says. "They want me to work with a partner and his name is Scarecrow". Amanda laments.
Francine starts laughing and asks, "what kind of code name is Scarecrow?"
Amanda is not laughing ands replies "that's what I asked. I need to study this Scarecrow as there will be a briefing tomorrow at the main building. I've never been, have you?" Amanda asks.
"No, not once", Francine replies. "That is something that never happens, I don't even know the address".
"Me either", Amanda says. "I guess I'll get it before the briefing or maybe be blindfolded and taken there in tinted windows", Amanda half laughs.
Across town, Lee is going through the same process as Amanda. He is not happy either. "Billy, you know I like working alone and with a woman? What kind of code name is Den Mother?" Lee asks.
"They say she is the best in department and the head people want their best on this one. Go to the Q. Bureau and study up on this one Scarecrow, sounds like she could be a challenge", Billy says.
"No", Lee replies, "my wife is a challenge, this one is a Den Mother".