The auction and more
This is a longer chapter as it will have a cliffhanger.
After arriving at IFF, Billy hands Lee and Amanda an envelope containing their cover ID's, certificates verifying their ability to pay, passports, licenses, invitations to the auction, the lot number for selection of books and keys to one of the Agency cars with the proper registration in case someone decides to check them out. Francine is also given her own entry pass and an agency car. Lee drives towards the auction while Amanda slides out the paperwork and ID's into her lap, she separates hers from Lee's. She shakes her head and sighs.
"What's wrong?", Lee asks. Something wrong with our papers?"
"No", Amanda replies. "I just can't believe this is my name. You get a normal, ordinary name and I get Dixie. We are Jeff and Dixie Roth. Am I supposed to speak with a Southern Drawl?"
Lee laughs and says, "be thankful you didn't get the name Kitty".
They arrive at the auction and Lee hands his keys to the valet and is given a ticket in return. He takes Amanda's hand and they walk into the lobby looking at the easel containing meetings for the day and he sees the number for the ballroom holding the auction. They head down the hall and out of the corner of Lee's eye, he sees Francine and she nods to him.
Lee hands their invitations to the attendant and Amanda shows their ID's. They take two seats halfway up the room on the ends. Francine sits in the back row. They wait for the lot number to be called and sit up straight.
The auctioneer describes the books as part of a collection from 1930 and starts the bid at $10,000. Amanda holds up a finger, and then someone sitting near Francine holds up their finger and another person at the front does as well. The bid gets to $25,000 when the person at the front drops out. When it gets to $35,000 the person at the back of the room drops out. Francine makes a note of the two people and nods to the other agents to keep an eye on them and check them out later.
Lee and Amanda go to collect the books and he whispers to Amanda, "is it just me or did that go a lot easier than I thought it would?"
"No, it's not just you", she replies. "I have sinking feeling this is not over".
They pick up the collection and take bring them to IFF. They find out one of the agents lost the person in the front of the room. He or she snuck out as soon as they dropped out of the bidding war. They were able to find the other person, but after checking his credentials, he was just a fan of the author's works. They let him go. Lee takes the books to crypto so they can find the microdots and decipher them.
Billy calls them to his office and thanks them for a job well done. He says, "I have other news. You know that any correspondence to other agents goes through an x-ray machine, zaps any known biological threats before they can be sent to the appropriate departments?" They both nod in agreement. Billy continues, "remember that one couple from California on the Dubai assignment? What were their names?"
Amanda replies, "Tom and Ellen."
Billy says, "yes, that's right. Tom and Ellen. After determining the mail from them was safe, here is something addressed to you and Lee".
Amanda takes the envelope and Lee gives her a quizzical look. She opens it and smiles. "We've been invited to their wedding next week", she says.
Lee laughs and says, "I had a feeling this was going to happen. Tom asked about us and if we were really married and then he told me they weren't married but have been together for three years. I assumed he was going to pop the question soon".
"Sir", Amanda says, "I know this is not official agency business and we don't want this to interfere with our vacation, but I think it's a good idea to maintain relationships with other departments of The Agency. I know it's short notice, but if you could confirm through the proper channels, could we get a long weekend to go see them get married?"
"I think that could be arranged", Billy says. Book your flights, commercial this time, but I'll make sure they know you are coming and arrange to be picked up. Now, leave and get back to work. Tomorrow is Emily's retirement party".
After they leave the office Lee whispers to Amanda, "laying it on a little thick, aren't you? You really liked them, didn't you?"
"Yes", she replies. "Didn't you? I felt awful for them when one of their own turned on them. But Kelly is in prison, so no worries".
"Yeah, I liked them too. It will be fun to see them again", Lee agrees.
They head walk past Francine's desk and tells her she did a great job, and then head upstairs to the Q Bureau. Amanda checks flights to Los Angles and confirms with the Agency Liaison to contact Tom and Ellen and tell them they will be there a couple of nights before their big day. "Amanda says, we are going to go wedding gift shopping and no scarves. They won't need them in California. I also need to find something special for Emily for her party tomorrow". Lee sighs and grunts. Amanda realizing he would be an awful shopping partner says, I'll tell you what, why don't I do the shopping, you go home and make dinner for everyone".
"Sounds like a plan", Lee says; but first I'm going to call crypto and see if they learned anything".
Amanda leaves and finds the perfect gift for Emily. Tom and Ellen will be harder to shop for. They only knew them a few days, but they were great assets with the Peace Summit and taking down the corrupt Sherriff. She knows they will probably receive several photo albums and have a professional photographer, so a photo album would not be a good gift. She passes a shop and the idea came to her. She picks a silver platter writes down what she wants for the engraving. On the front, it has the date of their wedding and the back it will say, "Congratulations on your special day" and underneath, it says "We will always have 'D', love L & A". The shopkeeper lets her know it will be available in the morning.
She arrives home and Lee makes one of his special meals. The boys have the table set and as soon as Amanda walks in the door he smiles and walks over and gives her a kiss.
"That smells good sweetheart. I'm famished. I'm going to go upstairs and get changed. Pour me a glass of wine and I'll be down soon".
Amanda walks into the dining room and everyone sits down to eat. Lee pours Amanda a glass of wine. They listen to the boys talk about school and Philip presents a detailed bullet-pointed draft of where they want to go on vacation with reasons why. Lee and Amanda laugh. Lee says, "Philip, Jamie clear the table and take care of the dishes. Your mother and I will look over this well thought out and prepared presentation".
Lee takes what is left of the wine and Amanda takes their glasses upstairs. Amanda shakes her head and says "school will be out soon, and they are itching to take a family vacation. We should look at this carefully when we get back from LA". She then tells him about her gift for Emily and about Tom and Ellen's gift.
Amanda changes into a nightgown and Lee into his boxers and a t-shirt. The finish their wine and Lee takes her glass and sets it next to his. He pulls her into a hug and says, "I love you, darling. It will be nice to get away even if its LA and a wedding".
Amanda kisses him and says I love you too sweetheart". And they soon fall asleep.
Amanda wakes and takes a quick shower and heads to the kitchen and starts the coffee. She wraps Emily's gift and warms up a muffin as she drinks her coffee. Hearing Lee as he comes down the stairs, she pours him a cup and hands it to him and goes outside to get the paper. She quickly scans it and says; "we need to get going if we are going to make Emily's party". She drives and he continues reading the paper.
Once they get to IFF, they walk upstairs to the Q Bureau and Amanda drops off her purse and Lee removes his jacket and places the paper on his desk. Amanda takes Emily's gift and they provide the proper code to Mrs. Marsden and get into the elevator and head down to the bullpen. Even though it is early the party has already started. There is a pile of gifts and cake and punch. Emily opens all her gifts and says thanks to everyone. Before she leaves, she makes a special stop to say goodbye to Francine and Amanda.
"You two are some of the finest agents I've ever had the pleasure to train and work with. I will miss both of you the most", Emily says. She gives them a big hug and kisses them on their cheeks. A couple of tears fall down her face. She wipes them away and says, don't be strangers". She leaves and both Francine and Amanda sighs.
Amanda says, "I'm going to tell Lee to go home and spend time with the boys. You and I are going out for dinner and drinks. You are driving." She finds Lee and says, "I'll be home late, Francine and I will be drowning our sorrows, so don't to wait up for me". She finds Francine and before going out for dinner and drinks, Amanda makes a stop to pick up the engraved plate.
Amanda gets home late and takes a quick shower. She crawls under the covers, kisses Lee on the cheek and rolls over to her side. He grumbles and asks, "did you have a nice time?"
"Yes, sweetheart, I'll tell you about tomorrow. Go back to sleep", Amanda says.
The next few days rush past them. Crypto has decoded the microdots and they lead to several arrests.
Amanda and Lee pack for their trip to LA and sleep on the plane. When they land and collect their bags, they are surprised to be met by Tom and Ellen themselves. Ellen hugs Lee and Amanda and Amanda gives Tom a hug too. Lee shakes his hand and congratulates them.
Tom says, "tomorrow you should do some sightseeing and we have the rehearsal dinner, which unfortunately is for family and wedding party only, but we want to take you out for drinks after. We can catch each other up." They drop them off at the hotel. Lee and Amanda get settled. Amanda calls home to check on mother and the boys.
The next day, they enjoy a leisurely walk around LA. They haven't had this much alone time in a while and it is nice. They pick up a few things for her mother and the boys. They go back to the hotel and get ready for drinks with Tom and Ellen. They wait for them in the hotel bar and about 20 minutes later, they show up and before they leave Amanda says "we wanted to give you your gift personally, before your wedding. It holds special meaning for us".
They open their gift and Ellen exclaims, "that is so sweet. It's perfect. Thank you".
They take them out to bar hopping. After a few hours of dancing and drinking, they bring them back to the hotel and Tom says, "your gift is wonderful, thank you; but if we don't leave now, we will miss our own wedding. We will see you both tomorrow".
Lee and Amanda go to their room and they are both so exhausted they fall asleep in their clothes.
Amanda wakes first and looks at the clock. "Oh no, we've overslept".
She shakes Lee and he mumbles "what?"
"We overslept, we have to shower and get dressed. Hopefully, we can make it before she walks down the aisle", she says.
They quickly get dressed. Amanda puts on a simple floral print and Lee some trousers and a jacket, no tie. They call an Uber and arrive at the church. They are a little late, but they hope no one notices. After the car leaves, they start walking towards the church when they see a loud flash and then boom! They fall backward and the church is in flames.
There is soot all over their faces and Lee says, "Amanda, are you all right?"
Amanda sits up and says, "yeah", she looks at the church falling apart and says, "that could have been us. If we weren't late, we'd be dead".
Lee puts his arms around her and holds her tight and says, "Yeah, I know."