Chapter 3

The section chief pushed his chair away from the conference table, signaling the conclusion of the staff meeting. "That's it, people," Billy announced in way of dismissal. "We'll meet again tomorrow at the same time."

Lee's head snapped up in surprise. Apparently, he'd zoned out in front of his colleagues. He certainly hadn't intended to dwell on his partner's absence in the midst of a roomful of agents. Sighing heavily, he tried to push thoughts of Amanda to the back of his mind.

"Well, Stetson, on an alertness scale of one to ten, I'd say you merit a sluggish three today." The acerbic tongue of his female counterpart brought him firmly into the present. "Were you catching a few extra winks or daydreaming about a vacation in Bora Bora?"

"Knock it off, Francine." Lee straightened his tie and moved toward the door. "It's insomnia, that's all."

"I'm not buying that worn-out excuse." Francine gathered her belongings and hurried to catch up. "Talk to me, Lee. What really has you so distracted? Is it a new girl friend, or are you missing your little suburban housewife?"

"Fran-cine." Lee gritted out his rebuttal between clinched teeth. "Lay off, will you."

"Desmond, Stetson, if you're through sparring with each other, maybe you can return to the real business of this Agency." Billy stood in the doorway with a look that dared them to rub him the wrong way. "Scarecrow, I need you in my office, now." Not waiting for a response, he turned his back and hurried across the bullpen.

"Catch you later," Francine offered. "Maybe we can grab lunch together."

"I'm busy," he shot back, before softening his tone. "But, thanks. I'll take a rain check." Lee maneuvered past his colleague and followed in the wake of his supervisor. With a few long strides, he reached Melrose's office, before the door slammed closed. "What's up, Billy?"

"Have a seat, Lee." Sinking heavily into his chair, the section chief reached for his antacids and popped several in his mouth.

"Are you having a bad day, Billy?"

"You got that right." With no explanation, Melrose opened his folder and passed a summary outline to his agent. "Dr. Smyth was here this morning with the latest top secret priority. For now, this is for your eyes only."

Scanning the sheet, Lee exhaled loudly when he noted the designated location. "Hungary? What's this got to do with me? We certainly have some damn good agents monitoring the Eastern Bloc."

Billy silenced him with a wave of his hand. "It seems the honor of your presence has been requested by the family of Magda Petrak."

"What?" Lee moved to the edge of his seat. "You're sending me to Hungary? Why, in God's name?"

"Hear me out, Scarecrow." Billy pushed away from his desk and came around to stand in front of his agent. "As we know from Magda's background, the Petrak family has long been involved with an active opposition group in Hungary. Two cousins have been working with the underground to slip vital information to western operatives. Their brave efforts have kept us abreast of activities behind the Iron Curtain for many years."

"Yeah, I know the history. From what Magda indicated, her relatives were well connected to an operative with the Hungarian Secret Police, who also enjoyed the favor of the KGB." Lee was immediately intrigued by the prospect of the overseas assignment, but tormented by the deeper desire to stay close to home. He had his own cold war to win, right here on his own turf. At the moment all lines of communication were down, and both sides were keeping a safe distance from each other.

Billy picked up the file on his desk and studied the profile. "The name of the Petraks' contact is Gyorgy Vadas. They refer to him as a family friend. Apparently he's been loyal to the Hungarian underground, while still being tied to the spy community. However, there have been a number of roadblocks of late. The Hungarian Secret Police and the KGB are not quite as enamored with his charms as they once were."

"Are they on to him?"

"That's the fear. For years his exchange of information went off without a hitch. He fed morsels of intelligence to the Soviets, gained their trust and then shared generous helpings of inside communist activity with western agents. Unfortunately, in recent months, his efforts on behalf of the Hungarian underground have all gone south. Every attempt to meet with western agents has been disrupted by the communist watchdogs. At this point, Vadas trusts no one, and other than the Petraks, no one trusts him. So, that's where you enter the picture."

Lee closed his eyes, trying to bend his mind around the big changes coming in his life. "Let me guess. I come highly recommended by the Petraks for aiding Magda in her defection."

"Precisely." Billy cut a path back and forth as he paced the confines of the office. "Think about it, Lee. It's an exciting time to be assigned to Eastern Europe. Things are changing in the Eastern Bloc countries. This is especially true in Hungary where the communist government has been more lenient with the people."

Lee nodded. "Yeah, since the death of Leonid Brezhnev, relations with the Soviet Union and Hungry have greatly improved."

"Just imagine it, Scarecrow. Hungary has attracted the admiration of Mikhail Gorbachev." Billy shook his head in amazement. "He's actually impressed with their market socialism experiment."

"Who could have guessed?" Lee laughed at the irony. "What a change from just a few years ago! He's even patterned his Perestroika after Hungary's success."

"Absolutely! And Gorbachev is giving the workers and peasants in Hungary a lot of free rein. Unless, provoked, the communist leaders are more apt to turn a blind eye to what's going on within the Hungarian communities. The closed border between Austria and Hungary is starting to crack, and it's becoming easier to slip in and out of the country."

"And this must be where I enter the picture."

"Lee, placing you inside Hungary will reopen the communication lines between east and west. The Petraks can put you in touch with their informant, Vadas, and he can pass you vital information about operations in Eastern Europe. You're perfect for this, Scarecrow. You speak enough Magyar to move about freely in Hungary, and you'll have a reliable network in place to assist you."

"How long? Are we looking at days, weeks, months?"

"As long as it takes. You know the game - it requires patience to let things shake loose and play out to a desired conclusion." Billy placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I hate to be without my top operative, but I concur with Smyth. Your country needs you there. Even the White House wants you to go."

Lee shook his head in resignation. There was no use in trying to argue his way out of this one. Any hope for negotiating a lasting peace agreement with Amanda would have to be put on hold indefinitely. "When do I leave?"

"You fly out tonight. All arrangements will be on your desk by noon. There's a two o'clock briefing with the National Security Council that requires your attendance."

"What about Amanda?" The words were out of his mouth before he could second guess himself. "I'd like to talk to her before I go. Things have been a bit rocky between us."

Ignoring Lee's intense gaze, Billy sighed and moved toward his desk. "This isn't a good time to see Amanda."

"And why not?"

"If you must know, there's been an unfortunate development with Amanda and her family. I wasn't going to say anything that might upset you before your trip. However, under the circumstances, I guess you deserve to be in the loop."

Lee jumped to his feet and braced his hands on his boss's desk. "Upset me? Damn it, Billy, what's going on?"

Melrose pointed toward the chair. "Sit down, please." Waiting for his agent to comply, he rationed out a few more antacids and placed them in his mouth. "Lee, I had a call from Sibley Memorial Hospital this morning. One of our personnel from field section was admitted last night, pretty banged up. It was Amanda."

"Amanda!" Lee could feel the blood drain from his face. "What happened?"

A dark hand sliced the air as Billy motioned for silence. "Apparently, the King family attended a theatrical event at American University last night. On their way home, they were involved in a automobile accident on Ward Circle. Joe walked away without a scratch, but Amanda was admitted for observation. Dotty and one of the boys were also hurt."

"Oh my God, I've got to get over there." Willing his body to proceed toward the door, Lee came face to face with Melrose, who had quickly moved to bodily block the exit.

"No, Scarecrow! This isn't Agency related, so just leave her alone. Her family's there, and if you show up, you'll only be an intrusion. Besides, when I last talked to Joe King, he was quite adamant that they needed privacy."

Lee was not to be deterred. Not giving an inch, he looked his mentor squarely in the eye. "You know Amanda needs me! For God's sake, I'm her friend as well as her associate. She'll wonder why I'm not there."

Billy looked at Lee with fatherly concern. "Amanda's in good hands. She has a concussion and various bumps and bruises, but she's going to be fine. We'll be getting updates from the hospital, so I'll stay on top of the situation. Surely you realize, you can't help Amanda by going over there and upsetting her family. She's in no condition to explain you to her mother."

"You certainly can't expect me to disappear for a couple of months without seeing Amanda."

"I most certainly do, Scarecrow. And that's an order."

"Bil-ly."

"Enough, Lee," the section chief bellowed. Gesturing toward the window, he reminded Lee of the curious eyes watching from the bullpen. "Nice going, Stetson. We now have a dozen agents staring at the door wondering when I'm going to throw you out on your ear."

Lee didn't relent. "Well, you might have to do it. When it comes to my partner, I don't back down."

"Oh, so she's your partner, now." Melrose went through the motions of closing the blinds. "And all this time, I thought you said you didn't work with partners." Billy broke the ice with a smile as he nudged Lee's arm. "Sit, another minute."

Lowering his frame to the sofa, Lee composed himself. "You know what I mean, Billy. Amanda's more than my assistant. She's, well, you know - very special."

Melrose slowly took a seat and studied his friend before continuing. "Lee, I've watched you and Amanda for a long time. I'm well aware that you two are very close friends and more than a little emotionally involved."

Blindsided, Lee's mouth dropped open. He couldn't have been more surprised if Billy had hit him with the butt of a revolver. "What are you talking about?"

"I have eyes, Scarecrow, and so do others around the Agency." Billy pinned Lee with a knowing look.

"Hold it right there. Amanda and I are a team. Sure we're friends, but that's all. There's absolutely nothing more to it."

A smile crept across Melrose's face. "What was the famous line from Shakespeare? Something like - 'thou doth protest too much'. Was that Hamlet?" Moving his hand to his mouth, he coughed, trying in vain to hide his laughter.

Lee suppressed a groan. "Jeez, Billy, when you're wrong, you're wrong all the way from here to Sri Lanka. Amanda and I just happen to possess a unique working chemistry. Period. End of conversation."

With a wave of his hand, Billy aborted the discussion. "Okay, whatever you say, Scarecrow. I'll trust you're in touch with your feelings. However, when tension brews with co-workers, I think a break can be helpful. Putting a little distance between the two of you, right now, may very well be healthier for your teamwork in the future."

"Humph." Lee's restless hands combed through his hair. "Well, what doesn't cure it will probably kill it. Let's hope the separation doesn't spell the end of our working relationship. With me on an extended overseas assignment and Joe King back in the picture, Amanda may feel it's time to make a break from the Agency. From what I can see, Joe wants to win her back."

Melrose relaxed his demeanor. "Lee, have you taken a good look at Amanda lately? She doesn't fit the flighty, frumpy housewife label you and Francine saddled her with over two years ago."

A pang of guilt gripped his chest as he looked away from his mentor. "I never really felt that way."

"And neither did anyone else. Believe me, many of the Agency men would be lining up to take her out, if they weren't intimated by your protectiveness of your protégé. Certainly you realize Amanda's an attractive, vibrant woman who deserves another chance at love. If she can reconcile with Joe, be happy for her, man."

Lee tried to swallow the lump in his throat. Happy? How the hell was he supposed to be happy? "Yeah," he grumbled. "That'll be great for all of us. We'll throw her a party to celebrate the momentous occasion. Then you can say good-bye to your crack team of Scarecrow and Mrs. King."

Billy shook his head and released a long, slow breath. "Okay, Lee, you may be right. Amanda does have a lot to figure out about her future with the Agency, and you need to give her the space to make the critical decisions. She understands that you get called away on overseas assignments. I'll make sure she knows you're terribly worried about her, but urgent duty called you out of the country."

"Fine." Lee acquiesced for the moment. "Are we through with the advice to the lovelorn?"

"Absolutely." Billy held out his hand. "Lee, your assignments don't come any bigger than this one. I'm trusting you will handle yourself with your usual professional excellence."

"Count on it, Billy." Accepting the handshake, he nodded politely and numbly exited the office. Hell, if he couldn't come back to Amanda, he didn't want to come back at all.

SMK-SMK-SMK

The sullen agent was still distraught as he drove his car through the late afternoon traffic. Like it or not, he was flying out of Dulles on the Lufthansa "Red Eye" tonight. Weaving his sports car in and out of the bumper to bumper traffic on Massachusetts Avenue, he recklessly spun the vehicle onto Westmoreland Circle. As commuters blared their horns at the Corvette's foolhardy occupant, Lee pounded the steering wheel with his fist. Come hell or high water, no one was going to stop him from seeing Amanda.

Pulling into the parking lot at Sibley Memorial Hospital, he unfolded his long frame from the low set vehicle and braced himself for a possible confrontation with the King family. Within seconds, he made his way through the entrance and charged toward the elevators, only halting his progress when the doors opened and Joe King disembarked.

The lawyer was caught completely off guard. "Oh, Stetson, I didn't expect to see you at Sibley Memorial. Is this just a coincidence?" Realization seemed to be dawning, and a flicker of anger played across his face. "You're not here to visit Amanda, are you?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am." Lee moved around him to punch the button for another elevator.

Joe placed his hands on his hips, clearly annoyed. "I specifically asked the Agency to stay out of this."

"Yeah, well, I guess it wasn't specfic enough for me. Have a good evening, King." The elevator door opened and Lee moved aside to let others disembark. He wasn't in any mood to take his orders from Amanda's ex-husband. Stepping into the elevator, he felt a forceful tug on his arm, pulling him backward. Whirling around with fists clinched tightly against his side, Lee confronted his mild-manner assailant. "What the hell, do you think you're doing?"

Immediately a security guard rushed over. "Is there a problem here, gentlemen?"

"No," both men shouted in unison.

Lee was the first to recover. "Sorry, it's just a little misunderstanding."

"Well, if you have a problem, take it outside."

Joe looked embarrassed and apologetic. "That won't be necessary."

"Yeah, everything will be fine." Lee pointed to the chairs in the far corner of the lobby. "Maybe we should sit down?"

The two men barely looked at each other as Joe opened the conversation. "Hey, I'm sorry I startled you, Stetson. I just thought the Agency understood it was to keep its distance from my family. I don't mean to be ungrateful for all that you did for us, but it's very disconcerting to have intelligence operatives looking over my shoulder at every turn. I've been exonerated, so why can't my wife and I have our lives back?"

The word "wife" made Lee wince. "You mean ex-wife, don't you?"

Joe cleared his throat as he started to backpedal. "Well, yes, of course. Technically we aren't married, anymore. But things could change. Who knows? What's all this to you, anyway?"

Lee refused to take the bait. "Nothing, nothing at all. Mrs. King was helpful to me during your case, so I just want to make sure she's okay."

"Well, take my word for it. She'll be fine." Joe scrutinized him carefully before continuing. "Let me assure you, Amanda has her family to take care of her. She doesn't need any other visitors."

Lee opened and closed his mouth before he decided to end the discussion. "Yeah, sure. I get the picture."

Joe stood up and extended his hand. "Thanks again for everything you did for the King family. I highly doubt we'll be needing your services in the future, but if we do, we'll be sure to give you a call."

"Right, Mrs. King's got my number." Lee numbly shook Joe's hand and silently nodded good-bye.

SMK-SMK-SMK

Hours later, packed and ready for his flight, Lee decided to give the hospital one more try. Since visiting hours were over, he hoped the family had vacated Amanda's room for the night.

After checking in at the nurse's station, Lee peeked into the darkened hospital room and was relieved to find only one patient. He certainly didn't want to discover Dotty West rooming with her daughter. Silently moving across the linoleum floor, Lee smiled as he drank in the sweet repose of Amanda. He softly whispered her name, but she didn't stir from her deep slumber. The nurse had assured him that she was steadily improving, but cautioned him not to disturb her rest.

The minutes ticked by as Lee stood immobilized by her bed, content to simply gaze at her beautiful face. Hesitantly, he reached out to take her hand and gently caressed her fingers with his thumb. "God, I'm going to miss you." Leaning forward, he placed a feather light kiss on her cheek.

A quiet whimper escaped her lips, as she sighed in her sleep. "Lee."

Soothing her with his touch, Lee bent close to her ear. "I'm here, Amanda. I'm right here." A slight smile graced her lips before she settled back to sleep.

He permitted himself a few more precious moments at her side, before giving in to the urgency of his departure. Overwhelmed at leaving his dearest friend, he bent over her ear and allowed his lips to brush across her temple. "Amanda, I need you. When I come home, please be my partner again."

As Lee reluctantly turned to go, he spotted a small, blond head, ducking behind the partially open door. With two quick strides, the surprised agent yanked at the handle and nearly stumbled over the pajama-clad body that tumbled in a heap at his feet. In one fluid motion, Lee bent down and grabbed the thin shoulders, pulling the trembling boy to his feet. "Whoa, take it easy, champ." Immediately recognizing Amanda's youngest son, Lee guided the child outside the room and seated him on a hallway bench.

"Are you okay?" He smiled as he crouched in front of Jamie.

The boy nodded his head in the affirmative and stared back at Lee with watery eyes. "I wanna see my mom," he sniffled, fighting back the tears.

"Hey, hey. Don't worry." Lee's hand stilled the erratic swing of the child's leg. "Jamie, your mom is sleeping, but you can talk to her in the morning." The words had no sooner left his lips, when he realized he'd spoken the familiar name out loud.

Awareness dawned on Jamie's face and he immediately perked-up. "I know you. You're the man I saw swinging on the rope in the gym. You're the Fed who caught the bad guy."

"Ah, yeah." Lee hesitated before acknowledging the truth. "I was there to help your family. In fact, I know your mom. When I heard about the accident, I came to check on all of you." Jamie's expression was a mixture of relief and awe.

Cautious at first, words soon flew from his mouth in a nervous ramble. "It was all Dad's fault. He was driving. He's sort of out of practice. Mom didn't think he should drive the traffic circles. They had an argument about it, just before Dad changed lanes and crashed the car into another vehicle. Then, bang! There was broken glass and blood everywhere. Phillip thought the accident was gnarly, but he didn't get hurt."

Lee cringed at the description. He could well imagine Joe arguing with Amanda. The man was as stubborn as his ex-wife. "Well, I hope everyone's going to be okay."

Jamie smiled shyly and relaxed his back against the wall. "I got a concussion, but I'm better now. Dad's taking me home tomorrow. Grandma went home today. I guess Mom got hurt the most, but she's okay."

Uneasiness settled over Lee when he realized he was treading on thin ice if the kid confided in Joe about tonight's little episode. "Ah, Jamie, let me walk you back to your room, okay, champ?" Following the small figure down the hall, Lee wondered if the boy would mention his visit to Amanda. As they turned into Room 310, Lee touched the slim shoulders. "Well, I hope you'll go right to sleep."

Jamie looked up at Lee with boyish awe. Sticking out his small hand, he grinned when he was offered a firm handshake. "I'm glad I met a real federal agent."

Lee chuckled with amused pleasure before turning serious. "Well, that's better left unsaid. It will be our secret." A silent moment elapsed while he wondered how to gently make his exit. Drawing on Amanda's parenting style, the confirmed bachelor instinctively guided Jamie to the bed and assisted him in settling under the covers. Running his long fingers through the boy's hair, he smiled at the sleepy child. "Good night, Jamie. I'm glad I met you, too." Backing slowly out of the room, Lee gave a brief wave and broke into a run as soon as he was out of sight.

Hurrying passed Amanda's room, he said a silent prayer to whatever "powers-that-be" and touched his fingers to his lips before tapping her door. "Good-bye, Amanda. Don't give up on me."

With a mad dash to his car, Lee was soon speeding to the airport and his new assignment behind the Iron Curtain.

To be continued