The Sparkler Gala

The party was in full force as Lee made his rounds around the guests. He had only seen Amanda a handful of times as he made his passes. Each time he saw her though he was reminded of their time together; the sundress she was wearing was a light shade of blue, highlighting her brown curls and early summer sun kissed skin.

She saw Lee pass by again as she continued to monitor the auction items. She knew he was working as was she, but from where she was located she didn't see anything out of the ordinary. People stopped by looked over the items and then walked away. She needed to see other areas if she was really going to help him out.

"Excuse me, could you tell me where the restroom is?" Amanda asked one of the other women at the table. "Sure you go to through the main doors and it is on the left hand side right before you enter the kitchen."

"Thank you." Amanda said as she made her way toward the main building taking a small detour to a few of the other booths on the way to see if anything looked out of place from the files that Mr. Melrose had given her.

Making her way into the main building she walked past the kitchen as she saw a delivery van out front. It was for a fireworks company. She knew there was a fireworks display at the end of the night but she was certain that the company had already been here and set up. She thought they had security around the display as well as a representative from the company. Amanda turned to find Lee and ask about it when a man she saw earlier at the auction table talking with the men from the company.

Amanda tried to get closer but they were speaking in Russian and she had no idea what they were saying. "Damn. I've got to find Lee."

"I'm right behind you. What are you doing?" He whispered as he came up behind her startling her.

"Will you not do that?" She scolded.

"Yes; when you start staying where I put you to stay, I will stop sneaking up on you and surprising you. Now why did you want me to find me?"

Pointing to the van she asked, "Is that the same fireworks company from earlier today? If the fireworks were already delivered why do they need more and why are they talking in Russian? What are they saying?"

Lee looked in the direction she was talking about. He didn't recognize any of the men but he did know what they were saying. Without alarming Amanda he told her he needed her to go back to the auction booth and to stay there.

"Can't I help?" She pleaded with Lee.

"This will help, I promise. I need you to watch the items on the table. Something is going to happen there. Don't worry; I'll be close by."

Amanda walked back toward the auction booth and was stopped by a man that started taking to her; only in was also in Russian so she stood there shaking her head trying to communicate that she had no idea what he was saying.

Lee was walking by as he heard the man ask Amanda if she was available and free for a night of blazing passion. In perfect Russian Lee told the man that Amanda was not free or available. "She is with me!"

The man took the look on Lee's face to be one of a very serious man; turning to leave the Russian apologized to Amanda.

"What was that all about? What did you two say to one another?" Amanda asked as Lee took her by the elbow and returned her to the auction booth. Through gritted teeth he said in plain English, "Amanda King stay here!"

"Wow, your boyfriend is intense. I know I would never put up with a man taking to me like that. This is no longer 1950 where a man tells you where you can and cannot go."

Amanda just smiled then politely stated, "Oh, it's fine; he isn't my boyfriend. He really isn't anything to me." Little did she know that Lee wasn't far away from the table yet and heard Amanda and her comment to the other woman; he stepped away feeling less certain about his interactions with Amanda outside of work. Shaking his head to clear those thoughts Lee walked over to the fireworks display area to check the 'new arrivals'.

"Harris, what is the deal with the new fireworks arriving? I thought your team already set the display for later up?"

"We did; there are no more fireworks to be set up."

"Has anyone brought new ones over?"

"No, Sir, we haven't left our post and no one has come over here. Do we need to worry?"

Looking around Lee saw the man that had been talking to the delivery guys at the auction table, "Get Billy and tell him we have a potential situation." Lee quickly explained what was going on and left orders that no one was to leave their areas and stay on alert.

Walking back toward the table he heard Amanda talking up the items to the man. He heard the nervousness in her voice; he knew she knew about him. Hoping to help calm her he walked around the front of the tent seeing the man start to grab at her.

"I swear I can't leave you alone for two minutes. I left for just a second and I come back and you are already holding hands with another man!"

The man released her hand and turned toward Lee. Lee recognized the man now that he had gotten a better look at him.

"Stetson, I shouldn't be surprised to see you."

"Jovanici, what brings you here?"

"The fine old auction items and the fireworks of course. This is a benefit; just doing my part for my country."

"Which country is that?" Lee asked moving closer to try and get Amanda out of harm's way. Seeing Lee's movements toward the woman he had a hold of, Jovanici pulled Amanda closer to him.

"Is she really important to you? I heard her say you were nothing to her."

The memory of Amanda's words made Lee change his tactics. "I don't care one way or another about her. She was what she was; but where you and I are concerned then she really is nothing to this." He could see his callous tone was not missed on Amanda.

"Then you won't mind if I keep her for a while; until after the fireworks show?"

"I don't care what you do with her as long as she is okay with it. See here in this country a woman has a say as to whom she spends her time with."

Jerking from his grasp Amanda tightly responded, "And who they do not spend time with. If neither of you plan on bidding for anything then I suggest you both leave now." She turned her back on both men and began looking over items and bid sheets; trying to forget Jovanici tight grip on her arm and Lee's words that seem to cut right through her.

Lee walked away as Jovanici did, "She is cute; that American is she not?"

"If you find domestic housewives cute; then I guess you could say she is."

"Enjoy the fireworks, Stetson." Jovanici said as he walked away in the opposite direction. Lee nodded and found Billy and Francine and explained the interaction between him and Jovanici.

"So we need to go over all the fireworks again in case any of them did get switched out." Francine asked.

Lee shook his head, "I don't believe he is planning on switching them out. I do on the other hand think that he is planning something during the fireworks show so he won't be noticed. Now he is already on to me and thinks Amanda is somehow connected to me. I think it is time to switch out birddogs on this one and use me as a backup and get Amanda out of here."

"Sounds like a plan. I will get Fielder and Cories on this. You stay closer to the Secretary of State with me and Francine you go take over for Amanda at the booth until we need you."

"Got it, Billy."

Francine walked over to the booth and when she didn't find Amanda she told the other woman she was there to take over for Amanda, but she didn't see her.

"Oh, that little brunette those two men were fighting over; she left with the foreign man. I guess he won. To be honest I think she is a little kinky."

Francine looked at the woman at her assessment of Amanda and said, "Kinky? Amanda? You must be thinking of someone else dear."

"No, both those men were rough with her and she never once stood up to them. I think she enjoys being in dangerous situations."