Feeling better about the situation between him and Francine, Beaman spend the next hour on cloud nine, especially once she'd told him that Amanda had talked Lee into agreeing to let him help with the Brody situation. He even promised himself he'd start being a bit nicer to Amanda in class. After all, she really had earned it and talking to Francine about it on their first date had really helped him to get all that off his chest. His good mood wasn't to last though once he started reading through the case files Francine had made sure he had. This Brody seemed like a scary piece of work. No wonder Amanda was worried about her partner.

Still, by the time he walked into his Covert Operations class that night it was with a smile on his face and a spring in his step because he was being included in something so important and he had another date with Francine. "Okay, Class," he greeted them. "I'm glad you were all able to meet tonight. As you know, today's the day when you put what you've been learning in the classroom into action in a real-world situation...or as close as it gets in our simulations. I know you're all anxious to put your skills to the test so let's not waste any time in getting down to the Tac room to get outfitted so we can get started."

As his students began to file out, he stopped Amanda, took her aside and asked, "Are you sure you're up for this? I know you haven't been fully cleared yet and this exercise can get pretty...well...physical."

"I'm sure," she assured him with a bit of a wary look. She wasn't sure if he was asking out of concern for her wellbeing or if he just didn't want her doing it because she had a habit of making him look bad...not intentionally, of course, but still, she knew it was a sore point with him.

"Just be careful," he warned her. "I don't want you hurting yourself on my watch." He lowered his voice. "I know he's still trying to play like he's this swinging bachelor, but the way he came at me yesterday about this past weekend, I know Stetson would never forgive me if I let something happen to you and he just agreed to let me work with him." He wondered if he should mention that he knew they were married. He was sure Lee would have told her by now, but since he was really wrapped up with this Brody thing, maybe he hadn't.

So that was it, she thought. "Listen, I get that, but I really need to do this so I can prove that I'm still capable. I promise that I won't overdo it and if it starts to be too much, I'll let you know." She couldn't resist teasing him a bit though. "Besides, you already know that I just spent the whole weekend with Lee. It doesn't get much more..." She paused as she grinned at him. "...physical than that."

Beaman flushed at her implication and stammered awkwardly, "B-by the way, I-I...uh...I also wanted to thank you for going to bat for me with Lee. Francine told me you helped talk him into letting me help him."

She chuckled slightly at his red face and how he'd deftly dodged her innuendo and replied, "It was my pleasure, Efraim. You really are a good agent, but honestly, it wasn't just about you. I admit, it was a little...well, just a little bit selfish on my part. As much as he'd like to think he's Superman, he really needs someone to help him and since he won't let it be me, I'd rather it be you or Francine, but she's busy with her own work. I should really be thanking you for being willing to put up with him. I know he's not the easiest person to get along with when he's so laser-focused on a mission."

"That's for sure," he agreed. "Well, I'd better let you go get suited up with the rest of the class."

As he sat at his desk waiting for his class to return in the proper attire, he reflected back on the argument he'd had with Lee just yesterday.

He had just sat down at his desk and was preparing to go through his most recent stack of new recruit files when Lee stormed in and slammed the door behind him.

"We need to have a serious talk," Lee demanded.

"Look, if you're mad about me being harder on Amanda than the others in class again, you can just save your breath. As I've said before, I challenge her more because she's been here longer and she gets bored by the classroom exercises if I don't," he explained.

"You think that's what this is about?" He shook his head.

"Isn't it?"

"Please, Amanda can handle herself. I'm talking about you and Francine spying on us this weekend like some kind of sick peeping Tom. Is this supposed to be some twisted payback because I blackmailed you about your time in the copier room with Roxanne?"

"Okay, first, we weren't spying on you. We were there and just happened to see you guys there. Second-"

"So you just happened to be there at a remote out-of-the-way resort that we chose for that very reason?" At that moment, his eyes lit up and he crowed gleefully, "Ohhhh. So that's it! Francine finally agreed to go out with you and doesn't want anyone to know about it."

"You don't know what you're talking about," he denied, but he knew the flush in his cheeks gave him away.

"No, I think I do."

"Well, don't you start thinking you've got some kind of new blackmail material on me," he fired back as he rose from his seat to be level with his adversary. "I happen to know a few things too. Like for example, how this wasn't your first getaway with her. There was another one. February 13th ring a bell?"

"Uh...I-"

Gotcha', he cheered inwardly at seeing the other man's panicked expression. "You know, certain documents are a matter of public record and easily accessible, especially for someone with my computer skills. It wouldn't take much to point someone in the right direction if they started asking questions...ooorrrr," he drawled. "Even if they didn't start asking questions. I'm sure Dr. Smyth or maybe even the Security Review Board would be interested to know how you really managed to get there so quickly after Amanda's shooting." When he saw a pained and somewhat angered look cross the other man's features, he knew he'd gone too far.

"Okay, look, Beaman," Lee ground out through gritted teeth."Let's be reasonable here. Neither of us wants to make a big deal about this whole mess, so how does this grab you? You never saw us, we never saw you and everyone's happy."

"Fine with me," he agreed."I sure as hell don't want to be tangled up in the office politics surrounding your love life. I've got enough on my plate every day trying to rein in the newbies who think that just because they made it to this point, they're instantly going to become James Bond." He paused for a moment, trying to be diffident before going on, "Which reminds me, on a work-related note, as her supervising agent, you should know that Amanda's doing very well in Covert Ops class, but I do have a concern. We start the simulations tomorrow and I know you said she could handle herself, but I'm worried about her getting hurt."

"Well, you'd just better make sure that doesn't happen. Maybe just for once, you could go a little easier on her instead of harder," Lee suggested.

"Come on, you know her. That would never work. She'd know the difference if I tried to baby her through it."

And just like that, the Scarecrow swagger was back. "Then you'd just better damn well make sure she gets through that exercise safely. You got me?"

"Beaman," someone called his name snapping him out of his thoughts. He found himself face to face with a disheveled and distraught-looking Lee.

"God, you look like hell," Efraim blurted out without thinking.

"Yeah, thanks," Lee replied blandly, not even putting up a fight as he normally would. "Listen, I...uh...I know you've got your class thing tonight, but I...uh...I really need to speak to Amanda before you guys head out."

"Um...yeah, I sent her down to the Tac room with the rest of the class. She should be in the women's locker room getting dressed by now." " He couldn't help noticing there was not a trace of the other man's usual confidence; the smug Scarecrow swagger was gone. Aside from the obvious physical exhaustion, he looked...utterly defeated. He wondered if he was still worried about his wife's safety and was here to try to talk her out of it. Had something happened that he wasn't aware of? Surely not when he'd just spoken to her about it. He knew she was strong-willed and determined to prove herself, but since she had children at home depending on her, she wouldn't put herself in harm's way unnecessarily. He wondered if he even should ask with the way Scarecrow had reacted to him bringing up her shooting yesterday, he opted not to and instead gestured to one of the unused desks. "You're welcome to wait for her."

Lee nodded numbly and took a seat. "Thanks."

"Do you...do you..." he hedged, not sure how to approach this situation when Lee was clearly upset by something new. Was it the case or was it Amanda? "Do you need to talk about it? I mean, we are going to be working together."

The other man shook his head. "No. Not right now. I just need Amanda."

Beaman frowned. By the weary, guilt-ridden look on Lee's face, he felt pretty sure that it was about more than Amanda's health, but finally decided to ask. "Is this about her doing this class exercise?"

"No," Lee replied in the same flat tone.

When the students began filing back into the room, Beaman said loudly, "Why don't you all wait out in the hall until everyone's back, then we'll all head out together?" He didn't think they needed to see one of the Agency's best in the state he was in. Besides that, he got the feeling that Lee wasn't in the mood to deal with a bunch of people.

Lee flashed him a half-smile in gratitude. "Thanks."

When Amanda finally returned, Beaman called her name and gestured to her husband. "Lee?" she questioned. She knew in an instant by the distressed look on his face that something was really wrong and hurried to his side, reaching out to hold his hand.

"Sally Wong is dead," he moaned pitifully as he gripped her hand tightly for support. "Brody got to her too."

"That nice nurse who helped you when you were in the hospital?" She let go of his hand to wrap her arms around him in a comforting embrace. "Oh, Lee, I'm so sorry."

Just as Francine had earlier, Beaman sensed that they needed some privacy, so he left the room. closed the door behind him and spoke to the rest of his class. "Sorry, Guys. We're going to be delayed a bit. Something's come up and I need to go talk to Billy." He already knew from reading the case files Francine had given him that the Agency had the Barnstorm List in their possession. Someone needed to get the word out immediately to Lee's other contacts on that list to get the hell out of Dodge and fast. Since it didn't seem Lee was in any shape to do so himself at the moment, someone had to step up.