Co-Authored by Tracey Arcieri and Karen LaManna

Chapter 10

Amanda crept along the outside of the building, as she tried to stay out of sight from the main house. She tiptoed inside the open door and scanned the room for any indication where the hidden room may be. She could only see an old wooden step ladder propped up against one wall and some old lawn furniture piled in another corner. She leaned against a wall, her hands resting on her knees when she noticed the disturbed dirt and dust on the floor even in the filtered dimming light. She tilted her head to the side and slowly crept forward and followed what appeared to be footsteps. Her sneakers barely made a sound on the wooden floor. It wasn't until she stepped on a loose board that she heard a sound from below her feet.

"Who's there?" Lee's raspy, hoarse voice was heard from beneath the corner she was moving toward.

"Lee?" she whispered loudly. "Lee?" she repeated a little louder the second time.

"Amanda? Is that you? Get me out of here!" Recognition dawned as soon as Lee heard her voice.

Amanda looked around in the dim light as she tried to identify where the trap door was hidden. In the dirt, she could see what appeared to be a collection of footprints. She dropped to her knees and quickly found the latch partially hidden against the wall. She pulled out the metal pin holding the latch in place and pulled the door open.

"Lee?" she called his name again. Lee stepped slowly into view squinting in the dim light. As he looked up at her, he couldn't help think she looked like an angel. The filtered light from behind her cast a glow around her, much like a halo.

"Oh my gosh, Lee! Are you all right?" Amanda exclaimed. Without waiting for an answer, she looked around the room and saw the ladder. "Get out of the way," she commanded. She lowered the ladder into the space below. Carefully she climbed down to try to get a better look at him. She touched his face, then his chest before she pulled him close and hugged him tightly. "Oh Lee! You're filthy. What did they -" she lamented, but he gently stepped back and put his hand up to stop her.

"They injected me with something when they grabbed me. Amanda, I need water, something. I'm not going to get far otherwise," Lee explained, his voice weak. Amanda hugged him tightly again. She needed to feel his body against hers, to feel he was alive. "Amanda, I don't know if you really want to do that now."

"Lee, I don't care how dirty you are, I'm just glad you're still… well, you're safe," Amanda stuttered out as she slowly released him. Seeing his gaunt look, she stated, "Let's get you out of here first. Then maybe I can find water near the house, a hose or something." She put her arm around his waist and asked, "Do you think you can make it up the ladder?"

Lee looked at the ladder and carefully placed his foot on the first step. Amanda did her best to guide him moving her hands to his hips. When he moved to the second step, she stood on the first step, and silently hoped he didn't fall backward. Slowly, methodically, they worked their way up the six steps on the ladder and with Amanda's help, Lee crawled out and laid prone on the floor. Amanda rushed out when she heard the thud of his body hit the floor. "Lee! Okay, don't go anywhere, I'll be right back. I'll find you some water and then we need to get out of here," Amanda said quickly. She placed her hand on his head lovingly before she left the safety of the small building.

Amanda always knows what I need. How is that possible? Lee thought as his brain focused in the cleaner air. It's because she knows you, Stetson, better than anyone else. More than anyone has ever known you. Lee inhaled deeply, a calm settling over him for the first time in days. I knew she'd come.

Amanda picked her way across the yard toward the house, constantly scanning the yard. She didn't see the van in the driveway and the porch light was still off, so she moved closer to the house to search for some way to get water for Lee. Against the house she saw a garden hose. She nodded her head and looked around for any type of container that could hold water. The only thing she could find was a small plastic plant pot, only about three inches across. She brushed out as much dirt as she could and carried it to the hose.

Amanda turned the hose on just enough for the water to trickle out without a lot of noise. She rinsed as much dirt off the inside as she could then as she cupped the bottom of the pot with her hand, she filled it as high as she could. The water was slowly trickled out the drain holes in the bottom, so she ran across the yard back to Lee while trying to stay hidden in the shadows. She found him on his back, in the same position she left him in.

"Lee, can you sit up a little?" Amanda asked in a hushed voice. Lee pushed himself up onto his elbows and she pressed the container to his lips. Lee drank greedily although most of the water had drained out. After a few solid swallows, he coughed loudly, his body shook from the effort. Amanda dropped the container and cradled his head against her shoulder as she tried to support him while he caught his breath. She brushed the hair off his face and pressed her lips to his forehead. She sighed with relief when she felt he had no fever, but she was still scared. He looked so pale and weak, just like the time he had been shot in the shoulder by Dimitri.

He's going to be okay. I'm going to get him out of here and he's going to be okay, Amanda thought. I NEED for him to be okay. Just admit it, Amanda, you can't live without him. "How do you feel? Any better?" Amanda asked quietly as she rocked him unconsciously.

"Yeah, a little. Do you think you can get a little more? I'm going to try to push myself up against the wall over there, see what happens when I stand," Lee explained.

"Take it slow. Here, let me help you first," Amanda put her hands under his shoulders and eased him into a standing position. Lee leaned heavily on Amanda first then against the rough wooden wall. "Let me close this so you don't fall back in," Amanda stated as she closed the trap door beside them. "Are you going to be okay for a few minutes?" she asked, her brown eyes searched his face.

Lee reached up and touched her chin with his fingers as she said, "I'll be okay. I just need a little more water then we need to get out of here before someone comes back. It's Gregory."

Amanda confirmed, "Gregory...I know. And those two mercenaries we met before. On our first Christmas Eve, in the woods with Janus. You got shot in the shoulder, remember?"

Lee looked up at the exposed beams on the ceiling as it dawned on him. "Yeah, yeah I remember. Ivan and, and, and Dimitri. What is Gregory doing mixed up with them?"

"I don't know but I'm gonna get you some more water and get you out of here. Then we should call Billy and tell him where to find Gregory," Amanda stated.

"Call Billy? You mean he doesn't know you're here?" Lee asked with alarm.

"Well? Let me get you some more water and I'll explain on the way," Amanda brushed off his question. "You gonna be all right for a few more minutes?"

Lee nodded, "Yeah, I'll be alright. Let's get out of here as quickly as we can. I don't want to be a sitting duck if they come back right now."

Amanda nodded, took the pot with her and leaned out of the door to look around the yard. Again, the coast appeared clear, so she moved back toward the hose and filled the pot again.