Chapter 20: You Want Us to Do What?

Amanda awakened sometime later to the feel of air against her skin and the cool sheets in her hand. She sat up and looked around her room for signs that Lee had left or was only gone temporarily. As she glanced around the room, she noticed his jacket was on the floor. Amanda stood up and grabbed her own robe and put it on quickly, leaving the sash unfastened, as she reached for Lee's jacket off the floor. Just as she did so, something fell from the pocket and onto the floor. Amanda froze as she saw the small Tiffany ring box that she had seen at Lee's apartment a few weeks ago. Hearing his footsteps at the bedroom door, Amanda quickly picked it up and placed it back in his pocket and was just placing the jacket on the chair when Lee came in the room. He was carrying a tray with coffee, juice, fruit and toast.

"Good morning!" Lee glanced from Amanda and then at the jacket.

"Oh, it fell on the floor; I was just putting it back."

"Hmm! Get back in bed."

"You only have one thing on your mind!" Amanda said, with a smile in her voice.

"I do, but I want you to eat first!"

"I love what you're wearing," Lee commented on Amanda's robe that though was on; revealed her thighs.

"You don't look too bad yourself big fella!" Lee was wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.

"I thought you didn't like my legs." He didn't miss the smile that was upon her face. He could tell from the look she had, that she had seen the ring.

"I never said that, 'I just said…'

"Not bad!"

"Well, let me take another look."

"I think you got a good look at them last night."

Amanda looked away as her face became flush.

"Here, pull this together, before you get more than breakfast this morning," Lee said with a smirk.

This caused Amanda to blush even further.

/

Billy sat at his desk, coffee beside him, donut in hand and was just about to take a bite of his donut when the phone rang.

"Melrose." After a few words from the other line, Billy exclaimed, "They have who and they want what?"

Francine heard this last line as she entered Billy's office. She stood with a stack of papers in her hand, and listened to the end of the phone conversation. When the conversation was done, Billy very noisily placed the receiver back down on the base.

"Who has who? What's going on?" Francine asked.

"Nine o'clock on a Saturday, all I wanted was my coffee and donut, but instead I get a call saying that terrorist have kidnapped Dr. Smythe and they want us to trade him for the four terrorist we snagged just last week."

"You're kidding, right?"

"No, I only wish I were."

"Well, did you tell them they can keep him?"

"Well, apparently that's what the president himself wants to do."

"I was only kidding."

"Well, the president doesn't want to give up four terrorists for Dr. Smythe. It's nothing personal or anything. Francine you know how it is but still, not even Dr. Smythe deserves to die...

"So, what are you going to do about it?" Francine shook her head. "Call Lee," was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes!"

/

Lee and Amanda were fully dressed and were sitting on the couch reading the newspaper, thinking about plans for the rest of the day; when the doorbell ring.

Lee look towards Amanda as she stood up.

"It can't be your mother, could it?"

"No but if the boys were with here, I might say yes." Amanda replied as she walked towards the door.

Lee laughed.

Amanda opened the door. Billy stood at the front door's entrance, with Francine directly behind him.

"Good morning, Amanda, I'm sorry, is Lee here? I tried to phone you, but there wasn't any answer."

"Yes, Sir! Hi, Francine," Amanda said as she moved to the side and allowed them to walk in. Billy held in his smile as he took in their freshly washed hair and Lee sitting casually on Amanda's couch with the newspaper in his hands.

Lee sat up straight. "Hi Billy, Francine. What's up? Amanda and I aren't scheduled on the roster til Monday morning."

"I know, but something came up that requires your and Amanda's help."

"What is it Sir?" Amanda asked?

"Can you believe it; someone abducted Dr. Smythe last night?" Francine said and was about to say more, but stopped when she saw her superiors face.

"You're kidding." Lee said trying not to laugh.

"I wish I were," Billy said.

"We're going to tell them they can keep him, right?"

"Lee!" Amanda said.

"That's what I said." Francine chimed in.

"What do they want in exchange for him?" Lee asked.

"The four terrorists that we captured last week."

"Hell no!" Lee responded.

"That's basically what the president said," came Francine's response.

"You're kidding," Lee said. "Well, for once, he's getting what's coming to him, but" Lee paused, "I suppose you plan on getting him out but you want our help."

"Well, Lee, I know how you feel about Dr. Smythe; hell, we all feel the same way, but even he doesn't deserve to die, not like that."

"They wouldn't kill him right away would they?" Amanda asked, her face turned towards Lee.

"No, Amanda, they would torture him for hours and then if he wasn't dead, they'd kill him."

"Well, not even Dr. Smythe deserves that. What do you need us to do?"

Lee shook his head and then repeated, "Okay, Billy, what do you need us to do?"

/

Forty-five minutes later, Francine and Amanda stood by the front door; as Lee and Billy stood talking quietly for a moment.

"I can't believe this, Amanda and I can't seem to catch a break."

"Well, you help me get Dr. Smythe back and I'll make sure you two get some extra paid time off."

"Okay, I'm going to hold you to that. By the way," Lee whispered, "as soon as this is done, all systems go."

Billy looked at Lee questioningly, but then nodded his head as understanding set in.

After Francine and Billy were gone, Amanda and Lee sat down on the couch and Lee pulled Amanda into his arms.