Unfinished Business, Unresolved Feelings chapter 5
Had it been two or three years earlier Billy wouldn't have been surprised by Lee's insisting that Amanda should leave the Agency. Billy knew that Lee no longer wanted to have Amanda leave the Agency. Amanda thought that Lee was okay when she left here yesterday afternoon. I have to find out what happened after she left that would cause Lee to suddenly change his mind about Amanda's place within the Agency.
"Lee, you've got to calm down. You said yourself that you haven't been sleeping well and you had way too much to drink last night. It isn't up to us to decide how Amanda should lead her life. You can't simply demand that she give up a position that she's worked so hard to earn."
"I know that I can't just tell Amanda to quit and expect her to do it. She is far too stubborn …she never does what I tell her to. I have to convince her that leaving the Agency is the best thing that she could do for herself and her family. If she realizes how high a price they will all pay if she doesn't walk away now she'll see that I'm right" Lee concluded as he sunk down onto the couch and hung his head.
"I understand that you've always felt responsible for Amanda's safety because you got her involved in this business. What you need to accept is that Amanda is an adult who knows the risks and has made a conscious decision to take the risks in order to continue to do the good work we all believe in."
"Amanda doesn't truly understand what is at stake if she stays in this business. She's bought into the big lie and I've been encouraging her since the beginning", Lee said while raking his hand through his hair.
"That's ridiculous. You spent at least a year doing everything that you could think of to get Amanda to quit. I thank goodness everyday that your attempts failed. We are ALL better off because she stayed. She is a huge asset to this Agency", Billy argued.
"Is that all that matters? Should serving the Agency's day to day agenda be the driving force in all of our lives despite the costs ?"
"Lee-", Billy attempted to interrupt in hopes of keeping Lee from getting anymore upset.
"Don't you dare tell me that I'm not thinking clearly. My life is living proof of what can happen when this business becomes more important to us than anything else. I thought I was carrying on a noble family tradition, picking up the proverbial fallen torch, continuing the work that my father believed in. I've spent years working towards the moment when I'd be able to clear his name. I was so proud of who I thought he was and how he'd lived his life."
"You have every reason to be proud of who he was. He did important work and he did it better than most. It's tragic that he and your mother died so young."
"Tragic, yes. Unavoidable, no." The bitterness in Lee's voice was unmistakable but Billy couldn't figure out what had triggered his change of heart about the family business. The phone began to ring but Lee made no move to answer it. After the answering machine beeped Francine could be heard saying that she needed to talk to Billy. Lee gestured at the phone and Billy grabbed the receiver before Francine completed her message. Billy spoke to Francine briefly and then hung up.
"I've got to get back to the Agency right now. Richards, from the Secret Service, arrived for his appointment with me two hours early. He and Dr Smyth are waiting for me in my office. They want to discuss Thomas Blackthorne. They are demanding answers…this isn't going to be an easy one to talk our way out of. It's a good thing you and Amanda prevented the assassination of Rene Sinclair."
"Billy, I'm really sorry that you've been dragged into this. I'm totally to blame for what happened, you're not Don't try to protect me. Let me take the fall for this. I'll pay the price for my actions just try to keep Amanda out of this as much as possible."
"I'll do my best to protect Amanda. You and I need to talk more. I'll call you later and maybe we can meet for dinner." Billy left Lee's apartment feeling even more concerned about his friend than he'd been when he had first arrived.