Chapter 5

Lee backed the sedan into the closest available parking space to allow for a quick escape if needed. Checking the mirrors one more time before they got out of the car, Lee saw no threats and didn't think they had been followed.

"Ready?", he said to Amanda as he put the extra clip of bullets into his jeans pocket and secured his gun in its holster.

"Ready….Let's go."

Amanda and Lee walked hand in hand to the nearest door of the airport. Posing as a married couple was a perk in this particular circumstance. They got to hold hands and be close in public and not worry about blowing their secret. They both knew that should Billy or Dr. Smyth find out, the probability of them being allowed to remain partners would be near 0.00%. As part of their covers, Lee and Amanda were issued fake wedding and engagement rings from the agency. They were not as nice as the ones they owned, but still made them feel like husband and wife as they wore them. Upon entering, they checked the board marked ARRIVALS to see if Lorelai's plane had landed yet.

"Oh, shoot! It says her plane landed 10 minutes ago! It's early! Since when is a plane early?" Amanda said with mild panic in her voice.

"Well, usually never but in this case, it's fine. The less time we have to wait around for her the better."

"Doesn't she have to go through customs?"

"Guess not. This plane is coming from New York. She must have flown there first and took a plane here."

"Gosh! That poor woman. Having to hop plane to plane and now ride in a car. She's probably nervous and anxious and just wants to get this whole thing over."

"I bet you're right. Let's just hope that it's over the right way with her being delivered to Dr. Smyth."

"Yeah", Amanda said softly as she thought of the many bad ways this assignment could end.

Lee and Amanda both casually looked around the crowded baggage claim for the tall brunette finding no success. Amanda was then nearly knocked over by a person bumping into her. She turned around to find herself face to face with Lorelai. She was dressed in black pants, an oversized sage green top, and a long light blue scarf wrapped around her head. Amanda couldn't see her hair color but knew it was her. Lee recognized her immediately as well.

"Oh, uh excuse me", she said in a heavy German accent. "Can you tell me how to find my lost luggage?"

"It's a terrible thing to lose your luggage on a day like today", Lee replied.

Amanda raised her eyebrows and made a slight approving nod. Lee moved closer to Lorelai and put his hand on the small of her back as he moved her towards the exit. Amanda walked on the other side of her and quickly scanned the room as they joined a group of people exiting the airport and headed to the parking lot.

"Where are we..", Lorelai began.

"Not here…we'll explain everything to you once we get in the car." Lee said firmly as he quickened their walking pace.

Lee guided Lorelai to the rear seat and opened the door, scanning the interior for unwanted guests as he did so. Lorelai quickly jumped into the car and laid down on the seat, pulling her scarf over her face. Amanda and Lee got in the car, and they quickly drove off.

"Just stay down until we tell you it's safe, Lorelai", Amanda said in a calming tone.

"Please just quickly drive.", she said in a pointed and agitated tone.

Amanda looked at Lee who just shrugged his shoulders.

"Ok, we're going", Amanda replied.

Lee drove through the parking lot as quickly as he could without drawing attention. He scanned the parking lot in every direction he could see. There were many cars around him driving in and out of the airport parking lot. It was difficult to surmise if anyone was following them. He'd have to wait until he got back on the road to really know.

"Would you like some water?" Amanda asked offering a thermos to their passenger.

Lorelai hesitated before accepting. She unscrewed the top of the thermos and look a long drink.

"Danke…I mean, thank you", she replied handing the thermos back to Amanda.

"You're welcome. I imagine you have to be thirsty after all the traveling you have done today. My name is Amanda, and his name is Lee. We are going to take good care of you today."

"Yes, I know who Lee is, the agency's famous Scarecrow. How do I know I can trust you both?" Lorelai said with extreme heaviness and doubt to her tone.

Lee inhaled somewhat sharply as he tried to focus on his defensive driving and answer her question. It shouldn't have surprised him that she recognized who he was, but for some reason it caught him off guard. Amanda saw the frustration beginning to grow on his face. She quickly answered for him.

"Well, we were the ones that were sent to pick you up and bring you safely to the agency. You're going to have to have faith that we're not going to hurt you. There's nothing we want more right now than to get you safely delivered", Amanda said calmly.

After many stops and starts and lefts and rights, Lee pulled the car onto the highway. From there it was a fairly straight shot back to Washington, D.C. The highway was congested but moving at a good speed. If they were able to maintain this speed, they should be back to the agency in about 80 minutes.

"Ok, I don't think we are being followed. It should be pretty easy from here", Lee said checking his mirrors one more time.

Amanda let out a heavy sigh of relief and Lorelai sat up from the back seat.

"It's going to be alright, Lorelai…. You must have had a very long day." Amanda spoke to her in soft tones.

"Days", she said. "I have been on the run for days and I just want this to be over."

"Soon, very soon. Would you like a snack? Or a sandwich?"

Lorelai stared at Amanda.

"How much longer?" Lorelai asked with a stern tone.

"About 80 minutes, as long as the traffic continues to move", Lee replied.

Lorelai let out a heavy sigh and took off her scarf. Beneath it was a beautiful head of chestnut curls that fell to her shoulders.

"Why is there so much traffic? I wouldn't expect these many trucks on the highway. I hate driving with trucks. I can't see around them", Amanda replied trying to make small talk.

"Yeah, I know. Not sure why there are so many but no matter which lane I'm in, we are going to be around trucks. Hopefully at the next big junction some of them will turn off."

Amanda offered the thermos once again to Lorelai, and she took it gladly. Lorelai sipped her water as she watched the Virginia countryside pass by outside her window. After a few miles, some of the large trucks did indeed pull off the section of highway they were traveling. It was then that the light blue sedan that had been following them since the airport could get a better view of the tan agency car and its three passengers.

"Drop back a few car lengths", the dark-haired man said to the driver. "We can't stay hidden behind the big trucks anymore. I don't want Stetson to see that we are following them, at least not yet."