Chapter Two: Season Two

Part One: To Catch a Mongoose

Amanda nodded a greeting to the doorman as she and Lee walked into Harrods Department Store. While Lee looked around for a directory, Amanda stood in the center of the aisle, slowly turning, eyes wide, trying to take in everything at once. Besides the hustle and bustle of the London shoppers, she was mesmerized and entranced by the displays throughout the first floor of the store. The lights, the colors, the smells, the sounds - her senses were almost in overload.

Lee stepped up beside her. He gently took her by the elbow and guided her towards the elevators. "This way, Amanda. It looks like women's wear is on the fourth floor. Come on."

As the doors closed, they told the elevator attendant what floor they would like. Amanda began to chatter. "You know, the British people really know how to identify things. I mean, they call elevators 'lifts'. That's such a great name because what are they doing? They're lifting us. The word "elevators" doesn't even make sense. And why is it that we drive on a parkway and park in a driveway? English people call a parking lot a "car park". That's exactly what it is. It makes so much more sense."

Lee nodded absentmindedly. How is it possible that of all the people who know Conrad Barnhill, the one we could get to identify him is none other than Amanda King? Make that make sense, Amanda! Lee shook his head.

The doors opened and the attendant motioned for them to exit. Amanda looked at the colorful displays and rows and rows of clothing organized by style and designer and then at Lee. She whispered, "This is going to be fun!"

Lee sighed inwardly. Maybe for one of us.

Part Two: Double Agent

A weary Lee punched the button for his floor, and the door closed in front of him. As the elevator ascended, he began loosening his tie and then slid it open to hang freely around his shoulders. Next, by habit, he reached to open his belt, but it was gone.

"Take your belt off. Take your belt off," Amanda had demanded earlier. Her voice had been calm and decisive. In the literal heat of the moment, Amanda came up with a plan to free them from certain death. He, himself, had not come up with an idea, and for that, he was somewhat embarrassed. Shaking off his uneasy feeling, he tried to focus on the fact they were both fine. He couldn't help but replay the scene in his mind: being handcuffed to the pipes, the acrid smell of the fire and smoke, the heat and sweat as the temperature rose, Amanda's firm, resolute voice telling him to take off his belt, her fingers moving deftly as she worked his belt buckle loose and pulled the pin free. The feel of her fingers on his waistband was almost more than he could take. It was almost as if he wanted her to do it again, not in those same circumstances, but in a much more relaxed situation…

Lee quickly shook off that thought. When the elevator reached his floor, Lee got off and trudged down the hallway to his apartment.

Part Three: The Legend of Das Geisterschloss

Amanda and Lee were feeling very worried when they returned to the hotel after they came up empty with Mariana at the café. As they waited for the elevator to reach the lobby, they became aware of the other hotel guests staring at them. Both of them were still soaked to the bone as if they had gotten caught in a fierce rainstorm, despite the sunny day outside. Amanda smiled uncomfortably.

The pair was relieved when the car reached the lobby, and the doors opened. After they had stepped inside, she continued to jumble the letters from the sketches in her head. However, with Lee's shirt still only partially buttoned, Amanda found it hard to concentrate with his amazing chest and torso exposed. She couldn't help but stare at his taut muscles and smooth wasn't as if she hadn't seen it before, but this time seemed different. She felt heat in her cheeks and her heart skipped a beat when she realized he was watching her stare at him. She quickly looked away, embarrassed she had been caught.

Lee casually fastened the rest of the buttons of his shirt as the car stopped on their floor. She felt both disappointment and relief he had covered up, but for the first time since they climbed out of the lake, she was finally able to concentrate.

Part Four: Brunettes are In

Lee knew he shouldn't have taken the letter off of Billy's desk. When he saw it and recognized Amanda's beautiful swirly handwriting, he just had to read what she had written. He swiped the envelope, tucked it into his suit pocket, and left.

As he entered the elevator, he pulled the envelope from his pocket and carefully unfolded it. His breath caught when he read Amanda's words:

"I, Amanda King, hereby resign."

NNNOOOOOO…. Lee cried internally. He leaned on the wall of the closet. I didn't mean it, Amanda. I didn't mean any of it. I was being a jerk. You are doing great - much better than I give you credit for. You'll make a terrific agent one day. His heart was breaking. She couldn't resign. I didn't mean it, Amanda, he pleaded. Don't go.

The door opened, and he rushed through the foyer and out the door. He had to find Amanda. He had to make this right.

Part Five: Ship of Spies

"We'll take the elevator," Lee told Emilio when they reached the lobby. He walked beside Amanda, a protective arm gently curved around her waist.

Emilio stepped ahead and pushed the up button to call the elevator. When it arrived, they stepped on board an already crowded elevator.

"What was she doing climbing up on the lifeboats anyway?" They overheard someone behind them say.

"No idea," came the reply.

Another voice chimed in, "I heard that if that guy hadn't climbed up there to save her, she wouldn't have been able to hang on much longer. I mean, it seemed like she was hanging from that boom forever, even though it was just a couple minutes."

"That lady sure was lucky that guy came along, but she sure was stupid for pulling a stunt like that," remarked someone else.

Lee could feel Amanda trembling beside him. With his arm still wrapped around her, he pulled her closer to his body. He ran his hand up and down her side, trying to soothe the anxiety and terror she was feeling. He leaned into her shoulder and breathed into her hair. "It's okay, Amanda. You're okay. I've got you."

A murmur rumbled through the elevator as the others began to recognize her. "Is that her?"

"Oh my God, I think it is," came the whispered response.

Amanda shuddered internally when she realized the others had identified her. She suddenly felt trapped and claustrophobic. "I have to get off, Lee. I have to get out of here."

The doors opened on the next floor, and even though it was not their assigned floor, Amanda, Lee, and Emilio exited the elevator, and took the stairs the rest of the way.

Part Six: A Little Sex, A Little Scandal

Randi stormed down the hall to ring for the elevator. Tapping her foot on the metal plate on the threshold, she clenched her fists into tight balls and glared at the floor. When the car arrived and the doors opened, she stepped inside, punching the lobby button.

Through gritted teeth, she started to spew her anger. "Damn that man. Telling me she is just a friend. God dammit. She is there all the time. Don't tell me 'it's nothing', Lee, when it is obviously something." In the small, confined area, she took a few steps to pace back and forth. "God, if only he wasn't so good in bed, or I'd -"

The sound of someone clearing their throat behind her interrupted her thought. She whirled her head around, and for the first time, realized that she was not alone in the elevator. Mrs. Morgan, from apartment 6A, was standing in the back of the elevator, clutching her four-year-old daughter's hand.

Randi blushed, embarrassed that her rant had been overheard. She tried to speak, but her words came out in a fast jumble. "Oh ma'am, I am so sorry. I didn't realize I wasn't alone. I just broke it off with my boyfriend. I think he's cheating on me."

"Mr. Stetson?" Mrs. Morgan asked.

"How did you know?" Randi asked, incredulously.

"We get a lot like you leaving his apartment feeling just about the same as you're feeling right now. Ever since he took up with that brunette – I think her name is Amanda, but I'm not quite sure – every other woman who has come out of his apartment has been either angry or disappointed. We don't know exactly what is going on with him, but whatever it is, it seems that Amanda comes first."

"Interesting," Randi answered. She looked directly into the other woman's eyes. She knew she shouldn't ask the next question, but she needed to know the answer. "Have there been a lot of other women?"

Mrs. Morgan glanced down at her daughter beside her. "Not as many now as there were before - before Amanda. Now that Amanda has been coming around, the parade of women coming out of Lee's apartment seems to be less and less."

"Hmmm… that does explain a lot," Randi commented. "I haven't known him that long, but Amanda seems to be there all the time."

Mrs. Morgan agreed. "I'm not really sure what their relationship is all about, but whatever it is, I think Amanda is here to stay."

Part Seven: Burn Out

When Amanda left Nedlinger's, she headed back to the Agency to talk to Billy. As the elevator doors closed, Amanda touched her cheek lightly. Biting her lip to stop the swell of tears forming, she squeezed her eyes shut to prevent them from falling. She. Would. Not. Cry.

But it hurt. Not only was the physical sting of his hand striking her cheek almost too much to bear, but the tone of his words dug inside her like a knife. While the shock of the slap reverberated throughout her soul, her heart broke as she tried to piece together what was happening to him.

That was not Lee, Amanda decided. He must be sick, or tired, or burnt out, or exhausted. The Lee I know would never hit me. Something is very wrong. I've got to figure out what it is, and I've got to help him.

She could still feel the twinge from the pain his fingers caused. Yet, her fierce loyalty to him and her deep admiration and respect for him made her forgive his insensitive and hurtful blow. Lee needed help. And, as usual, Amanda would help him. The elevator doors opened, and a resolved Amanda marched through the bullpen and knocked on Billy's door.

To Be Continued…