Phillip was working on some of his paperwork that had been backing up. He wondered who they would assign as a senior agent to him now. He hoped it really would be Francine again, but he wasn't that lucky. Plus, they still considered him a Freshman agent even though he had been working at the agency since he was sixteen years old.

He had earned his code name almost two years ago and he was still treated like he was a Freshman agent. Whatever he didn't care anymore. He knew he was a full agent. Everyone saw him as Scarecrow and Mrs. King's kid and they would probably still treat him like he was a freshman for his entire career.

Phillip just wanted to go home and break into one of the many cases of Lee's Scotch in the basement storage room. His grandmother and sister were going up to Vermont today to visit Aunt Lillian. Since his sister was away. Phillip was betting he could talk his mother into drinking with him.

What was he going to do with his life if he didn't work at the Agency? Lee had left him a lot of money. He didn't have to work here. Phillip could do whatever he wanted.

He and his father were talking again. He knew his father would want him to go to law school. Phillip had actually liked law when he went to Georgetown. The last thing in the world he wanted was to become a lawyer. Even though he was pretty sure his father could get him a job at EAO very easily.

He would talk to his mother at lunch today. He looked at the clock it was 1PM. She should be here any minute. Well probably in ten minutes since she was always ten minutes late to everything.

He went back to his paperwork. The time ticked on. He looked at the clock it was 1:30PM. He should go check on her. He called Francine.

"Hey Prince, what's up?" Francine said.

Phillip spoke, "Is my Mom down there in the bullpen or in Billy's office?"

Francine answered, "No, our meeting with her isn't until 2:30PM. Maybe she is still talking to the boy."

Phillip sighed, "She went down to see him two hours ago. She's usually with those kids at most an hour or so."

Francine sighed, "Well she's probably just got hung up talking to someone. You know how she gets."

Phillip nodded, "Yeah probably, I'll go see if I can find her before it gets to late to have lunch."

Phillip figured Francine had to be right. His mother was probably just talking to someone. Phillip really wanted to go to lunch with her. He wanted to talk to her about what happened today.

He left a note on her desk that he would be back in a few minutes. That he went to find his mother. He made it to the holding cells. He went up to the security guard.

"Hey Mitch, how long ago did my mother leave?"

The security guard smiled at him, "She hasn't yet. I think she's still in there with him. You want the door code?"

Phillip nodded yes. He walked to the cell and entered the code to open the cell door. It was empty. Nobody was in there. Where were they?

He went back to the desk. "Did you leave your post at all? Like to use the men's room or anything?"

He nodded, "Yeah but just for a few minutes. Why is your mother not in there?"

Phillip nodded, "She's not. She must have left."
He didn't want to get his mother in trouble or anything if she had taken the boy back to medical. He decided to keep his mouth shut for now that the boy was not in there either.

Phillip walked to the medical wing. He found Doctor McJohn.

"Hey Doc is my mother here?"

McJohn nodded no. "No. I haven't seen her since this morning. Why? Is she alright?"

Phillip spoke, "I'm just trying to find her. The boy did he need to come back to medical at all did he?"

McJohn nodded no. "No, He just needed some antibiotics,pain medication and something to counteract the truth serum. He didn't need to be in the hospital wing for that. It's safer for us to just treat him in the holding cell. Why?"

Phillip ran his hand through his hair. Where was his mother and the boy? He needed to talk to Francine. She would help. He got to the bullpen. Francine was in Billy's office. Phillip could trust Billy too. His mother considered both part of the family. His little sister called them Aunt Francine and Uncle Billy.

He knocked on the door to Billy's office. Billy motioned for him to come in.

Billy smiled at him, "How can we help you, Prince?"

Phillip spoke, "Hi, sir. Do you know where my mother is?"

Francine answered instead of Billy, "So I'm guessing you didn't find her and she stood you up for lunch?"

Phillip looked at them, "Was she interviewing him somewhere other than his holding cell?"

Billy made a face, "No. Why?"

Phillip sighed, "She was supposed to go to lunch with me at 1PM. I gave her a few minutes because you know how she's always late. Then I went down to the holding cell. She wasn't there."

Francine spoke, "It's Amanda she probably just started talking to someone. She has a lot of friends at the Agency."

Phillip nodded, "Yeah, I know. Except the boy wasn't in the holding cell either."

Billy made a face, "What? Check medical. She might have just brought him back to the medical wing. He is injured."

Phillip sighed, "Yeah, she's not there either. Doc McJohn hasn't seen her since this morning. Mitch never saw her leave the cell. He thought she was still in there with him. Said he had only left for five minutes to use the rest room."

Billy looked at them, "So your saying Amanda and the boy disappeared from the Agency? You think something happened to them?"

Phillip spoke, "Her purse is still at her desk. I don't think she left. I can go check to see if the Wagoneer is still parked in the garage."

Billy picked up his phone. "Hey Janice, can you check to see if Amanda Stetson's Wagoneer is still in the parking garage? ... What?... When? ...Ok thanks, Janice."

Billy hung up the phone. "Amanda left by herself around 12:30ish. Why would she just leave?"

Phillip looked at them, "The boy...he's too young to be Alex. But the hair color and his eyes. He reminded me of him a little. He's too young though but... My mom, she's been through a lot. There was that other boy in New York. The one we thought might be Alex. It wasn't but you remember how she was after..."

Francine looked at Phillip, "We need to keep this as quiet as possible. If she did take him. If she thinks he's your brother. Maybe we should call Pfaff. Get him involved."

Phillip didn't know what to do. If his mother did take the boy thinking he was Alex. He needed to help her. The last time they thought they had finally found him. When it turned out the boy wasn't Alex. His mother had gone through another severe bout of depression. They had put his mother on a medical leave. They gave his mom a leeway because of everything that she had done for the Agency. But if it happened again there was no way the agency was going to let her help the kids anymore.

Billy & Francine would help if his mother had flipped out again. If she thought this kid was Alex and it most likely going to turn out he wasn't. It would kill her.

Phillip decided he didn't care if she had finally cracked for real this time. Whatever she needed from him. But if he could get Billy and Francine to help him sweep it under the rug that would be best. If she had taken the boy home. They might be able to just bring him back quietly. Pretend like it never happened. Have his mother take a week or two off. Maybe she could go up to Lillian's with his grandmother and little sister.

If she really had gone off the deep end. He would take care of her. He had before Jamie would come back from New York to help. He had last time. Then maybe they could just both leave the Agency. Open up a mother and son detective agency or something. That might actually be fun.

Francine spoke, "Well I guess the three of us are going to go to your house for lunch."

Billy, Francine & Phillip drove to the house on Maplewood Drive. Francine and Billy didn't know what the exact capabilities of the security system at his house were. He should lie for now unless she really was in danger.

He could very easily access the basement right now. If his mother was home. She would be able to hear them talking outside. He needed to let her know that he was on her side not the Agency's.
Even if his mother was crazy. She was his mother. He would protect her. If this boy was dangerous. She shouldn't be alone. But she was really good with these kids. She had not seen the footage. It might just be because the Agency had been the ones to hurt this child.

They got out of the car and Francine spoke "Her car isn't here. She might not be home."

Phillip ran his hand through his hair, "If she took him. She brought him here. She most likely parked at the park or down the street where Lee used to. Our panic room in the basement would be the best place to take him. Nobody can get in there unless she lets him in."

Billy sighed, "Why on earth would she do this? You saw the boy, Prince. Do you think there's a chance he's your brother?"

What if this kid was his brother? How could he not have recognized his own brother? He couldn't be. Phillip didn't even want to get his hopes up again. He needed to talk himself out of it. It made more sense if his mother had finally cracked. She had been under a lot of pressure lately.

"He's too young. My brother would be 10 now. I don't know. I mean the hair color is right. God, if it turns out he is Alex. Henderson is lucky all I did was punch him."

Francine nodded, "There's a back door to your basement, right? We can get in there from the garage. I remember Lee showing me a long time ago."

Phillip needed to talk to his mother first. He would let them in if she was too far gone. For now he was just going to lie.
"I don't know the code. I was sixteen years old when Lee finished the renovations to the basement. My mother wouldn't let him give it to me or Jamie. Didn't want us sneaking out of the house."

Phillip was pretty sure he and Jamie were the first ones Lee taught the codes.

Francine looked at him. "Well would your brother or grandma know it?"

Phillip felt bad about lying. He knew Francine and Billy meant well. But he didn't want them to go down with his mother and him. He was protecting their jobs too. Phillip and his mother were going to need all the friends they could get at the agency.

Phillip decided to lie. "Lee never gave us the codes. We were teenage boys when he renovated the basement. I mean giving Jamie & I the codes would give us the perfect opportunity to sneak out of the house. Mom wouldn't let him. And believe me even if my grandma had the codes at one time. She probably won't remember it. She locked herself down there for like a whole day once. Remember?"

Francine looked at him, "I remember that. I thought Lee took a day off and spent the day teaching her how to use everything."

Phillip smiled, "He did but that was ten years ago. We've never really had to use all the crazy stuff Lee installed in our basement. I'm sure my grandma doesn't remember."

Phillip knew his grandmother remembered. It had not really been her fault. The system had malfunctioned. Lee made sure they all knew how to use everything in case they had to protect themselves. He just hoped that Billy and Francine wouldn't think of Leatherneck. Leatherneck had designed their basement with Lee. He probably knew how to override the system but Francine and Billy didn't need to know that.

Lee would love that his mother was using the basement for its intended purpose. Even if the child she was down there with was potentially dangerous.

Phillip needed to talk to his mother alone. Find out what was going on. "Look when we go inside. Let me talk to her. She can see us on camera but there aren't microphones out here. She will listen to me. I can talk to her. Get her to come out. Okay Billy?"

Billy nodded. "Okay Prince. If we can talk her into coming back. We may be able to keep this from Dr. Smyth as long as we get her and the boy back right away. I'm going to have to have her go to Pfaff. Get her evaluated. Let's go talk to her."

They went into the house and walked into the kitchen. There was a little night light type thing that would turn on if the cameras were on. It was a way to know if you were being watched. It also was a way they could signal each other if there was danger.

Billy spoke first. "Amanda, its Billy, Francine, and Phillip. Are you here?"

His mom's voice came from a little speaker that was next to the camera light. "I'm here sir."

Then Billy said, "Why did you take the boy?"

Amanda sighed. "The boy is my son, sir. It's Alex."

Then Phillip spoke. "Hey mom, I am here too. Why do you think he's Alex? I saw him too. Isn't he a little young? I mean I thought he looked like him a little too. But Alex would be ten now."

She sighed. "He just looks young. Sweetheart. It's your brother. His mannerisms are right. His eyes are right. His hair feels like Lee's. He has the skateboarding scar on his calf in just the right place. I know he's mine."

Billy spoke, "Amanda I read the medical file on the boy. He has a lot of scars. A lot of these kids too. It could just be a coincidence. McJohn estimates that this boy is only 7 or 8 years old. Not 10."

His mother sounded like she was getting upset. "I am his mother. Every single part of me knows that this is Alex. He's home now and he's never leaving again."

Phillip ran his hand through his hair. "Mom, what if he's not? We've gotten our hopes up before. You were crushed last time when it turned out that boy wasn't Alex."

His mom spoke. "Yes, well last time. I know I was wrong as soon as I saw the other boy. This is different sweetheart. You'll see. He's just scared. He's not dangerous at all. He is actually very sweet and gentle so far."

Francine spoke, "That sweet child took down three grown men, Amanda. You didn't watch the footage I sent you yet, did you?"

His mother answered "Yes, I saw it. Gosh I think that footage is even more proof that he's Lee's son. None of the agents were seriously hurt. Alex was hurt much worse than any of the men. You can tell he was just trying to get away. He has a normal haircut. All of his scars are old. Someone else has been taking care of him. Who it is and what their motivations are yet to be determined. But I do not think Alex will hurt me. Will you sweet boy?...You ran a DNA test on him, right?"

Billy answered. "We did Amanda, but we probably won't have the results until next week."

His mother sighed. "Well then Alex and I will just stay down here until next week. That test is going to prove what I'm trying to tell you."

Billy whispered to Phillip. "You talk to her. Get her to come back with us. Before the old man finds out. He will blow all of this way out of proportion."

Phillip nodded yes to Billy. But he knew how stubborn his mother was. There was no way that he was going to be able to talk her into going back to the Agency. He was going to have to let her know that he was on her side. He could probably get his mother to at least let him down there with her.

It would be safer if he was with her. He would help her. She was his mother. Phillip would choose her every time.

Phillip had an idea "Mom, you remember when I was a kid, and I put sugar in Dean's gas tank?"

She smiled. "Yes. There is no forgetting that. "

Phillip smiled. "I knew I had gone too far. And I hid up in the tree house because I was convinced you were going to kill me. Then Jamie came up in the tree house too because he didn't want you to kill me."

"Yes. I remember very well." his mom answered.

Phillip sighed. "I pulled the ladder up so you could not climb up. Then you remember what you did?

Before she could answer Phillip spoke again. "You called a truce with me. You said you just wanted to talk. So, I let the ladder down and you had Jamie go into the house. And you and I just talked things out. We talked about how I was acting out because of the divorce and that Dean was the first serious guy you had been with since Dad. We worked it out. You did not kill me. All you did was cut my allowance and have me apologize to Dean. That is all I want to do now. How about I come down there and we just talk? I am calling a truce."

None of that was true. There was no truce. He and Jamie had stayed up in the tree house until his mother grabbed a chainsaw from the garage and threatened to chop the tree down. That was the worst trouble Phillip had ever gotten in. Poor Jamie had gotten grounded for that too and he hadn't even really done anything other than stand by his brother.

Phillip hoped she would understand the message that he was ready to stand and fight with her no matter how cracked she was. Phillip didn't care.

There was silence for a second and then his mother's voice came through the speaker, "Just you. Francine and Billy stay upstairs, or I won't buzz you in. And give Francine your gun."

Phillip made a face. "You're my mother. I would never shoot you."

He heard her sigh through the speaker. "You are also an agent sweetheart. Leave the firearm upstairs with Billy & Francine."

He nodded and handed Francine his gun. "Wish me luck. Um it might be a while. Help yourself to whatever is in the cabinets or the fridge. I know you both missed lunch for this. That is cool right mom?"

"Well, I brought most of the food downstairs. But yes, help yourselves to whatever you find up there."

Phillip went downstairs and punched in the code for the door he supposedly didn't know. Billy and Francine couldn't see him. Maybe he should have let his mother buzz him in for effect, but nobody was watching.

Notes:

Next chapter - Lee wakes up in the hospital. He is not happy to be there.