William Melrose sat in his office and stared at the file in front of him. It was quite large and had several sections to it. It was labeled Stetson, Lee: codename Scarecrow. The latest addition was the final note concerning his status, non-active: deceased. The balding, black man recalled the grief he had felt when he had been forced to enter the last notation. It was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do. For eight long weeks the file has sat on his desk, waiting to be sent to records for permanent storage in the old personnel files. He hadn't been able to bring himself to send it down and now he was sure he knew why he hadn't been able to let Lee go.
Something inside of him just hadn't been able to accept the death of one of his best Agents and his best friend for over ten years. He supposed you could call it instinct or just obstinacy, either way he hadn't let the file go and now he was praying that soon he could reverse that last addition and put the heavy brown folder back where it belonged, in the active duty section.
He checked his watch again and looked to the bullpen. Francine Desmond was approaching his door. Right on time, as usual. He caught her eyes and motioned her into the office.
Entering swiftly, the blond approached the desk and stated, "I'm going to meet Amanda now. You wanted to see me before we left?"
"Sit down, Francine. I want to tell you something."
"Okay..." Her tone was wary and she sat gingerly on the edge of the seat in front of his desk. Billy had an odd, pensive look on his face and she was unsure what that might mean for tonight's task. She suddenly feared that he was going to reverse his decision that they be allowed to go through with this tonight. She tensed, as his first words seemed to support that fear.
"Officially, Smyth says this is still a hands off situation until we have more, harder evidence against Marsh." He paused as Francine nodded her understanding.
"And, officially, as section chief, I agree with him. Marsh is not a man we want to get stirred up unless we know we can put him away..." He sighed heavily and stood to close the blinds and ensure that the door was secured. Crossing back to the desk, he sat on its edge in front of Francine. His look and tone became fierce as he spoke his next words. "But as Lee and Amanda's friend, I'm saying, if you see Lee and if you can get him out, get him out tonight. If he's there, we won't need more evidence. You call for back-up and then get him out of there!"
Francine heaved a huge sigh of relief and relaxed her shoulders. "Thank God. I didn't want to have to go against you and Smyth! But I would if I were to see Lee in that cottage. I've no intention of leaving that estate tonight without Scarecrow if there is any possible way to get him out."
Billy grinned largely. "You're that sure that it's him?"
"T.P. has never been wrong, not for Lee and not for Amanda. He may not have my unerring judge of character," she grimaced as she recalled how he refused to speak to her alone and was even reluctant to speak freely with Amanda in her presence, "but he's usually right about the things that matter."
"Francine, surely you're not offended by his behavior. He's one of the best sources we have. Besides, I think you frighten him. He's a simple man deep down and well; you're not a simple woman."
The statuesque blond smiled and fluttered her perfectly manicured nails at her boss as she walked toward the door. "No, the true beauties are very complex indeed."
"Be careful and watch Amanda. Don't let her go too far. That is why I told you this, not her. She's going to be more likely to risk it all to get him back anyway. If it's not Lee or you can't get to him safely...well, I don't need three dead agents instead of just one." His so recently cheerful behavior disappeared instantly as he uttered his last warning. His face was grave and his eyes told how deeply he truly felt about all his agents and this group in particular.
Francine's eyebrows arched as she considered his words and nodded her understanding. She left the office and headed for the elevator and her rendezvous with her partner.
'Not very good odds from anyway you look at it, but in this business, it rarely gets any better.' Billy thought to himself as he watched her briskly leave the bullpen.
Across town, Amanda kissed her boys goodnight and told them not to worry. She hugged her mother and made her way to the drive and her Jeep parked there. She glanced back at her home and renewed her earlier promise to her herself. She would be coming back home to them in one piece and hopefully not alone. She climbed into her seat and backed into the street to meet Francine at the park near the Agency.
Twenty minutes later she pulled into the space next to her partner and asked through the open window, "You ready?"
"Yep, let's go." Francine left her vehicle and joined Amanda in the Jeep.
As they drove they talked of many things, the Agency, politics, Francine even asked about the boys and her mother. It seemed they were struggling to talk of anything except what was in the foremost part of their minds, Lee and tonight's activities. Finally, when they had exhausted all topics of inconsequential conversation, Amanda broached the subject bluntly.
"Francine, if I see Lee tonight, if I think I can get him out, I'm not leaving without him." She spoke firmly, with conviction.
"Of course, we're not." The response was placid and immediate.
"I mean it, Francine. I don't care what Smyth says. I let Lee down once and I'm not going to do it again. If I can bring him home tonight, I'm going in there and I'm getting him. Now, I don't expect you to understand or...what do you mean, of course we're not?" She had finally realized that Francine was not resisting her.
"I mean, of course we aren't. I spoke to Billy before we met. We have his blessing, so to speak."
"You mean Smyth changed his mind? He agrees that we can grab Lee without any further evidence?" Incredulity tinged her speech.
"Uh uh, no way. Officially, Smyth still says 'hands off' until we have more proof. But Billy said if we can do it, do it and bring him home. He'll deal with Smyth later."
For some time, each woman was silent as they watched the trees and traffic whiz by. Finally Amanda broke the stillness.
"Francine?"
"What?"
"Why didn't he just tell me?"
"Oh well, you know...I was there and you weren't. I'm sure if he had seen you..."
By now, Amanda easily recognized Francine's stalling and shook her head. "And you are supposed to make me be careful. You're supposed to watch me and make sure I don't do anything too rash, right?"
"Yes, but he meant well, you have been not so cautious lately and well, he was worried and so was I..." The words rushed out, guiltily.
"Francine, Francine," Amanda interrupted the flow of explanation. "I know, really. I understand. I have been less than careful recently and I want to apologize. I've caused you to worry; I've caused everyone to worry. I'm trying to change that. I think I just needed to prove to me and maybe even to Lee that I could do this as well as he taught me to."
Hesitant and unsure of how far Amanda was willing to go with this line of conversation, but sensing that it needed to be pursued, Francine asked, "Is that the only reason you acted like that? I mean, sometimes, Amanda, it almost seemed like you were daring someone to take a shot at you...like you wanted to catch a bullet or..."
"Die? Like I wanted to die?"
A silent nod was her answer.
Amanda pulled over the Jeep and looked steadily at her partner. Francine had stood by her when most other agents would have written her off as a wild card and refused to be partnered with her. She owed Francine the truth, just as much as she owed it to herself.
"Yeah, I think that is exactly what I wanted. I think sometimes, most of the time I just wanted to die. I let my partner down, Francine. He needed me and I couldn't do what he had spent years teaching me to do. Lee was my teacher, my partner, my hero. He was my best friend and I let him down. In my subconscious, I believed I didn't deserve to live. And I didn't want to live without him."
"Amanda, I want to understand, but other people have lost partners. You have to go on and keep living. Lee wouldn't have wanted you to just shut down like that." Francine impulsively grasped Amanda's hand in her own. Just as impulsively she took it back, mindful of how poorly Amanda handled familiarity recently.
Amanda caught her before she withdrew completely. She squeezed the hand offered and smiled sadly. "I know. I know that people lose partners and friends and lovers and teachers...and husbands. But how many people lose them all in one fell swoop?"
"Amanda, I knew you were close. I even knew you were dating and probably sleeping together and I know that does make it harder...did you say husband?"
Before Amanda could respond, a large moving van rushed by, rocking the Jeep in the wake of its passing.
"What on earth is that?" Francine gasped.
"A moving van. And it's pulling into the back entrance of the Marsh cottage! Come on, Francine, let's go see what's going on."
The two women pulled the Jeep closer to the drive and pulled off the road again, under the overhang of some large trees. They closed the doors quietly and crept up to the gate of the fence surrounding the cottage. The overhead security light flickered and illuminated the scene just enough to see the immediate surroundings.
Cottage was a modest description for the dwelling that stood on the smooth green lawn, bordered by graceful dogwood trees and manicured flowerbeds. The two-story house was white with a wrap around porch and upper level veranda. The van had pulled up to the back entrance and two men were standing near the porch having a very loud discussion.
By silent agreement, the two agents belly crawled along the fence until they reached an opening about eight feet from the gate, a walkthrough large enough for a wheelbarrow or lawnmower, for the gardener's convenience, no doubt. First Francine, then Amanda slid through the opening and edged behind the bushes until they reached the corner of the house closest to the talking men. Their loud conversation carried easily to the pair as they stopped to listen.
"Look, Bud, Mr. Marsh said we gotta clear out of here today! He sent me out here to load up the equipment and help you load our guest and get him out of here. He's got to be at the airport in two hours. He's got a date with some Germans, and not the friendly ones, either."
"I don't know, Dave, I mean, Mr. Marsh usually calls if there is a change in plans. That guy Rolf, he was supposed to come here and look at this clown. I don't like this." Bud carried a gun and glanced nervously over his shoulder at the house behind him. "I'm going to call, Mr. Marsh. Wait here."
"Look, you call'im if you want to. I'm going to get those boxes of tapes and drugs loaded. Mr. Marsh'll kill me if we lose any of them. He says this batch is worth more than all the others put together."
"Yeah, ok, just stay out of that back room. The big guy is getting a little weird. I think those drugs are wearing off quicker. He's been looking at me awful funny. I don't want him to get a chance to get away. That one could kill somebody."
A few minutes passed and the man who had driven the van moved in and out of the house bringing boxes and small pieces of equipment with him and loading them into the back of the van. Soon, the guard, Bud, talking into a cordless phone, walked back out onto the porch.
"Yeah, sure, yes sir, Mr. Marsh. We'll have him out of here in no time."
Dave yelled over his shoulder from the back of the van, "You satisfied now?"
"Yep, let's go load the last boxes then I'll go get our last, most important load. You be sure to watch for me to bring him out. I may need you to help me tie him up. That way he can't get the drop on us. I tell you, he's fighting those drugs."
The two men went back inside and could be heard in the front room, moving about and laughing between themselves about the ways they were going to spend their bonus money when this was all over.
"Francine, this is it. We've got to go in there and get him out now. They're going to take him to the airport and we may not find him again." Amanda was pulling her 9-millimeter semi-automatic from its holster and checking the clip and the extra magazine for ammunition. Satisfied with it, she turned her attention to her ankle holster and made sure she could access the baby Glock she carried there as well as the small can of pepper spray Leatherneck had equipped her with that morning.
Finished with her weapons check, she turned to Francine to see her doing much the same thing, only her back-up weapon of choice this evening was one of Leatherneck's prized tazer guns, holstered alongside her own midsize model 19, 9-millimeter semi-automatic.
Francine raised one sculpted eyebrow and noted, "Well, I guess we are both well prepared!"
Amanda nodded grimly, "Apparently, great minds think alike." She had started to leave the shelter of the house wall when she was detained by Francine's hand on her arm.
"Wait, Amanda, I have to call Billy! I promised we wouldn't go in without backup."
"We don't have time to wait, Francine. It's getting later by the minute. They're going to move him anytime now. If we leave now, we may not make it back in time to stop them. Lee's going to end up in Germany!"
"Yeah, ok, you're right. Listen here's the plan. I'll go call Billy for back up. If it looks like I won't make it back in time, then go ahead and try to get inside and I'll catch up. I'll take the big one, Dave when he gets back into the van. When you get inside, take down the nervous one, Bud when he comes in to get Lee." They had started to move apart, Amanda with gun drawn and ready and Francine stooped over to avoid drawing attention, when the blond stopped her partner with a hissed parting word "Oh, by the way, we will finish our discussion after this is over, the one about your husband?"
Amanda nodded and swallowed hard, suddenly apprehensive. "Francine, what if it isn't Lee? What if Dougan just said what I wanted to hear to try and make a deal? I don't know if I can lose him again, like this..."
"Amanda, stop this. We have to just go in there and get our man, just like always, all right? Don't think about anything else. Just go in and get our man!"
"Right!"
TBC
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.