The warm spring breeze cascaded throughout the King household. Amanda had opened every window, allowing as much light and fresh air as possible. The smell of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies was evident in the kitchen. The school bake sale was to start on Monday and since proceeds were going to provide the school with much needed athletic equipment, Amanda was quick to volunteer.
With three minutes to spare before the next batch of cookies were to come out of the oven, Amanda headed out the front door to greet the mailman. Even on Saturdays, she seemed to be able to time him to the minute. Right on cue, she greeted Mr. Kinsey and happily retrieved the mail.
Once inside, she sorted through the bills, coupons, and personal letters. Just as she was about to open an unmarked letter, the timer went off alerting her that the cookies were done. Amanda made quick work of removing them from the tray and setting them aside to cool. She quickly returned to the unopened mail, rather curious about the unmarked letter. She unfolded the letter and began to read.
Dear Amanda,
I’ve been watching you for quite sometime now and I really like what I see. Your beauty, grace, and style are only a few things that make you so irresistible to me. I strongly suggest that you lose the boyfriend with the hot rod silver sports car, or I’ll have to make him permanently disappear. If you mention this note to anyone, I’ll definitely be following up this note with a house call sooner than I anticipate.
Love Eternally,
xxxx
Feeling rather violated, Amanda ran towards the front window, and carefully scanned the area. Her heart was beating rapidly, and her hands were trembling. ‘Thank goodness Mother and the boys aren’t here,’ she thought with such relief. Running through the house, Amanda closed and locked every door and window. Even though the letter wasn’t seriously threatening, she knew she had to take things seriously in her line of work.
Amanda sat on the couch to relax. Her mind wandered through every case she had ever been involved with. She wasn’t even sure if this was agency related, but she had to get to the bottom of it. Her family was due home shortly, so Amanda carefully hid the note in her top dresser drawer. Amanda realized she had to tell someone, even if it meant keeping it from Lee for now. He was the one she wanted to run and share this with, but she was concerned about his safety above her own. Someone had obviously been watching the house or following her to make the assumption that she and Lee were dating. Thinking of her family’s safety, Amanda decided that she would share the information with Billy on Monday morning.
The weekend went by slowly and by the time Monday finally did roll around Amanda was up at the crack of dawn. She loaded up the cookies in the station wagon to take to school.
“Phillip, Jamie, come on fellas, were going to be late,” she hollered from the front door.“Coming, Mom,” they replied in unison, reluctant to leave their drinks on the counter. After dropping off the boys and the cookies at school, Amanda made a beeline to the Agency. It was nearly 8:00 a.m., and she wanted to speak to Billy before Lee arrived. She greeted Mrs. Marston with a quick hello, retrieved her badge, and headed up to the bullpen.
Billy nodded for her to enter his office. Once inside, Amanda stood before him with a serious expression on her face, and folded her hands across her chest.
“Good morning, Amanda. What brings you here this early?” Billy inquired.
“Good morning, Sir. I need to talk to you about a somewhat private matter…and I just want to keep this between you and me, I mean not even…. Lee,” she replied hesitantly.
Billy sat forward, leaning his elbows on the desk. His forehead creased when he began to speak. “What’s going on, Amanda?” He asked.
“I received this letter Saturday, and it’s quite disturbing,” Amanda replied, placing the letter on Billy’s desk.
Billy read the letter carefully and placed in back down on the desk. “Amanda, this could be any number of things, but I don’t see why you want to keep this from Lee.”
“Sir, I have enough to worry about at home with me and my family. I can’t imagine anybody that I know in my day-to-day life who could possibly be responsible for this, so this must be agency related. I don’t want to get Lee involved in the middle of this right now, and I am scared for my family,” she pleaded.
“I still think you should tell Lee about this, Amanda,” Billy tried to convince her.
“I cant, so please just trust me on this one, Sir.”
Billy finally relented and gave in to her. He knew how good Amanda’s instincts generally were, so he decided to play it her way for now. “I’ll post two agents at your house. Don Collins and Rick Gushock will be right over; so don’t worry about that right now. What cases have you and Lee been working?” Billy questioned.
Amanda shrugged her shoulders as she spoke, “we’re not working on anything right now, and the last two weeks haven’t been that busy at all.
“Well in any case I want you to go over your cases for the last few weeks and report back to me. I’ll keep this from Lee for now, but I don’t know how long you can keep him from getting suspicious. Oh, and let me take care of this letter. I want the boys downstairs to have a crack at it.”
Amanda nodded in agreement. She thanked Billy before stepping out of the office. Replacing her sullen expression with a happy facade, Amanda went up to the Q-Bureau to review old case files. As she opened the door, Lee greeted her.
“Good morning, Amanda. How are you?” Lee happily inquired.
“Fine Lee, and you?” She retorted, broadening her smile.
“I’m good,” he replied, silently noting the word “fine.” “So, where were you this morning? I mean I uh..heard you were downstairs. Is everything okay?” He asked hesitantly.
Amanda continued to smile, as she began walking toward the vault. “Everything is just fine, Lee.”
Lee watched her disappear into the vault, and he let out a deep sigh. ‘One fine from Amanda King was a rarity, but two was another story.’ Lee pondered. He decided to let it go for now, but made a mental note to check into it with Billy.
Sorting through file after file, Amanda had managed to successfully compile a list from the entire previous month. She was startled when she looked up to find Lee staring at her.
“Hey there, would you like to go have some lunch?” Lee asked, smiling with a devilish grin. Lee couldn’t help but notice how great Amanda’s legs were, especially when he viewed her from a side profile. She wore a flowing lightweight white fabric skirt and a pink button down short sleeve blouse, tucked in revealing her slim curves.
Amanda was almost mesmerized when she looked at him. He stood before her wearing a dark blue suit, with a white button down shirt and a pastel tie that seemed to accentuate his entire outfit. “I..uh..can’t today, Lee. I have plans, but maybe another day,” she replied, trying to sound hopeful for the future.
Lee wasn’t prepared for her reaction. “Oh…uh, well okay then,” he replied, somewhat dejected. “How about I stop by tonight, and we have some dinner?” He asked quietly.
“No, Lee, I mean….not tonight. I’m helping the boys with a science project that is due tomorrow. Can I take a rain check?”
Lee closed the distance between them, and took a hold of both of her hands, caressing her fingers with his thumbs. “Amanda, is something bothering you?” He questioned, wondering why she seemed somewhat distant.
Amanda grasped his hands for emphasis, and stated, “Everything is just fine, Lee.”
*******************************************************************
Amanda made it home in time to greet the mailman on her front porch. “Good afternoon, Mr. Kinsey,” she greeted him.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. King. Here’s your mail” he happily replied.
Amanda thanked him and clutched the mail in her hands. She unlocked the front door, and called out for her Mother. After a few moments without hearing any kind of response, Amanda realized she was alone. Glancing out the front window, Amanda eyed the two “construction workers” working on the street. She felt safe at that moment, and decided to sort through the mail. When she came across a letter with no return address, Amanda dropped it on the counter as if it was a hot potato. After a few moments, she finally mustered up the courage to open it. She let out a gasp when she recognized the familiar eerie writing.
Dear Amanda,
You look so beautiful in that white shirt and pink blouse. I can almost imagine how wonderful you taste. I strongly suggest getting your family out of the way, or I will do it for you. I also want to let you know that if I even spot a glimpse of that silver corvette near your house, Lee Stetson is a dead man!
Love Eternally,
xxxx
Amanda was now shaking, trying to control the tears that threatened to flow. She felt so violated in her own home and was afraid for her family. This person knew Lee, and that worried her even more. This could be a professional killer, as opposed to a semi-harmless local obsessed nut.
After taking another half an hour to reapply the makeup that had been lost, Amanda cautiously got into her car to return to the agency. She strolled in and retrieved her badge without even greeting Mrs. Marston. In a matter of moments, the elevator stopped, and she exited, in route to Billy’s office.
************************************************************************
After conversing with Billy, it was decided that Amanda’s family should definitely move to a safer location. She made a few calls to set everything up for the next two weeks. Amanda called home from his office, happy that her Mother was finally there. “Hello, Mother, I need you to do something for me.”
“Sure, Amanda, what do you need?” Dotty happily replied, always ready to help out whenever she could.
“I’m sorry, Mother, about this short notice but I’m having the house fumigated. I thought I saw a termite this morning and called the fumigator to check it out. They want to put the tent on later today, and may have to do a second treatment. We’ll need to be out of the house for two weeks,” Amanda announced.
“Two weeks?!” Dotty questioned, unsure of the predicament. “Where are we going to go for two weeks, Amanda?”
“Don’t worry, Mother. I called Aunt Edna, and she’d be happy to have you and the boys at her house,” Amanda informed her.
“Wait just a minute. Where are you going to be staying, Amanda?” Dotty curiously asked.
“Well, I’m kind of going to be working with the fumigators, Mother. I mean I will have to unlock the door and let them in and out, and pay them when they are finished with the job. I also need to be here incase they need to do it again in another week, Mother,” Amanda rambled on.
Dotty was reluctant to agree, but finally gave in. “Alright, I’ll get packing. What time will you be home tonight?” She inquired.
“I’ll be there around four o’clock. That should give us an hour or so together before you have to leave.”
Amanda was silent when she hung up the phone. She looked over at Billy and shook her head back and forth. “I just hate lying to my Mother, Sir,” she uttered.
“I know you do, but it’s for the best right now. Did you have a chance to go over your latest case files for me?” Billy inquired. He realized that the note was from an individual that needed serious help, and his concern grew by the minute.
“I’m almost finished, Sir. I’ll go gather the information, and bring it back here before I leave,” Amanda replied, trying to display a small smile of encouragement.
Lee witnessed part of the scene from the Bullpen. He wondered what was going on behind closed doors, and decided to try to talk to Francine to get some answers. “Hey Francine, how’s it going?” He thought he’d try the suave approach.
Francine could read him like a book. “It’s going just great, Lee, and before you ask I have no idea why your little “housewife” turned spy is in Billy’s office,” she replied hastily.
“That’s enough, Francine! Amanda has more…..nevermind. It’s pointless trying to talk to you,” he hissed.
Francine ignored his harsh tone, and resumed her duties before Lee disturbed her. ‘He wants me,’ she thought to herself, stifling a small giggle.
When Lee returned to the Q-Bureau, Amanda was already in the vault sorting files. He had to know what was going on. He spoke to Billy after she left his office, but Billy wouldn’t bite. ‘Why isn’t she talking to me?’ He asked himself, wondering if he had done something to upset her. Lee couldn’t stand it any longer.
“Amanda, what is going on?” He loudly questioned, wearing a very serious expression on his face.
Amanda was shocked by his overall appearance, and his tone of voice. “Lee, I don’t know what you mean,” she replied, trying not to meet his gaze.
“Talk to me, please. I know something is going on, Amanda. I want to help, but I can’t if you shut me out,” he replied softly.
“The shoe is definitely on the other foot now,” she responded, evading his question.
“Please, Amanda,” he begged her to talk. ‘Wow, this is the first time I’ve ever insisted that she talk,’ Lee thought.
Part 2
Amanda struggled to find the words, but nothing seemed appropriate. She had done enough lying to her mother, and didn’t want to continue to lie for Lee’s sake. It was killing her on the inside, not being able to share this with Lee. He was her friend, her best friend, and she hated deceiving him, but thought it was for the best. “Lee, I just…. please understand, I can’t…talk about it right now, but I promise when the time is right, I’ll share this with you,” she uttered softly while walking toward the vault door.
Lee placed his arm up, blocking the entrance. He gazed directly into her eyes, searching for an answer. He knew when Amanda King was hiding something from him by the way she tried to avoid him. Lying was another story. She would just repeat his questions, which he was well aware of. When she lowered her eyes from his, Lee removed his arm in defeat.
Amanda returned to Billy’s office and handed him the files. She placed red checks by all the remotely potential suspects, and pointed out the particulars on those cases.
“That’s it, Sir, but I don’t see any potential problems from the cases I’ve been on for the last month,” Amanda concluded.
“That doesn’t matter, Amanda. This person isn’t going to jump right off the page. He’s trying to be inconspicuous, so we need to take a good thorough look at these and rule out the suspects in jail. I’ll work on this tonight, and by the way, there were on prints on either one of your letters,” Billy informed her.
Amanda nodded her head. “That’s was I was afraid of,” she responded, slightly uneasy with the situation.
“Don’t worry, I have two good agents posted right outside of your house,” Billy reminded her.
“I know, and thank you. Have a good evening, Sir,” Amanda solemnly replied before exiting his office.
Amanda arrived home at approximately 4:00 p.m. Her family was all packed when she walked through the front door. After handing Dotty an itinerary of her plans for the next two weeks, she kissed and hugged her family and scooted them out the door.
“I’ll call you when I get settled in a room tonight, Mother,” Amanda promised.
“I’ll be expecting your call tonight, Amanda,” Dotty replied, walking toward the awaiting cab. “I love you, dear.”
“I love you too. Take care, and mind your Grandma, fellas.” Amanda shouted in a raspy voice while waiving goodbye to her family. She let out a sigh of relief, no longer worried about their welfare for the time being. She glanced down the street and noted the gray sedan parked on the corner. Seeing the agents made her feel somewhat secure.
Amanda thought about the last case that she and Lee had worked on together. It was a case involving Senator John Thatch. He was involved in a drug smuggling operation off the coast of South America. It was an open and shut case, and Amanda couldn’t imagine that case having anything to do with the problem she was currently facing. She sat pondering the events not realizing the time. It was after 8:00 p.m., and she hadn’t eaten anything since lunchtime.
Amanda prepared a small chef salad. Her stomach was doing flip-flops, and she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to eat anything else. After pouring a glass of milk, she sat down to enjoy her meal. Jumping at the sound of every noise, Amanda only consumed a few bites and pushed the salad aside.
After taking a relaxing bath, Amanda retired to the living room. Exhausted from day’s events, she collapsed on the couch. She surfed through the channels, with no particular program in mind. She finally settled on Kate And Allie, a funny sitcom that might lighten her mood a little. During the commercial break, Amanda decided to make a cup of tea when the phone startled her.
Amanda shook her head back and forth, realizing that she was acting silly. She picked up the receiver on the third ring and said, “hello.”
“Well, hello there, Mrs. King,” the muffled baritone voice replied. “Before you say anything, I just want you to go to the front window and check on your so called protection,” he added, with a chilling laugh.
Amanda shakily placed the receiver on the table and ran to the front window. She was so scared to look through the blinds, but she had to know what was going on outside. When she glanced at the Sedan, Don and Rick appeared to be asleep, but they were both hunched forward in an awkward position. Amanda’s heart began to race. ‘What am I going to do?’ she thought, trying desperately to remain calm.
Amanda hesitantly walked back to the phone. She fought an internal battle to keep her strength, not to appear frazzled by the event. A trembling hand picked up the phone to see if the caller was still there. “What do you want?” Amanda asked, deliberately hiding her anger with a monotone voice.
“Ahhh, there you are,” the stranger replied. “Why I want you of course, and I’ll stop at nothing to have you. You look so lovely on the phone right now, but you look scared. Don’t worry, I’ll be joining you this evening to keep you company,” he laughed, before hanging up the phone.
Amanda couldn’t hang the phone up. Her entire body was shaking with fear, and she felt as if she was on the verge of crying. Without thinking, she dialed the one person that was always there for her, who would give his life to protect her, no questions asked. Amanda silently begged him to pick up the phone, and on the third ring, she let out a sigh when she heard his voice.
“Stetson here,” he answered.
Amanda was so elated to reach him that she was rendered speechless. “Ah…ah…” she desperately tried to speak.
“Who is this?” Lee interjected.
“Lee,” she finally cried out, taking a deep breath, “help me, please,” her voice cracked.
Lee knew by the sound of her voice that something was terribly wrong. “Amanda? Where are you?” he shouted into the mouthpiece, already pulling his jeans on.
“Lee, I’m at home, but someone is here watching me. Please hurry,” she uttered.
“Amanda! Amanda!” Lee screamed, but only heard the dial tone.
Part 3
Lee raced through the D.C. streets in record time, yet he still felt as if he was traveling in slow motion. He contacted Billy en route, filling him on the situation. He was rather surprised to find out Billy knew more about the situation than he did, but he put his anger aside, and concentrated on getting to Amanda in time. After hanging up the phone with Billy, Lee was only a few blocks from her house.
Amanda turned off the lights, trying to hinder the impeding view of whoever was lurking outside her house. She heard a rattle at the back door, and reached for the only weapon she could find. She tiptoed to the living room closet, and snuck inside with a bat in her hand. She tried to take long deep breaths, reciting in her head that Lee was on the way.
Lee called out for her several times, but received no answer. Without wasting another second, he kicked the front door in and entered the living room. He yelled out for her again in the darkness, with his gun drawn. When he kicked the slightly ajar door to the closet, Amanda let out a scream. Lee let out a sigh of relief, reaching out for her.
“Amanda! Amanda, it’s me, Lee,” he tried to reassure her. “Is someone in the house?” He asked, still scanning the darkened surroundings.
“Lee,” she cried out, falling into his arms. Her body was trembling, and her heart was racing a mile a minute. “I don’t think he’s inside, but he did something to the agents outside. I’m frightened,” she admitted.
Rubbing his hands up and down her trembling limbs, Lee whispered, “shhhh, it’s okay, Amanda. I’m right here, and I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
Hearing the sound of screeching tires, Amanda tensed in his arms. “Shhh, it’s okay, just relax. I called Billy on the way over here,” Lee informed her.
The paramedics arrived a short time later, calling the attention of several neighbors. Amanda decided to stay inside, not wanting to explain the situation to her friends.
The two agents were taken to Galilee General for observation. They obviously had been exposed to some type of gas, but were coming out of it as the paramedics arrived.
After discussing the situation with Billy, Lee suggested that he take Amanda to his apartment for the night. He told Billy he’d be able to keep a close eye on her. Noting her current condition, Billy agreed, and decided to call it a night. He didn’t feel it would do any good to question her about the evening.
“I want you to call me if anything happens, or you come up with any leads. You got that, Scarecrow?” Billy insisted, calling Lee by his codename to get his attention.
“Yea, yea, I got it,” Lee replied, taking his eyes off of Amanda for the first time since he arrived to acknowledge Billy.
After Maplewood Drive finally returned to normal, Amanda pulled away from Lee. “Look, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you…” She spoke before he interrupted.
“I understand, Amanda. Just go get packed, and we’ll talk back at my place,” he insisted.
Lee opened the door for Amanda, and she climbed into the passenger seat of his Vette. Lee scanned the street carefully, noting the dark blue Chevy Caviler parked about 2 blocks down the street. He decided to keep it to himself, not wanting to alarm Amanda. As they traveled through Arlington, Lee kept a close eye on the Chevy that appeared to be following them.
“Were being followed aren’t we?” Amanda asked, watching Lee’s eyes dart back and forth from the road to the rear view mirror.
Lee frowned slightly, “yes, but don’t worry, I’m keeping an eye on the situation. I didn’t want to alarm you,” he confessed, reaching over to caress her hand. “Besides, this is where I lose him,” Lee grinned mischievously, placing both hands on the wheel. With careful maneuvering, Lee skillfully lost the tail, and headed back to his apartment.
As he held the door for Amanda, he continued to survey their surroundings. He grabbed her overnight bag, and led her toward the elevator. Within a few moments, they reached the elevator and reached his floor. Lee unlocked the door and held it open for her. Once inside, Amanda stood, not really sure what to do.
Lee sensed her uneasiness, and took control of the situation. “Here, give me your coat, Amanda,” he began the conversation.
“Thank you,” she replied, shimmying out of the garment.
As Lee removed the coat, he heard a very loud rumble. “Oh my God, was that your stomach?” He inquired, with a small smile.
“Oh, please excuse me, Lee. I wasn’t really hungry earlier and had a little salad,” she uttered, rather embarrassed.
Lee hung up her coat and turned back toward her. “Listen, to tell you the truth, I’m also starved. How about I order a pizza for us? I don’t have anything here worth eating,” he confessed.
“That sounds wonderful. Thank you, Lee,” Amanda replied flashing him a bright smile.
While waiting for the pizza, Amanda told Lee about her family. She explained that she needed to call her mother and let her know where she’d be staying for the next few days. Lee instructed her to give her mother a false number that would ring at his apartment. Lee promised to keep both lines separate so that they would know if Dotty called.
Amanda happily agreed, and after Lee set up the number to his apartment, she called her mother and told her she was at a hotel. After a brief conversation, Amanda was lucky to be able to get off the phone.
Not even twenty minutes after they ordered the pizza, the doorbell rang.
“Wow, you get good quick service here,” Amanda stated rather surprised.
Lee laughed while walking to the door. He looked through the peephole before opening the door for the pizza guy.
Amanda set the table, and they both sat down to enjoy the meal. Amanda munched on her pizza, beating Lee to the first taste.
As Lee lifted his pizza to his lips, a large mass of mozzarella cheese and tomatoes fell from the pizza and slid down the front of his shirt.
“Damn it,” he yelled. After putting the offending slice of pizza down, he calmed down a little bit. “See that, you can’t take me anywhere.”
Amanda laughed at his remark, to hungry to really comment on the situation. Her mouth was full and she continued to devour the pizza.
“Listen, let me go jump in the shower real quick and change. I’ll be out in ten minutes,” Lee promised.
Amanda polished off three slices while Lee showered. She stood to clean up her mess after hearing the shower turn off. When she rose to her feet, she suddenly became very woozy and held the chair for support. “Lee, do you mind if I lay down on your couch for a few minutes? I don’t feel so good,” she hollered toward his bedroom.
Lee was just finishing up in the bathroom, but heard her as he left the door slightly ajar. “Go ahead, that’s fine, Amanda. I’ll be right out,” he replied.
Amanda staggered to the couch, and carefully placed her body down. The entire room was spinning and it was making her rather nauseous. She closed her eyes, trying to keep the room from spinning.
Lee emerged from his bedroom in a white t-shirt, and a blue pair of sweat pants. He walked over to find Amanda curled up in a ball, sleeping on the couch. He smiled, assuming she was overtired from the ordeal she had been through. He walked around the couch and scooped her up in his arms, intending to let her have a good night’s rest in his bed. Instead of wrapping her arms around his neck, Amanda’s limp body didn’t move. Lee placed her gently on the bed, and looked at her face. Her normal olive complexion was white, and when he caressed her cheek, it was like touching a fire.
“Oh my God, you’re burning up,” Lee spoke out loud.
He shook her gently trying to get her to respond to him “Amanda! Amanda!” He called out shaking her until he heard a few nonsensical words escape her lips.
Part 4
Lee ran to the bathroom in search of a thermometer. He rummaged through the medicine cabinet, knocking things into the sink on his quest. He let out a sigh of surprise and relief when he finally located one. He then grabbed a washcloth and soaked it in cold water.
He returned to Amanda’s side, and wrapped her trembling body in the comforter. He sat on the edge of the bed and placed the thermometer under her tongue. Lee had to hold it in her mouth because her chattering teeth threatened to knock it out of place.
“Damn it, 103.4 degrees,” he announced out loud. After discarding the thermometer on the nightstand, he took the cool cloth and applied it to her forehead. Lee lifted his free hand up to caress her cheek, moving her sweat soaked hair out of her face.
Periodically, Amanda tossed her head back and forth attempting to speak, but only managed to babble some syllables here and there. Lee continued caring for her, trying to keep her still. “Shhh, I’m right here, Amanda. You just relax, and let me take care of you,” he spoke softly.
After she finally quieted down, Lee made a beeline for the telephone. “Billy, I need to talk to you for a minute,” Lee urgently requested.
“What’s up, Scarecrow?” Billy inquired groggily.
“It’s Amanda. We sat down to eat, and she suddenly became ill,” Lee informed him.
“What do you mean? What’s going on?” Billy fired off the questions.
“We sat down to eat the pizza I ordered, and after the meal, Amanda got sick. Well, I had a little accident, so I didn’t have a chance to eat yet,” Lee rambled on. “Oh God, I think something was in that pizza! I need to get her to a hospital,” Lee finished.
“I’ll call an ambulance. I’ll be there in five minutes, Lee,” Billy reassured him.
Lee quickly returned to her side, pressing his palm to her forehead. Sure enough, she was warmer than before. Lee quickly rinsed the now warm cloth off in cold water, and reapplied it to her head. “Hang in there, Amanda, please,” he begged.
The paramedics arrived, and flooded Lee’s bedroom. Lee reluctantly released her, making room for the professionals to work on her.
Billy called his name, encouraging Lee to meet him in the living room. “Come on, Lee, let them do their job. I need to talk to you about a few things.”
Lee followed Billy into the living room, never taking his eyes off of her. “What,” he responded, his concern for Amanda present in his tone.
“I want to take the pizza and have it analyzed.” We didn’t find any fingerprints on any of the letters that were sent to her, but hopefully the pizza will give us some clues,” Billy stated, watching his best agent intently. He knew that Lee and Amanda were close, but now it was even more evident. Even though he shook his head pretending to acknowledge Billy, it was clear that his only concern was Amanda.
As the paramedics rushed by with her strapped to the gurney, Lee followed reaching out to grasp her hand. The medics protested at first, unaware of just how determined Lee Stetson could be. Billy quickly intervened before the situation escalated, informing the medics that it was crucial that he stay with her for protection.
Billy and a few agents finished collecting evidence at Lee’s apartment and took it back to the agency.
One medic unsuccessfully tried to encourage Lee to sit in the front passenger seat of the ambulance. As the vehicle sped off, Lee sat down on the long narrow bench beside Amanda, holding her hand for the duration of the ride. Lee had seen many horrific sights in his years as an agent, but it was a different scenario to watch the woman he loved being poked and prodded. He knew the medics were only there to help her, but it certainly didn’t make it any easier to watch.
********************************************************************************************
At the hospital, Amanda was rushed into the emergency room. Lee insisted he go in, but the doctors insisted that he wait outside. The NEST Team arrived moments after the ambulance, ready to take over the situation. As nurses entered and exited the emergency room, Lee stopped each and every one, trying desperately to find out any word on Amanda’s condition. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much any of the staff knew at that point and time, but it didn’t stop Lee from asking.
Lee stood outside her door for two hours, waiting for an answer. Dr. Keely walked out of the room and immediately ran into Lee.
“How is she doing, Dr.? What’s going on? Is she okay?” Lee fired off one question after another, gazing directly into the Doctors eyes.
“She’s stable right now, but her fever is extremely high. Were doing everything we can to help, feeding antibiotics into her system intravenously, but we need to get the blood work back from the lab to see what is going on in her system,” the Doctor informed Lee.
“Can I see her,” Lee inquired softly.
“Not right now, but I’ll let you in to see her shortly,” the Doctor replied sympathetically.
“Thanks, Dr……”
“Dr. Keely,” he finished for Lee.
“Thank you Dr. Keely. I’m Lee Stetson.”
Approximately an hour later, Billy arrived at the hospital. He found Lee sitting in the lounge, which seemed strange at the time. Billy would have thought Lee would have been waiting by the door, demanding to see her.
“Lee how’s Amanda?” Billy asked, genuinely concerned for his agent.
Lee sat up in his chair to meet Billy’s glance. “I don’t know anything yet, other than she’s stable. The Doctor said he won’t be able to tell what’s going on until the blood work comes back,” Lee informed him, noticeably shaken.
Billy patted him on the back. “Well I have some good news. After tracking down the delivery boy, we were able to get a confession out of him. When he got to your place, an older male paid him $500.00 cash to deliver a package across the street from your place. The older man offered to hold the pizza while the kid delivered the other package. When the kid returned, he grabbed the pizza and headed up to your apartment. We think the older man is our guy. He’s with our sketch artist right now, so hopefully we’ll close in on this guy,” Billy stated positively.
“That’s great,” Lee responded half-heartedly. His only concern at the moment was Amanda. He knew that he’d never survive without her. He didn’t even like those thoughts, so he shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind. He couldn’t breathe without her by his side, and his heart ached to tell her how he truly felt.
“Well you try to relax, and I’ll be back as soon as I have some kind of sketch to work with. Hopefully, Amanda will be awake when I return so she can positively ID this guy,” Billy replied, trying to lift Lee’s spirits.
Dr. Keely came into the lounge a short time later to speak with Lee.
“Mr. Stetson, I just received the test results from Amanda’s blood cultures, and it seems as if she’s carrying a virus known as XL-2. It’s very uncommon, and was first identified in Germany just last year. I’m not even sure if a vaccine exists as of right now, but I know the outlook is grim without it. Amanda’s immune system is desperately trying to fight off this virus that’s invaded her system, and continues to multiply, destroying cells at a rapid rate.”
Lee clinched his jaw together, and ran a nervous hand through his hair. “How…much time do I have to find the anecdote?” Lee inquired quietly.
“I’d say 48 hours at best,” the Doctor responded, trying not to get his hopes up.
“Thanks,” Lee responded grimly, shaking the Doctors hand. Lee looked up at the clock, which read 2:30 a.m. “I want to see her, now,” Lee insisted.
The Doctor nodded his approval and led him to a quarantined section of the ICU. “The virus isn’t airborne, but we still need to take the proper precautions. I wouldn’t touch her with out gloves on,” the Doctor instructed.
Lee turned and scowled at the Doctor. He walked over to her bed and immediately placed her hand in his. He wasn’t concerned about anything but her at that very moment. He looked at her lying there so still, and so very pale, and his heart ached to hold her. “Amanda, Amanda,” he whispered, trying to get a response.
Conclusion
Amanda slowly opened her eyes about half way, but it was enough to recognize Lee sitting on the corner of the bed. “L..e..e..,” she whispered, fighting to get the words out.
“Shhh, that’s it, Amanda. I just wanted to make sure you’re awake. You don’t need to talk,” he replied softly, smiling when he felt her weak attempt to squeeze his hand. Lee leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead, amazed that she was still so warm, yet she managed to talk to him. ‘She’s strong,’ he told himself. ‘That’s my Amanda.’
Giving Amanda his full attention, Lee didn’t hear Billy enter the ICU. “Hello there.” He greeted both of them. “I’ve got a sketch here that I need Amanda to take a look at. Do you think you can do that, Amanda?” Billy asked skeptically.
Amanda took few moments to nod and opened her eyes the best that she could. Her eyes widened slightly as she gazed at the picture. She took a deep breath before responding, “ma….lmn.”
Both Lee and Billy looked at one another, slightly confused. Neither of them had a clue was to what she was trying to say, so they both waited a moment before trying again.
Lee caressed her hand softly, leaning down so he could hear her when she responded to him. “Amanda, could you try to tell us again?” Lee asked, hoping to get a lucid response.
Amanda drew in a deep breath, and opened her eyes to look at Lee. “The….mailman,” she replied, exhausted from the effort.
Lee’s eyes widened considerably, and he turned to look over at Billy. “Her mailman! Damn it, lets go get him,” he yelled, startling her. “Shh, I’m sorry, Amanda. I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Lee apologized sincerely turning back to comfort her once again. “You try to get some rest, and I’ll be back before you even know it,” he promised. Lee smiled as Amanda attempted to squeeze his hand once again.
Billy and Lee went to The Agency. After searching through the files, they were able to get an address on Mr. Thomas Kinsey. Lee was surprised to find a list of alias’s Mr. Kinsey had acquired through the years, one that struck a cord with Lee.
“Billy, get over here,” Lee urged.
“What’s up,” Billy responded.
“Does the name Hans Schlatter mean anything to you?” Lee asked the question, but was well aware of the answer.
“That’s the guy who originally unleashed the XL-2 virus in Germany three years ago. He’s wanted by half the Agency’s around the globe,” Billy announced.
Lee clinched his teeth together before speaking, “He did this to Amanda. I’ll bet he has the antidote on him. Let’s get him!”
The team of Agents arrived about a half a block from Mr. Kinsey’s residence. Lee insisted to be the one to go in after him, instructing the backup to wait for his signal.
Lee carefully maneuvered around trees and fences in the suburban Arlington neighborhood, hidden from view. He expertly dodged the bushes on the side of the house, and picked the back door lock. Within seconds, he was in the house with his gun drawn, ready to pounce on Amanda’s stalker. Lee’s keen eye probed the unfamiliar semi-dark surroundings, anticipating Thomas’s upcoming move. As Lee rounded the corner of the kitchen, a door flew open in front of him, knocking him to the floor, but not dislodging the gun from his hand.
The large man jumped on top of Lee, straddling his body, while clutching tightly to his neck in an attempt to strangle him. Lee raised his left hand sharply, administering a hard blow to the head with his weapon. Thomas immediately toppled to Lee’s right side, and onto the floor. Lee jumped on top of the man and held the gun to his temple.
“Where is it?” He demanded to know, clinching his teeth, trying desperately to control his growing anger.
“Where’s what?” Thomas replied, the smirk on his face quite evident even in the semi-dark room.
Lee cocked the hammer of the gun and shoved it harder against the side of his head. “I’m only going to ask one more time,” Lee stated in a threatening tone.
Watching Thomas’s smile widen, Lee clenched his hand into a fist and socked him across the jaw. Thomas took the blow, tasting his own blood, but refused to speak. Lee arose, pulling the man to his feet. After several minutes of repeated strikes, the man collapsed in a heap.
Lee called in the backup to search the house. After searching the house with a fine toothcomb, they were unable to locate the antidote. Lee tripped on a floorboard in Mr. Kinsey’s upstairs bedroom and knocked it aside, locating a secret compartment. Inside, he found a small vial of liquid that he believed to be what Amanda needed.
Lee drove directly to the hospital, overlooking the receptionist, in route to ICU. Lee ran into Dr. Keely in the hallway nearly tackling the man with excitement.
“How’s Amanda?” Lee asked hesitantly.
“She’s holding on, but we haven’t been able to get her fever down, so we packed her in ice for now,” the Doctor informed him.
“Here, I think this is what Amanda needs,” Lee announced, showing him the vial.
Dr. Keely took the dark liquid from Lee and raced down to the lab for analysis.
Lee entered the ICU and went to sit with Amanda. She was packed in ice, so Lee was forced to pull up a chair and sit beside her. Lifting her hand delicately, he grasped it with his own, and gently caressed it. “I’m here, Amanda,” he whispered softly trying not to startle her. He heard a few inarticulate sounds escape her lips before she stilled once more. “Just try to get some rest. I don’t want you to talk. I just want you know that I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere,” he vowed.
You could have heard a pin drop in ICU when Dr. Keely entered the room. Lee felt butterflies deep in the pit of his stomach, awaiting the news on the vial of liquid.
“Well?” Lee asked impatiently, nodding for the Doctor to speak up.
The Doctor smiled, nodding affirmatively. “You got it,” he replied, walking over to connect the bag of liquid to Amanda’s I. V.
On Tuesday afternoon, Lee awoke, feeling a trembling sensation in his hand. His back hurt and his neck was stiff, but he was happy to see Amanda lying there in the bed. Her teeth were chattering, and she mouthed, “c.c.c.old.”
Lee called for a nurse to take care of her. The nurse came to her bedside and took her temperature. “Her fever’s down. I’ll get her out of this ice in one moment” she announced. “That’s a great sign,” she happily added in an attempt to offer Lee some reassurance.
With his smile apparent, Lee shook the nurses hand and thanked her for the news. He leaned over the bed and pressed a kiss to Amanda’s forehead. ‘Thank God,’ he thought, but murmured, “ you’re going to be just fine, Amanda.”
After spending a week in the hospital, Amanda was more than ready to get out of there and go home. Lee had filled her in on the case, but she was still leery of going to her house after that frightful night the previous week. She called her Mother from the hospital, and told her about the termites. She decided to keep the ordeal to herself, not wanting to worry her Mother. Amanda also decided to play along with the termite story to give her time to fully recover from the virus.
Balloons and flowers peeked through the door before Amanda realized that Lee was behind them. She perked right up, smiling from ear to ear. “Lee, they’re lovely. Thank you, but you didn’t need to go to any trouble for me,” she implied.
“They were no trouble, and you most certainly deserve them for all that you’ve been through, Amanda King!” Lee stated, looking her directly in the eyes. “Are you ready to get out of this place,” he inquired, teasing her a bit.
Amanda’s eyes grew wide with hope. “Yes, please! I’m already checked out. I’m just need to call a cab,” she replied softly, trying not to assume he was there to take her home. She knew Lee would insist on taking her home, but she played the game anyway.
Lee frowned, cocking his head to one side in puzzlement. “You what? A cab? I’m taking you home,” he demanded.
For once, Amanda didn’t argue. She smiled and uttered, “thanks for being there for me. I owe you big time.”
“You don’t owe me anything. I should be saying that to you for all the wonderful things you do for me, without even trying,” he informed her, reaching over to take her hands in his.
It was a bright and sunny Tuesday afternoon when Lee arrived in front of Amanda’s house. He helped her out of the car and led her to the front door. He noted her slight hesitance to go in but he quickly reassured her that he was there, and wouldn’t ever let anything happen to her. Amanda finally stepped inside, and looked around the living room. Her eyes locked on the phone, and she turned and wrapped her arms around Lee. “Thank you for being here, Lee. I don’t know if I could have done this alone,” she admitted.
“I hope your not trying to get rid of me. I brought my bag, Amanda. I’m staying with you until your mother gets home. I’ve already cleared it with Billy,” he informed her, rubbing his hands up and down her back.
“Lee,” she protested, but felt him pull her closer.
“No, no arguments. I want to be here with you,” he whispered against her hair.
Amanda pulled back slightly, a little uncomfortable with their close proximity. She loved Lee dearly, but wasn’t sure if his feelings went any further than friendship. She began to tremble in his arms, and held on as tight as possible. His body felt so perfect, molded against hers, holding her with his strong arms. She could smell his cologne on the fabric off his shirt and began to feel slightly intoxicated by his scent. She realized that she needed to back away before she did something that she would regret.
Lee pulled her to arms length and gazed in her eyes. He saw love, warmth and excitement, yet saw something else too. He wasn’t sure if it was fear or uncertainty, but he didn’t want her to feel that way at all. After taking a long deep breath, he took his chances and leaned down to brush his lips over hers. He felt her gasp at first, and he hesitated for only a moment before capturing her lips fully. The taste and texture of her mouth was exquisite. He felt as if he could kiss her forever, and it still wouldn’t be long enough. Lee pulled her body snuggly against his own, running his hands gently along the contours of her back. He broke the kiss, gasping for air. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to kiss you like that,” he admitted.
Twice in one day, Amanda King was speechless. She brought her hand to her heart, as she struggled to breathe, smiling to let him know she was okay. “I’m glad you finally did and we stopped missing,” Amanda happily replied, pulling him back in for another passionate kiss.
THE END
Story Notes:
Disclaimer: These characters don’t belong to me. They belong to WB, and Shoot The Moon Productions.
Timeline: This is set in the early part of the third season. Breaks canon, and A.U.
Timeline: This is set in the early part of the third season. Breaks canon, and A.U.