Chapter Six

PAMS Headquarters

Friday, December 19, 1997

4:00 AM

"Do you know this man?"

Laurie Mitford struggled to focus on the photograph they put in front
of her, but she couldn't manage even that much.

"Sleep," Laurie whispered. "Please." That was all she wanted to do. If
she could just sleep for a little bit everything would be all right.
Her eyes closed and her head drooped forward.

"Concentrate!" The man-what was his name-Reverend something or
other-yelled at her. Laurie cried out in pain as he grabbed her hair,
twisting hard he pulled her head up, thrusting the picture in front of
her eyes.

"Do you know him?" the Reverend asked. And for one minute the picture
was clear.

"Can't-" Laurie whispered. "No." Her eyes were closing again, and this
time no one stopped the darkness from rushing over her.

SMK SMK SMK SMK

"She's out," McIlvaney said, his voice filled with disgust. "She
didn't know him anyway." With a sigh he released the woman's hair,
letting her head slump forward onto her chest. The photograph that
McIlvaney had been holding fluttered to the floor.

"Did you think she would?" Grainne asked.

McIlvaney shook his head. "Just a silly hunch," he said. "But I can't
shake this feeling that there's more to Mr. Stetson than a man who
makes documentary films."

"What more could there be?" Grainne said. "You've exhausted every
source you have, Liam. If there was something else we'd have found it
by now."

"Maybe," McIlvaney said. "And maybe not. Either way, I don't think Ms.
Mitford has anything more to tell us." He looked down at the
unconscious woman, then back up to his wife. "Have the boys take care
of her, Grainne. I have a lot to do before tonight. Always remember my
dear, the plans of the diligent will lead to profit."

Grainne smiled.

Thomas Jefferson Community Center
2:30 PM

"Lee if you keep doing that there won't be any left for tonight or
tomorrow," Amanda reminded her husband as he grabbed at another of the
cupcakes she'd just finished icing.

"Sorry," Lee said, trying to look suitably abashed as he finished off
his second cupcake. "I'm starving though. I've spent all morning
helping Lisa's father set up the stage lighting and scenery."

"Well I have three more batches of cupcakes to bake," Amanda said.
"Not to mention the cookies, the fruit and the cheese and crackers for
dress rehearsal and opening night. I haven't even started the punch or
the goody bags."

"Goody bags?" Lee said.

"They're going to be given to all the children right before dress
rehearsal," Amanda explained, motioning to the red and green plastic
bags that lay in a box in the corner. "It's just a little something."

"Speaking of children, where is Jenna?" Lee said

"Well she just finished her rehearsal," Amanda said. "And last time I
checked she and Lisa were playing Go Fish in the dressing room-Lee!"
Amanda smacked her husband's hand as he tried to reach for a third
cupcake.

"Can I help it if you're such a great cook?" Lee said.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, buster," Amanda smiled as she wiped
her floury hands on the front of her apron. "Since you've finished the
lighting and the sets, do you think that maybe you can help me out?"

"I wish I could, but I have to go to the hospital," When Amanda gave
him a questioning glance; Lee said "they found Laurie Mitford."

"Dead?" Amanda asked.

"No, but if someone hadn't found her in time she would be. She was
shot in the shoulder and badly beaten." Lee said grimly. "This group
plays pretty nasty, Amanda. I don't know if she'll be in any condition
to talk, but I'm hoping that Mitford can give me more information
about who the mole is."

"Well it isn't Jeff Morgan," Amanda said. "I found out where he's been
sneaking off to. You know Jill Klatchen?"

"The entertainment columnist for the Post?" Lee said.

"That's the one," Amanda said. "Apparently Jeff has been trying to get
Jill to cover the dress rehearsal and the ballet tonight-focusing
specifically on Terri's performance. Debbie said she'd make him pay if
he didn't."

"So now we're down to Mrs. Jager, the Hunters and Mark the janitor,"
Lee said wrapping his arms around Amanda's waist, his hazel eyes
looking deeply into her own. "You and Jenna watch yourselves, okay? I
have a feeling that our mole will make his move very soon."

"Lee, we'll be fine," Amanda said, one hand running up and down her
husband's arm. "I promise."

"I'm going to hold you to that, Mrs. Stetson," Lee said.

SMK SMK SMK SMK

4:00 PM

Liam McIlvaney adjusted the grey wig on top of his head, smoothing it
carefully. He was wearing a ragged looking red plaid shirt and worn
khaki slacks-very different from his usual attire. Horn-rimmed tinted
spectacles completed the ensemble and also made his features harder to
see. The reverend smiled at his reflection in the mirror.

No one would ever guess, he thought.
Slowly he walked towards the Community Center, dragging his feet in a
slow, shuffling gait-the walk of an old man and the crowning glory of
his disguise. Wasn't it his high school drama teacher who'd one told
him that the walk was everything? If only she could see him now. Idly
McIlvaney wondered if she'd be pleased.

The doorman smiled at him and held open the door.

"Good day, Mr. Townley," he said.

Mr. Townley' smiled widely at the doorman.

"It will be a very good day, young man" McIlvaney said, holding up a
box of sugarplums. "It will be."

SMK SMK SMK SMK

4:45 PM

Laurie Mitford's head was swathed in white bandages. Her face was
bruised and swollen-Lee could see that bruises covered her neck as
well. There was a cast on her right arm and a dressing on her
shoulder. As he shut the hospital door behind him Laurie Mitford's
eyes opened.

"The great Scarecrow," Laurie said, her voice weak. "You were
practically a legend when I was just starting out, you know."

"I'm glad to hear that," Lee said, sitting on the chair beside her
bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty damned awful," Laurie Mitford laughed, than winced. "Ouch-I
shouldn't have done that-even with the morphine drip I still feel like
a bus hit me."

"Don't worry, I won't keep you for long," Lee said.

"I didn't talk, you know," Laurie said. "Even after all they-the
Reverend-did to me, I stuck to my second cover story."

"And they believed you?" Lee said.

"They must have," Laurie said. "That's when they figured I wasn't
useful any-" the word was broken off by a fit of coughing. Lee grabbed
a cup of water from her bedside table, holding it to the young woman's
lips.

"Thanks," Laurie whispered. "What is it you need?"

"Some information," Lee said. "The last thing you told us was that
PAMS had stolen a viral toxin and that they had a mole inside the
organization they were targeting."

"That's right," Laurie said. "The target's -The Thomas Jefferson
Community Center. I was going to tell the agency before-"

"We figured that out," Lee said. "Do you have any idea who the mole is?"

"Yes," Laurie said. Her voice was growing weaker, her eyes slowly
beginning to close "He blew my cover-it was Brad. Brad Hunter."

SMK SMK SMK SMK

5:15 PM

"We ran a background on Brad Hunter," Francine's voice crackled over
the cell phone that Lee was holding as he walked through the
hospital's parking lot. "It seems he had a breakdown about seven
years ago while working for the American Ballet. He started saying
that dancing was a sin-even tried to kidnap one of the ballerinas so
he could convert her."

"And they managed to keep that out of the press?" Lee said.

"Well the girl didn't press charges," Francine said "Apparently she
felt sorry for him and told the police it was all a big
misunderstanding. After that Mr. Hunter spent three years in the
Greenlawn Sanitarium in Alexandria. When he got out he went to live
with his sister, started doing choreography again and everything
seemed like it was back to normal."

"Except that it wasn't," Lee said. "I'm going back to the community
center, Francine."

SMK SMK SMK SMK

5:35 PM

Amanda's head was pounding as she returned to consciousness. She tried
to call out to Lee, to anyone, but her mouth was covered with tape.
The room that Amanda was in looked like a closet of some sort. A
single light bulb illuminated the small area. Somewhere in the
distance was the faint sound of familiar music, letting Amanda know
that she was still somewhere inside the Community Center. Tentatively
she tried to move, only to realize that her wrists and ankles were
bound with rope.

What had happened? The last thing Amanda remembered clearly was being
in the community center kitchen. She'd turned to take something out of
the oven, and then- there was a memory of an arm grabbing Amanda from
behind, forcing a cloth over her nose and mouth. She remembered
fighting with her attacker, trying to get away, and then only
darkness. It was the mole, Amanda thought. It had to be, and if she
didn't get out of here soon he would be able to plant the virus.
Fueled by panic, Amanda began tensing and flexing her wrists, trying
to see if she could loosen the ropes enough to slip out of them and
escape.

She froze as the sound of footsteps came nearer. Amanda heard what
sounded like a key turning in the lock, and the door opened with a
creak. The stooped figure of the janitor Mark Townley smiled down at
her.

"I'm glad to see that my disciple Mr. Hunter has taken such good care
of you." He said as he knelt beside Amanda. "Such a shame that it has
to be this way, but I just can't allow you to interfere with my plans."

As Amanda watched, her eyes round with amazement, Mark Townley'
removed his wig and glasses. A younger, round-cheeked man smiled at her.

"Let me introduce myself, Mrs. Stetson," he said. "I'm the Reverend
Liam McIlvaney."

SMK SMK SMK SMK

6:30 PM

As Lee walked into the community center, he was nearly knocked over by
a small figure who'd launched herself straight at him and grabbed him
around the middle. Lee looked down at the flushed and
tear-stained face of his daughter.

"Dad, where have you been?" Jenna's voice was trembling as she spoke.
"I couldn't find you anywhere and I can't find Mom, she's not in the
kitchen or in the dressing rooms and Grandma doesn't know where she is
either and the kitchen is all messy with flour and footprints all over
the place-"

"Jenna," Lee said, gently interrupting his daughter's ramble while
unfastening her arms from around his waist. He held both her small
hands in his. "We'll find your mom, munchkin. I just need you to calm
down, okay?"

"I can't," Jenna said. "I'm too scared."

"Yes you can," Lee said. "Just take a deep breath-that's good. Now
another. Feel better?"

"A little bit," Jenna admitted, freeing one hand to wipe at her eyes.
Just then Dotty came running up.

"Oh Lee thank goodness," she said, breathlessly. "I can't find Amanda
anywhere."

"I heard," Lee said. "Dotty, keep an eye on Jenna, okay? Get her
ready for the dress rehearsal. I'm going to check out the kitchen."

"But dad, I want to go with you," Jenna protested.

"Jenna, I need you to stay with your grandmother," Lee said. "I need
to know that you're safe and besides, you need to get ready for the
dress rehearsal. No more arguments."

Jenna looked down at her feet. "All right," she said. "But promise
you'll find mom?"

"I promise," Lee said.

TBC