Author's note: This story is based on characters copyrighted by Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Production Company. It's meant for enjoyment purposes only. I retain the right to the plot and not the characters.  Some of the people mentioned in this story are real, but are only mentioned because of their historical significance to the topic at hand.  The characters in the story itself are fictional.   Do not copy or distribute this story in part or full without prior consent of the above author.

Your comments are always welcome.  Happy Reading...
 
 
 
 
 

Berlin, East Germany - April 13, 1989
 

"Why the hell didn't we pack an umbrella?" Lee griped as he used the newspaper that he'd bought earlier in the morning to cover his head.  It was a cool and rainy April day in East Berlin.  The gray sky hung low to the ground and with the occasional gust of wind he was losing his battle to keep dry - in fact, he was soaked.

"I specifically remember packing one of those travel umbrellas in the overnight case," Amanda reminded her husband. "But when I looked for it this morning it wasn't there."

"I didn't think we'd need it," he complained. "So I took it out."

Amanda shook her head at her husband. "April showers bring May flowers," she mumbled as they darted from one building's overhang to another in a futile attempt to escape the driving rain. Despite the weather, Amanda tried to focus her camera lens on several buildings across the street.

"Amanda, would you please put your camera away," Lee snapped angrily.

"I thought you told me to look like a tourist," Amanda replied as she took another picture and the camera's flash shot off in his face.

"Enough is enough! How many pictures can you take of old buildings in the rain? You must have blown two rolls this morning," he grumbled, quite annoyed as he blinked his eyes trying to refocus from the blinding flash. "I think you're overdoing the tourist bit a little."

"Not really," she retorted as she scanned the block. "Besides, I never thought I'd get a chance to go to East Germany… let alone communist East Berlin.  Not to mention when I shot the roll of film in Prenzlauer Berg this morning it wasn't raining. That area was lovely."

"Our cover as tourists is supposed to help us blend in, but with you stopping at every corner to take another picture you're drawing unwanted attention to us," Lee griped as he scanned the area carefully. "You're going to get us killed!"

Amanda scowled at her husband, but placed the lens cap back over her camera. "All right, no more pictures. I think the lens is wet, anyhow. So, what do you want me to do now?"

Lee rifled through his coat pocket and handed her a soggy map. "Pretend you're looking for a place to have lunch."

"Lunch?" Amanda repeated jovially, trying to break her husband's foul mood. "Good idea! I'm getting rather hungry and I wouldn't mind getting out of the rain for a little while. I wonder which restaurant makes the best wiener schnitzel?"

"Amanda," he snapped in frustration. "We're eating at that restaurant down the street. We're supposed to meet Dr. Von Kleist there in a half-hour. You remember the reason we're here in the first place - our contact!"

"I know that," she replied angrily, well aware of their hazardous mission. They'd been in East Germany for the last five days trying to track down the brilliant, yet elusive, scientist, Dr. Maximilian Von Kleist who allegedly wanted to defect to the west. "I'm just trying to play my cover."

Lee snatched the map from her and complained; his mood was still dark. "Amanda, whose side are you on anyway? Do you really want to get us killed?"

Amanda was shocked by Lee's behavior. She stopped and put her hand on his arm. "Lee, I know you're soaked, I am too, but is something else wrong?" she asked as she surveyed the area again, concerned that perhaps she'd missed something. She couldn't believe that they'd be followed in this treacherous weather.

Lee ran his hand nervously through his dripping wet hair. "No, I'm sorry I snapped at you. I'm just tired of chasing down this guy. We've been here for five days and all I get is cryptic notes and phone calls to meet him deeper and deeper into communist Germany. My gut tells me that something's fishy."

"Maybe we should call Billy?" she suggested, knowing her husband's hunches weren't to be taken lightly.

"No, we're under contact zero until we're back in the west," he reminded her, his face clearly showing strain.

"So, let's take the first train back to West Germany," she suggested. "West Berlin's not that far either. We could cross back over and check in…"

Lee paused for a moment, as if he was giving it some thought. Finally he shook his head as droplets of water cascaded down his face. "No, I'm just tired, hungry and really wet. Let's go eat some lunch and hope that Dr. Von Kleist shows up this time. I'll give him until sundown today to make face to face contact or I'm shutting down this operation."

Amanda nodded her approval and reached for her husband's hand. She held it tightly in hers hoping to calm his frazzled nerves. They walked together in silence down the street to the restaurant. She was rather concerned at her husband's behavior. It wasn't like him to be this nervous, then she looked up at his face; he looked tired, but neither of them had slept well the last few nights.

Lee opened the door to the small café that they were instructed to meet Dr. Von Kleist from the last phone conversation Lee had with him. For the past few days, alleged last-minute problems had kept their potential defector from meeting with them. They chose a small table near the door. They both sat down with a clear view of the entrance so they could watch the door for the good doctor. Although Lee had never met the man, they had spoken on the phone several times and Lee had seen pictures of him.

"I think I'll go dry off. Would you order me some coffee?" Amanda requested with a wet shiver. "I'm freezing."

"Sure thing," Lee replied as his wife excused herself to go to the wash room. A few minutes later, Lee was sipping his coffee and another piping hot cup was waiting for Amanda when she returned.

"Umm, that hits the spot," Amanda replied after sampling the hot liquid. "Why don't you go into the washroom and dry off a bit?"

"No, I'm all right. The coffee was just what I needed. I'm sorry I snapped at you before," he apologized once more.

"It's all right, Lee, I think we're both a little edgy," she replied as she looked around the café, wondering if their contact was already there or if he was even going to show. There were few other patrons at the moment. They were early for their lunch rendezvous.

"Nothing yet," Lee answered as if he had read her mind. "Let's order some lunch and hope that he actually shows up today. If we don't hear from him this afternoon, we'll head back to West Germany and contact Billy. I don't plan on wasting anymore time here."

"You look unsettled," Amanda commented. "Is something wrong; are you feeling all right? Or is there something you haven't told me?"

Lee glanced around the room and shrugged. Amanda had a sinking feeling that there was something out of place, but there wasn't anything specific that was going wrong with the operation. They both knew it would be difficult to arrange a face to face meeting with Dr. Von Kleist. He was a well-known and well-respected scientist, who was being closely guarded by the East German government. Billy had given them a week to make the arrangements so they still had some time.

"I don't know, maybe I'm just getting tired of this game," Lee commented, hoping to put his wife at ease.

"Now stop talking like that," she scolded him as a chill ran down her spine.

"Are you still cold?" Lee asked solicitously.

"I'll be all right in a few minutes," Amanda fibbed as she sipped again at her coffee. Normally she didn't lie to Lee, but at the moment he seemed equally flustered and she didn't need to add to his worries. However, the truth was that she wasn't cold; the coffee had done its job already. She was scared. "We're just letting this gloomy day get to us. I remember a wise man once told me that this is no job for a pessimist."

His characteristic smile washed across his face. "You're right. I'm sure I'll feel better after I've had something to eat. What would you like?"

Amanda opened the menu, but barely glanced at it before she put it down. Amanda understood some German, but couldn't read it as well as her husband. "I'll just have the Wiener Schnitzel."

Lee chuckled at his wife. "Would you like me to translate for you? I really don't mind."

"No, that'll be fine," she sighed heavily. "I'll just be glad when we're home. What I wouldn't give for a good old fashioned American hamburger!"

Lee nodded, agreeing with her comment. "I'm with you. I enjoy German cuisine, but I think I'd prefer a good, juicy steak right about now," he replied.

Suddenly the door to the café flew open. Their attention was immediately drawn to the noise as they watched the wind drive the rain a few feet into the restaurant. A woman entered alone. She was a middle aged, buxom woman, who appeared to be rather nervous, but unfortunately it wasn't Dr. Von Kleist.

"Maybe she's a messenger or an assistant?" Lee whispered as she moved hesitantly towards the bar.

"She looks scared stiff," Amanda noticed.

Lee nodded mutely and kept a watchful eye on the anxious woman. He put his napkin on the table preparing to get up and stroll over to the bar when the door to the café burst opened yet again. This time, two Staatssicherheit officers in uniform pushed through the doors brashly. They scanned the room and then nodded towards each other.

"I don't like this," Lee whispered to his wife.

Amanda didn't have time to react, as the next thing that happened was the two men pulled them both out of their chairs at their table. Lee was thrown harshly against the wall and frisked. The Stasi officer who removed Amanda from her chair was gentler, but certainly not friendly. He was shouting at her in German. Amanda was trying to translate in her mind what he was asking but her nerves got the best of her.

"Lee!" Amanda exclaimed fearfully.

"Herr Stetson?" the Stasi officer yelled at Lee as he removed his passport of out his pocket.

"Ja bin ich Herr Stetson," Lee replied.

Without delay, Lee was handcuffed behind his back and pushed towards the door of the café. Lee paused for a moment and looked back at his wife who was also being handcuffed, but they weren't bringing Amanda with him.

"Amanda, it'll be all right," Lee called out to his wife before they reached the door. "I'm sure this is a mistake. I love y…"

Before Lee could finish the sentence the officer cracked his Billy Club over Lee's head. Amanda watched in horror as blood spurted from his wound, but then the door quickly closed behind him.
 

End Part One
 

Berlin Saga: Part Two
 

The next few days blurred together for Amanda. She was kept in a scant, drab interrogation room for hours at a time being drilled by different people. The questions were always the same - only the people asking the questions were different.

'Who were you working for?' 'Who were you supposed to meet?' they'd ask repeatedly. Sometimes shouting, sometimes cajoling, but always in a menacing tone.

Amanda kept insisting she was a tourist from the United States, but they seemed to know more. She was careful to never divulge any information to her captors that would blow her cover or endanger the life of her partner. Amanda worried constantly about where and how Lee was. She hadn't seen or heard from him since they were separated in the café.

After hours of interrogation, she'd be locked up in a tiny rancid cell with no window and no other inmates. It was like being in solitary confinement. The only light came from one single bulb down the narrow hall. It was on day and night. Her warm coat and personal effects had been confiscated the first night. The ill fitting prison garb she was provided with was neither warm nor comfortable.

She tried to sleep, but as she'd drift off she would remember the blood spurting out of Lee's head when he was assaulted by the Stasi officer as he was led out of the restaurant. She'd try to shake off the chilling feeling but closing her eyes only brought reruns of the scene in her mind over and over again. When she did manage a few minutes of sleep, she'd wake up in a cold sweat, never sure how long she'd been asleep for or how many days had passed since she was arrested.

"Stetson!" the matron yelled, breaking Amanda's deliberation from her hellish nightmare.

She lifted her head from the coarse concrete slab she was using as a bed and her eyes took a few seconds to focus on the woman in front of her. Amanda was surprised to see a woman. For the most part male guards were bringing her back and forth to be interrogated. At first she wondered if her eyes were playing tricks on her, but finally she realized it was indeed a woman guard.

Amanda had tried to stay focused and remember what she had been taught in Agency training to tell time, but there was no pattern for shift changes and no regular meals. Her watch had been confiscated. There were no clocks on the walls. So far she found no way to tell how much time had passed. She had no idea what day it was. Had she been held for two days or was it three?

"Ja!" Amanda finally croaked out in a hoarse voice.

"Come with me," she shouted at her in heavily accented English as she opened the cell door.

Amanda walked out of her cell and was pushed in the opposite direction of the interrogation room. Amanda proceeded cautiously, but tried to appear confident despite the fact that her heart was racing with fear.

After a short walk the matron opened the door to what appeared to be an antiquated shower. "You have three minutes to take a shower," she announced with an unfriendly push into the musty, grimy room.

Amanda swallowed hard, trying not to get sick. The room reeked of stale body odor. The ancient tiles were cracked and black mildew covered them. Although she'd welcome a shower and the chance to remove several days of filth and grime she really didn't want to be locked in the odoriferous chamber for even one minute let alone more.

"Strip down, Stetson, you're wasting my time. I'll be back in three minutes," she snarled rudely.

Amanda complied by peeling the prison uniform and under garments she had worn for the last few days and carefully placed them on a small rickety shelf. She reached for the faucet and as she expected cold water splashed her face and body. A shiver ran down her spine and goose bumps appeared on her arms. As she washed the dirt and grime from her body she began to feel a little better despite the tepid water temperature. When she was done she reached for a thin towel and dried herself off as best she could. She had no change of clothes so she reached for her prison garb when the door flew open again.

"You can put these back on," the matron snapped as Amanda's original clothes were thrown at her.

Amanda grabbed them, not wanting them to touch the wet and moldy floor. As she struggled to put her own clothes on she was hopeful that she was being released. She longed to see Lee. "I miss you, Lee," she whispered softly and said a silent prayer that they'd soon be together again.

The matron returned once again and grabbed her harshly by the arm. Amanda winced at the pain, but said nothing. Once again she was handcuffed, but this time in the front.

"Move it," the guard grouched as she was pushed passed her cell.

Amanda swallowed hard as her mind began to race. She couldn't help but worry as to where she was being taken now. Would she be interrogated yet again or perhaps she was being sent to court to plead her case? Unfortunately she knew little of the East German legal system. She'd heard the horrible stories of how the East Germans were often treated. Amanda doubted that she, an American, would get a fair trial.

"Where are you taking me?" she finally asked intrepidly.

"You're being deported," the matron mocked as the grip on her arm tightened noticeably. "Unless you'd rather stay?"

Amanda didn't ask anymore questions. She didn't want to antagonize the matron any further. The death grip the matron had on her arm would surely leave a nasty bruise. It was a relief to know she was going home. Perhaps Lee was waiting for her just down the hall or maybe he'd been released already. They finally reached a public area, which bustled with people, both in uniform and in street clothes hurrying about. Amanda's eyes darted about as she scanned the room looking for Lee, but he wasn't there. There were no friendly faces or voices to be found.

Finally she heard her name called out from across the room. "Stetson?"

"Ja," the matron answered as she pushed Amanda forward, roughly, one more time.

A tall, burly man walked towards them. He held paperwork in his hand, which the matron barely glanced at before scrawling her signature to it. Then she shoved Amanda towards him as if she was glad to be rid of her. The feeling was extremely mutual. Her new guard wasted no time with a greeting, but led her towards an exit door with a firm grip. He opened the door for her and pointed to a waiting car down the steps.

Amanda took a deep breath of air as she stepped outside, glad to be out of the confined space of the cell and interrogation room. Her eyes struggled to adjust to the bright sunlight. People were scrambling about, most likely rushing to work. She still wasn't sure what day it was, her clothes had been returned, but not her wristwatch or purse. She tried to make out if Lee was in the waiting car, but the glare on the windows made it impossible to see.

She whispered a silent prayer. 'Please be in the car, Lee!'

"Get in," her new guard demanded in a deep voice as he opened the door.

She bent down, careful not to hit her head and climbed into the empty back seat. There was a driver in the front, but it clearly wasn't Lee. Her heart fell, but she tried to remain optimistic. Perhaps Lee would arrive momentarily, but that idea was quickly dashed as the door slammed closed behind her and the guard got in the front seat. He issued orders to the driver in German and within moments, the car lurched forward and raced away from the police station.

She watched out the window as they drove through the streets of East Berlin, not sure whether to trust the matron's announcement that she was being deported. After a few minutes it did appear that the matron hadn't lied as she kept seeing signs for the airport. Her thoughts returned to Lee. Would he be waiting for her at the airport? Had he already been released and deported? Was he back in DC? Her mind had incessant questions however there was nobody there she could trust to give her answers.

They finally arrived at the airport in East Berlin, but they were cleared through a special gate and didn't enter the terminal. They pulled around to the airside and the driver stopped the car. Again, the driver and the guard discussed something in German. Amanda couldn't quite keep up with their conversation. Before she could decipher their discussion, the guard had gotten out of the car.

"Come on, hurry up!" the guard encouraged gruffly after opening the door.

Amanda maneuvered as quickly as she could with the handcuffs on. "I'm trying," she called out to her impatient escort.

The guard nodded and then pulled on her arm in an effort to help her up. He took a small key out of his pocket and removed the handcuffs. He then proceeded to the trunk and took out a small suitcase.

"These can stay off as long as you don't cause me any trouble," he warned.

Amanda nodded as she stood on the tarmac with the airplane looming just a few feet from them wondering what her guard expected her to do, attempt an escape? "Lee, please be on board already," she whispered softly as she began the short walk towards the waiting plane.

She climbed the steps to the jet and immediately began scanning the other passenger's faces to see if her husband was among them. The guard hurried her down the aisle to their seats. They were seated towards the back of the plane. She continued to study faces but didn't see the one face she wanted to see the most.

"Sit down, Frau Stetson," her guard ordered as he pointed to the seat in the middle.

Amanda reluctantly sat down and put her seat belt on. There was a vacant seat next to her. She waited stoically, expecting Lee to appear at any moment, but then the stewardess started reviewing the safety procedures for the flight. When the stewardess paused for a few moments, Amanda finally asked her guard. "Where's my husband?"

"Your husband?" he shrugged innocently. "My orders did not indicate transporting another prisoner."

"Where are we going?" she inquired apprehensively.

"You certainly ask a lot of questions for a prisoner," the guard answered with a smirk on his face.

Amanda swallowed hard as her heart raced and her palms began to sweat. His use of the word 'prisoner' left her questioning where they were heading. Was she leaving her husband behind in East Germany or was she the last to return home? She sunk back into her seat as the droning voice of the stewardess continued on in German. She worried and wondered if she was being deported or being taken elsewhere, deeper behind the Iron Curtain…

** ** ** ** ** **

April 18^th

The flight from East Berlin was a long one, which eased Amanda's fears slightly. She sat about as far away from the window as she could so she was unable to look out and see where they were. She could tell from the plane's tiny windows that it was still light outside. Had they been flying east, toward the Soviet Union, Amanda presumed it would be getting dark. She tried to sleep on the plane, but it still alluded her. Her nerves were strung so tight the smell of food was nauseating and other than a cup of coffee she didn't eat or drink anything.

"Welcome to Dulles International Airport," the stewardess announced in a cheerful voice a few seconds after the plane landed sharply on the ground and began taxiing to the gate.

Amanda was relieved to be so close to home and freedom she wanted to cry. She could hardly wait for this nightmare to end. It seemed to be an interminable wait while the other passengers removed their carry on luggage and cleared the aisles in front of them. Finally her guard stood up and they began to walk out of the plane. When they reached the terminal he stopped and opened his overnight bag.

"I believe you'll be needing this to get through customs," the guard advised as he gave her back her passport and purse. "You are on your own now."

Amanda stood there awkwardly, not sure what to say or do. As silly as it seemed, her first instinct was to run. "Thank you." Amanda finally muttered, her shaky voice barely audibly. As she tried to take another step she realized her whole body was trembling. Her ordeal had taken its toll on her.

Her guard smiled in amusement. "You're welcome, Frau Stetson. Perhaps we will meet again someday under more pleasant circumstances."

Amanda nodded but didn't say anything more. She finally gathered herself together and began to follow the few stragglers of passengers who were finally deplaning. She followed the signs to the customs office where she met up with the rest of the passengers from the plane. She chose what she hoped would be a fast moving line, but she waited interminably.

"Next," the bored customs officer finally called out.

"Hello," Amanda greeted as she quickly provided him with her passport. She tried to be cheerful, but as exhausted and anxious as she was it was difficult.

"How long have you been out of the country, Mrs. Stetson?" the customs officer asked as he briefly glanced at her picture.

She stopped for a second to think. She wasn't certain as to what day it was. They'd spent a few days in West Germany before they trekked all over East Germany. She still wasn't sure how many days she spent in the custody of the Stasi. The customs officer was staring at her, waiting for an answer.

"About two weeks," she finally announced with little confidence.

"And for what purpose was the trip?" he inquired.

She swallowed hard. She wished Lee was here. He would lie through his teeth and have them out of line in seconds. "Sight seeing," she croaked out apprehensively, hoping the customs agent wouldn't notice her anxiety.

The officer keyed some information into his computer screen and a frown formed on his face. He looked up and waved towards one of the uniformed customs agent. "Mrs. Stetson, if you would accompany Mr. Ryan, please."

"Is there a problem? I live nearby in Arlington, you know. Just a stones throw from our nation's capital," she explained in a panic.

"I'm sure Mr. Ryan can help you out," the customs officer repeated after he whispered something to the other officer.  Mr. Ryan placed a gentle, but firm hand on Amanda's shoulder.

Mr. Ryan swiftly led Amanda to a waiting room. "Wait here," he commanded in an authoritative voice.

"But…" Amanda called out, but to no avail.

The door slammed quickly behind her. Then she heard the sound of a lock turning. Her frustration grew. Here she was almost home, yet alone once more. Amanda surveyed her surroundings. It was twice the size of the interrogation room back in East Berlin and its furnishings were a little more modern with several chairs, a larger table and fluorescent lighting, yet it was still cold and impersonal. She clutched her purse tightly, at the moment it was all that she had, her passport had not been returned to her by the customs agent.

"Damn it!" she swore loudly as she kicked the door. "OUCH!" she grimaced, then hobbled over to the chair and sat down in it, massaging her now aching foot. "That was really stupid, Amanda."

She elevated her throbbing foot on the other chair and waited endlessly for someone, anyone to return. She tried to kill some time by searching her purse in the rare hope that her watch was inside, but after a fruitless inspection she gave up. She then turned her attention to her wallet. All her money had been confiscated, but luckily her credit cards and most importantly her family photos were still there. Her face smiled as she thumbed through several pictures of Phillip and Jamie. Then there was the family photo taken two Christmas' ago with the entire family - including Lee…

Amanda let her head fall backwards and glanced up towards the ceiling. She closed her eyes and remembered the Christmas of 1987. After almost a year of hiding their mystery marriage, they'd announced they were getting married, and on Christmas Eve they recited their vows in front of the family. Nobody ever found out that they had actually married ten months earlier. The last year had been some of the happiest times in her life -- no longer having to split her time between her children and her husband. At times, despite their profession, they managed to be a real family. However, the last few days… or was it a week…she still couldn't remember had been brutal.

Amanda finally put her head down on her arm and rested at the table. Her eyelids became heavier and heavier. At first she fought to keep them open, expecting Mr. Ryan or someone to return at any moment and let her go home. She wanted to see her sons, her mother and Lee. Lee might have already been released. Her fight to stay awake was valiant, but finally she succumbed to exhaustion and allowed her eyes to close…

End Part Two
 

BERLIN SAGA - Part Three
 

 "Amanda?" a voice called out to her. "Amanda!"

"Lee," she mumbled, still mostly asleep.

"Amanda, wake up!" the voice insisted.

She lifted her head from the table, not sure how long she'd been asleep. Her eyes tried to focus on the man standing a few feet in front on her. "Lee, is that you?" she asked as rubbed her eyes and shook her head hoping to clear her foggy mind.

"No, Amanda, it's Billy, Billy Melrose. Are you all right?" Billy inquired anxiously.

"Billy?!" Amanda replied with relief. "Where's Lee?"

"I was hoping you'd know that," he answered regretfully. "Are you all right?"

She nodded then asked her supervisor one more time. "Is Lee back in the country?"

"I hadn't heard from either of you until about an hour ago. When you didn't check in by Sunday. I had your passports flagged. I've been rather concerned for the last few days. As soon as I got the call from Customs that you'd arrived, I drove straight over here," he explained.

Amanda pushed the chair away from the desk and stood up. Her aching foot, now partially asleep, refused to bear her slight frame and she almost fell.

"Are you hurt?" he asked in concern as he instinctively reached out for his agent and helped steady her.

"My foot's just a little sore," she answered as she tucked her hair behind her ears, trying to get the stray locks to behave, despite the fact she hadn't had a chance to brush or comb it since her morning shower back in East Berlin. She realized she must have looked awful -- no makeup, her hair stringing and undone, her clothes disheveled.

"What happened to you two? When and where was the last time you saw Scarecrow?" he inquired urgently.

"We were arrested on Thursday," Amanda croaked out, trying to keep her voice steady, but having a difficult time. "Lee was dragged out of the restaurant in East Berlin where we were supposed to meet…"

"East Berlin?" Billy interrupted loudly. "I thought you were meeting Dr. Von Kleist in Dresden?"

"He canceled that rendezvous," Amanda answered shaking her head over their recent escapades in East Germany. "He canceled meeting us in Leipzig, too. He rescheduled for Thursday, at lunch in East Berlin. Something happened though. That's when the police picked us up. I haven't seen or heard from Lee since then. To be honest, I'm not even sure what day it is."

Billy glanced at his agent, concern showing on his face. "It's Tuesday, the 18^th."

"It's Tuesday?" she repeated, obviously surprised. "Oh my gosh! I didn't realize they held me that long. Sir, what do you think they've done with Lee…"

"I don't know, but let's get you out of here and we'll put the pieces together back at the Agency," he counseled wisely.

Amanda nodded mutely as Billy opened the door to the holding room and they left the airport together. She was finally home and finally free, but she felt no joy in her freedom…

*** *** ***

"How is she, doc?" Billy asked Dr. MacJohn when he came out of the examination room, hoping to be able to do an immediate debriefing of his agent.

"She's suffering from exhaustion. From talking with her, I'm not sure when she's eaten a real meal or actually had more than a couple of hours sleep. I ordered her a burger and fries from the commissary. Not the most nutritious meal, but it's something," Dr. MacJohn answered.

"Any signs she was drugged or…?" Billy inquired, his voice trailing off.

"There were no needle marks in the obvious places. I've run the standard blood and urinalysis tests; I'll know more in the morning. There was some bruising on her arms and wrist, but nothing out of the ordinary," Dr. MacJohn indicated. "After she finishes eating, I want her to bunk down in the clinic for the night."

"I need to do a debriefing, doctor!" Billy urged anxiously. "The life of her partner may depend on something only she knows."

"Melrose, I'm well aware of the situation. Nobody's more anxious to get to the bottom of this than she is," he advised. "I'm sure she'd agree to doing a debriefing now, but she's exhausted; she needs the sleep. She'll be more use to you and Scarecrow if she can make sense of the last week than going over everything in a jumble."

Billy reluctantly nodded his understanding, but was clearly displeased. "First thing in the morning then."

"Yes, Melrose, you can debrief her in the morning," Dr. MacJohn agreed, shaking his head and returning to care for his patient.

*** *** ***

Amanda was eager to get started the next morning after her first good nights sleep in almost a week. She was still anxious that there had been no word from Lee, but felt refreshed and just glad to be back on American soil. When Billy walked into the debriefing room she was waiting and immediately asked. "Any word on Lee?"

"No, we're hoping you can shed some light on what happened," Billy answered as he shook his head. "Did you sleep well?"

"Best I've had in almost a week," she admitted as she nervously wrung her hands. "But I'm worried sick about Lee. Hasn't there been some kind of offer for a trade or something?"

"We haven't heard one word from the East Germans," Billy answered regretfully as he sat down and turned on the tape recorder to start the debriefing session. "Are you comfortable, Amanda?"

"Yes, sir," she nodded as she rubbed her temples, trying to ignore the headache that seemed to be starting. "I'm fine."

"All right. Let's begin. It's Wednesday, April 19^th. Amanda King Stetson debriefing for the attempted defection of Dr. Maximilian Von Kleist from East Germany. For the record, Amanda, please start from the beginning."

Amanda nodded and then thought back to the past week. Now that she had a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast she actually could think straight. She was hoping she could pin down something - anything - that had happened over the last week. There had to be something she missed that could help them find her husband.

"As you know, we arrived in Dresden on Sunday. We were supposed to meet Dr. Von Kleist in a local café that evening for dinner. Lee and I spent several hours there that night; we had drinks, dinner and dessert, but Dr. Von Kleist never showed. We walked back to our hotel, checked for messages - there weren't any - so we went directly to sleep. The next morning we went to breakfast early, but when we returned to our room someone had slipped a note under the door."

"Was it written in German?" Billy inquired.

"No, it was written in English. I don't remember the exact wording, but it was something like: 'I think I was being followed. We'll try again tonight. Same place.'" Amanda explained, trying to remain calm. "So we went back to the café again on Monday night, but he still didn't show."

"Did you and Lee stake out his office?" Billy asked.

"We walked by there on Monday evening on the way to the café. The two places were only a few blocks away and the streets were rather crowded since people were getting off work so we blended in pretty well. We stayed in the area as long as we dared, but we didn't want to draw any attention to ourselves. Neither of us spotted Dr. Von Kleist. We eventually walked down to the café, Lee had a beer before dinner to kill some time," she remembered with a laugh. "The tables on each side of us cleared out twice before we finished dinner, but Dr. Von Kleist still didn't show."

"At any point did either of you feel like this assignment was a bust, or there was a problem…maybe a leak?" her supervisor queried.

"Not on Monday," she answered quickly. "Although I know Lee was getting rather frustrated."

"So, when was the next time either of you made contact with Dr. Von Kleist?" he asked.

"We received a phone call early Tuesday morning," she answered thoughtfully. "Lee answered it and held the phone so we both could hear. He thought it was Dr. Von Kleist, but the man was whispering so I couldn't tell for sure. I remember that the person speaking sounded really nervous," Amanda reported.

"How long did the call last?" Billy inquired.

"Not long. Less than a minute," she replied with another deep breath. "The man was clearly distraught. He was worried about being followed and the safety of his family. Lee tried to calm him down, but I don't think he was very successful. Dr. Von Kleist, if that's who he really was told us he'd be in Leipzig for the day. He wanted to meet at the train station in Leipzig at five that afternoon."

"So you went to Leipzig," he surmised.

"Ja, I mean yes," Amanda said with a small shake of her head. "We took the train to Leipzig that afternoon. We did the tourist bit, took a few pictures, visited some of the sites to kill some time until we were supposed to meet the doctor. We returned to the train station about half past four. The next train back to Dresden wasn't until six so we had plenty of time to meet with Von Kleist. We waited and watched the people at the train station - no Maximilian Von Kleist. Lee even made us wait for the next train to Dresden, which wasn't until nine, in case Von Kleist was running late…"

"Any word from anyone? He didn't send a messenger?" Billy prodded.

"No - zilch," Amanda answered flatly. "We took the later train back to Dresden. I honestly don't remember what time it was when we got back to our hotel; we were both so exhausted. I did check for messages at the front desk, but there weren't any. No notes under the door either - nothing. The whole day had been a bust."

"Any chance you were sent on a wild goose chase so someone could search your room?" he suggested.

"The maid had been in, but Lee always leaves a match or a pen or something on the suitcases in case someone tampers with them. There didn't appear to be anything amiss, but even if anyone had searched our room, there was nothing to find other than clothing and film," she reaffirmed loudly. "The note that Dr. Von Kleist had sent the other day had been destroyed and discarded in a public trash can. Billy, we were both very careful. We're not a couple of rookies."

"All right, Amanda," he replied, holding up his hand to forestall her from continuing further. "Let's just review; on Sunday and Monday the subject didn't make either of his rendezvous and your only contact with him is one phone call on Tuesday morning."

"Other than the note Monday morning," she reminded him.

"So on both occasions, you were contacted in the morning," Billy surveyed with intrigue.

"Yes, Lee noticed that pattern as well and true to his form, Dr. Von Kleist called again early Wednesday morning. He was quite apologetic for missing his last meeting in Dresden and told us they changed the meeting's location at the last minute to East Berlin. He wanted to call us but was afraid he'd be detected. He then alleged that he'd be in Berlin until Thursday. So Lee suggested meeting him for breakfast the next morning instead of dinner."

"And the doctor accepted?" he asked in surprise.

"No," Amanda shook her head. "He said they were starting the meeting very early. He suggested meeting for lunch instead."

"So when did you get to Berlin?" Billy asked curiously.

"We checked out of our hotel in Dresden late that morning and took another train to East Berlin. The weather was pretty lousy that day, windy and cool. There was some kind of problem on the route; the rumor was a tree fell across the tracks, so we didn't get to Berlin until dark. We found a hotel nearby and ate some dinner."

"Did you talk to anyone while you were in town?" Billy prompted eager to spark a memory or strike a chord.

"No, after we had dinner that night we went straight to bed. Other than the necessary conversations with the waiter and the hotel staff, we didn't speak to another soul," she answered flatly, clearly disgusted at the lack of clues.

"Anything unusual happen while you were in Berlin?" he probed.

"Not really. In the morning we bought a map of the area to find out where we were meeting Dr. Von Kleist for lunch. We toured around Berlin a bit before our alleged meeting at lunch. It had been raining on and off all morning, but I took a lot of pictures trying to keep our cover. To be honest I was fascinated by the place and was actually enjoying myself despite the rain," she remembered as she winced slightly.

"I take it that Lee wasn't as fascinated as you were," Billy ventured wryly, observing the look on her face. "Did something set him off? Were you being followed?"

Amanda rubbed her temples in pain. "I asked if there was something bothering him, but he said there wasn't anything he could put his finger on. I knew he was frustrated by all the delays and missed appointments. We both were, but it comes with the territory sometimes. Neither of us had a clue if we were just chasing shadows. We had nothing solid to go on since we arrived in East Germany. Lee decided that if Dr. Von Kleist didn't show that day we were going back to West Germany."

"Then what?" Billy prompted.

"We went to the pub for lunch. We were early for our meeting, but we were both soaked from the rain that we welcomed the chance to dry off and warm up. We sat with a clear view of the door, waiting and hoping Dr. Von Kleist would actually show. A few minutes after we arrived, a woman came in acting rather strangely. Lee thought she might be a messenger for the doctor, but before he could approach her…" she swallowed hard. The scene replayed quickly in front of her eyes.

"Amanda… what happened?" Billy pressed gently.

"The Stasi police came in and yanked us both out of our seats. One of them threw Lee against the wall and frisked him. The next thing I knew they were dragging him out of the restaurant."

"Did he say anything to you before he left?" he inquired.

Amanda winced again, remembering the blood spurting from his head as he called out to her. "Yes, as they were dragging him from the café he called out, 'I'm sure this is a mistake…'" and then the officer clubbed him across the head." Amanda couldn't speak anymore. The awful memory was again fresh in her mind.
 

"Why don't we take a break, Amanda. Would you like some coffee?" Billy asked.

"Maybe just some water," she replied somewhat unsteadily.

Billy reached for the pitcher of water on the table and poured her a glass. "It's going to be all right."

Amanda nodded, but was not easily convinced. She accepted the glass and sipped at it. Was the reason that Lee hadn't been returned like she had been because he was dead? Had the blow to his head been so severe that…She choked on the water in her throat at the thought.

"Are you all right?" Billy asked in alarm, noticing the color drain from her face as she gasped for air.

She coughed and cleared her throat, taking a few seconds to gather her wits about her. "I'll be fine in a couple of minutes," she gasped breathlessly.

Billy put a comforting hand on her slumped shoulder. "I'll give you a few minutes break. If you need anything, I'll be right outside," he advised before he got up and retreated to the waiting room outside.

**** **** *****

"Dr. MacJohn dropped off Amanda's results this morning," Francine advised when Billy came out of the debriefing room. "I thought you might want to see them."

Billy's eyebrow raised. "What did he find?"

"Not a thing!" she exclaimed in surprise. "She was clean."

"Well that's good news," he sighed in relief.

"How's it going in there?" Francine asked in a quiet voice.

"We still don't have anything solid to go on. It seems as if they were sent on a wild goose chase. All the leads were solid enough to follow up on… nothing to really worry either of them," he answered with a shrug.

"How's Amanda holding up?" she inquired.

"She's putting on a good front, but I don't know how long she can keep that up," he admitted. "Get on a clean line to any contact we have in Germany - East or West. See if anyone's seen or heard from Dr. Maximilian Von Kleist in the last week. I want to know everything about that man and I want it by noon!" Billy snapped decisively.

"Yes, sir," Francine nodded as she handed her supervisor, Amanda's medical report.

Billy turned and reached for the knob of the interrogation room. He had hoped that Amanda would be able to shed some light on her husband's disappearance, but at this point, that seemed less than likely.

**** **** **** ****

A while later Billy ran his hands across his face trying to hide his frustration. He didn't understand why the East Germans had let Amanda go, but held Scarecrow. He sighed heavily before asking as calmly as possible. "They held you there for four days! There has to be something you've left out!"

"I'm sorry, Sir," Amanda apologized in a defeated voice. "I really can't tell you more than I already have. They just kept asking me the same question 'Who was I working for and with?' and I kept telling them I was a tourist. If they searched my luggage that would surely have backed up my story."

"Do you remember any of the names of your interrogators?" he asked trying to pursue another angle.

"No, Sir, I was never formally introduced to any of them. Sir, there were an awful lot of them. Rarely was it the same person - older men, younger men, tall, skinny, short, fat. It was like they were all taking turns questioning me," she grumbled. "Some were in uniform but most of them were in suits. They just kept asking the same question. 'Who was I working for or with? and sometimes 'Who was I there to meet?' There were times that I was left alone in that room for hours before the interrogations started again with a new face..."

"Did you see any other prisoners when you were in the cell?" Billy asked with a shrug.

"No," she answered, shaking her head. "The cell block had three other cells, but they were always empty. I never saw or heard another prisoner the entire time I was held there."

"All right, Amanda, I guess that's it," he answered as he turned off the tape recorder. He looked troubled by the lack of information.

"So, what now?" she asked, swallowing hard, not certain she'd want to hear the answer.

"I'll have someone take you home. You're on standard Administrative Leave until we can sort this thing out," he advised.

"Home!?" she gasped in amazement. "I should stay here and help out. We've got to figure out where they took Lee!"

"Amanda, there's nothing you can do right now," he reassured her as he rubbed his chin, looking rather perplexed. "We put out an Alpha alert to all our European agents. We're trying to get word to our operatives under cover in East Germany to see what they can dig up, but it takes time."

"Lee might not have time!" she exclaimed in a panic stricken voice, her thoughts taking another dark turn. "It might be too late already."

"Don't start thinking like that," Billy warned. "If Scarecrow was killed we would have been notified by now."

"So send me back over there with some of the local operatives…" she started to suggest.

"We can't go into East Germany with a large search force," he reminded his agent. "You were over there spying on them and trying to aid a highly respected scientist escape the country. If we make too much of a fuss, if they don't have evidence against Scarecrow now, we'll give it to them. Go home, Amanda."

Amanda nodded solemnly. "What do I tell my family when Lee doesn't come home with me?"

Billy sighed heavily and thought for a few minutes before answering. "Amanda, your family knows the basics about the Agency. Tell them it's 'Need to Know' and they don't need to know. Besides, at the moment, we really don't have anything to tell them."

"In all due respect, Sir, they're going to know something is wrong!" she pointed out.

"Then tell them the truth. You were both picked up by the police and Lee has yet to be released," he suggested as he stood up and put his hand on her shoulder. "We'll get him out of there; it's just going to take some time."

Amanda nodded as they walked out of the debriefing room and into the busy hallway. She mumbled hoarsely. "I just hope he has time…"
 

End Part Three
 
 
 
 
 

Berlin Saga- Part Four

Friday 4/21/89
 
 

Billy and Francine were going over what little intelligence they'd gathered regarding Lee's arrest in East Berlin when his phone rang. "What is it?" Billy snapped into the phone when he picked it up.

"Amanda King is on her way up to see you," Mrs. Marston announced.

"She's supposed to be on administrative leave," he reminded her pointedly.

"Yes, but there was no 'lock out' order," she advised him. "So I had no authority to stop her."

"Very well," he grimaced before hanging up the phone.

"Let me guess, Amanda's here," Francine surmised from the brief conversation.

"I was hoping she'd stay home at least until Monday," he grumbled as he thumbed through the little paperwork they had on Lee's arrest.

"She's probably pacing the walls at home worrying about him," Francine wisely reminded him, then asked curiously. "What are you going to tell her?"

"What can I tell her?" he shrugged.

"I, um, I better get working on that, um…" Francine hedged as she tried to think of a good excuse to leave before Amanda arrived.

"You stay put," Billy ordered as he pointed his finger at Francine. "She's going to need all her friends right now, Francine, and that includes you."

"Sounds more like you need a friend right now, Billy," Francine remarked with an arched eyebrow.

"That, too," he agreed as they were interrupted by a knock at his office door. He waved his arm and she opened the door. "Amanda, come in."

"Hello, Sir, Francine," she greeted them both amiably. "I know I'm on administrative leave and all, but I hadn't heard from you since Wednesday and I just knew there had to be some news on Lee's whereabouts…"

"Amanda, sit down," Billy answered as he nodded to a vacant chair. He waited until she was seated and then sighed heavily. "I wish I had good news for you, but so far we have no reports on where Lee's being held, if, in fact, he's still in..."

Amanda glared at Billy in alarm. "You don't think… They wouldn't have… Billy, if he's been traded to the KGB…"

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Billy interrupted tensely, but the thought had crossed his mind as well. "All I'm saying is that we haven't heard anything from the East German government saying that he's been arrested or deported either. We're pursuing regular diplomatic channels via the State Department - one that won't compromise Lee's cover if in fact he's been arrested. "

"What do you mean IF he's been arrested? I was there!" Amanda demanded in a high pitched voice.

Billy's hand washed across his face, reminding himself that Amanda was probably stretched rather thin emotionally. He needed to be careful about what and how he said things. "Amanda, you need to calm down," he ordered in a stern yet calm voice. "We know he's been detained by the police. We don't know that he's been officially charged with any crime. We're still trying to get our informants into the police station or word back from the State Department. Lee's not being held in the United States. In official channels these things take time."

"I'm sorry," Amanda apologized in a subdued voice as she momentarily glanced at the floor, slightly embarrassed by her outburst. "It's just that…"

"It's all right, I understand," he answered reassuringly.

"Have I been cleared by the review board yet," she inquired in a tense voice.

"They're meeting Monday on your case. I'm sure you'll be reinstated by the end of next week," he assured her.

"Sir, is there anything I can do to speed up the process?" she asked anxiously as she leaned forward slightly. "I want to do anything and everything to help bring Lee home…"

"I assure you we're doing everything we can to get him back expediently. As for your reinstatement, the review board only meets on Monday. Once they do it's just a formality of getting the paperwork done," he answered. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No, Sir," she replied in a defeated tone as she stood up and walked towards the door. "Thank you for your time."

"No problem. I'll call you on Monday when we have the official word from the review board," he reminded her.

"Thank you, sir," she replied as she turned the knob on the door, then paused. "Can I ask you one more thing?"

"Certainly, what is it?" Billy answered cordially.

"My passport, sir," she inquired hesitantly. "They took it when I entered through Dulles Airport the other day. It was never returned to me. I'd like to have it back."

Billy bit his lip and gave the situation some thought before answering her. "Right off the top of my head, I'm not sure who has it, but we'll find out who does. Don't worry about it."

"Oh," she answered, rather disappointed. "I guess I'll have to wait until Monday. Goodbye, Mr. Melrose, Francine," Amanda nodded to them both and headed out of his office and through the bullpen.

Francine stared at Billy curiously for a few moments and then she thumbed through the small file that sat on his desk and pulled out Amanda's passport. "You know exactly where her passport is, Billy. Certainly the review board doesn't think for one minute that Amanda King had anything to do with Lee's arrest in East Germany?" she demanded incredulously.

"Of course not, Francine! The review board has unofficially cleared her; Monday's just a formality. I'm just a little concerned that Amanda might try to take matters into her own hands," he admitted, somewhat guiltily.

"You don't think she'd try to go back to East Germany and search for him herself, do you?" she surmised.

Billy tapped his pencil nervously on the desk for a few moments, not answering her question. "Francine, I have a little assignment for you," he finally ventured. "I want you to keep an eye on her. Put her name on a watch list for all area airports just in case she tries something… stupid."

"Can't you give that assignment to a freshman agent, Billy?" Francine appealed with an uncomfortable groan.

"I'd rather have a friend looking out for her," he reminded his other agent logically. "In case you run into her accidentally, you could explain your presence a little easier than a freshman agent."

"Baby sitting, Amanda!" Francine complained unhappily. "I'm only agreeing to this for Scarecrow's sake!" she announced rather perturbed.

"I don't care who you do if for, Francine," Billy answered sternly. "Just make sure she stays OUT of trouble!"

"That can be a full time job," Francine mumbled as she stood up to leave Billy's office.

He nodded but didn't say a word. He had a feeling that Amanda would be a handful for even a seasoned agent like Francine until Scarecrow came back home safely.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Francine had just poured herself a glass of wine and sat down on her sofa. She'd spent half the day at the office going over the overseas reports hoping to find some trace of Scarecrow. She kicked off her heels and reached for the television remote when her phone rang. "Desmond," she answered.

"When's the last time you saw Amanda?" Billy demanded harshly.

"I took a detour and drove by her house on my way home. I'm pleased to report her car was in the driveway and activity in the house appeared normal."

"May I suggest next time you get out of your car and peek in a window or two!" he exclaimed in a fury. "Her car might be there, but she isn't. I just got a call from an agent at Dulles. Amanda just arrived at the airport!"

"Maybe she's picking someone up?" Francine suggested, but doubted it herself as she put her wineglass down on the table.

"She checked a suitcase in at the counter and had a small overnight case with her when she went through security," he advised.

"Damn her!" Francine swore angrily. "I'm on my way!"

"I want her in my office within an hour!" Billy ordered.

"Yes, sir," she answered.

"Don't let her get on a plane - I don't care where she's going. Get a hold of Tommy Hill. He's on surveillance duty over there. He has orders to detain her if you don't get there in time," Billy snapped before hanging up the phone.

Francine hung up her phone, slipped her heels back on her feet, grabbed her purse and keys and raced down to her car. Luckily the Sunday evening traffic was light and she arrived quickly at Dulles International Airport. She hastily dialed Agent Hill's phone number.

"Tommy, it's Francine. Where's Amanda?" Francine asked, needing to know which concourse to head towards.

"She's in concourse 'C' - the gate all the way down to the end," he informed her.

"That figures," she mumbled with disgust. "How long until her flight leaves?"

"About a half hour," he answered. "They just made the boarding announcement for pre-boards."

"Don't let her get on that plane," Francine called out as she walked briskly towards the shuttle that would take her out to the concourse. "I'll be there in five minutes."

"Don't worry, I've got my eye on her," he replied before ending the call.

After flashing her ID she whisked past security. Francine sat impatiently in the shuttle as it lumbered out to the 'C' concourse. When it finally docked, she pushed her way through the other passengers trying to get down to the end of the terminal. Finally she saw Tommy Hill.

"Where is she?" Francine asked as she scanned the area, but didn't see anyone who looked like Amanda King.

"Behind the newspaper against the wall," he nodded. "Next to the woman with three little kids."

"That figures," she replied with a sigh. Then she nodded to the other agent. "Thanks, Tommy; I'll handle this from here. Don't worry about writing an incident report on this. I'll take care of it."

"You sure you can handle her alone?" he laughed, then quickly moved out of Francine's reach to avoid being swatted. "Later, Franny!"

She cringed at the nickname, wishing that all the new agents hadn't caught Beeman calling her that. Damn him anyway! She finally shook her head and began to approach the woman who sat immobile, hiding behind the newspaper. Not wanting to cause a scene she wandered carefully down to where Amanda was sitting as if she was looking for an empty seat.

"Amanda!" Francine called out in the sweetest voice possible. "Imagine meeting you here of all places!"

Amanda stared up at Francine in shock. She opened her mouth but no words came out.

Francine having the advantage of surprise reached down for her friend's arm and coaxed her up. "How about we have a quick drink before your flight? We can talk about old times," Francine suggested with a smile and a firm grip on Amanda's elbow.

Amanda swallowed hard. "Yeah, I could certainly use a stiff drink right now."

Francine navigated the crowded seating area carefully. Her grip on Amanda was secure, although there was no place Amanda could escape to at the moment. As they got away from the gate area Francine turned to Amanda and berated her. "Have you totally lost you mind? When Billy gets a hold of you he's going to go ballistic!"

"Does, um, Billy have to know?" she whispered meekly.

"You should have thought about that before you flew out of Dulles! Your passport was flagged remember? You're still on a watch list since you're still on administrative leave. Besides, the last I heard you didn't have a passport!"

"I applied for an emergency replacement," Amanda admitted in a murmur as they reached the main terminal.

Francine rolled her eyes as she steered Amanda towards the exit. "You were going to be reinstated on Monday. Now I'm not sure what the board will do."

After a few minutes of silence they reached Francine's car.

"Where are we going?" Amanda asked.

"Back to the Agency," Francine replied as she got into her car. "Billy wants a word or two with you and personally I don't blame him if he throws the book at you this time."

Amanda glared at her co-worker and then asked her point blank. "Francine, would you sit on the sidelines and wait while your partner, the person you worked side by side for the last six years is in desperate need of your help?"

"I don't know, Amanda," she shrugged. She tried to remain impartial, although she did sympathize with Amanda's plight. "All I do know is that you won't help Lee at all if you end up getting suspended. If Dr. Smyth finds out about your little escapade tonight he'll have your hide and Billy's!"

"I don't really give a damn about Dr. Smyth or Billy at the moment. Neither of them are sitting somewhere in an East German prison… or worse. They might have sent him…" Her voice broke and she stared out the window, her lower lip trembling. The last thing she wanted to do was break down in front of Francine.

"Amanda, stop it!" Francine interrupted in a sharp voice. She took a deep breath to control her temper and then placed a reassuring hand on her fellow agent's shoulder. "Just stop. We don't know that Lee's been charged with anything yet so stop borrowing trouble!"

"So I should just stay home and wait?" she snapped in an icy voice. "I can't do that, Francine, I can't sit home anymore."

"You were going to be reinstated tomorrow," she reminded Amanda.

"Was I?" she asked, unconvinced. "The Agency or the State Department has had almost a week to find some answers, but I haven't heard anything from anyone. Is anyone really out there looking for Lee? I refuse to sit idle in Arlington while Dr. Smyth shuffles paperwork to protect his precious 'Agency' from a scandal when he's the one who sent us over there in the first place!"

"Amanda, you're not thinking rationally," Francine warned her friend, concerned with her tone and intent.

"Rationally?" Amanda scoffed in a bitter voice. "If either Lee or I had thought rationally we wouldn't have canceled our family's spring vacation plans to handle an 'important defection' in East Germany. If either of us had been thinking rationally we wouldn't have taken the train to East Berlin in the first place."

Francine sighed heavily. She wished there was more she could say and do to help Amanda through this difficult time, but unfortunately they had to play the waiting game and so far the East German's weren't budging when it came to Lee's disposition.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

"What were you thinking?" William Melrose demanded furiously to Amanda as she sat in his office, frozen in her chair. "I guess that's the root of the problem… You weren't thinking!"

"Sir," Amanda tried to interrupt.

"I'm not finished!" he bellowed as he reached into his pocket for a bottle of antacid. He tossed a few tablets into his mouth and chomped on them hastily. "I already have one agent missing, I don't need you to disappear behind the Berlin Wall, too! I trusted you, Amanda. I've bent more than a few rules around here for you over the years and this is the way you repay me? By attempting to leave the country without permission or knowledge of your direct supervisor in some half-assed attempt to find your partner?"

Amanda finally interrupted her supervisor. "With all due respect, sir, I'll do whatever is necessary to find Lee and bring him home where he belongs."

"We're working all the available channels, Amanda," Billy reiterated.

Amanda shook her head, glaring at her boss. "Are you, sir? Or is that what you want me to believe?"

"Of course we are," he snapped angrily. "Why would you think we weren't?"

"Because I know you've lied to me at least once since I've returned from Berlin," she answered directly.

"What?!" Billy retorted, confused.

"Do you remember the day you met me at Dulles, in the holding room?" she asked.

He nodded blankly.

"My foot was sore and I tripped. You reached out and grabbed me so I wouldn't fall. Your suit jacket opened up and I saw my dark blue passport in your white shirt pocket, but the other day when I asked for it back, you said you didn't know who had it. If you've lied to me about that, how do I know you haven't lied to me about where Lee is or who has him?"

"You're right, I do have your passport, Amanda," Billy admitted uncomfortable, unable to look her in the eye. "I didn't return it because I was afraid if I did, that you might try something stupid like going off as a rogue and handle things on your own… Which, I might add is exactly what you did!"

"Sir, I'll do whatever it takes to find him. He'd do the same for me," she reminded him.

"No doubt that Scarecrow would have tried a similar bone headed stunt, Amanda," Billy agreed, taking a deep breath hoping it would calm him down. "However, if you go behind our backs and try to get back into East Germany you could jeopardize the framework we've been setting up. Plus, there's no guarantee that IF you get back into the country that you could get back to the West again. That wouldn't help Lee, or your family, now, would it?"

"No, sir," she mumbled softly.

"All right then. Go home and stay there, that's an order," he demanded sternly as he glared at her. "If Dr. Smyth gets wind of your shenanigans tonight, you might end up on unpaid leave for a week!"

"Sir, do you promise to keep me in the loop about Lee?" she appealed.

"As long as you promise not to leave town," he answered with a smile.

"It's a deal," she replied, smiling as well.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Billy wasn't surprised when he arrived at the office early Tuesday morning to find Amanda waiting in the bullpen for him.

"Good morning, Sir," Amanda greeted him cheerfully.

"Looking forward to getting back to work, I see," Billy replied.

"Yes, sir. I want to help in any way I can to bring Lee home," she answered as she followed him into his office.

"Have a seat, Amanda," Billy suggested as he sat down at his desk and thumbed through the morning report to see if there was any information on Scarecrow. His face frowned. "I wish there was news on him, but there's still nothing."

"Sir, I don't understand how that can be. It's been almost two weeks since we were picked up. How can the East German government not even acknowledge they have him in custody?" she remarked with continued frustration.

"The communist regime works much differently than ours. We often take our freedom for granted, Amanda," he reminded her. "The right to a speedy trial, the right to counsel, those aren't rights in East Germany. They're known for repression and imprisonment."

"What about a trade?" she suggested hopefully.

"First off, we don't have anyone to trade," he warned her.

"So we pick up one of their agents, Billy," she pleaded as she stood up and paced his office. "This town's crawling with them. How hard can it be?"

"If it were that easy, Amanda, Scarecrow would have been back in town last week. It's just not that simple. He was in East Germany trying to lure a renowned East German scientist to defect," Billy reminded her.

"He wanted to defect!" she reminded him desperately.

"Maybe our intelligence was bad, Amanda," Billy replied with a shrug.

"So we pick up one of their agents and ask for a trade," Amanda reiterated.

Billy stood up and came around his desk and reached out, touching Amanda's shoulder gently. "I know this whole situation isn't easy for you, really I do. But you have to realize is if the Agency presses the issue, it reduces Lee's chances of getting out of East Germany without a lengthy prison sentence. The State Department is doing the best they can."

"So what am I supposed to do in the meantime?" she whispered.

"You go on alone as best you can," he advised her. "It won't be easy, but you still have a job to do here. If anything breaks, you'll be the first person to know."

"Sir, do I have your word that you'll keep me informed regardless of what you hear?" she pleaded anxiously.

"You have my word," he answered as he nodded towards the door. "Francine will be helping you out in the Q Bureau in the meantime. If you need anything, let me know."

"Thank you, sir," she replied, unhappily, dejection apparent in her voice. She got up and left his office without further comment.

Billy watched his friend and subordinate exit the bullpen and sighed heavily. It would be difficult for any agent to have a partner arrested and detained in a communist block country, but when that agent is your spouse it seemed an insurmountable challenge. He hoped that Amanda had the strength to get through the next few weeks or months and prayed that it didn't extend beyond that.

End Part Four
 
 
 
 

Berlin Saga - Part Five

May 3rd 1989

Billy sat down at his desk, coffee in hand and picked up the morning report. He immediately put his coffee down and his eyes opened wide. He had hoped that it wouldn't come to this but the name was clearly written in black and white. After weeks of not hearing anything from the East German government Lee Stetson's name appeared at the top of his alert sheet. He rummaged through the report's index and found what page the details were contained on. As he read the details, he instinctively reached for the bottle of antacid in his coat pocket.

"This is going to be a very long day…" he mumbled unhappily.

He put the report down and paced his office. He had to tell her, but how? He sat back down at his desk. It was times like this that he hated his job, but he knew he had a promise to keep. As he picked up the phone his eye caught a familiar face in the bullpen.

Standing up once again he walked over to the door and called her. "Amanda, can you come in here for a minute?" he asked as evenly as possible, but his stomach was already doing back flips when she entered the room.

"Good morning, sir," Amanda greeted cheerfully as she held a manila folder in her hand. "I've got the details on the three locations for the Bierstadt Exhibit. It was short notice, but with the fire at the original location we had limited choices available to us. I think you'll find that any of them would work quite well."

Billy took the folder from her hand, closed the door and nodded for her to sit down. "I have no doubt that any of the options will be suitable," he replied, his voice remained remarkably steady despite the subject he needed to discuss with her.

"The main question is how close to the Mall does the Agency want the Exhibit to be located for the week that it's here," she continued on. "Now, Francine thought it would be best to have it…"

"Amanda," he interrupted. "That's not why I called you in here this morning," he paused. Suddenly his mouth was as dry as cotton. He walked over and took a sip of his morning coffee; the bitter taste made it as hard to swallow as the news he had to impart. He reached over to the morning report once again and held it tightly in his hand.

"It's about Lee?" she surmised immediately from the panic stricken look on her supervisor's face.

"I'm afraid so," he answered in a quiet voice. "It was in the morning report. I should have more details in a few hours but I wanted you to know before you heard it from the gossip mongers."

"Is he…" she gulped before finishing her question. "Dead?" she whispered and grimaced even as she heard herself speak the awful word.

"No, thank God, but unfortunately it's now official; he's been convicted of spying," Billy explained calmly.

"Convicted already? Did he even get a trial?" Amanda questioned in a quavering voice.

"I'm sure he had a trial; I can't vouch for its fairness. He's been sentenced already as well," he announced bitterly.

"How long did he get?" she mumbled as her eyes glanced up hesitantly at her supervisor.

"It wasn't as bad as it could have been," he answered gently, trying to soften the blow. He was worried about how she'd take the news. His eyes made contact with her eyes for a moment before he looked back down at the report. Finally the vile words spewed from his lips. "He was sentenced to ten years."

She stared at him in stunned silence. Her lips pursed as if to repeat what he just said, but nothing came out of them.

"I know that sounds like a long time, but it really could have been much worse," Billy muttered, breaking the silence. He hated how hollow the words sounded as soon as they left his mouth. "I wish I had better news…"

Amanda's hand shook as she covered her mouth. Her face paled and for a moment Billy thought she was going to faint. Finally she spoke. "Can he appeal? What about time off for good behavior? What prison is he being sent to? What about a trade now?"

"There are no appeals in East Germany, Amanda. The decision, as awful as it is, was rather lenient. He could have been sentenced to twenty years or even life," Billy explained sadly, knowing that was little comfort to the wife and partner Lee left behind.

"Now that he's been convicted, what about a trade?" she suggested once again.

"We'll keep that option open when and if we have someone to trade him for, but, Amanda, that's not something that's in my power. Those decisions are made from the top…"

"You mean Dr. Smyth would have to approve it," she answered in finality as she stood up and began to pace the room.

"Smyth would be involved, no doubt, but depending upon the instance, the decision could be made on Pennsylvania Avenue," he reminded her.

"Isn't there something… anything we can do to…" she begged as her knees started to buckle. She leaned against the wall for support.

Billy looked up at the ceiling praying for some divine intervention, but knowing there would be no easy reprieve. "We wait…"

"That's all I ever seem to do, Billy," Amanda exclaimed desperately as her hand slammed against the wall in rage. "What about getting someone on the inside? Can't we arrange an escape? With all the technology we have there's got to be something we can do. We can't abandon him over there!"

Billy swallowed hard. He knew this conversation was going to be a difficult pill for Amanda to take. "Amanda, Lee knew the risks of going into East Germany. This is a very unfortunate consequence. We'll keep the case open and hope for the best, but for now, our hands are tied."

"Hope for the best? One of your best agents is going to rot away in some prison for ten years! What kind of solution is that?" she raged bitterly.

Billy turned away from her. The look of betrayal on her face was too much for him to endure. When he finally turned back to answer her, he heard the door slam shut. Amanda stormed out of the office and through the bullpen…

****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ******

Amanda bolted out the Georgetown foyer - gasping for air. It was a warm spring day in May, unlike the cold rainy day in East Berlin when this whole nightmare started. However, Amanda barely noticed the warm weather, the blue sky or the flowers that were blooming nearby.

"When will this nightmare end?" she cried as she made her way down to her car that was parked down the street. She leaned against it for support, totally lost in her grief.

"Amanda, what's wrong?" Francine asked in concern as she walked by.

Amanda looked up to see Francine only a few feet from her. She wiped the tears from her eyes and struggled to stop crying long enough to answer. "It's Lee… he's been convicted of spying."

Francine grimaced. "How long did he get?"

"Ten years," she answered as another sob racked through her. She leaned back against her car, her legs shaking.

Francine pulled out a tissue from her purse and handed it to her. "As long as that sounds, it could have been worse," she reminded her fellow agent.

Amanda nodded, but it did little to ease her torment. "What am I going to do?"

Francine leaned against the car next to her fellow agent. "Once you get over the shock of it all, you're going to get angry. Then you'll come to grips with it and learn to adjust to it," she suggested wisely.

"Adjust to it?" Amanda cried angrily. "It's like being divorced all over again. By the time Lee gets out of East Germany, Phillip and Jamie will be out of college and could be married and have families of their own. It's not fair."

"Amanda, life isn't fair. You know that. Look on the bright side of things," Francine indicated.

Amanda wiped her tears and fiercely shook her head. "I'm sorry, Francine, but at the moment I don't see a bright side to this situation."

"He could have been shot, for one thing," Francine reminded her sternly. "Or he could have gotten a longer sentence or even life. Ten years is a long time, but eventually he'll come home and when he does you'll be waiting for him. Be glad for the little things right now, Amanda. It's not much to go by, but it's something to start with."

Amanda sighed heavily. As much as she hated to admit it, things could be worse. "I guess your right," she whispered softly.

"Now that's a first," Francine smiled and shrugged. "You and I agreeing on something."

Amanda's face cracked a slight smile. "The little things, huh?"

Francine nodded then suggested. "Why don't you get out of here for a while. I'll review the details of the Bierstadt Exhibit with Billy. I'll call you later on."

"You wouldn't mind?" she asked in surprise.

"No, go on, get out of here. My guess is you could use some fresh air to get your head straight. I'm sure Billy will understand," Francine reiterated.

"I brought him the folder earlier this morning on the Bierstadt Exhibit. We didn't have a chance to go over anything before he gave me the bad news," Amanda explained to her co-worker.

"I'll take care of it," Francine replied with empathy, but reminded her of one more thing. "Amanda, I'll miss him too, but you know Lee wouldn't want you to sit around and feel sorry for yourself for very long."

"Thanks, Francine, I'll talk to you later," Amanda nodded and watched as Francine walked towards the Georgetown foyer and into the Agency…

****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ******

Amanda was cleaning the kitchen a few hours later when the doorbell rang. She tossed the dishrag on the counter and went to answer the door.

"Francine!" she remarked quite surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Francine held a package in her arms and smiled. "I thought you might need a little company tonight."

"Well that's awfully considerate of you, but I'm fine," Amanda lied as she put on a cheerful face.

"I know your family's all out of the house. You really shouldn't be alone," Francine replied.

"I appreciate you're concern, but they'll be back in a little while…"

"Your mother's at the Kennedy Center and Joe took the boys to see a basketball game," Francine replied from memory. "So my guess is that you'll be alone until rather late."

"And how exactly do you know that information? Do you have my house bugged?" Amanda gasped in dismay.

"No, don't worry, the house isn't bugged and before you even ask I don't have baby-sitting duties. Billy's just worried about you.  He thought it would be better if you had someone to talk to tonight who understands - fully - the situation at hand," Francine explained. "So he sent the tickets to your mother under the ruse that she won a contest and he called Joe and offered him a few choice seats for tonight's basketball game."

"So let me guess," Amanda concluded in a bitter voice. "You picked the short straw and got stuck with cheering me up?"

Francine shook her head. "No, I volunteered. If this isn't the right occasion to drown your sorrows in a good bottle of wine, I don't know what is. So which do you prefer, red or white?" Francine asked as she pulled out two bottles of wine from the package she held.

"I appreciate the offer, Francine, but the house is a mess," she bluffed, hoping her fellow agent would buy the excuse.

Francine peered past Amanda and noticed the house was quite tidy. "Amanda, you really want me to believe that once you stopped wandering DC this morning you didn't spend the rest of the day cleaning your house?"

"All right, so I clean when I'm upset, but I'm doing all right now and I'd rather be alone…" she reiterated but her tone clearly gave her away.

"Sorry, Amanda, I promised Billy that wouldn't happen tonight. You had all day to yourself so you don't need to wallow in self-pity or second guess the choices you made in East Germany last month. If you sit here alone that's exactly what you'll do. You can't change what's already happened," Francine advised.

"So when did you become Dear Abby?" Amanda scowled.

"Experience is a wonderful teacher. I know it's not the exactly the same, but I remember the pain of being separated from the one you love. Jonathan left me at the altar, remember? The first night was the hardest, but it really does get easier," Francine replied with a heavy sigh. "I had a good friend help me through that. I think you know him rather well. So this is my way of repaying that debt."

A slight smile penetrated Amanda's beleaguered face. "Lee told me a little about that," she whispered as she nodded to her friend. "Thanks, Francine, come on in. I'll get a couple of wine glasses."

End Part Five
 
 
 
 

Berlin Saga - Part Six
 

May 1989

"It's about time you showed up!" Francine scolded harshly as Amanda entered the Q Bureau. "Where have you been all day, or for that matter most of the week?"

"I've been running surveillance," Amanda answered as she put her purse down on her desk.

"Surveillance, what for?" Francine asked, clearly annoyed. "You were supposed to be running security checks and compiling data on security detail."

"I've been working on that, too" she countered with a shrug. "I left the information regarding the security detail and the layout of the exhibit in your mailbox a few days ago."

"You haven't visited the actual site yet, have you?" Francine questioned in a sharp voice.

"Well, no, not yet, but I'm sure everything I sent you was in order," Amanda replied confidently.

"Except for one rather huge problem," Francine corrected abruptly. "When you pulled up the blueprints to the ballroom, you used the original set. They remodeled that entire building back in 1986. When they redecorated the ballroom they had to bring it up to 1986 fire code standards which meant adding an additional exit door. That means you need to recalculate your number of security personnel needed, adjust the hours as well and find available staff to handle it. So basically, Amanda, you need to rewrite the entire report."

"I can't believe I didn't check to see if they'd remodeled the place," Amanda groaned in dismay. "I promise to work on that tomorrow."

Francine tossed the report across the room and it landed squarely on Amanda's desk. "Sorry to ruin your evening, Amanda, but Billy wanted this report today! Now I've covered for you so far and bought you another 24 hours, but you need to have this corrected and finished no later than nine AM tomorrow morning."

Amanda glanced at her watch and shook her head. "Maybe Billy would give me an extension?"

"We already got an extension," Francine reminded her, and shook her head. "He wanted and needed that report this morning. Amanda, I've gone to bat for you here. I've told Billy that keeping you in the field is the best thing for you, but maybe I need to rethink that idea. Maybe he should tie you to a desk until you adjust to…things."

"I'm perfectly fine!" Amanda snapped loudly as she slammed the report down on the desk. "I don't need to be transferred to a desk job so somebody can keep an eye on me. I made one mistake. I'm sorry, but I'll fix it. I don't need you or Billy to second guess my abilities."

"Easy, Amanda, I'm not the enemy, but I am worried about you," Francine urged cautiously. "I don't want to press you for details, but I have to wonder where you've been the last week or two. You haven't even visited the exhibit center or you would have noticed the changes from the blueprints yourself and I wouldn't have had to tell you. You still have to complete the security background checks on the staff, and did you even proof read the report you were going to send to Billy? It had at least a half dozen typos. That's not like you."

"You're right," Amanda sighed as she flopped down into her desk chair. "There's just some days I can't think straight. I miss him so much."

"Maybe you should go talk to someone. Have you thought about making an appointment with one of the counselors downstairs," Francine suggested softly.

"If I do that the next thing that will happen is I'll be sentenced to ten years in the typing pool," she snapped in a huff.

"They're here to help you. What you talk to them about is confidential," Francine reminded her.

"Something confidential in this place?" Amanda scoffed. "They'd send Billy a memo before I got back to the Q Bureau," Amanda warned her. "I just miss my husband and it's going to take some time to put my life in order. I don't need a shrink messing around with my head."

"You sound more like Scarecrow every day," Francine mumbled ruefully.

"And why wouldn't I?" Amanda snapped. "We were more than partners at work. We were married you know."

"You still are," Francine corrected quickly.

"Yeah, and a great marriage it turned out to be," Amanda quarreled. "I don't even get conjugal visits!"

"I know you're still angry, but I really think you should talk to somebody about it. Let them help you through this before you lose what you have left," Francine urged.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Amanda demanded.

"Just forget if," Francine replied as she rolled her eyes in disgust. "I'm sorry I even brought it up. I was only trying to help. Just make sure you get that report corrected, finished and on Billy's desk first thing in the morning."

Amanda rubbed her temples. "I'm sorry, Francine, I know you're trying to help. I just really miss him. At home I seem to cope a little better because my mother and the boys are always distracting me, but when I'm here, in this room…" she broke off with a shiver and turned away.

"It's hard to look across the room and see me instead of Scarecrow," Francine concluded in an understanding tone.

She nodded. "I know you've been nothing but supportive over the last few weeks and I can't thank you enough. Being here, in the Q Bureau is hard. There must be a million memories of him… "

"You could ask Billy to reassign you to the bullpen. That won't tie you to a desk, it'll just shield you from painful memories," Francine suggested.

"Not all the memories are painful. So many things have happened in this office," she replied as a warm, peaceful smile grew on her face.

"I don't want to hear the sordid details," Francine remarked quickly as she held her hand up in the air.

"Oh my gosh, Francine, I didn't mean that!" Amanda blushed before returning to the situation at hand. "I promise I'll try to concentrate a little more on the Bierstadt Exhibit. It's just hard to get Lee out of my head."

"You don't have to get him out of your head," Francine pointed out in a sympathetic voice. "Just put him in the back corner where it's easier for you to deal with. If you need someone to talk to I don't mind listening."

Amanda nodded and contemplated her offer then took a moment to reminisce. "It's the simple things I miss most, like his smile and his eyes twinkling back at me when he'd sit across the room. When we'd be out together, his arm was always wrapped protectively around my back or his hand would be holding mine. I miss the smell of his after-shave wafting about the room."

"I miss the way he'd storm into Billy's office and argue with him," Francine added with a chuckle. "And how he'd never back down where Dr. Smyth was concerned."

"Dr. Smyth used to get under Lee's skin," Amanda reminded her.

Francine nodded. "Yeah, but somehow I always think that Scarecrow got the best of Smyth as much as Smyth might try to deny it. He could never control or threaten Scarecrow and that used to drive Smyth crazy."

Amanda chuckled at the thought. "It's also memories like those that make me think I'll get through this."

"Now that's a healthy attitude," Francine praised.

"Thanks, Francine," Amanda sighed with a small smile. She picked up the report that she needed to correct. "I guess I better get to this."

Francine nodded. "Leave a copy on my desk for my file. How about we meet up at the site tomorrow evening and go over things?"

"What time?" she asked.

"How's seven o'clock sound?" Francine replied.

"I'll be there," Amanda promised.

"I'll see you later, then," Francine said as she got up and gathered some files and left the office.

Amanda sighed heavily, opened the report up and got down to work…

******* *******

The next day Francine paced the ballroom anxiously waiting for Amanda. She looked at her watch for the tenth time in the last twenty minutes. It was half past seven and Amanda had neither called nor showed up. Finally she grabbed her briefcase and left. As she reached the parking lot a familiar voice called out to her.

"Francine, wait!" Amanda yelled across the parking deck for her.

Again Francine glanced at her watch as she waited for Amanda to close the distance between them. "Is your watch broken?" she demanded angrily.

"I'm sorry, Francine, I was across town and lost track of time. Then I got stuck in traffic…" Amanda tried to explain while trying to catch up.

"Save the excuses, I really don't have time for them," Francine complained in exasperation. "I thought after our conversation yesterday you'd be a little more conscientious about this assignment."

"I got the report finished and handed in on time didn't I?" Amanda pointed out. "Don't I get any credit for that?"

"This isn't a class assignment, Amanda. It's your job. Originally, this was supposed to be your case. I'm supposed to be the one helping you. However, sometime in the last few weeks, I ended up taking care of just about everything. What gives?" Francine questioned.

"I've been doing surveillance," she admitted in an evasive voice.

"You mentioned that yesterday. Exactly who are you watching?" Francine demanded.

Amanda glanced around cautiously before answering. "All right, if you must know, I've been following Franz Mueller."

"Mueller, what's he got to do with the Bierstadt Exhibit?" Francine asked curiously.

"Nothing," Amanda answered. "That's not why I'm watching him. Lee never trusted him. He was always rather cagey."

"So why…" Francine stopped suddenly realizing what her cohort was doing. "Amanda, even if you do catch Mueller doing something…" she broke off for a minute to choose her words very carefully, "illegal, it doesn't mean that the East Germans would want to trade Scarecrow for him. Mueller's just a low level, low life operative."

"It's worth a try!" Amanda countered.

"You're wasting your time," Francine warned with a raised eyebrow.

"I've got almost ten years," Amanda reminded her. "I've got to do something…"

"I understand what you're attempting, but you have an assignment that you've been neglecting in the meantime," Francine reminded her with a steady glare. "Now if you insist on ignoring your assigned duties I'll be forced to report this to Billy."

"All right, Francine, I get the message. I won't let my attempts at extraditing Lee from East Germany get in the way of the Bierstadt Exhibit," she protested sarcastically. "Why don't we go back inside go over the security plans for the exhibit?"

Francine nodded silently and led the way back into the building.

*** *** *** ***

June 1989

"Hold it right there, Mueller!" Amanda shouted menacingly as she flicked on a light.

Franz Mueller stopped dead in his tracks.

"Drop your weapon and put your hands up," she bellowed at him.

He started to turn.

"I said to drop your weapon," her icy voice demanded once again.

This time he complied with her first request, but still didn’t raise his hands.

"Put your hands up!" she demanded again. "I'm not going to ask you again."

Finally Franz Mueller reached his hands into the air.

"Now kick your weapon towards me," she ordered.

He paused for a moment before he finally complied and Amanda walked towards him cautiously; her gun trained on him. First she secured his weapon then, when she reached him, she handcuffed him tightly behind his back.

"I knew I'd catch you sooner or later," she claimed as she pushed him towards the door. "Move it."

A few minutes later she stood at the door to the museum's warehouse security office issuing orders to call the Agency to pick up the perpetrator and for the guards to search him.
 

"What's going on?" Billy demanded when he entered the security office with Agent Warrick about an hour later.

"I caught Herr Mueller on Government property trying to abscond with several priceless paintings," Amanda advised him with an urgent tone.

Billy stared at Franz Mueller and then glanced over to the security guard that was obviously in charge. "What did you find on him?"

"He's got a lock pick kit on him and a map of the warehouse with one of the rooms clearly marked. It's where we house numerous paintings. He also has a list of some rather valuable artwork, which I'm guessing, since I'm no art enthusiast, that they're probably stored in that room as well," he explained, then pointed over to the table where a gun sat with the bullets removed. "The lady disarmed him before she brought him in here."

"How did he get in?" Billy demanded.

"I'm not sure. We haven't had time to pull the surveillance tapes, but I guess he must have followed one of the guards doing rounds and sneaked in behind him. If he'd picked an outside door it would have set off the alarm. The interior doors aren't all wired. The room he was found in wasn't hot, but the lock was picked," the guard explained.

Billy nodded over to Agent Warrick. "Take him over to the Agency and start processing him. I'll be back in a few minutes to question him."

"Yes, sir," the agent responded and then took custody of Mueller and left the building.

"I'll need all your surveillance videos as evidence and a full report as to what happened faxed over to my office," Billy demanded as he handed the man his business card. "You'll need to call someone to do an inventory to make sure nothing is missing."

"Yes, sir, Mr. Melrose, sir, I'll get right on it," the security guard agreed nervously.

Billy then turned towards Amanda. "You have a car here?"

"Yes, sir, right outside," she commented.

"Good, I have a few questions I'd like to ask of you as well," he remarked curtly as they left the security office.

Amanda drove them the short distance back to the Agency. She was rather perplexed by Billy's foul mood. She thought her supervisor would be as excited as she was. They arrived at the Agency and headed straight for Billy's office. When they entered the bullpen Agent Warrick was already there filling out the necessary paperwork.

"Where's Mueller?" Billy questioned.

"He's down in processing," Warrick advised. "They said they'd call up here when they were finished with him."

"Let me know as soon as you hear from them," Billy answered then nodded towards Amanda. "My office… now!"

"Yes, sir," Amanda replied confidently and went in.

Billy followed closely on her heels and sat down behind his desk. "May I ask on whose authority you're out following Franz Mueller and why I haven't heard anything about this situation until now?" he asked harshly. "I don't like it when I'm not kept in the loop!"

"Sir, I've been watching him for weeks. Lee never trusted him, so I thought that if I could find an East German who might be up to something illegal that Mueller might be our man. Anyway, it didn't take long before I got wind of his interest in art."

"Who gave you the tip?" Billy asked, slightly intrigued.

"Nick Grant. I bumped into him at the Bierstadt Exhibit and we chatted briefly. He owed Lee and I a favor since he almost ruined our… our vacations a few years ago," she explained logically.

"Sounds like you set him up," he grumbled as he rubbed his temples in frustration.

Amanda shrugged guiltily. "Not really, sir. Nick might have mentioned to Mueller that the artwork in the warehouse was easy pickings, but that's all."

"I can't believe you're cohorts with Nick Grant! What else did Mr. Grant share with Herr Mueller?" Billy asked.

"He might have dropped a few names of paintings or artists, sir, I really don't know," she remarked ambiguously. "I wasn't privileged to the conversation."

"Amanda, you better come clean right now about what's really going on and how Mueller got the information he did or he's going to be walking out the door, as free as a bird before you get to bed tonight," Billy argued abruptly.

"You can't do that, Mr. Melrose," Amanda appealed in a desperate voice as she leaned forward. "He could be Lee's ticket out of East Germany!"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do!" Billy raged angrily. "You're not supposed to be going off like a rogue in some half-assed attempt to get your partner sprung from behind the Berlin Wall. It just doesn't happen like that."

"Sir, with all due respect, nobody seems to give a damn that Lee's locked up in prison somewhere. You said that they might consider a trade if they had someone to trade him for. Nobody else was doing anything, so yes, I took it upon myself and found you someone. Franz Mueller might not be the biggest fish in the ocean, but he's an East German operative who was found breaking and entering in the attempt to steal valuable American artwork." Amanda sat on the chair opposite Billy with a defiant glare on her face.

"You set him up!" Billy argued cantankerously. "Any defense attorney would have the case thrown out before it made it to trial."

"It shouldn't make it to trial," she disputed loudly. "Offer him to the East Germans in trade for Lee."

"Amanda if I thought it would be that easy, I would have assigned you to someone that carried a little more weight in the East Germans eyes. Trades aren't made at the drop of a dime. Sometimes they take years to arrange," Billy warned.

"But, sir, I remember a couple of trades since I've been at the Agency. In 1985 there were 27 agents transferred on the Glienicke Bridge in East Germany. That very same bridge the following year Anotoly Sharansky was exchanged with eight agents - three from the west, five from the east," she recited from memory.

"I'm well aware of those trades, as well as the original one that occurred on that very same bridge involving Gary Powers who was traded back in 1962 for Colonel Rudolf Abel, but those are the exceptions, not the rule. I warn you that the East Germans are not exactly going to jump at the chance to trade Franz Mueller for Lee Stetson. That's like attempting to trade pyrite for gold!"

"But I've been following him for weeks!" Amanda protested in dismay at the thought of Mueller being released.

"That's why I'm the one who gives out the assignments in this office," Billy reminded his frustrated agent with equal frustration of his own. "That's why you're not supposed to go out in the field doing your own thing. You didn't report where you were going, or whom you were following. You had no backup in case things didn't go as planned. You're lucky I don't write you up on charges of dereliction of your assigned duties."

Amanda gritted her teeth and took a few deep breaths trying to regain control of her highly charged emotions. "Sir, you're not just going to let him go, are you?"

"Amanda, I'll question him when they finish processing him, but I can't promise you anything," Billy explained, understanding her frustration. "Mueller's never made it into the elite ranks of agents. The fact that they keep him in DC is a mystery to me. The most likely scenario is that he'll be deported as you were. I wouldn't count on a trade."

"Will you at least bring the issue up to Dr. Smyth?" she questioned softly.

Billy nodded, his mood lightening up some. "I'll see what I can do, but if I ever find out that you're working on your own I will do more than just write you up, you'll be suspended - is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," she replied in a humbled voice.

"I know you were only trying to help Lee, but you have to realize that we're covering all available options - diplomatic and otherwise. You just might not be entitled to that information at your security clearance." He took in her haggard appearance and shook his head. "In the meantime, Amanda, go home and get some sleep. That's an order."

Amanda left Billy's office without another word, but her body language showed how she really felt.

******* * *******

Amanda hid in the vault, crying softly. She didn't hear Francine come in and when the door squeaked open it was too late to hide the evidence. Her face was red and tearstained, her eyes bloodshot and wet.

"Having a bad day," Francine surmised as she glanced around without any luck for a tissue.

"They deported Franz Mueller this morning. They didn't even try to trade him for Lee," Amanda wept softly.

"I saw the memo," Francine replied, placing a comforting hand on Amanda's shoulder. "I also know Billy was up in Dr. Smyth's office last night pleading Lee's case."

Amanda leaned up against the file cabinet and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I guess I am naïve. I just thought if we had someone to trade I could get Lee back."

"It's not always that easy. Sometimes they arrest spies for political reasons, sometimes it's revenge, sometimes it's because they're getting too close to something big," Francine advised. "The game doesn't always make sense."

"Dr. Von Kleist hasn't surfaced since I left Berlin," Amanda sniffled as she headed for her desk and reached for a tissue. "I wonder what he was working on that was so important to get Lee into so much trouble?"

"Amanda, let it go," Francine warned. "Let the big shots do their jobs and stay out of it. I know it's not easy to see Mueller deported, but you can't help Lee any if you're suspended or fired."

"I already got that lecture from Billy," she advised with a heavy sigh. "I promised to keep both feet on American soil and no more solo performances."

"All right, then," Francine nodded. "We've got other work to do. It might be a good idea to keep on Billy's good side for a while…"

End Part Six
 
 
 
 

Berlin Saga - Part Seven

July 1989

The hot summer was dragging by slowly for Amanda. The Forth of July passed but since there was no freedom for Lee there was little for his partner to celebrate. There were times she wondered if anyone at the Agency, other than herself, remembered that he was still a prisoner somewhere in East Germany. The family missed his presence as well, but the boys were active in other activities and mature enough to understand their mother's anguish that they didn't mention the subject often.

Amanda kept busy at work hoping to keep her mind off of Lee. In the quiet moments in the Q Bureau she would daydream that it was all a mistake, that their assignment in East Germany never happened. She would stare at the Q Bureau door, hoping and wishing he'd walk through it. Unfortunately, something would always snap her out of her reverie and bring her back to the harsh reality - Lee was still in prison and had a long sentence to serve before he'd be released and they'd be reunited.

The phone rang in the Q Bureau and once again startled Amanda out of her musing.

"Desmond," Francine answered.

"Is Amanda there? This is Joe King," the man explained.

"She just stepped out. Hang on and I'll see if I can catch her," Francine lied and put the phone on hold. "It's your 'ex'. Do you want to talk to him?"

Amanda sighed heavily. "He's supposed to take Phillip for his driver's permit today. My guess is he's going to try to put it off."

"And that's a bad idea?" Francine teased with a friendly smile.

"Not necessarily," Amanda chuckled, "except Phillip's been counting down this day for months! I better take it."

Without further delay she picked up the phone and pleasantly greeted her ex-husband. "Hi, Joe, what's up?"

"Hi, Amanda, I know this is short notice, but I was hoping you might be able to stop by my office before lunch," he suggested.

"Does this have anything to do with Phillip's drivers permit?" she asked warily.

"No, I promised to take him this afternoon. I just wanted to talk to you beforehand," he explained.

"Well, I was just heading out for lunch anyway. I can be there in about fifteen minutes. How's that?" she answered.

"That would be fine, see you then," he replied before hanging up the phone.

"I'm not sure how long I'll be, Francine," Amanda advised as she reached for her purse. "I'll talk to you later."

Francine nodded and waved, but went back to her work without further discussion.

The short drive only took Amanda a few minutes. As the elevator began its ascent her thoughts turned to her husband. Originally Lee had promised her eldest son that he'd take him to get his driver's permit. Lee had been taking Phillip out on the sly for driving lessons. Amanda wondered wherever Lee was, if he'd remember this day as well. When the doors to the elevator finally opened, she walked into Joe King's office and waited at the front desk for the receptionist to finish a phone call.

"Can I help you?" the young girl finally asked.

"Yes, I'm Amanda Stetson, here to see Joe King," Amanda explained. "He's expecting me."

"One moment, please," she answered politely and then rang Joe's office on the intercom. "Amanda Stetson here to see you, sir… yes, sir." She hung up the phone and smiled at Amanda. "You can go right on in."

"Thank you," Amanda replied as she walked towards Joe's office. He opened his door just as she was about to knock.

"You made it over here in good time," he remarked as he hugged her cordially. "Come on in and have a seat. Sorry about the short notice."

"You just caught me, I was about to go out for lunch. I've been meaning to talk to you so we could set some ground rules for Phillip and his driving. I've promised to take him out at least one evening a week, but he's not allowed to drive the Corvette," Amanda explained as she sat down in the thick leather chair across from Joe King's desk. "He'll have to learn on the Wagoneer. He's also been pleading his case for his own car, but he's going to have to earn enough money to pay for his insurance and gas and then we'll talk about a used car."

"That's fine with me. I've offered to match whatever he's saved for a down payment for a used car after he gets his license. We'll find something he can get around town with. I'll take him later this afternoon for his permit," Joe King advised his ex-wife.

"Where did the time go, Joe?" Amanda reminisced, her face suddenly sad and her voice rather gloomy. "Seems like only yesterday he was learning to walk. Now he's getting ready to drive."

"Time sure has flown by with them. I wish I had been there more when they were little," Joe admitted guiltily. "But I didn't ask you to stop by because of Phillip."

Amanda was surprised by that last comment and shrugged. "So what's up?"

Joe reached into his desk for an envelope. He held it tentatively in his hand before looking back up at his ex-wife. "This came for you this morning to my office. I'm not sure, but I think it's from Lee."

"LEE!" Amanda exclaimed as she eagerly reached across the desk to take the letter from Joe. Her hand shook as she examined the envelope closer. She glanced up at Joe and nodded. "It looks like Lee's handwriting."

Joe looked somewhat uncomfortable as if he wasn't sure what to do or say. "Do you want me to give you some privacy?" he finally asked.

"No, just give me a second. My hands are shaking so much I don't think I can open it up," she admitted before taking a deep breath.

Joe handed her a letter opener. "Here, this will help."

"Thanks," she nodded as she carefully pushed the end of the letter opener under the flap and gingerly opened the letter.

Joe stood up and turned towards his window and looked out at the bustling city around him.

Amanda carefully extricated the letter from its envelope and caressed the thin paper for a moment. She glanced up and noticed that Joe was making himself scarce. She unfolded it and slowly read the note from her husband.
 

Dear Amanda,

You must know how much I love you and miss you. I hope everyone back in Virginia is doing well and that you will get this letter. I'm sure by now you've heard that I've been sentenced to ten years in prison. I want you to know that I'm doing all right. I look forward to the time when we're back together as a family, but please be careful and take good care of yourself. There's so much more I want to say, but I don't know where to start. Please remember, Amanda, you're always close to my heart…

All my love,

Lee

She read it three times before she clutched it tightly against her chest, her heart was racing and her hands were still shaking. She let out a deep uneven breath before clearing her throat. "I wonder why he sent it to you?" Amanda asked Joe.

He turned around and returned to his desk. "You know Lee, he's always cautious. Is he all right?"

"He says he is, but he wouldn't tell me otherwise," she acknowledged, then shook her head. "If he had addressed it to the Agency it would have only certified that he was a spy and possibly made things worse for him in prison."

Joe smiled. "You're probably right."

"But this is definitely Lee's handwriting. I'd recognize his chicken scratch anywhere," Amanda joked uneasily. "I've got a return address now too. I'll have to let him know I got the letter and maybe I can send him a care package or something."

"This letter got through, so you never know, he might just get it," he remarked rather surprised. Then he glanced at his ex-wife. "Are you all right? I was a little worried about giving the letter to you."

"I'm hanging in there, but I'm glad you gave me the letter. You did the right thing, as I'm sure Lee expected you to. It's good to know he's really alive. I was worried that he might have been… never mind," she said shaking her head of the thought she was thinking. She tucked the letter into her purse and stood up. "I guess I better report this to the Agency."

"Amanda, I don't know how to say this without offending you, but have you given any thought to leaving the Agency and taking on a job that's a little less… dangerous?" Joe questioned.

"Just about everyday," she admitted with a heavy sigh. "But if I'm still on the inside, I'm hoping that someday, somehow we can get Lee out of East Germany. Ten years is a long time."

"If you need anything, you know you can call me," Joe reminded her as he walked her to his door.

Amanda kissed him gently on his cheek. "Thanks, Joe. Good luck this afternoon with Phillip!"

"Thanks," he nodded. "Where did the time go?"

Amanda shook her head and then walked down the hallway and out of the office as she tightly clutched her purse and the prized possession inside it. Time was a funny thing… Ten years flew by while she raised her sons, but would it go by as quickly with her husband and partner locked far away from her in an East German prison?

********* *** *********

"I know the letter's authentic, Billy, I'd recognize Lee's handwriting anywhere," she argued heatedly. "Why are you so skeptical?"

"I just want to have it authenticated by a professional!" he reiterated.

"It's a personal letter," she protested as she bit her lip in frustration. "I don't want it floating all over the Agency!"

"I just want to be sure," he insisted. "You want to be sure."

"I am sure," she countered quite annoyed as she removed the letter from her supervisor's hand.

"Amanda, I'll personally guarantee the confidentiality of your letter," Billy Melrose vowed. "I'll also find out for you if that address is real or bogus."

That statement got Amanda's attention. "How do you plan to do that?"

"We have double agents over in East Germany. It might take a while, probably a week or more, but I want to find out if that address is a prison or if someone's just trying to pull a fast one," he explained logically.

"If we find out he's in that prison, what about attempting an escape?" she suggested eagerly.

"One step at a time, Amanda. First let's find out if the prison is there and that Lee's in it. Then we'll move forward," Billy warned cautiously. "But remember…"

"I know, I know, these things take time," Amanda grumbled and rolled her eyes.

Billy nodded. "So you'll let me copy the letter and send it downstairs for authenticating?"

"Billy, this is a personal letter. This is all I have of Lee right now and I don't know if I'll get another one. I didn't have to show it to you. I trust you, but I don't want the contents of this letter spread all over the building," she reminded him anxiously.

"I give you my word," he replied and Amanda reluctantly nodded her consent and handed the letter over to him once again.

End Part Seven
 
 
 
 
 
 

BERLIN SAGA… Part Eight

August

Amanda and Francine walked into the Q Bureau together after spending most of the day in the field. They both were quite warm from being out in the humid, summer weather. Amanda walked straight to the small refrigerator and grabbed a couple of bottles of water. She handed one to Francine and opened the other one for herself.

"They say cotton breathes better than silk," Francine complained as she peeled her blouse from her skin. "But in this heat, it doesn't matter what you wear."

"I heard on the news last night they don't expect the heat wave to break until after the weekend," Amanda advised her co-worker.

"It's going to be a long weekend," Francine mumbled.

"It's been a long summer," Amanda muttered.

"I can't wait for winter. I promise I won't complain when it snows," she remarked then opened the bottle of water and drank a few quick sips.

"We both know as soon as the first flakes hits the ground we'll be wishing for summer again," Amanda reminded her.

"We'll be wishing our life away," Francine commented, then she shook her head. "I’m sorry, Amanda, that was insensitive."

"It's all right, Francine," Amanda replied. "I know what you meant."

"I better get to some of this paperwork," Francine commented.

"At least it's cooler in here than it was downtown. As much as I dislike filing, I promise not to complain today. At least we're finally back in the air conditioning," Amanda remarked, trying to sound cheerful.

Before either of them had a chance to start on either of their tasks the phone rang.

"I'll get it." Francine volunteered as she unclipped her earring and picked up the phone. "Desmond…Yeah, Billy, we just got back in… I'll send her right down."

"Good news or bad?" Amanda asked curiously, raising her eyebrow slightly.

She shook her head. "I don't know. He didn't say and I didn't want to ask," she replied honestly.

Amanda took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from the back of her neck. "I guess I'll find out soon enough. Let's hope for some good news for a change," she remarked. Then she placed her purse in her desk and quickly left for her supervisor's office.

Billy was in the bullpen chatting with a few other agents when she walked in the door. He nodded to Amanda and then broke off his conversation with the other agents and followed her into his office.

"How's your day going, Amanda?" Billy greeted her cordially before he closed the door behind them.

"Up to now it's been going all right," she remarked anxiously. "Francine said you wanted to see me."

"I've got some news to share with you from East Germany," he answered.

"Did you hear from Lee?" she questioned.

"Not from Lee, but I've gotten a report on that return address from the letter he sent you," Billy informed her.

"Was that address valid?" she questioned in an anxious voice.

"Yes, it appears to be. Our intelligence confirms that not only is it a prison, but it seems that he's definitely being confined there at the moment."

"At the moment?" Amanda remarked on her supervisor's last statement. "You think that he's going to be transferred?"

"We don't know for sure. It's in a small village just east of Berlin. The prison, for the most part, houses mainly political prisoners, dissidents or other people East Germans consider 'Enemies of the State'."

"So you don't expect them to transfer him to the Soviet Union?" Amanda questioned nervously.

"I doubt they'd transfer him to the Soviet Union as long as he doesn't cause any major trouble," Billy implied. "Right now the Soviets are immersed in Glasnost and have enough political problems of their own. They don't need to be taking on East German prisoners."

"So if he's surrounded by other dissidents he could be among friends," she guessed in a hopeful tone.

"Perhaps," Billy nodded, but then added a warning. "But in prison you can never be sure who your friends really are. No doubt there's probably some informants and plants inside the prison population who would happily sell their souls in order to gain favor from the guards."

"Great, so he could be among communist sympathizers and not know it!" Amanda groaned as she closed her eyes.

"Scarecrow knows enough about the games people play. He's aware of the politics and the pecking order. It won't take him long to figure out who he can't trust. The problem is finding the people you can trust."

"I know what you're trying to do here, Billy. You don't want me to get my hopes up, but right now that's all I have," Amanda reminded her boss. "Ten years is a long time to give up all hope."

"I've received a rather thorough report on that prison," he began to explain.

"Can I read it?" she interrupted eagerly.

"I'm sorry, Amanda, no. For one thing your classification level isn't high enough and secondly, sharing the information with you wouldn't do Scarecrow any good. Lastly, I'm not certain that you wouldn't try something stupid like try to rescue Lee," he answered her with a determined stare.

"But, sir…" she interrupted once again, but Billy continued on.

"I will share with you what I can, but don't ask me any questions." he advised before giving her a low-level synopsis of the report. "The prison itself isn't heavily fortified, but it is heavily guarded. It would be impossible to get Scarecrow out of there without massive casualties as well as damage to our intelligence community and the Agency. Plus, once you get him out of the prison, you're still deep in communist territory."

"But only a few miles from West Berlin," Amanda reminded him.

"That would be a very dangerous few miles. If there was an escape attempt, they'd have police from over a dozen agencies tracking whoever did manage to get out," he explained logically. "The borders to West Berlin are heavily guarded to start out with. It would be impossible to sneak him across that border."

"What about bribing some of the guards? If they had help on the inside, maybe a mass breakout," she countered in a desperate voice, not willing to give up so easily.

"It's been tried before, but more often than not it's unsuccessful and the penalty for escape can be harsh. If the plot is uncovered Lee could be summarily shot," Billy warned firmly. "Smyth would never approve such an attempt and this is one time I'd have to agree with him."

"So I do nothing?" Amanda squeaked out morosely as she rubbed her forehead. Her head was beginning to throb.

"For now," he nodded. "Write him at that address. Send him a care package if you want to; he might get it. Let him know how much you care, but be very careful what you write. Indubitably any and all mail he does receive will be screened. No matter what they do to him or how many years they keep him imprisoned, if he knows you're still waiting for him on the outside, he'll keep up the mental fight."

"You know I'll do that," she answered softly, in her mind she was picturing her husband and it brought a smile to her face.

"Amanda, I know you think I'm being hard on you, but I don't want you to give up the fight either. We both know for sure that Scarecrow won't be sitting around counting the days until he's released. He'll be working on some way out," Billy reminded her. "Let's hope that any ally he makes is a good choice."

"You're right, sir. I really hadn't given that much thought. Lee will work every angle he can to get out," Amanda admitted confidently. "I just pray he doesn't get himself killed in the process."

"He's good at knowing who to trust, Amanda," Billy reminded her with a smile. "After all, he trusted a stranger at the train station once and that turned out rather well."

Amanda blushed and her heart began to pound at the memory. Finally she sighed heavily. As warm as the memory was, it seemed like a lifetime ago. "Yes, sir, Lee has good instincts."

"So don't you give up the fight," he instructed her as he stood up and walked over to the door to dismiss his agent.

"No, sir, I won't," she answered and then walked out the door. The memory of their first meeting at the train station firmly planted in her mind had made the long hot summer day seem suddenly manageable.

End Part Eight
 
 
 
 

BERLIN SAGA… Part Nine

September 1989

The summer heat finally broke just before the boys returned to school in early September. Amanda had taken a much needed day off and spent it shopping at the local mall with her mother. As they returned to the house Dotty was loaded down with numerous packages.

"I'm going to go right upstairs and put away all these new outfits," Dotty explained, excitedly. "Then I'm going to call Captain Curt and see if I can get him to take me somewhere extravagant so I can wear that new dress I bought."

"Mother, don't you think that dress was rather… daring," Amanda suggested delicately.

"At my age, Amanda, what do I have to lose?" Dotty remarked with a devious grin.

Amanda tried not to laugh. Her mother was more excited than a schoolgirl with all her new clothes and accessories. "I wish the boys were as excited as you are about all the new clothes I bought them."

"You know how boys are, Amanda," Dotty reminded her daughter. "Clothes aren't as important to them. If you had a daughter it would be a much different story. Then you have to worry about makeup, jewelry, and all the accessories. I remember how much you loved to shop for new clothes at the beginning of the school year."

"If the boys don't care as much how come I spent a small fortune on them?" she called out as Dotty stood near the stairs.

"The way those two have grown over the last year I'm not surprised that you spent as much as you did," she replied and then began walking up the stairs. "Just be glad Jamie doesn't mind wearing Phillip's hand me downs or you would have spent twice as much…"

"I guess I should be thankful for that," Amanda mumbled. She kicked off her shoes and went into the kitchen for a cool drink. "My feet are killing me. I should have bought myself a comfortable pair of heels - if there is such a thing."

Amanda turned on the tap and filled up a glass of water. She took a few sips and walked towards the refrigerator when a quick tap on her kitchen window startled her. Her heart raced for a moment, hoping, wishing it would be Lee, but she instantly knew that the person outside her kitchen window was not her husband and partner.

"Billy, what are you doing here?" she gasped, her heart still pounding as she opened the window.

"I'm sorry to alarm you, but I've been trying to get in touch with you all day," he explained. "I saw you and your mother return and I didn't want to discuss this in front of her."

"Oh, my gosh!" she gulped uneasily as the color drained out of her face. "Something happened to Lee! He's not…dead?"

"No, nothing like that," he offered quickly before glancing around nervously. "Can we talk somewhere, privately?"

A relieved Amanda smiled and nodded. "I'll meet you in the gazebo." She pointed around the corner of the house to her supervisor.

Billy nodded his understanding and carefully walked around to the back of the house.

A few moments later Amanda joined him. "So what's wrong? Was Lee transferred to the Soviet Union after all?" she inquired.

"No, it's not about Lee. I just wanted to keep you up to date about what's happening in East Germany. We've gotten a confirmed report that Dr. Von Kleist was finally released from custody sometime over the past week. We've been trying to contact him through some of our more neutral channels, but we haven't had much luck."

"Is that supposed to be the good news or bad news?" Amanda asked cynically.

"It's a mixed bag. I guess it depends upon your perspective," Billy admitted. "We need to move cautiously so as not to endanger him or his family, but now that he's no longer in the government's custody it's more likely that we can make some kind of contact."

"Sounds like a rather flimsy chance to me. Lee and I were in East Germany for five days trying to meet with him and never did better than a phone call," she reminded her supervisor in a skeptical voice. "And that was before he was arrested, incarcerated or whatever they call holding you against your will."

"It's not going to be easy, but we knew that when we sent you and Lee over there in the first place."

"I wish we'd never accepted the assignment," she admitted in a rueful voice as she turned her back on her supervisor.

"Regardless, we will continue to make contact with him" Billy continued in a subdued voice as he moved to face his agent once again. "If we're lucky we might still be able to get him out of the country."

"Mr. Melrose, forgive me for saying this, but Maximilian Von Kleist is the least of my concerns. If it wasn't for him, Lee wouldn't be in jail in the first place," she snapped bitterly.

"I understand your opinion and I don't blame you for feeling that way, but Dr. Von Kleist's defection is still a priority of the U. S. Government," he reminded her. "Besides, there might be information he has that could help Lee out in the long run."

"He's probably the one who's responsible for Lee's and my arrest in the first place. Why else would they release Von Kleist and sentence Lee to ten years in prison?" she snapped, her voice filled with venom.

"There's always that possibility," he reluctantly agreed. "But I'd like to get him out of East Germany long enough to ask him a few questions myself."

"I have more than just a few questions I'd like to ask him," she volunteered with an angry tone.

Billy sighed heavily. "I understand your anger towards Dr. Von Kleist, but we don't know if he's the one who betrayed the both of you. It could have been any number of other people."

"We didn't contact anyone else while we were over there," she insisted.

"But you could have been under surveillance by the Stasi police at any time while you were in East Germany. They're often leery about American tourists," he reminded his agent. "Not to mention that Von Kleist is a brilliant doctor, but knows very little about covert operations and may have been followed. He wrote that in a note he sent to you and Lee didn't he?"

"Well, yes…" Amanda admitted hesitantly.

"So let's give the man the benefit of the doubt. He may have naively led the police to you and ended up in jail in the process."

"That's a small price to pay, compared to what Lee's paying," Amanda reminded her boss. "Lee gets sentenced to ten years, Von Kleist didn't even serve six months."

"That's true and I agree one hundred percent," Billy answered. "But it could be that the man's only true crime is that he wants freedom for himself and his family. He's got a lot to offer the western world. Perhaps with a little luck he might provide us with valuable information regarding who turned you and Lee in. Lee's not the only US agent who's been imprisoned in East Germany and there are still many others working undercover in Berlin."

"Are you thinking a double agent?" Amanda queried with renewed interest in the subject.

"It's always a possibility. If we have a mole in our organization and we can identify him or her we can make it safer for agents to work over there in the future," Billy replied. "Surely you wouldn't begrudge us that opportunity?"

"No, of course not, but I'd rather see us arrange a trade," Amanda suggested adamantly, her mind ready to plot an escape for her husband.

Billy smiled and nodded. "Yes, a double agent could possibly make a better trade than Franz Mueller or provide us with names of other operatives we could apprehend and trade. So, you see, we really haven't dropped the issue of freeing Scarecrow from East Germany. We just need the right incentive to make the East Germans want to come to the table."

"That's good news to hear, sir," Amanda replied, feeling somewhat guilty about giving her supervisor a hard time. She offered an apologetic smile.

"Did you ever send Lee a letter?" Billy asked curiously.

"I've sent him one every week. They might not all get through to him, but even if one gets through I think it'll lift his spirits," she answered honestly.

"I'm sure it will. Just be careful about what you write," he suggested wisely.

"Don't worry, Billy, I just give him the basics, you know, the weather, family news, nothing remotely important," she explained obviously dejected that she couldn't say and share more with him.

"I hope he gets them," her supervisor replied.

"I do, too. If he does, I might try sending him a care package, but I figured I'd wait and see if I get a response back one of these days," Amanda answered longingly.

"Let me know if you do," he advised.

"You know I will," Amanda answered.

"I'd better be going. I just wanted to keep you informed," he explained.

"Thank you, sir, I really do appreciate it," Amanda confessed as she watched Billy Melrose leave the gazebo and head back to his car.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Mid September

Billy walked up the stairs to the Q Bureau, grasping a thick manila folder. His face wore a smile as he opened the door and he was obviously pleased to find Amanda in the office working.

"Good afternoon, sir," Amanda greeted him.

"It certainly is," Billy crowed happily. "You've been watching the news regarding Hungary opening up its borders?"

"Just about every night. Even the boys have actually been watching," Amanda replied, but looked at her supervisor curiously. "Why do you ask?"

"I just got off the phone with Dr. Maximilian Von Kleist," he informed her.

"He's in Hungary?" she asked, intrigued.

"No, but he did follow the mass exodus via Hungary. So far he's made it to Austria and he's awaiting transfer to West Germany" he explained.

"Are we going to fly to Germany to interrogate him?" Amanda asked, eagerly.

"No, we aren't going anywhere, but once he's in West Germany we'll make arrangements to have him debriefed," Billy answered.

"Billy, you sent me over there once to contact him. Don't you think I should have a crack at interrogating him?" she argued.

"First off, we're not interrogating him; we'll be debriefing him," Billy corrected her supposition in a firm voice. "Even if he did have anything to do with Lee's incarceration, what would we charge him with? He's an East German national who was residing on East German soil at the time. Technically if he did inform on you, it was his civic duty."

"Billy…" Amanda began to dispute her supervisor's logic.

"He'll be of more service to us as an ally then as a hostile witness, Amanda," Billy reminded her. "You need to get over your distrust of the man and give him a chance."

Amanda bit her lip and gave his statement some thought. She finally concurred. "You're right, sir, I'm sorry. I'm just hopeful with everything that's happening over in Europe right now that - with some miracle - Lee will get pardoned or something."

"We're all hopeful about the situation. With Hungary opening their borders and East Germans fleeing by the hundreds out of the country, this will have to put some pressure on the government, but remember the Tiananmen Square massacre? Things looked rather opportunistic for a while before the government crushed that revolt. Thousands died in that attack and nobody wants to see that repeated. So for the moment we have to wait and see," Billy reminded his agent.

Amanda nodded, but was tired of waiting. "For the moment I'm waiting, sir, but this might be the best opportunity we have to get Lee out of the country, while everything's in such turmoil."

"I'm sorry, Amanda," Billy repeated as he thumbed through the report he was holding. "The Agency has been told to keep out of the situation in East Germany for the moment. That order comes straight from Pennsylvania Avenue. In the meantime, I'd like you to keep abreast of the situation very closely. This report should answer some of the questions you may have."

"Yes, sir, I'll get started on it right away," she eagerly responded.

"I'm sure you will," Billy chuckled as he handed the report over to her.

Amanda sat down and opened the report immediately, so engrossed in the new assignment that she barely noticed that Billy left. Finally she felt like there was something to be hopeful about.

End Part Nine
 
 
 
 
 

BERLIN SAGA - Part 10 : October 1989
 
 

"Amanda, dear," Dotty called to her daughter as she was about to run out the door. "You have a telephone call."

"Take a message, Mother, I'm already late. Tell whoever it is that I'll call them when I get back," she indicated as she stepped out the back door.

Dotty shook her head insistently. "It's sounds important. His name is Dr. Von Kleiss or something. I'm not sure, he's got a very thick accent."

"Von Kleist," Amanda corrected quickly, her heart beating faster. She raced for the phone and grabbed it out of her mother's hand. "This is Amanda Stetson."

"Mrs. Stetson, this is Dr. Maximilian Von Kleist. I'm sorry to bother you, but I've been wanting to talk to you for some time now," he explained slowly.

"Yes, I've been hoping to speak with you as well," Amanda answered urgently, her hands shaking slightly. "Where are you calling from? Are you in the US?"

"No, I'm in West Germany," he replied. "I wish to extend my apologies for the situation with your husband. I believe that I unwittingly led the Stasi police right to you and for that I'm very sorry. I do hope to make amends."

"And how to you plan to do that?" she asked with interest, her distrust for the man began to creep into her voice.

"The pressures on the East German government are at a breaking point. Our leader, Erich Honecker, has just resigned. I have many friends who still reside in East Germany who are willing to help your husband."

"What kind of help can they offer?" she asked skeptically.

"I have a close friend who's an artist. With the use of the release document I have when I was freed, he can forge a release document for your husband. All he asks for in return is enough money to travel to Hungary with his family so they, too, can escape East Germany and live a free life in the west," he explained quickly. "I've offered to help him, but I don't have enough money for all his family."

"How can we be sure that these documents would be accepted?" she asked suspiciously, her tone still quite apparent.

"I understand your reluctance to trust me, Mrs. Stetson, giving what happened to both you and your husband, but what happened weighs heavily on my conscience. The government is in turmoil. Many people have left the country through Hungary putting huge pressure on those who have remained to keep the country running smoothly. It is an extremely difficult task."

"I understand that, Dr. Von Kleist, but if we attempt to get my husband out of prison and fail, he could be shot," Amanda reminded him with distaste. The picture Billy had painted in her mind was very clear.

"In the past that has been true, but I'm told that even the government is not following all it's procedures closely. Their usual thoroughness has lost way to keep up with the changes and personnel shortages. This is an opportunity that might not last. If the situation at hand settles down and the government again regains the upper hand, the opportunity to free your husband may be lost indefinitely…"

Amanda swallowed hard. The words that this might be Lee's only chance hit her hard. She had been watching and reading the news from East Germany every chance she got. She knew that Lee wouldn't sit back and watch history unfold from afar; he'd take action. "Dr. Von Kleist what's your friends name and how can I get back in touch with you?"

"His name is Wolfgang Bickler. He's an artist who developed a talent for forging some of the world's masterpieces. I'm sure he could forge a release document for your husband. He's living in Berlin with his family. As for me, I'm staying with distant relatives in West Germany. You can reach me here," he explained. "Mrs. Stetson, I really want to help reunite you and your husband."

Amanda's wariness began to subside. She wasn't sure if it was the man's tone or her intense desire to bring her husband home. "I'll be in touch with you soon."

"I'll look forward to meeting you soon, Mrs. Stetson," Von Kleist replied before hanging up the phone.

Amanda stood in her kitchen and stared off into space, stunned by the phone call.

"Mom!" Phillip complained as he and Jamie came back into the house. "We're really late."

"Oh, my gosh!" Amanda exclaimed, jumping as she snapped out of her reverie. "Get in the car boys, I'll be right behind you."

"Is everything all right, Darling?" Dotty asked in concern.

"Yes, Mother, I think for a change everything is all right. I've got to go. I'll see you later," she answered as she dashed out the door.

***********************

"Amanda, at the moment I'm not even sure you spoke with the real Maximilian Von Kleist or who his friend, Wolfgang Bickler, is," Billy argued with her dubiously as the two of them sat in his office. "There's nothing on Wolfgang Bickler in any of our data banks."

"There shouldn't be," Amanda disputed abruptly. "According to Von Kleist he's just a local artist with a talent for reproducing masterful artwork. If he can forge the Mona Lisa why shouldn't we believe he can forge a simple prison release form?"

"Give us a few days and we'll see if we can confirm who Bickler is. Then we'll take the appropriate steps…"

"Sir, just give me permission to fly to West Germany and speak with Dr. Von Kleist in person," she pleaded anxiously. "I'll contact you as soon as I get there and by then maybe you'll have a line on this Bickler person. There's a chance we could have Lee out of prison before the end of the week!"

"This whole idea sounds more like a scam to get his friend out of East Germany. Do I have to remind you that it was just a few weeks ago you had an extreme dislike and distrust for Von Kleist? Now because he offered you some ridiculous attempt to allegedly get Scarecrow out of the country he's your confidant?" Billy replied skeptically. "This offer sounds too good to be true and it probably is."

"But, Mr. Melrose, this could be Lee's only chance," she pleaded, trying not to sound too desperate. "The government is in a shambles over there right now. Honecker resigned, they're having public demonstrations almost on a daily basis like never before."

"And some of the demonstrations have ended violently when the police broke things up. The demonstrators were arrested in droves. We still don't have any clear reports, but we're not sure how many were detained and how many they're still holding," Billy countered sternly. "It's too great of a risk. If you were arrested again, do you really think you'd be released?"

"I'm willing to take the risk," she replied instantly. "I don't intend on participating in any of the demonstrations. I just want to get Lee out of that prison and head for Hungary."

"You'd never make it across the border without Lee's passport," Billy replied flatly.

"So we get him a copy or a fake one," she countered.

"So now it's not just forged release paperwork, but a forged passport with a fake entrance stamp to East Germany as well," he pointed out in disbelief. "I'm sorry, Amanda, but the answer is an unequivocal no. We have to be patient and wait."

"I'm sorry you feel that way, sir, but I refuse to do nothing and wait."

"What other choice do you have, Amanda?" he asked calmly.

"Not many, unfortunately. You leave me no other choice, but to resign my position at the Agency and take matters into my own hands," she answered in a defiant voice. "You may be able to restrict my foreign travel if I'm an active agent, but you can't do if I'm a civilian."

"I refuse to accept your resignation, Amanda. You're reacting emotionally and when you have a chance to think this over you still won't like my decision, but you'll understand and accept it. Now go home and get a good nights sleep," he ordered calmly. "We'll talk tomorrow."

"No, sir," she replied as she calmly removed her identity tag off her blouse, reached into her purse for her badge and her side arm and placed them all on his desk. "Maybe tomorrow you'll understand my point of view. I've been waiting for months for someone to take action and help Lee." She looked out into the bullpen and then back at Billy Melrose. "I know you care about Lee and you've made some gestures to help him out, but now's the time for action and I can no longer sit idly by. Maybe Von Kleist's friend is just an artist, but if he's willing to help Lee then, I'll take the risk." She turned and stormed out of the office and headed towards the elevator.

************

Amanda got up before dawn the next morning, eager to start her journey to extricate Lee from the East German prison. She was too nervous to eat, but did drink a strong cup of coffee before heading out the door. As Amanda left the house, she shivered slightly as she thought of the complications that could arise.

"Don't doubt yourself now, Amanda," she chided herself in an encouraging voice, remembering the difficult good byes she said last night to her mother and the boys. "You can do this. Your family believes in you and Lee's counting out you."

As she drove out of the neighborhood she took a couple of deep breaths, hoping to relax, but the tight grip she had on her steering wheel told her otherwise. She knew she'd have to remain calm to make this plan work, but Billy's voice echoed doubt in the back of her mind.

She pulled onto the interstate highway, not surprised by the traffic even this early in the morning. She was glad she left early and the drive went along rather smoothly. When she pulled into the long-term parking lot the sun had just begun peeking over the horizon.

"There's got to be some available spaces around here somewhere," Amanda complained as she circled around the large lot. Finally she found a space and parked the Wagoneer. She grabbed her suitcase and over night bag and then walked to the pick-up island waiting for the bus to take her to the main terminal.

She hadn't waited long before a car with tinted windows drove up and stopped in front of her. "Get in, Amanda," Billy demanded in a tight voice as the window rolled down.

Amanda stood there motionless for a few seconds.

"I told you to get into the car," Billy repeated in a furious voice.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Melrose, but I'm on personal business," she protested.

"I understand what you want to do, Amanda, but I can't let you go. Now, before you make a choice that you're going to regret for a very long time, get in the car," he insisted.

Amanda gritted her teeth, but finally conceded. She threw the car door open in a fury and got inside. "I'm going to be late for my flight," she informed him bluntly.

"There won't be any flights today," Billy Melrose corrected. "Regardless of whether you're a civilian or an Agency employee, you signed a loyalty oath so I can restrict where you travel to. Now we've already contacted Dr. Von Kleist and told him that you won't be able to make your rendezvous at the airport as planned."

"You tapped my phone?" she gasped with a mixture of annoyance and disgust.

"I did it for your own good. Now we'll head back to the Agency and pretend that this incident never happened," he insisted.

"No, sir, I won't," she disputed in a respectful, but determined voice. "I gave you my resignation yesterday."

"I told you yesterday I wouldn't accept it; you're still an Agency employee," he reasoned logically as he put a comforting hand on hers.

"You can't force me to continue to work for the Agency," she declared as she pulled her hand away from his.

"Of course not," Billy acknowledged but then continued on. "But we both know you'd do anything to help Lee and you can accomplish that much easier with Agency backup."

"But you refuse to help him no matter what I plan," she declared vocally.

"Your plan, in its present status, is destined for failure. What do you think it would do to Lee if he found out you ended up back in an East German prison after being home safe? What would that do to his psyche?"

"You don't know that my plan would have failed," she disputed.

"After you left my office last night I did some checking on Wolfgang Bickler. He is indeed an artist, but a mediocre one at best," Billy explained. "He's no forger for sure. Your plan would be detected before Lee got one foot out of that prison."

Amanda tried to keep her emotions restrained, but after a night of high hopes it was as if her dream of rescuing Lee had all but vanished. "Sir, I'll find another forger…"

"And I'll help you do that," Billy promised as he nodded his head.

"So you'll let me go to Germany?" she asked, hardly daring to hope.

"As soon as all the arrangements can be made to my satisfaction, but it's going to take time," Billy replied once again.

"But we might not have time and we might not get another chance. Dr. Von Kleist is right. With the turmoil in the country and their current labor shortages, now is the perfect opportunity to make this operation work. If we wait…"

"It will work because we wait. Not only do we need a forger to get Lee out of prison, but we need to get him travel papers to get him across the border. Plus, whoever handles this operation must be fluent in German to handle any unforeseen problems. The plan itself has merit, but the design needs to be perfected. If we rush into it, Lee might not be the only casualty," Billy warned realistically.

"How long is all of this going to take?" she asked.

"If you hadn't stormed out last night we could have discussed the situation further. I've been working on finding the right people since our talk last night. However, I had a sneaking suspicion that you might try to leave the country so I had to put that on the back burner…" he informed her.

Amanda turned and looked out the window, slightly embarrassed by his statement. Finally she turned back and faced her supervisor. "You will send me as part of the team?" she asked in a firm voice.

"Yes, but it's on my terms," he replied, equally as firm.

Amanda nodded. "I guess I can live with that."

"Can I trust you to drive back to the Agency by yourself?" Billy inquired dubiously.

"Yes, sir, you have my word," she pledged and she got out of the car and walked back to her car.

End Part 10
 
 
 
 

Berlin Saga - Part 11
 
 

"Billy, the old man found out about Amanda's excursion to the airport this morning and he's on the warpath," Francine warned as she rushed into his office.

"Who the hell told him?" Billy demanded.

"I don't know, maybe he got wind of the phone tap…" Francine guessed with an innocent shrug.

"Damn!" Billy shouted and pounded his fist on his desk.

"I think he's on his way down here," Francine alerted just as the door to Billy's office flew open and an irate Dr. Smyth was standing there, smoke from his cigarette wafting around his head.

"Melrose, I'd like a word with you," he bellowed rudely.

Billy nodded towards Dr. Smyth and then calmly addressed Francine. "I'll get back to you later on that subject, Francine."

"Yes, sir," Francine replied and she darted out of the room without hesitation.

"I understand that Amanda Stetson was attempting an unauthorized expedition out of the country," Dr. Smyth roared. "Back to Berlin, I hear."

"She was considering it," Billy answered cautiously. "It was a temporary lapse of judgment on her part due to emotion strain."

"I want to know what her true intentions are, Melrose," Dr. Smyth demanded in a furious voice. "Can she be trusted?"

"Amanda Stetson is as loyal an agent as they come," Billy argued with frustration.

"Is she, Billy?" he questioned critically. "You sent her over to East Germany and suddenly a rather simple operation is blown. Our subject, Maximilian Von Kleist, is detained for weeks and Scarecrow is sentenced to ten years in prison. How is it that Mrs. King, I mean Stetson, walked away in less than a week's time without as much as a scratch on her?"

"Have you forgotten that it's her husband that's being held over there?" Billy argued in disgust. "Von Kleist admitted himself that he could have been the one who led Lee and Amanda right into the Stasi police's hands."

"Perhaps," Dr. Smyth acknowledged dutifully. "But what exactly did Mrs. Stetson share with the East Germans that allowed her to go free when her partner was sentenced to ten years?"

"You read the debriefing. She didn't give them anything. If she had, Scarecrow certainly wouldn't have scored a measly ten years," Billy reminded his boss.

"Maybe she shared some information with them to get herself off and have them go lighter on her partner," Smyth suggested impudently.

"I don't believe that for one minute," Billy argued. "They wanted Scarecrow because he's been around longer than Amanda has. When he was arrested, I'm sure bells and whistles went off. Amanda normally has gone by Amanda King except in the last year. They probably assumed she was the innocent spouse and didn't realize she worked for the Agency as well."

"I'm not as easily convinced as you are, or perhaps the correct word would be gullible," Smyth remarked libelously. "Obviously you have some doubts about the woman or you wouldn't have tapped her phone."

Billy gritted his teeth and swallowed hard. "Amanda Stetson has been nothing but loyal to this Agency since the day she walked through the door and loyal to her partner. Yes, I did tap her phone, but not because I mistrusted her allegiance. I did it because she's been stretched to the limit emotionally over the last few months and with the political situation in East Germany right now she knows this is a prime opportunity to free her partner and husband from prison," he contested harshly.

"I want her suspended, Billy," Smyth commanded firmly.

"That would be excessive," Billy countered without hesitation. "She doesn't need to be suspended for God's sakes. She only wants her partner back."

"You're coddling her, Billy. You always have. Send her down to psych for an evaluation," Dr. Smyth ordered. "And perhaps while we're at it, maybe we should send her over to poly for a quick game of twenty questions."

"If you insist I'll send her down to Pfaff for a brief little chat. It certainly couldn't hurt for her to unwind a bit, but I don't see a need to hook her up to a polygraph. Amanda didn't give the East German's a damned thing when she was in their custody. It's been six months since she's been released; we would have known it by now," Billy debated hotly.

"Point taken, Melrose," Dr. Smyth answered as he gnawed and puffed on his ever-dwindling cigarette and raised his eyebrow. "I want to see a fitness report from Pfaff by no later than tomorrow. Got it?"

"Got it," Billy answered tensely.

"I'll look forward to some interesting reading, Melrose. Make sure I'm on the top of the list," Smyth snorted before turning and striding headily out of the office.

Billy reached instinctively for the bottle of antacid in his desk drawer and popped a couple of tablets into his mouth as he gladly watched Dr. Smyth leave the bullpen and head for the elevators.

*** *** *** *** ***

"Where's Amanda?" Billy asked Francine a few minutes later as he glanced around the Q Bureau. This was a conversation he felt would best be handled in Amanda's home turf.

"She just went downstairs for a file, she should be back in a few minutes," Francine answered, then asked with curiosity. "How did it go with Dr. Smyth?"

Billy rolled his eyes. "Typical Dr. Smyth, steamroller style."

"He didn't suspend her, did he?" she questioned anxiously.

"No, although the subject did come up," Billy replied.

Amanda came through the door hastily and almost plowed into Billy. The file she had just retrieved from downstairs went flying across the floor. "I'm sorry, sir, I didn't expect you to be here."

"It's all right, Amanda. I came up to speak with you," he answered as the two of them bent down and started to pick up the papers.

"You have some news for me already?" she asked hopefully.

"No, not regarding Lee," he reassured her quickly as he picked up the last of the papers and placed them on her desk. "Francine, could you give us a moment alone?"

"No problem," Francine agreed in a quiet voice as she quickly excused herself from the Q Bureau as she had earlier in Billy's office.

"There's a problem?" Amanda surmised from the bleak look on Billy's face.

"Technically there's not really a problem," he answered somberly. "Dr. Smyth got wind of your attempted travel plans. He's a little annoyed at the situation."

"From the look on your face, I suspect he was more than just a little annoyed. Let me guess, I'm being suspended?" she speculated with a downcast look. "I understand, sir."

"No, you don't, Amanda. Would you please sit down," he ordered as he grabbed a chair as well. "During the discussion he suggested you be suspended, but clearly he was overreacting. I've argued in your favor that your decision, although clearly misguided, was due to the emotional stress you've been under the last six months or so."

A smile grew on Amanda's face. "Thank you, sir, I really can't tell you how much I appreciate it."

"You're well worth the effort, Amanda, as is Scarecrow," he announced humbly. "However, Smyth can't just let this one go without some kind of corrective action."

"Another reprimand in my file?" Amanda sighed in resignation.

"No, he wants you to report to Pfaff for an evaluation," he confessed. "Personally I don't think it's a bad idea for you to vent to someone, so I agreed to it."

"But Pfaff?!" she cringed, obviously resigned to the situation. "He's more neurotic than half the agents around here."

Billy chuckled, almost relieved at Amanda's response. "I won't argue with you about that, but you do need to make your way down there some time today. Smyth wants the report first thing tomorrow."

"Yes, sir," she replied with little enthusiasm.

"It's a small price to pay," Billy answered as he stood up. "I haven't mentioned this to Francine or anyone else. I'll leave it up to you if you want to share the information with her or keep it to yourself."

"Thank you, sir," Amanda chuckled. "I doubt it would stay secret around here very long."

"I'll see you later," Billy nodded his agreement then left Amanda to sort out her thoughts alone…

******* *******

"Amanda Stetson to see, Dr. Smyth," she advised his secretary.

"I'll tell him you're here," the secretary nodded. "Have a seat."

Amanda sat down and thought about her session with Dr. Pfaff the other afternoon. She was honest with the psychologist in regards to how she'd been feeling now that Lee had been gone. When their discussion was over, she'd felt relieved, but certain that she wouldn't be saddled with a desk assignment. She was under a little more stress than usual, but certainly not burned out.

She looked up at the clock in the hallway. It ticked on ceaselessly. Was this Dr. Smyth's way of getting back at her, making her wait for twenty minutes before he saw her? Amanda began to worry that maybe Dr. Pfaff had felt she was a risk in the field. Was she going to be demoted and tied to a desk job? Certainly she wouldn't be fired. She wasn't even suspended.

"You can go in now," the secretary finally announced.
 

"Thank you," Amanda answered in a monotone, walked across the office, knocked briefly on Dr. Smyth's door and then entered. "You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Yes, Stetson, come in and sit down," he replied in a cold tone and waited for her to comply with his order.

"What can I do for you?" she asked in a polite yet nervous voice.

"I heard about your recent trip to the airport," he started. "Perhaps you missed the section in the Agency manual where you're not permitted to travel to Communist countries without permission from your supervisor?"

"I'm sorry, sir, it won't happen again," she announced firmly.

Dr. Smyth stood up and walked around his desk and then leaned against it, glaring at Amanda. "Melrose may trust you, Mrs. Stetson, but I'm not certain that his faith is well placed."

"Dr. Smyth I would never do anything that would be disloyal to the Agency or my country!" she declared honestly.

Dr. Smyth studied her for a few seconds before replying. "How is it that you were released by the East Germans and your husband was sentenced to ten years?" he asked calmly.

Amanda knew immediately that his question was more of an accusation. "I don't know why I was released, sir. I'd gladly trade places with Lee in a second."

"Ahhh, what a wonderful wife our Scarecrow has chosen. Such loyalty," Smyth ridiculed. "I don't buy your act."

"There is no act, sir. I'll do anything to get Lee back home where he belongs," she stated defiantly.

"Anything, hmmm. That's what I'm beginning to wonder. Would you also do anything to save your own hide?"

"Are you implying that I've given away secrets in exchange for my release?" she questioned as she tried not to lose her temper.

"I'm not implying it, I'm asking," he replied, leaning forward menacingly and exhaling smoke in her face.

"As I explained to Mr. Melrose in my debriefing back in April, I didn't tell anyone anything. If you don't believe me, you can give me a lie detector test. I have nothing to hide," she answered directly.

"Trust me, Mrs. Stetson, I am considering that option," he announced flatly as he leaned back against his desk. "You better keep on the straight and narrow. I'm watching you."

"Sir, forgive me for saying this, but I'd think you'd have better things to do with your time than to watch me," she stated boldly. "My interest in leaving the country is to help Lee escape. If you consider that a crime, than I'm guilty, but that's the only thing I'm guilty of."

"No need to get testy, Mrs. Stetson. Dr. Pfaff was right when he said you're rather emotional, but I've known that for years now," Dr. Smyth berated with a chuckle. "Keep your emotions where they belong or you'll be more of a hindrance to your husband than a help."

"Was there anything else?" Amanda asked, wanting this interminable interrogation to be over.

"For the moment that will be all. You will remain in the Q Bureau with Desmond. However, I will be watching you and if you give me even the slightest hint that you're planning anything other than Agency approved business, I'll have you suspended so fast you won't know what hit you. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," Amanda replied with a fake smile as she stood and left his office. She didn't comment to his secretary, but continued straight to the elevator. After waiting for what seemed like forever for it to reach her floor, the door opened and she got in. Amanda leaned against the wall and shook her head. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry…

End Part 11
 
 
 
 

Berlin Saga - Part 12:

November 9^th 1989

"Francine, where's Amanda? I've called her cell phone a half dozen times but she's not picking up!" Billy grumbled loudly after barging into the Q Bureau.

Francine looked up at her supervisor. "I think she's out at KAB Electronics doing a security review today. She might have her cell phone turned off," she advised him. "What's up?"

Billy Melrose handed Francine a security release. "It just came off the wire a half hour ago."

"They opened the wall?" Francine gasped in disbelief as she read the release. "I don't believe it…."

"Believe it. We've got confirmation straight from the mouths of one of the outgoing Politburo members " he nodded. "I'm sending Amanda over there now - if I can find her. There won't be a better chance to get Scarecrow out. We've had everything in place for a while now except for a way to get him across the East German border."

"And now that opportunity has presented itself," Francine concurred with a grin. "I'll call KAB Electronics."

"Have her stop by here first to pick up her travel orders. I've been waiting for months now to share some good news with her," Billy advised. "This will be Scarecrow's ticket home."

"She'll be thrilled," Francine replied, obviously excited for her co-worker as she picked up the phone and Billy left the Q Bureau.

*********

Amanda rushed out of KAB Electronics and drove straight to the Agency. Francine had been rather cryptic on the phone, just telling her that she needed to return to the Agency ASAP. She followed the order diligently and less than an hour after receiving the phone call she was knocking on Billy's office door.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" she questioned, her heart was beating rapidly and she was almost winded from her hurried pace.

"Come on in, Amanda, and catch your breath," he grinned and then scanned his desk for the security release. "I've got good news."

"News on Lee?" she surmised with a raised eyebrow.

Billy handed her the security release and she read it quickly, a smile growing on her face.

"Has this been substantiated?" she asked dubiously, almost afraid to let herself believe it could be true after all these months of waiting.

"Yes, it's true. We have several agents in the vicinity that confirmed that the borders are opened all over Berlin. Apparently the citizens are amassing on both sides of the wall," Billy answered and looked at his watch. "We need to make the most of this situation. I've got you booked on an evening flight out of Dulles, which doesn't give you much time."

"Don't worry, sir, I'll make the flight," she replied cheerfully.

"You're to meet Otto Borning. He'll be waiting for you at the airport in the morning. His associate, a world class counterfeiter, has forged release documents for Lee. Borning will accompany you to the prison and he is the agent in charge," Billy voiced in an urgent tone.

"So Borning's with the Agency?" she questioned, intrigued. "I'm not familiar with him."

"He's one of the best agents we have over there. He's been working on this for weeks now. When Dr. Von Kleist suggested his friend in East Germany I got in touch with Otto Borning. His contacts are similar to Lee's - top notch and he trusts them with his life. You're to follow his instructions to the letter," Billy added a stern warning and a glare.

"I would never do anything to jeopardize the operation, sir," Amanda replied in her own defense. "I just want to bring Lee home."

"I'm sure you wouldn't do anything purposefully, Amanda, but an overzealous agent and one with emotional ties to the case can make rather simple but very costly mistakes. I'm sending you over there partially because this idea was originally yours, but this operation is being run by Otto Borning. I want you to promise me that whatever Otto says - goes… regardless of whether you agree or not. Understood?" Billy pressed one more time.

"Understood, sir," she nodded.

Billy handed her several documents. "Everything that you should need is in here, including a new passport for Lee. You don't have a lot of time; your flight leaves in a few hours. Go home and pack yourself a few things, but if this operation goes smoothly, I hope to have you and Lee back on US soil within 72 hours."

Amanda glanced up at her supervisor. She was somewhat dazed by the lightning speed that things were now moving after months of inaction. A broad smile formed on her face. "I'd like nothing more than that, Mr. Melrose."

"Well, you better get out of here. Keep me informed as to your progress," he requested with a sense of urgency. "When you're out of East Germany call me."

"I will," she promised as she stood up.

"Amanda, if for any reason those borders start to close, you need to get the hell out of East Germany - with or without Lee," he remarked sternly. "We can't guarantee your safety over there."

Amanda stood silent for a moment as if digesting that last warning, but then pushed it into the back of her mind. She didn't reply to his warning. Instead she answered with a grin. "We'll see you in a few days, Billy. Steaks and beer on me at Randy's." Then without further comment she headed out the door, hopeful and anxious for her journey to begin.

*** *** ***

The plane trip seemed unending. Amanda caught a few minutes of fitful sleep, but was relieved when the cabin lights were finally brought up on the plane. The smell of freshly brewed coffee began to waft about the cabin and soon thereafter the stewardess's were serving breakfast. She knew it would only be a little while longer before they landed in West Berlin. Amanda had packed a small suitcase with a change of clothes for herself, but for the most part, she packed items for Lee. She wasn't about to leave East Germany without him.

Amanda wished she had more time to investigate Otto Borning, but she knew time was of the essence. She would have to trust Billy's choice of agents to help her and hope that the borders would remain open long enough for them to free Lee and escape to safety. The plane finally landed and she followed the other sleepy passengers off of it into the terminal and through customs. She was relieved that things went relatively smoothly and then she continued on to baggage claim. Luck continued to be with her as her bag was one of the first to arrive on the conveyor belt. Amanda claimed her bag, and then went in search of her contact - Otto Borning.

There were many people waiting just outside the baggage claim area to greet their friends and family. Amanda felt a pang of disappointment, as there were no friendly faces to greet her. Her desire to be reunited with her husband was gnawing at her. She shook that thought from her mind for the moment and scanned the faces staring past her, hoping to see a placard with her name on it

"Frau Stetson?" a deep voice ultimately called out to her with certainty. Then a man pushed his way through the waiting throngs and appeared before her.

"Herr Borning?" Amanda questioned as she surveyed the tall man who stood staring her eye to eye.

"Ja," Borning nodded. "Please, call me Otto."

"Amanda Stetson, call me Amanda," she answered courteously. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Otto." Amanda was surprised at Borning's age; she had expected someone younger. Although he appeared to be physically fit, Otto Borning had to be in his late fifties. His hair was gray and he sported thick glasses. He wore a suit, which although was neatly pressed, was obviously old and well worn and his shoes were quite outdated.

"Let me take your bag, Amanda," Otto requested as he took the suitcase from her hand. "My car is just outside. The sooner we leave the better."

"Is there a problem? Are the borders still open?" she questioned in alarm as she followed the older man, feeling somewhat ill at ease. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but certainly Otto Borning didn't look like the best the West German Agency could provide.

"Ja, the borders are still open," Borning signaled as they reached his car and he placed the suitcase in the trunk. "The biggest worry is the traffic. It's rather… dreadful. So many people crossing the border…"

Amanda sat down in the old car and sighed heavily. She hoped that things would proceed without any problems, but she was beginning to have her doubts.

Otto Borning drove the streets of West Berlin with comfortable ease, but within a few miles they were trapped in the traffic he had warned her about earlier. The car went from moving steadily to moving a few feet at a time and then crawled slowly, inch by inch.

"Oh, my gosh!" she gasped as they eventually neared the Berlin Wall and she gazed in amazement at the impromptu celebration that was surrounding them. It was a scene of cheerful chaos with people standing on top of the wall, others hammering away at it with various tools. "There must be thousands of people here. Is there anyone left in East Germany?"

Otto chuckled deeply. "I'm told the traffic situation is equally as bad on the other side. It seems that the East Germans rushed over the borders last night when the announcement was made and many West Berliners came down to see if it was true. Then you had people from each side searching for friends and family they hadn't seen it years. It's been quite a night and apparently many happy reunions."

"Let's hope for at least one more," Amanda mumbled as she continued to watch history unfold before her eyes.

"Don't worry, Frau Stetson. This operation has been planned to the last detail. The release paperwork would fool Erich Honecker himself!" Otto boasted then smiled, pleased as they finally inched their way across the border. "Welcome to East Germany."

She glanced around at the growing crowd, amazed by the celebration, and astounded at the party like atmosphere. Despite the drabness of the East German side of the wall, the celebration continued in full regalia. "This is… unbelievable. I didn't think there was this many people in Berlin."

"Isn't it though," he concurred. "The crowd keeps getting larger, but it's not only Berliners, but people from all over Europe. They know they're watching history unfold before their eyes. They all want to be a part of it. Sit back, and relax, Amanda. Some day you can tell your grandchildren that you witnessed history."

"I certainly hope you're right, Otto," she replied, but doubt was evident in her voice.

"Every last detail has been well planned - right down to the car we're driving in - an authentic East German Trabant and the old suit I'm wearing. I couldn't exactly go into East Berlin with my BMW and my best suit now could I?" he reminded her with a wink. "Amanda, have confidence in the plan."

Amanda thought about his statement and began to feel more at ease. He was right. The two German economies were slightly mismatched. If Otto were to fool the prison officials into thinking he was from East Germany, he'd need to dress the part. "What exactly is the plan?" she asked point blank as Otto carefully negotiated his car through the masses of people.

"The original idea was yours, I believe. However, your choice in forgers was not very astute. My colleague is the best, you'll see. With Von Kleist's original release paperwork it was, what would you Americans say…child's play to copy it!"

Amanda chuckled softly at the analogy and silently prayed that he was right. "How much farther is it to the prison?"

"Once we get through this throng it will only be twenty minutes or so. Unfortunately, our trip back will be just as long," he advised.

"But if things proceed as you assure, it shouldn't matter how long it takes to get back across the border. We shouldn't be followed since Lee's being released, correct?" she asked.

"You are correct, Amanda. We have no reason to fear that we will be followed," he answered. The crowds began to dwindle slightly, allowing him to shift his car into a higher gear and finally make some headway into East Berlin. "It won't be long now."

In less than a half-hour's time the massive prison loomed in front of them. Amanda's eyes were wide as she saw the stone structure for the first time. "I can't believe we're here!" she replied with a mixture of anxiousness and eagerness.

Otto quickly pulled into the parking area across the street from the prison. Then turned to Amanda. "I want you to wait here, in the car…"

"What?!" she gasped in confusion. "Why? I want to be there when he's released."

"You'll be right outside," he reasoned. "You can see the entrance from the car."

"Why did you bother to bring me all the way out here just to make me wait in the car?" she griped in fury.

"That was not my choosing; those were my orders," he explained in a toneless voice.

"I'm going with you," she answered determinedly.

"Frau Stetson, you are not fluent in German are you?" he queried.

"Well, no, but…" she was forced to admit honestly.

"You have no official paperwork or title other than your US passport, do you?" he surmised.

"No…" she mumbled uneasily.

"Then you would only be a hindrance if there are any questions and I'm sure since I'm coming unannounced there will be some questions," he advised wisely. He then put his hand over hers and patted it gently. "Trust me, Frau Stetson - Amanda. The sooner we finish this argument the sooner you will be reunited with your partner. Isn't that what you truly want?"

Amanda smiled as she remembered Billy's warning. She realized they were both correct. If she tagged along, she could inadvertently jeopardize the mission. "I'll wait in the car, Otto," she finally agreed. "Just don't make me wait long…"

"Now don't be impatient. This could take an hour, maybe more. The East Germans are sticklers for paperwork," he advised as he reached for a briefcase in the back seat of the car and then got out. He strode across the street confidently and then showed identification to the guard and was permitted to enter the gate surrounded by the tall wire fence.

Amanda watched closely as the man walked up the stairs to the formidable building and finally disappeared into the front entrance. She glanced at her watch and noticed it was almost noon. She hoped that he would return quickly. She tried to keep her mind occupied while the seconds ticked into minutes, then nearly a half-hour passed by. She sighed heavily and could hear her anxious heart begin to beat faster as Otto's departure had extended over an hour.

"All right, Otto," she cajoled herself as she sat feeling overwhelmingly alone, hoping her attempt at humoring herself would inevitably speed up the process. "It's been over an hour. How much longer is this going to take? I never did like waiting in the car!"

Amanda fought the urge to follow Otto into the prison, knowing she had no identification, which would permit her access. The chill from the cold November day began to permeate the car. She thought about starting the engine and turning on the heat, but she decided against it.

"If Lee's has suffered all these months, I can certainly wait a few minutes in the cold," she vowed as she rubbed her hands together. She wished she'd thought to bring gloves, but she packed so hastily the other day and was more concerned that she had plenty of clothes for Lee to change into.

She anxiously watched the people enter and exit the prison doors where Otto had disappeared almost ninety minutes ago. They all appeared so casual, not knowing how desperately she wanted - no needed - to see her husband. Each time the door swung open she squinted in hopes of seeing two people come out. She watched as a man, the size and shape of Otto exited and walked down the stairs, but it couldn't be him. He was alone. He was also walking with great haste. Amanda swallowed hard and her stomach knotted up when she finally realized it was Otto Borning and he was returning to the car - alone.

"Where is he?" Amanda demanded urgently when he got within hearing range.

Otto's gait turned into a run as he closed the distance to the car and hastily jumped in. "They can't find him," he declared, almost out of breath as he started the car and pulled away. "Apparently there's been an escape."

"An escape?!" she gulped in disbelief.

"That was not one of the situations we were prepared for," he admitted reluctantly as he hastily began his route back towards West Berlin.

"When? How?" Amanda questioned anxiously.

Otto shook his head. "I don't know! They don't know. The prisoners were at lunch, so when they couldn't account for him at first they weren't alarmed. After doing a head count and facility search they still couldn't find him."

"This isn't happening!" she exclaimed in despair. "He's been locked up for eight months and he waits until today to escape?"

Otto Borning shrugged his shoulders. As much as he sympathized with her at the moment, there was nothing that he could to help…

End Part 12
 
 
 
 
 

Berlin Saga - Part 13

November 10^th

Amanda wearily dropped her suitcase on the floor in her hotel room, took off her coat and threw it onto the back of a chair then went straight for the phone. She immediately tried to reach the overseas operator only to be told that there were no available lines at the moment. She'd have to try her call again later. Distraught and exhausted she slammed the phone down onto its receiver, shaking her head.

"I should have suspected that," Amanda chided herself considering what was happening outside.

With growing frustration, she sank down on the bed in despair and buried her face in her hands. "What if Lee can't get across the border? What if he gets picked up by the police again? Stop it, Amanda!" she finally yelled at herself. She stood up, reached for her coat and room key and then headed out the door.

She spoke to the front desk clerk and got directions to the American Embassy. After making sure she knew how to get there she walked out of the hotel into the swarm of people. The crowd had grown denser throughout the day. She headed in the opposite direction of the throngs and towards the Embassy. After a long walk she eventually reached the building only to find it had already closed.

"When will they reopen?" she anxiously asked the young Marine who was on guard duty.

"Not until Monday," he answered in a courteous voice.

"What if there's an emergency?" she countered anxiously.

"You can telephone the embassy and there are instructions on the answering machine as to appropriate procedures," he informed her dutifully.

Amanda opened her purse and took out Lee's passport. She showed it to the Marine guard, hoping desperately that he might have already come by. "This is my husband. Do you remember if he stopped by here today? We were separated in East Germany and I have his passport. I'm not sure he can get across the border without it…"

The Marine guard carefully studied the photo of Lee but shook his head. "No, Ma'am, I'm sorry. I haven't seen him."

Amanda nodded. It was a long shot, but she'd hoped that she'd get lucky. "Thank you anyway," she replied in a dejected voice before turning away.

She slowly wandered back in the direction of the hotel. The closer she got to it the more crowded the streets became. People were laughing and celebrating. She wished she could join the celebration, but she had to find Lee.

Amanda went back into her hotel and up to her room. She decided that she'd try to call the Agency once again. After a series of delays and mishaps, the overseas operator finally picked up. Amanda pleaded desperately to get a line through. After a prolonged wait the call clicked through and the phone was ringing.

"Melrose," Billy answered on the second ring.

"Mr. Melrose, it's Amanda…" she gushed rapidly.

"Amanda," Billy exclaimed in a cheerful voice. "I thought you'd have Scarecrow call me. I'd bet he was surprised to see you! How's he doing?"

"I don't know, sir," she sighed in frustration. "He wasn't at the prison when we got there this afternoon."

"What do you mean he wasn't there?" Billy demanded harshly, his tone had changed noticeably.

"We're not sure of the details, but apparently there was an escape this morning at the prison. The prison administration didn't even realize Lee was missing until Otto went in with the paperwork," Amanda explained, although she wasn't certain to the details herself. "Sir, we obviously tipped off the prison authorities and could very well have jeopardized Lee's chance of reaching the border safely."

"Slow down, Amanda," he advised sensing the tension in her voice. "Now, where's Otto Borning and exactly what happened?"

"He dropped me off at a hotel a while ago and went back to the Agency in West Berlin," she started to explain in a breathless voice. "We drove out to the prison and Otto went in with the release paperwork, but when he returned to the car, he was alone. Apparently there was an escape some time this morning. We don't know when or how many prisoners were involved. We're hoping that Lee heard that the Wall was open, but we don't even know that for sure. Otto decided not to push the issue with the prison administration and left. We drove straight back to West Berlin."

Billy sighed heavily. "We'll have to assume that Lee's heading for West Berlin. As long as the borders remain open he'll find a way to get across. From what we can see from the news reports, it's chaotic to say the least."

"Yes, it is," Amanda concurred as she glanced out the window. "You wouldn't believe the mass of people on both sides of the Wall. But, sir, for all we know Lee's still wearing his prison uniform. If he is, he'll be stopped before he crosses the border and thrown back in jail," she worried anxiously, shuddering at the thought.

"Scarecrow's resourceful; he'll find a way," he suggested tentatively. "Let me make a few phone calls and I'll get back to you."

"Hurry, sir, we've got to find him before the East German authorities do," she reminded her supervisor as she worried about her husband.

"I'll do what I can. We're going to find him," Billy replied decisively. "I'll talk to you later."

Amanda gave Billy the information as to where she could be reached and then hung up the phone. She stumbled back towards the bed and sat down pondering the situation at hand. She closed her eyes for a few seconds. It had been a day of such promise, but now she worried how badly things could go awry. The visions in her mind overwhelmed her. She opened her eyes and glanced around the room, suddenly feeling as if she were suffocating.

"I've got to get out of here," she announced to herself, as she tried to remain calm. She knew that being alone wasn't an option at the moment.

She again left her room, wandered down to the lobby and followed the crowds into the street. The celebration continued despite the cold night that encroached. Although strangers surrounded her, roaming among them seemed like a better option than waiting in her room alone for a phone call from Billy that might not come for hours.

She couldn't help but be drawn to the celebration down at the Berlin Wall. It didn't take long before she was swept into the crowd and before she knew it she was walking across the border into East Berlin. The throng there was just as plentiful and jubilant - dancing, singing, and drinking champagne. She followed the crowd and ended up at the base of the steps of the historic Brandenburg Gate. She couldn't help but think, 'Only days ago this was known as 'no man's land'. Today it's the center of the celebration'. She climbed the steps to get a better view of the people. Her eyes scanned the faces of the people around her, but none of the hundreds of faces appearing before her eyes were that of her husband.

"Lee, where are you?" she called out loud.

"Don't worry," an English-speaking stranger sporting a bottle of champagne encouraged her as he offered her a glass. "You'll find him soon enough."

Amanda smiled and accepted the glass.

"A toast," the stranger suggested as they clanked their plastic glasses together. "To unity!"

"To unity," Amanda nodded whole heartily before she gulped the glass down quickly and before she could say thank you, the stranger had drifted off into the mass of people. Within a few minutes the enchanting spell of champagne took effect. Amanda felt warm and tingly almost relaxed. She no longer felt so helpless. As the friendly stranger had done, she too drifted back into the sea of people.

The Berlin Wall drew her closer; it was a compelling site. There were people dancing on the top, others were hammering away destined to break it down piece by piece regardless of the tool at hand. There were people both young and old alike celebrating. Many of these people spent years separated from their family or friends and now they were finally reunited. She surveyed their faces with a faint smile, feeling unexpectedly hopeful, then she heard a distinct voice off in the distance.

"The champagne went straight to your head, Amanda," she warned herself, but the voice called out once again over and above the cheers of the populace. This time it sounded more urgent.

"AMANDA!" the voice screamed.

She scanned the wall in earnest but still doubted her own senses. She was hungry and tired and wanted to find Lee so much that she assumed she was hearing things. She spotted a man up on the wall dancing - no… he was waving - signaling towards her. He was jumping up and down, valiantly trying to get her attention. She squinted in the darkness trying to make out the details of his face. The man was tall and rather slim… could it be?

"Lee?" she called out hesitantly as she pushed anxiously through the crowd towards the man on top of the wall as he continued to jump up and down on the top of the wall. Finally she was only a few feet from him. She looked up and saw his bright twinkling eyes and his effervescent smile looking down at her.

He bent down on his stomach and held out his arms. With all his might, he lifted her up onto the top of the wall next to him. "Amanda, what are you doing here?" he questioned in disbelief as he held her close.

Amanda stared at him, silently at first. Her fingers touched his face in disbelief as if to make sure he was real. She stroked his strong jaw; her fingers hovered at his lips feeling his warm breath on them. Then she pulled him to her and hugged him; her face touched his and their lips met in a long and fervent kiss. They continued their jubilant celebration, enjoying their unexpected reunion, temporarily unaware, of the crowd surrounding them. They sat on top of the Berlin Wall content to be in each other's arms once again as history continued to dawn around them.

Finally they pulled apart, both gasping for air. They smiled brightly at one another, a million questions in each of their minds, yet the simple pleasure of being together satiated them for the moment.

Lee shook his head, incredulously. "I can't believe you're here. What are you doing in Berlin?"

Amanda shrugged. "Billy sent me over here as soon as we heard the Wall was open. We had release paperwork forged to get you out of prison," she began to explain. "But when we got there, you were gone…"

Lee stared at her, his eyes wide with wonder, his mouth agape. "You went to the prison - today?"

Amanda nodded as tears of joy began to stream down her face. Lee wiped them away with his cold fingers. "When we realized you'd escaped, I was so worried that our actions might have gotten you caught."

"It didn't though. I'm here - safe with you and I'm not going back," he replied warmly. Then he nodded over his shoulder toward West Berlin, which was at his back. "How about we get out of here and make my escape from East Germany official? We can continue our celebration somewhere a little more private."

Amanda broke into a bright smile. "I'd like that. I've got a room at the hotel a few blocks from here."

Lee carefully turned on the wall and lowered himself down onto the West Berlin side before reaching back up and helping his wife down to join him. He held her in his arms for a few seconds, holding her tight and nuzzling against her warm body.

"I still can't believe that you're actually here in Berlin, " he remarked hoarsely as he blinked back tears of relief.

"You're free and we're together. Things are back to the way they should be," she answered as her fingers entwined with his. "Lee, you're freezing. Let's get out of here."

Lee nodded his agreement and allowed his wife to lead the way. The massive party continued on both sides of the Berlin Wall. The crowd barely thinned as Lee and Amanda hurried back to the hotel to continue on with a more appropriate and private celebration of their own.

End Part 13
 
 
 

Berlin Saga- Conclusion
 

The ringing of the phone awakened Amanda in the darkened hotel room. It took her a few seconds before she realized where she was. She finally located the phone and picked it up.

"Hello?" she mumbled barely coherently into the receiver.

"Amanda, I'm sorry I'm calling so late, but I've been trying to get through for hours," Billy Melrose apologized.

"I tried calling you earlier, sir, but I couldn't get a line out either," Amanda began as she turned the light on next to her bed. She watched as her husband continued to sleep next to her, the soft rhythmic sound of his snoring made her smile.

"The communications system must be overwhelmed by all the news services broadcasting from over there," Billy guessed.

"Yes, there are hundreds of them over here. They're broadcasting from the streets…" she yawned and rubbed her eyes, trying to wake up.

"We've been trying to confirm with our sources in the East. It's been difficult given the state of confusion over there, but I wanted to let you know that as far as we can establish Lee has not been picked up yet by the East German authorities," Billy advised.

"Yes, sir, I know he hasn't," Amanda explained.

"I'm confident that he'll make it over the border so I want you to stay over there for the next few days," Billy suggested.

"No, sir, we want to come home," Amanda began yet again.

"I really think it's best you stay over there, Amanda," he urged. "Lee will want to see a friendly face once he makes it to West Germany."

"Sir, you're not listening to me. We want to come home - both of us. I found Lee. He's here with me," she broke in urgently.

"He's with you?" Billy repeated with uncertainty.

"Yes, sir, that's why I was trying to call you earlier," Amanda confirmed. "I went back into East Berlin last night after I spoke with you on the phone. I know it's hard to believe, but my prayers were answered; we actually found each other."

"I'll be damned!" Billy chuckled happily.

"If he wasn't next to me right now, I wouldn't believe it myself," Amanda answered.

"How is he?" Billy questioned anxiously.

"At the moment he's sound asleep," she commented softly as she glanced over at her husband as he continued to sleep undisturbed. "He's exhausted, he's lost some weight, but overall he looks wonderful. I think the most important thing is to get him home."

"I agree with you there. Hang on for a few minutes. I'll get somebody working on those arrangements now. Stay on the line," Billy informed her.

Amanda waited on hold and rested her head against the headboard of the bed. She sighed heavily. She wanted nothing more than to be at home in their own bed with her husband securely by her side. It was several minutes later when her supervisor finally clicked back onto the line.

"We're in luck. We've got you two seats on the morning flight. You'll be back home before dinner!" Billy announced confidently.

"That's good news, sir!" Amanda cheered happily.

"I'll have somebody meet you at the airport," Billy promised.

"I can't believe we're actually coming home. " Amanda replied in a shaky voice. "I don't know how I can ever thank you enough for all you've done…"

"It's all right, Amanda. I wouldn't have expected anything less from you," he reassured.

"Just the same, we both owe you our thanks… for everything," she reiterated.

"You can thank me when you get back. If I remember correctly you promised me dinner and drinks at Randy's," he suggested graciously.

"We're both looking forward to that dinner. We'll see you soon," Amanda replied before she hung up the phone. She turned out the light, crept back under the sheets then cuddled up next to her sleeping husband and soon drifted off into a blissful slumber.

*** *** *** ***

A couple of days later…

"You seemed to have had a good time this evening," Amanda commented as she turned down the sheets and got into bed.

"Yeah, I have to admit, I did. It was good to see everyone again," Lee replied as he put his bathrobe on the hook in the closet. "But you told me that it was only going to be Billy and Francine."

"I swear I had no idea all those people were going to be there," Amanda replied as she put her hands up in defense.

Lee chuckled as he climbed into bed next to his wife. "I know," he winked and stole a quick kiss. "Billy confessed that he let it slip out that we were going to Randy's for a celebration and one thing led to another…"

"So you ended up with one heck of a welcome home," she smiled. "You were really missed, both at work and here at home."

"It's good to be home again. I won't complain about waiting for the boys to get out of the bathroom anymore," he promised.

"I wonder how long will that last?" she teased.

"I guess maybe a week," Lee confessed with a shrug, then changed the subject. "I heard some interesting stories about some of the things you pulled over the last few months."

"They're all lies, I'm sure," Amanda blushed as she looked away.

"I'm not so sure about that," he answered with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sure there might have been some truth to a few of the stories, but they were probably embellished quite a bit," she admitted and then feigned a yawn, not wanting to talk about the past few months.

"I guess Billy was right; you're exhausted, huh?" Lee asked with a mix of disappointment and concern.

"I'm really not that tired," she countered.

"Well, at the party this evening, Leatherneck thought you were, hmm, how can I put this? Let's say he thought you might be 'over your limit', but Billy said you were probably just exhausted. You were rather quiet at the party."

"I promise you I had more to drink the night I found you in East Berlin than I did tonight," Amanda advised him with a smile.

"And just how much did you drink that night I found you at the Wall?" Lee demanded in a playful voice.

"I only had one glass of champagne that night in Berlin," she retorted quickly. "Besides, tonight was your night. It was fun to just sit back and watch you and everyone else. Not to mention if everyone thought I was tired it would be a good excuse for you to leave early to take me home."

Lee cocked his head and stared at his wife. "So I guess this means you get the Academy Award this evening for best supporting actress? "

"My plan worked quite well then, didn't it?" she grinned.

"Yes, Mrs. Stetson," Lee answered as he leaned in for another kiss. "It worked surprisingly well."

"I enjoyed the party, but I didn't want to be too tired when we got home for our private celebration," she whispered seductively as her fingers began to caress his face.

"You know I'll have to add this to my list," Lee commented.

"What list?" she asked, puzzled.

"Remember the very long list I made about all the things I love about you?" he queried with a grin.

"Ah, yes, Mr. Stetson, I do remember that list," she nodded in a husky voice as her lips sought out his.

"This idea of yours tonight is one of the best. It's nice to know that no matter what, I can always count on you, Mrs. Stetson," Lee mumbled between kisses. His hands were now exploring his wife's body as well.

"And I can always count on you," Amanda cooed seductively as she reached to the night table and turned out the light…

The end

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