Flashback continues:              Part Eight
 

Monday evening
 

“Hey, Lee, what are you doing here?” Phillip asked when his stepfather arrived at the practice field.

“I heard you needed a ride home,” Lee Stetson answered.

“The coach would’ve given us a lift if Mom didn’t make it.  Where is she?”

“She had other errands to do.  We’re going to meet back at the house.”

“You got the car back, huh?”  Phillip remarked with a grin.

“Yup, it looks as good as new,” Lee commented as he ran his hand across the front of the car.  All the damage from the car accident was gone; it had been repainted and appeared like nothing had happened.

“Sure does.  Jamie and I will get our gear and I’ll tell coach you’re here instead,” Phillip said as he raced back onto the field.

Lee waved to Coach Cramer when Phillip talked to him.  Then the boys grabbed their gloves and bat and hurried to the car.

“Would you guys like to go for some ice cream?” Lee asked when the boys piled into the car.

“Can we go to Carl’s Dairy?  He’s got the best ice cream?” Phillip requested.

“Fine by me, what do you say, Jamie?” Lee asked, glancing in the rear view mirror at his other stepson.  He answered with a lackluster shrug.  “Is everything all right, Jamie?  Are you feeling sick?”

“No, I’m fine.  Just tired and hot.  Carl’s is all right with me.”

“Then the ice cream ought to help cool you down.”  Lee drove towards Carl’s Dairy and listened to Phillip chat excitedly about the how practice went.  Pulling up to ice cream store, there was a line as usual, but the three of them got out of the car and waited.  It moved pretty quickly and before they knew it they were sitting at one of the picnic tables nearby eating their ice cream.

“If we win tomorrow, we make the playoffs.  If we lose tomorrow, our season’s over,” Phillip chatted incessantly.

“It’s not exactly the end of the world if we lose tomorrow night,” Jamie complained.

“Shut up, worm brain.  You’re only saying that because you’re not in tomorrow’s starting line up.”

“Am not.  There are other things to do this summer other than play baseball,” Jamie shouted.

“Fellas, enough, both of you,” Lee warned, putting a stop to their argument before it turned into a fist fight.  He swallowed hard, not sure how to start the conversation he wanted to have with them.  “Besides, I wanted to talk to you about something else anyway.”

“What’s up, Lee?” Phillip asked nonchalantly.

Lee tried to relax, but he was nervous.  The last few weeks had been tense at the house.  He wanted to explain that things were going to get better.  “I wanted to talk to you about your mother and me,” Lee started to explained.

“Here it comes,” Jamie announced, shooting an awkward glance at his brother.

Lee wasn’t sure what his younger stepson meant by that statement.  Taking a deep breath, he started to discuss an important situation with them.  “You know your mother and I have been going through a rough couple of weeks…”

“I knew it!  You’re splitting up.” Jamie erupted angrily and started to storm off.

“Jamie, wait a second,” Lee urged, hurrying after his stepson.  Catching up with him, he gripped his arm firmly.  “Come back and sit down, Jamie, please.  Let me explain some things to you.”

“Let me go.  What’s there to explain?” Jamie shouted as he tried to wiggle out of Lee’s grasp.

The next thing Lee realized was Phillip standing next to him with an intense glare, apparently ready to protect the brother who moments ago, he wanted to fight.

“Let him go, Lee,” Phillip insisted as he stood between Lee and Jamie.

Lee released Jamie’s arm.  “Fellas, please.  Let’s go back and sit down and discuss this calmly.  You’re getting the wrong idea.”

“Mom said you were stressed out and needed space, but I didn’t think you two were going to divorce or anything,” Phillip remarked.

“Will you two stop?  I’m not leaving your mother,” Lee appealed; the conversation had gotten way out of control.   Putting a hand firmly on each of their shoulders, he marched them back to the picnic table they’d been sitting at.  “Sit down, both of you and let me explain things to you before you two have me burned at the stake for crimes I didn’t commit.”

“You left last week,” Jamie reminded him.

“You’re right, I did and for that, I’m truly sorry.”  Lee ran his hand nervously through his hair.  When he left unexpectedly last week, he never gave any thought to the impression he gave to Phillip or Jamie.   Certainly, Amanda hadn’t been in the best frame of mind either.  Looking at Jamie first, then Phillip, he pleaded.  “Give me five minutes.  That’s all I’m asking.”

Phillip glanced at Jamie and shrugged.  Jamie turned away, but this time didn’t stalk off.  “We’re listening,” Phillip answered for the both of them.

“I’m not proud of what I did last week.  Avoiding difficult emotional situations is an old defense mechanism of mine.  I didn’t mean to upset your mother or either of you, but that’s exactly what I did. The last case your mother and I were involved in went… really badly.  I wasn’t running out on your mother.  I was hiding from myself.  I’ve apologized to your mother and now I’m apologizing to you.”

“Grandma told us your cover was blown.  That’s why you were having nightmares, huh?” Phillip mentioned.

“Yeah,” Lee nodded, wishing that his stepsons weren’t so observant.

“We saw the bruises on your…” Jamie broke his grim, silent stare and started to comment before being elbowed by Phillip and his voice faded to silence.

Lee swallowed hard, remembering they had tried to cover up the bruises with long sleeve shirts and high collars, but apparently, they were less than successful in their attempt.  “You know I can’t go into details, but suffice it to say, your mother and I were lucky to come out of it with just bruises.  I was having a lot of trouble dealing with things.  To be honest, I still am.  It’s going to take more time.”

Lee stopped for a moment and took a deep breath; trying to focus on the present and not allowing Addi Birol and the anguish he’d caused them to invade his discussion.    Lee took a moment and walked around to the other side of the picnic table, sat down, across from his two stepsons.  He had their rapt attention.

“I need to change my focus.  Your mother and I both love each other, but we need to work on our relationship without work distracting us.  I think the best way to do it is to get out of town for a while - together.”

“Where are you and Mom going?” Phillip asked.

“How long are you going?” Jamie questioned.

“It depends.  I’d like to take off for about a month.  We can get the time from work without a problem and your summer vacation starts next week.”

“You want us to come with you?” Jamie asked with a surprised look on his face.

“Yeah, we’re a family, right?” Lee answered, trying to sound more confident than he felt at the moment.  Knowing that Amanda would never agree to go away for more than a week, two at the most without the boys, he’d have to convince them to want to come.  “But that means if you win that playoff game tomorrow night, you might not be able to continue to play if you win Regionals and State.”

“And All-Stars,” Phillip added.

“Yeah, that too.”

“Where do you want to go?” Jamie asked.

“Alaska.”

Phillip’s mouth flew open wide for a moment.  “Alaska?  What are we going to do up there?  It’s all snow and icebergs and stuff…”

“No it’s not, you dummy.  Alaska is warm in the summer. The sun shines 24 hours a day.”

“No way,” Phillip argued.

“Jamie’s right.  The farther north you go, the longer the day is during the summer.  There’s plenty to see and do.  There’s even a rain forest in Alaska.”

“Really?” Phillip asked with surprise.

“I have a friend who has fishing cabin up there.  He’ll be using it in July, but it’s available until then.  We could do a little fishing, kayaking and some hiking.  Well, are you two interested?” Lee asked.

“I could bring my camera,” Jamie said with excitement.

“This would help you and Mom?” Phillip asked before spooning ice cream into his mouth.

Lee nodded.  He needed to get out of DC and away from the stress of the Agency.  He and Amanda needed time together to work things through, to figure out a path for their future – whether that would involve the Agency or not, Lee wasn’t entirely certain.  “It would help me a lot to get out of town and relax for a while.”

“But mom’s not going to want to go fishing and hiking for a month,” Phillip replied, still not totally sold on the idea.

“You know she won’t go without us for that long either,” Jamie reminded his older brother.  “And I don’t want to spend a month with dad.”

“There will be sightseeing that we can do that your mother will enjoy and I thought to end the trip, we could take a cruise on the Inside Passage.”

“The inside passage of what?” Phillip asked.

“Do you ever study?” Jamie snickered, rolling his eyes at his older brother.  “It’s a series of passages between Alaska, Canada and the coast islands.  The cruise ships use the route because they can avoid the bad weather of the open ocean.  There are lots of tiny islands and fishing communities, not to mention pods of whales that migrate up to Alaska through there in the summer.”

“I’m impressed,” Lee said with a relieved smile.

“We studied ‘Seward’s Folly’ in school this year,” Jamie explained as he slurped on his milkshake.  “I did a report on it and saw a bunch of pictures.  I didn’t think I’d ever get to go there!”

“Then I can count on your vote?” Lee asked hopefully.

“You bet.  I’m sorry I jumped down your throat earlier.  I just thought…”

“Hey, it’s OK.  I’ve been really tense the last week and I should have talked to you both sooner instead of taking off like a coward.”

“You’re not a coward, Lee,” Phillip countered.  “Mom said she would have never made it through the last case without you.”

“Your mom is a remarkable woman,” Lee smiled, relived at how the discussion with his stepsons had turned out. “What about you, Phillip, are you willing to forego baseball for a trip to Alaska?”

“I guess it could be fun.”

Lee grinned.  “Now, if I can convince your mother.”

“You haven’t asked her yet?” Phillip gasped.

Lee shook his head.  “No.  If I couldn’t convince you two to go, I knew she’d never agree to it.”

“I don’t know if Mom will go for it,” Phillip mumbled as he enjoyed up his sundae.

“Just don’t mention it to her until I talk to her about it, promise?”

The boys glanced at each other then nodded their consent.

“Hurry up and finish your sundae and your milkshake; then we can hit the road,” Lee suggested as he finished his ice cream as well.
 

* * *
 

“I can’t believe you took the boys out for ice cream before dinner,” Amanda ranted as she cleaned the dishes.  “They barely ate anything.”

“I wanted to talk to them on neutral ground,” he answered, kicking himself silently for such a foolish idea.  He knew his wife was angry with him; she’d already scrubbed the same plate three times.   “I didn’t expect Phillip to order a Colossal Carl Sundae or Jamie to want the King Carl Shake.”

“We could have gone out after dinner as a family,” she reminded him with a raised eyebrow, finally rinsing off the dish and thrusting it at him forcefully.  “What was so important it couldn’t wait?”

“I owed the boys an explanation for leaving.”

“I think we should have talked to them together!”

“No, it was something I needed to do, you know, man to man.”  The look on her face was not one of understanding.  Putting the dish on the counter, he reached for his wife’s hand.  “Come on. Let’s talk.”

“I’m not done with the dishes yet,” she argued as Lee stuffed the towel into her hands for her to dry them.

“Phillip, Jamie, come in here!” he shouted.

“What’s up, Lee?”  Phillip asked when he poked his head into the kitchen.  Jamie was right behind him.

“Do us a favor and finish the dishes.  There’s only a couple left.  Your mom and I are going to take a walk.”

“Yeah, sure,” Phillip answered with little enthusiasm.

Lee pushed his wife out the back door before she could argue.  Reaching for her hand, he grasped it firmly in his and starting leading her towards the front yard and down the street.

The cool night air was refreshing and Lee felt more relaxed as he walked down the street with his wife’s hand comfortably in his.  His arm reached around her back and pulled her closer to him.  She glanced up and smiled at him.

“I’m sorry about dinner,” he whispered quietly as they turned the corner.

She leaned her head into his shoulder.  “Yeah, I know.”

“I needed to explain things to the Phillip and Jamie.  It’s a good thing I did.  Jamie thought we were getting a divorce.”

“To be honest, I wasn’t sure we weren’t headed down that path before this afternoon’s discussion either,” she admitted.  “You and I were barely talking to each other… and then you disappeared.  Mother knew that you weren’t ‘on assignment’ and I’m pretty sure the boys did as well.”

Slowing his pace, he remarked.  “I really messed things up, Amanda, and I know it.  I want to make it up to you and the boys.”

They walked in silence for a while before she answered.  “Sweetheart, the most important thing right now is that you and I keep our lines of communication open.  If we do, we’ll find our way back to each other.  We can’t let work or anything else get in the way of our marriage.”

“I agree and I think the best way for us to do it is to take a little time and get away from here.”

“Lee, we just got back on Friday night,” she reminded him.

“I mean a real vacation, time away from the Agency, DC and the rat race.  What if we packed up and left town for a few weeks?  Spend time together without the Agency breathing down our necks to get back to work or back into the field.”

“I think you’re trying to avoid Pfaff again.”

“No.  I’m not talking about leaving tomorrow, but in a week, maybe two.  That gives me plenty of time to sit on Pfaff’s couch.”

Shaking her head, she was still not convinced.  “I still think you’re running away from your problems.”

“I’m trying to cope with them.  If I was running away I would have stayed in Vegas,” he responded brusquely.

Her response was equally as abrupt.  “I don’t think the timing is right to leave the boys.  Maybe later in the summer…”

They continued down to the park where the boys usually play basketball.  He led her over to a bench and sat down beside her.  In a calm voice, he continued their conversation.  “Amanda, I’m not talking about leaving the boys home.  I want them to come.  I’d like to take a family vacation.”

“You’d never get Phillip to agree to skip baseball.  He’ll probably make ‘All Stars’ again, and their team is still playing.  Who knows, if they win tomorrow night, they could take the District and even Regionals.”

Sitting back on the bench in silence, he felt hurt by her tone and negativity; he wasn’t sure he wanted to tell her the boys had already agreed to the idea.  He wanted her to want to go.  Mulling it around in his head, he finally decided to try another angle.  “Wouldn’t you like time off to…unwind, forget about national security and ‘need to know’ for a short while and spend a little time with me and the boys?”

“Of course, I would,” she said.  “But…”

“But what?” he snapped in frustration.

“With the boys underfoot all day long, you’d be itching to get back to work in three days time.  You’ve never been on a family vacation with two teenagers, Lee.  They can be very trying.”

“What if I said I really need to get away?” he asked, turning towards her, his eyes pleading, his face worn and tired.  “Amanda, the last couple weeks have been the most difficult in my life.”

“I know that,” she replied in a reassuring tone.

“You remember when I first moved into the house and I felt out of place?” he asked.  She nodded and he continued.  “I used to make up reasons to go to the Agency for a few hours to feel… secure.”

She smiled and leaned her head onto his shoulder.  "I remember..."

“I don’t feel secure there any longer.  I’ve lost my way and I’m not sure I belong there anymore.  I need to get away; leave it all behind and sort out what I want to do.  Something’s changed inside me.  I’m not sure I can go back to the field.  I’m not sure that I want to try.”

Lifting her head from his shoulder, she stared at him.  “You’ve really given this a lot of thought.”

“Yeah, I’ve thought about it most of the weekend.  I’d like to take you and the boys up to Alaska for a couple of weeks, maybe a month.  Fresh air, wide-open spaces, the mountains and the sea.  There are plenty of things up there to keep them busy, hiking, fishing, whitewater rafting.”  From the look on her face, she was less than excited about the idea, thus, he sweetened the pot.  “We could cruise the Inside Passage on the way home.”

“Lee, slow down!  Alaska’s a beautiful place, and I’d love to take a cruise, but it’s not cheap.  It’ll cost a fortune to fly the four of us up there, not to mention food and hotels.”

He chuckled.  “Amanda, remember that night at the craps table?”

“I’d like to forget it,” she mumbled.

“You never did ask me how much money I won that night,” he reminded her.

She shrugged.  “I was afraid to ask how much you had already lost.”

“I won nine thousand, four hundred and fifty dollars,” he answered.

“Oh my gosh!  You’re kidding me, right?” she asked as she stared at him.

Shaking his head he said, “Nope.  I would have probably blown it all if you hadn’t shown up when you did.  I was playing like a fool with nothing to lose.”

“Nine thousand…”

“Four hundred and fifty dollars,” he repeated as he reached into his wallet for the check and showed it to her.  “I haven’t had time since we got back to make a deposit at the bank.”

“Wow!  I’m mean, that’s a lot of money.”

“It’s found money, Amanda.  Let’s do this.  If you don’t mind hiking and fishing with three guys for a week or two, I bet they wouldn’t mind a romantic cruise to end the vacation?”

“It sounds wonderful, but the boys…”

“Have already agreed to go,” he finally confessed.  “That’s one of the things I talked to them about this afternoon.  Maybe it’s time to do what’s right for us?  What do you say?”

“You’re a sneak.”

“I’m a spy,” he countered.

She hesitated for a moment.  Her eyes met his.  They were beseeching her to agree.

“The boys already agreed to go.  Even on the cruise?” she asked, skeptically.

“Yup.  I bet Jamie’s at home right now polishing his zoom lens on his camera.”

A smile crossed her face and she nodded.  “Yes, let’s go to Alaska!”

Glancing at her face, he could see the sparkle in her eyes that had been missing since the kidnapping.  He could barely contain his own excitement.  Reaching out for her, he pulled her to him and hugged her until she gasped for air.  “I promise you’ll have a great time.”

“I know I will.  I’ll be with the three most important men in my life,” she replied and planted a kiss on his lips.

They both glanced to the west and noticed that the sun was beginning to dip behind the horizon.  Standing up, he reached his hand down for his wife’s and helped her to her feet. “I guess we better go home and tell the boys the good news.”

End Part Eight
 
 
 
 
 

Flashback:  Part Nine
 

A few weeks later…

Lee Stetson glanced around at the panoramic view.  No matter which direction he gazed, he saw wide-open splendor.  The scenery was breathtaking with the snowcapped mountains of the Alaskan Range off in the distance and the surrounding countryside sporting lush forests, with more shades of green than he thought possible.

They’d been at the cabin in South Central Alaska for over a week now. Wearing hip-waders, he and Phillip were fishing in the cold, aquamarine waters that ambled past the cabin.  Jamie had decided to forego another morning of fishing, instead, he was designated their official photographer.  Amanda had passed on fishing as well and drove into town to do shopping and buy provisions for their last night in the cabin.

“I’ve got another one!” Phillip shouted with youthful exuberance as his fishing pole bent over and he began reeling in the fish.  Once it was out of the water, he removed the hook from its mouth.  Jamie focused his camera lens and took a picture of his brother, grinning from ear to ear as he held the fish proudly before they released it back into the water.

Lee high-fived his stepson.  “That was an impressive fish.”

“That was a northern pike, wasn’t it?” Phillip asked.

“Sure was and I’d wager to say it was the biggest one yet!”

“Too bad we couldn’t keep it,” Phillip remarked.

“I think if we brought another fish up to the cabin for your mom to clean, she’d skin us alive,” Lee reminded him.

“Yeah, I’m kind of tired of eating fish for lunch and dinner,” Jamie agreed.

“I think your mom needed a break, too,” Lee reminded his stepsons.  He remembered his wife’s warning before she went into town, that if they brought another fish up to the cabin for her to clean and cook, she’d be driving back to Anchorage and checking into a hotel.

“Maybe next time we come up, we can visit towards the end of July when the Sockeye Salmon season is open,” Phillip asked.  “I’d sure like to catch one of them!”

Lee chuckled.  It was hard to believe this was the same kid he had to coax a couple weeks ago just to accompany them to Alaska.  In the last two weeks of hiking, kayaking and fishing, he and Amanda had been having a hard time to get either of them in bed long enough to rest.  Of course, since the sun rose shortly after four in the morning and didn’t set until after ten at night, it was easy to understand.

“I think next time, we should go halibut fishing,” Jamie chimed in as he focused his zoom lens on a bird flying overhead.  Following the bird with his camera, he shouted to his stepfather with excitement.  “Hey, Lee, it’s a bald eagle!”

Squinting in the direction that Jamie was pointing, Lee observed the distinctive white head and tail of a bald eagle flying against the cobalt blue sky.  “Pretty close, too.”

The bird flew lower and nearer until it landed at the top of a pine tree down the river.  “I’m going to see how close I can get to it and see if I can get a decent picture of it.”

“Don’t go too far,” Lee warned and he watched his youngest stepson stroll down the riverbank after his quarry and out of his line of sight.  Soon, his attention returned to the tugging on his line.

“Looks like you got another one,” Phillip cheered as he watched him reel in his line.

Just before Lee could get the fish out of the water, the fish splashed in the water, threw the hook and swam free.

“Damn,” Lee swore, then he glanced up at Phillip, hoping he hadn’t heard him.  From the gleeful look on Phillip’s face, he knew he had.

“You gotta be quicker than that,” Phillip teased.

“The day’s not over yet.  I’ll get him,” Lee promised and cast his line back into the water.

“Have you ever tried fly fishing?” his stepson asked curiously.

Lee nodded, thinking back to his days with his uncle in the military.  “Yeah, when I was about your age, a friend’s father took me fly fishing one day.  It’s not as easy as it looks.”

“You think you could teach me how to do it?” he asked.

“How about we take lessons together, huh?” Lee answered, not certain he remembered enough to teach him.  “I’m sure it would be a lot of fun.”

“Cool.”  Moments later, another fish hit Phillip’s line, peeling the line out of the reel.

Lee watched as Phillip’s face lit up again as he struggled to land yet another fish.  Walking backwards towards the bank he almost had the fish out of the water when it got off the line and swam off.  “I think that was my fish,” Lee ribbed his disappointed stepson.

“It looked like a rainbow trout, but it wasn’t as big as the last one I caught,” Phillip defended.

“Good thing I went out for supplies,” Amanda teased her son as she walked down to the water and tussled his hair.   “How’s the fishing been?”

“I caught a Northern Pike a little while ago, Mom.  You should have seen it.  The thing was monster sized, but we released it,” Phillip boasted excitedly.  “Jamie got a picture of it.”

Lee walked out of the water and put down his fishing pole on the bank.  Kissing his wife, he asked.  “Back so soon?  I thought you might be gone all day.”

“No, it’s a pretty small town.  I bought groceries and I found a lovely little craft store.  They had the nicest things.  I picked up a hand weaved blanket for Mother.”

Wondering what else she bought he chuckled.  “I thought you were going window shopping.  You’re not going to have room in your suitcase.”

“Don’t worry; I can always ship it home.  Is anyone hungry?  I made sandwiches on fresh sourdough bread and picked up a blueberry cobbler for dessert.”

“I’m hungry now,” Phillip cheered as he rubbed his stomach.

“Where’s Jamie?” she asked, glancing both up and down the riverbank and noticing her younger son was nowhere to be seen.

Lee nodded down river.  “He saw an eagle land in a tree.  He went down to see if he could get a good angle on it.’’

“Jamie, lunch!” Amanda called out to her son, but there was no answer.

“I’ll go look for him,” Phillip volunteered as he sat down on the riverbank and took off his hip waders.

“I’ll take the fishing gear back up to the cabin.  We can do some more fishing this afternoon if you want.”

“Don’t dawdle,” Amanda warned, helping Lee pick up the fishing gear.  They ambled up the path, through the woods, back to the cabin.

Putting the gear into the storage cache, Lee followed his wife inside and cleaned himself up, in the small, but functional kitchen.  Glancing at the sandwiches and pie that were waiting on the table, he grinned.  “Looks delicious.  What did you get for dinner?”

“The butcher suggested moose stew.  They had fresh vegetables and I thought I’d try making it,” she answered enthusiastically.  Then her voice turned lower.  “Just don’t tell the boys what kind of meat it is until after dinner.”

“Good idea!” he nodded in agreement as he wrapped his arms around his wife and nuzzled against her.

She sniffed him and pushed his away.  “You smell like fish.  You need a shower.”

“Want to join me?  We are alone,” he grinned playfully, looking out the window and not seeing either of the boys coming up the path.

“I’d love to, but there’s barely enough room in that shower for one and the boys will be back any minute.”

“I’m glad we have separate accommodations on the cruise ship.”

“Yeah, why is that?” she asked with a sparkle in her eyes.

Wrapping his arms around her again and tilting his head down, he answered with a tantalizing kiss.  His hands started to explore her body; he could feel her react to his touch and relax in his arms.  It felt good to hold her.  With each day, they seemed to be getting closer, their relationship stronger and the memories of Birol fading into their past.  Then the cabin door opened.

Quickly, they broke apart from their intimate embrace.  “Where’s your brother?” Amanda asked, trying to glance past Phillip who stood in the doorway.

“I didn’t see him.  I thought we might have crossed paths,” he answered as he looked around the small cabin.

“No, he hasn’t come back yet,” Amanda answered uneasily.

“How far down the river did you go?” Lee asked, annoyed by the untimely intrusion.

“Down past the curve.  I didn’t see him anywhere.  I kept shouting his name, but he didn’t answer.

“Oh my gosh!” Amanda’s face paled.  She went to the window and scanned the yard, but there wasn’t a soul outside.

“Relax, sweetheart, he’s probably really absorbed in trying to get the perfect shot of the eagle, that he hasn’t realized how far he’s wandered.”  Lee answered both calmly and rationally.

“Maybe he fell in the river, it’s pretty cold and…,” Phillip suggested.

Lee shot him a look that silenced his older stepson immediately.  “Amanda, I’m sure that’s not the case.  Besides, the water’s not that deep and it hasn’t rained for a while so it’s moving slowly.”

“What if he’s been… kidnapped?  Lee, what if Birol wasn’t acting alone?”  Amanda choked out with tears brimming in her eyes, her voice foreboding.  “What if Karbala…”

“Amanda, stop!” Lee insisted firmly, but he could see her dark eyes glazing over with fear and so did Phillip.  Not only did she look terrified, but now Phillip appeared skittish.  Suddenly, the relaxed wife he was kissing moments ago had been replaced by a frightened victim of Addi Birol.

“I’ll go back out and look for him,” Phillip offered.

“No!” Amanda shouted in despair.  “I don’t want them to get you, too.”

“Amanda!” Lee shouted, but it was too late; she was zoning out...
 
 

“Do you miss your children, Amanda?” Birol asked when he entered the room.

Bound and gagged, she was unable to answer.  All she could do was nod.

“With all this rain, your sons won’t have a baseball game, will they?  They’re probably home tonight, aren’t they?” Birol taunted.

Her eyes flashed with terror.  Tears ran down her face.

“Perhaps you’d like a little company… which one would you like to visit?  Your eldest, perhaps…  No,” he grinned devilishly.  “You want your baby, don’t you?”

Amanda was shouting into her gag.  “Noooo!”

Laughing maniacally, he turned out the light and left her alone, slamming the door as he exited...
 
 

“AMANDA!” Lee shouted as he started to shake her body, trying to snap her out of the flashback.

“He’s got him, Lee,” she choked out.

“No he doesn’t; Birol’s dead,” he whispered harshly.  “Jamie’s just wandered off.”

“Karbala…”

“No.  Now take a few deep breaths and get a hold of yourself.”  Reaching for her face with his hand, he lifted her head towards his and made eye contact with her.  Stroking her face gently, he wiped away a stray tear.  “Calm down; he’s fine.  Trust me?”

“Lee…”

“Trust me,” he repeated in a comforting voice, staring at her, willing her to relax.  He led her to the kitchen table and sat her down.  “You and Phillip eat your lunch.  I’m sure I’ll be back with Jamie before you finish.”

“My son is missing and you want me to eat?” Amanda protested incredulously.

“I’m not that hungry anyway,” Phillip replied nervously, apparently picking up his mother’s vibes.

Realizing it was hopeless, he relented.  “Fine.  We’ll all eat together when we get back.”

Standing up and reaching for the car keys, she went to the door.  “I’ll take Phillip and we’ll drive back into town and notify the police.”

Attempting to reason with her in this state would be hard, but Lee knew he had to try.  He didn’t want to ruin the entire vacation over a minor incident.  Hurrying for the door, he warned.  “Amanda, if you do that, Jamie will be mortified when he walks back to the cabin and finds a dozen people looking for him.  I’ll find him.”

Appearing less than convinced, she conceded.  “I’ll give you a half hour to find him, Lee.  If you’re not back by then, I’m going to the police.  Please be careful out there.  It could be Karbala.”

Giving her a reassuring hug, he whispered quietly making sure Phillip wouldn’t overhear him.  “It’s not Karbala.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Amanda, he wandered off.  That’s all.  Please don’t get yourself all worked up over this.  Take a couple deep breaths and focus,” he insisted, holding her until she obliged him, but he could feel her body tremble.

“Take your weapon,” she whispered in a strained voice.

“You’re overreacting,” he warned, but knowing how much she hated guns made him realized how frightened she was.  Not wanting to argue with her, especially with Phillip looking confused, he acquiesced to her request.  Rummaging through his bag in the other room, he grabbed his compass and gun, mindful not to let Phillip see the latter.  “I’ll be back soon.”

“Be careful, Lee, I love you.”

“I love you too,” he answered, before heading out the door.
 

End Part Nine
 
 
 
 

Flashback:      Part Ten
 

Once Lee was out of sight from the cabin, he picked up his pace significantly.  Reaching the river, he urgently shouted Jamie’s name.  Unfortunately, his luck was no better than Phillip’s.  Continuing down the river past where Phillip turned around, he looked for footprints, but he didn’t see any tracks.  Keeping a watchful eye on the riverbank to see if there were any signs of Jamie falling into the river, he saw none.

His pace continued to quicken the farther he got from where they’d been fishing.  It had to be almost a mile and still no Jamie.  Doubt was now creeping into his consciousness or was it paranoia?  Maybe Amanda was right and Karbala was behind this.  Birol did escape from Federal Prison, maybe it wasn’t just a massive clerical screw up compounded by people ignoring details and procedure.  Had the Agency’s investigation on his escape been short sighted; did Birol have help?  And if he had help, was it on the inside or out?

Becoming frantic himself at this point, he shouted loudly.  “Jamie, where the hell are you?”

Still no answer.

‘Billy would have called me.  He would have gotten word to us.  It can’t be Karbala,’ he reasoned logically.

Noticing that he was running now and half out of breath, Lee stopped.  Leaning over and taking a couple deep breaths, he listened to the sounds of the woods.  Everything seemed fine – except Jamie was definitely missing.

“Please, God, let him be lost,” Lee prayed out loud.  Looking at his watch; he’d been gone fifteen minutes.  If he didn’t find him soon, he wouldn’t make it back before Amanda would drive into town and notify the police.  Damn, he wished the cabin had a phone.

Swallowing hard, he gave Amanda’s hypothesis a little thought.  What if it was Karbala?  They could have snatched Amanda and Phillip as well.  That last thought played deeply on his own insecurities.

At the top of his lungs, Lee screeched desperately, “J A M I E - E - E !”

He screamed so loudly, even the birds stopped chirping for a moment.  Then he heard something, but what was it or who was it?

“JAMIE?” Lee shouted again, straining to listen for a reply.

“Lee?” the distant voice replied.

Lee started a full out run towards the voice and called again.  “Jamie, where are you?”

“I’m down here.”

Lee hurried to the clearing and stopped dead in his tracks.  He swallowed hard.  Kneeling motionless on the riverbank, Jamie was steadily snapping photos of a bear and her two cubs, fishing in the river.

“Stand up slowly and walk towards me, Jamie.  Don’t make any sudden moves,” Lee instructed in as calm a voice that he could manage, despite his heart racing.  Reaching for his gun, he took off the safety, in case the bear charged.

Jamie listened and did what he was told.

Counting the steps Jamie took backwards, one by one, it seemed like an eternity before he was finally only a couple yards from Lee.  The bear glanced up at Jamie and Lee for a moment, but seemed more interested in her fishing expedition.  Finally, Lee reached out and grabbed his stepson, hugging him tightly.

“You had me a little anxious there, son!” Lee scolded gently.

“Lee, it was awesome,” he explained eagerly, excitement filling his voice.  “I followed the eagle, but he never stayed in one spot long enough to get a decent picture…”

“Hold on, pal,” Lee suggested, glancing at his watch once again.  “Your mother’s scared to death thinking something happened to you.  We’ve got to get back to the cabin before she goes into town, for the police.”

“The police?  Didn’t you tell her I was just taking photos?” Jamie asked with a confused look on his face.

Grabbing his son by the arm, he started a fast march back to the cabin.  “Come on.  It’s a long story and I think I’d rather hear yours.”

The hike back was lengthy and Lee pushed the pace, worrying that they wouldn’t return before Amanda left to contact the police.  Finally, they made it to the path that led to the cabin.  As they hurried up it, Lee spied Amanda on the front porch of the cabin, pacing back and forth.  Signaling to Jamie with a nod to run ahead, he called out to his wife.

“Relax, Amanda,” he shouted out to her, hoping to avoid a scene.  “He’s fine.”

Amanda spotted them on the path and ran until she reached him, pulling Jamie to her, smothering him in a hug, and then pushing him away as if to take inventory.  Finally, she pulled him into an embrace, squeezing him until he couldn’t breathe.  “Are you all right?  I was worried about you!  What happened?  Are you hurt?”

Squirming to get out of his mother’s embrace, he answered excitedly.  “Oh, Mom, I’m fine.  It was really cool!  I was following the eagle, trying to get a good picture of him…”

She interrupted before he could finish his explanation.  Grabbing both of his arms and shaking him firmly, she scolded.  “Don’t you wander off like that again - ever!  Do you hear me?  You could have drowned or...”

“Amanda, stop.  You’re scaring him,” Lee insisted, mindful of the tone she was using.  Phillip had now joined them and Lee was hoping she’d give her son a chance to tell his exciting news.  “Let him explain what he saw.  Everything’s fine.”

“It’s not fine.” Letting go of Jamie, she turned and snapped at Lee.  “He was lucky.  Somebody could have kidnapped…”

“Amanda, don’t!” he interrupted in a warning tone.  He turned to his stepson and nodded towards the cabin.  “Jamie, go up to the house and wash up for lunch.  I’m sure your brother will want to hear about your adventure.  Your mother and I will be up in a little while.”

The faraway look in her dark, brown eyes and the clipped tone of her voice were signs that she wasn’t herself.  The trauma of being kidnapped by Birol was clouding her judgment.

Jamie paused for a moment and glanced at his mom, then back to Lee.

“Go,” Lee repeated firmly, staring at Jamie first, then Phillip.  His eyes narrowed and he nodded once more before they complied.  Taking hold of Amanda’s arm, he led her down towards the river.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she asked indignantly.  “I need to be with Jamie right now.  He needs me.”

“No, you need to clear your head.”  With his arm firmly around her shoulder, he forcefully marched her down the path, towards the river, where they’d been fishing.  She tried several times to flee back to the cabin, but he managed to grab her each time and continue away from the cabin.

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not,” he replied evenly.  He needed to be composed and help her through this.  All these weeks, he’d been the one trying to cope with the memories and now that he’d finally reached an understanding of his emotions, it looked like her repressed feelings were starting to surface.

With just the two of them, far from the prying ears of Phillip and Jamie, he slowed his pace and started to talk to her.  “Amanda, there was no accomplice.  Karbala is not after us.  Take a few deep breaths and look around.  We’re safe.  We’re together in the Alaskan wilderness.”

Physically, she stood near the bank of the river they’d been fishing at for days now, but Lee could see she wasn’t with him emotionally.  He was all too familiar with the flashbacks, the odd smell, sound or image that brought on the painful or traumatic memories.  Thinking that her son had been kidnapped was surely the trigger, but he wasn’t sure how to undo what was already done.

He continued to talk to her.  “Your son, the avid photographer, just had a wonderful experience with the native wildlife.  He lost track of time and didn’t realize how far he’d gone.  I tell you, your behavior is scaring him.”

“I know he’s scared.  I should be with him right now,” she replied and turned to go back to the cabin.

Reaching for his wife, he lifted her off her feet and held her in his arms.  Struggling to escape, she was kicking with her feet and pounding her arms on his chest.  “Amanda, stop it right now or I’ll throw you in the river,” he warned.

There was an uneasy moment between the two of them where Lee was afraid he really would have to throw her, bodily, into the water.  Maybe that would snap her out of her funk.  His body began to lunge forward and make good his threat when finally, she stopped.  Her eyes began to focus on him.

“Lee, no!” she yelled, her arms grabbing around his neck and holding on tightly.  “That water’s freezing!”

“I’ll stop, if you settle down.”

“Put me down,” she insisted.

Cautious of his partner, he angled her feet to the ground, but held her upper body tightly.  In a soothing voice, he tried to appeal to her sensibilities.  “Are you OK?”

She nodded, but didn’t look at him.

“You want to talk about it?” he probed.

“Talk about what?”

“The flashback.”

“Not really,” she shrugged, staring at the ground.

“It might help.  Talking to you helped me through mine, in Vegas,” he reminded her.

Looking away, she stared off in the distance for a while.  Taking a few steps towards the riverbank, she started to explain.  “He said it would never be over.  That Karbala would hunt us down until we were all dead…”

“He lied, Amanda,” he pleaded with her.  “You have to believe me.  If you don’t, you’re going to transfer your fears onto Phillip and Jamie.  You’ve never done that before; don’t start now.”

“He was going to go after the boys.  He was going to kidnap Jamie,” she advised him.

“But he didn’t.  Billy killed Birol before he could try.  Jamie’s safe, Karbala wasn’t after him.  It was Jamie, being a kid and losing track of time and how far he went.”

“Karbala could still be out there…”

“No.  We were kidnapped by Birol, not Karbala.  Karbala’s ancient history – dead much longer than Birol.”

“He escaped from prison.  How did he manage that, alone?” she continued, desperate for answers.

“Billy let me read Kendrick’s report.  He investigated the escape as well as the Bureau of Prisons.  Birol planned every last detail like a symphony.  It was human error; overworked and tired people cutting corners, not following established procedures.”

Wandering to the edge of the riverbank, she didn’t say a word.  Lee knew she doubted him.

“Remember what you told me in Vegas?” he asked her.

Shaking her head, she glanced at him, confused.

“You told me to believe you; I did.  Now, believe me.  If there was even the slightest chance that Karbala had been put back together, Billy would have stashed us in a safe house somewhere.  Amanda, sweetheart, you have to believe me.  I wouldn’t take a chance with you or the boys.  We’re safe.  The boys are safe.  It’s all right.  Trust me.”

She glanced around at the river, the mountains in the distance and then back to her husband.  Tears began to fill her eyes, finally she whispered.  “I trust you, but I’m really scared.”

“Sit by me,” he suggested soothingly, as he sat down on the riverbank and reached a hand up for his wife.  Amanda sat down in the grass beside him and he pulled her close.

“There hasn’t been a day since we were kidnapped that I’m not looking over my shoulder.  I try to act as if nothing’s wrong, Lee,” she hesitated then whispered uneasily.  “I can’t seem to shake that ominous feeling.”

“I guess coming up to Alaska for this long wasn’t the best idea, huh?” Lee remarked in hindsight.

“No, Alaska was a good idea.  Back home, in DC, we were too close to where it all happened.  I was terrified at home, especially when I was alone or at night.”  Staring at the bright blue sky, she sat silently for a moment.  “When you didn’t come back to the cabin in a half hour, I panicked.  I convinced myself Karbala was back.  I guess I need a little more time on Pfaff’s couch.”

“It’s going to take time, Amanda.  I’ve been in this business a long time and trust me when I say they don’t get any worse than Birol.  What he did to us isn’t going to vanish overnight, but eventually, the memories will fade and the flashbacks will end.  We have to work through it – all of it.  I might not be Pfaff, but you can talk to me, I do understand.  I’m able to deal with things a lot better now.  I promise you, Birol is dead and Karbala’s been extinguished.”  Rubbing his hand up and down her back he noticed her muscles seemed less tense.  “Besides, I’ve found that Pfaff’s couch is rather comfortable.”

A small smile edged across her anguished face.  “That’s something.”

“What?”

“You're actually talking with Pfaff without orders from Billy.”

“He’s helped.  I’m sure when we get back to DC, he’ll help us even more,” he answered, shaking his head.  “Are you feeling better now?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, leaning on her husband’s shoulder for support.  “Can I ask you a question?”

Reaching his arm around her shoulder, he pulled her to him.  “I know what you’re going to ask.  I’ve actually given it a lot of thought.  Truth be told, it wouldn’t have mattered.  I love you.  Nothing and no one can change that,” Lee answered, thinking she was asking the same question she asked him, in the Q Bureau weeks ago.

Glancing up at her husband she smiled.  “I’m glad to hear that, but that wasn’t my question.”

“Oh, well, you know you can ask me anything…”

“Have you ever thought about not going back?”

“To Pfaff’s couch?” Lee asked, picking up a stone and skipping it across the water.  “Every day.”

“No,” she replied, staring at the mountains far away, “to the field or even, to the Agency.”

Lee picked up another stone, studied it intently before he tossed the stone out into the river.  This time, it didn’t skip across the water, but sunk directly to the bottom.  “Yeah, that’s one of the reasons we’re up here in the first place.  I want time to figure out whether I want to go back to the field.  I guess you don’t want to go back?”

“I know I’m not ready,” she forced an uneasy laugh. “What just happened is a major reminder of that.  I worry that I may never be ready.”

“Would that be so terrible?” he asked.

Reaching for a long blade of grass, she plucked it from the earth and played with it between her fingers.  “I worry about you going back - without me.  I worry about you, being in the field, alone and the risks…”

Putting his hand over hers, he gave it a little squeeze.  “Don’t worry so much.  We’ll work this out the way we work out everything – together.  I promise.”

She leaned her head onto his shoulder again.  “I’m going to hold you to that.”

“What do you say?  Are you ready to head back up to the cabin?”

“I guess, but how do I explain my meltdown to my sons?”

“Mmm, that?” he mumbled.

“We need to tell them something.”

“Why not tell them the truth?”

“About Birol?  You’ve got to be kidding.”  Her mouth gaped open.  “You told me not to transfer my fear to my sons.  If we tell them about Birol, we’d need the family plan for Pfaff’s couch.”

“I didn’t mean everything, more like a PG version of the truth.  Tell them we were kidnapped by a now defunct, terrorist group.  That we’ve both had trouble dealing with the after effects, but we’re working on it, making progress, and that things happen to set off bad memories.”

“Why don’t you tell them for me?” she suggested.

“They need to hear it from you, Amanda.  But don’t worry, you’ll do fine.  I promise I’ll be with you the entire time.  If you get tongue tied, I’d be happy to hold your hand.”  Pulling her even closer he put an arm around her shoulder and hugged her before planting a kiss on her forehead.

“Chicken!”

“It was your meltdown,” he reminded her.

“Thanks for pointing that out.”

“Come on, let’s head back.  After that hike I took to find Jamie, I’m really hungry.”

“Yeah,” she nodded.  “He’s probably hungry, too.”

Standing up first, he reached his hand down and helped his wife up.  “Just promise me one thing.”

“What’s that?” she asked curiously, as they started the short walk back to the cabin.

“Promise me you won’t go ballistic when Jamie tells you what he was taking pictures of when I found him.”

Her eyes flew open wide, but before she could press him for more details, he ran ahead of her on the path, back to the cabin.

End Part Ten
 
 
 
 
 

Flashback:      Part Eleven
 
 

As the clouds began to fill the sky, the color of the glaciers, in Glacier Bay, seemed to change.  Their blue became more intense and vivid.  The wind started to kick up and the seas were beginning to have a light chop.  Lee put his arm around his wife to protect her from the chilly breeze that was coming off the glacier.

“Are you warm enough?” he asked her.

“It is starting to get a little cool out here, but it’s really beautiful.  I hate to go inside, even for dinner.  I’m really glad you brought us all up to Alaska.”

Rubbing his wife’s bare arm, he pulled her closer to him.  “The last few weeks have been rather soothing.”

“Except for when Jamie wandered off.”

“Hey, that’s history,” he said, turning her face towards his and kissing her gently.  “Forget about it.”

Nuzzling into his warm arms, she replied.  “Other than that, it’s been a dream vacation.  The boys haven’t been bickering with each other.  The scenery has been gorgeous.  I keep thinking nothing can surpass what we just saw and then the next day, it’s more picturesque.”

“And we still have several more days.  The Inside Passage is supposed to be magnificent.”

Leaning into her husband, the cold breeze made her shiver.  “I’d better go back to the room and check on the boys.  I want to make sure Jamie takes his Dramamine.  He gets seasick pretty easily.”

“Good idea.  It looks like we might get a storm tonight,” Lee mentioned, as they headed inside the ship.

“We’ve been lucky the last few weeks.  There hasn’t been much rain.”

“The weather has been perfect,” he replied, while they walked to the elevator, hand in hand.  When the door opened, he kissed his wife.  “I’m going to check on our reservations for the tour we’re taking tomorrow.  I’ll meet you back at the room.”  Giving her a quick kiss before she went down to their rooms, he headed off to the lobby.

Several minutes later, he made it back to their stateroom.  Opening the door to their cabin, he didn’t see her.

“Amanda?” he called out apprehensively.

She poked her head out of the bathroom.  “I’m right here.”

“Can you get the zipper?” she asked, now wearing a turquoise cocktail dress he’d never seen before, with a low cut back, but a conservative V-neckline.  The thin, silky material clung attractively to the curves on her trim body.

“My pleasure; you look stunning,” he answered, zipping up the back of her dress.  This had been the first time she’d been dressed this provocatively since their kidnapping.  He hoped this was a sign that they’d finally put that behind them.  The vacation had allowed them time to get closer, but for the most part, the boys were underfoot, which prevented them from renewing their intimate relationship.  Tonight, he hoped to change that.

Planting a kiss on the back of her neck, his lips lingered for several moments as he breathed in the scent of her perfume.  His hands gently traced the outline of her body, while he nibbled at her neck.  Turning her to face him, they shared a delightful kiss.

“Mmm,” she crooned contently.  “If you keep that up, we’re going to miss dinner.”

“There’s time for more of that later tonight,” he suggested.

“Is that a promise?” she asked.

“You can count on it, Mrs. Stetson.  I guess I better get dressed.  Are the boys ready?”

“They’re not coming.  It’s just you and me for dinner tonight.”

A concerned look crossed his face.  “Is Jamie seasick?  I didn’t think it was that rough out.”

“No, they’re not sick.  Apparently, they can’t seem to find their ties,” she responded before she started to put on her makeup and earrings.

Lee shook his head.  “I made sure they each packed at least one tie.”

Shrugging, she sighed loudly, clearly showing her disappointment.  “It’s OK.”

“No, it’s not.  I’ll be right back,” he answered, before he left their stateroom and went to the room next door, which Phillip and Jamie were sharing.  Knocking on the door, he waited until one of the boys opened it and then walked in.

“Hey, Lee, what’s up?” Phillip asked.

“Your mother says you can’t find your ties for tonight’s dinner.”

“Yeah, well, we thought we’d just order a couple of burgers from room service.”

“I think you better find those ties, fellas,” Lee suggested with a stern glare.

“Mom doesn’t mind,” Jamie added.

“I mind,” Lee corrected crossly, knowing that his wife indeed did mind, but didn’t want to ruin the evening.

“It’s just dinner,” Phillip reminded him.

“I thought we had a deal, guys.”

“What deal?” Jamie questioned innocently.

“The one that you and Phillip got to go fishing, hiking, kayaking, river rafting and on a helicopter ride, while your mother traipsed with us, getting soaked, blistered and mosquito bitten without complaint.  I think it’s only fair for you two to suffer through one dress up dinner as a family.”

“Awh, Lee…” Phillip whined.

Unwilling to concede defeat, knowing how important this dinner was to his wife, Lee shook his head.  “After dinner, you two can split for the video arcade or the movie theatre, but you will join us for dinner.”

“I think we might have lost them back at the cabin.  I’ve gone through all my stuff, Lee, I can’t find it in my suitcase – really,” Phillip answered.  “I only brought one and we know it’s a formal dinner tonight.  You better go without us.”

“I suppose you lost yours there, too, Jamie?” Lee asked and was greeted with a nod, but neither boy would make eye contact with him.

Knowing that their dinner seating was only minutes away, he studied the faces of his stepsons.  His instincts told him that the boys were bluffing, that the ties were cleverly hidden in their suitcases to get out of the night Amanda had looked forward to for the past few weeks.  Glancing at his watch, he grinned; he’d call their bluff.

“I’ve got a great idea.  You still have about ten minutes before dinner.  I suggest you both put on your white dress shirts and hurry down to one of the shops and each of you can buy yourself a new tie.  Charge it to the room and pay me back when we get home.”

“Awwh, Lee…” they both grumbled.

“Hey, you can always go through your luggage one last time,” he urged and then winked at them both.  “I better get dressed.  I don’t want to let your mother down.”

With that said, he turned and hurried out of the room, chuckling softly.
 

*****     *****
 

Leading his wife around the dance floor, Lee twirled and dipped her to the music.  Although there were many other couples dancing, he felt like it was just the two of them.

“Are you having a good time?” he asked her when the music came to an end and they walked back to their table, in the corner of the room.

“I’m having a marvelous time.  You’ve made this whole night perfect.  After all I ate at dinner, I’m glad we decided to go dancing.”

“Would you like something to drink?” the cocktail waitress asked once they were seated.

“How about a glass of wine?” Lee suggested.

“No, not tonight; I’d rather have something to cool me down.”

“How about an iced tea?” the waitress asked.

Amanda smiled and nodded.  “Yes, that sounds perfect.”

“Make that two iced teas,” he told the waitress, before she scurried away.

Sitting next to each other at the little round table, Lee put his arm around his wife’s shoulder, pulled her to him and kissed her cheek.  She turned to face him and kissed him again.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“For what?”

“For everything.  Bringing us up to Alaska, being fabulous to the boys, with the fishing and kayaking.  Not to mention tonight; you didn’t tell me how you did it,” she whispered to her husband.

“Did what?”

“Convince the boys to come to dinner?  I noticed they found their ties!”

Lee chuckled.  “Let’s just say I’m getting a little better at this parenting gig,” he teased.

The waitress came back to the table with their drinks.  Lee signed for them quickly, she conveniently disappeared into the crowd.

Amanda sipped at her drink.  “You’re an excellent parent.  You give them enough slack to enjoy, but not enough to hang themselves.  It’s a hard game of give and take, but you do it with such ease.”

“Amanda, I’m only following your lead.  Besides, I’ve been enjoying this vacation.  I like showing the boys new things, like kayaking and whitewater rafting.”

“You forgot the panning for gold.”

“I thought you enjoyed that, considering you found more in gold than the three of us combined.”

“That was kind of fun,” she acknowledged with a bright smile.

“You’ve been a real trooper through this all.  You might not always like what we’ve been doing, but you gave it a try anyway.  That’s what I reminded your sons this evening.”

“Ahh, the guilt route!” she chuckled.

Shrugging, he nodded.  “It worked.  You enjoyed dinner, they loved dessert.”

“They did.  Cherries Jubilee is a real crowd pleaser,” she commented, drinking more of her tea.

“Tasted pretty good, too.”

The band started to play again.  Amanda and Lee sat it out and listened to the music. Enjoying the ambiance and the closeness they were sharing.  It had been such a long time since they’d been alone, together.

Glancing at his watch, he noticed it was almost midnight.  Knowing the boys were expected to be in their room by then, he thought she’d want to go back to their cabin.  “Did you want to call it a night?  We haven’t seen the Phillip and Jamie since dinner.  Maybe we should go check on them?”

“No, I think they’re responsible enough to get back to their cabin by midnight.  The movie they wanted to see ended at eleven.  Besides, I’m really enjoying being with you.  How about we give them the benefit of the doubt?”

“All right,” he conceded, slightly disappointed.  Truthfully, he wasn’t worried about the boys as much as he wanted her all alone.  However, he wanted tonight to be special.  Tonight was her night to enjoy.  He wasn’t going to rush her back to their cabin; he'd be patient.  Playing with her hair, he attempted to distract himself, but the scent of her perfume was rather enchanting.

The band began to play a ballad.  The thought of holding her close, cheek to cheek, wouldn’t distract him, but certainly enticed him.  Lee reached out his hand.  “May I have this dance?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

This time on the dance floor, Lee held his wife protectively in his arms, enjoying the feel of his wife’s body, tightly knitted to his.  Caressing her back with his hands, he resisted the temptation of exploring elsewhere.  Instead, he nuzzled his face against hers.  He was rewarded with a tender kiss to his cheek.  Seeking out her lips again, he closed his eyes and kissed her passionately.

Finally breaking off the kiss, he lightened his hold on her.  When the song ended, he tugged on her arm.  “It’s getting a little warm in here.  How about we go take a walk on the deck and cool down?”’

“That sounds nice.”

Pulling on his tie a bit, he led her out of the ballroom and out to the deck.  The sun had already set, but since they were so far north it was still light outside.  The storm that had threatened earlier, had past; the seas were calmer, although a light breeze was blowing.  Lee and Amanda strolled on the deck for a few minutes before they stopped towards the bow and stood at the rail, glancing out at the serene water.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it,” she noted, watching the ship cut through the water, effortlessly.

“Yes, it is,” he answered, but he wasn’t watching the scenery around him.  His eyes were focused on his lovely wife.  Her hair was dancing in the breeze, her cheeks tinged with color from the coolness in the evening air.

“I’d like to come back up here in the winter and see the Aurora Borealis.”

“Maybe tomorrow,” he answered, not really listening to her.  Instead, he was thinking about how he wanted to touch her, kiss her and make love to her.

“What about a trip to the moon, too?” she suggested, turning towards him and waiting for a reply.

“I’m sorry; where did you want to go?” he asked, unexpectedly flustered.

“Your mind’s elsewhere all of a sudden,” she commented and glanced around, looking to see what had caught his attention.

Not being able to hold back any longer, he captured her lips with his.  His tongue gently pressing on her lips, seeking permission to enter. She allowed him access and his hands pulled her closer to him.  Leaning against the rail to steady them, his hands explored her back freely.  Despite the coolness of the breeze, Lee’s temperature was rising.

“Amanda, let’s go back to our cabin.”  The thickness of desire was ever present in his voice.  Not waiting for her to answer, he reached around her back and guided her closely to him.

When they reached their cabin, Lee opened the door to their room, flicking on the light.  Knowing she’d want to check to make sure the boys were in their cabin, he decided to look in on them himself.  He didn’t want any interruptions; not now.  “I’ll check on the boys and I’ll be right in.”

“All right,” she replied before disappearing into their room.

Lee slipped into the boys' cabin, silently.  Switching on a light in the bathroom, not wanting to disturb them, he was thankful to find both of his stepsons were asleep. Turning the light off, he padded out of the room and went back into his.

“Thank you for the flowers,” she remarked, nodding to the bouquet that greeted her on their nightstand.  “They’re beautiful.”

“Not nearly as beautiful as you.”

“Everything all right next door?” she nodded, while she was removing her pantyhose.

“They’re both asleep,” he reported, as he spied her with desire.

“Good.  Can you unzip me?”

“Gladly,” he responded huskily.  Carefully, he unzipped her dress and allowed it to drop to the floor.  His hands reached for her waist and glided up her body, caressing her softly.  His lips brushed her neck and left a series of tantalizing kisses down to her collarbone. Turning her to face him, their lips met once again with a demanding kiss.

Breaking away from him, breathless, her eyes glanced up at him and smiled.  “Lee, I packed a negligee.  Give me a couple minutes and I’ll put it on.”

“Save it,” he responded urgently, his lips meeting hers again, his desire too strong; he couldn’t wait any longer.  “It’ll just get in the way.  Wear it tomorrow night.  I want you so badly – right now.  I’ve made love to you a dozen times in my thoughts this evening, Amanda.”

“I thought you were a little distracted at times tonight.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart.  It’s been a long time since we…”

“Shhh, it has been too long,” she replied, putting her finger to his lips.  Reaching to his lapel, she helped him shed his jacket.

Seeing that she was as eager as he was, Lee pulled off his tie and dropped it on the floor and kicked off his shoes.  Amanda worked nimbly at the buttons on his dress shirt, and then unbuckled his pants.  They joined the pile that now rested on the floor, in their room.

Swiftly, he lifted her up in his arms and carried her to their bed, depositing her gently upon it.  Joining her on the bed, he stroked her tenderly, caressing her face, then her breasts. She welcomed his advances, her soft skin, eager for his touch.  His eyes savored her lithe body.

“I’ve missed you, Amanda,” his lust filled voice whispered in her ear.  His lips brushed across her mouth and pressed softly against hers.  His tongue slipped inside her mouth, exploring tentatively at first and then with more urgency.  His hands were stroking her delicate skin, touching her in places that he knew would arouse her.  For a moment, he hesitated, wondering if he was going too fast.  They hadn’t been together for weeks.

“Lee, please don’t stop,” Amanda whispered, insistently.  “Make love to me.”

Reassured by her request, his lips touched hers again, devouring them passionately, then as she groaned in pleasure, he nipped at her neck.  “I love you so much, Amanda Stetson.”

As Amanda returned his kisses, she gasped out as well.  “I love you, Lee Stetson…”

Reaching over and turning down the light, they continued what would be a pleasurable night of lovemaking…

End Part Eleven
 
 
 
 
 
 

FLASHBACK:      Part Twelve
 
 

Lee Stetson strode into the bullpen and knocked on his supervisor’s door.  “You wanted to see me, Billy?”

“Come on in,” Billy called out, motioning for him to sit down.

“What’s up?” Lee questioned, but he had an idea what was on his supervisor’s mind.

“I was wondering if you’d heard anything from Justice?”

“Not yet, but I only interviewed with them Monday,” Lee reminded him.  “It’ll probably be a couple of weeks before they make a decision.”

“They’d be fools not to grab you,” Billy commented dourly.

Lee shrugged indifferently.  “I got a call this morning at home from the State Department, Bureau of Investigation and Research.  I’m not sure how they found out I was looking…”

”News travels fast around this town; you know that.  The SDBIR has been watching you for a long time now.   You’re not seriously considering going over to them, are you?” Billy inquired; a worried look on his face.

“I remember a time when you were pushing me to take a job with them,” he reminded him, with a raised eyebrow.  “All I said was I got a call from them…  I haven’t decided to set up an interview with them - yet.  I told them I’d think about it.”

“I’m glad to hear that.  That means I still have time to convince you to reconsider leaving the Agency.”

Shaking his head, he answered.  “No way, Billy.  Amanda and I have discussed this at length.  We’re both leaving the field.  It’s time to let the younger crowd save the country and make the world a safer place.  We’ve done our share.  Besides, Amanda might not be leaving the Agency.  I think she’s got a good shot at the ‘Program Coordinator’ position, down at Station One.  She had a second interview there yesterday.”

“You’re right about that.  She’s perfect for that job.  Would you consider staying with the Agency if the right position came along?”

“Of course I would.   If there was a position available, with a good fit, but at the moment, there isn’t.  I never thought I’d be saying this, but I want out of the field.  I want more time for Amanda and the family.  We’ve made this decision together and I won’t break my promise to my wife.  It’s the right time and the right choice.”

“Lee, I’d never ask you to take a job you didn’t want,” he reassured him, pulling a file from his desk.  “Would you be interested in this?”

Taking the file from his supervisor’s hand, Lee opened it, scanning the contents quickly.  Closing it as quickly as he opened it; he glanced back up at his supervisor, a perplexed look on his face.  “Station One?  Are you crazy?  Isn’t this the job Amanda interviewed for?”

Shaking his head, Billy suggested.  “Look again.”

Opening the file again, studying it closer, Lee blinked before he looked back up.  Shaking his head, “Director!?  I didn’t know Jay Milliken was leaving.  Amanda didn’t mention it.”

“It hasn’t been announced yet, and the job’s not posted, but it’s official.  He’s taking a position at West Point.  He’s an old Army man and his family comes from New York.  Apparently, he wants to be closer to them.  What do you say?  Are you interested?”

Lee chuckled this time.  “No way, Billy, I’m not doing anything to jeopardize Amanda’s chances at that job.  She has her heart set on it and to be honest, I think she’d be a great addition down there.  That whole place needs to be reorganized and Amanda’s the one to get it started.”

“You’re right on both accounts.  She knows what skills you need out in the field; she notices things other people overlook and her organizations skills are top notched.  You couldn’t find a better candidate,” Billy agreed, crossing from behind his desk, he sat in the chair next to Lee.  “Just say, for a moment, that Amanda wasn’t in the equation; would you be interested?”

Raking his hand through his hair, Lee Stetson shook his head.  “But she is in the equation.”

“Indulge me for a moment, please, Scarecrow?”

Staring at his boss, he gave it serious thought before he answered.  “All right, Billy.  Answer me this, how long has Jay been down at Station One?”

“Nine years.”

“When was the last time the place was renovated?  And I don’t mean a paint job.  The facility’s not the only thing that’s outdated.  The entire program is behind the times.”

“You’re right, of course.”

“Even Dodge City could use a facelift.  Look at the recruits that have come out of there lately.  They might be physically up to the challenge, but a lot of them aren’t up to the task, even after Beaman puts them through the paces.   Also, what’s the retention rate?”

Nodding, Billy agreed.  “The retention rate is definitely a problem.”

“Half of them shouldn’t be getting into the front door and a good number of them shouldn’t make it out the back.  That whole place needs a major transformation; they’re way behind the times.”

“Sounds like you have several ideas already…”

“Oh, sure, I have lots of ideas.  Amanda and I have tossed a few around when she was notified of the second interview.  There’s not an agent in this place that couldn’t come up with a couple of proposals.  They need additional personnel who demand more from the recruits and more time with them, but I’m telling you, you’ve got the wrong guy.”

“I’m not so sure about that.”

“Oh, no, Billy, don’t even think about it.  If Amanda lost her opportunity as the Program Coordinator because I applied for the job as Director, she’d shoot me herself.”

“If things were different, would you be interested?” Billy pressed.

“I don’t know, maybe, but I couldn’t throw my name in the hat now,” Lee grumbled, flustered by the question.  Standing up, he walked over to the window and glanced out at the busy bullpen.  Turning back towards Billy, Lee continued.  “And don’t you submarine her chances either, Billy.”

Throwing his hands up in the air defensively, he answered.  “I’d never do that to her.”

“Why don’t we drop the subject?” Lee suggested, walking back to where he’d been sitting and sat back down.  “I’m not rushing out the door for the position over in Justice or the State Department.  The money’s there, but I’m not totally sold on either post.  It might take a while, but I’ll find the right job - eventually.  Just think; you might be stuck with me for a while.”

“What if I told you, that the Director position is yours, if you want it?” Billy asked, point blank.

“Billy, I’m flattered, really I am.  If things were different, if Amanda hadn’t already interviewed twice for the Program Coordinator post, I might have given it some serious thought, but…”

“But what?”

“But that’s a lot of ‘ifs’.  I certainly won’t step over her on my way up the ladder for the job.  My marriage is a hell of a lot more important than that.  Besides, there’s a lot that needs to change down there.  We both know I’m definitely not the type to wheedle the board to get the money or approval for what needs to be done.  I’d be butting heads with them in a week and out the door in less than a month.”  Lee stared Billy in the eye.  “The only reason I’ve lasted in my job as long as I have is because you’ve run interference for me.”

Billy chuckled.  “Yes, you do have a tendency to butt heads with the upper echelon, but, Lee, whatever position you take in management, you’re going to have to deal with certain issues, budgets, manpower requests.  Whether you’re over at Justice, SDBIR or here at the Agency; at least here, you already know the personalities.”

“Yeah, like Dr. Smyth.  Do I need to remind you that is not a big selling point?”

“Smyth’s not on the board, but Harry Thornton is.  He’s always been one of your biggest supporters.”

Lee grinned and nodded.  “Yeah, Harry and I understand each other.  We’re cut from the same cloth.  Let me guess, he’s the one who suggested me for the position in the first place?”

“No, actually, it wasn’t Harry; we both know you’d get his vote.  What if Amanda came with the package; would that sway you?” Billy asked, raising his brow.

Tilting his head like he’d heard incorrectly, Lee asked.  “Come again?”

“You heard me right, Scarecrow,”

Now Billy had piqued his curiosity.  “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Believe it or not, Lee, some people like the way the two of you work together.  Your weaknesses are her strengths and vice versa. Together, you balance each other out extraordinarily.  The board recognizes that and sees this as an exemplary opportunity to make Station One the model for training, not the laggard.”

“I don’t know what to say…” Lee choked out.

Nodding his head, Billy smiled.  “They’re going to offer the job to Amanda before the week’s out; the board voted on it this morning.  I can’t say who made the suggestion to have you replace Jay Milliken, but the board knows you’re leaving the field.  They voted to approach you with the idea.”

“Must have been a close vote,” Lee joked, “and there must be a few, rather thick strings attached.”

“None that I’m aware of.  Are you interested?” Billy questioned.

“Interested, yeah, maybe,” Lee answered, shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking back on his heels, “but I still have a lot of questions.”

“Rightfully so,” his supervisor nodded.  “Lee, this is an important decision.  Take a drive; spend the rest of the day down there and poke around the place.  I hate to lose you, but if you’re going to leave the field, I’d like to see you at Station One.  The Agency needs your talents; you can make a difference.  What better place than molding the next generation of field agents?”

“Is the board really ready to spend the money to make the necessary changes?  I’m talking about major changes…”

“Jay notified the board a couple of months ago, when he first applied for the job at West Point, that he might be leaving.  The board has discussed revamping the program.  You know I’ve been fighting for changes to Station One for several years and I think, with the right person at the helm down there, the board will finance what needs to be done.  Jay had a different vision, but with his tenure over, it’s clearly time for change.”

Standing up again, Lee started to pace the room.  Glancing out the window again, he watched the action in the bullpen and commented, “I don’t know, Billy, trainees?  I hated when I was rotated down there.”

“You hated it because you had no control over the training courses, the people chosen.”

“You have a point there.”  Lee crossed the room; leaning against Billy’s desk, he glanced at his supervisor, continuing his thoughts.  “It should be more structured, like the FBI Academy; longer program with instructors who excel in their fields, not just a rotation of agents who aren’t always up to the challenge themselves,” Lee added.

“Sounds to me, Scarecrow, that you’re very interested,” Billy observed.  “I think you should at least consider the position.  There’s a big jump in pay for you; in fact, a couple levels higher than the position at Justice.”

“This is crazy, Billy!  I don’t believe the board would be willing to go the full distance to make Station One be what it needs to be.  We’re talking additional personnel to evaluate the applicants on several levels, a broader curriculum and increased testing on the candidates….”

“All of which are valid requests, several of which Amanda suggested in both of her interviews, and the board is willing to implement, given the right personnel.”

“What does Amanda know about this?” he inquired as he sat back down on the chair next to Billy.

“Amanda was told that the board would be making a decision this week about the Coordinator position.  She was informed that there would be other personnel changes over the next few months.”

“When’s Jay leaving?”

“The end of the month.”

“Can I talk to Amanda about this or is this ‘need to know’?”

“Obviously, you’re our first choice for the position.  It will have to be posted, but that’s only a formality if you decide to take it.  We’d prefer that it didn’t leak out that you’ve been offered the job, before it’s posted.”

“We?!” Lee replied, with a raised eyebrow.  “I’m beginning to figure out who on the board made the suggestion!”

Billy tried to hide his smile, but the cat was already out of the bag.  “Go down there and look around and promise me you’ll give this serious consideration?”

Rubbing his chin with his hand, Lee was contemplating a host of issues in his head. “You’re really serious.  I should drive down there unannounced and wander around?”

“The board asked me to approach you.  Jay was told to expect candidates to come down to inspect the premises.  Obviously, we need to fill the position as quickly as possible.  You don’t have anything pressing right now, do you?”

“Paperwork...” he answered, scratching his head, a little overwhelmed

Billy raised his eyebrow and smiled.  “Then I’ll expect you down there later this morning.”

“I said I’d consider it, Billy,” Lee reminded his supervisor.  Standing up he walked over to the door, preparing to leave.  “I didn’t say I’d take the job.”
 

****  ****** ****** *******
 

Late that afternoon
 

Lee Stetson hurried up the stairs to his office in the Q Bureau.  Having spent most of the day at ‘Station One’, he was eager to talk to his wife.

“Hi,” he greeted with a cheerful smile, but the suspicious look on her face told him what she was thinking.

“I paged you twice before Mrs. Marston told me you left the building.  I called your cell phone, but you didn’t answer.  Where have you been all day?” Amanda inquired apprehensively when he strode into their office.

“Did you miss me?” he teased, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

“I’m going to strangle you if you don’t tell me where you went!”   Her arms were crossed against her chest and her glare told him she was annoyed with him.

“I had to handle a favor for Billy.  I was probably out of range for the cell phone,” he answered vaguely, as he crossed the room and sat down at his desk.

“Lee, you’re not supposed to be out in the field.  You promised me,” she retorted, her voice strained with a mix of worry and anger.  “That means you can’t keep doing ‘favors’ or whatever you want to call it, for Billy.”

“I promise you, I’m not working a case.  I’m doing research,” he answered, hoping to put her mind at ease, but the anxiety still shone through on her face.  “Amanda, we’ve talked about leaving the field at length.  We agreed to leave and I’m comfortable with that.  I assure you, I haven’t broken that promise.”

Her scowl diminished and she appeared relieved.  “Good, I’m glad to hear that, but exactly what kind of research were you doing?”

“I went down to Station One.  I wanted to check the place out since, rumor has it, you’re going to be offered that job,” he smiled brightly at her.

“Check out Station One?  Lee, you’ve been down there dozens of times.  Did Jay Milliken ask to speak to you about me?  I’m not sure he wants me for the position.”

“Really?  He didn’t say anything like that to me,” Lee teased.  “I think you’re the perfect candidate for the job.  If I had any say in the matter, it would be a done deal.”

“I know they’re down to three applicants, but I’m not sure who else applied for the position.  The board guaranteed they’d make a decision this week,” she remarked, taking her pen and circling Friday on her blotter.  Glancing up at her husband, she appeared less than confident.  “I’m not sure how well the board liked my ideas and suggestions.”

“What suggestions did you make?” he prompted eagerly.

“Some of the ideas you and I discussed.  That they need to expand the program considerably, update the facilities and hire additional staff.  They did admit that further staff changes were in the works.”

With a raised eyebrow, he nodded for her to continue.

“The board seemed interested in my ideas, but we both know to implement them, we’re talking a good deal of money.  I don’t think Jay Milliken was that enthused about them.  I get the impression, he thinks ‘Station One’ is just fine the way it is.”

“Jay’s been there for a while.”

“Yeah, nine years,” Amanda remarked, looking up at her husband.  “He seems like a very nice man, but in all honestly, I think he’s the biggest stumbling block down there.  He’s rather unyielding. I think any changes will only be cosmetic, you know, enough to satisfy the board and keep them off his back.”

“Are you going to take the job if they offer it to you?” Lee probed.

“Yeah, I would.  I still think it’s a good fit for me and it has a lot of potential.  It might take some time to get real change, but I think in the long run, the Agency would definitely benefit.”

“What if I told you that Jay won’t be there much longer?”

Studying his face, she furrowed her brow.  “Spill it, Stetson, what have you heard?”

Unable to avoid her intense stare and itching to share his news, he got up and locked the door.  In a hushed tone, he began to explain.  “You know Billy asked me to come to his office this morning?”

“Yes, just before you disappeared.”

Lee sat on her desk.  Keeping his voice to just above a whisper, he continued.  “Jay’s leaving ‘Station One’ at the end of the month.”

“Really?” she gasped.

“Really.”

“Oh my gosh!  I wonder who they’ll find to replace him?” Amanda wondered aloud.  “Maybe I don’t want that job down there after all…”

“Billy wants me to take his position.”

“Oh, Lee, that’s a wonderful opportunity for…” she began, and then her voice trailed off.  Glancing down at her blotter again, she picked up a red pen and crossed out Friday’s date on the calendar, and replied dejectedly, “I guess that means I won’t be offered the job after all.”

“I never said that.”

“Lee, come on, Smyth tries to split us up every few months.”

“First of all, I’d never take the position if it meant you losing yours.  I have it on good authority that they’re going to offer you the position, regardless of whether I accept the post as Director.”  Reaching down, he lifted her chin.  “Secondly, Smyth is not on the board and apparently, they’re not as shortsighted as he is.”

“Are you…serious?  The board will agree to that?  Letting you and I work together, at Station One?”

“You don’t think I’d even consider it if they chose anyone else for job, do you?” he responded, a broad smile on his face.

“You are serious!” she gasped in disbelief.

Nodding his head, his eyes sparkled.  “I’m seriously considering the post, if you agree to take the Program Coordinator position.  We won’t be working as partners, like we have been, but we’d be working pretty closely.  What do you say, Mrs. Stetson?  Would you like to continue to work with me?”

Nodding, she answered.  “Yes, Mr. Stetson, I can’t think of anything I’d like more.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” Lee remarked moments before he leaned down, found his wife’s lips and sealed the deal with a kiss.
 

End Part Twelve
 
 
 
 

FLASHBACK:      Epilogue:  Several months later…
 

“Lee!” Amanda called out when she walked into the auditorium at Station One.  “Look who I found wandering the grounds!”

Glancing up, Lee waved to her before excusing himself from the group he was speaking with.  He hurried towards his wife and greeted his old supervisor cheerfully.  “Billy!  I wasn’t sure if you were going to make it.”

“Station One’s first graduating class with you at the helm?  Scarecrow, I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Billy Melrose answered; his eyes looked around the room at the numerous guests.  “Besides, I wanted to see all the changes the board has approved the last few months for myself.  Francine mentioned to me that you’re still looking for a few good agents…”

“Hey, we’re always looking for talented people, right, Billy?” Lee reminded him, patting his old supervisor on the back and pulling Amanda close to his side.  “Besides, we haven’t stolen any of your staff – yet!  We’ve only pilfered a few instructors from the FBI Academy, one from the Secret Service, a senior Pentagon analyst and we swayed a retiring Marine Drill Sergeant to give Station One a try. ”

“Steal Francine on me and see if you get anymore budget approvals!” Billy teased his friend.  “How many made it through the program?”

“We started with twelve candidates; we decided quality is better than quantity,” Lee explained. “We’re graduating nine.”

“It should have been ten, but one of the candidates pulled out before Dodge City because of a severe hamstring injury.  She’ll finish with the next class, if the doctor approves it,” Amanda explained before they heard a commotion in the back of the room.  “Excuse me; I better check on what’s going on.”

“Amanda looks great,” Billy mentioned after she disappeared into the crowd.

“She exhausts me!” Lee chuckled with a proud smile.  “Nobody can keep up with her, not even the construction workers, but she really has a good handle on things down here.”

“I can see that.”

“Billy, this place wouldn’t be half what it is today without her.  She organized this place and makes it run like a well oiled machine.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Scarecrow.  Graduating 75% of the first class is quite an accomplishment.”

“I can’t take all the credit for that, either.  The selection team had it narrowed down to fifteen.  I gave Amanda the final approval of the candidates.  She whittled it down to an even dozen and all of her picks made it through!”

“She has the ability to see more in people.”

“She always has,” Lee nodded.  “I think the board was a bit concerned that we only started with a dozen.  They’ve spent a great deal of money down here the last few months.”

“Don’t worry about the board.  They’re results oriented.  Considering only two candidates dropped out, I think they’ll be pleased.  Like you said, quality is better than quantity.  Not to mention, with all the construction going on around here, you probably wouldn’t have room for many more candidates the last few months.”

“You’re right about that.  We had to juggle the training schedule a couple of times because of construction issues.  Next year, we can train more in each class if we have enough qualified applicants.  If you hang around after the ceremony, I’d be happy to give you a tour,” Lee suggested.  “There have been a lot of changes, and we have plans for more.”

“Sure, if you’ll have the time,” Billy answered.

“I’ll make the time for a board member who helped approve all my budget requests.”

“You’re learning fast, Scarecrow.”

“I owe a lot of thanks to you the last few months, pushing through my requests with the board.  I know once everything is complete, even the FBI will be jealous of our program,” Lee boasted happily.

“When our nation’s security is on the line, it’s not time to cut costs.  Besides, you’re doing an exemplary job.”

“It’s a team effort, Billy; the entire staff has put their hearts into this place.  Most of Jay’s old employees are just as excited about the changes as the new personnel we’ve hired,” he explained confidently.

“You know, Scarecrow, I had some doubts whether you could pull off all the changes you pushed so hard for.  It seems to me that not only were the changes you made essential, but you really are the right person to take the helm,” Billy observed.

“I had some reservations myself,” Lee admitted in a quiet voice.  “It’s been hectic at times, but having Amanda’s office down the hall, makes all the difference in the world.  There’s always someone here who can make a decision so we can keep moving forward, steadily.  If there’s a problem, she’s a realistic sounding board and she keeps me grounded.  Overall, it’s been a surprisingly positive experience.”

“You look… happy, more relaxed than I’ve seen you in a long time,” Billy observed.

“I’ve got what I’ve always wanted: a great job, my wife at my side and a family life.  What more can a man ask for?”

Billy grinned, obviously pleased at Lee’s transformation from Field Agent to Director of Station One.  Patting his friend on his back, he said, “Scarecrow, as much as I miss you at the office, I think this is where you belong.”

“Who would have guessed,” Lee nodded.

Amanda hurried back to both men.  “I’m sorry to interrupt, but it’s time to get started.  Lee, you need to go up to the dais.  Everybody’s finally here.  Billy, I saved you a seat up front with me.”

The three of them walked to the front of the auditorium.  Lee squeezed his wife’s hand before they parted.

“Good luck,” she whispered as she and Billy took their seats in the front row.  Moments later, Lee walked up to the podium.

“Good afternoon and thank you all for coming…” Lee Stetson announced as a new chapter in his and Amanda’s life commenced.

The end…

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