Disclaimer : I do not own Scarecrow and Mrs . King nor it 's characters . I am simply borrowing them from Warner Bros . and Shoot the Moon Productions , the actual copyright owners . Please do not reproduce this story without the author 's consent . Author 's Notes : Enormous thanks to BohemianFling ( PSB and all - around best nagger ) , Beth J ( a friend indeed when I was in need ) , Dix ( a saving grace ) , and the rest of the usual suspects ( your Highnesses ) . Also , a tremendous amount of gratitude to Shelly for starting SMK5 and allowing me to be a part of something grand . To all of the SMK5 crew : thanks for the memories , the chats that we endured , the stories when we soared , the goofs and gaffes and stress that never left us bored . . . thank you sooo much . ( my apologies to Bob Hope - - it 's very late and I 'm a bit loopay . ) The young girl crept as quietly as she could down the dark hallway . The box she was carrying was very heavy - - its contents fragile . She paused at the top of the stairs and listened for the telltale signs that someone else in the house was awake . Met with silence , she continued down the stairs , wincing when a step groaned in protest . The girl paused at the bottom of the stairs and again listened for the other occupants of the large house . Stepping to the front door and shifting the box so that she could grab the doorknob , the girl froze when a deep voice broke the silence of the house . The girl 's voice quaked with fear . " Sir , I … I left a note on my bed . I want to go home , to my mom and dad . " " It 's not money I need , Olivia , you know that . " The man stepped from the shadows and advanced on the girl . " Don 't make me use what 's in that box against you . You know I have no qualms about doing what 's necessary . " Amanda squinted against the sun 's harsh rays as she exited IFF . It had been a long night . She had finally wrapped up a nearly impossible case - - * her * case - - which meant pulling an all - nighter to finish the paperwork and debriefings . She had a few hours to get home , shower , and take a much - needed nap . Becoming a full - time agent had meant more paperwork , but she didn 't mind . Not much , anyway . Lee had left for home much earlier , citing the need to return early in the morning for some meetings . If she hurried , she might be able to give him a good morning / goodbye kiss on his way out the door . Arriving at her Wagoneer , Amanda stifled a yawn as she opened the door and climbed into the vehicle . She leaned over and rested her head on the steering wheel . " Just five minutes to rest my eyes , then I 'll go home . " " Who 's there ? " she asked , turning around in the seat . She saw a blanket in the back move and thought about reaching for the gun that she now kept tucked in her purse . When she saw the young girl push the blanket off herself , she was glad she hadn 't made that move . " I 'm sorry , " the girl started . " I just needed someplace warm for my baby and me to sleep for a few hours . " She bundled up the blanket and started gathering her things . " We 'll get out , just please don 't call the cops . " " No ! Wait , " Amanda said , getting out of the driver 's seat and hurrying to the back of the Wagoneer . Lifting the door , she asked , " You 've got a baby back here ? " " Well , Olivia , my name is Amanda Stetson . " She held her hand out and Olivia shook it briefly , but firmly . " Why don 't we stop at a restaurant , and we can have breakfast ? " The ride to the diner was quiet . Amanda kept sneaking glances at Olivia . She could tell something was bothering the young girl . " Look , I can tell something 's wrong . Maybe I can help , " she offered . " I don 't think so , " Olivia replied , taking a deep breath . " I 'm in a lot of trouble , and some people may be after Logan and me . I just want to get someplace safe for a while . " " You really won 't let me take you home . " Amanda stated matter - of - factly . When Olivia shook her head ' no ' , Amanda said , " I didn 't think so . " " Mother , I 'm home ! I 've brought some company ! " Amanda yelled as she entered the house . Olivia , carrying Logan , followed close behind . " Amanda , darling , I - - " Dotty came from the kitchen to greet her daughter and stopped mid - sentence when she saw their ' company . ' Dotty 's gaze fell on little Logan . " Oh , he 's adorable , " she cooed , stepping closer to young woman and her baby . Holding out her hands and looking at Olivia , she asked , " May I ? " At Olivia 's nod , Dotty took Logan . She spent a few seconds admiring the precious infant . Amanda smiled at her mother ; this was the reaction she had expected . " Mother , this is Olivia , and her son , Logan . Olivia , this is my mother , Dotty West . " An hour later , Dotty was gone , and Logan was asleep . Olivia sat quietly on the couch waiting for Amanda to come downstairs after showering . She thought briefly of telling Amanda a false story , but something told Olivia that she could trust this woman . Amanda smiled as she walked into the room and looked at Logan . " Well , I see the little guy is asleep . " " Mrs . Stetson , I 'm in trouble . " The young girl paused , and her next statement came out in a whisper . " If I don 't do what I 'm told , he 'll kill Logan . " Amanda reached over and placed her hand on Olivia 's arm . " No one is going to kill Logan . Now , tell me everything from the beginning . " Olivia took a deep breath and began her tale . " When I found out that I was pregnant , I panicked . I had just turned sixteen , and I didn 't know how my parents would react . I waited a few months , until I started showing , saving as much money as I could , then I ran away . It 's probably the second stupidest thing I 've ever done . " Olivia nodded , and continued . " I didn 't know where to go , or what to do . I lived on the street for a couple of weeks , but I knew that wouldn 't be good for me , or my baby . So I started looking into adoption agencies . " Olivia stood and walked over to where Logan was sleeping . She crouched down next to him and softly rubbed his head . " I 'd heard of places that would take me in , give me some place to live , food , medical care . I just had to find one . Word got out that I was looking . " She stood and began walking nervously around the room . " One day , an older gentleman approached me . He told me his name was Mr . Stancliff , and that he helped young girls in my … situation . I was scared and had nowhere else to go , so I listened to what he had to say . He would take me into his home , along with a couple of other girls he was helping . He would provide everything I was looking for , including a way to keep my baby . He felt it was better for a baby to be with his natural mother . Mr . Stancliff said he lets the mothers stay with him until they can manage on their own , no matter how long it takes . " Olivia turned and faced Amanda , a sad smile on her face . " We worked for him . We did odd jobs , delivered messages , packages . Basically , whatever he wanted . We never questioned him . He gave us money , too , just like we were working real jobs . Whenever we tried to pay him rent , he would tell us to save the money so that someday we could move out on our own and be ' self - sufficient . ' " " It was , " Olivia responded with a tremor in her voice . She clasped and unclasped her hands in front of her . " Until one of the girls never came back from a delivery . We … we heard on the news that a Jane Doe had been found , shot . We knew from the description that it was Darla . Mrs . Stetson , her baby was only three months old . It was supposed to be her last job for Mr . Stancliff before she moved into her own apartment . " Olivia shook her head , trying to stop the tears that were filling her eyes . " No . Some of the girls who had been there for a while told us that this wasn 't the first time that someone had disappeared . Mr . Stancliff never said anything about any of the girls that left . He told us to forget about them , to ' move forward ' with our lives . " Olivia took a shaky breath and said , " I was getting ready for a delivery . I went to Mr . Stancliff 's office and overheard him talking to some men . I couldn 't understand them ; they were speaking another language . " " Yes . He approached me later that night and told me that my delivery the next day would cover any expenses I had left . Then he said that I shouldn 't plan on coming back to the house . I didn 't know if that meant he was kicking me out , or if I * wouldn 't * be returning to the house . I panicked . That night , I packed Logan and some of our things in a box . I tried to leave without anyone knowing , but Mr . Stancliff was waiting for me at the door . I ran , and ended up in your Jeep . " " No ! " Olivia stood and shook her head ardently . " I don 't want to put you in danger . I 've probably already done that . So , when Logan wakes up , we 'll leave . " " No , you won 't . I can help you , " Amanda stated firmly . She stood next to Olivia and placed her hands on the girl 's shoulders . " If something illegal is going on at Mr . Stancliff 's , the authorities should know . " " Tell you what , I bet you could use a good nap . " Amanda flashed an encouraging smile . " Why don 't you go upstairs and lie down for a little while . I 'll take care of Logan ; I 'm pretty good at that . " " No , Lee , " Amanda answered , exasperated . " Didn 't Mr . Melrose say something in the Monday morning briefing about a courier service using young girls ? No one knows who they are , or where they 're from ? " " I 'll explain later , " Amanda said . " Let Billy know that I might have a lead , and get the case files together for me . Please ? " When he wasn 't in meetings , Lee had been gathering the information his partner had requested . It was just after lunch , and he was expecting her in at any time . On his way to the Q - Bureau to wait for her , he perused some of the files he was carrying . He opened the door to the office he shared with his partner and wife and stopped . There before him sat his wife , holding a … baby . He leaned against the doorframe and watched her for a moment while she talked to and played with the infant . Amanda smiled at his shyness . " Lee , just come over here . He won 't bite . " She grinned at him . " He doesn 't even have any teeth yet . " Amanda watched her husband 's face as he leaned over the baby . She whispered , " Lee Stetson , meet Logan . Logan , * this * is the mighty Scarecrow , " she finished with a low chuckle . Lee looked at her , narrowing his eyes . " Funny , " he remarked smartly . He returned his attention to the baby , who returned Lee 's gaze . The three stayed that way for a few minutes , Amanda watching Lee ; Lee studying Logan ; Logan inspecting Lee . Amanda broke the silence . " Wanna hold him ? " she asked . " No . " Lee backed away from her desk and moved to his . Sitting down in his chair , he said nervously , " I don 't need to hold him . I think he 's just fine where he is . " " Oh , come on , Lee . He 's just a baby . " Amanda carried Logan to her husband . Trying to place the infant in Lee 's arms , she said , " Just hold out your arms . " " Relax , Lee , " Amanda smiled . " You 'll be fine , and so will Logan . " She stood after making sure that Lee had a firm but gentle grasp of the baby . Stepping back , she watched her husband slowly relax when he realized that nothing terrible was going to happen . He sat for a moment or two , just watching the little person he was holding . Logan carefully watched Lee 's face ; Lee felt a little uneasy under the scrutiny of the infant . It was as if Logan knew how uncomfortable Lee was while holding him . " You don 't talk much , " Lee said . He looked down at the baby 's legs , noticing how they just sort of rested on his own arm . " Guess you don 't walk yet , either , huh ? So , we 'll just sit here , nice and quiet , until Amanda comes back , okay ? " Amanda hesitated at the door to the Q - Bureau . She hadn 't meant to be gone so long , but Mr . Melrose had been in the hall when she and Olivia had come out of the bathroom . He wanted to start debriefing Olivia immediately , so Amanda went with them to make sure the young girl was as comfortable as possible , under the circumstances . Billy gestured to the map lying in the center of the table . " We 've got teams watching the main drop locations that Olivia told us about , " he informed his agents , who were seated around the table . " We 're trying to set up a stakeout on Stancliff 's home , but it 's in an isolated area . " Billy nodded . " Exactly why we 're not going that route . We watch the other locations - - see who shows up , who deals , who doesn 't . " " Yeah . I 've met with this man several times . Some of the other girls have , too . He asked us if we wanted to be mud wrestlers . " Olivia giggled . " He was really goofy . " " Auggie ! Auggie , are you here ? " Lee called while he and Amanda navigated through the old junk heaps and car parts littering the lot in front of the garage . " Auggie ! " Amanda stopped and pointed . Lee followed the path of Amanda 's outstretched finger to see a pair of feet sticking out from under a limousine . He walked over and kicked the feet . " Hey ! " came the muffled reply . " That can be a dangerous thing to do when a guy 's laying under two tons of steel . " Auggie slowly rolled out from under the car . Seeing who the kicker was , Auggie immediately smiled and sat up , exclaiming , " Lee ! My man ! " Auggie held up his hand , which Lee promptly grabbed , immediately regretting doing so . Auggie 's hand had been covered in grease . Lee snatched a rag from the grease monkey 's coverall pocket , then forcefully wiped his hand . " Sorry ' bout that , Lee . " Auggie said , wincing . Noticing Amanda standing there , Auggie turned his ' gentlemanly ' charms on her . " Mrs . King - - " Auggie stopped , sensing Lee 's glare before seeing it . " I mean , Mrs . Stetson - - " Amanda 's raised eyebrows caused Auggie to stop again . " Mrs . King - Stetson ? Mrs . Stetson - King ? " Lee was getting impatient . He started to run his hand through his hair then paused , remembering the grease that the snitch had so willingly offered . " Come on , Auggie . Talk . What do you know about Stancliff ? " Lee peeled a couple of bills off the roll of money he had pulled from his pocket and slapped them into Auggie 's hand . " You 're a * snitch , * Auggie . Talk . " He stuffed the rest of the money back into his pocket . " Auggie , " Lee growled . He pulled the money back out and tore off two more bills , shoving them against the snitch 's chest . " Now talk ! " he demanded . Randolph Stancliff looked up from his work and focused his eyes on the door . Heavy drapes covered the large windows behind his desk , leaving the office dark , save for a lamp on the desk illuminating his work area . Stancliff reached to the side of his desk and flipped a switch , which turned on several more lights . Stancliff took in the appearance of the short , stocky man standing just inside the door . His hair was thinning on top , his belly protruding over his belt , and his clothes looked as if he had slept in them . Not exactly the appearance Stancliff would have chosen for someone who had become a trusted employee , and who sometimes represented Stancliff 's interests in his absence . Despite his apparent weaknesses , Max somehow always got the job done . Stancliff sighed . His employee was a smart man , well able to think on his feet , but Stancliff enjoyed intimidating people , especially those who worked for him . " I don 't pay you to think , Max . Are they being watched , or not ? " " Well , " Max began , then cleared his throat . " Of the six locations I scouted this afternoon , two had more people than usual . They were just kind of standin ' around , some of ' em readin ' newspapers , some that looked like they were just waitin ' for somethin ' to happen . " " Then relocate all drops scheduled for those two locations . " Stancliff waved his hand in dismissal and returned to his work . " Now is not the time to be sloppy , Max . It 's business as usual . " " Relax , Max , " Stancliff replied , smirking at his own rhyme . " The ' Feds , ' as you call them , will not come here . As long as those girls are upstairs with their babies , I am safe . " " Oh , Max ? Please contact Korylov 's people and have him meet me here . " He smiled at Max 's hesitation . Although he was a smart man , Max was weak when it came down to taking care of business . Stancliff lifted his head and looked at Max with eyes aflame with malevolence . " Plans have changed , Max . As soon as the deal with Korylov is complete , you and I will be moving . " " Yeah , Billy , " Lee confirmed . " The guy 's got his hands in everything . He 's worked up quite a network of contacts . The President doesn 't go to the bathroom without Stancliff finding out about it . " Lee began pacing . " There 've been rumors , Billy . Always something insubstantial , something that we can 't confirm . We 've never tried to tie it all together before , but it makes sense now . " Lee stopped and faced his boss . " He 's been using these girls as couriers because no one would suspect a sixteen - year - old girl of something like this . " " Excuse me , sir , " Amanda began , glancing from Billy to Lee and back again . " We can 't just barge into his house , not with all those girls and their babies inside . Someone is bound to get hurt . " " We 've got to move carefully , " Billy agreed . " Stancliff would be just the type to use those girls as a shield . " He hesitated , searching his mind for a place to begin . " Lee , do you think that any more of your contacts would have information on Stancliff ? " " Sir , " Amanda interrupted . " If you don 't mind , I 'd like to take Olivia and Logan home . They 've been here all day . " Before Amanda could voice her protest , Lee spoke . " Billy 's right . " He moved to stand by her chair , then knelt down next to her and grasped her hands in his . " If Stancliff has as many eyes and ears as we think we does , that could be putting our family in danger . " Amanda 's eyes met Lee 's and held them for a moment . Her house had been used so much for Agency business that she just took it all in stride . A few weeks ago , Lee had balked at the idea of Marvin Metz staying there . He had been outvoted . This time , though , Amanda couldn 't deny the look in his eyes . He was afraid of the man called Stancliff , afraid for her family - - their family . Finally , she nodded in agreement . Billy cleared his throat , startling the couple , and started issuing instructions . " Amanda , why don 't you get them settled in a safe house and take the first watch . Lee can relieve you later tonight , and I 'll send Francine over in the morning to take a shift . Let 's keep this between the four of us . We don 't need to give Stancliff an opportunity to find out what we 're doing . " Max sat in his car outside the IFF building . The weather was hot and muggy , and he 'd had to turn off the air conditioner for fear of overheating the car . He 'd been sitting in the same spot for over an hour waiting for that woman to show . Her vehicle was in the parking lot , so Max knew that she was in the building . Seeing the woman and the young girl come out of the building caused Max to sit up straighter in his seat . As he watched them walk to the woman 's vehicle , he started his own car , sighing in relief when the cool air from the vents brushed across his sweat - soaked face . After the woman 's Wagoneer had pulled into traffic , Max allowed two cars to pass him before he , too , entered the stream of cars moving down the street . He followed as discreetly as possible , always keeping cars in between them . After driving for what seemed like hours in the never - ending traffic , and almost losing the woman several times , Max was grateful that she was finally pulling over to the curb . He drove past the house she was parked in front of and turned at the next corner . He now had the street sign and house number . Mr . Stancliff would be pleased . Amanda exited her vehicle and stopped after closing the door . She took what she hoped would be a cleansing and relaxing deep breath . She seemed to remember that Phillip and Jamie had enjoyed car rides when they were babies , even falling asleep most of the time . Logan , on the other hand , had cried nearly nonstop since they 'd driven away from the Agency . Amanda quickly walked around to the passenger side of the car to help Olivia . This morning , the young girl had had almost nothing with her but the clothes on her back and a few blankets and t - shirts for Logan . Leatherneck had been able to scrounge together more clothes for Olivia and a few outfits and toys for Logan . Upon entering the house , Amanda set down the items that she carried in , then instructed Olivia to remain at the front door . Amanda placed her hand on the gun tucked into the waistband of her jeans . She systematically checked all the rooms for any unwanted occupants . Finding none , she went back to the front door , where she 'd left a worried Olivia and a fussy Logan . She smiled warmly at Olivia and said , " Let 's get the two of you settled in . " " Yes , Mr . Stancliff , " Max replied solemnly . He hung up the phone and sighed deeply . He 'd turned a blind eye to these things for years . What difference would one more make ? By the time Lee arrived at the house two hours later , Amanda and Olivia had fixed a bed for Logan and given him a bath . Olivia had been able to enjoy a long soak in a tub full of hot water . When Lee walked in the front door , he found Amanda sitting on the couch , her feet propped on the coffee table , Logan lying on her legs . " Hi , " he said softly , walking into the room . " Hello , " Amanda responded . She spoke to Lee , but she never took her eyes from Logan . " We were wondering when you were gonna get here . " Amanda laughed . " Sure . This little guy needs a male influence . " The look that Lee shot her made her laugh even more . When she stopped , she asked , " What did Mother say when you dropped by the house to pick up our things ? " His smile didn 't go unnoticed by Amanda . " Anything else ? " she wanted to know . She knew her mother ; there had to have been more than that . " Not very subtle , is she ? " Amanda asked , meeting Lee 's eyes with her own . An unusual sense of unease settled between the couple . This was a topic that neither had brought up , but apparently one which both had been thinking about for a while . Amanda tore her gaze from Lee 's . She didn 't think she was quite ready for this discussion , especially not with Logan in her lap . Speaking quickly and changing the subject , she asked , " Did T . P . have any information on Stancliff ? " " That 's him . He was sent to Russia to stand trial for treason . " Lee paused his pacing and faced his wife . " He 's back . " " Right . " Lee stopped and smiled at her . " He claimed that he never gave Stancliff anything that the U . S . government wouldn 't have found out on its own within a year . " " All that he could find out tonight was that it would be some time tomorrow . He said he 'd call if he got anything definite . " Lee watched Amanda closely . " Time for bed ? " " I think so , " she replied , moving the baby into her arms . " He had a late nap , but he 's had a very difficult day . " Amanda could tell that Lee was distracted by her actions with Logan . She stifled the smirk trying to form on her face . Lee cleared his throat , trying to stay on track . " Ah , I talked to Billy on the way over here . He 's assigned a few agents to see what they can do about finding out when the meet will take place - - so , you just rock him like that ? " He 'd been derailed ; he was fascinated at the apparent ease with which Amanda handled Logan . " Sometimes . Babies like to be rocked to sleep . " Amanda was amazed at her husband 's wonder regarding the baby . She knew that he had not spent much time with infants . " You wanna try it ? " she asked him . Lee 's eyes widened , and he shook his head ' no ' at the same time that he sat on the couch and reached out to hold Logan . Amanda laughed out loud at Lee 's conflict . She couldn 't help but wonder what he would be like with his own child . Her laughter slowly faded away . He 'd once made a couple of comments about ' his kids , ' but they 'd never really discussed having their own . Amanda gently placed Logan into her husband 's waiting arms . Lee still handled the baby just as carefully as he had at the office earlier . She watched him settle into a more comfortable position on the couch and place Logan against his shoulder . When Lee started trying to rock back and forth and pat the baby 's back at the same time , he couldn 't do it . Amanda started to laugh , which she quickly turned into a cough . She didn 't want to bruise his fragile ego at this point . After a few minutes of peaceful quiet , Amanda stifled a yawn . The rest that she 'd gotten from the short nap she 'd taken that morning was dwindling away . She glanced at Lee , noting the contentment on his face . " Are you sure ? " she asked . Lee nodded his confirmation . Amanda placed a light kiss on his cheek . She was a little stunned at Lee 's willingness to take care of Logan . Was there no end to the surprises this man would have in store for her the rest of their lives ? Francine stood in the doorway , mouth agape , eyes wide . The sight before her was one she 'd never seen before , one that she 'd never expected to see . Lee Stetson was holding a baby . Not only was he holding a baby , he was playing with said baby . The squeals of delight he elicited from the infant pierced Francine to the core . " Well , good morning , Francine , " Lee said cheerily . The twinkle in his eyes and the faint smirk on his face let her know that her reaction had not gone unnoticed . She quickly composed herself and strode purposefully into the room . Setting her purse on the coffee table , she spoke in as business - like a tone as she could muster . " Good morning , Lee . I trust everything has been quiet - - well , as quiet as can be expected with one of those - - " she gestured dismissively toward Logan " - - around . " " Oh , everything has been perfect . Right , Logan ? " Lee asked Logan as he rose from the couch . Francine noticed how relaxed and natural Lee looked carrying the baby around the room . Her heart nearly skipped a beat when he stopped in front of her and tried to place the infant in her arms . " I can 't - - I 'm not - - " she stammered . She held the baby as far away from herself as she could . " Good morning , Francine , " Amanda remarked when she walked into the living room . She pointedly ignored the other woman 's apparent predicament . " Olivia will be out in a few minutes ; she 's on the phone . " Although Amanda tried to hide it , Francine caught the devilish grin on the other woman 's face . As Lee got to the door , he turned and stopped short . Francine was right behind him . " Have a good time , " he told her and promptly closed the door . " I * will * get you back ! Both of you ! " Francine called out to the already - gone agents . She stood for moment and just looked at Logan as he squirmed in her grasp . A smile slowly spread across her face , and she pulled the baby into her arms . " Shows what they know , " she said to him in a conspiratorial whisper . " They aren 't the only ones who can keep secrets . " And Francine spent the next few minutes playing with Logan . " You know that Francine will have her revenge , " Lee told Amanda as he drove his car through the quiet neighborhood . " We 'll have to watch our backs for a while . " His serious tone belied the humor that lay just under the surface . The self - satisfied grin he wore indicated that he was pleased with the way things had gone back at the safehouse . " I know , " Amanda repeated . She secretly suspected that Francine would enjoy spending time with Logan . She hoped so , anyway , or else she 'd need to keep a close eye on Francine for some time . Amanda quickly answered it . " Hello … we just left … no , sir … yes , sir … on our way . " Hanging up the phone , she said to Lee , " We need to go back - - now . " The car screeched to halt in front of the house . Lee and Amanda quickly exited the vehicle and started toward the house . At the sound of a gunshot , both agents dropped into a crouch and reached for their own guns . Silently , Lee directed Amanda to go in the front door ; he would go around to the back of the house . She nodded her understanding and crept slowly to the front of the house , counting to ten to give Lee enough time to get in position . Peering in the window , Amanda 's eyes widened when she noticed an unconscious Francine sprawled on the floor near the front door . She also saw Olivia , whose eyes darted from side to side . On her right , Logan lay in an infant carrier . To her left stood a tall , masked man pointing a gun at the baby . Amanda , expecting the worst , burst through the front door at the same time that Lee barreled his way in the back door . The masked man 's eyes reflected his shock at the intrusion of the two agents . Shock was quickly replaced with a look of frightening determination . The man squeezed the trigger of his gun . Olivia dove in front of Logan , her left side jerking backward from the impact of the bullet . At the same time , Lee took aim and fired at the intruder . The man slammed into the wall behind him , then slowly slid to the floor . Amanda ran to Logan and checked him over quickly but carefully . Verifying that he was fine , she breathed a sigh of relief , which caught in her throat as her gaze fell on Olivia . The girl was unconscious , a red stain spreading across her chest . " … and he threw Francine into the wall headfirst , knocking her unconscious . You two showed up right after that , " Billy said , concluding the explanation of what happened at the safehouse up to the point when Lee and Amanda arrived there . " Francine is down in the E . R . right now . She has a nasty bump on her head and a slight concussion , but she 'll be fine . " " Not yet , " Billy answered . He opened a file on his desk and summarized the information contained inside . " We managed to trace the call to a pay phone in the middle of D . C . The boys down in the lab couldn 't get any clean fingerprints from the phone booth . " Satisfied that the infant was unharmed and sleeping peacefully , Dotty walked to Olivia 's bedside . She picked up the young girl 's hand and stroked the back of it soothingly . " She will be all right , won 't she ? " Amanda smiled at her mother . She was always so concerned about everyone 's welfare and took it to heart when someone she cared for was hurt . " She 'll be fine , Mother . She 'll have to stay here for a few days , though . " " Olivia called her parents early this morning . They were making arrangements for Olivia and Logan to get home . " Amanda paused , thinking back to the phone conversation she 'd had with Olivia 's parents . Moving to stand next to her mother , she said , " I called them again just a few minutes ago , and they 'll be here by lunchtime tomorrow . " Dotty nodded , and then she leaned toward her daughter and whispered conspiratorially , " Why am * I * here , Amanda ? " Amanda couldn 't help but laugh . Her mother 's hushed tones sounded so much like her own when she 'd first started helping Lee . " Well , Olivia woke up for a short time and asked what was going to happen to Logan . When we told her that we 'd be bringing someone into the room to look after him , she requested you . Since you already knew them , Mr . Melrose agreed . " " Mother ! " Her mother had a valid point . If Stancliff were to find out where they were , things could get pretty dangerous . Pushing aside her own fears and putting her trust in Billy 's judgement , she comforted her mother . " There are guards posted everywhere . Besides , we hope to get this wrapped up by tonight . You should only be here for a few hours . " Dotty hesitated a moment , and Amanda knew that she was trying to assess how much trust Amanda had in her own words . She hoped she 'd learned to hide her own fears as well as Lee hid his . She must have , because her mother nodded , accepting her words . They both lapsed into silence while they watched Olivia and Logan sleep . Amanda thought back to her own first foray into the world of espionage . While she couldn 't claim complete innocence in all things , her naivete regarding the activities of the intelligence community was astounding . Most people never knew about the things that happened every day all around them . Most never suspected how many times this country , even the world , had been ' on the brink . ' She wondered exactly when she 'd lost her own ' innocence , ' when she 'd become so … jaded . " I 'll be right there . " She turned to her mother and planted a quick kiss on her cheek . " Thank you for coming , Mother . I 'll call in you an hour . " " Tonight , six o ' clock , Randolph Stancliff 's home , " the man said quickly . Amanda cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder and gestured for Lee to get a trace on the call . He moved to his desk and picked up his own phone , setting the trace in motion . " Alexi Korylov will be there , " the anonymous voice droned . " The meeting will take ten minutes . Five minutes later , Stancliff 's home will explode . Seven young women and four babies will be in the house at the time . " Before Amanda could speak , she heard the distinctive click of the line being disconnected . Speechless at what was just revealed to her , she held onto the receiver for a few seconds before slowly placing it back in the cradle . She looked hopefully to Lee , wondering if they 'd managed to get a trace this time . " It came from Stancliff 's house , " Lee informed her . Amanda told him of what the caller had said . Lee was stunned . Would Stancliff really blow up his house and everyone inside it ? " Either someone on the inside finally developed a conscience , or we 're being set up . " " Of course you were , Max . " Stancliff strolled to the couch and sat down . " The man I sent to kill Olivia this morning failed , " he informed his employee matter - of - factly . Max hoped the relief he felt at hearing that news didn 't show through on his face . He 'd wondered if his call had been in time . " What happened ? " he asked . Max swallowed hard . If his boss knew that Max had made the call , Max would be dead right now . You didn 't cross Randolph Stancliff and live to tell about it . " No , sir , Mr . Stancliff . I don 't know who would have done that . " " Good , Max , " Stancliff said and rose from the couch . Straightening his jacket , Stancliff stepped in front of Max and stared at him . Picking a piece of lint from the shorter man 's coat , he said intently , " I 'd hate to think that a trusted associate had turned on me . " After Stancliff left the room , the ' trusted associate ' let out a puff of breath . His boss suspected . It was time for Max to leave - - the house , the district , the country . A quick call from Lee to Billy had put the Section Chief into action . By the time that Lee and Amanda arrived in the neighborhood where Stancliff lived , a full - scale Agency tactical team had been put into place . Billy nodded at the two agents as they walked toward him . While the rest of the agents prepared to enter the house through the doors , Lee had decided that it would be better to try a sneakier approach . He climbed through the window to what he hoped was Stancliff 's office . He knew that Stancliff would probably be in the room , but he also knew that the other man wouldn 't be expecting him . The room was empty . Lee considered that to be a good thing . He walked to the large oak desk that occupied one side of the room . Checking through the papers on the desk and finding nothing of interest , he began searching the drawers . Finding one locked , Lee pulled out his lock picks and set to work . In a few seconds , the lock clicked and he was able to open the drawer . Inside lay a large brown envelope . He picked it up and turned it over in his hands . Not finding any markings on the outside , he opened one end . The first page was stamped , ' Top Secret . ' Satisfied that he had found what he 'd been searching for , Lee closed the drawer and started around the desk . He stopped short when he noticed a man in the doorway . Lee sighed and did as he was told , careful not to place the gun too far out of his reach . He moved even more slowly than the other man had possibly intended ; he needed to stall Stancliff and allow Amanda and the other agents the opportunity to get the girls and their babies outside and away from the house . They suspected the bomb would be on a timer , but they didn 't want to take the chance that it could be remotely operated . " Very good , Scarecrow , " Stancliff chided . Lee 's eyes had begun to narrow at the man 's remark , and then the surprise at hearing his codename uttered by this man widened them . " Of course I know who you are . I 've done some extensive research over the last two days . I was overjoyed at being able to add your file * and * that of your partner , to the information for the Russians . I 'm certain it will drive the price even higher . " Lee 's jaw clenched and unclenched , the muscles in his jaw twitching . Finally he said , " You won 't be selling anything to the Russians . By now , Korylov is in custody . He never even made it to your driveway . " " You know , I 've never killed a man , " he informed Lee . " Not personally , anyway . I 've sent other men to do my dirty work . Today , I will enjoy doing it myself . " He raised his gun then paused and cocked his head in thought . " I wonder how much the Russians will pay for a dead Scarecrow ? " Lee watched the other man closely , waiting for the chance to retrieve his gun . That chance came when a sudden loud noise erupted in the hallway . Stancliff turned his head slightly , which allowed Lee enough time to grab his own gun and duck behind the desk . When Stancliff realized the sounds from the front of the house meant that Lee had been correct , he started firing randomly in the direction of the desk . Lee waited until he heard Stancliff 's gun clicking . He stood and aimed his gun at the other man , who was now out of ammunition . The look of malicious intent that filled Randolph Stancliff 's eyes at that moment stunned Lee . He 'd never seen a man so filled with malevolence . Lee stood mesmerized as Stancliff slowly reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small black box . Instantly , Lee knew that it was a remote control for the bomb intended to destroy this house and everyone in it . He prepared to fire , hoping he could shoot the other man before he had a chance to detonate the explosives in the house . Lee looked up when someone stepped into the doorway . Relief flooded his features as he recognized Amanda . That relief was quickly replaced with irritation . " Amanda ! What are you doing ? He could have blown us all sky high . " " No , he couldn 't , " she replied as she stepped over him and set down the thick hardcover book she had used to knock him unconscious . She picked up the black box and explained , " We got all of the girls out , and the bomb squad disarmed the bombs . I didn 't know if Stancliff had a gun , and I didn 't want you to get shot if his detonator didn 't work . " " He started talking the minute they stopped his car . " She laughed as she remembered Billy 's quickly recited rendition of events before they stormed the house . " He promised to tell everything he knew as long as they didn 't send him back to Russia . " Lee shook his head in disbelief at his wife . She was so calm . It was a distinct difference from the woman he met five years ago at a train station . " Let 's get out of here , " he said and walked until he was next to her . He held out his hand , and when she grasped it with her own , he started to lead them from the room . " Well , sure . There 's no reason for him and Mother to stay at the hospital now . Besides , Olivia needs her sleep , not a baby crying all night , " Amanda reasoned . She asked , " Will that be all right with you ? " " What is ? " Amanda asked , picking up the baby and leaning him against her shoulder . " Watching you with a baby . I missed that with the boys . " Amanda carried Logan to the portable crib they had set up in the living room , gently set him down and draped a small blanket over him . She turned to Lee , not missing the look of longing on his face . Amanda knew they needed to talk about this , but tonight just didn 't seem like the right time . " Lee , " she said softly . He didn 't answer her , lost in his thoughts . Walking over to him , she gently caressed his cheek . " Lee , let 's get some sleep . " Amanda woke to an empty bed . It was still dark outside , but she could just see the faint beginnings of the sunrise through her window . She silently climbed out of bed and slipped on her robe . She could hear Lee 's voice and followed the sound to find her husband standing by the window , cradling Logan close to his chest . Lee was singing softly to the baby . " Happy trails to you , until we meet again . Happy trails to you … " Sensing Amanda 's presence , he stopped and turned . " Oh , hi . I didn 't know you were awake . " " Yeah , well , he was … you know . " Lee took a deep breath and looked down at Logan . " Music is supposed to soothe the savage beast - - and babies , " he added quickly . Looking at Amanda , Lee grinned sheepishly . " ' Happy Trails ' is the only song I could think of that wouldn 't scare the little guy . "