Picture courtesy of Anke Lantin

Chez Tayir - Billy enters the restaurant and joins Lee and Francine at their table. He tells them Station 2 is ready for the delivery and Lee points out that they were ready five minutes ago and tells Billy to relax. Billy says he can't as Spiderweb is the Agency's biggest operation in ten years. Lee says they should just watch the entrance for Falescu as he's due any minute.

The door opens and Amanda walks in with her date, top lawyer, Bryce Topping. The three spies are shocked to see her and Billy asks if Lee had told her anything but Lee says that it's just a coincidence. Amanda is surprised when she notices Lee and the others but Lee motions her to move on, which she does and she and Bryce sit at a table behind them. Realising something is going on, Amanda persuades Bryce to leave. Just as they pass by the spies table, Falescu enters the restaurant and all hell breaks loose. Before anyone can react, a waiter, his gun covered by a napkin, shoots the defector then hurriedly leaves through all the furore. Lee tries to go after him but a hysterical woman gets in his way and the next thing they know, a masked man comes to the entrance armed with a machine gun and sprays bullets around the room. He also runs out and lee gets the woman out of the way long enough to chase them but by the time he gets outside all he sees is their car speeding away.

Next day at the Agency, Lee, Francine and Billy are being reprimanded about the bust by their boss, Mitch Larner. He says Spiderweb sounded great, three communist defectors from three separate communist countries, they pool the information and end up light years ahead but even though it has been planned for two years, it's all been wasted. Lee disagrees saying that they still have Milosh Durak and General Corogin to come over. Larner says all they have is a dead Romanian and he wants to know why.

Billy says there is two possibilities, one, that he was eliminated by his own people or two, they have a major security breach. As the hit seemed planned they opt for the security breach and Larner says that since only Billy's department were involved it's down to him the find the culprit.

Billy, Francine and Lee leave the office and Billy tells them to start checking through all the personnel files. They enter the bullpen and Amanda is waiting to talk to Lee. Billy and Francine go into his office while Amanda apologises to Lee for the night before as he was obviously on Agency business. She asks what it was but Lee won't tell her and then asks what she's doing at the Agency. Amanda explains that she's doing the expense reports for Billy and at Lee's less than thrilled comment, she adds that she enjoys reading all the codenames as it makes it a kind of game and to Lee's consternation, she mentions Spiderweb. Billy then calls Lee to come into the office.

Meanwhile, at a local garden centre, the assassinator, masked gunman and the hysterical woman, Rena, are talking about the Spiderweb operation and how they are going to kill the remaining two defectors. They feel that if they nullify Spiderweb's effectiveness then it will prove that their Intelligence is better than the Americans. The next defector is Durak but their contact with the Agency has yet to provide them with all the details so they patiently wait.

That night at the Agency, Francine, Lee and Billy are checking through personnel files but can't find anyone that could be the leak. Larner walks in with his secretary, Margaret, and announces that he's found the leak. It's Amanda. Lee is dismissive, Francine mocking and Billy amused at Larner's choice. Lee sticks up for Amanda saying that she only helps out and she joined the Agency due to an accident. Francine agrees but Larner isn't dissuaded and asks if Amanda has ever mentioned Spiderweb. Lee looks pained and reluctantly admits that she mentioned it earlier that day. Larner is quick to press his point and says that she was also at Chez Tayir with Bryce Topping who represents at least five senators which is not only good cover for her but also a great source of information. He goes on to tell them that her record has a gap from November 1982 until mid January 1983. Francine wonders if that could be when she was recruited and Larner says it probably was as she also had a cheque of ten thousand dollars deposited to her bank account in February 1983. Lee still tries to defend her but Larner ignores him and informs them that she was spot checked within the last two weeks and she was seen visiting the Czechoslovakian Embassy where she stayed for 42 minutes then left carrying a large manilla envelope - contents unknown. Larner then tells the stunned agents that Amanda is their double agent and they have to prove it.

Next day, on Larner's orders, Lee and Francine begin their surveillance of Amanda. Lee says he doesn't and never will believe Amanda is a double agent and Francine agrees it's unlikely but adds that she's dying to hear the explanation about the Czech Embassy.

Inside the house they're watching, Amanda and Dotty are helping Phillip on his school Geography project about Czechoslovakia. He has made a large map and it is perched on an easel in the front room as he tries to remember where different cities are. Amanda tells Dotty that the man she saw at the Embassy was very nice and that he was very pleased that someone was interested in his country.

Amanda then goes out to do some shopping and ends up at an electronics store. Lee and Francine are still tailing her but they're getting bored. When Amanda leaves, Francine says she'll check out what she bought while Lee should continue the surveillance. Lee agrees, then drives off after Amanda while Francine enters the store.

From across the street, the waiter and Rena watch her go in and also decide to check what Amanda bought in case they can use it against her. Later, at the garden centre, Rena and the waiter tell their colleague that their contact has confirmed that Durak will arrive at eleven that evening.

At the Agency, Lee is going over the plans for Durak's defection when Amanda comes along and looks over his shoulder. When Lee realises that Amanda's standing there, he quickly covers up the plan and Amanda apologises for startling him. Lee asks what she wants and as she explains it's about a query on his business receipts, she lays her folders down on top of the map. Billy and Francine then enter the office and ask Amanda to leave as they need to talk about business. She hurries to adhere to Billy's order and accidentally picks up the plan for that evening along with her folders. Lee grabs them back and Amanda apologises then leaves.

Francine asks if she saw anything and Lee says he doesn't think so. They go over the plans and Margaret comes in asking for the report on Amanda as Larner is on the warpath. They say they're not quite ready and then Larner comes in demanding the report himself. He's also angry to see that Amanda is still working in the bullpen and tells Margaret to go and get whatever she's working on. Lee then tells Larner what Amanda has done during the day and Larner asks what she bought from the hobby store. Francine tells him it was, resistors, capacitors and several small circuit boards. Larner says they're useful for making a transmitter and receiver.

Outside, Margaret is persuading Amanda to give her, her work.

Inside the office, Lee is losing his temper and saying that Amanda is getting the blame from nothing but circumstantial evidence. Margaret walks in just as Larner produces a bank deposit receipt made out to Amanda's account for the sum of $50,000 that was put in 24 hours after Falescu was murdered. Larner then orders them to get Amanda out of the Agency so they can bring Durak in safely and then deal with her later. He and Margaret leave and Billy asks who's going to tell Amanda. Lee volunteers and goes out and tells her she can go. Amanda is reluctant at first but Lee is firm and as he walks her to the bullpen doors, he tells her to stay home that night. She asks if anything's wrong but Lee says he can't tell her there. Confused, Amanda just nods and leaves.

That evening at a cinema, Lee and another agent called, Weaver, are dressed as cabbies and sit in their cars outside. Francine is working in the ticket booth and Billy is 'around' keeping the mission together. Durak leaves the cinema and gets into Lee's cab. Weaver then pulls up alongside and the man in his cab, changes places with Durak in Lee's. Weaver drives away and takes alleyways back to the Agency but comes across Rena with a supposedly broken down car that's blocking his way. He stops and then from the parked van behind Rena, the waiter emerges with a hand held rocket launcher and blows the cab up. Rena and the waiter then get back into the van and drive off.

Later that evening, Billy and Larner have a chat. Larner still thinks that Amanda is the leak and Billy says that he just doesn't know anymore. Later still, Lee and Francine are in Billy's office and Billy tells them that Larner wants Lee to go through Amanda's home with a fine tooth comb. Lee baulks at the idea but Billy informs him that a coded message was picked up within a four block radius of Amanda's neighbourhood and Larner is convinced that Amanda has set up a transmitter.

The next day, Amanda and Dotty go shopping but Amanda realises she's left her cheque book behind and leaves Dotty at the store while she heads back home.

Meanwhile, Lee has got into her house and notices the components she bought from the hobby store on the kitchen counter. Before he can look any further, he hears the front door opening and hides behind the kitchen door. It's Amanda back for her cheque book but Lee makes a slight noise which she hears. Thinking she's got burglars, she grabs a baseball bat that's nearby and goes to see who's there. Lee walks through the house the come up behind Amanda and grabs the bat, scaring her. She sees it's Lee and calms down then asks him what he's doing there. Before he answers her, he notices the map of Czechoslovakia and goes over to it. Amanda proudly explains that it's Phillip's Geography project. Lee is relieved and realises that's why she went to the Embassy. Amanda says yes and Lee adds that the electronic parts she bought is probably for something just as innocent. Amanda looks shamefaced which causes Lee to falter and look stunned when Amanda admits that she was trying to build a radio transmitter. She then goes on to say it's for Jaime's Science project but she's a little upset because doesn't know how to make it.

Lee, again, laughs in relief but suddenly sobers and tells her that she's in trouble. Amanda is shocked as Lee adds that he was searching her house. He sits her down and asks her where she was from November '82 until mid January '83. She says she was right there. He then asks about the $10,000 deposit she had in February '83 and she reminds him of the electrical fire she had in the kitchen and the money was from the insurance company. Lee then asks about Bryce Topping and Amanda tells him that she met him at a PTA meeting and they went out to see a movie and when they got out they were handed a flyer for Chez Tayir which is why they went there for a coffee. Lee realises that the flyer was used to get her to the restaurant so they could have more ammo against her. Amanda is confused by what he's saying so Lee finally tells her about the major security breach at the Agency and that she is suspected of being a double agent.

Understandably, Amanda is hurt but Lee assures her he never believed it for a moment and that he was ordered, as was Billy, to search her house. Lee then says that there's no time for hurt feelings as they have to find out who's setting her up.

At the garden centre, the gunman is talking to the real double agent, Larner's secretary, Margaret. She explains that she's amended Amanda record so that it should hold up under investigation. She also says that once they've killed that last defector, General Corogin, then Amanda must be killed too.

Elsewhere in Washington, Lee, Billy, Francine and Amanda are walking along a street and talking about the set-up. Billy assures Amanda that he believes her but Francine says she has a couple of big things still hanging over her such as the $50,000 deposit. Amanda is shocked to hear that that much money is in her account but Lee dismisses it as just part of the set-up. Amanda can't understand why someone would want to dirty her record but Francine says she's the perfect candidate as she's one of the 'little' people that no-one ever notices, like waiters or servants. The comment gets Amanda thinking and she has the sudden idea that the leak could be Margaret as she's one of those people too. Francine scoffs at the idea but Amanda insists that she'd be in the perfect position for access to the information. Lee, Billy and Francine realise that she could be right and Lee decides that it's time to set Margaret up.

Back at the Agency, Francine, Lee, Billy and Larner all come out of Larner's office and he hands his secretary a sheet of paper containing Corogin's route in. He tells Margaret it's 'Eyes Only' and to type it up straight away. Still in front of her, Larner then asks Billy if he's sure he wants to meet Corogin on his own and Billy says yes. As they leave the office, Larner tell Margaret to be prepared to work late that night. Once outside, Larner asks if Amanda's sure she's OK to help out and Lee says that she was the one who suggested it so as not to get anyone else involved.

At the defection point, Billy waits for Corogin. His cab turns up and on a nearby building's balcony, Francine is on look out with a pair of binoculars. Lee, posing as Corogin, gets out of the cab and meets Billy. He gets in Billy's car and they prepare to drive off. On the balcony, Francine clocks a gardener and his van a little way down the street, but the gardener is the actually waiter from Chez Tayir and when Lee gets into Billy's car, he jumps into his van and Rena appears in the driving seat. As Billy drives away, Francine sees what's happening and warns her superior just as the van pulls up alongside and the side door opens to reveal the masked man from Chez Tayir with a machine gun who starts shooting at the car. Billy and Lee duck and from the balcony, Francine shoots out the wheel of the van causing them to stop. They all get out of their respective vehicles and Francine scales down the building wall from the balcony and joins in the fray as a fight breaks out. Lee chases the waiter, Billy goes after the machine gun man and Francine goes hand to hand with Rena. Eventually all the bad guys are caught.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Washington, General Corogin gets off a bus and is met by Amanda who takes him to the Agency.

Later, Lee walks into Larner's office apparently dragging Amanda with him. Margaret watches in satisfaction as her boss comes to his door but then is shocked to hear Lee and Amanda telling Larner that Corogin is safely downstairs. Larner then goes over to Margaret and calmly arrests her for being a double agent.

A couple of days later, Amanda is in the bullpen with Lee who is trying to type up everything she says as she gives him a very detailed account of her life for her personal file. They take a break and as they have coffee, Larner walks in and tells them that Margaret's trial will be in a month's time and she and her friends will be imprisoned for life. Amanda then has a question - what about the $50,000 in her account. If it's the U.S. Governments money then, obviously, she'd give it back but if it's from the Russian pot, then… Lee says it's got to be evidence and Larner decides to leave it to them. Lee says he'll need to make a call to Legal while Amanda finishes off her personal file and Amanda laughs when he leaves the bullpen.

SCENE'S TO WATCH OUT FOR:

Amanda apologising to Lee about being in Chez Tayir and him getting shirty about Bryce Topping.

Whenever Lee defends Amanda against Larner or Francine.

Lee grabbing the baseball bat from Amanda and their subsequent chat.

Francine telling Amanda how 'obscure' she is.

Tag.

ROMANCE:

A lot of jealousy from Lee this episode over Bryce Topping. It starts as soon as he sees Amanda walk through the door with him at Chez Tayir and Lee calls him a stiff. He doesn't seem to care that Francine or Billy are there to witness him sounding very disgruntled that she's with another man. And he appears to dislike Topping even more when he finds out how rich and successful the man is as well.

Apart from the jealousy, there's also one or two other moments that are worth mentioning. The way Amanda said that she was glad Lee wasn't hurt at Chez Tayir and his smile as he responded in kind was very nice. It was also quite amazing - there, in the middle of the bullpen, Scarecrow actually admits that he likes the woman! Nothing hidden, just a casual, but caring, assertion that he cares.

His unstinting loyalty for Amanda during the times that she was being accused of being a double agent was also wonderful to see. We often comment on how much Amanda stands by Lee but here we see Lee has the same fierceness and stubbornness when it comes to Amanda too. Even in the face of what appears to be hard evidence, Lee dismisses it as purely circumstantial and constantly says that the whole thing is ridiculous. He argues with Larner, Billy and Francine over the fact and begrudgingly responds to the orders he's given. Then, the first time he gets a chance, he explains everything to her. He also stresses that he never for one moment thought she was guilty - quite a statement for someone who has trouble even admitting they're friends!

A nice episode all round and one that shows Lee's growing, albeit still reluctant, affection for Amanda.

LEE: Who's the stiff?

FRANCINE: I would hardly call Bryce Topping a stiff.

LEE: Who the hell is Bryce Topping?

FRANCINE: Well, you would know if you ever read the society pages; he's a regular. Old money, brilliant law career and obviously pretty kinky.

LEE: What?!

AMANDA: I was really, very upset and so was Bryce.

LEE: Oh yes, good old Bryce Topping.

AMANDA: Oh, do you know Bryce?

LEE: No, name only. Sounds like an actor.

LEE: Her working with us came about from an accident.

FRANCINE: Well, Sir, actually I think that, uh, that would make Amanda King much smarter than I think she is.

BILLY: Hold on Mitch, are you saying that Amanda King is a double agent?

LEE: That's impossible, she's not an agent at all. She isn't even a trainee in the strict sense of the word, she just helps us out.

MITCH: And because she just helps us out she was never given an all out security check.

FRANCINE: And it would've never found anything anyway. Her life has got to be one big yawn.

LEE: This is the biggest waste of time and money I have ever seen. Come on, Amanda working for the Russians is like my Aunt Sally working for the Russians.

LEE: There's been a major security breach at the Agency.

AMANDA: Oh Lee. Oh, you don't think that it was me?

LEE: No, I never thought that.

AMANDA: Then why did you break into my house and why were you searching it?

AMANDA: Why would anyone want to try to dirty up my records?

FRANCINE: Because you're perfect Amanda. The text book says that in situations like this it's always someone obscure.

AMANDA: Someone obscure?

FRANCINE: Yes Amanda and that's you. Dealing with unimportant information. Always there but not really doing very much. Pleasant, unassuming, easy to overlook. Loyal, faithful….