VIGILANTE MOTHERS

Picture supplied by Swoopes and BruceFanB5

In a laboratory, a female technician lets in a man dressed all in black called Castille and then kisses him. He tells her that they have to hurry and she gets a bag of white crystals from a canister in a coded cabinet and hands them over. She says that she’ll meet him in a hour at her place but he says no, then pulls out a gun and shoots her in cold blood and leaves.

The next day at the Agency, Amanda asks Lee to get Billy to sign an expense voucher and he agrees as she needs the money for her Community Action committee fund. She explains that a group of mothers have got together to fight against pollution and dumping of toxic waste and they call themselves MSE – Mothers for s Safe Environment. Lee says that it sounds good and Amanda agrees then tells him that she’s a spokesperson and Lee congratulates her.

Just then, an agent leaves Billy’s office and their superior calls Lee and Francine in. Billy tells them that a full container of C12 has been stolen from the Chemical Ordnance facility near Portland. C12 is one half of CX12 which is a lethal nerve gas that goes through the skin and kills in less than ten seconds. Lee comments that he ran into the stuff six months previously on a covert anti-terrorist operation. Billy says that they were lucky to get hold of it and they store it in two parts for safety until they can find a way to get rid of the gas once and for all.

Francine asks where the other half is kept and Billy tells her that it’s at the Bethesda lab. Lee says that they can expect a run at the lab and Billy agrees adding that whoever got the crystals knew exactly where to look, so it’s probably an inside job and reveals that the accomplice was killed. He then informs them that only five people have hands on access to the X12 crystals here and he’s assigning an agent to each to them. Francine is to take Dr. Ann Mallory, the head chemist and Lee is to watch Leonard Fletcher, her assistant. He wants surveillance day and night.

Lee checks his file and comments that Fletcher only lives about a block away from Amanda which gives him an idea. He calls Amanda in and asks if the house at the end of her street is still up for rent. Amanda says yes and Lee says that he wants to rent it to get closer to someone there. At first, Amanda thinks he means her and suggests dinner but Lee laughs and says that he meant Leonard Fletcher. Realising it’s Agency work, Amanda says that she knows Fletcher. Lee tells her that he needs to get close to him without causing suspicion and Amanda reveals that she knows where he’ll be a four that afternoon.

Later that day, Lee arrives at the MSE meeting and walks past a car that Castille is sitting in. Castille then drives away. In the meeting, Amanda brings everyone to order and gives out announcements, before introducing Fletcher as their guest as well as Jean Kiersley, who funded their group. After the meeting, Amanda introduces Lee to Fletcher and mentions that they’d like to see the facility some time. Fletcher says that he will arrange for Lee, Amanda and a couple of others to take a tour of the lab the next day.

At the lab the next day, Dr. Mallory shows Lee and Amanda and a couple of other ladies around. Mallory explains that the lab clothes are changed several times a day to avoid any accidental contamination and the clothing is sent to a local cleaner’s for special treatment.

Meanwhile, at TriCounty cleaning service, Kiersley tells Castille that they clean for the X12 group and that they get stuff from them twice a day, six days a week so all Fletcher has to do is slip the crystals in a packet and send it to them. She says it’s perfect but Castille comments that there’s one problem he’s concerned about but he has a solution. They then kiss.

That night, Fletcher meets with Castille who tells him he needs half a pound of explosive to blow up a car with someone in it. Fletcher baulks saying that he thought that no-one would get killed but Castille tells him that it’s for Lee Stetson, although Fletcher knows him as Samson. Castille gives Fletcher some money and says that maybe it will help ease his gambling debts. He then asks about the X12. Fletcher tells him that they’re working on neutralizing it day and night so they’re going to have to act soon. Castille says that they will.

At Amanda’s house, she’s helping Phillip and Jaime make a volcano for their science project. As soon as the boys go to bed, Dotty starts quizzing Amanda on their new neighbour – Lee. Apparently she saw him while out jogging and wants Amanda to invite him over for dinner, although Amanda’s not so keen.

Next day at the Agency, Lee asks Francine about Mallory who replies that she followed the doctor to the lab – early – then out to lunch then back to the lab again. Lee is disappointed that there’s no lead then starts looking through some photo’s. Francine asks what they are and he tells her that they’re of known weapon’s suppliers in the CX12 league. Castille is one and Lee reckons that he’s the best bet as it suits his M.O. Lee then leaves to go to another MSE meeting.

As Amanda walks up to the meeting, she sees Castille crouched by the wheel of Lee’s borrowed car and stops. Castille makes an excuse that he’s thinking of buying a car like that then gets up and goes to his own car as Amanda nods and goes into the meeting. Inside the hall it’s chaos as the picketing isn’t going well so Lee takes Amanda outside and tells her that he has pictures he wants her to take a look at but not there where they could be interrupted. They decide to get in his car and take a drive. Amanda checks the photo’s and Lee asks if she recognizes anyone. She sees the one of Castille and tells Lee that she saw him hanging around the car. Lee gets worried and tells her to get ready to get out fast. He stops the car and they get out a run just as the car explodes, knocking them to the ground, shaken but unhurt.

Later, after they get a lift back, Lee talks to Billy on the phone and when he hangs up he tells Amanda that he needs to go and co-ordinate teams to look for Castille. Amanda asks why Castille was at the community cetnre if he wants to steal X12 and Lee suggests that maybe he’s using a neighbour to get close to the lab. Amanda thinks it might be Fletcher and Lee agrees as his files say that the man lives beyond his means and also gambles. Amanda thinks he could be being bribed and Lee agrees although comments that Castille usually uses women in his plans so wonders why he would change his habits now. Amanda then suggests Dr. Mallory but Lee disagrees as she’s too clean adding that he thinks it’d be someone with a lower profile and less directly connected. Lee asks for Amanda’s help on this and she’s reluctant as she’ll have to spy on her neighbours. Lee says he just wants her to look out for anything out of character and Amanda agrees.

That night, Castille gets dressed and prepares to leave Jean. He asks if the mothers are ready and she confirms they are, adding that they’re turning into a mob. Castille is pleased as Fletcher needs a distraction to get the crystals. He reminds her that timing is everything and she tells him to relax, his replies that he will when they have the nerve gas. Jean asks him when they’ll hand it back and Castille replies that they’ll let them stew for a few days before calling a news conference. When she looks uncertain, he asks what he can do to convince her that the best way the show them how dangerous the gas is, is to show how easy it is to steal. Jean says that she knows but she’s worried it’ll go wrong but Castille assures her it won’t.

At Lee’s house, he’s gone outside to try and turn off the sprinklers when Amanda pokes her head out of the bushes startling him. She shows him where the timer is then turns it off and lets Lee know that the women are going to demonstrate at the lab the next day. She doesn’t know where exactly but there is going to be a vote in the morning to decide before they go straight from the meeting. She also suggests that maybe Mrs. Courtney is the person that Castille got to as she’s the leader of the group. Lee says that he’ll get Francine to dig deeper into Courtney’s past. He also tells Amanda to go to the meeting and then get a message to him as to where the mothers are going to demonstrate.

The next day, Amanda arrives at the community centre to find that everyone has been and gone to Bethesda. She calls Lee who tells Billy who instructs Lee to get straight over there. At the lab, the mothers are demonstrating when Amanda arrives. Inside the lab, workers look out the windows to see what’s going on outside leaving Fletcher able to slip into the room where the crystals are kept. He takes them then puts them into the pocket of a coat that’s ready to be cleaned. The clothes get taken and the laundry van leaves the plant. Amanda notices Jean start to back away from the demo and watches her go to the cleaning van and get in.

As Amanda starts to run after the van, Lee arrives but doesn’t see her. He drives up and tells the guards to shut the gates behind him and not let anything in or out. The gates close just as Amanda runs up to the gates. She asks the guard if he would pass on a message but he refuses so she goes to her car and heads off after the van.

Lee goes into the lab and asks for Mallory who is in the chemical storage room. When he gets there, she tells him that the crystals are gone. She says that she doesn’t know how it happened as no alarm went off which means that only authorized personnel had been inside. Lee asks who the authorized personnel are and she tells him that it’s her and Fletcher who is leaving the lab as they speak. Lee sends the guard to get Fletcher.

Meanwhile, Amanda follows the van to the laundry place then parks up and calls Billy. Before she can say where she is, Castille arrives with a gun and cuts off her call telling her that Jean is waiting for her.

Back at the lab, Lee asks Fletcher about the crystals and the technician suddenly grabs Mallory and holds a beaker of hydrochloric acid to her face telling Lee to let him go or he’ll throw the acid over her. Lee doesn’t bite and Fletcher unexpectedly throws the acid at him instead and grabs a fire axe from the wall. Lee and the guard duck then Lee pulls out a gun and trains it on Fletcher until he puts his weapon down. The guard then takes him away. Lee calls Billy who tells him about the call from Amanda. Lee asks if he cross referenced Jean Kiersley and Billy says yes but only came up with Tri County laundry. Lee tells him that that’s the service the lab uses and realizes that’s the link.

As Lee races off to the laundry place, Castille takes Amanda to where Jean is and ties her up. Jean challenges Castille who admits that he’s a fake and she’s gutted. She goes to call the police but Castille threatens to kill Amanda if she does. Just as Lee arrives, Castille has finished tying Amanda to the shirt rail and has set the machine running. He then leaves with an also tied up Jean. Lee enters the building and calls for Amanda. He manages to get to her just in time and unties her. They go to look for Jean and Castille and when they find them, Lee tells Amanda to circle around and distract them.

As Amanda does as he asks, Lee stands up and confronts Castille who he know from a time in Rio when three people died. Castille refuses to let Jean go and then pushes a button on a nearby machine which lets out a rush of steam. Using it as a distraction, Castille takes cover and he and Lee engage in a shoot out. They face off once more and Castille tells Lee to drop his gun. Because Castille has Jean, Lee does as he’s told and Castille lets the woman go. Just as he prepares to shoot Lee, Amanda creeps up and throws a sheet over his head. Lee runs and tackles the killer and they begin to fight. Amanda unties Jean and then finally capture Castille.

A few days later, Amanda is annoyed with the boys as they made their volcano erupt in the kitchen and make a mess. Lee turns up as she takes the volcano outside and he tells her that they found a way to neutralize the crystals. Amanda is pleased and, in turn, tells him that MSE got a municipal hearing on the toxic waste issue which they’re very proud of as a start. As Dotty calls out to her from inside the house, Amanda then asks Lee to get rid of the volcano.

SCENE'S TO WATCH OUT FOR:

Amanda mistaking Lee’s intention of moving down the street from her as trying to get close to her.

Dotty quizzing Amanda on their new ‘neighbour’.

Amanda surprising Lee outside his new house at night.

Lee getting himself locked out of his house and Amanda coming to his rescue again.

Tag.

ROMANCE:

Not a whole lot of romance between Amanda and Lee in this episode. There’s a rather sweet moment when Lee makes a comment about moving in down her street because he wants to get closer to ‘someone’ and Amanda mistakenly thinks it’s her…just goes to show how her mind is working and also how receptive she’d be to his advances as she replies that she thinks dinner would be better. Lee seems to take this in his stride and, although he has a chuckle about her response, he doesn’t make any sarcastic comment as he more than likely would have done before.

Another nice moment is when Lee is attempting to find the sprinkler system in the evening and Amanda comes over to see him so they can discuss the case. Lee is grateful for her help and seems reluctant to go back in, which is good considering that he then finds he’s locked himself out! Amanda to the rescue again.

It’s the little moments they share that make the romance developing between them more believable and over the season there have been quite a few. We’ve definitely seen a huge step forward in their personal relationship and it’s obvious that their friendship has deepened to the point where they trust each other implicitly and their feelings teeter on becoming something more…roll on the third season! J

QUOTES:

LEE: Frank, is Billy busy?

BILLY: Scarecrow, Francine, my office - now!

FRANK: Crazed might be a better word.

LEE: Amanda is that house at the end of your street still up for rent?

AMANDA: You mean the Cooperman house? I think so, why?

LEE: Well I know someone who wants to rent it for a while.

AMANDA: Who?

LEE: Me. I wanna get closer to someone who lives there.

AMANDA: We could go to dinner. You don't have to move down the street.

LEE: She didn't do anything suspicious at all then?

FRANCINE: Does adding ketchup to a tongue sandwich count?

LEE: No.

LEE: I'd say Castille's our best bet. The Oregan job fits his M.O. He's bold, daring, preys on women, smooth operator and very ruthless.

FRANCINE: Sounds like my date last night.

LEE: Amanda! You just about scared the hell out of me.

AMANDA: Oh, I'm sorry. Now you know what it feels like.

LEE: Alright, now Amanda circle round to the right and distract them.

AMANDA: You're kidding.

LEE: Thanks partner.

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