The MST, Ch. 11

"Ya See That! He heard me. He almost fell into those eyes but instead, he heard me." Pete grinned from ear to ear. "I knew if I yelled loud enough I could get through to him. What do you have to say to that, Ms. Perkins?"

"I'd say that we're making progress. I do believe he is indeed starting to hear us and that means I need to check and see if the crack has opened wider to the room holding in his memories. We've been held silent long enough. The trauma that drove Todd into Samuel was tremendous, but when Samuel awoke and had no memory of any of us, I knew something even more insidious had occurred. When I tried to wake Todd all those years ago, it had been like trying to touch him through some invisible wall. I kept telling myself that Todd had put us behind the barrier to keep us safe and then I had noticed the room that held all of Todd's memories was encased in some kind of impenetrable glass. Although I could see the memories I couldn't get to them. If I couldn't get to them then neither could Todd. Someone or something did this to Todd all those years ago. But since we've been chipping away at that room, we've managed to free up portions of memories that Samuel has been using in his paintings. I think we're close to freeing all his memories and if that happens, then we can get to the bottom of the event that brought Samuel out."

Ms. Perkins paused in her musings to look over at Todd. He was still trapped in some nightmare that she couldn't get through. He responded to Tom, so Tom had been put in charge of keeping him from hurting himself. Yes, Tom had always been good at comforting Todd. Ms. Perkins turned her gaze back to Pete. "You're right, your instincts when it comes to danger for Todd have always been spot on. I agree that Ms. Olanov has an agenda and if she's here, my guess is Mr. Hesser is not far behind. Samuel has made up his mind to enter into this game so you need to be ready to help when the time arrives."

"Oh, I'm ready. This is going to be great. I think it was Hesser who trapped us here all these years and if I'm right, he's got a nasty surprise waiting for him if I get free. I agree with you, it's time we broke those memories free from that barrier. We have to find out everything that happened on that night eight years ago. You've got to free me, I promise I won't try to take Samuel's place. Right now you need my strength to finish breaking that barrier and I finally understand that if I want my freedom I've got to give Todd his." Pete stopped struggling at his bonds and gave a cold hard stare at Ms. Perkins.

Looking steadily at Pete, Ms. Perkins nodded and said "Very well, I can always restrain you again if you try anything and you're right, Rodd and I need your help on that barrier. We must have that night's memories, no matter how bad, if we're going to get Todd's life back." She undid his bonds and Pete stood and stretched, "Hmm. That feels great. Okay, you old battleax lets tackle that wall. I'm itchin to hit something and right now that wall sounds just great."

***

            Blair rolled over in bed. She smiled as she recalled the events of yesterday. Tomas had been incredibly charming from the early start of lunch in the Eiffel Tower to their fun-filled evening in the Paris nightclubs. Tomas had worked wonders on her morale. She hadn't thought about anything but fun all evening long. Paris at night had been beautiful. It was indeed the City of Lights, and romance wafted through the air like a sweet perfume. After hitting several night clubs she and Tomas had ended the evening with a quiet walk along the Seine. They hadn't said much, but in the chill of the night Tomas had gathered her close to keep her warm and they had walked in companionable silence. Tomas had dropped her off at her room and with a kiss on her hand he had left, promising to call.

            As she looked at the clock, she tried to figure out what time it might be back in Llanview. It was too early to call Starr. The last time she had chatted with Starr it had been in the wee hours of the morning. She hadn't realized just how early in the morning it was until she had finished getting dressed for breakfast. That was when it struck her that Starr had called well after Midnight. There must have been something really bothering Starr to have made that call then. Blair grabbed her robe and picked up the house phone and dialed Christian's room. She let it ring a number of times, but he didn't answer, hopefully, that meant things had worked out for him and Layla. When Chris didn't answer she called room service and ordered some breakfast. She had enjoyed yesterday, but today she had to start trying to find Samuel. She needed to meet him face to face and find out how he knew all of these intimate details that he had been painting, and especially, why he looked like Todd.

            Tomas opened the gallery and headed to his office to see what was ahead for the day. He was hoping the day wouldn't be too full. He wanted to try and get together with Blair again today. He knew she wanted to get out and show the picture of Samuel around, to see if they could track him down. His curiosity had really been stirred up when Blair announced that the picture had resembled her ex-husband, but then she had said her ex had a whole new face. Upon entering his office, Tomas saw several messages from Simone on his desk. He picked them up, as expected they contained information about a couple of shipments that were due in and there was one with a bid from Mr. Hesser on the new portrait. Mr. Hesser was another man who seemed taken with Blair.

             He looked across his desk up at her portrait on the wall. He had seen that look that Samuel had captured. Last night as he held her close to keep her warm and she had looked across the Seine, he had been looking at her. It was the same look she had in the portrait, that look of utter enchantment at the sight before her. He had become enamored with her when he had purchased the picture and last night he had been overwhelmed that he was holding the portrait in his arms. Tomas recalled the ending to last night. Not wanting to scare her away he had given her just a gentle kiss on the hand, but he had to keep seeing her. She stirred something in him long thought dead, he wanted to feel again and Blair was bringing him back to life.

           Tomas picked up the phone and called Blair's hotel. "Yes, Connect me to Ms. Cramer's suite.

            Blair was looking at the sketch of Samuel when the phone rang. "Hello,... Tomas, I was just thinking of our day yesterday. It was a wonderful day and I feel like I can face what's ahead of me again. I can't thank you enough...What? Well yes, I was thinking of taking the sketch out and seeing if anyone might recognize him. I haven't been in touch with my friend but I'd be delighted to have your company. I'm not sure if my friend will be able to join us, I'll leave him a message and meet you at the gallery in an hour. Well, thank you again, Tomas. I'll see you shortly." at that, Blair hung up. She tried once more to reach Christian and when she couldn't, she left him a message telling him of her plans. It was a beautiful day and maybe, just maybe, it might prove to be the day they found Samuel.

***

Samuel woke up feeling totally at peace. Yesterday had been a true eyeopener. He had faced some harsh truths about himself, but had come out still sane and strangely energized by what had occurred. It had been extremely painful to realize he was capable of hurting a woman; and in his heart, he knew he hadn't just bullied that woman,he had brutalized her. Samuel got up and went to his mirror. His hand went up tracing the horizontal scar. He remembered that pipe descending and impacting his cheek but the agony he felt came from the realization that what he felt, didn't compare to what he had done to the woman in his painting. He looked into his eyes and saw a man he hadn't seen before. He saw a man fully capable of violence and anger toward another human being. The man in the mirror had hated and been hated but even as he looked Samuel also saw pain mirrored in those eyes. Samuel felt pain for himself and for his victim. Those eyes knew violence but they also knew pain and they knew remorse. While he looked Samuel began to understand the feeling of coldness he had felt in his soul, but now he needed to find out where it came from.

           Even as he looked his fingers strayed to the second scar. He still was unable to remember how he got that scar. Tracing the scar from his eye to his chin he began to imagine what could have made such a mark. He had this uncanny feeling this scar was going to be the answer to his memory problems. Whoever or whatever caused it, also started Samuel's journey. Samuel was certain if he could retrieve that memory, all the rest would come back like a tidal wave.

           Samuel shook his head to clear the cobwebs. He had to figure out how he was going to handle the latest development in his life. The very lovely Alex and whoever was behind her and directing her actions. Samuel knew just how low he had been the previous night, but when that vision had fallen at his feet, Samuel had taken it as a sign that all was not lost. Alex had been the diversion needed to pull him up from despair. That being said, it was funny how that little voice in his head had made him stop before giving a beautiful stranger too much information. It was peculiar but it had been somewhat comforting to hear that voice, like it was an old friend, someone he had counted on for much of his life. He had taken the advice to stop because it seemed right.

             As he had taken Alex back to the Ritz, he was amused when she tried to get him to see her again. At first, he had breathed a sigh of relief when he realized he had escaped her charms, but the more he thought about it the more he realized he could use her the way she had been trying to use him. Just like his scar, he needed to find out who had been watching him all these years and why they had decided to make a move on him now.

             Walking out into the sitting room, he headed straight to the mantel. " My lovely ones I'm going to start courting a beautiful woman. If I'm right, she'll lead me to the person who put her in my path. I just have this feeling that whoever that is, is privy to a lot of information about me. I want to know what he knows." Stepping back, he took a long hard look at the two of them. As he looked he began seeing his serene one as she stood in an elegant room. Her name seemed just out of reach but Samuel knew that she too was as real as the woman he painted yesterday. He sensed he was very close to her but it wasn't romantically, more familial. Yes! That was it, she was family. She was...no, not mother..she was his sister. He couldn't believe it; his serene one, his Muse, was his sister. Why couldn't he remember her name? It was frustrating and exhilarating all at once. He had a sister, he had a child but he still couldn't figure out the names.

           His gaze shifted to Dee, surely she too had a connection to him that was more than just his imagination. She was so dear to him but with her, all he saw was an obscuring fog, something was keeping him from finding her. "Don't worry Dee, I believe that you are as real as my child and my sister. I'll discover a way through the fog. I'm going to make this right. I will get my memory back. I'm more convinced than ever before that something is impeding my memories."