Who's the Real Todd?, Ch. 48

Jake followed Pete back to the penthouse garage and parked his car, then he joined Pete in his car with Carlo in the back seat. They headed out of town. Within the hour, they pulled up to the boundary around the Kipling Neuroscience Research Facility. Jake pointed the way to Kipling's house and once again they parked the car out of sight and prepared for the second part of the night's activities.

Kipling was such a megalomaniac that he felt he was untouchable and didn't think to put outside surveillance equipment to use. Luckily he had no patients there in the middle of the night. It made their plan much simpler because they didn't have to worry about gassing innocent people. With the help of the blueprints and the pictures sent by his reporter, Pete quickly found the ventilation system for the whole house, including the one that led to the downstairs labs. Handing over the canisters of gas to Jake, Pete said. "Here's where we separate for a short time. Here is the blueprint that tells you where you can find Kipling. He's all yours for the next forty minutes. Make sure you bring him to the downstairs lab within the hour. We'll meet you there."

Jake left with his gas mask and the canisters and headed to get the man who had tortured him for years and fed him hallucinogenic drugs almost as long.

Pete watched Jake leave. He had given him a man they both hated, but Jake had suffered more because Kipling had kept him on a leash long after he had let Samuel go. It was only right that Jake had the first crack at Kipling.

He pulled the unconscious Carlo from the car and dragged his body up into the forest surrounding Kipling's home finding an outcropping of boulders. He laid Hesser down on the ground, in front of the outcropping, and strategically placed his legs directly in front of one of the bigger boulders. Pete quietly walked back to the car to get the tire iron. He returned to the spot and began to carefully separate the boulder till it was rocking precipitously ready to roll from its foundation of rocks around it. With one final tap, he stood back and stoically watched the boulder begin to descend picking up speed as it rolled down toward Carlo's legs. Pete saw Carlo rousing from the gas and gazed in silence as Carlo's head turned toward the sound of the boulder unable to see because of the sack over his head. Then in the dead silence of the forest at night, the sound of bones crushing under the boulder could be heard echoing for just a minute. If you listened closely a muffled scream followed the event. Pete returned the tire iron to his car and grabbed the tarp from the trunk.

He walked to where Carlo once again lay limply on the ground, the shock of the broken legs knocking him out. Pete reached down and felt the legs noting the different fractures. Carlo would be laid up for months and require multiple surgeries to fix those legs. He laid a tarp over his shoulder and heaved Carlo up and made his way back to the house. Jake had left the door open for him and he entered and found the nearest examination room. He laid Carlo down and went about undressing him. Finding the bandages he began wrapping Carlo from the neck down, and when he got to the legs he temporarily attempted to set them doing the same kind of job on Carlo as had been done on him. With minimal setting, he wrapped the legs. He removed the hood and taking some gauze, he took off the tape from around Hesser's eyes and wrapped them instead with two thin layers of gauze and went in search of the wheelchair he had ridden in so many times.

Todd and Samuel had been watching from the very beginning, Todd hadn't flinched when Pete had sent the boulder rolling but Samuel had turned away. Todd looked over at his brother and said. "You don't have to watch. Ms. Perkins is keeping Tom away, go be with them. It's not going to get any better Samuel. They deserved this and so much more. We're only going to give them a taste of what they put us through. If that's wrong or bothers your moral sensibilities then you should go."

Samuel looked at Todd and remembered all he had seen and heard about Todd's young life and then he remembered those agonizing days years ago when he and Todd had shared the same pain. Todd had seen it all from a very tender age. It had fractured him and created his brothers but through it all, it had also strengthened him. When he looked at Todd again. He saw what he had missed the first time. Todd was not cold or uncaring about what was happening. It was tearing him up inside because he hated the feeling of rage that was pushing Pete, but he was helpless too because that rage was a part of him. Something inside him yearned for release, that dark monster known as Peter Manning. Samuel realized then why Todd was watching. Todd was providing Pete the means for revenge, but he was also tempering it so that Pete didn't lose control. If Pete lost control, Carlo would die and Peter Manning would finally win. Samuel no longer shuddered. Todd needed his help. Samuel went to Todd and laid a hand on his shoulder and stood side by side watching and giving him the strength to keep Pete from going too far.

Pete found the chair he was looking for, he wheeled it into the room and then found some orderly scrubs. Donning the scrubs and some gloves he went to the room's computer and put in the details of one Carlo Hesser, patient. Hitting a button, he watched a small name tag emerge and taking it he wrapped it securely around Hesser's wrist. Next, he located the muzzle as he called it. It was designed to keep patients from biting their tongues during Electro Convulsive Therapy and made a very effective gag at the same time. After putting the muzzle on Hesser, he removed all vestiges of glue left behind by the duct tape and then he carefully lifted Hesser and set him in the wheelchair to prepare him for his trip to the lab. Pete strapped him in, making sure he couldn't move. Then Pete gathered his hair back in a ponytail and donned a surgical mask. Only one last thing to do. He located the medicine cabinet and found the drug he was looking for, 'Sodium Pentathol', he took a syringe and extracted some and then injected it into Carlo. Now they were ready. It was time for Carlo's treatment.

Jake had set off the canisters and waited the allotted time for the gas to take effect. He entered the house and left the door opened for Pete and Hesser and went in search of Ivan. It only took moments to find him passed out in his study. Jake transferred him to a rolling chair and wheeled him down the hall to an examination room. He and Pete had talked in detail about the treatments and some of the things they remembered. Jake undressed Kipling and wrapped him in gauze the way he himself had been wrapped. He looked at Kipling's two arms remembering what had occurred in the study.

He had stood steps away from a doctor he thought he could trust. Now all the pain from the headaches, and then the remembrances and nightmares flooded back. Jake had laid Kipling down on the floor and pulled each arm away from his body until he was spread-eagled on the floor. Jake had carefully rolled back Kipling's sleeve from his artificial hand and studied how it was attached. It was a marvelous piece of machinery that had been surgically attached. Jake knelt down on Kipling's arm to anchor it and with his bare hands he ripped the artificial hand off. There was a little blood, probably the equivalent of a cut finger, Jake staunched the wound and laid the arm across Kipling's chest and moved his attention to the other arm. Jake then searched the room for something heavy, he located the wine cart and removed the decanters from the top. He then loaded the cart down with books till he was sure it would provide enough weight to inflict some damage. He had started it rolling, and hadn't stopped until he had heard the cracking of the bones as he had rolled over the arm and hand. He returned the books to their proper places on the shelves and set the decanters back on the cart, and placed it back against the wall. After making sure everything was where it belonged in the room. He walked back over to Kipling. He used the broken arm to pick up Kipling and deposited him in the rolling chair.

Jake began wrapping the injured arms up. If he was right, Kipling would be without the use of his arms for quite a while, especially the broken one. He grabbed the orderly scrubs and got into them and walked over to the computer and put in the information for the patient known as Ivan Kipling. Once the name tag came out he wrapped it around Kipling's broken arm and grabbed the syringe holding the Sodium Pentathol and injected it into Kipling. He grabbed the muzzle and gagged Kipling effectively and wrapped his eyes so that he would be able to see but not clearly.

Jake retrieved a wheelchair and transferred Kipling to it and strapped him in. Then he took the time to clean up all traces of anyone being in the treatment room. Jake then wheeled the rolling chair back down to Kipling's study and returned to the treatment room. On the computer, he changed the date and time to specify that Patient Kipling had been delivered to the facility the previous day and had been scheduled for treatment on the current day. He carefully put Kipling's clothes in a standard clinic bag and hung them on the back of his wheelchair. It was almost time to go to the treatment room but Jake did a quick inspection to make sure everything appeared in its place. He picked up the artificial hand and dropped it into the duffel bag, put the bag over his shoulder and he began to wheel Kipling out of the room.

The hallway became very familiar and he knew he was nearing the elevator. Pressing the button he waited, Kipling was starting to rouse as the doors opened. Jake wheeled his patient inside and pushed the button for the laboratory level. "Just you take it easy Mr. Kipling, you're alright, it's just time for your treatment." His hand tightened roughly on Kipling's shoulder."

When the doors opened, Jake wheeled his patient out. Kipling was semi-conscious and slightly agitated. "There, there Mr. Kipling, you really must relax, you know how these treatments go, they're for your own good." he strolled past the Painting and entered the lab. He set Kipling close to the machine. Locking the wheelchair in place as he began setting up everything. He walked over to the far wall and studied the array of implants behind the glass doors. He found the key to the cabinet and started to remove all the implants. He placed all but two sets in the duffel bag. He then took one complete set of implants and place it on the tray close to Kipling's head. He hooked up Kipling to the machine and waited. "Mr. Kipling, Doctor Hesser should be here shortly. Now you really shouldn't get too agitated. That will only make things worse. Mr. Kipling, you understand you need this treatment. You're out of control and something must be done to bring you to your senses. You can't continue the way you've been going, you going to hurt someone and we can't allow you to do that. This treatment is really for your own good. It will exorcise all your demons. You should try to remain as calm as possible. We only want to help." Jake glanced at his watch, Pete and Hesser would be arriving soon and the third and final phase of the night would get started.

Kipling struggled to think clearly, he was in a lab that seemed vaguely familiar and his body felt strange, disconnected. He couldn't move. He couldn't focus no matter how hard he tried, his eyesight was fuzzy. The nurse was saying he was here for treatments, he didn't understand. His arms were on fire, and the nurse seemed to be waiting for Doctor Hesser to arrive. He tried to talk and realized he couldn't, something was stopping him. He moaned from the pain and the nurse turned toward him again.

"I understand you're in some pain Mr. Kipling, but unfortunately painkillers will interfere with the treatment. Ahh, I believe I hear Doctor Hesser coming." Jake stepped out of the room and watched as Pete wheeled the bandaged Hesser toward him.

****

Pete rolled Carlo down the corridor towards the elevator. It appeared that Carlo was stirring once more, only this time every movement or bump of the wheelchair caused him to whimper in pain. "Mr. Hesser, good, you're waking up. We're on our way to your treatment session so you needn't worry. I'll take good care of you. We haven't met, my name is Pete, but I assure you, you're in good hands. Dr. Kipling told me you've been having a serious problem with leadership issues and I'm told his new treatment gets to the heart of your troubles. You mustn't fret we'll have you back on your feet and restore your confidence in no time. Maybe an in-depth look into your past will be just the ticket for recovery." Pete rolled Carlo onto the elevator letting Carlo get a vague view of his orderly. They began their descent.

His head was all fuzzy, everything was confusing. Carlo didn't remember being in an accident, but he felt incredible pain radiating from his legs. Nothing was making sense. What did the orderly mean by his treatment session and Kipling? Something was very wrong. He shook his head trying to clear his thoughts, but that just made him sick. His vision wasn't clear, but there was something about the hallway the orderly was taking him down that was very familiar, maybe he was just going to see the Doctor.

"You really shouldn't try moving Mr. Hesser, you'll only hurt yourself. Now you just relax and let Pete take care of you. It'll be for the best in the long run. Here we are. It looks like the Doctor is all ready for you. " Pete wheeled Carlo in and took him straight to the second machine in the room. He saw that Jake had Kipling all hooked up and the implants were standing ready. He looked into Carlo's eyes, he knew Carlo was getting anxious by the sweat forming on his brow, he leaned over and whispered. "Now Carlo this might hurt just a little but you'll feel so much better when it's over." He hooked up the sensors to Carlo's head the way they had been hooked to his. Pete reached for the implants resting on the tray and turned to Jake, " Doctor, as soon as you're ready, your patient is all set."

Jake used his best Dr. Kipling voice and replied. "You may begin the procedure, Pete"

"Carlo I need you to give me your attention. That's right Carlo, look here.'

Carlo felt compelled to do as he was told and looked up at the orderly standing in front of him. He felt the orderly put some gel on his head and set something in the gel, then he noticed as if through a fog something placed on his upper arm and watched it begin to slowly move up his arm with an unusual gait. Carlo began quivering as the thing began clamoring over his neck, and he felt little claws digging into his scalp. He wanted to scream. Was he having a nightmare? This couldn't possibly be for real." Carlo began to moan as the thing neared the area at the top of his head and suddenly he felt something sharp enter his scalp. He screamed but because of the muzzle, no one heard him. An electrical current ran through him and then he heard Dr. Kipling say.

"Carlo I need you to go back and remember the night you brought Todd Manning to me. Remember Carlo."

He had no choice, unbidden his memory came forth and from the corner of his eye, he saw a black hand reach for a lever. God no! Suddenly the image of Todd Manning and all the events pertaining to him were being played in his mind, and then sliced ever so finely away, and with each slice, Carlo convulsed in pain. He had no control, the doctor had asked for the scenes and one by one Carlo was forced to relive it, and then it was ripped away.

Jake had tried to keep his eyes on the machine where he saw data being fed in as Carlo was remembering. As Carlo's memories of Manning ran out he was nearly unconscious. Pete leaned over and whispered. "You did great Carlo. You were a good boy. You're going to be just fine. Now you need to do one more thing for Dr. Kipling, do you think you can do it?"
Carlo nodded still under the drug, "When you're asked about it, you need to tell everything that you did to Todd Manning, to John McBain. You can do that, can't you Carlo?" once again Carlo nodded. "Yes, I know you can Carlo, you're such a good boy.  Now you just rest.  Your treatment session is over, go to sleep.  Pete took good care of you didn't he?" As Carlo drifted off. Pete took out his pocket knife and his father's lighter and heated up the edge, then he carefully extracted the little implant and dropped it into his pocket.

Pete closed the knife and walked over behind Kipling. In his best Hesser voice, he said. "Good Morning Mr. Kipling I'm so sorry for the delay, another patient required my services first. Now we really must talk about your penchant for hurting people. Mr. Kipling, I need you to give your full attention to your nurse.  He's the one you need to watch at all times.  This is very important if you lose him you will lose yourself." As Kipling kept his eyes on Jake, Pete picked up the second implant and using the gel, he set it down on the back of Kipling's neck Immediately the implant dug in just over the crucial brain stem and Pete watched Ivan arch in pain as the implant began searching for any information it could find.

With a simple push of a button, Pete began transferring the information Carlo had provided. He watched as the data flowed and the implant on the back of Kipling's neck began to overload with the information being fed to it. Suddenly the implant began to whirr and Jake and Pete watched fascinated as a thin wire snaked out from the underside of the implant and began to insert its needle-like tip into Kipling's brain. Jake watched in horror as he realized that was how he had been fed all of Manning's memories. Of course, it had all taken place inside his brain properly, but he found himself getting sick to his stomach. As the information came to an end the wire withdrew back into the implant.

During the whole procedure, Kipling had been captured by the images flooding his brain, he screamed as much as he could because they were being burned into his brain. Like a stylus, the wire had fed current after current through the neurons in his brain. He had wanted to tear his head off because it was like millions of little ants were working their way through his brain making new tunnels where there hadn't been any. He had been immobile and it had been agony. Kipling collapsed in the chair tears of blood running down his cheeks.

Once again, Pete leaned down and whispered. " Yes, you did admirably Mr. Kipling and you'll never forget what you have learned, will you. Now listen to my voice, Mr. Kipling. You will be unable to see anything else until you unburden your story to Detective McBain. You must unburden or the images will burn until you will cease to see anything at all. It is my hope you have learned the error of your ways and will offer yourself to the law so you can begin to redeem yourself. You will do this because you must, isn't that right Mr. Kipling. It is as necessary as breathing and until you've redeemed yourself you will be alone trapped forever in your mind. Be sure and let the Detective know that it was Carlo Hesser that taught you the error of your ways. Now you may sleep Mr. Kipling everything will be over soon." Pete removed the implant and put it in Carlo's hand, in turn, he dropped the implant that had been used on Carlo into Kipling's broken hand.

He left Kipling's artificial hand attached to the lever that had started Carlo's machine. Looking over at Jake, he wiped down the room and picked up anything that didn't belong in the room. Then he went to the computer and hacked into the Llanview Police phone line and had the computer leave a 911 call providing information to Detective John McBain as to the whereabouts of Hesser's hideout and Kipling's secret lab. He and Jake removed the muzzles and the bandages from around Hesser and Kipling's eyes and dropped the bandages into the duffel bag, Pete took the muzzles and sanitized them. Then he handed them to Jake to put back into the examination rooms. He left the data on the machine for John to find and walked out leaving Kipling and Hesser bound to their chairs.

They gathered up the used-up canisters that could be seen and locked the door to Kipling's home behind them. Pete turned to Jake, " Do you have everything you brought, gloves, clothing, etc." Jake nodded and he climbed into the car. Pete glanced back only briefly and got in and drove back to Llanview. He dropped Jake off to get his car and said. "Go home and live your life, be happy with Tea. This is over." he watched as Jake left and then he headed home. Before going to Dragonheart, Pete had stopped at the Sun and opened the vault with Blair's portraits. He had sat quietly staring at the woman he had begun to fall in love with. He was no good for her. Best to leave her to Todd. What he had done tonight was proof that she was safer with Todd. He had felt Todd's control slip a couple of times and had known for a brief moment that he had been channeling Peter when he had been playing with both men. He had felt that perverse thrill when he knew he had broken both men. Pete went to the back of the vault and found the drawer hidden there. He put the implants in the drawer and walked out carrying the bag. He headed down to the dock and disposed of all the items having to do with the raids. After emptying the bag, he dropped it close to a sleeping bum and headed home.