Thomas Lord: Cloaked, Ch. 16

The jurors were led from the room and Michael insisted that he be allowed to examine Todd thoroughly. Todd was trying desperately to just get out, he wanted to see Blair, but both John and the marshal were adamant he should remain until he had been checked out. Todd had gotten his ring out and was in the process of putting the ring on when a shot rang out in the hallway. The next sound he heard chilled him to the bone. Blair screamed. Todd jammed the ring on his finger and wasted no time getting out to the hall. In a stand-off sat Hesser, Blair on his lap with a gun to her temple, and Kipling at his back. On the floor to the side, laid the defense attorney, very obviously dead. Kipling began carefully walking towards the service platform exit. He motioned the guard away from the door. From around the corner, another man joined Kipling and leveled his gun at the guard Kipling had been keeping at bay. With the exit cleared Kipling moved to Carlo's back.

"We need to go." stated Kipling," The ride is just outside."

The hallway had cleared with just Kipling, Hesser, and Blair at one end and John and the marshal at the other. Blair sat quietly, she knew how deadly Carlo could be and she didn't want to end up the same way as the man on the floor. It had all happened so fast. Word had come down to the room that the court was in recess. She had been exiting the room when she had suddenly been dragged onto Hesser's lap. When his lawyer had started to protest, Hesser had shot him in cold blood. Blair had screamed in horror, only to quickly shut up when the hot metal of his gun touched her forehead. For one brief moment she thought she had seen Todd, then the hallway had emptied except for John and the marshal.

"Hesser you don't seriously expect to get out of here." said John

" McBain, what you and Nora and the rest never understood, was that this trial was never going to be completed. I have to admit, the best ending would have been if both Mannings had died, but I have my prize right here." He looked at Blair.

"My dear, you don't realize what a delight it was to see you exit that room. I thought I was going to have to come looking for you in Europe. Now McBain, if you and the marshal would lower your weapons. You don't want to harm Mrs. Toddman, and I assure you, I will if you come any closer." Kipling began rolling Carlo and Blair back towards the exit platform.

John had lowered his gun, but when Kipling had started moving Carlo, he had tried to go for it again. Suddenly he felt a gun in his side. "You don't want to do that, Lieutenant." John realized the guard who had been waved off by Kipling was, in fact, helping them. The marshal also had encountered a similar problem, because the bailiff had his gun on the marshal. Hesser wasn't kidding when he said the trial was never going to be completed. John and the marshal were directed into a room. The last thing John saw before the door closed, was Blair's terrified face. The bailiff had locked them in and they had no phone to call out. Closed sessions meant no phones of any type, but obviously, that didn't apply to the bad guys. As he was trying to think of how to get out, John realized he hadn't seen Manning since they run out into the hallway.

Todd had taken in the scene and knew he had to find another avenue to get to Carlo. It was obvious that the recess had been a planned event to get Kipling and Hesser out of the courtroom. Todd knew the courthouse like the back of his hand and he knew Hesser and Kipling were headed for the service platform. He had been taken out that way more times than he could remember. Todd slipped back into the courtroom and made his way to the judge's chambers. The judge was gone and Todd wondered how many people had been removed from the courthouse after the shot was fired. There was something seriously wrong, there should have been police all over the place, but there appeared to be none in the vicinity. Just where were the judge and Nora?

Todd exited the building and walked around to the service entrance. No one had called the police after the shot. That meant Hesser had inside help. If all was going as planned, no one was going to find out about the escape until after Hesser and Kipling were long gone. Todd noticed that the driver of the van wasn't too worried about things, and it was easy to move up alongside the van without the driver seeing him. Todd tossed a rock he had picked up and waited for the driver to exit to check on the sound. It took only a moment to incapacitate the driver, hide him, and take his place. Now Todd had to wait on Carlo and Kipling. It didn't take long for them to reach the van. Kipling rolled Carlo and Blair onto the van and sat down on the bench exhausted.

 Blair's eyes connected with two hazel eyes in the mirror and her heart beat a little faster. Securely in the van, Carlo lowered the gun from Blair's temple and set it on her lap, while holding around her waist with his other hand. The Bailiff closed the back door of the van and went to secure the rest of the building with the guard and the third man before clearing out. Carlo ordered the driver to drive off normally, as not to raise suspicion. Todd had two choices; he could make his play now while they were complacent, or he could take them someplace and handle the situation without the extra help around. Todd made the decision to wait. They both had guns, but they both were also injured.  Blair was more than capable of helping him if he gave her the signal. She had seen him, they could do this together.

Todd decided to drive out toward the airport. It was secluded to accommodate the residents of Llanview. He kept an eye on the back and began to get angry.  Carlo seemed to be trying to get comfortable and he kept manhandling Blair.

"My dear Blair, I know you're anxious to get things started between us, but you really should stop squirming. You're getting me quite excited, and I think if we did it in front of Ivan, he'd have a heart attack."  Carlo gripped her waist harder and Blair stilled her movements

"Carlo if you were the last man on earth, you still wouldn't have me!"  Blair again tried to move out of his grip.  She would never have guessed how much arm strength Carlo had, till now, it was like being caught in a vise, and the bad part about it was that she was off balance. It was an effort to lean away from his body. Gravity made her body want to lean back into his chest, and she knew Todd was watching from the front. She squirmed some more and realized Carlo was indeed getting excited, which panicked her all the more.

Before she could say anything else, Carlo had laid the gun down beside him in the chair and had started fondling her. That was more than she could take, she tried to turn in his arms, intent on doing some damage when the van came to a screeching halt. The gun slipped from its perch and slid on the floor up toward the driver. Blair, too, had slipped forward, then been pulled roughly back into Carlo's arms. With the gun out of the equation, Blair began to fight Carlo.

"Let me go you pervert. I'm not now, nor will I ever be yours," she was pushing and hitting at him to no avail. She couldn't break the grip around her waist.

Carlo was using all his strength to keep Blair from escaping, and he was trying to find out about the abrupt stop. Looking around, he saw that Ivan had been knocked to the floor of the van. He used his free arm to grab one of Blair's and wrenched it behind her, causing her to cry out in pain. The driver had disappeared, and so had Carlo's gun. "My dear it looks like you have a rescuer somewhere around," Carlo growled in Blair's ear. " Kipling get off the floor." Carlo looked out the front window and saw only trees beside the road ahead. They were outside the city.

Kipling was moaning because the tumble had landed him on his bad hand, and he was struggling to regain his feet. He had to use his artificial hand, but he managed to once again right himself. He reached for the gun with his artificial hand and looked around, realizing they had been stopped out in the middle of nowhere. "What the hell happened, Carlo, where's the driver?"

"My question exactly, Blair, if you don't stop fighting me, I'm afraid I'll have to break this lovely arm. Ivan, you'll have to check things out. Give me the gun and I'll keep an eye on my passenger."

"Not a chance Carlo. I'll hang onto the gun. You're safe in here, and you already have leverage. Just don't let her get away." Ivan went to the back door of the van. He opened it to a view of a deserted road behind them, with more trees on either side. He carefully exited the van, and with his gun primed to shoot, began to go around the van. He saw no one and started to open the door to the front seat. Then he felt the tip of a gun at the back of his head. He looked into the rearview mirror in front of him, and his eyes widened. The man holding a gun to his head was Todd Manning, and he was looking back at him with the coldest pair of eyes Ivan had seen in a long time.

Pete put his finger to his lips and directed Kipling quietly away from the van door. To emphasize he meant business, Pete cocked the gun and said in a whisper "One word and you're dead." When they were far enough from the van, Pete coldcocked Kipling and grabbed his gun, leaving Kipling knocked out cold on the ground. He moved back to the van and shut the front door.

"Ivan what are you doing? Get in the car and let's get going." Carlo was beginning to tire, he had been wrestling with Blair the entire time after Kipling left the van. "Blair, enough, you leave me no choice, If you won't cease your struggling, I'll have to stop you my way."

"You touch one more hair on her head and you're a dead man Hesser." Pete leaped into the van.

Carlo turned his chair, still controlling Blair this time with his hand around her throat. "Mr. Manning, you surprise me I thought you were blind."

"You thought wrong and I'm not Mr. Manning, that was my bastard of a father. We've met before you and me, let me give you a hint. 'Now don't worry Mr.Hesser, I'll take good care of you, we're just on our way to your treatment session', the name is Pete. " Pete's eyes were hard and he watched the memory return to Carlo and saw his eyes widen in alarm. "If you want to live to see another day, you'll take your hand off my wife's throat."

Carlo controlled the terror he felt the minute he heard that voice from his nightmare, his fingers tightened around Blair's neck and he smiled cruelly at Pete. "I think not Pete, so I'm in the presence of another alter how fascinating. So you are the reason all this happened to me. Well, it looks like I can get a little more payback if I just take her away from you permanently. I don't think you can kill me before I can snap her neck."

Pete looked at Blair and saw that she trusted him. "Blair we need you, Todd will never be able to stand his ground without you. I'll have to let him go, do you understand?" Pete prayed she had gotten the message.

"How touching my dear - big, tough Pete is really a softy at heart."

Blair had only one thing to say to that. She brought her remaining hand sharply down on Hesser's knee and kicked her foot down into his broken leg at the same time. Hesser screamed and his hand involuntarily reached for his leg, freeing her. Pete pulled her off and took her place, his hands around Hesser's throat. It all happened so quickly, it was a minute before Blair realized the gurgling sound coming from behind her was Hesser. She turned around and saw Pete literally crushing his neck. She grabbed his arms trying to pull him off, Hesser. "Pete stop, you're killing him."

"He deserves it, he had the nerve to touch you and then threaten you. He's a dead man." Pete continued watching the life drain from Hesser's eyes as his hands tightened around his neck.

Blair stopped pulling and said "Todd, you have to stop him, this is what you're fighting. Don't let him make you a cold-blooded killer. Please, Todd, I love you." She watched hoping to see some sign that Todd had heard her.

"God No!" He flung Hesser free of him, stumbling out of the van.

Blair watched it unfold as if in slow motion; Hesser falling back in his chair, limp as a rag; Todd stumbling out the van and falling to his knees at the side of the road.  She shook her head to clear it and went straight to Hesser to see if Todd had allowed him to live. She found a faint pulse. His windpipe was crushed but he was alive. She jumped from the van and ran to her husband. "Todd, he's alive. You did it, you stopped Pete. It's okay. He's alive." she wrapped her arms around him and held him.

Blair's words finally penetrated, he hadn't killed Hesser. She didn't realize how close he had come. It had taken Blair and the combined efforts of Samuel and Tom to make him stop seeing red. Now he understood what Blair had felt like when she shot Max. He looked down at his hands and knew exactly what he was capable of. "Blair, it wasn't Pete." he looked into her eyes, she needed to know the truth. "It was me. I snapped when I thought he would kill you."

Blair looked into his eyes, she knew what he was telling her, and she knew deep inside what can push someone over the edge.  "It's okay, I understand. Todd, you need to understand. You were finally pushed over your limit, but you didn't complete the act. You stopped for me. Don't you see, your love for me was stronger than your hatred for Hesser? I love you and you love me and we keep each other strong," she kissed him, sealing their love.

They stood up together and went to check on Kipling. They found him beginning to stir and between them, they took him to the van and laid him on the floor. Blair found some restraints in a box behind the driver's seat and tied him up. They also laid Hesser down on the floorboards too and immobilized him, Blair sat down to make sure he kept breathing until they could get him to the hospital. Because it was a prison van, it was enabled with sirens.  Todd turned them on; he wasn't going to lose his freedom because of the likes of Carlo Hesser. He picked up the radio and called dispatch letting them know he was bringing in Hesser and Kipling and they could meet them at the hospital. Todd looked back at Blair and she gave him a thumbs up. "Alright, this is going to be quick. Hang on Blair." Todd gunned it, and the van headed back to civilization.

Halfway back to the hospital, the radio went off and it was Bo asking for an explanation. "Bo this is what happened.  Hesser and Kipling killed their attorney and took Blair hostage. I managed to take out the driver of their vehicle and when I had the chance I was able to knock out Kipling and took his gun. No, I didn't kill either one of them. They do need medical help, though." Todd left it at that. If they tried to charge him with attempted murder he'd claim temporary insanity, and he'd probably win after everything they did to him.  Todd turned the corner and found police and an ambulance waiting up ahead. Todd pulled to a stop, he exited the vehicle and walked to the back of the van and opened the door. Then he looked at Blair and prepared for the arrest.

Bo walked around the van and looked inside. "What happened to them?"

"Kipling is just dazed, I had to give him a pretty good rap to get him out of the way, so I could rescue Blair from Hesser. Hesser is a different story. I'm afraid I went a little crazy on him Bo. I'll go quietly, just so long as Blair can come with me. "

Blair had gotten out the van and Bo turned to her. "Tell me your story?

Blair recounted the entire story to Bo in vivid detail, stopping along the way to gather herself since the memory of it all was worse than she first remembered.  Having to relive it brought on emotions that she didn't have time to recognize when it happened.  She had almost been killed.  Bo found the compassion to place an arm around her shoulder while she reported to him the events, holding Todd's hand throughout.  When she finished, she caught eyes with Todd, both of them feeling that another separation was going to be unbearable.

Bo turned to Todd and gave a look he long remembered.  "Well, Manning, sounds like self-defense to me."

Todd wasn't sure he had heard right.  He said, "Yeah right Bo, When are you going to drop the other shoe."

Bo smiled. "No seriously, Todd, you're free to go, but you'll have to make an official statement."

 Blair threw her arms around Bo. "Oh Thank You, Thank you."   then she turned around hugging Todd as he stared incredulously at Bo.  Todd looked at Blair,  holding her smiling face in his hands.  "I thought I was going to lose you again."  She laughed and kissed him.

  Bo gave them a moment and checked on the condition of Hesser and Kipling.  The EMTs performed an emergency trach on Hesser and his breathing improved and he was transferred to a stretcher.  Kipling had come around but he was strapped to a stretcher and with a police officer, the two were put into the ambulance and taken away.   Bo turned back to Todd.  " I understand you've been through the ringer today Todd.   Michael McBain was very worried about you.  I need to get you out of the open. That assassin is still at large.  Come with me and we'll head back to the courthouse."   On the way back, Bo received a call from Nora telling him to steer clear of the courthouse.  It was a media circus there since the news of the shooting had leaked out.  John had everything under control and was returning to the police station with his brother Michael.  Bo changed directions and headed for the station's back entrance.  He, Blair, and Todd made it to his office without running into anyone.  Todd noticed the bruises starting to emerge on Blair's neck and he asked Bo if he had any cold packs around.  Bo frowned when he saw the marks and reached into his desk, tossing a pack to Todd.  "Michael's on his way in Blair, he can take a look at you when he arrives."

 The cold was a shock, but Blair had to admit her neck felt better as Todd held the pack in place.  With all the adrenaline flowing through her at the time she hadn't realized how tightly Carlo had been gripping her.  She looked into Todd's eyes and saw Pete looking at her.  He was angry and just beneath the surface. She raised her hand to his face. "I'm alright." Pete blinked and Todd returned. "Hesser's lucky you were there Blair."

"Easy Todd, don't forget where you are." Bo cautioned.   Then he asked, "Do you want to tell me how a blind man was able to drive a van and capture two felons?"  Nora had said that Samuel and Todd both had been blind in the courtroom, but no one had been able to figure out how Todd had disappeared without a trace from the building.  Bo had been even more shocked when the call came in to dispatch, and it was Todd Manning bringing in Hesser and Kipling.  Bo thought that Todd must have been putting on some kind of act to appear blind, especially when Todd stepped out of the van.  He waited for his answer.

Todd didn't answer, he figured a picture was worth more than words right then.  He removed his ring and turned toward the place where Bo had last been standing.  "The answer is in here," he held out his hand toward Bo.

Bo looked and realized Todd wasn't looking at him any longer, in fact, his eyes weren't focused on anything.  He moved to see if Todd's eyes would move with him and although Todd's head moved in the same general direction as Bo, he wasn't really seeing him.  Todd was blind, where a moment before he could see.  "What the hell?"

Todd's head turned once more in the direction of Bo's voice. "Like I said, the answer is here," he again held out his hand and showed the ring to Bo.

Bo took the ring and felt it move in his hand. "My God, what is this?'

"That is one-half of the implant that was removed from my brain, the other half resides in my watch.  The two of them allow me to see.  I have no real explanation,  except that I have a connection to them and somehow they clear my sight." Todd felt for the chair next to Blair and sat down.  He was starting to feel queasy, it was probably nothing but the day had been rather rough.

Bo took his time examining the ring, it was beautiful workmanship, and if he had to venture a guess, it was designed by Blair.  He had seen the implants that had been removed from Hesser's hands the morning he was arrested, but it hadn't moved.  "Why did this move?"

"If the two parts are separated, there appears to be a strong magnetic pull between them that brings them back together.  They actually continue to function as long as they are within twenty-five feet of each other. Bo, could I have it back, please?" Todd raised a rather unsteady hand, his head was starting to pound.

"Todd, what's the matter?" Blair looked over at him.

"Nothing, I'm just getting a migraine I guess.  Bo, the ring please?" Todd's hand was beginning to shake.

Before Bo could drop it back into his hand, Michael and John walked in.

Todd looked around at the sound of other people entering, but the movement of his head sent sharp pains stabbing at the back. "God! " Todd reached for his head.

Michael grabbed the ring and put it in Todd's hand.  Then he dropped down to check him out.  "Todd how bad is it?"  Michael had seen the shaking and had a feeling the piece of the implant must be on the move.  It was now beginning to affect Todd's motor skills.

"It's easing up Michael." Todd's hand was clenched tightly around the implant and Todd was finding it hard to unclench it, the hand didn't want to respond.

"Todd, open your hand."

Todd stared at Michael unfocused, "I can't."

"Michael, what's going on?" Blair was concerned she could see Todd trying to get his hand to open up, but the fingers weren't cooperating.

"Todd, I know you don't want to hear this, but something got left behind when I removed the implants, and that piece is now migrating to a different part of your brain.  It's beginning to affect your muscles.  It's sending incorrect signals and that's why your fingers won't open." even as Michael gave his explanation, Todd's hand finally relaxed and opened.  "These attacks are going to get more numerous and more dangerous.  I have to go back in, Todd."

Todd shakily put the ring back on his finger.  As his vision cleared he looked at the group of people surrounding him.  "Michael, if you remove the piece, will I lose my sight forever"

"I don't know Todd.  I don't really understand the connection between your implants and your sight, but if I don't take out the piece that got left behind, it won't matter, you'll be dead."

Todd looked over at Blair, The last thing he had wanted was another operation. Was this year ever going to turn around? He reached across and took her hands grateful that everything was working normally again.

Michael put his hand on Todd's shoulder and stood back up. "Todd, don't worry about it right this moment, let's give your mind and body a chance to rest. Whatever you do, don't lose that ring." Michael looked at Bo, "How much longer do you need him. I really need to get him someplace for a full examination."

Bo nodded and turned to Todd. "We need those official statements from both of you and then you should go with Michael. Michael, Hesser tried to strangle Blair, so she should be checked out too. I'll have someone go with you to protect you."

"Bo, I'll stick with them, this whole thing has put the trial on hold. I'm not sure when or if it will be resumed. Sorry, Todd, you might have to testify all over again and this time so might you Blair." John looked at both of them. He frowned at the marks appearing around Blair's neck and after listening to Michael, he wondered if Todd could take another trial. He had been in the courtroom and seen the hell Todd had been going through. If the judge hadn't put a stop to the defense attorney's questions, Samuel would have collapsed.

"Okay, John, get their statements, and then you're in charge of keeping them safe." Bo watched as the four of them slipped into John's office. He returned to his desk and called Nora to apprise her about everything that had happened after the escape.

John efficiently took their statements, raising his eyebrows in surprise when he heard of the throttling Todd had given Hesser after Hesser had almost strangled Blair. Bo had neglected to mention the severity of Hesser's wounds, but John had a feeling he had left that out on purpose. John wrote on the statement that Todd had incapacitated Hesser and then had made every effort to get Hesser and Kipling back to town for medical aid. He had Michael, Blair and Todd remain in his office, and went and located the marshal and Brody to help provide protection. They then delivered them to Llanview Hospital where Larry Wolek was standing by to take Todd for yet another CAT scan.

While the doctors took control of Todd and Blair, John put in a call to the station and had a plate run on a vehicle that had been following them from the police station. He stood at the emergency room exit and watched the vehicle pull in and park. Could the assassin be that sure of himself that he didn't think he had been spotted? John's phone rang and he was informed that the car was an out-of-state rental. John caught the marshal's eye and they stood out of sight, as the man entered the hospital. He was on the phone and they watched as he headed toward the labs. Someone in the hospital was still on Hesser's payroll. Using his phone John took a picture of the man and emailed it back to the station for ID, then he and the marshal moved to intercept him.

At the last minute, the man realized his mistake and pulled his gun, grabbing a nearby orderly. With a gun to the man's head, the assassin motioned John and the marshal to move away from his escape route out.

"You made a mistake my friend, your boss is now going down for murder and you've just been outed. You should have stuck with the long distant kills." John talked calmly. The police were on their way, and if John had to, he could let the man walk out, right into their waiting arms. But he was curious why the change of MO.

The assassin grimaced. His bosses had wanted a picture of Toddman's death as proof the right man was killed. "I don't know what you're talking about mister. I'm just here visiting."

"Do you always come visiting with a Glock?"

"What can I say, I'm a cautious guy. Look, you guys back off, and this man can continue to do his job. I'll leave and you can go about your business."

John looked at the man, "You became our business when you pulled the gun, besides I have a boss eager to talk to you. I don't want to disappoint him. So let's say you drop the gun, and this will end peacefully."

"I'm a dead man if you take me in, they'll never let me talk."

"I'm sure the marshal's service might be able to help you out but not if you force our hand." John had his back to the door where Todd had been taking the scan and failed to see Todd exit the room.

The assassin saw his man and realized he had one shot. "Sure whatever you say." He pushed the orderly away and shot at his target.

Someone screamed as John felt the bullet pass him. He whipped around to see Todd go down. A second shot had rung out immediately following the first and the assassin also slumped to the ground. John ran to Todd.

Todd was slowly sitting up grabbing his shoulder. Blair had screamed and was down beside him, as well as Michael "I'm okay. God, Blair, when I heard you scream I thought the bullet had gotten you." he looked at her to make sure she was okay, then he let Michael help him up.

Michael checked Todd's shoulder and turned to Blair, "Blair he's right, it's just a scratch."

"Thank God." Blair rounded on John "Why the hell did you let him get a shot off at Todd, you're supposed to be protecting him?"

John had no good answer for Blair he had gotten careless. "Glad he missed Todd, Blair I'm sorry."

"I don't want your apologies I want you to do your job." Blair turned to Todd "Is it over?  Will we finally get some peace?"

Todd looked at the man on the floor, then at John, who shrugged. "I don't know Blair, when have we ever had any peace?" he looked over at Michael. "According to John, the trial's on hold. How soon can we set up that surgery? Blair's right, we need this over, all of it. Let's finish it."