Todd Manning: Enigma, Ch. 7

Chapter 7

Todd was all set for Addie to come to the house to talk and realized Blair would be there. He quickly called Addie back and arranged to see her at La Boulaie. On his way out the door, he told Blair he’d be back after talking to Bo and the security company. He left quickly before Blair could object.

Addie was waiting for Todd and let him in. She was curious why he had changed the meeting place at the last minute. Leading him into the living room she looked him up and down. She knew he had spent another night in the hospital and that he was supposed to be home resting, but he had come looking for her. Whatever was driving him had something to do with Blair, she was sure of it. “Todd sit down and tell me what this is all about. Yesterday when you called I could tell it was important to you, and now when you should be resting you’re here instead. I’m betting Blair doesn’t know you’re here. We haven’t really talked, have we? I know a lot more about you now than when I was in St. Ann’s. We’ve both changed a lot in that time, but I’m certain of one thing. You love Blair. Why are you keeping her in the dark about this meeting?”

Todd could always count on Addie to say the unexpected and she didn’t disappoint. He sat down and looked his mother-in-law in the eyes. “I’m here to talk about her father and depending on what you can remember, I’ll decide if she needs to be told what I’m doing. I have questions that need answering and I don’t want to hurt her.”

“But Todd why do you think it would hurt her? She knows about what he did to me.”

“I’m aware of that, but humor me will you. This isn’t so much about what he did to you but about him personally. Addie, I’m trying to find out who he really is. I know it all happened a long time ago but do you have any memories of him?”

Addie looked at Todd, she was uncertain how much help she could really give him. It had happened so long ago. She searched her memory going back to the hospital that her mother had put her into. She vaguely recalled a young man constantly being around her in those days. He was handsome and liked by the staff because he was good with the patients. “I can’t give you much Todd, I vaguely remember the man. He was slightly older than me and I found him nice looking and he was kind to me in the beginning. I just remember him coming to me one night. He was charming and began to give me all this attention and then I remember him touching me and I was feeling all these strange feelings as he put me on my bed. It just a jumble of feelings and flashes, Todd. I wasn’t scared, I was just confused and he kept saying nice things to me as he did his thing. I didn’t know what he was doing. When he was done he just left me, and I curled up and went to sleep. I don’t know what happened to him, but he stopped working on my floor, and I was pregnant and carrying Blair. When I gave birth to her, they only allowed me a little time with her before they took her from me, and I didn’t see my baby girl again till she came looking for me and took me out of that place, and took me to Asa’s house. Does that help you? I really don’t see how it can.” Addie looked at Todd and saw his disappointment. She wasn’t sure what he had been hoping for.

“Addie, your last name is Cramer. Why was Blair’s last name Daimler?”

"Because that was his last name. The nurses told me he left because he had gotten caught with another patient and when they found out I was pregnant, they knew he was my baby’s daddy. They asked me for a name when she was born and I told them, Blair. Then they put his name down as the father, Gregor Daimler. When they sent her to the orphanage, she was Blair Daimler.”

Todd’s heart sank, he had been hoping the name Gregor had just been another figment of his imagination and now it wasn’t. “You’re sure his name was Gregor Daimler, Addie?”

“Yes, Todd, one of the few possessions I was allowed to keep was my daughter’s birth certificate. Wait here.” Addie got up and headed out of the room.

Todd walked over to the terrace door. “Samuel, help me out. Why is all this happening? I heard you tell Blair, you felt cut off from me for several months and that would indicate I was in a coma. Wouldn’t it?”

“I don’t know Todd.”

“Why did I get the feeling you knew something else when you told Blair you weren’t sure? Was I out or not? Samuel, are you hiding something from me?”

“I wish I could give you a straight answer Todd. Blair‘s question has me worried because now I’m not sure what I know anymore either.”

“Samuel, in my dream you were there with me when I let Pete torture Carlo and Kipling. I remember your disgust that I was letting it happen. Why is that memory so clear? Am I really going crazy? I feel like I’m living two lives at once and everything in this life is being overtaken by that life.”

Samuel didn’t answer Todd, instead he looked around and saw a scene playing out and it scared him. Why had he forgotten it? Just what was going on? Why now did Todd’s memory flash through his mind with those simple words “torture Carlo"? He shouldn’t have those memories at all, they didn’t happen except in the dream. Samuel jumped as the beeping sound began. It had been happening more frequently and getting louder. “Todd, can you hear that?”

Todd had been waiting for an answer from Samuel when he began hearing the noise of the beeping getting louder. His heart started keeping time with it and Todd felt himself getting faint. He sat down quickly trying to keep from passing out. Addie’s touch on his shoulder cleared the cobwebs and the beeping receded. Todd shivered, whatever had just happened was becoming more frequent.

Addie had walked into the room and seen Todd close to passing out. She had called his name several times and gotten no response until she had touched his shoulder. “Todd, you should be home in bed. I'm going to get you something warm to drink. Take it easy.” She laid the birth certificate in his hands and went to the kitchen to get some coffee and give Blair a call.

Todd’s hands shook as he unfolded the paper. There in black and white was Gregor’s name. Just more proof that the dream could be real. He was so tired. His mind was spinning out of control and even his alters were finding it hard to cope. He dropped the paper and covered his face with his hands, his fingers rubbing along his forehead trying to stop the pain building there. He was trying to look at the dream logically but the coincidences kept popping up. He had to keep it together. If he showed up in court a nervous wreck, Carlo and Ivan would walk away scot-free. He heard Addie coming back and pushed his hair back wishing at that moment he had a rubber band. He was this close to throwing up his hands and letting Rodd have some free time. He certainly couldn’t cope any worse than Todd was doing at the moment. But he couldn’t do it. Todd was afraid to go back in after that brief stint earlier. The beeping sound was terrifying.

Todd pulled himself together and took a cup of coffee from Addie. He probably didn’t need the caffeine at the moment but it was warm and he felt cold all the way to his bones.

“Todd, why did Blair’s father’s name bother you?”

He looked at Addie and decided to tell her. If anyone understood crazy then Addie would. “It bothered me because he’s in my dream. At least a man named Gregor Daimler is in my dream. The problem is I knew his name before you told me. It’s just another thing from the dream that came true. Addie, things keep coming true, and there are things in the dream that are horrendous. What if they come true? The man in my dream is a horrible man. If he is real then the stuff he’s capable of could happen.”

Addie knew he was sincere and felt real empathy in that instant. She knew what it was like to be judging your own sanity. She sensed Todd was doubting his. She sat next to him on the couch and took one of his hands in hers. “You’re feeling the need to protect Blair from the man in your dreams, but you’re having a tough time accepting the fact that he’s real. You feel trapped because if you admit he’s real, then the dream is too. Todd, just try to remember one thing. Your love for Blair and her love for you will get you through this. Whatever the truth, you’ll be able to cope if you remember that.”

Todd squeezed her hand, grateful that she was who she was. Addie was special and he had listened to her before and Starr had been the result. He needed her to be correct now too. Todd leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Thank you, Addie. I should tell you there will now be a man outside to guard you. You’re part of my family and there has been a threat made against me. I just don’t want you to be alarmed if you see him. When you go out, let him go with you. Please! Blair would kill me if anything happened to you.” Todd rose and left, heading downtown to the police department.

Todd was just entering the building when he was shoved to the ground. He heard the crack of the bullet as it hit the wall where he had been standing moments before. He looked up to see John McBain searching the buildings across the street and cops were running past obviously in search of the shooter. There were no more shots as John reached down a hand to help him up. “So, it starts.” Todd dusted off his slacks with his shaky hands knowing how close that had come.

“Todd, what the hell are you doing? You were supposed to stay home until we could get your security in place.”

“My bad, John. I wasn’t thinking. Since you just called, I figured I had a little time before they got into town. I guess I was wrong.”

John took the time to dig the bullet out of the wall and let it drop into a waiting plastic bag, then still looking around, he had Todd enter ahead of him into the building. “We have no idea who this guy is or why he was waiting for you to show up here. Every hitter is different. He must have figured you would be coming by here after you got word of the hit being put out. For all, we know, he could have been the one to alert Interpol. It wouldn’t be the first time the police have been used to bring a target out from cover. You’re just lucky I spotted you coming. So, why did you come here?”

Todd had to admit to himself the only reason he had even come, was so he wouldn’t be caught in a lie by Blair, and he had almost gotten killed. “You wouldn’t understand if I told you, John, let’s just say not one of my better choices lately. Put it down to trying to get my life back on track. Since I’m here maybe you can help me. I’m trying to find out if a guy by the name of Gregor Daimler might have a record here in the US or worldwide. With your connections, I thought you could check for me.”

“Does he have something to do with Hesser?”

“It’s a possibility, I’m just trying to check on something from my dream.” Todd kept it simple, for all he knew Gregor could be a partner of Hesser or he could simply be another rapist. It didn’t matter, Todd just needed to find him. John had Todd wait in Bo’s office since it was an interior one and therefore away from exposed windows. After dropping the bullet off at ballistics, he joined Todd and quickly took a written statement. Bo arrived and was unhappy to hear about the attempt outside the station and quickly set out to make sure all members of Todd’s family including Vicki were covered. Then he sat down and they discussed Todd’s announcement about Jake that had started all this.

Before Todd left he was given a bulletproof vest since this was the fourth attempt on Samuel’s life. If Bo had been given his way, Todd and Jake would already be in protective custody, but neither gentlemen would budge from their lives, making things difficult for Bo. “Todd, why can’t you see reason? Christian’s shot almost took you out permanently. How many more attempts do you think you can survive?”

“I’ll survive as many as I need to, to put Carlo and Ivan permanently behind bars.” Todd knew Bo was right but leaving the city wasn’t going to stop the attempts and he had been separated from his family for eight long years. If they wanted him, they would find him in a safe place, his home. Dragonheart was more protected than Bo realized. “Bo, Dragonheart might be up on the mountain but it has a new state-of-the-art security system and although it looks vulnerable with all the glass, every pane is bulletproof.” Todd saw the look of surprise on Bo’s face. “Samuel was being extremely cautious when he had it built. He knew someone was after him, just not who, and he wanted to provide complete security for our family as well as beauty. The place is a good fortress.”

Todd was getting to leave when another call came into Bo’s office. “Shots have just been fired at the Manning building.” Bo looked at John and Todd “Jake’s been hit. Todd, you’re staying put here till we find out how bad it is. Let’s go, John.” Todd sat down in Bo’s chair and prayed Jake had survived. A wave of lethargy hit him and his arms and legs began to feel heavy as his fatigue threatened to overtake him. Unable to stop himself, Todd rested his head on his arms and fell into an uneasy sleep.

The room was dark, he could hear the machines around him. Every bone in his body hurt. It was difficult to breathe. He listened, straining to make out anything that would tell him what was going on.

“Has there been any change in Mr. Lord’s condition?”

“I’m sorry, but no significant improvement. He’s alive but unresponsive to any stimuli.”

He knew the first voice, it belonged to C.J. He tried to say something, but nothing came out. Why couldn’t he talk?

“Daddy, can I go see him for just a moment?”

“Lily, it isn’t a good time. The nurse just said there has been no change. We’ll try again in a couple of days, okay?”

“But Daddy, maybe if he heard me he might respond. It’s not right, He helped me why can’t I help him?”

“Darling, I know you want to help him, so do I. Something is keeping him from coming back to us. I’ll tell you what. Go give him a kiss and we’ll go. I promise you, we’ll come back later.”

He couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer and he listened for her footsteps. For a brief moment before everything went black he felt her tender kiss.

Todd awoke, gasping for air. He was flat on his back.

“Easy Mr. Toddman, take your time. Do you know where you are?” the EMT began shining a light in his eyes and Todd put up a hand to shield them..

“Stop! What happened?” Todd looked around and saw Bo and John standing back letting the EMT work. “I’m alright. Help me up.” Todd said to the EMT when he tried to push him back down flat. The EMT reluctantly gave him a hand up protesting the whole time, but Todd just waved him quiet. “I tell you, I’m fine.” He knew he was far from fine but he wasn’t going anywhere but home. Todd leaned against Bo’s desk for support.“Sorry Bo, didn’t mean to fall asleep in your office.”

Bo frowned and waved the EMT’s out. “You heard him, fellas, he says he’s fine.” When they left, he turned back to Todd. “You are anything but fine. You were passed out when we got back here, Todd, and we couldn’t wake you. You were unresponsive so we called the EMTs What the hell was Larry thinking letting you go home so soon? If you were asleep, you sleep like the dead. The EMT’s said your pulse was extremely low.”

“It’s nothing Bo, must be a side effect of the medication Larry gave me to sleep. Tell me about Jake. Is he alive?” Todd was desperate to get the talk off of him. “I need some good news right now.”

“Yes Todd, Jake is alive. The sniper took a shot at his heart instead of his head. The vest did its job and he survived but the shooter thinks he succeeded. Jake has agreed to play dead until the trial. I wish you would reconsider protective custody. You’re in no condition to play this on your own.”

“I told you, I’m going home. I’m as protected there as I am in one of your safe houses.” Todd had found out two things, Jake had survived and his dream had changed, both were disturbing because of what they meant to him. He needed to get home so he could think about them but most of all he needed to get back to Blair. He stood up to go and almost fell over but for John’s hand catching his arm.

“Oh yeah, you are so alright. John, get him home and make sure the officer assigned is out there.” Bo watched as John helped Todd until his stride steadied. He was worried about the man. Something he never thought he would feel. Ever since Todd had returned he had been a different man from the one they had known for so long. He had worked with the system to bring down Carlo and he had given them a heads up about the assassins and managed to save Jake, the very man who had taken his life. Bo didn’t like the toll all of it had taken on him. The man had barely survived the shooting and Bo wondered if he would survive the night. When they had arrived back from the Sun. Todd had been barely alive. Even the EMT’s had been unable to bring him around and just when they were getting ready to call an ambulance he had stirred. Todd was hanging on by a thread, but for how long.