The Way Back: Chapter 39

"Gentlemen, all our plans for making Mr. Manning speak to us are on hold.  The 'secret weapon' has arrived.  The boss has just had it delivered,"  Baker said.

Two henchmen, appearing somewhat flustered, flew into the boardroom with Blair, gagged with one of her own trouser socks, kicking and fighting.  "Ms. Cramer, so glad you could join us."

One of the men spoke, "We had to use her own sock to shut her up.  She put up a big fight.  The boss said we couldn't hurt her, but she just was screaming so loud, we had to quiet her somehow."

She kicked and swung around wildly in the grip of the men.  Attempting to speak, she could be not understood through her gag.  Baker laughed.  "Quite the feisty one.  Who else as a mate for Mr. Manning?"  Her eyes were fire.  "Ungag her, I am dying to hear what she has to say."

"You f#cks."  In surprise as to how her anger had involuntarily formulated her reaction, "Where is he?  What have you done to him?  Anything yet?  Any of your cruel games start yet?"

He bellowed with laughter, "games?"  Then his face became stone.  "You have no idea what you're dealing with, do you?"  She looked around the room.  Through the hours of dealing with nightmares, episodes, and times when he would fall apart in her arms and spill details of the horrors, she recognized them all.  Baker.  Kent.  Burly, she knew from the patch on his eye.  The Thin Man.  The Slice and Dice.  She shuddered uncontrollably at the latter's face.  Nothing she had ever seen was colder.  He was tapping some kind of odd-shaped knife against the table.

She found her words, "Where's the Grim Reaper?"

Baker turned his attention to her.  He applauded, dramatically.  "You have done your homework.  You're quite faithful to this whimpering mass of tissue we call Todd Manning."

Her eyes became slits as she squinted with anger, "How much whimpering would he be doing if you weren't strapping him down and torturing him?  Playing with his mind and using his childhood torments as weapons?  You're all cowards.  Anyone can defeat a man who is defenseless.  Why don't you try to bring him down without the drugs, the wrist bands, the cutting, the burning, and the electric shocks?"

From behind her, she heard a sound.  Turning her head wildly, she saw the door just close shut.  She had not been able to see who was watching and listening before he headed away from the boardroom.  She looked back to Baker.  "Who was that, your boss?  He must be the biggest coward of all to hide from a woman!"  She spit at the door.  Either that or he knows me, and knows I know him.  The men erupted into various sounds of reaction to her words.  Most were simply amused.

"I believe we have had enough of your jabbering."  Baker said, and nodded.  The man called Burly took her arm.  His one large hand was stronger against her than the two men who had captured her.  She looked at him, choosing to save her words for another time.  She caught his one eye, and saw something in it she didn't expect.

"Take her to that area we discussed. I hope you'll enjoy your surroundings," Baker said.  And, escorted by Burly, she walked to her next unknown destination.

She said nothing.  Burly also remained silent.  He opened a door using his hand, and running it over the scanner.  She looked at his visible eye.  He shifted from her gaze and pushed her inside the room.

A barren cell-like hole in the wall, she saw plain gray walls, a small bunk, a small sink, a silver toilet.  Her first thought was Statesville.  He'd been in prison.  Her eyes scanned the room, and then, Todd, in the chair he described, his hands and ankles manacled to the contraption.  Dressed in all white, his hair, which was growing since he came home, was starting to brush against his shoulder, and one side was in his eyes.  He didn't flinch when he saw her.  She could barely speak.  "Todd?"  It was a whisper.  He didn't move.  He's in his safe place.  Catatonic.  What did they do to you, my husband?  Her heart broke.

Burly was still there.  She turned, crying.  "Please.  Please, let us go.  I know the Police Commissioner, we can help you.  Please.  Don't let him go through this again."

Burly did not respond.  Instead, he pushed her to the bed and took out a pair of cuffs.  Roughly, he cuffed her to the bed and slammed out of the cell.  She pulled at it for a few moments and realized it was cutting into her skin when she did.  Instead, she turned her attention to him.  "Todd?  Todd, can you hear me?  It's Blair.  Oh please, please Todd."  He did not respond.  She attempted to get closer to him, but because of the cuff, she couldn't even get into his line of vision.  It was her voice or nothing, and she planned to talk herself hoarse until her husband responded.

***

Ray ignored the knock on the door, as the man in front of him was shattering before his eyes.  Tea, broken ankle and all, was on the floor, and his head was cradled in her lap.  He was covered in sweat, his face was stained with tears, his nose running, his breathing near hyperventilation.  She was calm.  She stroked his hair, "Querido.  Hay esperanza.  Va estar bien. He still does not know who he is,"  she said.  "Dr. Martino, the door."

"I'm in session,"  he called out.

"Doctor, it's John McBain, LPD.  It's urgent I speak to you."

Tea heard the voice and nodded.  "He may know something or be able to help."

John entered the door opened by Ray and said, "Dr. Martino, Todd Manning is missing, and I'm afraid so is Blair..."  He stopped short, seeing the scene with Tea and The Impostor on the floor.  "Tea?"

Tea was alarmed, "Blair is missing?"

"This is probably not a good time," John added.  "I'll wait outside."

"Actually," Ray began, "we've done all that he can take for today."

John looked at the man, who seemed ragged and torn.  He noticed, also, the cuff burns on his wrists.  To Tea, "have you learned anything?"

She broke into tears.  "He's been tortured.  Brainwashed.  Mind control or something as heinous.  He's had his face changed, surgically.  He...he doesn't know who he is."  She continued to stroke his hair.  He was inconsolable; John didn't bother asking him any questions at that point.  He'd need him to be strong and composed.  "He doesn't have a lot of memory.  John, he says his father did this to him."

John walked outside, and the sun was shining in a cloudless sky.  He took his phone out of his pocket.  "Natalie.  Anything at the Tomas murder site?  No.  Nothing here on Blair or Todd, but the guy who's claimed he's Manning for the last eight years has admitted he isn't.  No, I'm not bringing him in.  He may not be responsible for what he's done.  Mountainview.  Yep.  Let me know if you get anything on Blair, will you?"  He closed the cell and momentarily lifted his face to the sun.  Closing his eyes, he wondered who was this father and who was this man?  The identity of either might help lead him to Todd and Blair.

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