Battle the Dark: Chapter 11

John sauntered into The Manning's penthouse apartment, and surveying the scene, said, "Wow, it's like old home week in here."

"Ah, Lieutenant McBain, I remember ya.  Irish lad, aren't ya?"  Sister Rebecca Katherine chimed in.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Nice to see you, knew some McBain's in my day."

"And who is this?"

"This is my kidnapper turned ally, Mr. Walnut.  He's also called Steven Cregan.  That's his given name."

Todd said, "You're all Irish, eh?"

Blair elbowed him, "John, we need your help."  As the strange menagerie of people began to tell the story, each adding his or her own part, John maintained his stolid, emotionless appearance, with his hands in his black coat pockets, looking from one to the other of the interesting group. 

Finally, he said, "What do you say, Manning?  Want to press charges on this guy for trying to drive you nuts?"

"Not if he can help us get the big one,"  Todd said.  "He'll need witness protection, though, Carlo won't ever stop if he thinks the guy's alive."

"Sister?"  John asked.

"Oh heavens no, he needs our help, Lieutenant.  As the luck of the Irish would have it, he happened to be the one they chose, and he just couldn't bring himself to end my life.  Lucky for me he was the one, and not another."

Todd's mind, as well as Blair's, went to The Slice and Dice.  The dead expressionless eyes and the too-large grin, light glinting off his skinner blade.  The sound of the tearing of Todd's white uniform, and...Blair suddenly swayed, and grabbed Todd's arm for support.  "Blair, are you all right?"  Todd asked.   He guided her to the couch and squatted in front of her so that their eyes met.

"Yes, I'm fine," she said, looking into his face.  At that moment, they both knew what the other had been thinking. 

He touched the side of her head and said, "It's okay, Babe."  She covered his hand with hers and nodded, a few stray tears falling.

Steven Cregan knew that moment that they had faced unbelievable horrors.  The pain in both of them was palpable.  Not knowing anything in detail, he said, "I'll do whatever it takes to bring them all down."

The discussion turned to the devising of a plan.  Steven would be put into witness protection.  To throw Carlo off, he would continue, under police supervision, to act as the nun's captor.  When deemed appropriate by the group, he would be presumed dead, at which time The Sun would run the article on the rescue of Sister Rebecca Katherine and John McBain's heroic but unavoidable shooting of the perpetrator.  All this would come at the right time.  But, when was the right time coming?

Just then, Steven's phone rang.  He looked up from it.  "It's him."

John said, "Answer it.  Agree to everything he asks."

"Yeah?  I still have her, she's right here.  Okay.  How long?  All right, I'll make certain she's occupied until then.  Yes sir."  He hung up.  He turned to them all, "He told me to hold her until Friday.  That's when the underground newspaper is printed, where he is going to send the message to Timothy.  He expects Timothy to see the message and bring himself to their mercy in exchange for Becky's life."

"Becky?"  Todd lifted an eyebrow.

"That's my name, don't wear it out, my boy!"  she said.

"We can get you into witness protection just in time.  I'll have it arranged," John said.  "When all the action goes down, you'll be safe.  Then, as we planned, Todd will plant the story about your death."

"All right."  Walnut said.

Sister Rebecca Katherine asked, "What do we do about my brother?"

"I think I know.  That letter, it revealed where he is staying, right?  So you could wire the money?"  Todd said.

"Yes, quite," she responded.

"I know how to solve this,"  Todd said.  "I can take my private jet and get him.  Whisk him away before anyone even realizes he's gone."

Blair jumped out of her seat.  "Todd!  No!  You're not going to Ireland in that plane!"

He turned to her, at first to chastise her for overreacting, but seeing her face, he suddenly realized what she meant.  "It's the only way, Blair.  Commercial flights can be tracked.  This is private.  He will be safe."

"No, you can't do this!"  she said, and her voice was elevated.

Sister Rebecca Katherine noticed the obvious tension between them and said, "No, Todd, it's all right, we can do this another way.  Clearly, the lass has a problem with this idea."

"She might, but it's the way it should be done."  Todd answered.  Blair was infuriated.  She looked at him again, imploring, and then, seeing he was not budging, took off up the staircase and disappeared into the second level.  He watched her go, and then turned to the others.  "She'll understand.  It's really the best way for this to go down."

"I agree," John said, "I can draw up the political asylum paperwork to get him here.  Special circumstance visa, all that."

Sister Rebecca Katherine was not accepting it at face value.  She said to Todd,  "Why is your sweet wife against this, lad?  Tell me that."

Todd sat down, and the others followed suit.  John remained standing, but moved into the foyer to make calls regarding the necessary papers.  Todd said, "When Blair and I were first in love, I left her, the night after our wedding, to go to Ireland to rescue someone.  Let's just say, it did not work out very well."

The sister said, "A failure?"

"No.  I died."

Sister Rebecca Katherine stared at him.  "What do ya mean?"

"I died in Ireland, according to the authorities.  That's how I ended up meeting Carlo in the first place.  He was responsible for me being shot in the back and put into the trunk of a car and thrown over a cliff.  I was left for dead.  Blair was pregnant at the time.  She gave birth prematurely while I was gone.  When I came back...let's just say we were never completely the same, until now.  We always loved each other, but things were just not right, you know?"

Sister Rebecca Katherine thought for a moment.  "I don't think you should leave her again.  Not now.  You both have been to hell and back, my boy, it seems like a very poor idea.  You can't mean to leave her behind again."

"I can take her with me."

"She doesn't know that.  She's upset with you for a good reason, young man.  Now, we're going to leave, you go and take care of that."

John returned to the group, "Papers are all set.  Steven, you're coming into custody with me.  Sister, I am not sure what the best thing is, but..."

"She can stay here,"  Todd said, "we have plenty of room.  I know Blair, she would offer, if she weren't pissed off at me."

"Well you had better go and solve this, with her, now.  I don't like to see you two apart from each other.  Watching you gives everyone around you hope.  Quite a love story." The nun said.

"I'll go talk to her, you stay here, and we'll figure out arrangements later.  You really can't leave, considering all that's going on."

John spoke, as he and Walnut headed for the door, "That's best.  If someone sees her, apart from this guy here, it's trouble."

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