"Let go of her, now."
His laughed echoed through the room. "I've got my skinner in my hand, pointed at your baby son, are you sure you want to go there? Ask your wife how fast I am with my blade, if you don't remember yourself."
At that moment, Todd took in the rest of the scene. Blair's nightgown was practically shredded, and one side had dark red drips on it from her wound. One of her breasts was all but fully exposed. He swallowed. What has he already done to her? He continued to hold the gun as steady as he could as he sized up the situation. It was not good. Ray, miraculously, had fallen asleep in Blair's arms. He could see her knuckles turning white from her grip on the baby. Her face was in utter torment; there was a puddle of vomit on the floor. If he touched her. If he raped her....
The Slice and Dice continued, "Before the shot worked on me, the cuts would be done. I can do three cuts in the time it would take you to shoot me. Want to take that risk?"
Blair was shaking to the point of shock. He could see her eyes glassing over, and she was not focusing her eyes on him or anything else. He said, "Blair, it's all right. Hang on. I'm going to shoot his f#cking head off and it's going to be messy." Sweat was pouring off his forehead and into his eyes, but he could not flinch.
"Manning, put that gun down before I take her ear."
Todd didn't falter, but he blinked a few times. He was becoming unsteady. "I'll kill you."
He moved the blade, "Or I can just kill her. Now drop it."
Todd put the gun down. "I know what you want." Todd finally said.
"Manning, put that gun down before I take her ear."
Todd didn't falter, but he blinked a few times. He was becoming unsteady. "I'll kill you."
He moved the blade, "Or I can just kill her. Now drop it."
Todd put the gun down. "I know what you want." Todd finally said.
"Do you now?" Michael Leona said.
"You want me, don't you? You really want me. You want to get me back in your chair and you want to do everything you want to me. Right? That's what you want."
A look in Leona's eyes made Todd think he had found the truth. Leona said, "Is that what you think? Push that gun over here with your foot."
"Yeah, that's what I think. Carlo has no use for that baby, if he can get the real deal." Todd said, obliging. He was weakening, and could feel it. He saw the darkness creeping in the sides of his eyes, and the oily black coming in front of his gaze. No, not now. No. Fight this, Manning. Your baby, and your Babe.
Blair was still is his grip, his right hand was in her hair, his left hand held the blade. He said, "What do I have to do, Manning? Give you a show? Remind you what I did to you all those times? You know how I got my name." He turned the blade from the baby to Blair's face for a moment, and turned to see Todd's expression. Blair, having heard Todd's voice, abruptly bit down on his hand as hard as she could. He let out a loud scream, waking the baby, who began crying. Todd yelled out, "Get the baby and run, Blair. Run out of here, go!"
"Whatever you want." Todd said. "Just let her go and let's leave."
Blair, every nerve on edge, noticed that Todd seemed uncannily calm. "Let go of me," she ordered.
Michael Leona laughed. "Manning, there's a bag behind the couch. Get it."
Todd, keeping his eyes on Blair, and his hands visible, got the bag and threw it at Leona's feet.
"Open it."
He obliged.
"Put those cuffs on."
He listened and did as he was asked, still staring at Blair. The knife point was touching her skin.
"Bring that syringe."
Todd did as he was asked. He put it out in his hand toward The Slice and Dice.
Michael Leona took it and put it into his pocket. Blair was bleeding, both on her shoulder from the earlier wound, and now a small rivulet had started running from her neck where the point of the knife was. Todd would not give in to the darkness. He battled it with all his might. Finally, he said, "Now, can you let her go?"
"I'll let her go when you are out of this apartment. Do as I say or you will see her die. But before she does, she will experience my 'greatest hits.'"
Todd reeled. Memories flooded back, some he could not bear. Dark was seeping in, and he pushed it back. Blair and the baby. Stay here and fight.
"No problem."
"Now, turn your back to us."
Fear took over for a moment since Todd was not sure what the man was going to do. Blair was crying, audibly now, saying Todd's name repeatedly and 'no.' He said, "All right," and turned. The Slice and Dice, still holding the blade to Blair's neck, took the syringe out of his pocket.
Without warning, he stabbed the needle into Todd's shoulder blade, and he winced. Leona said, "This won't take long. Turn around."
Todd turned back to them, and Leona took his knife, moving it toward Blair's breast. "You're lucky that shot is going to take affect, and I have other plans. Otherwise, this could have been a great deal of fun. Now, move. Out of the penthouse."
At that moment, two things happened. Leona let go of Blair and moved the knife to Todd. Blair froze. And Todd, passing by Blair, and even with his hands cuffed, grabbed her face and kissed her forehead, passionately, and whispered, "I love you. I'll be back."
She broke down again, as he was lead out the door. She screamed his name with all of her strength and fell to the floor as The Slice and Dice and Todd vanished into the hallway.
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