The Fourth Life: Chapter 33

He sat, reading The Sun, in his cell.  His own face graced the cover, in what he termed, 'a highly unflattering photograph.' Turning to the article he read:

And as reported by Carlo Hesser's estranged and secret son, whose identity is not to be shared here for his protection, the diminutive gangster had ties not only to The Men of 21 Terrorist Ring, but also to recently brought-down torture expert and kidnapper, Michael Leona.  More details of the facts of the case will be shared in court, when Hesser is brought up on charges of the kidnapping, unlawful restraint and torture of Todd Manning, the publisher of this newspaper.

"I demand a phone call," Carlo insisted.


The guards went to the warden to discuss it, while he continued to pace within his cell.  Time was of the essence.  His trial date was set for three weeks, and he needed to be rid of the sniveling wimp before the proceedings even started.  He walked from end to end of the cell, and back again, listening intently for the approach of a guard.  Allowed to send letters at will, he had already written to Mac, instructing him to be waiting for a call on an untraceable phone with a requested number that they both knew, and to prepare early.


The guard returned with the keys, and took Carlo out, chaining his hands and feet, as was customary, and brought him to the phone room.  He dialed the assigned number, and waited for a voice.  Within two rings, Mac picked up the phone.  "Yeah."


Carlo said, "I"ve just read the recent installment of Todd Manning's expose on me.  I will not back down now.  Have you read it?  It details how my 'son' has information that will put me away."


"Yes.  I just got through.  I know what to do."


"Proceed," and he hung up, removing the tiny device he had placed into the mouthpiece through one of the sound holes to render any recording of the conversation scrambled.  He gave a satisfied sigh, and returned to his cell.  "This time tomorrow, I will have fewer worries in this world."


***


Todd, determined to help Zeus the way he neglected to in the past, arranged with his realtor friend an inspection and purchase of an attractive, sizeable apartment just a few miles from both Mountainview and Tea's new condominium.  Zeus was grateful; Blair was annoyed, thinking Todd was overstepping his boundaries by helping someone who took his life and also, mistreated his children.  Todd saw past this, however, and insisted upon helping Zeus set off right into his new world.


The limo drove Todd and Jack to the apartment, which was modest but stylish, and they met the furniture delivery as they pulled up.   Zeus had made his own way there, and was already talking with the delivery men.  Todd could hear him, as he got out of the limo, and Jack followed.  


Zeus said, "I'm sorry sir, I didn't order any furniture, there has to be a mistake.  Please take it back where it came from."


Todd walked up, "Just a minute, I'll sign for this, I ordered it."  Todd, taking the pen from the delivery man, signed his name and handed the materials back.  He looked at Zeus.  "What's with you?  I told you about this ahead.  You forget?"


"Todd, I can't accept it.  It's too much.  Hey, Jack."


"Hey, Zeus."  Jack watched closely as the two bantered about.  


"I already bought it.  So, you need to take it.  Just a little gift.  Or you can pay me back.  That information you're giving the courts, it's going to make my life better.  So, I owe you."


Zeus seemed awkward, and confused.  "Todd, you can't owe me.  I took your life, for goodness sake."


"You didn't want it,"  he said, smirking.


Zeus tried to avoid laughing, "Maybe not, but I got it.  I lived a rich life during that time.  Off your money.  I took your wife, your kids..."


"Stop while you're ahead." Todd interrupted.


Jack let out a small laugh and folded his arms.  "This is getting good," he said.


Zeus said, "How will I ever pay you back?  I'm a felon, no job, no money, nothing.  That's why I can't accept it."


"Been there, done that.  Anything else?"


"He's got you there," Jack added.


"Yeah, there's something else.  I can't take this from you.  Can't.  Capital 'c.'"


"You can.  It's a matter of will or won't."


"Look," Zeus said, starting to pace.  As he did so, Todd watched him, matter-of-factly, as he explained his reasoning once again.  Looking above them, Todd saw a piano being lowered on special cables, and it was teetering insecurely.  


Todd said, "Let's move off the street here and talk about this upstairs."  He lead the way.  Jack followed.  It wasn't the penthouse building, but it was nice enough.  Clean, neat and modern, Jack thought it might be perfect for Zeus.  The new home was on the top floor, which had a balcony overlooking town.  When in the apartment, which was empty, their voices echoed. 


Zeus said, "Blair won't like this."


"Neither will Tea.  Another reason to do it."  Todd said.


Zeus lifted an eyebrow, "I guess I did take her off your case."


Todd said, "As I said, another reason to do it."


Jack sat on the floor, cross-legged, and watched, studying the two men.


Zeus said, "How do I pay the rent and pay you back?"


"Easy.  Write checks."


"I don't have money!"


"You will when you start working.  Here's your boss.  Report to him in the morning,"  he handed him a card.  "It's a financial agency.  They know about you, willing to ignore it.  Starts at a high five-figure salary.  Stuff you did in your sleep while you were running my life.  You pay your own rent, and pay me back for the stuff later."


Jack turned his attention to Zeus, as if watching a tennis match.  "You got me a job?"  Zeus said.


"Yep.  I can't have you freeloading forever."


Zeus rolled his eyes.  And at that moment, everyone was quiet, long enough for Todd to notice a sound.  It was clearly identifiable, but took a minute to register.  It was ticking.  He said, "Jack, get downstairs to the limo, get in and have Williams drive away.  Zeus, you too.  JACK!  Do as I tell you."


Reluctantly, the teen got up and went to the door.  "NOW!"  Todd yelled.


Jack disappeared and raced to the car, but instead of driving off, he made Williams call the police and refused to leave his father.


Back in the apartment, Todd followed the sound, and Zeus was behind him, also looking.  Todd said, "I told you to get out of here, right?"


"Yeah, like you know anything about bombs."


Todd flashed on himself, in the wire-caged evidence room, and Blair, carrying an ax.  "Trust me, I do.  Got it, it's right there."


"I would have never found it."


"You may have."


"Probably not."  


Todd examined it, and saw it was makeshift, with a small timer, showing ten minutes remaining.  He picked it up and Zeus said, "Are you sure you're supposed..."


"Shhh!"  Todd said, and carefully balanced the materials and walked to the toilet, where he opened the tank and put the bomb in.  "Amateur.  In water, this particular kind of bomb can't do anything but sink.  Now let's get out of here."


"You just saved my life, Todd."


"So?  You saved mine once.  Remember Hesser, the gun, the chair?"


"Yeah, almost forgot that."  The two of them ran down the stair case and Todd, nervous that he could be wrong, told the police who were gathering outside to clear the building.  Jack watched from the limousine as elderly people, children and babies, parents, families and college students emptied out of the apartment house, and filed onto the street.  Police were pushing them as far down the block as necessary, and an old woman was crying for her cat.  Todd, hearing her, said, "The cat will be fine, lady, the bomb is not going to blow."


"How do you know, young man?"


He thought about it, and not knowing how to answer, he said, "I just do."


The police team came down to the sidewalk and said, "Nothing to worry about.  That bomb, when submerged in water, does not go off.  It needs a spark to ignite it."


Todd looked at Zeus, "Told you."  Then he said to the lady,  "Where is your cat?"


"She's on the second floor, in my apartment, number 214."


He walked past the police, who said, "Hey buddy, you can't go in there," and within a few minutes, he came back with the cat in his arms.  "Here you go, lady."


"Thank you!  Oh, precious, I was so scared you were going to be blown up to smithereens!"


"Yeah, well, she's not."  He turned to Jack, who opened his mouth to talk and Todd said, "I know, Badass.  It was no big deal, Jack.  Zeus, we'll see you later.  Tell those policemen to call McBain over.  Clearly someone is after you, and you're going to need protection."  


He put his arm around his son's shoulders, and Jack said, "How did you know what kind of bomb that was?"


"I watch NCIS.  Now let's go."


In the limo, Jack said, "Hey Dad, does this make you a hero?"


"No, Jack."


"See, I think you're wrong on that one.  You saved the cat."


"It's a cat, Jack."


"You saved everyone.  Me, Zeus.  You were so freaking cool.  You weren't scared at all.  You figured out what to do right away.  You're coolheaded.  Like James Bond or something."


"James Bond is a fictional character, Jack."


"Yeah and you're real!  How badass is that?"


Todd raised an eyebrow.  "You've got this all wrong."


"No, I've got it right.  You're my hero, and you can't make me say you're not."


***


"YOU DID WHAT?"  Blair cried.


"I sorta kinda got Zeus a job, an apartment and furniture."


"No, this is not happening!"


"Mom, you should have seen it, it was totally badass, Dad was so brave, he took the bomb, right, and he..."


Blair slowly craned her neck around in Todd's direction.  "Bomb?"


"Yeah.  I put it into the toilet tank.  You weren't around with the ax at the time."


"Todd!  You risked your life again, for that, copycatter!"


"Copycatter?  What is this, first grade?"


"I am furious with you.  And Jack was there.  He could have been killed."


"Jack could be killed in the tub, it doesn't mean he will be.  Besides, you know I would never let anything happen to Jack."


The phone rang, and Todd answered.  "Hello?  Yeah, just what I thought.  Okay, later."  He hung up.  "The bomb is being traced back to our old friends, The Men of 21.  Who'd a thunk it?"


"It's probably a frame job."  She said.


"Now you're talking.  Someone wants everyone to think it's The Men of 21.  My money's on Carlo Hesser."


"Mine too," she said.  "Todd, I can't believe you almost died," she softened, hugging him.  


"I wasn't close to dying," he said, "until I got that cat out.  The hair makes me wheeze."


Instead of laughing, or being angry with him, she was distracted by the newspaper on the counter.  


"You won't like this," she said, pointing to The Banner headline.  


He said, "You're damn right, that rag doesn't belong in this house.  That's The Banner."


"Todd, be serious."  The trial was set for two weeks away, due to a cancelled court schedule.


Both of them became somber.  "It's here," he said.  "I'll be reliving it all over again."


"I know," she said, touching his arm, "here we go."


He said, "I'm scared, Blair."  Jack, still in the room, watched his father and mother intently.  "It's been....so easy since I made the decision to let it all go.  And now, it will be back.  In my head, in my dreams." 


"I'll be there, you don't have to be scared.  I'll be there for the dreams and the courtroom."


"I don't want you to go there, Blair.  He's there.  He can't be anywhere near you or Sommer."


"Well, you're not facing all those memories alone, Todd.  I'll be there."


"We'll talk about that later, then."


"No we won't, I am going to be there. Besides, I got a summons.  Remember?  I have to go."


He didn't like the feeling he had about it.  He wanted to keep her safe.  And being in the same room with Carlo Hesser was not going to be the way to accomplish that fact.


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