The Fourth Life: Chapter 37

The courthouse was crowded, as much as it could be with the restrictions that John McBain had set forth.  Blair, in her red maternity suit, and Todd, in his black suit pants and vest with a charcoal shirt and red patterned tie, walked in, his arm around her protectively, and bared through the crowds outside the courtroom.  Reporters shoved microphones in front of them, and he pushed them aside, saying no comment and shielding her.  As they moved closer to the door, they ran directly into Carlo, who was standing not three feet away, in a gray silk suit and chains.  He said, "Mr. Manning, Mrs. Manning, so nice to see you.  I've heard you are expecting.  The best to you, both."


Blair put a firm grip on Todd's arm, and held it, squeezing every few second to remind him that she was there.  She saw his fists clench on either side of his body, and his face become stone, his eyes fixed.  She said nothing, but held fast.


Carlo, said, "What, no greeting for me?"  He outstretched his arms toward them, as if welcoming.


"I've got a greeting for you, Hesser."  Todd was almost growling.


Blair repeated in his ear, "Todd, no, stop.  Todd, remember.  That is what he wants you to do."


"Mr. Hesser," he said, heeding her, and taking her hand, walked by confidently.  She snubbed Carlo, intentionally turning her face.  The cameras clicked madly, as they walked past.  Todd turned to her and said, "Let's give them something to print," and grabbed her face with both hands and kissed her passionately.  Flashes and clicks went off in droves, and Carlo, sinking into the background, seethed at the attention they garnered. 


"Mr. Manning, tell us about your time away?  What were the days like in Ireland?"  A reported shouted.


"What was Michael Leona's ritual about?"  Another said.


"Why did you kill Michael Leona?"


"Did Carlo Hesser burn you?"


Blair felt him begin to shake, so she stepped in front of him and said, "No questions, please!"  And took him by the hand, leading him to a supply closet and closing the door behind them.  He looked at her, stunned.  She said, "Are you all right?"


"I'm....I'm okay, Blair," he said, bringing his breathing down to normal.  "Thanks for getting me in here." 


"The question is, how do we get out?"  she said.


"Easy, I'll text McBain."

John, Blair and I are stuck in supply closet.  Hesser and reporters.  Come get us.  TM

"That oughta do it,"  he said, kissing her.  "I like this."


 "I know.  It's kind of, nice.  Away from all of that.  I'm scared, Todd."


"It will be all right.  Peachy.  Piece of cake."


"I hope so.  He gives me the chills.  The way he...put out his arms to us."


Todd swallowed, "I know, Babe."  He took her into his arms.  "Don't be afraid."


"You don't, either."  Blair said, smoothing his hair behind his ear.


"Maybe he'll never find us."


"Maybe."  She said, putting her hand over his lips and touching them.


"And we won't have to testify."


"Yeah."


They heard a knock on the door.  "That's McBain.  He has a thing for knocking."  Todd said.


"Who is it?" Blair said.


"It's John."


When they opened the door, their two faces peeped out through the crack, his over hers.  "Is it safe?" he asked.


John said, "Take a look."


The area they had previously been standing in was totally clear.  "John, you're a miracle worker," Blair said.  They exited the closet, and fixed themselves.  "He's nasty, John.  He's so nasty."  she added.


"You mean Todd, or..."  John began.


Todd said, "Everyone's a comedian."


"Just lightening it up.  He's nothing, Blair.  He's a bully, with money.  You know those types."  John said.


Todd rolled his eyes, "You're starting something that you can't keep up with, McBain.  Now don't make me regret telling my kids not to call you McPain anymore."


"Let's go, you ready?"  John said to the couple.


"I guess so.  If she is."  He said, looking at her.  She was radiant; her hair was perfect, her skin flawless, and her tummy perfectly round.


"I'm behind you,"  she said.


They went to the courtroom door, and John let them in, showing his badge.  He followed them inside, being first on the witness list.  They had missed opening statements.  Hesser turned around to see them enter the room, and sneered at them, his head turned away from the jury.


Blair found herself gripping Todd's hand tighter.  He said, under his breath, "Don't let him see you look, or see you afraid."  They sat, together, in the second row on the DA's side, and he took her hand, still holding it, and placed it on his thigh.  He said in a faint whisper, "It's okay."


Within a few moments, John took the stand.  Todd could barely concentrate on what he was saying.  He was asked a series of questions and gave non-emotional responses.  Everything was cut and dry, to the point, 'just the facts, ma'am.'  He never gave more information than he was asked.  When asked if he was familiar with the abuse suffered by Todd Manning, Zeus Zelenko and others, he simply said, "Yes.  Very familiar."


"Can you describe in detail, the nature of Zeus Zelenko's injuries?"


"Zeus was shot last year by Hesser, in front of several witnesses, including me.  He also was put through torture sessions that disabled his ability to think as an individual."


Todd shot a glance to Zeus, who he didn't remember would be in the courtroom until that moment.  Zeus seemed stoic, reserved.  Tea sat a row behind him.  He scanned the crowd for others, finding Sister Rebecca Katherine, who nodded to him, and Timothy, as well as Patrick and Marty.


"And what about Mr. Manning?"  The DA asked, and said, "I give you exhibit 31B.  Can you explain these photographs?"


The courtroom was filled with gasps and whispers as photographs of Todd's arms, back and torso were flashed across the screen.  He fidgeted, and sweat appeared on his forehead and under his nose.  Blair tightened her grip on his arm, and put her head against his shoulder.  Regardless of his sick stomach and slight panic, he sat up tall and firm.


"These are photographs after the recent kidnapping of Mr. Manning, upon his rescue in Ireland.  You're seeing the handiwork of Michael Leona, now deceased."  John explained.


"And what is this 'handiwork' as you put it?"


John looked directly at Todd, who nodded slightly and pursed his lips.  John said, "A ritualistic behavior pattern, method of torture, which rendered Mr. Manning, during his eight-year captivity, catatonic and unable to defend himself."


"What is this ritualistic behavior?"


John cleared his throat.  "He would cut a rectangle into the victim's skin, and then, grasping with the edge of the skinner..."


Blair stood up as Todd keeled over in the courtroom and hit the floor hard.  The judge shouted, "Clear this courtroom!"  


Blair was beside him, saying his name.  She turned him over and saw that he was staring to the ceiling, eyes open.  "No," she cried, "No, Todd!"


"No, Blair, I'm here," he said.  "I just felt, sick."


"It's all right.  We don't have to be here, we don't have to listen.  We can come back when it's our turn to talk,"  she looked up to John, and said, "It's too much for him!" and covered her mouth, crying.  "It's too much for anyone!  Damn it!!"


Sister Rebecca Katherine pushed through the group and took his hand.  "It's all right, my boy, the Lord is watching you.  He wants to bring peace to your heart."


A single tear ran from the corner of his right eye to the floor.  Still lying on his back, Todd said, "McBain, help me up, will ya?"


John put out a hand, and obliged, with the help of Timothy.  Zeus, who was standing nearby, said, "Todd, you okay?"


"I will be, sure."


"I had no idea, not all of that."  Zeus said.   "That fucker has to pay."


Todd nodded, and drinking the water that Tea brought to him, he sat back down, taking Blair's arm and putting it in the crook of his.  "John, I'm fine.  Go on.  Tell them to go on.  The sooner the better."


John went to the judge and after speaking to him a while, they saw the courtroom doors open, passes were checked and the trial resumed.


The DA said, "I'm hoping Mr. Manning is all right," to John, in his lawyer voice.  The jury was looking at Todd and Blair.  They did make the most beautiful couple.


"Yes, he'll be all right.  He was insistent that we continue."


Sister Rebecca Katherine, Timothy, and Patrick and Marty had moved closer to Todd and Blair.  The nun was right behind him, and put her hand on Todd's shoulder.  "God loves you, and Sister Becca Thrin does also." she whispered, causing him to recollect Sam and smile softly.


"You were saying, Lieutenant, that the injuries were sustained by cuts being made in the shape of a rectangle, is that correct?"


"Yes."  


McBain is sharp.  No more information than asked.


"Is that the whole procedure?"


"No, sir."


"Explain to us the rest of it."


Todd took a big breath and Blair, without thinking, covered her ears.


"Using the edge of the skinner, he would..."  John hesitated.  "He would remove the victim's skin."


The courtroom again buzzed with gasping and whispers.  The judge used the mallet.  "Order in this court.  There will be no further responses of that kind.  This is horrific enough for the victims, and there is no reason for histrionics."


"Was Mr. Manning awake during this procedure?"


"You'd have to ask Mr. Manning."


"According to your knowledge, Lieutenant McBain, was Mr. Manning awake, and unencumbered by drugs or medication?"


"Yes.  Yes he was."


Again the court rustled, but in a much more controlled fashion.  The DA went on, "And to your knowledge, what other types of abuse did Mr. Manning suffer?"


"To my knowledge," John said, looking at Todd, "He was beaten, electrocuted, though not during the last kidnapping in Ireland, cut, skinned and burned."


"Please stick to the incidents in Ireland, for now."


"Then all but electrocution, and also he was starved and dehydrated."


"Were there emotional tortures as well?"


"Yes."


"I have no further questions, your honor."


The judge said, "the defense's cross?"


"Lieutenant, do you have any proof whatsoever that Carlo Hesser was giving the orders to Michael Leona in Ireland?"


"Only what the witnesses have reported."


"Did you at any time see Carlo Hesser conversing with Michael Leona?"


"No, I did not."


"Did you at any time hear Carlo Hesser address Michael Leona?"


"No sir."


"Did you or any of the witnesses see Carlo Hesser speaking to Michael Leona while in Ireland?"


"Well,"


"When in IRELAND, during Mr. Manning's kidnapping, Lieutenant?"


"No, sir."


"No further questions."


Todd quietly leaned over to Blair, "We can't prove it.  I figured that."


"Wait, Todd, wait and see."  she whispered.


John left the stand.  Next to be called were three FBI agents who were part of the arrest.  The testimony went pretty much the same; when asked for a visual or auditory interaction between Leona and Carlo, no one could produce one.


Todd began to lose the ability to listen to the testimony, as it revolved around the terror and torment he endured.  Occasionally, he would catch a line or two, such as Sister Rebecca Katherine, saying, "Blair was beside herself when Todd was kidnapped.  It had a severe emotional impact on her and her children," or Timothy saying "Hesser was in the catacombs not ten feet from where Manning was held.  He was giving orders to the men in the room.  The Men of 21."


Finally, Blair was called to the stand.  She got up, and fixed her skirt and went to the witness box.  She did as Todd asked her; she did not put her eyes on Hesser.  She held up her right hand, and was sworn in.


"Please state your name for the court."


"Blair Manning."


"You're related to the victim?"


"He's my husband."


"Tell us about the evening that Todd was kidnapped from the penthouse in which you shared with him and your children."


Blair began, "I was getting the baby ready for bed, and he used the skinner as a lock pick, after stabbing our security guard.  He had the knife in one hand.  I looked up, and he was at the door."  She broke, trying to clear her throat.  "I remember, I put Little Ray's onesie on, and he was just there."  She broke down.  Trying to compose herself, her shaking hands took a tissue from the judge, as offered.  "I tried to scream but I couldn't.  I remembered him from before.  When I was abducted."


"You recognized who, Mrs. Manning?"


No nicknames.  "I remembered Michael Leona.  He had a very big mouth, and extremely large teeth.  He was smiling at us.  I put the baby down on the changing table, and put myself between him and the knife."  She took several breaths, and found Todd in the crowd.  He was nodding to her, and keeping himself together.  "It was the same one I watched him cut into Todd with when we were being held hostage."  She felt bile rising in her throat, and swallowed it down, saying, "May I have some water please?"


She was handed a glass of water, and saw Tea, rushing out of the room.  "I said to him, 'you will have to kill me to get to this baby.'  He just tapped the blade against his other hand."  Todd closed his eyes.  The tapping noise was still in his own mind, like yesterday, and he could hear it.  She went on, "He just stood, watching me.  I felt like he was enjoying the way I shook."


"Objection, the witness does not know the mental state of the perpetrator."


She said, "I'm sorry," and moved her jittery fingers to dab at her eyes.


The DA asked, "Can you tell us what happened next?"
  
"I asked him what he wanted, and he said..."  she gulped.  "He said, 'Simple.  You."

Reactions were heard from the crowd.  "Then, I threw up.  And I remember I said, 'whatever.  Just make sure it doesn't involve my son.'  He said he could not promise me that.  I offered to do what he wanted, and put the baby somewhere safe, and he just tapped..." she broke down again, then struggled to continue talking, "tapped that damn knife.  Then, he drew it back and sliced at me, cutting my nightie strap and slicing my skin.  Then he attacked me, trying to cut the rest of my nightgown off me.  I fought him.  He...put his mouth on my neck...and I spit at him."

Todd was bent over, head in his hands.  He had never heard what had actually happened between Blair and Leona that night.  He had never known how long she had to fend him off.  His stomach churned and he gripped the arm of the chair for strength.  Sister Rebecca Katherine got up and went to the chair Blair had previously been sitting in, and put her hand on his back, patting him gently.  Blair went on, "Well, that made him angry.  He pointed the knife at the baby and asked me to give him to him.  He said, 'you know me, you know what I am capable of,' and I leaned against him, and said, 'show me.'  He was...he was..." she bordered on hysterical.

"Take your time, Mrs. Manning."

She sighed and drank more water.  "He was excited.  You know, aroused." she crumpled the tissue.  "This went on for a while, he kept moving the knife from me to the baby.  I would have done anything to save my son."  She collapsed into tears.  Todd's hands were buried in his own hair, his head between his knees.  

She continued, "I thought he was going to take my offer, and then he said that he decided and wanted the baby.  And I tried to touch his face, to con him into taking me, and he....licked my hand, and I almost blacked out."  Her face was grotesquely twisted in disgust.  "I didn't black out because my husband was there," she found Todd's face and her voice, even now, showed relief.  "He was there, pulled a gun, but Leona had a knife on the baby and I, he threatened to cut my ear off.  Todd gave himself up, instead of us.  Leona said, 'the boss will be glad to see you again, Manning.  Remember the last time?  Carlo will be pleased.'"  Todd's head shot up.  He thought back and searched his memory.  He was certain that Leona never mentioned Carlo.  Certain.

Blair said, "Todd wouldn't let him have me, or Ray.  He was injected with something.  He was taken hostage.  He went with him willingly to save us,"  she cried into her hands, and then looked up and said, in a tearful whisper, "and he is forever my hero," and she sobbed, trying to stop herself and catch her breath. 

The judge said, "We should have a recess.  You may step down, Mrs. Manning."

Blair tried to get up, and struggled, she was crying too hard to move, but started to stand.  Before she could complete her efforts to leave the witness box, Todd walked, quick and determined, to her.  She collapsed against him, weeping, and in one movement, he lifted her in his arms, and carried her out of the courtroom.