Todd's Saga 4: Bayou Intrigue

He stood in the Louisiana heat, took off his hat and ran his forearm across his forehead.  He was covered in dust and sweat from working with the road crew.  Working so close to the bayous was like working in a steam room daily. The humidity and insects were intense.  Using his hat he swatted away a couple of hungry mosquitoes from his other forearm.   When he had first started the job, he had gone home exhausted for several days, but then his body had adjusted and he had soon gotten into the swing of things.  He had thought himself in pretty good shape before, but now every muscle was toned and rock hard from the workout he had been giving it daily.  He slipped his hat back on and proceeded to shovel some more asphalt where needed.  At the same time, he kept an eye on the fenced off compound, set back just off the road from where he was working.

****

Three weeks earlier:

Blair giggled, hopped off the airbed and pulled Todd to his feet. “Hey, I know we got a little sidetracked,” she blushed becomingly, “but I’m starving.  You had that table all set for what looked like dinner. Have you got anything here to eat?”

Todd looked her up and down and smiled wickedly  “I’m looking at it.”

“Tawd,” she swiped at him “Seriously, I’m hungry.”

He smiled again and reached down for her clothes. “Then you better get dressed.  Right now you’re all I can think of.  If you want me to think about something else you’ll have to stop being a distraction.”

Blair grinned and hugged him, rubbing against him suggestively before grabbing her clothes and dashing to the other side of the room.  Todd chuckled and shook his head, then reached for his own clothes and started dressing too.  When he was finished he walked over to the small refrigerator sitting in the corner and removed several cartons that Blair instantly recognized. 

“Chinese, Mr. Manning?”

“What else, Mrs. Manning.”  On top of the refrigerator sat a microwave and Todd quickly had their dinner heated up.  He brought the containers over to the table and set them down.  Then he reached for the wine that had been chilling all night. He opened it and was beginning to pour when Blair stopped him. 

“Not for me.  I don’t suppose you have any sparkling water around here?” She looked around.

Todd was surprised and then everything clicked in his head; Blair rushing to the bathroom the previous morning, her looking at the calendar, not drinking.  “Blair, are you trying to tell me something?”

Her smile was radiant. “Don’t act so surprised.  It’s never taken more than one or two times with us.  You know that.” She watched him drop into his seat.  “It’s true.  I double-checked,  We’re going to have another baby.  When I found out I was so excited.  I didn’t know when I would get a chance to tell you and then you left me the phone.  Oh, Todd, I’m so glad you’re home.”

Todd was overjoyed at the baby news, but then he heard Blair’s final words.   He reached across the table and gently took her hands.  “Blair, you know I can’t stay.  I still need to find Victor.  These last four weeks have been nothing but a wild goose chase, but I don’t have any other options.  I have to try and track down where they’re holding him.   I’ve been followed every step of the way and only managed to lose my shadow yesterday.  They’re going to find out soon I eluded them, and the first place they’ll try and pick up my trail is back here.”

Blair listened, and her heart sank.  She knew he was right, but it didn’t stop her from wanting this whole thing finished.  Why was this organization doing this?  Her eyes filled with tears. “Why?  Why can’t they leave us alone?  They have Victor.  I still don’t understand why you had to go too.  You say you’ve been followed.  What is this about a wild goose chase?  What haven’t you told me?” 

Todd sighed and reached into his shirt pocket extracting the last note he received. “I got this right before I left town.” He let her read it.  “I think it might be where they’re holding Victor and from the rest of the note, you know what they want me to do.  I’ve been trying to find out exactly where that address is, but so far I’ve gotten nothing but a lot of air miles. I swear, I’m not going to follow through with the second part of that note, but if it helps me find Victor then I have to go.  You understand?  Right now, my following that note is what is keeping you and everyone else safe.”

Blair nodded, and her tears began falling.  Todd moved from his seat and pulled her into his arms.  “Babe, I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to get your hopes up.” He held her as she cried softly on his shoulder, then she sniffled and raised her head.

“It’s okay.” She said still trying to get her emotions under control.  There was a catch in her voice as she continued and gripped his shirt at the collar.  “I know you’re doing this because you have to.  It doesn’t mean I have to like it and besides,  it’s the hormones.  I guess I’m going to have to work on keeping my cool around Shelter and home.  I might be keeping our marriage a secret, but I’ll shout it to the rooftops that you’re the father of this child, and I don’t care if everyone disapproves.”

Todd raised her chin and looked into her emerald eyes.  “That’s the Blair Manning, I know and love.  I’ll be back again, but it might be like this time, a brief interlude. Just don’t give up.  I will find Victor, and together we’re going to find a way to bring down this organization.  Now you should eat, you’re eating for two.  That’s one baby that isn’t going to come early and no matter what, I’ll be here to see him or her grow up. That‘s a promise.”  Todd sat her down and watched as she ate.  A short time later, he glanced at his watch. “The early shift will be arriving soon.  You need to go.”   He waited as she took off her rings and put them back on her chain and then had him put it back around her neck.  He gently kissed the nape of her neck as she reached back and caressed his ear one last time.  Then she turned in his arms, and they exchanged one last searing kiss.  As it ended, he stood his forehead against hers. “I love you, and I’ll keep in touch.  Don’t lose that phone.”

She whispered back. “I love you too. Please be careful and come home soon.” 

 Todd gently shoved her out the door and watched to make sure no one saw her leave.  After clearing the room of food,  he turned and grabbed the control, and took one last look at the rest of his family.  As he departed through the back alley behind the Manning Building, his phone rang.  “Hello, what happened?”  He listened and frowned. “He didn’t get taken did he?”  Again he listened. “Good, I'll be there in about five hours.  Meet me. “  Todd ended the call.   Shortly after lunch, he exited the plane at Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Standing, waiting at the bottom, stood his old pal, Agent Baker.  

****

Todd patted the asphalt down and moved to the next pothole.  He took off his gloves for a moment and looked at the calluses beginning to form and remembered what had brought him to the current moment. 

 After landing in Baton Rouge, Baker had brought him up to speed with what had occurred when his double had arrived in Louisiana.  Todd wasn’t surprised.  He had expected trouble somewhere along his wild goose chase. It still disturbed him that it happened in Louisiana.  Just stepping off the plane into the oppressive heat of Baton Rouge had brought back unwanted memories.  Memories of electric chairs, drugs, and oblivion. Also, memories of struggling and getting free and catching a strange plane in the muggy heat, confused but determined to get away from the people who had held him.  Baker informed him that someone had moved into his Mother’s old complex, and Todd had felt a chill run down his back.  He hadn’t realized the compound was that close. Then he was told that the strangers had tried to snatch his double.  They would have succeeded if Baker hadn’t been on the job.  Unfortunately, with the failed attempt to get him,  it had become obvious to the organization that Todd wasn’t playing by their rules any longer, and the manhunt for him had increased.  

Todd had been forced to disappear off the radar.  His only contacts were with Baker and Blair.  He could no longer remain the rich publisher, so he had slipped into the life of a highway construction worker after noting the county working on the roads surrounding the area Baker said the compound was located.  With some well-placed funds dropped into greedy county officials' hands, he had joined the ranks of the working man.

“Hey, Lord, get your head out of the clouds and move unless you want to become part of the road.” yelled his road boss.

Todd jumped back as the steamroller almost flattened him.  He heard the laughter of the other men in the crew and made a big show of feigning relief and went back to work.  Over the course of the last two weeks, he had managed to find out approximately how many men worked in the compound, and he had figured out who they were.  He and his work buddies had been approached several times at the local bar by the guys from the compound.  It seemed they were looking for recruits.  They promised good pay, but you had to join up with the organization.  The big message they professed.  “Heed the Messenger.”

Todd had been in the midst of swallowing a large gulp of beer when the man in charge of the compound guys made the statement.  He choked as some went down his windpipe in surprise.  That had been the last thing he had expected.  As he wiped off his mouth, he looked over at the man and noted something else.  The man had a tattoo on his left wrist, exactly like Victor’s.  Somehow, Mitch’s followers were now working for the organization, and where Mitch’s followers were, Alison Perkins wouldn’t be far away.


*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Your comments are 'payment' for the work of the authors. Our writers like to hear your feedback. Please leave a comment when you read.