Hope from the Ocean: 40

"There it is," Todd said aloud.  

He didn't realize anyone was listening when Aiden said, "You all right, Mate?"

"Yeah, I'm . . .I'm just fine."  He stared across the street at the Rialto Cinemas.  

"It's been a while since ya saw this place, eh?"

"Yep."

"We can turn back.  They can do it themselves, using y'ar map."

"I can do it."  

I do, My Love.  Save him and come home to me.  I'm so proud to be your wife, Todd.

"Then, we should go.  The rest are already there."  Aiden said.

Todd followed Aiden into the theater through a broken window that he believed in his heart was cracked through by his own wife and Sister Rebecca Katherine.  Landing inside, a small group had already formed.  Aiden said, "Let's go quietly into the theater.  The lights are likely off, since no electricity has been used here in years.  Everyone have a flashlight?"

There were agreements all around.  Aiden said, "Good.  Let's go gentle into that good night, men, and bring out Thornhart and bring down The Men of 21 once and for all."

***

"Timothy, I want answers, and I want them now," John said.

"I don't know the question, so how can I answer ya?"

"Where's Manning?"

"What do ya mean?"

"I'm losing my patience.  Starr says he's not at home, he's not anywhere.  I can hear Blair in the background sobbing.  I don't want another death, and certainly not his.  Where is he?"

"Oh Dear, a bit of a mess, ay?"

"A bit."

"He's with the RA21.  Going rogue to save Thornhart.  Blair gave him her blessing."

"Right, as she falls apart and gets her blood pressure through the ceiling."

"Still, this is what he needed to do, John.  Ya can make a difference by protecting him, if he needs it, but those men intend to do just that."

"Why would they bother?"

"Lieutenant, are ya familiar with the term 'legend?'"

***

The nine of them were ducked behind a row of seats, and Todd was sweating.  He could feel it seeping through his clothes, and matting his hair.  Aiden looked at him.  He whispered, "Ya don't look so good, Matey."

"I . . . feel weird."  It was the place.  He could almost hear Blair screaming.  And he could remember, somehow, floating above himself and watching the scene.  John was there, Shaun, Blair hit the wall and slid to the floor.  He was dying.  He was watching himself die.  

"Colin, Rory, go and take those guards.  When it's clear, whistle and we will come down to infiltrate the passages.  Todd's going to lead," Aiden said.  Then turning back to Todd, he said, "Aren't ya?"

Todd wiped his brow on his sleeve.  "Yeah, I am.  I'm fine."  Get it together.  You've done worse.  Remember, the house?  The chamber?  You've got this licked.  Who trumps who?  Leona?  Peter Manning?  He straightened up and said, "When do we go?"

"In a minute, eh?  Hang, on, they're taking them."  Todd heard a scream from one of the guards, and jumped.  Aiden said, "They slit their throats.  The only way without making noise to alert the others.  The scream is a fluke.  Usually, we don't get that."

Todd was shaken.  The idea of just slitting a man's throat without provocation didn't really appeal to him, but then, he'd forgotten who the men of the RA21 were: violent vigilantes, also on the United States terrorist list.  They were no different, in essence, just in motivation and ultimate goal.  The whistle sounded, and the seven of them moved forward toward the catacombs entrance.  

Todd hesitated, for only a moment, before he turned and said, "I'm going to push through as fast as I can, get us to the secret door.  What happens after that?"

"Colin and Rory stay here, assume the role of the guards, and fend off more intruders.  Ya and Aiden lead the way in, we stay behind.  If we run into anyone who threatens us, we'll take care of it, our way."  This was Darren, the kid.  Todd felt sick, but he knew it almost had to be done to get Patrick back safely.  

He took a breath.  "Let's go," and headed in.  Immediately, the smell overcame him; the musty, wettish, soil smell that he dreaded.  The memories were flooding back.  

Aiden, noticing his expression, said, "Todd, are ya all right?  Do ya need time?"

Todd struggled to bring himself to composure and control.

Darren, who was watching carefully, said, "Take this.  If ya won't drink it, then smell it," and handed Todd the bottle.  He took a long swig from it, and inhaled it deeply.  It helped, bringing him out of the haze created by the familiar odor.  

"Thanks, kid," he said handing it back.

"Someday, will ya tell me everything ya went through?  The whole thing?"  Darren asked.

Aiden jumped in, "We can't be thinking of that now, Todd has to focus on getting us there."

Todd turned to the Opie lookalike and said, "Yeah, sure.  I'll tell you everything," and he pushed ahead.  He followed every turn and twist easily.  When faced with a fork, he never hesitated.  He would close his eyes, and imagine being back in Leona's clutches, and it would come to him.  Finally, when they were almost to the halfway point, he stopped.

Aiden said, "Todd, what is it?"

"Can you hear it?"

"Hear what?"  William said.

"Shh," Aiden jumped in, and all went silent.  They could hear faint noises, like men, yelling, off to the side.  In a small side compartment, they saw it blocked off with rubble.  

It was the Feds.  "We have to get them out," Todd said.

"Who cares about those two?  We're short on time," William said.

Todd said, "Please.  We can't.  They're Americans.  They have families, like me."  He wasn't able to live with the idea of two men trapped in the catacombs until they suffocated or died of thirst.

William and Darren started to dig, and after a few minutes, the extra men also joined in.  Todd took a breather.  He knew he wasn't doing as well as he had convinced himself.  Aiden said, "Are ya able to go on?"

Todd didn't answer.

"We've got it!  They're moving shit out of the way on the other side," Darren said.  

Soon, the Feds were freed, and Todd said, "William, can you lead them out?"

"Is that what ya want me to do, Todd?"

He nodded.

"Aiden?"  William said.

"Ya should.  Todd's right.  American agents.  We're better off responsible for their lives than their deaths."  Aiden said.  This prompted William to start to lead the Feds out.  

"That way," Todd pointed, "Is the main room.  That's where they plan to kill him, while they all watch."

The men were silent.  Even Darren, who couldn't hide his fascination with it all, stood motionless.

Todd said, "We go this way," and led them off slightly to the right.

Forging on for the better part of an hour, and realizing he was coming closer, Todd began to falter.  He had to fight, harder, to keep the images of Leona's last day on earth from his mind.  He told himself to remain steadfast, and pictured Blair, in her red sweater and jeans, just hours before, telling him she loved him.  He kept her face in his head, as he promised, and with every step, he brought her voice to his mind by letting himself repeat her words, and as things got harder, her singing.  Finally, he stopped, and his breathing was elevated.  "It's there.  Not ten or fifteen feet ahead around that bend."

Without warning, footsteps came toward them, from the direction of the secret cell, and the moments passed swiftly.  Every event seemed connected to the next as all of the men stood quickly erect, pulling knives from boots, and freezing in wait.  Todd, pulling nothing from his boots or waistband, was at the front and center of the group, and felt exposed and singled-out as the enemy came into view.  Around the bend came the foe, in fatigues, dressed just as the guards were at the opening of the catacombs, and as he walked into their midst, he pulled a gun.  Todd had little time to react, and with his reflexes slowed by his re-experiencing his traumas, he stood, an open target.  Darren charged the assailant, knife in hand, stepping in front of the gun that was aimed directly at Todd.  The shot was piercing inside the tunnel, and Darren went down at the same time that his knife connected, slicing through the shooter's throat.

"Oh, God," Todd said, "not the kid."

Aiden, who had covered his ears after the shot, fell to the ground, wincing in pain and holding his head.  The shot.  It had triggered something . . . meanwhile, chaos ensued.  Todd went to Darren, and looked across to Aiden.

Todd checked for a pulse on Darren.  "He's alive."  Todd took a deep breath.  I'm proud to be your wife, Todd.  You're my celeb.  Come home to me.  

He looked up.  There in front of him was none other than John McBain.

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