Viki glanced over at her younger brother. She knew from the way he attacked his food, he was angry with her. Both men looked like they had seen better days. Clint worried her. His color was off, but he was definitely happy to see her and was making every effort to appear fine. She wondered if whoever had been holding him had considered his new heart. Todd, on the other hand, looked exhausted. Blair was right, he was obviously not getting enough sleep. “From the looks of both of you, you need me here more than you’re willing to let on. Clint, I can’t believe someone just took you out of the hospital.”
“It wasn’t just any someone Viki, it was Alison Perkins.” Todd interjected. “I know Blair told you about the compound. Well Alison’s running the show there and Clint’s been their guest for some time. Viki, they were drugging him, more than likely even before the gala.” Todd watched his sister. He needed her to understand just what kind of people they were dealing with.
Viki gasped as it became clear what Todd was saying. “You mean he was drugged the night of the gala and not just drunk?”
Todd nodded. “I’m guessing he wasn’t the only one drugged that night. Blair told me something about Natalie having a dream or something where she thought she saw Alison in Clint’s room. Ten to one she really did, but they got to her and made her believe otherwise.”
Clint just grimaced. “I can’t believe I made such a fool of myself that night. Can you ever forgive me? When Todd found me, I was so confused, I couldn’t even tell you the day or how long I had been held. In fact, I thought your brother was lying to me when he said I had been missing for six months. Then he showed me these.” He pushed up his sleeve. The needle marks were still fresh from his last few sessions with Baker. “That woman has been keeping me in a stupor and doing who knows what to me. Today my thoughts are a little clearer. You have no idea the good it did me to hear your voice this morning.”
Viki’s head was reeling. To suddenly find out that Clint as well as Natalie had been drugged scared her, but seeing Clint’s expression she quickly reassured him. “Clint, it did me wonders to hear your voice, too. When Blair came over for lunch, we decided you needed some help. Todd, can’t you see Clint is still shaky?” She looked at Todd, but he just stared stoically back at her. Frustrated with her younger brother, she turned back to Clint. “You said something to Todd when he asked you about me. What did you mean when you said you were babysitting Victor?” The silence was deafening. “One of you better talk, or I’m going to go upstairs and find Victor and ask him.”
“Viki, you can’t.” Todd reacted quickly, grabbing her arm before she could leave her chair. “Look, you’re not going to like this but Victor is tied up in a bed upstairs. We can’t let him loose or he’ll go straight back to Alison and tell her where we are. Hell, the whole point of going into that damn place was to find the both of them. I couldn’t just leave him in the compound, not after he tried to stop Clint and me. I promised Tea I would bring him back alive. I just never planned on finding Victor working for Alison.”
Viki frowned across the table. “Wait. You have him tied up?” She was disappointed. It appeared Todd had decided to get back at Victor a little bit. “Todd, you know he was held by Sam’s mother for months. Do you have any idea how being tied up must be affecting him?”
Todd let go of her arm as if scalded. “God, Viki, how can you ask that!?” He thought she understood him. He couldn’t stand the disappointment he saw in her eyes. The pain he felt from that look burned deep. Todd laughed rather harshly. “Months, uh, well, forgive my insensitivity. How could I possibly do that to the man who tried to kill me eight months ago and almost succeeded? I guess it’s just my monster coming out again.” He got up and left before he said too much more.
Viki gasped at Todd’s reaction, staring in shock at his retreating back.
Clint watched Todd leave. For one brief moment, he had seen very real pain cross Todd’s face and then he had morphed into the angry man Clint knew all too well. “Viki, what just happened?”
Viki turned to Clint with tears in her eyes. “I can’t believe I hurt him like that. I wasn’t thinking. Of course he knows what Victor is going through upstairs. Todd’s so strong, I keep forgetting that Irene held him for years. Years, Clint, and I was chastising him because Victor was held for months.” She brushed away her tears.
Clint nodded, now he understood the pain that he had seen. “Alright, I get it, but you’re right about one thing. Your brother is made of some pretty stern stuff, Viki. That’s why he’s still here. He’s stronger than me that’s for sure, and Victor can’t hold a candle to him. Hell, I think he could match Asa, toe to toe. I see now, just how alike you both are. You need to understand that he didn’t want to tie Victor up, but we didn’t have a choice. Alison and her cronies made your brother believe that Tea and Dani are dead and that Todd is responsible. He seems determined to get at Todd and finish the job he started in Llanview. We’ve tried to tell him Dani and Tea are fine, but he won’t believe either one of us.” Clint reached across the table and gave Viki’s hand a pat. “You didn’t mean to hurt him. I think he knows that.”
Viki stood up from the table. “I need to go find Todd. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him in that much pain, and this time I caused it.”
“You go ahead Viki. I’ll make a tray for Victor. I know I haven’t liked Todd all that much over the years after what he did to Kevin and then later to you, but this time I owe him. I know they did something to me in that compound. I can feel it when Todd starts talking about the organization. Something in me wants to defend it, but knowing they drugged me makes me want to fight them more. For the time being, I think Todd is right. Victor needs to stay tied up until we can get through to him.”
****
Todd walked up and down the veranda, struggling to breathe. The anxiety he had kept in check all through dinner had turned into a full blown panic attack. He paused and leaned against a column. Did she really think he got a perverse pleasure out of tying up Victor? Please, God, not Viki, too. He could take the condemnation from everyone but Blair and Viki. He loved them both and he needed them. Their love kept him grounded. Wrapping his arms close to his body he fought for the control he needed to re-enter the house.
Viki watched silently as her brother paced. She could see the sheen on his face indicating he was stressed. Just great Victoria, you come to help your brother and instead you end up upsetting him. You need to make this right. She walked over to where Todd had stopped. He was so deep in his own thoughts he didn’t even realize she was next to him. “Todd.” She touched his arm and jumped when he reacted to her touch and skittered away from her. “I’m sorry. I truly am. I can’t forgive myself for being so thoughtless. You’ve exiled yourself for all our sakes, and here I was criticizing you for the way you’ve handled rescuing Clint and Victor.”
No longer under Clint’s scrutiny, Todd looked at his sister and let down his cold facade. “Did you really think I relished holding Victor prisoner? I’m not that man anymore, Viki.” The anguish in his voice was palpable.
Viki walked toward him slowly, stopping directly in front of him. “I know you’re not. I hurt you, and I never meant to. I was just taken by surprise when I heard you and Clint had Victor tied up. That’s no excuse for forgetting just how long you were Irene’s prisoner. That was unforgivable of me. I marvel at you, Todd. You’ve withstood so much and none of us acknowledged what you went through to get home to us. It’s my turn to ask for your forgiveness.” She took his face in her hands. “Can you forgive me for being the insensitive one? And more importantly, can you believe me when I say I’ve never thought of you as a monster?”
Todd blinked away the tears threatening to fall. He slowly nodded his head and his sister drew him into her hug. After all those years without any loving touches, Todd now gave into any intimate moments that proved someone cared for him. After a minute he released his sister and backed away and drew in a big breath. “I forgive you, but I’m still sending you back home in the morning.”
Todd’s comment brought a small smile to her face. “We’ll see. It’s a little chilly out here. Do you think we could return inside to continue this discussion?” Viki rubbed her hands up and down her arms. As she figured, Todd quickly acceded to her wishes and escorted her back inside. She turned to him at the bottom of the stairs. “I want to see Victor. After what Clint told me, whether you believe it or not, you do need me. I might be able to help convince Victor that Tea and Dani are alive.”
Todd shook his head no. He was ready to get into it with her, but she ignored him and started up the stairs. “Viki, wait.” She never even slowed down. “Damn It! When did you become so stubborn?” He grumbled under his breath as he followed her up.
****
Victor looked up as Clint entered the room with a tray. “It’s about time. You keep telling me you’re the good guys and here you are, letting me starve.”
Clint chuckled “You’re hardly starving and except for being tied up, I’d say you have it pretty comfortable here. It wasn’t very nice of you to go after Todd’s throat this morning. If you would just cooperate and agree to keep our secret, he might decide to set you free.”
“I don’t understand you, Clint. The organization was trying to help you. You needed therapy. You have no idea how sick you’ve been.”
“I think I have a pretty good grasp of the situation, Victor.” Clint set the tray down on the table beside the bed and looked down at Victor. “I was sick, but it was because they made me sick.”
“That’s a lie my brother has been feeding you. Look at me. The organization saved my life after he tried to kill me. Now he’s killed Tea and Dani and he’s walking around as if nothing happened. I was confused when I was home for a while. I even tried to have a truce with him for our family’s sake, but the organization showed me the truth about him. He’s the real danger to everyone, and that’s why they have been looking for him.”
“Victor, I’m still a little fuzzy from everything your people did to me, but Tea and Dani were fine when I saw them last. You’re the one who’s a danger. Do you even remember strangling him before you left town? I do. Jack found him lying where you left him. Viki was beside herself, You disappeared and Todd almost died. Ask yourself this. If he’s such a danger, why didn’t he just kill you in the compound?” Clint sat down next to the bed. “Why, if he’s the bad guy you say he is, did he help me? I don’t remember a whole lot about the night I collapsed, but I do remember seeing Alison getting ready to inject me with something and I have a vague memory of someone screaming. It seems to me, she’s the villain, not Todd.” Clint reached up and pulled Victor’s sleeve down exposing needle track marks similar to his own. “How do you explain, those, Victor?”
Victor looked bewildered. “What the hell are you talking about? Explain what? There’s nothing there but the tattoo.”
Clint shook his head, “There’s more than a tattoo. You have needle marks all over your arm. Don’t you see them?”
“You’re crazy, Clint. See you’re not well, you’re seeing things. Let me go, I’ll take you back and we’ll let the organization take care of Todd. He needs to be eliminated, he’s been a stumbling block long enough. Once he’s out of the way, we’ll be able to proceed without any further problems. Remember Clint, we must protect the Organization at all cost.” Victor watched as Clint stopped moving and stared off vacantly. “Do you understand me, Clint?’ You agree, don’t you? Say it, Clint. The Organization must be Protected at all cost.”
“The organization must be protected at all cost,” Clint said in a monotone.
Victor smiled. “It is our duty to help the Organization.”
“It is our duty to help the Organization,” Clint responded back.
“Release me, Clint. Together we’ll overpower Todd and take him to the organization. “
Viki had come to a halt outside Victor’s room and had listened in stunned silence to the tail end of the conversation. As Clint began to reach for Victor’s cuffs, she realized that something was off with him. Horrified by what that meant, she screamed. “Clint, Stop!“
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