"Mom, Dad, we're so glad you're safe. Mom, Aunt Vicki told us about the escape attempt, are you doing alright?" Starr asked barely letting them get their bags down.
"Starr, I'm fine and your father is too. How has everything been going here? Jack and Sam, are you settling into school?" Blair was talking and dispensing hugs at the same time. " Just to let you know, we're hopeful this stay won't be as long as we feared, to begin with. A couple of months at the most. Then we might be able to go home."
"Dad, does that mean the threat is over?" Starr looked at her dad, as she hugged him and she realized he wasn't really looking at her like he had when they left. "Dad, what happened?"
Todd knew what Starr was asking but didn't know quite how to answer it. "It's a convoluted story, Starr, if you'll let your mother and I get settled, we'll tell the whole tale." By the time they were finished unpacking, Addie had lunch set out and everyone sat down to eat. Addie had wisely ordered sandwiches and soon all were munching happily. After lunch, they all moved to the sitting room and Blair told the story of the escape attempt. Sam and Jack looked at Todd in awe. He had singlehandedly captured the two men and saved their mom.
Then Jack asked the question that Starr had brought up earlier. "How come you're not using the ring to see right now?"
"I can't," said Todd. "The doctor wants me to give my system a rest and we're not sure the ring will even work any longer. We've never been able to figure out why it helped me see, but it's possible it worked because there were still pieces of the implant still inside me. With this last surgery, the doctor might have removed the piece of implant that was enabling me to see in the first place. We just don't know, either way, he doesn't want me to attempt to use the ring right now. Since your mom, agrees with him, I have to go along with it for now."
Jack looked over at his mom. "But if it will help him to see, why won't you let him wear it."
"Because Jack, it was hurting him more than helping him. Something was making your father sick and the ring might have been the cause. I'd rather have him blind and alive, then sighted and dead." Blair knew it was a shock for them to hear, but she wanted them to know the truth. Hope and Sam were too young to really understand what she was talking about but Jack and Starr weren't.
Jack looked at his mom and over at his dad who was frowning. "Mom 's telling the truth, isn't she."
Todd wasn't happy that Blair had told them about the ring, but he answered Jack. "It's possible there was a problem with the ring. Like I said, for now, no ring."
"Then you're really blind?" asked Jack
"Maybe, there has been a little improvement since I initially woke up after surgery. I'm hopeful with time something might improve. I'm alive and I was blind before I found out the implants would help me see. I'm just back to square one you might say. My biggest regret right now is that I'm unable to see any of you." Todd felt a little hand slip into his and then Hope was climbing onto his lap.
"It ok dragon. We help you," said Hope snuggling up close to her dragon.
Todd hugged his granddaughter, she always had a way of making him feel special. "Thank you Princess Shorty, I'd love any help you can give me." With that matter cleared up, the discussion changed to something less dramatic. The rest of the afternoon was spent finding out about the schools and how they were settling in. Todd was deep in a discussion with Jack and Sam concerning an intricate video game when the phone rang. Blair picked it up and after a brief discussion walked over to Todd.
"Amos is on the phone. Why don't you take it in the bedroom and you can lay down and take it easy while you do it." Todd nodded and Blair led him to their room. The minute he laid down, fatigue hit him, but he couldn't give into it and picked up the phone to talk to his boss. "Amos what have you got for me."
"Tom, I'm glad you're back. My sources, down at the docks, tell me three men have been scouring the docks trying to find anyone who might have seen you down there. A dockworker named Bernie was beaten pretty badly. They found out a dockworker named Tom had worked with him for a few days before the raids went down and when he couldn't give them any more than a first name, they took their anger out on him."
Todd's hand tightened on the phone."Amos, how bad was it."
"He's going to live, but he'll be unable to work for a while. He dummied up when the cops tried to get a description of the guys who beat him. My guess is, they threatened his life or his family if he said anything to the cops. These guys want you bad."
"I hear you, Amos. I'm not going to the docks anytime soon. Do you know if Bernie is still at the hospital?"
"Not sure Tom, but the beating took place just a day ago, so probably. I've got another reason for this call. Word has reached here that the master criminal Carlo Hesser and Dr. Kipling were found guilty but are now facing new charges of murder. How about an exclusive interview with you and your wife? I hear things got tense, something about an escape attempt and hostage situation."
Todd had to smile at that, Amos was always a newspaper man first. "I'm afraid the situation is still rather sensitive, Amos. I won't draw attention to our whereabouts so the answer will have to be no."
"Well, you can't blame a man for trying. What are you going to do about these men looking for you?"
"I'm going to have to stay clear of the Dock, which hampers my investigation a little bit. Have the Feds released the ship yet?"
"Yeah, heard they're going to have to let it leave tomorrow."
"Damn, that's a link I didn't want to be broken just yet. I'm working on this lead I have, tying this whole thing to someone pretty high up in the Daimler Corporation. If I succeed, you'll have my final story. In the meantime, any information as to the recent whereabouts of those three men will be extremely helpful. I've got a friend who's down here to help me, with luck those three won't be hurting any more people on the docks. Thanks for the update. I'll keep in touch." Todd put the phone down.
He wasn't happy to hear about Bernie, and he remembered from talking with the guy, he had a family to support. Todd called the hospital and found out Bernie was still there, next he called his bank and withdrew an amount that would give Bernie some healing time. Todd then had that messengered over to Bernie anonymously with a message of thanks. Hanging up the phone he stretched out on the bed and gave into the fatigue.
Blair checked on him later and found him sleeping somewhat fitfully. Hope followed her in and climbed up on the bed and snuggled close to her grandfather. Blair watched as Todd's arm wrapped around her small form and he quieted and began sleeping peacefully. Hope too nodded off in her dragon's arms. Blair smiled and left them to sleep.
Todd awoke because he was being tickled. She was giggling softly and trying to get his attention. Todd couldn't see her, but her little laugh was pure joy to listen too. "Someone is disturbing my sleep" growled her dragon and Hope laughed all the harder as his hand reached out and started tickling her. Soon he was bouncing her on the bed, listening to her laugh, his heart lighter than it had been in days.
The next thing Todd knew someone else had jumped on the bed and began laughing and bouncing up and down. It was Sam. Todd wrestled the little boy to the bed and growled. "Who's this, who interrupts my play time." Sam squealed and laughed even harder as Todd began to tickle him the way he had Hope. Todd soon had both of them hiccuping from laughter and he figured he should give them a break, but he no sooner let up on them, when they piled on him pushing him down on the bed crawling and sitting on him.
Blair and Starr heard Todd yelling uncle and laughing. Since he rarely did either they rushed to see what had happened and found Sam and Hope lying across his upper body holding onto the bedspread to keep from being bucked off by Todd. They could see the children needed help so they each anchored down a leg.
When he felt his legs grabbed, it caught him by surprise, then he heard Blair and Starr join in the laughter. "Hey, no fair. It's four against one."
"Oh Kids, the big bad dragon is trapped. What's he going to do now?" said Blair laughing.
Todd stopped struggling and Blair looked at her husband. She looked across at Starr and said "Oh oh. Look out."
Because he had gotten so quiet. The kids had let go of the bedspread and suddenly Todd sat up causing Sam and Hope to roll off his chest. He quickly grabbed them in a bear hug, growling ferociously. All of them were laughing as Blair and Starr let go of his feet and tried to free Sam and Hope from his arms. Together Starr and Blair started tickling him, causing him to release the children and raised his arms in surrender.
"Okay, I give up." Todd was trying to catch his breath.
Hope wrapped her arms around his neck and said. "I love you."
"I love you too," he said holding her tightly. He held her just a little longer and then let Starr take her. He went to get out of bed and immediately sat back down. Even though he couldn't see it hadn't stopped the feeling of spinning that had just occurred. He waited for the sensation to stop, knowing it had probably happened because he had hyperventilated, he had been laughing so hard.
Blair rushed to him, "Todd what's the matter."
"It's nothing I just got a little dizzy, from laughing so long. Guess I wasn't taking in enough air." He again tried to stand and this time everything remained stable. "See, I'm fine. Blair where did you put the new cane."
Blair breathed a sigh of relief, "It's on the nightstand to your right Todd."
He reached over and unfolded the cane and headed for the door of the bedroom. "I need to make a trip down to the hospital. Sorry I have to cut our fun short kids, but this is something dragon has to do," he couldn't help but smile when he heard Sam grumble as he walked back down the hall. Starr carried a protesting Hope out of the room, but she settled down when her mom said something about a snack. Todd started to leave the room only to find it blocked by Blair.
"You're not going anywhere without me." she was determined to not let him out of her sight, not with three mercenaries gunning for him.
Blair, I don't want you messed up in this any more than you already are. I don't know if those guys saw you the night of the raid or not. If Daimler and his pals are monitoring Kym's visitors, then they know about me, and I can live with that, but you need to stay off their radar."
"Alright if you won't let me go, then you should take John. Besides you need to find him a place to stay while he's down here. He's down here to help you, we owe him that."
Todd could hear the determination in her voice and
John showed up about a half an hour later and after John tried to talk Todd out of his visit to the hospital, to no avail, they departed. They arrived at the hospital, and John led Todd in and up to the prison ward. Todd went to the counter to alert them he was there to see Kym. They rang the door for him to entered and then the guard stopped them when John came through with him. John showed his badge and after a little discussion, they told John where Kym's room was. No one said anything to Todd about his blindness, but he was sure they were all curious. As they approached the room John saw another policeman ahead.
"Todd, why all the security around Kym's room?" asked John.
"My bad, I forgot to tell you, someone tried to kill Kym the night before we left for Llanview. I've been unable to even check on her status since that night. John, she's pretty sensitive right now. I'll go in alone."
They reached the policeman and while John showed his badge again, Todd opened the door and carefully stepped in. He stood by the door trying to decide if he should just attempt to find the bed or get some help from Kym. Deciding the latter, he said. "Kym, how are you doing." He was caught by surprised when Kym suddenly hugged him. "That bad Huh?" she was sobbing softly into his shoulder. "Alright tell Uncle Tom everything," he gently pulled her free. If only he could see her, he had no way of knowing if she really was okay.
Kym looked up at Tom, she had been so happy to see him. She had been in and out of it for awhile after someone had poisoned her, and it had bothered her when he hadn't come to visit. She had thought that maybe Tom had also been targeted. Especially when her lawyer said Tom was unavailable.
"Thank God you're okay, but why are you using your cane today? You don't have to pretend to be blind around me."
Todd walked over to the bed using his cane and found the chair next to it. "Well you see, I never pretended to be blind Kym, I am. I guess you could say there were days when I could see certain things and appear sighted but in reality, I've been blind for months. Recent events have just taken away those few sighted days."
"You mean you really can't see. So when you played that game in the crates to get Frank and company to go to you, so I could get Lily out, you really were blind."
"Yes. I know you're wondering how I took down Sid, and all I can say was that was one of those times when I regained my sight for a short period, and it enabled me to see Sid. It's hard to understand and I'm still hopeful those periods of sight will return but for now, I'm back to being the guy you met on the dock that day. Kym, have you had any more visitors that have scared or hurt you?"
"No, the police have been doing double duty and the only visitor I've had since you were here, has been the lawyer you sent me. I go to court tomorrow and he believes I might be able to get out with just time served. If he's right, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I've never been on my own. Father always told me what to do and where to go."
Todd could understand her fear and he needed to figure out a good place that Kym could go, where Gregor would leave her alone. "Kym has Gregor contacted you or sent anyone?"
"No, but I'm not surprised. Father would expect me to keep my mouth shut and take my punishment. Then when the time is right he'll come for me. Tom, I don't want to go with him anymore. What am I going to do?"
"I'm working on it, Kym. We'll get you free of the charges first. When they take you to your hearing, don't talk to anyone, but your lawyer. Sid and his bunch are out on bail and looking for me. They might try and get to you because I helped you in the warehouse. I think I know someone who might help you after you're released." The more he thought about it the more he wondered if Cassie might be willing to help Blair's half sister. She had her hands
Kym couldn't believe her ears. Tom couldn't be right, did she really have a sister out there. He said she would meet her, but how could he know that?
Then her thought went to Sid and his pals. She knew how dangerous they were and it worried her that Tom was handicapped by his loss of sight. They were already angry and if they found him she knew they would kill him. "Tom you should stop worrying about me. If Sid and his men are after you, you should leave town and stay gone. Those men are killers. You embarrassed them and they won't stop until they get you for that."
Todd was silent as he heard the fear in her voice, but he knew exactly what type of men Sid and his bunch were. He had brought John down because he knew how dangerous they could be. He also knew they weren't fools. He had caught them unaware the first time and this time he was going to need luck on his side to stop them from getting their revenge. He was also hoping they would somehow lead him to their boss. It was Daimler he really wanted to meet. "Kym I know you're worried because I'm blind, but you've already seen I'm not totally helpless. I know what I'm doing and I do have a little plan in place, I just have to get it all to come together. I don't want you to worry about anything but getting out of here. Because they're looking for me, I won't be at your hearing. But someone will be there in my place. His name is John McBain and if you get your release he'll bring you to me. If you get any word from your father, tell John or get word to me through your lawyer. I need to go now, I'm glad you're better than when I saw you last. I promised to get you free of your situation and I intend to keep that promise." He turned back towards the door, but Kym stopped him.
"Tom, thank you for everything you've done. But I want you to stop whatever you have planned. I fear you're going
Todd touched her cheek. "Kym, my family is worth everything to me," and with that stunning statement, he left.
John and he had discussed the mercenary problem all the way back to the hotel. They both agreed that sitting and waiting until Sid and his crew found him, was not going to be to their advantage, so they were trying to figure out the best strategy for luring them out into the open. Todd decided that going to the docks might be exactly what they needed to draw them out. John wasn't happy because there were too many places to get ambushed at the docks. They settled on drawing them out to a bar the dockworkers frequented. It was more public and Todd knew that some of the men who worked with both him and Bernie were likely to be there. He figured the guys would back him up if they knew Sid and bunch had been the ones to beat up Bernie.
When they arrived at the hotel, Todd told John he had a room there for as long as he was in town. John had merely looked at him and shook his head but didn't say much more. John led Todd to his room and left to settle in for the night. John was going to make sure he was at court for Kym's hearing the next day, and if she was released he'd bring her to the hotel.
Across town at the docks, Sid walked up the gangplank to the ship and made his way to his boss's stateroom. Knocking, he waited. "Come in." he entered and looked at his boss, waiting to be acknowledged. The walk up the gangplank had been painful, his injured knee was still radiating pain, although more manageable, then when it had first been damaged. It seriously hampered him at the moment. He owed Tom or whatever his name was, but that would wait until he did what his Boss wanted.
"Sit down Sid." Gregor looked at his lead mercenary, Sid's jaw clenched as he took a chair. Gregor frowned. The man had been one of the best around, but some stranger had caught him unawares the night of the raid, Sid had been sloppy and he was paying for it. Gregor had little sympathy for him but he was still a good leader and he would work around the pain. "Tomorrow is Kym's hearing. According to my sources, the prosecution has already decided to be lenient with her and let her off if the judge agrees. I want to know if her uncle is there watching."
"Do you want us to bring her back."
"Kym's usefulness is at an end. I want the uncle. Have you found your Lone Ranger, the one who orchestrated the whole affair? I must admit to being disappointed in you. The guy must have really put one over on you to get the drop on you that way."
"Boss, I swear the man we caught said he didn't know us and was blind. We beat him up anyway in case he was the guy we had seen in Wilmington. I thought maybe they were twins. I never expected the blind man to take me down. It was weird. Boss, blind one minute and sighted the next. The guy almost chopped my head off and he would have enjoyed it. It was like talking to two different men."
Gregor's head whipped up at those words. "Two different men you say, and you're sure this man couldn't be the reporter who wrote the articles."
"No way Boss, no reporter would have known the moves this man knew. This
Gregor had heard everything he needed to hear. There was one man who had been a thorn in his side for over a couple of months and who had just managed to incarcerate two of his partners. Sid's Lone Ranger had to be his son-in-law Todd Manning. Damn, the man was a menace. It made perfect sense after Sid said the man was like two different men. Gregor's colleague had informed him that Samuel
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