Memories Unlocked #23

# 23

Todd looked at the airplane with some trepidation.  It was small in comparison to the jets taking off from the airport and he wondered if they wouldn’t have been better off taking a commercial flight back to the States.  At the same time, he wasn’t ready for the stares he would get if he traveled commercial.  He also had a slight problem with Sawyer. The man was cocky and it just raised Todd’s hackles to be around the guy.  He kept having a memory of another man with dark hair, a man who acted like he was God’s gift to women.  He had no idea who the guy was but he knew he didn’t like him.  For that reason, he found himself reacting to Sawyer’s easy charm. “I’m not sure Doc would approve of that plane any more than she would the transport plane.  Is it even flight worthy?”

“Hey now, don’t put my baby down.  It’s seen a lot of travel but it is a good little plane. Sam didn’t have a problem with it and it did get us here to find you.” Sawyer patted the side of his plane and smiled rakishly at Todd.

“Yeah right,” Todd said dryly as he rolled up to the side of the plane.  “I see a problem here.  Any idea how to get me on?”

“Don’t worry about that.” Sawyer nodded to a ramp making its way across the tarmac.  “That should take care of your fears.  Listen, man, I get this isn’t easy for you.  It has to be uncomfortable not remembering your past and all.  From what Sam told me, you’re a survivor and hey, I have to give you props.  I never thought we’d find you but that wife of yours and Sam were convinced you would make it somehow.  Actually, I owe you big time.  Because of you, this baby is all mine and I met Sam.  She’s the best thing to happen to me in a long time.”

Todd’s eyebrow shot up. “So glad I could be of service to your love life. It’s not like I had anything better to do,” Todd replied caustically.

Sawyer’s eyes narrowed at Todd’s angry tone.  He realized then that Manning had a lot of anger beneath the surface.  “Sorry didn’t mean to touch a nerve.” he watched as Todd backed away from the plane for the ramp to be put in place.

Blair had been watching Todd and Sawyer and saw the change in Todd’s posture.  He was mad about something but from experience, she knew he wouldn’t say anything.  Turning back to Dr. Sanchez, she took the records and all the information the doctors in Llanview would need to see to Todd’s treatment.  “I know I never said this, but thank you for saving Todd’s life.  Because of you, Todd was still here for us to find.”

Miguela smiled.  “Todd was still here because he’s got a will of iron.  I do believe the children were also responsible for keeping him sane all these months.  That said, I think you and his own children also kept him grounded.  He just didn’t know it at the time.  Blair, have faith.  I know you haven’t made as much progress as you had hoped with Todd.  These things take time.  Remember, he’s battling two fronts, his amnesia, and the paralysis.  Stay strong and be there for him.  He’ll come back to you.  He’s just a little wary right now.”

Blair gave Miguela a quick hug.  “I know.  I’ll give him the time he needs.  At least, he’s warmed up to Starr and Jack, for now, that’s good enough.”  While she had been talking, Sam Vance had gotten Starr, Heddy and Jack settled on board and was stowing their luggage. As soon as Blair entered, Sawyer closed the plane up and he and Sam went to the cockpit.  Blair settled down next to Todd.  He was staring out the window at Miguela.  She took his hand and he turned to look at her.  “Are you okay?”

Todd shrugged. “I don’t know.  This is all I’ve known since I woke up in the hospital.  This has been my life.   It’s like I’m starting all over again.  The life I’m going back to is full of so many dark things that threaten to overwhelm me and I’m unsure what will happen when that life catches up to me.”

“Todd, you don’t have to face it alone.  I’m here for you and I mean it.  I love you and deep down I know you love me.  I have to have faith that you’ll remember that soon.  In the meantime, we’ll face things one day at a time and we’ll do it as a family.”

****

Bo looked at Sam.  “Are you sure you want me to do this?  Blair’s going to be really unhappy with you.  After all, you’re supposed to be one of Todd’s friends.”

“Don’t you think I’ve thought long and hard about this.  Something doesn’t make sense to me.  Blair told me Todd’s been sick and that he was badly injured when he was found in Guam.  But we all thought Todd had DID too.  I just don’t want him playing her for a fool.  He’s tricked her so many times I can’t help but feel like he’s playing on her sympathy.  I had a chance to do some research, and yes, Todd was in the hospital as a patient when he first arrived in Guam.  Of course, they wouldn’t give me specifics but he was released as a patient over two months ago.   Why didn’t he contact anyone then?”

“Well, it’s pretty obvious he didn’t want to be found.  He was almost arrested in Hawaii for trying to kidnap his own kids.  Maybe he chose to give Blair a chance to cool down and then he was going to reach out to her and plead his case.  It’s worked before, Sam.  You know how she is.”

“See, that’s what I mean.  Blair can’t help herself, she always has to help him.  I tell you, Bo.  He’s got her right where he wants her.  It’s just what he did to Tea and Vicki, and Blair even helped him back then.  She was the only one he let in on his secret.  You need to help me stop him.  The restraining order still stands.  Just arrest him when he gets off the plane.”

“I can arrest him but you know it won’t stick.  The fact that he’s traveling with Blair and the kids pretty well negates the order.  All I really can do is detain him for a short time and then he’ll be free.”

“Thanks, Bo   I know Blair will protest but all I need is some time alone with her to make her see reason.”

“Fine, when are they expected to land?”

“His private jet is arriving at 5:00 pm at Llanview Airport.  I told Blair I would meet her and she asked me to bring Vicki.  She thinks it will do Todd some good to see his sister.”

****

Todd jerked awake as the jet landed.  He didn’t know why, but he was disappointed the flight was ending.  He had been having a nice dream about Blair.  He vaguely remembered it but what was encouraging was that he had been dreaming about her and it hadn’t been another bad memory or anything.  For the last two weeks, she had teased him and supported him as he had tried to get his right leg to support his weight.  With the left leg still uncooperative, he hadn’t been the most pleasant person to be around.  On one particular day, she told him he wasn’t allowed to win the most pathetic game and he had laughed.  He realized she was telling the truth, he had been acting pathetic.  Most of all, when she said that phrase, it had seemed familiar and for lack of a better word, like something a friend would say to another.  It suddenly made him feel more comfortable around her.  He had been trying so hard not to hurt her but he knew she wanted something more from him and he just wasn’t ready.  He was so lost in thought he never saw the two men board the plane.

“Todd Manning, you’re under arrest.”

Totally surprised, Todd looked up to see an older man with gray hair and a younger man standing in front of him. Both were glowering at him but it was the statement that had just been made that shook him.  “What did you say?”

“Don’t act so surprised, Manning? What did you expect?  Although we can’t arrest you for the kidnapping attempt, you’re still in violation of the restraining order that says you can’t be within 100 yards of your family.” Bo frowned.  Todd appeared truly shocked, and made no move to get up.

“Antonio, it looks like Mr. Manning is at a loss for words for the first time in his life.  Come on, Manning, get up or I’ll have Detective Vega haul you out of that chair. Sam is convinced you’re running some sort of scam on Blair. I can’t do anything about that but I can follow through on the restraining order.  Come along quietly and if Blair drops the restraining order, you’ll be released.”

Todd wasn’t sure what to do.  In his heart, he knew he had been on the run and thanks to Starr he had figured out it was because he had tried to kidnap them. Because of that and the violence he had remembered, he had tried to send Blair and the kids home without him but she wouldn’t leave.  It appeared she had forgotten about the restraining order in her excitement to get them all home. He also was confused about why Sam Vance thought he was scamming Blair.  She knew about his legs.  It didn’t make any sense. He glanced at the man called Vega.  “I’d like to cooperate but we have a problem.  I’m afraid I can’t get up. If you would go get….”Todd was a unable to finish as the older man nodded at Vega.

Antonio moved to Todd’s side and grasped his arm. “Get up or you’ll be adding resisting arrest to the charges.”  He tugged, lifting Todd halfway out of the chair.

With his right arm entrapped by Vega, Todd tried to use his left arm to steady himself but it was too late.  Unable to get the right leg under him to help support his weight and already unbalanced with the left leg uncooperative, he collapsed to the floor.

The indignity aside, Todd winced as his right arm almost came out of its socket thanks to Vega still holding it.

“Manning, enough, get off the floor!”  Bo was furious.  He thought Todd would be more cooperative but it looked like he was up to his old tricks again.

“May I have my arm back?” Todd said angrily.

Bo nodded to Antonio and he released the arm. They watched to see what Todd would do next.

Rubbing his sore shoulder, Todd tried to get up into a sitting position, “I’m not trying to pull anything, you idiots,” he said under his breath, then he looked at the older man. ”Look, I don’t know you but I’m guessing you’re Detective Vega’s superior.  If you’ll just let me explain.”

“Damn it, Manning.  That’s it.”  Bo moved forward to help Vega with Todd, but before he could touch him, Vince, Todd’s pilot, came out of the cockpit.

“Mr. Manning, it’s time to get you off… Mr. Manning are you okay?”  Vince said as he saw Todd sitting on the floor and two men standing over him.  He recognized the Police Commissioner and took a guess that the second man was an officer.

“I’m fine and it appears I’m also under arrest.  Could you perhaps give the detective a hand and help me back into the chair?”  

Vince moved forward and Bo stood back saying, “Go ahead Antonio, help Mr. Manning back into his chair.”  He watched and noticed that Todd was pretty much dead weight as Antonio and Vince picked him off the floor.  As they went to set him in the seat, Bo saw a glint of something shiny under Todd’s pant leg.  Suddenly Todd leaned forward and reached toward the same spot. Thinking Todd was getting ready to make a move, Bo pulled his gun. “Hold it right there, Todd.  Move your hand away from your leg.  Antonio, search him.”

Todd sat back slowly and stared at the older man. He didn’t say anything. Vince was already headed to the back of the plane and Todd was forced to sit quietly as Antonio bent to pat him down.  Damn, when will this end? He knew what Antonia was going to find and it was all he could do to control his anger.

Bo stood silent, feeling the hatred coming off Todd.  If looks could kill he would be dead at Manning’s feet. He watched as Antonio stopped patting when he reached the right leg.  

“Got something.” Antonio looked up at Manning with a smirk.  “Did you really think you could hide a gun?”  

Todd icily stared back and said nothing.

Antonio began raising the pant leg and froze as it became apparent what he was uncovering. “Um Boss, put your gun down.  We have a problem.”

“What do you mean?”

“It isn’t a gun holster. It’s some kind of brace.”  

Just then Vince came out from the back pushing a wheelchair. Bo was stunned and moved out of the way as Vince rolled the chair up beside his boss and they watched as Todd moved onto the seat.  He raised the pant leg to adjust the brace on his right leg and then grabbed the dead weight of his left leg and settled it into position.  He turned his chair to face the two men.  “If you haven’t figured it out by now, you never will, but let me spell it out for you.  The legs don’t work,” he explained bitterly.  He had been trying to play nice but the humiliation of falling in front of strangers and being searched had been all he could take.  “I’m sorry if it bothers you that I don’t remember your name Mr. Chief Detective but that’s what happens when you lose your memory.  Now I guess I don’t have a choice about this arrest but could you at least give me time to get off this damn plane with whatever dignity I have left.”  He rolled to the door and looked back at Vince.  “What’s the plan this time, Vince?”

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Who's the Real Todd? Chapter 42

Todd grabbed the second jar and pocketed it. He wrapped the little implant around his finger and taking Blair's hand he took her downstairs so he could really see everything Blair had done to fix up their home. He walked from room to room and marveled how well Blair knew his taste. Then he took her outside and they walked the grounds around their home and he relished the freedom of seeing again. They walked around to the terrace area and looked down at Llanview. Todd swept the area with his eyes looking to see if there were any signs of Carlo's visit. He spotted another cigar butt and knew it belonged to Carlo. Going over to where it lay on the ground, Todd turned and looked toward the house. He was pleased to see there wasn't a good view of the living room so it was very likely Carlo hadn't observed a lot of Todd's movements around the house.

Once back inside, they sat down. Todd had been thinking about the idea ever since the small implant had wound around his finger. He wondered if he could get away with it. Blair wasn't going to be happy with him for even suggesting it, she really hated the object, but she was the only one he trusted to do it. Todd asked "Blair, could you make a ring that we could mount the implant in, you would have to design it so that my skin came in contact with the implant on the underneath side, but it could be disguised to resemble some caged jewel. With your design talent, you could give it an outer covering no one would suspect. Only you and I would know the implant was inside the ring. Then you could fashion some sort of locket that the second implant could be placed in, that I could wear around my neck or put inside my wallet or attach to the bottom of my watch. It would give me a means to carry both implants, keeping them within the range of each other so I could see again. Please, I'm begging you to consider it. With my sight restored, I could go after Carlo full bore. What do you say, Blair, are you game?"

He was so sincere and so endearing, he knew exactly how she felt about the implants, but he was right, he couldn't walk around with the thing just wrapped around his finger. If it should happen to get dislodged he could lose it and also his sight. She was still repulsed by the little mechanism and it probably was because of the fact that it was vibrating even as she looked at it on his finger. Just what had Kipling done to make the two parts seem almost alive, and why did they still have a connection to Todd and he to them. It was a question she was afraid to ask because she really didn't want to know the answer. This whole thing had a sci-fi aspect to it and the implications of this kind of technology and what it had done to Todd and Walker scared her to bits. She hadn't worked with designing jewelry for a very long time but disguising the implants as a ring and watch casing sounded interesting and maybe once disguised she could find it easier to think of him being in contact with them. Todd was looking at her and patiently waiting for her answer. She reached over and took the hand that had the implant. She tried to envision the implant wrapped in something like gold chainmail and realized it was very workable. So too would be making a watch casing to hold the other implant. She loved him.  She couldn't refuse him. "Todd, I'll do it but it's going to take time. Can you do without wearing it until its shell is ready? It would mean going without your sight a little longer. You can't take a chance you could lose the implant."

Todd glanced down at his hand and knew Blair was right until it could be mounted it wasn't safe for him just to trust it not to fall off. The loss of his sight again for a short time was worth it, if he knew the end result would be his vision restored. "Yes, you're right, as it is I can't just hold it all the time. If it got lost or damaged because of my eagerness to jump the gun and see again, I would hate it. I'm not a patient man, but even I know, that after all these years, to get what I want, I have to learn to be just that. Very well, they'll be put safely away until they are ready to be mounted in your jewelry but promise me, in the privacy of our room, you'll allow me to take them out so I can truly see you for a short time each night." He looked directly into her eyes and reached with his free hand to touch her face. He had so missed seeing her face.

Blair couldn't help but quiver as his hand gently touched her. She too had missed his gaze on her and loved the feel of his hand against her cheek. "We'll work something out Todd, I promise."

They walked upstairs and Todd took the smaller implant off his finger and walked to retrieve its jar. He dropped it into its jar and steeled himself for the loss of sight. For just a moment, his sight stayed clear and then everything got fuzzy once more. He looked around and tried to pick out the container but after the clarity the few minutes before, his senses seemed to want some time to adjust and he found himself fumbling for the box. He sat on the edge of the bed with the box and jar in hand and put the jar away. Then he reached into his pocket and drew out the other implant. Blair had gone into another room as they had gotten upstairs and he knew he had only a few minutes before she would be back. Unsure what made him do it, Todd removed the lid to the bigger implant and tentatively reached in the way he had done with the smaller one.

Pain so intense ripped through his body as his hand clenched tightly around the jar. Todd screamed and dropped to his knees no longer in his house but strapped to a chair and being wheeled through someone's family home. Whoever was pushing him, paused to open an elevator door and wheeled him inside and then they were going down and he found himself once again in that corridor. There was the painting and several feet ahead, the elaborate door. Just as he was being taken in, the pain ceased and everything went black.

Blair heard the scream from just outside the suite and rushed in to find Todd lying by the bed his hand clutched tightly around something. She couldn't get a response from him and then noticed the container missing the second jar. "God, Todd what did you do?" She knelt down and began trying to free the jar and its contents from Todd's hand. Working feverishly she had to literally pry each finger away from the jar and worked to pull his last two fingers free of the implant in the jar. Even as she pulled the fingers from the jar she watched as the implant came out with them, somehow attached. Gingerly she reached for the implant and tugged it free noting the tip of one of Todd's finger bleeding. She hurriedly dropped the offensive implant back into the jar and closed the lid. Then she turned to her husband.

"Todd, please be alright." he was stirring, she ran to the bathroom and got a wet cloth. She came back and laid it on his head watching as his eyes fluttered open. "It's alright, just lay there till you feel like sitting up. Whatever possessed you to open that container? Sometimes I feel you deliberately look for ways hurt yourself. You know what those things did to you. Why Todd, would you take such a stupid chance?" She knew she was being brisk with him but he had scared her to death with his scream.

Todd's head felt like mush and he was only able to make out half of Blair's words. He lay there trying to make sense of what she was saying, something about the implant and then the memories of the last couple minutes began filtering back into his head and he recalled reaching in for the implant just to see what would happen it he touch it. His head began aching and he realized Blair was right. It had been foolish to think that implant would have been as harmless as the smaller one. Obviously, it wasn't. He closed his eyes again as everything he had seen, came to him, and he knew he had the answer to the whereabouts of Kipling's lab.

Seeing his eyes close, her anger evaporated and Blair worried he had lapsed into unconsciousness again. "Todd, don't you zone out on me. Come on, stay with me, let me know what's hurting."

He reached up and captured her hand "I'm alright, just remembering." He looked up at her and focused as best he could. "Help me up!" he then began pushing himself off the floor and Blair aided him until he was again sitting on the bed. "I'm sorry. You're right, I'm an idiot. I just never expected that to happen." he began rubbing his fingers and came away with blood on his hand and looked at it shocked. "What happened? Did I cut myself?"

Blair took the wet cloth and cleaned his hands and said. "No, the implant attached itself to you." She wiped the finger that was bleeding and noticed three tiny puncture marks. "You must have stabbed into the prongs on the implant when you spasmed in pain." she preferred to believe that was how he had become attached because the other thought floating around in her head was horrific. She didn't want to think that the implant had deliberately attached itself to him. "This has got to stop Todd, you must stop taking these risks. When you screamed my heart stopped and I was sure I was going to find you in here dead. I don't think I can take much more of this. Please stop it." she got up to go get a bandage for his finger but he caught her, stood up and pulled her into his arms. She gave way to the tears she had been holding in.

He held her, needing her close and knowing he had screwed up again. When was he going to stop making these stupid decisions? She was right, he could have killed himself. She stopped crying and he released her reaching up to wipe her tears with the uninjured hand. " You know me, Blair, I promise to not do anything stupid like that again. But I'll ask for your forgiveness now because I have a feeling it won't be long before I do just that." he grinned ruefully and she chuckled in response.

Blair kissed his palm and walked to get the bandage and returned to find him staring out their bedroom window. She walked to him and picked up his hand that was still bleeding slightly. Wrapping the finger up she asked. "What is it, Todd? What did you remember?" Todd was still lost in thought and barely heard her question. She turned him toward her and asked again. "Todd?"

He shook his head and came back to the present. "Blair, I know where Kipling's lab is. Now I have to find where Carlo is hiding. We need to reach Tea and find out if Michael was successful with the operation. If Manning is free from their clutches then we can strike back." He made his way over to a chair by the window and sat down. "I talked to our undercover reporter earlier before Carlo showed up. He told me that the corridor I had been seeing wasn't in the facility. He's trying to insinuate himself into Kipling's inner group of orderlies. If he succeeds I'm pretty sure he might be able to get some information about those ambulances that were seen leaving Kipling's loaded down with electronics. Those ambulances had to have been carrying supplies to Carlo. Blair, the implant gave me some crucial information today albeit painfully. The Lab we've been looking for, it's under Kipling's house."

Blair just looked at him stunned. He had just dropped a bombshell. Somehow the implant had given him back more of his memories about the experiments and he had figured out that Kipling's own house was the site of the laboratory. "You're serious, aren't you?"

Todd nodded his head, "It all makes sense. Blair. Our informant said patients were being taken from the facility to Kipling's house on a daily basis. It was always the same patients and he even told me that they came back in worse shape than when they were taken. I'm positive now that I myself was taken to that house. He and Carlo were performing their illicit experiments under the guise of a reputable facility." he paused and rubbed his fingers absently particularly the one with the bandage. "I've got to find out where those ambulances took the equipment and I don't know why but I have a feeling it's somewhere here on Llantano Mountain. I think that's why Carlo's been making his own visits here, he's close."

Just then the phone rang and Blair went to pick it up. Tea and Walker had returned with implants in hand. Walker's had been slightly different and also placed strictly in the memory lobe. Upon their removal, Walker had spent the next few days separating his real memories from Todd's fake ones and exploring his real feelings for Tea. They had decided to stay married and they had returned because they both wanted in on the takedown of Carlo Hesser and Ivan Kipling. It was agreed upon that Tea and Walker would take their implants to John and tell him Walker's side of the story. Walker had regained the memory of the night he had been captured by Carlo's goons and beaten badly. He also had his memories of the experiments. After seeing John,they would all meet at The Sun.

Todd and Blair finished up a few things around the house and headed into town for that meeting. They arrived and Todd was forced to let Blair lead him as they entered the lobby of the Sun. There were too many people milling about for him to avoid on his own, and therefore it became obvious to some of the workers that Samuel Toddman was having a vision problem. By the time he made it to the executive offices, word had spread through the building the new owner was blind. Todd shrugged at Blair when she said "Samuel" in response to the whispers flying around them. It had been a foregone conclusion he wouldn't be able to keep it a secret for long once he came into town. He just wanted the news out there when he was ready, and now he was ready.

They entered Kelly's office and Todd made his way to a chair opposite Kelly and Blair took one alongside. Kelly had thought something unusual was up when Blair and Tod had entered. Then she had realized what was wrong. Blair hadn't said a word since they had returned from their honeymoon, so it came as a shock to realize Todd was blind. "Blair, why didn't you tell us? Samuel, how did this happen?"

"I'll explain shortly Kelly, but there is something that needs immediate attention." They alerted Kelly to the rumors passing through the halls and Todd suggested they hop on the headline quickly saying New Owner Suffers Blindness From Freak Honeymoon Accident. They told her the story involving the horseback ride that culminated in a fall. They went on to say that the condition was serious at the moment but hope remained that sight could possibly be restored. Kelly wasted no time getting the article written and to the printers so it would be out in the next edition.  Then he and Blair filled Kelly in on everything.

By the time Blair had finished the story, Kelly was stunned. She looked at both of them and recalled how happy they had seemed on their wedding night and yet they had known their honeymoon might have been their last time together. She remembered how in love they had been the day of the gold balloon wedding. Everything had shattered with his shooting in Ireland, and now they had once again faced possible tragedy knowing the surgery might take his life. She actually felt tears welling up for them especially since Todd hadn't escaped unscathed.

While they were talking, Todd had handed Kelly a flash drive and indicated she should read it quietly just in case Carlo had his ears on. When they had told the story to Kelly they had talked about the surgery but had kept the implants out of it. Now Kelly was reading the true story and getting chills. She stared wide-eyed at Blair and mouthed "Seriously" and felt alarmed at Blair's nod. It was a story that would indeed break records when they finally could print it. Kelly's heart went out to her cousin-in-law as she realized that he had indeed been to hell and back these last years, and his torment still wasn't over, because, thanks to Carlo, he was now blind.


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Who's the Real Todd? Chapter 41

       Todd spent the next couple of days getting familiar with the house and getting around it when Blair was otherwise occupied with the boys. He discovered that Blair had purchased a state of the art computer with voice recognition and reading capabilities so he was able to access the Sun and hear the articles as they were written.  He called and talked to Kelly and they had a conference call with her undercover reporter and Todd found out several key pieces of information. One thing he was able to find out was that the reporter had been everywhere in the facility and as far as he knew he had never encountered a hallway similar to the one that Todd and Samuel remembered. But the reporter did say that Kipling had a number of ambulances taking a few select patients to and from Dr. Kipling's home.

       The reporter talked a little longer and then Todd made a request, "I need you to be extra careful, but you need to try and get into Kipling's good graces and see if you can begin helping with those patients. It's imperative that I find out more about them. It's possible that Kipling is working with these patients in a way that has nothing to do with the purpose of the research facility. I think Dr. Kipling has his own experiments, that he's doing on the side and it's very likely those patients are in a great deal of danger for the sake of Kipling's research. Do you think you might be able to do that?.... Great, get back in touch with Kelly when you find out." Todd ended the conference call and decided to take a practice walk on the grounds. He was still struggling with range perception when colors blended outdoors.

       He opened the front door and stepped out. It had now been a couple of weeks since the surgery and he had seen no further improvements since the inclusion of color. Todd was beginning to think he would never be able to see Blair clearly again. He looked out across the lawn and the colors blended till everything dissolved into a mishmash of greens and browns with no definition of shape. It was no use attempting to walk the grounds until he had Blair or Starr along. He walked back into his house when he smelled the cigar smoke. It could only mean that one person had arrived again. His steps slowed as he entered his living room looking around for the source of the smoke.

      Todd wondered if he could keep his blindness a secret from Carlo or if Carlo already knew about it. Todd located him sitting under the portrait of Blair in the 2001 wedding gown. He felt a breeze and realized Carlo had entered from the terrace. He had the living room memorized so Todd put away his laser. " My dear sir, you startled me I wasn't expecting visitors. To what do I owe this visit."

       Carlo had known, through his sources, that Samuel and Blair had returned from their honeymoon. He was curious why they hadn't been back to town for a while, and he had heard some rumors that there was something wrong with Samuel. Carlo wanted to find out if the implant or Samuel's heart had caused trouble on the honeymoon. Besides he still wished for Samuel to paint him another portrait. Carlo felt he got better information a lot of times when he looked into things himself, and Samuel's new home had proven to be bug proofed. Not exactly sure why, but the bugs placed on the property while Samuel and Blair had been gone, were not operating properly. There appeared to be some natural interference in the area that made those items useless. "Samuel, forgive the intrusion, but as I hadn't heard from you, I decided to come find out if you've managed to start my portrait of your fair wife, for my collection. I also wanted to give you an update on our mutual friend Tomas."

         "Most assuredly I would love to hear about our friend Tomas. Tell me, is he recuperating from his accident."

        "He is but now it appears someone destroyed his art gallery. They say it was unrelated to Tomas's accident. I fear Tomas is out of business for now. It really is a shame." stated Carlo coolly, he watched Samuel for some signs of any anger.

        "That is very distressful, whoever did this to Tomas needs to be caught." Todd could feel both Samuel and Pete close to the surface, strangely enough, they were all feeling the same anger. All he really wanted to do was go to the Blob that was Carlo and wring his neck, he gripped the laser in his pocket almost crushing it, but the pain from that brought him to senses and he knew he was once again going to let Hesser walk away. His hands were tied until the all clear came from Tea. In the meantime, he had to continue to pretend to only know Hesser as a patron. "I wish I could do something to help my friend but perhaps I can still help you. I received word that my paintings have arrived in the States and I'm expecting the shipment here in a couple of days. Alas, I haven't been able to start on the portrait you wanted. An unfortunate incident occurred on my honeymoon that I'm still dealing with. However, if you would still like to purchase the piece you were interested in before Tomas's accident I might be able to accommodate you."

        It was really the last thing he wanted to do, but he was unable to paint at this time unless his vision returned. If he didn't offer Carlo something he would continue to press for the new painting.

         Carlo looked at Samuel and frowned. He hadn't expected Samuel's offer, in fact, he had thought hearing about the gallery would have elicited a stronger reaction. Samuel was proving to be quite a challenge and it was indeed becoming interesting trying to figure out what the man might do next. Samuel Toddman was as shrewd as Todd Manning but much more civilized. Carlo had never been one to turn down a good offer and he had really wanted the " Sunset" Portrait. "Samuel, I agree, it is a great shame about Tomas's situation. I do hope they find the culprits."

        "Like hell you do you bastard! You sent the culprits because he was a link to us. Damn it Todd, take him down now. What are you waiting for?"  Pete interrupted.

          Todd ignored him and answered Carlo. "Indeed. Well Mr. Hesser do we have a deal? I will sell you my portrait "Sunset" as I cannot at this time paint the other portrait, due to doctor's orders. Forgive me if I don't go into details, I'm afraid I did something foolish while on my honeymoon that I'd rather not talk about at this time."

         Carlo nodded and said. "That will be quite satisfactory Mr. Toddman. I do apologize for letting myself in. I've been out of the country for some time and where I come from people tend to come and go as they please. I must learn that isn't so here. I'll see myself out and I'll be in contact with you concerning the painting soon."

        "Excellent I should have the portrait in the next couple of days." Todd watched Carlo's blob exit the way he entered and knew he had to contact John soon with this latest development.

       "Why Todd, why did you let him go?" Pete asked.

       "Because until we find the lab we can't bust him and he's gone back into hiding. I need to find that lab and you know why, Pete. Hang in there, I just hope he doesn't present me with anymore surprise visits before I come out. I don't know how many more of these surprises I can take without wringing his neck. I think I might have an idea about the lab."

        Todd was nearly as frustrated as Pete but he couldn't afford to be. "Damn I wish I had my sight back, this is torture right now. Give me some help, Samuel keep Pete off my back for a while. I almost lost it earlier, it can't happen again." He walked to the Terrace door and stared out not really seeing anything but imagining his hands around Carlo's neck, watching the man die a slow death.

       Later, Todd was standing in front of his own portrait of Blair in their bedroom.  He reached behind the side of it and hit a button and the portrait moved aside to reveal his wall safe. He punched in his code and the safe door opened. Todd reached inside to remove the box from Michael and took the case over to his end table. Todd sat down and open the container and removed the two jars. He couldn't see them clearly but when he held them close together the jars vibrated and tried to connect with each other.

       The first time he had held the jars he had almost dropped them because he hadn't been ready for the movement. They literally felt like there was something alive in them. Something that wanted out. He held them tightly this time and wished he could make out the contents. Todd recalled the scan Larry had showed him of the obscene little item sitting on his brain. Then Michael had told him about the second part they had realized was in him, he remembered feeling ill as Michael had describe what the two parts had done once free of his brain. If he hadn't needed them so bad for his case against the man who had just left his house, Todd would had destroyed them. As it was, he found himself drawn to them with a kind of morbid curiosity and sick fascination, knowing they had been the cause of a lot of pain.

        He wasn't sure what made him do it, but he found himself opening a jar. Todd reached inside with his fingers and captured the smaller of the two implants in them, grasping the plug that was slowly moving back and forth in the jar. He felt a little electric jolt go through him and suddenly found himself actually seeing the implant caught in his fingers. He was so startled, he let go of the jar the implant was in. Like slow motion, he watched the jar drop to the floor. Dangling from his fingers was the implant moving or swinging in a strange fashion but he realized he could see it clearly for the first time in days. He looked around the room, amazed at the colors and shapes he had taken for granted all his life. Something in him was responding to the implant even though it was no longer a part of him. Todd sat down on the bed shaken to his core. Just by holding this implant he was seeing. It made no sense. He brought the implant up to better inspect it and saw the minute and intricate ball of circuitry and engineering in its design.  Something inside it was still powering it, even though it was no longer attached inside him.

         Todd wanted to see if it continued to provide him with vision as long as he held it do he got up to leave the room. As he entered the hallway outside the bedroom suite the implant stopped moving and Todd stumbled as his vision reverted back to just the blobs of color and vague shapes. Luckily he knew where he was or he might have accidentally fallen over the banister. He took a moment to think and knew what he had to do he turned and retraced his steps this time counting his steps til the visions cleared it took four step to reach the entrance to the suite, as he crossed the threshold his vision returned and the implant came alive again. He stopped again and began his count back to the bed where the other implant was vibrating in its jar. It had taken about nine steps or approximately 25 feet to get back to the bed.

        Todd sat down and pondered his next move. What was he going to do now? Suddenly the little implant wrapped itself around his finger forming a little ring with the cord of wires the ring and the little ball comprised of some sort of nano technology and sensors resting on top of his finger like a unusual gem vibrating and feeding small jolts of electricity through sensitive nerves in his finger. It looked all the world like a very unusual ring and it gave him an idea.

      "TODD NO!"Blair screamed as she saw what Todd was doing. She still had visions of the one implant moving across the floor toward Todd in surgery, and now it looked like one of them had attached itself to his hand. "God Todd, what did you do? Are you okay? I'll call Larry, we'll get it off you I promise."

       "Blair it's alright I swear. I'm fine. It's not attached to me but something marvelous has happened, Blair I can see you." Todd got up and walked to her without hesitation and really looked at her. "My God you're beautiful." he just stared at her unable to take his eyes off her face until he realized she was actually blushing because of his stare. "I'm sorry it has seemed like forever, and I was sure I was never going to see you again. Blair, it's helping me see. Do you understand?"

       Blair hadn't felt his gaze in so long that it took her a moment to understand what was happening. Todd was really looking at her and seeing her, not just a colorful blob, but her. Then she realized what else he had said. Was he serious? She stared at the thing on his finger and wanted to cringe. She remember so well everything that wretched thing had done to him and now he was standing there with it wrapped nonchalantly around his finger. She shivered as a chill went down her back "Todd you can't be serious, that thing almost killed you. Do you know what you're saying?"

        Todd could tell she was really spooked by the implant so he walked back to the bed and carefully unwrapped the implant keeping his body between it and her, so she wouldn't see it moving. "I know exactly what I'm saying, and I assure you that it was not hurting me. I will put it away but the minute I do I'll lose my sight again." he glanced over his shoulder one last time at his beautiful wife. "You are worth every second I have and I won't have you upset." he dropped the implant back in the jar and immediately everything got fuzzy once again.

         Blair had watched as he walked back to the bed but noticed how his shoulders had suddenly drooped when he had put the implant back in the jar. She watched as his movements became less sure and fumbling as he reached to place the jars back into the container, and her heart went out to her husband. She hated the things but she went to her husband and and gave him a hug. "You meant it didn't you. You really can see when you handle that awful thing. Let me put them away and we'll talk, I promise I will listen." She picked up the box and placed it back in the safe, closing it and letting the portrait come back into place and then she returned to Todd "Okay, first tell me what made you get the container out. Then we'll talk about this latest development." she sat down next to him and waited for his story.

         Todd turned his face to Blair's and began his story about Carlo's latest visit. Even though he couldn't see her face, he could tell from the stiffness of her fingers in his hands that she had tensed up at Carlo's name. She wanted to call John immediately to report it but Todd stopped her. "He was fishing again Blair and because I couldn't let him find out I was blind, I promised him one of Samuel's pictures and got him out of here but it made me think of what he had done and I found myself up here getting the case. When I took the jars out and felt them vibrating I remember everything you told me about how they had reacted to each other. I don't know why I opened the smaller implant's jar but I thought if I held it I could get a better idea what it really looked like. What I didn't expect was what happened when I touched it."

         He gently rubbed her hands with his thumb "Blair, it was unbelievable. The moment my fingers came in contact with the cord of the smaller implant, a current ran through me and I suddenly saw the implant and everything around me clearly. I decided to see what would happened if I just walked with it. Unfortunately as soon as I left the room the implant went limp and my vision was lost. It was jolting to say the least but as soon as I returned to the room the implant came alive and my sight was restored. There is a twenty-five foot working radius that the implants seem to be sending and receiving, beyond that and they are inert. I understand your revulsion with the implants and I admit I felt just the way you did when I held those jars the first time. Blair, Carlo and Kipling took so much from me and almost killed me with those things.  They're out of me, yet for some reason I still have a connection to them, and that connection allows me to see." He stopped talking and just sat there waiting for Blair's reaction to it all.

       Blair wasn't sure how she felt after listening to Todd. She was mad that Carlo had once again gotten into her home and she wanted that stopped. She blurted out "John needs to know about Carlo, I don't like the idea that he got in here. How do you know he wasn't watching you the whole time? You say you didn't want him to know about the blindness, but you can't be sure he doesn't already know. Todd, you can't keep playing this game with him. I think it's time to let him know the truth."

        "I know you're frustrated by Carlo and our current inactivity, but until I know that Manning is free of his devices we can't let Kipling or Carlo know the truth. But you're right, Carlo might know I'm blind but I don't think so. Don't you see though, with the implant in my hand I'm no longer handicapped?" Todd couldn't believe how needy he sounded just then.

         She looked at her husband and heard him. He wasn't afraid of the implants that had almost killed him. He saw them as a means to an end, a means to get his life back on track using the very items Kipling had used to hurt him and making them help him instead. Maybe it was time to get past her fears of the day when she had lost him, he was here in front of her and trying to be brave and remain unsighted but he had found a way to see and it was killing him to not use it. She got off the bed and went back to the safe. Opening it she retrieved the container and brought it back to the bed and then she opened it. Blair steeled herself and looked again on the terrible items that had been inside Todd's head She opened the jar with the smaller implant and forced herself to drop it into her hand. " God, Todd it so unnatural, it's moving and it shouldn't be. It's disturbing. These things almost killed you and that's all I see. I love you so much and I lost you, but I have you back and you should have your sight back. Here" She reached for his hand and dropped the moving implant into it and looked into his eyes. They focused on her and she smiled." Hi Todd"

         Todd beamed back at her. "Hi Blair. Thank you." he leaned over and showed her just how much she meant to him, his hand wrapped tightly around the implant.


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Memories Unlocked #22

# 22

Todd rolled out onto the balcony.  The children had been overjoyed to see him.  He explained to them that his family had come to take him home but there were some delays and so he was going to be around a little longer.  After hearing that, the children were happy for him.  He had spent the rest of the evening entertaining and spending time with them until they went to bed.  Now he looked up at the full moon and thought about the day he had just had.  It was one thing to tell the children his family had come to take him home and another thing to believe it was real.

He rubbed his hand against his right leg and felt it for the first time in a long time.  It was faint but the feeling was there.  Dr. Sanchez told him he needed to be patient but to actually feel his leg made him all the more determined to get to the day when he could stand on his own two feet.  Unfortunately, the left leg wasn’t being quite so cooperative.  Even though Joe had seen some response, it bothered Todd that the leg was still just a dead weight.  He slammed his fist down on it.  “Damn it! Give me something you stupid leg, a jerk, a twinge, anything to hint that you’re more than just meat.”

“Stop that!  Are you crazy?”

Todd spun around to see Blair standing a few steps away from him.  “What are you doing here?  Shouldn’t you be in bed with that family of yours?  You traveled quite a way to find me,  I would think you’re exhausted.”  He studied her face in the moonlight trying to figure out why she had come back to the hospital.

Blair walked to the bench close to Todd’s chair and sat down.  “I couldn’t sleep.  I needed to see you again.  By the way, that family is yours too.  Starr was wondering if you still loved her.  I assured her you did.  I wasn’t lying, was I?”

Todd stared at her trying to answer her. Running his fingers through his hair, he gulped as he tried to understand just what he felt for the little girl in his picture. “I...I feel something for her.  It’s deep inside me and I relished her arms around my neck this morning.  I don’t know what you want from me.  Please, I don’t want to hurt you or her.  I’m not sure if what I feel is love or not.  I only just remembered her a little bit this morning.  In fact, up until then, I was sure my daughter died.  It’s a lot to take in.  Seeing you in Dr,. Sanchez’s office was a shock.  I had just realized that the picture I had been holding onto all this time was my family. That’s all I remembered. I had no clue as to your names or even if the picture was current or not.  Do you understand?”

Blair looked away from Todd so he wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes.  It was clear they all had an uphill battle to get back what they had lost.  “I understand where you’re coming from but it’s hard for us to see you and know you don’t remember us.  Here I was all set to blast you for not contacting your daughter, even if you were still upset with me, but I can’t.  What happened to you changes everything.”

Todd couldn’t help but admire the woman sitting in front of him.  He realized he had done just what he hoped not to do.  He had hurt her and yet she had turned away to hide her tears from him.  She was beautiful in the moonlight.  He found himself wanting to take her in his arms and hold her.  He needed to see that smile she had given him that morning.  He had so many questions about his past.  Up until that morning, all his memories had been violent or upsetting, but in his dream, he had sensed that Blair cared for him. The kiss and her words earlier indicated the  truth about that.  He needed to know why?  He moved his chair closer and reached to turn her face back towards his.   For the second time that day he found himself wiping away her tears.

“I’m sorry, that was unbelievably blunt. I already know I can be an ass sometimes.  Miguela could tell you horror stories about my first days here.  Let’s start over.  Hi, my name is Todd Dra...Manning, have we met?  You’ll have to forgive me, I’ve been suffering from memory loss.”

Blair couldn’t help but smile at Todd’s nonchalant tone.  She remembered another time he had tried to ease her discomfort.  He had always done little things like that and it was why their friendship had blossomed. She extended her hand to him. “I’m Blair, Blair Manning.”

Todd smiled and shook her hand.  “Well isn’t that a coincidence. It seems we share the same last name.  So tell me, Blair. Is there a Mr. Manning?”

Blair met his eyes. “Yes, there is.”  She wasn’t sure where he was going but she decided to follow his lead.

Taking a deep breath, Todd continued what he had started.  “If you don’t mind, could you tell me a little bit about him.  How did you meet?”  If his memories were accurate, he thought he had been to prison.  Hopefully, Blair would shed some light on that part of his past.

In a way, Blair had been dreading that very question, but she knew Todd would want the whole truth and she had lied to him too many times with bad results so she just jumped right in.  “We met in a bar.  He was just out on parole and I was coming off a bad episode in my life.”

Todd closed his eyes for a moment.  Blair had confirmed his worst fear.  He had been in prison.  He straightened in his chair and asked his next question.  “Why would someone as …” he stopped to find the right word to describe her and he could only find one. “as beautiful as you, even give a parolee the time of day?”

Blair felt the heat in her cheeks at his compliment.  It was something he was always awkward about.  Even at their first wedding when he had told her how nice she looked, he had been very matter-of-fact, as if he had never really developed a way to be charming around women.  Strangely, it had been that same matter-of-fact way he had of getting to the point that had drawn her to him.  They had just been honest with each other and she had been the first to spoil that.  Now it was as if time stood still.  Todd was out of touch with his past and the only thing he had going for him was his indomitable spirit to endure.  That same spirit that had kept him going when everyone had been sure he was the Hospital Rapist.  In some ways, she was seeing that Todd again.  Wary of things he didn’t understand, yet determined to get his life back whatever that was.  

“Blair?”

Blair glanced at him and realized she hadn’t answered his question.  “I’m sorry.  Why did I give him the time of day?  I did it because I didn’t realize he was a parolee to start with but I recognized someone as down as I was. It wasn’t until my purse dropped and I saw his ankle monitor that I realized who I was talking to.  Believe me, that first encounter did not end nicely but then we had another encounter and it just became easier and easier to talk to him.  For a while, we both went through some rough times.  I tried to kill myself, and he, well he was accused of more rapes.”

“Oh God!” Todd felt like he had just been kicked in the teeth and he backed away from Blair.  He turned away from her. You Bastard.  You didn’t want to believe it of yourself but it’s true. You’re nothing but a rapist. He had been right all along.  He should have left town like he planned.

Blair moved to him. She touched his shoulder and he jerked away from her. “Todd,” She walked around and gripped the chair preventing him from moving away again. “Todd, look at me. Listen to me.  You didn’t rape anyone else after you raped Marty.  You turned your life around.  You even saved Marty’s life.  That’s why you were on parole.  Please believe me.  You’ve never forgiven yourself for Marty and I’m guessing that’s why that memory came back to you, but it’s because there is good in you that you’ve never hurt anyone like that again.  You fought to prove you weren’t responsible for the hospital rapes and you won. You proved to the police that they were wrong about you.  After that, we began spending more time together and you were and still are my best friend.  You understand me in a way no one else does.  You said it to me once.
We’re soulmates.  Neither of us is perfect but together we’re a force to be reckoned with.”

Todd drew a shuddering breath. He saw that Blair was ready to stand up and fight for them but right then all he felt was weariness.  He had tried so hard for so many months to find out about himself.  If the rest of his history with Blair was as bad as everything he knew so far, he wasn’t sure they would ever find their way back to each other. He ran the back of his hand across his eyes wiping away the tears that had formed.  Then he touched her hands. “Blair I can’t do this anymore tonight.  I’m not sure I have that kind of fight in me right now.  You should go back to the hotel and get some sleep.”  He lifted her hands off his chair.  He saw a glimmer of fear pass across her face.  “Don’t worry, I’ll be here in the morning.  I made some promises to the children in that ward and to Starr.  I won’t break them.” Still holding her hands, he brought them up to his lips and kissed them. “I don’t deserve you,” he said softly, almost to himself. Then turned back away from her and rolled back to the door of the ward. He looked back to see her still standing there, highlighted by the full moon behind her.  She had her hands up to her lips and she just stared at him.  “Goodnight, Blair.”

****

Sam knocked on the door. Hearing the “Come in,” he opened it and stood in the doorway looking a Bo.  

Bo looked up and frowned.  He had a truce for the time being with Sam because Nora had pushed them both away because she was still struggling with her memory, but it still rankled that Sam had turned out to be Matthew’s father instead of him and it was the reason he and Nora had divorced. ”What do you want, Rappaport?”

“I thought you should know Todd Manning has been found.”

Bo raised his eyebrows at Sam. “You don’t sound too happy.  I thought you cared about the guy.  I know you searched for him after he tried to kidnap his kids in Hawaii.  Why don’t you call the authorities and have him arrested?”

Sam scowled. “I don’t know how I feel about him. One minute, I see the young boy who needs someone to care about him and the next, he does something so horrific, I feel like a fool for believing that he wants to change.  It infuriates me.  I begged Blair to finally put him behind her and swear out a warrant but she refused.  I thought it was time for Todd to see he could no longer manipulate people to get what he wanted. She still loves him and the bad thing is I can’t fault her.  No matter what, Todd still gets to me because I still feel I failed him when he needed me the most.:”

Bo shook his head.  “You shouldn’t blame yourself.  Todd’s had all sorts of chances.  I’m not sure he can change.  There’s something in him that’s broken.  So tell me, if you still feel you owe him, why are you here?”

“I don’t know.  I just thought you might want to know he’s coming back here.”

‘

“Damn it!  It’s been relatively peaceful with him gone.  There’s no telling what trouble he’ll stir up next..  Have you told Vicki?”

“No, Matthew and I are having dinner with Vicki tonight. She was supposed to go see Ben earlier today.  I figured she might like to know her younger brother is alive after all.”

Bo nods then looks at Sam as he’s about to leave.  “Sam, I’m sorry about Ben.  I barely got to know him as my brother.  You, on the other hand, knew him his whole life. I know you two were close and I know Vicki is hurting right now.”

“She is but Jessica and Natalie are there with her.  She’s a strong woman.  I’ve always admired her and she understands Todd probably better than the rest of us do.”  Sam started to leave.

“Sam, hold up.  Did Blair ever drop the restraining order on Todd?  If she didn’t, I can bring him in for that if you want to keep him away from her.”

Sam nodded. “I’ll let you know when Todd arrives.  If I know Blair she’ll want that rescinded, but it might at least give me a chance to make her see reason.”

 

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