HEAD GAMES

Todd stared blankly out the study window, deeply lost in thought. The brisk wind blew the remaining winter leaves in circles around the patio, but Todd stood unseeing.

The front door of Llanfair opened a crack, enough to allow the unwanted guest to peer inside. When he neither saw nor heard anyone around, Powell carefully pushed the heavy door farther open and slipped inside unseen. Stealthily, he crept up the stairs, pausing periodically to listen for the presence of occupants. He heard nothing but the ticking of the grandfather clock in the foyer.

After assuring himself that no one was upstairs, he slithered down the back stairs to investigate the first floor. He discovered his prey in the study with his back to the door. Powell chuckled softly to himself, uncaring whether or not his intended victim heard him. Quickly, he checked the remaining first floor rooms and made a remarkable discovery-Todd was alone!

Powell knew he had to act quickly. His plan for revenge against his nemesis was perfect. He’d been plotting it since his first day in psychiatric evaluation. It would work. It had to work. Powell knew he could not endure another minute knowing Todd was alive and free to destroy the lives of others as he had Powell’s.

He crept up behind Todd and stood directly behind him for several seconds. How odd, Powell thought, that his own personal poison did not seem to be aware of his presence. Without pausing further to ponder the reasons why, he reached out with lightening speed and pushed Todd sharply into the window.

Dazed, Todd turned around, rubbing his head where it had banged into the glass. Powell pushed him backward into the window once again. The window creaked in protest but did not shatter.

“What’s the matter, Todd? The old football reflexes not as quick as they used to be?” Powell taunted.

His former frat brother looked at him with a confused look on his face. It was as though Todd could almost, but not quite, remember who Powell was.

The dark haired Lord backhanded him across his scarred face, sending him crashing to the hard floor. Todd sat where he landed, trying to understand what was happening.

This angered Powell, who was certain that he would be able to ridicule his enemy into a fight, a fight he intended to win at all costs. He pulled Todd up by his hair and slammed him against the wall.

“Why aren’t you fighting me? Afraid to fight a man?” Powell jeered. “I guess you only victimize people who aren’t as strong as you are. People like Marty. You remember Marty, don’t you, Todd?”

Instead of cajoling Todd into a rage, Powell’s taunts had the opposite effect. Locked within a flashback, he was reliving the fright his father constantly instilled in him. He cowered as Powell ranted and tightened his grip, his eyes widening in fear as the other loomed over him.

Powell’s ire reached its peak. He threw the object of his obsession onto the fireplace hearth and picked up the heavy iron poker. He stood menacingly as Todd winced. This won’t do, Powell thought. I, at least, need to get him to his feet so it can look like self-defense when I kill him.

He yanked Todd to his feet just as Bo Buchanan and John Sykes entered the foyer with guns drawn.

“Let him go, Powell,” Bo barked.

Powell wheeled around toward the policemen, placing Todd in front of him as a shield.

“Drop the poker. It’s over, Powell,” Bo said quietly but sternly.

“It won’t be over until this snake is dead,” Powell sneered. He tightened his grip around Todd’s neck.

“Are you okay, Manning?” Bo asked.

Todd gripped Powell’s arm around his neck as the flashback continued to grip his mind.

“Todd?” Bo repeated, this time with genuine concern.

Still Todd did not answer.

“I have a clear shot,” Sykes whispered to Bo as his gun was leveled at both former frat brothers.

“No,” Bo commanded. “It’s too risky.”

But Sykes failed to follow orders, squeezing off one round from his pistol.

“Noooo,” Bo shouted as both Todd and Powell fell in a heap to the floor.

HEAD GAMES

Chapter 20

Bo kicked the fallen poker out of the way while Sykes kept his gun leveled at the cousins lying on the floor. With both hands, the Commissioner heaved Powell roughly to his feet.

"Ow," he screeched in pain, grabbing his shoulder. "Be gentle. I've been shot," he whined.

"Cuff him," Bo barked angrily at Sykes before turning his attention to the other man, who was still on the floor.

"Todd?" he asked with concern.

Dazedly, Todd looked up at him as though awakening from a dream. "Bo? What's going on?"

The older man helped him to his feet as he struggled to grasp what had transpired.

"Powell?" Todd questioned. His confusion deepened. "Bo? I don't understand."

"It's okay. Don't worry about it. Everything's okay now. Is anyone else at home with you?"

"I don't…" Todd's voice trailed off as he fought to remember.

"Todd? Bo? What's going on?" Viki inquired as she entered the foyer.

Spying a bleeding Powell and sneering Sykes, she was alarmed. She noticed her brother looked shaken.

"Todd? Sweetheart? Are you all right?"

He made his way to her quickly, putting his arms around her in relief. She could feel him trembling. Tears formed in his eyes, and he turned away so the other men could not see him cry.

"Bo? Please tell me what happened. What is he doing here?" she demanded, gesturing toward her wounded cousin.

"He managed to escape the psychiatric facility," Bo began. "As soon as I was notified, I rushed over here. I had a hunch this was where he would go. I found him threatening Todd. Sykes, against my orders, fired a shot and wounded Powell. Todd's okay though."

"I don't remember," Todd whispered, his head still on Viki's shoulder as tears continued to flow down his cheeks.

She took his head in her hands and looked at his tear-streaked face.

"You don't remember any of this happening?" she asked.

He shook his head, averting his eyes in embarrassment.

"Oh, sweetie," she cooed, taking him into her embrace once again. "It's all right."

"I don't remember a thing either," Powell claimed.

"Shut up," Bo demanded. "Get him over to the hospital to see about that gun shot," he commanded Sykes. "Then you and I are going to have a serious talk about following orders. You seem to have forgotten who is in charge."

Wordlessly, Sykes took the injured man with him, and they exited the mansion.

"Let's sit down." Viki spoke gently to her brother, and he allowed himself to be led to the couch. He kept his head bowed in humiliation.

"Sweetie? Do you remember what you were doing here alone? Where's Elaine?" Viki queried softly.

"I don't know," Todd whispered. He anxiety level was high. "I have a headache. Can I go lie down?"

"Of course. That's a good idea. Maybe you'll remember when you wake up," she encouraged.

She and Bo watched as he climbed the stairs slowly, wiping an occasional tear as he went.

"This isn't good," she said quietly. "I'm so worried about him."

*****

The courtroom was filled with news media jockeying for the best vantage place from which to record the trial of the year. They were all hoping for scandals, dirty secrets and titillating details to be revealed. It wasn't often that members of one of Llanview's most prominent families kidnapped, conspired against and threatened each other so publicly.

The reporters and photographers all surged toward the back of the courtroom the second the Lord-Buchanan family entered. Joey and Kevin led the way, clearing a path for their mother and sister, who flanked Todd. A barrage of questions and camera flashes followed them as they took their seats behind Hank Gannon. He had promised them a speedy trial, but he could not promise that Todd could be spared the agony of testifying against Powell.

His testimony was crucial in securing a conviction. Since that day, two months earlier when Powell had beaten and tried to kill him, Todd's memories of his ordeal had slowly returned. He could recall certain things about being coerced into coming back to Llanview with Powell, being locked in the basement, being brutalized. But mostly he remembered being scared.

Todd almost wished Powell had been found incompetent to stand trial by reason of insanity. He would rather have been anywhere but in that courtroom. He felt like running as fast as he could back to Viki’s house and hiding under the bedcovers until the next decade. He glanced over at his sister, whose reassuring smile did little to calm him. His heart began to race as he heard the bailiff say, "All rise for the Honorable Judge Hollins."