"Hi, honey," Sykes says quietly, "I'm home."

*****

Téa is frozen in shock as Sykes non chalantly walks in the door. Eyeing his prey, he walks over to her. Téa, clutching the nightgown, shrinks back...still stunned speechless.

He kneels down in front of her. Reaching out, he tries to touch her face, but Téa angrily jerks her head away.

"Now, princess...you don't have anything to worry about," he says, eerily calm.

A wave of nausea sweeps over Téa as the reality of the situation begins to sink in. In the back of her mind, she hears the Todd's voice...RJ's voice...warning her about Sykes. She had laughed them off as being overprotective. As she huddles in front of him, she wishes with everything in her she had heeded their warnings.

Sykes stands up slowly, walking over to the thickly quilted futon and sits down. He studies her closely. Huddled, shocked. Well, she'd get over it.

"Are you okay?"

Téa looks at him, eyes wide. What kind of stupid question is that? Gritting her teeth, she looks down, her shock now giving way to anger.

"Téa?"

Téa lifts her head slowly, and Sykes sees the fire in her eyes.

"What the hell do you want from me?" she asks angrily.

Sykes laughs, a laugh that sends chills up and down Téa's spine.

"That's easy, princess. The same thing you want from me."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You don't have to hide anymore, Téa. Todd can't hurt you. You don't have to be afraid of what he'll do to you if he finds out about our feelings for each other," he says calmly, looking at her, but sort of looking through her.

Téa just stares at him, open-mouthed. He honestly believed what he was saying, he actually thought that she loved him.

"It's real simple, Téa," he continues in his calm voice, "we're gonna leave town, you and me. And go somewhere where we can be together freely. I promised myself that I would save you....and I will."

Téa hugs her knees to her chest, bracing herself.

"John," she says quietly, "I don't love you."

He continues looking past her, not hearing her. "I've got it all planned Téa...all planned."

Seeing she's not getting her point across, Téa stands up, dropping the nightgown. She walks over to him, standing over his sitting form.

"I DON'T LOVE YOU!" she screams.

John looks up at her, an eerie smile on his face.

"Of course you do," he says quietly. He stands up, and quickly walks past her. Leaning down, he picks up the nightgown.

"I'll be back tomorrow night....too suspicious if I just disappear tonight....as much as I want to. And when I come back...I want you to be wearing this," he says, holding up the nightgown. He throws it over the back of the chair and walks to the door.

"Gotta go to the station...sure I'm gonna have one angry husband on my hands," he says grinning. "Don't worry Téa...I'll cover for us...he'll NEVER know." With that, he slips out the door. Frustrated, Téa runs to the now closed and locked door. Angrily pounding her fists against the door, she fruitlessly screams for help....

*****

Todd walks into Indigo, paying no attention to patrons scattered among the tables. Numb. He was numb. And he didn't know what to do. Something was wrong.

He walks over to the bar, standing silently. Too dumbfounded to speak. This was it. His punishment. For everything he'd ever done. They were gonna take away the one woman who could stand to be around him.

"Todd?" RJ says, waving his hand in front of Todd's shellshocked face. "Todd, man...you in there?"

Todd blinks rapidly. "Gannon."

"Find Téa?"

Todd shook his head, slumping into his seat.

"Found her car, her cellphone...no sign of her...something's wrong," he says, his tone lifeless.

"Okay..okay...did you call Bo?"

Todd chuckles sardonically. "Yeah right...Bukie boy's gonna help me. Besides...he couldn't find her if she was standing right in front of his face." Suddenly, a massive anger washes over Todd. The shock somewhat worn off...now ...he was angry. Clenched fists pound the bar...startling some of the nearby customers.

"I gotta get outta here," he mutters.

"What are you gonna do?"

"Find her," he says, looking straight at RJ.

RJ nods. "Listen...anything I can do...you let me know."

Todd nods...unsure how to handle that. Other than Viki, Sam, and Delgado...most people weren't all fired up to help him. He nods again, then turns and walks out.

He walks quickly, his head down. Not watching where he's going, he is completely unaware as he bumps into....John Sykes.

Todd looks him, glaring.

"Outta my way," he mumbles.

"So, Manning," Sykes sneers, "how's Téa this fine evening?"

Todd stops cold. With lightening quick speed, he grabs Sykes and pushes him against the wall.

"You shut up about Delgado...."

"Watch it Manning," Sykes interrupts, looking smug, "you're coming dangerously close to threatening a police officer."

Seething, Todd gives him another push against the wall...and lets go. Delgado didn't need him in jail...and that's exactly where Sykes and the rest of the LPD would love him to be.

"Stay outta my way Sykes," he says icily, glaring right back. Turning, he walks quickly out of Indigo, racking his brain on where to go from here.

Sykes leans back against the wall....grinning.....