Caged Chapter 25

The sun lit the black of Todd's closed eyes and woke him with a start, but he kept those lids shut tight. The pain throughout his body sent dreamy images of Statesville and his crew of little vipers pounding through his head. He could smell Tea, her perfume, leather. He shuddered with a memory of Jackson's body, a familiar feel. He cleared his throat, rubbed the fuzz off his tongue with his hand, and took a peek at his surroundings. Reaching out and touching the metal cage, he instinctively knew that he wasn't in any danger, wasn't in Statesville, and that he had to pee like a fucking racehorse. He sat up, touching the soft blankets, and sniffed at the cool air. Tried to piece together the past couple of days - all he got was a whole lot of bullshit kinda ending at the China Moon Motel.

But that wasn't right 'cause it really had ended here. Dogs were barking. There was one right across from him, sitting in another cage, who seemed to be smiling. Tongue happily dangling. Brown mottled fur. Looked like... a pit bull.

Ty Jerome's kennel. Your lawyer said to stay put.

Looked to be right. Fit that hanging tongue and all that barking and panting and whimpering. Had vague recollections, voices telling him exactly why shit was, the way it was.

We're all here to protect you. We... are trying to protect you, from yourself, from whatever is out there. They way you protected us... for those long years.

The dog barked and went back to smiling a toothy smile. Todd shook his head at the dog and snarled, the dog getting to his feet and backing up. Not smiling any more. He checked the crook of his arm, seeing a bruise from the needle. Yeah... that had certainly been a reality. He also noted that he didn't have a stitch of clothing on. He looked up and then moved to stand. Grabbed hold of the links, let go, and took a couple of steps, tripping hard against the cage wall. He dropped to his knees, and rested a moment before grabbing up that blanket around him and standing once more.

Looked around for something to pee into... found the bucket. Shit. Did what he had to do.

Shook the locked cage door a bit, but then sighed. The night sort of lurked in the back of his mind and he checked out the condition of his body. He hurt all over - felt the bruising and cuts. Felt an overwhelming sense of dying, and a whole lot of vitriol because he was...alive.

Yeah, that's right. That was clear.

He'd wanted to die and had a hard time doing it. Had a hard time getting people to let him die.

"I'm never going to let you go, you bastard. Hell isn't ready for you."

"Well, ain't that just grand," he groaned before plopping back down, dropping his head on his knees and wishing, just wishing, to be high again. Somewhere in his head, he knew that was why he was locked in a cage.

It took a little effort but R.J. convinced Tea to leave Todd to his heroin-Valium dreams and come inside the house to get some much-needed sleep. Once securing her in a guest room that Ty had designated for the one woman in the house, he had gone back outside to lock that goddamn cage. Stood for some time, eying dead-to-the-world Manning. He returned to the house to find the whole of the crew out cold, too, on couches, the floor, and the other bedrooms. Including his very own bodyguard. Too big for a couch or any of the beds, all seven-foot-two inches of Jamal lay sprawled on the floor, hanging on to a blanket like a kid. Snoring away.

Some bodyguard he was.

R.J. tried sleeping, but gave up after a couple of hours. He finally got off the couch, and made himself coffee. Thought about the shit Manning found himself in. While the guy had long and well earned R.J.'s boundless hate, the FBI earned it more. He'd like nothing more than to screw whatever plan they had for MK and Todd Manning. Police agencies sometimes need screwing, to remind them that they DO NOT run this fucking world.

He drank slowly, listening to those dogs.

Tea had one thing wrong - Todd wasn't a typical C.I. Most confidential informants feed whatever agency they work for a constant flow of information. Todd didn't appear to be doing that - he was all business as usual with a murder rap hanging over his head. They were just waiting to bring the axe down at which time THEN Manning was supposed to turn over shit he knew. This gave R.J. wiggle room on solutions.

So things stacked up so far: Rolon had a plan to get out of MK, Tea had something on Pedro via the Serrano kid she was representing, and Todd had the whole kit and caboodle in his back pocket. There had to be a way outta this that would give the FBI a little of what they wanted while keeping the Manning-Delgado household in safety, here in Llanview.

Noise from outside other than barking dogs caught R.J.'s attention so he got up, peeked through the window, and saw that Todd was awake - must have fallen against the chain links. The dogs were making more noise, happy noise that the new dog was among the living.

R.J. got another cup, poured some hot coffee in it, added more to his own cup, and went outside. The day was a gorgeous one - the sun was shining, couldn't have been less than fifty degrees. Spring was in the air.

R.J. walked over to the cage and looked at Manning who was sitting up, blankets around his shoulders and legs, knees up, head down, arms wrapped around his legs, looking pathetic as hell. When Manning glanced up at his visitor, his longish hair hung limply around his face preventing R.J. from seeing even more into the dark hell in which the guy was clearly living. There was a bucket in the corner of the cage and R.J. could see its purpose. Now THAT was pathetic.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," R.J. purred. He knelt and slid the coffee in through the little opening in the cage door. "Got a little something for you. And not de-caf. None of that Valium either."

Todd gazed at R.J., then the coffee. Took some moments to decide he wanted it. With a soft, barely audible grunt, Todd reached for the cup and picked it up in his hands, his legs falling flat. He seemed to have accepted his situation for the moment.

"You know where you are?"

Todd said nothing, just drank his coffee slowly.

"This is Ty Jerome's place. Where he houses fightin' dogs... dogs that nobody wants." R.J. waited for something but Todd wasn't giving anything. "You know why you locked up here? Like them other dogs that nobody wants?"

The coffee cup tipped, the silence hard and purposeful.

"Apparently, shit's gone critical thanks to the Serrano attack on your people. So your lawyer... he say you gotta be here... 'cause your lawyers need you under control while they figure out how the hell to fix your situation without you fucking everything up. And shootin' heroin? That is FUCKING EVERYTHING UP."

A growling noise came from the cage and R.J. just shook his head. "What is that? You pissed off? That it?" R.J. sniffed, breathed in hard and got down on his haunches. Holding the cage with one hand, he looked solid at Todd.

"The hell's wrong with you, Manning? You got caught with your pants down and NOW you wanna die? What a punk-ass move. Leaving your wife and your children to clean up your messes as always." R.J. hissed, "Look at me, bitch."

Todd did - a cold dead stare through that stringy hair.

"It made me sick last night to see Tea clean you up from your little heroin party. Washing your dick, balls, and ass of the piss and puke... wiping those cuts and bruises from your mind-fucked temper tantrum. You hear me? YOU MAKE ME SICK. I hope they keep your punk-ass locked up in here... you deserve nothin' less. And SHE doesn't deserve YOU."

"Fuck you..."

R.J. laughed, "Now he talkin'."

Todd took a mouthful of coffee and spit-sprayed it through the fence at R.J. who fell back, unable to escape it.

"Yeah, jus' like the animal you are." R.J. wiped his face of the spat coffee, then shook the fence, as if checking it for strength. "Wanna tell me what the fuck is goin' on? So maybe, jus' MAYBE I can help save your stupid ass? And therefore... save your family?"

"Go away, Gannon," Todd said in a ragged, exhausted voice. "Go away before I piss on you."

"I don't doubt you'd do that."

Thing was, R.J. was true in his efforts to get the full story. Didn't blame Manning for being so upset. He WAS in deep shit. It DID seem hopeless. And it WAS goddamn humiliating to have his wife clean him up from his nightmare addiction to insanity and dope... in a kennel cage. That... and the fact that he had managed to stay alive despite all his earnest efforts.

R.J. might have offered kind words, but... the moment he laid eyes on this motherfucker his mouth started spewing the hate. He got close again to the fence and offered his mea culpa. "Look, I mean it. I wanna help you. Talk to me. I ain't the FBI, I ain't the LPD, I'm not MK. I'm just..."

"A member of the Posse. You're as sunk in as the rest of 'em."

"I'm just... an old... fellow ex-con. I know where you're comin' from."

"You don't know anything."

R.J. sunk down, holding onto the fence. "Manning... what evidence does this Warren have on you?"

Todd swallowed, lifted his head to look at R.J. "You can't help me, man, just... go... away."

"What evidence? Come on!"

Todd shook his head, knowing he had to be locked up. He had it all planned. If they opened the door, he'd act all humble and compliant. Then he'd grab that rifle above the kitchen door, demand a car, drive to Llanview, score some dope and get fucking high again. He'd get enough to keep himself in bliss for a month. He licked his lips just thinking of it. He was as sickening as R.J. said because he envisioned this whole thing going down... without ever thinking of clothes. Or cash. He'd be naked. Doing all that fucked-up crazy shit. What drug dealer would even sell dope to a naked man? Who had no cash?

He figured the rifle would help.

R.J. sighed, leaning his head against the fence... "Come on, Manning. Work with me."

"Get me a needle and some 'h,' then we'll talk."

"Jesus CHRIST."

"Yeah... whatever."

"Know what...I ain't goin' anywhere. I'm jus' gonna sit here, drinking my piss-flavored coffee, smelling your dirty ass, and wait you out." And he did. R.J. sat in the sun like a lizard, drinking that coffee... waiting Todd out.

After a long while, Todd said very quietly, "How do you know about Warren?"

R.J. looked through the links at Manning, met him eye to eye. Said in a serious tone, "Tea told me. Your boys filled in the blanks. He's some undercover dude who's using the Horenda killing against you."

Todd stayed quiet a while. R.J. finished his coffee. Set the cup down. Birds were singing, dogs were periodically barking, hungry no doubt.

"He has a knife," Todd finally said.

"That all?"

"He's a witness to me in the laundry hallway, cutting up a very dead Horenda."

"Motherfuck..."

"Yeah. Looked bad."

"Prints and the blood... and an eyewitness account."

"Pretty much. Looked like I killed him."

"What else?"

"I don't know... drug possession, trafficking of contraband... other some shit."

"That's it."

"Then there's a whole thing... of people in Statesville... "

"What thing?"

"A thing... people...that were... you know... had their tits cut off. Just... a thing. And it looks like... I did that."

"Like living people... like tattoos?"

"Like dead people. Like trophies of serial killings. I didn't do any of it!" He paused, shrugged. "I did cut off... Horenda's tit. Fine, I admit that... cut off his tit and cut the word BITCH into his forehead...set up the whole thing... cold-ass murder. FINE! I deserve the death penalty, but so did he! He deserved what he GOT!"

"You know what, I ain't even gonna ask. How this shit comes down on you..."

"It was for them. My crew. They needed it. I needed it. For... a kid in Statesville who never got... shit."

"This Diego."

Todd whispered, "Yeah. This Diego."

"Did the guards know about Horenda? Your boys, they told me some fuckin' horrible shit that guy did."

"The admins must have known. Nobody has power like that without people letting it happen. Hell, they thought I was doing shit to the kids... yet they let me hide behind a sheet. Never told ME to take that down."

"A sheet?"

"Yeah, I could cover the bars of my cell. Whenever, for whatever. I wasn't the only one either." He paused, touched the blankets, said softly, "Anything could happen behind that sheet."

R.J. let the words hang in the air a moment. "Shit. We gotta pursue that. Much as I am... loathe... to do this, I think Buchanan might be helpful there."

"Awww... come ON. He wants me inside as much as YOU do."

"I am serious. I sense... something in him."

"Get the fuck outta here... don't forget that Buchanan would LOVE to see MK go down. And I am a major key to that."

"I'm a jus' gonna take note. Leave this to me, Manning."

"Shit has changed at Statesville, ever since the new warden came on."

"Did Horenda stop raping kids when she came on board?"

"No."

"Well, there you go."

"Whatever, you're fuckin' cray-cray."

R.J. laughed and looked at Todd. "You talk about me being crazy? How much you remember of yesterday?"

He paused. "Not a whole lot. My body tells me I was less than dignified at being here."

"Could say that. You do remember you tried offin' yourself at the China Moon."

"That, yes. But I remembered I had to fix my car and changed my mind."

"You know, I have a feeling you bein' serious."

"I am."

"Jesus CHRIST."

"Fuck you, Gannon..."

"What about your kids? TEA?"

"A car doesn't fix itself!"

R.J. laughed, started laughing a little harder at the unbelievable thinking, "You, you the big winner on crazy, man."

Todd didn't laugh - didn't smile. His hell was real. Real... goddamn awful. "I realized that if I took that whole syringe in... I'd miss out on getting high."

The laughing stopped, and R.J. sighed. "I have a feeling... you're serious."

Todd shook his head and buried his face in his hands. "I am." He looked at the cage's door. "Keep it locked, Gannon. Keep that goddamn door locked."

Tea didn't hear any details, but she did hear Todd's tone of voice, saw that he was talking to R.J... and she was glad of it. In a distant sort of way. Sleep had reminded herself of certain realities. The sun showed her undeniable truths. She had lost her feelings of empathy. All she wanted was to wash her hands of him... run home to her children, to her little law practice. Go back to defending the defenseless.

Nevertheless, George had woken her up, calling her cell phone, and she railed against his locking Todd up.

"Do you know what that did to him?"

"Yes, I had a feeling he would be a little... disoriented. But I couldn't have him out there, doing god-knows-what. And Tea, he's an I.V. drug user again."

"That's what hospitals are for!"

"And how well did that go for him the day he decided to shoot up heroin?"

Tea sighed audibly, said in a breathy voice, "He left the hospital to do that."

"Exactly. He's got to be in hiding for a while, not actively trying to end his life. I'm working on some ideas, trying to keep him from testifying, keep him from prison."

"I don't get any of this... how long have you known about the deal he cut with the FBI?"

"Not that long. I was aware of some earlier stuff to keep him from serving more time beyond his original five. I was involved in that. But THIS... only a couple of months. I haven't much time to sort through the technicalities. He's been on his own on this thing."

"How are we going to hide him?" she asked. "Doesn't that put him, and us, more at risk? MK will be looking for him."

"No, the Mambo Kings are all under a self-imposed lock-down after the massive shooting yesterday. They are... re-grouping, for lack of a better word. AND, Pedro right now is assuming Todd has fallen into his addiction again. He doesn't like it, but is kind of okay with Todd staying low a while."

"He needs to be in treatment. He's very sick again."

"Well, maybe the kennel is as good a place to get that treatment. I'll send someone to work with him, if he'll have it. You should come back to Llanview, though. He'll be fine there. I want to talk to you. Not on this phone."

"Why? Is it bugged?"

"Uh... no, I want a face-to-face conversation with a fellow lawyer about a mutual client OFF the phone because it's just ethically better."

"Oh... right, of course. I'm sorry, I've gotten a little paranoid."

George chuckled and they ended their conversation. After freshening up a little, Tea walked into R.J. coming back inside. He pointed a finger at her, "Your husband... has got a real problem... with drugs."

"Oh... I had no idea." She looked at R.J. Crossed her arms. Cocked her head. "What a shock."

"I'm gonna take off... you want a ride back? I can send a car for you later if you want to stay."

"No... I'll go with you. Let me say a few things to... Mr. Manning...first."

"You got it."

Tea walked outside and went to the cage. The dogs were barking, wide awake, excited to have new company. Breaker growled and barked that strange little sound of his. He settled back and simply watched. Tea got close to the cage that held her sorry-looking husband, who'd since lay down on the blankets. He saw her at the door.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

"You got a key?"

"I do."

"Then... come on in."

Tea unlocked the door and it swung open. She saw Todd look at that door... saw him force his eyes away from the escape route back to her. Saw the addiction... all over him. She bit her lip.

Standing tall in the doorway, her boots looked like they could poke holes into Todd's flesh. The two simply studied each other. Then, he crawled to her feet, the blankets falling away from him. Wrapped his arms around her legs, curled his body around her. "I'm sorry," he whispered. She knelt down to him.

"You're sick," she said. "You need help, and I can't give it to you." She rubbed his shoulder, caressing him carefully. He'd truly hurt himself in his fight with the cage. She ran her hands up his spine. The hardness of his body never failed to impress her, to wound her... as R.J. said, why should he be so prepared for war, all the time?

Because he's still in prison.

She let go of him, stopped the touch. He in turn, released her, feeling her iciness. He grabbed the blankets around himself, sat back against the fencing. "I love you, no matter what I do."

"I know that. But it is definitely in your own way. For you to use a needle again, is the most..." She was angry and she couldn't help but show it. "How could you?" She hissed. "How could you do that to us? You could have died..."

"That was my intent."

She breathed out hard, whispered, "How could you."

He said nothing, staring back at the ground. He had no defense. Yesterday, it all seemed so simple. So clear. Like writing on a page. Today... not so much.

She wiped her eyes angrily. She got to her feet. "I have to leave. You're to stay here. Don't follow me home. You need to STAY. George will be visiting. Sending someone to talk to you... about the drug situation."

"I got no clothes... Ty's too small a guy. I'm stuck here unless I want to drive naked."

"I don't put it past you. But... that won't be necessary because I brought you things. Packed a bag before coming here last night. Ty has it. Clothes, personals, your medication. By the way, it's official... you've lost your driving privileges because of the seizures. Once you're seizure-free for a year, and hopefully you will be when you get your medication under control... you can drive again."

Todd looked up at her, "I can't stay here... I have to protect you. I need-"

"YOU need to do nothing. R.J. He'll protect me." She knew what her words would do... but she couldn't help it. She spoke the truth. Putting her hand out to soothe Todd's rising ire that she could see in his face, in his suddenly cold eyes, she said, "R.J. has people... out there who will do fine to watch over us. But... you staying here... does the MOST to protect me and the kids. YOU staying away from heroin... and MK for now... PROTECTS US, more than R.J. ever can."

After a moment, he seemed to settle back from the sudden heat of anger. She turned to leave, but stopped. Found it hard to let him go. "We ARE going to do something," she said. "George is working on it, your boys... they are too. Despite their rather... complex relationship with you."

Quietly, he said, "Complex." After another second or two, he added, "I'm not really hopeful on any of this help." He started to talk again, but Tea stopped him. She moved to him once again and got down to his level, placing her fingertips on his lips, "Be hopeful. Please...please..."

He sighed and Tea then hugged him, wrapping her arms around him. He in turn, tightened his hold on her. "I'll try," he said.

When Tea got to the door, she turned, "Do I really have to lock this door? You're more than someone who needs to be...locked in a cage. Are you going to try to leave?"

He studied her some moments, wishing things were different. "I won't leave. Unless that fucking R.J. oversteps his bounds."

"He won't."

She didn't linger. He got to his feet and stood at the gate and watched her until she went out the front. She gave him one more glance before disappearing from view. He heard the car doors open and close and then stood listening as the car drove into a haze he couldn't see, the engine growing more faint the farther away the car went.

He pressed his forehead against the fence, surprised nobody had come out here to lock the cage's door. He ached like hell, physically, emotionally... he wanted to get high again. God, god, that had been brilliant. He shook with want, with a desire that made his mouth water.

If someone gave him the stuff... he'd do it again, without thinking twice. Like he'd done yesterday. My god, just like before. Madness. Hell with everything. He breathed deeply, trying to clear his mind of the mind-clouding junk. Trying to see his children - trying to feel Lucia in that shower...

I don't want you to die like all those other soldiers.

I'm no soldier, baby girl. Just a goddamn gangster ex-con drug addict.

Tightening the blankets around him, he walked the kennel's main aisle. The dogs were hopping in each of the cages. Mostly pit bull terriers, all colors, all different levels of tattered. He couldn't help but smile at them, at their unadulterated joy at seeing the new resident out of his cage. He knelt at a couple of cages and let them sniff his fingers, let them lick his fingers. He walked a little more, keeping his eye on one at the very end of the aisle. The dog hadn't stopped watching him. He was quiet. Serious. Definitely not hopping with joy.

Todd greeted a few more dogs before landing at Breaker's cage. The two stared at each other a long while, Breaker finally dropping his gaze to Todd's feet. Todd knelt down and Breaker made a low growling noise. Barked in a weird choked way at him. But then silenced. Todd had his fingers on the chain links, holding himself up. He sniffled, then turned and sat down. Back to the fence.

Turning his head, turning his shoulder slightly, he looked at Breaker through the links, said, "You're one fucked-up dog. You got a bad scar across your face. I do too." Todd leaned back against the cage. The dog sniffed at him through the fencing, sniffed the blood that had seeped out over night along Todd's back. He tried to lick the wounds but couldn't reach. His tongue lapped at the metal.

"Sucks being locked up. If you were high, it wouldn't be so bad. And let me tell you, Valium ain't doin' the trick. You ought to try smack... that'll make the cage seem like nothin'." He sighed, playing with the blanket, touching it, smoothing it out on his lap. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

"Problem is... that smack... will fuck you up. It'll take you by the balls... and never let go. Thing is... you're glad to have your sack in its bite. You lose everything, your family, your money, all sense of decency and morality... you'll lose your LIFE. And when it's all gone, and you're in the gutter, alone... still you say, bite me harder. And harder still." Todd sighed, cursed under his breath.

The dog snuffled against the cage, finally stretching out at the edge.

"You hungry? I'm fuckin' starved. I'm a get us some food."

Todd got up, Breaker getting to his feet, making that half-bark once again. "I'll be back."

Getting into the kitchen, Todd dug around in the refrigerator, pulled out some cold cuts for himself. Saw a raw steak in strips on a plate. "You'll like that, I bet."

He got a plate and stacked it with the meats. He got an apple. Went back to the fridge and got some cheese. Listened for people, heard nothing. He went back outside and walked past barking, hopping dogs, back to Breaker.

Todd sat on the ground and began to eat. One for him, one for Breaker. One for him, one for Breaker. The two shared the meal, Todd feeding the black scarred pit bull the raw steak through the opening in the gate. The dog happily gobbled up the food, licking Todd's fingers to be sure to get every bit of food off them. Todd found himself smiling, realizing he hadn't smiled since he last saw his own kids. Not like this. Not without agenda, not without hidden meaning.

The dog bit gently at the gate. When Todd looked up, he saw the gate was unlocked. He shrugged and stood, opening the door. The dog casually walked through the opening and stood looking up at Todd. Panting in the sun. Todd sank down again to the ground and the dog sniffed at his wounds. Looked Todd in the eye. Moved closer to Todd and licked the opened wounds. Long nurturing strokes of his tongue that made Todd smile again. Then... almost made him cry.

He nodded, sighed. "I know, I didn't handle the whole cage thing as well as you do. It was one fucked-up night. I'm sure you've had nights like that." Scratching his head, he added, looking at his wounds, "I seriously do not remember anything about what I did to myself. I must have been... throwing myself against the fencing."

Todd got the plate back on his lap and fed the dog more cheese, the two essentially sharing an apple. Todd would bite piece off and give it to the dog. When he was done, Breaker lay his big head on Todd's covered thigh. Todd petted him, the dog closing his eyes, seeming to enjoy the affection.

The kitchen door opened and Todd looked up to a frozen Ty Jerome at the end of the aisle, Ty's mouth open and his hand out in a warning gesture. "Manning... Manning... uh...be very careful. Don't even move. Holy shit..."

The dog opened his eyes and looked at Ty. Growled hard and low for a few seconds. Todd shushed him. The dog looked up at Todd and put his head back down to resume his snooze.

Todd wasn't sure what was going on. "He's fine. The gate was unlocked, I figured..."

"I made a mistake, I must have forgotten... Todd, that dog is real... dangerous... what the hell? Are you petting him?"

"He's fine. We shared breakfast. I think he's my friend."

Ty moved a little closer and the dog lifted his head, growling a little but less than before. Breaker looked at Todd, and then quieted for sure.

"Sonofabitch...I don't even know what to say. Yeah... I think he's declared you his person. Really strange." Ty squatted down, keeping his distance, and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He looked at Todd, who was definitely worse for wear. He wondered if Breaker was still under the influence of the Valium. He just had no explanation other than maybe Todd being wounded brought out the 'paternal' side of the dog. Or maybe... Breaker just recognized a fellow un-fixable being.

Shaking his head, Ty said softly, "That dog is a killer. He'll tear your throat out, even if he loves you. He was used for dog fights until he couldn't stop himself from fighting anyone and everyone. The owners shot him, left him for dead. I got him from the pound - he was declared too vicious to live. They told me I have a year to make him civil. He hasn't been, and it's over a year now. I was told... to euthanize him. I can't normally approach him, unless he's drugged. That dog is on Valium... quite a bit. But... it long wore off."

Todd was looking at Breaker on his lap as Ty was talking. Something struck Todd and he felt tears roll down his face. Whispered to Breaker as he pet the dog's damaged body, "I know what that's like, I really... fucking... know what that's like." The dog looked up at him, made a little growl and licked gently at the blanket.

"God... damn," Ty said, shaking his head. "Don't even know what to say, other than be really careful when you move him back into his cage. He really is... dangerous."

"I'll do that," Todd said.

Ty didn't move, just watched, studying the amazing change that had come over Breaker. He didn't think the dog was cured or anything, but rather... that the dog had simply found a person that seemed to soothe him, or... maybe this was someone who was truly stronger than him. Breaker seemed to have met his match... he'd listen to THIS guy. Ty had no idea why that would be though... it wasn't like Breaker hadn't met people who'd kill him. But Manning... Ty just didn't know.

The other men came out, Tomas, Smithy, and Joe. When Todd looked up... he saw them all, beyond who was there in person - Royce, Kenny, and Diego. Even Brayden and Darryl. Saw that old crew staring him down. They kept their distance. Something like shame came over Todd and he sighed, chewed his lip. Pet the dog. Breaker lifted his head and eyed the men, and Todd could tell he was evaluating the danger, the threat to his person.

"It's okay," Todd said. "They got some idea in their heads..."

Breaker got to his feet and faced the crowd. Sat back on his haunches like the monster he was, showing off that massive chest, his deadly jaw, next to his chosen person. Todd sniffed, cleared his throat, got to his own feet. Hanging on to that blanket. Knocked his head back, all that raw power showing in that slender black-tatted heft. It was time for business.

In a low ragged voice, Todd said, "What you have for me, kids o' mine?"

Smithy grinned in that crooked way... and the other three smiled, too, varying levels of tattered on their faces.

"We... have an agreement," Joe said. "Very simple..."

The sun beamed down and the future shook a little... right along with a shake of Breaker's heavy head and body.

"I'm all ears," Todd said quietly.

To be continued...