Choices

by Kerigangladeon

Johnny Smith was rescued from Cedar Ridge now he needs to find his way out of a Mental mine field and find his way home.

Choices

By: Kerrigan Gladeon

He looked out the Window of the cabin he had been brought to. He recognised the place and hadn't tried to escape he was beyond that now. There was something wrong with this and Trent knew it. Trent looked at Johnny's expression he wasn't happy about this. Meeting those who had in his mind, betrayed him and tried to have him put away. Where he would have suffered a long slow death , like his father had. He looked at the scene outside the window. Seeing Moose head lake, he turned to Trent and two others had brought him here because it was time that he had visitors, past time actually. Johnny Smith had been in this program for nearly two years. He was one of the hardest to work with. Trent had rescued Johnny from Cedar Ridge A mental hospital in Pownal Maine. Johnny was not about to forget how he was tricked into that place. and Who betrayed him. Johnny let his gaze drift down to the sink where he saw a single ant He poured his still boiling hot coffee into the sink watching the ant's pain as it was washed down the drain. He sighed. They were waiting for Purdy and the others to arrive. two years of refusal to have any contact with those he had been betrayed by Johnny hadn't even opened his mail from them, not even the letters from his son. He looked out the window again seeing the car lights in the fading light of day. " Why are you forcing me to be here when their message was as clear as crystal?" Johnny asked him.

Trent didn't answer he let Johnny vent He knew there was nothing for this sort of situation. Johnny looked out into the darkness. His voice hard and cold as he added. "They don't want me here." He said The psychic looked at at the woods beyond the window, and the third set of car lights. "I'm sorry Trent, but I just can't let that pain into my life again." Johnny lowered his head, put his hands on the counter

" After everything that's happened I can't trust them! I never wanted to come back here!" Johnny said no longer restraining his anger. " I know what this place is what happened to me. What still could happen..." He added. "I don't need any reminders, that I should stay away!" He said. turning to see that Trent and the other two men looking at the door Sarah had come over and now she stood there shocked at what she was hearing. "Then you've made your choice." She said turned and left. Johnny didn't even attempt to follow. too surprised by the sudden appearence Of some one He knew. Trent sighed and went out and talked to her. She wasn't crying at least she looked at Trent and then at the cabin. "Ive never heard him so angry before, I know that it's not without justification." She said. "Maybe that's why I'm ..." She stopped as she looked back at the main cabin. Where Walt was waiting. Trent knew how she was feeling "I know that hurt to hear Mrs. Bannerman, I'm not going to try to smooth this over or sugar coat the situation. Go and talk to the others. "Trent looked at the ground trying to find something that would make this easier but really there just wasn't, "I think we need to decide where both sides should go from here. " Malloy told her. Sarah nodded and walked back over to Walt. "What happened ?" He asked her. " Sarah looked at him " I think Johnny has decided to leave." She told him. Walt looked up at the lights of the other cabin. "Leave? Where's he going to go?" The Sheriff asked.

She looked at the colorful sunset reflected by the Lake. " As much as I had hoped he'd come home, I understand his reasons For what he said." Sarah Told Walt. Then turned and followed him into the main cabin of the retreat. "So What did that guy Malloy have to say. " Walt asked. " That we should discuss this and decide Where to go from here." Sarah said. Walt nodded. Sarah told Word for Word What Johnny had said. Purdy looked sadly at the floor Bruce paced a little He wanted to go over to that Cabin and try to talk to his friend. But this wasn't something that was strictly not allowed. "So That's it then." Walt said Purdy sighed. "I can't say it was unexpected though I'd hoped by now..." Bruce looked at the others. "You're just going to let him go?" Lewis asked. " It was his choice to leave Bruce. "Sarah said "He's lost, we have to hope that maybe one day he'll find his way home, or that he'll at least find some happiness some where." She said as she picked up her purse and coat. "So we just forget about him just like that?" Bruce asked. Sarah looked at him, " We won't forget about him, but we have to let him go, or he'll never find what he needs." She replied. She noticed an electric candle on the window sill by the door. plugging it in She left. Walt followed Bruce Looked at Purdy who stood there unable to say anything else the reverend too left. Bruce looked at the candle then out into the night and sighed. " Good bye John." He said to the empty room. Then he left as well turning off the lights save for the one in the window. Trent looked out and saw the candle's glow in the window. "Your friends have accepted your decision." He said. "So I guess this is it." Trent said, Johnny picked up his own bag and Started for the door. Trent looked at him then at Brackett and Carlos Who slowly rose from their chairs at the table. " well good luck John." Trent said. Johnny looked confused, as Trent, Brackett and Carlos left the cabin.

He got to the door in time to see the tail lights of the Gray sedan through the trees. Johnny just stood there. He had no idea what to do. He Just turned leaving the bag behind, he walked off into the trees.

Sarah and Walt returned home, and JJ was sitting upstairs and he heard his mother crying he went into his bedroom. He knew Johnny hadn't come home. He looked out into the night.

Sarah drove by Smith house The next morning The wind blew cold and the sky was gray. And there was a sadness in the air around her. She knew that she had to do this. and went inside turning off the alarm She walked through the house. a small Walmart bag in hand. Sarah went to the room above the drive way and took an electric Candle and timer from the bag, plugging it into the timer and the wall socket she set it on the window sill and left. At the station Walt and Roscoe were talking in the break room. "So he's really gone?" Roscoe asked with concern. "Yeah, he's really gone but who can blame him Ya know.

After what happened at Cedar Ridge. I kinda figured he'd never come back." Walt replied. "What now?"

The deputy asked. Walt sighed. " Back to work, Business as usual. I guess." Bannerman said sadly. Both men wished Johnny had decided to stay. "So he's really gone?" Roscoe asked. "Yeah, though I wish he hadn't." Walt said. "It's been really hard on JJ." Walt lowered his head as he remembered how Dr. Taylor had played his strict adherence to the law, against their friendship. "If I could get that quack Taylor on something Just one tiny little thing, I'd bust him so fast I don't care if it's an overdue library book, I just want to teach that man a lesson he'll never forget!" Bannerman said.

His eyes showed a deep rage. "If you guys need me I'll be in the Gym." He said as he left the Break Room. Roscoe knew what that meant Walt needed to Vent and the Gym down the hall was the best place.

Eugene Purdy looked at the picture of his ward, He felt anger at both Stillson And Janus's insistence that he Sell Johnny's home. He knew what would happen to the money, which is part of the reason he refused the second was Greg Stillson had made a deal with the main realtor in town to buy Smith house. Purdy looked at the Photo again He needed a very good reason that he couldn't sell Smith house and there was only one. Later that week Purdy got a mortgage on the place, then sold the note to Johnny's niece effectively protecting the property from Stillson's greedy grasp. When Janus found out he tried to make Purdy Pay by blacking out his transponder service But Purdy had been switched over to a new system by his new station owner. Again Pat Riley had proven her great worth. and in a retaliatory move cut Stillson's campaign funding completely. Purdy was now only a figure head the Dark Ranger the Heir to the empire had finally come to power!

Johnny was sitting under a tree looking at the river as it flowed past him. He hadn't been able to think of anything for several months. He was unaware of anything else, Just the river. He just sat there watching the water flow by when he heard two children playing near by he looked up, but didn't move away. his heart called out to his son. But remembering the boy made him remember the man who had betrayed him. Johnny felt the anger rising within him and he looked again to the river. He let the anger follow the water flowing out of his body and mind. Behind him a black sedan screeches to a halt. They had been looking for him for over six months, As the two men walked over to where Johnny stood . Something warned him and he left. The goons never got close enough to interrupt the psychic, who walked away they had missed their chance yet again. They lost him in the crowded city streets of Atlanta Georgia. He wandered along aimlessly finding another peaceful place and settled down. It was here that Rebecca Caldwell found him . Johnny was sitting under a tree, and she just walked up and settled next to him. He looked up at her and then returned his gaze to the water. She gently took his hand. Johnny looked at her the pain in his eyes told her more than anything else. "I don't usually take in strays but in your case I'll make an exception." She took back him to her apartment and they had a nice meal, She cleaned him up and fixed him a place on the couch where he slept heavily. The next day He wasn't awake and she knew it had probably been a while since he'd had a safe place to sleep, because he was sleeping so heavily. It was then she noticed that he was also shivering. She knew he was ill, and decided to care of him. She had already talked to Sarah, and was well aware of Johnny's situation. Taking into account that he was probably an internal stew of toxins and junk foods. There was something else too.

She put him on a strict detox program. Then came the night Johnny met her gaze and she saw the question in his eyes. She had of course moved him to her bedroom. She held him as he fought off the programming that he had been through. She had seen it often in several now shut down facilities that she had helped with rescues from. The story was all the same. Johnny was tramatised and needed to find himself again before the questions he had could be answered.It started with the rage, She was glad that his spirit was still strong enough for that . He paced like a caged animal the tears followed then he turned to her, she saw his eyes clearing the glazed glassy veil was gone, he was suddenly aware that he wasn't alone. "How long have I been here?" He asked her ."About a week." She told him. Johnny looked at her with a surprised look. "You were really out of it." She told him. Johnny swallowed hard. his mind racing. She answered his questions as she fixed dinner. "I got this really great job here the offer came just before... uh She looked at him. Johnny sighed he knew what she meant. "Have you been able to get past what happened?" He asked her. She smiled at him. "I... I have." She told him. " Johnny lowered his head. What could he possibly been thinking. Then she walked over to him and gently took his head in her hands he looked up at her seeing the smile that was in her eyes, "It wasn't you John I never believed that it was." She told him. he looked away. "I ..." He started to object but she gently whispered something to him and his objections faded. During dinner Johnny was quiet, Rebecca watched him. it was really funny how she could still read his every thought. Even after three years, she had been away from him. She laughed at the thought, and shook her head. "What?" He asked. "Oh I've been sitting here, watching you and I can still read your expressions." Rebecca told him. Johnny looked at her . "Even after three years, I still know what you're thinking." Caldwell replied. "Sarah says that too."He said. then suddenly he caught himself. His eyes suddenly turned away and Caldwell read that as well. " Johnny It's alright." She told him as he rose slowly and walked over to the window. "I try not to think about them about home but no matter how hard I try to forget about the past it still comes back." He said softly. Rebecca looked at him. " Shhh, It's o.k." She whispered, he felt her hand on his arm, That was When he finally let go of the anger that had been part of him for so long. He looked up at her and then sughed nodding. She had forgotten how gentle he was when making love, and that night he gave her a reminder. Then they slept she knew that it was time to let him go or decide to go with him. Johnny looked up at her the next morning. He was finally free of the fever and something else that had been clouding his mind. "I need to go back," He told her. "I need answers. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about that day, I've been fighting this for so long. But there's really no other way, That's why they left me at the retreat." Johnny looked at her. She knew what he meant, and she smiled at him. " You might not like what you find." She told him. "Rebecca I'm not going to like it no matter how it turns out, but I have to know." Johnny replied. "So what do you want to do?" She asked. " It's not what I want to do it's what I have to do." He said calmly. She smiled and nodded Johnny She took him to the airport. He was quiet and yet it wasn't the dark brooding quiet he had been in the night before. "I could come along." She offered. He looked at her. "What about your new job?" He asked. She lowered her head. "I just don't think you should be going through this alone." She objected. "I know." He told her. Then he kissed her gently, and got out of the car. She Parked the car and got to the terminal Just as the boarding call for the flight came and Johnny Shook his head. "Thanks Rebecca." He said smiling. The flight back was a business commuter flight and it landed in a much less crowded section of the Bangor International Airport. Johnny looked around him as he felt the warning that had come everytime Janus' Men had been nearby. it was then that he spotted the goons headed their way. He led Rebecca out the nearest door. "Johnny What's going on?..." She began. Then the goons came running past them. " I've picked up a new trick or two, along the way." Johnny smiled. She looked at him Perplexxed. by this change."I'll not argue with that." She told him. They found themselves a taxi and soon were on their way. Johnny looked at her. The taxi dropped them at a hotel, and Johnny paid the driver plus a generous tip. The man drove away and the two were finally alone again. She found out that there had been other changes Johnny

seemed drawn outside, and he would sit there for hours just watching the world go by. But something told her that he wasn't seeing what was going on around him. Something more was going on. She looked at the phone considering the idea of calling Sarah. But Johnny turned and looked at her and she went out onto the terrace beside him. "What happened to you?" She asked. Johnny smiled. "I had help escaping Cedar Ridge. and they helped me heal as much as they could. " He said. " and I've learned a few new tricks. " He told her. It was then that Johnny gently touched her face. "Why have you really come back?" She asked him. He didn't answer her. He looked out across the. Focusing himself on the currents of life, that passed by. She watched him, Johnny wasn't telling her everything. She could tell that but what was it that he wasn't telling her? He sighed. as he looked at the newspaper he'd brought back with him, " It's been a busy week up here, seems Dr Taylor was arrested, for selling his patients to white slavers, or experimenting on them himself. Johnny looked at her "There's no doubt what he'd have done with me." He said with a cold calm. Rebecca nodded. "It says here that he had a master forger Brent Foreman, in his employ until recently when Foreman was saved from being killed by a hit man in a city park. Foremen turned states evidence on Taylor and his clientel!" Rebecca read. Johnny had put a lot together in his time on the road. The black sedans and the suits that had been chasing him. He turned to Rebecca. " I've wondered why who ever was after me had redoubled their efforts." He told her. "Now I know. they want me out of the way before any feds or cops find me." He added. " So what should we do?" She asked him. " I don't know." He said.

Malcolm Janus, looked at the newest photos of Johnny Smith there was something in those photos that wasn't in any others his intell teams, had taken. This made him nerveous. and if it was enough to make him Nerveous it was enough to make those behind him very nerveous. " He's changed." Something in the back of the powerbroker's mind whispered. "Sir We have been looking everywhere both air and ground teams have reported no sign of Riley, or Smith." An underling reported. Janus looked at him.

"Are you telling me that with every man and every technology at our disposal, We can't find two people on the North east coast?" His tone was quiet but threatening. " We will locate them sir it's only a matter of time." The other man said and Left the room hastily. Leaving Janus alone. "Hard to find good help these days." A voice came out of the darkness. Janus felt a chill in his chest. Then a shadow seemed to vanish and he saw the face of the Dark Ranger for the first time. Pat walked over to him. "You're looking for me So I decided to come to find out why." She said looking at the room. " I like the decor. A little heavy on the black, The effect is as intended. The goons are a nice touch when you have a person already frightened, But then there's the one's you can't intimidate by Goons alone. "Pat looks down at the photos of her uncle. " Well aren't these nice, Nothin' I'd hang in my livin' room but good work none the less." She added. Janus looked at her. "Why are you here If you knew I was looking for you?" He asked. Pat smiled "Ever catch a donkey Mr Janus?" Pat asked him. "A donkey when cornered can be a vicious advasary. They're agile and savage." She added. "But they aren't impossible to catch." She told him. In fact the best way to catch a donkey is to get a shady spot and wait letting the donkey come to you." Pat said. Janus still hadn't connected the story to the situation. Pat smiled she had him and she knew it even if he didn't ! "You are a wanted fugetive I could kill you right now." Janus challenged. "Yes, but you're curious and you respect courage. And you also know I've got more Kin than you've got goons." Pat replied. Taking off her black stetson and placing it on the table. "Besides killing me might not be very advantageous with Johnny Smith on the loose." She continued. Janus looked at her. "Actually Mr. Janus I came here to eliminate your options. and that leaves me three. One you would like two you won't." Janus looked at her in surprise.

"So what are your three options?" He asked her. Pat pulled a bottle of green tea from her duster.

"Well, In the interest of fair play I'll discuss them with you. The first is your best case scenario. I join you . You have a new pawn. But you can't be trusted ." Pat told him. Janus looked at her. "Second Option, Take over the empire! Not viable I'd have no time for my horse." He felt that there was more to this little visit than just discussing her options. "Third. Bust us all and let the feds sort it out! She pulled the still activated Cell phone from her pocket and smiled broadly "Sorry for using your minutes like that Charlie." She said As US. Marshall Penndragon came into the room. Janus looked at her Then at Penndragon. "Quite alright Ranger Riley." He said.As Januswas taken away and Pat looks at several files.

She had played him perfectly! "Well done Dark Ranger." He says as he is taken to one of the Marshall's service's cars. " You're welcome Bubba." Pat looks at Penndragon, who is clearly confused but he also knows he has a whole new case to work out.

Walt Bannerman, stood in the observation room a frightened college student sat holding a silver locket in his hands as he weighed this matter up. The boy Looked up as Kim Sheridan joined him. "Devin" She smiled. "Ranger Sheridan," Kim looked at the file and sighed. "You're in deep are't ya?" She asked. "I came here to get away from my past."Devin said " Yeah that kind of thing always catches up to you."

Kim sympathized. " Want to tell me about it?" She asked. Devin Simms looked at her then at the observation room. " A few days ago these guys grabbed me took me to this palce and Dr Taylor was there. He wanted me to forge a signature for him. I refused, but he takes these pictures of my sister Catlynn and tossed themonto the table. and said that if I didn't do as he asked he was going to let his goons have her for their own pleasure. "

Kim met his gaze directly. "Did he ever show you your sister let you talk to her?"

Sheridan asked. " NO," When I finally agreed they gave me this." He held up the lockett and Kim shook her head. " I did what they asked but after I was done they took me out and were going to kill me But you're partner showed up and we got away. " Devin told her. " Then Dev, I can only say that there's only one thing you can do here. Look at the situation and assess it. First they never let you see your sister. you never had contact with her before they got you to agree to their deal. There's three possible things here. " They never had her. They had her but she escaped. or they had her but through intent,or unfortunate circumstances she's dead."

Kim told him. "The fact that they tried to eliminate you after you gave them what they wanted says the third scenario is the most likely. That puts you in the position of next of kin. and the one who is responsible, for avenging that death. You have the perfect weapon right here right now."

Kim told him. She rose and Devin met her gaze. " Give the Sheriff Dr Taylor and his goons."

He nodded and Walt looked at Kim who came back smiling. "He's ready to talk." Kim said.

Walt nodded.

Across town Purdy was getting a visitor he hadn't expected, Johnny caught him completely off guard. "Johnny?" He looked at his ward's eyes. He looked tired." Come in, sit down for a while." Gene offered ."Johnny went in and settled on the couch Purdy offered, some Iced tea and Johnny accepted.

"I've been wondering where you got off to." Gene said Johnny Smiled, "So Tell me what have you been doing?" The reverend asked. Johnny looked at him. "I've been wandering Gene. " He said. Purdy looked at him. and nodded. "I can guess the rest Johnny." He said noticing that his ward looked pale. " It hasn't been an easy time for you at all has it?" The reverend added. Johnny met his gaze. "No." The psychic said. "I wasn't ready to come back before, I'm not sure I'm ready now." Johnny told him. "I'll help any way that I can." Purdy said. "I was counting on that Gene." The psychic replied, grabbing Purdy by the arm he was taken back to a week before his being trapped and held at Cedar Ridge.

He watched as Purdy refused to sign the papers Janus brought to him. "I'm sorry Malcolm But I refuse to sign these I will not kill my ward as I did his father." Purdy bellowed. Janus looked at him. "You have to choose between two sons. If you don't one may harm the other." The power broker said. Purdy still refused. After Janus left Purdy looked at the empty office door then at the papers Janus had left behind. "I know which one you'er refering to." Purdy snarled.

Johnny met The other Man's gaze, and nodded. "Thanks Gene." He said softly and left. Johnny took a few days before going home. The time was passed pleasantly enough, He and Rebecca talked over the Information he'd gotten from the older man. Rebecca knew that Johnny was sitting there watching her as she assessed his conversation, with the reverend. " They didn't betray me." He said. "We were all played." He said. "Appearently Purdy wasn't giving Janus what he wanted. So he had those papers forged." Johnny looked at her sadly. "I couldn't reconcile what I was told , while I was in that place, with what I knew about my friends." He added. "And there was something else." He told her . As his mind drifted back, to the time he was held at Cedar Ridge. " No one ever came to visit me, Yet when I saw Sarah, I saw her trying to get Dr. Taylor to just allow me five minutes with my son. And there was always that ocean waves sound covering up something else. It was like a whisper. But I couldn't quite hear what was being said ." Johnny looked at her. She now knew what was wrong, Johnny what was fighting. " Johnny had who ever rescued you not done so you'd have been lost and probably died. From what you tell me you were put into Cedar Ridge by someone who had no right to even try to harm you in that way." She told him. He had to agree. There was too much that told him now that What they staff at Cedar Ridge was doing wasn't legal.

"There's only one way to beat them." She said. "Go home Johnny." She told him. Johnny had what he needed and was glad to see his friends hadn't forgoten him. The light in the window above the Drive way told him that much. He got to the door and found his key still fit the lock, his code still worked the alarm system. But he couldn't help feeling someone else had been there. He looked around when he found something. A soft pink glow on a nearby table. "What is this?" The glow intensified as his hand found the lemurian crystal left behind for him. and suddenly he felt a gentle warmth surrounding him. He was surprised by the fleeting Glimpse he got, of a world that wasn't his own. He stood in a courtyard of Stone behind him agiant ring that went into a space between some stepswith symbols carved uopn it. "The gray veil of this world rolls back and all turns to silver glass. then you see it White shores and beyond to a fair green country and a swift sunrise." The voice seemed to come from everywhere and no where. "Look around you . You did not fail." He never saw who spoke as he was pulled back from the vision, by Rebecca. "Johnny What is it?" She asked. " I don't know. But it didn't sound that bad to me." He said. Rebecca saw a smiled that she knew meant something had changed.