IMPOSTER - PART TWENTY EIGHT

PREVIOUSLY

The cold, dead aura of the cavern still pervaded his senses as he hobbled forward, but a feeling came over him that he was almost upon the dripping pool. His mouth watered as he thought of finding the desired liquid, but something else caught him completely by surprise as it entered the area. He stood motionless like a statue -- immobilized and transfixed by what had passed over him. His lungs greedily filled up with the welcome sensation and he shouted out loud in exultation at his discovery -- the echo of his voice resounding against the cavern walls. "Wind!"

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A persistent nagging in his mind that he was a man condemned to wander through the hellish darkness of a subterranean cavern receded immediately as he gulped in another intake of air. Reprieve! Just as in Ireland he had been given another chance to live and suddenly gratefulness washed over him. Someone wanted him to survive, and survival was such an integral part of everything he was. As aching and sore as his body felt, his elation continued to build as the soft breeze hit his face. I'm outta here!

Tea's face was blanched with a white pallor and set with rigid purpose as she met her brother's gaze challengingly. He's like all the rest. He doesn't know anything! He means well, but there's nothing I could say to him that would convince him.
"Tea, listen...you can't keep deluding yourself about him...he's not invincible!" Del countered with a growing awareness that his sister would never agree with him.
"...and just why did he choose to leave you out there and run from the authorities? Think, Tea! He has always had his own agenda -- which did not include you or anyone else."
The sting of his words caught her off guard as she had prepared herself to ignore everything he said. Del does speak some truth, but he only has half the facts. Yes, I know he has his own agenda -- he always has, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love me or Starr or Viki or anyone else important to him. This is what he had to do -- I know it!
Del rose up from the sofa -- his large frame moving toward her to provide the shoulder for her to cry on when his words would begin to make sense to her. This is what I'm here for, chiquita...to take away the hurt and pain as I always have.
As he stepped toward her expectantly, she backed away from him -- standing perfectly still and looking at him in a chilling manner. "I'm not your little sister anymore, Del. I'm a big girl now -- all grown up and able to handle my own affairs. I have one request of you -- to find out what happened to my husband in that cave. If you're not going to do that, I will hire someone who will."

The moonlight shone fully on the figure of the woman walking briskly to her car, and Sam Rappaport seemed to be in a spellbound state as he watched her gracefully ease herself into the car seat. She started the engine and the car lurched away from the driveway curb and left in a burst of engine noise.
For a full minute Sam's eyes followed the car as its form gradually diminished in the distance. He wasn't immediately aware that his insides were shaken up, and the sudden realization of it was like the sensation of ice-cold water being poured down his back. No...no...I don't want this...
The door shut softly as he mechanically moved back into the living room -- still subconsciously searching for the female presence that was there before. When she was here, the room was different...more alive. Glancing at the mantle clock, he saw that it was late, but not too late. I've had a hell of a day...I just needed to unwind...someone to talk to. He reminded himself again that his son, Will, had gone out to a concert with a few friends and wouldn't be back until early morning, so he pretty much had the place to himself. He roughly unbuttoned his collar button with one hand and plopped down on the sofa. A pleasant perfume-like fragrance still lingered in the air near him, and he shook his head as if to rid himself of this reminder that she had been there. Grabbing the glass of Scotch he had left on a side table, he downed the golden liquid hurriedly.
Restlessly he jumped up from the sofa and went over to his briefcase on the desk. The obvious void left behind by his visitor disturbed him and made him even more edgy. I'm not ready to call it a night yet. His fingers hastily flipped through pages of his pocket address book and stopped on one page. Susie Carothers. Sweet, fun-loving girl...likes to talk. Picking up his cell phone, he dialed her number.

Viki Carpenter stared straight ahead as she drove into the silent night -- her thoughts like fragemented pieces of some unsolvable puzzle. Something has happened. She drew in a breath and released it willfully as if trying to calm herself down. Get over it. He's a man like any other man -- nice...charming...sensitive. A girlish thrill went through her as she remembered the way he had looked as he sat next to her on the sofa. His curly white-blonde hair was uncombed and unruly against his tanned skin and his eyes crinkled around the edges as he was talking. Your imagination is running rampant tonight, old girl! This man could have his pick of women -- much younger women.

As Tea waited for her brother to answer, she saw the indecision in his eyes. It's hard for you, isn't it? You'll always want to protect me as you did back when I was a kid. It's your call though -- either way, I'm going to find him.
"Okay...okay!" Del's large hands sank against his sides in something like defeat to the petite woman with a will of iron. "It goes against everything I believe about that...that..."
Tea tilted her head and mockingly interrupted him as he tried to finish his sentence. "I know it's killing you, Del, but I'll take what I can get. You know what? Sometimes you remind me of the very man you despise."
She suppressed a laugh as she saw him shoot her a look of utter disgust at her pointed remark.
Todd bent his upper body down -- hissing through his teeth as more pain engulfed him but somehow now caring anymore. There is water here -- I smell it! Passing his fingers carefully along the ground, he sensed that he was right near some sort of underground pool. Extending his one good arm, his fingers located what he was seeking. The wetness against his skin was like breathing in the mysterious wind. Cupping his hand, he brought up a mouthful of water to sample. Hope to God this stuff is drinkable! Touching his hand to his lips, he cautiously swallowed what he had managed to bring up. He sighed with satisfaction as the cool, fresh water flowed down his throat -- loosening the tightness he had been feeling. Either I'm hallucinating or this stuff is like spring water -- better than spring water! Hastily he reached back in the water with his hand to scoop up more of the precious liquid, and he continued to repeat the process until he had slaked his thirst.
Another breath of wind settled over him, and he tried to pinpoint the direction it was coming from. Turning toward what his instincts told him was the direction of the flow, he guardedly moved forward -- hoping that he was right. Come on Manning! Forget the pain, forget everything but getting outside of this mountain and seeing your wife again.

The light on Sam's front porch illuminated the figure of a woman as he opened the door. He appraised her as she stood there with her usual striking appearance and soft curves. Susie Carothers was a former client who had gotten a divorce from a very wealthy man. She was unattached and in her early thirties.
"So, Sammy, are you going to ask me in or are you going to gawk at me for awhile?" Susie wrinkled up her short nose and spoke in a high-pitched, shrill voice with a giggle at the end of her question.
"Susie!" Sam extended his arm pleasantly and took her hand to lead her in. "It's been too long, hasn't it?"
Susie Carothers blithely floated into the hallway, but she took a quick peak at her former lawyer. He looked quite good to her, but a little tense. It had surprised her when she got his call since he hadn't called her in some time. For awhile they had been something of an item around Llanview, but he had gotten involved in other matters and they had just never reconnected. She had often wondered about him though. Most of the single women over 30 in Llanview knew who Sam Rappaport was.
"Well, Sammy, I love your new place!" she said and strutted into the living room as if she owned it. "You did all the decorating? Or did one of your lady friends have that privilege?"
Sam grinned and tried to brush off the question. "If that's a subtle attempt to find out what I've been up to, Susie, don't forget you're dealing with a lawyer here."
"Sweetie, you and I both know you're not the type to keep to yourself for very long. We're all still trying to figure out why you got yourself hooked up with that Todd Manning. That man has a real problem."
"Hey," Sam changed the subject quickly, "make yourself comfortable. What would you like to drink?"
"Surprise me, Sam darling," Susie tossed her dark, curly hair and leaned back into the sofa -- crossing her shapely legs confidently. She knew that Sam Rappaport had called her over to his home for a reason, and she was very intrigued.
Looking over at her from the bar, his first thought was one of panic. Any other time the sight of an attractive and curvacious woman sitting seductively in his living room would never have made him jumpy. From the beginning of their off and on relationship, Susie had been an outrageous flirt with him -- something he hadn't minded at all. She had had no great remorse over her failed marriage and, in fact, was very well set for the future. Her interest in him was not about his bank account or his notoriety as a famous lawyer. He knew that she genuinely liked him. Girlish-acting and quite feminine, she could also be great fun to be with since she loved to kick up her heels and party.
He began to mix her a martini, which he remembered she was fond of. As he stirred the drink, he noticed his hand was visably shaking. What's going on? Why am I so damn nervous?

The sogginess of the ground beneath him further confirmed to Todd that he was directly parallel to a pool of water. The question was how large was the pool and was he headed toward or away from it? Each step he took seemed to bring him more in-line with the source of the wind. When I get out of here, I've got to get this arm taken care of. It's got to be broken. It hurts like hell, and it's not getting any better. Something small scurried across one of his shoes causing him to hasten his steps toward the invisible exit somewhere in the dark ahead of him. Okay...I'm ready now to leave this den of horrors. It's got to be there...it's...
A sound more welcome than any he had heard in the time he had been in the cave greeted his ears. A lone bird calling out broke through the silence, and he took a large step forward through some sort of opening which was the portal to the outside world. I'm out!!

The door to the penthouse shut, and Del stood in the hallway pondering his next move. She had been like a rock -- immovable, and it was almost scary how she had taken control and overrode his original plan. Lumbering down the hallway to the elevator, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number to contact the other operatives.
"Yeah...repeat performance...same coordinates at the mountain. I'm going this time. I want the helicopter back and circling that quadrant. Prime objective -- locate the missing fugitive, Todd Manning. We want a final determination -- a body -- dead or alive!"

~ TO BE CONTINUED ~