`` bradley- '' simone starts to say- but i 'm no longer listening to them- i 'm looking at the projection- because the camera 's moved down the hill and south a little- and there he is- right in the middle of it all- surrounded by soldiers- fighting off spackle- `` todd , '' i whisper- and then i see a man on horseback next to him- my stomach drops- the mayor is next to him- untied and set free , just like mistress coyle said- todd 's let him go- or the mayor 's forced him to- and todd 's at the very front of the battle- then smoke rises up and he disappears .