Chapter 9

Helen shifted awkwardly in the bed. She'd been resting, or at least attempting to rest for the past hour or so, but all she could think of was her plan to get Nikola out of his current situation, and put an end to this rogue group of military scientists.

She rolled over again, she couldn't quite get comfortable enough, perhaps because this was an old war bunker, and the memories of her time sneaking around bunkers just like this to stop Hitler's reign of terror were still fresh in her mind.

She shut her eyes tightly, forcing them to stay closed, all she saw was Nikola, his face bloodied and beaten, wearing the uniform of the royal army, and Neil wearing the steel blue uniform of the Gestapo standing over him with a bloody fist.

She opened her eyes again and sighed. This was hopeless. She sat up and rubbed her eyes slightly. She shouldn't leave, Neil could be back any moment, but she needed to finalize her investigation.

She gingerly walked up to the door and opened it a crack. There was no one there. She opened it wider and peaked her head out. The hallways on both sides were bare. She stepped out and headed left, their was one area she had yet to check, where she assumed something was going on, something Neil didn't want her to see.

A scientist came out of a room, and Helen ducked into a small archway covered in shadow. Her eyes were on him as he fixed his coat and then continued down the hallway.

When he was gone Helen snuck to the door he had come out of. Opening it cautiously, she stepped inside. It was a supply closet, well a room being used as a supply closet, with one dim light at the end coming from a lantern.

"Charlie, is that you?" a voice said suddenly.

Helen quietly made her way around the shelves to see a young woman, about the same height as she, with her lab coat and what looked like a head cover, as well as goggles and a mask were draped on a crate while she buttoned up her blouse. She had dark brown hair that was down and messy.

Helen smirked; no wonder what she and this Charlie were up to.

"Geez Charlie, why must you be so quiet?" sighed the woman. "You scared me half to death."

Helen decided not to answer.

"I thought you said you were off to the lab, why did you come back?" she asked. "Did you miss me?"

Helen nodded, wondering if she could just see her in the shadows.

"Men, you act so tough but all you really want is to be inside a woman's embrace," the woman chuckled. "But I can't, if we're gone any longer they'll get suspicious."

Helen picked up a large heavy object and slowly crept behind the woman.

"So you should go now Charlie, I'm almost done, later tonight you can...we can meet again," the woman smiled. "Then you'll have me to your heart's desire."

Helen swung the object towards the back of the woman's head and she fell to the floor with a clunk.

"Sorry," Helen apologized and dropped the object, grabbing the woman's gear off the crate and slipping it on. She had a passkey to exactly where Helen needed to go, it seemed luck was on her side tonight.

She crept out of the supply closet completely disguised behind all the gear she was wearing and began making her way to the restricted area. The door unlocked easily with the help of the passkey.

She quietly snuck in, her eyes observing the room around her. It was a normal lab, and she wondered how long they'd been down here. There were thick tanks lined up on a cart, METHANE written on their sides. It was an odd gas to have on hand, but with the ongoing tension with Russia, she knew new methods of warfare were being considered, but why methane?

She moved further into the room, drawn by the sound of an animal. It was like a monkey and a cat mixed together, the sound screeched and hissed, then cawed. Maybe there were three different animals, she didn't know, but her curiosity got the best of her.

She followed the sounds to the other corner of the lab. The sight struck her to the core. Abnormals; a certain kind of animal-like Abnormals all caged into some kind of extraction operation. Her blood boiled at it. Going after Nikola was one thing, on some level he did deserve it, but these innocent helpless creatures, strung up with metal and wire with IVs of strange and frightening liquid draining in their bodies it was too awful, she had to put an end to this, to all this.

"Looking at the Pertradons again?" a man said behind her. "Sure are ugly aren't they?" he continued.

"Yes," she said in her best American she could manage. It was convincing enough for the scientist behind her.

"Come on Lara, get back to work," sighed the scientist and he went back to his job at the workbench.

Helen growled lowly and looked back at the creatures.

This definitely presented a change in plans.

"Excuse me," she mumbled and left the room.

"Hey, where are you going? Lara!" called the scientist, but Helen just kept walking, shedding herself of the lab gear until she was far enough away.

She needed to get back to her room, before Neil caught her sneaking around.

She got to her quarters and jumped when she opened the door and saw Neil waiting inside.

"Oh, Neil," she sighed. "How long have you been here?" she asked.

"A few minutes, where'd you go Helena?" he asked, somewhere between suspicion and concern.

"To the facilities," she said innocently.

"You shouldn't be walking around here alone," he walked up to her.

"I didn't know when you'd be coming back and I couldn't wait," she let him take her hands.

"Just...find me next time," he sighed.

"That's awful sweet of you Neil, but I'm perfectly capable of finding the washroom by myself," she kissed him on the cheek.

"You're right, I'm being over protective, it's just, you've become so...important to me these last few days, I..."

Helen stopped him by kissing him. He tasted foul, and she was slowly starting to loathe him despite his boyish affections for her. He was the head of operations here; he was beating her friend, and hurting innocent Abnormals all for war. He was evil with a kind face.

Nevertheless she dragged him over to the bed, allowing him to fall on top of her. The kiss broke and he looked down at her.

"Helena, are you sure?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm sure," she was sure of something all right.

He kissed her again and began trailing kisses down her neck and throat to her clavicle. Helen tried not to wretch, instead making small mumbly sounds as she reached behind her to grab the lamp from the bedside table.

With one fell swoop she smashed the lamp over his head, knocking him out flat. She had to use all her strength to push him off her.

She felt disgusting and used the edge of the bedspread to wipe off her neck.

She quickly flipped him over and stole the ring of keys off his belt, as well as his gun from its holster. She left the room and locked the door behind her.

Helen was done with this place, and these people. She had seen enough of their schemes to last a lifetime, now it was time to free Nikola, and commence step two in their plan which involved halting their schemes, and freeing the poor, helpless Abnormal's they were testing on.

It was why she didn't just help Nikola escape. They needed to cut it off from its roots so they couldn't grow back and cause trouble again.

She reached Nikola's room in record time. There were two guards standing outside the door with blood on their knuckles. She couldn't fight them, and she wouldn't shoot them. The gun she took was for security only. She tucked the gun into the back of her skirt and under her blouse and his the key ring in her bosom.

She turned the corner and came up to them.

"Excuse me, gentlemen. Dr. Parsons would like a word with you in the lab," she said as officially as she could.

"Which lab?" asked one of them.

"Which lab? Well, which lab do you think? Do I have to spell it out for you or can you even read?" she barked and the two men shifted uncomfortably.

"Nevermind, we know where to go," the two men nodded and left quietly.

"Good answer, I'll man your post while you're gone, like I haven't got enough to do already," she kept mumbling and grumbling until they were completely gone then pulled the keys out of her shirt.

After a bit of fumbling she found the right key and unlocked the door.

She stepped in and saw him; then she chuckled.

"Hello handsome," she said slyly.

Nikola opened his eyes grinned at her.

"You sexy woman," he growled, sitting up straighter.

"Can you free yourself, or do I have to do all the work?" she leaned against the doorframe.

"I don't know, I'm curious to know the work you do," he leered at her suggestively.

"You already know that, darling," she winked at him and he chuckled. With one tough yank the cuffs fell free and his arms swung around and cracked back in place.

"Ohh! That feels much better," he cracked his neck. "I missed you."

Helen rolled her eyes.

"I've been gone all of two hours," she sighed.

"Yes, and they were the loneliest two hours I've ever spent," he teased as he stood up. He elongated a nail and used to tip to unlock the metal cuffs from around his wrists.

"Come on, it won't take long for them to realize I've let you out, I'd like to be halfway out of here before that happens," she tugged his arm and began leading him out of the room.

"If we get into trouble, can I?" Nikola let his eyes go black to emphasize his point.

"Yes, you may, but try not to hurt them too badly," she smirked as his eyes turned back to blue.

"Well, take all the fun out of it," he muttered.

She took his hand.

"Shall we?" she asked with a smile. He squeezed her hand and smiled back.

"We shall," he nodded in agreement.

They began walking through the weaving maze of the old bunker; they didn't get too far though when they were met with the two goons Helen had sent off.

"Hey!" shouted one of them, pulling out his gun.

"After you," Helen sighed and Nikola grinned vamping out in full, using his strength to wallop one of the goons in he face and send him flying, while spinning the other one over and dislocating his arm. The two heavyset goons were whimpering in the floor in less than a minute.

"Oh payback feels good," Nikola sighed in his vampiric tone.

Helen laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Let's get going before you begin quoting Shakespeare," she sighed tugging him down the corridor.

It wasn't long before the alarm sounded through the entire building.

"That's our cue to pick up the pace," Nikola grabbed her hand and they moved from a steady jog to an all out run. They heard more of Parson's men rally behind them.

"Which way?" barked Nikola.

"To the main entrance, we can lose them in the woods," she suggested, it was the best route out of the three she'd found.

Helen ran ahead of him to lead the way, he followed, one of his hands still clawed in case of trouble.

Helen halted when she nearly ran into a cart full of methane tanks, being carried out the entrance. She and Nikola took no time in knocking the scientists unconscious and moving the cart between them and the oncoming armada of personnel.

Helen took out her gun and cocked it.

"Oh Helen, I love it when you go commando," Nikola growled with a grin.

"Have you noticed the fact that we seem to be trapped?" Helen rolled her eyes. The front entrance door was sealed because the alarm had set it on automatic lockdown, which she didn't take into account.

Nikola looked at it and scoffed.

"I can handle that," suddenly his body jolted and he looked down at his shoulder. "Ow."

He pried a small caliber bullet out of his arm.

Helen grabbed him and yanked him behind the cart as bullets began to fly.

"Give me the gun," he held out his hand to her. "If I get hit it's nothing, if you get hit then...we can't afford that, give me the gun."

Helen nodded and handed it to him

He got up from behind the cart and began shooting back at the goons.

After about five minutes he crawled back down and dropped the weapon. It was empty.

"Any other ideas?" he asked.

"I don't know, I thought I planned it better than this," She sighed.

"We could always make love," he suggested.

"And that will help us how?" she eyed him funny.

"It won't, but what a way to go, huh?" he teased. Helen was about to roll her eyes but stopped, noticing the tanks they were hiding behind.

"Are you sure you can break down that door?" she asked.

"Of course, It's simple steel, my claws will slice through it like butter," he said with a sense of pride. "Why, what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking, we just might have the thing we need to get out of here without getting shot in the back," she gestured to the tank. "The old smoke and mirrors trick if you catch my meaning."

Nikola grinned widely.

"I could kiss you," he leaned in close to her.

"Maybe later, first let's get out of here and to someplace safe. Can your amazing claws cut through one or two of these tanks, the burst of gas should cause enough of a fog to disguise us."

"As my lady wishes," he smirked, letting his claws come out skillfully.

In a swift motion he sliced through two of the tanks, the gas coming out in a big smoky haze. Helen coughed a little, and heard another round of coughs from the other side of the room.

Nikola coughed as well, heading to he door and making quick work of it, he had cut a whole, like one would with a glass cutter on a window pane, but had yet to pop it out. Helen came up to him and took his hand.

"I know where to go from here," he whispered to her, his lips just ghosting her ear, the sensation made her shiver.

He bumped the door and the cut out piece fell out easily.

By the time the gas had cleared Helen and Nikola were nowhere to be seen.

They ran like free spirits through the trees, darting over fallen logs, and roots. Hands still entwined.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"I took the liberty of moving us to a new house, since they know where we were staying," Nikola staggered slightly. "Whew, I must've been sitting down for too long, my head is..."

"Mine too," Helen nodded.

"But it was brilliant!" Nikola jumped with excitement.

"Let's just...get out of here," Helen sighed.

"Right," Nikola nodded and took her hand again.

They jogged at a decent pace for a while until Nikola's foot snagged on to a root and he toppled to the ground taking Helen with him. Helen landed on top of him with a grunt.

The two laughed, for whatever reason.

"Clumsy me," muttered Nikola.

"I guess we could count this as a rest," Helen sighed resting her forehead against his chest.

"I feel funny, don't you?" asked Nikola. He blinked a few times.

"Well, we did just inhale a ton of methane, we'll probably feel funny for awhile but it's nothing to be worried by," she sat up, her hand still on his chest. He looked at her hand for a moment before grasping it in his own, he gently brought it to his lips and kissed the top of it.

"What was that for?" Helen asked, feeling very breathy.

"You're amazing, you know that, right?" he sat up, looking into her eyes. "I don't deserve your brilliance."

"No, you don't," Helen teased.

He groaned and rested his head on her shoulder.

"Why did we do this again?" he muttered.

"To learn about who we're dealing with, and now that we know we're going to destroy them," she said determinedly.

"Oh Helen, you're so sexy when you plot revenge," Nikola nuzzled her slightly and she laughed and pushed him off.

"Let's get to the safe house first, we're not out of the woods yet," Helen sighed getting up.

Nikola chuckled.

"Funny," he smirked, stumbling to his feet.

They made it without incident back to the Penzing district, and back to the residential area. It turns out the house Nikola had moved their stuff to just happened to be across the street from the old one. They walked casually down the street to the front door.

Nikola unlocked the front door and they went inside, locking the door behind them.

Helen went and closed all the drapes, kicking off her heels. Nikola dropped the keys where he was standing. Blinking again.

Boy, did he feel strange.

Helen came back to stand in front of him.

"I've closed the drapes," she said. "I'm starting to understand what you said about feeling weird. This doesn't feel right at all."

Nikola nodded and suddenly began kissing her forcefully; Helen kissed back without hesitation.

Nikola finally pulled back, his pupils dilated and unfocused, just as hers.

"Everything is so..."

"I know..."

"I want to...

"I know."

Without another word the two began kissing frantically, both noticing how the world began to morph around them into nothing but colors and senses.

This was not normal at all, Helen thought, but as Nikola hands began sliding down her thighs she ceased to care.

~~~~Author's Notes~~~~

Okay! New chappie! Awesome, exciting! Woohoo! I've done nothing but write for the past two days, it's both glorious and maddening! But awesome.

Ooh surprise ending, I know this can't end well. If you recall Chimera, the whole conversation went something like were you expecting the matrix, well yeah, or vienna in springtime...so you'll see in the upcoming chapters how i translated that...I think you'll guys will get a kick out of it :P

More chapters on the way! Woo!