Accidental Tourist by Marcia Gaines
Chapter Twenty-five, The Return
(South Dakota, 2012)
"The power's failing!" Magnus immediately moved to join Dr. Calder at the platform, but had difficulty navigating in the dark. The emergency lights kicked in a few moments later, making their work easier, and the two physicians moved quickly to power up the defibrillator.
Helena and Tesla moved to the platform. He tensed visibly, and she gripped his arm tightly as he nervously glanced between the platform and the power conduit. Whatever it was he was thinking he gave no outward sign of it, and she felt him tense further before he started to take a step. Moments later the power returned to normal, and he stopped. "Claudia and Artie must have sent another pulse down the line."
"Looks like it worked," Tesla answered. "Let's hope it holds out."
"I think we should leave the defibrillator on," Dr. Calder said looking into the other physician's eyes.
"Agreed," replied Magnus. "There's not much time left – leaving it on could save us precious seconds."
Tesla exhaled slowly and patted Helena's hand. It was hard to know whether the gesture was meant more to comfort her or to reassure himself.
Dr. Calder began setting out and unwrapping medical supplies, while Magnus prepared an injection of epinephrine. They looked at each other without speaking, in the way medical professionals do when facing a dire moment of life and death decision-making.
(Chicago, IL – 24 May 1893)
Helena breezed through the doors into the yard, walking purposefully toward the three figures. Calm down! Think again. She watched as Myka lifted her eyes toward her. Something about the expression she saw on her face was unsettling, but she did not have time to consider it. Myka stumbled again just after recovering her balance. To Helena's mind the push from the taller man must have been much more forceful than it had looked – and the thought of it angered her even more. So intent was she on addressing the situation, she did not stop to think anything else could have been amiss.
Myka regained her balance, mostly, and looked up to see Helena running toward her. I have to tell her! Myka's mind screamed at her. I have to tell her it's not her fault! So hard to move. So hard to think. She fought to take a step forward even as her voice refused to obey her. Helena, I love you! Never doubt it, never! She struggled for balance trying to put one foot in front of the other – wanting only to get to Helena one last time, but it was no use. So far away. Too far away. In one fluid motion she fell semi-conscious to the garden's soft grassy path.
All Helena's attention had been focused on just one thing, so she did not even know she dropped the tin she carried, its lid and contents spilling open into the afternoon sun, when she broke into a dead run and headed straight for the fallen figure.
(South Dakota, 2012)
"We're out of options," said Claudia as she ran into the room with Pete, Artie, and Leena.
Artie quickly spoke. "We've got her on the secondary circuit, but the pulses aren't taking, and the circuit probably won't last out the minute."
"We've got to do something," Pete said. "Anything!" As he spoke the platform began to spin.
"How much time is left?" Tesla's question was low and pointed. The platform continued to pick up speed before starting to slow down. Tesla, Claudia and Helena all blanched. The circuit wasn't supplying enough power.
Helena looked at him. "Less than thirty seconds," she said in a strangled voice. "But I don't think the power is going to last that long." She ran to the coupling where the connection between the platform and the conduit lay. It was starting to smoke. When they heard a loud popping noise followed by the acute smell of ozone, everyone in the room knew the secondary circuit was beginning its critical failure.
"No!" Helena yelled in horror as she turned toward the platform. Her eyes came to rest on Myka's face and she fell to her knees with her hands tightly wrapped in her own hair. "Not again, please God, not again." Her hand went to the locket around her neck. She had faced too much pain in her life. She had lost Emma, and then Christina. She felt as if she had just really started to understand her love for Myka, and now she was going to watch her die. The thought was unbearable, and she forced herself not to let the tears forming in her eyes fall.
Tesla took one look at the anguish etching itself into the already deep fear and worry present in Helena's eyes. The debate he had been raging settled immediately and he grumbled to himself as he walked toward the power coupling. Picking up the large cable he said, "Stand back."
Looking around the room he let his eyes rest on Magnus. He smiled his intention at her and she understood it without words. "Nikola, what are you doing?" She laid the hypodermic on the tray and moved to step toward him. "This is not normal electricity – this current runs through the Warehouse, you have no way of knowing if you can survive it!"
He gave her a sad but impish smile. "Just be sure to bury me in my blue suit. I always did look best in Armani." And with that he decoupled the line wrapping his hands around its two newly exposed ends. A powerful surge of electricity immediately surged between them and the platform rapidly accelerated to reach its top speed within seconds.
The shower of sparks accompanied by a loud explosive sound marked the end of Tesla's action and he was flung backward with enough force to send him right through the area gate and well into the side of a large crate in the adjacent sector. All eyes turned from him to the platform. There was no more electrical power feeding it, and it began to slowly decelerate. Myka lay motionless with her eyes closed.
(Chicago, IL – 24 May 1893)
Charles reacted instantaneously to the sight of Myka falling to the ground. He reared back and punched Robert so hard that the man's hat flew from his head before he even hit the ground. "How dare you lay a hand on a woman," he roared followed by a whimpering cower as he cradled his throbbing hand. Robert scrambled to his feet and seemed about to advance on Charles when both men turned at the sound of Helena's voice.
"Emma!" She yelled as she arrived sliding to her knees. She cradled Myka's head in her lap and looked down into a dazed pair of eyes glazing over from causes unknown. "Emma!" Helena called to her trying to get her to focus her eyes. She ran her hands along the sides of Myka's face and placed desperate kisses on her forehead trying to get a response of any kind.
At long last Myka looked up at her. The prone woman struggled to raise a hand to Helena's face and said "H.G., I – " before passing out entirely. Helena began to tremble. Please don't be dead. She's not. Please don't let her be dead. STOP SAYING THAT! The woman was not unconscious long, but in the time it took for her to begin to rouse the men had broken into argument once more. Helena ignored them and kept calling to Myka to awaken and focus.
When she finally opened her eyes again Helena was still cradling her head and frantically kissing her face. "What's going on? What are you – what are you doing?!" Emmeline pushed Helena away. She rose to a sitting position and looked around in complete confusion.
"What is going on here?" She stood shakily. When Helena reached out to try to steady her, the woman recoiled with a horrific look on her face. "Don't touch me! You- you- you deviant!" She spat the word like venom and she slowly backed away from the group until she spotted a face she recognized. "Robert!" She rushed to his side feeling an overwhelming relief. She placed herself next to him and pulled his arm protectively around herself before she noticed the blood trickling from his bottom lip. "Darling! Robert, what happened?" She cradled his face in her hands and pulled his handkerchief from his pocket to dab it on his lip before kissing him chastely. Neither of the Wells siblings had anything to say in the moment, and nothing about it improved as the emboldened Robert ended the encounter with the words Helena would never forget.
(South Dakota, 2012)
Dr. Calder moved to the platform followed by everyone except Magnus who had rushed to Tesla's side. He groaned loudly and she shook her head at him. "I'll be right back, don't move."
"Wasn't planning on it," he said and let himself collapse back onto the splintered wreckage of the crate he destroyed. "Ow," he groaned and pried a bulky metallic object from under his back. "Oh, great," he said. "My kingdom for a bed," he lamented as he let the object clink to the ground.
"Agent Bering, can you hear me?" Dr. Calder felt for a pulse. Everyone held their breath as they watched her face. When she finally smiled the relief was both audible and visible in the room. Myka was alive. "Agent Bering, it's Dr. Calder. Can you hear me?"
Myka's eyes flew open and she stared blankly at the woman peering into her face. "Myka? Myka, can you hear me?" Dr. Calder flashed a penlight in her eye making her grimace and turn her head.
"Yeah," Myka said. "I can hear you." She let her eyes focus more and smiled. "I can hear you just fine, Dr. Calder."
"Good, she knows who you are," said Magnus putting the needle down and eyeing Dr. Calder waiting for a nod. When she got it she gladly powered down the defibrillator.
"Of course I recognize her… and you, too, I think. You're Dr. Magnus, right?" Magnus nodded at her. "I remember meeting you." Myka's eyebrows knit together. "But, that was in 1893… and it's… how are you here? I don't understand."
"I'm afraid that's a very long story," Magnus said with a small smile. She watched as the others crowded in to welcome Myka home. "Oh!" She suddenly exclaimed. "Goodness me, what's this?"
Artie glanced at her as he walked toward the platform. "Ahhhh," he nervously stammered, "come with me, come with me," he rushed to her side and began ushering her out of the room. "And whatever you do, don't…" but his words were lost in her next exclamation.
A disembodied English accent echoed back into the room. "Bloody hell! A ferret?!"
"That'll be another '45 Bordeaux for the heroics," Tesla called out as he picked himself and brushed debris from his suit and hair. He walked over to the entrance and cupped his hands around his mouth to make sure Magnus heard him. "Maybe two."
"Hey," Pete said, running after Tesla. "Thanks man, I mean it. Really. I can't believe you did that…"
"Oh, don't mention it," Tesla said. The humble response brought a surprised look from Dr. Calder who extricated herself from the group so she could check on the battered man.
Pete continued. "You saved Myka's life. I'm not exactly sure how, or why you're even alive, but honestly. Thank you."
"No, I meant it," said Tesla looking up at him. "Don't speak. Your voice is grating." Dr. Calder gave Pete a sympathizing look as Tesla stuck a finger in his ear trying to relieve the pressure from the explosion that had sent him reeling.
"Why don't you come with me to the infirmary," she said. Tesla nodded and followed behind while opening and closing his jaw hoping to make his ears pop.
Pete muttered, "I really do not like that guy," as he watched him go, but quickly ran back to the platform when he realized Myka was trying to stand up. He hurried over to offer his arm, but she stumbled when she took her first step.
It was Helena who stepped in and caught her in mid-fall, and as they stood up the two women locked eyes. "You're home," said Helena looking deeply into Myka's eyes searching for any sign of whether it had been Emma or Myka who had broken her heart so many years ago.
"I'm home," Myka replied. She looked into the face of the woman she had loved across time, and reaffirmed what she already knew in her heart. She would always love her.
Myka lifted Helena's hand and looked at the ring she wore. "I was trying to leave it for you," she said. The thought struck her and she looked up. "Did you get my letter?" She did not know why she asked the question. She knew before Helena responded what the answer would be.
"What letter?" Helena gave her a quizzical look.
"Nevermind," Myka said. "I just… I wanted you to know…" She looked back and forth between Helena's eyes looking for something, anything, to let her know where they stood with one another. An ocean of uncertainty emerged between them, each woman battling her own thoughts trying desperately to merge the past and present – to reconcile what once was against the present. It was a task neither of them were prepared to do alone.
You have to know. I don't want anything to change. What if it's for the better? What if it's not? "Myka, I need to ask you something." She looked away and then back again fighting the roiling emotions within. "When was it…" Helena took in a breath and let it out slowly. Don't be afraid. I'm trying not to be. "When was it that you left?" Helena finally asked the question. "You know, back then… when was it you weren't… you anymore?" A part of her never wanted to hear it, but a bigger part of her needed to know. One way or the other she needed to find closure. It had been far too many years of trying to forget – trying to move on, and she knew the only chance she had of ever being able to truly mend would come from hearing the truth. "Was it you who left me that day, or was it Emma?"
Myka furrowed her brow. This was the moment she had dreaded. It had not mattered that she had left the ring; the letter itself had been lost. She never got the explanation – never knew the truth. Helena ended up going through hell and suffered through a century of not knowing. She never knew the love of her life had never been the woman who ended up rejecting her. And the doubt filling the voice and expression broke her heart. "Helena," she stepped forward lacing their fingers together. "It was never what you thought." The dark eyes simply looked at her – the pain and grief newly minted in her expression. "Robert and Charles were arguing. I fell. I saw you, and then… I was here." She swallowed hard at the impact of her words and lifted her other hand to dry the tears falling from Helena's closed eyes. "I'm here," she said again. "I'm home. I'm safe. And I'm with you."
She released Helena's hand to close the gap between them so she could hold her close. As she wrapped her arms around Helena's waist, Myka leaned to whisper softly into her ear. "And I always will be." The two women punctuated the moment by melding together in the embrace as Myka finally brought their lips together for the first time in a hundred and nineteen years.
~fin~
**Epilogue**
Claudia sat at her terminal performing her daily routine of checking artifact activity levels. She noticed nothing unusual until she saw a single inexplicable light blinking in a section of the Warehouse she never even knew existed. She zoomed in on the map and read the location. Royalty Room. She flipped on the closed-circuit camera and cycled through until she was able to find one for that section. It took her a while, but she finally located the proper feed.
She panned the camera around, but found nothing of note beyond what looked like piled up old furniture. Just before she switched it off, however, she noticed shadows moving. She tried panning toward the shadows, but the camera wouldn't turn far enough. She looked up with a curious expression. "Artie," she said as she turned toward him. "What's the Royalty Room?"
"Huh?" Artie was working at his own terminal when Claudia spoke. He turned around in his chair. "The Royalty Room?" He shook his head. "No idea, never… oh… wait, yes, the Royalty Room! It's where we store certain belongings of heads of state – Kings, Queens, Presidents, et cetera. I'd almost forgotten about that place, haven't been in there in years. Why?"
Claudia thought about it before answering. "No reason. Just saw it on the map and wondered."
"Nothing much to see," he said. "It's mostly just furniture artifacts - though none are dangerous. I think. Oh, and there might also be a football that once belonged to JFK – causes severe back problems, but I really can't recall much of note in there. Might be a good sector to add to the inventory checklist." Claudia groaned at the suggestion. He turned back to his work as he said, "you're welcome."
She grabbed her laptop and headed toward the sector, grumbling under her breath as she walked. It seemed to take forever to reach the dark corner where the old freight elevator was hidden behind a wall of crates. She entered and hit the button riding to a lower floor and exited when the slow-moving elevator finally came to a stop and opened its large heavy doors. She checked her laptop again for the map and turned to her right. The Royalty Room was not labeled, but was the first large section to the right of the elevator and was closed off by the largest set of wooden doors she had ever seen. As she approached, however, she heard muffled sounds emanating from the room. It sounded almost like voices, and she thought she recognized one of them.
She continued walking closer until she stood just outside the room. That was when she heard Myka's voice clear as day. She was moaning and had said Helena's name. Claudia lifted an eyebrow. The very next sound she heard sent her running back toward the elevator as fast as her legs could carry her. As the doors opened, and she stepped inside, she grinned to herself glad to be reminded something good had come of the time-adventure after all.
A/N: Thank you for reading Accidental Tourist. It has been an amazing journey to share with you, and I very much want to tell you how much your feedback, comments, and encouragements helped shape and complete this story. The next episode of the storyline has just been started - it is entitled "In Harm's Way". I hope you will enjoy it as much as you have this one. Thanks again for reading!