Chapter 28 – A Framing in Whitechapel Part 3

~~~~October 1, 1888~~~~

Helen felt all eyes on her as she stepped into the study.

John sat in his chair cradling a glass of port; James sat across from him, chin resting on his hand, staring at the fire, and Nigel paced nervously.

When she entered all three men stood to full height.

"We have to kill him," she said sadly.

They nodded.

"He could escape again and we can't risk Scotland Yard finding him, just as much as we can't let him go free," she continued, twiddling her thumbs.

"It can't be easy, vampires are immortal…to a point," said James.

"There are ways, ways discovered by the Christians to effectively wipe them out, all positively medieval," she sighed. "There is beheading, separating the head from the body, despite immortality they cannot grow back a new head. There is a medieval practice, they called it Purifying The Demon, the priest would cover the vampire in holy oil, cut out it's heart, and pray for it's healing, again, there is only so much a vampire can grow back, if you stab the heart it will mend itself, but remove it completely there is nothing to heal."

None of those options sounded humane to the group, James visibly tensed at the thought of having to 'Purify' Nikola.

"Are there more…decent ways?" asked John.

"This," Helen held up a hypodermic filled with a black liquid.

"The Christians developed it, called it the 'Hand of Death' a lethal mixture of sulpheric acid and other poisons any alchemist would've had in stock at the time, they would make the vampires ingest it, it killed them in a matter of seconds, before they had time to heal," the three of them looked at the vial in semi-horror. "This is slightly modified, hopefully the pain will be greatly reduced and he will simply just slip away."

Helen held strong. As much as she was angry at Nikola for what he had done, she also didn't want to kill one of her oldest friends, but it was something she had to do.

"Helen, you don't have to do this, you don't have to be apart of this, John or I could do it," said James, coming up to her.

"No, I have to do this and you know it," she shuddered slightly. "I created this, I'm the one who should end it."

James put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"John, you and Nigel get him ready, I have something I need to say to James in private," she looked at the two of them and they nodded.

"We'll meet you in the lab," said Nigel.

"No, not there, bring him to my personal study," said Helen.

They nodded and headed for the door. John gave her one last glance before shutting the door.

"Wonder what that's about?" said Nigel as soon as John shut the door behind him.

"Probably to talk about how he will dismiss the Ripper Case to the blunders at the Yard," shrugged John.

"She needed a private conversation to do that?" Nigel looked at him with a puzzled expression, falling into step beside John.

"It's something we don't need to be around for, let's get Tesla ready so he can say his prayers before his time is up," said John quickening his pace.

The two of them reached the cells in the lower levels where Nikola was firmly strapped down.

John walked in first.

"Good morning Jack, sleep well," she said snidely.

Nikola cracked his eyes open, glaring at John.

"Don't call me that," growled Nikola.

"It's what you are, isn't it?" John growled back.

"This would go much easier if you two would just let it go," said Nigel, not looking Nikola in the eye.

"Where are you taking me? Where's Helen? I need to speak with her!" cried Nikola.

"You'll see her," said John cryptically, unhooking one of the legs of the gurney.

Nigel sighed, still keeping his eyes fixed downwards.

"What's wrong?" Nikola noticed Nigel's behavior. "Where are you taking me?"

"I promised not to spoil the surprise," John smiled wryly.

"Sorry about this, mate," said Nigel shooting him with a sedative.

Nikola slipped unconscious, his body going limp.

"Must you do that, John?" growled Nigel. "You're always goading him, isn't it bad enough already? Must you press buttons!"

"He's a killer!" yelled John.

"He's also a friend, I don't care if he's Jack The Ripper of Genghis Khan! He is apart of this team, his death deserves a modicum of respect, it's that creature inside him. If we could extract it we would!"

John's mouth tightened.

"How can you defend him?" he growled.

"I'm not defending his actions, and I'm not saying he doesn't deserve what's coming to him, but I still have to deal with him being our friend, a member of the Five…it's not just black and white, John," Nigel sighed heavily. "Let's just get this over with without a fuss, alright?"

John nodded silently and picked up Nikola immediately teleporting to Helen's study and leaving him on the floor as he teleported to grab the necessary materials to restrain him properly.

He returned, moving a chair to the center of the room. Nigel arrived with the special material that James and he had developed especially for Nikola's vampiric strength.

"We need the dart guns," said John and Nigel nodded leaving to fetch them.

John sat a still unconscious Nikola in the chair, binding his hands and feet tightly.

After he was sure they were secure he brought his fist around and hit Nikola hard in the face.

Nikola shook awake, the bruise left by John's fist healing instantly.

Nikola grunted and blinked trying to reorient himself, he felt a pain in his head, and not long after, a pain in his gut.

John grabbed him by the hair.

"Wakey wakey, Tesla, old boy," John laughed evilly and Nikola shuddered at the sound.

"Welcome to your execution," John whispered into his ear.

~~~~Elsewhere~~~~

The heels of Helen's boots clicked on the hardwood floor of the hallway leading to her personal study. The trip from the main study to hers was a long silent one. James walked behind her; both were not talking as they walked past the walls of paintings and tapestries, heirlooms her father had saved.

She held the cold glass hypodermic in her hand, it was wrapped in a cloth so she didn't accidentally inject it into another.

She was afraid to talk, in case the crippling fear inside her be voiced and then the whole operation would fall apart.

"There you are," said Nigel, joining them, he handed a dart gun to the both of them. "Just in case," he said softly.

Helen could sense his unease.

"It won't hurt him," said Helen in an attempt to comfort him.

"I know…I just don't want to see it…" he sighed.

"This is hard on all of us, Nigel, we all have to be strong through this…together," said James.

"Right…together," Nigel kept his head downcast but without another word he opened the door to the study. Helen walked in first, her heart clenching at the sight of Nikola. His eyes wide and petrified, John stood behind him, his arms crossed.

James found a spot and stood sullenly, his hand under his chin as always.

Nikola's eyes searched all their faces.

"H-Helen?" he looked at her, a slight panic growing in his chest.

"I'm sorry it has come to this, Nikola, but there is nothing I can do for you," she stepped up to him slowly.

"H-Helen, p-please…" Nikola looked at her, then at the item in her hand.

"I promise it won't hurt, Nikola," she said, trying to remain calm as he was slowly becoming frightened.

She knelt down in front of him and rested the needle on her lap; she slowly started to roll up his sleeve.

"You've become too dangerous to keep alive," she continued. This was harder than she imagined it.

"No, no, Helen! I didn't do it!" cried Nikola; he started to struggle in a vain attempt to get away. "Please you have to believe me!"

Helen bit her lip and unwrapped the hypodermic lifting it up to his eyes.

"You should be dead instantly, hopefully without any pain," she felt her eyes blur slightly as she looked into his very frightened eyes.

"No, Helen! I'm not a murderer!" he cried, trying to break free from his bonds.

"Please, Nikola, don't make this harder than it already is," she removed the stopper from the top of the needle.

"I'm not a murderer! I'm not a murderer!" Nikola panicked, his eyes searching for mercy in any of the faces surrounding him. "Stop, Helen, please!"

"John, Nigel, hold him still, please," Helen said softly.

John stepped up behind the char and held down Nikola's upper torso as Nigel, hesitantly came over and grabbed his other arm. In response, Nikola struggled more.

"No! I'm not the murderer! I didn't do it! James! Helen!" Nikola pleaded.

None of them had heard him sound so afraid, it was hard for James to watch.

"James! Stop this, please! I never hurt anyone! I didn't do this! I was framed! I don't want to die!" cried Nikola and James closed his eyes, trying to remain objective.

Helen's heart clenched hearing Nikola scream and cry, frightened beyond belief. This wasn't Nikola Tesla, electrical genius, part vampire. This was Nikola Tesla, little boy from Serbia, despite his immortality he was scared of death, scared and pleading for his life.

"Bog mi je pomoć!" Nikola muttered in his native language. "Helen! Please! I am not a murder."

Helen's façade broke and a tear slipped down her cheek.

"I'm sorry, Nikola," she choked out.

Her hand brought the vile black liquid closer to his skin.

Nikola struggled even more.

"Helen! Stop! I am not a murderer! I am not a murderer," Nikola kept repeating, his own frightened tears brimming at his eyes. He was coming apart and it was hard for all of them to watch.

Nigel turned his head away and closed his eyes.

James bit the inside of his cheek. Helen silently prayed for some divine intervention.

Nikola sobbed, and fought even harder, hoping to break free and run away from his cruel fate, but the more he struggled the more helpless he felt.

Helen regained her composure, blinking away the tears that threatened to carry her away, but she couldn't back down now, not with so much at stake.

"I'm not a murderer," Nikola sobbed looking away, muttering some prayer in Serbian.

Helen's eyes broke contact with Nikola's arm for just a moment; flashing upwards to John, then back down.

Nikola felt the cool tip of the needle just touch his skin.

"You won't feel a thing Nikola…" Helen said sadly.

Nikola's eyes squeezed shut.

"I'm not the murderer…" he sobbed.

"Helen, stop!" shouted James.

Helen froze.

"A killer doesn't plead for his life, not like this," said James, his hand resting on Helen's shoulder. She slumped immediately, standing up and creating distance between her and Nikola.

"Release him," ordered James and Nigel gratefully released Nikola's arm. John hesitated but eventually lessened his grip and stood back as James removed the restraints around Nikola's arms.

"Despite the evidence I know the difference between the cries of maniac and the cries of an innocent man."

Once the bonds were released from Nikola's arms and legs he sprung out of the chair, creating more distance between him and the others.

"Nikola…" started James.

"Stay the hell away from me!" cried Nikola. He fought to regain his composure, his back hit the far wall with a loud thump. He whimpered slightly, the panic of death still in him. "All of you! Just stay the hell away!"

He glared angrily at all of them.

"He's hysterical!" shouted John.

"Of course he is!" yelled James.

Nikola scrubbed a hand over his face.

"I told you I didn't do it! I freaking told you! I pleaded!" growled Nikola.

Helen couldn't stand it and left the room in a hurry, the door slamming behind her.

"Calm down, Nikola, relax and take a moment," James took a hesitant step forward. "This Ripper has been driving us mad. We just have to breath and think of this logically not emotionally. Nigel, show Nikola to the guest room."

Nigel nodded.

"Come on, Nikola," Nigel said softly.

Nikola took in a long deep breath but nodded and wordlessly followed Nigel out.

James turned to John.

"How could you stop her?" asked John. "You saw what happened?"

"What we saw was the aftermath of two murders, no witnesses, nothing to actually pinpoint Nikola's presence there…he doesn't fit the profile, John, not at all! Jack The Ripper is arrogant, and these murders are a cause. He sees himself as some masked vigilante ridding the world of an unclean thing, when caught he would consider he had done the world a favor; he would gloat! I know it, John, I know it!" James sighed. "It seems too late now, if Nikola disliked us before he hates us now…"

"I'm not convinced," said John. "I think still think he's the reason behind those girls murders, despite your unassailable logic."

John left the room to go look for Helen.

He found her in her quarters, sitting on the settee. She stared at the fireplace blankly, neither crying nor angry, just drained.

"Helen," he said softly.

She jumped.

"I wanted to check in on you," he walked over.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in," she looked back at the flames. She was tense; he could sense it.

"Are you alright?" he asked sitting beside her, taking her hand in his.

"Yah…just tired," she sighed.

"Long week," he agreed. "Would you like me to stay the night with you?"

Helen mulled it over in her head.

"No, I don't think so, I don't think I'd be very good company…not tonight," she squeezed his hand lightly. "But thank you."

"I'd do anything for you," he brushed a stray lock from her hair.

"Would you?" she asked carefully.

"Of course, I love you Helen," he kissed her hand lightly. "I would crawl on my hands and knees across broken glass if it meant being with you one more hour."

"Would you kill?" she asked.

John paused.

"What are you saying Helen?" he asked eyeing her.

"Nothing…it's just with Nikola…I don't feel like I know anyone anymore…it was so easy to pin him as the Ripper…now I wonder if I really know any of you," she looked back at the flames.

"You'll know soon enough," he kissed the side of her head. "It's a rough patch."

"You still think it's him, don't you?" she turned to him with inquisitive eyes.

"The evidence is there," he stood up. "Rest Helen, please. Once you stop thinking you'll see things clearly."

Helen nodded.

"Thank you, I will, you get some rest as well," she followed him out with her eyes.

"As the doctor wishes," he nodded and left.

Helen felt chills run up her spine. She wouldn't be resting tonight.

~~~~Elsewhere~~~~

James came up to Nikola's door. It was close to midnight. The horrors of only a few hours ago still lingered in the air.

Nigel guarded the door, not guarding a killer, but making sure a friend didn't run away in a flurry of emotions.

"How is he?" asked James.

"He won't eat or drink anything I bring him," said Nigel disheartened. "He won't even talk to me."

"Let me have a go," said James and Nigel nodded.

"Maybe he sees you less as a betrayer," Nigel looked down.

"You should get some rest," said James.

"No, I'm fine," said Nigel shaking his head.

James sighed and went to the door, opening it carefully.

Nikola stood at the far window gazing outside. The moonlight streamed across his features.

James walked carefully towards him.

"Nikola…" he said cautiously.

Nikola's eyes moved slowly to land on him, the grey eyes daunting and sad.

"What do you want?" said Nikola bitterly.

"Just wanted to see how you were," said James honestly.

"Fine, now leave," Nikola's eyes turned back to the window.

"Nikola, we're sorry, I'm sorry…I'm sorry I let it get this far, I'm supposed to be the analytical genius who notices these things!" cried James.

"I don't blame you," sighed Nikola. "It's just hard, James…to see all of you…so ready to think the worst of me…makes me wonder what I've actually done."

"It's hard for all of us," said James.

"Really? Did you recently just watch your friends try to kill you?" Nikola spat bitterly.

"It's not as simple as that," sighed James.

"Oh it's not! The only people I've really trusted thought I was a murderer! You have no idea how that feels!" Nikola moved away from his perch on the window. "When I'm done here I'm going back to New York and I'm never coming back! This place is…is dead to me!"

Nikola sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Nikola…"

"Please leave."

James sighed and relented. It was too soon for this conversation.

"Alright," said James.

"Heh, it's funny James, you're so quick to suspect me, yet you don't see the most obvious clues laid out before you…tell the hound to stop puppy-guarding my door on your way out."

"What are you saying, Nikola?"

"Have you ever asked John where he became so skilled with that knife…"

James was struck speechless, he left without another word, completely ignoring Nigel. He walked up to the John's favorite room, aside from Helen's.

He was sitting in his chair, casually sipping a brandy.

John turned his head when he heard James enter.

"Ah, there you are, I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to join me," smirked John.

"I was a little preoccupied," said James. He eyed John carefully.

"Brandy?" offered John.

"Please," said James. He sat across from him, keeping his eyes fixed on him. "I've been developing some alternate theories…I was wondering if I could run them by you."

John nodded.

"Of course, though I think we've already found our killer," said John.

"You really think Nikola is the Ripper?" asked James.

"Yes," said John.

"Why? Besides the evidence, what does your instinct tell you?" asked James.

"My instinct tells me he's dangerous," said John.

"Dangerous to who? You?"

"To everyone!"

"Or to Helen?"

John's jaw stiffened.

"He won't get to her."

"He's always fancied Helen, but she rejected him for you, therefore she is yours."

"He doesn't seem to get the idea," John started to eye James in a similar way.

"How so?" asked James.

John's jaw stiffened again, he was holding his tongue.

"I see the way he looks at her…he would like nothing for me to disappear so he could go in and claim her for himself," he said stiffly.

"And the way she looks at him?"

John's eyes flared at the question.

"What are you insinuating?"

"If you know she loves you then what does it matter how Nikola feels…but if she's looking at him the same way."

John growled.

"Better stop there, James."

"Or what…you'll hack me into little pieces like Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes!"

"That's enough James!" John raised his voice.

"Is it, Jack?"

John stood up and glowered at James.

"You should've stopped, James!" growled John.

He raised his dart gun.

"Shoot me! It will ease the pain!" growled James angrily.

John shot James with a sleeping dart.

He teleported away into the hallway outside Nikola's quarters; he knocked out Nigel with a quick punch to the face before the poor man had any idea what was going on.

After taking down Nigel he teleported into Nikola's room, moving quietly to where the man was by the window.

"Finally come to finish me off," sighed Nikola. "Took you longer than I expected."

"I didn't want to tip off the others, but I see you already did that for me," said John, removing his knife from his sleeve.

"You've gone mad, John! At first I thought you and The Ripper were two separate people with a common goal, but now I realize it's been you all along," growled Nikola.

"Right on the money again," laughed John.

"This was your plan the whole time, frame me so that you could have Helen all to yourself, you're obsessed!"

"You don't think I notice the little glances you give each other! The way she blushes when she thinks of you! After every night we spend together she lies back and thinks about how it could've been you! I see it! I'm not blind!"

"No, you are blind! Blinded by your crazy possessiveness! Once Helen finds out do you think she'll just forgive you and then everything will be righted! You killed people! Prostitutes!"

"She was whoring herself out to you! Maybe not physically but with every thought she was whoring her thoughts to you. It's disgusting! They're all disgusting!"

John slammed his fist into Nikola's abdomen.

"I'm going to fix that! Helen and I will be happy together!" growled John. "You, unfortunately, won't be."

In a blink of an eye John teleported the two of them into the middle of the maze in the large Sanctuary garden.

As soon as they were completely rematerialized John brought his knee up hard into Nikola's solar plexus, knocking the wind out of him.

Nikola crumpled to the ground.

"You are pathetic, Tesla! Why she would ever go for a chump like you!" spat John bitterly.

Nikola vamped himself and snarled, but then controlled himself.

"I'm not pathetic, John, you are! You're a sniveling brat who treats the woman he loves like she's his own personal play thing and if someone so much as smiles at her they must go!" growled Nikola. "Helen chose you, not me! You daft idiot! You are throwing her away because of a petty obsession!"

John snarled and lunged for Nikola.

"She's mine!"

"She will never be yours once she knows the truth!" cried Nikola.

John pulled out the blade and stabbed Nikola in the chest with it.

"Tomorrow the newspaper will read, The Ripper Has Struck Again! Two new victims, the great Nikola Tesla, and the whore he was sleeping around with Dr. Helen Magnus," snarled John. "She will be mine, if not in life, then in death!"

Nikola collapsed to the ground holding his bloody chest.

"Don't you touch her!" he cried.

John pulled the knife out.

"I can't kill you my usual way, but I assure you I will do double the damage on dear Helen," he growled.

He pushed Nikola on to his back and pulled out the hypodermic from his coat pocket.

Nikola's eyes widened in fear as he saw the needle.

"I'm improvising," he laughed evilly.

"No! John!" cried Nikola. "I won't let you murder her!"

"That's why I'm going to kill you first! And the others if they get in my way," said John, he forcibly ripped open Nikola's sleeve. "If you survive…shoot me with this."

He dropped the pistol onto Nikola's gut and it landed with a hard thud; Nikola grunted.

Shortly afterwards John roughly stabbed the needle into his arm, earning a loud cry from Nikola.

"Enjoy your death, Nikola!" muttered John before teleporting away.

Nikola gasped painfully as the poison flooded through his system until he slipped into unconsciousness.

Nikola Tesla was dead.

~~~~Authors Notes~~~~

I know another evil cliffhanger, but i promise this is the last one...for this segment. After i'm done this segment of Troublemakers i probably wont be updating it in awhile. I want to finish my other one, most importantly Vamp and the Botanist and Seasick, i've left you all on evil cliffhangers and you're all eagerly waiting the resolutions so one i'm done with this cliffhanger i'm going to try and finish those ones, try bein the biggest emphasis in the world. Can't promise anything cause i still have no idea how i am going to resolve them...but i'm going to try! For your sakes! But i won't leave you hanging on this one, I will finish it by tomorrow...or the next day sometime...sorry i'm so lazy!