Chapter Five
"Miss Helena … Miss Helena…" Alfred gently shook Helena's shoulder, attempting to rouse her from sleep.
"Hunh … Wha…" Helena mumbled, stirred in her bunk, and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Morning, Alfred," she said as she looked up at the towering figure of Alfred Pennyworth standing over her bed.
"Breakfast is served."
Helena sat up and looked around the room. Sitting atop a nearby desk was a breakfast tray. Sitting atop the tray were a bagel on a saucer, several slices of grapefruit, and a glass of orange juice. Alfred calmly walked over to the desk, picked up the tray, and set it in Helena's lap.
"Thank you, Alfred," said Helena.
"Miss Barbara asked me to relay a set of instructions to you…"
"Don't tell me, let me guess," said Helena as she peeled the rind off a grapefruit slice. "She wants me to stay in bed."
"It seems that you've … 'taken the words right out of my mouth' … so to speak," said Alfred.
"I'm assuming that's the main reason why I'm being served breakfast in bed."
"She noticed last night that you seemed to be suffering physically."
"Yeah," said Helena. "She can be a real mother hen sometimes."
"I heard that," said Barbara from the doorway. "I'll take that as a compliment." She wheeled over to Helena's bedside. "How are you feeling?"
"Still a little sore," said Helena. "Chavez's goons really did a number on me."
"I don't want you aggravating your injuries."
"Excuse me, Miss Barbara," said Alfred. "If my presence is no longer required here, I wish to resume my duties."
"Thank you, Alfred," said Barbara. "That will be all." Alfred then gave a short bow, turned, and left the room.
"Dinah … appeared … to me last night," said Helena after Alfred had left the room.
" 'Appeared' to you … how?" asked Barbara. "Physically? Audibly?"
"She … spoke to me," said Helena. "I'm not sure how she did it … telepathy, maybe?"
"What did she say to you?"
"She told me that it was she who … attacked Chavez."
"Might've been an astral projection," said Barbara.
"An astral what…?"
"An astral projection," said Barbara. "It's similar to a ghost in that there's a degree of separation of the spirit … the 'soul', if you will … from the body. The difference between an astral projection and a ghost is that in the case of an astral projection, there isn't the complete separation of the spirit from the body as there would be in the case of a ghost."
"She can DO that?"
"This might be what one might term a 'crisis' apparition," said Barbara. "Normally, she probably can't. However, given the combination of her being in a coma and of her obvious concern for your welfare during this crisis situation…"
"This is her way of looking out for me," said Helena. "I see." Helena paused. "Can they all do what … she did?"
"As a rule, no," said Barbara. "For the simple reason that not everyone possesses Dinah's … considerable … PK powers."
"To tell you the truth, she also told me she was bored stiff," said Helena. "And that her roommate had lousy taste in TV."
Barbara smiled. "Did she tell you anything else?"
"The last time I visited her, I kinda off-handedly threatened to kill the guy who did this to her."
Barbara's smile disappeared. "Did she say anything about that?"
"She said it scared her when I said things like that," said Helena. "Almost as if she'd HEARD me."
"A person in a coma can perceive everything that goes on around them," said Barbara. "They simply cannot generate a response. In all likelihood, she probably DID hear you." Barbara paused. "My advice to you is … next time you visit her, watch what you say around her." Barbara paused once more for effect "Your words could quite literally … come back to haunt you," she said with a smile.
