Sorry for the delay, and thanks for your comments. Waves and hugs to all.
It's a pleasure and make us feel very happy reading your comments.
******
He paced anxiously, his fingers twisting into each other, as his nervousness seemed to consume him whole. He had listened to the entire conversation between Barbara Gordon and Dinah Redmond but if you asked him what they'd said, he was sure that he would draw a blank. Which considering his inability to forget any sound, smell or other sensory input allowed him was rather bizarre. The truth however was that after he had heard Barbara tell them that she had rescued Helena and was returning with her, nothing else had really mattered.
Not one bit.
"Gibson?" Dinah said softly. She touched the fabric of his blue shirt lightly, being cautious not to make bodily contact. She could tell by his stance that he was apprehensive and she really didn't want to take in the miles upon miles of thoughts that she figured had to be whirling their way through his mind.
He looked up at her and blinked. He offered her and uneasy smile. Then he glanced up as the elevator settled against the ground floor and the doors slid open, squeaking mildly as they pulled back to reveal the large cement structure at the base of the Clocktower that served as the parking garage.
"They're here," he said quickly, almost abruptly. He caught the stray concerned look from Dinah but brushed it off. He heard the bottom of her crutches scrape the cement as she hopped towards the Hummer that had just pulled into the garage.
The drivers' door opened quickly, almost abruptly and Barbara jumped out. Dinah could plainly see the bumps of the neural transponder that was attached to her mentors' back. She clenched her fists hard, trying to bite back her anger and frustration.
"Help me," Barbara said quickly, seeming to sense the odd waves of irritation that were emanating from her young charge. She knew full well that Dinah had every right to be pissed off at her but now was neither the time nor the place for it.
Gibson moved around Dinah and slid over to where Barbara was hunched over the Hummer. He touched her hand as if to steady her but she waved him off. "I'm fine. She's in the back."
He nodded quickly and then went over to the backseat and jerked the door open with about as much emotion and intensity as you would ever see from a guy like Gibson Kafka. He reached in and slid his arms underneath the bundle of limbs and flesh that lay haphazardly across the seat. He could feel the heat rising up in near flames from her frame but it was the smell that hung on her that made him almost recoil.
Helena Kyle always smelled good. Had her entire life. Even after a fight. It was just her thing. Or maybe it was his crush and he didn't know any better. Just the same, the odor that hung on her now reminded him rather starkly of death and decay. His eyes lit on the heavy metal manacles that were attached to her wrists, each smeared with what looked like blood. He decided not to dwell too long on that. Nothing good could come from it.
"Gibson," Dinah said from behind him. He turned and saw that she was holding a large brown blanket in her hand. He took it from her and wrapped it around Helena's trembling body. He glanced up at Barbara. "What did that bitch do to her?"
Barbara blinked, utterly taken aback by the harshness of both his tone and words. "Uh..."
He smiles wistfully, seeming to understand her sudden confusion. "Upstairs then?" he said, indicating towards the elevator.
"We need to get that thing off your back," Dinah said dryly, looking right up and into Barbara's tired green eyes. The redhead just offered her a sardonic smile, knowing that this was a fight that she was going to have eventually.
"Upstairs," Barbara answered, her voice soft. She glanced at the body Gibson was clutching to him and tried desperately to quiet the rampant fear that was coursing through her.
She needn't have bothered. The fear wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.
*****
The woman stepped into the cell and cursed. Not for the first time and surely not for the last. Her anger was apparent in her wildly snapping blue eyes. Somehow even her blonde hair looked a little mad. She paced back and forth and then spun hard on her companion. "Five men Torch."
"I saw," Torch replied with the slightest bit of a smile. "The cripple took them all down. Impressive."
"That's not impressive," Harley snapped back. "It's annoying."
"And him?"
Harley looked down at the dead young man on the cement. There were dark angry marks around his neck and his eyes were still open, trapped in an expression of horror. She bent over him and ran a hand past his eyes, almost lovingly closing them. "Oh she'll pay," Harley promised. Then she smiled. "And I think I know how."
*****
"What's wrong with her?" Dinah asked as she watched Barbara start to strap Helena down to the medical med in the middle of the lab. "Why are you restraining her?"
"She tried to attack me," Barbara said plainly. "She's not quite herself. This disease is already causing dementia." She slid her palm over Helena's forehead and did a very unscientific check for fever. She wasn't terribly surprised to feel the hotness of the younger woman's' skin.
"She looks terrible," Gibson said softly. He was clutching the blanket to his chest. It was an absurd visual really. He looked almost like a small child with a ninny.
"She's dehydrated, malnourished and physically exhausted. I doubt she's slept since Harley got her," Barbara muttered as she pulled one of the straps tight. It broke her heart to be tying her young charge down like she would an animal but just the same; she wasn't willing to take any chances.
"Barbara..." Helena mumbled, her voice little more than a hoarse whisper.
"Hey," Barbara said softly, leaning close to her young charge.
"Lights," Helena stammered, her blue eyes just barely opening. She squinted and then quickly closed them again. "Please."
Barbara nodded to Dinah to bring the lights down. She touched Helena's face, running her thumb over the brunette's smooth skin. "How do you feel?"
"My skin...everything...hurts," Helena gasped. Her eyes shot open and she looked up at Barbara in horror. "Please..."
"Easy baby," Barbara said softly. She allowed her hand to drop down to Helena's neck. With a very deft swipe she removed the blood stained gauze bandage. She hissed in concern when she saw the large oozing wound. The colors around the injury were dark and ugly and it was spitting out yellow- green liquid. She very cautiously ran the tip of her finger over the inflamed flesh.
Helena growled, the low sound rumbling in her throat. "Get your fucking hands off me," she snapped, eyes dilating and yet somehow seeming almost vacant.
"Relax," Barbara mumbled as she continued to probe the wound. Helena moved against her binds and hissed when she realized that she couldn't break herself loose. "Helena, what is this?"
The girl dropped back the moment Barbara lifted her hand up. She sighed, relieved a bit. "I don't know," she answered, closing her eyes. "I just want to sleep."
"That's from that thing in the pictures, right?" Gibson asked, slipping behind Barbara and gazing down at Helena. Once again he wondered why, knowing that he'd never get the visual out of his mind. His stomach rolled but he fought it back, vowing to stay strong and steady.
"I think so," Barbara admitted. "Helena, did Harley give you any kind of drug?"
Helena looked up, eyes bloodshot and tired. "No."
"What did she give to you? Did she do anything to stop you from sleeping?"
"Don't remember," Helena slurred, eyes drooping again.
"Helena," Barbara said, sliding a hand under the brunettes' chin and lifting it ever so slight. "I need you to focus for just a few more minutes."
"Sleep..."
"Soon. I promise. I need to know what happened in there. I need to know how to help you."
Helena lifted her arms in the chains, raising it just a few inches and pointed behind Barbara. "Make him shut up," she mumbled, apparently indicating towards the wall. "I didn't kill him. He jumped."
"No one is there," Dinah said, alarm making her voice squeak.
Barbara shook her head. "Hel, listen, I know somehow you were poisoned..."
Helena nodded. "Yeah...that thing bit me..." she looked up, a strange sense of madness in her eyes. "But I killed him. I killed him Barbara..."
"Shh," Barbara said softly. "Okay, I want you to close your eyes now."
Helena did as she was told. After a long moment a single tear trickled down through her eyelashes. "I can't," she stammered, her voice cracking and breaking. "It won't come....I can't..."
"Dinah," Barbara said, pointing towards the table on the far side of the room. "Get me the green syringe on the end."
"Sure," Dinah answered. She spun her fingers around and the syringe jumped into the air and moved slowly across the air. She smiled when she saw Barbara scowling at her. "Oh you just wish you could do that."
Barbara snorted, "Yeah, that's true." She took the needle from Dinah and injected it slowly into Helena. The girl whimpered but kept her eyes closed.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I didn't mean for you to die..."
Barbara reached down and brushed the stuck hair away from Helena's sweaty forehead. "Shh, we're all here, Hel, that's all that matters now. Everything is okay."
"She's lying Helena," Cam said from behind Barbara. He smirked at her. "Nothing will ever be okay ever again. And soon you'll be with me in hell. Right where you belong."
"No...." the brunette mumbled.
"Easy Hel...."
"Barbara," Helena mumbled, her words slurring as the drug took effect. "He's right. He's right. I'm a killer."
And with that she faded out, her body going slack against the binds. Barbara gazed down at her, eyes full of deep worry and concern. Then she shook her head. "What did that bitch do to her?" She asked the question more to herself than to the others. Finally she looked up and towards the doorway where Alfred was standing, silently watching. "Draw a bath would you? Her temperature is... we need."
"I'm on it," he interjected with a smile. She nodded, thankful.
*****
Dinah frowned as she stared down at the digital read-out. 106.1. Impossibly high really for any normal person. Almost too much for even Helena. Dinah shifted slightly and kicked her good leg out. She had been sitting next to the bed for almost three hours. They'd all worked in shifts with Barbara going first followed by Gibson. Barbara had finally reluctantly retired to her apartment but Gibson had chosen to sleep on the futon in the lab.
"How is she?" Barbara asked as she entered the lab, chair gliding silently beneath her.
"You should be in bed," Dinah responded.
"I should," Barbara admitted. "I couldn't sleep."
"I could make you some tea," Alfred said from the doorway. "I believe it is my shift now and both of you should be in bed."
The two women exchanged looks and then started laughing. They both briefly considered turning on each other but that passed quickly enough. "Not gonna happen," Dinah told him. Then she shook her. "Temp is still too high and there's still this icky stuff coming out of the wound."
"It's the poison," Barbara murmured, leaning down over Helena's unconscious form. "I don't like the color of this at all." She pressed her finger to the strange yellow bruising around the wound.
"She will be okay," Alfred assured them both.
"Alfred...." Barbara started. He held up a hand.
"Trust in yourself and Miss Helena," Alfred insisted.
"It's not that," Barbara said with a shake of her head. "I keep looking at the chemical composition of this disease and every single time I try to map it, it seems to alter. Like it's actively evading me. I don't know how to fight this thing. It's destroying her blood cells."
"Barbara," Dinah said suddenly. She pointed at the phone on the wall, which was blinking red.
The redhead glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed. It was the middle of the night which meant that it could only really be one person.
She moved her chair over to the phone and picked up the handset. "Harley," she said coolly.
"Barbara Gordon," Harley laughed, trying to sound like she was taking to an old friend. "You know I'm really quite disappointed in you."
"Oh really?" Barbara drolled. "I'm heartbroken."
"I thought you had raised her better than that. Turns out I was right after all," Harley taunted. "She really is a killer. A delightful beautiful..."
"Oh save it," Barbara snapped. "You lost. Again."
Harley laughed but there was little mirth there. She was trying to play flip but it was fairly obvious that she was quite angry. "I lost? Really? Have you run any tests on sweet Helena yet? Oh of course you have. You're quite anal retentive like that. Believe me, you have no idea how much I heard about you and your wonderfully neurotic quirks from Helena. They're rather boring I think but Helena likes them. Everyone now...aww..."
"Harley..."
"Oh patience Barbara Gordon. You'll want to hear this."
"I don't want to hear anything from you but..."
"Oh do go on. Are you about to threaten my life?"
Barbara glanced up and into Dinah's eyes. Behind her Gibson had sat up and was now watching her with large curious eyes. She sighed. "Cut the bullshit Harley. What do you want?"
"Why revenge of course. You killed Alushe."
"I'm guessing you mean that thing...that vampire thing?"
"I told you he doesn't like to be called a vampire," Harley corrected sounding irritated.
"Imagine me caring," Barbara sighed, impatience creeping into her tone. She drummed her nails against the desk and glanced back towards Helena who was still sleeping, albeit rather fitfully. Alfred was standing over her gently dabbing at her feverish temple with a slightly damp blue cloth.
"I would advise caring," Harley snapped. "Helena's life depends on it."
"What do you want?" Barbara demanded between tightly grit teeth.
"To give you a chance to save Helena."
Barbara laughed. "Are you kidding me? Why would you do that?"
"Oh because I intend to kill you," Harley replied smugly. "As a present for Helena of course. She killed my Alushe and now I'll take you."
Barbara frowned. She remembered the bloody shackles that had been on Helena's hands when the brunette had attacked her back at the bunker. She had thought the blood had been the girls' but now she knew better; Helena had killed Alushe. "What was he Harley?"
"A special creation, My best ever," Harley laughed.
"What did he do to her?"
"He started something."
"What?" Barbara growled. "What did he start?"
"Her death of course," Harley chuckled. She was finding this all so terribly amusing. In fact her initial rage fit seemed to have passed and now she was back to playing games.
"Harley..."
"Oh you're wasting time. The first time Alushe feed from her he started a process that only I can stop. His blood is tainted. He has the Meta virus in his system. You know the fables Destiny virus."
Barbara closed her eyes and inhaled sharply. She looked over at Gibson who was wearing the same horrified expression. "You bitch," the redhead muttered.
"Uh uh," Harley warned. "I don't like that word and it's certainly no way to get my help."
"Your help? You have a cure."
"Of course," Harley replied with a slight laugh. "I had the Destiny virus created in the first place. I have a cure."
"And?"
"And I'm willing to let you try to win it from me."
"Barbara, no," Dinah said, taking an unsteady step towards her mentor. "You can't." Gibson quickly reached out and caught her arm. He shook his head as if to tell her to wait a few moments.
"How's that?"
"I propose a therapy session between you and I. I know you still have quite a few unresolved issues due to the whole unfortunate Wade situation. Well as a formally licenses therapist, I'd be delighted to help you out."
Barbara snorted. "Okay Harley, I'll play. Where?"
"Barbara!" Dinah cried out, her fingers digging into the rest on her crutch. She could still feel Gibson holding her forearm but even he was tense now.
Barbara held up a hand to silence her. "When and where Harley?"
"That's my girl," Harley cackled. "I love heroes."
****
He bent down over the girl and pressed his palm to her forehead. The fever was still so high. Her entire body was soaked in sweat and she was trembling. "Alfred?" she murmured, blue eyes flashing open just barely.
He smiled at her, offering her all the warmth he had had inside of him. Which considering his affection for her was quite a bit. She ran his palm over her cheek. She slid her hand atop his and held it there. Her restraints gave her just another length to be able to do so and she was thankful.
"Good morning Miss Helena," he said gently.
"Lights?" she asked softly. "Please. My eyes..."
"Of course," he replied. He was about to step away from her but she held him close. He glanced back towards the light switch and was relieved to see Gibson standing in the doorway, anxiously shifting from one foot to the other. He seemed to understand the old mans' request and immediately switched off the bright lab lights.
Helena blinked and looked around the lab. She glanced down at her hands and saw that she was shackled to the bed. She groaned loudly. "What the fuck?"
"For your own safety," he assured her. "I'm afraid you're not quite yourself right now."
She laughed bitterly. "You have no idea. I feel like I've gone fifteen rounds with Mike Tyson and the sonafabitch bit MY ear." She paused. "And my neck."
Alfred chuckled. "I assure you that you would have kicked his ass."
She squeezed his hand. Then she looked around him. "Hey Gibson, what brings you here."
He came close to her and knocked the shackled but somehow still offered fist of his best friend. "Always by your side," he promised.
She smiled. "I know." Then she frowned. "Where are Barbara and Dinah?"
"Working on a cure."
"A cure?"
"I believe you were infected with some type of disease," Alfred said simply, not really wanting to elaborate. "They are working on a cure at the moment."
"You don't sound very hopeful."
"On the contrary," Alfred assured her. "When it comes to Miss Barbara, I am always confident and hopeful. One way or another, she will do what must be done."
"Including die for you," Morton said from the doorway. He was standing maybe half a foot from Gibson but the boy didn't seem to be aware of him.
"What are you doing here?" Helena hissed at him, anger coursing through her.
Gibson glanced up at Alfred and the two exchanged a worried look. Helena was hallucinating again. Unfortunately ever since she'd been brought in she'd seemed prone to these odd delusional attacks and they appeared to be getting worse instead of better. Surely the path of progress of the disease was to blame.
"I wanted to watch you die like the dog you are," Morton laughed.
"You're mine," Cam said, stepping closer to her.
She growled and tried to move but the chains held her tight. She felt a hand touch her forehead and then a soft voice tell her to calm down, that she was okay. That it was all going to be just fine. She didn't quite buy it but it was a nice thought just the same.
"It's just about time now," Slick grinned. "You're just about ready to come down to hell with us."
She closed her eyes and fell backwards, the anger seeping away from her.
She felt lost. So utterly lost.
****
"Barbara, please, think about this," Dinah urged, hopping around to stand in front of her mentor who was once again strapping on the neural transponder. The redhead hissed as she connected it to her spine and the device buzzed to life with a quick hard shock.
"Dinah, I can't do anything," Barbara replied, glancing down at the controls.
"Of course you can..."
Barbara looked up and shook her head, "No, I can't. The Destiny Virus always kills and within a very quick amount of time. Somehow Harley engineered Alushe to be a carrier so he was somewhat immune to the deadly effects of it but Helena isn't. She has maybe twenty-four hours left. I can't...I won't let her go out like that."
"Barbara..."
"I can't save her Dinah. I can't do it on my own. I need to do something. If Harley has a cure...I need to..."
"And what if she doesn't? What if this is all a trap?"
"I beat her once before," Barbara said confidently. "I can do it again. It's a chance I have to take."
"I thought we were a team?"
"We are. And I need you here watching over Helena. Making sure she lives long enough for me to get back with a cure."
"Right," Dinah admitted, sounding utterly defeated. "Okay then, I want you on comm."
"No," Barbara said simply, "Won't do any good and I can't be distracted at all. Besides I'm guessing that this canyon Harley has me going to has some kind of electronic blocker...probably iron in the hills."
"Barbara..."
"Trust me," the redhead said, standing up. She flexed her muscles and sighed. "Well I guess this is it. Wish me luck."
"Just come home," Dinah said dully. "Please. I can't do this without you two."
Barbara smiled softly. She reached across and hugged Dinah, bringing the blonde to her chest. They held the embrace for several moments as they both fought for control. Finally Barbara broke it and without another word strode towards the elevator.
As soon as the door had closed behind her mentor, Dinah turned and headed towards the lab. She saw Gibson and Alfred standing over Helena's now unconscious frame. "Hey," she whispered at them. They both looked up so she motioned for them to follow her outside the room.
"We need a plan," she said quickly.
"A plan Miss Dinah?"
She smiled. "I'm not letting Barbara go in there alone. We all know it's a trap. Harley probably has some of her thugs lying in wait." She paused. "Did I just actually say 'lying in wait' because yikes."
Gibson nodded. "Fraid so."
She shuddered. "Okay. Anyway. We're going in after her. To even up the score."
"The three of us and Barbara against Harley and probably ten goons," Gibson said with a wry nod.
"Try four," a voice said from the doorway. The trio turned and Alfred smiled.
"Master Reese," he greeted warmly.
Reese spared a quick smile but then returned to business. "In the flesh. Now tell me, what's the plan?"
Dinah took a deep breath and the replied, "Listen."
******
He paced anxiously, his fingers twisting into each other, as his nervousness seemed to consume him whole. He had listened to the entire conversation between Barbara Gordon and Dinah Redmond but if you asked him what they'd said, he was sure that he would draw a blank. Which considering his inability to forget any sound, smell or other sensory input allowed him was rather bizarre. The truth however was that after he had heard Barbara tell them that she had rescued Helena and was returning with her, nothing else had really mattered.
Not one bit.
"Gibson?" Dinah said softly. She touched the fabric of his blue shirt lightly, being cautious not to make bodily contact. She could tell by his stance that he was apprehensive and she really didn't want to take in the miles upon miles of thoughts that she figured had to be whirling their way through his mind.
He looked up at her and blinked. He offered her and uneasy smile. Then he glanced up as the elevator settled against the ground floor and the doors slid open, squeaking mildly as they pulled back to reveal the large cement structure at the base of the Clocktower that served as the parking garage.
"They're here," he said quickly, almost abruptly. He caught the stray concerned look from Dinah but brushed it off. He heard the bottom of her crutches scrape the cement as she hopped towards the Hummer that had just pulled into the garage.
The drivers' door opened quickly, almost abruptly and Barbara jumped out. Dinah could plainly see the bumps of the neural transponder that was attached to her mentors' back. She clenched her fists hard, trying to bite back her anger and frustration.
"Help me," Barbara said quickly, seeming to sense the odd waves of irritation that were emanating from her young charge. She knew full well that Dinah had every right to be pissed off at her but now was neither the time nor the place for it.
Gibson moved around Dinah and slid over to where Barbara was hunched over the Hummer. He touched her hand as if to steady her but she waved him off. "I'm fine. She's in the back."
He nodded quickly and then went over to the backseat and jerked the door open with about as much emotion and intensity as you would ever see from a guy like Gibson Kafka. He reached in and slid his arms underneath the bundle of limbs and flesh that lay haphazardly across the seat. He could feel the heat rising up in near flames from her frame but it was the smell that hung on her that made him almost recoil.
Helena Kyle always smelled good. Had her entire life. Even after a fight. It was just her thing. Or maybe it was his crush and he didn't know any better. Just the same, the odor that hung on her now reminded him rather starkly of death and decay. His eyes lit on the heavy metal manacles that were attached to her wrists, each smeared with what looked like blood. He decided not to dwell too long on that. Nothing good could come from it.
"Gibson," Dinah said from behind him. He turned and saw that she was holding a large brown blanket in her hand. He took it from her and wrapped it around Helena's trembling body. He glanced up at Barbara. "What did that bitch do to her?"
Barbara blinked, utterly taken aback by the harshness of both his tone and words. "Uh..."
He smiles wistfully, seeming to understand her sudden confusion. "Upstairs then?" he said, indicating towards the elevator.
"We need to get that thing off your back," Dinah said dryly, looking right up and into Barbara's tired green eyes. The redhead just offered her a sardonic smile, knowing that this was a fight that she was going to have eventually.
"Upstairs," Barbara answered, her voice soft. She glanced at the body Gibson was clutching to him and tried desperately to quiet the rampant fear that was coursing through her.
She needn't have bothered. The fear wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.
*****
The woman stepped into the cell and cursed. Not for the first time and surely not for the last. Her anger was apparent in her wildly snapping blue eyes. Somehow even her blonde hair looked a little mad. She paced back and forth and then spun hard on her companion. "Five men Torch."
"I saw," Torch replied with the slightest bit of a smile. "The cripple took them all down. Impressive."
"That's not impressive," Harley snapped back. "It's annoying."
"And him?"
Harley looked down at the dead young man on the cement. There were dark angry marks around his neck and his eyes were still open, trapped in an expression of horror. She bent over him and ran a hand past his eyes, almost lovingly closing them. "Oh she'll pay," Harley promised. Then she smiled. "And I think I know how."
*****
"What's wrong with her?" Dinah asked as she watched Barbara start to strap Helena down to the medical med in the middle of the lab. "Why are you restraining her?"
"She tried to attack me," Barbara said plainly. "She's not quite herself. This disease is already causing dementia." She slid her palm over Helena's forehead and did a very unscientific check for fever. She wasn't terribly surprised to feel the hotness of the younger woman's' skin.
"She looks terrible," Gibson said softly. He was clutching the blanket to his chest. It was an absurd visual really. He looked almost like a small child with a ninny.
"She's dehydrated, malnourished and physically exhausted. I doubt she's slept since Harley got her," Barbara muttered as she pulled one of the straps tight. It broke her heart to be tying her young charge down like she would an animal but just the same; she wasn't willing to take any chances.
"Barbara..." Helena mumbled, her voice little more than a hoarse whisper.
"Hey," Barbara said softly, leaning close to her young charge.
"Lights," Helena stammered, her blue eyes just barely opening. She squinted and then quickly closed them again. "Please."
Barbara nodded to Dinah to bring the lights down. She touched Helena's face, running her thumb over the brunette's smooth skin. "How do you feel?"
"My skin...everything...hurts," Helena gasped. Her eyes shot open and she looked up at Barbara in horror. "Please..."
"Easy baby," Barbara said softly. She allowed her hand to drop down to Helena's neck. With a very deft swipe she removed the blood stained gauze bandage. She hissed in concern when she saw the large oozing wound. The colors around the injury were dark and ugly and it was spitting out yellow- green liquid. She very cautiously ran the tip of her finger over the inflamed flesh.
Helena growled, the low sound rumbling in her throat. "Get your fucking hands off me," she snapped, eyes dilating and yet somehow seeming almost vacant.
"Relax," Barbara mumbled as she continued to probe the wound. Helena moved against her binds and hissed when she realized that she couldn't break herself loose. "Helena, what is this?"
The girl dropped back the moment Barbara lifted her hand up. She sighed, relieved a bit. "I don't know," she answered, closing her eyes. "I just want to sleep."
"That's from that thing in the pictures, right?" Gibson asked, slipping behind Barbara and gazing down at Helena. Once again he wondered why, knowing that he'd never get the visual out of his mind. His stomach rolled but he fought it back, vowing to stay strong and steady.
"I think so," Barbara admitted. "Helena, did Harley give you any kind of drug?"
Helena looked up, eyes bloodshot and tired. "No."
"What did she give to you? Did she do anything to stop you from sleeping?"
"Don't remember," Helena slurred, eyes drooping again.
"Helena," Barbara said, sliding a hand under the brunettes' chin and lifting it ever so slight. "I need you to focus for just a few more minutes."
"Sleep..."
"Soon. I promise. I need to know what happened in there. I need to know how to help you."
Helena lifted her arms in the chains, raising it just a few inches and pointed behind Barbara. "Make him shut up," she mumbled, apparently indicating towards the wall. "I didn't kill him. He jumped."
"No one is there," Dinah said, alarm making her voice squeak.
Barbara shook her head. "Hel, listen, I know somehow you were poisoned..."
Helena nodded. "Yeah...that thing bit me..." she looked up, a strange sense of madness in her eyes. "But I killed him. I killed him Barbara..."
"Shh," Barbara said softly. "Okay, I want you to close your eyes now."
Helena did as she was told. After a long moment a single tear trickled down through her eyelashes. "I can't," she stammered, her voice cracking and breaking. "It won't come....I can't..."
"Dinah," Barbara said, pointing towards the table on the far side of the room. "Get me the green syringe on the end."
"Sure," Dinah answered. She spun her fingers around and the syringe jumped into the air and moved slowly across the air. She smiled when she saw Barbara scowling at her. "Oh you just wish you could do that."
Barbara snorted, "Yeah, that's true." She took the needle from Dinah and injected it slowly into Helena. The girl whimpered but kept her eyes closed.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I didn't mean for you to die..."
Barbara reached down and brushed the stuck hair away from Helena's sweaty forehead. "Shh, we're all here, Hel, that's all that matters now. Everything is okay."
"She's lying Helena," Cam said from behind Barbara. He smirked at her. "Nothing will ever be okay ever again. And soon you'll be with me in hell. Right where you belong."
"No...." the brunette mumbled.
"Easy Hel...."
"Barbara," Helena mumbled, her words slurring as the drug took effect. "He's right. He's right. I'm a killer."
And with that she faded out, her body going slack against the binds. Barbara gazed down at her, eyes full of deep worry and concern. Then she shook her head. "What did that bitch do to her?" She asked the question more to herself than to the others. Finally she looked up and towards the doorway where Alfred was standing, silently watching. "Draw a bath would you? Her temperature is... we need."
"I'm on it," he interjected with a smile. She nodded, thankful.
*****
Dinah frowned as she stared down at the digital read-out. 106.1. Impossibly high really for any normal person. Almost too much for even Helena. Dinah shifted slightly and kicked her good leg out. She had been sitting next to the bed for almost three hours. They'd all worked in shifts with Barbara going first followed by Gibson. Barbara had finally reluctantly retired to her apartment but Gibson had chosen to sleep on the futon in the lab.
"How is she?" Barbara asked as she entered the lab, chair gliding silently beneath her.
"You should be in bed," Dinah responded.
"I should," Barbara admitted. "I couldn't sleep."
"I could make you some tea," Alfred said from the doorway. "I believe it is my shift now and both of you should be in bed."
The two women exchanged looks and then started laughing. They both briefly considered turning on each other but that passed quickly enough. "Not gonna happen," Dinah told him. Then she shook her. "Temp is still too high and there's still this icky stuff coming out of the wound."
"It's the poison," Barbara murmured, leaning down over Helena's unconscious form. "I don't like the color of this at all." She pressed her finger to the strange yellow bruising around the wound.
"She will be okay," Alfred assured them both.
"Alfred...." Barbara started. He held up a hand.
"Trust in yourself and Miss Helena," Alfred insisted.
"It's not that," Barbara said with a shake of her head. "I keep looking at the chemical composition of this disease and every single time I try to map it, it seems to alter. Like it's actively evading me. I don't know how to fight this thing. It's destroying her blood cells."
"Barbara," Dinah said suddenly. She pointed at the phone on the wall, which was blinking red.
The redhead glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed. It was the middle of the night which meant that it could only really be one person.
She moved her chair over to the phone and picked up the handset. "Harley," she said coolly.
"Barbara Gordon," Harley laughed, trying to sound like she was taking to an old friend. "You know I'm really quite disappointed in you."
"Oh really?" Barbara drolled. "I'm heartbroken."
"I thought you had raised her better than that. Turns out I was right after all," Harley taunted. "She really is a killer. A delightful beautiful..."
"Oh save it," Barbara snapped. "You lost. Again."
Harley laughed but there was little mirth there. She was trying to play flip but it was fairly obvious that she was quite angry. "I lost? Really? Have you run any tests on sweet Helena yet? Oh of course you have. You're quite anal retentive like that. Believe me, you have no idea how much I heard about you and your wonderfully neurotic quirks from Helena. They're rather boring I think but Helena likes them. Everyone now...aww..."
"Harley..."
"Oh patience Barbara Gordon. You'll want to hear this."
"I don't want to hear anything from you but..."
"Oh do go on. Are you about to threaten my life?"
Barbara glanced up and into Dinah's eyes. Behind her Gibson had sat up and was now watching her with large curious eyes. She sighed. "Cut the bullshit Harley. What do you want?"
"Why revenge of course. You killed Alushe."
"I'm guessing you mean that thing...that vampire thing?"
"I told you he doesn't like to be called a vampire," Harley corrected sounding irritated.
"Imagine me caring," Barbara sighed, impatience creeping into her tone. She drummed her nails against the desk and glanced back towards Helena who was still sleeping, albeit rather fitfully. Alfred was standing over her gently dabbing at her feverish temple with a slightly damp blue cloth.
"I would advise caring," Harley snapped. "Helena's life depends on it."
"What do you want?" Barbara demanded between tightly grit teeth.
"To give you a chance to save Helena."
Barbara laughed. "Are you kidding me? Why would you do that?"
"Oh because I intend to kill you," Harley replied smugly. "As a present for Helena of course. She killed my Alushe and now I'll take you."
Barbara frowned. She remembered the bloody shackles that had been on Helena's hands when the brunette had attacked her back at the bunker. She had thought the blood had been the girls' but now she knew better; Helena had killed Alushe. "What was he Harley?"
"A special creation, My best ever," Harley laughed.
"What did he do to her?"
"He started something."
"What?" Barbara growled. "What did he start?"
"Her death of course," Harley chuckled. She was finding this all so terribly amusing. In fact her initial rage fit seemed to have passed and now she was back to playing games.
"Harley..."
"Oh you're wasting time. The first time Alushe feed from her he started a process that only I can stop. His blood is tainted. He has the Meta virus in his system. You know the fables Destiny virus."
Barbara closed her eyes and inhaled sharply. She looked over at Gibson who was wearing the same horrified expression. "You bitch," the redhead muttered.
"Uh uh," Harley warned. "I don't like that word and it's certainly no way to get my help."
"Your help? You have a cure."
"Of course," Harley replied with a slight laugh. "I had the Destiny virus created in the first place. I have a cure."
"And?"
"And I'm willing to let you try to win it from me."
"Barbara, no," Dinah said, taking an unsteady step towards her mentor. "You can't." Gibson quickly reached out and caught her arm. He shook his head as if to tell her to wait a few moments.
"How's that?"
"I propose a therapy session between you and I. I know you still have quite a few unresolved issues due to the whole unfortunate Wade situation. Well as a formally licenses therapist, I'd be delighted to help you out."
Barbara snorted. "Okay Harley, I'll play. Where?"
"Barbara!" Dinah cried out, her fingers digging into the rest on her crutch. She could still feel Gibson holding her forearm but even he was tense now.
Barbara held up a hand to silence her. "When and where Harley?"
"That's my girl," Harley cackled. "I love heroes."
****
He bent down over the girl and pressed his palm to her forehead. The fever was still so high. Her entire body was soaked in sweat and she was trembling. "Alfred?" she murmured, blue eyes flashing open just barely.
He smiled at her, offering her all the warmth he had had inside of him. Which considering his affection for her was quite a bit. She ran his palm over her cheek. She slid her hand atop his and held it there. Her restraints gave her just another length to be able to do so and she was thankful.
"Good morning Miss Helena," he said gently.
"Lights?" she asked softly. "Please. My eyes..."
"Of course," he replied. He was about to step away from her but she held him close. He glanced back towards the light switch and was relieved to see Gibson standing in the doorway, anxiously shifting from one foot to the other. He seemed to understand the old mans' request and immediately switched off the bright lab lights.
Helena blinked and looked around the lab. She glanced down at her hands and saw that she was shackled to the bed. She groaned loudly. "What the fuck?"
"For your own safety," he assured her. "I'm afraid you're not quite yourself right now."
She laughed bitterly. "You have no idea. I feel like I've gone fifteen rounds with Mike Tyson and the sonafabitch bit MY ear." She paused. "And my neck."
Alfred chuckled. "I assure you that you would have kicked his ass."
She squeezed his hand. Then she looked around him. "Hey Gibson, what brings you here."
He came close to her and knocked the shackled but somehow still offered fist of his best friend. "Always by your side," he promised.
She smiled. "I know." Then she frowned. "Where are Barbara and Dinah?"
"Working on a cure."
"A cure?"
"I believe you were infected with some type of disease," Alfred said simply, not really wanting to elaborate. "They are working on a cure at the moment."
"You don't sound very hopeful."
"On the contrary," Alfred assured her. "When it comes to Miss Barbara, I am always confident and hopeful. One way or another, she will do what must be done."
"Including die for you," Morton said from the doorway. He was standing maybe half a foot from Gibson but the boy didn't seem to be aware of him.
"What are you doing here?" Helena hissed at him, anger coursing through her.
Gibson glanced up at Alfred and the two exchanged a worried look. Helena was hallucinating again. Unfortunately ever since she'd been brought in she'd seemed prone to these odd delusional attacks and they appeared to be getting worse instead of better. Surely the path of progress of the disease was to blame.
"I wanted to watch you die like the dog you are," Morton laughed.
"You're mine," Cam said, stepping closer to her.
She growled and tried to move but the chains held her tight. She felt a hand touch her forehead and then a soft voice tell her to calm down, that she was okay. That it was all going to be just fine. She didn't quite buy it but it was a nice thought just the same.
"It's just about time now," Slick grinned. "You're just about ready to come down to hell with us."
She closed her eyes and fell backwards, the anger seeping away from her.
She felt lost. So utterly lost.
****
"Barbara, please, think about this," Dinah urged, hopping around to stand in front of her mentor who was once again strapping on the neural transponder. The redhead hissed as she connected it to her spine and the device buzzed to life with a quick hard shock.
"Dinah, I can't do anything," Barbara replied, glancing down at the controls.
"Of course you can..."
Barbara looked up and shook her head, "No, I can't. The Destiny Virus always kills and within a very quick amount of time. Somehow Harley engineered Alushe to be a carrier so he was somewhat immune to the deadly effects of it but Helena isn't. She has maybe twenty-four hours left. I can't...I won't let her go out like that."
"Barbara..."
"I can't save her Dinah. I can't do it on my own. I need to do something. If Harley has a cure...I need to..."
"And what if she doesn't? What if this is all a trap?"
"I beat her once before," Barbara said confidently. "I can do it again. It's a chance I have to take."
"I thought we were a team?"
"We are. And I need you here watching over Helena. Making sure she lives long enough for me to get back with a cure."
"Right," Dinah admitted, sounding utterly defeated. "Okay then, I want you on comm."
"No," Barbara said simply, "Won't do any good and I can't be distracted at all. Besides I'm guessing that this canyon Harley has me going to has some kind of electronic blocker...probably iron in the hills."
"Barbara..."
"Trust me," the redhead said, standing up. She flexed her muscles and sighed. "Well I guess this is it. Wish me luck."
"Just come home," Dinah said dully. "Please. I can't do this without you two."
Barbara smiled softly. She reached across and hugged Dinah, bringing the blonde to her chest. They held the embrace for several moments as they both fought for control. Finally Barbara broke it and without another word strode towards the elevator.
As soon as the door had closed behind her mentor, Dinah turned and headed towards the lab. She saw Gibson and Alfred standing over Helena's now unconscious frame. "Hey," she whispered at them. They both looked up so she motioned for them to follow her outside the room.
"We need a plan," she said quickly.
"A plan Miss Dinah?"
She smiled. "I'm not letting Barbara go in there alone. We all know it's a trap. Harley probably has some of her thugs lying in wait." She paused. "Did I just actually say 'lying in wait' because yikes."
Gibson nodded. "Fraid so."
She shuddered. "Okay. Anyway. We're going in after her. To even up the score."
"The three of us and Barbara against Harley and probably ten goons," Gibson said with a wry nod.
"Try four," a voice said from the doorway. The trio turned and Alfred smiled.
"Master Reese," he greeted warmly.
Reese spared a quick smile but then returned to business. "In the flesh. Now tell me, what's the plan?"
Dinah took a deep breath and the replied, "Listen."