Chapter 14
Nikola checked his watch again. Enough time had elapsed, he decided and he got up from his chair.
Outside the sun was going down and all the excitement from earlier had died down as Parsons and his men fell in to traceable patterns. He had spent the better half of the last hour memorizing it. Every fifteen minutes, back and forth like clockwork. Every twenty Parson's peeked out the window. It was tight but there was a minute long gap for him to sneak through and make his way inside, longer if he provided a distraction.
Nikola was already making his way out the back and into the maze of alleyways. He had to make a quick stop somewhere else beforehand for supplies that would aid in his distraction.
It wasn't long before he had arrived back at the bunker in the heart of the forest. It was pretty much desolate except for the few guards keeping watch.
With his vampire stealthiness he managed to make quick work of them before they could even let out a scream.
He carefully went through the destroyed entrance. The gas had already been affecting him at that because he barely remembered doing it, yet remembered he had. It was a strange sensation.
He peeled back the plastic membrane acting as a door until this one could be replaced.
He smirked. Parsons was clearly a man with a one track mind as the halls of the bunker were still in an incredible amount of disarray. Empty tanks with claw marks in them lay strewn across the floor, where he'd left them.
The shells from Helen's hub littered the ground. And the cart, what he was looking for, still stacked high with full tanks of so-called methane.
"Hello gorgeous," he picked up one of the tanks and smirked at it.
It was curious how little security this place had now.
He looked around.
Either Parson's had used most of his men to secure Helen or...
Nikola put down the tank and walked further into the complex. He kept as aloof and conspicuous as possible.
He reached further into the complex before he even saw another hint of life.
Two scientists. A man and a woman. The woman had a bandage taped to the back of her hand. Helen's handiwork, he knew it well. He'd received many similar back in the old days. Mostly from what she claimed were accidents.
Nikola had to restrain from snickering.
"How are they?" the mans voice broke through Nikola's thoughts.
"Still out, they were tearing each other apart in there," the woman responded.
"Well, we wondered what the affect would be," sighed the man.
"Makes me want to destroy the entire lot," she rubbed her head.
"Parsons said it worked perfectly," sighed the man, putting a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.
"That's what frightens me," the woman wrapped her arms around him.
"Wonder what happened to the two escapees, they must've been affected at least partially," the man pondered, still holding the woman.
"Well they're alive, that much is obvious," sighed the woman.
"Wait," the man pulled away and began to pick up the phone.
Nikola stepped out of the shadows and extended his claws.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he threatened.
The man spun on his heel and ran to the woman protectively.
"Who are you?" he cried.
"Call me escapee number one," Nikola smirked.
"The gas did this to you?" the woman gasped.
"Uh, no, pre-existing condition," Nikola remarked snidely. "Tell me what this gas is for."
"It's experimental," started the man.
"We don't know what it's true effects are it's testing has been limited," the woman interjected. "As for its intended purpose...Dr. Parsons has kept that under lock and key."
"Who do you work for?" Nikola asked curtly.
"Dr. Parsons," the man answered back just as sharply.
"And who does he work for?" Nikola snipped back, keeping his calm.
The silence was response enough.
"So you're all in the dark, are you? He's recruited you just like he tried to recruit me," Nikola smirked slightly.
"I'm a biologist, he's a chemist, we're both leads in our fields respectively," said the woman. "He showed up at our homes, offered us an unexplored world of discovery and science, and very little choice to refuse. He gives us small parts of the puzzle, I don't think anybody here truly knows his endgame. We're all just cogs in the machine. We don't even know if Parsons is the mastermind behind it all or just another pawn like the rest of us. We don't even know how huge the machine really is or how far it infiltrates the government or economy, or even which government, we just follow orders and hope we don't get shot. I always assumed we were working on defenses against the Russians, but in all this time I've never heard one Russian phrase, or seen one Russian name pass by my desk."
"And this gas is..." Nikola coaxed her further.
"As he said, an experiment, barely field tested, I mean what you did...how you did...during your escape is the closest we've gotten to actually seeing results. And they were terrifying."
"How so?" asked Nikola.
"The results were so varied, from psychotic to delusional, they all lost touch with reality in some way. Some men became brutal, violently brutal, other men became wild or overpowered with feelings or sexual desires..."
Nikola coughed slightly.
"Our isolation quarters were a madhouse before they all lost consciousness...were you and that woman affected?"
"Only slightly...I mean we lost it but only for about a day, less than that, half a day at most maybe," shrugged Nikola.
"You mustn't have been exposed to it very long then. The effect and the length the effect takes seems to vary depending on exposure," the woman nodded.
"What was its intended purpose?" Nikola read the woman's face carefully, looking for any hint of deception.
"We don't know," the woman shook her head. "It's not our business to know."
Nikola nodded.
"You're help is much appreciated," Nikola quickly moved to knock both her and the man out before they could make a move.
He sighed and cracked a knuckle absently.
That had answered a few of his questions.
~~~~Elsewhere~~~~
Helen wasn't sleeping but her eyes were closed and her breathing calm.
She heard a knock at the door and Wilson was pulled out in a flurry of whispers and a quiet shutting of the door.
That had been ten minutes ago and she still hadn't moved.
Only the strange sound of a window being lifted open and someone crawling through caused her to finally crack an eye open.
"Who's there?" she whispered.
"Honey, I'm home," came her response.
Helen sighed and sat up and saw Nikola closing the window behind him.
"Lovely to know that while I was out doing all the work you were having a nap," he muttered brushing himself off.
"Shh," she shushed him.
"Obviously Dr. Parsons fell for your ruse again," he grinned at her as he adjusted his cuff links.
"Well, the bruise helped," she gave him a sardonic look.
"Oh yes, that..."
"Would've been nice to know about this pleasant surprise beforehand, luckily I managed to twist it to my advantage," she grumbled at him. "What did you do, try to dry hump me to death?"
Nikola chuckled awkwardly.
"Apparently so," he said sheepishly. "At least the door broke before you did."
Helen rolled her eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she growled and smacked the back of his head.
"Because...I was afraid you'd hit me," he whined.
"Well you were right," she smacked him again.
"Ow, that's not fair, I didn't hit you when you told me about your little stabfest in the shower now, did I?"
"You heal!" she smacked him once more.
"But the emotional pain is there," he cringed away from her and she was about to bring her hand back to hit him again, grabbing a fistful of his shirt to hold him in place. His eyes shut in expectation of the no-doubt resounding slap he was going to receive.
Helen stopped hearing footsteps coming up the stairs and a light rapping at the door.
She dragged Nikola quickly with her to the bathroom and shoved him inside.
"Yes?" she called to whoever was at the door.
"It's Neil, may I come in Helena?" Helen cursed under her breath.
"I'm indecent," she replied.
"This is important," he stated firmly.
"A-alright, come in," she quickly shoved Nikola into the shower and gestured for him not to make a sound, he nodded his head.
"Helena?" Neil called.
"I'm in the bathroom," she called back.
"Oh, can you come out please?" he sounded calm but nevertheless Nikola shook his head.
"Uh, alright, just give me a second," Helen went over to Nikola and they began gesturing back and forth, devising a plan in complete silence.
After a moment they came to an agreement despite Nikola's grumbling and Helen pushed the handle down on the toilet to flush it and turned the faucet on the sink to run her hands under it quickly.
Then she stepped out to meet Neil. She barely took two steps out before he grabbed her roughly. It took all Nikola's strength not to launch out of the tub and rescue her.
"Where is he?" barked Neil. "Your husband, where is he?"
"I don't know, you're hurting me Neil," Helen cried innocently.
"Mere hours after your arrival the lab is broken into and my equipment stolen. Are you working with him again? Do not lie to me Helena!"
"I told you the truth!" she cried.
"Where is your husband?"
"I'm doing what I'm told!"
"What?" Neil released her.
She scrambled to the bed and wrapped her arms around herself.
"Basil thinks that I'm here creating another ruse, but every thing I told you was the truth Neil, and I'm hurt that you ever doubted me," she looked down.
"Why didn't you tell me of his plans?" asked Neil, but softer this time.
"Because he didn't tell me. My only instruction was to come here, convince you, then let him back in when the time came, but I won't, and then you'll be able to catch him, and then he'll have no control over my life ever again."
Neil sat down beside her.
"Helena, I'm sorry," he grasped her hand. "I truly am, I just...didn't know if I was being played again."
"It hurt so much the first time, hurting you," Helen grazed his head gently with her fingertips. "I couldn't do it again."
Neil took her hand and kissed it.
"I will make things better...for both of us," he leant in and kissed her gently. Helen played mental tricks on herself to respond accurately.
Nikola peaked his head out of the bathroom and saw them kissing. He grabbed the nearest heavy object and poised it to strike Neil over the head. Helen's eyes cracked open and she waved her hands wildly and gestured for him to go back to the bathroom.
Neil pulled away noticing the weird things she was doing with her hands.
"Helen, what are you-" Helen grabbed his shoulders and flung him on to his back, swinging a leg over to straddle him.
Nikola ducked back into the bathroom.
"Fiddling," Helen said to Neil. "My hands fiddle when I'm nervous."
Neil smiled up at her and cupped her cheek.
"You have nothing to be nervous about," he said comfortingly.
"It's just...I've never been with another man...I don't really know what to expect," she laid her head down on his chest and he hugged her.
It was nice to know that even a sociopath like him could care for someone.
Suddenly she felt a suspicious hand curl around her thigh and slowly slide upwards.
"I'll be gentle," Neil said lustfully.
Helen backed off of him quickly.
"Oh no, I couldn't, not like this," she stood up an straightened her skirt.
"Like how?" he sat up.
"In this state, I'm still shaky, Basil is still out there and I haven't even showered, at least let me do that," she headed to the bathroom as quickly as she could without running.
"Helena, it doesn't matter," Neil said warmly, chasing after.
"It does to me, I want it to be...perfect," she pressed her hands to his chest. "You just keep guard as I freshen up."
Neil smirked.
"I could always join you," he said suggestively.
"Oh heavens, no!" she spun at the words. "No, you need to keep watch."
Neil chuckled at her and then nodded.
He followed her in and she gave him a weird look.
"You need someone to help you with that blouse," he said honestly and she nodded, not able to come up with a reasonable excuse to turn him away.
"But no peeking," she teased and went over and turned the shower on, praying Nikola could keep his mouth shut from the onslaught of water that was about to befall him.
No sound was heard.
She shifted her hair out of the way as Neil came up an undid the buttons on the back of her blouse. She nodded her thanks and he stepped back, covering his eyes playfully as she slipped out of her skirt and blouse and hopped into the shower.
She was met with a wet and unamused scowl.
She smiled apologetically and shrugged.
"Are you good, Helena?" Asked Neil after a moment.
"Yes, the water's nice," she looked up at Nikola who was none-too-subtly admiring her half naked form.
She glared at him and he smirked and looked away.
"I'll be back in a bit, enjoy," Neil said one last time before leaving.
Nikola opened his mouth to say something and Helen hushed it with her hand, waiting an extra minute or so until she was absolutely sure Neil was gone.
She let out a sigh of relief.
"That was close," she sighed.
"You're telling me," he chuckled.
Helen snickered at him.
"I'm sorry about your clothes," she covered her laugh with her hand.
"No you're not," he glowered at her.
"No, I'm not," she snickered.
"This is the third time in the course of 48 hours that you have forced me into a shower," he grinned. "Do you have some innate desire to see me wet?"
Helen rolled her eyes.
"The first time hardly counts, the second time was to save time and this was too keep you from being caught and myself from having to sleep with Neil to keep up this ruse."
Nikola's hand grabbed her waist, somewhat protectively.
"You know I would've never let you do that," he said with a grin.
"No, you are much too jealous for that," Helen teased and Nikola frowned.
"You know what I mean," he said seriously and Helen nodded.
"I know," she agreed.
Somehow they were both inching closer to each other. Helen could feel his breathe on hers and her hands slid up to his chest and pushed him back slightly.
"Nikola?" she said tentatively.
"Mmm," he replied.
"Too soon," she said quickly.
His eyes opened and he backed away.
"Ah right," he chuckled. "All these showers, I'm getting confused."
Helen turned the water off.
"That's long enough," she stated firmly. She got out first and wrapped herself in a towel before grabbing her clothes off the floor and changing quickly.
Nikola stepped up and she tossed the used towel at him. He sneered at it but used it to dry his head.
Helen opened the door but Nikola shot his arm out to stop her.
Helen gave him a look.
"There is far more danger out there for you than there is for me," she removed his arm from her path.
"Yes, but I'm immortal," he whispered.
"Yes, and wet, stay in here and get out of those wet clothes, I'll see if Wilson can get you a dry set," she opened the door, showing him the empty room.
"You just want to see me naked again," he smirked and Helen scoffed.
"Trust me, Nikola. I've seen enough of you to last me a long time," she patted his arm and exited the bathroom.
Nikola laughed sardonically and shrugged his wet jacket off.
Helen sat on the edge of the bed and combed her hair out with her fingers.
Nikola draped his wet clothes over the shower bar and used the towel to dry his wet skin.
He was sad to admit that he had wanted to kiss her in the shower, and was slightly embarrassed by her rejection of him, but he shook it off, she was right, it was too soon.
20-30 years, give or take, then they can bring it up again.
He stepped out of the bathroom wearing only his briefs, still drying his hair with the towel.
Helen turned around and chuckled.
"Nice, Nikola, leave yourself all exposed for when Neil comes in," she rolled her eyes.
"You told me to take off my clothes, I took off my clothes, what more do you want from me?" He shrugged.
"I was hoping you'd stay in the bathroom," she sighed. "Where no one can see you, at least no one with a gun."
Nikola smirked and sat on the bed.
"Your boyfriend is much too polite not to knock first," he teased.
He roughly rubbed the towel over his head for a minute or so then shook his head, his hair standing on head in a big poof. Helen had to chuckled, it was quite adorable.
She went over to him.
"Your hair...however did you manage to groom yourself all these years," she teased, running her fingers through it to comb down into a more controlled state.
"There is more to it than this," he chuckled, allowing her to groom him. He loved the feel of her nails scraping across his scalp anyways.
There was something about these moments, he couldn't quite place, but he felt strangely content, and somewhat aroused by the simple but touching gesture. The way she looked down at him and hummed a wordless song absently as she fixed his hair to her liking. The way her face screwed up in concentration when she came across a particularly stubborn piece if hair.
God...he still wanted her. With all the re-emerging memories from their escapade, he didn't feel ashamed, he felt impassioned, like he could just reach out and take her all over again.
He restrained his want to touch her hips, no doubt he would lead them closer to his and now was not the time to go on another escapade...or embarrass himself further, which was truly the more likely outcome.
He grinned though, at the thought.
Helen noticed and frowned.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing," he shook it off. "Carry on."
Helen shrugged and continued fiddling with his hair until she was satisfied and pulled back.
"There, as handsome as ever," she cupped his chin in one hand. "And not a drop of grease used."
She pecked his forehead playfully and stepped away.
He groaned internally. She did that on purpose.
The door to the room suddenly swung open and Wilson entered, looking nervous...or excited.
"Some of the men have gone missing, Helen, this must mean that Frank is..." Wilson looked up and saw half naked Nikola sitting on the bed with Helen standing in front of him. "Here." He said flatly.
"Thank you, I'm aware," Helen glared at him. "Would have the decent to knock you said."
"I meant the other one, I forgot about him," Nikola said defensively.
"Why isn't he wearing any clothes?" asked Wilson.
"Well what if someone was following behind, you are in a rather compromised situation," Helen now was putting her hands on her hip, the pair of them promptly ignoring Wilson who was still stuck on the fact that all Nikola wore was a pair of briefs...and why was he wet?
"Yesterday was a compromising position, this we could've spun into another ruse," Nikola shot back at Helen.
"Oh, how?" Helen scoffed.
"I'd act wounded, your gun is still under your pillow I know it is, what do wounded desperate men do?"
"Use a human shield?"
"Exactly."
"Are you trying to get me killed?"
"Don't be silly, Helen."
"Excuse me!" Wilson tried to break through their banter.
"I don't call death silly Nikola."
"It wouldn't come to that!"
"If you could stop fighting for a moment!" Wilson barked and the two were silenced.
"Now I don't know what is going on here but you guys better figure it out because Neil is beginning to panic down there, and I don't think it's in a good way."
Nikola sighed and stood up.
"I need a clean set of clothes, dry preferably," Nikola directed.
"What for?" asked Wilson.
"Obvious answer," Nikola gestured to his half naked state.
"Oh, right," Wilson looked down.
"And we'll take care of the rest, you just stay out of the way," finished Nikola. "That's your job."
"Ok, where am I going to get the clothes from?" asked Wilson.
"I don't know, be creative," Nikola said snidely and dismissed him.
Wilson gave a look to Helen then back to Nikola.
"Alright," he turned to go back to the door and Helen went up beside him, whispering something gently then pecking his cheek.
A grin spread on his face as he left the room.
"Do you have to be such an old grump, he's trying to help us you know," Helen looked over at Nikola.
"What did you say to him?" asked Nikola.
"None of your business," Helen said defiantly.
"Helen..." Nikola warned. "Don't be coy."
"It was nothing, just some words of encouragement after you deflated him with your brusque behavior," Helen sighed.
"He ruined our moment," Nikola shrugged and Helen scoffed.
"What moment? Me fixing your hair," she laughed. "Be serious, Nikola, you don't trust him."
"Of course I don't," Nikola lowered his voice. "It's instinctive, I don't trust anyone who looks at you that way."
"What way?" Helen turned to him looking genuinely confused.
"Like they're hanging on every word you say," he came up to her slowly. "Men like that would be willing to do anything, and capable of it too, especially if it meant getting closer to you."
"Are you afraid for your safety?" Helen teased.
"I just don't enjoy being shot at," he smirked, still approaching her achingly slow.
"Are you one of those men?" asked Helen, a hint of teasing in her tone but her eyes conveyed her interest in his answer.
"No, because I know the difference between your bark...and your bite," he was suddenly mere inches away from her, hesitantly wondering if he should just go in and kiss her or pull back and chalk it up to another one of their games.
He decided, what the hell, she hadn't pushed him away yet.
His first kiss was soft and brief, just in case, but the taste was like a drop of liquor to an alcoholic, and he kissed again more fervently, but again briefly. She still showed no signs of pushing him away, in fact being the one to initiate the third kiss and it was enough to knock all tentativeness out of his system.
They both knew this was not the first time they had consensually kissed each other like this. It seemed every decade or so they both would get caught up in their teasing, and for some reason, or for the pursuit of companionship, or because they were old friends and sex wasn't going to change that, they would end up in a passionate embrace.
Different from their drugged out excursion because it came from real desire, not a drugged out curiosity to feel and experience. She loved it when Nikola felt the need to remind her of his stake in her life, that other men would never quite have the relationship that they have. Neil and Wilson were lovelorn boy crushes compared to him. He was lover, friend, and foil all in one.
Helen felt her back fall into the mattress and Nikola pinned above her. Her hands, with a mind of their own, were already tracing the lines of muscle on his bare back.
"Nikola," Helen croaked out, loving the way he kissed her throat. "Nikola, we...we can't do this here."
Her hands slid to his arms and squeezed his biceps.
"Now's not the time," she smiled at him, giving him the idea that he might get his chance later.
He grinned and lent down and kissed her one last time, before getting up and offering her a hand.
"I'll take your word on that," he smirked.
"First, let's finish what we came here to do," she straightened out her skirt. "I assume everything's in place."
"Of course," Nikola smirked.
"And Wilson getting you clothes was..."
"All part of my genius plan," Nikola smirked and then grabbed her wrist and pinned it behind her back.
"Nikola what are you doing?" Helen cried as he grabbed his belt from where it was drying and then dragged her to the bed and tied her wrist to the headboard using it.
Helen jerked her wrist but it was secure.
"I'm improvising," Nikola said with a giggle and then his hands began searching down her curves. "Where is it?"
"Nikola!" Helen admonished.
"Please Helen, I'm doing this for a reason," he sighed. "Now where do you keep it?"
"Keep what?" Helen cried.
"The knife I always know you have tucked somewhere in case of emergency," Nikola squeezed a breast teasingly. "Not there."
Helen was this close to slapping him.
"Helen, this would go by much quicker for you if you just told me where it is," he grinned at her mischievously.
"Untie me," she stated.
"Can't do that," he shook his head.
"I can't reach it with one hand," Helen said.
"I'll get it," he lifted up his hands and wiggled his fingers in a teasing manner.
"You can't," Helen said firmly.
"Why not? Where could it possibly be that I..." Nikola's eyes widened and his mouth gaped open in almost a silent gasp/laugh. "Oh Helen."
Helen rolled her eyes as his eyes darted to her pelvis.
"You sneaky minx," he grinned like a boy with a dirty secret.
"Nikola, untie me," Helen barked.
"Can't, guess I'll have to reach in and find it myself," he smirked, his eyes alight with mischievous wonder.
Helen groaned.
"Fine, but I will kick you if you get any ideas," she sighed and spread her legs apart for him.
Nikola looked like a kid at Christmas.
"I'm so happy right now," Nikola clapped with excitement.
"Just get the knife and then stab yourself with it," she growled.
"With pleasure," he grinned and slowly slid his hand under her skirt, his eyes flitting up to meet hers. "Where is it?" he asked.
"To the left," Helen gasped slightly.
"Did you have this in here the entire time we were..."
"No, I only put it there once you came up with the plan...in case Neil didn't buy my ruse," Helen's hands balled into fists.
"Still I'm impressed," he grinned.
"I'm sure you are," Helen growled then hissed. "Will you stop playing around!"
"Ah ha! Got it!" He shuffle Helen around awkwardly for a moment then pulled the knife out.
"I am so turned on!" Nikola smirked and Helen kicked him. "Ow!"
"Bastard."
"Who's idea was it to stuff the knife in such a compromising place?"
"Who tied me up and refused to untie me so that I could get it."
"Seriously Helen? Could any man refuse such a tempting offer?" he pulled out a corner of bed sheet and began wiping his hands and the knife with it. "By the way we were going I was going to find it eventually."
"Bastard," Helen grumbled.
"Now, for safety precautions," Nikola unsheathed the knife and stabbed himself I'm the abdomen. "Gah, that stings," he muttered.
"Nikola! What has gotten into you?"
"When Wilson gets back I suspect an entourage to follow, when they get here they'll see you tied up and me wounded.
He kept the knife in and allowed it to bleed over onto his briefs and down his leg. When the come in, I'll use the gun you strategically hid under the pillow, this luring you to safety and them to my trap. He ripped another piece of sheet and ran into the bathroom.
He came out with a bottle of alcohol and soaked the cloth in it.
He pulled the knife out and grabbed Helen's hand.
"This is going to hurt," he bit his lip.
He through the cloth into her hand and pressed it into his wound. His eyes screwed shut and sweat formed on his brow.
Helen looked shocked and appalled at the sight.
Nikola collapsed on the bed beside her.
"Oh, yah, that's going to look good," he chuckled, wiping the knife on the bed sheets.
"Are you bloody insane?" Helen cried.
"Would you like me to put this back in for you?"
"No!"
~~~~Author's Notes~~~~
Yay new chappies...is anyone alive out there still? Hmm? Sorry i haven't been writing as much as I should be, *prepares to be chastised* but I'm still writing, I've just had a lot on my plate, I plan to finish this one and Troublemakers before I retire...not that I'm sure that won't happen until I run out of ideas...that will never happen. Enjoy, send me lots of lovely reviews, because they make me smile inside :) And I will try my hardest to update quicker :)