Chapter 4 – Nikola's Story
Two lovers: Nikola and Helen
Nikola looked over at Helen who was sitting by the window of the office, staring up at the night sky, a book resting on her heavily pregnant stomach.
He was sitting at the desk, filling in for her normal duties as she was on official maternity leave for the next month.
"Dear, these forms are for?" he lifted up the papers for her to see.
"Those are transfer reports," she said with a smile.
"And they go to?"
"Beijing."
"Whose code is?"
"Do you want me to do it? She put her book down.
"No, no! This is your time of rest, you take it," he said waving her off.
"It's not a strain, I don't mind," she said looking at him softly.
"No, it's fine, I've found it, go back to your reading," he dismissed her again and she chuckled lightly.
She pushed herself to her feet and came over to her husband. The great Helen Magnus married to the great Nikola Tesla, what a great couple. The truth was he had changed, and she found him utterly irresistible when he wasn't fighting her at every turn; she soon realized that she wasn't going to spend her life alone anymore, especially if she could spend it with someone who undoubtedly loved her. He may have had to do some convincing to make her see that, but she hadn't regretted it once in two years.
She walked over and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the side of his head.
"Woman! I have work to do!" he whined.
"You're so cute when you're concentrating," she teased his ear with her finger and he leaned into embrace with a long groan.
"Oh, why must you be pregnant?" he sighed kissing the inside of her palm.
"Please, you like the idea of being a father, don't deny it. The day you found out you lit up like a Christmas tree," she chuckled, stroking her hands through his hair.
"That was mostly due to the fact that it was Christmas when you told me," he teased.
"And wasn't it just the best Christmas present ever," she smiled cheekily and kissed him softly.
"Ugh! Now, I'm distracted, look what you've done!" he exclaimed.
She straightened up and walked over to the couch, lowering herself on to it.
"I was so miserable when I was pregnant with Ashley, she kicked and punched like she was trying to fight her way out," Helen laughed.
"I can believe that," Nikola smirked and returned to the large stack of papers in front of him.
"Big Guy refused to let me do anything, James even less so, I felt like an oversized paperweight," Helen looked over at the tray of tea on the coffee table.
"I can also see that," a bleep on the computer monitor caught his attention. "Oh dear, where is Heinrich when you need him…I'll be right back, have some tea."
He got up and came over to kiss her on the cheek before quickly sauntering out the room.
Helen watched him leave with a smile. A part of her couldn't believe she was carrying the child of Nikola Tesla, the other part couldn't be happier.
She brought her hand up to her stomach and placed it just over her abdomen, a small thump coming from just under her hand. This time she was going to do it right; she had a husband; the baby had a father, no lies, and no secrets.
She reached over to the pot of tea that Big Guy had left for her before he and the rest of the team, including one teleporting ex-fiancé of hers, had left on a mission over an hour ago.
It had been an awkward encounter, asking John for his assistance, he had been less than thrilled at the news of her marriage, even less to the fact that her groom was Nikola. Since then he had been rather cold and distant from the Sanctuary. She was actually surprised when he answered her call, with a smile no less, and accepted her offer without her having to twist his arm. It was odd but she hoped it saw the end of this miserable rivalry between John and her new husband.
Now the team, including Big Guy, were off on their mission with John's assistance, and weren't going to be back until later that evening, maybe even early morning, leaving Nikola and Two-Face to run around keeping this place from falling apart around them.
She poured herself a cup of the tea; a special kind she'd never had, a peace offering from her teleporting ex-fiancé. Nikola wanted it tested, but she had thought that was overkill.
It smelt like lavender, and a bit like strawberry. It was relaxing, if a little fruity for her liking.
She closed her eyes and inhaled the warm scent before taking a sip.
~~~~A Half Hour Later~~~~
Nikola groaned, pressing in the locking codes for the habitat.
"That will be enough trouble from you," he growled at the creature through the window.
He locked down the rest of the habitats for the night and made his way to the elevator to head back to the office.
"All right, my love, I put the kids to bed and left the nightlight on, what do you say I put away the paperwork and…" he faltered when he saw Helen hunched over on the couch.
"Helen?" he walked over cautiously, sensing something was wrong.
He heard a crunch under his foot and looked down to see a spilt teacup with the handle broken off where he had stepped on it.
She let out a painful gasp, clutching her stomach.
"Nikola! It's coming!" she gasped out, her face choked red.
"What?" he ran to her side, noticing the river of blood flowing down the inside of her thighs and down the front of the couch, the front of her silk white nightgown stained. "Oh god."
Helen cried out and fell to the floor still clutching her stomach.
"HELP!" Nikola leaned down to help her.
"There's no one here Nikola…no one can help…need to get to the infirmary…" she gasped out.
"Can you walk?" he asked calmly.
"I can try," she straightened up, using his arm as leverage.
As soon as she took a step she keeled over, Nikola stepping in just in time to catch her and scoop her up in his strong arms.
"I got you, Helen," he carried her as fast as he could to the elevator, blood coursing down his hand, soaking the cuffs of his shirt.
~~~~In the Infirmary~~~~
"NIKO!"
"Helen, you've got to hold on, I'm trying my best…there's no one here to help me!"
"Agh! It's not working!"
"Well then tell me what to do, I'm not a doctor, Helen!"
"Caesarean…only way…"
"I can't put you out, Helen, I don't know how to do this!"
"I know…10 ccs of…"
Helen winced and Nikola rushed over to the crash cart, pulling off the top of a small syringe. He knew what she meant; he had seen enough surgeries done in leaky basements of old houses in the middle of a London blitz to know.
He injected the syringe into her arm.
Helen guided him in the procedure of the c-section and he listened closely to her every word. He cut carefully, reaching for her hand and kissing the top of it.
There was too much blood. There was just too much blood, on his clothes, on his hands, on the floor, everywhere. There was just too much blood.
Helen was growing increasingly pale, and her eyes constantly opened and shut as she fought wave after wave of intense pain.
"When we get out of this I promise to have a vasectomy," he joked, trying to keep the fear from creeping into his voice.
Helen let out a strained laugh.
"Would it help if I screamed "you did this to me" for you?" she joked back.
"Not really," he winced at the idea of her screaming again.
She let out another painful gasp before crying out another terrifying scream.
"What happened? What have I done?" he backed away from her.
"Agh! Nikola! Save the child! Do it now!"
He nodded and grabbed the scalpel more firmly, desperation taking over him. It felt like blood was flying everywhere; hitting his face, his shirt, over his shoulder, he might as well have been swimming in it.
Helen let out another blood-curdling cry, met by his own as he clawed his way through her.
He finally got hold of the baby and lifted it out of the womb, a gasp of relief as a cough came from its tiny lungs, signifying life.
"I've got it!" he cried. "It's a girl, Helen…it's a girl."
He felt his chest swell up at the tiny life in his hands. He snipped the cord and grabbed his jacket off the floor and wrapped the tiny infant in it.
"Niko…let me see…" Helen said weakly.
He went over to her with the tiny infant in his arms.
"She's perfect…" Helen felt a tear trickle down her cheek.
"Oh god Helen…look at you…" he blinked away the tears from his own eyes. "But it's ok, she's safe, our daughter is safe and she's beautiful, and we're going to be a family now…we're going to be fine."
Helen closed her eyes and shuddered.
"Nikola…"
"No! The team will be back, they'll help me fix you up, and you and I will watch this baby grow up together, please Helen, I can't do this alone…" he whimpered.
Helen reached up a weak finger and caressed the tiny girl's face.
"Sh-Shae…" she smiled weakly before resting her head back and closing her eyes.
Nikola watched in wide-eyed horror.
"No! No! Helen!" he rested the bundle on the cart then turned back to her. "HELEN!"
He cupped her face, feeling the warmth slowly drain out of it.
"You can't leave me like this, Helen! Come back!"
He broke down into a sob, his whole body wracking with each shudder.
Like a sudden white-hot fire, rage boiled inside him and he stepped away from the dead body. Every metal object in the room started to shake and tremor as a fury, like a dragon, soared through his veins, an anger to the world that had just reached the last straw.
The light bulb above him shattered from the electro-magnetic energy he had created, throwing the room into the bleakest of darkness.
He stood coldly, numbly in this darkness. Letting it wash over him, letting himself drown in it.
Then a cry, tiny and helpless, broke through the darkness. He moved hesitantly towards it and picked up the bundle, remembering what he had saved.
He could save only one, and Helen made sure he saved her…Shae…his Shae.
He cuddled it close.
"It's ok baby girl, daddy's here…" he felt drained and weak. He took himself and the little life in his arms and sat against a metal cabinet, the cool metal surface against his head as he cradled the sleeping child.
He was alone…all alone with a baby girl…
His Shae.
~~~~6 Months Later~~~~
Nikola walked up the dreary path to the Sanctuary, a place he had left almost 6 months ago. It seemed so bleak and lifeless now, despite the inherent signs of movement past the windows.
The cold night air hit him and chilled him to the bone as he stepped up to the large oak doors. He could still hear the echo of Helen's screams through the knocker.
He hesitated then lifted his hand to knock, quickly retracting his hand afterwards, shoving it back into his coat pocket.
Kate opened the door.
"Nikola!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him in a hug. "We thought you were gone for good, John has stepped in to help since you left, it's so good to see you."
She let him go and pulled him inside.
"I won't be staying long, John asked to speak with me…then I will be leaving again," he said flatly, not warmed by her concern.
"Oh," she deflated. "We, uh, heard about the girl…I'm sorry Nikola.
"She was born premature, there was a chance she wouldn't make it…and she didn't," he looked down at his shoes. "May I see John?
Kate nodded and turned to lead him to Helen's old office. It had changed significantly since he had last seen it. The desk was the same, but the furniture and rugs were all new, even the lamps and fireplace seemed different, but Nikola still felt a ghost of familiarity.
"Well, well, the prodigal son returns," John sat up from the couch and turned to face Nikola with a vile grin.
"I've come at your request, please don't waste my time," huffed Nikola bitterly.
"Straight to the point, as always, my god man," John laughed and walked over to the liquor cabinet in the corner and pulled out a glass and a bottle of brandy.
"What do you want, John? Tell me or I leave," growled Nikola.
"You aren't looking so well, have you been sleeping?" said John, taking a sip from the brandy.
"Goodbye John," Nikola said flatly, turning towards the door.
"I wouldn't do that, Nikola, not until you've heard me out," John tone changed, it was darker, conniving; chilling.
Nikola stopped, listening closely now.
"Then out with it…" he barked.
"I know, Nikola…I know what happened down there, in that infirmary 6 months ago…what you did…"
Nikola felt a twinge of annoyance creep inside him.
"Are you about done?"
John teleported to him and grabbed his hand, yanking it out of it's pocket. He looked at it with a curious glint and smiled evilly.
"I know why you stuff your hands deep in your pockets, you can still feel the remains of the blood on your hands…it runs deep, and you see it, every time you look at them you see it," John whispered harshly, enjoying the way Nikola's muscles tensed.
"What do you want from me?" Nikola cursed under his breath.
"You're going to help me, or you will be arrested for the gruesome murder of Dr. Helen Magnus," bit John, his words sharp. He twisted Nikola's arm and teleported the two a few feet, smashing Nikola's face to the wall.
Nikola let out a pain grunt.
"That's not what happened!" he shouted.
"That's not what it looks like! Perspective is a funny thing; what is truth to ones point of view can be twisted into another…and now the child is dead as well, what will the other heads think of that? They'll have you strung up by your wretched little claws in a prison much worse than any electrical chair you've ever been in!" John hissed with each word.
"You bastard!" cried Nikola.
"I wouldn't be calling out names so flippantly, I am the only obstacle protecting you from a fate worse than death, my friend, and I am willing to keeps the floodgates closed for a simple favor."
"And what is that?" growled Nikola.
"Give me control of the Sanctuary," said John calmly.
"What?"
"In her will, Helen named you, as her husband, he official second-in-command, she left the future and control of this place into your hands in case anything should happen to her. The Network has held off any official meeting until you have had time to grieve over your losses, now I am hurrying the process. Give up your inheritance to me, officially state that you are incapable of running the Sanctuary in front of all the house heads, and in return I will give you something you have been searching for," John eased his grip on Nikola slightly.
"Found a way to reanimate the dead have you?" bit Nikola sarcastically.
"Not quite, but a very close second…I can give you your powers back…" John whispered into Nikola's ear.
"Impossible."
"Is it?" John released Nikola and grabbed him roughly by the collar. In a moment they were transported to some kind f secret lab, rather desolate aside from the slight hum of electricity that Nikola knew so well.
John walked to a heavy steel door and unlocked it, the mechanism made a sound like a shield deactivating rather locking system to his ears. He was ushered into the room by the tall man.
Inside, chained in the darkness of what he now realized was a cell, was a man. Pale, cold skin, sharp white fangs, and long menacing claws were his most distinct features. Nikola's blue-grey eyes were met with a pair of hungry blood-black orbs, slicing angrily at him.
"How did you?" Nikola started, struck dumb by the man in front of him.
"Found him, by chance really, he's been hiding out for a long time. The details are of no consequence but I assure you he is real, and so is the power of his blood."
Nikola turned on his heel and darted out of the room, the world spun around him and he felt sick to his stomach.
"So, what do you say, my old friend, ready for another go?" John followed after, the door to the cell closing behind him.
"You are insane!" shouted Nikola. "That is not some rabbit you can just hole up somewhere and test cosmetics on! Are you mad?"
John just smirked.
"I don't need your permission…or your approval…you breath a word of this and I will send the details of what you did to every Sanctuary Head in the Network, and it will be years before they even get to my transgressions. What I'm proposing is a small little partnership. I give you your powers, you give me the Sanctuary, I keep your little sin a secret to the rest of the Network, and you repay me when I ask. It will be painless if you just agree to my terms," John said calmly.
"What payment will I be asked of?" Nikola glared hard at John.
"I will tell you when I know," John said cryptically.
Nikola glared even harder.
"How can I trust you?...Helen would not agree with this…"
"Well, as I see it…you either agree to this little deal, or you rot in the worst hell the Sanctuary can cook up for you, it's your choice.
Nikola opened his mouth to speak but hesitated, then closed it. His choices weren't all that good.
"Fine…you win…" he deflated with a defeated sigh. John outstretched his hand and grabbed Nikola's, shaking it firmly.
"I knew you'd listen to reason, come this way," John led Nikola down the hall and into a separate room, a medical chair in the middle of it.
"Sit down," John ordered gently.
Nikola wordlessly removed his coat and made his way over to the menacing chair and hesitantly sat upon it. Metal restraints automatically moved to trap his arms to the armrests.
"Just a precaution, nothing to lose your wits about," smirked John.
"Just get it over with, " bit Nikola.
"As you wish," John bowed gracefully like the fop he was.
He prepared a hypodermic on the cart behind him, the dark red substance swirling in its plastic cage.
'Are you ready, old man," John stalked up to him, the needle clutched in his hand almost menacingly.
"Just do it," Nikola sighed bitterly.
John nodded, rolling up Nikola's sleeve and injecting him with the source blood serum.
Nikola felt something, like a jolt to his system, a familiar kick-start flooded by a wave of pain and a thick black fog over his brain.
His nails grew longer, his eyes grew darker, and his skin became paler. All at once he could smell the blood rushing through John's veins, he could hear a leaky faucet drip five rooms away as if it were beside him. Then he felt it, the electricity, the power returning like an old friend, embracing him.
"Welcome back, Nikola," John grinned evilly as Nikola changed into his Vampiric state. "I will have use for you yet my friend."
Nikola writhed and snarled, the transformation happening much faster this time. Suddenly, like a gasp of air after a long time under water, Nikola stilled, his blood-black eyes opened wide.
"Take this," John came over with a glass of water and dropped a small pill into it. "It will suppress the bloodlust."
Nikola nodded, his restraints removed from his arms and he took the glass, chugging it down quickly.
He stood up, feeling the electricity course through him.
"You are a conniving son of a bitch, Druitt,' Nikola looked at the tall man.
John laughed his deep throaty laugh.
"From a bastard like you I take that as a compliment," John smiled.
Nikola sneered at him.
"Remember our deal, Tesla, one day I will come to collect on it," John said straight, a threatening sense of seriousness to his tone.
"Just call first," Nikola grabbed his long coat and graced it back over his shoulders.
"Would you like a ride?"
"Just take me back to the Sanctuary, I can make my own way home from there."
John nodded and put his hand on Nikola's shoulder.
In a blink they were back in Helen's old office.
"Please, won't you stay for a drink?" John asked as he made his way over to the liquor cabinet.
"No, no, I think I've stayed longer than I am comfortable," Nikola turned and headed to the door.
"I don't believe you, you know," said John casually.
"Excuse me?" Nikola stopped, his hand on the doorknob.
"The child…you're hiding her from someone, I know you are," John eyed him harshly.
"Goodnight John," Nikola opened the door, leaving the Sanctuary without so much as a word to be remembered by.
Author's Notes: Hey all, sorry it took me a long time to update, this week has been crazy busy. But here it is the next chapter. Enjoy! :)