A/N As the previous chapter was quite short and mostly filler, another update! To get the story rolling again. Cheers to everyone, thanks for all the comments.
EIGHT
"Concern, fear … a small sense of mistrust. He wants to believe you, but isn't sure if he can." Ylerin paused the video of Declan's first message, and then moved to the second one of his conversation he had with Will. Aurelian stood beside her, his fingers skimming over the screen.
"Shock, grief, disbelief … trying to keep a brave face, but shaken. His sadness is not feigned."
Helen felt herself sigh with relief. She had so hoped to trust Declan, and it was a relief to know he was a loyal friend. Ylerin turned to look at her, shaking her head warningly. "We can never know for certain … not unless we could steal his breath."
Will tugged on Helen's arm and pulled her over to the side. She could see the gears turning in his head. "I have an idea … but it might be a little crazy."
"Well, only if it's just a little." Helen smirked.
"Conference call with all the Heads. You show up, we reveal that you're still alive. Get Aurelian and Ylerin to watch and they might be able to see something incriminating. Someone a little too shocked … someone a little too disappointed…"
Helen saw the earnest look on Will's face and thought about his proposal. It was a touch dramatic, but it still had some merit. "You know that's not enough proof, and it blows our trump card with only the possibility of an answer. But it's crazy enough for me. There might come the right time to be that bold."
Henry was already pulling up videos they had saved of calls from the other Heads. Aurelian finally sat down in a chair as well and flexed his fingers; they had work to do.
"Have we received any new messages?" Will asked quietly. He knew that no matter how quiet he was, the Sybarites could still hear him, but they ignored the conversation as a courtesy.
"No … not yet at least." Helen shared a knowing look with Will. He gave her shoulder a squeeze and returned to the computers. Just as she had hoped, the other Sanctuaries had their hands full with harassment from various underground organizations. They were also scrambling to try and fill the void she had left. Will was trusted to head Old City Sanctuary, but was still considered too inexperienced to head the network.
She wasn't hopeful though that the silence was permanent. Their faceless nemesis had wanted her out of the picture for a reason. There had to be something they wanted now. Something impossible to take while she was in power. Headship of the network? The Old City Sanctuary itself?
But then why throw it into chaos? To weaken it?
Helen's phone rang with a call from Kate. "Did you find them?"
"Old City Sanctuary … we bag 'em and deliver." Came the perky reply.
"Well done, Kate. Is John with you?"
"Yeah, he almost got bitten by one of the ozone beetles. It was pretty funny. There was a broomstick involved."
Helen smiled and hung up. That was all of her team accounted for except one who had holed himself up in her library and was apparently working on … absolutely nothing.
She worried for the contents of her wine cellar.
Nikola sat in an armchair, hands steepled under his chin with his eyes closed. He didn't budge when Helen sat down beside him and loudly cleared her throat. When he didn't acknowledge her, she kicked his chair.
"I think you're trying to get my attention," he drawled, lazily opening his eyes and smirking at her.
"I thought you were here to help and be useful. Have me in your debt, as you put it."
"I am doing something important," he said. "I'm thinking."
Helen sighed, resting her head against her hand. She had known him for over a century and she still couldn't understand him. "What have I done to offend you, you insufferable man?"
Nikola tilted his head to the side. "Shot me, slapped me, round-house kicked me in the head … and you wouldn't go with me to the prom."
Helen snorted. "And you sicked you fledgling vampire army on me. Would you actually have let them kill me?"
Nikola took too long to say "no". Helen's mouth fell open and she kicked his chair harder. "Nikola!"
"What can I say? I've always been single-minded about my pursuits. I allow very little to get in the way." He grew quiet again and murmured over his fingers, "I also never said I was a good man."
Helen looked at him thoughtfully, but knew that there was no way to pry secrets from him when he didn't want to be revealed. She felt the words "you hate me" about to fall from her lips, but they stuck in her throat. Instead, she managed to say, "I'm glad you came."
His eyes flickered up to hers and he nodded once. The tension unwound slightly.
"Do you know where Aurelian and Ylerin are?" she asked, quickly trying to change the subject.
"They're out. Feeding." The pointed look he gave her had a sinister undercurrent. Helen was a little stunned.
"You mean … on people?"
Nikola folded his arms across his chest, throwing one of his legs over top the other. "And did you think they actually lived off of broths and juices? Or the rats in your lab? They're still a type of vampire, Helen. They're not human."
She fought down her unease. "Neither are we, technically."
Nikola chuckled dryly. "Never forget a predator's true nature."
"Is that a threat?" Helen asked coyly, "Or an observation?"
He grinned and rose from his chair. "Oh, I think you know the joys of the hunt as well as our Sybarites." He blew her a kiss goodnight and left.
Once in the hallway, Nikola pulled out a portable tablet he had appropriated from the mutt's lab. He had downloaded all the files and records of the Sanctuary Heads. With a single command the information had been sent to Ylerin and Aurelian's mobile devices. Names, addresses, safe codes, floor plans…
What Helen didn't know was that Lighthouse Industries had its own private jets as well. Aurelian and Ylerin would be back from Moscow in time for breakfast – and they'd be able to strike one suspect off of their list.
In a way, Nikola knew he was trapped in a cage like Druitt. Every intelligence network in the world was looking for him, the source of the total global hack.
He had blown his cover, risked exposure, and the most damning thing was now the world knew exactly what he could do. He couldn't be over or underestimated with his resume published for all to see, and Nikola knew power came in keeping people guessing. And he had done it all in vain.
Nikola sighed, his teeth grinding together. He had expected to feel joy and elation when he found out she wasn't actually dead. And of course he had.
It was just strangled by an all-consuming fear that she had seen more of him than he ever wanted to live with.
"Boss, you can't run forever. Meet us and we can have the world forget you. Or you could try on your own. There's a lovely lass hoping that isn't the case."
John tossed the scrap of paper onto Helen's desk, trembling with repulsion. "I found it in one of my old safe houses."
"But there's no information on when and where to meet them…" Helen puzzled, lying out the note flat.
"Do you think it's time to let Declan know what's going on?" Will asked.
Nikola snorted in derision. "That would be insurmountably foolish. At best it leaves us with more muddled channels. At worst, he'll become a target as well."
"Then what do you suggest?" John growled, his fingers flexing. "What genius solution have you come up with since you've been here?" He strode up, pushing his face an inch away from Tesla's.
"Temper, Johnny," came the silky snarl.
"Enough, gentlemen."
Ignoring Helen, John grabbed the front of Tesla's shirt and whispered dangerously into his ear. "I don't know what game you're playing at, old boy. But I don't trust you."
Nikola growled lowly back, so only John could hear. "Smartest thing you've ever done."
With an irritated grunt, the Big Guy pushed them forcefully apart with admonishing smacks on their shoulders. Helen felt ready to strangle them both, but managed to keep her temper in check. They would accomplish nothing with all their egos flying about in the air.
"They obviously know where to find you … perhaps we'll just have to play the waiting game."
Helen felt uneasy. "What do you mean, Nikola?"
He shrugged, nonchalant. "They know all of John's safe houses. They're bound to show up again at some point."
"Are you suggesting I just sit there and wait for this lunatic to show up and make their demands?" John's voice trembled, he was ready to boil over again.
Unfazed, Nikola leaned closer toward him, almost daring him to strike the first blow. "The blood of a young woman will be on your hands … again, Johnny, if you can't take the risk. The Sanctuary's already been compromised and attacked. Helen is being hunted. How much more devastation will we have to be witness to while you waffle and decide when to participate?"
Helen grit her teeth. "This isn't John's fault."
"No, but the outcome of all this does depend on him."
As much as John wanted to gut him then and there, he had to admit the bastard was right. That was the most annoying thing about him.