Chapter 1
Helen Magnus gave her orders. Henry was to check the lower part, Will and Kate were to check the upper part, Big Guy was to check on the residents, and Helen herself was going to check around the outside of the buildings.
"Stay in radio contact. If anyone sees anything report it no matter how trivial it may seem. Even the most trivial may be the most important."
They split up and Helen made sure to check around her as she headed outside. Her flashlight was the only thing keeping her from tripping over her feet. In her hands was one of the stun guns that Henry had modified. After talking with Nikola about the unprotected platinum coils, Henry did a major overhaul of the weapons so they wouldn't short out like they did when Helen had used it.
The woman kept her eyes open, but so far saw nothing. Could one of the residents have gotten loose? There would be panic if that had happened. From the corner of her eye she saw movement, but when she whirled there was nothing there. A snap sounded behind her and Helen turned that way too. Normally she wasn't jumpy, but her new Sanctuary may have been compromised and she could not afford to rule anything out.
"Come now, Helen. Is this how you treat friends?"
Helen whirled around at the voice and her flashlight shown in a man's face. The man hissed and Helen lowered it a bit.
"Nikola! What in the bloody hell are you doing here?"
"I followed Wolf-boy and his band of Merry Men down here of course. You know they should know better than to just come and go without seeing who may be following." Nikola responded with a small grin.
"I'll have a word with him about that. What are you doing here anyway? Did you cause the power outages?"
Nikola actually looked hurt, "Helen you hurt me. I may have done things to my own end in the past, but whenever the Sanctuary was in danger have I not been there to help? Remember the last time I helped you?"
Helen remembered it vividly. Caleb and a few other abnormals had breached the perimeter and entered the Sanctuary. She had Henry and Nikola secure the place so Helen could blow the building up. It had been her home and it had hurt her to tear it down the way she did, but she would have rather that happen then the Sanctuary being run by abnormals who would love nothing more to use it to their own means. The last bit, however, made Helen a bit uncomfortable.
"Ah. I see you do remember. The power outages had to have happened long before I got here. I can help you again you know." Nikola said with a smirk, "Oh. And once again we find ourselves in a dark area. What was it you said? A recurring theme?"
Helen remembered that phrase. She had a look of disgust on her face. "Follow me and keep up. I won't stop for you."
The look on Nikola's face suggested that Helen would most likely end up regretting her decision to let him tag along. She turned on her heel and continued searching. Pulling out her walkie she told the others of their guest. No surprise to the reactions from the others. None of them particularly liked Nikola, but he had never once let the Sanctuary down when they needed help and now they needed his help all the more. Nikola took a deep breath.
"Helen you smell…. fantastic."
"Focus, Nikola."
Helen tended to ignore Nikola when he was this way. She remembered their last moments together before she had blown up the Sanctuary. The woman had told Nikola to go and she kissed him. When she broke the kiss she had seen the concern and worry in his eyes. Of course if that had been John or James she was sure the concern and worry would be in their eyes too. Helen was like the sister to the Five. With her, Nikola, and John being the last of the Five she could not afford to turn them away.
Helen had already lost Ashley to the Cabal. She didn't want to lose Nikola either. Her heart beat rapidly whenever she thought of Nikola. The woman knew that her feelings for Nikola were true. She genuinely cared for him. Shaking her head she continued onward. Reaching to one of her extra gun holsters she gave one to Nikola.
"Vampire remember?"
The change was quick. One moment his eyes were blue then black and with long sharp nails. His voice had also changed. This was Nikola's true form… at least to the man it was. He had always felt alive when he was a vampire. The Source Blood had changed him differently than the others. They became abnormals, he had found his true self and of coursed he bragged about it.
"Let's find this power stealer of yours." Nikola said with bloodlust in his eyes.
They made their way back to the rendezvous point. Once there Helen did a quick count. Everyone was there, but none had seen what had caused the outages and all the residents were accounted for. Henry took a look at Nikola and nodded once who nodded in return. Their mutual respect for Dr. Magnus had made them set aside their differences over the years. Despite their dislike for each other Helen knew that they would prefer each other's company rather than someone who wanted them dead.
"What's our current situation?"
"We couldn't find what destroyed the power box. It's either really intelligent or we have another Nubbins case on our hands." Henry said.
Biggie and Will groaned, but Kate looked a little confused.
"Nubbins?"
"Their true name is Nubina Atelerix. They can become almost completely invisible, but they have to remain in cool temperatures. Otherwise we have an abnormal outbreak on our hand."
Kate still looked confused to Will whispered the story to her and the realization dawned on her. She mouthed gotcha to the man and listened to Helen.
"If it is something similar to the Nubbins then we have to be prepared. With the electricity out…" Helen let it hang.
No one needed to hear the ending of the sentence to know what it meant. If the electricity was out then the Nubbins would be reproducing like crazy and everyone would be trying to catch them again.
"Nasty little vermin." Henry muttered.
"What's up Hank?"
"I'm allergic to them and when I tried to capture one it bit me." Came the response.
Nikola smirked, "Afraid of a little creature such as the Nubina Atelerix? My we really have issues don't we?"
"Enough! Nikola you come with me. I don't trust you. The rest of you split up and figure out how to keep the Nubbins in check. Nikola and I will continue searching for whatever did this. And Henry? If there's ANY way you can get electricity back that would be great. Will's in charge if I don't answer."
They split up again. When Nikola and Helen were alone the vampire took the opportunity to make a move.
"So Helen. You, me, and a dark area. I'm getting a rather interesting idea."
"Save it Nikola. We don't have time for your games right now."
The woman ignored Nikola, knowing full well what he meant. She had no time for his flirtations when there was a much direr predicament at hand. Nikola on the other hand had different ideas. He brushed a hand against Helen's cheek and she slapped him away.
"Enough Nikola! We have more important business at hand. I have no time for your games so if you know something now would be the time to tell me. And don't tell me you didn't do it because knowing you I wouldn't be surprised if you did.
"Really Helen? Would I do something as low as this to get your attention?"
"Yes!"
"Hmm. Pity. You may be right that this is my style for once I had nothing to do with it. Didn't you once tell me about Wolf-boy's first problem?" Nikola raised an eyebrow.
Helen thought back for a moment and then it dawned on her. It could very well be that snake creature that Henry saved Will from. It was certainly something to look into. She pulled out her walkie.
"Will. Can you and Kate check the intake and see if we have any abnormals missing?"
"On it."
The radio went silent and Helen turned back to Nikola, "So why DID you come back?"
"As I said before. I followed Wolf-boy here."
"Now THAT isn't your style. Unless you're a Magoi then you had better explain yourself RIGHT now."
Helen trained her weapon on Nikola and all was silent for a few moments. The vampire just stared at Helen and seemed to be contemplating explaining or running. Helen ran out of patience and prepared to shoot.
"Alright! No need to get melodramatic. After you kissed me in the Sanctuary and it blowing up mere moments later I was concerned for you… I um… may have told John. He has some words for you."
Helen was shocked. John had been brought in? Helen could take of herself.
"Bloody hell Nikola! Why?"
"He IS closer to you after all. When you went dark we both grew concerned. Henry and I barely made it out the door before the Sanctuary blew to pieces behind us. We had no way of knowing if you had actually made it or not. Henry's devices don't always work you know."
Helen was furious. Here was Nikola's hidden agenda again except this time it was out of concern and worry for her. And of course the vampire had brought in the man she had never wanted anything more to do with. John had been presumed dead, but now Helen found out that he was alive? This was all too much for her. She staggered a bit and the vampire caught her.
"I'm sorry Helen, but John cares about you just as much as I do. I was surprised myself when I ran into him. He told me how you went back in time and had to wait 113 years before you could act again. Though we are both unsure how you were able to hide away for that long. John told me how you attacked him back then."
"James was the one who told me to hide myself away. I ran into John by accident. He thought my new hair style was lovely, but I couldn't afford him to distract me so I attacked him and told him to stay away."
A low snarl came from the shadows and Helen was on her feet. Nikola, too, was on the defensive. Helen flashed the light and saw an abnormal heading towards them and she fired. The tranqs had no effect.
"Run!"
Helen and Nikola ran for their lives. Somewhere along the way Helen realized she had lost her flashlight. Grabbing her walkie she shouted orders through it. Having no idea where she and Nikola were she couldn't give out exactly where she was at. The snarl came again and Helen ran faster. She heard Nikola right beside her.
"Can you do something?"
Nikola stopped and quickly tested the abnormal's defenses. He soon found out this was one of the few that he was outmatched by.
"No. Keep running!"
The two rounded a corner and as they did they heard shots fired behind them, but kept running. When the sounds of fire and the creature all but gone did they stop. Helen leaned against the wall, panting for breath.
"What was that thing?"
"Your guess is as good as mine."
Helen looked over to where she though Nikola would be. Leaning forward she planted a kiss on his lips.
"Thanks. Come on lets go."
Nikola felt the kiss and before he could return it they were moving again. Cursing himself he started off after her. Suddenly the radio crackled and Henry was on the line, but it seemed distracted. Then they heard the shots. Nikola and Helen looked at each other.
"Figure out how to bring the electricity back. I'm going to help Henry."
With that Helen took off running. She didn't bother to see if Nikola obeyed her orders. Darkness surrounded her and her breathing came in rapidly. She was short of breath and a stitch started in her side, but Helen ignored it. All that mattered was helping Henry and the others. Her gun was pointed again and she looked around for any signs of danger. Soon the sound of gunshots filled the air and Helen followed them.
"Oh thank goodness. I thought you wouldn't get here. Where's Nikola?"
"Never mind Henry! What happened?"
"I went to join Kate and Will, but ran into this creature. Will said something about a snake creature being missing."
"Dammit!"
Helen began shooting at the creature approaching. She gritted her teeth and could have sworn she heard them grind. The creature wasn't stopping.
"Fall back!"
Henry and Helen retreated backwards and continued shooting. Unfortunately for them both were out of tranqs and bullets. With nowhere to run they would soon be dead. She looked at Henry.
"I'm sorry."
"Yeah me too."
Just as the creature was about to attack the lights came back on. With an agonized shriek and disappeared into the shadows. Helen leaned against the wall in terror. This was a normal part of her job, but in her haste to help Henry she hadn't thought to get extra magazines for her weapon. She turned to Henry who looked a little green, but with good reason. Henry was a father and no doubt he was terrified that he would never see Erika or Ashley again. The walkie crackled a bit before a glorious voice filled her ears.
"It seems someone owes me a thank you."
It was Nikola. He had obeyed Helen's orders. With a laugh she told him to shove it and looked at Henry who was giving a small smile in return. Thank god for small miracles.