Chapter 9
"Nikki! It's me Harry. Please help me!"
Immediately Thomas realised that Harry did know exactly what he was doing. He'd done the one thing that neither of them had tried and oh how they'd tried. What really made Nikki Alexander tick? What could she not resist even when at death's door herself?
Someone in trouble.
Better yet, someone she cared about it trouble.
This man really did know.
"Nikki! Help me!" Harry whispered again, but slightly louder this time. They all saw her eyelids flicker. They didn't open but there was a change, and according to the monitors her pulse began to quicken.
Jack stepped back, Thomas could feel his frustration, it filled the room, his anger growing by the second. It had happened again! Jack had agreed to let Thomas contact Harry, in the same way that he'd agreed with Eva to do anything to get Nikki back. But he liked this even less than being used to stage El Buitre's release and subsequent death. He was powerless again and this time it was Harry usurping his rightful role.
"Nikki, I need you to remember something for me." Harry continued.
"U'mm sleepy," Nikki rasped. Her eyes still shut fast.
"Get her something to drink," shouted Harry and Thomas carefully held a cup with a straw to her parched lips.
"I know you're tired Nikki, but I just need you to think. You don't have to do anything, but I need you to remember something for me."
Thomas leaned in closer, he could feel Jack's breath on his shoulder, neither man knowing what would come next. Nikki had spent all that time remembering. She'd remembered the one toxin that had freed Luisa and the others…
"I need you to help me remember if we made love more times on Leo's sofa or in the cutting room?" Harry continued his voice silky smooth. Thomas jerked backwards in shock, away from the conversation, and straight into Jack. It wasn't just anger now, jealousy, rage and disgust all coming to join the party of emotions kicking around in Jack's soul.
"Come on Nikki, you must remember. Have another drink and then tell me. Although I'm thinking about the locker room now, and how hot it got in there."
Nikki's eyes still hadn't opened, but there was no doubt she was nearer consciousness than she had been since she arrived.
"Come on Nikki, we were so great," Harry cooed.
"Har.." Began Nikki, and despite the topic, neither man could help but lean in again.
"Good girl Nikki. Come on, you can do it. Remember it's Harry and I need your help. Where did we make love the most Nikki? Leo's office? Cutting room? Locker room? Car park?" Thomas glanced across at Jack from the corner of his eye, but Jack had seemingly quashed the maelstrom inside and now his expression was giving nothing away.
"You.." Nikki began.
"Yes! Go on Nikki you can do it." Harry encouraged.
"You're an idiot Harry Cunningham!" Nikki enounced clearly, a testy note to her voice as if wakened early on a day she wasn't on call. "We never made love in the Lyell, why are you waking me up to talk about your perverted little fantasies? I'm really tired Harry!"
Ho ho ho. Hope you're still enjoying. I might even slightly feel sorry for Jack too…
