New Beginnings by Marcia Gaines
Chapter Six
Everyone in the room fell completely silent at the news Steve Jinks delivered. Walter Sykes was alive. The impossibility of the news took time to process, and as it did the questions followed. Artie was the first to speak. "Alive? You're sure?"
"Yes, I'm fairly certain of it," said Steve. "Sykes had a contingency in the event he made it into the Warehouse but couldn't get back out before the bomb exploded. It was some sort of…" he was cut off in mid-sentence by the sound of Claudia's voice as she entered the room.
"Steve!" she yelled when she saw him, and ran toward him with excitement. She threw her arms around him and babbled, "!" He laughed and hugged her back enthusiastically, as happy to see her as she was to see him. Tears flowed from Claudia's eyes as the overwhelming joy swept through her. Seeing her old partner alive was the last thing she thought this day would bring, and all she could do was hug him tighter and tighter with each passing moment.
"I missed you, too, Claud" Steve said good-naturedly. Artie and Pete walked over to greet him. Artie laid his hand on Steve's back and smiled at Steve and Claudia. He walked back to his desk without saying a word. Pete was next.
"It's good to see you, man," Pete said and gave him a firm pat on the shoulder. "Really good."
"Yeah, it is," said Myka who gave Steve an awkward hug as she reached around Claudia. She stepped back and walked to the other side of the room to give them space.
"You, guys, too," Steve said and smiled. He pulled himself away from Claudia who was smiling more broadly than he had ever seen her smile.
"Welcome back, Agent Jinks," said Mrs. Frederic. Steve looked at her and nodded. He never knew what to say when she spoke to him, but in the moment he was not concerned with how odd he found her to be. He was happy and rejoicing with his fellow teammates. He was alive and they were alive. He could not have asked for anything better.
Myka watched the revelry and smiled weakly. They were so happy, and she wanted to be happy with them, but her own emotions had other plans. Once again her hand found its way to the locket, now hanging from her neck. Her mind wandered to thoughts of Helena, and how wonderful it would be if she were able to welcome her back to the team. How do you say goodbye to the one person who knows you better than anyone else? She heard Helena's voice as she remembered back to the words they spoke in the forest. Instantly the face of H.G. Wells appeared before her. I wish I knew, Myka had replied to the question. I still wish I knew, she thought. She looked at Steve and Claudia, arms draped around each other, laughing, and smiling, and felt a pang in the pit of her stomach. She heard the conversation shift to Sykes being alive and about an artifact, but she was so lost in thought none of it registered. Not until Pete tugged on her arm did she even notice the room was empty.
"Mykes… you okay?" asked Pete in a concerned voice.
"Hm?" She stopped twirling her hair. "What? Oh. Yes. Yeah, I'm fine. Where's everyone gone?" She asked.
"Did you not hear that whole explanation Steve just gave us? That Sykes might actually have escaped the explosion using the freaking red slippers from the Wizard of Oz of all things?" Pete's eyes widened as he mentioned the slippers. "Well, I guess, technically he used the rubies that were in the red slippers." He scrunched his face as he tried to think. "Or would it be on the slippers? The rubies that were in the slippers or the rubies that were on the slippers?"
"Pete!" Myka exclaimed impatiently.
"Right. Probably on," he answered. She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Yeah, uh, they went to that locker we brought back. Mrs. Frederic said she wanted Leena to help her figure something out." Myka nodded her head in acknowledgement and headed toward the door.
"You coming?" she called out to him without turning. Pete scurried to catch up with her.
Helena Wells could see almost nothing save the ever spinning mixture of so many colors. Together they made, not for darkness as some might have thought, but for a brilliant shimmering rainbow spiraling inward toward an even brighter blindingly-white vortex from which they never returned. She knew this meant she was seeing the adding of energy to energy until the combined mixture blended together to form too much color. Occasionally wisps and mists of varying shades moved past her on their journey to the great collaboration, souls seeking solace together after too much time alone in the paradoxical environment enveloping them.
Here, as close to an afterlife as anything Helena might have imagined, the souls of wretched and noble alike came together; the flotsam of history's artifacts united in eternal lamenting repose. She sat contemplating the impossibility of what she had seen and learned since being there. She met few, so far, who could remember much of their time amongst the living. Most who could still remember gathered at the other end of the great corridor, where color absorbed into ominous darkness. Like an ethereal sponge, the collection of gathered souls took into itself every glimmer from beyond the divide. The sea of them turned in unison, first one way and then another, riding the incoming current of thought and emotion from their individual loved ones. Each observer was held entranced by visions and thoughts only they could see – enraptured not by a private heaven, but by a collective hell.
What else would someone call it, thought Helena. She looked behind her and wondered how many essences crowded in to that small space trying to make themselves seen or heard to those yet living. The desperation for one last connection consumed them as they writhed and roiled before the boundary. They were the newly dead, she learned, and would continue to gather so long as the world still called to them. They each had wives or husbands, sons or daughters, loved ones, and many other things which would one day cease to burden them. For now, however, they filled the one-way portal staring longingly into the world beyond forever wanting a return they could never obtain. Whatever hopes and dreams they knew in life were transposed in the strange place so that, like an underwater earthquake, the displaced emotions sent waves of sorrow into their midst. Having stood in front of it long enough, she could think of no greater misery.
Helena had someone who missed her, she knew, but she did not want to spend her eternity gazing outward hoping for something that could never be given. She chose her destiny when she gave her life to save the only person in the world who meant anything to her. Since arriving in this community she came to realize Myka grieved her passing far beyond that of a mere friend; she could feel it stronger in some moments, and she learned from others how the grief of loved ones left behind called like a siren to those with willing hearts. Helena had not known better when she first arrived. She went to the portal the first few times it beckoned her, and learned quickly that she did not need another eternity frozen from action while her mind longed for different circumstances. She had gone that route once already; there was nothing inside of her wanting to relive that experience.
The sight of Myka night after night silently weeping until finally succumbing to her dreams did nothing to encourage Helena to remain at the portal. For her, watching Myka's suffering was as torturous as watching Myka's desires. She stopped distinguishing between the two long ago. Helena did not know which was worse – hearing her name called out when Myka pleasured herself, or hearing it when Myka fought her nightmares. In either case, she was unable to take action now. She would never be able to bring Myka either kind of relief and the sinking in her heart whenever the connection was broken only left her feeling worse. The awareness in death of what her beautiful counterpart felt for her stirred a myriad of regrets, but in some small way she found solace in knowing the unspoken emotion they felt for one another was mutual.
Too often the images drew her in, irresistible and alluring in all they revealed. It did not matter how much she wanted to avoid the portal, she found herself drawn there over and over again. Her nexus she shared with Myka was still too strong. It was only when Myka's thoughts were elsewhere, as they were now, that Helena found rest. It was the only time she could clear her mind enough to determine her actions. The dark end of the corridor was for others, she decided. For Helena, the image of Myka's face – the soft smile she wore along with the unmistakable look of love in her eyes, that image just moments before the end was what she would keep with her for eternity. Her mind made up, she began the slow walk to the great white vortex. If she would spend eternity here, she would rather it be with those who had found enough peace to let their pasts go.
Leena stared into the locker with intense concentration. She turned her head one way and then another as the others watched her. She placed her hands on either side of it and let her eyes take in every nuance they encountered. Pete started to speak but was silenced by Mrs. Frederic's icy stare. He fidgeted as Leena continued her long examination.
"There are an amazing number of souls in there," she said at last. "I can see them. It takes a while to make out distinct ones, but whatever is on the other side, it's enormous." Mrs. Frederic nodded her head as if she was hearing what she expected.
"Now tell me, Leena, are you able to make out anyone with a… void," she gave Artie a knowing look. His eyebrows knit together for a moment before relaxing as her meaning struck him.
"The Collodi Bracelet," he explained to Leena. "It leaves a darkness, robs the wearer of love. Never to give or receive it… in its place there would simply be," he looked up at the rest of the team as he spoke, "…nothing." Leena looked into the locker again. So great were her focus and concentration she completely missed the conversation behind her as Pete and Myka arrived. Their initial questions answered, they joined silent vigil awaiting Leena's observations. Myka looked into the locker and thought again of what it represented. It held all the souls of those killed due to a direct interaction with an artifact.
She thought of Sam and recalled how the barometer from the USS Eldridge played a role in his death. He was not, however, held in the locker. He met his death at the end of a gun, the artfact's role was merely incidental. She stared into the emptiness thinking of Helena, imagining her face as she did every night in her dreams. She could still see her sorrowful eyes as they looked at her from across the barrier. In her mind's eye Myka watched her and felt, again, the freezing terror of those last moments. It was an image she wished she could forget, but it was singed into her memory. She would give anything to see her again, and the thought she might never feel anything else haunted her. Myka's thoughts elicited a heavy sigh and Claudia gave her a quick sympathizing hug before releasing her. The young agent recognized the look on Myka's face having worn it herself so many times as she thought of Steve.
Helena stopped moving. It was there again, she could feel Myka thinking of her. She turned around and faced the far end of the corridor. She was too far away to know for certain whether it was pleasure or pain that called to her, but she knew she could not resist. She moved toward the writhing mass of darkness knowing only that whatever awaited her, she would walk away feeling empty and alone.
Leena jerked back and looked at something as if it moved between the locker and the team. Her eyes traced an unseen line straight to Myka before tracing along the same route back to the locker. She shifted her stance and stepped back before repeating the behavior a few times. Each pass of her eyes followed the unseen line as it went to Myka and back again. Claudia caught on quickly realizing Leena was seeing something no one else could view.
"What is it?" she asked. Myka turned and wiped at her eyes.
"I'm not sure," said Leena and started walking slowly toward Myka. She chose her steps carefully, avoiding what she saw as a translucent light-pink beam of light oscillating between Myka and the locker until she stood shoulder to shoulder with the tall somber agent. Myka looked at her questioningly, but Leena said nothing. She simply stood watching the energy as it ebbed and flowed.
"What is it, Leena?" Mrs. Frederic asked and took a step toward her. Leena's gaze did not flinch until that moment. She shook her head and looked into Myka's face with wonder before turning to face Mrs. Frederic.
"I've never seen anything like it." Leena folded her hands in front of her and looked upwards as she paused. "It's beautiful," she finally said offering no other commentary.
"But did you see the void?" Mrs. Frederic insisted. Leena shook her head and closed her eyes with a smile.
"No, I didn't. Whatever you're looking for isn't in there." She turned to Myka and smiled. "But what you seek, is."
"Uh. Come again?" Claudia asked with apprehension in her voice. She had spent enough time around Leena to know the innkeeper's take on metaphysical matters did not always bode well.
"She," Leena leaned her head toward Myka, "has not yet let go of devotion. And it has not let go of her, either." Pete, Steve, and Artie looked perplexed and started peppering Leena with questions, but she fended them off answering in her usual mysterious way. Myka heard none of it, however. The last thing she heard was Leena's cryptic message telling her that H.G. Wells was in there, and that the connection between them was unbroken. Was this why her thoughts of the other woman seemed so much more vivid lately? Was H.G. still trying to communicate? What did Leena mean?
Myka's feet moved as if by a will of their own until she stood directly in front of the locker. The voices behind her continued, but she let them fade from her consciousness as she gazed into the container. She placed her left hand flat against the inside of the locker and reached up with her right hand to grip the heirloom around her neck. Helena was here, she thought. She was in this container somewhere. Her eyes moved desperately across the back of the box as she felt for any opening – any way to remove the barrier separating them.
Helena froze. Filling the entirety of the portal was Myka's flickering image. The dark mass of souls parted and made way for her only to come together as she passed. The movement was as if some personal force-field cleared the way so she could make her way to the front. Helena stood before the portal and lifted her hand to meet Myka's. The barrier between them shimmered like molten glass.
"What are you doing?" Artie yelled at Myka. He lunged for her and pulled her away as forcefully as he could. Myka reached out toward the locker as she lost her balance and fell to the ground. The impact of her fall forced out a grunt of complaint, and when she finally regained her feet it was to find herself being dressed down by her boss.
"YOU WILL NOT GO NEAR THAT THING AGAIN, DO YOU HEAR ME?" he yelled. Pete gave a sympathetic flinch, and tried to distract Artie to no avail. "UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE YOU TO ATTEMPT WHATEVER IT WAS YOU JUST DID!" He was positively fuming. Spittle formed on his lips and he sputtered it into the air in front of him as he continued. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT ALMOST JUST HAPPENED? DO YOU? WELL DO YOU?"
Myka cowered under the glaring onslaught and was saved only by Claudia who stepped in front of Artie while brandishing one of the hoses used to spray down artifacts. Artie stopped mid-yell and focused his attention on Claudia. His voice took a decidedly sinister tone. "What are you doing? Get that thing away from me."
"I don't think so, Mr. Mad-goo. You calm yourself down right now, or I'll be forced to deal with all that negative energy you're releasing into the Warehouse." He raised his hands as if he wanted to wring her neck and she raised the hose in defense. "Don't make me do it! I'll do it, I swear I will!" The standoff between them broke when Steve addressed the group.
"Guys. C'mon, seriously, don't we have more important things to do here?" He was tired. He had been through an extreme level of emotional upheaval over the last week and he did not have the energy for their bickering. He barely had the energy to be in this Warehouse, but his loyalty to his team and to their cause drove him to complete their mission to stop Sykes and save the Warehouse. "Mrs. Frederic, can't you…" He turned to enlist Mrs. Frederic's help, but she was nowhere to be found. "Right. Nevermind." He shook his head and sighed.
"Mykes…" Pete looked at his partner with concern. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah, Pete, I'm fine." She answered him and stared past him to the locker. Whatever connection she felt, it was gone now.
Helena let the darkness envelope her until it pushed her back into the empty corridor. Her entire body shook and she sat to collect herself. She racked her brain trying to understand what just happened. One moment she was feeling Myka's thoughts, and the next she could have sworn she actually felt her hand. She lifted her right arm and stared at it. She nimbly touched each of her fingers one by one against her thumb. They tingled. She looked toward the portal and saw only the familiar darkness. It had never shimmered like that before, had it? She asked herself the question and ran through her memories of all the times she stood before it. No, that was a first. She had been touching Myka's hand, she was sure of it.
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