Chapter 4 Angels and Demons
It took Karen Carson, acting as Helena Campbell, a couple of weeks or so to realize that getting to HG was not going to be easy. Michael Dumont was the only one who contacted Helena Wells and even then, it wasn't often. So she continued to do the very best job she could and made plans to remove the first obstacle in her way.
A call from Dr. Vanessa Calder was usually the highlight of any day for Artie so that when he saw her number come up on his phone, he jumped up and went into the storage room to take it. Taking one deep breath before answering assured him he would not sound as excited as he felt.
"Artie Nielsen," he said even though they both knew their names showed on the screen when the call came in.
"Artie, hi, it's Vanessa," she said anyway sparing him the teasing.
"Oh, Venessa. How are you?" he said trying to sound a little surprised. They exchanged the niceties about how they were and what they were up to and finally, the doctor got to the point of the call.
"Artie, I don't mind if Agent Wells asks Gloria to help her out of course. But I think she is under the impression that Nurse Brown is here on loan, filling in here between assignments with her," Vanessa explained.
She wasn't far off the mark. Ever since the middle aged nurse's path had crossed with Helena's when she was hospitalized for a gunshot wound, their bond was instant. The nurse was so good at taking care of Helena that Mrs. Frederic asked her to attend to the agent when she returned home and refused to stay put. The woman not only helped Helena recover, she became the adopted caretaker of all the agents. Mrs. Frederic could see how well the nurse fit in with them and offered her a position to work with Dr. Calder as part of the official Warehouse staff. Gloria accepted gladly because it was more money than she was making and as the only parent of two boys in college, she needed the income. She also felt she wanted to keep an eye on Helena. She didn't know HG's history and didn't pry but she always sensed that the agent was always struggling with or fighting something.
The only one who didn't quite get the gist of her new position was Helena. Perhaps because she grew up in a time where there were dedicated caretakers in the same house as she, HG acted as if Gloria was her private nurse. Of course she didn't need a nurse very often and truly HG said, the woman could be quite irritating, so she was fine with her leaving to work with Dr. Calder.
When HG called the nurse to go to Detroit to help Mike Dumont, there was no doubt in her mind that this is what would happen. And although Gloria wanted to help Helena, she said she would have to ask Dr. Calder first. This left Helena annoyed but she said she understood and to have the doctor call her directly if there was an issue. Gloria smiled her broad grin and shook her head because Helena's attitude was of no surprise to her.
She told Dr. Calder that she had a request to help a friend of Agent Wells and if the doctor did not need her for the long weekend, she would go to Detroit to help.
"What does he have?" Vanessa asked because it seemed an odd request.
"Sounds like he might have the flu from the description Agent Wells gave me, " Gloria said and could see the dubious look on her boss' face.
"She wants you to go sit with a friend of hers in Detroit because he has the flu?" the doctor asked hoping the words alone would point out how far-fetched it was. But Gloria already knew how it sounded and she was going anyway, if it was okay with the doctor.
Vanessa would never say no to the woman who worked above and beyond what her job description said since the moment she got there. What troubled the doctor was the fact that Agent Wells thought this woman was at her beckon call. In spite of her own strong ego and self-confidence, some part of Vanessa Calder resisted confronting Helena directly and she opted calling Artie instead.
"I mean, I don't mind giving Gloria the time off if it's what she wants to do but I just want to make sure we understand the chain here," Vanessa was saying to Artie and by 'we' she meant HG. She was saying this to the man who thrived on hierarchy when it suited him. And he also welcomed an opportunity to impress the doctor.
"I'll speak to Agent Wells about it, Vanessa. I'm sure she realizes that Nurse Brown's job is the one in your office but I'll make sure," he replied - knowing fully well that what he said was probably not true. "I'll call you back," he said before he hung up and returned to the Warehouse office.
He relayed to Helena and everyone else who was there that Dr. Calder had called to inform him that she had asked Nurse Brown to take time off to nurse her friend back to health. What he said was true and accurate so HG nodded her head but didn't say anything.
"So you do realize that this woman's first responsibility is to Dr. Calder?" Artie asked HG.
It was not in fact how Helena thought of it but she looked at Myka and could read the expression as one of encouragement to say 'yes' and so that is what she did.
"Good because I don't want you thinking you can use her staff at the drop of a hat," he continued and again HG watched Myka. HG said nothing and saw the relief on her partner's face.
"And why would you want her to go all the way to Detroit to take care of someone with the flu?" Artie asked.
"He has no one to look after him," Helena said and only Myka sensed the sadness in HG's voice when she said the words. Helena knew a great deal about being alone without anyone to care for her before rejoining the Warehouse, Myka thought.
"Fine," was all Artie said because he didn't really care as long as it got him another phone call with Vanessa.
The doctor had already given her approval before the call to Artie which was a good thing because no sooner had Gloria called HG back to say she could go, that the package with her airline ticket and money arrived.
Gloria chuckled at the fact that Helena had made all the arrangements and then asked her; as if there was no doubt she would go along. She attempted to tell HG that even at the rate for a private duty nurse, the money she included was too much but HG would not hear of it.
"Please just do not torture the man with your incessant talking or bullying," HG said in a serious tone because it was what she accused the woman of so often when she took care of her – even though she did nothing of the sort.
In fact, nothing could have been farther from the truth but HG defended herself against those fond feelings she had for the woman. Helena hand long made it a practice to guard herself against losing people she loved. She was already out on the limb with Myka. So she desperately tried to convince herself that Gloria Brown was a lovely, competent woman whose absence she could tolerate. She knew it was a total lie but put up the front anyway.
Helena called Mike that night to say he should expect a visitor shortly and to let her in. Michael was very grateful to Helena to go to so much trouble and under normal circumstances, would have refused such a generous offer. But truth be told, he never felt this sick in his life. He hadn't eaten in two days - he was feverish and ached all over. The doctor said it might be the flu but ran some blood tests and would have the results tomorrow. For now, he was on total bed rest. He had left the door unlocked because he was not sure he had the strength to get up and open it should he have to call for help. Now help was on the way and once again, Helena Wells was his angel.
Mike had no way of knowing right then that his body was fiercely trying to fight off the overload of infection he got from drinking out of a contaminated water bottle a couple of weeks ago.
"You look like you could use this," Helena Campbell had said to him handing him the chilled water bottle at the office on a particularly hot day. He thought it was odd that he seal was broken on it but when she saw him looking at it, she laughed and said she had taken a sip of it and it was fine. In truth, there was no way that bottle could have been fine. She had taken it out of the garbage can when she saw a homeless man throw it out. She counted on that bottle being contaminated with something and she didn't care what. She just needed Michael Dumont infected and out of the way for a few days. He was the link to Helena and the only way that she could safely get to HG without raising suspicion. With Michael laid up, she was the next person in line if there were any issues at the Foundation.
It took a couple of weeks for the virus to works its way through Michael, but once it did, it took hold with a vengeance. Karen went to his apartment, to 'check on him' but had one purpose in mind.
It wasn't hard for Karen to get whatever information she needed out of Michael's phone while he lay there feverish and asleep. She took whatever numbers she could find from his phone and then sent HG a text.
'Ms. Wells, please contact Ms. Campbell with any business issues until I am feeling better. Thanks."
The text included the number to the phone Karen Carson had. She disposed of her latex gloves before leaving the apartment. She was careful not to touch anything that might give whatever it was that her fellow worker had. She was headed back to South Dakota and ironically, passed Gloria Brown in the airport. Gloria had just gotten off the plane from Karen's destination.
An hour after landing, Gloria was lightly tapping on Mike's door and letting herself in because the door was ajar. Her patient was restless and she could tell by his touch, his fever was high. She called 911 and went with him in the ambulance to the hospital. Mike Dumont was diagnosed with Hepatitis A, a rare viral infection typically found in unsanitary conditions and spread through contact with contaminated food or water. Gloria remarked to the doctor that she had only seen the patient's apartment for a few minutes but it was pristine. It would be hard for them to determine the source but were glad that Gloria was there to make the call.
"He was an hour away at most before his liver would have shut down," the doctor told her. Michael was not awake yet but resting comfortable.
Gloria called Helena from the waiting room and told her what happened. Helena wanted to come but Gloria explained there was nothing for her to do here. The prognosis was good and all Michael needed was hydration and rest. She would keep HG updated.
Helena hung up with Gloria and shared the information with Myka.
"It's a good thing you suggested Gloria go to him," Myka said and could see how concerned her partner was.
"Indeed," HG replied. "It's curious though," she commented to Myka.
"What is?" Myka asked.
"Gloria said she found him unconscious when she got there and yet I received a text from his phone not twenty minutes before," HG said thinking back.
"That's terrible. The poor guy - whatever he has must have been very fast acting. Well, thank God he's being taken care of now," Myka reminded her.
"Yes," Helena agreed deep in thought.
The next morning, Mike was awake and coherent and very happy to make the acquaintance of the woman who probably had saved his life. Gloria called HG to tell her that he would be home in a couple of days and that he was doing much, much better. Helena went off to work feeling much relieved. Myka got in the car to drive them to work. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a black car parked on the other side of the road.
Something about it seemed familiar but she couldn't place it. But it seemed to her that she had seen that car before.