Chapter 56 – Forever And Always (Part 1)
~~~~April, 1944~~~~
Helen walked up the staircase to the old two-story apartment building in downtown Paris. A city that, though in the middle of war, hardly let it affect them she noticed.
She had tracked him down here, not surprised he would come here, here he could be faceless, nameless, and relatively undisturbed.
Though France of all places made getting to him a bit of a challenge, and even harder to get him back, but she had her orders.
She reached the landing of the stairs and headed to the third door down the hall, room 3, no surprises there.
Helen took a moment to compose herself, letting the nerves at seeing him again still.
She knocked on the door hesitantly.
She heard something akin to shuffling and then silence and she wondered if she should knock again, but before her fist reached the door it opened.
There he was.
His hair was mussed, his eyes were bleary, he hadn't shaved in what seemed like a month, and he was wearing nothing but a half buttoned shirt and his shorts.
"What do you wan-" he grumbled but his eyes widened and his scowl melted into a grin. "Helen, what a pleasant surprise."
Helen sighed.
"You're a mess Nikola," she brushed some dust off his shoulder.
"Aren't you supposed to be in England or America...helping the Allied Governments win the war?" he scoffed.
"I am, that's why I came here...may I come in?" she asked, not feeling comfortable enough to have this discussion in the hallway.
"Can it wait for another time?" he looked over his shoulder absently as he spoke.
"Not really no," she said sternly.
"Alright," he sighed and swung the door open. The apartment was a tiny two room plus bathroom accommodation.
Nikola was obviously using the other room as his lab because right smack in the middle of the main room was a large double-bed with a naked French woman tangled in it's sheets.
Nikola went over to the side of the bed to fetch his pants. He sat on the edge as he put them on and leaned over and kissed her shoulder lightly.
She moaned pleasurably and turned and wrapped hers arms around him, nuzzling her face into his side and Helen rolled her eyes.
"Just go back to sleep, love, I won't be a minute," he muttered to her in French.
"Reviens au lit, Nikki," she whimpered back and then looked up seeing Helen. "Que est-elle?"
"Just a friend, my love," he kissed her briefly and began to get up when she grabbed the collar of his shirt and brought him back down to kiss her again.
He chuckled and returned the tender embrace lovingly.
The whole exchange made Helen sick.
"Je vais faire le petit dejeuner," she sat up and grabbed one of his shirts, not bothering to use the sheet to cover herself. Helen looked away and rolled her eyes.
Nikola strolled up to her with a big grin on his face.
"Is she the maid?" Helen teased.
"Jeannette, ravishing creature isn't she?" Nikola smirked.
"And about hmmm...one third your age," Helen mocked him.
"But hoy, if she don't make you feel 53 again. Please, step into my office," Nikola joked, leading Helen over to the small private balcony near the kitchen. It over viewed a small square shared by the four apartment buildings, that was nicely maintained with flower beds and a small fountain in the centre.
There was a small round table and two chairs on the balcony. An ashtray sat in the middle of the table.
Nikola pulled out a cigarette from a silver case and placed it in his mouth.
"I never realized you smoked," Helen noted as he sat down.
"I never used to, but hey, I'm bored," he shrugged.
"And Jeannette?" asked Helen.
"Refreshing isn't she, with an air of romantic whimsy and French optimism, really quite the jewel don't you think?"
"You truly are bored, aren't you?" Helen all but accused.
"You're darn right I am, I'm in hiding," he took a drag from the cigarette. "All I seem to do is eat, make love, smoke and drink."
"Some would consider that heaven," Helen joked unamusedly.
"It's a virtual hell, except for the lovemaking...and the drinking," he shrugged. "So what do you need from me?"
Helen was taken aback from the sudden question.
"Can't I just catch up with an old friend," she decided to play coy with him.
"Ok, if that's how you want to play it," he shrugged.
Jeannette peeked her head out the balcony door and smiled at Nikola, and he smiled and waved back.
She muttered some French words to him and gestured at Helen.
"She's wondering how you like your eggs," Nikola translated.
"I know, thank you," she turned to Jeannette. "Pas pour moi, merci."
Jeannette nodded and headed back inside.
"Seriously Nikola, what has gotten into you, since when have you ever wasted your time with such a floozy," her tone switched and her voice lowered.
"She's not a floozy, Helen, she's a remarkable woman," Nikola said flippantly.
"She's a floozy," Helen narrowed her eyes at him.
"Ok, she's a floozy," he shrugged. "But she's a fantastic shag of a floozy who cooks breakfast in the morning, and doesn't ask questions."
Helen rolled her eyes.
"Is this what you consider your retirement?" Helen scoffed.
"I enjoy it," he shrugged. "I'm in France, the world is getting destroyed, when it reaches us I'll move on, maybe go to Italy or Sweden, if I feel so inclined I'll take Jeannette with me. We'll continue making love, I'll continue smoking, she'll continue making my eggs exactly how I like them, maybe I'll get her pregnant, I don't know, retirements fun that way. What the hell gives you the right to show up at my front door and accuse me of wasting my eternity away?"
"Because you could be helping us win the war," Helen barked.
"I tried that, everybody thought I was crazy," he sighed.
"Your death ray weapon was not the solution to world peace," she rolled her eyes.
"Did you government types even stop to ask before sending the FBI to spy on me?" Nikola grumbled.
"You are so full of yourself!"
"Then why are you here, Helen?" he barked.
"Because I was asked," she threw the papers on the table. "By General Eisenhower and President Roosevelt."
"To what?" he took the papers and looked over them.
"Either you join in the war effort, as an American citizen or be arrested as a defector," Helen said firmly.
"But I'm dead," he shrugged.
"Only in some circles, but not to them," she sighed. "If you help they promise to drop all charges and return your personal belongings that were nabbed by the FBI and you'll be free to live any life you want. No more living in hiding. You can continue your work, uninterrupted and unwatched."
Nikola pondered over her words.
Jeannette came out and placed two cups of coffee on the table.
Nikola grabbed her hand and kissed it.
"Merci, love," he smiled at her and she leant down and kissed him.
Helen averted her gaze as the shirt Jeannette was wearing did nothing to disguise the fact that she was not wearing anything below the waist.
No wonder Nikola liked her.
She distracted herself by sneering at the vile brown liquid in the cup in front of her.
After Jeannette was done giving Nikola a thorough kiss, she stood up straight and waltzed back inside, Nikola eyeing her the entire way out.
"I don't know Helen...leaving France seems mighty unappealing right now," he sighed, still looking at the spot she'd just vacated.
Helen rolled her eyes.
"You realize you are the only one in the whole of France with that opinion," she frowned at him.
"Well, I can't just leave," he said defensively.
"Leave what?" asked Helen.
"Leave Jeannette," he gestured absently.
Helen scoffed.
"I'm sure she'll find another man to cook breakfast for," Helen said with no measure to cover up what she was implying.
"Helen, that's rude," he scolded. "She is a woman after all."
"What has that got to do with anything?" Helen sighed.
"Jealousy does not look good on you," Helen let out an indignant squeak at his insinuation. "But Helen, I'm sure we could arrange something for the three of us, I'm sure Jeannette would be up for it."
"Are you that insane to think that I'd..."
"I love the hair by the way, it's shorter, but nice, you've straightened it too," he ran his fingers through some of it.
Helen swatted his hand away.
"Will you keep on task, Nikola, this is not some game we're talking about. You could be the only one to help us get a leg up on Hitler, so stop making jokes, pack a bag, say your goodbyes, and shave dammit, you look like a bloody POW!"
Helen stood up angrily.
"Here is where I'll be tonight at 8:30, be there, or hope to god that Hitler finds you before Eisenhower does," she threw a slip of paper down on the table.
With that she spun on her heel and nearly rammed into Jeannette as she walked out the door.
Jeannette watched her leave with genuine surprise.
She looked back at Nikola.
"Quel est son probleme?" she asked.
"Nothing, love," he stuck the cigarette in the ashtray. "She's just a hothead."
Jeannette sat in the chair Helen had just vacated.
"Je pense que vous devriez aller si cela signifie beaucoup pour elle," Jeannette shrugged and Nikola smirked, taking her hand and kissing it.
"You're probably right," he sighed.
~~~~London, 1942~~~~
The phone ringed endlessly and Helen groaned as she lazily made her way downstairs to answer it.
It was the middle of the night, she was exhausted, who was calling?
James and Nigel probably were passed out in the lab or still working, and everyone else in the Sanctuary seemed to be the heaviest sleepers known to man.
Who ever this was it had better be good.
She grabbed the phone and held it to her ear.
"Hello," her voice was raspy.
"Hello, love," the all too familiar American accent rang over the line. "Did I ever tell you how much I missed you?"
Helen rolled her eyes.
"What have you done now, Nikola?"
"Helen, I am deeply offended by the insinuation that I..."
"Nikola, it is three in the morning, what the hell do you want?"
"Straight to the point, and as sexy as ever, Helen. Well, okay then, I...I need your help," Nikola's voice lowered significantly.
"What have you done?" Helen reiterated.
"Nothing. Just wrote a theory on plans for a death ray weapon that could end the war as we know it, but no body really saw past the death ray part," he sighed.
Helen groaned. She was not going back to bed any time soon.
"I remember the article," she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Yes, but now I'm being hunted by the FBI, my every move watched, I can't...I can't even think...I need your help, I need you to hide me, or something."
Helen let out an exasperated sigh.
"How bad is it?" she asked.
"If any of my work falls in their hands I am ruined Helen. If I run they will chase me and if I stay they will wait in anticipation. Help me!" he whispered emphatically.
"What do you want me to do?"
"I need a distraction, something that will allow me to slip into hiding, so I can continue my work," he pleaded.
Helen sighed again.
"Where are you?" she asked, her tone softening.
"It's funny you should ask..."
Helen put the phone down as realization hit her and she rushed over to the window peeking outside into the bleak streets of London. Across the street from the sanctuary was a telephone booth, and in said telephone booth was none other than Nikola Tesla.
He waved at her and she rolled her eyes. She went back to the phone.
"Get in here," she growled and hung up.
Moments later the front door opened and Nikola sheepishly stepped inside.
"I thought you'd never ask," he smirked at her.
Helen glared at him.
"How the hell did you make it to England undetected?" she growled.
"Having the whole world think you're incredibly old helps," he shrugged.
"Really Nikola, this is all on you, you should've never published that article," she scolded him.
"I honestly thought someone of sense would read it," he shrugged.
"Nikola, you can't...you can't just expect the world to follow along with every bright idea that comes to your head. They probably think you're some kind of sympathizer or war criminal now."
"Which is ridiculous. Me? Side with the Germans? Pffft!" Nikola scoffed.
"You were born Serbian, do you have any idea how that looks?" she groaned.
"I have stated constantly that I love America, my whole career. They have no reason to doubt me!" Nikola cried.
"You also thought you talked to aliens and sent a package of money to a dead friend, your word is not necessarily credible."
"That frigging little journalist misquoted me about the alien thing, that was not my fault, and as for the money that was all Rudy's doing, him and his damned near-sightedness."
"Doesn't matter. It's enough for the world to think that your mind is off kilter."
"So what do we do about it? Rudy's dead, it's not like I can admit myself or pass away," Nikola sighed.
"That might not be such a bad idea," a light bulb went off in Helen's mind.
"Helen, I can't die, as much as I know you'd like to try," he frowned at her.
"Nikola, I think I may have a solution to your problem," Helen smirked.
"Does it involve wine and a bed, preferably yours," Nikola smirked salaciously
Helen frowned.
"Please don't make me shoot you. It will disturb the residents," Helen glowered at him and he chuckled.
"Fine, the couch then," he teased and made his way to the parlor.
"I can not believe you," Helen groaned.
~~~~Paris, 1944~~~~
It was 8:15. Helen drove towards the docks where she had arranged a pick up that would take her and whatever passenger she had down the river to where a bi-plane was waiting to take them out of France and back to England. They were all trusted Underground resistance operatives and personal friends of hers.
The most dangerous part of this whole operation would be the dock, there was always shady characters roaming by it, and she wouldn't be surprised if Nazi sympathizers would be lying in wait for a British government spy.
She fingered her gun lying in the lining of her coat.
Her mind though was on something else. If he had been any other man she would've flipped him over that table handcuffed him and dragged him out of that apartment. Of course, it was Nikola, he knew exactly what buttons to push to make her stomp out of there yelling good riddance!
What in the world was he doing? Making love to some blonde French floozy, acting as if there was no threat of war around him, and smoking?
She growled. The depths to which she hated him were astounding.
She got out of the car and paid the driver. She only had one small bag with her because she had no intention of staying in this country any longer than she had to.
She was so wrapped up in thought over Nikola being a stupid arse, that she didn't see the silhouette of a tall lean man sitting on a bench at the other end of the dock.
She grumbled to herself, letting her anger boil within her till she heard a sound.
Her gun was out in lightning speed.
There was someone in the shadows, she realized as she was standing beneath the halo of an old street lamp.
"Shooting me would be highly unproductive," she dropped her weapon and rolled her eyes.
"But it would do me a ton of good," she put the weapon back in its secure position.
Nikola stepped into the small circle of light.
Helen noted he was in his full suit, clean-shaven, hair slicked back, his usual self in all respects.
"And here I thought you'd be happy to see me," Nikola smirked.
"No one is ever happy to see you, Nikola, you mean trouble," she sighed.
"You used to find that very endearing about me, once upon a time," Nikola said, his tone a bit sad, but still teasing.
"Well, once upon a time, you used to actually care about what was happening in the world, now all you do is smoke, drink, and shag just to keep yourself entertained," she growled at him angrily.
"Well, I came didn't I?" Nikola kept his tone even.
"How did Jeannette take it?" Helen teased without a hint of humor in her voice.
"Well, we made love one last time, she helped me shave, I gave her the keys to the apartment, and we said our goodbyes," Nikola smirked. "I miss her already."
"Like you could've truly been content with a floozy like that for the rest of your life," she sighed.
"That's the thing about floozy's though, you love them and you leave them, and they just shrug, kiss you on the cheek and say it was nice while it lasted," Nikola shrugged. "True love is overrated in that respect."
Helen shook her head.
"What made you finally change your mind?" Helen's tone softened.
"Jeannette, actually. She said I couldn't disappoint someone I obviously respected, as hard as I tried. I said she had no idea what she was talking about, I hardly respect you, but then she said that I was bored, and how long could I really maintain being happy just drinking, smoking and shagging all day, and that got me thinking. So here I am."
"So you're not doing this for any other reason than..."
"I'm bored. Exactly! Good reason. And she was right, good shagging and fine wine can only distract me for so long, besides what's the point of it all without exercising my genius," he grinned smugly.
Helen sighed, she'd take it, anything but dragging him out of the country by force.
"Well, remind me to send Jeannette a thank you card," Helen patted his shoulder condescendingly, at least the floozy was good for something.
"I think she'd much prefer a green card, but you know, it's war," Nikola shrugged.
"Exactly. Speaking of which, our boat should be arriving any moment now," Helen turned and began heading further down the dock.
"What boat?" Nikola followed behind carrying two suitcases with him.
"The boat that will takes us to the plane that will take us back to England," Helen said cryptically.
"And once we're in England?"
"We'll take you to the British-American Military Headquarters, where Eisenhower is, where you will be given your direct and personal instructions."
"You mean where they're going to lock me in a room and force me to do whatever they want, and threaten to imprison me if I don't do it, don't you?" Nikola sneered at her.
"Semantics, take it as you will," Helen shrugged.
"Why couldn't I just stay dead?" Nikola rolled her eyes.
"I tried but there are some secrets that just can't be contained. You are one of them, but in exchange for your services you will be offered a full pardon, and the secret of your existence will be buried with Eisenhower and Roosevelt."
"Oh, such reliable contacts, really, I'm assured," Nikola muttered sarcastically.
"Will you hurry up?" Helen decided to ignore him.
"Oh because the boat is coming oh-so quickly on the horizon," Nikola muttered.
"I need to meet my contact down at the pier," the sighed,
"Is he the driver of the boat that will take us to the plane that will take me to my own personal brand of hell?" asked Nikola.
"No, but he will signal the boat to come to us," said Helen.
"I feel safer with you already," teased Nikola.
Helen rolled her eyes and kept walking till she reached the small boathouse at the end of the dock.
She stopped a few meters away from it and pulled out a flashlight from her bag, holding it up and flicking it on and on.
"What are you doing, signaling a plane landing?" Nikola scoffed.
"It's so my contact knows it's us, this isn't exactly the safest place to casually stroll up to anyone and start chatting them up. There are Nazi spies every where," she sighed.
"You need to trust people more," shrugged Nikola.
"These are times of war, trust has to be earned, not thrown about carelessly."
"I feel like I should be offended."
"Good."
A light from inside the boathouse began to flicker and Helen tucked the flashlight back inside her bag.
"That's the signal. Let's go," she sighed.
"No really, I thought it was code for run away," he rolled his eyes.
"Then he would've flicked the light three times," Helen said matter-of-factly.
"Ah, I see," Nikola sneered at her and followed as they entered into the boathouse.
"Jacob?" Helen whispered into the darkness of the inner shadows of the building.
"Oui," came a voice, beckoning them further inside.
Nikola walked in casually, his vampire sight making it easy for him.
Helen grasped his shoulder and used him as a guide.
"Darling I don't think now is the time," she didn't have to see to know he was smirking.
"Shut up, I can't see," she grumbled.
"I can see things perfectly clear," he grasped her hand gently and stroked the top of it lightly. The resounding thunk of her hand smacking his chest reverberated through the old rickety building.
Suddenly a light flickered to life before them causing both to squint slightly.
"Jacob?" Helen asked again.
"Helen Magnus?" came the heavily accented male.
He was a short man, shorter than Nikola anyways. Stout and with a thick beard, wearing a black turtleneck and a navy toque.
"I was afraid you wouldn't come," he said.
"It's a pleasure," Helen held out her hand.
"Is this the man?" Jacob looked over at Nikola.
"Indeed he is," Helen gave a sideglance over to Nikola who grinned back.
"I feel so important," he teased.
"Alright, wait here," Jacob went over to the window and peered out of it. "They are on their way."
Helen nodded her head.
"We agreed upon ten thousand right?" she asked as she leant down to fish through her bag.
"Yes," Jacob nodded.
Helen sprung up and cocked her weapon at the man.
"Funny, as I recall you were doing this as part of the resistance and didn't ask for a penny. Who are you?" she said threateningly and Nikola sat back and watched amusedly.
"You cannot win. We'll be taking you and your friend in to the custody of the Third Reich," the man said, his voice edged with steel.
"A traitor, I should've known," Helen sneered.
"You are a very valuable asset to the allied governments Miss Magnus, and you will ensure my safety when the Nazis come to conquer," he said confidently.
"I don't think so," Helen shook her head. "Where is Jacob?"
"It's too late," the man shook his head. "You will not get out of France alive whether you kill me or not so I suggest you come peacefully."
"Not a chance in hell," Helen spat.
Nikola coughed suggestively, pointing upwards with his eyebrows to the hanging light bulb. It did not take much thought process to understand his plan.
She turned back to the imposter.
"What do you want from us?" she asked.
"You are very valuable to the English government and you have been personally drafted over here to collect him," he pointed to Nikola.
"So of course, I must be valuable as well, or even more so. Listen to that, Helen, I'm worth more than you," Nikola teased. "Well I'm sorry to burst Hitler's bubble but we're just in love. I didn't even know there was a war going on," Nikola bluffed lamely. "What you really caught was a semi-important government asset having a romantic tryst with a veritable sex god, so unless the big man is looking for love tips, I'm really no use at all."
"You're not lovers," the man scoffed.
"Not yet," Nikola smirked at Helen.
"Please stop talking," Helen groaned.
"Yes, please stop talking," reiterated the French man.
"Hey, whose side are you on?" Nikola barked insincerely.
Helen could hear the sound of a boat approaching.
"There is no time for this," the man whipped out his own weapon. "You are coming with me."
"Helen he's got a gun!" Nikola shrieked sarcastically.
"Enough! Shut up!" the man yelled.
Helen was getting a headache.
"Enough of this," she sighed and pointed the barrel of her gun at the light bulb and shot it out, submerging them into complete darkness. Almost milliseconds afterwards another shot was fired, but from his weapon, aimed somewhere in the room.
Helen's body went rigid.
In the darkness she could only hear what sounded like a strange rumble and then a loud shriek followed by a sickening snap of what was most definitely a spinal column.
"Helen," Nikola's hand came to her shoulder and she clutched for it desperately, the dark slightly throwing her into a state of paranoia and vertigo. "Helen, it's me, we're ok."
His tone had changed from the smug and sarcastic to calm and caring. His arms wrapped around her protectively, and without thinking she stepped into his embrace. Her breathing matching his as she clung to his sides, her back pressed up against his front and his chin resting on her shoulder.
"Helen," his breath ghosted across her cheek as he spoke. "We need to get out of here."
"I know," she nodded. "Is he?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
She shivered slightly before she felt something wet.
"Nikola? Are you hurt?" she stepped out of his arms and spun around quickly to feel the wound embedded in his shoulder.
"Hurt is a relative term for an immortal," he stated smugly. "The pain has subsided but I do have a bullet in me."
"Once we're to safety I'll be able to pry it out," she sighed.
"Are you hurt?" he asked.
"No, just startled is all," she shook her head. "The sudden darkness and the gunshots were messing with my mind a little. Some of us are not as immortal as you'd think."
He chuckled.
They both could hear the boat swiftly approaching.
"Friends?" he asked.
"I doubt it," she muttered.
"So, I guess it's our turn at a hostile takeover," he chuckled and reached around her, his hands sliding over her butt momentarily before snatching the small gun tucked into the waist of her skirt.
Helen glared at him, knowing that he would be able to see it.
"I think I'll be needing this," he grinned.
"Maybe I should just leave that bullet in," she grumbled.
Before he could respond there was rapid gunfire aimed at the flimsy boathouse walls.
Little streaks of light poured in through the newly made holes in the thin metal siding.
Nikola grabbed Helen's hand and lowered them closer to the ground while shuffling away from the bullets, also managing to put himself between her and the gunfire.
There was a thick metal cabinet in the corner of the room, used as storage for spare parts no doubt. Nikola crawled over to it and pried it open. It was greasy and he didn't like the feel of it on his hands. But there was enough room for both of them to squish in.
Without a word he dragged Helen inside so she was lying on her back with her knees tucked up.
Nikola crawled in after overtop of her, shuffling his body in between her legs, supporting himself up by his hands on either side of her head.
They awkwardly adjusted to the strange but way too familiar position.
Nikola grinned down at her.
"This reminds me..." he started.
"No," Helen shook her head.
"No?"
"No."
"But it was fun."
"Nikola," Helen groaned.
He chuckled.
"Honestly love, we're only in here to escape being riddled with bullets like Swiss cheese," he smirked slightly. "Though it does bring back memories."
One of his hands just ghosted down her side.
"Not ones I would like to relive," Helen said sternly.
"So we sucked at courting each other, I remember the physical stuff we did quite well," he leaned down a little closer. "After all, that is why you came for me...lover."
Helen rolled her eyes.
"You're an idiot," she growled.
"We'll it distracted him, didn't it?" he shrugged. "He pointed the gun at me, not you, so for all it's worth I pulled it off successfully."
Helen was rather touched by his want to protect her.
"Thank you," she said honestly. She reached up and kissed his cheek.
His body stilled at the touch, though she couldn't quite see his face she knew the mood had changed slightly.
He was silent, his breath the only indication he was actually alive.
"You still there, Nikola?" she teased.
The moment was broken.
"Helen, I," his voice sounded slightly hoarse to her ears but his words were cut short by a loud clanging.
"Jacques!" called someone. Another traitor. "Do you have the woman and the American?"
"Serbian," Nikola growled under his breath.
"We saw the light go out, what's happened man?"
Through the crack in the cabinet door they could see the light from an old lantern wandering around the boathouse.
"Is anyone there?" the voice asked again.
Nikola leaned down to Helen's ear.
"Moan," he whispered.
"What?"
"Like you're wounded," he explained then let out a painful sounding groan, loud enough for the man to hear.
"Someone's there," said a new voice. A younger voice by the sounds of it. "I think it's coming from over here."
Helen caught on to Nikola's plan and let loose a painful moan of her own.
"Two of them," the young voice exclaimed.
"Be careful Robert," the man with the lantern said.
"I don't see anybody," Robert shrugged.
Helen and Nikola moaned again, both trying not to snigger at the juvenility of the situation.
"What the hell?" sighed the older man.
He was crouching over something. Jacques no doubt.
"Who did this?" he muttered.
"There's someone in this cabinet!" exclaimed Robert.
Nikola untucked the small gun he had taken from Helen's waist and aimed it straight at the door. Helen caught the hint, reaching down for her own weapon.
Nikola's breath hitched slightly as her hand grazed him.
"Serves you right," Helen muttered, making sure to run her gun against him as she brought it up.
"You did that on purpose," he growled lowly.
Helen shrugged and cocked her weapon.
"All's fair in love and war."
"Nice to know you still care," Nikola teased.
"Robert, be careful, it could be whoever did this to Jacques," stated the old man as the younger man slowly made his way to the cabinet.
"I think he's wounded," said Robert. He pulled out his own weapon.
The young man tentatively opened the cabinet door only to be faced with two loaded weapons and one very large and devious grin.
Nikola grabbed the man's collar and pulled him close to his face.
"Turn around and walk away...you saw nothing," he whispered menacingly and in a way that had Helen shivering.
The young man nodded and got up.
"What is it?" asked the old man.
"Just a pipe," said the man, backing away from the cabinet.
Nikola didn't waste any time, silently creeping out after him.
The young man spun on his heel suddenly, his gun drawn, but Nikola had seen that coming a mile away and shot the man in the knee sending him howling to the floor clutching his wounded leg.
"Sorry for that, I just have a low tolerance for being shot at," he clipped the older guy in the shoulder and grabbed Helen's hand to pull her to her feet.
They ran out of the boathouse before Helen could barely register she was on her feet.
"Nikola...that was..." she said out of breath.
"The old dog has a few tricks up his sleeve, what can I say?" Nikola spun around and was suddenly only a few inches away from her, his grip on her hand changing to entwine their fingers. "You can thank me later."
Whatever compliment she was going to pay him burnt up on her tongue at his cocky expression.
"It was reckless, you could've jeopardized the whole thing," she put her hands on his chest to push him away but he grasped them in his before she could.
"It's okay to be turned on by danger, I'll admit it's one of my favorite qualities of yours," he grinned and winked at her.
"Oh please, be serious Nikola, I..."
"It's why you risked hide and limb to get me back, you missed me."
"You are trouble," Helen stuck a pointed finger into his firm chest.
"And you like trouble, don't you Miss Magnus. Gets the blood running!"
His hands made a fluttering gesture that just fueled her growing annoyance.
"I had orders!" she barked.
Suddenly a shot broke their argument.
"Over here!" cried the old man.
Nikola and Helen ducked and began crawling further away.
"I should've just left you in New York to solve your own problems instead of help you die," Helen whispered as they continued, dodging a hailstorm of bullets bouncing off all the metal surfaces and hanging boats blocking their path.
"Yes but Helen, then we couldn't continue our little game," he half chuckled.
"What game?" Helen whispered exasperated.
"The whole I save you, you save me, you deny your feelings, we end up shagging in the back of the cargo plane taking us back to England, then we don't speak to each other till the next one of us needs saving," he still held her hand as he led her through the maze of boat junk.
"Is that how you see the rest of this evening going?" Helen rolled her eyes.
"Yes, I look forward to it," he tugged her behind some crates halfway on to his lap as their attackers finished off the round of bullets.
"Well sorry to disappoint," Helen yanked herself out of his warm grasp.
"We haven't gotten there yet," he smirked. He cocked his weapon and waited for them to stop firing before spinning on to his knees and firing three exact shots, each one landing their mark. Shoulder, Shoulder, Knee.
He ducked back down.
"Do you have another plan for getting out of this dock?" he asked her impatiently.
She gave him an unamused look.
"Yes, as a matter of fact," she cocked her own weapon and fired five shots each one finding their target. Shoulder, Shoulder, Hand, Neck, Thigh.
"You wouldn't happen to have some grenades hiding in their somewhere?" his hands shot out and immediately grabbed for her breasts, she looked down then looked back up and let out a disgusted growl, slamming the butt of her gun into his forehead.
He flew back and grasped his head.
"Ow," he whined.
"Serves you right," she growled.
"Remind me why I left Jeannette to come here?" he leaned up and shot 6 perfect shots. Shoulder, Shoulder, Knee, Knee, Hand, Foot.
"Because you're a horny idiot," Helen teased, before firing her weapon seven times. Shoulder, Head, Rib, Thigh, Shoulder, Sternum, metal sheet - "Dammit!"
"Ha! I win!" Nikola exclaimed.
Helen growled and grabbed a fistful of the front of his shirt.
"Move!" she threatened and shoved him in the direction she wanted them to go. They ducked into a narrow passage way and ran back out to he docks.
Nikola tossed the small hand pistol away, it was empty.
Helen tossed away hers as well.
"Well, that was interesting," he muttered.
Before he could comprehend Helen had grabbed his shirt and yanked him towards her, kissing him ferociously. His hands grasped at her arms as his mind fought to catch up with his lips before he began to kiss back just as strongly, literally sucking the breathe out between the two of them.
Just as he was getting into it she shoved him away again.
"I hate you," she grumbled and marched away.
"Well, if that's how you hate," he chuckled and spread his arms wide in the open air. "Hate away!"
"Will you hurry up?" Helen barked.
He dropped his arms and followed her.
Helen was visibly livid. Why out of all people did it have to be him? Why couldn't Eisenhower have requested the Loch Ness monster or Frankenstein or something like that, even Hitler would probably be easier to bring in than Tesla was.
She should just leave him here to be captured by the Germans and wait the few weeks it would take them to send him hurdling back. He was impossible.
She reached her destination and knelt at a small cellar like compartment with a large lock on it.
She pulled out the key and unlocked the doors and pulled out a primitive radio.
Nikola scoffed. Useless piece of technology, he could make one ten times more effective and harder to detect. In fact he had the concept for one in his bag...
He looked down.
Shit.
He looked behind him.
"Oh you idiot," he muttered to himself.
"EagleLady to Moby Dick, come in? The doctor is sick and needs a wake up call."
"Moby Dick to EagleLady. Medicine en route."
Nikola rolled his eyes.
"We have to go back," he said.
Helen blinked.
"What?"
"I left my bag, we have to go back," he said adamantly.
"Are you seriously willing to risk your life for a couple of silk shirts?" Helen looked at him disbelievingly.
"Helen, there is more than shirts in that suitcase of mine. There are some thing's in there I doubt anyone would like to have fall into the Nazi's hands."
Helen's eyes widened.
"Fine," she nodded. "EagleLady to Moby Dick. The doctor will be needing service at the hospital, swing by for a check up on Barlington way."
"Copy over."
Nikola rolled his eyes again.
"You guys sound like idiots. Even a five year old could read through that code like it were a fairy tale."
"Let's hope the Germans haven't brought 5 year olds who understand English with them," Helen was trying really hard not to hit him at this point.
She stood up and locked the radio away again before turning and brushing the dust off her jacket.
"Now, can we get your stuff and be done with this?" she barked and Nikola smirked and nodded for her to lead the way.
They went a round-a-bout way so as not to get seen by their hunters. Now they were both weaponless and had no chance to win in a firefight though Helen would gladly use Nikola as a meat shield, though he might have issues with that.
"Where'd you leave it?" she whispered.
"In the main area, I think I managed to kick it under a shelving unit when the light went out, hopefully these dimwits have been too caught up chasing after us to notice it.
"Didn't you have two cases?" she asked.
"Yes, but the important one is the leather suitcase, it contains all my papers and sketches and my toiletries, the other one just holds my shirts, and I can always buy more."
"Of course, with your inheritance and all."
"I never thought I would need it but hey, I guess I did," he smirked.
Helen looked up to one of the windows.
"Give me a boost," she muttered.
"You can't see anything in there, it's pitch dark," he rolled his eyes.
"Will you just...please," she smacked his shoulder.
"Fine," he got on one knee and braced himself. "Take off those heels. I may be a vampire but I don't enjoy the feeling four inches of plastic digging into my thigh."
"Shame," Helen teased, and kicked her heels off.
She climbed on to leg, she waivered trying to find her balance and her crotch momentarily smooshed into his face and his hands came to her hips to steady her. After she caught her equilibrium atop his knee she realized the rather provocative position they were in and smacked him on the top of his head.
"If you don't mind," she growled.
"That was not my fault."
"You didn't have to enjoy it."
"Helen, I'm still human."
She rolled her eyes and stood on tiptoe to look through the window. Silently she was grateful for his hands on her hips keeping her from tipping off his leg.
"It appears empty, I think we'll be fine, we just have to hurry," she got off his knee and quickly put her shoes back on.
"And by we you mean me, right?"
"Precisely, I'll keep watch."
Nikola sighed and stood up, his leg protesting, prompting him to stretch it.
"You have boney feet," he whined, limping after her.
"You have whimpy legs, now go get your stuff," Helen checked her watch. "Our boat will be here momentarily.
Helen opened the door to the boathouse and Nikola sneered at her, moving past her into the dark space. His night vision helped him to locate his suitcase exactly where he thought it would be though his other bag he found floating in the boat port.
He sneered disapprovingly and grasped his suitcase and went outside to Helen.
"You owe me 6 new shirts," he muttered to her.
"I don't owe you anything," she growled.
A roaring sound came down the channel. A motorized boat came ripping on the water.
Voices of the chasers echoed behind them as they ran to the end of the dock.
Gunshots hailed the boats arrival both fired at and upon. Nikola maneuvered himself between Helen and the gunfire as three men came running up the dock behind them.
He grasped Helen's waist as they reached the end of the dock, the boat was still a bit off.
"When I say jump, jump," he whispered, pressing a deft kiss to her shoulder. He peeked behind him as the men stopped and pointed the guns at him.
This was going to suck.
He blanketed Helen completely with his body.
The boat slowed down only marginally, enough for Helen and Nikola to actually launch themselves into it.
Nikola calculated it all in his head.
"Jump!"
Shots were fire as they launched into the air, he felt two or three bullets pierce into his back. With eyes closed both he and Helen landed into the back of the boat. Nikola rolled away from Helen and grasped the nearest weapon he could get his hands on and began firing at the enemy with rapid accuracy.
He picked off two or three men before they got out of range.
He sat down and winced.
Helen looked up at him.
"Did they get you?" she asked, sitting up to her knees and crawling over to him.
"Just a few shots to the back, it'll heal once I get them out," he waved it off. "Doesn't hurt all that much. This does remind me of our first evening in Egypt. Cairo, 1917."
Helen smiled knowingly.
"At least this time you didn't get shot in the head."
"True," he smirked.
"Helen, you all right?" asked one of them men on the boat.
"Yes Charlie, thanks," Helen nodded.
"This the guy?" asked Charlie, pointing at Nikola.
"Yes, Charlie this is Nik-...Nick," she stopped herself from giving away his real name.
"Nice to meet you Nick," Charlie offered his hand and Nikola shook it.
"American, how charming," Nikola gave Helen a look.
"We'll be at the drop off point in no time," Charlie said a tad too unmilitaristically.
"Helen, who have you got working for you?" he leaned over and whispered to her when he was out of earshot. "I know a military man when I see one."
"A couple of mercenaries working off a debt...like any soldier would risk his skin and reputation to come here and retrieve your sorry arse."
"Hey, my sorry arse just saved your life, show it a bit more respect than that," he teased and Helen softened.
She pecked his cheek.
"Thank you," she smiled at him, then patted his shoulder. "Turn around, let me get those bullets out of you."
He complied.
By the time they reached the plane he had stopped complaining about how evil she was with a pair of tweezers.
They were loaded into a small cargo plane on a tiny airstrip in the middle of nowhere.
Charlie climbed into the co-pilot seat leaving Nikola and Helen effectively alone.
They were airborne in less than an hour and heading back to the American headquarters in London where Eisenhower had a nice cushy lab to lock Nikola in.
Helen and Nikola sat facing each other.
Helen noted the dirt and blood streaks and grime covering Nikola's hands, face and clothes. The look made him seem rather ruggedly handsome.
She was kicking herself because Nikola had been right. Seeing him in action and having him all over her, hands, body, mouth, she did want to jump on to his lap and give him a piece of her mind, starting with her lips.
He was smirking at her, his eyes dancing with mischief. That tale old mischief she knew meant he knew exactly what she was thinking.
Damn, they should really stop sleeping together. She always walked away more frustrated and he always walked away knowing her just that tad bit more making it easy for her to come back into his arms when she was ready for him. They hadn't technically had any of that kind of contact since their botched attempt at a long lasting relationship when they both realized that she would never truly trust him and he would always want a safety net to fall back on, that wasn't love, that was two people kidding themselves into thinking they could ever have any semblance of a normal relationship. Did that mean that for the next hundred years or so they would collide in a full body culmination of pent up emotions and physical need and just screw each other senseless?
She looked over at him again. His hair stuck up at odd angles, his wiry muscles were just visible underneath his shirt. She had first hand experience of how that lean body could harness magnificent strength.
He was still smiling.
Yes, she could live with herself.
She leaned over to him.
"Do you think it's about time?" she whispered to him.
"Time for what?" he leaned his head closer to hers.
She smirked. Cocky bastard.
She leaned over and kissed him, tenderly at first, but soon she all but lunged for him, collapsing into his embrace. Her hands clutched his head, his hair in her fingers. She was on his lap, his arms wrapped around her waist.
She wanted power over him, she gripped his hair even tighter and pulled him more into her.
He came willingly, rough hands grabbing skin and grasping and teasing. She yanked his hair again and he chuckled, trailing a hot trail down her neck.
"Helen," he groaned sensually.
"Yes," she said breathlessly.
"What I said about...about us...our game..." he peppered her neck with hot sultry kisses.
"Yes," Helen groaned.
He hesitated a moment before trailing back up to her lips.
"Well," he kissed her hotly and briefly before pulling away and smiling. Her eyes were closed as she waited for him to ravish her. His face was bathed in moonlight and he grinned at the wanton goddess sitting above him. He tucked his head in and rested it on her neck, his fingers quivering up her sides, his own desperate twinge invading the way his breathe came in and out. Damn he was hot when he was too turned on to control himself.
She ran her hands through his hair roughly as he continued to place hot open mouthed kissed on her neck.
"Well what Nikola?" Helen moaned.
"Well...I was kidding."
If any words could ruin that moment, it was that.
The grip she had on his head sent him shoving back into his seat.
He chuckled as she climbed off his lap and back to her seat.
"You bastard."
"I'm sorry, I couldn't let you go through with it, though it's nice of you to prove my point."
"What point?" she snapped.
"That you have a thing for dangerous men," he chuckled.
Helen was fuming on the inside.
"Never again," she spat.
"You were having fun up until then."
"Never again!"
~~~~Author's Notes~~~~
Woohoo! It's Tesla! Have you missed him, I have. Teasing, cheeky, snarky Tesla. Flirting with Magnus, just like they should. I tell you, it was a breath of relief to finally write Tesla like this after so much heartbreak and wishing and and Helen being so...argh! So to keep track, we've seen Innocent Tesla, Angry Tesla, Tesla-in-love, Scared Tesla, Longing Tesla, a bit of cheeky Tesla, Flirty Tesla, all which have come to create this...what i like to call Horny Tesla, mixed with a bit of I don't give a shit what you think Tesla. He's rather lovely isn't he?
I've been rather busy writing all these updates for you, I'm almost running out, so I can't promise that the next update will be this quick, but hopefully it be there soon. Thank you for all your support in me and in this fic, truly your reviews are a blessing, I would've given in long ago if it weren't for you. I hope you enjoy the last arc of this...very long fic.