Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold
The staff inside the emergency room was astonished at the readings on Irene's monitors. Her blood pressure was normal, her heart rate was strong, and in fact, all her vitals were greatly improved in a short amount of time. When she woke up, they told her what happened, but admitted they couldn't explain why just yet.
"We want to keep her, of course, at least overnight," Vanessa told Helena and Myka. "We've never seen anything like this, so we want to make sure it's not an anomaly."
"Can we see her now?" Myka asked after they moved Irene to a room for observation.
"As soon as we get her in her room. She's been asking for you," Vanessa said. In fact, upon opening her eyes, Helena was the first word out of Irene's mouth. She knew if she was in the ER, Helena was there, and God knows what fuss she could be making.
Claudia and Pete joined Eileen in the waiting area with Myka as Helena talked to the nurse.
"We're just glad she's okay," Pete said, letting out a sigh of relief.
"We have to keep an eye on her, dude," Claudia said, worried this could happen again.
"How many people, did the boss, you know – cachowha, " Pete asked Myka, as he made an exaggerated karate chop.
"Pete!" Myka said, but knew he knew she was holding back. "An EMT – maybe."
"Yes! I knew it," Pete said. "That's my Helena! Oh, I mean - yeah, that's my boss." Pete fumbled.
Helena came back to the group and told them the nurse said she and Myka could go up to see Irene now. The three staff members said they would leave, but to give Irene their best wishes.
"Ms. Donovan, any update?" Helena asked before they left.
"Yes, we know where it's coming from now," Claudia said. With all the excitement going on at Wells Corp, Adelaide thought she might get the scoop by watching the chat line. She got nothing, but was on long enough for Claudia to get a ping and track it to the dining area and see who was using it.
"Do you know who it is?" Helena asked quietly.
"Yes, I do," Claudia said, not saying any more info than what Helena asked.
"Good. I will tell Miss Sullivan what to post upon her return. Then we can expect contact to be made and so we need to follow the person in question. My guess is that this won't happen until this evening, so please keep me apprised," Helena said quietly.
"OK boss," Claudia replied, taking in everything she said.
"Are you ready for this,?" Helena asked.
"I was born ready, boss," Claudia said sincerely.
"Indeed you were, Ms. Donovan, indeed you were," Helena said smiling. She had every confidence in the world in the younger woman whom she identified with on some levels. They may have come from very different worlds, Helena always thought, but life had dealt them similar blows. And both developed a hardened outer shell as a result.
"Miss Sullivan," Helena said turning next to her assistant. "Thank you for bringing me what I needed."
"Did it work as you expected? Is she really going to be okay?" Eileen asked quietly.
"Yes, Mrs. Frederic is going to be just fine. Now, I need your assistance with our intruder," Helena explained, running her corporation in the waiting room as they brought Irene upstairs to her private room.
"Of course," Eileen said, ready for her next assignment.
"This won't be easy for you," Helena said warning the youth not to be so enthusiastic until she heard what would be required of her.
"I am ready for this, Ms. Wells, whatever it is," Eileen said.
Helena smiled at the uncanny similarity between the two women's responses to her. Her understudies were indeed ready and Helena took a moment to take that in as she looked into crystal clear blue eyes.
"This is what I want you to do," Helena said, taking Eileen over to a place that afforded them some privacy.
"Geez, if this is what she's like with Mrs. Frederic, can you imagine if it's ever Ms. Bering?" Claudia wondered out loud to Pete.
"This is exactly why we need code names. I'm tellin' you Claud, there's gonna come a time when we're going to need them," Pete declared, revisiting his idea again.
"You might be onto something Cookie Monster," Claudia said, trying to point out Pete should be careful what he wished for.
"No, I'd be Hawkman or Spiderman…or..oh..oh (lowered his voice) ….I'm Batman," Pete said doing his best imitation.
"Maybe we could ask Jane," Claudia suggested.
"She'll say FedEx Man – cause baby I always deliver," Pete said snapping his fingers.
"OK and THIS is why we don't have code names," Claudia said, shuddering from the conversation.
Myka rejoined the group after Eileen and Helena were done talking.
"Vanessa says we can go up to see her now, Helena," Myka relayed.
"Good. All set?" Helena asked her staff and they both agreed. "Alrighty then. I will be in touch later."
Myka walked with Helena to the elevator. "What will we tell Irene?" Myka asked alluding to the procedure Helena performed.
"We shall tell her this counts as a sick day," Helena said without skipping a beat.
Irene was resting, but settled in her private room upstairs. Vanessa was there giving the nurse the orders and diagnosis.
"Dr. Lazard says he's never seen anything like this," Vanessa said, a slightly suspicious tone to her voice.
"I am certain he hasn't," Helena said before entering the room.
And then Myka watched Helena wrestle with the inevitable feelings that had been swirling around inside her. She had been blindsided by the event, frightened that she might lose the woman who was so dear to her, saved the woman's life and was relieved she was okay – all within a short span of time. Now Helena paced the floor until she saw Irene open her eyes and then she rushed to the woman's side.
"How do you feel?" Helena asked in a soft voice.
"I feel – surprisingly well," Irene said, looking right up at Helena. "How are you?"
"I'm fine. Myka's here," Helena said, and Myka came up on the other side of the bed and hugged Irene.
"Can we get you anything?" Myka asked.
"Yes, get me …out of here," Irene said. She was feeling good and wanted to leave.
"No, you must stay overnight. Just to check, although I am sure they won't find anything," Helena said boastfully. Irene knew that tone well. It meant Helena knew something.
"They said I was under cardiac arrest," Irene said to Myka.
"Oh wow ..yes, I …..(cough) heard Dr. Calder say that, yes," Myka said nervously.
"That's pretty serious stuff," Irene said, looking directly at Myka. Her line of questioning was making the lawyer nervous and it was easy to see.
"Oh well, it is," Myka said, shoving her hands in her pockets and looking at Helena.
"But they said that my heart miraculously repaired itself. Isn't that amazing?" Irene continued her line of questioning.
"Why are you so curious as to how it happened? It happened and that's the important thing here I believe," Helena said, intervening.
"You're right, Helena," Irene said holding onto Helena's hand and pulling her in closer. "The only thing they can't explain is the large black and blue bruise I have over my heart – and a pain – as if someone punched me," Irene said looking right into black eyes of denial.
There was dead silence in the room that made Myka so nervous she wanted to scream just to end it.
Helena leaned in a little more over the railing and smiled. "Your heart must be very strong," Helena said, not fazed at all by the questions. She didn't want Irene barraging her with all kinds of questions in the hospital.
"I know you did something Helena. And I thank you for taking such quick action and saving my...…," Irene said, but Helena didn't want to hear it.
"Madam, your heart worked the miracle, not I. I was quick to respond, yes, but that is all," Helena said and Irene knew she was lying.
"OK, Helena – I will stop asking – for now," Irene said, running her thumb over Helena's hand gently.
"You will never stop and we both know it," Helena said, trying to sound annoyed, but enjoying the touch of the woman she almost lost.
Helena had to watch Irene carefully, since she was technically the first human who was part of the Wells Stem Cell rejuvenation experiment.
"You don't have to stay, Myka, I'm feeling fine. Just tired," Irene said trying to assure them.
"We're not leaving," Helena announced.
"Oh Helena, you know you'll just argue with the staff and get in all sorts of trouble," Irene said, knowing that is exactly what could happen if one of them didn't do as the Brit thought necessary.
"She'll be good," Myka said, knowing nothing Irene said could get Helena to leave.
Vanessa walked in with a nurse who was going to draw blood for some more tests. "Dr. Calder, what do you think this bruising is from?" Irene asked the physician. Vanessa bent over and looked at the bruise.
"I'd say it could be from the paddles they used or perhaps from pressing down on you when they did CPR?" Vanessa ventured a guess. It wasn't uncommon for people to bruise during either procedure.
"There!" Helena said, glad there was another explanation. "I've often said you were too thin-skinned for your own good."
"Yes," Irene said and thanked the nurse and Vanessa who left the room. "Then explain this, Helena," the patient said and pointed to the small red dot that was the site of the injection.
Pete drove Claudia and Eileen back in the car to the office. Eileen explained to Claudia what she was about to do.
"You know, this could change everything, right?" Claudia said as she reached out and grabbed Eileen's hand gently.
"Yes," Eileen said and took a deep breath. "But it's time."
A short while later, Eileen gathered the people from her clandestine group into Helena's conference room for a meeting. She updated them on Irene's condition first. Then she went on to explain what the plan was to catch the insider who was looking to harm Helena.
"I wanted you all to hear it from me first, so that when we put it out there, it wouldn't be a surprise," Eileen said to the group assembled.
Each one had pulled back in their seats upon hearing the news – some stunned, others confused, but all of them happy with the update.
"So does this change …this?" Millie asked, rotating her plump hand to indicate the group.
"Not for a long time," Eileen said. "I am still her assistant."
"And you never knew?" Sandy asked amazed.
"No, I had no idea until Ms. Wells told me," Eileen answered.
"Are you her cousin?" Tara asked.
"Yes," Eileen said.
"OK, well let's get this bitch," Millie said of the traitor they were about to bust.
The group returned to their desks and within a short while, the following text was sent to each of the members – and the woman who thought she was watching them undetected.
Just got news that the test results are back and positive. Helena's got a next of kin and it's our own Eileen Sullivan. Mums the word on this and it's for your eyes only. Word has it the boss is handing over some big deals to her already. Let's wish her luck. Millie
"Now I have something," Adelaide said to herself excited that her patience was about to pay off.
So was Helena's.