After landing in Moscow, we saw where Artie's cousin worked. The family resemblance was uncanny. Artie refused to see his family because, to all of them, he was dead. We had to be careful since this wasn't government sanctioned. For Pete and me, the Russian government would throw us out. But for Artie, they'd kill him. When we arrived at the safe house Artie and Alexander meet at, was empty.
"What's that?" Pete heard something coming down the chimney. "A grenade! Get down!" All of us hit the floor.
When there wasn't an explosion, I looked around. "It's just a ball."
"No, it's not just a ball." Artie told us that alone it was fine but when paired with its brother, they were unstoppable.
"Artie, you get out of here. Myka, open that fridge door and slam it shut when I tell you." He was insane. That ball wasn't going to stop just because it was in a locked fridge. But we didn't have any other options. Artie crawled to the front door while Pete slammed the ball into the fridge. Surprisingly, Pete's idea worked. The fridge was dented but it worked.
When we got outside, Artie was nowhere to be found. As we walked into town, I called Claudia and she had no information about Alexander He was a ghost. "So we can't go to the government and we can't call Mrs. Frederic…"
"Hold it." Pete stopped me on a corner and started looking around. He made weird hand signals that I didn't understand. "I think we're being followed so you go this way and I'll go that way." I nodded and went in my direction. I smiled when I saw Pete talking to H.G.
"I knew you slipped the tracker in my pocket. We need your help." Helena laughed when I gave her the tracker.
"Myka, no. Artie would blow a..."
"Pete, we need help and she's here. He's been taken by the same person who killed Dickinson and Sweetwood. Please tell me you put a tracker on Artie."
"I thought you'd know." Helena grinned. I was happy she was here. "And sadly, I didn't."
"We think he's been taken by his former soviet contact." Pete was clearly uneasy around H.G.
"That's impossible." Helena pulled out a a death certificate. "He died 13 years ago."
"That's why Claudia's trail ran dry. Then who took Artie?" I knew it was rude, but we needed to go through Artie's bag.
"Do you really think we should be going through Artie's bag?" Helena and I looked up at him.
"Yes Pete maybe Artie…" I started.
"Do you have a better idea?" H.G. and I stopped and looked at each other. The fact that we reacted in the same way was slightly amusing.
"Okay, okay." Pete raised his hands in mock surrender. "Great, two Mykas. This will be fun."
I picked up a compass and looked at it. "Hey maybe this is a compass that always points to Artie? No…that'd be too easy." Helena placed something on the table and Pete grabbed it.
"Holy crap!" We looked at him confused. "It's the case for Artie's glasses."
"Alright so I can see your excitement." Okay. I need to work on not being a smartass sometimes.
Oh yeah, Artie always loses his glasses so Claudia rigged them so he could find them. Is that the receiver?" I hopped it was. Please let that be it.
"No he lost that weeks ago, but, I know someone who has one."
Helena smiled. "Good job." I gave Pete a high five as he handed H.G. the case. We followed the receiver into an old warehouse. It looked run down and abandoned. "The green light is flashing so he should be right here." My stomach fell when we saw Artie's glasses on the concrete.
Pete went to pick them up. "I guess he was." We kept going and decided to split up. Pete and I walked up to a locked gate.
"Shit. Okay something in here has to help." I rummaged through Artie's bag and found a reflex hammer. Pete tried to use it but to no avail. I hit it against the hinges and it made the gate door shake and fall; causing a shitload of noise in the process. As we walked up, I saw H.G. on the ground and Artie helping her. A man had the chain and was about to use it. Drawing my Tesla, I fired and he fell to the ground. Thankfully, both Artie and H.G. were okay.
xxx
Later that day, I was told that Artie turned H.G. over to the Regents. "How could you? You turned her into the Regents without even thinking that she could be of value to the warehouse." Panic, anger, and sorrow rushed through me. I wasn't even able to say goodbye.
"What makes you think it was his decision Agent Bering? There is a thorough look over that the Regents have. Mrs. Frederic brings it up and the Regents discuss. And I make the final decision." A tall black man stood against the wall.
"Artie, who is he?" Pete kept an eye him. This Regent guy seemed sketchy.
"Mr. Kusan, is on a need to know basis."
I held back my tears. They couldn't have done it already. "Has she been bronzed?" My voice cracked. I knew I would break down in front of them if they had.
"Miss. Wells." I looked behind him as a familiar sound of high heeled boots neared. As Helena turned the corner, I wanted to wrap her in my arms. "H.G. Wells is to be fully re-instated as a warehouse agent. She has convinced us that she is no longer a threat but an asset. Welcome home, Agent Wells." He handed her a badge. Artie was about to explode.
"Thank you sir." The Regent walked out and Artie glared at me. Helena smiled as she walked up to me. "Thank you Myka. Without you I wouldn't be here." She paused, "Well, I would but I'd be in bronze." The look in her eyes told me we needed to speak alone.
"Welcome to the team, I guess." Pete was timid because of how pissed Artie was.
"Thank you." Helena walked over and held out her hand to Artie. He just glared at her.
"No. This is wrong." He got up and walked past us all. "This is wrong!"
"Myka." Helena knocked on my door lightly. When I opened it, she was changed into a tank top and lounging pants. "May I come in?"
"Sure." Stepping to the side, I allowed H.G. to enter. "I'm glad you're back. And that you're here with us."
"I am too." Helena took a seat on my bed. "Come sit." She patted the bed beside her.
I obliged and took a seat. "How are you?" It was hard not to stair. I had never seen her in a tank top before.
"I'm alright. I know Artie saved my life but I think it was only because I saved his. I'm sure he regrets it now."
What can I possibly say to that? Right now, for Artie, he believes that. "He'll come around; eventually." Without thinking I took Helena's hand in mine and laced our fingers. H.G. glanced down to my lips. I gave a small nod and she leaned in. I loved having her lips against mine again. As Helena kissed me she leaned me back on the bed. Once she got comfortable she deepened the kiss.
"Thank you Myka." I sighed into H.G.'s mouth as I let her tongue explore. My hands went under her shirt and I moaned at the feeling of her bare skin.
H.G. chuckled. "I know we've been taking things slow but…." I whimpered as she ran her tongue along the shell of my ear. "If you're ready, I'm ready."
Fffffuuucckkk. "I'm ready…" Those were the only words she needed to hear. Helena straddled my hips and took her tank top off. I just stared at her gorgeous body. "You're beautiful." Without a word, H.G. reached behind her to unhook her bra and let it slide down her arms. I leaned up and tangled my hands in her hair as I kissed her.
H.G. slid my shirt over my head and, to her liking; I had already taken my bra off. "You're gorgeous Myka." I couldn't help the light blush that crossed my cheeks. Helena nibbled and kissed down my neck. My back arched as she took one of my hardened nipples between her lips. I needed friction between my thighs. Bucking my hips against hers, Helena finally got the message. Her lips left a trail of fire down my stomach with open mouthed kisses. Soon, my shorts were pooled on the floor with the other clothes. "Such sexy underwear for a government agent." Helena's voice was a seductive British purr that ignited a fire in the pit of my stomach.
"God that voice of yours drives me crazy." Helena shot me a mischievous grin. Taking the waistband between her teeth, H.G. pulled it back. When she let it snap back I groaned….
xxx
The next morning, I woke up and felt Helena presence behind me. When I looked over my shoulder she was sound asleep. Turning to face her, I couldn't help but kiss her lips softly. "I could get used to this." Her voice was groggy and somehow still sexy.
"I could too." I was met by chocolate brown eyes as I tucked stray hair behind Helena's ear. "We should get up and get ready. Artie wants us downstairs by 8AM."
"I'll have to get used to waking up at a certain time again." Helena stretched and the sheet covering her naked body slipped off her chest. Images of last night flashed before my eyes. Groaning, I bit my lip and tilted my head back. There was no way in Hell the rest of the team wouldn't figure us out rather quickly. Even if we hide the marks we made on each other last night.
Looking back down to the brunette I smiled. "Helena, I love you."
"I love you too, my love."