14. Helena
Helena made her way back to her seat with a glass of juice and a packet of pretzels. Claire had suffered from a sudden burst of morning sickness, and the agent thought maybe the saltiness from the pretzels would help ease her a little. To her surprise, when Helena returned to her seat, she found Claire fast asleep with her head resting on Leon's shoulder with his jacket as a blanket.
She'd heard that pregnant women slept a lot, but Claire had been very awake and lively only minutes before. Helena hadn't taken that long to get the snacks, so she couldn't help but feel surprised.
"Wow, that was fast," Helena said, sitting down.
"Yeah," Leon snorted, amused. "I told her to close her eyes and let the dizziness pass, but she ended up falling asleep."
"Well, I can't say I blame her," Helena said, sipping her juice. "Knowing her, I doubt she's had a good night of sleep since she arrived at Caraçari. She's a workaholic like you."
"Maybe a little more than me," Leon answered, fixing Claire's head. The position had been a little awkward, and Helena was sure she'd wake up with neck pain otherwise.
Claire curled against Leon without waking up, and the agent stroked her head affectionately. Helena had seen Leon grow within this relationship, and as a good friend, she was happy with how it had gone. Leon went from depressed a-give-up on the world agent, to a doting and loving husband, and it was far from what she would have ever imagined. Now, Leon would even become a father. It was weird to think about it since she'd never imagined the agent doing anything else besides chasing after terrorists.
"You seem happy."
"I am. As long as Mobius doesn't show up to mess with things," Leon sighed. "Everything is great."
"Talking about those rats, do you think Redfield found something over there?"
"Who knows. If Chris did, we won't find out until we land anyway. However, considering everything that happened there, I would be surprised if he didn't find anything."
"Uhg, and we still have to write an additional report about it," Helena sighed, rubbing her forehead. "What are we going to write? Rabid animals infected with some mutant parasite decided to wreak havoc?"
"Well, that's what happened," Leon replied. "We will need to ask Claire to see if we can borrow some notes on the worm."
"Ug, worms," Helena sighed. "They get worse each time, right?"
"Well, compared to Plagas," Leon sighed. "It is relatively noble."
Helena grimaced. She couldn't imagine having a worm-like creature living in her brain. The idea made her shudder with horror.
"At least we know the Malabrisas are over," Helena said. "Hopefully, with that, the drug won't be circling around anymore."
"If Mobius is behind this," Leon frowned. " That might be wishful thinking. I doubt the Malabrisas were their only test subjects."
Helena sighed and brushed back her hair. Damn terrorists and their crazy experiments. If they put half of the effort they used in bioweapons into finding a cure for real diseases, the world would be a better place. Sadly though, the population's health wasn't as lucrative as war and conflicts.
"There are three more hours of flight," Leon said. "You should get some rest, Helena. Things might get hectic from now on."
"Same advice goes for you," Helena smirked. "I foresee a long period of sleepless nights for you in the near future."
Leon scoffed,and shook his head.
By the time that the plane had landed at Washington airport, a gentle summer rain greeted the weary travelers. It was a marked contrast to the relentless storms they had faced in the Northern Amazon Region, and Helena couldn't help but feel a sense of relief with the more familiar weather. The rain felt calming, almost like a soothing balm after the turbulent nights they had endured the previous days.
Exiting the airport, the group began to fall apart, each heading towards their respective homes to finally rest. The only exceptions were Leon, Claire, and Helena, who still lived in the same building. It had been far too long since Helena had set foot in her own home, and the anticipation of returning to familiar surroundings was palpable. It wasn't only her. She could sense the same feeling coming from Leon as well, and she couldn't help but smirk.
Sometime ago, coming back home would have been the last thing Leon would have anticipated, but look at him now. He almost seemed to jump with excitement. The trio said their good-byes and entered their respective apartments.
Stepping into her apartment, Helena was greeted by the sight of her small living room, unchanged since her departure. Yet, there was a newfound sense of warmth and comfort that enveloped the space. It was as if the absence had allowed her to appreciate the familiarity and coziness of her home even more.
Sinking into the couch, Helena let out a contented sigh. The exhaustion of their recent mission was starting to fade away, replaced by a deep sense of satisfaction and tranquility. It was good to be home, surrounded by the familiar and cherished belongings that made the apartment uniquely hers.
That night, Helena slept restfully for the first time in a long time.
"Good morning, partner," Helena greeted Leon, peeking into his office the next day. The agent was leaning against his desk, reading something inside a brown folder. "You came in early. How was your night? Assuming you slept at all."
Helena gave Leon a mocking smirk, making the other agent roll his eyes. The woman stepped into the office, closing the door behind her and sat down in the empty seat in front of the desk.
The first time she'd been in Leon's office, the place was the plainest room she'd ever seen in her life. There had been nothing aside from the standard office furniture, but after six years, the office finally looked lived-in. Claire's carnivorous plants had surprisingly survived. Probably because she dropped by the office then and again to take care of them, and when she wasn't around, Sherry usually came to water them, but Helena had caught Leon looking after them once in a while as well.
"I slept soundly, thank you."
"Good for you, but you never know. Three months is long enough,," Helen snorted, and Leon gave her a snort. Unlike Claire, who would get flustered whenever someone threw a comment of that sort, Leon found it amusing. "So, how was Claire this morning? I know morning sickness isn't always in the morning, but I've heard it's common."
"She had it rough. Woke her up in the early morning and spent 20 min trapped in the bathroom," Leon nodded, putting down the file he'd been reading. "But she managed to keep breakfast down, which I think is 's begun having the odd cravings though."
"Pickles? " Helena snorted.
"Yup," Leon scoffed. "In every possible and strange combination."
"There I thought that was a cliché. Do pregnant women really like pickles?"
"Well, it depends on the woman I guess. My sister was all in for the pickles, and judging by Claire's breakfast preferences, she is, too."
"That sounds like Claire had an interesting meal," Helena chuckled. Claire wasn't one to have a big appetite. She wasn't sure if it was because of being infected or because she had always been like that, but it was funny to imagine Claire eating weird food combinations. "So, what's that you were reading?"
Helena nudged her head to the file resting on Leon's desk, and he pushed it to her, so that she could look through it.
"Claire gave me a copy of her report manuscript. It isn't the final version for the WHO, but she thought we would want to read it and use the data for our own report as well."
"Your wife is a saint, did you know that?"
"Of course I know," Leon replied. "What about you? How was your night?"
"I never thought I'd say it," Helena replied. "but I never felt happier sleeping in my bed."
"It's not a bad feeling," Leon snorted, and then commented, "I am happy to be home, too."
Helena remained silent, taking a contemplative sip from the steaming cup of coffee she had brought along. Meanwhile, Leon's attention was focused on his phone, engrossed in whatever he was reading or checking. The quietness in the room allowed for a brief moment of solitude, each lost in their own thoughts.
"So, what are the plans for today? Paperwork?"
"Aside from that. Hunnigan will be coming in a while," Leon answered.
"Dropping the bomb this early in the morning?."
"Well, it is better for Hunnigan to know sooner than later. We need to plan how we'll handle the situation and we will need her help. Besides, I think she has already reached that level in which she's almost Claire's best friend," Leon replied.
"Only because Claire relies on her to keep tabs on you," Helena laughed.
Leon shrugged.
"Or maybe they can relate because both have to deal with your messes."
"Wouldn't that put you in the same group?"
"Nah, I'm usually causing a mess with you. I am more your accomplice instead."
Leon snorted.
"I have to inform Hopkins about the situation, as well, and I will be asking for some days off, too."
"Chicago?"
"Yeah, I think Claire needs to get checked by a specialist sooner than later."
"I doubt Hopkins will put buts into that," Helena said, crossing her arms. "Did brother-in-law contact you, by the way?"
Before Leon had the chance to respond, a gentle knock resonated through the room, drawing their attention to the door. The man walked to open it, and soon after, Hunnigan stepped inside. Helena could sense a hint of confusion on Hunnigan's face, and she couldn't blame her. It was unusual for Hunnigan to be summoned by Leon. Their communication with the operator was usually from a distance and it was indeed extraordinary that the three of them were physically in the same place.
"Hey, Ingrid," Helena greeted her with a hand wave. "Good morning."
"Good morning. I didn't think I'd be meeting you here, Helena. It's good to see you both back and in person."
"You tell me. Video calls get tiring, especially if someone is surveying your call," Helena nodded. "What happened to privacy, huh?"
Leon nodded in agreement. He moved aside, leaving space for Hunnigan to sit in the other empty seat.
"Thanks for coming, Hunnigan. Sit down, please," Leon said, walking to his chair.
"Is something wrong?" Hunnigan asked, sitting down and looking at both agents with a frown. "I mean, it's not a bad thing, but you're being overly formal and it's a little bizarre."
"Yeah, it feels weird when he's not giving you one of those sassy flirty comments, right?" Helena nodded.
"Can't help it when the subject doesn't call for it;" Leon scoffed. "Don't worry, Hunnigan. It isn't bad."
Hunnigan's brows furrowed slightly in confusion. It wasn't uncommon for her to visit Leon's office, but those instances were usually initiated by her, not the other way around. This time seemed different, though. It appeared to be the first time that Leon had specifically requested her presence, and it piqued her curiosity.
"Right. Nothing is wrong. All is good, really good," Helena smirked. "Right, Leon?"
Helena's answer made Hunnigan look even more suspicious, and Leon shook his head.
"Sorry that I asked you to come down here so suddenly, Hunnigan. I know it is a little out of character."
"That's fine," Hunnigan answered. "But why did you need to see me personally?"
"Because Leon is paranoid, and he doesn't trust phone lines anymore. " Helena replied.
"What?" Hunnigan replied, even more confused.
Leon ignored Helena's amused giggle and sighed.
"We don't know if there are Mobius moles in the DSO," Leon answered. "I didn't want to tell you this on the phone in case they had tampered with the line and someone was eavesdropping."
"It's a secured line, Leon." Hunnigan said.
"Precisely why," Leon replied. "We know by fact that somebody is listening to our conversations, but we don't know for whom."
Helena could see Hunnigan's dumbfoundedness, and it was a little amusing. Leon wasn't paranoid, well, perhaps he'd become a little since marrying Claire, but he was usually more relaxed. If not for his concerns for Claire and the baby, he'd probably not be so on his toes. To his credit, though, he wasn't wrong. There was a department in the secret service that focused on monitoring communications between members. Their objective was to prevent leaks and other anomalous information exchanges. As long as you used the organization's lines, you had to deal with their scrutiny.
"If there's something I've learned through the years, it's that secured lines aren't really as safe as they should, especially in this business," Leon sighed.
"What's so important that you are afraid of someone overhearing it?" Hunnigan asked, looking between both agents.
Helena looked at Leon, who sighed and leaned back in his seat.
"I'll be straight to the point since I don't know how else to say it," he said. "Claire is pregnant."
That was more straightforward than Helena had anticipated, but she couldn't think of any other way for Leon to break the news. Helena turned to Hunnigan, eagerly awaiting the operator's reaction. Hunnigan's mouth opened, but no words came out. A brief moment of silence filled the room as she processed the information, and then she closed her mouth again. It took several minutes for Hunnigan to gather her thoughts before finally finding her voice.
"What?"
"Claire is pregnant," Leon repeated.
"H-how? I thought she was…"
"Believe me. We all thought the very same thing," Helena laughed.
"I don't…."
Hunnigan blinked with a mix of surprise, shock, and a hint of joy. Her eyes widened as she processed the unexpected news. A smile slowly formed on her face, revealing her genuine happiness for Leon.
"Well, this is certainly unexpected," Hunnigan finally managed to say, her voice filled with a combination of astonishment and delight. "Congratulations, both Claire and ! This is wonderful news! I just don't understand how?"
"That's the trending question," Helena said, sipping her coffee. "I don't think we have an answer, do we? Aside from the obvious. Leon sure was busy before we left for Colombia."
Helena laughed and Hunnigan seemed to share the joke as Leon rolled his eyes. He still smirked and shook his head however.
"It seems that we were wrong about Claire's infertility, or Claire somehow overcame that little issue," Leon answered. "She is pregnant, and thankfully, the baby seems to be healthy and well. However, this raises a new issue. Claire was an exception to the LyMorph virus rule from the start. If Mobius finds out that she has broken another of their virus's rules, you can imagine what will happen."
"So that's why you are so secretive. You are afraid there might be moles on our side that could find out and target Claire again," Hunnigan nodded. "Is that why you seemed so worried back in Caraçari as well?"
"Yeah, she's ten weeks along. The first ten weeks are usually the most prone to miscarriage, and she was in a risky position with all those BOWs around her."
Hunnigan nodded. She didn't even bother to ask how Leon seemed to know so much about pregnant women, then again, Hunnigan had probably assumed that he'd learned from his sister.
"Well, that's a reasonable concern, along with the rest of concerns that apply for any pregnancy," Hunnigan nodded. She then smiled at Leon. "Thank you for letting me know."
"Claire would have it on me if I didn't," Leon scoffed. "And after all these years, I would think we are far closer than mere colleagues Hunnigan. I know you are as worried about this as I am."
"True. It is a miracle of sorts. I am truly happy for both of you. I'll make sure to visit Claire and give her my congrats as well, when I get the chance."
"I'm sure Claire would like that," Leon nodded. "I guess now I just have Hopkins left."
"What about Birkin?" Helena asked. "I'm sure she'll throw a party when she finds out."
Leon snorted. The agent fidgeted with the plant on his desk and looked out of the window.
"Claire will talk to Sherry," Leon replied. "She'll handle that better than me. She's an expert at handling Sherry when she gets over excited, something that happened a lot when she was younger. Sometimes I just didn't know what to do and I still don't."
"Well, look at the bright side," Helena snorted. "You already have some parenting experience."
Leon snorted, shaking his head
"I'll be in trouble if my child is half as excitable as Sherry."
Helena laughed. Looking at who the parents were, an over-excitable child was probably the last thing that Leon would have to worry about.
"And how is Claire feeling?" Hunnigan asked. "Is everything normal, considering, you know, her situation?"
"She had two close calls in Caraçari," Leon answered. "both were false miscarriages, thankfully, but she needs a specialist to keep an eye on her, just to be safe. Other than that, she seems to be doing well. She is having it hard with morning sickness however."
"I suppose Dr. Hiwamura can't do it, can she?"
"No, but I think I have someone who can. I need to go back to Chicago first though."
"Chicago?" Hunnigan said. "So, you mean your sister?"
Leon nodded.
"Won't the distance be a problem?" Hunnigan asked.
"We'll figure it out," Leon sighed. "Bella is someone I think we can trust."
"Paranoia, I told you," Helena said, tilting her head.
"Since we don't have information from Mobius's active members, I can't blame Leon for being troubled about who to trust," Hunnigan sighed. "Well, I will help in whatever I can, but things will become difficult as the pregnancy progresses. The early weeks may be easy to keep discreet, but when her bump appears..."
"I know," Leon said. "I'm still thinking of a plan for that, but before I decide on anything, I need to speak to my sister first."
That made sense. There was no point in making a great plan until the group had confirmed that Leon's sister would look after Claire. Then again, from what Helena had heard from Leon, his family adored her, so she highly doubted they would refuse.
"Well, all in all," Hunnigan smiled. "It is wonderful news. How do you feel, Leon?"
"Oh, he's beyond happy," Helena laughed. "Why do you think he is so paranoid?"
"I'm just cautious," Leon defended himself.
"Naturally," Hunnigan agreed. "But why did she go to Caraçari if she was pregnant? Isn't that a good excuse to reject the request?"
"She didn't know she was pregnant until she arrived at Caraçari. It was too late to return by then. The attack had already begun."
"Well, I suppose it makes sense. Claire is a rational person. If she knew she was pregnant it is safe to say she would have prioritized the baby over the job," Hunnigan nodded. "Which reminds me. You asked me to look into that order from the Minister of Health sent to Claire, well, there's nothing off with it. I didn't find any irregularities, and the argument presented was reasonable. The document even had the presidential seal. That's why Hopkins could not reject it."
"So the BOW outbreak and Claire's presence in Caraçari was only a coincidence?" Leon said. The agent flipped through Claire's file, and Helena could tell he didn't look convinced.
"If not, they know how to cover their tracks," Hunnigan answered. "Looking at the outbreak prospects, Claire was indeed the most qualified person to assess the situation."
"You are worried about what Cortés said, right?"
Leon sighed, but didn't give her a straight answer.
"Well, let's leave it at that. We have a report to do, and I need to speak with Hopkins."
"I'll start on the report," Helena nodded. Leon passed her the file and she picked it up. "Go talk to Hopkins. That's your priority."
The trio went their separate ways, with Leon striding purposefully towards Hopkins' office. As he walked away, Helena and Hunnigan observed him, sharing a knowing smile between them.