The Past's Revenge: Chapter 13
Title: The Past's Revenge
Author: luna_dove
Summery: Michael Yardly, a dangerous enemy from Myka’s past, shows up bent on revenge. Years ago Myka put his brother in jail for the death of her sister, Tracy. Now he is determined to make Myka pay by targeting the family Myka has built for herself, especially one member that has filled the void of her little sister: Claudia.
Rating: PG-13 for violence and swearing.
Spoilers: Spoilers up to and including "For the Team."
Disclaimer: I don’t own Warehouse 13. There is also a quote in this chapter that belongs to Shakespeare, and is credited when it is shown along with being credited in this disclaimer.
Note: H.G. LOVERS, I AM SHAMELESSLY PROMOTING THIS FIC AS PRO-H.G.!
Previous Chapters: Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12
Chapter 13: Found
“Would you like me to help?” Claudia asked, standing outside Bering and Sons bookstore and trying to contain her impatience at Vanessa’s lockpicking. She had just started, but Claudia was anxious to get inside and look for Myka.
From the outside it didn’t look like tragedy had struck the store - there was no sign of a break-in: no broken glass, no busted down doors, nothing to show that the store and house above it held a woman in pain.
“No thank you. After years of experience,” Vanessa said as the lock finally clicked and the door swung open, “you start to enjoy it.”
Claudia would have questioned her on why she had needed to learn to lockpick when she was a doctor if she hadn’t been busy running inside and looking all over for Myka.
“Claudia! Be careful! We still haven’t ruled out the possibility of an attacker!” Vanessa said, pulling a gun out of her doctor’s bag.
“How the hell did you get that pass airport security?” Claudia asked, not remembering her ever mentioning bringing a gun on-board at the airport.
“Concealment artifact. If a Regent or Agent’s life is in danger, I’m not going to waste time explaining why I’m carrying scalpels and a gun on-board a plane.” Vanessa said, flicking the safety off the gun. “Now come on.”
Carefully, they searched through the bookstore and its back rooms. None of them held Myka. With each door they pulled open or every corner they turned, Claudia kept preparing herself for the sight of a bloody Myka, whimpering in pain. A sudden flashback of Claudia herself lying on the floor of Michael’s basement, covered with blood flashed unpleasantly through her mind. But she forced herself to concentrate on Vanessa, who was creeping towards a plain white door. However, when Vanessa swung open the door to reveal the final room in the back of the bookstore - a small kitchen, she didn’t see the vision she had been dreading. Instead there lay a still Myka on the floor, flushed and twitching, but not showing any blood or gore.
“Myka.” Claudia said. She tried to run to her, but Vanessa pulled her back.
“We don’t know what she has. Some of the diseases are communicable by touch. Let me, I can protect myself.” She reached into her bag and pulled out purple gloves, which, Claudia assumed, were the same substance that the Neutralizer was made of, preventing her from the consequences of any artifact’s disease. She gingerly touched Myka’s forehead and hissed.
“She’s burning up. Claudia, go get a glass of cold water.” Claudia did so and knelt down on the other side of Myka, being careful not to touch her at all. As she knelt down, Myka’s eyes flew open, causing Vanessa to draw back and Claudia to drop the glass. It fell to the floor, it’s contents flowing from it across the kitchen title. Myka’s eyes followed the liquid that poured from the fallen glass.
“Water?” She croaked, looking at Claudia. The look in her face didn’t change, she looked at Claudia like she still cared about her, like she still needed her - it was as if the past couple of weeks were nothing more than a bad dream.
“Here.” Claudia said, picking up the glass and what little remained of the water. She looked to Vanessa, who nodded. Gingerly, she held up Myka’s head and poured the water into her mouth. Myka drank it slowly, then put her head back down and sighed.
“Thank you.” She shut her eyes and became still.
“I know what caused this.” Vanessa said, staring at Myka’s body.
“What?” Claudia asked, feeling Myka’s forehead for herself and withdrawing her hand quickly - Myka’s head was so warm she felt uncomfortable touching it.
“The artifact. The one that cured her hand. A side effect of it is that its powers will stay with its user for a couple of days, curing anything that comes into the user’s system. It’s not that bad when you get a scratch or a bruise - but when you get a virus as Myka must have...”
“Will she be okay?” Claudia asked, looking down at her.
“Probably.” Vanessa said, hesitating.
“Probably?” Claudia asked, beginning to feel the familiar rush of panic kick in.
“I’m not sure how long the symptoms have been bothering Myka...it must have gotten to an extreme to have her call me. Sometimes the pain of feeling one’s body trying to cure the virus can make one’s body die instead of whatever the artifact is fighting against.”
“Can’t we give her any medication?” Claudia asked desperately as Myka suddenly squirmed on the floor, her teeth clenched and eyes screwed shut. Claudia knew she must be in a great deal of pain to reveal it in the presence of others’ around.
“No. The creator of the artifact was sadistic. He made it in order to test whether humans would rather see their injuries cure in immense pain or remain sick - blind or crippled forever. Some of the injuries he caused his patients himself. Obviously, he took pre-cautions against painkillers to keep his subjects from cheating.”
“Psychopath.” Claudia muttered.
“Obviously.” Vanessa said. Then she straightened up and started rummaging through her bag. “I might not be able to help her fight the disease or give her medication, but I think I can ease her pain.”
“How can I help?” Claudia asked.
“Did you see those sofas’ out there?” Vanessa said, gesturing with her head to the bookstore. “Go push those two together and find whatever blankets and pillows you can. That'll have to do for a bed. We can’t carry her far as you’re hurt and I simply have gotten past the age where I can carry a grown woman by myself.”
“You could do that?” Claudia asked, amazed. She got up and started to exit the room, leaving Vanessa chuckling.
“My dear, it’d surprise you what I used to be able to do.”
*
A few minutes later Myka was lying in a nest of cushions and pillows - her makeshift bed for now. Claudia was hanging several blankets along the side in case Myka got the chills later. Vanessa was wetting a washcloth from a pitcher of water that Claudia had brought out (along with several glasses). She pressed the washcloth to Myka’s forehead, Myka’s eyes closed and she gave a low moan of pleasure.
“I’m sure that feels good to you, doesn’t it?” Vanessa said, smiling kindly at Myka. Claudia felt affection swarm through her at the older woman who had so easily packed up and left the B&B to help Myka. Claudia had never had a grandmother, but she thought that Vanessa would have been what she would have wanted hers to be like.
“Keep that washcloth on her forehead, Claudia.” Vanessa said, rummaging into her bag and flipping open the Farnsworth. “I’ve got to call Artie and make sure he doesn’t have a brain aneurysm when he discovers we’ve left the state.”
“Will do.” Claudia said, perching herself on the top of one of the couches and keeping a hand on the washcloth. Gently, she touched Myka’s head with her fingers. Already she felt cooler.
“Thanks.” Myka said in a whisper, shocking Claudia. Then she turned her head and opened her eyes. After a minute she became confused. “Aren’t you supposed to be in a hospital bed?”
“Got released a few days ago.” Claudia said matter-of-factly.
“Oh.” Myka said, opening her mouth and looking like she wanted to say more, but was too tired to. But she didn’t close her eyes again. She simply lay there, watching Claudia.
“No, Arthur, we’re perfectly fine! Well, except for Myka.” The quiet of the moment was destroyed as Vanessa came back into the room, her Farnsworth held in front of her. “Here, say hi Claudia.” She said, shoving the device under Claudia’s nose.
“Hi Claudia?” She said, looking into Artie’s outraged face.
“YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE BACK AT LEENA’S!”
“Yeah but...”
“You have just been released form the hospital! Do I need to name all the injuries you have?” Artie thundered.
“I’d prefer it if you didn’t.” Claudia said.
“You -”
“Artie, I’m here now and I’m not leaving. You might as well just accept it.”
“Listen to the girl Arthur, she’s right,” Vanessa chimed in.
“Fine.” Artie grumbled, a vein pulsing in his head. “Just...make sure everyone gets better and is in one piece, okay?” He said, lowering his voice unexpectedly.
“Will do.” Claudia said, handing the Farnsworth back to Vanessa, who walked out of the room again.
“He’s not happy with me.” Myka said, startling Claudia. In the midst of her brief fight with Artie, she had almost forgotten that Myka was there.
“No, he’s just grumpy about the situation. You know Artie.” Claudia said, shrugging her shoulders and trying to sound nonchalant.
“I mean, he’s not happy that I left the Warehouse.” Myka said, yawning. Her eyes were beginning to close - exhaustion seemed to have kicked in with the lessening of the pain. “I know they hate me but I had to -” Her voice trailed off and her head flopped down on the pillows.
“Myka? Myka!” Claudia hissed, silently cursing the circumstances. For the first time in weeks she was having a conversation with Myka - and she had fallen asleep.
She had fallen asleep, right?
Slowly, Claudia reached out and felt Myka’s neck. Yes, there was a pulse. Maybe going a bit too fast than normal, but it was steady and present.
Claudia carefully removed the rag from Myka’s forehead and soaked it in more water, then reapplied it. Curling up at Myka’s feet and pulling a blanket and pillow to her, Claudia looked one more time at Myka and smiled softly.
“We’ll talk tomorrow.” She said, and closed her eyes.
Author: luna_dove
Summery: Michael Yardly, a dangerous enemy from Myka’s past, shows up bent on revenge. Years ago Myka put his brother in jail for the death of her sister, Tracy. Now he is determined to make Myka pay by targeting the family Myka has built for herself, especially one member that has filled the void of her little sister: Claudia.
Rating: PG-13 for violence and swearing.
Spoilers: Spoilers up to and including "For the Team."
Disclaimer: I don’t own Warehouse 13. There is also a quote in this chapter that belongs to Shakespeare, and is credited when it is shown along with being credited in this disclaimer.
Note: H.G. LOVERS, I AM SHAMELESSLY PROMOTING THIS FIC AS PRO-H.G.!
Previous Chapters: Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12
Chapter 13: Found
“Would you like me to help?” Claudia asked, standing outside Bering and Sons bookstore and trying to contain her impatience at Vanessa’s lockpicking. She had just started, but Claudia was anxious to get inside and look for Myka.
From the outside it didn’t look like tragedy had struck the store - there was no sign of a break-in: no broken glass, no busted down doors, nothing to show that the store and house above it held a woman in pain.
“No thank you. After years of experience,” Vanessa said as the lock finally clicked and the door swung open, “you start to enjoy it.”
Claudia would have questioned her on why she had needed to learn to lockpick when she was a doctor if she hadn’t been busy running inside and looking all over for Myka.
“Claudia! Be careful! We still haven’t ruled out the possibility of an attacker!” Vanessa said, pulling a gun out of her doctor’s bag.
“How the hell did you get that pass airport security?” Claudia asked, not remembering her ever mentioning bringing a gun on-board at the airport.
“Concealment artifact. If a Regent or Agent’s life is in danger, I’m not going to waste time explaining why I’m carrying scalpels and a gun on-board a plane.” Vanessa said, flicking the safety off the gun. “Now come on.”
Carefully, they searched through the bookstore and its back rooms. None of them held Myka. With each door they pulled open or every corner they turned, Claudia kept preparing herself for the sight of a bloody Myka, whimpering in pain. A sudden flashback of Claudia herself lying on the floor of Michael’s basement, covered with blood flashed unpleasantly through her mind. But she forced herself to concentrate on Vanessa, who was creeping towards a plain white door. However, when Vanessa swung open the door to reveal the final room in the back of the bookstore - a small kitchen, she didn’t see the vision she had been dreading. Instead there lay a still Myka on the floor, flushed and twitching, but not showing any blood or gore.
“Myka.” Claudia said. She tried to run to her, but Vanessa pulled her back.
“We don’t know what she has. Some of the diseases are communicable by touch. Let me, I can protect myself.” She reached into her bag and pulled out purple gloves, which, Claudia assumed, were the same substance that the Neutralizer was made of, preventing her from the consequences of any artifact’s disease. She gingerly touched Myka’s forehead and hissed.
“She’s burning up. Claudia, go get a glass of cold water.” Claudia did so and knelt down on the other side of Myka, being careful not to touch her at all. As she knelt down, Myka’s eyes flew open, causing Vanessa to draw back and Claudia to drop the glass. It fell to the floor, it’s contents flowing from it across the kitchen title. Myka’s eyes followed the liquid that poured from the fallen glass.
“Water?” She croaked, looking at Claudia. The look in her face didn’t change, she looked at Claudia like she still cared about her, like she still needed her - it was as if the past couple of weeks were nothing more than a bad dream.
“Here.” Claudia said, picking up the glass and what little remained of the water. She looked to Vanessa, who nodded. Gingerly, she held up Myka’s head and poured the water into her mouth. Myka drank it slowly, then put her head back down and sighed.
“Thank you.” She shut her eyes and became still.
“I know what caused this.” Vanessa said, staring at Myka’s body.
“What?” Claudia asked, feeling Myka’s forehead for herself and withdrawing her hand quickly - Myka’s head was so warm she felt uncomfortable touching it.
“The artifact. The one that cured her hand. A side effect of it is that its powers will stay with its user for a couple of days, curing anything that comes into the user’s system. It’s not that bad when you get a scratch or a bruise - but when you get a virus as Myka must have...”
“Will she be okay?” Claudia asked, looking down at her.
“Probably.” Vanessa said, hesitating.
“Probably?” Claudia asked, beginning to feel the familiar rush of panic kick in.
“I’m not sure how long the symptoms have been bothering Myka...it must have gotten to an extreme to have her call me. Sometimes the pain of feeling one’s body trying to cure the virus can make one’s body die instead of whatever the artifact is fighting against.”
“Can’t we give her any medication?” Claudia asked desperately as Myka suddenly squirmed on the floor, her teeth clenched and eyes screwed shut. Claudia knew she must be in a great deal of pain to reveal it in the presence of others’ around.
“No. The creator of the artifact was sadistic. He made it in order to test whether humans would rather see their injuries cure in immense pain or remain sick - blind or crippled forever. Some of the injuries he caused his patients himself. Obviously, he took pre-cautions against painkillers to keep his subjects from cheating.”
“Psychopath.” Claudia muttered.
“Obviously.” Vanessa said. Then she straightened up and started rummaging through her bag. “I might not be able to help her fight the disease or give her medication, but I think I can ease her pain.”
“How can I help?” Claudia asked.
“Did you see those sofas’ out there?” Vanessa said, gesturing with her head to the bookstore. “Go push those two together and find whatever blankets and pillows you can. That'll have to do for a bed. We can’t carry her far as you’re hurt and I simply have gotten past the age where I can carry a grown woman by myself.”
“You could do that?” Claudia asked, amazed. She got up and started to exit the room, leaving Vanessa chuckling.
“My dear, it’d surprise you what I used to be able to do.”
*
A few minutes later Myka was lying in a nest of cushions and pillows - her makeshift bed for now. Claudia was hanging several blankets along the side in case Myka got the chills later. Vanessa was wetting a washcloth from a pitcher of water that Claudia had brought out (along with several glasses). She pressed the washcloth to Myka’s forehead, Myka’s eyes closed and she gave a low moan of pleasure.
“I’m sure that feels good to you, doesn’t it?” Vanessa said, smiling kindly at Myka. Claudia felt affection swarm through her at the older woman who had so easily packed up and left the B&B to help Myka. Claudia had never had a grandmother, but she thought that Vanessa would have been what she would have wanted hers to be like.
“Keep that washcloth on her forehead, Claudia.” Vanessa said, rummaging into her bag and flipping open the Farnsworth. “I’ve got to call Artie and make sure he doesn’t have a brain aneurysm when he discovers we’ve left the state.”
“Will do.” Claudia said, perching herself on the top of one of the couches and keeping a hand on the washcloth. Gently, she touched Myka’s head with her fingers. Already she felt cooler.
“Thanks.” Myka said in a whisper, shocking Claudia. Then she turned her head and opened her eyes. After a minute she became confused. “Aren’t you supposed to be in a hospital bed?”
“Got released a few days ago.” Claudia said matter-of-factly.
“Oh.” Myka said, opening her mouth and looking like she wanted to say more, but was too tired to. But she didn’t close her eyes again. She simply lay there, watching Claudia.
“No, Arthur, we’re perfectly fine! Well, except for Myka.” The quiet of the moment was destroyed as Vanessa came back into the room, her Farnsworth held in front of her. “Here, say hi Claudia.” She said, shoving the device under Claudia’s nose.
“Hi Claudia?” She said, looking into Artie’s outraged face.
“YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE BACK AT LEENA’S!”
“Yeah but...”
“You have just been released form the hospital! Do I need to name all the injuries you have?” Artie thundered.
“I’d prefer it if you didn’t.” Claudia said.
“You -”
“Artie, I’m here now and I’m not leaving. You might as well just accept it.”
“Listen to the girl Arthur, she’s right,” Vanessa chimed in.
“Fine.” Artie grumbled, a vein pulsing in his head. “Just...make sure everyone gets better and is in one piece, okay?” He said, lowering his voice unexpectedly.
“Will do.” Claudia said, handing the Farnsworth back to Vanessa, who walked out of the room again.
“He’s not happy with me.” Myka said, startling Claudia. In the midst of her brief fight with Artie, she had almost forgotten that Myka was there.
“No, he’s just grumpy about the situation. You know Artie.” Claudia said, shrugging her shoulders and trying to sound nonchalant.
“I mean, he’s not happy that I left the Warehouse.” Myka said, yawning. Her eyes were beginning to close - exhaustion seemed to have kicked in with the lessening of the pain. “I know they hate me but I had to -” Her voice trailed off and her head flopped down on the pillows.
“Myka? Myka!” Claudia hissed, silently cursing the circumstances. For the first time in weeks she was having a conversation with Myka - and she had fallen asleep.
She had fallen asleep, right?
Slowly, Claudia reached out and felt Myka’s neck. Yes, there was a pulse. Maybe going a bit too fast than normal, but it was steady and present.
Claudia carefully removed the rag from Myka’s forehead and soaked it in more water, then reapplied it. Curling up at Myka’s feet and pulling a blanket and pillow to her, Claudia looked one more time at Myka and smiled softly.
“We’ll talk tomorrow.” She said, and closed her eyes.