Standing in Stuart's Electronics was not how Walter intended to spend his saturday. He and Barbara had plans and this was unfortunately cutting into those plans. But spending it here he was. Rolling the amulet in between his fingers impatiently, Walter exhaled deeply and glared at the pot bellied man that had been humming to himself for several minutes.

"Can you repair it?" Walter asked not hiding his irritation as he pointed to the it in question.

"I don't know." Stuart said blinking as he picked up the boombox and turned it over for further inspection. The red plaid robe he wore shifted in the dim light of the store as he moved. His fingers tapping against the jagged, upturned metal.

"How'd you say this happened again?"

"I was in a coffee shot and I spilled. A. Latte. On. It." Strickler answered, looking at anything in the electronic store but Stuart.

"Really?"

"MmmHmm."

Humming again, the scruffy man cocked his head curiously at him and continued to turn the boombox around, settling the electronic against his right hip and traced his left hand against the gaping hole in the middle of the horrid chrome contraption that had nearly, but not quite, split it in two. Stuart looked at the boombox and then back to Walter opened his mouth to say something then closed it. They stared at each other for a moment.

"A Latte?" Stuart exhaled.

"Yes." Walter nodded.

"This looked like a sword went through it." Stuart sniffed rubbing his nose with the back of his hand.

Walter continued nodding slowly. Swallowing thickly he looked Stuart straight in the eye.

"My coffee shop is in a bad neighborhood."

Two Months earlier.

They had been in the kitchen for a while now, neither one having said anything. Jim and Toby sat next to each other finding interest in the wood grains of the dinner table. Uncomfortable and needing something to do, Walter went about making coffee deciding that both He and Barbara needed something a little stronger than tea. Barbara merely leaned against the counter while Strickler went about placing her cup in front of her and pouring his own cup walked, through the kitchen door and sat down at the counter across from her. In the end, it was Barbara who officially broke the silence.

"Ashur," Barbara started slowly just as he was taking a tentative sip, not taking her eyes off of her steaming cup of coffee, "I can understand...but you?"

"Ashur?" Walter sputtered indignant, placing his own cup down on the counter a little two hard. The cup hit its dish with a sharp click and the hot liquid sloshed over the rim and onto his hand. Hissing in pain Walter drew back his hand while Barbara ignored his distress and continued.

"Yes, Ashur. Ashur seems like he'd try to take over the world because he's bored or because the cafe sold out of his favorite pastry. But you…" She pointed an accusatory finger, across the kitchen counter and into his chest.

"You, Mr. Stop-trying-to-invade-Russia-during-the-winter-when-are-people-going-to-learn? You should know better."

"Barbara...I've…" For the first time in centuries Walter was struggling to put words together, "...the Janus Order."

"Forget about trying to explain the Janus Order, Walt." Barbara shook her head. " You're a British Spy that's part of an organization bent on taking over the world."

"Not anymore." He tried in vain to clarify hating the whiny pitch in his voice.

"What like you gave them two weeks notice?"

"No more like I… just.. stopped taking their calls." Walter shrugged sheepishly.

"I…I… oof," Barbara stuttered incredulously. "the Travel agency that's been calling you? That's the secret club? Seriously?"

"It's not a club."

"Whatever okay, so you've switched sides. Why? Because of me?"

Walter offered her a soft smile and nodded.

"Aw." Said Toby softly from the table behind him only to be elbowed in the ribs by Jim. "It is!"

"You're a walking cliche, you know that?" Barbara frowned at him, though the corner of her lips threatened upturn and some of the anger in her eyes dissipated.

"I'm starting to catch on to it yes."

"Okay, you're a changeling."
"Yes."

"Yeah what is that exactly?" Toby asked. From the reflection in the back kitchen window Strickler could see Toby raised his hand.

"A shapeshifter." Barbara supplied,

"Technically?" Walter added, "It's complicated."

"We'll put a pin in that for later, Walter."

"Walter Strickler." The Amulet chirped helpfully.

"Oh do shut up." Barbara snapped at it, frowning at the glowing amulet until its light began to fade to a dim pulsating blue, She picked it up and tossed it to him. "This thing, let's talk about it."

"The amulet of Merlin."

"The what?" Jim asked finally breaking his silence

"The…"

"Master Walter!" A great thunderous voice interrupted him around the same time that the back door into the kitchen crashed onto the floor. Walter yelped in surprise. Falling off the kitchen stool with an audible thump while Barbara screamed and jumped over the counter, knocking over both their cups in the process. She slipped on the coffee that now covered the floor as she landed and fell right on top of him.

The noise that wheezed out of Strickler was not unlike that of a squeaky toy. She rolled off of him.

"Master Walter!"

Both Toby and Jim screamed at the sight of whatever had barged into the kitchen.

"I'm calling animal control!" Toby cried out pulling out his phone with one hand while dragging Jim off his chair by the back of the collar of his shirt with the other. "I'll save you buddy!"

Slowly rising, Strickler peeked over the counter and knew instantly, as Aaaaarrrgh's green eyes widened in recognition that it was a mistake.

"Blinky… Changeling."

"What?" the blue trolls six eyes blinked in unison.

"Changeling!" cried Aaarrrgh pointing directly at Strickler.. And this time the blue troll known as Blinky reacted by grabbing the nearest object near him. Which happened to be a frying pan that was soaking in dishwater and launched it with surprising accuracy right at Walter.

Strickler's last coherent thought just as the flying soap suds landed directly into his eye was, Well… damn it! this whole day has gone all to pot. Then the frying pan hit him full in the face, knocking him out cold for the second time that day.