Nothing ever ends when there is magic at work. Endless wonder can never truly be destroyed. Part of me could give up my job knowing that, but I convince myself everyday that it's not enough for it to exist it has to be channeled and that's our job. We state that it's to bag and tag, but really we use them for good and take them out of the hands, which have been tainted. Just because we have never come across an artifact that has been used only for good doesn't mean they don't exist. We deal with the problems.
I walked down one of the aisles loaded down with objects taking an inventory check. Every month one of us has to do a walk through check to re-goo the more dangerous artifacts. "Myka, get in the office!" I dropped the purple clipboard and bolted. Anything was better than Check Duty as Pete liked to call it.
Claudia was at her computer like usual triangulating the exact spot we were probably about to be sent to by the look of the constantly shifting locations on the screen. Artie started to talk, "This is one of those days where there are two artifacts to find. You two will have the more illusive item while me and Claudia will track down the other. Don't get exited, they are not paired." He paused. "Pete and Myka, you are going the cozy town of Bethel Vermont while Claudia and I are going to London."
Pete groaned. "That is not fair!"
Artie smiled, "Would you like to deal with a computer artifact Pete?"
Pete grabbed the car keys, "Myka let's go to Vermont."
I grabbed the file from Claudia's desk and took off. While we sat on the plane I read through the file.
Pete watched TV.
"It says here that the artifact is probably located in an old inn called the Sugar Lodge nicknamed the Darling." I turned to Pete, he had his headphones in and I could here the loud clashing sounds faintly. I pulled them off his head. "Look up the Sugar Lodge."
He was annoyed but he pulled his phone from his pocket and looked it up. His eyes lit up. "It's a newly wed inn for honeymooners. Nicknamed the Darling."
He repeated what I had said.
I sighed heavily and gave him a dirty look.
"What did I say?" He shrugged it off and smiled, "Guess we should go undercover as husband and wife, right there sweetie pie?"
A flight attendant came by with the water. "Would you like something to drink?"
Pete smiled at the woman, "Two glasses of champagne, we just got married!"
I glared at Pete and sighed heavily.
"Congratulations!"
We could only get a flight into Boston so we rented a car to make the drive up to Bethel.
I turned to Pete. "Really? You had to do that? Every time we turn around you find an excuse to tell someone Pete. Can't you behave for ten seconds?"
"It's not like I told Artie, besides pretending to be married this time actually makes sense." He huffed immaturely, "I admit the singles convention was a bad idea."
I smiled without him noticing and gave him the million-dollar glare.
The inn was sweet and beautiful with flowers in hanging baskets. It didn't look like the normal place for an artifact, but then it never did. Pete got our bags out of the trunk and walked in.
I followed just slightly behind to have a longer time at scanning the area. I was the observer and Pete was the one who got the vibes. I trusted my eyes while he trusted his instincts.
A teenager with long dark hair was asleep at the front desk. Pete rang the bell startling her awake. I gave him another dirty look. I wondered why he had to be such a child.
"What?" He asked again.
The girl glanced up, "Oh, Welcome…" She yawned. "…to the Sugar lodge, or the Darling as most like to call it. How can I help you?"
I stepped in before Pete made his newly wed speech, but I still played along. "My husband and I would like to rent a room for the week."
"We'll need cash, we don't take credit cards." She chewed heartily on a piece of purple gum.
"No problem there little missie." Pete said imitating a cowboy. He pulled a wad of cash from his pocket from the office budget we get for each case. Most of the time we don't use it.
She rolled her eyes and had Pete pay for the week.
She called out a name. "David!"
A guy in his early twenties came out and picked up our bags.
She handed one key to David and said, "Room 22."
David nodded and continued up the stairs without talking to us.
"Oh!" The girl exclaimed as we were leaving. "My name's Etvi incase either of you need anything else while you're enjoying your stay at Sugar Lodge." She flashed us a large fake smile.
David took our stuff up to our room and I tipped him since I knew Pete wouldn't.
Pete immediately jumped on the bed. "I'm pooped." He smiled and pretended to fall asleep.
I unzipped both of our bags and started to put things in the drawers.
Pete pulled me onto the bed from behind.
"Cut that out.", I wasn't angry and he knew that. I wasn't in the mood to humor his playful behavior at the moment though.
I got back up and finished putting our stuff away.
When I turned around Pete was sitting on the edge of the bed looking over at me with a serious look.
This wasn't good. I knew I had to talk. "What's wrong Pete?"
He raised his eyebrows. "You."
"You know I'm not mad for you fooling around Pete."
He shook his head, "It's not that. Myks, you don't seem like you like being married to me."
"I don't want to lose my job Pete. It isn't about that. I love you. I wouldn't want things to be any other way, but when we eventually tell them what we did they're going to fire both of us, or one of us and I know it's going to be me."
"There's no way, Myks you're more useful than I am, you can go places by yourself and snag artifacts. I have never been able to do that."
"I'm just as useful with a Farnsworth behind a desk as a consultant than actually in the field."
Pete thought about what to say next. I could see it in his eyes. He was weighing his words very carefully.
"Okay, you win, I'm just so much cooler than you." He started to dance towards the door and pretended to run into it. While on the ground he put his hand up in the air. "Myka, I need you."
The jokes were perfect in this moment. We had both said our piece, but hadn't fought.
I went and helped him up and we officially started our investigation, unfortunately our investigation had to look like we were on our honeymoon. Awkward.
