Fringe: The Next Case

Chapter 1

As Peter began to open the letter, he couldn't help feeling like something was wrong. Why would Walter have sent him a letter? Did he forget how to use the telephone again? Peter began to remove the envelope's content when he heard laughter from upstairs. He guessed that Olivia was able to coax Etta into bath faster than normal. It usually took at least twenty minutes of screaming, crying, and frustration just to get her to go in the bathroom.

Peter looked at what he had just taken out of the envelope. It was a single long piece of paper with a drawing on it: the outline of a tulip. Perplexed, peter walked over to the phone, still staring at the flower. He picked up the receiver and dialed Walter's home number. Walter still lived in Peter's old apartment and hadn't managed to change the message on the answering machine, so Peter's own voice came through the speaker: "You have reached the Bishop residence. Please leave a message and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can." Peter hung up and tried the lab.

Astrid answered, but before Peter could speak, she asked, "Is he with you? Do you know where he is?"

Walter hasn't run off in years. Where could he have gone? "Astrid, calm down. He's not here. Were you with him? Did you see him leave?"

"Peter, he just disappeared."

"What do you mean, disappeared?"

"He literally vanished. He was here, but when I asked him a question, he didn't say anything. I turned around, and he was gone. Just like that."

"Could he have walked outside?"

"Peter, he was milking Gene. There's no way he could have gotten up and walked all the way across the lab to the door without me noticing."

"Alright, I'm on my way." Peter slammed down the phone and ran towards the door. On his way he called upstairs.

"Honey, I'll be right back." Olivia came out of the bathroom and looked down at her husband.

"Where are you going?"

"To the lab at Harvard. Walter wants me there. I have no idea why." Peter rushed out the door, into his car, and drove away. He didn't want to worry Olivia yet. Something was very wierd about this situation. All Peter could think of was the alternate universe. Could they have taken him somehow? And if they could, why would they? And what does that tulip mean?

All he cared about was getting some answers.