Helena stared, slack jawed in horror, at the glowing red metal.
"What do you mean the Warehouse is moving elsewhere?" she whispered, her voice quavering. All her previous jumble of thoughts about Christina, churchyards, and child-sized coffins fled in the wake of her revelation, "Does this mean I am to lose my occupation? My very home?"
"Now now, Ms. Wells, don't become too excited," Caturanga soothed. He pulled the switch on the secret passageway concealing the Mason's Compass and the wall once again lowered into place, "I'm showing you this for a reason."
"Is that reason to frighten me? Because I have had enough fright for one lifetime, thank you sir," Helena snapped in reply. Caturanga placed a gentle hand on her arm.
"I am not trying to frighten you, Ms. Wells. I understand you are upset," he began, "But I must tell you, my dear: Mr. Abiff's Compass started glowing a mere ten years after I got here."
Helena turned sharply, crossing her arms, "That was a long while ago, not to offend your age, sir," she observed curtly, "It begs the question of why this... Compass has begun glowing at all. Why so many years before the Warehouse moves? Why keep us- you especially- in such suspense?"
Caturanga clasped his hands sagely, tilting his head in a manner that Helena had come to recognize as one marking deep contemplation of a particular subject. She waited a moment, as her mentor and friend found just the words to say to her in response.
"Do you remember when you first got here, and you chased down Jack the Ripper?"
Helena nodded, memories coming to the surface of her mind's eye, "I snagged the lantern he was using, a newly minted Artifact."
"Yes, and do you remember what you said to me then, in regards to the next Warehouse?"
Helena thought back, trying to remember the conversation they'd had that day. "I do, sir," she replied, "I said that there would never be another Warehouse, for the sun shall never set upon the British Empire."
"That's quite correct, Ms. Wells," Caturanga replied, "And I, of course, agreed to disagree. My theory is that the Warehouse does this as a reminder. All things in this world come to an end. The empire of Alexander the Great eventually fell, as did Byzantine and the Holy Roman Empire, et cetera." The older man turned to face her, his eyes bright and piercing as always. "Things must end in order for new things to commence. And this part of the Warehouse serves to remind us that one day, in the future, things will indeed change drastically- as they always have and always will."
Helena was silent for a few minutes, processing all that she had heard. Caturanga cocked his head, peering inquisitively at her pensive face.
"Do you see now, Ms. Wells, why I showed you this?"
Helena swallowed hard and nodded, "I do. All things must end, no matter how long it's been since they started, no matter how unfairly it might seem, and in the end, we have very little control over it all."
Caturanga's face fell. "It would seem you only got half of the point I was trying to make."
"I must go now sir," Helena said, quickly composing herself. She cast a fearful gaze through the Warehouse's dark corners towards the Bronze Sector, remembering her nightmares, the grief driving her mad, and, above all, that which she knew she had to do. "I need to speak with the Regents on a matter of utmost importance."