Let us do something, while we have the chance.
Just something for the fun of it. Hope you enjoy. I still don't own Warehouse 13.
"What really matters is what you do with what you have."
- H. G. Wells
Part I
Chapter 2—the Second Ping
Philadelphia
The weather report was going on in the background. The Meteorologist said the high for the day would be 80 degrees. It would be a clear day with little humidity. They were heading into fall. The only problem he noted was the pollen count was up and the News Reporter said that ragweed was out. Claudia watched the TV in the limo as they sped down the street.
Myka pulled her cell phone out of her purse. John was watching. Myka knew there was a question, "Pete, our partner, had appendicitis. Vanessa, our doctor, came and operated last night. Thought I would check to see if he was awake and how he was doing."
"Oh well, please give my regards. Hope he is doing well," John immediately said.
"Say hi for me," Claudia added.
"Oh hi Leena, is Pete still asleep? Oh sure, did everything go well? Really? Yeah, that's good. We are okay. Tell Pete hi for us when he wakes. Thanks, we'll see you later." Myka hung up. She looked at John and Claudia, "He's fine and asleep. Artie's out with Vanessa." Myka saw John's questioning look. "Artie is like our boss. But Mrs. Frederic is the big boss."
"Oh well, we are almost here. Her offices are on the sixteenth floor," John was watching out the window.
"So she was to return the key, but has not?" Claudia asked. Claudia was still trying to figure out all of the connections. She really did want Myka to be impressed.
"Yes, generally Gloria is really prompt about bringing things back and doing everything on time. Last she said was that she misplaced it," John replied.
"I'm sorry, it's Gloria?" she looked at him to fill in the rest.
"Gloria Swan. She is very precise and exact." John opened the door of the limo, "Well, here we are. Watch your step getting out." He got out first and then held the hand of each of the ladies getting out of the limo. He pointed and then with Claudia and Myka on each arm, he led them into the building.
They got off the elevator on the sixteenth floor and went across the hall through double glass doors. The receptionist, a younger woman, said, "Welcome Mr. Dawes. Here to see Miss Swan?"
"Yes Judi, is she available?" John replied.
Claudia was watching this exchange while looking at the new weather report on the screen beside the reception room's couch. Apparently the weather was changing from when they were in the car, the weatherman was pointing to a storm line that was coming into Philadelphia. "Well, that's different." Claudia looked over at Myka and then the TV. "We need to be ready. It could be used as soon as the storm rolls in."
Myka picked up on that. She held up her hand and motioned to John, "I have to make a phone call. I'll be right back." She stepped out into the hallway and got out her Farnsworth. She hesitated calling, knowing that Artie would be upset that Mrs. Frederic was there. She winced as the Farnsworth activated and Artie was on the other end, "Hi Artie."
"What is it?" Artie's face filled the screen.
"There is a storm coming," Myka started.
"Well, it does rain there," Artie joked.
"Artie, the weather report just ten minutes ago was for a clear day. Now, there is a massive storm rolling into the city. Can you use the Warehouse to monitor the storm?" she asked.
Claudia had come out to get her. Gloria had come to the lobby and was waiting for them. She walked over next to Myka, "As soon as you see two strikes at the same place, we need to know where." She saw him pause to think about it, "The weather service, electrical activity, it should give you the points of the strikes in real time."
"Got it. Anything else?" Artie asked.
"Well, our next interview is waiting for us. And Mrs. Frederic was at the bank." Myka said. They saw his face look surprised.
"Yeah, she was looking for a game called Little War. Got any idea why?" Claudia asked.
"Got to go," Myka closed the Farnsworth. She looked at Claudia, "Don't do that to me or else. But we do need to find out what is happening before we talk to Artie again."
Claudia nodded and they went into the reception room.
John made the introductions. Gloria asked, "Are you looking for the key?"
Myka replied, "Yes, we believe that it is linked to the robbery at John's bank. I take it that you don't have it?"
"No, we have been through everything. I thought I had misplaced it, but we checked everywhere. It is not here or at the house," Gloria responded almost hesitating when she spoke.
Claudia thought there was more and continued the questions, "Is there a 'but' to this? I mean there is something else that happened?"
Gloria nodded, "I still can't believe it happened. There was a break in here at the Mint." She shook her head, "No one has ever gotten through our security. We have no video or record of them getting through security. But we are sure they got in, two molds are gone. We lost two sets of the gold coin molds, and we have assumed that they took the key."
Claudia cocked her head in amazement. This was a mint with all the security. There had to be more, "They got through everything and made it into your vault?"
Gloria pointed to another room, "No, we had the molds in for cleaning. They were in the clean room. The key was there going through the final restoration, as we had discussed. Or at least that's where I thought it was. We checked everywhere."
John interrupted, "It will be fine Gloria. Don't worry. I am sure these ladies can find it. And your molds too. I mean, we can't have any counterfeiting and that's their original job."
"Right, I am sure that we will be able to restore your belongings. Can you show us your security system?" Claudia asked.
"Certainly, the first part is here it the receptionist's desk. Judi, could show you," Gloria pointed to the computer screen.
Myka agreed, "Yes. Claudia, can you check the computer system?"
"Sure, can do." Claudia went around the desk. Judi moved out of the way. Claudia started typing and watching the display. She watched Judi occasionally. Claudia thought she looked nervous, she kept checking her purse.
Myka followed Gloria and John into the cleaning room. Gloria walked over to a workbench. "This is where the molds were being cleaned. The key was sitting next to them. For security purposes, the bench weighs the material that is on the table." When Myka gave a blank response, Gloria continued. "We weigh the table contents because there could be gold residue or other precious materials on the items being cleaned. We want to make sure that we can collect the remnants, shavings, or dust from the cleanings. The weight is included in the security system so we have a record of when something was put on the bench and taken off. But in this case the weight of the molds and the key are missing."
At the same time as Gloria said that Claudia came around the corner, "Say, did you know that someone changed the data of the weights on that table. They tried to make it look like the molds were never there."
Myka smiled, "Can you tell when it happened?"
"Yes, it was the morning of the robbery at John's bank. They took the key off the table first, then the molds. There was a decent attempt to erase the files. But there are two backups, one on site and on off site. They missed the second off site backup." Claudia had thought there was something strange about this. Judi had acted strange the entire time, almost like she was trying to hide something. But Claudia wanted to wait until she could talk with Myka and not have Gloria or John around. She smiled at Myka trying to get her attention.
"Well, we had thought it was the night before. So much for what we and the police could find," Gloria shrugged her shoulders.
"Don't worry dear. They'll find everything," John said.
Myka asked, "So did you get anything else?"
"The video was on-line during the whole thing, but the video does not show anyone putting the molds or the key on the table. It was erased. It shows an empty room the entire time," Claudia answered. Claudia looked at the windows of the lab room. They were being pelted by rain and it seemed to be getting heavier by the second.
Myka turned to Gloria, "Can you tell us who has been here the last two days?"
Gloria looked puzzled, "It has just been Judi and I."
"Then I guess we need to talk with Judi a little," Myka said.
Judi walked into the room with her arm pointed at them, "There won't be any need. You see I have had it with those two and now it's time to end it." She started to raise her hand and the key became visible. The hail from outside was now battering the window and finally shattered it.
Claudia was already nervous about Judi. Claudia had her hand on her Tesla when she walked into the room earlier. She surprised herself at the speed at which she had it out and pointed at Judi.
The 'shots' were simultaneous. The lightning ball filled the room. Judi's face shook as the sparks of electricity arched across her body. Claudia's eyes closed as her face showed the initial pain spreading across her body. The lightning bolt finished its flash showing the arch through from the lab equipment behind Judi through her body and out the broken window. When the flash ended, everyone in the room was down.
Myka opened her eyes and quickly took stock of herself. It was far more powerful than she expected. She saw Gloria lying next to her. She did not seem to be breathing. Myka got on all fours and went the couple feet to Gloria. She could barely feel a pulse and Gloria was not breathing. She cleared a passageway and began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Next she did the same with John.
Myka looked up. Claudia had not come over to them. She had fallen on the other side of a lab bench that blocked her view. Myka screamed her name and ran to the other side of the bench. Claudia had fallen back. Myka checked for a pulse and began the resuscitation.
John looked over and saw Claudia on the floor, "Take the key and push it at her heart."
Myka looked at him like he had gone mad, "What?" Then she understood. There would be enough of a charge to act as defibrillator. She got the key from Judi's hand. Holding the key above Claudia's chest, she pushed the key to Claudia's chest. There was a large pulse of electromagnetic energy and Claudia's body tightened in reaction. She gasped and then coughed. Her body went limped but Myka checked and Claudia was breathing.
Myka went to Judi. There were severe burn marks up her arm and chest where she held the key. Myka looked to John and shook her head.
John nodded, "We'll need to get Claudia to a hospital. And we should have Gloria checked."
Just then the Farnsworth rang. Myka pulled it out and answered, "Hi Artie."
"There was a double hit at the Franklin conservatory. It's the old mint at the corner…" Artie paused to look at the computer screen.
"We know Artie. It was us," Myka answered.
"What do you mean it was us?" He saw the distressed look in Myka's face. "Are you alright?"
John was on the phone at the other side of the room. He and Gloria were yelling into the phone, "We were hit by lightning. One person is dead and another seriously injured. The rest of us were knocked out by the lightning."
"I heard that. What happened? Who is injured?" Artie added.
Myka was trying to hold back the tears, "Claudia is unconscious. She was hit by the lightning as the key was pointed at her." Myka remembered the scene as it flashed before her, "Claudia fired her Tesla at the same time. She saved us Artie. I'll call back." She closed the Farnsworth.
John yelled, "Yes, we'll leave the line open and have someone out front to escort them up." He put the phone down and shook his head, "Maybe the automatic system is better." He walked over to Myka. "The Fire Department Medics are on their way. I'll have Henry, our driver, show them up." He pulled out his cell phone. He found that it was working and he made the call to Henry.
Myka moved over to Claudia. She was checking her.
John came over and gave her a tin box, "I suspect her burns will need some ointment. Use this and please don't let the firemen know."
Myka opened the box and used the pad from it to rub across the injuries. The blisters on Claudia's hand started to go down. Her hand was still red. She pulled off the jacket and blouse and covered Claudia with ointment from the pad. "You know about artifacts…" Myka began.
"Yes," John held up his hand, "It's helped me out of some tight spots before. I'll explain later, but she is not coming out of this. We need to do something else."
Myka pulled out her Farnsworth again. "Artie, we used the key to jumpstart Claudia's heart. She is breathing and her pulse is back. But she still isn't awake."
John stepped up, "Tell him you put the key next to her heart. See if he can find out anything else."
Myka relayed the information, "Artie, is there anything else we can do?" She heard in the background, "Use the key to unlock her mind." She was surprised. It almost made sense, "Pete, was that you?"
John heard it too, "That's right. It should work."
Myka looked at John, "Just who are you?"
"A retired Regent," he said in a whisper to her ear.
Myka took the key and put it to the temple of Claudia's head. She turned it and saw a spark. "It worked," she said as Claudia again gasped and opened her eyes. "Hey you. How do you feel?"
In the background she could hear, "Score another for Pete." She wasn't going to let that one go, even if John agreed to do it. "Pete, Pete that can't be right. You don't use a key to unlock a person's mind. That's ridiculous."
"It worked. Score for the Pete," Pete called out over the Farnsworth.
Claudia was smiling at the banter. "Okay, did I combusted that time?" Claudia asked. She remembered back to the wrestlers and her falling into the vat of Boiling Point. It did feel like she was on fire.
"Well, almost." Myka had a tear in her eye and gave Claudia a hug.
"She was…" Claudia started.
"We know. You saved us all," John looked at her smiling. "You're awfully young for this."
"Yes, we know. But she is one of us," Myka smiled back at her.
"And maybe a bit more," John whispered. He moved back when he saw Henry and the Fire Department Medics come into the room.
"Artie, it worked. We'll talk with you later. We have company." Myka closed the Farnsworth and let the medics check Claudia and the others.
Later at the hotel Claudia and Myka were sitting at the table in Claudia's room. Claudia looked around the room again, "John sure does know how to pick hotels. This is sweet." She admired the Ritz-Carlton furnishings in the hotel's executive suite.
Myka looked at Claudia, "So, are you okay? I mean you were hit by lightning."
"Actually, I think the Tesla had an effect on that. Without any measurements to verify it, I think the Tesla worked like a nulling agent on the lightning." Claudia turned her laptop display to Myka, "Just like at home. I remembered one of the artifacts did something like that. Here it is a model of the interaction. Tesla, himself, had hypothesized that there were be a null reaction." She looked at her hand, "But I still got burned."
"Well, Artie did call us because there were two strikes. Maybe after you stopped the first one, she fired again," Myka offered.
"I guess I'll remember to fire until they are down. Pete said something like that but I did not understand," Claudia shrugged. She moved the laptop around and entered a few more strokes on the keyboard. Happy with what she had, she turned it back, "This is what Mrs. Frederic was looking for." The game, Little War, was displayed on the screen. "What does it do?"
Mrs. Frederic surprised them, "It wins wars. If you control the game, it will control the outcome of battles and then the war." John and Mrs. Frederic had entered the room.
A/N Please review.