A/N: This is a product of me being me between classes. I quite enjoy doing pointless things instead of homework. Maybe someday I'll get it right, but for now I am happy being ignorant.
Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own it. Never will.
Chapter 3
"Leena, where are Lattimer and Bering?" Mrs. Fredric asks one quiet day. Pete and Myka have left to go do inventory at the Warehouse. Claudia is upstairs and Artie is prowling around the Bed and Breakfast somewhere because Leena can sense him. She is inundated with the aura surrounding the dog, Trai, which owns Artie. She is still not sure how that works.
"The Warehouse," she replies evenly without turning around.
"Are you sure that is wise?" Mrs. Fredric asks in the next heartbeat. No, she is not sure it is wise. The two of them have been spending more time than is normal for anyone together. Artie added locks to their bedroom doors that can only be accessed from the outside. He fears that he will have to designate time for them to spend apart. He is hopeful that will help the situation. Neither Pete nor Myka have quite figured out how to control the emotions of two.
"They will not harm each other," Leena decides to say. Mrs. Fredric makes a small sound of annoyance. Leena turns to face the other woman and is met with a steely stare. Leena swallows quickly, unsure of what the woman plans. It feels like only a short time ago Mrs. Frederic tried to kill her. Granted it was to get an artifact, but that doesn't make it any less scary.
"I did not give them permission to go to the Warehouse," Mrs. Frederic tells Leena. Leena doesn't have a response. There had yet to be a rule that Mrs. Frederic chose where and when Pete and Myka went anywhere.
"I admit I have not been keeping a tab on the Warehouse as much as I should have. It forms attachments just like a person. It does not like when its attachments leave," Mrs. Frederic offers before Leena can speak. In the next moment, Mrs. Frederic leaves. Leena doesn't see her go, but she knows where she is going. It's going to be a long day for Pete and Myka.
Pete is in aisle 23 staring at the original Kermit the Frog doll. He is trying very hard to keep his hands off of it as he checks off the item. Jim Henson was one of his favorite actors as a child. He had wanted to escape into that world so many times after his father had died. His sister loved watching it, because the puppets did so much to animate what they were saying. It was one of the only shows she watched as a child.
Myka is walking around aisle 54 not bothering to admire anything. She knows that everything here can be used to do something dangerous. It is not something she wants to get involved with. Her life has taken a freaky enough turn as of late. The Warehouse is the reason for that. At least in the Warehouse, they can be away from each other without the added strain. She has found that she feels his emotions less when they are within the walls of the Warehouse. It is the only place they feel safe when they are apart.
"Mrs. Frederic!" she exclaims when the woman appears behind her. A raised eyebrow is all she gets for her loud greeting. Mrs. Frederic's arms cross as she waits patiently for Myka to calm.
"Where is Agent Lattimer?" Mrs. Frederic asks only a few seconds later.
"Doing inventory in aisle 23. He and I decided to split up so we could get things done faster," she explains quickly. The words are barely out of her mouth when a scream echoes though the Warehouse. Myka begins to run.
"PETE!" she screams. She turns the corner, but Mrs. Frederic is already there, detaching the mask on his face.
"The original Mardi Gras mask is not to be touched Agent Lattimer," Mrs. Frederic iterates. Myka shakes her head. There is no teaching him anything. He touches anything he can get his hands on. Myka can only imagine why he would want to play with the mask. Knowing Pete, he tried to make himself a superhero or something.
"Did you feel his fear, Agent Bering?" Mrs. Frederic asks her.
"No…" she supplies carefully.
"You felt your own fear," Mrs. Frederic supplies.
"He screamed…" she starts, "I thought he was in trouble. I was just protecting my partner."
"Good. I will try to reason with the Warehouse. Let's hope this aura mess can be straightened out shortly," Mrs. Frederic told them both. Myka turns to look at Pete and then back to Mrs. Frederic. What she sees is an expanse of aisle in either direction. Mrs. Frederic has gone again.