Chapter 3 Power in Numbers

"We need to figure out what is going on here," Pete said.

"Ya think?" Myka responded getting more concerned by the minute. "We need Claudia to research this," she said and started to walk away. "Come on!" she yelled to Pete who then hurried behind her with HG in tow. They finally reached Claudia. They explained what they thought happened and that they needed her help with an antidote artifact.

"So HG here only wants to be with you?" she asked Pete incredulously. "Not Myka? Just you?" she asked with both eyebrows raised. Myka felt some comfort in the fact that her young friend also thought this was unbelievable.

"What can I say, it's the animal magnetism," Pete responded and then instinctively held his arm expecting Myka to punch him. HG did not copy him though and Myka was thinking about what he said.

"Something is drawing her to you," Myka said because she knew in her heart, this was not HG's choosing. "Look we have to go through all the artifacts that were on her cart and figure out if there was a combination that caused this," Myka said.

"That could take hours. Artie's got me running a security sweep and we won't be able to access stuff until later," Claudia said. "What do we do with her until then?"

"Pete, you have to take her home," Myka said.

"What? No way. I'm not babysitting ….. this," he said unsure of what to call HG right now. They all looked at HG, especially Claudia who was expecting the Brit to go postal on Pete for that remark. She stood there smiling…. At Pete.

"Look Pete, I don't know what's going on but it's obvious that whatever it is, it has her attached to you," Myka said with a mixture of disappointment and concern.

"Well, what do I do with her? I'm not taking her shopping or having tea, ok? I didn't cause this," Pete said defensively.

"I don't think she wants you to do anything. Just take her home. Watch TV with her," Myka said looking over at HG and then thought over her answer. "Listen Lattimer, don't do anything funny. This isn't a pet project you got here," she said with warning in her voice. She was even surprised at the sharpness of her tone.

"Ok, ok Mykes. Take it easy," he said trying not to be insulted. "I'll watch television with her," he assured her because bad mood aside, he knew this had to be bothering Myka.

"We'll be back as soon as we can get some answers," Myka said. Pete nodded his head and started to leave. Without a word, HG followed after him. But she looked back at Myka this time and Myka was sure she read something in those dark eyes.

"According to Pete, the Revere Rattle has a very weak effect and doesn't last long," Myka told Claudia.

"Good cause I never thought I'd have to say this but I'm worried about what HG is going to be like with more Pete time," she said.

"Let's look at all the items on her cart today. Maybe she touched them together," Claudia said. "Look at Pete's stuff too. Maybe he touched something and forgot," Myka suggested.

Claudia tried to access the computers in the Warehouse but with the security scan going on in the background, it was slowing everything down. Claudia said she could possibly write a program to cross reference HG's symptoms but Myka would have to describe what she saw. The tech whiz grabbed a pad and started to write Myka's words down.

"She seems very attached. She had a panic attack when he left before. And she didn't seem to know where he went even though we both saw him go down the aisle. It's like there's a lack of object permanence," Myka said and Claudia wrote the words and then looked at her.

"It's why babies fall for 'peek-a-boo'. When you put your hands up in front of your face, they think you really disappeared. And then when you take your hands away, you're back and they're surprised," Myka explained.

"Sounds kinda cruel when you put it that way," Claudia said honestly. "So you think some part of HG has been reduced to being a baby?"

"That's what the rattle does. Reduces you to 6 -12 months but for a short time. I think something else is at work here," Myka said.

An hour later, Claudia had managed to type in all the words Myka gave her. She was cross referencing the rattle with the other artifacts on their lists today but it was going to take some time. Myka paced the floor like a nervous father until Claudia yelled at her to sit down. "Sorry, Myka," she said.


In the meantime, Pete transported HG back to the B&B. With Artie still in the Warehouse, they figured it was better to get her out of his sight. Myka let Leena know that they were on their way and asked her to fix HG tea. Nothing settled Helena like Leena's tea.

Pete was trying to look on the bright side of this situation. He was home early, there was a college football game on and he was pretty sure he was going to get his choice of toppings on the pizza tonight. "Let's get sausage and pepperoni, ok HG?" he planted the seed early. "Yes, I want that too," she said for the first time in her life. He grabbed two Cokes from the fridge and the chips. He had on his old college t shirt that he wore when watching the games and only managed to change because he promised HG if she waited outside his room he would give her one, too. Within seconds though, she called out for him and he rushed back to her.

Leena walked in with the tray of tea and nearly dropped it. "What is she wearing?" she asked when she saw HG decked out in the oversized gray t shirt. "My t shirt," Pete said trying to watch the game.

"And this is because….?" Leena asked nothing being able to fathom the explanation.

"Oh yeah, well she touched an artifact and it's making her a little more Pete friendly," Pete said and there was a smile across his face.

"I got rattled," HG said repeating his joke and then looked at Pete and she laughed only when he did. "Good one, HG" he said approvingly and she smiled.

"Oh this is not good," Leena said and put the tea down by HG looking at her.

"Do you feel okay, Helena?" Leena asked. HG looked at her and then at Pete. "I feel fine, thank you," she responded. "Pete let me wear this," she said proudly about her attire.

"Yes, it's very nice. Maybe some nice tea will help?" Leena said offering her the cup.

"Do you drink tea?" HG asked Pete who was holding the can of soda. "What? No, HG but you can have it."

"No thank you, I want that," she said pointing to the soda.

"But HG, this is tea – the way you like it," Leena said because in all the time she knew the Brit, she had never seen her drink soda.

"No, I want that!" she said more strongly and Pete jumped to get it. Leena looked at them in amazement. "Does Myka …," she started but Pete cut her off. "Yes, and they're working on a cure as we speak. It's ok she's just a little - attached," he explained as he opened the can and handed it to HG ….. with a napkin. "Here you go, HG. Don't drink it too fast."

Now Leena wasn't sure which one of them was surprising her more.

"OK well you call me if you need any help," Leena said anxious to get back to the kitchen to call Myka. When she got Myka on the phone, the frustration in her voice was palpable. Myka told her the program was running in the background of the security check and would take hours. They were headed home since Claudia assured them she could check on the progress from home.

"How is HG?" she asked Leena.

"She's a little more Pete than usual," Leena said because the words failed her. A little more Pete turned out to be the perfect description. When Myka walked in to the living room, HG was next to Pete and both of them were slouching on the couch. Myka stared at HG's attire and the can of soda in her hand.

"Pete?" she said wide eyed.

"What the frack is she drinking?" Claudia asked.

"Myka please, we're trying to watch the game," Pete said because the score was close.

"Yeah Myka," HG said and Claudia put her hand up behind Myka's back to steady her.

"Did she just…," Myka asked weakly and Claudia nodded her head. "Pete!" Myka yelled.

"You told me to watch TV with her," he said pointing to it.

"Yeah, ya did Myka," HG confirmed.

"It's just the Notre Dame game, Mykes," Pete said practically pleading.

"We're rooting for the Fighting Irish," HG said proudly.

"Oh brother," Claudia let out.

The team scored and Pete jumped up off the couch yelling and HG followed suit. "Gimme some, HG," Pete called and they did the chest bump – lightly. Then they both drank the rest of their sodas, fell back on the couch and for the first time in the Brit's life ….she burped out loud. Pete gave HG a high five and she knew what to do.

"I'm going to need a drink," Myka said retreating to the kitchen overwhelmed by the transformation of her partner. She walked into the kitchen where Leena was getting the plates ready for the pizza pies.

"You ordered too many pepperoni and sausage," Claudia said as she perused the boxes.

"No, they insisted I order more," Leena said casting her eyes toward the living room.

"He's going to let her eat pepperoni? Is he nuts? She can't eat that. We'll be up all night with her when she's throwing up. What is he thinking?" Myka said because her emotions were starting to boil over.

"He might have been thinking she could make her own choices?" Claudia said not looking at Myka. And it was good thing she wasn't. Leena thought her stare was only second to HG's in intensity.


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