Chapter 4

July 22, 1832 Warehouse 12

"So what do you think?" Julian asked as he handed his sister a cup of tea.

"I have to admit brother I'm quite impressed, given what you have to work with on this planet," Jamison replied. She sat down across from Julian on a high backed chair in his office.

"I wish I could take all the credit," Julian replied, running a hand through his short salt and pepper hair, "but Mr. Smithson did a good bit of work on this redesign."

"The Regent?" Jamison asked. She had met the young man briefly a couple of years ago on a quick visit to Warehouse 11. Julian had asked her and her team to provide a bit of extra protection as they began to move the curiosities to London.

"Yes, he has been ever so helpful." Julian smiled. Jamison knew that look.

"In what way?"

Much to Jamison's surprise, he brother blushed.

The younger woman sighed. Her brother, the scholar, the researcher, the artificer, was a brilliant man. He was careful in his designs, in his planning, in ensuring all of his duties as the ageless caretaker of the Warehouse were completed. His heart, however, was another matter.

He had fallen in love with one of the Regents at Warehouse 8. Jamison remembered attending the wedding with her parents and arguing with Jack about the promise of humanity. Julian's wife, Lisle, was a lovely woman with a caring nature and Jamison had approved of the match.

Much to Jamison's surprise on her next visit to her brother, two years later, Julian had a son with another child on the way. She had thought her species incompatible with Humans and unable to produce children. Henrich had been the spitting image of his father and Jamison couldn't help but delight in spoiling her first nephew on every visit.

Julian and Lisle had six children, two boys and four girls, and when Lisle had passed many years later she was surrounded by what seemed like dozens of grandchildren and great grandchildren. From that time on there were always a few of Julian's line working in the warehouse as researches, as sometime assistants on missions, on the security team, even an occasional Regent or two. In thinking about Julian's current situation, she realized that it had been several years since someone from his family had been beside him at the Warehouse.

Julian had never remarried but he had fallen in love again. Many times. Some had been fantastic matches, such as Amir, a young man who owned the bakery across the street from Warehouse 9. Jamison had found him quite charming and his meat pies had yet to be equaled.

Others were complete disasters, such as Giovanna, a lady in waiting for a member of the Romanoff court in the early years of Warehouse 11. Jamison had found her completely repugnant and most likely insane. Her visits had been short and infrequent during Julian's two year stint with The Harpy.

Since Lisle, however, all of Julian's affairs had been with people not associated with the Warehouse. None of them, to her knowledge, even knew of its existence. As Caretaker, Julian didn't have to travel like the Regents to collect curiosities, so it was easier for him to keep his purpose a secret.

Things seemed to have changed.

"So you and this Mr. Smithson," Jamison asked carefully. Julian's love life could become quite the hot topic between the two.

At Julian's silence, Jamison gave an exasperated sigh. The only thing she remembered from her brief time spent with the human Regent was an uncomfortable feeling. Something was definitely off about that man.

Hopefully he wouldn't turn out to be another Giovanna.

"Times are changing on this world Jamison," Julian spoke after an awkward silence. "Humans may soon be able to comprehend a world beyond their own. You know it is in their nature."

"At the appropriate time brother," Jamison ran a tension filled hand through her spiky hair. "I have seen many human worlds and this one is not ready and may not be ready for some time. After what happened with Warehouse 11, how can entertain such a line of thought? If men can continue to kill for these curiosities, what would they do to obtain a foreign import such as yourself?"

"Mr. Smithson, Reginald, is a Regent Jamison," Julian didn't back down. "He has sworn to uphold the secrets of the Warehouse. He helped me to design this new one. You weren't there at the end of Warehouse 11 sister. He saved my life."

"And now you owe him?" Jamison snorted.

"He didn't just save my life, he saved my heart." Julian lost some steam. "I am old sister and tired of being alone. I am beginning to see the sunset as my time as Caretaker. Is it so wrong to want to spend part of my final years in the company of love?"

Jamison's heart broke just a little to see the look in her brother's eyes. Pushing down her misgivings about the situation, she reached out and took his hand, giving it a squeeze.

"So when can I be reintroduced to your Mr. Smithson?"

September 2011 Warehouse 13

"For the last time Agent Latimer, do NOT touch the equipment," a stern voice echoed down the hall.

Myka couldn't help but chuckle at the familiar frustrated tone in Commander Silver's voice. She had said variations of the same phrase countless times to her partner over the years.

The trip to level two had seemed to take forever as the little used elevator slowly creaked downward. Myka found herself leaning slightly against the back wall watching HG and Cap chat casually about some project the pair had been working on in their spare time.

HG's ability to adapt to any time and any technology never ceased to amaze. Her time spent with Captain Black all those years ago explained the ease in which the inventor adapted to the 21st century. From what little she'd seen, even 100 or so years ago Jamison's people were far more advanced even then than society now.

During a lull in the conversation with the lieutenant, HG had caught Myka's eye. In the semi-darkness her brown eyes had seemed to take on an unearthly glow that caused Myka's blood to race. She had little doubt that the attraction they had both danced around before was back in full force.

Reaching their designated floor, Cap fell silent as he led the way down a long hallway. He was right in how much this part of the warehouse had fallen. Paint was peeling off the walls, broken ceiling tiles littered the floor. Dust, cobwebs and other debris were everywhere Myka could see.

The sound of Claudia and Pete bickering brought the secret service agent back to the present. The trio had reached the end of the long hallway to a large storage area. Crates and wooden boxes both empty and full were scattered throughout the large room.

In the center of the room there was a tall cylindrical device that reminded Myka of a Christmas tree. It looked to be made of steel, or perhaps steel, and had an unearthly glow cause by an indiscernible light source. A control panel was on one side of the apparatus that consisted of levers, knobs and buttons.

Myka quickly realized why Claudia had called for HG.

"For a moment I thought this might be one of yours," Commander Silver said to HG who had been captivated by the device.

"I daresay not," HG replied, slowly circling the object.

"This'll help," Claudia's voice called out from the darkness.

"Let there be light!" Pete shouted and gave Claudia a high five as the duo returned to the center of the room.

"So Princess of the 1890s," Pete looked at HG, "any ideas what this does?"

"Haven't the foggiest," HG replied, stepping over to the control panel on the device. "It does appear to be attached to the warehouse proper."

"I've put in a call to the Regent archives," Commander Silver explained to the group, "to have them pull the original schematics and blueprints for this warehouse."

"Did you also request those of the 1898 warehouse?" HG asked. "This could be something from that earlier failed design."

"Good call HG," Claudia nodded. "Forgot about that Warehouse 13-A."

"And scan results?" HG asked, knowing the team's procedures almost as well as those for the Warehouse.

"Nothing came up," Commander Silver replied.

"So it's safe?" Myka asked.

"No," the commander shook her head, "according to our scans, there's nothing there. Nothing comes up either organic or mechanical. Cap was able to get a sample of the metal out to the lab on the ship but it'll be awhile before we get anything."

"Totally Twilight Zone time," Claudia commented, exchanging an uneasy look with Myka.

"We could always push a button or two," Pete volunteered.

"Absolutely not," HG shook her head. "There is something familiar about this machine. And it's not providing me with a good 'vibe' as you would call it Agent Latimer."

"You would be correct in your assessment HG," Jamison's voice caused everyone in the room to jump. She was coming from the opposite end of the room from where Myka and HG had entered. Still shrouded in semi darkness, Myka's keen eyes could see something was wrong with her gait.

Commander Silver had already moved to Jamison's side. HG and Cap quickly followed.

"There's been a breach," the Captain rasped. "Whoever was here is gone, but we managed to stumble upon one of their parting gifts."

"Where's the rest of the team?" The Commander asked.

"Shutting down the last of Jack's surprises," Jamison gave a weak grin. "As always I'm the first to find these things."

Myka couldn't help but notice the look of concern that flashed on the Commander's face for a brief moment.

"Do you need assistance to get back to the ship?"

"No Commander, I can manage. I did find these before things got wild," Jamison reached into a small bag tied at her waist. She pulled out two small bronze discs.

"Look familiar," she said, handing Cap and HG the items.

"If I didn't know better I'd say I designed this," HG replied.

"We'll take it up to the ship and get working on the analysis," Cap added.

Myka moved over to where Pete and Claudia stood, taking in the scene before them. From their vantage point they could see that the Captain's right thigh was wrapped tightly in a makeshift bandage. Myka's sharp eyes saw that the now completely brown rag had once been white. Femoral artery had been severed, if the captain was human.

"Dude," Claudia said softly, "if there was any doubt these cats weren't human."

"I know," Pete replied, a little in awe. "Talk about bad ass."

"Guys this is way more serious that we thought," Myka said to both of them. "Who knows how long ago this breech happened? No one's been down to this part of the warehouse in decades."

"It's going to be the inventory from hell." Pete shook his head.

"Why didn't we know about all of this? These lower levels, secret creepy devices?" Myka gestured to the area around them.

"Super secret Regenty stuff I'm sure." Claudia offered. "I bet even Artie doesn't know about what's down here."

Myka's reply was swallowed by the arrival of another team from one end of the room and the return of the rest of Captain Black's group from the other. The four men looked to be in better shape than Jamison, but were obviously hurting.

HG could see the worried expressions on her friend's faces from across the room. She too felt trepidation at what they were all facing.

"HG," Cap said. "Let's go. We've got to get these back to the lab." He held up the two small bronze discs.

"Righty-ho then."