Chapter Four

"I feel like I don't know what I'm looking for." Claudia's shoulders slumped in defeat as she spun around to face Artie.

"That's because you don't." Artie had his nose in a book that looked to Claudia to be suspiciously not research related.

"I've researched everything I could about Rosewood, and there's no historical event that would have triggered an artifact that I can find."

"It was probably something that was brought there, but until Myka and H.G. find out what's going on, we won't be able to determine exactly what kind of artifact it was, or how much of the goings on have been because of it."

Claudia threw up her hands. "Then what am I even doing?"

"I don't know, but it's kept you quiet for the past hour."

Claudia huffed in response, "What are YOU doing?"

"Reading this fascinating book called Silverlock - the main characters meet characters from history, legends, and even Shakespeare."

Claudia rolled her eyes. "I'm going to go see what Pete and Jinksy are up to."

"Oh yes, make sure the gargoyles didn't get the better of them, will you?"

Claudia made her way to the back of the Warehouse and surveyed the seemingly neverending expanse of the Warehouse. She scanned the aisles for any sign of the boys and wasn't surprised to see flashes of purple and grey off in the distance. She strapped a goo gun to her hip and hopped on the zipline, landing smoothly about three feet away from the tangle of limb and stone. With two carefully placed shots, the gargoyles froze and became inanimate again, and her fellow agents froze in surprise. She dramatically blew out the non-existent smoke from the end of her gun and said, "No need to thank me, boys."

Steve smirked and untangled his arms from the now-frozen gargoyle he had been wrestling, then clutched his heart and donned a high-pitched southern accent, "My hero!" While he pretended to swoon, Pete struggled to get his shirt free from the closed fist of his stone enemy.

"We had this..." he grunted with the strain as he continued to pull at his shirt. "...under controo-oh!" his last word turned into a yelp as the fabric of his shirt tore off in the gargoyle's hand, sending him flying backwards into a shelf.

"I'm sure you did, cowboy." Claudia laughed. "Now let's get these bad boys back where they belong and get out of here. We're kind of at a stand still on the Rosewood case, so Artie might let us loose for some lunch."

Pete lost his pout and brightened up. "Lunch! I like lunch!" The three of them worked together to heave the heavy stone figures back to their shelf and archived them before heading back up to Artie's office.

Myka and Helena stood in front of the Edgewood Motor Court and looked around while the cab pulled away. Helena spoke first, "Artie really went all out, didn't he?"

Myka laughed, "I'm sure there weren't that many options in the middle-of-nowhere Pennsylvania. Besides, it's not all bad." Helena arched her eyebrows incredulously. Myka ignored her. "Let's get checked in."

Helena followed Myka into the front office, where there was a greasy-looking old man who was missing a few teeth and staring at a small, old-fashioned television that was playing a gritty, black-and-white show with no sound. The carpet in the office was stained and worn thin in a bunch of places, and the whole office had a dank, musty smell to it. Helena leaned in slightly and whispered into Myka's ear, "Not that bad?"

Myka tossed her a reproving glance and walked up to the counter, forcing a smile and adding extra cheer to her voice in case her wariness slipped through. "Excuse me, we would like to check in. I believe the reservation is under Myka Bering."

The man didn't respond. Instead, he continued to stare unblinkingly at the television. Myka shifted uncomfortably. "Um...sir? Excuse me?"

She looked at Helena for help but Helena just shrugged, also unsure of what to do. Myka reached up and rang the little bell on the counter, but still the man didn't move. Helena whispered again, "Maybe he's dead."

Myka stifled a laugh,"Stop it!" she whispered back.

Helena stepped forward now and leaned over the counter, extending her arm in front of the man's face, waving it around between him and the television. "Hello! Sir, you have customers!" She was practically shouting.

The man barely flinched, but slowly turned toward them, taking them both in, barely seeming to care that they were there or what they were there for. He reached his hand up behind his ear and twisted something, bringing his hearing aid to their attention.

"Welcome to the Edgewood Motor Court, how may I assist you?" His voice was even slower than his movements had been, and his eyes didn't seem to be focused on anything in particular.

Myka repeated her request in a clear, slow voice. "We called ahead for reservations? Myka Bering?"

The man slid a clipboard in front of him and slowly dragged a bony finger down the page, stopping when he reached Myka's name. "Room 7," he croaked. He slowly turned and pulled a key off a ring behind him, then placed it on the counter and slid it towards the women. "Enjoy your stay in Rosewood," he said, not sounding very genuine or as though he were speaking to anyone in particular.

"Thank you..." Myka said cautiously as she picked up the keys off the counter. Without further ado, the man slowly turned back to his television and reached up to turn his hearing aid off again.

Even after they exited the office, Helena still kept her voice low, "Must not get a lot of visitors here."

Myka looked around at the empty parking lot and the deep expanse of woods behind the motel. "No, I don't suppose they do."

Myka turned the key and tried to open the door to Room 7, but felt that it was stuck, the old wooden door warped with time and weather. She took a step back and tried again, this time putting her hip into it, and the door burst open, causing a layer of dust to puff up from the rug and a similar musty smell as the one in the main office to wash over her and Helena. Myka took a few cautious steps into the room, sending up a few more puffs of dust as she did so. She surveyed the room - yellowing, peeling wallpaper, an old dresser, two full beds with dingy olive green bedspreads, separated by a beat-up looking nightstand. Helena moved past Myka. "Romantic, isn't it?" she joked, going to toss her suitcase on the bed nearest the door.

"Helena, don't-" but it was too late. The suitcase landed on the bed with a dull thump and dust flew up into the air, causing both women to choke and sputter. Helena started laughing out an apology while Myka hurried to the window and tried to pry it open. Helena came beside her and helped her hoist it open, and they both took in deep breaths of fresh air, both wheezing from the combination of laughing and choking.

They turned and leaned against the window, facing the room and watching the dust flecks dance in the sunlight.

"So Artie got us one room, but got us a room with two beds. Do you think he's onto us?"

Helena laughed, "I think everyone is on to us. I don't know why you insist on keeping us a secret."

"Not a secret, necessarily," Myka said defensively. "I just don't want them to think our relationship will interfere with our ability to be great agents. I want them to see that we can still work together and be together and keep the two things separate."

Helena turned to face Myka. "So, if this case goes well, you think we can stop sneaking around?"

"We're not sneaking around!"

"Last week I put my hand on your shoulder to get your attention and your eyes nearly bugged out of your head in fear."

"Okay, I might be a little oversensitive about it. I just... we worked so hard to get you back in Artie's good graces, I don't want anything to ruin that."

"Myka, as long as you still vouch for me, the team will trust me. I wouldn't be here if you had given up on me, but you never stopped believing there was goodness in me, and it's thanks to you I am back on the team."

Myka smiled. "I was right, though, wasn't I? You have plenty of goodness in you."

Helena's smile suddenly because mischievous and she stepped towards Myka, putting her hands around Myka's waist and pulling her close. She leaned her mouth right next to Myka's ear and whispered, "But I can be a little naughty, too."

Myka's heart skipped a beat and her breath grew shallow. She lifted her arms around Helena's neck. "Oh, I know you can be." She kissed Helena fiercely, passionately, running her fingers through Helena's long, silky hair and feeling every curve of her body pressed against her own.

Helena walked Myka backwards to the bed, unceremoniously shoving her suitcase off onto the floor, and gently laying them both down. She flipped them over so she was peering down at Myka, whose curls were played out around her head like a beautiful mane. "So much for not mixing business with pleasure," she said, her voice low and sultry. Myka reached up and pulled her in for another kiss, the decrepit room around them falling away so that there was just the two of them, and nothing else.

Myka was pulling a black blazer over a light pink button-down when Helena came out of the bathroom, one towel wrapped around her body and using another to pat her hair dry.

"Where do you reckon we should start?" she asked, taking in Myka's outfit with an approving smile.

Myka finished giving herself the once over and turned to pick up some papers she had put on the dresser. "Well, I'm not sure where the girls would be on a Saturday, but I thought we could take a walk around the town and see what we can see. It looks like Emily works part time at a coffee shop, so maybe we can go there and see if the girls stop by. I don't want to approach them at home, I don't want them to feel cornered or attacked."

"Sounds lovely. Do you have a plan on how we're going to get them to open up?"

"I'm hoping if we tell them we research strange and unusual things, make it obvious we're apt to believe them, not matter how ridiculous things sound, they might be willing to give us a shot. They're certainly no strangers to odd things happening to them."

Myka tried not to stare as Helena answered while she finished getting dressed. "I don't know who wouldn't trust that face." Helena winked at Myka.

Myka smiled and sat down on the edge of the bed, looking once more at the photos of the four girls. "I'm not sure they would know who to trust anymore."

Helena buttoned the last button on her navy blue vest and straightened out the light blue cuffs of her sleeves. "Hopefully we'll be able to convince them that we're only here to help."

A car horn beeped outside and both women jumped. Myka let out a laugh, "I called a cab while you were in the shower, Artie arranged for a car, but the rental place is too far to walk."

Helena laughed, too. "Looks like this place is already getting to us."

"Let's hope the rest of the town isn't quite so...eerie."

The two women grabbed their coats and headed outside to the cab, Myka locking the door behind them.