XXXXXX- All That Glitters

Nathan. The Artifact, Allison and Kevin were in one of the medical labs taking blood samples. Nathan withdrew a needle from Kevin's arm. "Put your finger there. Put your arm up. And you are good to go, kiddo."

Kevin did as asked and said, "loss of hemoglobin makes my blood sugar low, you know?"

"Well, you know what else I know? The cafeteria has chocolate chip cookies today," Nathan said handing the tubes of blood to the Artifact while looking at Allison.

Kevin turned hopefully to his mother, who smiled. "Go ahead."

"Please take the canine assistant with you," the Artifact added.

Kevin nodded and jumped off the table, running out the door with Sam. Allison watched with a smile. "I couldn't let him do that by himself a month ago. He communicates so well now."

"Just like a normal human child," the Artifact said as it looked at the samples with a small grimace.

"It scares me," Allison said turning to it. "I'm afraid of what the change might be doing to him."

"You're talking about Carl Carlson," Nathan said.

"Aren't you? He's the only other person who has had a connection with the Artifact."

"Not like the human child, nor this receptacle," the Artifact stated as it began testing the blood.

"If only a fraction of it killed Carl…"

"I did not kill him." The Artifact whipped around to face Allison with a harsh glare.

"Ali…" Nathan held her arms. We're working on it."

"Nothing will happen to him," the Artifact assured as it turned back to it's work.

Allison looked from Nathan to the Artifact. "What did happen to Carlson?"

"He was absorbed," it said simply.

XXXXXX

The next day Nick walked down main street with coffee in hand. As he passed the statue of Pythagoras he looked up. "What the hell?" Gold flecks started eating away and replacing the copper. He pulled out his phone. "Yeah, Jo? You need to get down here. This statue of Pythagoras is turning into gold."

XXXXXX

Jo called Jack, who when he arrived, called Henry. Henry scanned the statue. "It looks like pure 24-karat gold."

"Wasn't there a fairytale about turning metal into gold," Jack asked as Nick imputed the data into Henry's computer.

"The ancient science of alchemy," Henry offered.

"The modern term is transmutation," Nick supplied standing. "People have been obsessed about this myth for millennia."

"You guys still okay to take some samples, do your thing?" Jack gestured to the now fully golden statue.

Henry sighed and put his scanner away. "I'll try, but I'm not sure I have the right equipment in my garage."

"Why don't you use your lab at GD?"

"I don't have a lab at GD. I was locked out."

"What?" Both Jack and Nick were surprised.

"Someone is denying me access to Kim's artifact research," Henry explained. He turned his full attention to Jack. "You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Jack thought a moment. "I don't think so."

Henry nodded. "Uh-huh." All three men looked to see Allison headed up the street. "Well, I'll find out what I can about Golden Boy," he said before grabbing his computer from Nick and leaving.

Jack sighed and looked to Nick. "Anything?"

"I know nothing that ain't' been said." Nick surrendered his hands as Allison got closer.

"Yeah, right."

XXXXXX

Later Allison found Nathan and the Artifact hunched over a microscope. The Artifact was the first to speak. "I have been comparing the human child's life cells from last night and from seven days ago; there has been an uncalculated mutation."

"Almost evolutionary," Nathan added.

"Not 'almost.'" Allison corrected him. "He read my mind."

"What?"

"Last night, Kevin knew exactly what I was thinking before I even said it."

"I guess if his blood cells are evolving, his brain cells are, too. But telepathy?" Nathan looked to the Artifact.

"This was an unforeseen complication." The two looked at it surprised. "Yes, even I can be in error."

Allison shook her head. "Carter's not gonna give up his investigation. He wants Beverly's GD file."

"Give it to him," Nathan and the Artifact said together. Allison looked at them confused and Nathan continued. "He'll need to talk to Beverly to make a case. He'll never find her."

"How can you be so sure?" Allison spoke quietly in frightened astonishment.

"Trust me." Nathan shrugged.

Allison looked unsure as Summer returned to consciousness. "I think we should tell her."

"Tell me what?"

"Come with us," Nathan said as he helped Summer stand. Allison nodded and they all left Global in Nathan's car.

Nathan parked in front of his off site lab. "I thought you moved all your research back to GD," Allison said as the three of them went inside. "What are we doing here?"

"We're just trying to give you some piece of mind, Ali," Summer said holding the other woman's hand gently.

Two men in black suits stood in front of the storage room door. One handed Nathan a sealed file. "Transfer papers need to be signed in order to complete delivery." Nathan took the offered pen and scrawled his signature before handing the items back. "The package is now under your jurisdiction. The DOD has herby disavowed all knowledge of it."

Nathan nodded. "Understood."

The two men left and Allison leaned towards Nathan. "What is going on? Why are you two involved with the DOD?"

Summer took up Allison's hand again as Nathan placed his thumb on the door lock. "Identity confirmed." He opened the door to reveal a person in a prison orange jumpsuit and a black bag over their head.

"Oh, my God. Who is that?" Nathan entered the room and pulled off the bag. "Beverly?"

The red head took a moment to adjust to the light. "There's no place like home."

XXXXXX

A/n: I AM ALIVE! And I'm late! I can't remember how late I am.