The four men at GD walked the halls, scanning for other signs of life. "You got anything yet?" Nathan led the way.

"Not yet," Nick answered.

"These sensor's designed to detect any known strain of bacteria, but if it's a new one, it may not pick up," Taggart put in.

"Very helpful," Jack said sarcastically. They came to a split hall. "I think we go left."

"I'm pretty sure it's to the right," Nathan countered.

"Right ahead, mates," Taggart corrected.

"I'm all for going back," Nick said as a wire sparked near them from a pile of rubble.

"It's blocked, we gotta go left," Jack said as straight ahead was blocked by rubble.

"You mean right," Nathan said.

"Not helping," Taggart sing-songed. "The bacteria did this?"

"That was before it found the iron in our blood tastier then metal," Jack said as he looked around.

"Looks like we'll have to go over the top," Nick said, starting the discussion between the four of them.

"No, no, no. We'll be electrocuted."

"No, just don't touch the wires."

"Well, we'll have better access if just go under." Taggart mimed going under the rubble.

"Yeah, and more unstable," Nathan added.

"Unstable? You're unstable, if you want to go shooting over…" Jack jumped back in.

"Shut it! All of you!" Taggart turned to them. "You're like a couple of old women! I've determined the path of least resistance," he said before crouching.

"We're going under," Jack smiled.

"I love small spaces," Taggart said.

"I hate small spaces." Jack's smile fell quickly.

"Like returning to the womb."

"It's a disturbing thought," Nathan added.

Taggart struggled for a moment before stopping. "We need a bigger womb."

"That's it," Nick said, fed up. "I'm going over the top." Until the floor fell out from under him and Nathan.

Jack and Taggart helped them up quickly. "Well, that was exciting." Taggart panted as Nick sat beside him.

"Carter," Nathan said before Jack looked to him. "Thanks."

"No problem," Jack said before the four men went over the pile of rubble.

XXXXXX

Inside the Panic Room, Henry and Beverly stood shocked as the Artifact calmly sat on the arm of the couch. "You say that the people in this building are not responsible enough to handle the access to the field. What makes you any different?"

"I-it's not m-me. It's the group I work with." Beverly stuttered at first.

"'A consortium of people who have the world's best interests in mind,'" the Artifact took from her mind.

Beverly looked awed, stunned, and frightened simultaneously. "We will give both of you all the protection you need."

"Like hell, you will," Allison said standing between them. "Like I said, there's no way out of here."

"You, and I know that's not true," Henry said getting closer to her. "There is one way out, and your security code can access it."

"No."

"No?" Allison crossed her arms. "One way or the other, we are taking Summer and your son." Henry left her alone.

Allison looked distraught and the Artifact sighed and opened its arms to the woman. She gladly accepted and dropped herself onto the floor and put her head in its lap. "What am I going to do?"

"Do not despair. Everything will turn out the way it should."

"I wish I knew that for sure," Allison said tearfully as the Artifact gently brushed her hair aside.

"Soon."

XXXXXX

A/n: and now I'm caught up. Personally, I don't like the Artifact. I can't ever get It to do what I want.