Claudia looked at the blackboard in Artie's office, trying to memorise what she was seeing. Emotion element stones. There were four of these stones, each named for a specific emotion: Grief, Wrath, Fear and Euphoria.
She knew that Myka and Helena had found Wrath during their artifact snag last week. The caretaker had found out that Grief and Fear had already been stored in the Warehouse since they had been snagged during the 20th century. Judging from what she was seeing on the blackboard and the map right next to it, Claudia concluded that during her time travel, Sarah had been looking for Euphoria. Claudia really hoped that she had found it. Or that she would find it. In the future. Currently, whatever motivated the girl to go on this search was about as clear as mud to the caretaker. As was the incident that had caused her own memory loss. Why would anybody need a stone that gives you a random emotion? But Claudia would do research. She would do enough research to be able to help that girl in the future.
Suddenly, the caretaker started smiling, lowering her gaze away from the blackboard to the ground. Claudia had noticed somebody. Without turning around, she said:
"Hello Mrs. Frederic."
She could hear Irene pause. Maybe the older woman was surprised.
"Claudia." The former caretaker whispered, her tone of voice actually betraying a trace of surprise. "Did you feel the Warehouse noticing me?"
"Yes." The redhead replied and then turned around to find the former caretaker standing in the Umbilicus' door. Claudia had left the door open when she had entered the Warehouse today. She liked to 'claudia' around, but sometimes, she still liked to use a door. "But it's also that you're not walking as quietly as you think you are."
Mrs Frederic bowed her head and walked over to one of the office desks, where she carefully placed her purse. Then, the former caretaker joined the redhead in front of the blackboard.
"So then, Claudia." She began and looked at a sketch of the Wrath stone. "Did you find the artifact I asked you to find?"
Claudia surveyed her from the side and then shrugged. "Actually, Mrs. Frederic. I don't really know. I assume I did. According to these notes - not my handwriting by the way - it must have been in Sioux Falls like you suggested me. But I have some memory loss. It seems I was in Sioux Falls and the ravens were there as well. But I also seem to have lost the artifact again. And I don't know why Myka and HG found me here in Univille. The Warehouse isn't giving me access to the ravens' memory about that. It's like it's desperately trying to leave the situation the way it is."
"Interesting information, Claudia." The older woman spoke, her gaze still pinned to the blackboard. "The Warehouse definitely has its own moods and it's hard to figure out its needs, but you can always be sure it's for its best. And sometimes it's not that important when an artifact finds its way into the Warehouse. Only that it does find its way."
"Are you turning this into a lecture for me, Mrs. F? Because if you know more about this than I do, then you should tell me, but I highly doubt that you do. Otherwise you would have told me directly instead of just giving me a puzzle." The caretaker stated, a slight crease appearing between her eyebrows.
"I have to admit that I don't know anything more about this than you do, Claudia." Mrs. Frederic pursed her lips. Apparently she was frustated.
"Ha! So you gave me a puzzle without knowing its solution?!" Claudia grinned mischievously.
The former caretaker was silent for a brief moment. "I did what I was asked to. And what was best for the Warehouse, Claudia."
"Of course." The redhead's eyebrows furrowed. "Wait... What you were asked to?"
"Time follows different rules for the Warehouse. You will see it for yourself while working for it." The older woman said enigmatically.
"Could you... maybe... just for once in your life just simply say what you want to say?" Claudia sighed loudly. "I'm the caretaker, Mrs. Frederic. I demand clear statements. Leena already mentioned that time follows different rules for her when I became caretaker and I'm really done with having people talk in riddles to me."
Mrs. Frederic turned on her heels to look at her. Her face was strict but she nevertheless looked impressed. "Sarah Bering-Wells, Claudia."
"That kid from the future!" The redhead exclaimed.
"Indeed." The former caretaker nodded thoughtfully.
"What's with her?" Claudia demanded to know. Her eyes widened in surprise when Mrs. Frederic shrugged.
"I have absolutely no idea, Claudia. All I know is that this child has travelled through time twice now. Once with the help of an artifact she and her mothers have created or will create in an uncertain future. And once with the time machine her mother invented in the past. She is the daughter of two time travellers and has travelled through time. Twice." Mrs Frederic surveyed her student. "During the first time, she found Agent Bering and gave her the memory of a future that will never really happen the way she saw it. Because it changed after the memory was made. The second time, she found Agent Wells and gave her the memory of a day that has never happened. Because they had changed it already."
"What are you trying to say?" The caretaker whispered, unsure about what to say or what to even feel.
"From what I've been able to extract from my research and what Agent Bering and Wells have said and done, my working theory is that we are dealing with three women connected to a single artifact over time. A powerful artifact that doesn't merely deal with time travel but also with memory, Claudia." Mrs Frederic inhaled deeply, an atypical show of emotion. "And time and memory are both very dangerous subjects to deal with."
"So what are you going to say? Can we do some-" Claudia tried but Mrs. F interrupted her.
"That I'm concerned, Claudia. That I'm very concerned. And that I have no idea what we will have to face in the future when this child will be born. She has also an incredibly strong connection to the Warehouse." The former caretaker's eyes darted through the room.
"How do you know that?" The redhead whispered.
"She has sent my guide a message across time. Communicating with a guide of the Warehouse is something only its caretaker can do." Irene answered her question.
"So she's caretaker in the future?" Claudia tilted her head questioningly.
Mrs. Frederic's eyes met hers. "Do we know?"
"We probably will, since you seem to be so sure she'll be born." The redhead replied, still confused.
The former caretaker stared at her for a while. "All I'm saying is that when she'll finally be born, somebody will have to look after her."
"And you're asking me to do that." Claudia's words really weren't a question in any sense except the grammatical.
"You're the caretaker." Mrs Frederic said as though no further explanation was needed.
"Indeed I am." The caretaker bowed her head.
"Good." And with that, their conversation seemed to be over for Mrs. Frederic, but Claudia had another question.
"What are we going to do about the Regents?" She asked carefully.
"What about them?" The former caretaker seemed to be surprised.
"Since you are concerned about Myka's and HG's future daughter, I expected you to inform them about that." Claudia suggested, shrugging.
Her eyebrows darted up in surprise as she caught Irene actually rolling her eyes. Mrs. F glared at Claudia.
"I don't think we should bother," Mrs Frederic spat out that word as though it was disgusting her, "the Regents about a non-existant child, Claudia. Not after all that has happened to Agent Wells. Especially because you said you're going to take care of her daughter. I trust you." With an emphatic nod, Irene suggested to the girl that this part of their conversation was over.
The older woman turned to look around the room. "Where did I leave my purse?" She asked, sounding like she was at a loss.
Claudia stared briefly at her but then realised that this was rude. "There on the desk, where you placed it."
"Ah! Alright." Mrs Frederic walked towards the desk, took her purse and then looked at Claudia. The redhead noticed that the older woman looked insecure for a brief moment. "Have a nice day, Claudia."
"You, too, Mrs. Frederic." The redhead regarded the former caretaker carefully while Irene left the office through the Umbilicus' door. With her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Claudia stared at the door for a long while, even after it had closed. Then she looked down and blinked thoughtfully, pondering the older woman's strange behaviour.
Eventually, Claudia took the blackboard's sponge and wiped it clean.
The End (for now)
