IN THE PURPLE LIGHT OF THE OVOID QUARANTINE, Mrs. Frederic and Claudia stared at the young agent's Farnsworth, and listened to the troubling report from Agent Myka Bering.

"This airline flight is the same one Pete and I took before," Myka said. "When we land in Hong Kong, we'll be landing right in same moment on the previous timeline."

"Artie set the Pocketwatch," Claudia said, "so we could time-travel back far enough to change everything. But instead, we've arrived in the middle of the war zone. So we're doomed to relive this timeline."

"No," Myka said. "We cannot lose again."

Claudia looked worriedly at Mrs. Frederic. "You can't die again, and I really don't want to watch you die and decompose like that, either. It was gross." She winced. "No offense."

"None taken," Mrs. Frederic said. "Although we are in the war zone, we haven't lost the war, not yet. And we are not doomed to repeat the past. You have changed this timeline already, by using the Pocketwatch Artifact." She studied Claudia's jet-black hair and her long black coat. The future of Warehouse 13 may have been altered significantly, she thought.

"We have to change as many events as possible," Myka said.

Claudia walked over to the wall where she had opened the powerbox, and held up the Farnsworth. "I looked at the access panel. Based on what you and Artie described, I can guess how H.G. modified the protective Barrier. She rerouted only a small amount of the energy field, just enough to make that bubble-space for you to stand in."

"Why couldn't we move the Barrier to contain the bomb?" Myka asked.

"The Barrier acts as a shield for the exterior of Warehouse 13," Mrs. Frederic said. "The energy field could not be so radically reduced in size to contain only the Artifact-Bomb. The Barrier itself cannot be moved, or rerouted, from its primary function."

"I agree. Sorry, Myka." Claudia pointed at her laptop. "From the tech specs on file, the energy field even runs underneath the Warehouse. I'm guessing that's how H.G. made the bubble. She found an anomaly in this part of the Barrier, and moved it just enough to cover you."

Myka nodded. "OK, so if we end up in that scenario, couldn't we put the Barrier bubble over the Artifact-Bomb?"

"No," Claudia said. "If it were under the bubble, the bomb would sit under, and outside, the Barrier. That would be like moving the bomb outside the Warehouse."

"Oh, right," Myka said. "Then the explosion destroys South Dakota and sets off the Yellowstone Caldera sooner rather than later."

"Looks that way," Claudia said. "Sorry."

Mrs. Frederic frowned. "The protective Barrier must do its job, without modification or interference from us. We will need that containment field to encompass the Warehouse, just as before."

"Do you think the bomb will explode again?" Claudia handed the Farnsworth to her. "I mean, do you think we'll run out of time?"

Mrs. Frederic spoke into the Farnsworth, but watched as Claudia fidgeted nervously with her ring. "We know Sykes intends to bring his device here. He's worked a long time, and gone to great lengths to destroy us. We must prepare as if the explosion was imminent."

"Did you see our diagram of the Artifact-Bomb?" Myka asked.

"Yes." Mrs. Frederic retrieved the piece of paper. "Tell me about the transparent box which held the bomb components."

"Artie dunked the whole thing in Purple Goo," Myka said. "But the Goo had no effect."

Mrs. Frederic watched as Claudia put on a purple glove, stepped over to the inventory pushcart, and opened the canister of Neutralizer. She dipped one finger in and studied the thick Purple Goo.

"Artie tried using one of the drills," Myka said, "but he couldn't open the box, or break into it. Pete even tried using the blowtorch, but the box was indestructible."

Mrs. Frederic frowned in thought. Indestructible, transparent material?

"We wondered if the container itself could be an artifact, too," Myka said.

"Based on your description," Mrs. Frederic said, "that is quite likely." She mentally reviewed the Warehouse inventory categories of practically indestructible materials.

"In the previous timeline, everything went wrong," Myka said. "We couldn't open the container, and we couldn't neutralize the artifact. We couldn't stop the Artifact-Bomb from exploding before we ran out of time. We spent a long time just moving it to the Ovoid Quarantine."

Mrs. Frederic paused her inventory review and looked at purple lights overhead. "Arthur hoped the neutralizing effect in the Quarantine might weaken the explosion."

"Didn't work at all." Claudia poked her gloved fingers into the Purple Goo again, lost in thought. "Not enough neutralizing power."

Mrs. Frederic retrieved the large map of Warehouse 13 and spread it out on the worktable. "We will find an alternative to the Ovoid Quarantine."

Myka rubbed her forehead. "Someplace closer to the Portal. We won't have time to run around the Warehouse carrying a ticking time-bomb." She looked away from the Farnsworth screen. "Hold on." Myka leaned in close to the videoscreen. "I'll be right back."

Mrs. Frederic set the open Farnsworth down on the table and adjusted her glasses to continue studying the map.

"We need a work space set up so we're ready to neutralize the bomb." Claudia stared into the Neutralizer canister. "Too bad the Purple Goo had no effect. The explosion wasn't truly nuclear or radioactive, but the blast was so artifacty that it incinerated most of the Warehouse anyway. Maybe there's just not enough Purple Power to neutralize an artifact that evil."

"Hmm," Mrs. Frederic said. "There's an interesting question behind your statement. Would greater amounts of Neutralizer have a greater effect? As you pointed out, the blast was artifacty. Perhaps we can neutralize some of the blast's effects, and reduce its power."

"The blast spread through the entire Warehouse," Claudia said. "Wouldn't that require a ton of Purple Goo?"

"Gallons. But yes, an enormous amount of Goo, and an enormous delivery system." Mrs. Frederic pointed on the map. "The Warehouse has an extensive drainage system, in case any of the water-related artifacts flooded the building. The two main drainage ducts run north-to-south and east-to-west. Currently, the ducts are covered by flooring. But if we uncovered the ducts and closed off their drains, the main ducts could be converted into aqueducts."

"As in, canals, filled with water?" Claudia asked.

"Filled with Neutralizer, yes," she said. "I think we should flood the main ducts with Purple Goo."

"Canals of Purple Goo." Claudia almost smiled. "Cool."

"Indeed. The enormous amount of Neutralizer flowing openly throughout Warehouse 13 should effectively absorb some of the artifact blast."

"Is there enough Purple Goo to fill the main aqueducts?"

"We have a large reservoir of Neutralizer," Mrs. Frederic said, "and we can speed up production in the Neutralizer Processing Center."

"Reservoir?" Claudia asked. "I would have noticed a pond of Purple Goo. Where do we keep it?"

Mrs. Frederic pointed at the map. "Here, underneath the flooring, in the Jules Verne Sector. It's the size of a small lake."

Claudia put the lid on the Neutralizer canister and stood next to the worktable. "On this map, it's labeled, 'Old Aquarium.'" She frowned in thought. "Warehouse 13 had a huge aquarium?"

"We needed someplace to keep an aquatic creature," Mrs. Frederic said. "Temporarily, as it turned out."

"A huge aquatic creature that lives in a lake," Claudia said. "No way. You mean the Loch Ness Monster?"

"Unfortunately, she did not do well in our man-made lake," Mrs. Frederic said. "We had to take her back to Scotland."

"Whoa," Claudia said.

Mrs. Frederic studied the map and considered the various vaults and other structures within Warehouse 13. In her peripheral vision, she noticed Claudia retrieve her mobile phone and take photos of the map.

Myka's voice called from the open Farnsworth. "OK, I'm back."

Claudia picked up the Farnsworth. "Hey, where's Pete?"

"Still on his phone," Myka said. "His mother called him."

"I'm surprised Jane can spare the time," Claudia said bitterly. "She's busy with her Regent plan to interfere with our plans."

Mrs. Frederic cleared her throat.

"I'll explain later," Claudia said quickly. She turned the Farnsworth screen toward Mrs. Frederic.

Mrs. Frederic placed one finger on the map where the Portal opened from the Regent Sanctum. "Arthur had the right idea, trying to contain the blast. We need another type of barrier, within the Warehouse Barrier."

She chose another spot on the map and pointed with her other hand. "Warehouse 13 has its own nuclear defense bunker, built during the 1950s. The Cold War Bunker has heavily shielded walls, strong enough to protect personnel from an exterior blast. I think the protection principle might work in reverse."

"Use the Bunker as the containment barrier," Myka said, "to minimize an explosion."

"That is my working theory." Mrs. Frederic took the Farnsworth. "Just as important, the Cold War Bunker is relatively near the Portal."

"Good," Myka said, "that should save us valuable time."

Claudia fidgeted with her ring. "Speaking of time, which may be running out, after all," she said, "why aren't we planning to use the Pocketwatch Artifact again?"

With a twinge of fear, Mrs. Frederic remembered the powerful object she carried in her jacket pocket. "I told you," she said grimly, "the time-travel trip is too dangerous."

"But if we need more time," Claudia said, "we've got the Pocketwatch as a backup plan. If it's a choice between disaster and another trip, I would choose time travel again."

The Pocketwatch is my last resort, not Claudia's, Mrs. Frederic thought. "I will not allow you to use the artifact again," she said. "Not ever."

"Why?" Claudia glared at her. "Because I'm doomed to be the Warehouse Caretaker in the future? Or now, because you don't trust me, the inexperienced kid?"

Mrs. Frederic stared over her glasses and waited silently. Why is Claudia so anxious to risk another time-travel trip?

"This argument is a waste of time," Claudia said. "I've got work to do."

Mrs. Frederic watched the furious young woman walk across the Ovoid Quarantine and out the door.

From the Farnsworth, Myka asked, "I want to protect Claudia, too. But what about me? Could I use the Pocketwatch again? With Pete and Artie?"

Mrs. Frederic shook her head. "Your trip did not even arrive at the time you chose. The Pocketwatch brought the three of you here, to this relatively late date, for a reason."

"You make it sound like the artifact has a mind of its own." Myka frowned. "Why do you look frightened?"

"The Pocketwatch is not like other artifacts that were imbued in the past with some unusual power." Mrs. Frederic sighed in frustration. "The Pocketwatch is from the future."

"Did you say, the future?" Myka asked.

A noise outside the Quarantine caught Mrs. Frederic's attention. She turned to look at the door, expecting it to open. I thought I heard voices.

She closed the Farnsworth. From the inventory pushcart, she grabbed her Tesla and hurried toward the door.

Stepping outside the Ovoid Quarantine onto the main floor of Warehouse 13, Mrs. Frederic stopped suddenly. She saw Claudia pointing her Tesla at the taller, non-solid figure of a man.

"I found our intruder," Claudia said angrily. "We have a ghost."

"I must disagree with her assessment," the male figure said in a British accent. "I found Miss Donovan. And there's no such thing as ghosts."

Mrs. Frederic adjusted her glasses. "James MacPherson," she said. "You are always an unpleasant surprise."