The plane ride was physically smooth, however the tension between the three agents was unbearable. Helena sat by the window, Pete sat in the aisle seat, and Myke sat between them. It was a long journey, and while they tried to go back to sleep, they were already well rested. The three of them read through their files a few times and talked it through in the first hour, but there was not much to say after that. Every now and then Pete would go to the bathroom, muttering something about bacon, and Helena and Myka's hands would find each other and just hold on until Pete came back.
"It looks like we're probably going to try some traditional french cuisine, maybe you can ask them to teach you how make breakfast." Myka laughed after possibly the fourth time he returned from the bathroom.
"Maybe you can ask them to teach you how to make meh-meh-meh." Pete mimicked back.
"I always had a knack for cooking," Helena said. "My Christina always appreciated my meals."
"My mom is the best cook." Pete said fondly.
"She low-key raised you to be an agent but she couldn't teach you how to fry?" Helena laughed.
"I do love Jane though." Myka added.
"From what I've heard, she's a real badass." Helena said.
"Exactly, where do you think I get it from?" Pete joked. The three of them continued their light banter until once again it went silent again, consisting of none of them wanting to force small talk. Every now and then they would exchange glances, some judging those surrounding them, and some just out of pure boredom. Eventually a friendly fight broke out between Pete and Myka over what music they should subject Helena to.
After hours of travelling, the three agents were eventually in Bordeaux, in the south of France. Artie had made arrangements for the threesome to stay at a local hotel near the restaurant with the suspected-artifact near the Garonne river that flows through Bordeaux.
"I'd love the chance to explore the city a bit." Helena said, looking out the window somewhat romantically.
"Well, let's focus on the case first." Pete said. The three of them had a family room to share between them due to it being an expensive hotel. There was a double bed, a single bed, a pull-out couch as well as the usual desk covered with complimentary items for the room and bathroom.
"So what we know so far is that the santé publique, which is what their disease control is called, is currently keeping it under wraps that people are catching the bubonic plague but only in this isolated part of France."
"So far there has been fourteen confirmed cases, and all in the last week." Pete continued.
"Bubonic plague doesn't really spread by people, and if so it's rare. That means we can make the assumption that they must have all come into contact with the artifact." Mya added. "That means we'll have to go to the hospitals and find out where everyone has been."
"Well currently the fourteen are spread out between several hospitals. The disease control hasn't moved anyone from the hospitals they were admitted to yet." Pete said. "H.G, are you listening?"
"We've all read the file." Helena said, not taking her eyes off of the view. "It'd be a bit silly if we didn't already assume we'd be spending this absolutely gorgeous day in the center of Bordeaux in a hospital with artificial lights."
"She's not wrong." Myka shrugged.
"But it's a part of our process." Pete muttered to himself.
After they finish dropping their bags at the hotel room, the three of them walk over to the closest hospital that had several people infected, much to the delight of Helena.
"I'm starving." Pete said after passing way to many restaurants and cafes.
"Are you kidding me?" Myka laughed. "I'm shocked you're still standing after what that breakfast did to you."
"I can't think on an empty stomach, Mykes." Pete said, pouting.
"Run into a shop and get a cake then." Helena said. "God knows we've passed enough patisseries."
Pete looked at Myka for approval before running into the closest cake shop. Myka rolled her eyes with a smug look on her face, then the two of them followed Pete in. It was already to late, and Pete was already being served by a woman who looked like she wanted him to die while he mimed what he wanted.
Myka put a hand on his shoulder to silence him before apologising to the woman on his behalf and ordering him the bag of cookies that he wanted in perfect french. The woman did not cease frowning as she bagged up the food and handed it to Myka, now ignoring her partners existence.
"I love it when you do that." Pete said, snatching the bag off of her when they left the shop. "Just shooting out a bit of another language like it's no biggie."
"It's called being multilingual." Myka smiled smugly.
"Well that's what we're going to need if we're going to be interviewing the French." Helena said, suddenly realising that herself and Pete were not going to make much of a difference during the interviews.
"Luca Rostenkowski?" Pete asked the man dressed in a smart suit standing outside of the hospital where they had agreed to meet.
"Oui." The man said.
"I am Agent Bering, and these are my two associates, Agent Lattimer and Agent Wells." Myka said in French, motioning to Pete and Helena in turn.
"Do they also speak French, Agent Bering?" Rostenkowski asked in French.
"Non."
"Okay." Rostenkowski said in English, rolling his eyes. "Follow me."