"Copier…"
Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…
Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.
Part III…
(Warning…This one's K+, just a bit of the sexual)
"So? Oh, great Nielson, am I pure?" grin…
"Funny girl…Yes." Remove of stethoscope, rollback of chair…Brisk jotting of notes.
"Funny…Lady…" Claudia, high-mindedly…And in remarkably good spirits for one submitting to Artie's pokings and proddings…
One or two faint grumbles tossed in after Jinks had gone off to check on Mrs. Fredericks… Claudia having figured they might be necessary to avoid unwanted questions or concerns. Last thing wanted while having such an intimate…
Careful, Donovan…Not the time nor place…
…Moment.
"Whatever…" Artie sighed. "Bottom line is, you seem clean…"
"Except a fiend is residing in my body!…" she mugged a bit.
"Only one named Claudia Donovan…" he frowned at her grin.
As always…You are so right, my darling…Her smile widening…
"Any word on our resident Mad Man who never provided references, is late on his rent, and doesn't even redeem himself by looking like John Hamm?"
"Not so far…But…I've had some trouble reaching Myka and Pete."
"Really?" …worried look pasted... "And we're just sitting here?"
Delighting in what for me was a near-orgasmic…Aw, hell, there she blows…Experience?
"Claudia, are you all right?!" he stared. "You're shaking like a leaf…Here, put on your clothes…Let me get you some tea."
"Great…" she hopped off the table she'd been examined on…Pulling on blouse. "Gotta use the ladies room (really, really gotta), be right back. But I'm fine! Just great. Put it in a travel mug and lets release the hounds of Warehouse 13!"
Oh, yeah…Little…Eehew as to suddenness, but really…Great…
I promise…It'll be better for you next time, love…She looked to where he was making tea in the kitchen…
Whatever I am, I am not selfish that way…
…..
Section 1…
"So Claudia seemed a bit 'woozy' but there was no sign of Paracelsus and no physical damage to her?" Mrs. Fredericks summed up, questioning look to Jinks.
"Nothing that she felt or we could see…Artie's giving her the full once over now."
"All right…" she pondered. "He must have been after something…Either information or something he could obtain from her physically."
Slight wince from Jinks caught by her…
"No offense, Mr. Jinks."
"No, ma'am…" he sighed. "I just don't love the image it creates…"
"Lets hope it remains merely an image."
"Yes, ma'am." nod. "She thought it might have to do with her being the potential next caretaker. Artie agreed…He's checking to be sure it's not…Well…"
"Possession, good thought…Mr. Nielson is wise to keep all options in mind. Poor thing…" sigh.
"Ma'am?"
"I was possessed for three months once back before I became a caretaker…A fellow from up there…" she pointed… "…Who wanted a few of our artifacts…Actually not with hostile intent, he was some sort of archeologist."
"From 'up there'?" Jinks looked up.
"The final frontier, Mr. Jinks…An alien…The Warehouse's energy worked like a beacon advertising us to the Galaxy. We've since shielded it so as not to attract unwanted attention from more hostile species."
"Up there…" he nodded.
"Yes. His way of apologizing, providing us the technology to do so…He'd not realized we were the sentient species here, thought we were guard dogs or something of that sort protecting a long-dead civilization's artifacts."
"Guard dogs…?"
"Humility, Mr. Jinks…It's a big universe…" stern look, shift of glasses.
"Yeah…Well…" he snapped out of his blinking stare… "She didn't think she was possessed and Artie didn't either, so it was probably something else."
"Yes. It might be wise, then, for you to go and assist them in finding it out, Mr. Jinks. I do appreciate your concern and it was wise to check."
"Right, ma'am." Careful stare…
"No, it left no permanent effects, Mr. Jinks…Just a bit unnerving…"
"Right…" he nodded, backing away…
Somehow though, it does explain a lot…
….
"Ok…" Claudia nodded, pulling from the main computer terminal… "I've upgraded my search program…We still can't break Paracelsus' screening of the artifacts he's secured, but the search for the ones still in place should finish faster with my tweaks." Sipping at tea.
"Good." Artie nodded. "And feeling ok?"
"Copacetic, ma." She grinned. "With this tea boost ready to take up knitting…Want a new sweater, Neily?"
"What?" he blinked as she eyed the computer screen. Yep, all tweaked…To avoid everything important my dear buddy-in-crime took.
"Sweaters are in, somewhere…" she shrugged.
"'Neily'?" he eyed her…
"Like it? My new term of endearment since you got all motherly." She hastily dodged.
Damnit…Review all items extruding from the jaw, Donovan…She grimly noted to herself. Relieved at his roll of eyes…
"Show a little concern, that's what I get…" he frowned.
"I luv you too, Neilykins…" she grinned.
If you only knew…Her smile warm and heartfelt. He eyed her a moment, unable to repress a grin back…
Progress…She told herself.
And if all goes well with dear Parcy…I will make my place here. On my terms…
"Yo, Boss…" Claudia greeted Pete as he entered the living quarters…He staring…
"'Yo'… 'Boss'?" he eyed her…
Jesus…Goddamn…Focus, willya. She told herself…Ya got Paracelsus' upload, no excuses for getting' sloppy.
"Just messin' with ya, Petey…But the promotion is deserved for recent noble work." she noted calmly.
Yeah…A little stroke to the ego…Properly sincere and not overdone, even used to work with Peter the Grim…For a little while…
Then what with the sex and thieving and betrayal and grab for power…Things got complicated… Not to mention…
Sweetie, you're just not my type…
"Uh-huh…Artie? Everything ok?" Pete turned to the approaching Artie, lugging his bag.
"Hmmn? Oh, yeah…No signs of possession, human or non-…Energy's normal…Vitals the usual except for a slight fever and chills a few minutes ago."
I wouldn't say…Chills…Claudia thought. Kinda more like…Thrills. Beaming at Artie, though cutting intensity as he looked her way…
Tone it down, plenty of time for relationship building if all goes well…Lets settle in, get the lay of the land, check out the opposition…
Though very promising if this is it…She eyed Pete…
God, if I could just show our Special Agent Fueher this guy for a minute…
The look on his pompous, know-it-all, defeated you again, Claudia…Puss. Heck, just seeing his own noble form out of a proper regulation monkey suit would freak him…
Ok…I am a sore loser. I admit it, I can deal with it.
"Claudia…?" Artie stared.
"Oui, mon captaine?" she grinned.
"Would you go with Pete and take up the position in sections 15-34, as I asked…Twice?" hard look. "Please?"
"Uh, sure…Uh…Shouldn't Pete go with Myka?" she tried, eyeing Pete.
Please…Tell me we're not a couple here…Mental thumbing… Yes! It's no way!
Hmmn…And yes…Small exclam…He's into tall, tight-bloused, and brunette here too.
Perhaps with more reason…
And potentially, useful to know…
Phew…Thought for a mo this Neily was also into trying to hook me up with someone… 'For your own good, Miss Donovan, you need to spend more time with someone besides me.'
Back in the days when I was still worth caring about…Sorta…In spite of my flaws, both acknowledged and potential.
Worst advice you ever gave me…Or yourself, Arthur…She eyed him. Trying to conceal the sadness…Attentive look pasted immediately at his stare. The one thing I should never have been…Without you.
"I want to consult with Mrs. Fredericks. I'll send Jinks to Myka. I'll let all of you know when your program finishes." Artie explained, not very patiently. "And I don't want you alone. Capiche?" Stern glance. Eyeing Pete as well…
"Capiche." She nodded. Disorienting him a bit with her warm smile. "Thanks." She patted his arm. "I'll be good."
I always was, for you…As long as you were with me…I could be.
Within limits…
"Shall we?" she grinned at Pete.
"Wait!" Artie halted them. "We're forgetting that Paracelsus has tapped into the Farnsworths…We need a password or something to id ourselves."
Pete beaming…Password, eh?
"Orphan Annie…Mine…" Claudia grinned.
"Come on, that's not bad, Artie…" Pete to Artie's glare…Take this seriously, would you, people?
"Fine."
"I'll stick with 'Mr. Goodbar'…Say hows about…"
"Lord Nelson." Claudia cut in. "Hero and saviour of England…Not immediate history Paracelsus would latch onto…And just close enough to Nielson, huh?"
"Ummn…" Artie blinked.
Actually, rather…
"I wish you two would take this seriously…" frown…
"We just did…Three excellent and unique passwords, none of which Paracely is likely to be familiar with." Claudia noted. "Play fair, Artie…Admit we did good. Admit…" wheedling tone…Cocked head…
"Yeah." Pete, pleased at implied praise.
"Again…Fine." Artie, annoyed tone. "Get moving…And keep those orbs handy…We can't be sure Paracelsus isn't recharging somehow."
Lord Nelson?…Really? Well...He raised himself on toes, brightly, watching as the others left.
"He liked that, you know…" Pete smiled at her as they walked back into the Warehouse… "Donovan, you're a sweet kid, sometimes…"
"Not really…" she smiled back.
….
"Myka?..." Jinks called, softly…Moving down the corridor to section 5…Watchful.
"Hey." Myka waved. "Hold still there a minute…" she pulled up her Tesla.
"I'm holdin'…" he nodded. As she approached…
"You first? Or me?" he asked.
"Me…" she touched him lightly with her treated gloved hand.
Nothing…
"You're clear too…" he nodded, touching her with his gloved hand. "Any sign of him?"
"Not a peep since Claudia got free of him…" she shook her head. "Scanner's been almost flat line…Just the residual noise Artie screened for."
"Well, he must be here somewhere…" Jinks sighed. "Pete and Claudia are making for sections 15-34…Shall we get going here?"
"Yeah, he's gotta show sooner or later or give up the game…"
"Interesting way to put it, Miss…" Paracelsus noted, standing before them. "You know, I'm finding I like the ways in which you moderns express yourselves… 'Whatever', 'Gotcha', 's'up'…Very to the point yet that nice degree of ambiguity."
"I agree…" A second Paracelsus had appeared, to Myka's right at the entrance to the walkway of section 6.
"Cute…" Jinks tossed a pen at the hologram which flickered.
"What do you want, Paracelsus?" Myka addressed the first Paracelsus…Jinks confirming with another pen toss that it too was simply a hologram.
"I thought I'd made that clear…I want my house back." He noted calmly.
She eyed her scanner…Nothing…
"He's not pulling power from the Warehouse…" she noted to Jinks.
"Batteries. Wonderful invention." A third Paracelsus, further down the main corridor, grinned. "Do you know that a mere five Energizers have kept this rather delightful illusion device running all day?"
"He wants to separate us, Myka." Jinks noted.
"Am I that obvious?" the second Paracelsus sighed, smiling at end. "No, in fact, I'm trying to negotiate, yet again, my dears…"
"You expect us to give up the Warehouse…To you?" Myka stared.
"I am its proper owner…I have title and claim…" the first Paracelsus insisted.
"You were entrusted with Warehouse 9 by its real owners, the Regents…It was a trust, which you violated. You haven't any claim here." She frowned.
"Debatable…If I wished to debate. You will vacate…Or you will die." The third noted quietly…All three vanishing.
Jinks eyed Myka…
"Just trying to psych us…And maybe delay the search?" she shook head…
Whoa…She jumped at a sudden drumming sound…
An Energizer bunny rolling across the corridor…Banging drum…Jinks eyeing her, she eyeing Jinks.
"Funny alchemist." She frowned.
"Wait…Maybe we should follow it." He noted. "He did mention…Batteries? Maybe he's needing to retrieve a few? That thing is remote controlled."
"So we're following a bunny now?" she sighed. But, reluctantly…
…..
Section 1…
Artie standing in front of the seated Mrs. Fredericks…
"So you wanted to… 'Consult', Arthur?" she eyed him. "Have a seat…" she indicated the lawn chair besides hers.
"Security protocol?" she frowned as he moved to the chair.
"Already checked by Li Tan-Ti's hummingbird…" he smiled. Indicating a tiny mechanical bird hovering just above them both.
"I had Jinks slip it in when he came to see you…It's sensitive to artifact energy." Shrug to her stare… "I figured if Paracelsus was playing you, he'd be prepared for the glove test."
"Well done…" she nodded. "I expected no less."
He took seat.
"What's on your mind? Paracelsus, naturally…"
"Yes." Sigh. "It doesn't add up…His record was brilliant…All the regents not only voted him in but were actively seeking him."
"We're not infallible, Arthur…" she noted, calmly. "We've been fooled before. MacPherson, Ms. Wells in her grief-deranged state, and many, too many others…We are, after all, only human."
"Yes, but the change was so sudden…" he noted. "One of the most dedicated caretakers one day…The next…"
"Madness among caretakers isn't new. It's an occupational hazard…Arthur? May I ask a question?"
"Yes." He sighed. "This does have to do with my recent eruption."
"Are you suggesting Paracelsus' state is artifact-induced? That was reviewed at his trial before the regents, you know."
"I know…But I also know…The man loved his family, even his no-account brother, cared for them, nursed them through plague…Only to torment them with his crazy immortality experiments and murder one of them now?"
"People do change, Arthur…Power does corrupt…And others are well able to mask their worst side…But even if I allow your argument and some unknown force or artifact caused Paracelsus' change in behavior?"
"It could help us to stop him…If he conceals himself successfully, sooner or later he'll recover his power and we may not be able to contain him a second time. Is there anything you know of that could have done this to him?"
She sighed. "It's not a question of 'anything' but isolating the nearly countless number of things that could have…But he was very carefully checked. No artifact known had affected him."
"None known…To Warehouse 9's regents." He eyed her. "But he had…Has… A knack for combining artifacts to achieve an effect…Do you know of anything that might have, in combination at the time…?"
"It's as I've said, Arthur…" she leaned back a bit… "I don't deny your theory has merit…But without more to go on all we can do is eliminate possibilities…And our main focus has to be stopping and recapturing him before he can try again."
"He wanted Claudia…For something…" Artie shook his head. "He didn't waste power and risk bringing her to him for nothing."
"But she's perfectly normal…So your tests indicated?"
"She is…" he nodded. "But so was he…"
…
