"Copier…"

Summary: Paracelsus is leaving a little gift for Arthur and the gang…

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.

Part XIII…

Alternative Warehouseverse…

The Holiest of Holies…Agent Lattimer's office…Formerly Agent Nielsen's…

"All right." The seated Peter in suit…Impeccably groomed as always…Even at this God-awful hour of 1 am… Eyed the two earnestly attempting to match the Boss' said impeccable style agents standing before his desk. "So the test results confirm that Bering has ovarian cancer."

"There's no question, sir." Leena nodded.

"But there's now the question of whether she concealed it, and the fear of Death played a role in her recent actions…Induced it, to gain sympathy and reprieve…Or it was induced, by Paracelsus or Claudia, to influence her in their favor."

"Or…" Jinks…Pausing at Lattimer's grim stare.

"Yes, Agent Jinks?"

"She could be telling the truth, sir. It's got to be considered."

"I've considered it." Peter nodded. "And I reject it." Cold tone. "I find it a lot easier to believe she or her allies induced this condition in a desperate attempt to prevent us from carrying out her sentence than she is from a parallel universe a'la Fringe or something. I am quite willing to accept that this woman will do anything to avert her punishment. I also suspect she may be telling the truth on one point. Paracelsus may not be dead. His bronze statue's dissolution is too convenient and I can believe he may have found a way to escape…And if we delay bronzing Bering, we offer him a chance to free his ally."

"But if…Sir…" Leena began…

"If our foes escaped, as she claimed…And Donovan and Paracelsus are in some other universe…Wreaking havoc as we speak…? We can assume the other universe's Warehouse 13 team is competent to handle them. No, I prefer to act cautiously. We'll continue the investigation…And be on the alert for any 'visitations' from this 'other world' seeking our help. But Myka Bering is too dangerous to trust. She'll be bronzed at 8am this morning as her sentence dictates. If other evidences is revealed later, we can always debronze her. That's my decision, people…" he eyed them. "And even Mrs. Fredericks approves. I appreciate your efforts to go above and beyond the call in your duty here, agents. It will be noted. That's all."

"Sir." Leena nodded. "Yes, sir." Jinks as well…

Both turned and left him…Peter staring at the wall…An old photo of Arthur Nielsen's still hanging..

He, Arthur, Claudia, Myka, Cecily, Leena…Seated around a table in casual dress, eating…Must have been within a few months of Cecily's rehabilation…When they were all still a family…

Claudia, tight arm around Nielsen…

"In too deep, Artie…In too deep…" he sighed. Eyeing Myka in the photo…Then Cecily…

Cecily, warm smile directed his way in the photo…

"Sweetheart…Forgive me…" he murmured… "I'll never let that woman spit on your memory…I swear.." he said quietly…Tensely.

Turning to find Mrs. Fredericks staring at him from a chair…

"Ma'am…One day you'll do that and my instincts will kick in." he eyed her quietly. "So? This is about Bering, I take it?"

"Yes. You've seen the test results?"

"I have." He nodded…Opening drawer…Pulling out bottle…

"I'd offer you Scotch but all I have is soda water…"

"That's fine…Ice, please…" she nodded.

He smiled and rose to fetch two glasses and the requested ice…

"She might be telling the truth, Peter…" stare.

"She might. And Claudia might have been innocent and all the evidence against her faked by the others, as she claimed." He set down the glasses and ice bucket, pouring from his bottle.

"We both know that's not true." Mrs. Fredericks noted quietly. Accepting the glass from him… "Thank you."

"I've decided to go ahead and bronze her…The investigation will continue…If any new evidence shows during that investigation. If her people from her 'other world' come for her. I'll debronze her."

"If she's telling the truth, delay could make it impossible to stop Claudia."

"And Paracelsus…?"

Thin smile… "I think we both agree Claudia is the infinitely more dangerous of the two, Peter…"

"We do." He sipped at his glass…Setting it down.

"Let me ask you, Agent…" she leaned forward. "Are you quite sure your feelings against Miss Bering aren't influencing you in this matter?"

"Of course they are…" he eyed her, leaning back. "But, given I'd prefer to see her dead and her spare parts used to save my Cecily's life…" he gave wan smile.

"You loved Myka once, Peter…As I did…"

"Probably more…" he smiled… "Or at least in other ways…" wry grin. Frown… "But she abused that love and trust…And when she couldn't get it honestly from me anymore…Tell me, if a male agent did to her what she did to me, wouldn't you call it…Rape?"

"It was…And I don't deny our Myka took a very dark path…As dark as poor Claudia's in her way." Sigh. "I'm also inclined to begin to believe it's unavoidable…That no agent can resist the power of the Warehouse, in the end."

"You did…I like to hope I did…Arthur Nielsen did, given his transformation was sudden and not corruption…A fatal miscalculation about an artifact but not the grossening of the soul we've seen in some. Mrs. Fredericks…What is it you'd have me do? Let her go? Trust her? Unbronze Donovan as well in the hope this Myka is isn't lying?"

"No to all of that, Peter. But for your own sake…Your piece of mind and your sense of guilt over Cecily…And the others…I'd give her her chance…Leave her unbronzed a few more days and try to see if there's any way Paracelsus could have crossed universes…"

"I've checked the manifests…As I'm sure you have…" he eyed her. "There is no artifact that would open a gateway to another world as she describes. And she couldn't identify one herself. She never had a 'good look' at what Claudia used."

"Paracelsus did have a knack for combining the powers of multiple artifacts…" she paused..,

"And if that's what he used, truthful or not, Ms. Bering is stuck here…Unless he left a detailed book of instructions and notes on his works." Lattimer shook his head.

"Actually…Agent Lattimer…" a male voice in the doorway…

Sutton's voice… "He did…Nick?"

Lattimer rising quickly from his chair as Sutton and Nicholas entered.

"God, I hope you have something better than that to offer me?" Sutton eyed the bottle of soda water on Peter's desk.

Original Warehouseverse…

"Jinks?" Pete, on Farnsworth…

"Loud and clear, buddy…" Jinks image on Pete's screen.

"I'm at section 17…Are you still poking round 13?"

"Yeah…But nothing but the screen and Paracelsus' little booby-trap so far. Are you still homing in on the transmissions?"

"Following from the last one…But that was forty minutes ago. He may have shut down or run out of battery power."

"Given all the last holograms have been repeats…" Jinks sighed. "I'd say we're tracking a recording…And he is long gone, probably after that last attack."

"Agent…" Paracelsus' image suddenly appeared… But flickering…And without the robe…

"You must…" he faded…

"there…Is…" flicker…

"Pete! Pete!..." Jinks grabbed his Farnsworth… "I've got him again…Something new…"

"Can't…Grave…" Paracelsus, rather desperate expression…Jinks staring…

"All the worlds…" a faint flickering and he faded out…

"Jinks…?!" Pete's voice, worried…

"Did you hear him?" Jinks eyed the image on screen.

"Hear what?" Pete stared…

…..

"So you think Claudia's going to be fine?" Artie, in low tone to Vanessa…

"As far as I can tell there are no aftereffects except exhaustion and a little dehydration…Only natural in caretaker passover…"

"Good…And Mrs. Fredericks?"

"That's more difficult…" sigh…Glance to the unconscious body in chair… "She's in a coma…There is brain activity from what I can tell with the portable EEG monitor but I can't bring her out…And frankly…"

"There's no experience with a caretaker passing over for any length of time and surviving. I know." Artie nodded.

"I'm sorry, Artie. I wish I could do more…I do recommend we get her to my clinic…I could monitor her better there…"

"Right…Is it wise though to separate them like that…Maybe it's not safe…As yet…"

"It shouldn't make a difference…" Vanessa pondered…

"But…" she paused… "I suppose I could bring my equipment here…Set her up in the bed and breakfast…It might be safer. I don't really know…" she blinked…

Sure you do, honey…Claudia thought, concentrating…

"If you're more comfortable with them close…We'll do it that way…I'll make the arrangements." She finished…

"Great…"Artie nodded. "If it's not too much trouble bringing the stuff in…?"

Hmmn? "Oh, no…No…" Vanessa shook her head… "Not at all…I'll get cracking on it, if I can use your office?"

"Sure…" he nodded…

Score one for my first dip into mind control via remote control artifacts…Caretaker Claudia 1…Rival doc Vanessa O…Claudia, faint grin as she lay in chair, eyes closed.

So nice I won't have to blast Arthur's ole girl into prurient goo…I couldn't bear the guilt when I'd see those sad eyes every morning musing on his loss.

But hey, I'll find her some nice supergenius- or artist- cum- hunk into middle-aged pretties with brains…I'm a big person, really…So long as I get what I want, l love to make the people around me happy…

"Artie?..." Myka, for the tenth time now… "Since Vanessa's got things set here…Could I go and…?"

"Oh, for Heaven's sake, Neilsen…Let the kid go play 'where's Petey?'…" Claudia called as Artie frowned at Myka's anxious face…

"Fine…Go…But be careful…We still don't know if Paracelsus is hangin' around or has retreated."

"Thank you!" Myka, excitedly…Heading off immediately…

"Artie…I just tole you…It's ok…I swept the House and there's no trace of him…" Claudia called…

"And you, young lady…" he stepped over to her… "Should stop playin' around with the Warehouse…It's much too soon for you to be trying to utilize the energy field and the artifacts like this. You could do yourself permanent damage."

"Yes…Boss…" she opened eyes, grinning. "But, God, Nielsen…What a rush." …sigh at his stern look…

"Right…Caution my new middle name…" she nodded. "Claudia Caution Donovan…"

Claudia Caution Donovan-Nielsen…Oh, yeah…

"Good." He agreed…Patting her.

"Claudia…" he frowned.

"Sorry…" giggle… "Just tickling you with a little background field force. Come on…I know you're ticklish, Niely…" she grinned.

"Claudia." Grim tone…As he shrugged a bit.

"Ok…Right…Sorry… Wanton abuse of my new powers…" sigh. "I'll be good…I promise."

"I'll hold you to that, Donovan."

"Oui, mon captaine…" she grinned, saluting a bit feebly… "Does leave one a bit…Winded…" she gasped.

"Left one caretaker who enjoyed 'playing' around in a coma for ten months…Not to mention Paracelsus is probably counting on you exposing yourself to an attack through inexperience." he noted. "So watch it."

"Right, boss." Nod.

Ok, so I'm the old-fashioned type…Doormat for the hubs…Toein' his line…Laurel to his Hardy…

And in my world they thought I'd be a menace to Humanity if I acquired power…Please…With stalwart Nielsen as my lifelong guide and mentor? Beware evildoers wherever you are!

Really…As I take no chances with my Artie…Pre-emption now being my other middle name… Yes, Saint Claudia Caution Pre-emption Donovan Nielsen is born…Using her awesome powers to bring bliss and peace to a troubled world with the help and guidance of her rotund and beloved soulmate…

After I get things properly jelled and set here and blast about half of our incoming Regents to Hell…Unobtrusively, natch…

Naturally, Mrs. L sacred…She's family, after all…