As planned, the next morning the agents went looking for Michael Jones.
There had been a discussion over whether Christina would be allowed to go. Claudia and Steve had been all for it, H.G and Myka wanted her to stay with Artie, and Pete was to busy eating breakfast to care. You'd think H.G's side would have won, but when Leena cut in saying the more people the better Artie had demanded she go.
"No sorry, never seen him" the clerk decided taking a look at the photo Claudia had held up.
"Alright, but if you see anything just call" Steve said handing the man their number.
He nodded and went back to his job while Claudia and Steve headed for the door.
"We've been at this all day, nobody saw anything" Claudia whined.
Steve sighed. "It may be time to head on back"
"Thank you" Claudia agreed pulling out her Farnsworth to call the others.
"Alright were on our way" H.G stated closing her Farnsworth.
"I'm assuming the others didn't find ether" Christina said turning her gaze to her mother.
"Your correct" H.G responded beginning to walk.
Christina hurried behind her "What next?"
"We return to the hotel and try to locate a clue to this man's whereabouts."
Christina nodded. They walked for a couple minutes before she spoke again. "Mother?"
"Yes?" H.G said.
"Are you still cross with me?" She asked hesitantly.
Helena stopped as she looked over at her daughter with a soft smile, "No love I'm not angry with you."
Christina grinned, "Good"
"That is unless you would really like to go back and live with Charles, in that case I would not only be upset with you but have to question your sanity as well" Helena smirked as they stared walking again.
"Well I assure you, my sanity is intact" Christina responded.
"Good" H.G laughed pulling her into a one armed hug. "Now I don't have to worry about you turning into me."
Myka and Pete were trailing down the road, after having been called by chatting about the case when they suddenly heard sirens.
Myka's head immediately jerked in that direction.
"Mykes" Pete whispered.
"What? What is it?" Myka asked quickly.
"Vibe"
And then they ran.
Reaching the scene they didn't think twice about flashing their badges and stepping under the tape. It was about the same as before, in an alley and the victim didn't have any apparent wounds. This time however It was a man, mid-forties, graying...you get the picture.
Slipping on some gloves Pete reached in the guys pocket pulling out a wallet. "Leland Parker" he read before looking around. "Think this is our guy?"
"It's defiantly the same person that killed Jessica" Myka thought aloud as she examined the body. "Plus they used an artifact..."
"Ill go call the others" Pete decided pulling out the Farnsworth.
The T.V had been on for 16 hours straight, non-stop Warehouse 13. A couple pizza boxes sat on table with some bottles of water and take out containers. They were now about halfway through the second season when it was all interrupted by the ringing of the phone.
Beckett on instinct reached for her cell "Beckett."
"Detective, could you please tell me why nether you nor any of your collages have showed up for work today?" Captain Gates voice said clearly, loud enough for the room to hear.
Castle paused the show and everyone stood up quickly realizing it was three in the afternoon.
"Sorry sir, we must have lost track of time" Beckett said quickly with a panicking face.
Ryan and Esposito were already out the door and Laine, grabbing her coat, followed soon after. Martha and Alexis rushed upstairs, and Castle and Beckett ran for his room to get ready.
"Well while you were twiddling your thumbs, there's been another murder" Captain Gates informed her sternly.
"Sorry sir" Beckett said again putting on a shoe "We'll be there as soon as possible."
"You'll be there now Detective."
"Yes, sir"
Gates hung up the phone, and the duo headed for the door.
"This is your fault" Beckett stated getting in the car.
"My fault!" Castle exclaimed "How is this my fault"
"You sucked me into that...'research'"
Castle opened his mouth to argue back but it quickly closed and was replaced with a sly grin "...ya I kind of did, but you will admit you did enjoy it."
Beckett shot him a glare but didn't respond.
Castle just leaned back in his seat satisfied, and ready to get to that murder scene.
The team, now back at the hotel, had decided to get into the Castle spirit by creating a murder board. Ok maybe not team, mainly Pete and Claudia. And the board was more of a cleared off wall, that only Myka and HG had actually used so far.
Now they were throwing around theories, unfortunately the ideas so far had been grim mainly because nobody was listening. Claudia and Artie were zoned into their computers. Pete was shoving cookies in his mouth. Steve was writing notes, next to Christina who was playing with some duct tape she had found. And finally HG and Myka were in their own little world discussing the case together without even talking.
Then there was Leena who ended up pulling everyone out of the fog. "Is it possible that he's been to this world before?" She asked the group.
Pete put the cookie plate down, Steve did the same with his pen, Christina, the tape and the typing stopped. At the same time Myka and HG turned around quickly to look at the innkeeper.
"Oh my gosh of course" Myka exclaimed eyes now wide as she turned back to frantically look over the board with fresh perspective.
"That explains why-" Helena began in the same state of discovery, a wide smile on both their faces.
Myka immediately caught on to the other woman's train of thought "Yes! and that means that-"
"Precisely, which also means this is-" Helena added.
"Exactly!" Myka finished brightly. The two hadn't even finished a thought aloud.
"And I thought understanding Artie and Myka was confusing" Steve sighed shaking his head.
"Guys!" Pete shouted, "Mind clueing the rest of us in"
They were about to respond but Christina spoke first "Extensive planning was required to commit these murders, mainly because of the location. The killer had accounted for almost every variable, something that could only be accomplished through weeks of observation. This caused Mother and Miss Bering to wonder how this man was able to plan and commit this crime in the two days he was here. Leena's question solved the puzzle."
"Now the question is when did he jump worlds and how many times." Artie stated as he went back to his computer."Claudia I need you doing research" he said a moment later.
"What do you mean? I've been doing research this whole time" Claudia defended.
"Yes, you have been 'researching' Warehouse 13, not the case." He corrected. " I need you looking for signs of Jones visits"
"Fine" she muttered closing out the Warehouse 13 Wiki page.
"I have a question" Pete raised his hand "How do we know this guy is even in this world anymore"
"We don't" Myka said.
"But he can only use the artifact a certain amount of times before it becomes unless to him" HG elaborated. "So its most likely that he is limiting his number of uses."
"How many jumps does he get?" Steve asked.
"The number is different for each person" Christina told him.
"Wait so we could be stuck here!" Pete shouted.
"Don't worry Pete, the odds of Leena only having the one...'jump' is quite slim" HG comforted.
"That would have been nice to know going in" he said looking over at Christina.
Christina raised an eyebrow at him "Are you saying you wouldn't have come had you known"
"No... It just would have been some helpful information" he explained.
"Hey guys!" Claudia shouted getting excited "Look what I found!"
The agents quickly walked over to see her screen. Claudia had found a security video from a candy shop. And sure enough there was Michael Jones buying a bag of gummy worms.
"Our guy has a sweet tooth" Steve announced.
"What are those?" Christina questioned looking a the candy.
"Gummy worms!" Claudia said with a smile. "Steve put it on The List-"
"Already on it" he stated pulling out a notepad.
"The video is time stamped 1 pm 2 weeks ago" Myka said.
"We get to go get candy!" Pete grinned, as he began his happy dance.
"We'll have to go tomorrow"Claudia said "Their hours are from 10 to 5 and right now it's 6"
"Oh man" he said sadly. "You don't think we could just get HG to break in for us"
"Pete!" Myka snapped hitting his arm.
"Ow!" Pete mumbled rubbing the spot. "Why do you do that"
"So does this mean we have the night off?" Claudia asked her boss hopefully.
"Not you, I still need you looking" Artie commanded "But everyone else be back on this couch at 8 am"
"Yes sir" they said going off in their own directions.
Beckett eyed the note for a moment debating on whether or to act on it. She shook her head in dismissal and looked back at the board.
The newest crime scene had been the same as the one before it, except there had been no girl next to the body. However an officer had informed them that two Secret Service agents had been there. Even with that information she had still been avoiding that piece of paper on her desk, the one containing the hotel these 'Warehouse agents' were staying. Beckett was being stubborn, and all the boys could do was sit back and watch.
Three hours had went by and it was nearing 9 pm when she finally broke.
"Ok fine" she exclaimed frustrated and heading for the exit "Lets go."
"Wait, what go where?" Castle asked following her.
"We have some fake agents to arrest!" Beckett declared. "Ryan! Espo! You comin?"
"Oh we're coming" Ryan declared trying to hide his excitement as he walked for the doors his partner on his tail.
"We so got this" Esposito stated confidently stepping into the elevator.
"This is going to be so awesome" Castle practically squealed with a wide smile as the doors started to close "I've got to call Alexis."