Chapter Six

There were many things Myka had done since joining the warehouse that she had thought she would never do. She had chased down a carnivorous lawn mower, defended herself from overly amorous teapots, and spend hours tracking down and catching Peter Pan's shadow. But despite all this, despite all the impossibleness that had become part of her daily life, she had never - NEVER - thought she would be stalking her own partner.

For the first time since her relocation, Myka revelled in Univille's small size; in the three years she had been here she had memorised it's every corner and so was able to find shady purchase in all it's nooks and crannies. Pete and Helena had come into town, clearly searching for her. They were a block ahead and Myka was keeping a safe distance as she assessed their movements. As they leapfrogged each other, talking briefly to store owners, Myka had to admit that they had developed an ease of communication that was more evident without her being present. The pair had an unspoken respect for each other's skills - even if their methodologies irked each other immensely.

Watching as they came together to confer before moving apart once more, Myka saw her chance. Helena was heading into the town's only bookstore - a second hand trade-in owned by a kindly gentleman by the name of Roberts. The store had quite the collection, meeting with even Myka's discerning standards. Helena and Myka frequented the store regularly, enamoured with its dusty charm and small collection of rarer items - and in doing so, Mr. Roberts had become quite fond of them both, Myka in particular. If anyone stood a chance of knowing if Myka had been in town it was him.

With Helena crossing the stoop into the bookstore and Pete aiming for The Greasy Spoon, a diner he loved and which she hated, Myka circled around to nab Pete before he entered. As he approached the doorway, her quick hand darted out and pulled him into the shadow of the building. Despite being located in Univille, a dark alleyway was still a dark alleyway and so Myka was not surprised to see one hand reach immediately for his weapon, the other extending out before him in a defensive stance. He relaxed minutely upon registering her, a known problem not as daunting as a new one, but his hand remained firmly wrapped around his Tesla.

"Oh," he said shortly. "It's you. What do you want with us?"

Myka was taken aback by the sheer harshness of her tone. This wasn't the Pete she knew. This wasn't the Pete who laughed with her, or the Pete who teased Helena so. This wasn't the Pete who squabbled with Claudia the whole day long, only to check in on her every evening, smoothing her brow and tucking the blankets around her more securely. No this was the Pete who faced down their enemies and defended his team; she had to resist the urge to recoil at his words.

"I just want to talk," she said, holding her hands in a placating gesture, her voice calm and steady. "That's it, just talk."

Pete gave her an exhausted sigh. "Look lady, I don't know who you are or what your game is, and frankly, I don't care. I just want my partner back. Are you going to tell me where she is, or not?"

"I told you already, Pete. I am Myka. I know you don't believe me, but it's true. Come on Pete, you know me. You have to know me."

Pete squinted at her, the weariness not budging from his face, but giving her a moment's consideration. This was the one person she had worked closest with her entire life. He was the brother she never had; if he couldn't see her, she didn't know what she would do.

"Pete..." she pleaded softly.

There was no recognition on his face, and for all his trust in her and the improbability of their jobs, the warehouse had also doused them all with a good helping of caution and suspicion. She could see this play out across his face and knew that nothing but concrete evidence would sway him to help her at this point. Casting about for something with which to convince him, her attempt was interrupted by the unmistakable steps of Helena approaching. Meeting Pete's eyes with one more desperate plea, she grasped his hand before darting off across the street to disappear into the shadows of the nearby tree line. As much as she wanted to see Helena, to convince her, Myka didn't think she could handle seeing the same look of disbelief in her eyes.

Watching from the trees, she say Pete and Helena exchange notes once more, Pete taking furtive looks in her direction. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but it was clear from Helena's expression that her questioning of Mr. Roberts had been for nought and it was getting to her. One hand was fiddling unceasingly with her locket and, with a movement that pulled at Myka's heart, the other ran through her hair in a frustrated sweep. Both were characteristic signs of upset for Helena, but rarely did Myka see Helena so on edge that she employed both simultaneously. Myka watched as Pete put a comforting arm around Helena's shoulders, surprised that she accepted it, and pulled her into the diner for a cup of 'substandard swill' that posed as tea.

Enough was enough. Frustrating this may be for her, to have her identity not questioned but outright denied, but Myka was not about to stand by and let Helena be hurt by it. Entering the B&B had had less than fortuitous results, as her scraped and sore backside would attest, but she had little choice, it was time to end it once and for all - and that meant gaining access to the warehouse.