Olivia immediately began exploring the room, once in awhile squatting down to inspect different objects and details. Peter began questioning the landlord, falling easily into the persona of a friendly average guy. John stood by and listened, impressed. Here was where the Fringe division was again different from his and Sherlock's operation; Peter was relatable, casual, and friendly when talking to the witnesses. As he conversed with the landlord, who looked to be only slightly older, both men relaxed considerably.
Sherlock, of course, was doing his usual analysis of the crime scene. His eyes swept about his surroundings, missing nothing. Abruptly he strode over to a desk near Agent Dunham, and began shifting boxes – much to the woman's annoyance. To her credit, she merely gave a small sigh and worked around the detective. She was obviously listening to the conversation between Peter and the landlord, because when she finally got to her feet and joined them, she did not repeat any of her partner's questions.
John observed Peter and Olivia as he listened, asking his own questions once in awhile. The more he observed the others, the more his respect for them grew.
As soon as they finished questioning the landlord and he left, Olivia and Peter stepped away from John to confer quietly. Peter's tone became surprised, then urgent, as Olivia's tone became more serious.
"Well?" John couldn't contain his curiosity. The way they left him out of their thought process reminded him oddly of Sherlock's own tendency to do the same thing. "What is it?"
Peter and Olivia glanced at each other before Olivia replied hesitantly, "We found a clue."
"Go on." The three of them looked at Sherlock, startled. The consulting detective had finished his inspection and had come to stand behind them without them noticing.
Olivia pointed at the empty glass bottle sitting on the desk. John looked at it bewilderedly, then back at Olivia. There was nothing especially unique about the bottle. Clearly, Sherlock felt the same way, because he raised his eyebrows.
"And how is that a clue?"
"It's not from here," Peter replied. He and Olivia both looked wary and resigned.
" 'From here'?" Sherlock repeated, his voice cool. "Mr Bishop, I realize that your division and your partner have trust issues, but-"
"It's not from this universe," Olivia cut in, her voice curt.
John raised his eyebrows as Sherlock frowned. But while John's reaction was of disbelief and skepticism, Sherlock looked coolly interested.
"You're an expert in parallel universes, I assume."
"Actually," Olivia said, just as coolly, "we are."
"I think a summary is probably in order," Peter commented dryly, reclining on one of the chairs at the kitchen table. Olivia smiled, and John had a sinking feeling that this 'summary' was going to upend his already too-strange life. Agent Dunham sat in one of the other chairs and looked at Peter.
"How should we start?"
Peter grinned. He suddenly looked mischievous.
"I think I know how." He leaned forward and folded his hands on the table, looking at the two Brits in anticipation. Sherlock and John had sat down and were looking back at the two Americans expectantly. "Most of us experience life as a linear progression, but in reality, we're just given an array of choices..."