Art sat the box on the desk and pulled out the info disk. He then pulled out the containment bag revealing a matched pair of museum quality antique firearms. Slipping slipping the disk into the slot on the computer, he opened the file to find a fairly young red haired woman staring back at him. After a moment or two the woman began speaking:
"Okay I recovered these in Florence. A matched pair of Desert Eagle pistols complete with silencers and magazines. A total of 13 bullets between the two magazines. They were purchased by a private collector one year ago and in the intervening time that collector, a Mr Frank Columbo, has shot and killed 4 people claiming that they were 'evil'. As the police investigation progressed all of the victims were shown to have some pretty ugly skeletons in their closets. They had all been involved with a local organized crime ring. Mr Columbo seemed to know what it took the police months of digging to find out.
The strange part is until Mr Columbo purchased the guns, he was a timid mild-mannered city clerk. After he purchased them he turned into a determined vigilante. Mr Columbo has undergone a battery of tests to determine if he is at risk of any psychosis. All tests came up negative. Mr Columbo swears the guns influenced him to shot his victims. The guns were acquired and had a positive artifact reaction when exposed to the neutralizing agent in the containment bag.
Artifact forwarded to the Warehouse for catalog and storage per Agent Costello, Italian Acquisitions Branch."
Now that Art had an idea of what he could expect as far as information it gave him a point of reference to start his research. He noted several different options he had for starting points of a search, guns, vigilantes, Italy, and crime organizations. Plugging these parameters into the computer he requested a search only to find himself shocked when the computer displayed an unbelievable result.
Artifact accounted for Section 21 Shelf 14 Space 233 Artifact description-2 Desert Eagle firearms belonged to Connor MacManus archived on March 17th 2083
This can't be right. Art thought to himself. The computer offered him the option of viewing the location of the artifact on a map. Selecting the option the computer spit out a printed map with directions to find the artifact.
Art set the printout aside and logged onto the Global Data Network. Pulling up a request for information he typed in 'Connor MacManus' and hit search. As usual the record picked up in the year 2014 as almost all historical data prior to that date had been lost during the zombie plague.
Art looked at the scant information that was available. Connor had been a known vigilante killing those who preyed on the less fortunate after the outbreak had been contained. He was also suspecting in the execution style slaying of Dr Leonard Merton a researcher who had inadvertently caused the outbreak. Continuing to scan the record Art found mention of a twin brother, Murphy MacManus who had died during the outbreak. Well that was a reasonable explanation of why he would have shot Dr Merton.
Art printed out the information he had on Connor MacManus and grabbed the map print out. Picking up the box he headed toward Section 21.
Art rounded the corner to find Claudia waiting for him. "The inventory is correct, Art. Connor MacManus guns are right where they belong. I suggest that we compare them. If you wouldn't mind getting the box down for us?"
Art saw a stepladder conveniently sitting at the end of the section. He started to hand the box and papers in his hands to Claudia then remembered that she was a holographic representation. Sighing , he sat the box on the floor before hurrying over to drag the step ladder into position.. Climbing up he quickly located the proper bin and pulled out the wooden box that was in it. Climbing down the ladder he sat the box on one of the steps and opened it.
Art looked at the two guns then leaned closer reaching out to pick one up looking closely at the grip. He put it back in the case and picked up the other one. "Um Claudia, they aren't exactly a matched pair."
"What do you mean they aren't matched?" Claudia asked. "They have been here for 20 years."
"Look at the grip" He picked up the first gun. "This one has the initials CM on the grip and this one" He picked up the second gun "has the initials MM on the grip."
He dug the neutralizing bag out of the box "Look here. CM and then MM." Art said pointing to each gun in turn. "It's two matched pairs."
"Connor MacManus did have a brother but he died during the outbreak." Claudia said.
"A twin brother, Murphy, Connor ended up putting him down after Murphy was infected with the virus. Maybe these belonged to Murphy?" Art said. "But how did they end up in Italy?"
"The Vatican does have records from before the outbreak, maybe the answer is there." Claudia said.
"But those records are sealed." Art said. "And they don't share it with anyone."
"Grab the guns kiddo." Claudia said. "I'll tell you how I hacked into the Warehouse computers. It's how I ended up working here."
Art placed the two identical wooden boxes in the space before placing the new ID Tag:
Section 21 Shelf 14 Space 233(a) Artifact description-2 Desert Eagle firearms belonged to Connor MacManus archived on March 17th 2083 Space 233(b) 2 Desert Eagle firearms belonged to Murphy MacManus archived on Sept 13th 2103
Art climbed down the stepladder and looked at the bin. "Maybe these guys were really saints." He said to Claudia. "It's hard to believe that Murphy's body was preserved in that church sanctuary for over a year before it was found and then shipped off to Rome along with the guns in their holsters."
"It's hard to believe that they were running around before the outbreak killing people with a Papal sanction." Claudia responded.
She had been shocked when she finally got into the Vatican records to find out just how many people they had killed. with the full support of the Vatican two rogue FBI angents and a handful of Boston PD detectives. the MacManus Brothers (AKA the Saints) had the highest confirmed body count of any documented serial killer up to that time.
At least the Pope was perfectly happy to let the Warehouse keep the guns but he had asked for something in exchange. Connor MacManus' remains had been exhumed from the Boston cemetery he had rested in since his death in 2037. They had been sent to Rome and interred in the same tomb that Murphy rested in reuniting the twin brothers for the first time in 90 years.
"Well at least we don't have to worry about these guns killing anyone else." Art said as he pushed the step ladder back to it's place at the end of the aisle. "I know that all artifacts have a down side but, I can't really see where ridding the world of evil is really all that bad." Art said.
"Maybe not now, but what about when the power of the guns grew stronger? Where would the line be drawn?" Claudia asked. "Eventually the least little slight would have registered as evil. The brothers had a very clear definition of evil and they faithfully stuck to that definition.
Most artifacts start off harmlessly enough, some are even benign, but the more an artifact is used, the more powerful it becomes until the original purpose behind it is lost. I think Connor and Murphy are resting a lot easier knowing that the tools they used to fight evil are safe here protected from eventually becoming evil themselves.
Anyway this has been an eventful first day on the job. Go get settled in at Lena's and rest up. Who knows what tomorrow's artifact will bring."