"So, does he know about you yet?" He asked Natalie,
"Yeah, he finally found out. Nothing like a little power outage to bring you together." She replied.
"How'd he take it?"
"I think he liked what I first told him better than the truth," Natalie said, laughing remembering that night.
"What you first told him?" Will questioned.
"Oh yeah, I made him believe Mom was some sort of mad scientist, and I was her clone experiment." Hearing this, Will busted out laughing,
"And you let her say this." He asked, turning to Helen.
…
"Let me? Oh no, I'm still surprised she hasn't punished me for saying that. Mind you, I think she did find it quite funny the look on his face, though." Natalie explained, looking over to her mother, who was again smiling.
"Oh yes, it was quite amusing, that is the only reason you're not in trouble. It was fun to finally have some fun at his expense, especially after all he has done to us." Helen said while looking at Will.
"Oh man, now I wish I was here to witness it first-hand. Probably would have driven him nuts if he knew that I knew something he didn't." Will said, hearing this gave Natalie an idea. Helen saw the look on her daughter's face and knew what she was thinking.
"Don't you dare!" Helen quite abruptly said to Natalie, making Will question what was going on.
"Oh, come on, Mom. Will is right, and it is only fair for him to get some payback."
"Wait, what are you two talking about?" Will asked.
"You see, Will, you just inadvertently gave her an idea on a way to annoy Nikola." Helen explains to Will before turning to her daughter, "Which I don't condone you doing, I don't want you to start something with him, it will only end badly." She told Natalie.
"It'll be fine, Mom, don't worry. I won't let it get to that point." Helen knew that after hearing this, she wasn't going to be able to stop her daughter from doing this, she just had to hope things didn't go wrong. So with that, she told them to be careful and let them go so she could get back to the work she needed to do. Upon leaving Magnus's office, Will asked Natalie what it was precisely she had planned, still not understanding what it was that he had said to give her this idea. Natalie smiled before answering, telling him that he was right, Nikola would go nuts that Will knew the truth about her, and he didn't. After going through her plan, Natalie excused herself as she had something that she needed to get back to.
It was later that day when they were given their chance, Nikola had found them in Will's office going over something. As soon as he had come in, it was evident that he believed that Natalie was Helen, so they took this as the perfect opportunity, Nikola had begun to ramble on about how he was having no more luck with getting any new information out of the map. What made matters worse was that the wine cellar was now empty again, he had come to find her about getting it restocked. It was then Will had the chance to speak,
"Well, it looks like the perfect time for me to ask you how you're taking the news?"
"The news? What news?" Nikola asks.
"Magnus told me earlier about how you had finally met Natalie. What do you think about her?" Will told him.
"You know about Natalie too?" He asked Will before looking to who he believed was Helen. "I thought you said she was being kept secret." He questioned her. Natalie didn't respond, giving Will the chance to speak,
"Yes, I know Natalie. I've known about her for about a year now, right?" He explained as he looked to Natalie to confirm how long it had been, she just nodded to confirm he was correct. Hearing this infuriated Nikola, how was it that Will was able to know and he wasn't? Seeing the look on Nikola's face was what Will needed, knowing that he had something to use against Nikola whenever he tried to be the smartest in the room.
"All right, fine, but Helen, care to explain to me why he knows? You told me that you had to keep her a secret?" Nikola asked Natalie. Again Natalie didn't answer; she just looked at him, knowing this would annoy him more. Which worked as he was now annoyed but also confused as to why she wouldn't speak, so he looked to Will,
"So, it looks like she doesn't want to explain. How about you? Want to tell me how you were so lucky to find out?" Will just smiled before telling him,
"I think the reason she isn't telling you is that you're asking the wrong person."
"What do you mean the wrong person?" Nikola asked.
"You should go and ask Magnus if you must know," Will told him. It took a second, but it finally clicked for Nikola that it wasn't Helen in the room with them but, in fact, Natalie.
"You mean you're not Helen?" He asked.
"No, Mom should be in her office that's the last place I saw her." After hearing her voice, Nikola now understood why she hadn't spoken earlier,
"Ah, so you think you're funny, do you, not speaking, so I would think you were your mother. Nice job but don't think you can do it again, I'll know for next time." Nikola told her this before leaving the room in search of the real Helen. What he didn't know was that upon his leaving, Will and Natalie busted out laughing, happy that their plan had worked. Also for the fact that Nikola now thought he had the upper hand by having her figured out when he was totally wrong.
Nikola had finally found Helen and had her explain how Will had known about her other daughter. She told him that she was no longer keeping her daughter a secret, explaining who did know and who didn't, and also that he was not to tell anyone who didn't know as it was up to her to tell people or not. He did try to find out why she had kept her hidden, but Helen wouldn't answer, understanding this he decided that he would have to find out the reason himself. What he didn't tell her is of what had happened in Will's office. Now that he believed he could tell them apart, he didn't want her to know how he had thought her daughter was her. Unbeknownst to him, Natalie had told her mother what had happened and how Nikola believed he could tell them apart just by how they spoke. She also somehow managed to get her mother to agree to play along with this. That way, when the time came, they would be able to trick him again when they showed him just how well they could imitate each other voices. Over the next few days, whenever he would come across one of them or both, they would make an effort to greet him in their natural voices getting him to believe he was correct in that this was the way to tell them apart.
So when he found the two of them in Helen's office that day, they decided now was the time to show him how wrong he was. As he entered, they greeted him, but this time, they lied and spoke to him using the voice of the other. They had been discussing the things he had been working on for a little bit when Will came in, he had paperwork he needed Magnus to sign. He was a little taken aback when he heard them talking as it was the wrong voice coming from the wrong person. He was about to say something when he remembered the plan Natalie had told him about. Hearing how they were talking made him realise what was happening, and he decided he should stick around and see how it played out. He was trying to come up with a reason as to why he should stay when,
"Will? Will, did you need something?" Natalie asked, it was when he heard his name being spoken that he realised he was lost in thought and out of time.
"Ah yes, Magnus, I have some paperwork I need you to sign." He said as he approached Helen to hand her the file.
"I see that not everyone has worked out how to tell the two of you apart." Nikola said, watching as Will walked towards whom he had believed to be Natalie, "Will, you see that is Natalie and our dear Helen is over there." He told Will, pointing towards Natalie. Realising how he had almost revealed the ruse that was happening, he quickly turned around and walked towards Natalie, handing her the file instead.
"I'm sorry, Magnus, I guess he's right I still haven't worked out how to tell you two apart. I thought I could, but I guess I was wrong." He said, sharing a knowing glance with Natalie that Nikola couldn't see saying how he was sorry for almost giving them away.
"That is perfectly fine, Will, I have come to understand that people have difficulty telling us apart. Now, do you need this signed now, or can I get it back to you?" Natalie asked him, hoping that it wasn't urgent and they wouldn't need to come up with a plan as to why she couldn't sign it.
"Oh no, whenever you have a chance, no rush," Will said as he started to make his way out, he hadn't been able to come up with a reason as to why he should stay. That's when all of a sudden, he heard Nikola talking to him.
"William, before you go, would you like me to tell you how I tell them apart?"
"Really, you believe you can tell them apart? You've only known Nat for a few days. You can't have worked out how to tell them apart so easily, I've been trying for almost a year now." Knowing this was his opportunity to stay, he made the effort to make Nikola believe he didn't understand what was happening.
"You see, it's quite simple, William. It's all in their voices. They sound completely different. You all must have been looking for something visual to tell them apart that you all failed to see the obvious one." Nikola said as his arrogance to prove he was the smartest in the room made it so as he was explaining to Will, the difference between the women, he had zoned out to the fact that they were smiling at his mistake. Will, on the other hand, was well aware of the two and knew that he had helped them to get Nikola where they wanted him,
"So it's as easy as hearing how they speak?" Will asked him, looking between the women.
"Yes, Helen here has, as you know, a very distinguishable British accent, whereas her daughter here doesn't," Nikola said.
"But, what happens if, for example, Natalie tries to trick you by talking in her mother's accent or even the other way around?" Will asked.
"Oh, I bet that if she did, you would be able to hear that she was putting the accent on." He looked to whom he believed to be Natalie and asked, "Can we try my theory out, please, try and do your mother's accent" Honouring his request, Helen began to say a simple sentence in a slightly more British accent.
"There you see, William, she can't quite get it right. She, unfortunately, sounds too British to be Helen." It takes a lot for Will not to laugh and how easily the women have tricked Nikola. Knowing they have gotten him right where they want him, Natalie decides it's time for him to know the truth.
"Sorry, Nikola, but I believe that Will is correct in his theory," Natalie tells him, speaking normally.
"Ok, Helen, nice try, but you won't trick me." He replies
"Are you sure about that, Nikola?" Helen asks him, speaking if her normal voice again too. Hearing this throws him, now confused, he grabs both women and makes them stand next to each other. Looking between the two more closely, he is at a loss for words; how could they imitate each other so well? He gets them to speak again, but again they trick him by switching voices again, causing Will to start visibly laughing as he does, in fact, know who is who. Seeing Will laughing makes Nikola even madder,
"What do you think is so funny, William, the fact that I, just like you, can't tell them apart?" He asks.
"Yes and no, actually, how they disproved your theory is funny. But more the fact that I do, in fact, know who is who, and you don't." This causes Nikola to look at the women again. What was it that Will could see that he couldn't?
"So, I take it both of you think this funny too, playing this trick on me? Helen, I would never have believed you would stoop so low." Hoping that this would get a reaction from one of them showing to him who was indeed Helen, unfortunately, this didn't work, as neither of them looked to show any sign of guilt. They just began discussing the situation between the two of them, constantly changing accents just to annoy Nikola more.
"All right enough!" Nikola yelled. "Will, please tell me how you tell the two apart?" He asked.
"The great Nikola Tesla asking me for help, wow, what an honour." Will teased.
"Shut up and just tell me," Nikola said.
"All right, all right, now to tell you this isn't foolproof, it all has to go on trust. Trusting that they keep they promise…" Will paused, watching Nikola lose patience. "It all has to do with the hair mainly, the outfits help sometimes." He continued.
"The hair? What is so different about their hair?"
"As I said, it's all about trust. The two of them agreed that they would only style their hair in certain ways so we could tell them apart quickly. Have you seriously not noticed how one of them always has their hair mostly up and the other mostly down?" Will told him. Nikola again turns to the women and looks at their hair, which Will was right about, one had her hair tied up, and the other had her hair out. He remembered back over the last few days, and how each one of them looked, so he asked,
"All right, so Helen here," He said, pointing to Helen, "She is the one that has her hair down, correct? And Natalie here," Now pointing to Natalie, "She is the one that ties her up, right?" They all nod to him.
"But how can you believe they always tell you the truth?" He asks Will.
"As I said, it's all about trust. They promised that unless it were essential, they would keep their promise and not switch." Will tells him while looking predominately at Natalie, knowing she is the trickster out of the two of them.
Nikola now realises he has a lot to learn about this relationship between mother and daughter, he hopes one day he will be able to work them out. He goes to Helen, and she apologises for making fun of him, but it is all just payback for all he has done to them. She makes her own promise that she will speak with Natalie and make it so they don't trick him with their identities like this again, but she makes no promises that her daughter won't try to trick him further in other ways. Hearing this makes his arrogance peak again, there is no possible way she could trick him in other ways. She's not as bright as him. Little did he know this was true, but not how he saw it. She, indeed, was not as bright as he was but smarter.
…