The Weeping Man of Bone
Title: The Weeping Man of Bone
Author: RoseSama35, a.k.a 'Tater Salad
Chapter: One: Warehouse 12
Spoilers: NONE! Unless of course...you didn't know that HG Wells was really a woman.
Author's Note: I feel that this grand piece of mine deserves a fair introduction. But before I dive into my introduction, I'd like to let you know that you really wouldn't be missing anything by skipping it. But I thought, "What the hell! Let's inform the reader on the pointless history of this story's development!" Let's start from the beginning, shall we? Like so much of my work for Warehouse 13, it started with inspiration from the Comment Fic-Party in the Meet@Gunpoint community. Someone made a prompt, and my friend Erin (magicmumu) responded to the prompt. As I was reading her fic-petite (small one-shot), my brain started buzzing with all of the implications. I was inspired instantly, and went to work! I'm not going to state the prompt because there may be some who just happen to stumble upon this fic, and for them I'd like to maintain just a little bit of mystery.
For this story, I struggled with how exactly I wanted to deliver it. Finding the story was not a problem in the slightest bit. But I had two very good ideas on how to deliver it. One was in a sort of "gather around, and I'll tell a story" idea. The other was to throw the reader directly into the story, no story teller besides that 3rd person omniscient narrator that we all use! In the end, I had to consider the characters of the story, and settled with Mr. Know-It-All 3rd person narrator. Just to keep the bias out of the plot. Well then, I think I've done more than enough talking here. I'll let you get on with the story! ^_^
Cast Members:
Helena G. Wells as played by Jaime Murray (from Warehouse 13)
Joshua Alder as played by Justin Bartha (from National Treasure)
Anna as played by Kate Beckinsale (from Underworld)
Peter as played by -[still undecided and need suggestions. Young, blond actor]-
Kristopher Willis as played by Emile Hirsch (from Alpha Dog)
Armor as played by Phil Peleton (from Legend of The Seeker)
(Begin)
Chapter One
Raven black hair fell like velvet curtains around the woman's shoulders and back as she reclined in the old and worn sofa. Her chest slowly rose as she took in a deep breath, her white collared shirt unbuttoned just enough to tease any wandering eye. With her eyes closed, the woman let out the breath she held in for a few seconds, and allowed her body to unwind.
“Helena Wells with her hair down,” came a voice from a near-by doorway. “This is a sight that I am rarely blessed with seeing.” The woman's eyes opened and her look of relaxation was immediately replaced with irate frustration.
“Then I suggest you do not become accustom to it,” replied Helena as she went right for her blouse, pinning in two of the undone buttons.
“Well that's a shame,” the man said as he took a few steps into the doorway. The heels of his shoes clicked lightly on the wooden floor as he made his way around some furniture and oddly scattered objects towards the sofa. “I rather enjoy seeing you so relaxed.” Realizing that she was not going to be allowed her privacy returned to her, Helena sat up and swung her feet to the floor, her midnight blue embroidered skirt flowing with her.
“What do you want, Joshua?” Helena questioned as she ran her fingers through her hair. She would have put her hair up in a bun right then, but could not locate her pin.
“Can't I say hello and make conversation with a fellow colleague?” Joshua asked, a bit of hurt in his voice.
“No, actually,” she replied quickly, bringing Joshua to a stop just a foot or two in front of where Helena sat. The young man made an exasperated huff as he placed his hands on his hips.
“Really, Helena? How long are you going to be like this?” Joshua questioned. But before Helena had a chance to reply, the door on the far side of the room opened, and a tall, pale-eyed woman came sauntering through the door, closing it behind her. Dressed in rough black pants and a form fitting, nearly sleeveless leather shirt that laced halfway up the front, she was always a sight to behold. And her short black hair only helped to make her snow-white complexion seem to glow.
“Good morning Joshua,” she said with a nod in the young man's direction.
“It's 5 in the afternoon,” Joshua replied.
“As I said,” the woman continued, a hint of a smile on her face, “Good morning. Helena.” Then the woman began to make her way to the door that Joshua had entered through. Helena stood, ending her conversation with Joshua and leaving behind the taller woman. The women entered a much larger front room. There were a few desks set about, some covered with books, others with papers, and others still with seemingly random objects. Three tall bookshelves stood against a far wall, two of them completely full of thick volumes, and the third quickly on its way to being stuffed. The ceiling above them vaulted high and finished in a grand sky light. But it, as it was now, stayed covered these days. All of the windows in the room were, in fact, drawn shut. The only light came from the multiple burning lanterns set up all around the room, and on each desk.
Helena made her way for her own desk, which she made sure to keep as organized as possible. A young boy came trudging from one corner of the room, a stack of papers and books threatening his balance. In a few long strides, the tall woman clad in black was at his side, helping him with his burden.
“Th-thank you Anna,” the blond haired boy said with a gesture directing her to where the papers were to go.
“Of course Peter,” Anna answered. “We can't have you spilling Armor's precious files all over the floor for the rats to litter on.” The two deposited the papers onto a nearby desk that already seemed over encumbered. “What are all of these for anyway?”
“Well Armor wants me to organize all of these reference papers on last month's retrievals. He said he was tired of looking at them scattered all over the place.”
“Looks like you've got your work cut out for you,” Anna mused as she looked at the pile of papers that awaited Peter to sort through.
“You've no idea!” Peter said with a dejected sigh as he took a seat behind the desk. “There's a whole trunk full of papers, actually. These were just the papers on top of the trunk.” At this revelation, Anna quirked an eyebrow. “What in the world were you all up to?”
“It was a busy month,” Helena chimed with a charming smile.
“I thought last week was hectic enough,” Peter groaned. “But you had a whole month's worth of last week? This is just crazy.”
“You must admit Peter, crazy is so much more fun that sane and boring,” Anna said with a bit of a devious smile.
“And why is it always so dark in here? There's at least 10 windows in this room alone, let's open some,” Peter started as he rose from his seat. Helena opened her mouth to caution him, but Anna already beat him to it.
“Open the windows, and I'll break your arm off,” Anna said with a calm seriousness. The chill in her voice froze the boy in mid-stride. Satisfied that he wouldn't be opening any of the shutters, Anna strode over to Helena's desk to inspect the two latched boxes that sat on top of it. Joshua finally joined them from the other room, a small bound journal in his hand.
“While I wouldn't advise opening the windows, you shouldn't take Anna so seriously,” Helena said with the same charming smile. “She fancies herself a bit of a rough-and-tumble vampire.”
“You aren't...really...a vampire, are you?” Peter asked Anna, not being able to keep in his nervous shudder. Anna glanced from Joshua to Helena before regarding Peter.
“Why don't you come closer and find out, dear Peter? I am ever so hungry,” she said as she flashed a wicked smile with canines as sharp as a snake's fangs. The color flushed from Peter's face as he looked between Helena and Joshua to make sure he wasn't the only one who saw what he had seen. Joshua laughed and walked over to Peter, patting him on the shoulder.
“You've much to learn about the world of Warehouse 12, Peter. So try not to worry so over the little things,” Joshua said reassuringly. “Though it wouldn't kill you to actually wear women clothing once in a while, Anna. A nice skirt, or a Sunday dress, and hat.”
“Of course, Joshua!” Anna replied, her tone full of sarcasm. “I shall don a dress just as soon as you do.”
“There you have it, the little things,” Joshua said, trying to hide how annoyed he actually was by Anna's answer. “Now, where is our fearless leader?”
“Um...well, I heard from him earlier through the...what do you call those things?” Peter asked as he pointed to the bound notebook in Joshua's hand.
“Ah, the journey books!” Joshua said.
“Yeah, those weird things.”
“Everything here is weird,” Helena said. “You are officially in the business of being strange and weird.”
“Well what did he say?” Joshua asked.
“Um, he just gave me some things to do. He didn't say where he was,” Peter answered.
“Always present and near, dear friends,” came a man's voice as the front door opened and two men entered before quickly shutting out the sunlight behind them. The first man, tall with long black hair tied in a short low pony tail, carried with him a brown bag with one long strap slung over his shoulder. The other man, just a little shorter than the first, with a lavish tousle of fair brown hair on his handsome head, carried a jug in one hand a large paper bag underneath his other arm.
“And never without food,” said the second man.
“Hmm, breakfast!” Anna exclaimed as she went to help the second man with the paper bag. “Good morning, Armor, Kristopher.”
“No, seriously, you do know it's after five in the afternoon, right?” Joshua asked. Anna only smiled, but Kristopher was more than happy to indulge her.
“Good morning Anna,” he said as he happily relinquished the heavy jug. “I've brought lemonade, cheese, bread, and quite the tasty ham.”
“Meager, but I suppose it will suffice,” Helena said. “Armor, we really need a kitchen.”
“But...but we do have a kitchen,” Armor replied with an honest look of confusion as he set his brown sac at one of the most cluttered desks.
“Seriously?” Helena asked with a chuckle as she stood, putting her hands on her hips. “Armor, we have a tea kettle but no oven, pantries with no doors, and a sink. That hardly qualifies as a kitchen.”
“It's not even a tease of a kitchen,” Kristopher added.
“I suppose I shall have to put it on a to-do list...somewhere,” Armor replied somewhat absently as he scanned the desk in front of him with his eyes. “You're here rather early,” he noted.
“Well I thought I'd come in to shelve the artifact from our recent retrieval. But when I got here I remembered that there wasn't an artifact to shelve at all!” Helena answered as she directed an irate glance in Joshua's direction.
“Oh do stop it, Helena!” Joshua said with frustration as he started to cross the room. “I do not want to hear any more of the other day. It is in the past, and that is where it shall stay!”
“Are you giving me an order?” Helena asked with a look of indignation as she took a step.
“If it will pull you out of this silly mood of yours, then yes! I am ordering to you to never mention this again,” Joshua said, his voice raised.
“Silly? So you think it's silly to lose an artifact and become just a touch upset over the ridiculous reason it was lost?” Helena returned.
“I have my reasons and I will not stand while you, of all people, question them!”
“Children!” Armor shouted over the arguing man and woman. “Let us remember that we are on the same team.” Joshua stood his ground, his green eyes staying focused, and ready to defend himself. But Helena rolled her eyes and turned away from Joshua, all too happy to be done with the argument.
“For you, Armor.”
“Thank-you,” Armor replied, letting out a sight. “Ah yes, Helena!” he piped as he remembered something. “I received a letter from Nikola today. He says that you were quite wonderful to work with.” Helena beamed at hearing the praise bestowed on her from someone she held in such amazingly high esteem.
“Oh he is being far too kind. Nikola Tesla was brilliant! I'm afraid I may have done more staring than actual assisting,” Helena said modestly.
“Nonsense! He had nothing by compliments on your quick thinking and intuitive design or thought, as he put it. And congratulations on bringing his new invention home to the Warehouse. Judging from his description, his guns shall be immensely useful.”
“Teacher's pet,” Kristopher murmured from the table he sat at with Anna. Anna swat him in the back of the head as she chewed on a mouthful of garlic bread. “Ouch!” The rest of the Warehouse team began to gather around the table, ready to take their stake out of the food.
“Be sure to get your fill, dear friends. There's been a disturbance in our fair London,” Armor informed his team with the hints of a smile on his face. “And don't worry Peter, you get to stay behind this time.” The young boy standing behind him let out a relieved breath.
“What artifact is causing trouble for the good and prosperous people of Her Majesty today?” Joshua asked before taking a sip of his lemonade.
“That is what you are to find out,” Armor answered. “It would appear that we have grave robbers in the Eliza-Grain Cemetery a quarter mile from here.”
“Grave robbers?” Kristopher asked. “That sounds like a job for coppers.”
“Yes, but it's not the family jewels that are being stolen,” Armor informed them. There was a buzz running through the ancient and dusty room now. Joshua, Helena, Kristopher and Anna looked between the four of them, reading the same smirks or excitement on each other their faces. The mystery and the wonder was theirs to discover again. Armor looked at his four agents, glad to see them eager, as always, for a new adventure.
“Like I said, eat up,” Armor said. “When the sun goes down, I want you to investigate.”
“Yes sir,” said the four artifact retrievers of Warehouse 12.
(End Chapter)
Move right along to Chapter Two: Investigation
Author: RoseSama35, a.k.a 'Tater Salad
Chapter: One: Warehouse 12
Spoilers: NONE! Unless of course...you didn't know that HG Wells was really a woman.
Author's Note: I feel that this grand piece of mine deserves a fair introduction. But before I dive into my introduction, I'd like to let you know that you really wouldn't be missing anything by skipping it. But I thought, "What the hell! Let's inform the reader on the pointless history of this story's development!" Let's start from the beginning, shall we? Like so much of my work for Warehouse 13, it started with inspiration from the Comment Fic-Party in the Meet@Gunpoint community. Someone made a prompt, and my friend Erin (magicmumu) responded to the prompt. As I was reading her fic-petite (small one-shot), my brain started buzzing with all of the implications. I was inspired instantly, and went to work! I'm not going to state the prompt because there may be some who just happen to stumble upon this fic, and for them I'd like to maintain just a little bit of mystery.
For this story, I struggled with how exactly I wanted to deliver it. Finding the story was not a problem in the slightest bit. But I had two very good ideas on how to deliver it. One was in a sort of "gather around, and I'll tell a story" idea. The other was to throw the reader directly into the story, no story teller besides that 3rd person omniscient narrator that we all use! In the end, I had to consider the characters of the story, and settled with Mr. Know-It-All 3rd person narrator. Just to keep the bias out of the plot. Well then, I think I've done more than enough talking here. I'll let you get on with the story! ^_^
Cast Members:
Helena G. Wells as played by Jaime Murray (from Warehouse 13)
Joshua Alder as played by Justin Bartha (from National Treasure)
Anna as played by Kate Beckinsale (from Underworld)
Peter as played by -[still undecided and need suggestions. Young, blond actor]-
Kristopher Willis as played by Emile Hirsch (from Alpha Dog)
Armor as played by Phil Peleton (from Legend of The Seeker)
(Begin)
Chapter One
Raven black hair fell like velvet curtains around the woman's shoulders and back as she reclined in the old and worn sofa. Her chest slowly rose as she took in a deep breath, her white collared shirt unbuttoned just enough to tease any wandering eye. With her eyes closed, the woman let out the breath she held in for a few seconds, and allowed her body to unwind.
“Helena Wells with her hair down,” came a voice from a near-by doorway. “This is a sight that I am rarely blessed with seeing.” The woman's eyes opened and her look of relaxation was immediately replaced with irate frustration.
“Then I suggest you do not become accustom to it,” replied Helena as she went right for her blouse, pinning in two of the undone buttons.
“Well that's a shame,” the man said as he took a few steps into the doorway. The heels of his shoes clicked lightly on the wooden floor as he made his way around some furniture and oddly scattered objects towards the sofa. “I rather enjoy seeing you so relaxed.” Realizing that she was not going to be allowed her privacy returned to her, Helena sat up and swung her feet to the floor, her midnight blue embroidered skirt flowing with her.
“What do you want, Joshua?” Helena questioned as she ran her fingers through her hair. She would have put her hair up in a bun right then, but could not locate her pin.
“Can't I say hello and make conversation with a fellow colleague?” Joshua asked, a bit of hurt in his voice.
“No, actually,” she replied quickly, bringing Joshua to a stop just a foot or two in front of where Helena sat. The young man made an exasperated huff as he placed his hands on his hips.
“Really, Helena? How long are you going to be like this?” Joshua questioned. But before Helena had a chance to reply, the door on the far side of the room opened, and a tall, pale-eyed woman came sauntering through the door, closing it behind her. Dressed in rough black pants and a form fitting, nearly sleeveless leather shirt that laced halfway up the front, she was always a sight to behold. And her short black hair only helped to make her snow-white complexion seem to glow.
“Good morning Joshua,” she said with a nod in the young man's direction.
“It's 5 in the afternoon,” Joshua replied.
“As I said,” the woman continued, a hint of a smile on her face, “Good morning. Helena.” Then the woman began to make her way to the door that Joshua had entered through. Helena stood, ending her conversation with Joshua and leaving behind the taller woman. The women entered a much larger front room. There were a few desks set about, some covered with books, others with papers, and others still with seemingly random objects. Three tall bookshelves stood against a far wall, two of them completely full of thick volumes, and the third quickly on its way to being stuffed. The ceiling above them vaulted high and finished in a grand sky light. But it, as it was now, stayed covered these days. All of the windows in the room were, in fact, drawn shut. The only light came from the multiple burning lanterns set up all around the room, and on each desk.
Helena made her way for her own desk, which she made sure to keep as organized as possible. A young boy came trudging from one corner of the room, a stack of papers and books threatening his balance. In a few long strides, the tall woman clad in black was at his side, helping him with his burden.
“Th-thank you Anna,” the blond haired boy said with a gesture directing her to where the papers were to go.
“Of course Peter,” Anna answered. “We can't have you spilling Armor's precious files all over the floor for the rats to litter on.” The two deposited the papers onto a nearby desk that already seemed over encumbered. “What are all of these for anyway?”
“Well Armor wants me to organize all of these reference papers on last month's retrievals. He said he was tired of looking at them scattered all over the place.”
“Looks like you've got your work cut out for you,” Anna mused as she looked at the pile of papers that awaited Peter to sort through.
“You've no idea!” Peter said with a dejected sigh as he took a seat behind the desk. “There's a whole trunk full of papers, actually. These were just the papers on top of the trunk.” At this revelation, Anna quirked an eyebrow. “What in the world were you all up to?”
“It was a busy month,” Helena chimed with a charming smile.
“I thought last week was hectic enough,” Peter groaned. “But you had a whole month's worth of last week? This is just crazy.”
“You must admit Peter, crazy is so much more fun that sane and boring,” Anna said with a bit of a devious smile.
“And why is it always so dark in here? There's at least 10 windows in this room alone, let's open some,” Peter started as he rose from his seat. Helena opened her mouth to caution him, but Anna already beat him to it.
“Open the windows, and I'll break your arm off,” Anna said with a calm seriousness. The chill in her voice froze the boy in mid-stride. Satisfied that he wouldn't be opening any of the shutters, Anna strode over to Helena's desk to inspect the two latched boxes that sat on top of it. Joshua finally joined them from the other room, a small bound journal in his hand.
“While I wouldn't advise opening the windows, you shouldn't take Anna so seriously,” Helena said with the same charming smile. “She fancies herself a bit of a rough-and-tumble vampire.”
“You aren't...really...a vampire, are you?” Peter asked Anna, not being able to keep in his nervous shudder. Anna glanced from Joshua to Helena before regarding Peter.
“Why don't you come closer and find out, dear Peter? I am ever so hungry,” she said as she flashed a wicked smile with canines as sharp as a snake's fangs. The color flushed from Peter's face as he looked between Helena and Joshua to make sure he wasn't the only one who saw what he had seen. Joshua laughed and walked over to Peter, patting him on the shoulder.
“You've much to learn about the world of Warehouse 12, Peter. So try not to worry so over the little things,” Joshua said reassuringly. “Though it wouldn't kill you to actually wear women clothing once in a while, Anna. A nice skirt, or a Sunday dress, and hat.”
“Of course, Joshua!” Anna replied, her tone full of sarcasm. “I shall don a dress just as soon as you do.”
“There you have it, the little things,” Joshua said, trying to hide how annoyed he actually was by Anna's answer. “Now, where is our fearless leader?”
“Um...well, I heard from him earlier through the...what do you call those things?” Peter asked as he pointed to the bound notebook in Joshua's hand.
“Ah, the journey books!” Joshua said.
“Yeah, those weird things.”
“Everything here is weird,” Helena said. “You are officially in the business of being strange and weird.”
“Well what did he say?” Joshua asked.
“Um, he just gave me some things to do. He didn't say where he was,” Peter answered.
“Always present and near, dear friends,” came a man's voice as the front door opened and two men entered before quickly shutting out the sunlight behind them. The first man, tall with long black hair tied in a short low pony tail, carried with him a brown bag with one long strap slung over his shoulder. The other man, just a little shorter than the first, with a lavish tousle of fair brown hair on his handsome head, carried a jug in one hand a large paper bag underneath his other arm.
“And never without food,” said the second man.
“Hmm, breakfast!” Anna exclaimed as she went to help the second man with the paper bag. “Good morning, Armor, Kristopher.”
“No, seriously, you do know it's after five in the afternoon, right?” Joshua asked. Anna only smiled, but Kristopher was more than happy to indulge her.
“Good morning Anna,” he said as he happily relinquished the heavy jug. “I've brought lemonade, cheese, bread, and quite the tasty ham.”
“Meager, but I suppose it will suffice,” Helena said. “Armor, we really need a kitchen.”
“But...but we do have a kitchen,” Armor replied with an honest look of confusion as he set his brown sac at one of the most cluttered desks.
“Seriously?” Helena asked with a chuckle as she stood, putting her hands on her hips. “Armor, we have a tea kettle but no oven, pantries with no doors, and a sink. That hardly qualifies as a kitchen.”
“It's not even a tease of a kitchen,” Kristopher added.
“I suppose I shall have to put it on a to-do list...somewhere,” Armor replied somewhat absently as he scanned the desk in front of him with his eyes. “You're here rather early,” he noted.
“Well I thought I'd come in to shelve the artifact from our recent retrieval. But when I got here I remembered that there wasn't an artifact to shelve at all!” Helena answered as she directed an irate glance in Joshua's direction.
“Oh do stop it, Helena!” Joshua said with frustration as he started to cross the room. “I do not want to hear any more of the other day. It is in the past, and that is where it shall stay!”
“Are you giving me an order?” Helena asked with a look of indignation as she took a step.
“If it will pull you out of this silly mood of yours, then yes! I am ordering to you to never mention this again,” Joshua said, his voice raised.
“Silly? So you think it's silly to lose an artifact and become just a touch upset over the ridiculous reason it was lost?” Helena returned.
“I have my reasons and I will not stand while you, of all people, question them!”
“Children!” Armor shouted over the arguing man and woman. “Let us remember that we are on the same team.” Joshua stood his ground, his green eyes staying focused, and ready to defend himself. But Helena rolled her eyes and turned away from Joshua, all too happy to be done with the argument.
“For you, Armor.”
“Thank-you,” Armor replied, letting out a sight. “Ah yes, Helena!” he piped as he remembered something. “I received a letter from Nikola today. He says that you were quite wonderful to work with.” Helena beamed at hearing the praise bestowed on her from someone she held in such amazingly high esteem.
“Oh he is being far too kind. Nikola Tesla was brilliant! I'm afraid I may have done more staring than actual assisting,” Helena said modestly.
“Nonsense! He had nothing by compliments on your quick thinking and intuitive design or thought, as he put it. And congratulations on bringing his new invention home to the Warehouse. Judging from his description, his guns shall be immensely useful.”
“Teacher's pet,” Kristopher murmured from the table he sat at with Anna. Anna swat him in the back of the head as she chewed on a mouthful of garlic bread. “Ouch!” The rest of the Warehouse team began to gather around the table, ready to take their stake out of the food.
“Be sure to get your fill, dear friends. There's been a disturbance in our fair London,” Armor informed his team with the hints of a smile on his face. “And don't worry Peter, you get to stay behind this time.” The young boy standing behind him let out a relieved breath.
“What artifact is causing trouble for the good and prosperous people of Her Majesty today?” Joshua asked before taking a sip of his lemonade.
“That is what you are to find out,” Armor answered. “It would appear that we have grave robbers in the Eliza-Grain Cemetery a quarter mile from here.”
“Grave robbers?” Kristopher asked. “That sounds like a job for coppers.”
“Yes, but it's not the family jewels that are being stolen,” Armor informed them. There was a buzz running through the ancient and dusty room now. Joshua, Helena, Kristopher and Anna looked between the four of them, reading the same smirks or excitement on each other their faces. The mystery and the wonder was theirs to discover again. Armor looked at his four agents, glad to see them eager, as always, for a new adventure.
“Like I said, eat up,” Armor said. “When the sun goes down, I want you to investigate.”
“Yes sir,” said the four artifact retrievers of Warehouse 12.
(End Chapter)
Move right along to Chapter Two: Investigation