im in ur warehous, stealin ur artifax
Artie's Office
Warehouse 13
South Dakota
"Is she certain?"
" She claims MacPherson was posing as Joshua's professor. That's how he made his initial contact," Leena replies. "She's very upset."
"Where is she now?" asks Mrs. Frederick crisply.
"At the B&B. Your bodyguard's keeping an eye on her." Leena looks away, lost in thought.
Mrs. Frederick's tone softens a little. "What is it?"
Leena hesitates before answering. "I've just always felt that she was out of... tune. Something hovering. I just couldn't tell what exactly."
"This is troubling," Mrs. Frederick murmurs, turning away to gaze at the empty tabletop.
"Do you think that he could still be using her somehow?"
Troubling, indeed. But the buzzing of the Farnsworth cuts through Mrs. Frederick's thoughts. She flips the cover open. "Yes?"
Artie's face fills the screen. "MacPherson claims to have the Phoenix," he says without any preamble.
"The Phoenix is in the Warehouse," Mrs. Frederick reminds him with a faint, wry smile.
Artie's expression is dead serious. "I know."
Mrs. Frederick's smile fades. "...I'll get back to you," she says before closing the cover and striding briskly toward the door to the Warehouse proper.
Versailles Sector
Warehouse 13
South Dakota
Mrs. Frederick knows the layout of the Warehouse better than any other living soul. It's a long walk to the Phoenix's location, but she doesn't have to consult a map to get there.
The Phoenix is housed in a plain wooden box with a hinged lid. It would easily escape notice, if not for the videoscreen:
THE PHOENIX
Properties: Protects wearer from direct fire
Warning: Medallion takes nearby life in exchange for protection/use
Mrs. Frederick opens the wooden box.
There is no medallion inside. Instead, there is an index card torn off one of the other shelves, with two lines scribbled on the blank side:
I.O.U. one Phoenix!
xoxo James!
"Now I'm getting angry," Mrs. Frederick remarks to no one in particular before storming back toward the office.
Homs Sector
Warehouse 13
South Dakota
"When I told him the Phoenix was gone, he was genuinely surprised and distraught," Mrs. Frederick explains to Leena as they walk. "And then he told me about the goblet of Severan."
"Well, here it is, safe and sound," says Leena, nodding toward the box on the shelf before them.
"Open it, please?"
"Okay..." Leena shrugs and taps the video display screen to release the lock. The box is lined with foam conforming to the shape of the goblet... except that there's no goblet inside. In its place is a toddler's plastic sippy-cup.
Mrs. Frederick doesn't say a word, but her jaw works in a way that suggests she's grinding her teeth in irritation.
Leena just stares. "That's not possible. He can't possibly have access to Warehouse things unless--"
"Yes." Mrs. Frederick nods grimly. "These new video displays record access, do they not?"
Leena nods. "Hang on." She picks up the video display and calls up the access log. "There's my access, which was just a few moments ago. Let me just toggle back to see the last person..."
She trails off as the two of them stare at screen, displaying the file photograph and DNA profile of one Claudia Donovan.
Warehouse 13
South Dakota
"Is she certain?"
" She claims MacPherson was posing as Joshua's professor. That's how he made his initial contact," Leena replies. "She's very upset."
"Where is she now?" asks Mrs. Frederick crisply.
"At the B&B. Your bodyguard's keeping an eye on her." Leena looks away, lost in thought.
Mrs. Frederick's tone softens a little. "What is it?"
Leena hesitates before answering. "I've just always felt that she was out of... tune. Something hovering. I just couldn't tell what exactly."
"This is troubling," Mrs. Frederick murmurs, turning away to gaze at the empty tabletop.
"Do you think that he could still be using her somehow?"
Troubling, indeed. But the buzzing of the Farnsworth cuts through Mrs. Frederick's thoughts. She flips the cover open. "Yes?"
Artie's face fills the screen. "MacPherson claims to have the Phoenix," he says without any preamble.
"The Phoenix is in the Warehouse," Mrs. Frederick reminds him with a faint, wry smile.
Artie's expression is dead serious. "I know."
Mrs. Frederick's smile fades. "...I'll get back to you," she says before closing the cover and striding briskly toward the door to the Warehouse proper.
Versailles Sector
Warehouse 13
South Dakota
Mrs. Frederick knows the layout of the Warehouse better than any other living soul. It's a long walk to the Phoenix's location, but she doesn't have to consult a map to get there.
The Phoenix is housed in a plain wooden box with a hinged lid. It would easily escape notice, if not for the videoscreen:
THE PHOENIX
Properties: Protects wearer from direct fire
Warning: Medallion takes nearby life in exchange for protection/use
Mrs. Frederick opens the wooden box.
There is no medallion inside. Instead, there is an index card torn off one of the other shelves, with two lines scribbled on the blank side:
I.O.U. one Phoenix!
xoxo James!
"Now I'm getting angry," Mrs. Frederick remarks to no one in particular before storming back toward the office.
Homs Sector
Warehouse 13
South Dakota
"When I told him the Phoenix was gone, he was genuinely surprised and distraught," Mrs. Frederick explains to Leena as they walk. "And then he told me about the goblet of Severan."
"Well, here it is, safe and sound," says Leena, nodding toward the box on the shelf before them.
"Open it, please?"
"Okay..." Leena shrugs and taps the video display screen to release the lock. The box is lined with foam conforming to the shape of the goblet... except that there's no goblet inside. In its place is a toddler's plastic sippy-cup.
Mrs. Frederick doesn't say a word, but her jaw works in a way that suggests she's grinding her teeth in irritation.
Leena just stares. "That's not possible. He can't possibly have access to Warehouse things unless--"
"Yes." Mrs. Frederick nods grimly. "These new video displays record access, do they not?"
Leena nods. "Hang on." She picks up the video display and calls up the access log. "There's my access, which was just a few moments ago. Let me just toggle back to see the last person..."
She trails off as the two of them stare at screen, displaying the file photograph and DNA profile of one Claudia Donovan.