Chapter 8
Rating: PG-13
Spoiler: season 2 and 3, set after Season 3 Finale
Disclaimer: If I did own the rights to these lovely ladies they would have a lot more fun – trust me.
Summary: It appears that a curiosity has occurred... Christina is playing in the backyard behind Leena's when something peculiar happens. Curios, the girl sets off to investigate. Is Helena about to lose her daughter again?
Crossover story featuring Dr. Helen Magnus.
...
...
Christina bolted from her seat and ran to the door. She flung it open and instantly gasped. Gone was the clearing. Instead she found herself standing on a rocky island, surrounded by water. She slowly walked around the cottage until she found herself back at the door. Abbie stood there smiling at her.
"See? We can't leave."
"Where did the water come from?" Christina asked with a frown.
"What do you mean? It's always been there."
"No it hasn't!" Christina said angrily and stomped her foot. "It was grass and woods, and…" She sighed. "I can't remember the rest."
Abbie took her hand and pulled her back inside. "Come. It's almost dark. It's not safe to be outside after dark."
Christina followed her back inside, again surrounded by the smell of cookies.
...
...
Claudia rubbed her eyes and ran her hands over her face. She smiled at Leena when she put down a mug of tea next to her.
"Thanks. I really need that."
"I thought so," Leena said and smiled. "What have you found so far?"
Claudia sighed and grabbed her stack of scribbled notes. "Just a lot of mumbo jumbo folklore stuff."
"You know that many of those legends are true."
"Yeah, yeah, artifact induced incidents leading to the creation of a legend," Claudia said and rolled her eyes.
The computer beeped and a new window opened with a file and a picture that looked suspiciously similar to the artifact that had attached itself to Christina.
"Frak!" Claudia whispered.
Leena leaned closer. "This is not good."
"Did I hear a ping?" Artie bellowed as he came barging in. "I heard a sound. What do you have?"
"Nothing good," Claudia said and sighed heavily. She turned the laptop towards Artie.
"Anne Lindbergh's necklace," he gasped. "Of course. She wore it the night when…" he looked alarmed at the two. "We need to find her. Now!"
Claudia made a face and nodded. Even she knew that the Charles Lindbergh kidnapping had not turned out well. She watched Artie pull out the Farnsworth before returning to the computer to find a solution to the artifact.
...
...
Myka stepped away from the group as her Farnsworth buzzed. She listened to Artie's quick explanation and nodded once before closing the device. She looked grimly at Helena and Pete.
"They found the artifact. It's a curse."
Helena stalked over and grabbed Myka's shoulders. "What exactly?"
"Charles Lindbergh."
"Dear God," Helen whispered. "He was such a sweet little boy."
Myka just stared at her. "You knew…" she shook her head. "Never mind, we don't have time for stories."
"What happened?" Helena demanded to know.
"The infant was supposedly kidnapped and murdered," Helen said gently. "It was never proven that this was the case. I only saw him briefly after he died. All I can tell you is that the injuries had all happened post mortem."
Myka sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. "He was too little to be able to walk out on his own. It is not exactly the same as with Christina."
Helen nodded. "I am convinced that someone took him, but I also believe that something else happened. That they lost him somehow. How, I'm not entirely sure."
"Dr. Magnus."
They turned around and faced Nerina. The seer's blue eyes were troubled, but she offered a tiny smile. She opened her hand, revealing a small blue orb.
"I feel a weakening in the barrier. I think it is possible to break through."
"What will happen if you do?" Helena asked.
"I have no way of knowing," the woman said calmly.
"Could it kill her?"
The seer just smiled and her clear eyes met Helena's dark ones. She took a step closer, showing no fear of the anger and power that radiated from Helena
"Come," she said and took Helena's hand. "I need your help to reach her."
"Anything," Helena whispered.
They all moved closer to the other end of the clearing. The sun was setting, bathing the meadow in a soft glow. Nerina made Helena kneel on the ground in the spot she had selected. The others were asked to keep a distance as to not interfere with the psychic connection.
"Are you ready?" she asked Helena. Helena nodded. "You know what to do?"
"I do."
"Then let us begin."
*** *0* ***
Once back in the kitchen Christina felt much better. Marie smiled at her and she returned it as she sat down.
Abbie let her have one of her dolls and soon the two girls were playing, laughing and smiling. Duncan glanced at them now and then as he slowly transformed a piece of wood into a small boat with his knife. Marie stroked his hair affectionately as she passed him.
"The Queen will return and then we will live happily ever after," Abbie said and smiled.
"The Queen?" Christina said and frowned.
"Yes, Queen Marie Antoinette."
"Where is she?"
"I don't really know," Abbie said and went back to changing the dress on her doll.
"Have you ever seen her?"
"Christina," Marie said seriously. "The Queen will let you know when."
Christina nodded seriously and went back to the game.
Marie looked out through the window and then pulled the curtains closed. Suddenly the entire house started to shake. The two younger girls screamed and grabbed each other's hands. Duncan eased off his chair and hid under the table. Marie held on to the stove.
"No!" she cried out before collapsing on the floor.
...
...
Nerina held the blue orb in her palm. Helena glanced at it for a moment. She knew the stone well.
"Lapis lazuli," she whispered. "Treasured by many queens of Egypt."
"We call it the Soul Stone," Nerina said and smiled. "It increases our psychic abilities and calms the mind. You can even prevent arguments and fighting if using these stones right."
"The key to Utopia."
Nerina smiled and bowed her head. "Give me your hand Helena."
Helena held out her hand and watched as Nerina placed it palm down on top of her own, trapping the blue orb between their hands. She smiled when Nerina placed her hand on top of her head. As previously instructed, she mirrored the gesture, touching Nerina's pale hair. She gasped when she felt the psychic connection establish itself.
"Deep breaths, Helena," Nerina instructed.
Helena felt like she was under water. She struggled to hear Nerina's voice while at the same time remembering to breathe. She gasped for air, willing herself to calm down. After a moment she relaxed. Nerina smiled and nodded.
"Just like that."
This time her voice came through clearly, almost echoing in Helena's mind. Realizing that they were communicating telepathically Helena immediately started to analyze how this bond was possible. She stopped when she heard laughter.
"Helena, your mind is impressive for a human, but please try to focus on the task at hand. Focus on Christina."
"Thank you."
Helena could actually feel the smile. Her eyes were closed as she focused on listening to Nerina.
"Christina! Mummy's here. Please don't hide from me. It's time to come home now."
"Good," Nerina whispered in Helena's head.
Helena felt no connection to her daughter and started to doubt the connection. Nerina's grasp on her hand intensified.
"You must focus Helena," she said sharply.
"Christina, where are you, love?"
This time she felt a flutter of something. She gasped and called out again.
"Christina!"
Myka and Pete watched silently as the two women connected psychically. Helen had seen it once before and was not as concerned as the other two. Then suddenly there was a flash of blue light targeting the two women. They screamed.
"What's happening?" Myka yelled.
Helen looked around trying to figure out where the energy was coming from. It appeared to be coming from thin air. She walked over to the left of the two kneeling women, cautiously approaching where the blue light appeared to be coming from.
"Be careful," Pete called out after her.
Helen held her hand out in front of her and snapped it back instantly when she touched the energy barrier.
"Nerina found it!" she called out and grinned at the two agents.
Another cry of agony from Helena made Helen run back to Pete and Myka. She grabbed Helena's Tesla rifle and raised it to her shoulder. She fired and the blue light crackled. She fired again and it lost its hold on the two women. Lowering her weapon she watched as Nerina intensified her efforts, her voice getting louder. Then the blue light shot out again, this time like a sharp crack of a whip. Helena screamed and keeled over.
"Helena!" Myka cried out.
Helen grabbed Myka's arm preventing her from running over to Helena.
"If you touch her, you could hurt her." She grinned at the two agents. "Arm your Tesla's. Let's show this bastard who exactly he's dealing with."
The three focused their fire on the spot the blue flash appeared to be coming from. The added power from Myka's and Pete's Teslas severed the blue light's connection with the two women on the ground.
As the seer and Helena intensified their attempt to reach Christina, the three continued to fire against the barrier. With a final loud boom, sounding like a loud clap of thunder, the barrier collapsed.
Helena gasped for air as the bond was severed. She blinked a few times before looking around. Spotting her daughter in the grass a few feet away she jumped to her feet.
"Christina," she cried out and gathered the lifeless body in her arms. "Wake up love."
"Dear God," Helen whispered as she took in the sight in front of them.
In the previously undisturbed green grass four small bodies lay so still it was not possible to determine if they were alive or dead. To the side a slightly larger body of a girl in an elaborate dress rested in the grass. She shimmered and then started to decompose in front of their eyes. Around the dead girl's neck rested the silk ribbon necklace with the red garnet.
Helen quickly approached Helena. She knelt next to her and felt for Christina's pulse. She sighed, relieved when she felt a steady, but faint heartbeat.
"She's alive, Helena."
"Why isn't she waking up?" Helena cried.
Helen peeled back the girl's eyelid and flashed a light into her eye. The pupil did not change.
"I think she's in a drug-like state," Helen said gently. "I think we just have to wait."
Helen moved over to the blonde girl and checked her for life signs. She appeared to be in the same state as Christina, same thing with the two boys. Assessing that the three children were safe and stable for now, Magnus moved over to the still body on their right. She knelt down beside her, trying to figure out what had happened to her. She did not recognize the outfit. Gently touching the silk and lace, she frowned at the high quality. Noticing a small broach pinned to the girl's chest, she gently removed it and opened it. Inside was a drawing of a woman. Helen stared at it. She knew who it was. She looked down at the remains of the girl. She looked up when Pete knelt on the other side.
"I need to," he mumbled and gestured to the necklace with a glove-clad hand.
"Of course," she said and smiled at him. "Be gentle."
He nodded and slipped the necklace free from around the girl's neck. It came loose easily without disturbing the body. He slipped it into a neutralizing bag and turned his head as it sizzled and sparkled. Helen closed her eyes as the sparks lit up the darkness that was falling fast.
"Mummy?" a faint voice whispered.
"Christina!" Helena gasped and kissed the girl's face.
The two boys soon woke up and sat up looking around, but the blonde girl was still lifeless on the ground. Helen moved over and checked her pulse. It was very faint.
"We need to get her back to the house," she said quickly.
Myka sat with Helena, now and then glancing at Helen who was talking with the two abnormals. Apparently satisfied with the outcome of the conversation she strolled over to Myka and Helena.
"They will remain here and guard the body until my team arrives. We need to go. The children need to get inside before it gets too cold."
Myka nodded. She helped Helena and Christina up. The girl assured Helena that she could walk. Not until she was on her feet did Christina notice the girl on the ground. She walked over to her and knelt down touching the girl's hand.
"Abbie, wake up," she said and shook her.
"Rani, sweetheart, do you know this girl?" Helen asked.
"Her name is Abbie. We were in the cottage together with Duncan and Marie," she said and smiled at Helen. She looked around and spotted the two boys with Pete. "That's Duncan over there, the little boy."
"Who is the other boy, love?" Helena asked.
"I don't know. Where's Marie?"
"We'll talk about it back at the house," Helena said and smiled at her daughter.
...
...
Pete carried the still unconscious girl back to the inn, the two boys trailing behind with Helen while Helena and Myka hovered over Christina.
Helen instructed Pete to put the girl in one of the empty rooms and went to work. In a matter of minutes the girl was hooked up to an IV and appeared to be resting comfortably. Christina sat on the bed watching her.
"Please wake up Abbie."
A soft knock on the open door made the girl turn her head. Helen and Nerina smiled at her. Christina gaped at the sight of Nerina.
"You are from Praxis!" she said excitedly.
"I am, little one," Nerina confirmed. She walked over and gently touched Christina's head. "You and this girl were connected for a while."
"We were?"
"Tell me what you know about her," Nerina said and sat down next to Christina.
"I don't know much more than her name. She had been at the cottage for a very long time I think. Longer than Duncan."
Nerina nodded. She moved closer to the girl and put the blue orb on her chest before touching Abbie's temples. She mumbled softly as she tried to connect with the girl's mind.
Helen pulled Christina onto her lap as the two watched the seer trying to reach the girl. Christina grabbed Helen's hand very tightly when Abbie's eyelashes fluttered. She opened her eyes and looked around not recognizing where she was.
"Where am I?" she whispered.
"Abbie!"
"Christina?" the girl said and frowned.
"Abbie," Helen said softly, as not to scare the girl. "My name is Dr. Helen Magnus. What's your name? Who are your parents?"
"Abigail Hunt, ma'am."
Helen smiled. "Where are you from Abbie? What about your parents?"
"My mother looks after Lady Vanderbilt, my father drives the carriage," the girl said proudly.
"So you are from New York city," Helen said and smiled.
The girl shook her head. "We are moving there come winter. During the summer we live at The Breakers."
"Thank you Abbie," Helen said and patted her leg. "Try to get some sleep. I will be back to check on you later."
Abbie nodded and closed her eyes. Helen took Christina's hand as the three left the room.
...
...
Claudia entered the information in her computer and started the search. She knew what would happen. It was the third time she tried, and the other two had resulted in exactly the same – nothing.
"Still nothing," she sighed. "Abbie's parents died and she has no relatives."
"And she was born in 1901," Helena said and sipped her cognac.
"Yep," Claudia confirmed. "Reported missing in the spring of 1910. Some people think she's haunting The Breakers. There's even a photo."
Helena huffed, clearly not approving of the idea.
"What did you find out about the boys?" Myka wanted to know.
Pete looked eagerly at Claudia for the information. After some long coaxing and with Leena's help he had finally managed to get the two boys to talk. All they had learned from them were how old they were and their names.
"Duncan O'Neill, six years old when he disappeared from the playground outside his school," Claudia read off of her screen.
"When?" Pete asked.
"1988."
"Wow!" Pete exclaimed. "That little dude is 23 years old?"
Artie burst through the door, his hair standing a little on end and he looked frazzled. "You didn't start without me, did you?"
"Eh… well," Claudia said and made a gesture.
"Tell me!"
She repeated the information and he sighed and nodded. "It's the Marie Antoinette ruby for sure," he muttered."
Claudia typed away on the computer and her eyebrows shot up when she read the information about the artifact.
"Marie Antoinette lost her son, the dauphin, or the crown prince when he got sick and died. When the revolution broke out, they took her other son, who later died too."
"Exactly," Artie said and sighed. "Her grief and worry about her children somehow was transferred into a ruby on her necklace."
"The one that Christina wore," Myka whispered.
"Yes," Artie said and looked at her. "The ruby was lost over time until it showed up about a hundred years ago."
"In Anne Lindbergh's necklace," Myka summarized.
"That's some wicked bad karma," Claudia muttered.
"So what does the ruby do exactly?" Pete asked.
"I'd like to know that too," Helena seconded from the door.
Myka held out her hand to her and she walked over to sit down next to her.
"It pulls them into an alternative reality of some sort," Artie explained. "not sure exactly how it works." He looked at Helena. "Perhaps you can figure it out?" She nodded. "Anyway, Marie Antoinette wanted to keep her children safe, and happy."
"Christina described the place as a cottage," Helena said and made a face. "It smelled like cookies, and the girl, the one who died, apparently made them."
Artie sighed. "I think she was the first victim. Perhaps from Marie Antoinette's time."
"Apparently she told Christina that the queen would return," Helena commented.
"It makes sense."
"What will happen to the kids?" Pete asked.
"We've found Duncan's family," Claudia confirmed. "The other boy, Matthew Turner, is a different story. He disappeared in 1948. He was eleven. His father died in the war, and his mother never remarried. She passed away a few years ago. He had no siblings."
Artie sighed. "So we have two orphans on our hands."
"Who will be taken good care of," a familiar voice said. Mrs. Frederic smiled at the surprised faces. "The Regents have discussed, and Mr. Kosan has agreed. The girl, Abbie, and Matthew will be given a new home with a young regent and her partner. As you can probably understand, they aren't regular children. They have to be reintegrated slowly in order to not harm them more than they already have been."
"Where are you taking Abbie?"
Christina stood in the doorway looking forlorn. Helena held out her arms to her and she ran over. Helena pulled her on her lap and the girl looked expectantly at Mrs. Frederic.
"She can't stay here. She needs a family," Mrs. Frederic said and smiled.
"We could be her family."
Helena smiled and looked at Myka. "Sweetie, she will be with nice people and you will see her again. I promise."
Christina sighed. "Promise?"
Helena nodded and hugged her close.
To be Continued…