Chapter 14
When Helen said she was going to Jon he never expected that would involve throwing someone who previously tried to murder him right on his door step, more specifically into his archives. So now there was the man known as Michael Shelley semi-conscious laying on the floor mumbling things that the others aren't catching.
"Who the?" Tim was confused and Jon realised the he hadn't properly explained to Sasha and Tim about what properly happened to Michael.
"Michael?" Martin called out softly to the man on the floor, "Are you okay?"
Jon gave him a look but Martin brushed it off.
He hummed in response.
"Do you want some help up?" Sasha asked.
Once again he just hummed in response, face still down on the floor. Martin took this as a signal to reach out to him and just as he made contact with one of Michael's hands he jumped back in surprise, fully sitting up but falling back onto the floor. His eyes were wide in shock and confusion.
"Who the hell are you?" His voice cracked with surprise.
Martin who was sitting in front of him decided to introduce them, "I'm Martin, that's Sasha and those two are Jon and Tim"
"Okay names are good, i guess? Um...What? Happened, how did i get...where are we?" He was really dazed.
"We're in the archives of The Magnus Institute, I'm not to sure about the rest" Sasha rubbed her neck nervously.
"What do you remember?" Jon sat on his knees next to Martin, trying to keep him as calm as he could.
"I...I was in Russia with Gertrude? Yeah, we were stooping a ritual and i entered a door. Than i remember being lost, i remember being so confused and trapped. That's all i can remember before now" He responded, brushing the over grown bangs out of his face.
"Okay, so there is a lot to catch you up on, but do you want me to get you anything to drink to calm you down a little. We could also get you off of this floor?" Martin suggested.
"You're pretty nice for Gertrude staff? And yeah, i don't think the floor is as comfortable" With than Martin began helping him up, his legs gave out a few times just finding a chair and his legs struggled to keep him up a lot, They suspected this could've been the lack of control over his own body for such a long time.
Jon had realised he didn't know about what had happened to Gertrude, he still thinks that she's in charge. It would be difficult to explain everything to him but he also had to be careful, Michael didn't know how long it had been or what's happened.
Martin had returned with a regular cup of tea and had placed it on the desk in front of Michael who responded with a grateful smile.
Do you want to know anything particular?" Tim asked, not really knowing what to take of the situation.
"Um yeah, a few things actually. Firstly who are you, and i don't mean like names and stuff" He replied.
"Well, we're all Archival assistance other than Jon, He's the newest Archivist" Sasha responded lightly.
"Okay, So what happened to Gertrude?" He questioned nervously, "Is she still around here? Did she succeed?"
Jon cringed a little, "She...um"
Michael seemed to catch on, "Oh, I doubt she would've let old age get to her. So what did it?"
"Someone killed her" Jon rubbed his arm nervously.
"Ah, i see. Well that woman never goes down without a fight. I like to think she gave the person who did it a bad time" He sadly smiled. "So, how long have i been gone exactly?"
"Between seven and nine years? Sorry we don't have an exact date" Martin gave him a sympathetic look.
"Ah that makes sense, So i really have been out of it for that long" His voice held a small amount of surprise.
"Yeah" Tim agreed.
"I was dropped of by the spiral right? i remember that Gertrude had told me that the one who owns the doors are them" He stated as he traced the faint lines on his skin.
"Yes, you were a part of i for a while but Helen took over" Michael hummed in response.
"What happened to the other? Did any of them live?" He didn't seem to have much hope.
"Jon going to get Gerard back soon" Sasha confirmed.
It was that which made Michael actually look up in a mix of surprise and recover some of the hope he had lost. his face held a happy familiarity which seemed to lighten up the room slightly. Than he fell back into his chair further.
"Almost a decade, wow" He huffed, "I'm going to have to get used to all of this again".
"Wait Jon, does he technically still work here?" Martin asked.
Jon stopped for a second and Michael seemed to catch on.
"Ah, the whole you can't quit thing?" He inquired.
"You know about that?" Tim joined.
"Yeah, it's something we kinda realised a while after we had joined, Gertrude also loved to complain about it a lot. Gerry too but honestly he was happy he got to either use up the institutes budget or destroy a bunch of things" He smirked, "I still do feel a connection to this place, i don't think it matters my previous connection to the spiral since we can now be seen as two separate existences".
"Makes sense, so do we technically have a new hand?" Tim joked.
"Um...How are we going to explain this to Elias?" Martin looked nervous.
"Shit" Jon ran his fingers through his hair, "Why do things always happen and than i remember about him".
"I mean, We can get Rosie to tell us if he's coming down and hide him? Not that we don't want you-"
"No, it's alright. I can see where you're coming from here. Elias always did creep me out a little when he was down here" Michael shivered slightly.
"Welcome to the club" Sasha giggled.
A ping was heard from a phone and Tim's screen lit up when he picked up the phone, he cursed a little.
"Rosie said cop ladies back" He looked to them all.
"Which one?" Martin checked.
"Um" He typed quickly than responded, "Hussain?"
Jon noded, "This is fine, you all head to work with Michael and I'll deal with Basira".
As quickly as Jon had given out the instructions they all got to work, Martin and Tim helping Michael while Sasha led the way to the passage way to the tunnels, it had been their own little code word. Jon left their slightly hidden spot behind a few shelves of statements and went to approach the more visible area of the archive from the door.
Basira entered, "Sims"
"Hey, You came here to talk?" He asked.
"Yep, I have a few more things I need to ask" She reenacted, he had texted her earlier to say that she should ask that whenever she had information for him.
"Lets head to my office than" Jon led the way with Basira close behind.
when he got inside the office he locked the door and approached the door, Basira looked like she was going to speak but he put a finger to his lips and led her into the tunnel. They found everyone else within a few minutes.
"Boss, detective nice of you to join us" Tim joked.
Jon laughed a little and sat down, Basira hesitated before doing the same.
"You came here to talk? Whats up?" Jon asked.
"Daisy isn't doing to well, I'm pretty sure she's gone off the radar. I'll occasional see her around and maybe get a call with her telling me to give up looking for her but that's about it." She worried slightly, "I know something is up with her and it all got bad after you Boss did his freaky trick to make her talk".
"Well we'll find her, at the moment i can tell you that she's trying to cool down. She's violent but she isn't doing it on purpose"
"Gee, i hate the fact you also have that creepy eye seeing thing to" Basira responded.
"You told her?" Tim asked.
"Technically she figured it out by herself" Jon admitted.
"Heck yeah i did, I'm a smart cookie. Plus this place seems more like your aesthetic, why don't you just move your office here" the two laughed a little.
"Also Basira, that's Michael Shelley" He introduced, "We found him I guess".
"Wow, okay how much does he know?" She asked.
"He's pretty much caught up about Gertrude but not on the minor details" Sasha added.
"Minor details?" He asked confused.
"Who we think did it and why" Martin clarified, "We all know it could've only been one person".
"Really, who?"
"Elias" The four Archival said in unison.
Michael thought for a second, "OK, i see it now".
"Really?" Basira raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, um...Gertrude really didn't like him and whenever he would visit the archives the two would be really intense around each-other, it was almost scary".
"Can we just make an I hate Elias club now?" Martin Asked jokingly.
"Only if i can make posters" Tim added.
"Oh perfect" Sasha smiled.
That is where they spent the next half an hour, in the tunnels discussing about all the minor details and how Michael was going to remain around the Archives to help but to also provide some knowledge on everything. He would be staying in the Archives spare bed for the time being but the others all agreed to turn it into a type of sleepover for a few days. Within the next few days Jon was planning to go and retrieve Gerry and he needed all the rest and advice he could get.
He was going to get his friend back.