~Meanwhile, back at the Warehouse....~

Pete and Steve arrived at Artie's office arguing about who knows what.

"I said I was sorry, Steve! I don't see what the big deal is!" Pete said, annoyed.

"I've told you before, don't touch my hairbrush! And not only did you touch it, you used it!" Steve countered.

"It looks the same as mine! Besides, I haven't been able to find it so when I saw yours I got so excited I just picked it up!" Pete claimed throwing his hands into the air.

"Then don't lose your own! Buy a different color, or something!" Steve argued, crossing his arms.

"Well sorry mr-" Pete was cut off by Artie.

"Ahem. Are you girls done trading beauty tips? We've got a ping if you're done squabbling like 10 year old girls."

"Yes, Dad." Pete said sarcastically. Artie raised his eyebrows and Steve stared at him.

"Okay...anyway, there's been a series of strange deaths in Salem. People's heads have "literally exploded" after getting headaches." Artie said, turning back to his computer.

"Well I guess they weren't exaggerating when they said "'my head is going to explode,'" Pete joked and chuckled.

The other two stared at him.

"I mean that's terrible." Pete added quickly.

"Let's go Funny Boy." Steve said, pushing Pete out of the office.

They arrived in Salem, Massachusetts a few hours later.

"Dude, Jinksy, check it out! It's the gallows!" Pete exclaimed excitedly climbing up to the top. Suddenly, they both heard a glass shattering scream fill the chill air. Pete and Steve looked at each other and ran toward the sound. When they got there, there was a body on the ground with no head. It wasn't just off to the side, like it was cut off, no, it was everywhere. Bits of brain, head, and bloody hair were on the ground, splattered on to nearby shops, and even dripping off some townspeople trying to decided whether to be more horrified or disgusted. There was one woman covered in the brainage who was sobbing next to the headless body. Pete and Steve jogged over to her and showed her their badges.

"Excuse me, I'm Pete Latimer and this is Steve Jinks. We're with the FBI; could you tell us what happened?"

"Richard....his head just....exploded....it was just a small headache...but he...oh gods..." The woman sobbed.

"Thank you ma'am, I'm very sorry for your loss." Steve said softly and stood up. There was already an ambulance there and paramedics were on their way toward Richard and the woman. "Oh that poor woman..." They heard someone say. They turned and saw an older woman standing with who looked like her husband.

"Do you know her?" Steve asked.

The woman sighed. "Not very well, just from around town, you know. But Abby loved Richard so much. I can't imagine what would happen if I lost George." She said.

"Tell me, have you noticed anything strange about Richard or Abby recently? Have they gotten anything strange, have you smelled fudge when there isn't any?" Pete asked her.

"Well, now that you mention it, about a week ago, they got a package on their porch. And when I walked past their house a few days later, I could smell fudge. But I assumed they were working on some new candle or something. He got really...smart. It's just a rumor, but some people believe he became a genius over night. But it only happened after they got that package." The woman explained.

"Thank you ma'am." Pete said and walked with Steve to a tree away from everyone else. Steve took out his Farnsworth and called Artie.

"What've you got?" Artie asked.

"Well, we think it's something that makes you smart. It seems our victim, Richard, got really smart after receiving a package." Steve said.

"And you think that whatever was in that package was the artifact?"

"Gotta be. The woman said she smelled fudge and that he only became this genius after he got it. Abby, Richard's wife, said that he had gotten a headache and he was fine. But just a few minutes ago his head exploded." Pete said and made explosion motions with his hand.

"It sounds like it could be the Original Abacus used as a math tool. The more you use it the smarter you get. But the human brain can only accept so much information. Once it exceeds it's limit, the info starts to bubble over. That's what causes the headaches. And then eventually, the brain can't take anymore so it explodes because there's no more room." Artie explained.

"So we're looking for an abacus, great." Steve said.

"Talk to Abby again, and see if you can get her to tell you more about the package and what was inside it. Also ask her about Richard's headaches and increasing intelligence."

"You got it Captain Artie!" Pete replied and closed the Farnsworth. Steve looked up and noticed something.

"Pete, she's gone." Pete also looked up to see no sign of Abby or Richard.

"And so the plot thickens." Pete said dramatically.

It's SpaceZebra! So I finally got this part half done. I figured if Claudia and Myka's ping isn't done, then this one shouldn't be either just to make it even. So, do any of you guys ever have amazing ideas for stories but you don't actually plan them out and then you have a dozen stories written at a time and can never update them? That's me! Check out my other stories and maybe give me ideas for them? Haha. Vote, comment, and follow me as well as my besties MusicalDucky they're awesome.

Next time: The Demigod, The Goddess and the Duck part 2!

As always, Keep Reading and Stay filled with Endless Wonder!

-BadWolf