Two weeks after what I now call "the tunnel assignment", I was finally relaxing at one of those BBQ parties policemen like to throw on Sundays: lots of hot dogs, hamburgers, beer, and music. I was mostly enjoying the latter, since I was playing my acoustic guitar, my favorite hobby. I remember it was September, and it was late morning, so I was playing and singing 'September morn', one my favorite songs by Neil Diamond. A couple of colleagues were singing with me, and I was really having a great time. Then, for no reason whatsoever, my thoughts went to my two elemental friends. Now why would I think about them in the middle of a song? I looked inconspicuously around, but there was no trace of them. However, I did notice a somewhat familiar face. I knew I had met that man before. He was tall and thin, and rather good looking. Black-haired and blue-eyed, he almost looked like a 'black Irish'. The minute he looked back at me, I remembered who he was: Mercury, the authority's herald. Uh oh, I thought, looks like something's cooking, besides the hamburgers.

I ended my song, then told my colleagues that my fingers needed some rest, and I unobtrusively approached the elemental.

"Mercury."

"Ms. Stunt, it's always a pleasure."

"I must say your manners are much better than Steel's."

That made him smile.

"He's sometimes rough, but he's one of our most capable agents."

"Oh, I've no doubts: I've seen him in action. So, what's up?"

The charming smile disappeared.

"I'm afraid we need your help again. You see, Sapphire and Steel are both being held prisoners by the transients."

"Who?"

"The transient beings are very similar to us, but they have a totally different purpose: they strive to cause chaos in the time continuum, while we endeavor to put it in order. Since the time the elementals were created, the transients have been there to fight them."

"And now they have Sapphire and Steel, you said?"

"Yes. They have been very clever: it's not easy to catch two of our best agents. Silver was with them, but for some reason he was not captured. If you agree to help us, he will explain the situation in full details."

"Of course I agree, although I don't see how I could help: if all the elementals cannot find a way to set them free, what chances have I got?"

"You see, our mutual friends have told us about your, uhm, unique talents. We are sure you would be the surprise element we need to defeat the transients."

"Very well. Let me grab my guitar, say goodbye to my friends, then we can go. Oh, by the way, where are we going?"

"What about your place?"

Yes, that would make sense: I could not teleport, therefore I couldn't go to their headquarters, or whatever it was they used as a meeting place.

As soon we got to my little studio in Marina del Rey, another man was standing outside my door: he also was tall and thin, but he had thick reddish hair, and he was definitely overdressed.

"You must be Silver."

"I am. I am also very pleased to meet you, Ms. Stunt."

Why were all these guys much nicer than Steel? Was he the only rude elemental?

"Just call me Connie. Please come in and make yourselves comfortable."

As usual, when my cat Numa saw two strangers trespassing into her territory, she ran under the bed.

Mercury said: "Pretty creature."

"That's Numa, my cat: she doesn't like people, as a rule, and she would scratch and bite if you tried to stroke her. Very unsociable."

"Reminds me of Steel." Was Silver's murmured comment. I couldn't agree more.

We all sat down, and Silver told me what happened to his two colleagues, how the transients tricked them and how they were now being held in a pocket out of time and out of space. The elementals were not able to find it, nor to communicate with the two prisoners.

I asked: "How do you expect me to find them? I can only move in my own physical world."

Silver answered: "That's not entirely true. You can sense things beyond your own world. You established a mental contact with both Sapphire and Steel, and you're, well, tuned to their minds' wavelengths. I have a little device that could help you amplify your mind's ability to reach out to them. You are human, so your voice will go through the barrier they have raised around that place."

"What kind of device?"

Silver pulled a tiny curvilinear gadget out of his pocket. It almost looked like one of those ergonomic earphones. "This device. It's quite harmless, really, but it has to be implanted on you."

I didn't like the sound of it, not one bit.

"Implanted where?"

"Over your left eye."

"No way. You're not gonna touch my eyes."

Silver's voice was reassuring. "It's not going to touch your eyes. It will be on your eyebrow, if you will. It just needs to sit as close to your frontal left lobe as possible."

I was still doubtful. Mercury tried to convince me.

"Sapphire and Steel need your help. They might not be able to come back, ever again. You're their last hope."

"Well, if you put it that way, how could I refuse?" Yes, I know, I'm easily convinced, but what the hell, I'm a police woman, aren't I? I'm supposed to 'serve and protect'.

The two agents' bright smiles were a nice reward.

"Thank you, we really appreciate it."

"What do you need to implant that thing on me?"

"Nothing, really, just close your eyes and stay absolutely still. I will connect it directly to your front lobe."

Dear God, that sounded dreadful, but it was too late to draw back. So I sat completely still and let Silver do his job.

I needed to think about something soothing to calm down, and the first image that came to my mind was that of Steel's grey eyes. That was ridiculous, but before trying to think about something else, I realized I was actually relaxing, so I kept thinking about them. And then I realized I was also thinking about his face, and Sapphire's, too. Slowly, I saw both my friends, but they were so far away I couldn't really make out the details of their figures. They were sitting at a table, and the place they were in looked like a bar. No, it wasn't a bar. It was a gas station's small refreshment area.

The details got gradually sharper. I could make out their faces. They both looked worried, and quite helpless. I heard Silver's voice in my head: "Concentrate: you must communicate with them. Mercury and I will help you boost your mental voice."

I tried to focus as hard as I could. I called the two agents' names repeatedly, and every time I heard my mental voice getting louder. Just when I started to feel too tired to continue, I saw Steel jerk his head sideways, as if he actually heard something. Sapphire too looked like she was hearing me. They both concentrated on my voice, and it finally came through.

"Detective, is that you?"

"Yes, Steel. I'm here with Mercury and Silver. Hold on, I'm on my way to help you."

Steel's mental shout almost made me jump. "NO! You must not try to reach us. You would end up in the same trap. Stay where you are, you cannot help us."

"Your friends here seem to think otherwise." Now that we were connected, I knew what Silver and Mercury had in mind: they wanted to combine the four agents' powers to teleport me to that gas station. I wasn't entirely sure it would work, but I had no choice: I had to trust their judgment.

Sapphire started focusing, her eyes turning the brightest blue. Steel had no choice but to join in, and in a few moments we were all concentrating so hard it physically hurt.

After a few minutes, which for me lasted hours, I heard a loud snap, and felt as if my mind had been wrenched from my body. I shut my eyes, feeling very nauseated. When I opened them again, I was laying on the gas station's floor. As soon as I raised my head, my stomach gave up any attempt to keep my last hot dog where it belonged, and I threw up like a rookie watching her first bloody crime scene.

Sapphire rushed at my side, a worried expression on her fine features, while Steel didn't move from his seat, and just cast me a very displeased look.

"I told you not to come. Now you're trapped, too."

"Yes, I'm feeling better now, thank you."

Sapphire helped me up and handed me a glass of water, smiling apologetically.

"Don't listen to him. He's just worried about you."

"He looks like he's mad at me more than anything else."

"I am. Now make yourself comfortable: you're going to spend quite a long time here. Probably forever."

I was too tired to argue, but I could never resist a good quarrel.

"Listen, Steel, if your friends sent me here, it means they thought I could be somewhat useful."

"And, specifically, how do they intend to proceed?"

Now that was a very good question. Too bad I didn't have an answer, so I kept silent.

"That's what I thought." He commented dryly.

Sapphire noticed I was still feeling nauseated.

"Are you all right?"

"Not quite. My stomach is still upset, and I'm developing a head-splitting headache."

Sapphire touched my forehead. Her eyes once again started glowing, and she said: "She doesn't belong here: this place is damaging her. She should not stay here."

That drew Steel's attention: "I knew it." He sounded more concerned than angry now, though, and that was what worried me the most. "We must try to send her back, before it's too late."

Before I could disagree, a man entered the place. He looked quite mad, and his eyes were glowing much like Sapphire's, but in a lighter blue.

"Who are you? How did you get in here?" His voice was as disagreeable as his looks.

Steel tried to prevent him from approaching me, but he couldn't stop the man, who, much to my surprise, easily disposed of the time agent, and brutally shoved him to the ground with an ease that spoke volumes of his strength. Steel didn't get up again, and looked like he was in pain. I regretted I hadn't thought of carrying my gun along, but it probably would have been useless on such a powerful entity. He slowly got closer, but I stood my ground. I knew he could break my neck as easily as I could snap a breadstick, but I'd be damned if I showed him how frightened I was. Sapphire was paralyzed and looked quite helpless. I knew she could not help me, so it was up to me. I tried my best bluff.

"You'd better not touch me, buddy. You have no idea what it could happen."

The man didn't look too concerned. He just smiled wickedly and kept moving toward me. He raised his hand as if he really wanted to break my neck. I reacted instinctively and raised my left arm, as if to protect my face. The moment our limbs came into contact, something sparked between us, and I was hurled violently backwards. I fell hard on the floor, dazed. The man was in a much worse shape: his whole body was shining an ominous shade of blue, and he was yelling in pain. Then, with a loud crack, he disappeared. I somehow managed to mutter: "I told you.", then everything got foggy. I felt nauseated again, but this time I did not fight it. I eagerly surrendered to the darkness that was claiming me.

Have you ever had one of those dreams where you know you're dreaming, and you want to wake up, but somehow you can't? Well, that was exactly how I was feeling.

I knew I was laying somewhere comfortable and familiar, but I couldn't open my eyes. I heard voices close by. I tried to concentrate on them, until I finally managed to understand the meaning of the words.

A male voice was saying: "You shouldn't have risked her life. She came too close. Do you realize how valuable she is to the authority?"

Another male voice retorted: "Listen, Steel, it all ended up as planned. We knew she was incompatible with that environment, and that meant that she was harmful to the beings that created it. It worked, didn't it?"

I could tell the first voice was really angry. "Yes, but don't you dare risk her life again to save ours. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, you have. And, by the way, you're welcome."

I heard a female voice trying to pacify the two men: "Enough of this. We are free, and she's not seriously hurt. So why don't we let Silver and Mercury go back to their business? We must take care of her now."

I heard murmured consents, then all was silent. I felt myself slipping away again, and I didn't fight it.

I was awakened by a gentle "meow" right next to my left ear. I turned my head and slowly opened my eyes, and I was rewarded by a most welcome sight: my cat Numa was purring at me.

"Hello sweetie. It's good to see you."

I sensed someone's look on me. I turned my head to the other side and saw Steel looking at me with a barely disguised smile.

"Welcome back, detective. You slept for quite a while."

"I guess I needed some rest. What happened?"

"What do you remember?"

"I remember everything up until the transient touched me, then it's all black."

"You and he were charged with opposite charges: you destroyed him with your mere touch."

"Cool. It worked, then. Silver was right."

Steel's face was now somber.

"Yes, but you risked your life. That place was sucking up your vital energy: if you stayed there any longer it would have destroyed you. That's why you were feeling so sick."

"It was worth it: you two are free to fight your time anomalies again. Where's Sapphire?"

"She had business to tend to. You would call it 'make an official report'."

I smiled: "I see. Not so different, our worlds, are they?"

"Luckily, they are very different. How do you feel now?"

I raised my back and tried sitting on the bed. It didn't go too bad, although my head started spinning again. Steel helped me, then sat on the side of the bed, looking intensely at me. I felt quite uncomfortable under that scrutiny.

"What?"

"You must promise you will never run such a risk again."

I was moved by his concern, but I couldn't make that promise.

"Listen, Steel, I do appreciate your thoughtfulness, but you must understand that I risk my life every day at work, so what difference does it make if I risk it one more time?"

"It makes a difference to me." He said, in an uncharacteristically gentle voice, and he even raised his hand to touch my cheek. "Take care of yourself." And he disappeared, leaving a positively dumbstruck woman behind.