This might be the only time a comedy series has migrated to the serious side.

Review replies;

OddAuthor: I know, right. I mean, Lord of the Flies! Thanks for reading!

Night-Waker: *stands to attention as the trumpet plays* Thanks for reviewing!

Cartoonatic55: Yyyyyyep. ;) Thanks for the review!

TweenisodeOrange: Popped balloons are always a tragedy. :( Thanks very much!

Zim'sMostLoyalServant: Heh, I couldn't let it go without giving it a fitting send-off. Thanks!

25/10/14: Eureka

Inspector Jensen's Office, Wood Street, 10pm. 34h left.

Inspector Jensen was working late.

The day's investigations on the Dooge case had been less-than-fruitful. Apparently, Athena had confronted Grim overnight on Friday night, only to find that he had an alibi. With Timmy and Stan also found innocent, it seemed that the trail had dried up.

Perhaps Insano really had done it.

Inspector Jensen wasn't one to give up, though, and he had promised Jazz and Athena that he'd try and unearth some clues before he went home for the night.

By now, he had used up every trick in the book. He had borrowed access details from a friend of his on the Met, and was cross-referencing their records with those of the London City Police. Nothing was coming up – Grim's alibi was airtight, and all camera records for after 10pm at the Crystal Palace seemed to have been systematically erased.

Inspector Jensen was about to go home for the night when an idea struck him.

"Maybe questioning Gus again will do it," he muttered to himself.

He switched tabs on his browser, searching for schedules for the Crystal Palace theatre. He scowled. Gus' performance schedule had apparently wrapped up for the year on Thursday.

...wait a minute.

"Oh, and feel free to come to the show tomorrow! Only thirty pounds a head!"

Gus had said that on Thursday. Why would he invite them to a performance that didn't exist?

His curiosity gained, Inspector Jensen ran a quick search for Gus on Google. He found almost nothing, save for show times. He then switched tabs and searched for him in the London City Police records – nothing. He double-checked with the Met – nothing.

He picked up his phone and dialled Athena.

"...yeah, it's Inspector Jensen, sorry for calling so late. Can you come in at nine tomorrow? I think I might have got our bloke..."

Inspector Jensen's Office, Wood Street, 9am. 25h left.

"...in short, Gus doesn't exist. He's a pseudonym, a smokescreen for something else," finished Inspector Jensen, "And I'm 90% sure he wants us out of the way."

"Gus," cursed Athena, "How come we didn't suspect him? It seems obvious now..."

"Because he looked like a harmless dolt?" replied Jazz.

"Eccentric is the word I would have used, but yes," nodded Athena.

"Well, he's the only suspect we have left," shrugged Jazz, "We should bring him in for questioning."

"I'd need to check that with the DCI," replied Inspector Jensen, "It's his call."

"While you do that, I'm gonna go check the Crystal Palace," suggested Jazz, "He could have left some evidence there that we missed."

"Good," nodded Inspector Jensen, "Meet us back here by one. Let's wrap this thing up."

Jazz nodded back and walked out the door.

"Why does this need to be cleared with the DCI?" asked Athena, "Out of curiosity, of course."

"Oh, he just doesn't like us dragging innocent people in for questioning," shrugged Inspector Jensen, "And DCI Watts has a fierce temper..."

"Wait, DCI Watts?" blurted Athena, "What happened to Aldrich?"

"Aldrich?" replied Inspector Jensen, confused, "Aldrich works for the Met. He's got nothing to do with London City cases..."

"But he's the one who gave us the Dooge case!" exclaimed Athena, "He's the one who has Insano! He's..."

She trailed off as the two came to a sudden realisation.

"Grim went to Scotland Yard twice this week," whispered Athena, "That's the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police. Aldrich works for the Metropolitan Police..."

"My god," realised Inspector Jensen, "He's on Grim's payroll."

"Which means this entire case is a scam," concluded Athena, "It was designed to draw us out. And we just let Jazz out on her own..."

Bank Underground Station, heading towards Central Line platforms, 9am. 25h left.

Later on, Jazz realised she should have considered the fact that Bank was nearly empty at 9 o'clock in the morning to be suspicious.

As she ambled down the steps towards the westbound platform, she hummed to herself. She finally had her culprit – this strange, seemingly harmless Gus the Magnificent – which meant her time in London hadn't been wasted and Insano was off free.

She reached the platform just as the train was leaving. No matter, she thought, I've got time to wait. She sat down on a bench.

"May I sit here, ma'am?"

Jazz looked up. DCI Aldrich was standing next to her – she smiled and scooted over, letting the balding policeman sit down.

"We've got him, DCI Aldrich!" she exclaimed, "We think it's Gus!"

"Gus, y'say?" replied Aldrich, scratching his chin, "That's a pretty good guess, Ms. Fenton. But yer missin' one thing."

"Missing something?" quizzed Jazz, tilting her head, "What do you mean?"

"When investigatin'," replied Aldrich, "Don't trust anyone."

A staff-only door flew open. Three policeman, all armed with submachine guns, emerged, pointing their weapons at Jazz.

"Wh-what's going on?!" exclaimed Jazz, "Y-you don't think I did it, do you?"

"Sorry ma'am," replied Aldrich, "Ovard Grim makes a good bargain."

"...you work for Grim?" spluttered Jazz.

"So, what d'you say, lads?" asked Aldrich, "How about we show her the true culprit?"

"Sounds like a plan, DC..." one of the constables began.

"I didn't say you could actually speak," grunted Aldrich.

The constable bowed his head and motioned towards the door. Gus stepped out, arms crossed.

"Aha! I knew..."

Jazz trailed off as Gus' form shimmered, morphing into a black-coated, half-rotted corpse.

"Miss me, Ms. Fenton?" growled the Governor.

"Th-th-the Governor?!" exclaimed Jazz, "Buh-but you died!"

"I got better," replied the Governor, simply, "And thanks to the inattentiveness of your handler, I have you right where I..."

"Police!"

Madame Athena and Inspector Jensen burst onto the platform. The former was charging a magical blast in her left hand, the latter holding up his badge.

"Ah, if it isn't the witch?" sniffed Aldrich, "I see you've brought Inspector Morse with you."

"Detective Inspector Howard Jensen, City of London Police," snarled Inspector Jensen, "We've blown this open, Aldrich! Don't make this too hard on yourself!"

"Really? You thought you'd just shove a badge in me face and it'd be over, Jensen?" sneered Aldrich, "No, that's not how it's going to work..."

He grabbed Jazz in a headlock. The Governor nodded his head.

"Well, it's been a pleasure, Athena, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to take your pawn," he farewelled, "Good day."

There was a flash of light. When it cleared, the Governor, the police and their captive were gone.

"...well, when I signed up for the Thin Blue Line, I never thought I'd be dealing with this," muttered Inspector Jensen.

"We have to get her back!" exclaimed Athena, "She's their key to starting a new dark age!"

"I knew it."

A figure in a trenchcoat and hat walked down the steps towards them. Her voice was clearly female.

"You were grooming her," snapped the figure, "You never intended her to live, did you Athena?"

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, this is police business..." began Inspector Jensen.

"No. I didn't."

Inspector Jensen turned back to Athena, eyes wide.

"I...I beg your pardon?" he blurted.

"Jazz is the key," replied Athena, looking at her feet, "She will be the one to decide the fate of the world. Either she will allow ReGenesis to start a new dark age or...or she'll die. Those are our only options."

"I'm not even going to pretend to understand what you just said," muttered Inspector Jensen, "What, she he has to die to save the world?"

"Willingly," nodded Athena, "It was my job to guide her to...to her fate."

"Excuse me for speaking out of line, ma'am," replied Inspector Jensen, "But that's pretty messed up."

"And it's wrong," said the figure, "Not just morally, but factually. If Jazz dies, she unleashes a scourge on the planet. It covers every continent, one-by-one, until the last of humanity dies in a final stand...right here."

"How do you know this?" demanded Inspector Jensen, "Who are you?"

The figure took off her hat. Athena doubled back in shock.

"My god," she whispered, "You're...you're a Turner."

The brown-haired, bespectacled teenager nodded.

"My name is Tammy Turner," nodded Tammy, "And I come from twenty-five years in the future."

AN: COME WITH ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE