It hung there in its rack and hummed. Deep within the Earth, its masters had placed it there eons ago and it waited patiently for them to return. A small device within it kept time down to the nanosecond yet time itself made no difference to it.

It waited.

Long tentacles well lit with bright lights speared up from a glossy red body. Its gaudy appearance reflected its makers' childlike need for colorful toys, no matter how powerful. It blinked and glowed and waited behind doors made of a metal no human had ever seen, or could reproduce. The key to it was well hidden, as was the map that led to its location.

There was another like it, half a world away. It had been found and it nearly destroyed this place called Earth. That one had been blue and its properties and functions were slightly different than the red one. Both were equally lethal. But the blue one was gone from its hidden tomb. No maps led to it anymore. It was lost to its masters.

But the red one remained. It needed only a clever soul to find it, to use it.

Deep within the Earth, it waited.

End Teaser

Jess marched down the London street, her résumé tucked neatly away in her bag and Ewan's pathetic little note crumpled in her tightly clenched fist. "See you around, love"??? Gone on bloody tour, has he? This was the second time he'd done this to her. The first time he'd stranded her in Chicago while he and his band mates had gone to Vegas for a gig. If she hadn't stumbled in to the Watchfire and been taken in by Adelaide and Maggie, she'd have frozen to death on the streets.

Then, she'd come all the way back from Chicago for him, given him the second chance he'd wanted, only to have him leave her to go on tour with his band mates again. Like that band of motley duffs had any hope of making anything of themselves. And here she was, once more, left holding the bag.

Never again. Not even if he came crawling on his hands and knees.

The job Jess had tending bar was enough to keep the roof over her head And Ewan's, she thought bitterly, but it wasn't enough to make that one change in her life that would forever leave Ewan behind. She was going back to Chicago, back to the Watchfire, back to her real life. But this time she was doing it right. She was going to save enough money to get a permanent visa and a green card. But for that, she needed a second job, a second full time job.

She knew she could do it. She was young, strong and most of all, angry. And the position was perfect. Day manager of the café half of a bookstore/café. If she could run a bar, she could certainly run a café. After all, she'd learned from the best, Adelaide Porter. And Adelaide had talked her into taking classes so that she'd have the paperwork to back it all up.

She'd also learned more than that. She'd checked out this place called Flames. A bit upscale, catering to the University crowd. So she'd dressed accordingly. Blonde hair pulled back in a smooth tail, a nice tame blouse, black skirt and low heels. Conservative all around. Wild Jess by night, quiet Jess by day. That's what would get her back to Chicago.

As she approached the door to Flames, an older man came out and held the door for her. Even simmering with suppressed rage, Jess sent him a blinding smile and stepped inside. First impressions counted, not just theirs of her but hers of the establishment.

Cool, she thought, and quiet. Chairs and tables scattered through the stacks, inviting the customers to sit and read a bit. The café took up the far side of the bookstore and seemed to be doing a brisk business. Counter and ten tables, she saw. Lovely interior, great lighting throughout the place. Music low and calming. Looked like a cross between a reading room and a gentleman's club from the Regency period.

Jess strolled in along the checkout counter, still looking the place over. For some reason, it reminded her a great deal of the Watchfire. She wasn't sure why, but somehow it had the same basic feel to it. She stopped and just stood, basking in the feeling of being right at home.

A voice came from behind her and said, "May I help you?"

Mel? No, the voice was British. Jess whirled and got a second shock. It was Mel. A young Mel. The hair was short and sleek, the clothes beautifully tailored, but it was Mel. Those eyes, that smile; it couldn't be anyone else.

The girl said, "Are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Jess shook her head and smiled. "I believe I have. Who are you?"

"Kate Porter. Manager of Flames and soon to be full owner."

Porter? Kate Porter? She held out her hand to Jess and Jess stared at it. Mel's hand. Then she remembered herself and shook Kate's hand.

"Jessica Caine. My friends call me Jess."

"And how may I help you, Jess?"

"I've come to ask about the position of café manager." Still stunned, Jess's eyes wandered up to the sign above Kate's head. Old and weathered, the maroon and white paint chipped from it's years outdoors, the lettering was still familiar.

The Firewatchers

And suddenly Jess knew she'd fallen down the rabbit's hole.

"What part of NO don't you understand, Cole?"

"No only has one part, Mel."

Cole's calm, reasonable reply had Mel's blood pressure skyrocketing and the urge to tear out someone's hair was growing stronger. Standing between Cole and the door he had rigged with a variety of locks, she looked to him like a sentinel with her shoulders squared and her arms firmly crossed. To his quiet delight, she took three deep breaths and started again.

"It's called 'Breaking and Entering' and it's illegal in every state in the Union and most countries in the world."

"But if you are inside the room trying to get out, is it called 'Breaking and Exiting'?"

"Arrrgh!"

Mel stomped around him and went to lean on the glass case of the shop's main counter. "You simply can't go around opening locks whenever you want to, Cole."

"But you've seen me do it many times."

Mel pulled her hair back with one hand and turned to face him. He was so beautiful, she thought, so sexy and so damn stubborn!

"That was you, Cole and those were emergencies; extenuating circumstances."

"But now it is both of us, Mel. And there will be more emergencies. We know the others have come back. And I will need your help. You now have your own Collector but that is not enough. You must learn what other Cirronian powers you might have and practice them. Our lives may depend on you."

Mel turned and leaned against the counter. Her head was down and her hair fell in soft drapes to cover her face. Cole moved in that silent way of his to stand before her.

"I am sorry this troubles you," he said.

Mel looked up at him, with her head cocked to one side and a sad smile fading away. "I thought it was over. I thought we could live in peace."

Cole reached out and gently stroked her throat and for the first time, Mel returned the gesture. His hand came up to cover hers and hers to cover his. For a moment, a sense of bonding filled them both. Then Cole stepped back.

"You must decide."

Mel took a deep breath and looked over at the locks. She stood up straight, rubbed her hands together and said, "Alright, you little buggers. This is Mel Porter you're dealing with now and you don't stand a chance."

Cole smiled as he followed Mel to the door.

End Act One

"Do you have your c.v. with you?" asked Kate.

Jess tore her eyes away from the ancient sign and blinked. "Oh, yes! My résumé." She carefully opened the large handbag that actually looked a bit like a brief case without hinges and searched through the file that held her employment history. Without missing a beat, her nimble fingers skimmed over the Watchfire data. The rest of it was handed over to Kate with a cheerful grin.

"I hope you'll find it all in order," Jess said.

Kate began reading, her head tilted just as Mel's would be and Jess felt her heart break. There had to be a connection between the two, but Jess didn't know what it was. As for the names of the businesses, The Watchfire and The Firewatchers, that was more than a coincidence.

The confusion Jess felt was almost the same as she had known back in Chicago, after Cole arrived. She'd been out of the loop then as well, knowing that there was much more going on than Mel was ready to tell her. She was forced to trust Mel and her own instincts, and to keep that trust, she had to bite her tongue and cover for Mel when necessary.

It was the same here. This young Kate Porter was Mel in every way. A little more steady, a lot less nervous. But still Mel. Jess's mind raced with the possibilities. A sister? A cousin or a niece? There had to be some relation between them. But until Jess talked to Mel, the less said the better. Not for Kate's sake, although Jess liked what she saw of the girl, but for Mel's.

Kate looked up with a smile. "This is very impressive."

Jess took an inner breath and returned the smile. "Thank you."

"But there's something missing."

The hair stood up on the back of Jess's neck and she froze with a polite smile on her face. Busted. I am so busted.

"Arrrgh!" Mel stepped back from the door with her fists clenched as though she was about to punch it. "Why isn't this working? I'm focused, I'm concentrating and it still isn't working!"

Cole looked up from the computer he was taking apart, a small smile flirting with the corner of his mouth. He knew it would come to this, give the normal state of Mel's temperament. He rose and went to her.

"Perhaps you are focusing too much, Mel," he said.

"How can anyone focus too much?" she demanded.

Cole said, "On Cirron, my people have evolved past some of the more intense emotions found here on Earth. That is why you so often find me…agreeable. We still feel anger when anger is appropriate, but emotions such as frustration and irritability and intensity are no longer a part of our way."

"Oh, now there's an understatement." Mel groused as she stared at the door with narrowed eyes. "So how do I make this work?"

Cole said, "It is not an obstacle or a challenge. It is simply something that must be done. Be at peace with yourself and the locks will open." He turned and went back to his workbench.

"Be at peace?" Mel stared after him in astonishment. "How am I supposed to do that?"

"You'll find a way," Cole said.

"Be at peace." Mel muttered. "Be at peace. Arrrgh!"

End Act Two

"What seems to be the problem?" Jess asked carefully. She could feel the cold sweat running down her spine.

Kate looked Jess straight in the eye and said, "You have 18 months in your records that can't be explained."

Jess thought of her dearest friend and prepared to edge around the truth. For Mel's sake, she wasn't going to reveal her connection to the Watchfire, not until she knew what was going on. She hadn't even wanted Kate to know she was in Chicago at all, but those 18 months had be accounted for and Jess, at least, had the paperwork to prove it. For that, Jess thanked Adelaide with all her heart.

"Didn't I give you that?" She asked innocently, and then looked into her handbag again. "There it is. I'm sorry." She pulled out a second folder and gave it to Kate.

The younger girl opened it up. "Oh, my. This is marvelous. The Chicago School of Hospitality. Even I've heard of it. And you studied there! Wonderful!"

Jess swallowed a sigh of relief and braced herself for questions.

Kate was reading avidly. "Restaurant and Bar Management. Computer classes. Cooking and Baking. Bartending. You have the one-year Certificate. Why didn't you go longer?"

"Actually, I did. I was taking more classes as I could afford them, then my visa ran out."

"What a shame. If I may ask, why isn't your current boss using your talents more than he is? He only has you down for 30 hours a week."

Jess shrugged. "Seniority. I've only been there two months."

"And he doesn't mind your having a second job?" Kate asked.

Jess replied, "Not as long as I'm there for the first. I'm a great bartender, I'm on time and I don't miss my shifts. The same goes here."

"Well, " Kate said, "You're more than qualified for this post. The café does all right but the only difference between it and any other in the University area is that it's attached to the bookstore. We need it to draw customers on its own. Do you have any ideas on that?"

"To be honest, " Jess said, "I'd have to see how it runs for a day, then I'd know where the trouble spots are and what would be needed to fix them."

Kate laughed. "You're the first applicant to say that. The rest all spill over with ideas without even having a look at the café!"

Jess smiled and remembered Adelaide's golden rule: Keep it simple.

The comings and goings of the bookstore had been steady as the two young women talked and Jess had been keeping an eye on the café as well. The late afternoon trade was heavier in the bookstore proper but the café seemed to be doing fairly well, at least in the beverage area. She noticed that Kate was never unaware of the business either, despite their conversation, and approved of that. A sharp eye, she thought, and the employees knew it.

Kate went back over all of Jess's paperwork one more time. She liked what she saw in Jess and felt that she could work with the older girl. References would need to be checked, of course but as far as Kate was concerned, she'd found her café manager.

Salary, she thought, and benefits. Paperwork to be filled out and…

The click of sharp heels on the hardwood floor brought Kate's head up with a snap. Only one person walked like that.

"Oh, shit." She said softly.

Jess stared at her in shock. Kate was looking across the bookstore at the doors where a woman had just entered. Tall, elegant and well turned out, she moved like a hunting cat. Jess was immediately on guard.

"Who is that?"

"Aunt Marguerite. Hell on stiletto heels."

End of Act Three

Mel stood in front of the door and just breathed. She'd bought a book once on meditation and it had mentioned breathing exercises as a part of calming the mind and centering the soul.

She'd ended up hyperventilating and being rushed to the ER.

This time, however, she thought of Cole and that odd peacefulness he carried with him everywhere. Somewhere inside her she had that too. She came from the line of the Guardians and her Grandfather Alan was Cirronian as well. She let herself simply breath and felt the tension begin to slip away.

She remembered how it felt to stand with Cole, his hand on her heart and hers on his. That bond, so simple and pure. And the moment in the apartment when his collector glowed in her hand, showing her a glimpse of what she was and what she could be. Last, the energy she pulled from herself and gave to Cole, returning him to his rightful self, giving him back his Cirronian life force so that together they could stop Zin and his people from the destruction they sought.

It was there. She could feel the peace and with it the energy. Opening her eyes, she reached out and placed her hand over the first lock. Her hand glowed and with a quiet snick, the lock released. Behind her, Cole smiled.

She was dark and tawny with clever green eyes and long fingered hands. Barely forty, Marguerite Cunningham had already buried one husband and was looking for number two. In the meantime, she was saddled with David Porter's brat for another ten months and couldn't wait to be rid of her.

Clad in a beautiful silk suit that matched her eyes, she stopped directly in front of Kate and raised an elegant hand in Jess's direction.

"Why wasn't I made aware of this interview?"

Jess thought icicles could form in Hell with a voice like that.

Kate replied in a tone equally cold. "The Trust is clear on this, Aunt. I'm free to do any hiring or firing without your consent. Your position is supervisory only."

"And I should have been called in to supervise."

"There was no need." Kate countered. "My decision is pending. Ms. Caine is fully qualified. Once her references have been checked, we will proceed."

Jess stood there, unable to decide if she should stand up for herself and Kate or if she should appear invisible. Kate was so like Mel that her instincts told her to stand and fight.

Then, the decision was taken out of her hands.

Mrs. Cunningham said, "And what do you think of all this, Ms. Caine?"
Jess raised her chin and spoke clearly. "Ma'am, whatever business you have with Miss Porter is between the two of you. I understood my business was with her and I prefer to keep it that way."

One sharp eyebrow shot up and Marguerite looked Jess over carefully. "Hmmm. Another one who thinks she has a spine."

"I don't think that I have a spine; I know that I do." Jess said. "I've been alone in this world since I was fifteen and I've gotten along just fine by living an honest life and working hard to get where I am. I don't smoke or do drugs; I rarely drink. I've never been in trouble with the law and I'm a good employee. I'm on time, I'm prepared, presentable and I pull my own weight. I don't just put in my time, I work to do what's best for the workplace as a whole. I not only have a spine, I have a solid work ethic and from the looks of it, so does Kate.

"I'm choosey about where I work. While she was vetting me, I was vetting her and this place. I'd like to work here. It's up to Kate and I to come to terms on that. Is that clear?"

Marguerite narrowed her eyes and started to speak. Kate cut her off. She turned to Jess and held out her hand.

"You're hired. When can you start?" The grin was pure Kate, with just a touch of Mel.

After Marguerite had left in a huff, Kate and Jess went back to Kate's office to do the paperwork. A tidy little space, it held a computer and the usual office plunder of a busy workplace. As they sat and went through the usual forms, they chatted a bit.
"I was very proud of you," Kate said.

"For standing up to your Aunt?"

Kate nodded. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time but well-bred girls…Ooops. I'm sorry."

Jess looked at Kate's bright red face and smiled. "I think it has more to do with personalities. I've dealt with a lot of bullies in my time. When they push, you've got to push back."

"I'm learning that." Kate said. "Now, because you'll be full time and because you have your other job, we need to work out a reasonable schedule for you."

"That won't be too hard. I work at the bar Tuesday through Saturdays, from seven until one. The only real problem I have right now is finding a new flat, with roommates." Jess pulled a sad face.

"You need to move?" Kate asked, rather intently.

Jess nodded. "For reasons I'd rather not go into."

Kate tapped her fingers on the desktop. "I've an idea. There's a flat above the bookstore. Two nice bedrooms, all the mod-cons. I'm living at Marguerite's right now and hating it. So is she. If I can get the Trust's permission, would you like to room with me?"

Jess was stunned. "I'd love it! I'll split the expenses with you…"

"Oh, no!" Kate laughed. "If it gets me out of that bloody museum, I'll make it part of your benefits package!"

"You're joking!" Jess started laughing with her.

"Just wait! Just wait!"

Kate picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number. "Mr. Farnsworth, please."

Jess could see the girl all but tremble with excitement.

"Mr. Farnsworth? Katherine Porter. A question for you? Am I required to live with Mrs. Cunningham until I'm eighteen or will any responsible adult be sufficient?" She looked at Jess with her eyes shining. "I see. Yes. I can have that information to you by morning. Thank you for your time. Good day."

"Well?" Jess breathed.

"All he needs is to do check your references and contact Scotland Yard!"

Kate jumped up and hugged Jess, laughing.

"Are you sure about this?" Jess asked.

"Very sure!" Kate said. "After what you said to Marguerite…and there's something else. I don't know what it is, but somehow, I just know this is right. There's a feeling I get from you, like you know me and I should know you. We'll do well together. I know we will!"

Jess smiled and on impulse, hugged Kate again. The little nagging guilt inside her wouldn't go away. But she'd make this right. Somehow she would.

They finished up the paperwork and made arrangements to meet in the morning. They'd take a look at the flat, see what needed to be done up there to make it livable and start on the café.

Jess left Flames and walked to the Tube station. With the money saved on rent, she'd be that much closer to her goal of returning to Chicago. Chicago and Mel and Cole and all her friends there.

And what about Mel? It was late afternoon in London; mid-morning in Chicago. She could call Mel, tell her about Kate and the Firewatchers. But what would she say? How would she say it? How could she say it? Mel had never mentioned family in London. Never gone to meet anyone while she was here last winter.

Elated by her own good fortune, confused and upset by the mystery of Kate and the Firewatchers, Jess got on the Tube and headed back to the miserable little flat she had shared with Ewan.

She would wait. Give herself time to find out as much as she could about Kate Porter before approaching Mel with it. The last thing she wanted was to see Mel hurt. Or Kate. The young girl was quickly finding a place in Jess's heart too.

Time. That's all she needed. Just time.

End Act Four

Mel crouched down, working on the last few locks. Each lock on the door became more sophisticated, a little more difficult than the last. With each one, she had to reach a little deeper into herself, into that calm peacefulness, to find what she needed to open it.

The simple locks, the ones found in houses, were the easiest. Deadbolts and chain locks, little more. But the electronic locks were harder and required more energy. Still, one by one, they snicked open and the success added to her confidence and her energy.

Cole watched her as he built the new computer. He hoped that this one would have the necessary capabilities to penetrate whatever shielding the aliens were now using. He'd have to find an unattended satellite to use for the testing process.

He looked back at Mel. She was down to the last lock, one he had rigged to be especially difficult. If she could release that one, she could open any lock anywhere. He sensed her reaching deep within herself, further than she had gone before.

The Cirronian part of her had almost eclipsed the human. A soft glow surrounded all of her now, not just her hand. He wondered if she was aware of it. He wondered what would happen if he took back his own Cirronian form while she was in this state and … No. It had to be her choice. She had to come to this deliberately. If she ever wanted to, if she was ever ready, then she had to prepare for it consciously.

And so he watched that beautiful glow that enveloped his lovely Mel, making her more enchanting than he had ever thought possible. The glow deepened, brightened, shimmered…

And the lock popped, swinging the door wide.

Mel jumped to her feet and the glow dissipated. She turned, flung her hands in the air and in a series of leaps, crossed the room to hug him.

"I did it! I did it! I opened all the locks!"

Cole rose and hugged her close. "Yes, Mel."

She danced away from him. "Oh, it was incredible! It felt so good! It felt like I was…I don't know…glowing!"

"You were, Mel."

"I was glowing?" She was astonished.

"Yes, Mel."

"Wow!" She danced around some more, excited, elated, triumphant.

Cole watched her, feeling how alive she felt and cherishing that as it grew inside him. He went back to his workbench and the computer with that warmth spreading throughout his being.

Mel pirouetted over to the bench, leaning on it. "What's next, Cole? What do I get to learn next, huh?"

"Are you ready to learn something new, Mel?"

"Yes!"

"That is good, Mel." Cole smiled.

Mel's eyes shined with anticipation.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Close the door and relock all the locks."

"ARRRGH!!!!!!!!!!!"