Day 40.

[twilightzonemod]

At midnight, all of the bells in the house and all over town start chiming. The notes are loud and they hang heavily in the cool, still air. Suddenly, every room that has someone in it in Peaksville has a television that turns on. (Even the movie theater screen turns into a giant television.) And there appears on it a man whom every single

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Somewhere in the Boarding House

[goldn_boy]

"Dammit, West, come face me like a man. Where's Deb?"

But Jim was too late--the television had snapped off, and belatedly remembered that they weren't two-way communication devices. Then again, they were West's toys, and he could apparently tape anything that happened. Jim was on his feet again, irritation surging through him.

Re: Somewhere in the Boarding House

[twilightzonemod]

And suddenly, on the television in front of him, there appears a rather attractive woman, watching him eerily through the screen.

Re: Somewhere in the Boarding House

[goldn_boy]

Nice trick, Jim thought. But he hadn't seen her before, so that was worth investigating.

"Just here to watch?" he snapped. "Or did you have something to share?"

Re: Somewhere in the Boarding House

[twilightzonemod]

"Admiring the view." The woman's voice was soft, and she smiled from where she was perched on the edge of a rather classy looking business desk.

"What would you give to know where the foul-mouthed Detective Morgan is?"

Re: Somewhere in the Boarding House

[goldn_boy]

Jim favored her with a condescending smirk.

"That's Detective Morgan, to you," he said. "And isn't that a trick question? You tell me where she is, and I can't get to her anyway? What do you want?"

[twilightzonemod]

"Debra. Dear sweet Debra." Miss Devlin smiled a bit and she watched him when he smirked to you. "I want to give you what you want, Captain. I can give you anything you want..." A pause. "Within Peaksville, of course."

[goldn_boy]

Jim raised an eyebrow, clearly disbelieving.

"That's very generous," he said. "And I ask, again, what is it you want?"

[twilightzonemod]

"What are you willing to trade for it, Captain. Nothing is free, not even here."

[goldn_boy]

"I don't suppose you'll tell me whether they'll come back on their own, whether I do anything or not," he said. "I don't have anything."

[twilightzonemod]

Miss Devlin sat up, and she walked to the edge of the desk and made herself a drink. "Now if I told you, where would the fun be in that? I will tell you that they're quite safe and probably having a much better time than you are at the moment."

She stirred the drink in the cocktail shaker. "People always think they don't have anything, but it turns out they do. Like your friend Erik or the good Doctor... they had things to trade."

[goldn_boy]

"Martha?" Jim stepped forward. "What did you do to her? Wherever Deb and Derek are, they can't stay there. I won't hurt anyone, or cause anyone to be hurt, even to get them back."

[twilightzonemod]

"Your devotion to the little doctor is quite admirable, Captain. I commend you for it." There was a sparkle in Devlin's eyes as she said it, and she took a sip of her martini before she dropped back onto the desk again.

"I did nothing to the doctor that she did not agree too... And I believe that Debra and Derek can stay wherever they are for as long as the powers that be decide."

[goldn_boy]

"Debra didn't ask for this," he said. "Neither did Derek. Fine." He spread his hands. The Morgans could be anywhere, anything could be happening. "You want a deal. What? My soul, or something?"

[twilightzonemod]

Miss Devlin clicked her tongue. "Your soul? Are you quite certain that fictional people have souls?"

And then the sound of the clicking of her tongue was behind him, and Miss Devlin was there in the very stylishly made up flesh.

"What, exactly, do you want to know?"

[goldn_boy]

Jim managed to exhibit very little surprise at her little trick.

"I've never been a religious person," he said. "So the soul thing is sort of moot anyway. I want them back safe."

[twilightzonemod]

"Hmm. But safe is such a relative term. I assure you, Captain, that neither one is complaining at the moment. Is that good enough?"