The Office of Spatio-Temporal Affairs

Prologue

On a dark autumn evening, there weren't many people left on the streets. Those who hadn't finished their work yet hurried home to shelter from the rain.

However, in a narrow alley far from the main boulevards, two men stood there, seemingly unaffected by the weather. Clad in long coats that covered them entirely, they looked down at something at their feet: faintly illuminated by the only functioning streetlamp, a corpse lay on the ground. He wore a purple-hued outfit that appeared new, but the man himself had the body of a mummy, as if he had lain there since time immemorial. One of the two men pulled an arm out of his coat, on which a device was attached. He held the device just above the body, then after a moment, he stood up and said to his companion in a grave voice:

"The dating indicates over 2 centuries. No doubt, it's her work."

The second man sighed and removed his hood, revealing eyes with hypnotic golden reflections, but above all, eyes that conveyed melancholy and deep regret, as if he were personally responsible for the man's death. He remained silent for a moment, then when he spoke, his voice betrayed his sadness:

"We missed her again."

"What do we do?" asked the other.

"Call Elio, tell him to pick you up and take the body to the Bureau," his voice had regained a firm tone. "It's the least we can do for him. I'll stay here for a while, I have things to take care of."

"They've entrusted you with a new case, right?"

"Yes, a case of drugs imported from another universe, I believe."

"And for her, Thomas?"

"You, keep investigating, finding her remains the priority. Keep me informed if you learn anything else."

The man with the device seemed to want to add something, then thought better of it; he had learned to trust his companion. He manipulated the screen on his arm, and after a short moment, a third person appeared, seemingly out of nowhere as if she had passed through the wall. She exchanged a few words with the men, then grabbed the corpse and the first man, and disappeared as she had come. Left alone, the man called Thomas removed his hood and gazed at the rainy sky. He remained silent for a moment, then whispered:

"Tell me, what must I do to finally end this battle between us."

Then he turned on his heels and disappeared into the night.