Here I have another story that goes a bit in the direction of Sci/Fi. I had so many ideas in my head that I just didn't know how to implement in a plausible way and I just hope that I can get them - and maybe a few more - down pretty well here. I hope you like the story and hope you enjoy reading it.

Sam and Penny were on the finish line of their 24 hour shift and although it had been relatively quiet, they were still looking forward to the end of the day and their beds.

They were having a cup of tea and waiting for Steele to finish the shift handover with Arnold and Elvis when James called Sam's cell phone.

"Hey James, what can I do for you?" he answered with a smile, but he suddenly lost it. Penny immediately noticed the change in her colleague's face and waited anxiously. "Okay James, stay calm and try to keep Norman away from them. I'm coming."

"What's wrong, Sam?" Penny asked him worriedly as soon as he hung up.

"James and Norman are at the old mill. He said there's some bright flashes and polonium in there. I'll go and take a look."

"I'm coming with you," she replied firmly and stood up.

"You get off work. You're tired."

"Just like you. Tell Steele. I'll launch Venus and wait for you." She was on the pole before Sam could react and he turned towards Steele's office at a run, but couldn't help but smile - you could always rely on Penny.

He gave a quick report to Steele and the others and jumped into Venus' passenger seat. They weren't yet on the main road when Sam radioed Malcolm and asked for backup.

"Let's hope that Norman doesn't interfere for once," Sam murmured thoughtfully and looked up in surprise at Penny, who had noticeably stepped on the gas at his words.

"I just want to be on the safe side. The quicker we get there, the less nonsense Norman can do," Penny answered his silent question and he leaned back again. He wasn't too worried about Penny speeding down the narrow country road at 75 mph. Penny dominated Venus from the start very well and he trusted her implicitly. He would even be able to sleep peacefully next to her if she drove at full speed along a tank test track.

They quickly reached the mill and jumped out of Venus to circle the mill. Bright pulses of light kept shining through the boarded-up windows, but there was no sign of the children.

"Where could they be, Sam?" Penny asked him quietly as he took a look through the crack in a window.

"I have no idea, but the way I know Norman, he's probably already in."

"Uncle Sam, shh." They both looked around until Penny spotted James behind a tree. She pointed it out to Sam and he followed her over. "Norman went in. He really wanted to see what was going on in there. I'm sorry," James then reported dejectedly.

"It's okay, James. As long as you're safe, I'll go and get Norman."

"And I'm coming with you. I definitely won't let you face that crazy woman alone."

"Jealous?" Sam teased her to lighten the mood a little and received a gentle punch to the shoulder.

"I thought you had better taste, Samuel Jones," she replied with a grin and led the way.

"A much better one, believe me." She no longer noticed his dreamy look that looked at her from behind.

Two minutes later, Penny carefully opened the front door to the mill and winced when it creaked briefly. They remained absolutely still, but when after a minute nothing seemed to be moving, she opened it enough to slip in. The front room was completely deserted and she sought shelter behind one of the countless dusty boxes lying around. It only took a moment and she felt Sam on her back. She always knew when he was around - it was like she had a feeling for him. But at that moment he was so close that she could smell his aftershave and feel his breath on her neck and it sent pleasant shivers through her whole body as her heart seemed to beat faster.

"They're in the grinding room," Sam then whispered in her ear and pointed past her to the ajar door. His voice in her ear and knowing that all she had to do was lean back to be in his arms gave her goosebumps.

>Come to your senses, Penny! You're on duty!< she called herself to order. "The door is ajar. I'll go ahead and see if we can sneak in somehow," she replied quietly and Sam nodded seriously, but grabbed again her arm and held her back.

"I'm always behind you, but still be careful. We don't know what those two are doing."

Penny nodded with a smile and crawled forward.

When she got to the door, she took a look inside, but to her horror she discovered Norman hiding behind a curtain right behind Polonium and Crompton. The two of them were so engrossed in their machine, which resembled a giant gun on supports, the tip of which flickered on and off periodically like a light bulb being dimmed, that they didn't even notice the boy.

"Crompton, this will be our breakthrough. We'll get rich with it. They'll rip this invention out of our hands," she heard Polonium and followed her words with a loud, malicious laugh.

"Rich? Then I can build my own ice cream factory?" The little fat man clapped his hands excitedly and Penny rolled her eyes in annoyance, as did Polonium.

"As far as I'm concerned, if that makes you happy. Now we just have to test it. The only question is how and on whom?!"

"Nothing is being tested here. Super Agent Norman Price will take this new secret weapon and ensure law and order!"

"Oh no!" she heard Sam groan in annoyance behind her as she covered her eyes with her hand for the same reason. This boy was incredible.

They jumped up and Sam pushed past her to push open the door.

"What's going on here?"

"Fireman Sam?!" Norman shouted euphorically.

"Is this a village meeting with a tea party? What are you all doing here?" Polonium now shouted angrily.

"I could ask you the same question, Professor!"

"We have no harm in mind. We were just using this quiet location to put together my latest invention," she replied in an overly friendly manner to smooth things over.

"A new secret weapon that she still has to test and then wants to sell. I will save the world so that it doesn't fall into the wrong hands!" Norman now shouted decisively and before anyone could do anything, Norman jumped on the supposed weapon. Crompton and Polonium tried to get him off the machine amid loud protests, which ended in a wild confusion. The machine spun back and forth and Sam and Penny looked at each other perplexed for a second before Sam heard a loud whirring noise. The machine seemingly charged itself with energy and when Polonium finally managed to pull Norman off the machine, everything happened at once.

A bright beam erupted from the top of the machine and Sam instinctively turned, wrapping his arms around Penny and shielding her with his body as they were hit. It only took a fraction of a second before the machine fell over and crashed onto the ground.

"Oh, oh!" Norman just muttered and dashed past the two firefighters outside.

"Are you okay Pen?" he asked her now worried as he pulled away from her a little.

"Don't ask me that. What's wrong with you?" she replied in fear and carefully placed her hands on his chest and arm, as if she wanted to convince herself that he was okay.

"Everything is fine," he replied with a smile and turned around. "Polonium, what is this new invention and what will happen to us now?" he turned to the inventor duo, who were standing together whispering.

"Oh, it's not as bad as it seems. It wasn't anything special and you won't notice anything from the beam." They both didn't notice that Crompton was sneaking up to their side while Polonium was coming straight towards them and trying to lull them into safety with her words and a friendly smile. "It will take a few more hours for it to take effect and I would like to be there myself then. Now, Crompton!"

Sam looked around the room in confusion, looking for the little assistant, but the only thing he saw was a board coming towards him, before a piercing pain hit his head and his vision went black. He thought he could still hear Penny calling his name from afar as he drifted into unconsciousness.

"Sam!" Penny shouted, really panicked, but before she could react, Polonium put a bag over her head. "Leave us alone. We haven't done anything to you!"

"No, you really haven't, but since you are the only ones who have enjoyed my new radiator, I need one of you to evaluate the results of this unplanned test," she heard Polonium say, her arms wrapped around her from behind and didn't intend to release her.

"Leave Sam alone!"

"Don't worry, darling. Nothing will happen to him now and we'll send you to the land of dreams as well," Polonium replied with a laugh, before Penny noticed a pungent smell of ether the next moment. She once again pushed herself against Polonium with all her strength, but despite her slight stature she had a surprising amount of strength in her arms and the ether was already beginning to cloud her senses before she drifted away completely and everything around her went black.

To be continued...