Tully goes out into the hallway, and Steed joins him. The whistling is coming from the stairs up, and they both figure that the whistling is an invitation. Tully admits that he might have been wrong but insists that they're dealing with something evil. Steel says that they know Pearce's name now and tells Tully to take care of Sapphire. He says that the darkness is gone and takes Tully's lantern, and once Tully goes back walks up the stairs calling to Pearce. Voices whisper in the darkness, and Steed continues forward and says that they don't have to hide. Pearce whispers Steel's name, and an image of Sapphire briefly appears. Steel turns and goes back downstairs.
Back downstairs, Steels calls Tully out of the room and orders him to confirm that Sapphire is there. Surprised, Steel goes back upstairs and hears Pearce whistling. He rips open a door and sees Pearce down on the platform, walking and whistling. The other ghosts appear, Sapphire among them, and she and Pearce look up at Steel.
Steel returns to the room and confirms that the sleeping Sapphire is still there. He suggests that her subconscious is somewhere else, and tells Tully that he saw what appeared to be Sapphire on the platform with Pearce and the other ghosts. Tully insists that there can't be ghosts of the living, and that Sapphire's condition is the result of Steel breaking the circle earlier. He goes out to get a closer look at the Sapphire image, telling Tully to continue talking to Sapphire despite the fact that she's unconscious. Once Steel leaves, Tully takes Sapphire's hand and says her name.
Steel goes out on the platform and Pearce walks past him. The Element says that Pearce is decades too late and his war is finished a long time ago. Pearce tells Steel that his war has just begun and disappears. Steel reenters the station and finds Sapphire's image there. She says that Steel left her there and she's just as much a part of the station as Pearce. Steel tells her that he knows that she's Sapphire and there's only one of her, and asks where Pearce has gone. Sapphire figures that he's busy waiting for others like him, and Steel asks how many there are. She tells him that she doesn't know, and says that since Steel abandoned her she's realized that they shouldn't be there on the assignment because their briefing was wrong. Sapphire insists that the images are harmless and will be gone soon, and they should leave them in peace. Steel seemingly agrees and invites Sapphire to come with him, and she says that she isn't done talking yet.
Tully talks to the unconscious Sapphire about his supernatural experiences.
The Sapphire image tells Steel that the ghosts intend to leave even if she doesn't know where. She says that there's no one there but them and Steel sits down with her.
Tully continues talking about his past, and the Darkness fills the window behind him.
Steel tells the image to tell her what happened when she was left behind. She says that she was given the chance to understand Pearce and the others and sympathize with them, and to find them harmless.
The Darkness spreads in through the window.
Steel asks the image if the Darkness is harmless, and she says that it is and it's fortunate that she was left behind because she learned the truth. She suggests that Steel congratulate him, and he does and then goes to get Tully. Steel suddenly sits back down and says that Tully would like to congratulate the image as well, and she says that Tully will be with them soon.
As the Darkness fills the room, Tully talks about his youth when he discovered his psychic abilities.
Steel says that when Tully arrives, they'll pack up and leave. They talk about how they can anticipate each other's thoughts and movements, and says that there's one question that's nagging at him. He insists that it needs an answer and "Sapphire" tells him to ask it. Steel asks if she's the Sapphire that he's grown to know and to love, then who is the person in the waiting room with Tully. "Sapphire"'s clothing changes to that of the schoolteacher, and she raises her hand to hit him as Steel falls to the floor.
Tully finally notices the Darkness around him and calls to Steel.
Steel tries to get past the Sapphire image. A door appears in the darkness, and the Pilot opens it holding a teddy bear and says that he couldn't get her out of the plane. The other ghosts walk toward Steal, and Pearce brings the schoolteacher out and reminds Steel of what he said earlier. The ghosts surround Steel, and after a moment the door swings open and Pearce steps out of the way. Steel's clothing is transformed into a soldier's uniform and he's caught in barbed wire strung up across the door.
Tully prays, begging the Darkness to leave them alone, and says that they didn't harm it. He asks it to let them leave, and the door opens. Tully tries to pick up Sapphire and carry her out, and the door slams closed. When Tully sets Sapphire down, the door swings open again and Tully walks out. The door closes behind him, and Tully calls to Sapphire that he'll get help. He runs out to the platform and finds Steel caught in the doorway, and tells him that he's going but will get help. Tully runs back into the station and the Darkness cuts him off when he tries to get out to get help. The ghost hunter starts to run up the stairs, and the Pilot walks in and says that he needs one last op. He notices Tully and approaches him, and Tully runs upstairs. He looks out and sees the ghosts on the platform, and hears Pearce behind him cocking his rifle. Tully tells him that he's been allowed to leave and notes that it's the only exit point. He asks what he other ghosts are, and Pearce says that they're just others. Tully tells Pearce that he still wants to help him, and when he mentions the Darkness, Pearce glares at him until he leaves.
In the doorway, Pearce walks up and looks at Steel's body. He sits down as gunshots sound and lights flicker, smokes, and says that there won't be much left of Sapphire after the next barrage. Steel opens his eyes and calls to Pearce. The other ghosts appear and Pearce tells Steel that he should have left them harm because they were doing no harm. The ghosts call to Pearce, and he says that now Steel is talking to him on his terms, not Steel's. Pearce says that the seasons will change and Steel will be leaving soon and he has no choice.
Written by Gadfly on Jan 17, 2019