Alfonse the meteorologist was sitting at his desk, wondering who to call. In a world propelled by vaporous water, this news would be important to the right people.

*

John Jones, head of a vigilante crime-fighting organization, was mulling over the idea of the steam-powered kettle, to try to distract himself from the fact he had no leads on the Luthor case. His team sat, quiet and contemplative in his office, disturbed only by the ring of the telephone.

Jones reached across his desk to the phone, trying to avoid the pipes connecting it to the wall. the voice at the other end identified the man as Alfonse. He said he’d been investigating the decline in global storm patterns. He called them because he thought that if anyone could be trusted to do the right thing, it was a vigilante.

After further exchanging of words, John’s face lit up. He slowly replaced the phone.

“Boys! We got a lead on the Luthor case! We’re back in the game!”

Cries of elation all round.

“Sea level has declined by a hundred metres!”