Chapter 2

"Alright, you have the number of the hotel, my cell, Cole's cell, and the emergency numbers?" Phoebe asked the next morning. "And are you sure you're going to be alright?"

"Mom, calm down. You are only going to be gone for a week, and Aunt Piper, Aunt Paige, and Leo are all going to be here to make sure we're okay. Plus, we have Prue and Andy. And you're only an orb away if anything goes wrong," Blake said.

"Yeah Phoebe. Don't have a heart attack on your honeymoon," Paige said.

"I know. I've just never left you guys alone before," Phoebe replied.

"Phoebe, we are going to miss our plane if we don't leave now. Hawaii waits for no couple," Cole said.

"Okay, okay," Phoebe said. "See you all in one week."

Cole and Phoebe stepped onto the porch and Piper shut the door behind them. "Who wants breakfast?"

They all walked into the kitchen.

"I want to go back to bed," Paige groaned. "I can't believe the reception lasted until eleven thirty, and we didn't get to bed until one."

"That is why I am making the world's biggest pot of coffee," Piper said, pouring ingredients into the pot.

The phone rang then.

"If that is mom calling to check up on us already, I am going to scream," Tori said. She picked the phone up. "Hello?"

She listened for a few seconds, and then passed the phone to Paige. "It's Darryl."

Paige took the receiver. "Calm down Darryl. I don't understand a word you're saying. What? Why do they have you guys on it?"

"I hate hearing only one part of the conversation," Melinda said, helping Leo set the table.

They all listened to Paige. "I don't know. You can't assume every strange person is supernatural. What else? Another murder? Fine. Piper and I will meet you at the scene. Address? Okay, bye."

"Details Aunt Paige," Wyatt said when she hung up.

"You guys have heard about Melanie Baxter, right?" Paige asked.

"I think so," Leo said. "Wasn't she that teenager who was accused of murdering that police inspector?"

"I knew her," Wyatt said. "She used to be in my Chemistry class."

"Yeah. And for some bizarre reason, the government got her and began running tests on her. Only last night, she escaped," Paige replied.

"How could she escape the government?" Blake asked.

"I have no idea. Darryl said that the police report said that the two scientists that were studying her were found dead, and the glass all around Melanie's cell was shattered," Paige continued.

"Why do they have Darryl on it?" Prue asked.

"Because Melanie was from San Francisco. And the scientists were found exactly like the other murders that have happened in the past couple of weeks have happened. And to top it all off, there was another murder here last night," Paige finished.

"This is strange. Who kills with arrows?" Andy asked.

"I know. Piper, Darryl wants you and I to go to the crime scene this afternoon to see if we can figure anything out," Paige added.

"Can we come?" Melinda asked.

"No. You guys have school. And I do know about the algebra test you have today," Piper replied.

Melinda smiled sheepishly and took a bite of her cereal.

"We can't stay long. You don't know how many sick days I used up with that Kavinan fiasco," Paige said, rolling her eyes.

"All I can say, is I am glad that's over with," Tori responded.

Leo looked at his watch. "You guys better get going. You don't want to miss the bus."

The kids stood up, said good-bye to everyone, and headed out.

A little later at Baker High School, Tori and Melinda went into the lunchroom.

"I am so glad I bring my lunch," Tori said, glancing at what was being served today.

"Ditto," Melinda replied, sliding into a seat.

"Hey guys," the girl's friends, Janie Sanders and Dawn Parks said, sitting down across from Tori and Melinda.

"Hey," Tori replied.

"Have you guys seen the new guy?" Dawn asked.

"There's another new student?" Melinda asked.

"Yeah. He is very cute too," Janie replied. "In fact, he's right over there with your brother, Melinda."

Melinda and Tori looked over there to see Wyatt sitting with his friends and the new guy.

"What's his name?" Tori asked.

"Andrew Kensington," Dawn and Janie said in unison.

"Obsess much?" Melinda replied with laugh.

Across town, Paige and Piper arrived at the crime scene. They met Darryl outside, and headed in. Darryl led them to the body.

"This person was killed the same way as the others," Darryl said.

Paige reached out to touch the arrow.

"Paige no!" Piper exclaimed. She picked up her hands and froze everyone but Darryl and Paige.

"Piper!" Darryl and Paige said.

"Piper, we've been through this before. You don't freeze crime scenes," Darryl said impatiently.

"Well, I can and I do," Piper replied.

"How come you didn't let me touch the arrow?" Paige asked.

"I was saving your life," Piper responded. "Paige, that's a Darklighter's arrow."