TEN

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige walked into the library where they had met Logan the day before. Logan sat behind the desk filling out some papers. A large, muscular man stood next to him.

"Ah, I see you've returned," Logan said, smiling. "Good, good. It didn't take you long to come to a decision. Then I can assume you've decided to help me?"

"Actually, you slime," Piper said, "we figured we just put a stop to your scheme once and for all. You give new meaning to the phrase 'captive audience'. And it's about time you learned you shouldn't be doing it."

"That's a shame," Logan said. "I was so hoping you'd see how hopeless it was to deny me. I suppose I'll just have to find another witch to reinforce the enchantment. Dexter, will you please take out the trash for me?"

The man standing next to Logan reached into this coat and pulled out a pistol. He aimed it directly at the sisters.

"Is that supposed to frighten us?" Phoebe asked.

"And just what do you think you can do about it?" Logan asked.

"Gun," Paige said and the gun orbed into her hand.

"Something like that," Piper said.

"That....that's impossible," stammered a surprised Logan.

"You might want to look for employment elsewhere," Phoebe said to Dexter. "I think you're about to be terminated here."

The man didn't hesitate. He turned and ran from the room as fast as he could go.

"Your little enchantment is gone," Piper said. "Along with your control over the people in this town."

"Impossible," Logan said. "The enchantment can't be broken. Especially not by anyone in the town. It prevents you from using your powers."

Piper raised her hands and the window behind Logan exploded into a thousand shards, covering the yard just outside.

"Think again," Piper said. "The enchantment is gone and we aren't going to let you put it back. If these people want to leave here, they have every right to. You'll have to find some other way to keep your factory going."

"And how are you going to stop me?" Logan asked, leaning back I his chair and smiling. "You can't watch me twenty four hours a day. I'll find another witch somewhere. I'll get her to put the enchantment back. And this time I'll make sure no one can break it."

"We won't let you," Phoebe said.

"Oh?" questioned Logan. "And what are you going to do? Turn me over to the authorities? Tell them I used magic to hold an entire town hostage? I doubt they'd believe you. You could kill me, I suppose. But then again, you're witches. I'm what they call an innocent. Which means you can't kill me. So there's nothing you can do to stop me."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that exactly," Piper said, smiling. "Leo."

Leo suddenly orbed into the room next to Logan. Logan looked at him in total surprise. Before he could move, Leo sprinkled some dust on him. Logan collapsed in his chair and sat looking forward, a glassy look in his eyes.

"I'm still not sure how the Elders are going to look at this," Leo said to the girls.

"It's the only way," Piper said. "We have to protect the people of this town from him. Just blame it on us. They blame us for everything else anyway."

Suddenly Logan looked up at the group.

"Who....who are you?" he asked. "Where am I? What happened?"

"You're okay, Mr. Logan," Phoebe said. "You just fell and hit your head."

"Logan?" questioned Logan. "Is that my name? Logan?"

"Yes," Piper said. "You hit your head. You seem to have developed amnesia. Don't worry. We'll send a doctor over to look at you. You're going to be fine."

"Thank you," said Logan. "Thank you very much."

"Let's get out of here," Leo whispered to the girls, "before he starts asking too many questions."