SIX

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige stepped out of the vortex into a meadow. It didn't look any different from the mortal plane. Cloudless skies, a lush meadow, stretching in all directions, and a light warm breeze. This plane was very pleasant.

"No wonder Harris came here," Phoebe said.

"So how do we find him?" Paige asked. "There's no telling how big this place is."

"Destiny said we'd be near him," Piper said. "I wonder if anybody else lives here?"

"He didn't say, Phoebe said. "I don't see any animals or hear any insects. As beautiful as this place is, it seems kind of lonely."

"Some people like solitude," said a voce behind them.

They all turned to see a man standing several feet behind them. He looked to be in his mid sixties. He was dressed casually and was holding a book.

"Dr. Harris?" Piper questioned.

"Andre, please," said Harris. "I've never had visitors before. Very few people know this place even exists."

"So we've been told," Paige said.

"So who might you all be?" Harris asked.

"I'm, Piper, " Piper said. "These are my sisters, Phoebe and Paige."

"Well if you're here," Harris said, "you can't be ordinary people. They wouldn't be able to get here."

"Actually we're witches," Phoebe said.

"Ah, that would explain it," Harris said. "And from what I overheard, you've come to see me. Just who or what is this Destiny you mentioned?"

"The Angel of Destiny," Piper said. "He sent us here."

"So he does exist," Harris said. "I often wondered if the text's I've read were literal or figurative. Now I know.

"Dr. Harris, Andre," began Piper, "we've come to persuade you to return home."

"Then I'm afraid you're wasting your time," Harris replied. "I have no intentions of going back."

"Maybe you don't understand," Phoebe said. "By staying here you're causing disaster on Earth."

"I hardly see how I could do that," Harris said. "Especially since I'm not even on Earth."

"As long as you stay here," Paige said," babies can't be born on Earth."

"I doubt that's because of me," Harris said.

The girls then told Harris what the three angels had related to them. Harris listened intently to every world.

"And that doesn't sound just a bit melodramatic to you?" Harris asked when they had finished. "One man is capable of preventing all future human births? That seems a bit far fetched to me."

"Why would they lie? " Piper asked.

"Because I've outsmarted them," Harris replied. "I've found a way to beat death. And that sticks in their craw. If anyone else finds out what I've done they may follow. That means these Angels of yours will lose their hold on people."

"I don't think they're that petty." Paige said. "The seem genuinely concerned for humanity."

"Of course they do," Harris said. "They're supernatural con artists. They literally have the power of life and death over people. No one would want to give that up. I can't say I blame them. I'd probably feel the same way if I were in their shoes."

"You are," Piper said. "You're deciding that no one else will die or be born by staying here.

"If what they say is true," Harris said. "Besides, I don't plan to stay here forever. Some day I'll return. When my work is finished. I've gotten more done in the last ten year than I did in thirty years before that. And there's so much more for me to do."

"Isn't there anything we can or say that will change your mind?" Paige asked.

"It would have to be a lot more convincing than some fairy tale about ending the human race." Harris said. "In time I'll be able to uncover all of the secrets of dozens of lost and forgotten civilizations. You have no idea how thrilling that is. I'm going to stay here until I've uncovered all of those secrets."