FIVE
"Well," Prue said, sitting on the sofa next to David, "it appears what you told us is true. There is a demon after you. More than one from the looks of it. So, care to explain why demons are so interested in you?"
"I don't know," David said. "They just suddenly shimmered in and attacked me. I was lucky to get away. When I realized what they were, I knew my only hope was you three. So I came looking for you. It seems I found you just in time."
"How do you know about us?" Piper asked. "We aren't exactly listed in the yellow pages."
"Oh," said David, "my, uh, ex-girlfriend was into the occult. She used to tell me about some of the things she'd read. She once told me about you three. Powerful witches with unusual powers. I never gave it much credence, to be honest. I just figured it was all superstition and old wives tales."
"Then the demons attacked," Prue said.
"Yes," David said. "Like I said, when I realized they were real, I figured you must be real, too. I don't know anything about demons or witches or anything like that. I figured I needed some experts and you seemed like the best choices. I wasn't sure who you were, though. Only you last name. So I started searching out every Halliwell in the phone book. The name that brought me here was Penny Halliwell."
"Our grandmother," Piper said. "You must have been looking in an old book. She died about a year and a half ago."
"That's what Phoebe said," David said. "When I learned that, I thought I had the wrong house. Then she sort of coaxed me into telling her what was going on. The rest you know."
"That demon was called a Searcher," Phoebe said, coming down from the attic. "Apparently it's a lower level demon used by higher level ones to get items or people for them. There wasn't much about them only that they rarely enter into combat. Apparently they aren't powerful enough to do much damage."
"Which explains why the second one took off like it did," Piper said. "Was there anything about a spell or potion?"
"No," Phoebe said. "They don't seem to be much of a threat most of the time. They're kind of like errand boys. Just getting stuff for the higher level demons they work for."
"So that begs the question," Prue said. "Why would a higher level demon want David?"
"I have no idea," David said. "I don't really have any enemies. I'm a graphics design artist for an advertisement firm. I'm the one who actually draws up those posters and billboards and things like that. I can't imagine any reason why a demon would want me. I'm not important enough to bother with."
"Someone thinks you are," Piper said. "Now we have to figure out who that is and why they want you."
"Should we ask Leo?" Phoebe asked.
"Not just yet," Prue said. "Let's see if we can figure this one out on our own first."
"But if something sent those two after me," David said, "won't they send some more now that you've vanquished that one?"
"Not right away," Prue said, eyeing David. "There's something about you that a demon is interested in. We need to find out what that is. If we do, maybe we can figure out which demon sent them after you. Those Searchers' aren't the problem. The demon that sent them is. We need to figure out who that is and take him out. Otherwise he'll just keep sending them after you."
"Okay," Piper said, "so, where do we start?"
"First," Prue said, "Phoebe goes back upstairs and does some more checking. Make sure there's nothing she missed before."
"I'm on it," Phoebe said.
"While she's doing that," Prue said, "David will tell us what he's been doing the last week or so. I'm willing to bet that the Searchers were sent after him for something that happened recently. Maybe if we knew what he's been doing we can figure out what interests a demon so much."
"Well," David said, "let me think. About a week ago my girlfriend and I broke up. It was amicable enough. We just both realized we wanted different things."
"Let's concentrate on your job for now," Prue said. "Maybe something you did or saw or heard there is the cause of this."
"I don't know what that could be," David said. "My life would be considered rather routine and boring. I just draw ads all day long. I like it but it's not something that anyone would send demons after me for."
"Just tell us what you've been doing at work the last week," Piper said. "We're going to figure this thing out one way or another."
David looked at the two as he began to collect his thoughts about his activities over the past week.
"Well," Prue said, sitting on the sofa next to David, "it appears what you told us is true. There is a demon after you. More than one from the looks of it. So, care to explain why demons are so interested in you?"
"I don't know," David said. "They just suddenly shimmered in and attacked me. I was lucky to get away. When I realized what they were, I knew my only hope was you three. So I came looking for you. It seems I found you just in time."
"How do you know about us?" Piper asked. "We aren't exactly listed in the yellow pages."
"Oh," said David, "my, uh, ex-girlfriend was into the occult. She used to tell me about some of the things she'd read. She once told me about you three. Powerful witches with unusual powers. I never gave it much credence, to be honest. I just figured it was all superstition and old wives tales."
"Then the demons attacked," Prue said.
"Yes," David said. "Like I said, when I realized they were real, I figured you must be real, too. I don't know anything about demons or witches or anything like that. I figured I needed some experts and you seemed like the best choices. I wasn't sure who you were, though. Only you last name. So I started searching out every Halliwell in the phone book. The name that brought me here was Penny Halliwell."
"Our grandmother," Piper said. "You must have been looking in an old book. She died about a year and a half ago."
"That's what Phoebe said," David said. "When I learned that, I thought I had the wrong house. Then she sort of coaxed me into telling her what was going on. The rest you know."
"That demon was called a Searcher," Phoebe said, coming down from the attic. "Apparently it's a lower level demon used by higher level ones to get items or people for them. There wasn't much about them only that they rarely enter into combat. Apparently they aren't powerful enough to do much damage."
"Which explains why the second one took off like it did," Piper said. "Was there anything about a spell or potion?"
"No," Phoebe said. "They don't seem to be much of a threat most of the time. They're kind of like errand boys. Just getting stuff for the higher level demons they work for."
"So that begs the question," Prue said. "Why would a higher level demon want David?"
"I have no idea," David said. "I don't really have any enemies. I'm a graphics design artist for an advertisement firm. I'm the one who actually draws up those posters and billboards and things like that. I can't imagine any reason why a demon would want me. I'm not important enough to bother with."
"Someone thinks you are," Piper said. "Now we have to figure out who that is and why they want you."
"Should we ask Leo?" Phoebe asked.
"Not just yet," Prue said. "Let's see if we can figure this one out on our own first."
"But if something sent those two after me," David said, "won't they send some more now that you've vanquished that one?"
"Not right away," Prue said, eyeing David. "There's something about you that a demon is interested in. We need to find out what that is. If we do, maybe we can figure out which demon sent them after you. Those Searchers' aren't the problem. The demon that sent them is. We need to figure out who that is and take him out. Otherwise he'll just keep sending them after you."
"Okay," Piper said, "so, where do we start?"
"First," Prue said, "Phoebe goes back upstairs and does some more checking. Make sure there's nothing she missed before."
"I'm on it," Phoebe said.
"While she's doing that," Prue said, "David will tell us what he's been doing the last week or so. I'm willing to bet that the Searchers were sent after him for something that happened recently. Maybe if we knew what he's been doing we can figure out what interests a demon so much."
"Well," David said, "let me think. About a week ago my girlfriend and I broke up. It was amicable enough. We just both realized we wanted different things."
"Let's concentrate on your job for now," Prue said. "Maybe something you did or saw or heard there is the cause of this."
"I don't know what that could be," David said. "My life would be considered rather routine and boring. I just draw ads all day long. I like it but it's not something that anyone would send demons after me for."
"Just tell us what you've been doing at work the last week," Piper said. "We're going to figure this thing out one way or another."
David looked at the two as he began to collect his thoughts about his activities over the past week.