NINE
"Hey guys," Piper said coming into the living room followed by Leo, "look who decided to pay us a...."
Her voice trailed off as she saw David standing with the knife at Prue's throat. For an instant she considered freezing David, knowing that Prue would be unaffected by the freeze. She reconsidered when she saw a small trickle of blood run down Prue's throat. Even if she could freeze him, he might have enough time to cut Prue's throat before she could. She couldn't risk her sisters' life.
"Just stay where you are," David said smiling. "No one has to get hurt. Put the gun down, Morris. Kick it over to me. You wouldn't want to have this pretty woman's death on your head, would you?"
Darryls' hand flexed on the pistol in his hand. He glanced over at Piper and Phoebe. They were clearly concerned with Prue's safety. But departmental rules were very clear. A policeman never relinquishes his weapon regardless of the situation. And Darryl was also convinced that if he did lay his weapon down, David would kill them all anyway.
"That's not going to happen," Darryl said. "Put the knife down. There's no place for you to go. You know I'm not letting you leave here."
"Sure you are," David said. "You're concern for Prue is going to make you let me walk right out of here. Who knows? I might even let her go. You're a cop. You have to consider innocent bystanders. It's your nature."
Suddenly a demon shimmered into the living room. It stood about six feet tall. It was a deep azure color with emerald green eyes. It was dressed in knee-length pants and a vest. Three spiked ridges stood out from the back of each arm.
"Fortunately I am under no such restriction," the demon said, looking directly at David. "Kill the witch. It doesn't concern me. But the cop it right. You're not leaving here. Except with me."
"Who are you?" David demanded.
"I am called Scintor," said the demon.
"Demonic bounty hunter," Leo whispered to Piper.
"That's right," Scintor said. "And the bounty on this human is substantial. I have no quarrel with the witches. I only want the human."
"That's not going to happen," Phoebe said. "Whatever else he may have done, we can't just let you take him."
"You have no choice," Scintor said. "Malator is waiting for him. And I fully intend to deliver him."
"Malator?" questioned Leo.
"That's right," Scintor said. "This human escaped from Malator. I've been hired to return him."
While they were talking, Prue was looking at Piper. Some unspoken message passed between them. Piper knew that Prue wanted her to freeze the room. It was the only way to get out of this mess. David was now backed into a corner and from what Darryl had said, he wouldn't hesitate to kill Prue.
Suddenly Prue reached up and grabbed the hand David had the knife in. She held on with both hands for dear life. At nearly the same instant, Piper brought her hands up, freezing the entire room. David had begun to struggle with Prue but froze instantly. Darryl also froze, as did Leo. Scintor turned at looked at Piper.
"That will make things much easier," he said.
Prue pulled the knife out of David's hand and stepped between him and the demon. With the freeze on him broken, David simply stood and stared at the demon, fear evident in his eyes.
"Like Phoebe said," Prue said, "that's not going to happen. I don't know what's going on here but he's still an innocent. We aren't going to just let you take him."
"Ask your White Lighter about it," Scintor said, not offering to make a move toward David.
Piper reached up and took Leo's arm. The freeze on him instantly broke. He looked around quickly discerning what had happened.
"Leo, what's going on here?" Prue asked. "Scintor seems to think you can change our minds about letting him take David."
"You have to let him," Leo said. "It's out of your hands now. If this guy escaped from Malator, then you have to let Scintor take him back."
"But he's an innocent," objected Piper. "Okay, maybe he's a serial killer like Darryl said, but he's still an innocent. He doesn't have the power to stand up against demons. That's what we're for."
"Not in this case," Leo said. "If he escaped from Malator, he's no longer an innocent. He's dead."
The girls just stared at Leo in disbelief.
"Hey guys," Piper said coming into the living room followed by Leo, "look who decided to pay us a...."
Her voice trailed off as she saw David standing with the knife at Prue's throat. For an instant she considered freezing David, knowing that Prue would be unaffected by the freeze. She reconsidered when she saw a small trickle of blood run down Prue's throat. Even if she could freeze him, he might have enough time to cut Prue's throat before she could. She couldn't risk her sisters' life.
"Just stay where you are," David said smiling. "No one has to get hurt. Put the gun down, Morris. Kick it over to me. You wouldn't want to have this pretty woman's death on your head, would you?"
Darryls' hand flexed on the pistol in his hand. He glanced over at Piper and Phoebe. They were clearly concerned with Prue's safety. But departmental rules were very clear. A policeman never relinquishes his weapon regardless of the situation. And Darryl was also convinced that if he did lay his weapon down, David would kill them all anyway.
"That's not going to happen," Darryl said. "Put the knife down. There's no place for you to go. You know I'm not letting you leave here."
"Sure you are," David said. "You're concern for Prue is going to make you let me walk right out of here. Who knows? I might even let her go. You're a cop. You have to consider innocent bystanders. It's your nature."
Suddenly a demon shimmered into the living room. It stood about six feet tall. It was a deep azure color with emerald green eyes. It was dressed in knee-length pants and a vest. Three spiked ridges stood out from the back of each arm.
"Fortunately I am under no such restriction," the demon said, looking directly at David. "Kill the witch. It doesn't concern me. But the cop it right. You're not leaving here. Except with me."
"Who are you?" David demanded.
"I am called Scintor," said the demon.
"Demonic bounty hunter," Leo whispered to Piper.
"That's right," Scintor said. "And the bounty on this human is substantial. I have no quarrel with the witches. I only want the human."
"That's not going to happen," Phoebe said. "Whatever else he may have done, we can't just let you take him."
"You have no choice," Scintor said. "Malator is waiting for him. And I fully intend to deliver him."
"Malator?" questioned Leo.
"That's right," Scintor said. "This human escaped from Malator. I've been hired to return him."
While they were talking, Prue was looking at Piper. Some unspoken message passed between them. Piper knew that Prue wanted her to freeze the room. It was the only way to get out of this mess. David was now backed into a corner and from what Darryl had said, he wouldn't hesitate to kill Prue.
Suddenly Prue reached up and grabbed the hand David had the knife in. She held on with both hands for dear life. At nearly the same instant, Piper brought her hands up, freezing the entire room. David had begun to struggle with Prue but froze instantly. Darryl also froze, as did Leo. Scintor turned at looked at Piper.
"That will make things much easier," he said.
Prue pulled the knife out of David's hand and stepped between him and the demon. With the freeze on him broken, David simply stood and stared at the demon, fear evident in his eyes.
"Like Phoebe said," Prue said, "that's not going to happen. I don't know what's going on here but he's still an innocent. We aren't going to just let you take him."
"Ask your White Lighter about it," Scintor said, not offering to make a move toward David.
Piper reached up and took Leo's arm. The freeze on him instantly broke. He looked around quickly discerning what had happened.
"Leo, what's going on here?" Prue asked. "Scintor seems to think you can change our minds about letting him take David."
"You have to let him," Leo said. "It's out of your hands now. If this guy escaped from Malator, then you have to let Scintor take him back."
"But he's an innocent," objected Piper. "Okay, maybe he's a serial killer like Darryl said, but he's still an innocent. He doesn't have the power to stand up against demons. That's what we're for."
"Not in this case," Leo said. "If he escaped from Malator, he's no longer an innocent. He's dead."
The girls just stared at Leo in disbelief.