Greg checked the restraints on the chair one last time. He looked up at David who sat strapped into the chair. The look on Greg's face indicated he wasn't altogether comfortable with what was about to happen.
"This is against my better judgment," Greg said to David. "If anything should go wrong..."
"If anything goes wrong they'll deal with it," David replied, indicating the girls. "Trust me, Greg, they're more than equipped to deal with anything that can happen."
"Except the unknown," said Greg. "You can't be prepared for something you don't know about. That's always a danger in research, you know that."
"Believe me, Doctor," said Piper, "we have a lot of experience dealing with the unknown. Working on the fly is something we're very good at."
"I hope so," said Greg. "If not a great many people could be in serious danger very soon."
"We'll deal with it," said Paige. "Can we just get on with this?"
"Patience, my dear," said Greg smiling. "As David is acutely aware if you try to rush things you end up making mistakes. We're very nearly ready. I just want to check the settings on the machines one last time to be sure. With everything that's at stake we can't afford even a minor slip up."
As Greg moved to the machines to check them, Phoebe stepped over next to David.
"You might be normal again in a few minutes," she said. "After all these years you must be nervous."
"More than a little," said David. "I want to thank you and your sisters for everything you've done for me. This is the best chance I've had since that awful day in my lab. I don't know how I can ever repay you."
"You don't have to," said Phoebe. "This is what we do. We help the innocent."
"I'm not exactly innocent," said David. "That . . . creature has caused a lot of destructions over the years. And I know people have been injured. Thankfully none were serious and no one has been killed. But I'm guilty of a lot of misery and destruction."
"That's a matter of debate," said Cole. "If this creature takes over when you get angry a case could be made that it isn't you doing it at all. You seem to be a very caring person. Someone incapable of doing the things this creature can do. I'd say it's similar to someone with multiple personalities disorder. And that's an accepted defense in most courts."
"Still," said David, "it wasn't for my carelessness and impatience..."
"You made a mistake," said Piper. "Who hasn't? We aren't blaming you. I don't think any reasonable person would. There's no sense in beating yourself up over this. It could all be over in a few minutes."
"Or it could be worse," said David. "Like Greg said, I could revert to that creature permanently. If something goes wrong that creature could be rampaging around the city with no way to stop it."
"That won't happen," said Leo. "I'll be standing right next to you. If it looks like anything is going to go wrong I'll orb us out immediately. Once you're in the Barrens you won't be able to hurt anyone."
"What about you?" David asked. "I could hurt you."
"Maybe temporarily," said Leo smiling. "As a White Lighter the only way to kill me is with a Dark Lighter's arrow. If by some stroke of luck you should injure me I'll heal almost instantly. It's part of my nature."
"I see," said David. "And these Barrens. You're sure there's no one there that could get hurt."
"Have you ever been through Nevada or Utah?" Cole asked.
"Yes," said David. "Since I have to stay on the move I get to a lot of places.""It's kind of like there," said Cole. "No roads just flat barren land as far as the eye can see. You can punch holes in the ground but that's about it."
"That makes me feel better," said David.
"And if the change should not be permanent," said Leo, "I can come get you and bring you back. So you have nothing at all to worry about."
"I wish I had time to learn more about you," said David. "There must be a lot that I know nothing about."
"You have no idea," said Piper. "But you're better off not knowing. Trust me on that."
"What will you do if this works?" Paige asked. "I mean once you don't have this creature to worry about, what then?"
"I'll try to get my life back together again," said David. "Greg can help explain all this to the scientific community. Dealing with the police is going to be a different matter. I'm not wanted for anything but this creature is. I may find myself having to account for what it did."
"I wouldn't worry too much about that," said Cole. "Get yourself a good attorney and I'm sure they can work out something. Like I said, it's not unlike multiple personalities disorder. And since no one has been seriously injured or killed that will help in your defense."
"I hope you're right," said David. "At least I can stop running. I can settle down and lead a normal life for a change."
"What about this McGee fellow?" Phoebe asked. "He seems like the persistent type."
"Oh, he's that all right," said David. "But with the creature gone he'll eventually leave me alone. It's the creature he's after. I'm not important enough for him to waste his time on."
"I wish you luck," said Phoebe. "I can't imagine living your life the way you do. Never knowing when this creature may suddenly appear."
"It's been hard," said David. "But you learn to adapt."
"Well," said Greg walking over to the group, "everything is ready. David, I'm gong to record everything. That will help me to understand what happens when you change and maybe why and how it happens."
"How soon before we know if it works?" David asked.
"That's hard to say," said Greg. "Initially there probably won't be any indication of any changes. I should know more once I've analyzed the results of the test."
"That could take months," said David.
"Well, you'll know the next time you get angry," said Piper. "If you don't change you'll know it worked."
"We should get started," said Greg. "The generator is powered up. No sense in waiting. It's now or never."
"Good luck," Phoebe said to David.
Everyone moved off to the side as Greg moved over to the main control panel. They watched apprehensively as Greg began to manipulate the controls on the panel. Each hoping and praying that this would work and David would finally be freed of the curse that had plagued him for so many years.