SIX

"So just where are we going?" Malcolm asked as Piper hurried them through the streets of San Francisco.

"Back to my sister Phoebe," said Piper.

"I thought you said you needed to find Paige," said Malcolm.

"That's my other sister," said Piper. "Only I don't know where Paige went. I'm hoping Phoebe knows. If she doesn't we'll have to try to find Paige."

"Oh, I see," said Malcolm. "But Phoebe is trapped in the time freeze as well."

"Yes," said Piper. "We'll have to figure out a way to break her out of this freeze. I'm hoping a spell will work."

"Spell?" questioned Malcolm. "You are really a witch?"

"Yes, I am," said Piper. "And so are the demons I mentioned earlier. My sisters and I protect the innocent from the demons."

"I see," said Malcolm. "That must be quite a job."

"You have no idea," said Piper. "Tell me something. Why work on this static temporal bubble anyway? I mean it must be very expensive to research something like that. Wouldn't the money be better spent in researching cures for diseases or something like that?"

"Oh, this is only the first step," said Malcolm. "This technology has unlimited applications. Imagine a building that's burning with people trapped inside. If we can create a static temporal bubble around the building then rescue workers wearing devices that shield them from the bubble can go in and pull people out without harm.

"Or consider someone who is in desperate need of an operation but who isn't physically strong enough to withstand several hours on the operating table. A surgeon could operate inside a static temporal bubble and virtually no time would pass for the patient. They wouldn't have to put the patient under the strain of the operation. He or she would go to sleep and wake up when the operation were over.

"And those are just the beginning. In years to come this technology can be utilized for applications we haven't even dreamed up yet. Food preservation, deep space travel, there's no end to what we can use it for. One day static temporal bubbles may be as common place as computers are today."

"It seems to me," said Piper, "it could also be used as a very powerful weapon."

"Unfortunately that's true," said Malcolm. "But the technology is simply a tool. Much like your witch powers I would imagine. The tool itself is neither good nor evil. That would be determined by its use. Much like nuclear power. It can be a source of nearly unlimited fuel or one of the most devastatingly destructive devices known to man."

"You have a point," said Piper. "I guess I never thought of it in those terms."

"So," said Malcolm, "are these sisters of yours witches as well?"

"Yes," said Piper. "We're called the Charmed Ones. And as I said we fight demons and protect the innocent."

"I gather you stay rather busy," said Malcolm.

"More than I'd like," said Piper. "Sometimes it seems like there's a new demon popping up every other day."

"This is quite a lot to take in," said Malcolm. "I'm a scientist. I've always believed in what I could see or prove mathematically. And to my knowledge there's no way to prove the existence of demons."

"You seem accepting of it now," said Piper. "What changed your mind?"

"That explosive ability of yours," said Malcolm. "It defies all known laws of physics or logic. In the absence of any other explanation I must accept your explanation."

"Well at least we're making progress," said Piper. "We're here."

"I see," said Malcolm. "So you have jobs aside from fighting these demons."

"Well, we try," said Piper. "But it's not easy."

"I can imagine," said Malcolm. "It can't be easy trying to juggle a normal life while fighting demons and protecting the helpless. It must be quite trying."

"Some times I wonder if it's all worth it," said Piper.

"Now," said Malcolm, "how do you propose to unfreeze her?"

"That's a good question," said Piper. "I suppose a spell would work. I'll need a few minutes to compose one. Phoebe's the spell writer in the family. I can usually come up with something but she usually does a better job."

"If I understand correctly," said Malcolm, "you cast a spell and then the magic from the spell causes whatever you want to happen. Is that about the size of it?"

"Something like that," said Piper. "I never really thought about the mechanics of it. I've never had to. But I guess that's as good an explanation as any."

"I don't think it will work," said Malcolm.

"Why not?" Piper asked.

"Because time is essentially frozen," said Malcolm. "That would also freeze all natural, or in this case, supernatural, laws. You've seen the numerous items simply hanging in midair. And the fact that the sun hasn't moved. Not to mention that fire produces no heat. These all attest to the fact that everything associated with the movement of time have been affected."

"Okay," said Piper. "What's that got to do with casting a spell?"

"Well," said Malcolm, "theoretically, you would summon the magic. Then the magic has to move, as it were, to wherever or whatever you're trying to affect. If that's the case then the time freeze will most likely prevent it from moving."

"Do you always analyze everything?" Piper asked.

"Occupational hazard I'm afraid," said Malcolm.

"Well, we haven't got anything to loose by trying," said Piper. "Maybe the magic will be exempt from the time freeze since I am too."

"Nothing ventured nothing gained, as they say," said Malcolm.

Piper spent several minutes composing a spell. When she decided she had it finished as best she could she looked nervously at Malcolm. This would probably be her only chance. If this failed she wasn't sure what she was going to do.

"Thaw the icy threads that now bind, release my sister from this prison of time."

She waited hoping against hope that Phoebe would suddenly become unfrozen. Spells usually took affect immediately. But that was when time had some meaning. After what seemed like an eternity Piper realized her spell had failed. She had lost her only chance to free her sister from the time freeze and save the entire world.