5x05: Citizen Bane

[The Virtual Series]

CHARMED: RESET REALITY (A new Alternate Universe series brought to you by Daniel, 4Ever, Drama, Xenith, and a host of others!)

STARRING:



SHANNEN DOHERTY...Prue Halliwell
HOLLY MARIE COMBS...Piper Halliwell
ALYSSA MILANO...Phoebe Halliwell
ROSE McGOWAN...Paige Matthews

CO-STARRING:



BRIAN KRAUSE...Leo Wyatt
JULIAN McMAHON...Cole Turner
DORIAN GREGORY...Darryl Morris
SHAWN CHRISTIAN...Matt Capiello

CHARMED: RESET REALITY is a concept conceived and copyrighted by Daniel Taylor and cannot be copied without his permission.

Based on the television show "Charmed" created by Constance Burge and featuring characters created by her and Brad Kern.

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. If we owned Charmed, the last few seasons would be more like this! All characters and locations are fictitious or are used fictitiously. We only own the characters listed as "Original characters" within the credits. All others are products of the old WB and the new CW and belong to them and Aaron Spelling Productions. This work was not written for sale and is meant only to be read by visitors to websites for the fans of the television show, Charmed.

5.05 CITIZEN BANE

GUEST-STARRING:
JAMES READ
ANTONIO SABATOR JR.
PARKER BRUNDAGE
KRISTA ALLEN
DAKIN MATTHEWS
MICHAEL HURST

Storyline by...XENITH

Script written by...CAMILLE (FOUREVER CHARMED)

Script edited by...DRAMA (ASSASSIN WITCH)

Script proofread by...CAMILLE (FOUREVER CHARMED), DRAMA (ASSASSIN WITCH), DTAYLOR (ASTRAL ECHO)

Executive Producer...DTAYLOR (ASTRAL ECHO)

Produced by...DRAMA, FOUREVER CHARMED, XENITH

Directed by... James A. Contner

[The Virtual Series]

Citizen Bane

Teaser

[Scene: P3. A large cardboard box is tilted in mid air, frozen in place at an odd angle. Not far from it, P3’s delivery man, DREW, is also halted mid step with his arms thrust out and his body lurched forward in the same pose he became immobilized in after he’d tripped over the step. On the step just above DREW, MONICA SINCLAIR is also frozen with a large box in her arms and her mouth caught in a half circle, having been stopped mid speech. Shocked and pale, PIPER HALLIWELL makes her way slowly around the suspended box and then moves towards DREW and MONICA. She looks down at her hands and, with wide eyes, quickly glances around the silent club. She tilts her head to the ceiling.][/b]

PIPER: Leo!

[Scene: Manor. Living room. A blue glow fades from the walls as LEO WYATT, glamoured as BANE JESSUP in an orange prison suit, appears in the room. VICTOR BENNETT is still seated on the couch at PAIGE MATTHEWS’ side, trying in vain to awaken the youngest Charmed One. He looks up as he sees orbs from the corner of his eye.]

VICTOR: Leo, thank god! (He stands up, his hands shaking a little.) She won’t wake up, Leo. She-

LEO/BANE: (interrupting) Let me see. (He takes VICTOR’s place at her side and places his hand over the blood soaked gauze. After a few moments, a golden light begins to pour from his hands and slowly, but surely, the red tainted gauze begins to turn white again as the wound reverses itself and the blood flows back into PAIGE’s body.) What happened to her?

VICTOR: It was Bounty Hunters, they were after me… (He takes a hesitant step closer.) Will she be okay, Leo?

(PAIGE’s eyes open and she awakens with a small gasp. LEO/BANE removes his hands and PAIGE looks around warily. LEO/BANE suddenly stands up.)

LEO/BANE: I have to go. Piper’s calling me and it sounds urgent. (He orbs out. PAIGE sits up and she and VICTOR look at each other in awkward silence.)

PAIGE: (sincerely) Thank you.

[Scene: Mansion Headquarters. BANE JESSUP lays a hand on PRUE HALLIWELL’s shoulder. Startled by the gesture, PRUE jerks her head around and shakes away BANE’s hand.]

BANE: (worriedly) Prue…are you alright?

PRUE: (snappily) I’m fine! I just need to- (She turns her attention back across the room, but MATTHEW CAPIELLO is nowhere in sight.) Damnit! (She sets her drink down on a table.) I’ll be right back. (She starts to walk away.)

BANE: Prue! (He reaches out to grab her, but she’s too far out of his reach. PRUE disappears into the crowd and BANE angrily hits the table with his fist. The socialite couple next to him share glances with each other.) I’m sorry, but I have to go. (He, too, sets his drink down and leaves.)

WOMAN: (snootily) It’s a wonder some people even get invited to these events. (Her partner nods as she takes a long sip of her martini.)

Clickable Credits.

[The Virtual Series]

{SCENE: The song “Ghost Of You And Me,” written by Jon Lind and Richard Page and sung by BBMak, is heard as stock shots of San Francisco are shown while the Guest Credits are rolled.}

Act One

[Scene: P3. Backroom. PIPER is wildly pacing back and forth as she speaks to LEO/BANE.]

PIPER: You’ve got to go check with The Elders! (She looks down at her hands.) What if I had accidentally blown them up? (She shakes her head fearfully. LEO/BANE glances up at the wall clock.)

LEO/BANE: And you tried to unfreeze them and it wouldn’t work?

PIPER: Yes, which makes it all the more dangerous! Leo, I’m not even supposed to have my powers, let alone be using them randomly and against my will!

LEO/BANE: I’ll go consult The Elders, but first I need to contact your sisters-

MAN's VOICE: No need to worry yourself with The Elders, Mr. Wyatt. I can take things from here.

(Surprised, LEO/BANE turn his head to see a plump man with white hair and pale blue robes standing in the room.)

PIPER: (shocked) The Angel of Destiny? (Her brown eyes wander to LEO/BANE, questioningly. The ANGEL OF DESTINY smiles.) Leo, did you-

ANGEL OF DESTINY: He didn’t know about this.

LEO/BANE: (concerned) What’s going on?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Your wife’s in safe hands, Mr. Wyatt. You ought to be getting back to Mr. Jessup’s cell now, shouldn’t you? Pillows and blankets won’t fool the guards forever…

(LEO/BANE shifts uncomfortably.)

LEO/BANE: (to PIPER) He’s right, I have to go. (PIPER nods. LEO/BANE looks suspiciously at the ANGEL OF DESTINY again and then orbs out.)

PIPER: (demandingly) I thought you said my powers were to be stripped permanently?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Indeed, I did. (He takes a seat. PIPER glares.)

PIPER: Well, then how do you explain my frozen delivery man? Obviously something’s gone wrong!

ANGEL OF DESTINY: I assure you, everything has gone exactly according to plan.

PIPER: And when, exactly, were you going to tell me that I still have the power to freeze?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: You don’t, Mrs. Halliwell. (He flicks his hand lazily at her.) Your unborn child, however, does.

(Shocked, PIPER looks down as she places her hands on her stomach.)

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. PAIGE is sitting at the table and VICTOR sits down in the chair beside her with two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. PAIGE smiles as she pulls the plate towards herself. PAIGE takes a bite as she watches VICTOR, who appears to be having an internal battle with himself. PAIGE holds up the half of her sandwich and nods a little.]

PAIGE: I used to live off of these when I was a kid.

(VICTOR smiles a little.)

VICTOR: I remember fixing those for the girls when they were little. Prue always liked boysenberry and Piper’s favorite jam was strawberry. (He takes a bite of his sandwich with an almost wistful look on his face. PAIGE lightly nibbles at hers.)

Paige: What were they like?

VICTOR: (surprised) What?

PAIGE: Prue and Piper. And Phoebe, too. (She stares down at her plate.) When they were kids, I mean, what were they like?

VICTOR: Oh. (He unconsciously nods his head and laughs a little under his breath.) Prue, she was always the brave one. (PAIGE smiles.) Did you know that she was never even scared of the dark? (PAIGE shakes her head, but he doesn’t notice.) And she was always so eager for knowledge. (He shakes his head.) She and Andy were always running off together, exploring and getting themselves into more hot water than I’d care to remember.

(PAIGE snickers.)

PAIGE: Prue actually got into mischief?

VICTOR: Not intentionally, mind you. She was just such a curious kid. And empathic, too. I remember this one time when her and Andy brought home this bird who’d gotten attacked by the neighbor’s cat…it was a pigeon, I think. They’d actually named the poor thing.

PAIGE: What was its name?

(VICTOR laughs.)

VICTOR: Cap.

PAIGE: (curiously) Cap?

(VICTOR shrugs.)

VICTOR: Don’t ask me, they named it. (He bites into his sandwich again.)

PAIGE: Did Cap make it?

(VICTOR grins.)

VICTOR: Yeah, it took us three weeks, but we nursed him back to help. We released him in the backyard.

(PAIGE gets up and moves to the fridge.)

PAIGE: What about Piper?

VICTOR: Piper…she was always the spitting image of Patty. (He chuckles.) Well, more neurotic, of course, but then I guess that’s expected from the middle child, right?

(PAIGE pours herself a glass of milk and then starts to put away the carton when she stops and looks over at Victor.)

PAIGE: Uhm…do you want a glass of milk? (VICTOR turns around in his chair and PAIGE holds up the carton questioningly. VICTOR nods.)

ViICTOR: Yeah, I’d like that.

(PAIGE grabs another glass from the drainer and pours another glass, which she take over to the table and sets in front of VICTOR. She proceeds to take her seat next to him again as VICTOR take a swig from his glass.)

PAIGE: So, now tell me about Phoebe…

[Scene: Mansion Headquarters. PHOEBE HALLIWELL downs the last of her martini and sets it on the tray of a waiter as he passes. She glances around the room, briefly catching part of Barry Manilow’s “Where Do I Go From Here?” She makes a face as she suddenly spots BANE disappear down a corridor off of the main ballroom. She heads after him.]

[Cut to a secluded room. The wall vibrates momentarily as the door slams shut. PRUE raises her finger and MATT finds himself pressed against the wall.]

PRUE: (furiously) Mind telling me what the hell you’re doing here?

MATT: Prue-

PRUE: Oh! (She curls her fist.) Do. Not. Prue. Me! (She looks away from him briefly.) How did you even get in, anyway?

MATT: I…I heard about your father.

(PRUE stops in her tracks. She studies MATT for a minute, her blue eyes blazing.)

PRUE: And how, pre tell, did you hear about Victor? (She raises her hand before he can speak.) And don’t give me that crap about not being able to tell me!

MATT: (muttering) It’s not like you haven’t used the same excuse before.

(PRUE narrows her eyes.)

PRUE: Excuse me?! (A vase falls off a nearby table and shatters to the floor. It catches both PRUE’s and MATT’s attention, who turn their heads to look at the shattered red shards.) You know-

BANE’s VOICE: Prue! (The door swings open, revealing BANE. PRUE and MATT freeze. BANE’s eyes flick between the room’s occupants) Prue, are you alright?

MATT: (to PRUE) Who’s he?

PRUE: (to BANE) I’m fine.

(BANE looks at MATT suspiciously.)

BANE: (to PRUE) Do you need any help?

MATT: (to BANE) Excuse me, but if you haven’t noticed, we’re in the middle of something-

PRUE: (interrupting) Actually, (she glides past MATT) I’d say we're done…for now.

MATT: Prue! (He tries to move towards her, but BANE steps in between them.) Prue, you know I’m only trying help!

(PRUE laughs sarcastically.)

PRUE: I’m going to explain this only once, Matt. I. Don’t. Need. Your. Help. (She starts to turn away and then, at the last moment, turns back around. She suddenly leans into BANE and kisses him on the lips. BANE looks surprised at first, then kisses her back.)

[Cut to Phoebe. PHOEBE is walking down the hall when she stops as she sees PRUE up ahead, kissing BANE. Her mouth falls open.]

[Cut back to Prue and Bane. PRUE pulls out of the kiss and stares directly at MATT.]

PRUE: (pointedly) I’ve got all the help I need. (She turns on her heel and leaves. BANE raises his eyebrows in a nastily amused way at MATT and then shuts the door in his surprised face.)

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Two

[Scene: P3. Backroom. PIPER’s hands are lying on her stomach and her face is awash of shock and surprise.]

PIPER: But…how? When my powers got stripped-

ANGEL OF DESTINY: We’ve always known that the children of the Charmed Ones would be highly coveted, highly gifted products of good-

PIPER: My child is not a “product”!

(The ANGEL OF DESTINY rises to his feet.)

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Your unborn child has a great destiny ahead and when faced with your proposal, we chose what we feel to be the best course of action.

PIPER: I’d appreciate it if you’d just stop beating around the bush.

ANGEL OF DESTINY: A great destiny lies ahead for your child, Mrs. Halliwell, and you’re the one who needs to bring that child into its powers.

PIPER: (angrily) Her, and just how do you expect me to teach Melinda about her powers when I’ve already given mine up? I thought…I thought that by giving mine away, she would never have any either.

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Your child was conceived long before our deal was made, why would you think that “she” would not inherit powers?

(Silence.)

PIPER: Why would you do this? By giving up my powers, I don’t even have a way to protect her when demons come after her!

ANGEL OF DESTINY: On the contrary…you can still cast spells and make potions and many a witch before you have done perfectly fine without active powers.

PIPER: But when I gave up my powers-

ANGEL OF DESTINY: When you gave up your Charmed status.

PIPER: Excuse me?

(The ANGEL OF DESTINY waves his hand and a hologram bursts forth between them.)

[Hologram: PAST PIPER is standing before the PAST ANGEL OF DESTINY in the entry way of the Manor and the ANGEL OF DEATH stands next to him, with PAST PAIGE and PAST PHOEBE off to the side.]

PAST PIPER: (anxiously) Well?

PAST ANGEL OF DESTINY: You understand that if you were to go through with this, you will never be able to have your powers back if you were to change your mind.

PAST PIPER: I have no intention of changing my mind.

PAST ANGEL OF DESTINY: (sternly) You’re Charmed status will be completely ripped from you, Piper.

PAST PIPER: I understand.

[Cut back to the present Piper. She looks confused as the hologram fades away.]

PIPER: What does that have to do with anything?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: You agreed that your Charmed status would be stripped, which includes your active powers as a witch. However, under no circumstance did I say that your innate powers as a witch, the power to cast non-Power of Three spells for example, would be revoked.

PIPER: So you’re saying I’m still a witch?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: An innate witch, but not a Charmed One. You have a status equal to that of Charlotte Warren’s. (pause) We knew that your child would come in it - “her” – powers, and we also knew that you would need to teach “her” how to use those powers to fulfill “her” destiny. While Leo is also magical, he is by no means a witch, and like you said yourself, evil will be after your child, and we knew that you would need means of protecting both yourself and your child from those threats, otherwise both of you would simply become a hindrance to your sisters and their destiny.

PIPER: So, I don’t have my Charmed powers, and I won’t be getting them back, but my daughter’s powers are being projected through me?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Exactly, which is why you couldn’t unfreeze anything earlier. Your panic allowed you to temporarily tap into your child’s powers, but because they aren’t yours, you can’t activate them at will.

PIPER: (muttering) So I’m back at square one, then.

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. PAIGE and VICTOR are still at the table, in the midst of a pleasant conversation. There are now only crumbs on their plates and their milk glasses are empty. Suddenly, the phone rings and PAIGE frowns. She raises her finger.]

PAIGE: Hold that thought. (She gets up and answers the phone.) Paige Matthews. (pause) But I thought… (pause) Well, actually I’m kind of busy right now- (pause) I don’t know if I can- (She sighs.) Yeah, fine. (She hangs up. VICTOR looks up.)

VICTOR: Something wrong?

PAIGE: Social Services wants me to come down and speak with the boy I picked up earlier…

VICTOR: (disheartened) But you’re supposed to be babysitting me…

PAIGE: I wouldn’t-

(VICTOR flicks his hand as he stands up.)

VICTOR: No, it’s alright. You should go.

PAIGE: But-

VICTOR: If there’s one thing I’ve learned since meeting Patty, it’s that innocents always come first. (He pulls out a handful of potions from his pocket.) How long do you think these will last me?

PAIGE: You’re just going to have to come with me.

VICTOR: And that’s safe? Bounty Hunters of both the magical and non-magical variety are following me.

PAIGE: If you want to be technical, you’re an innocent too.

(VICTOR shakes his head, looking vaguely amused.)

VICTOR: I’m not going to win this one am I?

(PAIGE shakes her head, her arms still folded.)

PAIGE: ‘Fraid not. (She snaps her fingers. VICTOR waves his hands, relenting. PAIGE smiles proudly and heads out of the kitchen. VICTOR follows, shaking his head.)

VICTOR: (muttering) Just like Patty…

[Scene: Mansion Headquarters. PHOEBE catches up with PRUE as they walk back into the main event room.]

PHOEBE: You know, I’ll admit that I’ve put off getting my eyes checked lately, but they must be really bad, because I swear I just saw you kissing Bane-

PRUE: Phoebe! Now is not the time to talk about this.

PHOEBE: (angrily) Prue! You can’t just kiss your con- (she glances over her shoulder as BANE is trying to keep up with them and lowers her voice) –vict ex and then expect me to be peachy about it!

PRUE: Did I ask you to be “peachy” about it? (PHOEBE tries to say something, but PRUE cuts her off.) In fact, I didn’t ask you to say anything. What I am asking, though, is that you stick to the job at hand, which is finding out what who is after Vic-

(A pair of large hands grab ahold of PRUE’s arms and halts her from going any further. PRUE turns her head to see that PHOEBE is also being held by a very large body guard. She looks back to find BANE in the same predicament.)

BODY GUARD #1: (to PRUE) I’m afraid we need you to come with us.

PHOEBE: (sarcastically seething) Could this day possibly get any better?

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Three

[Scene: Mansion Headquarters. Private room. BANE is seated in a leather chair before a vacant desk. Suddenly, a rather ominous looking man, BRACKSTON, with dark features appears in the chair on the opposite side of the desk. He grins at BANE as he leans forward, waving his hand dismissively. The body guard leaves them alone.]

BANE: (venomously) Where are they?

(BRACKSTON waves his hand dismissively.)

BRACKSTON: They’re in perfectly capable hands.

BANE: If you harm them-

BRACKSTON: You’ll what? (He leans forward, raising an eyebrow.) I must say though, I applaud you, Jessup. I knew you were a good con, but I hadn’t expected you to get all the way here, least of all with two witches. (He strums his fingers along the wood of his shiny desk.) And not just any witches, either. Two of the Charmed Ones.

BANE: Look, you got what you wanted, they’re here. Are you going to take the bounty off their father, now?

BRACKSTON: I’d love to, but unfortunately I’m not the one who issued it.

(BANE bangs his fist against the desk.)

BANE: You said-

BRACKSTON: That I wouldn’t kill the man. (He shrugs.) Loopholes are a funny thing, you know. (BANE starts to rise to his feet, but BRACKSTON is quicker.) Sit back down, Jessup, or do I need to remind you that I still have your girls with my men? (After a beat, BANE takes his seat again.) Good boy. (He slides open a drawer.) Here’s what I’m going to do. First, I will look in to removing the bounty on your witch’s father. (He snorts.) He’s not important to me anyway, I was simply following orders. (BANE looks up, but BRACKSTON misses it.) What I would like to do, is offer you a proposal.

BANE: (flatly) I’m not interested.

BRACKSTON: But you haven’t even heard what I have to say yet.

BANE: I’m. Not. Interested.

(BRACKSTON pulls out a small amulet on a chain and dangles it in front of BANE. BANE looks at it from the corner of his eye and then turns away.)

BRACKSTON: Don’t you miss your former lifestyle, Bane? (Silence.) The parties, the women, the money…the thrill? (Silence.) You’re good at your job, Jessup. I’d like to give you a chance to enhance your skills. (He flicks the chain from side to side.) It’s a teleporting amulet, a very old charmed piece of jewelry. (He smirks.) Some say it once belonged to Robin Hood…which would explain a few things, don’t you think?

BANE: What do you want with them?

BRACKSTON: The witches? (pause) Don’t worry, I already told you they won’t be…harmed. So long as everything goes according to plan, that is.

BANE: What is that supposed to mean?

(BRACKSTON merely smiles.)

[Scene: Manor. Driveway. PAIGE’s lime green VW Bug is backing out when PIPER’s dark green jeep pulls up at the curb.]

[Cut to inside Paige’s VW Bug. PAIGE does a double take from her rearview mirror.]

PAIGE: (surprised) Piper? (She sees PIPER running up the driveway through the mirror. PAIGE puts the car back into park and both she and VICTOR get out.) What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be-

PIPER: At P3. Yeah, I know. (She motions to the Manor.) Can we talk inside? (PAIGE looks down at her watch.) Trust me, you’re going to want to hear this. (PAIGE mutters something under her breath as she follows PIPER and VICTOR back up to the front doors.)

PaAIGE: You do realize I’m on limited time here, don’t you?

PIPER: Would you have time if I told you I can freeze things again?

PAIGE: (shocked) What?

PIPER: I thought you might have that reaction. (She digs into her purse and pulls out her key to the Manor. She opens the door and the three tumble inside.)

PAIGE: Spill!

PIPER: The baby has powers. (PAIGE’s mouth drops open.) And apparently, I can still cast spells.

(PAIGE waves her hand in a circle.)

PAIGE: Why don’t you back up to that part about my niece having powers-

VICTOR: (to PAIGE) Your niece? (to PIPER) Baby…are you pregnant?

(PIPER lightly touches her stomach.)

PIPER: (to VICTOR) I haven’t told you…

PAIGE: (to PIPER) I think you just did.

[Scene: Underworld. The Queen’s lair. THE QUEEN is waving her hands over her foggy crystal ball. Suddenly, a shadowy image appears and THE QUEEN steps back, gauging it with a fair amount of distrust.]

SHADOWY FIGURE: Is everything going according to plan?

THE QUEEN: It would depend on your motives.

SHADOWY FIGURE: Haven’t you seen enough to trust me?

THE QUEEN: Trust is such a fickle thing these days, it doesn’t mean what it used to. (She folds her arms.) And why should I trust you, anyway?

SHADOWY FIGURE: You don’t trust the future you’ve seen for yourself?

THE QUEEN: I trust my crystal ball, but I don’t trust you, and you are the source of this “future.” (She motions her hand.) You’ve already intercepted my magic, so why should I believe that you’re giving me truthful visions of the future?

SHADOWY FIGURE: You’ve been accepting my word so far-

THE QUEEN: That doesn’t prove anything. (She waves her hand dismissively.) Are you trying to say that Rulers of the Underworld can’t have trial periods?

SHADOWY FIGURE: But it makes sense, doesn’t it? And what have you got to lose?

THE QUEEN: (sarcastically) Oh, I don’t know, my life maybe? (She turns and glares at the shadowy figure in her crystal ball.)

SHADOWY FIGURE: The proof is in the diary, which you already have in your possession. (THE QUEEN holds out her hand and a small, worn brown leather diary appears in her hand. She flicks it open and to a page which has a corner bent.) “The skies shall darken and the rain shall ravage the land. In her moments of confusion, a Warren witch shall turn to evil, and all hope for the future will be lost.” What more could you want?

(THE QUEEN drums her fingertips along her bare arms in contemplation.)

[Scene: Mansion Headquarters. Second private room. PRUE and PHOEBE stiffly seated in separate chairs, both their hands tied behind their backs with rope and each facing a desk identical to the one in BANE’s room. Just as before, BRACKSTON appears in the chair across from them.]

BRACKSTON: Afternoon, ladies. (He nods courteously.) I trust you find yourselves well? (He looks at PRUE.) Don’t worry, you still have your powers, we just have various precautionary wards up. (He tilts his to the side, enjoying her fury.) I’m sure you understand.

PHOEBE: (venomously) What do you want?

BRACKSTON: Isn’t that obvious? (He taps his fingers along the wood of his desk.) I want to fulfill my bounty. Unfortunately, you lovely ladies seem to be getting in the way.

PHOEBE: (sneering) I think we have a valid reason!

(BRACKSTON nods in understanding.)

BRACKSTON: I do see the trouble, unfortunately-

(The door bursts open and two more body guards come in, each carrying MATT by one arm.)

BODY GUARD #4: We found this guy asking questions.

(BRACKSTON squints his eyes, surveying MATT.)

BRACKSTON: (to PRUE) You wouldn’t happen to know why he’s here, would you Prudence?

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Four

[Scene: Manor. Sunroom. PIPER and VICTOR are sitting in chairs across from each other.]

VICTOR: When are you due?

(PIPER lightly rubs her hand over her abdomen.)

PIPER: I believe it’s sometime between late January and early February.

VICTOR: So…you’re only about… (He makes a face as he tries to do the mental math.) Between two and a half and three months? (PIPER nods. He beams.) I can’t believe it. Congratulations!

PIPER: Thanks. (She chews lightly at her bottom lip.) But that’s not all, Dad. (She takes a deep breath.) Leo and I also moved out.

VICTOR: You…did?

PIPER: Ever since I gave up my powers.

VICTOR: (awkwardly) Phoebe mentioned that.

PIPER: Did she? (She rolls her eyes.)

VICTOR: Why?

PIPER: The short version is, I either had to give up my powers or give up a sister…the choice was easy. (She looks away.) Destiny - he screws with everything.

VICTOR: (quietly) I know… (VICTOR suddenly raises an eyebrow.) He?

PIPER: I’ve met him, and I’m not talking metaphorically here. (She shakes her head.) Please don’t ask me to explain, it’s already been a long enough day.

VICTOR: So it’s Prue, Phoebe, and-

PIPER: Paige. (VICTOR nods.) You two seemed to be getting along much better since the last time I saw you together. (She folds her arms.) What changed, Dad?

VICTOR: I think that we’ve managed to come to an understanding.

PIPER: Oh?

VICTOR: Yeah, a near-death experience will do that to you.

PIPER: Oh, of course, there just isn’t any kind of bonding that works quite like nearly dying to get two people to settle their differences.

VICTOR: And as I’ve come to learn, it tends to work out best when that person is the one saving your life.

[Scene: Mansion Headquarters. Second private room. MATT has now joined PRUE and PHOEBE in being tied to a chair with his hands behind his back. Unbeknownst to everyone else, a sharp bladed knife appears in one hand and he begins to saw away at the rope tying his wrists.]

[Scene: South Bay Social Services. Mr. Cowan’s office. PAIGE and KALEB are sitting on the floor. The sketch of the woman that KALEB described is seated off to the side of them. KALEB is preoccupied with drawing a crayon picture, while PAIGE is drawing her own picture with colored pencils.]

PAIGE: (curiously) What’re you drawing? (KALEB looks up and then turns his picture around so PAIGE can see it. He silently points to a stick figure with no mouth and what appear to be yellow wings.) Is that your dad? (KALEB nods. PAIGE nods and turns her picture around to KALEB can see it; her picture is of a red firetruck with a dark haired man standing next to it and a small girl on his shoulders.) That’s my dad, he was a fireman.

KALEB: (cautiously) Is your daddy gone too?

(PAIGE smiles sadly.)

PAIGE: Yeah…he had to leave a long time ago.

KALEB: Do you think he’s happy where he is now?

(PAIGE looks down at her picture and nods wistfully.)

PAIGE: Yeah, I do. He’s probably very happy.

KALEB: Too happy to miss me?

(PAIGE looks up and shakes her head with finality. She leans forward and touches KALEB’s knee.)

PAIGE: No, of course not. I know your daddy misses you very much, Kaleb.

(After a beat, KALEB looks down at his picture and then turns it around again. He grabs a black crayon and draws an upturned mouth on his father’s stick figure. The door opens and MR. BOB COWAN pokes his head in.)

MR. COWAN: Paige, I need you for a minute.

PAIGE: (to KALEB) I’ll be right back. (KALEB nods as he begins to draw fluffy clouds in the sky. PAIGE gets up and walks out the door with MR. COWAN.)

MR. COWAN: The police think they’ve got the woman responsible for the murder of Kaleb’s father in custody.

PAIGE: Really, who?

MR. COWAN: They haven’t released her name, but she was a drug abuser that Gary Flint used to use with. When they found her, she was still high on drugs and covered in blood.

(PAIGE covers her mouth.)

PAIGE: Where are they going to put him?

MR. COWAN: A foster home is the only place we can put him. You and I both know that his mother still isn’t stable.

(PAIGE shakes her head, a mixture of disgust and despair written on her face.)

[Scene: Mansion Headquarters. Second private room. The ropes fall from MATT’s hands and he jumps out of his chair. Two body guards charge for him, but he conjures a smoke bomb and lets it off in the room. Coughing is heard as MATT stumbles towards PRUE and PHOEBE with his blade in one hand and his other hand over his nose and mouth. He chops the ropes from their wrists and ushers them towards the door. As the door opens, two previous guards step forward and PHOEBE unleashes a series of roundhouse kicks, clearing their path. As the smoke clears, the two body guards that were in the room start to head after them, but BRACKSTON snaps his fingers, summoning them back.]

BRACKSTON: Let them go!

BODY GUARD #2: Why?

BRACKSTON: Those are our orders, and unless you want to deal with Her yourself, let them go.

[Cut to the corridor. PRUE, PHOEBE, and MATT are running when PRUE suddenly stops. A moment later, so does PHOEBE and then MATT.]

PHOEBE: Prue, what’re you doing? We need to get out of here!

PRUE: Not without Bane!

PHOEBE: Prue-

PRUE: He came in with us and he’s leaving with us. (Her head suddenly drops to her chest.)

PHOEBE: (sarcastically) Great!

[Cut to Bane’s private room. ASTRAL PRUE appears, startling the body guard that’s with him.]

BANE: Prue!

(The body guard lunges at ASTRAL PRUE and she curls her fists, getting into her signature fighting stance. She throws two punches and then launches herself at the wall which she uses it to kick off of and land two hard blows to the body guard’s chest with her feet, knocking him out cold.)

ASTRAL PRUE: We need to get out of here. (She moves behind BANE and begins to untie the ropes on his wrists, which she then discards on the floor.) Meet me in the corridor. (ASTRAL PRUE vanishes and after a quick beat, BANE escapes out the door.)

[Cut back to Phoebe, Matt, and Prue. PRUE awakens with a small gasp, just in time to see BANE come running down the corridor towards them. PRUE waves her hands.]

PRUE: No, that way! (The four of them head down the corridor towards the ballroom and just round the corner in time to see a flood of police arresting people from the party.)

PHOEBE: Crap! (They duck back around the corner.) What do we do now? (Her hand lightly brushes across BANE’s thigh as she slumps back against the wall and her body stiffens.)

[Premonition: BRACKSTON pulls an amulet off from around his neck and presses it to a wall somewhere in the Underworld. The wall suddenly glows with various unrecognizable symbols and then the rock vanishes, revealing an entrance. PHOEBE, PRUE, MATT, BANE, and BRACKSTON walk inside and BRACKSTON begins rifling through a rather normal looking filing cabinet. He then pulls out a piece of paper and shows it to PRUE and PHOEBE; it has a picture of VICTOR on the center and information about the bounty and its rewards above and below it. PRUE snatches the paper and tears it all the way down the middle. The paper glows and then turns to dust.]

[Cut back to the present. PHOEBE opens her eyes to find PRUE's hand on her shoulder.]

PRUE: Pheebs?

PHOEBE: I think I may know how to get rid of the bounty, but we’re going to have to find Brackston first.

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Five

[Scene: Mansion Headquarters. Corridor. PRUE, PHOEBE, MATT, and BANE are still there.]

PRUE: First we need to figure out how to get out of here without getting caught.

BANE: I think I may have a solution…to both problems.

MATT: (contemptuously) And what would that be?

(PRUE glares at MATT as BANE stuffs his hand into his pocket and pulls out the chain that BRACKSTON attempted to give him earlier. PHOEBE’s eyes widen.)

PHOEBE: Hey, that looks similar to the amulet in my vision! (She leans forward.) But this one doesn’t have rubies on it.

BANE: This is probably what triggered your vision.

MATT: It’s probably demonic.

PRUE: (to MATT) Nobody asked for your opinion. (to BANE) Where did you get that?

BANE: Brackston-

PHOEBE: Brackston!

(PRUE slaps a hand over PHOEBE’s mouth.)

PRUE: (to PHOEBE) Do you want someone to hear us?

MATT: (suspiciously to BANE) And why would you be taking things from Brackston?

BANE: I-I didn’t…he forced me to take it.

(PHOEBE shoves PRUE’s hand away from her mouth.)

PHOEBE: (to BANE) What does it do?

BANE: He said it’s charmed to act as a teleportation device.

MATT: (suspiciously) It could be a trap.

PRUE: (to PHOEBE) What happened to the one in your vision?

PHOEBE: Brackston was with us and he used it to open some type of portal in the Underworld.

PRUE: And?

PHOEBE: (to PRUE) You ripped a sheet with Dad’s bounty on it.

MATT: It can’t be that easy!

PRUE: (to MATT) Phoebe’s visions haven’t been wrong before. (to BANE) Do you know how to work it?

BANE: I have a pretty good idea.

(PRUE glares at MATT.)

PRUE: Then what have we got to lose?

(PRUE grabs onto BANE’s arm and then uses her other hand to grab PHOEBE as she stares defiantly at MATT. BANE wraps the amulet in his hand and suddenly the green jewels on it begin to glow. As they disappear, MATT lunges forward and grabs BANE’s arm as well and they all vanish.)

[Scene: Hotel room. BANE, PRUE, PHOEBE, and MATT appear. BRACKSTON is hurriedly packing his luggage when he sees them. He reaches for his neck, but PRUE raises her hand and pins him against the wall with her power.]

PRUE: Not so fast. (She walks towards him, keeping her hand up so as to retain her telekinetic hold.) We know that you know how to remove our father’s bounty, and we’re not letting you go until you show us how. (She loosens her grip.) Care to play nice?

(BRACKSTON looks between the faces of the people invading his room, his eyes finally falling on BANE. PRUE begins to curl her fingers again and he shakes his head.)

BRACKSTON: No, no…you have to destroy the official bounty decree.

PRU: And how do we do that?

BRACKSTON: They’re kept in the Hall of Bounties, and only someone with the right authority can get you inside.

PHOEBE: (sneering) And let me guess, you can? (BRACKSTON nods. PRUE glances back at PHOEBE and they exchange looks.)

PRUE: (to BRACKSTON) Let's make this quick.

[Scene: Underworld. Rocky dead end. BRACKSTON, PRUE, PHOEBE, BAME, and MATT appear. BRACKSTON pulls an amulet off from around his neck and presses it to the dead end wall. The wall suddenly glows with various unrecognizable symbols and then the rock vanishes, revealing an entrance.]

PRUE: You’ve got to be kidding me. This looks like something out of a cheesy Indian Jones flick.

PHOEBE: If it works, it works, Prue.

(PHOEBE, PRUE, MATT, BANE, and BRACKSTON walk inside and BRACKSTON begins rifling through a rather normal looking filing cabinet. He then pulls out a piece of paper and shows it to PRUE and PHOEBE; it has a picture of VICTOR on the center and information about the bounty and its rewards above and below it. PRUE snatches the paper and tears it all the way down the middle. The paper glows and then turns to dust.)

PRUE: Lets go. (They start to leave.)

PHOEBE: Wait! (She turns back to the cabinet and starts to flick through it.)

PRUE: Phoebe, what are you doing?

PHOEBE: Just…one…minute…Aha! (She pulls out a paper, proudly holding up BELTHAZOR/COLE TURNER’s Bounty.) If we’re here, we might as well, right? (She rips the paper in two and it turns to dust.)

BRACKSTON: Well, now that you ladies have everything you need- (PRUE raises her arm, but BRACKSTON already has his amulet out. He waves as he disappears.)

PRUE: (sarcastically) Wonderful.

BANE: (to Prue) The important thing is, your dad’s safe now.

(PRUE looks at MATT.)

PRUE: (muttering) Yeah, that’s about the only positive thing that’s happened today.

[Time lapse. LEO and VICTOR walk into the living room of Piper and Leo’s house from the backyard, via the sliding glass doors. VICTOR is nodding in approval.]

VICTOR: It’s a really nice little house you two have got here, Leo. (He nods in approval.)

LEO: Thanks.

VICTOR: You know, (they start walking through the living room) I always wished for something like this with Patty. (He sighs.) I tried to get her to move out so many times, but she just didn’t want to leave the Manor.

(PIPER walks in, looking bright eyed.)

PIPER: Are you done with the grand tour?

(VICTOR nods.)

VICTOR: We just finished up, actually. It’s great, Piper!

PIPER: Perfect, (she grins and motions down the hall) because dinner’s already on the table!

[Scene: Mausoleum. PHOEBE is pacing back and forth when COLE shimmers in. She throws her arms around him.]

COLE: Is it true?

(PHOEBE nods.)

PHOEBE: The bounty’s literally dust.

COLE: I can’t believe it. (He stares at her.)

PHOEBE: (jokingly) I guess you’re going to have to find other excuses not to be around now, aren’t you?

(COLE lifts his eyebrows suggestively.)

COLE: How about we go make up for that lost time, huh? (PHOEBE grins as they kiss and shimmer out.)

[Scene: Henry Mitchell’s house. PAIGE knocks on the door and within a minute, it opens to reveal HENRY. They both smile and HENRY gives PAIGE a quick kiss on the lips.]

HENRY: I missed you.

(PAIGE nods.)

PAIGE: Me too. (She steps inside.) Mmm, smells good, what’re you cooking?

(HENRY shuts the door and leads her towards the kitchen, where she finds the table set for two, with a single lit candle between the plates. He pulls out a chair and PAIGE smiles politely as she sits down. He moves into the kitchen and then comes back with a large plate that he sets down near the candle.)

HENRY: I hope you like roasted chicken with rosemary sauce. (PAIGE merely nods as he proceeds to cut the chicken, not noticing the lack of enthusiasm on her face.)

[Scene: Prison. Bane’s cell. BANE is sitting on his bed, back in his orange suit, staring at the floor. Suddenly, he reaches down the neck of his orange jumper and pulls out the teleportation amulet, dangling from his neck.]

[Scene: San Francisco Police Department. PRUE walks up to DARRYL MORRIS’ desk as he’s on the phone. DARRYL quickly mumbles something into the receiver and presses the blue “Hold” button. He looks up.]

DARRYL: Hey, Prue. (worriedly) You haven’t been here in a while, is something…wrong?

(PRUE shakes her head.)

PRUE: Not anymore. (pause) Actually, I was just wondering if you might be able to tell me something. (DARRYL raises a questioning brow.) Your department did a major crime ring bust earlier today, right?

(DARRYL nods.)

DARRYL: Yeah, probably the biggest of the year! We don’t know how much yet, but we even discovered that they were involved with the Hammermon scandal that’s been in the news recently. (He shakes his head.) Had it not been for that friend of yours-

PRUE: Friend of mine?

DARRYL: Uh, yeah. Matt Capiello. (PRUE looks confused.) He was the one who tipped me off about the meeting today.

(PRUE just stares, unsure of how to respond.)

[Scene: Underworld. The Queen’s lair. The foggy crystal ball still holds the shadowy figure in it as THE QUEEN paces back and forth near it. She stops and turns towards the orb.]

THE QUEEN: (demandingly) I want another vision.

SHADOWY FIGURE: If you insist-

THE QUEEN: But I want a connection this time. (She holds out her hand.) A physical connection.

(Silence.)

SHADOWY FIGURE: If that’s your desire.

(THE QUEEN moves to the crystal ball and lays her hand firmly atop it, as if she’s clutching it for dear life. Suddenly, the glass orb burns bright white and THE QUEEN’s entire body stiffens as an electrical-like charge erupts through her. Her eyes turn just as glowing white as the crystal ball itself.)

[Vision: A flash of green, pink, and white beams of light wash over the twinkling darkness of the night sky.

Thunder roars and a jet of lightning tears across the sky as rain pours down over San Francisco.

A nine month pregnant PIPER, her face red and drenched in sweat, screams from birthing pains.

A flash of lightning outside a window lights up the face of PRUE and the back of a man as they kiss and then fall back onto a bed.

A car horn blares and smoke rises from the charred remains of San Francisco. In the middle of the street, a group of people cower in fear of a dark figure who is standing before them, but the back of her silhouette, and not her face, is the only thing visible. She gives a violent wave of her arm and the group of people scream; a moment later all that’s left of them is a large pile of ash.]

[The Virtual Series]

End Credits

Co-Starring
Jennifer Badger --- Monica Sinclair
David Reivers --- Bob Cowan
Mark Raffety --- Drew

Featuring
David Press --- Body Guard #1
Charles Mesure --- Body Guard #2
Latham Gaines --- Body Guard #3
Erik Thomson --- Body Guard #4

Production & Design
Daniel (Astral Echo) - Co-Casting Director
Camille (Fourever Charmed) - Co-Casting Director
Alex (Combustion) - Video Editor (Credits)
Alex (Combustion) - Set Desinger