"Pardonfor four in exchange for vengeance on one?" Isstvan grunted."That doesn't sound like much of a deal."

"Ithink you're overlooking something, Isstvan," Aahz cautioned.

"What'sthat?"

"You'velost your powers. That makes it four of us against three of you."

"Lookat your four," Brockhurst sneered. "A woman, a half-trainedapprentice, a broken-down demon hunter and a Pervert."

"Broken-down?"Quigley scowled.

"Easy,Quigley… and you too. Tanda," Aahz ordered. "Yourthree are nothing to brag about either, Brockhurst. Two Imps who'velost their powers and a fat madman."

Surprisingly,this seemed to revive Isstvan's humor. The Imps were not amused. "Nowlook, Aahz," Higgens began, "if you want a fight…."

"Youmiss the point entirely, gentlemen," Aahz said soothingly. "I'mtrying to avoid a fight. I'm merely trying to point out that if thiscomes to a fight, you'll lose."

"Notnecessarily," Brockhurst bristled.

"Inescapably,"Aahz insisted. "Look, if we fight and we win, you lose. On theother hand, if we fight and we lose, you lose."

"Howdo you figure that?" Higgens asked suspiciously.

"Simple!"said Aahz smugly, "If you kill us, you'll have lost your onlyway to get out of this dimension. You'll be stuck forever on Klah. Bymy figuring, that's losing."

"We'rein agreement there," Brockhurst mumbled.

"Oh,stop this bickering!" Isstvan interrupted with a chuckle. "Aahzis right, as usual. He may have lost a couple of fights, both magicaland physical, but I've never heard of anyone out-arguing him."

"Thenit's a deal?" Aahz asked.

"It'sa deal!" Isstvan said firmly. "As if we had any choice inthe matter."

Theyshook hands ceremoniously.

Inoticed the Imps were whispering together and shooting dark glancesin our direction. I wondered if a deal with Isstvan was binding onthe Imps. I wondered if a handshake was legally binding in asituation such as this. But most of all, I wondered what Aahz had uphis sleeve this time.

"Well,Aahz?" Isstvan asked, "Where is this escape clause youpromised?"

"Righthere!" Aahz said, fishing a familiar object from inside hisshirt and tossing it to Isstvan.

"AD-Hopper!" Isstvan cried with delight. "I haven't seen oneof these since…."

"Whatis it?" Higgens interrupted.

Isstvanscowled at him.

"It'sour ticket off this dimension," he exclaimed grudgingly.

"Howdoes it work?" Brockhurst asked suspiciously.

"Trustme, gentlemen." Isstvan's distasteful expression gave lie to thejoviality of his words. "It works."

Heturned to Aahz again.

"Imps!"he mumbled to himself.

"Youhired 'em," Aahz commented, unsympathetically.

"SoI did. Well, what is this diabolical vengeance you have in mind forFrumple?"

"That'seasy," smiled Aahz. "Use the D-Hopper and take him back toDeva."

"WhyDeva?" Isstvan asked.

"Becausehe's been banned from Deva," Higgens answered, the lightdawning.

"…and the Deveels are unequaled at meting out punishment to those whobreak their laws," Brockhurst finished with an evil smile.

"Whywas Frumple banned from Deva?" Tanda whispered to me.

"Idon't know," I confided. "Maybe he gave a refund orsomething."

"Idon't believe it," she snorted, "I mean he is a Deveel."

"Aahz,"Isstvan smiled, regarding the D-Hopper, "I've always admiredyour sense of humor. It's even nastier than mine."

"Whatdo you expect from a Pervert?" snorted Brockhurst.

"Watchyour mouth. Imp," I snarled. He was starting to get on mynerves.

"Thenit's settled!" Isstvan chortled, clapping his hands togethergleefully. "Brockhurst! Higgens! Come gather around Frumplehere. We're off to Deva."

"Rightnow?" asked Brockhurst.

"With…things here so unsettled?" Higgens added, glancing at us again.

"Oh,we won't be long," Isstvan assured them.

"There'snothing here we can't come back and pick up later."

"That'strue," admitted Brockhurst, staring at me thoughtfully.

"Umm…Isstvan?"

Itwas Quigley.

"Areyou addressing me?" Isstvan asked with mock formality.

"Yes."Quigley looked uncomfortable. "Am I to understand you are allabout to depart for some place completely populated with demons?"

"Thatis correct," Isstvan nodded.

"Could…that is… would you mind if I accompanied you?"

"What?"I exclaimed, genuinely startled. "Why?"

"Well…"Quigley said hesitantly, "if there is one thing I have learnedthis day, it's that I really know very little about demons."

"Hear,hear!" mumbled Aahz.

"Iam undecided as to whether or not to continue in my chosenprofession," Quigley continued, "but in any case itbehooves me to learn more about demons. What better place could therebe for such study than in a land completely populated with demons?"

"Whyshould we burden ourselves with a demon hunter of all things?"Brockhurst appealed to Isstvan.

"Maybewe could teach him a few things about demons," Higgens suggestedin an overly innocent voice, giving his partner a covert poke in theside.

"What?Hmm… You know, you're right, Higgens." Brockhurst wassuddenly smiling again.

"Good!"exclaimed Isstvan. "We'll make a party of it."

"Inthat case," purred Tanda, "you won't mind if I tag along,too."

"What?"exclaimed Brockhurst.

"Why?"challenged Higgens.

"Tohelp, of course," she smiled. "I want to be there when youteach Quigley about demons. Maybe I can help him learn."

"Wonderful,wonderful," Isstvan beamed, overriding the Imps' objections."The more the merrier. Aahz? Skeeve? Will you be joining us?"

"Notthis time, thanks," Aahz replied before I could open my mouth."The kid here and I have a few things to go over that won'twait."

"Likewhat? "I asked.

"Shutup, kid," Aahz hissed, then smiled again at the group. "Youall run along. We'll be here when you comeback."

"We'llbe looking forward to it." Brockhurst smiled grimly.

"G'bye,Aahz, Skeeve!" Tanda waved. "I'll look for you next timearound."

"ButTanda…."I began.

"Don'tworry, lad," Quigley assured me. "I'll make sure nothinghappens to her."

Behindhim, Tanda shot me a bawdy wink.

"Aahz!"Isstvan chuckled. "I do enjoy your company. We must worktogether more often."

Headjusted the settings on the D-Hopper and prepared to trigger it.

"Good-bye,Isstvan." Aahz smiled and waved. "Remember me!"

Therewas a rippling in the air and they were gone. All of them.

"Aahz!"I said urgently. "Did you see how those Imps looked at us?"

"Hmm?Oh. Yeah, kid. I told you they were vicious little creatures."

"Butwhat are we going to do when they get back?"

"Don'tworry about it, kid."

"Don'tworry about it!" I shrieked. "We've got to…."

"…because they aren't coming back," Aahz finished.

Thatstopped me.

"But…when they get done on Deva…."

"That'sthe joke, kid," Aahz grinned at me. "They aren't going toDeva."