Victor left the Manor and his two daughters behind. He had now officially screwed up. Phoebe was in the hands of some gangster and there was nothing that he could do about it. Phoebe sounded ok but he wouldn't be 100percent sure until he saw her. Driving down the road his cell phone rang once again.
"Victor here."
"Victor?"
"Don? You son of a bitch. Where the hell are you?"
"Look Vic. I know you've been looking for me."
"You're damn straight I have. How the hell could you bail with Tony's money and leave me holding the bag? Now that bastard has kidnapped my youngest daughter."
"Whoa man I never knew you had kids."
"That is not the point right now Don, I just want her back."
"Look, meet me at Goldstream Park at midnight. I'll give you the money that I owe Hayes."
"Just like that?" Victor asked suspiciously.
"What choice do I have? Either you or Hayes will find me eventually."
"Ok. Midnight it is. And Don."
"Yeah?"
"If ANYTHING happens to Phoebe. I will hold YOU personally responsible." Victor said and then hung up his phone.
He pulled over to the side of the road and thought about what just happened. Picking up his phone Victor called the Mr. Hayes. "Jack get me Mr. Hayes."
"Victor? One moment."
"Victor?"
"Mr. Hayes. I have your money."
"Good. Bring it to the house."
"Well I don't have it yet."
"Are you playing with me Bennett? I don't usually like to hurt women but I may make an exception."
"No please, don't hurt her, I'm meeting Don at Goldstream Park at midnight. He's giving me the money. I thought that you might want to come by with Phoebe. We can do a straight trade."
"Hmmm. Ok. We'll be there. You had better not be lying to me Victor. Or I may just get rid of this daughter and take another one. If you catch my meaning."
"I do. And it's not a trick, I promise." Hanging up the phone Victor then called back to the Manor.
"Halliwell residence."
"Prue. It's Victor."
"Dad. What do want? You sound nervous and scared all at once." Prue asked. She was still mad her father but she could tell something was up.
"Look I just got a call from my ex-partner. He wants to meet me at Goldstream Park at midnight."
"And this has what to do with us?"
"I just called Mr. Hayes to also meet me there and to bring Phoebe. I thought you'd like to be there."
"Ok Dad were leaving now. Goldstream is about a two-hour drive. Piper and I will meet you near the swings that you used to take us on."
"Ok I'll see you then." He said and then hung up the phone. Pulling away from the curb he started the two-hour drive to Goldstream Park.
"Piper come on we're going to get Phoebe." Prue called out from the kitchen.
"Did I miss something?" Piper asked as she reached for her jacket.
"That was Dad. He wants us to meet him at Goldstream Park at midnight. Apparently he found the guy that took the money and he has this Mr. Hayes meeting him there for a trade with Phoebe." Prue explained as they ran down the steps and into Pipers Jeep.
"And he's just going to trade Phoebe for this money? No catch?"
"I don't know. All I know is I want our sister back."
"Prue. We have to face reality here."
"No Piper we don't. Phoebe is our sister. I don't care what that damn piece of paper says. It's wrong. Mom never had an affair with Sam and Victor is Phoebes Father."
"Prue. What if Phoebe doesn't believe that?" Piper asked as they drove down the road.
"Then we will MAKE her ." Prue said, " I just got her back in my life again Piper. I can't lose her now." She finished quietly.
Piper looked over at Prue who had a single tear running down her face. She reached her hand over and squeezed Prues hand. "I know sweetie. And we will make her understand."
Once again the pounding in her head occurred. She slowly opened her eyes but this time they were opened to darkness. She raised her hand to rub the sleep from her eyes. "Oh, twice in the same day. What is up with that?" Phoebe asked to herself.
Looking around the room she tried to see where she was. She could tell, by the bed that she was on, that it was not the same room that she had awoken in earlier that day.
"Where the hell am I?" She said out loud.
"Somewhere between Hell and Earth." A voice said to her.
"Who's there?"
"No one of any importance I can assure you of that. But you on the other hand…" He left it hanging there
"You don't know a thing about me."
"Don't I? Let me see. Phoebe Halliwell, Mother Patty Halliwell. Father."
"Don't talk to me about my Father."
"Ok. Then I will start with the fact that you are the youngest Charmed One. Power of premonitions and more recently levitation. How am I doing so far?" He asked. "Oh let me see. Turn the best demon around into the most wanted demon by having him find his soul. You also are about to graduate from college. Having gone back to school to finish what you started three years ago."
"Ok so you know a lot about me. I think that you should share. You have me at somewhat of a disadvantage here."
"I am just known as 'The Keeper'."
"The Keeper? What kind of a name is that?"
"It's not my name. I have no name. I am simply the Keeper."
"Ok so what do you do?"
"I keep things."
"Ok, enough of the short answers. Tell me what the hell is going on. One minute I'm the 'guest' to a mobster wanna be, that seems to want something from someone that I know and the next thing I know I wake up here."
"Relax Phoebe. I can not harm you. I have no real powers. Demons and warlocks bring things to me to keep safe for them. They are usually witches or some other form of white magic. I hold them here until they are ready to take them to the Source." He said. The whole time he remained calm. The sound of his voice was almost soothing
"So right now you are keeping me." Phoebe said more of a statement then a question.
"That is correct."
"So what you just make sure that I don't go anywhere? Is that it?"
"And to make sure that no other demons take you."
"Oh well now that's reassuring."
"Once you are here no demon can get near you except the one that brought you. It is an honour system so to speak."
"Oh yeah, demons with honour."
"We have our rules to follow to you know. Similar to those of your elders."
"Don't even get me started on them."
"Ok we won't discuss them."
"Tell me something. Do you have anything here that would help with this killer headache that I have?"
"Regretfully no."
"Great." Phoebe said sarcastically. "You should tell those demons that when they kidnap people they should have the right medical supplies on hand for afterwards."
"May I suggest you get some sleep, that usually works."
"Maybe." Phoebe said as she lay back down and closed her eyes shut. As she drifted off to sleep her thoughts turned to her sisters.
---
Shimmering in to the darkness.
"Keeper?"
"I'm here."
"I need her."
"You know the rules. No one but he who brought her may take her."
"But I need her to fulfill my plans." he lied.
"The answer is still no."
"One day Keeper." He shimmered back out.
"Maybe Belthazor. But only if the Source doesn't find you first." The whole time he remained calm, never raising his voice.
Again a shimmer.
"Keeper. I'm taking her now."
"He was here."
"Who?" He asked. "Belthazor?"
"Yes."
"That traitor. After I get the Charmed Ones I will get him."
"He loves her."
"That is his down fall. Where is she?"
"Sleeping. She awoke awhile ago but went back to sleep."
"Well then, I guess I'll have to wake her. I just found a way to get all three Charmed Ones."
"The Source will be please."
"Yes he will." He said as he walked up to Phoebe and picked her up in his arms. "I may be back." He stated as he shimmered out.
"Jack? Oh where is he know."
"Yes Mr. Hayes?"
"Where the hell were you?"
"I had to pick something up."
"Fine whatever. Take Phoebe down to the car and lets get going. This Park is about an hour and a half from here. I want to get there early."
Jack left the room and entered Phoebes room. Picking her up again he took her out to the car. 'I can't believe she hasn't woken up yet.' He thought to himself.
They got in the car and started their drive to the Park. Phoebe eventually awoke to find herself in the back seat of a car with her hands bound in front of her.
"Ok now what?" She said frustrated. 'Every time I shut my eyes, I end up somewhere else.' She thought.
"We are going to see your father Phoebe." Jack said
"Well then I guess that means that you are taking me somewhere to kill me because my father is dead."
"Well your true father may be. But the man that believes he is your father is in for a surprise. As are your sisters." He added as he looked to her, she watched in horror as his eyes glowed the familiar red of demons.
"Oh I have a bad feeling about this." She said quietly.
