Chapter 7
Until next Tuesday, Kevin tried not to think about Phoebe or Cole again. He already made it up with Peter, and he knew that Peter would keep his promise and won't try to find out anything about Phoebe or her family anymore.It was Kevin's problem, and he would decide about the right time for further investigations. Helen's story about corruption in the government got ahead and Kevin hoped secretly that this Philip was really involved in it. Surely, he didn't wish Phoebe another wrong boyfriend, but she better noticed today, that they didn't suit one another than years later. And it was obvious that they didn't suit together, he had seen it from the first sight. And Helen's information had confirmed his opinion. That was objective, he tried to convince himself.
Phoebe also tried not to think about Cole's appearance anymore. She hoped, that she wouldn't see him again, then everything would be as it was before, nothing would have changed. She could pretend to believe that he was still dead and she could live in peace. Finally he had his life and his "workmate" and she had her life, too. And she couldn't imagine a real occasion, where she would meet him by chance. Well, there weren't any problems. She sighed and wished that it would really be so easy. She put the newspaper on her desk aside to focus her attention on her reader's letters, when she got a premonition.
She saw an old building, inside it was rather dilapidated. There were a demon and a young woman in a room on the ground floor. The woman implored the demon to let her go, but he was only laughing. A green liquide dripped out of his long sharp fingernails and he threatened to prick it into her body.
After her premonition Phoebe dazedly shook her head. She had to rescue this woman and she had to do it right now. She took the phone and dialed Paige's office number. But Paige wasn't there and a college told her, that she already had an important meeting with her boss and that it was impossible to disturb it. No matter how important Phoebe's problem was. Phoebe told her that it was a matter of life and death, but the silly old cow didn't give in. Phoebe didn't want to give her a message for Paige, so she told her to tell Paige to ring her up."Of course it'll be too late," she told her angrily. But the firm answer was. "I'll tell her."
Still angry, Phoebe wanted to call Piper, when her glance fell onto the newspaper lying on the desk. She saw an advertisement of the "Midland's New Hope" with a picture of a little dilapidated building. In the advertisement, the people were requested to give money for the renovation works of the building. You could find the account number in big letters, but, you could also find the address of this so-called 'new hope' in very small letters. Phoebe was sure that she had seen this building in her premonition. It wasn't far away from her office, she could reach it within 10 minutes. She took her bag and her keys and left her office. On her way to her car she tried to call Piper. But when she arrived at the car she finally noticed that she hadn't recharged the storage battery. Damn it, she thought, there wasn't enough time to run back to her office. She had to do it on her own. She took a deep breath. No problem, she could handle this demon alone, she thought or better she hoped so. And if necessary she could call Leo.
At the same time Kevin was on the way to "Midlands New Hope", too. Helen still needed a picture of the front. The last one hasn't turned out very well. It was more or less his fault and therefore he agreed to drive to the building once again to take a picture. When he reached the street, he noticed to his astonishment a lot of police cars. The police had cordoned off the area in front of the building. He went out of his car and walked to the crowd barrier, where already some curious bystanders were standing.
"What's going on?" he asked an elder woman. She looked at him and was so impressed that she could tell him the latest. "Somebody kept a woman prisoner in the building." she told him conspiring.
Kevin looked at the woman in surprise, he knew she was waiting for it. And he was right, she was satisfied and continued. "The police tries to come into the building, but they didn't succeed yet. The door seems to be build of iron. The police can't open it and they don't want to make too much noise, they are afraid, that the kidnapper would do a panic action, if he noticed the police." The woman wanted to go on talking, but Kevin has found out enough. He smiled gently and expressed his thanks to her effusively. Then he walked towards a police officer. He thought hard about it. Surely he had to tell them, that there was another way into the building from the back side. And probably nobody would ask him, why he knew it. He didn't want to endanger Helen's inquiries. She would be furious, if something of her story leaked out now. But she also wouldn't risk the life of the woman, only because of her story. Of course he could try it on his own, too. He could go into the building from the back side and rescue the woman. Sometimes the police wasn't very competent, so why shouldn't he try it? His picture as the hero of the day in a newspaper, that didn't sound bad.
But no, he groaned, he knew he had to tell it to the police officer, he knew it. There was a young man, who tried to keep the people outside of the area. Kevin just wanted to step over the barrier, when he snapped. "Stay, where you are. No entry! Only for police officers."
Kevin showed him his press card. "I work for the press, and I want to help you."
"The press wants to help us? Stay, where you are, the situation is critical."
"You don't understand, I know how..."
"No, you don't understand. You are disturbing the police operation. Scram!"
Kevin thought about it for a second, but he didn't want to hear it twice. Okay, fate would have it. He has shown his goodwill, but this idiot hasn't listened. Kevin has tried the right, but unfortunately it has failed. He thought with a sly smile. Certainly, he could try it again, but it was useless, this arrogant guy would think, that he was only a pompous ass. Like it or not, he had to try it on his own. He smiled smugly. He turned around and was faced with Phoebe Halliwell.
Phoebe has left the car and to her horror, she has seen that the building was crawling with police officers. She couldn't imagine a way, how to come into the building discreetly. But she had to rescue the woman, she thought, when she suddenly run into Cole.
"Hey, what a nice surprise. What are you doing here?" he asked gently.
"I have to get into the house desperately. "she told him, she had no time for excuses.
"Nobody comes in the vicinity of the building." Kevin told her.
"But I have to. I have to rescue the woman." she demanded angrily.
Kevin looked at her surprised. He thought about it and touched her arm. "Come!" he told her. "I know another way."
"Really?" she asked suspiciously, but followed him to his car.
"Yes, I have already been here. Some streets away there is a deserted area on the backside of the building. There it's no problem to get into the house." She still looked at him sceptically. "You can believe me!" he added and looked back. Phoebe didn't know what to do, but then she decided to get on his car, because she hadn't another idea how to get into the building.
"Why didn't you tell the police anything about?" she asked while the short drive.
"I tried to tell them, but, as to speak, the police officer wasn't interested in my information. And I didn't want to force him." he told her grinning.
"So you wanted to leave the woman to her fate?"
"No, what are you thinking of? We are already on the way to help her." He smirked. "And the police couldn't do it better."
Phoebe just wanted to contradict him, when she remembered, that she also didn't want that the police would pick up anything about this.
"Here we are." Kevin told her and got out of the car. They went the same way like Kevin and Helen some days before. At the plank Kevin gave Phoebe his hand. First she wanted to ignore it, but then she took it. It was absolutely harmless, no use to think about it, she told herself. "Thanks." she muttered.
When they arrived at the building, Kevin stopped and hold her back. "I should go forward. It could be dangerous." he told her.
"No, that's not necessary, I know where they are."
Kevin looked at her in surprise. He remembered, that he didn't ask her, how she knew about the kidnapping and why she thought that she could help the woman. He already wanted to say something, when Phoebe put her finger onto her mouth and whispered. "We have to keep the noise down."
He nodded reluctantly. They went into the kitchen and Phoebe thought hard, how she should manage it, to get rid of Cole. It had been a bad idea, to come with him into this house. But she has had no choice. He shouldn't pick up anything about the demon. So she had to try to mislead him. But that could be difficult, if he didn't change. At the other end of the kitchen there was a corridor, which led into two directions.
"You'll take the right way and I'll take the left." she suggested.
Kevin looked at her indignantly. "That's out of the question. It's too dangerous. I don't leave you alone, you could bump into the kidnapper."
Phoebe groaned, he hasn't changed. But what to do now? "Listen, probably he isn't on the ground floor. And I'll be carefully. When I'll see somebody, I'll pick you up immediately. If we split up, we'll be faster. We'll have to hurry, if we want to rescue the woman."
Kevin looked at her sceptically, she was right, but he didn't want to expose her to danger.
Phoebe looked around and went back to the kitchen. There she found two rusty knifes in a receptacle on the sideboard. She took it and gave one of them to Kevin. "Here. Now we are armed at least."
Kevin took the knife and told her. "I promise you, the kidnapper will have much dangerous arms."
She saw, that he wasn't satisfied with their arming. "If we go on thinking, she'll probably die." Phoebe tried it again.
"Okay, but be careful and don't do anything on your own."
"Of course not. Let's go." Phoebe walked into her direction.
Kevin didn't feel well, but finally he went into the other direction. He entered the first room, but he couldn't find anything. He went into the next room, and again nothing. He went on to check the rooms. He looked around and listened, but he couldn't hear any noise. Suddenly he remembered that Phoebe had told him in front of the building, that she would knew, where the kidnapper is. He stopped and grinned, she had managed it very well and sent him into the wrong direction. But why? It was a complete mystery to him. He turned around and went into the direction, Phoebe had gone.
In the meantime Phoebe was already standing in front of the room, where the demon kept the woman prisoner. She could see how he brandished with his long green fingernails in front of the frightened woman. He scratched her skin here and there. The places, where the substance had touched her skin, formed bumps and the woman started whimpering. Phoebe had to act fast, soon Cole would understand her trick and the woman needed help, too. She didn't think about it and rushed into the room. With a kick she threw him through the room to the wall, away from the woman, who was lying on the ground. She took the knife and threw it at the demon. But the knife only gazed its arm. A green substance dripped on the ground. The demon looked at Phoebe "You already haven't won, witch." he told her nastily. "That is only a scratch." Suddenly they heard steps from the corridor. On no, that was Cole, Phoebe thought disgruntled. But then she had an idea, how she could use this situation. "Do you hear the steps demon?" she asked "That are my sisters, together it won't be a problem to vanquish you." She told him self-satisfied.
The demon looked at her in surprise. He thought about it and decided that it would be better to disappear for this time. Shortly before Kevin appeared at the door, the demon shimmered out.
Kevin noticed a shadowy figure, who disappeared immediately.
"Is everything alright?" he asked Phoebe, when he saw the woman lying on the ground.
"Yes, everything is okay." she answered and went to the woman.
"Where is he?" Kevin looked around, one second before, he still had seen him.
"He is gone." Phoebe told him. "He ran away."
"Where to? Perhaps I can still catch him." Kevin looked around again, but he couldn't find another door. So the kidnapper has had to come towards him, but why hasn't he seen him? Kevin went back into the corridor, but he couldn't see or hear anything.
"Let him go, you can't catch him anymore." Phoebe told him.
"But.." Kevin let out hesitating.
"No, the police will catch him."
"The police? He won't be so stupid to fall into their hands. He can run through the back door. Wait a moment." Kevin ran into the kitchen and looked through the door, but he couldn't see anybody. But that was impossible. The kidnapper couldn't be so fast. He shook his head.
Meanwhile Phoebe thought about the possibility to call for Leo. The woman wasn't in such a bad way, but if the substance was poisonous, it could be dangerous for her life. But if Phoebe called Leo and Cole saw it, she wouldn't be able to explain it to him. "How do you feel?" she asked that woman carefully.
"It could be worse." she said quietly.
"Do you think the essence was poisonous?" Phoebe asked.
"Which substance?" she asked and closed her eyes again.
When Kevin came back into the room with an irritated expression on his face, Phoebe took a decision. "C..." what was his name? "Kevin, could you carry her?"
"What? Carry her?" he asked Phoebe surprised.
"Yes, we have to disappear as fast as possible. The woman needs a doctor."
"Do you think it's a good idea, to move her? The police will open the door soon, I have already heard them and then ..."
"The woman needs a doctor right now, you don't know, when they have managed to open the door." she interrupted him immediately. "Or do you want to explain them, why we are here?"
"No," he told her "You're right." He looked at the woman and went to her, when he suddenly stopped. "That's strange! Get a load of this, here on the ground are the same spots, Peter described me." He looked at Phoebe excited. "Do you remember, I have told you about it. The spots, which we couldn't see on the photos."
"I'm not interested in your spots, now. We'll have to disappear, if we don't want to get into trouble." Phoebe brushed him off.
She was right, but nevertheless the whole situation was more than strange. But he would think about it later. He picked up the woman, who wasn't very heavy, so it wasn't a problem for him. Phoebe went forward and Kevin followed her carrying the woman. When they reached the plank Phoebe went onto the other side and turned around. Kevin stepped on the plank carefully, but nevertheless he tottered.
"Be careful! Don't drop her!" she snapped at him.
"I try hard." he told her ironically and glanced at her. "I have no intention to end up in the muddy water."
"Okay, okay!" Phoebe said and watched him balancing over the plank, while he was carrying the woman.
Without a hitch they arrived at Kevins car. He laid the woman down on the backseat, while Phoebe told him
"You can set us down at my car, I have parked it.."
"Are you crazy?" Kevin interrupted her. "We must take the woman to the hospital immediately."
"And what do you want to tell the doctor? Have you already thought about it?"
"I don't know, that she has fallen off a tree, or whatever. I'll come up with something, I'm rather inventive, if it's necessary." He told her with a satisfied grin.
"I believe implicitly. But no, I'll take her to my home. My brother-in-law is a doctor, he'll treat her without asking questions."
"Okay, if you say so, but I'll take you there." Kevin told her severely and started the car.
"That's out of the question. You'll take us to my car."
"That's a really great idea." he told her ironically. "I'll take you to your car and in full view of the police I'll get the woman out of my car and bundle her off into your car. I think that will be really interesting for the police."
Phoebe sighed, he was right, but in no case she wanted him in the vicinity of her home. But she had no choice.
"You have to tell me the way." he told her in annoyance. He helped her and she made such a fuss, when he only wanted to be nice and carry her home. Didn't he proof that she could trust him, finally he took part in the whole strange action, without asking too much. And he still didn't know what he should think about it.
"Sorry, it's okay" she told him, she has nearly forgotten, that he didn't know the way. "At the next crossing, you have to turn left."
