Author: So sorry for the delay hope it's worth the wait. Just for this chapter "words" = talking [words] = thinking.
Disclaimer: I don't own BTR or Charmed.
Ch24: They're everywhere.
At the Los Angeles natural history museum a group was taking a tour about old country fables. Not that twenty-five year old strawberry blond haired Erica needed it, but hopefully she could learn something new to help fo her research. Keeping most of her attention to her notes, she glanced up at the tour guide every once in a while.
"Legends hold it's buried somewhere near a rocky desert, is a fable book," The tour guide an old, fat guide said stopping in front of a large stone tablet. "penned by ancient mystics, known as the Akashic Records. Believed to be a written account of all significant events throughout time."
He then proceeded talking in the same tone one would use when telling a ghost story. "If someone were to get their hands on that, they could win the lottery." He said in a wistful tone. "To know the future brings, obviously, ultimate power. Which is why everyone from Hera to Hitler has been looking for the records. But to find them, to find them, one needs a map. This tablet found in the Ivory Colls last year, is believed to be the very map."
"Although the engravings are of a lost language so far and undecipherable, even for scholars like myself but we're close." He said with a slight shake of his head grinning smugly. "Whoever can decipher them first will know the exact latitude and longitude of the Akashic Records."
At this Erica's head flew up. "Oh my god! That's it!" She exclaimed.
The tour guide blinked stopping mid-sentence to look at her. "What is it?" The obvious kind of stupid tour guide asked.
Erica smiled quickly shaking her head. "Nothing, I gotta go!" She cried before running away from the group.
The tour guide shrugged before bringing his attention back to the rest of the group. "Now if follow me to the next exhibit." he said guiding them to next hall. "Which is actually quite interesting."
Big-Time-Charmed.
Sitting at her comatose dad's hospital bed in the LA Convalescent hospital Erica gently held her father's hand. "I cracked it, daddy." She quietly told him not knowing if the long time coma patient could even hear her. "The rest of the map. It was a transposition sequence just like you said and it's all in here." She said pointing at her forehead. "The location of the Akashic Records. Now, they're gonna come after me, just like they came after you, and I'm gonna be ready for them, dad." She nodded in determination. She looked up when a doctor and his student walked into the room.
The doctor brought the same student he had been bringing with him all week. Future co-assistant Logan Mitchell.
"Hey." She smiled at him.
"Hey." Logan returned the smile following the doctor to the iv taking notes. Having seen the doctor change IVs multiple times glanced turned to Erica. "How's he today?" He asked having seen her here everyday of the week.
Erica shrugged. "No change." She replied.
Done changing the iv doctor. Stone turned to his student. "Looks like your done early today mr Mitchell." He told Logan.
"Thanks." Logan thanked before leaving the room not without sending a small wave at Erica.
Once he was gone doctor Stone turned to Erica with a somber expression on his face. "Miss. Park but-"
"I'm not moving him." Erica snappishly interrupted him glaring at the older male.
"Erica," Doctor Wilson sighed. "It's been six weeks. This faculty is not designed for long term maintenance."
"Maintance?" Erica asked increrdously. "This is my father we're talking about and he's gonna get better and he's gonna stay here!" She cried before stomping out of the room.
Big-Time-Charmed.
James' pov.
I smirked walking though the hospital halls of the hospital where Logie's taking his med classes. I just finished my english classes and I'm here to ask if Logan wants to have lunch with the rest of us. Not to stare at all the hot nurses any of the drop dead gorgeous co-assistants. Just to pick up my spiritual older brother. That's all!
Walking in the hall to the room where Logan's usually working at at this time. I bumped a girl who was stomping out of the room. I gasped being pulled into a premonition. /At a pak the girl I bumped into was being held down by two human looking warlocks. One of them held his index finger which turned into a needle like shape and put it in the struggling girl's head./
Opening my eyes I looked at the girl's retreating form.
"James?"
I looked at Logan who apparently just walked into the hallway. I pouted. "We got stuff to do."
End James' pov.
Big-Time-Charmed.
In his bedroom Kendall's stuffing clothes in his duffel bag when Carlos came running into the room. "I think Candy's a warlock!"
Kendall blinked. "Who?"
"The girl James's trying to set me up with!" Carlos impatiently replied. "I left her house this morning when she went to take a shower and then I suddenly spotted her again at the end of the street just casually jogging by!" He loudly explained in his excitement.
"You saw he go from one place to another." Kendall said getting where Carlos was going at. "So you think she blinked?" He asked referring to the teleportation power many warlocks had to dissapear and then reappear somewhere else in the blink of an eye.
Carlos vigorously nodded. "Yeah, that's what warlocks do right? Do you know if there's a warlock test?"
Kendall frowned. "How should I know?"
"You're right, I shouldn't ask you." Carlos nodded. "I mean you dated our guardian angel and didn't notice a thing. I should ask Logan or James."
Kendall snorted stuffing another shirt in his duffel bag. "Carlos, you're my spiritual younger brother and I love you but has it ever ocured to you that there might be a thing as being 'too honest'?"
Carlos was about to ask what Kendall meant when he became aware of the duffel bag on Kendall's bed. "What's with the duffel bag?"
"I have a little overnighter of myself." Kendall replied smirking. "Lucy's cousin's getting married and she invited me to come for the weekend."
Carlos grinned. "I bet she's into the dark fallen angel kind of thing." He said winking suggestively. His hand flew to his mouth when he realized what he said. "I don't mean that Lucy might be another angel like being or demon or anything!" He quickly added.
"She's not a warlock." Kendall automatically replied. "No cats have hissed at her, she has not blinked, she has not tried to kill us so far and steal our powers as which you know is a key indicator." He grinned speaking like their old history teacher back in minnesota.
Carlos chuckled. "I'll go check the Book of Shadows if there's a warlock test." He said leaving the room. A few seconds later the doorbell rang.
Kendall grunted knowing Carlos probaby wasn't planning on opening the door. "I'll get it." Getting out of his room he walking into the foyer and opened the door. "Hey you." He smiled at Lucy.
"Hi," Lucy grinned in return casually leaning against the doorstep. "I thought we might as well leave now. Miss the traffic, get at the hotel earlier so we have more time to..." She trailed of but her tone made it clear what she was referring to.
"Relax?" Kendall suggested in the same seductive tone.
Lucy giggled flipping her dark red highlighted hair over her shoulder. "That is a term that could also be used." She winked at him. "Can we leave in an hour?"
"Yeah..." Kendall started to say when he noticed their siamese cat who was standing at his feet hiss at Lucy.
Lucy quirked an eyebrow at the cat's behavior when kit started growling at her. "Wonder what her problem is."
Kedall quickly nodded. "Yeah I'm busy. I'll call when I'm ready. I gotta go do something now!" He cried quickly closing the door. He hurriedly made his way to the stairs. "Carlos, did you find that warlock test yet?" He asked loud enough for Carlos to hear.
"Nothing yet, why?" Carlos asked walking down the stairs bringing the Book of Shadows with him.
"I think you might be right on Lucy being a warlock." Kendall answered as they started heading to the living room.
"What if it's a conspiracy?" Carlos asked once they settled down at the coffee table. "Candy and Lucy working together, getting us to fall for them and the whole time they're figuring out how to kill us."
Kendall raised both his bushy eyebrows at that. "Now you're just bringing paranoid."
Carlos shrugged. "With all the warlocks and demons in our lives it's a miracle we trust anybody."
"We don't." Kendall muttered flipping the pages of the Book of Shadows. "Can't James just sense if they are faking their love?"
Carlos shook his head. "There are potions to misguide empaths. What about this?" He sugested pointing to a page. "To hea secret thoughts."
Kendall looked the page over. "It makes you hear a person's thoughts, but only the thoughts the person doesn't necesery shares with others." He nodded. "We only need to hear Lucy and Candy's thoughts long enough to confirm or deny our suspicion. No personal gain there."
"Just protection." He and Carlos said at the same time.
"Alright we need a flame." Kendall nodded.
"No need for candles." Carlos grinned snapping his finge forming a small flame on his index finger. Together they started reciting the spell.
"As flame lights shadow as truth ends fear,
open locked thoughts to my minds willing ear
may the smoke from this candle into everywhere creep,
bring inner most voices to my mind in speech."
Right as they finished the spell Kendall heard Carlos' voice. [Damn my stomach still hurts from the dip sauce Kendall made yesterday.]
"You said you liked my dip!" Kendall cried obviously offended.
"I didn't say that Kendall." Carlos replied matter of factly. "I thought it."
[Whatever, a little honesty would be appreciated.] Carlos heard Kendall's thoughts. "Not my fault you can't take a little critic!"
"Oh this could be dangerous." Kendall realized smirking.
They heard the front door open and close. [Stay calm. Erica's in trouble. Stay calm.} They could hear Logan's thoughts.
[Remember, needles, fingers, warlocks, stone tablet.] Carlos and Kendall hear James jumbled thoughts as the two stepped into the living room.
"Erica?" Carlos asked. "The sad hospital girl?" He asked recalling when Logan told them about the girl a couple of days before.
Logan blinked. "What?"
"How was she today?" Kendall asked amending Carlos' question.
Not giving Logan a chance to answer James asked. "Why's the Book of Shadows down here?"
"Kit hissed at Lucy." Kendall answered.
[Wow even I'm not that paranoid.] Kendall heard Logan's thoughts. "Every time Kit hisses at someone they turn out to be evil. Like inspector Rodriguez or Malcolm."
"And Candy blinked." Carlos added. "So we were looking for a test to see if they're warlocks."
James nodded. [Or you're trying to find an excuse to quit dating Candy cause you're not sure if you're ready to move on from Misty. Like you did by puposedly ruining it with all the other girls I've tried to set you up with.]
"I am not!" Carlos cried.
James and Logan blinked. "You're not what?" Logan asked.
"I.. am not able to find a good spell." Carlos amended.
Logan frowned. "Just prick their fingers. Warlocks don't bleed." He said sounding surpirsed that Kendall and Carlos hadn't thought of it their selves. "So if there's no blood there's your answer."
Kendall and Carlos glanced at each other. [Who knew?] Carlos thought.
[Logan did.] Kendall thought in response. He was pretty impressed by their new telepathic conection to he now felt pretty stupid seeing there was such an easier way of telling if Lucy and Candy were warlocks. [Let's not tell them about the spell.]
"Are you guys alright?" James asked confused and a bit worried to. All Kendall and Carlos were doing was look at each other.
"We're fine." Kendall nodded. "So how was the hospital?"
"Logan's hospital girl's in trouble." James replied. "I had a premonition today. A demon or warlock maybe, with a needle thingy on his finger and he was sticking it into Erica's head." he said wiggling his fingers. "So, we came home to see what we were up against. You guys go deal with Lucy and Candy, and we'll go look on the web." He said already leaving the room.
"We'll call if we find something." Logan said before following James.
[Feels like we're surrounded by warlocks.] Carlos thought.
Kendall just crossed his arms. [My life's a lie. You guys made me think that loved my dip sauce!]
"See." Carlos said pointing at Kendall. "That's exactly why we didn't tell you it tastes horrible. Your ego's too big."
"And you're too honest." Kendall bitterly grumbeled.
Big-Time-Charmed.
Half an hour later Carlos stepped into Candy's apartment using the spare key to let himself in. "Candy, you're home?" He called out walking in the hallway.
"Hey gorgeous." Candy grinned stepping in the hallway.
Carlos frowned noticing what she was wearing. Candy was a fashion designer to be, working at the mall to pay for college. To see her in simple grey sweatpants and plain brown shirt with messy hair was really odd. "Are you feeling alright?" He asked.
Candy nodded. "Sure, why are you here?"
"You wanted to show me your new designs. Remember?" Carlos asked raising an eyebrow. "You asked for the people's permission so you could start beforehand."
Smiling an awkward smile Candy absently twirling a strand of black hair around her finger. [Asking? I put people in graves or incinerate them.] "Yeah I'm thinking about making something with polka dotted but instead of actually using dots I'm using skulls." [If he finds out I'm lying, he's gonna die!] She smiled sweetly. "Why don't you come back later. I haven't quite finished yet."
Nodding Carlos quietly left the apartment disturbed by the thoughts he'd heard. [You're dying first.]
Big-Time-Charmed.
"Are you ready to go?" Lucy asked once Kendall opened the door t her.
Kendall sucked on his inner cheek. "Can you come in?"
Lucy shrugged stepping into the foyer and closing the door behind her. [He's so not bailing on me]. She scanned the foyer. "Kendall, where's your-" She was cut of when Kendall held his palm out to her and said "Plant." Using his transformation power to transform her into a stick figure like plant with a branch at each side.
"Alright," Kendall said pulling out a needle from his pocket. "In advance I'm really sorry." he said before carefully pricking the end of one of the branches with it.
Just then Logan and James came walking down the stairs. "Kendall, we gotta go-" Logan stopped talking when he noticed Kendall was staring at a large plant. "What are you doing?"
"She's not bleeding!" Kendall cried his voice an edge away from being hysterical. "There's no blood! There's nothing! Not even a li-"
"Plants don't bleed." James cut Kendall's ramblings of in an amused tone.
Kendall blinked before smacking his forehead. "Right. You go back upstairs."
Both Logan and James chuckled before running back upstairs.
Once they were gonna Kendall flicked his hand at the plant who immediately transformed back into Lucy. "Bag- Ow!" She hissed pulling her hands to her. "What the hell!" She cried looking at the tiny bleeding cut on her palm.
"You're bleeding." Kendall said taking her hand in his unable to hide his relieved grin.
Lucy shrugged. "Just a little bit." She replied. [His touch is really gentle for a guy. Hope he still wants to come to the wedding with me.]
Kendall sighed. "Lucy, I really want to go."
"But...?" Lucy urged.
Logan and James choose this moment to return downstairs. "Hey Luce." Logan greeted openning the front door. "We need to borrow Kendall for a while."
James nodded. "We'll have him back in a little while." He smirked. [Damn that girl has a nice ass.]
"Hey!" Kendall cried having heard James' thoughts. He resisted the urge to palm his forehead when everyone looked at him oddly. "Uh..." He spotted Kit walking towards them. "Hey don't try sneaking away Kit."
Lucy frowned noticing the siamese started hissing at her again. Taking a better look she noticed the cat was hissing at something above her. Following the feline's gaze she smiled. "Found what's been scaring poor kit." She said briefly pointing upwards.
Following her finger Kendall wanted to bang his face against the wall. A nest of hornets was attached between the wall and the roof. "We got hornets?" He asked in a disbelieving voice.
Lucy nodded. "That's probably what stung me too." She leaned forwards and gave Kendall a quick peck on the lips. "See you later?"
Kendall nodded. "Don't go to that wedding without me."
Lucy grinned before walking off.
"Not one word." Kendall hissed turning to Logan and James who had huge grins on their faces.
Big-Time-Charmed.
Kendall, Logan and James walked up the stairs at Erica's apartment building. "They're called Collectors." James explained while walking. "They're a warlock-" He stopped talking when two woman walked past them. "They are a warlock breed that drain knowledge out of people's brains with that weird finger I saw."
"Did the Book of Shadows say how to vanquish them?" Kendall asked.
"No," Logan shook his head. "It just said their hunger for knowledge is their all." They stopped at a door.
"Alright," Kendall started. "We might not even have to tell her that we're witches. Let's try not too okay?" His words fell on deaf ears when they suddenly heard a scream come from inside the apartment.
With a swift movement of his hand Logan easily unlocked the apartment door. They rushed to the living room stopping when they found Erica being pressed to the table by the two collector warlocks one of then was about to put his needle like finger in her head when James sprung into action.
With a difficult looking karate kick James managed to kick the collectors away from Erica.
"A little help would be nice!" James cried when both collectors started attacked him. [No powers he says] James sarcastically thought. [In other words, James you go fight the warlocks while me and Logan try not to reveal ourselves.] James grunted judging another blow to the head before kicking the other collector in the stomach.
"That's doctor Willson!" Logan gasped recongzing one of the collectors. Logan was about swing his arm at one of the two collectors when Kendall's words on not using their powers rang through his head. His dilemma was solved when Erica suddenly pulled out a gun from her back pocket. "Move!" She shouted.
"Whoa!" James gasped jumping away right before Erica fired the gun two times hitting both collectors straight in the chest.
Kendall looked at the two bodies on the floor. "So..." He said looking at Logan and James who had moved to stand at his side. "How big are the odds of that actually working?" He asked frowning.
His question was answered when both collectors sat up.
"Time to go!" Logan announced in an urgent voice. Erica nodded numbly letting the boys pull her out of the apartment.
Big-Time-Charmed.
"They're the one's who put my father in the hospital." Erica explained sitting on the large leather armchair in the manor living room. "They took his mind." She said glaring at nothing in particular.
Kendall nodded standing in front of the chair. He glanced at James and Logan who were sitting on the smaller couch. He really wasn't sure what to tell Erica.
"Who do you think they are?" Logan asked wondering what all he years of research had provided the strawberry blond.
Erica shrugged. [FBI, CIA who knows.] "I don't know. Somebody with bulletproof vests." She looked at them with a distrusting look. "My question is, who the hell are you?"
"People who can help you." Kendall tied to assure her.
Erica rolled her bright green eyes at that. [Yeah, right. You're after the Akashic Records too.]
"What are the Akashic Records?" Kendall couldn't help but asking confused by what he just heard her think.
"I knew it!" Erica hissed immediately getting up from the chair.
Logan and James both looked at Kendall in confusion. "What did you just ask?" James asked.
"Uh..." Kendall rubbed the back of his head in thought. "What are the Akashic Records?" He repeated lamely.
"You tell me !" Erica demanded glaring daggers at him.
Logan shrugged. "I will, it's a book of ancient prophecies. The future of the world down to the smallest detail hidden away and lost for centuries. But it's just a legend. How did you-"
"You're well informed." Erica interrupted him crossing her arms while smirking playfully.
"He's taken." James said getting up from the couch casually walking over to the armchair. "But I'm one other hand aren't so lucky so why don't we-"
"I read a lot." Logan replied to Erica's previous comment. He turned to Kendall. "But how did you know about it?"
"Eh.. I'll tell you later." Kendall responded with a quick nod. He started pacing. He always came up with plans better when pacing. "So, they want those records and they want Erica because she knows how to find them, right?"
"Who are you people?" Erica asked by now almost convinced that they were nuts.
"What if it's not a legend?" Kendall continued ignoring Erica for the moment. "Say they're real. What happens if the bad guys get these records?" He asked turning to James who was still leaning against the armchair.
James' face fell when he thought over Kendall's theory. "They'll know when all kinds of disasters will happen... So.. use the future against us? No more us. The bad guys win." He concluded.
"I gotta get my dad out of there." Erica declared running into the hallway.
"No, wait." Logan called after he following into the hall followed by James and Kendall.
"Doctor Wilson is one of those things!" Erica cried stopping to glare at them. "I'm not leaving my dad there!"
Kendall pinched the bridge between his eyes. Damn this girl was tiring him out. "Erica, it is not about your father anymore. It's about you. Especially if they think you know how to find the Akashic Records."
"You try and stop me." Erica dared continuing into the foyer.
James simply grabbed her wrist twisting around easily using it as a weight to push her against the wall.
"James..." Both Kendall and Logan groaned.
James blinked. "What?" He asked innocently. "She said try and stop me." He looked at Erica who was glaring at him. "Didn't you?" He asked winking suggestively.
Just then the front door opened and Carlos walked in. The youngest band member blinked at the scene that greeted him. "Looks like fun."
James nodded. "It is." he glanced Kendall. "A little help?"
Nodding Kendall held his palm out towards Erica. "Plant." He smiled when Erica transformed into a plant. "You've dated a plant before right James?"
"Shut up." James muttered rolling his eyes.
"Who's the girl?" Carlos asked walking over.
"She's Erica, from the hospital." Logan answered. "Two warlocks called Collectors wants what's in her brain. The location of the Akashic Records."
Kendall and Carlos looked at each other. [The lost text that predicts all future events. Collectors get it, the world's a goner.] Kendall explained to Carlos through his thoughts.
"It's a-" Logan was about to explain what the Akashic Records were but Carlos cut him off.
"It's a lost text that predicts all future events. The collectors get it, the worlds a goner. I know." Carlos nodded.
Logan and James glanced at each other before turning to look at Kendall and Carlos expectantly. "What's going on?" They asked at the same time.
[We have to tell now.] Carlos thought.
Kendall nodded. "Yeah..." He smiled sheepishly. "You see Carlos and I didn't really know about the whole pricking thing to expose a warlock. So, we sort of cast a little hearing secret thoughts spell, just to find things out."
"A thought hearing spell!" Logan cried furiously. "You've got to be kidding me. I can't believe you guys! Espesially after all-"
[Lucy's clean by the way] Kendall let Carlos nodded. The two of them were completely ignoring Logan's lecture.
Carlos grinned. [That's great! Candy's not.]
James being aware that Kendall and Carlos were ignoring Logan, heck even he was ignoring Logan's lecture, crossed his arms. "You're not thinking about me right now are you?"
"We're not." Carlos replied. He glanced at the plant next to James. "So does Erica know about witches and warlocks yet?"
Kendall shook his head. "No, she thinks it's a government conspiracy. How do you know Candy's a warlock?"
Carlos's face fell. "I heard her thoughts and they are bad, really bad. You know graves, dead people, burnt bodies."
Logan sighed. "Did you prick her?"
Carlos shook his head. "That's why I came back to get Kendall." He said turning to Kendall. "I need you to transform Candy into something that doesn't freak out when you poke them with a needle." He looked troubled. "And maybe vanquish her." He said pulling out a dagger from his jacket.
The eyes of all three his older brothers grew. "Where did you get that?" Kendall asked.
"Remember that wedding we performed last year?" Carlos asked smiling. "When the bride turned out to be a demon?"
Logan nodded. "I though you brought that to the museum... There a demon's ghost in that thing!"
Carlos shrugged. "I thought it might come in handy, you know for against other demons or warlocks."
James let out a whistle. He nodded. "Feels like they're everywhere." He looked at Carlos and Kendall. "You two go check if Candy's a warlock."
Carlos nodded but Kendall hesitated. "What if the collectors get here?"
"Well, just get back before they do." Logan replied matter of factly. He looked at the plant. "You better transform Erica back before you leave and she starts wondering where you went."
James smirked. "Better get back in position then." He said moving closer to the plant.
Logan crossed his arms looking annoyed. [We're dealing with warlocks and he gets to-]
"Hey, hey, hey!" James cried interrupting Logan's thoughts.
Logan blinked before getting fed up. "Don't tell me you can hear thoughts to."
"Please," James snorted. "Like I need a hearing thoughts spell to know what you're thinking."
Kendall held his palm towards the plant who immediately transformed back into Erica. [The plant thing's really handy.] Kendall noted.
"So..." James said hearing Kendall and Carlos walk out the front door. He grinned looking at Erica. "Are you going to behave now?"
Erica returned the smirk. "Do I have a choice."
"Nope." James replied releasing her.
Big-Time-Charmed.
Outside the museum the two collectors came together. No one could tell they were warlocks. Not when one looked like the good doctor Wilson while the other was a bald successful business man named mr. Newman. They didn't need first names, they were one step away from world domination. "This is not good." Dr. Wilson spoke the words neither of them wanted to acknowledge. "She's being protected by those witches." He shook his head in distaste. "Out of all witches why did the Charmed Ones have to be the ones to find her."
"The Akashic Records are within our reach." Newman reminded his companion. "We'll get in her mind... Through her hearth."
Dr. Wilson smirked. "Oh.. Very nice." He said before the two of them blinked away.
Big-Time-Charmed.
"So are you here to see my new collection?" Candy asked Carlos her voice holding a hint of confusion, probably confused because he'd brought Kendall with him. This time she looked much more like the Candy Carlos was used to seeing. Skinny jeans, designer clothing and all.
[I'll do the same as I did with Lucy.] Kendall let Carlos know through his thought already holding his palm out towards Candy. [I'll turn her in a plant.] Candy transformed into a plant similar looking to the one Lucy had earlier... Only she did it before Kendall said the words out loud.
"You know that is actually really better." Carlos told Kendall while grinning. "If you can do that with your thoughts to. I mean what if you lose your voice or-"
"Just cut her to see if she's a warlock." Kendall cut him off. The older boy was obviously annoyed by the unpredictablness of his transformation power.
Nodding Carlos pulled out the dagger from his pocket. He carefully made a small cut on the branch which he assumed to be her hand. He gasped. "There's no blood!"
"Plants don't bleed." Kendall replied smiling at the similar mistake. He was about to transform the plant back when a girl that looked exactly like Candy stepped in the living room. This one was wearing sweat pants and a grey shirt.
"Plant!" Kendall cried transforming the other Candy in a plant to. He turned to Carlos. "There's two of them?"
Carlos frowned. "Twin warlocks?" He asked obviously confused.
Kendall blinked. "Or just twins." He said before licking a hand at the each of the two plants who both transformed back in their selves.
The first Candy yelped gripping her hand. "Ow!" She winced looking at the cut on her palm that had appeared.
"Oh did you two play it kinky?" The second Candy in sweatpants asked grinning.
"Which one of you is the real Candy?" Kendall asked.
The first Candy smiled sheepishly. "I'm Candy." She said raising her hand. "That's my sister Mandy." She said briefly pointing towards the girl that looked exactly like her.
"Hi." Mandy said sending a small wave at the two boys which they cheerfully returned. "Sorry about earlier." She apologized to Carlos. "I knew you thought I was Candy, but I couldn't help myself. You're so cute!" She said winking playfully.
"Urgh... Mandy!" Candy groaned palming her forehead. "Don't flirt with the boys I date!"
[Still doesn't explain why she wanted to kill me.] Carlos thought.
Kendall nodded. "So... Mandy what kind of work do you do?"
The self assured look disappeared from Mandy's face, Candy also looked even less pleased. "Well this is usually a conversation stopper." Mandy chuckled awkwardly. "I'm learning to take over our dad's chain of mortuaries."
[Put people in graves or set em on fire.] Carlos realized before letting a huge grin split his face. "So know I'm dating two girls?"
"Carlos..." Kendall sighed.
Mandy smirked. "I approve." She told her twin.
Big-Time-Charmed.
Erica was back in the armchair, crossing her arms the strawberry scanned the living room. One of the four boys must have a girlfriend who helped decorating the place cause it didn't really look like the manor was inhabited by four single man. She eyes the one she had been left with while the other had gone to the attic to look in some book.
If someone ever asked her to describe a model she'd probably describe someone similar to the guy on the small couch. He was definitely nice to look at, but that didn't mean she could trust him or any of them for that matter. "So.." She said not getting him to look away from the magazine he reading. "How did you know to be there when I needed help?"
"I'm a psychic." He replied in toneless voice not looking away from the magazine.
She scoffed. "No- seriously I wanna know."
He didn't say anything and for a while she was sure he'd continue ignoring her when he looked it was only to acknowledge his friend. "Did you find anything?"
"I'm not sure." Logan replied.
"I can't believe you!" Erica whined. "Why can't you just answer my question?"
James smirked putting his magazine away. "I already did. I told you, I'm a psychic."
Erica was about to give a sarcastic reply when Logan added. "Yeah- and didn't we agree to try not telling that?"
James shook his head. "No, we agreed on not telling anyone about the W word and I didn't say a it."
Erica frowned realizing they weren't kidding. "So you're not from some government agency?"
"No." Logan simply replied sitting down on the small couch besides James. "Now I've a question for you. This thing that you did, translating this ancient code or whatever. Why did you do it?"
"I did it for my father." Erica replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"To finish his work?" James guessed.
"People hurt him and I wanted to find out who and I want to get even." Erica clarified.
Logan nodded. "But now you've put yourself at risk."
"He's my dad." Erica replied surprised by Logan's words. "I love him and if I can't have him back, I want justice." She looked at the two boys. "Don't you have a good relationship with you dads?"
"My parents are divorced and my mom doesn't like to share so I don't see mine much." James replied not really sounding bothered by it.
"I don't know my dad." Was Logan's reply. "I used to have a guy that paid my mom alimentation money but we found out long ago that he wasn't my real dad and my mom won't tell me who is." He shrugged.
Erica frowned not understanding that. "Don't you want to know?"
Logan shrugged again. "Sometimes I want to and sometimes I don't. I mean my mom must have a reason for keeping it a secret and if my real dad cared enough he'd come looking for me himself."
"So both of you have some kind of parent issue?" Erica asked crossing her arms seeming to have a new idea. "And neither of you want to help prevent mine?"
Logan and James blinked looking at each other. She sort of had them there. They heard the front door open.
"Candy's not a warlock!" Carlos cheered.
Logan got up. "Good. Now let's go to the hospital."
Big-Time-Charmed.
"I know that I don't come here often and all." Carlos said as the five of them walked through the hospital halls. "But I'm pretty sure it shouldn't be deserted." He said his voice echoing through the hospital halls. The phone at the reception desk kept ringing, there was no one to answer it.
Walking over to the reception desk Erica let out a loud gasp before tuning around and running down the hall.
Wondering what the girl had seen the boys walked over to the reception desk all gasping when they saw the death body of the receptionist. They quickly rang after Erica.
"Dad," Erica said running into her father's hospital room. Logan, James and Carlos walked in a few seconds later. "We gotta get him outa her-" She abruptly stopped talking when the two collectors blinked inside the room. "How...?"
Carlos quickly summoned a fireball and threw it at one of the collectors who started panicking when the sleeve of his coat erupted in flames.
James was about to take one the other collector when he blinked away.
Carlos reached in his pocket to pull out his dagger frowning when he couldn't find it.
"Looking for this?" Dr. Wilson who had put out the fire on his coat smirked holding up the dagger. "Bye, bye." He said before blinking away.
"Where did they go?" Logan wondered out loud.
His question was answered when they heard a cry coming from outside the room.
Big-Time-Charmed.
Kendall was driving a wheelchair to Erica's dad's hospital room when he was suddenly grabbed his hair pulling it so he had to bend to his knees to keep from falling backwards. He let out a strangles cy when a dagger was placed at his throat.
"Kendall!" He heard Logan, James and Carlos cry out.
"Move and he dies." Mr. Newman dared.
Logan looked around trying to spot something he could use. His eyes landed on a flower vase filled kart. He swung his arm at it telkinecticly sending one vase flying at Newman's head who let out a startled cry letting go of Kendall and the dagger.
They heard Erica scream inside the hospital room before Newman blinked away.
"They took him!" Erica screamed running into the hallway. "Those things took my dad!"
"They're called warlocks." Logan corrected her while anxiously running his hand through his hair.
"Warlocks?" Erica asked in a disbelieving voice. "What does that make you?" She asked.
"Witches." The oldest boy replied to her question.
Putting bother hands on her hips Erica looked at the four of them not sure what to make out of all this. She sighed. "You sound insane." She finally concluded. "Witches only exist in stories."
Logan decided to take a different approach to this. "Erica, you believe in the Akashic Records and all the power they represent, right?"
Erica shrugged. "I guess so."
"Well most people think that's a myth to." Carlos told her.
"But you now know that it isn't," Logan continued. "so isn't it possible that other things like witches and warlocks actually do exist?"
Erica looked at the floor thinking it over. "Maybe." She decided. "But why would those warlocks want my dad?"
"They're probably want a trade." James finally joined the conversation. "Your dad for what's in your head."
Kendall nodded. "Yeah, and they can appear anytime, any place, which is why we need to get you back to the manor and you'll be safer than anywhere else."
Erica studied the four boys in front of them. This was her dad and... "You do that. I have a better idea." She said before running away.
"I'll get her." James sighed before running after her.
[Do we have to protect her?] Carlos asked Kendall though thoughts. [She's annoying.]
Big-Time-Charmed.
"Out of all the places you can run of to you run to a museum." James commented following Erica through the museum. "What's with that rock?" He asked whreffering to the large rock she had brought with her.
"This!" Erica yelled about to slam the rock in a stone tablet. "Whoa!" James gasped. "Getting arrested in no going to make you feel better."
"The Akashic Records." Erica spoke looking at the tablet. "This way the warlocks won't have it." She slammed the rock in the tablet. "This way no one else will be able to translate it." She said when the alarm went of.
James nodded. "And now we run." He said when he saw the security guards making their way towards them.
Big-Time-Charmed.
Kendall, Logan and Carlos were in the attic standing at the Book of Shadows' pedestal. "This is what I found." Logan told them showing them a page in the book. "It's a spell to erase information forever."
"But if we do that, Erica won't have anything to offer the warlock and they'll be furious and they'll kill his dad." Carlos said frowning.
Kendall sighed, sometimes it sucked to be them. "Erica's our innocent... and if the collectors find the location of the Akashic Records then it's bye bye world. If it comes to it we have to do it." The three of them looked up when they head the front door open.
Big-Time-Charmed.
"James," Kendall said walking into the foyer. "Did you hear anything from Lu-" He stopped talking when instead of just finding James and Erica there he found his girlfriend there as well. Lucy was looking at him standing there with her arms crossed.
He quickly put a grin on his face. "Hey Lucy!"
[Don't hey Lucy me! I don't want to go that wedding on my own.] "Hey." Lucy greeted smiling. "Are you ready to go?"
"...No?" Kendall weakly answers. "But I'll be ready on time!" He quickly added holding his hands up in defense.
Lucy nodded. "Okay, well, I have to leave in an hour or I'm gonna be late for the wedding rehearsals so the car's gonna leave the driveway at six." She said her voice leaving no room for argument. "Hope to see you then." She curtly said before spinning around and leaving.
Kendall gulped. Lucy may be no warlock but that didn't mean she didn't have him on his toes fearing a mistake.
Big-Time-Charmed.
"Did the warlocks call yet?" Erica asked following Kendall and James into the living room where Logan and Carlos were already waiting for them.
Kendall swallowed. "Uh... No, not yet."
Trying to back him up Logan added. "Why don't you check your messages? Maybe they've tried to contact you."
Erica nodded. "Okay." She said before leaving.
Crossing his arms James turned to his friends. "What did you find?"
[Not telling!] Kendall could hear Carlos' loud thoughts. The leader sighed. "We found a spell to erase the location of the Akashic Records from Erica's mind." He started with the good news. "But we can't offer her knowledge as a trade for her dad."
James' eyes grew. "We can't do that." He quickly protested.
"We can't risk losing Eric and allow the warlocks to gain future knowledge." Logan bitterly replied also don't liking the plan but knowing it was necessary.
James glared at them. "So what do you want me to tell her? Sorry but your dad has to die for the greater good?" He pretended not to see Kendall wince at the words and started heading to the hall were Erica was checking her messages. [You don't even care...] Hearing Carlos gasp he quickly turned back. "Sorry." He apologized. "I didn't mean to think that..."
"Do you want us to tell her?" Carlos offered. [Please say no.]
James shook his head. "No, she trusts me more so I'll do it."
Big-Time-Charmed.
Erica was about to check her messages when her phone started ringing. "Hello?" She hurriedly answered nearly dropping her phone in the process.
"I assume you know who this is?" Dr. Wilson's amused voice greeted her.
Erica's eyes narrowed. "Wilson! What have you done with my dad!"
"Oh he's fine." Wilson cheerfully replied. She could rustling when someone else was put on the phone and she greeted by a familiar voice which she hadn't heard for so long. "Erica?"
Tears sprung in Erica's eyes. She didn't even care how they'd managed to get her dad out of his comatose state it was just so damn good to hear his voice again.
"Erica, I feel so odd." She heard her father say before someone else took the phone again.
"Don't worry girlie he's sleeping again." Wilson told her. "But I can bring him back and give him to you. All I want in exchange is what's in your head."
Erica nodded. "Where can I find you?"
"Golden oak park." Wilson answered. "Half an hour. Alone. Without the witches." He said before the line went dead.
Just then James stepped into the hallway. "Any messages?"
Erica who putting her phone away shook her head. "Not yet."
James sighed. "Erica, listen-"
"Before you say anything," Erica interrupted him smiling at him. "I just want to say thank you for everything that you've done for my father. For everything you'd tried to do. Are you sure you're no angels?"
James smiled. "Nope." He smirked. "I could probably introduce you to one though." He said before he remembered what he came to say. "Listen I need to tell you something."
"Okay." Erica nodded. "But can I have a drink first?"
James blinked before shrugging. "Sure. I'll get you something." He said before turned and heading for the kitchen. It wasn't like he really wanted to tell her this as soon as possible anyway.
Watching him leave Erica turned to the door before she could step outside Carlos stepped into the hallway. "Where are you going?" He asked her.
Erica turned towards him with a small fake smile plastered on her face. "Nowhere really. Just need some air." [Golden Oak Park.]
Carlos heard her thoughts just as she left the manor. "Guys!"
Big-Time-Charmed.
Ariving at Golden Oak park the four boys quickly got out of the BTR-mobile. "This place is huge." Carlos commented looking at the huge park. "How are we gonna find them?"
[It might be too late." Logan thought Looking over the park.
Kendall slapped his shoulder. "Would you stop thinking that?"
Logan shot him an annoyed look. "Would you get out of my head!" He snapped. His eyes grew when he recalled something. "The Book Of Shadows said that their hunger is their all right? So there must be a way to use the knowledge that they require against them."
"Yeah," Kendall nodded. "First to find them hollers." He said before they split up.
Big-Time-Charmed.
Walking up a hill Erica gasped spotting the two collectors standing over her dad who they'd put in a wheelchair. She disappointed to see him in his comatose state. "Dad!"
"That's close enough." Newman said stopping her from advancing closer to them. He smirked looking down at the old man in the wheelchair. "I can restore him or I can kill him, Erica. That choice is mine."
"Restore him!" Erica demanded her voice holding no fear. "Now!" She cried pulling out her gun from he pocket and aiming it at them.
Wilson chuckled. "Haven't you been paying attention girlie? Guns don't work on us."
In response Erica only smirked. "But is does on me." She said before putting the gun against the side of her head. "If I blow my head off then you won't ever find location of the Akashic Records." She said full confidence. "So do me a favor and restore my dad!"
Grunting Newman put his needle like finger inside her dad's head. "Wake up Ben." He said pulling it out.
Ben slowly opened his eyes. His eyes grew wide at the sight in front of him. "Erica? What are you doing?" He cried in fear. His daughter couldn't possibly consider shooting herself right? And who were those two guys behind him?
"Dad..." Erica whispered dropping her gun. She slowly stated walking towads her dad. Suddenly Wilson dissapeared.
He re-appeared behind her less then a second later. He put his needle like finger inside her head. "Goodbye now Erica." He smirked when she dropped to her knees while he drained infromation from her brain. Before he could lay his finger on the location of the Akashic Records he was suddenly tackled.
"Witch!" He cried when he landed on the floor with James on top of him.
James smirked. "That's no insult dude. That's just who I a-ack!" He cried when the other collector put his needle like finger in his head.
"Out you go!" Logan cried standing a few feet away. He swung his arm at the collector sending him flying away from James who dropped unconscious to the floor. Logan was about to do the same with the other Collector who had gone back to Erica when Kendall stopped him. "What?"
"We can hear his thoughts." Carlos told him. "He's playing decoy."
Kendall nodded. "There's one coming up behind us." He whispered. "Let them think it's working."
The three of them stood still until the warlock was close enough. Holding a hand at each warlock Kendall loudly called out. "Statue!"
The collectors transformed into two stone replicas of their selves.
With swift movement of his arm Logan moved the two statues so they were standing in front of each other.
Kendall smirked. "You read my thoughts." He said before flicking his hand at the statues transforming them back into themselves.
The two collectors put their needle fingers into each other's head sucking the knowledge out each other's head. Sparks flew through their fingers before they both exploded.
Carlos grinned once the smoke of the explosion faded. "They really shouldn't have tried to flip us the finger."
Kendall and Logan groaned at Carlos lame joke. "I can't believe you said that." Kendall shook his head as the three of them made their way to were James lay unconscious un top of the hill.
"Jay?" Logan asked when James stirred.
James yawned opening his eyes. He frowned noticing where he was. "What are we doing at the park?" He saw Erica and her dad both were unconscious. "Who are those people?"
Kendall, Logan and Carlos looked at each other before looking back at James. "You don't recognize Erica?" Carlos asked.
James shook his head. "Should I?"
"What's the last thing you remember?" Kendall asked while they helped James up.
"We fought to get to perform live at LA today." James slowly answered.
"That was two weeks ago!" Carlos gasped.
Meanwhile Logan walked over to where Erica and her dad were. "Are you alright?" He asked her.
Erica nodded. "Yeah, I'm just a little confused. What am I doing here?" She then noticed her dad who was also sitting up. "Dad! Oh my god!" She cried getting up rushing to his side. "You're awake!" She cried hugging him tightly.
"Erica, what's going on?" Ben asked returning the hug. "What's happening?"
"I don't know." Erica replied. And frankly she didn't care, her dad was awake and that's all that mattered.
James looked over to them. "Did we do something good?" He asked still confused.
Carlos looked at Kendall. [I thought James and Erica were going to date after this.]
[Sometimes it's just not meant to be.] Kendall replied through his thoughts. Though he to didn't think it was fair.
Big-Time-Charmed.
"Okay what am I thinking?" Carlos asked Kendall later that afternoon back at the manor.
"That Lucy's going to leave without me." Kendall impatiently replied.
Carlos grinned. "Nope. That means the spell's reversed." He said walking into the foyer with Kendall he opened the door on time to Lucy get in her car.
"She's leaving without me!" Kendall gasped.
"Then don't just stand there." James said stepping into the foyer. "Transform her and run."
"Right." Kendall nodded flicking his hand towards her and running outside.
James rolled his eyes. "Someday I WILL get an active power!" He yelled at the ceiling as if yelling at the gods.
"Oh there you are." Logan said walking into the foyer. He smiled at James. "Do you wanna have lunch at the hospital after my classes on Monday?"
James shrugged. "Sure, why not?"
Carlos let out a small gasp turning to Logan who gave a small nod in reply. Now let's find if something's was meant to be or not.