Thanks for your reviews!!! Well I tried to be fair to Phoebe although it
was a little bit difficult for me, but I also didn't want to make her too
friendly and too understanding, because I couldn't imagine that she would
act this way. So I'm really glad when you like it the way I wrote it.
Chapter 38
When Trisha and Cole arrived at the Chemical Plant, there were already a lot of people. They entered the assembly room and got a welcome drink and their reservation cards. Apparently the Daylight Express wasn't very important for the Canterros, because Cole's and Trisha's seats were in the last but one row. Cole looked around, he was quite happy about this seat, even Jared Canterro wouldn't notice him here, if he came to this event. Beside him Trisha took out a notepad to write down the most interesting news.
At half past seven Meagan Canterro appeared on the stage. She welcomed the person present and explained, that they would first see a film about the activities and improvements of the plant in the last year. She sat down in the first row again and the film began. Cole heard that the last financial year had been the most successful for the chemical plant. He heard everything about the successful products and other boring facts about the firm. Finally he understood, why his colleague had become ill. Janny Aroso's exhibition had been a gripping spectacle compared with this one. Meanwhile Trisha busy wrote down the facts, but when the film was over and he asked her, if she had heard anything about the new substance, she shook her head.
Then Meagan Canterro went to the stage again, two bodyguards were standing behind her and watched the surrounding attentively. Her speech was in the same tenor and Cole had his doubts, that she would reveal anything spectacular. His thoughts wandered and he looked around bored. His look stopped at the bodyguards on the stage. There was something fishy about them, they seemed to be rather stiff even for bodyguards. He took a closer look and noticed a thin shining thread coming from their necks. He followed the thread and noticed that it ended in Meagan Canterro's pendant hanging at a necklace on her neck. He couldn't see it from this distance, but he was sure that he would find the symbol of Canterro and his friends on it. He looked at the bodyguards again and his instinct told him, that they were demons. Lost in thoughts, he didn't notice that Meagan Canterro had finished her speech and everybody started to applaud.
Two other men made a speech after Meagan Canterro, when they had finished, the the guests were invited to a small buffet in another hall. The room got empty and Trisha looked morose. "Nothing interesting." She said unsatisfied and gave Cole her notes. "Not the modest information."
"Did you expect anything else? Remember the press is here. Come on we should eat a little bit when we are already here." He took her arm and they went into the other room, where a buffet was served on a long table.
"Do you know anybody here?" Cole asked, but Trisha shook her head.
"No, I only hope, that they also don't know me." They got something to eat and placed themselves near the window, where they could lie low, nobody would notice them.
Cole looked around and noticed Meagan Canterro in the middle of the hall, the two demons were standing behind her. They followed her as if they were chained on a invincible lead. Cole looked at it angrily, even if they were demons, he couldn't bear that Meagan kept them like dogs on a short lead. Cole was convinced that this connection forced Meagan's will up on them, too, so that they were obedient to her. He looked at Trisha and asked her, if she wants another drink. When she agreed, he walked through the hall and passed the demons as near as possible. He followed the thin shining thread with his eyes and saw that it ended in the back of their necks. He tried to take a close look at their necks, but they wore shirts with high collar and he couldn't see anything.
When Phoebe arrived at the Halliwell Manor together with Peter and Helen, a surprised Piper waited for her. "Canterro has found Peter's car and I think that they are in danger, therefore I offered them to spend the night here." Phoebe told her sister.
Piper nodded. "Okay, that's no problem." She led them into the living-room and pulled Phoebe into the kitchen. "And where is Cole?" She asked.
"He wants to go out tonight." Phoebe told her still angry about it. "I think he wants to take revenge on me, or something like that, I don't know." She sat down frustrated. "He doesn't care about the danger."
"Why do you think he would change? But give him some time to think about everything Phoebe. It must be a shock for him to get to know everything. And he hold his own for this situation, doesn't he?"
Phoebe stood up and sighed. "Well finally he is able to go out tonight." She left the kitchen and bumped into Helen, who was standing in front of the door. She looked at her surprised and Phoebe looked back angrily, did she eavesdrop? she wondered.
"I only wanted to know, where the toilet is." Helen explained, she didn't want to listen, but nevertheless she had heard a part of their talk.
Phoebe showed her the way and decided that Peter and Helen could spend the night in her room.
When Paige came home, they had diner and after it Phoebe helped Helen to unpack her things. Helen looked around and told her. "You have a nice room and you live in a beautiful house, too."
"Thanks!" Phoebe looked at Helen and was still suspicious. She didn't know, what she should think about the fact that Helen was such a close friend to Cole. She wondered, what he had told her.
As if Helen had read her mind, she said. "Cole will manage it." She smiled friendly. "And don't worry, he was never interested in any other woman as he is in you."
"Nevertheless he has to go out tonight." Phoebe said dissatisfied.
"Oh, that's probably only business and if not ... In Seattle he kept going out with a lot of women, but none of them ever meant anything to him."
It was difficult for Phoebe to imagine Cole together with other women in Seattle and she didn't go to the trouble of trying it.
"You are more important to him, than his past and that means a lot." Helen stated.
Phoebe smiled sarcastically. "Yes and nevertheless he had opened the envelope."
"Wouldn't you have done it? I'm sure, I would have done it. He thought that he was a Mafia killer. He didn't want to hurt you, but he wanted to know the truth." Helen tried to defend him. When Phoebe was still silent she continued. "He had told me, that you are the one he was always searching for, not his past."
Phoebe had to smile, although she knew, that she was something special for him, it did her good to hear Helen's confirmation. "I hope, he won't forget it."
"Definitely not. But everything is a big shock for him, although he tries to cover it up." Helen laughed. "It's a shock for me, too so I can imagine, how it must be for him."
Phoebe sat down on her bed. "He doesn't understand it." She said frustrated.
Helen sat beside her. "Well, you have to admit, that it's hard to understand."
"He can't understand that I had to vanquish him." Phoebe said, because she had the feeling that Cole had talked about it with Helen.
Helen nodded and confirmed Phoebe's assumption. "Well, who could understand it." Helen looked at Phoebe, she seemed to be a person, who could be tough and strong if it was necessary. Helen couldn't imagine the most crazy situation, she would be able to kill Peter. But luckily Peter wasn't a demon and she wasn't a witch. "I don't think that I would ever be able to kill Peter, even if he tried to kill somebody."
Phoebe wanted to jump up angrily, but Helen held her arm to stop her. "You got me wrong. I don't want to judge it."
Phoebe sat down again and turned to her. "But you wonder, if it would have been the better solution only to stop him from doing it, don't you? But if it was the only way to stop him?"
Helen shrugged her shoulders. "I think I wouldn't be so strong. Even if it would be the only chance to stop him, to rescue innocents. I don't think that I could do the right."
Phoebe smiled weakly. "Be thankful that you've never been in such a situation." She sighed. "Unfortunately Cole still believes in fairytales that love will always win. But sometimes there are situations and it can't win, and you have to accept it."
"Well you are together now, so probably it'll come true." Helen pointed out.
Phoebe stood up. "If I could only believe it."
Helen looked up at her. "May I ask you a question?" When Phoebe nodded, she continued. "I know Cole for over a year and he is ..." Helen searched for the right word. "quite usual. I mean he isn't violent or anything like that. I can't imagine, that he had been evil, that he had been able to kill people indiscriminately."
Phoebe sighed. "That was the demon inside of him. If he had allowed his demonic part to have the control, he hadn't had any problems to kill people."
Helen nodded, although this answer didn't help her to understand anything. Silent they unpacked Peter's and Helen's last things. When Phoebe wanted to lay Peter's jacket on the chair, she noticed that she would get a premonition. She sat down on the chair and saw the corridor in front of Cole's apartment. A demon was standing in front of Peter's and Helen's door, when Cole and a woman came around the corner. The woman looked familiar to Phoebe, but she couldn't remember who she was. They laughed and talked and didn't notice the demon, until he was standing in front of them. He threw the woman along the corridor and she fell down at the end of it. Then he stared at Cole with a nasty grin. He took him and wanted to disappear. Horrified Phoebe got out of her premonition.
Helen looked at her irritated. "What's going on?" She asked uncertainly.
"What a fool!" Phoebe let out. "I have told him, that it's dangerous." Angry she left the room to tell her sisters about her premonition. Helen looked behind her and didn't know if she should follow her or stay in the room.
After a while Trisha recognized one of her ex-colleagues and they decided to leave the event. On their way back, Trisha was rather silent. "I don't know, what I had expected, but now I'm frustrated."
"Probably they produce this new substance in their secret research center and they don't want that everybody knows about it." Cole told her.
"Yes, you're right." She looked at him. "What have you seen there?"
Cole really didn't want to tell her, what he had seen. "Not a lot, there is a wood and armed watchmen patrol in front of the entrance."
"Well I'd like to look around there." Trisha sighed.
"I wouldn't recommend it to you. It's too dangerous, but I could show you the plans again, perhaps you'll find something interesting. Finally we know, that they have really built it and we know for which reason." Cole thought that was a good idea, finally Trisha worked as a chemist and she knew how research centers were usually built.
Trisha agreed happy that there was still a little opportunity that she could find out something tonight.
They stopped at the Daylight Express, because Cole wanted to hand over Trisha's notes. Then they went to Cole's apartment.
When they arrived in the corridor in front of his apartment, somebody conspicuous was standing in front of Peter's and Helen's door. Cole knew, even from this distance, why the man looked conspicuous: a thin shining threat was coming from behind his neck. But before Cole could digest his observation, the demon rushed at them and hit Trisha hard. She was thrown along the corridor. After it the demon looked at Cole and when he recognized him his mouth twisted into a crafty smile.
At this moment Phoebe and Paige appeared directly behind the creature. While they rushed at him, Cole wondered, how he could help them. He walked to the fighters, but Phoebe had an angry look at him and he understood the meaning. 'Stay where you are!' He stopped and looked at Trisha, who was still lying on the ground. Cole walked to her and helped her to stand up. She seemed to be alright, but she was a little confused. While he looked after Trisha, he still watched the two witches vanquishing the demon. The whole action didn't need a lot of time and the sisters looked at each other satisfied, when a new demon appeared in front of Peter's and Helen's door.
"Stay where you are." Phoebe ordered Cole, who wanted to walk into her direction. He stopped and looked at her angrily. Who did she think she was, he didn't want to get in her way, but nevertheless he wasn't so useless. He looked back at Trisha and decided to go to Phoebe despite her warning, but before he could reach them, they already had vanquished the demon. Breathless the sisters were standing in the corridor, when immediately a new demon appeared.
"That can't be true!" Paige moaned and started to attack the new demon. Although the attackers weren't very powerful demons, they had to bother to vanquish them.
Meanwhile Cole leaned at the wall and folded his arms in front of his body. He decided that it wasn't the right moment to discuss about his fighting strengths with Phoebe, therefore he watched fascinated at the thin ray shining in the air. It was coming from the back of the neck of every demon. He had his own theory, why the next demon appeared constantly, when the sisters had vanquished the one before. "I think we should clear off." He shouted to them, when they had vanquished the third demon and the fourth appeared. "Every time you have killed one demon, the next one will appear."
"But that's impossible." Phoebe told him between her hits and kicks.
"Well I don't have magical powers, but I think they are connected with each other. And if you cut the connection, the next one will pass by." He tried to explain her.
Paige saw at her sister helpless. "Perhaps he is right." She said. "I really have enough of fighting against these idiots. Let us grab at Cole and the woman and orb home."
Phoebe nodded and they moved into Cole's direction, while they were fighting.
When Cole looked around, he couldn't see Trisha anymore. He supposed that she had ran away and had already left the building.
Short time later Paige and Phoebe had vanquished the demon and Paige used the lull in fighting to take Phoebe's and Cole's hands. "Where is the woman?" She asked Cole and noticed that a new demon already appeared on the corridor.
"I think she ran away. Let's vanish here!" Cole told her and Paige didn't need a second request.
Short time later they arrived at the Halliwell Manor. Piper looked at them worried. "Is everything alright? I should have come with you." She said and looked at Leo angrily, because he had told her that one witch had to stay at home to protect Peter and Helen in case of a demon attack.
Exhausted Paige sat down on the coach. "That wasn't only one demon, but four." She told Piper. "But one after another."
Phoebe sat down beside Paige. "I also thought it would be easier." She stared at Cole angrily. "Well I told you that they are searching for you."
"One moment, they waited in front of Peter's door. It was pure chance that they saw me."
"So what? They have seen you, and if we hadn't been there, you would be in Canterro's imprisonment or even dead."
He smiled at her. "Don't worry, I'll let you the privilege to kill me."
She looked at him grimly. "I have never asked for it. I could do without it."
Cole knew that he had gone too far and explained calmly. "But nothing has happened."
Phoebe smiled nastily and said sweet as sugar. "But I'm really sorry, that I've ruined your date."
"I can well believe that." He replied and a smile flitted across his face.
Meanwhile Peter stepped beside Cole and seized his opportunity to ask horrified. "These ... creatures were standing in front of our door? Have they been in our apartment, too?"
"They probably came from this direction." Cole told him dryly.
"Hopefully everything in our apartment is still intact." Peter said.
"Well that are demons, no burglars." Paige explained him. "Their main interest isn't your valuables. Be thankful, that you weren't there."
Helen turned to her and said tensed. "We are happy."
Meanwhile Leo looked at Paige and asked. "What do you mean, the demons came one after the other?"
Paige shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, how they managed, but when we had vanquished one demon the next one appeared."
Cole sighed. "I've already told you, even if I'm no powerful demon anymore, you can listen to me. These guys were connected with each other."
"But how should that work?" Phoebe asked sceptically.
"Because of this thin thread coming out of their necks."
Paige and Phoebe looked at him doubtfully. "Thread? I haven't seen anything like that. Paige?"
Paige shook her head.
"Well it was coming from the back of their neck and I don't think that you were standing behind them very often. You were busy to fight against them."
"Thread? Well I think I would have noticed it. And I've never heard anything about anything like that." Phoebe said very sure of herself.
"Do you want to say, that I'm lying?" Cole asked angrily.
"No, that you're imagining things."
"Only because you don't know it, it doesn't have to exist? There was a thin shining thread or ray, it was the same light as it was from the seal to the cage or from the bodyguards to Meagan Canterro."
Phoebe looked at him confused. "Which bodyguards of Meagan Canterro?"
"Well I have been on such a press event of the Canterro Chemical Plant tonight. Meagan Canterro was there and her body..."
"You have been at Canterro's tonight?" Phoebe looked at him disbelieving, she couldn't understand why he was able to risk his life so easy and it frightened her. "Are you weary of life or are you only stupid? What did you want there?"
"It was harmless, Jared Canterro wasn't there. And nobody noticed me among all the people of the press."
"And was it worth it?"
"Worth it? I only wanted to do Trisha a favor!" Cole stated calmly.
"Trisha Raymond?" Phoebe looked at him furiously. "You have been there with Trisha Raymond? What have you told her?"
"Nothing, what should I've told her?" He asked annoyed. "She has enough problems with her loss of memory."
"Oh, the poor darling."
"Perhaps I should look for her and ask if she is alright." Cole supposed.
"We can care about it later." Paige told him and asked curiously. "First tell us, what do you mean with this shining thread."
Cole told them that there was a shining thin thread from the back of the neck of the demons to the pendant of Meagan Canterro's necklace. "She kept them on an invincible lead." He said disgusted.
Piper turned to Leo. "Haven't you told us that this seals are able to direct magic?"
Leo nodded. "Yes and as it seems it's possible to direct demons, too."
"Aren't you able to cut it with a ... magical knife or whatever." Cole asked her.
Piper looked at him doubtful. "Well it doesn't belong to our duties to free demons."
"Wonderful, you would only have to cut it." Cole said disgruntled. "This woman keeps them like ... dogs on a short lead."
"That's it. Imagine that would be fight dogs, pit bulls, and we would free them, so that they could run around and attack everyone passing by."
"Well I'd prefer it. Because at the moment this dangerous woman is able to set them on everybody at her will. To say nothing of her husband, this public enemy."
Piper groaned. "Okay, I'll try to find something about this subject." She said and went upstairs onto the attic. Phoebe and Leo followed her and Paige and Cole decided to pass by Trisha.
Paige orbed them near the building and they walked to Trisha's apartment.
"Well it must be great, to be able to beam yourself like you do." Cole stated.
"I orbed us." Paige got it straight. "But yes it's not bad, but you have to be cautious that nobody notices anything of it."
"But why did you tell me, that I wasn't able to do it?" Cole asked.
"Because I would never compare my way of moving with your ex-demon one." She told him saucy.
"Of course not! How could I dare to do it." He replied ironically.
Paige stopped and looked at him assessing. "You know Cole, even if you are a mortal now. You shouldn't forget that you've been a demon who had killed countless innocents, witches, and whomever."
"Thanks that you remember me." He said sarcastically and touched her chummy on the shoulder. "I'm really happy that there is somebody like you, who reminds me, if I could dare to forget it."
"You are welcome." She said and raised her shoulder to shake of his hand. None of them wanted to say anything until they reached Trisha's door. Cole rang the bell, but nobody opened the door. He tried it again and they heard a dog barking and steps coming to the door.
"Trisha?" Cole asked loudly and the door opened a little. "It's just me."
Trisha opened the door and stared at Paige gloomy, while Sparky ran on the corridor and barked angrily at the visitors. Paige kneeled down and tried to stroke Sparky but the dog ran around her and didn't want to stop his barking.
"Are you okay?" Cole asked meanwhile and looked at Trisha.
She nodded. "This man, what did he want? Was it .. because of .. Canterro?"
Cole nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid he was one of Canterro's men. But he's done for."
Trisha looked at him horrified. "But you haven't killed him, have you?"
"No, of course not." Cole lied without scruple. "But now you understand that it's too dangerous. You have to keep out of it."
"Okay, but this woman ... not this one." She looked at Paige, who was busy with the dog, Sparky was more friendly and she could stroke the dog now. "The other one." Trisha continued. "I think she had been here that day when I lost my memory."
Cole felt compelled to explain her that Phoebe had really been there, because she had wanted to protect her of Canterro's men.
Trisha took this information calmly, but after it she gave Cole a sceptical look. She said that she had to go back into her kitchen. She called her dog and shut the door.
Paige orbed them back to the Halliwell Manor and went upstairs to her sisters. While Cole went into the living-room and sat down together with Peter and Helen.
On the attic Phoebe and Piper had found a relevant information that there could be a magical connection between someone who commands and his subordinates. This connection worked with magical seals. The commander had the transmitter seal and the recipient of an order the receiver seal.
"Did Cole say anything about how the symbol looked like?" Piper asked.
Phoebe shook her head. "Not that I know of. But you can ask him. Where is he?"
"Downstairs." Paige told her.
"Have you met the lovely Trisha?" She asked sarcastically.
"Yes, she is fine. And luckily she didn't notice anything supernatural. She thinks that the demons have been Canterro's thugs. Well and it isn't wrong." Paige supposed and turned to Phoebe. "And I think she doesn't trust Cole anymore, so you don't have to worry about her and Cole."
"I have never done it." Phoebe said firmly.
"Mm, that sounded different not long ago." Piper said and looked back at the book. "It says that we can charge an athame with magic, then it has the power to cut the connection."
None of them liked the idea to release demons, but probably Cole was right and it was worse when they were under Canterro's control. So they started to work and prepared an athame. After it they decided to go to bed. Helen and Peter were already in Phoebe's room and she went with Paige into her room.
Downstairs Piper took Cole a few blankets into the living room. When she met him alone, she decided to seize the opportunity to talk to him. She sat down on the coach and looked at him seriously. "I can't understand where your problem is, Cole. Don't dare to hurt Phoebe once again."
"My problem is, that she has killed me, twice." He explained dryly.
"But you are still alive, so who cares? Why do you keep harping on it?"
"I can't count on her. I finally don't know, if she would drop me again at the next best opportunity."
"She had never dropped you at the first best opportunity, you can believe me. She stood by your side much too long, until it was nearly too late for her ... for us."
"For the whole world, I know." He explained sarcastically and smiled. "I can't talk about it with you, you aren't impartial."
"How do you want to know?" She asked indignant.
"That's obvious, finally you wanted to kill me, too." He told her self- satisfied.
Piper shook her head and stood up, it was useless to talk to him about this subject. Phoebe and Cole should solve their problems alone, she decided. "Okay, it's your problem." She said gruffly and left the room.
Chapter 38
When Trisha and Cole arrived at the Chemical Plant, there were already a lot of people. They entered the assembly room and got a welcome drink and their reservation cards. Apparently the Daylight Express wasn't very important for the Canterros, because Cole's and Trisha's seats were in the last but one row. Cole looked around, he was quite happy about this seat, even Jared Canterro wouldn't notice him here, if he came to this event. Beside him Trisha took out a notepad to write down the most interesting news.
At half past seven Meagan Canterro appeared on the stage. She welcomed the person present and explained, that they would first see a film about the activities and improvements of the plant in the last year. She sat down in the first row again and the film began. Cole heard that the last financial year had been the most successful for the chemical plant. He heard everything about the successful products and other boring facts about the firm. Finally he understood, why his colleague had become ill. Janny Aroso's exhibition had been a gripping spectacle compared with this one. Meanwhile Trisha busy wrote down the facts, but when the film was over and he asked her, if she had heard anything about the new substance, she shook her head.
Then Meagan Canterro went to the stage again, two bodyguards were standing behind her and watched the surrounding attentively. Her speech was in the same tenor and Cole had his doubts, that she would reveal anything spectacular. His thoughts wandered and he looked around bored. His look stopped at the bodyguards on the stage. There was something fishy about them, they seemed to be rather stiff even for bodyguards. He took a closer look and noticed a thin shining thread coming from their necks. He followed the thread and noticed that it ended in Meagan Canterro's pendant hanging at a necklace on her neck. He couldn't see it from this distance, but he was sure that he would find the symbol of Canterro and his friends on it. He looked at the bodyguards again and his instinct told him, that they were demons. Lost in thoughts, he didn't notice that Meagan Canterro had finished her speech and everybody started to applaud.
Two other men made a speech after Meagan Canterro, when they had finished, the the guests were invited to a small buffet in another hall. The room got empty and Trisha looked morose. "Nothing interesting." She said unsatisfied and gave Cole her notes. "Not the modest information."
"Did you expect anything else? Remember the press is here. Come on we should eat a little bit when we are already here." He took her arm and they went into the other room, where a buffet was served on a long table.
"Do you know anybody here?" Cole asked, but Trisha shook her head.
"No, I only hope, that they also don't know me." They got something to eat and placed themselves near the window, where they could lie low, nobody would notice them.
Cole looked around and noticed Meagan Canterro in the middle of the hall, the two demons were standing behind her. They followed her as if they were chained on a invincible lead. Cole looked at it angrily, even if they were demons, he couldn't bear that Meagan kept them like dogs on a short lead. Cole was convinced that this connection forced Meagan's will up on them, too, so that they were obedient to her. He looked at Trisha and asked her, if she wants another drink. When she agreed, he walked through the hall and passed the demons as near as possible. He followed the thin shining thread with his eyes and saw that it ended in the back of their necks. He tried to take a close look at their necks, but they wore shirts with high collar and he couldn't see anything.
When Phoebe arrived at the Halliwell Manor together with Peter and Helen, a surprised Piper waited for her. "Canterro has found Peter's car and I think that they are in danger, therefore I offered them to spend the night here." Phoebe told her sister.
Piper nodded. "Okay, that's no problem." She led them into the living-room and pulled Phoebe into the kitchen. "And where is Cole?" She asked.
"He wants to go out tonight." Phoebe told her still angry about it. "I think he wants to take revenge on me, or something like that, I don't know." She sat down frustrated. "He doesn't care about the danger."
"Why do you think he would change? But give him some time to think about everything Phoebe. It must be a shock for him to get to know everything. And he hold his own for this situation, doesn't he?"
Phoebe stood up and sighed. "Well finally he is able to go out tonight." She left the kitchen and bumped into Helen, who was standing in front of the door. She looked at her surprised and Phoebe looked back angrily, did she eavesdrop? she wondered.
"I only wanted to know, where the toilet is." Helen explained, she didn't want to listen, but nevertheless she had heard a part of their talk.
Phoebe showed her the way and decided that Peter and Helen could spend the night in her room.
When Paige came home, they had diner and after it Phoebe helped Helen to unpack her things. Helen looked around and told her. "You have a nice room and you live in a beautiful house, too."
"Thanks!" Phoebe looked at Helen and was still suspicious. She didn't know, what she should think about the fact that Helen was such a close friend to Cole. She wondered, what he had told her.
As if Helen had read her mind, she said. "Cole will manage it." She smiled friendly. "And don't worry, he was never interested in any other woman as he is in you."
"Nevertheless he has to go out tonight." Phoebe said dissatisfied.
"Oh, that's probably only business and if not ... In Seattle he kept going out with a lot of women, but none of them ever meant anything to him."
It was difficult for Phoebe to imagine Cole together with other women in Seattle and she didn't go to the trouble of trying it.
"You are more important to him, than his past and that means a lot." Helen stated.
Phoebe smiled sarcastically. "Yes and nevertheless he had opened the envelope."
"Wouldn't you have done it? I'm sure, I would have done it. He thought that he was a Mafia killer. He didn't want to hurt you, but he wanted to know the truth." Helen tried to defend him. When Phoebe was still silent she continued. "He had told me, that you are the one he was always searching for, not his past."
Phoebe had to smile, although she knew, that she was something special for him, it did her good to hear Helen's confirmation. "I hope, he won't forget it."
"Definitely not. But everything is a big shock for him, although he tries to cover it up." Helen laughed. "It's a shock for me, too so I can imagine, how it must be for him."
Phoebe sat down on her bed. "He doesn't understand it." She said frustrated.
Helen sat beside her. "Well, you have to admit, that it's hard to understand."
"He can't understand that I had to vanquish him." Phoebe said, because she had the feeling that Cole had talked about it with Helen.
Helen nodded and confirmed Phoebe's assumption. "Well, who could understand it." Helen looked at Phoebe, she seemed to be a person, who could be tough and strong if it was necessary. Helen couldn't imagine the most crazy situation, she would be able to kill Peter. But luckily Peter wasn't a demon and she wasn't a witch. "I don't think that I would ever be able to kill Peter, even if he tried to kill somebody."
Phoebe wanted to jump up angrily, but Helen held her arm to stop her. "You got me wrong. I don't want to judge it."
Phoebe sat down again and turned to her. "But you wonder, if it would have been the better solution only to stop him from doing it, don't you? But if it was the only way to stop him?"
Helen shrugged her shoulders. "I think I wouldn't be so strong. Even if it would be the only chance to stop him, to rescue innocents. I don't think that I could do the right."
Phoebe smiled weakly. "Be thankful that you've never been in such a situation." She sighed. "Unfortunately Cole still believes in fairytales that love will always win. But sometimes there are situations and it can't win, and you have to accept it."
"Well you are together now, so probably it'll come true." Helen pointed out.
Phoebe stood up. "If I could only believe it."
Helen looked up at her. "May I ask you a question?" When Phoebe nodded, she continued. "I know Cole for over a year and he is ..." Helen searched for the right word. "quite usual. I mean he isn't violent or anything like that. I can't imagine, that he had been evil, that he had been able to kill people indiscriminately."
Phoebe sighed. "That was the demon inside of him. If he had allowed his demonic part to have the control, he hadn't had any problems to kill people."
Helen nodded, although this answer didn't help her to understand anything. Silent they unpacked Peter's and Helen's last things. When Phoebe wanted to lay Peter's jacket on the chair, she noticed that she would get a premonition. She sat down on the chair and saw the corridor in front of Cole's apartment. A demon was standing in front of Peter's and Helen's door, when Cole and a woman came around the corner. The woman looked familiar to Phoebe, but she couldn't remember who she was. They laughed and talked and didn't notice the demon, until he was standing in front of them. He threw the woman along the corridor and she fell down at the end of it. Then he stared at Cole with a nasty grin. He took him and wanted to disappear. Horrified Phoebe got out of her premonition.
Helen looked at her irritated. "What's going on?" She asked uncertainly.
"What a fool!" Phoebe let out. "I have told him, that it's dangerous." Angry she left the room to tell her sisters about her premonition. Helen looked behind her and didn't know if she should follow her or stay in the room.
After a while Trisha recognized one of her ex-colleagues and they decided to leave the event. On their way back, Trisha was rather silent. "I don't know, what I had expected, but now I'm frustrated."
"Probably they produce this new substance in their secret research center and they don't want that everybody knows about it." Cole told her.
"Yes, you're right." She looked at him. "What have you seen there?"
Cole really didn't want to tell her, what he had seen. "Not a lot, there is a wood and armed watchmen patrol in front of the entrance."
"Well I'd like to look around there." Trisha sighed.
"I wouldn't recommend it to you. It's too dangerous, but I could show you the plans again, perhaps you'll find something interesting. Finally we know, that they have really built it and we know for which reason." Cole thought that was a good idea, finally Trisha worked as a chemist and she knew how research centers were usually built.
Trisha agreed happy that there was still a little opportunity that she could find out something tonight.
They stopped at the Daylight Express, because Cole wanted to hand over Trisha's notes. Then they went to Cole's apartment.
When they arrived in the corridor in front of his apartment, somebody conspicuous was standing in front of Peter's and Helen's door. Cole knew, even from this distance, why the man looked conspicuous: a thin shining threat was coming from behind his neck. But before Cole could digest his observation, the demon rushed at them and hit Trisha hard. She was thrown along the corridor. After it the demon looked at Cole and when he recognized him his mouth twisted into a crafty smile.
At this moment Phoebe and Paige appeared directly behind the creature. While they rushed at him, Cole wondered, how he could help them. He walked to the fighters, but Phoebe had an angry look at him and he understood the meaning. 'Stay where you are!' He stopped and looked at Trisha, who was still lying on the ground. Cole walked to her and helped her to stand up. She seemed to be alright, but she was a little confused. While he looked after Trisha, he still watched the two witches vanquishing the demon. The whole action didn't need a lot of time and the sisters looked at each other satisfied, when a new demon appeared in front of Peter's and Helen's door.
"Stay where you are." Phoebe ordered Cole, who wanted to walk into her direction. He stopped and looked at her angrily. Who did she think she was, he didn't want to get in her way, but nevertheless he wasn't so useless. He looked back at Trisha and decided to go to Phoebe despite her warning, but before he could reach them, they already had vanquished the demon. Breathless the sisters were standing in the corridor, when immediately a new demon appeared.
"That can't be true!" Paige moaned and started to attack the new demon. Although the attackers weren't very powerful demons, they had to bother to vanquish them.
Meanwhile Cole leaned at the wall and folded his arms in front of his body. He decided that it wasn't the right moment to discuss about his fighting strengths with Phoebe, therefore he watched fascinated at the thin ray shining in the air. It was coming from the back of the neck of every demon. He had his own theory, why the next demon appeared constantly, when the sisters had vanquished the one before. "I think we should clear off." He shouted to them, when they had vanquished the third demon and the fourth appeared. "Every time you have killed one demon, the next one will appear."
"But that's impossible." Phoebe told him between her hits and kicks.
"Well I don't have magical powers, but I think they are connected with each other. And if you cut the connection, the next one will pass by." He tried to explain her.
Paige saw at her sister helpless. "Perhaps he is right." She said. "I really have enough of fighting against these idiots. Let us grab at Cole and the woman and orb home."
Phoebe nodded and they moved into Cole's direction, while they were fighting.
When Cole looked around, he couldn't see Trisha anymore. He supposed that she had ran away and had already left the building.
Short time later Paige and Phoebe had vanquished the demon and Paige used the lull in fighting to take Phoebe's and Cole's hands. "Where is the woman?" She asked Cole and noticed that a new demon already appeared on the corridor.
"I think she ran away. Let's vanish here!" Cole told her and Paige didn't need a second request.
Short time later they arrived at the Halliwell Manor. Piper looked at them worried. "Is everything alright? I should have come with you." She said and looked at Leo angrily, because he had told her that one witch had to stay at home to protect Peter and Helen in case of a demon attack.
Exhausted Paige sat down on the coach. "That wasn't only one demon, but four." She told Piper. "But one after another."
Phoebe sat down beside Paige. "I also thought it would be easier." She stared at Cole angrily. "Well I told you that they are searching for you."
"One moment, they waited in front of Peter's door. It was pure chance that they saw me."
"So what? They have seen you, and if we hadn't been there, you would be in Canterro's imprisonment or even dead."
He smiled at her. "Don't worry, I'll let you the privilege to kill me."
She looked at him grimly. "I have never asked for it. I could do without it."
Cole knew that he had gone too far and explained calmly. "But nothing has happened."
Phoebe smiled nastily and said sweet as sugar. "But I'm really sorry, that I've ruined your date."
"I can well believe that." He replied and a smile flitted across his face.
Meanwhile Peter stepped beside Cole and seized his opportunity to ask horrified. "These ... creatures were standing in front of our door? Have they been in our apartment, too?"
"They probably came from this direction." Cole told him dryly.
"Hopefully everything in our apartment is still intact." Peter said.
"Well that are demons, no burglars." Paige explained him. "Their main interest isn't your valuables. Be thankful, that you weren't there."
Helen turned to her and said tensed. "We are happy."
Meanwhile Leo looked at Paige and asked. "What do you mean, the demons came one after the other?"
Paige shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, how they managed, but when we had vanquished one demon the next one appeared."
Cole sighed. "I've already told you, even if I'm no powerful demon anymore, you can listen to me. These guys were connected with each other."
"But how should that work?" Phoebe asked sceptically.
"Because of this thin thread coming out of their necks."
Paige and Phoebe looked at him doubtfully. "Thread? I haven't seen anything like that. Paige?"
Paige shook her head.
"Well it was coming from the back of their neck and I don't think that you were standing behind them very often. You were busy to fight against them."
"Thread? Well I think I would have noticed it. And I've never heard anything about anything like that." Phoebe said very sure of herself.
"Do you want to say, that I'm lying?" Cole asked angrily.
"No, that you're imagining things."
"Only because you don't know it, it doesn't have to exist? There was a thin shining thread or ray, it was the same light as it was from the seal to the cage or from the bodyguards to Meagan Canterro."
Phoebe looked at him confused. "Which bodyguards of Meagan Canterro?"
"Well I have been on such a press event of the Canterro Chemical Plant tonight. Meagan Canterro was there and her body..."
"You have been at Canterro's tonight?" Phoebe looked at him disbelieving, she couldn't understand why he was able to risk his life so easy and it frightened her. "Are you weary of life or are you only stupid? What did you want there?"
"It was harmless, Jared Canterro wasn't there. And nobody noticed me among all the people of the press."
"And was it worth it?"
"Worth it? I only wanted to do Trisha a favor!" Cole stated calmly.
"Trisha Raymond?" Phoebe looked at him furiously. "You have been there with Trisha Raymond? What have you told her?"
"Nothing, what should I've told her?" He asked annoyed. "She has enough problems with her loss of memory."
"Oh, the poor darling."
"Perhaps I should look for her and ask if she is alright." Cole supposed.
"We can care about it later." Paige told him and asked curiously. "First tell us, what do you mean with this shining thread."
Cole told them that there was a shining thin thread from the back of the neck of the demons to the pendant of Meagan Canterro's necklace. "She kept them on an invincible lead." He said disgusted.
Piper turned to Leo. "Haven't you told us that this seals are able to direct magic?"
Leo nodded. "Yes and as it seems it's possible to direct demons, too."
"Aren't you able to cut it with a ... magical knife or whatever." Cole asked her.
Piper looked at him doubtful. "Well it doesn't belong to our duties to free demons."
"Wonderful, you would only have to cut it." Cole said disgruntled. "This woman keeps them like ... dogs on a short lead."
"That's it. Imagine that would be fight dogs, pit bulls, and we would free them, so that they could run around and attack everyone passing by."
"Well I'd prefer it. Because at the moment this dangerous woman is able to set them on everybody at her will. To say nothing of her husband, this public enemy."
Piper groaned. "Okay, I'll try to find something about this subject." She said and went upstairs onto the attic. Phoebe and Leo followed her and Paige and Cole decided to pass by Trisha.
Paige orbed them near the building and they walked to Trisha's apartment.
"Well it must be great, to be able to beam yourself like you do." Cole stated.
"I orbed us." Paige got it straight. "But yes it's not bad, but you have to be cautious that nobody notices anything of it."
"But why did you tell me, that I wasn't able to do it?" Cole asked.
"Because I would never compare my way of moving with your ex-demon one." She told him saucy.
"Of course not! How could I dare to do it." He replied ironically.
Paige stopped and looked at him assessing. "You know Cole, even if you are a mortal now. You shouldn't forget that you've been a demon who had killed countless innocents, witches, and whomever."
"Thanks that you remember me." He said sarcastically and touched her chummy on the shoulder. "I'm really happy that there is somebody like you, who reminds me, if I could dare to forget it."
"You are welcome." She said and raised her shoulder to shake of his hand. None of them wanted to say anything until they reached Trisha's door. Cole rang the bell, but nobody opened the door. He tried it again and they heard a dog barking and steps coming to the door.
"Trisha?" Cole asked loudly and the door opened a little. "It's just me."
Trisha opened the door and stared at Paige gloomy, while Sparky ran on the corridor and barked angrily at the visitors. Paige kneeled down and tried to stroke Sparky but the dog ran around her and didn't want to stop his barking.
"Are you okay?" Cole asked meanwhile and looked at Trisha.
She nodded. "This man, what did he want? Was it .. because of .. Canterro?"
Cole nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid he was one of Canterro's men. But he's done for."
Trisha looked at him horrified. "But you haven't killed him, have you?"
"No, of course not." Cole lied without scruple. "But now you understand that it's too dangerous. You have to keep out of it."
"Okay, but this woman ... not this one." She looked at Paige, who was busy with the dog, Sparky was more friendly and she could stroke the dog now. "The other one." Trisha continued. "I think she had been here that day when I lost my memory."
Cole felt compelled to explain her that Phoebe had really been there, because she had wanted to protect her of Canterro's men.
Trisha took this information calmly, but after it she gave Cole a sceptical look. She said that she had to go back into her kitchen. She called her dog and shut the door.
Paige orbed them back to the Halliwell Manor and went upstairs to her sisters. While Cole went into the living-room and sat down together with Peter and Helen.
On the attic Phoebe and Piper had found a relevant information that there could be a magical connection between someone who commands and his subordinates. This connection worked with magical seals. The commander had the transmitter seal and the recipient of an order the receiver seal.
"Did Cole say anything about how the symbol looked like?" Piper asked.
Phoebe shook her head. "Not that I know of. But you can ask him. Where is he?"
"Downstairs." Paige told her.
"Have you met the lovely Trisha?" She asked sarcastically.
"Yes, she is fine. And luckily she didn't notice anything supernatural. She thinks that the demons have been Canterro's thugs. Well and it isn't wrong." Paige supposed and turned to Phoebe. "And I think she doesn't trust Cole anymore, so you don't have to worry about her and Cole."
"I have never done it." Phoebe said firmly.
"Mm, that sounded different not long ago." Piper said and looked back at the book. "It says that we can charge an athame with magic, then it has the power to cut the connection."
None of them liked the idea to release demons, but probably Cole was right and it was worse when they were under Canterro's control. So they started to work and prepared an athame. After it they decided to go to bed. Helen and Peter were already in Phoebe's room and she went with Paige into her room.
Downstairs Piper took Cole a few blankets into the living room. When she met him alone, she decided to seize the opportunity to talk to him. She sat down on the coach and looked at him seriously. "I can't understand where your problem is, Cole. Don't dare to hurt Phoebe once again."
"My problem is, that she has killed me, twice." He explained dryly.
"But you are still alive, so who cares? Why do you keep harping on it?"
"I can't count on her. I finally don't know, if she would drop me again at the next best opportunity."
"She had never dropped you at the first best opportunity, you can believe me. She stood by your side much too long, until it was nearly too late for her ... for us."
"For the whole world, I know." He explained sarcastically and smiled. "I can't talk about it with you, you aren't impartial."
"How do you want to know?" She asked indignant.
"That's obvious, finally you wanted to kill me, too." He told her self- satisfied.
Piper shook her head and stood up, it was useless to talk to him about this subject. Phoebe and Cole should solve their problems alone, she decided. "Okay, it's your problem." She said gruffly and left the room.