Chapter 51
The next couple of weeks were hectic for the Resistance. Bobby and Mist were the first to venture back out into the real world after the rescue. And the news they brought back weren't good. They had told everyone back at Valhalla about Wyatt's orders to kill them on sight. Everyone became worried.
Freyja and Leo tried to rouse the group, but they were all afraid to return to the world. Jen and Ryan came back barely escaping with their lives after five demons attacked them. Leo quickly healed them, but it didn't encourage people to return to the outside world.
Freyja had enough of the cowards and called an emergency meeting. The Resistance all gathered in the Temple Cave. Leo stood next to Freyja, looking around at the faces of the brave men and women that signed up to participate in fighting against evil forces.
As they were about to begin, they heard more footsteps and Chris appeared in the light. He mumbled an apology and leaned up against the wall next to Professor Feeney and Uncle Henry. Leo watched his son, but Chris didn't make eye contact with his father. Chris only had his eyes on Freyja.
Freyja waited for a second before beginning. "I know that most of you are afraid of being killed," she began as a few heads nodded. "But, when you joined this group, you already knew that you were putting yourself in danger. Lord Wyatt just made it official that you are to be killed, but we were already on the death lists since the beginning."
Chris agreed to Freyja statement. It didn't matter if Wyatt declared that they were going to be killed. They were already in danger of being killed by the demons. Their situation did not change.
Freyja lifted her chin slightly up as her eyes looked down at all the other fighters. Her lips pursed at the sight of a few of them that refused to look up at her in confidence. "We are all afraid, but we knew that we signed up for," she continued. "We promised to sacrifice our lives in order to preserve the balance between good and evil. Did we not?"
Everyone nodded their head and a few answered loudly with their voice. Freyja and Leo looked pleased to hearing the proud voices. "Good," said Freyja. "Then why is it difficult to go back out and fight?"
Nobody answer at first. It took a few moments of silence before a witch that Chris didn't know answer. Leo looked her way. "Yes Sarah?"
The witch named Sarah stood up, her fingers twisting around her wrists. "With the Elders gone, we—I fear that Lord Wyatt will now focus on destroying us. He's well aware of us. He knows already a few people in our group. What will make him not attack the ones we care about that are living on the outside?"
There were a few head nods and Freyja answered Sarah's question quickly. "Lord Wyatt does not have a list of names on a piece of paper. The only people that he definitely knows that are in the Resistance are his family members, am I correct Leo?"
Leo nodded and turned to address Sarah. "Freyja is right," he said. "Wyatt only knows that Henry, Coop, and I. He doesn't know about anyone else. So, the only people he could hurt are his own family members."
"Yes, but even if he doesn't know us," shouted another random witch. "He could bait us."
"A bait that we will be prepared for," argued Freyja. "No doubt that he will come up with a plan to end this Resistance. Did you really think that we could keep hidden all this time without him knowing?"
Freyja comment was harsh, but true. Wyatt would eventually learn about the Resistance one way or another and find a way to end it. Wyatt didn't like people going against him. Since he was little, Wyatt was a competitive person and Chris got a first-hand experience of it since he first played Candyland with Wyatt as a child.
Chris allowed himself to doze off, dreaming about his younger years with his happy mother and loving brother. He was only dragged out of his happy thought when he heard his name.
"Yes, but he also knows we have Chris," countered the same witch. "He's going to do everything in his power to get his brother back."
"He's going to do everything in his power to end us," said Leo. "Chris' membership doesn't affect Wyatt's decision to end our group."
Chris looked around to see people staring at him. Chris shifted his shoulder and looked away, preferring to pay his attention to Freyja.
Freyja put her hands on her hips. "Leo's right," she said. "Chris has no affect on Wyatt's hope to destroy us. However," Freyja turned to look directly at Chris, "when you were living with Wyatt, did he ever tell you anything about his reign?"
Chris raised his eyebrows. "Did he tell me about his reign?"
Freyja nodded and Chris thought. "Uh, I went to a few meetings, but not enough to get a good picture of it all. I know a few basics."
"Like what?"
"Like," Chris had to think again, blowing a puff of air from his lips. "Like, uh, his demon patrols. I know a few of their routes, their post locations. Stuff like that."
This information interested Freyja. She raised her eyebrows and a sly smile appeared on her face. "And you didn't think of telling this to us earlier?"
Freyja turned around and walked towards an old, rickety table. Chris looked away in shame, trying to avoid eye contact with everyone else. Freyja returned to the group with a map, posting it on the wall near her side. It was a map of San Francisco.
"Could you mark the patrols post and routes for us?"
Chris nodded and maneuvered his way around people to mark that map. He took a weird looking writing utensil and started drawing lines down the streets of San Francisco. He circled areas as the demons' posts and a few more lines. After redecorating the map, he handed the marker back to Freyja.
"These are where the demons patrol," he said, pointing at the lines. "They go around their routes and switch up at the posts. Many of them bring back "wrong-doers" here to deport them to a prison, which could have been Level 6, but I'm not quite sure."
Freyja nodded as she listened to Chris explained his drawings. "So, these are hot spots?"
"Basically, yeah," said Chris. "Wyatt has them patrol these areas. I've rescued a few innocents from these posts when I was living alone. They're not very hard to break-in, but if Wyatt thinks I'm working with you," Chris paused as he thought about his brother. Chris' heart tightened at the thought of betraying his brother like this, but he needed to save innocents from being killed and he needed to save his brother from himself. Chris sighed heavily, "He'll add more demons to the posts to guard it. It might be difficult."
Freyja didn't smile, but her face etched determinism. "Not difficult enough for us," she said. "All right, I want you to go and check on these posts. Tell us any information on them."
Chris was taken back. "Me?"
"Yes," said Freyja, annoyed, "Whom else was I talking about?"
"Freyja I don't think it's a good idea," said Leo stepping behind her.
Freyja turned sharply around. "Chris is the best person to do the job," she argued. "He has the knowledge and could possible get inside. He's perfect for the job."
Leo frowned. "No he's not," he said. "Chris…"
"I'll do it."
Leo gazed past Freyja and stared at his son, who confidently stood behind Freyja. "I'll do it," Chris repeated, not looking at Freyja, but at Leo.
Freyja smiled in victory, but Leo still had a frown on his face. "Freyja can I talk to you in private?"
Freyja moved away from the group and Leo followed. Chris and the others watched them leave and many of them turned to look at Chris. Freyja and Leo walked outside and Freyja turned around to hear Leo's argument. "What's wrong this time?"
"We can't use Chris."
"Why not?"
"It's too dangerous," said Leo. "Wyatt has a special bond with Chris. He'll know when Chris is out in the open. He'll put us all at risk."
"Says the person who willingly goes and visits his son," retorted Freyja. "Leo, this isn't negotiable. Chris is the only person who knows about these routes and posts. It would be suicide to send someone else."
"But—"
"No, Chris is the best person to do this," said Freyja, cutting Leo off. Upon seeing Leo's frustrated appearance, mingling with his worried lines across his forehead, Freyja sighed. "If it will make you feel better, we'll send another person to go with him."
Leo's chest rose and he breathed heavily, but he didn't speak. He had voiced his opinion and fears, but Freyja had chose to ignore them. She reminded Leo of Piper, especially her stubbornness and authoritative leadership skills.
Freyja gave one last look to Leo before marching back into the cave to continue the meeting. When she arrived, everyone sat up and noticed that Leo wasn't with her. Freyja returned to her exact spot and glanced about the group.
"Feeney," she said and Professor Feeney perked up. "You'll be going with Chris."
Professor Feeney glanced at Chris and nodded. "Of course."
"Meeting is over," announced Freyja and she looked at Professor Feeney and Chris. "Get ready."
BREAK
Chris and Professor Feeney met back at the Temple Cave. Leo had joined them along with Freyja. The Valkyrie was giving instructions on their mission as Leo listened.
"Your mission is just scout the place," she said. "Tell us how many demons, the exact routes and times, and the holdings. Do not do anything stupid." Freyja gazed at Chris. "There's no need to catch Wyatt's attention."
"And if we do happen to run across him?" asked Professor Feeney to Freyja and Leo.
Chris answered the question. "I'll distract him while you get out."
Freyja nodded, but Leo grumbled about something. Chris shot a look to his father. "Have something to say or does your throat hurt?"
Leo eyed his youngest son. "It's best to avoid that situation overall," he said. "The main goal is for the both of you to get out. If you get left behind…"
"I know," said Chris. "I know the risks, but it should be me that gets left behind. Wyatt won't kill me like he would to Professor Feeney."
"Are you sure about that?"
"He's my brother!" shouted Chris and Professor Feeney pulled Chris back away from Leo.
"Let's calm down," muttered Professor Feeney and he looked up at Leo. "Don't worry Leo, we'll be careful. Chris will come back. I'll make sure of that."
Leo silently thanked Professor Feeney with a slight bow of his head. Freyja reached for her pendant. "Are you ready?"
Chris and Professor Feeney nodded. Freyja touched her pendant and the whirlpool portal appeared. Before Chris could take a step towards the portal, Leo grabbed his arm.
"Chris, make sure you immediately cloak yourself," he said. "Wyatt will be able to sense you and come right to you if you don't do it. Also…"
"Leo," said Chris interrupting the Elder. "I've lived alone before. I can take care of myself."
Leo's lips curled in and nodded as Chris pulled his arm out of Leo's grasp. Chris continued on his path and walked through the portal and Professor Feeney followed him through.
Freyja closed the portal and when it disappeared, she turned to look at the Elder. Leo stared at the empty space, worried creasing on his face and in his eyes. He seemed to have gotten older in the last few minutes, an impossible feat.
"He'll be all right," commented Freyja.
Leo looked her way. "I hope so."
BREAK
Professor Feeney and Chris exited the portal and entered in a deserted alleyway. They quickly took cover and looked around at their surroundings. They were alone. They stood up and started walking down the alley and towards the city.
"Leo is just being a father, Chris."
Chris quickly looked at Professor Feeney. "What?"
"All I am saying is that you shouldn't be too harsh with Leo," said Professor Feeney. "He's just worried about you. He doesn't want to lose you."
"I doubt that," huffed Chris.
Professor Feeney cocked an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because he didn't mind losing me before," said Chris. "Besides, Leo just thinks that if Wyatt shows up, he'll overpower me—us. It's not about my safety, it's about everyone else's, which I don't blame him for."
Professor Feeney rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to respond, but Chris quickly pushed him behind the dumpster. Chris joined Feeney behind as he slowly raised his head above it to peak at the view before them. Professor Feeney followed Chris' lead and peaked over the dumpster as well to look at what scared Chris enough to hide behind a dumpster.
In front of them was a small three-story brick building. Guarding the front doors of the building were two darkly dressed humans, but both Professor Feeney and Chris knew otherwise. They were demons.
They lowered themselves down and Professor Feeney turned to Chris. "Is that a post?"
Chris nodded. "Yeah," he said. "It's one of them. Uh, Professor…"
"Just call me Feeney," said Professor Feeney. "As you can see I'm not a professor anymore."
Chris glanced at Feeney and cracked a smile. "Yeah, I can see that," he said. "Trade the robes in for a leather jacket?"
Feeney's eyes lowered at his black leather jacket. He gave a small smile. "Couldn't wander the streets wearing Magic School robes could I?" he said. "Besides, I liked the leather. It reminds me of my younger years."
Chris looked over his shoulder and at the building. Feeney looked up as well. "So, how do you want to go about this?"
Chris tried to think of something. "Well…maybe…I think I got a plan," he said and he glanced up at Feeney. "Following my lead."
Feeney tried to ask Chris what the plan was, but Chris didn't answered. He just aggressively grabbed Feeney's arm and lifted him up on his feet.
"Chris!" shouted Feeney, but Chris kept walking and dragging Feeney towards the post and the demons.
The two demons saw Chris and Feeney approached them. They stood taller and their faces twisted menacingly at them. Feeney hairs prickled and his mouth trembled, but Chris looked straight ahead, his face calmed and collective.
"C-Chris…" muttered Feeney in the corner of his lips.
Chris continued not to listen to Feeney and when they stopped just short of the demons, Chris gripped Feeney tighter. The demons scowled at the two visitors.
"You dare approach us?" growled one of them and Feeney was thinking of the same thing.
Chris however, returned the same tone to demon. "What? You don't recognize me?"
The two demons glanced at each other and examined the scrawny kid in front of them. This infuriated Chris as his anger shot through and he flicked his hand out. The demon closest to him flew a few feet away. The other demon flamed up his hand, but Chris held the demon telekinetically by the throat and the fireball disappeared in smoke.
"I'm Christopher Halliwell," he said and the demon's black eyes grew. Chris smirked and threw the demon into the building's wall.
The two demons scampered to their knees and bowed. "We're sorry Lord Christopher," they answered in unison. "We did not recognize you."
Feeney cocked and eyebrow at the demons insistence to bow before Chris. However, the young Halliwell didn't seem to mind. In fact, he looked disgusted at them. "Get up," he said. "You're too late to kiss my ass now." Chris shoved Feeney forward. "I have a member of the Resistance with me and I would like to interrogate him alone."
The two demons glanced at each other. "My Lord," spoke the first demon. "Lord Wyatt insisted that any Resistance members be killed on sight."
"And I'm changing that order," said Chris. "If we want to get rid of this pathetic group, we have to learn of their location and destroy them all at once." Chris glared at them and shook his head in disturbance. "What the hell do you know anyways? Aren't you supposed to be on route?"
The two demons shook their heads. "No, a group left fifteen minutes ago, my lord."
"And you thought of just chilling outside?"
"No, my lord," said the second demon. "We were assigned to guard the door. We switch with the patrols every hour."
Chris tilted his head up. "Oh, yeah," he said thoughtfully. "That's right. Humph. Thanks."
Chris whipped out Feeney's athame and struck the first demon and then telekinetically shoved it into the next one. They both burst into ash and Chris quickly forced Feeney inside the post.
Once inside, Chris let go of Feeney's wrist and handed him back the athame. "Okay, we only have about forty-five minutes or so. We'll need to hurry up. Demons aren't really good with time." Chris paused to look at Feeney. "You okay?"
Feeney looked up wide-eyed. His mouth hung open, but he remained speechless. Chris tilted his head in concern. "Professor?"
Feeney shook out of his shock. "I-I thought," he stumbled and Chris looked sad.
"I was only playing, Feeney," said Chris.
"Why didn't you tell me of this plan before?" questioned Feeney.
"Then it wouldn't look real," answered Chris. "I needed you to act like you were afraid of me."
Feeney frowned. "Well, next time tell me of the plan and, besides, how did you know that would work?"
"Wyatt doesn't bother himself with low-level demons," said Chris. "I figured that they didn't know the gist of everything and I could easily fool them."
"What if it didn't work?"
Chris half-heartedly shrugged. "Well, it doesn't matter because it worked," he said. "Plus, we know their schedules and their positions. Two on guards and two on patrol with every hour switch."
"Yes, but Freyja ordered us to scout out the place," said Feeney. "Not enter it."
"If we want any information we had to break-in," argued Chris. "I only know locations, but I don't know anything else."
Feeney sighed and rubbed his wrists. "Okay, it doesn't matter," he said. "Let's just quickly scope out the place and report back to Freyja and Leo."
Chris agreed and as they headed down the cob webbed and creaking hallway, Feeney smirked and uttered. "Lord Christopher…"
Chris smiled as well. "Didn't even know they called me by that."
They traveled down the hallway, peeping into doors. They traveled the first floor and then moved up to the second floor. All the rooms and hallways were all abandoned so far and both Chris and Feeney began to believe that this posts was nothing more than a change of patrols. Yet, the two demons said they were guarding.
"Something important has to be in here," insisted Chris. "What would be the point of those demons? Why would Wyatt have them guard this place?"
"Well, you mention prisoner transport, correct?"
"Yeah, but for those that were causing trouble," said Chris. "And rarely do demons bring back prisoners alive."
"Good point," said Feeney as he pushed opened a door. He checked it out. "Clear. So, you're saying that this might be a set-up?"
Chris shrugged. "Possibly," he said. "But, they would have come by now, don't you think?"
"The army?" said Feeney. "Probably and so would Wyatt."
Chris stopped and thought about his brother. He wondered what would happen if he and Wyatt ran into each other. Would Wyatt kill him? He had ordered Resistance members to be killed on sight and he was a member now.
Feeney noticed Chris hesitance and turned around. "Chris?"
Chris looked up. "I'm sorry," he said as he walked to catch up to Feeney and they checked the next door.
The door opened and inside was an office like room. There were two empty desks and the walls were covered with maps, information on different people, and lines were drawn on the roads of the city. A single window was placed in the middle, giving the two a good look at the city and the darkening sky.
As the two entered, the wood underneath their feet creaked loudly and sounds of rats scurrying echoed around the four walls. Chris waited, listening before he took another step forward into the room. After a long moment of silence, Chris and Feeney entered.
Feeney approached the maps. "This must be their exact routes," he said, picking it off the wall.
Chris stood in front of a police file on a young man. "These people are being hunted," said Chris and Feeney came to his side. "They wouldn't have these up without a reason."
"Maybe they are targets for them in their vicinity," suggested Feeney. "People that they need to keep an eye on?"
Chris lingered at the photo before turning to Feeney. "Either way," he said, "They're all in danger."
As Chris pulled them down from the wall, he stopped at one of them. "Oh my god," he said. "I know this person."
Feeney looked over Chris' shoulder and at the photograph. "Who is he?"
"It's my friend," said Chris as he stared at the mousy blonde hair and light brown eyes. "His name is Jude. Why would they have him marked as dangerous?"
"Is he a witch or a practioner?" asked Feeney, but Chris shook his head.
"No," answered Chris. "He's a mortal. A good friend that is until magic became known to the mortal world."
Chris hunched his back over and released a wisp of air from his mouth. He covered his friend's photo with another "dangerous" person. Feeney watched Chris sympathetically.
"I'm guessing your friends became ex-friends," spoke Feeney.
Chris shrugged. "They didn't trust me," he said and then he paused for a moment. "Then again, I wouldn't either if I were them."
Chris and Feeney continued to scour the room until they heard a loud commotion outside. They ran to the hallway and heard two different voices. Sounds that could only be found in the Underworld.
"Shit," muttered Chris as he and Feeney rushed back into the room, holding all the documents and maps in their hands.
Chris held Feeney's hand and concentrated to orb away, but they didn't burst into a flurry of orbs. "Shit…this is an anti-orbing place. What're we going to do?"
Feeney looked alarmed as well. "We'll have to make a run for it. Go out the back way."
Chris violently shook his head. "If there's a back way," he said. "Wouldn't there be demons there? We can't just run from these only to run into more."
"What do you suggest?"
Chris looked around the room. There wasn't another door and there wasn't a place to hide besides underneath the desk, which would be suicide. Chris moved his eyes up and saw the window, the glass glimmered as the sun emerged from the heavy clouds in the sky.
Chris nudged his head at the window. "We're going to have to go through the window."
Feeney's shoulders drooped. "You've got to be joking…"
As the sound of demons came closer, Chris and Feeney darted forward and jumped. They crashed through the window, shattering it into jagged pieces. Chris felt his skin get pierced and ripped by the glass, but he managed to land on his two feet and hands as his wrist felt strained.
Chris looked wildly around to his side and spotted Feeney fumbling. Chris, with his free arm, touched Feeney's shoulder and they orbed away to a safer place with the documents and maps.
BREAK
When they returned back to Valhalla, Leo was right beside Feeney, healing the scratches the shards of glass made in his skin. Once healed, he turned to Chris, healing the tiny marks on his face and his swollen wrist.
Freyja approached them as well after she closed the whirlpool portal. "What happened?"
Feeney stood up. "We had to make a quick escape," he said. "Demons were onto us."
Leo looked up as he continued to heal Chris. "And you escaping had to do with jumping out of a window?"
"We were inside the post."
Freyja dropped her arms. "I thought I ordered you to scout, not investigate the inside."
Feeney gave an apologetic look to her. "Well, we found a way to go inside and thought we might as well take it."
Leo's glowing hands died and he stood up, watching Chris carefully as his son, stood up as well. Freyja glared at both of them.
"How did you manage to get inside?"
Feeney looked quickly to Chris and Chris eyed Feeney. Chris then gave a half-heartedly shrug. "I managed to convince the demons to let us through," he said. "I pretended to be their boss somewhat. But—"
"You what?" asked Freyja, her eyes popping out and her cheeks turning pink.
Leo, however, let out a heavy sigh, disappointed, not anger, was expressed in his hazel eyes. "Chris, that was very stupid," he said. "Didn't we tell you not to do something to draw out Wyatt?"
"Yes, but it worked," said Chris. "We vanquished the demons. They were just lower-level anyway."
"That doesn't matter," said Leo as he folded his arms across his chest. "Chris, you went against orders, you put Feeney at risk of being killed, you getting captured, and putting all of us here in danger. Your stunt nearly costs a lot of lives."
"But it didn't," argued Chris, his fingers curled into fists, crinkling the papers in his hand. "We got in and out just fine!"
"Yes, the scratches and a sprain wrist means fine," snapped Leo and he exhaled heated breath as his face calmed. "The point Freyja and I are trying to make is that you went against orders. Because of that, you risked people's lives. How are we going to be able to trust you to go out and do another mission?"
"Like you did with this mission?" retorted Chris and Leo's eyes fell into slits.
"Talking back isn't a smart move Chris."
"When are they ever?"
Leo took a dangerous step closer. "Chris…"
"You know what?" said Chris very loudly. "I messed up! I risked people's lives. Let's just keep pointing out my failures. I mean, let's just forget that Feeney and I brought back vital information about the other side. It's all about how I fucked up!"
"Don't raise your voice at me, Christopher Perry Halliwell," shouted Leo, jabbing a finger at Chris. "I'm your father. I have the right…"
Chris gave a loud, obnoxious, dark laugh. Freyja and Feeney stepped away from the father-son heated argument and watched with caution. Both were ready to jump in to prevent the two from hurting one another, but they decided to stay out of the fight, as it became a family matter.
"My father?" said Chris as he regained composure. "You're playing the father card?"
Leo burrowed his eyebrows and raised his chest up. He looked down at his son and Chris returned the glare.
"You're a little too late to play that," said Chris and he dropped the papers to the floor at Leo's feet and marched out of the Temple Cave.
