Chapter Three

Piper stood behind the simmering stockpot and asked Phoebe, "Can you pass me the gingerroot?"

Phoebe, who sat at the counter and had been lost in thought, looked at her sister in surprise. "What? I'm sorry, I didn't hear you."

Piper gave a quick glance of alarm to Leo who hovered about but asked again, "The gingerroot?" Phoebe looked at the various measurements in front of her and shrugged helplessly. Piper gently told her, "It's in the glass bowl by your right hand." Phoebe quickly handed the bowl to Piper and Piper looked back at her in concern. "Are you okay? You've been so quiet. It's not like you."

"Sorry," Phoebe commented, "I'm not sure what is like me. Do I talk a lot?"

"It's not that you talk a lot," Piper considered, "but you're usually more spirited, I guess."

"Sorry," Phoebe apologized again. "It's all so strange. What I remember. I know who the President is but don't remember if I voted for him. I know that Samantha is from 'Bewitched' but don't know why it's important. I can even sing all the words to John Lennon's 'Imagine' but I don't know why that particular song stands out. I don't even remember my birthday, or know what my favorite color is, or even what my favorite movie is."

"'Kill it Before it Dies'," Piper and Leo answered together.

"But Cole is no Billy Appleby," Piper warned.

Phoebe looked at them blankly and then developed a frown. "Do you see? How can I help you vanquish this Electric Seeker if I can't even help myself."

"Don't force it," Leo suggested. "Your memories will come back. You have to give it some time."

"But what if we don't have time and I've forgotten something that will help us?" Phoebe countered. "What if you're hurt because of me?"

"Don't worry," Piper assured her. "Because of your premonition, we have a vanquishing potion. And Paige is on her way back here with Laura Anderson. When they get here, we'll figure out why a demon is after her and we'll deal with it."

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Cole confidently leaned back against the wall, stared at the slender man opposite him, and repeated his question, "What is his name?"

The man trembled in fright, not from Cole but from the sharp blade suspended and pointed at his throat. "Please, man, I don't know. I'm just a messenger."

"Then I guess you've delivered your final message," Cole stated as he raised his hand.

"Wait! Wait!" the slim stranger cried.

"You have the name?" Cole asked as he kept his hand raised.

"It could becould be Pierce," the man stuttered, "Damien Pierce. But you can't let him know I said anything. He'll kill me."

"I see you around here again," Cole threatened as he retrieved the athame, "I'll do worse."

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"I swear, Laura," Paige sighed as she stood in the formal living room, "I'm only here to help you."

"But you're talking craziness," the young blond woman commented in frustration as she sat on the floral couch. "Eric is a good man. He's a computer programmer, for God's sake. He couldn't be involved in anything that would be so dangerous that it puts our lives in danger."

"Do you believe in fate?" Paige suddenly asked.

"What?" Laura questioned in return. "What does that have to do with --"

"Do you believe that things happen for a reason?" Paige interrupted.

"I suppose," Laura considered, "that sometimes things happen and it's more than mere coincidence. Like how I met Eric. I mean, I went to that coffee shop every day for two years and never noticed him. Then one day he starts talking to me and admits he'd been watching me but never had the courage to say hello." Laura sighed happily, "And it's been perfect ever since. I mean have you ever met someone who seems to know you so well? Someone who makes you feel so safe andDo you really think

he's in trouble?"

Paige nodded and told Laura, "You wrote to Phoebe for help but there are hundreds of letters waiting for her and there's a reason she somehow got to your letter first. Trust me, all we want to do is help you."

"I want to help Eric. I love him and I know he loves me. He's just afraid of something right now. All right," she decided, "What do I have to do?"

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