FOUR

"No," said Piper, tears streaming down her face. "It's not
fair. Prue did nothing but help people while she was alive. She died
protecting us. It's not fair that something like this should happen
to her. She deserves to rest in piece."

"I know," said Leo. "But evil will use any opportunity it can
find. Nothing is out of bounds for them, you know that by now."

"Leo," said Phoebe, "what can we do about it? Assuming this
mambo priestess or whatever she is has resurrected Prue as a zombie."

"I don't know," said Leo. "I'm used to dealing with witches and
demons, not voodoo priestesses. What little I do know about them
isn't going to be much help. I know that there are good voodoo
priestess and evil ones, just like witches and warlocks. And I know
that their magic is a different kind from yours. But other than that,
there's not much I know."

"Okay," said Paige. "We need to find out what we can about
these mambo's. I'll check the Book of Shadows. Maybe there's
something about them in there."

"I'll check with the elders," said Leo. "They should have some
information on them. Piper, are you going to be okay?"

"Yes, honey," said Piper, wiping the tears away. "I'll be okay.
You go. Find out what you can. While Paige is checking the Book of
Shadows, I'm going to see what the set of encyclopedias in the library
has on voodoo."

"I'll help Paige," said Phoebe. "If the Book of Shadows does
have anything on them, it might have a vanquishing spell for them. If
not, maybe I can get enough information to write one."

"Okay," said Leo. "I'll be back as soon as I know anything."

Leo orbed out. Paige and Phoebe went up to the attic to check
the Book of Shadows while Piper went into the library. Piper was
still distraught and it was taking nearly everything she had to
maintain her composure. But Prue needed her. And come hell or high
water she wasn't going to fail her big sister again.

* * *

"The elders couldn't tell me much," said Leo after he returned.
"Apparently, voodoo priestesses don't have powers like you guys do.
Their power comes from their spells and rituals, most of which are
complicated and very elaborate. The more they practice it, the
stronger they get. It builds up a sort of residual effect in them
which temporarily gives them powers."

"That's what the Book of Shadows said," said Paige. "And the
ability to create zombies is one of the greatest powers they have.
Only a very powerful mambo would be able to do it. Most zombies just
do as they are commanded. If Prue is a zombie, she's no ordinary one.
She's walking around in public with no indication of what she is.
Which means that this mambo must be one of the most powerful."

"And there's no vanquishing spell," interjected Phoebe.

"What?" questioned Leo. "What do you mean there's no
vanquishing spell?"

"Mambo's are mortal, human," said Phoebe. "Since they are
demons, they can't be vanquished. But they can be dealt with as any
other mortal. Assuming we can get around her magic."

"Okay, so we can't vanquish her," said Leo. "We have to come up
with a plan. We can't just leave Prue in the hands of a voodoo
priestess."

"We aren't," said Piper. She had a determined look in her eye.
A look that Phoebe had never seen in her sister before. "Paige, you
scry for the voodoo priestess. Phoebe, you're going to help me make a
power-stripping potion. We may not be able to vanquish the bitch, but
a power-stripping potion will work even on mortals. Let's get to
work. We're going to end this right now."

"Piper, sweetie, are you okay?" asked Phoebe. She had never
seen Piper like this before.

"I'm fine," said Piper deliberately. "Prue's gone and deserves
to rest in piece. She's no longer a Charmed One and no one has the
right to disturb her. Now, get moving."

Paige and Phoebe jumped into action. Paige went into the living
room and got out a map of the city and her scrying crystal. Phoebe
followed Paige into the kitchen to help with the power-stripping
potion. Leo stood in the hallway looking at Piper. A woman who
suddenly seemed more like a stranger than his wife.

* * *

"Got her," said Paige, coming into the kitchen. "She's on the
outskirts of town. Kind of a strange place for a mambo to be, don't
you think?"

"Not if she's making zombies," said Leo. "She'd want privacy
for that. I just wonder what she wants the zombies for?"

"Doesn't matter," said Piper, holding up a bottle. "The power
stripping potion is finished. First we find this black mambo. Then
we strip her powers from her which, hopefully, will stop Prue from
being a zombie. Then we put Prue back in the crypt."

"Piper, are you okay?" asked Leo, worriedly. "You don't seem
yourself."

"I'm perfectly fine," said Piper. "The initial shock of what we
found out has worn off. Now, we have to do something about it. Which
we won't be able to do if we stand around here gabbing. Leo, Paige,
you should orb us to where this voodoo she devil is. That way we'll
have the element of surprise on our side."

"Wait a minute," said Phoebe. "We have no way of knowing what's
out there. We should at least reconnoiter the area first. See what
we're up against?"

"Reconnoiter?" questioned Piper. "Since when did you go all
military on us?"

"I heard it in a movie last week," said Phoebe. "And don't
change the subject. We can't just go orbing in without at least
knowing what we're facing. We've done that before, remember? And
with less than favorable results, I might add."

"Phoebe is right," said Leo. "We need to know what we're up
against. I'll orb there and check it out. Then I'll come back and
let you know what's up. Then we'll know how to proceed."

"We don't have time," said Piper, anger flaring in her voice.
"Prue needs us now. We can't just stand around waiting for you to
have a casual stroll around the countryside."

"Okay, Piper, now you're scaring me," said Paige. "You're
usually the level headed one. Saying we should never rush into a
situation without first checking it out. Leo and Phoebe are right.
It won't take Leo long to find out what's out there."

Piper composed herself. She was seething with anger at the
voodoo priestess for what she'd done to Prue. All she wanted to do
was get out there and kick some mambo butt. To redeem Prue and lay
her, again, to rest.

But she also saw the sense in Leo and Phoebe's words. Phoebe
was right. They had rushed in head first into a lot of situations.
And, usually, it had proven disastrous. Without knowing what was out
there, they had no idea what kind of danger they'd be in.

"Okay," said Piper. "Leo, honey, you go check out this ranch or
farm or whatever it is. We'll wait here patiently until you return."

"Okay," said Leo, a worried look on his face. He turned to head
for the living room and gently nudged Phoebe ahead of him. "Keep an
eye on her," he said, after they had left the kitchen. "I don't like
the way she's acting. Evil or not, this priestess is still human. We
can't go out there and just kill her, no matter what she's done. And
I think that's what Piper has in mind."

"I'll watch her," promised Phoebe. "We'll wait until you get
back. And, Leo. Be careful. If this woman is as powerful as it
appears, you could be in danger."

"I'll be okay," said Leo.

He orbed out and Phoebe went back into the kitchen. Piper was
pacing the kitchen as Paige just watched her. The two sisters watched
Piper as they waited for Leo to return. At that moment, helping Prue
seemed to be of less importance than helping Piper. She didn't appear
to be handling the situation very well at all.