SIX
"Are you crazy?" Paige asked as they drove back to the hotel. "You're just going to cave in like that? What about all these people trapped here? You're just going to leave them at his mercy?"
"Piper, this isn't like you," Phoebe said. "You don't usually just turn tail and run at the first difficulty."
"And I'm not this time either," Piper said. "We need to get back to the hotel. I have a few more questions I want to ask Constance. With a little luck, our next meeting with that slime will be somewhat different from this one."
"Now, that's the Piper I know and love," Phoebe said smiling.
"Well, I wish someone would explain it to me," Paige said. "It looks like you just rolled over and played dead for Mr. Logan."
"With any luck," Piper said, "that's what he'll think, too. By the time he figures out that I'm playing him it should be too late."
Paige just smiled. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew Piper had a plan. And she couldn't wait to hear what it was.
"Constance," Piper said when they had gotten back to the hotel, "you said that Logan's grandfather had a spell put on the town. After the highway went through."
"Yes," Constance said. "Before that, this town was a bustling metropolis. Logan's factory produces ball bearings. They're used in all sorts of things. Before the highway, it was a major distributor of them.
"Then the highway was built. I was just a little girl then. Even though the ball bearings are still in high demand, it's more expensive to transport them now. Most companies don't want to spend the extra money it costs to make the trip here from the highway. Not when they can do it with other companies who are located on the highway."
"Why didn't his grandfather just relocate the factory?" Paige asked. "Just build one closer to the highway?"
"Because then he'd have the same problems most big businesses have," Phoebe said. "Increasing wages, maybe trouble finding workers, things like that. With an enchantment that prevents people from leaving this town, he has a literal slave labor force. No one can leave so they're forced to work in his factory."
"Exactly," Constance said. "And anyone who tries to leave runs into Logan's security force. They're men he's hired from outside the town to keep the locals in line. His security force controls even the local phone company and post office. There's not even a way for us to get a message to the outside."
"What was that about killing us once we've done what he wants?' Piper asked.
"That's what he'll do," Constance. "It happens every time. You'll finally agree to reinforce the enchantment and after you do he'll kill you. Without your powers, you won't be able to stop him."
"How do you know he kills them?" Phoebe asked.
"They're never seen again," Constance replied. "It's the only explanation that makes any sense. I'm so sorry you three got caught up in this. You seem like nice girls. It's not fair that you should be trapped in our problems."
"It's not fair to you, either," Piper said. "As for Logan killing us, that's not going to happen. We'll find a way out of this. And we'll find a way to make Mr. Logan pay for what he's done."
"How?" Constance asked. "The enchantment neutralizes all magical abilities except for the spell that reinforces it."
"That explains why I can't orb," Paige said. "It's not just our witch powers that are blocked. It's all of our magical abilities."
"Okay, first things first," Piper said. "Constance, is there any place Logan might use to keep someone hostage? Some place out of the way that he could use as a sort of prison?"
"Well," Constance said after a moment, "he does have a warehouse on the south end of town. It's where he ships his ball bearings out to his customers. Only his security force is allowed anywhere near it. No one from the town can go there. I suppose if he wanted to hold someone prisoner that's where it would be."
"Okay," Piper said. "Our first order of business is to check out that warehouse. We should go just after it gets dark. I don't think Mr. Logan is going to wait very long for an answer from us. We need to be ready by morning. Phoebe, you and I will check it out."
"What you're planning is very dangerous," Constance said. "If he catches you there, he's sure to have you killed."
"Not before he gets what he wants," Paige said. "I noticed a small library when we were going to Logan's place. I'll check it out and see if there's anything that can give us an edge over this security force."
"Great," Piper said. "When we get back from the warehouse, we'll formulate our plan for taking care of Mr. Logan. Once we've figured a way to break the enchantment."
"David McGregor is the local librarian," Constance. "I'll give him a call. I'm sure he'll let you stay in the library as long as you need."
"Okay," said Piper. "Now, let's get ready for our trip to the warehouse."
"Are you crazy?" Paige asked as they drove back to the hotel. "You're just going to cave in like that? What about all these people trapped here? You're just going to leave them at his mercy?"
"Piper, this isn't like you," Phoebe said. "You don't usually just turn tail and run at the first difficulty."
"And I'm not this time either," Piper said. "We need to get back to the hotel. I have a few more questions I want to ask Constance. With a little luck, our next meeting with that slime will be somewhat different from this one."
"Now, that's the Piper I know and love," Phoebe said smiling.
"Well, I wish someone would explain it to me," Paige said. "It looks like you just rolled over and played dead for Mr. Logan."
"With any luck," Piper said, "that's what he'll think, too. By the time he figures out that I'm playing him it should be too late."
Paige just smiled. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew Piper had a plan. And she couldn't wait to hear what it was.
"Constance," Piper said when they had gotten back to the hotel, "you said that Logan's grandfather had a spell put on the town. After the highway went through."
"Yes," Constance said. "Before that, this town was a bustling metropolis. Logan's factory produces ball bearings. They're used in all sorts of things. Before the highway, it was a major distributor of them.
"Then the highway was built. I was just a little girl then. Even though the ball bearings are still in high demand, it's more expensive to transport them now. Most companies don't want to spend the extra money it costs to make the trip here from the highway. Not when they can do it with other companies who are located on the highway."
"Why didn't his grandfather just relocate the factory?" Paige asked. "Just build one closer to the highway?"
"Because then he'd have the same problems most big businesses have," Phoebe said. "Increasing wages, maybe trouble finding workers, things like that. With an enchantment that prevents people from leaving this town, he has a literal slave labor force. No one can leave so they're forced to work in his factory."
"Exactly," Constance said. "And anyone who tries to leave runs into Logan's security force. They're men he's hired from outside the town to keep the locals in line. His security force controls even the local phone company and post office. There's not even a way for us to get a message to the outside."
"What was that about killing us once we've done what he wants?' Piper asked.
"That's what he'll do," Constance. "It happens every time. You'll finally agree to reinforce the enchantment and after you do he'll kill you. Without your powers, you won't be able to stop him."
"How do you know he kills them?" Phoebe asked.
"They're never seen again," Constance replied. "It's the only explanation that makes any sense. I'm so sorry you three got caught up in this. You seem like nice girls. It's not fair that you should be trapped in our problems."
"It's not fair to you, either," Piper said. "As for Logan killing us, that's not going to happen. We'll find a way out of this. And we'll find a way to make Mr. Logan pay for what he's done."
"How?" Constance asked. "The enchantment neutralizes all magical abilities except for the spell that reinforces it."
"That explains why I can't orb," Paige said. "It's not just our witch powers that are blocked. It's all of our magical abilities."
"Okay, first things first," Piper said. "Constance, is there any place Logan might use to keep someone hostage? Some place out of the way that he could use as a sort of prison?"
"Well," Constance said after a moment, "he does have a warehouse on the south end of town. It's where he ships his ball bearings out to his customers. Only his security force is allowed anywhere near it. No one from the town can go there. I suppose if he wanted to hold someone prisoner that's where it would be."
"Okay," Piper said. "Our first order of business is to check out that warehouse. We should go just after it gets dark. I don't think Mr. Logan is going to wait very long for an answer from us. We need to be ready by morning. Phoebe, you and I will check it out."
"What you're planning is very dangerous," Constance said. "If he catches you there, he's sure to have you killed."
"Not before he gets what he wants," Paige said. "I noticed a small library when we were going to Logan's place. I'll check it out and see if there's anything that can give us an edge over this security force."
"Great," Piper said. "When we get back from the warehouse, we'll formulate our plan for taking care of Mr. Logan. Once we've figured a way to break the enchantment."
"David McGregor is the local librarian," Constance. "I'll give him a call. I'm sure he'll let you stay in the library as long as you need."
"Okay," said Piper. "Now, let's get ready for our trip to the warehouse."
