FOURTEEN
Ahken Tan was in a house on the very edge of town. It was large, similar to the Halliwell manor. It was in a semi-secluded location where the demon could deliver her child and transmigrate undisturbed.
"If this birth is so important," said Piper, "why doesn't she have her baby in a hospital? If something goes wrong, she could be in trouble way out here."
"She can't risk it," said Michael. "Aside from its magical properties, the necklace is still a very valuable piece of jewelry. There's too much risk it might disappear at a hospital. But she won't be alone. She'll have a demonic midwife to help her. And probably at least a couple of guards as well. Besides those two."
On the front porch of the house stood two men. From all outward appearances, they looked human. But their looks were deceiving. Everyone knew they were demons set to stop any intruders.
"I know one of them," said Cole. "His name is Baltak. He's a mid-level demon who serves whichever demon happens to be on top. I don't know the other one."
"How do we get past them?" asked Paige. "If we fight them, it might alert Ahken Tan we're here. She might take off and we'll have missed our chance to stop her."
"They won't attack right away," said Cole. "They won't want the police getting involved and possibly discovering what's going on. I'm pretty sure I can get us past them without a fight. Just walk up to the house like you belong there. I'll take care of the rest."
It was apparent no one fully trusted Cole. But no one else had a better idea. They couldn't just orb into the house without knowing where Ahken Tan was. This seemed to be their best option. The six people left their hiding place and walked straight for the front door. The demons on the porch moved into a defensive posture in front of the door.
"The Charmed Ones," hissed the one named Baltak, "and White Lighters. You have no business here. Leave while you are still able to."
"Oh, but we'd like to pay our respects to the expectant mother," said Kiethran.
"I don't know you," said Baltak. "You're no White Lighter."
"Druids don't make good White Lighters," said Kiethran. "They spend too much time vanquishing demons like you."
"I'll give you one last chance to leave while you are still alive," said Baltak.
Suddenly, Cole shimmered in in front of the two demons.
"We're going in," he said to Baltak. "I suggest you not try to stop us."
"Belthazor," gasped Baltak.
"The Source?" questioned the second demon nervously. "That's not possible. He was vanquished by the Charmed Ones."
"I'm better now," said Cole. "You'd better think about this very carefully, Baltak. The one you're serving probably isn't in much of a position to help you right now."
"She's promised us great power when she ascends to the throne of the Source," said Baltak. "I'll be even higher up than you were."
"And what makes you think she's going to live long enough to make the ascension?" asked Cole, his eyes flashing. "I've been to the Wasteland and returned. Do you really want to take me on?"
Baltak looked at Cole, and then at the second demon. Without another word he simply shimmered away. Cole looked over at the second demon, which also shimmered out.
"Basically they're nothing but bullies," said Cole to the others. "Stand up to them and they back down real quick."
"Having once been the Source isn't a bad trump card, either," said Michael.
Michael opened the front door and peered inside. There didn't seem to be anyone else there. But it was a big house. Ahken Tan could be just about anywhere.
"She's probably upstairs," said Michael, "in one of the bedrooms. Everyone keep your eyes and ears open. I'm sure there are more guards around."
The seven moved quietly into the house. The layout was very simple, similar to their home. It had probably been built about the same time as the manor. Perhaps even by the same contractor who had built the manor. Suddenly they heard a woman cry out in pain somewhere on the second floor
"I could be wrong," said Piper, "but that sounded like a woman in labor to me."
"We'd better hurry," said Michael. "There's not a minute to loose."
"Too bad you won't live long enough to get there," said a voice from the top of the stairs.
They all looked up to see a very large demon standing at the top of the stairs. Even in it's human form, they could all tell it was a demon. Suddenly, four more demons in human form shimmered in around the group. They were surrounded and trapped.
Ahken Tan was in a house on the very edge of town. It was large, similar to the Halliwell manor. It was in a semi-secluded location where the demon could deliver her child and transmigrate undisturbed.
"If this birth is so important," said Piper, "why doesn't she have her baby in a hospital? If something goes wrong, she could be in trouble way out here."
"She can't risk it," said Michael. "Aside from its magical properties, the necklace is still a very valuable piece of jewelry. There's too much risk it might disappear at a hospital. But she won't be alone. She'll have a demonic midwife to help her. And probably at least a couple of guards as well. Besides those two."
On the front porch of the house stood two men. From all outward appearances, they looked human. But their looks were deceiving. Everyone knew they were demons set to stop any intruders.
"I know one of them," said Cole. "His name is Baltak. He's a mid-level demon who serves whichever demon happens to be on top. I don't know the other one."
"How do we get past them?" asked Paige. "If we fight them, it might alert Ahken Tan we're here. She might take off and we'll have missed our chance to stop her."
"They won't attack right away," said Cole. "They won't want the police getting involved and possibly discovering what's going on. I'm pretty sure I can get us past them without a fight. Just walk up to the house like you belong there. I'll take care of the rest."
It was apparent no one fully trusted Cole. But no one else had a better idea. They couldn't just orb into the house without knowing where Ahken Tan was. This seemed to be their best option. The six people left their hiding place and walked straight for the front door. The demons on the porch moved into a defensive posture in front of the door.
"The Charmed Ones," hissed the one named Baltak, "and White Lighters. You have no business here. Leave while you are still able to."
"Oh, but we'd like to pay our respects to the expectant mother," said Kiethran.
"I don't know you," said Baltak. "You're no White Lighter."
"Druids don't make good White Lighters," said Kiethran. "They spend too much time vanquishing demons like you."
"I'll give you one last chance to leave while you are still alive," said Baltak.
Suddenly, Cole shimmered in in front of the two demons.
"We're going in," he said to Baltak. "I suggest you not try to stop us."
"Belthazor," gasped Baltak.
"The Source?" questioned the second demon nervously. "That's not possible. He was vanquished by the Charmed Ones."
"I'm better now," said Cole. "You'd better think about this very carefully, Baltak. The one you're serving probably isn't in much of a position to help you right now."
"She's promised us great power when she ascends to the throne of the Source," said Baltak. "I'll be even higher up than you were."
"And what makes you think she's going to live long enough to make the ascension?" asked Cole, his eyes flashing. "I've been to the Wasteland and returned. Do you really want to take me on?"
Baltak looked at Cole, and then at the second demon. Without another word he simply shimmered away. Cole looked over at the second demon, which also shimmered out.
"Basically they're nothing but bullies," said Cole to the others. "Stand up to them and they back down real quick."
"Having once been the Source isn't a bad trump card, either," said Michael.
Michael opened the front door and peered inside. There didn't seem to be anyone else there. But it was a big house. Ahken Tan could be just about anywhere.
"She's probably upstairs," said Michael, "in one of the bedrooms. Everyone keep your eyes and ears open. I'm sure there are more guards around."
The seven moved quietly into the house. The layout was very simple, similar to their home. It had probably been built about the same time as the manor. Perhaps even by the same contractor who had built the manor. Suddenly they heard a woman cry out in pain somewhere on the second floor
"I could be wrong," said Piper, "but that sounded like a woman in labor to me."
"We'd better hurry," said Michael. "There's not a minute to loose."
"Too bad you won't live long enough to get there," said a voice from the top of the stairs.
They all looked up to see a very large demon standing at the top of the stairs. Even in it's human form, they could all tell it was a demon. Suddenly, four more demons in human form shimmered in around the group. They were surrounded and trapped.