"That's what was dragged down the corridor," said Phoebe. "Those things dragged the container to the elevator shaft."
"It's probably on one of the upper levels," said Paige. "Only which one?"
"How did they do it?" questioned Piper. "This would indicate they're working together. But they haven't shown any signs of working together. So far, they've been working independently."
"Or we've been made to think that," said Phoebe. "We've been set up. That super demon was probably controlling them all this time. Making us think they weren't working together to get us to waste our time coming here. Giving it more time to finish incubating."
"So, how do we find it now?" asked Paige.
"We follow the drag marks," said Piper. "Whichever level they took it to should have the same drag marks we found here. We just follow the trail."
"We'd better be real careful going back to the elevator," said Phoebe. "I'm thinking if we were led down here, there's probably a trap waiting for us on the way back. If that thing is controlling the converted demons, it will probably want to take us out as soon as possible."
"Then we don't follow its plan," said Piper. "Paige, you can orb us back into the elevator. That should bypass whatever trap may be waiting for us."
Piper and Phoebe took Paige's arm and she orbed them out of the lab. They orbed into the elevator.
"Piper, give me your bag," said Paige. "Marcus, can you hear me?"
"Yes," responded Marcus over the speaker. "How did you get back into the elevator?"
"I orbed," said Paige. "Listen, I want you to open the elevator doors, but only part way. And be ready to close them again right away."
"Why?" asked Marcus.
"No time to explain," said Paige. "Just do it."
Several seconds passed, and then the elevator doors opened about halfway. In the passage beyond, the sisters saw several demons waiting. They faced away from the elevator. They seemed to be waiting and apparently hadn't heard the elevator doors open.
"Bag," said Paige.
The demons turned at the sound of her voice just as the bag orbed out of her hand. It appeared in the air directly over the demons and they all looked up at it instinctively.
"Close the doors," shouted Paige.
The elevator doors had no sooner closed when an explosion rocked the lowest level of the complex. The elevator shook for a second, and then was still.
"Scratch half a dozen demons," said Paige, smiling.
Piper quickly explained to Marcus and the other what was going on. She told him to raise the elevator to the fifth level. When the doors opened, the sisters tensed for an attack.
No attack came. There were no demons in sight. Nor were there any drag marks in the corridor beyond the elevator. Apparently, the demons had dragged the container to the fourth level.
The elevator doors closed and the elevator ascended to the fourth level. As the elevator doors opened a demon outside the elevator turned to attack. Phoebe was ready with the crossbow and the demon died as its contemporaries had.
"There are drag marks here," announced Piper, after examining the floor. "Apparently this is the level where the demons have taken the container."
"Why would they do that?" asked Marcus.
"I don't know," said Piper. "But it shouldn't be hard to locate it. We just follow the drag marks to wherever they lead.
"Be careful," said Marcus. "And I know I speak for Leo and Amy as well."
Cautiously, the three sisters stepped out of the elevator. That single demon appeared to be the only sentry. None others were in sight.
The fourth level appeared to be a storage level of some kind. Dozens of crates filled the room about halfway to the ceiling. Walkways were formed between the crates allowing access to other parts of the room.
But the stacks of crates also blocked much of the light from the overhead fixtures. There were more than enough shadows for any demon to hide in. Dozens of the walkways crisscrossed the room providing dozens of accesses for the demons.
The sisters had followed the drag marks to the rear of the room. Suddenly, half a dozen demons appeared directly ahead of the girls. One died from Piper's explosive power, one from a potion, and one from a crossbow bolt. As the demons were vanquished, three more moved in to replace them.
"Lead them back here," said Phoebe, ducking around an intersection behind the sisters.
Piper and Paige, who then turned and followed Phoebe, vanquished two more demons. As they turned and followed Phoebe around the intersection corner, they ran into a blank wall. The "corridor" was a dead end, only about twenty feet long. Phoebe was nowhere to be seen.
Piper and Paige turned to face the demons. As the demons rounded the corner of the crates, a black bolt struck it from above, vaporizing the demon. Piper, Paige, and even the demons, looked up to see where the bolt had come from.
Levitating near the top of the crates, Phoebe aimed the crossbow at a second demon. She fired and the demon was vanquished. Phoebe fired again and the final demon vaporized.
"Pretty sneaky," said Piper.
'I figured we needed an edge," said Phoebe. "So I just figured . . ."
She never finished her statement. A demon suddenly launched itself from the top of one of the crates near Phoebe, striking her full force. Her concentration broken, she fell to the floor, the demon on top of her. As they fell, the demon sank its teeth into her shoulder.
When they hit the floor, Paige reacted. She kicked the demon in the face, sending it sprawling across the floor. As it rose to attack again, Piper flashed out with her power and the demon exploded.
Piper and Paige moved to Phoebe. Blood seeped from the wound in her shoulder. She was beginning to convulse. The two sisters knew the worst had happened. Phoebe had been infected with the same thing that had changed the humans of this complex into the minor demons. And she was in the initial stages of changing herself.