"Delvin, where's Har?" asked Layla as the red-haired man limped into the room.
"Some Witches came to the Witch's rescue and one of them killed her," he spat out harshly.
"Well do you still have the athame?" asked Itzal.
"No, I dropped it when one of the Witches wounded me," he said showing a large wound in his side. Layla and Itzal pursed their lips and said at the same time "Charmed Ones."
Devlin glared at Layla and then blinked himself to the medic. After Devlin left the other Warlocks appeared in front of Layla and Itzal holding the athames gently. They handed Itzal the athame and resumed their place.
"Ah, thank you. You have made my life so much easier. I trust nothing happened?" asked Itzal as he placed the athames in their sheaths.
"No, Sir," the Warlocks replied in unison.
"You may go," said Layla waving her hand to dismiss them.
The Warlocks left the room instantaneously.
Layla smiled at Itzal and said "Now we can talk about how to deal with my problem, hmm?"
"Ah, yes. You're daughter seems to be hard to kill from what I've heard. She must take after her mother in that aspect."
Layla let out a little laugh and said "You are quite the charmer, Itzal. Yes, are indeed correct about her being hard to kill. I sent out one of my sons to kill her but he died before he could complete his mission. Now, I fear that she being sheltered by the Charmed Ones as they came to that young Witch's rescue."
Itzal rubbed his chin and said "I will come up with a plan to rid you of this most unwanted problem, Layla. All I ask is that you still continue to send Bounty Hunters after her because if you don't she'll surely know something is going on."
He vanished before Layla could lodge a complaint.
Mercedes handed Piper Chris and took the athame out of Paige's' hand. She looked closely at the knife handle design and frowned as if she recognized the design.
"Damn, I thought these things were no longer made. This cannot be a good sign at all."
"What's wrong?" asked Paige.
"These athames are very dangerous to Witches. They drain them of their powers and soul. It only leaves a shell of the person which allows the Warlock to control them."
She shook her head and handed the athame back to Paige. Suddenly a small group of people appeared in the hall.
"Well, Traitor it appears you've actually made some friends. It's a pity though you won't be around long enough………" the blonde haired man paused as he felt something pierce his skin. He screamed and vanished in a poof of smoke. The rest of the group vanished right after their leader did. It was then the sisters saw sticking out of a sofa was an arrow. They turned around and saw Mercedes holding a crossbow in her hands. She gave a faint smile and looked down at the floor.
Leo came rushing out and said "What the hell happened?"
"Someone has a little more explaining to do," replied Phoebe harshly as she looked at Mercedes.
"Arrow," said Paige and the arrow appeared in her hands. She saw that it was a Darklighter arrow, and then she dropped it on the floor where it landed pointing toward Mercedes.
The crossbow disappeared and she looked at the sister and Leo.
"I should go. I've caused too much trouble here, and they know where I am. They could harm the children, and I couldn't live that. Please accept my apology for bringing this problem to your door. I know I shouldn't have troubled you with this small problem," she rambled as she picked up her purse and coat.
"Mercedes please don't go. I'll help you even if my sisters won't. You're an old friend and……"
"Paige, you and your sisters have been nice, but I feel that I'm not wanted here. And I think its best I leave," interrupted Mercedes. She held up her hand to stop Paige from speaking and orbed out of the foyer.
Paige glared at her sisters and stormed up the stairs to the attic with the athame in hand. She flipped through the Book of Shadows hurriedly, and tried to control the tears that were coming to her eyes.
She heard two pairs of footsteps coming into the room but she didn't look up.
"Listen Paige, we should talk," said Phoebe.
"We have work to do remember," replied Paige curtly as she continued her search through the Book of Shadows.
"Paige, would you just listen to us?" asked Piper as she laid her hands on the pages. Paige looked Piper in the eyes and said "Why should I listen? Mercedes is my friend and she's good! She helped us save a Witch and then you then you give her the impression she's not wanted!? She's not like Cole! He was raised evil, and she wasn't," yelled Paige.
Piper and Phoebe glanced at each other and then back to Paige.
Layla lit the last candle and held her hands palm ward up above her head.
"Oh, Spirits hear this cry. Thaddus, I call to thee. Thaddus, come to me. Make his spirit fly." She chanted softly.
A bone chilling wind passed by her making the flames flicker. The wind twirled and formed the figure of Thaddus. He sighed when he saw his Mother standing there.
"How may I help you Mother?" he asked impatiently as he crossed his arms.
"Is that how you treat your one and only Mother, Thaddy?" she replied.
"No, Mother but you'd only call me back if you wanted something. Why can't you let my spirit pass on?"
"You're very important to this family, Sweetie. That's why I can't let you pass on, and besides don't you like living for a long time?"
"My soul is finding this very repetitive, Mother. But since you consider me important I think I'll agree to help you."
"That's my boy. Just let your wonderful Mother find you that perfect body for you."
Thaddus rolled eyes his but said "That would be lovely, Mother."
"I shall return soon, Thaddus," his mother replied before blinking to find an appropriate body.
Thaddus looked around the room trying to figure what his mother was up to now.
"She must really need my help because she called me back, but she's done it before, too. So that could be out of the question. Maybe she just needs me around to keep her safe from those so called students of hers. They can't wait for the opportunity to kill her, I bet," he thought.
He caught movement in the corner of his eye causing him to remain motionless. The figure moved closer until he realized that it was the spirit of Har walking toward him.
"Har, what happened?" he asked.
"Your stupid mother got me killed, that's what! She's becoming obsessed with killing Mercedes. I just came to tell her that I want a body so I can get some revenge or I'll haunt her instead," she replied crossly.
"As you can see she isn't here."
"Going to get you a body, I see."
"Har, what brings you back?" asked a voice from the shadows.
"You know damn well what brings me back, Layla. I want to get revenge on those bitches. Of course if you don't feel like helping me, I can make sure you're life becomes very uncomfortable," Har threatened while waving an ethereal fist.
"This has got be some sort of mix up," muttered a technician as she looked at the fingerprints taken from the suicide victim.
"Hey Harold, could you take look at this?" asked the female technician as she turned to her colleague.
"What seems to be the problem, Marie?" asked Harold.
"These prints match a criminal who died of a heart attack five years ago," she replied.
Harold looked at her skeptically but took a look anyway.
"Holy shoot, you're right but how's that possible? It's like something out of Detective Morris cases. Do you think he'd like to hear about this?"