True Power

Chapter Four: Help is on the Way

Paige

"Any luck, Pheebs?" I ask.

"No," she says angrily, frowning down at the map. "He's not in San Francisco anymore, that's for sure."

I sigh. "I can't believe Leo…" My eyes wander around the room. "Hey, where is he, anyway?"

"Looking for Wyatt," Piper says. Her eyes widen. "Hey, it's been, like, ten minutes. Where could he be?" She pauses. "Leo? Leo!"

He orbs back.

"Where's Wyatt?" she demands.

"Piper…" he says slowly. His eyes are streaked with tears. "You were right. Chris didn't do anything. Wyatt…Wyatt made the bridge collapse."

"What?" Piper nearly shrieks.

My heart sinks, but somehow I know that it's true. Wyatt did it. He had to have done it. Who else could harness all that power, split the bridge so cleanly? Who else would have such cruel intentions but the one person that most envied the lighters?

He'd been trying to murder them all. It's so clear to me now, hitting me like a lightning bolt. Wherever Chris was, he was probably dead, and it was probably Wyatt's fault.

Dead. Chris was probably dead. Were these really computable thoughts? Were they actually running through my head? How could Chris, my nephew, the closest thing to a son I'd ever even had, be dead?

And how could Wyatt, that cute little boy that we'd loved relentlessly for so many years, be the one that tried to kill him?

"I—I know that—" Leo stutters. "I know this is hard to believe, but—"

"Hard to believe!" Piper screams. "Hard to believe! Leo, Wyatt couldn't—Wyatt would never—" She buried her head in her hands. "It can't be true," she sobbed through her sleeves. "How could Wyatt make the entire bridge collapse?"

"I don't know," Leo admits, "but just now, at the bridge…he was smiling, Piper, and that's when I knew. He had to have done it. It all makes sense."

"No, no, no, it doesn't make sense. He's my little boy, Leo. I raised him. He can't be evil. Oh, what did I do wrong?"

"You didn't do anything wrong," I assure her. "Wyatt…maybe it's just a phase. We've never had that much power concentrated in one teenager before."

"Then what will happen to Chris?" Piper wonders aloud. "If one son turns evil, what will happen to the other one? Oh, my god, please tell me this isn't happening…"

"I have an idea."

I looked up, startled by the new voice. Sure enough, there's Mel, standing in her pajamas at the bottom of the stairs.

"What's the idea?" asks Phoebe, lifting her face from the scrying map.

"The other lighters may be able to communicate with Chris if he's still out there," she explains. "Should we summon Hal from Magic School?"

"That's a great idea, honey," I commend her. "I'll get right on it. She should be at home with her parents."

I orb out.

Hal

"Hal, dinner's ready," my mother calls.

"Okay," I call back, staring out the window of our San Francisco apartment. It's more a complex for single people focused on their careers, really, and not a complex where there should be kids like me. That's what my mom was, though: a single woman focused on her career. She had a husband, then me, then I was kidnapped and Mr. What's-his-name divorced her in the seven years or so that I was missing.

I wonder if what's-his-name will ever know I'm back. That I'm alive and well, sitting on the window seat of the apartment he used to live in when he was married. Would he care? Would he ever want to meet me?

Not that it matters at all, anyway.

"Hal?"

"Sorry, coming."

"Hal, there's someone here to see you."

"Someone here to….?"

It couldn't be Chris or any of the other lighters. My mom agreed that Magic School was okay, but she didn't like having to see the other lighter children. It made her twitch for some reason, like we were staying isolated as we had been Up There just by staying in contact with one another.

It isn't any of them, just as I thought—it's the headmistress, Chris' aunt, Paige Matthews.

"Um, hi," I manage. "Did I do something…?"

"Hal, why don't you introduce us?" asks my mom in a strained voice.

I blush, realizing I've left her out in the cold. Well, it's partly her fault. Shouldn't she know who the headmistress of my school is? "Oh, sorry. Mom, this is Paige Matthews. She's headmistress at Magic School. Ms. Matthews, this is my mom."

"Nice to meet you," says Paige, looking slightly flustered. "Hal," she says, tone changing to one of urgency, "I need your help. Have you seen Chris anywhere?"

I shake my head. "No, not since the bridge. What happened?"

"He's missing and Leo can't sense him anywhere. We were hoping you might be able to—"

"Connect with him? Let me try," I offer. I close my eyes and open up my mind. No, he's definitely not on this plane, not on earth. I open my mind wider, and then wider still.

I've found him.

Chris? Chris, where the hell are you?

Chris

I hear Hal's voice and at first I think I'm imagining it. Then I hear it again, prodding me back into reality. Hal is really there, communicating with me. This is my only connection with the outside world.

Hal, you have no idea how great it feels to hear your voice, I respond.

Where are you? Paige is, um, in my house, looking for you.

Wow. They noticed I was missing? I scoff. Leo ditched me right after the bridge collapsed, and lucky me, I got myself captured by some demon. Isn't that so typical? Ugh.

Aw, quit whining, we'll get you out, Hal assures me.

How? This demon seems pretty intent on turning me evil. I think he's Barbas, that demon from the Book of Shadows. He messes with peoples' fears and consciences and stuff. And he's got me chained to the floor.

Chained to the floor?

Are you LAUGHING? Hal, shut up! This is so not funny!

Sorry, sorry, sorry. She chokes back half of a laugh before continuing. The almighty Chris, chained to the floor. Okay, seriously, I've got you located. I'll try to help Paige and your family reach you.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

Oh, and Hal?

Yeah?

Hurry.

Why?

Because the demon's back and he's looking awfully pissed off.

Okay. She pauses. Chris? Chris, are you still there? Hey, Chris? Chris?

She doesn't get an answer. Barbas has conveniently cut off our connection by sending a great flaming ball at my head. I immediately lose consciousness.

Hal

"He's…gone," I say once I try a few times to reconnect with him.

"Gone?" asks Paige.

"I mean, I got a decent pinpoint on his location, but then he just stopped responding."

"That can't be good. What'd he say?"

"He was kidnapped by some demon named Barbas that wants to turn him evil. He's chained, too," I add. Only it's not so funny anymore with him not responding to my telepathic messages. "I think that if I can get to Leo and send Chris' location through my thoughts to him, he'll be able to orb down easier then you since he's an elder. Where is he?"

"At Phoebe's house. I'll orb you," says Paige gratefully.

I look to my mom for permission.

"Hurry back, honey," she says reluctantly. "And be careful."

"I will."

I take Paige's hand and orb out.

"Hello, Hal," Leo greets me when we arrive in their kitchen.

"…Hi," I say to him in a strained voice. Chris-ditcher! This is all your fault! I bite my tongue, though. I'm not that stupid. "Here. I can send you the location through my thoughts. Barbus has Chris in the Underworld."

"Is he all right?" Piper demands.

"I don't know. He was talking to me and then I just lost him," I respond honestly.

"Then we'd better hurry," says Phoebe.

I close my eyes and send the location to Leo's mind telepathically.

"You got it?" I ask after a moment.

"Got it," he confirms. "Thanks, Hal. Thanks a lot. This really helps. Paige, could you take her home? I'll go get Chris."

"Good luck," I bid Leo before the orbs carry me away to our apartment. And I mean it.

I might have to kill him if Chris didn't come back alright.

Chris

My head is throbbing. I can literally smell my own burning flesh. Ugh, that's so gross, but true at the same time. It's happened before, though. But now I can't respond to Hal. She probably thinks I'm dead or something. At least help is on the way, or so she said.

"You were trying to contact one of your little buddies, weren't you?"

I close my eyes. Don't look at him, I think to myself. Don't look into those demon eyes. You have nothing to fear. You can beat the evil.

Barbus laughed. "You can't escape me, you know. Go on. I dare you. Try to talk to your friend again, see if I care. The second she shows up here, though, she's dead." He produced another fireball in his hand just to prove that he could before extinguishing it in midair.

His last words strike me harder than any fireball or athame ever did. Whoever comes to help me—are they going to make it out alive? What if Hal really does come unprepared? Was she really that rash?

Minutes seem to go by, though, and soon the question is: Is anybody going to save me? Ever?

Woot, woot! Who updated within a week of the previous update? I did! I did! YAY! Lol. pats self on the back Okay, I'm going to stop being conceited now, lol. It's just that that's a major accomplishment nowadays what with all this crap. I don't think I'll be able to just sit down for a duration of five minutes anytime in the next two weeks. I'm in a play on top of swimming and school and babysitting and daycare, and now we're doing the final rehearsals and performances. Some nights I don't even get home till seven thirty! Killer when it comes to homework. Booboos...anyways, I love love love writing fanfics, so I will be back soon enough! Right now, though, small child number4 (the youngest of the four kids in the house) wants the computer. (I knowwhat does an eight-year-old really intend to accomplish on the computer? Ergh!) So I must bid you all farewell.

Thanks for all the fab reviews!