Warning: Minor swearword used later in this part.
Renard re-opened his eyes, having used a special power to see any past events concerning his past or present servants. With the power he could even see events relating to his servants even if they hadn't been there at the time. Janette had done a good job with Buck to begin with, but she'd gotten too over-confident and disobedient, and that had been her undoing. Renard's present servant, Angelica, was far more cautious and stood more chance at completing her mission successfully. Also, she wouldn't change the mission once she'd started like Janette had done. With another of his powers, Renard had received a premonition of Angelica succeeding in her present mission.
Angelica cleared her throat to get her employer's attention. "I have to get back to school now, or they'll wonder where I am. I can't have anyone getting suspicious." Renard had been stood still with his eyes closed for ages, with occasional brief smiles appearing on his face - Angelica knew that the warlock was envisioning all that had happened when his last female servant had tried to get to the bound witch.
Renard was using the same lie about the potion that he'd used with Janette, as Angelica was just as trusting as Janette had been. This time Renard's plan would work because his current servant was far more loyal. Hopefully, Buck would be unbound by his father and the potion inside the boy would turn him into a warlock before the Source found out about the unlawful potion being used. Then the boy's destiny would be ruined and the Source wouldn't care if a few rules had been broken to achieve it. Renard would gain a far higher rank in the Underworld and begin to climb the ranks until he became first in line to the Source's throne.
"I'm sorry - I didn't realize that vision would last such a long time." Renard was very polite to anyone he liked - when he was growing up as a good witch, his parents had raised him to have good manners and he'd kept them when he became a warlock.
The female warlock smiled, and then shimmered back to her school.
CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P
Olivia let Buck have a five minute head start, then orbed to an alley near to where she could sense him - she had to let him think she'd followed on foot as he didn't know about Whitelighters or orbing. Then, remaining undetected, the Whitelighter began to tail the boy along the street.
"I wonder which store I should hit today?" thought Buck out loud. He chose a nearby general store for their candy bars, and went inside; unaware that he was being followed by Olivia.
A gasp escaped Olivia as she witnessed the boy slip several candy bars into his pockets - Buck had become a shop-lifter in the years she'd been away! One day, he could end up with a criminal record and then he'd never fulfill the prophecy. The Whitelighter wondered if Buck's parents knew about their son's unlawfulness.
Finally, Buck finished his stealing spree in the store, running out of space in his pockets and bag, and exited to the street.
Olivia left the boy, as she orbed to see the Elders - something had to be done about the boy or he'd never become a good witch.
CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P
"OLIVIA!" scolded Terri, as her daughter orbed in beside her. "You aren't meant to orb back here while you're on this assignment."
"Mom, he takes things from stores without paying for them!" exclaimed the girl, distressed by what she'd witnessed in the general store.
"I just found out that there was an attempt on his life about a year ago - the Wilmingtons' Whitelighter kept it a secret from the Elders, but they've found out now. A warlock, who was disguised as a teenage girl, befriended Buck then let him witness her stealing from a toy store; so perhaps her influence rubbed off on him."
"What are we gonna do?" panicked Olivia.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures - the time-line must be changed from when Buck started erring," said Terri with confidence. "Close your eyes and clear your mind of all thoughts, and we'll turn back the clock. Don't open them until I tell you."
Olivia shut her eyes tight and thought of nothing while time was turned back by magic.
"Okay, you can open them now. The time has turned back to before Buck met Janette. You will go to Buck's local mall and meet him outside SmartMart, just before Janette has the chance to meet him there. You'll go inside the store with him and make him stay with his mother. Then help things change for him."
"Yes, Mother, I'm already thinking up a new cover-story." The young Whitelighter magically changed her clothes, then orbed away to an empty place in the mall where she wouldn't risk exposure.
CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P
After orbing into a toilet cubicle in a store's restroom at the mall, Olivia made her way to SmartMart. Buck was waiting outside for his mom to finish shopping, so Olivia ran to the boy and smiled at him.
"Buck!" shouted the Whitelighter, disguised as a teenager.
"Olivia? You came back!" The boy felt so happy to see the girl and the two were soon hugging.
"After moving around several times, we've decided we prefer this place best. I'm so sorry I couldn't say good-bye before."
"I'm so glad to see you. I'm just waiting here for Mom - got drafted into helping her with the shopping today."
"Let's go inside, I'll be glad to help as well." Olivia hooked her arm around Buck's and the two teenagers walked inside, chatting as they went. It seemed that Buck wasn't angry at her like he had been in the old time-line - maybe coming back that way had helped.
Meanwhile, Janette arrived outside where she had last sensed the boy whom she'd been sent to turn evil. She couldn't understand where Buck had gone, as she hadn't sensed any movement from him - it was because Olivia had used a Whitelighter power to stop Buck's movement showing up on any demonic radar. After no longer being able to sense the boy she'd been sent to find, she shimmered back to Renard to report her failure.
"I cannot sense the teenager," reported the female warlock, upon receiving a questioning look from her superior.
"That is because a damn Whitelighter just got to him before you and somehow blocked his presence from detection. You have failed, Janette." Renard raised his arms at Janette and threw two fireballs at the warlock. They impacted with her and she caught fire before disappearing to the Demonic Wastelands.
"Stupid Elders, messing up the time-line," yelled Renard, at the cave's ceiling. "Why did you have to do it to me?" Renard knew that the Elders had changed the time-line because his previous premonition of Janette attacking Buck hadn't had a chance to happen as she hadn't even met the boy. Renard had heard about the Elders affecting time that way before, and had been nervously waiting to see if they found out enough to decide to change part of Buck's past to ensure he still fulfilled his destiny one day.
To be finished in the short Epilogue