"Wait a minute," Cole said. "There hasn't been an absorber in more than four hundred years. And they don't just happen."
"What's an absorber?" Phoebe asked.
"It's a very unique demon," Leo said. "They have no powers of their own. Their only power is the ability to literally absorb the powers of another magical being. And Cole's right. Absorbers aren't natural demons. They're conjured, for lack of a better word, by a very powerful high-level demon. The ritual is long and complicated. As far as I know an absorber hasn't been conjured since about a hundred years before Melinda Warren was born."
"Call him an aberration," Cartrack said. "I believe Biltok may be descended from a former absorber. Somehow the power from that absorber has lain dormant perhaps for centuries. And it finally surfaced this morning. In an unsuspecting twelve-year-old who has no idea just how powerful he is."
"But you said you're only a mid-level demon," Paige said. "Wouldn't that mean the powers he took would only be mid-level as well."
"Only?" Cartrack asked. "Have you any idea how powerful he'll be compared to the myriad of unsuspecting humans he encounters? Humans who have no powers at all?"
"Well, when you put it that way," Paige said.
"Besides," said Cartrack, "while the powers he usurped are those of a mid-level demon, in that young boy they could something quite different. I have always believed that Belthazor was so powerful because of his human half. It explains why he was so much more powerful than even his own mother."
"He's right," Cole said. "Even my mother was surprised at how powerful I eventually became. Theoretically, since my father was human, I should have been less powerful than she was. But I was classified as an upper level demon. My mother wasn't and we never did understand why I became so powerful."
"I believe it is because of your human half," Cartrack said. "Most humans have some form of what they call psychic powers. Most are very limited. Many never exhibit them except for a moment or two in their lives. But they are present nonetheless. Such as moments of what humans call déjà vu. Or thinking about a loved one at precisely the moment that person calls you on the telephone. I believe this is the source of the great power Belthazor possesses.
"Most humans use only ten percent or so of their brains. The vast untapped resources of the human brain could be incredibly powerful. I believe that Belthazor's human half allows him to tap into that unused portion, so to speak. To utilize what must surely be present in almost all humans. This, coupled with his demonic powers, actually helps to enhance his abilities, thereby making him more powerful than we've always believed possible."
"And you think that might happen with this Carson Spenser?" Phoebe asked.
"I believe it is more than likely," Cartrack said. "Remember, he is but a young boy at the moment. Very soon he will reach puberty. His pituitary gland will then become quite active for some twenty months or so. His body will begin to go through changes that ordinarily are quite normal for a human male at that age."
"And that could allow him to tap into the latent psychic ability he possesses," Leo said. "Cartrack is right about that. Most humans do have some form of psychic ability even if it's very minor. A demonic child, even one who is only half demon, is basically a creature of magic. He'll be able utilize whatever psychic ability he has more effectively than a normal human child would."
"That would enhance whatever abilities he has," Cole said. "Making him even more powerful."
"So Cartracks' powers might be stronger," Piper said. "More so than what he might have been able to do."
"Not just mine," Cartrack said. "Any powers he has. Once the link between his demonic powers and his human psychic abilities is established it will enhance any powers he will have."
"What do you mean 'any powers he will have'?" Paige asked.
"Absorbers can absorb powers from any magical being," Cole said. "They aren't limited to who or what those beings are. And they aren't limited to how much they can absorb. He will have the ability to absorb the powers of any being he comes into contact with."
"Does he know this?" Piper asked.
"I don't think so," Cartrack said. "I have, of course, discussed the various types of demons with each of the children. Especially those who have as yet not exhibited any powers. To let them know that they may yet gain powers. It might just take a while. But there are many demon types that are rare, such as an absorber. Since the chance of any of them becoming one of these rare demons is unlikely, I didn't feel it necessary to explain them to the children. Especially since all previous absorber demons have been conjured."
"Well we have that in our favor," Phoebe said. "If he isn't aware he can do this with any magical being he might not try to do it. Where is he right now?"
"I don't know," Cartrack said. "After he took my powers he simply shimmered away. I don't know where he went."
"If he didn't have any powers before," Paige asked, "how did he know how to shimmer?"
"It was probably an accident," Cole said. "I remember the first time I shimmered. I wanted to go somewhere but my mother said I couldn't. But I was so intent on going I shimmered without knowing what I was doing. Which means he may not be aware of the other powers he has."
"I don't think he knows what he's done," Cartrack said. "He seemed surprised when he first used one of my powers. I hadn't realized what had happened until he shimmered away and I couldn't follow him. That's when I decided to seek you out for you help."
"Why them?" Leo asked. "Why not see out other demons to help with this?"
"I think I can answer that," Cole said. "If word got out that Cartrack had lost control of one of his students demons would think twice before sending their children to him. Not to mention that he no longer has any powers. Some of the demon hierarchy might even think he's outlived his usefulness."
"Exactly," said Cartrack. "I must get the boy and my powers back before other demons learn of what's happened. Since I can't go to other demons I decided you were my best choice. I know your primary responsibility is to protect the innocent. And I would say this situation falls into that category. A young boy with demonic powers and no restraints. I can think of no more dangerous situation than that."
" I can think of a couple," Paige said.
"Be that as it may," said Cartrack, "the potential for disaster is immense. With the boy loose in the city among defenseless mortals with no adult supervision..."
"Yeah, we get the picture," said Piper.
"I realize that helping demons is probably not high on your list of priorities," Cartrack started.
"Try not on our list at all," said Piper.
"I'm sure," Cartrack said. "Anyway, considering the disaster potential, I figured in this one instance you might consider helping me locate the boy."
"Well," said Leo, "he's right about one thing. Spencer could pose a very serious threat to any humans he comes into contact with. Not to mention he could expose magic to the mortal world."
"And just what do we do with him once we find him?" Phoebe asked. "If he can absorb the power of any magical being we'd be in danger of him absorbing our powers as well."
"One problem at a time," Piper said. "Let's find him first. Then we'll decide what to do with him. Now, Cartrack, you need to tell us everything you can about Spenser. What he likes, what interests him, that sort of thing. That might help us track him down."
"I'll tell you everything I can," said Cartrack. "And I hope this doesn't take very long. If I'm gone from the underworld too long there are going to be a lot of questions. Questions I won't have the answers for."
"Relax," said Paige. "It shouldn't be hard to locate one small boy especially one with demonic powers."