A/N: The usual disclaimers. Don't own Suite Life, or Charmed. Okay, still not much of a chapter, but you get to meet the villains in this one. That's always fun! Please R&R
Chapter Two: A Crossing of Paths
"Well I've done it, and there's no changing that." Natalia stated nonchalantly into the cell phone, sitting rather comfortably in the armchair in the far corner of the lobby.
"It thought we both agreed you wouldn't do anything until I said they were old enough." Carrey snapped at her from the other side of the line. Natalia could tell that thirteen years of parenting had hardened the woman. There had been a time when Carey wouldn't have daredspeak to her like this
"Sorry, but my time-table was pushed up." She replied in her dry smooth velvety voice.
"Well isn't that convenient."
"What's the matter? Don't you trust me?
"This isn't a question of trust Natalia! I am their mother, and you overstepped your bounds."
"Watch your tongue." Natalia cautioned. "I might take your attitude as a sign of ungratefulness." She heard Carey sigh.
"Of course I'm grateful, but you were supposed to wait for my decision before you unbound their powers."
"I never agreed to that." The sorceress replied flatly. "I simply agreed to bind their powers until they were old enough to make the choice; meaning that I would unbind them at my discretion. Consider this a lesson in making pacts with demons." And with that, Natalia snapped the phone shut, and quickly stuffed it into her coat pocket.
She detested using that thing, just as she regarded technology in general with distaste. Too complicated, and highly overrated. Keeping her ears glamoured all the time to look human was becoming a nuisance as well. She had come to miss that fine point that they usually came to. But she had come to enjoy her "under the surface" approach to her operations in the human world, and would continue to do so until the time was right.
As it turned out, the time was right sooner than she had expected. Her keen was picking up some familiar voices.
"I told you we should've orbed." Paige groaned, still holding her stomach.
"It's okay sweetie." Phoebe consoled. "Just eat these, and you'll feel better."
"Well," Piper cut in. , "the manager said he lost our reservation, but he'll let us know if something opens up."
"Well that sucks. Can't we just whip up a spell and fix that?" Phoebe inquired.
"Aah, personal gain!" Piper scolded. "And on top of that, this is supposed to be a non-charmed vacation!"
"Ahem, baby sister in pain." Paige reminded them.
So the Charmed Ones were here, and not a moment too soon. Natalia debated whether or not to reveal herself when she caught sight of the twins, poking their heads out of the elevator. No doubt, they were looking for her.
"That was quick." She muttered. "Time for a change in atmosphere. I'm getting rather bored with casual." She cast her violet eyes around the lobby till she found what she was looking for; a tall lanky handyman with enormous glasses, and a receding hairline. He was currently encumbered with a giant tool chest, various extension cords, and a ridiculous looking invention tucked under one arm. Perfect.
She slipped her leg directly into his path, causing him to loose his footing, and go careening out of control like something out of a cartoon. "Look out! I can't stop!" He cried, tumbling directly into Piper's path.
"Whoa!" Piper threw up her hands, freezing the entire room. Everyone in the lobby froze where they stood, in the middle of whatever they were doing. Well almost everyone.
"What happened?" Cody breathed.
"Do you think we did it?"
Their questions were soon answered by the three women in the center of the lobby.
"So much for no magic." Piper muttered. "What are we going to do about his clown?"
"Piper, are you crazy?!" Phoebe cried. "Somebody could walk in any… Uh-oh." Phoebe had also noticed they weren't the only ones who remained un-frozen. The twins ducked back into the elevator, but not before Piper noticed them as well.
"Alright, I saw you. Now come out with you hands up. I catch a glimpse of an energy ball, and you're dead."
"Piper!" Phoebe exclaimed.
"What? They didn't freeze. That usually means demon."
"But demons who look like kids?"
"They wouldn't be the first."
"Forget them." Paige breathed. "We've got bigger problems." And she was right. From the far corner of the lobby, Natalia rose out of her seat.
If Piper had been angry before, she was boiling beyond furious now, at this rather unwelcome re-entrance of the amethyst-eyed sorceress. "What are you doing here?"
"Nice to see you too Piper. What's wrong? Charmed duties wearing you down?"
"Don't count on it." Phoebe interjected.
"One more time." Piper threatened. "What are you doing here Natalia? And none of that cryptic crap. Demonic sorceresses don't make friendly visits. If you're not here to kill us, it usually means you want something. "
"Always so quick to get to the point." Natalia smiled coldly. "As a matter of fact, I'm here regarding the boys you just threatened to combust."
"Hah! I knew they were demons."
"Witches actually. I thought you knew, that's why you were here."
"No we were supposedto be here on vacation."
Phoebe dashed to the elevator to get a better look at the two frightened boys inside. "Piper, you scared them. You should know better you're a mom. Come on out, it's okay. We won't hurt you. My sister's just crazy, she didn't mean it." She coaxed the twins out of the elevator. They both took a good look at the faces that were staring at them. "So I guess you're kind of new to the whole witch thing huh?" She prodded.
"Witches?" Zack moaned. "That's what we are? Man, I thought we were superheroes.
Cody remained silent, his eyes fixed on the woman standing apart from the sisters. "You're… Natalia. Our mom was talking to you."
"Cody, right?" She replied. "Blessed with telekinesis. As a matter of fact, your mother and I go way back. You were a baby when I saw you last."
"What are you talking about?" Piper demanded.
Perhaps we should move this conversation somewhere else, before the room un-freezes." Natalia pointed out in that insufferably arrogant tone of hers. Despite Piper's feelings, the room unfroze, causing poor Arwin to tumble over with a crash. When he got up to apologize, the woman he had been about to hit was nowhere to be found.
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"And that gentlemen, is how buying out the Tipton Hotel Boston, and converting it into one of our buildings will make our profits soar to new heights, never before attainable." Helen Stryker continued her pitch. Her crimson lips were moving at ninety-miles-per-hour, matching her startling flame-red curls, held in a tight bun, going perfectly with her usual black business suit.
"On behalf of my husband Rupert," she indicated the man behind her, running her slide-show, with close-cropped brown hair, and goatee, dressed in similar attire. "And Mr. Carlisle," She gestured to her employer who sat at the head of the table with slick dark hair, and beady black eyes. "I make no exaggeration when I say this is the offer of your lives." She concluded, and was met with applause as the lights came back on.
"The board members began filing out of the room, shaking hands with Carlisle, Helen, and Rupert respectively. "Excellent work Miss Stryker." Said one. "You and your husband make a great team. I'd hang onto them Carlisle."
"I intend to." The CEO replied.
"We're not going anywhere, right muffin?" Rupert teased, putting his arm around Helen to kiss her forehead.
Once the board members were out of the room, the three remained. Carlisle listened for awhile as their footsteps faded down the hall. "We're alone." He hissed. Helen shoved Rupert away.
"Cut that out Brother. It's creepy." She whined.
"But necessary to keep up the ruse, Sister."
"Stop your squabbling." Carlisle growled, before he fell over unconscious. In his place stood a tall, gaunt, pale, but nevertheless intimidating young man, shrouded in a dark cloak. His long black hair was pulled into a braid that hung in the middle of his back. Black, intricate tribal markings on his face made his gray eyes appear even more piercing. Helen and Rupert dropped to their knees, keeping their heads bowed.
"Tie him up." The Heir indicated Carlisle. "Before he awakens."
"Yes my lord." Rupert complied, moving to bind the CEO his master had been possessing.
"Your brother is correct." The Heir spoke to Helen, spreading his cloak to resume his seat, which became a dark throne once he was in it. "Everything done thus far is instrumental to my plan to ascend to the throne, to my birthright, that the Charmed Ones so cruelly denied me. I summoned you two because, unlike demons and warlocks, Darklighters do as they're told, when they're told. Keep things going as smoothly as they are, and you and your kind will ascend to my right hand. Now, has Mathias staked out the territory yet?"
"He said there were complications." Helen replied. "A coven of warlocks is already on the move for it, and he claimed to have insufficient forces."
"He'll have to be dealt with. And what of the Brute demon? Has he completed his mission?" As if to please The Heir, a hulking figure shimmered into the room.
"Just as you asked my liege." He said in his low grating tone. The gigantic demon dropped to one knee, presenting The Heir with a black, intricately carved wooden box with a pentagram on its surface. "It wasn't easy. Even when I discovered its location, two guardian angels blocked my path." He indicated the gruesome scorch-marks along his left arm.
The Heir nodded, and gestured for Helen to bring him the box. He seemed pleased when he opened it. "When I ascend, you will be rewarded."
"I live only to serve you, my liege."
"Is that so?" The Heir smiled darkly. He gestured with his hand, and suddenly Mathias, a short, squat sorcerer was standing at the brute's side, looking confused, and quaking in his robes. The Heir extended his arm, which was marked as intricately as his face, towards the chubby sorcerer. A beam of pure dark energy shot from his palm and into Mathias' chest.
The sorcerer let out a shriek as the beam engulfed him in flames. In moments he was reduced to a pile of ash, surely bound for the wasteland.
"You've just been promoted." The Heir stated. "You will begin where your predecessor left off. Stake out the territory."
The Brute smiled wickedly before shimmering for parts unknown.
"You two," The Heir motioned to his draklighters. "Back to the underworld, we have work to do." He ordered before flaming out, followed by the Stryker twin's trail of black orbs.
Once the room was empty, Max felt safe enough to emerge. "Finally." The young whitelighter muttered to herself, becoming visible again. "I don't know why Natalia still has me stationed here." Max had already done her fair share in this area as far as she was concerned. She hadn't found out anything new for weeks now, and she didn't particularly enjoy being a lackey for the demon sorceress.
Natalia had a reputation "Up There" as something of a double-agent. She claimed to take no sides besides her own, whatever that meant. She had many connections on both sides, including The Elders. Rumors persisted that she may have even had ties to the Angels of Destiny. So despite their better judgment, The Elders not only worked with her when the need arose, they occasionally supplied her with a whitelighter or two, to do her dirty work.
"I swear, it's like they're trying to get rid of me." She cursed as she continued to search the room for clues. She found nothing, as usual.
The Elders were in fact, less than enthusiastic whenever they sent Max into the field. The brown-eyed girl was surprisingly feisty for a whitelighter. She always preferred fighting demons directly, rather than guide those who were supposed to do it. This consequently put herself, and sometimes her charges in danger.
She sighed. "Why couldn't I have just been a witch instead?" At least this hadn't been a total loss. She wondered what Natalia would make of that box.
"What are you doing here?" a voice behind her demanded. She turned, startled to see a demon in the doorway behind her. A Celerity Demon by the look of the pronged gauntlet on his hand. She was getting sloppy.
"Just leaving." She said sweetly, and waved at him tauntingly. In a rage, he charged at her with lightning speed, just as she had expected. She orbed out of the way, and he ran right into the wall. Max reformed behind him, and with a graceful twirl, she pulled the athame she kept hidden in her coat, and plunged it into his back. She stifled his yell before he disintegrated. That was one good thing about demons. They cleaned up after themselves quite nicely, most of the time.
"Time to go. The sooner I report to that psychopath, the better." She grunted before orbing out.