THIRTY
Cole pointed down the hallway toward the single door at the end of the corridor. Two armed guards flanked the door. Cole and even Leo had assumed that the guards would be bored simply standing around all day. It should have been a simple matter to shimmer in and incapacitate them.
But these guards were obviously well trained and took their jobs very seriously. They were alert and attentive. Even though they talked to each other to pass the time neither one seemed the least bit bored.
"We'll have to take them out," said Cole. "That must be the elevator leading to the lower level. It's probably the only way in or out of the room where she's being held."
"The only way for mortals, you mean," corrected Leo.
Cole just smiled.
"The direct approach is probably best," he said. "They probably aren't expecting someone to just walk right up to them. Wait here. I'll incapacitate them and then we can get the witch out."
Before Leo could protest Cole stepped into the corridor and began to walk toward the guards. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wallet. The two guards immediately took notice of him taking stances that suggested they were ready for any kind of action.
"Commissioner Morris sent me down," said Cole as he approached the guards. He held up the wallet as if to show some form of identification. "He wants the prisoner prepped for a special interrogation."
"We weren't notified of any special arrangements," said one of the guards, looking at the wallet. "There's no ID in there."
"There isn't?" Cole feigned ignorance. "Well how about that. I guess I left it in my other suit."
Suddenly Cole reached up grabbing the head of the guard who had just spoken. With a quick twist of his hands the guard's neck snapped to the side effectively breaking his neck. Just as quickly an athame suddenly appeared in Cole's hand. He drove the weapon into the chest of the other guard. The guard seemed to try to scream but no sound came out. Within seconds he slumped to the floor dead.
"You didn't have to kill them," Leo protested moving up to Cole.
"Look, we don't have a lot of time here," said Cole. "You wouldn't let us just shimmer into the room below and get the witch. And we don't have time come up with something complicated. Besides, they're just humans. They'd have killed you as soon as look at you."
"We both agreed that just shimmering or orbing into the room was too dangerous," said Leo. "There's no telling what kinds of surveillance or traps they have set up down there. This was our best option. But we could have gotten past the guards without killing them."
"Like I said," said Cole, "your only job is to get the witch out of here. My job is to get us in undetected. Stop whimpering about a couple of inconsequential humans and let me do my job. I told you I might have to do some things you wouldn't approve of. Unless you think you're better equipped to do this all by your lonesome."
Leo didn't say a word. He knew he needed Cole's help. As a White Lighter his powers were not offensive. So far they had been lucky. But if ran into resistance the most he could do was orb out. If that happened they would loose their only chance to rescue Patty. Once the authorities were aware that someone was trying to rescue her they would probably just kill her to prevent it. He didn't like it but Cole was right. He would just have to hope that there would be no more killings before they were able to release Patty.
Cole looked at the keypad on the wall. He had no way of knowing what the security code was for that elevator. Presumably they changed the code periodically to prevent anyone from figuring out what it was. Ignoring the keypad he reached up and grabbed the doors where they joined. Using his demonic strength he forced the doors open.
A long shaft greeted them beyond the doors. The cable from an elevator ran down the length of the shaft. Cole looked down the shaft and then back at Leo.
"We should be able to risk moving down the shaft," he said. "I doubt if they've bobby trapped it. Lorto said the room was about a hundred feet down. Come on."
Cole shimmered and Leo orbed. Within seconds they were standing on top of the elevator.
"Okay, White Lighter, do your thing again. Anyone in the elevator below."
Leo concentrated for a moment.
"No, it's empty."
Cole reached down and grabbed the trapdoor on the top of the elevator. With one might yank he ripped the trapdoor off. Then he simply lowered himself into the elevator. Leo followed. Leo concentrated again and announced there was no one on the other side of the doors. Cole used his demonic strength to force the doors as he had before.
They were greeted with a long corridor. No doors or other corridors branched off the single corridor. Cole looked out into the corridor suspiciously.
"It's probably rigged," he said. "My guess would be some sort of sensors embedded in the walls. As soon as we step out of the elevator we'll probably set off all kinds of alarms and this place will be swarming with armed guards in seconds."
"You seem to know a lot about this kind of thing," said Leo.
"Know your enemy," said Cole. "I've studied humans for a long time. I know how they think."
"Any idea how to get past the sensors?" Leo asked.
"Only one," said Cole. "This will have to be down and dirty. We may not have a lot of time so I suggest I go first. I'll shimmer to the end of the corridor. If nothing happens you can follow."
"And if the alarms are sounded?"
"You get out of here," said Cole. "Once the alarms start sounding we'll probably have only a matter of minutes at best before company arrives. If that happens I'll just force my way into the room and bring the witch out with me."
"She may not want to come with you."
"She won't have a choice," said Cole. "All I have to do is grab her. I can shimmer her out whether she wants to come or not. Ready?"
Leo just nodded. He didn't like it but he didn't see any other option. Cole suddenly shimmered out and Leo waited for the inevitable sounds of alarms going on. The moments ticked by and nothing happened. Finally Leo decided that Cole either had bypassed the security measures or hadn't been detected. He suddenly orbed out of the room and appeared next to Cole, standing in front of a single door.
"What took you so long?" Cole joked as Leo orbed in.
"Get on with it," said Leo.
"I don't think we should try to force this door," said Cole looking around the edges of the door. "If it were me I'd have this one rigged to set off a silent alarm. So that anyone trying to rescue the witch wouldn't know it's been sounded. We'll have to risk shimmering and orbing into the room. Be careful. There's no telling what protections they'll have in that room."
Leo just nodded. Cole shimmered and he orbed almost simultaneously. Leo stood ready to orb out at the first sign of danger. Once in the room they saw the smaller room that was Patty's prison. She was lying on the bed and noticed the two appear in the room. She was on her feet in an instant staring at them.
"Who are you?" she demanded. "What do you want here?"
"My name is Leo. We've come to get you out of here."
He started to move toward her when Cole suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
"Not a good idea, White Lighter. Look at the floor. See those tiles near that cage? They're a different color from the rest of the floor. It looks like they run all around the room. I'm willing to bet the minute one of us steps on one of those tiles all hell will break loose."
"He's a demon," said Patty, looking at Cole. "What is a White Lighter doing working with a demon?"
"It's a long story," said Leo. "Right now we have to get you out of here. Your daughters are waiting for you. We're here to take you to them?"
"Prue and Piper?" Patty questioned. "They're safe?"
"Plus a few others," said Cole. "Right now we don't have time to debate the issue. Those guards upstairs could be found at any time. Any idea what kinds of security they have on this cell?"
"Those security orbs," said Patty, pointing at the ceiling. "They prevent me from using my power. As far as I know that's all there is."
"Okay," said Cole. "White Lighter, can you get her out of there without touching the floor?"
"I do have a name," said Leo in irritation.
"I know," smirked Cole. "The point is we need to get her out of that cage without touching the floor. It's probably pressure sensitive. Too much weight and the alarms go off. Can you get her out of there without having to touch the floor?"
"Yeah I think so," said Leo. "Assuming those orbs don't negate my powers either."
"It's a risk we'll have to take," said Cole. "Get her out and orb her back to the Overworld immediately. I'll watch for any guards that might show up. I'll follow you there."
Leo looked at Cole. In all likelihood if any guards did show up Cole would probably just kill them without a second thought. But right now Leo couldn't concern himself with what might happen. This was the best – and probably only – chance to free Patty.
"Just stand still," said Leo. "It shouldn't take long."
Patty glanced at Cole. She didn't trust demons. But Leo was a White Lighter. She knew she could trust him. She just nodded once and waited for Leo to do whatever it was he was going to do.
Leo orbed out of the room and into the room that was Patty's prison. Once inside the prison his orb began to encompass Patty. Within seconds she, too, had begun to orb. Then the combined orb merged and vanished from the room. Almost instantly an alarm began to sound.
"Damn," Cole swore, "I should have seen this coming. It was calibrated for her weight. Without her weight on the floor the security measures have been set off. Better get out while I still can."
Without hesitation Cole shimmered out of the room.