A/N: Hey guys. Sorry for the delay! I really had some major writer's block with this chapter.
CharmedOpal: I completely agree! But keep in mind, they all hate and distrust the Elders right now. So they didn't want to confer with them. I don't know...! – Grins. -
Semper Fi Witchlighter: Right! I remember Andras... For now, though, they have no clue who put the spell on Melinda, though! Mwahahaha.
So I truly hope you guys read, enjoy, and review!
...
Melinda and Rebecca orbed everyone into the empty alley outside the hotel; they had agreed there would be less risk of exposure that way, and safer than orbing blind into the hotel.
"Okay... Step two?" Katelyn asked her cousins, once they had gathered themselves.
Corrine peaked around the side of the alley, scouting the area. She bit her lip, turning back to her cousins. "Well, we don't know which floor she's on, or what room she's in... So we're at a slight disadvantage."
"Is there anyway we can sense her?" Rebecca asked, frowning. "Some way to narrow it down?"
"Well..." Melinda frowned in thought. She still felt terrible for the way she had treated Rebecca. She wondered if she would ever know who had out the spell on her, how long the spell had been in place, and which of her feelings over the past few days (weeks, months?) were really hers.
"Maybe a spell?" Katelyn suggested. "I mean... We have very little to go on, so I don't know if a spell would work."
"What if we just... go in there?" Rebecca finally said. "I mean, she doesn't know who we are or that we're coming after her... right? I mean, most demons know who we are, obviously. But... She hasn't come after us, specifically, so maybe she won't recognize us until we're right on top of her?"
"I think that's the best idea we have," Corrine said with a shrug. "Maybe we'll get lucky and she'll be in the lobby, waiting for us," she joked.
With a half-assed plan in hand, the cousins left the alley and walked as casually as they could into the hotel. The lobby was large, leading into a sitting area to the right and a café and bar in the back. Two hotel employees stood behind the front desk, and a handful of them wandered around the sitting area and café, checking on guests and straightening up.
Only a small number of guests milled about the lobby and sitting area. Two or three tables were filled at the café, and a small cluster of businessmen sat at the bar, despite the fact that it was still early afternoon.
"Where do we even start?" Melinda whispered, glancing around.
"I just wish we knew..." Corrine paused, frowning.
"Cor?" Melinda asked, concern in her voice.
"Katelyn," Corrine finally said, turning to her younger cousin. "Do you think you could feel around, maybe get a premonition?"
Katelyn opened her mouth to respond, closing it quickly. She shook her head. "I-I don't know... Maybe? I mean, I've only ever gotten one when Rebecca has been in trouble... No offense," she said with a shrug in Rebecca's direction.
"None taken." Rebecca waved her off.
"I... Can try?" Katelyn asked uncertainly. "I mean... Yeah, I'll try."
"Everyone, scatter," Corrine said, nodding to Katelyn. "Look casual, if you can. But stay close, just in case something goes wrong."
The girls separated. Corrine wandered toward the front desk, pretending to inquire about rooms, rates, and party pricing. Melinda walked with Katelyn, to help shield her if she got a premonition. They meandered toward the sitting area first. Rebecca tried to discretely head toward the café and bar, but the businessmen kept eyeing her and grinning to each other. She shuddered uncomfortably, doing her best to ignore them.
"Nothing," Katelyn said when, after fifteen minutes, she hadn't even felt a twinge of a premonition. She sighed, combing her hair back from her face in aggravation.
"Concentrate," Melinda said firmly. "You can do this, Kat. It will help us. Try harder."
Katelyn let out a puff of frustration. But she plowed ahead, touching just about every touchable surface.
Finally, after another ten painful minutes, Katelyn ran her hand along the lobby's front desk, and gasped when the first twinges of a premonition hit her.
"What did you see?" Melinda whispered, when Katelyn finally opened her eyes. Corrine had noticed from across the room, and grabbed Rebecca, dragging her over to the others.
"Third floor, room 322," Katelyn said, when they all had gathered.
"That's surprisingly accurate for someone who never gets premonitions," Rebecca pondered. When her cousins frowned in confusion at her question, she shrugged. "I'm just saying... it's handy. Maybe too easy? I told you, I'm going along with this, but I don't like it. So I'm gonna question it." She shrugged.
"I saw the key card," Katelyn replied. "It showed the room number. Let's go."
They moved to the elevators, and went right up to the third floor. Outside room 322, they took a moment to gather themselves.
"On the count of three," Corrine murmured. "One..." She used her telekinesis to throw the door open. "Three."
They stormed into the hotel room. A young woman jumped up from the bed, backing away from them with wide eyes. Two men, who had been standing in the shadows, jumped in front of her, forming a wall and cutting her off from the cousins.
Corrine used her telekinesis to send both men flying. One hit a wall, and hit the ground, out cold. She other bounced off the bed, grunted, and jumped to his feet. The girl continued backing into a corner, eyes wide and frightened.
"Potion! Potion, potion!" Melinda yelled, grabbing one out and throwing it at the guy's feet. He frowned at it, advancing on Melinda.
"Why didn't that work?" Melinda cried, scuttling backwards.
Katelyn threw another potion, but it did nothing, as well.
"This is starting to look bad!" Rebecca snapped, stepping back towards the door.
"Evil within these walls,
hear us now, heed this call.
We banish you from this place
To another time and space."
Katelyn chanted the spell quickly, with inches between her and the guy.
But nothing happened.
He grabbed her roughly around the arm, and threw her; she yelped, landing on the bed and bouncing onto the floor on the other side. She groaned, pulling herself back up.
"Okay, this is ridiculous," Corrine sighed. She turned her attention on the guy, focused, and sent him flying into the wall. His head hit with a crack, and he collapsed beside his partner.
The girl had worked herself into the corner of the room. Tears glistened in her eyes as she stared up at the four of them, encircling her.
"Please..." she begged.
Rebecca frowned. "Okay, again, this doesn't feel right," she told her cousins, looking from one to another. "Why would a powerful sorceress beg?"
"To trick us?" Melinda pointed out, quirking a brow.
"Sorceress?" the girl asked, frowning. She shook her head. "N-no... I'm... no!"
Corrine frowned at the girl. She was starting to get a bad feeling, like maybe Rebecca was right.
"I'm not a sorceress," the girl insisted. "I'm a witch!"
"What?" Melinda demanded. "Oh, come on. We're not playing this game."
The girl shook her head, looking confused and frightened.
"Karen!" the girl yelled, desperation dripping from her words. "Karen!"
Corrine looked at her cousins in confusion; there was no one else in the room.
And then blue orbs appeared beside the girl.
"Oh my god... She has a Whitelighter?" Katelyn demanded, eyes wide.
The Whitelighter in question, Karen, frowned at the cousins, looking taken aback. "The... Power of Four? The Halliwell Cousins?"
"You know who we are?" Rebecca asked. She was beginning to feel as though she had been right all along, and she couldn't wait to gloat later.
"Of course," Karen replied. "But... why would you attack my charge?"
"That's what I was trying to say!" the girl hiccupped, brushing at her tears.
"I don't understand..." Melinda said, looking at Karen. "We were sent by an Angel of Destiny... He said she was a sorceress. Powerful, and evil to the max."
Karen frowned. "That doesn't sound right at all. Are you sure it was a true Angel of Destiny?"
"Can someone impersonate them?" Rebecca asked, feeling more and more certain in her earlier concerns.
Karen nodded. "Well, of course... Didn't you speak to your Whitelighter about this? Didn't you check with the Elders?"
The cousins looked at each other, ashamed.
"We don't exactly get along with the Elders," Corrine finally replied. "And.. Well, we don't really have a Whitelighter right now because of it."
Karen frowned in confusion. "Can I trust that you won't kill my charge if I leave her with you?"
"Of course," Corrine nodded. "Now that we know... We'll take her to the Manor. We're stronger there."
Karen nodded. "I will heal her bodyguards and explain the situation, then go to the Elders. I will be back as fast as I can."
"Karen-." The girl cried nervously.
"It's okay, Lauren," Karen said calmly, assuring her charge. "It was all a misunderstanding. You'll be safe with them."
Melinda took Corrine's hand, then held her free hand out to Lauren until she took it. Katelyn took Rebecca's hand. They glanced at Karen one last time; she nodded to them, and watched as they all orbed back to the Manor – confused, angry, and with more questions then answers.