Post by StoryGirl83 on Aug 27, 2008 21:01:50 GMT -5
Chapter Three – Spies and Chills
In another part of town Centennial was located. Christopher Halliwell was sitting on a chair in front of a desk. As assistant manager he had an office, but right at that moment the papers with scribbled notes on them had nothing to do with Centennial. He scribbled something else on one of the papers and mumbled to himself. “There has to be some sort of pattern or catalyst. Seriously Mom and her sisters defeated the triad . . . again, then the so called ultimate power, then Aunt Phoebe had that premonition about me, and then nothing. It’s almost as if magic was waiting for . . .”
There was a knock on the door, distracting Chris from his thoughts. He grabbed the papers and turned them upside down in a pile. “Come in.”
The door opened and David Vandemark, a co-worker of Chris’ and work time friend, came in holding a small cell phone. “You brother is on the phone.” David walked over to the desk and handed the phone to Chris. “Are you going to be out of here soon? You’ve been in and out of your office all day.”
Chris put the phone to his ear. “Wy, just a minute.”
While Chris spoke he saw David looking at the contents of Chris’ desk.
On the other end of the phone Wyatt said, “Be quick.”
Chris held the phone away from his mouth and spoke to David, “I’ll try to get out of here once this phone call is over, but I’m not sure.”
Before David answers something caught his attention and he picked up a paper Chris forgot to turn over. “What’s this? It doesn’t seem to be related to work. I know the boss is dreadful at times, but demon?”
Chris managed to keep from groaning allowed. He put the phone back to his mouth. “Can I call you back?”
“Actually, this is kind of important,” Wyatt protested.
“Five minutes,” Chris requested, “and I promise I’ll call you back.”
“I’d rather you . . .” Wyatt began.
“Five minutes,” Chris repeated interrupting. “This is important, too.”
Wyatt sighed. “Make it fast.” Wyatt hung up with out waiting for a response.
Back in Chris’ office David watched Chris wearily. “So what is it?”
Chris held out his hand. “May I see it?”
David handed him the paper, if reluctantly, and waited.
Chris took it and looked at it.
After maybe half a minute David couldn’t stand the silence. “So what is it?”
Chris sighed. “It’s a project I’m working on.”
“For school?” David asked, his mind reviewing conversations he had with Chris about Chris’ college course. David had yet to figure out why Chris was taking that class, but he could see how this might, if stretched, have something to do with that.
“Uh . . .” Chris began trying to decide what to tell and what not to tell, if there was anything he could tell, “sure.”
It didn’t take a genius to realize that the look that passed across Chris eyes meant that wasn’t it. Still David remained silent and let Chris talk he figured Chris must have a good reason to not want to discuss it.
“It’s been really weighing on me. I shouldn’t have brought it here, but . . . you know, I’ll be leaving shortly. I’ll keep this put away until I leave, and I’ll see you on the floor.”
David knew that look. It was the one where Chris wasn’t lying, because Chris never lied, but he didn’t want to talk about it and something bad was about to happen. David couldn’t keep the skepticism out of his voice as he said, “Sure. Just don’t get distracted like that again or, friend or not, I’ll talk to your boss.”
Chris nodded. “Fine. Now, if it’s okay with you, I need to call my brother back.”
“Something’s up with you, Halliwell,” David told him. He knew something was up, but he didn’t understand what it was or why. “I know you said had amnesia, but it’s like there have been slight alterations to your entire personality.”
“I’m fine,” Chris assured him,” but maybe you’re right. Maybe I have changed. I need to talk to my brother though.”
David looked at him for a minute and then nodded. “Then, again, maybe you haven’t. Family was always first with you. I’ll leave so you can call him back and hopefully not end up leaving early.” David knew that despite his threat to tell the boss, he would cover for Chris if he had to.
Chris looked up at the clock. The clock hands indicated it was a little after four-thirty. “Six . . .” Chris mumbled, indicated the time he was scheduled to leave, “bye.”
David left the room in search of Brian Heitzman, a newer employee still learning the ropes.
Chris looked down at the paper in his hand. He put it on the pile upside down with the others. He then picked up the phone and pushed a button on it. “Museum of Natural History, San Francisco, Wyatt Halliwell’s line, please.
At the Museum of Natural History Wyatt is seated at his desk with some papers in front of him. He sighed and looked up just as the wall phone rang. He looked at the phone and it orbed to him. He pushed a button on it. “Hello.”
On the other end Chris smiled at the eagerness in his brothers voice, and then frowned as he remembered that Wyatt had said it was important. Happy things rarely were important enough to warrant calls at work. “Wy, it’s Chris. Sorry about earlier. What’s up?
“Did you notice anything odd a few minutes before I called?”
Chris’ frown deepened. That sounded rather ominous. “No, but then I’ve been in this office for the last twenty minutes. Why?”
“Nothing?” Wyatt asked, sounding like he wanted something.
Chris paused and thought hard. “I think my pencil floated for a moment when I dropped it, but that’s about it. Why? What’s going on?”
Wyatt nodded his head absently. “Dad called and said Mom caught a demon spying on them. She froze the demon and everything else. She and Dad were at the restaurant. It affected me at the museum. I think maybe it affected the whole city.”
“So which are we more worried about?” Chris queried, staggered by what his brother had just said. “The demon, Mom’s powers, or the fact that I bet Mom now knows we’re keeping secrets?”
There was silence at Wyatt considered the question. Each was a very big deal. “The demon I guess, but only barely. Mom is going to be mad.”
“I’m leaving work early, aren’t I?” Chris asked, regretting that it looked like he was going to disappoint his friend, but as David had said, family did always come first to him, except maybe the planet and definitely any individual innocent.
To his surprise, Wyatt didn’t agree immediately. “Up to you. When do you get off?”
“Six,” Chris informed him, glancing up at the clock in the wall. “I hate this job. It’s so boring. I’d rather fight demons.”
“Be careful what you wish for,” Wyatt cautioned him.
“No wishing,” Chris assured him. “Just saying.” Chris paused considering his options. “I’d probably best stay until six, unless you really need me. Much as I don’t like this job, I probably shouldn’t risk it and I haven’t been the best employee today.”
“Why?” Wyatt asked concerned. “What’s going on?”
“I was checking figured and making list,” Chris told him blandly.
“Huh?” Wyatt responded confused. “What for?”
“To determined what is different about this time line that might cause a lack of powers.” Of course the problem was that since he had caused their aunt Paige to survive, Wyatt to be good, and inadvertently saved many elders and the death of the one elder who would have caused even more harm than he did, he didn’t even know where to begin, because everything was different.
“Find anything?” Wyatt asked, interested.
“Sure,” Chris agreed easily, “but nothing helpful.”
Wyatt frowned and glanced behind him.
Chris couldn’t see his brother, but he sensed that something was wrong. “Wy? You still there?”
“Yeah,” Wyatt replied absently, something definitely bothering him. “I’ll tell Mom and Dad.”
“Is something wrong?” Chris asked, concern lacing his voice.
“Huh?” Wyatt must have noticed the concern, because it seemed to wake him up. “Oh, no. I’m just . . . nothing. I’ll let you get back to work.”
Chris nodded, even though his brother couldn’t see him. “Call me if things change and you need me immediately.”
Wyatt agreed. “Will do. Bye.”
“Bye,” Chris echoed before hanging up.
In Wyatt’s office, something was definitely going on. Wyatt felt chills running up and down his spine as he walked over to the phone jack and hung it up. He turned around and looked straight at the corner to the left of the door, frowning. He looked at it, staring intently for a moment before he shook his head and headed out of the room.
