Charmed: Let Gorgons Be Gorgons (2 page)

Brilliant blue/white orbs collected in the air above the green grass of the Presidio, bringing a supernatural element to the picturesque natural setting. The Charmed Ones materialized out of those orbs with Paige in the center and Phoebe and Piper on either side ready for action in the otherwise quiet park.

The quiet but not entirely empty park.

“Quick!” Phoebe urged her sisters in a strained whisper. “Behind a tree.”

Paige glanced to her right. They were already behind a tree; two trees, in fact. Paige’s so-called witchlighter magic usually deposited her in discrete places where there was less chance to be seen. So far she’d never teleported into the middle of a busy street or in front of video cameras. This time was no different. She and her sisters had materialized at a point where they were hidden from the bulk of the park-goers. “What do you call this green and brown thing we’re standing next to?”

Phoebe pointed to Paige’s left, where a pair of police officers watched as the park’s groundskeepers slid a statue onto a dolly. There were no trees in that direction, nothing to block the Charmed Ones from being seen. “Oh,” Paige said as she and her sisters moved for the nearest cover.

Piper and Phoebe squeezed in behind a different tree while Paige bent down behind a large bush. The statue was too far away to see if it was the congressman, but it seemed a pretty safe bet. It was the only statue randomly hanging out on the grass in this section of the Presidio.

“Why are we hiding?” Paige asked. “It’s a public park. We have every right to be here.”

“The fewer witnesses, the better,” Piper said. “I have a feeling that statue is about to disappear.”

The trio watched as the workers loaded the heavy, human-shaped rock onto the back of a pickup truck, slamming it down on its side. The bangs and crashes as they shoved it onto the metal truck bed echoed across the Presidio.

“That’s going to leave a mark.” Paige hoped that the politician couldn’t feel anything in his stone form. Those workers weren’t exactly being gentle. Then she changed her mind when she remembered a speech she’d once caught on the news where he’d railed against the need for maternity leave, insisting that women should leave the workforce when they had children. A little pain might be good for that jackass.

“Wonder what they’re going to write in the police report,” Piper said as they watched the officers talk with the workers. She also wondered where they were planning to take the statue. Probably the local dump.

“I’ll see if Henry can get a copy,” Paige offered.

Piper shook her head. Her question has been more out of curiosity than anything else. “Don’t bother. Can’t imagine it will tell us half as much as Phoebe’s vision. All they’ve got so far is a statue in a park. Not exactly a case for the major crimes division.”

“They’re leaving,” Phoebe said as the groundskeepers and the police officers got into their vehicles.

Paige help up her hands. “You want me to—”

“Not yet,” Piper replied. Piper considered freezing everyone until they got what they needed, but then what? If the statue suddenly disappeared while the truck was parked with the officers looking right at the bed it would only lead to more questions.

The police car pulled out first, probably with the officers going off to solve some real crime. That was good. It made things much easier for the Charmed Ones. Piper waited until the truck started to pull out as well before she looked to her youngest sister. “Okay, Paige. You’re on.”

“Got it.” Paige held out her hands and concentrated on the statue as the truck began its drive along the concrete path that cut through the park. She hoped that the workers didn’t see the orbs materializing in the rear view mirror as the statue broke into tiny pieces and traveled across the field.

The stone congressman rematerialized beside Paige, in the exact spot she’d wanted it to appear. Phoebe was right. It did capture his likeness perfectly. The statue stood slightly taller than the bush Paige hid behind, but it was still hidden enough from prying eyes.

“Wonder what they’re going to think when they get where they’re going?” Phoebe said with an eye toward the truck. It was still making its way out of the park so it seemed likely the groundskeepers weren’t aware that they’d lost their cargo. It didn’t seem like they noticed the lack of weight in the bed.

“They’ll probably just be glad they don’t have to cart it off the truck,” Piper replied hopefully. The last thing she wanted was for the groundskeepers to spend the rest of the morning assuming that the statue had fallen out on the road somewhere along the way and then retracing their route.

Paige was still examining the statue. “Whoever did this to him managed to preserve his likeness perfectly. Right down to the beady little, mildly-shocked eyes.”

“It’s a work of art,” Phoebe agreed sarcastically. “So, what are we thinking? Titans again?”

“I hope not,” Piper said recalling her brief stint with goddess-like powers and a rather sour disposition. “I still get a shiver every time it rains.”

“Should I orb him back to the Manor?” Paige asked.

“Let’s take him to Prue,” Piper suggested. “She’s been looking for a project to work on at the Nexus, something to pass the time. Besides, I don’t want this creep in my house in stone or in human form.”

Paige looked the statue in his frozen eyes and patted him on the head. “Don’t worry. We’re still going to help you. Just don’t expect our hearts to be in it.”

“Or any other part of our icky women’s bodies, either,” Phoebe said.

Paige left one hand on the top of the statue and held out her other hand to Piper while Phoebe grabbed her shoulder. She’d had more awkward orbs with larger groups of people, but she was glad they were hidden behind the bush. They must have looked ridiculous as they started to orb away.

Prue concentrated on the options laid out before her, focusing on her objective as she hunched over the table. She’d been at it for over an hour and things weren’t getting any easier. It was a challenge, but one that she had faced many times before. “I’m looking for a middle piece that’s a patch of blue sky with maybe just a wisp of a white cloud along the edge.”

Cole remained on the couch, pointedly ignoring her while he read a magazine that was several months out of date. “I already told you, I’m not helping.”

“Need I remind you the Elders specifically sent you here
to
help me?” Prue leaned around the edge of the table. “Maybe it fell on the floor.”

“With supernatural issues,” Cole reminded her. “I’m here to fight demons, not thwart one-thousand-piece puzzles.”

“Yeah, well, in between supernatural disasters, I expect we’re going to have a lot of downtime here in the middle of nowhere. Nothing wrong with taking up a hobby.” Prue didn’t see any puzzle pieces hiding on the floor. If Cole weren’t there, she would have gotten down on her hands and knees for a more thorough search, but there was only so much indignity she could handle at one time. Crawling around on the floor to find a small piece of cardboard was just past her limit.

Cole put down the magazine. “How about a hobby of trying to find a way out of this Nexus. It’s not like you to give up so easily.”

“Who said I gave up?” Prue asked. “Doing puzzles has always helped me concentrate. It’s how I got through my senior year of college.”

“I have never in my life seen you do one puzzle, Prue.”

“Yeah, well, you’ve only known me for a short period of my life…
lives
. I have a lot of secrets you’ve yet to—Aha! Found it!” The missing piece was mixed into a small pile with another piece lying half-over it. She picked it up and fit it into place, adding to the sky over the ocean in her puzzle. “Only five hundred and however many pieces to go.”

A collection of white/blue orbs materialized at the edge of the table and Prue stood up straight, working out the kinks in her back from leaning over for so long. “Looks like we’ve got company.”

“Oh, thank god.” Cole dropped his magazine on the coffee table and hopped up from the couch like he was ready to go somewhere.
Anywhere
.

Prue’s sisters appeared out of the orbs along with a rather ugly statue. Prue took one look at it and scrunched her face to let them know how she felt about the clutter in her home. “Thanks, but I’m finished redecorating. And that piece of crap does not go with the décor.”

Piper glanced over at the unfinished puzzle on the table. “Uh-oh. The puzzles are out. What’s the problem?”

Prue shot a look to Cole that basically said,
See? I told you.
He just shrugged silently in response. “Same problem since day one,” Prue said. “Trying to figure out a way to escape the Nexus of the All.”

Phoebe picked up one of the pieces. “Any ideas?”

“Nothing yet,” Prue replied, snatching the piece out of Phoebe’s hand. Her younger sister had lost too many puzzle pieces in the past. Prue had long since tired of finishing a puzzle with two or three empty spots left over. “We’re dealing with a magic older than time. Might take a few weeks to figure it out.”

“Well, anything you need. We’re here for you,” Paige said.

“Thanks,” Prue said. It wasn’t a surprise, but was still nice to hear, especially from Paige, since they hardly knew one another. Having the time to properly develop a relationship with her youngest sister was another thing that had been stolen from Prue, first when she had died young and then when she had returned and got herself trapped at the magical Nexus that linked Earth with the Heavens and the Underworld.

It wasn’t like the stupid and often completely arbitrary rules of magic were anything new to Prue. She’d only been a witch for three years before she died, but she’d seen enough back then to get the gist of things. Bending the rules by coming back from the dead in the body of a woman who was no longer using it was obviously something that magic would find a way to balance out. Prue might have been trapped at the Nexus, but at least this way she got to see her family on occasion. That was more than she’d had before. If only they brought better housewarming presents with them.

Prue stepped up to the statue to give it a closer look. “So, who’s the guy? I assume he used to be less stonework and more flesh?”

“That’s why we’re here,” Phoebe said.

“Local politician,” Paige explained. “Long story short: the exterior finally matches his stone heart.”

“I had a vision of him being turned to stone, but didn’t see who did it,” Phoebe explained. “Of course, we have our suspicions.”

Prue laid a hand on the stone. It felt cool to the touch. “Where did it happen?”

“Looked like his office,” Phoebe said. “Sometime late last night. But then he was moved to the Presidio, like someone wanted to make sure the world saw him like this.”

“To send a message,” Cole suggested.

“But to who?” Prue asked.

“
Whom
?” Cole said with a smirk.

“Why don’t you visit the congressman’s office?” Prue said to her sisters. “You can take Cole with you. He needs to go out for his walk.”

“I’ll get my coat.” Cole was out of the room within seconds.

Phoebe smirked as she watched him leave. “Already driving each other crazy? That didn’t take long.”

“He has that effect on people,” Paige added.

“It’s not him. Not really. It’s all this.” Prue moved away from the statue. “Being dead was a nightmare for me. This is marginally better, but I want to have a life again. I want to see the world. Get a pizza.”

Paige placed a hand on Prue’s shoulder. “We can work on the world part together, but I can handle the pizza.” She orbed away.

“That’s not what I meant,” Prue said to the empty spot where Paige had stood a moment earlier.

Phoebe plopped down on the couch. “No. I like this plan. I could go for some pizza.”

Piper joined her, settling in. “Didn’t you just have breakfast?”

“We’ve traveled to the other side of the world. Where it’s
dinnertime
.”

Prue squeezed in between her sisters. “I missed you guys.”

“Group hug!” Phoebe leaned in and wrapped her arms around her sisters.

“This family does a lot of hugging.” Cole returned wearing a dark gray jacket, looking more like himself fully dressed in his impeccable suit.

Prue shook her head as Phoebe released her from the hug. “Just once I’d like to see him lounging around in sweatpants and an old T-shirt.”

Phoebe looked her ex over as well. “That suit is practically loungewear for him. Look, the pants are pleated.”

Cole was about to respond when orbs collected behind the couch, forming Paige holding a cardboard box. “Somebody order a pizza?”

“I was kidding,” Prue said as she got up and took the box from her sister. “But I’ll take it.” She waved a hand over the table and the puzzle was replaced by fine china.

“Oh! Fancy!” Phoebe sprung up from the couch and hurried to the table, opening up the pizza box. “Veggie! My favorite!” She pulled out a slice without even bothering with a plate and took a bite. “Oh! Oh! Still hot!” Phoebe was waving her hand in front of her mouth to cool herself when she caught Cole smirking at her. She shrugged and blushed. He’d certainly seen worse from her before.

“I thought we were going to the congressman’s office,” Cole said.

“Not right now,” Piper said.

“Then why did I get my jacket?”

“Why do you do anything?” Paige asked. “But we’ve got the human side of this covered. You’re better suited to the magical stuff.”

“You want me to hit the Underworld? Look into some old contacts?” Cole asked.

“We can hold off on that, too, for the moment.” Phoebe blew on her slice of pizza. “We’ve dealt with beings that could turn people to stone before: the Titans from Greek mythology. We took care of them, but there could be more on ice. I was thinking you could go check it out.”

“Take Leo,” Piper said. “He’ll know where to go.”

“Got it,” Cole said.

“He’s at Magic School,” Piper added, checking her watch. It was still set to San Francisco time. “If you go now you’ll get him during his free period.”

Cole gave a little bow as he started to fade. “I live to serve.” By the time he finished the sentence he was gone, off to Magic School.