-Disclaimer: All Charmed characters are property of the WB. Any other non original characters are the property of their respective owners. I am making no profit from this story. 11th of my Charmed stories.

Cousins and Cultists Part 1:"The youngest of the Charmed Ones!"

Guest cast:
Kari Wurher(Sliders & 8 Legged Freaks) as Kari Wright
Neve Campbell(from lots of things) as Neve Starr

"Phoebe, I know things have been rough lately but you worry me." Piper started and despite an angry scowl from Phoebe continued, "We never know where to find you or what you are doing anymore. And these friends of yours ..."

"Shove it Piper!" Phoebe snarled and as Piper recoiled from her venom continued, "It's my life! Who needs you anyway!" And with that Phoebe stormed out of the house!

Piper was furious but had no time to chase Phoebe. Changing to a navy blue with white pinstripes suitdress and matching blue pumps with 3" heels she put on her professional face and headed for the bank. On the way she got a call on her cellphone. "Kari, cousin Kari?" Piper recognized her cousin's voice and her part of the conversation continued, "Just heading to the bank to refinance the loan on P3. Much better rates now, you know. What are you up to?"

Kari turned away from a computer terminal where she had been doing research in a university library and shoved some old books to the side. Checking to see that no one was near enough to overhear her she said, "Well Piper we are related on your mother's side and I know that you three are the Charmed chicks."

"Charmed Ones!" Piper reflexively corrected before she could stop
herself!

"Whatever! I just need your help with a supernatural matter." Kari continued. For the next few minutes Piper tried to deny it, but with all Kari knew soon gave up and Kari explained, "My cousin on the other side of my family is the up and coming but flakey actress Neve Starr. She claims that people are out to get her but the police can find no evidence and think she's nuts. So since I am family and a Private Investigator she called me in."

"And you think they can't find evidence because the supernatural is involved?" Piper asked.

"Yes research I have been doing in some old books, and in the news archives about cult activity has convinced me that paranoid or not, someone is out to get her. Neve is the 7th daughter of a 7th daughter which has great mystical significance. If you were a bunch of evil cultists wanting to do a human sacrifice, Neve is almost the best you can get."

"And the best would be?" Piper asked as she pulled into the bank and parked her jeep.

"The youngest of the Charmed Ones!" Kari concluded and waited for Piper to yelp at that.

"Over my dead body!" Piper grimly replied, "I am losing no more sisters! What do you want me to do?"

"I am going now to pick up Neve, I will meet you back at the manor and we can discuss it there, OK?"

"OK! See you soon!" With that Piper went into the bank and Kari went to her car.

Meanwhile Neve Starr, rising starlet and highly ranked sacrificial victim was waiting impatiently in a saferoom of Kari's office. She was wearing a white tank top,blue miniskirt and matching pumps with 4" heels and worriedly pacing! Hearing the previously locked door to the outer office being broken down she looked through a peephole and saw some strange men. Behind Kari's specially reinforced, triple deadlocked and concealed door, Neve paled but thought, 'There is no other way into this saferoom of Kari's. As long as I am quiet I am safe' "EEEEEK!!!" She screamed as something grabbed her from behind...


Cousin and Cultists part 2:"What do you want?"

Neve found her arms pinned and she was dragged to then floor by a hideous monster! A 5' tall, purple scaled biped with tentacles where a human's arms would be had wrapped up her arms and legs! Then it began to draw her toward it's oversized mouth revealing dozens of razor sharp teeth! "EEEEEEEEK!!!" Neve screamed until the incredible strength of the tentacles began to crush the breath from her body!
'This is the end!' She thought when the door burst open in a flash of light! One of the men stepped forward and producing a strange amulet said "Back! Back monster, your task is done!" The creature hissed and gave one last squeeze to poor Neve, but then released her and backing away from the amulet walked into the corner and disappeared!

Trembling Neve stared at the man and asked, "What was that? What do you want?"

Smirked the goateed man raised his cane and said, "That my dear was a planar stalker. It helped us finally get what we wanted namely you!" Gesturing to his two minions he said "Secure the prisoner for transport!" And with that the two men began to bind and gag Neve!


Kari arrived at her office found both the outer and inner doors smashed and Neve gone! Dashing down the hallway she checked the back parking lot and found three men tossing a struggling Neve into the back of a van. "Hold it!" Kari screamed.

Turning to look at her the leader beheld a slender dark haired woman of average height wearing a pink skirt suit with a black blouse and black pumps with 3" heels and smirking he said, "And why should I do that little lady?"

Reaching into her purse Kari responded, "Because the little lady has a big GUN!" and whipped out her .45! Doing this she also dislodged her cellphone and it fell to the ground.

The man grimaced and said a single word. When he did so by the building where two walls made a corner the planar stalker reappeared! RINNGG! Kari's cellphone went off and startled she turned and saw the monster! She paled for a moment but then began firing!

One minute earlier had Piper left the bank and worried, called Kari's cellphone. For some reason Kari was too busy to answer! However Piper's phone rang and it was Paige. Piper hurriedly explained the situation and gave her the address for Kari's office.

Her gun empty and her back against the wall Kari was trapped by the stalker! It had just wrapped her in it's tentacles and started squeezing when Paige stepped out of the building. 'Maybe I shouldn't have wasted time orbing into the building.'Paige thought but began to orb bricks, rocks, and other debris at the creature! "Manhole cover!" That when it impacted the monster sent it flying! Fortunately it had released Kari during Paige's onslaught. Dashing to Kari's side she found her dazed and unable to stand. 'Poor thing! Lucky that monster dropped when it did. I am too tired to orb both of us out of here!' Paige thought as she tried to help her cousin. Then the stalker stood back up! Paige heard it's angry hiss and stood putting herself between the helpless Kari and the creature!

So a bizarre scene was set, even for San Francisco! A slender raven haired beauty in a short black skirt, white blouse and black pumps with 3" heels versus a hideous monstrousity! If anyone had been around to watch they would have observed Paige desperately hurl anything she could find just to hold the monster back! Such an observer would have seen the beauty tire and the monster come ever closer! "EEEEEEEEK!" Paige screamed as the stalker's left tentacle lashed out and pinned her arms to her body! "MMMMMPH!!!" The other tentacle wrapped around her mouth strangling her cries for help! Exhausted and held with inhuman strength Paige was drawn forward until her face was only inches from the hungry monsters teeth filled maw...


Cousins and Cultists part 3:"First kidnapping my dear?"

Rounding a corner at high speed Piper nearly sideswiped a van. "JERK!" She yelled at the van driver, who like Piper was driving like a maniac. Nearing Kari's office Piper thought, 'I hope I am not too late!'

Inside in the van a now familiar goateed man regained his balance and inspected his prisoner. Poor Neve had been bound at the wrists, elbows, knees and ankles with white nylon ropes. Then she had been hogtied with a rope running from the ankle ropes to the wrist bonds. A large sponge had been shoved into her mouth and sealed there with multiple strips of white tape. Terrified and helpless Neve was starting to cry. The man said, "First kidnapping my dear?" As Neve whimpered affirmatively he patted her head and said, "Don't worry it will also be your last!"

Paige felt the monsters rancid breath on her face when a crowbar struck it from behind! It released her and weak and gasping for air, she collasped to the ground. As the monster turned, Leo swung the crowbar like a baseball bat and knocked it back away from his sister in law. However as he continued he thought, 'Multiple .45 bullet wounds only hurt this monster. I can't possibly do enough damage to stop it with just a crowbar!'

In the van the goateed man looked into a crystal glowing with a purple light. The light dimmed slightly and frowning he said, "Your cousin or someone is putting a better fight against my enslaved stalker than I expected. However as the light showing it's life force is still strong there is no chance that she or they will survive!"

"Mmmmmph!!!" Neve whimpered in utter despair!

CRASH! The stalker swung one of it's tentacles like a bullwhip and struck Leo with hellish strength! The Whitelighter flew 8' and crashed into a chain link fence! As he slumped to the ground stunned, the monster turned back towards the helpless Paige and Kari. As it approached it's shadow fell over the two of them and then both were wrapped in it's tentacles! 'This is the end!' Paige thought and then..

BOOOM! The monster exploded! With the monster's body gone Paige and Kari saw a worried Piper hurrying towards them.

"Unless of course the mightiest of the Charmed Ones arrives!" The man said after the light in his crystal went out. "Only strong magic could have destroyed the stalker so quickly!" Neve's eyes shined with new hope but that dimmed when her captor said, "Don't worry my dear. The cult has ways of dealing with witches! Your destiny as a sacrifice to the great eldritch things will be fulfilled!"



Cousins and Cultists part 4:"a life depends on us!"

"Oooh! That's better!" Kari sighed as Leo healed the bruises the stalker's grip had caused.

"I also fixed some older injuries as well. She had three cracked ribs and a number of past concussions!" Leo said and then turned to go heal Paige, who had selflessly urged Leo to help Kari first.

Seeing Piper's eyebrow rise in inquiry Kari explained, "It's not always an easy line of work being a PI. My last concussion is why I missed Prue's funeral. An escaped con was sore about a job I did exposing his insurance fraud and tried to get even. When the funeral started I was bound and gagged inside a car in a junkyard in a car crusher that was just getting warmed up! But that's another story!"

Piper closed her now gaping jaw and said, "OK that's a pretty good excuse! But what about your cousin Neve? Do you know of any cult properties where they might be taking her?"

"Yes, they own the only house on a street they had renamed on the outskirts of the city. The address is 101 Doomsday drive. I know the way so I'll drive." Kari replied.

"Oh great, one of those type of cults!" Leo groaned and rubbed his still aching head.

With that the four piled into Kari's jeep and took off. "Too bad we can't call in the police." Paige said thoughtfully and continued, "But if there are anymore monsters we would be risking exposure as witches!

Nodding in agreement, Piper dialed Phoebe on her cellphone and not getting an answer left a message on the Manor's answering machine. It said, "Phoebe we are going to rescue an innocent from an evil cult. They had one monster under their control already and could have more. Please meet us at 101 Doomsday drive and bring a couple of the potions I fixed last weekend. Don't let us down Phoebe, a life depends on us!"



Cousins and Cultists part 5:"Release the hounds!"

Kari came around a corner and barreled to screeching stop! Paige looked even paler than normal caught her breath, and muttered, "She's even worse than Piper!"

"What was that?" Piper growled from the back seat.

"Kari's taking a verse from you Piper." Paige quickly improvised, "What did you think I said?"

Piper frowned and said "Nevermind!" And they all climbed out of the jeep. It was now just past dark and they were at the end of the driveway leading up a slight incline to the cult's mansion at the top of a small hill. Said mansion was a quite old two story house made entirely of wood and appeared in poor repair. Of course since there were only a few lights on in the house it was hard to tell much from a distance. The four studied the house and grounds as best they could while waiting for Phoebe to show up.

About 20 minutes later Phoebe arrived with the potions and when asked if she was all right replied, "Of course, I will always be there for those I care about most!" She then hugged Paige, gave Piper a cold shoulder and led the way towards the house.

Piper was slightly hurt by this, but since Phoebe was semi dressed for action in blue jeans and the usual tight top, she bit her lip and followed.

Inside the house a crystal started blinking and the goateed man turned to one of his minions and said, "The witches are here. Release the hounds!"

Cousins and Cultists 6:"mightiest of your rescuers dies!"

"Mmmph!" Neve whined through her gag as she was dragged to the window and made to watch the release of the hounds. To her horror she thought, 'Those are no ordinary dogs! They seem to made of darkness and shadows! They are the size of small horses and there are 5, 10 no 20 of them! Kari and her friends are dead and so am I!'

"LOOK OUT!" Leo yelled as he was the first to spot the oncoming monstrosities known as a Planar Pack! BLAM! BLAM! Kari's gun spoke but the shots passed harmlessly through the creatures! So did any and everything Paige threw at them! Piper blew up a monster and tried to freeze the rest!

Unfortunately she discovered, 'Only half of the blasted things will stay frozen at a time! The other half keep coming!' Then several of the hounds charged straight at Piper! Phoebe managed to avoid the rush matador style but the Paige and Kari were brushed aside! Leo tried to interpose himself and protect Piper with his own body! But he was leveled and pinned by a couple members of the pack! And after blowing up a couple more Piper was taken down as well!

In the house Neve's eyes widened in horror as the man gloated "As I planned now the oldest and mightiest of your rescuers dies!"

"Phoebe my powers aren't stopping these things! We need a potion!" Paige yelled with ever increasing desperation!

"Sorry, nothing to help here!" Phoebe replied.

Frantically Paige orbed to Phoebe and grabbing her hand said, "Quick we need a spell! Make something up and let's start rhyming!"

Phoebe wrinkled her brow in concentration and replied, "Give me a minute I need to think! I don't spell well under pressure!"


With her arms pinned, her sisters powers totally useless, and Leo about to die with her, Piper saw the largest of the remaining 17 hounds open it's huge shadowy jaws and screamed, "EEEEEEEEEK!!!!"

And then came a scream of pain and death for...


Cousins and Cultists 7:"we've got insurance!"

From one of the hounds! The monster on top of Piper jerked it's head away at the last second! It was distracted by and seeking the source of it's packmates agony! What it and everyone else saw was the hound that had been on Leo coming apart! It was melting as light and darkness cancelled each other out! A second dog was beginning to wail in agony as well and Piper wondered, 'What happened?' Her answer came as sitting up Leo threw a ball of celestial light straight into the open mouth of Piper's attacker! It joined the unholy chorus of agony! Off to the side Paige could be heard explaining to Phoebe that, "OH! Of course! These monsters are made of mystic darkness and shadows! Leo's celestial light spheres, while harmless to mortals, are like swallowing acid to these critters! Seeing Phoebe's still questioning look she elaborated, "The light is cancelling out the darkness and without that the shadows just fall apart!" Phoebe was still looking oddly at her so Paige finally said, "Think of it as giving a vampire a 20 oz glass of holy water!"

"Gotcha!" Phoebe said and noted, "While you were explaining that, the rest of the dogs decided to chase Leo!"

'Uh, oh!'Leo thought as the remaining 14 dogs charged him and orbed 100' away! Hurling another lightsphere at the lead monster he yelled, "I might be awhile!" With that he orbed away just before the rest of the pack got to him and started leading them away, whittling down their numbers as best he could!

Kari and Paige helped Piper to her feet and brushed her off while she worried, "What if those monsters catch Leo before he destroys them all?"

Paige tried to reassure Piper on this point but smiling Phoebe said, "Don't worry, we've got insurance!"

Piper's jaw dropped and she made little strangling noises for a moment! Then she found her voice and whispering to Paige and Kari said, "Phoebe Halliwell, patient at the Price Institute for the Criminally Insane! Has a nice ring to it don't you think?"

Holding one of Piper's arms as they follow Phoebe towards the house Paige whispers back, "Ok, so she needs a little help. But she hasn't done anything to deserve that! Not yet anyway! Control yourself Piper! Keep holding her other arm until she calms down Kari!"

Piper took deep breaths and was getting her anger under control as they came to a large swimming pool. It was right by the house and filled with algae. Piper grimaced and said, "Evil cultists and slobs too!" With that the trio turned and followed Phoebe who had already skirted the pool. As they turned their backs and walked away the surface of the pool began to move...



Cousins and Cultists part 8:"kill Piper Halliwell your way!"


Almost a dozen creatures slipped quietly from the pool! These were green skinned much like a frog,ranged in size from 4-8' tall, had webbed hands and feet, long clawlike nails and lots of sharp teeth! As they approached the Halliwells and Kari from behind Neve watched in ever growing horror. Then a cultist she hadn't seen before, a striking young woman with the promise of pain in her eyes, walked in and addressed the goateed man, "What if the Quaughan School fails to kill the eldest witch as well? Then will you acknowledge that the great eldritch things do not favor this course of action? What about it Darke?"
'Impudent bitch!' Dr Damien Darke thought but reasoned, 'If the Quaughan fail I will have to allow her a mild indulgence. Otherwise I might risk losing control of some of my more insane minions!'

Just then Kari heard a squishing sound behind her, whirled and fired! BLAM! BLAM! To her delight her .45 was effective this time! One of the school was killed and another wounded by her bullets! "RAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!" The rest cried and the battle was on!

But not for long! The advantage of surprise lost the remaining Quaughan were no match for the Charmed Ones! From the attic Darke observed this in dismay and turned to the woman and said, "Very well, as long as it doesn't delay our departure, you may kill Piper Halliwell your way!"

Smiling evily the woman said, "A wise decision master, her death will be painful and quite appropriate!"

Meanwhile unaware of this the Halliwells approached the front door and...

Cousins and Cultists part 9:"so good of you to come..."

... Ran into a forcefield! 'That should slow them down!' Dr Darke thought, but was in for a nasty surprise! Piper gestured once, twice, and then used her power a third time and KABLOOOM! The field collapsed and the front of the house went with it!. 'For about 30 seconds!' Darke concluded in dismay. The Halliwell's and Kari then stormed into the house and started kicking cultist butt!

As the sounds of battle got ever closer Neve's hopes rose. From where she was forced to kneel at the foot of Darke's chair she thought, 'I'm saved!' And she looked triumphantly and Darke and tried to mock him through the gag, "Mmmph!" 'You're gonna get it!'

Annoyed Darke responded by pulling her head back by the hair and putting a dagger to her throat! Then the four fighting females burst in! Smirking Darke said, "Piper Halliwell, so good of you to come and deliver yourself into captivity!"

Raising an eyebrow, and tapping her shoe on the wooden attic floor, Piper stood with Paige to her left and Kari to her right and responded, "Well mr?"

"Dr Damien Darke, leader of the cult of the great eldritch things at your service my dear!" Darke replied cooly.

"Well Dr Darke, since we have killed off your monsters, shattered your force field and beaten the crap out of your cultists, how do you figure that I am your captive?" Piper said and gesturing to a woman hiding behind a chest in the corner continued, "Is your little friend in the corner going to stop us?" Piper questioned with a smile on her face.

Looking at Kari, Paige whispered, "He's nuts!" Kari nodded and made the familiar motion with her finger indicating that.

"Do I expect assistant high priestess Paine to capture you? Oh no my dear little witch, that is the currently assigned task of the high priestess!" Darke replied with unnerving confidence.

Paige butted in before Piper could answer and said, "And does this high priestess and witch catcher have a name?"

With an evil grin Darke replied, "Yes, what was her name? Oh, Halliwell, Phoebe Halliwell!"

"PHOEBE?" CRASH! The shocked exclamation from Piper, Paige and Kari was interrupted by the shattering of a potion bottle in their midst! The sleeping potion had a nigh instantaneous effect and like puppets with their strings cut, the trio collapsed to the floor!

Piper fought to stay conscious but couldn't resist the potion for long. As her vision faded the last thing she saw was Phoebe's smirking face...



Cousins and Cultists part 10:"OK you got me there!"

Piper's head swam as she slowly regained consciousness. As her eyes focused she saw Paige and Kari lying on the floor, both bound and gagged! Paige was securely tied with white nylon ropes. Her wrists were tied behind her back and her elbows leashed together about 2" apart. More ropes below her breasts and around her waist pinned her arms to her body. Her legs were also tied above and below her knees and at the ankles. Finally her mouth was covered with multiple strips of white tape and her bulging cheeks showed something was packed in her mouth to keep her quiet! Kari was bound in nearly identical fashion except for two things. Kari was tied with hempen ropes and hogtied as well. Piper found herself also tied with hempen ropes at the wrists, elbows, above and below her knees and at her ankles. To her surprise she discovered, 'No ropes to hold my arms to my body and no gag? What does that mean? Paige and Neve are tied such that they can be easily carried, but Kari isn't. And my bonds indicate that either they aren't as worried about me as Paige or they have something else planned!'

"Piper's awake!" Phoebe announced and kneeling beside Piper pulled her into a sitting position. "Too bad you aren't going to be the head witch anymore Piper! My new friends and I are taking Paige away with us and leaving you behind!"

Turning her head and glaring at Phoebe, Piper demanded, "Phoebe have you lost your mind?!!! You've betrayed us! Gone evil! Again!"

"Don't be silly Piper, you know full well that you are the evil one! I am just going to get poor Paige away from your influence."

Piper's jaw dropped in shock and then she sputtered, "Exactly what evil do you think I have done?"

"You turned Paige against me and drove Cole away!" Phoebe accused.

Rolling her eyes Piper said, "Oh please! That's nuts! This cult must have brainwashed you!"

Before replying Phoebe accepted a cup of tea from a cultist and downed it in a single long gulp. As she looked at Piper again her eyes got much wilder and she said, "Silly Piper, my brain wasn't dirty!"

"OK, so they are giving you mind altering drugs!" Piper corrected.

"Don't change the subject! You got Prue killed!" Phoebe accused.

"WHAT???" Piper angrily yelped.

"Demon hunting outside the manor in broad daylight? It must have been your idea! Prue wasn't that stupid!" Phoebe continued.

Through clenched teeth Piper replied, "It was her idea!"

"So you are calling our poor deceased sister Prue stupid!" Phoebe concluded and shed a single tear!

"AAAAAAARGH!!!" Piper screamed in frustration!

"And you let Paige date a killer midget!" Phoebe finished her accusations.

"OK you got me there!" Piper wearily responded and thought, 'That it was a deal to get help to save Paige and Phoebe's lives won't make a bit of difference at this point!'

"Great! Admitting you have a problem is the first step towards recovery!" Phoebe said and standing up and walking away gestured to a couple of cultists. She didn't notice the cultists look to Dr Darke, who nodded in affirmation, before they obeyed. Their obedience consisted of picking up Paige and Neve and carrying them out of the attic.

Phoebe turned back at the door and turning to priestess Paine said,"You will finish up here so they won't follow us anytime soon?" The evil priestess nodded and Phoebe turned to Piper and said, "Even though you are evil, I still don't want to kill my own sister. So my friends will finish tying and gagging you. I just wanted to have our little talk first!" With that Phoebe left and Paine approached Piper.

The evil priestess kneeled beside Piper and a couple of flunkies towered over them both. Paine smiled as she said, "Now about the manner of your death!"

"I knew that was coming!" Piper grumbled and Paine began to speak...

Cousins and Cultists part 11:"the last five were gratuitous"

"I really wanted to give you a slow, lingering death but we are short of time." Paine explained as she knelt beside Piper watching her minions work. Said minions were each screwing a small hook into the wood of the attic. One hook was going into the ceiling and the other into the floor.

"Oh isn't that a shame!" Piper sarcastically replied, "Did our attack on the grounds make too much noise in supernatural circles? Clearing out of here in a hurry?"

Scowling Paine admitted, "Yes, popping the force field as you did will draw all sorts of attention from do gooders coming to investigate. We of course intended to kill you and this one,"she pointed to Kari and continued, "all along. However it was only after you did so much damage that my faction gained enough leverage to make you suffer! A slit throat, which is how Darke would have killed you, just isn't sufficient punishment for your transgressions!"

"Speaking of transgressions, did you do anything to Phoebe before drugging her?" Piper questioned.

"Just the seven hours of Chinese water torture to break her mind." Paine replied with an ecstatic look in her eyes.

"She lasted seven hours?" Piper responded impressed.

Smirking Paine responded, "Well she lasted just under two hours, the last five were gratuitous fun for me!"

"WHAT?" Piper furiously responded "YOU B MMMMMMMPH!!!" but Paine shoved a large wad of cloth into her open mouth.

She then forced a long strip of white cloth between Piper's lips and pulling it tight, tied it behind her head. Then she applied strips of white tape to Piper's already gagged mouth saying, "Sorry witch, but Dr Darke doesn't know about the extra torture and you aren't going to tell anybody! Beside you probably have a knot untying spell you are just waiting to say!" With that Paine gestured to her two flunkies and having finished their work they came over and hauled Piper to her feet.


Piper was then carried and put down next to the floor hook. As she watched in growing concern two more ropes were produced. One was attached to her ankle ropes and the other to her wrist bonds. The first rope was then tied to the floor hook and the second to the ceiling hook. "MMMMPH!!!!" Piper protested as the rope attached to the ceiling hook was tightened. She was quite unhappy as doing this pulled her arms up and forced her to bend forward! 'Now I know why they didn't tie my arms to my body.' Piper thought and concluded, 'This is worse!'


Smiling with sadistic glee Paine went on one knee in front of Piper and said, "The reason you are tied like that is for a variation on an old theme."

'Just don't say the old theme is witch burning!' Piper thought but,

"The old theme is of course witch burning!" Paine gloated.

"MMMMMPH!!!" Piper protested but Paine just laughed!

"Now you see I have planted an incendiary in the old fashioned dial ringer phone on the first floor. After we leave and get a few miles away I will call and the ringer will ignite the charge! It will then spread to the newspapers, gasoline, and various other flammables throughout the house! Brilliant isn't it?"

Bending her neck up and looking her in the eye Piper shook her head no and thought, 'You stole that idea from a Charlie's Angels episode!'

Seeing Piper's look Paine said, "Apparently you know about Charlie's Angels too. But that's OK. The episode was appropriately called Magic Fire. And you aren't going to tell anyone are you?" Paine snickered and finished her explanation, "The reason I had you tied like this is that I think you will suffer more! You see bent forward like this the flames should ignite your hair soon after it reaches your feet! And after that well ..." Paine stopped talking as her sadistic face lit up with great joy!

Still grinning she had one final thing for Piper as she left, "Oh, I'll call you!"

'She is even stealing the villian's lines from Charlie's Angels!' Piper grumbled and began to struggle against her bonds.

Five minutes later Piper heard the phone ring and the incendiary went off! The newspapers and gasoline ignited and the flames began to spread rapidly...



Cousins and Cultists part 12:"I would rather be dry!"

'It's too warm in here.' Kari thought as she finally threw off the effects of the sleeping potion and smelling the smoke from theflames burning below discovered, 'Because the house is on fire!' Squirming arouind she spotted Piper and thought, 'She's no help! I'll have to get us out of this!'

Meanwhile Piper was thinking, 'Leo could have been killed by the demonic dogpack and Kari's no help so I will have to figure a way out of this. But how?'

Working swiftly Kari arched her body and got hold of her left heel. Twisting the heel off revealed a small but very sharp blade. Then she got to work on her hogtie rope.

"BOOOOOOM!" A large chunk of the ceiling exploded taking the hook Piper was tethered to with it! Off balance she fell to her knees and thought, 'I have to untie the rope from the other hook, blowing the floor and dropping into the fire would be a really bad idea!'

Piper had just gotten the rope tethering her to the floor ring untied when Kari scooted up beside her. Kari had severed the hogtie rope and her wrist bonds but couldn't reach her elbow ropes. The flames were climbing the stairs and looking at each other the cousins realized that continuing as they were, they would run out of time!

"MMMMPH!!!" Piper yelled and turning her head lowered her gagged mouth towards Kari's hands and thought, I hope she gets it the first time!'

'I hope she has something up her sleeve. But might as well give her idea, whatever it may be, a shot!' Kari thought as she reached for the tape on Piper's mouth.

"MMMMMMPH!!!" Piper urged Kari on as the tape came off and the fire came into sight! 'OK the tape's off, now get this out of my mouth!'

Kari hooked a finger under the cloth strip and yanked it down! Piper tounged out the cloth packing her mouth and said,
"Not by the power of three,"
"But by the power of one,"
"Kari and I must be free"
"So let all these knots be undone!"

With the spell completed all the two ladies had to do was squirm out of the now unsecured ropes and then Piper gestured and BOOM! She blew out the front side of the attic and the two hurried to the hole. Then they jumped into the pool below! Luckily all of the monsters had emerged earlier and they climbed out unharmed but quite soggy! Right after they did so, as Kari was fixing her shoe, Leo orbed back in. He looked like he had been through a war.

After they made sure that each other was all right Piper started ringing out her hair and said, "Oh honey, if you had just gotten back ten seconds earlier!"

"Piper!" Kari interjected, "It's better how it was. If Leo had taken us from the house instead of jumping then he would have saved us. This way we did it all ourselves. We are empowered."

Raising an eyebrow, Piper responded, "I would rather be dry!"




Cousins and Cultists part 13:"you won't be living that long!"

In a van carrying members of the cult and their two prisoners, Neve and Paige, the youngest of the Charmed Ones awakened. She was groggy, confused and blindfolded. She felt the cords around her wrists, elbows and torso and by tilting her head was able to see just a little. That little showed her that her legs were tied above and below the knees and at the ankles and she thought, 'Trussed up like a turkey, with a rag in my mouth, my lips taped shut,' and feeling a tightness around her throat she realizes that she has 'a blasted leather collar too! Who is responsible for this?' Then she feels an arm around her shoulders and hears a familiar voice.

"Paige is awake!" Phoebe announced and pulled Paige closer to her. Although Paige couldn't see it, her sister now had one arm around Paige and the other around Neve Star who was similarly bound and gagged. Phoebe began to talk about how happy she was that they were together, how evil Piper was, and most alarmingly said, "And my friends will deprogram you Paigey waigy! And then you will be just like me!"

Paige angrily objected, "MMMMMMMPH!!!" 'I didn't want to be like Phoebe even before she went nuts! Wait I feel the van slowing down, maybe it is coming to a stoplight? I will just do a blind orb out and hope for the best!' Seconds later the van did come to a stop and Paige orbed away.

Or tryed to anyway! A red light flared from the collar and she went nowhere! Phoebe said "Silly Paige, that collar is enchanted! I fixed it to neutralize your powers! It wasn't easy but since you are only half whitelighter it did the trick! "

As Paige fumed a woman's voice from the front of the van said, "And it is a great place to attach a leash as well!"

"That's a neat idea priestess Paine! Until we deprogram Paige she can be my pet!" Phoebe agreed.

"MMMMMMPH!!!" Paige wasn't too happy with the idea but had no say in the matter. About thirty minutes later the van reached its destination and the captives were carried inside. Just before her blindfold was removed Paige felt Phoebe attach a leash to her collar and attach the leash to the wall. Then after removing the blindfold, she petted Paige like a dog and left! As her vision cleared Paige saw Neve on the floor across the large storeroom and priestess Paine standing nearby.

Making certain that Phoebe was out of earshot Paine announced, "Don't worry about the deprogramming, you won't be living that long!" Then she left chuckling and slammed the door behind her! Paige was helpless but noticed 'Neve isn't attached to anything, I hope she can understand what I need her to do!' With that Paige turned so Neve could see her hands and started making come here gestures with her fingers.

'What does she expect me to do?' Neve wondered but then saw more of Paige's actions and realized, 'She pointed to the knots on her wrists ropes. She must want me to scoot over there and untie her!' Pleased with her deduction Neve then turned towards Paige and began to push herself across the floor...

Cousins and Cultists part 14:"Luckily she has such a big mouth!"

Slowly and with considerable effort Neve pushed her tightly bound body across the floor. Paige waited inpatiently and while it seemed an eternity it only took about ten minutes. Then Neve began to work on Paige's wrists bonds while the youngest Charmed one thought, 'Hurry up already! They could come back anytime!'

Meanwhile Kari was driving and coming to a stop sign asked, "Which way now Leo?" Leo wearily pointed to the right and Kari made the turn and commented, "He doesn't look so good Piper. You really shouldn't have had him dry us out. It's all he can do now to direct us towards your sisters."

Scowling Piper responded, "Men! He should have told me he was about to drop after taking out the dog things. But no you had to be macho and hey!" Piper noticed Leo had fallen asleep during the start of her tirade, and shaking him continued, "Stay awake when I'm talking to you!"

Back in the storeroom Paige was lying on her side so Neve could reach her elbow ropes. Her wrists had already been freed but it had taken precious time. The minutes passed as Neve worked with cramping fingers but finally, 'Got it! Her elbows are free so now she just has to untie herself and then me!' Neve thought and laid down to rest. But then she heard a door slam and someone come down the hall!

Paige put her arms together behind her back and sat on the ropes that Neve had untied. Then the door opened and Phoebe came in. Unbeknownst to the cult, Phoebe had consumed even more of the special tea that they were using on her. She really liked it, and even though priestess Paine had said Phoebe couldn't have anymore today she had stolen a large quantity of it. As a result of this overdose of the drugged tea Phoebe was far more deranged than the cult had planned. So she had come back and announced her intention to, "Walk the dog, err witch! I'll untie your ankles and lead you around on the leash!" With that she knelt and untied Paige's ankles and belatedly noticed Neve nearby, "Weren't you across the room? Were you trying to escape? Naughty Neve!" Pulling Paige to her feet she unhooked the leash from the wall and said, "I'll just take these ropes Paige was sitting on," As she bent down to pick up the ropes a thought penetrated her drug clouded mind and she yelped, "SITTING ON?"

But it was too late! WHAM! With the ropes still around her body Paige couldn't raise her arms to fight. But bending over had brought Phoebe's jaw to where she could reach it! Hindered by the ropes it wasn't a very strong blow, but it put Phoebe facedown on the floor!

Neve had to pull her legs out of the way as Phoebe fell and suddenly realized, 'I can lift my feet and bring both down on the back of her head!' And so she did! It wasn't a mighty blow either but it slammed Phoebe's head into the floor again and stunned her!

A few minutes later Phoebe started to come around and heard Paige say, "There is something around this place that keeps me from orbing out. So we will have to sneak out with Phoebe."

"Lucky we found that push mop and that I recently did a headhunter movie." Neve commented. Then they picked up the mop handle and Phoebe! They had taken the mop handle off and tied Phoebe to it headhunter style. Her wrists and ankles were tied over the top of the mop and it was being used to carry her while she hung from it! Phoebe tried to protest this treatment but her mouth was quite full.

"Oh yeah Phoebe about that. We didn't have anything else so we put our gags on you."

"Luckily she has such a big mouth!" Neve commented as they carried Phoebe away and began trying to sneak out of the building...

Cousins and Cultists part 15:we are going to play drop the Phoebe!

Paige and Neve found themselves in an underground complex of poorly lit tunnels. There were rooms running off of the tunnels, some with electric lights and some with the glowing fungi that illuminated the tunnels. In response to a question from Neve Paige said, "I'll bet that the lesser used rooms get the fungi and the more important ones get the lightbulbs." She turned and looked down at her brainwashed sister and said, "Nod if that's right Phoebe." Phoebe just glared back at her and refused to answer.

Then Neve dropped her! WHAM! Phoebe's butt hit the floor hard and "MMMMMMPH!!! she yelped in protest.

Neve grabbed Phoebe's hair and pulling it back said, "Look you brainwashed, drug addled, moron, I am having a really bad day! I would have been rescued by now if not for you! So you are going to nod yes or no for Paige whenever she asks you something, or we are going to play drop the Phoebe! Over and over and over again!" Cowed Phoebe nodded at Neve and when Paige repeated her question confirmed the part about the rooms.

"Great, now Phoebe whenever we have to make a choice on which way to go you going to tell us, right?" Her butt still sore from the first drop Phoebe nodded in agreement. With that she was picked up again and they started on their way out. They didn't notice an inhuman figure turn the corner and begin to follow them!

Meanwhile Leo had directed Kari's jeep to a condemned warehouse near the waterfront. Kari picked the lock and they went in to find it, "Empty?" Piper said in confusion and looked at Leo.

Leo focused and detected, "There are tunnels and rooms under this warehouse." And with that he led them to a seemingly blank wall and began running his hands along it.

Piper tapped her shoe impatiently and said, Leo, next time you are hurt tell me, I want to know!" Kari joined the search as Leo nodded in agreement and suddenly a section of wall slid open.

Piper went to step through the secret door but Leo leaped in front and pushed her away! "LEO!" She angrily began, then Leo fell back with a crossbow bolt in his torso!

Moments later Kari had gotten the bolt out and was checking the door for further traps. Piper had Leo's head in her lap and as he started to come around she thought, 'That would have gotten me right in the heart! I have to be more careful. Luckily Leo will be good as new in an hour or two!' Then Leo opened his eyes and said, "Since you said you wanted to know, that hurt like hell!" Piper smiled and gently laid Leo's head onto Kari's folded jacket. Then she and Kari left him to rest and began descending a long dark staircase...

Cousins and Cultists part 16:just came closer...

Descending into the shadows and darkness with the only light coming from the fungi on the wall bothered Kari and she asked, "Can't you do something to get us some light? There could be more traps or monsters here!"

"Well, Leo gave me this charm bracelet for my birthday. If I rub it like this," She does and it glows with a soft golden light which illuminates a large area and, "It should show us no traps just a pack of faceless winged monsters. MONSTERS!" With that the monsters swooped down to the attack!

Meanwhile Neve heard something behind her and turned her head. Seeing a trio of hunchbacked red eyed, green skinned, clawed monsters she screamed, "EEEEEEEEK!!!"

"MMMMMPH!!!" Phoebe yelped as they dropped her and she hit the floor again!

Thinking quickly Paige orbed to the side and attracted the ghouls attention! They turned to pursue her but she orbed again and again confusing them. Finally the trio were right where she wanted them all lined up and she said, "Mop handle!" The handle disappeared from where Phoebe was tied to it and reappeared in Paige's hand and then went right through all three ghouls! Then she and Neve yanked Phoebe to her feet and Paige said, "Had to use the mop handle so start hopping Phoebe!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Piper took out monster after monster and Kari shot the last one. However the dying monster collided with Piper and she fell from the stairway! "AAAAAAAH!" Piper screamed until she hit some sort of springy net! The impact of her fall tore the net loose and it slowly sagged to the ground. As it did Piper got hopelessly tangled up in the sticky net. She tried to get up, tried to struggle free, but only made things worse! She was soon wrapped up from her mouth all the was to her ankles in the net! Then by the light of her bracelet she realized that it wasn't a net afterall, 'It's a giant spider web! And here comes the angry and hungry spider!' As a spider the size of a horse approached Piper let out a muffled scream, "MMMMMMPH!!!" But the spider just came closer....



Cousins and Cultists part 17:'OK so that's what she was screaming about!'


The giant spider was only a second away when BLAM! A shot rang out and knocked it back! Having raced down the stairs to discover Piper's peril, Kari now emptied her .45 into the monster! With a horrific cry the spider collapsed dead! Catching her breath Kari walked towards Piper who screamed, "MMMMMMMMPH!!!"

"Relax Piper I will cut you loose just as soon as I get," She pauses as her arms are grabbed by two men and a pair of large daggers are pressed to her throat, "a knife. Ah nuts!" As her arms are jerked behind her back by the two men the dagger wielding women cover her mouth with their hands and immobilize her with the threat of a slit throat, Kari thinks, 'OK so that's what she was screaming about!'

Paige and Neve ran into a another group of cultists who whipped out their daggers and prepared to charge when Neve said, "HOLD IT!" They paused for a moment startled and Neve continued, "Your leader Dr Darke wants us alive for sacrifice, put those sharp pointy things away before someone gets hurt!"

The cultists were angered by this but one said, "She's right, Darke will kill us if we ruin the sacrifices. All of their blood belongs to the GREAT ELDRITCH THINGS!!! We will take them with our bare hands!"

Then they charged and Paige thought, 'I need something large to toss at them. But there is nothing to use, except,' "PHOEBE!!!" With that she orbed Phoebe who disappeared and then reappeared 4' off the ground and horizontal! She struck the cultists like a bowling ball and Paige said, "STRIKE!" She and Neve then rushed up and finished off the stunned cultists with the pommels of their own daggers!

Afterwards Neve jerked a battered Phoebe to her feet and said, "Neat idea, but I don't know how much more your bowling ball can take!"

"Mmmmph!" Phoebe whimpered and nodded affirmatively, pleading with her eyes.

"She just had to take one for the team. Even if she doesn't want to be on our side right now!" They proceeded down the tunnels following Phoebe's grumpily given nods. Then they heard a large number of footsteps approaching and ducked into a side tunnel. As they dragged Phoebe down the side tunnel the first of a large group of cultists began to pass by. They had gotten almost to the next corner of the next tunnel when ...



Cousins and Cultists part 18:"You might just have a future here!"

"MMMMMMMMPH!!!!!" Phoebe's scream echoed through the tunnels! Hearing this the cultists turned and saw the trio! Then they charged! Less than 20 seconds later the cultists had almost caught up to them and Paige had no choice but to once again say,

"PHOEBE!!!" and used her sister as a human bowling ball once again! More cultists were close behind those so she and Neve had no choice but to run for it leaving Phoebe behind. But in her current condition that was what Phoebe wanted anyway!

Grumbling the bruised minions dragged Phoebe back to a large room where Dr Darke, priestess Paine, and the recaptured Piper and Kari waited. Piper was still wrapped up in the spider's webbing and Kari had been tied up again. As before she was gagged with cloth and duct tape,bound at the wrists, ankles, above and below the knees, at the elbows and around her torso. This time however she was being forced to kneel in front of Dr Darke at his left hand. A furious Piper had been forced to kneel at his right hand. Not looking too happy himself, Dr Darke looked at four men trembling in a corner and in chilling tone of voice demanded to know, "Why weren't you fools guarding the third sister and miss Star?"

One of the men was shoved out as a spokeman and pointing at Phoebe said, "Priestess Halliwell told us we were relieved and to go to the party being held by priestess Paine's followers." With that he glanced and waved at some female cultists in the other corner.

Scowling at both the recovering Phoebe and the men Darke replied, "Didn't there not being an party when you got there give you a hint that something was wrong?"

"But oh great one, there was an party!" The men replied. " A REALLY good party!"

Darke looked at the followers of Paine one of whom pointed to Phoebe and said, "She told us to go have an party and enjoy ourselves and said it was on priestess Paines orders. And disobeying her is not not wise, in fact it can be quite painful! We were kind of angry at first but as soon as we had some of priestess Phoebe's punch we all loosened up and had fun!" She then blew a kiss to one of the men.

Looking at the sweaty, disheveled condition of both groups Darke could well imagine what the guards had been doing during the escape and turning he looked at Phoebe and said, "So priestess Halliwell you lied, drugged the punch, and coldy used other members of the cult to advance your own personal whims. As if they were nothing more than pawns" Phoebe looked downcast and then Darke continued, "You might just have a future here!" But he thought, 'I'll have to watch her very closely!' And continued "This is how we are going to recapture the sacrifices..."

Cousins and Cultists part 19:"we can always start over!"

Hiding in a storeroom, Paige and Neve heard an announcement over a hidden speaker system, "For the glory of the Great Eldritch Things we shall put one of their enemies to death." Paige and Neve looked at each other worriedly and the voice continued, "Everyone report to the special chamber on level 4. There the witch, Piper Halliwell's blood will flow!" With that Paige heard a nearby search party stop and start walking away. Peeking around the corner Paige began to tail them. Afraid to be left alone Neve followed.

Meanwhile on level 4 a protesting Piper was taken to the end of a tunnel and strapped standing to the wall. Normally a victim would have had their hands and feet strapped in X fashion and a final strap at the waist. However since Piper was still webbed up from her mouth down to her ankles only the waist strap could be used. As she was strapped in she noticed a linked chain running down the tunnel. 'That looks like it is designed to pull something down the tunnel and into this wall. Into me that is!' Piper worriedly thought.

Dr Darke soon confirmed her suspicions, "You see my dear, I need to get your sister down here, thus the announcement of your execution. And then I need to make her do something rash so we can recapture her. Now if I just threatened to cut your throat and Paige wasn't here yet then it would do me no good. But by slowly introducing you to," He gestured at the other end of the track there was lowered, "an iron maiden, I solve that problem!" As Piper looked at the iron maiden's many sharp spikes, Darke continued, "As soon as my minions all arrive I will start it moving at 1' per second, so it will take 100 seconds before the spikes reach you." Piper grew paler and Darke concluded, "That should cause your sister to reveal herself. And if
she doesn't appear before the 90' mark, we can always start over!"

"MMMMMMMPH!!!" Piper angrily protested but it did no good. Dr Darke left the 30' tunnel and went back into the main room and awaited his audience. Noting that Phoebe had been put to sleep(no, not that way, drugged unconscious) he then started the iron maiden on it's way!

Observing from a side tunnel Paige thought, 'So I have to get past dozens of armed cultists and Dr Darke to save Piper. And I have to do it fast! Here goes nothing!' And then....

Cousins and Cultists part 20:and she was struck down!

"HI GUYS, LOOKING FOR ME?" Neve shouted and waved to the cultists! Seeing her down at the end of the passageway, Paige caught on to what Neve was doing and shrank back into the corner. Then about half of the cultists charged after Neve who began to lead them a merry chase! Paige held her breath as they ran by fearful of discovery. However she was not noticed and thought, 'Well that will make things easier!' And with that she stepped into the room and attacked!

Twenty precious seconds had been lost when Piper finally heard Paige's voice calling various objects so she could orb them. Webbed up and strapped to the wall, all Piper could do was watch the approaching spikes and listen to the battle.

'They're gaining on me, have to hide!' Neve thought as her headstart over her pursuers continued to shrink! She then turned a corner to head back to their old hiding place and ran right into a cultist! As she was taken to the ground, overpowered and bound Neve realized, 'I should have known that someone would take another tunnel and head me off! I just hope Paige rescues her sister and they rescue me!'

Meanwhile Paige was fighting for her and Piper's lives! Orbing like she never had before she was able to stay one step ahead of the cultists and batter them with loose objects! But it was taking too long! Over forty seconds had passed since she started her attack and the iron maiden now approached the tunnel! A number of cultists, including Dr Darke himself, guarded the large, old, tuning fork shaped switch, that would stop the iron maidens movement. With time running out, Paige orbed a dagger at Darke but it was stopped by a dark amulet around his neck! "Yow! Paige yelped as the amulet not only stopped the dagger but sent it back at her! Barely avoiding the dagger Paige desperately called out, "Switch!" And the switch came,
the iron maiden didn't stop since the switch had been broken and not thrown, but the switch did come! Realizing her error, Paige said, "OH CRA" WHACK! Her curse was interrupted when she was struck down from behind! Her momentary hesitation had allowed a cultist to catch up to her and she was struck down!

As Paige was being secured by the cultists the iron maiden continued towards Piper! It was in the tunnel now and no one could see in or out through the maiden. Piper saw it coming 20' away, 15', 10', 9! She let out a muffled scream "MMMMMMPH!!!"

And from outside the tunnel Kari saw the iron maiden stop as it impacted the end of the tunnel. And Piper screamed no more!

Cousins and Cultists part 21:What are we going to do now?"

Seconds earlier, Piper had thought, 'Got my fingers through a hole in this web but my hand is pointing the wrong way!' The iron maiden was now only 5' away but Piper had a thought, 'Why not try blowing up the wall? I have nothing to lose!' BOOM! The wall exploded outwards and seawater rushed in! Piper fell back into the ocean just ahead of the spikes! Since Paige had accidentially broken the controls the iron maiden acted as a cork for the hole Piper had made. So the cult's lair only had a slow leak and didn't notice it yet. However Piper wasn't thinking about that, she was worried about, 'Drowning! Leo help!'


Meanwhile Paige had been bound, gagged, and collared with Phoebe's enchanted restraint. Soon she, Kari and Neve were all bound at the wrists, elbows, knees and ankles, gagged and hogtied. As she came around Paige heard priestess Paine say, "Rest up dearies, you are being sacrificed at midnight!" Paige didn't really care about that right now, she just wept silently for the apparently dead Piper!

Speaking of Piper, just when her lungs were about to burst a familiar figure orbed in beneath her. Seconds later she was back in the warehouse being cut loose by Leo who said, "I didn't hear anything from you until you were in the harbor. It was really clever of you to realize that the cult's lair had to be below sea level and that blowing the wall would get you out. And of course you realized that in the harbor the cult's spells wouldn't keep me from orbing to you! Right?"

"Actually I was just desperate and lucky!" Piper admitted and worriedly said, Leo, I don't know how to rescue the others! What are we going to do now?"

Frowning Leo said, "Cults like to do their sacrifices at midnight. That gives us a few hours to try and find something or somebody to help even the odds. Let's go back to the manor and try and find something there." Piper wearily nodded and they orbed out. It was now 8:58, the sacrifices now had just over 3 hours to live!

TBC

Cousins and Cultists part 22:"Yes a very special part indeed!"

As Kari, Neve and Paige lay in their cell, bound, gagged and guarded, Kari thought, 'Now this just isn't fair! Having a couple of goons watching us means I can't use my hidden stiletto in another escape attempt. Unless they leave and give me time to work, there is no chance to escape. And with Piper dead there is no one left to rescue us!'

Shortly thereafter Phoebe awoke from her drugged sleep and was presented with a nice short white dress. Dr Darke was there and said, "Do put it on dear, dear Phoebe. You have a special part to play in the ceremony tonight."

"OK Doc, whatever you say!" The befuddled and indoctrinated Phoebe replied and went to change.

She didn't hear Darke softly say with a diabolical smile, "Yes a very special part indeed!"

Meanwhile at Halliwell Manor the clock struck ten! Pacing worriedly Piper thought, 'Dozens of crazed cultists and who knows how many more monsters the cult has down there! Where can I get the help I need to defeat them?' Just then Leo orbed back in and Piper sarcastically said, "I guess the Elders were no help as usual?"

"The Elders are very nervous! The Great Eldritch Things the cult worships are very old. Older than the Source and far more deadly!"

"Far more deadly?" Piper worriedly repeated and asked "How much more?".

"They used the term girl scout troop in reference to the Source and company!" Leo said and as Piper paled he continued, "If they do return it will be the end!"

"Well did they give you anything to help us?" Piper asked.

"Yes," Leo replied and pulling a foot long wooden box out of his back pocket, said "this box contains a wand with the remaining power of a infamous queen of evil. The Elders only released the wand due to this threat. Only you can use it."

"Only I can use it?" puzzled Piper said and thinking out loud continued, "Why? Was I related to this evil queen?"

Grimacing Leo said, "Actually far in the past, over a milennia before the Warren line began, you were that dark queen. And unlike Phoebe you were actually good at it!"

Piper's eyes widened and her mouth gaped open in shock as she stammered out, "Who?"

Leo replied, "Surely you have heard of C....


Cousins and Cultists part 23:I'm so glad you are here, ......"

"Circe? Turn men into swine Circe? That was me?" Piper exclaimed with a mixture of awe and wonder!

"Yes, that was you in a past life. You did all that and more, lots more! But that's another story!" Leo answered and continued, "The important thing is that the wand will help with the cultists. As long as it's power holds out, that is. That way we can save our strength for whatever monsters are left. The Elders aren't sure if the monsters will be affected or not."

Piper took out the long black wand and felt the power within, the power to change humans into animals. She was tempted but resisting put the wand back into it's case. "I'll leave it in the case until I need to use it. Aftrwards, you will have to take it back to the Elders. I don't want to do the evil queen thing again!"

Leo smiled in approval and said, "we still need to come up with something to help out with those monsters though!"

"Perhaps I can be of assistance?" A voice said from the door! Whirling Piper and Leo saw a white haired and bearded old man. A man that they had met once before.

Stepping forth Piper hugged the old man and said, "I'm so glad you are here, ......"


Cousins and Cultists part 24:"So I lied."

"Merlin, we can really use your help!" Piper said as she hugged the legendary wizard. Releasing him, she asked, "Do you have any idea how we can deal with all those monsters?"

"Yes, my dear lady, I do. Since this cult has been summoning so many monsters to serve it, we need to summon some help of our own!"

"What do you have in mind?" Piper asked and as Merlin explained, Piper's jaw dropped and then she began to smile.

Meanwhile back at the cult's lair, Phoebe now wearing the white dress Darke had provided was taken to see Paige, Neve and Kari. Seeing the three of them looking so anxious and fearful, Phoebe knelt down beside Paige and peeled the tape from her mouth. After Phoebe removed the cloth packing her mouth Paige cleared her throat and whispering to Phoebe said, "Phoebe listen to me! They are going to sacrifice the three of us and at midnight and they already killed Piper!"

Of course in her current drugged and brainwashed state Phoebe turned to Dr Darke and said, "Silly Paige thinks you are going to sacrifice her tonight! But that can't be true since you said that she and I would be together forever, right?"

"Yes, my you two will be together, until the the end." Darke replied and motioned to a couple of his minions who tackled Phoebe!

Caught by surprise Phoebe was pinned to the floor and her arms pulled together behind her back. Hemp ropes were produced and her arms stringently tied back at the wrists and elbows! Phoebe protested to Dr Darke, "You said I had a future with the cult!"

As more of his minions bound Phoebe's legs Darke shrugged his shoulders and smiling said, "So I lied."

Cousins and Cultists part 25:could hear strange clanking noises...


"I don't wanna, MMMMMPH!!!" Phoebe's complaint was cut off as a large sponge was shoved into her mouth!

As a couple of cultists wrapped duct tape all the way around her head to secure the gag, Paige bitterly said, "Phoebe stop whining and take your gag like a witch! The rest of us have, and besides this is all your fault!" Darke chuckled at this but had Paige gagged again as well. However unlike Phoebe, Paige didn't whimper at the packing and wrapping but just glared defiantly at her captors! Once that was done the four captives were picked up and carried away!

Meanwhile in the warehouse above the cult's lair preparations were were being made. A entire crew of Whitelighters had been busy bringing in certain items requested by Merlin. Incantations were spoken and spells cast. Soon all was in readiness.

The four captives were taken down to the deepest level of the cult's lair. 'It's hot down here!' Paige thought as she was carried to a steel post and put down. There were several such posts but only two were used. Neve and Kari were put back to back at one post and Paige and Phoebe at the other. They were then chained back to back. 'Yes together with Phoebe to the end, just terrific! ' Paige indulged in a bit of self pity.

BOOM! Piper blew out the secret door to avoid any new traps and she, Leo, Merlin and began to descend into the depths. Following them you could hear strange clanking noises...


Cousins and Cultists part 26:Is that wrong?"

Blowing out the door didn't go unnoticed however and soon Paine reported to Dr Darke that, "Intruders have entered the base! Should I send the monsters or the death squads?"

"Send everything we have. Nothing must interrupt the sacrifices!" As Paine hastened to obey Darke turned to his priests and priestesses and said, "Begin the summoning at once!"

"Mmmph?" Paige questioned and thought,'Summoning? What is going on here?"

Smirking Darke stroked her cheek and deigned to explain, "This isn't any ordinary sacrifice little witch! My servants are summoning the greatest of the Great Eldritch Things creatures. Soon it will arrive."


'Yeah, yeah!' Paige rolled her eyes and thought, 'I wish this long winded villian would go ahead and get down to cases already!'

"One of them will then possess the creature and consume the four of you! This will allow them to use the magic in your blood to break
through and devastate the Earth! The works of humanity will be thrown down and a new age of darkness and terror will begin!"

Paige's eyes widened with shock and she thought, 'I take it back! Being murdered is bad enough without knowing countless others will soon follow! He's insane!' With that Paige shook her head vigorously no and began a chorus of objection(as the other three sacrifices joined in) "MMMPH!" "MMMMMPH!!!"

Darke folded his arms and smiling said, "I just want to destroy the world as you know it for my own personal gain. Is that wrong?"

"MMMMMPH!!!" 'Damn straight it is!' Paige thought.

But Darke just shrugged and said, "Too bad, nothing can stop us! As a matter of fact the intruders should have met the first death squad by now. I wonder what Hillary has to say to them?"

RIBBIT! That was the sound made by Hillary and the rest of the first death squad! Wielding Circe's wand Piper had turned them all into frogs! A second and then a third death squad soon joined them! As they advance Piper started giggling and then cackling and Leo thought, 'Piper's having way too much fun with this people to animals thing!'

Then they were confronted by priestess Paine, who stood well behind a wall of dozens of various monsters! Some were like the ones Piper had already seen and others were unknown to her.

"Aren't you supposed to be dead?" Paine called out from behind the monsters.

"Just call me Piper "Houdini" Halliwell," Piper answered and pointing the wand at Paine continued, "and call you a frog!"

Paine laughed as her protective amulet glowed and she was unaffected.

"GOLDFISH!" Piper used Circe's wand on the monsters but only 1/10th of them were affected and the rest started forward! 'Too many to blow them all up, I'll freeze them and unleash our little surprise!' Piper thought and froze the monsters! Then after a second they started moving again!

As Piper grew more and more concerned she froze the monsters again and again but they kept fighting the freezes and faster each time! However she sighed with relief as a dozen suits of armor marched past her and began to chop up the monsters!

"Impressive, but not impressive enough!" Paine said and then making certain gestures in the air continued, "Just as the power of the masters weakened your powers here and protects their creatures" She gestures to the monsters and continues, "so too their power makes it simple to deal with animated objects such and those suits of armor!"

With that a sickly green light filled the cavern and Paine said, "Now what will you do witch?"

With the deanimation spell cast the remaining monsters surged forward and ...


Cousins and Cultists part 27:something emerged from the depths of the Earth

Met a dozen swinging swords! Paine's jaw dropped as the suits of armor resumed their onslaught! Piper smirked as the suits of shining armor wreaked havok upon the monstrous horde! Desperately Paine began to use spell after spell, attempting to stop Piper's unknown allies. After trying spells to kill mortals and to wound Whitelighters Paine concluded, 'If the suits aren't animated by a spell, and don't have a mortal or a Whitelighter inside of them then that leaves only one more possibility!' With her monsters falling like autumn leaves Paine announced, "Very clever witch, you are using ghosts! But this will
banish them!" And she cast a final spell with all the power at her command! The suits staggered for a second but kept on fighting!

Meanwhile the four sacrifices struggled desperately! But it was to no avail! As Paige watched in growing horror the rock at the far end of the cavern began to turn red and soften and she realized, 'This monster they are summoning must live in the depths of the Earth, in molten magma! We will be burnt and eaten at the same time!'

"This is impossible!" Paine cried, "That spell should have stopped any ghosts!"


Smirking Piper pulled the old man forward and yelled at Paine, "By the way have you met my friend Merlin?"

Backpedalling Paine muttered, "Merlin? Ghosts in suits of shining armor? Knights in shining armor? Ghosts I can't banish? Oh! No! You didn't summon the ghosts of the Knights of the Round Table!?"

Piper grinned and Merlin laughed and said, "Of course we did! It wasn't easy to summon them but it was well worth it! With their noble spirits reinforced by the greatest heroic legend of the west, the legend of Camelot, no mortal sorceress can banish them!"

"Get em boys!" Piper excitedly yelled but then remembered, 'Ooops! I promised to stop calling them that! I must have watched too many old Batman episodes with Prue!' Embarrassed as the knights turned to glare at her Piper said, "I'm sorry!" And then she put her hand over her mouth and grumbling the knights resumed their attack!

"We're running out of time! Paige is fighting off panic, and it's almost midnight!" Leo warned.

Fortunately the knights attack had opened a small hole in the monsters lines. So Piper dashed towards it and BOOM, BOOM, made it a little wider! Leaving the knights to mop up, she and Leo raced to rescue Paige and the others! 'Good thing I changed to jeans and running shoes for the rescue!' Piper thought as she moved aside and let Leo lead her to her sisters and cousins!'

Said sisters and cousins were in desperate need of help as the floor of the cavern heated and softened. And then something emerged from the depths of the Earth, something huge ....

Cousins and Cultists part 28:'But what about Piper?'

A gigantic red worm burst from the Earth! It's entrance spewed lava onto a couple of unfortunate cultists! The monster was 10' thick and it's body was divided into 10' long segments! It had a forest of tentacles around it's heavily fanged maw! It rose 20' from the lava, seemed to sniff the air for a moment and then headed right toward Paige and Phoebe! Paige did her best to keep her cool but as the monster approached joined Phoebe in a primal scream, "MMMMMMMPH!!!" But the monster just opened it's enormous maw and....

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! A series of explosions drew blood from the monster and diverted it's attention! All heads turned to the source of the explosions which was of course, Piper! Angered the monster turned towards Piper who realized, 'It's so big and powerful that my power is just like bee stings to it!' As the worm came towards her she froze it for a second and started to run away! Leo followed her as did the monster which unfroze almost instantly!

"MMMMMMPH!!!" Phoebe cried out as Piper and Leo fled with the monster in hot pursuit! Paige regained her cool and thought, 'The monster squished a couple more cultists on it's way out! I hope Piper has a plan!'

Frustrated Darke said, "Now we will have to sacrifice you the old fashioned way!" However a couple of fleeing monsters came into view and were cut down from behind! "Or not!" Darke amended and ran for his life! As the knights cut Paige and the others loose she worried, 'But what about Piper?'

After a long chase Piper and Leo ran into a dead end! They had turned a corner and went into the end of a large cavern. The monster came in after them and...

Cousins and Cultists part 29:"And don't even think about eating me!"

BOOOOOOOM!!! With terrific effort Piper blew up a large section of the wall and the water rushed in! HSSSSS! Steam boiled off of the fiery worm and it howled in pain! As the tunnel began to flood Piper realized, "It's used to much higher tempatures!"

"And the cool seawater could cause it to die from shock!" Leo thinking the same thing added.

Seeing it start to back up(not an easy task for a giant worm btw) Piper said, "We can't let it get away! Leo, instead of us getting into the harbor and your orbing us to safety, you will have to tackle the worm!"

Looking at Piper like she had lost her mind, Leo said, "Exactly, how am I supposed to wrestle a giant monster into the harbor?"

As the water rose to past her knees, Piper said "Well since I was Circe,one of Odysseus's two most infamous foes, you can be the Cyclops!" ZAP!!! Piper used the wand and Leo assumed the form of the legendary monster! He changed into a 15' tall creature with a single eye in the middle of his forehead! "Now take care of that monster!" Seeing Leo looking at her hungrily Piper added, "And don't even think about eating me!" With that Leo shook off the urges of the Cyclops form and turning, attacked the giant worm!

With the tunnel flooding, Piper blew another hole in the back wall and staggered through it. Making her way out of the base she hooked up with the others. Soon they were all on the surface outside the warehouse. She rushed over to the churning waters and a horrible monster emerged!

The knights prepared to attack but Piper giggled and waved them back saying, "No problem, that's just Leo."

"You turned Leo into a Cyclops?" Merlin and Paige both exclaimed in shock. But Piper just grinned and turning to talk to them didn't notice Leo rub his belly and eye Phoebe hungrily!

"And what's wrong with that?" Piper asked as Leo grabbed Phoebe!

"He's about to eat Phoebe!" Paige objected and whirling Piper changed Leo back to normal!

Ashen faced Phoebe started saying something but Piper just embraced Leo and said, "Phoebe, don't thank me. I just didn't want Leo to eat something bad for him!"

Paige snickered but wondered, 'What are we go to do about Phoebe?'

(find out in the epilog to come)

Cousins and Cultists epilog:"who does no wrong,"

"It's all your fault Piper!" Phoebe began, and continued, "You are the oldest sister and should have warned me about the cult! You're sick and need help!"

Piper's face turned red and she started making strangling noises! However Merlin whispered something to Piper and she calmed down! he told Paige as well who said, "You're right Phoebe!"

Surprised Phoebe said, "I am? I mean of course I am!" Shortly thereafter they were in Piper's jeep with Paige driving and Piper handcuffed in the back seat! Phoebe was very happy up front and Piper strangely quiet between Leo and Merlin.

Soon they arrived at the Price Mental Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Merlin went in first to talk to the man in charge a Dr Vincent. Then some orderies escorted them inside and they met Dr Vincent.

As Piper was uncuffed, Dr Vincent stepped up to Paige and said, "So miss Matthews, my old friend Emrys, tells me you have a problem."

"Oh yes, I have a dangerously insane sister,"(Phoebe nods happily and smirks at Piper) "who does no wrong," (Phoebe smirks and giggles) and who was recently brainwashed by a cult."

Phoebe starts to laugh at Piper again but then realization sets in and she says, "Wait a min HEY!" She yelps, as the orderlies grab her from behind and start putting her into a straightjacket! "MMMMPH!" A nurse shoves in a plastic mouthpiece to cover Phoebe's teeth and cuts off her protests!

Moments later, the straightjacket has been secured, Phoebe's mouth taped shut and she has been strapped down to a cot in a padded cell. Piper stands over her and says, "Sorry Phoebe, but you need help and we can't give it to you! Dr Vincent is an old, old, old friend of Merlin's and he has agreed to keep your treatment quiet. Unfortunately so you can't do any more damage, you are going to be in that jacket and this cell, a lot! But don't worry, Dr Vincent has assured me that his new shock therapy will help you!" With that Piper leaves an angry Phoebe in her cell!

"I will have Phoebe deprogrammed within a week. As for the rest of the things you have told me, that may take some time." Dr Vincent explained to Piper and Paige on the way out.

After saying goodby to cousin Kari and Neve Piper and Paige noticed that Merlin had vanished! Shrugging Piper turned to Leo and with a tear in her eye said,"Did I do the right thing with Phoebe?"

"Well honey, there is a time for love and forgiveness, but Phoebe's past that now. Now is the time for some tough love! You did what you had to do!"

Comforted Piper smiled and that was

THE END!