Witch Who?

Ch. 18 Xander makes a Phone Call

We hit the ground hard. My landing wasn't as graceful as Xander's. He lands on his feet like he's been teleporting all his life. I land on my back once again. My head hits what I assume concrete really hard causing my vision to go a tad blurry. I croak,

"Where are we?" I look up to see Xander's mouth drop open when he looks around him. He rubs his eyes and turns around like he was looking at a mirage.

"Your power is stronger than you thought Sybil." Xander says while helping me pull to my feet.

When I see the sign I shudder.

"3 miles to Castaway Mansion." I read aloud. "I-I teleported us outside of the protection spell! How?!"

"Your one of the three families your more powerful than you realize! This is good. Now we're able to get in and out of this place, we can call the Council Of Witches about our observation, come on." We start walking. The afternoon was fading away out here and the air was getting colder. The trees started to take on their shadows and cover over us. I realize something.

"The time zone is different from inside the protection spell than out."

"Strong protection spells can do that. Slow down time. The stronger the spell, the later it is when your outside of the spell."

"Xander, how did you find me? I say suddenly, changing the subject. " I mean, did you use a tracking device or your WitchHunter powers?" He looks at me and keeps walking.

"I had to do a little research to find you. It's amazing what the internet can do. " I shake my head.

" So you were spying on me." I say amusingly. Xander puffs and walks faster.

"I was doing homework alright?!" I laugh freely.

"That must have been fun homework."

"No not actually."

"Excuse me!" I say being fake defensive.

"Well I mean most of it was filled with dull things like gender, name, where you live and so on. There was other character descriptions which I found rather vague. They said 5'2 with semi-brown eyes and hair. I mean they forgot to add in: PETITE! Stubborn, dangerous driver, and so adorable when trying to be mad!" I shoulder him.

"Your quite the charmer really!" I say.

"It's funny, a few days ago you would say that sentence with even more sarcasm than you just did. It's amazing how different we both feel about each other than a few days ago." He then stops and shakes his head. "Sorry that sounded a little bit vulgar." I laugh.

"I know what you mean I felt the same-"

Xander suddenly puts his hand out in front of me suddenly and puts a finger to his lips. We both stop and look around. At first I don't hear it. I almost tell Xander to just keep walking when I hear the clacking of high heel boots. Uh oh. I already knew who it is before she showed her face from behind a nearby tree.

"Xander, Xander, Xander..." Alexa steps out and starts to shake her head.

"I thought so highly of you. I'd never imagine you flirting with this little weasel in the first place." I wave my hand around.

"Hi, hello?! Right here! Nice to see you too!" Xander puts his hands to his face.

"Alexa, why are you here?" Alexa gives a little flash of disappointment that I only caught and looks at Xander smirkingly.

"And the other about 300 WitchHunters here with me? We're just waiting until the signal. Oh and you know, I just wanted to see you and whisk that little vermin away. I mean she was suppose to be long dead by now. See it as it was your job Xander Williams. What happened? Change of heart? Gosh jeez that's what young love will do to you!" She smiles sweetly. I step out to challenge her.

"I don't know where you got it under your thick skull that every nice thing someone does has to be about being in love." I grit with my teeth. I point to her and say. "And I don't know if you haven't realized lately, but I'm still alive and there is a pretty good enough reason why!"

"Because your little hero didn't kill you. I'll just do it myself!" She flicks out her whip and starts to run toward us. I grab Xander's hand and close my eyes quickly. I think of Alexa squeezing my neck with razor sharp teeth as my fear, then I get the anti-gravity feeling once again. I think of the public telephone I spotted at a gas station while driving through Martha's Vineyard and instantly drop. I thought I heard Alexa's angry screams in the background but I was too busy to escape from dying to notice.

We both hit the ground running. I halt when I see the Chevron sign glowing in the distance and a public telephone three feet from us.

"Xander, I wanted to ask you before we make this call. It could be useful information. Why did your car explode?" He looks deep in concentration. He finally says.

"I didn't see it at first, but there was land mines placed right in front of my car. That means." He closes his eyes and takes a long breath.

"That someone knew that we would eventually come here." I look down at the ground. " It may have been an alarm. An alarm for someone to find us. Like it was a test."

"I think someone has found out our little secret after all." Xander says grimly and keeps walking.

I've never had the feeling of being in such danger to call someone as I did now. Xander and I walk to the public telephone booth and I say grimly,

"I don't have any money to call, and are these people in like a telephone book or something because I surely wouldn't have their number in my contacts list."

"Sybil your whole life got turned into a magical, mystical, witch fantasy, and you actually think the magical COW would be in something as ordinary as a phone book? Who the hell uses phone books now anyways?" I shake my head and we keep walking. Xander walks behind the public phone and feels around the bottom side.

"Ah here it is. Here I need you to place your thumb right there." He motions me to come over there and I do what he asks. When I press my thumb on what seemed like a chewed up piece of gum, Xander and I are instantly locked into this little inside phone booth you see in London. Since Xander is taller, he takes up more space, my body is squished up against the glass while Xander is towering over me. It is worse than it sounds.

Xander moves to go in front of me to face what looks like an old fashioned telephone you would find hanging up on your wall in the late 60's. He puts the phone to his ear.

"Yes I realize that's not enough proof!........no no this isn't a scam just get me one of the Witch Council people. Look I get your position is important just get me them!" There was a long pause as Xander furiously looks at the phone. He mutters annoyingly, "witches...." Suddenly someone pinks up on the other line and starts talking to Xander. He widens his eyes and then goes.

"Yes ma'am but you don't understand-......... Of course ma'am. Alright but you're making a big mistake!" Xander raises his voice then slams the phone back in his holster. He curses to himself and finally looks at me. "We need more proof, their not satisfied enough to really help us. They said they'll keep watch on us because there are cameras in and around the mansion, but, knowing Castaway, he probably rigged them some how." I sigh and shake my head glumly.

"That means we're on our own right now, till we find more answers."