Shape of Things to come

Shape of Things to Come

Part 2:Times they are changing

Chapter 15

Let me speak, sir,
For heaven now bids me; and the words I utter
Let none think flattery, for they'll find 'em truth.
..........(Henry VII Scene 5 William Shakespeare )

The witch Clarissa had worked as office manager of Cole’s small legal practice since Eduardo Vegas who had helped Cole set up his business more than twelve years ago retired, sort of retired. He still came in once a week to ‘help’, sometimes twice a week. Originally, Clarissa had been Cole’s client when he resolved legal problems for her bookshop. However about three years ago, she faced the reality that niche bookshops were barely viable these days of online access. Cole then assisted her close her business and she chose not to ask how her finances were relatively healthy afterwards.

A few months later, Eduardo had a fortunately minor stroke and his family insisted he retire. Cole helped him decide when his pension account, miraculously, was considerably more than he expected. After recovering, Eduardo returned to work part time, although only supposedly one day a week, happily still feeling a necessary part of the firm. Eduardo had spent his life in the insurance business, so his knowledge was invaluable because Cole’s practice mostly stayed afloat by screwing over the insurance companies when they tried to screw over clients, which was regrettably more often than their sales representatives ever admitted.

At the time, Clarissa was what she described as considering her options, because both her boys were at university and her husband was a dedicated but not wealthy schoolteacher. Cole asked her to fill-in when Eduardo first had the stroke and then to stay full time, when he finally retired. The pay was not fantastic, but Cole ensured that Clarissa was at least better off financially than she had been running her bookshop. She discovered that the adjustment back to working with people and not being her own boss was considerably easier than she had expected, because she had so much fun observing Cole’s often peculiar clientele.

Clarrisa contributed to the firm too, because many of Cole’s clients were witches who needed Cole’s help when their magic role resulted in legal complications. Having a witch in charge of the office averted much angst for magic clients. Clarrisa understood about insurance issues resulting from damages caused by magic confrontations and Cole’s legal manipulations when the law did not accept valid but nevertheless awkward explanations for some magic battles.

She also knew the Halliwell witches well. Clarissa had worked with them and the witch Jade Simpson in the offensive against the warlock WiIlem that had killed Jade. During that battle Clarissa learned a little of Cole’s magic role, so the difficulties of Cole’s sudden disappearances and sometimes miraculous legal victories did not have to be explained to her. As with everybody else, they just annoyed her. The Halliwell family were also very grateful that because of her affection for the witch Jade Simpson, if she did not exactly mother Leslie at work, Clarissa did take on the favourite aunt role when Leslie needed it.

Over the years thanks to its owner’s arsehole reputation for assisting underdogs, assorted petty criminals and others of dubious integrity Cole’s small firm had expanded. Apart from Leslie there were two other lawyers. One was a woman called Erin Garden who had worked with Cole for more than ten years and had spent most of that time in a relationship with Cole’s father-in-law, Victor, although she flatly refused to move in with him. Quite some years ago Victor had confessed to her the magic role of his daughters and sons-in-law after Erin never a fool, had observed some of the rather peculiar goings on with several clients. She was not completely happy about explanations for some of the firm’s odd successes but came to terms with it. Erin was not a litigator. In fact, she hated it but she was an excellent lawyer at the lawbook, paperwork, non-litigating side of the practice and indeed kept it afloat by dealing with the day-to-day trivialities of wills, contracts, insurance claims, planning permits and staffing contracts that paid its bills. Cole was in the process of organising a partnership for Erin, by convincing her the practice needed her and that its problematical finances would not bankrupt her.

Apart from Leslie who over the last three years had taken on many of the witch clients and was developing quite a reputation for dealing with ‘women’s problems’, there was one other lawyer, a now not so young man known as DJ. About eight years ago DJ was an up-and-coming prosecutor in the District Attorney’s office. Incredibly clever and determined, he had specialised in petty crime and was smart enough to catch Cole out quite a few times over the legal technicalities that his firm used to protect many disreputable clients, much to Cole’s irritation.

DJ was a ruthless prosecutor but also a highly ethical man who would not prosecute if there was reasonable doubt and never manufactured evidence, although when convinced of guilt he was very clever in the way he used evidence. Unfortunately, at the time the DA’s office had some very unethical people in powerful positions, as Cole knew, mostly due to Brotherhood of the Thorn demonic influence. These lost souls used petty crimes’ convictions to draw criminals into Faustian deals with Evil. They made DJ a scapegoat because his ethics were causing them issues. DJ was not only dismissed, they attempted to disbar him because they feared his integrity. A desperate and bewildered DJ swallowed his pride and asked Cole for help. As a young lawyer who had large student debts, he could not afford to pay Cole so he worked in his office and stayed after Cole resolved his problems with the Brotherhood and DA’s office.

His experience in the DA’s office made him enthusiastic and successful in dealing with the ‘criminal’ side of Cole’s practice. A few times Cole had to restrain DJ’s enthusiasm, especially when he recognised the clients as lost souls under demonic influence but for the most part DJ added to the success of the practice and was tough enough to extract payment from clients, something Cole was not good at doing, which justified his salary and expenses. DJ was a small thin very fit gay man, who absolutely bounced everywhere he went. He kept the Halliwell family and the office gossiping at the bewildering succession of relationships he went through. Cole kept an eye on them because at least three had demonic connections and their continuing targeting of DJ through clients and partners made Cole aware that if a guardian of the realm had not managed the practice with its connection to magic both Good and Evil, it would have been in extreme trouble.

With four lawyers, the practice was thriving, keeping, Clarissa, sometimes Eduardo and a succession of part time students and people who Paige thought needed successful work experience on their resume, gainfully employed. It was not exactly highly profitable because mostly its clients were people who normally could not afford the huge legal costs of the system, or their needs were not the sort that generated huge fees. Nevertheless, it was covering costs and even Cole managed to eke out a small salary.

As the original office location was convenient to the Halliwell residence, the practice was still located there in a two-room suburban office. However, these days it had expanded to another three-room office with connecting doors providing Erin with her own office, and a private meeting room for clients and an open plan office for DJ, Leslie, Clarissa and any auxiliary staff. Cole maintained his own office, furnished years ago from Excellent second-hand office furniture, partly because sometimes he needed time to himself, and sometimes because magic creatures such as Guardians visited him without paying too much attention to the interest of other people in the office, although Arturo was always charming to the female staff. The offices were not stylish, but these days had a certain successful vibe with current technology, reasonably comfortable desks and staff chairs and a waiting area with a sofa and two chairs, also purchased from Excellent second-hand office furniture. There was also a quite impressive meeting table and chairs, purchased from a going-out-of-business marketing firm who were Cole’s clients. Anyone coming to visit could see the truth of Cole’s law practice, although not overly prosperous, it was certainly busy.

The day after the FBI visit, Cole was working diligently behind closed doors clearing backlogs of the contracts, wills and threats from government agencies that made up the majority of the firm’s clients’ needs. Erin had been a little overwhelmed in recent months, and she had reverted to her most successful rort of threatening to quit if Cole did not step up, so he was squeezing through as many as he could before an appointment with a new client.

As there were no student or work-experience helpers on Friday afternoons the office was quiet. Erin was consulting with a witch who was setting up an online business and wanted her to inspect the physical premises. DJ had a prison meeting with one of his clients who was guilty as sin and whom DJ fully expected to acquit. Therefore, only Leslie, working on researching a domestic abuse case for a witch client, and Clarissa were in the office to greet the new clients.

Clarissa as always, was a little wary of new clients and vetted them as much as was possible, partly because she knew of the demon connections that focused on the practice and partly because some cliental were downright peculiar, criminal and/or suspicious. These new clients aroused her suspicions because they had made an appointment two days ago, almost intentionally choosing a time when only a few staff were present but were quite vague about reasons. Not unusual but Clarissa, had the distinct feelings that the vagueness was not discomfort with legal concerns but arrogant distain. Her suspicions alerted Cole who always interviewed new clients if there were any concerns.

The office did not have a receptionist, something that Paige kept trying to remedy. They relied on the building reception who called to say the clients were on their way. When they entered, for Clarissa there was no doubt as she welcomed two seemingly middle-aged men. It was as if they had tried to make a statement about disconnection from earthly realms by wearing well-tailored clothing that was completely out-of-date and exhibiting a manner of polite arrogance that showed how uncomfortable they were interacting with mere mortals or even mere witches.

Clarissa called Cole to say the new clients had arrived using words that warned him what to expect and exchanged glances with Leslie.

Normally the witch Clarissa would not have had much connection with what Phoebe called the lower-middle-management of earthen magic, and Paige described as upper-level grunts. However, her friendship and sometimes cooperation with the charmed witches had led her to cross paths with Elders and some of the Charmed Ones’ cynicism about Elders’ roles had rubbed off.

Cole, putting on his jacket greeted the two men and after exchanging glances with both Clarissa and Leslie ushered them into his office. Twenty minutes later they came out unaccompanied by Cole and with barely an acknowledgement of Leslie and Clarissa exited, presumably to orb at the first opportune to leave mortaldom behind. Leslie stood up, pulled a face, and went into Cole’s office. Clarissa followed.

He was staring out the window and when Cole turned around his usual good humour was missing from his expression. He was ropably furious, leaving both witches startled because although they knew of his demonic background, he rarely ever showed anything more than a sardonic calm and sarcasm. Not this time, when Leslie asked him what happened he stopped her by holding his hand up and lasering a few of the more ugly ornaments that Phoebe had inflicted on his office.

“What did they want?” Clarissa finally asked when three ugly cushions were exploded around the office.

“Don’t” ordered Clarissa “Phoebe will just get a really ugly modern one.”

“Witches aren’t high enough in the food chain for Elders to talk to” Leslie told Cole. “Are you okay?” She hesitated then nervously asked “Phoebe says you’re only dangerous when you don’t lose your temper. She’s right, isn’t she?”

“Elders talk at witches, common garden variety witches anyway,” declared Clarissa. “If forced to say anything to them.” She sucked her lips “Cole what are Elders doing here?”

“Believe me witches’ husbands are a lot lower on the food chain than garden variety witches.” Cole finally replied after sucking in deep breathes. He realised the two witches real concern and with an effort relaxed into the self they recognised. “You don’t have to call Phoebe to calm me down. The world is still safe from wrath and all that. Damn them” he mocked. “Nearly safe” he amended. “It was most emphatically Phoebe’s husband they wanted to talk to …at.”

He sat on the edge of his desk. “Look I get that the so-called Elders are the rule police. I even get that they’re necessary. Hell, I lived in the same house as Pru Halliwell for a year. I know what happens when good witches start…making it about their personal missions. I even get that those guys are answerable to a far greater magic, and sticking by the rules and appeasement is the easiest policy. I even get that they call appeasers and bureaucrats to be Elders.”

Cole glared at her. “I… in Burvjara, it was the Elder’s, Elder’s, Elders claiming the Greater Good, and now it’s their petty bureaucrats claiming it, and …” Both Leslie and Clarissa were watching him bemused. He stopped. “Oh hell, the Elders wanted to explain that I must refrain from interfering with magic. Because I lack understanding of true magic, because there are things that … are written, and must happen and by mistakenly protecting individual witches, I am risking... that which is preordained not happening.”

“Doesn’t being written mean its going to happen, regardless of anything anyone does.?” Lawyer Leslie asked.

“I thought so” Cole speculated “Only interpreting what is written, is dangerous. It doesn’t always happen as expected.” He stopped as he saw both witches faces, and felt shuddering in the spirit winds, realising he was getting into awkward places. “The bastards explained that it was the plan of Greater Magic that witches suffer, not their words my interpretation. That by using the letter of the law to protect my wife from the magic consequences of her actions, I was putting magic and consequently all Good at risk.” Cole snarled “It’s very important…nay necessary that mortals who have no understandings do not interfere with magic, no matter the personal cost to witches because that is the order of things. Oh and it was the natural order that witches sacrifice themselves, including dying and being jailed for crimes they did not commit.”

“Wonder if they told my mother that” Leslie asked becoming weepy. Clarissa put her arm around her.

“I thought you said” Clarissa asked curiously, her arm still around Leslie” all the girls did was walk through HR at the university and I mean a hundred and more people a day must do that. They want Phoebe to go to jail for walking through a building.”

“To protect the greater magic” Cole agreed. “To protect the world from all-out war between Good and Evil. Tough luck but some must sacrifice.”

“This witches being sacrificed thing” asked Leslie angrily. “Does that include my sister and Paige?”

“Speaking as Phoebe’s mortal husband” Cole answered “I assume so. They were so self-righteous trying to stick it to the Charmed Ones justifiably.”

“No” ordered Cole “you are not doing anything about it because its…trust me this is my business. You want to know the joke on them. If Phoebe really was targeted...to be sacrificed like they want, those cursed Elders would meet …me …not just her contentious husband. You know I have a calling for justice. Trust me what was just said to me is about as unjust as it comes.”

Leslie and Clarissa exchanged glances “Should we know this?” Clarrissa asked finally.

“Is the room spinning with a crimson-coloured hurricane?” Cole asked facetiously.

“Then we can take it there is no problem you knowing” Cole answered. He let his breath go. “Sorry for the temper. It pisses me off when the Powers that Be, bean counters think nothing of…sacrificing magic lives. All for the greatness of the cause. Especially when the sacrifice is my family.” Then he blew up two more cushions.

“You want a coffee to calm down?” asked Leslie, spitting out feathers floating around the room.

“No” Cole answered. “I want booze.” He headed for the cabinet he kept with some of Piper’s better brandy, usually reserved for visiting Guardians. He filled three glasses and Leslie and Clarrissa sat on the sofa while he sat on the desk edge, sipping with satisfaction.

“You know” Leslie pondered after several sips. “It does seem maybe … balanced, because the … idiot Elders going around … worrying about maintaining the Greater Magic, but then you’re … kind of…protecting the innocents who would be harmed... just not so much with fire and brimstone, but kind of… annoying, using the law.”

Leslie considered the problem more deeply. “You know, it seems to me…those Elders really are targeting the Charmed Ones. Not enough to just ignore them now. If that was in court, I‘d be suggesting their motives went past maintaining the...status quo and into vindictiveness because the Charmed Ones are coping...without them. Professional jealousy I would suggest,” she mused.

“What they said to me as Phoebe’s husband” Cole informed her, “they want a separation, the advantages of the charmed witches doesn’t outweigh the inconvenience of witches out of control, out of their control.”

“They need Power of Three. Maybe they have some means of replacing them with more controllable people” Clarissa suggested.

Leslie snorted “If they think Melinda will be more controllable than the Charmed Ones, they’re going to be disillusioned.”

“If they tried to make me replace the Charmed ones,” declared Leslie passionately “I’d be as bloody minded as possible, just because they wouldn’t acknowledge me today.”

Cole and Clarissa raised their glasses to her. “That will learn them.” Clarissa smirked.

“I wonder” asked Leslie “even if you were just a mortal arsehole lawyer, maybe the balance would mean that if not you someone else would help…protect those witches, with their finances, and the law and all that.”

Cole took a deep breath “I can’t speak to the future” he told the two witches. “What they suggested to me quite forcibility was that my…practice… is clashing with magic. The nobility of the calling of witches, pursuing their role means to suffer and serve and when I…we help them to...keep food on the table, by keeping up the insurance cover or keeping them out of jail, I am diverting the true virtue of magic. I am…subjecting …good witches to be targeted by evil. To… temptation to choose the path of evil... because they experience… their word, nirvana.”

Both Leslie and Clarissa stared at him open mouthed. Wordlessly Leslie toped up all their glasses.

“Speaking as a witch who would have lost their house if you hadn’t… diverted the true virtue of magic, I can tell you keeping a roof over your head is not nirvana” Clarissa informed them.

“Want to know the rest” Cole asked. “and Miss Leslie you are not telling the family this.”

“A good example of how witches are tempted is how out of control my family is because wait for it … I…have made them prosperous, because …I …have shown them how to be …obstructive. Did I understand how often and how close my family came to being condemned … for personal gain, over and over.”

“Good catch” Cole told her “No just personal gain all-encompassing. I’ve exposed the family to evil. Look at the heritage Melinda and Mandy will face, the risks of exposure all because there is a chance, they will inherit enough property to remain…prosperous.”

“We know how prosperous you are” Clarissa laughed. “I know every month when I just scrape up enough for the rent and wages.”

“They saw how prosperous you are” Leslie giggled kicking at the old and threadbare carpet in his office as she rested her drink on the stained arm of the sofa. “Just by looking around.” She smiled quizzically. “Are you going to tell Piper that only reason P3 and the family business is running successfully is because you made it prosperous? Nothing to do with her… um … acumen and work.”

“Are you going to tell Phoebe that her books only sell because you taught her how to be obstructive.” Clarissa thought about it “You didn’t, did you?”

“No” said Cole “and I’m not going to suggest it. How stupid do I look? There is something though Miss Leslie, they have made me decide.” Cole continued. “I have no gift of the future but regardless of where I go or what magic happens, I want to know that if I come back here in three hundred years, the oldest established shit-law firm in San Francisco better be still be keeping roofs over witches’ heads and bread on their table.”

“It’ll be a worldwide franchise by then” promised Leslie giggling. She watched Cole slightly glazed eyes, and then saw Clarissa was much the same “Are you fit to drive?” she asked “I’m not.”

“I’m not” declared Clarissa hopefully. Clarissa’s power was immunity to magic. Her body resisted all attempts by magic to intrude. Cole was the only magic creature, that she knew anyway, who was powerful enough to overcome her magic immunity and let her feel what it was like to be shimmered.

“To my own little suburban nirvana, three bedrooms one and a half bathrooms and badly needs painting.” Clarissa sighed.

Clarissa raised her glass. “To magic” she toasted as Leslie and Cole did the same.