Sand and Snow

"I think that's about as good as it gets for now, my dear," Robert finally told Khaat. She knew he had been watchign all the others warm up, and from what she could see, they would meet his expectations. "How are the rest of you feeling? Any stiffness? Muscle cramps or soreness? Anything at all that could slow you down? Speak up now."

He looked at them all. "Here's the plan. We go to Paris. We go to the headquarters and make sure that Dakota and Abbey are in safe hands for the night. I don't want any chance that they might be in jeopardy while we are away from them tonight. Cassidy, you need a medallion and a portkey if you're going to do this, and you need to know how they work. The rest of you? You have yours?

"Once we get to Paris, we have three objectives as an organization. We're taking out Burke's house, Gelding's house, and the headquarters for their organization. Brian has already secured their finances. I will split the men into threee groups. I would prefer we stay together, and send the men on to two of the other locations. My preference is that we are the ones who go take out the headquarters. The place is too heavily guarded. We need to slip in as a small elite squad and take it out. Do not plan on killing Burke or Gelding. If we do, its just a nice bonus, but its not our goal. Killing is not the objective. What is the objective is to put them out of business for as long as we can. That will at least buy Khaat some time to breathe a bit easier--at least for awhile. We have to take the organization out first--otherwise, someone else will just take the place of Burke and Gelding. One step at a time. Work in pairs. Do NOT go off doing a rogue movement. Keep your partner with you at all times. No matter what. Jack and Jess, you're together. Cassidy and Steven, stay together no matter what. Bria and Kaat, do not get separated."

"And what about you?" Khaat asked her father.

"MIchael is meeting us there. He'll be my parter for the evening. I wont' be alone either. Questions?"

Cassidy rubbed her bruised jaw but knew it would not stop her doing her job she looked at Steven when he said about a port key and medallion, Steven took out his to show her "we all wear them " he said as jack and Jess brought out theirs to show her and she nodded accepting she would have to wear one all the time she slipped out a small green jade amulet "my friend gave me this I never take it off " she held it in hr hand looking at them, "if you going to give me a port key, use this I will never lose it that way" she said sliding it off her neck and holding it out to Robert.

Steven looked at Robert then the small necklace she held on its thinning leather thong he made his mind up that he would buy a decent chain for it once everything was over so she would not have to worry about it snapping on her. "I think we're all ready " he said and listened moving to stand with Cassidy as he was teamed with her "I won't let her out my sight"

"Then I will meet you all in Paris," Robert said. He took his portkey in his hand and apparated out.

Angus picked up Dakota, and Brian picked up Abbey. "Steven, make sure Cassidy gets there. We'll give her her medallion and portkey when I get to my office in Paris. I don't keep a lot of them here in Tuscany. Angus, is the hosue secure?"

"Completely," Angus nodded.

"Then we're off. Khaat?" Brian reached for Khaat's hand. Khaat pulled the hood of her cloak up to shield her face and took Brian's hand. He apparated them to Paris.

The place was bustling. It was only this busy on the night of a big mission. Her parents were already there. Her mother was settling in and seemed, for the moment, to be running the house. She saw Brian and Khaat arrive with Abbey, and she walked right over to Brian and took Abbey out of his hands and simply walked off with her, talking to Abbey and totally preoccupying Abbey's attentions.

"Come with me," Brian told Khaat. He led her to his office. She figured her father was already talking too the other operatives for tonight's mission. "Sit for just a minute," Brian told Khaat quietly. Khaat obeyed. Brian opened the drawer of the desk and took out a portkey and a ladies style medallion on a chain for Cassidy. Khaat was hoping that the others arrived safely. And she hoped they were not far behind.

Cassidy placed it back around her neck and looked at Steven. Steven nodded "yes sir " he said watching the others leave , leaving them to be the last "ok take a deep breath " he said sliding his arms around her waist and pulling her against him his head rested against her shoulder in an embrace, then he ported feeling her grab him and hold him tight her head on his chest as he aperated.

Reappearing in the Paris safe house, Cassidy still held him "were here you can let go now" he chuckled , Cassidy did so wobbling slightly as she stepped back.

"thats the one way of traveling I don't like " she said and sat down for a moment to catch her breath " give me a secong to catch my breath she said but it took her five . Steven walked over an gave her some juice and son she felt better. standing she looked around "wow nice , better find the others " she said waiting for him to show her where to go.

Steven took her hand more so he would not lose her than anything else , moving to the office he knocked then pushed open the door. "sorry were late Cassidy needed to catch hr breath " he said and moved in with her in tow.

"Maybe we need some portkeying practice," Brian said, seeing that she had not coped well with the portkeying. He wasn't going to criticize her, and he wasn't doing so now. But he did believe that his team needed to be ready for almost anything.

He handed the medallion and the portkey coin to Cassidy. "Be careful with those. The coin is a portkey. The medallion is a signalling device. It brings help from other members of the organization. When you twist part of the medallion it brings every available teammate to you. I'm not going to actually do it now because I don't want everyone apparating here in a panic. But you might well find it is very helpful."

"I've often found that it was helpful," Khaat told Cassidy. "So what are we doing, Brian?"

"When Jack and Jess get here, I'll go over the building designs and lay out the individual assignments," Brian said. "There are no easy assignments tonight. No safe ones. I do my best to reduce the dangers but I can't prevent everything from going wrong."

"I know," Khaat said to Brian. "I do know. Its alright. Are you sure you want to go with me?"

"Go with you? DId anybody ever say it was a solo assignment? Ever? This is not your fight alone. And even if it were, you wouldn't be going alone. You aren't alone here, Khaat. Wherever you go, I'm going too."

Jess arrived with Jack holding his hand as they stepped into the room. "sorry Jack wanted to show me the weights room , impressive i have to say." she said and moved to face Robert Jack standing next to her they watched as he gave cassidy her medallion. "welcome to the fold Cassidy" said Jess and smiled at her, moving she took it from her hands and placed it over her head.

Cassidy looked at the medallion and smiled holding it till Jess took it and placed it over her head smiling . Cassidy nodded as Brian finished talking she could apperate but hated it as she could never stop the nausea hitting her. Looking at Steven she smiled seeing his around his neck.

"well I'm up for it" she said "but don't be surprised if i throw up , could never master the art of not feeling sick after" she said looking sheepishly at Robert and Brian "one reason i don't apperate a lot, i think the last time i did I threw up in the bush of the man who hired me , he was not happy I can tell you , though his roses did bloom wonderful that year " she could not help chuckle

"Gather 'round," Brian said seriously. He motioned for them to gather around the estate and house plans for the headquarters for Gelding's operations.

"The plan is simple. Notice there are four reasonable entrances. The front door, the back, the cellar door, and the balcony on the second floor that opens up into Gelding's own office. Jess and Jack, your job is to infiltrate the cellar and to defeat any guards that are there. Kill them if you have to. Whatever it takes. There will be men there. Maybe children. We don't know.

"Steven and Cassidy, infiltrate through the backdoor. You'll be going into the kitchen. Off to your right is the stairway that goes downstairs. If Jess and Jack need backup, you go there. If not, continue through to clear and secure the back of the downstairs of the house.

"Khaat and I will go right in the front door, just as if we owned the place. We're going in to draw their fire, to draw their attention. I want the house as clear of Gelding's operatives as we can make it. Take anything of any value. Ransack it. Steal everything that is worth anything. Remember, we want to shut them down.

"Robert and Michael will be going into Gelding's office from the balcony. They will be facing off directly with Tom Gelding. I know that Luther Burke will enter at some point if he's not already there. He will be, no doubt trying to kill Khaat. My job is to draw Burke away from being able to back up Gelding to insure Robert's safety and to keep Khaat alive at the same time.

"You four are to shut this thing down. Completely. Burn, Destroy, Rampage, Pillage. Whatever it takes. Got that? Cassidy, you and Steven get any kids you find out. Get them back to our headquarters. That's another job. Don't leave them any possibility of using any captives that they can use to reestablish their financial base. Anybody have any questions? Look over these blueprints. Make sure you know every nook and cranny. Every window. Every passage. Every hallway. Memorize it."

Jess nodded as he spoke the mission "yes sir" jack and Jess chorused looking at each other for a moment then smiling again as they stood listening as he continued with the plan looking at each person in turn.

Cassidy looked at Steven and he at her "you got my back remember " she said softly he smiled and nodded to her making her smiled in return.

Steven looked at Cassidy as she spoke and smiled at her "Always Cassie, just remember whose side your one and don't turn me to stone" he said and smiled at her then turned back to the map pointing out positions to her where would be best to hit "look here and here they won't be expecting you to aim at the hot water pipes that run just above there heads" he pointed out.

Cassidy nodded leaning further over the table "if there are any children in the cellar they should be here "its been heavily concreted just like a cell would be " she said pointing to the west side of the cellar that seem to be two small rooms.

"Then back each other up," Brian said. "Make sure Jack and Jess don't have to get them out alone. I don't want one child left behind if we can help it. Jack, I know you can destroy the place in just a few few moments. I've seen you do it. But I really don't want you putting a kid in danger if you need to transform. That's up to you."

Robert walked in, and he had Michael with him. MIchael walked over to Khaat and hugged her and kissed her cheek. "Hello, my darling," he smiled. He brushed her cheek and said "You really are entirely too thin, Sweetheart. How about you come over and let me cook you a real gourmet dinner?"

"You haven't done that for me for a long, long time," she said very softly. "I would like that. Hey, where is Angus? Isn't he going with us?"

"No," Brian said. "I left him in charge of destroying Gelding's mansion. We got new intell today that says that Burke has been living in Gelding's guesthouse. Angus is going to head up the battalion that is going to make sure they turn it to ash. He'll join us later. But that reduces our targets to two. Oh, and by the way, I already have every cent that either of them have, along with any asset or cash of anyone working with them or any of their allies. You'll all get a healthy split of it."

"Oh, well done, Lad," Robert said. "Are we ready to go?"

"We are," Brian said. "We're going to go in ahead of you and draw them off Gelding."

"Be careful," she looked at her father.

"He won't be alone," Michael promised her. "It'll be alright. Let's go. The more we wait, the more nervewracking this will become."

"Agreed," Brian said. "Let's go, You all have the address memorized from the blueprint? We'll meet you there."

"Good luck," Robert told them all. He apparated out with Michael.

"You four go ahead. We'll follow behind by about 60 seconds. We want to give you chance to slip in before we get there. Once we get there, they'll know they've been breeched," Brian told Jess, Jack, Steven, and Cassidy. "Go now."

Jack looked at Brian "no I won't , I took my potion today I don't want the kids scared if there are any in there" he said looking at Jess who nodded "don't worry we'll get them out with Cassidy's and Stevens help " Jess said smiling .

Cassidy nodded to both of them "don't worry just holler if you need us we'll be coming in from the kitchen" she said and motioned on the map which direction they would take. Cassidy looked at Steven and Jess and jack who quickly disappeared Cassidy grabbed Steven's shirt puling him down to kiss him "for luck" she said and took his hand smiling.

Steven turned to hold her hand only to find himself pulled down as she kissed him he could not help but smile at this action and took her hand in his and aperated to Gelding's mansion ducking down behind a bush seeing Jack and Jess they counted off and burst threw the kitchen door firing at the men who sat at the table unaware. Cassidy fired at the men some she wrapped in rope others who fired to kill she hit sending them flying . once or twice she glanced at Steven but saw he was fine. moving down they saw Jess pinned buy a man he was half hid behind a stack of crates , Cassidy saw two large rooms ten children a piece in them. Steven fired at the man while Cassidy moved behind him till she could reach the rooms braking the locks she told them to stay down and that she was there to help them.

suddenly from behind her a ma appeared grabbing her around her throat and lifting ehr from her feet as he squeezed tight kicking back she caught him right between his legs and he dropped her as she landed she turned but he hit her and she flew across the room landing with a sickening crack on her left arm.

Steven stunned the man then tied him up jack quickly saw what had happened in the cell running he tackled the men sending him crashing to the floor, his weight pressing down on him "get the kids out " he said to Jess who ushered them to the open cellar door , once that room was clear jack looked down at the pinned man grasping his head he twisted and with the loud crack his head hung limp.

Steven entered and ran to Cassidy helping her to stand she used her top to hold her arm "get the other room open I can wait, children get them out " she said watching him leave to the other room. She looked at Jack who stood up facing her "thank you " she said as she took a step she wobbled , jack moved to hold her up.

"Come on Cassidy " Jack said checking the room was clear before leading her out and over to Jess before moving to Steven where a small girl sat huddled in a corner scared her blond hair matted and dirty.

" its ok were the good guys, we're here to help " Steven said softly as he held out his hand He noticed Jack walk in behind him " she's scared" he said as he did the girl wrapped her arms around his neck and cried , he picked her up and smiled "let get out of here and get these kids back to the H.Q " he walked out and up the stairs to where Jess and cassidy now looking pale stood waiting with three children two girls and a boy.

"the rest are back already these are the last " Jess said taking the hands of the children while Steven held up Cassidy and aperated back to the HQ .