Marriage is Murder

Jack saw Brian walking over to him and kissed Jess on her cheek " I have to go I'll be back in a flash \" he said and Jess nodded keeping Andrew with her.

" stay safe " she said and he smiled nodding at her a she stood up and moved to the foyer transfiguring his suit to his regular clothes while he waited for Brian to appear , once he saw him with his cloak he took out the small piece of wood he'd made into a port key and held it tight.

" this should take us right to where he is" he said " thought no one would think of looking for a scrap of wood." he said and held it tight.

"Well, let's go get him, then," Brian said. "Bottom line is this--James broke out. Not sure how he did it, wit his magic bound but he managed. Robert has a plan involving them both. I tink we should go. The sooner we go, the sooner we can get back. We have orders to take him to the cellar of the main office building. Robert will meet us there when we get back. I don't know if you'e been to that building or not, but there is a number of cells hidden there. That's where we'll go. Personally, I don't want to miss dancing with my wife if I can help it. I'm ready whenever you are." He laid his hand on Jack's shoulder.

Jack could not help let a growl slip from him when it was mentioned freeing gelding but he had no choice feeling Brian's hand on his shoulder he turned to look at him then ported to a wood , pulling back a large rock he reached in and pulled out the man who kicked and screamed at him. " ah, shut up" he said and stood him up only to find he actually held him up as he passed him to Brian. " still alive...and kicking." he said folding his arms across his chest as he waited " last time we met I was none to gentle" he glared at the man.

"Be glad it was him, Gelding and not me," Brian said.

"Quinn! I ought to..." Gelding raged

"I ought to langlock you so you'll shut up," Brian said. "You have an appointment it seems. I think we ought to hose him down with a firehose first. Its been a long time since he's had a bath. So thats what happens if you're shut up in a cave for months. Let's get back." He said to Jack.

"So, your master summons, then?" Gelding laughed.

"Awfully smug for a prisoner," Brian said. He used his cuffs to cuff Gelding and then looked at Jack. He was purposely not using Jack's name, just in case Gelding hadn't made a connection yet. "I think we're ready anytime you are."

Jack nodded and moved to Brian's side placing his hand on him Jack ported them away to the main office building where he stepped back " I'd leave him a pig like his should love the smell " he said and stood with his arms crossed in front of him his eyes burning with hatred for Gelding and what he was. Jack looked at Brian understanding just where he was going with this by not using his name , he was trying to keep him out of it since James would be involved some where in the process. Jack looked up at the building and grasped gelding's arms moving him inside and down to the dungeons.

Brian went along as they moved him through to one of the cells. Brian took off the cuffs and shoved Gelding into the cell. Gelding started to charge back at Brian, his hands outreached to grasp Brian by the throat when a commanding voice bellowed out of the shadows.

"That's enough!" the voice ordered. Out of the shadows stepped Robert, in his tux. His eyes never left Gelding. Gelding stood frozen, his hands still outstretched, when he saw Robert.

"Lupin!" he muttered.

"I see incarceration has treated you rather well," Robert said. "Thank you, Men. Please leave us. You'll find written instructions outside on the desk, please." He had written them orders to provide Gelding with an opportunity for a bath, and a shave and a haircut, clean clothes, and a meal. The meal was fixings from the dinner. Prime rib. Brian didn't agree with the prime rib, but since it kept them from fixing more food, he resigned himself to it. He wasn't going to close the door, in case Robert needed backup.

"You sure, Robert?" Brian asked.

"I think we can behae like gentlemen, or some of us can," Robert said, waving them away. He held his own wand in his hand so he didn't see Gelding as a challenge while he had not regained his magic. Robert was formidible against a wizard with magic, but there was no contest when he faced a wizard who had no magic. Brian motioned to Jack to follow out to the outer office, where they could follow Robert's orders and still provide him some protection.

Jack on hearing Roberts voice stood bolt upright he watched him speak to Gelding and his words for them to leave. " yes sir" he said and walked to the door waiting for Brian to catch up he didn't close the door but kept it from closing just yet so he too could hear what was being said inside. Witch might give him a clue to what was going on and why they had brought him back from his hole Jack had buried him in for so long . he folded his arms and waited patiently for Brian and Robert he would not worry if they didn't tell him his job was to guard them and make sure nobody got to the kids or Khaat.

Brian listened to Robert's careful negotiations. He could see why Robert had been rather successful as minister until Gridnelwald had marched in while Robert was out. He tol him aobut hhow Gelding's organization was being overrun by an evil werewolf that would and had decimated even his own family and was living off of Gelding's gain and who had killed almost all of Gelding's supporters.

Gelding was outraged and screaming demanding to be let out.

"So," Robert said, "what's in it for me? Why should I let you out?"

"What is it you want, Lupin?" Gelding demanded. "Name it. I want this scum out of my organization. I want my people back."

"That's all you want?"

"Yes," Gelding replied strongly. "If he's hurt my children..."

"I honestly don't know...." Robert began, rememberring that Gelding had chilren of his own hidden somewhere.

"I'll kill him!" Gelding raged.

"If I let you out,..."

"I don't want you..Not right now anyway. I want this bastard. I want him dead."

"Alright, then. Here's the deal. You want him dead, then so be it. Go an get your organization back. But you and I arent' finished. Not by a long shot."

"And what do you get out of it?" Gelding asked.

"You get your organization, and it keeps my family safer as long as you have him occupied."

"I'll occupy him, alright," Gelding hissed. "I'll leave your lot alone--for now. If you leave me alone."

"Done," Robert said.

"And done," Gelding agreed. The men shook hands.

"My men will freshen you up for an acceptable return, as a sign of good faith," Robert said. Gelding nodded in appreciation.

"You'll get your magic back when they drop you back in Paris," Robert replied, turning and walking out. He looked at Brian and Jack. "I know you both heard. I'm setting the rats upon themselves instead of on us. Follow my orders and get him cleaned up. Sharp looking clothes. As much food as he wants. Take him back to his headquarters and, Brian, give him back his powers before you leave. If he's going up against James, he'll need his powers."

"Right away," Brian said obediently. "Jack, go tell Angus we need a food tray and then get my black, double breasted suit from my closet, with a white shirt and a black tie and shoes. Take the plain gold cufflinks from my dresser. And,...he'll need a wand. Give him a spare from the office." Robert kept a few spares in his office, off his quarters upstairs in the house. "I'll take care of the spa treatment," Brian said, knowing tha bathing him as foul as Gelding smelled, that Jack clearly had the better job this time.

Jack listened to Robert hating in letting him go he understood why he was doing this. Jack heard Brian tell him what he should get and nodded " I know the ones " he said and aperated back to the safe house . He found Angus in the kitchen " Brian needs a plate of food on a tray sending to Paris," he said and quickly moved to Brian and Khaat's bed room searching he quickly located the clothing placing it all in a holdall to transport back to the main headquarters and to Brian " here got those things you wanted" he said holding up the holdall.

"Thank you," Brian said. "He's showering right now." Brian motioned towards the prisoner's shower. It was escape proof. The stench had gone, and in its place was now, rising in clouds of hot steam, was the much more pleasant scent of soap and shampoo. "I'll take those." He took the clothes and when the water turned off, Brian took the clothing back ot Gelding. He used a glamour spell to cut and style Gelding's long overgrown hair and his unshaven look. Gelding had decided to keep the beard and mustache, so Brian used his spell to trim them nicely and to give him enough of an impressive look that James would perhaps take Gelding seriously. Brian pocketted the spare wand, choosing not to give it to him now. Brian gave Gelding his own black winter cloak so that he looked complete. Brian rarely wore his, and he thought perhaps he had another.

"Well, you smell better, at least."

"Where is my ring?" Gelding asked. "My family crest."

Brian reached in his pocket and drew it out and handed it to him. The large cabochon still glistened ruby red in the dim light. Gelding put it on. He looked powerful and imposing.

Angus arrived with a tray and put it down on an interrogation table in one of the interrogation rooms. Then he went to Jack. "His dinner is in Room 3, Jack. I'd let him eat here. Taking food that far will just end up with something looking a bit like Shepherd's Pie but turned sideways--or something like that. I suggest you let him eat and then take him. He'll be stronger if we feed him before you go. Oh, and don't worry. You're not missing anything but the shrimp cocktail so far. And we'll hae plenty of that left when you get back. The conversation is making the appetizer course go a bit longer than planned. So far you're not missing anything."