Welcome to the Plague

Kirby listened to the help that Khaat did need, trying to see where he fit. He was no potions master. What distinguished Kirby was his prying mind and his restless spirit, he was no more academically talented than any stranger off of the street. He was no more qualified. He just had the will and the connections. A few calls to his friends could confirm where or where not he could start. He was thinking tracking down ingredients might be more of his forte. It would require movement, exploration, collaboration with strangers. That was more his alley, but he could research too.

"How would I get in contact with your father?" he inquired, thinking that would be a good place to start. She had mentioned something about moonfish and he made a mental note, sure he had heard someone mention making a charm for good luck out of a dried moonfish. He was too distracted now to remember who had said it and where, but he would figure it out.

Khaat spoke of Emmeline again, and Kirby realized the issue there. Hmm. It would be difficult running around with her unsupervised. Khaat asked where they were staying and he answered, "At a friend's." He remembered that Isabel had just married Enzo and wasn't working. "Our friend can stay home with her. I think she will be all right with her."

"Let's go see him," she smiled. She told a healer she was going to be gone for a few moments but asked that they make sure Khaat's patients, including Emmeline, were comfortable. She motioned the man to follow her and she took him to the elevator and then down to the lowest level of the hospital. The sub basement. Rarely were there ever people here who weren't employees. The hallways were largely empty except for a security guard now and then or staff who were helping with the research.

She got to the very large, imposing wooden door and opened it. The stone stairs going down into the lower levels of the lab were dimly lit but the lower levels were lit up, as Khaat's American friends might have said, "like a new saloon." The lights were dazzlingly bright as staff members worked very quietly but swiftly at her father's direction. And in the midst of it, he was hard at work at his potions table. He added a pinch of an ingredient to a small cauldron in front of him and got a small pop and a puff of smoke.

"Buggar," he sighed. He waved the cauldron away and waved a new one to float in front of him. Khaat motioned her new acquaintance to follow her down the stairs. When her father heard her stilettos on the stone, he looked up. He motioned her to come down. When they reached him, he frowned at her.

"You didn't bring coffee?" he asked.

"Oh, sorry. Your paper bird is in my pocket. I forgot to give it to Hannah. I'll fix it," she said. "I want you to meet someone. He's interested in going after the moonfish."

"Really?" That peaked his interest. He turned his attentions to the young man and offered a handshake. "Robert Lupin, Chief of Staff. And who might you be? "

Kirby nodded. Khaat instructed a Healer to watch over the patients and Kirby added, "Can you tell Emmeline I'm just getting some medicine for my aunt? She worries easily," he added this explanation to Khaat. It was true, she worried, but not because of the reasons he was implying. Every time they went someplace new, Kirby grew restless and found a new woman to stimulate him. It had become a pattern and Emmeline did the same, but there was always the day she found out. Her eyes were cold and dark on his, she swallowed something, and then left to find her own man. He did not know why he did it, he always went back to Emme, but he needed to make changes.

She was probably sure that he had taken an interest in Khaat- Emme was infinitely suspicious and thought that he had the drive to go after any woman, when he only moved on for certain reasons. Every woman he met was not considered potential to him. However, he knew he would carefully explain to Emme it was not so. She would believe him. Kirby had never lied about women, why would he now?

He followed Khaat into what was, he supposed, the core of St. Mungo's. Figure. He was in town barely three days and he was already being introduced to the inner workings one of the most iconic magical institutions around. The man he was being introduced to was impressive looking and Kirby got the impression that he was a reservoir of knowledge. Kirby shook his hand and said, "I'm Kirby Byron."

"Good to meet you. So, Mr. Byron," Robert asked. "You're interested in going after the moonfish scales, then. Can I ask you what makes you interested in doing such a dangerous thing?"

"His friend, Emmeline, has the sickness," Khaat told her father quietly. "I am quite sure for Mr. Byron its personal."

"Ah. Understood, then," Robert nodded. "All I have, though, Mr. Byron, is legend to go on. The last legends state that there were some small numbers of moonfish in the swampy bogs in the Dartmoor area. However those bogs can be well hidden and hard to detect. The bogs are tarry and almost impossible to escape if you slip in, much like quicksand. And legends are very specific that the moonfish can only be detected in moonlight. I have no idea what the little buggars eat, if they're there, but perhaps you might be enough of an angler to figure that out?

"You will know the moonfish because the scales glow in the moonlight. It is about the only way to detect them from another fish. It is not necessary for you to bring the fish back alive. It is the shimmery scales we are interested in. Oh, and from the amount of recipes for moonfish that are in the old texts, they will not kill you if you eat them, but you might just wear yourself out trying to make them pallatable.

"If you're still interested after all of that and I haven't frightened you off, I will have Khaat generate the Ministry temporary worker contract for you so that you can be on your way. Questions?"

Kirby listened to Robert and Khaat supplied some information, for which Kirby was thankful. He did not like introducing Emmeline- she was a friend, lover, girlfriend, partner in crime, but none of those words sounded right on his own tongue. He preferred companion because that was essentially what they were to each other. Fortunately, Khaat was here to cut to the chase and explain in the briefest words possible to her father, why Kirby would take it upon himself to do this.

Robert jumped right into it, and Kirby felt he could get along with this man for his ability to, as the old saying went, cut to the chase. Kirby listened intently, his face not changing expression as he took in all of the information and the knowledge that Robert provided him. There was a lot to know and this was going to be more of an adventure than an easy-does-it exchange. He had some friends that worked the black market, he might be able to check there first.

Maybe.

As Robert finished, Kirby responded, "Of course I'm still interested. I have a friend in Ireland who used to say he fished moonfish. I'll call him up and take him. We'll get you your scales, and I can get you anything else you need. No questions. I'm ready."

Khaat watched the exchange between Kirby and her father. They seemed to get along from the outset. Her father enjoyed working with people with keen minds and this seemed to be just his cup of tea.

"Well, then. It sounds like you're set. Just sign the Ministry contract so I can pay you," her father told him. "Then you should be good."

"I have some contracts upstairs in my office," Khaat said.

"Be off with you then, and send Hannah with some coffee," Robert said. "Several gallons ought to do it for this crew." Khaat laughed.

"Several gallons for you?" she challenged.

"No," her father said. "Not my style, and you know it. That's your style."

"I'll send it straight away," she said.

"Good luck, Mr. Byron," Robert told him. "Khaat will keep a good eye on Emmeline for you while you're gone."

"Let's go sign your contract," Khaat said to Byron. He was literally going to go from one end of the hospital to the other. From the sub basement to the top floor. Well, that was one way to get acquainted quickly.

Kirby watched the exchange between the two, father and daughter, and found they had the gentle ease of companionship he sought in his own companions. Attention turned back to him and he blinked, saying, "Thank you for the opportunity." He nodded at Robert, and got the inkling of a feeling that he would be seeing more of and dealing with the man more.

He turned and followed Khaat out. He let them walk a few moments in silence before saying, "I need to speak to Emmeline before I leave. As you can imagine, she might be uneasy if I dropped her off at a hospital and disappeared for a few weeks. Also, where would I be able to use an owl, or even a phone? I'm still gathering my bearings."

"Absolutely. I'll take you back up to Emmeline, and you can talk to her. I'll go up and get the contract and the owl and bring them back to you. How are you on gear? Do you have enough? Do you have a wizarding tent and plenty of nonperishable food and all of that stuff? If not, we have plenty. I can loan you some. It isn't a problem."

She returrned him to the emergency ward.

"Director," Hannah stopped her. "I took it upon myself to bring Emmalene a dietary sheet in order to give her some guidelines of what and how she might eat with a lot less discomfort. And I had them bring her up a mug of the chef's cheddar cheese soup."

"Good. Thank you," Khaat said. She looked at Kirby. "We are very fortunate to have a five star chef here in our kitchens. The cheddar cheese soup is one of our biggest sellers. Between the tea and the soup, it may have eased her stomach considerably." Khaat was predicting that as lousy as Emmeline felt, it would not be unexpected for her to be getting sleepy if all that distress had finally stopped for her. "Take your time, Kirby," she said. "I'll be back in a moment."

She left him there and went upstairs. She filled out the contract and prepared it for him to sign. Then she went to the owlery. She chose a beautiful barn owl named Milo. He was white with beautiful tan wings. He was one of the best trained in the owlery and he had a tendency to want to be a companion. Serving in the hospital owlery wasn't always well suited to him because he so wanted to be a strong companion. The healers often would walk around with him on their shoulders because he so grieved being alone. And when Khaat took him from the owlery he seemed delighted to be in service. She took a little drawstring back of the owl treats that he liked. They were a sort of a fish cracker. She fed him one and took him downstairs and waited outside the room where Kirby was visiting with Emmeline. She felt that Kirby should take all the time he wanted with her.

One of the healers who spoke to animals helped Khaat relay to Milo that he was going to go with a friend and that Milo was to serve him as a companion and as a messenger. In whatever way he could serve. The owl screeched and flapped its wings. Khaat took it as excitement on Milo's part. She was hoping that this adventure with Kirby might be perhaps something that would fit him better than waiting in the owlery to deliver messages.

Kirby followed Khaat, who was gracious and agreed to allow him time to settle the worries of his female counterpart. She asked about gear and he responded in turn, "Yes, I have my own things. Like I said, travel is not new to me. I will literally get into my car and be prepared for this trip." He grinned over at her, because this was the honest truth. Of course, he planned on making a quick stop at Gringott's- he would be needing the money for the endeavor ahead of him.

Khaat dropped him off at Emmeline's door and explained further for Emmeline. He nodded and watched her retreat, before entering the room. Emmeline was sitting up straight, waiting. Her eyes were cold and heavy on his face. "At least she's a Healer," Emmeline said. "Noble profession. I noticed an attractive male nurse. He probably makes enough money to take me in-"

Kirby stepped forward and pushed his mouth against hers. He could taste her bitter resentment as she responded and he pulled away. "You've become suspicious, darling. Rest assured, Khaat is a colleague. I want you to be healed, I don't want her. Alright? I was asking for help for my aunt. They think they can heal her, but they need me to retrieve some tough ingredients. I'm going to go look for it-" she opened her mouth to protest, but he pressed on "and I'm going to write a note to Isabel and Enzo and they will watch you. I'll return as soon as possible, okay?"

She nodded and he kissed her again for searching for some parchment. He wrote a quick note to his friend Neil Hurley, telling him to meet him in Dartmoor to pay back the favor Kirby had done him of bailing him out of jail for public drunkenness. He wrote another letter to their newlywed friends and gave it to Emmeline, saying, "Khaat seems really nice, and useful. It might do you good to befriend her. Also, once I've left, ask her to mail this for you. Okay?"

"Yes, Kirby."

Khaat saw Brian coming down the hallway. He was a sight for sore eyes. She had lost two patients already today in the Intensive Care Unit. They'd died of this terrible plague. She was glad to see a friendly face. His smile told her that he had seen that it hadn't been the easiest morning.

He came up to her and kissed her. "Miss me?" he asked.

"I'd love to say yes, but I haven't had time," she smiled. "No offense."

"None taken," he laughed. "But...I have something for you."

"For me?" she frowned.

"You haven't even missed them," he laughed, amused. He reached into the pocket of his suitcoat and withdrew her rings. "I found them in the surgical scrub room earlier, on the sink. I thought you'd miss them eventually."

"Thank you," she said, relieved, as he took her hand and put the large diamond and emerald engagement ring on her hand, along with her wedding ring and the guard that held them together, all fitting into a large cluster of diamonds and emeralds. She had initially found them a bit cumbersome, but he had sworn to her to treat her like his queen. And he had.

"What are you doing with Milo?" he asked her.

"Ah, well," she said. "we have a new searcher. And he needs an owl. I think Milo will be a good fit for him."

"Milo just needs to be with someone," Brian laughed. "Its probably a good thing to send him on a search. Othewise, I was probably going to have to adopt him. Who is this new guy?"

"Kirby Byron. He's just catching his girlfriend up on his plans. I get the feeling he could use a bit of an income," Khaat said.

"Well, I trust your judgement," he said. Then he teased her. "Most of the time, anyway."