Just A Warm Up Please

"Might be possible," Michael said. "But...it might be wise to see if she's already hired. Otherwise, we might well be recruiting a double agent."

"Well, she surely was shielding someone in Dent's old lab," Brian said.

"I wonder who that was. It wasn't Alistair D'Eath, was it?"

"I dont know. How tall is D'Eath?"

"Oh, maybe 6 foot or a bit better."

"Well, that would fit that. What sort of build does he have?"

"Fairly slender."

"Hm...No, I don't think so. This guy was about that height, but he seemed to be have a bit of a larger build. Not a lot. But somewhat. Maybe a bit more muscular."

"Wait. Muscular?" Michael frowned. "Not Alistair, then. But if he's got muscles of his own, what's the new guy hiding behind Forbes for? What is she shielding him for? Makes me wonder. I would be very careful if I were you. The fact that she was shielding someone into illegals doesn' specifically say she's shielding a dark arts practitioner, but it certainly does lean that way. And if Forbes finds him valuable, then he's either paying her well, or he has some sort of a promise of power behind him. Do you want me to nose around a bit in my circles and see if I learn anything?"

"I guess we should search the Potion's lab that's supposedly next to the one we tore down, while you do your little searching around, specially if she works in there .. or even has people working there. I could pay a little visit there, alone if you need some time to follow some of your own leads Brian .. Though if she's there and she even thinks that I'm working as a spy I might have a hard time leaving but, what do both of you think? I'd appreciate your opinions, specially since you are much older then me."

Chris filled his cup again with firewhiskey, ideas about Forbes appearing in his mind, the will to do the good thing erupting from his heart into his brain, giving him all the courage he needed. He bottled the Firewhiskey and drank his entire cup at once, the fiery sensation of it twirling in his stomach. He was getting pumped up, specially with the idea of catching someone so important as her.

Michael and Brian saw Chris fortifying himself with the firewhiskey. Michael merely suppressed a grin into a slight smile.

"Steady, there, Boy," Michael said. "The more rocket fuel you drink, the slower your reaction time will become. Besides that, she's not a firewhiskey sort of a woman. She is a Russian vodka aficionado. Never saw her favor anything else really. You might well have a chance at seeing her at her lab. Perhaps. But you wont draw her out if you look like an auror. You'll have to look like a typical Knockturn resident. Have you ever done any undercover work?"

"This is his first day in the field," Brian said.

"Oh, Lord. First day in the pond and you're sending him after sharks," MIchael shook his head. "I suggest you follow him at a distance and let him try. You're too bloody well known, Quinn. Your face has been all over the papers with Robert and Khaat. An unknown might work--if he's careful. If he's not, it will be a damned short career for him."

"That's what I like about you," Brian shook his head, laughing. "You're such a bloody optomist. You think you can do this, Chris?"

"I know my reaction will be slower but, if I am to do a proper job to imitate a Knockturn resident, maybe I should get their looks, starting by getting a little drunk and then I could hit the streets and try to bring her out. I know about her love about Vodka, Robert told me when he was chatting with Brian just before we came here to talk with you. But still, a little energy is always good. And don't misjudge me because it's my first day on the field .. I'm as ready as you can find someone .. Besides, it's as you said, from my two years of desk duty, Brian's face been all over the place so .. I'm the one adequated for the job."

He said, smiling slightly at both man's, as they looked at him, a worried face appearing slightly on both. He knew he was still fresh from his training with Brian and that they had been working for an entire day now, ever since he was training with him to the point where they are close to bringing out a really dangerous women.

"We're not judging you," Brian said. "Alright. We'll try it."

"Go over to the house then," Michael said, "You know where to find what you need."

"Yes. I do," Brian said. "Let's go, Chris. Thanks, Michael."

"Watch your back, Lads," Michael said. Brian got up and led Chris out of the pub and across the street and through an alley, to a stone cottage on the street behind Honeydukes.

"You don't know this place exists, got it?" Brian asked, going up the walk and going inside. The minute they walked in the door, Michael's enchanted footstools started barking and running in circles. The hatrack dashed up and snatched Brian's jacket, giggling and ran upstairs. Brian was used to it.

"Chris, the leather footstool is Otto, and the pink one is Faline. They're his, well, dogs. They think they're cocker spaniels. And the hatrack is Snidely. He's a kleptomaniac. He'll be happy if he can have my jacket for awhile. Michael will get it back later. What we need is in the cellar. This way." He led Chris through the house. In the kitchen, the tea kettle hurried to put itself on to boil.

"Relax, Everyone," Brian said to all Michael's enchanted things. "We're not staying. We'll take a raincheck on the tea." Things seemed to settle a bit, but the 'dogs' followed them as Brian led Chris downstairs to the basement and into a hidden room full of all sorts of clothes and accessories--his stash of supplies for undercover work. "We should well be able to find what we need here to look Knockturn appropriate."