Marriage is Murder

"Fine," Robert said, satisfied with how they had divided. "I will leave Michael here with her as well."

"We shall start with the shop," Daniella said. "Phillippe, rid us of those muggle police officers and get us capable aurors instead."

"At once," Phillippe said. He summoned two of his own aurors and then apparated out to go to the stairwell and walk up to avoid having to obliviate the muggle officers outside. He took the aurors with him and used his governmental identification to take control of the guards outside the room and to relieve them of their posts and leave the aurors in their places. He briefed them while Daniella and Robert made their plans.

"Robert," Michael called. Robert went out to the balcony and spoke with Michael a moment and then returned.

"Shall we?" Robert asked.

"The sooner the better," Daniella said. "Our boat is docked right outside the hotel. We can take that to the shop."

"Call us if you need us," Robert told those that were remaining behind. He motioned those who were going to follow and then opened the door to the suite and made his way downstairs to the boat at the dock.

Jack followed his nose picking up all scents around him even though it was too soon for any of Brian's scent to show and he climbed into the boat and waited for the others to get in he watched Robert and hoped inside they would fine Brian and in a healthy condition . Jess moved to sit down to where Michael and Khaat sat " would you like some tea?" she asked smiling at them both. Steven stood at the door and listened to the men out side on the other side.

Jack watched the as the boat moved down the canal to where the shop was he picked up the faint scent of blood the metallic smell filling his nose to the pint he could taste it . " some one definitely lost blood in there, I can smell it" he said softly to Robert.

Brian had decided to use the little fizzle of magic he had left to try to slowly and magically chip away at the stone that held the bars on the cellar window. He'd been working at it for some time when he was discovered. Two big musclemen were angry. They were going to cast spells at him but Brian picked up a couple of rocks from the cellar floor and hurled them at them, hitting them and knocking the wands from their hands. They dove at him, and he dove right back, deciding that sometimes an old fashioned brawl accomplished more.

"Well," Robert said to Jack, "that would be Brian's." They got off the boat and went into the shop. Robert pieced together from Khaat's story where she had been in the store, looking at the menswear. Looking for a gift for Brian. He'd known she had not wanted him to see what she was buying, so he had gone around the corner and was looking at some lovely scarves and shawls for her on the other half of the store--within earshot but not within eyesight. Robert went over to where Brian had been and saw the bloodstain on the floor. By his judgement, it wasn't a small wound either. Phillippe allowed Robert to do some investigating on his own, but he began to look for his own clues. He began to look in the area that would have been behind Brian, presuming Brian would have fouht back had he seen anyone coming.

He drew his wand and flicked it, casting a spell. There were traces of magical energy, but the closer Phillippe looked, the more curious he became. He knelt down on the floor and began examining something else he' found.

"What did you find?" Daniella asked him.

"Another stain," Phillipe said, showing her a dark stain on the floor.

"More blood?" she asked.

"No, I don't think so." he touched it with his fingers and sniffed the substance on the floor. "Ewww." he wrinkled his nose. "Its a French bordeux. And a really badly made one. Its about half cheap wine and half vinegar. And someone walked in it with expensive shoes."

"What is a French wine doing in a Venice shop?" Daniella frowned. She turned to Robert. "Do you know anyone in France who is your son-in-law's enemy? Or yours?" Robert spun around, his eyes wide.

"France? We most certainly do," Robert said. Gelding? Gelding had been behaving for quite some time. And Robert had left him largely alone. Could it be that Tom Gelding was rearing his ugly head one more time?

Jack opened a small door leading out into an alleyway he wrinkled his nose at Phillipe description of the wine he'd found in the shop " Robert come look at this " he said and moved parts of a broken bottle out in the alley the label clearly showed it was a Bordeaux a newly-released Château Pétrus ." Robert this isn't out in the shops yet the only way they could have got a bottle was from the vine yard its self, might be a starting point" he said carefully holding up the label with an image of a castle on it " Gelding's hide away?" he asked looking to Daniella and Phillipe as he did so. He let some of the men collect the broken bottle and he moved back to Robert " I'm guessing were not going in all guns blazing so whats the plan?" he asked softly looking from one to the other.

He moved around the alley finding no more blood he was glad of that as it showed him Brian was at least some what in one piece.

"Why the hell would they bring a bottle of wine here of all places? Why not just leave their bloody names signed on the wall?" Robert scowled. "Damned morons."

"Unless it is a trap, my friend," Daniella said gently.

"Jack," Robert said, "you and Steven go back to the hotel. Get Michael and take him with you. Brian is the one who knows his way in and out of Gelding's place. But since he's the one we're rescuing, we don't have that advantage. And we need stealth and speed. That means Michael. Michael does not need to have the blueprints to get you in and out, and he'll need your fighting skills and your strength. Get Brian out, preferably alive. Bring him back to Khaat here in Venice unless he's not able to walk. If he can stand and walk, you bring him back to the hotel. I will deal with Gelding myself, but I want him to have to wait. Sometimes your enemy will be crazier sooner if you do nothing than if you immediately strike back.

"Daniella, I want copies of all your reports, please."

"And I want you to catch Mr. Gelding," Daniella said. "We can contact the head of wizarding law enforcement in France to...."

"Unnecessary. He is very well aware of my movements in France. I have a free hand there so long as I can justify that it is for a good cause," Robert said.

"Can you get them to extradite Gelding here?" Daniella asked.

"If I don't extradite him home to my own courts first," Robert said.

"The offense happened here. The jurisdiction is mine, and you know it," Daniella said.

"When I get him, you can have him," Robert said. "Jack, go. Bring my son back home. Take a piece of that broken glass to Michael. It will help him know where to look for Brian."

Jack looked at Danielle as he took the bag with the broken bottle in then quickly ported to the hotel " Michael , Robert need your help we think Brian's here " he said and held up the bottle with the label facing him " the castle is geldings hide out " he said and walked over to him placing it down " Robert wants us to go in and get him out quick and quiet and that my friend is your specialty" he said smiling but he turned to Steven " your to come too Robert said he might need our fighting skills" Steven walked over to stand with both of them and nodded.

"Gladly" he said and looked to Michael for his next words hoping they would be ones of follow me and they would leave to infiltrate the castle and get Brian back if he was inside and healthy. Steven had a feeling he would be in a bad way knowing Brian's hard headiness if he was interrogated.

(ooc: brian is in paris. i mentioned in my first post where he woke up that he could see the eiffel tower from the basement window.)

Michael heard them come in. Khaat had been seeing something that didn't make sense to her. Michael had given her paper and she had done a rough sketch. Michael had just taken the sketch in his hand when they came back.

"One moment," Michael said. He looked at the sketch and frowned. "One of you is wrong, Jack. Give me that label." He took the wine bottle label and studied it. "This wine isn't made in Italy. Its made in France. And look at this." He showed them Khaat' sketch. It was a rectangle with some very distinctive lines and shapes. "This bit here? No other place on the planet has that shape. That's the damned Eiffel Tower, and that's not in Venice. I think those thick black lines all the way across the sketch are bars. I think this very well could be what Brian is seeing from where he is. He's able to see the Eiffel Tower. I don't think he's in Italy. I think that boy is in Paris. Remember, Gelding's primary base and stronghold is in Paris. And, I don't know if you remember ever being in that cellar or not, but Gelding makes shitty wine down there. It well might be that the label is his way of marking his bottles. I think they're holding him in that wine cellar Gelding's got.

"If we do this, you lot need to decide if you're looking in Venice, or if you're coming with me. Because I'm going to Gelding's mansion in Paris."

Khaat didn't want ot remin behind if they were going to leave her alone again. Michael turned to her.

"I need you to trust me. I need you to stay here where you're safe," he told her quietly. "You won't be alone. I promise. Someone will be here with you."

Jack looked at Michael and growled " A red herring " he said softly but as Michael spoke he nodded " Paris it is, I'm coming" he said as Steven and Jim walked forward " we are too" they said to Michael. each wanting a bit of Gelding Jack walked over to Michael " if he has Brian, I want a piece of him" Jack said . Jess walked out and smiled to Michael as she spoke.


" I'll stay with Khaat don't worry nobody will harm her" she said taking out her wand and then turning to walk back to sit with Khaat again. Jim looked from Michael to Jess and back.

" I'll stay here if you want extra protection not all of the men should go " he said stepping back " jack has strength and Steven skill, I'll remain." he moved to walk back to Jess

"Good," Michael said. "I would presume that Robert will be back soon. Hiss--let's go, Boy. We've got a mission to do. Some prat has taken Brian, and we're going to go get him back." The rope perked up to attention in Michael's bag and slithered over to Michael, wound its way up Michael's torso and coiled up around his shoulder. He gave a whistle, and a small black case sprang out of the bag and snapped over to Michael's hand. Michael tucked the case in his pocket. "One of you need to take a bit of a first aid kit. The boy was bleeding, remember. We need to be prepared to at least bandage him so he doesnt leak all the way out and leave a trail."

Khaat look at her hands. She could see blood on them, but she didn't know whether it meant Brian was hurt or not. She didn't know if it meant he'd gotten blood on his hands from the wound on his head, or if there was an additional wound. She showed Jess her hands and signed one word. "Blood." She also knew he was angry and frustrated. He wanted to come home.

Jack accioed a first aid kit and shrank it slipping it into his pocket as he watched Hiss slither aorund Michael " got that covered Michael" he told him and looked at Steven " lets hope its not too bad " he said and Steven nodded. In the bed room Jess looked at Khaat holding out her hands and she sighed taking a damp cloth she began to wipe them clean as she smiled.

" he'll be ok they think they know where he is and are going to get him knowing Brian as soon as he get here he'll be more worried about you than himself " she said smiling as she made sure to get every drop of blood off her hands.