Dinner: Interrupted

"He'll do alright," Robert said. "Owens is in charge of the training program, though, and...."


"Owens?" Kate asked. "Dear lord, he'll kill that boy. You all thought Brian was a taskmaster. Well, there's Brian, and then there's Owen."


"Well, he did say he wanted to learn," Robert laughed.  "Now, Jack, if you want to show Brant where he needs to be physically--or to have a bit of fun with him--pop over there tomorrow, you and Steven, and just join the team in the morning work out. I've got no doubt you'll do alright.  Maybe he'll wake up to where the benchmark is that he needs to work for."


"Oh, you old fool," Kate scowled. "You couldn't keep up with that. Stop asking them to do what you can't."


"You think I couldn't?" He looked at her. "Seriously?"


"I know you couldn't?" she laughed. He looked at Jack.  Kate obviously didn't know that Robert was the one who designed the work outs.  


"She might have something to learn, mightn't she?" Robert looked at Jack. 


"Oh, posh," she waved him away.

Jack listened to Robert and chuckled at his sugestion " ow thats a challange and a half." He said and grinned " but...challange acepted, I'll talk to Steven after dinner" he said and watched as Kate walked in " Im sorry Kate but he need it hes got all...mopy and depressed, pardon my french but he needs a kick up the ass to get him moving and if this will do it so be it." he laughed softly and looked to Robert a smile on his face as he nodded he agreed.

"Maybe she should come too and watch us" he sugested "Jess would come with you, she loves the challange and I think she secretly puts a bet on who will will as well I know Steven and Jim do, poor steven loses every time, and no I don't use my were abilitys, its just all me." He added folding his arms to show off his muscles and grinned.

"Its not you she doubts," Robert said. "Its me. She doesn't think I can keep up. I think, under the circumstances, I'll pass this time. But I'll beat you both the next time. You both are in good shape, and I'm sure you'd do fine on Owen's course."

"Robert, you'd better not be so foolish as to think you can join them just a few hours after your beer was poisoned," Kate scowled. "We thought you were dead."

"It most likely was a little close for a moment," he said. "But I'm fine."

"You weren't fine this morning."

"Now, don't nag. You lot can't get rid of me that easily. Somebody has to hang around and make sure you lot get things right."

Suki brought in a glass of fresh, ice cold lemonade and gave it to Robert. "You need some fluids. You know what that potion does. It can dehydrate. The rest of you, there's fresh lemonade in the kitchen, in the glass pitcher on the counter, if you want some. Angus says you should try putting not just ice in your glass but some of the frozen raspberries he has in the glass bowl in the freezer. He says its very nice."

Jack laughed and nodded " ow thats so true and I'll hold you to that, you and me on the assault course when your 100% again" he said smiling he moved aside to let Suki give him his glass of lemonade. He chuckled again as Robert told them they could not get rid of him that quick.

"who'd want to get rid of you," He said " when your times up you'd still haught us and tell us were doing something wrong Im sure." He listened to suki and nodded " that sounds wonderful, if you'll excuse me I have to get some before it all goes." he moved from Robert noting Jim stood not that far from him beside a book case.

Robert watched the others head for the lemonade. He took a sip from his own glass. It was good. Very good. His stomach wasn't up to eating or drinking much of anything.


Robert glanced up at Jim. There were a few people who usually could see through to what Robert didn't talk about.  Michael was one, Kate was another. Jim was a third.  They were people that knew him well, knew him most of his life.


"You're giving me that look again, Jim," he said to him.  "I've got to get back on my feet and see if I can't find why a fellow Order member would want me dead. And you know as well as I do that this house runs better if it sees things are business as usual.  Its not a lie.  Its just a....stretch of the truth." Okay, so it was a lie. But maybe he could simply make it a stretch of the truth.

Jim chuckled softly as he walked around to sit facing Robert " drat, I must be slipping , thought I was doing well to hide it." he said as he sat down. " I agree but not at the expence of your health, you have men looking and others watching." He said now wishing he could take out his pipe but he had quit it ages ago. "rutine is good for the younger ones."

" my sorces tell me all the ushaul places have been checked, men watch them, at a distance." he informed Robert " as for Brant Owens will shape him into a good man, if he can leave his emotions out of it a little." He said softly " The order member who did this will be found, I have heard of a new man joining from our japan bratch, names Li Lianjie, I belive he is on his way." He said in a matter of fact tone. " I also read his report, trained in martial arts, dedicated to his training and loyal to the core."

Robert was more tired and was hurting more than he intended to let on to the others. Jim knew the difference. He was sure Michael and Kate were seeing, even though he was working to push through it. 


"It really will have worn off by tomorrow," he told Jim honestly. "The fatigue might take a bit of time, though. I suppose what frustrates me is not seeing it coming. I've been looking for my enemies amongst my enemies. I wasn't looking for them amongst my allies. Stupid mistake, I know."


He listened to Jim talk about a new man in the Japan office.  Well, new recruits were always a good thing.


"Did they send his dossier to Brian?" he asked. "And they're sending him to England to stand in for Brant? Is that correct? Or are they thinking amping up security a notch since last night might be a good thing?"  He didn't necessarily have an issue either way. He only wanted to be on the same page.

Jim chuckled and looked at Robert as he spoke of what happened. " we keep our freinds close but our enemys closer" He said softly "Then relax tonight in the company of your family and worry about it when tomorrow comes." He sipped his lemonade and nodded " I belive its forth coming and will be on his desk by morning." he told him.

Listening again he thought about Roberts words. "Hes no recruit, I belive hes been well trained since a child off the streets. Brought up by monks trained in martial arts then the special police and then recruited  by us." He paused and sipped his drink. " from all accounts hes a quiet observant steadfast man, his poloce record is spotless." Jim stopped then looked at Robert . " hum..do you think thats the right man for here" He glanced at Steven and Jack " could be too much of a culture shock and if those two get hold of him.." he chuckled

"Now, don't split terms with me," Robert said. "I'm not saying he's inexperienced. I'm merely saying that he's a new recruit to us. It sounds like he's experienced, but he's not worked with us. Someone's going to have to train him and show him the ropes. And I presume someone's bringing him?"


He was trying not to be a bit edgy, but the fact that someone had gotten that close to him to try to kill him made him a bit more protective of his family. He was hoping that people weren't just passing out portkeys to his daughter's home.


"Well, I don't know about culture shock. It might not be entirely different.  Maybe. After all, wizards do seem to have a common culture, world around. Life in England? Now that might be something else altogether."

Jim chuckled and nodded "Of course were not going to give out this adress like its the prime ministers at downing street, hes going to lees in paris first, then if Lee clears him of all the checks, he'll be brought here." he said "We're not just going to let him walk in and not check him out Robert, and yes since Steven and Jack will be busy, I've taken on the task of showing him the ropes myself." he sipped his drink again.

" I think they just want to know your safe again, I'd say it was a compliment for Japan to send there top man to be at your side." he said softly. " its rare they send any one out of the country whose not one of there own." He held up his hand " yes I know very backwoods thinking of me but I always got the impreshion they were all about tradition and closed ranks, but guess I was wrong, they offered him hearing what happened."