LONDON CALLING

Jack walked in and saw Michael " hey, sleep well?" he asked poring a cup of coffee as Jess busyed her self perping the dinner. He headed to the sink and washed his hands before picking up a cup and headeing to the living room " one of the trees came down last night, it was old and dead, was going to remove it today anyway, saved me half a job" he told him.

"So Michael what did you find out about the stone?" Jess asked " or did you bring all that paper work with you just for fun?" she asked finishing the Chicken fajita traybake with pea 'guacamole' she'd prepared.

"I slept better than I thought I would, actually. I sat down to work and fell asleep and didn't wake up til morning--until Snidely kicked me in the leg. That's going to leave a bruise. Anyway, I found some very interesting things. I think I have a possible lead for us to follow--depending on how underhanded you lot are willing to get."

"Underhanded?" Gabe asked, coming in with Mira.

"Count me in!" Mira said, always up for some excitement.

"Wait a second," Gabe said, uncertain if he wanted Mira involved in something criminal.

"I am an adult, Dad," she said. "I can make my own choices. What are we doing? Breaking and entering? Safe cracking? Rapelling down a wire to bypass an alarm system..."

"You've been watching muggle movies," Michael laughed.

"But tell the truth. You've done all those things, right?"

"More times than I can count," he admitted. "Lets all sit down and I'll tell you what I know. The jewelry led me to a money trail. I think all that jewelry was sold piece by piece, to pay for Gelding's 'goods.' And, I think he created a number of shell companies both to buy the jewels and to funnel the money that he got from them. I think he bought the jewels at a pitifully lowballed price, and then hung onto some and rolled some of the others over to black market dealers through some of his shell companies. It's been making money for him hand over fist. I say its about time that we cut his tap off. Let's cut his funding off at as many sources as we can. Let's shut down his phony jewelry shops, his phony pawn shops, and his phony finance companies for a start."

"And then what?" Gabe asked.

"And then, I'll do something I really don't like to do," Michael said. "If one of you can brew a proper polyjuice potion, I'll go into Gringotts and rob Tom Gelding of every galleon he has in his vault."

"And if you get caught..." Gabe frowned.

"If I get caught, I'll likely go to Azkaban for life," he shrugged. "Unless Robert has a better plan."

Jack looked at Michael and chuckled " that dang hatrack again" he said shaking his head. He heard Michael speack again and Mira's responce he shook his head " I'll come with you " he said as Jessie walked in to hear the last part.

"wow if stealth is needed, you my freind are not it." he said " I'll come with, my shift here is over so Im free to do as I please." he said walking over to Michael, " besides I can get in smaller places that Jack can, no offence." he said with a slight smirk.

"hey, its muscle" Jack quipped back to him where Jessie only raised an eye brow at his words. " besides its down to Michel to decide who he wants with him." Jack said finally.

"I'll take Jessie this time," Michael said.

"Thank you," Gabe said, not wanting Mira involved in theft.

"But Gringotts is the last movement. We won't be doing that first. I've mapped out two jewelry shops and two finance companies. One of each in London, and one of each in Paris. So, Jack, how about you and Jessie disguise yourselves and go and see how quickly you can bust up the Paris jewelry shop and the Paris finance company. Try not to destroy the jewelry or the money. We might as well have them instead of Gelding. Mind you, they're not real corporations, so I don't think Gelding will be stupid enough to call the police but don't let yourselves be seen on any muggle surveilance equipment.

"And that leaves a London jewelry shop and a London finance company," Gabe said.

"Yes, it does. I can go by myself, I suppose, unless, Jess, you are alright with your husband going to Paris and you coming with me? I trust Jack will trust me with you for a mission. If not, well, I won't grill him any more steaks. Want to bust up a phony jewelry store and a phony loan company with me?" Michael asked. "Then we'll meet back here before we decide about Gringotts."

Jessie and Jack looked at each other and grinned " oh we can do that" they said together. Jess looked up at him and nodded.

"of course Michael," she said with a smile at his words. "He has no say in what I do as I have none in his." she moved to stand with Michael. Jack pulled a face at the mention of no more grilled steaks.

"oh come on, you know I trust her with you." Jack said " you just come back in one peice" he said to Jess who rolled her eyes at him.

"Im not a china doll dear I can take care of myself, now go smash" she said waving her hand for him to leave. With a grin both Jessie and Jack transphigured there clothing so their faces would not be seen and ported out. Jess looked at Michael " okay, what shall we be messinf up?" she asked smiling as she transphiugured her clothing into something she could move in.

Michael transfigured his own clothing into black mission clothing and got out a couple of old death eater masks.

"Might as well blame dark arts for it i suppose," Michael said with an amused grin. He handed one to Jess. "Let's hit the finance company first since Jack and Jessie will probably go to the jewelry store in Paris first. Let's reverse it and throw Gelding off his game. I don't care about their records. I already have those, but if they have money in their cash drawers and their vaults, let's get that. The rest of it, as far as I'm concerned, if firewood." He offered her his arm. "It's a good thing you aren't a girlfriend and this isn't a date. Really would be a terrible date, wouldn't it?"

"I think it would be a great date!" Mira said as she watched them get ready to leave.

"My little delinquent," Gabe sighed.

"Shall we?" Michael asked Jess, drawing his wand.

Jess changed the color of her clothing to match his and chuckled as he handed her the mask and she slipped it on. Taking his arm she again chuckled " I agree with Mira, would make a great first date, can't rember what my first was with Jack but he did make a lasting impreshion if I married him " she said and smiled at Mira before they left. When he asked if he could port her she nodded " yes we shall" she joked.

Apearing in the finance company banking room Jess threw out Incendio but not in the areas of the money that she gathered and placed in a cloth bag shrinking it all down and slipping it into her pockets. soon she tapped Michaels shoulder "we should go , got every bit" she whispered to him casting another Incendio at a pile of books.


Jack and jessie on the other hand burst into there shop smashing the cases but not damaging the jewlery inside it. each case ended up being nothing but kindeling on the floor along with the shelves , other diplays and bookcases. Once Jack was happy it was all byond repair they both dove back out smashing a few windows as they went.

"Well done," Michael told her. He was careful to not use names, just in case one of Gelding's men were around. He hadn't seen much of anyone, but that didn't mean that there wasn't some magic spell or surveillance going on. Once Jess safely had the money, Michael offered her his arm, and he decided they needed to go quickly and not linger one moment longer than necessary.

The next place was the jewelry shop. When they got there, Michael was determined to snag as much of the jewelry as possible. He was using an accio spell to bring most of it to them, when he saw someone apparating in, and he deliberately stepped instinctively in front of Jess to try to shield her. For one brief moment, he saw the form of a woman and then right in front of his eyes, she shifted to a mammoth, hulking mountain troll. He noticed a sparkling black crystal hanging around the neck of the troll and he fired an explosive spell at it to try to blow it apart. As he did, the troll picked up and threw a huge, heavy floor to ceiling display case at him. It knocked him to the floor and pinned him underneath.

He knew immediately that something in his back was hurt. He wasn't going to be able to use magic to lift it, and he didn't want Jess hurt because, well, first of all, he cared. Second of all, he needed her to go and get help. Big, hulking, muscular help. And he didn't want to reveal too much in front of this shapeshifter.

"Go!" he exclaimed. "Go now! The dogs!" He hoped she understood his cryptic message. He wanted her to leave the shop and summon help, particularly Jack and Jessie and anyone else she could get to help get the display case off him. He could muster a protection spell for himself for the moment, but he wasn't going to get free without a lot of muscle to help.

Jess watched as Michael ported them to the jewllery shop but things went pear shaped and she knew it. Watching as he was pinned she nodded and ported back to the ranch " Jack Jessie we need your help, go to the jewllery shop Michaels pinned " she said out of breath. Both men looked at each other Jessie was con fused but Jack grabbed his arm porting them right to the shop.

" go left I'll get Him" Jack said as Jessie moved drawing out his weapon and started flinging items at the hulking troll in the room.

Jack dove over and braced himself as he planted his feet grasped the bookcase and slowly lifted it using all of his strength and them tossed it to the left of them. " can you move?" He asked kneeling by Michael while hearing the ruckus that was coming from Jessie and the trool.

Michael heard Jessie and Jack arrive, and he thought Jack was wise to have Jessie distract the troll while he freed Michael. When Jack moved the display case, Michael felt sharp pain in his spine from the release of the pressure. He had tried to brace himself for it, but it still hurt. Still, he was grateful for the rescue.

"Yeah," Michael said. "Yeah, I'm fine." He made it to his feet, but not without some difficulty. The sharp pain still told him something was definitely amiss. The severity of the pain told him he was going to have to have Robert see to it. "Thanks, Jack," he said, still relieved to be out from under that display. He looked at the troll, and it still had that black crystal. Michael wanted it, but he knew he wasn't up to a big skirmish with a troll.

"Listen," he told Jack, "That's our sorceress. and I want that bauble she has. I'm going to get it, and then you lads do whatever you want with her." I have all the important jewelry pieces from here already. I"m going to step back and let you two handle her. I don't think I'm going to be much help." He stepped backwards a few steps from Jack, and as he did, he used his medallion to send a signal just to Robert, uncertain how long he could stand up with the pain he was having.

Robert apparated in, wand drawn and at the ready. He saw the troll, but he saw Michael who was trying to use a doorjamb to keep himself upright.

"Michael!" Robert braced up Michael, feeling Michael starting to crumple underneath him.

"Get that thing!" Michael pointed at the troll.

"The troll?" Robert frowned.

"No, the stone. Get the stone," Michael said.

"That?" Robert pointed to the glowing black crystal.

"Yes! Get the stone!" Michael repeated. Robert cast a spell and got resistance from the chain, as if someone had tried to make the chain unbreakable. Well, that hadn't stopped Robert before, except for Khaat's necklace. He cast a spell to break the chain and then summoned the stone. It flew to his hand, and he tossed the thing unthinkingly into his pocket.

"You need help with that big gorilla, Jack?" Robert called to Jack. "Or have you to got him?"

"Her," Michael said "That's our shapeshifter."

"Ah! Jack! Transfigure that hussy into something else!" Robert shouted at him.