LONDON CALLING

Ruby nodded " Very good thing she has you then." she said as she listened to him and Robert talking. Once moving she saw the waterfall but also saw a small mouse fall in and instantly desolve. Stepping back she stepped on Angus toes. " Why do I keep bumping into you?" she said " I am sorry about standing on your foot." Looking around she saw some vines " what about swinging on those vines?" she sugested seeing Jack and Jessie looking at them too.

"Might be possible, if they can hold any weight." Jack said pulling one off a wall and tuging it hard.

"That could work," Robert nodded. He wasn't sure how Marcus was going to get Khaat across.

"Your tie, Robert," Marcus said. "Tie her wrists with it and then put her arms around my neck. I can hold her with one hand and hold onto the vine with the other."

"Won't she be too heavy?" Robert frowned.

"Weight reduction charm--if it works in here. She isn't that heavy anyway, but a weight reduction charm will help. Bodyguard 101," he said with a bit of an amused grin, as much as he could muster under the circumstances. Robert took off his necktie and tied Khaat's wrists and then put her arms around Marcus's neck. Marcus tried to cast the weight reduction charm, and he felt her weight immediately lighten. "Hmm. So some spells don't work and some do. Interesting," Marcus said.

"I'll go first and see if there are any surprises on the other side," Brian said. "Marcus, you're sure?"

"Positive, Mate. I've got her. Go on," Marcus replied. Brian nodded, and used one of the vines to swing across. He took a look around.

"It looks alright at least for the first few paces I can see in this light. I don't think any of you should try to fling yourselves down the corridor, but if you're only swinging across, you should be alright," Brian said.

"Ruby, I didn't test your skills. Forgive me for asking, but since I really don't know you well, I need to ask. Are you alright with this, or we could do a similar charm and help you across. This is not a place to make a mistake," Robert said.

Ruby looked at Robert as he spoke to Marcus her heart was racing at the thought of going over a river of acid. She took a deep breath and looked at him as she spoke " I like your idea, so...yeah please. " she said her voice a little shakyshe said . She watched Jack and Jessie use the vine and get to the other side leaving Marcus, Khaat Robert and Angus. " oh boy" she said and took off her belt " so whose doing the deed?" she asked holding out her belt.

Jack moved slightly to look where they were going while Jessie held the vine to send back for the others.

Robert took her belt and wrapped her wrists with it.

"You know, you probably don't need your wrists tied," Robert said to her, "not if you think you could hang on. Khaat is only semi conscious, so there's no way she could hang onto Marcus. But, this does give you a bit of extra insurance, I suppose."

"You're still recovering from broken bones, Robert," Angus said. "You can't do it. She can go with me." He certainly didn't expect his grandfather to take her and Angus's training had helped to develop his upper body muscles more than the average auror. He didn't play it up or make a deal of it, and he wasn't as large as Jack but could certainly manage Ruby even without a weight reduction charm."

"We've got it, Robert," Angus said. "Are you able to handle the vines yourself with your own healing injuries?"

"In my sleep," Robert said confidently. Angus looked at his grandfather, uncertain if Edward could make it either.

"I'm not dead yet, Lad. Get going," Edward said.

"Alright, Ruby. Let's go," Angus told her, reaching for the vine.

"yeah, I know" She said as Jessie sent the vine back to Angus as Ruby walked over to Angus her cheeks now flushed as she placed her arms over his head around his neck . Closing her eyes she rested her head against his back as she felt his body heat against her. Looking up she saw the back of his head and his arms as he held the vine.

"Okay lets do this." she said softly mostly to herself but loud enough he probably could hear her. It was quick but she felt the whoosh of air as they swung across the river. She could not help but hold tight to him a little more than she should have " tell me when its over." she joked as she suddenly felt her feet touch ground. Moving to face him she Pulled away to move to Jessie but she forgot her hands were tied and pulled him  against her. " I..I'm sorry" she said looking up at him.

"Don't be sorry," Angus said with a smile, untying her wrists. "It probably wasn't on your job description at the ministry to learn how to swing over pools of acid and how to dodge random knives and halberds and poisoned fruit. It's part and parcel of my job and what I've chosen to do, but it certainly isn't yours. You've held up well, all things considered."

Marcus made it over without any trouble, and Brian untied Khaat's wrists. Marcus sent the vine back, and the rest made it across, one at a time, without any issues.

"Well done, All," Robert said, relieved that they had skirted disaster once more. "Proud of every one of you. This certainly isn't our typical mission with Gelding, but this team can handle anything he thinks he can throw at us."

"I know the next section," Marcus said, "but it isn't pretty."

"Lead on, then," Robert said. Marcus took them to a Y shaped intersection in the corridor. One path was better lit, with the promising smell of food. The other path was almost pitch black and smelled like death. Having done coroner duties, Robert recognized the smell of death clearly. Mira was about to head down the path that smelled like food, her hunger getting to her.

"Stop," Marcus said. "That way is the trap. You don't even want to think about that way. We have to go the other way. And if you haven't seen various stages of death and decomposition, then close your eyes and have someone lead you through. This is not pretty. The trap is dealing with the ugliness of what you'll see. Even for someone like me, it's revolting."

"I'm fine with it," Robert said.

"So am I," Brian said.

"Angus and I are fine too," Edward said.

"I'll manage," Mira said, wanting to be brave about it.

"If it gets to be too much, you say so," Robert told her firmly. She nodded.

"Ruby? What about you?" Brian asked her.

Ruby looked at Angus and nodded " yeah, paperwork is what they teach along with wand work, not all this, But I have to thank you too" she said to Angus then listened to Marcus as he spoke she shook her head. "Oh god can it get any worse." she said grabbing hold of the first thing she found which happened to be Angus's hand. "I can't say Im happy about this but...oh hell lets just get threw this, but if I stop.. don't let go." her voice broke a little.

Jack looked at Jessie who smiled and looked at Robert and nodded as he spoke."we can cope, were hunters after all." he said Jack nodded

"I won't," Angus told her. "We'll get through. When it gets tough, just close your eyes. Brian, could I have a granola bar please?"

"Now?" Brian frowned, handing one to Angus. Angus left the granola bar in its clingfilm wrapping, and he crushed it on his hand. Then he used the tip of his pocketknife to make small slits in the clingfilm and then he took his bandana and wrapped the crushed granola bar in it. Holding it up to his face, all he could smell was vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, almonds, walnuts, dried peaches, dried apricots, and all the other dried fruits Kate had crammed into her granola bars.
He tied the bandana into a mask of sorts and handed it to Ruby.

"Try that. Tie it across your nose and mouth. It won't completely cut the smell, but it should definitely help," he told her. Robert laughed.

"Now, why didn't I think of that?" he said. "Pure genius, Angus. Well done."

Ruby nodded then watched Angus as he took a bandanna and modified it. Copying him before she looked at him and smiled " Thank you Angus" she said softly then turned to look at her brother " don't you dare laugh." she told him while pointing at him as she placed the bandanna over her nose and mouth. Jessie just did the same and shrugged.

" Okay, if we're ready?" Jack asked leaving his own face clear as he was use to the smell and sight of death and decay, he was practicaly desensitised to it. Jack still held one in his hand just in case even he became overwhelmed with the smell.

Robert knew the members of his team that he had trained would not need bandanas, but he was certainly glad that Angus had thought of something. Brian made a bandana for Mira, since she was still a child and completely untrained. Edward took hold of Mira's hand and told her that he would tell her when she needed to close her eyes and that he would lead her through.

The display of bodies in jail cells was disgusting. Robert was taking mental note of what he saw and coming to some interesting conclusions. He said nothing right now. It was more important to get his team through.

"Close your eyes, Ladies," Brian told them. "This is about to get to be rough even for those of us who are trained. Trust us to lead you through." Mira didn't need to be told twice. She clutched tightly to Edward with both hands and closed her eyes. Edward felt her hands shaking, but his were calm and steady, and he whispered soft reassurances in her ear and told her to think about Kate's kitchen and all the fresh baked goodies that were surely going to be waiting there when they got home.

The smell was even penetrating Khaat's semi-conscious state, and she started to get restless against Marcus. He stayed steady and spoke softly to her, reassuring her. He purposely lied to her now and told her she was dreaming. Robert didn't like that Marcus had lied to her, but, even he couldn't think of a better idea to walk her through this nightmare. His anger wasn't actually at the lie but at the fact that Marcus had needed to tell it because they were in such a horrendous situation.

"If we get through the next section, we'll be able to sit and rest a bit if anyone wants to," Marcus said. He was thinking that perhaps Khaat and Ruby and Mira might need a moment to get their breath and to perhaps gather themselves and maybe get a drink of water before moving forward.

"When, Marcus. Not if. We will make it to the next section," Robert reminded him. "We're doing very well, despite all the nonsense he's doing."