LONDON CALLING

Jesie stood up straight at Roberts use of the term boyfreind but Ruby just brushed passed it, even if her cheeks did blush. "I.. I'll give it to them" she said taking the port key from Robert and looked down at Angus as he spoke "well we have the book to study, we could do that and see if it give us any new information." she sugested " I'll translate as best I can and you read, hows that, I'll even throw in a pot of warm tea." she paused hearing Robert almost order him back to the farm,

Jessie watched all of them " I'll still be here and if we find anything of use we'll make sure you know." he told him. Ruby held the key and waitied for him to take her hand in his good hand. " come on" she said smiling as she ported them back to the farm.

Jess was in the kitchen when she saw them return and walked over to greet them, " okay lets clean that wound and bandage it" Ruby said raising Jess's eye brows. " oh Robert said to give you or Kate this, it kinda got Angus." she said moving with the dart.

"All right I'll get this to Kate, I assumb he wants to verafy that the toxins are what he thought they were." she said and Ruby nodded " and Angus will have a head ache among other things, that right Angus" she asked.

"Keep your eyes out for any books. We should be finding a book or two at least," Angus told them.

"What sort of a book are you looking for?" Robert frowned.

"The sort of book that would amuse the latest addition to your bug jar collection," Angus said, not wanting to tell him in front of Inspector Nitwit that they were looking for a spell book.

"Understood," Brian nodded, getting his message.

Angus was frustrated at being sent home--until he got home. There was something about being out of all the darkness and death and back at Brian's huge log ranch estate that was, in itself a tonic for him.

"Thank you," he told Ruby. "I think that tea is a wonderful idea, but I'll leave the book to you. You get it translated, and we'll figure out what it's significance is to Gelding." Then he looked at Jess. "As for the dart wound, Robert did use the mini patch kit on it, and he said he thought he had neutralized the worst of it but he said he was using a drawing potion on it to try to remove any residual. He thought that Gabe or my grandfather would be helpful in doing that doublechecking." When Jess asked about his headache, Angus nodded slightly.

"It isn't bad yet, but he did warn it could get nasty. Hopefully not. Either way, it's just a headache. I'll weather it out." His minimizing was only half for himself. Half of it was for the others. He had seen how miserable Khaat could get when she got a migraine, which was not often, but she did seem to suffer with them. Hopefully, he wasn't in for that sort of suffering. Either way, he could generally be pretty stoic about pain, so he wasn't terribly worried.

"So, do you need me to help get some lunch put together?" Angus asked, trying to change the subject. "I don't think the others will be back for Paris for lunch, so it might be a small bunch. I think the Paris team has their work cut out for them."

Jessie had heard Angus talk of other books and caught the hidden meaning he looked around being extra careful as he opened draws it was now he saw the stairs again and moved clsoer to them. " do you think this is just another way out?" he asked " or a trick room?"

Ruby nodded as he spoke of translating the book " I can help Jess if she needs it, " Robert said for you to relax." she told him as Jess smiled at the pair of them.

"its fine if you and Ruby want to cook but please if it get too bad let me know and I or Kaden will draw some of the pain away for you, okay." Jess headed to where she knew Kate would be leaving Ruby and Angus alone.

"I'll start brunch, anything you want?" she asked starting the kettle for that cup of tea." what about Arabian buttered eggs or some Wild mushroom bruschetta ?" she asked now with a boiled kettle as she made two cups of tea. Moving with one to Angus she handed him it " you know, I don't think I'll ever get that place out of my head." she said sitting with her own cup and taking a sip.

"Thanks, Jess. I'll let you know if it gets out of hand," he said. Then, when Jess left and Ruby asked him about his lunch preferences, he just shrugged.

"I don't have anything in mind, really," he replied to her. I think the eggs sound good. Abbey particularly likes those, and I haven't made them for a long time. And there are some strawberry scones in the freezer if someone wants something sweet. Or a certain someone needs a berry fix. I know I have some fresh strawberry jam in a jar in the fridge, and I just bought some clotted cream yesterday. I made up a tossed salad with fresh rocket greens last night at dinner and then we never got to it. It should still be fresh. Or, we can make some other accompaniment if you like. You take the lead, and I'll be your Sioux chef this time."

He listened to her talk about the old jail on the lodge property.

"I know what you mean," he said. "Your first time seeing a real torture chamber? I remember the first time I saw one. I had nightmares for weeks. If it gets to you, let me know. We do have potions to stop the nightmares. Robert knows our team runs into more than our share of terrifying things, and so he keeps those things on hand just like muggles keep aspirin powders on hand--or at least I think they keep them on hand. You know what I mean."

Ruby listened to what he'd prepared and nodded " I'll get what you made ready they all sound easy enough." she said when he asked about if it was her first time seeing a toture chamber she nodded " yes and I hope its my last." she honestly told him when he spoke of nightmares she breathed out in relif "Thankyou, I certainly will" she said as she sipped her tea.

Finishing her tea she moved to the kitchen and gathered everything Angus had prepared before hand. She laid out the scones and placed some jam in a small bowl then sent them to the table along with the fresh whipped cream. With the salad she added curtons to it for an added crunch then sent it too the table.

It was now she began to work on the Arabian buttered eggs she Preheated the oven to 200C and Place bread halves, cut-side up, on an oven tray then Drizzled them with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Now Baking them for 10 minutes until golden and toasted. Meanwhile she heated the remaining oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over low–medium heat and added onion and half a teaspoon of salt and cooked. Stirring occasionally until soft she added two teaspoons lemon juice and stired it to combine, then transfered it to a bowl. She then Lined a large tray with a sheet of baking paper.

Heated 15g butter in reserved pan over low–medium heat and Cracked in 2 eggs and fried them for two minutes until the yokes are still runny. Using a spatula, she transfer eggs carfully to prepared tray. She Repeated this with the remaining eggs.

Now she place the toasted bread halves on a large platter and spooned three mounds of yoghurt at intervals along each piece, then divide onions among mounds and placed eggs near each mound. She return the frying pan to medium heat and added the remaining butter, garlic she then let it cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add remaining lemon juice, season with salt, then cook for 1 minute until sizzling.Finally she drizzle butter mixture over eggs, then scatter with chilli flakes and mint.

Ruby looked at Angus as she put one on a plate and walked over with it. " so what do you think?" she asked handing him it to try.

"I think it looks wonderful," he said. "I couldn't do better myself. They're going to love it....' It was at that moment that Edward and Michael and Gabe came into the kitchen.

"So what did you do?" Edward asked Angus. "Stop looking for traps, did you, and just blindly opened a door of some sort?"

"Desk drawer," Angus replied.

"Dolt," Edward said affectionately, touseling his hair like Angus was still a boy. "Thought I taught you better than to be caught by a simple spring trap."

"You did. I let myself get tunnel visioned into looking for a spell book."

"Well, Robert was right about the toxin," he told Angus, taking his hand and pulling off the plaster to see the puncture wound. "Looks like you'll survive it. Here. Let's try this. Gabe and I made a better drawing potion. They put it on a gauze dressing and wrapped it around his hand. "This will be better so we don't have to change it so often." He touched Angus's forehead. "I'll draw off some of the fever for now, but don't push your luck. Understand? You might be better off doing some of your tasks lying down this afternoon."

"Hard to cook that way," Angus said.

"If worse comes to worse, we'll order some take away for one night's dinner. We really would survive. Did you find anything interesting besides that dart?"

"Much," Angus said. "But Ruby made us a nice lunch. I think we should eat. And we probably should hold our discussion until after lunch."

"More shenanigans like last night?" Edward asked.

"In a way," Angus said.

"Then you two need to fill us in," Gabe said to Ruby and Angus.

"Oh, Ruby, after we finish our lunch, let's not forget to see if Khaat and Marcus want something to eat," Angus said.

"They might not want anything. They've both been just dozing off and on this morning, so I wouldn't take offense if they passed," Gabe said.

Ruby looked up seeing Gabe and Edward port in and chuckled at how edward gently scolded Angus like a little boy. " in his defense he was a little distracted." she said as she finished her Arabian buttered egg and tea. she ehard Gabe mention Khaat and Marcus " was planning on preping a tray for them both with the salad, scones and fresh pot of tea, that way they can have it when they want." she said moving to lay the table for every one.

"You can help your self if you want to some food and a hot fresh made cup of tea or coffee" she told them moving to the kitchen and bringing the rest of the food out and plates. before sitting with them.

"we found a book with runes in it ones I kinda recognise to a point, I was going to see if I could translate it " she told them " Angus has the book, oh ther was also red orbs with memories of torturs and transactions." she motioned to the carpet bag by the sofa " in that thing." she said .

(just fyi, gabe and edward were already there. they didn't go to paris. they deliberately stayed behind, and angus was the one that mentioned the tray to go upstairs.)

"Good. Looks good, Ruby, and i think I'm hungry," Angus said.

"For now," Edward teased. "The toxin might kill your appetite later, but you should tuck in while you feel like it. Orb, you say, Ruby? I'll check those out after lunch. Those do sound quite interesting indeed and if you need help with the book, give a shout to Gabe or Robert or me. I'm sure we could help you."

"I think sending a tray up that they can eat whenever they feel like it is probably the best plan," Angus told Ruby, as he and Edward and Gabe fixed lunch plates for themselves. He looked at Edward and Gabe. "How are they both doing?"

"I think they're doing well under the circumstances. They're in her room now, sitting on the sofa. She's curled tight to him, mostly dozing, and Marcus has been working on some sort of a rough sketch of an idea he has to create some sort of very relaxing outdoor living space for people to be able to retreat to when things get tough. I think he might have a valid point."

"So what's he suggesting?"

"Something fairly close to the house, but in some sort of wooded area where it does feel like one is completely surrounded in nature. He's sketched a bit of a natural looking grotto area where a pool would look like a natural pond with a relaxing waterfall, and deep, comfortable seating where one can simply completely relax and listen to nothing but the wind in the trees and the waterfalls."

"Oh, I think I get it," Angus said. "I'm sure he's getting the idea from some of his holidays in the Caribbean. I've been to a couple places like that, and he's right. They're absolutely heavenly. I don't think it would be that hard to do, and I can think of a couple of spots in our woods that the terrain itself might lend itself to that. Maybe I'll discuss it with him so that I get a better idea of what he has in mind, but it sounds like it's very do-able."

"Well, of course its do-able. We are wizards, after all," Gabe said. "And, I think I can come up with a spell to keep that area heated year round so it would be warm and inviting and lovely even in the winter. Alchemy, you know. We do have a number of spells for water springs and geothermals."

"And then your wild animals would make it their winter habitat instead of their natural hibernating or migration patterns," Edward laughed.

"Well, there would be that, I suppose," Gabe laughed. "I'd have to work that bit out, but I see his point."

"So do I," Edward said. "I think she's still working that huge lot of muggle drugs out of her system. They bloody near overdosed her. I checked on her while she was asleep, and they're lucky they didn't kill her with all they gave her. Robert did try to unwind some of it, but some of it, she really does just have to let wear off with time. She should be improving by tomorrow, I think, but if she doesn't struggle with a few days of significant fatigue, I'll miss my guess."

"Muggle meds. Nothing but pure poison if you ask me," Gabe shook his head. "And certainly should never be introduced to a wizard's bodily systems. The muggle body has 11 bodily systems. The wizard body has 12--we have the magical system, and it's deeply entwined with all the other systems. If its tinkered with by muggle means, it can cause no end of havoc. We are very lucky, actually, to have Robert. In my discussions with other wizard healers from other countries, when we've had this very discussion, his name invariably comes up as one of the premier authorities on the wizard's magical system and how it operates. I suppose that's why he's chief of staff at St. Mungos."

"Nope," Angus said, taking a bite of a scone. "He's chief of staff because Khaat strong armed him into it." They all laughed.

"Nevertheless," Gabe replied, "if she hadn't been his daughter, it's very likely she still would have ended up in his care for this. Jess is very lucky she's had all the opportunity for so much advanced training under him. Who knows? Maybe someday, when he's retired, she'll be the chief of staff."

Ruby smiled and fixed a plate for Angus . " I'll take the tray up to them now." she told him " you rest" she told him gently then left with the tray in her hand. Knocking on the door she pushed it open seeing both lost in thought or dreams she moved to Marcus " just some food when you need it and some hot tea." she told him placing the tray next to him on a small table before she left.

Walking down she heard edward and Gabe talking about what Marcus had and was planning " oh like a medition area, that would be a very good idea." she said as she began to tidy the kitchen. " If I may make a sugestion what about enchanting it so that only autherised humans can enter." she picked up a plate and placed it in the dish washer which ws full and set it going " it would stop the animals using it as a habitat hole." she sugested. She listened to Gabe and Edward talking and smiled at them saying Jess would possibly be the next cheif of staff.

"You think she's that good?" she asked Gabe curiouse to know his thoughts more

"Thank you," Marcus said quietly to Ruby. "I'll wake her in a moment and see if I can't get her to eat something. Robert's spell is still working, so she really isn't thinking about much of anything, which I think is Robert's whole point. Hopefully, though, I'll have a little luck with her."

"That's exactly it, Ruby," Edward said. "Of course, Marcus isn't the sort of bloke that gets into meditation. He's more of a shot of firewhiskey and a bit of peace and quiet sort of a fellow. I take him to be the sort that thinks meditation is a lot of codswallop. However, his point might be well taken about the importance of having some wide open spaces if one has been treated poorly in such a space as that old jail was renovated to be. His thought is is a good one about the possibility of some healing coming from being outdoors because it is such a dichotomy from where they both were held. Even if she's not giving it much thought and processing right now, the fact that he is taking her outdoors in wide open spaces with sunshine and fresh air can only do her a world of good."

"I have a sense that he's relying on what he has found to be helpful for himself in similar situations he has been in, in the past," Gabe said.

"He is," Angus said. "You do know what he did before he went into protections, don't you?"

"No, not the foggiest," Edward said.

"He was an Unspeakable, and he was tossed headlong into some dire situations. As he told me once, it was how he met Robert because someone burned Michael in one of his Unspeakable deep cover assignments and left him to be killed..."

"Burned?" Gabe frowned.

"Compromised. He's saying the ministry sent him into a deep undercover assignment and then decided to actually abandon him there because the assignment somehow went off the rails," Edward explained.

"Well, that's really pretty cheeky of them," Gabe frowned.

"Not the term I'd use, but yes," Edward replied.

"That was right around the time Robert had been elected, and the moment he saw Marcus had been abandoned by his own agency, he sent in an agent to exfiltrate him--to get him out alive. And, so, here we are, some years later, and he's been an asset to us when we've needed him," Angus said.

"That explains his resilience. He's been through some of his own troubles, and, no doubt, has some demons of his own, so he knows what it takes to heal from them," Gabe said. "And, Ruby, your idea of an enchantment to only allow certain animals to enter is a good one. That can be done with a simple variation on an age line spell. If something does enter that shouldn't be there, they'll just be chucked straight out again."  

When Ruby asked about Jess, Gabe shrugged. "I don't know her well or her skill level, but she seems to be knowledgeable. And Robert would not put so much trust into someone if he had any doubts about their abilities. So I don't see why she shouldn't rise, in her career, as high as she wants to go. Heaven knows Robert can't work forever. Nor does he want to. Someone will have to fill the post when he decides its time to hang it up and go fishing or whatever it is he'll want to do by then. So why shouldn't it be someone he's hand trained?"