LONDON CALLING

"No," Angus said. "It was Tyler but, as I said, it was ages ago. It was the reason I kept it. If it had been from Evan, I'd have backed over it with one of Edward's muggle trucks." Marcus laughed out loud.

"I still want the first shot at those targets," Angus said.

"Here," Marcus said, handing him his own pistol. "You point this end at the target." Marcus teased him by tapping the barrel. Angus flashed him an amused smile.  He took a stance, fired a shot and missed it by a country mile.
"Breathe and focus," Marcus told him, knowing it was natural to be a bit thrown by having a gun blow up in one's face. Angus did decide to take a deep breath and then focus in.

"Does it pull?" Angus asked.

"No," Marcus said. "Aim true." Angus took his stance again and aimed and then fired. He didn't hit the bullseye but it was a lot closer. "Well done. So, Ben's dead with that shot. Not right in the heart, but he'd still be done for."

"You can't hit what he doesn't have," Angus said, aiming at the picture of his mother. He took aim and fired.

"Hold on," Marcus said. He went up to the target and looked at where Angus had hit it. "You hit her straight in the liver."

"Well, hers is probably all shriveled up by now anyway. No great loss," Angus shrugged. Marcus cast him a smile, amused by Angus' temporary dark humor that helped him cope with his parents' unannounced visit. "Alright. Next. Ruby?You want a crack at 'em?" He handed the pistol back to Marcus. "Thanks, Mate," Angus said.

"Any time," Marcus smiled.

Ruby watched as Marcus spoke to Angus then he told her it was Tyler who had given it to him " hum okay" she said then watched him shoot and chuckled smiling as he explained each hit he had done. She could not help but grin. " oh sure" she said and picked up a pistol. checking the chamber she slipped a single bullet into it and took aim. Checking her stance she took aim and fired. Her first shot hit dead center of Ben's head moving to the next she shot. It his her in her chest pocket.

"no heart remeber so wallets next best." she chuckled then the last. Taking aim she hot and hit him between the legs. "damn missed one" she said and chuckled as she enptied the chamber and handed it to Marcus. " that..was ..theraputic." she said

Brian brought out a pistol and handed it to Angus

"Here, hang onto this one," Brian said. "Checked it myself."

"Thank you. It's either your turn or Marcus's."

"Go ahead," Marcus told Brian. Brian aimed carefully and got one in the heart, but the other one hit the target in the neck.

"Either way, you still got him," Marcus shrugged.

"Wouldn't pass markmanship, though," Brian said. "I'm rusty. Robert will have me for that neck shot."

"So we'll brush up," Marcus said. "Now, remember, I'm not doing this to compete. It's just for fun, right?"

"Of course," Brian said. Marcus stepped up, took careful aim, made sure it was exactly where he wanted it, and fired. The first shot went straight through the heart. The second went right between the eyes."

"That was fun. Can we do it again sometime?" Marcus asked.

"Absolutely," Brian grinned.

"You lot ready for that picnic lunch?" Kate called. "Abbey's ready to chew on the furniture, I think. Can you change her back, Brian?"

"I'll give it a go. If not, she'll have to have to 'wear her fur' until we get back to the farm," Brian said. "Come on, All. Kate always fixes a huge picnic."

Kate had the picnic spread out on a huge blanket on the ground where they could all sit and enjoy the spread. She had made some fabulous salads with grilled chicken and a splendid vinaigrette. She had added some savory cheddar scones and a spreadable garlic and herb butter for on them, and she'd packed a large fruit salad, and some little individual strawberry tarts. She had packed a huge jug of lemonade and one of iced tea. And, of course Abbey's jam sandwiches. Abbey came dashing over, still as a labrador, and Henry tagging right along behind her.

Brian scooped up Abbey and managed to change her back. He set her down on the ground, and she turned around, saw Henry, and immediately changed unintentionally back to a puppy.

"Oh, buggar," Brian sighed.

Jessie walked over and picked up a sniper rifle turning around he pulled back the slide bolt and sighed " I haven't fired one of these in a long time. Laying down he rested the rifel against his shoulder and looked down the scope adjusting it he then breathed before he took the shot. It hit square betwen the eyes his second was th same and third. Happy he stood up and broke the rifel laying it back where he'd picked it up from. " still got it." he said " marine remember, sniper first class Jessie Tyler"he chuckled softly as he walked on to finish cleaning the stables.

Ruby looked at Kate and smiled " oh Im so ready she said as she saw the spread laid out. Sitting down she sat next to Angus " this is perfect." she said softly poring some lemonade. watching Brian with Abby she chuckled " I know one day our kids will be running around like that, not as dogs but happy and carefree." she said softly to him.

"Kate, you outdid yourself again," Brian said. "It looks amazing."

"You're just hungry," she laughed. "Well, tuck in. There's plenty here."

When Ruby said she hoped their children were running around and happy.

"I'll be happy if they have plenty of years to sit on Edward's lap and listen to his stories. He's a great storyteller, and he always had the best pirate stories..."

As he was speaking, Henry got a wild idea that he wanted to take the whole picnic, so he grabbed the blanket in his teeth, trying to drag it off. And, of course he wasnt going to drag it off with everyone sitting on it, but it irked Abbey, and she grabbed the blanket in her teeth and started tugging on it to try to get it away from Henry.

"No!" Brian said as the lemonade jug teetered, on the verge of spilling.

"Henry, don't you dare!" Angus shouted. Brian dove for Abbey, at the same time that Angus dove for Henry. Brian missed Abbey, hitting the ground, and Angus missed Henry, knocking over the iced tea. Henry spun around and bit Angus' face and proceeded to show his teeth and growl and bark, becoming angry and aggressive.

Kate now decided to take control, and she made a sharp hushing sound to stop both dogs.

"Naughty dog," Kate scolded Henry, and Henry showed his teeth at her and growled. "You are not going to be aggressive around Abbey, Young Man," she said sharply, and she accio'd the little dog "Excuse me," she told everyone, "but he's grounded." She took Henry to the barn to deposit him in a kennel until he could behave.

"And you," Brian told Abbey, "Let go of that blanket right now, or you're going to be sitting in the naughty corner." She barked at him to give him a bit of sass, and Brian gave her his "dad" look to let her know he did not approve one little bit.

Ruby saw the little dog run and grab the blanket but was not quite fash enough to grab him but she did grab and seady the jug with lemonade in it. " I got the jug" she said and held it close to her but could not help smirk seeing Angus on the floor " you okay hun?" she asked him " and I don't think we'll be adopting Henry, just yet,and abby noughty girls don't get jam sandwiches or berys and icecream." she chuckled placing down the jug on the now flat cloth.

Jack looked at them and chuckled " whats a picnic with out a little fun hey" he said and laughed. " the dog will learn, it need trainning becuse its been in the wrong enviroment." he said taking a sandwich from a pile.

Abbey clearly heard the message about desert because she took a stance and began to howl to show her disapproval with the idea of no dessert.

"My daughter is a snarky little dog" Brian said.

"Be glad its a dog and not a dragon," Marcus teased.

"How does your brain even think of things like that?" Brian laughed. Kate came back just in time to hear Marcus's remark, and she laughed.
'
"I agree with you, Ruby," she said. "Henry needs to get some manners before we decide if he'll fit in with us or not."

"He's the sort that would pee in Roberts' dress shoes," Brian said.

"Oh, now that would be a sure way for hiim to end up as a cricket in a jar in the basement," Kate said.

"Brian," Angus asked, "where's Khaat? I know she came over with us."

"Oh, blast," Marcus said. "I left her sunbathing over by the pool." He got up and went over and found she had fallen asleep while sunbathing, and she was definitely sunburned. He woke her up, apologizing to her profusely. He brought her over to have some lunch.

"That can't possibly be comfortable," Angus told her.

"It isn't," Khaat said as her mother handed her a glass of ice cold lemonade.

"Try that. It might help a little to cool you off, " she said. "Feel like eating?"

"Yes, I think I will," Khaat said. She looked at Abbey who was eating her jam sandwich and was getting covered with Jam all over her beige fur."

"Somehow that isn't what I had in mind when we talked about a picnic,' Khaat said.

"I'll take her to the barn and wash her up in the sink."

"In the barn?" Brian frowned.

"She's still a puppy. It won't bother her puppy form a bit," Kate reassured him.

Ruby chuckled " nope shes being herself" Ruby said noting how she ate the sandwich. Poring a glass she handed one to Angus and took one for herself. " here this should cool you" She said and placed it next to him. " some alo vera will help that sunburn, but I think thers a salve too" she said to Khaat poring a glass for her to drink. Placing it down too she plate some food for Khaat and Marcus.

Jack and Jess sat enjoying the sun but Jessie worked in the barn cleaning out the pigmiy puffs and hypogrifs when he moved to the pegasus and began feeding it his hand brushed down up its back to its head gently. He felt it touch his hand with its head. Jack looked at Angus and chuckled " okay so when did Ruby become your wife?" he asked

"Thank you, Ruby," Khaat said. "I've heard aloe vera helps, but I've never needed to try it."

"Until now" Marcus teased. "Her ear plugs worked too well and she never heard our shooting match."

"So is it your fault, then, for giving her the ear plugs?" Brian teased.

"Probably," Marcus laughed, unconcerned. Angus laughed when Jack asked when Ruby became his wife.

"She became my wife temporarily when I decided to get in a deliberate dig at them. They're all about what they think is appropriate society connections, so by not being invited to their eldest son's wedding, they won't easily live that down in social circles."

"Well, if you're talking about social circles," Kate said, "insulting Robert won't endear them in much of anyone's circle."

"I hadn't considered that, but they could find they have some blowback for it."

"It'll be bigger than that if it gets out. They'll probably be cut off of the guest list for most of the political summer parties. They'll be blackballed if it gets to the press."

"Oh darn," Angus said sarcastically. "They wouldn't know what to do with themselves if their calendars emptied out. Wonder if there's anyone at the Daily Prophet that I know."

"Now that might be a wee bit beneath you, Angus," Kate said.

"If you don't know anyone, I do," Khaat said

"Don't help him with that," Kate scowled

"We might need to talk," Angus told Khaat.

"So let me ask. What's our next goal in this case?" Marcus asked.

"Twofold. Get Gelding's confederates and find James," Brian said "before James comes back again for Robert or Khaat."

"Werewolf hunting," Angus said. "That puts you all back in my wheelhouse. And my grandfather's."

Ruby looked at Jack and nodded " I didn't mind and I think it did the job just fine by the look on her face." she said then listened to Angus and Khaat talking about the prophet " oh we do need to talk and can I be there for that?" she asked " theres some things I'd like to put in too."

Jack looked up at the words werewolf hunting and chuckled " as long as its not me or Jessie were good." Ruby smiled and patted Jacks arm

"Don't worry your safe but your brothers not, and I'l like to learn how to hunt them too." she said and looked at Angus. " Hes hurt our family more than once." she held Angus's hand in her own. " I want to fight at your side." she picked up a sandwich and started to eat " but now Im just hungry."