LONDON CALLING

Ruby woke to an empty bed and sighed knowing he'd not made it up stairs that night. But she also heard the screeching of an owl below and she got up, dressed in a gown she walked to the top of the stairs to see something diving abck and forth and the little owl flapping its wings " whats up with pip" she asked as she made her way down teh stairs dressed in her dressing gown and slippers. It wasn't until she got to teh bottom she saw the little mouse and sighed picking uo a jar she knelt down and waitied until it ran right into the jar and she quickly put the lid on it." awe, did the owl catch you? she said then moved to Pip taking out one of his squares she fed it to him " I'll let his go out side." she walked over to Angus and kssed him " morning, missed you last night" she said softly as she then smiled at him. " can I guess Pip was hunting and brough this little one in?" she asked holding up the jar with holes in the lid and smiled seeing teh mouse just sat looking at her.

Walking out side she went to teh back of the duplex and let the mouse go " I'd sugest stiking to the long grass or the veg patch" she said it squeeked and then ran off but not before she'd given it some berrys to take away with it.

"I finished my book, but it was going on three am, and I was more asleep than not, so I just gave up on the idea of getting into my chair, managing the stairs, and going up to bed. By that time, I just wanted to go to sleep. Sorry. I'll do better tonight. I promise. I'd have still been sleeping but 'someone' brought their breakfast takeaway into the house and let it loose in the living room. It really was a nice try for such a young owl, but Kate needs to keep working on some hunting lessons with him, I think. Once it got loose from him, he just didn't seem to know what to do with it. So, thanks to you, the mouse gets to live another day, and I don't have to figure out how I'm going to catch the little buggar. Changing subjects, but I'm going to send a message to Flourish and Blotts to ask them to send me a few new mystery books and a couple newer magazines on wedding cake design ideas. Edward and Simone have asked me to make their wedding cake. Wedding cakes are always such a challenge, and if I do it, it has to be right. Is there anything you want while I'm at it?"

Andrew came downstairs, dressed and ready for the day, and he made coffee straight away.

"Morning," he told them. "Is there someone awake all the time at the other house?"

"Not generally, why?" Angus asked.

"I saw Robert and Brian go out for a run at about 4 this morning."

"That's not unusual, particularly if one of them is scheduled for a busy day. That's about the time I used to go running."

"That strikes me as being in the middle of the night,' Andrew laughed.

"It sort of us," Angus agreed.

Ruby thought about what she needed then as she walked in smiled seeing Andrew " morning Andrew, and thought about what you asked Angus , maternity magasines please." she said as she placed the jar in the dish washer to steralise it. " and I'll talk to Kate about Pip's training especialy hunting" she said stroking the little owls feathers as she spoke to Angus. She paused as she listened to him talk to Andrew and smiled " Jack goes early sometimes too, so Jess has told me." she said then loked at Pip " come on Pip lets go see Kate" she aid and offered him her hand which he hopped right onto. 

Walking over to Angus she kissed him gently " still my mean lean sexy were fighting machine" she said softly as she chuckled kising his cheek before walking to the door " don't over do it okay, love you, oh how whould you feel if I cooked supper tonight, just to have a change, just the two of us?" she said smiling as she waited for his responce.

She officially had non stop baby brain, Angus decided. Her mind was one track these days. Pregnancy. That was her entire focus these days. She used to have different interests, and now, clearly that was going to be largely gone for the next nine months. He was already beginning to wonder how other men dealt with it. He would order her magazines as she requested.

"Supper for two? Sounds great," Angus smiled. "Andrew hasn't had a day or an evening off since he got here. I think he might enjoy a little down time. What do you say, Andrew?"

"Whatever works for you is fine with me," Andrew said. They watched Ruby leave to go to the main house.

"How do they do it?" Angus asked.

"Huh? How does who do what?"

"How do other men get through their women's pregnancies when the woman gets baby brain?"

"You wanna know?"

"Yeah. Tell me."

"They go to work," Andrew laughed. "They go to work, and it somewhat decreases the time they're available for lots of baby brain talk. That makes it a lot easier for men to deal with it."

"I mean, I'm fine with it to a given extent, but we're only a couple weeks into it, and it's her entire existence now. I get it but, I guess I didn't anticipate it would take away who she was and replace her with baby brain."

"She's still there," Andrew laughed. "She's just preoccupied."

"Well, obviously," Angus said, making a written list in a message for Flourish and Blotts. Maybe I need a job."

"I thought you had one. I thought you were just on medical leave."

"Yeah, maybe I need to go back to work, though."

"Maybe you need to check with Robert before you try to take that on. Think of it this way. 2 weeks down, only 37 to go," Andrew said. Angus scowled at him, and Andrew laughed. "Maybe we need to take the chance and actually go to Diagon Alley and check out Flourish and Blotts for ourselves."

"Go? Really? Could we?"

"I don't see why not," Andrew said. "Might be good for you to get out."

Ruby smiled and nodded to Angus as she them heased to teh main house. She paused half way and took a deep breath in  to stop the world from spinning she leaned on the tree that held the tree house for a moment, now she wondered if she'd over done it her self . Once her head had cleared she continued to the house " Kate could you take Pip and explain to him the finner details of when he catches his breakfast he ahs to eat it, he brought a mouse in this morning and just let it go, it was running around the living room" she said with a chuckle as she placed him on his perch.

Looking at Michael she smiled " Im making supper for Angus and I this evening, we need time together, just the two of us" she said even making amental note not to talk about babys while they ate. She did hope her brothers were behaving them selves at hogsmead.

"Oh, of course," Kate said. "We hadn't gotten to that quite yet. We've been feeding him, of course, but I'll have a conversation with him today. Come with me, Pip. Let's grab a bite of breakfast, and then you can go for a bit of flying." The little owl went to her readily, and she tucked into a bit of breakfast for herself. When she was done eating, she took Pip and went outside.

Angus was finding he could stand for a short moment but not for long periods. It was allowing him to go from chair to recliner or chair to bed, or chair to chair without having to throw himself from one to another. He was desperate to walk again, but that was a bit away yet.

As he was finishing his own breakfast, he got a message from Owens in Paris about a tip they'd gotten about an enormous roundup that Gelding was planning. He had expected that this was going to happen now that Gelding was free again. Angus had commanded the organization's offensive against these large operations, much less a daytime roundup, but Owns had not. It had been years since Gelding had attempted anything so large. Owens needed help. He had to get to Paris. Owens knew of Angus's mobility issues, and he had immediately said that they would, of course, accommodate him.

Angus sent word, in a paper bird, over to the main house to Robert or Brian, whoever would get it first, and Angus's feelings that he needed to go to Paris at once. It was Robert who had intercepted the little bird as it fluttered through the kitchen.

"News from Paris," he told those who were in the dining room. "This bird is from Angus. He says that Owens sent him a message that Gelding has plans for an enormous daytime roundup today. Remember the ones he did six or seven years ago? It's that sort of scale, but during the daytime. Angus was the missions commander on those massive offensives for those raids. He's feeling a desperate need to go to Paris to try to command an offensive from our headquarters. With Brian and Khaat and Abbey leaving on their trip this afternoon, Khaat and Brian will be out of this one. I do think Angus is the man to command this since he has the experience, but he's going to need more boots on the ground. Anybody feel like going to help kick some tail in Gelding's forces? Nobody absolutely has to go, but I'm sure Angus could use a few more fighters. Kate and I can go, and we could take Archangel. He might be helpful."

"I'll go," Michael said.

"I'll definitely go," Edward said.

"I'm not a fighter, but if I can help somehow..." Simone began.

"If we rescue children, we'll need some hands to stay at headquarters to wash them up, get them into clean clothes, feed them, comfort them, tend to any cuts and bruises they might have," Robert said. "Depending on how many children we end up rescuing, it can be a massive task. I think any help you could give towards that would be much appreciated."

"Then, I'll be happy to do that," Simone said.

"We'll go," Mira said, speaking for her and Gabe. "I've got two or three days before school starts, and I can't think of a better way to spend my time."

"I've always wanted to go on one of these with you guys," Lee grinned. "I'm in."

Jess looked at Robert and nodded " were in." sdhe said meaning her and Jack who agreed with her. Then she looked to Ruby who looked at Robert and ndoded too.

"I want to be there too" she said looking at him with determination in her eyes " hes done enough to this, our family, now it stops.. Again" she sighed and shook her head. She knew his rein of terror might never end but she could show her mother whose worse off and it wasn't her that was for sure,

"Alright, then," Robert said. "Jack, please alert the outdoor crew that we're all going to Paris, except Brian and Khaat and Abbey. That way, if they see any weirdness in the house, they'll know to go check it out. And the rest of you, get your daytime mission gear and get ready to go. You might want to each take a go bag with night time mission wear and a spare change of clothes in case this runs long. Take some weapons from the locker downstairs. I've tried to use an enlarging spell and I've tried to bring over more weapons from the main armory over at my farm, so you should find plenty of things there. Take weapons and ammo both. Jess, please make sure everyone has a pocket first aid kit and that one of us puts some extras in our go bag."

"It's sunny and warm there today, so you won't need a jacket during the day, but it's supposed to rain after dark, so you each might want to pack a nighttime rain jacket just in case," Michael told them. "I ordered a couple cases of prepackaged granola bars when I ordered provisions, so I think I'll pack them. We never know when we might run into a kid that is desperately hungry. It never hurts to put a couple granola bars in your pocket."

"Good thought, Michael," Robert said.

Daytime mission wear looked like ordinary street clothing but they were enchanted to have a lot more freedom of movement and many of the pieces of clothing had hidden pockets for weapons and things. The crew members headed to the basement for gear, and Robert sent a reply in the paper bird back to Angus, approving him to take command. Then Robert headed for his own gear.

Angus and Andrew made quick work of getting together one go bag between them with things. Angus handed Andrew his medallion so that Andrew could port them to the Paris headquarters.

They arrived first, and Owens met them outside on the sidewalk. Owens helped Angus to his feet and apparated inside with him while Andrew folded up Angus featherweight wheelchair and took it inside. They got Angus resettled and took him to the Captain's office where there was a large map of Paris and the surrounding area already posted up on the wall behind the desk. At Angus's direction, Owens got out pushpins, markers, pieces of paper, red string, and some other command equipment. Angus asked for a large urn of coffee to be made, and ordered the top floors to be made ready to receive children. He was hoping to put Simone either in the kitchen or acting as a courier and bringing messages from the field agents and intel agents so he could keep an eye on Gelding's movements and also the organization's movements. Once he was set up, Andrew started to help him mark out on the large map what they already knew about Gelding's people and their movements. Angus also had Andrew mark out locations where Angus knew Gelding had gone again and again either to meet with contacts to move his 'wares.' He knew the others from home would be arriving any minute, and he wanted to get them out on the streets as soon as he could.

Jack left tehe room as Jess went down to teh basment with Ruby where they both changed into mission wear . Jess with her usual weapond but Ruby slipepd an axe across her back as she wore a pir of lycra pants and a tee shirt covering her stomach. in hr hands she held her leather jacket but hung against her chest were two pistols , her wand strapped to her thigh.

Jack walked back in and looekd at Robert " all are told and will double theguards while nobodies here" he said and headed down to the basment to change himself. returning he had a black tank and jeans with militry style boots no weapons but his own wand.

"We'll see you all there," Robert told them, as he and Kate readied their gear. Robert had his large messenger medical bag, and Nigel had decided to go and to hang out in the headquarters to be of whatever help he could. Nigel was taking his medical bag as well. Kate had a large gear bag that held her gear and Robert's, and Kate took Lee with her, and Robert took Nigel with him. Edward and Simone were ready, and Edward ported the two of them to Paris. Gabe and Mira were both fully equipped, and they joined Michael and headed out as well.

They all arrived at the headquarters to see things were already in motion. It was quiet, but people were bustling about quickly, following Angus's orders, bringing him nonstop reports. Others were trying to get workers stationed around the headquarters building, and still others were trying to move supplies to where they might be needed. Andrew was in the kitchen, trying to find his way around. He had managed to put on a large urn of coffee that made over 100 cups of coffee. He was working on putting on a large of herbal tea in the 50 cup coffee urn.

Other operatives from other parts of the world were arriving, and amongst those who apparated in were Sergio and Ana, on their first mission for the organization. Edward recognized Sergio and Ana at once, and they gave each other warm hugs. Edward introduced Sergio and Ana to Simone, introducing her as his fiancee. They were delighted to see that, after all these years, Edward had finally found love again.