A Birth day

Jack heard Angus and nodded taking the dog outside while Jessie stayed with Angus as he listened to the floo open and Evans voice call threw it " oh boy he's mad." he said sofly staying close to Angus. Jack stood outsode while the pup sniffed around then sat down with his head tipped but after a moment he sniffed the air looking left then right but then laid down.

"its okay" Jack said and sighed walking in to the room as Angus finished talking to Edward " hes not finding anything I think the cologne is hiding the scent." Jack said " I think we'll have to do it the old fashioned way." he said just as Angus finished explaining.

Ruby hearing ngus's voice picked up a now clean and changed Caprice and headed down the stairs hearing him talk to Edwrad " did I hear Taras coming over?" she asked then spoke to Angus " find those kids and I love you " she told him before placing Caprice down in her pen " Tara will be a god send" she said seeing Abby start to be sick she accioed a bucket just intime " there all being sick now I think it will pass but right now.." she sighed.

"Well, maybe the dog should track the cologne instead. I mean, presumably, the man wearing hte cologne was with the kids. So maybe we'd end up at the same place if the dog tracked the cologne," Angus suggested. "Maybe worth a try? What do you think?" When Ruby spoke up, Angus smiled.

"Yeah. Tara's on the way to give you a hand. Evan's coming here, and the girls are going to Edward's," Angus said. He heard Ruby say all the kids were getting to a rough stage. "I am so sorry I'm not there to help, Ru," he sighed. "Say, when you get a chance, go find those old pictures of your parents' anniversary party. It was, I forget, maybe their 25th. I remember the decorations of the party had a 25 or something. There was some bloke there who was in a lot the pictures with your dad. Dig those pictures out and see if Michael can help us identify him. Check him to the name Mickey Farrell. If it's him, see if Aria can find out what the heck Farrell is supposed to be doing now, where he lives, all of that. When she gets home today, ask her to please see what she can find, will you? I have a sneaky feeling Mr. Farrell might be working for your new stepfather."

Ruby listened to Angus and breathed out in relief but it was short-lived when he mentioned that a man who might have worked with her dad was responsible "Okay I know where they are, there is a box in the basement " she said " I'll fetch them and have a look and Micky you say" she paused and sat down on the couch her blood now ran cold. " he did, I remember him, not a nice man in all respects, god Angus find those kids " she said her worry now ramped up tenfold, " if my meomrey is right he would leer at me and always ask about the price for something to sustain and Reg." she told him but quickly composed her self " I'll ask Aria when shes finished bodyguarding Khaat at the hospital." she said hearing porting and seeing Tara enter " Taras here." she told him and smiled at her.

Jack spoke to the Jack who shook his head then covered his nose " I know it stinks but its our only lead" he told him and th dog hufed then turned walking towards the new build buildings. " okay, hes got something down by the new builds" Jack called back.

"If I'm right, those kids are already in Paris," Angus told her. "I have a feeling we're going to have to shore up security here and then get straight on to Paris if we're going to reach them in time." He closed the floo.

"I'll go with Jack," Marcus sighed. "Stay with it, Ang..." He was interrupted by Evan porting in.

"So what are we doing?" Evan asked, dropping his bag on the floor.

"If you want to help, go help Jack and Marcus search the grounds. We're looking for three missing kids. I think all we're going to find is that they've been nicked and taken to Paris, but we have to be sure."

"Come with me," Marcus said to Evan. Evan and Marcus headed over to the new construction area where Jack was following the dog.

"Angus thinks that the kids have already been taken to Paris, Jack," Marcus said. "If he's right, we'll have to make sure the protective net is intact and then we'll have to get on to Paris as soon as possible. And if this little pup has a decent nose, we might make an exception and take him along. He might be helpful--maybe."

"How many kids, how old?" Evan asked.

"Charlie, age 7. Sarah, age 13, Holly, age 15. No known connections to each other except that they all live here, and Kate and Robert have legal custody because they couldn't return home," Marcus told him. "The dog's name is Jack, and he favors Charlie, or so we're told."

"So how did they get in here?" Evan asked.

"Probably made a hole in the grid," Marcus said.

"If there's a hole, shouldn't we be able to find it and repair it to keep them from coming back?" Evan asked. "I mean, as long as we're searching. And if that's how they got in, wouldn't they have used the same hole to get out?"

"You might be right," Marcus nodded. "Jack, let's give it a try. Let's try to find the breech in the grid while we're searching."

Angus, in the meantime, opened a floo to Sergio and Ana. He laid out the situation, and Sergio and Ana promised they would be there in under an hour. They hoped to make it in 30 minutes, saying Sergio's parents were there already for supper and would be happy to take care of the kids. Angus knew that Romania was nine hours ahead of Denver, so, in this case, that would surely bring Sergio and Ana sooner.

Angus then opened a floo to Owens, and he updated him on the situation.Owens promised to get the agents on it as best they could and would try to start tracking any new auctions coming up and where any kids were being held. Angus suggested they talk to Irene to see what she knew because she was one of the best informants.

Jack heard Marcu and Evan and noded " agreed can't have any more be taken this is not there personal kid farm" he said as they drew close to the edge of the grounds " thre" he said seeing a flicker in the sheild taking out his wand as did Jessie then cast a protection sheild making it a slightly diferent color and it sudenly showed a large gap " see that thats how they got in" Jack walked over and picked up carefuly a small metal disk. " same as what was used at Roberts" he said showing Marcus and Jessie. Once the disk was moved Jessie saw the sheild repair and close the hole.

Jack bent down by Jack and spoke to him the jack rustle ran back to the hosue " I told him to wait by the bed and he was a good boy and we'll bring charlie back to him." Jack said. Jessie doubled the spell and walked over to check the disk Jack had found but as he touched it he recoiled as it sem to spark to his touch.

"Yikes" he said as Jack loked from Marcus to Jessie and back "how can you hold it but now me?" he asked Jack shrugged and chuckled " well, I think we should show Angus and Evan becuse this definaly shows his theory about paris is right."

"Well, then I suppose no one is going to be unpacking, then," Marcus said. "Let's go back and get our bags. I know this is probably petty of me, but it's been a damned long time since breakfast, and liable to be a long night. As it is, it's after four in the afternoon in Paris, and I'm getting hungry. Suppose anyone would mind is grabbing a sandwich or something on the way?"

"If we asked Angus nicely, he'd fix us a nice brown bag thing that we could demolish while we're getting settled in Paris," Evan said. "If not, I'll buy some takeaway somewhere. I presume we need to go back to the office now and get our bags anyway."

"Pretty much," Marcus said. He and Evan turned and headed back to where Angus was.

When they got back to the office, Angus was just finishing a floo call with Owens in Paris.

"Seems to be some activity at the Gelding house, according to Owens," Angus told them. "I'm wagering, that's about the kids. They're probably there so that Tom can milk them for any information they have and then he'll block their magic again. Once that's all in place, they'll take them to one of the warehouses. They won't be harmed--for now. But we dont' know when the auction is. And, if they had buyers before, they might be returned to their previous buyers. And if that's the case, we'll need to get to those three well before any auction happens because those three might not be set back for the auction. They might just be moved along."

"How can you think about this and not be raging angry?" Evan asked quietly, seething inside.

"I am angry. Believe me. But if I lose my cool, then I can't help any of them," Angus said, looking at Evan. Evan took a breath.

"Yeah. You're right."

"Angus, we need to get some food before we run all over Paris looking for them."

"Fi says there are a pretty big stack of breakfast sandwiches left today. Let's have her pack them up, and we'll take the breakfast leftovers to feed anyone that's called in to Paris," Angus said. "it's fresh, its' hot, and its delicious."

"Sold," Marcus agreed, as Sergio and Ana arrived.

"How can we help?" Sergio asked.

"Could you go see Fi and get the breakfast leftovers packed up?" Angus asked. "We're going to have to go straight on to Paris."

"I'm on it," Ana said, heading straight out to the dining room.

Jac and Jessie nodded as they spoke of food " I second that" Jack said but Jessie sighed as he thought about the shower he'd never get to use.

"so much for a shower," he said as they walked back to the house entering Jessie dove up and repacked his toiletries in his bag and returned with everyone's bags in hand. hearing the mention of food his stomach rumbled "Oops sorry" he said Jack took out a granola bar from his pocket.

"Jess makes sure I have some on me" he said and handed it to Jessie " eat up" he chuckled and moved to Sergio and Ana . " good to see you again" he said smiling as Angus explained that was going down to them.

Sergio and Ana greeted everyone, and Fi came back in soon with a large insulated box full of hot, fresh breakfast sandwiches and another of breakfast pastries.

"Will that do?" she asked.

"Perfect," Angus said. "Thanks, Fi."

"Don't mention it," she smiled. "Glad to do whatever we can to help. Just bring our kiddos back, won't you?"

"We have never left one behind," Angus said. "And we aren't starting now." Marcus got out his portkey to Paris, picked up his bag and Angus's, and Angus picked up the food boxes.

"Let's go to Paris, you lot," Marcus told them. "You want to port yourselves or join on and come with Angus and me."

Marcus ported Angus and anyone else who decided to join in to Paris. They landed on the sidewalk and proceeded straight in. The moment they walked inside, a woman whisked away the food boxes from Angus before any of them got any of the food that was in it.

"Hey," Marcus frowned.

"I'll go snag us some of it," Angus laughed. "Go drop your bags in the first bunk rooms down the hall, and then come get something to eat. We can decide a course of action while we're eating." Angus went to the kitchen and he brought everyone a hot breakfast sandwich, a little container of fruit salad, an apple cider donut and some fresh coffee. He took it to the command office and set it on an empty corner of the desk.

For himself, Angus sat down, took a sip of the coffee and unwrapped his breakfast sandwich and tucked into it.

Jack looked at Jessie then to Angus " I'll bring the cub" he said grabing hold of Jessies coller and porting them to the paris HQ. Seeing the others arrive he chuckled watching the woman snag the box and head to themeeting room. Jessie and Jack nodded and headed to the bunks dropping their bags beside some they headed to the meeting room and grabbed a couple of sandwiches. " so whats our next move, hit up Geldings place?" Jack asked as he sat down beside Jessie who was eating.

He'd already heard about the movment at the Geldings home and wondered if he was going to try and sell the kids quick to recoop some of his loses that Angus had done. Jessie looked at them as he sat quiet and listened to evry one talking as he ate. Jack had seen several kids stil in the HQ and made apoint to play with them once the three missing were returned to the colorado camp.

Owens came in and picked up a stack of notes from the desk and began mapping them out, using color coded glowing pushpins, on the big map behind the desk.

"I have a couple of intel boys watching the Gelding house," Owens said, putting a glowing green pushpin on the map at the Gelding house. "Irene is working tonight out of Eiffel's office in the Eiffel tower and she has a four man team that she's commanding, and she's got them scouting out the two warehouses on the banks of the Seine that we know he's used time and time again. We don't have any movement there yet, so my thought is that he's got another new warehouse somewhere. We just don't know where."

"Wait. I didn't think anyone actually used that space."

"What the muggles don't know, you know,..." Owens grinned at Evan.

"Oh," Evan nodded.

"This is gonna sound nuts," Angus frowned, 'but what if Tom's changed tactics and gone old school? If I were him, knowing that taking our kids is going to get us more than a little hot under hte collar, I'd be trying to fly under our radar--moving kids in a way that will be nigh onto impossible for us to trace by our natural tendency to trace magical activity."

"Good thought. I'd go muggle all the way, in that case," Evan said. "Bus. Tube. Van."

"Exactly," Angus nodded. "You read my mind. That was exactly my thought. And to do that, he's best if he goes the big muggle highways that are to the south of his place. The Seine and the warehouses are north of his place. I'd go south, take a muggle vehicle, and go south."

"Then we need to be looking for a new auction venue on the south of the Seine," Owens said.

"Might be worth a try," Angus agreed.

"I wonder if there are any muggle vehicles at Gelding's place," Evan said.

"I wonder..." Angus said, his mind racing.

"What?" Evan asked.

"Hey," A voice from the floo called. It was Robert. "Status report."

"We're here," Angus called, going to the fireplace. "We're grabbing a quick bite and deciding a course of action. Robert, is there a way to trace any pairs of muggles who flew into Paris who are leaving with three instead of two?"

"Good thought," Robert said. "I'll call Daniella. She can get that for us from the muggle government officials. Might as well trace it from all angles--Gelding's, magic, and the muggles. Owens, follow the money. Gelding will be looking to make even bigger funds for recovering these particular kids for their muggle placements. He'll tell them it cost him extra time and money and effort, and he'll raise the price on those three. Get onto Gelding's accounts and watch for any particularly large transactions that are above the nrom. That will give you the names of the muggles these kids were placed with. Then we can find them. Muggles all are electronic now, so that'll be ridiculously simple to trace. We'll be able to trace where they live, how they connected to Gelding, all the way down to where they're staying and what they had for supper tonight."

"We have a new advantage there," Owens grinned. "One of our own agents--Gisele St John, was named recently as the manager of the Paris wizarding bank. Let's send Evan and Jessie to the bank since they're new faces, and Gelding won't suspect them. They can go to the bank, talk to Gisele, and see if we can get a lead from Gelding's accounts."

"Brilliant," Robert said, pleased. "That's excellent. Maybe we need to make friends with a couple goblins here at Gringotts too in case we need them in the future."

"Robert, brief change of subject. How are things there?" Angus asked.

"Nigel's here, thank God," Robert said. "If he needs to bring another healer or two, he said he'll do that. I honestly think we're going to need it. I really have to get to St. Mungos, and that means I'm going to have to put him in charge here. He'll need someone to spell him when he's had enough, so I've asked him to bring one or two more. Jess is going to send us a nurse from St. Mungos, one for each shift. No offense, Marcus, but we really do have to use your room for the nurses for a place to rest."

"No offense taken," Marcus said. "By all means."

"Jack," Angus suggested, "maybe you and I can go do some legwork around some of the new high end luxury hotels that were just built in that expensive neighborhood close to Gelding's place and see if we can spot any movement there. We might be able to see something on the ground that Irene's team just hasn't seen. My gut says I think we might need to watch the hotel and restaurant area there closer than where we usually find him moving around. What do you think?"