A Birth day

Lucian smiled seeing Rock interact with Kate " he remembers you too" he said as he walked over to him and rubbed his head smiling " yeah I'll give him an extra salmon tonight for this" he said and heard a squawk from Rock at the mention as he nudged Lucian in the chest making him chuckled " tonight, not now, now lets get going to stop this man" he said and Rock nodded his head then lowered down to his haunches so Simone could climb up on his back " in front or behind my lady" Lucian asked Simone as he tied the bags to each side of Rock then waited " after you my lady" he said and visibly saw Rock roll his eyes at him.

Aria was in the room assisting Robert as he cleaned and repaired the damage to Angus shoulder passing sutures and bandages then finally the magic wrap to go on Angus's shoulder. " I'll clean this up and make some tea, might help him sleep." she said and took the old bandages and threw them in the fire as there was no use in keeping them the bowl with water and the first aid kit she tidied up and placed bac in Roberts bag making note to restock some items that he had used when they returned to the estate.

"Thank you, Aria," Nigel said. "You're a fine assistant. I'm sure he'd rather sleep than to simply lie here and hurt."

"I'd rather stay awake for whenever they come back, and we all know they'll be back," Angus said tiredly.

"Yes, well, I think they'd better plan on bringing an army if the think they are going to get past Robert. He'll just call in every damned fighter and friend he has, and that would be just for starters. We all know he has more tricks up his sleeve than that. They're not getting you or that baby either one. If you rest, and I do mean honestly rest, I will try to postpone the pain medications for awhile."

Angus nodded.

At that moment, Sam came racing up the stairs, and he had a baby in his arms.

"Dad! Dad! They took her! Some guy just walked in the back door and took her!" He ran into the bedroom. "They left a note saying they were taking Diamond back to her mother!' He brought the baby over to Angus. "They got the wrong baby! This isn't Caprice!" Angus heart sank instantly. Sam was right. The baby he had in his arms was Diamond. Someone who didn't know what the devil they were doing, someone already on the estate grounds, had just walked in and snatched the wrong baby.

"Oh, God!" Angus paled. He thrust the baby back at Sam, knowing he had to get up. He had to go for Caprice right now.

"Angus, you can't," Nigel said. He looked at Sam. "Find Ruby this instant!" Sam went over to the fireplace and chucked so much floo powder in he nearly blew the fireplace up.

"Ruby! Now! Now, now, now!!" Sam shouted frantically into the hearth.

Ruby was in her room meditating when the floo literally flew open and Sam's voice echoed threw it "Sam, what's wrong??" she asked

Hearing Sam explain she moved quickly but hearing the franticness in his voice she transfigured her clothing and ported to Edwards home leaving a message for Jeffery that she had to go back due to an urgent issue. She walked in the front door and looked at Marcus her face straight her wand held tight in her hand " where is the man who took my child?" she asked looking at both Robert and Edward who she spoke to "Edward bring your axe, there will be hell to pay for this, no-one messes with our child" her mind was clear as glass she was going to make them pay for taking her child.

Aria looked to Sam who held Diamond and sighed " they can't even get the right baby, what idiots" she said and looked to Angus. " Stay put, let us handle it, Ruby's back and sounding like a mama bear on a mission" she told him.

"Jessie," Victor raced to Jessie. "Some asshat left a note about taking Diamond home, and they took Caprice. Someone took our sister. You gotta go with Ruby to go get her. Angus is blowing a gasket. Go, Dude, Go!"

Marcus had flown to Angus when Sam came in shouting. He reached the bedroom and saw Nigel trying to keep Angus from ripping his incision again, and Angus was giving it all he had to get up.

"Angus," Marcus flew to him, "calm down. We'll find her. I promise..."

"My kids know!" Angus was desperate to get up. "They all know that if they're in trouble I will always, always come for them. Always. I am not going to let this one down either..."

"Listen, Mate," Marcus said quietly. "Listen. I know you'd freeze hell solid if it would get you on your feet to get to her. Ruby's here, and Aria and Edward are going with her. You don't have the strength to go this time, or I'd be right with you, step for step, from start to finish. You know that."

Robert looked at Sam. "Take Diamond, and go join Rosaria and Carlo in the kitchen. Stay there until I come for you. Go now," he told Sam quietly. "Don't let that baby out of your sight." Sam nodded and left, taking Diamond to the kitchen.

"Ruby, you need a plan. Come with me," Robert said. He went into Edward's office, and he opened the floo to Owens. "Owens, we have an emergency. I need every damned agent you can find. I want men right now at every Gelding property we have. no exceptions. Here's the situation." He briefed Owens. Owens promised to send out a summoning alarm and they closed the floo.

"Here's what I suggest." Robert said to Ruby and Aria. "Go to Paris. Go to headquarters. Every agent I can get can and will assist you. Use the intel we get but do it wisely. They're going to take her to Suzanne. We just have to know where that is. You have to take a moment to see this for exactly what this is. This is a deliberate attempt to not only get Diamond back but to lure Angus there. I don't think this was mistaken identity at all. I think they wanted Caprice because they know it would bring Angus right to them, and all Priscilla and Suzanne can see right now is him ending up dead. This is extremely dangerous. I know you want to jump and go all sorts of crazy on this, but that's what they're counting on. If you do this right, you'll get her back and keep Angus from being killed today. Got it?"

Jessie turned on a dine hearing Victor he placed his hand on his shoulders and nodded " I'm gone" he said transforming to his were side he ran at full speed back to the house and over to Ruby turning back he looked at her. She nodded to him and he growled as he placed his hand on her shoulder " we'll get her back" he said and Ruby nodded to him.

"not doubting it brother" she said and looked to the others " what's the plan?" she asked " we know geldings got hr, I'm not rushing it, that's a bad plan so ..?" she asked looking around at every one " come one someone?" she asked placing her hands down on the table loudly. It was now she heard Robert talk out his plan and she liked it she looked to Aria who smiled at her knowingly " oh don't worry I'm level headed" Ruby said then moved to Aria " right Aria and I to Paris meet with Owens" she said " then coordinate with Owens on his intel to find an opening to get her back." Ruby said as Jessie stood close to Robert .

" and what about me?" he asked " I go too or co with you?" he asked looking at Robert.

"Go. I have to stay here. Angus needs me right here. I have a lot of fighters that can join you on this. There aren't that many surgeons on our staff. Jessie, go with her. You're their partner. You go where the mission takes you. I could be wrong, but I'm betting they don't realize we took that casket, and I bet they're hoping to get Angus to walk right into that house to try to do an exchange, offering himself for Caprice. That would be exactly what he would do. I'm betting that they're at the Gelding mansion in Paris. You've been there, Aria, you know the layout. That will help you. Take some weapons. Michael is at Brian's. He can get you into the armory to get you weapons. If what you need isn't there, he's one of the very few who can access the main armory at the farm. He'll take you there. Prepare yourself for surprises. Remember, if they're ready to kill Angus, you will be deliberately walking into a deadly trap. And I'd like you all to come back. Aria, you've led teams of your own at the ministry. I have to trust you to lead this. Any questions?"

"Can we go?" Sam asked.

"I have a much more important job for you two," Robert said, looking at Sam. "You two are going to protect Diamond here with your lives. We don't dare let anything happen to her. And we dont' know that they won't resurface to try to take Diamond too. You're her bodyguards. Her life depends on both of you. Like it or not, she's your sister too." Sam and Victor both sighed, but they understood.

"Any other questions?" Robert asked. "If not, be careful, and good luck. Keep me posted."

Ruby , Aria and Jessie all listened to Robert and nodded they understood Ruby looked to Aria and spoke " go to the armoury with Michael meet us at Paris we won't make a move till you and he get there" she said then looked to Jessie as she was about to leave she heard Victor and Sam. Walking over she stood in front of them both " he's right, this is vital" she said moving to hug them she smiled " I'm proud of you both" she said softly then stepped back " I'll be back soon, with your sister" she said then walked over to Jessie since Aria had already ported to the estate while Ruby walked to Jessie and took his hand " stay safe" she said as she and Jessie ported to Paris HQ.

Ruby walked away from Jessie up to Owens " what intel do you have for me, talk while we walk please." she said as they walked up to the captains cabin, she paused then pushed open the door walking over to the table she stood where Angus usually stood and looked at the map.

Aria appeared at the estate and headed in to find Michael " Michael , I need aces to the armoury , now" she said as loud and as authoritative as she could to make him realize this was a bad mission. " Caprice has ben taken by the Geldings, we need weapons stat." she said heading down to the mission room where she quickly suited up into her mission wear with her knifes and a gun on her hip her wand tucked into her pocket as she waited for him.

Michael wasn't normally prone to anger, but her tone rubbed him strongly the wrong way. Michael bristled sharply at Aria talking to him in that tone. He was a founder of the organization. He had access to every door, every file. He scowled deeply at her.

"Stat or not, you need to try that again," he told her firmly. "I heard your words perfectly well, and I do understand English. However, your tone won't move me one more step until you rephrase that. And, just in case you've forgotten, when you lead a team, you only lead your away team, not the whole bloody organization."

"That particular map isn't going to help you, Ruby," Owens said, already busy commanding the intel teams. He had the regular intel teams that were watching the Geldings, but he had added more intel teams for this particular situation, and they were on the move as well. He was watching and commanding them all. "Remember, our first mission is rescuing the kids that Tom has been taking for decades. That's what this map is always trained on. I have a different map laid out on the table for your mission. We always have agents out across Paris looking for any movements because some of them are pretty predictable. I've added some extra agents in a few more places I thought we might see some extra activity, particularly around the service entrance of the main estate and also around the country estate, just in case. We generally see less intel in winter months because they tend to apparate from inside the house. So, just because we don't see them coming and going, it doesn't mean they aren't up to something. And, remember, since its morning, we won't see lights on in the houses. It's a lot harder to try to see what's going on inside the house. A significant portion of these sorts of missions in recovering a particular child always involves waiting, sometimes hours of waiting. I do know you don't want to hear that but it's important that when we do move, we're moving on sound intelligence. You already know where our usual teams are. And those are on the wall map. I've added some colored dots to the map where we have increased intel agents or teams that are specific to this mission.

Sergio and Ana responded, and they are each leading their own teams this time. Sergio has a team at the front entrance of the main estate, and Ana has a team at the main entrance of the country estate. Those are our first instincts as to where they might go. We know where they had a team staying in Tuscany yesterday but they've pulled out of there this morning, so I don't think there's any point in our continuing to watch for movements there. I think it would be foolish to think Edward won't be scouring his own estate to find out how they got access to it. To find his great grandchild, he will rip that place apart. I think that's a given."

"Owen," Angus's voice came through the office floo, "Can I be of any help at all?"

"Sure wish you were here, my friend," Owens said. He went to the fireplace but he wasn't seeing a face at all.

"Me too," he said. "Where are your additional teams?"  Owens quickly described where they were located.

"You might consider one extra thing," Angus said thoughtfully. "Get a list of the top five wizarding nanny services. Remember they've been hit pretty hard because of Diamond's neglect case, and they've been pressured to hire a nanny. Get on the top nanny services. Find out which one they're using, and then find out if they've hired someone. That's going to be damned hard information to get. I would get in touch with Irene. She knows everybody and everything. She'll know people at those agencies, and if anybody can get that confidential information, it'll be her."

"Oh, excellent," Owens said. "This is why we need you."

"I'll let him do some floo conversations, but those are going to be very limited," Robert said. "I can put an undercover operative in if I need to, but I hold the cards on those people in order to protect them because they're too hard to come by. You get me a nanny service and if they have not hired a nanny yet, I'll put one in there."

"That's a good thought," Owens said.

"Hey," Angus said, "Evans here. He had a thought too. He says there is a new children's fashion designer in Paris, and they've used some of Edward's ships and wines for some of their upscale muggle events. They're apparently muggle folks so far as we know, but, the Paris elites are flocking to their new flagship store there. He thinks its worth a thought that if they want to look good to the Ministry there they're going to perhaps pick up some designer duds for that baby and they may well try to pass her off as Diamond. If they can pass her off at Diamond, they  might be able to use Caprice's health to prove that there is no longer any case to keep Diamond from her parents, and they can use the new clothes and the nanny as window dressing to prove they're ready to care for her. You might want to put a team in the neighborhood of that shop."

"I can do that," Owens said.

Aria looked at Michael and sighed " sorry Michael, heat of the moment, Caprice has been kidnapped by Suzanne we're mobilising to get her back, Robert said you could give me access to the Amory to take some weapons to Paris" she said calmer as she looked at him. " I'm sure he's already contacted you about what is needed." she asked walking over as she adjusted her strap for her knives around her arm. " I'm guessing we're not doing anything until its proven she's in their house in Paris, right now, I'm guessing its being watched by Owens men."

Ruby looked at the map on the table and then moved to the one Owens said was the right one and checked it out Jessie stood back listening to him and nodding as Owens said they needed to gather the information first before they could make a move. When the floo opened Ruby heard Angus's voice and smiled relaxing a little at his words and how even from his sick bed he took over. She now realized she was there to be his physical form so she could do what he could not " good thinking" she said then heard him speak again looking to Owens she nodded " do it" she said less tense that when she had arrived.

"I know," Michael said. "I am aware. I have weapons pulled already for you." He picked up three belts with several pouches and handed them to her. "You'll figure them out. They're pretty self explanatory, except these things." He reached in his shirt pocket and fished out a 20 sided dice. "This is not what it seems, and that's deliberate. It's an experimental weapon that Angus wants me to send with you, but he's really specific on how he wants it used, so I presume he'll instruct one of you or all of you on how and when he wants you to use them. He is going do a short briefing of some sort before you act. I don't know how he's going to manage it, given his health, but he's planning on talking to one or all of you. I suggest you move on to Paris because you'll get more instructions there."

"Now, Ru," Angus said seriously. "You have to trust me on this. This is maybe the most important thing for you today. I know you lot. You're all the sorts of fighters that want to go into a situation with guns a-blazing, but that is going to be absolutely the worst thing any of you can do. Every one of you has to drop every thought of going in there to set the place on fire and to teach them a lesson. That is not your mission today. That is a completely different mission, and I'll take that on at another time. For now, you only have one task--just one. So you and Jessie and Aria really must keep your heads in the game and stay focused on that one goal. You're getting Caprice back--and that's all. Nothing more. Got it?

"You make triple sure that you talk to Aria and Jessie and tell them I forbid any of you from any sort of flash-bang-pop bullcrap. You all have to check your emotions at the door and keep your focus. Don't let them start doing stupid stuff because that is exactly what they expect and they'll capture you all or worse. They will completely expect you to march in the front door, smashing the place up. The one thing they do not expect is stealth. And I know none of you have been trained in stealth, so I will make this as easy as I can for you.

"I'm going to trust you lot with a new secret toy that Gabe is still refining for us. It's still very experimental. I've already asked Michael to send some with you. He's going to send you some of our standard issue bubbles, but I really think you should try to resist using those. They cause big bangs and lots of fire. That's the exact opposite of what you want. Use them only if you have to fight your way out. This new thing looks exactly like a 20 sided gaming dice, and actually, Gabe has even painted the numbers on so that if we lose a stray one, nobody is any the wiser to what it is. These little 20 sided gizmos are pretty much the opposite of the bubbles. They provide you with a very limited invisibility shield. And I do mean limited--like well under a minute. 30-45 seconds max. And they're completely silent.

"Here's the thing," he told her. "You need to not use wand fire to get into the estate or into the house. Wandfire crackles. It's noisy, and you can't risk that. You need to get in silently and get the baby without them knowing you're there. They most likely have magical protections that won't let you just pop in there anyway. If you use these dice correctly, you can go in, muggle style, and they won't see you. If you're careful, they may not see you either. Michael may be able to give you an idea or two about how to get in. My best suggestion is to use the cellar window on the back side of the house near the garage. That will put you near the servants' back stairway. You can use that to go upstairs. Gelding wouldn't probably use that stairway even if the house was on fire because that would be beneath his dignity, and I think Suzanne thinks the same way. You could run into thugs that way, but I hope not. If that way looks too guarded, use the cellar window at the other end of the house. That puts you right into the root cellar under the butler's pantry. Try not to stumble on the vegetables in the dark. Take a baby sling with you so you can free up your hands and a binky to keep her quiet. You'll find some of both upstairs in the nursery department there. Or you could take a little one dose vial of sleeping potion and give her just two drops, and she'll sleep through the whole thing. You can't risk picking her up and having her start squalling or something. That'll get you killed. Just get in, grab her, and get the hell out. If you really think you need Michael, ask him if he'll go with you. If it's too heavily guarded, don't try it. Don't go. For the safety of the baby, pull back and ask Michael if he'll take a look at it. If its' too hot, he may do it for you. Likewise, if they're not at the main house, you're going to need to call me back for your best way in to wherever you need to go. Got all that?: