LONDON CALLING

Jessie nodded at Michael's words Jess walked back in to her her part and chuckled as she walked abck to the play room. " I'll call Jack too" Jess said and after two minets Jack ported back into the kitchen.

Holding up his hand to Michael he spoke " I know book with funny ink on" he simply said and headed to the second floor of the library, Jessie went the third. Jack searched moving books and taking out any that had a strong scent of Robert as did Jessie but all the books had his scent in some strength.

Jess looked in toy boxes and in Abbys book shelfs finding nothing she quickly cleaned up the mess and headed to Michael " there is nothing in Abbys play room. " she told him Jack walked around the Library running his hand over each book finding nothing in the first row. So he moved to another group. Jessie did the same but in reverse he went right to left third floor to top floor.

Jess had almost given up when his hand brushed a book its bindings flashed as he brushed it. Sliding it out he turned it back and forth watching the colours seeming to dance on the spine but it would not open.

"HEY THINK I FOUND SOMETHING!!"he called down and headed back to the ground floor and to Michael " is this what you were looking for?" he asked holding the book out to him " I can't get it to open." he admitted.

Michael hurried into the library and saw Jack with a book.

"Well done, Jack" Michael said, pleased. He took the book and saw quickly why Jack couldn't get it open. "It's one of those ruddy Chinese puzzle boxes, designed to look like a book. Fortunately or not, a lot of rich folks think a Chinese puzzle box will keep a burglar from getting into their jewels, so, I've learned how to do quite a lot of these. Give me a minute." He studied the book and with a couple minutes' work, he managed to push open a little slide, and the book popped open with a snapping noise. "Ah," Michael smiled, satisfied. "Catburglar 1, Box 0," he said. Then he asked under his breath "What did you leave for me, Robert?" He opened the box and found a key. Nothing more, just a key. "Well, bloody hell," he sighed, frustrated.

"We're not done hunting yet, All." Now we're looking for some random keyhole. It's going to have an odd shape to it because the shaft on the key purposely has an odd shape to it. The keyhole is going to have more of a six sided star shape to it. And, of course, it still could be anywhere. Let's crack on, Gang. Find me that keyhole."

Jessi looked and watched as Micahel opened the book box. " wow nice" he said seing the key " hey dosn't he ahve some modings in the kitchen that look like that?" Jesie said walking into the kitchen there against one wall sat a large fire place with moldings similer to the key. Jack took one side while Jessie took the other. Both together they checked it and found nothing.

It wasn't until Jessie lent on one of the moldings partly hidden that they heard a click and it swung down revealing a key hole " Michael I think we found it, well Jessie found it." Jack said stepping to one side.

"well I fell on it actually" Jessie said a little embarased as he let Michael past. " I hope its the right one. Jack chuckled and pulled Jesie to stand next to him.

"lets just fugure out what Robert wants us to do and get it done." he said some what getting bored with the standing around and less action. Jessie sighed again and pushed Jack off him.

"we have to be carefull, we don't want to end up like Robert." he said as the sound of foot steps reatched him.

Kaden walked into the kitchen to hear Jack and Jesie talking " I agree one out of action is enough, don't need you or Jessie hurt too" Kaden looked at the hole and shook his head " looks enchanted so only one thing can enter."

Michael brought the key and took a look at the keyhole in the molding. He put the key in the lock and turned the key. He heard the tumbler in the lock rolling into place, and then a satisfying click. What popped out of the molding reminded him of a desk slideout for a keyboard, but this was smaller, and on it was a book with an embossed matching rune that matched what they'd already found, and it was dyed in the same multicolored ink.

"Does he have very many of these things?" Brian asked Kate.

"Probably all over the house," Kate shrugged.

"Robert is usually good with secrets," Michael replied simply. He tried to open the book and it would not yield to him. "Well, shit." He sighed. Kate held out her hand for the book, and Michael gave it to her. She laid her hand on the book's rune.

"October 30th," she said. The rune flashed a bright multicolored light and then opened easily for her.

"I should have known," Michael said, shaking his head. "His first date with you."

"Yes," she smiled. "It's all in code, Michael. Give me a moment." She studied it for a moment, and cast a spell on the book. "Rebotco, Laever!" Michael seemed irritated.

"Backwards password enchantment," he said. "Only Robert would think of that, and it clearly was designed for only Kate to open." He watched as the symbols of the pages transformed to words--Readable words. She handed the book to Michael.

"That should do it," She told him.

"Indeed it does. Let me look," he said. ""He has some of his suppliers and inventory in here." He flipped through the pages. "Ah ha. Bingo. There it is. You're going to need warmer coats, Gentlemen. We're going to the Nevada desert, and at night time, the temperatures are cold. Get yourself some warmer gear, and then we'll go."

Jessie and Jack chuckled as they watched Kate esaily open the book and accioed a pair of warm thick jackets as Michael spoke about Navada desert. Kaden held Jessies jacket as he switched from his summer one to the thicker one. "Don't worry, I'll hang it up" Kaden said " just come back safe" Jessie nodded and moved to stand with Jack. He readyied himslf foe what ever they would find there.

" you do know theres cyotes and rattlers out there." Jessie said his hands stuffed into his pockets as he waiterd.

Its now Kaden found gloves and quickly handed them to Jessie " you'll need these." he told him " frost bite can be painful" as quickly as he spoke he left heading abck to the bed room to watch over Robert. Leaving a some what perplexed Jessie at as to why he was concerned about him getting frost bite.

"Okay, if were ready." Jessie said looking at a smirking Jack " shut it." He said playfully to Jack.

Kate went to a closet and got a warmer jacket out, a winter denim jacket Michael kept at the farm. There were a pair of enchanted gloves in one of the pockets. They looked like ordinary black driving gloves but they were enchanted to stay warm. She took his lighter weight jacket from him.

"Shall I have breakfast ready when you get back?" She asked.

"No," Michael said. "Get some sleep while he's sleeping. He'll probably want some time with you when he wakes. I'll throw something together when we get back, whenever that is. I don't know how long we'll be gone." She nodded.

"Just be careful," she told him.

"Always," he said. He looked at Jessie and Jack. "Wands at the ready, just in case." Kate was going to put the book back in its hiding place but the rune on the front came off in her hand. It was a rather large metal piece.

"Michael," she frowned. "This just came off. Suppose it's important?"

"Let's see," he said, taking it from her. He studied it, and then he smiled broadly. "It is indeed. This, my dear, is a portkey, if I can figure out how it works." He fiddled with it a bit, and one of the swirls, it appeared would turn. "Grab hold, you two. I think we're going to end up somewhere, I'm just now sure where." He turned the swirl counter clockwise, to and stopped in a westerly position, activating the key. "Wish us luck, Kate!" Michael said.

"Soft landing!" she waved at them.

Jessie and jack slipped on their gloves and moved to Michael's side holding his arm . Jessie could not help but see Kaden peek around the courner worried. "Yes sir" Jack and Jessie said together.

"Might want to take that guy for a coffee when we get back." Jack whispered to Jessie who lightly smacked Jacks arm.

"Shut up Jack" Jessie said with a slight blush but he was going to do just that once the mission was done. He looked at Kaden and spoke " look after Kate, and stop worrying."

Jack awed and this made Jessie smack him again " I'l tell Jess you sneaked Fudge from my pocket." he said to Jack who imidiutly laughed again.

"come on let take that do hicky thing and get with it." Jack pulled out his wand and so did Jess along with his bo.

The rush of spring air changed to a cold, biting draft as they were pulled through by the portkey. He was glad he'd told them to dress warmer. They landed in the dark, in a dimly lit back alley. He could see some lights in the distance in the alley, almost as if they were a strand of decorative string lights. He looked around to see if he could recognize anything and saw some high rise buildings on the adjacent streets, and from what he saw, he could figure out where they were.

"Welcome to Vegas, Gentlemen," he told them quietly. "I'm guessing we go that way." He pointed towards the decorative lights. Eyes and ears open. Hopefully we got here before an enemy did." He drew his own wand and headed down the alley, trying to be as noiseless as possible. When they reached the decorated section of the alley, he saw one of the doors was labeled as a tarot shop. Nothing else seemed to be relevant. There was an "OPEN" sign in neon in the transom above the door. Michael quietly turned the knob and opened the unlocked door and went in.

Some little chimes sounded and a woman came through a beaded curtain. She was dressed in the sorts of fortune teller costuming that tourists would expect, but Michael could see she was no more gypsy than he was.

"May I help you?" she asked in a phony Romanian accent.

"We've come to see the alchemist," he said.

"I know no one like that," she lied.

"Sure you do," he said, displaying the rune to her. "Where is he?"

"He's not here," she said, suddenly defensive and protective.

"Look," Michael said. "He could be in danger, and we can't help if we can't see him."

"I don't know you," she scowled.

"Do you know this?" he showed her the doubloon around his neck.

"Why didn't you say so?" she was almost angry now.

"Uncle Gabriel," she called. "Its for you." A moment later, a man came out from the back. He had salt and pepper hair and he wore round wire rim glasses and was dressed in jeans, with a denim shirt and a suede vest. Michael handed him the rune from the book.

"You must be in dire straights to come at this hour with this," Gabriel said seriously.

"No, but you could be," Michael said. "Robert sent us." He motioned them to come into the back of the shop with him.

"Coffee's on. Sounds like we need to talk," Gabriel said. "Miranda, lock the door, and turn out the lights. Put the protections in place. Let's not be disturbed."

"Yes, Uncle," she said, going quickly to obey. She was scared. They were already living in fear. Michael didn't know what was going on yet but they needed to find out.

Jessie shivered as the cold air hit his face. " gods its cold" he said Jack chuckled and left his jacket slightly un zipped as they moved down the corridor.

"get use to it kid" Jack said with a chuckle in his voice as he went slightly ahead of Jessie into a shop. Jessie stood at the back of the room watching. He was confused at the medalion but Jack seemed to take no notice of it as if it was a common acurance to him. When the woman came and locked the door as a man with salt and pepper hair, round wire rim glasses and was dressed in jeans, a denim shirt and a suede vest walked out.

He stayed quiet watching the woman and checking out the shop for anything or anyone that might jump out at them. Soon they headed out of the shop and into the back. Even Jack stood not far his body tense and his arms crossed behind his back both stood ether side of Michael as if on guard.

"Coffee for all three of you? You lot have to be cold. It's a long way to port on such a cold night," he said. Gabriel poured coffee and set out cream and sugar in case they wanted some. Michael took his coffee black.

"Thanks, Mate," Michael told Gabriel.

"So Robert sent you, did he? He's never not come himself before."

"He was injured trying to make something with gunpowder and a magical explosive powder."

"Injured? What do you mean he was injured?"

"The powder blew up in his face. He was lucky. The injuries are minor, but he's very concerned for you for some reason. Now why would that be?"

"Because that isn't a magical powder I sell. Not to anyone but him, and nobody but him has known that I do, not until right now."

"Then either someone is trying to kill him...."

"Or me," Gabriel said.

"You're living here like you already know someone's after you," Michael said.

"They are, but I don't know who," Gabriel said. "They've come after me and after Miranda. I don't know how long I can keep her safe."

"Maybe you don't have to try to do it alone. If you were to leave here, what would you need to take with you?" Michael asked.

"It's all in here," Gabriel pointed to a duffel bag on the floor. "Everything Miranda and I have that's worth anything. Everything else here is just window dressing. Illusion for the muggles. I don't have enough money to go anywhere, and there's no place to go." Michael looked at Jessie and Jack.

"I don't think we were sent to leave them behind. What do you two think? I think we could get them out of here and you two could use your auror spells to erase any trace of them or us ever being here."