LONDON CALLING

Jesie chuckled at Angus talking about the other weapon lockers " wow," was all he said glancing around at the weapons around him. " more than this , you could hold out indefinatly." he said then nodded at the mention of his Bo " yeah its close up only, but in the marines we were taought weapons, semis, autos , pistols and sniper rifles, how to clean and prep them so not to cause problems," he took the swiss army knife and nodded slipping it into his pocket.

"Looks like one my dad has" he said with a chuckle " he uses it to whittle things, huh has the same markings on it too." Jessie wondered if his father might have met Robert but that would be inpossible seeing how his perents were muggles.

"shouldn't we get back?" he asked not knowing just how much time they had been down in the basment prepping for the fight to come. It was now Jack walked in.

"Hey Angus, newbie ready, I think Roberts ready to end this guy." he said taking down pistol and chest holster.

"You realize that if you're going after the man that did this, you're going after a dead guy, right?" Brian reminded them. "Michael wounded him to get me free, but this idiot wanted to start a skirmish--one that I ended."

"Understood," Robert said. "I'm not after the dead guy." He looked at Jack, Michael, and Tyler. "You three are with me." Robert got out his keyring and chose an ornate key that was gilded in bronze. Michael looked for a moment at Robert as if he questioned the wisdom of Robert's selection, but he drew an identical keyring from his own pocket and chose a matching key to Robert's. "Jack, you're with Michael. Tyler, you're with me. Let's go."

Robert and Michael used their portkeys, and in short order, they were all standing in a rather thick cluster of trees in a park, and across the street was a large chateau surrounded by an ornate cast iron fence. Tyler didn't know it yet, but he was about to meet the enemy face to face.

Jessie watched the others and he moved to Robert feeling the pull of the apperate once again. Taking a deep breath in he coughed lightly. "Sorry sir, tree pollen." He told them then looked at where they were stood. He took out his Bo and held it ready to fight "How we doing this quietly or?" he asked leaving it hanging for Robert to fill in.

"Angus told me you already got this guy, more than once, shouldn't he know to leave you guys alone by now?" Jessie querried but he also knew magical villans did not stay down for long. They were like a bad smell always around and hard to get rid of.

"I want him to know I'm here--when its too late for him to do anything about it," Robert said. "Michael, Jack--I'm counting on you two to have our backs. Do your best to cover us. We're going straight in the front, and since your wheelhouse is all about stealth, Michael, I want you to cover the front and not be seen. Jack, your braun is what I'm counting on more because the home office is at the back of the house. You'll see a big bank of floor to ceiling leaded glass windows. Those are right behind the desk in the home office. If there is going to be increased security it will be at the back. Don't act unless you have to, but if you do, make it quick and as quiet as you can. Tyler and are going right in the front door.

"Tyler," Robert said, "your job is to try to help me make sure that neither of us get trapped inside. They may want to hold us, and I'm not in the mood for that nonsense."

He took a moment to transfigure his own clothes to an impressively tailored black suit, with a black dress shirt and a black tie. He purpose drew a large, radiant-cut, clear diamond tie tack and pinned it to his tie. He slipped an oval onyx ring on his right index finger and a large diamond ring on his right ring finger. He wanted to intimidate. "Costuming," he told the men. "I intend to command the room from the moment we enter. Any questions, anyone?"

Jessie listened to him command the men like is commander had years ago. He heard Jack confirm what he ahd been told then watched in amazment as Robert transphigured his clothes. He glanced at his own combat style clothing but just shrugged.

"looks good on ya sir" he said when robert told him he was going to command the room he nodded. " I'll raine in my wolf so he dosn't go all, how dare you." He said tucking his bo under his arm " ready sir." he took his formal stance and stood as if on perade or infront of a supirior officer. He did tap his pocket to make sure he still had his flask tucked away in his hidden pocket. Feeling it there gave him assurance even if the beast with in him should start to show he had a way of stopping him.

"With me, then," Robert said. He trusted Jack to slip around to the back, and he saw Michael draw his wand and disappear. He wouldn't see Michael again until he was out of the house--unless something went sideways. Robert crossed the street, keeping an even, confident stride of a man on a mission. When they got to the wrought iron gate, Robert drew his wand and deliberately blew the gate off its hinges with one loud explosive bang. "That should get their attention," Robert told Tyler very quietly. He resumed his stride and walked up the short flagstone drive to the large oak front doors where two burley men stood. Robert became quickly aware that these weren't ordinary men. He could smell them, and they smelled just about as foul as could be. These had the distinct odor of mountain troll. He guessed they had been enchanted into being sentries.

"Are you going to open the door, or shall I blow it up like your front gate?" Robert demanded fiercely. A voice sounded over an intercom speaker.

"Let them in," a man's voice said. "I'll take care of his impudence myself." The sentries did not utter a sound but opened the doors. Robert walked into the front foyer, putting his wand back in his suit coat's inside pocket. The foyer had black and white checkerboard tiles on the floor, double staircases with black iron railings and dark paneling. Antique oil paintings hung in gold gilded frames on the walls, and a dome ceiling was done in elaborate stained glass. Robert was noting the stolen masterpieces on the walls and the nearly priceless antique furniture, not to mention all that stained glass. Anyone else might have admired its beauty, but Robert was calculating money values to determine what might get the most attention if he had to blow it apart.

A man with ghostly white skin came out into the foyer. He was dressed in a black Edwardian morning suit with a deep red waistcoat. Vampire, Robert decided.

"Do leave the place in one piece, would you, Lupin?" the man spoke to Robert. Robert figured that his reputation had preceeded him for this man to know him by name. "See if you can muster up some manners."

"You're in my way," Robert said, crossing the foyer towards the hallway to the office. The vampire apparated like lighting in front of Robert and laid his hand on Robert's chest to stop him.

"I asked you to be civil," the vampire said coldly, threateningly. "If you cannot do that, your visit will be ended here and now."

"One shot to this ceiling, and you're a dust bunny," Robert said with an icy tone, unfazed. "The sun is quite bright today." The vampire looked at him with silent rage, but then he turned and walked towards the main ground floor hallway. Robert cast a glance at Tyler, wishing he could show some of the amusement he was feeling but knowing this was not the time. They were all going to have some stories to tell over a pint tonight, he could tell. He fell into step behind the vampire.

Jessie followed Behind Robert his bo pressed to his side as he gripped it ready for action. He scrunched his nose at the flow smell eminating around them but stayed at Roberts side watching every one and thing around him.

He heard the booming voice and frowned , qucikly he moved so his bo was between both men stoping who he took as Gelding from getting any closer to Robert. His eyes scanned the room watching several others move as if getting ready to strike. He saw Gelding move away and walk awy from them.

Glamcing at Robert he gave a huff of amusment at this aparent small victory over the man. Lifting his bo back to his side he moved back to Roberts side.

"two on the stairs, one by the door and about a dozen or so on the upper floor." he said softly to him. " not much of a covent."

"No," Robert said in a near whisper to Jessie.

"Vampire hearing, Gentlemen," the vampire said. "You might as well shout it."

"If I intend to make noise, I will be sure to be heard clear down in the dungeons," Robert replied. The vampire glanced back at Robert with a scowl of annoyance. Clearly, the vampire wasn't liking Robert right now. Well, he hadn't come here to make friends. For a species that took pride in looking cool and collected, Robert was getting under the undead's skin straight off.

The vampire stopped at a large oak door and knocked.

"Come," the voice replied.

"Remember yourself or I will have you," the vampire hissed at Robert and Tyler. Robert ignored him and proceeded into the room where Tom Gelding sat behind a large antique oak desk.

"Well, well, if this isn't quite the occasion. Should I send for tea?" Gelding asked sardonically. He motioned them to sit. Robert had no intention of sitting. He went forward towards the desk but he deliberately didn't get too close, giving himself room to maneuver if he needed to. "What brings you into my family home, Lupin? And why would you ever come here with a lackey and no wand? You're slipping, old man. You should retire. Oh, wait. Your golden boy isn't so skilled after all. Nearly had him this morning. You can't retire, can you? If you did, your little under-the-table operation would fall apart. Does the ministry know what you really do yet?"

Well, that was going to clue Tyler in that there was more to the Lupin family than Lee had told him. He'd have found out sooner or later, but Tyler was certainly going to have questions now, wasn't he?

"While we're discussing family," Robert said coolly, "how's that boy of yours? How old is he now, mid twenties?"

"Nineteen, and you know it. You leave your hands off my son," Gelding was instantly angry. Robert strode forward and slammed his hands on the desk and leaned in to Gelding's face.

"How many times have you shouted at me across a parking lot? 'An eye for an eye,' isn't that it?" Robert said fiercely with ice cold wrath now. Robert heard the door open behind him. The vampire surely must have come back in when he heard Robert slam the desk. Well, Robert knew Tyler had his back. He trusted Tyler could hold that overgrown bat off for a few minutes. "That rule might come back to haunt you, Gelding."

"You leave my son alone!" Gelding shouted.

Jessie could not help snap his gaze at the man and give a low growl at his tone towards Robert. But he staid quiet listening to evrything that was going on around him. He heard scuffles and whispers around him but stayed alert.

When they reatched a set of large oak doors he paused and held his nose as the stench got stronger. Following Robert in he heard the exchange and raised only a single eye brow to what Gelding said.

His eyes staid on the first man watching his every movement as he seem to skirt around the room. Hearing the bang Jessie turned his gaze only for a second then returned to the first man. Somthing about him was realy off as if he too was studying Jessie, trying to find a weakness. Or something to exploit to make him lose his cool.

He saw the man twitch slightly and brought up his Bo ready if he sould attack. " wouldn't make that move if I were you." Jessie warned him in a low tone. He slid his left foot behind his right and bent his knees giving him better grounding and balance should they be so stupid and attack.

"Sir?" Jessie said softly to Robert warning him so he could get Gelding to back his men down before he lost more.

"Forget the lackey! Get the old man!" Gelding shouted. Without missing a beat, Robert used wandless magic and levitated Gelding into the air up near the ceiling. Gelding hadn't expected it, and he cried out in alarm. Robert gathered Gelding hadn't experienced one of the older wizards. He'd made the critical error in presuming that, like muggles, age meant weakness. For wizards, though, older wizards grew in power and skill. Gelding was about to find out how much.

"Gelding's mine," Robert told Jessie, sensing Jessie could pick up on his cues and would know not to kill unless it truly merited it. But he was going to make sure that Gelding and his lot knew that Robert's crew, every one of them, meant business and could handle themselves in any situation. "Do what you like with the others. Use them for sparring practice, wipe up the floor with them, or kill them for all I care." This would give Jessie an opportunity to leave an impression, and he had a feeling Jessie could do it.

Robert glanced up at the ceiling Gelding to see that Gelding was drawing his wand.

"Take his wand Jessie, both halves of it," Robert said. Gelding's wand was in one piece now, but he trusted Jessie understood Robert meant for him to cast a spell to snatch Gelding's wand away from him and to break it.