LONDON CALLING

Ruby listened to Brian and at the end nodded " yep fair, st Mungos for the gym, reading for kowlage and Michael for climbing trainning, got i, is there a climbing wall around?" she asked " or is that too in St Mungos?" she just wanted to know " oh and as for the books Iknow the ones you mean I can start reading up after supper tonight." she said.

Jess walked in and smiled hearing Brin talking of Rubys ittinary " I could go with her and come back to St Mungos, they know me there and I can let her into the gym too." Jess looked at Brian " that way no one is alone for too long." Jess placed a basked of fresh trout on the counter and chuckled " so the pond was very giving today to the fisheries man who stocks the pond." she looked at Angus " got any ideas for fresh freshwater trout?" she asked

"Yeah. There is a climbing all there, and, of course there are always some real rockfaces to try," Brian said. "That's fine, Jess. You could certainly go with her." They knew Brian too since he worked there part time, and worked part time at the ministry, but perhaps the girls were better going together. Brian had his own uneasiness about Robert. He knew him too well. Part B was already somewhat well planned. He could believe that it might be completely planned and might already be kicked into motion the moment Plan A was shelved. Robert was a man of secrets, and, at times he seemed to prefer to be that way. Brian wasn't sure this was the right time to do that, though. He planned on having a word with him.

"Nice fish," Angus said. "I'll clean them and fillet them and keep them cold in the walk in. We can have them tomorrow. I've already got the noon meal and supper both in the works, but the fish will be lovely tomorrow. I'll send the fishery a thank you note to let them know we appreciate their generosity. I'd better get outside and get these burgers on the grill or no one is going to get anything to eat at noon."

When Brian left Ruby, he caught up with Michael. Michael was outside starting the charcoal grill for Angus and he had it just about ready for Angus to be able to put some burgers on. Michael and Brian looked at each other.

"Did you buy that in that briefing?"

"Not for one fraction of a second," Michael said. 'He's already moved on to whatever plan B is, and he's not reading us in."

"Exactly."

"After lunch, I'll go drag him out somewhere by his short hairs if I have to and I'll see if I can't get him to talk to me," Michael said.

"Let me know what you find out," Brian said. Michael nodded.

Ruby and Jess nodded to each other "alright so for now its watch Abby and read" she said accioing a beastruy book to start reading as she retiurned to the play room to watch abby with Mia. Jack walked past MIcheal and Brain and chuckled " I can help if you want?" he said chukaing to them both as he paused "Everything so far is fine , nothing to report" he said " im just heading over to the east side." he said and thumbed behind himself. 

Jess ported to St Mungos to start her shift just as Kaden was leaving to head to Roberts " oh hey Kaden Jesie lef this morning" she told him he nodded.

"I know, he says hes going to write me and I will be happy to get the letters." he told her " sorry I missed the meeting this morning the staff were short this morning so asked me to stay a little longer" Jess shrugged her shoulders.

"did miss much, Rubys training at Brians now and we have a mole"she said he raised his eye brows in dibelife. " yep , some ones been tattling to grinwalde" Kaden shook his head.

"well I better see Robert." he said and ported to Brians farm. Now he looked for Robert.

"Well, I'm glad it's quiet for now," Brian said. Angus came out with a mammoth platter of burgers to grill and he had a basket levitated in the air, following him. The basket held his grilling utensils.

"Are you feeding an entire army?" Brian frowned.

"No, but I know how this crew eats," Angus said. "There won't be many left, I promise you." Michael stepped in to help him get the burgers on the grill.

"What else can I help you do?" Michael asked him.

"I've got a big bowl of potatoes already cut. They're soaking in water in the walk-in," Angus said. "American style french fries."

"Ah. Good idea. I'll go heat up the oil in the deep fryer and start dropping baskets of fries."

"Good. Then you know you have to drop them twice."

"I do. I've got it, Lad. If you can do the burgers, I've got the fries. I'll try to get the sideboard set up while the fries are in the oil."

"If not, I'll help get it set up when the burgers are done," Angus said.

"How'd your meeting with Robert go? Can I ask?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Just routine," Angus said.

"And are you medically cleared now?"

"Except for what lingering rehab I need on my shoulder, yes," Angus replied.

"Nice. Good," Michael said.

Ruby walked with Abby as she wanted to see the butterflies and bees that buzzed around " thats good to hear" she said smiling " Im just taking Abby to see the chocolate pepermint plants she planted." she said and chukled as Abby pulled at her hand excitedly. " alright lets go, then if you want we can bake some cinamon rolls" she smiled at the memory, " you know those will always be my favrate thing to bake, it was the first thing you taught me how to make." she said to Angus.


Walking to the garden she smiled seeing all the plants strong green and healthy and Edward too among them also strong and healthy " hey Edward, I brought some one to help." she said letting go of Abbys hand so she could run to him." Ruby walked over to him " by the way the sky light was fantastce its just the right thing to finsh the room and those doors to the balcony " she placed her hand on her heart " again perfect thank you so much."

"Okay," Angus said, glad to see that Abbey was getting along so well with Ruby. "Well, if you could, maybe you and Abbey could make some of her favorite pink kitty cookies. There's a recipe in the notebook. They're basically a sugar cookie with some strawberry puree added for flavor and color. She know I make a big batch when strawberries are in season. And she knows now how to use the cookie cutter. There are two or three kitty cookie cutters in my big jar of them in the supply cabinet. I usually use them all, but you do what you like. There's also a pink glaze that goes on them and some pink sanding sugars. Again, you two do what you like. I just need to use some of those darned strawberries before they go bad."

"Well, look who's here," Edward was delighted. Abbey ran to him and he scooped her up. "You're very welcome. It was our pleasure."

"Unca Ed, a bee bited me," she said.

"A bee? Are you sure? Where?" Edward asked. She pointed to her knee. He looked, and sure enough, there was clearly evidence of a bee sting there. "When did this happen?"

"After breffass," she told him. "In the flowers."

"After breakfast. So you went outside and a bee got your knee," Edward said. She nodded. "Bees like flowers. I bet it hurt too." She nodded. "And you didn't tell Ruby?"

"I told Stickee. Why he bited me?" she asked.

"The bee?" he asked. She nodded.

"You probably surprised him. Bees do not like surprises."

"You gots bees in your garden?" she asked suspiciously.

"I'll try to protect you. Shall we go see your mint plants? And then maybe Ruby can tell your papa about your bee sting. I bet he can fix it in a hurry for you." She nodded.

Ruby was suprised at Abbys revelation about the bee sting, " strange I never saw it before" she thought to herself. " sure we'll have papa look at it"she said to Abby " then we can make those cookies Angus said you love to make." she sugested " theve sugested I do trainning here " she said to Edward as they walked to the plants. Ruby smiled " there they are." she pointed to just a head of them. 

Once done in the garden Ruby took Abby inside to find Robert " Robert could you liik at Abbys knee she says a bee stung her befoe breakfast in the flower beds." her voice sounding confushion as she'd not seen any bees out that early ushaly she'd see them mid morning gathering pollen to make honey.

Robert was upstairs in one of Brian's extra bedroom that he had converted years ago into a workroom. It was basically a mini potions lab for him. He was working on a potion when Ruby and Abbey came in, and Ruby said Abbey had gotten stung by a bee.

"Come let Papa see," Robert told her reaching out for her. He picked her up and sat her on his lap. "How'd you get stung, Poppet?"

"The bee bited me this morning. He was in the flowers."

"It did? Sounds like he was working and you probably scared him. I'm sorry. I know that hurt, didn't it?" She nodded. "Why didn't you tell Papa?"

"I cried. I told Stickee," she said.

"I don't speak Stickee's language, though, Sweetie. When those things happen, you need to come tell me." He laid his hand on Abbey's knee to removed the stinger and then he touched it again to remove the pain and redness and swelling. "Better?" She nodded. He kissed her forehead. "Now, let's talk about bees for a minute, shall we? Bees are hard workers. They get up every morning before its light because they go out while the morning dew is still on the flowers because, basically, that's what they drink. They drink the morning dew, and that helps them make honey, so they like it when the flowers are wet. So, I think, if you stay away from the flowers in the early morning, you won't run into bees so often. I bet Ruby doesn't know that either."

Abbey looked up at Ruby.

"Bees are most often out very early because the dew makes the pollen wet and its easier for them to gather when its wet. And, their primary predators aren't out as early as the bees are. Bees want to get their work done before their predators wake up, and I can't blame them," Robert told Ruby. "So, yeah, its best for her to leave the flowers alone until a little later in the morning. She's fine now, though. Aren't you?" He gave Abbey a little kiss and a hug.

"Tanks, Papa," she said.

"You're very welcome," he smiled.

"Whatchu doin'?"

"Making a potion. So what are you and Ruby doing?"

"Making cookies!" she said brightly.

"Oh good. You know I like cookies," he said. "May I have one when they're done?" She nodded.

Edward happened to pass by the workroom while Ruby and Abbey were there, and he couldn't help but see the cauldron on Robert's workbench. He frowned slightly but didn't say a word. He went downstairs, determined on finding Michael.

Michael was working on assembling what he was calling a strawberry shortcake trifle for dessert with supper that night.

"Michael, has Robert talked to you since the debriefing?"

"No, not yet. Why?" Michael asked, paring strawberries.

"I was just upstairs, and I saw Ruby and Abbey in the workroom talking with Robert. Michael, I know what I saw. I have brewed my fair share of potions in my time. He has a larger than normal cauldron on the bench, and he is clearly making a very large quantity of polyjuice potion."

"You know," Michael said seriously, "that doesn't surprise me in the least. It should, but it doesn't."

"You think he's already working on a backup plan to deal with the mole?"

"Oh, I was starting to wonder if he had one," Michael said, irked. "Now I'm sure of it. He's already got a plan."

"Well, why the secret? Why wouldn't he just tell us?"

"Because it doesn't bloody involve us," Michael said, angry with Robert now. He already knew Robert was a man of many secrets, and Michael was alright with that, so long as Robert was open with him and Kate. "I think he thinks is none of our business."

'Maybe it isn't."

"Well, as one of the founders of our organization, I'm going to make it my business," Michael said. "I'll let you know."

"Fair enough," Edward replied.

Ruby listened as Robert told Abby about the bees and how they work , she smiled as Abby looked up at her " I did not know that" she said and listened more but ehr eyes looked at teh couldren on the worksurface behind him bubbling away. She could see the small jars and looked confused Lacewing flies, Leeches, Powdered bicorn horn, Knotgrass, Fluxweed shredded boomslang skin and something she didn't recognise but had to be A bit of the person he wnted to turn into.

Looking at Robert again she said nothing but staed quiet her job was to look after Abby and she would do just that. now Abby was healed she smiled " okay let go find those cutters Angus mentioned and make cookies to decorate." she said taking Abby by the hand and walking her to the kitchen. She over heard Michael as she placed Abby on a stool so she could see better. " well evcen I know the ingridiants for polyjuice potion and what I saw was it." she said " ah here the cutters" she said and put them in the counter.

"If my memory serves, doesn't polyjuice take at least a couple of days to brew?" Michael asked.

"For someone like Robert? No," Edward said. "I can do it in about 24-26 hours. But he has far better equipment, and that has a strong impact for polyjuice. Better equipment shortens brewing time. And, how meticulous and experienced the potions maker is also determines how long it needs to brew and, more importantly, how long the potion lasts once someone drinks it. Remember your stories about Harry and Ron and Hermoine. She managed it as a student, but it would only last about an hour. The better the potions maker is, the longer the acting time of a polyjuice. Someone like Robert? Im guessing that he can brew one that would last even as long as 12-24 hours on a single dose."

"And you say this cauldron was bigger?"

"It was. The standard number 2 that we all used in school brews, at most, a gallon. This was easily a number four. And that brews about 2 1/2 gallons if filled to capacity."

"That's a damned big jug of polyjuice," Michael frowned.

"Indeed," Edward said.

"So that must mean potion for several people."

"Or for quite awhile for one person," Edward concluded.

"Well, that isn't a thought I like at all," Michael scowled.

"Nor do I."

"I'll talk to him as soon as I can." He started layering shortcake, strawberries, strawberry jam, whipped cream, and some pecans that he had chopped and candied to add a bit of crunch to the trifle. It looked lovely when he was finished with it. He put it in the fridge to keep it cold and then he started in with the fish that Jess had brought in yesterday. He had decided on Trout en Papillote. He made a pan full of rosemary roasted potatoes to go with the trout, and he took some of Kate's fresh tomatoes and stuffed them with diced portabello mushrooms, bacon, fresh basil, and some diced chicken. Then he put a cheese mixture of asiago, parmesan and mozzarella and some bread crumbs on the top of the tomatoes and put them in the oven to roast.

That was only going to give him about twenty minutes time before it was all ready to set out. It was a healthy lunch. He had decided Angus could handle cooking supper. Michael set about getting the sideboard set up and pouring pitchers of water, lemonade, and tea, and a large bread basket he had filled with generous slices of crusty sourdough bread and a crock of Irish creamery butter. By the time he had set up the dining room for lunch, it was time to take the fish, the potatoes and the tomatoes out of the oven. He set out large platters for the tomatoes, and a huge pottery bowl of the roasted potatoes. Then, he took each portion of fish and put it, still in the parchment packages, on the plates. Part of the excitement about fish in papillote was the fun of one had in opening his own parchment package with fish and lemon, shallots, herbs and capers in a butter sauce that was inside.

"I think that's lunch ready. Supper tonight is on Angus to do," Michael said.

"I'll call them for you," Edward said. He called everyone to come for lunch.