LONDON CALLING

Michael rolled the body into the litter, and then took a look around for any sort of additional clues but he didn't find anything.  He climbed back up so he could help Jack haul up the litter.

"I did try to look for any other clues but I didn't find any. Not down there, at least," Michael said, looking around the ground where they were standing. "Jack, don't move. Hold still." He went around Jack, and on the other side of him, there were muddy footprints. Shoe prints that a good deal narrower than Jacks, and having a distinctively different trainer tread to them. "Look. muddy shoeprints. We need a plaster kit up here to take some casts. And...one more thing. Caught on a nettle. A blue nylon thread. Somebody snagged his jacket on this nettle. Can we get a couple of our own outdoor guys to take a cast of these shoeprints?" He his handkerchief and carefully removed the blue thread with his handkerchief and tucked the thread inside. "If I had to guess, he's sort of stocky, just based on how deep these shoes went into the mud. Stocky and with canoes for feet. Long and narrow. I wonder if these trainers were some sort of special order since they're such a weird size. Ah, well, we need to get this poor bloke up off that ledge." He helped Jack pull the man up.

Robert looked at Lee and then passed him the note. Lee read it, and, as much as he tried to hide it, he was upset. Angus saw it clearly.

"Robert," Angus prompted.

"One of Lee's agents has been found dead on the grounds. We thought he had gotten hurt falling off that cliff on the northwest sector, but Michael found he was stabbed before being thrown off the cliff."

"Careless disposal," Angus frowned.

"Or arrogance," Lee said.

Michael gave a loud whistle, and it brought Archangel to him in a hurry. He scribbled a note and he wrapped the handkerchief in the note.

"Find Robert," Michael said, knowing that Archangel would take the note and the handkerchief and would hopefully then send men with plaster kits. "It sounds like a cheap thug to me," Michael said. "And that sounds very much like Tyler. A cheap, two bit thug." At that moment a gunshot rang out, winging Michael in the upper arm. "Hit the deck," Michael shouted at Jack, jumping behind a huge oak tree. "Our cheap thug has a hot temper, I take it." Michael drew his pistol and peaked out from behind the tree but he saw nothing. A moment later, he heard the crackle of apparating that faded away the distance--someone was apparating out. "I'm guessing he's gone."

At the duplex, everyone had heard the gunshot from the northwest sector. Robert was now angry. He knew his men. They would use wands first. Someone was taking a shot at one of the team, and Robert was pissed. Angus had reacted instinctively, as he was used to reacting, trying to leap to his feet, but the only thing it caused him was to fall in a limp heap to the floor.

"Nice try," Andrew said gently, hurrying to him. Robert and Lee went over to him as well and got him up and into the recliner.

"Go," Angus told Robert and Lee."

"Not on your life," Robert said. "if we have an intruder, we all know who he's really gunning for."

"Then use me as bait and let's get this bastard," Angus said angrily.

"Not on the fly. If we decide on that plan, we're going to do it right," Robert replied.

"Thanks," Michael said to Jess. "I heard him leave. He's gone for now." Michael had a boatload of questions, though. "Yeah, I'm fine now," Michael said. "I'm ticked. Not only is he a cheap thug, but he's an eavesdropper. Can you and Jess head back? I'll wait for the men with the plaster kits so they know where they're going."

Lee had sounded an alarm, and he immediately had the entire rest of the men that he had brought--all eighteen of them, including the two that he had sent for, asking them to bring forensic kits. Robert and Lee left the duplex long enough to meet the men in the yard. Lee sent two additional men to guard the duplex, and Robert summoned Archangel, who flew over and landed on his shoulder.

"If I send the eagle up to the crime scene, can you lot follow him? He's quick."

"So are we," one of the men said. "We'll keep him in sight."

"Be very careful. We know of one armed intruder on the grounds, and we have one dead agent. We've also had shots fired. The sector you're going to has some sharp cliffs and drop offs. Be careful. Keep your eyes open," Lee told them. They nodded. Robert launched Archangel, and the men followed quickly.

When they got there, they were professional about it, but it was hard for them to lose a member of their team so senselessly. Michael showed them the footprints, and they told Michael they would do a full forensics sweep. They sent Michael back to the house, and said they would bring their fallen comrade back. Michael knew Robert had done a lot of coroner work and would probably take care of this one too.

Michael started to think about the ratatouille and the pork tenderloin. He had to get back and get that out of the oven and get the dining room set up for supper before supper burned in the oven.

Michael headed back alone, leaving Lee's men to do the forensics. They sort of looked at him strangely when his rope coiled around his shoulder like a sash, but they said nothing. Michael started his walk back and laughed.

"They think one of us is weird, Hiss," Michael laughed. The rope pointed at Michael as if to tell him they surely thought Michael was weird, not the sentient rope. Michael laughed out loud. "Oh, you think its me, do you?" The rope seemed to nod at him and then stroked his cheek affectionately. "I like you too," Michael smiled. "Don't know what I'd do without you." They walked back to the house. When they walked inside, Abbey was putting Fudge back in his tree, and she turned to see Michael with Hiss.

"Unca Mikey, I play wich your snake?" she asked.

"You want to play, Hiss?" Michael asked. The rope nodded. "Be careful with her. She's only a baby. Look after her." The rope nodded, slithered off Michael and they went off together. "Suppose we'll be able to lure her back to the table so she gets something to eat before she goes to bed?"

"That child has never missed a meal in this house," Kate laughed. "You alright? We heard gunfire."

"I'm fine. Jess took care of it," Michael said. "Where are we on supper, Ruby? Are we ready to get Angus's and Andrew's tray ready soon?"

"Meh, he apparated out," Michael said. "I heard him leave. I don't know how far he went, but I'm hoping he left the property. I'm not overly worried about that, Ruby. He's just being arrogant and boastful. If you think about it, I think I know how he got here. James still comes and goes as he likes from here. We haven't been successful at stopping that for some reason. My guess is that since they both have the same ally, he got in because of James. And I might have an idea that might be helpful if I can refine it enough to be actually useful. We have our protection grids that are always in place, but, what if we could add another layer that is an alarm layer, so that if anyone apparates in who is not part of our household--friend or not, the alarm goes off? It would at least alert us when someone comes. I dont know that it keeps someone from creeping around in our woods, but at least we wouldn't be taken by surprise. I've been tinkering around trying to create a really good alarm spell. I don't quite have it yet, but I'm working on it."