LONDON CALLING

Ruby woke to the sound of Angus's voice, she loved waking to it but this time it held a sense of urgance and she opened her eyes as he spoke and she looked at th bird with the medallion around his neck. " shit , thats not good" she said slipping from the bed she quickly dressed " do you want me to fetch Robert and bring him here or shall I port you over to the main house?" she asked not sure what he wanted her to do. She sent word to Andrew tehyw ere up and Angus needed help to dress before she chose to port to the main house.

"Robert , I need you urgently, Angus needs to talk to you." she said heading up to his bedroom and knocking on the door knowing he'd most likly be in the potions lab or the library but she though he might have woken early but staid in bed a bit longer.

Andrew got up quickly and dressed hurridly in jeans and a tee shirt, and slipped on some moccasins before going over to Angus.

"What clothes do you want?" Andrew asked.

"Jeans are fine," Angus said. Andrew got him a pair of jeans and a long sleeved olive colored henley that Angus pushed the sleeves up on. It didn't take them more than a couple minutes to dress. While Andrew helped him dress, Angus told him the nutshell version about the organization, its history, and the Geldings, and how Tom Gelding was on the loose again. Angus asked Andrew to go put the coffee on after he finished helping Angus. Andrew took Angus downstairs and then headed to make coffee.

Robert was up and had just finished showering and shaving when there was a knock on  the bedroom door. Kate rose and answered the door, seeing Ruby there.

"He's dressing," Kate said. "What's the matter, Ruby? Is Angus alright?" She knew if Angus was rooting them out of bed, there was something dramatically wrong.

"Give me a moment," Robert called from the ensuite bathroom where he was dressing.

Ruby saw Kate open the door and she paused slightly " Hes escaped" she said simply, "Hes out , Angus needs to talk to you" she spoke with a shaky tone in her voice " why can't that man just stay where he's suposed to" she said looking at Kate " Im afraid that my mother had something to do with all this." she turned and moved back down to the living room sitting down as she waited for Robert to head to speack to Angus . " um..michael do you have anything I can have to calm my nerves a little please." she asked taking slow breathes " I don't know if I want to throw up or rip his head off." she tried mking light knowing panicing would not help one bit.

Ruby also knew they ahd extra men on the grounds becuse of her fathers incident but she could not help fear for Angus's safty and every one there.

Kate was about to ask who, but Ruby took off again downstairs muttering to herself. Robert finished dressing and he decided to just apparate over to the house because it was quicker.

"What on earth is the matter with you?" Michael frowned. "Sit down. Calm down. Take a few deep breaths. I don't see anything on fire, I don't hear any alarms, so I take it we're still secure here. Before you resort to a nerve potion, why don't you just tell me what's wrong."

When Robert arrived at the duplex, he went over and sat down with Angus.

"We couldn't make head nor tail of Ruby. She's a blathering mess, I'm afraid. Making total nonsense."

"Got an owl a few minutes ago. It isn't good news," Angus said, handing Robert the note. Robert read it.

"Well, shit," Robert sighed. "I had hoped they'd hold him a little longer than that. I presume Paris knows?"

"I presume so since the owl was one of ours."

"I'll send Brian straight away to go try to get some men working on intel. We need to know if there's any word yet on any activities on Gelding's part."

"Well, and there's something else you should know. I heard the wolves up in the northwest sector last night. They were exceptionally restless. The only other time they get restless like that, so far as I know. are the nights when James has been on the grounds. I didn't see anybody, but the wolves are generally quiet and happy unless there is some reason to be really agitated."

"I'll talk to Jack this morning, and have him go check on them. It won't hurt to have im scout around and see if he sees any evidence of James."

"I thought he was in jail too," Angus said.

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time that someone got out and they didn't notify us," Robert said. "if Ruby goes out, she needs to stay within eyesight of the house and the guards."

"I'll tell her--if she stops panicking," Angus sighed. "I have no idea why she just came apart like that. She hasn't been herself at all since she got pregnant."

"Some women aren't," Robert said, "but she's always had a side of her that has gotten rattled easily of she isn't in full control."

"I know," Angus sighed, "but she really does need to get a bit of a grip. I don't know if I can deal with nine months of hysterics. I need a better way of sending messages than this. If this rattles her that badly, then I can't do this way again."

"Understood. What about that little owl that Abbey found? He's full sized now, as big as he's going to get--which isn't very big, but Kate's been training him, and he needs a purpose. I could have Kate leave him here with you, and he could bring messages back and forth. He needs the practice, and I doubt he'll be able to go much farther than just around the grounds anyway since he's so small, but Kate says he's eager to please, so it might be just the ticket for him."

"We can try it," Angus said.

"I'll ask Kate to bring over a perch for him and some supplies. We'll see how it goes."

"Maybe 2 perches, one for down here and one for upstairs so he can be closer to wherever I am."

"Good thought. Okay. Hopefully Kate or Michael or someone has given Ruby some oxygen before she passes out from excitement. And I'll go find Jack. Tell me if you hear anything else at all."

"Will do."

Ruby calmed her self " sorry,was told Gelding escaped Askaban" she told Michael " I realy need to stop panicing , its not good for me or the baby " she looked up at Michael " sorry about that, hes not here and theres no sign hes coming her so no need to panic ..right?" she said looking at Micahel for reasurance. Then she rembered teh buns they had to make for breakfast " oh we need to finish teh buns" she said standing up and walking to the boiler room wher they had been kept to rise. Returning she mined as she puleld abck the cloth " they almost tripled in size this time." she told him and gently placed them in teh oven to cook.

Now she paused ok be right beck" she said and aperated to teh duplex " sorry about the minor panic earier, I just hear his name and ,well you saw, but Im calm now, rolls are in the oven so breakfast won't be long" she smiled and kisssed Angus on the cheek " I'll leave you two too talk" she said Before heading back to the kitchen.

"Well, he's a pest. So far, Gelding has been a danger to children, not so much to us," Michael said. "He's a pain in the arse. I'm not completely surprised he's out. As long as he still breathes air, he's going to be trouble for us, but no, I don't think we're in danger here. Besides, if he goes for anyone, chances are that he'll go for Robert first, and Robert will make mincemeat out him. Gelding still wants revenge for Robert killing is father in a duel, so he's not going to be looking for most of the rest of us."

Kate arrived down in the kitchen, now showered and dressed as well.

"Gelding's escaped," Michael said to Kate.

"Oh, of course he has. Why not?" Kate said sarcastically, annoyed by the news. "Well, we're just back to the drawing board, aren't we?"

"Pretty much," Michael said. He watched Ruby apparate out.

"Where's she going?"

"Dunno, but I'm guessing she's probably going to apologize to Angus for not being coherient."

Ruby apparated in, apologized, kissed him and apparated out again quickly before Angus could respond.

"Well, she looks better anyway," Robert laughed.

"Maybe someone coached her for a moment," Angus said.

"Maybe. I think I smelled coffee, so I'm guessing Michael was up," Robert replied. "Alright. How's the shoulder?"

"Better," Angus said. "No pain so far."

"Good," Robert said. "Let's keep it that way. So are you at home today?"

"Not all day, I don't think," Angus said. "I have tentative arrangements made for Ruby's father, but I need to go finalize them and put down a tentative payment."

"I'll send Marcus with you. I'm going into St Mungos, and its our annual board meeting on the budget for next year. Khaat will be with me, so you can have Marcus for the morning without any problem."

"Thank you. Hopefully I won't need him."

"Take him along, just in case. And don't be out too long. You've been doing too much, and it shows. Your system is starting to regenerate, and that's good, but you have a way to go yet. Stop pushing it."

"Okay. I hear you. What else is on your plate?"

"Decorating the bedroom for the boys. I have things coming, and I need to ask a work crew to loft the beds and arrange the furniture. I have a floor plan of where I want things to go..."

"Give it here," Robert said. "I'll give it to Edward. He can take care of that while you're out. It'll give him and Simone a way to feel useful to you this morning."

"Okay. I appreciate it."

"I know. And food before you go today. I know you missed out on breakfast yesterday."

"Yeah, but I had lunch out with Ruby, so I was fine."

"Don't give me static. Just get some breakfast before you go," Robert told him. Then he walked back to the house, hoping to see Jack before he had to leave for St. Mungos.

Ruby busied her self in the kitchen as Jess and Jack walked down " oh coffee your a life saver" Jack said giving a cup to Jess and having one himself " are those Angus's cinamon rolls I smell baking?" he asked and Ruby chuckled and nodded

"yep, Michael thought they would be a good addition to breakfast" she said smiling as she watched Michael next to her preping the rest of breakfast " won't be long, right Micahel?" she asked " oh I'll take some fod to the dogs later, poor things must be hungry" she said just as she saw Robert return. " everything onkay?" she asked. Jack turned on his tool and loked at him.

"heard the wolves calling last night, am going out to check their okay today" he said sipping his drink slowly so not to burn himself. He could se the look on Roberts face and set down his cup " okay, you need me for something." he asked

"Just taking the last tray out," Michael said. "They need to cool a minute and then I'll drizzle the orange icing on them. Give me just a couple minutes."

"Everything's fine," Robert told Ruby. "So you all know, Tom Gelding escaped last night, so we're all gainfully employed again, I'm afraid. No new movements that we know of, but if we hear any, I'll let you all know. I doubt even Tom can move that fast. I'm glad you're going up to check on the wolves, Jack. Angus heard them too, and it concerned him because he says he only hears them if James has been on the grounds. Angus didn't see anything unusual but he did hear the wolves. He was hoping we'd check on them this morning. If James has been around, then clearly, he's escaped too, which wouldn't surprise me a bit. But if he's escaped too, then we need to consider that Tom maybe by trying to mobilize fairly quickly. He probably honestly needs the staff and the money both. Let me know what you find out from the wolves, Jack."

Marcus and Brian and Khaat all came into the kitchen looking for coffee.

"Marcus, Khaat and I will be in that stupid meeting all morning, so I'm going to give you a bit of a reprieve from that," Robert said. "You're with Angus on a short errand, and then he's coming straight back home. It won't take long."

"That's fine," Marcus said. "I don't see any problems since Tylers out of the way."

"Agreed," Robert said.

"Ruby, shall we go through those baby things this morning?" Kate asked.

Ruby looked at Michael and nodded " all right" she said placing each on a cooling wire and letting them cool off. She heard Kate and agan smiled and nodded " oh please kate, you haven't seen half the things hes brought in, things like the dipers can stay but that pram, has to be returned, its too much" she said " we also have things coming for the spare room for the boys so could you arrange men to help Jack?" she said and breathed out gently whe  she saw Jack nodded.

"I'll sort that before I check on the wolves and bring them some food too." he told her smiling still she finished placing the last roll down and grabbed he coffee.

"okay" she said takibng out the iceing suger to make the icing to drizzle over the buns. Once made she set out the tray and a pot of coffee to send over to Angus all that was needed was the buns.

"Have you asked Angus if there is anything in particular that he wants to keep? Maybe he wants that pram for all you know," Michael said. "And do you know if he is ready to be starting to send some things back? Is he to that point in his mission? I mean, he's probably alright with you sorting them, but do you know if he's ready for some things to go yet?" Michael was feeling a little like a broken record that he was again reminding her that she wasn't a party of one but that she was part of a pair that were trying to do these things together.

"I'll take that tray when its ready, Ruby, since I'm going that way anyway," Marcus said, taking a serving of the breakfast casserole for himself. He was going to pass on the cinnamon rolls anyway. Much as he loved them, a cinnamon roll could mean an extra hour at the gym for him, and he really didn't want to have to do that. So he would sacrifice it just this once.

Simone and Edward made it downstairs, refreshed and ready for the day.

"Good morning, All," Edward said. He got himself coffee and a mug of tea for Simone and he handed it to her.

"Thank you," she smiled. Then she perked up and looked and saw Abbey outside dashing across the yard. "Now where is she going, and how did she get outside without us seeing her?"

"Oh, that little buggar has learned to undo the front door lock," Brian sighed, watching Abbey go. "She's going over to see Angus, it looks like."

"She most certainly is," Robert laughed. "She's ornery today. I'll have to set a charm on that lock so she can dash off like that without us knowing. What is that she has with her?"

"Her dolly suitcase," Khaat said. "She told me she was running away from home, and she packed something in there."

"Why is she running away?"

"Because I told her I wasn't making pancakes for her at 3 am today when she came in and rooted me up and demanded pancakes. She got all huffy with me and said she was running away from home. And there she goes," Khaat said. Robert laughed out loud.

"Well, she's not going very far, is she?" Robert laughed.

There was a pounding on Angus's door.

"Aggie! Lemme in! I come live wich you!" Abbey said.

"What on earth?" Angus frowned. Andrew went to the door, and Abbey dashed in. hurled her doll suitcase to the floor and came over and climbed up on his lap.

"I live wich you, Aggie," she said defiantly.