A Birth day

"So, now that we sort of recognize each other a little, let's take a look at the local map," Lee said. He flicked his wand at the map to bring up a map of New Orleans, on the west side of the map, and on the east side was the lake and the bayou area. "This is New Orleans, over here," Lee said, and Robert used his wand to illluminate New Orleans in yellow. "We're coding it in yellow because, while this is not the location of our operation, we do know that Marie is often in the city and so are her known followers. This is an area where you will all have to be very careful today. Try to stay out of the city or out of sight there today if you can. We don't want to tip her off if we don't have to.

"This is where you are right now," Lee said, as Robert lit up a little island area in the bayou on the east side of the map in green. "It's green because we've laid protections here, and you should be safe here, as long as there aren't all fifty of you outside of the courtyard. We don't want her to see any more activity than necessary here either. The missions site is this little dot of land here, northwest of this island." Robert lit up the voodoo camp with a red light. "Trust me when I tell you that if you take an airboat from here," Lee said, "it feels entirely like you're going northeast, but you're not. It's very disorienting. Get yourselves oriented to the lay of the land here. We will have maps for you to put in your pockerts for tonight. And there is one more location you all need to know. It's over here, northeast of New Orleans, just outside the village of Mandeville, on the edge of Fontainebleau State Park." Robert lit that area up in blue so everyone could see. "We have arranged to use an old muggle semi truck company as a base. We'll get you some paperwork on that as well. It will be staffed all night, with food, water, fresh clothes, equipment, weapons, medical supplies from New York will be here tonight. You will not be returning to this particular location tonight. You will go to this muggle truck company because it is where the mission will launch from and return to. Any questions so far?

Aria and Ruby sat listening looking at th map as Robert spoke about it. When asked if there were any questions Aria spoke up " The animagus can scout the area for fresh intel without being seen if you think they could be of use that way." she said and looked to the men stood next to him. But she sat bck once she was done and sipped some coffee she had in her cup as she'd finish her food. Ruby looked at th map mamorizing it as she noted the diferent area especialy the area in blue with the food and medical suplies.

" I guess were going in from the northeast or are we in two teams pincer movement?" she asked Angus as she sat next to him studying the map onfront of her.

"None of us know any more than you do. Give them a bit," Angus told Ruby quietly. "I'm sure they'll get to that."

"Thank you. We'll let you know if the animagus can help," Robert told Aria. "Our basic plan is pretty simple. We want this woman and her followers off the streets. We do not want them escaping. Your job is to catch them--every bloody last one of them." The fighters seemed to be shocked, looking at each other, stunned. Angus was not surprised in the least. Robert was notorius for perfection, and it was just like him to want to make sure they had the whole lot of them. When the mission starts, we will be launching and landing four maximum sized airboats. Each of these airboats can seat a capacity of 50 people. We will be arresting every one of her followers, blocking their magical abilities right at the time of arrest, cuffing them, and loading them on the airboats and transporting them back to the base at the trucking company. Suspects will be searched, booked, and transported to jail from there. We are using magical busses that are somewhat different from our own knight busses in London, but muggles will only see them as regular semi trucks.

"Now, just for the record," Robert continued, "we do not expect to see the Geldings tonight, but so you're familiar with them, here are photos of Mr. and Mrs. Gelding, their known associates, including this man right here--James Blood. I want this abundantly clear--and no exceptions from anyone on this. If we see anyone disregarding that, your participation in this mission will be immediately ended, so be sure you understand. No one--and I do mean absolutely no one--who is not from my group of fighters--and you know who you are--is to even consider approaching the Geldings or James. And if you aren't from my team and you have an issue, then just get out now. Clear?"

Aria and Ruby sat quietly Aria lent forward as he spoke smiling as he told them of what they could and could not do she glanced at Marcus and then looked back to Robert " Boss knows what he's doing." she said smiling a little she saw one of her men change to a raven and fly off " hum seems he's not liking the orders, hes out" she motioned with her hands to another who took off after him " don't worry he'll be dealt with " Aria said " not killed. Just obliviated and placed in a safe place " she added " he wasn't my best, just a newbie" she looked back at Robert " no objections here" she said and smiled as she sat back in her chair as she spoke softly "has the kind of man you'd follow to hell and back...right?" she asked Marcus.

Ruby looked at Angus and nodded to him " it will be nice to have this over and get home, I miss Caprice" she said and took hold of Angus hand in her own and smiled at him. She listened to Roberts words and nodded knowing she would not do anything against orders, she'd learned her lesson years ago not to disobay as it will go wrong.

"Absolutely," he told Aria quietly. "Robert has some solid reasons to not want anyone to buggar things up with the Geldings, and James--James would wipe out these little fighters almost single handedly. We've seen him do worse, and that's by himself. If he brings in his fighters, nearly everyone here, except those of us on what he calls his first string, would be killed very quickly. We know how to handle him and we have the people to do it. These folks here? They have no clue what they'd be up against. Robert doesn't want a massive loss of life tonight. But--would I follow him to hell and back? Yes. With no questions asked."

"I'm with you," Angus said softly to Ruby. "I'm sick of this whole affair and I'm sick of this voodoo woman. For ten cents, I'd pack our bags and go home right now, but if I do that, I'll never have a peaceful night's sleep again, and I know that. I have no choice but to see this through. Ru, if this goes off the rails, can we agree that we're going to make sure that, we defend each other. Second, we defend our kids and Evan since they're so inexperienced. And we go into it with no apologies, no regrets. Oh, and one last thing. We pull this off, and we deserve a weekend away. You good with that?"

Aria heard Marcus and smiled " good, becuse thats the kind of boss I like" she said and looked to him. Ruby heard Angus and smiled to him as she rubbed the back of his hand .

"apsolutly, no one hurts my kids or my man" she said " and goodness, that sounds perfect" she added and smiled as she moved closer to him listening to Robert continue . Aria looked at Marcus and sa him focused on Roberts words she smiled and looked back.

"you watch my back I'll watch yours okay?" she said " oh and don't get your self killed , got that" she added sounding as if she didn't care and knew he could fight but also showing at the same time she did care about him.

"We know that Marie and her followers will arrive at the camp at dusk," Lee said. "We will not move on them until after dark. We'll give you the signal to go when we're ready. We want you at the mission headquarters at the trucking company by 4 so you can get some supper, get your mission wear and your gear, find where your positions will be, and who you will report to. For rather obvious reasons, we will be breaking you up into squads. Robert and I will each have a squad. Michael will have a squad, and Kate will have one. Daniella will be our on-site coordinator at the mission headquarters. We expect to have about a dozen people per squad, and within that squad everyone WIL have at least one partner. No one goes alone. Keep your eyes open and look out for each other. If you see a team in trouble, for God sakes, pitch in and help. We fully expect the hardest thing is going to be getting all of her followers, so focus on that. We will designate someone to try to take down Marie, based on what seems to be happening at the camp. Don't forcus on her. Focus on her followers. They keep her guarded and financed and supplied. We have to get all of them to cripple her. If we have to let someone go, it will be her. Understand?" Lee asked. Angus noticed the fighters nodding. They weren't entirely agreeing but they seemed willing to follow orders.

"Black mission wear tonight. Remember its gonig to be dark. Now, we have a few things we want you to be equipped with. Robert has been kind enough to equip us all. Come up and make sure you get one of each of these things. You'll get one of these cards." Lee held up what looked like a credit card. "It has an enchanted map, and if you tell it what you need, it will give you directions, etc. The second thing is a pair of good cuffs that will temporarily bind the magic abilities of whoever is cuffed, so make sure you don't try to keep your suspect contained by cuffing the suspect to you because you'll bind your own magic. Let's not do that. That won't work well for you. And, these little gizmos here?" He held up little pouches that Angus and the rest of the first string knew by heart. "These are pocket sized med kits called pocket patch kits. There's one here for each one of you. And last but not least, make sure you get one of these." He reached into the last box and held up what looked like a cheap little plastic keychain flashlight. Some of the fighters laughed at them. "Now, now. This isn't what you think. These little flashlights are portkeys. They'll get you back to tonight's headquarters. So make sure you get one for yourself. Now, any questions?"

Aria looked at Marcus and then back to Robrt she glanced around the yard and saw nobody wanted to say anything neither did she it was planned well as far as she was concerned. She had seen the second man who she had sent after the first return with a small glowing vial. He walked over to her and gave her it "Thanks I'll make sure Robert gets it" she said looking to Marcus " He is the boss after all." she said placing it on the table. Ruby on the other hand watched as Robrt pulled out each item she already had minus the map and port key.

"be my first time back in mission wear since Jefery's" she said softly to him " I think its the first time th kids have seen us both in mission wear too" she chuckled.

"It'll be bigger than that," Angus told Ruby. "Yeah, its the first time they've seen both of us in mission wear, but it will be the first time that all six of us, plus Edward and Simone and Evan will all be in mission wear together."

Lee adjourned the meeting, and the other fighters began to leave. Michael and Kate and Simone and Edward all stepped in to help clean things up. Robert came over to the table where Angus and Ruby and the others were seated and he sat down with them.

"How's the ankle, Angus?"

"I haven't checked it this morning," Angus replied honestly.

"I saw it when I helped him dress. Swelling is almost gone, thank goodness," Marcus said. "You definitely used some high power spells on it to be that much better."

"Yes. I did. Several times over the last 36 hours. I'll lay some more on in a few minutes, and we'll use some sports tape on it to give it some more support for tonight," Robert said. "Now, this is not out for everyone else to know, but we already know who we want to go after Marie...."

Angus was about to speak up in protest. He had braced himself for it. He was the one she was torturing. He wanted to get her himself.

"Lee and Daniella and I have gone over everyone's training scores. Everyone we had a dossier for before the meeting, that is. And, Angus, aside from the fact that you have considerably more interest in getting her, you also happen to have the fastest wand speed of anyone else on the mission--and that's faster than Lee's people, Daniella's, all of them. Your speed will be a definite asset. You want her? You've got the job. If you can't get her, then any one of you can go after her if you get a clear shot to do it. Lee wants her alive, but I honestly don't care if she's dead or alive. Just get the bitch. She's caused Angus enough misery that I'm happy to have her out of his life, no matter how we have to do it. You lot good with it?"

"Perfect," Angus nodded, satisfied.

Ruby listened and nodded to him. When Robert walked over to them she smiled as he spoke to Angus about going after Marie. " I agree but I get a second shot though for everything she's put us threw," she said but knew with Angus he would not miss. Aria walked behind Ruby and placed her hand on her shoulder.

"no one going to stop you Ruby" she said " but if shes there wouldn't you want to go for your mother?" she asked and looked up at Robert " she won't be there right?" she asked " I know you mentioned Gelding and Blood." Aria patted Rubys shoulder and moved her hand as she looked at Robert. " so whose my partner" she asked smirking as she had an idea it would be Marcus.