A Birth day

"Well, let's wait and hear what Robert has in mind first," Marcus said. "Oh, thanks, Ruby. I'm famished." He joined Aria at the table and tucked into the stew and the cheese bread. "Delicious. Well done, Ruby."

"So how did you do finding our little hooligans?" Angus asked.

"Found them both," Marcus said. "And we're dealing with them. Their contact expects more potions tomorrow, so I think Robert is going to provide the lads with a very special package for them to give to their contact."

"That should be interesting. I know how he packs some of things like that. Sounds like this is not a random thing."

"No, but we know Robert will absolutely be on this, and he'll be settling this before it gets out of hand."

"Well, yes. That's true," Angus yawned. He got up and went to the kitchen, ground some fresh coffee beans and put on a fresh pot of coffee. Marcus smelled the deep, rich nutty aroma of fresh coffee as it brewed.

"What blend is that?" Marcus asked.

"Its a new one that Lizzy asked me to taste. It's a dark blend made of coffees from a type fo Tanzania robusta coffee, some Indonesian, some Guatamalan and some Brazilian. It should be smooth and dark and rich, with a smoky, nutty flavor and probably very little bitterness," Angus said. "Or at least, that's what I expect to taste. "Might also have some sorts of hints of caramel or chocolate just because that's some of the flavors that the Brazilian coffee beans sometimes have."

"I look forward to trying that," Marcus said.

"So, are you two on bodyguard duty tomorrow?" Angus asked.

"No. David's back on tomorrow. I expect we might be doing some other little task tomorrow. Where are the kids?"

"They were here, and they're gone again. They went to go to have a couple pints and to listen to some live music at the Three Broomsticks," Angus said. "So it's just the grown ups this evening."

"Well, he asked us to talk to Angus about it," Marcus replied to Aria. "Robert said all our crops were way above what you figured for us, Angus."

"They were. We were definitely blessed this year," Angus said.

"Well, he asked that perhaps we consider some sort of a monthly box of fresh foods to Fenrir's pack just to help them get through, if there's a way to do it without insulting them."

"I think there certainly should be," Angus said. "Off the top of my head, I think we could perhaps have the girls take it to Dennis and give it to him and suggest he share it with the pack."

"You think that would work?"

"It might. Or maybe I could talk to Fenrir directly. I can find out if they need meats, medicines or warm clothes or anything else and say that we could give it to him in a way that would not cause him to lose any face with his pack. I'll talk to Edward and see what he suggests the best way might be. I'm sure, as they come into colder weather, they could use some supplies. What I think they would really benefit from has always been nigh onto impossible for them to find--some land where they will be left in peace where they can actually have some cottages or something--some solid housing and some clean water and warmth. But werewolves are still not as accepted as they probably should be, and that makes them live in tents, ready to run, all damned year long."

"Well, Robert would be your man for that, I think. If it's a piece of private land, then I can't see how anyone could quibble about what you do with it."

"It involves werewolves. There will always be someone who will quibble," Angus said. Marucs listened to Aria suggest they go to bed.

"You go ahead," Marcus said. "I really want to have some of that coffee Angus is brewing. I'll be up in a bit." Marcus felt it was too early for him to go to bed straight after supper. He was also aware that Robert was going to be sending Michael as soon as supper was overwith, and he wanted to be part of it, so long as Michael and Angus didn't mind.

Michael arrived after the women were upstairs for the night. Marcus let him in, and Michael got the gist quickly as Angus poured coffee for the three of them, that Marucs hadn't said anything to Angus.

"Coffee smells divine," Michael said, sitting with Marcus and Angus.

"We're tasting it for Lizzy," Angus said as Michael took a sip and tasted it and smelled it.

"I think it's really a quite nice blend," Michael said, "but I think the quality of it is so superb that it is going to be missed on the average Sparks customer."

"I would agree," Marcus said.

"Well, Lizzy said that Khaat and Brian have an option to buy an empty shop that's next to Sparks. They're considering making it a completely separate coffee shop where they can sell upscale coffees, some of Robert's teas, some gourmet pastries, maybe some coffee and tea giftware. And it has enough space in the back to make it a place for private parties and such. They'd make a cut-through to the Sparks kitchen, of course, but as far as the customers would see, it would be a completely separate venue," Angus said.

"That is very interesting indeed," Michael said. "It would be a perfection option for a place like that."

"You didn't come here for coffee, though," Angus said.

"No. I didn't. Robert's working on a plan to deal with this potions pilfering. We have some additional intel from Paris. It's sounding very much like the boys' contact was a woman. And they positively identified a picture of Suzanne as their contact," Michael said. Angus sighed, frustrated.

"Of course they did," Angus sighed sarcastically. "For what end?"

"Well, that's pure speculation at this point, but the intel suggests that there's some movement in an abandoned section of subway tunnel in Paris, and they're figuring Tom and Suzanne are setting up an illegals lab down there. Robert's best guess is that they intend to taint the potions they're stealing and then redistribute them to try to destroy Robert, hoping that destroys our organization."

"Wonder how much sleep deprivation it took for them to come up with that screwball idea," Angus frowned. "Can I go burn down the house now?"

"Not yet," Michael laughed. "Although, I daresay I don't think Robert is ruling it out. I'd say he's every bit as frustrated as you are. At this point, he intends to prepare a very special package of potions for Suzanne, and I'm quite sure it will have a surprise or two for the Geldings. I've talked with Daniella, and she's ready to send in her aurors to eliminate the lab whenever we give the word. Robert wants to get the boys and their families out of the way,. and he hopes to have them relocated out of Suzanne's reach after the boys turn the potions over to her tomorrow night. Once that's done, and once Tom has discovered Robert's sabotage, then, we will have Daniella destroy the lab. You're welcome to go blast the hell out of that if you like. Oh, and one more thing." He took out a small camera out of his pocket and handed it to Angus.

"Take that with you," Michael said. "You're going to want it when you go to get rid of the lab--whenever that happens. I don't know what for, but Robert specifically sent the camera and told me to tell you to take it with you."

"Um. Okay. I don't know what for, but okay," Angus said.

"So wait for his directions tomorrow night, and I guess we'll all see what he has in mind. He did say he was sure you would be well pleased with his ideas, though."

"I hope so," Angus said.

It was after one am when the coffee pot was empty and Michael went home. Angus and Marcus closed up the house and went upstairs, showered, and went to bed.

The kids got up, and while the girls headed up to the kitchen, looking fresh and ready for work, Sam came downstairs in good spirits, and Victor came down looking like he didn't feel well. Edward came over bringing a bowl of fruit salad and a plate of freshly made pumpkin muffins that had a cream cheese filling and a streusel top.

"I'm supposed to bring these to you," Edward said, putting the fruit salad and the muffins on the table. He looked at Victor and got out a potions vial and handed it to him. "Drink. You'll feel better. You don't get out of going to work because you have a mammoth hangover, Lad."

"I didn't expect to get out of going," Victor replied. He uncorked the little bottle and sniffed it, wrinkling his nose.

"It isn't perfume. Drink it," Edward said. Victor drank it and made a face. "What exactly did you drink anyway?"

"He was silly enough to have a couple pints, and then he switched to tequila," Sam said.

"Idiot," Edward scowled. "No wonder you're green at the gills this morning."

"You're forgetting the sparkling wine that bride and groom bought us at the end of the night," Anise said.

"Oh yeah. I forgot that," Sam said.

"You really are stupid, then," Edward told Victor. "I'm not going to ask you yet if you've learned anyting because the real lesson isn't going to kick in until you've been doing some work this morning in the corral and the barn in the bright sunshine this morning. That's about when the real education will kick in." Victor said nothing. "So, the big boys are sleeping in still this morning?"

"It must have been late when they went to bed because we had just turned off our lights downstairs when Marcus made his last check of the house," Ginger said. "I remember hearing the clock chime one before that."

"Well, I don't think they'll be much longer, then. Neither of them seem to need much sleep," Edward told them.

"Southern comfort can be quite lovely, if handled well. Sometime, when you're feeling adventurous, try it again, but try putting it in some lemon lime soda. It's very nice. It was my mother's favorite drink, actually," Edward told her. Anise and Ginger went to the fridge and made some brown bag lunches for the four of them to take to work with them. Marcus came downstairs, dressed and looking ready for whatever the day would bring. Finn was with him, and he headed straight for the door to go outside.

"Did you guys get to the bottom of that potions business? And did you find Archer and Hugo?" Sam asked.

"Morning," Marcus said to them all as he got downstairs. He let Finn out and poured kibbles in his bowl for him. "We found the boys," Marcus said. "We aren't done with the potions thing, but I expect if we put in one more late night, we'll have it."

"So who's behind it? Who are they working for?" Sam asked.

"Well, this isn't going to make your morning but it seems like it is your mother--your biological mother--and your stepfather," Marcus told them.

"Again?" Sam rolled his eyes. "God, her brain has a leak."

"What do you mean?"

"She has fewer and few brain cells by the day," Sam said. "Someone poked a hole in her head and her brains are running out the back. Angus is going to be soooo pissed."

"He knows," Marcus said. "He isn't happy, but the mission isn't over yet. Robert has something up his sleeve. That's about all I know."