A Birth day

Tom zeroed in on Angus.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Tom narrowed his gaze at Angus, barely able to be civil. "Both my houses in France are unlivable because of you."

"Aw," Angus said in mock sympathy. "I warned you, Tom. I told you you needed to keep an eye on that harlot you married or I'd up the ante. You didn't keep your word, but you'll figure out that I am a man of my word."

"What are you talking about?" Tom looked genuinely concerned.

"If you'll allow me?" Robert asked. He reached in his pocket and got out an envelope and slid it over to Tom. Tom opened the envelope and pulled out a stack of photographs. Angus could see that somehow Robert had photos of the torture chamber with the devices in it, and he had a photo of each device. He had photos of the casket and its shredded lining because of Angus's efforts to try to escape. Angus didn't know how Robert had pictures, but he had images that ripped Angus's mind out of the conversation for a moment and threw him back into the torture chamber in Suzanne's basement, then to the one in Tom's house and then, to being buried alive in a Louisiana swamp and left to die. Marcus cleared his throat, and Angus refocused, looking up at Marcus who merely gave him a very slight but confident smile.

"What is this? What do these have to do with me?" Tom asked. Angus looked at him, and in that moment, he saw that Tom honestly didn't know.

"You know this woman," Robert took another photo out of his pocket and laid it down in front of Tom--a photo of Priscilla.

"My wife's old school chum? What..."

"She's never been to Hogwarts, Tom. Do your bloody homework," Angus bristled. "She's an Ilvermorny dropout that's into dark folk arts in the swamps of Louisiana. Your wife hired her over a year ago."

"What?" Tom seemed clueless.

"She's a voodoo priestess, Tom," Robert said frankly. 'And she's one of the reasons you don't have your daughter." Tom appeared to be both confused and angry.

"What is all this?"

"These devices were found in the secret room in your house. These photos were taken by the French Ministry of Magic. They confiscated them from your home, but your wife owned these before, when she was married to Reginald Tyler. After she married you, she moved them into your house, and she's been on a wild tear to try to kill Angus with them because she's crazy enough to blame Angus for her own stupidity." Robert laid down more pictures. "And this is what happens to a man left in your wife's hands for several hours at a time. Oh, and just so you know, she recently put the same marks on a child. A child I have a strong interest in protecting. She's over the line. Angus told you to keep her in line, and clearly you don't know what the hell she's up to, but I'm telling you right now, she's barking, and she needs to locked up long term or sent across the veil. I'm losing my patience with her and with you."

Jack watched from out side as he sat and guarded Ruby and Aria from where he sat Aria watched Marcus and Robert for any sign they should leave. Both watched a very heated conversation between Robert, Angus and Tom. she watched as Robert handed Tom an envelope and saw the look of confusion and shock on his face as he looked at the contents.

Jack nudged Aria and spoke softly to her 2 watch your left" he said and she nodded she had heard him looking towards a walk way she saw several people walking their way but at the last minuet a woman raised a large pole with a picture of a tour company on it and they turned away. Both Ruby and Aria relaxed slightly, not completely and they wouldn't until they were safe back at the duplex.

"Where are these devices now?" Tom asked.

"Gone," Angus said. "I took them and destroyed them...."

"You stole my wife's properties. You have no right to take a woman's property..."

"That she uses to kill people?" Angus was outraged. "Forgive me, but I don't feel sorry for either of you. She kills people, and you kidnap other people's children for money. No one could find one cell of morals and compassion if they examine both of you with a microscope. Oh, and your precious little boy inside? He's no sort of extra watchdog when he stands in there at the counter with his back to the seating out here. Jesus, Tom, he's a brave one, he is. I have one warning for you, and I've told you before. If you or your wife or any screwball she hires ever, ever touches one of my kids again, you and that nutter you're married to, I will have you both, and every asset you own will be in my accounts. Your houses will be burned to the ground. I think that lot your house is on would make a fine rubbish dump. I'll buy the land just to tear your places down brick by brick, and then I'll put a muggle sanitation company on the spot. I will not tell you one more time. Consider today my very last warning. Get a damned handle on her because until you do, no one gets to put a handle on me, and you don't want that to happen." He leaned into hiss into Tom's face. "Because I can be a damned big pain in your ass as long as I'm dashing about like a loose canon."

Ruby looked over to Aria as she saw Angus move to get close to Tom she could tell by the look on his face that he was angry at him " be on guard" she said to Aria who gave her a nod but didn't move her position as she ate her food as did Ruby who finished her food and sat drinking her soda.

Jack looked over and turned a page of the paper and glanced over as he did seeing Angus up in Toms face al he did was raise an eye brown but didn't move a muscle as it would give away he was there to watch the girls who sat behind him. " not long now" he said softly " I think Toms got the message." Jack said and fixed his paper even if it was all in French , even though he could read it he was not that interested in French politics but more in watching Marcus, Angus and Robert.

"Look," Tom said, "I have men on her all the time..."

"The same men that she used to entertain for you? Really? And you trust them to follow your instructions and not fraternize with her while on duty? God, Tom, no wonder your little darling in there doesn't know which end of the wand is the business end. When she makes a move, they do what she tells them to do. They aren't doing what you tell them to do. You need to pull your head out of your arse, and hire independent men who don't take orders from anyone but you, you idjit,..."

As Angus was speaking, Robert gestured to Ruby to lift up Diamond just high enough off her lap to show her in the window to Tom. Then Robert made a small gesture to Angus, who glanced back to see Diamond.

"That little girl? So you know, she calls Ruby Mama, and she calls me Dada," Angus lied. "And its going to stay that way until you and your house can care for her. And your time is running out. I suppose Suzanne can have somebody else's baby and try again, but she's lost five now due to incompetence, so, yeah. I don't know that I'd count on getting many more from her. She's a dried up old prune as it is. I don't know that she's got it in her to mend her ways. And besides, at the rate she's going, you're going to be homeless and penniless..."

"I don't have to sit here and listen to this," Tom bristled.

"You're right. You don't," Angus said, "so go ahead. Keep it up. Stay blind and stupid and see how much more money and property you lose because I'm going to just keep coming...."

"Why you little..." Tom began, forgetting he was at a muggle cafe. He was reaching for his wand. Robert and Angus and Marcus all raise one hand, ready to fire wandless magic.

"You really don't want to do that because you'll be nothing but ash before you can take another breath," Marcus told him calmly.

"Not if I kill you..."

"Oh, I guarantee you that if you think you can take me out, you're welcome to try, but I promise you I'll take you with me," Marcus said icily.

"Marrying Suzanne was a mistake--a big one. So you fix it--right now, or I'm about to take every single thing you own," Angus said. Tom got up and stormed away from the table, with the goons going with him. Elliot turned and walked quickly out of the cafe to follow his father.

"Well played," Robert told Angus. "You had him cornered fair and square, and you didn't give him an inch. And it's obvious he heard you. He's spooked, and that's more than I expected to get." Angus picked up the photos and looked at them very briefly and passed them back to Robert. He didn't want to see anymore. Robert motioned to Jack and to the girls. Mission accomplished. Tom had seen Diamond but hadn't gotten to touch her or get close to her, and Angus had delivered multiple stern warnings. Robert believed it had gone actually better than he had hoped.

Aria saw Robert motion and she looked to Ruby " stand up with her " she said softly and as if she was rocking her she stood up with her on her hip and looked around she saw Angus and nodded as she made Dimond giggle against her smiling with her. Once she saw Tom get close to Angus she sat back down holding her close to her again still making her giggle.

" I think he got the message" she said leaning close to Aria who gave a subtle nod he had heard her. Jack watched the altercation threw the window and looked to Marcus as he saw Robert talk to Tom and Tom get up and leave with several men and the young boy following behind. Once they were out of sight Jack stood up " come on girls , its done" he said and Ruby and Aria both stood up walking with Jack i over to Robert, angus and Marcus.

"how'd he take it?" Ruby asked Angus as she held Dimond in her arms who now rested her head on it " oh by the way she loves Crepes " she said with a chuckle as Aria smiled and nodded .

"we should get back and relive the girls " Aria said as she looked at Robert and Marcus." seemed he got the message though" she added and glanced back to where she had seen him head to.

"I think he got the message," Robert said. "He even was rattled enough to threaten us."

"Meh," Angus said, unconcerned. "I've dueled him. That man couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag. And Elliot doesn't know a wand from a chopstick. And I meant every word I said about the men that take care of Suzanne. I've heard them talk with her. She used to entertain them. They are more loyal to her than they are to Tom, and I can't prove the reasons for that, although I have my own suspicions. Anyway, I told him he needed to get a handle on Suzanne and Priscilla or I was going to ruin him, buy the property, and put a muggle rubbish dump on the land. That's when he threatened us, and when we weren't bothered by his threats, he left. Interestingly, he didn't know the torture devices were there at all until Robert showed him the pictures that the French ministry took. Now he has some proof taht we weren't bs'ing him. As for us, I think we should get home."

"Yeah," Marcus said. "I'm hungry, and if I know those boys, they're probably chewing on the log siding outside by now. We'd better toss them a raw steak or something pretty soon."

"Nah. Those girls would catch those raw steaks and dash off with them, and the boys would still eat the siding off the house," Angus said. "Shall we go home, All?"

"Well done, every one of you," Robert said. "Now we have to see what Tom does with it. Let's go."

Ruby listened to Angus talking and chuckled but when the torture devices were mentioned she stopped and listened more " well maybe he doesn't know his wife as good as he does and she ahs secrets" she said " I'm glad we don't have any of that" she said then chuckled at Marcus's words about the boys " well if they are they can fix it" she teased and held Dimond close to her.

Jack looked at Robert and then around the area " we should head back" he said and moved to Aria and Ruby " I'll take these two home" he said and wrapped his arms around Aria and Ruby " see you at home" he said and ported both Aria and Ruby with Dimond back to the duplex. Ruby took a breath being back home and walked up to the duplex opening the door she stepped in and smiled to The girls. She saw Victor and Sam and chuckled " awe , was hoping as Marcus put it you would be eating the siding" she said as she placed Dimond in the play pen where she immediately took off her shoes and dropped them over the side making Aria chuckle as she picked them up lacing them out of the way.

" we'll make something for supper once the others are here." Aria said moving to the kitchen and taking out a glass of water for herself having found the coffee there strong for herself.

"Oh, I know that to be a fact. He has no idea what she's up to. Every time I tell him what she's been doing, Tom has the balls to be completely surprised and then he asks his goons why they aren't following his instructions and keeping her out of trouble. Well, he needs to hire goons that haven't already slept with her," Angus said.

When Jack had taken Aria and Ruby home, Robert took Angus and Marcus back.

"Send Anise over after supper, would you?" Robert said to Angus. "I still need to tend to her."

"Certainly," Angus said.

"And I'll send that roast supper over like I said I would, and the potion. I think that should probably get you a decent night's sleep tonight. Try it, and let me know," Robert told him.

"I will. Thank you."

"You're very welcome. If you have trouble let me know. Do me a favor. Give Anise and Edward each a dose too. Let's block her from all of you tonight," Robert said.

"I'll tell them," Angus said. He went inside, and Marcus took the suede jackets upstairs. While Marcus took the coats upstairs, Angus set up the sideboard with plates, bowls, silverware and glasses, along with opening a good bottle of a red wine, and a pitcher of water. Then he put on a pot of coffee for dessert. By the time he was finishing with setting up the sideboard, Trish was bringing over a large basket with a complete roast supper with all the trimmings for them.

"It smells incredible," Angus said.

"And chocolate Victoria sponge for dessert," she said.

"You've outdone yourselves. Thank you," Angus said.

"You're very welcome," she replied. "It's our pleasure. We've been hoping to visit, but, frankly, we've been crazy busy from the moment we got here."

"Oh, believe me, I know how it goes. Wait til things settle a bit. We'll catch up."

"Of course we will," she said. They hugged, and she went back to the main house. Angus set out the roast beef supper for everyone, and he plated some platters for the cheeseboard and set the Fae up for what they would eat.

"Supper's here. Wash up, you lot, and come fix your plates," he called.

Ruby saw Angus walk in and saw Jack walk towards the main house as Robert spoke to Angus then head in himself. Standing she moved to Marcus " he looked truly pissed , what was in the envelope Robert showed Tom?" she asked him noting the delightful smell emanating from the basket Angus had brought in.

Ruby walked over and helped Angus with the basket setting out plates for every one to help them selves of the food he had brought in. " smells wonderful" she said placing down some forks and knives . " I truly hope Tom got the message about Suzzanne being totally more nuts than a bag of nuts." she said and looked at him. as she helped place down the food for every one.

Aria brought over Dimond while Anise brought Caprice from the play pen. " that cake smells wonderful" she said taking some food and siting down at the table to eat."