Leaves turning to rich shades of warm colors to announce the arrival of fall. Annie and Danielle were doing what the sisters love to do best - shopping for Katia and Chole. This trip looking for Halloween costumes. Katia wanting to be a lady pirate and Chole had several in mind, a princess, clown or a dragon.

Annie wasn't sure if she would be in town for Halloween but decided to find something for her to have on hand just in case she could go to the Halloween party at the school.

Holding up a 1920's Flapper costume, "What do you think?"

"I love it Annie, it is so you." Danielle gives her approval to Annie and in turn she holding a Dorothy costume. "I always loved the 'Wizard of Oz' and Dorothy with her ruby-red shoes."

"You would think we were kids again the way we are acting. Oh, look here is the perfect pirate wench for Katia and in her size." Annie back picking out costumes from the vast collection the specialty shop had to offer.

Danielle finding the Princess Anna Coronation gown from the movie 'Frozen'. "Look at the detail in this costume, it is so beautiful. What do you think?"

"Perfect find Danielle. Chole will be lovely as Anna and so fitting for the princess of Arendelle. I have watched the movie twice with the girls." Annie checking her watch, "I've got to run and check in at work. See you at home." Annie piling Danielle's arms with costumes and dashing out of the shop.

A little past eleven o'clock when Annie reached Langley and knowing she was going to get that you need to be more punctual talk from Joan.

Annie, in my office. You too Auggie." Joan scuffed when Annie finally made it in.

With a groan and weary shake of his head, Auggie wasn't ready to listen to Joan ream out Annie, trudged into Joan's office and waited for Annie to enter before he closed the door. As her handler he really didn't want those out in the bull pen to hear Annie's latest chewing out.

"Joan, I know I'm late but…" Annie saying apologetically.

"That's not it, Annie." Joan cut her off. "This isn't about your consistent tardiness. I have a mission for you and Auggie. Priority one and on the QT. You will be working in England so it is of the utmost importance you keep an especially low profile, understand. Put whatever you're working on the back burner."

"What is it?" Annie asked suddenly alert, always eager for a new assignment.

"Have you heard of the Malcolm McMillan affair?" Joan asked as she picked up a thick folder and handed it to Annie.

Annie took the folder as she nodded. "Yeah, the spy holding some high-ranking office in England and was arrested in London. He was working for the Russians but I'm a little fuzzy on how he came here in this country and what his involvement with the US was."

"Exactly." Joan nodded. "Malcolm McMillan had been with MI6 and later became involved in politics, served as a member of the UK Parliament and later as Deputy Chief of Defense, a very powerful position. He worked a short while with the US in an intelligent information exchange up until he returned to England. He died about 5 years ago under very mysterious conditions while in the hands of Scotland Yard. We think it was a hit by the Russians to keep him quiet. Since then both his homes in England has been tied up in court, while his relatives fight over who gets it."

"I remember." Annie was looking through the file on McMillan. "So, what's so priority one about an English politician and his house?"

"It's what's in that house or I should say manor home." Joan told him. "We got some information, through one of our sources, that McMillan kept some classified files in locked vault in an underground basement. And when I say classified, I mean Classified with a capital C. From what we're told he had names and code names of all of our top agents when he was with us and while serving with the British Defense Department, as well those of MI6 and a few other allied organizations including Interpol. He was also rumored to have information on Russian double agents implanted in other countries and agencies. That is what is important to us."

Auggie still didn't understand why it was of such importance. "That was years ago, Joan. Wouldn't most of those files be out of date by now?"

Joan nodded, "Yeah, probably, but not all of them. We do have some agents still out there, who were active back then as so the other bureaus have. The who is who of Russian agents imbedded in sensitive areas is most important to us. I've got Eric working on a list right now, of those that could be affected. Sorry Auggie for going around you but you were tire up with Arthur on another project."

Annie glanced down at the folder again. "Okay," she said a little warily. Right then it didn't seem like there wasn't too much for her to do, but she knew Joan better than that. "So. What is it you want me to do that can't be done thru diplomatic sources or an international court order to turn those files over to us?"

Joan looked directly at Annie. "We can't get a court order or even let it be known that we have this information because we have no proof it's there. Only the word of an informant and a shaky one at that. We'll need to get the permission of one of the relatives. But there is only one relative who might help us."

"Okay but this in not sounding good at all."

"Auggie I need for you to find out all the information you can on Blair Vogel, a niece of Malcolm McMillan and the best way for Annie to approach her. She is one of the relatives that stands to inherit the mansion and maybe sympatric to our cause."

"On it." Auggie turning on his laser cane and finding the door and on his way to research one English woman named Blair Vogel.

"Where is Malcolm McMillan's mansion located?"

"It is more like a small castle on the south coast of England in a remote area about four miles east of Seaford on the English Channel. You'll fly into London and rent a car there, also there is where Blair Vogel lives, just outside of London. McMillan's London residence has been searched by Interpol as well as MI6 and Scotland Yard with nothing but the castle near Seaford has pretty much gone untouched since the first search by MI6. I suggest you go home and pack with hopes Auggie can come up with the needed intel soon.

"Never heard of Seaford, England."

"Nor have I. Go Google it and see what you can find out. You could be leaving late tonight or first thing in the morning." Joan back to shoving papers on her desk, a sign that Annie was dismissed.

Packing was Annie's next move and with a quick check of the weather in England she knew it would be quite chilly for October. With no idea for the length of the mission or what it would require she should go prepared for any and all occasions. More than likely she would be spending Halloween in England and that's when she stood and look at her newly purchased 1920's Flapper costume with all the extras. Pack it - yes/no or maybe. Yes pack it.

"You leaving again? Where to this time." Danielle entered Annie bedroom with a plate of her most recent baking endeavor - sweet lemon bars. "Here give these a taste and tell how you like them. Thinking about making a large batch for the Halloween party."

Annie cramming her mouth full of the sweet tasting pastry and shaking her head in approval, "Good." She started packing her Halloween costume, just in case.

"Where to this time or can you tell me?"

"England and not sure for how long. Sorry I may miss the girls' party."

"They'll miss you but have gotten use to your traveling. Anyway, I'll take loads of pictures." Danielle looking at the black wig in 20's hair style, "A mass of curls back then, I would hate to sleep in the curlers they would need to get this style."

"Yeah me too, that's why I got the wig and black kinda of fits Halloween."

"All you need is a black cat to carry." Danielle laughing as she neatly covered the wig for packing. "Got to be running Annie, be careful and will see you when you get back."

"Thanks Danielle and give the girls my love."

Nine-thirty that night and the CIA is still busy as if was midday. Auggie leaning back in his chair listening to a quick recap from Eric about Blair Vogel. Annie all packed and ready to go when ever came in the office with a carrying tray of Starbucks coffee.

"Good you are here Walker as you can go through all this we have on Blair Vogel." Auggie taking the cup Annie had just handed to him and with a deep sniff of the dark brew. "Go ahead Eric with your briefing."

"Thanks for the coffee." Eric tilting his cup to Annie. "Like I was telling Auggie, this Blair Vogel is one rich socialite in London and Edinburgh, Scotland. Having been born to the upper class she has enjoyed the life of the upper crust. Endless parties, trips abroad and homes in both London and Edinburgh with a large summer country manor near Dorchester in the south of England. She was married to Jordon Vogel, the tenth Earl of a German family and that is the estate where she now lives, Kleinbruck Hall located in Chesham, just west of London. He was killed in a private plane crash three years ago while flying over the Baltic Sea near the coast of Lithuania. They never recovered his body."

"Foul play maybe?" Annie asked.

"Possibly and the main suspect is the Russian KGB. Nothing concrete but it is believed Jordon Vogel was a KGB agent. I've come up with pictures." Eric pulling up old photos of the Jordon Vogel and Blair Vogel."

"Big age difference. She must be twenty to thirty years younger."

"Not much is found on Jordon Vogel but the little I can find is Jordon Vogel was born in Berlin, Germany in 1943 in the eastern sector and it wasn't until 1995 that he showed up in London with a wealth of money to invest. Now Blair was born Blair Kristine Stewart in 1965 to Malcolm's widow sister and her decease husband Montgomery Stewart. Like I said before, she lived a life of the affluent elite, private schools and hobnobbing with the rich and famous."

Annie taking a closer look at several pictures. "She is not the most attractive woman I've seen. On the homely looking side."

"If her face was painted green she would look like that wicked witch of the west in the Wizard of Oz." Eric picking up his open bag of potato chips and offer some to Annie.

"Wealth has and still can buy her handsome male escorts and she does like the handsome younger set. It was not beneath her to cheat on the aging Jordon Vogel." Auggie added to the intel, maybe a useless piece of intel but all the same might come in handy.

"That's it? That is all you have?" Annie search for any other information.

"She likes to party. Yeah Annie, that is it. Now if you were of the male type you just may have your way in." Auggie again adding his take on the information at hand.

"By now she is the one using the men for her own pleasure. No, that is not the way to go but maybe something along the lines of party. Find out what is happening with the social group over the next few days and if you can find where she might be. That will be my angle."


London was misty that early morning when Annie's flight from New York arrived. She was tired, hungry and wanting a long hot bath. Armed with the latest intel Eric could find she was ready to located Blair Vogel on a friendly bases and use her pervasive power to let her gain entrance to the McMillan castle. As she walked to the car rental counter there stood a familiar figure, tall and watching her walk toward him. Eyal Lavin draped across the side of the counter. One hand on the top, the other oh so casually in his pocket. Even in an ordinary business suit he looked oh so handsome, Annie thought. When she stepped a little closer, she saw his eyes slowly travel the length of her body and then settle on her face.

"Do I look alright?" She asked, "You are gawking."

"You look fine and I was not gawking just admiring a beautiful woman. What brings you to England. Thought Europe was now off-limits to the CIA?"

"And nice to see you again Eyal and I may ask the same question."

"We may very well be on the same mission. A double agent died a few years back and it has come to light there are files that maybe of interest to Mossad."

"And the CIA as well as MI6. The McMillan castle."

"I'm not saying but may be so. No need to rent two cars and both go to the same place. Come ride with me and we'll catch up on news and whatever." Eyal not waiting for an answer took the handle of Annie's luggage and guided her out of the terminal and to his Audi.

"Where to?" Annie asked as Eyal held the door of the Audi for her.

"I don't know about you but I could use something to eat and conversation. Know a nice little place not far from here where they serve an early breakfast. Anything your heart desires is on the menu."

And Eyal was quite right, Blackpatch Pub was located near Old Town and London University and relatively picturesque with dark green almost black front and the menu boost of the traditional full English breakfast but one could also pick and chose.

"Think I'll order porridge, a little stick to your ribs on such a nasty morning, sausage links, scramble eggs and potato scones. Nice mug of hot tea and what would you like?"

"Fried eggs, tomatoes and potato scones also. Do they serve coffee?" Annie putting down the menu.

"That Neshema they do but it is a bit strong."

"Fine with me. I need something to wake me up or at least keep me from falling to sleep. I haven't learned to sleep on a plane very well yet."

"In time you will learn to sleep in any place and in any position just don't do it when there is action going on around you." Eyal chucking at Annie.

Over breakfast they talked about their reason for being in England and both were the same.

"Tonight is a big cocktail and haunted theater party, sort of a pre-All-Hallows-Eve charity event and I've got tickets. Dress code is all black, much like vampires. You didn't happen to bring you lady vampire clothes with you?"

"No but with a bit of shopping I can find something that will work. Elvira, Mistress of Darkness will soon emerge." Annie with the thrill of finding the needed black to dress like one of her favorite late night horror hostess TV. "Need to find a wig shop and a lingerie shop."

"Lingerie shop? Nice Neshema and me without having to buy you dinner and asking." Eyal face lit up with a twinkle in his eye and half smirk of a smile.