We finally see Ron's ability to put together a plan and lead the men.

Formulating

"Okay, guys. Here's a new one. That rumor Struthers heard has some backing now. Tonight, we're going to see what's happening." Ron pulled out a map and pinned it to the board. "Most of you have never been around here. I never have. But I've got an informant who has seen some things in shipping. Team captains Potter and Chumsworth will be going down to recon the place. In the meantime, catch up on your reports from the Surrey job. Fords, punctuation would be greatly appreciated." There were some laughs as the ten men and women dispersed back to their desks.

"What's up?" Harry gathered his papers and tossed them onto another pile before sitting in the new bare spot on his desk.

For the next half hour, Ron filled his fellow team leaders in on the lead. Together they marked out a plan that looked much like the game plans Woods would draw out for a Quidditch match.

"I don't know. I'm going to need to see it. This Sat-image you have here doesn't show enough detail." Harry tried to look closer at the large, grainy photo.

"It's the best the Yard would give me. I'll call and arrange a recon but we need to be careful. I don't want to scare them off." Ron turned on his desk and reached for his modified phone. He pushed a button, "Exchange? I need a number." He rattled off a number and soon he was put through. "Erik, yeah, thinking about that supply cupboard, good one there. Anyway, I was wondering, can a colleague and I get a little tour today? Half hour, makes it Six-thirty? That'd be great. Meet you same place as before? Ta."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Don't ask." Ron looked back at the plan on the large board. "How about bringing your Cloak? I'd like you to get up close and personal to those containers. The more we know before we send the troops in, the better."

Harry opened the small locker behind the desk. Like Chumsworth and Ron, he took off his robe, tie and black shiny shoes. Over his regular clothes, he put on the worker's coveralls that he kept handy for undercover work. His feet were now covered with hard-toed work boots. Aurors work best when they can blend into both worlds. He checked his pockets for any supplies needed, made sure his cloak was tucked securely in the leg pocket of the coveralls. "Set," he announced.

Ron was also ready, but they were waiting for Chumsworth who seemed to have put on half a stone since his last holiday. The front zip didn't quite want to meet. Finally, Harry just waved his wand and caused the coverall to expand a size. "Time to hit the gym," the older man admitted.

They Apparated into the alley next to the pub. It was going on full now. The three blended in well enough to look like generic workers from the docks or any of the nearby factories that dotted the industrial city.

They found Erik sitting glumly in the same back booth, nursing a pint. So as not to not draw any attention, the three slid into the booth without saying anything. Erik raised his eyes, expecting the worst. "Oh, thank God. I was afraid you was them."

"Them?" Ron asked.

"They were in here. Over by the bar," Erik whispered.

Harry, who faced the bar, was able to take a quick look. "What am I looking for?"

"Not too tall, kind of stocky. Hair tied back in string. Unshaved. Not what you expect for security." Erik took a swig of his Guinness and used it as an excuse to glance around. "Not there anymore." He looked closer at all the patrons, no longer trying to be inconspicuous. "No, they're gone. Look, I clock-in in twenty. Let's head out. I can get you in the gates and point you in the right direction, but I got to stay out of it, right?"

"Right," Ron reassured him. "In fact, if you see us, best turn 'round and head back the other way."

He nodded in relief as he led them out of the pub. On the street, Chumsworth took lead and motioned them to continue. At Erik's unasked question, Harry said, "He's a Legilimens. He can hear thoughts. Got anything there, Chums?"

"Nothing more than work-related or wanting to shag a wife when he gets home. Oh, that guy wants to shag someone else's wife when he gets home, naughty, naughty." The older guy chuckled as he scanned up and down. He walked straight to Erik's truck and waited for the young man to unlock it.

Ron and Chums crawled into the cab with Erik, but Harry moved around to the back. When he blinked, Erik no longer saw him. What he did see was the cloth in the bed of the truck get moved aside as though by an unseen hand. He had forgotten the wonders of the magical world.

As they neared the gate and in line to show ID, Ron poked Erik in the ribs. "Lighten up, mate. You look like a dragon is rutting for you. Tell me about your wife, you have a wife, right?"

Erik smiled nervously. "Yeah. Linda. She's a nurse over at the hospital. No kids. Just not happened for us yet." He shifted and moved up in the queue. "Been married for nearly five years now. I told her about, well, you know, but never showed her nothing. I remember what was drummed into our heads about secrecy. She thought it was cool, but never asked about it."

When the inspector saw Erik, he just called out a hello and waved him through. He turned down an alley and wove around what seemed like miles of containers, cranes, warehouses and boats. Harry was feeling a bit seasick from sitting in the back and being buffeted back and forth. Finally, Erik stopped the truck and casually pointed to his left, "There, that's them. The container I saw fixed was the red one, second back, third from left, bottom." They could feel the truck jostle with Harry jumping out the back.

"Ok. I'll show you a spot that won't show on the cameras." He turned around and headed back. Between the next two warehouses, he pulled into a niche where a truck could unload cargo. "This here's only used in the day. Camera's busted. No one can see you but you're just around the corner from where you need to be."

"We'll take it from here. I'm sure you'll know when something happens but stay out of our way. We'll let you know how things work out." Ron and Chumsworth piled out and ran towards the water again, keeping to the shadowy parts of the alley. With a shrug, Erik put the truck into gear again and went to clock in. He purposely concentrated his work on the other end of his rounds, so he could honestly say he saw nothing.

O0O0O

Standing in the shadow, Ron and Chums waited. They counted the number of men and their placement. There were enough lights to light up a Quidditch pitch. He'll need the Deluminator.

"Hey, got what you need?" came a whisper from Ron's left.

"Blimey, why does that never get old?" Ron jumped but remembered to stay quiet.

"Getting better, Potter. I didn't hear you that time," Chums said, still scanning.

"Good to know." Harry pulled the cloak off him and looked around. "The container pointed out is holding several people. It's charmed against magic scanning, but I heard movement. I felt some dark magic from several other containers scattered about, not gathered in one place. It feels like maybe magic artifacts. Let's concentrate on the one with people. I'm not sure who or how many is in there. Where you see the guards, you can bet that within ten feet is something worth noting. They're only guarding the real stuff. No other shields or charms, as far as I can detect."

Ron nodded, his mind going through the plan that was marked on the board back at the office and what he saw before him. "Okay, we've got to wait until I get the lights down. I saw an empty lot back behind that pub, that might be a good place to port the container of people to. Let's get them out of the way then go after the wizards."

"Got it. I'll Apparate there and check it out and meet you back at the office in ten." Harry nodded and turned on the spot. He could remember back when Ron had no confidence and would never let his ability to see a whole plan at once shine through. Now, once he got started, there was no stopping him. He looked around and liked what he saw. Nice and open, yet not on a traveled street, only accessible through an alley. Fenced in, but with easy enough access for Muggle law enforcement. It'll do. He pulled out his specialized mobile phone and dialed his liaison at Scotland Yard.