It would have been far more convenient to simply apparate from one point to the next, given that Philedelphia Mississippi was such a small town, mass transit could only get them within 100 miles of the place. But Lyle was committed to maintaining cover. If the MBI caught even the slightest whiff of where they were, James Lyle, Special Agent, would be parted with his badge faster than he could blink.
The three wizards in disguise purchased train tickets to Jackson and several hours later, were stepping down from the train into the capitol of Mississippi. While not nearly as sprawling as London or the District of Columbia, Jackson still spread out for a considerable distance. The main street seemed respectable, with shops, the latest muggle cars, and endless streams of pedestrians. It was only once the men started walking around that they noticed the racial tension that hung in the air thicker than the humidity.
While Jimmy was American, he was born and raised in Boston. There were a few minorities present, but no serious fuss was made about their presence in most of the places he frequented. When he noted his first "Whites Only" sign painted at the bottom corner of a Woolworth building and did a double take. The wizards behind him were equally shocked, because Alastor let out a disapproving grunt, and Albus could be heard sighing. Clearly this kind of brutish behavior did not quite make it to the wizarding community across the pond.
"I had no idea it would be like this." Albus muttered. "In Britain, no one ever… I mean, we never talk about… I've never seen anything quite like this." At that moment, despite the glamour transforming him into a 50 year old muggle, the poor Headmaster looked about ninety years old.
Lyle couldn't think of anything to say in response, so he clenched his jaw and pushed through the door into the department store.
The rest of the afternoon was spend gathering camping supplies. Alastor and Jimmy were both in agreement: spells could be used to protect and defend themselves, but for the rest, they were on their own. Thus, a muggle tent large enough for three men was purchased, along with sleeping bags, and several days' worth of canned food. They even purchased a small amount of fishing gear to allay suspicion as to why three grown men in business suits would be camping alone. By one, they had their bellies full, their new rucksacks filled, and were ready to start off toward their destination.
Jimmy was finally starting to feel alive. Finally, he was doing something that didn't involve cleaning up a magical accident or filing a report about that accident. For the first time in his (admittedly brief) career as an agent, he was literally getting ready to enter the field of potential battle. There was no need for pens or copies of Form 10a-part 5, it was down to his wand, his wits, and his well-honed reflexes. At this moment, Special Agent James Lyle knew he could single-handedly uproot the entire KuKluxKlan, and that was just the beginning. All the stirring stories of men bringing order to a lawless land were starting to feel a reality to him. As he buttoned up his new plaid camping shirt, and laced up his leather hiking boots, he knew he was finally suiting up for the adventure of his dreams.
A complaining, but well-paid, cab driver was hired to take them out to the town of Forest in the Bienville National Forest. From there, it was a mere 20 miles to the border of Neshoba County. There were still about six hours of daylight left. If they made good time, they could make it to the border, just before dark, set up their gear and spend the night.
By about four in the afternoon, they could see towering clouds rolling in from the direction they were walking. The men picked up their pace, desperately hoping to reach a suitable camping ground before the storm hit.
/*\/*\/*\
Annabelle was in a fabulous mood. Even the thunderous downpour outside wouldn't dampen her spirits. The meeting last night had gone wonderfully. At last, she had a way of proving her loyalty and gratefulness to her family. These men had paid for her to study abroad, and had clearly sacrificed so much to send her there. They had helped her heal after the accident, and now, at least, she was ready to be a contributing member of the family again.
The meeting was so invigorating. She wasn't allowed to address the room as a whole, Wilkes said she would be laughed out of the room with her silly way of talking. But still, just sitting in the back of the room, when everyone was so clearly focused and driven gave her goose bumps. Even now, the memory gave her chills. The men in the meeting were angry; there was no doubt about that. Yet, they seemed to have a solution, and Annabelle was more than delighted to be part of that solution. She would do anything to help these people who loved her so very much.
And to make matters even more promising, for the first time, she hadn't been lying to the doctor when she told him she didn't dream about a big, haunted castle with an old man in a purple bathrobe. She was finally starting to feel normal. And at the meeting last night, Papa had stopped crying, his grim frown possibly even turning to an approving smile.
True, Annabelle had no idea what they were going to ask of her. She had been training very martial skills, which made her the slightest bit edgy. No matter how addled the accident had made her mind, she still remembered what Papa had said about "thou shalt not kill", or, even if she didn't remember it from her childhood, she at least remembered it popping up in a fight between Papa and Landon the other day. But everyone at the meeting was so very upset with someone named Kennedy. Apparently, he was running for president of something.
/*\/*\/*\
The storm was upon them, but none of the men broached a single complaint. Each knew the importance of this mission and exactly what would happen should they be caught by either the Magical Bureau of Investigation or the Ku Klux Klan. They decided that huddling under their poorly-assembled tent, trying valiantly to keep their belongings from being completely drenched through. A simply charm would have solved all their problems, but Jimmy knew that there were few magic users in this part of the world. Even the smallest spell would instantly put them on the radar for the MBI. They had dropped their disguising charms for that reason, and were traveling in muggle clothing, with their un-altered appearances. Alastor looked almost the same, with a bit less hair, Jimmy looked no different at all, but Albus had a soggy beard dripping onto his plaid shirt. All three men were clearly miserable, but there was nothing else to be done for it.
As Alastor volunteered for the first watch, each man retired to their own thoughts. Lyle's blood still thrummed with promised adventure. His adrenaline level was just now reaching the point where sleep was a possibility. Alastor glared out into the mush of trees, brush and rain, and wished, now, more than ever, that Poppy was safe back at Hogwarts, and that he was there with her. Albus wondered if they were going at all in the right direction, what their next step would be, and for a few dark moments, he even questioned if Minerva would be alive and waiting by the time they found her.
