Chapter Six - Field Trip
"Ok Dawn, explain to me why we are driving around central London looking for an antique shop?" Eric Travers was starting to get a little impatient.
"Because you asked to help on my 'little' research project when you and Faye got in yesterday," Dawn answered.
"That's an answer not an explanation."
"I figured the theft of the Dagger of D'Karsh has to be related to theft of the Orb of D'Karsh fifteen years ago. You with me so far?"
"The theft from last month that started you on this little kick, I'm with you."
"Ok, from the information Robert got from his meeting with Lady Aydin we knew a powerful mage of some kind was active between thirteen and fifteen years ago," Dawn explained. "That gave me a starting point. I had the research staff look for all similar thefts of occult artifacts from around that time that might be linked to D'Karsh or the group he was connected with. They found a bunch, along with at least nine other murders starting a over twenty years ago."
"How the hell did the Council miss something that big?" Robert was surprised.
"I'm still working on that," Dawn answered. "But the thing is almost all of the items stolen at one point or another past through Buckland's Antique Shop and Auction House. So we're going to check the place out. I wanted to do it as soon as I got back from Cleveland, but I kept getting distracted by apocalypses. For my next project I'm to find out why demons always choose May for trying to blow up the world."
"Sweeps, demons like good ratings," came the reply from the backseat.
"Huh?" even after three years Eric was still getting use to his Slayer's sense of humor.
"Never mind Eric," Faye smiled. It felt good to be here. Even freelancing she still spent her down time at the Cleveland office. London didn't have the memories of dead friends around every corner. She returned to quietly watching the people out the window.
"There it is," Dawn pointed to a storefront. "Park the car and let's get moving"
"Now she wants me to find a parking spot in London in the middle of the afternoon," Eric mumbled.
Twenty minutes later the three were making their way back down the street towards the shop.
"Anything else your research turned up about this place before we go in?" Robert asked.
"It's one of only a couple of auction houses in London that's never contracted with the Council for an appraiser and it has a reputation for selling useless magical trinkets."
"What kind of trinkets?"
"A couple of Willow's friends say they've bought stuff from here that has some kind of magic but they can't access it."
"Curiouser and curiouser. How do you want to play this?"
"Bored American tourists looking for gifts for relatives back home."
As they approached the shop Dawn took time to study every detail. The shop front was worn down. The place looked like it came out of renaissance England. When Dawn pushed the door open she heard the familiar sound of a shopkeeper's bell. Various knick-knacks and trinkets crowded the tables in the center of the room and the shelves lining the walls. Dawn didn't see any particular order to the items. There was a counter at the back of the store but Dawn did not see any salespeople around. The cash register looked ridiculously out of date. She felt a slight tingle as she moved deeper into the shop.
Faye came into the shop next. As she crossed the threshold her instincts started to buzz. Something was off about this place. She felt the Slayer start to come to the fore.
As he came in Eric saw Faye's demeanor change. Seeing the predatory look in her eye and the controlled grace of her movements Eric knew something was wrong and also shifted to a defensive stance. He scanned the shop but nothing struck him as dangerous.
Dawn noticed the change in Faye and Eric but decided to keep playing tourist. Something about the place gave her a tingle but it didn't feel dangerous. She continued to study the items on the table. Eric and Faye flanked her. They started to look at some of the items as well, but Dawn could tell something had brought the Slayer out in Faye. A couple of minutes later the shopkeeper appeared behind the counter. He looked a little flustered
"What do you want?" he asked. He was annoyed. He ran all the way through the connecting tunnel from his shop in Knockturn Alley only to discover, not the client he'd been expecting, but some silly muggles.
"Oh, we were just looking for some gifts for our friends back in LA," Dawn answered. Was this guy really wearing robes?
American muggles at that, he thought. "I doubt you will find anything of interest here. I hear they have an excellent tourist shop at the Tower of London. Why don't you try there?"
"Ok, thanks," Dawn turned to leave and motioned for Eric and Faye to follow her. As soon as they left the store Dawn led them across the street and down the block before turning to Faye.
"Ok, what set you off back there?" Dawn asked.
"I don't know. The second I entered the shop something struck me as off. It wasn't the shop itself," Faye examined her memories. "Definitely not the shop. Something behind the shop. Like a barrier trying to push me away."
"Did you feel anything Eric?"
"No, I was reacting to Faye. What about you?"
Dawn paused. Eric and Faye did not know about the Key and the tingle she felt did not feel like it came from a barrier. She decided to talk about it with Willow later. "No, I didn't. Faye are you sure you didn't sense anything before walking into the shop?"
"Yes, nothing until I entered the shop."
"What about now? Do you think you can sense the barrier thingy from outside the shop?"
"Maybe, now that I know what to look for. Why?"
"I want to do a little experimenting."
---
Later that afternoon found the three in Giles' office with Willow.
"Dear Lord, you're saying an entire block or more of London is effectively cut off from the rest of the city by a magic barrier?" Giles took off his glasses and began polishing with vigor.
"That's what it looks like. Once Faye knew what to look for we worked our way up and down Charing Cross Road," Dawn detailed. "Faye, tell the man."
"I sensed some kind of barrier behind the stores. I don't know how to describe it in words," Faye paused. "At first I though it was trying to push me away, but once I left the store that feeling went away. It was just a wall after that. I think there was some kind of hole in the wall between a bookstore and record shop we passed. At least that spot felt different and I'm certain there is some kind of concealment charm covering the spot."
"We walked up all the side streets and the parallel streets," Eric continued. "The barrier seems to extend around a square block area of London effectively cutting it off from the rest of the city. The auction house and that spot between the book and record stores seem to be only ways in."
"Interesting," Giles turned his attention to Willow. "Willow, Dawn mentioned that you knew some people who shopped at this auction house. Did they mention anything like Faye's reaction?"
"No, but they're low level members of the coven. Their senses are nowhere near as good as Faye's. Not that many Slayer's senses are as good as Faye's," Willow answered. "Goddess, this is unbelievable. How could we miss something like this?"
"I don't know," Dawn replied. "I'll have the research department do a thorough search through the files for any reference to Buckland's or Charing Cross Road. I'm still trying to figure out how all those thefts and murders from fifteen years didn't get investigated. I know the Slayers who were active at the time were not available, but the research wing of the Council was always pretty good about following up on such things in case it might later need the attention of the Slayer. Got any ideas Giles?"
"I was still with British Museum at that time. I don't recall any mention in the Council's meetings about such matters," Giles mused. "Of course I was with the operations side of the Council so most of my briefings dealt with the active Slayers. Eric do you recall anything?"
"I was stateside most of those years attending college. Besides Grandfather was grooming me to take over control of the Slayer line. I didn't spend a lot of time dealing with the happenings in research. Back then the branches operated pretty independently of one another."
"Very well," Giles shifted his attention back to Dawn. "It seems you were correct, this project was worth the time. Do you have any idea what might be behind this barrier?"
"Goody, Giles in humble mode," Dawn smiled. "Well, I've got a theory but it's pretty wild."
"How wild?" asked Eric.
"Wild enough that I want to do more research before I state it out loud."
"Come on give us a hint."
"Let's just say that group of mages D'Karsh belonged to had to go somewhere," replied Dawn.
"Alright," said Giles, "Willow, I want you and Kennedy to go Charing Cross tomorrow with Faye. See if either of you can sense this barrier. Under no circumstances do anything to try beach the barrier or draw attention to your selves. Someone connected to this Buckland's is a killer. I don't want them to know we looking for them. Once that is done, Willow I want you see if you can find any other areas around London with a similar barrier."
"I don't know Giles," Willow said. "I checked the map I keep in my office of magic hotspots around London and nothing on Charing Cross Road shows up. Whatever that barrier is, it's invisible to my standard locator spells."
"If we have to we'll have the Slayers do a complete sweep of the city. It would seem this barrier is not invisible to them," Giles replied. "Dawn, continue your research. This is now a priority project. I want to know where this barrier came from and what's behind it."
"Ok Dawn, explain to me why we are driving around central London looking for an antique shop?" Eric Travers was starting to get a little impatient.
"Because you asked to help on my 'little' research project when you and Faye got in yesterday," Dawn answered.
"That's an answer not an explanation."
"I figured the theft of the Dagger of D'Karsh has to be related to theft of the Orb of D'Karsh fifteen years ago. You with me so far?"
"The theft from last month that started you on this little kick, I'm with you."
"Ok, from the information Robert got from his meeting with Lady Aydin we knew a powerful mage of some kind was active between thirteen and fifteen years ago," Dawn explained. "That gave me a starting point. I had the research staff look for all similar thefts of occult artifacts from around that time that might be linked to D'Karsh or the group he was connected with. They found a bunch, along with at least nine other murders starting a over twenty years ago."
"How the hell did the Council miss something that big?" Robert was surprised.
"I'm still working on that," Dawn answered. "But the thing is almost all of the items stolen at one point or another past through Buckland's Antique Shop and Auction House. So we're going to check the place out. I wanted to do it as soon as I got back from Cleveland, but I kept getting distracted by apocalypses. For my next project I'm to find out why demons always choose May for trying to blow up the world."
"Sweeps, demons like good ratings," came the reply from the backseat.
"Huh?" even after three years Eric was still getting use to his Slayer's sense of humor.
"Never mind Eric," Faye smiled. It felt good to be here. Even freelancing she still spent her down time at the Cleveland office. London didn't have the memories of dead friends around every corner. She returned to quietly watching the people out the window.
"There it is," Dawn pointed to a storefront. "Park the car and let's get moving"
"Now she wants me to find a parking spot in London in the middle of the afternoon," Eric mumbled.
Twenty minutes later the three were making their way back down the street towards the shop.
"Anything else your research turned up about this place before we go in?" Robert asked.
"It's one of only a couple of auction houses in London that's never contracted with the Council for an appraiser and it has a reputation for selling useless magical trinkets."
"What kind of trinkets?"
"A couple of Willow's friends say they've bought stuff from here that has some kind of magic but they can't access it."
"Curiouser and curiouser. How do you want to play this?"
"Bored American tourists looking for gifts for relatives back home."
As they approached the shop Dawn took time to study every detail. The shop front was worn down. The place looked like it came out of renaissance England. When Dawn pushed the door open she heard the familiar sound of a shopkeeper's bell. Various knick-knacks and trinkets crowded the tables in the center of the room and the shelves lining the walls. Dawn didn't see any particular order to the items. There was a counter at the back of the store but Dawn did not see any salespeople around. The cash register looked ridiculously out of date. She felt a slight tingle as she moved deeper into the shop.
Faye came into the shop next. As she crossed the threshold her instincts started to buzz. Something was off about this place. She felt the Slayer start to come to the fore.
As he came in Eric saw Faye's demeanor change. Seeing the predatory look in her eye and the controlled grace of her movements Eric knew something was wrong and also shifted to a defensive stance. He scanned the shop but nothing struck him as dangerous.
Dawn noticed the change in Faye and Eric but decided to keep playing tourist. Something about the place gave her a tingle but it didn't feel dangerous. She continued to study the items on the table. Eric and Faye flanked her. They started to look at some of the items as well, but Dawn could tell something had brought the Slayer out in Faye. A couple of minutes later the shopkeeper appeared behind the counter. He looked a little flustered
"What do you want?" he asked. He was annoyed. He ran all the way through the connecting tunnel from his shop in Knockturn Alley only to discover, not the client he'd been expecting, but some silly muggles.
"Oh, we were just looking for some gifts for our friends back in LA," Dawn answered. Was this guy really wearing robes?
American muggles at that, he thought. "I doubt you will find anything of interest here. I hear they have an excellent tourist shop at the Tower of London. Why don't you try there?"
"Ok, thanks," Dawn turned to leave and motioned for Eric and Faye to follow her. As soon as they left the store Dawn led them across the street and down the block before turning to Faye.
"Ok, what set you off back there?" Dawn asked.
"I don't know. The second I entered the shop something struck me as off. It wasn't the shop itself," Faye examined her memories. "Definitely not the shop. Something behind the shop. Like a barrier trying to push me away."
"Did you feel anything Eric?"
"No, I was reacting to Faye. What about you?"
Dawn paused. Eric and Faye did not know about the Key and the tingle she felt did not feel like it came from a barrier. She decided to talk about it with Willow later. "No, I didn't. Faye are you sure you didn't sense anything before walking into the shop?"
"Yes, nothing until I entered the shop."
"What about now? Do you think you can sense the barrier thingy from outside the shop?"
"Maybe, now that I know what to look for. Why?"
"I want to do a little experimenting."
---
Later that afternoon found the three in Giles' office with Willow.
"Dear Lord, you're saying an entire block or more of London is effectively cut off from the rest of the city by a magic barrier?" Giles took off his glasses and began polishing with vigor.
"That's what it looks like. Once Faye knew what to look for we worked our way up and down Charing Cross Road," Dawn detailed. "Faye, tell the man."
"I sensed some kind of barrier behind the stores. I don't know how to describe it in words," Faye paused. "At first I though it was trying to push me away, but once I left the store that feeling went away. It was just a wall after that. I think there was some kind of hole in the wall between a bookstore and record shop we passed. At least that spot felt different and I'm certain there is some kind of concealment charm covering the spot."
"We walked up all the side streets and the parallel streets," Eric continued. "The barrier seems to extend around a square block area of London effectively cutting it off from the rest of the city. The auction house and that spot between the book and record stores seem to be only ways in."
"Interesting," Giles turned his attention to Willow. "Willow, Dawn mentioned that you knew some people who shopped at this auction house. Did they mention anything like Faye's reaction?"
"No, but they're low level members of the coven. Their senses are nowhere near as good as Faye's. Not that many Slayer's senses are as good as Faye's," Willow answered. "Goddess, this is unbelievable. How could we miss something like this?"
"I don't know," Dawn replied. "I'll have the research department do a thorough search through the files for any reference to Buckland's or Charing Cross Road. I'm still trying to figure out how all those thefts and murders from fifteen years didn't get investigated. I know the Slayers who were active at the time were not available, but the research wing of the Council was always pretty good about following up on such things in case it might later need the attention of the Slayer. Got any ideas Giles?"
"I was still with British Museum at that time. I don't recall any mention in the Council's meetings about such matters," Giles mused. "Of course I was with the operations side of the Council so most of my briefings dealt with the active Slayers. Eric do you recall anything?"
"I was stateside most of those years attending college. Besides Grandfather was grooming me to take over control of the Slayer line. I didn't spend a lot of time dealing with the happenings in research. Back then the branches operated pretty independently of one another."
"Very well," Giles shifted his attention back to Dawn. "It seems you were correct, this project was worth the time. Do you have any idea what might be behind this barrier?"
"Goody, Giles in humble mode," Dawn smiled. "Well, I've got a theory but it's pretty wild."
"How wild?" asked Eric.
"Wild enough that I want to do more research before I state it out loud."
"Come on give us a hint."
"Let's just say that group of mages D'Karsh belonged to had to go somewhere," replied Dawn.
"Alright," said Giles, "Willow, I want you and Kennedy to go Charing Cross tomorrow with Faye. See if either of you can sense this barrier. Under no circumstances do anything to try beach the barrier or draw attention to your selves. Someone connected to this Buckland's is a killer. I don't want them to know we looking for them. Once that is done, Willow I want you see if you can find any other areas around London with a similar barrier."
"I don't know Giles," Willow said. "I checked the map I keep in my office of magic hotspots around London and nothing on Charing Cross Road shows up. Whatever that barrier is, it's invisible to my standard locator spells."
"If we have to we'll have the Slayers do a complete sweep of the city. It would seem this barrier is not invisible to them," Giles replied. "Dawn, continue your research. This is now a priority project. I want to know where this barrier came from and what's behind it."