Tamsin entered the offices of Julia Jenkins Investigations, otherwise known as JJI, with Reed Evangrassi. Each time Tamsin visited JJI she was impressed with the set-up of Julia's operation. While JJI was both financially rich and in high demand by both Humans and Fae Julia kept her operations very simple. JJI was an average-sized stand-alone office building that had three levels. The basement level, the main level that held the offices and the top level purposed for sleeping when cases caused Julia's staff to stay overnight at the offices. The design of JJI was both sleek and simplistic, a mix of modern meets industrial meets slightly traditional. Not at all like the junky, cloistered, oft-brown cheap paneled wall clichés that one would imagine of private detective firms. Jace Sheppard's office was an exception. As their resident Fae-nerd his office looked like something out of a super-secret government agency with numerous computer screens on with data running across all of them and supporting technology equipment positioned throughout. Tamsin's eyes went cross-eyed anytime she was in his office trying to understand all the data running across his screens.

Lise Chauncey was JJI's other human employee after Connor Bridgeford, whose role was JJI's Office Manager and Assistant extraordinaire. She and Jace worked in tandem to manage the office and support Julia, Leighton, Connor and Grace during field operations. Jace was also a field investigator but as JJI evolved and, given Jace's technical expertise it worked better for him to operate principally from JJI.

"Regent Tamsin! Nice to see you!" Welcomed Lise when Tamsin entered the inner lobby area of JJI.

"Nice to see you again, Lise." Tamsin replied.

"Mr. Evangrassi, nice to see you again." Lise greeted.

"A pleasure as always, Lise, and when are you going to start calling me just Reed." Reed replied with a hint of charm.

"If you so insist." Lise said.

"I do." Reed replied with a smile.

"Very well then." Lise returned her attention to Tamsin. "I understand you are here to meet with Julia?" Lise queried.

"Yes, she is expecting us. Erik is also supposed to meet us here." Tamsin replied.

"Well, let us get you settled into the Conference Room while you await the others. Julia is running a tad late on another case she is working for the Humans, but called and will be back here shortly. Grace is already inside in the Conference Room." Lise replied as she motioned Tamsin and Reed towards the Conference Room. When they entered Grace stood up from the table.

"Regent Tamsin, Reed. Hello!" Grace said.

"Hey Grace!" Tamsin replied.

"Coffee, water, tea, beer, bourbon are in the usual spot over there. Please help yourself." Lise offered.

"Thank you Lise! I've been salivating for your coffee all morning in anticipation of coming here." Tamsin replied as she and Reed made their way over the beverage center.

"Why, thank you Regent Tamsin. I like it whenever you visit and salivate for my coffee." Lise replied with a hint of flirt. Both Reed and Grace rolled their eyes as Grace sat back down at the table. Just then Julia walked into the room behind Lise.

"Hey, everyone! Sorry I'm late. Working a case across town." Julia greeted.

"Everyone is settled, and Jace will be up shortly." Lise reported to Julia.

"Thanks Lise. I dropped the notes off on the Bacsinszky case on your desk. Once I am done here I will help you decipher my notes on them." Julia replied.

"That bad, huh?" Lise queried.

"Worse than ever." Julia replied.

"Very well. Please let me know if you all need anything." Lise said to everyone then walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.

"Lise never ceases to impress me on how she runs this place." Tamsin complimented.

"We would be lost without Lise." Julia replied.

"I love this coffee machine." Tamsin replied.

"Looks like you need to be an Engineer to know how to operate it." Reed commented.

"What make and model is it again?" Tamsin asked.

"A Kees van der Westen Mirage Espresso Machine. And don't ask what kind of coffee she uses in it. I swear it comes straight from the source." Julia replied.

"Well, I have a total crush on her coffee." Tamsin replied as she inhaled the aroma of the coffee in her hand.

"Lise has a total crush on you." Julia said. Tamsin smiled.

"I am aware." Tamsin replied.

"Tall, beautiful, blonde Valkyries, with fierce eyes are hard to resist, indeed. I understand her pain." Reed chimed in with a cheeky grin.

"And on that note…" Tamsin started when Jace walked in.

"Hey everyone! Sorry I'm late." Jace greeted.

'No worries. We were about to settle in." Julia replied.

"Good. I'll cue everything up." Jace said as he went over to the Conference Room computer and projector and began the set up process.

"Great! Everyone?" Julia replied as she motioned everyone to the table.

"Where's Connor and Leighton?" Reed asked as he took a seat.

"They are getting some shut eye. They are currently working a Fae case that ran late into the morning." Grace replied.

"I understand." Tamsin said as she took her seat while the door opened to reveal Erik Lykke.

"Hey everyone! Sorry I'm late. Had a staff meeting at the station." Erik said.

"We were just about to start. Grab yourself something to drink." Julia replied.

"You don't have to tell me twice. Lise's coffee is to die for." Erik said as he went over and poured a cup then inhaled. "It's like the crack of all coffee."

"No argument here." Tamsin commented as she sipped on her cup as Erik took a seat.

"So how is everyone settling in at the Presidium?" Grace asked.

"Well it seems. Ash Thornwood escorted Dr. Lewis over there with the four amigos, and the Ruling Family held a dinner in Lauren's honor." Tamsin reported.

"That must have been nice." Grace replied.

"Yes it was. Oh, and before I forget, keep the Installation Ceremony on your calendars. We are all invited." Tamsin said.

"We do you mean 'we?' As in all of us? Humans included?" Julia asked incredulous.

"Yes, Humans too. Rana McCorrigan said the Ruling Couple are insistent The Princess Royal's friends and associates attend, Fae as well as Humans." Tamsin replied. Grace and Julia straightened up in their chairs and exchanged looks. Tamsin saw they were about to go into "girl" mode. "Don't worry ladies, we have time for the fashion panic. We have six months to prepare."

"They are not installing her right away?" Jace asked.

"They are waiting until the Convocation of the Presidium is over with first." Tamsin replied.

"What's that?" Julia asked.

"It's where all arms of Presidium government come together to decide on a common policy directions framework for the next ten years." Reed explained.

"All aspects of government?" Julia asked.

"Yep." Reed replied.

"Ought to do that here. Would save a lot of crap." Julia commented to a mix of smiles and nodding heads.

"Afterwards, they plan to hold the Installation Ceremony followed by the Great Sleep." Tamsin said.

"The what sleep?" Julia asked like she didn't hear Tamsin right. Tamsin smiled.

"Because The Regnant is also an Atlas Bear she needs to hibernate. Apparently, the Great Sleep is an event in it of itself, but a private one attended only by the Ruling Family, and a few other officers of state." Tamsin replied.

"She's a bear?" Grace asked.

"And a big one too. In Africa, I gauged her to be about hundred feet in height on all four paws." Tamsin replied. Grace's mouth dropped.

"You're kidding!" Grace said when she recovered.

"Kenzi kept cracking that Ash Thornwood's wolf would be the size of The Regnant's toe." Tamsin said.

"A Fae that is a Succubus who can fly and shift into a bear." Then a thought dawned on Grace. Tamsin realized what she was about to ask and headed it off.

"No she cannot fly while she is shifted into a bear." Tamsin said. Grace looked dejected. Everyone else chuckled.

"Will that mean Bo…I mean The Princess Royal will be in charge while The Regnant is hibernating?" Jace asked.

"Technically, yes. It happened here if you recall when The Regnant was injured battling that Basilisk. But as it was then, practically speaking, no. The Queen Consort will reign." Tamsin replied.

"The sight of that Basilisk still gives me the shudders." Julia commented.

"I bet The Princess Royal and Dr. Lewis are thankful they do not have to worry about those things yet. After all, they just got there." Jace said.

"They are trying to stay focused more on the four amigos. Ash Thornwood says Ethan, Char, Ryan and MaryAoife seem to be unfazed by their new surroundings." Tamsin replied.

"The benefits of being too young to notice." Grace replied.

"They're lucky they don't have skittish kids." Julia added.

"Fortunately." Tamsin replied.

"I, for one, cannot wait to see the Presidium. It sounds huge!" Grace said.

"Oh, and prepare for a week of celebrations." Tamsin replied.

"A week?!" Both Julia and Grace said together even more anxious. Tamsin chuckled. She knew the minute she left Julia, Grace, and Lise would be storming the fashion streets looking for the right outfits to wear.

"I heard the Presidium was introduced to the Beast." Erik said.

"Oooh yes. The Princess Royal and Kenzi have been driving it all around the Presidium to its horror." Tamsin replied.

"An environmental nightmare over there I'm sure." Jace commented. Tamsin smiled.

"Yeah, not sure how much longer they will be able to pimp it around there." Tamsin replied.

"And how is Kenzi liking her new job?" Julia asked.

"They have her in training right now. According to Kenzi, everyone at the Presidium rises at some obscene hour of the morning to get ahead on the day. Of course, it's killing Kenzi." Tamsin said. Everyone chuckled.

"Kenzi says by the time the day is done she is too tired to do anything else. In fact, she says the new routine has cut down on her drinking." Tamsin said.

"You're kidding!" Erik replied incredulous. Tamsin smiled.

"And how is Rana McCorrigan?" Grace asked.

"Settling in with his new Number Two, Deputy Rana Marik Veillard is his name, familiarizing himself with everything again."

"He rules over how many Fae now?" Jace asked.

"Over 20 billion under his Ranaship alone." Tamsin replied. That made everyone go quiet.

"Remind me never to complain about my little old job." Erik finally said. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

"So Ash Thornwood will be there another day, he going on a hunt with The Regnant and members of the Ruling Family, and then he will be back in the Ash saddle." Tamsin said.

"Schmooz opp." Erik noted.

"Of course." Tamsin smiled.

"So I understand from your phone call there is something up with Brazenwood?" Julia asked.

"As you are aware, we are working the Transition Plan to incorporate this plane of existence under the auspice of the Presidium. One of the initial pieces of that plan is to emigrate all of the protected communities of Under Fae under Atticus to the Presidium." Tamsin said.

"Tracking." Julia replied.

"We also needed to contact some of the more independent Under Fae communities and extend the offer of emigration to be sure. Brazenwood is one of them. We tried to contact them a couple of times to no avail. Usually, when we do contact them we receive, at the very least, a curt response, yeah or nay, but we got nothing. So I sent Erik out there." Tamsin replied.

"I found the place deserted. All the Fae are gone." Erik added.

"No trace of them at all?" Julia asked Erik.

"Nope. And what's even weirder is that all of their personal belongings are still there. Their pets are still there, wandering about. Embers of fire pits seemed to have burned down rather than being put out. It's just like they vanished, simply vanished." Erik replied.

"Are you sure you guys didn't miss a memo or something and the Presidium just came and got them?" Julia asked.

"No. We make sure we log all of the Under Fae leaving this plane because of circumstances such as the one we are facing right now with Brazenwood, so we can account for them." Tamsin replied.

"Sure it wasn't Grand Ducal Marquis?" Grace asked.

"No. The Grand Ducal would not be concerned with this." Reed replied.

"That's a diplomatic way of putting it." Erik replied to smiles all around.

"So how can we help?" Julia asked.

"Could use your help to chase down what happened out there. Track down some leads." Tamsin replied.

"Sure. With Connor, Leighton and I committed to cases I will task Grace with this one. Jace can assist."

"Great. Erik will be working you as well. Shall we go over the details?" Tamsin informed.

"Sure! And oh, by the way, have you heard anything from Clio?" Julia asked.