Chapter 5

For the first few days, they took care of setting the place up for a long haul, including buying clothes and essentials for Tina and Jacob. Theseus ventured to his flat to get what he needed. They also bought food, seeing as how Newt's tins of sardines and loaf of bread didn't satisfy everyone's hunger.

As official Aurors, Tina and Theseus started following leads for finding Grindelwald and Queenie. Newt spent most of his time with the animals, but he also heard from his editor, who desperately wanted a new volume of fantastic beasts from him. He'd already begun the research.

That left Jacob with no specific purpose. While he took over the majority of the meal preparations, baking remained his passion. He worried over his bakery in New York, but trusted his protégé, Anthony. He'd already taught the Italian-born twenty-year-old all the necessary recipes, and the kid had brought with some of his own. He'd written a detailed letter explaining his long absence and how to run the bakery, all without mentioning the magical world. He crossed his fingers the place would still be there when he got back.

One afternoon as he struggled to unlock the door with arms full of groceries, Theseus arrived behind him and spelled the door open instead. Theseus plopped down on the sofa, shuffling through his notebook of promising information.

As Jacob put away everything away, he spoke up. "Hey, Theseus. Do you know any gun stores in the area?"

Theseus looked up. "A gun would be useless against Grindelwald."

"Are you sure? I'm pretty sure a bullet to the heart or the head would take out a wizard just the same as the average Joe."

Theseus rubbed his chin in contemplation. "It's true. I saw Muggles using guns during the war. Face on, he'd just block the bullets, or even send them flying back at you. But if you could catch him distracted and shoot him in a place that would drop him, you could kill him."

"I've got to do something. I can't just be the cook, defenseless if they come after us."

Theseus nodded and scribbled on a page of his notebook, tearing it out for Jacob. "Closest gun store."

Jacob clapped him on the shoulder. "Thanks, buddy!" He shoved the rest of the groceries away and ran out the door.

Three hours later, he rushed inside with a large package he rested on the bed. "You won't believe this."

Theseus, now writing reports on the kitchen table, looked up.

"They gave me a job!" Jacob's voice increased an octave, giddy with excitement.

"What?" Theseus strolled over to the bed.

"They said Americans know so much about guns, they wanted me working for them. I wouldn't classify myself an expert, but I got comfortable around guns during the war. Most of their stuff is geared towards shooting pheasants and foxes, but they've got some handguns too. I asked about shooting practice. The owner goes shooting out on his family's farm and offered to take me over the weekends." Jacob pulled his merchandise out and laid a rifle, two hand guns and a small one on the bed.

Theseus picked up the small gun, his large hand making it look tiny. "Doesn't look dangerous."

Jacob took it out of his hand. "Don't knock it. This little baby packs a punch. Can put a bullet straight through a man."