Dallas Hilton-Dallas
"I don't want to hear anymore of It." said Parks. "You've been out there for far too long anyway."
"But Sir." Alec said through gritted teeth. "I'm really close. I have a witness who has put Murdoch here in the last six months."
"And yet you have no sign of him, or your main suspect." Said Parks. He sighed heavily from the other side of the line. "Listen Alec, I want to give you more time, really, I do. But we have to admit that he's flown off into the wind again."
"He hasn't, I know he's here." Said Alec.
"Your letting a personal vendetta get in the way of your reason." Said Parks. "This was half the reason I didn't want you to take this mission on."
"It's not personal." Said Alec. "If I just have some more-"
"Time is something you've run out of." Said Parks. "I want you back in London tomorrow morning for a new assignment."
"But sir."
"But nothing. See you in London." The line went dead. Alec sighed and placed the phone down.
"What did he say?" Katherine shouted from the bathroom. Alec didn't say anything at first.
"Alec?"
"He wants me back in London tomorrow." Said Alec. He then went to the wardrobe and began to pull his gear out. The time for being covert was gone, he needed to take action now.
"Are you packing then?" asked Katherine.
"No." said Alec putting his armour on. "I'm breaking into Burns's house tonight." He heard Katherine drop her toothbrush in the sink.
"Where?"
"To Burns's mansion." Said Alec. "I know somethings not right."
"But what about-"
"Parks can go fuck himself for all I care." Said Alec. "I have a job to do and not a lot of time to do it in. Are you helping me or not?" Katherine walked out of the bathroom and sat down at the desk.
"Fine, ok." She said. "But promise me something."
"What's that?" asked Alec putting his coat on.
"That if there is nothing, we go back home." Said Katherine. "I've indulged you in this for too long, we haven't found anything else since Galveston."
"Fine." Said Alec. "What do we know about Burns's house?"
"It's heavily fortified and very well protected." Said Katherine. "He lives in an old manor house on the outskirts of Dallas." Alec looked at the picture that Katherine pulled out. It was a two storey house with a high wall going around it.
"That's a reinforced concrete wall." Said Katherine. "Seven foot high with CCTV cameras around each post which as are wired to a command centre inside the house being monitored by a team of security staff."
"Ok, what about security?" asked Alec. "What's the detail?" Katherine flicked through the file again and pulled out a magazine article.
"Two members are inside the command centre at all time." said Katherine. "The borders are patrolled by five guards, each armed with batons and a small fire arm." Alec nodded. "Inside you'll have two patrolling the ground floor with one always on the stairs.
"Any magical defences we know about?" Katherine shook her head. Alec nodded and pulled a rucksack onto his shoulder.
"Call Alistair, have him meet me there. I need someone I can trust on this."
"Yes dear." Said Katherine.
The house had a Mediterranean feel to it, it was two stories and was covered in plants. The garden was immaculately kept with no blade of grass out of place. The grounds were covered by tall walls which kept people from peering in.
The home was quiet, it had been quiet for month's truth be told. The owner hadn't been home, his new shipping venture taking up most of his time. The young guard had only met him once, he'd said hello and then walked inside. He looked up at the full moon and round the incredibly manicured garden. Not one blade out of place.
PSSH
The guard pointed his gun at the sound of the noise and shone his flashlight. All that was in front of him was the garden with the darkness looming around him.
"Echo 5 come in." He said timidly. Nothing, not even command had reported back. "Baseplate this is Echo 5, do you read? Do you read?" Again, nothing. He started to breath more rapidly and shone his light and waved his gun at the space.
"Urgh."
He span round again and saw nothing. But it sounded like another guard being taken out. He ran forward and then saw another guard lying face down in the grass. He ran over and turned him over to see him knocked out.
"Echo 5 to all channels, I have a man down." Nothing, just static. "I have a man down, someone answer me!" He then saw a flash to his left.
The guard pointed his gun there with trembling hands. He looked into the shrubs in front of him and then movement behind him. He turned and fired his gun. His heart rate increased and he was panting very hard. More movement behind him. He turned a fired again. There was definitely something out there.
"WHERE ARE YOU!" he shouted.
"Here."
"Quiet night again. Eh Jim."
"Aren't they always Ernie." Jim replied looking at the monitors. "I would be missing the playoffs for this."
"We could always put one on." Said Ernie. "I mean the other guys probably wouldn't mind." Just as he finished one of the feeds went dead. Jim leaned forward in his seat.
"Camera in section 4 is down." He said picking up his radio. "Echo 4 this is baseplate, can you check the camera in your area, the feeds gone dead." There was nothing, no reply.
"Echo 4, do you copy?" he asked again. He fiddled with the walkie talkie.
"All channels this is baseplate, come in?" Jim looked over at Ernie. "Radios down. How does it look out there?" Ernie checked the remaining monitors.
"Looks fine from here." Said Ernie, "Maybe the batteries gone." Then another camera went dead, then another, and another until they were all static. Jim and Ernie got up abruptly. They were under attack and needed to stop it.
"They walked to a cabinet by the door. Jim unlocked it and pulled out two shotguns, he threw one over to Ernie. Jim unlocked the door with a passcode and they walked out into the now dark hallway. Jim tried the lights, nothing.
"Powers out." Said Jim, he touched his walkie talkie. "All channels this is baseplate, be advised we are tracking an assailant or assailants un-known, be advised they are armed and dangerous. Lethal force is authorised." They continued to walk quietly to the door outside, the outside betraying nothing of what was out there. They walked into the kitchen and to the back door. He unlocked it and stepped out into the night. Again it looked peaceful, the immaculately kept garden provided the façade that everything was alright.
And then, their world went black.
"Six for six?" asked Alec. "You go to the front I'll take the back and cut all the power permanently. Being employed by Murdoch he must have had some other magical defences. Go."
Moody held his wand up and walked round the front of the house. Alec went round the side where there was a garage with a gate to the left of it.
Alec stopped and then ran up to the fence, he pressed the bottom of the fence with his foot then grabbed the top of the fence and jumped over. He landed with a thud, he was still on the floor and held his wand up. He was in what looked like a utility area with various garden appliances, Alec got to his feet and looked for the box. Not there, he walked up to another gate which had no room to climb over. Alec ran his finger down the door, he lifted the hatch and walked into Burns's back garden.
The High wall continued round the house continued right the way down the garden, Alec was on a patio on the top tier of the garden which also had a pool. The light in the pool lit up the area.
The garden was split into three tiers. The lower tier which Alec was on which had a pool, patio and barbeque area. The second tier was covered in greenery with some more exotic plants. The third tier was a hug glass greenhouse which looked menacing.
Alec looked along the back of the house which had three windows, Alec looked up into the nearest one which looked like a dining area. Alec moved along again to what looked like a Kitchen area, he then noticed a smaller window. It was a small one but quite far up and Alec couldn't look inside.
But he saw the box. A small silver box with a thick black wire running from it and into the ground. Alec walked up to it and opened the door, he sensed a guard behind him. As he ran forward Alec put his fist up and the guards smacked onto it, knocking himself out.
There were a multitude of wires. Alec pulled out his wand and started the cut the wires, one by one the small light round the garden cut off.
"Power's out." Alec said touching the ear piece. "I'm going to take the back while you take the front. Got it?
"Yes Sir." Said Moody.
Alec looked at the building at the back. He made his way towards the French doors right towards the far side of the house. Alec got out the Sonar Reader and placed it on the brickwork behind the door. He slipped on the goggles and turned them on.
The Entire floor plan of the house was feeded into the goggles.
"Ok, we have five guards in the house now." said Alec, "No family members." He focused his vision to see inside.
"There are two on each floor, with another patrolling the stairway." Said Alec. "They will be on high alert after what went on outside."
"So what's the plan?" asked Moody.
"Ok, blast the doors off at the same time." said Alec, "Bombarda maxima to blow all magical locks. They'll go into positions. The guards upstairs will try and protect things of value, safes , or Files. We go in hard, and quick, take out the two on the bottom and I'll make my way upstairs. Understood?"
"Yes Sir."
"On my go."
"GO!"
"Bombarda Maxima!" Alec shouted, the door flew off its hinges and smashed into the room. Alec apparated in to the stairs where the guard was patrolling, he apparated above him. The force he came down with knocked the guy out.
"OVER THERE!" Alec looked into the sonar and saw the two upstairs guards coming towards him. Alec apparated, he positioned himself behind them. As they stopped they turned to the loud bang. Alec banged both their heads together.
They fell to the ground, Alec used the sonar to look downstairs and saw Moody take the last guard out with a well-placed elbow to the neck.
"Impressive."
"Thanks." Said Moody. "So what do we do now?" Alec sniffed. Something seemed off. He sniffed again. He turned and looked up stairs. He took his goggles off and placed them in his pocket. He walked up the stairs to the landing and sniffed again.
"Do you smell that?" asked Alec.
"I can't smell anything." Replied Moody.
Alec's stomach twisted into a knot, that feeling he was onto something rotten grew in him. What he smelt, smelt distinctly like rotting flesh. Alec walked down the landing and sniffed again. There was no mistaking it now. He walked to the only door on the floor where there was keypad on it.
He sniffed again and recoiled. There was definitely something off over the other side of that door. He looked at the key pad and starched his chin. He rummaged into his pocket and pulled out a small torch. He shone it on the key pad, the purple light showing fingerprints on the key pad. Should always wear gloves with these things thought Alec. But then again this torch was light years ahead of the things muggles had. The lock was a six-digit combination, and looked like it had barely been used.
The first number was obviously a three because of the increased indents on the button. After that it was pretty much guess work. The other numbers used where one, six, seven and nine. Alec tried a couple of combinations that didn't work.
Alec placed the combination in and the light shone green. The door opened slightly, and the putrid air hit Alec like a ton of bricks. He stepped back and made a face at the smell.
"What have you found?" asked Moody.
Alec pushed the door open and instantly looked away. He placed his hand over his mouth to try and not vomit. On the bed in the middle of the room lay a decaying body.
"I think I've found Burns." Said Alec.
He walked closer, the stench becoming more unbearable with each step.
"Dead I take it."
"Yeah." Said Alec kneeling by the body. "It looks like he's been dead for a while…a few months I'd say." He pressed onto a finger which disintegrated into dust at the touch.
"Kath."
"Yeah."
"I've found Burns." Said Alec. "He's dead." Kath flicked through some papers from the other side of the line.
"But…he's opening a gala downtown."
"Well I'm looking at him here." Said Alec. "He's been dead for a few months…He's being imitated."
"By who?" There only was one person.
"Murdoch." Said Alec. "I'm guessing since Burns didn't agree with the new direction he's kept him here till he died. Not a quick process."
"Polyjuice." Alec nodded.
"Tell Parks what I've found." Said Alec. "We need people here to search this top to bottom."
"What do we do about Murdoch?" asked Katherine, "Do we corner him now?"
"No, he won't find out for an hour at least." Said Alec. "He might have a failsafe in case he is compromised. We need to do this now."
"I'll tell Parks." Said Katherine cutting off.
"Moody, gather all the guards and tie them up." Said Alec. "And take away their radios as well. We need as much time as we can give ourselves."
"Sure thing." Said Moody.
Alec walked out the room and looked back at the body. He shook his head and walked downstairs to investigate, he walked into the kitchen and into what looked like a utility room. There was a washing machine and dryer which were still spinning, there was also a fridge and deep freezer. Alec walked up slowly towards the door and opened it to the kitchen, no one there.
Alec looked round the brilliant white room, there wasn't a spoon out of place. In fact, there wasn't anything. No clutter, no dirty dishes, Alec opened some of the cupboards and looked inside. Everything was neatly put away, and cans and boxed where placed according to height order. A little bit of OCD, something Alec never had Burns down for, he didn't have him down for a lot of things. Alec checked more cupboards and nothing.
"Are they all tied up?" asked Alec
"All in the garage and bound." Replied Moody. "But from what I've seen this place seems to clean. Like it's never been lived in." Alec looked under a table to see nothing, "What about you?"
"Same in the Kitchen." Replied Alec, "Back rooms are clear, how about the Front room?"
"Clear." Moody said. Alec started rooting through the cutlery draw. "Moving on to the dining area."
"Very good. Check the rest of the top floor. I'm going check down here."
Alec walked out the kitchen and into the hallway. There were pictures of Burns graduating. Then one with friends at social functions. Then more at all locations across the world. Washington monument, Mount Rushmore, Eiffel tower, Machu Picchu, red square Moscow. Alec checked a chest of draws in the hallway, he found a note book.
He opened it only to find a sequence of numbers Alec flicked through the pages. Next to the numbers was a three letter code. It looked vaguely familiar from somewhere.
He put the note book in his pocket and looked round some more. He found Burns's phone book, Alec flicked through, no one unfamiliar, only family and old colleagues. Alec put that in his pocket as well and checked the rest. Just old mail, a few bills, a magazine for gardening.
"I've told Parks." Said Katherine, "He wants to speak with you but I've told him you're going dark."
"Good call." Said Alec. He picked up a newspaper, on the front page was a photo of a destroyed oil rig.
Lucky Bugger!
Millionaire Burns makes almost $50 million after fire at recently sold rig.
"Found anything else?"
"Yeah, there was a note book full of number sequences and his phonebook." Said Alec placing the paper in his rucksack.
"Ok, very well." The com went quiet as Alec walked round the stairs and into what looked like Burns's study. It was filled with leather bound books with a desk by the window, Alec walked over and ruffled some of the papers.
Notes on various competitors from the shipping industry, Alec read some of the notes. All where identifying weaknesses and strengths, he opened his rucksack and placed the notes and folders inside. He checked the rest of the draws, old notes. Alec rested some of the old cases on the table, he looked at the names.
Graham Conifus, Trent Covernon, Edward Stone, Neatherson Wainright, Ruby Skillwater, Francis Overton.
"Are those…"
"The original team seven." Said Alec. He picked the files up. "Why are these here?"
"I have no idea?" said Katherine. "Could Murdoch have some connection to them."
"They took out the last Grindewald loyalists." Said Alec. "Murdoch barely escaped then as well. Slippery bastard isn't he. Maybe he's trying to find out where they are now."
"There all dead aren't they?" asked Katherine.
"Almost all of them." said Alec.
He placed the folders in his bag and searched the desk again. He felt a small compartment at the back of the desk, Alec ran his finger over it trying to find a lock but to no avail. It had no obvious opening and was looked like there was no hinge.
Alec grabbed hold of the compartment and pulled on it gently and it didn't budge.
Alec then elbowed the drawer and it snapped out. Something fell onto the floor. Alec kneeled down and picked it up.
He inspected the box in his hands, it was a puzzle box, all he had to do was figure out how to open it. Burns would never have kept something like this unless there was a valuable piece of information in the box. Alec ran a finger again round the side of the box, he then felt a disturbance.
"Lumos."
The end of his wand lit up and he held the box up to the light. There was a thin line, no longer than a hair that ran along the side of the box. It went diagonally from side to side, Alec tried to twist it put to no avail. After a few minutes with little success, he placed the box into his bag. Something for H to play with later.
Alec ran his hand underneath the desk checking for something. Nothing, Alec swung the bag over his shoulders and walked back into the hallway. He walked straight across into the Living room which Cartwright said he'd checked him then into the dining area.
Alec walked round the dining area, it had a huge table in the middle with the large windows looking out into the garden. Alec walked around the table running his hand underneath to feel for any files or hiding places. Nothing, Alec walked round to a cabinet which had some plates in. Alec opened the cabinet and took some of the plates out and placed them on the table.
Once they were all out Alec ran his hand along the cabinet and felt another bump. Alec lit his wand up again, it was the same box that was in the desk. Alec pulled the box out and ran his finger across it, it like the other one had a thin line across the side. Alec placed it the rucksack, he walked out into the hallway and into the bathroom.
Alec looked round the bathroom and moved some appliances around the room, nothing. For someone supposed to be at the forefront of Murdoch's operations he didn't leave a lot more folders around. Alec put rubbed the bridge of her nose, there didn't seem to be enough Intel round the house to tie him down.
"Finished down stairs." Alec said talking in to the com.
"Same up top, a few files but not as much as I hoped." Moody said, "Meet in the hallway."
Alec looked around the dining room, he had the niggling feeling that something was missing from the room.
He then remembered something, the windows. There were three windows outside. Alec turned back, but he'd only seen two inside. Alec walked back into the kitchen, the small high window wasn't there. Alec almost ran into the dining area, no window. Alec looked curiously, there must be a secret room between the walls. Alec placed his hand on the right hand wall, he applied pressure to the wall. It was solid and had no give in it, Alec ran his palm along the wall.
"Alec? Where are you?" Alec had almost forgotten Moody.
"In the dining room, I think I've found something." Alec heard the footsteps of Moody come into the dining room.
"What have you found?" He asked.
"There's a secret room." Alec said still running his palm along the wall. "I think."
"Alec, we were told this work isn't all secret rooms and hidden secrets." Said Moody, "What do you base this on?"
"Even the fiction is true sometimes." Said Alec. "Besides." He pointed to the windows.
"The windows." Alec said without looking at Moody. "When I cut the power I noticed three windows. There's one here, one in the kitchen, and one behind this wall." Said Alec. "We could see the light on the inside."
"Stand back." Moody stood back from the wall, Alec raised his wand. "Lumos lumine dirigens."
A light shone out of his wand and seeped into the wall. Then, a thin light appeared across the room, and against the wall opposite.
"A useful charm in this line of work." Alec said.
"Show off."
Alec looked round to see where the light was coming from. But it looked like the light was coming from the wall but with no gap.
"No, the light is there, but there's no gap." Moody said gruffly.
"It is here." Said Alec. "We just need to be smart about this."
Then he remembered something from Katherine's Jonathan Croak book. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at the wall. Croak was looking for a villain's layer in the frozen mountains of Nepal. The henchmen all wore special goggles which emitted sound waves which would reveal the pathway inside as the entrance was concealed with ice which was cut in such a way that it looked solid. An optical illusion.
"Symphonia." Alec muttered, his wand gave off purple rings. They slowly got bigger and bigger and they hit the wall, the purple rings then came back, except that they were now misshaped, deformed. Alec then saw it, a small opening which was visible now. Alec walked over and ran his finger along line and felt the bump.
"Got it." Alec whispered.
"How did you find that?" Asked Moody.
"Echo location." Alec said pulling on the opening, "I saw it in a Jonathan Croak book, I sent a sound wave on to wall, its cut to reflect an optical Illusion. So when I sent the sound waves and they returned they were deformed somewhat which showed off the latch in the wall. Light cannot fool sound."
"Impressive." Moody said as Alec opened the door.
It was the size of the wall and was incredibly thick. He took all of Alec's strength to pull it open. It was dark and dinky with a solitary bulb which gave off the light. With a swish of Alec's wand the light shot back into his wand and only lit the end.
Alec took point as they walked into the room. The small window let in a little moon light as they walked down the stairs. They suddenly hit the bottom of the stairs. Alec took a step onto what felt like earth, he pointed his wand down and sure enough they were on mud.
Alec walked further into the dark. They walked in silence, the pathway seemingly having no end. They got closer and a light appeared at the end. Alec stopped, as did Moody.
"What do you reckon that is?"
"One way to find out." Said Alec as they moved forward.
They approached cautiously. The light was a usual bulb but flickered uneasily in the passageway as Moody pointed his wand at it. He moved on as Alec inspected the light.
"Move cautiously." He warned, "That slimy son of a bitch may have put some traps down." Moody nodded; he walked a few more steps before he saw a door.
It was about 7feet tall and had no obvious handles; it was black as coal and had a menacing look about it. Alec ran his palm along the door, the surface was smooth like granite and glistened in places.
"I've never seen anything like this before." Moody said stroking the door, "Whatever's behind that door people didn't want us to find. Lumos Maxima." Gold light shot out from the end of his wand and hovered in Mid-Air, the light showed of the huge door. It looked like it was chiselled into the wall.
"I know what this is." Alec said looking at the door. "It's a gringots door."
"A gringots door? Don't they usually have keys?" asked Moody.
"Most do." Said Alec running his hand along it. "The high security doors are like this,"
"Well how do they work?" Asked Moody.
"They work using a series of locks which can only be opened by the finger prints of the person who owns the door."
"And how do you know so much about them? Been breaking into Gringots again have we?" Alec looked at Moody darkly who smirked. Alec shook his head and went back to the door.
"My Dad was an investment banker for Gringots." Said Alec. "He told me about all the different doors and locks."
"What we need is Burns finger prints and we can open the door." Said Moody.
"Nice plan." Said Alec standing up. Wait here, I'll go get one. Moody went to ask but he was gone again. Alec ran up to the bedroom where the body still lay. He looked at the nearest hand and pulled out his wand. With a sharp movement he cut off one of the bodies fingers. He the levitated it and walked back to the door.
When he got back Moody raised his eyebrow.
"You seriously cut his finger off?" he asked looking at the green decaying digit.
"He's not using it." said Alec untroubled and he positioned the tip at the black door. "I just hope it's doesn't fall off when I do it." Alec ran it down the door and it started to click into place. But as he went down it then clunked and reset itself.
"Ok so we know it works." Alec said, "The only question is where does it start?"
"Start, Sir?"
"The locks come undone but lock up if the others haven't been in sequence." Explained Alec. "That's why these doors are almost impenetrable."
"Well we'll have to go through his notes." Moody said, "Find words and pictures that might crop up."
"No." Alec said abruptly, "It's really simple, what is he?" Moody shook his head, "He's a terrorist."
"So we draw a piece of shit then."
"Close, but no." said Alec, "More to the point, he's an old Grindewald loyalist. It's going to be something to do with him."
"What was he big on?" asked Moody.
"The Deathly Hallows." Said Alec. "There was an old symbol for it, but it's been so many years it might be lost."
He stared at the door, his brain going back to his old ancient runes lessons, seeing if he could remember old Professor Seedling's lessons on those warm stuffy afternoons.
"Anything."
"No." said Alec. "Kath, you."
"That title is a gimmick." She said.
"Which one?" asked Alec.
"World's greatest detective." She said. "I do actually." Alec laughed to himself.
"Ok. Impress me."
"Well you know what they are don't you?"
"The cloak, the wand and the stone." Said Alec.
"Well." Said Katherine. "The cloak would go as a triangle." Alec moved the finger so it made a triangle. When he finished it made a loud clinking sound.
"Ok, what next?"
"Make a circle inside the triangle." Alec did as instructed and it clunked again. "Then draw a line straight down the middle."
"Brilliant." Said Alec.
Alec reached the bottom and the door hissed, it then moved out which took Alec off guard. It then slowly descended into the ground, Alec and Moody watched as the black door sunk into the ground, Alec looked up to see what looked like a conference table.
The room was made of polished wood and was kept burning by torches around the room. There were 14 chairs around the table with a chair at the end which was grander than anyone else's. Alec walked into the room and brushed his hand against some of the chairs, he walked up to the grand chair slowly. As he got closer it seemed to give a low hiss, Alec stopped as he got closer to the chair. It was like it was calling him, like it was drawn to him somehow.
"Alec, over here." Alec walked over to Moody who was standing by a black door Alec hadn't noticed on his way in. Alec approached cautiously.
"What is it?"
"It's a door idiot." Alec said impatiently. "It's made of dwarf star, a rare metal which can withstand the hardest punishment."
"I thought Dwarf Star was science fiction?" Said Moody intrigued.
"No, it's very real. Used as giants armour as they were the only creatures able to lug it around everywhere. This has come from armour, because it's been carved into a door. Pure Dwarf Star wouldn't be able to be manipulated in such a way."
"So I guess we open it using a handle." Moody asked sarcastically. Alec looked at him sternly before going back to studying the door. Moody got up and looked round the room.
"You think this is where they had meetings?" Asked Moody.
"Maybe for how things in the muggle world were doing." Alec said, "The main meetings would take place at this place he's holed up in." Alec tapped the door and it sprang into life, a plaque came out of the door which read.
"Draw a single continuous line and turn IX into 6. The only stipulation, the only rule is that was that the pen cannot be lifted from the paper until the line is complete."
"Any good at riddles Alistair?" Asked Alec, Moody walked over and looked at the plaque which now sprouted a quill.
"Have you got a clue." Alec looked at the puzzle again, what could make a 19 in roman numerals into a six by using one continuous line. Nothing seemed to hit, everything came back higher or lower but no six. Alec paced slowly thinking hard, use another X, no. Add an M then take away a… no that wasn't it.
"Maybe it could mean a different number that is divisible by six, so add another I and it becomes 18." Moody said. Alec got it.
"No, that's no it." He said picking up the quill, he looked at plaque and drew and S in mid-air.
"You were right, you add it to a make a different number." Alec placed the quill on the plaque and wrote the letter S into the plaque.
He lifted the quill and the door hissed violently, Alec could hear Locks from behind the door crack open as the door sank into the floor. There was a room full of filing cabinets, all attached to the wall. The room was brightly lit with a white tiled floor. Each cabinet had a codename on them, some of them Alec recognised from years back. He went to one that said Endgame on the front. He opened it and looked inside and pulled out a file. It was labelled Sunrise.
Alec opened it. It was the rig that was destroyed, the one that Burns had sold to fund the shipping. It showed a lay out for the rig along with a few hand written notes.
Package goes in here.
What package, it just looked like an empty room, there was no important things there...here was the proof that he needed. Murdoch did organise that explosion. But how did this rig fall into this endgame plan.
He pulled out another one, when opened it showed the airfield in South Korea. Alec bowed his head. Murdoch was in the crate that was sent back from America, and he killed everyone on board, so it would get his attention. Alec placed it back and then pulled another file.
Infernius.
Alec opened it. Inside was a picture of half the wand that Alec had confiscated from that teen who raised the dead. What was his name…Royce, that was it. There was a picture inside of the half a wand he'd confiscated from him. Alec looked at part of the synopsis of this mission.
The plan is for Potter to track down Royce who will be given to tools to wake the Infernius killed by the wand. Once Potter has neutralised the threat, the wand will become a beacon tracker that will let us follow his every move.
"That bastard." Said Alec as he read on. It had worked to say the least…maybe, maybe it had alerted them to him being here. He had to move. They were closing in
He looked back inside the cabinet and saw another file. He picked it out and looked at the tag at the top. Camelot.
He opened it and saw there was nothing inside it. Strange. Why would he keep a blank file in this cabinet. Alec placed both files in his bag and walked round to another cabinet with a label that said. Persons of interest. Bingo.
Alec opened it and saw names for most of the wizards and witches on the Ministries and Institutes most wanted list. Alec laughed to himself and then placed them into his bag.
"This seems too easy." Said Alec.
"What makes you say that?" asked Moody.
"All this information here just waiting for us, at a place he would of known I'd come looking." Said Alec. "I don't know, it just seems…easy."
"What, like he wants you to find him?" asked Moody.
"Maybe." Said Alec. "Or maybe his plan is already too far underway for me to stop it."
"Kath."
"Yeah."
"Keep an eye out for people coming close to this house, I think Murdoch already knows where here, he's going to send a team to stop us."
"How would he know that?" asked Katherine.
"He arranged for an artefact to come into my possession that would give him my position." Said Alec. "The half a wand I got from that teenager who was raising the dead."
"Right, I'll keep an eye out."
"Our times nearly up." Alec said urgently. "What have you got?" Moody shook his head. "Nothing on the location of his hiding place?"
"No mate." Said Moody.
"We can't leave until we have that." Said Alec looking through more files. "I want that hiding place."
Alec and Moody started going through the papers, nothing.
"Alec, have you found it?"
"No. Not yet." Said Alec, "I need more time."
"Time is something you've now run out of." Said Kath. "Word is there is two of his men going to your location. Get what you can and get out, now!"
"Ok."
"Alistair." He looked round.
"Come on, we have to leave, two tango's coming for us." Moody nodded and they exited the vault.
Alec led them out of the vault and closed the door behind him. They walked out the meeting room and the huge door moved into place.
"I saw what was in there." Said Katherine. "We need to tell Parks Murdoch's has been tracking us.
"No."
"No? What do you mean no!" said Katherine.
"If we act now then he'll know." Said Alec, "We need to be discrete about this. Warn them when we have something concrete."
Alec could hear the locks crack into place as they ran up the dark passage towards the stairs. They ran up and Alec closed the door quietly, he turned round to see Moody sounding his ear piece. James looked across to see two shadows go past the living room window.
"Are we too late?"
"We might be right on time. Murdoch predicted Potter would find the body." What, Murdoch wanted him to find it, why?
"With any luck they should still be inside."
"Look, the door." The footsteps quickened as they rushed to the front door which had been blasted off its hinges.
"Either where to late or they are still inside. Remember, Murdoch wants Potter alive."
Alec breathed in deeply as he grasped his wand in his hand,
"Stick to the shadows." Alec whispered, "They can't hit what they cannot see." Moody went forward into the living room and disappeared. Alec walked into the shadows, he moved silently across the floor as he walked into the hallway. One of the persons Murdoch sent was walking upstairs.
"Take the one going into the living room." Alec whispered into the comm. "The one going up here's mine."
Alec waited until the man had disappeared from view, he got up and slowly followed him trying not to make a sound. He peered round the corner to see the man checking rooms.
"Anything?" The guy was wearing a comm earpiece like Alec, his friend was wondering what he'd found, nothing.
"Nothing yet Undermine." He said as he walked into a room, Alec got up and walked round into the room opposite.
"I think there still in the house." The other guy said, "Good thing our person at the ministry told us about the raid." Alec listened curiously, a mole in the ministry. It would have to be very high up, this operation was a Black Op, hardly anyone knew about this. .
"What makes you say that?"
"Footprints coming from the meeting area." Undermine said, "I've found some tracks, quite fresh, could only of been laid in the last 2 minutes."
"I guess Potter won't be far behind." Said the man Alec was tracking as he walked back into the hallway.
"Wait, I've found some tracks." Alec held his breath as he walked onto the landing, Alec looked out through the gap in the hinges. "There fresh, only minutes old. One of them is upstairs."
"Take him out if it's Moody, Murdoch wants Potter alive." He picked his wand up and followed the tracks into the room Alec was in. Black opened the door slowly and walked into the room. Each step he took echoed in the silent house and magnified as he came closer.
"Tango down." Alec heard Moody say into the Comm, "Deal with yours and let's get out."
Alec watched as he walked into the room, he took a look and came in further to the room. Alec took a step forward, Black had his back to him and was staring out the window.
"Undermine I see someone at the front, get down there, now!" Alec had to act quickly. He turned round and bumped into Alec.
He slowly looked up at Alec who stared down at him.
"Boo."
He drop kicked him out of the window. The pane of glass shattering behind them as he fell out of the window in slow motion. Alec wordlessly used Expelliarmus and summoned his wand into his hand as the man fell out of the window.
He then used a Roparo charm. Snared his leg and abruptly pulled him up, resulting in a sharp cracking sound and a wail from him. Alec attached the rope to a hanging basket hook.
"You have a broken ankle." Explained Alec kneeling down. "Unless you want a dislocated one as well. I suggest you answer my questions. Understand?" The man went to spit at him, but it didn't have the legs and fell onto the grass below him.
Alec grabbed the rope and yanked it up, there was a loud popping noise followed by a scream. The man was now right in front of Alec.
"Well now we can work on breaking the tibia." Said Alec. "Ready to talk?" The man wailed in pain and nodded. Alec would to, broken and dislocated ankle while upside down with the blood rushing to his head, he would have to save his foot.
"You said that Murdoch wanted me to find Burns. Why!?" He groaned a little and spluttered. "Right, tibia wasn't it?" He pulled back his leg for the kick.
"No!" he grunted, "No, no." he breathed deeply.
"He wanted you to find it, he said, ah, he said it was part of his plan." He said lightly.
"What, plan?" asked Alec.
"He said, it to…" he breathed out deeply. "He said, to make your kingdom crumble…"
"Camelot." Said Alec. "So, is he the one imitating Leonard Burns." He didn't answer straight away.
"Come on."
"I don't know that." He said. "He said he was watching a special package, that he needed to be close to, so he might be, I don't know." He was telling the truth.
"So was this package a shipment from Asia?" asked Alec. "The one that Burns was expecting from Galveston?"
"I told you, I don't know." He said. "That's all he told me." So Murdoch's end game was this Camelot plan. He saw a file put the pages were missing from it. So it was defiantly important.
"Where is he hiding?" asked Alec. "Murdoch, I want to know!"
"I don't know where he is, he contacts us." The man said. His heart rate elevated and his pupils dilated. That was a lie. Alec got up and kicked the man's leg, resulting in more screaming and cracking.
"Now where onto the fibula." Said Alec. "Or I can go for the ligaments and tendons to prolong this further. The man began to whimper and cry. "I know what you said to me was a lie. I have a way before you ask. So, I'll tell ask you again. Where is he hiding!?"
"Look, I don't know where he is!" He shouted. "We find him using trinity triangles!"
"What are they?" asked Alec.
"There pieces of glass that show powerful concealing magic!" he said. "He never stays in one place, he contacts us and then we find him using them."
"Where's yours?" Asked Alec. The man gingerly reached into his pocket and pulled out the same boxes that Alec had found earlier on the house.
"Thanks." Said Alec swiping it from his grasp.
"You're, you're gonna let me go right?" he said.
"Yes." said Alec. "But you're going to leave this town and never come back."
"How the hell am I supposed to do that when I can't walk?" He asked. Alec got his wand and cut off a few hairs from the top of his head. He placed them in an evidence bag and put them in his coat pocket.
"Get a taxi." He cut the rope with his wand and he fell onto the floor with a thud.
"You could have warned me about that." Said Moody, "He almost squashed me."
"Sorry." Said Alec.
Alec walked out the room. Camelot was the plan he was putting into play, something that affected him directly, and what was this special package he was watching, something he needed to be close to. It could be very powerful. It could be a bomb, like the one that had destroyed that rig, maybe he was going to use it again somewhere else. He had to find out where he was. But if he continuously changed his location then tying him down will be more challenging than he thought. He walked out of the house to where Moody was waiting.
"Ok, let's get back before the cavalry arrives." A flash of blue light and they were gone.
The Marauders Proudly Present Alec Potter In: The Marauders Year One
Chapter Twenty Eight
Camelot
Written By Chambers10