Jake Shroud - Turn 4

With a snarl, he dropped to the ground and began a slow jog that quickly turned into a powerful run. Coming around the corner into Millbank, he kept the car in sight and pounded the pavement, keeping his head down as he charged past the few locals and tourists out on the streets.

The car slowed slightly as it passed Westminster Abbey on its left and the Houses of Parliament on its right, Mudskipper leaping over metal railings and darting through the shadows of the graveyard. He kept up with the car, managing to stay out of the pools of illumination being used to give the abbey an impressive night-time visage.

The black Jag was now heading around Parliament Square and turning off down Great George Street.

Darting through the traffic, Mudskipper powered around the corner and then slowed on seeing that the car had slowed right down. Thinking at first that he may have been spotted, he slunk deeper into the shadows before noticing that the car seemed to slowing almost to a stop directly across from the Government Offices.

The short bespectacled man came out from the main doors and trotted down the steps to turn right at the bottom. He looked to be in late forties and his suit showed him to be in the middle range of the civil service, neither a man with great power or a simple drudge.

The car started to move again and seemed to be keeping pace with the man as he crossed Horse Guards Road and strolled along Birdcage Walk with the mainly dark St.James Park on his right. Suddenly the car veered across the other lane of traffic and screeched up onto the pavement next to the man, two of the occupants getting out and moving up towards him.

Mudskipper could see a look of fear fall across the face of the man and after a moments hesitation, he darted through one of the gates into the park.

The two figures leapt over the park railings with amazing ease and Mudskipper ran back a short way along the Walk to avoid being spotted so that he could do the same.

When he caught up with the two figures he found them down amongst the bushes, the man led sprawled out across the ground with one of the figures at his neck.

Mudskipper's nostril's twitched at the familiar almost metallic smell of fresh blood in the air.

Watching from within the darkness, his experience in these matters told him that this what not a true feed and that the act was far more calculated. He quickly became certain that they were bringing this man close to 'blood death' and as anticipated, they stopped.

Picking the man up between them, the two figures whom Mudskipper was reasonably sure were both men, dragged him with them as if he were merely drunk and took him back to the car.

"One more vampire in the world," muttered Mudskipper as the car moved off.

Cassandra yawned and climbed out of bed, still impressed at the plush surroundings she had found herself in. Jake's second guest bedroom was certainly designed with a woman in mind. Alexander and Waldo had also agreed with the idea to stay over and she met the two of them already heading down to the smells coming from the kitchen.

Jake had certainly laid out a mighty spread.

"There's bacon, eggs (scrambled and fried)," he explained, "sausage, black pudding, beans, tomatoes, waffles, croissants (and a large selection of Harrods preserves), pan au chocolat, bagels (with a selection of fillings), fresh fruit, bread (toasted or fried- brown and white), a large selection of cereals, milk, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate."

Jake presented Waldo with the free plastic toy car from the Sugar Puffs, and announced, "It's so hard to find a top class breakfast around here, so I decided to learn how to cook myself. Still, I've got a long way to go before I get as good as Helene was."

Alexander is just commenting about how he shouldn't have gone to so much trouble when he noticed Mudskipper sat in one corner of the room.

Tipping his hat back, Mudskipper explained what he saw last night.

"…they dropped him off near Belgrave Square and he went into a flat there, No.4B and the name under the bell was 'Netherton'. I kept following the car and it seemed to keep doing the same circuit around Trafalgar Square, Marble Arch and Hyde Park Corner. Finally around eleven they picked up two young street girls in the mid teens at the Arch and drove them back to the house. I'm presuming they eat a late dinner at the house."

His last comment is lost on Cassandra who is still talking about the man they attacked. "You are serious aren't you," said Cassandra, "they like drank his blood and he now thinks he's also a blood sucker."

Mudskipper ignores her as Jake announces that they are going to try and get into the house at about 11:00 am.

"In my professional opinion I'd advise against it," declares Mudskipper, "as we have only had the house under surveillance for one evening so far, and have no idea of the daytime activities."

"Alright let's put it to the vote," says Jake and a show of hands shows Mudskipper is outvoted.

"Here give it to me," says Alexander, as he starts to put most of the gear inside the voluminous carryall he intends to stash in the boot of the Bentley. "The police tend to take a dim view of men with crossbows walking the streets of London, and a grown man carrying a 'Super Soaker 8000' might also be said to be courting attention. Not that the police would notice it being loaded with holy water… For long range christenings perhaps…"

He put the cross goes on a thong around the neck, whilst the fancy dagger he owns nestles comfortably in the hidden sheath sewn rather expensively into the casual jacket.

Cassandra offers the last of the silver crosses Alexander bought to Mudskipper. He looks at it with disdain and declares, "I think I'll rely on tried and trusted weaponry, thanks all the same." Picking up one of the crossbows he makes a show of professionally sighting along the length of the crossbow.

"You guys hide behind your crosses, this'll do me nicely and as for that thing," he adds pointing to Alexander's Super Soaker, "if you must insist on bringing that thing along, then use it wisely, small concentrated and accurate shots, don't waste it all by spraying the whole room."

Macho growling noises cause everyone's eyes to turn in the direction of Jake who is stood before a mirror. He has the samurai sword at his belt, with ten of the stakes around the back. The gun holster is across his chest whilst his face is hidden behind the fake 'tache and wig with sunglasses. An amulet and large crucifix hang outside his shirt and he is doing mock shots with the crossbow whilst mouthing macho expletives and one-liners at the mirror.

"Do you think he's cut out for this sort of thing?" mutters Waldo to Alexander.

"If he fails," Alexander hisses to Cassandra as they stand before the back door to the house, "It will be your job to try and get us through one of those upstairs windows."

"Have faith," declares Waldo as he brandishes a device that looks like a credit card sized calculator with three wires leading off. The wires end in sticky patches and Waldo attaches two of the wires to the lock. He punches some buttons on the calculator, and then pauses - like he was expecting something to happen.

He gives a brief guilty look at his companions, then repeats the button pushing.

Another pause.

"Are you sure you know what you are doing?" whispers Jake.

"Is that extra wire for anything?" points out Cassandra.

Slightly flustered, Waldo replies. "Yes I'm fine, just a few more seconds. The books said the third wire is for Fire, and this isn't a fire alarm we're doing you know!"

Buttons are punched once more.

Pause.

Suddenly sparks fly out of the key pad which quickly has a nice flame, melting the numbers of the keypad.

Waldo waves his hands and blows to put out the fire. The flames die, but before anyone can speak, there is a small click and the door swings open.

No alarms sound.

"There!" says Waldo, obviously relieved but trying to hide it, "told you I could do it."

Cassandra slips in through the now open door and after a few moments her head appears, "Come on!" she hisses and Mudskipper joins her, followed by the others.

"Well I bet these are worth quite a bit," comments Cassandra as she looks at the many paintings which cover the wood panelled walls.

There are scenes of Venetian traders, ancient building work and even renaissance paintings of greek mythology.

Moving across the plush if slightly worn carpet, Alexander peers at one of the paintings over the wide stairs that head upwards. It looks like a figure in black robes with its head bowed so that the face is not visible. At its feet are various old architect instruments whilst in its left hand it holds a world globe whilst in its right it holds a black marble pyramid. It looks like the figure is stood on a mosaiced marble floor but where this might be is impossible to tell as only the figure is dimly illuminated the painter having left everything else in shadow.

"This door's locked," reports Mudskipper having tried the one beneath the stairs.

"This isn't," hisses Jake as he carefully opens the first of two doors in the left hand wall of the hall which appears to run the length of the house.

Within he finds a small kitchen that has various modern devices amongst the very old styling. There is a large fridge freezer, washing machine and even a dish washer.

Cassandra has already moved down to the second door and discovered that the handle turns and she is able to push it open.

The room before her is quite large and contains many velvet cushioned chairs against the walls whilst three clothes racks stand against the far right wall. Hanging on the racks are many black robes with the design of a black triangle outlined with silver thread across the chests. There appear to be many different sizes of robes.

More paintings hang in this room and over the fireplace is a mounted scroll on which is written the words:

Alexander is with Waldo looking up the impressive stairway when the two of them hear a noise. Coming into view at the top of the stairs is a middle-aged man dressed in a dark suit and carrying a large tray of empty drinks glasses.

The two duck back to where Mudskipper is, the man not having seen them, his large drinks tray having obscured his view.

As far as they can tell he has not heard them.