Unofficial Portkey Archive

Prince of The Dark Triangle

Details, descriptions, items and characters of the Harry Potter series are the sole property of J.K.Rowling, et al and used only within the context of this story and my not be otherwise reprinted, sold, or used for any other purpose. Original characters and plot are mine and my not be used in any other {for profit} form without permission…

Chapter 9

Hermione spent the next morning in the weight room and practice arena. It was a large space with a padded floor, plenty of exercise equipment, training tools, weapons and fighting toys any good fast response team could want to keep themselves in top condition.

She really needed to let off some steam. Her little game of cat and mouse with their Muggle target drove home two very annoying details.

The first…Hermione Granger had become a solitary creature. She let no-one in because the only thing worse than losing someone she loved was the thought of having to go through it again, so she didn't let anyone get close to her heart.

Second, as a result of the first detail, she had not had any intimate contact with the opposite sex in over three years…and it was starting to take its toll. If she was going to be brutally honest with everyone around her she needed to do the same with herself. The truth was…she needed to get laid. Tobias had been right. She needed to let her hair down if only long enough to have a really good shag.

But Hermione had never been the type of girl to just go out and pick up some stranger in a bar and drag him home. Doing something like that these days, even if she was inclined - which she wasn't, could get her dead so that kind-of negated the whole quick pick-up shag thing.

Turning to her own people was completely out of the question! The quickest way to destroy moral and undermine her authority was to play favorites. She treated all her team members exactly the same with an equal amount of importance. Even though she was very close to Tobias Fox and considered him her right hand he was, as she was constantly reminding him, just another member of her staff.

To his credit he made no qualms about it but she knew…if she let her guard down around him for just a minute…but the damage it would cause just wasn't worth it.

So…that left her no discernable options in the getting physical department and it was rather depressing for her to think about…so most times, she just didn't!

As she took some rather deep pent up and repressed frustrations out on a heavy punching bag her mind drifted to the Muggle security guard.

What was it about him that was so… she searched her mind for the right word as she attacked the bag with two solid left jabs and a brutal right hook that had the power to shatter a big man's jaw.

Attractive?

No…not really. He wasn't ugly but he wasn't drop dead gorgeous either. He was fairly attractive in a rather regular sort of way. It was easy to tell he had a great body. Not power lifter big just well toned and lumpy in all the right places. That idea made her grin as she landed a roundhouse kick to the center of the bag and sent it spinning off in a big circle.

Magnetic?

Possibly. He certainly possessed his share of magical energy but that was just due to the fact he didn't know he even had it or how to use it.

But there was something else - something that was below the surface. Something had passed between them besides the blatant physical attraction and desire. It was something in his eyes.

Hermione decided to switch to one of the weight machines and hit the stations hard. After that she hit the squat rack pulling back on the weight just a bit because she had no spotter. She did just enough reps to get a good burn in her thighs and glutes.

By late morning her teams had all checked in so, after a quick shower and a light lunch she called for a briefing in the Situation Room to discuss the plan for taking down the Muggle early the following Tuesday morning.

She peered around the table to see everyone was present and sitting straight paying close attention.

This is what these people lived for. Her team of professionals was the best of the best and she had complete confidence in every one. When deployed in the field they were all business and as deadly a fighting force as any in the world.

They had become like a very tight knit family over the seven years they've been together. No-one else got in unless it was a unanimous decision and they were always included in the decision making process when it came to field work.

They knew their stuff so most of the time Hermione simply laid out the situation, sat back and let her team flesh out the details.

There was no mistake. The S. O. U. had a very clear chain of command. What the Director said was law…period! No-one argued…no-one questioned. What made it easy for everyone was that they were certain their Director would never ask them to do anything she wasn't willing to do herself and in many cases already had. They had a very great respect for her because of that.

Tobias was second in command and undisputed field commander. What he said during Ops was a direct order and would be carried out without question. The fact that he cared very much for these people spoke volumes about his command. He had no problem letting them make their own decisions based on what they were facing at that moment but what he would not tolerate, and neither did Hermione, was stupid heroics and going it alone. They were a team and they watched each-other's backs at all times. No-one went it alone if they didn't have to and that was an S.O.U. golden rule. You break it…you're out! It was that simple.

It didn't mean command didn't listen to its members. Most times she relied on her people's intuition, skills, knowledge and training to get them through even the toughest assignments but she never let them stray very far from the pack. Loosing even one of them would be like looking an appendage and for her, she would rather loose an arm…it would hurt her a hell of a lot less.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen," she said, leaning forward on her arms, "Here's what we've got. As you already know from our last meeting we have a 29 year old Muggle that has been tagged as a possible threat stemming from the fact that he possesses a very large amount of repressed magical power."

"We have learned the Ministry, or at least some within, call these untrained magical Muggles Latents. The man we have identified as Byron Humbolt is apparently one such Latent."

"After personally evaluating the situation I can attest to the fact that this Muggle does indeed possess a significant amount of power and it is in my opinion he is indeed a threat…so we're going to take him."

All her team looked around at one another, some keeping their expressions even while others grinned slightly.

"Now I realize the whole snatch and grab thing really isn't in our job descriptions but I don't want to wait. If this guy goes off he could hurt a lot of people. I'm asking you all to go a little out of your areas of expertise but I'm confident you can handle this Op without any trouble."

Hermione looked around the table for any hint of descent but detected none. It was uncomfortable taking someone against their will or knowledge. It smacked of the very thing they were created to prevent but this was a special case that came at them from way out in left field.

"Does anyone feel uncomfortable about this?" She asked watching everyone, "If you do now's the time to speak up. I will not hold it against anyone who wishes to bow out because I know this isn't the kind of thing you signed up for but as I explained, I feel it is necessary for Muggle public safety."

"We trust your judgment Director," Thaddeus Hudson replied looking confident. Everyone else nodded.

"What's going to happen to him after we take him," Saphron asked.

"I've not decided yet," Hermione answered honestly, "Proper procedure would be to hand him over to the Ministry for evaluation and possible training but I'm not sure I'm willing to play it that way. I think you are all, by now, well aware of my position on proper Ministry procedure so I'll let that little tidbit float in the air above this table for now."

Everyone laughed at that. Hermione couldn't help but grin herself.

"Tobias will lay out the plan. We will be operating in Muggle London in broad daylight during the busiest time of the day…morning rush so let's please keep that in mind…Tobias."

Her Number One stood up and proceeded to lay out the plan. A standard cover perimeter would be set up with two teams, one for misdirection cover, the other for perimeter watch. Some thought the perimeter watch was a bit of overkill since the whole Op should only take a few minutes to execute but Hermione was insistent.

"I'm not leaving our flanks unprotected out in the open people, even for a single second," she stressed, "that's simple recon one-oh-one!"

"She's right ladies and gentlemen," Tobias agreed, "with all the attacks in the Muggle world at present it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't have someone watching us for any kind of movement out of cover. It's what I'd do if I were on that side of the fence."

It was a sobering realization for all of them.

The other two teams would be in tight on the target but would not intercept unless there was need. No more than 25 yards distance in a box formation and ready to move in at the first sign of a struggle.

"The Director will make the grab…" when some of her team motioned to protest Tobias held up his hand, "Look, this bloke is going to be scared enough as it is. While I myself am not all that thrilled with this arrangement," he tossed a rather annoyed look at his Director, "I have to agree with the Director that since he has seen her and will probably recognize her there is much less chance he will try to rabbit but the in-close teams," he pointed at them, "keep a weathered eye peeled, savvy?"

They nodded readily.

"We're in…we're out! No messing about. Once the snatch is made, perimeter teams will stay for no more than 60 seconds for back out evaluation, copy that?"

The perimeter teams both nodded.

"Any sign of trouble radio in straight away, if for some reason you can't make contact you know the drill."

The drill, in case any team member was caught in a bad situation they were to portkey to a predetermined safe zone somewhere in Greater London and call in. They changed the safe zone at random intervals to keep anyone from knowing where they might be at any given time.

Hermione alone chose the safe zones and issued the portkeys.

"The Muggle will be placed into confinement until the Director decides what to do with him. He's going to be scared and quite possible very unstable so no contact unless approved by either myself or the Director. Don't want anyone getting hurt by this lad. Everyone understand the plan and their assignments?"

Nods from the entire team.

"Very well," Tobias said looking toward the Director, "I think were ready boss."

"Excellent," she stood gathering her notes and papers, "and as always people, let's keep our eyes open and heads on a swivel!"

The last part was joined in by everyone in the room. It made Hermione smile that her little send off had become mantra for her team. It was just her way of keeping them focused on the basics. She had thought about constant vigilance to pay homage to one of the bravest men she had ever known but she thought the crusty old bastard would approve.

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