The Yanks are here

Harold sat atop the throne with the usual bad humour and distracted look on his face, he hated these receptions. Today was worse as he would have to deal with some simpleton from the Americas presenting his credentials or some such. Apparently he was the new U.S. Ambassador, they were all rejects from Britain anyway, he thought to himself. At the moment there was a display of Native American dancing as a prelude to the actual presentation of warrants. The last beat of the drum sounded and the Native Americans whooped and they were finished, finally he thought. The British Foreign Secretary made a short speech, talking up relations, and finishing with overly enthusiastic words of pride of the King and the Empire. Even Harold cringed as the old fool waffled on, he would have to replace that fool before he sells Wales for a bag of beads and a handshake.

The American rose from his seat and waked to the podium and straightened his papers, it was going to be a long speech, Harold groaned inwardly.

"Your Highness, Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen. It gives me great pleasure to be here to present His Majesty, King Harold the First, my warrants of office as the U.S. Ambassador to Britain. There has been a long and sometimes interesting history between the U.S. and Britain. I hope that we are on track to deliver more of the same in the years to come. My wife and daughters are excited about the new adventure before us." Harold say bolt upright at the Ambassadors mention of daughters, he looked over the reception looking for. He finally saw them, one was a babe no more than five, but the older one, no there was the real prize. Thirteen years old and looking very bored, of course, how delightful. He would have to speak to his man and get him to organise a special audience just for that beautiful, sweet little morsel. The droning of the Ambassador had ceased and he was staring at Harold intently.

"Yes, yes, welcome Mr. Ambassador." He stood and moved to receive the warrants in the man's hand, but the man didn't let then go for a moment as he looked deep into Harold's soul. Harold was quite shocked and almost took a step back. The American finally allowed Harold to take the warrants and pass them to the aide. The American glared again and turned away from the King before he shook the man's hand and did not wait for the gathered press to take the obligatory photos. 'What a rude man.' Harold mumbled to himself. He returned to the throne and was immediately immersed in thoughts about the young American girl. He looked up from the booklet in front of him and looked straight into the eyes of the Ambassador, his scowl worthy of a man of his stature and experience. Harold looked away instantly and blushed with embarrassment.

The new Ambassador to Britain, James Potter, sat at his desk and considered the way the official presentation went. He watched the British King, and if he was totally honest with himself, found the man to a letch and a disgrace. The way he was leering at Potter's daughter was disturbing and just completely wrong. Potter was reconsidering his decision to bring his daughters to Britain, it was supposed to be an educational experience. New schools and the exposure to a culture that had been at the forefront of technology and cultural development for over a thousand years. But watching that ugly man during the ceremony had put serious question marks over the plan. He put the concerns to the back of his mind for the moment, he had an enormous amount of correspondence to wade through, and perhaps he was just being paranoid.

Harold went immediately to his private office and made a phone call, he had an important mission to organise. He replaced the receiver and three minutes later a very ordinary looking man entered through a door that only he used. August Steiner had grown up in the shadows of the debauched Have's and as he grew he watched and learned, it was an education that few would get, or for that matter, even want. By his teenage years he discovered that he had a talent for disposing of unwanted problems. It didn't matter who or what, it didn't matter the sex or the age, the only thing that mattered was that moment where the problem ceased to be a problem. He was the ultimate problem solver and he took great pride in his job, and over the years he had refined and expanded his repertoire of skills and abilities. Now he was the King's Hatchet man.

"Your Majesty." He said in his usual deep voice, causing Harold to jump.

"Steiner, how many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up on me?" Steiner simply bowed and apologised. "Did you watch the American Ambassadors ceremony this afternoon?"

"Of course. It was interesting to say the least." He replied.

"You know what I want?" Harold asked.

"Of course your Majesty, though I must warn you, this will be an extremely dangerous contract. I have very little information on the U.S. Embassy's security arrangements."

"I care little for your short comings, I want the contract fulfilled by the end of the week." Harold said, turning back to whatever he was doing at his desk. It was clear that Steiner was dismissed.

Steiner cocked his head as he turned to leave, he thought he had heard something that should not be there. But as he listened, the sound was not repeated. If there was a spy in the room, he would have heard them, no one was that quiet. He went to his doorway and disappeared into the maze of tunnels and access ways that wound through the walls and cellars of the palace. This would be a difficult task, and one that he would have to be extremely careful about. If there was even the slightest miscalculation, the whole rock wall would come crashing down on his head. He slipped back into his hideaway and sat in the well-worn leather chair that he had acquired some fifteen years before, not long after the King became his primary benefactor. As he sat there the list of requirements started to scroll through his mind. He would have to rethink the list several times to ensure that he didn't miss anything.

Across the city, a man sat in a darkened room and considered what he had just heard, it seemed to suggest that the King had ordered a contract for something on the Americans with his favourite psychopath. It only took a moment to decide to pass the information on with the highest security rating. He wrapped the tape in a special bag and placed it on the floor in front of him. He mumbled a few phrases and the bag disappeared. The bag reappeared in the office of the Chief Battle Mage, Dante Gregory. The Mage saw the bag and immediately rushed to check the contents, his man would not send something with such urgent methods unless there was something that needed immediate attention. He pulled the recording tape from the bag and went to the player in the corner of the room. Carefully threading everything on the right cogs and wheels, he sat on the stool next to it and listened to the voices on the tape. It only took a moment before he was removing the tape and rushing to the Master Mages office.

Merlin heard the small knock at his door and called for the visitor to enter, he never ignored a fellow Mage or Apprentice that needed his advice.

"Ah, Dante, it has been an age, what can I do for you?" He asked the Battle Mage.

"Merlin, I have just received this from the listening post I set up to receive recording from Harold's office. You NEED to hear this." He explained, and the look on his face made Merlin sit up and take note. Merlin indicated the player next to his desk and Dante rushed over and carefully rethreaded the tape. As they both listened, the Master Mage's face flushed with extreme anger, this fool was going to start a world war if he continued down the path he was clomping along in his boots.

"Alright, your decision to come to me was an excellent one. I will deal with the matter as a matter of high urgency. Please pass on my regards and congratulations to your man. This was excellent work." He said his goodbyes and the moment the Mage was out of his office he started to think of ways to foil this stupid and ill-conceived plan of Harold's.

A day later Potter was opening his daily mail when he noticed a letter that was unopened and bore the mark of the Mages Academy here in Britain. As the correspondence that the Academy was protected by all manner of enchantment and spells, he knew that this was a letter for him and him alone. He slit the top open with his opener's blade and took out the missive that resided in the envelope. The letter was written in the most impeccable copper plate he had ever seen. It read:

Dear Mr. Ambassador.

It is with great concern that I write to you this day. By methods that shall remain secret, the Academy leadership has become aware of a plot to cause you and your family injury or even death.

I urge you to immediately make arrangements to safeguard your family and your own person. Please know that the academy will do everything in its power to derail this sinister action.

Please take immense care.

Yours in trust and friendship.

Merlin.

Master Mage.

Potter sat there in complete shock, who in their right mind….. His thought was broken immediately as the thoughts from the ceremony returned to the forefront of his mind. Immediately his temper was snapped and the furious anger he held in tight check exploded forth. He threw his letter opener at the wall and it stuck, buried up to the handle, he looked around for something else to throw, but everything else was too important to risk damaging. This was a positive thing as it allowed Potter to calm enough to consider the letter's warning with a clear and clinical mind. He grabbed the letter and placed it in his coat pocket as he departed his office for the safe room that every Embassy had. It was a given that the host country would wire the buildings for sound, so the safe rooms were vital to the safe conduct of Secret business.

Potter walked briskly down the hallway that lead to the secure comms room, his temper had ebbed and he was back in control of his emotions. If he was to deal with this matter properly, he needed to act professionally and divorce his emotions from the situation. An incredibly difficult task given the target of the threats. He stopped and knocked on the heavily re-enforced door, there was a spy hole that would let the attendant know who was outside wanting entrance. After a few seconds the sound of several locks clicked and clacked as they were opened. When the door opened he walked in and the door was closed behind him immediately.

"When was the last sweep, Corporal Dunne?" He demanded.

"I just completed the morning sweep Sir, all clear." As the young Marine informed Potter of the security status, Lieutenant Colonel Xavier Martinez walked into the room from the radio room.

"Sir, how are you?" He asked Potter.

"We have a real problem Colonel." Martinez's face hardened and stepped closer to the Ambassador. Potter took the letter from his coat pocket and handed it to the Colonel. As he read his features became harder and his eyes cold.

"Alright, Sir we need to get you and your family to safety before the perpetrators have a chance to act. I suggest we lock down the Embassy and send home any of the civilian staff on site." He suggested.

"I want to inform Washington of the threat and see what they suggest. I do not intend to discount your advice, I am confident that we will do exactly what you suggest. But we must follow procedure." The Colonel nodded his understanding and led Potter to the radio room.

I want a secure line to Washington, The president's office. Immediately." He ordered. The operator looked at him for a moment before responding.

"Sir the relay ship will be back on line in four minutes, until then we have no way to completely secure comms."

"Very well," he snapped. "As soon as it is in place I want to speak to President Roosevelt." The young man turned back to his equipment and listened for the highly encrypted message that would indicate full security had been restored.

Three impossibly long minutes later, the comms operator indicated that the lines were now encrypted and ready to be used. He pushed a number of buttons and entered a code on the small keypad to his right and then looked at the Ambassador.

"The White House is on the line, Sir." He stood up and gave Potter his chair. Potter nodded his thanks to the young man and sat down.

"This is Juliet Papa zero one. Priority Zulu communications." He said into the mike.

"Roger Juliet Papa zero one, hold one." Came the response. About a minute later another voice came over the headset.

"James, Old friend. What has got you so het up at this hour of the night?" The President asked.

"Sir, my sincere apologies for interrupting your evening, but we have a Priority One threat and I wanted to inform you immediately."

"Please don't apologise James, I have known you too long to think you would make frivolous contact." Roosevelt replied. "What is the situation?"

"Sir, I have received correspondence from a very secure source that there is a major threat to my family and myself. Putting together the warning and other suspicions, I am confident that the threat comes from within the Royal Household." He explained.

"And you are completely sure about your information?"

"Yes Sir, the source is unimpeachable." He replied.

"What do you want to do, James?" Asked the President.

"I think it best to vacate the Embassy and get my family out of London, preferably somewhere under U.S. control."

"What is the current status of warships in the area?"

"Sir, Colonel Martinez has just given me a note informing me that the New England and her tenders are on a goodwill visit to Spain. They can be off the coast in six hours."

"Alright, James, I will leave this one in your capable hands, but be damn sure about your information. I don't want to be smoothing over an incident with the British if you are over-reacting." The warning was clear, but Potter was more than sure about the veracity of the Intelligence.

"Thank you Sir, I will keep you up to date with everything as soon as possible." Potter confirmed. "Good night Sir."

"Goodnight James, and good luck."

James Potter sat back and sighed heavily, what the hell was going on here? Britain was supposed to be a solid friend and ally of the United States, not a standing threat.

"Alright Colonel, get the New England under way and prepare for an emergency evacuation." The Colonel saluted the Ambassador and left the room. He got up and walked out of the secure area, but, before he left he wrote a note on a piece of blank paper on the desk in the outer office.

Unnoticed by the Embassy guards, a ragged looking old man was leaning up against a wall across the street from the Embassy watching the building through hooded but steely clear eyes. Steiner saw a man walking across to the garage and opening the door, it was an unexpected movement. He had access to all the Ambassadors movements for the next three days and he knew that any changes boded ill for his contract. But the man seemed to take something from the front seat and return to the building proper without stopping. The fool probably forgot his communicator, amateurs, he thought. He slowly staggered upright and wandered off down the street, his gate unstable and indicative of severe alcohol dependence. No one bothered with the preponderance of homeless and drunkards that infested the streets of London these days.