Achtung, Baby! Part 1.

"Ash, could you bring me my phone, please?"

Silence in my very empty feeling apartment in Lyon.

Oh, right. It's only been a few days since Dad took her from me at my layover in Shannon airport, on my way to France, not saying much, only "I cannot allow Aisling's heart to continue to be broken like this. I will return her to you when you are ready to do the right thing by her."

Jacques had been pleased to see me back in France, insisting we have dinner and sample some classic wines before we discussed any pressing INTERPOL business.

We got to that bright and early the next morning, and I've still got a stack of reports I'm filling out in English and French, reviewing casework of junior agents, that kind of thing.

I'm finding it harder to concentrate than usual. Now that she's gone, I miss her so much. I wish...I wish she were human, or had been born as one of the Aes Sidhe, like the ones I met in Mag Mell. She just...we...we just can't. We used to keep the tension in check, just the two of us...but after such an extended stay in America, after my infatuation with Laurel...our perfect little world has been off kilter ever since. I'm always saying the wrong thing, apparently.

I picked up my phone from the wet bar myself and looked at the text message that had come in from Ciara Vogel. It was a bit more intel she had gathered using her powers of prophecy and a little help from her mother. The stuff was interesting but a bit cryptic, and would require further clarification once we met face-to-face.

It was actually a good thing Gunnar got married to Laurel when he did, because otherwise I'm not sure his dad would have helped out building that massive underground complex in Ohio the way that he did otherwise. The Eye has been safely transferred there and since arriving back to France I've felt more enthusiastic and full of life again. Receiving Ciara's text actually brightened my mood; Jacques' paperwork reminded me how dull regular mortal life is, and Ciara's text reminded me just how great the life of a Scion can be. The only thing that would have made it better is if Ash had been here to read it aloud to me.

*sigh*

Pardon the pun, but I do appreciate now more than ever how much she brightens my life.

I received another text from Ciara that brought me out of my sentimental fog and back to the present. She wanted to know the best place to meet. In addition to taking Aisling from me, Dad had given me a detailed map with an accurate depiction of the location of Wolfsheim, with the cautionary note that it won't be found on any modern maps. But from the look of it, this place was deep inside the Schwarzwald or Black Forest of Germany. By the look of it, our best option would be to meet at the Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (main train station) and pick an easy meeting place, like the platform for Track #1.

I looked up the SNCF train schedules and planned my route from Lyon to Stuttgart, with one connection in Strassbourg. I made the purchase from my smart phone. Time to gear up, grab my Interpol badge, and head out.

I called Ciara on her mobile phone to tell her to meet me at the platform for track one at the Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof. She acknowledged and we agreed on a meeting time.