"The riots have closed down the city, mein Frau," announced a jittery man, clicking his heels with a vigorous salute. Katherina removed a cloak from her shoulders and flicked the garment onto a stand beside her desk. She acknowledged the man, waiving him away with a quick movement of a finger. The doors slammed shut to her study covered in books and maps. Scrawl etched the sides of each country in Europe as string wove one major city to the next.

Katherina wove to a large wall studded with hundreds of books, stacked row upon row. She danced her fingers across the spine of one, gently tilting the top so that it slipped out of it's space with ease. The cover spread open revealing a pompous cigar neatly wrapped and nearly bursting from small, curled leaves.

The book cracked against the hardwood floor as she discarded the hollowed object. A small flame flicked alight from an impeccable lighter produced from her inner vest pocket. She strolled back to her seat inhaling deeply which sent the glowing tip of the cigar into a deep burn, like a raging fire being stoked.

The lighter flipped between her fingers, straight back into her vest. A heavy scent of spice and malt wafted against the hearth, spewing a calming musk that made her eyes heavy. Rings floated into the air above her lips touching the candle lit chandelier.

"I'd say that you never thought I could do it, did you?" she pondered pointing the cigar at the ceiling. "And here I am. Head of the house and carrying us to a wealthy and prosperous future. One that you turned your back on. One that mother could have had, had you the sense back then to do what was wrong."

"Talking to yourself again," said a voice, matched to an outline of a man who moved out from a darkened corner of the room.

"Oh, I didn't know anyone could just waltz in here," huffed Katharina.

"I'm not just anyone," stated Noah. "I am head of The Ministry."

"In London," she corrected with a nod. She tapped the end of her cigar and let the ashes fall onto the floor.

"Your devices worked," he notified. The sleek, oval object appeared on her desk as he moved his hand back into his coat pocket. Noah drew a seat to the opposite side of the table, drawing a pipe and box of matches.

"How archaic," giggled Katharina.

"More trusty than some mechanism that can break and rust if not cared for," said Noah, leaning back into the seat. "Wood is cheap. Oil, moderate if not pricey and gas is hard to come by these days."

"What makes you think this runs on any of those?" she questioned, leaning forward. Katharina allowed him the luxury of her hemmed lighter rotating slowly near the flame. The edges smoothed into an oval-like curvature then changed back as she rotated it once again. A smile stained her face.

"What are you doing here again?" asked Katharina.

"London is yours," said Noah.

"A simple message would have sufficed," she countered. Noah removed his hat and placed it before him.

"I thought it'd be better to inform you in person," said Noah. "It is quite a feat that I pulled off."

"Saying 'we' pulled it off would have been stretching it a little too far Noah," she chuckled. "Using 'I' is near breaking the nice, cushy spot I've made for you."

"You're almost threatening, Katharina," simmered Noah.

Noah stood from the desk, gathering his things and snuffed his pipe on a crystalline ashtray that rested near Katharina. She grabbed his wrist pulling him close so that her lips barely grazed his cheek.

"Play your part, Noah," Katharina warned. "The game you're trying to enter has no space for soft, little men such as yourself."

She eased his hand away as she settled back into her seat. Her eyes were wide, predator like, talking in even the subtlest of movements. Noah's face was blank, stern as it was when he had entered her quarters. A simple tilt of his hat ushered him out and he vanished in a crackling wisp.