Mystery and Misdirection

James was looking down at his notepad waiting for River Song to begin telling her tale but a long silence followed after last words. He looked up finally to see what was wrong. His gaze locked with River Song and time stilled for a moment as he looked back in time.

River Song was dressed in the same blue dress with hoop ear rings that glowed as she sang with her children Tom and Morgan in the same room homeschooling them in The Song and mathematics. The song language flowed from her voice in high and lows as she instructed them between both subjects.

Musical melodies floated above their heads along side mathematical symbols of algebra formulas. The boys stared up at the formulas with deep focus on their faces as their mother coached them into singing along with her harmonizing their voices with her own taking in the knowledge as game and joy of learning. There were only two open books on the table between both boys but the instruction was the action of singing.

It was mid day when a loud banging was at the door and interrupted River Song's voice bringing the lesson plan to a quick end.

River Song looked up and the glow to her rings faded until they looked normal. She frowned at the door. She started to turn toward the door to answer it but it was kicked open by heavy foot. The boys got up and took positions in front of their mother aiming their ebony wands at the entrance of the home.

A man with dark hair and jade aqua blue eyes walked into the home wiping his mouth roughly with the back of his hand. He blinked wildly shaking his head and put on a smile on his face and licked his lips.

The world seemed to shift a little but righted itself. The man approached dressed in dark gray suit. "River Song. I need the staff honey. It's important. Where is it?"

"Archer is going to give you the money he owes you today. Relic. Please just wait-"

"Show me where the Staff is honey. Right now." Relic said in an echoing voice.

River Song shook physically as her body seemed like it was turned toward the direction of the clock. She was forced to do so.

Relic nodded his thanks to her and proceeded to the grand father clock. The boys started for him but he pointed a finger at the them. "Stay put little puppies. Guard your mother." He said in the same voice.

The twin boys froze in place. River Song could only watch frozen herself as Relic proceeded to the clock and tried examine the face of it. He tried a series of knocks and even sang a little to the clock nothing worked.

Relic took out his wand and started tapping it lightly examining it for any signs of movement. Nothing. He sighed standing up. "How do I open it to the basement space?"

"I don't know." River Song said.

"How do I open the door to this safe. Tell me the truth." Relic said in raising.

"She doesn't know." Archer said from the open door way. Relic came away from the door to the dinning room to see Archer and his grandfather staring at him.

Archer held up a brown paper bag. "I have the money I borrowed from you with interest like you asked."

"Open the door to the clock and give me the staff." Relic commanded.

Archer stiffened but he rolled his shoulders. "Take the bag and please leave my home Relic." He asked.

Relic stared at him and started to speak but the grandfather took the paper bag from Archer walked toward Relic and when he was close he threw the bag toward Relic's chest. Relic caught it in the air and frowned at the older man.

"Marcus. This isn't any of your business. I'm the leader here. I say what's best for the tribe and Archer owes me what he owes me. He's past due a a day."

The Staff appeared in the elder man's hand and then he held out to Relic in his palm. "Take it then." Marcus said.

"Give me the Staff Elder." Relic demanded in an echoing voice.

"I said, take it." Marcus said. "Your a man. The leader of this tribe and you certainly got the power to take from the hands of short ancient old fart like myself.

Take it from palm right now."

Relic smiled walking forward and reached for the staff and stopped. He glanced at Archer and down at the long club in his hand. "You planning on doing something with that?"

"Take the Staff and the money but if you touch my grandfather. I'll kill you. You have a right to what your owed take every bit of item in this house for yourself I don't give a damn but I'll kill if you touch any member of my family in This house."

Relic laughed shaking his head and took the staff then head for the door. He paused and put a hand on Archer's shoulder. "This all for the best. You need to trust me. I'm doing this for all of you. One day you will forget all this when things are less heated and everything will be-"

Archer shoved him a side spat on him. "Get the hell out of my house. I ain't forgetting shit. You need to remember what I said. Take the staff and the money and never show yourself in front of my family again. You come near my woman or anyone apart of my family again. I'll kill you."

Relic got to his feet glaring at Archer. "This ain't about me. I'm trying to save you. We're brothers. That staff is going to get you and my sister's kids killed. This is the third time you've asked me for money for your damn rent."

"ENOUGH!" Archer yelled. "Take the Staff and the money and get the hell out. If you need anymore money I'll sell every piece of shit I got in my house but you ain't welcome here on near my family anymore." He said picking up the Staff and shoving it into Relic's hand.

The world shifted again. A second later Relic was gone and the Staff was on the floor. Archer took the Staff back to his grandfather giving it to him.

"You see. He isn't all that bad. He took the money." Marcus said.

River Song held her daughter in her arms. While her two sons hugged her each side of her waist.

James blinked coming out of the vision. He stepped back. Angus caught him before he fell. James took hold of Angus' arm pulling him closer to him and gave him a look when he knew he was out of view of the Walkers.

Angus saw it and he winked at James in acknowledgment. "You alright son? Mr. Walker said Mrs. Walker thought it better to show you a vision of her past. She has a formality with the back sight from personal study and experience. Did you see the past event she was talking about?"

James nodded staring only at Angus' eyes. "I did. I think a man named Relic maybe connected to all this." He said squeezing Angus' forearm.

Angus nodded and turned putting his back toward James keeping him behind him. "Whose this Relic? Where can I find him?"

Archer frowned. "He's the leader of my tribe in this area. We had a falling out. He mentioned to one of his friends about my family's staff this became a problem after a while especially sense I owed him money and-"

"-So that should be enough right." River Song asked suddenly toward Angus but she tried to look past him to see James' face.

"Thank you. We'll be on our way. We shall be on our way then and handling your case and eliminating your problems." Angus said.

"Wait." River Song said. "I think there is -"

James took a hold of Angus went into apparition. Seconds later they were back home James quickly hurried to the den to the fireplace. Angus followed behind him saying nothing.

"Dad. I'm going to need you to record everything that I say but I want you to wait until I call up Mom."

Angus nodded. "I got you. While your calling up your mother I'll review over my own notes and look through my records to get a feel for who we're going to look up first." He said and turned to go to his library.

"Dad." James said.

Angus paused looking back his son. He didn't say anything.

James stared at the fire place. "I-I'm not sure what is real or what the truth is in this case. Something is wrong about this case. No everything is wrong about this case. I'm not sure what's real." He said.

Angus nodded. "We'll figure it out as we go along. Call your mother up."