'Hey man. Haven't heard from you in a few days. Everything alright?'

Seth felt like he had texted those words more than once to Dean's phone. Looking back in his log, he was proven correct. It wasn't like Dean to ignore a text, he was usually pretty good about making sure he responded. Maybe something was wrong with his phone, but Seth couldn't shake the feeling that something may be wrong. Then again, it could be nothing. Past experience, however, dictated that if it feels like something may be up, it usually was.

"Hey." He heard from behind him and he swiveled in his chair to face Nikki Bella. She handed him a file and he took it with a quick thank you. "You alright? You look like somethings eating at you."

He nodded, fully intending on brushing it off as nothing, but stopped himself. "I have been trying to text Dean for two days. He hasn't responded."

"Don't you guys keep tabs on him?" She asked with a laugh, causing Seth to roll his eyes. "Just pull up Romans little security system and look."

"He asked us to stop, so we did." Seth replied flatly.

"Then go over there." She offered and Seth mulled it over. Dean only lived about a half hour away so it would be nothing for him to pop by. He'd done it before. He gave her a quick nod and stood to leave. "You're going now?!"

He turned and looked at his watch. It was only 10am. Dean should be back from the gym. "Is there a reason not to go now?"

"Yeah, we have a meeting with Regal in 20 minutes about the chatter out of Russia." She said and he cursed. He forgot about that meeting. He couldn't miss it, Regal would be pissed. Besides, the threat out of Russia had been growing pretty steadily in the last month or two but no names had been deciphered in the coded chatterings of a few splinter cell Russian agencies. Seth assumed Regals plan would be to send in some agents, probably he and Nikki, to recon and assess. He'd been to Moscow before and never could bring himself to like it much. Personal preference. Paige was not going to be happy he was leaving again, but she knew the nature of the business they both worked for.

Seth couldn't miss that meeting because of a bad feeling, so he pushed it aside for now. He'd stop by after.

"Daddy, I'm scared."

He offered her a small, reassuring smile and pulled her closer to him as best he could with the limited movements his cuffed wrists provided. "I know, baby." He said, kissing her gently on the top of her head and she huddled into his chest.

Two days. They had been cramped on this sticky cargoship for two days with a bunch of sailors and armed men watching them round the clock. At least they didn't shove them in the brig like he had expected. No, Miz seemed to prefer to keep Dean where he could see him, keep an eye on him. Miz may be an asshole, but he wasn't stupid. He knew, if left to his own devices, Dean would easily think of an escape plan because that's how Miz remembered Dean, the agent who earned his codename. No, he was always within eyeshot of the Lunatic Fringe and his daughter.

Thankfully, they hadn't hurt either of them, preferring to keep them sitting together on the metal floor, against a corner wall, while everyone else bustled around them, going about their business. In fact, all things considered, they had been treated fairly well. He knew, had he not been holding a frightened six year old, that may have been different. His past experience with kidnappers wasn't exactly hunky dory. But, they were fed, offered blankets during the colder night hours, and even provided a few toys to occupy Evy. She ignored all of them, preferring to cuddle against her father or in his lap.

Dean held her close as she wrapped and unwrapped her fingers in his t-shirt, but he kept one eye on Miz. He had been watching the pair with interest this morning as he talked to some of the men he had brought with him as guards or muscle - Dean wasn't sure which. All he knew was that they were eying him differently. Something was up and it worried him. Knowing Miz, he wouldn't have to wait long to find out what that was. For now, they whispered in the corner, glancing at him here and there, planning, or plotting, something he was sure he wouldn't like.

"Where are we going?" Evy asked him quietly.

"Russia." He answered. Like her mother, there was really no point in trying to lie to her, even if it was to comfort. "Did you learn about Russia yet?"

She shook her head against him, pressing her ear to his heart. He wondered if the gentle thumping comforted her as she had been doing that pretty often. "Have you been there before?"

"Yes." He said simply. She didn't need to know that the last time he was in Moscow, he had been stabbed in the arm to protect Seth from a militant that they had shot moments before, one who they thought was dead, one who apparently wasn't. Roman had shot him in the head after Dean pushed him off. It was gruesome, the life he lived before Evy, and at the time, he lived for every second of it. Now? Now he would tell her stories of his exploits, leaving out the terrible things he and his partners had done. She got the Disney version of his life as an agent and she idolized him for it. Maybe it wasn't the smartest thing to do as a parent, but he was a single father with limited experience outside of being a spy. He simply did the best he could with what he had.

Evy tensed against his chest and he was drawn out of his musings. Someone approached him, but it wasn't Miz. It was a woman, one he had seen here and there walking about. She was tall and thin with black hair she kept in a braid down her back. She was definitely Russian, he could tell by the accent as she spoke. He assumed she was part of the ship's crew, but he couldn't be sure.

"Is she your daughter?" She asked in perfect English. He wasn't going to answer her at first, but her blue eyes seemed kind and a touch concerned. All he did was nod. "She looks like you...in the eyes." She continued with a sweet smile. Then she regarded Evy, who seemed to relax slightly against him. "I know the captain keeps some chocolate in his office. Would you like some?"

Evy hesitated, but she didn't seem scared of this woman like she had been with everyone else. And to Dean's surprise, rather than give her a yes or no answer, his daughter asked her own question. "What's your name?"

The woman's sweet smile widened, "My name is Anna, little one." Then she regarded Dean again. He was glaring at her and her smile seemed to falter slightly. He didn't trust her sweet smile or caring nature. He knew everyone had an ulterior motive and he wondered what hers might be. "What are you doing?" He asked her, skeptical of her kindness.

"It is a long trip to Russia." She answered, the smile still present. "For anyone, let alone a child. I just want to make her more comfortable." Then she squeezed his arm slightly, reassuringly, comfortingly before looking back at the child in his arms. "I will see what I can do about that chocolate, yeah?"

Then she stood and walked away, but not before winking at him. He sighed and rested his head back against the hull. "I like her." Evy said from his lap.

"Don't trust anyone on this ship except me." He stated more harshly than he had anticipated. He didn't want her getting comfortable with anyone, not even the pretty Russian lady who offered her chocolate.

She tensed up again in his lap and rightfully so. Dean glanced down as Miz pulled up a chair and flipped it around so he could straddle it as he looked at Dean. He was smiling, which probably wasn't a good thing. "I wonder, Lunatic," he began, an insult playing on his lips as he spat the word lunatic. "How rusty are you? I mean, you've been out of the game for six years, right? Can you still fight like I remember?"

Dean didn't respond, but intensified his glare as he began to realize what Miz was hinting at.

Miz seemed to wait for an answer, hoping to goad Dean into saying something he would probably regret. When that didn't happen, he pressed further. "You were always pretty good at hand to hand fighting, maybe even one of the best. I guess being a street dog will do that to you. Have you kept up with that skill?"

"My daddy can kick your butt!" Evy perked up from his lap and glared at Miz, mirroring his own intenseness.

"Evy!" He scolded, trying to reel in his angry daughter.

She ignored him as she slipped out of his arms and tried to get at Miz, who was laughing at this point. "You're a bad man! My daddy beats up bad guys like you!"

"Evy! No!" Dean somehow managed to get a hand around her arm and pulled her back toward him, holding her there the best he could with his cuffed hands.

"She definitely is your child." Miz laughed, "An instigator, just like her father. Do you remember the time we fought in training and you left me bleeding on the floor after two minutes? I thought I was pretty good back then, but I was nothing against the scrapper from the streets of Cincinnati. I wasn't used to street dog tactics, but I've gotten much better."

"Just spit it out, Miz!" Dean snapped, tired of this beating around the bush crap. "What are you getting at?"

Miz sighed, happy with himself that he had finally gotten a reaction out of Dean. "The boys and I are bored. We're proposing a little rematch."

It was Dean's turn to laugh, "You want me to fight you? Because you're bored? No."

"Kick his ass, daddy!" Evy snapped next to him and his head shot to look at her.

"Evy! Where did you learn that?"

"Uncle Seth."

Miz laughed loudly, "Your buddy is a bad influence."

"Regardless, I'm not fighting you."

Miz shook his head, "I thought you'd say that."

Miz motioned to a few men standing off to the side and they immediately advanced toward him. Dean knew what they were going to do and he didn't want Evy to see them grab him and force him. So he held up his hands and they stopped moving, "Stop!"

"Change of heart?" Miz asked with a grin.

"What about my daughter?" He asked.

"You don't want her to see her daddy beaten down?" Miz countered with a chuckle.

"I'll watch her." Anna, the sweet woman with the black hair said suddenly. No one had even seen her approach, but there she was, eyeing Miz angrily.

Miz grinned wider, "It's settled then!"

Anna held out her hand for Evy, but Dean turned her to look at him first. "Do you remember what I told you about fighting?"

She nodded. "Don't do it."

"Forget that." he said. "If it comes down to it, fight, run, and hide. Do you understand?"

Again she nodded just as they lifted him to his feet. He pushed her gently toward Anna and nodded his thanks to her as she took Evy by the hand and led her away. He kept his eyes on her for as long as he could before he was sucker punched in the jaw, sending him crashing to the floor. "Told you I learned a few things." Miz said as he shook out his right hand.

The men around him laughed and Dean rubbed the sore spot. "You aren't even going to uncuff me are you?"

"Think of it like a handicap." Miz answered. "C'mon, you're Dean Fricking Ambrose! This should be nothing for you to handle."

Miz went to kick Dean in the face, but the Lunatic Fringe managed to catch his boot and twist, sending Miz off balance. He pulled himself to his feet quickly and, balling both hands into one tight fist, he swung down on the left side of Miz's face. He fell to the floor and Dean put a foot on the back of his neck to hold him there. "Looks like I beat my own two minute record."

Miz growled from his prone position and got an arm wrapped around Dean's ankle, twisting awkwardly. He cried out at the sudden strain and released his foot. Miz capitalized quickly and, once on his feet, launched himself into Dean's midsection, knocking them both into cargo boxes stored off to the side and the wind from his lungs. He had no time to recover as Miz was on top of him, landing punch after punch to the side of Dean's head. He managed to get his cuffed hands up to protect his face, but Miz was relentless. Somehow he got a foot up and kicked Miz in the back of the head, sending him tumbling off of him and giving him a much needed chance to regroup. He could feel blood dripping from his nose, which was confirmed when he wiped it away with the back of his hand.

Miz rubbed his head and shook out his hazy brain before laying eyes on Dean again. "Well, maybe you aren't as rusty as I thought."

Dean pulled himself to his feet just as Miz lunged for him again. This time he kept his footing and landed two handed blows to his opponents back, trying to drive him to his knees. But Miz pushed him back until he connected with the wall behind him. With one hand in Dean's shirt, he reeled the other back with every intention of punching him square in the nose. Dean managed to slide out of the way and Miz's knuckled connected with the metal hull. He screamed and clutched at what was now probably a broken wrist.

Dean used the distraction to kick up with his knee to the man's groin. The broken wrist now forgotten, Miz doubled over in agony, clutching his bruised manhood.

"Never underestimate a street dog." Dean said with a grin before pushing Miz over. It didn't take much effort.

Evy ran to him and he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her up as her little arms clutched onto him tight. She was crying, but holding up surprisingly well. "I'm ok, baby." He said, kissing her.

"I'm ok."

Who doesn't want to knee Miz in the Balls? Thanks for all the reviews! No Lie, you all are awesome. Keep 'em coming!