"So what's the weather like outside?" Margo asked.

"It's snowing." Ben said.

"Nothing new." Sven added.

"Bane still hasn't said anything about letting me go, has he?" She asked hopefully.

"Even if he did," Ben said, "he wouldn't tell us. The only person he'd tell is Barsad."

"So Barsad is kind of a big deal, huh?" Margo inquired, "What is he, like, the second in command?"

"Yep, Bane gives the orders, Barsad delivers them and makes sure people do what they're supposed to, otherwise…" Sven made a cutting motion across his neck.

"Oh," Margo breathed, "Has Barsad ever killed anyone?"

The two guards shared glances and snorted, "Who do you think blew the person that was in here before you's brains on the walls? Barsad killed him because Bane told him to."

"Really?" Margo asked, "I just can't picture him killing someone."

Sven chuckled, "Then you obviously don't know Barsad."

After a while of silence, Margo could suddenly hear something from the other side of the door. Music. Some kind of metal music that her friends in high school used to listen to. Sven and Ben exchanged glances and Ben said, "He's at it again."

"Who?"

"Barsad, he's working out. The guy's a beast." Ben explained, "Maybe not as hard core and ripped as Bane, but I sure wouldn't pick a fight with him."

Sven opened the door to the room and said, "Here come see."

"I thought you weren't supposed to do that." Margo said, eying the open door suspiciously.

"Bane's not here today, he's doing something up in Gotham." Sven sad, and then at her worried look he specified, "And no, not the stock market, Barsad would be with him if that was going down."

Margo cautiously stepped out of the room and leaned on the railing, enjoying the fresh air, if you could call it fresh. There was a song blaring over a sub system, the bass rattling her ribcage. She looked at Sven, "Won't someone up there hear this?"

Sven shook his head, "We're way below ground, if someone heard this they'd have to have hearing as sensitive as a bat's."

A new song came on, and she recognized it at once as the Clincher. She saw Barsad beyond the railing, laying at a bench and lifting weights in nothing but his grey army pants. The muscles in his arms bulged from the strain, and when he sat up, she saw that his back was ripped with muscle.

If only he weren't keeping her hostage in a sewer, or the right hand of a criminal mastermind, she would have fantasized over him for days. She would have thought about her hands running over those very muscles, or the way his lips would feel against hers as he held her.

She snapped out of her daydream, not knowing where that had come from. He stood up and wiped his face off with a towel and she asked Sven, "Why do you have a workout place down here?"

"The guys get restless a lot what with all the testosterone in the air, and there's no women around to relieve them, so Bane had a gym put in. There's still fights, but a lot of the guys hit this place to relieve stress. But when Barsad works out, you clear out." Sven said.

She turned back to watch him, and when she did, he turned around and made eye contact with her so fast, she didn't even have time to look away. Barsad wiped his mouth and asked, "What is she doing out?"

"We thought she could use a little air, sir." Ben spoke up, "She's been in that room for how long."

"If Bane saw her out, he'd kill you both." Barsad said, leisurely strolling over to them. He wiped his face with the towel again, shaking his head a little.

"We know sir." Sven said, "But the room still smells like blood, it was making us sick. We figured a lady deserves better."

Barsad's lips turned up into a slight smile, "So she does."

"Come on, Margo, we better get you back inside." Ben said, steering her around with Sven. They stopped short, yanking Margo back by the arm as they came face to face with Bane. It was the first time she'd seen him since she had arrived, and took the time to appreciate just how alarmingly frightening he was. He towered over her by at least a foot, and easily could have caved her face in with one punch. The mask was still on his face, making his breathing echo through the space in deep rasps.

"Bane." Sven said, dipping his head.

Margo heard rustling behind her, and she turned to find Barsad climbing over the railing to stand next to her. Bane stepped forward and asked, "Margo, I trust you are enjoying your stay?"

She had a number of snarky remarks on her tongue, but she decided she probably shouldn't get him mad. She nodded, "It's great."

Bane chuckled, and least that's what she thought he did, and said, "I will allow you to come out of the room, if," he looked at the man standing next to her, "Barsad agrees to keep an eye on you."

"Sir, I have more important issues at hand." Barsad said, earning him a glare from Margo. He glanced at her and shrugged.

"Very well." Bane said, sweeping his arm toward the stone room, "Then back to the room."

"Oh, please." Margo said, clasping her hands together, "I won't be any trouble, I mean I'm not going anywhere. Even if I wanted to leave, I have no idea which way to go. You don't have to worry about me!"

Bane chuckled, "It is not you I'm worried about."

Margo groaned, shuffling her feet toward the stone room. Behind her she heard a sigh, and then Barsad said, "I guess I'm not doing anything tonight that will require my attention."

Margo turned around, looking up hopefully at the masked man. Bane arched an eyebrow, something she thought impressive with his mask on, and said, "Make up your mind."

"I'll keep an eye on her, sir." Barsad said, and Margo felt a flood of relief. No more stone room, bloody smell, and Ben and Sven wouldn't have to stand in one spot all day.

After Bane strode away, Margo was about to say thank you to Barsad, but he grabbed her by the collar of her sweatshirt and said, "If you try anything, attacking me, running, whatever," he looked straight into her eyes, "I will kill you."

She gulped, nodding silently. He let her go so fast she almost fell to the floor, and spun on his heel to head back to the gym. Margo stared at his retreating back, wondering where the hostility had come from. Barsad had always been kind to her, what on earth was up his butt?

She stuck out her tongue at his back, and started following him. She sat down on one of the benches and watched him work out. The amount of weight he was lifting was insane, it was definitely at least double her body weight.

"How are you this strong?" She asked after mustering the courage to talk to him.

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as he laid on a bench, setting the weight he was lifting on the rests, "I was a member of a secret organization that made me this way."

"Made you this way?" she asked, "What are you, like, a mutant? Is this some X-Men stuff going on here?"

Barsad rolled his eyes, but she could tell he wanted to smile, "No, it just specialized in covert affairs and making their recruits stronger than most men."

"Oh," she said, "so like G.I. Joe."

This time he did laugh, rubbing his face with his hands, "Sure, if that's how you want to think about it. Only a lot more different, and..." he paused, "cruel."

"So now you're laughing?" Margo asked, "A minute ago it looked like you wanted to chop my head off and drink my blood while doing a devil worship dance."

He arched an eyebrow, making her very upset that everyone around the place seemed to be able to do that, and she couldn't, "You definitely have a way with words don't you? I was setting the boundaries. I needed you to know that if you tried any funny business, I'd more than likely have to shoot you, minus the drinking blood and devil worship dance."

"You forgot chopping my head off." She muttered.

"Well, minus the chopping off of your head too." he said, sitting up with a sigh. He rubbed his face, and she could suddenly see just how exhausted he was. There were dark circles under his stress-line eyes, and he sat with his shoulders slumped forward with lack of sleep.

"Do you ever get sleep?" She asked.

He chuckled, "Sleep? I don't even know what it is anymore."

"Shouldn't you be getting sleep if you're supposed to be taking over the world?" Margo asked, slumping down on the bench.

"We're not taking over the world." Barsad said, "We're just trying to change it."

"By kidnapping me?" She asked, "I don't really know what I have to do with any of this, but feel free to tell me whatever I'm involved in that you need me for."

"Nothing." he said simply, "You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Comforting." She muttered, "Well, as long as I'm stuck in this place, why don't you show me around?"

Barsad laughed, shrugging his shirt back on, much to Margo's disappointment, and stood, "Well, there's the stone room, that's the one you were kept in. It's used for our interrogation room."

"And your execution room?"

"I guess that too." He said, his eyes flashing to her, "Up there is Bane's room, only esteemed members of Bane's army are allowed up there."

"So, like, you?"

"Yes, like me." He said, "Over there, is my room," he pointed to a space covered with blankets, "and over there is where the other men sleep. The lower classed workers." With a clap of his hands he said, "And now we have come to the end of our tour, I hope you enjoyed your time."

"It was great." she muttered, "Do I have to stay in the stone room?"

"No, you can stay in mine." he said, squirting water from his bottle into his mouth.

"Um, that's nice of you and all, but I just met you." Margo said, "And not to mention you're holding me hostage."

"I'm hardly ever in there," he threw his towel on the bench next to her, "so don't get any ideas. Besides, there's a bed instead of the cement floor. Take it or leave it."

"I'll take it." She said, "Is there a shower in here anywhere?"

"No," He wrinkled his nose, "it's a sewer not a hotel."

"Well excuse me." She muttered.

He lead her to the place he called his bedroom, and she sat down on his bed. As he slung the blankets closed, there was a slew of cat whistles and someone called out, "Get it, Barsad!"

Margo felt her face get red, but Barsad seemed unphased as he rummaged around inside a box under his bed. She looked around the small space and noticed a piece of paper sticking out from under the box. She bent down and plucked it out, finding that it was actually a photograph.

Barsad was smiling, standing on the top of what looked like a tall structure from the way the city dropped below him. He had one arm wrapped around a woman. Dark haired and tan, she put Margo's pale complexion to shame. She had both arms wrapped around his neck, and looked as if she was laughing.

"You can wear this if you get cold." He said, laying a sweatshirt on her lap. His eyes landed on the picture and said, "What is that?"

"Who is this?" Margo asked.

Barsad clenched his jaw, snatching the picture out of her hands, "I would appreciate it if you didn't go through my things."

"Was she your girlfriend?" Margo asked, and when he avoided her gaze, she said, "Wife?"

"No." Barsad said, "You don't need to know."

"You looked happy. Where were you?"

"Paris."

"On the Eiffel Tower?"

"Yes."

She picked up the sweatshirt he had given her, and shrugged into it, "Thanks for the sweatshirt."

"I don't need it anymore." He said, "Now I actually do have something happening, so you need to stay here or I'll lose my job."

"What happens if you lose your job?"

"I die." He said.

"Right." She nodded, "I think I can manage sitting here for a while. I might actually get a good night's sleep."

"We're hitting the stock exchange." he said quietly, donning his bullet proof vest.

Margo felt like he punched her in the stomach, "What? Did you get Sheridan out?"

He nodded, tucking his red scarf under his vest, "It took me a while, but I convinced her that I didn't kidnap you and that I was keeping you safe from the people who tried to rape you."

"You mean the people on the other side of this blanket?" She asked.

"Yes, those people. I told her that there may or may not be something happening at the exchange, and that if she warns the police the people I'm keeping you safe from would be paying her a visit."

"So you threatened her." Margo said.

"Pretty much." He sighed, "She also said something about a snake with a belly button."

"Weirder than a snake with a belly button." Margo smiled, remembering the man that looked like he had come straight from Texas. That had been the day she'd first met Barsad.

He threw her a curious look, but said, "Don't worry, Margo, Sheridan will not be there today."

"Thank you." She said, hugging her knees to his chest.

"Hopefully we can finally be able to leave these sewers soon." Barsad stretched, "Now I'm leaving, try not to get yourself into any trouble. Ben and Sven are with me, so it's just you here."

"What if those guys come back?" She asked, "The ones you're 'protecting' me from?"

"Don't worry, they won't."

"How do you know?"

"They know they'd have to deal with me." He said simply, "You're in my room, therefore you are my property."

"Excuse me?"

He rolled his eyes, "You are under my protection."

"That's better. I'm not a piece of property." She said, sitting back against the cool concrete wall.

"I'll be back later, don't wait up." He said snarkily.

"I won't, dear." She shot back, making him chuckle.

He swept out of the room, closing the blanket as he did, and she was suddenly left alone. She laid down on the bed and closed her eyes, thinking of the mercenary. You are under my protection. For some reason, those words made him even more attractive. Why did he have to be a mercenary who was dead set on 'changing the world'? Why couldn't he be just the ordinary guy she'd thought he was? Why did she attract all the weird guys in Gotham?

She sighed, it was going to be a long night. The suspense of not knowing what was happening at the exchange was killing her. There was also the nagging fear that someone would come for her now that Barsad was gone. She found herself actually anticipating his return, because even if he was a murdering hired gun, she felt safe when he was around.

She didn't know if that scared her or made her happy.

Sometime she must have fallen asleep, because the next thing she knew, she was being shaken. Thoughts of the men who had tried to rape her flooded her mind, and she struck out with her fist before she even knew what she was doing. Her knuckles made contact with something that crunched under them, and a slew of curses burst out with a familiar accented voice.

Barsad stood clutching his nose as a stream of blood spattered the floor. Margo sat up and covered her mouth saying, "I'm so sorry! Is it broken?"

Barsad shook his hand, sending droplets of blood spattering on the ground. He arched an eyebrow, "You're the first person who's ever caught me off guard."

"I don't know if that's a compliment, or a death threat."

"I would congratulate you, but it was a cheap shot, and yes, it's broken." He grabbed a shirt out of the chest at the foot of his bed, and held it to his nose, "Sheridan wasn't there."

"Good." Margo breathed, "Everything went well for you I assume?"

"All of the men haven't returned yet, but other than that it was a success." He paused, and then continued, "There was a bit of a...set back though."

"Oh?"

"The Batman's returned."

"The Batman?" Margo exclaimed, "He hasn't been seen for eight years!" at Barsad's nod, she groaned, "Great, so Batman finally comes back and I miss it. Totally figures."

"Something tells me that won't be the last time we see him." Barsad said, sniffing the blood in his nose.

"You should get that checked out." She said.

He shook his head, and before she could stop him, cracked his nose back into place. She heard it pop and grimaced, holding her own nose. Barsad on the other hand, didn't even flinch, and he stood, dumping water from the water bottle on his chest onto his face.

"Get some sleep." He said, "I'll be right outside."

"Thanks, because waking me up before was so necessary." She called, and his hand popped into the room with his middle finger raised. "Unnecessary!"

She rolled onto her side, and closed her eyes, falling into a trouble sleep. Images of Sheridan in the exchange flashed through her mind, and Kade, her upstairs neighbor. But the man occupying most of her dreams, was the handsome mercenary who didn't seem so evil.

Guys, I just want to apologize for that huge wait in between updates. I sort of lost faith in this story for a while, but now I'm back and better than ever! Barsad is still my number 1 mercenary, besides Bane and Deadpool anyway...

So anyhoo, read, review, do what you want!