Authors Note: Still fighting whatever I'm sick with, which has put me behind. Until I'm back up on my feet I'll most likely be updated every other day instead of every day.
"Freeze." A loud and powerful voice shouts. Lissa looks up from the ground seeing a red headed woman in a black business suit standing at the top of the stairs, "Agent Hollis' story checks out. Release her, immediately. And clean this mess up."
Lissa is lifted up to her knees and the zip cuffs removed. "Just grabbing my phone." Lissa tells the security agents and reaches inside the car, grabbing ahold of the phone she had been using to contact Barney. She leaves the other phones and the guns for the agents to deal with. "Thank you, Ms…" Lissa begins to say as she climbs the stairs.
"Natalie Thompson, director of this branch." Director Thompson tells her, "My apologies for the welcoming you received. It's not every day we experience this kind of thing. I had just gotten off the phone with Mr. Church when I heard the security alarms go off."
"Not a problem." Lissa tells her, "My apologies for the damages, I'll personally pay for them to be fixed." Lissa casts a glance over her shoulder, the damage done is going to be rather pricey. She can't help but wonder how the FBI will cover this up. Delivery truck crash? Drunk driver? Certainly someone heard the gun shoots and called the police and/or the press by now.
"Nonsense, let's get you inside and get you a hot meal. You've been through enough." Director Thompson tells her and leads Lissa inside the building. From the way Director Thompson is treating her, Lissa has a feeling the woman is a friend of Church's. Must make for awkward birthday parties, mercenaries for hire and government officials all on the same guest list.
The next few hours fly by Lissa as exhaustion begins to kick in. Director Thompson keeps food and drinks coming Lissa's way, while keeping her in a top floor conference room. Between bites of food and sipping on a soda, Lissa begins to jot down everything she can remember on the notepad. It'll be useful in figuring out who took her and hopefully in finding Billy. She's half asleep when Director Thompson returns for her. "Your ride is here." She informs Lissa then leads her up to the roof.
A helicopter is on the landing pad with Church in the pilot's seat. "Your Dad sent me, I was closer." Church shouts out to her. A part of her can't help but be a little let down that Barney isn't here himself. Though sending Church, since he was closer, is a better idea. While Church didn't often go out into the field, he's clearly on the "Do-not-screw-with-list" of many criminals. Lissa climbs into the helicopter, giving a wave to Director Thompson before buckling herself in. After that it's a loud and bumpy ride but Lissa still finds herself dozing on and of during.
When the helicopter finally lands, she's surprised not to see the farmland at Barney's Louisiana farmhouse. Instead all she can make out is acres and acres of corn plants. Ahead she can make out a large white house which looks old. It looks like something a plantation owner would live in. Standing within a safe distance of the helicopter is Barney and the rest of The Expendables.
"Welcome to Toll's safe house." Church tells Lissa as once the helicopter is on the ground. Before the rotors have a chance to fully stop spinning; Barney is pulling the passenger door of the copter open. He unbuckles Lissa's seatbelt and then wraps his arms around her.
"Hi Dad." Lissa tells him as she wraps her arms around him. This home coming is bittersweet, she's happy to be back with Barney, but Billy isn't here. With the rotor blades no longer spinning she can make out the barking of not one by two dogs inside the house. The barks are familiar ones too. Lissa pulls back from Barney a look of disbelief on her face, "Remy? Colt?" She asks him. As far as she knew, Colt survived but she saw Remy take a bullet to the chest.
"Tool was working on prototypes for bullet proof and stab proof vest inserts that allowed the dogs to move better. Lacey tried them out in the doggie formal wear they had on at the wedding. Remy's bruised up and sore, but he's fine." Barney tells her, "They'll be happy to see you. Neither liked flying up here without you and Billy."
"Where is here?" Lissa asks looking around. The place looks like an up and running corn farm. It hardly seems like a place Toll would own.
"La Case De Toll." Toll says from where he's standing a few feet away from them, "It's the last place people would think to look for me which makes it the perfect hideout. Some locals keep the farm going for me, as better cover. So welcome." He tells her and gives her a quick hug. "Glad you're back."
"Thank you." Lissa tells him and then looks to Barney, "I take it Louisiana isn't safe?"
"Not taking the risk. Can't be worrying about our backs when we're working to get Billy back." Barney tells her, "Maggie's inside with some artsy software thing. You up for working out sketches of the men who had you?"
Lissa gives him a nod, "The sooner we find Billy the better." She hates to think what they will do to him now to make him cooperate without her there. The sooner they find him the sooner he's out of danger. She pulls the memo pad she had begun writing everything about her kidnapping down on at the FBI from the tote bag Director Thompson gave her. "I wrote down everything I could remember, even the little stuff. Just like you taught me." Lissa says and holds the pad out to Barney.
Barney flips through the pages of writing skimming it all over, "Good job, kid." He tells her as he keeps skimming. He stops at one part and looks at Lissa, "You seriously used the ring to damage the glass enough to smash the window?"
"Only option I had. I'm not The Barney Ross who can take down multiple armed guards." Lissa teases with a laugh. She looks down at her fingers, now covered in band aids by the FBI. Many of her finger tips are either blistered or tore open in places from her escape. "I barely have any finger prints, right now. Might be a good time for a crime spree." She jokes again holding up her band aid covered hands. Joking with Barney is making things feel a little bit lighter for her. Like she hadn't just been held hostage, grazed by a bullet in her upper arm, escaped and then crashed the gates at an FBI Field Office all the while her fiancée is still missing. Instead it feels like she's coming home from just another mission.
