Chapter 3 Introductions and Construction

Barney's

They left the room to see who'd arrived with Ava trailing behind them. The man she assumed to be Gunnar came in first yelling insults at a short asian man behind him. A big, bald man seemed to follow him rolling his eyes at the scene they made. They all stopped as they saw Ava standing with Barney and Lee with a tentative smile on her face. After all, she was severely outnumbered and still got the jitters around large unknown men. Sure her father was standing right next to her, but it was a natural reaction after the beat down she had suffered at the hands of her ex.

Barney motioned a hand to Ava, "I believe you recognize Ava from last night."

They all nodded.

He pointed to the large man that had been arguing with the asian one, "That's Gunnar Jensen, loves his guns and big knives. He's our sniper. Loves to run his mouth."

She nodded and crossed her arms as he motioned to the asian one, "That's Yin Yang, close quarter combat. Full of witty comebacks."

She nodded at him as Barney motioned to the last guy there, "Toll Road, demolitions. He's the quiet one you got to watch out for in the field. Tho he has no problem breaking a man's bones in proper order."

She tilted her head as she inspected Toll, "You're missing a few studs in your gloves. I can fix that for you."

Toll laughed loudly before raising a scarred brow, "To the point eh girly?"

"Not a little girl old man, just more spritely for my age than some."

Toll roared out another laugh and hooked a thumb towards her as he looked at Barney, "Okay, we can keep her."

He took off his beloved, studded, fighting gloves and handed them to her, "If they disappear consider our new friendship over."

She grinned widely at him before bolting to her new work room. Everyone else watched in confusion before following Barney to her new workroom. They watched as she pulled a few sturdy studs from another pair of gloves that had been sitting in a pile she'd noticed earlier. They all watched as she carefully reassembled his gloves, even reinforcing each of the other studs to make the leather thicker. She bounced up to bolt back into the other room to see all of them standing there. She blushed sheepishly.

"Sorry I tend to get lost in my work," she said as she handed Toll back his gloves.

He put them both on and squeezed making fists with each hand. He had the look of a man impressed.

"How'd you do that so fast?" Toll asked.

She motioned to the other set of gloves, "I noticed these earlier and I always know exactly what I have on hand to fix things."

Toll nodded as he pursed his lips, "Okay."

Barney, Toll, Gunnar, and Lee left in two trucks to get what was on her list. Yang had been left to watch her since Tool would return soon. Yang wasn't sure what to think. He kept his eyes on her as she moved items from the floor by the somewhat clean table over to the other side of the room clearing a space for the shelves. He observed as his mind tried to calculate her angle in all this. Was she really Barney's daughter? Was her story true or an act facilitated by one of their enemies? He'd just have to keep an eye on her for now.

He'd offered to help, but she'd shrugged him off. Wanted everything in a certain place it seems. Certain items caught her interest and ended up on one of the already cluttered tables. She carefully placed some items so they didn't teeter off. One of the last items by the wall caught her attention and held it much longer than the rest.

"Oooooh," she said in pure awe, "How did you guys land an experimental Drummand Mark 6TX?"

He lifted a brow at her assuming she wasn't after a real answer. When she didn't turn her attention to him, but instead carefully placed it on the table next to her crate he knew he was right. It was the only item she'd set there so it must have been worth something. She removed the last few bits of clutter and set her hands on her hips smiling as she gazed around at the new space. She'd barely moved a tenth of what the room contained, but at least she had a starting point.

Yang heard Tool's unique engine as he pulled up with his motorcycle and a large duffel on the back. He kicked his stand on as he turned off his bike. He got off and unstrapped the duffel gently before bringing it inside. He headed straight for Ava's workroom and his eyes widened at the now clear space along one short wall not quite reaching the corner. It was enough space for the shelving she'd asked for. He nodded to Yang and returned his gaze to Ava as she tore into the experimental thingamawhatsit.

"Not sure I trust her," Yang muttered to Tool.

"Barney figured a few of you would have your doubts," Tool said just as quietly, "We're doing a blood test and I've put in a call to Bonaparte for a full background check. Barney don't know about that tho he should expect it."

Yang nodded satisfied he was not alone in his suspicions. Sometimes one couldn't help it, it came with the job. He turned back to Ava with his arms crossed across his chest. He leaned against the wall by the door she had cleared. Tool approached her, but she still didn't look up. Tool looked back at Yang with a mischievous look in his eyes. He set his duffel down and silently made his way to her. He set a hand on her shoulder causing her to jump and drop a screwdriver.

"Cheese and sprinkles!" she shouted as she threw a hand over her fast pumping heart, "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!"

Both of Tool's eyebrows shot as high as they could go as Yang snickered by the doorway, "Cheese and sprinkles?"

"I don't do a lot of swearing," she muttered as she picked up her screwdriver and tossed it on the table.

"Well, I didn't mean to spook you, but I think a herd of elephants could stomp through here and you wouldn't know."

She looked up at him sheepishly, "Yeah…"

"No self preservation tactics," Yang muttered shaking his head at her.

"Hey when I'm in the zone stuff gets done," she said defensively as she gestured to the thingamawhatsit.

Tool frowned as he looked at her project, "Where did we get a Drummand Mark 6TS?"

"Finally someone who speaks English!" she shouted as she gestured widely with both arms.

"Is that what just happened?" Yang asked confused.

"It's the experimental version though," she pointed out to Tool, "The Mark 6TX, not the 6TS."

Tool frowned as he rubbed a thumb along his chin with one arm crossed under the other's elbow, "What would a young one like you know about the Drummand?"

"My cousin designed it," she said matter of factly.

"Well I need to take some of your blood to satisfy the guys," he said as he pulled the duffel over and lifted it onto a free spot of her workspace.

She nodded agreeably and offered her left arm so her working right arm could keep going on the Drummond afterwards. He took five small vials of blood and packed his stuff back up before heading back towards the door.

"I'll get this sent off and be right back," Tool said to Yang, "I'm sure he doesn't want to leave her without protection if her story is true."

Yang nodded and turned his attention back to Ava who had gone back to working on the Drummond. She tossed a couple pieces across the table.

"Didn't need that it'll just cause it to seize," she muttered, "Or that."

She continued to putter and mutter for the next thirty minutes not noticing when Tool had returned and took up a place on the wall on the other side of the doorway. She giggled after an ominous click sounded loudly through the room.

"Booya!" she said proudly as she held up the Drummond and turned towards Yang.

Seeing Tool she smiled widely, "I present the no longer experimental Drummond."

She bowed a little with the item and Yang raised a brow.

"What exactly does it do?" Yang asked.

"When activated it let's out an EMP pulse that shuts down any electric equipment. I'm not sure of it's current radius tho. We'll have to find a place to test it with some simple electric buoys I can rig up."

Yang raised an eyebrow again impressed. At this rate he'd get a spasm in his eye. He huffed at the thought.

She set the EMP Drummond down next to the tracker without plugging it in to charge. Wouldn't want to risk shutting the Expendables down. She'd have to outfit it with a special case. She put her tools away as she heard a couple engines pulling up. Assuming it to be the guys with her shelving she hopped through the doorway towards the main room. Tool and Yang followed her closely just in case it wasn't. They knew better though with the next roar of an engine.

She met them outside as they started unloading the shelving and crates. Tool and Yang moved to help them as they brought it all inside. They set it all down in the main room leaving a path to the other rooms. She directed them where to put the shelving as she zipped between them with her now charged screw gun and attached them together as they held everything up. Soon they helped her attach them to the walls. Just as they returned to the main room to get the heavy duty, plastic crates another engine sounded outside. All the guys looked up as a huge, bald, dark skinned man with a do rag came in with another wearing a black beanie on his head. Barney set the crate in his hands back down and motioned towards Ava to come forward.

"Ava this here is Hale Caesar," he said motioning to the one with the do rag, "Long barrel weapon specialist, prefers custom full auto shotguns. He's a bit outspoken, but he's a softie. Just don't piss him off."

"Pleasure to meet you Caesar, Emperor of Rome," she exaggeratedly salutes him.

Caesar chuckles as Barney motions to the other man, "This is Doc."

"That's it?" Doc asks looking around at everyone, "Caesar gets this nice introduction and I'm just Doc? I'm one of the five founding members of the Expendables baby."

Barney chuckles lowly and crosses his arms, "Doc here likes knives, just like Lee. Tho Doc has more of a mouth on him."

"See this is what I get for coming back," Doc said shaking his head.

"Coming back? We busted you out of a foreign prison," Lee said.

"So who's the babe?" Doc asked changing the subject as he hooked a thumb at Ava.

"My name's not Babe, Doc," she said tilting her head and smirking, "It's Ava Merri Ross."

Doc stopped moving as he looked from Barney to Ava and back again as she crossed her arms.

"Now I see it!" he shouted as he pointed at their identical stance.

Barney and Ava looked at each other and shook their heads.

"Well even if you're off limits sweet cheeks," Doc said smiling widely revealing all his white teeth, "At least you're nice to look at."

"You realize I'm young enough to be your daughter?" Ava asked sweetly.

Doc shuttered at the thought, "Thankfully I have no progeny. The world couldn't handle another me."

"Damn straight," Barney huffed.

"So what are we doing?" Caesar asked motioning towards the crates.

"Making Ava some work space," Tool said.

"Work space? What you do girl?" Doc asked.

"Not a girl old man," she gritted before smiling sweetly, "You can call me your beloved Tech Goddess."

"Techie huh? What's Thorn have to say about that?" Doc asked raising both eyebrows.

"Thorn is a hacker," Barney explained to Ava.

"Well I'll leave him to it," she said nodding, "I'm not a hacker. I'm a techie. I build and refurbish tech. Computers, vehicles, weaponry, you name it."

Toll held up his hands and flexed, "She even fixed my gloves."

Doc nodded and turned back to Ava, "Okay honey where you want all this shit?"

Ava laughed out loudly at his one eighty spin, "You have something you want me to fix dontcha?"

"I might have a special tactical vest that could use some lovin from those honey hands," Doc said wiggling his eyebrows.

"So I take it he's also the flirt," Ava muttered.

"Yep," Lee said picking up a large crate.

Each man followed with one of their own and Ava followed with a small one. They put them on the shelves as she'd reorganize once she knew what parts she was dealing with.

"How did you make room in the junk room?" Doc asked.

"I moved it," Ava said.

"Touche honey touche," Doc said smirking.

The room seemed a lot smaller with all the piles of junk and the men standing around. She jerked a thumb towards the door.

"Thanks for the help guys," she smiled, "But I want to get to work and you guys are making me claustrophobic."

A few of them chuckled as they made their way out. Barney paused at her small table looking at the Drummond.

"This fixed?" he asked.

She nodded, "Yeah, tho I'd love to test it to know its true range."

He nodded and shifted back to look at her, "So about those clothes…"

"What?" she asked, "I got work to do."

He shook his head, "Not in that."

He pointed to her tight tank top.

"Is that why Doc is giving me so much attention?"

"Could be a defining point."

She sighed heavily, "I hate shopping for clothes."

"I thought every woman dreamed of being let loose with daddy's credit card."

She glared at him and gestured to the mess and then herself, "I'm not exactly like every woman."

He held his hands up in surrender, "None of the guys are gonna want to go so I can call up the only female field member we got. Sound good?"

She nibbled her bottom lip as she thought. She did need clothes, maybe she could stop at a tool shop and get a few tools too. She smirked at that thought and a worried frown appeared on Barney's face.

"Can I stop at a tool shop and stock up when we're done?"

The laugh lines by his eyes crinkled as he silently laughed and shook his head, "Of course you'd be more excited by tools."

He straightened and pulled a cell from his back pocket. After typing a bit he held it to his ear.

"Hey Luna," Barney said, "How'd you like to be let loose with my credit card?"

He listened a moment before answering her apparent question, "Only one catch. My daughter needs to go shopping and I don't want her going alone. She needs clothes and tools for the shop."

He paused and listened some more before frowning, "No you're not babysitting! She's an adult."

He nodded at her apparent agreement before hanging up, "She'll be here in fifteen."

"Great," she said sarcastically as she headed to the main room to pull on her combat boots and lace them up.

She grabbed her wallet and clipped it to her belt loop before putting it in her back right pocket. He tapped her on the shoulder causing her to turn towards him. He held out a black card.

"Make sure Luna gets you a phone too," he said, "She'll know the special kind you need to avoid the wrong people tracking you."

She carefully took the card and pulled her wallet back out, "You know I didn't come here for your money right?"

She looked down as she slid the card into her wallet before putting back in her pocket.

"I know, but who else am I gonna spend it on," he shrugged.

"What's the limit?"

"Limit?"

"For my shopping spree… I can get a little carried away with tools."

"No limit, just have fun."

Her eyes widened, "Are you serious!?"

All the guys turned to stare at them from the other side of the room.

"Do you know how much money I can spend in Home Depot alone when I reach the power tool section?"

He chuckled, "Believe me it's not enough to bankrupt me."

Her eyes widened more as he turned and walked away.

"Well slap me silly and call me orphan Annie," she muttered.

"Don't think anyone will be slapping you any time soon," Lee said smoothly.

"Speaking of which," she squinted at Lee, "Self defense. When, who, where?"

Lee chuckled, "I'll work on it. Make sure to buy some gear for that too. Luna will know what you need."

"Who is this Luna?" she asked as a loud engine roar came from outside.

"That, is Luna," he said before patting her shoulder and walking back to the guys.