Chapter 4 Buy or Die

Barney's

A blonde woman with a thin braid going down each side of her face with the rest hanging free walked into the main room. She had on fingerless gloves, black skinny jeans, a jade green shirt, and a soft black leather jacket. She wore a black lace choker around her neck. She snapped her bubblegum before grinning at Barney who made his way to her. Ava walked up to them causing Luna to shift her focus to Ava.

"Luna," Barney greeted, "This is my daughter Ava. Ava this is Luna. Close combat specialist. She's great at covert operations. She's the last person they'd expect."

"Because I'm a woman who can kick ass," she stated smirking at Ava.

"Maybe you can help me with self defense sometime," Ava said.

Luna took note of the bruise on her face, "Anytime I'm free."

Luna turned to Barney, "Since when do I get a description when I come in. Thought the Expendables were supposed to be all hush hush."

"Meet our tech support."

"Tech support?" Luna said unbelievably.

"Correction," Ava said gaining both their attention, "Tech Goddess!"

Luna laughed, "What kind of tech?"

"Computers, weapons, vehicles," Ava listed before throwing a thumb towards her new workspace, "Just finished refurbishing a tracker and an EMP pulse disruptor that someone tossed in that room as junk. I feel like a kid in a candy store every time I walk in that room."

Luna nodded appreciatively, "Well Tech Goddess let's get goin. I grabbed my jeep for today. More room for goodies."

Ava laughed mischievously, "Toooooools."

"Clothes first," Barney huffed out.

"But Daaaaaad," she whined.

He rose a brow as he looked at her.

"Sorry I've always wanted to say that," she said sheepishly.

Luna laughed at her and grabbed her arm before dragging her outside to the jeep. Ava had just enough time to snap her seatbelt in before Luna backed up and pulled out quickly heading towards the nearest mall.

"Best to avoid cameras," Ava said quietly as she noticed their destination.

"Good thing this mall has their system down then eh?" Luna smiled widely as she flexed her fingers on the steering wheel, "Tho why you avoiding cameras if I may ask?"

"Ex fiancee looking for me. His dad is a rich bag of air filled with self importance that just loves him," she said bitterly.

"Noted," Luna nodded as she pulled into a parking space.

"Dad said I needed a special cell phone too," Ava said.

"Let's get that first," Luna said as they shut their doors and she locked up.

Luna took her to a small side shop in the mall. The manager saw Luna and waved her over.

"What we need today Luna?" he asked.

"I need a special phone for my friend here," she said.

"I can hook you up," he said as he unlocked a cabinet under the counter and pulled out a small box, "The back cover is interchangeable with those phones over there."

Ava saw him point to a large stand with a variety of back covers. She walked over to inspect them as Luna talked with the manager. Solid colors, stripes, polka dots, frogs, cartoon pigs, and farm animals greeted her as she slowly spun the stand around. Rubber duckies, inspirational words, and some common names greeted her next. Towards the bottom a dark orange cover with black tool shapes printed on it caught her attention. Screwdrivers, bits, and loose cable images repeated on the cover making her smile. She snatched it up and went back to the counter. The manager helped her get it set up and the plan billed to Barney's card. She sent Luna a text and they added each other as contacts. Luna used Ava's phone to text Barney with his daughter's number before adding all of the teams' contact info. She sent out a text to each as she finished each one.

Soon they were back in the mall looking for a clothing store with Ava's phone clipped to her belt. Luna directed her to a shop that had more utility type clothes. Jeans and khakis similar to what she was wearing and heavy duty shirts that would last longer in a shop environment. The employees there had recognized Luna as well and were happy to meet a friend of Luna's with a similar budget.

Once the clothes were ditched in the back of the jeep, Luna drove them to a nondescript store on the outskirts of New Orleans.

"No cameras here either, they value their customers," Luna said brightly.

They both headed inside with Luna taking the lead. One of the staff members here recognized Luna as well and made a beeline for her. Just as he approached she tossed a couple items at him. One looked like a thigh holster and another was a tactical vest. He nodded and brought the items to the counter before coming back as Luna sent him off with more and more goodies from her wishlist. She slowed down and turned to Ava who had watched in quiet admiration at the woman's quick and concise decisions. She tapped her chin as she walked around Ava.

"Did Barney want you outfitted for the field?"

"Not that I know of," she said frowning, "I'm more of a Wizard of Oz hiding behind the curtain kind of gal. Tho Lee said I need some gear for the self defense I asked about."

Luna nodded before asking her sizes. She flicked through a few racks and grabbed a couple thick shirts and pants before tossing them towards the waiting staff member. He smirked and shook his head as he headed back to the counter.

"Is Lee training you too?"

"He said he would."

"Then a couple knife holsters should be picked too. He'll want you to have some kind of weapon on you. Not that Lacy takes that advice," she muttered bitterly as she tossed a couple holsters at the staff member.

"Lacy?" Ava asked, "I thought you were the only female field member?"

"I am," Luna paused, "Lacy is Lee's girlfriend. I don't trust her any farther than I can throw her. Lee caught her cheating on him once when he came back from a two month mission. Now she insists he call frequently and answer every time SHE calls."

"Isn't that dangerous out in the field?" Ava asked, "I mean it's not like he can answer the phone and say 'hey sweetcheeks I'm in the middle of something can I call you right back?' when there are bullets flying."

"No it's not safe," she huffed, "But he loves her. His loyalty is going to get us all killed. It's only a matter of time before she cheats again if she hasn't already."

"Wow," Ava said sadly looking down towards the floor, "Poor guy deserves to be happy."

Luna tilted her head as she read Ava's body language, "You like him."

Ava's head popped up and her eyes widened, "Oooooh noo."

She brought her hands up and waved them a bit, "I just got out of a horrible, disastrous relationship. I do NOT want to be part of some silly love triangle."

"Horrible and disastrous? We are SO talking over dinner."

Ava let out an exasperated sigh as Luna grabbed a few more items and led her over to the military grade combat boots. Ava perked up and found a pair that felt like she was walking on pillows. They headed to the counter and the staff member that had been assisting them stepped up and clasped his hands together. Their stuff was already rung up and bagged.

"Anything else I can get for you ladies today?"

"We should be good," Luna said nodding to Ava who handed him Barney's card, "It's on Barney today."

"Oh?" he said surprised, "What did you do to get permission for that?"

Luna popped her gum and tilted her head to Ava, "Meet Ava Ross, Barney's daughter. She'll be staying with us for awhile."

"Welcome to the team Miss Ross."

"Ava is fine," she said.

He beamed a smile at her, "Well, welcome to the team Ava."

She smiled back as he helped them take their bags to the jeep. Thankfully Luna's windows were tinted so no one would be able to see some of the things Luna had picked for herself.

Once they were buckled in again, Luna turned to Ava, "So what do you like to eat?"

"I'm not picky."

"Italian?" she smirked.

"But of course," Ava said in a cheesy italian accent.

Luna smiled and rolled her eyes before pulling out of the lot quickly. Ava figured it would take some time to get used to her speed.

"After dinner we should drop my stuff off to make room for your tools," Luna said as she pulled into a quaint italian restaurant.

"Sounds good to me," Ava said, "More tools for me, more toys for you guys."

Luna smirked as they entered the building. They were sat in a corner booth and Luna took the seat with her back to the wall and faced the door. Ava took the other seat as their waiter approached and laid two menus on the table.

"Velcome Madames to our fine establishment," he said as he leaned back and patted his rotund belly, "I can personally attest to the taste of our cuisine. Do you know what you might want to drink this evening?"

Ava looked down at the menu and noticed it was in English for the first half and italian for the second half. She paged through the italian side causing the waiter to smile even wider.

"You speak Italian Madam?" he asked genuinely curious.

"Ma naturalmente io sono mezza italiana," she said with a smirk. (But of course, I am half italian.)

"Madonna meravigliosa! Tu e io saremo insieme splendidamente!" he exclaimed. (Wonderful Madam! You and I will get along splendidly!)

Luna looked between their waiter and Ava and back again, "Even I can't speak Italian."

"Well I am Raphael and I am also the owner," he said clapping his hands together, "My daughter wasn't feeling well today so I am taking her place."

"Well I am fortunate that you are," Ava said smiling and holding up her ID, "I'll take a Negroni."

Luna looked grabbed hers as well, "I think I'll trust my Italian friend and have one too."

He checked over their IDs and handed them back, "Thank you Madames, I will return with them shortly while you decide what masterpiece you want my brother Ramone to create for you tonight."

As he walked away Luna smirked at Ava, "He's enthusiastic isn't he?"

Ava nodded with a contented smile before returning to her menu. Raphael soon returned with their drinks. Ava took a small sip and closed her eyes in contentment.

"It's been awhile since I had this."

Raphael smiled, "Does Madam know what she is craving tonight?"

"This lasagna sounds absolutely divine," Ava said pointing at one with spinach stuffed in the ricotta cheese.

"Yes a fine choice if I may say," he rubbed his belly again with a laugh, "And you Madam?"

He turned to Luna who tapped a page as well, "This Chicken Carbonara sounds good."

"Wonderful," he said as he took their menus and wandered back to the kitchen.

Luna took a sip of her drink, "This is really good."

"It's my favorite drink," Ava said, "Can't always find it at a bar."

"So what is this terrible, disastrous relationship that came to a dramatic close about?" Luna asked as she leaned back in her chair and took another sip.

"Ugh," Ava said, "Okay here it goes. I met this guy named Mike Spears who charmed me right off my feet. I thought he was this sweet man. I mean I know he had a sterner side when he had to do business, but I think we all have our personal selves and our business selves."

Luna nodded, "Yeah I totally agree with that. You don't see me laughing in the field unless I'm undercover."

"Well, after about eight months he proposed," Ava said before sipping her drink, "He did the whole elegant dinner at an expensive restaurant thing. Got down on one knee in front of a packed crowd that night. Of course at the time I said yes, he made me happy."

Ava smiled sadly, "About a month later I wanted to surprise him with a homemade dinner… so I used my spare key to enter his apartment."

Ava took in a large, shuttery breath, "And I got him in bed. With TWO women."

Luna's mouth dropped open and she shook her head, "Two?"

"Two. Anyhow I immediately threw my ring at him when he finally noticed me and rocked on out that door. He couldn't exactly follow me quickly since he was on the bottom with the girls on top and he was completely naked."

Luna smirked, "So he didn't come after you immediately."

"Nope. I didn't take his calls or his texts for a week. Then all of a sudden I'm getting pulled into my boss's office. He made it clear he had to fire me. Not that he wanted to, but he had to. So I crated up my tools and packed away my stuff in my car."

"So the sore loser lost you your job," Luna shook her head, "Wow."

"That's not all," Ava said as she tilted her head a bit, "I arrive home to find my house engulfed in flames."

"No!" Luna exclaimed as her eyes widened, "Did he do that?"

"If not him then he hired someone," Ava said as she nodded, "Fire inspector said someone used gasoline as a trail through the house and then lit it up like a Christmas tree."

"You haven't explained where you got the bruise tho," Luna pointed out.

"Gettin there," she took another deep breath, "I get a call from Mike saying he heard on the news about my unfortunate occurrence. He wanted me to come stay with him and in the meantime explain what I'd seen the week before."

"The nerve of that guy."

Ava nodded, "I absolutely refused. I pulled all I had from my accounts and found a cheap motel to stay in on my way to my Aunt's house. I get a knock on the door in the middle of the night from the night manager saying there was a gas leak on the floor and he'd need to move me to another wing. When I opened the door, the manager was high tailing it outta there and Mike was pushing me into my room. He pushed me on the floor and started kicking me in the ribs. He got a few good punches to my face obviously. When he stopped he just looked at me and then said 'Now that you know who you belong to you've got ten hours to get home' and he just walked out."

"Why'd he just let you go?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, "I think it was too public a location for him to drag me out of there. I didn't listen and left immediately once I scraped myself off the floor. I headed straight to my Aunt who's a nurse. She bandaged me up and told me to go to my dad. Told me all about what my mother told her about the Expendables and one Barney Ross. So I headed South to him."

"You know Mr. Ross?" Raphael asked as he arrived with our dinner.

"Yes," Ava said, "I'm his daughter Ava Ross."

"Eccellente! Barney è il mio secondo cugino. Più famiglia è meravigliosa!" he exclaimed excitedly. (Excellent! Barney is my second cousin. More family is wonderful!)

He set the plates down and yelled across the restaurant, "Ramone uscì qui, Barney ha una figlia!" (Ramone come out here, Barney has a daughter!)

Ava whispered to Luna, "Apparently Raphael and Ramone are Barney's second cousins."

Luna shook her head, "Of course."

Ramone came out of the back with an apron on and was wiping his hands on a towel. He came to stop at their table. He was tall and thin, but the resemblance between the two was obvious.

"You are a cousin?" Ramone asked in a heavy Italian accent.

"Apparently," Ava said, "Since Barney is my father."

"I am Ramone," he said as he offered her a now clean hand.

She shook his hand, "Ava."

"Well Ava, family eats free so you enjoy your dinner and tell Barney to stop by sometime. We haven't seen him in awhile. We have you and your guest covered."

"Thank you that's sweet," Ava said with a smile.

Ramone rushed back to the kitchen as another waiter yelled for him. Raphael clapped his hands together and smiled widely. You enjoy your meal friends."

Ava and Luna smiled to each other and dug into their wonderful food.

"Small world huh?" Luna asked.

"Hopefully not too small."