Laura gasped when Billy pushed her down on the couch.

"Laura, you picked the wrong day to visit your friend," he said.

"Who are you guys? And what do you want?" she asked.

"It's none of your concern who we are but if you listen to everything we say then we'll let you live," he continued.

"They escaped the prison and they are waiting here for their ride to get them tomorrow. And tomorrow Anthony and Morgan will be home from their fishing trip,"

"When you didn't answer I thought maybe you needed help with James," Laura said following Pepper's lead.

"You're pretty cute too," Joe said as he twirled a lock of Laura's hair around his finger.

Laura flinched and he just smiled.

Morgan continued to go through the vents and she found the opening to the garage and began to unscrew the vent from the inside which was definitely difficult but she tried anyway.

The doorbell rang again and this time it was the police.

"Did you call the cops?" Joe said as he waved his gun at Pepper.

"How would I have called the cops? You've had my cell the whole time and you cut the landline," she said quickly.

"Then it was you," he said with a look of fire in his eyes as he turned to Laura.

He waved the gun at her.

"I swear I didn't. You can check my phone," she said, handing it to him.

"Joe enough. We need to deal with the cop outside right now," Billy said.

He motioned for Pepper to open the door and he stood behind her with a gun again pressed into her back.

"Hello ma'am. Sorry to bother you but I'm sure you heard that two prisoners escaped during the riot and we are expanding our search into this county to find them. Do you mind if we ask you a few questions and look around your property?" he asked.

"Not at all," she said.

"Have you seen anything unusual in the last few days? Anyone you didn't recognize or a strange car?" he asked.

"Nope but I also haven't left the house much. It's been just me and my six month old,"

"We're going to take a look around the perimeter and take a look in the shed too," the officer said as he looked around.

"Ok do what you need to do," Pepper said as she went to close the door.

"I'm going to need you to come with me because I have more questions,"

"Let me just grab my sweater and I'll meet you on the side," she said as she closed the front door.

"You're not going anywhere," Joe said as he grabbed her roughly.

"Yes I am. I'm going to go outside and answer the questions so he leaves. Do you really think I would say anything while you're alone here with my child?" she said putting her sweater on.

"You better watch your mouth bitch or I will tie you down and beat you like a sub," Joe said in an angry whisper.

"Joe, stop it. Let her get rid of the cop. She's not gonna say anything to them," Billy said.

"I know that but this bitch needs to learn her place. She thinks she can talk to me anyway she wants," he said as Pepper walked outside to meet the officer.

"You have company?" the cop asked.

"No,"

"I thought I heard voices," he said.

"Nope, just the tv," Pepper said nervously.

Pepper could feel eyes on her while she followed the officer around. She knew it was Joe watching from inside.

Billy watched Pepper through the window while Joe kept his gun close to Laura.

Morgan finally got the vent open and slipped into the garage quietly. But she didn't realize that her bracelet got caught and slipped off her wrist and it sent a signal to Tony's phone.

Tony was sound asleep on the S.H.I.E.L.D hovercraft and didn't know that his bracelet finally got a signal from the house.

Pepper came back inside and the officer drove away.

"He's gone," she said.

"I would like some food," Joe said.

Pepper went into the kitchen to prepare something for everyone. She was on edge. She was just trying to survive long enough for them to leave or Tony to come home.

"We're all going to eat together and you're going to the bank with me to get money out and you're going to get together all our food and supplies and put them in this bag. Our ride will be here tomorrow,"

"A smaller amount will have less questions. I can take out at the atm and I can give you some very expensive jewelry you can pawn. Banks have cameras and your faces are all over the television. Not to mention that there is paperwork involved in taking money out and it may not be available today," Pepper said, thinking on her feet.

"Here she goes again giving us orders. Who do you think you are bitch?" Joe said angrily.

"This is my house. I will speak how I see fit. I'm not afraid of you," Pepper said, getting in his face.

"Joe STOP. She's right. I'm taking her to the atm. You keep an eye on her and we'll be back," Billy said as he pointed the gun at Pepper to make her get in the car.

"You don't need the gun. Can't you tell by now that you can trust me?" Pepper said as she got into the driver seat.

"I can but the question is why are you doing this? Why are you helping us?" he asked.

"I just wanna keep my family safe," Pepper said honestly.

"Well I appreciate it and I will try to keep Joe off your back,"

"He threatened to rape me," Pepper said.

"I know. I know. But our ride really will be here tomorrow and we will leave you unharmed,"

Joe was lurking over Laura's shoulder in the kitchen barking orders about what he wanted on the sandwiches and it was making her stressed out. She contemplated taking him out but she needed to talk to Pepper first. They needed time alone so they could make a plan.

"You have kids?" Joe asked her.

"Three," she replied.

"I knew it. The sandwiches are so neat and the way you cut them is perfect. Also you're giving out some serious milf vibes. And you know how to keep your mouth shut unlike that loudmouth bitch friend of yours,"

"Well it's kind of scary when someone is pointing a gun at you," she said quietly.

"I can be really romantic too. You remind me of my high school girlfriend," Joe said.

Morgan was on her dad's computer typing in codes to get the garage to open silently with just enough room for her to slide under and for it to close back up quickly and quietly. She finally got F.R.I.D.A.Y the commands and the door began to open. She was at the edge and grabbed one of her fathers repulsor arms and slid underneath.