AN: Hey, there! Sorry it took me so long to update this. I just did not have time. And when I finally did, I didn't have any inspiration. But, after some help from my lovely Fran Fig, I managed to write part 4. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy it ;)

Tough Lady (Part 4) –

"Well, Mr. Anderson. Sounds like we are having six hours of interesting conversation. Why don't you tell me what you know?"

"You want me to tell you what I know? I will." Auggie sat straight, to look more imposing. "From what I've gathered so far, you are sloppy." He grinned mischievously.

"I'm sloppy?" The man took Auggie by the collar, and he had to fight a groan from the pain of the broken rib.

"You wanted to know what I know." He didn't play easy.

"Well, why don't you tell me why I'm sloppy?" He let go of Auggie and sat on the chair he had dragged close to his hostage earlier.

"You wouldn't take me to a barn randomly, so I figure this specific barn is your stock. Probably guns or ammunition. I'd even guess you have a silo somewhere close with the hidden products. Rule number one on abducting people: don't take hostages to your trading center."

Auggie noticed the man's breathing was getting faster and heavier. He was probably getting nervous. Auggie's little mind games were taking effect.

"Well, since you've been so sloppy, I figure it's your first time doing business. But to manage something this big, I assume you probably have the contacts already, so I'm guessing you are a successor."

The man was getting pissed, because all that was true. But there was no way Auggie would have assumed all that right, was there?

Actually, he remembered someone he had investigated long ago. A man from the Republic of the Congo, called N'kunga, an arms dealer that had gotten away from the CIA radars more than once. He recognized the Kikongo accent in the kidnapper's speech, and hiding weapons in barns was an old M.O. used by N'kunga when he raised red flags for the first time.

Auggie connected one thing to the other, and it all made sense. Now he had to use that in his favor, distracting the man.

"You think I'm stupid?" The big guy laughed as he pushed Auggie out of his way while he got up from the chair. "Your wife told you all this. You are not scaring me."

"If you think she already knew about it, then it makes you even sloppier: first for letting her know and second for bringing me here assuming she already knows this location." Auggie's composure and confidence were enough to make the man lose his mind.

"Shut up! I know exactly what I'm doing!" The big guy kicked the chair as he growled.

"Sounds like it." Auggie shrugged.

He knew he probably shouldn't be teasing the crazy criminal that was holding him hostage and looking for his family, but he liked to unbalance the man emotionally. It meant he wouldn't think straight and would make a mistake at any minute, making it easier for Annie to find them.

...

Annie needed to bring Zarya into Langley. She didn't feel comfortable leaving her daughter anywhere else.

Zarya had to wait at Starbucks first, then Annie came back and took her to her office at the DPD. It was easier than she had expected, she only had to pull a few calls and promise some bottles of alcohol - something she had learned with her husband long ago.

The girl was stunned. The CIA was very different from what she had imagined in her head. She was also trying to take in all that information, as they walked through the DPD.

Annie locked her daughter inside of her office, made her promise she wouldn't touch anything nor try to peek at any files, then left, looking for help.

She notified the DCI and called for a briefing reunion, with her staff and with her superiors. When she mentioned the fact that Auggie had been abducted, everyone decided to collaborate. Not only because he was a valuable operative, but because he was very much appreciated and respected in various levels by everyone at the agency.

Zarya watched through the glass walls as her mother gathered all her operatives together and talked to them. She enjoyed watching her mother in such position, a woman as strong as Zarya had always believed her to be.

Through the years, Annie had learned how to deal with her feelings, and not let them jeopardize her judgment. That's why she kept her head high during such hard and personal times. But of course she was still Annie. And feelings were still both her guide and the factor that made her such a valuable operative - in and out of the field.

While Zarya observed the slightly exasperated crowd around her mother, she noticed a tall figure coming from the hallway; the bearded man exchanged a few words with her mother and then walked towards her office. It was Barber. Or as Zarya would call him, Uncle Eric.

Eric had gained respect at the agency, and he was now very valued. Hardly ever in the field, he had become head of a new department, which dealt mainly with cyber terrorism. It was a (nerd) dream come true.

As the friendship between Barber and the Andersons developed through the years, he became part of the family. And he was really fond of Zarya.

Zarya liked her Uncle Eric very much. She knew she could trust him no matter what. He'd always do his best to attend to her birthday parties or school presentations. And he'd regularly join the Andersons for a movie and pizza night, which Zarya thought was fun.

She was slightly surprised to see him there, but, most of all, she was glad he was there to hold her hand and help her family.

Annie had asked him for help, and of course he would do anything to protect his buddy, but he had to check on his 'niece' first.

"Hey, girl." He knocked on the door. His hair up and a suit on. Completely different from what Zarya was used to see: messed hair and comfy t-shirt.

"Hey, uncle Barber!" She hugged him tight. "It's good to see you."

"Surprised?" He asked partially joking, but afraid of her answer.

"Hmm... Not really." She didn't want to hurt his feelings, but back when her parents told her about the CIA stuff, Uncle Eric was the only person she was sure couldn't be a spy.

"As a spy, I'm offended." He smiled reassuringly at her and took her to the couch.

"Uncle Eric, is dad gonna be okay?"

Eric was about to answer, but Zarya interrupted him before he could get any words out of his mouth.

"Please, be honest. I'm tired of my mom telling me that 'he can take care of himself' or whatever. I know she just wants to comfort me, and that she's scared too, but I want a real answer." She wiped a tear with the back of her hand.

"Listen, Zarya. Let's try not to think about it, ok? We can't predict things. I'm just gonna tell you I am going to do my best. And I'm sure this entire agency is going to work as hard as they can as well, because your father is a great man. Now, I want you to let it go, because it's not gonna do any good to you. Alright?"

"Alright. Thank you, Uncle Eric."

"Now, what do you think of the CIA?" He asked after some seconds of awkward silence, trying to change to a lighter subject.

"To be honest, I'm kinda disappointed." She shrugged.

"What?" He laughed.

"It's so... Corporative." She smiled. "You're even wearing a suit!" She gestured towards his slightly oversized suit.

"Ok. It may look like a corporation, but I think you realized that there's some action going on, right?"

"I wish I didn't." She sighed. "Now, shouldn't you be saving my father? Go!"

"I wanted to make sure you were ok."

"I am. Captain Anderson is not. Now go help him, Uncle Eric!"

Barber nodded and messed Zarya's hair a little before he stood up and left.

Zarya took off her shoes and lay down on the couch, staring at the ceiling. She closed her eyes and decided to follow Eric's advice and free her mind from those thoughts. She was focusing on happy thoughts about her friends, and laughter at her Aunt Danielle's house, when a different kind of thought crossed her mind.

It was her father they were talking about. She was there when he was abducted. And now her mother and Barber had asked her to forget about it, but she couldn't. She wanted in; she was part of it. Even though she did not want it to be that way, she was completely involved, and now there was no way out, from her point of view.

She left the office, walked towards her mother and everyone stopped talking when she interrupted their briefing reunion with her presence.

"Mom. I want to help." She said before anyone could say anything.

"Zarya! You can't be here! Go back to my office!" Annie threw a look at her that was supposed to be intimidating, but it didn't work on Zarya.

"No! You can't alienate me! I was there! My father is in danger and I want to help!" Zarya scared her mother a little with the tone she used. Annie had never seen Zarya that pissed off. But she figured it was a reflex of everything she was going through.

"Anderson. Control your daughter." The DCI asked and indicated her office with his eyes, implying that Annie needed to lock Zarya in there. "She shouldn't even be here."

"I shouldn't be here? I was a witness to what happened! I'm the victim's daughter! I can be useful, you know that." Zarya kept arguing.

The DCI shot a look at Annie that was enough to scare her.

She took Zarya by the arm and dragged her back into the office. Zarya thought she was mad, but as soon as they were out of sight, Annie's angry expression faded away, which made her a little confused.

"Zarya, I get why you did that, but you shouldn't. Now stay here, I'll be back soon."

Annie shook her head, and tried to clear her mind, but it was harder than she expected it to be.

Zarya didn't say anything; she knew there was nothing her mother could do, given the circumstances. But she made a decision. She would not, by any means, be left out.

To be continued…