Chris: "At least it's not an unnatural shade of orange."

Chris: "It's starting to get really late- I have to get out of here before dawn. I'm leaving this with you. If she tries to escape, shoot to maim. If anything goes wrong, I'm holding you personally responsible."

Mary: "Wow. Big gun. Trying to make up for something, are we?"
Chris: "Hardly."

Chris: "Rest up, pet- I'll be back tomorrow to play with you some more. And if you're not good while I'm away, that little love-bite I gave you earlier will seem like a pin prick."

Chris: "Watch her, Ace- she's a wild one!"

Mary quietly watched Chris leaving, her mind racing. She slowly sat down in the far corner of the cage, the earlier blood loss and ongoing trauma beginning to catch up with her finally. As she her head lay down on the cold wooden floor, an idea began to form.

Andy: "I don't care, Janet- I'll deal with it when I'm able to... I don't know exactly, probably not too much longer- two days max."

Andy: "Listen I gotta go- set up a new meeting with them for Monday afternoon. In fact, make it a lunch meeting- 12 sharp... Sounds good, see you at the office on Monday then."

Andy: "There's my angel- did the Valium help you sleep?"
Emily: "Yeah, I'm still a bit groggy actually. Any word on Mary yet?"

Andy: "My contacts had quite a bit of good information. I passed it on to the boys who've come up with a rescue plan. They'll be here in less than an hour- why don't you get something to eat and have a bath. Before you know it everything will be back to normal."

Normal... what was normal anymore? Emily wasn't sure she'd know it if it she saw it. What was perfectly normal for one person could be downright unbelievable to another. If her life had been turned upside down during the past year and a half, in less than a week it'd been turned inside out as well. She'd been whisked from one thing to another as if in a whirlwind, hardly having a chance to catch her breath before something else came along to carry her off in another direction.

The rising steam from the bath helped calm her nerves ever so slightly, releasing just enough tension so that she was no longer shaking. She forced down her feelings of complete and utter dread and fought back tears of frustration. She could only trust that everyone knew what they were doing and had Mary's best interest in mind. It wasn't long before the sound of voices from downstairs caught her attention. She rushed out of the bath, quickly tossing on clean clothes before bounding down the stairs.

James: "All I'm saying is there's no point in me messing my hair up until it's absolutely neccessary. The hat will go on when it's time and not a moment sooner."
Tristan: "Emily!"

Emily: "Hi everyone."
Markus: "Do you like our outfits? You'd be amazed by what you can find at an army surplus store!"
James: "I'm really digging the utility belt, personally. Night vision goggles would have kicked ass- I still can't believe you left them there!"
Markus: "I could only carry so much on my own!"
James: "I suppose."

Markus: "You know, James, your ass looks really good in that uniform."
James: "Honest? I was a bit concerned it made me look fat."
Tristan: "I like the hat..."

Andy: "If you boys are quite done, perhaps we can actually do something useful?"