"You know, I was thinking..." Marco said as he and Luke waited in the room, noting by the change in the lighting that it was night. "After this is over, I'd like to take some vacation time."

Luke chuckled. 

"Vacation time?" He asked.

"Yeah, I thought maybe I'd go visit my mother and sister in Palermo." Marco said with a sigh. "Maybe I could even stick around there for a while."

Luke was quiet. He hated to lose Marco but he could understand that he might need to get some space. 

"I don't think that should be a problem." Luke said, "If we get out of here, you're free to take the time you need."

"It's not like I have to stop working, there are some things that I could take care of over there and you can call me back if you need me." Marco said and Luke nodded. 

"That sounds like a nice idea." Luke said. "Maybe we could even go visit if we're in the area. I promised the Reids they could come visit my house in Italy."

"Oh boy." Marco said with a chuckle. "You got yourself one hell of a family in law." 

"I know." Luke said. "I'm so glad Echo has so many people who love her."

"So many sisters to cluck over her like mother hens." Marco said, "Even the little one, Maru seems to constantly be watching over her."

"Yeah." Luke said, "She needs them now more than ever."

"Are you going to tell me how it is you messed up?" Marco asked after a few minutes. 

"Tell you what- get us out of this alive and I'll let you buy me a drink as I tell you about it." Luke said. 

"Don't worry- your plan will work. We just have to wait now." Marco said. 

"Yeah, we he said a couple of hours but here we are, no sign of them yet." Luke said. "and honestly, I don't like the idea of leaving Echo for so long."

"That's smart." A voice interrupted them, making them roll their eyes. 

"Speaking of..." Marco muttered as Franco walked into the room. 

"I certainly wouldn't have left my new bride alone so much." Franco said with a sigh. 

"I wouldn't have had to if I didn't have to deal with so much trash." Luke replied. 

"Well, I have a surprise for you." Franco said with a bright smile, raising his hand. "I just didn't think it was fair for two newly weds to be separated."

Luke's eyes widened as Vic strolled in, followed by... Guzman? But then his eyes lowered to where Echo walked in, looking apprehensive. 

"Luke!" She called out as she saw him, moving to run but Guzman grabbed her arm and yanked her back roughly. "Shit. Careful."

Guzman tightened his grip on her arm, seemingly enjoying the way she squirmed as he did. It was obvious she was in pain, but she bit her lip. 

"Let her go, you son of a bitch." Luke called out angrily but Franco and Vic just laughed. 

"Guzman, you don't have to be so rough." Franco said as Guzman continued to drag Echo forward. 

Luke and Marco tensed, noting there were more men following, one which Luke remembered perfectly from the airport. 

"Let her go." Luke said, his eyes on Guzman. 

"We will, once you do what we ask." Vic said, circling Echo slowly. 

"Stop it." Echo said, noticing how he eyed her. 

"Stop what?" Vic asked with a raised brow and a grin. 

"Stop staring, it's creepy." She said, trying and failing to get Guzman to release her arm. "You look like a fucking lunatic."

"Wow." Vic said, turning to Luke. "She's got quite a mouth on her."

"You don't want to make her mad." Luke said, his eyes meeting hers. 

Echo took a deep breath, that was all she needed. Just one look to tell her that everything would be okay. She felt as Guzman's grip on her relax.

"I think it might be interesting to watch." Vic said, getting so close to Echo she could smell his pungent breath. 

"I think you need to learn to brush after meals." She said, looking disgusted. There was snickering around the room at the comment and Luke flinched, thinking Vic might hit her but instead he laughed. 

"Enough games." Vic said, his eyes still on Echo. 

"All you have to do is follow directions, Luke. When everything is said and done, I let her walk." Franco replied. 

"What about Luke?" Marco asked. 

"There's no way he's walking out of here today." Vic said with a smile, still staring at Echo. She moved her lips, muttering softly. 

"I'm sorry, honey... what was that?" Vic asked, leaning in. 

"I said come here." She said, suddenly stomping her foot down on his before pushing her knee forward as hard as she could. Vic fell to his knees, groaning as his hands went to his groin. 

Guzman pulled her back against him, but Echo brought her elbow down low, screaming as she did. 

"Number 4" She said loudly, almost ridiculously as Guzman stumbled, still not releasing her. Still, she moved again, the same arm but up higher. 

"Three!" She called out as she finally tugged her arm away from him. "TWO."

No one moved as Echo brought the same arm forward, slamming her forearm into Guzman's face and finally knocking the large man over. 

Echo stood over him, looking like some crazed animal, panting wildly. 

"Seven." She said, throwing her elbow down and using all her strength to land a blow to his stomach. 

"What the fuck is going on?" Franco asked, reaching for his gun but that's when Luke and Marco moved, each jumping up with the chairs still tied to them.

Echo turned, ducking as one of the other men reached for his gun and running towards the back of the room. 

Franco turned back just in time to find Luke turning and throwing himself at him, the weight of the chair coming down on him hard. Luke felt the pain as the steel chair folded up under him, but he pulled himself up high enough to slam back down on Franco again, causing him to release the gun which now slid across the floor. 

A few seconds later he heard a loud crash as Marco threw himself at the three men, knocking them over. 

Echo saw the gun just a few feet away and so she jumped, not even bothering to think about how she had no clue how to use it. 

"Drop it." One of the men said, pointing the gun back at Echo as she held it in Vic's direction. Vic who was still recovering as he rose to his feet. 

"You stupid bitch." Vic said as he pulled himself up. It was a few more seconds before everyone was back on their feet. Luke next to Franco, Vic directly in front of her and just a few feet away, and three men, now all with their guns out and one even pointing directly to Marco. 

"What do you think is going to happen, Echo?" Franco asked, wiping blood from his face. "Do you really think you'll manage to walk out of here. That was a nice effort, I'll give you that but even if you do manage to kill the five of us, don't you realize there are more men outside?"

Echo looked around, her hand shaking a little but she kept a straight face. These men didn't have to know she'd never held a gun before. 

"I wouldn't try her if I were you." Luke said, "She's a great shot."

Echo's eyes flashed at him. 

"He's lying." Vic replied. 

"He's not." Marco said firmly, nodding as he spoke. 

"Bullshit." Vic insisted. 

"Try me." Echo said, hoping no one would call her bluff but feeling her hand steady a bit. It was okay... it would be okay. 

Vic smiled and stretch out his hands long as if welcoming her.

"Come on, just give me the gun, baby." He said, moving towards her. Echo closed her eyes, feeling her finger on the trigger...

Then... there was a loud pop. 

Echo's eyes opened as she watched Vic drop onto his knees, his eyes rolling back in his head. The rest of him followed, hitting the floor with a thud as blood began to pool around him. 

Echo looked at the gun in her hand. No, no way. She had not been the one to take the shot. 

"Nobody move." 

Everybody moved. Every single person in the room turned to face Nadia as she walked into the room, Alfonso right behind her, a gun in her hand. 

"Seriously?" She said, rolling her eyes. "I said nobody move, I really don't want to fucking kill another person today."

"You fucking cunt." Franco said, moving to walk towards her. Nadia sighed, lifted the gun to her side and shooting. 

Except for the slight pull when she pressed down on the trigger, Nadia looked so damn calm... it was spooky. Echo had no idea that Nadia could shoot a gun, much less kill a man so calmly. She was a nurse, after all, wasn't she all about saving lives?

Franco fell forward, dead, and as Nadia continued into the room, she stepped over him carefully, not wanting to ruin her shoes. 

"I'm going to be clear. Everyone who was waiting outside is either dead or surrendered. It's just you three and it looks to me like you don't have a boss to follow anymore. Make a sensible decision." She was staring at the three men who were still pointing guns at her. 

Alfonso nodded as they glanced at him as if confirming what she just said. Without a word, they knelt down, placing their guns on the floor. 

"I'll take care of this, Miss Nadia." Alfonso said, signalling out the door for more men to enter. 

"Thanks." Nadia said, lowering her gun with a sigh of relief as she let the men take over. She turned towards Luke, then Marco. "I had to save your asses again." 

"Again?" Echo asked, confused. As far as she was aware, Nadia didn't like to be involved in the business and did everything she could to avoid getting wrapped up in it. Nadia glanced over at her as she approached Marco. 

"It's a rather long, complicated story." Nadia said with a nod, "Suffice it to say... I was brought up in the same world they were."

Marco flexed his wrists as the ropes were loosened and he was finally able to shake the chair free. 

"How are you?" Nadia said, running up to her and giving her a hug. 

"I'm good." Echo said with a nod as if trying to convince herself it was true. "I'm good. You know, holding a gun and shit."

Nadia chuckled as Echo handed it to her. 

"It's okay." Nadia said, slipping it away and noting that the safety was on.  She shook her head with a chuckle as she tossed it to one of the men nearby. "There's nowhere to tuck it in scrubs."

"Yeah, Hi- anyone want to help me out here?" Luke said, making them all turn. 

"Luke." Echo said with a sigh of relief as she ran over to him. "Oh god... look at you."

"I'm fine." He said, turning and giving her his back. "But... would you mind?"

Echo laughed, trying to break through the ropes which were now considerably more manageable. 

"I wonder how she figured it out." Echo said, her fingers shaking as she finally managed to pry Luke free of the chair. 

"She's smart." Luke said, shaking the ropes off and turning to wrap his arms around Echo. 

"What about him?" Marco asked, turning and pointing his gun at Guzman who was now trying to sneak out of the room quietly.

Luke turned, his arms tight around Echo as she clung to him for dear life. 

"You know what to do." Luke said, turning to leave the room. 

"My pleasure." Marco replied. 

"I want this place cleaned up." Luke said, still trying shield Echo's face from the mess outside. He removed his jacket, thinking it was silly he was still wearing the blazer but thankful for it as he wrapped it around her. He didn't want her to see any more than she had. He'd promised her to keep her safe. another fail. 

"Luke... Luke!"

Luke turned as Nadia approached him. He opened the door of an SUV and settled Echo in. 

"Give me a minute." He said, shutting the door. 

"Are you okay?" He asked Nadia, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You know I fucking hate getting you involved."

Nadia chuckled and sighed. 

"Me too but you guys are hopeless." She teased. There had only been one other occasion where she had to step in...thank god. 

"I've gotta you guys home, away from here." He said, "Echo needs rest."

"I'm sure but there's something I need to tell you." Nadia said, "and before you ask, no. It can't wait."

Luke raised a brow. 

"Okay. What is it?" He asked, crossing his arms. 

"Okay... let's see... where do I even start?"