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Goose shadows Ivan's boat whilst on the other side of the lagoon Team Jess is frantically bailing out their vessel as Carla pilots it towards the mainland.

They arrive ashore tired and waterlogged, but in one piece...which can't be said for the boat. The last passenger steps off onto the dock as it finally succumbs to its various holes and hull breaches.

Without missing a beat, Jess pulls out her newly reacquired Agency phone.

"I've got a cousin who has a small villa in Mestre. Hopefully he's there so..."

Before finishing her sentence, Jess looks herself then the team over. Nearly everyone is in some various form of disrepair or injury.

"...On second thought. Maybe it would be best if he wasn't there."

Her cousin's phone rings and rings, eventually switching over to an answering machine.

Ciao. You've reached Paul. I am currently out of town. Please leave a message or call my mobile. Grazie.

Jess closes the phone.

"Ah. If there's one good thing about living in a family of travelholics, it's that they're never actually home. Now let's beat it before the Carabinieri get here."

A brief cab ride from the coast finds the team in the crowded streets of downtown Mestre. Cousin Paul's flat is located in a not-so scenic area of the city, but provides the necessary place to hold out until the rendevous that night.

The rather spartan quarters are adequate for some necessary rest and recouperation.

Meanwhile, Artis pursues Liz and Co. pulling the Mustang out of the murky depths onto a nearby boat launch and back to dry land. He sits idly as the car reverts back to its terran configuration, watching Liz and Ivan step from their boat and into a waiting Mercedes. Flanking the vehicle are two identical SUVs, presumably part of Liz's entourage of cut-throats and mercenaries.

They get in with little fanfare, driving off and head North towards Mestre.

Jess grabs her mike again.

"Goose, we're safe. Though I'd like to stress that I'd be very pleased if you could obey my orders next time. Pretty please with a cherry on top?"

"Well, the bitch is back on dry land, heading north towards Mestre. You guys wouldn't happen to be in the area, would you? The best way to tail someone is to get there before they do."

"Lady Luck works in strange ways, Goose. Actually, we *are* in Mestre. Anything to watch out for?"

The trio of Mercedes proceeds at a modest clip towards the downtown area of Mestre. Artis is quick to follow them, making sure not to get too close. The three vehicles pull off the main roads, driving towards the old part of the city inhabited by immense palazzos and terra-cotta roofed mansions.

Driving through a series of switchbacks, the procession of German engineering stops at a gated, hedge-rowed entrance wherein two guards with automatic weapons greet the lead vehicle. A moment later, the large ironwork gate opens as the vehicle enter the compound.

Goose can't make out anything after that as the entire perimeter surrounded by a wraught-iron fence and concealed by a 8ft run of hedging behind it.

Jess grabs her mike again.

"Goose, unless there's something important going on right now that you need to watch, proceed to our location. Osprey can take care of any observation later; right now we need to reunite and figure out our plan for this."

"All righty, I'll be there in ten." And then Artis turns the car around and drives off.

"I will make the pickup," Ayumi says.

Brian looks at the two women, having changed out of his soaked, and now fairly disgusting, cloths. A good, hot shower got most of Venice off him, although chances are he'll take another one before the night is out.

"I can give you a decent level of cover going in and out, if you'd like it. But I can't be in position to do that, and engage in anything even vaugely resembling an assualt. Not with how security will probably be where we are going. I'm going to have to find a spot and stick to it, or go in with you. Your call."

"As much as I'd like to have you as backup, I need you for some observation on the mansion. If Liz and her minions get away, we can consider this blown. No, Ayumi and me will go, with Art as our getaway driver. Carla, I want you to stay near the mansion too. If they make a move for it while we're at the rendevous point - help Brian make sure they don't get away."

Jess draws her MP7, checking the weapon.

"I don't think there will be trouble, but I'm not going to assume anything here. Authorisation to deploy the big guns."

Brian chuckles softly. "Maybe your not recalling some of our previous plans Dear. There is ALWAYS trouble."

"True, but if you've got a better idea on conducting both the pickup and an observation, I'm all ears."

"I wasn't going to suggest anything. It's a solid plan, and if someone will give me a ride to a fair drop point, I can get going right now. Just keep in mind that there will almost certainly be trouble."

Brian stands, going to crap his ghillie suit (just in case), the video bug and extra ammunition into a small duffel back, before setting it, and a rifle case near the door.

"Noted."

Jess pockets her gun.

"Now, let's get ready. Wouldn't want to let Art slack off while we're still packing, right?"

"But I just got here!"

Jess pops the Mustang's trunk, pulling out the dufflebag with the initials TEP stenciled on the side.

Jess looks at Art leaning in the doorway.

"Well, then you have something I want."

She walks by him to the Mustang, then extracts a carrying case from the backseat. As she carries it inside, all that can be made out is that it's a simple, black case, the only distinguishing mark being a spraypainted silhouette of a stylized hummingbird on it. Just holding it seems to improve Jessica's mood by a few notches.

She sets the case down on a table, then opens it - obscured from view for everyone but her. She looks inside, grins wildly, then snaps the case shut again.

"God bless Chief Hopkins. Now I'm ready to roll."