The Smalley family were well known in the technology industry having provided tech to households, hospitals and even the military. The company was known as Omega Corp. While its genius owner was th brains behind the many inventions they sold it was the eldest who managed it... and there had been money moved from the company to other fields that were less favorable as a result.

Their home was a stately manor in the countryside, one with a large lovely garden and a huge oak tree growing in its center. Flowers bloomed around the thick brick walls, armed guards on patrol with pistols.

The regular delivery of materials however had a free pass, and after the van had been checked over its regular driver plus one passenger was allowed through the heavy set gates. The driver was a tall muscly man, who didn’t hesitate to press the doorbell. 

A sheet of white... James didn’t appreciate trudging through the snow. His shoes weren’t right for it and he lost contact with his feet a couple of hours ago. But there was nowhere warm to hunker down, no not with monsters trying to attack them at every turn. 

To save his child from the same chill James had his daughter settled on his back. Thankfully most monsters had been easy to talk out of fighting or run away from... but his leg was hurt during one of his escapes, leaving him with a limp that was getting worse.

“Do you need to sit down Daddy?” The small voice of the little girl on his back broke him from his thoughts, the young father flashed a small tired smile her way. “I’ll be fine, don’t you worry about me. Hey... how about you sing me a song yeah? That one from that TV advert? You like that one right?”

It was enough to make her perk up immediately, taking in a breath of cool air before cheerfully singing the catchy tune; “Barley! She’s an action herooo its Barley! Give her a cheeeer-o, Barley! She’s never a zeerrrroo!”

Dick had found out about the phone call, it had not gone down well. But James had stayed true to his word, hearing from Debbie that the ‘kidnappers’ wanted to meet. 

It took a while to manage to sneak away from his security, but with a few well placed lies and convincing dummies James had snuck away with his new... damages.