Chapter 1: The Favor

Stephanie pulled into the garage at Rangeman and parked her car in her spot next to the elevator. Well the parking spot technically didn't have her name on it, but it always seemed to be available.

She hadn't talked to Ranger since yesterday when they met in the alley next to the bonds office and she was getting a little nervous about why she was at Rangeman today.

She hit the button and the elevator door opened and closed quietly once she was inside.

Binkie, who was manning the lobby called Ranger immediately as soon as he saw Stephanie's car pull into the garage. He had to, it was mandatory procedure whenever she entered the building.

"Stephanie Plum is on her way up to five Boss." He said as soon as he heard Rangers "Report!"

"Noted." Ranger said as he looked at his watch. Almost four in the afternoon. Ranger was pleased that she and the cop were through, officially now for about two months. Morelli was promoted to Chief Detective and had been reassigned to the Atlantic City Police Department. The only people in Trenton who missed Joe Morrelli were his family and of course, Helen Plum. Stephanie did not.

He heard a knock at the door.

"Enter!" He bellowed. He stood up, walked around his desk at kissed her on the cheek as she came into his office. "This is a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you Babe?"

Stephanie just stood there trying to get up the nerve.

Ranger could tell that something was bothering her so he just gave her some time as he returned to his desk chair.

"Are you working tomorrow night?" She asked.

"You know I'm always on call but yes, I'm on a half-schedule while Manny goes to see his niece in a school play. I'll probably work patrol until 9 or 10. Why?"

"I wanted to ask you a favor."

"Sure Babe, anything."

Stephanie took that as an opening to start the speech that she had practiced in the car on the way over. She started and didn't pause for any punctuation.

"Well there is this show coming on TV tomorrow night and I don't have cable anymore and I know that my dad is not going to let me watch it on his TV instead of watching Monday Night Football and I'm pretty sure you get that channel upstairs and I was wondering if I could use your TV tomorrow night?"

"Stephanie," Ranger laughed. "When I said 'Sure Babe, anything.' I didn't need you to go into your explanation. You should know that I'd do anything for you. So, help yourself tomorrow."

Stephanie smiled.

"Do you want me to have Ella make you something for dinner?"

"No, that's not necessary. Uhm, the show runs until 10. Is that gonna bother you when you get home?"

"Nope."

"Okay. Well, thanks." She had a very large smile on her face. "Have a great night."

Stephanie started to leave.

"So, you're not going to tell me what show you are so anxious to see?" asked Ranger.

"It's really not that important. Just to me." Then she kissed him and left.

Ranger was intrigued. He thought about having someone go through all the scheduled shows for Monday night, but he thought that he'd just let it alone for now.

Stephanie had a reasonably good Monday bringing in three low-bond skips. Actually, they were repeat offenders. She always wandered, 1: Why they kept breaking the law, 2: Why Vinnie still posted bail for them and, 3: Why they always failed to show up for court. Still, their lack of attention netted her a good day's pay and almost next month's rent.

She got home early enough to take a shower, do her hair a pack her dinner. She planned to eat in front of Rangers huge TV. She grabbed a plastic grocery bag and put in two peanut butter and olive sandwiches, a big bag of microwave popcorn with extra butter and a couple of bottles of water. Before she left, she placed a few treats in Rex's cage and let him know that she would be home around 10:30. She didn't want him to worry.

Sure enough, her parking space was open at Haywood. She took the elevator up at around 7:45 and she pulled out her first sandwich and sat Indian style on the floor with her back leaning up against Rangers coffee table. Stephanie somehow managed to get the massive TV remote to work and with a minute or two the spare, she anxiously waited for her show to come on.

"Did I see Bomber enter the building a minute ago?" Lester questioned as he got into the passenger seat of the Bronco.

"Yep, she wanted to watch a cable show. She apparently had to drop her cable service." Ranger said as he started the engine and backed out.

"That's gone be really hard on her during hockey season huh? You know how much she loves the Rangers." Then Lester added, "Maybe you can secretly pay her cable bill."

"Thought about it but she would not like it. Maybe I can get her in the building for some extra work and an extra paycheck."

"Sounds like a plan. "

Both Ranger and Lester stopped talking, got into their zones and started their quick patrol.

At 9:50 he opened the door to his apartment on 7 and dropped his keys in the dish.

The living room light was very dim but the size of his TV illuminated the area so well that he could he see his Babe. She was lying on the floor with a sofa pillow under her head. She looked like a little girl who ignored her parents warning about sitting too close to the TV.

"Ella brought up your dinner and put it in the oven. She said you know what to do." She said without turning her gaze from the TV.

"Got it."

He walked to the kitchen and turned the oven to warm, then he took a beer out of the refrigerator and grabbed a fork and a knife from a drawer. While he started to sit in his chair he noticed the ending credits. As the show ended Stephanie turned off the TV and stood and stretched. She was smiling.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but did you just watch a show about Peru?"

"Yep," Stephanie said as she threw the pillow back on the sofa, grabbed the almost empty bag of popcorn and sat, knees first in the chair next to Ranger.

"Especially Machu Picchu. Those people were amazing." She put her elbows on the table and rested her head in her hands.

"Stephanie Michelle Plum, you never cease to amaze me."

"Thank you. . . I guess."

"Would you like to explain to me why you made such a big deal over this program?"

"Promise not to laugh?"

"Nope." Ranger said quickly.

"What? You're supposed to say 'I would never laugh at you Babe.'"

He laughed back. "You're wrong. I'll leave my opinion open at this time." Buzz! The oven signaled that his dinner was warmed enough. As he got up to retrieve his plate, Stephanie started to explain.

"As you can probably guess, I wasn't the best student in high school."

Ranger nodded his head again as he sat down at the end of the table. He offered to get her a fork of her own and share his dinner but she said that was full. So he started to eat his very healthy fish with rice and vegetables.

"And . . . having Valerie, the "perfect student" in all of the teachers' minds as my older sister did not help at all."

He nodded again.

"Anyway, when I was in 10th grade, all of the sophomores had to do a social studies project. You know with the poster board, term paper and a big display for a competition. Did you have to do that at your school?

"Yes I did. Mine was on the Cuban Missile Crisis and since I was living in Miami at that time in my life, it was a big deal. I made a B. Go on."

"Well, all the sophomores were given a long list of suggested topics to choose from and I of course waited until the last minute. I really didn't care at all." She said as she grabbed a piece of broccoli off of Rangers plate.

"I tried to grab the country of Jabuti. Come on, what kind of name for a country is Ja-Bootie? But Mitchell Sharp, the dumbest guy on the offensive line got it before me." She laughed as she remembered, "He couldn't give his presentation because every time he said Jabuti he'd blush and everyone started laughing. Anyway, the day that we had to tell the teacher our topic I went through the list of the leftover topics and chose Machu Picchu. I mean is not as funny sounding as Ja-Bootie but I thought I'd give it a go.

So I started researching and I just got hooked on it. These people were amazing. Seriously Ranger, the things that they had to do to survive . . . . Well it still blows my mind." Another piece of broccoli made it into Stephanie's mouth.

"So how did you end up with the project?" Ranger had never seen his Babe with such a genuine smile before. He had no choice but to smile back.

"I won the whole thing," she said proudly. "I still have the Sophomore Social Studies 1st Place trophy in my room at my mom's house."

"Proud of you Babe."

"So, when I saw that this special was coming on tonight, I knew that I had to see it."

"You should go." Ranger said.

Stephanie immediately got a serious look on her face. "Oh I'm sorry, I've overstayed and it is late I'm sorry . . ."

He cut her off. "No, I didn't mean that you should go home now. I meant that you should go to
Peru. They offer tours of Machu Picchu you know"

She almost snorted when he said that. "Knowing and doing are two separate things"

"Explain."

"As much as I admire the Inca people, I know I couldn't do it , . . anything even remotely like that today."

"Okay you lost me," he said as he finished his meal.

"These people lived with basically nothing. I've never even slept outside in my life. They lived without . . ."

"Wait! Are you telling me that you have never camped out. Not even in the Girl Scouts? Anything?"

"Ranger, Jersey girls do not camp out. Well, maybe drunk on the beach at Point Pleasant, which I have never done by the way."

"No family camping trip over the summer? Nothing?"

"Well, once my grandmother borrowed a tent and put it up in her backyard. But we didn't last very long. We both had to use the bathroom and then it started to rain so we went inside and watched TV."

Ranger put down his fork and pushed his empty plate forward on the table and simply clasped his hands together. He looked at his Babe and became very quiet.

Oh shit! Stephanie had seen that look before. I was the look he shows when he is strategizing a takedown. She thought that now was a good time to leave.

"Well. Thanks for the TV tonight. Rex is waiting for me so, I gotta go." She said as she picked up her bag of popcorn and

"Freeze!"

She did.

"Sit!"

She did.

"We are going on a camping trip for . . . two nights in the wilderness. Just you and I. You pick the time and I'll pick the place. We will hike and I will teach you how to survive outside."

"Gee thanks but, I can't do that." Again she started to leave and grabbed her purse and but this time he got in front of her.

"Why?"

"I just can't." She looked at her feet.

"Why?"

"It's embarrassing."

"I don't care. Tell me why."

She paused. "I'm afraid to use the bathroom outside. Okay, you happy? I'm a girl who has never gone to the bathroom outside. I made it into my thirties and I never had to do it. So there. Happy?"

He put his hands on her shoulders. "Babe. You can learn to handle your bodily functions and enjoy the beauty . . ."

This time she cut him off. "No. No. You see. Its okay for a man to say that cuz you can just drop your zipper and pee on a tree, but . . . No uh uh. Can't do it."

"Stephanie Michelle Plum."

Shit, shit, shit. He said her full name. This isn't going to be fun.

"I'm surprised at you. With all of the things that you've been through, you are going to place the fact that you are afraid to drop trow outside the reason why you've never experience the beauty of Mather Nature?"

She nodded her head.

He put his arms around her and said the most unfair way to win this debate.

"Do you trust me?"

She slumped into his arms. "Of course." She whispered into his chest.

"How much?"

"With everything."

He pulled back so he could look her in the eyes. "Then you pick the dates and I'll pick the place. Deal?"

"Can I get back to you?"

"Sure. But don't wait too long." He cupped her face in his hands and preceded to give her a mind numbing kiss. When the kiss was over she looked up at him and he had the 200 watt smile.

Oh shit! She said to herself as he walked her to the elevator. I guess I'm going camping.

Ranger decided to escort her all the way to her car. As the elevator descended he could see her concerned facial expressions.

"Something's burning Babe?"

"How about we just go to the zoo. That way we can be outside and look at the animals."

"Nope. We're going camping."

Shit!

"I guess I can't talk you into a nice campground?"

"Nope. It's just going to be you and me and . . .

"Mother Nature. I got it."

When they got to the garage he leaned her back against her car and sealed the deal with a passionate kiss. As passionate as it could be knowing that they were on the monitors.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" He asked.

"Yes I guess." She admitted.

Stephanie got in her car and drove away, watching the image of a grinning Ranger getting smaller and smaller as she turned and left the Rangeman building.

If only I'd signed up for Jabuti!

Ranger couldn't help smiling as he washed the plate and utensils and headed to shower to get ready for bed. By the time he sat on his bed and looked at his phone he saw a text from his Babe.

How about we just walk around the Paramus Mall? Now that's a jungle!

He texted her back. No. Get some sleep Babe.

Stephanie did not get a lot of sleep that night and that was evident when she walked into the bonds office the next morning carrying a box of doughnuts. She explained her dilemma.

"He wants you to do what?" Said Lula and Connie at the same time!

"He wants to take me camping. You know. Outdoors in the wilderness."

"Well," Connie confided. "I wouldn't mind being anywhere with him alone but, why in the woods?"

"I don't know where he came up with this idea?" She said as shrugged her shoulders.

Stephanie didn't want them to know that the idea came from her sophomoric social studies project. "You know how he is. Once he gets his mind on something he's not going to let it drop."

She continued. "You do know what that means don't you know? I'll have to use the bathroom outside. . . In the woods. Number one and number two. Have either of you had to do that?"

"Hell no. Even in my former profession when I was outside on the street, I'd always made a deal with a store keeper or fellow ho."

Connie said, "Never! My closest thing was using the bathroom at the high school stadium. That was pretty nasty. There were spiders everywhere! And it seemed like the toilet paper was damp. Never again."

"Great." Stephanie admitted. "You two are not helping me."

"Let's Google it." Connie said.

The three of them gathered around Connie's monitor and started to look at "How To" websites. Then they saw some You Tube videos.

"That is just disgusting." Connie said. "I hope he is not going to watch you."

"Na, na, now that would be just freaky." Lula said almost in shock. "I can't believe this chick let someone film her doing her business!"

They were so caught up in the computer that they didn't here Ranger come in.

"Morning ladies." He said starling the trio.

Lula didn't miss a beat. She went up to Ranger and said as she looked him over. "I don't care how good looking a man is, he is not going to expect me to do that. No uh uh.!"

"Do what?"

"Shit in the woods!" She turned around, grabbed a doughnut and sat on the couch mumbling a lot of things under her breath.

Ranger rarely sighed but he did just then. "Did you get any sleep last night Babe?"

"A little. It's just that I don't think . . ."

"Enough." He said as he put his arm around her. "You can do it. And I'm sure that once you completed "the task," you'll see that it wasn't as traumatic as you think." He kissed her on the forehead. "Connie, here are the files from last week. Anything new?"

"Vinnie's at the court house now. I'll let you know."

"Babe. Can I see you outside?"

Instead of going to the alley where they always went he walked her to his car.

Make sure you pick three days in a row. Don't wait too long because it will be getting colder soon. Also, you need to get into the gym and do some stepping and lifting. I expect to travel 10 miles a day with full pack. And," he leaned forward to give her a peck on the lips, "buy yourself some good hiking boots with laces that go all the way up. You'll need to work them in as well."

"Gotta go." He went to his driver's side door and before he sat down he added, "Tell the duo inside that when I'm done training you, they're next."

Stephanie watched him drive away. She went back in the bonds office and grabbed 2 doughnuts and sat down on the sofa completely defeated.

"I guess you didn't change his mind?" Asked Connie.

She shook her head from side to side.

"Do you have a calendar? I'm supposed to pick three days for this experience."

Connie grabbed one of those free calendars she got from the hardware store down the street and the three of them came up with the dates. September 13, 14, 15. Not too cold at night, no menstrual cycle and enough time to break in a pair of boots and get fit.

I can do this.

Ten miles a day.

Piece of cake.

Seventeen days to get ready.

Yikes!

On the way back to Haywood Ranger called Tank.

"Are you available?"

Tank looked at the pile of paperwork on his desk. Everything was due yesterday. Immediately he said "Yes!"

"Meet me in my office in ten. We have a mission to plan."

"10-4."