Ranger
I sat there looking out of the window thinking about my life. I couldn't believe I was sitting here thinking. I turned back around and looked at the folder that was sitting on my desk. It was my duty and I needed to fulfill it. I grabbed my phone and called Tank.
"Conference room." I said once he picked up and hung up when I was done. I grabbed the folder and headed to the conference room. The floor went quite as soon as I walked out of my office. I walked into the conference room and shut the door. It took some time and Tank finely walked in. Behind him were Bobby and Lester. They sat down and all was quiet.
"I leave at 2300 hours. Here's everything that I'm able to give. You'll have enough information from this. Tank you're in charge from here on out." They all just looked at me.
"Rangerman Christmas is in 3 weeks, you've never been sent out right before Christmas. What's changed?" Bobby asked me. My hand was still covering the folder.
"I've never asked for this time as off time. A mission came up and I am being called out. Bobby keep the men up to date and patched up. Lester, you have the floors keep the men in line. Tank keep the business running. I need to pack and get ready." I said and stood up.
"And boomer?" Bobby asked.
"Those rules have never changed." I looked at the folder one more time and moved my hand off it. "When you're done Tank, we need to talk." I said and walked out. I headed up to the penthouse and started packing.
"Rangerman this is a death wish." Tank said, I looked over and saw him standing in the doorway. I nodded and already knew that. I twisted the dial on my safe till it opened. "You don't plan on coming back do you man." I looked in the safe and thought about my answer.
"The chance that I do make it out of this alive, making it home would be impossible. Four weeks this safe will open and you will have everything you need." I told him and set the timer on my lock box. It held my will, everything was clearly stated and no one could fight it. There was a letter to Julia along with a key to a storage unit that held some things I would have given to her myself. There was a letter to my family mostly telling them that I loved them. Tank along with my core team got a letter explaining my graduate for their service. Finely there was a letter to Stephanie. All of them were written today and updated.
I closed the box, making sure it was locked and placed it on the bottom sleeve. Then I saw the box that was sitting on the top sleeve. I was going to wait and give it to Stephanie on Christmas day. But I wanted to make sure she got it before I left. I grabbed the box and started closing the door.
"You left a box in their man." I looked at the safe and didn't answer. In the middle sleeve were my business contracts were there was a small black box in the corner.
"Do what you want with it." I grabbed my bag and headed out of the room. I sat everything down by the door and looked back at him. "Four weeks to 2400 hours tonight. Weather you get the new or not."
"Need a ride?" I shook my head no.
"One last time," He nodded and understood. "Take care of yourself man." He grabbed my hand and hugged me back. I turned off the cameras and headed out. I took the stairs to the garage. It wasn't hard to pick the car I wanted to drive. There was only one that reminded me of her. I got in the turbo and headed right to my heart.
The apparent was quite when I walked in. I sat the box and note on the kitchen counter next to the coffee pot and Rex. Then I slowly made my way into her room. She was sprawled out sleeping. Her hair was spread out all around her and she looked like an angle. I sat in the corner watching her for as long as I could.
When she noticed a few years ago, that I came and watched her sleep, she got chair for me to sit in. It wasn't a lot for anyone, but for me. It showed me that she was giving me the change to come and watch her. Finely the clock next to her bed showed me it was time to leave. I got up and moved over to the bed. I covered her and kissed her head.
"I love you Stephanie Plum." I whispered against her head. Then I was gone. Tank was in the parking lot waiting for me. I nodded to him and got in the car.
"Don't worry Rangerman I'll watch over her." I nodded and drove to my pick-up sight. When I pulled throw the gates I was surprised. I looked over to Tank and he just sat there with a blank face. I pulled next to the SUV's and got out. My core team came to action at once.
"At ease." The lowered their hands and we said out goodbyes. Slowly everyone but Tank left.
"It's hard to stop Lester when he feels others need to know something." I smiled and I knew my cousin was the right leader.
"Make sure she finds happiness." He looked at me.
"I can't promise that Boss. We both know that she'll only be happy with you. Don't say anything against it. She loves you man and if you would have pulled your head out of your ass you could have had her. But I'll make sure she's taken care of and happy." I nodded and that was all I could ask for. "You should have woken her up and told her what was going on. In a few weeks were going to get notice your dead and it's going to crush her. If she ever found out that we all knew. She might pull away from us."
"Then keep it to yourself." He shook his head. But we both heard the plane. We looked up and followed it's decent. Finely it landed and the side doors opened. There standing in the doorway was my handler. He nodded to Tank and moved out of the way for me.
"Take care man, it was an honor." He nodded and grabbed my hand.
"No man we're family." We hugged and I headed to the plane. Ricker shut the door behind me and we took off.
"What the fuck were you thinking excepting a mission like this?" He yelled once we were in the air. "You fucking suck at following orders like this."
"It needs to be done." He gave me a look, and then looked out the window.
"You didn't tell them everything did you. There sending their CO out to get killed and they don't even know what your mission is." I shook my head and folded my arms. When he didn't get an answer out of me, he tired something else. "Dose the woman knows?" I dropped my blank face and looked at him.
"What woman?"
"The one my brother keeps on talking about. The one you're in love with. Ah what was her name. Sockie, Stacie, um."
"Stephanie." His face light up.
"Yes, Stephanie Plum, the Boom Shell bounty hunter. She treats Blinky like a little brother. Maybe I'll visit and meet her." I looked away from him. I didn't want him anywhere hear her. But at the same time, he'll be my only contact.
"He was the new guy, younger than the rest and you could say the rest of the men were giving him a hard time or pushing him away. She didn't like that, started watching out for him and taking care of him like a brother."
"Sounds like a one of a kind woman." I didn't answer him. "Did you tell her?"
"In the morning, she'll know I had to leave. Let's get on with this." He nodded and grabbed everything I would need. We went over everything and I was clear with my mission.
"I will send word to your business partners when it's needed. What about anyone else?" I shook my head no.
"Tank will take care of all that. Give it to them straight and don't leave anything out. If I stay on my deadline that will give him a few days to get the new out before the rest of the world finds out. Everything of mine will be spread out. Don't get too close to her, she's bad on the health."
"No, your men are bad on my health. I'll give everyone enough time then I'll go visit my brother." I nodded and sat back. Everything was taken care of and I was good to go. Tank was right, I should have pulled my head out of my ass and gave in. I could at less spent some time with her. But I would have felt worse now if I had. Goodbyes aren't easy, I'm glad I just left.
Steph
I sat up and knew Ranger was just here. I could smell him. I throw the blanket aside and got up. Nothing was out of place. The door was even locked. Then I saw it. There sitting next to my coffee maker was a wrapped box. There was a sticky note in front of it with my name on it. I grabbed it and opened it.
Merry Christmas
R
I thought about it and looked at the box that was sitting there on my counter. I pulled the box to me and felt it. It wasn't heavy, I know if I wanted to find out I would need to open the box and find out. Finely I took the rib off and lifted the lid. There sitting in paper was a key ring. On the key ring were keys. I picked them up and looked them over.
I knew one set of keys were to a door most likely to Ranger man because the wand was on them. Then there was a set of car keys. I glared at the key ring. I grabbed them and put on a pair of pants. Grabbed my purse and keys and headed out. I knew this gift was here because Ranger needed to go in the wind. But there was someone else who could answer the question I had. I drove to Ranger man and saw a lot of SUV's were gone.
It didn't bother me, I got out and headed right to 5. Only the men from the control room were there. I looked around the floor and walked over to them.
"I want to talk to Tank as soon as he gets back." I told them and folded my arms. Blink nodded to me at once. I started pacing the floor checking on the monitors every once in a while. I saw the line of SUV's.
"Boomer you might want to wait till Tank gets back. They don't look ready to handle you." I leaned over him and saw what he was talking about. Lester leaned against the SUV talking to Bobby. He took a drink out of his bottle. He was getting drunk. I moved into the control room and moved behind the door.
"They haven't noticed my car?"
"There mind is somewhere else." He told me. I nodded and watched the screen. Slowly the guys took the stairs up and most went to the fourth floor. But Bobby and Lester came up to five and headed right this way.
"Wake us when boomer is heading this way." Bobby said.
"Yes Sir."
"If she calls switch her throw to someone on the core team. No questions." Lester said and walked away. Bobby stood there for a minute.
"Call the next shift in and get them working." He turned and walked away. I pecked out from behind the door and looked at them.
"What's going on?" I asked Blinky. He shrugged and didn't know. "Is it common for the guys to act like that when Ranger goes in the wind?" Both guys looked at me. "So, you haven't been told. We'll you didn't hear it from me. Here give me the list." Mark handed over the clip board and smiled at me.
I sat down at the end of the table and pulled the phone over to me. I started calling in the next shift. Most the guys just thought a bad take down or something like that. I gave the list back and handed over the clip board. I stood up and looked over Blinky shoulder and watched Ranger's turbo drive into the parking lot.
"Ranger never lets anyone drive his car." I said and watched Tank get out of the car. He looked right at my car.
"At less he noticed." Mark said. He headed to the stairs and came out on five. He looked around and centered on me.
"Pretty early to start the day little girl." He said, I glared at him and headed to his office. He opened the door for me. I waited for him to sit down and I slammed the keys on his desk.
"What the hell is this?" He looked at them and smiled.
"You sure you want to know?" I folded my arms and he got up, grabbed the keys and waved me out of the office. He walked down the hallway and over to the smaller conference room. Handed over the keys and waved to the door. I took them and opened the door. I saw the conference room was turned into a beautiful office.
"The key ring is your Christmas present from him. This is from everyone." I stood there looking around. I loved it, it was something I could see myself in.
"why?"
"Little girl you need an office. The rest of the core team has one and you now have one." I walked around and touched everything.
"The others?"
"The key fob will open the gate and the penthouse. But the button will also turn off the cameras. The other keys are for your car." I glared at him. He walked me back into his office and handed over the folder. "Think of it as a company car if you want. We did a lot to it. Ax will have it done soon and bring it here for you. Fight all you want, but it's for you." I looked at the keys and thought about it.
"Thank you, I like the key ring more than the rest." He smiled at me.
"Wait for the car little girl, he went all out for you." I thought about it. The picture was just from the dealership. Ranger bought me a Jeep. When I looked at Tank he was looking out the doorway. I looked back and saw the next shift showing up.
"Bobby and Lester wanted the next shift to show up because they got drunk." I told him. He nodded.
"They did some partying, thank you for calling. They are more likely to be willing to show up when you call to when we call." I nodded and played around with the keys. "Why don't you head up to 7 and sleep?" I nodded and he walked me out. Kissed my head and shut the door behind me. I looked around and smiled.
I was a normal visitor to the penthouse. Ranger and I haven't changed our relationship from friends. But it doesn't matter. I would rather him be my fried than anything else or not something. Well no that's a lie. I would rather us be lovers. But I didn't see that ever happening. I into bed and fall asleep smelled Ranger all around me.
It's been three weeks, three long weeks with Ranger gone. About 4 mouth ago I decide to come onto Rangerman full time. That was only after being broke up with Joe and decide I needed to take control of my life.
Now that I have my own office, Tank had been helping me get more into the business. I don't mind really. Half the day I work in the office and the other part I'm in the field. Most the guys think it's great, mostly because they don't have to do it. But today I walked onto the floor and everyone was quiet.
Doors to offices were open besides Rangers. I didn't see anyone in their office. I looked around and saw Tank standing in the doorway to the conference room. I looked around and saw all the guys looking at me. I looked back and Tank.
"We need to talk little girl." I walked over to him and saw the core team was sitting around the table. There was also two men in dress uniforms. I know at once what they were here for. But they were wrong. I would know if Ranger was dead. Tank pulled out Ranger's chair and got me sitting. He shut the door and sat down also.
I just sat there listening to everything, but they were wrong. Finely they stood up and shook everyone's hands.
"Sorry Ma'am." The shook my hand and walked out. I looked at them walking away. Then I looked back to Tank.
"He's not dead." Tank looked so sad. No one believe me. I turned and walked out of the room. I shut my office door and started to pace. I would know if he was dead. I would know. There was a soft knock on my door and I didn't answer it. Slowly it opened and Hector walked in. I glared at him and kept on pacing. He walked over to the desk and turned my computer on.
"You right si?" I stopped and flipped around to look at him. Then I walked over and looked at what he wrote.
'I do not believe he's dead either. But I haven't been able to find him or his mission papers.' He looked at me waiting. I pulled the keyboard over to me and started writing. He flipped it into Spanish.
'I would know if he's dead. I fell him. I would feel this. What do you mean you can't find him or his papers?' I asked him. He thought about what he would say.
'I am the best at what I do. Normal I can track him throw his missions to make sure he's safe. But this time he left while I was gone and it's harder to find him. Then when he's sent on a mission there are files for me to find. I haven't been able to locate anything but what he gave the men.' I glared at him. He did something and hit print. 'Not from me.' I kissed his tear tattoo.
'I'll look.' He smiled at me.
'You're going to need to fake it, they need to believe that you believe that he is dead.' I gave him a look. Then I kissed the tattoo again. He grabbed the paperwork and slipped it in my coat pocket. We walked out together and he was holding me to him. He made it look like I was crying. He got me into the penthouse and into Ranger's office. Then sat me down with the paperwork. I waved him away.
I read over everything Ranger gave his men and I was pissed off. They all knew he was going into a suicidal mission. But what else I noticed Ranger chose his words when he wrote this. I know him well enough to know this was bull shit.
"What Find?" Hector asked me.
"This is mostly made up bull shit." Hector nodded and smiled at me. "Si we find now. I level they think you sleep." He walked out and I sat there looking at the computer thinking. Ranger would have had to be given his mission. I turned on the computer and saw it was locked. His pass word for his other computers didn't open it. I sat there thinking and used everything I could to open it.
Then I saw the hint button and clicked on it. THE DAY MY LIFE STARTED. Was all it said. I stared putting in dates. I gave up and grabbed his laptop. I logged him in and started looking for him. I used everything I could throw the company and didn't find anything.