The Takedown-Part 1
This story came into my head when I read a book about a sniper. I love Ranger , and especially my Merry men. Let me know if you like it or hate it. Please leave reviews.
Ram lay flat on his belly, the cold from the cement rooftop leaching through even the Kevlar and wool camouflage he wore. His dark head was bent over the large SigSauer 300 sniper rifle with the Leupold 3-9x 50mm variable scope. He held the rifle steady against his shoulder and lay, unmoving, barely even breathing, his attention focused on the site of his rifle, particularly the man in the crosshairs. He wasn't worried about the thick glass on the window. Use the right ammunition and it would be as if the glass didn't even exist.
It was dark, but the office building was lit up as bright as day. Ram could see in the darkness, but it hid him from view. Even if the man in his rifle scope turned his way, he'd never spot Ram. That was how it was supposed to be. Ram was the best sniper there was- that's why he worked for Rangeman. Ranger only employed the best of the best.
All the guys who worked for Ranger were cross-trained in all skill areas, thanks to their Special Forces training. They were all good with firearms, hand to hand, medical training, etc. But each man had a specialty that he was the best at. For Bobby it was his paramedic skills, for Lester it was explosives, Tank had his driving skills, for Ranger it was hand to hand combat, for Ram, it was sharpshooting. He was simply the best there was. Anywhere. He lay, still, so still that anyone who saw him might have even thought him dead. But he was very much alive, and focused on the scene he was observing in his scope.
Ram kept the man in the crosshairs of his rifle, his huge, powerful hands carefully turning the scope as the man moved slightly. "Sniper one, standing by. Male subject visible through window 10 stories up, west side of building, third window from left. Male is about 5 feet from window.I have a clean shot." He spoke softly into the radio, his voice barely a whisper, as he had been trained in Special Forces, even though there was no one around anywhere to hear. He heard Woody's voice, " 10-4 sniper one. Stand by."
He knew the mission, he had his orders. He couldn't think about the fact that Stephanie would soon be in the deserted office building with a convicted rapist, that he cared about her and would die before he let anything happen to her. No, he couldn't protect her if he let it be personal. He couldn't think about the situation, he just had to react the way he'd been trained to. He had to distance himself from his affection for her, from the fact that his friend Ranger was in love with her. If he was to do his job and protect her efficiently and effectively, he had to divorce himself from any feeling or emotion.
She would simply be the female subject and Cruinsy was the male subject. Ram's job was to take out the male subject if he endangered the female subject. It was that simple. Ram lay still and kept focused on the scene in the tiny circle of the rifle scope. As much as he tried to divorce himself from the feeling, he couldn't shut off the worry. They should never have let Steph go into the building with a convicted rapist and possible murderer.
Woody listened intently to the various radios and plotted the mission on the board in front of him. He knew that Ram was sniper on the roof of the building about 100 yards opposite the target building, Bobby and Lester were in the hallway just outside the office, Tank , Binkie, and Zip were in the lobby of the building. He, Woody , was in the Rangeman offices coordinating the whole mission. So far , everything was going as planned. Hector Cruinsey, convicted rapist and now FTA, possibly murderer, had holed up in his office building. At least one night a week, cruinsey ordered the services of a escort service- not to go anywhere, just to satisfy his perverted little fantasies. Cruinsey had friends in the Trenton PD and the media, so Rangeman had to be careful how they apprehended him. Since he was a high profile FTA they couldn't just barge into his office and take him by force. They had to use a more subtle approach. No one really wanted to, but they had to use Stephanie. She would pretend to be an employee of the escort service and try to get Cuinsey out of his office, where he could quietly be taken by the guys.
Stephanie had wanted to do this as soon as she had heard about the case. She thought it would be an adventure. The guys were really reluctant to use her, it was too dangerous, and the situation was too unpredictable. They had called Ranger, who had vehemently refused permission to involve Stephanie in the mission, deeming it too dangerous. He didn't want Steph anywhere near a convicted rapist. But Stephanie had other ideas. She told Ranger that if he didn't let her do it, she would go by herself. After all, the bond money she would get would pay her rent for several months. Steph was brave, but she lacked the skills to do this job. She was afraid of guns, for Christsakes, how was she supposed to defend herself? But the more they argued with her, the more stubborn she got.
Ranger knew that she would do whatever the hell she wanted to, so they might as well let her do the takedown with Rangeman , so they could keep her safe. Well, relatively safe, Woody thought to himself. There was no way Steph, or any woman, could be completely safe in the same room as Cruinsey.
So, they had been cautious, very cautious, about the mission. There were seven guys stationed on and around that building, Ram on the opposite roof as a sniper, even guys on the balcony, ready to crash in if necessary. The orders were twofold. Take down Cruinsey, but, more importantly, keep Steph safe. The guys were to let Steph do her stuff, but had orders to intervene at the slightest indication that Steph swould be hurt. They had even given Steph a code word to use in case she got into trouble and needed help.-" lizard." Any of the guys even THOUGHT they heard her say lizard and they were to move in immediately.
Woody sighed. It was as safe as they could make it, but it still wasn't totally safe for her. In the incredibly skimpy outfit she was wearing, Cruinsey might be able to detect the wire. Steph's black slinky dress was so low cut, the skirt barely covered her butt, so it had been hard to place the wire so that it would be unseen. Woody himself had helped tape it to her chest, her cleavage enhanced with a Wonderbra that made her breasts look huge. His large hands had trembled as he had helped tape the wire in the valley between her breasts, with the tiny mike just below her left breast. He had looked down her top from all angles to be sure it wouldn't be visible to Cruinsey. Damn. He'd never seen Steph look like that. Shit. Ranger was a lucky bastard. Woody was getting a hardon just seeing her breasts pushed up against the fabric of the black dress, the bottom of her ass peeking out from the skimpy skirt, and the four inch stiletto heels enhancing those long legs. Damn. Woody got pissed just thinking that that fucker Cruinsey would do more than look. If he laid a hand on Steph… he had to calm down. He was responsible for this mission. He couldn't let anything happen to her.
All the guys had earpieces and could pick up the audio feed from Steph's wire. Ram listened to her soft voice, almost covered by a soft pounding noise. " Sniper One to control, possible equipment defect. Hearing muffled noise from wire." Woody checked his earpiece. He heard the same thing. Shit, was the wire not working? Fuck. " Testing.. Come in Steph." Woody heard the muffled pounding as Steph answered his call. He remembered placing the wire, and instantly knew that the muffled sound was her racing heart. " Control to all units. Mike is ok. Noise is organic." Ram chuckled as he realized what that meant. The sensitive mike was placed right over Steph's heart and they could hear it racing with her nervousness. Ram's heart would have been racing too, but he was trained to control his nervousness, and not allow it to affect his body.
He knew Steph was scared, and she had reason to be. Cruinsey was a really bad guy. Ram's fingers tightened on the rifle sight ,his index finger resting lightly on the trigger. He saw Cruinsey's head turn as Stephanie, in her slinky black dress, her heart racing, came through the door.
"Sniper one. Female subject spotted. Mission go."
