*****All characters are based on Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series…except for Tabby and Thayer. This is my first work of Fan fiction. I hope to hear lots of reviews. It's not complete, but it's coming to me quickly. Enjoy.

**********************Tabby POV**************************

I curled on my side pulling my knees as tightly to my chest as I could wanting them to almost be inside of me. I was cold, so cold that I couldn't even remember what any other temperature felt like. The pain in my stomach had stopped radiating throughout my entire body making it heavy and cold like stone. I struggled to open my eyes.

How long had I been down here? It felt like forever. The walls were stone with one single window about 6 feet off the ground. It was obvious I was still in the basement by the smell of dampness and dirt and the cool that seeped in through each and every stone in the walls. The chain on my left ankle was heavy and had rubbed my skin so raw that a thick callus covered the entire area like a shield. I was thankful for that. The pain and the blood loss from the wound had been hurting since I arrived.

When did I get here? The day that I had before entering into this prison started out with me sitting at the coffee shop waiting for Diesel to show. He was late, as usual, but I didn't mind. I had been trying to go over in my head what I was here to tell him, trying to find the right word, inflection and facial expression combination to ease the blow. I was wearing a pair of jeans, combat boots, a white wife beater and a soft brown leather jacket. My long brown hair was pulled into a pony tail, and I was wearing little makeup. I wasn't what you would normally consider a girly-girl, but I had my moments.

Diesel and I were in a sticky predicament. While we had indulged ourselves in many of sexual exploits, we had failed to ever create any type of relationship. Neither of us were the type of people that could handle a relationship, or the commitment that went along with it. The past 8 weeks changed all of that.

**** 8 weeks prior ***

"What do you mean, I fucked up?" I screamed, stretching my body as tall as it could go. "It seems to me that I wasn't the only one there!"

"I can't believe this, Tabb." He growled, roughly slipping his hands through his shaggy blonde hair again. "Shit. This is bad, if word gets out….you know what will happen."

I closed my eyes and begged my teeth to unclench long enough spit out the words. "I didn't intend on this happening." I shoved his shoulder hard enough to force him to take a step back. I followed. "I am just trying to figure out what to do." I shoved him again, another step back. This time he grabbed my hand. I reached up to smack him in the face, but he caught that too. "You may want to let go of me, Diesel….You know what I can do to you."

"Yes, I do." He pulled me close to him and whispered in my ear, his hot breath causing goose bumps run down my body. "Just remember what I can do to you."

"Stop." I said, my voice no longer sounding controlled and harsh, but weak and without resolve.

"No." He pulled my hands to the small of my back, and tipped his head down to kiss the crook of my neck. Uncontrollable shivers of anticipation ran through me. I stiffened, as his teeth met the tender spot behind my ear, nipping gently before the soft lap of his tongue melted the anger I felt. He faced me, foreheads touching, and eyes locked on mine.

"There's no more fighting." He purred, taking both my hands in one of his and pulling them over my head. "We can talk about this calmly and civilly or sweating and panting. Your choice."

"Diesel, that is totally inappropriate." I sighed, as his hand slipped up my shirt and cupped my breast through my black lace bra.

"Everything we have done is inappropriate. Why stop now?" He kissed me, tracing my lips with his tongue before slipping between my lips. I moaned and closed my eyes, pushing myself as close as I could. His kiss slowed and stopped, lingering light kisses on my chin and cheeks. "Soon, this mess will be behind us and we can be more careful."

A flash of rage. A mess! He thinks that me being pregnant by him is a mess that can be cleaned up quickly. I opened my eyes and stared directly in his. "What?" My voice was cold and almost metallic. He quickly dropped my hands and backed away a couple of steps. "The only mess that I will have to clean up, is you off my ceiling."

"Damnit, Tabby, come on. That's not what I.."

"You had better go, before I really lose it." I could feel the skin on my fingertips heat and hear my heart begin to race.

Diesel grabbed his hoodie off the hook by the door. "Tabb, call me when you are ready to talk about this without killing me." A soft whooshing sound and he was gone. I collapsed to the floor in a sobbing mess.

As an Unmentionable I had certain responsibilities, and getting pregnant by the top hunter was not one of them. The Unmentionable community was small, compared to our normal-human cousins, but we had rules, sovereigns and castes. Diesel and I weren't in the same class. He was a full-blood Unmentionable. That meant that both of his parents were, and his grandparents, and their grandparents. He had record of his family from the dawn of existence. I, on the other hand, was a half-breed mutt. I didn't even know my father, and my mother was only there for the welfare checks. I grew up believing that I was crazy, and that I was a freak. Even though Unmentionables can be born from 2 normal-human parents, their "powers" are usually little more than unusual parlor tricks. Mine were strong, which mean that my father was someone of purer blood. This of course led to the current problem.

Our arrangement had always been of a sexual nature. We were partners, friends, and occasionally (when the mood was right) lovers. But nothing was ever to come of it. Both of us figured no harm..No foul. Well, big foul. Big fucking foul.

I stood, wiping my eyes on my sleeve and dragging myself to my bedroom, collapsing face first on the bed fully clothed. Tomorrow I was leaving here. I was going to pack a bag, hop in my car and drive as far as I could away. But where? I needed somewhere I could figure this out, and would be safe. I sighed, rolling over. A small silver frame caught my eye. A pair of chocolate brown eyes stared back at me. I was going to find Ric.

I had met Ric years ago when I was in the Army. I was a Lieutenant and did Intel for his unit. He was a Special Forces bad-ass, with no emotions or qualms against anything asked. Nothing got past him and his men, and the government would use them for every crack-pot mission impossible case that they had. One day, Ric and his right hand man, Tank, came to my office and closed the door. They had never said anything more than one word sentences.

"LT, I need to ask you a favor." Ric's voice was soft and sultry. I always maintained a professional distance between myself and the men, but he was just so damned good looking.

"What is it, Manuso?" I asked, pushing what I was working on to one side and leaned into my desk.

"The mission that we are going on is going to need a….distraction…"

"What kind of distraction?" I asked my eyebrow raising. I was a desk jockey and only shot a gun a couple times a year to qualify. "I am not really qualified to do much, Manuso."

"Trust me, "He stood, placing his hands on my desk and leaned down. His face was only inches from mine. "You have everything that we need already." His eyes were like liquid sex and the ache to feel his touch shot through me.

I quickly sat back, shaking my head to remove the fantasy from my mind. "Spit it out Manoso!" I said, feeling self-conscience and exposed. "This isn't the playground, and you aren't Bobby Ritkins. So, don't push that crap at me like I should be impressed." As a woman in a Special Forces unit, I had to learn fast to use my "man-voice". Ric didn't move. He smiled, pulling one eyebrow up as if to challenge me. I ground my teeth.

Tank sighed, "Shit, LT, we need a woman to come out with us. Our guy is kind of a ladies' man. We can't seem to get him alone to take him out. You know the rules, no witnesses, no body, and no innocent blood."

"We need you to lure him into someplace private, with your feminine charm so that we can do what we do." Ric's voice was soft and commanding. "And we don't have a lot of time."

"Fine." I stood, "When do we go?"

"Now." Ric turned around, opened the door and walked out. I grabbed my purse and jacket and hurried after him, followed by Tank.

The "distraction", I later found out, involved me dressing up like a hooker and seducing this male-slut to come with me to a private place so that he could taken care of. I didn't ask what he was charged with, or who he was. His picture said enough. He was rough, a large scar ran from eyebrow to chin and he was covered with dark intricate tattoos. His eyes were dark and filled with an obsession of sex, drugs, and blood. We arrived in Brazil the next morning, and moved into a safe house right outside of the city. I was given a bag with clothes, a gun, a small knife and what I could only assume was my wardrobe.

The night of the "distraction" I was dressed in a short, black, tight dress that gave nothing to the imagination. I wore 4 inch black heels and not much else. The dress was cut in a way that made wearing a bra impossible, and the "underwear" that they brought for me was nothing more than string tied together. When I asked Ric about it, he simple replied. "LT, we are in Brazil?" My makeup was thick, and my hair was down and super sexy.

The club was loud, and dark. I knew that I wasn't going into this alone. There were 7 guys on the team, and Ric and Tank were going to be inside watching me like a hawk. The others were going to be spread strategically throughout the area. I had a bug planted in my earring and an ear piece. The gun was an obvious "no" when I donned the dress for the team. There was no place for it. That left me with the knife that was attached to inside of my thigh with a slim holster.

The target was spotted by the bar, sitting on a stool having a drink. I took a deep breath.

"LT, just get him to bring you into a back room. We will make sure your safe." Ric's voice in my ear reassuring.

"Thanks." I whispered as I flipped my hair over my shoulder, and sauntered over to the bar.

I leaned against the bar only feet from the target, leaning over it and showing my assets as the hem of my skirt rode up.

"Dos tequila, por favor." I called to the bar tender, using the worst accent I could muster. This seemed to get the man's attention.

"Shu are not from 'round 'ere, no?" his voice was like glass scraping on metal.

I turned to face him, put on my bedroom eyes, and smiled seductively. "No, I'm here on vacation."

"Americano, yes?" He smiled. "Shu heard 'bout ze best lovers coming from Brazil."

Gag me! I heard giggling in my ear. I closed the space between us, and placed my hand gently on his. "I have yet to find one to meet those expectations." I lowered my hand to thigh and squeezed seductively. "But I would love to see if you are up for the challenge."

The bartender placed the tequila on the bar, and the target through some cash next to it. Handing one to me, and raising the other. "To a challenge." We tipped back our drinks, and he slid his arm around my waist pulling me against him. "Let us go so I may prove it to you." His mouth hit mine in a sloppy kiss. "Your hotel close?" He moved to my neck, leaving a slobbery trail to my collar bone. I was going to bleach that later, after I gargled Lysol.

"I don't think I can wait that long." He said something in Spanish, and stood grabbing my ass tightly. "Is there anywhere we can go here?" I kept my voice breathy and hopefully convincing. At this point I don't think it would matter. This guy was too easy.

He looked around, "This way." He grabbed my hand and dragged me across the dance floor to a hallway that leads to the restrooms. I smiled; we were heading towards the group of back rooms. Suddenly he whipped open a heavy metal door, and pushed us both inside. The door slammed shut, followed by a creaking, rolling metal sound. A red light flickered on above us. I heard the team scrambling on my ear piece.

"Where are we?" I asked. He just smiled and pushed me against the cold metal door. His hands were rough as they pulled at the slinky fabric of my dress. "It's really cold in here, isn't there someplace warmer." I said, hoping to change idea of a location for our tryst. He withdrew from his frantic lust-filled grope and looked into my eyes. They were worse than the picture. They were death, and pain. "Maybe this was a mistake." I went to turn to open the door when two hands grabbed either shoulder.

"Bitch, you are mine now. I have much work for you." He turned and flipped another switch which turned on another light, only this one was behind a window directly across from us. There were 5 large men staring at us through the glass. I noticed that the glass had a distinct color to it, like a two-way mirror. He grabbed my hands and dragged me to the center of the room. Ripping the dress off of me in one swift movement. I automatically grabbed to cover myself. "What is this?" His voice rose playfully, puling at the knife I had strapped to my leg. "You think you need this?" He flipped the blade up dramatically. "Is it sharp? Should we see just how sharp it is?"

"Oh, shit." I whispered. My heart was racing. I could hear Ric screaming at the team through the earpiece. The whole room was spinning, and I couldn't feel the floor under my feet.

"LT…..Shit, Tabby….we are gonna get you out of there. Just hold on. Fight him, Tabby. Don't let him hurt you." His voice was calm, but I could hear the anger in his voice. "Where the fuck is she?"

He carefully slid the blade back into place, placing it in his pocket. "Soon…I have other things on my mind." He lunged for me taking me down onto the floor. I kicked, and hit and squirmed to get him off of me. He was strong, very strong. Every time I reached for my knife in his pocket, he would punch me, and slam me hard into the floor. The voice in my head was screaming at me for not going to the gym more often, and for not taking those additional martial arts courses. He got a hold of my wrists and bit at my breasts. I screamed, squirming, and kicked him with my legs. I heard pounding at the door. "Someone wants to use the room? Well, we will just have to make this quick. "

He looked up, noticing a wooden packing crate just a few feet in front of us. He picked me up by the death grip he had on my wrists and flipped me around. I slammed down on the crate, making my head swim to and from unconsciousness. He slammed his insteps against the outsides of my feet pinching them tightly between the edges of the crate and his feet, making my legs were trapped open. Shifting his weight, he put both my wrists in one hand and pulled them to the small of my back. I felt him reach between my legs and pull at the tiny g-string. I felt the tears start to flow as the material snapped. He ripped it from my body and threw it on the floor

"You going to love this Brazilian, bitch." He leaned back, reaching down to undo his buckle and unzip his pants. The sobs broke freely from me at that point. I felt his hand reach down between my legs and roughly stroked at my sex. I started screaming. "Bitch, stop that noise." His hand left the place between my legs and punched me hard in the back of my head. Black starts burst in my eyes, and I felt my body go limp. I could still hear him, feel him and smell him.. Why couldn't I move?

He pulled out the weapon between his legs and let it fall onto the small of my back. In my head I was screaming. Unlocking his insteps from my feet, he repositioned me for better angle. He spoke softly in Spanish something I didn't understand, before he reached down to position his "weapon". A large explosion filled the room, knocking him off of me. I heard a gurgling scream, and a slick gushing sound.

Something draped around me, a rough material that smelled familiar. I felt my body being lifted, and cradled close to a large strong chest. "LT…you're gonna be okay. We got you." Ric's voice filled my head, as I felt tears run down my face. Then, I finally slipped into total unconsciousness.

I spent the next four years working as one of Ric's team. They taught me self-defense, weapons training, and everything else that I would need to defend myself against the varying situations that were thrust upon us. We had even shared a few intimate moments. He was there when I learned that I was an Unmentionable. He could help me, and keep me safe until the baby was born. If only I could find him.

***** 8 weeks later******

Diesel had agreed to meet me here. He was angry when I told him where I was. It had taken me two months to figure out where Ric was. It wasn't like I could just open the phone book and call him. He was smoke, and it wasn't easy tracking him back to his home state.

I had made my way from Washington State, to Las Vegas. I had a contact that had seen him there recently. From there I followed the trail to Miami. His ex-wife was there with his child and her new husband. There was no way that I was going to speak to her. We didn't have the best relationship. Let's just say that walking in on your soon-to-be-ex-husband and his colleague going at it like crazed animals didn't leave her with the best impression of me.

I had searched her home one morning when she was in the shower. I found a phone number for him in her cell phone, but it was just an automated phone system for a company called Rangeman. Weird, I thought, did he get into appliance sales or something?

I followed this particular branch of Rangeman to New Jersey. I knew that his family from from New Jersey, but had only met them once at his "Welcome to Civilian life" party. After a week of surveillance, I found out that his office was in Trenton. That's why I am here now. I have got confirmation that he's here, but I haven't managed to locate him. Although, after asking around I have learned that he, like he always was, is like smoke. No one knows where he goes, or where's he's been, just that he will be around.

"Looking good, Tabb." A deep voice said from behind me. The smell of Christmas filled the air.

"Diesel." I smiled, stood and turned around. "I have missed you."

His arms wrapped around me in a tight embrace. Even though Diesel and I weren't in a traditional relationship we had a bond that couldn't be dismissed as just a fling. He is my best friend, and I am his. "How's everything? Are you...Is there still…" he stammered softly in my ear.

"The baby is fine, Diesel." I whispered, kissing him softly on the cheek. We broke our embrace and settled at the table. Diesel lifted his hand, gaining the attention of the server.

"We'll have two lattes, whole milk, one with cinnamon, and one with honey." After the server left, he gathered my hands in his. "What's the plan, sweetheart? And why are we in Trenton?"

"Well, I am going to hide out until after the baby's born." I said, rubbing the nook between his thumb and finger with my thumb. "I am going to ask Ric if he'd take me in until then."

Diesel's jaw dropped, and I could feel the temperature of the room drop a couple of degrees. "RIC!" his voice echoed off the small coffee shop. I put my hand up to shush him. His shoulders heaved, and when he spoke his voice was once again calm. "You don't even know the man anymore, Tabb. He's changed."

"He's the only one that I know who could keep me out of the spot light. I am sure that he still has some connections to safe houses. Plus, I need to be somewhere the Unmentionable community can't find me." I pulled my hand away from his. "And you know damn well that it's not where I was." I crossed my arms in front of my chest, before I realized what he had said. "What do you mean he's changed? When have you seen him?"

"Shit." He said beneath his breath. "I have run into him a couple of times over the past few years. I've had a couple of trips to Trenton. It's a hotbed of excitement in the Unmentionable world, you know."

"How could you have not told me?"

"It was business, Tabb. Plus, I didn't want you running back to him. He was in a sticky situation, and now he's just broken. I don't even know if he'd be able to help you." He sighed and reached across the table and grabbed my hands, pulling them forward. "If you want I can help you get in touch with him, but trust me…he's not the same."

"No." I pulled my hands from mine. "I will do just fine on my own."

"Tabb, please. Let me find you someplace safe." Diesel whispered as the server set our drinks on the table. I picked mine up and sipped from it.

"I will call you if I need your help Diesel." I took another drink. He just watched me, trying to reach into my mind and read what I was hiding from him. "It's not going to work. You know that you can't penetrate it." I smiled, looking up at him.

"Damnit, Tabb." He ran his thick fingers through his hair. "I can't help you if you don't tell me what you are doing. What's going to happen after the baby is born? Where are you going to go?"

"I will figure that out."

"Here." He pulled out a small manila envelope and pushed it over to me. "In there is a phone, a new ID, cash, and keys."

"Thank you Diesel." I stood up and leaned across the table, kissing him gently on the lips. "I will pay you back."

He pulled me around the table and into his lap. "There's no repaying me, Tabb. I am in your debt more than you know." He wrapped his arms around me, and kissed me deeply. We were both a little breathless when we broke our kiss.

"Diesel, I have to go." I grabbed the manila envelope off the table, and stood. He grabbed my hand gently.

"Tabb…." He let out a big sigh. "Please, be careful, and call me so I know that you're okay."

"I will. I promise." I kissed his forehead, as he let go of my arm. I left him there staring at our lattes, head in hands.

I pulled out the keys from the envelope and clicked on the unlock button. A hundred or so feet ahead of me headlights flashed on a brand new black Chrysler 300. "Nice, Diesel, Nice." I thought as I jogged down to the car, wrenching it open and getting inside. It smelled like Christmas, and had soft cream leather everywhere. Starting up the car, I set my purse and the envelope on the seat next to me. I pulled onto the street and headed towards the hotel that I had been staying at. Glancing at the money Diesel had left me, I could move into a hell of a lot nicer hotel for quite a while. I pulled into my parking spot, and turned off the car. I searched the console and the glove box, only to find more cash, an unmarked limitless credit card, and two fully loaded 9mm with holsters. 'Diesel,' I thought. 'You always think of everything.'

I pushed open the door and popped the trunk. There was a duffel bag, and a cardboard box inside. Opening the duffel bag, I found clothes, shoes and a warm jacket. The cardboard box held my favorite book, the blanket off my bed, the teddy bear I got for my birthday when I was 8 and the silver framed picture of me, Ric, and my brother Bobby. A tear formed at the corner of my eye. Diesel was amazing. I grabbed the frame, my fingers lingering on my brother's face. With a sigh, I pushed open the frame, slid the picture out and slipped it into my purse.

I closed the trunk, and locked up the car, as I ran to my hotel room and unlocked the door. Once I got in the room, I started packing everything that I had into the hockey bag that I had brought with me. It only took me 15 minutes to get everything into my car and check out the latest lead before finding a new place to stay.

I pulled into a parking spot in front of Plum's Bond Agency around noon. I reached into the glove box, pulling out the two 9 mm and holstering them. I pulled some of the cash and the black limitless credit card out of the manila envelope and put it into my wallet before stashing the rest in the glove box. I got out of the car, and locked it before stepping around the car and headed into the bond's office. A short, round black woman in bright colored spandex was sitting on a beat up sofa near the back of the room cramming jelly doughnuts into her mouth. Another woman, was sitting behind a desk in front of what I could only assume was the "boss's" office. Both women stopped chatting when the bell above the door sounded my arrival.

"Can I help you?" The woman behind the desk asked me. She was a dark haired, big busted, typical New Jersey Italian with a pretty face, and big hair.

"Yes, I am looking for Vincent Plum." I said, looking from one woman to the other. They both stared at me. I felt really self conscience and looked down at my clothes. I smoothed my hand over my jeans, and white beater. Everything seemed like it was in place.

"Just a moment." The older woman said, pulling herself up and walking towards the door behind her. She knocked loudly. A muffled and irritated, "What?" came from the door. "Vinnie, there's someone here who wants to talk to you." She sat back down and continued to chat with the larger black woman.

After a moment, the door swung open to reveal a rather scrawny man, who obviously hadn't slept properly in weeks. He looked me up and down, making me feel like I was a Red light special. His tongue jutted out of his mouth and slid across his lips. My stomach lurched, "ugh," I thought. "Another perv."

As he walked towards me he outstretched his hand, "Vincent Plum." He stated. "How can I help you?"

I took his hand and shook it. His handshake was weak, unsurprisingly. "I am looking for information on Ricardo Manoso. I heard that you can help me get it."

Both women stopped talking, and their mouths dropped open. Vincent Plum, raked his hand through his hair and stammered, "Umm, well he's an employee of mine. But only part-time. What information were you trying to acquire." He was still holding onto my hand.

"I need to find him. It's of a personal nature." I said, pulling my hand away from him. "Is there any way that I could get his address from you, or possibly a contact number."

"Well, I can't do that." He sighed. "Especially seeing that he doesn't have an address. He's kind of a private person. How about if I get your information and pass it on to him? That way I don't have to risk getting my throat slit in the middle of the night, just in case you're some crazy stalker." He smiled, and snorted as a nervous laugh filled the quiet of the office.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to give this man any of my information. He seemed kind of shady. But I really need to get in touch with Ric. "Tell him that LT is looking for him." I turned and walked out of the office, stopping at the curb in front of the car. I could feel the eyes of the bond's office on me. I turned and smiled then walked around to the driver's side of the car. I clicked the locks open and reached for the handle. As I did, a wave of heat flooded my body and I felt blackness around my consciousness.

I woke up in the basement, surrounded by stone walls, a damp floor and a chain around my ankle. I reached behind me and felt that the guns that I had were gone, as were my wallet and keys.

"Shit!" I said, pulling myself up onto my feet. The room was dark but I could make out a small sink, a bed, a toilet, and a small table with one chair. There was an unlit light bulb hanging precariously from a thick wire in the ceiling. I pulled at the small chain attached and winced as my surroundings came into light.

The bed was a metal framed full sized bed that looked like it belonged in a horror movie. The mattress was old, sagged pathetically in the center and was bare, except for the various stains of what I could only imagine were bodily fluids. There were two large metal rings in the wall about 6 feet off the ground.

"What the fuck is this place?" I whispered to myself.

"This is your new home." A voice behind me said. I jumped, unaware that I was not alone. A large man was standing in the doorway, light pooling around him. I pulled myself into a protective stance, my feet wide and my hand clenched ready for a fight. "I hear that you are looking for Ranger. " He walked towards me.

"I don't know anyone named Ranger?" I said.

"Yes, I believe you called him Ricardo Manoso." He smiled as recognition filled my face. "Ah, see you do know Ranger. He and I have had some rather interesting meetings over the past few months. I was hoping that I could use you to….convince him to cooperate."

"He doesn't even know I am here, or that I am alive. I'm of no use to you." My words spat at him. I was angry. I was so close to finding him, and now this.

"Oh, he will know soon enough, my pet." He took one step closer to me, which brought him in range of my swing. I nailed him on the side of his head, knocking him to his knees. I brought my knee to his face, slamming him on his back on the ground before I kicked him in the head for good measure. I heard footsteps on the other side of the door that the man had come through.

Quickly I looked around the room for something to arm myself with. Everything was bolted to the ground. I reached down the unconscious man at my feet, feeling for anything that I can use against whatever was coming down those stairs. Nothing. The man wasn't armed.

"Shit." I said under my breath. I stood and watched as four large men filed into the room, angry eyes piercing through my skin. "This is gonna hurt." I said to myself as all hell broke loose.

I was on the floor in the fetal position being beaten when I heard a voice near the door.

"STOP!"

The beating ceased, and I was hauled to my feet to face the man that I had first attacked.

"This bitch is going to learn to cooperate as well. Tie her down, get the camera." He smiled, as bile rose to my throat. "We are going to sent Ranger something he can really enjoy."

I screamed, thrashing against the massive hands pulling me down onto the wretched mattress. My arms were stretched and secured with thick leather bands that cut into my skin. My legs were pulled up near my hips and spread before the same kind of leather bands secured me to the mattress. Tears pooled in my eyes, but I forced myself not to cry. I will kill them all, I told myself. No matter what. All of them would be dead before the night is through.

I could feel my fingertips begin to warm. I waited as I felt the energy fill my body. I wasn't going to go down without a fight. Ric taught me that.

"Now, my precious." The first man said to me, leaning down into my face. "This will make it easier to play." I saw the needle flash in my peripheral vision before it sank into my neck. My entire body went slack almost instantly. I could feel everything, hear everything, but I couldn't speak, or move anything except my eyelids. I felt a tear fall from my eye as the realization hit me that I was defenseless. A rough hand reached down and wiped the tear from my eye. "Yes, cry for me. It will make it more meaningful when he sees it." The man walked away barking orders to the men that stayed.

My clothes were cut from my body, and I was beaten, raped, and brutalized. I felt every touch, every thrust, and every drop of sweat as it fell onto my broken body. I cried soundlessly, tears pooling around my ears and dampening my hair. I knew what they were doing. I had seen the camera move around and zoom into my face. I closed my eyes and mentally pulled at the muscles that refused to engage. After what seemed like an eternity, the final man thrust himself into me, grunted and lifted himself off of me. I was released from my restraints, except for the metal chain on my ankle. The light was extinguished, and I was left cold and naked for hours, possibly days.

The effects of the drugs wore off slowly. I regained only one small section of my body at a time, but was still very drowsy. I closed my eyes and slept.

I was awoken by another sharp stab into my neck. My eyes flew open and I rushed my limbs at my attacker. It was too late. As I was about to reach him, my body went slack.

"You put on such a lovely show, precious." The man said. He was the first man that I had met here. "I hope that you don't think that we have forgotten about you."

I blinked my eyes, anger radiating from every pore of my body.

"I have sent your little movie to your Ranger." He smiled broadly, showing pearly white teeth. "I am expecting to hear from him anytime now. But….before I do…I would like to have some fun of my own. Make sure that he understands the importance of his cooperation." He motioned to someone behind him. Two men came into the room and lifted me off of the bed. Another came in with a hose and attached it to the sink.

"Let me know when you are finished with her." He smiled again at me and turned walking out the door. "Have fun, precious."

I was cleaned and then handcuffed to one of the rings that hung on the wall, my feet hanging off the floor by about an inch. My face was smashed into the cold stone walls. The cuffs cut into my wrists, and blood flowed down my arms, the length of my body and my legs pooling on the floor beneath my feet.

"Lovely." The man had returned. "Now, let us enjoy ourselves a little, shall we?"

I felt the bet cut into my skin and more blood run down the length of my body. Laughter filled the room, and with each stroke of his hand the belt carved another deep gouge in my back. He stopped when I assumed his arm became tired, and ordered his men to set me back down onto the bed. Every movement my body made the hot searing pain flash through my body again. I was placed on my stomach, legs hanging over the side of the bed, and my face smashed into the dirty mattress. I felt only a rough hand slide over my ass before he entered me. He was large, and painful. I was, sickeningly, thankful for the blood running down my legs and over my sex as it soothed my sore sex. He beat me while he thrust. Pulling my hair, smacking my butt and thighs. I was relieved as I heard his breath quickened and he finished. Although, that relief was quickly robbed as yet another set of hands fell across my hips and the assault I had received those few days ago continued. I closed my eyes and fell into a self-induced state of unconsciousness.

Days past, maybe even a week before I woke on the floor curled in a ball. The pain in my stomach was severe. I hadn't eaten anything but a slice of moldy bread that had been thrown at me a couple days ago, and the brown water that came out of the sink did little to quench my thirst. I was so cold. I convinced myself that I was going to die here, in this cold damp hole. Diesel would never forgive her for putting herself in this kind of situation. Would he even know that I died? Ric surely knows that I am here, right?

I pulled myself over to the wall, feeling the ground for a damp spot of dirt. I knew that the wetness was from my own blood, but I didn't care. I needed to leave whoever found me a message. My fingers scraped along the wall spelling out "Ricardo Manoso. Tabb. Sorry D." My body was so weak. I couldn't even finish Diesel's name. I laid my head back on the ground, closing my eyes to rest.

A loud noise woke me. There was shouting, and gun fire. I tried to lift my head and get up, but my body was a dead weight.

"Trenton PD! Everyone down." A voice boomed. My heart thudded in my chest. Maybe I wasn't going to die here. I heard the voices get louder, the gunshots closer. "Get down! Get down, now!"

The door swung open. The light was blinding, even though I wasn't facing the door.

"What the fuck!" a man's voice yelled. "We need a bus here now!" The footsteps got closer; the beam of a flashlight ran across my body. I wanted to jump up into his arms and beg him to get me out of here. "Ma'am, it's okay. My name is Joe. I'm with Trenton PD. We're going to help you."

*****************************Morelli's POV*************************************

I knew that Thayer and his men were twisted, but this was beyond what I imagined I would find when we raided his complex. The room was dark, damp and smelled of blood, and fear. I instantly saw here laying there. She had been whipped with something; the thick cuts running down the length of her back were still fairly fresh. She was pale, and curled on her side, knees to her chest clutching them. As I looked, something right above her head caught my eyes. There on the stone were letters.

"Oh fuck." I reached down and pushed her hair out of her face. The woman was beautiful, despite the deep bruises and cuts that scattered across her entire body. Her eyes opened, and there were the most beautiful pair of grey eyes that I had ever seen. I slunk out of my jacket, and slipped it around her as I picked her up off the ground.

"Ric? Ricardo, did you find me?" Her voice was soft and she sounded delirious.

"Darling, you are going to be okay." I whispered into her ear. She cuddled into my chest as I carried her out of the room. We had taken at least 20 guys down tonight, and the place was already filled with blue and whites for clean up and a half a dozen EMTs to pick up the mess and help the wounded. I carried her out the door and into the closest ambulance. The EMTs got to work on her immediately as I flipped my phone open to make a call.

"Yo." A familiar voice said as the phone on the other end picked up.

"Yo, yourself. I have someone here that you need to see. Meet me at St. Francis in the ICU."

"Cop?" his voice was flat.

"It's not Stephanie. She's at home with the girls." I sighed. He made me feel guilty that I had won our little pissing contest with Stephanie. We have been married for over a year, and just had twin girls. I think that Ranger still thought that Stephanie was going to come running to him. I knew better. She was happy, and finally content. "This is something I have never seen before."

I shut my phone and walked back to the ambulance. A uniformed cop ran up to me, carrying a bag.

"Morelli, you find that girl?" He said.

"Yea, she's in the bus about to head out. Why?"

"We found this inside. We think it's hers. Check it out though; it's not what we expected."

I took the the bag and brought it to my truck, lowering the back hatch and emptying the contents. There were quite a few normal womanly purse things. A billfold, compact, lipstick, a small brush, hair ties and a cell phone. But then there was a pregnancy pamphlet, some loose bullets, and a picture of three smiling faces. One, I assume is the girl in the bus, the second was a young man around 20, and the third (holy shit!) was a young, smiling Ranger.

I looked up at the uniformed cop, mouth agape with the picture in my hand.

"Yeah, that's what we thought too. Pretty crazy. I didn't even know Ranger knew how to smile." He turned and walked away. Reaching back into my pocket I grabbed my cell phone once again. I pressed #1 speed dial and waited.

"Hey, honey." Stephanie's voice strained over the screaming of the twins. "When are you coming home? Dinner's almost ready."

"I don't know cupcake. There's…I…we came across something pretty messed up tonight. I don't' know when I am going to be home. Want me to call MaryLou to come help you out, or Lula?" I sighed into the phone. She is the love of my life, and I knew that she was struggling. Raising two newborn baby girls was no easy feat.

"Is everything okay?" Stephanie asked, the twins cries had died down and I could hear her falling into what I can only assume was the rocking chair in the nursery. "Is there anything that I can do?"

"No…I mean, Yeah…everything's fine. I just wanted to hear your voice. I'm good. I'll be home when I can." I sighed again. "I love you, cupcake."

"Love you too, Joe. See you soon."

I hung up the phone as the EMTs motioned me that they were ready to roll out. I hopped in the back of the bus and sat down looking at this woman of mystery.

"Honey, you have had a rough couple of days." I reached down and pushed a stray hair out of her face. Her head tilted towards my hand, her cheek snuggling into the warmth of my palm. "Everything is gonna be okay now. " I stroked her cheek with my thumb, not moving my hand.

*****************************Ranger POV**************************

I looked down at my phone. Joseph Morelli just called me. If that wasn't strange enough, he said that he had someone I needed to see. My mind raced. Who the hell would I know that would be at St. Francis?

There was a knock at my door and the door creaked open. Tank poked his head in.

"Boss?" he called, stepping into my office.

"Yeah." I said, clearing my head and sitting up straighter at my desk.

"We just got something in from one of our offices. You need to come and see this." He looked solemn.

"I have to run to St. Francis first. Morelli just called." I stood and slipped my phone in my pocket. I walked towards the door. Tank grabbed my arm.

"Tank..What do you think…?" I growled, ripping my arm from his grip.

"Ric…you have to come." Tank's face was grey with unease. He gulped audibly. "It's…It's..Please."

"Fine." I said, pushing past him. "Where?"

"The conference room. Zero has it." He followed me with his head down, his footsteps shuffling against the floor.

I entered the conference room and saw Hector, Santos and Zero huddled in front of a monitor. The second they saw me they stood, and backed away, clearing whatever was on the screen.

"What the hell is so important that I had to come now?" I barked, standing in front of the monitor. They all stared at me unmoving. I raised my eyebrows with frustration and motioned a 'come on, now' hand gesture. Zero was the first one to move. He reached in front of me and clicked a button on the keyboard. The black screen lit up instantly.

There on the screen was Tabby. Tied down to a rusty, dirty bed, naked being…OMG. I heard the roar, before I realized that it was me making it. The camera zoomed into her face..Tears soaked her mahogany hair, and her eyes were red. She closed them as soon as she saw the lens.

"What the fuck is this? When was it made? Who are they?" I shouted at no one in particular. Zero reached forward again, clicking the mouse pad to the end of the video. Dominick Thayer, a huge mafia leader filled the screen. I could still see Tabby in the background.

"Ranger, I hope that this little show proves to you how much your cooperation is needed." Thayer's thick voice filled the room. "Your little friend here has been most amusing. We will just keep her company until you decide to assist us in the little matter that we'd discussed."

The video screen flashed to another scene. My stomach clenched, as did my jaw and fists. They were whipping her like a dog. Laughing.

"I will kill him with my bare hands." I screamed, picking up the closest chair and flinging it across the room. It slammed into the door which gave way at the hinges. Bobby looked in.

"Boss, what's going on?" He called. I stopped breathing. I couldn't let Bobby see this. I reached for the keyboard, but it was too late. Recognition hit his face and he shot across the room his eyes glued to the screen. "What…it can't be…when…" He looked up at me, grabbing my shoulders and pushing me into the wall. Normally he wouldn't have been able to make me move an inch, but tonight he needed to. "Ric..You better fucking tell me what the hell is going on?" Tears welled up in his eyes.

My head sagged down, and then it dawned on me. Morelli. I turned to Tank.

"Get a team together. We need to head to St. Francis. NOW!" I peeled myself out of Bobby's grip. "I think I know where she is. Let me check this out. I will call you when I know for sure." I wrapped my arms around him. I am sure that the other men were in shock, but this was Bobby, Tabby's brother. He needed reassurance. I released him, as I saw Tank, Zero, Hector, Santos, Cal and Junior, fall into step with me. We ran down to the garage, filed into our vehicles and headed to St. Francis. Tank and Santos came with me in the Escalade.

"Boss, do you think that it's her?" Tank said, after I told him about Morelli's phone call.

"Positive." We sat in silence until we arrived. I stopped my men at the front door. "Tank, Santos, your with me. Zero and Hector go to each of the elevator hubs and wait. Cal and Jr you need to watch the stairwells. This could get messy." They nodded and ran off to their posts. Tank, Santos and I pushed up to the elevator and hit the ICU.

Morelli was waiting by the nurse's station talking to the doctor that, I assumed, was caring for our mystery woman.

"Morelli." I called. His head lifted and he dismissed the doctor. "Let me see her."

"She's pretty messed up, Ranger. I can't even tell you what they did to her." Morelli's voice was soft and defeated. He pointed to a room directly across from the nursing station. "She's in there."

"We do. Thayer sent us the fucking video. Did you get that bastard?" I put my hand on the door.

"Yep, and he's not getting away with it this time."

I pushed open the door and my heart fell to my feet. Tabby was lying in the hospital bed, multiple IVs stringing their way up to monitors and bags of various shades of liquids. Her face was cut, bruised and swollen. It took me three steps to reach her, when I did I didn't know what to do. I wanted to pick her up, and hold her. Tell her that everything was going to be okay.

"Do you know who it is?" Morelli asked, standing next to me. I nodded, reaching down to pull her hair out from behind her left ear. I sunk to my knees when I saw it. The RCM tattooed behind her ear was clear as day. I reached up autonomously, to touch the TTH that was faintly present behind my own ear.

"Man, who the hell is this?" Morelli's voice was filled with concern. I didn't blame him. I was "Batman" for god's sake; an emotionless mercenary that almost stole his woman out from underneath him.

"It's my Tabby." I whispered as I pressed my mouth to her open hand laying on the edge of the bed.

*************************Tabby POV******************************

I woke up to a constant beeping noise, and the quiet whoosh of air conditioning. My body ached, and my mouth felt like I had licked the bottom of a farmer's shoe.

'Shit.' I thought. 'Where the hell was I?' I looked around. I was in a hospital. I needed to get out of here. If the Unmentionables found me I was dead. More than dead. I would be locked up and Diesel would be punished. This was not good. The sound of men's voices stopped my brain from whizzing out of control. They were quietly arguing.

"I have to report her, and see where she belongs. Who she is, exactly, and who is looking for her." A deep familiar voice said. Then it was another voice, but all I could hear was mumbling.

"You can't just take her out of here!" The first voice spoke louder now. "She has been brutalized. She needs to recover and get the help that she needs to heal from this…emotionally." More mumbling..Then a woman's voice.

"I am just going to check her out, and then bathe her. You and your men need to stay out. It won't take me but a minute." The woman's voice was soft. Another grumbled response.

I heard the door handle click, and I shut my eyes. Frantically I thought of a plan. The nurse reached over me, checking the leads and the IVs. I quickly grabbed her, covering her mouth with my hand.

"Please, I won't hurt you. I just need you to be very quiet." My voice was scratchy and barely audible. The nurse nodded her head frantically. I had a feeling that she wasn't going to be quiet. I sighed and quickly jabbed her in the neck causing her to fall like a rock to the floor unconscious. "Sorry about that." I whispered. I quickly pulled out the IVs and the leads to the monitors I was attached. I slowly stripped her of her scrubs and tied my hair up with a piece of string from the hospital gown I was wearing. Slipping on the scrubs and shoes, I pulled the nurse into my bed and flipped the curtain around her. She wouldn't be out long, so I had to get moving.

I reached for the handle on the door, pulling it so that it was open just a crack. A tall man, more than likely a cop stood in front of another man hiding his face. I looked down the hall way. There about 50 yards away was an elevator, and right to the left of that was a door that said "STAIRS". Okay, so I had an out.

Taking a deep breath, I slipped open the door and started walking quickly to the end of the hall. I was half way down when I heard a metallic crash and a loud moan come from the room I had just left.

"What the hell! Hey, stop that nurse!" I heard shouted behind me. I glanced behind me and saw three large men in black charge after me, followed by the tall man outside my room. I ran to the stair well door. As my handle reached the door a firm hand grasped onto my shoulder. Without a second thought, I grabbed the hand, and using my hip flipped him up and over me. I slammed my heel into his chest and punched his face. I ripped open the door and flew down the stairs. That man was down for now, but he was big. It wouldn't take long. There was shouting at the bottom of the stairs sounding like two men. Taking the steps two at a time I wasn't stopping. I could take two guys at once, that was pie, it was the three more running down the stairs at me that I wasn't sure I could handle.

I saw the men one flight up from the bottom floor. They held their hands out to get me to stop.

"Listen lady, you just need to come with us. We ain't gonna hurt you." One of them said. I wasn't going to take the chance. I leapt at the closest one, flipping him down the stairs. His head hit a step with a crack, and I stood toe to toe with the next. He looked irritated, but not scared. He grabbed for me, pulling me into a reverse bear hug. I slammed my head backwards, breaking his nose. I then leaned forward, flipping my legs onto the wall and slamming him into opposite wall behind us. His grip didn't loosen, and the footsteps were getting closer.

'Think Tabby.' I screamed in my head. I reached down and grabbed a handful of his crotch, twisting until he screamed and dropped me to the ground.

"Sorry." I said, jumping over him. The footsteps were really close now. I flung the ground floor door open to find two more men in black pointing guns at me. I raised my hands in defeat. The footsteps behind me slowed. I felt an arm on my shoulder. I smiled. "Not today, assholes."

Grabbing the hand on my shoulder, I flipped him over me, and landing on his chest. I could feel weapons on either sides of him. I grabbed them, staring at the two men in front of me. I pointed one that them, and placed one on the man's chest that was beneath me. I could feel his chest heaving, and the breath rushing in and out. I had knocked the breath out of him.

"Put the fucking guns down or I will kill him!" I yelled, priming the gun and grinding it into his chest. The two men in front of me glanced at one another, uncertain what to do. I heard the door behind me wrench open and footsteps stopping feet from me. My heart was racing. There was no way out.

"Tabb." A familiar voice called from below me. "Come on."

My eyes got wide, and I slowly stared down at the man beneath me. Ric was smiling.

"Ric!" I put the weapons down on the floor, grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him up to me, kissing him. He wrapped his arms around me. "Oh, god, I'm sorry. I didn't know who you were."

His laughter filled the room. He picked me up and carried me to the elevator.

"It's okay folks. Show is over. Boys, pack it up. Tank will be down in a minute to brief you." He took a step inside.

"Tank is here, too." I snuggled into his chest. I felt Ric nodding. "You can put me down you know."

He placed me gently on my feet. "Thanks. Sorry for kicking your ass." He smiled, and I felt the world turn black. I passed out in the elevator.