Hey everyone! Brand new story! has nothing to do with Need To Know. I'm hoping this story will be much longer than my last one. Please let me know what you think in a review or PM! Also i don't have a beta so please excuse any mistakes untill i find one. If you'd like to be my beta please let me know :)

Hope You Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and elements belong to Janet Evanovich.

Chapter 1: An Unlikely Meeting

Ranger sat at the bar waiting for his meeting to arrive. It was 11 o'clock on a Tuesday night so the bar on stark street was empty except for the bartender and the alcoholic passed out at a table in the far corner of the bar. Normally he would have rescheduled the meeting for a more convenient time, one that didn't interfere with him miss a redecoration job. But Ranger didn't really have a choice.

Something major was going down in Trenton. The normal criminals were running scared, some of them even tried to get Rangeman to provide security for their illegitimate business practices. He had to explain that the company couldn't provide the service for criminals unless there was a government order. Ranger wasn't about to let his company go under from a bad reputation; no one would want the security of someone also aiding the ones who would commit the crimes.

The fact that Ranger couldn't get any information on what was going on was the part that frustrated him. Of course he hadn't resorted to physical methods of extraction yet… Still he was used to knowing the underground workings of Trenton and recently it felt like he had been kicked out of the exclusive club.

The door to the bar opened and his meeting walked in. One was Joe Morelli dressed in civilian clothes and a baseball hat, trying to cover his face. Ranger internally smirked, like a baseball cap was going to do anything. Ranger didn't have anything against Morelli, besides the fact that he had Steph, he was a decent cop with an understanding of the black, white and grey areas of law enforcement. But Ranger also knew that Morelli thought he was a wild card, a thug and dangerous; which is why when ranger got the call to meet him at the bar on stark street he had agreed. This was going to be an important conversation.

The other man was dressed in a pressed black suit, black tie, regulation shoes, dark sunglasses, and carried a briefcase. 'Jesus' Ranger thought,' it's like he's trying to portray the stereotype.' This guy was a FED, and by the looks of it a fairly new one to the game.

Joe nodded in Ranger's direction and all three of them moved to a table away from the bar and the slobbering drunk. As they sat down Joe introduced the FED, "This is Ricardo Carlos Manoso, Ranger this is Special agent Wilson Gent."

"Nice to meet you Mr. Manoso, you have quite the reputation with uncle Sam." Gent took his sunglasses revealing his young face. Bright eyes no lines or scars, the kid couldn't be more than 24 years old. Ranger looked to Joe who shrugged almost as if saying 'I thought the same thing but he checks out'.

"Call me Ranger." Ranger replied, "What's all this about? I have men in the field tonight and I'd prefer to be with them than on stark street."

"Have you noticed anything happening in Trenton Ranger?" Gent asked while opening his brief case. Ranger almost rolled his eyes in a way that would have made Stephanie proud. He didn't need the preamble, he just wanted the facts. Fortunately gent didn't wait for a response, "We have Intel that could lead to a mass kidnapping and murder in Trenton."

That explained why Morelli was there, as head of the homicide unit he would have to be informed. Ranger asked, "What's the Intel?"

"Man under cover working for Valentine Martinez." Rangers' eyebrow rose marginally and looked at Joe again.

"You know him?" Joe asked with disbelief. Obviously Joe had needed to be told who that was when he was informed about the situation.

"Never met him, but I've taken down some of his operations before." Ranger replied. In fact that last time ranger had gone into the wind it had been to take down Martinez operation running out of a South American city. But that was highly sensitive, and known to only his team and a few select government officials'.

"Well seems he is in town." Gent continued, "Has big plans in Trenton according to our man. We need you help in bringing him down."

Ranger stared at him for a moment blank face completely masking what he was thinking, "You don't have any of you own men so you want to use mine?"

"Oh we have plenty of men. But all of them are obligated to go through certain channels." Gent leaned in on the table; he looked like a fricken kid excited to go on a treasure hunt. Joe seemed to think the same thing because he made a noise that sounded like a muffled laugh.

"No." ranger said simply leaning back against his chair, "I don't operate in my own city, except of my own business. It's in my government contract."

It was true. Ranger had made sure that had been included in all of his contracts over the years. He couldn't risk losing Rangeman. The contracts specified Trenton, Miami and Boston and any other cities that ranger chose to start a business. More importantly it was because people operating in Trenton would be able to find out a lot of information about him if they knew where to look. They could find out about his family, his friends and Stephanie. He wasn't willing to risk the people he loved for cash.

"I am aware of this, I saw your contracts. They are ironclad." Gent remarked. They should be Ranger thought he wrote them himself after all. "However there is one more detail."

Gent pulled a vanilla envelope out of his briefcase and handed it to Ranger. Eyebrow raised ranger opened the envelope and pulled out a head shot. Dark curly hair, flawless skin, bright smile, and deep blue eyes stared back at him. Rangers grip tightened on the paper marginally before he set it on the table and pulled out the rest of the paper work.

"Martinez is working with a lot of Abruzzi's old connections. He's been informed she could be trouble." Gent explained quietly, "Our informant said that Stephanie will be a target. No question about it. Apparently Martinez is interested how a woman with no military or law enforcement background, could result in the death of Abruzzi."

"She has amazing luck." Joe replied, sounding slightly bitter, "its why were are bringing you in Manoso, to protect her and do things that we can't."

Ranger's eyes hadn't left the paperwork in front of him. Trying to take it in all at once, not wanting to miss a thing. If he did it could mean her life. His life. "I have conditions."

"Name them." Gent pulled out another file from the briefcase. A contract.

"First off there won't be a contract. I'm not going to do this under the governments thumb." Gent looked like he was about to protect but Joe reacted first and grabbed the papers from the FED and ripped them into a few pieces. "Second I want to establish one of my own men with in Martinez's operations."

"Done."

"And I want immunity, for me my men and Rangeman. I don't want to be held responsible for whatever I'm going to have to do to. And the press won't be informed of our involvement. As far as they are concerned the FBI can be the hero's."

"Acceptable terms. But I have one as well; your silence. You tell only who needs to know. And that excludes Ms. Plum." Gent's voice was stern as he put all the papers back into his briefcase and locking it tight. Ranger assumed he was trying to be intimidating. It wasn't working. Actually it was making Ranger angry. Why couldn't he tell Steph? She was in danger she should know. But Ranger would cooperate out of fear he would be taken of the case. Gent knew that and was sing it to his benefit. "I'll bring all the information you'll need to your office tomorrow. When will you start working on this?

Ranger stood stiffly from the table and began walking away anger pulsing through his body the urge to punch Gent in the face almost too strong for him to control. "I started the moment you showed me her picture."

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