Disclaimer: The characters are property of Janet Evanovich and I am not making any money from this story. The story line is mine.

Warning: Violence and angst – read at your own risk.

Finding Yesterday 02

By, Elissahara30

July 2004

The night was uncomfortably warm and humid even if it was dark outside and nearing midnight. My hair stuck to my neck in a frizzy mess and I knew my make-up was shot to hell. I shifted uncomfortably in the front seat of Ranger's SUV, wishing I was home in bed. In bed half clothed and having the A/C on full blast. Being home half clothed, A/C on with an equally half naked Ranger. I shook my head to clear out the heat induced images.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as sweat tickled down my back. I shot Ranger an annoyed look as he kept his attention on the house at the end of the block. I'll never understand his ability to sit there Zen calm and not let the heat affect him. It just wasn't natural.

After the Scrog mess we grew closer as friends. He maintained his 'no commitment' rule and I tactfully didn't mention that our friendship was a commitment of sorts. I shifted again in my seat and sighed loudly. I really hated stakeouts and I shouldn't have had that iced Mochachino.

"So, how long are we to hang out here anyway?" I asked as I turned my attention back to the house in a mimic of Ranger.

He ignored me and I began to pout. I really, really hate surveillance; it was boring and for me hardly anything good ever came of it. I shifted again and started to chew on the cuticle of my thumb as I tried hard not to think of my now screaming bladder. I jumped when Ranger's hand grabbed mine.

I turned my wide eyed gaze toward Ranger and was met by his inscrutable gaze, "Don't do that," he said calmly.

"Do what," I huffed.

He quirked his damn eyebrow at me and shook my hand that I was chewing on, "Don't chew on your thumb."

I pulled my hand out of his and crossed my arms and stared out the side window, "It kept me from thinking about having to go pee." I whined.

"Babe," he said in slight amusement as he started the SUV, and headed back to my apartment.

When we pulled into the parking lot and he parked, I jumped out of the SUV ran for all I was wroth up the stairs, opened my apartment door and made a straight line to my bathroom. There could have been a whole slew of crazies in my apartment and I wouldn't have known, my bladder had top priority.

After I had stripped myself of my soggy cloths and washed off the sweat, I slipped into a robe and exited the bathroom. Ranger was sitting on my couch watching me closely as I sat on the opposite end of the couch. "I hope I didn't cost you an FTA."

"I let Tank and Cal know they needed to start their shift a little early."

"Why do you ask me go on surveillance with you since you know that I am really bad at it?" I sat back and waited for his answer.

"I like the company." Ranger gave me one of his partial smiles and all that did was make me annoyed all over again.

"What exactly are we to each other? Are we just friends are we more than friends, urgh!" Than I just realized what had popped out of my mouth and I slapped my hand to my mouth and just looked at Ranger.

He looked at me intently, his dark eyes roaming over my face and I felt secure and uncomfortable at the same time, "What do you want us to be to each other?" He asked me on a whisper.

I put down my hand and looked at the man across from me, and realized yet again how much I truly loved him. I wanted so much more than he could give. No, the question was not what I wanted for us, but what I was willing to settle for, "You are much more to me than just a friend. I would do anything for you."

I watched as he shifted closer to me and took my hand in his, he lifted it up and brushed a kiss against my palm and rested it against his face, "Babe, why the seriousness all of a sudden."

"Just a strange feeling I've been having lately. I don't want to look back one day, and regret never telling you how I feel. I love you Ranger, and I will accept whatever you can give me."

He seemed lost for a moment, and he leaned against me hand and closed his eyes. I had never, ever seen Ranger vulnerable but at this moment I think I was witnessing a first time he let his guard down around me. I watched as he swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbled in his throat and when he opened his eyes again, I felt my breath catch in my chest.

"Babe," was all he said. And I understood it was a thousand words and feelings and sentiments all with just one simple utterance. And I came undone, and as our lips met, it different. Not passion of doing something you know you might regret later, or a something that you have to forget. This kiss felt like a promise, and I believed it with my heart and soul.

Present Day – Paris France

I scampered on top of the roof that looked over the apartment building across from me. It was old, gray and the window looked like it could use a good washing. I dumped my black canvas back on the pebbled roof and started to assemble my night scope with nibble and well practiced hands. I flipped out the tripod stand and mounted the scope and aimed it to the third floor window, on the right side of the building. I smiled grimly as my target came into focus.

"Gotcha," I whispered to myself.

"Jersey, what's your status?" called the gruff voice in my ear piece.

I touched the two receivers on my neck and said, "The prize is in the room."

"Good, keep your position, and don't fall asleep on me," barked the voice.

"Fuck off DM," Was my response.

I moved and fished out my night vision goggles and surveyed the perimeter looking for anything out of the ordinary. I spotted DM making his way down the street, he was dressed to blend in and no one paid him any attention. I wasn't surprised; DM made it his business to hide in plain sight. One of the reasons his code name was Devil Mage. His real name was Douglas Kilbane and I worked hard on staying as far away from him as possible.

"What's look like know?" DM's harsh voice interrupted my thoughts as I looked back into the scope.

I sneered at what I was seeing, some people had no shame, "The prize his enjoying himself."

I heard the low dark chuckle in my ear that made my skin crawl, "This is going to be fun."

And when I spotted the first flash bang go off in the apartment I knew it way my cue to pack up and leave. With the same quickness that I set up, I dissembled my equipment and scooted off the roof and down the fire escape to the back and dropped down to the alley. I looked both ways to make sure that the French authorities hadn't been tipped that there was trouble brewing. I then made a mad dash across the street to the van that was hidden. I opened the door, dumped my gear and started the van and waited. I didn't have to wait long, because the back was flung opened and a body dumped in the back and another jumped in shouting, "GO!"

And with an ease I didn't really feel, I drove off as casually as one would at this time of night. I drove us out of Paris to a small village not two hours away and eased the van in front of a cottage that had seen better days. Home away from home. I swung around in my seat and watched as DM opened the back door and I climbed over the seat and helped him drag our guest into the cottage.

We maneuvered the unconscious man to a side room that was bare of furniture accept for one lonely chair. We dumped him on the chair and I tied his feet while DM worked on securing his hands. I moved away and leaned against a wall as I looked at the dirty man in the chair. Mid-thirties, black greasy hair, sallow skin, and hopefully the link I have been looking for.

DM walked out and came back with a pail of ice cold water and threw it on our prisoner. The man sputtered as he came back to awareness and I watched as his eyes flicked between me and DM, "Wha . . . What am I doing here?" he asked in French.

DM circled the decidedly nervous man and said also in French, "I want information."

"I don't know anything," he pleaded, "whatever you hear I promise you I don't know anything."

I stood away from the wall and made my way to the man, I crouched down until we were eye to eye. "I think your wrong," I said calmly in French, my New Jersey accent gone. "I was told you were the man I needed to talk to in regards to Krueger."

He blanched, his already sallow skin getting a more grayish tone to it as his eyes darted from mine to DM, "Please, I beg of you to let me go. I don't know anything about Krueger."

DM came up behind me and handed me a crowbar and I took it with ease, I tested its weight in my hand as I said, "That's not the answer I'm looking for Julian."

Julian eyed the crowbar in my hand and then looked back at me, "Krueger will kill me."

With a bright smile I said, "And what's to prevent me from doing the same."

"I can't, please just let me go," Julian started to cry. I stood up dispassionately and turned my back on Julian and his tears. I closed my eyes and looked up at the ceiling for a few beats before I turned around quickly and slamed the crowbar into his kneecaps.

Julian howled in pain as he rocked back on the chair and I crouched down again and got into his face, "Tell me about Krueger!"

"He . . . he runs an organization out of Paris that has ties," he sobbed out, "has ties to Russia."

"What kind of organization," I asked.

"I . . . I don't know," he wailed.

I leaned onto his dislocated knee and he screamed in pain, "You are lying to me."

"Guns, drugs, slaves, you name it he deals in it!" Julian howled out in pain.

I stood up and walked back several paces, "What kind of slaves, Julian?"

"He finds," Julian took in a deep breath and said, "He finds what his clients or . . . order."

DM walked past me and circled Julian, "What do you want me to do with him?"

"Find out more details on Krueger," and I opened the door and walked away.

I kept going until I was out of the cottage and down the lane before I stopped and threw up on the side of the road. I sat down hard on the cold ground and buried my face into my hands as I rocked back and forth, as I started to cry. I have gone so far from the person I was in Trenton, and it hurt deep. I cried for the person who couldn't stick needles in Anton Wards feet, and I cried for the person who thought that being a bounty hunter would be easy.

I don't know how long I sat there before DM came out to get me. He crouched in front of me his cold blue eyes bore into mine. "It's done."

I nodded my head as I looked past him toward the dark nothingness that surrounded us, "Where do we go from here?"

"We move, we plan, we keep going." He took my face in his hands and turned it until I was looking at him again, "You did good."

"I cried like a baby once I walked out of there," I said bitterly.

"It's because you still have your soul, don't ever loose it Jersey. It will make all of this pointless." DM released my face and stood up and reached down a hand and helped me stand. We walked back to the cottage in silence.

A/N: I'm sure that everyone is once again confused as to what is going on. I had a hard time trying to decide how to present this story without it dragging on, and on in back story. So, I have combined the two. Eventually the two halves will combine into a whole and hopefully make it less confusing to read. Please shoot me any questions and I'll graciously answer them as long as it doesn't give the plot away.