I came to realize how much I actually LOVE reviews. Thank you to all who left one, I'm glad you like the story. I have a request, though. As English isn't my first language, I'm bound to make mistakes. I won't be mad at you when you correct me. On the contrary, I'll be thankful, so don't hesitate to tell me if I keep making the same mistakes.

I also have a question for the native speakers among my readers: what is the correct way to say that you cannot be reached on your phone? To have no reception is what the dictionary says, no service is what someone in the reviews said and no signal is what I think I have heard before. Or is it a BE/AE thing? Would be nice if anyone knew the answer. Thanks in advance!

I didn't know how long I had sat there when suddenly the Batman theme song reached my ear. I hit my head on the ceiling in my hurry to scramble to the backseat. It was a really awkward angle that I found myself in, but hey, I'd stay like this for half an hour when that meant that I could talk to someone who would help me. And I heavily doubted that Ranger was going to leave me to my misery. I quickly answered the phone, but the relieved "Ranger!" never left my mouth. All I got out was a faint squeak and something like a loud sigh. Duh, no voice! I had totally forgotten about that!

"Babe? You alright? Tank just called to inform me that your car tracker and the one in your purse are located at two different places. Do you need help?"

I tried again to say something, anything, but I didn't even manage a whisper. Frustrated, I repeatedly punched on the seat next to me. Shit, shit, shit! Why didn't I have a phone with a video function? Then I could just show him my empty tank and he'd understand!

"Babe?" Great, now there was a huge deal of concern in Ranger's voice. "Stephanie, answer me!" He used my whole name. Oh boy, that meant trouble! He never did that unless he was either pissed or in panic. Or rather a state of mild disturbance, which was the Ranger equivalent to panic. At this very moment I remembered that my phone might not have a video function, but it was perfectly able to send him a message! Unfortunately, I had to hang up first, but if I was really quick, he wouldn't mind, would he? I quickly pressed the red receiver and started to type in the message when the phone rang again. I bit on my lip and typed even faster. 'I'm OK, car broke down, have no voice.' That should do it. I was just about to press 'send' when suddenly my phone made a faint beeping sound and the battery went dead. I just stared at the tiny box in my hand. So now I had reception but no battery? Could it get any worse? At this very moment, freezing rain began to hit my windshield. Bite me, Karma! I yelled inside my head. Now I couldn't even go outside to pace up and down in order to keep warm – or to march back to Miller and kick his ass. Badly.

I started to shiver so badly that I almost stabbed myself in the eye with my finger when I attempted to push back a strand of hair. J-j-jj-eez! I tried to curl up into a tight ball, but as there wasn't much room in the front seat, I decided to move to the back and try to make myself as comfortable as possible – which was totally impossible, but a girl could hope, right? I lay there shivering and watched my nails turn a darker blue. I was pretty sure that I could be used as a shredder, I only needed someone to place some paper between my rattling teeth. I managed to lock the car from inside – with my luck, it wasn't that unlikely that Miller decided to come looking for me. I crawled as far into my jacket as I could before closing my eyes in exhaustion. Damn, what a screwed-up day!

~Ranger~

I was in what Steph called my driving zone. I smiled when I pictured her next to me fidgeting on the passenger seat throughout countless surveillances, complaining that her ass was going numb or that she was bored. My smile widened when I thought about the occasions when I had given in to her whining and "distracted" her until boredom was the last thing on her mind. How I loved the way she reacted to me. One smile or a simple touch and all coherent thought was gone, replaced by the blazing fire that would start burning in her eyes and would then travel through that delicious body of hers... Not that I would openly admit it, but she'd managed to turn my own brain to mush once or twice as well. Always be aware of your surroundings, my ass. When Steph was around, the legendary control of Carlos Manoso regularly went out the window. Her grin would stretch from one ear to the other if she ever learned how exactly she affected me.

I was about to swing into the parking lot in front of bond office to see if Connie had any skips for Rangeman when my phone went off. One glance at the screen told me it was Tank.

"Yo."

"Yo, Bossman. Don't know whether it's a reason to be worried or not, but Bombshell's trackers are sending signals from two different places. None is currently moving. You want us to do something?" Even though Tank's voice remained calm, there was some hidden concern in it. My Babe was important to all of my men.

"I'll call her," I said, disconnected and hit speed dial one. My eyes narrowed when she still hadn't answered after the eighth ring. I swore quietly and was about to hang up when she finally answered the phone. Or tried to. The sounds coming from the other side weren't what I had hoped for. I was instantly alert. "Babe? You alright? Tank just called to inform me that your car tracker and the one in your purse are located at two different places. Do you need help?"

I listened closely for any sound in the background that would tell me what was going on, but all I could hear were a couple of thuds that might have been anything from a pillow fight to punches thrown at my woman. Just as I was about to ask her once again, the line suddenly went dead. "Fuck!" I yelled. She would never hang up on me like that when she knew that I was worried about her. I called her again immediately, but this time she wouldn't answer. Swearing under my breath, I called the control room. "Stephanie's coordinates. Now. Of both trackers. Send Brown and whoever else is there to her. Hurry up."

About five seconds later, the GPS in my car flashed up, telling me it had received the information. I wasted no time and hurried to follow the directions given on the screen. Be safe, Babe!

I tried to call her again. It ringed a few times before it went to voicemail. Fuck, fuck, fuck! I hit the gas. I didn't give a shit about the speed limit, as far as I knew, Steph was in deep shit and needed my help. Everybody knew that I wasn't one to panic easily but most of the usual rules I had set for myself didn't apply when Steph was involved. My phone ringed again and I picked up without taking my eyes off the road. "Talk", I barked. It was Tank again. "I called the bonds office. Connie told me the address belonged to a skip, Ed Miller. He isn't supposed to be dangerous; was arrested because he punched a bartender in the face. He lives alone."

The muscles in my arms relaxed slightly. The man wasn't considered dangerous. Not that this would mean anything, Steph was a magnet for all kinds of disasters that went beyond imagination. I desperately hoped this was a false alarm.

"Boss? You okay? Ranger!" I actually flinched. I'd zoned out while I was on the phone with one of my men. Steph was definitely rubbing off on me. "Yeah, just thinking. I'm almost there. I'll call when I know more."

The closer I got to Miller's address, the more I calmed down. I needed to be focused and clear-headed now; it wouldn't do Steph much good if I lost it. When I finally arrived in front of Miller's hut, Steph's car was nowhere to be seen, though according to the information that Tank had given me it shouldn't be far. My eyes automatically scanned the surroundings. There were no signs of a struggle, no blood or drag marks. I put on the bullet-proof vest and checked my weapons, making sure that everything was where I needed it to be. It hurt almost physically to sit here waiting but I wouldn't risk Steph's safety by storming the hut on my own. I didn't know how many people were in there, and if it was more than one person and Steph got hurt because I threw over board everything I had learned in the army... I closed my eyes for a second. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to her.

I quickly got out of the car when a Rangeman SUV pulled up. Lester and Bobby were beside me in the blink of an eye, waiting for instructions. Both wore a serious expression. I knew they considered Steph as a friend and would take a bullet for her without blinking. "Bobby and I take the front, Lester, you take the back. As soon as you hear us talking you go in. We don't know if there is anyone else in there besides Miller. If there is and they are making trouble, don't hesitate to do what's necessary to get Steph out unharmed. Questions?" I asked. Both men shook their heads no. We all drew our guns and left the cover of the Porsche. Lester hurried around to the back as Bobby and I walked over to the front door. There were no windows that overlooked the street, so Miller wouldn't be aware of our arrival. My eyes narrowed when I noticed the footprint on the door. Looked like a woman's boot... Brown positioned himself next to the door. We waited a few seconds to give Lester some time to reach the back door, then we gave each other a grim nod and I banged at the door. There were noises coming from inside; someone shuffled to the door. My muscles tensed when the door opened and Miller appeared in front of me. Naked. If that bastard had so much as touched my Babe...

"What?" he grunted and placed his hand in the doorframe. My eyes immediately fixated on the purse in his hand. I'd seen it before in Steph's apartment. With a ferocious growl I stepped forward, lunged at his throat and smashed him into the wall. Bobby was directly behind me, but there was nobody else in the hut. Even though that meant that there was no threat, it also meant that Stephanie wasn't here. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Santos enter through the back door. Miller gave a strangled cry and clutched at my hands.

"Where is she? Where is Stephanie?" I asked, my voice cold as ice with hardly contained, deadly rage. I emphasized my question by tightening my hand around his throat. Unfortunately, that was making it impossible for him to answer and I had to loosen my grip a bit. He coughed and looked at me totally pissed of – until he met my eyes and saw the cold fury in them. He hurried to answer: "Don't know any Stephanie, I swear!" I pressed my gun at his temple. I had no time for stupid lies. "Wrong answer. Think again." Suddenly the smell of urine hit my nostrils. The bastard had wet himself. "I-I-I really do-don't know!" he cried. "Quit the bullshit! That's her purse you are holding, shitface!" Santos hissed behind me. My hand tightened again when Miller's eyes grew big with sudden realization. "The fat-assed chick with the piece of paper? Wanted to bring me in, I took her purse and coffee and kicked her out! She drove off, I swear! Kicked against my fucking door and drove off in that piece of shit car of hers!"

I kept staring him down, waiting for any sign that he was lying. The dick almost passed out. I was lucky he had only pissed himself. "Please! 'm telling the truth!" he choked out as his face was slowly turning blue. I had no intention of letting him go but Bobby placed a hand on my shoulder. "Ranger, I think he is speaking the truth. She's nowhere around and there aren't any signs of a struggle. We need to look for her and see if she's okay." I shot a glare at him. I didn't like to be told what to do, but he was right. I reluctantly loosened my grip on Miller, who slouched down the wall, gasping for air.

"Santos, cuff him and get him in the car. Bobby and I'll go ahead and see if we can find her. I expect you to catch up with us as soon as Miller is taken care of." I didn't take another look at the whimpering waste of time on the floor and strode out of the hut. There was another access-road to Miller's hut. "Steph must have taken that road", Brown said, pointing his chin to where I was already headed. I nodded. "She can't be far, Tank said the two trackers were rather close together."

As soon as we had turned the corner, Steph's latest junk car became visible. We broke into a run immediately. My fingers tightened around the gun that had never left my hand when I realized that the driver's seat was unoccupied. No Babe. Far and wide, there was no one in sight. Next to me, Bobby swore under his breath. Steph hadn't miraculously materialized in the front seat after we arrived in front of her windshield, but nevertheless, I threw a quick glance inside the car. It was more a reflex than real hope to find her in there that made me look, so when I caught sight of an unruly mob of brown hair in the back seat, my whole body went rigid. The motor wasn't running, and it was freezing cold outside. Steph didn't move; I couldn't even see whether she was breathing or not. "Babe," I choked out. My hand shot to the doorhandle, but the car was locked. She was so pale... "Babe!" I yelled and hammered against the window with both hands. She didn't even flinch. Fuck, why was the goddamn door locked up?

So yeah, it's not very nice to stop there. But since I'm actually supposed to write a seminar paper about social change in small-town America in the 1920s, I like to have a few pages of this story up my sleeve in case I won't be able to write much. So bear with me, please ;)