Usual disclaimer I own nothing all characters belong to JE. They just come to my yard to talk and play.
A Redecorating Job
Chapter 2
Ranger's POV
Lying in a makeshift bed of leaves in an indentation in the hillside I could hear the breeze rustling through the bushes. Whether it in my head or in the wind, I thought I heard "Ranger, I love you. Please hurry home."
"I love you Babe."
I settled in to catch a few Z's before another long trek tomorrow.
I've been separated from my team for over a week now. We were ambushed and three men were taken out. The other three and I were chased in different directions by a couple of dozen insurgents. We have rendezvous coordinates in case of separation. I can only hope they survived.
I could make better time undetected in the canopy of the trees but the equipment I need is with another member of the team. So I am stuck making slower time, ducking for cover several times an hour as insurgents pass near.
I have to get to the rest of the team. We have to regroup and finish this job. Failure is not an option.
The object of war is not to die for your country but to make sure the other bastard dies for his.
All day today I have felt jumpy. I feel something is going on in Trenton. Somehow I feel Steph needs me, my comfort, what strength I can give her. I know the guys are taking care of her and have her back, but she just draws crazies to her. I just pray she hasn't gotten crazy at the apartment and gone out on her own.
Bobby, Lester and Tank were set to do some training with her while I was gone.
Steph was going to learn more about the business in general and maybe go on some take-downs to keep her interested. She is now the head of Research and Planning, but I would like her to be able to handle any position. After all I plan to make her a partner when I get back to Trenton.
Crap, I just almost walked in front of a guy by a tree. "Get your act together soldier, Focus. Steph does not want or need you dead." I had to adjust my heading to get away.
I was crawling through the underbrush, just another mile to the next rendezvous point.
This whole mission was more than FUBAR. Everything had gone wrong from the first day when the supplies were not organized and it took time to sort them. Then for the next two days there were torrential rains that limited our progress. The next day came the flooding and leeches in the low land area; Just another day in the jungle.
Some of the team had never seen a leech and one of the guys freaked. We had to tackle him to burn the leeches off. He must have had a dozen. Guess some things you have to experience to appreciate.
Next our youngest member was attacked by an anaconda. That took three of us to unwrap to free him. That was just before the ambush.
Three men dead, four separated from each other. Nature had not been kind. Mother Nature seemed to say "Pain is a case of mind over matter. I don't mind and you don't matter."
Our numbers were quickly diminishing more from the fury of Mother Nature than the enemy. The heartless bitch was working against us.
We should have been long out of that area before the ambush.
Steph's POV
I woke this morning feeling rested and safe. I really felt like Ranger's arms had been around me.
I rushed through my shower and morning routine while thinking about our job yesterday.
The plan was good but we missed something. I felt it was my responsibility to have a good and safe plan. We almost lost one of our own. This morning at the debriefing we would address this.
I rushed through breakfast and ran to Tank's office. I had to know if he had heard from Ranger. This feeling was so strong.
Knocking on Tank's door I waited for a response. First on the agenda was how Hal is. Did he get back to the apartment? After Tank assured me he was doing well I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Tank, have you heard from Ranger? I felt he was so close last night I could almost feel him."
"No, Bomber. No word from him or command. "
That brought my happy scale down a couple of levels. I was so sure he had called in. Tank could see the fallen look on my face.
"Just remember no news is always good news. The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do. And believe me Ranger takes great pleasure in that."
"Yeah I know I just got my hopes up today. Before the debriefing I am going to check on Hal."
I grabbed some coffee and a couple of breakfast sandwiches on my way to Hal's apartment. We could have breakfast before the meeting.
I knocked on the door and Hal yelled to come in. He was sitting on the couch drinking coffee with Lester.
"Brought you breakfast big guy."
Lester then asked. "What did the doctors say last night?"
"Just that I looked too mean to die and that I had a cracked rib and bruising. Then of course there is the broken nose. He said to go home and rest for a few days. "
"I have had a cracked rib, I know that hurts."
"Pain is Mother Nature's way of telling you that you're not dead yet. I sure have had worse injuries and besides I can still do desk duty. Hey, thanks for breakfast, Lester just brought coffee."
"I just wanted to check on you; since I hadn't seen you since last night. Don't worry about the meeting. If you feel like coming to the office later, that will be OK. But you can take some days off if you want."
"Steph, thanks for saving my life last night." Hal grabbed my hand and pulled me into a hug.
I had tears in my eyes as I hugged him back.
When I walked into the meeting the guys were all standing and applauding. There was a box of Boston crèmes in front of my chair.
I opened the box, took a donut and passed them around the table. I couldn't help the smile on my face. I felt totally accepted by everyone and I could tell they were proud of me too.
After the meeting I went to my office and said a prayer for Ranger and a silent thank you to the guys.
