Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. It has been awhile since I posted anything and let me tell you the nervous stomach butterflies were fluttering. Once again, all mistakes are mine and I credit JE with allowing us to play with her characters. I have an erratic work schedule right now so my posting schedule will also be a bit erratic.
Chapter 2
Rangers POV
Another hang-up. I was just awakened from another one of those damn hang-ups. My wonderful dream of my Babe and I on a white sand beach, holding hands, and yes, strolling into the sunset and I get wakened up from that? Son of a bitch!
This has got to stop!
Here I am dreading any kind of phone call now.
I need to talk to someone, but who. Tank laughed at me a couple days ago saying I was turning into a girl with this talk about my silly feelings. Well, that was until our discussion on the mats. I hope his cracked rib heals soon. I need all the back-up help I can get.
Maybe it's time to call in Hector. He's one scary SOB at the best of times and while my men are honestly afraid of him, I know that I'm safe around him. Why, you ask?
Well, I rescued him from his lifestyle by saving his family from a 'cleansing' by his former gang. He'd gotten too powerful and a number of them figured that he needed to be erased along with anyone he was related to. I had gotten wind of it, all the while still working on my own mission in the area. I made sure he got told in time. Two birds with one stone be damned. He got the whole flock with one incendiary. Quite the house fire, said the Fire Chief.
I climbed out of bed. Sleep was officially over now even though it was only 4am. Close enough.
The gym had a few men working out and I mentally placed them in my head and strode over to the equipment at the other end of the room. I wanted to dwell on my workout but suspected that I might be a bit distracted as it would even busier as the morning progressed.
After stretching I stepped on a treadmill and dialed up my program.
As I ran, I tried not to dwell on my situation, but my mind continued to want to and soon I gave up and really started to look at the facts. Had it only started a week ago or was I just becoming aware of the possibility that it had started sooner than that? My mind continued to drift back.
~~~o0o~~~
Flashback
I was in the gun range and thought I would try out the new rifle that had just been delivered. While it was earmarked to be used by Ram, he and I had shared weapons. After quickly looking it over and marvelling at the comfortable feel in my hands, I loaded in the ammunition from the box marked for that piece then sent the target down the line to sight it in. When I fired the first shot, I got blow-back and the weapon misfired almost taking out my eye. I was always stressing safety but the eye protection I had on definitely saved my eyesight that day. What I did have was a powder burn on the side of my face that was stinging and already turning red.
I had Bobby check me out and he gave me a salve to put on the burn.
Heading to my office to write up a report of the incident, I saw Ram in the break room. I strode over to him and motioned him to follow me to my office, and to close the door behind him. He looked uncomfortable and stood at attention in front of my desk.
Never once to mince words I asked, "Did you have any issues with the new rifle when you were sighting it in this morning?"
Ram looked surprised. "No, she sighted in like a dream and I thought it was one of the best I've used in some time."
I nodded my head. "I shouldn't need to even ask you but did you clean it properly after use?"
Ram looked almost indignant at the implied insult. "I finished test firing her and took it to the work room and gave her a really nice cleaning. I knew you wanted to try her out today, but I know I did a good job making it safe."
I pulled up the video of my experience and Ram whistled. "I'm glad you were OK Ranger, but when I left, it was fine and ready to go."
I looked again at the video and shrugged. Stranger things had happened and it could have been something internally weak in the weapon.
"Well, I've ordered it returned to the vendor for warranty replacement since it was brand new. Hopefully we get the new one soon. You haven't mentioned it but you don't have anything scheduled that you know of, right?"
Ram shook his head no, and made a mental note that he would go down to the room and personally check out the weapon. He was fully trained in armaments and wanted to double check that he had not missed something.
He walked out the door at my permission to leave nod.
My mind flashed back to before the incident and I remembered telling a couple of men in the break room of my desire to go down to try it. I still had some paperwork needing my attention so if someone had wanted my time slot it was now open. I juggled my schedule around and found a time later on and had re-booked much later in the day.
I accidently brushed my hand over the burn and hissed. Stephanie would be pissed at me lecturing me on being more careful. Then I smiled thinking how she could fix my boo-boo.
End Flashback
~~~o0o~~~
My program was nearing the end and as the machine started the cool down process. I remembered two days later Luis had come to me asking me not to use my office for a couple of hours. He had noticed that when he had tried to use the wall plug behind a bookcase that it has given him a shock and a black singe mark had appeared over the face plate and up the wall. He had called in an electrician who upon checking had noted that somehow a number of plugs were malfunctioning and until it was re-wired, I should refrain from using any of the electrical outlets. A number were behind furniture or out of the way and weren't used on a regular basis so he had no idea when or how they had malfunctioned. I had put it down to a sheetrock screw causing the problem since we'd done some renovating lately. Luis ran a couple of extension cords from the main office for my equipment until everything was repaired. As it turned out, I was out of my office for the next few days visiting Boston. I had smelt fresh paint upon my return and believed the problem had been alleviated.
I was starting to get a feeling. I refused to believe that I had a 'spidey sense' but the simple fact that there were too many things starting to point to a something or someone against me.
~~~o0o~~~
Her in-box finally empty and Stephanie heaved a sigh of relief. Her back hurt from sitting and her butt was well past the numb stage.
She really wanted to head home and take a shower. Rex needed to be fed and she remembered that she had one tiny tub of Ben and Jerry's left. Today seemed the perfect day to clean out her freezer. After all, her mother always harped at her that one should never keep frozen food too long.
She looked at Ranger's closed door. He usually grabbed lunch from the break room and ate in his office, sometimes with Tank in there, or Les and Bobby. But, for the past few days she had noticed him taking all his meals up on seven. He looked fine, but…... She could almost believe that there was a mission upcoming. She didn't have that 'spidey-sense' feeling that something was wrong, yet.
Stephanie stood up and shook her cargoes down over her combat boots. She would have preferred to wear her favorite Cat boots but the dress code forbade anything other than the standard issue footwear. Even Ella walked around with a pair on.
She had already shut down her computer and opened her drawer to pull out her purse. She looked at her issued weapon in its holster sitting beside her purse, pursing her lips at the RangeMan requirement that she carry it anytime she was working for them. She closed the drawer, leaving the weapon inside. She was off the clock and heading home for crying out loud.
It had been quiet in Stephanie Plum's world lately and nothing had exploded or been firebombed in some time. She had no stalker, and word around town suggested that nobody was out to do her harm.
~~~o0o~~~
Tanks POV
I was watching Ranger as he walked onto five. Something was up but so far my best friend and business partner was not in a sharing mood.
Stephanie, our own personal little vision of an angel, a spitting fire-cat, and a Mother Theresa all rolled into one was working in her cubicle but her nervous mannerisms were making me nervous. When she was jumpy, and Ranger was distracted, there was something probably going down soon.
I hate surprises. I try to be prepared for FUBAR's and try to remain calm through most storms, whatever the cause, but I'm getting older and happiest when everything is humming along smoothly. I like being in command of situations and when a plan comes together, well, I'm a happy camper.
I looked over the control room. Everything appeared to be fine, but…. I can literally feel a tiny worry line is making its appearance by my right eye.
I'd noticed it as I was shaving my head. Now bald and still beautiful, at least that's what Lula had told me this morning, I'd noticed it as a first sign of something about to go down. Whether I like it or not, I'm feeling my world starting to tilt a bit on its axis, a sure sign of trouble in the near future. I've learned many years ago to trust my instincts. They've gotten me out of jams in the past and my hope that being aware of my surroundings keeps me one jump ahead of the future.
I sat at my desk with the door closed. My chair was pushed back and my size 15 boots were perched on the top of my massive desk. Papers were piled on all corners and the computer printouts were threatening to overflow my in-box. I should be working to get this mess under control, but…..
I dropped my feet to the ground with a soft growl. "Son of a bitch!"
My mind drifted back to when those two kids had tried to ruin RangeMan's reputation with thefts literally under our eyes. Everyone had been watching each other and on edge. This had the same early warning signs as that awful time when nobody was trusting anybody, including their partners.
I rubbed my fingers on my bald head back and forth making the skin move back and forth. I liked to call it my own version of a scalp massage. Slamming my hands onto the top of the desk made my pen jump. The signs were all there. Ranger walking around on alert, Stephanie was so busy with Vinnie and yet, Ranger wanted her here for some reason. We were at full staff so everything was being appropriately covered. While her skills were certainly appreciated and valued, our men were all very competent in working on searches. Ranger would, of course, be worried about Little Girl and would use whatever resources we had to keep her safe. With that state of mind, I could well imagine that he had probably toyed with the idea of stashing her someplace and even I shuddered at the fall-out of a maneuver like that. Failing that, he probably was planning on having her shadowed whenever she left the building.
I remembered the gist of the conversations with Ranger over the past few days and his concern that his luck might be taking a turn for the worst. I grimaced now that I'd had laughed it off, joking that he had been around Little Girl too long and her bad luck karma was coming back to bite him.
I pressed some keys on my keyboard looking at the different cameras, willing them to divulge a problem in the making. Everything seemed like it should. Men were working at their cubicles and training down in the gym. The gun range was in use and the garage seemed quiet.
I hate deceit. I've been in situations where people were not who they were supposed to be. Men I have trained and loved like brothers have been on the wrong side of a bullet because of deceit.
At the same time, I hate traitors. Scum-sucking vermin of the world. Traitors were cowards committing deeds that hurt people without showing their hands. Traitors who didn't care who they hurt as long as their mission was accomplished. Traitors who marched to a different beat in the ways of the world. Traitors who professed their way was the right way to draw attention to their viewpoints.
Traitors, I hate traitors.
~~~o0o~~~
Hector had been summoned to see Ranger. The door closed behind him and when it re-opened he had emerged with his own version of a blank face as he headed back down into his dark and mysterious dungeon. Nobody quite knew what he really did down there. He had venomously refused a partner. He was a loner, and he and Ranger had come to an agreement on this arrangement.
The men knew and mostly appreciated what he did for RangeMan. He understood their confusion over the time needed to keep the equipment in tip top shape for one company. Was there a story behind those doors?
Ranger was reliving the conversation.
(Spoken in Spanish)
"Hector, I think I have a stalker. My vehicle has been vandalized a number of times. I'm getting hang-ups on my phone and I think the accident with the vehicle Tank was driving and the egging incident at Shorty's are all related."
Hector stood there with his eyes never leaving Ranger.
"How stupid can someone be? You are Ranger, known to everyone as totally badass."
Ranger shook his head.
"Put your ear to the ground and see if there's something or someone out there wanting to piss me off."
He muttered.
"We've got to find this perv. Unfortunately it looks like we are being targeted by someone or multiple persons who either works or worked here directly or is related to someone who works here. The fact that some things have happened leads me to believe that it's someone literally in the building."
Hector nodded and moved to the door.
"On it, boss."
~~~o0o~~~
Ranger looked at the ringing phone in his hand. Answer or don't answer.
His parents' number popped up on the screen and he sighed.
His mother had a spidey sense every bit as strong as Stephanie. She had been known to phone to 'just talk' but in reality she was testing the waters for something. He remembered as a young man when he was starting to get in trouble with the youth gangs that she would ask him to help her in the kitchen, peeling potatoes or cutting up the vegetables. She called it 'together time', which meant that she was wanting to talk to him.
Ranger pressed the button and spoke.
"Hi Mom."
Mrs. Manoso spoke in Spanish.
"Muy hermano, you never come to see us, you never call. I have to phone you to make sure you are still alive."
Ranger sighed. It was going to be 'one of those' calls.
"Mom, I'm very busy. I have a large company to run and although I have very good employees working for me, I do have many responsibilities."
Mrs. Manoso made a shushing noise and Ranger could just imagine her flicking off his remark with a hand movement showing that it was a lame excuse at the very least.
Ranger looked at the clock on his computer. He had a meeting in half an hour with a potential client and he had wanted to go over the file early and remind himself of their unique security needs.
"I can only talk for a minute Mom. I have a meeting that I really must prepare for."
He knew it was a mistake the minute he said it. He got ready for the lecture.
"I am your mother, who was in labour for two days before you were born. You were sickly as a child and I stayed up with you for many days and nights caring for you. The least you can do is to talk to your getting-older-every-day mother. Who knows, my son, I might keel over any minute now and die without ever seeing you again. The least you can do is to give me a few minutes of your precious time. I think that your friend Tank can certainly help out. He is your right-hand man, correct?"
Ranger knew he was going to be on the losing end of any remark.
"Mom, Tank is extremely busy doing his job and to just delegate him to meet with potential clients too would be placing more on his plate that he needs right now."
He could hear grumbling over the line that he should just pay his employees a bit more so that they could take on additional responsibilities and leave her son to visit his parents now and then. Lord knew, it was so seldom that he came to visit and they weren't getting any younger.
Ranger tried to change the topic.
"How's Dad? Is he still working on the orchard at the back? I know he had some damage from the storm last month."
There was more grumbling over the line as his mother harrumphed.
"Those trees will be the death of your father. He shouldn't be climbing up a ladder to trim the branches at his age. You are so much younger and can do it so much faster. I have had to buy more muscle liniment and he tries to be brave, but I can feel his pain. I tried to explain that you can come and help soon, but he wants it done now so that the trees will not suffer."
She sniffed and Ranger could just see her put a facial tissue to one eye then another.
He groaned. Uh yes, parental blackmail. And his mother knew how to do it very well.
He spoke.
"Mom, hopefully I can come out in a few days. I have a number of things going on right now that need my attention."
He stopped and was about to speak when he heard his next fear.
"That sounds lovely, Carlos. I will hold you to that, my son. Make sure you bring your lovely Stephanie with you. I haven't seen her in FOREVER. You are hiding her from us, yes? I found a photo album that I know she would love to see. "
Ranger mentally groaned and put his free hand over his face and rubbed it back and forth. He could well believe that it was pictures of him as a young boy. His mother wanted more grandchildren and she was determined that if her somewhat backward son and that lovely girl, Stephanie, were to finally agree to get married, AND, if she played her cards right, it would lead to more wonderful additions to her current brood of grandchildren.
There was a knock on the door, and Tank stepped in. He looked a trifle annoyed that Ranger was on the phone but when he got the signal that it was Mama Manoso, he paled and stepped back out, closing the door.
If he wasn't careful, he'd get invited to the house too and to bring 'that nice lady Lula". Right now Tank just didn't want to get ensnared in the discussion Mama M would have with him. He had regretted the last time they had been invited.
Mrs. Manoso had practically adopted Lula into the family and was prepared to show her pictures of Carlos and Tank just after they finished Basic and had come to their home on leave. They were so handsome in their Army uniforms. So manly, and responsible. Her country would be in good hands now that they were helping to keep America safe.
Mrs. Sherman and Mrs. Manoso had met each other at an awards ceremony and they had agreed on many things. One was that their respective sons needed a woman by their sides, and another that whichever mother was around, they would step in whenever they could to help the situation enfold.
Ranger managed to get a word in edgewise.
"Mama, I really need to go. I will call you and let you know when I can free up my schedule to come visit. I will ask Stephanie if she can come too and I know that you two will have a great time (at my expense, he muttered to himself), looking at the pictures."
After a few more sentences of how much he missed seeing her, he hung up.
Ranger leaned back in his chair and looked at the ceiling.
This potential client was reported to be difficult to deal with, but after the conversation he had just completed, it would be a cake walk!
