Chapter Four
Lex's POV
The Twins decided that they didn't want to be stuck with us all day, so they went to the skating rink to learn to ice skate, having never seen ice before. Nathaniel and Kegan, however, had no choice.
So here we were in Tank's massive office, Kegan on the floor reading, Nathaniel sitting on my lap giggling as I tickled his rib cage. Dad sat in the chair next to me arms crossed over his chest looking very uncomfortable. I on the other hand was rather uncomfortable in the fact that I need to use the dunny.
"What's taking him so long?" I asked Dad as Nat squealed in delight. We had been sitting here for ten minutes waiting for Tank to show, but to no prevail.
"He's probably been caught up on a job," Dad replied unenthusiastically. "He is the head of the company since Ranger is dead."
"I suppose, but you'd think he would be eager to get to this meeting. I mean, there's the possibility that his best friend will be able to live freely again. Who wouldn't want that?"
Dad sighed. "It's not that simple, Lexus. Sometimes these things take longer than they perceive. There's probably been complications."
"Fine." I jiggled Nathaniel on my knee for a moment. "Dad, I need to use the dunny; do you know where it is?"
He looked slightly shocked at my question. "Elexus, what has gotten into you? You're acting like you're a little kid. You haven't acted like this in years."
"I can't help it!" I whined; wait… since when do I whine? "I'm uncomfortable with the whole situation. I hate keeping secrets from Mum. It's not like me. I never keep secrets from Mum."
"And I suppose this Zaniel boy is the exception that proves the rule?" Dad asked
I scoffed. "No! That rule is totally bogus! How can you have a rule that says every rule has an exception? It would mean that that rule would also need an exception; which means that some rules do not have exceptions. Jeez, smarten up Dad."
"Yup, she's definitely in there," he muttered to himself loud enough that I could hear him. I reached over with my free hand and slapped on the arm.
"That's not a very nice thing to say about your daughter. And in front of a former friend of your wife whom you haven't seen in at least seven years."
Dad's eyes widened at me as if I had just cursed. "You know too much, you know that?"
I laughed. "No, Dad, I'm just aware of my surroundings."
"You could learn a thing or two from little Lexy," Tank said entering the room fully. "She has abilities her mother never possessed as a bounty hunter."
"Mum was a bounty hunter?" I asked him. I turned to Dad whose face was down and head was shaking. "You never told me Mum was a bounty hunter!"
"Thanks, Tank. Make my life living hell next time."
Tank grinned. "Not a problem." He took a seat on top of his desk and turned to me. "You've grown into a charming young lady," he told me.
Dad snorted and I joined in. If he knew the real me he would be too, but I suppose he never really knew me back then either. Funny, how we never really knew each other and now the sanity of my mother lies between us.
"What's so funny?" Tank asked. We laughed even harder at this.
Eventually I straightened gasping for breath and wiping tears from my eyes. "Sorry. It's just obvious that you don't know me."
Next to me Dad was straightening and wiping his eyes. "Okay, down to business. We need to know everything you know about this Hans Heigelfieder guy. Where he lives. Any police records he has; everything."
Tank, nodding slowly, handed him a thick folder. "Everything I know is in there. I feel really helpless that I haven't been able to do anything. But I've been flat out keeping Rangeman up and running. He made it look so easy…"
"So the plan is to try and nail this sucker for something?" I asked, shifting Nathaniel from one knee to the other. "How are we gonna do that?"
Dad sent me a sharp glare. "We won't be doing anything. I will be doing some official work at the local cop shop and you will be visiting relatives with the rest of your family."
"What? That so isn't fair! Why can't I help?"
"This guy is dangerous," Tank said simply.
"He has to be, if it got Ranger to go into hiding."
I sighed. "But what if you need someone to play bait? I'm good at that. Come on! I can take care of myself! Please?"
"Dad, I'm hungry," Kegan added.
Now it was Dad's turn to sigh. "I know you are, we'll get some lunch as soon as we leave here.
"Can we have clown?" Nathaniel asked bouncing up and down on my knee.
"We'll see."
Lester's POVShe hadn't changed much over the years. She was tanner, thinner and her hair was a little blonder, but that was it. Australia was working its magic on her… except for that sad look in her eyes. It was the first thing I noticed when she greeted me at the rotunda in the park. She was smiling but it didn't reach her eyes. She looked awfully cold even though it was rather warm for this time of year. Her parka was pulled snug around her face and she was shivering.
"Bombshell, you're looking a little chilly," Bobby said a smile plastered on his face at the sight of her. "It's a beauty of a day, what's your mal?" Bobby was young at thirty and still had a sense of humour, rare for a man with his training and background. We both knew exactly why she was so cold; less than forty-eight hours ago she had been baking under the harsh summer sun of Australia. It was unbelievably cold here compared to the coldest day in they have in the land of Oz.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" she said through gritted teeth. "I'm freezing my ass of here! What's wrong with choosing a nice warm restaurant to eat at? I've spent the last seven years in temperatures that don't even reach zero degrees Celsius most of the time!"
Yep, same old Bombshell. Can't go ten seconds without telling me off. That's what always got us about her. She was the only one Ranger was ever afraid of, and as a result we were all afraid of her as well, not to mention her Grandma. I don't know how many times I've heard the story of her blowing the balls off a roast chicken, but it's put me off chicken all together.
"We weren't sure what you wanted, so we thought we meet here and see where it goes," I said, unable to help the grin that had spread across my face.
"You could have just asked me over the phone!"
Bobby chuckled. "Yeah, but no matter what you said you would have wanted something different by the time we got there today." I must admit he had a point.
At that moment Steph seemed to glare at someone on her left. This was weird, and totally unlike her, as far as I could remember. "Will you fuck off and leave me alone?" she whispered menacingly out of the corner of her mouth. Again, very unlike Steph.
"Um, is everything alright?" I asked her.
She turned her attention back to me and grinned tensely. "Of course it is; why wouldn't it be?"
"You were just talking out of the corner of you mouth and glaring at nobody."
"No I wasn't"
OH-KAAYY… something is seriously off about her.
"So, what do you feel like for lunch?" she asked us.
I looked at Bobby who returned my look with a perplexed expression. "Pizza?" he said.
"Yeah," I said, "Pizza sounds great."
"Pizza, I haven't had pizza in years. Does Pino's still do the free extra cheese on the meat-aterian?"
"Sure does. So are we on, or are we on?"
"You bet, but we're eating it there." Again she turned to her left and spoke out of the corner of her mouth. "Just fuck off okay? … No, I'm entitled to have fun… Look just give it a rest will you? … Fine, be like that!"
Steph's POVWhen I turned to face them again their brows were furrowed and a look of concern had planted itself on both faces. Cripes, they think I'm going crazy. Of course, I don't blame them; after all I was standing there talking to a person nobody else could see.
"Who are you talking to?" Lester asked. He was peering past me trying to see if there was anybody there, which there wasn't, but you can't blame him for checking, I was talking to myself; or at least it seems that way.
Bobby looked at his watch, more to have something to do than anything else. "We should get going if we wanna get there before the rush."
Crap, I killed all chances of appearing normal. Thanks Ranger, I owe you one.
Note: I am not responsible for any whiplash...
