Disclaimer: The characters belong to J.E.
Spoiler Alert: There may be mention of anything from the series since this takes place just after 18. This story takes place immediately after Explosive 18.
"So are you saying you gonna let me get into my car and drive outa here?"
"No. That would only be delaying the inevitable. No, you are definitely here to die. How slowly you do that depends on whether you let her go or make her stay."
He shook his head. "She ain't leaving till she's dead."
I dropped my hands to my side and made a motion with one of my hands. Ram fired his weapon and the Uzi fell to the ground. Before the target could grab it Tank was there removing the weapon from the mix. Hector moved beside me and slipped into the driver's seat of the SUV. Hal made his way over and climbed into the back. Once they were in position, Hector started the SUV and they headed back to Rangeman. I knew they would protect her with their lives and she was safe. It was time I let the monster out to play. It was time to make it clear that Babe was my woman and anyone who dared to mess with her would incur my wrath. I planned to show them what that meant.
I stepped forward and let the monster have its head.
Warning for violence.
Chapter 7: A Monster Let Loose
Ranger's POV:
I stopped in front of Junkman and I threw a right into his face, breaking his nose. He came back with a punch of his own that I easily blocked and hit him with an uppercut to the chin. He hit me with everything he had but I had an answer for everything he threw at me. I gave him a roundhouse kick and he went down. He came back up with a jagged piece of metal and lunged. I moved and he overbalanced and went down landing on the pointed edge of the metal. Blood started pouring out but that didn't keep him down. He came at me again and I continued to beat the shit out of him while the fucker bled to death. When he finally lay still, eyes open and looking at nothing, Bobby checked him and shook his head. We all knew he was dead. I narrowed my eyes and smiled.
Tank told the guys to take Junkman to the circle on Comstock and display the man. He came over to where I was standing and spoke softly, "We done Rangeman, or we going after some DEA asshole?"
The smile widened and Tank nodded before returning the smile. I climbed in the SUV and Tank, Lester, Hector, and Cal joined me. While the others dealt with Junkman, we were going hunting at the DEA offices. The poor dumb bastard that gave Junkman his deal was going to be in a world of hurt.
It took us less than an hour to reach our destination. I slid out of the SUV and headed into the building that housed the DEA. I didn't stop at the desk, I went straight to the dumb idiot who was in charge of making deals with potential witnesses. The door was closed and I was vaguely aware of the secretary trying to stop my but I just kept on going and opened the door with all the pent up aggression I had been feeling since I learned about the idiot giving Junkman a deal. The little man behind the desk jumped and looked at me with fear in his eyes.
I went over and leaned down on his desk. "Who the fuck made a deal with Junkman?"
I could tell by the way his eyes were darting around that I was looking at the idiot. Suddenly he started looking a whole lot braver and I could see out of the corner of my eye that we had been joined by the head honcho. I kept my gaze locked on the little bastard.
The man who just joined us spoke, "Ranger. Good to see you. I was getting ready to give you a call."
I raised an eyebrow and straightened up. I sent the little guy the smile only dead men see before schooling my face and turning. I acknowledged the man standing just inside the door, "Grant."
"We just got some Intel that there is going to be a major shipment coming into the states. I've contacted the other interested parties and we are having a planning session to prepare. Can you and your men be here at 9 a.m.?"
I met Grant's gaze and told him, "Rangeman is no longer available to help in any DEA activity."
I watched as Grant's face paled and he swallowed hard. "Why?"
I sent a narrow-eyed glare to the man behind the desk. "This idiot here arranged for Junkman to be presumed dead and gave him a free ride."
Grant looked at the man behind the desk and frowned. "I'm aware of that. I was told it was a low risk deal."
I turned back to Grant. "Junkman's dead for real this time. He targeted my wife."
"He went after Rachel?"
"Rachel's my ex-wife. I'm talking about Stephanie Plum who is now Stephanie Manoso."
Grant paled even more. "Joe Morelli assured us she would be safe."
I knew the rest of the guys were as still as I was at this point. I pinned Grant with my gaze and demanded, "When did you talk to Morelli?"
"Before we gave Junkman the deal."
"Now you know it was a bad deal and Morelli lied to you."
"Shit! Ranger if I had any idea the woman was yours I would never have agreed with the deal."
"Now you know."
Grant nodded and seemed to relax. "So how about this take down we got planned?"
I shrugged. "Rangeman has no interest in any take down involving the DEA."
Grant stared at me in horror. "You're saying you will no longer help us?"
"You made the deal. Now you have to live with the consequences. I don't care what you knew, didn't know. Rangeman is no longer available." With that I walked out of the room and the guys were right behind me.
As we neared the entrance of the building I noticed there were several Rangeman employees walking into the building. They stopped when they saw me. I spoke so they could hear me. "Rangeman is no longer available for any DEA activity." The men before me nodded and turned around and walked out of the building. I walked out as well flanked by my men.
Stephanie's POV:
Hector drove us back to Rangeman and once we were parked in the garage he and Hal took me up to 7. They went inside with me and I could tell they had no intention of leaving until Ranger walked through the door. I was worried about Ranger. I knew he could take care of himself and I knew the guys with him would watch his back. Still, until he walked through that door I was going to worry. I must say, the guys tried to take my mind off what was probably going down. Hal brought out a deck of cards and suggested we play a couple hands. I reluctantly agreed and we started playing. My gaze kept going to the clock and then to the door.
It seemed like time was moving at a snail's pace and I was beyond frustrated. Just when I thought I couldn't stand it another second I heard the elevator ding signaling someone's arrival. I was up and waiting for the door to open. When Ranger walked through the door I felt the air I'd been holding release and I started breathing again. I ran to him and threw myself in his arms. He wrapped his arms around me and carried me through to the bathroom where he stripped us down and we got into the shower. I was vaguely aware there was blood on Ranger but he didn't seem to be hurt. We cleaned up and Ranger shampooed my hair, massaging my head with his magical hands. I moaned and he captured my mouth with his and let passion rule.
I woke when I felt Ranger slip from the bed. I had just managed to sit up when he came back into the bedroom from the bathroom. "Go back to sleep Babe. I'll be back in a while. Just going down to the gym for a while."
I groaned. "If you give me 15 minutes I'll go with you."
He gave me a strange look. Then he smiled and said, "You mean to tell me all I had to do to get you to exercise is marry you?"
I stuck my tongue out at him. "I want to be able to give myself the best chance for defending myself should the need arise. With my life, that's a forgone conclusion. I figure I should start with getting into shape. I know you've been wanting me to learn some moves so if you still want to teach me then I'm willing to learn."
Ranger came over and leaned down to take my mouth with his. "Proud of you Babe. Love you."
"I love you too."
In 15 minutes I had dressed in shorts, t-shirt, and sneakers. I had my hair in a ponytail and had brushed my teeth. I headed out and found Ranger reading the paper in the kitchen. I saw the headlines and placed a hand on Ranger's shoulder. I started reading the article.
DEA Bust Gone Bad
A major sting went bad leading to several fatalities last evening. DEA agent Thomas Grant stated in an interview that the team was handicapped going into the take down due to the loss of the involvement of Rangeman Inc. Apparently the owner of Rangeman took exception to actions of the DEA and pulled out their support that very day. Having already set things in motion they needed to continue the take down. Their chief negotiator was taken out as were two other agents. The team was able to take down all the bad guys though.
When Rangeman was contacted for a response we were given a written statement from the owner, Ricardo Carlos Manoso. The statement is this:
I was made aware that the DEA helped fake the death of a gang hit man named Junkman. This man had kidnapped and was going to kill Stephanie Plum. A friend of hers saw her being taken and went to rescue her. Junkman was thought to be dead and no longer a threat. The DEA helped fake Junkman's death and he recently started stalking Ms. Plum. For those of you who aren't aware, Ms. Plum is now Mrs. Manoso. When I found out the DEA helped Junkman so they could get information, I chose to end all ties with them. Anyone who comes after Stephanie will deal with me. The DEA made their deal and had to live with the consequences. In other words, don't ever fuck with Stephanie unless you want me coming after you. Not a threat. It's a promise.
Ranger
My eyes widened. "You sent them that note?"
"Letting the world know not to mess with you Babe."
I hugged him and he turned his head to me and we kissed. He set the paper down and we headed down to the gym. Two hours later I walked back into the apartment, or to be more precise, I was leaning heavily against Ranger as he walked back into the apartment. He laughed as he half carried me into the bathroom and stripped me down before removing his own clothes and leading me into the shower. I shampooed my hair and washed my body with Ranger's help. I repaid the favor by helping him to wash. We did some more exercising in the shower and then washed again. Once we were dry we dressed and headed out to the kitchen. Ella had left Ranger his usual lox and bagel and I got chocolate chip pancakes and bacon. Ranger made a face as I ate my bacon and even though he didn't say it I heard the 'that stuff will kill you Babe'.
Once we finished breakfast, I went down to 5 with Ranger. He pulled me into his office and kissed me deeply before letting me go. "What are your plans for today Babe?"
"I'm sure Rodriguez has my in basket overflowing with searches. I'll start there. I also need to stop by the bonds office and I probably should stop at my parents."
Ranger nodded. "Let me know when you're ready to head out and we'll do the bonds office and your folks. I'm going to call my parents and let them know we're back."
I smiled, "You're willing to go with to my parents?"
Ranger smiled and gave me a gentle kiss. "I'd go anywhere for you Babe."
I smiled and kissed him quickly before heading to my cubicle. I worked till lunchtime and managed to get several searches done. I turned off my computer and went in search of Ranger. He was just leaving his office when I reached him. He put his arm around my waist and told the control room he'd be off-line the rest of the day and to contact Tank if anything came up. We headed down to the garage and Ranger helped me into the Turbo before he took his spot behind the wheel. We headed to the bonds office and Ranger shocked me when he drove through Cluck In A Bucket and ordered a deluxe bucket of extra crispy chicken and all the trimmings.
When he handed the bags to me he said, "If you stay away from the chicken Babe I'll take you to Pino's for lunch."
I looked at the bags on my lap and thought about a meatball sub. My stomach growled and I worried we wouldn't get out of the bonds office quickly enough so I padded the deal. "How about if I just have 1 little piece?"
Ranger smiled and caressed my cheek. He looked into my eyes for several seconds before conceding, "One piece."
I smiled and he blinked. "Deal." I quickly declared before he could change his mind.
The bonds office had finally been completed. Ranger parked in the back and we made our way inside the new office. I could tell Connie had a hand in the decorating because the reception area was very nice. There was the desk that was made of Mahogany wood and a matching chair. A wall of bookshelves lined the wall behind the desk. The room was painted a pale rose color and the carpet was a plush charcoal gray. The sofa had a flowered pattern running through it and had a matching chair. The coffee table was a glass topped table and the base was the same Mahogany as the rest of the furnishings. There were magazines spread out on the top of the table. On either end of the sofa was an end table and the three tables made up a set. The Lamps on the end tables were a black iron base with a pale antique off white shade. The overall effect of the room was nice.
Connie was seated behind the desk working on her computer and Lula was sitting on the sofa looking through a magazine. When we walked in the door, Lula put her magazine down and jumped up with a scream and barreled towards me. She wrapped me in a bear hug and I had trouble breathing at first until she loosened her hold. When she backed up to look at me there was an 'alright, now that you know I'm glad to see you I'm pissed at you look'. I smiled weakly and sighed.
Ranger held out the bags from Cluck In A Bucket and Lula suddenly smiled and took hold of them. She frowned when Ranger didn't release his hold. Finally, she looked up and met his gaze. Ranger smiled but it was the kind of smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Just so you know, I'm not standing by while anyone gives Babe any shit."
Lula studied him for several seconds before nodding her head. "I hear ya Batman. You're takin' care of our girl and that's fine. I'd never do anything to knowingly hurt Steph. I'm glad you're watching her back."
Ranger nodded. "Tank gave you the tape of the wedding?"
Lula grinned. "It was the most beautiful wedding I've ever seen. I gave it to Steph's granny and mom."
With that Ranger released the bags and Connie and Lula dug in. I took a chicken leg and bit into it and moaned with pleasure. About that time Vinnie stepped out of his office and started in. "So, you finally decide to show up and do some work or is this just a social visit?"
I had a mouth full of chicken that I was slowly chewing. Ranger didn't wait for me to respond. He lifted Vinnie by the neck of his shirt till they were eye to eye and then he smiled. If I was on the receiving end of that smile I'd need new pants at the very least. Vinnie paled and started stuttering. Ranger slammed Vinnie against the wall and spoke in a deadly soft voice, "You will treat my wife with respect at all times, is that clear?"
Vinnie's eyes bulged, "Your wife?"
"My wife." Ranger looked over to me and saw my mouth was empty. "Babe, do you plan to work here anymore?"
I thought about it but my reason for holding onto the job had been made mute so I said, "No. I'm going to stick with running the searches at Rangeman."
Ranger let his gaze lock on mine and whatever he was looking for he must have found because he smiled his full megawatt smile. "Good to know Babe." He turned back to Vinnie. "Babe no longer works for you. You give her a bad time and Rangeman will no longer help with the high bonds skips."
Vinnie swallowed hard and said, "Congratulations Steph. I hope you'll both be very happy. If there is ever anything I can do for you just ask."
Ranger set him down on his feet and released him. Vinnie hurried back into his office and closed and locked the door. Connie smiled and came over and hugged me. "Congrats Steph. Don't be a stranger."
"Thanks Connie. I'll see you guys later. We're headed to Pino's and then on to my parents."
Lula shook her head. "I wish you luck at your folks. Your granny was okay with your wedding but your mom was fit to be tied."
"Thanks for the warning Lula."
Ranger and I made our way to Pino's and we were lucky enough to get our usual booth at the back. We had just ordered when the door opened and Joe Morelli walked in. He swaggered up to the counter and placed his order before taking a look around. When he saw Ranger and I seated in the booth his eyes narrowed and he walked over to where we were sitting. He grabbed a chair from a nearby table and sat down.
I reached for the hand Ranger had laying on the table and he turned his hand and took hold of my hand. The move didn't go unnoticed and Joe scowled. He looked at me and there was something close to hatred in his eyes. "You haven't been around much lately Cupcake. Wonder why that is. Oh, no. Wait. The paper had something to say about that this morning. Seems you got married and forgot to tell anyone."
"What's your point Joe?"
"Why him? Why did I have to hear about this from the paper? Why?"
"I love him. It wasn't my intention you should hear about it from the paper, it just happened."
"It just happened. That says it all doesn't it?"
"What do you want me to say Joe? I'm sorry? I am. Sorry you had to hear about it from the paper. I'm not sorry I got married."
I saw pain cross his face. "I thought I was the one you'd marry one day."
"I was never able to commit to you Joe. The thought of being a Burg wife gave me nightmares. That's what you want. It's what you deserve to have. I hope someday you find the woman who can give it to you."
Hate filled his eyes as he turned his gaze to Ranger. "You knew she was mine but you kept poaching anyway. Why couldn't you just accept we were a couple and leave her alone?"
Ranger squeezed my hand gently and said, "You could never make her happy. You wanted to change the very person she was so you would have what you wanted. I couldn't stand the thought of you destroying her for your own personal happiness. I vowed to protect her from harm the first time I met her. As far as I was concerned that meant you as well."
Joe shook his head. He took a deep breath and looked at me. "I've put in for a transfer. It seems I made a bad choice in assuring the DEA that their deal with Junkman would be okay. For what it's worth I didn't think he would come after you Cupcake. Anyway, my career in Trenton has been trashed because of that and the fact Manoso has made me look like an idiot. I have a chance to start over with the NYC police department."
Ranger narrowed his eyes at Joe and growled softly, "I wouldn't accept that job if I were you. They won't be keeping you on once I have a talk with them and it would just look bad on you resume."
Joe looked stunned. "You would further trash my career?"
"Morelli, the only reason you aren't 6 feet under is because I know that would hurt Babe. I won't allow anyone to hurt her if I can help it. Right now I'm pissed. I don't want you having anything good come from your part in Junkman being able to target Babe for a second time. Your career is in the toilet and I don't intend on letting it get better in the foreseeable future. However, if you still want to be a cop you can apply to one of the reservations. Anything else will be blocked."
Joe stood, letting the chair he was sitting in clamber to the floor. He glared at both of us before he stormed out, not even stopping to pick up his order. I smiled weakly at Ranger. Ranger lifted my hand and kissed it. "He's alive Babe. Right now that's all I can give you."
I shook my head, "I'm not asking for more. I'm sad because it took me so long to come to the decisions I finally made. I should have seen it earlier."
He kissed my hand again and we were silent for a few minutes before our order was brought to the table and we started eating. Once we were done, Ranger threw some money on the table and we headed for my parent's house.
Note: Originally I was going to include the visit with her parents in this chapter but it kinda got away from me. The visit with the parents will be in the next chapter. So, how many of you guessed the stalker was Junkman?
