Chapter 8
SPOV
It had been a long flight getting back to the states, somehow Ranger had a passport for me, and yeah you guessed, Samantha Pardo, travelling with her husband. I'd changed before we landed in Washington, it didn't seem to matter that we'd travelled first class, the toilets were still like small boxes. I'd slept for some of the flight but I was still on edge and worried, I didn't know if Ranger had slept or not but he looked delectable in his black jeans and black cashmere sweater with the stubble from not shaving. I know I was staring at him and I smiled as he turned to me.
"Yes, I like what I see"
He laughed, because he was going to ask me that question.
"Babe, you look beautiful and very sexy in that outfit"
"Just whose idea was this anyway?"
The look in his eyes told me it was his idea. You see I was wearing a very tight, bright red dress that fell just below being indecent, with a neckline that meant I couldn't wear a bra. It was a good job it had built in support. I mean I knew he wanted people to look at me and notice me, but come on; I could cause a riot in this. I just hoped the makeup I'd used to cover the bruises lasted. As we left the plane and walked down the gangway Ranger caught hold of my hand, we'd agreed not use any PDAs, but he must have known how nervous I was. Once through immigration we put distance between us, I could see Lester ahead of me, and I'm sure Cal, Ram and Hector were somewhere. I almost froze when I saw a stout man in a military uniform talking to Ranger. Ranger played his part well, he looked annoyed and I'm sure said something curt to the man, then walked out of the main entrance. I sashayed toward this Colonel, but not close enough for him to get a good look at my face and gave a finger wave, then pointed to the ladies toilet and walked in. As arranged there was a woman who vaguely looked like me, but it was the matching red dress and shoes that she had on that caught the eye. She passed me a bag and helped me to change into a navy boiler suit, complete with cat boots, a hardhat and name badge. Once I was satisfied that my hair was all under the hat I walked quickly and with a purposeful stride down the concourse and headed to next exit door. The Colonel saw me but didn't look at me; instead he was waiting patiently for the woman in the red dress to come out of the rest room. I hope someone videoed what happened next when he accosted a complete stranger. As I stepped out into the fresh air a black Cayenne rolled to a stop in front of me. Then we were gone, driving through the busy streets heading for home. I turned to Ranger who was sat with me in the back seat.
"That seemed to go well"
"Brilliant distraction Babe, his eyes almost popped out when he saw you in that dress"
"So are you in the clear?"
"Yes, I told him I'd followed his orders to deliver you to him, and Santos was recording it so I have the proof"
"Good, now what?"
"Now we go home"
"But I can't, he'll know where to find me"
"My home, remember the question I asked you before we left?"
Of course I did, and of course I wanted to live with him. I nodded my head, and that's all he needed to see before pulling me into his side. I must have dozed because when I opened my eyes again we were inside the garage at Rangeman, Tank was there waiting for us with a big grin on his face. I reached up on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
"Thanks Tank"
"For what?"
"For helping us both"
I'm almost sure I could see him blush, there was only us in the garage which surprised me.
"Cameras are shut down here and in the elevator, I'll go up with Little Girl then we can switch them back on for your arrival alone"
Ah, now I understood, no one would know I was here, and would think Ranger came home alone. I went with Tank directly up to seven, Rangers apartment seemed so empty, but it felt so good to be here. Here was where I felt safe, where I knew I could come to and not be afraid.
"Deep thoughts Babe"
Shit he scared me.
"Make some noise will you"
"Beautiful I loved the red dress"
"How did the Colonel react?"
"Well he tried to drag her out of the airport, then when her boyfriend shouted for security he was arrested, the look on his face was priceless, I don't think he even realized that it wasn't you"
"So the first plan would have worked?"
"Yes Babe, but it wasn't worth the risk"
"Come on Bomber let me check you over"
"Bobby, when did you sneak in here?"
"Just now, let's check those stitches out"
I sat down on the couch as Bobby sat on the coffee table and tilted my head forward pulling my hair out of the way.
"Wow, that's some fancy stitching, looks good, the stitches are falling away and the skin has healed up well. Any headaches?"
"No, it's the rest that still give me some aches and pains"
"Turn round and let me check the other one"
"What other one?"
"On your shoulder"
I turned and pulled down my top to reveal the back of my shoulder. I didn't realize I'd got hurt there. As Bobby gently pushed down on the skin I found myself seeing myself pushing through a gap in the side of a tent, there was a young girl ahead of me, and then there were gunshots and shouting. I pushed her forward towards some rocks and felt the punch in my shoulder. Then I was hearing a foreign voice and the cool touch of something on my shoulder, the young girl, Mia, was sat with me and the older woman Sona was placing a bandage on where it hurt.
"Babe?"
"Babe, you're here where it's safe, come on Babe, look at me"
My eyes focused on the dark brown eyes that belonged to Ranger.
"I have to find Mia, I can't remember how we got separated"
"We'll find her, tell me what you remembered"
I recounted the night that we had escaped from the camp and that a bullet had hit my shoulder, our walk to the nearest town and that I'd gotten really ill but Sona one of the women who'd been at the camp put some sort of paste on it and helped to get rid of the infection.
"I suppose Bobby touching it triggered the memory, but now I know that I had Mia with me. Was she with me in Beirut?"
"Yes Beautiful, but her father turned up and she went with him"
"Oh, why didn't I go with her?"
"Babe, I don't think her father wanted you left alive. That's when I found you, when a man was trying to hurt you. The ceiling and floors collapsed which is how you got so badly injured"
"Why would her father want me dead?"
"I don't know Babe, another piece of the puzzle to figure out"
"Bomber, are you okay?"
"Yes Bobby, I'm fine, tired but fine"
"Everyone out, we can meet here for breakfast and plan our next move"
"Ranger I'm gonna take a shower"
He looked at me, I know I might struggle but I needed to freshen up before going to bed, it had been a long day. I used the seat in the shower and let the hot water run down over my head, now to see if I could wash my hair, the shoulder and ribs were really achy having sat so long on the plane and then in the car. I didn't hear or see Ranger until he was knelt in front of me. He took the shampoo from my hand and slowly massaged it through my hair, that felt so relaxing and so erotic, shit I was getting turned on with this. When the sponge started at my feet and worked its way up my legs I let out a moan.
"Not fair Ranger"
"Sorry, stand up and I can wash your back. I stood and had to concentrate on keeping still, his touch somewhere between efficient and seductive. I loved the feel as he gently moved the sponge over my skin and the feeling that grew inside of me. He was caring for me, looking after me and that made me love him even more. Before my thoughts had time to roam further a towel was wrapped round me and then another came around my head.
"I'll be out with you in a minute"
In the bedroom I noticed one of his T-shirts and a pair of lacy shorts were on the bed. I lifted the shirt to my face and inhaled the fragrance, Bulgari and Ranger, how I had missed this smell. The shirt was so big it was easy to get on, but I wasn't sure what to do with my hair. Ranger came out already dressed in his satin shorts and sat behind me on the bed. Taking the towel from my hair he smoothed some cream through it then used his fingers to comb it.
"I love your hair, the wildness of the curls"
He was the only who did, Morelli hated it and preferred it when I fastened it back. It was now in a loose plait down my back. I turned to him about to ask a question.
"Babe I lived in a house with three sisters, I know how to plait hair"
"Thank you, for helping and taking care of me"
"De nada Querida"
I curled against him as we slipped under the covers, getting as close as I could, his arm under my head and one over my hip. Yes I felt like I had come home.
RPOV
At 5am I slipped out of bed and dressed for a session in the gym, it was far too long since I'd put any work in there. As I opened the door I looked back at the bed, at my Babe asleep in our bed, yes, our bed, and that sounded right. She was laid on her stomach, an arm holding onto my pillow that I'd put there when I left her. Her curls had come out of the plait and framed her face. She had slept much better last night and looked so peaceful and beautiful. My shirt had risen up her body showing the remnants of the bruises on her ribs, and her skin was slightly tanned from our stay on the island. Warmth flowed through me, the feelings inside of me strengthening my love for her. She was the only woman who had ever made me feel like this and I would do whatever it took to cherish and protect her, I just hoped that she wouldn't fight me on some of the protection I felt she would need. I turned to leave the apartment before I changed my mind and got back into bed with her. There were a lot of men in the gym and most acknowledged me with a nod of the head, I needed to put in at least an hour this morning, maybe more, there were some new faces I didn't recognize but I knew Tank had taken on some new employees. At the end of the session I showered and changed in my office into my Rangeman uniform thinking that at least Steph could sleep a while longer. By 08.30 I decided that it was time to go upstairs so made my way via the stairs. I was surprised to find the door open when I arrived, and went on alert as I heard someone inside the apartment, it wasn't Steph, I was sure of that. Opening the door with my gun drawn I silently crept toward the lounge seeing the black uniform on someone I didn't recognize from where I was standing. What the hell was a Rangeman doing in my apartment?
"What do you think you're doing here?"
He turned, not someone I knew, surprise on his face.
"I, err, I was looking for Ranger"
"Why?"
"I wanted to check with him about my schedule and knew he got back last night"
"Get out and don't you ever come up here again"
He just about ran from the room and slammed the door after him. That seemed like a poor excuse to be here, what the hell was he really doing? I was fuming and I didn't like the excuse he had given me, he was up to something. I got out my phone and sent a text to Hector. "My apartment now, bring scanners" For some reason I felt that he was up to no good. The apartment was quiet so I'd leave Steph asleep until Hector had been in and done his job, the bedroom door was still shut so hopefully she had slept through the intrusion. Hector came straight away using a scanner around the room.
"Jefe, scanner shows bugs"
"How many?"
"Four, lobby, kitchen and two in the lounge. You want me to check the bathroom and bedroom?"
"No, I'll do it"
One bug in the bathroom, but when I entered the bedroom it was empty. Where the hell was Steph? I removed a bug from the bedroom and then went to the office, two more, who would want to bug my apartment? I pulled up the camera footage for the lobby outside of the stairs and lift then fast-forwarded it. At 0800 the man had entered the apartment, coming from the stairs, but there was no sign of Steph leaving. Tank and Santos were in the lounge talking to Hector.
"Ranger who planted the bugs?"
"New guy was in here when I came up, take a look at the video footage in my office, then I want him locked up downstairs"
"Santos, help me find Steph"
"Where did she go?"
"She didn't, she's somewhere here in the apartment"
I know that sounded stupid, I mean where the hell could she hide in here? I took the bedroom leaving Santos with the kitchen and lounge. Not under the bed or behind the drapes, the closet seemed empty, I was beginning to panic that something serious had happened to her, I even considered looking out of the window but decided I couldn't face doing that in case she had fallen.
"Not out here Ranger, are you sure she stayed in the apartment?"
"Yes, check the camera footage from 0500 when I left. Hector you got a infra red camera?"
"Si, but I'll pull up the building sensors, they're more accurate"
He used his Ipad and sure enough we could see the three of us, with some residual heat from the bed. Santos came into the room obviously confused.
"The camera shows that she never left here"
"There Ranger, there's heat coming from the ventilation shaft"
How the hell had she got in there and why had she felt the need to hide so well.
"Where's the access point?"
"For some reason it's in the top corner of the closet"
Opening the closet again I just lifted clothes from the hanger and threw them on the bed, up in the top right corner, above the shelf was the vent.
"Hector are we clear of all bugs?"
"Si"
"Steph!"
I'm sure I could hear something, so I climbed up using the shelving unit then pulled open the vent that led into the shaft.
"Babe, I can't reach you, you need to come back the way you went in"
I heard some noise; then I saw her foot as she reversed from the shaft. Shit, how the hell do I get her down?
"I'm stuck"
If this weren't so serious it would be funny.
"Ranger tell her to go forward, there's another vent out in the hallway, I'll get some steps and open it up"
"Babe, can you move forward?"
"Maybe, I'll try"
I went out in to the hallway where both Tank and Santos were watching Hector who was on the steps with his head and shoulders inside the shaft.
"Estefania, what you doing in there, come on, we get you out"
I took Hectors place on the steps and looked down the shaft seeing curly brown hair slowly moving toward me.
"You're almost there Babe, another foot and I can reach you"
As her shoulders came within reach I moved my right hand until it was underneath her then carefully pulled her toward me, as she got to the entrance she looked at me. Dear god what the hell had happened, there were tear tracks down her cheeks, she was so pale and her body was trembling, I'm not sure if it was because of the effort at moving or because she'd been panicking. I gently lifted her from the vent and passed her down to Santos as I stepped off the steps, then took her back in my arms walking through to the lounge and sitting on the couch. She instinctively curled into me. As I wrapped her in my arms I felt an overwhelming sense of relief. She was safe and she was with me in my arms. How the hell she had managed to get up into the shaft and crawl through it had me staggered, the space was so small, she must have been frightened to death to even attempt that. Not forgetting how panicked she got when she was in enclosed spaces.
"Babe, why were you in there?"
Santos, Tank, Hector and now Bobby were sat in the chairs around us.
"There was a person in the apartment, in the lounge, the door was open a crack and I saw him. He didn't see me though. Ranger it was Aden, and I felt scared, so I had to hide"
"Who's Aden, Babe?"
"He worked for Mia's father, he was the one who first took us into the desert. When I saw his face I remembered him and I knew I had to hide"
"Is it all right if Hector shows you a photo of the man who was here?"
She nodded and looked at the photo that Hector had on his Pad. At her nod I looked at Tank.
"He came to us about two weeks ago, name of Justin Staves, search and references were good. Ranger, he left the building as soon as you found him"
"No he's called Aden, I'm sure"
"Bomber you managed to climb up the shelves and along that shaft; how're your shoulder and ribs?"
"Sore, and my pelvis is too"
"I'll go down and get some painkillers, then you need to rest"
"Hector check out the rest of the building for any bugs, Tank get me every thing on this man, Santos check his room out"
As they left the apartment I gave Steph a kiss to her forehead, nose and a longer one on her lips, teasing her with my tongue and teeth until she responded. When we came up for a breath I rested my forehead against hers.
"Christ Babe, I was so worried when I couldn't find you, I don't know how the hell you got up there let alone managed to crawl into the shaft"
"I just knew I had to hide from him, I was more scared of him than getting up and into the shaft. I started to panic in the shaft, but then I just shut down when those memories came back"
"We need to find out who the hell he is and whether he was trying to spy on me or he wanted to find you"
"Why would he associate you with me?"
"I'm not sure Babe, but a lot of people know you come here when you need somewhere to be safe"
Bobby returned and gave Steph a bottle of water with her tablets, then Tank and Santos returned.
"Justin Staves, ex Seal, came to us three weeks ago. Search came back clear and references checked out. He passed the physical no problem"
"Nothing in his room, only Rangeman uniforms, absolutely nothing personal. Where were we three weeks ago?"
"Steph and I spent a week on the ship and a week at the island, you and I were in Baghdad three weeks ago, Babe?"
"Probably on a camel in the desert"
"Then he didn't put us together while we've been away"
"I didn't see him again after we were attacked and he was left in the sand, hell I've lost track of time, I don't even know how long I've been away for. Oh shit, Rex!"
"Little Girl he's been in the control room with the men ever since you disappeared, he's fine, more than fine"
"My apartment, the rent was due and the bills needed paying"
"Babe, it's been taken of"
"Can I do a deeper search on this guy Tank?"
"You sure can, I missed you being here doing those, you were always the best at them"
"Thanks Tank"
"Hector can you find out what you can about those bugs?"
"Babe maybe later today we can go take a look at the house where you worked?"
"Yeah, maybe I'll remember something"
"Babe use my office up here and I'll be up for lunch"
We all left Steph as she wandered into the office, I really didn't want to leave her, she'd had a scary morning already, yet she seemed to be managing, I'd keep a check on the cameras by the apartment while I worked and take an early lunch.
