I didn't want to use Tank again so soon, since he was a large part of the last update I posted for another story, but he's the one who takes over Rangeman when Ranger's not available so I couldn't not have Tank involved in this chapter. If nothing else, I hope it shows the progression of Stephanie and Tank's friendship from this story to their later one in "Changes in the Air." All familiar characters belong to Janet.

Chapter 9

Okay breathe, Stephanie, I told myself. Remember what you were saying about being patient and not making things worse. In the past I've faced a flamethrower, a mutant snake, and I've slept with Dickie Orr. This is nothing compared to any of those. That's what I was going to make myself believe anyway. I blew out another breath, opened my eyes, and focused on Ranger. Uh-oh, looks like I wasn't the one I needed to worry about. Ranger was standing so still, I wasn't sure if he was still breathing. His eyes were fixed on the wall in front him, seeing something only visible to him.

"Ranger ..." I started to say, but stopped when his eyes moved from where he'd been staring to me.

I had to force myself not to take a step back at the rage I saw burning there, and I wondered how many people saw that exact same look just before a trigger was pulled or a knife plunged deep. Not missing my sudden nervousness, Ranger quickly replaced the rage with his blank expression, which somehow seemed even worse. I had to get him talking so he wouldn't stay in his own head too much longer. I didn't want to risk not being able to get through to him.

I took both of his hands in mine and brought them up between us to my lips. I never thought I'd have to say this to Ranger of all people, but here goes ...

"Ranger, you have to calm down," I said to him, watching his face carefully.

His own lips tipped up slightly at the corners, but his eyes still weren't looking altogether friendly.

"I'm extremely calm, Babe," Ranger said.

"Yeah, but it's a freaky type of calm," I told him."Like when you go to the beach and the water looks incredibly peaceful so you jump in only to get eaten by a shark a second later."

Ranger didn't acknowledge my comment, he just focused on the latest threat.

"You are not to leave this building without me," he said."I don't want you out of my sight until I personally have my hands on Steven Tavish."

Yep, a freakin' big-ass shark lurking in very shallow water. Looks like this conversation was going to have to be handled delicately. Not exactly my specialty, but for Ranger I'd try. It was a little strange to be the one in control between the two of us, but I knew if Ranger was the one being harassed, the last thing I'd be is in control.

"Ranger, I already agreed not to go further than the first floor," I told him."He can't get to me here and he knows it. He's just trying to freak me out and I'm trying not to let him, but I can't block him out if I'm worried about you going all commando on me."

"I'll always go commando around you."

That would have scared me a little if I didn't see his eyes go from full-blown fury to smoldering passion in front of mine. Yep, my Ranger was with me again. In body, and in mind. And I was feeling something, but it was no longer fear. Ranger could always bend a conversation to his will anytime he wanted to.

"How do you do that?" I asked him, letting his hands go.

"Do what, Babe?"

"Go from Rambo to Romeo in the blink of an eye."

"It's you, Stephanie. I seem to always be fighting the urge to either strangle you, make love to you, or eliminate anyone threatening you. Which is why I need to know you're safe at all times so my mind is free to concentrate on doing my job."

I smiled at him."I thought your 'job' was to keep me happy."

"It is, Steph. And I take my work very seriously."

"I know you do," I told him."That's why even with Tavish breathing down my neck, I am happy."

"You should never have been anywhere near him."

"Ranger, you couldn't predict how irresistible he'd find me."

"You're irresistible to everyone, Babe."

"It is a heavy burden," I managed to say without laughing.

Ranger circled my waist with his arm and hauled me against him.

"See, you just proved my point. You can't keep your hands off me."

"True, Babe, but we really shouldn't be making jokes about this," he said to me.

"What's the alternative?"

"I find this asshole and rip him apart piece by piece."

"Eww, Ranger. Gross." But before I could say anything else, Ranger's cell went off. I wasn't going to let the conversation end on that note, so I reached into Ranger's pocket and answered his phone for him mid-ring.

"He'll call you right back," I told whoever was on the line. I disconnected and put his phone back where I found it, careful not to brush against anything that would make either of our attention shift to something not Tavish related. We needed to finish this discussion before we did anything else.

"Babe," Ranger said, one eyebrow raised.

He didn't go back to looking like he was about to murder someone, so I took that as a good sign. I didn't want Ranger hurt or in trouble over this, Bobby's comment about dropped charges aside. We had to agree on a plan beyond me hiding until Tavish is caught.

"We need to talk before we head back downstairs," I told Ranger.

"You're not leaving," he said.

"No, I'm not. But I need to do something to help."

"You can help by not leaving my side," he told me. And I don't think he was kidding.

"Does that mean I can have your office?" I asked him.

"You can have anything of mine that you have your eye on, Babe."

"You're not going to distract me with those possibilities," I told him."I have access to every Rangeman program available, there has to be something or somebody who can help us catch him."

"You mean someone we haven't already talked to or are staking out?" He asked me."The only thing we haven't done is dangle you in front of him and wait for him to make a grab for you. And before you say anything that is not, and will never be, an option."

Crap. I blew out a sigh and Ranger brushed his fingers against my cheek.

"I'm trying here, Ranger," I said to him,"but I'll go stir crazy if I have nothing to do."

"There are plenty of things to do here, Steph," he said to me."And you know the gym is always open if you get desperate."

"I knew you'd find a way to bring up that place. This morning was fun, but I don't know if I'm cut out for more than an hour a couple of days a week. And we have no idea how long this is going to last."

"You're the one who said you wanted to stay busy. I'm only offering you a solution."

"I'd rather slam my fingers repeatedly in my desk drawer," I told him.

"That would also kill time."

It was a good thing he was standing close to me so I couldn't kick him like I wanted to.

"You can try, Babe," Ranger said, with what could only be called a smirk,"but your legs will be wrapped around me before you make any other contact."

"One of these days I will have the upper hand."

"You already do," Ranger said.

"Yeah, right."

"It's true, Steph, whether you believe it or not. Not many people can hang up on Tank and live to tell about it."

"Shit. That was Tank on the phone?" I asked.

"Yes. I told him to call me when he had information on the kid who dropped off the gate flowers."

"So we have something to go on?"

"Maybe."

"Then what are we still doing up here?"

"Is it safe to let you go?" Ranger asked.

"Depends. How brave are you?"

"Very."

No kidding.

I stood up on tiptoes so I could be eye to eye with him."This is just another day at the office for me, Ranger. And I'll survive this one like I have all the others. I promise," I said against his lips.

His mouth brushed mine when he smiled."Let's go see what Tank found out."

"He's not going to kill me, is he?" I asked. I wasn't really afraid he would, but if you catch any one of these guys on a bad day all bets are off.

"No, Babe. I wouldn't let him."

We left the apartment and returned to the elevator, not nearly as relaxed as we were this morning. The Merry Men were waiting when the doors opened, with Tank, Bobby, and Lester leading the pack. The control room was usually buzzing with the low murmur of men's voices, clicking of computers keys, or the opening and closing of the refrigerator in the little kitchen. Today it was almost completely silent and a palpable tension hung in the air. No surprise there. Everyone would have heard all about Owen and my flower freak. And pissed off didn't scratch the surface of the mood they were all in.

Maybe this was actually a good thing. Not an innocent woman getting beaten up, or the large group of angry men who could wipe out a small country in minutes spoiling for a fight, but having to concentrate on talking Ranger down, and now these guys, left me little chance to get mad or scared myself. And I knew from past experience, that's one step in the right direction for keeping Stupid Stephanie from interfering.

"Hey guys. What's up?" I asked, trying to squelch the smile that formed at the looks they all gave me. I saw everything from glares to incredulity.

"You know what the fuck is up?" Lester said, hands on his hips, his lips pulled tight instead of being curved into his trademark grin. Right now I couldn't see any sign of the company clown.

"Santos," Tank barked.

"What? We can't let this fucker threaten Stephanie."

"Lester, I'm fine," I said soothingly, not wanting his anger to spread. It would be like a match tossed into gasoline with these guys. The rest of Ranger's men looked stoic, but you could clearly see that they were seconds away from exploding. I was touched by their reaction and also exasperated by it at the same time. I didn't want Tavish's hatred of me to infect these guys. They were all too sweet for their own good. At least they were eighty percent of the time

"Listen up guys. This isn't the first time I've been in the middle of something like this," I told them. Ranger slid his arm around me and pulled me closer to his body, as if someone was going to walk into Rangeman right now and try to separate us. Looks like I have more reassuring to do as soon as I was finished here.

"It definitely isn't, Babe."

"And I may not have signed up for basic training, or been part of covert military coups overseas, but when it comes to stalkers, I'm a veteran at dealing with them," I said to everyone."And while I won't go as far as to say that it doesn't bother me, I'm not about to give this prick the satisfaction of knowing that he's getting to me. We all know that I've got more protection than the freakin' president here. So we just have to be patient and wait for him to screw up."

"Since when are you patient, Steph?" Bobby asked.

"Let's just say that I'm motivated to try and leave it at that," I told him.

"Bet I can guess the 'motivation'," Lester said.

Since Lester was back to acting like an ass, I was suddenly less concerned about his. I ignored him and finally looked over at Tank who'd been watching me closely. Uh-oh.

"I'm sorry I hung up on you, Tank," I told him.

And I could feel the men hold their collective breath at that.

"Let's talk in Ranger's office," Tank said, and walked away.

"Crap," I said to Ranger.

"He's all bark no bite, Babe," Ranger said to me.

"Yeah, right," I said."There's probably teeth marks on half the population of Stark Street."

"Half of Rangeman, too," Bobby added helpfully.

"Remember what you promised about not letting him kill me?" I asked Ranger.

"Yes."

"I'm holding you to it."

"What are we supposed to do?" Lester asked."We need to be doing something other than sitting on our asses until this asshole makes another move."

"That's what I said!" I told Lester.

"Get every man we have available here and we'll meet in the conference room after I talk to Tank."

"Maybe we should meet now," I said.

"You'll be fine, Babe," Ranger said."Tank is pissed off at the situation, not at you."

"Sure," I said, not really believing him. Tank looked like he was pissed at me. But then again, Tank always looked pissed to an untrained eye. Before Ranger and I got close, and I started hanging around the men more, I thought Tank donned that particular expression right along with his Rangeman uniform in the morning. I know him a little better now, but he can still intimidate the crap out of me if I'm not on my a-game.

Ranger's hand slid up to my back and he gave me a gentle push towards his office.

Tank was standing with his back to the wall when we walked in. Ranger closed the door and sat down behind his desk. I was too nervous to sit until Tank, who stood there like an implacable mountain of black, took a load off himself. He didn't, so I stayed standing.

"What are you planning?" Tank asked Ranger.

"Huh?" I said. I thought I was about to get chewed out for hanging up on Ranger's second in command while he was trying to reach Ranger. It never occurred to me that Ranger was right about Tank being angry about Tavish, not at my rudeness.

"Told you, Babe."

"Don't you ever get tired of being right all the time?" I asked Ranger.

"No."

Tank seemed to have some idea of what we were talking about.

"Stephanie, I was more surprised by Ranger letting someone touch his phone than I was at you hanging up on me."

"You're not mad?" I asked him.

"No. I figured after the news you two just got, you'd need time to digest it," Tank said."But do it again and you'll see mad."

That wasn't a warning I needed.

"I called to let you know that Junior found your flower runner," Tank told Ranger."Name is Isaiah Jones. We got lucky. Our resident Stark rat recognized him and told Junior where he was hanging out. Jones told Junior that Tavish approached him outside of a liquor store off Bridge Street and offered him a hundred dollars to drop off the flowers."

"Wow. No grass growing on you guys," I said, suitably impressed by their quick results as well as the contacts they obviously had everywhere."So Tavish did handle the flowers personally."

"Yes, but one of the reasons Jones could give us a detailed description of Tavish is because he was wearing a pair of latex gloves. Jones wanted to remember what he looked like so he could check tomorrow's paper to see if Tavish's picture would be in it, or if anyone had been murdered in the area in connection to him."

"That's sick," I said to Tank."Please tell me the gloves didn't have blood on them." They probably didn't. No one could be that stupid.

"Those didn't," Tank said."But when Jones went to get the flowers from the car, he said he saw another glove half hidden under some junk with what he thought was blood on it."

Oh God. That meant he made a conscious decision to not leave prints or DNA.

Ranger came around the desk to sit next to me on the couch, which is where my butt landed after my knees had given out. I really didn't want to think that the flowers were a link between me and the woman he just beat the crap out of. The flowers were creepy enough on their own, but the thought of this Jennifer person being left as an offering to me - like a cat would leave a dead mouse at it's owner's door - took crazy to the extreme.

"He had the whole thing set up didn't he?" I asked."So I'd get the flowers not long after I heard about her?"

"Because of Owen, he'll go down, Steph," Ranger said."He was the last one seen with her. If we get the glove before he disposes of it that will only seal his fate faster. There should be enough evidence to convict him. And if Owen wakes up, she'll be able to finger Tavish as the one who attacked her."

"When she wakes up," I said, correcting him.

Ranger gave me a small smile.

"So sue me. I'm an optimist."

"Good," Tank said."We need one of those around here."

I wrapped my arm around Ranger's waist and leaned into him, listening to the steady thumping of his heart again. I now understood why people say this sound is comforting, because I knew that as long as Ranger was breathing, I'd be okay. Tank decided to be social and turned the chair in front of Ranger's desk towards us, finally sitting down. Now all that was missing was some coffee, a package of Entenmann's cinnamon rolls, and a relatively normal life.

"So what's our next step?" Tank asked."I agree with Santos. This has to stop."

"Tell me about it," I said.

"Stephanie has promised to stay at Rangeman until we catch Tavish and, as she's already pointed out, he can't reach her here," Ranger said to him."So he'll either try to flush her out or run if Owen dies and he's wanted for murder. I want him caught before either of those happen."

"But how?" I asked."He sneaks out and does something then slithers back under a rock until he gets bored enough and starts this shit all over again. I still don't see why he's after me, you two are the ones that brought him in."

"You wouldn't see it, Babe."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Later," Ranger said to me.

"Are my family and Connie and Lula in any danger?"

"You're not concerned about Vinnie?" Ranger asked me.

"Not really. If Tavish did take Vinnie, he'd turn himself in just to get away from him," I said,"since Vinnie would probably find Tavish attractive. Of course, Vinnie thinks ducks are attractive, so maybe Tavish wouldn't get a rise out of him."

"Thanks for the nightmares, Steph," Tank said."How can you stand being related to him?"

"Since I can't do anything about our shared gene pool, I just try not to think about it," I told him."I am really glad that he and Lucille haven't reproduced, though."

"Yet, Babe."

"That definitely isn't something to joke about, Ranger."

"It's easier than your stalker."

"Not to the child that would come out of it," I said to him."And I'm not taking these threats lightly. I'm not underestimating Tavish, either. If anything, I'm giving him more credit than he deserves. Why would he keep evidence that could put him away? Everyone knows you destroy it. This is Trenton, for crissake! We've had so many mob families living in the Burg and even the children were raised knowing that."

"You're forgetting that Steven Tavish is one hell of an arrogant bastard," Ranger said.

"We come across guys like him everyday, Steph," Tank said."They think they're better than everyone else, and that no one is smart enough to catch them."

"And he already knows it is possible to get out of jail if he is caught," Ranger said."But he was wanted for something less serious at the time."

"It'll be harder for him to walk if he gets charged with murder," Tank said to him."But not unheard of."

"That's assuming he gets at least second degree murder, and doesn't plea out for an involuntary manslaughter charge instead."

"But he picked her up for the sole purpose of hurting her," I said, lifting my head up from Ranger's chest."He may not have wanted to kill her then, but Tavish already knew when he said he'd wait for her that he was going to do something. Isn't that considered premeditated?"

"That's the beauty of our judicial system, Babe. You get a good enough lawyer and that doesn't make a damn bit of difference."

I blew out a sigh."I want Tavish out of my life, but let's hope it's not at the expense of a woman who had nothing to do with any of this. I'd have to live with the fact that this woman died because I made some nutjob angry."

"You didn't make him angry," Ranger said, his eyes fixed on mine."He chose to focus on you."

"Right. Sorry," I said."He's the one responsible for all of this, not me. I have to remember that. Do we know how she's doing?"

"They took her to surgery shortly after she was brought in," Tank said."She was sexually assaulted as well as extensively beaten. Vince called the hospital and spoke with someone Lester knows. He was told that she has major bleeding issues they haven't been able to locate. Since she was unconscious and had poor vitals when she was brought in, they decided surgery would be safer than waiting to run a bunch of tests on her first. So far they know her spleen is shot. Her liver and kidneys are severely bruised, her right arm was broken and her shoulder dislocated, probably from trying to get away from him. One of her ribs was also cracked during the attack and it punctured her lung. She's on a ventilator now and they are doing what they can to patch her up."

"Jesus," I whispered."What are her chances?"

"Right now they are 'cautiously optimistic'," Tank said."Depends what else they find."

"Shit. He really is crazy, isn't he?" I asked them."He seemed a little scary before, but to purposely beat a woman and leave her to identify him if she lives? Either he has major balls, or he's completely lost it."

"He was sending you a message, Babe."

"What? That he's an idiot? I got that one loud and clear."

Tank smiled."He'd have to be an idiot to mess with you."

"It's not me he has to worry about," I told Tank,"since I'm not leaving Rangeman. Ranger and you guys are the force that he's going to be reckoning with."

"That's only because I won't let you out of the building," Ranger said."Otherwise he'd have to come up against you. And I've seen what happens whenyou'reangry with someone."

"Not personally," I said to him.

"No, Babe. So far, I've been extremely lucky."

Yeah, like Ranger would ever be afraid of me? He could face down drug lords, Colombian rebels, and my mother all before breakfast.

"And I agreed to stay here, Ranger," I told him."You're not forcing me."

"He would if he had to, Steph," Tank said."Lucky for us all, you're being reasonable about this."

"Reasonable, is my middle name, Tank."

"So what are we going to do?" Tank asked Ranger.

"I already have men on her parents, her apartment, and the bonds office," Ranger said."We have Endicot's house under 24 hour watch in case he shows up again. I don't think he will, but I'm not willing to call off any of the surveillance details. Hal talked to Mark Danadio today and there's been nothing new there. We know he was staying at Endicot's house when he made that call to Stephanie, and he hasn't used that phone since, so that won't shed any light on where he is now. But we do know he's sticking close to Trenton."

"What about Valerie?" I asked."You don't think he'll go after her, do you?"

"It's possible, and that's why I've already decided to put men on her and the girls," Ranger told me."I'll just have to pick the ones who won't terrify them if they do notice that they're being followed."

"I can just imagine that phone call now," I said to him."Valerie is almost as uncomfortable with this part of my life as my mother. What about Grandma? Does she get her own Rangeman?" I asked, more for her benefit in case she questioned me about it.

"Your parents' house is being taken care of," Ranger said,"but I don't think I have enough money in the budget for lawyer fees and compensation to cover a personal bodyguard for Grandma Mazur."

"Very funny."

"All kidding aside, Babe," Ranger said, slipping an arm around my shoulders,"your grandmother is being watched, too. But from a comfortable distance."

"She's going to be disappointed when she finds out," I told him."And Connie and Lula?"

"I have Hector and Raphael on the bonds office, and men on standby for when they leave. My gut tells me that they won't be the targets," Ranger said to me."Connie has 'connections', and anyone who asks about her will hear all about them. And no one wants to tangle with Lula."

My eyes cut to Tank, but he wasn't touching that. He'd done more than tangle with her.

"So this is what you meant when you said that you bleed money every time I'm in danger."

"All worth it, Babe."

"Still ..."

"No stills Stephanie. This is my company and I'll use it as I see fit, and the money and men that come with it."

"Jeez, who peed in your Cheerios," I said, trying to lighten the heavy mood again.

Tank tried not to laugh, but wasn't very successful.

"We should go talk to the men before they decide not to wait for orders."

"Ranger, I don't think they'd do anything without your say-so, but I have a feeling that if the guys knew we were sitting in here laughing, we'd be in trouble."

"Your safety is nothing to laugh about to any of us, Babe," Ranger said.

"I know that. I'm starting to feel bad for joking about any part of this."

"Every man in this building who has served knows that you need to have a sense of humor, however twisted, to stay sane in high stress situations," Tank said to me.

"Tank, I'm hardly in the middle of a war zone with a hundred people shooting at me," I told him."I'm staying in Ranger's apartment, with Ella cooking for me, and you guys keeping me company. You can't call that suffering."

"You're not going to suffer if I can prevent it, Babe," Ranger said."But having someone mentally fuck with you can be just as damaging as them physically harming you. Why do you think psychological torture is so effective at breaking people?"

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

"No. I don't want you to think that you're not entitled to be upset or angry about this just because you're not the woman lying in the hospital right now."

"God, Ranger, you don't pull any punches do you?"

"Never saw the need."

"He's right, Stephanie," Tank said."Being someone's bullseye is never easy, even for men who have signed up knowing that's what they'd become."

"If that's what it's like, no wonder you guys decided to get out and form this company," I said to them."Here you can still do what you love and be the hunter instead of the prey."

"Exactly, Babe."

"It was a coin toss every time we got called on which one we were going to be," Tank said.

I shuddered. I can't imagine having to do what these guys did everyday before settling in at Rangeman. And it just made me even more determined to not let Tavish - as Ranger so eloquently said - mentally fuck with me. If Ranger, Tank, and the guys out there could live through everything they had, I could handle my latest psycho without going completely nuts myself.

Ranger stood and pulled me to my feet."Come on, Babe. I'm sure the men are getting restless by now. This isn't a group that handles inactivity well."

Considering the guy's obvious frustration, I'd say that was an understatement.

"What are you going to say to them?" I asked Ranger."Everyone probably already knows that Jones is the one who dropped off the flowers. And by now they know everything he said to Junior. I'm assuming that the flowers have been dealt with."

"The TPD has been notified about the deliveries, as well as the message on the cards," Tank said to me."And the flowers have been disposed of."

"Disposed of?" I said to him."Does that mean they're already perfuming a nearby Dumpster?"

"No," Tank said with a slight smile that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up."I let the men have a little fun with them."

Those poor flowers probably regretted ever being grown.

"Maybe in the future, I'll receive flowers from someone who isn't insane," I told them.

"They'd better be from me," Ranger said.

"Hey, " I said, putting my hands up in a what can I do gesture,"if someone wants to send me a gift it's not like I'd be able to stop them. You know my track record."

"Then I'll just have to make sure that I outdo whoever makes the mistake of sending one," Ranger said.

"And I have no doubt that you will, since I know your track record," I told him."Now about the men ..."

"I'll find them all something to do to keep them out of trouble."

"Kind of like what my mother tries with my Grandma Mazur?"

"Yes," Ranger said to me,"but with different results. The men listen to me when I tell them something."

"I know," I said quietly,"it's like a freakin' epidemic around here."

"I can hear you, Steph," Ranger said.

"I'm not surprised. You can probably hear everything in the entire Milky Way galaxy, too. And I stand behind my epidemic statement. Commandicitis is catchy around here."

"And it spreads quickly," Tank said, following us out of the office.

Lester was standing in the hall not far from where he'd been when we headed into Ranger's office.

"Bobby's got everyone waiting in the conference room for you," he said.

"And you're not in there why?" Ranger asked Lester.

"What can I say? I'm impatient," he said, with the cocky grin that had been missing earlier.

"Also stubborn, opinionated, and fucking loud," Tank said.

"Someone's gotta be," Lester said."If it weren't for me and Stephanie, this place would be boring as hell."

"Hah!" I said to Lester."Rangeman boring? I doubt that's even possible?"

"It's not, usually, but Ranger definitely perked up the place by bringing you into the fold," Lester said to me.

"Are you trying to find a polite way of saying that I keep almost getting you guys killed?" I asked him.

"We live for that shit, Steph."

"So Tank has said."

"And we're damn good at it. That's why we're going to catch this douchebag for you and teach him that he can't go around threatening one of our own."

"I have no doubt that you will, Lester," I told him, giving his tensed up forearm a gently squeeze."I'm happy to have you guys on my side."

"Do we have a plan of action?" Lester asked.

"Let's do this in the conference room," Ranger told him."I need a few men for bodyguard/surveillance shifts."

"Sign me up," Lester told him.

"But you don't even know what it's for," I said to him.

"Doesn't matter." He paused for a beat and then looked a little frightened."It's not to watch your grandmother is it?"

"It is now," Ranger told him."Thank you for stepping forward. I'm sure Edna will enjoy seeing you."

Lester started to look a little gray.

"You don't have to share her personal space, Lester." I told him."Ranger was just being mean."

"He's fuckin' good at it, too." Lester said."I would say that the government trained him well, but I think he was born mean."

The conference room was packed when we got there. It seemed like every man that lived on-site, and wasn't already assigned elsewhere or manning the monitors, was in here. The room went from quiet to could hear a pin drop as soon as they caught sight of us. Guess we wouldn't be needing a glass tap or a throat clear to get their attention.

"Jeez, Bobby," I said to him."We weren't even in Ranger's office that long. Is there a Rangeman emergency button you press to get everyone here quickly?"

I hope his blank stare was about not wanting to give away company secrets, and not about me personally. I cut my eyes to Ranger."There isn't one is there?" I asked Ranger."Tell me there isn't a Plum Panic button worked into Rangeman's system."

"Would it make you feel better if I say there isn't one?" He asked me.

"Yes!"

"Then there isn't one, Babe."

Nothing in his expression told me if he was kidding or not. The guys weren't grinning or shaking their heads in the negative, so I had no help there. Maybe it was like Ranger's cars, I'd probably feel better not knowing the actual truth behind it.

"What do you need us to do?" Bobby asked Ranger.

"I want a man, or two if we can spare them, on Stephanie's sister Valerie and her family," Ranger said."I'll need a patrol to keep an eye on Connie and Lula's houses to make sure Tavish doesn't make a grab for them as a way to get Stephanie out of the building. That means her nieces have to be watched both coming and going from school."

"Shit," I said."He can't get into the school, can he? I know they're cracking down on who comes in and out of the building, but ..."

"We'll speak to the principal and whoever else we need to," Ranger said, his hand settling on my hip,"and let them know who to be on the lookout for."

"Without Angie or Mary Alice knowing," I told him."I don't want them to be scared because of this."

"We got it, Steph," Tank said."You just take care of you and let us worry about your family."

"Thanks Tank for that unpleasant childhood flashback. Don't worry about Valerie, Stephanie," I said, mimicking my mother's put-upon tone."You need to start worrying more about yourself and less about your sister."

The guys gave me equally nervous smiles before it was right back to business. Tough crowd.

"Who else do you think is in danger?" Vince asked.

"I think Tavish, for whatever reason, just wants me," I told him. Ranger's arm automatically tightened around me and I rested my hand on his before I continued speaking."If my family is being guarded, and the people connected to the bonds office are off limits, and Rex is with me, I can't think of anyone else aside from Mary Lou and Bob. I think Tavish would go after my family before anyone else, so she should be okay. And Bob is with Morelli, who is a cop. I'm pretty sure he'll be fine, too."

"We'll have someone keep an eye on Mary Lou's place to make sure Tavish isn't lurking in her bushes," Ranger said.

I shivered. I didn't want to think about Tavish getting his hands on her."Any chance he'd take Joyce?" I asked. I needed to stop my mind from worrying and Joyce was one of the few people who can wipe out any compassionate feelings I have. But being brought up Catholic, no matter how unpracticing I am now, I immediately felt guilty."No, scratch that. Joyce is a skank, but even she doesn't deserve that. Tavish can take Dickie, though."

"Remind me never to get on your bad side, Steph," Manuel said to me.

"You guys are safe," I said to them."But if you touch my snacks, your lives will definitely be in jeopardy."

"Consider us warned," Ram said.

"So ... we got Santos on Grandma duty," Tank said.

"Who'd you piss off to get her?" Bobby asked Lester.

"Hey!" I said to Bobby."That's my grandmother you're talking about."

Bobby feigned confusion."That's why I asked," he said."No one would willingly sign up for that."

"Ranger ... hit him," I told Ranger, still glaring at Bobby.

"Sorry, Steph," Ranger told me, kissing my temple."I might be with Bobby on this one."

"Men! All for one, and one penis for all," I said to the room at large.

"Babe."

"Sorry," I said."I blame the stress. It's going straight to my head."

"We need someone to handle the girls' school," Tank said."Vince, Ramon, you're on that since you two look the least menacing."

Sure, nowthat I didn't need an answer from them they were all nodding.

"Ranger's got Raphael and Hector on the front and back of the bonds office already, we'll need at least two men to trade of."

"We can bring in some contract workers to take odd shifts," Ranger said to him,"and to take care of the everyday Rangeman business until we get this resolved."

He wasn't just bleeding money for me, I was pretty sure the money was now gushing.

"I'm on it," Tank said.

"Binkie's already staking out Stephanie's apartment," Ranger said to the room."Woody, I want you to join him. Hal, you've got Manuel to help watch Valerie and Kloughn. Cal, you and Junior get the Plum house. Her mother is aware of what's going on and she's familiar with you already."

Yeah, having Valerie's amniotic fluid squirt all over you is as familiar as Cal could possibly get with my family. That alone should have made him an honorary Godfather to Lisa.

"We'll need a third man to watch the house when all three are out of it so Tavish can't break in. I can't do a security overhaul on their house," Ranger said, looking down at me with an eyebrow raised."I can't, can I?"

"No," I told him."They don't even have a chain on their door. They think their neighborhood is safe. And even having me for a daughter hasn't convinced them that they need anything more than a deadbolt."

I could see all the men cringe. Everyone knew how easily a deadbolt could be manipulated. Well, I only knew because my lock is frequently picked, not because I could do it myself.

"Okay, we'll go this route then," Ranger said.

"Are you sure all of this is necessary?" I asked Ranger.

"Can Steven Tavish get through the gate out front into this building and past six floors of armed ex-soldiers to get to you?" He asked instead of answering me. But I suppose that was his answer.

I sighed."No."

"It is necessary, Babe. I wouldn't do it if it wasn't."

"It just seems like a lot of effort just for one idiot," I said."An entire gang, yes. But one guy?"

"Steph, look what one man did to Jennifer Owen," Ranger said."Do you want to be next?"

"No," I said again.

"I didn't think so."

I rolled my eyes at him, and all the men suddenly became interested in the wood grain running the length of the large table in front of them.

"Tank will work out a rotation so there will be men available for shift replacements or changes, backup if needed, and to make sure that no one's on longer than eight hours," Ranger said to his men."We don't need a screw up because someone zoned out from lack of sleep."

"Has anyone here ever zoned out while on duty?" I asked.

"Only you, Steph," Lester said.

I subtly flipped him off and could see Ranger fight a smile. He was back in control of everything again and that seemed key in calming him and, hopefully, lessening the load he was forced to carry because of me. I didn't want his business to come to a screeching halt just because I was being targeted again, but it is his company and he's the one who ultimately makes the rules.

"If there is anything that seems off," Ranger continued,"a gut feeling that something's wrong, or someone who looks like they don't belong, I want to hear about it as soon as you notice it. I don't care how trivial or explainable it is. All of you who haven't been put on this already can take over the shifts of the men who have until I need you. Dismissed."

It was as if they had rehearsed their exit. All the men were on their feet at the same time and quickly moving out the door. Ranger is more effective than a fire alarm at getting people moving single file out of a room. Tank closed the door behind him and Ranger sat down at the head of the table, elbows on the arms of the chair, his fingers steepled together. I took a seat on the edge of the table in front of him.

"If the guys are watching my family, friends, and all the people who got sucked into this, and Tank is working out a schedule and keeping Rangeman running until this is over, what's left for us to do?" I asked him."I'm stuck inside Rangeman and I have a feeling you're going to have your hands full trying to keep me busy. We can't really do much to help from here."

"The two of us are left with the hardest job of all, Babe," Ranger said, his chin resting on his fingertips, his dark eyes on me.

"And what's that?"

"Waiting."