Some action - for those who wanted a quick demonstration of Steph's new kick-ass ness.

Chapter 12

Ranger all but ran in and shut the door. 'Shit.' He said after a moment.

'What?' I asked.

'I forgot my shirt.' Ranger tugged his hair tie out and walked over to me carrying a tray. 'Hope this is ok.' He said, gesturing to the food.

'It's fine, thanks love.'

A huge grin spread across Ranger's face, 'it was worth it just to hear you say that.'

'Aww, did they give you hard time?'

'Like you wouldn't believe.' And then he told me. I tried to hold in the giggling, really I did, but I couldn't help it.

'Not funny Babe.' Ranger said.

'It really is.' I said, between giggles.

'Fine. You get to go out next time.'

'NO! You're right, it's not funny, not funny at all.'

'Too late.' Ranger said with a grin.

'Damn.' I muttered, and Ranger laughed.

We ate our dinner/breakfast quietly, and then we slipped between the sheets once again, but for the first time it was for actual sleep.

'You change the sheets?' Ranger asked.

'Yeah.' I murmured, feeling sleepy.

'That's nice.' Said Ranger, snuggling into my back, wrapping an arm around me.

'Mmm.' I said.

'Nite. Love you.'

'Love you.' I managed to say. Then we were out for the count.

I was having a lovely dream, really nice - then it was rudely interrupted. With water. Lots of freezing cold water.

I sat bolt upright, clinging the bed spread to me, and I screamed like a girl. Glad all that training came in useful. Bobby, Tank and Lester were running out of the room with three empty buckets. I leapt out of bed and ran into my closet, I tugged on combats, CAT boots, a bra and a top, and I pulled back my hair. Ranger was wearing his boots and his combats when I came back in, but he still had no shirt. Ah well. He tied his hair back and said, 'Where to?'

This all happened in a matter of seconds, guess training was useful after all.

I ran out of my room and down to the kitchen, closely followed by Ranger. I pushed a few buttons and several screens came out of the kitchen tabletop; the monitors showed Tank and Bobby and Lester hiding outside, behind the bridge, over the pond in the garden.

I gestured to them and Ranger nodded, expression severe. I kept my expression as pissed as his, and noted the woman's wide-eyed stare, she must be Pat, and Damien's surprise, the Fists just looked amused. Another man was in the kitchen, I didn't recognise him.

'General.' Said Ranger.

'Panther.' Said the man Ranger had spoken to.

I ignored the interplay and went to a cupboard that looked like a fridge, I typed in a code and opened the huge doors. Rows of guns gleamed at me, I selected two paint-balling guns. I loaded one and passed it to Ranger.

He flashed me all 200 watts. 'Like the way you think Babe.'

'Payback's are a bitch.' I said, as I locked and loaded my paint-ball gun.

'Damn straight.' Ranger said.

'This way.' I said, as I led him out the back. We circled silently round the boys, crouching behind a wall. I made a hand gesture meaning 'keep low and quiet', Ranger signalled an affirmative and we were off. I slunk off to a small hill, and Ranger sunk down in position. The boys were still completely unaware we were behind them; they were looking in the opposite direction – towards the house.

'No way would Ranger take this long to react.' Said Tank nervously, 'something's up.'

I gestured to Ranger and he nodded. With a 'one, two, three!' gesture we started firing. The boys were covered in yellow paint before they even knew what hit them.

'Retreat!' Tank yelled. And they ran back into the house, but they ran into the wrong entrance, they ran into the gun range, where we could still shoot at them.

'Come on!' I said to Ranger. We legged it down into the gun range and started firing again.

There was more in way of cover down there, and I abruptly remembered that there were four red paint ball guns. We had to get to them first.

I whispered this to Ranger and he nodded and made the gesture for 'where's the target?'

I gestured to a small room to our right and Ranger dived towards it, Tank noticed and then he was up and running – and Tank was closer. Tank grabbed a gun and fired at Ranger. Ranger ducked and retreated. 'Weapons in enemy hands.' He reported to me. I nodded, and made the sign for 'create distraction'. He nodded and started firing heavily towards Bobby and Lester, who were still gun-less. I sank down low and ran to a control station hidden in a wall. I typed in the access code and then started hacking into the system; activating the metal blinds. They slammed down, plunging the room into darkness. I picked the lock of the supplies room and snuck in, and then I grabbed two night vision goggles and some cuffs. I exited - not locking the room.

I pulled on one of the goggles and crawled over to Ranger and handed him the remaining pair. Then I gave him a pair of cuffs, and he flashed me a grin and nodded. We started separating the boys. We separated Bobby first, and it was easy to apprehend him; he was flailing in the dark – but we could see. Ranger then frog marched Bobby into the supply room, leaving him securely bound up, and then he locked the door.

Only Lester and Tank next. It took us nearly half an hour to get those two, then we went into the supply closet and got Bobby. Then I hacked into the system again and voila – let there be light; the metal blinds pulled back up.

'Hey!' said Tank, 'you had night vision.'

'Home advantage.' I said sweetly.

Then we marched the still bound-up Merry Men into the kitchen. Ranger lined them up.

Then stalked up and down in front of them.

'You're battered, you're bruised, you're yellow. What have you learnt from this undoubtedly humiliating defeat?' Ranger said, with a parade voice.

They muttered, and shifted their feet, and looked at the floor.

'Well?' Ranger said.

'Don't mess with Ranger and Bombshell.' Said Tank.

'You two kick ass.' Lester muttered.

'Payback's are a bitch.' Said Bobby, wincing.

'Damn fucking straight! Now get to your rooms and tidy your sorry selves up! Don't show your faces until you're clean! MOVE!'

'And gentlemen?' I said. They paused, looking wary. 'Pull a stunt like that ever again and you will wish those bullets were real. Clear?' They swallowed hard and nodded, backing away slowly.

I waited until they were definitely gone, and then I flicked my gaze to meet Ranger's. We burst out laughing.

'Priceless.' Ranger gasped, 'fucking priceless.' I nodded my agreement, trying to regain control.

'Damn, lover,' I said eventually, 'we make a great team!'

Ranger wrapped his arms around me and pulled me towards him, 'Damn fucking straight.' He said, and then he kissed me like there was no tomorrow.