Disclaimer: The characters are property of Janet Evanovich and I am not making any money from this story. The story line is mine.

Thanks to Tammi for all her help and Lindsay for holding my hand and everyone else who kept asking for more.

Warning: Angst and High Drama and Violence

Finding Yesterday 11

By, Elissahara30

Reynard's Compound, France

I was dragged down the corridor and thrown into an empty room and with each step my heart ached. My breath knocked out of me as I hit the wall and slid down to the floor. I struggled for a moment before I looked up at Eleanor who walked in behind one of the goons. Eleanor's hands worked to smooth out her blouse before she studied her nails.

"Stephanie, did the SGO send you?" Eleanor asked.

I laughed bitterly, "Hell no. My agenda is not the same as the SGOs."

Eleanor looked at me and narrowed her eyes, "I don't believe you." She walked closer to me and crouched down to my spot on the floor, "If you don't tell me what I want to hear I will kill Manoso."

My heart stuttered as fear skittered along my spine, "I came for Ranger."

She slapped me across the face and the impact made my head snap back. I tasted blood but I maintained eye contact, letting no emotion show on my face. "Are you here to finish what the SGO started?"

"Fuck you bitch," I spat, my blood spraying on her pristine white blouse.

Eleanor hit me again and then grabbed a chunk of my hair, "I've killed lesser agents than you, without a second thought. Why are you here?"

I looked her straight in the eye and said in a deadly calm voice, "You want to know the truth fine I'll tell you. To finish what Ranger started."

Eleanor smirked at me, "The SGO must be desperate indeed to send in independents. You want to know why I didn't kill Manoso?" Eleanor touched my face, running a nail down my cheek to my chin, "He was the best. When Doug introduced me to him, I knew he was special. Why destroy such an amazing hunter as him. Marcel may think Manoso's his pet, but the truth of the matter is, he's mine." She stepped back a little to gauge the reaction on my face. When I gave none she spat, her eyes shining with malice, "When he sleeps, he calls for you, you know."

My body quivered with anger as I thought of this woman anywhere near my Ranger, "I will kill you," I promised.

Eleanor laughed in my face, "Many have tried and no one has succeeded. No one. What's it feel like to be useless," Eleanor whispered. "Has Doug taken you to his bed yet?"

"I don't know what you're talking about?" I said, my stomach was rolling, but I had to focus on my goal. And that was to get out alive.

"How else have I stayed ahead of the game, Stephanie," Eleanor said. "After all I'm loved by so many men."

My mind immediately reeled with thoughts of her and Ranger. No way would he ever, would he? "All you are Eleanor is a whore."

"Funny you would say that to me. Isn't it you who keeps friends that are more familiar with that trade than I." She mocked.

"At least she hasn't sold her soul. She's worth more than you could ever be," I spat as the ache for home and all the friends I had left behind washed over me.

Eleanor looked up at the goon by the door, "Take her to the grove. Kill her, and leave her there."

"Yes ma'am," said the guard as he picked me up and started to drag me away effortlessly.

I didn't resist him. I felt like a limp rag doll in his gigantic hands. All the energy had drained out of me as I stared into the cold reality of failure. I had been so close. I had touched him, had felt his warmth once more only to have him taken away from me again. My body ached and my mind screamed. I had failed. And he would suffer for it. Caged and drugged like an animal, until they grow tired of him. The strongest, bravest man I had ever known reduced to nothing more than a pet. A plaything. And I could have stopped it. But I just wasn't strong enough. Not smart enough and just not good enough to save him.

As we entered the courtyard, I saw another man waiting by a car. The air picked up around me, and I swear I felt Ranger with me, my hair standing on its end and the familiar tingle running down my spine. His strength surrounded me.

I made my body go heavy and limp in the goons grasp as he tried to shift his weight to lift me. As he struggled I grabbed the knife from my boot, planted my feet and swung my body around, driving the knife deep into his neck. He fell lifeless to the ground as I reached for his gun. I spun around and shot off a round before the driver could react. I watched his body fall as I took off running towards the car, a shot slicing through the air and connected with my shoulder.

Pain ripped through me as I spun again and fired off another round towards the compound. I ignored the pain as I ran for all I was worth, I had to escape. I dove into the driver's side door and started the car, jamming it into gear. I duck as the windshield shattered, shots ringing off as I spun the wheel. I turned the car towards the exit, taking out another one of the guards in the process.

Just as I was speeding away, I caught a glimpse of Eleanor in the entry way watching me. But I couldn't stop to think, there was a big wrought iron gate in front of me and I gunned the engine and hit it. I bounced in my seat and my shoulder burned like fire. I threw the car in reverse and rammed the gate again making a gap big enough for me to get through.

But as I drove away all I could think of was that I had left Ranger behind. Had let him go again. Oh, Lord I left him behind.

SRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSRSR

The Rendezvous – France

I waited. I sat in the chair in the darkest corner of the room, the gun resting in my lap. I knew at some point DM and Python would be here. My chest was heavy as I had blocked out the pain in my shoulder. As the time passed I let emotions run over me. I cried for Ranger until I slowly become numb.

I turned my head ever so slightly as I heard the tell tale click of the lock. I listened to the measured footfalls and knew who entered the little shack. I saw him before he saw me and I raised my gun with a steady hand. And still I waited for him to notice me.

He dropped his gear on the floor and rubbed his hands over his face as he stretched his shoulders. His back making popping sounds as he rolled his neck from side to side. Then he turned toward me and stopped, "Jersey?"

"Surprised to see me DM?" I asked calmly.

DM walked closer to me when he noticed my gun, "What the hell is going on?"

I chuckled bitterly as I fought the rise of new tears, "I was so close DM, he was right there," my voice drifted off.

DM raised his hands out and continued to walk to me and I lowered my gun as he crouched before me. He took the gun from my hands and set it down beside him, "You're hurt?"

I felt a few tears leak out of my eyes and burn down my cheeks, "Ranger was there," I whispered.

"Jersey," he breathed and DM wiped tears from my cheek with his thumb, "We'll find him again."

I started to shake my head denying his words as I worked on regaining my control over my emotions, "It was a trap DM."

His hand stilled on my face as he looked at me, "How are you sure?"

"I wasn't at first. After everything that happened at the De Crillon, I started to wonder how they knew," I looked hard at DM, "Then I figured out who Eleanor was, and I knew I was betrayed."

I watched as the cold stillness came over him and a dark look glinted in his eyes, "What do you mean?"

"Your wife sends you her regards," I replied.

DM pushed back from me and stood up and started pacing the room like a wild animal ready to attack. The anger radiated off of him, it was a physical force the followed his agitated movements. He turned his gaze to me. I wasn't afraid. I reached forward. I picked up my gun and pointed at him again, "You're going to tell me the reason why you recruited me to come to France. I know it wasn't to find Ranger."

"You were never to know," DM said, "I was going to get a line on her. I had unfinished business."

"I was your smoke screen. Take the stupid girl from New Jersey. Train me up and feed me enough doubt just to make it look like you're really concerned. And then you hook up with your wife and run off together." My chest hurt and I swallowed the bitterness down.

"Fuck no Jersey. It was never to go this far," DM started toward me and I raised my gun higher and flipped off the safety.

"You never intended for me to find Ranger. All along your speeches about you needing to trust me. And all along you were getting ready to screw me over," I chuckled harshly. "Ranger's alive and I will find him again. But I promise you this: I see Helena, I'll kill her."

"Jersey," DM's voice was dark with warning, "You don't know what you're getting yourself into."

"Maybe not. But my goal is simple. And if I have to kill to reach it, by God I will."

The door opened behind DM and Python came in and before DM knew it, Python had his gun on DM.

"What in the fuckin' hell are you doing?" DM growled at Python.

"My job," Python said simply.

I slid a look to Python while still keeping my aim on DM. "I wondered about you Python for a long time. You almost had me convinced that you were an independent hitter."

"What gave me away?" Python asked.

"The De Crillon," I said.

"Figures, Ranger always said you were too smart for your own good."

I smirked at DM's obvious confusion, "It sucks not knowing all the players don't it DM? Now you know how I felt."

Python circled around DM and removed his gun and tossed it over to me. DM focused his attention on Python, "Then who in the hell are you if you're not Python?"

Python smiled, "Oh, I'm Python all right. But I owe Ranger. I see this as a way of paying back a debt." I shifted ever so slightly and covered my wince, and Python frowned at me, "You need to have that taken care of before it gets worse."

"You don't need to worry about me, I'll be fine." I turned my attention back to DM, "You think Helena would trade him for Ranger."

DM shook his head, "That wouldn't work."

I looked at him blandly, "I didn't ask you." Then I shifted my attention back to Python, "You need to give the others the all clear." Python pulled out his radio and sent the preset sequence to the others. I sat back and the first time in a very long time my mind was clear, and I understood what it was like to be the hunter. "This is what we're going to do . . ."

A/N: I know, I know – she can't just end it there. Well it was the best I could do. This chapter had me hitting my head against the desk over and over again. So to save myself from a prolonged hospital stay I decided the end the chapter here.