Thank you all for reading along and taking the time to post reviews. They are what keep me going; most appreciated. I'm back, so I promise to personally respond to any and all new reviews (unless you post as I guest and I can't, in which case accept this as your thank you).

If you recognize them, they are not mine :)

Thank you Margaret for reading ahead as my beta and leading me down the right path for Stephanie and the rest of the guys.

This chapter just kind of popped into my head and wrote itself. I'm not sure it belongs here, but since I don't know where else to put it, here seems as good as any. It's a little insight into the heads of both Ranger and Lester.

Chapter 25—Inside their heads

Ranger's POV

As much as I wanted to show up at Bobby's infirmary while Steph was being chipped, I forced myself to go to my office and check on the new accounts we'd acquired last week. Manny and Ramon had already completed a few residential installations and I was hoping all went without incidence.

I was finding it hard to concentrate. I wanted to be there for Steph, but I knew Bobby's small room would already be filled to capacity. Maybe I'd go check out one of the residential installations myself. I was pretty sure Lester was around somewhere; his rotation with Cal didn't start until two and I knew he had paperwork to complete from the attempted break-in they thwarted yesterday. I picked up my desk phone and hit 3.

"Feel like checking out an installation?"

"Manny and Ramon know what they're doing."

"Of course they do but sometimes a visitation by the top guys does more for our reputation than a well installed security system."

"That may be true, but I don't see you running out for every large installation we get. What's up?"

"I'll tell you in the car. We can take the Cayenne. Meet me in the garage in five."

"I was in the middle of paperwork. You're the one that instituted the 24-hour policy."

"You're a pain in the ass; I'll give you an extra 24. Five minutes in the garage," I told him again before hanging up.

Les was already at my car when I got down there. I'd stopped at the break room for a couple of bottles of water and he was probably happy to get a break from filing reports.

I fobbed the car open and let myself into the driver's side. Les said nothing, but opened the passenger door and got in.

"Is this about Stephanie?" he asked as I fobbed us out of the garage and made a left.

"She's getting chipped and if I remain in the office, I'll be tempted to stroll by Bobby's to see how it's going."

"So you need a distance break? I'm surprised you didn't go by yourself."

"I'm also the one that instituted the 'team at all times' policy, hell if I'll be the first one to break it."

"Don't worry. Hector already has."

"When and why?"

"You didn't hear this from me, ok? As soon as the word went out that Beautiful was in distress yesterday he grabbed a car and headed towards Cliffside Park. Once he learned that we'd already intercepted Kraven he returned, quite a bit shaken up, but just like Hector...no backup."

"Wasn't he with Raphael yesterday?"

"He was but they were already back at Rangeman when Jace called in that Steph had been taken by, he assumed, Kraven."

"Hector didn't look to find Raphael before taking off?"

"I don't know. I was with you, remember?"

"Don't be a smart ass. I'm trying to get to the bottom of this. Hector knows better."

"He may know better but he doesn't always follow the rules. Especially where Stephanie is concerned."

"Yeah, we both know how close they've become. I'm going to forget you told me this."

"Good. He'd never last more than a round on the mats with you. Bobby says his wound is not healing as quickly as he hoped it would and you'd probably re-open what has healed."

"I'm not a monster."

Lester didn't respond to that one. I assumed he'd formed his own opinion about me and my tactics at one time or another. I knew a mat session was not for everyone. I knew I had at least twenty-five pounds on some of the smaller men, including Hector, and I may have done some damage to one or two of them in my early attempts to instill fear and a line of command. My fists can be classified as deadly weapons but for the most part I spar with Tank, or Hal or Cal. All big men and all willing.

Les still hadn't responded so I asked a question.

"You don't agree with mat time, do you? You'd rather I take the disciplinary action into my office and talk to the men?"

"That depends Ranger. If it's me or Bobby, we can handle ourselves in a one-on-one with you. Hector can too; his Brazilian street Jui Jitsu is kick-ass, but not while he's injured. You've already proven you can beat the shit out of any of us, maybe you should try talking next time."

Coming from Les I had to give that some thought. He spent time with the men. He went out for drinks with them and I can only assume someone told him something.

"So Sotolongo," he said, changing the subject.

"You heard him ask for help. He's expecting an all out war with the Mexican MS-13 faction from Washington Heights. He doesn't have the manpower to beat them, won't ask the ALKN for help because that will show weakness, and he steadfastly refuses to go to the police, even knowing there will be blood shed on both sides. He's in a bind."

"I know. What do you plan to do?"

"We can't get involved personally but last year the FBI added New Jersey personnel to its MS-13 Task Force. They are dedicated to stopping the violence and brutality associated with this gang. With the right information the FBI can just happen to be around when this faction gets into Newark."

"So Sotolongo gets wind of the MS-13 coming for them, he calls you and you orchestrate it with the FBI?"

"Something like that. Why did you change the subject?"

"Why are we driving forty-minutes to look at an installation Manny and Ramon can handle?"

"Because I needed to distance myself."

"Well?"

"You think I give certain people special privileges?"

"I didn't say that, but yeah."

"So on one hand you're telling me I should talk to the men instead of doling out mat time and on the other, I'm too lenient. You're a hypocrite."

"Takes one to know one boss."

"You are lucky I'm feeling magnanimous right now or I'd fire your fucking ass. Watch your step Santos."

That seemed to shut him up. At least momentarily.

Lester's POV

I love riling the boss. Hell, I love sticking my nose where it doesn't belong with most of the guys. Usually they see me as a carefree pain in the ass, but people like Ranger, Bobby and Tank know me better. It may look like part of my charm but seriously it's a tactic I learned a long time ago, one for survival, and it's served me well. If people think you are nothing more than an annoyance they won't take you seriously and they will talk in front of you. I've learned more by pretending to not care and joke around than I would if they really thought about my position within Rangeman and the power it could wield. Of course the guys know I'm part of the core team here but most assume I'm only on the inner circle because of my relationship to Ranger. Hell, we may be related but that's not what got me here. I was one of the top five in Ranger school along with Tank, Bobby, Hal and Ranger. I was known for my biting wit, my strategic thinking and my common sense. And if the truth be known, Ranger and I aren't even first cousins; my father and his mother are the cousins.

And the reason I changed the subject with Ranger was because of Stephanie, not my thinking he was hypocritical…well, that too. We had been talking about Hector and Stephanie, and just how close they'd become. Well the truth was that I was that close to Steph too…at one point. While Ranger and Tank were serving time after their courts martial fiasco, I was there for Steph because she needed a shoulder to rely on. Her and Hector, although tight, weren't as tight as Steph and I were. Hell, I had feelings for her that I probably shouldn't have had, not that I'd ever done anything inappropriate except kiss her when she needed to know someone cared. I backed way off after Ranger and Tank were released from the hospital. I had too. If I didn't, I don't know what would have happened; I'd probably have ended up dead.

Thankfully Hector stepped in at that point.

Because of Hec's sexual orientation he wasn't seen as a threat, but me…playboy Lester Santos? Yeah, if Ranger found out just how close his fiancé and I were, I'd be dead, cousin or no cousin. And also thankfully at that point, Autumn entered my life.

I was hanging out in the city, mostly on weekends, trying to distance myself from Stephanie and Rangeman when I met some people from Brooklyn who were going to culinary school. They were a good hang and we became regulars at McSorley's on E. 7th Street. One night Autumn and her sister Amber walked into the place. Identical twins, the perfect backdrop for the Lester Santos show. I walked over and introduced myself. Now I know I'm a good-looking guy and women are drawn to me. Well neither one of them seemed to be taken with my charms no matter how much I put it on. I didn't want my new friends to see I couldn't get a pair of identical twins into the sack, so I pretended to lose interest and walked away after casually dropping my card on their table.

I walked back to the bar and one of the guys, Sam, was grinning from ear to ear.

"What's your story?" I said to him, slightly annoyed that he'd seen my antics bomb.

"The twin with her hair down is Autumn; she was in my 'chocolate confections' class last year. I can probably talk to her if you're serious. I can tell you she's not looking for a one-night stand and I doubt you'd be able to do a threesome with them. But if you want to meet her, I can probably arrange it. I saw her checking you out as you walked away."

"They are both beautiful women. Autumn, did you say? She go to school with you now?"

"She graduated last year and I hear she's got a freelance thing going on. Hey, I think it's on your side of the river in Jersey. Could be near you. By any chance do you like chocolate peanut butter pie? I've heard she's selling her own take on the classic to some of the finer restaurants in your fair state."

I immediately though about Stephanie.

"Not a huge chocolate fan, but I'd give it a taste."

A week went by and I thought nothing more of it; I figured Autumn wasn't interested or Sam hadn't had an opportunity to talk to her. I had to work the following weekend and didn't come into the city to hang with the guys. But I got a call that Monday.

"Santos? Sam. You still interested in meeting Autumn?"

"Sure. She's beautiful. They both are."

"Get that our of your mind. Amber is a kindergarden teacher."

"Who's Amber?"

"The twin."

"Oh."

"So?"

"Yeah. I'd like to meet her. What did you have in mind?"

"I spoke with her about you and she'd like to meet you too. I told her the full of shit guy that came on to her and Amber was just an act and you were really a good guy with a good job. I had to do a lot of selling so you better not fuck this up man or it's my ass."

"I can't guarantee we'll hit it off but I do promise to behave myself and give her a chance."

"That's all I'm asking. How about we meet at McSorley's for a drink at seven on Saturday. Make a reservation for the two of you for dinner somewhere and I'll split after the drink. You'll be on your own. Think you can handle it?"

"Handle dinner with a beautiful woman? Are you kidding? Piece of cake."

"Watch the baking jokes. She has big ambitions and she's talented too. Her graduation piece was a fondant cake designed to look like an elaborate 1920's purse. It was gorgeous. Oh, you should know, their father is a minister."

"Oh fuck. Just what I need. Maybe I don't want to get to know her now. Not sure I could handle the pressure."

Sam started laughing over the phone.

"Don't worry. Autumn is from Buffalo, New York. Her parents don't live here."

"Buffalo? It cold there right?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Oh nothing, just mumbling. I'll make a reservation at Hearth on 12th Street. I've been there before; it's a nice place."

"Good choice; now don't fuck up."

I didn't. We had a lovely evening. And I learned that she'd just signed a lease on an apartment in Princeton. She was in the process of making arrangements to move. I called Hal from the table and within minutes we had eight guys and a truck. Eight guys were probably going to be overkill; she only had a studio with a sleeping alcove. Anyway that endeared me to her and we've been seeing each other ever since, although she's now back living in the city during the week. The pressures of the long commute got to her.

So as of right now, we've been together two weeks shy of a year. And no, I'm not going to propose for our anniversary. But don't think I haven't thought about it. We just work.