Chapter 28
Tank and Ranger had left Hudson last night in the capable hands of Lester. Hudson was to far gone with the pain medication even order to get him to wake up. Ranger decided he would talk to Hudson after his meeting with Dr. Planchard on Monday in order to give him a day to heal some and relax.
Ranger and Stephanie sat in the waiting area outside Dr. Planchard's office. Their meeting was scheduled for 9:30am Monday. Dr. Planchard hadn't wanted to even set up a time for today, but Ranger insisted, and also insisted that it had to be this morning. Ranger had the code of conduct book on his lap, he and Stephanie had signed everything inside the conduct book as well as the parts where Jessie had to as well. He wasn't allowing corporal punishment with Jessie, not at the hands of the school.
Mary gave them a small smile. "I'm sorry you have to wait. Is there something I can get you? Coffee, water, anything at all? She had to run down to Mr. Jenkins' office."
"We're fine." Ranger said.
Ranger looked at his watch, they were here on time and Dr. Planchard was now fifteen minutes late. The outer office door opened. Mr. Jenkins walked in and walked over to them. He extended his hand to Ranger.
"Mr. Manoso, sorry for the wait. I'm Mr. Jenkins."
Ranger shook his hand. "Pleasure. When is Dr. Planchard coming?"
"She can't make it, as a matter of fact; she'll be gone for the rest of the day. If you and your wife would follow me to my office, I'll be more than happy to go over anything you need." Mr. Jenkins said.
Ranger looked at Stephanie.
"I'd rather deal with Dr. Planchard since it was she who wrote the rules we are here to discuss with her." Stephanie said.
Ranger looked at Mr. Jenkins.
"I see." Mr. Jenkins said. "If you would follow me to my office, perhaps I can at least go over the code of conduct book with you and then you can make another visit with Dr. Planchard."
Ranger stood. Mr. Jenkins and Ranger were the same height. "Mr. Jenkins, I have no issue with the code of conduct book, nor does my wife. We are in accordance with the rules the school has laid out for the students. The rules my wife and I are referring to are the rules Dr. Planchard wrote concerning my daughter's bodyguard. The longer Dr. Planchard puts me off the angrier I'm going to be because she's putting my daughter's life in danger."
He watched as Mr. Jenkins looked at Stephanie and back. "I see. I hadn't been made aware of any extra rules, other than what was in the conduct book. May I see them?"
Ranger pulled the sheet of paper out of the book and handed it over. "I don't see how you can help in this matter. It's Dr. Planchard that has to change the rules."
Mr. Jenkins read the paper, his brow furrowed ever so slightly. He handed the rules back to Ranger. "Dr. Planchard should be back later today. There was an accident in one of the dorms this morning; one of our live in students had to be taken to the hospital. Her father insisted Dr. Planchard be the one to go with her instead of the house mother."
The door opened and Dr. Planchard walked in. "Mary, I need you to call Mr. Gordon back and get him on the phone for me. Felicity is refusing to go to the hospital."
"Yes Dr. Planchard." Mary said.
Dr. Planchard turned and saw Ranger, Stephanie, and Mr. Jenkins. "Mr. Manoso, we'll have to reschedule. I'm very sorry, but I can't handle this issue right now."
Mr. Jenkins took a step to the side as Ranger turned to Dr. Planchard.
"If the young woman is refusing to go to the hospital I don't see why you can't give me and my wife ten minutes of your time." Ranger growled.
"Ten minutes, that is all I can spare at this moment." Dr. Planchard said. "Come into my office. Mr. Jenkins, will you handle Mr. Gordon for me while I'm speaking to Mr. and Mrs. Manoso."
"Certainly." Mr. Jenkins walked over to Mary.
Ranger took Stephanie's hand and they walked inside Dr. Planchard's office. Ranger figured she sent Mr. Jenkins into the office and told him to get rid of them out of hers so she could finish her dealing with Mr. Gordon, but she has already tried to put him off once and Mr. Jenkins made the second time. Ranger wasn't about to allow a third.
Ranger shut the door to the office and Stephanie went and took a seat, he went to the chair and stood behind Stephanie.
"Please have a seat Mr. Manoso." Dr. Planchard said after she had sat down.
"I'll remain standing." Ranger said. "First off, I will not sign those rules for the bodyguard and neither will Jessie."
"As I told Mr. Baker, those rules are in place not only for your Ward's safety but for the safety of this school."
Stephanie came out of her seat and put her hands on Dr. Planchard's desk. "You will not refer to Jessie as the Ward in our presence again. Jessie is our daughter. I don't like that term and you'll not use it ever again with her." Stephanie growled.
"I wasn't aware of any status change concerning Miss Wilson. Is her name still Miss Wilson?" Dr. Planchard asked.
"Yes it is. She is our adoptive daughter, not a Ward." Stephanie growled.
Dr. Planchard stood up, "There is no need to get aggressive with me Mrs. Manoso. I was unaware of this change in her status."
"Aggressive? You haven't even seen me aggressive this is not aggressive for me. Jessie is not signing those rules for her bodyguard. You are going to have to rewrite them." Stephanie hit her fist on the desk for emphasis.
"I want you out of my office Mrs. Manoso, I won't tolerate this. I'll deal with your husband." Dr. Planchard said.
Stephanie looked at Ranger.
"Proud of ya Babe, you're doing great." Ranger said.
"I do not have to rewrite anything Mrs. Manoso. This is my school, my office, and if you don't watch it, you will not be allowed back on these premises at all." Dr. Planchard said.
Ranger crossed his arms over his chest and his teeth were grinding. "I advise you Dr. Planchard to watch your tone with my wife."
Dr. Planchard looked to Ranger, "Those rules are in place Mr. Manoso, and I have examples for every rule I wrote."
"Let's see them." Stephanie said.
Ranger stayed where he was. Dr. Planchard kept looking at him and wasn't paying any attention to Stephanie at all.
"I said let's see them." Stephanie growled out again and then slapped the desk with both hands.
Dr. Planchard walked around her desk and stood right beside Stephanie and got in her face. "That is enough, I do not come into your home and disrespect you. Get out of my office now."
"My wife will not be going anywhere." Ranger growled to her.
"Get out of my space." Stephanie told her. "I don't think you have any examples for these rules and you just wanted to stick your abnormally large nose where it doesn't belong and think you can get information this way. It won't work."
"You bitch!" Dr. Planchard yelled.
Ranger moved and got in front of Stephanie before she hit the woman. Then growled to Dr. Planchard. "You apologize to my wife. So far you haven't given us anything to see. The only bitch I see in this room is you."
"How dare you?" Dr. Planchard yelled at Ranger and then slapped him in the face.
Ranger got in front of Stephanie because he didn't want Stephanie attacking this woman. Stephanie would only be pushed so far and he knew when you pushed Stephanie she came out swinging. With Jessie in this school he knew it would be better off if Stephanie didn't attack Jessie's Dean. Ranger also saw Mr. Jenkins open the door, and he knew he couldn't hit this woman back even though he felt compelled to if just to knock her down a few pegs. Stephanie jumped on his back to try and get at Dr. Planchard and Ranger wrapped his arms behind him and held Stephanie back as she was fighting mad to get to her.
"Dr. Planchard!" Mr. Jenkins growled. "That is a parent you just physically assaulted."
Dr. Planchard turned around. "Mr. Jenkins, I want these two escorted out of my office."
Mr. Jenkins walked to the desk and picked up the phone and dialed a number.
"Did you not hear me Mr. Jenkins?" Dr. Planchard asked.
"Yes could you send a police car to Trenton Preparatory Academy; I will send someone out front thank you." Mr. Jenkins hung up the phone.
"Insubordination, how dare you?" Dr. Planchard ran at Mr. Jenkins. She slapped him in the face. "You bastard, how could you? I hired you when no one else would. This is mutiny."
Mary came running to the door. "Good Lord!"
"Mary, go meet the officers out front please." Mr. Jenkins said in a voice that held no emotions.
Dr. Planchard spun around. "Mary you will not."
Mary froze not sure what to do.
"Dr. Planchard, you will be placed under arrest for assaulting a parent as well as physically assaulting me. Mary, go meet the officers out front, now." Mr. Jenkins said.
Dr. Planchard spun around on him as Mary left to go do his bidding. "We'll see about this Franklin." She reached up and clawed at his face. "You uncaring bastard, you'll run my school into the ground."
Ranger eased up on his grasp around Stephanie because she had stopped trying to go after Dr. Planchard. They both watched as Mr. Jenkins never once tried to stop the woman as she slapped and scratched at him. She kicked, ranted, and raved at him the whole time until Mary came back with two police officers who pulled Dr. Planchard out of the office.
Mr. Jenkins pulled a handkerchief out of his jacket pocket and wiped the scratches on his face. He looked over to Ranger and Stephanie.
"Now, I think you had an issue with rules regarding your daughter's bodyguard Mr. and Mrs. Manoso. As seeing as Dr. Planchard will no longer be employed in this facility and as I'm next in line. Which rules did you have issues with?" Mr. Jenkins asked liked nothing had happened in last ten minutes to him.
Ranger studied the man; he never showed emotions if he could help it, but he would have already gone off on the woman if she done that with Ranger. "Yes, rules six, seven, and eight." Ranger said.
Mr. Jenkins pulled the handkerchief away from his face and laid the offending thing on the desk. "May I see them again please?"
Ranger turned and picked everything up in the chair where he put them earlier and handed them over to Mr. Jenkins who sat on the corner of Dr. Planchard's desk. Stephanie sat down and Ranger stayed behind her.
"This won't do at all. I can have these rewritten in an hour." He looked up at Ranger. "If you would care to have lunch with your daughter, I'll make sure to have this rewritten in a much favorable regard for your daughter's safety. Her lunch is scheduled to start in ten minutes. The food isn't that bad, and I'm sure she would love to have lunch with the both of you."
Ranger looked down at Stephanie who looked up at him. "He does need time to rewrite them."
Ranger looked at Mr. Jenkins. "If I don't agree with what you have written?"
"Then you'll be free to take out anything you find that won't suffice." Mr. Jenkins told him as he reached over and plucked Dr. Planchard's plaque off the desk and tossed it in the trashcan. "They won't be like this when you return."
"You have an hour. Come on Babe." Ranger walked out of the office with Stephanie on his arm.
"He's a little different." Stephanie said as they walked down the stairs.
"Different how babe?" Ranger asked.
"It's like he doesn't feel anything. I wanted him to hit the bitch." Stephanie said. "He didn't even react when he wiped the blood off his face."
Ranger walked along the walk with Stephanie at a slow pace. "So you saw it too. Are you getting any feelings about him?"
"Well, it's odd. You have a lot of control over your emotions, but I've learned to read you rather well. You still show them, but with Mr. Jenkins it's like he's behind a wall, his brow furrowed the first time he read the rules, there's something there. I'm just not sure what." Stephanie said.
Ranger opened the door to the building that held the cafeteria and Stephanie walked in.
David was putting bags in the trash containers again as he watched Manoso and his wife enter the cafeteria. Jessie had entered two minutes before. He watched as they passed right beside him. He looked over to see Jessie sitting with the same crew like normal only her bodyguard didn't look to good. He was sporting a sweating forehead. His little spider had done its job. Now he just had one other thing to go do today, and right now would be the best time for it.
"We'll have to see if we can't find something. We did a background on him Babe. He's clean." Ranger said. "Jes is over there."
Ranger led Stephanie to Jessie's table. Ranger bent down and kissed Jessie on her head. "Hello Baby."
"Hi Dad."
Stephanie looked at Bobby. "Are you feeling okay?"
"He's being pig headed." Jessie said. "Of course he's not okay. He stopped giving me a hard time about an hour ago and he's got a fever now. I know he's hurting but he won't tell me where."
"I'm fine, may have just caught a bug, nothing serious." Bobby said.
Christian looked at him. "If your sick man you need to go home. I have a major science test at the end of the week." Christian scooted away from Bobby.
Ranger noticed Philip lean in toward Jessie and whisper something to her. Bobby had filled him in on these two already. "Philip, why don't you and the guys make Steph and I some room so we can join you all for lunch."
Philip straightened up. "Sure thing Ranger."
"Come on Babe." Ranger walked Stephanie over to the food line and he looked back at Philip who now had his arm over Jessie's chair.
"He's not kissing her, don't kill him." Stephanie said. "He dresses like you, even has his hair tied back like you. Wonder where he learned that?"
Ranger looked at Stephanie. "You don't like my little protégé?"
Stephanie looked back over at Philip and Jessie, "If he is your protégé then Jessie needs to watch out."
"Are you implying I'm teaching him bad things? Besides if he does anything I'll wring his little neck." Ranger asked as he picked up a plate and put it on a tray to load it with salad.
"Of course you wouldn't teach him anything bad. When she does start liking boys, you're going to have a hard time with it. You can't beat them all up Ranger." Stephanie said.
"I just don't want her being taken advantage of." Ranger said as he finished loading his plate and waited for Stephanie.
"You think I'm not going to teach her how not to see that?" Stephanie asked. She looked over at Philip who was now whispering in Jessie's ear. She noticed Jessie was laughing. She'd have to have a few words with that boy. She could already tell Philip liked Jessie.
"I'm sure you will Babe. But it wouldn't hurt to strike a little fear in them as well." Ranger said as he paid for their food.
"Good, then I'm all for striking a little fear in them." Stephanie said as she headed back to the table. She made Philip move and she sat down by Jessie as Ranger sat down by Bobby.
"I heard you two had a meeting with Hitler this morning. How did it go?" Philip asked.
Stephanie turned and looked at Philip. "I don't think she'll be around any longer."
"No shit." Christian said.
"Is she gone?" Roger asked.
"Looks that way." Ranger said.
Jessie introduced all the guys to Ranger and Stephanie. She kept looking at Bobby who was only picking at his lunch now. The guys kept trashing Dr. Planchard around for awhile. Bobby put the fork down and took a drink of the water he had.
Stephanie kept shooting him furtive glances and then looked at Jessie. "When did he start feeling bad?"
"About an hour and a half ago, while we were in Miss Jacobs class. He actually made her give me a pass so he could leave the room." Jessie said. "She gave me a detention for it."
Ranger looked up. "She gave you a detention because Bobby had to leave the room?"
"Yeah. I'm supposed to serve it after school today." Jessie said looking at Bobby.
"I needed a drink Ranger, my stomach was feeling weird. It still is, but now it's cramping." Bobby said.
Ranger looked at Bobby. He wasn't looking to well at all, Bobby was always well; the man rarely got sick. It was one of the reasons Ranger put Bobby with Jessie. Bobby looked fine this morning when he came to pick up Jessie and Dozer.
"So it's getting worse?" Ranger asked him.
Bobby looked up at Jessie, she had a smug look on her face and he turned to Ranger. "Yes, but I can make it through the day. I already told that to Peanut. There is no reason for her to miss anymore school."
Jessie shook her head. "He needs to go to a doctor."
Bobby turned to look at Jessie. "I'm not that sick."
Ranger looked at Jessie then Stephanie. "I'm pulling you Bobby, Jessie can't stay here without you, and you can't protect her this way."
Bobby stood up and picked up the tray. "I'll be back."
Ranger watched him. Bobby was favoring his right leg, and was starting to rub it as he walked to the trash container. Bobby emptied the tray and then he emptied his stomach. Ranger looked at Jessie he could see the worry on her face. She had gotten attached to Bobby already, which was good, she was starting to give Bobby information. The closer Jessie got to Bobby the more they would be able to learn what else Jessie knew.
"He'll be okay Baby." Ranger told her.
Jessie looked back at Ranger. "Can we go now? He needs a doctor, I told him that earlier."
"Yeah, we can go." Ranger stood up and took what was left of his tray, Stephanie's, and Jessie's to the trash container.
Jessie picked up her backpack and followed Stephanie and Ranger. Jessie caught up with Bobby who was walking slowly out of the cafeteria, while Ranger and Stephanie followed them.
"Where are you hurting?" Jessie asked him.
"Peanut, don't worry about me. I'll be good as new in the morning." Bobby told her.
Ranger followed with Stephanie out of the building and over to the main office building. "I think someone is getting attached to Bobby."
"Who is going to school with her tomorrow if Bobby can't?" Stephanie asked.
"Tank, Lester, or myself; we'll see how Bobby is in the morning first." Ranger said as he opened the main door to the building.
Ranger and Stephanie went over to Mary and Ranger signed Jessie out for the rest of the day.
"He doesn't look well." Mary said while looking at Bobby.
"He's a little under the weather at the moment." Ranger said. "Is Mr. Jenkins in the office?"
"Yes he is. I'll let him know you are back." Mary got up and went over to the door and knocked.
"Come in." Mr. Jenkins said.
Mary opened the door. "The Manoso's are back Mr. Jenkins."
"Very well, send them in, Mary. See if you can find the files on the girl's dormitory for me. I can't find where Dr. Planchard had them." Mr. Jenkins said.
"Right away sir." Mary said. She turned around, "you can go in now."
Ranger and Stephanie walked inside. They both took a seat. Mr. Jenkins held up a piece of paper before him and read it over. He lowered it and slid it across the desk.
"I think you'll find this more to your liking Mr. Manoso." Mr. Jenkins stated.
Ranger picked up the new rules and Stephanie read them with him.
Bodyguard policies and procedures.
Any student who is required the need of outside protection coming into Trenton Preparatory Academy will have the bodyguard follow the rules and guidelines issued from the current Dean or active Head of School. These rules are negotiable as the safety of the said student's situation warrants it. These rules are in place for the protection of the student as well as the School. Any violation of the rules will not be held accountable on the said student being guarded. If the bodyguard feels his/her actions were needed and the investigation by the current Dean or active Head of school feels the actions were indeed appropriate no action will be taken against either party. If found under the investigation of the actions of the bodyguard did not warrant the course of his actions then the said bodyguard will then go through the proper city police authorities for the actions to be given due process.
The bodyguard is not allowed to go inside restroom facilities and gym changing facilities if the bodyguard is of a different gender than said guarded student, unless due cause is seen for the actions of this nature where the students safety is held in question.
The bodyguard is not allowed communication with any students on the campus that would be unbecoming for an adult with a child. Communication that the bodyguard feels necessary with any student to help him with his job is allowed and encouraged.
The bodyguard is not allowed to help any student with their class work inside the classroom.
The bodyguard is not allowed to help any student with their tests inside the classroom.
The bodyguard will stay in the classroom at the back of the room and will not disrupt any class that is in process, unless the bodyguard feels disruption is warranted.
Communication between the bodyguard and the student will be allowed at all times anywhere on the campus as it is needed for the protection and welfare of the student who is being guarded.
The bodyguard will be allowed to take the student being guarded outside any facility should the bodyguard feel the action is warranted for the protection and welfare of the student who is being guarded.
This is a contract between the bodyguard, the current Dean or acting Head of the School and the student's parents or legal guardians. Each party will sign below and a copy of the document will be held by each party.
Ranger looked over at Stephanie. "Any questions Babe?"
"No, I like how this reads." Stephanie said. She looked up at Mr. Jenkins, "Thank you, sounds like you know what you are doing at least."
"You're welcome. Keeping Miss Wilson safe is the real issue. She can't be kept safe with the way the rules were written before, and she shouldn't have been held accountable for her bodyguard's actions." Mr. Jenkins said. "After all she's a child and the bodyguard is the one who'll be held accountable for his actions should it prove necessary, but I haven't seen anything that he has done that hasn't been warranted."
Ranger took a pen out of his pocket and signed the form, he stood. "Bobby is outside; let me get him to sign this. I'll be back shortly."
Stephanie stayed and watched Mr. Jenkins nod to Ranger. Ranger walked out of the office. She sat back in the chair and watched the man as he looked at her.
"You don't show very many emotions Mr. Jenkins." Stephanie told him.
"In my line of work emotions are overrated, I deal with them everyday with an over charged and emotional population of teenagers around here Mrs. Manoso. It doesn't mean I don't hold a high regard for all the little minds that are now under my care." Mr. Jenkins said.
"What made you get involve in working in this field?" Stephanie asked.
"The children are our future Mrs. Manoso. Someone has to be in charge of cultivating their fertile minds." Mr. Jenkins said as he clasped his hands together. "Do you not trust me with your daughter's safety?"
"I trust you more than I did Dr. Planchard." Stephanie said.
Mr. Jenkins gave her a wry smile. "Then maybe I have at least earned a measure of your trust. If you feel the need to call the school at anytime, please do so, drop by anytime you wish as well. Maybe I can earn another little fraction of that trust of yours."
Ranger walked back into the office and handed Mr. Jenkins' the bodyguard rules back. "Bobby has no complaints with how this is written either. You did a fine job with these."
"Thank you." Mr. Jenkins said as he signed them. "If you'll give me a moment I'll make the copies and place the original in Miss Wilson's school file."
Ranger took a seat next to Stephanie and Mr. Jenkins walked out of the office.
"Well any more of your senses ringing bells with you?" Ranger asked.
"Maybe a little more, he wants me to trust him more from what I gathered." Stephanie said. "He says the right things to put you at ease but still no emotion in his voice at all."
"We'll run a few more checks Babe." Ranger said.
Mr. Jenkins came back in and handed them a copy. "I've already given one to Mr. Brown." He sat behind the desk. "Like I told your wife Mr. Manoso, feel free to stop by or call anytime. My door will always be open."
"Thank you." Ranger stood and shook his hand and walked out with Stephanie.
Ranger waited on Bobby who was now gritting his teeth as he stood. He'd seen Bobby in pain before and knew Bobby was in a lot of pain now. They went out the door of the office and headed down the hall. If Bobby wasn't better by morning he'd make sure Bobby went and got checked out, if not before. They walked slowly out the building and down toward the parking lot of the school. Jessie stayed right with him and kept shooting furtive glances his way.
Ranger hit the alarm to disengage on the BMW and stopped short when the beeps continued instead of the normal three beeps to disengage the alarm. Bobby grabbed Jessie's shoulder and looked back at him.
"Babe stay with Bobby and Jes." Ranger said. He pulled out his cell and called the office as he walked slowly to the BMW. "I want a run back on the cameras at the school, starting at 9:30am. When you see the BMW pull up start running the cameras forward and tell me who messed with my car."
He stopped short of the BMW and waited. "Nothing, it's sitting there fine all through the footage, no one came near it at all." Tank said.
"Nothing on the footage at all?" Ranger asked.
"No one at all near the BMW or the SUV." Tank told him. "You get an alarm code on the BMW?"
"Yes. Let me check this out." Ranger shut the cell phone off and walked around the BMW. He didn't see anything wrong with it. He put the key in the driver's door and opened it. The sound of a rattle had him standing still; he had heard that distinctive sound before. He took his gun out and cocked it. The sound was coming from under the car. Only one animal he knew made that sound and that was a rattlesnake.
"What is it?" Bobby asked.
"Rattler." Ranger leaned back and saw it by the front wheel, coiled and ready to strike. This snake didn't look common up here in New Jersey. Ranger aimed the gun and fired, the snake's head broke apart easily by the bullet. Ranger looked at Stephanie who was holding onto Jessie.
"Stay over there. I don't know if there is anymore." Ranger told them.
He bent down to get a look at the snake, when he did he noticed the paper that lay in the front seat along with three chess pieces. Ranger looked around the inside of the car before he reached for the chess pieces. He picked up a white queen, a black knight, and a black bishop. Ranger put them in his pocket and then picked up the paper and unfolded it, it was typed.
Take out the white pawn and give up the Black Bishop. Sacrifice yourself in order to save the Black Bishop. The White Queen is in play she chose the two pawns. Black Knight's move.
Ranger read the note over again. His mind was trying to decipher what he had in his hands. Two pawns. He looked at the snake. Pawn, deadly little pawn at that, or at least could cause death. Two pawns, I took out one and that would give up the Black Bishop. Ranger stood and looked at Bobby. Mr. Jenkins was now added to the small group.
"Need any help Mr. Manoso?" Mr. Jenkins asked.
"Not at the moment. I have a dead rattlesnake under my car. As soon as I know more, I'll inform you if I need your help." Ranger put the note in his pocket. He didn't want Jessie seeing this.
Two pawns, I killed one, then where is the other? The Black Bishop? Who is the Black Bishop? Bobby is sick, he wasn't this morning, Bobby has to be the Black Bishop. What did he do? The White Queen? She chose the pawns, but how? How would she even choose them?
Ranger got in the car and backed it up enough to reveal the dead rattlesnake. Bobby, Stephanie, Jessie, and Mr. Jenkins came over to look at the snake.
"Western Diamondback, they are not native to here." Mr. Jenkins said. "Its rattle has been painted, that's odd."
Jessie looked hard at the snake, it had a bright orange tail, and she knew who it belonged to. She had been inside Sergeant Major Ward's office enough to know his snake.
"Cadet Wilson." Sergeant Major Ward said. "Do you know what happens when a western diamondback rattlesnake bites someone?"
"Sir no sir." Jessie responded.
"Come here."
Jessie stepped closer and swallowed hard as she looked at the snake that was in Sergeant Major Ward's hands. The diamond shaped head held in his grasp as the mouth was open and the rattle shook with anger. Jessie heard the hiss of the snake. He lifted the snake up so it was eye level with Jessie.
"One of the most venomous snakes in the world. Nasty temper they got as well. If one bites you they cause bleeding, it destroys tissue because of the toxins. If you don't receive medical care in time you can bleed to death from one of these snakes. This is a Western Diamondback rattlesnake."
Jessie heard the rattle as it shook more vigorous as Sergeant Major Ward moved his other hand and held the snake and picked up the rattle to show it to her. It was painted in bright orange.
"This is Serkan; she's one of my breeders. Serkan means blood in Turkish. She's very special, just like you. Her secret is venom which is deadly; your secrets are just as deadly..."
"Cadet Wilson, good Lord, Ward. Don't frighten her to death."
Jessie turned and saw Old Fart and went right over to him.
"Commander Randolph needs to see you in his office Cadet Wilson, I was asked to escort you. Let's go."
Jessie felt the hand on her cheek and looked at Ranger who was watching her. He bent down, and looked into her eyes so she couldn't see Serkan anymore.
"Baby, are you afraid of snakes?" Ranger asked.
Jessie looked into his brown eyes.
"Jes are you afraid of snakes?" He asked again.
"Sir no sir."
Ranger caressed her cheek with his thumb, she hadn't responded to him like this in quite a while. He got her out of the Sir stuff in about five days of constant reminder when she did it. Ranger looked back at the snake and then back to Jessie. She wasn't going to tell him, he stood back up and looked at Stephanie who was still holding onto Jessie.
"Babe." He gave her a nod to walk away with Jessie.
"Come on Jes." Stephanie turned them and walked away from them.
Stephanie took them out of ear shot and he saw them both talking. He looked at Bobby.
"Could you have been bitten by something?" Ranger asked.
"No, I would have felt it Ranger." Bobby had a hold of his stomach.
Ranger looked at him. "Lift your shirt."
Bobby undid his shirt and revealed his stomach. Ranger could see the muscle cramps he was going through. He looked back at the snake and then to Bobby. "You're going to the hospital. Don't argue."
Ranger looked at Mr. Jenkins. "You might have some other type of poisonous animal running around your school, and probably not native to here as well."
Mr. Jenkins looked at Ranger. "I'll search the buildings. If I find it, I'll let you know what it is." He turned and walked back toward the office.
Ranger turned to Bobby. "That was a move he just played. You have to be checked over. I killed his white pawn, and he said the white queen chose it. If she isn't afraid of snakes, I can't see how she could have chosen it."
At the offices on Haywood Tank sat in front of the computer. He had the school security system pulled up. He used his password to log into the camera folder and checked the logs over again. It was bothering him that Ranger's car was tampered with and the footage was clean. Tank looked hard at each file he scrolled down trying to find anything that would explain how this could have happened. Tank was getting frustrated because nothing looked out of place. He was self taught when it came to computers but he'd learned quite a lot from dealing with hackers and crackers.
Tank was itching to pull Hudson in here and sit the kid down in front of the computer. That call would be Ranger's if the decision was made. They had to take away Hudson's cell phone four months ago, the kid already figured out how to crack his way onto the internet with it and he had been one step away from using it illegally. Tank saw the one file that didn't look right to him and tried to access it. It threw out the prompt for the password, Tank typed his password in.
Access Denied.
Tank sat back. The school was compromised more than what they had initially thought. Either the man was on the inside, or he had someone working for him inside. He had also gained access to the computer system the school had and was now working it to his advantage to stay invisible.
Tank picked up the phone and dialed Ranger's cell.
"Yo."
"He has access to the school's computer system. He's taken away my clearance." Tank told him as he was trying to access any file now. Those two words kept coming back up on the screen like a slap in the face every time. Access Denied.
"Hang on."
Ranger covered the cell. "Bobby why don't you go back to the compound? I'll have Lester take you to a doctor, Jes will stay with me for the rest of the day."
Ranger watched as Bobby nodded and pulled the keys out to the SUV that was parked about two hundred yards away from them. He hit the remote to disengage the alarm and when he did the SUV rose into the air in a mass of fire and black billowing smoke before it fell back down to the ground.
"I'll call back." Ranger hung up the cell phone.
Mr. Jenkins opened the window behind Mary's station, he saw the SUV as it smoldered on the school's parking lot. "Mary, call the fire department."
"Right away Mr. Jenkins." Mary said.
Mr. Jenkins walked into the Dean's office. He went to the desk and opened the drawer and pulled out the scrambler. He connected it into the phone line and picked up the phone after he turned the scrambler on and placed the call.
"Benton." Came the English voice on the other end.
"He is in the school, he has to be, or at least it's one of his men. Run the check on the janitor again. I have a smoldering SUV in the school parking lot." Mr. Jenkins said.
"He's coming back clean. What do you want me to do? Go to the high school and pull the year books, Dylan?"
Dylan sat back in the chair. "Do it Benton." Dylan typed on the computer inside the school and accessed the camera files. The prompt came for the password and he typed his in, well Mr. Jenkins' password. Access Denied.
"Fuck." Dylan said. "Look, I don't care if you have to go all the way back to kindergarten to make sure the mother fucker in this school is real and not some damned ghost. I want him found out. Send Jericho if you have to."
Dylan tried a few different passwords and then he got nothing but garbage back on the screen. The whole school computer systems are shut down.
"You want me to send Jericho out to look into the schools?" Benton asked. "Are you nuts? She's a freaking lunatic."
"Just do it. Look, I'm having computer issues. Damn shit has gotten better at this." Dylan said. "This doesn't look at all like his normal thing, I think he's got outside help with this. Run all the Federal computer crackers and hackers that have gotten out in the last five years. He's up to something and I'm not sure what he's after."
"I'll send her, and then I'm sending her to you. You deal with her." Benton said. "How bad are we talking on the computers?"
"He's got me locked out." Dylan said.
"Shit."
Dylan hung up and took the scrambler off the phone and placed it back in the drawer. He shut the monitor down. His computer skills were good, but he wasn't good at cracking into systems. His skills were at hiding information, this was something he was excellent at. Dylan got up and walked out of the office and headed back outside. Mary already called an animal control man to look through the school. He walked back toward the parking lot. Dylan's eyes rested on Jessie who had Stephanie's arms wrapped around her. He had to find out who David was talking to and soon, he wasn't getting any of his clues this way. He knew Benton was setting up a meeting between Ranger and Stephanie tomorrow, he would call Benton back tonight, he needed a way in even if he had to reveal himself in order to get some information to start exchanging hands.
