Chapter 29—Rescue Rangers

Author's Note: The next two chapters contain violence to major characters. It may be hard to read about harm coming to those we love.

Ranger's POV

It was dark by the time Tank and I arrived in Henderson. We made our way to a remote area on the outskirts of town and found Lester and Bobby parked on the side of a building across the road from the warehouse. They reported no movement.

They did say there was a window on the upper back side. A light had been on earlier, but was off now. That window corresponded with the satellite image we studied earlier; it seemed the best way in.

Before gearing up, I had to say it even though I knew what their response would be.

"We have no Intel on what we'll find inside. We don't even know if Stephanie is in there. But if Black's touched one hair on her head, he's a dead man. At a minimum, this is breaking and entering; maximum…it's murder. I won't ask you to risk jail time."

"Shut up, man." Tank slammed a fist into my shoulder.

Bobby looked me straight in the eye and grunted a note of derision.

Lester was grinning and there was a gleam in his eyes. "I wouldn't miss this for anything. It's like old times."

As Rangers we always did a hand gesture/shoulder bump before each mission. This time was no different. Then the three men who'd been with me on more missions than I could count turned to the back of the SUV and geared up.

I looked at each of my brothers one last time as we prepared to go to battle against the enemy…and rescue my woman. I felt like the richest man in the world.

We moved quickly across the road to the shadows of the warehouse. Making our way to the rear, we stopped under the recessed balcony. There was an iron railing at the edge of the balcony. The metal-sided building was slick without useable handholds, so we decided to chance a grappling hook.

I went up the ropes first. It was obvious I was getting older, plus I'd put on at least ten pounds eating Steph's cooking. And it didn't help that I'd been drugged and puked all last night either. This type of thing used to be so easy for me. I was relieved it was only a two-story building when I pulled myself over the railing.

I peered in the glass door at an empty office. There was a faint light, probably coming up from the ground floor.

It took longer than I expected for the rest of the team to make it up. We were all getting older. I had the outside door to the office unlocked when Tank finally hauled his carcass over the railing.

We slipped inside the darkened room. I peeked out the small inset window in the inner door. It looked out on an open loft. There were steel supports rising up out of the floor and continuing to the ceiling. My eyes adjusted to the dim light, and I saw a dark form about thirty feet from the office. It was a person slumped in a chair. A head came up; it was Stephanie!

Reacting without thinking, I yanked the door handle and a bright light flashed and a deafening noise sounded. That was the last thing I remembered.

Stephanie's POV

I'd dozed off for a few minutes…or hours…I wasn't a good judge of time without a clock, but it was dark now. I was awakened by a noise and when I looked up, I swore I saw Carlos' face. My heart soared! And then there was a terrific explosion that made my ears ring. Some kind of bomb had gone off in the office. Oh my god! I hoped my vision of Carlos was just wishful thinking.

There was a thunderous noise on the stairs and then the lights came on in the loft. All four of my captors rushed past me to the office and looked in the window.

I shouted at them, "What happened? Was that a bomb? Damn you…talk to me."

Harry whooped and turned to me, "We caught them! We caught your would-be rescuers. I was hoping he'd come looking for you before we had to leave. Now I can finish the job. Don't worry, Apple Cheeks. I'll let you say goodbye before I kill him."

"You caught who? Kill who?" I asked, already knowing…and dreading…the answer.

No, no, no, no, no. My heart was beating a mile a minute. My throat was dry. I felt like I was going to be sick.

One of the guys opened the door to the office and they all stepped back. I could smell something acrid. They waited a minute or two before turning on the light in that room and going in.

I watched in horror as they dragged out first Carlos and then Tank, Bobby and Lester, all unconscious. At least I hoped they were just unconscious.

I fought against my restraints, desperate to go to Carlos, to see if he was alright, but I was held fast. My arms had gone numb hours ago and every muscle ached. And my bladder was screaming at me.

Frick and Frack searched all four men as they lay unconscious on the floor. They pulled a small arsenal off each man and dumped the weapons on a nearby table.

Then Frick and Frack picked up Carlos' limp body and held him against one of the steel columns while Harry and Junior wrapped a length of rope around him securing him upright to the pillar. Then they put flexicuffs on his wrists and ankles. His head rolled from side to side as they manhandled him.

While anger surged through me at their rough treatment of him, relief countered it knowing Carlos was still alive. They wouldn't restrain him otherwise.

Seeing him like this, unconscious, with imminent death hanging over him, all I could think of was how I'd held Carlos at arm's length and had barricaded my heart against him for months. Just so I wouldn't feel a little pain. Okay, a lot of pain. To me, that's what relationships were…heartache and pain.

But now, I would give anything to feel it, because it would mean I would have had that time with him, instead of wasting it being safe, safe but alone. And now…time was running out. I never told him I loved him…never had the joy of making love to him. Fear…embarrassment…such useless emotions. If only...

They secured the other three RangeMen to columns until all four of my friends were tied to steel posts facing me. As much as I wanted them to wake up, I dreaded it knowing Harry and his henchmen planned to kill them.

Fuck, fuck, fuck…FUCK!

I couldn't believe Carlos found me. And Tank, Lester, and Bobby…risking their lives for me. How did they know where I was? Or who took me?

I knew they were security specialists, bounty hunters. I knew they'd done dangerous missions as Army Rangers and then as…whatever they did for the government afterward. Probably covert Black Ops. But I never expected them to come after me, to try to rescue me. This was different. Now they risked their lives for me. Now they were going to die…all because of me.

No, dammit! This was because of Harry…slimy, delusional Harry Black.

If it was the last thing I did, I would avenge their deaths and it would be worth my own as long as I took Harry Black with me. Maybe fear had its purpose after all. Fear channeled into cold murderous rage. Amazing how your entire outlook on life can change in a few short hours. Taking long slow breaths, I bided my time, my eyes fixed on Carlos' still form.

It didn't take long for the guys to come around. They looked dazed in the bright overhead light and began to struggle against their ropes.

Carlos' head snapped up and when he saw me an indescribable look crossed his face. I saw tenderness, pain and then rage as our eyes locked. Another thing we now had in common.

I knew what he saw when he looked at my face. My right eye was swollen shut and my left wasn't far behind. I probably had bruises darkening all over my face. My lip was cut and bleeding and blood had dripped from my swollen nose down my neck to my chest. I thought my nose was broken. I'm sure I wasn't a pretty sight.

I didn't know how much time we had left. "Carlos, I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I'm so sorry."

All I could think about was losing him. My rage was overwhelmed by my pain, my regret…another useless emotion. I started crying. He struggled against his bonds even harder.

"Babe, lo siento. Te he fallado." [I'm sorry. I failed you.] There was agony in his voice, but just hearing it gave me strength. I pulled myself together.

His eyes never left me, but the look on his face was one of anguish. Then Harry moved between us and Carlos' anger came surging out. He started cursing at Harry.

Harry strutted over and let Carlos rant for a while and then he swung back his fist and hit him hard in the face. He followed it with several punches to Carlos' abdomen. I reeled with each blow, wishing I could take them instead of him.

"That's for daring to put your dirty brown hands on my woman. Think you're tough stuff, eh? Well, you won't think so after I get done with you."

He slammed his fist into Carlos' face over and over until his knuckles were bleeding. I kept screaming for Harry to stop. My sobs got louder as Carlos' head dropped forward on his chest. He was out again. My stomach lurched and I began dry heaving.

While Harry had been beating Carlos, Harry's son was doing the same to Tank. Shouts and insults were flying back and forth between both groups of men and then the two mobster wannabes started using Lester and Bobby as punching bags. Soon, all four of my friends were beaten unconscious.

I closed my eyes unable to witness any more violence. I felt true hate for the first time in my life. I realized how weak my past 'hates' were in comparison to the emotion I was experiencing now.

"Coward! Hitting a man who can't defend himself. You're afraid of him, aren't you? You're all cowards. Good for nothing, mother fucking cowards." I screamed at all of them.

Harry squatted down close to me. I struggled to get at him, wanting to rip him apart. Unable to do anything else, I spit in his face. I expected, wanted, him to hit me, but he just closed his eyes for a minute and wiped the spittle off.

"You're going to need to learn some respect, Stephanie. I'll give you a little grace time because I know all this is new to you. But let that be a warning."

Hearing him speak brought me back to reality. There had to be a way out of this. I needed to calm down and be ready to take advantage of the slightest opportunity.

"I'm sorry if that was hard to watch. But after having to watch him with you, dancing so close together, his hands all over you, I deserved a little retribution. Men need to get physical at times."

He licked the blood off his knuckles and then stroked my cheek. I shuddered, knowing some of that blood was Carlos'.

"I forgive you for turning me away before, but from now on out you will be true to me. I do not react well to disloyalty." He leaned down and kissed me. My stomach lurched again and I gagged on bile. Harry stood up.

"Mañoso has to go. It has to be this way. He'd come looking for us if I didn't stop him. I can't have that. I've planned this for too long. It started out as revenge, but then I fell in love with you, Apple Cheeks."

He leaned forward and kissed me again. I started dry heaving again. It made me wish I'd just eaten a big Italian dinner.

I had no idea what he was talking about…revenge…for what? I tried to reason with him.

"Harry, it won't work. You'll never get away with this. If you kill these men, not only will the authorities come looking for you, but so will their friends. You can't run forever."

"I told you I have it all planned out. We're never coming back. The place we're going to has no extradition policy and, besides, I'll just be an honest businessman bringing money into an impoverished country. We'll be safe."

"You're crazy if you think this will work." I looked into his eyes and knew he was crazy…stark raving loony-tunes.

"Crazy like a fox. I've got our island hideaway all set up. I can continue to do business down there and you and I will have the ideal life. It's a paradise for a rich man and I'm a very rich man now. You won't have to lift a finger. We'll have servants to do everything for us. Your only job will be to please me. And I know I can please you. You'll see…it'll be great."

He looked over his shoulder at Carlos' still form. "I just need to take care of this one last problem." He stood up and rolled his shoulders. Fear shot through me and I couldn't help myself. I begged.

"No, Harry, please don't kill him. Just leave them here and let's go. I'll be anyone you want me to be. I'll do anything you want me to do, if you will just leave him be."

Harry chuckled, "You'll do everything I want, no matter what." He stroked my cheek, then chucked me under the chin. Just his touch on my skin made me shudder.

"Junior, watch over them. When they wake up, call me. And you be nice to Stephanie. She's important to me. I want you to wash her face, clean her up a bit, but no groping. You hear me?" He glared at his son.

Junior looked at his dad, then glared at me.

"Well?" his father waited.

"Yeh, I hear ya," Junior grunted.

Harry, Frick and Frack filed down the stairs and soon I heard more nails being pounded into my coffin…er, crate.

Junior shuffled over and stared down at me. "Shit, your face is a mess. You aren't looking so pretty now."

I could imagine just how ugly I was. And it was this bastard I had to thank for it. Rhino rage threatened to take over and then I saw movement from Carlos. I was his only hope. I needed a plan.

"Junior, your dad told you to clean me up. And I need to pee. Let me use the restroom and then I can wash my face." I was hoping he'd buy it.

"Uh unh. I'd have to untie you."

"Come on. I really have to use the bathroom. Your father told you to take care of me. Letting me use the bathroom to pee is taking care of me and I can wash my own face. You shouldn't have to do women's work like that." I mentally crossed my fingers.

He looked doubtful. I started squirming and fidgeting. "Please, Junior. You don't want to have to clean up my pee, do you?"

That got him moving. He untied me, none too gently. As he was bent over me, I saw all four of my guys look up at me. I winked. Their eyes widened. I winked again.

Junior helped me up when it was obvious I was too stiff to walk on my own. The guys' heads were all down when we walked by.

There was a small spartan bathroom in the office. Junior shoved me in and then leaned against the door, staring at me. His massive frame filled the open doorway. Even though he didn't look like he was in very good condition, he was as big a man as Tank.

"Shut the door. I'm not going with you staring at me."

He didn't move; he just grinned evilly.

"Fine." I dropped my jeans and sat down and peed. Like I said, I really had to go. At least Junior didn't try anything.

I moved over to the sink, washed my hands and used paper towels to wash off the worst of the dried blood. I also drank some water. I'd been tied up for most of the day without anything to eat or drink.

"You look a lot better, bitch." Junior stepped in and shut the bathroom door. He grabbed me from behind, his huge sweaty palm covering my mouth.

"Now, we're going to have a little fun. And you aren't going to tell my father or the next time I won't be so gentle." His other hand was unbuttoning my jeans.