Thank you for all the reviews; you guys are amazing:) If you recognize them, they're not mine :) Happy New Year!

Thank you Margaret for reading ahead as my beta once again.

Chapter 36—Trust is the operative word

Hal's POV

I radioed our needs to Rangeman and then Ramon and I went outside to wait and think out the best way to diffuse this thing. Ramon, Eugene and I had all been part of EOD* units in the military so I took the ten minutes or so time we still had while waiting for Rangeman to show up to call Eugene.

"I was in the comm room when your call came in," Gene told me. "I heard what you planned to do and asked Chet and Caesar to bring liquid nitrogen with them instead of trying to recycle the propellant. You wouldn't want to accidently spill any of that and we have more than enough for our needs here. I'm on monitors starting in twenty but I can get Martin to cover for me if you could use my help."

"Thanks man. Good thinking. You're right; we'd rather not mess with filling a sprayer. And I appreciate your offer, but even if you left now it would take you twenty minutes to get here. Do you think you can get Martin to cover for you while we keep you on the line during the diffusion? Three heads are better than two."

"You got it. And he already said he'd cover."

"Any word from Ranger?"

"Nada but I'm sure as soon as he calls in and finds out what's going on, he'll show up at the site. Les sent out a company-wide APB which he'll see as soon as he turns on his phone. You guys may not know but Sal and Vince got that asshole posing as the orderly. We have him in detention with Manny running facial recognition on him to see if he can get a name. And Cal's already volunteered to 'interrogate' him."

"Good. I'll let Les and Bobby know. A Rangeman vehicle just turned down the street. I'll call you back in five," I told him, getting up to meet the van.

"'K man. I'm here."

The four-part advanced bomb suits are heavy and they don't breathe so Ramon and I had ours off to the waist while we waited out the Rangeman car. I was still sweating and being wet going back in there wouldn't be a good idea so I took mine completely off and grabbed a towel from my truck while Chet and Caesar unloaded our equipment. I turned around to see Ramon doing the same thing. Good thing it was just us guys here as Ramon and I were running around in our skivvies and little else. I was contemplating using a hairdryer to dry out the inside of my suit, and myself, when I saw Ramon pull one out from the truck and plug it into the converter attached to the cigarette lighter. I was kind of glad we were of like minds if we were going to be doing this together.

There was still no word from Ranger, Hector, Manny or Raphael and we were getting ready to go back in to diffuse the bomb. If Steph asked, I didn't know what to tell her. I just hoped she wouldn't ask. Her man would be here when he could. I had a feeling New Jersey needed him as much as she did at the moment.

Ranger's POV

I could tell that the governor appreciated our efforts to bring Sotolongo to him. Sotolongo, on the other hand, was pissed. I was sure I'd hear his wrath as soon as this meeting was over. This was a man who NEVER wanted to end up in the governor's office for any reason…and here he was, face-to-face with the devil.

"Lolo," Christie began and I was sure the use of his first name pissed Sotolongo off even more, "I'm sorry we had to bring you here under false pretenses…"

The look on Sotolongo's face was one of pure hatred. I'd have a lot of dancing to do to make amends this time even though I knew Christie was willing to give Lolo and the rest of the Marielitas limited immunity in exchange for working with the task force.

I felt my phone buzz a couple of times but I wasn't in a place where I could look right now; Rangeman would have to wait this out. And it was my turn to take the stage and let everyone know what I knew anyway.

"Governor, Lolo. I'd like to formally introduce you to Hector Santiago, Manuel Ramos and Raphael Perez," I said, nodding to each man as I called his name. "These men work for me in my security firm but their loyalty goes beyond employee and I'd like for you to be as frank speaking in front of them as you would with me. Lolo, as the governor said, I too am sorry to bring you here under false pretension. If you'll hear me out, you'll understand that there was no other way.

"My fiancé is in the hospital recovering from a slash to her femoral artery. I don't believe her incident to be gang related but while I was staying with her in the hospital Manuel," and I nodded to him, "sent me these photos pulled from the slasher's laptop. I believe they were to be used to try to blackmail me. She was able to ID the man in the mirror here. Look," I said throwing down the blow-ups onto the table for Chris and Lolo to peruse. "We ran facial recognition on him and he rings positive for a member of the Chongos. Leonard Ling, also known as Crazy Lenny."

"It is Ling," Sotolongo spoke, holding one of the print outs; his first words since he'd been inside the governor's mansion. "And if he's here, other Chongos are here too."

"I think they somehow found out that I gave you untraceables and are here to fuck with me before gunning for you in Newark. We may be able to catch them off guard if we act quickly."

Lolo looked at me as if I were crazy for mentioning the untraceable weapons I gave him. I'd need to let him know about my relationship with Christie, but now was not the time.

I glanced over at Hector who had just pulled his phone from his pocket. I guessed when Rangeman couldn't get to me they tried him. He looked pained for a second before securing his blank face.

"Ranger," he said finally, "they got Estefania."

I noticed everyone turn to look at him.

The 'they' he mentioned could only mean one thing in this context. The Chongos.

"Speak."

"There was an APB from Santos letting us know that Steph was forcefully taken from the hospital. A second text said they found her and Hal and Ramon were called to the scene."

"Bomb," I said, putting two and two together. "Governor, can I have five minutes to make a call?"

"By all means."

"If the Chongos are fucking with your woman to get even," Sotolongo broke in, "we want to help too."

"Thank you. I'll be right back."

I went outside and called the desk. Tank answered. Obviously this was serious enough to take him from home to the office. He relayed back to me what Steph told Santos. Her abductors were Asian as was the first orderly who tried to take her for X-rays. The place where she was being held was wired with trip lines and lasers and Hal and Ramon had called in for supplies to dismantle the bomb. He reiterated that Steph was ok, just showing early signs of hypothermia and the men were going to work as fast as they could to get her out of there. I needed to go to her.

I stepped back into the governor's office. "Stephanie is safe for now but I need to get to her. My men are going to try to diffuse a bomb and I want her to know I'm there in case anything goes wrong."

"Understood," Christie told me. "Mr. Sotolongo, you said you wanted to help. Show me you mean it. This meeting is adjourned for now, can we speak again in the morning?"

We all agreed.

Once we were outside Lolo followed me to the Cayenne. "I promised to help. We have a bomb guy, want me to call him?"

"Reyes?"

"Sí."

"Can we pick him up on the way?"

"That will take time. It's important for you to get to your woman as soon as possible. He'll meet us there," he said, making a call, then nodding to me for a location.

I called Brown, he gave me directions then told me the same thing that Hector did. Lolo got into the car with me and we headed west. I knew Hector, Manny and Raphael would follow. Hector needed to know that his partner was ok.

Being in the car with Sotolongo I was ready for anything. I knew he was not happy with they way he was brought in but I also knew he would not cooperate any other way. We'd work it out but first I'd need to live through his tongue-lashing.

"That was fucked up," he said holding the gun he'd taken back from Hector's vehicle and looking at it. I knew he wouldn't shoot me, but he was pissed enough to stick it in my face.

"I already apologized, what more do you want me to do?"

"Tell me why."

"You'll get immunity, what more do you need to know."

"I need to know that you're not fucking with me and my crew."

"I'm not fucking with you. The governor has funds set aside for your cooperation. He can pay you and your crew very well to play along. It's in your best interests."

"I'm not going to need money where I'm going. I know this game."

"Not what you think. I'm not selling you out. You need to trust me on this."

"I trusted you before and you took me to the governor's crib. You need to prove I can trust you again."

"Lolo you have my word and I will be on my way to my fiancé's funeral if this doesn't work out."

He got quiet; obviously he saw the dilemma too.

Stephanie's POV

I didn't know what was happening and I didn't know why. I couldn't stop shaking and no one was telling me anything other than there was a bomb somewhere and that I shouldn't move. Where was Carlos and why wasn't he here? Was he already dead and me next? Even Lester wasn't telling me anything other than he couldn't toss me a blanket right now. All I could do was wish myself warm and that didn't seem to be working. I had to appeal to the medic among us.

"Bobby?" I asked; my voice shaking from the cold I was experiencing. "You said you'd throw me a blanket once you assessed the situation. I can't stop shivering. Please?"

"There are not only trip lines out here and in the room with you but there are also pinpoint lasers that if broken by any mechanical form will also denote the bomb. Ramon and Hal are here and Hector just called me to tell me he, Ranger, Manny, Rafe and Sotolongo are on their way. The Marielitas' bomb guy is going to meet them here too. We've worked with him before. He's as crazy as they come and not afraid of anything. If Hal and Ramon don't think they can safely dismantle the thing, I have a feeling he'd go in, even without protection, and do it."

"He'd risk his life for me?"

"He'd risk his life for Sotolongo. You are important to Ranger and Sotolongo and his men respect that."

I didn't know what to say and this was the second time that Sotolongo had come to my aid. I wondered about Carlos' relationship with him. Did they go way back or something?

"Bobby? How well does Carlos know these guys?"

He paused for a second before answering me. Maybe this was one of those 'need to know' things too.

"I've known Lolo and most of his loyal crew since we've set up shop in Trenton. I think Ranger's known him longer. I think they went to school or something together."

"He wasn't the one who tempted Carlos to steal a car and get him put into juvie was he?"

"I don't know Bomber. You'll have to ask him yourself. All I know is that there is a deep trust between them but one that may have been tarnished a bit after tonight."

"By Carlos' gang task force thing?"

"He told you about that?"

"Not really. Just that he wasn't going to join the war unless he had to."

"You'll have to trust him there, Steph. He wouldn't put himself in jeopardy knowing you two were getting married in a couple of weeks. He just wouldn't do that to you."

"He wouldn't Beautiful," Les chimed in from somewhere. "He loves you too much. We all do."

"I love you guys too. We're going to get out of here, aren't we?"

"Hal and Ramon are the best. We have to trust their skills but if you're asking my opinion. Yes, we're going to get out of here."

*Explosive Ordnance Disposal