Coming to work that evening was hard for Stephanie. As she guided her car down into the RangeMan Garage, she parked and sat there going off in to her own thoughts. Ranger had told her before going home yesterday to home and get in gear and come to work around seven that tried to get her head into the game but her mind was a jumbled mess. Jumping when her phone rang, Steph found herself stroking her stomach. Fumbling around in her bag she found her phone and on a shaky breath answered it.
"Hello"
"Babe we were all wondering if you were going to come up or should we all come down and meet in the garage?" Ranger asked her
"Huh?"
"Babe, Lester and Ram have been watching the monitors and you've sat in your car going on twenty minutes" he told her
"Oh God, ok I'm on my way up"
"Good we need to go over everything one last time before it all goes down" He told her
"Ok be there in five"
Stephanie tossed her phone back into her bag and thunked her head a few times on her steering wheel. Lester was manning the cameras and watched her sit in her car the entire time. She knew he would be wondering, but hopefully he'd just think it was nerves over Jennea.
As Steph got out of the car, Lester watched as she smoothed down her shirt and then bumps the door close with her hip. When he saw that she was on the elevator he swiveled in his chair to watch her when she arrived on the floor.
"You better stop that" Ram told him
"What?"
"Looking at bombshell" he told him as the elevator dinged
"And why can't I look at her?"
"Because of him" Ram said as Ranger left his office flanked by Tank meeting Steph as she walked off the elevator
Lester watched as Tank and Ranger took each side of Stephanie. Seeing her shake her head they all walked into Rangers office and closed the door behind them. Sitting in the chair in front of his desk, Steph listened as Ranger explained to her how the night should go. When he was finished he told Tank to go get Bobby and Lester.
"SANTOS, BROWN OFFICE NOW. MY TEAM SUIT UP" Tank barked and the men scurried
Steph looked up as the two men entered the room. Gone was their playfulness and ease, in its place was a blank face and the scent of testosterone. They were preparing themselves for war.
"I was filling Steph in on what we are about to do. I want us all on the same page. Our primary goals are keeping Stephanie safe and to nail Jennea" Ranger said and they all nodded
"Brown, Santos, and I will be in the RangeMan van. We will head out in about thirty minutes so we can be all set up. We will monitor the sound and the video feeds coming from the building. We will hear and see everything. Tank you're in command of the ground team. You are to make and keep all perimeters' secure. No one is to pass by or come in unless it's us. Got It?"
"10-4" they all said
"One question"
"Babe" Ranger said
"Everything is wired for sight and sound?"
"Yes" he said
"Dressing area, Bathrooms?"
The men looked at her.
"I'm just thinking that on my last shoot that was for the web site I changed several times. I don't want you all seeing me, and what if I have to go to the bathroom?" she asked
"Santos?"
"Don't worry Beautiful. We'd like to get the chance to see you but we didn't bug the dressing rooms or the bathrooms, just the main rooms and outside" he told her earning a glare from Ranger
"Ok that's all I wanted to know"
"Ok everyone you have your assignments, let's roll" Ranger said as he stood up "and ohh Steph do not eat or drink anything this slime gives you"
"Got it" she said looking over to Bobby
Stephanie followed they guys out of the office and onto the command room floor. What she saw when she stepped out of the office blew her mind. Men were running and scurrying everywhere. Utility belts were snapping on, Guns were loaded and checked, knives hidden on bodies, and vests were velcroed into place. Watching the men getting ready for combat, Steph search the sea of black for one particular RangeMan. When she finally found him she watched him.
Lester stood alone in the far corner of the room in an unused cubby. He had everything he was going to use laid out on the empty desk top. He slid his utility waist around his slim waist and clicked it securely in place over his belt; next he bent over and clicked the leg strap around his muscular thigh. Selecting the gun off the desk he carefully loaded it and held it up to make sure it was all set, placing it into the holster on his hip he snapped the small band in place to secure it.
Stephanie then watched as Lester took a very scary looking knife from the desk, held it up, and ran his fingers over the blade. Watching as he sheathed it on his leg he went back to his other weapons that were left. Watching as Lester put a small gun at his back and a smaller knife on his ankle, Steph suddenly became aware that Lester Santos was a very dangerous and lethal man. He had told her over and over he was just as good as Ranger but until now she hadn't given it much credence. Steph was freighted, intrigued, and a little turned on, ok she was a lot turned on. Any woman seeing a tall, dark, handsome man dressed all in black would be fanning herself. Kneeling and doing something Steph never seen any of them do. Lester crossed himself, stood up, and turned around to catch Stephanie staring at him, he walked over to her.
"Hey Baby" he softly said pushing some hair behind her ear
"Hi"
"What's wrong you're shaking?" he asked
"It just hit me how dangerous you really are"
Lester took a hold of her hand and dragged her off into the dark conference room. When he sat her down he told her to breath.
"Steph you knew this about me" he said watching her inhale and exhale "every one of us is armed at all times. It's our job"
"I know but seeing you do your weapons was just.. I don't know. You know this about Ranger it oozes from him, but I just saw you as Lester, jokey, flirty Lester"
"Steph I understand what you are saying. The only time I'm not armed is when I'm buried inside you" he whispered to her
"Is it wrong to be extremely turned on by you right now? I find you very sexy right this very moment"
"No because I find you sexy all the time and you turn me on just because you breathe" he said standing her up
His eyes never leaving hers, Lester slid his arm around her waist and pulled her to his hard body. Dipping his head he settled his mouth on hers and kissed Stephanie in a slow deep kiss. Pulling back,Steph laid her head on to his chest. Moving to look up at Lester. Steph reached up to kiss Lester again when the door to the room opened.
"Les man you in here?" Hall asked "OH SHIT"
"Steph was scared man, so I brought her in here to comfort her"
"Whatever man, not my funeral. Rangers ready to go" he told him walking out
"We better go" he told steph
"Yea"
Lester and Steph walked out of the conference room. The only ones left on the command floor were Bobby and Ranger. When he saw the both of them walk out together, Ranger shot Lester a dark look.
"Babe" he said as she walked up putting a hand on to her cheek "we are going now. Tank and his team are getting into place. Come when you are ready. Remember your appointment time"
"OK"
"We'll be right there. Anything goes wrong we are seconds away" he told her
"Ok"
"Go get em" Ranger told her and tugged her hair
Stephanie watched as Ranger, Bobby, and Lester walked to the stairwell door and disappeared behind it. Letting out a breath she looked up at the wall clock and saw it was seven forty five, plopping down next to Binkie who was manning the monitors and watching Jennea, she sighed.
"You'll be fine, look" he told her pointing to a monitor
Steph followed Binkies finger and saw Tank giving instructions and then disappear behind a tree, moments later a long black van parked behind a row of brush. If binkie hadn't showed her she never would have seen any RangeMen at all.
"We've got you Steph" Binkie told her
Steph's eyes filled with tears as she saw and felt the devotion of all the men towards her. Leaning over she caught Binkie off guard as she hugged him tightly and then left for her appointment. Blinking in surprise, Binkie shook his head as he watched Steph drive out of the RangeMan garage.