Everybody and everything familiar belongs to Janet. Mistakes are solely mine.

My ladies let me leave only after I vowed to return shortly and without injury. I had to keep my promise just to keep Stephanie from hunting down Manden herself. I can honestly say that he's safer with me being pissed at him than causing my wife's anger. Steph takes being my personal bodyguard seriously, and even she'll admit she's always been a little bloodthirsty when it comes to exacting revenge.

"What do you think he wants?" Bobby asked me, interrupting the silence I prefer while driving. "You to work your magic again and keep him from being killed?"

Manden has been acting as a reliable snitch for Rangeman since my company became a reality. He's not a bad guy compared to some of the other eyes I have on the street, but he does have a few demons that keep him relying on ratting out others to support his habits and to keep himself alive at times. It was a challenge to make it known that he's under my protection without him being labeled the informant he is and targeted because of it, but a few strategic fights and a public threat or two had everyone around him unsure who he answers to. There is a chance he'll screw me over as easily as he does everyone else, but I made it brutally clear that I'll kill him, slowly and creatively, if he ever puts my family, my men, or myself in danger

"That was my first thought," I said, answering Brown's question. "He fucks things up for himself every six months like clockwork."

I don't rely on past experiences in order to predict future ones, but I do feel more comfortable having a history to factor into my final decisions. Manden has issues, but he's also proven to be loyal to the few willing to still see him as a human being.

"You'd think the fucker would take you up on your offer to help him get clean and legally employed," Bobby commented.

"Things will only change when Manden wants them to," I reminded him. "I let him know I could get him living on the right side of the law, but he hasn't been ready to give up the only life he's known."

Bobby made a sound halfway between a snort and a groan. "That could describe half the men we considered hiring when you got this company started."

"Difference is, my men took me at my word that I would use every resource at my disposal to ease them into their new lives. Manden is proving to be a stubborn bastard."

"We could always beat some change into him," Brown suggested.

"That can keep him out of trouble for a time, not guarantee that he lives a life he wants to continue."

"My need for a good fight wants to argue with you, but seeing what's been happening around the building ... I get what you mean. After Lula's trick engagement, I never thought Tank would trust anyone but us again."

"I didn't either, and I can't wait for it to be your turn to get knocked on your ass by a woman way out of your league."

He shook his head in a way I know he'll eventually regret. "I still have years of answering only to myself ahead of me. Loving Julie and Olive are enough. I'm happy to be just an Uncle."

"Cal said as much to me and now he's married with a son joining the team in a few months. You may not want to tempt fate by denying a goal because you don't think you deserve to meet this one."

He stopped short of rolling his eyes at me as I pulled up to the meeting site. "We going in with weapons drawn?" He asked, ignoring what I'd said.

I nodded. "Be prepared but do not engage unless it's necessary."

"Got it."

I parked and Bobby and I acted as one as we exited my vehicle and moved towards a potential trap. I would say this felt like the good 'ol days, but I find the last couple years to be some of my proudest. Bobby covered me as I approached the car parked in the lot ahead of us, our guns out and ready to fire if it's needed. If someone attempts a shot at me, Bobby will not hesitate to take the fucker out with a double-tap to the asshole's head, which is why I wanted him with me. His skills won't be needed today, but I knew Steph would breathe easier knowing a close friend is watching my back.

I'd like to return home to my wife and daughter, so I didn't lower my Glock until Manden stuck both arms out the window of his vehicle, followed by his head and a frightened expression fixed on his face. If I'd wanted to begin this meeting with a little target practice, he would have cooperated without putting up a fight.

"Why did you call me?" I asked, only lowering my weapon to gesture him towards the building after telling Bobby to unlock the warehouse for us.

Brown stayed beside me, and given his nod … he also sensed that no one else was on the property. If there had been, I would have received word from the control room, since our buildings are monitored as closely as Rangeman is, but it's always good to know our instincts are on point. Manden has reason to believe I'll turn him into a human-sprinkler in a heartbeat, so he did exactly as I instructed.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet me," he said, as Bobby searched him for anything he could use to harm us or himself.

"You doubted what I said?" I asked him.

"No, but you don't have to cater to bottom feeders like me."

"I don't 'cater' to anyone, but I do take care of those who are beneficial to me. What's this about?"

"I need help and there's no one I could call, 'specially since you were requested."

"By …?"

"Needles took my girlfriend, my now pregnant girlfriend to get me to arrange a meeting with you. I want to confront the fucker myself, but no one on the street will fucking tell me where he is or where he stashed her."

"Jordy Cristiano?" I asked, quickly running through the FTAs I've apprehended and the family associated with them, plus the street names tied to them.

Needles had been a cocky twenty-year-old wanting to be a man, trying unsuccessfully to keep me from arresting his brother who was five years older and hiding out in Jordy's rental. I'd managed to subdue Jordy and cuff the elder Cristiano simultaneously. That Jordy's street name is being mentioned now, means he didn't learn from his sibling's mistakes and wasn't one of the lucky ones who managed to escape that life.

"Only you would dare to use his legal name," Manden told me.

"What's he gonna do … try to tackle me again."

I had to fight a grin at the memory of Jordy's pathetic attempt to assault me.

"Shit. We talkin' about that kid who thought he could think 'Timber' and you'd fall down so he'd have a shot at hitting you?" Bobby asked me.

"That's the one. He didn't want his brother arrested, but he was too small, stupid, and inexperienced to stop me."

"That's fucking embarrassing. Even Steph managed to tackle you."

"I had incentive to let her," I responded. "I had no reason to indulge a naïve brat. He knew his brother showed up at his place for a reason, but refused to call his idol out on his bullshit. Balor Cristiano should've been a man and not drag an impressionable kid into the mess he'd made out of his life."

"It got worse since you met both," Manden told me. "Balor landed in Rikers and Needles believes you can get him out."

"So your rumored connection to me got the missus taken?" I asked him.

"She and I ain't married …"

"You should be. If she means enough to you to make a child with, and then contact me to protect both, she and your baby need you out of this shit for good. You have three seconds to convince me to get her back and return her to you instead of giving her alternative options."

"I've been clean since she took the test," he began.

"Do you have at least eighteen years of sobriety left in you to go this alone?"

"Uh …"

"Wrong answer. I'll get her and keep them both safe in the process, but I'm only letting you know where and when I do if you swear right here, right now that you will talk to my people and commit to building the stable life they'll need. If not, she's going into a safehouse until I give them a new-start choice. You may think you get to keep snorting your life away, but as a father … your priority has to be your kid. If you can't handle that even with the help I'll supply, you owe it to them to let them go to live in peace. It's cowardly and fucking selfish to keep them in the gutter with you when you all can have more."

"Well?" Bobby pushed.

"Just get them out and I'll do anything you say," Manden said to me.

"Good answer. I've always believed there was hope for you. Were you given a number I'm supposed to call? Or an address to head to?"

"Address. Needles thinks you have a soft spot for women and children and will do what he wants to protect both."

"He's right about part of that, but he didn't take into account how I feel about the dickless wonders who threaten them."

"That's what I was counting on. He told me after I said you'd talk to me, to have you show up alone at 381 Garden Street …"

"The old bank?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Alright. Go home and I'll contact you when I have them."

"I can help …"

"You'll only help get them killed if Needles has turned out anything like his brother. Let us handle this. You just focus on how you're never going to endanger your family like this again."

Without another word, I walked back to my truck, knowing Bobby will be right behind me.

"You calling Steph on the way?" He asked.

The fucker knows me too well, but he doesn't know how much I need to keep reminding myself that I can save families rather than just destroy them. Julie was kidnapped because of me, so was Stephanie, and now I got Manden's lady taken. But I didn't dwell on those thoughts. In order to live with what I've dragged innocent people into, I get them out of it by any means necessary.

"Yes," I replied to Brown. "Consider it a favor, because she'll kick your ass if one of us doesn't keep her in the loop."

"Want me to drive?" He asked.

"No. I'll use the no-hands option." I got us back on the road before I placed the call. "Hey, Babe," I said when she picked up on the first ring.

"What's wrong?"

I could feel how tense her body is through our connection. "Nothing I can't handle."

"Now would be a really good time to use more words than that," she told me, "if you don't want me torturing the guys for info and then showing up wherever you are."

I know she'll do it so I told her what I could. "An associate's pregnant girlfriend is being held against her will until they get the help they're after."

"Which is what?"

"A few favors called in so a relative walks."

"Should this person be out of jail?" She asked.

"No."

"So your plan is …?"

"To get the woman out and have her captor join his brother in a nearby cell."

"Ooookay, that sounds like a good way to go, but how much danger are we talking?"

"It's more dangerous waking you up in the morning than talking to this asshole."

"Nice try, since you're usually holding Olive when I wake up. I wouldn't throw any punches anywhere near her so I know you're just trying to keep me from a bout of tension-fueled throwing up. You'll be careful?"

"Always."

"Since I wouldn't be able to sleep if I tried to convince you to ignore this and just come home, I'm sending you all my love and luck. And keep this in mind, I have a direct order to call Celia back the second you get back. I'm guessing this is 'The Call', and you need to be here to make it. Nothing else is an option."

"You made the call when you called to say you were in labor," I reminded her. "No other news warrants that title."

"I'm glad you think so, but this is still exciting if I'm right about what she wants to tell us. And speaking of that other head's up, the result of that call wants to talk. Olive, send Daddy a good luck/be safe kiss."

There was a beat of muffled static and then I heard what was unmistakably a full lips-meeting-cell phone kiss to me from my baby.

"Thank you," I told her. "Daddy will return that kiss when I get home."

"Dada om."

"I will be soon."

"That's what you promised," Steph reminded me. "You'd better call if you need me."

"I'll always need you, Babe."

"I know, but I meant in the backup/extra gun sense. Bobby's good, but he isn't me. I can act on a grudge like no one's business."

"Brown heard that."

"Good. He probably got a good laugh out of it too. I love you, you know."

"I do. I'll be back within the hour."

"If you're not, you'll pay for it. I'll find you and drag you back to us myself."

"Looking forward to either scenario," I teased.

"Be careful," she repeated. "And Bobby?"

"Yeah, Steph," he replied.

"You need to stay alright too. Olive isn't gonna be down an Uncle on my watch. I will kick your behind if Ranger or you get hurt."

Our conversation ended after that threat with two phone kisses this time sent to me. Steph and I have both found that it's freeing to have a baby to help us express things we normally wouldn't. She had a hard time just saying 'I love you' before Olivia was born, a lip-smack via phone would never have happened without our baby showing us the way.

"You heard my wife, she ordered us to stay alive," I said to Brown.

"I don't know about you, but that was my plan."

"It was mine as well. I'm not leaving my family, and I'm willing to help Manden see that having one is a good reason to change everything he's done up until this point."

"You ever get tired of shooting people, you could get into the shrink business."

"Shut it or I'll be shooting you."

He shook his head. "Steph wants me to stay alive, you just repeated that."

"I should've brought Tank," I said mostly under my breath.

"He wanted time to play and sway Olive into not looking to me or Lester as his replacement."

"You'll have your work cut out for you. He's not about to walk away from his GodTank role … and I wouldn't recommend pissing him off. He likes you, but not as much as he likes my daughter."

His hands went up in surrender. "I'm not looking for a face off with him. He's one scary motherfucker when provoked. I was only pointing out that so am I. Plus I'd be terrified to face Steph if something happened to you when I'm your backup. She's scarier than Tank and I combined when something gets her back up."

"Maybe I did pick the right partner. Being terrified of my wife will keep you extra vigilant. I'm going to have Lester and Cal meet us near the bank. I know we can subdue a couple men each, but I don't want the woman harmed. If Vince can get us an aerial shot of the place, and we have men to spare, this can be wrapped up quickly."

I called the control room and put in my requests. I hate not handling everything on my own like I'd been doing most of my life and career, but I have a family to think about. But like Steph said, I also wouldn't be able to live with myself if my confidence caused the death of a woman and an unborn child. I've been surrounded by death everywhere I turned, but some will always hit harder than others.

I got a text from Vince faster than expected and I opened it to see the video sent from his pet project drone. "No activity outside the bank," I informed Bobby a minute later, letting him see the footage I'd just watched in real time. "Looks like this is going to be a search and seize exercise."

"I'm up for it."

As I parked not far from the building, I spotted a Rangeman SUV on the street behind the one we're now on. Lester's putting himself and Cal in position. The plan was for me to approach the place with Bobby acting as my muscle, while Lester and Cal moved on foot to the front and back of the old bank to provide us both backup. The building is one-story, so the four of us just kicking in doors and storming the place would have been the preferred option if we could determine that Manden's girlfriend wasn't being held here.

As with most of our jobs these days, not wanting to endanger innocents complicates what we've been trained to do quickly and effectively.

"Whatever happens," I told Bobby, "get the woman back unharmed."

"That's a given, Bossman."