Chapter 1: A Stranger for Ranger (ok, ok, it's a bad title- but it's true!)
Connie had just opened up the office. Vinnie had characteristically locked himself in his office when the door opened. A girl walked in, a girl with a slight build and dark skin. She looked Cuban-American. She wore loose black jeans and a black turtleneck. There was a slight bulge on her right hip, but Connie had trouble believing that this girl who didn't look over 14 would be carrying concealed. But then again, in Jersey, you never knew. She walked to the desk completely silently, and moved with amazing grace. She asked, "Does Carlos Manoso work here?"
It took Connie a moment to remember that Carlos Manoso was Ranger. She saw no harm in telling this girl. "Yeah, he works here. Are you looking for him?"
"Yeah. He's a friend of my parents. Do you know when he'll be in?"
"With Ranger, you never know. Probably sometime in the next few days." The girl didn't seem surprised that Connie called him Ranger. She didn't seem anxious to offer personal information, so Connie started. "I'm Connie. What's your name?"
"Rachel." She didn't include a last name. "I'll wait here for him." It wasn't a question. Connie didn't see any harm in it, but she knew Ranger was doing an overseas pickup. Somehow, she thought that the information wouldn't discourage this girl. Rachel picked a book out of her pocket and began to read silently. About an hour later, Stephanie came in. "You got anything for me, Connie? Where's Lula?"
"Lula has the day off, and I have something for you since Ranger's gone." Rachel's head shot up at that and she regarded Stephanie suspiciously. Steph asked, "Who's this?" "She's Rachel. She's waiting for Ranger." Stephanie looked somewhat surprised, but she didn't press the issue.
"Who do you have for me?"
"500,000 dollar bail. Murdered two people with his bare hands. He's a kickboxing instructor, and we have confirmation he's at his house now."
"No Guns?"
"No guns."
"I would need backup, and it sounds like Vinnie's busy. I guess I can't do it. Oh, well, now isn't that too bad." Rachel spoke up.
"I'll go with you." Again, it was a firm statement, not a question. "I can fight." Stephanie mentally ran over what she could do with the money from the takedown. She doubted the girl could really do what she claimed, but she was just going to be backup. And, it looked like she was carrying concealed. And Stephanie really needed a new pair of shoes.
"Ok, let's go. Just try not to get hurt." Ok, so she may have gotten a little conceited, having someone younger, shorter, and inexperienced around. Stephanie grabbed the file, and looked at the address. Steph and Rachel climbed into a Black CR-V (a pity gift from Ranger) and drove to the house. Much to her disappointment, Stephanie saw activity within the house. She had been sure that this James Algara would have taken off by the time she arrived. She turned to the passenger seat and was surprised to see that Rachel had already gotten out and was waiting for her. Steph hadn't seen or heard a thing. Together they walked to the door, Steph assuming the position in front. She knocked, and a well-muscled middle- aged man answered the door. "I'm Stephanie Plum from Vincent Plum's bond-" The door slammed shut but Stephanie caught it with her foot and pushed in. She was immediately taken down by James and was pinned so she couldn't get her stun gun or pepper spray. She was getting really nervous, not to mention bruised, when Rachel pulled James off her. The girl was a lot stronger than she looked. They began to fight. Stephanie was shocked. Rachel was about half the size of James, but she was moving so fast she could barely track her hands. After a few minutes, Rachel had James pinned to the ground on his stomach. "Cuffs.?"
"Oh, Shit! I knew I forgot something!"
"No problemo." She grabbed a point on his wrist and he let out a cry. She pulled him to his feet, and he trailed after her like an obedient dog.
"How the hell are you doing that!" Steph asked, astounded. "I'm just grabbing a pressure point on his wrist. It makes his whole arm unable to respond to the impulses from his brain. The shock and pain disables the rest of him." (I am not making this up- my grandma can actually do this, and it really has this effect). Rachel "walked" James to the car, and continued to hold him subdued until they reached the police station. Stephanie didn't even want to know how the cops would react to this. Just her luck, a large crowd of cops, including Carl Costanza, were present when Rachel led James in. Rachel stopped to hand the criminal over.
"You might mant to 'cuff him," she said softly. The cops laughed at the implication that they couldn't handle a criminal that a slight girl was able to trail along behind her.
"I don't think that will be necessary." Rachel shrugged and let go of Algara, ignoring to squeak of protest from Stephanie. James, of course, instantly leapt into action. Rachel coolly watched him knock down a few people, then waded in to clean up the mess. He was quite good at kickboxing, but he didn't know the other forms of fighting she did. And his arm had been completely numb for the past half hour. The cops started to draw their guns, but she took the time to wave them off before beginning the fight in earnest. He no longer was underestimating her, and was expending more energy. It was a good scuffle before she got him pinned again, and it was followed by loud applause among the cops. She made a quick show of modesty, doing her best "Oh, I can't believe I was stupid enough to let go of him. Too bad I had to fight him, gee, I hope he's all right!" impression. Stephanie didn't notice the applause. She was beginning to have suspicions about Rachel and her origins. Her skin color, mannerisms, and physical skill all pointed to a possibility she didn't want to consider. She got the paperwork filled out and took Rachel back to the office. They walked in the door, and Rachel stopped short. A small smile played across her features.
"Hey, Ranger, you got your guy?" Stephanie called.
"Yo, babe" he replied. Then Rachel stepped out from behind Stephanie, and Ranger looked shocked. As a result of that, Connie and Stephanie looked shocked because Ranger was NEVER looked shocked. Rachel was the first to speak. "Hi, dad."
Oooh, cool! OK, I'm sorry about any misspellings, or technical things I got wrong. Tell me and I will change them. PLEASE review! I will have ch. 2 up sometime in the next few days.
Connie had just opened up the office. Vinnie had characteristically locked himself in his office when the door opened. A girl walked in, a girl with a slight build and dark skin. She looked Cuban-American. She wore loose black jeans and a black turtleneck. There was a slight bulge on her right hip, but Connie had trouble believing that this girl who didn't look over 14 would be carrying concealed. But then again, in Jersey, you never knew. She walked to the desk completely silently, and moved with amazing grace. She asked, "Does Carlos Manoso work here?"
It took Connie a moment to remember that Carlos Manoso was Ranger. She saw no harm in telling this girl. "Yeah, he works here. Are you looking for him?"
"Yeah. He's a friend of my parents. Do you know when he'll be in?"
"With Ranger, you never know. Probably sometime in the next few days." The girl didn't seem surprised that Connie called him Ranger. She didn't seem anxious to offer personal information, so Connie started. "I'm Connie. What's your name?"
"Rachel." She didn't include a last name. "I'll wait here for him." It wasn't a question. Connie didn't see any harm in it, but she knew Ranger was doing an overseas pickup. Somehow, she thought that the information wouldn't discourage this girl. Rachel picked a book out of her pocket and began to read silently. About an hour later, Stephanie came in. "You got anything for me, Connie? Where's Lula?"
"Lula has the day off, and I have something for you since Ranger's gone." Rachel's head shot up at that and she regarded Stephanie suspiciously. Steph asked, "Who's this?" "She's Rachel. She's waiting for Ranger." Stephanie looked somewhat surprised, but she didn't press the issue.
"Who do you have for me?"
"500,000 dollar bail. Murdered two people with his bare hands. He's a kickboxing instructor, and we have confirmation he's at his house now."
"No Guns?"
"No guns."
"I would need backup, and it sounds like Vinnie's busy. I guess I can't do it. Oh, well, now isn't that too bad." Rachel spoke up.
"I'll go with you." Again, it was a firm statement, not a question. "I can fight." Stephanie mentally ran over what she could do with the money from the takedown. She doubted the girl could really do what she claimed, but she was just going to be backup. And, it looked like she was carrying concealed. And Stephanie really needed a new pair of shoes.
"Ok, let's go. Just try not to get hurt." Ok, so she may have gotten a little conceited, having someone younger, shorter, and inexperienced around. Stephanie grabbed the file, and looked at the address. Steph and Rachel climbed into a Black CR-V (a pity gift from Ranger) and drove to the house. Much to her disappointment, Stephanie saw activity within the house. She had been sure that this James Algara would have taken off by the time she arrived. She turned to the passenger seat and was surprised to see that Rachel had already gotten out and was waiting for her. Steph hadn't seen or heard a thing. Together they walked to the door, Steph assuming the position in front. She knocked, and a well-muscled middle- aged man answered the door. "I'm Stephanie Plum from Vincent Plum's bond-" The door slammed shut but Stephanie caught it with her foot and pushed in. She was immediately taken down by James and was pinned so she couldn't get her stun gun or pepper spray. She was getting really nervous, not to mention bruised, when Rachel pulled James off her. The girl was a lot stronger than she looked. They began to fight. Stephanie was shocked. Rachel was about half the size of James, but she was moving so fast she could barely track her hands. After a few minutes, Rachel had James pinned to the ground on his stomach. "Cuffs.?"
"Oh, Shit! I knew I forgot something!"
"No problemo." She grabbed a point on his wrist and he let out a cry. She pulled him to his feet, and he trailed after her like an obedient dog.
"How the hell are you doing that!" Steph asked, astounded. "I'm just grabbing a pressure point on his wrist. It makes his whole arm unable to respond to the impulses from his brain. The shock and pain disables the rest of him." (I am not making this up- my grandma can actually do this, and it really has this effect). Rachel "walked" James to the car, and continued to hold him subdued until they reached the police station. Stephanie didn't even want to know how the cops would react to this. Just her luck, a large crowd of cops, including Carl Costanza, were present when Rachel led James in. Rachel stopped to hand the criminal over.
"You might mant to 'cuff him," she said softly. The cops laughed at the implication that they couldn't handle a criminal that a slight girl was able to trail along behind her.
"I don't think that will be necessary." Rachel shrugged and let go of Algara, ignoring to squeak of protest from Stephanie. James, of course, instantly leapt into action. Rachel coolly watched him knock down a few people, then waded in to clean up the mess. He was quite good at kickboxing, but he didn't know the other forms of fighting she did. And his arm had been completely numb for the past half hour. The cops started to draw their guns, but she took the time to wave them off before beginning the fight in earnest. He no longer was underestimating her, and was expending more energy. It was a good scuffle before she got him pinned again, and it was followed by loud applause among the cops. She made a quick show of modesty, doing her best "Oh, I can't believe I was stupid enough to let go of him. Too bad I had to fight him, gee, I hope he's all right!" impression. Stephanie didn't notice the applause. She was beginning to have suspicions about Rachel and her origins. Her skin color, mannerisms, and physical skill all pointed to a possibility she didn't want to consider. She got the paperwork filled out and took Rachel back to the office. They walked in the door, and Rachel stopped short. A small smile played across her features.
"Hey, Ranger, you got your guy?" Stephanie called.
"Yo, babe" he replied. Then Rachel stepped out from behind Stephanie, and Ranger looked shocked. As a result of that, Connie and Stephanie looked shocked because Ranger was NEVER looked shocked. Rachel was the first to speak. "Hi, dad."
Oooh, cool! OK, I'm sorry about any misspellings, or technical things I got wrong. Tell me and I will change them. PLEASE review! I will have ch. 2 up sometime in the next few days.