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P ALIGNCENTER Chapter 6 BR
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P I was still fuming when I heard my cell phone ringing. I angrily threw my bag upside down on the floor and pawed through everything until I found my phone. BR
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I snarled. BR
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ve got your sister, bitch. The phone clicked off. Shit! I knew that voice. It belonged to the same person that had held a gun on me outside McDonalds. Now he had Valerie. I had to find her. I scooped up my pepper spray, stun gun, and gun throwing them back in my bag. That little twerp wasnt going to hurt Val. BR
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I threw the bag over my shoulder, and flung the door open. I jabbed the button to call the elevator and waited impatiently for the doors to open. As soon as the doors opened, I barreled in, and ran smack into someone. BR
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Going somewhere? Tank asked, looking down at me. BR
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Yeah, places to go, people to see, I said. I was doing my best to sound cheery, but I think it came out more hysterical. BR
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Tank stepped into the hallway, pushing me back ahead of him with one hand. He stared at a point just over my shoulder. He moved his head up and down once, then glanced back at me. he said. BR
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I put my hands on my hips and stomped my foot. Out of my way. I snapped my jaw shut as strong arms wrapped around my waist and lifted my feet off the floor. I didnt stop to think about the consequences, just kicked a foot back, trying to make contact with his leg. As luck would have it, I missed. Damn, I really felt like kicking him, too. BR
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he whispered, his lips barely brushing against the top of my ear. What do you think youre doing? BR
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I said through clenched teeth. I wasnt up to dealing with Ranger and his mixed signals right now. First I needed to get to Val, then I could tell him what I thought of him telling me to fix my relationship with Morelli. BR
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Not without one of us. BR
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ll leave you two to settle this, Tank said with an amused smile. He gave a finger wave and stepped backward into the still open elevator. ll meet you in the comm room,he added before the elevator doors closed. BR
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Ranger set me on my feet and moved in front of me, keeping me in place with one hand on my waist. I glared at him. After about a minute of me silently glaring and Ranger staring at me with one upraised eyebrow, I caved. I knew full well Id have better luck finding Valerie with his cooperation than without. BR
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The guy who tried to mug me earlier called and said he had Val, I told him. BR
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What do you mean and? I need to go find her. I tried to wriggle away and get to the elevator. This conversation was getting me nowhere. I didnt think I had time to waste. Ranger grasped my shoulder with his other hand, capturing my eyes with his. BR
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Babe, were going to find Val. Shes going to be okay. We stood staring at each other for a long time. It was hard for me to remember why I was mad at him when he looked at me like that. Ranger finally broke the silence. BR
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What else did this guy say? BR
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I gnawed on my bottom lip and shook my head. He didnt say anything else, just that he had my sister. BR
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As Ranger questioned me it dawned on me that I knew nothing. I didnt know who this guy was, why he would take Val, or want me to know. All I had to go on was the phone call, and my memory of what his voice had sounded like when he held the gun on me. BR
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You were just going to run out of here, not knowing where to go or having any plan of how to get your sister back if by some chance you stumbled across her? Ranger asked. BR
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Well, okay, when he said it that way, it sounded pretty stupid. Then again, I was still upset with him, so I wasnt going to admit that. Yeah, she needs me. BR
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Ranger drew me into a hug. ll find her Steph. I dont want you getting hurt in the process. BR
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Oh, I wouldnt worry about that, you do a fine job of hurting me all by yourself,I muttered. BR
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Ranger drew back and looked at me. s that about? BR
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Clueless, men are so clueless. In the interest of finding Val this century I decided not to have the relationship conversation just then. Never mind, lets concentrate on finding Val. Well talk about you later. BR
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Us, well talk about us,he said. BR
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I kept my mouth shut and rode down the elevator to the comm room with him. Right now the most important thing was to find and rescue Valerie from the mugger. I needed to figure out what he wanted and where he was in order to do that. Ranger and Tank were definitely better equipped to help me with that than anyone else I knew.
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I walked with Ranger to the other door I had seen on our trip to the gym. Despite the circumstances I was excited about seeing the communication room. I imagined it being full of video monitors and rows upon rows of controls. When Ranger opened the door I was only partially disappointed. There was a bank of video monitors on one wall, showing different parts of the building. Other than that there was a long table with three computers sitting on it. On the opposite wall was a small kitchenette. BR
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Not quite what I imagined, I said. BR
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m not really Batman, you know,Ranger answered. I stuck my tongue out at him, which got me nothing but a chuckle. BR
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Tank watched us with one eyebrow raised, and a smile playing about his lips. BR
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If you two are finished, mind telling me why were all here? BR
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Stephanie got a phone call from someone saying they have her sister. We need to track down who it is and find a way to get her back, Ranger answered. It was amazing how much calmer he was than me. BR
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Has anyone called her, to see if shes really missing?Tank asked. BR
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Score one for sanity, I thought. I was surprised Ranger hadnt thought of that. I whipped out my cell phone and dialed my apartment number. Albert Kloughn picked up on the second ring. BR
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he answered, his voice pitched near panicky scream. BR
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No, its Stephanie. BR
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Hi Steph. Valeries not here right now, he said. He sounded nervous, but then Kloughn always sounded nervous, so that didnt prove anything. BR
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Is everything okay?I asked. BR
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No. Some guy called and said he had Val. What does that mean? BR
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How long has she been gone? I asked, ignoring his question. BR
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I dont know. She went out this morning to buy diapers, and just never came home. I really need to go get more diapers! BR
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I finally finagled my way off the phone after promising Albert that Id find Val and bring him diapers. I wasnt absolutely sure which was top priority for him. I flipped the phone off and turned to see two pairs of brown eyes staring at me. BR
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s not there. Kloughn got a phone call, too,I said. BR
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Tank muttered. He looked at me and said, Tell me what you know, well try to get a lead on this guy. He may be connected to the contract out on you. BR
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I spent the next hour relating the whole story to Tank. I then answered question after question describing what the man looked like. When Tank was finally done with the questions he turned his full attention over to the computer. We all sat in silence for several minutes. At some point Ranger had gone to stand over Tanks shoulder. Tank finally hit the print button, and gave me a printout. BR
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Is this the person who tried to mug you? Tank asked. BR
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I looked over the picture. As nearly as I could tell it was a perfect likeness. BR
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s him. BR
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Ranger and Tank exchanged a look. I watched curiously as they seemed to have a silent conversation. BR
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Ranger said under his breath. BR
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Yeah,Tank agreed. ll notify Lester, Bobby, and Cal. He shot a glance at me. Why dont you bring Steph, here, up to speed. BR
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Ranger nodded, and Tank left quietly. BR
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What? You know who he is, dont you? It wasnt really a question. It was obvious from their exchange that Tank and Ranger both knew who my mugger was. BR
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Ranger stared at me. He stood and walked over to me. BR
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Who is he? I demanded, standing so I was nose to nose with him. BR
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A former associate. /P
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