Standard disclaimer: This is not mine except for the original bits that are, and written purely for the enjoyment of myself and others. The thought that I'd make money of it is just laughable.

Those who are easily offended should refrain from reading. These characters talk, think and behave like adults.

RangeDay

Chapter 7

The next morning found a stack of files on her desk. Ranger's sign-out signature was on the files, so he must be back. She wondered where he'd been, and if his disappearance had anything to do with the last time she saw him. Probably not. He'd probably been on a mission or to visit his daughter. She'd never find out anyway.

'I'm convinced these 3 talk to each other, but how? Use your contacts. See if you can find a connection.' The typed note said. No sign-off. Not that she expected one. Since she would get to the RangeDay matters this afternoon she set to it right away.

"Hey, Tank-Man!"

Only Lester would greet Tank like that.

"So how was it last night? Get your ass kicked?"

If Tank answered she couldn't hear it from her cubicle.

"So do I get to go next week? I wouldn't mind wrestling with the Bombshell and that hot Japanese—"

She heard a solid thwacking sound and Lester stopped abruptly.

"Not a chance." Tank sounded very definite.

Stephanie stifled a giggle. Guess he wasn't about to give up his position as her training victim. That was good.

She was in the little kitchen making herself a sandwich when the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Bat-radar.

"Hey Ranger."

"Babe."

He was standing against the doorjamb about 10 paces away, watching her. Sark Street Ranger today, in black rapper pants, painted-on T-shirt and enough gold around his neck to secure bail for murder one. He'd looked like this when her mother had all but forced him to have dinner with her family.

"Why the smile?"

"Just remembering the look on my dad's face when you came to dinner looking like that."

His lips twitched with the hint of a grin.

Silence while she made her sandwich and he watched. Was he waiting for her to ask where he'd been? If he was, he could wait a while. If he wanted her to know, he'd tell her. She'd finally figured out that sometimes her questions made him more guarded. If she acted like she didn't much care, sometimes he'd tell her things she otherwise wouldn't have heard.

"How was your lesson yesterday?"

"Good. Great."

He looked like he hoped to hear more, but didn't ask. She finished making her chicken sandwich.

"Those files you gave me this morning, how urgent is it?"

He gave a slight one-sided shrug.
"See what you can find out before your weekend."

"Kay. 'Cause I was planning to take the afternoon off."

He looked a little surprised. "Cleared it with Tank?"

She nodded.

"This anything to do with RangeDay?"

"No." Errr… well maybe a little. He kept his eyes trained on her. Felt like an interrogation.

"Everything going okay with organising?" That sounded like genuine concern.

Uh-huh. Like she'd tell him. Was he expecting her to forget he had a stake in the betting and tell him because he was the boss?

"Sure. You place a bet yet?"

He flashed a grin.
"Not yet."

"Should I worry?"

He just smiled. Gulp. She took her sandwich and retreated to her cubicle.

She found a parking space and carefully parked her car. Then she rang Tsuy. "Hey, are you here yet?"

"Just driving into the lot. Wait a moment, I see you."

The line disconnected, and a moment later she heard a car rev. A small blue car zoomed past and parked three cars down. She got out and wandered over. It was a new model Mini Cooper S with white bonnet stripes and tinted windows. Well-used but in good condition. The door opened and Tsuy angled out in a sleek pinstripe trousersuit, looking like she was going to a business meeting.

"Jeez, I always feel underdressed when I'm with you," she heard herself say. Then clapped a hand before her mouth. Good going Steph, criticising her dress style is a good way to become better friends.

Tsuy made a head motion that seemed to say 'no matter'.
"It's a little more formal than I'd like, but I seem to have lost my sense of style when I moved," she grinned. She remoted the car locked and they walked into the mall.

"I wasn't raised so traditional as my mother's family is. It was just easier to dress to their standards when I came here."

"Because it has to pass muster at the dojo?"

The other woman nodded.
"While I'm here I wanted to do a bit of shopping. See if I can find some more casual things."

"Let's see when Mr Alexander has time for you first."

That turned out to be in two hours, so Macy's it was.

By the time it was time for the hairdresser, Stephanie had acquired several hot new tops, perfect FMPs in a gorgeous shade of cacao, and a new understanding of her friend and mentor.

For one thing, almost her entire maternal family, well over a hundred people, lived within a 200 metre radius of the dojo. She'd grown up in international schools around the world. She had a cat and part-time care of her uncle's two dogs. And she was a boring shopper. She selected a pile of things off the racks – most of it conservative and all of it long-sleeved – and tried it on in the fitting room. Then everything was sorted into 'yes' and 'no', and the things of the 'yes' pile taken to the checkout.

Stephanie looked on in amazement. What fun was shopping if you weren't going to agonise over the perfect choice? She suggested a fitted sleeveless top that would have looked great on her friend, but Tsuy pulled up her jacket sleeve to reveal a forearm full of bruises. Contact training. Well okay, that was a good reason to go with long sleeves.

"Some of the things here I like, but a lot of it just doesn't suit me. Never had this problem in Tokyo…"

It was strange to think that this place, where Stephanie had lived all her life, wasn't home to Tsuy.

"Why did you move here, anyway?"

"My parents passed away."

Oh. God. Foot-in-mouth disease today.

"I'm so sorry, I had no idea—"

"No need to apologise. You had no way of knowing," she dismissed it. "So, what would you suggest I wear?"

Mr. Alexander fell in love with Tsuy's hair, combing his fingers through it over and over. The word 'luxurious' was used at least twice. She seemed to find it rather embarrassing. Stephanie settled into the waiting area, grabbed a girly magazine from the table, and put the small stack of brochures Tsuy had brought behind the magazine cover. Just in case anyone she knew would come in.

Murder Mystery dinner, indoor climbing hall, and her personal favourite – the Go Game. This last option seemed most appealing. They would be divided into teams, get some wireless equipment, and be sent on a hunt through the city, solving puzzles and problems, receiving messages with instructions, interacting with planted actors, figuring things out as they went. Like a scavenger hunt on speed. Sounded like great fun, and something she could actually be an asset in. It was active and challenging and new. It was perfect for RangeDay.

Checking if there was anyone within hearing distance and finding no one, she rang the company. Yes, they could certainly arrange a Go Game for her company, including a dinner with review session. She explained what kind of people she was organising for and the type of activities could be customised to fit the Merry Men. It stretched the budget just slightly, but there wouldn't really be any additional costs so that wasn't a problem.

She did a mental Snoopy dance, seeing the perfect RangeDay unfold in front of her, and decided to go for it.

So when did she want the event to take place? Early May? The young man on the line stifled a chuckle. Did she mean next year?

She grimaced and remembered just on how short notice she was working. In the world of corporate outings, she was about 10 months too late to arrange anything. Her mood fell.

"This May, sadly. I'll have to think of something else. Thank you for the information, I'll keep your company in mind for next year."

The Murder Mystery dinner and indoor climbing hall both had identical reactions. Certainly they could arrange a great company outing. But not before next November.

She put the brochures back into the bag and hung her head. Maybe it was time to admit defeat and go for the easy option after all. Paintball or lasertag or go-karting. If she could still book anything, that was.
Mr. Alexander was just finishing up with Tsuy. About the length of a forearm had been cut off the hip-length black hair, letting it fall to the underside of her shoulderblades in a nice layered cut. Stephanie walked over and stood behind her friend, looking at her in the mirror.

"Looks good. Feels a lot lighter, I'll bet."

Tsuy smiled, moving her head this way and that. Seemed very pleased with the result. It made her look a lot less severe.

"Did you find anything in your mail?" she asked when they were walking back to the cars. Stephanie sighed.

"I had something brilliant. Then I called and they all but laughed at me when I said it had to be early May."

"Ai. I'll assume that other places that do corporate activities will react the same."

"I think so, yes…"

"So you'd have to find something that isn't specifically aimed at companies. Then you'd have more chance. Or something new that isn't very popular yet."

She hadn't looked at it that way yet. Then again, how on earth was she going to find something?

"Could you take these back and throw them away?" she passed the bag with brochures back when they arrived with the cars. "I don't want them found, so I can't throw them away at home or in the office."

"They'd search your garbage?"

"Oh yeah. I'm this close," she indicated with thumb and forefinger, "to searching my car for bugs."

"Wow. I knew they were fanatic, but…"

"They get carried away." She shrugged. "It's kind of a challenge on both sides." Actually, she was enjoying it. Or would enjoy it if she actually had a genius RangeDay plan that wouldn't be a let-down after all this anticipation.

"I just had an idea. Joan, where I go horseriding, mentioned something about a new company near her house. I think it had to do with beach activities. I'll try to find out more."

Stephanie opened her car and put her shopping bags in the passenger seat.
"Thanks. I guess I just have to keep trying."

"You'll think of something. Thank you for sending me to this Mr Alexander – he's great."

"I'll see you Wednesday, bye!"

She started the car and the radio came on. Godsmack. She'd think of something? Sometimes she wished she could live up to the boundless faith in her abilities some people seemed to have. Sure, it was nice that they weren't telling her she couldn't do it anyway, but it also gave her something to live up to, with plenty of opportunity to disappoint.

It was pretty terrifying, actually.

She was cruising toward the exit of the lot when there was a flash of silver on her left and a splintering bang. Her car jerked and then everything was black.

"Jesus, look at what you did to my car!" someone was yelling. Stephanie slogged through the fog of unconsciousness, trying to remember if she did anything to anyone's car. Not that she knew of. Not that that usually made a difference. The voice - male and young - kept going, ranting and cursing. She was on her side, the gearstick poking her in the ribs. Her head was throbbing.

She reached out to open her door and hit her knuckles on something before she reached the handle. She dragged open her eyes and found it was the door. It had bent inward for about half a metre. A silver Lexus had rammed into it ass-first and that had to be the source of the male voice.

As she watched, trying to scrape her thoughts together, a blue Mini appeared and parked behind her car, so that the Lexus was blocked in. Tsuy got out, tying her hair back as she came over.

"Stephanie? How are you?"

"My car..." she groaned. "Is it too much to ask that for ONCE, my cars STAY ALIVE?" she asked the world in general. She struggled her legs out from under the wheel and moved into the passenger side. Tsuy had opened the door and knelt down, staring into her eyes, assessing.

"You remember what happened?"

"I was just driving and this idiot rammed my car."

"What day is it?"

"Thursday."

"Did you buy anything today?"

She felt a smile break through despite everything.
"Kick-ass brown FMP."

Tsuy chuckled silently.
"Hurt anywhere?"

"Just my head."

"You have a bump. Probably from the rear view mirror." behind her the Lexus driver appeared. He didn't seem to have calmed down any. "Don't get up, I'll deal with it. Police is on its way."

With that Tsuy went around the car, and Stephanie could see her speaking with the other driver. He yelled, she stayed calm. Zen calm.
One of these days she wanted to learn that kind of calm too. She could see it threw the Lexus guy off balance. This was Jersey, where accident aftermath went hand in hand with yelling, hand gestures and the occasional punch. It was the thing to do. You weren't supposed to calmly discuss things.

She dug for her phone and hit a speed dial.

"Al's auto shop," the phone was answered.

"Hey Al, it's me.." introduction was no longer required. She wished it was. The short lifespan of her cars wasn't something she found amusing. Seemed like she was the only one in the whole damn world. Even Ranger, not someone who laughed at her misadventures a lot, had trouble hiding his amusement when this sort of thing happened.

"Bombshell. Trouble?"

"A twerp in a Lexus rammed me. Driver's side is all to hell."

"I'll come pick it up. Where are you?"

"At the mall, in the lot."

"You okay?" He could be pretty nice, sometimes. Actually, all the guys in her life could be pretty considerate when they felt like it. 'Could' being the operative word in that sentence.

"Okay-ish. Thanks, Al."

Then the cops appeared. Just her luck. Carl and Big Dog. They grinned huge when they saw her.

"Oh man, Johnson is going to be so happy. You just paid for his wedding reception."

"Couldn't you have made it blow up? Just a little?"

She groaned and dropped her head in her hands. Just then, her cellphone rang.

"Yeah."

"Hey Steph," said Tank. "Al rang. You okay?"

"Everything's just peachy," she found herself unable to keep the sarcasm from her voice. "My car's wrecked, my head hurts, and people are standing around laughing."

"I'm sending someone over."

"It's okay Tank, no need to bother. Tsuy's here with me. I'll be fine."

"It's not a bother, Steph."

She heard the dial tone and suddenly felt a little warmer, mentally taking back the thought about the guys only being considerate when they felt like it. Tank especially seemed to genuinely look out for her. If it was for her or for Ranger's sake she didn't know, but it was appreciated.

Joe was suddenly standing between the side of the car and the opened door, preventing an escape. He wore a 5-O'clock shadow, a black T-shirt, threadbare Levi's and worry lines around his eyes.

"Jesus Cupcake, what did you get up to now?"

All warm-fuzzy thoughts disappeared abruptly, and she surged to her feet and into Joe's face.

"I didn't do anything! This goddamned idiot rammed me! It was NOT MY FAULT! I'm SICK of being everybody's amusement!"

"I just tore halfway across town because Control said you had an accident. Do you have any idea how many times I've done that? Do you have any idea how many times I've driven through red lights and used blue lights while praying people weren't calling the coroner?"

God, he was making it all about him again. As if she did these things deliberately just to make him worry. As if she liked it when it happened. As if she wasn't about to burst into goddamn tears because her car was dead and he was yelling at her like she'd done it on purpose.

"I didn't ask for you to do that!"

The conversation went downhill from there, the volume up. They were in each other's face, and the world had shrunk to this tiny time-space continuum with her and Joe toe to toe, screaming at one another. The brain was not involved, just years of hurt and frustration coming from their mouths. Somewhere in the back of her mind a tiny voice urged her to stop, to calm down, but she was shouting too loud to heed it.

She didn't notice Tank arriving, speaking with Tsuy. Ram was with him. She didn't notice Carl Constanza cuffing the Lexus driver. She didn't notice the faces of the rest of the cops and of Al when they arrived. She just knew that large hands suddenly landed on her shoulders, turned her around and steered her away. Tank, telling her in that soothing, low-pitched voice that she was going home now and he would take care of things. He walked her to the Mini and got her into the passenger side.

Tsuy had stepped in front of Joe at the same moment Tank had turned her away. Stephanie sat numbly in the Mini and watched through the tinted windows as they exchanged a few words. Her head was pounding with everything that had happened over the past half hour. The mirror revealed that she had a massive bruised lump growing in her hairline.
Then the driver's side opened and Tsuy angled in, started the engine, buckled in and reversed out of the tangle of cars with a spin of the wheel.

"Seatbelt," came the calm instruction. Stephanie struggled with the 4-point racer seatbelt and the bucket seat.

The inside of the car was more spacious than she'd expected, but not luxurious. The seats were fake leather and the dashboard was scuffed. A badge had been screwed on top of the central console. Nürburgring Überlebende' it said. Stephanie watched her teacher as she drove. Her face was impassive as usual, but there was a tension along her eyes that said she wasn't happy about something. She also drove like she was on a racing track and the other cars were merely obstacles, but that could be normal.

"I'm sorry," Stephanie managed finally.

"What for?"

"That you had to listen to that."

Tsuy said nothing.

"It's not always like this. Most of the time he's really sweet and we have a lot of fun." And smoking hot sex. May be best to leave that out.

"I'm sure."

Damn it, she hated it when Ranger did this, the quiet I-disapprove-but-I'm-not-going-to-say-anything vibe, but Ranger at least had a discernable reason; he didn't seem to want her to be with Morelli anymore. Hah! First he'd sent her back to him and now he seemed to have changed his mind. Why, she had no idea.

Tsuy, as far as she knew, was neutral. Had no outside motive to disapprove of how Morelli and she treated one another.

"I think— no." The other woman cut herself off to overtake a lorry. Stephanie found herself gripping the handle on her door. Tsuy said something to herself in Japanese, and then continued "Maybe you can explain to me sometime how this relationship makes you happy."

Uh-oh, not something she had a ready answer for. If she had one at all. Use the Force, Luke. This is not the conversation subject you are looking for. She grasped around.

"Hey, how did you get that other driver to back off?"

"Jedi mind trick."

She burst into laughter at the dry, matter-of-fact tone and the resonation with her own thoughts. She knew Tsuy was somewhat in touch with western culture, but she'd always viewed her teacher in the light of what was different. That she was familiar with Star Wars was something that kept surprising her.

"Will you be all right at home?"

"Sure. I don't have a concussion... can you just stop at Pino's so I can get some dinner?"

She nodded.
"Thomas said he'd send someone to pick you up tomorrow morning and they could lend you a company car."

"Oh great. Probably full of bugs to find out about RangeDay."

"Time for new levels of paranoia."

"Yeah."

To be continued…

Feedback welcome, as always.