Chapter 25

SPOV

It was déjà vu being in the room at the back of the plane, well except for the backpacks that were sat on the floor. I checked my appearance in the mirror, pleased with the image looking back at me, before I opened the door and walked back into the cabin. I wasn't sure who was responsible for the get up that I was wearing and when I'd first seen it I'd felt mortified at the idea of what the men would think when they saw it. Now, it was as though I was wearing a costume that gave me some sort of power, the power to be who I wanted to be and at the moment it was seduction.

I had every set of eyes on me as I came out of the room, but I wasn't going to let that affect me. I flicked the long dark hair of the wig behind my shoulder and walked to where Ranger was sat. His eyes were almost black as he scanned me from head to toe and then back up again. Yeah, this deep red catsuit was tight against every inch of my skin, well except where the zipper at the front was open to just below my breasts. I watched as Ranger stood up and felt as he pulled the zip up before his mouth was next to my ear.

"Babe. All I want to do is to peel you out of that but for now I really need the men to be focused on what we're about to do"

Okay, that took me down a peg or two because I hadn't meant to distract anyone. Turning I saw Les grinning at me and instantly knew that he was responsible for my outfit. Ranger and I joined the guys as they went over any last minute details. They had an enlarged photo of the palace that I'd eventually found through Google Earth and had marked where I was sure the grill was that I'd escaped through. Tank, Les and Ranger would be with me while Hector and Ram were going to be hiking across the sand and then they would access the building through the tunnel. My biggest concern was whether Yaser would be there, but my biggest worry was whether Katifa would still be alive.

I couldn't let my nerves distract me as we stepped down from the plane and into the warm night air. I had to play my part so that none of the guys got hurt. This seemed so simple on paper, but I knew better. Torres had known the contact to call for the cars to be there waiting for us and I recognized the black covered men who were driving. I was sat with Ranger in the back seat while Tank and Les rode in the second car. I couldn't help but admire the expensive suits that they were wearing, looking every bit the men who shouldn't be crossed. They exuded power and danger and not just because of the guns that were so visible.

I waited in the car as it stopped in front of those double doors, watching as the drivers climbed out of the car and opened our door before opening the doors to the house. I'd said that I wasn't going to be nervous but walking through those doors and seeing the inside hallway definitely had a shiver go down my back. I knew that Tank and Les were behind us and I also knew that the two drivers would be unconscious in the trunks of their cars by now. I nodded my head toward the door where I'd first met Yaser allowing Ranger to hold my elbow as he walked me toward it.

We'd had words on how this next part was going to happen. I'd suggested that I went as me and that Ranger could pretend that he'd found me and wanted a reward. Ranger hadn't liked that idea in case Yaser took out his annoyance directly on me, so I was playing it his way and pretending to be some tall, dark haired, brown eyed woman. Well, the brown eyes were courtesy of the tinted glasses that I was wearing. Approaching the door to the back room I pulled the zip down at my front and plastered on a smile. As far as I was concerned I was here as a model and we'd been invited to the palace to do a photoshoot. According to Ranger he was going to be a stand in for Dario, here to sell some merchandise, me.

"Oh, this is such a beautiful house, do you think I can wear that white dress, I'd look perfect stood just here"

I steeled myself for seeing Yaser as he stood up from the chair by the window. Okay, he was still the leering man that I remembered as his eyes fell on my breasts, but he was soon looking at Ranger and frowning.

"Who are you?"

"Dario couldn't make it so asked me to oversee the exchange"

That seemed to satisfy Yaser because he was back to watching me again. As he walked toward me he was holding his hands together in front of him just as he had when I'd first met him and it was only now that I realized he was doing it as though he needed to control them and not reach out and touch me.

"Dario said that you owe him, but that it was only 50 percent. Something about a promise that he made to you at your last meeting"

"Allaqit allasu"

By the way that he'd spat that out I took it that he wasn't too happy with hearing what Ranger had said but after another leer at me he moved to the low table where he'd been sat and brought out an open laptop to Ranger. I wasn't sure what Ranger was going to do with the laptop, Hector had lost me when he was explaining it, but I did know that it was my turn now. As Yaser raised his voice to call his men I was already moving.

"Farid, Tarif"

My hand went to my back and I pulled the gun out of the holder in the dress and was soon pointing it at Yaser. He had the nerve to laugh at me as though he couldn't believe that a woman could actually threaten him. I took off my glasses and pulled the wig from my head, shaking my hair lose around my shoulders and watched as realization hit him.

"You"

I shrugged my shoulders and watched as his eyes darted to the door, I suppose that he expected to see Farid and Tarif come to his rescue, but I knew that wouldn't be happening. Tank and Les hadn't followed us into the room because they were systematically searching the palace along with Hector and Ram. Ranger would have the information that we needed to add to the evidence against Dario, namely an account where the money was hidden, what I wasn't sure about was what we were going to be doing with Yaser. Or were we just going to walk out of here?

In that moment of not knowing, that was when Yaser made his move. As he moved toward me those hands were suddenly on my arms pushing me away from him, but of course the gun went off in my hand before he disappeared behind a drape by the window. Ranger helped me to my feet before we both rushed over to where he had gone, both of us holding our guns out ready to fire from either side of the drape. Ranger squatted down as he pulled the drape to the side but instead of finding Yaser we were looking at a small open door.

"He's in the passageways"

I screamed as I made to follow him, but Ranger stopped me.

"Get one of the men and tell them to search for any openings and to look for him"

I didn't think that I'd need to tell them anything because I was sure that they were all wearing mics and ear buds. Ranger disappeared with a flashlight somehow appearing in his hand, so I turned and headed for the door. This was all my fault, I should have kept him at a distance, was all that I could think as I thought of what to do next. I knew one room where there was a door from the tunnel so maybe Yaser would come out through there and unless you knew about the bathroom then it might be somewhere where he could think that he could hide.

Once out in the hallway Tank and Les were nowhere to be seen so I assumed they were already searching the place. I went quickly up the stairs, hesitating as I came to the door that would open into the round room. My heart was doing somersaults as I looked at the handle, worried about going inside in case Yaser was there, but also so afraid of being in there again. Slowly pushing the door open I peeked inside keeping my gun in my hand as Ranger had taught me, not seeing anything obvious. Okay, maybe he wasn't here but there was still the bathroom. Walking into the room had goosebumps running down my spine and no way was I going to look at the bed. I wasn't sure which mirror led into the bathroom and it was the third mirror that I tried before it opened up into the bathroom. The smell of jasmine from the steaming water in the tub turned my stomach and memories of Yaser stood there had me closing my eyes momentarily, to steady myself.

I never heard anything to warn me, never felt that someone was behind me until I was totally off balance as a weight from behind me had me fall to my knees and then I was screaming as someone twisted their hand in my hair. I was trying to use the side of the tub for balance and to use it to push myself to my feet, but my left shoulder wasn't strong enough and suddenly my face was being held down in the water with another weight pushing down on my shoulder. I was struggling to get free, struggling to breathe. I couldn't move as more weight lent onto me from behind and too late I realized that it was probably Yaser.

The hold on my head suddenly relented and I was coughing as I pushed myself up from the water. As I knelt on the floor gasping for breath, water was dripping onto the floor and that was when I saw the red of blood mixing and swirling around me. Turning quickly, I was so afraid that Yaser had killed someone and was searching for my gun that had fallen on the floor when my eyes rested on his body laying prone on the marble tiles, blood oozing from stab wounds in his back. Looking up I was looking at Katifa, the knife in her hand dripping with blood. As she began to start shaking, I forced myself to my feet and took her in my arms, hearing the sound of the knife falling to the floor, as her sobs echoed around the room.

That was how Ranger found us. I was aware of him being there as he took in the sight that met him and so grateful when he wrapped us both in his arms.

"Let's go downstairs. We've got we came for"

Ranger kept his arm around me as I held Katifa. I wasn't sure what she was feeling having just killed someone and felt her pain as we walked down the stairs. I'd promised myself that I'd come back for her, and I had done but now I wasn't sure what she would want to do. It was as we were in the large entranceway and heading for the main door that would lead outside that Katifa pulled away from me.

"Voglio andare a casa. Per favore portami a casa"

I turned to Ranger not understanding what she was saying expecting him to tell me, but he didn't. Instead, he was just staring at her.

"Sei italiano?"

Italian? Was that what Ranger was asking her?

"Si. Mi chiamo Caterina"

I was totally confused at the change in Katifa as she stood there almost shouting at Ranger. I needed to know what she was saying and why Ranger wasn't telling me. As I tried to follow their conversation that was when I started to try and work out what she saying to Ranger. If she was Italian then how long had she been here for? Was she one of the girls that Dario had brought here? I noticed that she disappeared with Hector not really sure what was going on so turned to Ranger seeing that he wasn't wearing his blank face, instead he looked thoughtful and dare I say maybe a little saddened?

"She has a child Steph, a three year old boy. That was why Yaser kept her alive because she had given him a son"

My hand went to my mouth and tears came to my eyes as the enormity of what she had gone through hit me. To have been held prisoner and raped by that man and then to have had a child, I couldn't imagine how she'd managed to survive or to keep her sanity. Ranger's arm came around me and for a few seconds I hoped that I was giving him as much comfort as he gave me.

"She'll be okay Babe. She's strong and she has something to live for"

I may have nodded my head, but then I was watching as Caterina walked back through the door holding a child in her arms. That was when I remembered hearing the sound of a child when I was in that tunnel. I hadn't even considered that what I was hearing was real, but it must have been him.

We left that house just as the sun was showing on the horizon, all of us in total silence probably going through what had happened in there. We had what we came for, the laptop that linked Dario to Yaser, but we came away with so much more than that. Caterina and a child. I looked over to her as she sat with the little boy held against her and couldn't help but take her hand in mine. She squeezed back and smiled at me before returning to gaze out of the window as we travelled toward the airport. I tried to work how she must be feeling but to be honest what she had gone through at such a young age was way out of my experiences. I knew how I'd felt for that short time when I'd been locked in that room with the fear of what Yaser would do to me, that was nothing compared to living with that fear for four years.

I couldn't even say that I was sorry that Yaser was dead, but then I hadn't killed him or bore a child to him. In some ways I wished that it had been me to have wielded that knife just to take that pain away from her. No one else had died in that house, all of the men who were there would wake up in a couple of hours feeling like shit and wondering what the hell had happened. I wasn't even sure if Yaser's body was still sprawled out in that bathroom because I was aware of Ranger talking with the guys as to what to do with him. I looked up and into the rear view mirror seeing Ranger watching us so I just gave him a small smile and nodded my head, sure that he was asking if Caterina was okay.

We drove straight to the small jet that was sat waiting for us at the end of the runway away from prying eyes. Tank, Ram and Hector exited their car first and stood between our car and the steps up into the plane as though guarding our route, which they probably were doing. Les opened the back door and helped Caterina out while she still clung to her son, and he followed her up the stairs and inside. I slid along the seat and took Ranger's outstretched hand before we were following with the men behind us.

I felt so nervous sat in one of the seats looking out over the scene of the desert as it reached to the horizon. I was so relieved to be leaving this place as the plane built up speed, but so worried that cars would be arriving to try and stop us. It never happened and a few minutes later we were cruising up, up and away. I looked to my side and watched as Caterina held a cup to her son's lips and as his little chubby hands tried to grip the sides. I wasn't sure what would happen to her and her son but whatever it was it had to be better than the existence that she'd left behind her. Maybe I could use some of the money from what I'd earned and use it to help her to establish a new life for herself.

For some reason the little boy was staring at me, why I had no idea, and I really wasn't too sure what to do when he started to lean toward me and then was suddenly sat on my knee. His hand was pulling at my hair and the expression on his face showed that he was totally fascinated with how one of my curls would spring back into place after he pulled it down.

He was a beautiful child with thick dark straight hair that I couldn't resist running my hand over. As I touched his head his eyes were looking up into mine and a smile appeared on his face.

I must have dozed as I held the little boy because as I woke, I was aware of a weight across my chest. I couldn't move my head so opened my eyes to work out where I was. I small head covered in dark hair was resting against my neck and his hand was wrapped in a death grip on my hair. He was fast asleep with his bottom lip trapped between his teeth and for some reason my arm was wrapped around him. The white T-shirt that he was wearing was rucked up to his tummy showing the towelling cloth that was being used as a nappy.

Movement caught my eye and teasing my hair from the tight grip around it I looked up to see Ranger watching me. Maybe he was waiting for me to wake up, who knew, but he was soon sat next to me.

"We'll be landing in 40 minutes. I spoke to Tomas and he and Marta are going to meet us at the hanger. They've been in touch with Caterina's parents so are arranging a house for them to stay at"

"Is Caterina okay with that?"

Because I would be worried about a family reunion after what she'd gone through and the fact that she now had a son.

"She's fine with that happening, she got on well with her parents before she was taken so I'm sure they'll work it out"

I was pleased then that Caterina would have the support of her family because it would take a long time for her to come to terms with what had happened to her and even begin to lead a normal life where she wasn't constantly afraid.

"Caterina can identify who took her and also who delivered her to Yaser. She described Dario perfectly but it has to be Marta who confirms the identity"

Yeah, that had me looking at Ranger because if she could be strong enough then she would be the nail in Dario's coffin and having seen how she'd been brave enough to attack Yaser I had a feeling that she'd be determined to make sure that Dario paid for his part in making her life a living hell.

"Does she know about any of the other girls?"

I asked knowing that there hadn't been any of them in the house or they would have been found and be here with us. I wasn't sure that I wanted to hear the answer to that and to be honest maybe it wasn't something that Caterina should have to deal with, survivors' guilt would be hard for her to overcome.

"She didn't say, and I didn't want to ask her"

Maybe it was us talking but the bundle in my arms started to fidget and I suddenly had brown eyes looking up at me. Okay a sleeping child I could maybe cope with but one who now looked wide awake and to me looked as though he was going to cry, was not part of my repertoire. I'd always made sure at this stage if it was one of my nieces that I handed her back to her mother. I looked up, searching for Caterina so relieved to see her walking toward me holding her arms out ready to take him. I noticed that she'd dispensed with the black scarf from around her head and the black robe that she'd worn as a dress and was now wearing jeans and a T-shirt. Clothes that I was sure that I recognized.

"What's his name?"

"Matteo. Yaser called him Matyu I would never acknowledge that name"

Matteo suited him and I was glad that Caterina had given him a name that didn't identify him as belonging Yaser. Caterina sat down with Matteo and thanked Les as he handed her some fruit for him.

I took Ranger's hand in mine as I felt the plane begin its descent and felt as he kissed me on the head. Maybe I was starting to get used to take offs and landings because I didn't feel as nervous as I usually did or subconsciously, I had every faith in Torres as a pilot.

I waited as Hector and Tank opened the outer door and then was close to Caterina as we walked down the steps. I could feel her anxiety and see it in her face as she looked around us and as her eyes landed on the figures approaching us. As she reached the ground, she stopped, showing her discomfort by holding Matteo closer to her. An older couple approached us, showing the same nervousness. The woman was gripping the man beside her tightly on his arm, tears evident on her cheeks even in the dim lighting of the hanger. No one said a word as they approached us and then suddenly, they were racing toward her, arms outstretched as both of them pulled her into their arms.

I felt my eyes tear up as I watched the reunion, heard the talking and watched as her parents touched and kissed their daughter and grandchild, sure now that Caterina's parents would support both her and Matteo. It made me think of my own parents and what they must be thinking. Would my father have succumbed to my mother's nagging and told her where I was, or would she just be happy that I wasn't in Trenton creating stories that would have the rumors running rife. Maybe it was time to reconnect with them and some of my other friends as well, they didn't need to have any details and at least they wouldn't think that I had totally forgotten about them.

I felt as a coat was slipped over my shoulders and as Ranger guided me away from the plane and the people gathering there. Tomas and Marta had been there to meet us along with another couple of men dressed in suits. I just hoped that Marta would be the one to talk to Caterina because I was pretty sure she would be very wary of being on her own with any men. As we started to walk toward the black Merc and another black SUV parked behind it, we hadn't gone far before there was shouting behind us.

"Aspetta, ho bisogno di dirti addio"

Turning I watched as Caterina came over to us.

"Diglielo, grazie per tutto quello che ha fatto per portarmi a casa"

I looked to Ranger for a translation of what she had said but did recognize a few of the words that she'd used, a thank you and home gave me some idea of what she was saying.

"She's thanking you for everything that you've done to get her home"

The embrace between us said so much more because she was the one who had helped me as well, if it hadn't been for her, I might still be trapped in that palace. Turning back to the car I noticed Tank and Ram unloading bags from the plane before the two of them got in and turned on the engine. Les and Hector were with us as we followed the car from the hanger and then away from the airport making me wonder what had happened to Torres.

Even as I sat and watched the view from the window, I was wondering what Tomas and Marta would do now and how long it would be before they arrested Dario. Surely, they had enough evidence now especially with a testimony from Caterina and the laptop that we'd brought back with us from Yaser's palace. No doubt it could take months before it came to trial. Would Lando and Dario get bail before the final court case? I hoped not because I was sure that Dario would be a flight risk. I wondered how many other contacts Dario had where he had sold women and if Marta would ever unearth the extent of his exploits.

"Babe"

I looked to Ranger as he said that having no idea what he was about to say. Had something else been found that I wasn't aware of? Or had Caterina mentioned something?

"Some of the men are going to be heading back to Trenton later today. Have you given any thought to what you want to do?"

I could feel my heart hammering in my chest as I repeated his question through to myself. I hadn't even thought about beyond stopping Dario and making sure he could never put a woman in danger like he had done to me. So now what? I suppose that I would have to finish out my contract with Scintillante, though whether Allegro would accept me back might be questionable because I was pretty sure that Marta and her agency would be looking at whether she was complicit with her brother's exploits.

"I, I suppose I need to find out if I'm still contracted to finish the work with Scintillante. Are you going back?"

I asked trying to cling to the fact that he'd said some of the men were returning and not him. I looked down at my hands as I asked that, so afraid of what he would say. I knew that he'd been in the wind and then really ill before coming here, so maybe he would have to get back to ensure Rangeman was working smoothly. Hell, other than Bobby I'd had the core team here with me. I didn't like the idea though of being here on my own but I suppose I would be safe enough but the idea of not being with Ranger was what was making me feel so anxious.

"No, wherever you are then I'm with you. Tank, Hector and Ram are going back so they'll make sure the business is running smoothly. I'll set it up so that I can keep an oversight of what's going on"

I looked up quickly as he said that, so pleased with what he had said. At least if he was working remotely from here then I wouldn't feel so guilty that he was ignoring any commitments that he had to his business. Ranger's arm that was over my shoulder, pulled me to him and he placed a kiss on my head. I felt that I could face Allegro now knowing that Ranger was going to be staying here though didn't know what to do about Gaia or whether I should go and see her. No, I decided, I'd wait and see what the fallout was first after Dario's arrest became public.

Ranger and Les were in the room that we'd used as an office ensuring the furniture was returned to its original position and boxing up all of the work that we'd done, though Hector was leaving us with a couple of laptops. Then Ranger was taking them to the airport while Les stayed here with me. I wasn't sure why it had to be Ranger who did the driving maybe he needed to talk to Tank about business before he went home.

The house felt empty without all of those big bodies filling up the space and feeling at a loss I decided that maybe it was time to make some calls and reconnect to the people that I'd left behind. Seeing as it was still warm outside, I decided that the quietness and waning sunlight suited the mood that I was in.

I'd borrowed a phone from Ranger encouraged by the fact that any calls would be routed through Rangeman so no one would be able to tell where I was, that was just one of the things that I wanted to keep to myself and whilst I wouldn't intentionally lie to anyone, I wanted to minimize what had happened to me over the last few weeks. Picking up the glass of wine sat next to me I took a large gulp before inputting the number for my parent's house.

"Plum residence"

It actually felt really good just to hear my mother's voice as she answered the phone even if she was sounding very official.

"Hi Mum"

I waited for her to reply getting more nervous as the silence drew out.

"Stephanie. When are you coming home? You should have come back with your father"

So much for having a daughter mother conversation. I already felt as though she was berating me for not being there. Was she right, should I have gone home with my father?

"I'm sure that Joseph would take you back and then you can get married"

I was at the point of wanting to shout down the phone at her at her reverting back to a topic that I was sure I'd made clear to her before I left. Sighing I decided to steer clear of that old argument.

"I thought that maybe you'd want to know that I was okay, doing well really"

Okay, it was back to the silence and I'm sure that my mother was trying to think of something to say that would have me thinking that she wasn't impressed.

"There are plenty of jobs here Stephanie. I don't see why you need to be hundreds of miles away. A daughter belongs at home near her family"

Well, at least she was still under the impression that I was still in the country.

"How's it going with dad?"

Thinking that maybe I could get away from her having a go at me.

"I don't know what all the fuss is about, your father's just fine"

The way that she said that had my breath hitch in my chest. Was she saying that she was ignoring everything that had been advised, that she wasn't helping by changing his diet or supporting him to exercise?

"No, he isn't mum. He should be on a low fat and low sugar diet and doing some exercises"

I sat up in the chair so worried now that she was going to end up making him ill again.

"If you came home then maybe he'd listen to you"

I almost laughed at that idea. I mean what did she expect me to do? I'd be no good at helping with menus or cooking meals and I wasn't the type of person to exercise. Was she saying that my father was refusing to take his illness seriously? I wasn't sure that I would be the right person to have any influence over either of them.

"Yeah right. Since when have either of you ever asked me for my opinion. Is dad there?"

"No. He tends to go out for his lunch at the club, probably because there's no one watching what he eats or drinks"

I deflated as I leant that. He knew how ill he could get if he didn't change the way he ate or started to exercise.

"He'd listen to you Stephanie if you came home"

Damn it, she was trying to guilt me into going back home. Why would I want to do that? Because your father was on route to killing himself. How was that my fault? and since when was I the one who should be forfeiting what I was doing? Oh hell, that made me feel selfish and I realized that was exactly how my mother was trying to make me feel. Was what she saying her way of guilting me into going home , was she even telling me the truth? I needed time to think before I made a rash decision and conceded to what she expected me to do.

"He's a grown man mum, I'm not his keeper. He's the one who has to live with his actions. I'll talk to you soon"

"Stephanie"

I finished the call cutting her off before she could say anything else and sat back in the chair. How was it that my mother could always make me feel bad about myself and the decisions that I made about my own life? I looked at the phone wondering if I could cope with anyone else having a go at me but that was when I was aware of someone behind me. I turned to see Les walking from the house with a bottle of wine and a glass in his hand and as he sat down in the chair next to me. As he refilled my glass I could have sworn that it was still half full a few minutes ago.

"I thought you looked like you needed cheering up"

Maybe the smile that I gave Les didn't quite reach my eyes and I was sure that Les was aware of that.

"Look, just tell your BFF what's wrong and then we can get drunk"

Maybe it was the way he said it or maybe I just needed to tell someone. Ranger wasn't here because he was taking the guys to the airport so maybe Les would be a good sounding board.

"I called home, to see how people were and let them know that I was doing okay"

"I bet that went well"

Yeah, Les knew too well how I clashed with my mother and the way that she tried to coerce me into doing things that I didn't want to do.

"She implied that my dad wasn't following what the doctors advised him and that she couldn't cope, so I should go home"

That Les burst out laughing made me mad, this was serious not something to be laughing at. I was on the verge of getting up and hitting him when he finally calmed down and looked at me.

"Your mother is certainly a class act, Beautiful. Your father came to see us after Ranger had left to ask Bobby for some advice. When I left, he was going to be using the gym each lunch time and I'm sure that Bobby had him talking to Ella"

For once I was lost for words. First that my father would go to Rangeman for help, I mean why would he do that instead of maybe joining a gym? The second reason that had me struggling to say something was trying to gigure out what exactly was my mother doing? Did she know that he was exercising or had he told her that he was going to the club when he wasn't and was she supporting him with the meals that she was cooking?

"She said those things to me to try to get me to go back"

It was the only explanation that made any sense and from the way that Les was waggling his eyebrows I was pretty sure that he agreed with me. At least I knew that my father was doing okay and that probably my mother was begrudgingly keeping to the doctor's orders, well as best as she would allow herself to. I leant forward and filled up my glass again as Les began to tell me stories of when he first signed up in the army and the kind of food they were given. It was certainly a long way from the cooking that he was used to at home where most of the meals seemed to me to be Cuban. Then I heard about some of the times when they were on missions and some of the things that they ended up eating, I was in hysterics.

"Don't laugh, when all you've had to eat is some slop out of a packet, well the idea of meat gets to you"

"Meat, you were looking for meat?"

I asked as the next phase of his story continued.

"Of course. So Ranger, he had this idea that if we could catch us a wild boar, then we'd be set up for the rest of the week"

"Where the hell were you?"

"Err, probably in south Colombia. Anyway, we had to make sure that we didn't make a lot of noise, so Ranger made this spear thing out of wood with a knife tied to end. We managed to track one and he threw the spear, but it missed the animal. Shit those things can run when they get mad"

"It chased him?"

I couldn't imagine anything like that happening to Ranger, I mean he was always so precise and well planned out. I couldn't imagine him running to get away from a wild creature.

"An hour later he managed to get back to camp, shit up to hell, carrying this little piglet. He'd managed to hit it in its leg when he threw the spear. He was pissed especially when we laughed at him and told him he could butcher it and kill it"

Oh no, did he really go through with that?

"He ended up using one of our bandages and letting it go"

I laughed thinking about that, how Ranger who could probably kill a man and possibly had done but couldn't bring himself to kill a little piglet. I lifted my glass to my mouth and realized it was empty again. Les had been just what I'd needed to shake the feelings that my mother had tried to invoke in me, and I was feeling okay with myself, more than okay. I was warm and felt ever so relaxed so much so that just closing my eyes brought a contented sigh to my lips.