Chapter 51

I ended up in bed but wasn't going to sleep. Every doubt that I'd ever had became the focus of my thoughts. Other people would know what was going on, after all it was on that app. Hector, Cal and Bobby would never let Ranger treat me like this, would they? No, surely not, even if Ranger was their boss.

I tossed and turned on the bed, waiting for Ranger to come back. Needing the bathroom brought me fully awake and it was then that I saw that it was only 5 o'clock. The bed was cold and empty next to me, and another contraction of my heart told me that he hadn't come back during the night, that he'd spent his time with her. After using the bathroom, I had no desire to go back to bed. Instead, I decided to get dressed, almost preparing myself for when Ranger would turn up. What kept racing through my mind was that if Ranger was going to be coming back, then he'd be here by now, wouldn't he? I was almost to the panicking stage as I sat and waited, though I wasn't sure what I was waiting for. When the door burst open, I jumped from where I was sitting on the couch, seeing Ranger come into the apartment.

"Oh good, you're up"

Was all that he said as he walked past me and into the bathroom. As I made to follow him a smell wafted from where he had walked, a smell that was sweet, not the smell that I associated with Ranger, it was the smell of the perfume that Ellie had liked. I decided to wait, not sure what would happen when Ranger came out of the bathroom, probably hoping that he'd hold me, kiss me and tell me everything was okay, that he had a plan and was following that through.

It didn't happen like that. As Ranger seemed to ignore me and went through to the bedroom, I felt my anger mounting. I wasn't going to let him know that I'd seen the camera from that diner or smelt Ellie's perfume on him. I had to get control of myself if what I thought and feared was actually going to be happening. No way was he taking me anywhere.

I made what was usual for me, a very hasty decision. I grabbed a jacket from the hallway and walked out of the apartment toward the stairs. I didn't to wait for the elevator because no doubt Ranger could have stopped it or brought it back up if he realized that I'd gone. I had no idea where I was going to go if I got out of the building or what I would do for money. I just knew that I had to get away, I was so annoyed at him. Annoyed that he hadn't told me anything, annoyed that he'd spent the night with Ellie and annoyed that he'd basically ignored this me morning. There was no way that I was going to play his little game.

Down in the garage I took note of where the cameras were, of the men, who I didn't know, walk to and from their cars. I needed to time it right to get out of the garage as a car drove through the open gate. I walked with purpose, deciding that hiding or using cars for cover would only attract attention to myself. As the gate opened, I waited at the side, unseen by the driver, but was quick to walk out into the sunlight and lose myself in the people walking along the sidewalk. I never slowed down or looked back but I could feel the tears running down my cheeks.

I'm not sure how long I walked for or how far. Time became illusive as I dodged people walking, their talking and laughter taunting me. My whole world had fallen to pieces overnight. I had no place to go to or anyone who I could contact to help me. I felt miserable so slowed down, looking around me. I'd been stupid by not bringing any money with me, but then I had no idea where there was any money in the apartment.

Seeing some girls walking wearing skimpy tops and shorts and carrying towels made me think of the beach and I knew that was where I wanted to be. I could loose myself to the ocean, calm my thoughts and go through everything that I'd seen and heard. I caught up with the girls as they started to get into a car, maybe just maybe I could get a lift from them.

Half an hour later I was carrying my shoes in my hands walking through the sand toward the water. Those girls had been happy to give me a lift to the beach and not having to explain myself was even better. We'd parted ways once the car was parked so I'd made my way onto the beach. The beach was crowded with people sunbathing, kids playing ball games, but I tried to ignore the loss that those sounds and sights brought to me. I sat down on the edge of the water, I didn't care that my jeans were getting wet, I needed to feel the waves surround me, hear as the water lapped onto me. At any other time, I think I would have walked out into the water, wishing to be consumed so the hurt would go away. Now, I couldn't do that and as I laid my hand on my belly, I knew I had another one to think about. The baby maybe Ranger's but I wouldn't let him anywhere near me or them. I wasn't some woman who was out to trap a man. I was my own person and somehow, I'd make this work.

I couldn't compute what the hell had happened. Taking what I'd seen, heard and smelt would certainly confirm that I'd done the right thing. My heart though wasn't being logical. I just knew that what Ranger and I had together was real. If he was acting a role to lure Lambert to talk I could understand that, what I wasn't sure about was whether or not Ellie was playing along with him or if in fact she was the one who had always been my enemy. My gut was hedging for the second door, after all of the lies and half truths that she'd told me I knew that she couldn't be trusted. I could possibly understand Ranger changing our plans if he saw the opportunity but what hurt so much was that he hadn't spoken to me at all. Didn't he trust me enough to tell me what he was planning now?

I don't how long I sat there for, I had nowhere else to go and maybe I'd leave the comfort of the beach when the daylight disappeared. I'd become immune to people running into the sea, playing behind me, even two small kids who were building sand castles close by. So when someone else sat down just behind me I didn't notice. Talk about being aware of my surroundings.

"We need to move from here, there are men out looking for you"

I turned and was about to get up and run when I saw the man sat there.

"What are you doing here?"

"Watching, waiting and listening"

I would never have thought in a million years that I would be so pleased to see Stanley. Instead of running I flung myself at him, the tears returning in full force. I wasn't sure if they were tears of joy at seeing him or tears for the mess that I was in.

"Come on, let's get to somewhere safe and then we can work out what the hell is going on"

I let him help me to my feet and just followed him as we started to wade into the water. It actually felt good to feel the water soak into my jeans, to have the waves splash droplets against my skin. Looking ahead of me I saw what looked like a fishing boat slowly chugging towards us. A moan was on the tip of my tongue as I recognized it as the one that I'd been on so many weeks ago. I didn't though, because it was a way to put distance between me and Miami The water became so deep that I ended up swimming with Stanley just behind me. I felt a hand grab hold of mine and looked up, trying to understand what Stanley had led me into because there on the boat trying to pull me out of the water were Lizbeth and her father Correll.

I hadn't had a choice but to clamber onto that boat, sink or swim became a new euphonism to me. I wouldn't have been able to swim the distance back to the shore and I had a very good reason not to sink and drown. So here I was with a blanket around me holding a mug of hot chocolate. We were all sat on the deck while Stanley steered the boat, as though waiting for something to happen or someone to say something.

"It's not what you think Steph. I never betrayed you"

I looked at Lizbeth as she said that, why would she expect me to believe her?

"You disappeared and then I found a clue that linked your name to Lukavic to the company that he seems to have control of. Vatrenima"

I fired back in defence of why I couldn't trust her.

"It isn't true Stephanie. I've been chasing down data and intel for months now. Vatrenima as a company exists but it seems that Lukavic only updates it with information he wants us to have"

I was looking up at Correl as he started to explain to me what he thought. Yeah, I was still very suspicious that he was telling me the truth.

"Lizbeth's name suddenly appeared after Elaina left the safe house that you were all staying at. I suspect that the knowledge that I worked for the FBI threw her and she used Lizbeth's name to try and throw us off her scent. I've been working with the NSA on this to try to unravel what was going on"

"Sorry, NSA, Mr Correll?"

I hadn't a clue what he was talking about and I was so fed up with people lying to me I wasn't about to start believing him.

"Call me Ryan. NSA is the National Security Agency. It's a high level agency of the US and I answer to the Director of National Intelligence. We're responsible for global monitoring, the collection and processing of information and data for foreign and domestic intelligence and counterintelligence purposes"

Okay, maybe some of that went over my head but the way he gave me the spiel sounded very important.

"I thought that you worked for the FBI?"

"No. I became aware from information that we were collecting that there was a group who were planning to find what they called a new technological weapon. The problem we were having was that some of the information looked to be coming from someone inside a government agency. I was asked to look into it"

I closed my eyes as I tried to digest what he was saying and if I could believe it.

"I have so many people lying to me that I don't know what the truth is and what are lies. Everyone seems to have reasons for me to believe them. So why the hell should I believe you?"

It was Stanley who turned to me and from the look on his face I had a feeling that he was fighting to find the right words to say to me.

"Angel, I know you. You are one of the most trusting people that I know. Yeah, you lie to people, but never to cause pain or to hurt them. Usually, it's for their own good. The people we're up against they, they are the worst. They lie for themselves, for greed and power and don't care who they hurt or even kill. Lukavic, that's what he is. Yeah, he had a hard time as a kid, felt abandoned and had to fight hard to survive. Maybe that's why he's so callous. He has no feelings. He doesn't love anyone or even hate anyone. He doesn't empathize with people and emotions. After you all disappeared from Belize, I did some more looking, talked to people that I'd been in Bosnia with and some who went back out there to live. I didn't realize what you'd got into or who was involved, and I'll be honest with you, I saw the good in all of you girls, my angels"

"Elaina?"

Because I had no idea what to think about her. I'd trusted her, okay I'd had my doubts but when she said that she'd originally lied to me and told me her version of the truth I believed her and let her in again.

"I fell for her lies as well Steph. She was so believable, and she never once gave me the impression that she wasn't who she said she was. When you disappeared in Guatemala, she was one of us who looked for you, came up with suggestions so we could get back to the states"

So what Lizbeth was saying was that it had been Ellie or Elaina all the time. She was the one who had betrayed me in Guatemala which meant that she was working with Lukavic. What I couldn't understand was why she was still with Ethan and had turned up at the island or how she seemed so sincere.

Did she know where the EMPs were now? Did she know what Lukavic had planned? I could only feel relieved that she had no idea that Ethan, CJ and Les were up in New York trying to find a way to deactivate them. That had me suddenly worried as to whether Ethan could be trusted or had he gone over to the dark side as well.

"Ethan, is he rogue as well? He's with CJ and Les now"

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up into Ryan's face wondering what the hell he was going to tell me now. I couldn't bear to think of Les being in danger.

"I spoke with CJ this morning. He knows the score, Ethan has been pulled in by Elaina as well but he knows the truth now. I suspected that Elaina and Lukavic would have set a trap for them, so I had to let them know"

I let out the breath that I was holding knowing that they'd been prewarned but that did nothing to alleviate the pain that I felt over Ranger.

"What happens now?"

"We know from Ethan that you used the laptop and that the EMPs are now in New York and a substation north of the city but we're not sure what Lukavic is planning. Ethan and the two men are going to do surveillance on the places but will wait for me to tell them how to progress"

"I know. I think"

I explained what I thought Lukavic was going to do, yeah saying it aloud to other people made me think that I was nuts. As I finished, I was met with silence which totally unnerved me.

"How do you know that there's an underground facility?"

I wasn't going to be getting Randy into trouble, hell he'd only told me what he thought would happen.

"A friend, he's a bit of a conspiracy nut, so I asked him why I would want to put any money into a bank if they were likely to be terrorist targets"

I saw by the way that he lifted one eyebrow that he was expecting more from me but that was all that he was getting from me. The fact that he never dismissed what I'd said had me thinking that maybe I was on the right tracks.

"Okay. I think I need to get in touch with my superiors and we have to work out how to handle this, yet catch the people responsible, especially Lukavic"

"Do you know who the inside man is?"

I asked remembering vividly the conversation that I'd heard inside that diner.

"We only have the name Hubbert, but I have my suspicions"

I suppose it was time to lay my cards on the table and tell them what I knew.

"It's a man named Gregory. I overheard a conversation last night between a man named Lambert Jackson and Elaina. He mentioned Gregory by name"

I stopped and took a deep breath seeing Lizbeth looking at me as though she knew I had more to add.

"Ranger was with them. I ran because . ."

How did you say that the man you loved might have betrayed you? Then it struck me, this had happened once before, and I'd been so wrong at the time, so how was this any different.

"Stanley why did you get me to bail out on that road to Princeton, how did you know I was there?"

"I saw those army vehicles and knew from your ring you were heading their way. Why?"

I knew that Ranger had nothing to do with that but what was worrying me was how anyone knew that I had that laptop with me or where we were going. Okay, Lambert was probably responsible but how did he know so much detail? I mean us arriving at Rangeman Miami was my idea. I'd wanted to go there, and no one knew that we'd turn up there. Stupid, stupid. He knew at some stage that I'd go there for that package, and he didn't just take it because at the time they needed the password. Did they have the first password now, but how?

"Shit, it's all falling into place"

I stood up wanting to walk around but found that difficult within the confines of the deck we were on. I stopped at the side and leant against the rail, staring out into the darkness, though seeing the stars were little consolation as I went through what I was thinking.

"Angel what are you thinking?"

"The laptop that Elaina had with her when she found us on the keys was the decoy. Lukavic has the real one"

I was pretty sure of that but there was no way to find out unless of course I ended up divulging what the passwords were. At the diner Lambert had said that they only had a couple of attempts left so maybe Elaina had been able to see some of them when I opened the program. Thinking of how information seemed to have gotten out gave me another possibility, one that I needed someone I could trust to ask them to do something for me.

"I need to contact a friend"

I could see that Stanley wasn't keen on that idea, but it was the only way I was going to know for sure. Know whether or not Ranger had behaved the way he had to protect me.

That wasn't going to happen while we were in the middle of the ocean and it was Lizbeth who eventually led me downstairs and through into a small cabin. I wasn't sure that I could sleep but I suppose with the restless night that I'd had and then the emotional turmoil of the day I must have needed it. I was just thankful that I didn't dream, but as I woke and moved to get up, I knew that I was going to throw up. It was Lizbeth who found me in the confines of the toilet and took pity on me.

"I know, being at sea and sleeping can make me feel seasick as well. I have some travel sick pills if you want some"

I shook my head knowing that they might hurt my baby so smiled up at Lizbeth.

"No thanks, I feel better. Maybe not eating yesterday didn't help"

"Okay"

I went to the small sink and splashed water on my face looking through the small round window. I thought that we weren't rocking about as much and now knew why as I saw a docking area coming in close to us.

Once up top I took a piece of toast from Lizbeth but refused the coffee.

"Any water?"

"In the fridge"

Came her reply as she went to the side and started to unwind one of the thick ropes. I collected a bottle and drank the full bottle before going back up the stairs.

"Where are we Stanley?"

"Fort Pierce. We're gonna take a plane up to New York"

I tried not to grimace at the idea of that, especially remembering the seaplane that Stanley had piloted.

"Hey, I'm a good pilot and that plane was mechanically sound. Ryan has arranged the transport courtesy of his boss"

I wasn't too sure that I expected that and probably from the look Stanley gave me he knew that I was anxious.

"Angel. The man is the real deal. I wasn't gonna be trusting just anyone and hell, I hated the man for long enough, but he aint gonna betray us"

I nodded my head, thankful for what Stanley had said. I needed his reassurance just now. As soon as we'd moored the boat, we were walking down the pier toward where cars were parked. Ryan was ahead of us and led us to a large black SUV where the driver opened the doors for him. It seemed that we had transport to the airport. The airport was close to where we were and as we pulled up on the tarmac, I was sure my mouth fell open. I was totally surprised that we were flying in a private jet.

Walking up the steps felt surreal as did the view of the inside. There were wide leather seats set around small tables. Carpet that went wall to wall and a woman dressed in a uniform. She showed us to our seats and helped me to fasten my belt before seeing to the others. I think that Lizbeth felt like I did, totally overcome with where we were.

It didn't take long before we were taxiing down the runway. I closed my eyes and held on tightly to the arms of the chair as I felt the engines increase their power. The speed, well it was fast as it knocked me back in my seat. It was only when I felt that feeling of us slowing, levelling out that I opened my eyes again. Why was it that I hated flying? That was when the woman appeared with a glass of water for me and some pretzels. Now this was what I needed.

It wasn't a long flight and I noticed that Ryan was on the phone most of the time while Stanley slept. That only encouraged Lizbeth to sit next to me and talk.

"Why did you run from that building?"

I looked at her confused with what she was saying.

"How did you know where I was?"

Lizbeth didn't even have the grace to look embarrassed as she gave me what was a perfectly logical explanation.

"Stanley had been looking for you and as a last resort we decided to check out the Rangeman building. Stanley was the one there when you came out and he followed you. Though when you got in a car with some girls that confused him. He managed to get a taxi and followed you. He called me and told me to get the boat as close to the shore as possible. He was worried about you"

I thought through the events of that morning and to be honest I was grateful that Stanley had been there.

"So why did you leave?"

"I found out about the man at Rangeman and Elaina. I got scared and had to get out of there"

I didn't want to say any more, and I was already thankful that no one had asked me about Ranger, because I honestly didn't know what to say. That had me even more determined to reach Hector.

"I need to talk to a friend, is that possible?"

"Yeah, I have a burn phone"

I needed privacy for this call so with Lizbeth's phone in my hand I went to the back of the plane. I knew Hector's number, he'd told me it when we were on the boat and made me repeat it just in case I ever needed some help. I was pretty sure I had it right and was on tender hooks waiting for him to answer.

"Si"

"Hector"

"Estefania where are you?"

I knew he would want to know but that wasn't part of my plan.

"Hector, I think there are cameras in Ranger's apartment in Miami. Please check it out. I'm safe, but I'll call back for an answer"

I finished the call hoping that Hector would believe me, and do as I'd asked, without telling Ranger that I'd called. Fat chance of that happening but at least Hector wouldn't know where I was or where I was going. It was the best explanation that I could come up with that would explain so many things. If Lambert had cameras in the apartment then he would have known that we were leaving Miami and no doubt overheard Ranger making the arrangements. That was how we were found up in New Jersey. Depending on where a camera was he could have also seen me input the password. Was that why Ranger had been so abrupt with me? Did he know there was someone watching us so had to act out the part that he'd had Lambert believe? That made far more sense to me than believing that Ranger would betray me. I could only hope that by running I hadn't put his plan in jeopardy or put him in danger.

It was soon after that when we landed in New York, not exactly where I wanted to be, and again there was a car waiting for us. This time we were taken to a hotel where Ryan told us to stay inside while he met with his bosses. The hotel looked like an old fashioned building which I preferred to some of the taller more modern ones. We were on the first floor all with our own rooms though Stanley must have had a suite as he had a lounge area as well. The bedrooms were large and clean with their own bathrooms and laid on my bed was a large white bag. I tentatively opened it amazed at the contents. There were two sets of underwear, two pairs of black jeans and several sweaters. Boots that were made from a soft leather and a matching bag. I had absolutely no idea who had provided them and to be honest at that moment didn't care. I so wanted to shower so walked into the bathroom. The shelves contained shower gel and shampoo along with conditioner, so I was in seventh heaven as I stepped into the hot water.

The water relieved me of the stress that I was feeling but not the ache in my heart. I was so worried about where Ranger was and if I'd messed up his plans. I wouldn't believe that he would desert me for someone like Elaina. I had to believe that he'd found out something and was trying to find out more by pretending to go along with what Elaina had planned. The problem I was trying to get past was who was playing who and that Elaina didn't catch on.

I found a robe on the back of the door, wrapped a towel around my head and stepped out into the bedroom. I was ready to retreat back into the bathroom and lock the door when I saw who was sat on the bed looking up at me. I didn't though, knowing that a simple lock wouldn't keep him out. I stood there not knowing what to do or say, half afraid and half elated as Ranger walked up to me. He was wearing a dark suit with a black shirt underneath and as usual looked edible. He looked tired, with a five o'clock shadow marring his beautiful face. His eyes though as he looked at me were dark and there was a slight frown on his face. I had no idea what his intentions were going to be.