Chapter 3

Stephanie wanted to stay with Ranger but Bobby pulled her aside, "Let them talk."

0-0

While the others moved towards their vehicles, Ranger, Pierre and I walked to the back of the restaurant, away from the front door. After checking for cameras and finding none, I faced the two men and began. "I received a call from Silvio last night. We've stayed in contact all these years. When he moved into Cyber work after his knee injury with the MPs, I was his boss for a while. He's intelligent and clever. For him to call me with a problem, it had to be bad. Someone is trying to hack Rangeman, big time; computers and phones."

"Have the firewalls been breached?" Ranger asked.

"They got close. Silvio caught it and put up a defense. He contacted me for help. I can't give him classified military programs, but I do have programs I've been working on my own. They are keeping Rangeman secure for now. In reviewing the hackers' attack, I'm seeing old government codes used years ago but with modern updates."

"You still work in Cyber?" Ranger asked.

"I'm in a special division within Intelligence," I answered.

"Do you know who is attacking us?"

"If I had to guess, it is somebody in the FBI who used to work in their Cyber division. If it these were modern FBI attacks, their current programs would have gotten further into your system. There's a good chance you would have been totally breached by now."

I could see Ranger and Pierre run through their minds trying to find possible suspects or reasons. I didn't know enough about Rangeman to offer suggestions.

"For now, you need to keep your communications above board, nothing secret. If you want to be in the dark, use burners here and back there. Use the disposables no more than once for important calls. For other calls you can use them up to six times before dumping them. Cover all camera ports on your devices. In fact, keep devices away from you when talking person to person. Even without a camera, vocal vibrations can be picked up."

"What about our land lines?" Ranger asked.

"They have ears."

"Are our computers safe?"

"Just like here, keep it friendly. Don't be trying to access files or saving files. If possible, don't use any devices out here other than your burners. Silvio is trying to rebuild, but it will take time."

"Are you helping him?" Ranger asked.

"I can't do anymore. I'm going on a mission."

I turned to Pierre, "Now, you." Stepping forward, I put my hands behind his neck and pulled him to my lips. At first he was surprised, wanting to pull away but I held tight. He realized this would be a long kiss and relaxed. Tongues danced against each other, my grasp on him went from his neck to his glorious chest and arms. I was thoroughly enjoying the experience. We both began to react. His arms wrapped tightly around my back. I used my height and his surprise to push him to the wall and put my full body against his. More than his tongue was now responding. I was quite tingly myself. I wanted to rub myself all over him like a cat in heat and ride his leg like a bronc rider. Before we self-combusted, I pulled back. We both were gasping.

"You two need a room?" Ranger smirked.

I shook my head, "Sadly, there's not enough time."

"What was THAT for?" Pierre said, still gasping as he tried to discretely rearrange the central seam of his pants.

"That was a thank you for saving my life."

"You said that inside. I don't remember."

I looked him in the eyes, "Sergeant, do you still have my Barrett 107?"

Pierre suddenly stood still, eyes distant remembering the Hellhole in Nicaragua and how he ended up with a Barrett 107 sniper rifle. It was not standard Army issue, it was a personal weapon.

I began refreshing his memory, "Manoso and two others on a black ops mission had been captured. Your team assembled for rescue but there was no sniper, the team was delayed. Finally, a sniper was found and sent ahead with a spotter to find a position overlooking the jungle prison. There was another delay, this one 14 hours due to aircraft mechanical problems. When you finally arrived and established communication with the spotter, you were urged to double-time it to the prison camp."

He was listening and remembering the frustration at being delayed. When they landed, they were urged to double-time it to the camp. Gunfire was heard in the background. When they arrived, the camp was strewn with dead and dying bodies. The few remaining were more interested in getting up the hill to the sniper. While Tank and two men ran to the shack, the rest of the team picked off the remaining rebels.

"When you arrived, there was a firefight in progress. The sniper was picking off the men in the camp who were desperately trying to find the sniper. You and two others entered the shack and found the three, badly beaten American soldiers. Two were hanging from ceiling hooks, the other lay across a desk. There were five dead men in the office; three Nicaraguan rebels and two civilians. The civilians had their throats slit with one of the heads nearly cut off. The three rebel officers died with headshots.''

Looking off, eyes were focusing on a memory. Manoso was the one on the desk next to have his throat slit. The Colonel was spot on.

"You threw Manoso over your shoulder. Two on your team took the others. As you passed an earthen mound, a bullet hit a metal object with a loud clang. You called to another on your team to break the lock."

"...And there we found the prisoners," he continued in a monotone. "We couldn't stop to help. All the rebels were dead but reinforcements were less than an hour away. We hoped the prisoners had time to vanish into the jungle." Ranger stood off to the side and listened. He barely remembered the rescue.

I continued, "The helicopter had a very narrow window for retrieval. All your men were on board but the spotter and sniper were late. At the last moment, two green shrubs moved. The port side gunner panicked and fired several rounds before someone stopped him. The spotter and sniper continued to the helicopter with its rotor already at full speed. The spotter jumped in, but the sniper hesitated, you reached out and grabbed him at the last second as the machine lifted off."

Pierre was barely breathing as he listened and remembered. He's tried to forget those hours in the jungle, but to this day they continued to haunt his dreams.

"A medic tended Manoso and the others. About 10 minutes into the flight the sniper sitting next to you appeared to have passed out and was falling out the open door. You grabbed him and talked to him, "We aren't there yet, be patient." You failed to notice the blood oozing through the ghillie and onto your hands. Maybe you thought it was Manoso's from earlier. When the helicopter reached the temporary base, the sniper stumbled out, turned and handed you the Barrett... "Yours" was all I could say and I walked to the waiting C140."

He was dumbfounded. "You?"

"I was shot by the port side gunner. The bullet caught my vest at narrow-angle, plowed from side to side before it landed in my left arm. The force had been reduced enough my arm wasn't blown off. If the angle had been steeper, I would have had a giant hole in me. The vest wouldn't stop that big caliber. I wasn't passing out, I was jumping. I had reached my end. Seeing what the rebel officers were doing inside the building sent me back mentally to an incident in my childhood. Watching the villagers stagger out of their underground prison plus clearing the camp including the officers in the office was more than I could handle. Having endured years of mental and physical pain prior to that day, I wanted it to end. You grabbed me and held onto me keeping me from going out the door."

Pierre leaned up against the wall replaying the incident in his head.

"Tell me about North Korea?" Ranger whispered referring back to the green chile stew comment earlier.

"You disappeared looking for Vlatko. I knew you were probably in a camp near Chelosan. I called for a backup team and led them close to the camp. When your fellow Rangers brought you out, a compress held your guts in from a stab wound. The medic was being carried out, dead or near dead. Anyone on your team could have stitched you up, standard Ranger training. I took the medic's bag and two on your team held you down. I didn't bother to remove my ghillie. You were delirious and panicked at a shrub stitching you up. I imagine the scar is ugly, there wasn't much time."

Ranger stared into my eyes and then my hands. Maybe he was remembering my long slender fingers emerging from a jungle camouflaged ghillie.

"There was one other time," I spoke softly. "Somalia. I was the sniper on the roof."

Both Pierre and Ranger had been part of a group to capture an Al Shahbaab leader. They were stunned. The sniper provided cover while helping direct their progress. Nobody realized the voice heard over the radio was a woman's.

"That was my sentence for Billabong Bar. I was an operative but worked as a shooter in the world's shitholes. Nicaragua broke me." Touching Pierre, "You saved me, allowing me to start over. While in Nicaragua, the Simpson scandal broke. I was exonerated on all charges related to the Philippines. I was patched up mentally and physically, awarded up the wazoo for my six years in Hell, promoted, and reassigned within Intelligence."

Before Ranger asked the question, I answered him, "Silvio was a good MP, but better with computers. I had him moved to Intelligence after his injury. The Army was ready to discharge him. I had him only two years before he left."

"Are you his 'secret government contact' he's referred to?"

I gave a quick nod.

"Can I ask where you are now?" Ranger continued.

"Since Nicaragua, I've been kept on this side of the lines, but my new assignment is back in the field. I've been at Ft. Bliss in a special unit for the past month, but I'm off in less than twenty-four. Trust me, if it wasn't important I wouldn't go back under."

Pierre instinctively reached out and grabbed me and pulled me towards him. I didn't stop him.

Ranger was humbled. He didn't know what to say. Finally he put out his hand, "Colonel, thank you...for everything." When I pushed off Pierre and took Ranger's hand, Ranger pulled me into a hug, "May you return safely."

"Thank you, Ranger, with the Lord's help."

I turned and hugged Pierre again, "I always hoped we could finally get together, at least to spar again. You have been in my thoughts since Billabong. But at least I got to see you and thank you for Nicaragua." As we walked together towards my car, I quietly said, "Pierre, I apologize for my actions back there. Those were not officer conduct actions, but the only way to quickly say...mister, you are the only man who has made me feel."

"Feel what?"

"Like there is more than being a soldier. Perhaps someday I could have been a woman. That day in the bar something inside of me woke up, briefly before it was slammed shut again. It was just reawakened against the wall here. Pierre, you are the only man I have kissed, outside of my family. Had I known what type of kisser you were, I would have hunted you down before now." I sighed, "Mister, you make my heart flutter. Thank you." I thought it best not to add 'tingly in the shorts' as well.

"Colonel, I have never forgotten you. You were like an angel in that bar. I thought you actually radiated light. I remember your concern for me, your tenderness, and of course the kiss. All are as fresh in my mind today as when they occurred. I've even prayed we'd meet again."

I smiled, "Sounds like we have been on the same wavelength." We were back at my Porsche 911 Turbo at the curb.

"Nice car," he muttered. "But it really isn't built for us taller people."

I laughed, "Spoken from experience?"

"Ranger has one."

"This is only a lease. I've never owned anything. I move around too much and can't be tied down with useless items."

Pierre cleared his throat, "Colonel, this is embarrassing, but I still can't wrap my mind and tongue around your name. If I'm going to pray for you, I need to know how."

I smiled and began to tear up. He wants to pray for me. A name card was in my hand. "Yes, it is a tongue twister, but I don't think the Lord requires you to speak the full name. Vassi or VC is fine."

He glanced at the card and looked up, "I know you can't be contacted while on a mission, but when you come back..."

I couldn't tell him it was probably a suicide mission. I thought for a moment, "I may be able to contact you from out there. They'll be encrypted high speed less than 10 character flash messages once or twice a month. Not traceable."

"Is that possible?"

"For me it is."

"How will I know it's from you?"

I chuckled, "You will, you can trust me."

"You'll need my contact info."

"Please, don't insult me," I mumbled. "I have had your contact info for years."

He looked at me, questioning with his eyes what I just said.

"Pierre, I'm not a stalker. I wanted to know you were still alive and maybe our paths would cross and I'd have a chance to thank you and …ah... kiss you again." I began to blush. "When Silvio called for help and mentioned you were up outside of Alamogordo in the Sacramento's, I told him I was closer. I'd bring the message." We both were quiet and looked into each other's eyes. Damn, I didn't want to leave and he sure didn't want me to leave.

"Please come back. Come back to me," he said with such passion it broke my heart. The chances of returning were virtually zero. A single tear rolled down my cheek, "I've never stopped dreaming about you, Pierre, and never will. Goodbye."

When I returned to Ft. Bliss, I sent a snail-mail letter to my brother asking him to contact Tank at Rangeman Trenton if something should happen to me.

Ranger and Stephanie rode together back to the cabin in the mountains. "I've never seen Tank act that way, not even with Lula," Stephanie said.

Ranger nodded, "You still think he is just infatuated with her?"

"It's beyond infatuation…for both of them. Is there any chance for them to get together?"

Ranger thought about what she said about her upcoming mission. "No, probably not."

"Oh no, poor Tank."

Ranger didn't respond. He remembered the depression his friend went into in Australia years ago after the initial meeting. He hoped Tank was mature enough not to crawl into a tequila bottle again.

When they reached the mountain cabins, everyone had several new cells and was learning their new phone numbers. Each called Silvio with their new numbers. Their original Rangeman phones remained offline.

"Ranger," Silvio said, "I hated to ask her but time was of the essence."

"She was a surprise, to say the least. Tank is in a daze. Don't be surprised if he grills you on her. You know about her mission? "

"She said nothing of course, but I think it might be a one-way mission. She's sending me all her personal research on security. She wouldn't do that if she thought she might return."

Ranger paused for a moment. He understood the feelings of a possible one-way mission, but to divest yourself of everything, including your life's work, is akin to walking up to the executioner and spitting in their eye. There was no way he'd tell Tank what Silvio just said. "What about our problems?"

"We need to talk, face to face."

"Dallas, tomorrow 1500."

"Roger."

Ranger lay awake watching the skies gradually lighten before dawn. His mind went through years of covert activity trying to remember all his contacts with the FBI. Why was someone trying to hack into Rangeman?

As he thought, his fingers slowly caressed the woman beside him. She had finally decided to leave the cop. Catching him in-flagrante with a whore on Stark Street started the end. Morelli was becoming frustrated with Stephanie and increasingly abusive, trying to force her to be his idea of a wife. His rants each time she was in danger or recently escaped from danger were never preceded by "Are you hurt?" No, the gist was usually "I had to take off from what I was doing to check on you. You give me ulcers. You belong at home with our family." Never mind there was no marriage, no child, and the only house was his.

Her life with the cop was nothing more than what happened in the bedroom; hardly a strong foundation for marriage. Both had believed a strong sex life meant love. At best, they were friends sharing a love of hockey, beer, pizza, and sex. The only laughter they shared was Bob Dog's antics. Maybe that was the Burg lifestyle, but she soon grew tired of the routine. Throwing in children, diapers, and learning to cook manicotti did not raise the excitement meter. Though she saw Ranger far less often than Joe, he had already shown her more diversity in respect, love, food, life experiences, and his sexual prowess. He would come to her rescue, not with accusations but with the simple words, "Are you hurt?" Never once did the cop say he was proud of her work, but Ranger always did.

Yet, he still had trouble with commitment but she realized she wasn't ready for family commitment either, if ever. Her confusion kept her from showing her true feelings to him, perhaps frustrating him as much as he frustrated her. After the last disaster, she decided it was time to fish or cut bait. Joe was out and if Ranger didn't step up, she was leaving. "Ranger, I'm finished with Joe, finished believing I need to be married. If I can get a good-paying job that doesn't bore me to tears, could we become partners? I'll not ask for more if you can't give it."

"What about your family and the Burg?"

"I've had it with them. One way or the other, I'm done with the Burg. If you feel you are too dangerous for me, I'm going to leave and start over elsewhere."

"What about Vinnie?"

"I'm not making it being his skip chaser. Since I usually only do low bond skips, I'm not gaining financial security. I need to think about my future."

"Babe, I've always said you have a job at Rangeman whenever you want it. The few times you've worked for us, you've done a great job. You can do research, help with management, skip chase with a trained partner, but not Lula. You know the requirements though, physical fitness and gun training."

"I do and I accept. I've been going to a gym in Hamilton on my own and believe I can get in shape."

"Babe," he said, wrapping his arms around her.

Her mother reacted as expected when Stephanie said she was finally finished with Joe. The difference was, this time Stephanie stood up for herself. "He's a man-whore, constantly dipping is wick into other women. I've always insisted he wear a condom, perhaps knowing subconsciously he might be infected. He's not reliable, just like Dickie. Is that the proper Burg way, mother? Is Daddy a womanizer?"

Her mother was so shocked she couldn't reply. Not giving her mother time to rebound, Stephanie continued. "I'm finished listening to you. Is your life so empty you have to live through others? From now on, I will live my own life. If it means leaving Trenton, I will. I may marry or I may not. Old maid is a term relegated to the past, the past in which you and the Burg continue to wallow. I may have children or I may not. One thing is for certain, you will have no say. It is my life, not yours. If I don't fulfill your perfect daughter ideal, I am not sorry. I am who I am, not what you want me to be. Valerie has always been your perfect daughter even when she bore Lisa out of wedlock. Your antiquated Burg rules didn't come down on her."

Stephanie went to work for Rangeman part-time in searches and was allowed to participate in FTA apprehension but not as the active member. As a part-time employee, she did escape the gun handling requirement as well as regular physical exercise. But the Rangeman crew was sneaky. They invited her to outings that forced physical effort. Boating wasn't by a motor but by paddle. She had been kayaking near Princeton, rowboats in a number of parks and even paddleboat races in an impromptu Rangeman picnic. A treetop adventure in Cape May included zip lines and Tarzan swings along with demanding hiking. They even got her on cross-country skis before the last of the spring snows melted. It wasn't that she was against exercising; she was against planned exercise in gyms or long boring runs. Weapons training started with paintball combat and archery lessons. Her reluctance to using handguns stemmed from her first FTA case: Joe Morelli. While she did capture Joe and break open a drug ring, she angered Jimmy Alpha who broke into her apartment and tried to kill her. She emptied her S&W revolver into his heart. Nobody thought she needed mental counseling afterward. Finally, years after the incident and as she started work with Rangeman, she got her therapy. When she realized she had excellent hand-eye coordination and Ram found a handgun better suited to her hand than the S&W revolver, slowly the obstinate Jersey girl was maturing into Rangewoman. Her part-time position grew in hours until she became full time.

Ranger was also changing. A "One-Night Charlie" since his youth, his attraction and devotion to the curly-haired woman next to him was frightening. He never wanted to put her in harm's way, but harm seemed to find her and she handled it well. She was stronger than he originally believed. When she finally broke her Burg tether and quit listening to the gossipers, she gained her confidence. More and more, he could see a lifetime, committed relationship with the new and improved Stephanie Plum or maybe even Stephanie Manoso.

She woke from his caresses. There was enough light coming through the window for him to see and dive deeply into her blue eyes. He tried hard not to gasp at their beauty and intensity. Instead, he took her face and gently kissed her. She responded quickly and the gentleness turned to neediness. After lying spent and enjoying the orgasmic afterglow, he began to get out of bed.

"Where are you going?" Stephanie asked. "Isn't there a round two?"

"Sorry, Babe, Tank and I are flying to Dallas. We'll be back for dinner."

"Why?"

"We will be hungry."

"No, smarty, why are you going to Dallas?"

"We are meeting Silvio. The information the Colonel brought was troublesome. We need to talk face to face since our communication system is compromised. Hal, Bobby and Lester will be here with you."

She hesitated to ask if she could come. Realizing it was probably a secret meeting and she'd be bored, she huffed, "Couldn't you take Lester, please?"

"I believe the guys were planning activities up around Ft. Stanton including horseback riding or trail bikes and archery. You know how Lester likes to play Robin Hood. But if he gets out of hand, Bobby will medicate him." He leaned over and gave her a very long, deep kiss. "We'll save the rest for tonight."

"Without Tank, who will cook dinner? You know it won't be me."

"If you are really nice to Lester he can make a good arroz con pollo."

"How nice do I have to be?" she asked playfully.

Ranger paused, "Then again, Hal and Bobby are good with the grill. You guys figure it out."

Colonel VC POV

I drove the Porsche to the front gate of a secured area of the El Paso airport. It was time to return the car to the leasing agent sitting next to me. As I exited, he got out and came around to the driver's side. We shook hands. I told him I thoroughly enjoyed the car. He turned the car around and drove away. A Suburban with four men appeared beyond the gate. Two got out, checked my ID and go-pack then ran a wand over my body. When cleared, I walked through the gate, got into the big car and was driven to a hangar. The aircraft, a G650, was unmarked except for Swiss registration. The "mechanics" nearby played their part well. I knew they were security forces, but not U.S. forces. Once up the stairs, I turned right and saw him standing in the aisle, "Ari!" Seeing him filled me with love, admiration, and concern. Today, there was also fear.

The less than six-feet-tall, middle-aged man with Mediterranean features greeted me, throwing his arms around me, kissing my cheeks, "My dear Vassiliki, my daughter."

Once we sat and buckled in, Ari turned to me, "Vassi, I'm truly sorry to call you in on this, but you are the expert plus you have field experience."

"Ari, I'm older and probably not as fast or sharp as your agents. You must be desperate to have gotten Washington to agree to send me on this," I answered.

"Your father is not happy, to say the least. I've probably lost his friendship," he sighed.

I put my head back on the seat and thought about how my father and Ari became close friends.