Don't Drive Faster
Disclaimer: Coll, put him back. He's Janet's. They're all Janet's. No, we can't keep them.
Authors Notes: Okay…It's been awhile. We admit it. Unfortunately real life has priority. But to make up for it, here's an interlude, and hopefully we'll have the next chapter up in a few days.
This isn't the toughest assignment ever; there aren't a lot of opportunities for advancement in following Ella around the kitchen. Three are also plenty of annoyances, like Ella being told that she had to stop putting out sweets because the Rangeman crew started gaining weight. And playing mother hen to a bunch of macho ex-military types isn't especially easy when they won't admit they need one. But there are some things that make it worth it.
Since the ban on junk food, Ella has gotten more…creative…in the lunches she creates. While she'd never actually disobey Ranger, she has no problem working around him. Some of her meals can be very close to junk food without quite crossing the line. And Ranger wonders why the weight problem hasn't entirely been resolved.
Today, we're in the kitchen just in time to hear a sudden hush come over the control room. While it's never exactly noisy at any time, there is always the general background chatter present in any office. Not to mention the fact that as a guardian angel, my senses are better than a normal human's. Today, however, I think even the computers stopped humming.
Curious, a subtle nudge in Ella's direction sends her, and by extension me, out to investigate. This is bound to be good. The last time it got this quiet, Ranger scrambled the gun range cameras while giving Stephanie Plum "private lessons." This has to be interesting.
While Ranger is again the cause of the silence, it doesn't seem to involve Stephanie. It's all everyone can do to keep from laughing. No one is stupid- or suicidal- enough to antagonize Ranger like that.
He's wearing his blank face as he gets reports from the guys on duty, almost daring someone to comment. No one does.
He's also wearing quite a bit of glitter.
Ella bursts into giggles, and I'm not far behind. We're probably the only people who could do so and survive.
Alejandro is taking this much more calmly. He's probably not far from laughter himself. He has an appreciable sense of humor, which is more than can be said of Ranger.
A curt gesture summons Tank into a nearby office. I tag along out of morbid curiosity.
"Getting in touch with your feminine side, Boss?" Tank asks as soon as the door closes.
Ranger glares. "Payback's a bitch. Is everything on for tonight?"
"All set. You ready to wire Bombshell? Don't get so involved you forget the sound's on."
Tank must have a death wish. I think Titus is ready to kill Tank himself. Ranger is not a safe person to antagonize.
I ignore them in favor of talking to Alejandro in hopes of finding out the reason for the glitter. Titus is too busy mentally kicking Tank to be of any use.
"Hey, Kitchen Fairy."
Why can no one remember my name? "Where did the glitter come from?"
"Sera." That explains it. That angel can get into almost as much trouble as her charge.
"Stephanie stopped by?" I hadn't heard anything, and I usually do. The way to ensure loyalty is to keep these boys fed.
"This happened last night when we stopped by her place to recruit her for tonight's distraction."
"You're both still this glittery from yesterday!"
"He's already had several showers. You might want to remind Ella to get more shower gel."