Disclaimer: I don't own anything, unfortunately. The Plum characters belong to Janet Evanovich. I do own Sofia.
Hello everyone, I hope everyone is doing well. Thanks to JessicaRenae for helping me make this fic so much better. Thanks for the reviews and comments.
I hope you guys enjoy it. Please let me know.
Chap. 18 The Mission
I unwrapped another Tastykake and observed the people moving around the room. RangeMan had filled up with federal agents and Trenton cops, the fifth floor conference room never looked so crowed.
"I smell something burning, Babe," Ranger said as he sat down in the seat next to me.
"These Tastykake's are getting smaller and smaller every year," I noted disappointingly, unwrapping my third one.
"Any idea what the note means?"
I shook my head, "no, nothing. Why hasn't Alonde been arrested already? At least being held for questioning? There were newspaper clippings on the floor of the Kennel's house. Any possibility that they might have been helping hers?" I asked.
"Kennel's fingerprints were all over the area," he confirmed, his voice softer than usual. "She believes in you, Stephanie." Our eyes locked, and for a moment, I could have sworn he believed in me too.
I fought with the wrapper of yet another Tastykake, my mind racing to find an answer to Leti's note.
"That stuff is going to kill you, Babe," he said softly, his eyes watching me carefully.
"How do you know? Don't tell me you never crave sweets? Chocolate?"
"Chocolate's healthy," he remarked, taking the candy out of my hand. He tore it in half and fed me a piece, his fingers lightly grazing my lips. I chewed my half slowly, watching him with wide eyes as he ate the other half.
"The body is a temple only four days of the week," he said with amusement in his voice.
It's not my goal in life to be his amusement, however I have to admit to myself that I am happy to have that effect on him.
"Uhm"
"I want you to go as my companion tonight," he stated.
"You mean your woman," I corrected him with false indignation.
"I'm trying to keep you safe," he explained sternly, a bit of emotion flickering in his voice. I felt inclined to keep quiet, though I didn't feel comfortable with the idea. Going undercover with Ranger meant that I would have to pretend to be his lover, which in essence requires our bodies to be in close contact. Close contact with Ranger will leave me feeling flustered and exposed all night long. Then, mix that with a little life drama.
My eyes lingered dangerously on his body as he talked to Tank and I sighed. Yesterday, Ranger brushed his hand on my shoulder by mistake, sending me a small current of electricity that caught us off guard. I don't want to think about what would happened if we ever…deep breathe Stephanie... If we ever made love again.
-rs-
A few minutes a later, we took our places in the conference room. Sofia hooked her laptop to the projector. The images showed us the mass amounts of evidences we had already collected.
"Our new evidence indicates that Leticia might try to contact Stephanie again," Samantha said. "This is a good thing. We also know that she's being fed and that she went into hiding with some help. We're not disclosing the name of the suspects to the media orthe grapevine so that it doesn't interfere with the investigation. However, we have come up with an updated profile to give you an idea of what we're looking for this time. The suspect might have some sort of connection to Midnight and Night Buzz. We're looking for a male, either Caucasian or Latino, a business owner. He might look like a nice person, but he has a thirst for control. He has little respect for women and doesn't like it when people contradict or defy him."
"Tonight, our goal is to find some connection between Leticia and Night Buzz," I said, taking a pause for a deep breath. "Also, look for anybody that might look like a victim or predator. It's my experience that victims do not always look like victims."
Sofia changed the picture on the screen.
"This is the club's layout," she informed us. "Memorize it. I'll be going in before everyone, as a dancer commissioned by RangeMan.
"Our story consists that RangeMan is taking a well needed break," I interjected glancing at Ranger through my peripherals. "The boss is paying for it," I stated, suppressing a giggle.
The guys looked around, fighting not to smile. Yet, they couldn't hide wave of enthusiasm moving around the room. I fought the strong desire to giggle at their enthusiasm.
"Lester volunteered to be my 'bodyguard,' Sofia added with a sigh. I gave her a wide smile.
"We have a VIP reservation," Ranger informed us. "We'll arrive as a group and we'll follow protocol. Stephanie will come as my companion. We'll have three feds on the inside. Questions?"
"Mr. Manoso, my department couldn't be more grateful to you for helping us blend into this town. We've made a remarkable amount of progress." Samantha said once the presentation finished.
Ranger nodded in response.
-rs-
I prepared for the night almost ritually. My black dress was a mixture of classy and sexy. I combined it with a pair of heels and did my hair into loose curls.
My son's voice and laughter filtered through the door. It was my best medicine. I could hear him in the next room, giggling and talking to Tank like the mini adult he believed he was.
"I helped uncle Cal today," he explained. "We saw a man stealing from a shop, and uncle Lester got him. Uncle Cal said I'm a RangeMan and I can wear black like daddy."
"I don't know," Tank responded. "You'd have to train first."
A little bit of lipstick, lots of mascara, and I was more than set. I had several pep talks with myself, preparing for the night. I took a deep breath and said a small prayer.
I walked out of the living room to find Tank holding my son upside down. I watched the scene with curious eyes, trying to decode the situation. Ricky kept pulling and shifting within his arms, trying to break his hold. Tank would laugh in response and taking chances to tickle him.
He swiftly tossed my son over to Ranger. Ricky quickly opened his arms mid air and hugged him affectionately. Ranger proceed to tickle him until they where both slightly wrestling. They danced around the room trying to overpower each other. Ricky climbed up his father's back and held his grip. Soon enough, Ranger's laughter accompanied my son's.
I couldn't help rolling my eyes, although trying unsuccessfully to hide the smile on my face. Men.
It took me a few seconds to notice that Joe Morelli was also in the room. He watched the scene with longing and the faint sign of a smile. Probably thinking about the son, or daughter he was about to welcome soon into this world.
"Cupcake," he greeted.
"Hey, Joe. I didn't know you were coming with us."
"I was called in at last minute."
"You ready?" Ranger asked, his eyes scanning over my body. I tried to ignore him.
"Yes, just need one more thing. Ricky, where did you put my hat?" I asked my son, knowing that I saw him playing with it at home.
"In my backpack, mommy."
"Morelli will be in the van outside the club," Tank informed me quickly. I nodded, searching for my hat in the overnight bag. "We're following up on last minute information."
"On Leticia?"
"No," Morelli said, "on a sequence of murders involving Night Buzz and Midnight. A number of girls have been found dead near the river in the last three weeks."
I found the beret and I put it on trying not to mess my hair.
"Bomber," Tank said with an unusual smile, his eyes scanning my outfit, and focusing on my hat.
"You look pretty, mommy."
Ranger resorted for his classic void expression. He could look almost non-human with that face. I wondered if he was trying to restrain his emotions through lockdown mode.
"Thank you, baby," I said softly to Ricky. "You behave tonight, okay? Don't give Ella a hard time."
He kissed and hugged everybody good night and I led the way out of the room.
"I like the beret," Tank commented. "It adds a certain touch to the outfit."
"Thanks."
I heard Joe murmur something under his breath and a rare growl from Ranger in return as we all piled into the elevator.
The door dinged our arrival on the garage level. The sound of voices filtered in as we waited for the doors to open. I received whistles and knowing smiles from the Merry Men. A few of them saluted once they recognized the beret on my head.
"Cupcake," Joe said amusingly, "like always, making a statement and causing riots. You look beautiful. Although, I don't think you need that hat."
I could have sworn I saw Ranger's muscles flex, maybe a little.
"Thanks," I replied with uncertainty. "Are we ready?"
Ranger gave Joe a single nod and walked over to the Porsche.
"Babe."
"Do you like it?" I pointed to my hat. "I figured, since everyone knows that I'm your woman."
"You're being sarcastic."
"A little," I confessed. "I love the hat though. It's an authentic Ranger Special Force's black beret."
"I own one myself," he said. "How did you get it?"
"A friend of mine gave it to me in New York, but I never had the chance to wear it."
"Boyfriend?"
"Does it matter?"
"Stephanie, whatever happens tonight I want to make sure it doesn't make our relationship more confusing."
"Ranger, you're sleeping in my bed," I reminded him. "How much more confusing can it get?"
"Is that why you're wearing that hat? As payback?"
"Ranger."
"It's Carlos."
I chuckled, "you're jealous."
"Babe, I'm trying not to complicate our relationship even more, but you're tempting me."
-rs-
"It's show time," Ranger whispered, putting an arm around my waist. The manager of the club approached us.
"Mr. Manoso," he greeted Ranger, his eyes filled with excitement. "It's a pleasure to have you and your company with us tonight."
They shook hands and we were led to the VIP room. I rolled my eyes at the Merry Men howling at the strippers on stage. Great! There's even more of a reason to be self conscious about my body, a bunch of perfect women dancing half naked in front of Ranger.
"You should cover your eyes," I said dryly.
"Babe, I have to be aware of my surroundings," he chuckled pulling me towards him and placing me on his lap. He held me tight against him. He surveyed the setting with purpose. I redirected my interest to those around me, finding comfort on the warmth radiating from the person holding me.
He placed a light kiss on my ear and continued down to my shoulder. I reminded myself, this is all for show.
Ranger warned me not to let this night disturb the progress we made in our relationship as friends and parents.
I nuzzled against him, my lips brushing lightly against his neck. He was warm and it made me feel safe.
"It's official, everyone knows we're here," Tank's voice came from the little wireless device in my ear. "There's a man by the bar watching your every move, Bomber."
"Maybe I should take a look," I whispered loudly over the music. Ranger's arms tightened around me in resistance.
There was a man at the far corner of the bar with his eyes fixed on us. I shifted my position and looked back at Ranger.
"Would you like something to drink, mi amor," I purred, his eyes narrowing slightly. I heard laughter coming from my earwig. Ranger's eyes landed on my lips, studying them temptingly.
Unexpectedly, our lips connected. The kiss was gentle and I can't deny that I enjoyed it. He said he wouldn't kiss me anymore. It made me wonder if he had changed his mind or if it was all just part of the act.
I quickly removed myself from his arms, a little ruffled, and walked to the bar letting my spidey senses take over.
"Something strong," I yelled at the bartender. Bobby smiled and hurried over to prepare something that looked alcoholic.
"Would your man mind if I buy you a drink?" The man had a deep voice, kind of grave.
"No," I lied. "I would though."
He gave me a lopsided and cocky smile, "Cameron Smith."
"Nice name," I noted sarcastically, playing the profile given to me. If he's the suspect, then he won't appreciate the remark. The smile widened.
"You haven't given me your name, sweetie," he replied, reaching to curled my hair in one of his fingers. I took a step back, away from his wandering hand. A woman with a non-existent dress walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him.
I could feel Ranger's presence behind me. He snaked an arm around my waist and kissed my temple.
"Mi Amor, I was waiting for you."
"Baby, this is Cameron Smith," I introduced with a fake smile.
"Mr. Manoso, I didn't believe the rumors when I heard you were here," Cameron replied in the same manner.
"Once in a while, I like to reward my employees for their hard work."
"Do you usually join in on the fun?"
"I like to make sure I'm paying for good service," Ranger responded smoothly. "Please stay for the commissioned performance, it's on my tab. Now, if you'd excuse us."
We walked back to our table in silence.
"He's still watching." Tank said through the earpiece. We sat together and waited for the real show. The strippers walked off the stage despite the unhappiness of the men and those few women in the room. The lights dimmed, ethnic western belly dance music filled the room.
Sofia didn't think of belly dance as a sexual dance, but as a sensual one. She liked to remind me that this type of dance originated with women for the enjoyment and celebration of themselves, their womanhood. Unlike popular belief, belly dance was not created for the enjoyment and satisfaction of men. Therefore, I understood how difficult it was for her to dance on this stage.
Sofia's a great dancer. She moved her body in perfect rhythm and skillfully. The club seemed to get quiet the second the dance started.
I took the chance to casually observe my surroundings. Cameron wasn't anywhere in sight.
A young lady in a red dress too short for modesty walked over to us.
"This is for you," she shouted over the music and with a shaky hand gave Ranger a note.
Ranger nodded in reply taking the not from her hand. We waited for her to walk back to her friends before reading the note.
If you're interested in good entertainment for your employees. I'm sure they won't be dissatisfied with what they have to offer. They'll be waiting under the beer sign.
There was a price noted at the bottom. Ranger and I looked up casually. I did an intake of breath. There was a group girls sitting awkwardly around a table, drinks in hands. On the surface, they looked happy. They looked young, maybe early twenties, at least I hoped. They could be younger.
"Ranger," I breathed.
"Freedman, the girls in the corner," Ranger grunted.
"I see them," came the solemn voice of Samantha through the earpiece. "They are too young and they look uncomfortable. One of them has a swollen eye, and her behavior fits the profile of abuse. She keeps flinching when someone touches her. Can we get them out safely?"
Samantha is an assertive sort of woman. She didn't want to wait for reassurance, she likes accomplishing her goals quickly. Ranger signaled Tank, who was sitting at the other end of the room.
"What's up?"
Ranger placed the asking price in the envelope.
"This is for you," he said smiling, "and the boys. If you want to get out of here."
I felt cheated, suddenly entertaining the idea that Ranger would give money for such a cause. I glanced up at the Merry Men. Then at the group of girls once again and shook my head. Ranger gently held my chin and turned my head to meet his eyes.
"They'll get them out safely," he soothed and pecked my lips. Sofia was now making her way back on the stage. I was so distracted by the whole exchange that I didn't see her come off the stage to dance around the tables. The men demanded another dance when she finally retreated backstage.
I found myself searching for Lester. He was sitting by the table closest to the stage. He quickly got up to follow her. My eyes immediately followed Tank as he passed around the note to each of the Merry Men. Immediately, one by one started approaching and interacting with the girls, big grins on their faces.
Ranger pretended not to care, but I groaned internally as they left our area. It was all I could do not to comment.
"Babe, he's still watching you," Ranger whispered in my ear. "He might get suspicious."
Ranger captured my lips with his lips and kissed me passionately. The kiss was long and intense. It left me breathless and a little dizzy.
"You're trying to distract me," I said accusingly, poking his chest with my finger.
"It's the beret," he replied.
"Is it?" I asked mildly. "Is this payback?"
A felt his hand run up my skirt, sending a shot of electricity though my body, like a tingling sensation that set my heart racing like I had just completed the Boston marathon. Thankfully, the Merry Men were unable to see his hand up my skirt.
"I'll go check on Sofia," I mumbled, mostly hoping to get away from the reality a few tables away from me.
"You might give yourself away," he reminded me. The strippers came back onstage and started entertaining the crowd. Now I was really starting to feel uncomfortable.
"This will be over in no time," I heard a voice in my ear. Ranger adjusted our positions, his leg inhibiting the space between my tights. He started to kiss me once again.
Soon, the guys had taken half of the girls outside with them. I had no idea where they were taking them, or what was happening outside for that matter.
"Steph," I heard Sofia's voice in my ear, "restroom. Now!"
I quickly stood up and gave Ranger a faked smile. I didn't need to explain myself. He heard her on the ear peace.
There was a man standing outside the women's restroom. He was playing on his cell phone. I didn't think too much about it and went into the bathroom.
It was a small room, badly taken care of, and smelled faintly of cigarette smoke and old urine. It was also empty and that was understandable, not many women go out to strip clubs…. Well, at least not this sort of strip club.
The music drowned away when the door closed. I was looking around searching for Sofia when I heard the sob. It was coming from the last stall. I looked down through the bottom of the stall doors.
"Sofia?" I inquired.
"In here," the last door opened and she peeked outside. I walked over to her side and looked inside the stall. There was a girl in a mini skirt and a sparkly tank top sitting on the dirty toilet seat. She looked around eighteen, dark brown hair, and beautiful bronze skin. The girl's eyes opened wide, staring at me in surprise.
"We're going to get you out of here," Sofia said softly, then directed her eyes to me.
"She was brought in through the back door with the other girls," Sofia explained, "but she got sick and they made her sit on the floor behind the dressing room. The moron standing outside is "watching out for her."
"Did you see who brought them in?"
"I don't know this man, but he was wearing suit. I overheard him talking to the manager about some possible new clients."
"Does he have a scar next to his left eye, a little dark parch?"
She nodded.
"Please, get me out of here." The girl next to us pleaded timidly. "Don't let them take me back there."
"What is your name?" I asked.
"Katherine," she sobbed. "My name Katherine."
"Katherine, we'll get you out of here in no time," I soothed. Sofia and I stepped aside.
"How are we going to do this?" She asked.
"Where's Lester?"
"He's watching the back door."
"Let's take out the moron and get Lester. The Merry Men are taking the girls outside. Samantha and the officers are meeting them there. I don't know the logistics yet, but Ranger assured me that they'll be safe."
"Alright," she replied pulling her hair into a ponytail. She adjusted her skirt and walked out the door. A few seconds later, she came back dragging the moron's body through the door. We pulled him into a stall and sat him on the toilet, his butt sinking down the bowl.
"We are definitely a team," I said proudly.
"Yes, we are, my friend." She said in replied. I smiled knowingly and pressed the little bottom of the mic hidden under my dress.
"We have a situation in the women's restroom. Where's Lester?"
"Roger that, I'll let him know," Al responded. He was sitting outside in the van.
"Are you from around here?" I asked Katherine.
"No, they brought me over from Cali," she said sadly, her eyes pooling with tears. She was a long way from home.
"You'll be back home in no time," I said.
"Steph, Sofia, Lester isn't responding," Al informed us hurriedly.
"What?"
"I'm trying to contact him, but he's not responding. I'm sending Bobby to investigate."
Sofia removed her shoes and tiptoed towards the door. I did the same, debating if I should go or stay. Sofia did a double take and we communicated with our eyes. I nodded and she left in search of Lester.
I focused my attention back to the girl sobbing next to me. The more I paid attention to her features, the more resemblance found to Julie Martine-Manoso.
We waited patiently for about five minutes. The man in the stall started to regain consciousness. I hit him with the heel of my shoe, knocking him out.
"Stephanie, stay where you are," Tank said in my ear. "Lester's been hit. Ranger's on the way to get you."
Soon the door slammed open and Ranger came in with a gun at the ready. He raised an eyebrow at the feet sticking out of the stall. I ignored the eyebrow and proceeded to introduce him to one of our victims.
"Ranger, this is Katherine."
Ranger scanned the girl for deadly weapons before putting away his gun.
"We've been exposed," he said. "We have to leave the building and let the feds handle the rest."
"We've got to get Katherine out," I reminded him. "She was brought in with the group."
He nodded. The door to the bathroom slammed opened and a man entered gun in hand.
"The girl comes with me," he stated. Ranger and I exchanged a brief glance before responding.
"You bastard," I yelled at Ranger. Ranger's eyes narrowed slightly.
"How dare you cheat on me like that? Am I not good enough for you? Tell me!"
"What?" Moron number two mumbled to himself. He was confused.
"Am I too old for you? You have to get it from this… this…." I had a hard time finding the right world, not wanting to insult the girl next to me. She had had enough of it without me.
"Maybe if you put out more," Ranger responded neutrally. He caught up pretty quickly.
I found myself narrowing my eyes at him. I needed to make this convincing enough to make Moron Number Two believe it was real.
"More?" I asked. "You want me to put out more? You're insatiable!"
"You could improve your skills."
"Excuse me? You think I suck in bed? Is this why your mother bought me all of those sex toys? You told your mother about our sex life!"
Ranger's expression didn't change, but hesitated a little.
"I don't tell my mother about my sex life," he stated.
"Right," I huffed. "You know what, you can keep her. I don't care. Go, take her home with you."
I pushed her lightly towards Ranger and he pulled her into his arms. The girl whimpered and hunched protectively. It was cleared to me that she didn't like being touched by a man.
Ranger turned to the man at the door.
"I already paid your boss," he told him. "The girl is mine for tonight. I'll drop her at the front in the morning."
He sounded like he was talking about a piece of meat or a toy. I tried my best to pretend to be upset and stalked out of the room.
Once out of sight, I started breathing again, hoping that my bad acting had convinced Moron Number Two.
Ranger's POV
The girl in my arms whimpered when the man slammed the door after him. I wouldn't mind taking him down. He called her a whore.
She clutched to my t-shirt and sobbed. I took a deep, cleansing breath, trying to figure out our next move.
"I have a girl with me, her name is Katherine," I said into the microphone. "I'd need backup."
"Roger that," I heard in response, my mind wondering about my cousin's whereabouts.
"We need to go out there and look convincing," I prompted gently. "It's going to be hard, but I promise you that I would never hurt you. Just keep close to me. I'll get you out of here in no time."
She nodded into my t-shirt and we made out way outside the door. The spaced assigned for RangeMan was nearly empty, except for a few feds. We exchanged a barely visible nod and she looked at the backstage door. I knew Stephanie had gone after Sofia and Lester.
The girl next to me shook uncontrollably. I looked down at her and caressed her half hidden face with the back of my fingers. She was running a fever.
I managed to contain my urge to curse and took her to my table. She was uncomfortable with me, constantly flinching at any sudden touch, tears in her eyes. I sent a signal to Tank and he came over quickly.
"Look what I found for myself," I yelled over the sound, smiling. He nodded in approval and took a step forward.
"Where's the other one?" He asked with concern.
"She left to find her friend." I said. "I'm taking this one home."
He glanced at the girl with curiosity. "Do you know who's our dealer? It would help to find out."
I leaned into her and whispered in her ear. "Could you tell us who brought you here?"
"Link." She said hesitantly.
"Could you point him out to us if you see him?"
She didn't reply, but nodded after a few minutes. She perked up and looked around the room, searching. Finally, her eyes landed on her target because she looked away quickly, and hid her face.
I looked up to find Mr. Smith watching us from the second landing. He watched us with discuss written plainly across his face. He never took his eyes off from us as he dug for something in his jacket. It was a gun. He pointed it at us, and pretended to shoot, a threat.
I stood up and pulled Katherine towards the exit door.
I yelled into the mic. "The Link has been identified."
Two men guarded the exit door. I quickly scanned the room for an alternative. We walked backstage, running though of group of women clad in lingerie.
"Where's Stephanie?" I grunted at the mic.
"She's with Sofia," Al answered. "They got Lester out the building."
"Good."
"Ranger, where are you?" Steph's worried voice came through the mic.
"Smith is the link," I said. "Katherine identified him and he identified us. I don't think we were invited to his party tonight."
"Ranger, almost everybody is out the building," she said in panic. "You need help? There's a door to the back ally in the men's restroom. I'll meet you there."
"I'd rather you stay where you are."
"Ranger!" She snapped angrily.
"My name is Carlos, Stephanie. Carlos."
There was a ruffling sound followed by silence.
"Stephanie!"
"She's gone," Al answered in defeat. I cursed under my breath and found the door in the men's restroom. It was nearly empty, except for one stall. I was about to open the door to exit when the stall's door opened.
"I see you joined in the fun, Mr. Manoso," a voice mocked from behind me. "Perhaps, you're willing to make an exchange. Where's that lovely brunette of yours?"
The girl stiffened in my arms, her nails clawing through my shirt to my skin. I held her closely and turned around.
"The brunette is mine forever," I warned. "We just had a misunderstanding. This one is mine only for the night."
I raised a curious brow, "Were you hiding in the toilet Mr. Smith?"
He took a step aside and opened the door for me. I decided that this was our only chance of leaving the building alive. Who knows how many armed men are still in the building? Considering that most of my men left the building, the few of us still on the inside were greatly outnumbered.
Hesitantly, Katherine and I took a step forward into the night, the cold air hitting our skin.
"What would your mother think, Kat," Smith said calculatingly. Katherine's grip tightened on to me and she stayed still.
"Look at me."
Katherine raised her head slowly and timidly over my shoulder, not quite making eye contact. I tried my best to ignore him, but he had already drawn his gun.
"You have proven to be nothing, but a whore."
"Ranger!" I heard Stephs's hurried voice called out for me. I turn around to find Smith aiming a gun at me. He looked calm, his feet slightly apart. I pushed the girl behind me.
We stood guns pointed at each other. Steph was standing behind Smith, with her weapon at aimed at his back.
Al and Tank appeared next to her. Morelli and Carl arrived and positioned themselves to fire. I kept my face expressionless. He was coming with us or dying on the spot.
"Awwe, this is not exciting at all," he continued in the same mocking voice. "I knew about your intentions tonight, Mr. Manoso."
"Why don't you give up now, Mr. Smith? You are cornered."
Katherine kept crying behind me.
"The little girl is scared," he said sarcastically. "You should have thought better, Kat."
"Put down your weapon," Carl yelled at Smith. "Now!"
"What weapon? This one?" Smith fired at a window. The women inside started screaming. Katherine panicked, falling to the ground, crawling away towards the garbage cans.
Cameron Smith smirked and emptied his clip into her before falling lifelessly on the ground himself. Letica's whereabouts and other information died with him. It was suicide by cop.
Katherine* blinked a few times in disbelief, until her eyes became lifeless.
I emptied my gun into the man already dead on the ground, rage radiating from my skin. Finally, I ran out of bullets. The street became silent and we all stood there watching the girl on the ground. The ambulance and the police appeared at the distance.
Stephanie walked slowly towards me and removed the gun from my hand. I felt the heat from adrenaline radiating from my body and leaned towards her for some comfort. The incident had left Stephanie cold.
"Ranger," she swallowed, wrapping her arms around my torso.
I relaxed in her embrace. The paramedics lifted Katherine into the ambulance and drove away.
Ricky: *Comes in the office dressed like batman and announces* I want a puppy.
Ranger: *Tickling Ricky* But we don't need one because you're my little puppy.
Ricky: *Upset* "I'm not a puppy. I'm batman."
Ranger: *Holding him and kissing his cheek* "Yes, you're not a puppy, you're my little batbaby."
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