Here's the next chapter.. This will be the last post for this story until next week or possibly the New Year. Happy Christmas/Holidays all... and catch you all later.

Stephanie's POV

The Second day in the gym was just as hard as the first. The only difference was that we knew what to expect so we worked a little harder. Lula was beaming when we left the gym. It seems that this whole RangeMan thing was really working for her. She seemed more confident and she was genuinely smiling a lot of the time.

I spoke to Ranger the night before. He called around 6PM and we talked for about 30 minutes. He explained that they were holed up in a safe house and that he was using a special secure phone that could only make outgoing calls. We talked about nothing and everything. I expressed my desire to be there with in his arms. He told me that he missed me and that he couldn't wait to fall asleep with me in his arms.

Ranger also expressed his pride in how we helped locate him and deduce that there were explosives in the building. Without that information, none of them would still be alive. Ranger also mentioned that we might need to do some additional searches tomorrow, but he'd contact us with the necessary information when he had it.

I was happy that I was able to talk to him, but once I was off the phone, depression started to kick in. That's where having a friend as your roommate really helps. Lula knew who I was talking to and she also knew that I'd be a bit sad afterward. She knocked on my door and popped her head into my room and said, "We're having a pool tourney out in the games room. There have been requests for you to join us. What do you say?"

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Why not? It might take my mind off of Ranger's problems for a while." I made a quick trip to the bathroom to check my appearance. I had been crying whilst talking to Ranger, but my eyes weren't red and blotchy so I just left my hair in its messy pony tail and followed Lula out of the apartment.

The absence of Lester, Woody, Vince, Hal and Ram was immediately obvious. Lester and Woody were the most vocal of the group, but the others made up with their size and laughter. Cal and Manny were doing their best to keep everyone's minds occupied by organising a little tournament.

Zip was leaning against the far wall with his arms crossed against his chest. I walked across the room and stood beside him, mimicking his posture. He looked down at me, smiled and asked, "How you holding up Bomber?"

"I'm OK. I'll be better once Ranger is back and things get back to normal. It's not much starting out here when ½ the team is missing in action."

Zip nodded and said, "If I know one thing about Ranger, he doesn't let things like this get in his way for long. He'll do what he needs to do in Washington and he'll be back before you know it. Focus on the things you can control right now, like your training and any searches that are needed. I know from experience that nights are the hardest time, so if you keep your days filled to the max, sleep is easier at night."

I thanked Zip for his advice and made to move away to join the rest of the room. I looked back at Zip and had a thought. "Hey Zip, why are you hanging out way over here? Why don't you join us?"

Zip gave me a forced smile and said, "I'm OK Steph. I'm just a bit preoccupied. General Matthews and I have always been close and I'm just having a hard time believing that he's the one behind all this mess. He and my dad are best friends. I've known his my whole life."

I looked at Zip and felt nothing but sympathy for him. Someone he loves is being accused of something that is a out of character and the evidence is against him. Zip isn't sure he knows how to reconcile what he knows of the man and what he's learned about his recently. I threw some of his own advice back to him and said, "Come on Zip. Come play pool. It will help keep your mind occupied. Perhaps we can do a bit of digging tomorrow to see if there's more to this than we think. If there's one thing I've learned over the years, don't ignore your gut."

Zip nodded and we joined the rest of the group at the pool tables. We ordered pizza and the participants in the tournament were slowly knocked out until only Lula and Tank were left. They each walked around the table trash talking one another and the rest of us stood back and watched in awe as they set the final game up.

A coin flip was needed to determine who would break, and when Lula won the coin toss, Tank stood back, smiled and said, "I bet you don't even sink a single ball off the break."

Lula looked up at him in surprise and asked, "What are we betting then? I don't have a lot of cash because I've just started this job, but if you got another idea, I'm all ears."

Tank thought for a moment and then said, "Loser has to be at the winner's beck and call for a full 24-hour period."

Lula contemplated the bet for a moment and laughed. Everyone looked at her funny so she finally said, "I'd love to have you as my bitch for a day Tank. You've got yourself a deal."

Tank grinned and stood back and watched Lula break. Not only did she manage to sink off the break, she pocketed all but two of her balls in her first turn. Tank looked a little pale when it came to his turn. He managed to picket only 5 of his balls, but he did leave Lula in a difficult position because she had no clear sight from the cue ball to either of her balls.

Lula walked around the table a few times before she lined up her shot. I had no idea what she was doing because it looked like she wasn't even aiming at her balls. In the end, what she did lost her a turn, but she ended up placing the cue ball in a place that there was no way that Tank could touch it without fouling and hitting one of her balls.

"That's playing dirty Lula." Tank said. She simply smiled at him and moved back so he could take his turn. Instead of trying to snooker her again, Tank took his shot and because he hit one of Lula's balls first, he lost his turn. Part of me wondered if Tank did this on purpose, because where the ball ended up down the table meant that it took Lula seconds to clear the table and win the game.

Tank was grimacing when Lula was dancing around celebrating her win, but I saw the sides of his mouth curl up when Lula hugged him and thanked him for the game. I was pretty sure that Tank wasn't too unhappy that he lost the game or the bet. I just had to find out from Lula how she planned on fulfilling the bet she made with Tank.

It was getting late and all of us had to work in the morning so we all headed to bed. When Lula and I were back in our apartment, Lula looked at me with a huge grin on her face. I can't believe Tank made that bet. It was like taking candy from a baby, albeit a very willing baby."

I looked at Lula and she laughed at the surprised look on my face. "Come on Steph, I know as well as you do that Tank threw that game. I'm not sure if he did it because he was afraid to beat me or because he wanted to be my slave for a day. Either way, I get to spend a while day with him to find out. Maybe there is hope for us yet."

I smiled at Lula and said, "As long as you don't go out and buy another engagement ring this time around."

I saw Lula blush and she nodded. "I'm in a much better place in my life right now. I think I'm actually ready to be a grown up. If Tank is still interested, I might use that 24 hour period to have a real conversation with him and try to explain some of the craziness from our previous relationship. It might lead to something new or it might not. Either way, at least I'm open to it now."

I smiled at Lula and hugged her before wishing her a goodnight and turning in myself. Once in bed, I briefly thought about Ranger before falling into a dreamless sleep.

Let me know what you think...