AN: Standard Disclaimer. Please leave me a review. As before this is a Babe Story it just won't seem like it for a while.
CHAPTER FOUR
"Any news Tank?"
"He's still in surgery." I nodded and went stood by the doors with my arms crossed over my chest constantly watching what was going on around me. The reality is when I left, I changed a lot. I am still me, but now I have a lot more enemies and take a lot less shit from people. I can only hope the guys can adjust to it and not hate me for it. They are used to the entertainment I offered and now I don't really function that way.
Unless you ask Aaron, he gets great entertainment out of my attitude and the things I say. He has often told me I have a mouth worse than a sailor when I'm pissed and that I could make a sailor blush. Hey, what the hell! I found me, the me I hid away when I married the Dick. But I found that me again and this time she isn't going anywhere. I stayed standing there for about an hour and a half before I finally saw a doctor coming towards us. When he came out everyone who was sitting stood up and walked towards him. I was already standing close to him so I could hear every word he said.
"I need to speak to Carlos Manoso about Cal." The doctor said as he walked out Ranger stepped up.
"I'm Carlos Manoso." The doctor looked around at the sea of black.
"Well okay. I'm Dr. Gavolli. The surgery went well and he will be in recovery for about an hour, then ICU overnight. He should be in a private room in the morning. He took one to the chest and luckily there was no major damage same for the one in his leg. He will need physical therapy but he should fully recover. I also have notes that there will be two guards outside his door at all times and that is fine." The doctor shook Ranger's hand.
"Thank you, Dr. Gavolli." said Ranger as the doctor turned to leave.
I stayed and waited until I could see Cal before I left. About another hour later, they said he could have visitors no more than fifteen minutes and only two at a time. Lester and I went first and Cal had just woke up when we walked in.
"Hey Bombshell, your back."
"Yeah, I just got back today. Way to welcome me home."
"I just wanted to make it memorable." He replied with a chuckle.
"Well, I definitely won't forget it. It's been one hell of a day." I said with a smile. Cal looked at Lester.
"Man Cal, she let Ranger and Alexis have it in the waiting room when they wanted to know why she was here." Cal and Lester smiled.
"Well, Bombshell what do you have to say for yourself?" Cal asked with a mischievous grin.
"Shut up! I'm not doormat Stephanie anymore so if they feel brave enough to try to start some shit with me they better be ready because I refuse to put up with it. I came home hoping my friends would welcome me back and you guys have… all but Ranger. I can see he is up Alexis's ass enough that he isn't gonna welcome me back and that's just perfectly fine. I don't need him and if he thinks I do he is in for a very rude awakening. Since I came here I'm sure it's already hitting the Burg Grapevine that I'm back so it looks like I'll be making visits tomorrow and see who else welcomes me back."
"No worries, Beautiful. If they don't welcome you back it's their loss, not yours." I nodded.
"Well fellas, I need to get home and get some rest since I'm going to be making rounds tomorrow. I'll be here sometime tomorrow afternoon and I'll bring you a good dinner Cal." I gave Cal a hug and walked out with Lester's arm around my shoulders. We got dirty looks from Ranger and Alexis and I just smiled at them. Lester walked me to my car
"It really will be okay, Steph. Don't worry about it, get some rest and call me tomorrow."
"Thanks, Lester. You are a great friend." I gave him hug before getting in my car and driving home.
I got home and heard the TV in the living room was still on, which meant Aaron was waiting up for me. I walked into the living room and flopped down on the couch beside him.
"You didn't have to wait up for me you know."
"I know but I think we need to talk about Manoso. How's your friend Cal?"
"He got through surgery and will be in ICU tonight and in a private room tomorrow. He will recover fully after some physical therapy. I talked to him after he woke up, he's fine. I had words with Ranger and Alexis though. They wanted to know why I was there, I gave them an earful but I don't think they will be bothering me again anytime soon."
"Good, those guys are your friends and you shouldn't have to answer as to why you are there when one of them was shot. About Manoso though, I should have told you sooner but me and him don't exactly see eye to eye. He thinks he is the best and everyone should just follow his orders no matter what. I didn't and because of that we haven't got along. On a mission, we lost two good men and he blames me for their deaths. I partially blame myself but know nothing could have been done. We were ambushed and I didn't follow his orders. But I also saved lives during that ambush. Unfortunately, I also lost two friends then too. So, I would prefer to keep my distance from him. I don't want WW3 starting here, and I'm afraid that's what would happen." I leaned over and hugged Aaron; He is a good man and shouldn't be blamed for what happened on a mission.
"No Sweat, but don't blame yourself. Let's go to bed." I got up and turned the TV off and went upstairs to get ready for bed with Aaron right behind me.
After I took care of my bathroom business, I crawled into bed, curled into Aaron, and was instantly asleep.
I woke up at five, threw on some shorts and a tank, put my hair up in a messy ponytail and went downstairs to the gym. Aaron was already down in the gym on a treadmill and I jumped on mine. After an hour and a half of working out I went upstairs to shower and get dressed for my visits. I put on my khaki cargoes, a blue tank top, blow dried and straightened my hair, put on some mascara and lip gloss and took off downstairs to head out. I grabbed my black Ray Ban sunglasses off the kitchen counter and hollered at Aaron.
"Aaron, I'm heading out. Call me if you need me."
"Okay Honey. I've got some research I need to do in your office, so I'll probably be here all day."
"See ya later. I'll bring dinner home with me." I gave him a kiss on the cheek and left.
I decided Tasty Pastry would be my first stop for donuts and then the Bond's Office. I want to catch up with the girls and talk to Vinnie about a job but doing higher bond skips. I stopped at Tasty Pastry and got a dozen donuts and then drove to the office. When I pulled up out front, I saw Connie and Lula staring at my car but knew they couldn't see me do to my tinted windows. I also noticed a black Rangeman SUV in the lot.
Great… just fucking great! I didn't see a merry man in the office which means it's probably Ranger in talking to Vinnie. Fucking fabulous! I decided to bite the bullet and head in. I got out put my sunglasses on my head, grabbed the donuts and walked in. Lula and Connie both gasped and their jaws nearly hit the floor when I walked in. I sat the donuts on Connie's desk.
"Connie, Lula say something already. Damn, I missed you two."
"White girl, you look good. I sure have missed you. Where the hell have you been and why ain't you called?"
"Thank you. I've been gone training and got a job that calls me out a lot at a moment's notice. But I'm back, bought a house and want to talk to Vinnie about a job with higher bond skips. I haven't called because I couldn't. I needed to stay secluded. I only talked to my dad while I was gone and that wasn't very frequent."
They both got up and hugged me. I felt a tingle on my neck and knew Ranger was very near. I got out of the girls grasp and looked up to see Ranger watching me. I looked at Connie.
"He in?"
"Yeah, he's in girl." I walked over to Vinnie's office and opened the door without knocking.
"What the Hell do you think you are doing, Stephanie?" He said jumping up from his chair. I grabbed him by his shirt threw him up against the wall and pulled my gun out and put it between his eyes.
"Two things Vinnie and you might want to take notes. One: You will not raise your voice at me again because if you do it will be the last time you use it at all. Two: I'm here to talk to you about a job picking up skips, and don't even think about giving me the low bond shithead skips. You will give me medium to high bond skips. You fuck with me Vinnie, and I will make a visit to Lucille and Harry and I will help Harry hide your body. Do I make myself clear?" He just nodded and I looked down and noticed he pissed himself. I heard laughing and looked over and noticed I hadn't shut the door for my visit with Vinnie. I dropped him.
"GO clean yourself up. that's fucking disgusting." I walked over to Connie's desk grabbed a donut and went and flopped down on the couch. Ranger, Connie, and Lula were all speechless and staring at me.
"You realize it's not polite to stare at people don't you?" I asked they all looked like the cat that ate the canary.
"Damn girl, that training did you good. I'm happy for ya, you ain't gonna have a problem picking up skips now."
"Yeah well, only certain things get my blood boiling like that. One is raising a voice at me and the other is questioning me." I said with a smirk as I looked at Ranger.
"Connie, since you heard I got my job back. You got some skips for me. I'm going to make a grand entrance at the cop shop with a skip and no garbage."
"Yeah Steph, I've got some skips." She grabbed some files and handed them to me.
"Thanks. I got work to do but I'll be back later and we can schedule a girls night out" I said as I walked out without saying a word to Ranger.
I got in my car and opened the first file. Jason Diggs was arrested for rape and attempted murder. Got half a million bond. Lives in Hamilton Township. I programmed the address in my GPS and took off for his house. He is currently unemployed so he should be home.
I must say he will probably try to get violent and I'm excited about that. I can take out some anger on a rapist. Looks like it might be a good day. I parked two houses down from his, checked and made sure my guns were all loaded, put on my utility belt, and made sure everything was ready: Pepper spray, stun gun, and cuffs plus my three guns and my two knives. I'm ready to take this asshole down. I walked up to the front door and knocked, my lucky day he answered.
"Jason Diggs."
"Yeah, who are you and what do you want."
"I'm from Vincent Plum Bail Bonds and you missed your court day so now you are going to take a ride with me." He tried to slam the door in my face but he caught my boot. He took off towards the back of his house. I chased him and he no more than made it out of his back door and I had tackled and cuffed him.
He accidentally hit his head on one of the steps outside his back door and it looked like it might have broken his nose. I lifted him up and walked him to my car. I secured him into the bolts I had in the floor and got in and took off towards the cop shop. I got him out and grabbed my paperwork and walked in. Eddie, Big Dog, and Carl were all there and looked at me like I was a ghost. HUH, I've been getting that a lot today. I handed Diggs off and got my body receipt.
"Eddie. Big Dog. You gonna say anything to me or just stare at me?"
"Uh, Hey, Steph. Long time since we saw you, You look good." Said Eddie.
"Yeah, that's what training does to you."
"It's good to see you back and… damn, you brought Diggs in."
"Like I said training a lot has changed me since I left but I'm back for good."
"Have you seen Morelli yet?"
"Nope. But I know he got married. I'm happy for him. He deserves it. I got to get back to work see you guys later." And I walked out. Now, my parent's house. Dad isn't a problem since he's known since before I left but my mom, well this could be interesting.
I hopped in my car and headed over to my parents house. Like always, as soon as I pulled up my mom and grandma were at the door waiting for me. Out of respect, I took off my utility belt but I was still dressed with guns and knives just in case.
One big thing I learned while training is things can happen when you least expect them too. There are a few other things I learned. I'm quick to temper and if I get pissed off I go straight to agent mode which is never good for the people around me. I'm getting better at it as in not taking people down that mean me no harm, but it can still be dangerous to sneak up on me or grab me suddenly.
The government signed me on as an agent for a reason and it sure as hell isn't because I'm cute and sweet. It's because I'm dangerous and not afraid to use a gun or my hands to take someone out. A lot has changed. After my reminiscing I got out of my car and walked towards the door.
"Stephanie." My grandma said excitedly as she hugged me.
"Hey grandma, mom, can I come in?" they both turned and started walking in the house. I was waiting for what was to come.
"Stephanie Michelle Plum, what were you thinking leaving the way you did and not telling anyone where you went and poor Joseph he's married now. So you won't be able to marry him."
"Mom, I'm really not in the mood so let me give you the short version. I left to get training. I got it. I signed a contract with the government to do missions and I just got home from a mission yesterday. Now, I have changed a lot since I left so I'm only going to say this once. I will come by and visit once a week as long as I'm not out of town. You start in on me about the 'Burg' and I'm gone and I will not come back. I don't care what other people say or think. I'm happy if you can't support that then I will walk out the door and you won't have to worry about it. If you can then we will be one happy family."
"I think you should just leave then Stephanie. You will not embarrass me and disgrace this family in longer."
"Okay bye. Grandma, I love you and dad knows how to get a hold of me." I walked out the door without looking back.
I had a feeling this was coming and I was not backing down, I refuse to be spoken to that way anymore. I walked out and got in my car, and I decided to pick up another skip before calling it quits for the day. Opening the file, I saw the ugly face of Anthony Rashi. He's 6'2, 240 lbs and was arrested for murder and has a rap sheet as long as my legs. I'm not stupid and this guy I will definitely need backup on. Looks like Aaron is gonna get a taste of Bounty Hunting. So I called and waited two rings and then he answered.
"Hey, Honey."
"Hey, I'm gonna need backup on a skip. You game?"
"Hell yeah. I'm sick of setting in front of the computer and could use some action."
"Get geared up. I'll be there in twenty." I hung up and headed to my house.
I pulled up and Aaron was waiting on me in front of the gate, geared up and ready to roll. When he got in I handed him the file.
"I expect a fight from this guy. Should be fun" I said with a smile.
My sense of fun has changed a lot to. For me, fun is a gunfight or fist fight either way I'm happy. I just don't like getting shot but have come to be used to being shot. We took off to the address and go figure right off Stark Street. This could be a lot of fun. Good thing I'm dressed for this sort of fun.
Cargoes make all of it so much easier, I can kick ass easily in them no worries, very versatile and I have every color imaginable that they come in. We pulled up to the address listed on the file. His car was there so we got out. I was taking front and Aaron was taking back. We put on our Kevlar vests, as this guy is known for violence. We also had mic's and earpieces in so we could communicate. Aaron would tap his mic twice once he was in position. I got to the front of the house and heard Aarons taps on my earpiece. I knocked on the door and Rashi opened it.
"Anthony Rashi." I asked and then the asshole shot me in the arm but that didn't bode well for him because I shot him twice; once in the arm, which caused him to drop his gun, and once in the knee.
I don't like being shot and the person who shoots me never makes it out better than me. I heard Aaron running towards us before I saw him. I wasn't worried about the skip moving especially with a shot in the knee. My arm hurt but I have had worse. I did what I was trained to do in these situations I took off my Kevlar vest and then my shirt, and wrapped my shirt around my arm until I could get medical attention and then went and set down by my skip. The asshole.
I'm sure I was quite a sight since I was sitting in cargoes and a sports bra, with my utility belt still on. Aaron had already taken my Kevlar vest and put it back in my SUV. I heard the sirens and noticed to blue and whites pull up. Luckily it was Eddie, Carl, and Big Dog.
"Already Steph? You just got back." said Carl.
"Not my fault. An asshole wanted to shoot me and as you can tell he got worse than he gave. So, let's get this shit over with so I can dig this bullet out and get stitched up."
"Damn, Steph, you are in a good mood for being shot."
"I haven't been shot in a while or even shot at in about three months, it was getting boring."
"You have definitely changed." Eddie said as I got up.
"Holy Shit, Steph, is that a tattoo on your back?" Eddie asked.
"Yep." about that time none other than Joe Morelli pulled up and two black Broncos right behind him. Joe was the first to make it to me.
"Cupcake, I heard you were back."
"Yep, I'm back."
"Is that a tattoo on your back?"
"Yep, sure is."
"Glad you aren't my problem anymore."
"Feelings mutual, Joe."
"You ready to give your statement? I also need your gun registration and license to carry."
I walked over to my SUV with Joe following me reached in my center console and grabbed my license to carry and gun registration and handed it him.
'Shit, cupcake. How do you have a license to carry nationwide. That's rare, very few people have that."
"Morelli, a lot has changed since I left and seeing as the missions I go on can be in the states, it was easier for the suits to get me a nationwide license to carry."
"What do you mean the suits and missions?"
"I mean I go on missions. I have a contract that takes me away at a moment's notice and I have a very high security clearance. Can you take my statement I would like to get this bullet out of my arm sometime in the next hour or so?"
"Sorry, Steph." I nodded and gave him the story as my Merry M en approached. Luckily, I wouldn't have to repeat it since all the Merry Men heard it when I told Joe
"Bomber, let me check your arm." said Bobby moved my arm towards him and what I heard next let me know it was worse than I thought.
"Shit." said Bobby.
"What Bobby?"
"You're gonna have to go the hospital. I'm surprised you can still move your arm it looks like the bullet is in the bone."
"Son of a mother fucking bitch!" All the guys looked at me wide eyed.
"Wow, Beautiful, that's some mouth you got there" Lester said as Aaron walked up.
"Steph, what the hell, you only use that kind of language when you are royally pissed so what's the deal?"
"Apparently, a visit to the ER is on our agenda."
"Oh Hell, I hate taking you to the hospital you are the worst patient."
"Shut the fuck up, Tripp, I've still got guns on me." They guys stood there watching us go back and forth wide eyed. Aaron walked over to the SUV.
"Come on Stephanie; let's get this shit over with." I started towards my car, and then turned around.
"You guys meeting us there?"
"Yes" said Tank.
I hopped in and we drove to the hospital. As soon as Aaron parked, I jumped out and went inside to get this fun over with. Being shot doesn't bother me but going to the hospital puts me a very foul mood. I handed the woman my insurance card, updated my forms, and returned them.
"What do you need to be seen for today Ma'am?" She asked.
"I have bullet in my arm that needs removed." Apparently that wasn't the answer she expected as she paled and picked up her phone.
"Someone will be with you in a minute." she told me quickly. I went and sat down next to Tripp I looked over at him.
"I'm beginning to think I've been shot way too many times. I can tell someone I was just shot like we were talking about the weather." Aaron laughed and just as he had got himself under control the doctor came.
"Miss Plum." He called. I stood up and walked over to him.
"Dr. Razzo." I shook his hand
"I would say it's nice to meet you but I hate being at the hospital and call me Steph or Stephanie." He chuckled.
"I understand." Was his reply as he led me into a room. He poked and prodded around on my arm for a few minutes, before he looked at me.
"Stephanie, We are going to have to do surgery to get that bullet out. It is lodged into the bone." I grimaced.
"Give me the forms to fill out and the second I'm awake from the surgery I will be going home whether you release me or I leave AMA. My partner can take care of me." He nodded and walked out to get all the forms for me to sign. A couple minutes later he walked back in and handed me the forms which I signed.
"Can you have my friends come back here so I can tell them what I need and I need to give my partner my weapons? I trust no one but him with them." He gave me a nervous smile.
"Yes Ma'am." And he walked back out. A few minutes later Aaron, Bobby, Tank, and Lester walked in my room.
"Hey, they have to do surgery on my arm, bullet lodged into my bone." I started stripping my weapons and handing them to Aaron.
"Put all my weapons in the duffel in my car. Bring the duffel in and as soon as I'm out of surgery I'll change so we can go home." He nodded, kissed me on the forehead and walked out. Tank, Lester, and Bobby were looking at me like I grew two more heads; they've been looking at me like that a lot lately.
"What?" I asked.
"You can't leave right after surgery. You have to stay at least overnight." Bobby stated.
"No. I don't and I won't as soon as I'm out of recovery I'm going home. This isn't my first gunshot wound. I know the routine. I'm going home and the doctor knows it."
"Beautiful, don't you think you should let them make sure you are okay before you leave"
"I am letting them make sure; I'm not leaving until I'm out of recovery."
"Bomber, Seriously, we are worried about you." Tank replied.
"I'm fine, I'll be fine. I've dealt with worse gunshot wounds doing government work this one is nothing." Finally they all nodded and kissed me on the forehead before heading back to the waiting room. Before they got to the door I hollered at them.
"Hey, don't tell Cal. I'll visit him when they release me." They all nodded and walked out.
AN: Hope everyone has a great week!
What do you think and what would you like to see happen next? Let me know! Reviews and Requests are appreciated. Next chapter, Next week.