Authors Note

So I decided to update early, I hope you don't mind. This is kind of a filler chapter. I hope you enjoy it anyways. I would like to thank you all for reviewing, adding it as a favorite, or following it! You are all wonderful people and I hope you are still going to be wonderful people. Thanks a ton and I love you all for it.

~Ranger'sBabe16

Warnings

I forgot to mention that is a major Helen bashing. I don't like her so, all my stories will bash her.

Found

Chapter 1: Telling Tank

5 years later

Carlos P.O.V.

This cleanup was meant to be easy. In and out, throw around a couple of druggies and get my anger out somewhat. That's not how it happened. We busted in and machine guns shot back. I wasn't sure what was happening, druggies didn't shot machine guns. Before long the sounds stopped and we entered the house to see what was left. I knew some had got away.

"You take upstairs, I'll take down." I told Lester and Manny the two with me. I was prepared for almost everything, everything but this. I thought my time in Delta Force had made me immune to the horrors of torture. I was wrong, so very, very wrong. I busted open the door to the basement and saw a sight that would never be unseen.

"Steph, is that you?" I gasped.

Previously that day

Life had gotten hectic lately. RangeMan was booming and I was making big bucks. None of that mattered today though. I woke up at 5 and did my most vigorous workout, a grimace on my face the whole time. The men stayed clear of me none wanting to inflict my wrath. After my shower on seven I got dressed and headed to the control room, brooding all the while. I stepped into the elevator. The door closed and my mind flew to that fateful day.

Flashback

"Hey let me go! Carlos he..!" Steph screamed. I turned and ran into the hall. The last thing I saw was Steph's terrified blue eyes before they drifted shut and the man shut the door locking Steph out forever. I stood stock still, looking at the door not sure what to do. As my brain kicked into gear I ran over to the door and yanked it open.

"Steph," I called. "Steph where are you?" I called looking around for her. All I saw was a black van pulling down the street. She was gone and I didn't know who, or why, just that she was gone. I sat down on my step and cried. I don't know how long I was there before I heard a car pull up. I looked up through my tear filled eyes to see a watery Mr. Plum. I ran to him hugging him tight.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." I sobbed over and over again into his stomach not sure what to do.

"What's wrong Carlos? Is Steph ok?" He asked me bending down to look into my brown eyes.

"She's gone; some man came and took her." I cried looking up into his horror struck face. Tears pooled into his eyes and he…

End Flashback

The dinging of the bell indicating the elevator had stopped ripped me from my memories. Today was the sixteenth anniversary of Steph's disappearance. I stepped off onto five to silence. The only sound was the clicking of keyboards and the rustling of paper. I walked silently to my office and shut the door behind me. I knew I wasn't going to get any work done today. I sat in my chair and rubbed my temples, troubled. I needed to get my head out of my memories I had a cleanup later today. A knock on my door broke me out of my thoughts.

"Come in," I called to the door. Tank opened the stepped in before closing it again. This wasn't going to end well I knew.

"What's up with you RangeMan? I haven't seen you this out of it since last year this time. Come to think of it you're like this every time every year." He said looking at me expectantly. This was why he was my second he knew things.

"It's a long story, one I don't like telling." I told him, deciding that if I couldn't trust Tank with this than who could I trust.

"We've got time." He said looking at me. I sighed it looked like I wasn't going to be getting out of it this time around.

"When I was seven, I had this best friend. Her name was Stephanie Plum. She was amazing she was honest and she wasn't judgmental like her mom. She told it how it was and never listened to her mom. I remember she jumped off her garage roof once because she wanted to be Wonder Woman." I said smiling at the memory of her shinning eyes as she excitedly told the story. "She was at my house exactly sixteen years ago when a man knocked on the door. We both thought that it was her mom coming to pick her up. We were both wrong. The man grabbed her and left. I haven't seen her since. No one found her body so I chose to believe that she's still alive. Her father does to; he helps me track down any leads I find. He feels really bad that he couldn't protect her, I do to." I told him looking down at my desk. My eyes were drawn to the only picture on my desk. I was me and Steph when we were four and five, eating watermelon. It was everywhere but we looked so happy together. A sharp pain shot through my chest a pang of longing just as fresh of the day she disappeared.

"If you have questions just ask them, I'll only answer them once." I told him looking up into his dark eyes, mine emotionless.

"RangeMan, I just don't know what to say. What did her family do?" He asked quietly

"Her dad was devastated; he was comatose for a few hours. Her sister didn't really know what to think, just that her sister was gone. Now her mom, she seemed indifferent and almost happy at times. I think she may have had something to do with it but Frank won't let me look into it." I tell him. I glance down at the clock to see that it was almost 18:00 hours.

"We better get ready. We have that cleanup tonight." I told him almost happy to avoid the conversation I knew we had to have soon. He nodded with a knowing glint in his eyes before he left the room. I walked over to my wall safe and pulled out my guns and knives and proceeded to put on my Kevlar. I stepped out into the control room Tank, Lester, Bobby, Manny, Zip, Hal, and Cal were waiting for me so we could go cleanup some drug dealers. I nodded and we jogged down the stairs and into the garage. Tank, Lester, Zip, and Cal loaded into one SUV and Bobby, Manny, Hal, and I in the other. I drove with Bobby riding shotgun. Shortly we arrived at the location and silently pilled out. I pointed Tank, Bobby and Zip to take the back and Hal and Cal to take the side. Lester, Manny, and I were taking the front. I counted down and busted in the door. That was when all hell broke loose. Three men turned and opened fire on us with their MK57's. Manny and Lester jumped in an open door clearing it before coming back and firing on the enemy. I ducked behind a pillar and open fired on them soon. I heard the window shatter and looked around the pillar. The last man was jumping from the window. I ran over and saw the other two dragging their injured comrade towards the woods on the far side.

"You take upstairs, I'll take down." I told them before heading off to find the door to the basement. I kicked it open and proceeded down. I heard the sounds of shouts and shot upstairs but that all faded into the background at the sight that met me at the bottom of the stairs.

"Steph is that you?" I gasped.

TBC

Authors Note

Don't hate me, I know it's a cliffy but I had to end it here. I hope that answered some of your questions. Next week's post will have some of Steph's P.O.V. but I had to set the stage this time around. Tell me what you think. I always enjoy reading them. Thanks for reading this far. Hope you enjoyed this installment of Found. Review, Review, Review please.

~Ranger'sBabe16