Simple Hearts
Chapter 20
"Tank, is something wrong with Ranger?" Geraldo, the manager in the Rangeman Atlanta office, spoke over the phone. His voice was quiet but the confusion was crystal clear in it.
Something must not be going according to the 'Ranger Plan'. Meet with the client, work out the upgrades, and back on a plane to Trenton to move Stephanie and Reilley. Really, he convinced himself that she would need an extra pair of hands packing and was heading to Wilmington in his 'Bad Ass' pick-up with his 'Bad Ass' self as soon as he returned to Rangeman. According to the second-in-command's understanding, most of their things traveling to Trenton were already packed. Tank just nodded, if that was what the Boss wanted him to believe, he would go along with the delusion. "Why? What is going on?" Tank asked chuckling.
"He came down from his apartment, was in a somewhat jovial side which was strange for Ranger, grabbed a cup of coffee waiting for the Hanson Brothers, and once they arrived began their meeting. He wasn't in there 20 minutes. Ranger comes out the door closing it, stomps into his office, and breaks every pen in the desk. He was looking for more pens to break! He pinched his nose like he does when he gets frustrated with our cousin Lester, then strolls back into the room like he never depleted the office pen supply. What was that?" Geraldo asked. He was Ranger's cousin on his mother's side like Lester Santos.
"You don't know? That's Ranger in love."
"You're kidding, right?"
The bald man was shaking his head in his office chuckling at his best friend. "No, I heard the words come out of that very Cuban mouth, Jerry. She's a young mother who lives in Wilmington, but is moving back to Trenton on Friday. So, I can safely assume there is a problem which could delay Ranger's return to Trenton. He's going to Wilmington when he gets back to help her pack."
"The Hanson Brothers want a major upgrade of the security for their office complex, but they recently purchased an old warehouse complex on the edge of Atlanta which is being refurbished. They want Rangeman to install the security system. It's going to be a state of the art sports complex."
"If this holds up him getting back, I'm putting in to use some vacation time," Tank repeated his thoughts to the office manager. "He'll be off the Cuban deep end."
If that was the case then the major overhaul and additional services would be a monetary windfall for the Atlanta office and the company, but could cause Ranger to be delayed in leaving by maybe a day. He wouldn't be a happy camper.
"Great! You're sure he's in love?"
"Oh, yes," Tank confirmed. "Stephanie loves him. Where do you think he got the short hair? She's a beautician. It's love Ranger-style. You should be here."
"No thanks," Geraldo replied. "I've seen it and it's scary." He hung up laughing.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
"At your new pre-school, Rye, Mikey is here so you will know someone," Stephanie encouraged her son, but it was more for her. This was preparing him and her for kindergarten.
It was a great location; 'Sunshine Pre-school' was about half-way between the Rangeman Cape Cod and her parent's house. It was almost the same distance from her new job. If Reilley got sick, her parent's would be there if she couldn't, but Stephanie didn't think her 'new' boss would object like Tony would have in Wilmington.
"That's great, Mommy," Reilley agreed, "and I'll make new friends." He was always optimistic.
Stephanie stepped out of her Subaru and unbuckled her son.
"Mommy," her son pointed across the parking lot, "the Big Power Ranger is here."
Walking across the parking lot was the massive form of Tank, black outfit, weapons on his hips, and bald head.
She was becoming concerned asking, "Is something wrong?"
He shook his head. "I'm doing the security evaluation with Ranger in Atlanta," he replied.
"What security evaluation?"
"Ranger told me to check the place out?"
"Why? It's a pre-school?" Stephanie questioned wondering what was going on. It was a daycare center.
"No, not for Ranger. That jungle gym he went over and even was doing
chin-ups on it to ensure it would withstand pressure. Because of whom he is and you're his woman, he is cautious. He has put a lot of criminals in jail and would never want that fact to put you or your son in a compromising position," he explained in simple Ranger-like terms.
"Is that lingo in his macho-ese?" Stephanie laughed at the reference to 'his woman'.
Tank could only define it saying, "Ranger has some outdated thinking going back to his centuries of Cuban heritage."
"It's more Middle Ages dashing bad boy-dark knight with a heart of gold. It's been a long time since I was treated as a woman. I haven't had anyone to give me a second thought except for my son. He so cute in his macho."
Her description fit the post-Christmas Ranger. Well, probably not the cute as it didn't compute with 'Bad Ass'. The pre-Christmas one would have made Scrooge appear like a would-be Saint at times.
The three of them walked in the glass doors, before going inside Tank was checking out the security camera.
"Can I help you?" a young woman asked from a small window sliding the glass panel like a doctor's office.
"I'm Stephanie Plum," she introduced. "My son Reilley is beginning here next Monday. I'm dropping off his paperwork and Mrs. Hunter is providing a tour. This is our friend from Rangeman." Stephanie turned to Tank. "I don't know your name, only Tank."
The young woman paled taking in the large man filling the small entry.
"Thomas Sherman," he said and slid a company card to her and his wallet showing the U. S. Government seal. "Miss Plum's boyfriend, Carlos Manoso. I'm sure you have heard about him, the well known Trenton bounty hunter, asked I review your security due to their association. He is out of town at the present time."
At the mention of Ranger's name, the young woman without thinking let slip, "He's a hunk."
Stephanie laughed at that truth.
A pre-matronly woman stepped out of a side door. She was in a smart pantsuit, but her hair was in an almost too tight bun. "I'm Mrs. Hunter," she said stiffly, "and I assure you this is a secure building. We have never had a problem, Sir."
"I'm glad to hear that, Ma'am," Tank attempted to smooth her ruffled feathers.
"I'm doing as my boss, Carlos Manoso, asked."
"He should speak to me. I've been the director for a number of years."
Tank was quickly hoping to get on her good side somehow. He politely told her, "I'll mention that to him and you have a fine center here, Mrs. Hunter."
Reilley spoke up, "They're Black Army Power Rangers. They protect everybody, Miss. Even you."
She softened visibly at the naive little boy's words. Stephanie's impression was she interacted more effectively on a child's level.
"Well, Reilley Plum, the world needs Power Rangers. Let me show you around your new school," Mrs. Hunter said softly focused on the new pre-schooler with Stephanie and Tank following.
They went into a hallway with rows of hooks low on the wall. "If you have a jacket, you can hang it here," she instructed, "and will have a basket with your name for your take-home things."
Reilley nodded.
Next, the four went through a half door into a large room with small tables, chairs, and blackboards on a wall. "This is our activity room. You'll have your school lessons, art time, and playtime here if we can't go outside."
"It's one of the Power Ranger!" Mikey Stankovic yells.
All eyes in the large room were on Tank. He froze.
Reilley added for the class, "He's a Black Army Power Ranger."
In a blink, the tall man was surrounded by approximately fifteen small boys and girls.
"What's that?" "Are those yours?" "Are you a Power Ranger?" Young inquiring minds were firing questions at Tank.
It took him a second to recover. A smile came over his face. "Those are handcuffs to get the bad guys and this is my special electro stun gun," pointing to the stun gun on his belt, "to shock them in place."
"Wow! He's a Power Ranger."
Stephanie began giggling. Mrs. Hunter's mouth dropped open. There was Tank showing the children his 'Super Hero' action poses with bent arms and big shoes kicking the air.
XXXXXXXX
It was a long two days in Atlanta for Ranger. The new contract was signed with the Hanson Brothers after a lot of hashing out details extending and adding the Rangeman services. It was a big boost for his company and the office professionally and in profit. The highlights were his telephone calls with Stephanie. He did need to grovel a little over the pre-school security assessment, but he turned on his Bad Ass charm. And also the snapshots on his cell phone of 'Power Ranger Tank'. He wasn't never going to let his best friend live that down.
He was sitting in the Atlanta airport waiting for his flight to be called. Ranger noticed no one was occupying any of the chairs near him. The other passengers had to be put off by him; the Cuban could not stop laughing sitting there. Those photographs of Tank in 'Power Ranger' mode were too damn funny and he couldn't stop laughing when he viewed them.
"What is funny, Mister?" A little girl in pigtails was brave enough to approach the insane chuckling man.
He looked up with a quirked brow. "A Power Ranger," he said. "See?" Ranger held his cell phone down for the little girl to see.
She began giggling. "He's funny!"
The airline attendant looked at the group of people with their boarding passes out all laughing around one tall, muscular, dark haired man. She was wondering what kind of flight this was going to be and should she notify security.