All Janet's characters and but my Carla

Chapter 5

I was still standing in front of the fridge when my door opened.

"Don't you knock over here? I asked Lester.

"Sorry old habits die hard" he answered. "You feeling the heat?"

I was practically sitting on the bottom shelf of the fridge. "I was looking for some milk" I lied "I can't take my coffee without milk"

"Well it's a good job I got some, I didn't think there would be any through here" he smirked and made himself at home in the kitchen popping a carton of milk out from behind his back.

"I can do that thanks" I said taking the milk from him. I was close enough to smell his shower gel and his hair and skin were still damp from the quick shower he must have taken. He was wearing black sweat pants and a grey t shirt which clung to his skin. Okay so at least he was dressed now but my eyes were still gawking.

I went over to the machine and started lifting and pressing things as if I knew what I was doing. Lester came up behind me and expertly popped the coffee in the filter and pressed all the right buttons. "Take a seat madam your coffee will be right with you". He obviously knew his way around this kitchen as he opened a cupboard and got the mugs out and opened a drawer to get some spoons. I decided I might as well just sit down and let him get on with it.

He came over with the coffees and placed a mug in front of me. We both milked up and sat back to look at each other. He let out a sigh then got back up and came back with some sugar.

"How did you know i needed sugar?" I asked.

"You had a hungry look it your eyes, I figured you were either thinking of me with my clothes off or you needed a sugar hit" he replied

I smiled in spite of my embarrassment and added 2 sugars. I had to stop this man getting me all in a fluster. I took a sip of sweet caffeine and instantly felt better.

"So did you speak to Ella? I asked quickly.

"Yip she will be up shortly" he answered after a long swig of coffee. "She has a few things she needs to do every morning but she wanted to get them out the way so she could spend the rest of the morning with you. She's very concerned about you" he added gently.

"Oh I'm fine just fancied a wee break away from the rain" I replied with an attempt at a cheery smile. "Thought I would surprise her" I added.

"Well I know she can't wait to see you" Lester said as he drained the last of his coffee. "I'm going to head back to bed for a couple of hours, got another late one tonight".

"What exactly do you do here?" I asked but knew he probably wouldn't answer.

"You'll find out when you meet the boss later" Lester replied.

"I'm going to meet the boss?" I asked. If these men looked like this what the hell was their boss going to be like.

"You'll have to meet the boss if you gonna stay here, Ella will introduce you later" and with that Lester gave me another one of his winks and was gone.

I was getting really curious about what goes on at Rangeman and still couldn't believe Ella was living and obviously working here too. I still couldn't envision her having anything to do with a set up like this. Louis maybe, he had once been in the army, but not Ella.

I didn't have to wait long to find out though as someone started gently knocking on my door. I jumped up to answer and Ella came running through the door. She grabbed me in a hug and I instantly burst into tears.

"Oh honey whats wrong, whats happened?" she asked gently.

"Nothing's wrong" I sniffed "I just wanted to see you". I hugged her back then held her so I could take a look at her.

Ella was in her early 50's and a good few inches shorter than me. She used to be quite stocky looking but had lost weight since I last saw her. Not enough to be worried about her, in fact she was looking great. He hair was short and black but had some speckles of grey through it and she looked really happy. She had her usual red lipstick on but didn't bother with any other make up. As long as I could remember she had worn red lipstick. She was dressed in black jeans and a knitted black sweater. I was going to have to go shopping for some black clothing if I was going to stay for any length of time, and black wasn't great against my pasty white skin!

"You look awful honey" Ella commented as we moved through to the lounge area. Note to self, make more effort in front of the mirror in morning.

"You've lost so much weight and where's all your lovely hair? You haven't worn your hair short since you were about five". Ella looked so concerned I just wanted to squeeze her and not leave her again.

"Honestly I'm fine" I said. Its true I had lost nearly a stone over the last year but it wasn't as if I didn't need to. I was quite happy with my weight now. I had even discovered to my amazement that I liked to work out.

"So why are you here?" Ella asked. "I told you I would be here whenever you needed me but you are such a strong girl I didn't think that day would ever come". She got up and started tidying the small mess I had already made in my short time here. My Ella always the housekeeper.

"I guess I just needed a mum for a couple of weeks so decided to take a holiday" actually the fact I was in between jobs also added to the attraction of a break away. I worked as a personal shopper in the menswear department of a large retail chain but couldn't see eye to eye with my manager. More like I couldn't look him in the eye without wanting to throw up. So I had walked out two days ago.

"Well you can stay here as long as need to. I have spoken to Ranger my boss and as long as you stay out the way of business you can use this apartment" she sat back down and took my hand in her small chubby hand.

"What do you do here Ella? I've been dying to find out since I got here" I asked.

"I'm the housekeeper. I do all the cleaning, laundry and some cooking for Ranger. I also provide catering for the men and any meetings they have. Louis looks after everything else in the building. Sort of like a glorified handy man. He looks after all the men and makes sure they have all the equipment they need for a job. They are a lovely bunch".

Lovely was not a word I would use to describe them. Monstrous maybe. "What kind of jobs do they do?" I asked almost dreading the answer. I was thinking some kind of criminal activity.

"Security mostly with the odd surveillance assignment. They also do some work for a bond agent downtown apprehending criminals who miss their court dates. But they only do the really nasty ones these days". Ella said this as if it was completely normal for her to working with such people.

I thought back to last night to the two women to were apparently apprehending the old man outside his apartment block on Sloan Street. "So Rangeman are bounty hunters? I asked.

"Only every other day really. Mostly its just security" she got up again and pulled me up with her. "Now lets stop talking shop and I'll show you around, well I'll show you the parts you're allowed to see". That sounded ominous. "Louis is looking forward to seeing you but he has a few things to do today. You can join us for dinner later". She ushered me out the door and along to the elevator.

Ella spent the next hour showing me as much as she could, which wasn't really very much. She took me back to the control room where I had briefly been the night before. She introducted me to two more big men in black, who looked like they wouldn't look out of place in a wrestling ring. Their names took me slightly aback though. I had just shook hands with Brett and Binkie. Hardly the big hard man names I expected. There was no sign of Tank or Lester so I assumed they were still tucked up in bed.

"Does everyone who work here live here too" I asked Ella as we stepped back into the elevator. Ella was going to show me the gym next.

"Only Louis and myself, everyone else has an apartment here they can use but they all have their own homes somewhere. But some of them spend much more time here, especially the single ones, Tank, Lester and Bobby practically live here all the time". I wondered how scary Bobby was I hadn't met him yet.

"So how is that boyfriend of yours? Is he still your manager or have you taken over his job yet?"

I had been dreading this question but had been prepared. "We broke up a while ago" I answered.

"Oh thats a shame you looked good together" we stepped out the elevator and she took me along a corridor to the gym. "He seemed like such a nice man".

I had thought that too but had found out otherwise. "It just didn't work out" I said.

She took me through a door and into a very high tech gym. "There is a locker room through there but just for the boys so you will probably be better getting changed and showered in your apartment" she pointed to another door "There is a pool through there and a steam room. Ranger says you are welcome to use the facilities as long as you don't put his men off" she looked a bit flustered as she said this. "They don't get a lot of women staying here" she added as an explanation. I couldn't imagine why not!

"Thats about all I can show you really" she turned me back to the elevator again. "There is a gun range but you wouldn't want to see that, and some more offices and equipment storage rooms. Ranger has an apartment on the top floor and we stay on the floor above you. Now I'll take you to see Ranger". She hit the button for the fourth floor.

I wasn't really looking forward to this. We got out the elevator and bumped into Tank.

"Hey there Carla" Tank growled at me with a smile. "Hey Mrs Guzman". I laughed to myself at that. Big strong man with respect for his elders. "Ranger is ready to see you now". He led us along the bank of cubicles to an office I hadn't noticed before. He knocked and a voice shouted enter from behind the door. Tank showed us in and left.

There were two seats in front of the big desk. Ella took one and I took the other. "Carla Macrae please meet Ricardo Carlos Manoso, better known as Ranger".

Ranger stood and held his hand out to me over the desk and I took it. His handshake was firm and he gave me a small smile. Again he was a big man in black but not quite as muscled as some of the others. He was similar in build to Lester but a bit shorter. He was a couple of inches taller than me. Ella had already told me about his Cuban heritage and it showed mostly in his eyes. He had dark brown hair tied back in a pony tail and dark brown eyes. He was also very hot! I could get used to some of the MIBs round here.

"Nice to meet you Carla, Ella tells me you need a place to stay for a couple of weeks". He sat back down and lounged back in his seat.

"Only if you don't mind, I'll keep out of everyone's way" I replied "Just let me know if I've outstayed my welcome".

"Any friend of Ella's is a friend of Rangeman, you're welcome to use the apartment as long as you like, just let one of my men or Ella know if you need anything". With that he stood and moved to the door. "Ella I'll be out all evening so don't worry about dinner tonight". He nodded to us both then he was gone with Tank following behind. So I'd now met the boss. He wasn't really so scary!

Ella took me back over the elevator and pressed the button for the fifth floor "I need to get started on lunch for the boys but I'll come back down for you at seven then take you up to my apartment, Louis will be back by then". The doors opened and I stepped out onto my floor. "You go take a nap you look like you still need to catch up on some sleep" she hit the button for the 6th floor and I was left alone again in the hall.

I headed along to my door and then it hit me that I hadn't picked up my fob when we left this morning. I couldn't get back into my apartment. Shit I didn't want to go back down to the fourth floor on my own and wasn't sure where Ella had gone. I also really needed to pee!

I looked back down the hall to Lester's door. I chewed on my lip and wondered if I had the nerve to knock on his door again. He had managed to get into my apartment no bother earlier. But I really didn't want to wake him up again. Although that had been a few hours again now and he did say he was just going back for a couple hours sleep. I looked at my watch and saw that it had just gone one. Surely he would be up by now.

I walked back down to his door and stood debating whether to knock or not. I'm almost sure he wouldn't want me bothering him again, and I'm not sure I could handle seeing any more nakedness from him today.

I had just decided I would head up to the 6th floor to look for Ella when the elevator doors opened and Lester himself walked out carrying a McDonald's bag. That reminded me I was starving and I almost couldn't speak for worrying I would drool at the smell. He was dressed in what must be the uniform of black cargoes, tight fitting black t shirt, black boots and black cap.

"Hey sweetness you looking for me?" He asked wandering over to where I was standing outside his apartment door.

"Yeah sorry I've left my fob inside my apartment so I'm locked out" I smiled my stupid female can you help me out smile.

"Two tics" he said and disappeared in to his own apartment. He came right back out and handed me a burger and some fries and walked along to my door.

"Oh thanks" I said taking the food from him.

"You've still got that hungry look from this morning about you" he laughed. He then fobbed the door open for me. I must have been looking at him funny cos he gave me a quizzical look.

"How did you think I got in, picked the lock or something" he asked.

"Well yeah" I replied "You said old habits die hard and I just assumed that you . . ." oh how could I put this without offending!

"I looked like I know a thing about breaking and entering" he answered for me. "Hal used to stay in your apartment before he moved in with his girlfriend. He was always losing his fob so he gave me a spare" he laughed at my expression "What you amazed Rangeman Hal could lose his fob. We're not perfect".

"No I was more amazed at the girlfriend part" I answered. This got another laugh from Lester.

"Here you can take this" he held out the fob to me. "Might make you feel safer if you know I can't get in".

I thought about it for a second. "Nah just keep it for now, I'm not perfect either". I crossed the threshold into my apartment and turned to close the door. "Thanks for the food Lester" I said.

"No problemo sweetness, and I told you, you can call me Les" he gave me one of his trademark winks and was gone.

I shut the door and headed over for a session in front of the open fridge door!