Chapter Three Enjoy!
Yeah, okay Stephanie Plum and CO. aren't mine, rub it in my face will ya!
Scarlet Cookies
Diesel walked quickly through the busy streets of New York City, trying to make his way to the person who could answer several questions that he had been dying to ask Ranger and Jeanne. They had told him what the Suits had told them, and that wasn't much, not that he expected the Suits to tell them shit. He did know someone who could give him the answers, but they were hard as hell to find, and you had to know someone to find their location.
Diesel turned sharply and made his way into a tiny bakery that was situated between a bar and a small business office. The jingle of the bell above the doorway started the few occupants in the shop, the Baker and owner of the store, and a couple of teenage kids, who were eating slices of cake and drinking coffee.
"What can I do for you?" The baker asked, her voice soft, old green eyes trained on Diesel's baby blues, "Would you like today's special?"
"NO, I would like yesterday's special, two dozen of them, if you have them," Diesel said, leaning forward putting his weight on the counter, "I'm buying them for a friend."
"Oh, I see," The older woman said, placing two dozen chocolate chip cookies in a pink box, "Well, I'm sure this friend will enjoy them."
Diesel gave the baker several 20's and said, "Have a good day," before he left the shop, with the pink box.
As soon as he was around the block from the shop, Diesel opened the pink package, and took out the white slip of paper the baker put in the box. It had the address to the person Diesel was looking for. Diesel closed the pink box and turned to go into an empty alley so he could disappear in a cloud of smoke.
(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)
The moment Ranger entered the penthouse, Heidi woke up from her nap, turned her head to him, and lifted her arms. Jeanne made a sound and said, "She was dead to the world, I had the TV up on high, and she hardly made a sound, yet, you come in, and she's wakes right up."
Ranger smiled at Heidi laying in the baby bouncer, and picked her up, supporting her bottom, and hold her back. Said baby lifted her head to look up at Ranger, her eyes wide, her small fist gripping his shirt tightly.
"Ugh, another Carlos fan," Jeanne said, grabbing her purse, and walking over to the door, "I'm going home to sleep, I'll see you all later."
Jeanne left with flourish, closing the door softly. Ranger patted Heidi's back and asked, "Why are you attached to me Quedria?"
Heidi blinked owlishly, grabbed Ranger's shirt tighter and laid her head on his chest. Ranger sat down on the couch, with Heidi resting on his chest. He kicked his boots off and turned the TV on to some mind numbing news, his large hand rubbing the baby's back. he felt the baby shift on his chest, and then he felt her fall asleep, his breathing lulling her to sleep. Ranger let out a yawn, and kicked his feet up on the coffee table. He could let loose and prop his feet up, from time to time, not all the time though, then he'd lose his image.
"You won't tell anyone, it's our little secret, Heidi," Ranger said, before he too, fell asleep.
(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)
Diesel looked around the area the person he wanted to meet lived in. It was a glitzy neighborhood in the heart of Chicago. The person lived in a building that had been modified into upscale lofts that over looked the river. Diesel rolled his eyes as he made his way into the building. Trust the person to live in the lap of luxury, all while doing illegal things.
Diesel walked past the desk manager who smiled broadly and him and said, "My-"
"Come on now!" Diesel said with a smile, "My name is Diesel up here!"
"Oh, okay, Diesel, They're in, but they might be in their study, I'll call them to tell them that you're coming."
"Thanks," Diesel said, as he walked over to the elevator.
Diesel pressed the button that had 'Service only' painted on it. soon the elevator was heading down, going below the basement, below the garage, until he was well below underground. When the elevator stopped, Diesel walked out of it and into a lavish hallway that led to a set of red double doors . Diesel walked up to the door poised to knock on them, but they opened on their own, and a short Asian woman walked out, wearing only a silk white robe, her hair tousled to make her look fuckable. When her almond shaped eyes only saw Diesel, she closed her robe up and said, "I was expecting you to have company…"
"Sorry to burst your bubble, scarlet, it's just me," Diesel said walking past the woman, holding up the pink box, "I bought you cookies."
"Not the cookie I wanted," Scarlet pouted, but took the box, "Where's Jeanne? Mommy was looking forward to giving her a spanking."
"Ugh!" Diesel gagged turning to look at the small woman, "Please, not in front me! keep your mommy kinks to yourself!"
"What ever happened to the man that tried to turn me and Jeanne straight?" Scarlet giggled, leading Diesel into a lavish living room, "Didn't you use to gloat that you could change lesbians back into dick lovers?"
"Yeah, but then I met you and Jeanne, shook my fucking confidence." Diesel said sitting In a chair, "Scarlet, I'd love to say that this visit is for pleasure, but I need for you to answer a few questions."
"Oh, I see now," Scarlet said, opening the box and taking out a large cookie, "Fire away, I may have the answer….."
"What was that laboratory facility really doing?" Diesel asked, watching Scarlet eat her morsel, "Don't bullshit around with me."'
"I wasn't going to, my dear demon," Scarlet said, looking at Diesel, "I will tell you everything you need to know, That laboratory, in North Dakota, was a government facility, backed by private dollars. Nothing out of usual there, the government slowly but surely selling itself to the highest bidder."
"Okay, enough with the government conspiracies, what was happening in there?" Diesel asked, snagging a cookie.
"Oh…yes, DNA experimentation." Scarlet said, sitting down beside Diesel, "They were creating life from single strands of DNA."
"DNA stands," Diesel echoed, looking lost, "They were doing what, with who?"
"Ugh, so slow….they were taking DNA strands, adding the right amount of non lethal radiation to jump start the atoms in the DNA to replicate cells, tissues organs, the works." Scarlet said with a smile, "They were doing advance cloning."
"Advance cloning…" Diesel said slowly, "Cloning…"
"Yes, but from scratch, that's pretty advance for humans, this technology should not be around for another few dozen years, I'm thinking they got help from a person who isn't entirely human." Scarlet said leaning against Diesel, "The person backing it might be a demon of some sorts."
"I would have heard about it, if it was a demon backing the US government." Diesel said softly, looking at the woman beside him, "But still…why were they trying to achieve advanced cloning?"
"Who knows, to bring back certain figure heads, to find cures for cancers, it all depends on what the investor wanted." Scarlet said sitting up, grabbing another cookie, "It's too late for them now, it's blown to pieces, there are only two machines like that in the world, I have one, and your army buddy blew the last one up."
"They were sent on a mission, to destroy the laboratory, and to get a package from it." Diesel said, putting his cookie down.
"Oh, and were they successful?" Scarlet asked, curious.
"They were, they bought back a baby created from a DNA strand." Diesel said, "Experiment 089, she's healthy too, she was checked over, nothing wrong with her at all."
Scarlet tapped her chin thoughtfully and said, "I would love to meet this experiment 089, you need to bring her to me as soon as you can, your pesky humans, they don't have the advance technology to do a real check up, I want to put my two cents in somewhere."
"Would any kind of DNA do?" Diesel asked, Scarlet, who got up from the chair to grab a glass of wine, "You know for that cloning shit?"
"As long as it isn't decaying, or at half life, any DNA strand will do," Scarlet said, sipping her drink, "the DNA in bones and hair last for several decades, and is an excellent source for DNA strands. Though the results from that are iffy, and sketchy at best, which is why your friends saw tubes filled with mutate creatures. The best place for DNA is from a fresh source, like fresh blood, and or saliva."
Diesel nodded his head and said, "Thanks, Scarlet, I appreciate what you're doing for me, I'll pay you back."
"The best way to pay me back, is to bring Jeanne with you, when you bring the baby." Scarlet purred, rubbing Diesel's chest, "Mommy misses her."
"Ugh!" Diesel said, scooting away from Scarlet, "I have to go, but wait, Jeanne and Ranger wanted to know if you can read this book, they found it with the baby, and the language is ancient."
Scarlet took the book that Diesel took our from inside his flannel shirt. Diesel saw something, a tiny bit of something flicker in Scarlet's eyes, before the woman said, "I'm not a linguistic, but I'll see if the computer can translate it for you, it should be done in about a day, bring the child with you, when you come for the translation."
Diesel got up and said with a smile, "I can always count on you, scarlet!" before he was off and out the underground home.
Scarlet opened the inside of the book and whispered, "So, you've finally brought her back, you son of a bitch…."
(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)
Stephanie had to cover her mouth to prevent the squeal from slipping between her lips. She had finished her last round of skips and went right to the seventh floor penthouse of Rangeman. She had given the men on camera duty a finger wave, and then proceeded into the penthouse. When walked into the penthouse to call out for Ranger, she found him, sitting on the couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table, holding Heidi, both of them were fast asleep, Ranger held one hand on Heidi's back protectively.
Stephanie had to capture this image forever. She took her phone out and quickly took pictures of the sleeping duo. As she leaned closer to get a better shot, Ranger smiled and said, his voice rough with sleep, "I think you caught my bad side, Babe, here, let me turn my head for you."
"Oh shit, you're awake!" Stephanie said, shuffling away from Ranger who chuckled and sat up, his hand still on Heidi's back, "I'm so sorry, I couldn't resist, you looked so cute, holding Heidi and sleeping like that-she's gotten bigger…."
Ranger looked down at Heidi and made a sound; Heidi had gotten bigger while they were sleeping. Gone was the six month old, and in their place was a nine month old, who was wide awake, looking at both the adults.
Stephanie took a step back and said in a soft voice, "She's not normal, you said she had been born yesterday, right? Well, in less than two days she's aged almost a year, what's going on?"
"I don't know, but I hope Diesel will find the answers," Ranger said as he placed Heidi on the couch, "He should be back soon."
"Oh, okay, well, I'm here now, what did you want, Ranger?" Stephanie asked, sitting beside Heidi, who watched her every move.
"I want you to help us raise Heidi," Ranger said, watching Heidi move closer to Stephanie, "I could use your help."
"Me, watch a baby," Stephanie asked, giving Ranger a look, "You know how allergic to babies I am! She look she's touching my knee, and I'm breaking out in hives!"
Ranger shook his head and said, "Babe, I know you have it in you, besides, like you said, Heidi isn't a normal baby, I trust you, and I know you'll be a valuable help."
Stephanie looked down at the baby, who held her arms out to be held by Stephanie. Stephanie couldn't deny it, this was one cute baby, plus she did seem different, something about Heidi told Stephanie that she was different. Stephanie smiled and picked the baby up, letting her latch onto her like a starfish, "Well, I guess not all babies are bad, Heidi isn't."
"She doesn't make a sound, and is very calm, I doubt you'll have any problems with her," Ranger said getting up to call Ella, "I could use some food, how about I call Ella to bring up some food, and I'll make a bottle for Heidi."
"Sounds great," Stephanie said, as Heidi grabbed a lock of her hair and pulled, "Ouch! Heidi, my hair is not a toy!"
Heidi gave her a smile which revealed two little teeth and pulled harder, making Stephanie wonder if this baby could understand what she just told her. it really didn't matter now, all that mattered was the fact that this baby was pulling her hair.
Stephanie turned to Ranger, watching him go about in the kitchen to make a bottle. He was great with kids, and to see Ranger so laid back with Heidi, it had Stephanie wondering hat he would look like if they had children together. Would Ranger be as protective? Would he fall asleep on the couch holding their child?
Stephanie had to shake her head to chase the thoughts away. She wasn't quite yet ready for parenthood. Heidi would be her beta baby, but like a wise birdie told her, not all babies are alike. Heidi could quiet and calm, but her child may be the devil incarnated!
Stephanie shuddered and said looking down at Heidi, "When you get older, stay this way okay? Don't be a bad ass kid!"
Heidi blinked up at Stephanie and smiled, pulling at her hair again, making Stephanie wince in pain. She just hoped that Heidi understood her request, maybe she was an imp after all.
(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)
General Smith sat in his lavish office, staring at the documentation that had been salvaged from the computers that had been in the laboratory that had been blown up. Experiment 089 had been their only success and now it was gone, by the damn Agency. Whoever tipped them off would pay with their life, he would make sure of that. He had had a whole plan set up to deceive both the Agency and the person who invested their money into the project. But now, the whole plan was ruined and now his hope for the perfect weapon was gone.
General Smith sighed and leaned forward in his seat, if he could find Manoso, he could find Experiment 089. The Agency had swooped in, though, and taken all information the government had on Manoso, protecting him from them. what he needed to find was someone close to the man, someone who wouldn't mind playing dirty to get to his prize, someone who hated Manoso enough to see him crash and burn.
General Smith smiled, thinking about the FBI; they had someone on their team who could help him out, who wanted to see Manoso suffer. He really didn't want to lose Manoso, he was a damn good solider, and got the damn job done quickly, but he wanted Experiment 089, so it had to be done.
General Smith grabbed the phone and dialed the FBI, "Aww, yes, I would like all and any information, on one Joe Morelli please, he's needed on an important Military mission….."
TBC…
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