Thank you for reading and reviewing. We make no money and our payment is reviews. Thank you Janet for letting us play in your playground with these amazing characters.
Chapter 16
Stephanie was standing just inside the doorway waiting for her new friends to pull up. She spied an SUV pull up and the window lower and Sophia waved her over. Stephanie jumped into the back seat and put on her seatbelt, listening as Rappers Delight blasted through the speakers.
Stephanie looked at the two women in the front seat with the music blaring. She was having a bit of difficulty coming to grips that women their age were singing along and pantomiming with a mic.
They cruised down the streets as more songs played. Stephanie watched as Rob Zombie's Dracula came on and their heads started to bob with the music. She had her camera in her hand and was subtly taking a video of the two crazy ladies in front. Hail to the King came on next and Stephanie just sat with her mouth open in shock.
Zoe pulled up to a club and they all climbed out. A valet jumped in and the vehicle disappeared down the road. The three ladies made their way to the entranceway and a doorman stood guard.
Zoe smiled as she recognized the man. "Hi Igor. It's been awhile but we're happy to see you again."
He smiled. "How nice of you ladies to join us this evening. We have your reservation and please make yourselves at home. I assume you want your usual table?"
Stephanie watched as Zoe pressed some money into the doorman's hand and passed through.
Inside it was almost too bright. There were strobe balls spinning in the ceiling, and mirrors on a number of walls. The tables were certainly dated and well worn. The club chairs had a comfortable look and Zoe and Sophia sailed purposefully to one table in a corner with Stephanie rushing to follow. There was piped in music and it looked almost like a corner bar in a small town.
They each took a chair and sat down. A waitress materialized at their elbow immediately and they all ordered a Corona. Being a Wednesday, the bar was not overly full but there were enough patrons at other tables to have that welcoming feel to it but not too loud and full that it was difficult to talk.
The girl was quick with the service and Zoe handed her some money stating that the first round was on her. The two ladies had visibly relaxed in the almost friendly and intimate atmosphere.
Stephanie looked around then at the two.
"OK, this is obviously a favorite place. There must be a story."
Zoe looked at Sophia and they both laughed.
"We met here the first week of college. We had both 'convinced' the doorman that we were of age and feeling pretty cocky we had a couple of drinks before realizing that as non-drinkers we were not holding our liquor as well as we had hoped. We wound up taking a cab back to the campus together vowing that we were both swearing off alcohol until we were much older."
Stephanie was laughing at them. Having gone to college too, the story sounded very, very familiar. She giggled then spoke. "And how long before you tried again?
This time Sophia smiled and spoke.
"We figured it was a one off, so gave it another shot the next weekend." At that they all burst out laughing.
Stephanie admitted. "It took me about two months to figure out that I was not the drinker I envisioned myself to be. To this day, I am considered to be a cheap drunk."
All three ladies lifted their Corona's in the air and tapped necks before taking a drink. They sat in the corner and chatted and laughed and drank a few more.
Sophia looked at her watch and groaned.
"I, for one need to go to bed soon. I have to get up early and make a few calls before I can head in."
Zoe nodded and they finished their drinks. Zoe had switched to coffee after the first beer since she was driving. Gathering up their coats and bags they stood up to leave, putting a nice tip on the table for their hard-working server.
They headed for the door and the doorman called on his cell for their vehicle to be brought around. They jumped in and took off back to Stephanie's hotel. Dropping her off they accelerated away.
Stephanie walked into the lobby and pressed the button for the elevator then entering when it opened. She pressed the button for the 50th floor and walked out. Her room was just down the hall but having turned the wrong way out of the elevator she wandered up and down the hall when she finally spied the number and stopped.
She fumbled for her card, dropping her purse and the contents on the floor by the door. She bent over to scoop it all up but feeling suddenly dizzy sank to her knees to gather it all back in. Placing her hand against the hallway wall she stood up and with the card in her hand she slid it in the slot. Instead of the expected green light there was a red light barring her way. She pushed the card in again. The red light blinked again. Stephanie stared at the door willing it to open on its own, growling at the indignity of it all. She tried again and the red light mocked her with its' refusal to open as commanded. She hated card locks almost as much as alarm key pads.
Imagine her surprise when the door swung open. The light was on and standing in the doorway stood Ranger.
He watched as she shuffled in, dropping her bag on the counter by the door and flinging her coat over top, kicking off her shoes and flopping on the bed spread-eagled.
He closed and engaged the lock all the while watching as she lay there not moving.
Ranger raised one eyebrow at her waiting for an explanation.
Stephanie opened her eyes making sure that she was not dreaming. He was a bit on the fuzzy side but she was now on a mission. She rolled off the side of the bed and stood up, weaving slightly.
She walked to him and put her arms around his neck, giving him a slobbery kiss meant for his lips but missing the mark and hitting his cheek instead. He could smell the beer on her breath and wrapped his arms around her. Her eyes were starting to look a bit bloodshot.
Ranger shook his head. Stephanie could not, and he surmised that she had never been able to hold her liquor. He had received a report from Igor that three ladies had been at his club, one younger and two older women. He gave the name on the reservation and Ranger noted that somehow Stephanie had joined a group they needed to keep an eye on. Rangeman provided security for the Nightingale Club near the campus and Ranger had been surprised that they had shown up there, but Igor had explained that the two ladies liked to frequent the club now and then. It almost looked like they were walking down memory lane. They always sat at the same table, drank a few drinks and then left. They were never seen dancing with anyone, were very polite and gave great tips.
Stephanie spoke with a bit of a slur.
"Just the man I wanted to see. I need to pee and then you can have your wicked way with me."
Ranger guided her to the bathroom and closed the door behind her listening as she did her business and then turned on the shower. He waited patiently listening to see how long she was going to be. He was afraid that she might drown in there and listened for any untoward noises. The shower was turned off and way too soon she walked out of the bathroom weaving slightly with her hair in a towel and another around her.
Ranger maneuvered her to the side of the bed and pulled down the covers, sitting her down, then he unwrapped the towel from her head noting that she had not even attempted to dry her hair. Tomorrow would be a nightmare if he did not at least attempt to partially dry it and with one hand he held her upright and the other he squeezed dry her curls. Then he slipped a Rangeman t-shirt over her head. She was now starting to sway a bit and he helped her to lay down.
Ranger took the damp towels and walking back into the bathroom, tossed them into the sink. He headed back to the other side of the bed and chucking his clothes quickly, he climbed into bed and looked her way.
Stephanie was already sleeping and he smiled as he pulled her gently closer to him. He kissed her just under her ear and fell asleep holding his Babe.
Morning found Stephanie laying on top of Ranger and he watched as she came slowly awake, her face scrunched up in pain. He had a glass of water and some pain reliever on the night table handy for that moment when she would realize how bad it was going to be to open her eyes.
Stephanie groaned and put her hands on both sides of her head. She buried her face in Ranger's chest trying to keep the light out of her eyes.
Ranger slid out from under her and spoke.
"Babe, you absolutely cannot hold your liquor. I know that you only had three Coronas. Here is some pain reliever and some water. There is no McDonalds anywhere near here for The Cure and I am afraid you will have to do this the old fashioned way."
She took one hand off the side of her head and held it out, waiting for Ranger to drop the tablets in her hand. She guided them to her mouth then reached out again for the water. Stephanie handed back the empty glass and took her pillow placing it over her head.
Ranger could hear muffled speaking and leaned down.
"I would so like to blame you, Ranger Manoso for this, but unfortunately this is all on me. I knew not to have that third one. I just hope that I can get through the day."
She moaned again and tried to hide under the covers.
Ranger chuckled softly and taking the edge of the covers, he ripped them back, leaving her uncovered. She squealed at the sudden chilliness and reached around blindly trying to find them again.
Ranger stood up and came around to her side.
"Babe, you need a shower, and you need to get dressed. You only have two hours to get ready and get there. Charles is picking you up at 8:30 which means you need to be at the front door in one and one half hours."
He physically scooped her up bridal style and marched into the bathroom, turning on the shower with one hand. He waited for it to get warm then set her in under the spray and closed the door.
Stephanie stepped out and glared but she looked a little better. He jumped in and took a quick shower as she was toweling off and getting ready to work on her hair.
Ranger came into the bathroom fully dressed and gave her a kiss on the top of her head, then spoke.
"Babe, I need to go. I'll be keeping an eye out for you and if you need me, call me on my cell. I want you to be safe and at the same time, have fun. I'll check in with you when I can."
With that, he disappeared out of the room and Stephanie could hear the outer door to the suite close.
She continued to get ready for the days' activities, looking at the agenda. The throbbing in her head was starting to mellow. Finishing in the bathroom she headed to the closet once again, choosing the next outfit.
Stephanie managed to make it to the front door and Charles was waiting to take her back to the Summit.
He pulled away and she noticed that once again he had provided coffee and two more Boston cremes.
By the time they had pulled up to the entrance, her headache was almost a distant memory and her body was now ready to face the day with the tasty sugary treats in her stomach.
Stephanie walked into the building and headed to a large group of women chatting.
She then joined another group and listened to the small talk. She walked to the table with the carafe's of coffee and poured herself a cup, mixing it to the right consistency. She eyed the dainties but knowing that she had already had two, exercised great resolve in foregoing a third treat.
She happened to be watching as two men bringing out fresh supplies looked at each other then nodded. Her brow furrowed. They had come out the same door so why did they need to acknowledge each other that way?
She spied Les at the door. He was looking around but appearing unobtrusive, or at least as much as a 6' 4" handsome Latino man in black could. He looked at her as she stared at him then the two waiters, then back. He gave a barely perceptible nod and spoke into his mic. Two Rangemen walked into the room and quietly and very secretively moved to the two staff members, speaking to them in low tones. They looked surprised and it appeared as though they did not want to follow directions. Two more Rangemen walked up and the small group moved toward the side door and out of the line of sight.
Les nodded very slightly at Stephanie and she walked away.
Stephanie headed for her first discussion. It was an address by a college professor from the Harper School of Business and was titled, How to Grow your Business Without Your Relationships Dying.
The discussion was lively and the participants in the group were motivated and the hour flew by. Stephanie had been jotting down notes and had added what she thought were positive comments and interesting points of view.
She prepared for her next discussion. She was looking forward to hearing what Rear Admiral Sophia Brown had to say.
She made sure to not sit in the middle of the room as Sophia walked in. She smirked a little as she saw that Stephanie was sitting off to the side, able to view everyone from her vantage point. Sophia was wearing her service blues and the medals on her tunic shone in the lights. She carried herself with an ease that spoke of her many years in the military
The next hour was filled with more questions and answers than lecturing. Admiral Brown had been in the Navy for almost 30 years and the Navy had financed her medical education. She had served in theatre during a number of conflicts after women had been allowed to serve near the front. Her list of honors and awards were plentiful and quite impressive, yet she glossed over her accomplishments and spoke with a fervor and a love of her chosen profession. As a black woman in an elevated position of power, she spoke of her feeling the need to work to a higher standard. She felt that she was being compared on a different scale than any of her male counterparts and how she had had to combat that belief everywhere she turned. She admitted that she still encountered that skepticism.
Sophia Brown looked over the assembled ladies.
"I am proud of my accomplishments and the true friends that I have gained over the years. I look back on my career and hope that I have contributed to not just the advancement of black women in the military, but the advancement of women in general in operating in forward areas of combat. While it is not for the faint of heart, there is a feeling of achievement that I was able to treat and return home or back into combat soldiers of all races, creeds and gender without bias. Soldiers who wound up on my operating table weren't looking to see if I was male or female, but they were hoping for a surgeon who was skilled enough to do their job."
Admiral Sophia Brown stopped talking. Stephanie was one of the first women to stand up and give her an ovation. The other ladies scrambled to their feet and joined in. Sophia looked surprised at the rush of congratulations. She stepped away from the microphone and moved into the room, shaking hands and speaking to different people.
She finally made her way to Stephanie. Her eyes twinkled and she spoke.
"I assume that you had coffee and Advil for breakfast this morning, Steph? Zoe and I felt bad that we drove you back to your hotel and did not make sure you made it to your room safely. You were fine and then you just... weren't, but we only noticed when you jumped out of the vehicle."
Steph grimaced. "I made it to my room just fine but I had a bit of a problem with a door. It and I were having a disagreement about which end of the card to insert to disengage the lock, but we came to an agreement, eventually."
She looked at Sophia. "Brown is a popular name."
Sophie shrugged. "I come from a long line of Browns who have served through the years. I hear that I have a cousin who served but we have not seen each other for a good number of years. I came home on leave for a reunion and heard that someone had joined. He's quite a lot younger than I am."
Stephanie kept her thoughts to herself. Brown was a popular name and it could be someone else.
She looked at the time on her cell phone. It was time for a quick break then another lecture before lunch.
She wandered out to the snack area, feeling the need for something sweet to keep alert. Once again she was wandering around, listening and watching for subtle hints that all was not well. Once again she zoned in on the wait staff. Her spidey sense was starting to ping. Unfortunately she could not zero in on a problem but she felt unease setting in.
Stephanie stepped into an empty room and pulled out her phone. She phoned Ranger and waited for him to pick up. His phone went to voicemail and she spoke, watching the door to make sure she was still alone.
"Ranger, I cannot see anything, but I have a feeling there is something setting up. Les had two wait staff taken out and I think that you should lean on them a bit."
She hung up and walked out of the room, once again mingling with the crowd of ladies. They began to head to their next lectures.
Stephanie stepped in, looking around. She could feel the tension in the room the minute she walked in. The room was divided with half the ladies on one side and half on the other. They appeared to have drawn sides before the lecture had even started.
Stephanie looked at the pamphlet in her hand looking for a clue. The lecture was titled 'Barefoot and Pregnant, Have We Evolved?'
She held the pamphlet in front of her and picked up her phone. She pressed the one button Ranger had told her to use in extreme circumstances only. It was patched into Rangeman New York and Hector was manning the control centre. This could escalate really quickly and this many women in a screaming and cat fight encounter would of course bring bad press to the Summit.
She sat down by the door and waited. The door opened and Ranger and three other Rangemen stepped in, taking in the scene in front of them. She was watching Ranger's face and without a word, but a few hand motions, the men spread out in the room, taking on postures of extreme alertness. Their eyes literally looked at each person, almost daring them to start something so they could move in.
The ladies literally cringed at the new atmosphere. They looked at each other and turned stony-faced to the dais where the presenter was standing, waiting.
"Good Morning ladies. My name is Mildred Ahenakew. I note by the obvious tension in this room that my title is sure to generate some real discussion of women and their evolution from stay-at-home moms to the women of today."
She looked around at the faces.
She continued.
"My mom was a stay-at-home mother her whole life. She cooked and cleaned and nurtured us children so that we would be able to make our own way in the world. To her, education was everything. She never went to school past Grade 4 and yet many years later, on a dare she took the MENSA tests and scored high enough that she was accepted immediately, which she never did. I asked her what she would have liked to do if she had had the chance and she replied that she had always wanted to fly a plane, not ride one, but fly it. On her 60th birthday, I made her wish come true. She flew a plane around our small town and out over the ocean, then back. Her instructor was none other than a really good friend of mine, a test pilot for NASA, Jess Rodriguez. Sadly my mother passed away just a few months after that but the pictures of her in the cockpit of that plane sat on her bedside table as she succumbed to the cancer attacking her body."
Mildred touched a tissue to each eye then continued.
"Stay at home moms are as important as the most influential statesman in the world. They have a job to oversee, to plan a budget, to provide transportation, to supervise multiple scenarios, to slide in and assist where needed without overstepping a position of authority, to learning how to barter and discuss without heat topics both domestic and foreign. They must be knowledgeable about meteorological events and plan agricultural crops large and small taking into account weather and wind patterns. They must be discerning shoppers to justify the prices at one store versus travelling to many stores to save a buck. They must have medical knowledge to differential a lonely heart hurt to something more serious. They must be strong with the 'no blood, no bandaid' rule as their baby scrapes themselves for the first or thousandth time."
She looked out at the women who sat transfixed as she stood there.
"I have studied women who had very high positions of power in companies so large that the employees numbered in the hundreds or thousands. I have watched them move heaven and earth to improve something only to see it collapse in front of them due to one tiny minuscule detail that was out of their hands. I have seen them step back and take the time they needed to once again forge into the lion's den or divest themselves and leave permanently. These are the women I worry about. They want to be there, but something or someone is holding them back. Are they happy 'staying at home' looking after their children wondering what to do tomorrow that will make them want to get out of bed?"
She stopped, and put both hands on the dais and looked out.
"I want to discuss how to get people to find their spark again. Is it part-time, flexible hours, working from home, or travelling to places on a retreat to clear their minds?"
The room started to buzz with ideas and thoughts. The men looked at Ranger and at his nod, they moved slowly back to the door and left. Very few people even noticed their absence.
Stephanie stood up and slid out the door with Ranger behind her. He guided her to an empty room and put his arms around her.
"Thanks Babe. And that's why you were so integral to this operation. We would have had no idea until the screaming and physical action attracted attention."
She looked at him as he rubbed her arms up and down. He could see that she was still thinking about something.
"Ranger, did you get my message? I am still one hundred percent sure that something hinkey is going on. I am getting it near a number of the wait staff, not everyone, but some of them."
She pulled her pamphlet out of her purse and pointed to two asterisks she had made.
"There are only two times where wait staff is being used, lunch and the final banquet at the end. Is there going to be cameras or any media present at either of these?"
Ranger nodded his head and pointed to the last asterisk.
"We have security set up for Dari Alexander to attend the final meal and she is broadcasting from the foyer. They are setting up the cameras as we speak."
~~~o0o~~~
Stephanie spied Les passing around a picture to the Rangemen and motioning here and there. He was on his mic and she guessed that he was talking to Hector.
Ram stood by his side looking around. He too was checking each face as they walked by. As a sniper he had a keen eye for minute detail and Stephanie could almost see him as he looked at each participant with the idea that someone was wandering around in disguise.
She walked away from them, and headed for a washroom. She had a feeling that she was missing something and however she could help, she was willing to do it.
After doing her business and washing her hands she took lots of time touching up her make-up and fixing her hair.
She noticed a locker in the cleaning room with some cardboard peeking out of it.
Looking carefully around to see that she was alone in the bathroom, she sidled into the locker area and pulled on the cardboard. The locker door popped opened and out fell a number of placards.
I will post another chapter on Monday. Have a good Father's Day for those that can or will acknowledge it.
Myrna