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Chapter 19
Stephanie set her mouth as she tried to move the handcuff around. If she could wiggle it just a little bit, and possibly find some kind of pick she could try to get loose. The guys had taught her long ago to get out of handcuffs but she still needed something to force the lock open.
She had some pins in her hair but with her hands handcuffed behind her back and tied to the chair she was unable to bend down low enough for anyone to grab one without falling over and drawing attention to themselves.
She spoke in the general direction of Sophia.
"By any chance are you wearing a pin on your uniform that has about an inch of thin metal? If I had one, I could attempt to pick these handcuffs off me and we could try to get out of here."
Sophia shook her head no, forgetting that their faces were all covered.
"Sorry, all mine are short with clips on the back for ease of removal, Steph."
Charles spoke up.
"Steph do you really know how to pick open handcuffs or are you just hoping to learn now?"
Stephanie sighed. "I haven't done it in a couple of years, but it's like riding a bike, right?"
Charles considered his next remark.
"Under the buckle of my belt there are a few, shall we say, tools, that sometimes are needed in times of trouble. Unfortunately you will have to undo my belt to get to it in my waistband."
Each sat there pondering the problem.
Sophia spoke up first. "Well we are all blind here so any embarrassment we feel certainly won't be seen by anybody else, so what say we tackle this problem together. Steph and I will try to move over to you on either side and while one tries to work the belt back through the buckle the other works from the other side."
There was silence as everybody pondered the plan looking for a better one, or thinking of their job.
Charles spoke.
"Since you weren't able to talk to anyone, Steph we have to assume that they have no idea what is happening so we need to try to help ourselves. We have no idea how long we have before they come back. I'm going to talk and you two have to move your chairs to get on either side of me."
Everyone cleared their throat at the implications of this move. Charles started to speak and both Stephanie and Sophia turned their heads to find him. Quietly so as not to garner any attention they slowly moved closer and closer to him until they were touching him on either side. It might have looked funny under other circumstances. Sophia and Stephanie tried not to moan in pain as they inched their chairs across the room closer to where Charles was talking. The snap ties cutting into their ankles and legs were going to leave definite welts if not blood. Slowly, ever slowly they came closer and closer finally touching him. They wanted to stop for a minute to rest, but there was no time.
Sophia turned her chair to turn her back so that her hands could locate his belt knowing by Charles's voice that she was on the side with the tongue end of the belt. Sliding her fingers gently along she encountered the end of the belt and began to push it inch by agonizing inch back through the buckle to Stephanie. Stephanie waited for some kind of loop to grab the leather and pull toward her. She pulled the belt with both hands not sure how hard to pull and disengage it. Charles swore softly to himself and tried not to grunt. How tight did she think he had buckled it? He was still a fairly trim man and didn't have any discernible roll around his stomach. He sighed in relief as she finally sprang the metal prong out of the belt hole.
"Okay, I've loosened off the belt. What's next."
Charles spoke.
"On my waistband just by the button there is a little slit and you will find a pick in there. Pull it out really carefully Steph because we really don't need it falling on the floor."
Stephanie shifted again until her left shoulder was pushed into his chest. Her fingers reached out making Charles sit up taller as he coughed nervously.
"Sorry," came the soft apology.
She moved a bit higher and found the waistband and her fingers tried to stay in place.
"What am I looking for?"
Charles was trying really hard to keep his body relaxed and his face was trying its best to maintain a blank expression, quite a waste of time since nobody in the room could see with their hoods.
"Move a little to my left, and you should feel the slight opening."
He stayed as still as he could as her fingers moved slowly, so very slowly along the waistband. They all could hear the tiny 'yes' as she finally managed to put her forefinger on the tiny slit. She shifted again and managed to get both pointer fingers on either side of the hole and feel around trying to locate the tiny instrument.
She finally felt the pick and carefully pulled it out, palming it just to be safe.
She moved her chair just a bit to give her hands some room to move and managed to work her fingers around to slide the pick into the lock, pressing it and moving it around. They all heard the slight snick as the cuff released and grimacing painfully as she pulled her hands around in front of her she ripped off the hood.
Still sitting she moved to unlock Charles. Unfortunately they were still attached to their chairs, but Stephanie watched as Charles took his hood off and maneuvered something else from his waistband, making a few moves with his fingers he soon had a tiny knife in his hand. He reached down and cut the ties on his legs then the girls. He stood up leaving Stephanie to finish releasing Sophia and tiptoed to the door.
Stephanie stood up and reaching over removed Sophia's hood. She then walked very stiffly over behind her and unlocked her from her cuffs.
Sophia stood up trying to massage some feeling back into her joints.
Charles was standing right by the door, listening.
He could hear someone moving around on the other side of the door. What he also heard were footsteps coming closer and closer then stopping.
Everyone froze in place. They had no weapon, they had no way to defend themselves, but at least they were free.
They could clearly hear one talking to another.
"Are you prepared to do what is necessary in there?"
They could clearly hear someone crack their knuckles and then words.
"Yeah. I haven't had a chance to kill anyone in awhile."
They heard the footsteps recede and silence once again. Then they heard the key turn in the lock, and noticed the handle turn.
Charles put his finger to his lips and motioned the girls to stand to one side as he waited.
A man opened the door and standing in the entranceway looked at the now empty chairs in front of him. He opened his mouth to shout a warning just as Charles hit him under the chin driving the heel of his hand upward, catching the guard before he went crashing to the ground.
Charles then peeked out and motioning to the ladies they sidled out the door and walking tightly pressed against the wall down the hallway toward the voices arguing.
They stopped as more voices were heard.
"She said to get rid of them by whatever means necessary. Good thing that Monty is at the door. He wanted to let loose his inner demon and until now we've had him biding his time. After he's done, pin a note on their chests saying that their deaths were the result of America's refusal to return to a proper democracy."
Charles looked at the ladies trying to figure out how to get them out of danger safely and hopefully with no loss of life, at least theirs.
He straightened his shoulders and thought of all the scenarios possible, but the best possibility was to head out there and somehow try to draw everyone away so that the girls could get to his car wherever it was allowing them to escape.
He thought of all the safety equipment that Rangeman had arranged to be installed on it. If bullets were going to fly as he suspected might happen, the run flat tires and the bulletproof glass would help to keep them safe. Unfortunately it would probably sustain bullet holes in the body but that could all be repaired. If the car was outside, the tracker could be activated and they might have some help arriving soon, hopefully soon enough.
Stephanie looked at Charles and shook her head. She could see what he was planning on doing and she pointed to herself and then to along the wall making walking symbols with her two forefingers. She then pointed to them and pantomimed driving the car.
Sophia was shaking her head and waving her hands. She was not going to allow Stephanie to sacrifice herself to save her and that was that. She had also seen Charles looking around.
They looked at each other for another idea. Unfortunately they were running out of time.
Charles tiptoed back to check if the guard he had disabled had a weapon on him and came back holding a Glock in his hand. He looked out at the parking area and noticed a green button by the door. Taking aim, he pulled the trigger hoping the bullet was strong enough to activate the door. They all looked surprised as the door lock disengaged and it began to open.
They could see people look at the door in confusion. Charles sent a shot into the crowd and heard a moan as they scattered. They had all crouched down looking where the shot had originated.
Just then a vehicle rammed into the bottom of the door as it was lifting and pieces of the door ricocheted into the room striking those standing near. They groaned and a number of them fell to the ground.
Stephanie could feel a tingle in the back of her neck as men in black poured into the garage firing at available targets. It was total mayhem for a few minutes as men and/or women were writhing on the ground in pain or quiet in death.
Stephanie and Sophia had hit the ground trying to dodge the flying bullets and they viewed Charles behind an oil drum picking off targets from his new vantage point.
Stephanie crawled to the hall doorway and viewed the carnage. She could see the guys she knew and loved making fast work of the kidnappers. The ones still on their feet were being rounded up and cuffed, sitting against a wall with guards watching.
She accidentally brushed against a pail by the door making a noise and they were faced with at least a dozen weapons trained in their direction and the voice she most wanted to hear yell, "Come out with your hands up."
Slowly Charles stood up, then Sophia and trailing behind, Stephanie walked slowly out the doorway with their hands in the air. Charles put his weapon down on the barrel and raised his hands again.
Ranger lowered his weapon and raced to Stephanie's side, enveloping her in his arms and squeezing her to him so hard that she had trouble breathing.
"Babe, we were so worried when you disappeared. We found the ladies that were in the car and they could only point which direction you headed, but after getting them calmed down they all recanted how you had tried to phone for help. They all agreed that you placed yourself in danger to save them."
He took a breath then continued.
"Hector was tracking you and then your phone turned off. We had installed a tracker on the limo and it just disappeared off the scope too. Les and Bobby had a possible location and we tried to get here as soon as we could, although it seems that you had managed to free yourselves without our help."
He looked at Sophia. "I hope you are unharmed, Admiral. I have been in contact with your superior and he is making plans to have people deploy from the base to assist in finding you. We have so far managed to keep this quiet but if you want to use my phone you can call him yourself."
He handed over his cell and Sophia placed the call.
"Sir, this is Admiral Sophia Brown. I'm just letting you know that I have been rescued and I am safe."
They could hear words being spoken.
"Yes Sir, I am fine."
She listened some more then spoke.
"It was a bit of a scare but also a bit of an adventure and I do have some people to thank who assisted with our release."
She nodded her head.
"Yes Sir, I will be in contact."
Then.
"No Sir, I was not injured."
Then.
"Yes Sir, I will have a medic check me out when I get a minute. I assume that I will be required to make a statement and I will try to impress upon them the need to keep my name out of the newspapers."
They heard more talking.
"Thank you, Sir. It is good to be alive. Good-bye Sir."
Sophia hung up and sighed as she gave back Ranger's phone to him.
"I have been ordered to make myself available to a medic to be cleared. If you can spare me a ride as soon as I can I will just head over to the clinic at Ft. Hamilton for a mandatory check-up.
Stephanie looked at her friend.
"Does it have to be at a military base, because they have a medic at Rangeman who used to patch me up all the time. I can vouch for his care and professionalism and if you are really good and don't complain too much, he might give you a lollipop at the end."
Ranger was looking at Stephanie and his eyebrow raised but she smiled sweetly at him. He picked up his phone and pressed a button.
"Bobby, inside, now." and hung up.
Bobby raced into the building and slid to a stop with his bag in his hand. He was ready to administer whatever help he could.
He stopped at the sight of the four of them.
"You need me, Ranger?" as he looked over the three they had just come to rescue.
"You OK Digger, Bomber..." and he looked at Sophia and subconsciously snapped to attention, "Admiral?"
Stephanie waited and watched as they looked at each other, then smiled.
Sophia spoke. "Stand easy cuz. I need you to officially make sure my bones were not rattled by our adventure tonight. I feel fine but I was ordered to be checked out by a medic and Stephanie here thinks you are more than capable of doing the job. She said if I was good, you would give me a lollipop at the end. My favorite is still cherry."
Bobby slid a glance to Stephanie as she smiled at him and shaking his head he led his cousin to a vehicle in the parking lot.
Ranger moved to get closer to Stephanie again, but she pushed him back, looking from him to Charles.
"Digger, who's Digger and how do you know Charles?" She stepped back and glared at both of them at the same time as her eyes narrowed and her arms crossed over her chest.
Charles spoke. "I tried to keep you from knowing that I knew the guys. I used to serve with a number of them until I was wounded and rotated home. Ranger found me driving a cab and we worked out a deal. If they're in town I get to drive them around if no vehicle is available. We get to tell lies and have a beer together now and then. We didn't try to deceive you, Stephanie but we just didn't think we needed to tell you either."
His voice slowed down and he stopped at the Burg glare she was giving him then back at Ranger.
Ranger had the grace to look a bit embarrassed that his omission had been caught.
"Babe, it was on a need-to-know basis and we just didn't think you needed to know. If nothing happened you would never have known and you would have left New York thinking that Charles was a fun and competent limo driver hired to drive you around."
Ranger looked from Digger to Stephanie and his brow furrowed.
"Changing the subject, how did you get free before we got here?"
Digger looked at Stephanie and they both blushed.
He spoke. "Let's just say it was a group effort and Stephanie was able to pick the lock on the handcuffs and I had some tools on me so we could escape."
He left it at that, and Ranger looked down at Digger with his belt hanging open. He decided that he really had no need to delve any further. Everyone had secrets and it seemed that this was one of them.
Digger quickly did up his belt and adjusted himself. He was back looking like a limo driver.
Ranger guided Stephanie and motioned for Digger to follow and they walked to where a number of police officers were talking to Ram.
Ram stepped away and looked at both Stephanie and Digger standing looking basically non the worse for wear.
"Some days I wonder how you can still get in the middle of trouble, Bomber. We're just wrapping up this and it looks like there will be a sweep of the other instigators soon. They already secured a plane at the airport and I hope to be getting a report soon on it's contents."
He looked at Ranger and spoke again.
"Just in case we needed to get the ladies away from here quickly and quietly, I convinced them to release the limo after the fingerprints were taken from the front passenger area. Sorry Digger, but you'll need to give it a bit of a cleaning."
He waited. Ranger looked down at Stephanie standing tightly against his side with his arm protectively wrapped around her. He could tell that the excitement of the evening was starting to take its' toll and she was beginning to wilt, almost in front of them all. He looked at Digger who was giving sideways glances at his beloved limo.
Nodding at Ram, Ranger spoke.
"Steph has no jacket in this evening air. Digger can drive us back to her hotel. Call me if you need me and convince them that all three can give them their statements tomorrow."
Ranger guided his Babe out to the street, passing a number of EMT's loading the dead and wounded into ambulances or Coroner's vehicles and police taking down statements or reading Miranda's to the captured. He opened the back door to the limo and they both climbed in, closing the door behind them. Charles slipped into the front seat and starting up the car drove away.
Ram looked at the retreating limo. No way on Gods green earth would he be phoning the boss tonight.
He turned back as another official waved at him for more information. He suspected that it would be a long and busy night and while he had no plans he had wanted to check out this great stripper bar Les had told him about, called Cheetah's.
Ranger leaned forward, closing the privacy glass and pulling the curtain closed.
Charles got the message. Drive until he got the signal to head to the hotel. Check. He put the stereo on and turned it up. He kept his thoughts to himself except to mutter, 'Lucky bastard' to himself.