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Chapter 20
Stephanie woke up wrapped in Ranger's arms and he was watching her as she opened her eyes. She tried to stretch out but her movements were somewhat restricted. She wriggled and then whined.
"Ranger, I really need to pee."
He opened his arms and she flew to the bathroom. As she was washing her hands she noticed the chaffed marks on her wrists from the handcuffs. She looked down and saw the deep red welts from the snap ties. She remembered how she felt knowing that one false move and Charles could have been harmed. She thought of how they all had heard that their lives were so unimportant that whoever had kidnapped them felt no remorse about just dumping their dead bodies somewhere.
Stephanie stood looking at the mirror and a tear ran down her cheek. She tried to stifle her sniffles as the tears continued to fall. Grabbing a towel from the rack, she tried to cry into the soft folds, not wanting to alert Ranger to her misery. She felt like a failure that her emotions were so close to the surface that she couldn't smother them with a smile.
She jumped, dropping the towel as the door crashed open hitting the door stop on the wall and Ranger raced in cradling her against his chest. She could hear his strong, comforting heartbeat through the ear plastered against him and she tried to stop the uncontrollable shaking as she melted into him. Her tears continued to fall and his chest was damp.
She lifted her head and looked up at her best friend and lover.
"Thank you for saving me again, Ranger. I just cannot seem to stay out of trouble."
Ranger held her to him and murmured softly in her ear speaking his native tongue as he continued to rock and comfort her. He scooped her up and carried her back to bed, tucking her in and climbing in behind her. He was holding her as much to comfort her as to reassure himself that she was safe.
She sighed and felt safe as she relaxed in his embrace. Stephanie was trying to get her emotions under control and hiccuped with the effort.
Her hands began to caress his chest muscles and Ranger could tell that she was worrying about something.
"I just can't get my head around why people want to hurt people because of their warped sense of justice."
She sighed.
"I want to phone Sophia and see how she is and I hope that Charles is OK too. He was so calm with that woman sitting there pointing a gun at his head. He kept us calm. Since he was on your Team, Ranger, he must have been good at his job."
She looked at Ranger.
"I need to pack up since the Summit is over and I missed getting in on the extra meetings. I assume I'm heading back to Trenton today and I really need to find my computer and see what's on it. I feel like I've been away a week and I'll be running to catch up for a long time."
She was about to say more, but Ranger lifted her chin with a finger and looked her in the eyes.
"We have the room for another day, Babe. Everyone is fine and I think you need a day to recover. While you were in the washroom Bobby texted me that the Admiral is fine and has been cleared for duty. She sent me an email that unfortunately she will be flying out later today but would really like to see you before she leaves."
He looked at her as she digested the news and he continued.
"She told me to tell you that the three of you need to have a farewell drink at the club. Since I'm sure you have no idea where it is or what it's called, I can drive you there. She promised that they would not allow you to get bombed again, but did mention that your tolerance for liquor is pretty much non-existent and you get coffee after one drink!"
He watched her facial expression and when she looked at him then the bathroom door then back at home he smiled. She wriggled loose then holding her hand out she pulled him off the bed and they headed into the bathroom. He guided her into the stall and closed the door behind them.
~~~o0o~~~
Stephanie stepped into the dim interior of the bar. It was empty of patrons except for two women sitting at a table in the corner.
Ranger stayed outside talking to Admiral Sophie Brown's orderly. He was dressed in his service blues but this time he was openly wearing his weapon on his hip. A military SUV sat at the curb.
Stephanie walked toward the two women sitting at the table. One was dressed in her service blues and one was casually dressed in a pair of dress pants and an open-necked tailored shirt.
She sat down in 'her' chair and smiled. There were three Coronas sitting waiting. They clinked necks and took a sip.
Zoe spoke. "Thanks Stephanie for looking after my best friend. I would have been devastated if something happened to her. At the same time, I'm glad that neither you nor your driver were injured."
Stephanie shrugged and replied. "When I was a bounty hunter, I used to get into all kinds of scrapes and trouble. Ranger was usually there to bail me out and as you can tell, he came to the rescue just in time again."
Zoe played with her bottle of beer.
"It was Alexandra who sold us out. She planned the disruption so that we would send a bunch of you out the back and they could grab her there. Thanks to you seeing the placards and earlier in the day when you had two of the staff taken away, only a small portion of the disruptive staff were able to get into the banquet room but it was enough to make their plan proceed. They wanted to draw attention to their plight and at the same time shame New York. I hear the authorities are still out there rounding up more people.
Some guy named Liam worked with the convention centre in an advisory capacity and he had been setting up hiring the staff for the Summit. According to a few of the captured staff, he is the American Freedom Party's Chapter President. According to the police reports that I have been made privy to, he had been waiting for the right moment to draw attention to their cause.
This is where it gets even more interesting. He contacted Alexandra as she had been a member when she was in college and they set the whole thing up. I wonder if he had been originally planning on just the disruption but we will never know. I understand he was in one of the coroner's wagons leaving the scene last night."
She looked at Sophia sitting quietly in the chair, listening. She had heard about it the evening before as she sat in Zoe's living room decompressing, but listening again, she realized how elaborate the scheme had been. She was one of the targets, albeit an important target that had been added at the last moment due to the sudden cancellation of a presenter. Alexandra had suggested Admiral Sophia Brown to her, and she had been quick to jump on the idea of inviting her friend, the Admiral to speak. Alexandra had had no idea that Zoe and she had been best friends and college buddies until Alexandra had broached the subject of adding the Admiral.
"I made sure I was at the station when they brought Alexandra in. I have worked with her in one capacity or another for years and I didn't know the woman they brought in. Her face showed so much anger and defiance, I was totally blown away. How could she have kept such ideals so secret from everyone, I'll never know."
Zoe shook her head.
Sophia slammed her beer bottle down on the table, making it fizz out the top.
"Zoe, I will NOT sit here and listen as you take the blame for failing to see something unfold. I was the one who ignored the warning signs. I was the one wandering around totally oblivious that I could be a target. I put both Stephanie and Charles in danger because I didn't listen to my own warning bells."
She picked up her bottle and took a sip, then put it down again before speaking.
"Unfortunately, now my orderly is on hyper alert and he advised me that there are very few places I will be allowed to go into alone for some time to come. You saw he is now carrying openly and he knows how to use it too."
She toyed with the bottle again and then took a small sip.
"You know what really sucks? I've been ordered to return to base until this has all been processed through the courts. My next rotation overseas has been cancelled, something that I was really looking forward to and instead I foresee the next number of months riding a desk."
She grimaced.
"While I hate that they continue to target anyone who does not suit their ideals, lifestyles or race, I am relieved that this did not make the press and give them more attention. Growing up I had some idea who to be nervous about, but now I really understand and can only say that people who belong to The American Freedom Party are not nice people."
Each woman nodded their agreement. They would make their peace with what happened their own way and in their own time, but it had been a close call.
Shaking off the doldrums, they toasted each other. "To new friends, may we live to fight another day."
Stephanie stood up and prepared to leave and Sophia stopped her.
"Thanks for putting Bobby and I together again. We caught up and promised to keep in touch. I hoped he would turn out to be a nice guy when he grew up, and I was right. He is a good friend, Stephanie."
Stephanie nodded and turned to go then spun back and looked at Zoe.
"I hope to be invited to attend next year's Summit. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot."
She walked out the door and into Rangers' arms and they headed for the truck parked in front.
They had one more night at The London and there was a fabulous jet tub just waiting to be used.
~~~o0o~~~
Les was waiting at the agreed upon spot for his pick-up. He had contacted his supervisor stating that he was back in town and anxious to continue his training. He watched as a car pulled up, the passenger window slid down into the window well and he was motioned to climb in. He noticed that a homeless man on the corner stood up when he moved.
Les sauntered over and sat in the car. He was expecting the bag to be put over his head and felt it drop.
The car stopped and Les climbed out of the car, a hand guiding him inside a building. The bag was removed and he was escorted through into a back room along with two other people and the door closed behind them. Les noticed that there looked to be about ten men and women milling around, preparing to sit down in the chairs lined up neatly.
He headed for a chair by the front of the room, watching the activity.
He had his hidden tape recorder sewn back into the seam of his jacket and a body mic to talk to the men who were now getting into position. He placed his chair so that anybody speaking would be clearly heard.
An older gentleman, one he had seen the other nights strode into the room and to the front motioning for everyone to take a chair.
"Good evening, everybody. Due to a slight disturbance at our training facility we will be meeting here for the foreseeable future. Our host has kindly donated this room for our use until we can find more suitable accommodation to continue our crusade."
He paused, looking at his notes.
"Unfortunately we had a bit of a bump in the road with our efforts to warn our great country of the impending danger that they are heading for. Our leadership is however, strong and united and we will prevail in our quest."
He took off his glasses and began to clean them.
"Your training will be escalated as your knowledge and skills improve. Your new trainers are in attendance tonight and will be brought in shortly to divide you into your advanced training units."
He nodded at someone at the back of the room and the door was opened. All the training recruits looked behind them observing a number of men and women waiting to enter. They marched in and stood at the front of the room behind the speaker. Some were in dress suits and some in more casual attire. Two were wearing combat with knives and guns prominently displayed on their bodies.
The speaker looked at them and then back out at the assembled. His eyes portrayed the pride he felt as he waved at them.
"These are our most trusted members, carefully selected for their unique skills. You are so very lucky to have the best of the best training you for your new direction in life. Listen well, my friends, and you will learn a great deal from them."
Les spoke softly.
"Go, Go, Go."
Just as the older man was about to leave the dais, the back door exploded and simultaneously, the windows on the side of the room blew into the room showering glass on the floor. Men poured into the small room with their weapons drawn and shouting orders to drop their weapons and put their hands up.
Les dived to the ground in case of gunfire and watched as everyone in the room was quickly rounded up, including him. A member dressed in SWAT quickly cuffed him with his hands behind him, dragged him roughly to his feet and propelled him out the door with a hand at the back of his neck, gripping the collar tightly. Les managed to dodge the door jamb going out but heard a number of grunts as others were not as lucky. He was rushed out the main door where there was a large security van now backed up in the parking lot.
Les was marched into the van, pushed into a seat, belted down and his legs shackled to the floor. He was sitting by one of the trainers and he was livid.
As they drove away, angry voices rose. It was everything from who had talked, to somebody was going to pay for the outrage, to which lawyer to contact. By the time they reached the police station, a number of the restrained had given in to everything from weeping at their predicament to threats that America would pay for this outrage.
Les played the scared new recruit card watching and mirroring others. He jumped as the doors opened and a rush of officers invaded the van, unshackling and roughly escorting them out.
Les was taken down the hall supposedly to a holding area and he was put into a room where Ranger stood with Bobby at his side. Bobby motioned Les to turn around and he unlocked the handcuffs and slapped him on the back.
Bobby held his hand out for the tiny tape recorder Les was removing once again from the shoulder seam of his jacket and walked to the door where there was a plain-clothes detective waiting. He palmed the little instrument and walked away, never speaking.
They walked out of the room together and slid out the side door to where a black SUV was parked by the door, obscuring them all as they climbed in. The vehicle pulled away and headed in a round-about way to Rangeman headquarters, pulling into the garage and watching the door close.
Ranger and Les stepped into the elevator and headed to five. Stephanie was in the building and it sounded like she was in the lunchroom talking to the men. They heard a moan of enjoyment and assumed that the new housekeeper, Arielle had snuck something delicious to her to try.
Bobby joined them and grimaced as another moan came from the room. They all subconsciously adjusted themselves. It had been awhile and they had forgotten what effect she had on them when eating.
~~~o0o~~~
James set the plane down in Trenton and everyone stood up to deplane. Some grabbed a duffel and some waited for the luggage hold to be opened. Stephanie had her suitcase and her computer bag but Rob was arranging to have her wardrobe shipped separately.
Hector and Les had stayed back in New York. They both had some unfinished business to deal with.
Les received a text and he smiled as he sat at his desk, writing out his report on his part of the mission. There was only one word on the screen; 'lizard'.
Stephanie's phone beeped with a text and opening it she saw a picture attachment. She showed Ranger the picture and he growled, "Babe," and she giggled. Hector and Ron had taken a selfie in a park. It was too early to see where it might go, but she was happy for both her friends.
Ranger put his hand on her arm to stop her from leaving.
"Babe, is this a new direction, matchmaking my men?"
She smiled and reaching over, gave him a kiss then wiped the lip gloss off his cheek.
"Oh Ranger, give it a rest! I learned at the Summit that women are excellent multi-taskers and should be encouraged to expand their horizons."
With that, she walked down the stairs of the plane and gave James a kiss on the cheek.
She climbed into the Turbo and with Ranger driving and shaking his head they sped off. It was late and they were tired.
~~~o0o~~~
There were a number of vehicles waiting to transport all the passengers and luggage back to Rangeman. Ram noticed Nicols standing by one of the vehicles and strode to him. He snapped to attention as Ram stood in front of him. Ram noticed that he was looking better and that he was wearing the regulation Rangeman shirt once again.
"Explain."
Andrew gulped and stayed locked into position. His eyes never shifted as he spoke.
"I am on light duty for another two days, Sir. Stick has been checking it and I have the cleaning materials now to help it heal."
Ram had been wondering what had been under the bandage but he waited.
"Some friends of mine were in town and we were celebrating with a few beer. We had one of those silly ideas to get tats and without checking first, we just dropped into a little shop and had them done. I checked and we all had infection of one kind or another.
I didn't know that you had to take care of it and I neglected to put anything on it or clean it afterwards. I guess I lost the sheet of information.
Unfortunately, or maybe not, I also found out that I'm allergic to tattoo ink so this is my one and only tat, Sir."
He stared ahead knowing the next question.
"So Nicols, what did you put your health in danger for to have inked?"
Andrew blushed. It sounded so ridiculous now.
"Sir, it's a ground squirrel. We used to hunt them out on the farm and thought it would be cute to have them on our arms. At the time, it seemed like a cool idea but looking back, I could have wished for someone to stand up and point out how juvenile the whole idea really was."
He was new enough to Rangeman that Andrew Nicols had not gained a nickname as yet. He shuddered to think that it might become Gopher or Squirrel.
~~~o0o~~~
Ranger and Stephanie pulled into the hospital parking spot and walked hand in hand down the hall to Lula's room. They knocked and walked in, seeing Tank sitting on the bed holding her hand.
She looked up and gave a teary smile. Stephanie walked to the bed, gave Tank a kiss on the cheek on the way past and then bent over to give Lula a gentle hug.
She already had an IV in her hand and her hair was encased in a surgical bonnet. Lula was waiting to go up to surgery.
The men left the room to give the ladies some alone time.
Lula spoke first.
"There is no use delaying the inevitable Steph. I signed the papers to have the hysterectomy done. My dream of a little girl for Tank will stay a dream unless we adopt and we are actually considering it. I realized that I was endangering my health and I have a family to look after. I saw the boys earlier and they are at home with Mary Lou right now. She is absolutely amazing. She had people helping around the clock looking after them and assisting Amanda and Marjorie."
She looked at Steph and a tiny smile peeked through.
"Mary Lou was wondering when you two were showing up. I think she's penciling in a shift or two for you both and I warn you now, the twins walked a few days ago."
Stephanie groaned and put her hands over her face. She knew that ML would be hunting her down and unless she left immediately she would be putting her threat into action. She wondered if she could pretend to misplace her cell phone temporarily.
The door opened and a number of medical personnel walked in with Tank behind them.
Stephanie stood up and gave her another hug.
"We'll be here when you come back down, Lula."
She walked out the door knowing that they didn't need her in the room.
Stephanie walked to Ranger and took his hand. They headed out the front door and to the little pond in the hospital garden. It was time for that talk.
They sat down on a bench and watched the koi floating past them, gently giving a small wave of their tails as they moved along.
Stephanie spoke."While I really love my business and all the contacts I have made, I have been thinking that I want to step back and let the business come to me for a change. I still want to attend Open Houses but this being away for weeks living in a hotel is growing old really fast. I think in the near future I will be looking at finding an assistant leaving me to concentrate on the business from closer to home."
She looked at Ranger and took his large hand in hers, closed her fingers over his and squeezed.
"I absolutely love Kentucky and if I were to move somewhere else someday I hope that it would be there. Saying that, Trenton is my home so if you have a corner for me at Rangeman, I miss the guys and would like to rent a space from you. I don't need much but I really feel the need to be near the comforting security of the big tough men you employ right now."
She looked at him and caressed his hand again. "I just signed the papers to sell my little condo. I was hardly there and besides, I like your gym, and your jet tub is better than mine, and your million thread count sheets are so much nicer, and you have Ella, and..."
Ranger kissed her on the mouth and then looking in her eyes, he spoke.
"And what about me, Babe? "
Stephanie looked at him.
"I used to rail at you and Rangeman taking all your time, but I realized that I too was doing the very same thing. Before I cast stones here, we need to sit down and figure out what we want in life and for how much and how long. Saying that, Carlos, I want to be near you for the rest of my life, if you will have me."
She sighed as he enveloped her against his chest again and she thought that she might have imagined it, but his heart started to beat a little faster.
"Mi amore, Babe, I love you and want you to have me for the rest of my life too."
Neither of them noticed the sun rising higher and higher in the sky, or the people walking past them smiling as they saw two people obviously in love, wrapped in each others' embrace.
Ranger picked up his Babe and set her on his lap. She lay her head against his chest and they both watched the pairs of koi swimming together, first one leading, then the other. They looked at each other and smiled. Not that they wanted to be classed as fish, but each wanted to lead and each was willing to follow. It would take discussion, and time, and hopefully they never tired of the game.
Ranger wondered when he should mention that he had been talking to his financial planner and a plan to check the feasibility for a new branch in Lexington was on the drawing board. It might take a year to get it up and running, but he was a patient man. Rangeman had a plane and he figured that James might build up some more hours on his log for the foreseeable future. Until then, they could take turns going back and forth and they had their phones to call each other. They were both strong enough that they could make this work for them.
He wondered if the mare she had looked at was still for sale. He wondered where Ella had stashed his chaps. He had not ridden a horse in a long, long time, but it was like riding a bike, right?
~~~o0o~~~
Lula walked very gingerly into her house with Tank by her side lightly grasping her elbow to support her as she stepped over the sill. They stopped in the entranceway and listened, to silence.
They walked into the living room and spied Ranger and Stephanie sitting on the couch leaning back. On a shoulder each was holding one of the twins. They were sleeping and their little mouths were slack jawed and tiny hands holding onto the shirt fronts of their care givers.
Lula looked at Ranger and Stephanie also sleeping. Tank had his cell phone out ready to take a picture when he spied Ranger's eyes open and watching him.
Tank looked closer. Stephanie was wearing a necklace that one of the twins was gripping in his little hand. He shifted and both Tank and Lula noticed that on the chain was what looked to be two golden bands interlocked together. Tank had never seen her wear this before and he wondered.
Could it be?...Did they?...really?
A/N – last chapter tomorrow.