Kidnapped

Chapter 3: The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend

By 0700 that morning they were on a private Rangeman jet ready to head for Guadalajara, loaded to the nines. More than anything they were going into a war zone and they enough guns and ammo to supply a small Army. Stephanie was already clutching Ranger's hand tightly in preparation for the take off.

Ranger would have liked nothing more than to bring his entire team along, but besides the limited size of the plane, they were going in undercover. The more men they had the more conspicuous they were going to be. Lester, the best pilot of the core team, was at the front, manning the wheel, and Tank, Hector, Ram, Ranger, and Stephanie were in their seats.

"Alright beautiful lady and the rest of you ugly sons 'a bitches this is Santos airlines," Lester began over the intercom system. "Seats in their full upright positions and all that other safety shit, we are ready for takeoff."

The plane started with a rumble and Stephanie inhaled sharply, tightening her hold on Ranger's hand. "I really hate flying," she mumbled, eyes shut tight.

Near the back, away from the prying eyes of his men, he put his arm around her and held her the best he could (anchored to their seats as they were). "It'll be okay Babe, just take some deep, slow breaths." They took off, the medium sized plane hurtling down the runway of Trenton airport, but the moment they were in the air and flying smoothly, she relaxed a little, letting go of his hand with an apologetic look.

"Sorry, it's the take off and landing that I hate the most, I'm fine now," she said, squirming in her seat. Nervous about what they had to do, and still feeling the swarm of butterflies in her stomach from take off, she turned to him. "Okay give me some work to do."

"You want searches?"

She nodded.

Ranger studied her closely, noting the dark circles under her eyes. "Babe, you should probably sleep."

When she opened her mouth to contradict, he placed his index finger over her parted lips, stopping her. "They'll be work to do when we get there, and I want you rested."

"But Ranger, I can't sleep on an airplane," she muttered, her lips moving softly over his still raised finger (Ranger stomped down on the wave of lust that the feeling induced).

"Why don't you try, please?"

She sighed and nodded, caught by his 'please.' First she leaned her head back against the seat, trying to get comfortable. She dosed off after a few minutes but it was restless sleep and she tossed and turned before finally her head ended up on his shoulder. It was only then that she fell into a deep, truly restful sleep. Knowing that he should sleep for a little while too he leaned his own head back, the scent Steph's shampoo wafting up to his nose. He breathed in slowly and then exhaled, letting his mind empty.

Ranger's eyes opened again an hour later. Stephanie, in her sleep, had moved so that she half on top of him, head now in more comfortable spot on his muscular shoulder. Her left arm was thrown across him, fingers limp at his side. He looked around and spotted Tank several rows up smirking at him. Ranger gave his friend a look and Tank just laughed quietly, shaking his head and turning back around.

With Stephanie warm and safe against him, he let his mind wander. He was bringing her into one of the most dangerous places on earth and there was nothing that he could do about it. Though he had worked with Delgado, had ultimately shed blood with him, Ranger didn't know him. They were both mercenaries but Delgado had taken a far darker path than he. Ranger did what he did, (the secret government missions though he was technically no longer in the military) because the money was good, he was the best, and it was the only thing he knew. He'd spent nearly his entire adult life in the military, a good portion of that in the Rangers. But he was always driven by his 'moral code.' What he did was right, even if the legal system might not always be in line with his idea of right and wrong. Delgado didn't have the same code, if he had a code at all. Ultimately he was bringing Stephanie into a situation where he didn't have all the control, or the facts. Bermudez was a threat but Delgado was a mystery.

Stephanie murmured in her sleep, something that sounded suspiciously like his name and burrowed in deeper into his body. Nearly alone in the plane he let himself just feel her more a moment. The way her chest expanded with each breath, her breasts pressed into his side. The longer he was close to her, the longer he let himself just love her, the more the line between them became blurred. But loving her opened both of them up for more hurt… the stab of jealousy and anger every time she went back to Morelli (even though he knew in many ways it was his own fault), and the possibility of Stephanie being hurt if they ever had a relationship. But, if those pictures on the Trenton Times website taught him anything it was that to the outside world it already looked like they were together. Why not make that reality?

They landed three hours later at Guadalajara International Airport. On high alert, they hurried through the airport, having to cross through the busy terminal to reach the front. Their bags were slung over their shoulders and they walked as one, Ranger in front and Tank at the rear – it was strategically planned that Stephanie was in the middle, protected on all four sides.

When they reached the large doors of the airport, the parking lot just in the distance, the car was already waiting for them out front. It was a Ford SUV, not the most inexpensive car one might see but also not flashy enough to be overly noticed. One of Delgado's men was at the wheel and another in the back, but Ranger only knew this because it was the arrangement, otherwise the windows were heavily tinted. The driver exited standing at his open door with a flat expression on his round face. He was short, but built with spiky black hair and a scar over his left eyebrow. He nodded at Ranger but acknowledged no one else as he opened the back door on the driver's side.

"Get in, say nothing," Ranger whispered to Stephanie, too low for Delgado's man to hear.

Stephanie nodded and followed Ranger inside. The car was dark inside and cool from the running AC. Tank sat next to Stephanie and just behind them Hector and Ram got in as well. Crouched in the very back, in the trunk space was another Zeta, an M16 rifle clutched in his light brown hands.

The SUV started and they began rolling. They pulled into heavy traffic and headed north-west. They traveled in heavy, tense silence for more than an hour as the traffic gradually thinned and then became non-existent. The road became more and more poor, filled with potholes and cracks as they traveled. Painfully aware of the gunman in the back that had a perfect shot at all of their skulls, Ranger leaned in his body towards Stephanie, ready to pin her to the seat if things took a turn for the worse.

Eventually they reached a large "U" shaped compound out in the middle of the desert, the closest human civilization more than thirty miles to the south. No one could help them there, there would be no backup, no escape. The desert would claim them, or the guards situated on top of the three watch towers would.

"Out!" the driver barked at them, opening his door.

The gunman opened the trunk space and let himself out, coming around to the front to train his gun on the group. Ranger was the first out (always the first on and off the battlefield, no matter what the battle) and guided Stephanie out behind him, keeping her as close as possible without actually carrying her.

Several men walked out of the compound and patted them down, removing their weapons and placing them in a barrel. The men were quick and efficient, faces a blank mask as they turned to pat down Stephanie. No matter what their profession now, these men were clearly well trained. They were led inside the low lying concrete building to find the inside surprisingly luxurious. The floor was tile and the rest done in the traditional Spanish style. The two opposing sides of the "U" were bedrooms and living areas for the Delgado family and his Lieutenants while the middle of the "U" was the center of the Zetas' business. They walked down a long, slightly curving hallway until they reached a door. One of the men knocked, knuckles rapping sharply on the wood.

"Entre," said a deep, male voice from inside.

The door swung open, revealing a large mahogany desk in a lavish office. If it wasn't for Delgado sitting behind that desk and his handgun within reach, it could have easily been Donald Trump or Bill Gates' office. Delgado stood in greeting as they spilled in, Ranger standing in the middle and his men fanning out around him. Ranger let the other man speak first.

"I didn't think I'd see you south of the border again my friend," Delgado began, his English nearly perfect. He grinned and his white teeth flashed extra bright against his darker face. He was muscular but not as big as Ranger or Tank, but he was still intimidating. His eyes flickered over Stephanie, stopping for a moment to examine the way Ranger kept his body close to hers.

Ranger blinked, face perfectly schooled to be blank. "It was necessary I'm afraid."

He made a 'hmm'ing sound. "Yes some things in life are." He folded his hands. "Who's the pretty señorita?"

Next, Delgado laughed, clearly tickled by his old acquaintance's blankness, and the way his jaw tightened when he mentioned Stephanie. "So, I hear that you have a business proposition for me Ranger." The man gestured for them to sit but they stayed standing.

Tank handed Ranger a folder and Ranger handed it to Delgado. Behind the desk, he flipped it open, eyebrows raised in confusion.

"Her name's Mary Alice Marrino, she's been taken by Bermudez's organization, I want her back," Ranger explained, voice hard and his opinion of Bermudez quite clear.

"She yours?" he asked, gesturing to the picture of Mary Alice with her pony themed jumper.

"No."

Delgado finished flipping through the file.

"Why is she important?" He slid the file back across the desk and leaned back in his chair, the picture of calm. "We might deal in different business, but we're both mercenaries, opportunists. What's in it for you? Somebody paying you?"

"Nothing, just keeping a promise."

Delgado focused on Stephanie again, his eyes raking up her form. She felt like shrinking away but the heat radiating from Ranger next to her kept her grounded.

"The girl is hers then?"

"No."

Delgado shook his head. "Just as talkative as ever I see, it's good to know some things never change in this world of ours. So, you expect my help, why?"

Ranger stepped forward and the guards rushed forward as well, one getting close enough to touch Ranger's arm in an attempt to pull him back. Ranger, eyes fiery, focused on Delgado. "Tell your man that if he doesn't get his hand off of me I'm going to rip it off."

Delgado barked some words in Spanish and the guard backed off.

"You have a funny way of asking for my help, you're not exactly in a place to make threats right now."

Ranger came to a stop in front of the desk, put his palms flat on the hard, wooden surface and leaned down so that he was closer to the other man's level.

"I saved your ass in the jungle, took two bullets for the effort; help me find the girl and we're even."

For the first time, the cocky grin left Delgado's face and the demons inside that he kept carefully hidden came out. Stephanie shivered at the dark shadow that had fallen on the Mexican man's face.

"How could I forget?"

Ranger straightened and took several steps back. "You owe me."

"Yes I guess I do don't I." Delgado stood, the dark look on his face a replaced with his arrogant grin once more, but Stephanie could see the shadow just lurking below the surface. He walked around the desk and stopped two feet in front of them, his butt propped against the desk. "Going up against Bermudez will be very dangerous, I will likely lose some of my good men, maybe it's not an equal trade." He paused. "Not very often that we get such pretty mujer americanos down this far south, maybe a few hours spent with the lovely lady will make it… even." Delgado straightened and extended one arm out in an attempt to stroke Stephanie's chin.

Ranger, quick as lightening grabbed a tight hold of the other man's wrist, face contorted into a snarl. The guards moved once more but Delgado shook his head.

"Mina," Ranger hissed, using Spanish so that every man in the room would understand.

Delgado threw his head back and laughed, shaking his wrist out of Ranger's hold. He made a rude gesture, simulating sex with his tongue pumping against his cheek and an exaggerating cock of his hip.

"I didn't think you'd be so easy to manipulate Ranger, I'm surprised. I was only trying to answer a question, and you told me everything I needed to know." His eyes appraised Stephanie once more. "She must be someone very special… though you know that in this land, special," he stressed the world, "is a weakness."

Ranger stayed painfully silent.

Delgado snorted. "I will help you, I will never forget what you did for me and besides Bermudez has been throwing wrenches in my organization since its creation. It will be nice to exterminate him." He returned to his chair.

"I'm sure you have a plan, tell me what it is you want me to do."

Ranger nodded. "Bermudez, in exchange for the girl, wants me to assassinate Sergio Hernandez."

Delgado's eyes widened. "That would be almost an impossible undertaking. He's very well protected, if you did manage to kill him, you'd be dead before you managed to leave Mexico."

"That's why I'm planning not to kill him, just infiltrate the Gulf so that Bermudez will think that I'm working on killing him," Ranger explained. "Bermudez says he has a man on the inside."

"What of Bermudez?"

"He has too much leverage over the situation to stay alive," Ranger responded. Truthfully, Ranger had plans about how El Diablo was going to die, but he didn't feel like sharing.

"And what do you want me to do?" Delgado wondered.

"I need to know where he's keeping the hostage, and when she can be found, I'll need backup to go in. Wherever she is, we can expect it to be heavily fortified, I don't have enough men to take down Bermudez and his top dogs."

Delgado nodded slowly. "Then it looks like we have a deal."

The two men shook hands and what was done, was done.

A/N: I thank each and everyone of you who reviewed for chapter 2, you guys rock! :)