A Family Affair

Chapter 6

"Grandma, you work for the government?" Stephanie shrieked.

Edna Mazur was in a camo T-shirt and matching capris with white boat shoes. It was fashionable Senior Citizen Army wear. "Of course, my social security only goes so far."

"You can't be!" Frank Plum roared. "The Government can't be that desperate to use an Old, Crazy Bat like you!"

"I'll show you Old Bat!" Grandma clenched her false teeth, stomped away from the door, and whacked Mr. Plum on the head her purse! "I knew you weren't dead!" She pointed an arthritic bent finger at Ranger. "Nobody could get someone with a package like you."

"That hurt!" Frank moaned rubbing his head.

Everyone momentarily forgot about General Warwick. "What's going on there?"

"'High Roller' is my Grandma Mazur, Sir," Stephanie clarified.

Frank yelled, "Court Marshal her, she hit me! My mother-in-law is a loon!"

"You're all family?" the stunned voice asked.

Stephanie, Frank, and Edna responded together, "Yes!"

Looking at Ranger, the 'Burg' girl saw he was laughing and stunned at the same time. He would begin to laugh, and then stop seeing Stephanie's father and grandmother sneering at each other, utter "Oh, God!" and laugh.

"Night Hawk, your mother-in-law alerted the CIA regarding a slot machine scam. We broke-up one of the biggest gambling rings because of her. She figured out how the slot machines were rigged so no big jackpots were paid out."

"Hot damn, you and me are back working together, Baby Granddaughter," Edna Mazur was giddy.

The General asked, "You two worked together before?"

"All the time when she was doing that bounty hunting stuff," Grandma exaggerated slightly. "It wasn't our fault the funeral home burned down, but Stephanie did get a lot of Ranger's cars blown up, but this is way better than that. I'll be working right next to the Cuban Hottie. I'll learn some new moves," Grandma said cutting the air with a 'bad' karate chop.

The Merry Men were chuckling. Ranger's head was hung and he was shielding his eyes with a hand. Stephanie figured this was beyond Ranger's worst nightmare with her grandma involved.

"There is a plot which Major Manoso uncovered recently to assassinate the President of the United State. It was the reason we needed to fake his death," General Warwick told the room. "Stephanie figured out the clues Carlos ascertained that the place was Philadelphia."

"She gets that from me," Grandma said proudly. "It's the Gypsy blood."

"She didn't get any of your crazy blood, You Loon," Frank spoke up.

"She did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!" Grandma gave her son-in-law a hand gesture.

Mr. Plum gave one back to his mother-in-law. "Did not!"

"Lord, help the President. Is your family always like this?" General Warwick questioned quietly. Even he was chuckling listening to her two family members fight. Major Manoso was going to have his hands full. Frank and Edna never heard the Superior's comment.

"Yes, Sir," Stephanie giggled watching her father and grandmother fight verbally and with their very own obscene sign signals.

"President Cosgrove," the telephone speaker broadcast loudly interrupting the argument, "is giving a speech at the Liberty Bell in three days. 'Night Hawk' and 'High Roller', you are being asked to be extra eyes so we can foil this plot."

"I'll get my pistol out!" Grandma offered.

"NO!" the room told her.

"We need your keen observation to be on alert. Major Manoso's team and the government agents will hopefully stop him before anyone could be injured. 'Night Hawk' and 'High Roller', can I count on your assistance?"

"I'm in!" Grandma yells. "Me and Stephanie make a great team!"

Both of Ranger's eyebrows arched at that comment. Stephanie wasn't involved and she was going to be in Trenton.

"I'm in," Frank agreed nodding at Ranger, "but Edna is still crazy!"

Grandma was swinging her purse in Frank's direction. "I'll give you crazy!"

Tank stood up to shield Stephanie's father. Grandma's purse smacked the big man in the gut.

"Umph!" The impact made the big man double over.

"Grandma, I don't want you or Daddy hurt," Stephanie ran over to Edna taking her handbag from her and placing it on the table. "We need you."

"Major, I'll let you work out the details," General Warwick said with mirth in his voice. "Give me an update later." There was a loud dial tone now.

Ranger stood there in a shocked state that felt like he was in suspended animation. Frank Plum his brain could comprehend his involvement, but Grandma Mazur! He felt doom clouding over the Rangeman building. He suddenly came out of his stupefied status picking up Stephanie and Edna pairing up as a team to help the President.

"Babe, you are not part of this," Ranger informed her.

The blue eyes were wide and challenging. A 'Burg' fury was building in them meaning he was in trouble. "I am helping with my family." Stephanie's eyes were locked on the hard, dark ones.

"No."

A hand went to her hip and her sneakers were planted on the carpet mimicking the 'I'm in charge' stance Ranger possessed. "I figured out it was Philadelphia, Ranger, before any government personnel. I'll be Grandma's partner."

He detested the notion, but also realized none of his men would come near the little old lady with groping fingers and she couldn't be let loose by herself. Teaming Frank and Edna together would be the perfect distraction the terrorist would need to make a successful attempt on the President. The only one who could keep Edna in check and everyone else safe was Stephanie.

The 'Burg' girl turned the screw tighter saying "I thought you were dead!"

Through clenched teeth, Ranger hissed, "Fine." He was still making for that dumb ass idea.

"Good," Stephanie smiled sweetly at him. "The terrorist is not going to expect a woman with a baby and her grandma to be looking for him."

Taking a large Ranger-sized step he was glaring down at his woman. "My daughter is staying here!"

"I'm not leaving MY DAUGHTER, Ranger. We're a family," Stephanie reminded him.

"Stephanie!"

"Ricardo! Grandma, Addison, and I will be looking for him. He's not expecting a mother with a baby to be doing it. And, if he's there, my 'Spidey Sense' will know it. Addie and I thought we lost you forever. I'm not going to lose you again. We're in."

Ranger was on the verge of exploding. He loathed this curve that was thrown at him. It flashed in his mind regretting ever discovering this plot, but that flew out of his Cuban head watching their precious Addison in her mother's arms. He would do everything to keep Stephanie and their daughter protected, even giving up his life. He faked it to ensure they were safe.

The man who loved his 'Babe' and their daughter looked at each Rangeman and stopped on Frank. Deep down Ranger knew he couldn't stop Stephanie and he needed her help keeping Grandma Mazur in line. "If things go downhill, then the objective is to get Stephanie, Grandma, and Addison out of there."

The four men nodded.

"I'll make sure of it, Ranger," Stephanie's father told him watching his younger daughter and granddaughter. Their safety would be utmost for the come-back-to-life Bad Ass.

"Ranger," his 'Babe' pointed out, "does this terrorist stand a chance against four generations of the 'Burg'?"

"Do I?"

She and Addie smiled back at the Cuban Man in black. "Nope," she said the one-word response.

"Babe."