A Family Affair
Chapter 8
Ranger was at his post watching the people who came through one of the security check points at the 'Liberty Bell Center'. He was leaning on a chair back pretending to study a program outlining the activities of the building, His outward appearance was calm, but inside he was churning like never before. Somewhere in this mostly glass building, Stephanie and his precious daughter were amongst the dignitaries and visitors with tickets to hear President Cosgrove speak. And a terrorist. Not to draw any attention to his 'Babes' and for their safety, Ranger was on the opposite side of the building. Frank and Tank were the closest to Stephanie, Addison, and Grandma Mazur.
The ruse was difficult to pull off, but Ranger had the know-how and effects to do it. His mission changed when he 'died', the objective was to reach her first so Stephanie knew truth sparing her any more grief. Delays in Ranger getting out of the Middle East forced him into hiding in a safe embassy or two until a Special Ops unit could reach him. So his plan had to change quickly, Ranger became Sergeant Bigelow escorting his 'body' back to Trenton so he could reach her. Not completely knowing if the terrorist group bought the switch of identities with his killer, it was difficult to trust anyone. The less who knew he survived and the information he had the better so no more lives were lost.
When the Rangeman limousine pulled up for his funeral with his 'Babe', he remembered how his heart was beating in his chest. Seeing her step out as beautiful as always took his breath away, the tears showing on her face ripped at Ranger. When the pink bundle in her arm, dark eyes peaking from under the bonnet right at him registered, he had to stop himself. He was a Cuban hair short of running to his woman and their precious daughter. From the very first time holding Addison in his arms later in the day, Ranger felt like a father. He already was a father but with Julie it was mostly providing half of her chromosomes. Stephanie always gave to him trust and showed Ranger how to love, Addison brought humanity to him. Because of his small daughter, Ranger the man only wanted to be the best father in every meaning of the word. The mercenary Ranger was going to be retired to a shelf and he could not wait for that moment when Aamirah bin Rooh ul Qist was caught. With Stephanie and Addie in the building, Ranger was nothing but nerves and he couldn't calm his rapidly beating heart. Their 'someday' was within reach.
"Any confirmations?" Ranger asked quietly.
"Nothing so far," Tank's voice replied in his ear.
Frank Plum answered, "Nothing." Bobby, Lester, and Ram all gave the same response.
"Babe?" Ranger needed to hear her voice.
"No," she said.
Before he could ask Stephanie another question, a Secret Service Agent walked over to the Cuban Security Expert. "We've scanned every man, woman, and child coming in this place. No one with a cane or a limp as come close to his description. I think you're civilian Intel was wrong, Manoso! Rooh ul Quist isn't here!" His voice was smug strutting in his black Government suit.
"No," Ranger told him back. "Babe, anything on your 'Spidey Sense?"
"He's here, Ranger. My Spidey Sense is going off."
The Secret Service Agent leaned closer hearing Stephanie's voice. "OK, Babe. Tell me when you spot him."
"You're relying on a hunch? This is the President's life," the arrogant Agent threw at Ranger.
"Yes" was the one word answer. "Team, you heard Stephanie. Let's be aware of our surroundings," he told them folding his brochure and slipping it in his back pocket. He slipped through the people making their way to chairs or places awaiting the President. The Secret Service Agent was convinced the 'Hot Shot' Operative needed his head examined; he must have been injured one too many times.
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"Grandma, have you seen anyone fitting the description?" Stephanie asked Edna next to her. The young mother was tickling a chubby leg squirming in the baby sling across her chest. Addison was protected from being jostled by the crowd and it freed Stephanie's hands in case Grandma was about to do something to cause a scene.
"Not one gimpy guy. I always attract those kinds, the ones who can't move right or need something replaced to move. Whatever happened to the 'Good Old Days' when men didn't need replacement parts?"
She could help giggling as she looked around their area. She glanced around the home of the Liberty Bell. The historical bell was a number of rows in front of them and she caught her father seated four rows back. Tank was three rows in front of them on the opposite side but he moved to stand at the wall. She guessed a couple of guests complained he was blocking their view of the cracked bell.
Secret Service Agents were positioned around the podium next to the Liberty Bell and along the three sides. The ones in the windows above the main display she assumed were sharp shooters; she thought she spotted Ram up there. Her 'Spidery Sense' had begun to go off when the three of them were selecting seats; it was the strongest in this spot so this is where she, Addison, and Grandma took seats. It was still tingling out-of-control.
The noise level went down considerably when someone approached the microphone testing it again. When it did, Stephanie picked up a faint hollow tapping sound then it was gone.
"Grandma, did you hear a tapping?" Stephanie whispered in her ear.
"No, Baby Granddaughter."
She listened closely again attempting to focus on the sound she heard again. "TAP TAP". It was like someone was tapping on an empty wall softly, but it was low. She stooped down with her daughter searching in the small diaper bag she bought. She looked under the chairs around them thinking she would see a cane tapping on the flooring, but she didn't see anything. Being low, the sound was more distinct and coming from it front of her and Grandma. It was an 'empty' noise.
"Oh God!" Stephanie said hoping to herself.
She slipped her cell phone out of her dress pocket. The man sitting directly in front of Grandma had a shoe that was elevated compared to his other dress shoe. In nervousness, the heel was rocking making contact with the floor. She snapped a picture. With the noise around them no one would hear the camera. She sent it to Ranger's phone. Grabbing a bottle out of the diaper bag, Stephanie sat back up with Addison.
She nudged Grandma placing the cell phone in her palm so she would look at it and nodded to the man in front of Edna.
"Stephanie!" Grandma said loudly. "It's him!"
She stopped her Grandmother; she appeared as if she was going to hit him with her purse. They didn't know if he was the terrorist.
"The President hasn't come out yet," she clarified for the people were watching them. The man in front of Edna turned around. Stephanie grabbed her cell phone back quickly fumbling with it. Ranger was in her ear asking what the person looked like. "Grandma, you forgot to turn off your cell phone! You don't want it to ring while President Cosgrove is speaking. Sorry," Stephanie said to the people around them. She got a side shot of the man dressed in a shirt with a black and grey checked blazer and red ascot. The picture Ranger gave everyone to study was of a Middle Eastern man with dark threatening eyes and beard. He had a jagged scar at the corner of his right eye. This man was clean shaven with long dark sideburns and glasses. He had the right coloring to be Middle Eastern and the glasses couldn't completely hide the scar by his eye.
She quickly sent a profile of the man to Ranger.
"Babe, where is Rool uh Quist?" Ranger practically blew out her eardrum yelling in it.
"GRANDMA, after the speech, I want to get a photo in FRONT of the Liberty Bell." Stephanie stress the two words talking in Edna Mazur's direction hoping Ranger would understand.
Addison's father was yelling in her ear, "Oh all the FUCKING SEATS in front of you! Get out of there now!"
At that moment, President Cosgrove and the First Lady walked out and he took his place at the podium. He was a tall muscular man being retired from the Navy. Everyone was standing applauding his entrance. If he was aware of the confirmed terrorist in the audience, he never let on ready to give his speech. Two Secret Service Agents were standing right behind his elbows. Stephanie saw his wife take a seat off to the side of the Liberty Bell. It any shots were fired, she would be protected by it. The clapping died down as the guests were taking their seats. Stephanie and Grandma both noticed while everyone was standing a number of Secret Service men were concentrated closer to their area. She glimpsed a muscular Cuban form moving panther-like along the far side. Tank had inched closer as did her father.
"Babe, get out of there!" Ranger kept on telling her. Stephanie couldn't move because she was watching the man in front of them.
"Thank you for being here today," the President began. "This is a special place. Our new country under the visionary leadership of great men began here and this is the symbol of our freedom."
"Only Allah gives you freedom!" The terrorist yelled out as he stood firing a gun in the direction of the President. "Death to AMERICA!"
"He has a gun!" Someone screamed, "HE HAS A BOMB!"