Disclaimer: I am not making any money from this, I promise.
My grateful thanks to JE for her wonderful characters, which I hope I haven't damaged too much.
Sorry for the wait, but I recently suffered the loss of a much beloved pet and have found it difficult to settle down to writing. He used to lie and sleep behind this chair and keep me company, so I'm reminded every time I come to my computer.
Valzie
Dangerous Ground Chapter 8.
Mel's POV
He knows, somehow he knows that I'm using him. Last time we did this, he was, somehow softer, no that's not right, he was more accessible emotionally. He was right here with me, now I'm a duty to be done, literally. He's closed to me; he's just going through the motions.
Hell, I can't blame the man; I've no right to play with his heart like this. But I need this, I need him and I can't tell him why. Not yet. The moment to lay all my shameful cards on the table is almost here, but not quite yet.
He's in the shower and I take a second to study his private space. As if I can gain some insight to the man by the contents of his apartment, when only a short while ago he and I were connected at the most basic and animal level I know less about him now than I did an hour ago.
His desk is bare apart from a homemade pot for his pens. But what makes it unusual is that it's painted with pink and purple flowers. I didn't think that they were his colours. There's a letter curled around the inside and I slide it out and find it's a thank you in a childish scrawl.
To Mr. Tank
Who looks all scary, but isn't really.
Thank you for a lovely day and for making me not be scared anymore.
Mary Alice XOX.
Who is she? And what did he do to make her not scared anymore?
I slip the paper back into the pot and know that there is more to this man than I will ever know.
The rest of the room is minimalist to the point of boredom. It's clean, tidy and functional. Everything has a position and a use and the only thing out of place here is me. He doesn't actually live here; this is where he rests his head while he runs the world. Bet he has a secret lair, somewhere where the real Pierre can be found. I imagine a place where his shirts, in the colours of the rainbow, not the midnight shades of this place, spill out of the wardrobe, somewhere where a pair of jeans worn smooth and soft by time and use lie discarded upon a bed with a lazily rumpled counterpane.
But I will never know the real man behind the Rangeman persona and my heart aches for that and for him.
On the wall across from me is a drawing and I wandered over to study it.
It's a group picture of all of RangeMan. Steph and Ranger wearing matching grins are in the centre and all around them are Ella and the guys. Whoever the artist is he has captured them all perfectly and they fan out around the happy couple. The signature is Adam's and I quickly swallow the lump that suddenly appeared in my throat.
I caused this, even if my involvement was only on the periphery, the decisions that brought me here have caused a good man's death, silenced his voice and stilled his hand, the one that produced this picture as a gift for a friend. He obviously treasures it as he keeps it here as one of the few distractions in this barren place.
"I keep it here as a reminder of why I work so hard"
I was so lost in thought that I didn't hear him come up behind me. "W-what?" I stammer
"The picture" he stands at my shoulder, buttoning up his shirt "These are my family"
"It's beautiful" I blurt out.
"He was talented" he reaches out and touches the frame lightly. His large finger caresses the wood and I hear a barely expressed sigh. "Ram helped him make the frame"
"Yes" my guilt rises until I can barely breathe with the depth of it and I head for the shower to hide it from him. "Give me five minutes" I ask striving for an even tone.
"Take your time, I'll head down; join me when you are ready. I'll ask Ella to bring you something to wear"
"Thank you" I say over my shoulder and escape into the bathroom and lock the door behind me.
Ranger's POV
Tank comes out of the elevator alone and I nod to Lester to tell him that he has the floor and cross to greet him. "You got a minute?" I ask him.
"Sure" he tells me warily.
I gesture him back into the elevator and we ride silently to the seventh floor.
"Ranger?" he asks as I open the door and wait for him to enter before making sure that the door is locked behind us.
"I need to explain something to you but I need to show you something first" I hammer twice on the door to my bedroom and walk back towards the kitchen.
I watch as he says nothing, just crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow at me as if daring me to continue. He's never been closer to taking my head off than he is right now.
"You thumped boss?" Adam joins us and the look of amazed relief on my best friends face is truly a joy to behold.
"I tried to tell you earlier" I tell him
"Adam?" Tank is there in two strides and the pair clasp hands and pull each other into a hug with attendant back slapping. He finally let's him go and turns to me "Explain why I shouldn't beat you to a bloody pulp?"
Thing is, I know that I deserve the beating that he wants to give me. "Adam, do you want to start?"
"Well now, watching Tank pound on you for a while might be amusing" he grins and pretends to think about it for a moment.
Tank stepped forward and raised his massive fist to me and I fought the urge to fall into a defensive stance. He's entitled to express his anger; I should have tried harder to tell him, he deserved that much.
"Tank, Steph would kill you if you messed up his pretty face" Adam's says half heartedly, but it is enough to stop Tank in his tracks.
"My love for that woman is the only thing keeping you from a beating right now" he warned me with a finger pointed at me in accusation.
"Adam, help me out here?" I pleaded.
"This is my bad big man; Ranger can't be blamed for this"
"Talk" Tank ordered.
Adam went into even more detail than he had with the rest of the guys. He bared his soul; glad finally to get it all off his chest I think, not just to Tank but to me as well. The admission of the misgivings he had when he joined up with Vlad and how short a period of time it needed before those reservations solidified into the certainty that he didn't belong with them. Of the nauseating brutality demonstrated by his new boss and the need to find a way to get away from him without making him crazy enough to come after Adam. How, after he had managed to slip away from Vlad and his cronies, he had lived in fear that they would catch up with him while he had no-one to watch his back. That his throat would be slit in his sleep some night as punishment for his desertion and as an object lesson to the rest. How his twisted need for vengeance had been honed and amplified by the time he spent amongst those who had neither honour nor respect for anyone.
How being accepted here first by Steph and then by slow and painful degrees, by the rest of us, had made it worth the effort of clawing his way back from whatever precipice he'd been standing on, whatever abyss he was looking in to. How he had stopped being a monster and slowly returned to humanity.
The horror of coming face to face with a nightmare, one that had the power to destroy not only him but his burgeoning friendships with people who understood the meaning of the words honour and duty and what's more, had the courage to live by them, were almost more than he could bear. His total revulsion he felt for the way that he had inadvertently put Stephanie and Bobby in mortal danger. How his guilt would haunt him for whatever time he had left that she should be put in the middle of this because of him.
His tale told, his private actions exposed in public, he hung his head, too ashamed I think to look at us. I had to call his name three times before he raised his face and even then he avoided my eye.
Tank was much more direct than me; he took the three steps that brought him alongside his brother in arms and held out his hand. "You had a hard road, my friend, one that I'm not sure I'd have survived, but you did and your dubious reward is to be back among us" Adam took the hand and Tank dragged him into a hug "We're glad your back, we missed you"
I joined them and laid a hand on his shoulder and the other on Tank's. "You are the ones I rely on most. Tank you are my right hand, I don't know if I could do this without you" I looked to Adam "And you are the one who protects my heart, you keep her safe. I can breathe when I know you are with her"
Tears stood in those brave eyes as he looked from Tank to me. In those few empathy filled moments, he healed; the open wound that had been his heart finally closed and the Adam that had laughed with us in the worst places in the world was returned to us. Tougher, darker and with more hard won wisdom than even he ever should have to bear, but he was back and I was thankful for his safe return.
Shame we had no time to celebrate though. Events were unfolding downstairs that we had to be a part of. This would have to wait.
Binky's POV
This is the hardest part, waiting for the other shoe to drop. The Intel we have say that they are almost on top of us. We have a plan, one that could all go to hell in a hand basket any moment. But I know that we are the best at this and I can count on everyone to play their part. I still hate the waiting though.
Bobby's POV
I should be down there with Ranger and Tank, not stuck up here. I check this rucksack full of first aid supplies for the third time. This is the fourth one I have done and Ram, who is still suffering from some side effects of whatever he was injected with, is unfit to fight, but is still willing to ferry rucksacks and water to designated stations in each area so that no-one is more than a few steps away from help when needed. She is here with me, her eyes full of fear and I sling an arm around her and give her a hug. She presses a kiss to my chin and sends me a small wan smile. I can't reassure her, I can't even reassure myself. We all just have to wait and hope that those we care for come out of this unscathed.
Hal's POV
When I was given this project when I first started, it was an abstract thing, take the floor plan of each of the building and subtly and carefully redesign it so that it looks like there is a covert infiltration point that doesn't actually exist. Concoct a plan to defend the infiltration point and plot a safe passage for the intruders to be herded towards our secure holding area without giving them access to any sensitive part of the building. And while you are at it, do three so that we have a range of defence options. And then do it for Atlanta, Miami and Boston.
I had no idea that the work I did those summer afternoons so long ago would be of such importance now. They think they'll be coming into a large storage area distant from our office space with little or no camera coverage, which gives them a handy staging area when in fact they come into a room that opens out into a hallway with a balcony running round the first floor which sets us up in the perfect cross fire zone where we have all the advantages.
Our plans are made, the weapons, such as they are have all been distributed and we all know where we need to be. We are waiting for the go order to take our assigned places and finally get on with this.
Ranger, Tank and Adam make their way across the floor to check the final plans are all in place. Adam is not staying here with us and I can tell by his face that he hates that, but his duty is elsewhere, she refuses to stay on 7 where she will be safe, she is with Bobby and Ella in medical and Adam is to guard her there.
The elevator doors open and out steps the last wrinkle in the fabric of our plan. We know who she is but we don't yet know what she wants and the chances are that we will only find that out once Vlad and his cronies are safely in the General's custody and she is forced to show her hand.
She receives a call and we all look up from out work stations as the highly appropriate Duran Duran's 'Do you believe in shame?' rings out across the almost silent floor. I exchange a long look with Binky that lets me know that the irony isn't lost on him either.
Tank angles over to intercept her and herds her back into the elevator as she finishes her call and escorts her to the medical bay so that Bobby and Adam can keep an eye on her and more importantly stop her using her phone to contact whoever is directing her plays from outside.
As he returns there is movement from the other side of the room as the only one of us legally allowed to use deadly force is arguing that he should be allowed to help in the defence. Tank finally throws up his hands as Sin and Flighter both intercede obviously on the side of the Detective. "I have no authority to stop you Morelli" he tells him " But if you get killed after we expended so much of our resources keeping you safe, then I'll have them bring you back to life so that I can kill you myself"
"Deal" Morelli told the bigger man and held out his hand. Tank took it with a grin and showed him the deployment plan and walked him through it.
Ranger's POV
One single word send by encrypted email is the only warning we are given that our defences are about to be breached, the General didn't even bother to wish us luck. I send the prepared e-mail to the other offices informing that we are entering phase two of siege mode and ask that they take over all of our camera feeds and download the necessary operational data from the secure offsite server. And remind them that if contact cannot be re-established with us within 16 hours of the receipt of this communication to assume that we are lost and despatch a Recovery Team to ascertain the damage to people, property and assets.
The deployment of personnel and weaponry goes like clockwork. But then it should as I only employ the best and train them very well. I listen idly to the comm.'s check and reply automatically when asked to and suppress a laugh when Flighter refuses as ever to follow protocol when he answers with a falsetto ' How do big Man?' and Tank's exasperated reply.
He is running the op from the control room. He isn't best pleased at having to stay, but we flipped a coin and he lost, so he and the few men left at the cameras are our eyes and ears and I made sure that I took a moment to make sure that they knew how important their tasks were to the safety of all of us.
Tank's voice broke into my thoughts "Ranger, channel 3, someone wants to talk to you"
"Understood, thanks" I alter the channel and tell her "Yo"
"Yo" I can hear the fear in her voice and there is nothing I can do but try to reassure her "Tank will keep you in the loop I promise" I tell her.
"Please be careful" she tells me.
"I have every reason to; besides you can't get rid of me that easily"
"I'll hold you to that, Rangeman" she tells me "I love you" she whispers.
"And I love you too" I look up to find Hal attracting my attention with a wave." I have to go"
"Understood" I could hear her biting back her tears and vowed that she would always be safe. I would make it my life's work.
Vlad's POV
I've spent my working life listening to the scuttlebutt on the subject of the mighty Carlos 'Ranger' Manoso and so far I'm not impressed. He's always been paraded as being the best of the best and he should be feared and respected. No fucking way, I'm not sure how he got such a reputation for intelligence and cunning, but I haven't seen any evidence of it. He and I have never come across one another in the field and I look forward to taking the arrogant bastard down a peg or two before disposing of his sorry ass. By the end of this day I'll have me a new toy, a curly haired brunette and I'm going to make the stupid fucker watch as I teach her what it's like to be with a real man.
First off, that building that he called a safe house had a few tricks but not enough to keep us from taking it down like we were the Big Bad Wolf and he was the first of the three little pigs. Now let's move on to the impenetrable Rangeman building with it's much talked of state of the art security system. Bollocks, I found the weakness within a minute of studying the blueprints. I can't believe he missed it. Some days my work is much more fun than others and this is one of them.
Tank's POV
"Head's up people, we have movement on the infra red, they have taken the bait, they are committed" I paused "Ranger you have the ball"
"Understood, I have the ball" came the reply and I picked up my walkie talkie and addressed our outside observers "Watcher 4, I count 10, can you confirm?"
"Control, confirm 10 entered, two sentries outside the building"
"Understood, hold for further instructions"
"Copy that control, Watcher 4 out"
I opened the channel to Ranger "We count 10 hostiles, two more outside as sentries"
"Understood" his voice was a terse whisper and I knew he was ready.
I return to the walkie talkie and move on to the next "Watcher 3, do you have eyes on the sentries?"
"Copy that, control"
"Understood, hold for further instructions"
"Copy that control, Watcher 3 out"
"Watcher 2, do you have eyes on the sentries?"
"Negative Control, I have no eyes on target"
"Copy that Watcher 2, instigate plan Alpha, I repeat plan Alpha"
"Understood control, Plan Alpha has been activated at this time. Watcher 2 out"
"Watcher 1, I have activated Plan Alpha, rendezvous with Watcher 2 and proceed"
"Understood Control, Proceed with Plan Alpha and rendezvous with Watcher 2. Watcher 1 out"
I return to comms. "This is Control. 10 hostiles and two sentries have been confirmed. Watchers 3 and 4 have instituted plan Alpha."
Watchers 3 and 4 would make their way down to the sentries and if the gods of war smile upon us, they'll take them out without alerting the men inside. When that is complete Watchers 1 and 2 will join them as they sweep in behind Vlad's men and close off any avenue for escape.
Mel's POV
I'm stuck here; blind and deaf to what is going on below. Bobby, as he introduced himself, took away my phone as soon as I came off the elevator. The last call brought me no good news and I pace back and forward, my heels clicking on the floor as I try to figure out what to do and how this latest piece of bad news will affect our plans.
I feel like screaming the place down in sheer frustration, this has to go right, we need to get everything we want from this endeavour and with every passing seconds it gets further away from us.
Sin's POV
They step out into the corridor and we keep ourselves hidden until they are all within sight, three, four, five, come on, come on, keep moving, I need to know if he is here. I have something for him, he left it with me the last time we met and I'd like to return it, with a little thank you of my own.
Eight, nine and Damn, all ten are inside and there's no sign of him. I can only hope that he is one of the sentries.
It's Showtime. I lean out a little and hope that my gun barrel isn't too visible as I pick my first target and take my shot. But no such luck and the first shot fired from below ricochets off the baluster in front of me and I instinctively duck my head.
Flighter alongside me sends me a grin and joins me in this little shoot 'em up. We are merely distractions, the real threat comes from behind from the guys with the tranquiliser guns and we get the dubious honour of getting our arses shot at until the sedative takes effect. Hope that's really soon as these ricochets are getting damn close. I catch movement out of the corner of my eye as Flighter ducks right back, his hand pressed to his cheek. I can see through his fingers the blood start to trickle out from between them and I let out a whistle and Hector hauls Flighter back by the ankles and takes his place. I nod to my new wing man and take another shot. They are moving, trying to get out of this kill zone and any minute now they will be out of my sight. Then I'll get the chance to check on my buddy before I deploy to my next position. I hope.
Ranger's POV
The first of our guests has just collapsed and it doesn't surprise me to know that Vlad doesn't check on the fallen, he merely moves on. There is no medic among them that I can see, nor any sort of buddy system; it seems that each man fights alone, with nobody to watch his back.
Cal appears and drags the man out of sight and to the storage bay where he'll be checked over and guarded closely before we hand him over to the General's men who have a truck parked up nearby to take them away from here.
Sin's POV
"This is control, Watchers have executed Plan Alpha and have entered the building, I repeat Watchers have entered the building" Hearing Tank's message I lean back and let out a sigh of relief. That means that the sentries have been taken out and are under the control of the custody team. This should be almost over. Flighter is going to be fine, a bit of shrapnel; a lucky ricochet caught his cheek. A couple of paper stitches and he's all patched up. I've already been on about how he's going to have a scar like the Action Man figure I had while I was growing up. Although here I think they called him GI Joe.
I hear a shout and the sound of running feet. A barrage of gunfire and then total silence, so unexpected that my ears can't process the sudden lack of noise and continue to ring. Flighter stands quickly and Hector lets out a curse in a bark of harsh sounding Spanish. He removes his Glock from the holster at his ankle and spits a phrase at Flighter who nods and turns to me "Hector's going for a look. He says to wait here"
I nodded, raising my weapon and gauging the number of bullets left in the clip. Not that they will do much good, they are low velocity slugs that wouldn't penetrate their Kevlar. We were a distraction, nothing more. Let's hope no more than that is needed. The minutes pass, one then two with no sign of Hector returning.
Flighter digs into the first aid bag and passes me a bottle of water and a power bar and I take both, ears primed for any sound of nearby movement.
Nothing.
The wait is interminable and I start to count the seconds as they slowly pass.