These characters belong to Janet I am just borrowing them for my amusement. Although I would love to keep Ranger and the merry men for myself!
This story does contain violence, and touches on dark subject matters. This story is not friendly to Morelli or Helen Plum so for Cupcake fans you have been warned.
Chapter 20: Dumb Fucker #1 and 2
SPOV
I feel hands on me rubbing circles on my back. I smelled bulgari, Ranger is close. I am laying on something hard. Gradually waking up my eyes flutter open and I see Lester sitting in front of me. He smiles at me and I smile back at him. The hard thing I am laying on is Carlos. My head is on his chest while his arms are around me.
I look up at him and the minute my eyes connect with his and I see the concern and love he has for me the tears start to fall again. My mind quickly snaps thru pictures of what happened earlier with Joe and I grab a hold of Carlos for all I am worth plastering myself to him even tighter.
How am I going to tell him what happened? How am I going to ever be able to look at him again what will he think of me? Here it hasn't been twenty four hours since he asked me to marry him and I have managed to get myself in trouble. Not that Carlos would be mad at me I wasn't in trouble in with him. I just meant that I wasn't safe. I wasn't prepared to protect myself. How is he ever going to let me into his life if I can't protect myself from my x-boyfriend? What would happen if one of Carlos' enemies were to come here how the fuck would he ever believe I was capable of protecting myself then when I couldn't even protect myself against Joe?
Fresh tears started rolling down my face and I was working myself into a full blown out frenzy.
I could feel his hands rubbing my back and him sshing me along with Lester rubbing my hair and trying his best to calm me but there was no calming me. There was no calm for me. I felt like I was on the verge of losing the man my life depended on. The man my body depended on in order to breath. The man my soul depended on to exist within in me. There was no calm for me at that moment there was only heart break there was only desperation and there was only gut wrenching embarrassment to have to tell the man that you love more than life that another man had his hands on your body, his fingers probing inside of you.
I quickly scanned the room to see who else was there with us. I saw it was only Tank and Bobby and let out a sigh of relief. I briefly wondered where Vince was but I couldn't hold on to any thoughts other than the terror that was running thru me that I may lose Carlos because of this.
I pull myself to him burying my head in his chest clinching his t-shirt in my hands "Oh god Carlos I am so sorry. I am so sorry." I sobbed into his already wet t-shirt. I heard him sshing me whispering Spanish in my ear. Damn I need to start learning Spanish so I will know what he is saying. He could be reading me the menu of taco bell but coming from his lips it calms me, it excites me, depending on when and where he does it he can elicit the desired effect.
My crying calms as I take several deep breaths. I open my eyes again and see Lester still sitting in front of me. He is sitting on the floor between the couch and the coffee table facing me. He speaks first
"Hey Beautiful don't cry everything is okay, everything is going to be okay." I wanted to shake my head no that it wasn't going to be okay but the look in his eyes made me nod my head instead. I trust him, I trusted these guys if they said it was going to be okay then it was going to be okay. None of them would lie to me especially Lester.
My eyes dart to Ranger who is looking down at me he nods his head and says "Babe trust me everything is going to be okay. We are going to take care of this, we are a team there is no longer an I in this. I meant what I said last night when I asked you to marry me. I want you to be with me my wife, my lover, my partner. You are the other half of me. Trust me."
I wasn't sure what to say what I would be able to say but I had to let him know that I trusted him. "Carlos know I trust you. I trust you completely I trust you with my life, my love, my heart. I will always trust you. This was never about me not trusting you, that isn't why I am so upset." I had to tell him why I was so upset.
"I am upset because of what happened. I am upset because I allowed myself to be in a situation where I was unable to protect myself. I allowed myself to get into a compromising situation with another man who had his hands on me Carlos in embarrassing ways in humiliating ways and I was unable to stop him I was unable to prevent it and I was just afraid that you would decide to re think us if I wasn't able to protect myself to keep myself out of trouble. I am just so afraid that I disappointed, humiliated, and embarrassed you."
He rubbed my back and kept sshing me until the latest wave of sobs at my confession worked their way to calm.
"Babe please don't get upset. You don't need to be this upset. No one is disappointed humiliated or embarrassed by you. Babe this isn't your fault. You were driving down a road with one of my men and you were singled out. You were singled out, you were attacked, and you were put in a position that you wouldn't have been able to free yourself from. Vince told us about the gun being pointed at your face. He told us what Morelli did to you how he violated you. None of that is on you Babe. None of that is your fault. You are the victim here this isn't your fault and there isn't anything to be embarrassed or disappointed in you for. If anything I failed you by not being able to protect you from him. I didn't realize he was capable of doing that to you but I promise you now I will not fail to protect you in the future. You will be protected."
I looked at him hearing what he was saying oh god Vince told him. "He told you all what happened?" I was in shock. Vince had told him what happened. I briefly wondered if he told him what Joe had done to me. Then I knew the answer to that of course he told him. He would have told him everything. He was still holding me that was a good thing right? He said I was violated a victim that it wasn't my fault that is all good things right. What was that about failing to protect me? He thought he had failed to protect me?
"Carlos what do you mean by you failed to protect me? You didn't fail me Carlos you have never failed me. You have always protected me and I know you will always protect me. I am never more protected when I am here at Rangeman and here in your arms. You could never fail me. You would never fail me. I love you with all of my being."
I looked at Lester. "Lester, Tank, and Bobby you have never failed me either. I know you would never fail me. You have always been here for me. You have supported me from day one and I love you all for it. Lester, you are my best friend. I hope you know that means the world to me. I hope you know that I trust you with my life and I know you would never let me down."
I continued talking to them all "Carlos and guys I want you to know that I will do my best to always be here for you, to always support you, to protect you and to do my best to protect myself. I just can't help but feel that I failed to protect myself and in turn I failed to protect you. I didn't mean to scare you today. I will do my best not to allow myself to be unprotected again. I love you all."
I heard a chorus of I love you too from the guys Carlos kissed me and Lester kissed the top of my head standing up and taking his seat back in the chair. Okay so now that we have that understanding what the hell am I going to do about Joe?
Pushing myself up off of Carlos and us taking a seat on the couch Carlos wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him while I asked the million dollar question. "What are we going to do about Joe? I was hoping the complaint I filed and restraining order would be enough for him to leave me alone. Obviously that backfired and I have only managed to piss him off more and now he is going to find ways to pay me back for it." See I can take the bull by the horns maybe my training and my new life was changing me for the better.
Ranger spoke up first "What we do about Joe is going to be your decision. He did this to you, he violated you. While we are all pissed off and we all feel that this was an attack on us as well as you it wasn't it was an attack on you. What do you want to do?"
I looked at the guys I wasn't sure what I wanted. One part of me wanted his head on a stick not that I would tell them that because they may be more than willing to make that wish come true another part of me was starting to fear Joe. I wondered if maybe I had agitated the snake one too many times and now he was striking back at me.
"I am not certain what I can do. I don't want this to continue to escalate. I filed the complaint and the restraining order to keep him away but obviously that didn't work. I don't want Joe gunning for me every time I leave the building. I want him to leave me alone. Maybe if I leave him alone he will do the same."
I looked at the guys and I could see that they weren't all in agreement with me. Bobby was the first to speak up "You know we all support you right? You know that whatever you decide we will support but don't make a decision based on fear. Are you afraid that if you do anything that Joe will retaliate against you?"
I nodded my head hating to admit it that I was beginning to fear Joe that he had really scared me today when he held the gun in front of my face, threatened Vince, and then proceeded to violate me the way he did. It made me feel extremely dirty but more than that it really had scared me. I was terrified.
Bobby nodded and continued "The decision is yours and we will support your decision but I am not certain not doing anything is the way to go. You were violated you were terrorized he sought you out to do this to you. I am not certain that he is going to stop even if you do nothing. If anything I wouldn't be surprised if his behavior doesn't continue to escalate. In my professional opinion looking at his behavior and hearing what he did today I would say it already has escalated. I would pretty much be willing to bet that he has suffered some form of a psychotic break. If that is the case not only will he continue the attacks they are going to keep coming and they are going to get more and more brutal and violent with each one."
Holy shit Bobby was literally scaring the shit out of me with every word that was coming out of his mouth. Could it be true? Was Joe suffering from a psychotic break? That sounded so Criminal Minds, that couldn't be Joe could it? I couldn't wrap my head around it. The fear for what had happened. The possibilities for what could happen sent a tremor thru my body that shook me to the core. I wanted Bobby to be wrong but deep down inside I couldn't deny what he was saying. I could see truth in his words and I felt the ice cold terror run thru my veins. I was in trouble, I could just feel it.
LPOV
That mother fucker! I wanted so bad to run out of that room hunt his worthless piece of shit of a life down and do him and the world around us the biggest fucking favor ever by ending his life and hiding him where no one would ever find him. I can't tell you how much the monster inside me was roaring to be let free. It was all I could do to sit there.
Hearing Vince tell us what happened to her, hearing the fear in her voice, sensing how terrified she had been today and now seeing the fear in her eyes woke the monster within me. I believe it woke the monster in all of us looking around at the guys I could see the monsters within them just below the surface.
These are the monsters that come out when we are on missions. These monsters are the reasons we are still alive after walking thru some of the most dangerous and deadliest areas of the world. These monsters were what our enemies feared and legends were born. The monster within me was awake and was roaring to be turned loose it wouldn't take much for him to bust loose. Seeing her the way she was today hearing what happened just about did it I was holding it back but by just threads.
Normally when I need a release from the pressure I would spar with one of the guys or find me a lady for the night to calm myself in other ways. But I couldn't do that tonight. I was too dangerous, it was too dangerous for me to fight with anyone and I would never put any woman in a situation where I wasn't a hundred percent in control of the monster within. I knew what I was capable of and I knew right at this moment tonight I had the potential to really hurt someone if not kill them without even totally realizing it.
So for right now I sat there with the monster within roaring and raging against the bars that held him within. I only hope that Beautiful can help me put him back to sleep. Like Ranger she has the capability of calming me just by her presence her being here in the room with me was the only reason I was able to hold on to the threads I was holding.
I got up out of the chair and moved to sit beside on her other side of couch. Needing to touch her I pulled her feet into my lap and started to rub her feet. Touching her was helping calm the monster within me.
She was looking at Bobby processing what he had told her his thoughts were towards that piece of shit cop. I could tell she didn't want to believe him she wanted to deny it but I could also see her fighting with herself because she couldn't. She finally spoke up.
"Bobby I don't know if you are right or not. I want you to be wrong for lots of reasons but deep down inside I can't deny what you said. What you said sounds right and I am not sure what to do. If I do anything he is just going to retaliate and from what you said even if I don't do anything he is going to keep coming after me and with each time his efforts are going to increase. I don't know what to do?" Tears welled up her eyes again threatening to fall down her beautiful face.
She felt helpless hell we all felt helpless. I heard the roar inside as I found the words I wanted to say. "Beautiful know that we are here for you. You are not helpless in this. We will figure out something. We will all be with you and we will figure out a way to handle Joe. Please know that we are here with you thru this. You aren't alone, you will never be alone. You may not know what to do right now but you will. You will decide what it is that you want to do and we will support you. We will be by your side. Whatever he decides to do we will be there to stop him. He won't hurt you again."
She was looking at me and smiled. I could see trust in her eyes I could see love in her eyes. I knew she was going to be okay. The monster inside me gladly retreated back from where he had come from happy to go back to sleep until he was once again needed. I was back in control.
Ranger spoke up "I sent Vince down to the control room to retrieve the video and audio recordings from the SUV. He said that when he pulled over he turned on the audio feed to the control room first and then the video feed. He should have been back with those by now but when he gets here we will be able to watch and listen to them to see what we have. Depending what we have on the recordings we may have something to work with." He told her.
He then looked at Tank and asked him "Tank call down to the control room and tell Vince to get his ass up here pronto." Tank took out his cell phone to make the call about the time there was a knock on the door.
VPOV
This was so not good. I am not even sure how the fuck I am going to tell him this. If earlier wasn't bad enough this was going to be impossible. I left to go to the control room to retrieve the recordings from the SUV. When I walked in there were two new guys working the control room.
I believe they said their names were Mike and Doug but I was so focused on retrieving the recordings I didn't really pay attention to them. When I was unable to find the recordings I questioned them about it.
I told them that at fourteen thirty I was riding in SUV number thirty one and I had patched in audio and video to them. I explained they were supposed to press the record button to get a recording of the video and audio. I knew they would be able to hear and see it in the control room but they were supposed to record it. It was standard operating procedure if a Rangeman vehicle was connected to the control room at anytime it was supposed to be recorded.
They told me that they heard and saw when I connected the SUV but that they didn't realize they were supposed to record anything. I asked them what they saw on the video and they said nothing. That they weren't able to see anything and that the audio was silent after the point she stepped out of the vehicle. I found that extremely hard to believe as I know how sensitive the recording equipment was in each vehicle.
At least the control room guys confirmed that I patched the audio and video in it was their fuck up that they didn't record it. Hopefully if someone was going to be called to the mats for a ass beating of all ass beatings probably by the whole core team and not just Ranger it would be the new dumb fucks working the control room and not me.
I slowly made my way back up to seven to deliver the bad news to a bunch of very pissed off over protective highly lethal men that make up Rangeman's core team and to say that my balls were sweating well that would be putting how I felt lightly.
Knocking on the door I waited for someone to answer. Tank opened the door and I took a brave step forward into the apartment. I just hope they couldn't smell the fear on me after all I would like to be able to retain my bad ass card after all of this was over with provided I made it out with my life.
Stepping into the living room I see Stephanie sitting back against Ranger with his arms around her and her feet was in Lester's lap. I was glad to see that she was awake. Looking up seeing me walk in the room she jumped up to her feet and rushed towards me hugging me. I quickly hugged her. Well it didn't seem that she held any bad feelings toward me for not being able to protect her better. I still felt like shit but at least she wasn't blaming me.
She started talking "Vince I am so sorry." I stopped her "Bombshell you have nothing to be sorry for. If anything I am the one that is sorry for not being able to protect you better. For not being able to stop what he did to you." She shook her head. "It wasn't your fault there was nothing you could have done he held a gun on you and then on me I know there was nothing you could have done had you done anything one of us would have been killed today." Whew she knew he would have killed one of us.
"I still feel guilty that I wasn't able to prevent it." I told her. She looked at me "Don't feel guilty let's see what's on those tapes and let's see if we can't nail his ass to the wall with it." Now I felt even worse. Sighing as she went back to the couch this time sitting on Ranger's lap. I hated to tell them this.
"I have bad news guys. There are no recordings to use against him. I went to the control room to find them and wasn't able to find them. I questioned the two new guys about them. They confirmed at fourteen thirty I activated the audio and shortly thereafter activated the video feed to the control room but they didn't record anything. They said that they heard what happened up until the point that Stephanie got out of the car after that they couldn't hear or see anything. But they didn't know they were supposed to activate the recordings so we have nothing."
I watched the disappointment wash over Stephanie's face and I felt even more like shit than I did before walking into the room. I saw anger in Ranger's and the other guy's faces and only hoped it was directed at the guys in the control room and not me.
RPOV
What the fuck? I knew the guys were new here but they had worked here in the past. They should have been familiar with standard operating procedures.
Looking at Tank "Tank I want you to go down there to the control room and I want you to familiarize dumb fucker one and two with our standard operating procedures. It is now sixteen hundred I want you to tell those fuckers that I want to see them on the mats at eighteen hundred. If you have to you find someone to cover the control room I want them on the mats. Between you and me I don't want to ever hear again that they didn't know what the fuck standard operating procedures are because if I do they will only hope to be fucking fired. If we didn't need them to cover for the installs we have coming up they would be fucking gone today."
Tank got up to go and my Babe spoke up "Tank are we still on for training at five?" she asked him. He looked at her "Little girl you up for it? You have had a tough day I thought maybe you would want to call it a day and get some more rest." Looking at him "Tank if you are willing and able I want to train. I need to learn this stuff so I can pass those tests. I am not going to be able to do that sitting on my ass up here. Besides sitting here by myself will only allow me to think about what happened so the training will be a good distraction."
He nodded "I will see you in the garage at seventeen hundred" and headed out of the room. I turned to my Babe. "Babe, do you feel like you need Bobby to look you over, did he hurt you in anyway?" She shook her head "No Bobby doesn't need to look me over. He humiliated me and violated me but he didn't physically hurt me. I may have a couple of bruises but nothing more than that. I may get you to take pictures of them if they are bad enough when you get a chance. I am not sure it will even matter since we have no proof of what he did to me other than what I say and what Vince saw."
Standing up I reached for her hand. Turning back to Lester, Bobby and Vince I told them "Okay guys get back to work. Lester if you want to stay with Stephanie until her training with Tank you can." I figured she would want to spend a little time with her best friend. I know that sometimes you can talk easier to your best friend than you can to your fiancé or husband so I thought I would give them some time together.
Walking into the bedroom I shut the door and then helped my Babe with her top and bra. When I saw the bruises my rage was back but careful not to scare her I gently guided her to stand by the wall while I got the camera. I took pictures the bruises weren't bad but you could definitely see finger prints where he grabbed her hard.
I doubted that we would ever be able to use them and I tried to get extremely close so you couldn't really tell what part of the body it was at least I did my best to protect her privacy. Finishing up she went into the bathroom for a quick shower she said she felt dirty but I doubt it was the type of dirty that water washes away and then she quickly got dressed again.
Walking out I gave her a kiss to let her know that she was still the love of my life. Nothing would ever happen that would change the way I felt about her. I also sent a prayer up that I would be able to protect her that my men would be able to protect her and more than anything I prayed me being selfish with needing her in my life wasn't going to be the end hers.
TPOV
As I walked down to the control room rage was all I was feeling. Hell with them meeting Ranger on the mats at eighteen hundred they might not be living by eighteen hundred I asked them if they were familiar with standard operating procedure when I hired them and they assured me they were and then when it was most important for them to follow standard protocol those dumb fuckers failed to follow. Failed to flip a fucking record switch I mean how fucking hard was that to remember and do it.
If they didn't know to do that what else are those two good for nothing worthless fucking assholes not doing?
I busted in the control room not caring that the door just slammed into the wall. Those two fuck ups jumped like a school girls when you would throw a bug on them. The only thing they didn't do was scream like the pussy ass whimps I know them to be.
I know I have made grown men piss their pants in the past maybe it was time I practiced to hone that skill in a little more and these two fucking pansy pricks were going to be my test subjects. It wasn't hard to give them my I will kill you with a single look as I was full of rage anyway. I watched as both men paled before me. I saw guilt briefly flash over the one guys face and I wondered what the fuck he had to feel guilty about. I would get down to the bottom of that later but right now it was time to scare the newbies. Maybe I should call Cal in for a little fun. I know he hates newbies he hates having to deal with them maybe he would enjoy this way of dealing with them.
Yeah I think I will let him have a little bit of fun. Reaching on my waste I take my phone out of the holder and punch Cals number in. He picked up on the second ring. "Yo" he said answering.
"Cal, control room now" was all I said that was all that was needed before I disconnected the call. Never taking my eyes off of the two in front of me I had them in my sites. They may not have known to hit the record button but I would be willing to bet their left nuts after tonight they would never not know to hit that record button again.
Cal stepped into the control room and I saw the gleam in his eye when he took in the scene in the control room. He didn't know what had happened today he didn't know what Stephanie had gone thru had he I would probably be holding him back. Not that these two were responsible for what happened they were just responsible for not getting it on record so we could use it against that asshole of a fucking cop and that was almost as bad as the act itself. Because they failed to do their job we aren't able to get Morelli where we need him to further protect my little girl and that is almost worse than hurting her because that is leaving her vulnerable.
Fucking newbies I think as my rage level increases with those thoughts and just looking at them. I had an avenue to release my rage and it had the newbies names all over it.
"Cal I wanted to inform you that the newbies here fucked up standard operating procedure." Cal looked at me and then looked at them but only said one word "really" it wasn't the word he said it was the tone. He knew what I was after he knew what I wanted and he was playing along. It was time to literally scare the piss out of the newbies and I could tell that he wanted to be a part of it. He was going to have fun.
Cal widens his stance crosses his arms across his chest he tells me. "Well now you can show them what happens when standard protocol isn't followed." And sneers at them I see the glimmer in his eye oh yeah he is having fun.
"Do I tell them that it is mat time or do I just tell them that I first beat the shit out of them then I tattoo their forehead and in their case it won't be a cool flaming skull in their case I will tattoo loser number one and loser number two on their foreheads and I get decide who is one and who is two. From this day forward they will never look in a mirror and not be reminded that they fucked up standard operating procedures."
He looks at me "I like option number two. I think it would be a nice reminder for them after all we don't tolerate fuck ups."
"No we don't, we don't tolerate fuckups and because you didn't do your jobs you left one of ours vulnerable out on the streets. First we are going to punish you for not following protocol but leaving Vince and her vulnerable on the streets well that will come with a whole different set of reprimands and punishments."
Cal looked at me freezing and said "Her?" "Yeah you heard me right her. Step outside and I will fill you in on what their fuck up actually did." He stepped outside of the control room with me trailing him.
Outside of the door I told him "Long story short Morelli pulled Stephanie and Vince over he got her out of the car held a gun point blank to her face molested her while threatening to shoot if Vince moved. Vince had connected the vehicle to the control room with both voice and video but those two dumb fuckers didn't hit the record button. So basically we have nothing to use against that fucking cop."
Just repeating that made the rage course thru me and I could see Cal barely able to hold it back. Cal asked me "He molested her?" I nodded telling him "He put his hands down the back and front of her jeans even undid the button on her jeans and then ground himself into her back side." Yeah Cal is pissed. Good now time to scare the newbies. The thought almost brought me joy.
Walking back in the room slamming the door open again we both stepped into the room. I am sure we looked like two bulls walking into an arena but in this case the bulls were going to be victors not the matadors. We were definitely seeing red and they were our targets.
MikePOV
Holy shit both Cal and Tank busted into the control room and if I wasn't scared shitless before I am now. I am definitely scared shitless. I am not sure what I was supposed to do that I didn't do but I knew there was no getting out of this. We were going to have to face these two extremely pissed off men and we weren't going to come out of this unscathed.
Cal looking at us just point blanks asked "Which one of you fuckers want to volunteer to learn your lesson first." I wasn't exactly sure how we were going to learn our lesson but I knew enough not to want to volunteer for that. Tank then added "it doesn't matter which one is first because it is going to happen. Both of you are going to know from now on that you follow standard operating procedure or you won't be fucking walking for an extremely long time if ever and I can promise if you do walk you won't be walking the same way were."
Damn they were this mad because we didn't have a recording what the hell would they do to us if they discovered that we were in cahoots with that cop. I knew I should never have gone to lunch with that fucker. What have a gotten myself into?
Cal pointing to Doug said "I think that fucker just volunteered what do you think, Tank didn't he just volunteer to go first?" Tank nodded and stepped forward towards Doug. I could see him gulping trying to swallow trying to come up with something to say to defend himself but he had nothing anything he would say wouldn't change anything anyway.
Tank reached out and grabbed Doug by the shoulder. I could see him clamping down on his shoulder and I could see Doug almost crumbling below his grip. Tank then slammed his head down on the control panel in front of him his nose right at the record button. Holding his head in place Tank said "Do you know what that button is?" Doug nodded. "Do you know how to press a button dumb fuck?" Tank said in a voice that was low and lethal that sent fear running down my spine. He was going to fucking kill us or worse make us wish we were dead for not pushing a fucking button.
I didn't want to watch but like a car wreck on the side of the road I couldn't take my eyes away even though I know I would go thru the exact same thing I didn't know what was worse seeing it happen and know what was going to happen to me ahead of time or being the recipient for the first time and not know what was coming.
Cal grabbed his hand bending it backwards until he grabbed his pinkie finger. I then heard it snap as he broke his finger. "That will teach you for not pushing the button. Next time you will be sure to push the fucking button if you have to do it with your fucking nose." At least he broke his left pinkie finger.
Tank grabbed the back of Doug's neck and jerked him back in the chair to the point that the chair was leaning backwards. Holding him place Cal grabbed a permanent sharpie marker and wrote Dumb Fucker #1 right across his forehead. Once he was finished Tank slammed the chair further back causing it to crash to the ground with Doug still in it as they set their sites on me and advanced on me.
CalPOV
I will hear more about what happened with Angel but I can't believe these two newbies not doing their fucking job. Tank and I were teaching them a lesson and let me tell you it has been a long time since I have had this much fun with newbies.
Grabbing that Doug guy breaking his finger and writing across his forehead was so rewarding. It was fun and one can never have enough fun especially if it is fucking with the newbies. I broke their pinkie fingers I could have been a cruel son of a bitch and broke their index fingers but I chose their pinkies it would still hurt but in the end it wouldn't affect them being about to defend themselves or affect their jobs here at Rangeman.
By the time I had written dumb fucker # 2 on the second's guy forehead and gave him a matching broken pinkie I was getting bored.
"Tank you taking these two fuckers to the mats?" He looks at me and smiles but the smile isn't an I am happy person and I am just happy to see you smile. No this smile is sinister and leering he looks down at the two men laying on the ground neither of them have bothered to get back up and rightfully so we haven't allowed them to get up. We haven't given them permission.
Tank shook his head no. "Nope I am not taking them to the mats. Ranger is taking them to the mats at eighteen hundred. Boys you better be ready and you better be on time. Because he is already pissed and you definitely don't want him anymore pissed than he already is. Besides I think Lester and I will join him we will see how they stand up to three against one or should I say how long they stand up." He laughs but it is an evil laugh and one I join in with.
"I think I may want a little piece of that action four to one sounds like it would be pretty fun Bobby can probably keep them alive long enough to allow all of us to get a couple of rounds in each. What do you say is it okay if I join in on the party?" I questioned Tank.
Tank reached down and grabbed Doug bringing him up on his feet by his collar. "Yeah Cal be sure to join us the more the merrier maybe we should spread the word and see how they stand up against all of Rangeman. See how many of us it takes to take them out. Now that could be fun."
I can smell the fear the panic rolling off of them. Tank reached down and picked up Mike placing him on his feet. Leering closer to him he adds "Yeah Cal I think that would actually be a lot of fun go make it happen."
"Yes Sir" Smiling I turn and walk out of the control room. So long fuckers I think as I head to let the guys know all about our fun with the newbies tonight at eighteen hundred.
TPOV
I could smell the fear and the terror rolling off of them like the smell of shit on a pig the smell was so thick in the air you almost chocked on it and it made me smile inward. They would never again fail follow standard operating protocol at least if they were smart they wouldn't.
I was fucking with them more than anything but hell I was having fun. "Ranger wants his round with you first but I will go second if you survive us then we will let Lester have some fun. Oh and I will call Bobby down here to fix those pinkies for you but you better come up with a damn good excuse as to how you both managed to break your pinkie fingers at the same time."
They nodded I gave them another look that I could see made them quake in their boots. What cowards they were. I bet they wouldn't make it past Ranger that is why I had my fun while I could. Pushing them back down in their chairs I left them one word of advice "I suggest you do your fucking jobs from now until eighteen hundred and I suggest you fucking follow protocol by dotting every I and crossing every t because if I have to come back in here today neither of you will make it out of this building alive."
With that I walked out of the control room once again slamming the door against the wall when I opened it. I had to stop by my office before heading to the garage to meet my little girl. Smiling as I rounded the corner I saw Stephanie step off of the elevator with Lester. Like usual they were laughing. The sound of her laughter was the calming balm my soul needed at the moment.
"Little girl I just need to stop by my office for a minute then we will be ready to roll." I told her. She nodded and then turned to look in the control room. Seeing the two guys her mouth fell open then she put her hand over her mouth I am not sure if it was to stifle a laugh or if it was to just cover her mouth to keep the flies out until she could recover from the shock.
LPOV
I stayed with Beautiful when Ranger and the rest of the guys left. I knew she may be willing to talk to me about what happened.
She walked back into the living room and sat down on the couch. She leaned over against my arm and sighed. "Lester thanks for staying with me."
"No problem Beautiful I have no place I would rather be than here with you. You know that BFFs have to stick together." I thought me saying that would cheer her up.
She giggled a little "Yeah I guess we do." Then she got a serious look and tone "Lester, I have never been more scared in my life than I was today. Why would Joe act like that? Why would he do that to me? I mean this man previously told me that he loved me, that he wanted to marry me, and wanted me to have his kids. Not that I wanted any of those things with him, but I did love him in a way. It wasn't the forever kind of love I have for Ranger but I did love him. How can he go from that to doing what he did today? What did I do too make him like that?"
I was afraid that she would end up blaming herself for his actions today so I said the only thing I could think of. "It isn't your fault. You didn't do anything to cause this. I don't know how he felt about you I know what he said but I don't know how true those feelings were or are. I think he needs help, I think he has possibly figured out what he has lost and he doesn't know how to deal with that loss. I don't think he is ready to let go of you or wants to let go of you so that makes him do stupid shit like today. Unfortunately I am afraid with his current mental status he is going to end up really hurting you."
I had to tell her my fears. I was afraid that he would end up hurting her. A shiver went down her spine at the thought. "Lester I have never been afraid of Joe until today. Even when I confronted him at my parent's house and he slapped me I wasn't afraid of him. I knew what he was going to do I knew I was pushing him to do it because I wanted him to leave me alone I wanted to be able to get the restraining order against him. I just didn't know that it was going to cause him to act this way. Now I really am afraid of him. What am I going to do?"
Oh shit she is asking me what to do. Wonder if I should tell her what I would like to see her do, which is shove her gun up his ass and pull the trigger but not before she shot both of his balls and dick off. No I can't tell her that, I say the only thing left to say.
"I don't know. Continue your training make sure you have backup when you leave the building and do your best to avoid him as much as you can. I know today he sought you out I am just not sure how he found you. He must have just gotten lucky and you must have just driven by him." She froze.
"No I didn't. I didn't drive by him. She sprang up from the couch and started pacing back and forth. "Vince and I were playing the game about being aware of our surroundings I know I didn't pass him. I would have seen him had I passed him I would have known he was there."
Looking at her pace back and forth in front of me I could see the wheels turning. "So you are saying that he just came up behind you and turned on the siren?"
"Yes that is what happened. I remember thinking what the hell am I being pulled over for I wasn't speeding or driving reckless. Then I saw him get out of the car. He was driving a different undercover car than the one he normally drives but I know I didn't pass him he wasn't running radar." Her head popped up and she looked at me. "Oh my god he singled me out. He sought me out and when he found me he pulled me over. But how did he know I was out? I mean I have been spending almost all of my time here. Did he just get lucky?"
She had a good point he would have had to have been very lucky. But then how else would he have known? There would have been no other way. They just happened to cross paths somewhere along her drive around town. She may not have seen him but he saw her. "Beautiful I think somewhere along your drive around town he saw you. He just got extremely lucky."
"Yeah I guess you are right I mean nothing else makes any sense. Shame he couldn't have spent his getting extremely lucky at Atlantic City instead of finding me on the streets."
Aint that the truth I thought. She came back over and flopped down on the couch beside me. "I am just sorry that Vince had to witness what he did to me. He made me feel cheap and dirty but making Vince watch it well that was just humiliating."
Putting my arm around her to give her comfort "You only feel cheap and dirty if you allow him to make you feel cheap and dirty. By you feeling that way because of what happened today you are giving him power over you. Never allow anyone to make you feel cheap or dirty because you are none of those things and could never be any of those things in our eyes, in my eyes. Don't allow Joe to have any power over you. As far as humiliating there is no reason to feel that way. I have it on good authority that Vince was scared shitless for your life. I have it on good authority that he wanted to rip that cop to pieces with his bare hands but he wouldn't risk your life to do it. I also have it on good authority that you have nothing to be humiliated by again don't give Joe power over you. Allow Ranger, me, and your brothers to give you strength to give you a shoulder to protect you when we can and to love you always. Don't let Joe take you away from us by making you feel less than the person you are."
She turned around and hugged me. Wrapping my arms around her I hugged her back. With a tearful voice she said "You always know what I need to hear. I love you too Lester. I would never let Joe take me away from Ranger, away from you or the rest of my brothers. I love you all so much. Lester, I hope I am as good of a best friend to you as you are to me."
I smiled and kissed her on top of her head "You are better" I tell her. Standing up I reached for her hand. "Come on what do you say we go hang out on five for a little while before your training with Tank? Maybe we can find someone to tease or play a joke on." She smiles big and nods her head.
Standing up making our way out of the apartment she says. "I need a little bit of happy let's go see who our next victim will be." I laugh at her comment.
Whispering low enough so the control room won't hear us I tell her "Hal is always fun but he is sort of easy. Binkie is fun to play a joke on too. Oh Manny is back maybe that would be a way to welcome him home. Whose is it going to be Beautiful?" I would let her decide then we could come up with the perfect prank to pull.
She whispers back at me "let's see who isn't at their desk. Then we will figure out what we are going to do. We could crazy glue their phone together, or crazy glue their mouse to the mouse pad, we could rearrange the letters on their keyboards so when they type they type the wrong letters will type, or hell we could do all three." We were both laughing at her suggestions when the elevator doors opened on five.
Stepping out Tank saw us first and smiled he was happy that she was laughing again. She got to the control room window and froze her mouth gapping open and she quickly covered it with her hand. I looked to see what had surprised her and I couldn't hold it back. Looking at those two dumb fuckers in the control room with Dumb Fucker #1 and Dumb Fucker #2 written across their foreheads I lost it.
I started laughing at them. After all it was those two dumb fuckers that cost us any evidence to help Stephanie with the problem she was facing with that fucking cop. Served them right, I only wished it was tattooed on their forehead. Maybe I would get them drunk and call in Cal's tattoo artist to help make it more permanent now that would be one hell of a prank.
Beautiful joins in laughing she tells me "I shouldn't be laughing it isn't really funny those poor men but seeing it and hearing you laugh I just can't help it. It is sort of like laughing at someone who falls down you just can't help it no matter how much you hope they haven't hurt themselves it is just too funny not to laugh. I am probably going to hell for it but I can't stop." I can tell the guys in the control room aren't happy about us laughing but fuck they better get used to it because when the rest of the building sees them they are going to laugh too.
Grabbing her hand I pull her along with me she is still laughing. "Come on we have to find an empty desk. We don't have but a few minutes to pull this off before Tank will be ready." She picks up her pace as we come to the row of cubicles I have an idea.
Finding what would be Dumb Fucker's #1 and 2 cubicles why not I think. "Hey Beautiful, you up for pulling this prank on two cubicles we won't even have to pull lookout for these two cubicles" I ask her. She gives me a nod and a smile. I hand her a bottle of crazy glue that I picked up from my desk on the way. We both set out gluing the phone handset to the base, gluing mouse to the mouse pad and rearranging the keys on the keyboard we left numbers the same but all the letters have been rearranged lord help them if they actually try to type something on those keyboards.
Snickering we made our way back to Tank's office just as he was walking out.
TPOV
I saw Lester and Stephanie walk out from around the area with cubicles snickering I know they have been up to no good. I can see the gleam in their eyes. But I can't do anything but smile. My little girl had a rough day and if he can make her smile then it is so much the better I didn't give a shit what they have done.
"Little Girl you ready?" I ask her she nods her head and walks over to me. Ranger steps out of his office and puts his arms around her and gives her a kiss.
Ranger looking at Stephanie tells her "When you get back I will be down in the gym. I have an appointment on the mats at eighteen hundred. You can either come down there and watch or you can go up to seven and rest. It won't take me long and then we can have dinner together." She smiles at him. "Okay I will se e you either in the gym or upstairs." He gave her a quick kiss whispered something in her ear and turned and went back into his office.
"Alright little girl let's do this." I tell her. Lester walked her to the elevator and we got on leaving Lester on five.
"Tank what happened to the men in the control room?" I looked at her shrugging my shoulders. "Tank someone wrote on those men's foreheads who did that? And why?" Wasn't it obvious why they were dumb fuckers. Again I just shrugged my shoulders I was pleading the fifth after all that was one of our rights in America and I was invoking my right to not incriminate myself.
She looked at me and narrowed her eyes "You know I will find out, someone will tell me what happened. You know that right?" She was trying to get me to crack but I am tougher than that. She then giggled which surprised me. I sent her a questioning look by raising my eyebrow. "Well just thinking about them makes me laugh I know I shouldn't but I can't help myself." About that time the elevator opens and we step out in the garage.
I was going to take her to the Rangeman compound for training that way we won't have to deal with running into that fucking cop again. I didn't want her to run in to him twice within the same day.
Normally I am quite in the zone while I drive but I wanted to tell her about Lula. If I didn't then Lula would kill me tonight when she saw me and I didn't want that to happen I had other plans for Lula and I.
"Little girl Lula said that she would like for you to call her sometime. She has been worried about you and I will tell you a little upset that you haven't called to talk to her."
She looked at me shocked at first "oh my god I can't believe I haven't thought to call her. So much has been going on I haven't had a chance to really think. Normally everyone would be calling me but since I haven't had a phone since my car exploded and it exploded with it I just never thought about it."
Oh shit I had forgotten to get her a phone. "Its okay I told her a little about what has been happening and she understands she just would like to talk to you and know that you are okay. When we get back I will get you a replacement cell phone I forgot all about it. I am sorry."
She smiles "no worries big guy whenever. I will call her and plan something with her soon. Maybe a girl's night out on Friday." I then go back to my zone as we make our way to the compound. I decide to test the boys back in the control room and press the buttons to link audio and video back to the control room. There had better be recorded video and audio when I get back there or heads would definitely roll tonight.
RPOV
When I came downstairs to my office Tank and Cal were in the control room having a little conversation with the two new guys. I wanted to join them but they looked like they were handling it and I had my appointment with them on the mats at eighteen hundred I could wait until then.
To think of how this afternoon could have turned out makes my blood run cold. I just thank God she is with me unharmed. For a man that doesn't really feel worthy of praying I certainly have been doing a lot of praying and thanking God lately.
Sitting at my desk I am reviewing the security layout for the new client we signed when I heard the elevator and then I heard Lester and Stephanie laughing. I knew he would be good for her. They are good for each other. It is hard to step back and allow others to be there for her and with her when it is all I want to do. But I am smart enough to know that I can't be all things to her. I can't give her everything and I have a building here full of her family that together we can.
I watch as my Babe and Lester head down to the cubicles and I pull up the feeds to see what they are up to. I watched as they pulled a prank on two empty cubicles those would be the cubicles that the newbies would be using. I saw them change the keys on their keyboards, I watched as they glued the mouse to the mouse pad, and I watched as they glued the phone handset to the receiver. I was already planning the perfect revenge for those guys.
After I was finished with them on the mats I would send them to their cubicles and demand that they each write a document spelling out all standard operating procedures for Rangeman on their computers. They wouldn't be allowed to change keyboards or mouse. I would also require that they use their desk phones to call me when they were done unless they called me from their desk phones they would remain on duty until I decided to go and release them.
I walked out to say bye to my Babe before she left with Tank for her training. I put my arms around her and pulled her to me giving her a kiss. Then I told her "When you get back I will be down in the gym. I have an appointment on the mats at eighteen hundred. You can either come down there and watch or you can go up to seven and rest. It won't take me long and then we can have dinner together." She smiles at me. "Okay I will se e you either in the gym or upstairs." I pulled her to me giving her a kiss and whispered I love you in her ear before turning and going back in my office to finish up some work and wait until eighteen hundred.
DougPOV
When Mike and I left lunch the first thing we did was go purchase two burn phones and called Joe to give him our numbers. He had called us back with the number of his burn phone so we would have each other burn phone numbers. I had called Joe not long after Stephanie had first left the building with Vince. I had given him their current location. He wanted us to report when Stephanie was out of the building so I did.
When the audio and video feed came in from their SUV I enjoyed the show but purposefully didn't hit the record button. I figured we could claim that we didn't know to turn it on since we were new here. I thought they would go easier on us and just give us a warning.
All I have to say is this is some kind of warning. Tank and Cal came in here and smashed our faces into the control panel, broke our pinkie finger, then wrote on our foreheads and finally slammed us down on the ground only to follow it up with saying that we had to met the big boss on the mats at eighteen hundred.
We would have to fight Ranger who was a legend in the Rangers he was even feared and respected by the men in the other armed forces. Marines feared and respected him, Seals feared and respected him, Delta force you name it they all feared and respected Ranger he was a legend and here I was suppose to met him on the mats.
I wouldn't let them know I am afraid. I will stand up to him. I want to be a full time Rangeman and if I have to steam roll over top of a split tail bitch to get it then so be it. I will pull her down from her high and mighty ladder in a heartbeat to be the one on top. I don't care what I have to do to make it happen. Far as I was concerned she was toast.
I saw her laughing at us along with Lester. As far as I am concerned they can both suck my dick. I saw them walk back to the cubicle area and wondered what they were doing but I wasn't able to see them. I heard them as they walked back into the hall way snickering.
I watched her get on the elevator with Tank and I heard her conversation with him, her asking who wrote on our foreheads and why. It was interesting that he wouldn't tell her only shrugging but then she started laughing at us again. I don't like it when bitches laugh at me.
She will learn not to laugh at me because I will find a way to laugh back only she won't think it is so fucking funny and I have a feeling his name will be Joe.
Well it is almost eighteen hundred it is time to head to the gym for my ass beating. I look at Mike and he knows it is time. We both silently get up and walk out of the control room as two guys I didn't know came in to take our places. I could see them trying their best to hold their laughter after seeing us and knew they would be laughing their ass off as soon as the door closed. I am sure their eyes would be glued to the gym monitor. Everyone wanted to see the newbies get the shit kicked out of them.
RPOV
At eighteen hundred the doors to the gym open and in walk dumb fucker number 1 and 2. Seeing what they had on their foreheads made everyone in the gym laugh. There was quite a crowd waiting for the show. I wasn't sure why they were there but I really didn't care.
I noticed when Tank walked in Stephanie wasn't with him and part of me just wanted to go be with her but I needed to teach these dumb asses a lesson. Maybe I would just make it quick so I could get to my Babe.
Tank gave me a nod which told me that she was okay that I could take my time giving him a slight nod I gave those two dumb fuckers a sneer of a grin. I was letting the beast come out they were going to get a little taste of what my enemies get. I wasn't going to kill them I wasn't even going to seriously hurt them but they weren't going to know that. If they got so scared that they pissed on my mat though they would be licking the shit up before cloroxing the entire mat.
I didn't bother to ask them if they knew why I asked them to the mats. They knew. I didn't bother to ask them to fight me one at time I just took them both on. As it was it was like a UFC champion fighting that kid from the movie dairies of a wimpy kid you know the one with the hairy mole in the commercial. I had never seen the movie bad asses don't watch movies like that but I had seen the commercial.
My Babe could do a better job at fighting me with no training than these two fuckers. I hadn't even gotten my heart rate up before I just became bored for what they had to offer. Delivering two staggering blows that resulted in both of them face planting on the mat I called it over.
Tank walked up to me "I was going to go a round with them but after seeing that pitiful display on their part it sort of sucks the fun out of it. It's like beating up a helpless grandma or grandpa there is just no fun in it. Where the fuck did they learn to fight kindergarten?" I looked at him shaking my head
"The question is did they ever learn to fight? My Babe could give me a better round than those two dumb fuckers."
Lester then chose to speak up "After I am done with Beautiful, Rangeman you better watch your back because she will be able to take you down. Now these two fuckers I am not sure I could help that was pitiful very anticlimactic. Watching Beautiful go after Joyce is better than this pitiful display of fighting." Shaking his head in utter disbelief and disappointment at their pitiful lack of skills he says. "I think Beautiful could take them both now."
I waited for the fuckers to come around then I gave them their assignments. "You two are to report to your cubicles. There you are to type a document that spells out all of Rangeman's standard operating procedures. When you are done you are to call me using your desk phone I don't want to hear that you used anything other than what is currently at your desk to do this. If you call me on any other phone you will be fired. If you use any other computer or components of any other computer you will be fired do I make myself clear?" They nodded. "Good because I don't like to repeat myself. Once I hear from you on your desk phones that the document is completed I will then tell you what to do next. Until you get released from me consider yourselves on duty without pay."
Lester looks at me and I can tell he wants to burst out laughing. I give him a look that has him getting himself back under control. "Very well men carry on" I tell them as I leave the gym heading up to find my Babe.
SPOV
When I got back with Tank I was tired so I decided to just go upstairs and relax. I changed into something that I thought Carlos would appreciate a soft pink and black nightie. I had our dinner waiting for him and I was sitting at the dining table in my nightie my four inch FMPs I heard the door open and close.
I felt the tingle that let me know Carlos was near. As he stepped into the room he spotted me and froze. "Babe I need to take a shower. I don't even want to get near you until I have showered and changed clothes."
"Okay Carlos go ahead I will be waiting for you when you get out." I told him seductively. I had plans for tonight. I needed to erase the bad memories from today and I needed to get back that wonderful feeling from last night when he asked me to marry him and I knew just what to do.
When he joined me at the table after his shower he looked so amazing. His bare chiseled chest his eight pack abs on display for me to devour with my eyes. He was wearing a pair of lounge pants that was hanging low on his hips oh what a way to distract a girl Batman.
He kissed me and I instantly deepened the kiss pressing myself into him. His arms wrapped around me and pulled me to him lifting me up off of the chair. Continuing to kiss me he moved us closer to the table and then he gently sat me down on the table. I instantly froze I haven't had good memories when it comes to dining room tables.
Carlos reading my mind says. "Babe this is about you and me and only me and you. Our memories what we give each other no one else what do you say let's make a good memory." Then he proceeded to kiss me and I became lost in his words, in his kiss. Oh god yes was all I could think as I felt him step between my legs.