Hi Guys, sorry for the delay in posting this one - it was Mother's Day this weekend so we've been pretty busy - my kids made me the most 'wonderful' hama bead creations - now, where to store them... But the cards they made were fantastic!

Thanks for you wonderful reviews - you really are twisted if you can take enjoyment out of other people's misery! ;o)

Anyway, let's get back to our 'little' contest shall we?

Ranger, Tank and Lester waved the teams through where they stood, like sentries, by the airfield entry gate gesturing for everyone to park up. As the contestants clambered out of their vehicles and headed over Ranger continued to study a file containing the latest results, feigning nonchalance.

As he'd expected Atlanta and Trenton had done the best with Boston a close third. New York and Miami had not performed quite so well, but as most of their work was not in this area of expertise, he'd expected things to turn out pretty much as they had.

"This whole exercise has been a really good way to sort out gaps in training, Cuz." Lester said as he looked over his cousin's shoulder before handing him some additional paperwork which Ranger stored at the back of the file with a nod.

"Proud of you Babe." Ranger whistled almost imperceptively as he read something before he closed the file and turned his focus to his staff.

"Yeah Bomber. Great distraction." Lester added happily low enough that no-one outside their little group heard.

Tank just nodded in agreement, pleased that Steph had outshone everyone else. "Vera gave a great performance but she still has a lot to learn compared to the master." He added as the final stragglers joined the group.

"Listen up!" Ranger said as he looked at the sea of faces before him, split almost imperceptively into their respective teams.

"As it stands, Atlanta are currently in the lead with Miami hot on their tails. Boston and Trenton are tied in third position and New York, thanks to their escapades this morning…" he paused and gave their team a pointed look, a couple of their mute faces were red with shame "…are three men down and in last place."

Groans could be heard from the New York Teams while Atlanta grinned happily.

"We saw some good work today but as we reach the half way point it is all still to play for so expect the unexpected and we'll radio you with your next set of instructions soon. Dismissed."

All heads nodded and the teams dissolved back into their vehicles and raced away just as dusk began to descend.

"Fuck I'm hungry!" Tank said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation of his next meal. "Nothing like a good distraction to whet the appetite. I wonder what's on the menu for this evening." He said happily. Like the others he was really enjoying these games and like the others he was already planning a few surprises for the next ones.

"Come on, Big Guy." Bobby said, happily, clapping him on the back, as he and Hector joined them. "Let's go feed your beast."

Hector snorted. "Beast belong to Angel. Tank have lion in his belly!"

Everyone laughed as they hauled ass into their SUV's and headed back to camp.

o0o0o0o0o

"I wonder if they pulled it off." Steph said, pulling her bottom lip into her mouth nervously.

"Well, if nothing else, our guys will have had a ball trying." Mitch replied, outwardly calm but inwardly just as anxious, as he steered back to their temporary home.

"Yeah, but wouldn't it be cool if the raid worked." Steph sighed out and looking round at the rest of the guys around her.

Jed ruffled her hair "Either way, we're in first place, thanks to you. Good call on the distraction, Girly."

Steph grinned "Thanks. It's what I do best."

"Not what I've heard. Santos says you're the Queen of Chaos!" Mitch chuckled out.

Everyone laughed and Steph giggled back. The afternoon had been hard but fun and had allowed them to showcase their skills. Somehow all was right with their world.

However, if they'd managed to pull off the impossible, Steph hoped that Ranger would not hold it against them for too long…

o0o0o0o0o

"We did it! I can't believe we fucking did it!" Connor said as he leapt round the mess tent, a chicken leg clutched in one hand and a large glass of Pepsi in the other.

"Don't get too excited, Boss." Mungo grinned out trying in vain to calm him down.

Ralph stepped back into the mess tent. "All repairs are completed. We have a full complement of tents and we are fully operational again. But the real bonus is that we now have some really kick ass stuff to add to our arsenal."

Connor whooped with glee then choked on a piece of chicken.

"Dumbass!" Chase smirked out as he bashed him on the back, trying to get the man to breathe again.

o0o0o0o0o

I don't believe it! I don't fucking believe it! Ranger ranted to himself as he watched Hector attempted to disarm the tricks Pike had used to hamper their attempts at freeing the men locked in the store cupboard.

"Whoever it was who'd carried out the raid was in for a world of hurt, sneaky bastards." He added petulantly.

"How the fuck did they get past our guards?! Tell me how the mongrels got in!" Ranger ground out as Lester stood, desperately trying not to show the amusement that was fighting to get out. It was rare that he saw Ranger like this and he'd bet any money that Beautiful was behind it somehow.

Ranger paced back and forth like a panther as he waited for Hector to work his magic. His face full of fury.

"Whoever is behind this is going to pay. Dearly!" he spat out. "What you laughing at Santos!" he said, glaring at his cousin.

"What if it was Bomber?" came the amused reply.

"I'll take a hundred on that" said Tank as he wandered over. "All our food supplies are gone along with some interesting bits of equipment and it looks like Ralph and Jed are too."

Ranger stopped in his tracks. Could it be? Was it possible?!

Bobby sniggered at the less than blank face Ranger was sporting. It was times like this he really wished he'd brought a camera along, despite Ranger's insistence that what happened over the course of the tournament, stayed in people's heads only.

Hector gave a yell as a small explosion went off and threw him back with surprise.

"You ok?" Bobby yelled as he rushed over.

"Hah! Fuckers did good bobby-trap!" he replied, rubbing his hand along the middle of his chest. "Bit of shock is all." He added as he flexed his fingers and rolled his neck. "Nearly there." He added as he picked up a pair of wire cutters and began to whistle.

"It's a booby-trap, you dimwit!" Bobby growled out as he stood by and watched Hector kneel down in front of the lock once more.

o0o0o0o0o

Steph climbed out of the black SUV she had been riding in, grinning at the sight that met her weary eyes. The others were hot on her heels and they were slapping each other on the back and making lots of cheerful banter.

They'd done it! The broken down, beaten up camp they'd left this morning was now smart and orderly and proudly standing to attention. New tents replaced the water damaged ones that had been there earlier and as they got round the edge of the mess tent she could smell chicken – or at least it smelled like chicken. Please let it be real chicken…

Happy sounds were coming from inside the canvas.

"Steph!" Mungo shouted and he rushed over and gave her a bear hug with his good arm. "We did it! We got into the hangar and helped ourselves to everything we needed, included Ink and Ralph."

"And Ink's awesome cooking skills." Someone added round a mouth full of food. "This stuff is gooood man!"

"I think we can expect some form of retaliation." Connor added giving her a pointed look as he wandered over with a couple of large plates of food. He passed one to her just as Jed snatched the other one before anyone else could get it.

"Oh I think we're in for some real trouble." Steph grinned out as she picked up a chicken leg from her plate "I would just love to see the look on Ranger's face." As her mind imagined him losing his cool she giggled and soon more laughter filled the camp.

Once she'd calmed down she knew they had to spread the word. "Guys, I think we need to let the other teams know what we've just accomplished. I think New York's failed attempt this morning will have put any of the other teams off having a go. If Ranger and his team are kept busy enough then perhaps they will be slower to have a go back at us."

"I love your way of thinking." Ralph replied with a chuckle, pulling his phone from his pocket. "I know coupla the guys at Miami and I'm sure they'll get a kick out of our news."

o0o0o0o0o

"Ok, first things first, we need food." Lester said as he came back out of the temporary kitchen. "Trouble is, someone has sabotaged our equipment. Looks like I'll have to rebuild everything. Could take me a while."

"How long?" Ranger growled out, just as his stomach echoed the sound.

"'Bout an hour?!" came the reply.

"I'll order pizzas" Bobby said, wandering outside to get a signal.

Moments later he returned, his face full of frustration. "Looks like our signal has been compromised. Someone is jamming it." He added "I'd get Hector on the case but he's still working on releasing the prisoners."

"Just fix it, Brown!" Ranger spat out. Whoever had done this was in for some serious pay back he decided as he went off to see what was taking Hector so long.

o0o0o0o0o

"Fuck I'm full" Steph said lazily as she stretched out in her chair and patted her belly. Food had never tasted sooo good.

"Yeah! Can you imagine how it tastes after 6 months on tour in 'Sand City', Fuckistan!" Mungo added turning his head round to look at her.

"I can imagine!" Steph replied with a grin.

"Luckily, you have no idea, and I hope you never find out." He added somberly.

Steph gulped as she wondered how all her co-workers who'd served their country had coped.

"We just did and we're fuckin' proud!" Mungo added.

"Out loud?!"

"Yeah, out loud."

Giving him a nervous look she added "Tell me. Tell me more." In a voice not much more than a whisper she added a soft "please."

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"Not about the mission, but some of the conditions. I want to understand." She looked at him a silent yet determined plea in her eyes.

Mungo sighed. "Well, if you're sure…"

o0o0o0o0o

"… really?!"

"…"

"Priceless!"

"…"

"Thanks for sharing, Ralph"

"…"

"see ya, bye."

Matt put his phone down and snorted with amusement.

"What?!" Rees asked intrigued by his Boss' reaction to the news Ralph had obviously just given him.

"Gather the rest of the team." He said "You'll never believe what Atlanta have been up to…"

o0o0o0o0o

Ranger was cold, tired and extremely pissed off but somehow strangely aroused when the 'prisoners' were released and confirmed that it had been the Atlanta team who'd locked them up.

He'd inwardly chuckled when he realised that over the course of a few hours roles had reversed. Atlanta were probably sitting pretty with warm food, secure accommodation and enough ammunition to keep any would be thieves away. Not to mention the toilet roll that they'd also extracted – he couldn't even have a… sigh, clever evil fuckers. He shook his head in reluctant amusement.

His dinner had been cold beans straight from the can. Luckily there was enough for everyone to have their own tin and there had been two left over which Tank had devoured before anyone else had gotten a look in.

As he patrolled round the perimeter of the hangar against the bushes and scrub, Ranger almost smiled as he remembered some of the bullshit he'd spouted at Steph "expect the unexpected" and "always be aware of your surroundings" being the first two that sprung to mind.

Perhaps Steph was not the only person who needed to be reminded of these phrases. Lester had been right, these few days were throwing up all sorts of gaps in people's knowledge.

Behind him he heard a slight rustle so he quickly disappeared like smoke. He had the feeling that whatever or should he say, whoever, was making that noise had heard about Atlanta's antics and was trying their own luck.

As he drifted away into the undergrowth a different phrase floated round his head "fool me once, shame on you…"

Please R & R, it makes me type so much faster

xxx