Chapter 34

It was the smell that was assaulting me that almost had me heaving again. I recognized it but prayed that it was just my imagination. My head was hurting, and I felt fuzzy, but knew that I needed to know where I was. Yeah, my worst nightmare was slowly becoming a reality. I was laid down on my side, my cheek against that rank mattress that I remembered from an age ago. I'd never even envisaged that I'd end up here again and that had several emotions run through me. A trickle of fear that was growing by each second and threatened to consume me was all that I was feeling. I couldn't bare the idea of being here in this room again and take the pain that I'd had that last time. I'd been in this position before and from that thought came the anger that I was here at all.

Everything was the same as my eyes focused. The single light bulb, the door, but for the moment I was alone. Instinctively I brought a hand to rub my head which had me realizing that my hands were free. Did those men, because I assumed that it was the same men, still see me as that weak pathetic woman? I'd had some training since then so maybe, just maybe, I could actually get myself out of here this time. I had to because I didn't think that I'd cope with them beating me all over again.

It seemed an age before I heard the sound coming from the door and realized that it was a bolt sliding. I'd need to try and work out how many men were here this time because I only had memories of two. I slowly pushed myself up until I was sat leaning against the wall so that I might have a clearer head when my visitor appeared. That was when I realized that my boots were missing, and my hair was loose. Trackers, did I have any left on me? I inwardly groaned that I was wearing some strange T-shirt meaning that any trackers in my jacket and Rangeman T-shirt were gone. The black combat trousers had been replaced with grey jogging bottoms which to be honest annoyed me. Some bastard had undressed me and put different clothes on me. I suppose I should have been grateful that I was dressed.

I watched as the door opened and saw the silhouette of a figure walk into the room and felt that fear rising when I started to recognize that this was one of the men from before. The balaclava covering his face and head had that sliver of panic rising from the pit of my stomach.

"Good you're awake. We have unfinished business"

I watched as he walked toward me one word shouting at me in my mind. Why? I could never understand the first time that I'd been here why they'd kept questioning me. Then it came to me, were these men after what Sully had? But they'd taken him as well. Hadn't they questioned him when we were taken?

"I know that you're aware of who the man was in the bank. Silas Sullivan. Now I need you to tell me what I want to know"

Why was it everyone used that expression? I was sick of it and there was no way that I was going to tell him anything. Besides how did he know that I knew that it was Sully at the bank?

"I really don't know anything"

As the man approached and squatted down in front of me, I flinched as he raised his hand as though to hit me and then had to listen to him laughing at me.

"Lady, you spoke to Katrina, why would you do that if you didn't know anything?"

Shit, went through my head as he said that so knew that I had to come up with a damn good explanation.

"My boss told me he was one of the best bounty hunters he'd ever come across, so I wanted to know more about him. Are you saying that the man at the bank was him?"

Part of me wanted to ask how he knew that I'd met up with Katrina, but I needed to maintain an air of ignorance here and try to keep up with what I'd already told him the last time that we'd been here.

"Might be a good story but I aint buying it. Sullivan told you where he'd hidden it, so you're going to tell me"

I shook my head and let the tears come to my eyes because now I knew the enormity of the trouble that I was in, and I wasn't sure if they'd let me go this time.

"I don't know what you're talking about. If that man was Sullivan, then you had him as well. Didn't he tell you anything?"

"The stupid fuck was passed out, then he died on us before we could even talk to him"

At least that answered the question that I'd had as to whether it had been these men who had killed him. I didn't like the idea that Sully had basically died, landing me with finishing his work.

"I don't know anything, if I did then I'd tell you"

"Yeah that damn cop said the same, that you had no idea what he was asking you"

That had my eyes coming up to meet his face because even though there'd been that small doubt in my mind that somehow Joe was involved, hearing it now not only confirmed it, but made me sick to my stomach. Why would Joe do that to me, align himself with these men? He was supposed to be a good cop even a good man. As those thoughts went through my head the man had gone quiet so when he stood up and sighed, I didn't think that was a good omen for me. I slowly pushed myself up the wall until I was standing, deciding that now was the time to make my move before it was too late.

I stepped forward and took the stance as my right arm and fist flew out, catching him on his cheek and eye. He never saw it coming and was totally off balance and as his hand went to his cheek, I used my leg and foot to kick him in the gut before rounding and giving him an uppercut punch under his chin. As he flew backwards, I was moving toward the door aware that he was already cursing at me and getting to his feet. I managed to pull the door shut behind me and threw the bolt effectively locking him in.

"You bitch, open the fucking door. When I get hold of you, you're finished"

Like I was going to do as he asked. I found myself in a dark hallway so started to run its length so thankful when a flight of stairs appeared. As I started to run up them, using the handrail to pull me up, I heard the first gun shot and froze. Another one came from behind me and that was when I realized that he had a gun and was trying to shoot out the bolt. I was in motion again and soon at the top of the stairs to be given the choice of two doors. Of course, the door I chose to open looked to be a storeroom, but the second door opened into what could only be described as a derelict kitchen. Shots continued from below as I crossed the kitchen looking for a way out. Suddenly the whole place went quiet, and I had a horrible feeling that the man had managed to break through the door. I was through the kitchen and into another room that had a large window and yes, a door.

I'd just managed to turn the knob on the door when I heard noise from behind me, but the door wouldn't open. I was so panicked trying to pull bolts that the feel of arms around my waist totally shocked me. I screamed as I was swung around facing the kitchen and those damn stairs that led back down into the basement and tried to kick or hit my assailant.

"No chance lady, you aint getting away from me now"

His voice sounded so soft as he spoke next to my ear, so damn sure that he'd won and that he could get the better of me. Think, I said to myself. Remember what Bobby taught you, control your movement because you can do this. I relaxed my body so that my weight dropped which had the effect of his grip loosening. I took advantage by moving my leg behind his and then used my elbow to push him backwards. I felt jubilant as he started to fall backward but then was screaming when I realized that he'd grabbed hold of the collar of the T-shirt that I was wearing. I was falling backwards with him when the sound of glass breaking erupted around me, and we continued to fall.

I was looking up at the clouds as they drifted slowly across the sky totally befuddled with what had just happened. Lifting my head slightly I could see the broken wood and glass shards of the window, realizing that we must have fallen backwards through the window. The man, where was the man? I rolled and landed with an umph onto the dust and stones and found myself looking down at the man laid on the ground totally still. I saw no movement but did see a pool of blood on the ground getting steadlily larger. The man's head was a matted mess of hair, blood and dirt from where he'd landed. My hand instantly came to my mouth, to stop a scream from escaping or perhaps to discourage myself from being sick.

I had to get a grip on myself. I'd managed to get out of this house so now needed to get away from this neighborhood. It was cold and I was suddenly very worried that there might be someone else here or who could turn up, so I scrambled to my knees and then to my feet before I started to move away from him. A street, I was on a street with houses that looked derelict. Some had boards across the windows and the undergrowth seemed to be taking over. I had no idea where I was or what time it was or if someone would suddenly appear. I needed to take cover, to find a way to where I knew. I wanted Ranger to suddenly appear and tell me everything was going to be alright. That feeling of elation at been able to overcome that man began to fizzle away and I was feeling very alone right now. I couldn't afford to start feeling sorry for myself and it was obvious no one was here to rescue me. I had to get control of myself, think logically. Run was what I instinctively did.

Having found a back alley, I couldn't go on any further. I was crying and shaking from the enormity of what had happened and knew that Bobby would tell me it was just an adrenaline crash. It was more than that. I'd totally panicked when I'd eventually got free of that man. I should have removed his balaclava to see if I recognized him, searched his pockets because he was sure to have had a phone or even a wallet with some money or an id. I felt pathetic as I sat there. All that I could think of was being found by Ranger or even any of the Rangemen instead of working out where to go for me to be safe.

Take control, I said to myself. Be inventive. What would Ranger do? He'd work out where he was and then plan out where he wanted to go. I wasn't too sure going back to Rangeman was a good idea if they still couldn't get back in and wouldn't that be the first place that anyone would look to find me. Ranger's house was out of the question because I had no idea where it was or how to get to it. My parents and friends were out, which only left my apartment. Then again, I had no keys to get inside with and wouldn't someone who was after me look there. A plan started to develop in my head so with my pity party over I stood up and began to walk quickly toward the end of that alley. Walking quickly kept me warm so I wasn't about to complain. I kept a keen eye around me and worked out that it must be evening because the sky was darkening, and I could see the steady flicker of streetlamps as they started to come on.

I wasn't sure how far I walked or where. Hell, knowing me I could have walked around in a big circle and find myself back where I'd started. I'd almost given up any hope of finding a suitable building when I spied one across the street from where I was stood. It was a jewelry store, and it was advertising Rangeman as its security provider which was exactly what I was looking for. It took an age to work up the courage to cross the street praying that no one driving past would recognize me. The shop was closed but I was thankful to see a camera over the door. Please let it be an account that's monitored visually. I stood in the doorway hopefully in full view of the camera but to make sure that someone would come I rattled at the door and pushed lots of buttons on the keypad. Surely that would set off an alarm and a patrol would cruise by to check it out. I hunkered down in the doorway hoping that I didn't get moved on as being a homeless person looking for a bit of shelter and waited. Hell, I hoped they came quickly because now I was totally freezing dressed in only a T-shirt and joggers.

The screeching of tires had me fully awake and I watched as two black SUVs pulled to a stop on the street. I half expected men to tumble out armed and ready to take down a thief who was breaking in, so was a bit reticent to move straight away. That was until I saw Ranger running across the sidewalk and straight toward me. His face looked grim as he approached me but all that I could do was break out crying as he swept me into his arms in a tight grip.

"Cal, deal with the alarm and premises"

Was all that I heard before I was bundled inside one of the SUVs with Ranger still holding me tightly. As I stopped shaking and began to feel warmer the tears slowed. I was safe, I'd managed to escape and had saved myself.

"Babe?"

I really wasn't up to deciphering his one word question so didn't bother to answer or look at him I was just content to be held and feel safe. I suppose that I should at least listened to hear what he was asking me because as soon as we stopped, I felt myself being lifted from the car and was soon laid down on a bed in the infirmary with Bobby deciding if he really wanted to touch me or not.

"I'm not hurt"

I said for the umpteenth time.

"Babe, there's blood in your hair so maybe you hit your head"

I looked at his hand and noticed there was blood on his hand and couldn't work out where it had come from.

"Steph, it's dried now so nothing is bleeding but if you have a cut then it will need cleaning out"

Blood, the image of that man's head came to me as he lay on the ground outside that window. Oh god, was it his blood, had I somehow got his blood in my hair and on my head when I landed on top of him?

"Not mine. I need to wash it out"

It took some persuading but eventually Bobby agreed for me to go with Ranger upstairs so that I could shower and put on some of my own clothes. Seeing as Ranger followed me into the bathroom and set the water temp on the shower while I pulled off those vile clothes, I was pretty sure that he was there to check me over for injuries. Stepping under the hot spray of water felt like bliss and the first thing that I did was to wash my hair, several times. As I rinsed the shampoo out, I started to soap down the rest of my body allowing myself to relax. That was when the memories from the day hit me. First Harley Chroma's face came to me and then that man laid in the rubble with his head smashed. Two men dead. Was it my fault? Could I have done things differently for that not to have happened?

I sank down to the floor as those thoughts took over and was totally unaware of the water stopping and a towel being wrapped around me.

"Let's get you dry and dressed and then you need something to eat"

Was what I heard as I let Ranger take control. He was so gentle with me as he helped to dress me in some pajamas and a robe, and it wasn't long before we were sat on the couch with him feeding me lasagna. Food had always been my family's way to communicate so being fed that delicious meal gave me some comfort and by the time I'd finished I was ready to talk.

"Feeling better? Want to tell me what happened?"

I wasn't sure where to start so didn't immediately say anything.

"Hector told me what you found at that creek, but he lost you when you were stood outside Rangeman. Ansgar was flat out so we assume that someone had drugged you as well"

"Is he alright?"

Because the idea that someone had hurt Ansgar upset me.

"He's fine. He's with the guys on monitor duty"

That had me remembering what Hector and I had come back to, the truck crashed into the front of the building.

"The truck? Was there a lot of damage?"

"No, but it caused the alarms to go off and the emergency services to turn up. We think that it was a set up to get us to clear the building"

Or to stop us getting inside, making us vulnerable. That was a strange thought to me because it would imply that someone knew that I was out of the building and didn't want me to get back inside.

"It didn't cause any major structural damage, but it meant that we couldn't get inside to follow your trackers"

I took a deep breath knowing that this time I'd overcome my fear of that horrible room.

"I woke up back on that mattress with a man asking me about Sully. I didn't tell him anything, but he knew that I'd met up with Katrina"

Which to be honest baffled me. I knew that Miguel had kept a constant watch while we travelled, and he was in the café with me. Maybe someone knew that I'd met up with Katrina because someone was watching her.

"How did you get away?"

I smiled at the memory of what I'd done in my bid for freedom because for once I'd actually been able to fight my way free. It had me feeling empowered and those pieces of control that I'd been striving to pull together were at last within reach.

"He made the mistake of underestimating me, so I took advantage and punched and then kicked him. I thought he was okay locked in the room, but he used his gun to shoot out the bolt. He caught up with me at the door to the house. I used one of Bobby's moves but somehow, he grabbed hold of me, and we both went backwards through a window. I think I killed him"

I felt Ranger pull me to his chest as he leant sideways on the couch.

"No. He killed himself. He should never have taken you and threatened you"

I wasn't too sure I agreed with what Ranger had said, even though I knew what he was trying to say.

"Are you sure that he was dead because Hector drove around where you described, streets where houses are due to be demolished. He thinks that he found the house where you were being kept but there was no body there"

I shrugged my shoulders because to be honest I was too scared to touch the man just in case he was alive. Maybe he'd just knocked himself out? That didn't sit any better with me than the idea that he was dead because alive meant that he could still come after me.

"I, he. Shit. That man, he said that Joe believed that I didn't know anything. Does that mean that Joe was working with them"

I let that sink in for the second time today not knowing what to believe about Joe. I was still shocked at what Joe had done to me but now, it was almost unbelievable that he would work with those men to try and drag information from me. Or had he been keeping me to himself to keep them away from me? It didn't matter, the choice that he'd made was so wrong and there had to have been a better way.

"We'll make sure that the people pay for what they've done even if Morelli is dead, we'll find out the truth"

Maybe Ranger was thinking the same as me about Joe, we'd have to wait and see what we unearthed. I knew that I'd had a hell of a day, but I'd showered, been fed and I was safe with Ranger. So it was only natural for me to fall asleep.

I woke with a start as though I'd been frightened by a dream only to feel myself being pulled into the warm body of Ranger. Immediately the fear drained from me as I welcomed the comfort, but there was no way that I wanted to go back to sleep. I wasn't tired, probably because I'd slept for longer than usual, my last memory being on the couch with Ranger. The feel of fingers running through my hair had me looking up to Ranger's face and seeing him awake, making me feel guilty for disturbing his sleep.

"I want to try and figure out Sully's message today"

I said on a sigh because to me it seemed to be the only way of stopping those men from coming after me. I suppose at the back of my mind was some curiosity, a snippet of a challenge but also a need to finish what Sully had wanted to do.

"Are you sure? You could leave and have them believe that you know nothing. It would be safer for you"

My immediate response would have been to say no but as I went through his words it struck me that he'd only suggested that I left, on my own. I felt disappointment flood through me when I realized that he wanted to send me away. I sat up and looked down at his face my annoyance rippling through me. After everything that he'd said to me at the house was this what I meant to him? Was I back to being the woman who he only needed when it suited him?

"Is that what you want, to get me away from here, away from you?"

I watched the way that he tried to close down his emotions from me but was surprised when he closed his eyes and actually sighed, yeah Batman was actually sighing.

"No. If I could then I'd take us both to the other side of the world, but I can't"

I stayed looking at him completely confused with what he was saying. Why had he said that he couldn't, was this a new level of excuses that he was coming up with? He must have seen the level of pain those words brought to me because his eyes were open, and his hand was resting on my cheek.

"That last mission that I was on. I told you that it didn't go according to plan"

"FUBAR was the word that you used"

As I remembered how a woman had died, and Ranger had been badly shot.

"Yeah. I've been working with one of the men who was on the team with me, and he agrees with me that us being ambushed was a set up. We've been trying to narrow down how that happened"

I had never considered that what had happened wasn't just bad luck or that someone had managed to follow them. What Ranger was saying was serious. I mean did someone on his team betray them or one of the men who sent them the intel?

"Can you tell me what happened?"

I asked because I really wanted to understand the situation that had nearly got him killed. If he didn't answer me then I suppose that I could live with that as I was sure any of the work that he did was highly classified.

"We were there to rescue an important man's son who was being held for ransom. We were given the coordinates for where the kidnappers had last been seen. They aren't the type of people who honor a deal and would probably have taken the money and killed the kid which was why we were sent in. We were able to track them but then realized that the boy's nanny had also been taken"

That had me frowning because surely Ranger and his team should have been told about that.

"The life of the nanny wasn't as important as the boys which was why we weren't told to rescue her. We managed to ambush the camp and while a couple of the guys set up a diversion the rest of us rescued the woman and the boy. We made it to the hideout and were waiting before heading to the rendezvous for the helicopter to lift us out when we were attacked"

"Was the boy okay?"

Ranger nodded his head, so I did as I usually did and went through various scenarios in my head. I wasn't about to voice them out loud because I was sure that Ranger would have looked at every aspect of that mission. To me there were so many variables that could have accounted for what went wrong, one of which was whether the gunmen were part of the original group of kidnappers or if they were there to kill the team, the boy or even the woman.

"How close are you to working it out?"

"We've cleared the other members of the team and our handler, the man who basically organizes everything and maintains communication, so next on our list are the people responsible for collecting intel"

It seemed weird to me that the place that they were laying low in was found.

"I don't want to get in the way of what you're doing but I won't run away from this either. Maybe I could help you"

I was being perfectly serious especially with my offer to help him but if he took me up on my help then that would be up to him, I wouldn't badger him or ask any questions. As for this mess with Sully, I'd work on it on my own and leave Ranger to deal with his own trouble, surely it couldn't be that hard to work out that last clue, could it?

"Maybe. I need to work on it first with Jonas, but you do have a different way of looking at things so if we draw a blank then I might take you up on the offer"

I almost squealed with delight as he said that because in some small way, he was letting me into his world. So being above him and straddling his legs I leant my head down to savage his mouth putting every move into it that I knew. It started tenderly but passion soon took over as we each fought for possession through our dueling. My hands were gripping his hair on either side of his head so maybe I shouldn't have been surprised when his hands went to my waist. I was knelt up, bent over, so being the opportunist that he was Ranger took advantage of then sliding his hands down my hips and taking my pajama bottoms with them. As I tried to sit up a hand held me in place while the other one moved forward to my core.

As the first orgasm rolled through me, I almost fell forward, but he wasn't having any of that. I found myself on my back with my legs still folded underneath me and my head and shoulders in danger of toppling off the bottom of the bed. I couldn't move but then maybe I didn't want to as I felt his mouth and tongue working their magic A second orgasm was all that he needed to feel before he was knelt ready to enter me, his hands on my hips slightly raising me.

I felt as though I'd died and gone to heaven when Ranger slowly raised me to his chest and held me while I orientated myself and calmed my breathing.

"I only need to know that you're safe because I don't think that I'd cope if anything did happen to you. Yesterday was as close as I want to come to that again"

I knew where he was coming from because I felt exactly the same way about him. He was who I was meant to be with, my soulmate, and I was sure that there would never ever be anyone else for me. No more words were spoken as we pulled apart, I think that we'd not only come to an understanding as to how important we were to each other, but I also knew just how important that training had been to enable me to escape. To be honest it gave me a feeling of confidence that I hadn't had before so maybe it was also helping me to regain some of that control that I was striving to achieve.