Chapter 23

The sun was barely beginning its ascent into the sky when the alarm went off on Ranger's watch. He silently cursed at the intrusion, only having fallen asleep about two hours prior, but knew he had to get up. A lot was going down today, and he needed to get the updates. With the chaos of the last forty-eight hours, he also needed to get in a good workout. Now, he and Stephanie did have a lot of exercise, but that was only cardio. He needed to do some lifting and maybe some time on the mats.

Ranger spent a moment trying to figure out how to escape from underneath Stephanie without waking her. Inevitably, she managed to climb on top of him every night. Not that he minded; he absolutely loved waking up with Stephanie in his arms. It just made it harder for him to get out of bed in the morning, especially without waking up a particular part of him. He slowly maneuvered himself and gently placed her head on his pillow before slipping off the bed. After gently kissing her forehead, he entered the bathroom to prepare for the gym.

When Ranger stepped foot in the gym, several men paused their workout. They weren't told I was coming. He walked over to the mat and began his calisthenics, warming his body up before hitting the weights. After the momentary pause, the men returned to their workouts, but he saw a few quickly finishing up their programs. He mentally noted who they were and would look over their evaluations later that day. Ranger learned that those who disappear when he appears are usually trying to hide something.

About twenty minutes later, James entered the gym. "Morning, boss. Everything to your specifications?"

"Yes, Corinne came through as always."

"Looking for a little hand-to-hand?"

"If you're up for it."

"Give me ten to warm up. I see you got a head start."

Ranger nodded in agreement and moved to the treadmill to keep limber. Once James was ready, they entered the ring and spent the next half hour trying to get the best of each other. However, in the end, Ranger managed to pin James.

"Good match. I see you've been learning different styles."

"Yes, it's good to have a wider variety of moves. Keeps the opponent guessing and also limits the necessity to use a weapon, other than my body, that is."

Ranger nodded in agreement as they completed a complicated handshake. "0800 Conference Room C, right?"

"Yes, Sir. I'll have everything ready."

"Please ask Corinne to have some coffee and snacks available."

"Will do," James replied as Ranger left the gym. James was surprised by the request but wouldn't tell his boss that.

When James entered the gym, he noticed about three men who were usually in the gym who were not. He wondered what they were hiding if they left when Ranger arrived. James knew he would have to look into it and was sure Ranger would want to know what was happening. So, instead of approving payroll, he would pull the files on those men after he showered. It was always good to be ahead of the boss. It kept the core team out of his hair and out of Boston. He loved being part of Rangeman and took pride in running his office efficiently. Too much oversight meant that he was doing something wrong. James's evaluations, and the rest of his teams, were usually the best of all the branches, and he didn't want that streak to end.

James entered his office after his shower. He admitted to himself that he was sore. Ranger was a formidable opponent, and he was surprised he lasted as long as he did. Most men didn't last ten minutes on the mats with Ranger. Then again, Ranger was not angry or coming off an adrenaline rush. A calm Ranger was still deadly, but he had more control when sparring. After a quick roll of his neck, James sat behind his desk and booted up his computer. After accessing the camera feeds to the gym, he saw when Val, Max, and Diego left. James followed their movements to Diego's apartment, where they all went inside. After thirty minutes, Val and Max returned to their apartments, but he could see they were worried about something. James sighed, knowing that he would have to check their apartments and needed to ask Brad to run a blood test on them. James hoped they weren't using but knew it could be an issue. He typed his report on the three men and cc'd Ranger, Seamus, and Brad.

A quick glance at the clock told him he needed to move to the conference room. Even though Boston was not directly involved in investigating the threats to Ms. Plum, they were involved in the briefings. James grabbed his Remarkable tablet and phone and moved to the conference room. When he entered, there was a momentary silence, followed by the men slowly shuffling to their seats, with the joking and non-work-related conversation ending. James knew there would be a palpable sense of anticipation and nervousness once Ranger walked in. The men in Boston respected James and feared him, which was good. They knew he was a fair boss and one they could count on. But, the men also knew that if they fucked up, he would hold them accountable.

At five to eight, Ranger entered the room with Ms. Plum, whom he guided to the chair to his right. At that moment, James noticed the ring on her left hand. Mentally, he quickly went through the dossier they were all given on her and knew that she wasn't engaged. However, his unasked question was answered when he saw how Ranger brushed the curl behind her ear. Well, I'll be damned. Ranger and the President's daughter. Hmmm.

Out of nowhere, Hector appeared, carrying a muffin and coffee for Ms. Plum. When did Hector arrive in Boston, and when did he enter this room? James thought. He shook his head. Never underestimate that man. He is the sneakiest and most stealth out of all the men. Hector was the only one who could be in the middle of the room, yet no one would see him or even realize he was there. He had a way of blending into the background that you would only notice him if he wanted you to. That was part of what made him so important to his gang.

With a nod from Ranger, Hector pressed a few buttons on his laptop, and we were looking at conference rooms in Trenton, Miami, and Atlanta. While Atlanta had only eight men like Boston, Miami and Trenton had at least two dozen men involved.

Once Hector gave Ranger the okay, he spoke. "Good morning, men. Today, we are working on two fronts, which seem to intersect to our benefit. As Miami is aware, my daughter, Julie, was abducted the other day by Kyle Ortega's men. He loaned my ex-wife's husband, Ron Martine, a considerable amount of money, which he has failed to pay back on time. We found Julie and captured several of the people involved in the periphery. However, we later learned that Kyle Ortega had contacted General Dudley, the man behind the threats to the President's daughter, Stephanie. The General's daughter, Jessica, has a meeting with Ortega later this afternoon. We have several listening devices and trackers on her to hear what goes down. With Uncle Sam's blessing, whatever information we capture on tape will be allowed in a court of law, so she and her father will be locked up for many years.

"Marco and Lester will head the teams on Jessica and Ortega, respectively. Meanwhile, we have Geoff, a contact with Mi6, tailing Jessica. We used one of our contacts with Interpol to provide Geoff with the necessary trackers, listening devices, and other electronics he needed to stalk Jessica. He is the one who planted the devices on Jessica. With help from a contact at the Pentagon, Hector has been able to intercept messages and scribe emails to Jessica and Dudley that seem legit. Hopefully, by the EOB today, Jessica, Ortega, and Dudley will be locked up."

"What do we have on the General? So far, we haven't found anything definitive to prove that he's been working against our government," Eagle said from Atlanta.

"That's where our Pentagon contacts come into play. He was able to access General Dudley's office and clone his electronics. Hector and his team have been going through the data and have found enough evidence to keep General Dudley locked away for the rest of his life. Once we inform our contact that Jessica is in custody, he will set the arrest of General Dudley in motion."

"Who is this contact? Can we trust this person?" asked Marco.

"Yes. This person is above reproach and was recommended to me by the President. Stephanie also knows this person well and can speak to his trustworthiness."

"My father has been very good friends with the contact for years. He has spent much time around my family and will do whatever he can to keep us safe. We have no doubt that he will get the job done," Stephanie stated after Ranger nodded to her to share her information.

"What's this person's name? We deserve to know," Mel from Atlanta asked.

"We will not divulge that information until this is over, per the President's orders. The person in question has high clearance and is close to President Plum. He is above reproach," Ranger responded.

If anyone else was unhappy with Ranger's secrecy, no one spoke of it. Ranger knew that it was not good form to keep things from his men, especially since everyone in the room had high enough clearance to be in the know. However, he felt keeping General Bogusch out of it was in the best interest of all involved. After all, the General could send him or others in the room still running ops out on a mission.

"What is our plan? Are we going to sit back and watch?" Mel asked.

"No, we will be hands-on in the takedown. Marco has two teams of men ready, but Eagle, he'll need about four men from your office. Charter a plane and fly them down within the hour. The flight plan will be fast-tracked to get them off the ground quickly. Marco, do you have any preferences?"

"Send Hispanic or Hispanic-looking men down, and if you have a sharp-shooter available, we could use another one."

"Got it. I'll send you their information in a few. I think the four men I have in mind are working today."

"Great. Team Alpha will follow Jessica, getting ready to apprehend her once she leaves the meeting with Ortega. Once they have her in custody, they will then move in to search her hotel room for any additional evidence they can find. Team Beta will be following Ortega and taking him down. This will be trickier because he is bound to have some of his gang around him, and we will also have to take care of them. They will be armed, so we will be going in dressed. The meeting is scheduled for 1300, so we need to get a move on. We can brief your men on the plane, Eagle."

"Sounds good. I'll send them with equipment. Hector, ¿podrías configurar la red segura?"

"Sí, se configurará."

Eagle took his notes and passed them along to Jim, who would ensure the proper equipment was sent with his team and notify the personnel making the almost two-hour trip to Miami. He knew they needed to leave by oh nine-thirty to ensure they had time to get into place. This was one time he wished Miami was a little closer to Atlanta.

"Now, onto DC. We have a team of men from Boston and Trenton en route to take care of General Dudley. The President wants us to assist the MPs in arresting Dudley and gathering evidence from his home and office. We will then comb through whatever tests he oversaw of military equipment to determine whether those reports are accurate. Hector has already uncovered a few hidden bank accounts with more money than the General should have. Hector is tracing where the money came from so we can determine to whom Dudley may have sold weapons." Ranger reported.

"Damn, this is a whole can of worms and then some," said Seamus.

"You could say that. However, today, we will permanently seal that can shut. By seventeen hundred hours, we will have this trio behind bars, with the threat to Ms. Plum and my daughter eradicated. Thanks to the hard work of the men in all four offices, we were able to close this case so quickly. No one was able to connect the dots except for us. Thank you."

The men took a moment for a small shout of celebration before returning to business. "Is there anything else that needs to be discussed?" James asked.

"No, we have everything covered. Good luck, men. Dismissed."

Ranger disconnected from the call, and the men in the conference room in Boston began to stand, gathering their files, tablets, and phones. James stayed behind, ready to talk to Ranger about what he discovered that morning.

Stephanie took the cue and stood up, gathering her notebook and coffee. "I'll be up in the penthouse. Let me know if you need me for anything. I want to call my sister."

"Okay, Babe. Stay safe. Call me if you need anything."

With a nod, Stephanie left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Congratulations, boss, she seems to be a great woman."

"Thanks, that she is. She gets me, and she gets us. So far, all the men who have met her have felt comfortable around her. Stephanie can break down our protective walls and get us to open up."

"I can see that. I'm glad you're happy. However, is the President happy? Or do I have to worry about him shipping you off to a 'Stan?"

"No, it's all good. We have President Plum's blessing."

With the small talk out of the way, James can get down to the business at hand.

"This morning, when I arrived at the gym, I noticed that three men who are usually there working out were missing. They were Val, Max, and Diego. I know the three of them are friendly, probably closest to each other. I found it odd because they have never, collectively, missed gym time. Yes, one of the men might occasionally wake up late or skip his workout, but never all three. When I arrived in my office, I checked the tapes and saw them leaving the gym together and entering Diego's apartment. It seems odd, so I am having Seamus and Ace go through their rooms now. Brad has called them to his office for a random drug screening, so I will know if they are using anything illegal."

Ranger was pleased that James broached this subject first, as he would bring it up. He was impressed at how much James had already done. Once again, Ranger was glad they placed James in charge of Boston. Not much got past him, and he ran a tight ship. The men here clearly respected their leader and feared him a little, which was good. Any boss should have the respect of their employees and also hold a small amount of fear in them, knowing that the boss could fire them just as they hired them. That was a way to build a good team.

"What made you think they were using?"

James sighed. "Their behavior has been a little off recently. It's not something that I can easily pin down or prove. For the last month, they have, at different times, been late, blown up over something trivial, or just acted out of sorts. However, it always gets written off as stress or a bad day. Watching the way they scurried out of the gym this morning, though, caused me to think it could be drug-related. They had their last physical and drug test six months ago and were due for their next evaluation in a week. I already informed Brad that he was to give them a drug screening, but I moved it up."

"Do you have any of these incidents recorded?"

"I have my log, which I included in their personnel folder. After each incident, I had the team leader write down what they observed, also placing it in their personnel folders. I have also taken each man to the mats at least once for violating company policies."

As James spoke, he pushed the three personnel folders to Ranger, who opened them up and began to peruse the contents.

"Your reports are thorough and well-written. You present a strong case here. If their screen does come back unfavorably, you would have enough evidence to remove them. What do you want to do?"

James leaned back in the chair, thinking about his options. Of course, he can always fire them, but is that the best course of action? Up until the last month or so, they were model employees. He has never had to take them to the mat in the almost two years since they've been working here. They were on a difficult mission about three months ago, and as per company policy, they saw a therapist. However, it wouldn't be the first time men could fool the therapist.

"I would place them on probation, require mandatory therapy for the next six months, and switch their assignments so they would not cross paths. If they are using, entering into a treatment program would be an option, depending on which drug they are taking. I think this is being caught early enough that we can help them. However, if anyone disagrees with those terms, I would fire them."

"I think that course of action is fair and appropriate now. James, I am impressed with how this office is organized and managed. You are doing a great job, and whenever a Core team member comes here, we are always pleased with what we observe. I hope you don't feel we are ignoring this office or you, but since this is a well-oiled machine, we don't need to expend much energy here. If you don't object, I'd like to send the potential heads of Trenton here to train with you and Seamus. Then, if you don't object, I'd like you to spend a month in Trenton mentoring them on sight. Would you be interested in that?"

James was surprised at Ranger's offer. "Yes, that would be fine. Thank you for trusting me to train the next Rangeman leaders."

"It's a good move all around. We anticipate Trenton and Boston working more closely with each other, like Miami and Georgia currently. In under two hours, you can move between your two cities. Operating similarly will make those collaborations easier and more beneficial to both cities." Ranger stood up, ready to touch base with Sparks about Julie. "I'll be upstairs or in my office most of the day. If you need me, just call. I trust you to handle the situation without me."

With a nod from James, Ranger left the office.

Kyle Ortega wasn't a man easily spooked. He had balls of steel and would go into situations that no one else would without batting an eye. However, his stomach had been flopping since he contacted the General. His intuition was telling him to skip the meeting. For self-preservation, he had to attend the meeting. Blowing off the General would not bode well for him. He once again placed a call to Juan, which went straight to voicemail. Where the Hell is that man? Kyle has been trying to reach his best friend and SIC for the last twelve hours, only to get his voicemail. It was unlike Juan to be incommunicado for this long. Kyle briefly considered letting Omar take the lead, which Kyle introduced as one of the muscles, but he was sure that the General would do his due diligence, knowing precisely what he looked like. He glanced at the general's daughter again and thought it was a shame that she played for the other team.

Kyle knew his best men were patrolling where he would meet Jessica. He had his eyes and ears all around, and so far, no one who shouldn't be there had entered. At half past twelve, Kyle sat in his car, parked behind a few trees, waiting to watch Jessica arrive. If anyone else was with her, he would leave, sight unseen. About twenty minutes later, he saw her car pull up. It was a regular car, nondescript, and something that was not out of place in this park. She was observed looking around before she did a quick drive around the area. Seemingly satisfied, he watched her park her car.

Jessica exited, once again cursing herself for wrapping her breasts too tightly. It was difficult for her to walk. However, she was a professional and would execute her assignment as instructed. She sat at one of the chess tables, surprised to see no one here playing. Since it was hot and humid, it wasn't that unusual. Opening up her bag, she removed a set of chess pieces and began to set up the board. Playing chess was a great way to meet with informants, as you could talk and interact without anyone paying too much attention.

Jessica heard a car door close gently in the distance. Based on how silently the door was shut, Jessica knew that Kyle was on his way. She took a moment to nonchalantly scan the area, seeing Ortega walk towards her. When he was about ten feet away, Jessica stood and smiled, looking like someone waiting for a good friend to join her.

When Jessica and Kyle were close to each other, they gave each other a quick hug and sat across from each other. As Jessica moved her first pawn, she began to speak.

"So far, the information you shared seems legit. I was told you had a request for me and some information on the Rangeman building."

"Yes, that is correct. I have a few shipments that need to be moved around regularly. I was hoping that you could assist me in distributing my goods around the country and world."

"What are you moving?"

"Small items, pharmaceuticals mostly. Your cut would be 40% of the street value."

"Sound reasonable. Do you have a proposal?"

"Yes, and I will send it to you if you are interested."

Jessica was annoyed that he didn't have everything spelled out already. However, since this is a potentially new and beneficial arrangement, she had no choice but to go along. "I'll give you the place to send it. Blueprints?"

"Yes, they are in my backpack. We'll trade bags, and you'll have everything you need to infiltrate Rangeman."

Jessica nodded as she checked and mated Kyle's King. She then rose from her seat, ready to leave.

"When do I get paid?"

"After I look over the documents you gave me, I will let the General know if they are helpful. If so, the General will place half the fee in your account. Upon successful completion of the assignment, you will get the remainder."

Now, it was Kyle's turn to be aggravated. He hoped to be leaving the park with money. However, this potential partnership was necessary; he needed to keep his cool and go along. Once the General understood how resourceful he was and what he could provide, he could set the terms as he wanted.

El Oraculo Negro was listening to the entire conversation. He knew the two teams were biting at the bit to get Ortega and Jessica, but they needed to wait for Jessica to contact her father. General Dudley was required to make the initial payment to Ortega to ensure he would be locked up for good. He continued to observe Jessica from the various devices planted on her person by Geoff, and he had to admit that the Mi6 agent was good. El Oraculo Negro watched Jessica drive to a small, isolated café to review the documents. He couldn't contain his joy when he heard her call her father.

"Dad, it's me, Jessie. I reviewed the documents, and it is safe for you to make the down payment. There is minimal risk involved. We can make the final payment by the end of the week, if not sooner."

"That's good. Don't wait too long. We don't want Ranger getting wind of what we are doing."

"No, I won't. Talk to you later. Love you."

"Bye," El Oraculo heard the General replied through the tapped phone call. Now, it was time to watch the bank account. Ten minutes later, he saw the transaction go through to a bank in the Cayman Islands. El Oraculo picked up his phone and texted, "Vamos."

Kyle Ortega arrived at his woman's building. He dismissed his guard, not wanting them lurking around while he took care of his primal needs. Ortega stood outside momentarily, fixing his tie and hair in his reflection of the car's windows. Once he felt he was put together, he walked towards the entrance. Before he could go three steps, he was surrounded by Ranger's men. He didn't even have time to reach for the gun that was being removed from his waistband.

"You think that you could go after Ranger's daughter and his fiancé and live to tell? No, not the case. After all we did to help you, you betrayed us. You know the way of the streets, Ortega. You live and die by the rules." Ramon said as he placed handcuffs on Ortega.

Ramon, like Hector, was a former gang member who got sucked into the life as a young, dumb kid looking to be accepted. Like Hector, he quickly rose through the ranks and killed for the gang. When he wanted out, he approached Marco and Ranger. The rest, as they say, is history. Even though that was over five years ago, he still has a reputation. As he dragged Ortega to the back of one of the SUVs, he knew that Ortega would not see the light of day, nor would he see the inside of a prison cell. As the team drove back to Rangeman headquarters, a text was sent, "Gutter rat trapped."

Jessica left the café after speaking with her father. She drove her car back to her hotel, knowing she only had about 15 minutes to complete her transformation. Once Jessica changed her appearance to match the celebrity she was impersonating, she calmly walked back out of the hotel lobby, covering her face with a large hat and oversized sunglasses. The last thing she needed was for someone to recognize her and cause a scene mistakenly. Thankfully, the lobby was not crowded, but the two concierges were busy checking in new guests. Jessica was able to leave unnoticed. She unlocked the Ferrari and sat in the driver's seat when the passenger door opened, and a large man sat next to her.

"Jessica Marrow, take your hands off the wheel and come with us. We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"You must be mistaken. I'm not Jessica Marrow. I don't even know who that person is," Jessica replied, panicked.

"Really? I know you are good at disguises, but the person you are trying to impersonate is playing in Argentina tonight and cannot be in Miami. Give it up; we know you are General Matthew Dudley's daughter and are trying to get Stephanie Plum. The gig is up."

"You won't get away with this. My father will end you."

Marco laughed as he grabbed her wrist, placing his handcuffs around them. "Your honorable father is being arrested now as we speak in Washington, D.C. His days of selling weapons to our enemies for profit are over. You will both be spending the rest of your days behind bars."

The driver's side door was opened, and Jessica was pulled out of the car and placed in the back of one of the Rangeman SUVs. She admitted defeat as the men restrained in the car and hoped her father could get her out of this mess.