Thanks for the reassurances; glad you're liking this one. I wanted to post this update on the 30 year anniversary of One for the Money, but close enough.
Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE. Typos are my bad.
Ranger's POV
"My schedule is pretty open today. Holler if you need my help, Batman." Babe, always the altruistic, generous person that she is, offered her assistance without being asked.
"Babe." Reminding her of Rangeman's policy where no employee should go past six consecutive days on the schedule earned me a pout that was just too damn irresistible. Raking my eyes over her sprawled form, her soft skin beckoning me to touch, kiss and worship it, with her tangled curls spilling onto my pillow, I wanted nothing more than to cover her gloriously naked body with mine. Unable to resist, I planted both hands on the mattress on either side of her shoulders, leaning down to capture her parted lips in a sexy, teasing kiss. "As of yesterday, you were on day nine, Stephanie." While sneaking in several kisses, I explained the rule was enacted to attempt to avoid burnout. Not being sharp and aware of your surroundings gets you killed in our line of work. "Besides, it sounds like this citywide system outage isn't going to be a quick fix." Grinning, I praised her people skills. We'll need her to smooth out the ruffled feathers of any potential disgruntled clients once the dust settles, regardless of this issue not being of our doing.
"Ranger!" Her rich laugh filled my left ear as she automatically wrapped herself around me in response to my abrupt movement as I scooped her out of bed. She's right. I'm finding it extremely difficult to tear myself away.
I led us into her shower, with the intention of just cleansing ourselves, but Babe's proximity kept my body and mind stuck in our lust bubble.
"I think the reason you like us in my basic shower more than you like it when we're in your magnificent one…". To ensure her point would get across loud and clear, Babe pressed her front impossibly closer to mine as her arms squeezed my waist for good measure. "… because we have to be real close and personal to fit." The drop in her tone when she said the word fit and the nuzzling kiss she placed at the base of my neck had us enjoying a quick round that left us breathing hard and our heated bodies finding the cold water that eventually sprayed down on us refreshing for a change.
The memory of that sizzling shower was interrupted when a round object crashed against my right boot. Looking down, I spotted the rat in his ball making the rounds on the conference room floor. Squatting, I picked up the orange plastic sphere before handing it over to Lester, who stood beside me. The fact that Babe's hamster has defied the odds and has had the longevity of several lifetimes is beyond me considering his diet isn't anywhere near the best. The guys took him to the vet after we got him out of Babe's charred apartment as their way of processing this nightmare. Rex is apparently healthier than you'd think considering all the highly processed and sugary snacks Babe sneaks him on the daily.
Gathered around the largest conference room on the fifth floor, all eyes looked to Hector for guidance. One thing I've kept front and center, present since day one of creating Rangeman was that I needed people that had skills I didn't possess. I'm not ashamed to accept that I'm not always the smartest man in the room regarding a particular topic or skill. Being a good boss means finding Rangemen that are stronger in the areas I lack. It's the main reason that sets us apart from other, larger security firms.
"So, you're saying that the issue isn't a standard cyber attack?" Santos asked, wanting to be on the same page as his arms automatically wrapped around the rat's exercise ball.
Hec shook his head slightly.
"What brought down the TPD and other city networks across Trenton don't match the pattern." Hector explained that usually there's some sort of financial motive. "No ransom was requested like the Russian cyber attack that affected thousands of car dealerships across the country last month." Hec told us the strategy used in that case was the classic ransom type, requesting payment in order for the affected to regain access to their systems or files after being struck. "They finally gave in, paid the millions, and bam! They were hit again two days later." Hec said it's just a financial transaction, and that the stolen personal information of consumers then typically gets sold over the dark web. "It's a double payday."
"Ookay…" Santos nodded, as did several of the men to show their understanding.
"Like what happened in Las Vegas last summer." Hal shared, jogging the memory for those of us that remember the bigger headlines from last year affecting a huge conglomerate in Sin City.
"Exacto." Hector explained that he found it extremely odd that no such request was made to the TPD or City Hall in order to return access to their systems.
"You're thinking it was all a distraction?" I asked, causing several of my men's heads to turn my way. "To keep us occupied." It makes sense what Hec is seeing, because we were so busy more than fifteen hours before the fire. How convenient. I even had to bring in contract workers to help with the higher volume of calls we were receiving since 911 wasn't online, which meant we were diverting calls directly to the corresponding emergency services department.
"Si." Hector has joined forces with Silvio in Miami and Nux in Boston to get extra trained eyes to assist. Hec believes there has to be some sort of weak link in whatever brought down first responders' systems, and reinstated access just as quickly.
"Wait, so this means there's a chance Bomber is alive?" Manny asked the room just as murmurs rose in the confined space filled with the men that are part of our inner circle.
I couldn't give them such hope without proof, yet they interpreted my silence as answer enough. So far, currently we're still waiting on a positive identification from the ME. I've been told that due to severe blunt force trauma to the skull, using dental records is not such a viable, or even faster, option. Fingertips were removed from every digit, and DNA testing will simply just take too long. Horrifyingly, even eye color is unrecognizable, which was one of the hardest pieces of intel to digest as Babe has the most strikingly vibrant blue eyes I've ever seen. Knowing the identity of that body in Babe's apartment will either confirm my worst fear, that she really is gone forever, or prove me correct. Regardless, Babe is shining with her absence and we're all worse for it.
And then the call I've been so desperately waiting for came in the form of Bobby reaching out to share a breaking development.
"Wait, Bomber has breast implants?" Slick asked, confused on why the information that flowed out of my cell speakers was so monumental.
"No." Santos answered too confidently for someone who's never been intimate with Stephanie. With several sets of eyes flicking questioningly his way, Lester shrugged and doubled down on his assessment. "All natural." When the heat of my glare pinned him in place, Santos automatically assigned himself to a beat down on the mats once this was all over.
"Wouldn't the implants melt, making the whole serial number impossible to read?" Binkie murmured in confusion, likely to himself judging by his hushed tone.
"Nah. Fire wasn't hot enough for that. During cremation they can turn into goop, though." When several sets of eyes cut to Santos, he simply shrugged as he held Rex a tad tighter. "What? I dated a mortician." He said by way of explanation, which had several of the guys muttering a variation of 'of course you did'.
Having confirmation that Babe isn't the charred body that was carted off her apartment in a body bag gave me only a momentary sense of relief. Realization that she's been missing for twenty-nine hours and counting is more than alarming, intensifying the what ifs that have haunted me since I was informed that her apartment was up in flames. It no longer mattered that I should have said fuck policy and accepted her help as my partner on the field. We've gone from having such a slim sliver of hope that this nightmare was just that, a nightmare, to Hector's hunch possibly having some merit, to now finally having solid proof that Babe is alive and needs our help.
While Bobby focuses his efforts on tracking down the identity of the Jane Doe left in Babe's place as a decoy, Hector will continue to focus on what could likely be a digital footprint that has additional potential thanks to the newest development. Everyone else, myself included, will be ready to be boots on the ground as soon as we get the word to mobilize.
S&R
Stephanie's POV
This is some bullshit, I thought. Not only did I get zapped with my own stun gun, but I'm also restrained using my Rangeman issued leg shackles. Some bullshit indeed.
Taking stock of my situation, I'm certain that I'll be beyond screwed very shortly. I'm having issues breathing. Regardless of how deep I try to suck in a breath, it feels like I'm breathing through a straw. My throat feels rough and I know that real soon I won't be able to keep fighting exhaustion and stay awake.
Making my resolve, I gave myself a final pep talk. Taking advantage of the sliver of trust I've garnered from my captor, whom I now know is named Dante, I mentally ran through my plan one more time.
It's been over fourteen hours since the first time I was able to convince him to grant me a bathroom break. I used my correct assessment of him being a germaphobe to my advantage, so it didn't take too much to wear him down. One tiny hint that I'd be peeing all over his ornate chair and hardwood floor was all it took to make him bend. However, this is the first time that Dante has forgone the chain around my waist that further kept the shackles on my legs and arms extra restrictive. I may never get this chance again. This is it.
On my first bathroom break, I took a detailed scan of my surroundings. It didn't take much for me to garner that we're underground, likely a basement, based on the C shaped layout and the stairs I caught a peek of. With no windows, that's the only in and out as far as I can see. Also, Dante has kept himself busy on a killer comp set up near the bathroom. With multiple screens, I could easily catch the time and if he's connected to the internet every time I passed by. Because Dante hasn't bothered with locking his comp, I have a good sense of how fast I can do what I'm planning.
You got this!
I encouraged myself for the final time just as I elbowed Dante's face, aiming for his nose and connecting easily. Not being able to knee him where I know will hurt most, I opted for other means of temporary incapacitation. Gripping the hem of his shirt with both hands, I shoved him down by shoulder checking him at the same time as I yanked his T-shirt up. It got stuck around his upper arms, leaving him on the floor struggling to get free at an awkward angle. With his bigger frame, he's struggling like I hoped he would.
Hobbling as fast as I could, I tapped the mouse awake and quickly pulled up the Rangeman timesheet site. Hector set up a geofencing or whatever he called it thing to decline unapproved access that could give way to a data breach of Rangeman's network. From the employee handbook, I remember that it said something about alerts being sent to Hector for attempted logins from an unauthorized IP address. And because he's good, Hector can track me down from the sole breadcrumb I'm aiming to manage. My measly digital beacon may not be enough for others, but for Ranger and the Merry Men, it's more than enough. I know it.
I could sense Dante barreling my way as I awaited for the confirmed denied access alert. I most definitely cursed the Rangeman password strength rules that kept me from having my preferred quick password of Rex123! The relief that washed over me as soon as the Access Denied flashed on the screen was indescribable. Now, I just had to wait for the cavalry to arrive. Having made contact via a failed login attempt for being out of bounds will suffice. It simply has to.
My momentary relief was shattered when the full weight of Dante's body slammed against me, throwing me off my feet. Landing with a hard thud against the impenetrable flooring, the little air I've been managing to suck in was forcefully expelled.
"You're a bitch!" He spat as he struggled to regain the upper hand. "Just like all the others!" Seething, Dante huffed as I squirmed out from under him and out of his grasp.
My survival instinct has never failed me before and it's doing its job once again. Using the chain dangling between my cuffed hands, I looped it around his neck and yanked with all my might. We'll remain in this fight to my death if need be. Dante will regret this whole obsession, along with making me wear this hideous wannabe bridal gown.
While we remained locked in a ridiculously slow tussling session, Dante kept spitting out his psychotic bullshit. It didn't help that we were both slow-moving, or at least it seemed like it to my overtaxed senses. Feeling like my throat was moments away from fully collapsing in on itself, I demanded my body to do more. Anything, really!
"We don't need marriage counseling…" I huffed in response to all the batshit cray cray blabberings from Dante. "...because we're not married and we never will be!" The raw burning in my throat probably made my declaration null and void when it came out just above a hushed whisper rather than a roaring exclamation.
Dante gained the upper hand, likely fueled purely by spite and anger, flinging me off of him as I do to food crumbs that land on my shirt. Slamming shoulder first against the floor on the opposite side from the desk, I willed myself to roll onto my back before he straddled me once more. From experience I know how heavy he is and how difficult it is to get him off of me.
This is it, Stephanie. I told myself, knowing that I've reached the end of my rope. Whatever's been holding Dante back, keeping him from acting on what I am absolutely sure is his end goal, is gone.
As he crawled towards and above me, I finally noticed that there was something tattooed on his chest. Flashes of color registered as he neared, swimming into my blurry focus just before he pinned me below his weight once again.
It was me. Well, my eyes. I found myself staring up at my eyes, in full vivid color and hyper-realistic detail.
Holy fuck.
Further understanding how unhinged he is, a hundred times more than any previous creep I've had the misfortune of crossing paths with, hit me just as a cold wave washed over me. The bitterly icy cold seeped into me, plastering the itchy dress fabric to my skin and sending me into an instant shivering fit.
Well, shit.