Category: CITW: Main Story

Chapter 93: The Window Slams Shut

Steph’s POV

I’m standing in line at Giovichinni’s watching everyone look at me. I hate being conspicuous, but it can’t be helped.

Hector is with me.

The entire store got quiet when we both stepped in but I nodded at Gina and got into line. No one has approached me, spoken to me or said a word. They’re just watching me.

“Nosy idiots,” Hector mutters. “You are not an exhibit.” Hector continues to mutter angry words next to me and it’s fueling my own irritation. He’s right. I’m not a side-show. Continue reading →

Chapter 92: A Door Closes

Joe’s POV

After the disaster with Torres, I’ve gotten smarter about not trusting my fellow agents, but it is hard having my only contact be Mañoso. However, I have to give him credit. He’s leading me in the right directions. His information is spot-on and it makes the job of getting these guys to talk much easier. He can tell me their likes, dislikes, vulnerabilities and obsessions and I’m not having any problems finding common ground with my suspects.

Shit, if I had Mañoso passing information to me all the time like this, I would have a 100% conviction rate.

Lately I’ve been wondering about staying at Trenton PD. On one hand, I love my hometown and I’m proud to be an officer there. Trenton needs help more than any city I know, but the opportunities for promotion stink. I checked the website; there’s a new Chief of D’s, someone named Lt. Ward. I know him. He’s from Newark and he has a good rep but he doesn’t have half the years of experience I do. My conviction rate is better and I know the area. I would have been better but I’m on this op. Continue reading →

Chapter 90: We Deliver a Sheet Set

Helen’s POV

Stephanie is coming to dinner tonight for the first time in months. I realize I haven’t seen my daughter since Tank and Robert were here to confirm she was trained to their standards. I’m actually looking forward to seeing her. Mother says that Stephanie has been quieter and more thoughtful lately.

I’m thrilled she hasn’t been hurt in months.

Knowing that she’s now trained for this job and prepared for the danger that follows her around everywhere has made my life much easier the past few months. I can walk around the Burg knowing that she’s safe and that Hector or Henry is with her. They’ll protect her but if they can’t, if something happens, Stephanie can also protect herself until help arrives. I’m proud of that. My daughter is trained for her (horribly ridiculously dangerous) job. Continue reading →

Chapter 89: Soul Searching in Advance of Goodbye

Armando’s POV

We’re already aware we failed the review. Sadly, we expected it, but Mark told me to look at this as a chance to learn more about myself. He has. He’s realized that he’s been so desperate to prove he was ready to rise to the Leadership that he’d become a piss poor leader. He and his partner barely had a relationship. His branch wasn’t trusted within RangeMan. His men were considered snoops simply because he was a snoop.

I wondered how he didn’t know all of that, but I guess Steph telling him that meant more.

He had a lot about himself to change. Apparently, Steph calls it a ‘pillowcase’ moment. He can’t pry the story behind that out of her, but he said that his relationship with her is improving. He’s repairing his relationship with Vic. His men are relearning the importance of trusting the leadership again, regardless of what they have heard or what they think, but he’s opening his leadership style up to listen to his men again instead of simply handing down orders.

Eye opening, he says. Still, he wonders if that’s what Ranger would do. Continue reading →

Chapter 88: The Calm and the Storm

Steph’s POV

I told Mando I want him to go back to Charlotte next week to concentrate on his branch. I’ll help Diego with the Miami branch and we worked last night getting a game plan together. I was thankful to have three strategists and two XOs at one branch. We needed every bit of their brilliance to brainstorm ideas, but Diego got all the strategists on a call and let them help us. I mostly took notes in Thomas’s absence.

Diego and Mando already had a file of possible employees and they pulled it the day after the Friday firings. We have 30 men that we are ready to train to be the new RangeMan Miami men, but Hal had a brilliant suggestion.

He suggested we send them all to San Antonio. Continue reading →

Chapter 87: Decisions Have Consequences

Armando’s POV

I’m ready. I have everything I need and I’m prepared.

Time to fire my major annoyances. All five of them.

I pull my documentation regarding every instance in which Antonio has irritated the shit out of me in the past six months. I pull the documentation detailing his disrespect of every housekeeper in RangeMan, and Diego brings his documentation showing every attempt to disrespect Maria since her return. He also brings additional documentation, from every time he’s written Tony up and everything that’s happened since Steph arrived. I compile all the information and hand it over to Candy, who flips through and nods. I take a moment to sit down and center myself.

I’m going to enjoy this but it’s long overdue. Continue reading →

Chapter 86 Who ARE You?

Armando’s POV

I walk back to my office in silence. Thomas motions as if he’d like to talk to me, but I shake my head and lift my fingers to my face. Phone. Talk to you later. He nods and goes to his office. I lock my office door and sit back.

I have a problem at this branch and it isn’t a disloyal RangeMan. It’s a bunch of arrogant assholes. I cringe. Hell, I’m included. Firing Antonio will be easy but it won’t solve the problem. The problem is deeper and the solution will be much harder.

Charlotte isn’t my test. This is my test. How I handle this will decide how the CO and Leadership Core deal with me. Continue reading →

Chapter 85: You aren’t sexist? Really?

Steph’s POV—Friday Morning

Conference 1 is silent. I have a thick stack of papers in front of me: the results of the branch.

“I’ve found out why we keep losing contracts.”

Each man looks at me, some hostile, mostly curious.

“I noticed a pattern when I reviewed the contracts lost. Consistently, it was women who held the final say so on hiring RangeMan. I expect they hired us because who else could provide so many handsome, buff men?” I smile and I can see a few smiles in the group. Most of the men have put their blank faces into place.

“However, when I reviewed the non-renewals or notices of termination, it was these same women who terminated our services. I was curious to find out why.”

At this point, the lights dim and the voices of our former clients came through the loudspeakers. Continue reading →

Chapter 84: You have no loyalty

This will be the ONLY time I write from either of these POVs. Now, excuse me. I need to go disinfect.

Antonio’s POV—Monday morning

I can’t believe Ranger put a bitch in charge of a black ops company but hey, that just means my next step, to XO, should be much easier. Women are much easier to manipulate than men and, if it’s true she has all this power, I can follow her orders long enough to capture the prize. Fuck Diggy. I intend to take over as XO of Miami, and I’m sure everyone has told her everything they believe to be true about me. Time for her to learn the truth.

The fact that her ass was kidnapped from right under Diggy’s nose means he’s dead in the water. Fucked up his shot to be an XO in 24 hours. I can’t wait to laugh at him. A muscle in my jaw twitches and I try not to wince in pain. Fuckin’ Mack. That asshole has been a pain in my ass since he arrived, dissin’ me ever since he said hello. I’m going to get his ass back for the concussion.

I’m next to the CO’s office, waiting for her to come back. I can’t believe I’m about to do this shit, but hey. Whatever. Her little quote on Friday was cute. The Miami men don’t have a problem with their masculinity. We simply know what a woman’s place is and we have no problems reminding them. That feminism shit’s gone too far and we know why Ranger put her in charge. Continue reading →