Chapter 30: I’m Getting Just What I Asked For
Javier’s POV
Two o’clock and everyone is on the call.
Even the uninvited.
“Mark?”
No response.
“Steph,” I reply, “Mark isn’t on this call.”
“Oh yes he is,” Steph replies. Really? Nosy fucker. “Hector has picked up his signal. Mark, I sincerely advise you to drop from this call and refrain from attempting to attend meetings and discussions to which you have not been specifically invited. Otherwise, I’m going to dispatch the company electronics man to Boston to permanently modify your ability to attend these calls.”
Said like that, it sounds as if she’s threatening his kneecaps. Or worse. How much of that EE Martin Mob mentality did she take on? I mean, since it’s Hector we’re talking about, anything goes.
Click.
Holy shit. That fucker really was trying to eavesdrop.
“Wonderful. Now that this meeting is limited to the principals, let me recap why we’re all here. RangeMan NYC has just posted its fourth straight quarter of losses. This is an untenable situation for both the branch and the company as a whole. Does anyone have a comment or a question so far?” she asks.
I remember what Danny said about stings to his pride. I just received a wallop to mine.
“Steph, this is Armando. Am I to understand that I’m losing my strategist from Miami? Because I don’t think that’s the answer to solve this. I need Diego here to help me with my branch.”
There’s a long silence before Steph asks, “Anyone else?”
“Do you intend to answer my question?” Armando asks, angrily.
“Yes, but not right now. I’d like to get all questions up front. Anyone else?” Another long silence. “Hearing none, let me continue. Upon further review, it seems the problems in NYC run deeper than a mere problem with the pipeline. After discussion with Javier and the Leadership Core, this is what I have decided to do.
Effective immediately, Diego from RangeMan Miami and Shane from RangeMan NYC will switch locations for one quarter. I’ve heard that each of you may be a better fit for the office I’m sending you to so I’m going to try it. Based on the situation in NYC, I’m also dispatching Manny from RangeMan Trenton to NYC to assist both Diego and Javier.
Furthermore, I am working with the accountants to set up a NYC differential of 30%, to help in recruiting and bring the RangeMan NYC salaries in line with the area and the rest of the company.
Finally, Javier has requested a management review of his branch. I am granting his request. RangeMan NYC will be the next location I travel to, but I won’t arrive for about a month. I need some downtime after Atlanta, and I want to give Diego and Manny a chance to get started on whatever is necessary in NYC. Shane, your performance in Miami is also under review, so don’t consider this an attempt to simply move you to a new location.”
Shane is looking at me angrily. I’m thinking we should both be very grateful. Neither of us got fired, and I didn’t receive any calls from Leadership Core overnight with threats of mat time.
Actually, now that I think about it, I got every damn thing I asked for. I repented my sins and received absolution from my new boss. My pride took a beating, but I still have a job, I’m getting not one but two strategists to my branch, pay will be increased and she’s coming for a management review.
I need to send Danny something to say ‘Thank You’. Was he a scotch or brandy man?
“Any questions?” Steph asks.
Nope. That was pretty straightforward. Steph thanks us for attending and we all hang up. I’m confronted by a very angry Shane and Liam. Sigh. I should have asked for the removal of my liaison too. Oh well, best not to press my luck. I got everything I asked for this time.
“You’re a dumbass, you know that? You realize what you’ve done, right?” Liam asks, beyond pissed.
“Yes. I leveled with my new boss. I confessed every single thing going on here. I asked her for her advice. I told her what I wanted. And I’m accepting her decision. That’s what I’ve done.”
“No, you dumbass,” Liam retorts. “What you’ve done is allowed her to set up a situation to fire you and Shane and gut this branch. As bad as the current situation is, do you really think you’ll make it out of this intact? You’re a dead man walking.”
I’m getting sick of being called a dumbass, so I raise an eyebrow. It doesn’t matter; I can’t take either one of these guys down on the mats, so that part of my leadership is null and void.
“None of the pipelines in Miami and Trenton are anywhere near ours, so they won’t know what to do with our contracts. And she’s sending two strategists. Two! That means that you’re under review more than anyone.” Shane is livid.
I’m sick of this. “You think I don’t realize that? The moment she said she was sending Manny I realized I was under review. The man is a former feeb and is said to have good instincts. He ran Trenton Apprehensions like a well-oiled machine. Steph may have taught the guys how to search, but Manny gave Danny tips on how to restructure his guys to make them efficient. Danny went from last to second in one fucking month. Manny is the strategist she trusts. I’m not surprised she’s sending him here, and if he can do that for Danny, then I’m grateful for him.”
I cut Liam off before he can say anything. “Let’s get something straight here. While you two are howling like dogs at the moon, you’re missing the bigger picture. After an entire year of losses, none of us was fired. Pay at this branch will be increased. We’re getting some of the best strategists in the company to come overhaul our office. And our new boss is coming to take a look.
Danny says that she’s good. That she’ll show us things that can really take the branch to the next level. I’m choosing to trust my fellow XO’s opinion on what I should do because every time I’ve taken Danny’s advice I’ve come out on top. So tell me, Shane, Liam, why should I choose, in this moment, to ignore my instincts and listen to the two of you?”
I turn to Shane. “Your entire life revolves around bodyguarding and you’re always chasing contracts for it. Well, we’ve never been able to offer competitive contracts for that and you haven’t had any other ideas. So take the bodyguard ideas to Miami, where bodyguards are big. Run that past Armando. Let him take it on. We’ve done an entire year of it and we’ve only sunk deeper and deeper. I’m done. I’ll listen to whatever Diego and Manny have to say.”
I’m headed to the gym. A lot of tension and worry has just been lifted from my shoulders. And to tell the truth, for the first time I’m acknowledging that I won’t miss Shane. I’m looking forward to seeing what new blood can do here. I’ll have to prove I’m still a good XO worthy of being in charge here.
I haven’t been fired but my ass is on the chopping block. Time to pull it back.
Steph’s POV
That call wasn’t so bad, but I need to take care of a recurring problem. I ask Hector to record my next call.
“Mark? Hi, this is Stephanie.”
“Yes. What do you want, Steph?”
I can see Hector getting pissed.
“Well, the first thing I want is for you to remove the stick from your ass. I am not some random person for you to constantly disrespect and I’m getting sick of it. I don’t know what your issue is, if it’s the fact that Leadership Core appointed me instead of you this time, but I’m sick of your attitude. It was the Leadership Core’s call and this is what they’ve decided. You have a problem with it, you take it up with them.”
“I did. You’re still in charge and I still don’t understand why.”
OK, now I’m getting pissed. “Well then you lost that battle so give it a rest. Instead of getting to know me and working with me you’re constantly trying to eavesdrop on me, which leads to my second point. I want you to stop patching into everyone else’s calls when you haven’t been invited. You continually eavesdrop on each branch and because of it you are the single leading cause of the secrecy and paranoia in this company. Every office is desperate to keep everything to themselves to keep you out of their branch. Let me be very clear. If you patch into another call, I will ask Leadership Core about the disciplinary actions I can take. Are we clear?”
The silence seems endless so I repeat the last question. “I’m not hanging up this phone until I get some kind of statement from you that you understand what I’ve said.”
”Yes, ma’am, CO,” he says, as if he’s having to force it out.
“Yes, what?” I’m pissed and I want him to acknowledge that I told him to butt out.
“Yes, I understand your request.”
Hector has pulled his switchblades. I’m sure he’s mentally planning a quick trip to Boston. “It’s not a request, Mark. It’s an order. Now what is it?”
Silence on the line. “You want me to stop patching into everyone’s calls.”
“Right. I want you to stop patching into calls and I want you to quit eavesdropping immediately. I mean it and I appreciate your compliance. Otherwise, Hector is headed your way to do whatever’s necessary to make you stop and I’m on the phone with Tank about disciplinary measures. And I mean that. Goodbye.” Click.
Hector is beyond pissed now, but I wave it off. I ask him to send a copy of that to all members of the Leadership Core Team. Include a note that it’s simply for information and ‘Inventive retribution is coming if he fails’. I don’t want them to do anything right now. Let’s see if Mark gets the message.
Besides, at the moment there’s a three year old who wants to go to the park.
Lester’s POV
I’m looking at the room of military men and wondering if I should reveal what I’m thinking. Hell, the juvie bit is the world’s most open secret, thanks to Scrog. Tank’s given me leave to reveal his past. I have all the men we pulled from around the company in the room with me. Time we give these boys a little reality check.
“So, you men are having trouble working alongside ex-gang bangers and ex-cons, right?” The room nods. “So how do you plan to work alongside the CO and Chief XO?”
“The hot chick?”
My resident class clown. Sigh. The recruits laugh. He and I will be back on the mats again this evening, and this time I intend that he won’t find it easy to walk when I’m done. Since this is strike three, he’s out. I don’t break blank face and the laughs taper off. None of the RangeMen are laughing, especially those from Trenton. Chester Deuce looks a bit murderous. The recruits realize I’m serious.
“Sir, do you mean Captain Mañoso, sir?” one young recruit asks.
Jesus, are they signing children these days? This kid can’t even shave!
“Captain Ricardo Mañoso, US Army Ranger, Special Ops veteran, Black ops commander. Did time in Juvie from age 14 to nearly 16. He was a very talented car thief for someone who could barely reach the pedals. Has some other things in his past I cannot and will not discuss.”
I pause for a moment and let that sink in. The recruits look shocked.
“How about Staff Sgt. Tank LaPierre? Also US Army Ranger, Special Ops veteran, Black ops commander. Former member of the Crips. Did time in juvie at age 15. He doesn’t discuss why, but apparently juvie in Louisiana is a bitch.” I know why, but it’s none of their fucking business.
The room is silent. All the men are stunned. Two of the four members of Leadership are ex-cons. Well, as much as a juvie can be an ex-con. They know at least one of the Leadership is an ex-gang banger.
Bobby and I are the clean ones.
“Now do you soldiers understand why RangeMan has always hired ex-gang members and ex-cons? The affiliations of your past do not matter here. We understand and acknowledge that youth is meant for making dumb mistakes, for doing shit you later regret deeply. 1 Corinthians 13:11 ‘When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things’.”
I pause and take a look around the room. This is one of the few biblical scriptures that means anything to me and I like to give it due deference.
“When we hire men of non-military backgrounds we choose the men who have put away the childish things of their past and want brighter futures. We don’t hire randomly; that’s why the selection process to be a RangeMan is so difficult. All current RangeMen who are ex-gang bangers, please take one step forward.”
A quarter of the room steps forward and the recruits are stunned. They didn’t expect to see that many move.
“All current RangeMen who have done time, whether juvie or adult, please take a step forward.”
Again, a quarter of the room moves, including some who moved previously.
“Look around, recruits. This is the background of the men you’ve been working with for over a month, and until this moment, you never even knew. When I became a man, I put away childish things. Keep that Scripture in mind.”
I dismiss the company and walk to my temporary office. There’s a message on my phone and Tank and Bobby are in my office looking furious. Actually they look as if they’re past furious.
“Have you listened to it?” Tank asks.
“What?” I’m confused.
Bobby already has his voicemail open and I listen as Mark takes it a step too far. He’s fired. I hope Hector leaves me something to play with.
Just as I open my mouth to answer, my phone rings. Oh shit. He must be livid. “Primo.”
“He’s mine.” Click.
He better be. 10-4.
Ranger’s POV
Unluckily for Mark, I’m in Boston, following up on leads. Massachusetts just had a massacre of their Gangs Task Force a month ago, so I’m here trying to learn everything I can. It’s not looking good.
The chatter in the networks says that all targets are sitting pretty, feeling confident that the rumors of a takedown were false. So the counterintel op is working. Morelli moved to Delaware on Monday and he’s already established contact with his marks. He spent his last week learning slang and trash talking with the men. He also met physical requirements. He was ready to go but I’m glad I held him back and prepped the way. He’s already pulling great info over his wire due to his ability to work the streets in Spanish. I need to remind Tank to reward the men who worked to get him prepped so fast.
When I first listened to the tape, I assumed it was some sort of bad joke. I texted Hector, who said that if I didn’t break Mark’s kneecaps, he would leave him wishing I had. I realized that what I heard was correct and I had to wait 15 minutes to let the anger subside. I’m stuck between wanting to handle it now and wanting to see what Babe’ll do. Hector said he’s not sure what her method for dealing with it will be but she does want to handle it.
Understood, but I think Mark needs to fully understand his current predicament.
I cut the video feed and walk in. Keith is manning the desk. He leaps to attention.
“Don’t announce me.”
He nods and sits back down. He knows that the cameras won’t be restored until I reach wherever it is I’m going.
I take the stairs to the 5th floor, walk in and motion for every RangeMan who sees me to sit back down.
“None of you see me. Don’t announce me to management, but send Mark to his office. Pass the word along.”
I walk into Mark’s office and take a seat in his chair. I’m wondering if he’ll survive this year with Steph in charge.
I hear him yelling at the men to get the cameras restored. Jason replies that they can’t and he should check his office. Good man.
Mark enters in a fury until he spots me. I’m sitting comfortably, fingers pitched, blank face in place. I move to restore the cameras and motion for him to come in.
“Lock the door.”
Mark locks the door and sits opposite, blank face in place, but I can see signs of apprehension. Good. You should be very scared.
I remove the phone from my pocket and play the recording. Mark blanches. I resume position and let the silence settle back into the room.
“This is the first contact I’ve received from her since I left. The first and it involves you.”
I can see he’s trying to decide how he wants to address what I’ve said.
“My instructions to you were very clear. Answer her truthfully. Assist her. Carry out her decisions. As a senior XO, it’s what I expect from you and I shouldn’t even have to articulate it. How does the constant undermining, eavesdropping, and disrespect help her?” I ask.
“She doesn’t allow assistance, Ranger! I’m trying to get a handle on what she’s doing, but she’s more secretive than anyone else. I—“
I wave to cut him off. “Has she asked you for anything, aside from what I hear on this tape?”
“No,” he replies, sullenly.
“Do you provide an opinion or suggestion when asked?”
I can see him clench his teeth. So he has been asked. This should be interesting. “No.” Disappointing.
“Has she given you any orders to carry out?”
“No.”
I let the silence fill the office again before I continue. “Like Leadership Core, she is not required to explain to you what she’s doing. Sounds to me like what she has asked of you, you fail to provide and yet you still see fit to undermine her. Explain.”
Silence.
“Let me make your situation perfectly clear, Mark. She’s permanent and she’s your boss. She has my full authority. You are making her job difficult. From the moment she took over, you and every other XO in this company have been under review. Furthermore, Leadership decided that any XO who gave her a hard time was going to be on thin ice with us.”
I let that statement linger in the air. I lean forward and pin Mark with my most lethal gaze.
“Hear that sound?”
Mark leans forward and listens. “No, sir. What sound?”
“The sound of the ice under you cracking,” I hiss.
He pales further. I sit back and look at Mark coldly. This is the last warning I’ll ever give him. I maintain my decision. If she fires him, it’s a done deal. Since he has given her trouble, in my mind, he’s fired. I’m only holding off because she asked us to. At the end of the year, the only thing that will keep us from breaking him into pieces is if Steph pleads for his ass.
“The next time I get a message like that will be the last time. They’ll need to sift to find your body. Assuming I get to you first. Her partner is ready to carve you into some very interesting pieces right now. So is Lester.” Mark drops the blank face entirely. He looks terrified, as well he should. “Understood?”
He nods, frightened. I have nothing more to say, so I leave. Patrick and Rodney are standing outside the door as guards, but I know that it’s also to hear what was being said.
“How much did you hear?”
They look at each other. “All of it, sir,” Rodney replies, nervously. He and Pat look shaky.
I nod. “Same applies.” I hit the stairwell and leave.
Mark’s POV
I remain in the chair until my knees stop shaking. That’s the first time Ranger has ever come in off assignment and it’s to verbally hand me my ass.
I can’t believe it. The SMACK recorded the phone call and sent it to all of Leadership, including Ranger. If Ranger was mad enough to actually come in, then I know that Lester, Tank and Bobby are in Texas furious with me. Lester’s probably sharpening his blades. I hope to god Hector never . . . no, Hector is her partner and Ranger was clear that he knows. I wipe away the tears.
I move to the drinks cabinet and pull my brandy. I need a hit after that meeting. I can feel more tears in my eyes. Ranger couldn’t have hurt me more if he had thrashed me on the mats.
I’m sorry, but I maintain what I said earlier. She’s unqualified. She’s basically having to learn the job on the job. I know that Leadership Core believes in her, but I have yet to see any reasons why. She spends more time asking us what we think than telling us what to do.
Patrick and Rodney walk in and shut the door quietly. Patrick pours two more glasses of brandy and we all sit around and look at each other. They look as shaky as I feel.
“Look Mark, I agree that she doesn’t have any experience and she’s unqualified, but she said herself that her promotion to CO was the call of Leadership,” Patrick says quietly. “Let’s put what we know about her on the table, alright? What do we know about her? First and foremost, she’s trusted by them.”
“She’s a disaster as a BEA,” I reply.
“But she has a 100% capture rate. She might not be the cleanest or most low-profile, but a 100% capture rate negates the word disaster. So, let’s just admit it, she’s a competent BEA.”
I know intellectually the logic makes sense but I can’t accept it.
“Alright, next thing we know. We know she’s won over the Atlanta office.”
I look up sharply. Rodney is nodding.
“It’s true. Adam told me that the Atlanta office loves her. What little I can get out of him is that they feel the review is going well and whatever it is that she’s recommended is positive for them. Plus, they’ve plugged all leaks.”
That’s true. Sam refuses to speak to me anymore.
Rodney continues. “That alone signifies that either Danny is fully in control of his office with her support or they’ve decided that telling us nothing is the best way to see us fail review.”
I nod, miserable. I can’t get anyone close to her to give me anything to prove she’s a failure as CO so far, and I can’t find out what her standards are in these ‘reviews’.
“So she has Trenton and Atlanta. Danny’s Bonds Enforcement group has leapfrogged from last to second behind Trenton. So, I think it’s safe to say that their bonuses are guaranteed for the first time in about three years. They won’t have anything to say against her. If Danny has the rest of his financial problems straight then he’ll come out of this like a champ,” Patrick says.
We consider this. If all that is true, Atlanta could possibly become the second most profitable branch in the company behind mine. Hell, Danny could possibly tie or surpass me since he can make money hand over fist with Bonds Enforcement. His Bonds Enforcement department is three times the size of mine.
Rodney refills his glass. “Let’s move to NYC. By the way, no need to eavesdrop on the call. Liam and Shane were so furious it was easy to get what happened from them. Evidently, she’s won over Javier. He asked for Shane’s removal to Miami, increased pay, and a management review and he got every fucking thing he asked for. He’s thrilled. After an entire year of fucking up, he got everything he wanted, plus Manny from Trenton and Diego from Miami and he didn’t get fired.”
I’m in shock. Is she stupid? I would’ve fired Javier and Shane. You can’t fuck up for that long and be an effective leader. Javier is weak and Shane is stupid. She gave Javier everything he wanted. That makes absolutely no sense.
Finally, some proof she’s a disaster as CO. I make a mental note to find out everything I can about what’s going on in NYC. I’ll be able to make the case from that.
“Mark, I can read your face and I know you can’t wait to dig into everything going on in NYC, but let me make a suggestion for your best interest, my man,” Patrick says, looking at me closely. “Stay out of it. Seriously. Don’t poke your nose in. Let me and Rodney do the digging.” Rodney is nodding vigorously.
“You’re on notice of being fired so you can’t afford to make any mistakes,” Patrick continues. “Start making public gestures of contrition. Participate in the XO calls with the CO. Refrain from giving advice to the other XOs. Back off hitting up your contacts all the time trying to find out what she’s doing. In short, pull your ass back from being fired.”
Rodney nods. “If Ranger was angry enough to come see you personally, you know the rest of Leadership Core is ready to kill you. And we don’t need visits from Hector here.” He shudders. “If even half his rep is true, then I’ll be content to live my whole life without meeting him.”
We all take a slug of brandy and nod. Hector is scary. End of story.
Rodney continues. “Ranger put me and Patrick on notice that we’re on the ice with you. So you have the ability to take us down right along with you. I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of another company where I can do this kind of work and make six figures and love my job.” He pins me with a fierce stare. “So I refuse to get fired. If you want to make the case she’s incompetent, even after it’s become clear that she’s permanent, fine, but I’m not getting fired. I’ll help get you what you want but leave me out of it.” Patrick nods in agreement.
I nod. I understand his dilemma. Rodney is on his second marriage, has six kids total and can’t afford to be without his job. He has child support to pay. Patrick is a newlywed with a new baby. None of my leadership can afford to be unemployed.
I’ll participate in her bullshit calls. I’ll leave the other offices alone. I’ll give my sources a break. My men are making it clear they’ll help me, but if I intend to bring down the SMACK, I’m on my own. I understand and am grateful. 10-4.
