Chapter 76: The Consequences of My Actions

Danny’s POV

I have a head full of dust and a headache. I also have an intense desire to body slam this RangeMan.

“Perhaps if you told me what you were looking for, sir, I might be able to help you find it.” Jason, in charge of the gym and garage. Usually the man in charge of those areas also has charge of the building. I know he’s curious but I’m doing an assessment. He’s been following me around all morning and I’ve asked him, politely, to leave. He hasn’t. My instinct is to tell him to go away, rudely.

“Go away. Now.“

He looks shocked, then angry, before he turns on his heel and marches off. Thank god. Peace and quiet at last. Continue reading →

Chapter 75: Boston

A/N: I would like to thank Roscommon for her outstanding work helping me negotiate the Boston ahcent (LOL) and pointing out local jokes, insider info, and things for Steph to do. The Boston chapters would be very boring without her. Thank you Roscommon!

Jorge’s POV

I asked for hot doughnuts and Krispy Kreme delivered. Now, I know everyone isn’t a fan of Krispy Kreme and I get it. Everyone’s had a bad one but when you have a fresh one, right from the oven, soft, sweet, fragrant with the yeasty goodness . . . sorry, but nothing beats a hot fresh Krispy Kreme.

And judging by the look on Stephanie’s face, she agrees. The moans are starting to get to me. I gotta get somewhere and adjust before I embarrass myself.

“Oh my god,” she moans, with a look of pained ecstasy on her face. People are watching and I’m smiling. We’re in the lobby of Penn Station, waiting for the train to arrive, and Steph’s working through the last one. I had three and she had three. “Where have these been all my life?” she asks, licking her fingers. Continue reading →

Observation

A/N: One-Shot Prompts from Yllyn and molly9429. Thanks!

‘If you make listening and observation your occupation,
you will gain much more than you can by talk.’

Ram’s POV

Steady.

Steady hands, soldier.

I check the scope. Windage. Barometric pressure. Range. Check. Air temperature. Check.

Target is 1500 yards away. Chatting with other insurgents. I’ve been watching for days. They’ll leave, he’ll stay.

They leave.

I pull the trigger.

Next target. Continue reading →

Chapter 74: I Demand Respect

Steph’s POV

I pull up outside Lula’s 20 minutes later. I stopped for ice cream and Tastykakes, just in case.

“Hey, Girl! ‘Bout time you made it.” Lula is all smiles and I’m even madder at her. “What’s up?”

“We need to talk.”

Lula’s smile fades. I walk in and sit on the couch. I hold up the ice cream and she grabs two spoons and her ice cream from the kitchen. She settles on the couch and we dig in. It’s silent in the room for a few minutes before I say anything.

“We’ve been friends for a long time, Lula. We’ve been through a lot. But today, you put me in a dangerous situation and left me there.” I finally look at her and she’s shocked. She’s stopped eating ice cream to look at me.

“I knew something was wrong. I felt it and I wanted to get out of there. It took forever to convince you to leave with me and then, once I did convince you, we walked right into a problem.”

Continue reading →

Chapter 73: Fully Fledged RangeWoman

Hal’s POV—Saturday

I’m nervous.

I really want to add a few trackers to her body, but I don’t want her to run screaming from the building.

Hector’s a man possessed. Everyone in Trenton knows not to go anywhere near him right now. His eyes are glued to the iPad and the blades are on display.

Sis is thrilled to have passed standards, and she and Lula are going to celebrate. I heard rumors of ice cream and Tastykakes and I winced. I hope she doesn’t fail the next monthly health check. I’ll have to ensure her results don’t get out if she only squeaks by. I don’t want anyone to say anything about her.

Continue reading →

Chapter 72.7: We Find Common Ground

Lula’s POV— Wednesday Night

OK, I didn’t expect to come back to Trenton and find I’d been replaced by the new flavor of the month.

“Hi! I’m Candy.” She’s all bright and happy smiles. Steph and I are meeting at my apartment to help me pack up and Hal just dropped them off. Connie and ML are coming soon. I look at Steph. Is this chick serious? Steph smiles.

“Lula, this is Candy. She’s our new head of HR. Candy, this is Lula, Tank’s fiancée and my bounty hunter partner.”

Candy’s eyes widen. “Oh, nice to meet you! Are you a RangeWoman too?” Continue reading →

What’s Going ON?

A/N: Prompt: Would love to see something from the POV of the Trenton cops-Eddie, Carl or Robin in particular. More specifically at least a couple of months into Steph’s tenure as CO. We’ve gotten snippets of some of the Burg in your side stories via the Plums and Mrs. Morelli but they tend to be filtered thru those lenses.

Burg POV

Month One

Stephanie Plum has disappeared inside the RangeMan building.

Now, normally, this isn’t cause for too much concern. Eddie, the bookie, updates the odds on the Morelli v. Mañoso pot, the cops update the internal cop pot, and we wait to see how everything will shake out in a week or two.

More interesting, at the moment, is the disappearance of Morelli and Mañoso. Continue reading →

Chapter 72: Standards, Part II

Mack’s POV—Sunday afternoon

Tank is clear.

“Body slam her at least once.”

I swallow hard. Body slam the Boss Lady? Tank is stone cold sober. “I’m supposed to be defending against her hand to hand, sir.”

Tank nods. “The CO ends up in more combat situations than most of the men in this company combined. She needs to be able to prevent a body slam and she would expect it in a self-defense assessment. I want you to do it during her hand to hand. Throw her off. I trust you with this, Mack.”

Still, that’s the Boss, yo. You want me to slam a woman. Not just any woman, but one I respect deeply.

Man, I always get trusted with the shitty stuff.

Continue reading →

Chapter 71: Standards

Tank’s POV—Thursday Morning

Bobby and I are met at the airport by Hal.

“Status?”

“Normal, sir. Accounts are growing, men are happy, everything is calm.”

“CO?”

“Ready to be released. She’s been working to polish her knowledge of every skill this week.”

“Company?”

“As far as I can tell, going well. Miami is in an uproar. Diego’s fired five so far. Authority has been tightened. Boston is working to recapture their lost prestige.” Hal looks over at me. I’m driving. “My rearview is a very crowded place, sir.”

Continue reading →

Humbled, Part I

A/N: Like Lula and Tank, this started life as a one-shot, but so many of you seem to enjoy Chenae’s humbling that I decided to expand it. Also, please pay attention to how certain themes tie back to the main story.

Chenae’s POV

First sorority committee meeting of the year. I’m the president and I’m being humiliated by everyone.

“Soror Chenae, you’ll be in charge of the fundraising committee again this year, right?” Soror Christina asks, smirking. Bitch. She’s enjoying this.

“Unfortunately, Soror, I cannot. I have to concentrate on finals.”

“Nearly all of us have to concentrate on finals, Soror Chenae. It’s a tiresome fact of life in college,” she says. “You’ve done such a brilliant job the past two years. I think you can handle it another year. All in favor?”

Continue reading →