Tagged: The OP

Ranger’s OP-focused Chapters

Chapter 99 The End?

Ranger’s POV

Human nature: Try to be mysterious when trying to be sneaky.

Never works. I learned that from Les. When Les wants to be sneaky, he attracts attention. While you’re busy watching him, his associate is screwing you over and all you remember is what Les was doing. The moment you take your eyes off Les, he gets you.

Someday, Javi will figure out that’s how Les keeps stealing his ball. He already knows how he’s going to lift it. He just needs another NYC man to provide a diversion.

If I were Knox, I would never have tried to board a plane in south Florida, but if I were going to try, I would have taken a flight from Sarasota. It’s an international airport but smaller. Instead, he’s trying to sneak out via Orlando because he expects the Disney-exhausted parents and kids will hide him. Continue reading →

I Kissed a LOT of Frogs

One Shot Prompt from Lyllyn, trish94509 and jillianpappan. Thanks!

“Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.”

Juana’s POV

“So, what do you do?”

Besides sit with losers like you trying to find something in common? “I’m a cop.”

His eyes widen. “Really?” He laughs nervously. “FBI or something?”

“Yeah.”

The smile drops. “Really?”

I flash the badge. “Really.” I chew another forkful of the excellent steak he’s paying for. No need to waste food.

This is another failed date but he’s decent in bed. He’ll go on the reserve list. Continue reading →

Chapter 97: The Enemy of My Enemy

 

Halloween Night

Les’s POV

This time, I’m not using the Reyes as the bait.

Ranger, or the possibility of Ranger’s appearance, is the bait.

The Miami men in the Trenton, Atlanta, Charlotte and Miami branches did an excellent job setting the trap. Ranger is rumored to be in one of three cities. In Philly, Ranger is meeting with Tomas and Cheeky, the Philly Inca. In Miami, he’s meeting with Danilo. In Charlotte, he’s meeting with Arturo. In Atlanta, Piman is meeting with his men in a warehouse in Doraville. Ranger will show later.

Tomas agreed to stay hidden for a night. So did Piman, Arturo, Danilo and Cheeky. Ranger is hidden in Orlando.

This will be the biggest bust yet. Continue reading →

A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste

A/N: All quotes from Sun Tzu, The Art of War, unless otherwise noted.

Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust.

Les’s POV—Two weeks ago

I’m listening to everything Hec’s passing back.

Damian is a pissed man. Good.

Didn’t take me long to figure out which member of MS-13 was the set captain. Damian is trying to make a name for himself. He was a rising member in Oakland, a tough area to make your bones, and he’s garnered attention inside and outside the organization. Our former Mexican Mafia members worked their contacts to get me a name.

I might have to buy Emilio a drink. He’s at RMSA, in research, and he kept at it until he got the name.

I’ve been watching Damian for a month and I’m impressed. Piman’s not.

“He’s striking at my men. They want to strike back.” Piman’s staring at me, cold. “I don’t believe in collateral damage, Les. This shit’s pissing me off.”

I nod. I know. He’s ready to blow some shit up and protect his men but not yet. They have to accept this with patience.

A week later, Piman acknowledges that waiting was the right method to use. They made a mistake. The FBI followed them and arrested 106 in a raid.

I fought not to allow the grin. I knew they would.

Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.

Johanssen and I are now friends. These next strikes, in Charlotte and Miami simultaneously, will cement Marsden.

I’m rolling up the carpet now. Time to bring this op to a close. 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 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 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 →

Chapter 81.5 We Woo, Part III

Diego’s POV—Wednesday

Plum worship is in effect in Miami.

Miami leadership loves her. Thomas and I haven’t had to buy flowers for the CO yet. Mario came in on Saturday with a special bouquet. He said it was just in case she was still traumatized from her kidnapping but he blushed slightly. That’s Mario’s tell. I asked what they were really for. He admitted he’s talked to the rest of the men around the company. He found out she loves flowers, doughnuts, dancing, and naps. Since dancing was a bust, he brought flowers.

Deuce brought in half a dozen doughnuts. He and Mario talked to Marcus and found out that she had been converted to Krispy Kreme. He stalked a KK for 45 minutes that morning, waiting to get her a hot, fresh half dozen, but since he had no intentions of getting his ass beat by Hal, he gave those to Maria to give to the CO as appropriate. I went back to my office and laughed my ass off.

That explains the glaze in the corners of Steph’s mouth and her obvious happiness during what I expected to be a tense and unhappy meeting. Continue reading →

Chapter 79.5 Information from the strangest places

A/N: This was a one-shot request, but I’d planned for this in the story also. So, thank you to Roscommon for the prompt! It made writing this chapter much easier.

Ram’s POV—Monday Afternoon

Another day, another schedule. I wonder if Hector has a program to do this automatically. Again, staffing is tight. Hal planned to hire an entire class of RangeMan recruits today, but Junior and I will do it later this week.

This op has to end soon. As soon as we get our men back, they leave again. I understand Hal’s frustration now. We have the crown. We have to keep the crown and not having our leadership here is killing us. Continue reading →