Thanks for the awesome support with this story and especially with the previous chappie (despite the long hiatus).

We left off with a lot of stuff happening. Ranger and Ben were shot, meanwhile Stephanie was taken. As a thanks for the support on this story, I got this chappie finished sooner rather than later (it's also a long chapter compared to the others).

Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE. The rusty writing and mistakes are mine. This chap is a bit heavier on the cussing. Some characters have a pottier mouth under the circumstances.

History- Part 2

Lester's POV

Ranger's surgery was going to be a long and difficult one. From the small update I got from Bobby before they took Ranger to the OR, it didn't look good. I noticed yesterday that my cousin had lost a lot of muscle mass in his time away. If the bruises I saw scattered all over his torso last night are any indication of the horrors he's been through lately, then I'd bet all my possessions that Ranger's body has countless injuries in different states of healing. On top of it all, he lost a lot of blood and… I swallowed hard and shook my head forcefully. Don't think like that, I told myself. Ranger's a fighter. He can beat this. He has to.

By this point the waiting room was a wall of black as we all waited impatiently for an update. Scratch that. We're all waiting for good news. It would really suck for our Rangeman to croak after just returning home. It'd suck big time.

"Any news on Stephanie?" Tank's question pulled me from my thoughts as I looked up to find he'd finally made it back to Trenton. Tank and Vince were after a skip in Newark and they were just in the process of apprehending the douchebag when Beautiful's 9-1-1 alert was issued. He met my eyes and it was obvious he was thinking the same thing I was: that Ranger's a fighter and he's gonna pull through. Ranger has to.

"Uhm, Bobby requested Dr. Robertson so Ben could go be with her in the ER." Now that I think about it, we should have heard about her status by now. She wasn't shot, because Ranger's body shielded hers. Her right wrist was definitely broken, that much I knew, but aside from that no one's told us anything else. The staff didn't want a wall of black inside the ER, so we decided to free up Ben so he could be by her side and keep an eye on her. Well, I decided. This is Ben's turf after all. "You know what? That was a while ago. I'm gonna ask and I'll get back to you." I told Tank, moving with purpose towards the Emergency department. Fuck this wait. I'm going in. Maybe they'll allow me to go back there and stay with her until she's discharged. There's nothing I can do to help Ranger right now, but this… this I can do. Being by Beautiful's side… that I can do.

I had to stop and charm a nurse next to the ER sing-in area in order to get the info and in I needed. Of course my charm did the trick and I was guided back to the bed where Stephanie was supposed to be awaiting her discharge papers.

I was walking behind the petite cutie in front of me as we neared our destination when the distinctive sound of a gunshot reached my ears. Well, it reached everyone's ears, taking into account the various gasps and yelps that filled the space. A second gunshot sounded and the room went into chaos. Staff and patients alike were taken aback.

My instincts and training told me this was no coincidence.

"Which bed?" I asked hurriedly. The nurse was wide eyed and about to check out, if I'm not mistaken. "Which bed?" I had to snap my fingers in front of her, as well as give her a little shake to snap her out of the trance she was in. Time is valuable.

"Uhm, uh…"

"Which one?" I repeated, fighting to keep my voice from wavering. How could I be so stupid?!

"Uh…" She was shocked, speechless. Great. "Bed." Maybe not be so in shock after all, because she pointed ahead of us to the last space, right next to the hall.

My blood ran cold when we reached the site, pulled the curtain back and found the bed empty. Fuck!

I stood in the hall, trying to figure out the next move. Time was ticking. There's no room for error. We can't afford more fuck ups. Damn it!

"What's to the right?" I asked the nurse, who was surprisingly still standing behind me.

"Radiology." She whispered softly.

"And the left?" I inquired, feeling my gut clench. This is bad. Very bad.

"Uhm, it's under construction." The moment the reply left her lips I darted to the left.

"Get help. There's a gunman inside the hospital and you have a patient missing. Lockdown! Go!" I shouted behind me to get her to snap out of it. If the sound of running footsteps as she retreated deeper into the ER was any indication, then she'll do exactly what I instructed her to do.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." I said under my breath as I hurried, navigating the eerily empty space and hoping that I wasn't too late.

I wasn't expecting what I found and that's saying a lot. Ben was at the end of the L shaped hall, blood soaking his scrub top starting at chest level. He was struggling as he leaned up against the wall. The man didn't look good. Thanks to the smear on the wall next to him, it looks like he hasn't had much success trying to help or get help.

"Ben!" I shouted as I reached his side. We got off on the wrong foot, but it wasn't personal. None of us really liked some random dude making a move on Beautiful. In this moment, however, our rocky past wasn't important. "Where's Stephanie?" He really did look in bad shape and I prayed, yes prayed, he could give me the info I needed for Beautiful's sake.

"T-t-….ta-ta…ta-ken." He cocked his head behind him, using up the last of his energy. As I watched him slide down to the floor unconscious, I felt torn. Stay to help him or go after Stephanie?

"Requesting back up. East of the ER. Back area undergoing renovations. Dr. Winchell has been shot and Stephanie has been taken!" I spit out in rapid fire over my line of communication with the other Rangemen.

I put purpose to my steps as I thundered down the next portion of the hall, cataloging the scene without breaking stride. Halfway through I found evidence of a struggle. There was a smear of blood on the wall and on the floor right below. That had to be Stephanie's. The shell casings on the floor didn't look like your run of the mill ones. Cal and Ram had been first on scene for Stephanie's 911 alert. Both made sure to note the casings were not your average wannabe criminal type either.

I ran faster as realization dawned on me. This wasn't an ordinary crazy psycho after Stephanie. This was a mercenary.

Possible extraction point was the back of the hospital, through where construction crew most likely came in and out. Blood droplets led the way to a side door that was unalarmed. Shit. The blood trail ended on the asphalt about a 100 feet from the exit. There were no cars in sight back here. Damn it!

The deserted back section of the hospital felt like a blow to the gut. We were too late. I was too late. We let you down, Beautiful. FUCK!

I dialed the control room, where I knew he'd be. "Hector!" I urged him to use his skills to get access to the hospital's cameras. I gave him a specific section of the hospital to focus his search. Operation Find Stephanie has just launched.

S&R

Stephanie's POV

I came to all at once. A splitting headache and a powerful bout of nausea fought to take first place for being my wakey, wakey alarm. I kept my eyes closed as I tried to catalogue my situation. Despite lying on my back, I wasn't comfortable. My hands were tied behind my back, so being on top of my arms was obviously not conducive to a comfortable rest. Remaining silent despite the constant jostle of the vehicle was not an easy task either.

Vehicle?! Oh shit!

In a matter of seconds, everything came rushing to the forefront of my mind. The realization of my current predicament was not helping my current physical ailments at all. Judging by the constant juggling, we were on a rough, unpaved road. With that bit of knowledge, I couldn't help but remember Hunter's advice: You have to fight. Never let yourself be taken or put into a car. You have to fight back!

I'm so fucked. Not only was I taken, but we're probably quite a ways from St. Francis by now. The probability of being found or freed are pretty slim to none at this point. My chances of getting out of this are pretty much zero alright. I've been kidnapped, again, and currently in the process of being moved to a secondary location. Taken without a trace or clue left behind. Not good.

The car stopped moving and I braced myself for what's next. A door slid open to my left, causing my eyes to finally fly open when large hands grabbed my shoulders. With a forceful tug, I felt myself being tossed out of the panel van. I landed on the dirt with a groan. At least I'm not dead, I thought. The body can't hurt this much if you're dead. Right?!

Looking around as best as I could. I realized we were in the barrens. There's no mistaking the pines. Ugh!

Silver blond hair guy had pulled up to a small shack-like ruin. From the looks of it, that ruin's been here a long time and we're probably way, way deep in the Pinelands. He motioned for me to get up, but seeing as how the floor was kinda shaking and spinning all around me, I couldn't. Silver didn't like me not following orders, so he took action. He grabbed my legs and dragged me the short distance to the door. He shoved me inside the ruin, causing me to tumble forcefully on the dirt floor. Oww.

It took me some time to focus my senses, fighting hard to tame the nausea and dizziness. As I struggled to sit up, my hands still zip-tied behind me back, I lost the battle. Unable to stand, I had to resort to heaving and emptying my insides on the dirt next to me. This is so not good. And gross.

After, as my eyes struggled to focus, as well as trying to taper down the raging headache, I saw movement from the corner of my eye. Despite how dark the small space is, I could tell I wasn't alone. There's some cracks and holes in the ceiling that allow some slivers of sunlight to fill the otherwise dark place, but even that didn't offer much added visibility. Snapping my head to the side, in the direction of the movement, I saw a figure emerge from the shadows.

It was Ranger.

"Ranger!" A wave of relief washed over me. "You're here." I whispered, watching him move closer. And I swear I heard him say 'Babe' in reply.

As excitement began to take hold, thinking that he was here to save me, a thought broke my hazy mess. How could Ranger be here if he was in surgery when I was taken? Was he really here? He could, right?

Wrong.

I realized once I catalogued his appearance closely that he wasn't here. Not really here. Instead of looking like the man I saw not 24 hours ago, the man, or thing, standing before me looked like the guy I remembered from the past. The Ranger before me was his big, strong and bulky self. And the fact that he was moving about after the various gunshots felt almost like a physical punch to my gut.

WTF.

Before I had a chance to figure out if I'd lost my mind, I heard the rustling of clothes on the opposite side of this hellish place. I turned my head and found Ben standing before me, wearing his usual scrubs. His clothes were clean and….

And I knew he wasn't real. Neither of them are real.

At least not physically real.

Oh I'm fucked alright.

S&R

Lester's POV

I hung up the phone after talking to Connie, feeling more frustrated than before I answered the call. Connie called her family, pulled some strings and found out that the mob had no info on the day's attacks. Hector's search was also a dead end. The stark gangs had no info either. No one was talking or taking ownership. And to add insult to injury no demands have been made. We have zero leads. Damn it!

The cameras weren't of much help either. The cams caught the attack on Stephanie, which only served to worry us further. She got roughed up and taken forcefully. Watching her slam against the wall and then the floor was hard enough, let alone watching her being taken unconscious and bleeding out of the building. And the crappier thing was that the man seemed to be able to keep his head angled enough to make it hard to distinguish any telling facial features. Fuck!

I didn't get much time to wallow in my dark thoughts before Tank and Bobby joined me in the hall. As I filled them in on Connie's mob update, I got distracted watching a beautiful redhead enter the ICU. She waltzed in like she owed the place, easily zeroing in on the nurse's station.

"Who's that?" I asked no one in particular. The last person I expected to see was this gorgeous redhead walking in, owning the space we were all in. With the day's events, the hospital agreed to have both Ben and Ranger close by so that their area of the ICU could be under tight Rangeman surveillance. The space is supposed to be restricted to us Range Guys offering protection and the limited medical staff on their cases. An extra stranger wasn't in the cards.

"That's Ben's ex wife." Bobby answered. Apparently he knew she was coming. What gives?

"What?" I squeaked out the inquiry. I was beyond confused. "Who called her?"

"The hospital did." Bobby sighed as he explained it was Ben's directive in the event that he could not make his own medical decisions, he wanted her to make them.

"That's just weird." I muttered as the woman was instructed to talk to us. She turned her vibrant green eyes in our direction as she squared her shoulders to head our way.

This is a mess indeed.

S&R

Mary Lou's POV

"Wait, Steph, have you been getting threats?" I asked. When Stephanie shook her head in the negative, I prompted her to continue. "Well, then? Why do you need a bodyguard?" I was very confused.

"I've had this, this feeling lately." Stephanie's usually vibrant blue eyes seemed to have lost their spark. "I don't know how to explain it. It's just this feeling I have." She shrugged. "I just want to be safe, you know?"

After what happened today, I couldn't stop replaying a certain conversation I had with my BFF a while back. When Hunter showed up at my house, wearing blue scrubs instead of his usual T-shirt and jeans combo, I knew something was wrong.

Stephanie has felt like something bad would happen. It was a feeling she's had for quite some time now. Because of this feeling Stephanie decided to put certain things in order. She got herself a bodyguard, set up a will and essentially told me after the fact that if something were to happen to her, then I'd be the one to care for her baby girl. 'You've always wanted a little girl', she'd said with a small chuckle to break such a heavy subject.

Mia's open hand tap on my knee and her 'maa' squeal snapped me from my thoughts.

"Hey, baby girl." I said, picking Mia up and wrapping her tightly in my arms before she squirmed out of my hold.

When Hunter came to my home, I didn't hesitate to tag along. I packed up some stuff, called Lenny to explain the situation and coordinate for him to pick up the boys from school so he could bring them to Steph's place. Being a Friday, the kids were stoked to be out of school a bit earlier and starting their weekend right by hanging out at honorary Aunt Steph's place. Planning ahead, I brought the inflatable mattresses and tents we normally use while camping. The boys were currently playing video games with Lenny, having a good time while being oblivious to the real reason why we were here.

Although my boys had no idea what's going on, little Mia sure seems to. I heard Stephanie call it her Spidey Sense as she rubbed the back of her neck once. Mia seems to have inherited that trait. She walked the whole apartment looking for her mama and it broke my heart to see her little scrunched up face when she came up empty. "Come here." I wrapped my arms around the tiny bundle of joy and passed a hand across her back as my eyes met Hunter's over his laptop. I could tell Hunter felt responsible for Steph being taken. He should have ignored her order and used his better judgement, is what he's probably thinking. But then again, Steph's someone hard to say no to.

My eyes flickered to the clock on the wall, realizing night had fallen. With every minute that passes our worry grows.

Steph, we need you back. Please come back.

S&R

Stephanie's POV

I started laughing uncontrollably when I understood I was all on my own.

Help isn't coming.

No one knows where I am. I've got no trackers on me. No phone and I was moved to at least a secondary location no one knows about. I've also been gone for who knows how long. Hours maybe?

This time your luck has really run out, Plum.

Help isn't coming.

He isn't coming.

My laughing continued, echoing in the silent night, and I was unable to stop. "I've lost it!" I said to myself between laughs, my volume increasing. My mind finally broke and I've gone crazy. 100% certifiable!

Yeah, that had to be it. My sanity has finally broken.

Because the alternative was that I was currently staring at two ghosts. Going crazy sounded more plausible. More realistic for sure.

"What is funny?" Silver blond hair guy burst into my lovely abode flashing a beam of light in my face, obviously confused as to why I was laughing my ass off at the top of my lungs.

I continued to laugh, unable to stop. What can I say? Inappropriate is currently my middle name. I couldn't stop, snorting in his face when I tried to make the laughter end.

He grabbed my left arm, yanking me to my feet forcefully. As I stood, well as I was brought to my feet, I noticed two things even as my 'ha ha ha ha ha!' continued in increasingly exponential volume. The first thing I noticed was that he left the door open. The second was that somehow my hands were no longer zip-tied behind my back. Guess my possible descent to craziness land, instead of denial land for a change, has granted me a little brute strength that's been so far pretty much untapped.

Untapped? Ha ha ha ha ha!

Silver blond hair guy's face scrunched up, making him look a bit scarier with the patches of shadow obscuring half of his face.

"Stephanie! Go! Get out of here!" I heard a male voice practically shout the command in my ear. But I was physically alone with Silver dude here. So how was that possible? Hmm... "Run! Run!" I heard the voice again and realized it sounded eerily like Hunter's.

But it couldn't be Hunter's because he was back in Trenton guarding Mia.

"What are you doing?! Go! Get out of here, Stephanie! Run!" It was dizzying to hear it so loud and clear despite my still uncontrollable laughter and killer headache. Shit, I really have gone crazy.

Go! Run! Get out of here!

Run, run, run...

"Argh!" Silver blond hair guy cried in agony as he fell to his knees before me. Poor schmuck left his nuts wide open for my lethal knee to tag him. Amateur.

I was still laughing crazily and uncontrollably as my left hand formed a fist and came down, landing a blow to his right eye. Pain now seared two places for Silver thanks to the diamond ring. Thank you, Ben! I winked at the corner his ghost or whatever it is was currently standing in.

And just for good measure I kicked Silver in the balls to make sure he stayed down long enough for me to get a head start. By the sounds of his agony, he's not going to be able to walk normally, much less run, in the next several minutes. Would it be too much to ask for him not moving at all for the rest of the night? Yeah, too much to ask for probably. Sigh.

"You coming?" I whispered to my apparitions in between chuckles. Without looking back, I did as that disembodied voice that sounded hauntingly like Hunter's told me to do: I ran.

Night had fallen, covering the forest in vast darkness, but that didn't stop me. If I didn't stop to think about how creepy and dangerous the Pinelands are, I'd have a more realistic shot at freedom.

I kept moving one foot in front of the other even though I couldn't see anything ahead.

My laughter finally broke, only to be replaced by my laboured breathing. It was hard to tell how much time passed before my laughter finally subsided.

Branches hit my face and arms, cutting and scratching any exposed skin as I struggled to keep moving forward. I bounced off sturdy tree trunks every now and then, which made it harder for me to keep track of where I was going. I had no idea if I'd been running straight or if I'd messed up and turned myself around. What if I run in a circle and end up back where I started? Fuck.

Nope. That can't happen. You got this. I pumped myself up mentally. I snickered. Maybe the laughing fit won't really, fully subside.

You got this, Stephanie.

Help isn't coming.

I am the help.

I couldn't hear any signs of footsteps following me, but it wasn't necessarily a comforting awareness. My head was pounding, my whole body, especially my legs, hurt as I pushed myself past the limit.

The burning in my lungs had me wheezing like never before in my life. Undeterred, I continued. I had no idea how far or how long I'd been running and somehow it didn't matter. I had to keep moving. No stopping.

What felt like hours later, yet could have realistically been seconds later, my left foot planted firmly in what felt like something squishy and slippery. Mud? I didn't have more than a split second to think about that when my right foot moved forward. What I found with this foot was not muddy terrain. Nope! All I found was air.

Oh shit! Was all I could think as I fell, my already battered body tumbling into the dark abyss below.