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Realigning Destiny
By TT

Sometimes chance intervenes in our lives and causes destiny to jump the tracks. When this happens, fate steps in and realigns destiny’s course to bring us to where we need to be. But, as with the course of true love, the road of realignment doesn’t always run smooth.

Part 47 - Endangered

It was early evening as the men sat around the table in Bob's basement. The calls had been made and all necessary approvals were being gathered in preparation for the coming dawn.

As the sun ushered in the new day, Ranger and his team would be taking care of rounding up the people at the camp and permanently removing the threat to Stephanie and her loved ones.

With Jed and Jim on the other side of the room and everyone else occupied, Bob took the opportunity to speak to Ranger. “Are you serious about erasing Campbell and DiMarco?”

Ranger just looked at him, face perfectly calm, eyes absolutely serious.

Letting out a curse, Bob took a deep breath and let it out. “I haven't done anything like that... I understand the reason, but ...”

Ranger rested a hand on Bob's shoulder. “Don't worry about it,” he soothed. “We know what we're doing.”

Bob searched Ranger's eyes for any hesitancy, but found only resolve.

Nodding, his agreement, Bob allowed a smile to tug his lips upward. “Think they know they're an endangered species?” he asked of Campbell and DiMarco.

The grin that appeared on Ranger's face was anything but pleasant or comforting. It was the grin of a predator, of a big cat in a tree as its unsuspecting prey roamed below.

Stephanie ran her hand over her hair once more in frustration. If it weren't for the fact it was pulled back into a ponytail, she probably would have pulled it all out by now. She had spent more time dealing with bureaucracy and idiocy today than she had on any other day since taking her job.

If Jed weren't tied up, she wouldn't be quite so frazzled, but with everything set to go down tomorrow, there was no way he could work on the normal, daily chaos of their jobs. Essentially, she was on her own today and would be tomorrow too. Though she wasn't happy with the arrangement, she knew it was for the best.

Finally coming out of her own thoughts and focusing on the conversation in front of her, Stephanie tried to figure out the best time to interrupt.

“And I'm saying you endangered my life!” Stanley stated in his imperturbable drawl.

“Endangered you life?” Bea shouted. “I brought you soup because you were sick!”

“And you put carrots in it,” Stanley repeated.

“OK. Stop!” commanded Stephanie. When both people were looking at her, she restated the case. “Stanley, you called me because you think Bea was trying to kill you by putting carrots in the soup.”

“Yes,” Stanley agreed.

Before he could continue with his explanation, Stephanie cut him off with another question. “Are you allergic to carrots?” she asked.

Stanley stared at her, his mouth opening and closing several times before he finally answered, “No.”

“All right, then,” Stephanie continued. “If you're not allergic to carrots, then they can't actually kill you no matter how much you don't like them. That means that Bea bringing you soup isn't attempted murder, but her being neighborly. The appropriate response is to say thank you. Then, if you don't want to eat it, throw it out when she leaves!”

Finally, she was met with silence.

When the silence continued for more than ten seconds, she couldn't help but hope it was over.

“Fine,” Stanley reluctantly agreed. “I withdraw my request you arrest her for attempted murder.”

Stephanie let out a sigh of relief and nodded. “Good. Now, Stanley, if you don't want the soup, tell Bea and she'll take it away with her.” Before she could continue, her radio chirped. Stepping away from the others, she called into the station to see what was happening now.

“There's a guy here saying he's from Homeland Security,” she was told.

Letting out a groan as her head slumped forward in defeat, she closed her eyes. It was almost past dinner time and there was no end in sight for her day. She was thankful that Mandy agreed to keep Charlie with her for a few days and was even more grateful for the offer of her friend's pull-out. Sleeping alone in the house, or even alone with Charlie in the house, just didn't sit well with her. Once it was over and everyone was caught, she would finally be able to relax.

In the mean time, her spidey sense, as she was wont to call it, was niggling at her. Though she did her best to deny it, she had the feeling something would go wrong.

“I'll be there in twenty,” she relayed back before returning her attention to the no-longer-squabbling pair before her. “Are you both all right? I need to get back to the station.”

“We'll be fine,” Bea told her.

“Go on,” Stanley encouraged.

Heading back to her car, she couldn't help but look forward to the time this was all over and, specifically, the moments when DiMarco and Campbell were neutralized and the Federal government's people would be leaving town.

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