Chapter 4

"No problem Jack a late supper sounds even nicer. All right I'll see you tonight." Sydney looked at her partner as she hung up her phone.

"What was that all about?" Gage asked her.

"My dinner date just got switched until after work instead of before," she replied a frown knitting her brow.

"Did he indicate why?" he asked concern in his voice.

"Pretty vague just something came up," she told him coming to stand in front of him. He reached up and pulled her down on the couch with him cuddling her beside him.

"I don't like this Syd," Gage told her brushing his fingers on her cheek.

"Hmm you liked it well enough last night," she teased.

Smiling down at her he gave her a gentle poke. "That isn't what I meant and you know it."

"Gage you are going to be backing me up," she smiled sliding up bringing her lips to his. "And I trust you implicitly."

"Do you now?" he asked as she shook her head yes pushing him sideways and falling on top of him. He let his hands rub up and down her back as she laid her head on his chest whispering yes to him.

"All kidding aside," he started again, "I want you to be careful. Something just doesn't feel right about the whole thing. I felt that way when he first called asking you out and the feeling is twice as strong now."

"There isn't a little jealousy going on here?" Syd questioned her partner an impish grin had come across her face as she let her chin come to rest on his chest and looked into his eyes.

"Not in the least Ranger Cooke cause I happen to know Swanson is just not your type," Gage proclaimed.

"And how would you know that?"

"Because he is not one bit like me," Gage informed her. It was his turn to be grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh you," she retaliated giving him a jab in the side as his arms tightened around her.

"What?" he questioned as she struggled against him.

"You," she tried her best to sound angry still fighting with him until suddenly they both landed on the floor in fits of laughter. Their eyes caught each others, a moment later Gage's lips were on Syd's kissing her deeply, his hand caressing and holding her face.

"Gage nothing is going to happen to me. I'll be careful."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

~~~~~

"I don't like the sounds of this either Gage," Walker had told him when he had called to report the latest development. "Keep close watch on your partner don't let her out of your sight."

"I don't plan on it," he had assured him before hanging up the phone.

The conversation replayed itself in his head as he watched Swanson lean down and whisper a compliment to Syd on how beautiful she looked tonight. She smiled back telling him, "Thanks."

"I'm going to try and cut the game short tonight so we can get out of here after midnight," he was telling her.

"But my shift doesn't end until one Jack," she replied.

Reaching down and taking her hand he brought it to his lips. "When you are with the boss it ends when I say," he smiled and she did too.

Gage held his emotions in check as he watched the scene unfold before him. Swanson smiled at her and moved off just as Walker and Trivette came in the entranceway.

Walker was dressed modestly in suit and tie Trivette on the other hand had put quite the get up together. He wore a cowboy shirt with a pattern embroidered across the shoulders both back and front, buttoned to the neck. He completed it with a bola tie that was held together by a huge ornate clip depicting a cowboy riding a bucking bronco that matched the belt buckle he wore. The outfit was completed with cowboy boots and black cowboy hat.

Chuckling to himself Gage was wondering how Sydney was keeping a straight face.

"Rick Mr. Majors needs to see you a minute in his office," Jimmy had come up behind Gage and was delivering the message to him.

"Right now?" Gage asked.

"He said as soon as I saw you so I guess that means now," Jimmy replied falling in step behind Gage as he headed for the office.

He knocked on the door to hear Majors call out, "Who is it?"

"Me Rick you wanted to see me," Gage answered.

"Yeah Rick come on in," came Majors' voice from the other side of the door. As Gage began to open the door to walk in Jimmy stepped up behind him grabbing his arms pinning them behind him and shoving him into the room where Majors stood to drive his fist home into his stomach. Gage slumped forward at the initial hit while Jimmy pulled him back for Majors to deliver three or four more punches before dropping him to the floor in a heap.

"So Ricky," Majors began, "if that is what your name really is where did you say that you knew Ranger Cooke from?"

The room was spinning Gage shook his head gasping for breath at the same time, trying to stay alert to what was being said to him. "I don't know any Ranger Cooke," he finally got out.

"Beep, wrong answer," Majors told him kicking him a couple times.

"Let's start again," Gage could hear Majors voice and he tried to focus as Jimmy hauled him up into a chair binding his wrists behind him and to the rungs of it. "How long have you and Tina Mason been good friends?" Majors asked emphasizing the word good as Gage had when Jimmy had first asked him about his and Tina's status.

Gage remained silent thinking about his answer. Becoming impatient Jimmy grabbed his hair and yanked his head back bringing the back of his hand hard into Gage's face. "Answer him," Jimmy barked at the same time raising his hand to strike again.

"I've known Tina off and on for a few years. She helped me out when I had no place to stay, helped me get back on my feet. I swear that's all," Gage told them hoping he was sounding convincing enough.

"You lived with her and you never found out she was a Texas Ranger?" Majors was questioning again.

"She never told me she was a Texas…" he slurred out being hit again before he could get the rest out.

"She's not a Texas Ranger," he tried to say again as Jimmy hit him again and again. The room began blur around him and his head slumped to the side as he passed out.

~~~~~

"We're here for the Swanson party," Trivette announced to Sydney as they stopped at the hostess desk.

"If you would like to follow me," Syd smiled slowly leading the way to the back room as Walker flanked one side of her and Trivette the other. They joked back and forth stopping at the bar to pick up drinks before continuing on. Moving close to Walker and smiling she told him that Gage had disappeared. Walker nodded his head in acknowledgement as Syd knocked on the door for them to be admitted to the big game.

The door closed and Syd turned to go back to the desk when she caught sight of both Majors and Jimmy coming out of Majors' office closing the door behind them. She stood back against the wall screening herself from their view until they passed. Looking around she headed for the office door and looking from side to side she opened the door and let herself in. Closing the door she quickly turned to see her partner tied to the chair he was sitting in not moving.

"Gage," she cried running to his side.

"Syd," he answered forcing his swollen eyes to open.

"Shh don't try and talk I'm going to get you out of here," she whispered.

"Syd they know who… you are," he tried to get out as the ropes came loose and he fell sideways Syd catching him in her arms easing him to the floor.

Biting her lip to hold back her tears she grabbed her phone from her pocket and began to dial. She could hear the phone ringing as she nervously began nattering, "Come on, come on pick up Walker."

The office door opened wide just as Sydney heard his voice on the other end of the line. She slid the phone under Majors' desk leaving the line open.

"What have we here?" Swanson asked looking at the two of them on the office floor.

Syd tried to take the offensive, "Jack what's the meaning of this? I came here looking for Mr. Majors I thought I heard voices I opened the door and Rick was tied to a chair half beat to death."

"Bravo Ranger Cooke," Swanson smiled clapping his hands at her, "Wonderful performance. You can cut the act any time Ranger." Turning to Majors he told him to bring the car around back and load them in.

~~~~~

"I feel so lucky tonight," Trivette was saying to the gentlemen who sat at the table with them as the first hand of cards was being dealt. "Lucky, lucky, lucky," he chanted to the annoyance of the rest of the group. Walker gave a half grin at his partner watching him draw everyone's attention to himself leaving him the opportunity to slip away from the table later on.

Trivette had begun picking his cards up one at a time a bigger grin coming across his face with each card that was dealt him. Walker picked up his cards trying to concentrate on his hand when his phone rang catching him a little off guard.

"Excuse me a moment," he said taking his phone from his pocket as he got up and moved from the table. "Philips," he answered using his undercover name. There wasn't a direct answer only voices in the background. He momentarily froze upon hearing Jack Swanson call Sydney by Ranger Cooke and telling her to cut the act. The sound became muffled after that and he was only able to make out a few words. Catching Trivette's eyes he walked back to the table and addressed the players.

"I'm sorry to have to cut this short but pressing business has come up. Mr. Tompkins if you don't mind."

"Oh man and I had a winning hand," Trivette whined getting up to follow his partner out.

Once the door to the gaming room had closed behind them Trivette looked to Walker. He answered the unspoken question telling him that Gage and Sydney were in trouble their cover had been blown.

~~~~~

Sydney's hands had been tied behind her back and she was shoved onto floor in the back of the club limo. Gage was tossed in on top of her unconscious and not moving. The driver was given some instructions and the car took off into the night.

"Gage, Gage wake up," Syd desperately cried out to her partner.

"Shh Syd, I'm okay Honey," Gage whispered back to her sliding to the side of her. "Let's get you untied." She turned to her side for a moment so Gage could get the ropes off her wrists. Once free she quickly had her arms around her partner drawing him close.

"Are you all right?" she asked as he laid heavily on top of her again a slight moan escaping him.

"Yeah I just need to rest a little," he told her feeling her fingers caress his battered face. He flinched slightly and she whispered almost in tears that she was sorry. Catching her hand in his he brought it to his lips gingerly kissing it telling her at the same time that he would heal.

They drove for what seemed like an hour in Sydney's estimate. She worried about Gage he had barely moved since he had untied her and laid in her arms.

The car began to slow and Syd became alert nudging Gage's shoulder as she whispered to him to wake up again. Sitting up beside her he began getting his bearings as the car came to a stop.

Stealing a glance out of the window Syd saw two men coming down the front porch stairs to meet them. The driver got back in the car while the two men went to the doors either side of it. Hearing the sound of the locks clicking open both partners slammed the car doors into their would be jailers sending them flying. Loosing no time Syd and Gage were out of the car making sure the two guards were out for the count.

The driver was out of the car and going after Gage thinking in his condition he would be the easier mark.

"I'd stop right there if I was you," he ordered Gage levelling a gun at him banging the car door shut at the same time. Smirking to himself he motioned Gage toward the house figuring once they had him inside they would be able to catch the broad in no time.

He hadn't counted on Syd to come flying across the hood of the car her feet connecting with his back sending him sailing forward into the dirt the gun landing at Gage's feet. As the driver made a scramble for it Gage gave one solid kick knocking the man out cold his own knees beginning to buckle.

Sydney was by his side in an instant with her arm around him holding him up. From inside they could hear someone shouting, "What's taking you so long?"

"Come on Gage we got to move," Syd urged her partner as they headed around the side of the house and towards the barns.

~~~~~

Walker and Trivette had called in the troops. The Lazy Jakes had been shut down while a complete search was underway for Gage and Sydney or anything that might lead to where they were.

Swanson had somehow slipped past them but Majors and his strong arm bouncer Jimmy were in custody.

"I don't know what you're talking about Texas Rangers," Majors was complaining. "All I know is that those last two the agency sent over didn't even last two nights. They left before their shift was over leaving us high and dry."

Trivette motioned to Walker who glared at Majors before going to see what his partner had for him.

"Syd's phone under Majors' desk still on," Trivette said handing him the phone. "Walker there's fresh blood on the carpet, a chair and this phone."

Taking the phone from Trivette's hand he and Walker went back to where Majors sat and held it out in front of him.

"See this Majors?" Walker asked.

"Yeah so," Majors stared blankly at it.

"This happens to be Ranger Cooke's phone. It was under your desk, it happens to have fresh blood on it and what do you want to bet that if you hit redial my number was to come up?" Walker asked as Majors still stared mutely. "You see Ranger Cooke was trying to call me but didn't have a chance to speak because she was interrupted by someone telling her she could cut the act they knew she was a Ranger. So we can definitely place her here along with her partner Ranger Gage and right now you happen to be the one most likely to have gotten rid of them."

Majors still sat staring at Syd's phone only now he was nervously rapping his fingers on the table.

"If they are dead Majors it's going to be you taking the fall for it unless you tell us something," Trivette added.

"It was Swanson," Majors blurted out. "He had them taken to his ranch 'The Jack of Diamonds'. He said he wanted to find out what the Rangers had on him but I think he just wanted to have some fun with the girl before he killed them. Probably going to make the other Ranger watch he was into the kind of stuff."

Trivette was all ready on the phone calling for a helicopter while Walker got directions from Majors.

~~~~~

Half dragging her partner with her they ducked into the first building they came to. Syd got Gage inside and sitting down before going back to close the door. She could see headlights coming down the road and turn into the ranch driveway. Someone yelling, "they can't of gone far," brought her back to the problem at hand.

Going back to her partner she dropped down beside him whispering to him, "We can't stay here we have to find a better place to hide until we can get a call out to Walker."

"I know Syd I'm ready when you are," he told her trying to pull himself to his feet.

"Slow down Gage," Syd told him putting her arm around him and helping him up.

"I'm fine," he insisted as he stood still leaning heavy on her all the same. They made their way to the back of the barn Gage leaned against the wall as Syd pushed the door a crack and peeked out. One of the guards had just come around the corner of the building and was inching his way towards the door where they stood. Syd signalled Gage who nodded in understanding as Syd leaned against the wall on the opposite side of the door. With a low squeak the door began to open the man stepping inside. Gage stepped forward grabbing the man around his neck and easily bringing him to the ground.

"Ranger Cooke," Jack Swanson's voice was calling her. "Really now what is the point of all this we all know how this is going to end. Your friend Tammy thought she could run away from me and look what happened with her." Swanson laughed loudly now hoping to antagonize Syd.

Once more Syd peered out the door Gage stood behind her he too peering out his hand resting on her trembling shoulder. Swanson was between the two buildings signalling his people to circle around as he began again.

"She was good Ranger Cooke John and I really enjoyed her as did our associates."

Sydney had brought her arms up taunt holding her gun and taking aim at Swanson. "Syd no not this way," Gage rasped bringing his hands down her arms to her hands where she held the gun ready to fire. Slowly she bent her arms resting easy against her partner but only for a moment as they heard the door at the other end of the barn open admitting more assailants.

Without thinking the partners once again went into action. Syd moved quietly up along the wall until she was close enough to bring her foot up and into the head of her opponent. He staggered forward and she spun again kicking her foot into his head once more watching him go down.

Gage had knocked the gun from his challenger's hand and the man had turned to deliver a blow to Gage's stomach easily knocking him to the floor after the earlier punishment he had taken. He had brought his foot back to deliver a kick into Gage's side but never got the chance. Instead he was the one to take a kick when Syd came flying into him feet first.

"Very good Ranger Cooke," Jack Swanson smiled once again clapping his hands at her performance. His bodyguards stood either side guns aimed as Swanson continued, "You two are good but just not good enough. All Tammy Cathcart's money is going to stay in my clubs and with John going to jail no one will be the wiser. So all this trouble you went to was in vain because you are going to end up the same way as her in someone's dumpster."

Swanson didn't have a chance to say anything more Walker and Trivette had come in behind them. While they disarmed the guards Syd went after Jack. He had turned to run like the coward he was, Syd had him down in a matter of seconds. Jumping to his feet he threw a punch at her that she easily evaded. Using her feet once more Syd delivered kick after kick to Swanson until he wasn't moving, until she could feel Walker's arms pulling her away from him, until she heard Gage calling her name.

"I'm okay Walker," she breathed out heavily. He eased his hold on her letting her walk to Gage where she dropped to his side.

Epilogue

Gage stood quietly by Sydney's side at Tammy Cathcart's graveside. She placed a single red rose on her coffin letting her hand rest there.

"We got them Tammy," she quietly whispered, "They are going to pay for what they did."

Jack Swanson and John Knight were both indicted in the murder of Tammy Cathcart as well as John' girlfriend in Houston and a customer who refused to pay a gambling debt. Both were facing the death penalty.

She could feel her partner behind her and she gently leaned against him. He had received two broken ribs, two black eyes and a multitude of bruises. Like he had told Syd before nothing that wouldn't heal.

It didn't matter Syd insisted on Gage staying with her so she could look after him and help him recuperate. She got very little protest from her partner.

Syd could feel Gage's arms around her and she closed her eyes momentarily enjoying the love she had found with him.

"Are you ready to go home Honey?" Gage asked. She smiled knowing she had found peace for her friend.

The End