Disclaimer: This was written for the soul purpose of my entertainment. I lay no claim on Walker Texas Ranger or any of its characters. Further more any references to Faith Hill, Dan McGraw or any of their concerts is purely fictional as well.
Rated: PG
"Mirror Image"
Janis B
Cordell Walker's Office, Ranger Headquarters
Walker shuffled a stack of papers in his hands as he glanced out into the outer office. Ranger Sumner was the only one at his desk, he seemed engrossed in paperwork. The Captain sighed heavily as he looked back down at the papers before him an indefinite leave of absence from Rangers Cooke and Gage and Ranger Trivette's early retirement. His hand went to the back of his neck trying to rub the tension that was mounting there his mind reliving what had torn apart the Company B Rangers. The Gages kidnapped, Marcus Trivette's senseless death he wondered if they would ever be able to put the pieces back together.
The phone rang jolting him out of his thoughts, he snatched up the receiver to his ear, "Walker," he barked out softening when he realized it was his wife Alex.
"I was just looking over some papers," he confessed to her prodding about what he was doing.
"Then would you mind coming up to my office Agents Ron Wilson and Mike Santana are on there way to meet with you," Alex enlightened him.
"Federal Agents? What do they want?" he questioned having thought they had laid the past few weeks to rest.
"A new case they need ranger help on is all I could get out of them," she answered.
"I'll be right up," he told her all ready standing glad of the diversion. Opening his door he stopped long enough to let Sumner know where he would be and took off out of the office.
Matt Sumner's eyes trailed after his boss until Walker disappeared out the office door his eyes remaining riveted to the entry way while his mind raced over recent events. He thought about his children, David and Katie, wondering if just maybe he too should get out of this line of work before something happened to them. He shook his head no, he was still too full of the high ideals that had kept his friends and partners on the job so long again acknowledging but not without a price.
He sighed slightly picking up the phone and dialling, Anna B picking up on the second ring. "Matt everything okay?" she nervously asked the deeds of the earlier weeks playing out in her head.
"Everything is fine Honey I just wanted to hear your voice… I miss you," he sheepishly answered realizing how foolish he must sound.
On the other end of the line Anna B smiled glad he had called and she told him so. If you hadn't called I would of she reinforced.
"Maybe I should be rethinking my choice of career…" Matt began to say.
"And do what?" Anna B questioned knowing her husband loved what he did. "Matt if you throw in the towel and quit it will be like Marcus died in vain."
He knew she was right and told her so with an, "I love you Honey."
Changing the subject he asked, "Did Syd and Gage get away all right?"
"As far as I know," she replied. They talked a few more minutes before hanging up to go about their day.
New York City
Gage shifted in his seat as he peered out the window of the plane to catch his first sight of New York. He'd been there before of course although always on business never just pleasure, but then this wasn't really all pleasure either. He was coming here to find his roots, his family, who he really was…
"I always think Dallas is something to see from the air, it isn't New York though," Sydney had leaned slightly over him lacing her fingers in his to look out the window at the massive city below. Gage remained silent acknowledging Syd's comments with a gentle squeeze of her hand.
Leaning back she glanced into his face to see the apprehension. "They're your family Gage and they really want to meet you and Julie and all of us," she reinforced. Turning to face her he let his lips graze her forehead murmuring, "I know, I know," trying to convince himself more then her.
"Look Daddy the Statue of Liberty!" Cat interrupted her parents thoughts. "Are we going to go there? I want to do everything and see everything," the child rattled on. "Can we see Faith Hill?" she questioned on adding, "She's playing here you know."
"Everyone knows Cat you've told us all at least a hundred times," Chris admonished his sister's zealous enthusiasm for her favourite singer.
"Humph," Cat brushed the comment off continuing on, "I'm going to be just like her when I grow up I all ready sing almost as good as her." On that note she flounced her long blonde hair over her shoulder.
Leaning up in his seat Robin Chafe commented to Syd, "She might be a songbird like you but the rest of her is pure Gage." He may have gotten a big grin from Syd but he definitely got a stern elbow from Julie who sat beside him. "Just kidding," he retaliated in his defence.
No one had a chance to say anything more the fasten your seatbelts sign had come on and the stewardess was speaking announcing that they were about to land and thanking them for flying their airline.
The plane landed without a hitch and before long the Gages with the Chafes were disembarking to look for their luggage while trying to keep track of each other at the same time.
"Chris have you got hold of Cody?" Syd's voice was raising above the rest.
"Right here Mom but where's Cat?"
"Over there with Piper and Aunt Julie," Gage was quick to chime in.
"Hey guys I think they're expecting us," it was Robin who spoke pointing his finger at the same time at a small group who were holding a sign that read, Welcome to New York Gages.
A small smile came across Gage's face as he looked up to see standing in front of him at least a dozen people holding another huge sign that read, "Gage Clan from Texas."
An old woman in the group was the first to spy them, making her way towards them she came to stand face to face with Francis uttering the words, "Daniel, you're the spitting image of Daniel."
Knowing from old pictures and what he could remember he did look like his father Gage smiled back saying, "I'm Francis Gage and I believe Daniel Rollins was my father."
The woman's eyes squeezed together for a moment as she fought back tears, her arms went around Gage's neck her voice barely audible, "I'm Suzanne Rollins, I'm Daniel's mother, your grandmother."
Both stood silent eyes on each other, emotion overwhelming them… "I'm Sydney Gage," Syd's voice could be heard behind her husband as she reached around him to offer her hand. The spell being broken Gage's arm went around his wife as his grandmother took her hand.
Finding his voice Gage added to the introduction, "Sydney's my wife and these are our kids," he announced motioning three of the four towards them. "Where's Cat?" he questioned both he and Sydney scanning the area for their daughter.
"She's over there," Piper pointed to where Cat stood with Aunt Julie facing another young blonde girl who looked to be about the same age as her, in fact she looked so much like Cat that could have been twins.
"That's one of your Aunt Marie's grandchildren," Suzanne spoke up she too looking to where Piper pointed.
"Cat," Syd called getting her daughter's attention, "Come over here with us."
Moving towards her mother's voice Cat kept her eyes focused on her new found cousin marvelling at how much this girl looked like herself. Forgetting her manners entirely in the excitement she blurted out, "Mom did you see her she looks exactly like me."
"Yes Cat you can get acquainted a little later there's someone here we would like you to meet," Syd quieted her young daughter.
"This is your great grandmother," Gage's voice cut in to tell the kids in the same breath rhyming off their names to Suzanne.
By now the rest of the family who were surrounding the Chafe family had migrated to where the Gages were standing.
"Well what are we all doing standing around in the airport?" A young man who had been standing back from the family suddenly came forward to ask. "We can learn all about each other once we get home."
"That's Michael always the practical one," another voice chimed in as everyone began picking up luggage, the Gages and Chafes joined ranks with the Rollins and Abbotts.
A.D.A. Alex Cahill-Walker's Office
"Captain Walker," Maggie Post, Alex's assistant greeted the ranger as he poked his head in the door of the office. "Go right in they're expecting you."
"Thanks Maggie," he smiled back at the woman he had known for years. Maggie had been Alex's assistant longer then he had been her husband. Opening the door Walker let himself into Alex's office.
Hearing the door open Alex stood up from behind her desk and smiling at her husband made the introductions. "Walker these are the agents who are here to meet you, Agent Ron Wilson and Mike Santana. Gentlemen this is Captain Walker of the Texas Rangers," Alex couldn't help but beam.
"Walker," Santana offered his hand saying at the same time, "Let's get down to business. Quite a few years back your office worked on a case that involved the Raptors motorcycle gang in particular the leader one Derek Landon Grangus, known to his friends and enemies alike as only Grangus."
"I remember the case," Walker acknowledged remembering how Sydney and Gage had gone in undercover to break the case wide open and prevent the speed they were manufacturing from being distributed to every state in the country.
"It looks as if someone is cleaning house," Agent Wilson took up the conversation. "Two days ago five of the Raptors gang were found murdered bodies stuffed in two cars and a tow truck out in a rural area just north of Fort Worth. Looks like they were killed some where else and the bodies along with cars brought to the location."
Handing a file to Walker Santana took up the story, "Grangus was just released from Huntsville three weeks ago, he took up with his old pal and second in command Bolger. The five that were found dead all turned states evidence against the pair of them for leniency. At the trial when the verdict was read Grangus swore on his mother's life that those who had went against him and the Raptors would some day pay. That included the two undercover rangers that set him up for his fall."
Walker had flipped through the file as Wilson spoke finding pictures Grangus and Bolger, then and now, of various bikers in the gang, the five who had been found dead, plus a couple known as Ronnie and Nail aka Rangers Sydney Cooke and Frances Gage. He smiled slightly remembering back to the case, neither Sydney or Gage had been with Company B that long a little over a year maybe…
"Your Rangers, Cooke and Gage, records indicate that they are still under your command here in Dallas," Santana continued. "I think we need to get them in here and bring them up to speed on things…"
"Except for the fact that they are both on indefinite leave, neither of them are even in the state," Walker explained his eyes still on the pictures of the Gages portraying Ronnie and Nail in the Raptor colours.
Silence filled the air as both sides digested the information Wilson finally speaking, "Can you get in touch with them this could be a matter of life or death for both them and their families?"
Walker smiled inwardly for all these two thought they knew they still hadn't made the connection between the two rangers. "I'll speak with them," Walker assured them before asking, "Where are Bolger and Grangus now?"
Each agent gave the other a sideways look before Santana cleared his throat to answer. "We're not really sure where they're at. We lost the tail on them about two days ago," he admitted. "We were hoping you'd be able to help us out finding them."
"Triv…" Walker caught himself recovering with, "Sumner and I'll get right on it. I want everything you got on the biker gang murders."
"Thanks Walker, we'll have it sent over."
Walker nodded his head in acknowledgement as Wilson and Santana took their leave.
"Do you think Sydney and Gage are in any danger?" Alex questioned as her office door closed.
"No immediate danger Grangus has to find them first."
"But all the way in New York City?"
"Grangus was pretty well connected and commanded a lot of power I'm not going to make the mistake of underestimating him."
Nodding her head in agreement Alex too thought back over the case. If the Gages hadn't infiltrated their camp Grangus and his people would have sent their drugs into every state in the union and maybe beyond. That wasn't what scared her though it was the fact that he almost succeeded in killing Sydney if it hadn't been for Gage and Walker… and then the death threats… Alex shuttered letting her husband put his arm around her.
"We'll get him Alex," Walker assured her knowing where his wife's thoughts were, "We'll get him."
Erica and Jimmy Trivette's Home
Jimmy Trivette stood in the doorway of the bedroom he had shared with his wife for most of their married life. His eyes rested heavily on Erica as she tossed agitatedly until once again lapsing into fitful slumber. He sighed heavily his eyes moving to the glass and half drank bottle of vodka that sat on the bedside table. It had been insufferable loosing Marcus the way that they had but it was unbearable to watch Erica hurt so much that she crawled into that bottle just to numb the pain. He had to do something to help her… but what? Trivette was at a loss for what to do.
"Dad are you driving Simon and I to school today?" It was Torrie interrupting his thoughts, he reached forward closing the door trying to shield his daughter from the situation.
"Yeah," he cleared his throat. "Are you almost ready?"
"Is she out of it again?" Torrie persisted, a tone of anger mixed with dismay shadowing her voice.
"Mom's just not feeling well," Trivette offered the week excuse hoping Torrie wouldn't pursue it.
"Yeah right," she mumbled half beneath her breath but heard by her Dad.
Jimmy was going to add more but didn't have the chance, his thoughts were interrupted by his son Simon shouting, "Dad Grandpa's here!"
Trivette moved to the stairway only to be met by his father-in-law, Fred Carter.
"Well where is she?" He gruffly asked referring to his daughter.
"She hasn't gotten up yet," Trivette curtly replied as he ushered his kids down the stairs ahead of him peering at Fred all the while.
"Sleeping it off?" Fred persisted. "What are you doing about it?"
"I'm taking the kids to school then talking to you," he emphasized.
"Humph," Fred mumbled in frustration stepping back to let Jimmy and his grandchildren pass by. "You bet we'll talk," he nattered more.
"What's Grandpa so mad about?" Simon quizzed as Jimmy shut the door behind him.
"He's not really mad," Trivette tried to choose his words carefully as he manoeuvred the SUV out of the driveway.
"Well he sounds mad," Simon refused to let up.
"You know Grandpa he's all bluster… he's… well he's worried about us," Jimmy finally got out.
"Worried about us? How come?"
"Because Mom can't get over Marcus and spends all her time drinking, she can't even get up to take us to school!" Torrie bluntly burst out her pain and anger getting the better of her.
Jimmy swung the car over to the side of the road narrowly missing another car. He stared straight ahead out through the windshield the tension so tight you could cut it with a knife.
"Dad I…" Torrie began only to be cut off.
"Victoria we all miss Marcus and wish he could be back with us…" tears formed at the corners of his eyes and his voice choked as Jimmy spoke to his remaining children. "You're right Mom isn't handling things very well right now but it's up to us to come together as a family… to support her and each other… to help each other…" again his voice broke and silence filled the air.
"Daddy I'm sorry I didn't mean… I know Mom…" Tears were pooling in Torrie's.
"Dad," Simon's voice whispered through from the backseat. "It's going to be all right isn't it?"
"Of course it is," Jimmy regained his composure for the sake of his children knowing full well that steps had to be taken. He didn't really know what those steps would be but he was ready to take them vowing silently to himself that he was going to keep his family together no matter what.
Both children wanted to believe that their Dad could fix everything like he always had before… still they couldn't help the fear that crept over them. Jimmy had put the car back in gear and was heading to school.