A Valentine's Day in Dallas (Part 4)
Well, I've had fun writing this. Thanks for such nice reviews. This is the last part and it does have a rather happy ending.
It made Syd wonder what was going on. When Trivette hung up the phone, she could see the worried look on his face. "What's wrong Trivette?" Syd asked. Not wanting to scare her, "There's trouble over at your place. Gage is missing and it looks as if there was a struggle." Trivette told her. Syd's hand flew up to her mouth and the two left.
When they got there, Syd could see the familiar yellow tape. She had the car door open almost before Trivette stopped the car. She ran inside and found Walker. "Have you found him yet?" Syd asked in a worried voice. Walker shook his head. "We've searched from top to bottom and couldn't find him." Walker told her.
Just then, Syd heard her phone ring. She walked over to it and answered it. "Sydney Cooke." Syd said as she answered the phone. "Syd?" The voice said. "Gage! Where are you?" Syd asked in a worried voice. "I'm okay Syd. They haven't hurt me yet." Gage said. "Who are they?" Syd asked. She glanced up at her caller ID box and noticed that it was a local Dallas number.
But, before Gage could say anything more, the phone call was cut off. "Gage! Gage!" Syd hollered into the phone. Gage could feel himself being placed in a rather hard chair and his hands were tied behind h im. "It's only a matter of time till they find you." Gage called out, only to receive a slug in the jaw with a fist. "Shut up or the next time they see you will be at your funeral!" One was heard saying as he wrapped a strip of cloth around Gage's mouth to gag him.
The two that had abducted him were the same two that had robbed the jewelry store. The one who had been shot sat there as he got a rather devious look on his face. He motioned to the other one as they went to the other side of the room, just out of earshot of Gage.
"I came up with a rather interesting way to make this ranger pay for trying to foil our plan. When we're done with him, he'll wish he'd never meddled." The one said with a laugh as he got up and walked over to where Gage was tied. "So, you think you're tough Ranger Gage? Let's just see how tough you really are. Untie him and remove his gag." The man said.
Gage tensed up slightly as he felt the ropes being removed his wrists and the gag taken off. He was roughly jerked to his feet. "Okay Ranger Gage, show us just how tough you really are without your sight!" The one man jeered as he gave Gage a solid punch in the mid-section. Gage doubled over as the wind was knocked out of him. The other man who was standing just behind him, swung his foot and knocked Gage to the ground.
Gage fell to the floor as the men proceeded to kick him in the ribs. One grabbed him as he jerked Gage to his feet. "Now Ranger Gage, prepare to..." The man started to say, but before he could finish, Gage heard the sound of a door being kicked in. Walker and Trivette entered the room with their guns drawn. The man pressed a gun to Gage's head as his arm went across his throat.
"Throw down your weapons for this Ranger will die!" The man said in a menacing voice. Walker and Trivette kept their guns pointed at the man. "This is your last warning, drop the guns or he's dead!" The man said again. Suddenly, Gage heard a shattering of glass behind him.
Syd came through the window and caught the man totally off guard. When the man turned to the noise, Gage reached up as he got a hold of the man's arm and twisted it behind him. The gun clattered to the floor as the man was taken into custody. The other one was quickly subdued by Walker.
"Are you okay Gage?" Walker asked. Gage nodded his head. "I'm okay, just a little sore where they kicked me in the ribs." Gage replied as Syd walked up to him. "I'm so glad you're okay Gage. I was so worried." Syd told him. Gage reached out as he put a hand on her shoulder. "So am I, Shorty. Come on, let's go home." Gage told her.
Walker insisted that Gage stay at the ranch. "Gage. I think it would be best if you stay out at the ranch." Walker suggested, but Gage shook his head. "Thanks for the offer Walker, but I'd rather stay at my own place." Gage told him. "Gage! Will you listen to Walker and stop being so doggone stubborn?" Syd scolded.
Gage sighed, he knew he was fighting a losing battle. "Okay, okay. You win Shorty. I'll stay with Walker. Beside's, don't forget these bandages come off in a few days." Gage said with his usual cocky grin. Syd noticed that the bandages looked as if they had been off. "Did you have the bandages off?" Syd asked.
Gage nodded his head. "I did Syd. Also, I've got two surprises. But, one is going to wait till the bandages come off." Gage told her. "What's the other surprise?" Syd asked in a curious voice. Gage put his finger to his lips. "Not for two more days. Then, you'll find out." Gage said with his usual cocky grin as he left with Walker. "I'm surprised you didn't tell her you had part of your sight back." Walker said in a surprised voice.
"That's one of the surprises I have for her. Of course, you know what the 'other surprise is." Gage said with a grin. "Yeah, and Alex happen to find it and thought it was for her." Walker replied as he pulled into the driveway of his ranch.
Alex was inside and was surprised to see Gage coming in. "How are you feeling Gage?" Alex asked as Gage sat down on the couch. "My ribs are a bit sore." Gage said as he laid his head back on the couch and closed his eyes. "I told Gage that he could stay with us till his bandages came off. Isn't that right Gage?" Walker asked.
When Walker didn't get a response, he turned around to discover that Gage had fell into a sound sleep. "I do believe he's asleep." Alex whispered as she got a blanket from the closet and covered him up. Walker turned the lights off in the house as him and Alex went to bed.
The next morning, Walker was up before the sun. He quietly came downstairs and found Gage sitting there with the bandages off. "Morning Walker. Isn't that sunrise beautiful?" Gage commented. "You saw the sunrise?" Walker asked in a surprised voice. Gage nodded his head. "I sure did. You don't really notice things like sunrises till you can't see them." Gage commented as he saw Alex coming down the stairs.
It even took Alex by surprise. "Morning Alex. I was just telling Walker about that incredible sunrise this morning." Gage said as he stood up. "You can see?" Alex asked in a surprised voice. Gage nodded his head. "I sure can. It was so weird not being able to see. By the way, what charges are going to be brought against those two guys that abducted me?" Gage asked as they sat at the kitchen table.
"Murder, robbery, attempted murder of a Texas Ranger. And, I'm sure that we'll be able to bring other charges against them and seek the death penalty." Alex told him and Walker. Gage nodded his head. "I can just head Syd when she finds out that I can see again." Gage said as he started to reach for the phone.
He was just starting to dial the number when he stopped. "What's wrong Gage?" Walker asked in a concerned voice. "I'm not sure. Things are blurry." Gage said as he hung up the receiver and shook his head. This concerned Alex. "Just when was the bandages suppose to come off?" Alex asked. "Not for another few days." Gage replied as he sat on a nearby chair and rubbed his eyes.
"I think you took them off a bit too early." Walker told him. Gage nodded his head. "I think you're right Walker." Gage replied. Alex disappeared into the bathroom and came out with some bandages and tape in her hands. "What's that for Alex?" Gage asked. "I'm going to recover your eyes. And, you're not to take them off till I tell you." Alex told him in a stern voice.
Gage nodded his head as Walker helped Alex put the bandages back over Gage's eyes and taped it down. "There. Now, who's hungry?" Alex asked. "I know I am. How about you Gage?" Walker asked. Gage shook his head as he got up and carefully made his way back to the bedroom, closing the door behind him.
Alex gave Walker a surprised look. "Wonder what's wrong with him?" Alex asked. "I think I know." Walker said as he went over the door and knocked. He could hear the sound of someone crying. "Gage? Can I come in?" Walker asked. "Sure, it's your house." Was the reply Walker got. Walker could tell the voice sounded sad.
He quietly opened the door and stepped into the room. He found Gage sitting on the edge of the bed. Before Walker could ask, Gage spoke up. "In case you're going to ask me. Yes, it was me crying." Gage told him. Walker sat down on the bed next to Gage. "Gage, I'm going to tell you something that White Eagle told me." Walker started as he told Gage the same story White Eagle had told him when he had lost his sight.
It didn't take Gage long to adapt to not having his eyesight. He wanted to come back to work, but Walker told him not just yet. "I'm about ready to go nuts Walker." Gage told him. "Gage, will you just be patient?" The bandages will be off tomorrow. Then, we'll see where we go from there." Walker told him.
Gage sighed as he put his chin in his hand. "Oh, all right. What's one more day?" Gage replied. Later the next day, Gage was in the doctors office along with Walker, Alex and Syd. "Do you have the you-know-what with you Walker?" Gage asked. "Gage, for the 10th time. Yes, I do. It's in Alex's purse." Walker told him. Syd gave Gage a strange look. "What's this 'you-know-what' you're talking about?" Syd asked. "Never mind Syd." Gage told her with his usual cocky grin.
The doctor came in and dimmed the lights. When all but the pads over Gage's eyes remained, the doctor asked him to close his eyes. "Before I remove the pads Ranger Gage, I'd like for you to close your eyes." The doctor told him. Gage closed his eyes and felt the pads being removed. "There, now very slowly open your eyes." The doctor instructed.
Before Gage opened his eyes, he asked Syd to be in front of him. "Syd? Before I open my eyes, I'd like you to be standing in front of me." Gage asked. "Sure." Syd replied as she went and stood in front of him. She saw his hands reach out for her. She took a hold of them and gently squeezed them.
Slowly, he opened his eyes. Things were a bit fuzzy at first, but soon things became clearer. "Well?" Syd asked in a worried voice. Gage reached out as he gently caressed Syd's face with his hands. "I've got my sight back Shorty." Gage said as the tears fell down his cheeks. Syd also had tears in her eyes as well as Walker and Alex. Gage turned to Walker. "Will you hand me the package?" Gage asked.
Syd was giving Gage a strange look as Alex reached into her purse and pulled out the small package, then handed it to Gage. "Who's that for?" Syd asked in a curious voice. Gage handed it to Syd. "A bit late, but it's your Valentine present." Gage told her. He watched as she carefully opened the package.
When she opened the box, she let out a small cry. "Oh Gage. They are beautiful!" Syd exclaimed as she gave him a big hug. "I got them the day I got hurt. So, I've had Walker hang onto them till I got my sight back and could be able to see the look on your face." Gage told her as he gave her a small kiss on the cheek, which she gladly returned.
THE END