Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Renegade.
flash back
Evelyn, a pretty young woman, was sitting alone in a coffee shop. She had been hired to bring in a fugitive. In reality, she was a bounty hunter. Evelyn has shoulder length blonde hair, greenish-blue eyes, and a pretty smile. She had been hired to bring in Reno Raines. A known cop killer. Allegedly anyways. She had tracked him down to a town by the mountains. She asked around about him, and people said that they had routinely seen him go into Katherine's, which just happened to be the coffee shop that she was sitting in, at 6 A.M. everyday for the last week. So, she got there at 5:45, and ordered herself a latte and a chocolate chip muffin. Precisely at 6 o'clock, Reno walked in, sat down at the counter, and ordered a coffee. He turned and noticed her.
"You sitting alone?" He asked walking up to her table.
"Excuse me?" Evelyn said, pretending that she hadn't heard him.
"Are you sitting alone?" He asked again.
"Why, yes I am. Would you like to join me? Mr. Raines?" She said.
end flashback
That was five years ago. Since then, Reno was still on the run, Dixon was still at large, and Evelyn was no longer a bounty hunter, except when she got a call from Bobby Sixkiller. She just happened to have gotten such a call. She left a note for Cindy, a friend of hers who was baby-sitting for her, and went to check out a lead on Hound Adams. The Hound had a crucial piece of evidence that would clear Reno of all charges. Since Hound Adams didn't know who she was, both she and Bobby were hoping that she would be able to buy the tape from him. She checked the lead, found it useful, and then phoned Bobby to tell him that the plan was a go. So, she went and picked up some groceries before going home. That included going to an ice cream parlor to pick up a sundae for Serena, her four year old daughter. But before she got to the ice cream parlor, she was stopped by a familiar little voice.
"Mommy!" Serena called. She was being carried by a 'friend' of theirs.
"Serena, I thought you were with Cindy?" Evelyn said as she hugged the little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, and gave the man carrying her a kiss.
"Daddy picked me up early. He said you wouldn't mind." The little girl said.
"I don't mind. I just didn't know that daddy was in town." Evelyn smiled.
"Bobby called and said that you were working on something. I thought you could use my help on it." Reno smiled.
"Not this time, Reno. You just watch out for her. Don't worry about what I'm working on." Evelyn said her smile fading.
"Oh, good, we found you before the rendezvous time." Bobby said hopping out of the hummer. Cheyenne took Serena from Reno and said, "I think the two of you have some things to discuss. So Bobby and I will watch Short Stuff while you have that discussion." Cheyenne said getting back into the hummer.
"Good idea, Sis. Let's let the two of them talk while we take Shorty to a movie. My treat." Bobby said getting back into the car as well. They drove off leaving Evelyn standing there with Reno.
"Why not? When ever you have a case, you always end up needing my help." He said, returning to the earlier topic.
"No, Reno. You're too close on this one. I'm working alone on this case." Evelyn said turning in the direction of her car. Reno caught her arm and turned her around.
"What do you mean I'm 'too close' on this one? I don't even know what the hell you're working on."
"Exactly. And I'd like to keep it that way until the job is done."
"You're not hunting me again, are you?" He only half joked.
"No, Reno, I'm not after you again. I've already got you. But, I can't let you in on this case. I'll tell you everything when it's all over. I promise." Evelyn sighed as she headed towards the car again.
Reno put his arm around her and said, "I guess I can live with that. As long as you promise not to put yourself in any danger."
"Now why would I go and do that? I have everything to live for. I have you, I have Serena. Why the hell would I go looking for trouble?"
"You're hunting Dixon, aren't you?"
"Not Dutch." She replied.
"Then it's someone close to my case. Possibly even tied to it, then."
"Reno, I can't tell you anything further until it's over."
"Then what's the rendezvous that Bobby mentioned?"
"I'm meeting my suspect at 8:00. But, Reno, I don't want you following me. Bobby and Cheyenne will be there to back me up. If I need it. You will be home with Serena. Promise me that you will be home with Serena, putting her to bed, telling her a story, watching her fall asleep. Safe." Evelyn sighed.
"I promise." Reno said reluctantly.
"Then I'll see you back at the house. I assume that you remember where it is?"
"I do. Actually, I left my bike there. I saw the note that you left for Cindy, so I went to pick up Serena. I walked to town. I had been hoping to meet up with you on your way home."
"You walked here?! The house is a good hour's drive from town and you walked here?! Are you crazy?!"
"I'm not half as crazy as everyone thinks. I just want o have my freedom back." Reno said getting into the drivers seat of the old '59 Cadi.
"Nice, Reno. Real nice. I just don't want to see you get busted, again, for a crime that you didn't commit. Walking into town like you did could have been a disaster. I just don't want Dixon to have the satisfaction of putting you back into police custody." Evelyn sighed getting into the passenger side.
The ride back to the house was silent. Evelyn now only had two hours to get ready before the rendezvous. She showered, and pulled her hair off of her neck. She walked over to the closet and pulled out a little red dress. She quickly threw it on and went in search of her bag with the hidden compartments. In it, she put a gun, her badge, false checks, false ID, a cell phone and a tape recorder.
Bobby and Cheyenne had returned with Serena while she was getting ready. Reno, who had been getting Serena's dinner ready, looked a little more than jealous.
"You're wearing that to go meet a suspect?!" He said incredulously.
"You met up with Lisa at a cabin?" Evelyn countered.
"Now hold on a minute. How did you know about that?"
"Chey called me. Just so we're clear, Reno, you have no say in what I do or don't do and the same goes for me." Evelyn said as she grabbed her jacket off of a near by chair.
"Are you working this job alone, or is someone going with you?" Reno asked changing the subject.
"Cheyenne and I will be just a couple of tables away if things go wrong. Don't worry, Reno, we won't let anything happen to her." Bobby said ushering Cheyenne and Evelyn to the door.
"How are you getting there? Are you all going in the hummer?"
"I'm going to take the Cadi. Bobby and Cheyenne are going to follow behind."
"Is that a wise idea?"
"Reno, can you just wait until later for the details? We really have to get going or we are going to be late and miss the suspect." Bobby said opening the door.
Evelyn was sitting at a table in the local bar waiting for Hound Adams. She had taken out a false business card to give to Hound when she introduced herself to him. She, Bobby and Cheyenne had decided that she should change her voice, so she opted for an accent. She had chosen and English accent.
"Excuse me; I'm supposed to be meeting somebody here." The Hound said as he walked over to her table. The informant had told him that she would be wearing red.
"Hound Adams?" She asked.
"That's me." He said sitting down in the chair opposite her. Cheyenne and Bobby were two tables away listening closely.
"Victoria Winchester. I work for the local DA. We got word that you have…information regarding the Reno Raines case. Information that could…further damage him. We were wondering if you would sell the information to us for …oh, I don't know…sixty thousand dollars." Evelyn said handing him the card.
"A hundred and fifty thousand." Hound Adams countered.
"Eighty thousand."
"A hundred and twenty thousand."
"A hundred thousand. Take the deal, or we take the information the hard way."
"Deal." Hound said taking the tape out of his pocket and putting it on the table.
"Very well. Let me just get my check book out and the deal is done." She said reaching into her bag.
"How do I know that you're telling the truth?" Adams asked.
"You don't until you cash the check." She said writing it out.
"You really want Raines that badly?"
"He killed a friend of my father's. I owe it to him to see that Raines goes down." Evelyn said tearing the check out of the book and handing it to Adams.
"Very well then, Ms. Winchester. When you catch him, tell Reno I said 'hi'." He said getting up from the table.
"Will do. Oh, and Hound?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't cash the check until tomorrow. Some of the funds won't be clear until then." Evelyn said heading toward the door. She got in her car and drove off. Bobby and Cheyenne met up with her ten minutes later. Since Bobby knew what was on the tape, they arranged to stop and listen to it. The tape was exactly what Bobby and Reno heard the first time that Adams had played it for them. It cleared Reno of everything. Bobby called the DA and set up a meeting for Evelyn and himself first thing in the morning. The all agreed that until they met with the DA no one would tell Reno about the tape. Bobby was going to hold onto it for safe keeping.
When they got back to the house, both Reno and Serena were asleep on the couch. Reno had a book of fairy tales in his lap, so they must have fallen asleep while he was reading to her.
"I'll put Short Stuff to bed. Why don't you get Reno up, or at least put a blanket over him." Cheyenne said.
"Good idea. I'll help Cheyenne. You can wake up Reno." Bobby said following Cheyenne out of the room.
"Reno, I'm home." Evelyn said softly as she moved a lock of hair off of his face.
"Hey. How long have you been home?" He asked rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Not long. Bobby and Cheyenne took the little one to bed. Speaking of bed, wouldn't you be a little more comfortable in a bed rather than on this couch?" She said.
"So how did it go tonight?" Reno asked getting off of the couch.
"Fine. Bobby and I have a meeting with the DA tomorrow morning." Evelyn said.
"The two of you go arrested, didn't you?" He sighed.
"No we did not! The meeting is about a specific case that was tried…oh I don't know…six years ago with the wrong guy convicted. The evidence that we just obtained could clear that person and…implicate another." Bobby said coming out of Serena's room.
"You guys' worked the Hound tonight, didn't you?"
"Reno, it's not that we didn't want to tell you. In fact, Evelyn and I wanted to tell you. Bobby didn't want you to come along. He figured it the Hound saw you, he'd bolt. We were lucky that he and Evelyn hadn't crossed paths before. So, we took the opportunity to use her to shake him down for the tape." Cheyenne said joining the three of us in the hallway.
"And how did you manage to do that?" Reno asked crossing his arms over his chest.
"I used an accent and told him that I worked for the DA's office. We were looking for evidence to…give you a longer sentence, and if he had any we would be willing to purchase it from him." Evelyn said showing him the fake check book.
"And he believed you?"
"I told him not to cash the check until tomorrow because the funds were not available until then. That should give us enough time to talk to the DA and dodge him." Evelyn shrugged.
"So you got the tape that clears me?"
"I thought we weren't going to tell him about the tape?"
"We weren't. He figured it out." Bobby sighed.
"So you're taking it to the DA tomorrow?"
"Well…yes we're hoping that she can clear you right from her office and the real murderer nabbed before he even figures out that we have the tape." Bobby said.
"You think Hound Adams hasn't blabbed to Dixon yet?"
"I sure hope not. I would rather not get caught in the cross fire of this one." Evelyn sighed.
"You did well tonight, Kid. You got the tape and you're willing to stick by your man for anything." Bobby said putting a hand on Evelyn's shoulder.
"Thanks, Bobby. And don't call me 'Kid.'" She smiled.
"I think everyone has had a little too much excitement for the day. It's time that we all go to bed." Cheyenne said realistically.
The next day Evelyn put on a business suit to go with Bobby to the DA's office.
"I still don't know why I can't go with you." Reno pouted.
"At the moment, you're still a wanted man, Hon. If the cops notice you and decide to take you in, they'll call Dixon and we'll all be up shit's creek. No, its better that you stay here with Chey and Serena." Evelyn sighed.
"You're right, as usual. That's what I love about you. You don't have a problem telling me what's good for me, or what you think I should do. And most of the time you're right." Reno said pulling her into a hug.
"I love you, too, Reno. That's why I can't let you come with us. You stay here with Chey and the little one. We'll call if something goes wrong." She said returning his hug.
Bobby and Evelyn arrived at the DA's office to find out that Lt. Donald "Dutch" Dixon had just paid her a visit.
"We have this tape that can clear Reno Raines." Evelyn said dropping the tape onto her desk.
"I figured as much. I'll tell you what, Raines will be cleared of all charges, but the two of you need to bring in Dixon. He's not going to go willingly with any of the officers here. I'll call the desk to see of they can stall him for you." She said picking up the phone.
"Hi, this is DA Elizabeth Waverly, listen Lt. Dixon is going to need to pass you to get out. Stall him. I have two bounty hunters here to bag him for us." DA Waverly said to the guard at the front desk. Evelyn and Bobby went straight to the lobby where the desk officer was having him sign a stack of documents. Evelyn and Bobby quietly walked up next to him.
"Hey handsome, are you free tonight?" Evelyn asked as Bobby carefully placed the handcuffs on him.
"What's all this about?" Dixon said as he heard the final click of the cuffs.
"Donald Dixon, you are under arrest for the murder of Buzzy and the framing of Reno Raines. You have the right to remain silent, any thing you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you can not afford one, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?" Bobby said walking him to the DA's office.
"I see you nabbed him. Here's the deal in writing. I don't have time to get the proper paperwork for you right now. Since I assume that Raines isn't here, I want him to be able to hold the proof of his freedom in his hands." Waverly said handing Bobby a piece of paper.
"Thank you, Madam DA. You have no idea how much this means to him." Bobby said shaking her hand.
"I may not know what it means to him, but I know what it means to her. Try to keep that man of yours out of trouble. Try to hold onto him for as long as you can, as well." Waverly said shaking Evelyn's hand.
"He's going to need a job now that he's a free man." Evelyn said.
"Tell him to see Sheriff Alexander Johnson. They're in need of a good cop here in town." Elizabeth smiled.
"Thank you. I'll tell him to tell Sheriff Johnson that you sent him." Evelyn smiled back as she and Bobby left Waverly's office.
"I just hope that the charges stick against Dixon and that Reno is as thankful to the two of us as he should be." Bobby sighed.
"So do I, Bobby, so do I. You still have a copy of the tape? Just in case?" Evelyn asked as they rode back to the house.
"It's in the glove compartment. Why, don't you think it's legit?"
"I don't know. I guess when it comes to Reno, I don't want to see him get hurt anymore than he already has."
"Then, for insurance purposes, yeah, I kept a copy. I also think we should keep a copy of the agreement with one of us at all times until it's official." Bobby said.
They pulled up in front of the house and Serena came running out of the house, closely followed by Reno, then Cheyenne. Reno scooped up Serena, and the two of them started laughing.
"So, how did it go at the DA's office?" Chey asked.
"Perfectly. Reno has his freedom and his life back. Ms. Waverly also said that he should pay a visit to Sheriff Johnson in town." Evelyn said watching Reno chase Serena around.
"It's good to see him smile." Bobby said pulling Chey into a hug.
"And the best part is; Bobby and I captured Dixon. He won't be bothering any of us anymore."
"What's this about Dixon not bothering us anymore?" Reno asked finally joining the three of us.
"Dixon's in lock up. He won't be bothering anyone for a long time. Congratulations, Reno, you're a free man." Bobby said shaking Reno's hand.
"Listen that's great. When's the next assignment?" Reno smiled.
"You're staying with the company? I thought you'd go back to being a cop." Bobby said.
"While being a cop was great, this was a better way to bring in the bad guys." Reno laughed.
"So you'd go back to the way you were living even if you didn't have to?" Chey asked voicing everyone's question.
"I wouldn't have to do it as Vince Black anymore."
"But, Reno, you'd still be leaving your family behind." Chey said.
"It's not like we're an actual family. So she had a kid. Big deal! I don't recall ever signing up for any of this." Reno said walking over to his bike.
"What the hell has gotten into you?" Bobby questioned. A car pulled up and Evelyn's friend Cindy got out of it.
"Hey, guys, what's up?" Cindy asked a smile plastered on her face.
"Can you take Serena into town? Take her to a movie, get her some ice cream. That should be enough time." Evelyn said taking some money out of her purse and handing it to Cindy.
"Sure, no problem. You deal with this first, then we'll talk business later." Cindy said, more than a little confused. As were the rest of them at Reno's sudden mood change. Cindy put Serena into the car (Cindy always had a car seat, being Serena's babysitter.) and took off.
"It's a good thing that Serena didn't hear a word of his exchange! What the hell is wrong with you?! You never pick a fight for no reason!"
"Guess what, I don't need a reason to split."
"What about all that talk about how when you're name was cleared that you'd leave the business and go back to normal life?" Were you all talk? Were you lying about some of the other things that you said as well?" Evelyn said with tear beginning to fill her eyes.
"Don't look at me like that! You knew eventually that I'd leave. It was only a matter of time, don't take it personally. Maybe when I get bored I'll come back around." He said getting onto his Harley.
"If you leave, Reno Raines, don't you dare come back! I will not put up with you talking to me this way!" Evelyn yelled, tears streaming down her face.
Reno gave her a guilty look, started the bike, then he was gone. Evelyn broke down right then and there in front of the house where anyone passing could see. Bobby and Chey had to help her off of the ground and into the house.
Cindy's car pulled back into the drive way. Cindy got out, took Serena out of the car seat, and walked over to the house. All at gun point.
After twenty minutes of driving, Reno stopped on the side of the road and took his cell phone out. He dialed Bobby's number.
"Sixkiller Enterprises." Bobby answered.
"Bobby, it's me, don't hang up. Even though I know you want to. Listen, Dixon was there. I don't know how, since you said that you left him in the DA's office. I had to make a show for Dixon. I had to make him believe that I didn't care for the two of them. I want them safe, so I figured that if Dixon thought that they meant nothing to me, that he would leave them alone." Reno sighed.
"Well, that's too late, pal. You see, He's got us all locked up here at the house at gun point. That plan of your's did nothing but hurt the one's that you claim to love." Bobby said into the phone.
"Don't make any deals with him. Try to keep both Evelyn and Serena safe and calm until I get there."
"Sure thing, pal. Listen, Dixon wants you to come back to the house and turn yourself over to him."
"How many of them are there?" Reno questioned.
"He's giving you four hours to do it in before he takes drastic measures." Bobby said know that one of Dixon's goons was listening to his side of the conversation.
"So there are four of them, plus Dixon?" Reno said understanding what Bobby was saying in code.
"And don't bring any of your guns or the ones that Chey and I have stashed in the hummer."
"Got it. Thanks, Bobby." Reno said hanging up the phone. Reno headed back up to the house. He took the back pack loaded with extra guns from the hummer and went into the garage.
Reno had visited the house so many times over the years that he had come to know every entrance to the house. He held his gun aloft and checked the hallway as he entered the house.
Meanwhile…
Dixon had decided that he wanted answers. And fast. So he took Evelyn into a different room from the others, leaving Chey and Bobby to deal with a hysterical Serena and a unconscious Cindy.
"Now, tell me, Miss Walsh, is Reno the father of that little girl?" Dixon said.
"That's none of your business!" Evelyn declared.
"I'm sure he'll be here soon. Don't worry, you give us some answers and we'll let you and the brat live." Dixon said.
"I don't know anything."
"Sure you do. Now, where do you have that tape hidden?"
"The DA has it. Bobby and I turned it in this morning." Dixon didn't like that answer, so he back handed her across the face.
"Wrong answer! I know that you and Sixkiller have it hidden somewhere in the house! Just tell me where it is and we'll leave. After we get Raines, of course."
"DA Waverly has it! I don't know what she did with it after we turned you in!"
Reno turned a corner and luckily stumbled upon the scene.
"Dixon! Let her go!" Reno said pointing his gun at Dixon.
"As soon as I get that tape!" Dutch said.
"You're too late! They took it to the DA this morning! You're fight is with me, not them! Let them all go!"
"You see, that's where you're wrong, Reno! The minute you got her pregnant you dragged her into this!"
"She still has nothing to do with the fact that you killed Buzzy Burnett, then framed me for it! Let her go and I'll get you the tape!" Reno said trying to make a deal with the devil himself.
"Why should I believe you? You killed Buzzy, after all"
"Bobby probably hid it out in the car. Why don't the two of us go out there to look for it?" Reno suggested. Dixon went for the idea, so he dragged Evelyn back into the living room. With her split lip and black eye to boot. Reno left the backpack that he had taken from the car there as well.
"Serena's stuff got left in the hummer. I thought you might want it." He said.
"Untie them, but don't let any of them out of your sight. Especially the child!" Dixon said heading out of the front door with Reno.
"I'll just get him the tape, and then everything will be fine." Reno said.
The door shut and Bobby grabbed the back pack. He discreetly handed a revolver to Chey and Evelyn while taking a rifle from the mantle for himself.
"Serena, don't you ever try this!" Evelyn yelled as Bobby and Chey took their captors over. Killing those that tried to over come them. Evelyn had knocked over the couch to hide behind it with the four year old. Shots rang out outside. Chey and Bobby ran to the window.
"Dixon's dead!" Cheyenne declared.
"But Reno's hurt." Bobby said opening the front door. He ran to Reno checking the wound.
"You all right, Pal?"
"Nothing a doctor can't cure. How are Evelyn and Serena?" Reno asked getting up from the ground. While on the way back to the house, Reno had alerted the sheriff to what was happening at the house. They were just arriving. Reno had been shot in the shoulder. His left shoulder. The cops had brought paramedics with them.
"How many were there?" Sheriff Johnson asked.
"Five including Lt. Dixon." Bobby answered.
"How many bystanders were injured?"
"Just Reno. And Evelyn should probably get checked out as well.
"What happened?"
"Dixon came here looking for the tape that we gave to the DA this morning." Bobby said as the paramedics loaded Reno into an ambulance.
"The one that cleared Raines?" The Sheriff asked.
"The very one. Don't let them leave yet. She'll want to go with him." Bobby said gesturing to the ambulance.
"Who will want to go with him?"
"His woman." Chey said leading Evelyn and Serena out of the house. The child had fallen during the scuffle, so Evelyn wanted to have her looked at. So they loaded the two of them into the same ambulance as Reno.
When they got to the hospital, the doctor said that they had to take the bullet out of Reno's shoulder before she could determine how much damage there was. A couple of hours later, Reno was waking up from the anesthesia.
"Hey, how do you feel?" Evelyn asked quietly.
"Like I've been shot at close range. How are you and Serena?"
"I've just got a couple of bruises, she has a slight bump on the head. My main concern right now is you." Evelyn said putting her hand on his cheek.
"Where is she?"
"Serena? Bobby and Chey have her back at the house. I didn't want to keep her here when you'll be home in a few days."
"Home sounds good right now. I need to tell Bobby that he needs to look a replacement." Reno laughed.
"No! You stay with the company, maybe I'll even join. That is unless you really wan to be part of the police force of a small town."
"A small town cop sounds good. Shouldn't be too many people shooting at me." He smiled.
"I'm glad you're all right." Evelyn smiled.
"That stuff I said before I left, it was an act. I noticed a car there, I thought they'd follow me."
"Don't worry about any of it. Just focus on healing that shoulder."
"Let's get married." Reno blurted.
"What?!" Evelyn said, taken by surprise.
"Let's get married. I'm moving in with you and our daughter any way. Why not make it official?"
"When you're completely heal. Don't you even try attempting it right now."
Two months later, after a little bit of planning, Reno and Evelyn got married. They had found out that she was expecting their second child. Reno had met with Sheriff Johnson, but in the end, decided that Bobby needed him more than the town needed another cop.