"The Jewel Thief"
By: Lorrie Ellis
E-mail: lorrieann@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: The following story is based on the characters of the TV Series "Walker, Texas Ranger". The characters belong to CBS Productions, Top Kick Productions, Washo Brother's Entertainment, etc, but the story is mine. ALL DISCLAIMERS APPLY. (No copyright infringement is intended.)
Sydney woke to find herself sprawled out on a cold, cement floor. Every bone in her body ached and her head was throbbing.
As soon as she got her bearings, she started testing each limb to be certain that nothing was broken. Once satisfied that she was just badly bruised, she got to her feet and started to survey her surroundings.
The walls were gray cinder block and the ceiling a smooth gray material. She searched for a door, but found none. How had she gotten here? Where was she? Where was Gage?
Sydney thought back to earlier during the day. Before she and Gage had arrived at their undercover location, they had been discussing dinner plans for tomorrow night, the anniversary of their partnership. Walker had set them up undercover in Houston at 'The Cannery', a fresh fish market on the water. They were there to bring down Liu Chan, a well-known international jewel smuggler.
They, along with Walker and Trivette had been working the case for several weeks and knew from a source in Dallas that Chan was expecting something big and it was to be on board 'The Enchantress' today. They suspected that the "something big" was a box of emeralds that had been stolen from one of New York's largest jewel markets just last week. Whatever it was, it was to be routed through 'The Cannery'.
Something had gone terribly wrong though. Chan and her accomplices had found out about the set-up and were ready for them when they arrived. Sydney remembered the ship docking and Gage helping several other men unload the fish and an additional cargo of barrels. While the others were occupied with the fish, Gage opened the barrels one at a time. Each barrel was filled with a black, gooey substance. He carefully stuck his hand inside each barrel, but found nothing until the final one. When he reached in it, his arm only went in about a foot before hitting a false bottom. He tipped the barrel, draining the gooey substance and then removed the false bottom, revealing a plastic bag full of cut emeralds that glistened in the sunlight.
He quickly stuffed the bag into his jacket pocket, but not before Chan spotted him. Two of her men were on him quickly; the first one Gage was ready for. When he flew into the air to tackle him, Gage caught him and wrestled him to the ground. The minor struggle was ended when Gage threw two quick punches to the assailants face, rendering him unconscious.
The second man approached Gage quietly from behind with an iron pipe. Gage was unconscious before he knew what had hit him. The man quickly searched Gage's pockets until he found the jewels. He retrieved them and threw them to Chan, who was watching from nearby.
Sydney had witnessed the attack on Gage from her position inside the cannery, cutting up fish. She started towards the dock.
"Where do you think you're going missy?" A gruff voice asked.
She turned to face the supervisor. "I just need some air." She continued outside, not turning back. She reached the dock just in time to see Gage being dumped into the back of a pick up truck. She looked for the license plate, but there was none.
Two men on the docks, Chan's men, spotted Sydney, noting that she had witnessed Gage's disposal. "Get her!" One of them shouted.
They ran towards her; she turned a back flip to avoid them, but soon they and two others cornered her and were able to knock her out as well. The next thing she knew, she awoke to find herself in this place.
*****
Gage's head was pounding. He opened his eyes and found himself in a small, cement structure. There was no door to the room, at least not that he could see.
He heard footsteps approaching and then he heard voices, as did Sydney. "I hope you're comfortable in your new homes." Chan stated. "I know they can be quite cold at night, but the sun should be up in a few hours and your boxes will begin to heat up as it rises. By this afternoon you will be exposed to temperatures in excess of 120 degrees Fahrenheit." She started to leave. "Oh, and I'm sorry, but the walls were built around you and my men forgot to leave the canteens of water inside." With that, she walked away.
Gage stood near one of the walls. "Homes. She said homes, not home. Who else is here?" Gage mumbled. He then began to shout. "Hello! Who's there?"
Sydney heard a faint yelling that sounded like Gage, but it seemed so far away. She stood against the wall. "Gage!" She yelled back.
"Syd, is that you?"
"Gage, I'm in here! There's no way out!" She let her pent up tears fall and repeated, "There's no way out!"
Gage felt tears stinging his eyes. He could hardly stand the thought of Sydney being alone, but yet so close. He yelled. "Syd, I'm in a box too. I can't get out, but we can't give up sweetie. Just hang on, I'm sure someone will find us."
******
"Sydney and Gage missed their check in." Walker stated as Trivette came in.
"It's just 11:00, maybe we should give them until noon." Trivette responded.
Walker shook his head. "I don't like it. Their covers were iffy at best and now they haven't called in." He looked at Trivette who was just about to sit down at his desk. "Don't bother sitting down, we're going to Houston."
******
It was nearing noon and the two cinder block sweatboxes were heating up quickly. Sydney lay in the center of her box, trying to not think about how thirsty she was. She wanted to call out to Gage, but thought she had better save her strength. She quietly fell asleep.
Gage's head was still throbbing. He leaned up against the coolest wall he could find, but soon yielded to lying on the floor. He glanced at his watch, luckily, the hand were illuminated. It was just a little past noon. He knew that the heat would get worse before it got better. He closed his eyes and allowed the darkness that he had been fighting to overtake him.
*****
Walker and Trivette arrived in Houston later in the afternoon. They drove straight to 'The Cannery'. They questioned several employees and learned that at least Sydney and Gage had been on the docks earlier that morning and that a man fitting Gage's description had been unloading a ship and that Sydney had been gutting fish.
Trivette was questioning one very timid woman. "Did you see anything else?" He asked.
"Are they in trouble?" The woman pointed to the picture of Sydney and Gage that Trivette was holding.
"No. They're not in trouble with us. We just need to find them."
The woman pulled Trivette close and looked around to be certain that no one was listening. "The young man, he pulled something out of one of the barrels that came in on 'The Enchantress'. Two men attacked him. He took care of one of them, but the other hit him from behind with a pipe and threw him into the back of an old pick up truck."
"What about the girl?" Trivette showed Sydney's picture again.
The woman nodded. "I saw her too. She was taken by two other men, after they knocked her out." The woman noticed her supervisor staring at her. "I have to go now." She ran back into 'The Cannery'.
Walker approached Trivette. "What have you got?"
"An eyewitness saw them taken away, both unconscious."
"What kind of vehicle? Which direction?"
"An old pick up truck."
"Plate?" Walker asked.
Trivette shook his head.
"Great, so where do we start?"
******
"Walker, find a place to stop and let me see what I can find online."
Walker pulled into an empty parking lot and flipped on his laptop. "Do you think you can get a lead on Chan?" Walker asked.
"That's what I'm hoping for." Trivette pulled up a listing of all of the finer hotels in the area and was able to hack into their registries. "Here it is. She's registered at "The Grand".
"Let's go." Walker cranked up the RAM and drove in the direction of the hotel. When they arrived at "The Grand", Liu Chan was leaving the hotel and stepped into a waiting limo.
"There she is." Trivette stated.
Walker followed the limo to an office building on Peach Drive. "Now what would she be doing here?" Trivette asked.
"Cleve Madison." Walker stated.
"Madison? I know that name."
"You should. He's the biggest jeweler in the area."
"You think Chan's going to sell the jewels here?"
"My guess would be that she'll sell them to the highest bidder. I'll bet Madison has assembled an auction up there." Walker parked the RAM and they headed towards Madison's office.
The secretary in the outer office buzzed Cleve Madison's desk as soon as she saw Walker and Trivette's badges. He quickly moved the prospective buyers into another room, behind a fake wall.
"You can't go in there!" The secretary firmly stated.
"Watch me." Walker replied without looking in her direction. He and Trivette burst through the double doors and found Madison sitting calmly behind his desk.
"Rangers. What can I help you with?"
"Where are they Cleve?"
"Who?"
"Chan and the others."
"I don't know what you're talking about Ranger, Walker, is it?" He asked hesitantly, knowing full well who he was dealing with.
Walker leaned over Madison's desk. "We're looking for Liu Chan. She's wanted for questioning in connection with a jewel heist in New York last week and the disappearance of two of my Rangers."
"Well now. I don't believe I've seen Ms. Chan in months."
"We know otherwise, Madison." Trivette stated. "We saw her enter your building not more than 15 minutes ago."
"Then perhaps she's meeting someone else here. After all, this office building is 50 stories and houses over 100 tenants. Just because my name is on the building, doesn't mean that everyone who sets foot in here is coming to see me." He chided.
Walker recomposed himself and backed away from Madison's desk. "You just remember that we're watching you. I know Liu Chan is nearby. If you can hear me Chan, know that we're onto you. We know about the jewel heist and we know that you and your associates had everything to do with the disappearances of Rangers Gage and Cooke." He and Trivette turned to leave.
"You know she's in there." Trivette started.
"I also know that we don't have a warrant to search the office. We'll wait until she comes out. Actually I don't think we'll have to wait too long."
"Ah, I get it. Your little speech should scare off the bidders, right?"
"Right."
The two Rangers returned to the RAM. Walker had parked across the street and they now had a perfect view of the main entrance to the building.
"What if they go out the back?" Trivette asked.
"They won't."
"Why not?"
"They're too arrogant."
Shortly, Walker and Trivette observed three businessmen exit the building with brief cases. "Got your camera?" Walker asked.
"I'm already on it." Trivette started snapping photos of the men as they left.
"There she is." Walker stated as Liu Chan exited the building with two bodyguards. The limo that had dropped her off was waiting in front of the building. One of her associates held the door for her.
"What now?' Trivette asked.
"We follow the limo. Hopefully with these pictures and the eyewitnesses statement, we can get a warrant to search Chan's hotel room."
The limo took Liu Chan back to "The Grand" hotel. Walker parked the RAM and he and Trivette followed her inside. She got into the elevator and pressed the button for the Presidential Suite.
"Great. How are we going to get in?"
"We're not. I just wanted to know which room she was in." They left the hotel and immediately went to the D.A.'s office. "Alex knows the D.A. down here, so I'm hoping we won't have a hard time getting the warrant."
They were asked to be seated upon entering the office. "Do you gentlemen have an appointment?" The secretary asked.
"No, but this is an urgent matter." Walker replied.
"One moment please." The secretary pressed a button on her phone and momentarily spoke with someone in the other office. "Gentlemen, the D.A. will see you now." She escorted them into D. A. Bryant Kelly's office.
"Ranger Walker. Ranger Trivette." The D. A. greeted them with a handshake. "What can I do for you?"
Walker began to explain the case and the disappearance of Sydney and Gage.
"I see." D. A. Kelly replied after Walker finished. "And you hope to find evidence linking Liu Chan to the disappearances of your Rangers?"
"Yes sir. That and the jewel theft in New York last week."
"OK. Here's what I can do." D. A. Kelly pulled a couple of forms from his filing cabinet. "One warrant for any papers, documentation or monies found in the suite and another for any property, such as briefcases, guns, jewels, etc." He waited to see if this was agreeable with Walker.
Walker nodded his head.
"Now, let me see if I can find a Judge to sign these." He made a few phone calls and asked Walker and Trivette to wait for him in the outer office.
Twenty minutes later, Walker and Trivette had warrants to search the Presidential suite of "The Grand" hotel in Houston.
*******
It was nearing 6:00 when Sydney woke, her throat and lips parched from lack of water. She tried to shout out to Gage, but her voice was barely audible even to her. In frustration she sank back down to the floor and once again passed out.
Gage lay in the floor, awake, but unmoving. His head was still throbbing and he was pretty certain that he had yet another concussion. He looked at his watch. "6:00, he thought. Well, at least it should start to cool down some soon." He thought about Sydney and tried to call out to her, but his voice was practically gone. They should be leaving for dinner right now. He had made reservations at the Italian restaurant she liked so well. He closed his eyes and tried to rest, as his head was flooded with memories of he and Sydney.
*******
Walker and Trivette took four uniformed officers along with them to "The Grand". As they entered, they flashed their badges and proceeded to the Presidential suite. One of the officers remained with the people at the front desk to assure that no one in the suite was tipped off.
The group of men stood outside of the entrance. Walker held up his hand and mouthed. "One – Two – Three." One three, the door was suddenly broken down. Liu Chan was in the middle of the room along with two of her men, staring at an open briefcase full of beautiful cut emeralds.
The officers immediately apprehended them and the briefcase was taken as evidence. "Guys, be careful with that case." Walker said. "My bet is that if you cross reference those emeralds, you'll find that they're the ones that were taken during last week's heist in New York."
"Thanks Ranger." One of the officers replied. "That may mean a commendation for all of us."
Walker smiled. "You're probably right." He turned to another of the officers. "See that she's available for questioning when Trivette and I get there. We're still trying to locate two of our own."
"You got it Walker."
Once Liu Chan had been removed from the suite, Walker and Trivette along with the other officer began their search. "What exactly are we looking for Rangers?" The officer asked.
"Money, weapons, information, whatever. You'll know it when you see it." Walker said as he flipped the cushions up on the couch.
"Hey Walker. Over here." Trivette said as he retrieved two wadded up pieces of paper from the trashcan.
"What is it?"
"A couple of receipts. One for concrete blocks and the other for transportation of them."
Walker grabbed the receipts and read the name of the transport company. "Let's go. I think this is the lead we've been looking for."
*****
As they pulled out of the parking lot, Trivette turned to Walker. "So you think this has something to do with Gage and Sydney and where we might find them?"
"I sure do. Why would Liu Chan need this volume of cement blocks?"
Trivette shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe she's building something."
Walker shook his head. "Why cement blocks? She's accustomed to the finer things in life."
"I don't know. What do you think she's using them for?"
"I'm not sure, but I just feel like it has something to do with Gage and Sydney or for that matter anyone else who got in her way."
Walker stopped the RAM in front of "Timmons Hauling" just as the gate was being closed for the day.
"Wait!" Walker yelled as he pointed to his badge. "Texas Ranger. I have some questions concerning a shipment you made."
Trivette looked at his watch, it was near 7:00 p.m.
"What can I do for you Rangers?" The man asked.
"We need to know where this load was delivered and it's imperative that we know right now. Two people's lives may be in danger."
"Sure. Come on in, I can help you with this." He unlocked the gate and allowed Walker to drive through. "I'm Zeke. I handle most of the dispatching here, so this shouldn't take but a minute."
Zeke sat at his desk and with a few keystrokes, pulled up the receipt number and turned the screen towards Walker and Trivette. "I remember this one."
"Why?" Trivette asked.
"Because it was a weird request. This guy calls in and wanted this load of block picked up from one spot and delivered to another."
"Is that so weird?"
"He wanted it to be delivered out in the middle of nowhere. That's why there's no delivery address listed."
Walker and Trivette looked at each other. "How would we find the exact location of the delivery?" Trivette asked.
"I can try to reach the driver, he should know where he dropped it, but I won't make any promises, it is after hours and we don't usually have a need to be on call."
Walker nodded. "Yeah, go ahead and try to get in touch with him. Tell him it's imperative that we speak with him. Also, let him know that we may need for him to show us where he dropped it."
Walker pulled Trivette to the side while Zeke called the truck driver. "We should probably prepare ourselves for the worst where Sydney and Gage are concerned."
"You think they're dead?"
"I don't want to think it, but something is really wrong with this picture and Liu Chan doesn't usually leave any witnesses behind."
"Here, I've got the driver on the phone, Ranger Walker." Zeke announced.
Walker took the phone. "This is Texas Ranger, Cordell Walker, I understand that you dropped a load of concrete block in the middle of nowhere the other day."
"That's right." The driver explained.
"Can you tell me exactly where you dropped it?"
"Hang on, I've got the directions." Walker heard the man rustle through some papers. "Yeah, here it is." He gave them the directions that he had been given by the caller. "A guy met me once I turned off of the main road and I followed him to the drop point."
"How far from the main road?" Walker asked.
"About a mile to a mile and a half."
"Thank you." He hung up the phone and turned to Zeke. "Zeke, thanks for you help."
"Anytime Rangers."
********
Walker radioed ahead to the police station in Houston. He identified himself and requested that a helicopter be waiting for he and Trivette.
"Ranger, I can't get you one until morning." The dispatcher replied.
"This is a matter of life and death!" Walker shouted.
"I'm sorry Ranger. There just isn't one to be had right now. I'll have one ready for you and waiting at 6:00 a.m."
Walker sighed, looking at his watch. It was near 8:30 now. "OK, if that's the best you can do, but if anything changes, call me at this number." Walker gave the dispatcher his cell phone number.
"No dice on the helicopter?" Trivette asked.
"Not until morning."
*********
Gage, feeling somewhat cooler, tried to stand, but found that he didn't have the strength to lift himself from the floor of the cement room. He crawled towards the wall that he knew was facing Sydney's concrete prison. "Syd!" He yelled as loudly as he could. "Syd, can you hear me?"
Sydney was awakened by the faint sound of Gage's voice. "Gage?" She said quietly and then found a little more of her voice within her. "Gage!" She yelled.
"I'm here! How are you holding up?"
"I'm sore and I'm thirsty and hot!"
"Me too, but it should cool off tonight."
"Yeah, I know. It'll probably get down right cold."
"I don't think I would complain if it did." He closed his eyes slightly. "I'm tired Syd. I'm going to lay down."
"Me too." She started to make her way to the center of the room again. "Gage?"
"Yeah."
"I love you!"
"I love you too, Sydney." He put his hand against the wall, wishing that he could touch her. "I love you too." He whispered and then quietly fell to the floor, exhausted.
******
Walker and Trivette were at the airport at 5:30 a.m., waiting for the helicopter. It arrived promptly at 6:00 a.m. as the dispatcher had promised.
"Where to Rangers?" The pilot asked.
Walker showed him the directions he had. "Once we get to this point, we start looking in the badlands."
"The badlands? Are you hoping to find these two Rangers alive?"
"We can always hope." Trivette answered. "They're two of ours."
"I'm sorry. I didn't know."
They lifted off and followed the directions Walker had been given. Once they reached the edge of the desert, or badlands, as the locals referred to it, they started combing the sands.
"What am I looking for?" The pilot asked.
"A stack of cement blocks or a structure." Walker replied.
"Like those?" The pilot pointed to two small cinder block structures.
"Exactly like those!" Walker pointed to the pilot to sit the helicopter down. Walker and Trivette were both out of the helicopter before it touched the ground.
They ran towards the structures and realized that there were no doors or windows on either of them. "Walker, this is a long shot at best." Trivette stated, knowing that there was every possibility that Gage and Sydney weren't inside.
"We need sledge hammers or something to smash these blocks." Walker commented. Trivette headed back towards the helicopter to retrieve some tools. Walker started shouting. "Gage! Sydney!" There was no answer.
******
The heat from the previous day, along with the blows that both Sydney and Gage had taken to their heads had taken their toll. Gage lay slumped against the wall facing the structure that held Sydney with his right hand still resting on the wall. He was drenched in sweat and his lips were cracked from their dryness. He had once again slipped into a blissful darkness.
Sydney lay in the center of her cement box, drenched in sweat. The heat was beginning to once again build in the cement blocks and soon the temperatures would be near unbearable as they were the day before. But it wouldn't bother Sydney today; she had succumbed to the heat long ago and was unconscious.
******
Trivette took one sledgehammer and gave Walker the other. Walker stood outside of the structure that held Gage while Trivette made his way to the one that held Sydney. They both began to break down the blocks. Walker's hammer made an opening large enough for him to peak through. He saw Gage inside. "Trivette, Gage is in here. Sydney has to be in that one!" He then turned to Gage and yelled. "Gage! Gage, can you hear me?"
There was no answer. Walker picked up the hammer and continued to pound away at the wall until he could step inside the hot box that held his friend. He was amazed at the intense heat that had built up inside the structure. Once inside, he leaned over Gage. "Gage! Come on buddy, we've got to get you out of here." Walker summoned up all of his strength and pulled Gage to his feet, as best as he could, and dragged him outside.
Trivette was quickly through the wall that separated he and Sydney. Once the wall was down, he stepped inside and lifted her out to safety.
The helicopter pilot, seeing what was going on, radioed for a Medivac chopper and provided them their location.
The paramedics were there by the time Sydney and Gage had been delivered from their prisons. An IV was started on both to replenish the fluids that they had lost and they were then loaded into the chopper and transported to Memorial Hospital in Houston.
Trivette patted Walker's back. "We did it!" He exclaimed.
"We sure did!" Walker replied. "Let's go get cleaned up and after we've checked on Gage and Sydney, we'll go talk to Liu Chan and the others."
"Looks like the charges against her just increased to two counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement official."
"As if felony grand theft wasn't enough."
*******
After a quick shower, Walker picked up the phone and dialed Alex's number. "Alex, it's me."
"Walker. Are you alright? Have you found them?"
"We found them. I haven't been to the hospital yet, but I'm on my way now and I'll call you when I know more."
"Hospital? What's wrong?"
"It's a long story Alex, but I can tell you this much; They were in the desert, in a sweatbox."
"Oh no. Are they conscious?"
"They weren't when I last saw them, but the paramedics seemed optimistic." Walker's voice trailed off. "I wish you were here."
"I wish I were there too. Call me as soon as you know something, OK?"
"I will."
Trivette spent a few minutes on the phone with Erica, letting her know that he was OK and that he would update her on Gage and Sydney's condition as soon as they knew something.
******
Gage and Sydney had both been rushed into the emergency room, each being treated for heat exhaustion. Dr. Crow was overseeing both. He had been briefed that they were both Texas Rangers and knew at this point that they were both in serious condition. He had them both set up on IV's and was working fervently to regulate their body temperatures.
Walker and Trivette found the head nurse of the ER and identified themselves. The nurse didn't give them an opportunity to speak, but rather told them what she knew. "Rangers, your friends are both in serious condition and Dr. Crow is trying to regulate their body temperatures before he even begins to assess any other injuries. You'll have to excuse me."
Walker nodded. "Thank you."
Hours later, the head nurse approached them with Dr. Crow behind her. "Rangers, this is Dr. Crow."
"I'm Ranger Walker and this is Trivette." Walker introduced.
"Your young Rangers are very lucky. I've never had anyone come through here with body temperatures as high as theirs were and live through it."
"Then they're going to be alright?" Trivette asked.
Dr. Crow nodded. "They're both doing extremely well considering. Ranger Gage has a concussion and a deep cut on the back of his head which required stitches, but he's going to be fine."
"And Ranger Cooke?"
"She has quite a few bumps and bruises and a large bump on the back of her head, but she'll also be fine."
"Thank the Lord." Walker finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Can we see them?'
"They're both asleep right now, but you can see them in a few hours."
Walker used this opportunity to call Alex and update her, as did Trivette.
Two hours later, they both opened the door to Gage's room and found him sitting up, still a little groggy and still connected to an IV.
"Hey buddy, how are you feeling?"
Gage smiled. "Hey guys. Have you seen Syd yet?"
"No not yet, she's still sleeping, but the doctor said she's fine."
Gage nodded. "That's what he told me too." Gage closed his eyes tightly. "Hey Walker, I'm really sorry. We lost Chan and we lost the emeralds. I let them get the jump on me. I really screwed up and I'm sorry."
"It's fine Gage. We got Chan and now we have her on attempted murder too."
"How in the world did you guys find us out there in the middle of nowhere anyway?"
"Chan left a paper trail and we followed it." Trivette laughed.
Gage looked confused. "What?"
"Never mind. The important thing is that we found you and you're both alive."
"How did you survive the temperatures Gage, and with no water?"
"I don't know. I really don't know." He closed his eyes again.
"We'd better go and let you get some rest. We'll check in on Sydney."
"Thanks."
Sydney was still sleeping when Walker and Trivette stepped inside her room.
Walker stood with his hat in his hands for a moment. "Maybe we should just go." He whispered.
"She'll be awake soon." Trivette replied as Sydney hand started to move slightly. "See."
She opened her eyes and found Walker and Trivette staring at her. "What's wrong? Is it Gage?"
"Shh. Gage is fine and you're going to be fine too." Walker smiled. "We just wanted to check on you before we headed over to the police station to question Chan."
"Why don't you get me out of here and let me go with you. I would love to take her back to one of those little death boxes she put me and Gage in." Sydney rotated her head, trying to alleviate some of the stiffness.
Walker smiled. "Would you settle for life in prison?"
"Only if it's one of the worst prisons in the country."
"Feeling a little vindictive, are we?"
"You would be too. I still reek of the smell of fish, I'm dehydrated and my head is killing me. Plus, Gage was supposed to have taken me out to dinner last night and now I'm sure he'll do everything he can to get out of it." She paused. "You're sure he's OK, right?"
"He has a concussion, but he'll be fine."
"Well, there you go, that'll be his excuse about dinner. My night out will turn into a dinner at home and I'll have to cook." She had a look of mock disgust on her face and then smiled. "But I might let him off, this time."
Walker and Trivette both smiled, knowing that Sydney was still groggy or she wouldn't be rambling on about dinner when she and Gage both had just narrowly escaped death.
******
At the police station, it didn't take long for Walker to crack one of Chan's associates, Juan. He spilled everything from their part in the jewel heist in New York to taking care of Gage and Sydney.
"Juan, you're cooperation will be taken into consideration at your trial. Chan is going down for a long time for this one."
"Why? The guy on the docks was just as guilty as we were, he took the jewels." Juan whined.
"Well, not exactly." Trivette piped up. "You see, the guy and girl that you and your friends beat up and left to die in the desert are both Texas Rangers."
A look of utter defeat came across Juan's face. "Aw, man."
Walker motioned to the deputy. "Take him back to his cell."
Just after the deputy got out the door with Juan, the sheriff came running into the interrogation room. "She's gone!" He shouted.
"Who?" Trivette asked.
"Chan! She's disappeared."
The three men rushed to Chan's cell and found that she had indeed escaped, but how?
*******
Liu Chan sat in her limo with one of the Sheriff's deputies by her side. "Thank you Michael for helping me to escape."
"You're quite welcome Miss Chan. I want you to know that I would be more than happy to work with you in the future."
"I'm sorry Michael, but I don't think that will be possible."
"Why?" Deputy Michael Brown asked.
Chan pulled a gun from a side compartment in the backseat of the limo, pointed it at Michael's head and pulled the trigger. "Because you're simply just not up to it."
The limo driver stopped once they were well out of Houston and dumped the body in an area where it would likely never be found. He returned to the limo and continued to drive with Liu Chan smiling an evil grin.
THE END
By: Lorrie Ellis
E-mail: lorrieann@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: The following story is based on the characters of the TV Series "Walker, Texas Ranger". The characters belong to CBS Productions, Top Kick Productions, Washo Brother's Entertainment, etc, but the story is mine. ALL DISCLAIMERS APPLY. (No copyright infringement is intended.)
Sydney woke to find herself sprawled out on a cold, cement floor. Every bone in her body ached and her head was throbbing.
As soon as she got her bearings, she started testing each limb to be certain that nothing was broken. Once satisfied that she was just badly bruised, she got to her feet and started to survey her surroundings.
The walls were gray cinder block and the ceiling a smooth gray material. She searched for a door, but found none. How had she gotten here? Where was she? Where was Gage?
Sydney thought back to earlier during the day. Before she and Gage had arrived at their undercover location, they had been discussing dinner plans for tomorrow night, the anniversary of their partnership. Walker had set them up undercover in Houston at 'The Cannery', a fresh fish market on the water. They were there to bring down Liu Chan, a well-known international jewel smuggler.
They, along with Walker and Trivette had been working the case for several weeks and knew from a source in Dallas that Chan was expecting something big and it was to be on board 'The Enchantress' today. They suspected that the "something big" was a box of emeralds that had been stolen from one of New York's largest jewel markets just last week. Whatever it was, it was to be routed through 'The Cannery'.
Something had gone terribly wrong though. Chan and her accomplices had found out about the set-up and were ready for them when they arrived. Sydney remembered the ship docking and Gage helping several other men unload the fish and an additional cargo of barrels. While the others were occupied with the fish, Gage opened the barrels one at a time. Each barrel was filled with a black, gooey substance. He carefully stuck his hand inside each barrel, but found nothing until the final one. When he reached in it, his arm only went in about a foot before hitting a false bottom. He tipped the barrel, draining the gooey substance and then removed the false bottom, revealing a plastic bag full of cut emeralds that glistened in the sunlight.
He quickly stuffed the bag into his jacket pocket, but not before Chan spotted him. Two of her men were on him quickly; the first one Gage was ready for. When he flew into the air to tackle him, Gage caught him and wrestled him to the ground. The minor struggle was ended when Gage threw two quick punches to the assailants face, rendering him unconscious.
The second man approached Gage quietly from behind with an iron pipe. Gage was unconscious before he knew what had hit him. The man quickly searched Gage's pockets until he found the jewels. He retrieved them and threw them to Chan, who was watching from nearby.
Sydney had witnessed the attack on Gage from her position inside the cannery, cutting up fish. She started towards the dock.
"Where do you think you're going missy?" A gruff voice asked.
She turned to face the supervisor. "I just need some air." She continued outside, not turning back. She reached the dock just in time to see Gage being dumped into the back of a pick up truck. She looked for the license plate, but there was none.
Two men on the docks, Chan's men, spotted Sydney, noting that she had witnessed Gage's disposal. "Get her!" One of them shouted.
They ran towards her; she turned a back flip to avoid them, but soon they and two others cornered her and were able to knock her out as well. The next thing she knew, she awoke to find herself in this place.
*****
Gage's head was pounding. He opened his eyes and found himself in a small, cement structure. There was no door to the room, at least not that he could see.
He heard footsteps approaching and then he heard voices, as did Sydney. "I hope you're comfortable in your new homes." Chan stated. "I know they can be quite cold at night, but the sun should be up in a few hours and your boxes will begin to heat up as it rises. By this afternoon you will be exposed to temperatures in excess of 120 degrees Fahrenheit." She started to leave. "Oh, and I'm sorry, but the walls were built around you and my men forgot to leave the canteens of water inside." With that, she walked away.
Gage stood near one of the walls. "Homes. She said homes, not home. Who else is here?" Gage mumbled. He then began to shout. "Hello! Who's there?"
Sydney heard a faint yelling that sounded like Gage, but it seemed so far away. She stood against the wall. "Gage!" She yelled back.
"Syd, is that you?"
"Gage, I'm in here! There's no way out!" She let her pent up tears fall and repeated, "There's no way out!"
Gage felt tears stinging his eyes. He could hardly stand the thought of Sydney being alone, but yet so close. He yelled. "Syd, I'm in a box too. I can't get out, but we can't give up sweetie. Just hang on, I'm sure someone will find us."
******
"Sydney and Gage missed their check in." Walker stated as Trivette came in.
"It's just 11:00, maybe we should give them until noon." Trivette responded.
Walker shook his head. "I don't like it. Their covers were iffy at best and now they haven't called in." He looked at Trivette who was just about to sit down at his desk. "Don't bother sitting down, we're going to Houston."
******
It was nearing noon and the two cinder block sweatboxes were heating up quickly. Sydney lay in the center of her box, trying to not think about how thirsty she was. She wanted to call out to Gage, but thought she had better save her strength. She quietly fell asleep.
Gage's head was still throbbing. He leaned up against the coolest wall he could find, but soon yielded to lying on the floor. He glanced at his watch, luckily, the hand were illuminated. It was just a little past noon. He knew that the heat would get worse before it got better. He closed his eyes and allowed the darkness that he had been fighting to overtake him.
*****
Walker and Trivette arrived in Houston later in the afternoon. They drove straight to 'The Cannery'. They questioned several employees and learned that at least Sydney and Gage had been on the docks earlier that morning and that a man fitting Gage's description had been unloading a ship and that Sydney had been gutting fish.
Trivette was questioning one very timid woman. "Did you see anything else?" He asked.
"Are they in trouble?" The woman pointed to the picture of Sydney and Gage that Trivette was holding.
"No. They're not in trouble with us. We just need to find them."
The woman pulled Trivette close and looked around to be certain that no one was listening. "The young man, he pulled something out of one of the barrels that came in on 'The Enchantress'. Two men attacked him. He took care of one of them, but the other hit him from behind with a pipe and threw him into the back of an old pick up truck."
"What about the girl?" Trivette showed Sydney's picture again.
The woman nodded. "I saw her too. She was taken by two other men, after they knocked her out." The woman noticed her supervisor staring at her. "I have to go now." She ran back into 'The Cannery'.
Walker approached Trivette. "What have you got?"
"An eyewitness saw them taken away, both unconscious."
"What kind of vehicle? Which direction?"
"An old pick up truck."
"Plate?" Walker asked.
Trivette shook his head.
"Great, so where do we start?"
******
"Walker, find a place to stop and let me see what I can find online."
Walker pulled into an empty parking lot and flipped on his laptop. "Do you think you can get a lead on Chan?" Walker asked.
"That's what I'm hoping for." Trivette pulled up a listing of all of the finer hotels in the area and was able to hack into their registries. "Here it is. She's registered at "The Grand".
"Let's go." Walker cranked up the RAM and drove in the direction of the hotel. When they arrived at "The Grand", Liu Chan was leaving the hotel and stepped into a waiting limo.
"There she is." Trivette stated.
Walker followed the limo to an office building on Peach Drive. "Now what would she be doing here?" Trivette asked.
"Cleve Madison." Walker stated.
"Madison? I know that name."
"You should. He's the biggest jeweler in the area."
"You think Chan's going to sell the jewels here?"
"My guess would be that she'll sell them to the highest bidder. I'll bet Madison has assembled an auction up there." Walker parked the RAM and they headed towards Madison's office.
The secretary in the outer office buzzed Cleve Madison's desk as soon as she saw Walker and Trivette's badges. He quickly moved the prospective buyers into another room, behind a fake wall.
"You can't go in there!" The secretary firmly stated.
"Watch me." Walker replied without looking in her direction. He and Trivette burst through the double doors and found Madison sitting calmly behind his desk.
"Rangers. What can I help you with?"
"Where are they Cleve?"
"Who?"
"Chan and the others."
"I don't know what you're talking about Ranger, Walker, is it?" He asked hesitantly, knowing full well who he was dealing with.
Walker leaned over Madison's desk. "We're looking for Liu Chan. She's wanted for questioning in connection with a jewel heist in New York last week and the disappearance of two of my Rangers."
"Well now. I don't believe I've seen Ms. Chan in months."
"We know otherwise, Madison." Trivette stated. "We saw her enter your building not more than 15 minutes ago."
"Then perhaps she's meeting someone else here. After all, this office building is 50 stories and houses over 100 tenants. Just because my name is on the building, doesn't mean that everyone who sets foot in here is coming to see me." He chided.
Walker recomposed himself and backed away from Madison's desk. "You just remember that we're watching you. I know Liu Chan is nearby. If you can hear me Chan, know that we're onto you. We know about the jewel heist and we know that you and your associates had everything to do with the disappearances of Rangers Gage and Cooke." He and Trivette turned to leave.
"You know she's in there." Trivette started.
"I also know that we don't have a warrant to search the office. We'll wait until she comes out. Actually I don't think we'll have to wait too long."
"Ah, I get it. Your little speech should scare off the bidders, right?"
"Right."
The two Rangers returned to the RAM. Walker had parked across the street and they now had a perfect view of the main entrance to the building.
"What if they go out the back?" Trivette asked.
"They won't."
"Why not?"
"They're too arrogant."
Shortly, Walker and Trivette observed three businessmen exit the building with brief cases. "Got your camera?" Walker asked.
"I'm already on it." Trivette started snapping photos of the men as they left.
"There she is." Walker stated as Liu Chan exited the building with two bodyguards. The limo that had dropped her off was waiting in front of the building. One of her associates held the door for her.
"What now?' Trivette asked.
"We follow the limo. Hopefully with these pictures and the eyewitnesses statement, we can get a warrant to search Chan's hotel room."
The limo took Liu Chan back to "The Grand" hotel. Walker parked the RAM and he and Trivette followed her inside. She got into the elevator and pressed the button for the Presidential Suite.
"Great. How are we going to get in?"
"We're not. I just wanted to know which room she was in." They left the hotel and immediately went to the D.A.'s office. "Alex knows the D.A. down here, so I'm hoping we won't have a hard time getting the warrant."
They were asked to be seated upon entering the office. "Do you gentlemen have an appointment?" The secretary asked.
"No, but this is an urgent matter." Walker replied.
"One moment please." The secretary pressed a button on her phone and momentarily spoke with someone in the other office. "Gentlemen, the D.A. will see you now." She escorted them into D. A. Bryant Kelly's office.
"Ranger Walker. Ranger Trivette." The D. A. greeted them with a handshake. "What can I do for you?"
Walker began to explain the case and the disappearance of Sydney and Gage.
"I see." D. A. Kelly replied after Walker finished. "And you hope to find evidence linking Liu Chan to the disappearances of your Rangers?"
"Yes sir. That and the jewel theft in New York last week."
"OK. Here's what I can do." D. A. Kelly pulled a couple of forms from his filing cabinet. "One warrant for any papers, documentation or monies found in the suite and another for any property, such as briefcases, guns, jewels, etc." He waited to see if this was agreeable with Walker.
Walker nodded his head.
"Now, let me see if I can find a Judge to sign these." He made a few phone calls and asked Walker and Trivette to wait for him in the outer office.
Twenty minutes later, Walker and Trivette had warrants to search the Presidential suite of "The Grand" hotel in Houston.
*******
It was nearing 6:00 when Sydney woke, her throat and lips parched from lack of water. She tried to shout out to Gage, but her voice was barely audible even to her. In frustration she sank back down to the floor and once again passed out.
Gage lay in the floor, awake, but unmoving. His head was still throbbing and he was pretty certain that he had yet another concussion. He looked at his watch. "6:00, he thought. Well, at least it should start to cool down some soon." He thought about Sydney and tried to call out to her, but his voice was practically gone. They should be leaving for dinner right now. He had made reservations at the Italian restaurant she liked so well. He closed his eyes and tried to rest, as his head was flooded with memories of he and Sydney.
*******
Walker and Trivette took four uniformed officers along with them to "The Grand". As they entered, they flashed their badges and proceeded to the Presidential suite. One of the officers remained with the people at the front desk to assure that no one in the suite was tipped off.
The group of men stood outside of the entrance. Walker held up his hand and mouthed. "One – Two – Three." One three, the door was suddenly broken down. Liu Chan was in the middle of the room along with two of her men, staring at an open briefcase full of beautiful cut emeralds.
The officers immediately apprehended them and the briefcase was taken as evidence. "Guys, be careful with that case." Walker said. "My bet is that if you cross reference those emeralds, you'll find that they're the ones that were taken during last week's heist in New York."
"Thanks Ranger." One of the officers replied. "That may mean a commendation for all of us."
Walker smiled. "You're probably right." He turned to another of the officers. "See that she's available for questioning when Trivette and I get there. We're still trying to locate two of our own."
"You got it Walker."
Once Liu Chan had been removed from the suite, Walker and Trivette along with the other officer began their search. "What exactly are we looking for Rangers?" The officer asked.
"Money, weapons, information, whatever. You'll know it when you see it." Walker said as he flipped the cushions up on the couch.
"Hey Walker. Over here." Trivette said as he retrieved two wadded up pieces of paper from the trashcan.
"What is it?"
"A couple of receipts. One for concrete blocks and the other for transportation of them."
Walker grabbed the receipts and read the name of the transport company. "Let's go. I think this is the lead we've been looking for."
*****
As they pulled out of the parking lot, Trivette turned to Walker. "So you think this has something to do with Gage and Sydney and where we might find them?"
"I sure do. Why would Liu Chan need this volume of cement blocks?"
Trivette shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe she's building something."
Walker shook his head. "Why cement blocks? She's accustomed to the finer things in life."
"I don't know. What do you think she's using them for?"
"I'm not sure, but I just feel like it has something to do with Gage and Sydney or for that matter anyone else who got in her way."
Walker stopped the RAM in front of "Timmons Hauling" just as the gate was being closed for the day.
"Wait!" Walker yelled as he pointed to his badge. "Texas Ranger. I have some questions concerning a shipment you made."
Trivette looked at his watch, it was near 7:00 p.m.
"What can I do for you Rangers?" The man asked.
"We need to know where this load was delivered and it's imperative that we know right now. Two people's lives may be in danger."
"Sure. Come on in, I can help you with this." He unlocked the gate and allowed Walker to drive through. "I'm Zeke. I handle most of the dispatching here, so this shouldn't take but a minute."
Zeke sat at his desk and with a few keystrokes, pulled up the receipt number and turned the screen towards Walker and Trivette. "I remember this one."
"Why?" Trivette asked.
"Because it was a weird request. This guy calls in and wanted this load of block picked up from one spot and delivered to another."
"Is that so weird?"
"He wanted it to be delivered out in the middle of nowhere. That's why there's no delivery address listed."
Walker and Trivette looked at each other. "How would we find the exact location of the delivery?" Trivette asked.
"I can try to reach the driver, he should know where he dropped it, but I won't make any promises, it is after hours and we don't usually have a need to be on call."
Walker nodded. "Yeah, go ahead and try to get in touch with him. Tell him it's imperative that we speak with him. Also, let him know that we may need for him to show us where he dropped it."
Walker pulled Trivette to the side while Zeke called the truck driver. "We should probably prepare ourselves for the worst where Sydney and Gage are concerned."
"You think they're dead?"
"I don't want to think it, but something is really wrong with this picture and Liu Chan doesn't usually leave any witnesses behind."
"Here, I've got the driver on the phone, Ranger Walker." Zeke announced.
Walker took the phone. "This is Texas Ranger, Cordell Walker, I understand that you dropped a load of concrete block in the middle of nowhere the other day."
"That's right." The driver explained.
"Can you tell me exactly where you dropped it?"
"Hang on, I've got the directions." Walker heard the man rustle through some papers. "Yeah, here it is." He gave them the directions that he had been given by the caller. "A guy met me once I turned off of the main road and I followed him to the drop point."
"How far from the main road?" Walker asked.
"About a mile to a mile and a half."
"Thank you." He hung up the phone and turned to Zeke. "Zeke, thanks for you help."
"Anytime Rangers."
********
Walker radioed ahead to the police station in Houston. He identified himself and requested that a helicopter be waiting for he and Trivette.
"Ranger, I can't get you one until morning." The dispatcher replied.
"This is a matter of life and death!" Walker shouted.
"I'm sorry Ranger. There just isn't one to be had right now. I'll have one ready for you and waiting at 6:00 a.m."
Walker sighed, looking at his watch. It was near 8:30 now. "OK, if that's the best you can do, but if anything changes, call me at this number." Walker gave the dispatcher his cell phone number.
"No dice on the helicopter?" Trivette asked.
"Not until morning."
*********
Gage, feeling somewhat cooler, tried to stand, but found that he didn't have the strength to lift himself from the floor of the cement room. He crawled towards the wall that he knew was facing Sydney's concrete prison. "Syd!" He yelled as loudly as he could. "Syd, can you hear me?"
Sydney was awakened by the faint sound of Gage's voice. "Gage?" She said quietly and then found a little more of her voice within her. "Gage!" She yelled.
"I'm here! How are you holding up?"
"I'm sore and I'm thirsty and hot!"
"Me too, but it should cool off tonight."
"Yeah, I know. It'll probably get down right cold."
"I don't think I would complain if it did." He closed his eyes slightly. "I'm tired Syd. I'm going to lay down."
"Me too." She started to make her way to the center of the room again. "Gage?"
"Yeah."
"I love you!"
"I love you too, Sydney." He put his hand against the wall, wishing that he could touch her. "I love you too." He whispered and then quietly fell to the floor, exhausted.
******
Walker and Trivette were at the airport at 5:30 a.m., waiting for the helicopter. It arrived promptly at 6:00 a.m. as the dispatcher had promised.
"Where to Rangers?" The pilot asked.
Walker showed him the directions he had. "Once we get to this point, we start looking in the badlands."
"The badlands? Are you hoping to find these two Rangers alive?"
"We can always hope." Trivette answered. "They're two of ours."
"I'm sorry. I didn't know."
They lifted off and followed the directions Walker had been given. Once they reached the edge of the desert, or badlands, as the locals referred to it, they started combing the sands.
"What am I looking for?" The pilot asked.
"A stack of cement blocks or a structure." Walker replied.
"Like those?" The pilot pointed to two small cinder block structures.
"Exactly like those!" Walker pointed to the pilot to sit the helicopter down. Walker and Trivette were both out of the helicopter before it touched the ground.
They ran towards the structures and realized that there were no doors or windows on either of them. "Walker, this is a long shot at best." Trivette stated, knowing that there was every possibility that Gage and Sydney weren't inside.
"We need sledge hammers or something to smash these blocks." Walker commented. Trivette headed back towards the helicopter to retrieve some tools. Walker started shouting. "Gage! Sydney!" There was no answer.
******
The heat from the previous day, along with the blows that both Sydney and Gage had taken to their heads had taken their toll. Gage lay slumped against the wall facing the structure that held Sydney with his right hand still resting on the wall. He was drenched in sweat and his lips were cracked from their dryness. He had once again slipped into a blissful darkness.
Sydney lay in the center of her cement box, drenched in sweat. The heat was beginning to once again build in the cement blocks and soon the temperatures would be near unbearable as they were the day before. But it wouldn't bother Sydney today; she had succumbed to the heat long ago and was unconscious.
******
Trivette took one sledgehammer and gave Walker the other. Walker stood outside of the structure that held Gage while Trivette made his way to the one that held Sydney. They both began to break down the blocks. Walker's hammer made an opening large enough for him to peak through. He saw Gage inside. "Trivette, Gage is in here. Sydney has to be in that one!" He then turned to Gage and yelled. "Gage! Gage, can you hear me?"
There was no answer. Walker picked up the hammer and continued to pound away at the wall until he could step inside the hot box that held his friend. He was amazed at the intense heat that had built up inside the structure. Once inside, he leaned over Gage. "Gage! Come on buddy, we've got to get you out of here." Walker summoned up all of his strength and pulled Gage to his feet, as best as he could, and dragged him outside.
Trivette was quickly through the wall that separated he and Sydney. Once the wall was down, he stepped inside and lifted her out to safety.
The helicopter pilot, seeing what was going on, radioed for a Medivac chopper and provided them their location.
The paramedics were there by the time Sydney and Gage had been delivered from their prisons. An IV was started on both to replenish the fluids that they had lost and they were then loaded into the chopper and transported to Memorial Hospital in Houston.
Trivette patted Walker's back. "We did it!" He exclaimed.
"We sure did!" Walker replied. "Let's go get cleaned up and after we've checked on Gage and Sydney, we'll go talk to Liu Chan and the others."
"Looks like the charges against her just increased to two counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement official."
"As if felony grand theft wasn't enough."
*******
After a quick shower, Walker picked up the phone and dialed Alex's number. "Alex, it's me."
"Walker. Are you alright? Have you found them?"
"We found them. I haven't been to the hospital yet, but I'm on my way now and I'll call you when I know more."
"Hospital? What's wrong?"
"It's a long story Alex, but I can tell you this much; They were in the desert, in a sweatbox."
"Oh no. Are they conscious?"
"They weren't when I last saw them, but the paramedics seemed optimistic." Walker's voice trailed off. "I wish you were here."
"I wish I were there too. Call me as soon as you know something, OK?"
"I will."
Trivette spent a few minutes on the phone with Erica, letting her know that he was OK and that he would update her on Gage and Sydney's condition as soon as they knew something.
******
Gage and Sydney had both been rushed into the emergency room, each being treated for heat exhaustion. Dr. Crow was overseeing both. He had been briefed that they were both Texas Rangers and knew at this point that they were both in serious condition. He had them both set up on IV's and was working fervently to regulate their body temperatures.
Walker and Trivette found the head nurse of the ER and identified themselves. The nurse didn't give them an opportunity to speak, but rather told them what she knew. "Rangers, your friends are both in serious condition and Dr. Crow is trying to regulate their body temperatures before he even begins to assess any other injuries. You'll have to excuse me."
Walker nodded. "Thank you."
Hours later, the head nurse approached them with Dr. Crow behind her. "Rangers, this is Dr. Crow."
"I'm Ranger Walker and this is Trivette." Walker introduced.
"Your young Rangers are very lucky. I've never had anyone come through here with body temperatures as high as theirs were and live through it."
"Then they're going to be alright?" Trivette asked.
Dr. Crow nodded. "They're both doing extremely well considering. Ranger Gage has a concussion and a deep cut on the back of his head which required stitches, but he's going to be fine."
"And Ranger Cooke?"
"She has quite a few bumps and bruises and a large bump on the back of her head, but she'll also be fine."
"Thank the Lord." Walker finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Can we see them?'
"They're both asleep right now, but you can see them in a few hours."
Walker used this opportunity to call Alex and update her, as did Trivette.
Two hours later, they both opened the door to Gage's room and found him sitting up, still a little groggy and still connected to an IV.
"Hey buddy, how are you feeling?"
Gage smiled. "Hey guys. Have you seen Syd yet?"
"No not yet, she's still sleeping, but the doctor said she's fine."
Gage nodded. "That's what he told me too." Gage closed his eyes tightly. "Hey Walker, I'm really sorry. We lost Chan and we lost the emeralds. I let them get the jump on me. I really screwed up and I'm sorry."
"It's fine Gage. We got Chan and now we have her on attempted murder too."
"How in the world did you guys find us out there in the middle of nowhere anyway?"
"Chan left a paper trail and we followed it." Trivette laughed.
Gage looked confused. "What?"
"Never mind. The important thing is that we found you and you're both alive."
"How did you survive the temperatures Gage, and with no water?"
"I don't know. I really don't know." He closed his eyes again.
"We'd better go and let you get some rest. We'll check in on Sydney."
"Thanks."
Sydney was still sleeping when Walker and Trivette stepped inside her room.
Walker stood with his hat in his hands for a moment. "Maybe we should just go." He whispered.
"She'll be awake soon." Trivette replied as Sydney hand started to move slightly. "See."
She opened her eyes and found Walker and Trivette staring at her. "What's wrong? Is it Gage?"
"Shh. Gage is fine and you're going to be fine too." Walker smiled. "We just wanted to check on you before we headed over to the police station to question Chan."
"Why don't you get me out of here and let me go with you. I would love to take her back to one of those little death boxes she put me and Gage in." Sydney rotated her head, trying to alleviate some of the stiffness.
Walker smiled. "Would you settle for life in prison?"
"Only if it's one of the worst prisons in the country."
"Feeling a little vindictive, are we?"
"You would be too. I still reek of the smell of fish, I'm dehydrated and my head is killing me. Plus, Gage was supposed to have taken me out to dinner last night and now I'm sure he'll do everything he can to get out of it." She paused. "You're sure he's OK, right?"
"He has a concussion, but he'll be fine."
"Well, there you go, that'll be his excuse about dinner. My night out will turn into a dinner at home and I'll have to cook." She had a look of mock disgust on her face and then smiled. "But I might let him off, this time."
Walker and Trivette both smiled, knowing that Sydney was still groggy or she wouldn't be rambling on about dinner when she and Gage both had just narrowly escaped death.
******
At the police station, it didn't take long for Walker to crack one of Chan's associates, Juan. He spilled everything from their part in the jewel heist in New York to taking care of Gage and Sydney.
"Juan, you're cooperation will be taken into consideration at your trial. Chan is going down for a long time for this one."
"Why? The guy on the docks was just as guilty as we were, he took the jewels." Juan whined.
"Well, not exactly." Trivette piped up. "You see, the guy and girl that you and your friends beat up and left to die in the desert are both Texas Rangers."
A look of utter defeat came across Juan's face. "Aw, man."
Walker motioned to the deputy. "Take him back to his cell."
Just after the deputy got out the door with Juan, the sheriff came running into the interrogation room. "She's gone!" He shouted.
"Who?" Trivette asked.
"Chan! She's disappeared."
The three men rushed to Chan's cell and found that she had indeed escaped, but how?
*******
Liu Chan sat in her limo with one of the Sheriff's deputies by her side. "Thank you Michael for helping me to escape."
"You're quite welcome Miss Chan. I want you to know that I would be more than happy to work with you in the future."
"I'm sorry Michael, but I don't think that will be possible."
"Why?" Deputy Michael Brown asked.
Chan pulled a gun from a side compartment in the backseat of the limo, pointed it at Michael's head and pulled the trigger. "Because you're simply just not up to it."
The limo driver stopped once they were well out of Houston and dumped the body in an area where it would likely never be found. He returned to the limo and continued to drive with Liu Chan smiling an evil grin.
THE END