Disclaimer: The following story is based on characters from the television series "Walker, Texas Ranger," of which I own no part. I may also reference various movies or songs, which I claim no ownership of. If you recognize anything, it does not belong to me. These chapters are written solely for my entertainment. I make no profit from them.

Author's Note: This is my version of Season 10, Episode 3. For those who reviewed my last story, please accept my sincerest thanks. I hope you enjoy this one as well.

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Title: "Till Death"

By: T.M. Hoagland

Chapter 1

Darkness was settling in that Saturday night in Houston as Johnny Baxter stood nervously with the twenty other men inside the small warehouse. Some of the men were securing long, rectangular crates, while a few stood on the perimeter keeping watch. Johnny stood near a man who sat in front of a computer at a makeshift desk. He was typing away, entering numbers into a spreadsheet. The desk was against a wall, under a window and next to a door.

"What's wrong, Johnny?" asked the man at the desk. He could see apprehension in the young man's face. "Are you nervous about finally meeting The Boss?"

"Maybe a bit, Jim," Johnny replied. "When's he supposed to get here?"

"Right now," a voice called from the door next to them as it opened.

Johnny looked up to see the infamous man known only as "The Boss," who was the brains behind the illegal operation he was part of, and was a bit surprised. His short stature and tenor voice belied the ruthlessness Johnny knew he was noted for. The man looked at Johnny coldly, as though he knew something, which sent a shiver up Johnny's spine.

He spoke again as his eyes surveyed the room. "Gather round, boys. We have some business to discuss." He stepped further into the room and waited as the men formed a rough semi-circle in front of him. "As you all know I've been making plans to move the business. I've kept the location to myself up until now. That's because the cops have been crackin' down on us. I recently found out how they've been getting their all too accurate information." Here he looked straight at Johnny. "You see, boys, Johnny here is a cop."

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Outside the warehouse in a large, nondescript van two men suddenly went on high alert. One of them, a tall, fit man with short auburn hair, called rapidly into a radio, "All units move in! Bryce has been made!" He then leapt from the truck to join several other officers converging quietly on the building from various places, until all the exits were covered.

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The Boss motioned to two of the men before him and they grabbed Johnny's arms as he struggled against them.

"Boss, what do you mean!?!" Johnny cried out in protest. "I'm not a cop!"

"Your real name is Bryce Daniels," The Boss continued. "You're an officer with the Department of Public Safety, working with the Rangers to bring me down. Fortunately for me, I found out who you are, before you found out who I am."

Suddenly pandemonium broke out as the doors burst open and officers poured in. The tall, red headed man came through the door near the desk and shouted, "Texas Rangers!" He saw The Boss and instantly knew him.

Gunfire erupted in the room as the men scattered and fired on the officers. Soon several were engaged in fistfights. In the confusion The Boss grabbed Johnny and forced him at gunpoint between the crates and toward one of the doors that had been left open, since the officers were occupied with arresting his men. The two managed to get out the door and The Boss, with his gun pressed firmly to the back of Johnny's head, lead him to a truck. There he made Johnny kneel before him as he spoke menacingly in his ear.

"Boss, what are you going to do?" asked Johnny.

"You should know by now, Bryce," he spat in a venomous tone, "you sign on with me, you're in till you're dead!" Then he pulled the trigger, left the young officer lying on the ground, jumped in the truck and sped away.

Inside the warehouse, the tall Ranger was looking frantically for Bryce and The Boss. He had been busy with the other men and didn't see them leave. "Where's Bryce?" he shouted as the melee began to subside.

"He's not here, Jake," called another. "I saw him being forced outside but I couldn't get to him." With the men in custody, Jake and his fellow Ranger were free to make their way out the door in search of Bryce and The Boss. "He was with The Boss, Jake. Did you see him?"

"Yeah, Joe. And I know who he is," answered Jake. Their eyes suddenly fell on the murdered officer, and just as quickly averted. "He got away, Joe. And he killed Bryce."

"We know he was planning to move. Maybe one of his boys will tell us where," replied Joe.

"Unfortunately, I think I know where to look." The seasoned Ranger had a pained look on his face as worry began to fill him.

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A young Sam Dawson stood near the large punch bowl smiling at her brother and his bride. She wore a beautiful gown and her long copper locks were fixed in ringlets pulled up on the side of her head, matching the other bridesmaids. Someone called to her and she turned to go to them. Her smile faded as a young man, just a few years older than her and dressed in a tuxedo, stepped from a doorway on her left and planted himself in front of her.

"Samantha, you are so beautiful today," he stated. His blond hair and good looks could not erase the malicious glint in his blue eyes or the suggestive sneer of his lips.

"Thank you, Toby," she replied as she tried unsuccessfully to move past him.

Suddenly he grabbed her arm and forced her through the doorway and several feet down the empty hall. "Why are you being so cold to me?" he questioned angrily.

"Travis was the one who arranged for us to walk down the aisle with each other. I agreed, but only to keep peace for his wedding. But we are NOT together." She continued to struggle against his grasp.

"But we ARE, Samantha." His eyes were now hard and cold. "Everyone knows that you are MY girl."

"Telling everyone that doesn't make it true," she retorted as her own anger began to rise, accompanied by fear. She winced as he gripped her arms tighter.

"You're MINE, Samantha, now and forever. Till death do us part, just like Travis and Wendy." With that he pinned her against the wall and forced his lips on hers. As his body crushed hers, one hand held her head to his and the other hand began to roam. She fought hard and tried to squirm away from him.

"No, Toby. Stop! NO!"

"NOO!" yelled Sam as she sat bolt upright in bed. She was trembling and breathing hard, and her body was covered in a cold sweat. She glanced around to get her bearings, and jumped at the knock on her door.

"Sam?" called Syd. "You alright?"

Sam got up and opened the door to her friend. "I'm sorry, Syd. Did I wake you?" she asked. She was still trying to catch her breath.

"What's wrong?" queried Syd as she followed her friend down the hall to the kitchen. Two and a half weeks had passed since Syd had been shot. She still walked with a slight limp, but she was healing quickly. When the doctor released her for desk duty he suggested that she continue to have someone with her until she fully recovered, so she asked Sam to come stay with her until the construction on Sam's house was finished. Sam agreed and now occupied Syd's guestroom. The two women had become fast friends.

Sam rounded the corner into the kitchen and took a glass from the cupboard, then filled it with water. As her nerves settled she turned to face her friend. "I'm alright, Syd. Just a bad dream," she tried unsuccessfully to reassure Sydney, as well as herself. Syd did not fall for it.

"Must have been pretty intense," Syd stated, her concern showing through. "Come sit on the couch and tell me about it."

"It's two in the morning," Sam tried to put her off. "We have to be up in a few hours for church." She watched as Syd continued to make her way to the couch, then sat down and got comfortable.

Syd looked across the room at Sam and patted the couch next to her. She could tell Sam was still a bit unnerved. Finally Sam acquiesced and went to the couch, curling up on the end to face Syd, with her left arm resting on the back. Syd waited as Sam struggled with where to begin.

"It was about something that happened, let's see, almost twelve years ago. I was eighteen and a bridesmaid in my brother's wedding. I was to be escorted by Tobias Granger. To make a long story short, he was a friend of the family and had been a good friend of Travis, though two more opposite people you'll never find. Travis was always the straight A, good kid, never in trouble. Toby seemed to look for it, as well as trying to find the fastest way to make more money. He acted like he owned the world, and did pretty much whatever he wanted. He always had a chip on his shoulder, too, picking fights and bucking authority. Thought nobody had the right to tell him what to do. They are the same age, four years older than me." Her hand began to run unconsciously through her short hair. "Toby thought he and I were supposed to be married. I never liked him, barely tolerated him. At Travis' wedding he decided to force the issue." Sam shared her nightmare with Syd. "Travis came around the corner looking for me. They were about to toss the bouquet. When he saw what Toby was doing he was instantly irate. He made him stop, threw him out, and they haven't spoken since."

Syd's genuine concern for her friend was etched on her face. "I'm sorry, Sam," she said. "What happened to Toby after that?"

"Daddy told his father what happened. Toby was sent to work for his uncle in Georgia. I didn't see him again for a long time."

Syd was beginning to put things together in her mind. "He's why you left Houston, isn't he?"

Sam sighed and paused before she answered. "Partly. He moved back a year ago, when his daddy died, and tried to become friends with me. I really don't think he'd try anything now. I think he learned his lesson after the wedding, when my three other brothers paid him a visit…if you know what I mean. They convinced him not press charges for assault, and they wouldn't press charges for attempted rape." She smiled wryly at Syd who understood what she was saying and smiled back.

"Are you sure he won't try the same thing now?" asked Syd, her instincts telling her that this man could not be trusted.

"I'm sure he's harmless. He's never so much as suggested that we be more than friends in the last year. But I just don't want to be anywhere near him. I didn't even tell him I was moving." They sat in silence for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. "Well, I think I'll go back to bed. You should, too. I want to be able to enjoy the barbeque at the Walker's tomorrow." She stood up then helped Syd to her feet.

"Yeah," replied Syd. "You're going to love their ranch." She smiled as they parted at their rooms. "Get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."

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"Alex, are you sure you haven't tackled too much here?" Walker questioned his wife as she moved through the kitchen pulling out various items for their picnic. He knew she was enjoying herself, but he worried that it was too much too fast. Their daughter wasn't even two months old yet.

"Honey, you worry too much," she replied with a grin. "Everyone is contributing, and they'll be here soon to help. You just go get the barbeque going."

As if on cue, he saw two cars pull up out front. Trivette and Erika were in one. Gage, Sydney, Max, and Sam had carpooled in the other. The last few weeks had seen these four friends bond, spending much of their free time together. They all disembarked and began pulling items from their cars to bring into the house.

"Syd, let me have that," cried Gage as he tried to take a sack that contained hamburger buns from her hand. "You don't need to be carrying anything."

"Good grief, Gage, I'm not a complete invalid," she retorted with annoyance.

Jimmy laughed at them and called out, "You two fight like an old married couple." Everyone began chuckling at that.

"See what you started, Shorty?" said Gage.

"I started?!" she retaliated. "You're the one who's coddling me like you think I'll fall apart." Neither one seemed to notice that they were making Jimmy's point for him while their friends laughed on. But everyone knew how much these two meant to each other. They had been nearly inseparable ever since their relationship was brought to light. Nothing between them had really changed, but this new facet only enhanced the strong friendship they already had.

The chatter was friendly from there out as the women congregated in the kitchen to get the food ready, and the men gathered in the backyard around the grill, and set up the picnic table. Everything was arranged in short order and they all assembled around the table to eat, everyone once again teasing Gage about the monster burger he put together.

"This is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon," commented Alex during a lull in the conversation. "Good friends, good food, good weather." Everyone murmured their agreement.

"Yep," Walker added. "There's nothing quite like enjoying fun times with friends."

"Speaking of which," put in Sam, "Wednesday is the Fourth of July. I understand there's going to be a big fireworks display on a barge in the south end of Lake Ray Hubbard. I was curious who might be interested in joining me there."

"That's a good idea," replied Gage.

"But aren't those things usually crowded?" questioned Alex. "I don't know how well Angela would handle the crowds and noise." As she said this she caressed the back of the pink bundle on her shoulder.

"There won't be any people where I'm going who aren't invited," Sam answered. "That's where my property is, and it's strictly no trespassing." She delivered the information as if it were any other news and was glad when her friends accepted it as such. "My house is supposed to be ready for me to move in by Friday, so we shouldn't have any trouble using it Wednesday. And it's right on the lake, so we'll have a good view of the fireworks. Of course, I wouldn't want anyone to have to break a previous engagement. I just thought I'd throw it out as an option." Everyone said they thought that sounded like a good plan, and they would come.

"Are you going to have a party at C.D.'s, also?" asked Walker.

"Absolutely," Sam stated. "I thought I'd start that around four in the afternoon, and then head to my place at dusk. After the fireworks I'll probably go back to finish out the celebration. Any of you are welcome to join me during any of that."

"I'd love to come help you decorate C.D.'s," said Alex.

"Me, too," agreed Erika.

"I'd love to have you," assented Sam.

They talked for the next few minutes making plans for the Fourth, and then the conversation turned to general topics as they found themselves finishing their late lunch and cleaning up. A little while later Gage, Syd, Max and Sam left to go see an early movie before heading home. Jimmy and Erika stayed to visit a bit longer, but left shortly as they saw Alex's energy dwindle.

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The four friends were both amazed and pleased at how well they had hit it off in the short time they had known each other. On the way to the movie there was lively banter between them until Gage, who was driving, got their attention.

"Guys, I've been thinking," he began.

"Did you hurt yourself, Honey?" Syd teased him with a playful smile.

"Funny, Babe," he retorted. "Seriously though, what do you say we make a real day of it Wednesday? I know that it's my and Max's scheduled holiday off, and I bet I could convince Walker to let you out of paperwork for the day, Syd. We could take out our bikes, maybe tour around the lake, have a relaxing morning. Then we can help you set up C.D.'s for the party, Sam, before we go to your place for the fireworks."

"Gage, you know I can't ride my bike yet," Syd reminded him.

"But you can sit on the back of mine," he came back with a satisfied grin.

"I'll ask my doctor," she said with a smile as she rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Come on, Syd. You know you enjoy being behind me on my bike as much as I enjoy having you there."

"As long as we can leave out the bad make-up and the vampires, I guess it'll be okay," she retorted as they both began to laugh, and then they shared the story of their B movie escapades with their friends in the backseat. After the film they had a late supper, and then the guys dropped the ladies off at Syd's house and went home themselves.

As Sydney locked the door behind them Sam went to check the answering machine on the bar between the kitchen and the dining area. The flashing red light indicated that a message was waiting. She pushed the play button as she began to pull off her boots, but stopped short at the voice she heard.

"Sammy, it's Uncle Jake. Just thought I'd see how you're enjoying Dallas. Call me, please, and let me know how you are. Love you, kiddo."

Syd watched as a look of concern crossed her friends face. "Who was that from?" she asked since she had only heard the last part of the message.

"My uncle, Jacob Marks. You might know him. He's a Ranger in Houston."

Syd nodded. "I think I've met him, but I don't know him well. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Sam stated with a sigh. "I just can't think of why he'd be calling me. It sounds from his voice like it's more than checking up. Hmm. Well, it'll wait until morning. I think I'm going to turn in. Good night, Syd."

"Night, Sam."

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To be continued….