This installment occurs around the same time as the episode "Eyes of a Ranger" and explains Carlos' absence while exploring what the rest of the gang was up to at the same time.
"Texas Lightning" PART ONE
Tommy Malloy dragged himself up the stairs for the hundredth time, securing a suitcase in each hand as he arrived at the top and turned back downstairs with a raspy sigh. His knuckles whitened as he gripped the rather heavy objects and turned to finish his descent. He plopped the suitcases at the base of the stairs and hurried back upstairs for another load just as Tandy and Tyler hurried past him and down the stairs.
"Sheesh!" Tommy shook his head as he just barely missed colliding with his younger siblings.
"Thomas Joseph Malloy!" Mrs. Malloy called midstride as she hoisted the largest suitcase at the base of the stairs and started for the door. "Get a move on! We've waited to take a vacation for three years. We don't want to be late for our flight."
"Are you sure you don't want to come with us, Trent?" Katheryn pleaded as she took the suitcase from Mrs. Malloy and grunted softly as she lifted it into the trunk of the Malloy's car.
Trent smiled, willing away the intense desire to change his plans that very second. "I'm sure."
Katheryn took a deep breath. "I can't believe you and Carlos won't be coming with us." She pouted some on that last note.
"I know," Trent returned penitently. "If it makes you feel better, we would come in a heartbeat if it wasn't for something important having come up."
"Like what?"
"Ranger Walker didn't say. But he told Carlos not to make any plans. So it must be pretty big. You know Walker. He wouldn't ask it of us if it wasn't important."
"Oh, alright." Katheryn tried to smile receiving the next suitcase that Mrs. Malloy had brought and hoisting into the trunk next to the first one. "Even Molly couldn't come."
"Oh?" Trent took the next two suitcases as he listened.
"She's down in Austin. Something about her grandmother being in the hospital."
"That's too bad. I hope her grandmother will be okay."
"Me too."
"Alright then." Trent clapped his hands together and looked over the trunk, closing it as Katheryn slipped in one last small item and stepped aside. The trunk closed, locking in place as Trent's firm hand pushed down on it.
Carlos' unmarked police issue slowly came to a stop alongside the street away from view. He quickly exited the car, hurrying up the walkway up onto the veranda. Trent's voice alerted him from the side, causing him to shift his gaze as he then turned ambling away and into the driveway where Trent and Katheryn was.
"Hey, guys! Sorry I'm late."
Katheryn neared Carlos as he ceased his step, catching his breath at the same time. "You're just on time. We are packing the car now."
"I see." Carlos inspected the stuffed car and the suitcases still coming from the house by way of Tommy's trusted hands. "You do know there's a capacity limit to those airplanes. Right?"
"Don't worry." Tommy rolled his eyes. "These are the last ones. I'm certain of that."
Trent chuckled, taking the smaller suitcases from Tommy and putting them in the passenger seat of his Stingray.
"I'm gonna miss you guys. You know that right?" Katheryn smiled from the corner of her mouth as she looked towards Carlos.
Carlos nodded. "It's only a week."
"I know. You'll call, right?"
"You can count on it." Carlos ended with a grin. It had been almost two weeks since their first date at Uppercuts. And somehow the feeling of being separated was difficult for him to think about as well…although he refused to show it on the outside for the time being.
Tandy then scurried past them, giggling and carrying on with Ty as they prepared to get into the car to leave.
Carlos smiled at the sight and then turned to Trent. "I'll see you later at Ranger Headquarters. Walker wants to speak with us as soon as we can get there."
Trent nodded. "You got it."
"Well," Carlos inhaled, "I guess that's goodbye. Have fun."
"We will!" Tandy called after Carlos with a broad grin.
Carlos' chuckle faded in the distance as he called a quick goodbye to Katheryn and continued back to his car, waving behind him as he went. He slowed as he came to a stop by the driver's side door and opened it, climbing in just as his radio sounded. The static echoed in the small space as he closed his door behind him and focused on the voice that followed.
"We have a 10-35 at the corner of Wright and Mason Avenues. I repeat…robbery in progress at the corner of Wright and Mason Avenues."
Carlos took hold of the mic, his forehead creased as he deliberated the situation. "Dispatch, this is Detective Sandoval. I'm about eight minutes ETA of location."
"10-4, detective. Call for backup?"
"Yeah." Carlos returned the mic to the radio, and pressed the accelerator, speeding forward and away from Providence Way as he set forth his pursuit on the unknown ordeal ahead of him.
He descended upon the location a short while later, bringing his car to halting stop by the dilapidated drugstore just near the corner of the street as per the information told him. Yet something wasn't quite right as he glance the area over, put the car in park, and slipped on his sunglasses just before exiting the vehicle and shutting the door behind him.
The entire corner was desolate. Not a body in sight as he drew his gun to his chest and slowly took steps forward. He stepped up onto the sidewalk and continued alongside the drugstore, easing forward towards the attached bank just ahead.
He turned swiftly into the open bank, its ghostly interior echoing the winds that passed near him as he turned. He aimed his pistol forward as he moved onward. A presence neared him from the side, startling him as he quickly aimed the gun at the moving structure. "Walker," Carlos sighed, lowering his gun as his heart rate returned to normal. He wiped at the bead of sweat that eased from his forehead.
Walker laid a hand on Carlos' shoulder. "I'm sorry we had to do that to you, Carlos. But this had to be as secret as possible."
Carlos chuckled below his breath, shaking his head. "That's alright. What's up?"
Walker stepped aside, allowing another man to step forward. His straight posture accented his well-pressed suit and tie as he stepped forward extending his hand towards Carlos. "David Sullivan. Head of security for the governor of Texas."
Carlos accepted the man's hand, giving a firm couple of shakes. "Detective Carlos Sandoval. Great to meet you, sir."
"Likewise." The gentleman issued a flat and distant smile as returned to his full height. He seemed to be inspecting Carlos thoroughly in everything he did. "Well, I might as well get down to the matter at hand. The governor is planning to visit the city of Dallas in the coming week and would like to see the law enforcement structure of Dallas in person. Not officially by any means. Just as an onlooker. No reports will be made. He simply would like see how justice is served on the everyday level.
"Our security detail is already here in Dallas planning for his arrival and surveying the areas on his schedule. We will have the best of our security with him at all times. Yet he has requested special escort from law enforcement headquartered here locally. Naturally, he turned to the Texas Rangers for their advice. Ranger Walker has referred us to you. You come highly recommended, Detective Sandoval."
Carlos chuckled nervously with a glance toward Walker and back at David Sullivan. "Well, um, I'm honored."
"That you should be." Sullivan's emotionless mien shadowed his deep voice. "It's not every day a police detective is selected to be the governor's head body guard for a week."
"That's the truth." Carlos arched a brow as the magnitude of what had been put before him began to sink in.
"Although, I must warn you, detective."
"Oh?"
"We requested this meeting in secret not for fun. There have been suspicions that the governor is being followed by an old friend of his. Nothing to be alarmed about. Only a precautionary measure."
"I see." Carlos nodded and shifted his weight to his other foot as he crossed his arms. "Well then…When do I start?"
"Right now, detective. The governor's plane awaits you at the private airstrip near here. It will take you straight to the governor's mansion in Austin."
Walker nodded. "You'll have an hour to head back and pack a bag."
Carlos quickly processed all the information and nodded again. "Alright. Um, I guess I'll be seeing you, Walker."
"Keep in touch." Walker followed the detective out to his police issue. "Be careful, Carlos."
"I will." He opened the door to the car and looked over the top at Ranger Walker. "Thanks, Walker. I appreciate you putting in the good word for me."
"You're welcome, Carlos."
Carlos beamed a smile as he sunk back into the driver's seat and buckled up, put the car in drive, and hurried off to his loft apartment…still processing all that he had heard in the last several moments.
##
"Ladies and gentleman, this is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard flight 247 in route for Salt Lake City, Utah. Skies look clear today in beautiful Dallas Fort Worth, and we expect a smooth flight and a landing on time at our destination in approximately two hours and forty minutes. Once again we thank you for choosing to fly with us today and we hope you enjoy your flight."
Numerous sounds of clicking seatbelts and closing overhead bins continued on for a few more moments as the passengers of the vast non-stop commercial flight found their seats, obeying the instructions given by the flight attendants for a safe flight. Three seats in the middle aisle about midway in the plane in coach were occupied by the two youngest Malloys and their mother while Tommy and Katheryn took the two seats on the right of the middle aisle next to the window.
Tandy's wide eyes took it all in, looking up the aisle and back as she twisted in her seat.
"Tandy," Mrs. Malloy called to her daughter in a low tone. "Please sit still, hon."
Tandy settled back into her seat. "Yes, ma'am."
Katheryn too settled into her seat as she eased by Tommy into the narrow space. He slowly stretched back out with a yawn as she sat down next to him.
"Why are you so tired?"
Tommy exhaled. "Must have been all that suitcase lifting up and down the stairs."
"It wasn't that bad." Katheryn chuckled.
Tommy laughed it off softly and turned to look out the window. Katheryn did likewise. The immense aircraft slowly pulled back and away from the terminal, taxiing carefully past many other waiting airplanes as it neared the runways ahead. Up ahead of them another plane was soaring up into the sky, curving left as it began its journey. Soon they would be up there too.
Coming to a stop parallel on the runway, the roar of the aircraft's engine was heard. Then it accelerated, moving slowly forward as it eased into high speed and charged forward. It lifted, the wheels curling up and into the bottom of the plane as it soared away from Dallas Fort Worth International airport.
"Well, here we come, Utah." Tommy grinned as they sailed into the heavens, leaving their home and safe haven behind for the week to come.
##
Carlos arrived at the private airstrip a prompt forty-five minutes later. Showing his credentials at the gate, he was quickly approved, the gate whizzing open for him to enter. Upon parking in the reserved parking space that the security officer had issued him a pass for, Carlos exited his police issue, locking it as he slipped on his sunglasses and reached through to the passenger side of the car for his rather stuffed duffle bag before closing the door firmly behind him.
He paused and glanced over the place before continuing forward away from his car. In the distance in front of him was the runway which currently played host to an incoming Hawker 800 luxury private jet. It's glimmering reflective lines bounced the Texas sun every which way, highlighting the path around it with intense light as it touched down upon the hard surface beneath them at a high speed. Carlos squinted beneath his shades as he trudged onward, lowering his gaze to the ground as he slipped his free hand into his pocket, gripping his duffle with his other hand.
From the hangar nearby emerged Sullivan who was accompanied by two other suited men in darkened shades.
Carlos looked on cautiously to Sullivan. "Hope I'm not late."
"Hardly." Sullivan smiled. "You're early in fact. Please…follow me." The tall gentleman began walking out into the light and started towards the now stagnant Hawker that had stalled to a stop in the open distance. Those two other gentleman followed him.
Carlos inhaled and did as he was told, adjusting his grip on his luggage as he moved forward.
As he strode forward, he observed the mid-sized jet and its quiet engine roar that hummed ever so softly. He then caught a glimpse of the door to the aircraft as it gently whirred, carefully easing forward and descending downward and to the ground before them.
"Follow me, detective," Sullivan threw over his shoulder as he never stopped but continued up the narrow stairs and into the Hawker.
The other two gentlemen stopped short, either one taking a position on either side of the little staircase. Carlos glanced them over with a sarcastic thought passing through his mind that he knew was best kept to himself as he issued a soft grin and climbed the stairs behind Sullivan.
Sullivan turned a sharp right into the passenger cab and indicated the available choices of seating. "Pick a spot, detective."
Carlos looked over the choices of seating as he deposited his duffle on one of the seats and selected the first armchair-style leather seat by the window to his left. The door to the aircraft slowly closed, leaving the other two gentleman outside and Carlos with the ever-rude Sullivan.
Sullivan never said another word, taking his place in the seat he must have dubbed his own on trips past as indicated by the personalization to the area…a coat thrown across the back of the seat and papers scattered on the provided table, just to name a few things Carlos noticed before turning his gaze back to the window.
As he waited, Carlos thought about Katheryn and the Malloys. They were probably in route to Utah by now.
"Just a reminder, detective…" Sullivan interrupted his thoughts, not looking up from the paper in his hand. "Smoking and drinking isn't allowed on this aircraft."
Carlos arched his brow with a grin. "Don't have to worry about that with me, Mr. Sullivan."
"Good," Sullivan returned as if he were speaking to an enemy rather than a friend.
His flattened tone put Carlos on edge. Carlos creased his forehead in confusion. Sullivan's behavior was rather odd in his opinion. But the detective had not been around people in his realm before to know. If this man's attitude was any indication, Carlos began to wonder if he was being demoted rather than being given a golden opportunity. He had not expected red carpet to be put before him of course. But a little courtesy never killed anyone.
Sullivan continued to read the page intensely. "We will be arriving in Austin within the hour. There you will be picked up by a limousine and taken to the governor's mansion. From that point, you will meet with the other members of the security team to learn of everything that is planned for the governor's visit to your fair Dallas. After which you will have lunch with the governor as was his personal request. You will stay the night before you both will return to the aircraft by way of the limousine first thing tomorrow morning. We should arrive back here in Dallas at approximately nine in the morning. The governor will be staying at the Maywood Hotel upon his arrival. You'll take the room adjacent to him for the two nights he'll be staying there. Do you have any questions?"
Carlos smiled to himself sarcastically. "No, sir. I don't believe I do."
"Good."
"Well, actually…"
Sullivan sighed softly.
"…I was wondering if cell phone usage was permitted at any point in the days to come."
"Don't be ridiculous, detective." Sullivan tossed the sheet of paper onto the table and drew up another, glancing towards Carlos briefly as he did so. "Of course you can make calls. That is…whenever you have a moment to yourself. Which I doubt you will."
"I see," Carlos shook his head with an all-assuming smile as he turned to gaze out the sunbathed window.
The runway quickly moved beyond them as the plane accelerated forward…soon finding itself within the shelter of the skies above on the start of its impending journey to the capital city of the great state of Texas.
