Walker Texas Ranger: Even Embers can Still Burn
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!
Summary: Set three weeks after the events of "The final Showdown", Walker and Alex are on leave so they can settle into their roles as new parents. Trivette is on his honeymoon with Erika and Bruscoe appoints a new ranger to fill in for them, will this be the push that Sydney and Gage need to finally stop pussy footing around the feelings they obviously have for one another? On top of their personal matters, the rangers must also deal with a powerful gang that is staging a comeback.
AN: Since I HATED the WTF movie, "trial by fire" this story is what I thought the movie should have been. It has also been brought to my attention that I made a mistake and accidently called "The Final Showdown" "Trial by Fire" by mistake, I apologize for that, and it has been corrected.
"Well … today's the day." Gage said as he met up with Sydney in the hallway of Company B headquarters.
"Yep, today is the day we meet our new superior." Sydney said.
"Temporary superior." Sydney clarified. "Stop talking like Walker is never coming back." She added, more to herself than Gage as he opened the door for her and they entered.
Laughter met their ears as a crowd of their coworkers so thick they couldn't even see through them, perplexed, they sidled their way through to the , standing in front of Walker's desk was a tall, imposing figure of a man.
He was dressed in a plum colored western shirt and a pair of light wash Cinch jeans that fit him right in all the right places. His hair was the color of molasses and his skin was smooth and sun kissed, his emerald eyes glittered as he excitedly told some story about how he took down some huge drug runners just a few miles before they got across the border, something about it being one the biggest seizures in Ranger history. But Sydney wasn't listing to any of that, for the sight of this man sent jolts of excitement to some very unprofessional places.
Suddenly, someone knocked her in the shoulder, snapping her out of her trance, it was Gage.
"Syd have you been listening to anything I've been saying?" He said, there was an edge to his voice, was it jealousy? Sydney couldn't be sure, and even if it was, so what? Gage had plenty if chances to do something about it and he had made it clear that he wasn't interested, at least not in anything serious.
"Well … if you will stop ogling our new commanding officer long enough to listen, I was saying that his name is Chase Allen Barker and he heads up Ranger company A down in San Antonio." Gage said, his tone still short.
He knew this guy all right, he knew that he was famous among the other male rangers for his playboy ways. One thing was for sure, he didn't want this guy anywhere NEAR his partner, at least not in any sort of romantic fashion. In fact, he didn't want ANYONE near her in that fashion, but especially not someone like Barker.
Gage's haze of confused thoughts and feelings was sliced open like a knife by the sound of aa painfully familiar baritone voice. "Francis Gage? Is that you? Lord, it's been forever!" Gage cringed at the use of the first name he hated. If it wasn't for his promise to his sister after he lost a bet with her years back, he would have changed it long ago.
Gage forced his expression into what he hoped was a cordial smile. "Barker." He said as the two men shook hands, Sydney rolled her eyes as the two men gripped each other's hand harder and longer than was considered polite and they glared daggers at each other.
"Hi, my name is Ranger Sydney Cooke." Sydney interjected, the testosterone in the atmosphere was so thick she felt she would choke on it. Barker turned to her and took her dainty hand in his rough, large one, his eyes never leaving hers.
"It is a pleasure, Miss Cooke, Walker has told me a lot about you. Your resume speaks for itself." He said as he flashed a charming smile at her, showing pearly white teeth.
Sydney felt heat rising to her face (along with other places) as she got lost in Barker's deep emerald eyes.
"Okay … well … unless you have an assignment for us, we have a mountain of paperwork to get to so if you'll excuse us …" Gage broke in as he put his arm protectively around Sydney's shoulders, his steel blue eyes flashing with anger and … jealousy.
"Actually, I do have an assignment for you." Barker said as he motioned for them to follow him to his desk. He pulled a file out of the filing cabinet behind him and handed it to Gage.
"Los Draculs'? Walker and Trivette used to talk about them, I thought they were all either in jail or dead?" Gage said as he studied the file, his brow furrowing.
"In Dallas, yes, but they still had stakes in San Antonio and Houston. My informants tell me that they are staging a take back of Dallas in a big way, and soon.
These guys are major suppliers of cocaine and heroin to the lower forty eight. They used to run a club chain called the 'Tres Cervezas', and I want you two to infiltrate it and see what you can find out. I will handle everything here, you two go and get ready, you leave for your cover apartments tonight."
"We'll get right on it, sir." Sydney said with a flirtatious wink as she turned on her heel toward the door.
"Be back here at seven tonight, were I will brief you and arrange your cover vehicles." Barker said, returning her wink with one of his own.
Author's notes: Please be kind as this is my first WTR story, even though I have been a fan of the show for many years.