Chapter 11---Here's the latest. Sorry it's been so long. I've had vertigo so it's slowing me down a bit. I hope you enjoy reading it and thanks for reading my stories and your feedback!


Walker and Matt watched as both Simon and Jonathan walked to the podium where about a half dozen microphones from different television networks had been placed jockeying for position on a rack for their press conference.

"I hope this means they have a plan," Walker said.

Gage and Sydney walked up and stood behind them.

"What do you think they're going to say," Gage asked.

Walker shrugged.

"They sure haven't told us much about what their strategy for dealing with these bank robbers is going to be."

Gage crossed his arms.

"I don't like this, Walker," he said, "I don't like it one bit."

Walker turned to look at him and Sydney.

"What did you find?"

"Some underground steam tunnels that don't go anywhere, at least as we can tell."

"They're very old from what I understand," Walker said, "Go check with public works and see if you can get some plans for them."

Gage looked doubtful.

"Do you think they'll be able to find any if they're that old?"

"I guess we'll find out," Walker said.

"Let's go," Sydney said to Gage.

"Yes Ma'am," Gage said.

Sydney rolled her eyes at him but they left together.


Jonathan stood at the podium and the room grew silent. He introduced himself and Simon to the audience.

"All right, I know you're wondering why we're taking over this operation that's been a joint effort of both the Houston Police Department and the Texas Rangers, but the FBI does have jurisdiction over this bank robbery and hostage situation. We have full confidence in the work being done by our law enforcement brethren and merely want to streamline this operation and get it under one umbrella."

"What kind of bull is that," Brody grumbled.

"Bureaucratic bull," Matt said.

"So we'll be setting up a task force with representatives of each law enforcement agency to meet to coordinate any future efforts to bring this situation to its resolution and to free the hostages inside the bank."

"That will be the day," Brody said.

"I can't trust these feds not to get C.J. and the other hostages killed," Matt said, "Their track record notwithstanding."

"So what are we going to do?"

Matt rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"I don't know, but we don't have a lot of time."

Dan walked up to them.

"Whatever you're thinking of doing, count me in."

Matt sighed, watching the press conference.

"I think we need to find out what's going on inside that bank," he said.

They looked up to see Walker heading towards them.


"How much time do you think we've spent in here?"

C.J looked up at Fran.

"Too long," she said," How's Chris?"

Fran shrugged.

"I think the baby's coming sooner rather than later but she's comfortable."

C.J.'s heart sunk a bit at the news.

"We've got to get them to release her," she said.

"Do they look like they're in the releasing mood," Fran said.

C.J. shook her head.

"Well, things are going to get a bit tricky if she goes into labor and has her baby in the middle of all this," C.J. said, "What will they do to handle the situation then?"

Fran looked up at the door where Bruiser stood outside of it.

"I don't think they're thinking very far ahead," she said, "Maybe they just thought far enough to where they got their hands on the big money and didn't put much energy into the escape plan."

C.J. sighed.

"I think we're part of that escape plan now," she said, "but if we could just get Chris out of here and Missy and Amanda, if we're really lucky."

Alex walked over.

"How are you all doing," she said, "How's Chris?"

"She seems okay," Fran said, "But I have a bad feeling about it. I think she's going to have her baby."

"Do these men know what's going on?"

C.J. ran her hand through her hair.

"I sent the guy by the door to talk to his ringleader quite a while ago," she said, "He hasn't returned at least not with information."

"He's probably trying to figure out how to tell him," Fran said, "Maybe the head of this operation is passed out on the floor somewhere at the prospect of a hostage giving birth in the middle of his show."

C.J. sighed.

"One would only hope," she said, "I'm going to go ask the guard again."

Both Fran and Alex watched her go, failing to find the words to stop her and not knowing if they would use them if they could.


Gage and Syndey returned to the City Hall building to research the steam tunnels that existed underneath Houston's streets. Not many people knew that they existed unless they had been part of the moonshine smuggling operation back during Prohibition or had happened upon the old blueprints which included these ancient tunnels. Gage and Sydney had encountered a true old timer in the Public Works department at City Hall who for a price offered to provide them the location to the old rolls of plans which had to be opened very carefully lest they tear apart. The price proved to be some vintage scotch which Gage reluctantly offered to procure for the man. Sydney rolled her eyes at Gage hearing about that deal. Gage just shrugged back as if daring her to come up with a better plan.

"This paper's so old," Sydney said, "and it's water-damaged."

"Careful…" the old man admonished, "You might tear her up and I'm partial to my old girls."

Gage and Sydney looked at each other. Girls?

"Well be careful with your…girls," Sydney said, soothingly, "We won't let anything happen to them but we need to find the locations of those steam pipes and all their access points."

"I said I'd help you with that," the old man grumbled.

Gage smoothed out the parchment and with his finger began tracing the lines which appeared transecting the document in different places.

"Are these the steam tunnels?"

The old man looked at where Gage's fingers were and nodded.

"Those are them," the old man said, "You have uncovered one of Houston's historic secrets."

Sydney leaned over the table.

"How do we access them?"

The man looked at them and cocked his head while stroking his weathered beard.

"Now that's the tricky part," he said, "You need a guide."

Gage threw up his arms.

"Guide," he said, "What do you mean we need a guide? We've got this map."

The old man stuck up his index finger.

"Wait young man, you will receive a copy of this map," the man corrected, "and you'll need a guide."

Gage tried to remain patient.

"Can you tell us where we might find one?"

The man started to shake his head then reconsidered.

"You might be able to find one," he said, "But I gotta warn you, they don't come cheap."

Gage rolled his eyes at Sydney.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

Sydney glared at her partner.

"Gage, let him finish."

"Why Syd," Gage said, "We both know the next thing he's going to say is that he's the only guide in the city who will help us."

Sydney frowned at Gage's cynicism but then threw the old man a careful look.

"Is my partner right?"

The man's eyes shot up.

"Partner," the old man said, "I thought he was your boyfriend."

Sydney almost jumped back and only long-time training and experience in law enforcement kept her cemented in her place. Gage stood still, suppressing a smile.

"What!"

Her face flushed a bit.

"Now let's get this straight, Mr…."

"The name's Earp," the man said, "just like the lawman who shot up a perfectly nice town some years back."

"Okay…Earp," Sydney said, "This man and I are partners who work professionally together. We're not involved in any personal relationship."

Earp nodded slowly.

"Okay, but I have to say most of the people who are interested in knowing how to access the steam tunnels just want a private place to you know…make out."

Sydney shook her head.

"That's not us," she said, "We're Texas Marshals and we're here on police business. I thought you understood that when we showed you our badges."

Earp scratched his head.

"So, that doesn't necessarily mean your interests in my steam tunnels are professional in nature," he said.

Gage looked at his watch.

"Listen, we can discuss this later," he said, "We need to find out if those tunnels go to the First Star Bank."

Earp's eyes widened.

"You mean the one that was robbed," he said, "where all the cops are hanging outside?"

They both nodded.

"Why didn't you just say so," he said, "You young folk always want to beat around the bush when there's work to be done. I'll tell you what, we go now and deal with this situation and work out a payment plan when we're through."

Gage and Sydney looked warily but finally nodded. The man gestured to them to follow him and so they did.


Matt paced near the mobile station when Walker arrived. The ranger knew the investigator was frustrated with the pace of the operation especially after the FBI had arrived and assumed control of the operation. Walker sat through the staid press conference but afterward, he had told Jonathan and Simon that it might help if they were actually able to come up with some sort of action plan. Simon immediately told him it was the jurisdiction of the federal agencies like the FBI to lead the operations with state and local agencies providing supportive roles. After that reprimand, he walked off followed by Jonathan who shot Walker a sympathetic look.

"There's no way I'm standing around here while they do nothing," Matt said.

Walker sighed.

"I understand how you feel Mr. Houston," he said, "I have a wife there and a daughter at home who probably misses her."

"Did you tell your wife you loved her this morning," Matt asked.

Walker looked at Matt.

"Yes I did," he said, "but sometimes I forget because one of us is in a hurry to leave because our careers are such that something is always coming up."

Matt dug his toe in the dirt.

"I did tell C.J. I loved her on the phone right before the robbery," he said, "Just in time. But I didn't get to tell her that I know the truth…"

"What truth might I ask if it's not too personal," Walker said.

Matt paused, many emotions traveling through his face from his eyes.

"That she might be pregnant," he said, "She'd been sick in the morning for a while, very tired. I thought it was just the hard hours she puts in her career including this latest case involving your wife."

"Ah," Walker said, with a smile, "That's what I thought was happening with Alex too during her early months."

Matt ran his hand through his hair.

"It would be a shock, but a happy one," he said, "I don't know what she feels about it but I know she wanted children. We talked about having a lot of them since neither of us had brothers or sisters."

Walker sighed, but a smile lit his face.

"This is going to be the most challenging period of your life and your relationship together but it will be the most joyful and rewarding as well. I was worried I would never be a good father to my daughter but having her in my life isn't a decision I would ever take back."

"I want to take care of her and make it easier," Matt said, "But that might be a battle in itself."

Walker chuckled.

"That's Alex too," he said, "and through much trial and error what I learned was that you have to offer help, make sure that she knows it's there if she needs it and I think you'll find as time goes by, she'll be more willing to do that."

"We have a really strong relationship," Matt said, "I think we'll make it through this just fine."

"Oh and another thing," Walker said, before leaving, "Let her give you the news about her pregnancy and act surprised. That's one of the most memorable times for women in life, the moment when they tell the man they love that he's about to become a father."

Matt watched the Ranger walk away and his words filled his heart with the thought that he and C.J. through their love for one another had created life which would share the qualities of both of them. He fell in love with her all over again and couldn't wait to tell her once the bank robbery siege had ended.

But first, they had to get to that point.


C.J. sat in the corner and thought about him. She imagined him walking right past Bruiser and into the door of the office to take her home. This siege had to end well so that the hostages could go home to their families, Chris would have her baby in hospital and she could tell Houston about their own baby. She would not allow herself to envision any other outcome. She refused to do so. But Houston was some place outside these walls and so she settled for an old memory instead.

C.J. fingered the engagement ring as she and Matt lay in bed at the guest suite at his corporate headquarters where they had gone to ride out Hurricane Gracia. The unpredicable storm had veered to the left just before reaching the low-lying city. Once again, Houston had dodged the bullet. Still, the weather had been very stormy for several days and they had taken refuge in the multi-room suite which operated on a secondary generator and was supplied with anything they could need or want for a week or longer. Soon enough, they realized that they had everything they wanted which was each other. They had woken up this morning, noticing that the weather had finally began to improve. After Matt looked out the window at the sun's attempts to poke through the cloud cover, both of them realized that the storm had pretty much passed on its way to wreak havoc elsewhere as a downgraded tropical storm.

"Do you think the cell service is up and working," C.J. asked.

"Maybe," Matt said, "If it is as soon as the rain dies down, we should give our friends a call and see how they weathered this storm."

C.J. went to pour herself a glass of juice.

"I'm worried about Chris and Dan because Chris is pregnant and what about Fran and her baby twins?"

Matt embraced her from behind.

"They'll be fine," he said, "Let's get back into bed."

She smiled, putting her glass of juice down and they did just that. She never grew tired of his arms around her and his hands on her and of making love with the man she felt so close with most of her life in all ways but one. Their new relationship had weathered its series of storms but they had prevailed through them because they loved each other and neither could see building that form of relationship with anyone else.

She lay afterward, her heart rate dropping slowly and a calm peace permeating through her as she felt the warmth of Matt's arms around her and his body molding against her own.

"I want a baby," she murmured so softly she didn't know at first if he had heard her.

Matt leaned up resting his face against his hand, looking at her.

"What brought this on suddenly?"

She felt like throwing a pillow at him but realized he raised a good point. She had focused so long on her career that any mention of babies were statements made in passing that they existed on her future time line somewhere. Anytime in the future but now.

"I don't know," she said, "I think I'm ready to really start talking about it."

Matt smiled. He was probably further along that time line than she at this point. He was more interested in getting the ball rolling so to speak. He wanted children and he wanted them with the woman lying aside him in bed more than anything and the only surprise was his realization some months ago that those desires had existed within him a lot longer than he knew.

"That's good," he said, "but don't rush yourself."

She snorted.

"I don't think that just thinking about it is rushing myself," she said, "What about you? What are you thinking?"

Matt paused.

"I want to have children," he said, "I want you to be their mother and I want you to know I'll be there every step of the way."

She nodded.

"Thank you, I wouldn't want anyone else there," she said, rubbing her forehead, "I just hope I can make a good parent."

"He embraced her tighter.

"You'll be an incredible mother," he said, "You're very loving, very patient and you really roll with the punches. And you'll have me."

"I'm glad," she said, "Though I do want to wait until after we're married."

Matt nodded.

"Then we better set a date soon," he said, "And not just to start having babies. I wanted to be married to you. I don't want to have to wait too long."

She smiled, reaching for his hand and caressing it.

"Me neither," she said, "Let's get married."


C.J. thought back to that day and she knew she and Matt had set a good wedding date to host a small informal ceremony with closest friends and family in attendance. It had seemed perfect until the six pink lines appeared the morning before today as she sat in her bathroom staring at them, all in a row. She wondered what Matt's reaction would be to her sudden pregnancy. But she would deal with that after getting out of this dangerous situation. After making sure that her friends were safe and that Chris gave birth to her long-awaited child in a hospital and not in the middle of an office floor during a hostage siege. So much fell on her plate to handle first that her thoughts about her own situation including her pregnancy had to fade in the background for a while. While walking towards the office door to confront Bruiser, Alex stopped her.

"What are you going to tell him," she said.

C.J. turned around, determination in her eyes.

"Whatever it takes to get Chris out of her and in a hospital?"

"How are you going to change their minds," Alex asked.

"I'll think of a way."

"You might not survive their way," Alex said.

C.J. spun around, eyes direct.

"I survived the likes of Andre Duval and Stefan Kostas," she said, "I can deal with some third-rate bank robbers."

C.J. left Alex, slamming the door behind her which formed a barrier between the two women. Alex put her hand over her eyes and hoped for the best.