Two weeks.
It had been two weeks since Sam had contacted Hank and Hank tried hard not to seem nervous. He had watched Peter, Mark and Chandler interacting with Connor and how confident they had become.
"Not like they were around Sam," Hank thought.
He had received a package two days ago and he was stunned when he saw the gun.
KEEP THIS WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES. was on the note.
He had hidden the gun in the back of his jeans and the butt of the gun dug into his lower back.
Walking toward the ranch house, Hank opened the screen door when a soft buzzing sound caused him to reach back and he removed the cellphone from his jeans pocket. He looked at the text screen when his heart jumped in his chest at the phone number and he pushed button.
Hello, Hank.
Hank's hands were shaking as he sighed and he typed on the keyboard.
Hello.
It's time.
"Shit," Hank said.
I can't do this.
Then I guess I'm calling Lou.
No. I can't because they're not here.
Where are they?
Hank looked up at the sky as he closed his eyes then opened them and he looked at the screen.
They are at a friend's birthday party.
Do you know where the party is?
Hank closed his eyes again as he tried to calm down and he opened his eyes.
Yeah.
Where are they?
Sighing, Hank typing in the information and he pushed the button.
Go get them.
What am I supposed to tell them?
Tell them something happened to Lisa.
"You son of a bitch," Hank growled.
What if they don't want to go with me?
What do you think?
Hank looked at the small gun on the screen and he felt like he was going to be sick.
Fine.
Good boy. Oh! Just to be on the safe side, I'm going to being sending some help.
What sort of help?
Just some "friends".
Hank felt the bile building in his stomach as he sighed then he typed on the keyboard.
Where do you want me to take them?
Hank waited when the cellphone made a soft binging sound and he looked at the information.
See you soon.
Hank looked at the text screen when he deleted the conversation then he walked in the ranch house.
Houston
Gina Hills watched the children playing, talking or eating while she placed the birthday cake for her son, Evan, on the table. Some of the parents were talking as they watched the children and Lisa walked to the table, smiling at Gina.
"Need any help?" Lisa asked.
"Nope," Gina said with a shake of her head then she frowned. "Are you ok, Honey?"
"It's…"
Sighing, Lisa crossed her arms under her breasts and Gina waited for her to say something.
"Is it Sam? Chandler told Evan that Sam was in town," Gina said.
"Yeah, it is," Lisa said.
"Shit. I thought you had a restraining order."
"I do, but he doesn't care."
"He should be locked up."
"He was," Lisa said as she told her what happened and Gina sighed.
"Well, at least he's gone."
"For now," Lisa said as she looked over at Mark, Peter and Chandler.
"Mind if I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Who's that really cute guy I saw you with at Walker's Grain and Feed the other day?"
"Oh," Lisa said as she smiled. "That's Connor. Annie's brother."
"Damn. He's hot."
"Yeah, he is."
"Now that's someone you should be dating."
"I dunno."
"Why? Is there something wrong with him?"
"No. Just not sure if he likes me."
"Lisa, he couldn't take his eyes off you."
"He couldn't?"
"Nope. He's got it bad for you."
Lisa frowned when Hank walked closer and they looked at him.
"Hey, Hank," Gina said.
Lisa noticed he looked a little nervous as Hank nodded then he looked at Lisa.
"We need to talk," Hank said.
"Go ahead," Lisa said.
"No. In private."
Gina and Lisa glanced at each other and Lisa nodded.
Hank placed his right hand on Lisa's lower back as they walked away and the urge to run moved through Lisa.
"Just keep walking," Hank said with a small growl.
"Hank, what's going on?" Lisa asked.
"Can't tell you."
They stopped walking as they stood near a tree and Hank looked over at Mark, Peter and Chandler.
"Call them," Hank said and she looked at the boys.
"Why?" Lisa asked then was startled after he removed the gun from the back of his jeans and he pointed the gun at her stomach.
"Call them."
"You do know I have had some defense training, right? I could knock that gun right out of your hand and have you on your ass in seconds."
"I know that. But you won't do anything."
He nodded his head as she slowly turned her head, saw two large men standing under the trees near Chandler, Mark and Peter and one of the men moved his jean jacket back. She could just see the butt of the gun sticking out of the top of his jeans and she swallowed the bile bubbling in her throat.
"Now, for the last time, call them," Hank said.
"Guys. Come on. We have to go," Lisa called out and the boys looked at her.
"Why?" Chandler asked.
Connor had taught him, Peter and Mark how to read body language as he titled his head to one side and he blinked his eyes.
"Why is Hank here?" Peter asked.
"Dunno," Chandler said.
"What should we do?" Mark asked.
"Go to your mother," startled them when they turned and Chandler saw the butt of the gun sticking out of the jeans of the man standing next to the tree.
"Let's go," Chandler said.
Peter and Mark followed Chandler as they headed for Lisa and Hank and Hank saw the anger and rage in Chandler's eyes.
"Move," Hank said.
They walked in front of Hank as they headed for the parking lot and Gina saw the pleading look on Mark's face when he turned his head to look at her. She watched them get into Hank's Ford when Hank got into the truck and she reached into her purse for her cellphone.
the Golden Cactus Ranch
"Are you ok?" Connor asked Murphy.
He had noticed Murphy had been quieter than normal and he hadn't eaten much for breakfast or lunch.
"I'm fine," Murphy said with a small nod.
"You ferget who you're talkin' to."
"Ok. I'm not."
"What's wrong?"
"Not really sure. Jus' feel a little off."
"Did you tell Annie or Lisa?"
"Don't wanna bother 'em."
"Murphy…."
"Drop it, will ya?"
Connor knew it wasn't a good idea to push his twin as he nodded then he saw Diego walking closer.
"Hey," Diego said as he looked at Murphy and he noticed Murphy looked a little pale. "Are you ok?"
"Not really," Murphy said with a sigh.
"Go back to the house."
"But…"
"Move!" he said as his eyes widened and Diego pointed toward the farmhouse.
Nodding, Murphy started to walk away when the white truck quickly heading down the path then came to a stop near them. The driver side door opened when Annie got out of the truck and she looked upset.
"What's up?" Diego asked.
"We have a problem," Annie said.
"What happened?" Connor asked.
"I just got a call from Gina Hills. She said Hank showed up at the park where she was having her son's birthday party and he had to talk to Lisa. She wasn't sure, but Lisa didn't look happy. The next thing she knew, Lisa called for Chandler, Peter and Mark and they left," Annie said.
"They left?!" Connor asked with wide eyes.
"Yeah."
"Did she say anything else?" Diego asked.
"She called Lou."
"That's good," Connor said.
Diego started pacing when he walked toward the white truck and he got in the truck. Annie got in the truck as they closed the door and Connor looked at Murphy.
"I'm going with you," Murphy said.
Sighing, Connor nodded and they headed for the white truck. They got into the back of the white truck as Diego started the engine and he put the white truck in gear. The white truck went down the path as he growled and he flexed his fingers in and out. The white truck headed for the ranch house when Diego parked the truck then he got out of the truck.
"Where are you goin'?" Connor asked.
"I need to check out something," Diego said while Annie, Connor and Murphy got out of the truck. They headed for the screen door as Diego opened the screen door and they went inside.
"Stay here.":
Connor, Annie and Murphy watched him head down the hallway as Diego went into Hank's room and he scanned the room with his eyes. He saw something sitting on the desk as he walked to the desk, used the clean handkerchief he had taken out of the pocked of his jeans, picked up the piece of paper with his name written on it and he left the room.
"Found something," Diego sad, walking to the kitchen and he placed the piece of paper in a storage bag.
Walking back in the room while he closed the storage bag, Diego pointed to the screen door and Annie opened the screen door. The screen door closed behind them after they left the room and they headed for the white truck. Annie saw the anger on his face as Diego placed the storage bag on the dashboard, started the engine, put the truck in gear and he looked at Connor and Murphy's reflections in the rearview mirror. Connor looked furious. Murphy looked like he wanted to get sick.
"You think we should drop Murphy off at the house?" Annie asked, looking back at her brother.
"Yeah," Diego said then he steered the truck down the path.
Connor flexed his fingers in and out while watching the fences going by then he looked at Murphy.
"I wanna go with you," Murphy said.
"Not if you're sick," Connor said.
"It's not…"
Murphy made a loud grunt when the tire hit a small hole in the path and he nearly doubled over.
"Stop th'truck!" Connor shouted and Diego stopped the truck.
"What happened!?" Annie asked as she got out of the truck.
"I dunno."
Murphy saw little lights sparking around his eyes as his stomach felt like he had been hit and he whimpered.
"Murphy?" Annie asked as she got onto the back of the truck and she knelt down in front of him.
"This really hurts," Murphy said with a small hiss.
"Ok. Change of plans," Diego said as Connor got into the truck and Annie sat next to Murphy, holding him in her arms.
Houston - Saint Luke's General Hospital
The ER doors slid open while Connor held onto Murphy and Diego headed for the receptionist desk. Annie had called Darcy and told her what was going on and Darcy told her she would go to the park and tell Lou.
Connor could feel the pain moving his twin as Murphy tried hard to not be sick and he leaned his head against Connor's left shoulder. A nurse brought over a wheelchair and Connor helped Murphy sit down. Annie had filled out the paperwork when she walked the wheelchair and Murphy looked at the clipboard in her hands.
"You have to sign this," she said, kneeling down next to the wheelchair and she placed the clipboard on his lap. Murphy took hold of the pen when he wrote his name on the piece of paper, handed her the clipboard and she stood up.
"How are you doin'?" Connor asked.
"Ok, I guess," Murphy grumbled.
The nurse walked to the wheelchair as she took hold of the handles and she saw the concern in Connor's eyes.
"She said you two are twins," the nurse said, looking at Annie.
"We are," Connor said.
"Then follow me."
Connor walked behind her as the nurse pushed the wheelchair toward the double doors and the double door opened. They headed down the hallway when she pushed the wheelchair into the examination room and she parked the wheelchair near the examination bed. Connor went to sit down on the black plastic chair as the nurse helped Murphy stand, get undressed, get into the hospital gown then get onto the examination bed and Murphy made a soft whimpering sound.
"Sorry," the nurse whispered and Murphy nodded.
Connor watched her placed the hospital bracelet on Murphy's right wrist and she smiled.
"Nice tattoos," she said.
"Thanks," Murphy said.
The nurse left the room while Connor stood and he walked to the examination bed. Murphy gave him a hurt look and Connor felt the guilt coming from him.
"Sorry," Murphy said.
"Nothin' t'be sorry about," Connor said.
"We should be out lookin' fer Lisa an' th'boys."
"You're right. But this is more important."
Sighing, Murphy nodded when a female doctor with auburn hair and green eyes walked in the room.
"Hello," she said and Connor heard a soft Scottish accent.
"Hullo," Connor said.
"Hey," Murphy said.
"I'm Doctor Moira Kincaid."
"I'm Connor MacManus. This is my brudder, Murphy."
"What seems to be the problem, Murphy?" she asked, looking at Murphy.
"My stomach feels off," Murphy said.
"In what way?"
"It hurts an' I feel like I want to be sick."
"Have you been sick?"
"Yeah," he said with a nod.
"An' he didn't eat much fer breakfast or lunch," Connor explained.
"Did you wake up feeling off?" Moira asked, looking at Murphy.
"Yeah," Murphy said.
"When did the pain get worse?"
"Jus' a little while ago. We work at th'Golden Cactus Ranch. I was ridin' in th'truck when it hit a small hole. Felt like someone hit me in th'gut."
"Let's have a look."
Connor went to sit on the black plastic chair while Moira examined Murphy and she wrote the information in the chart she had placed on the small table near the examination table.
"Sorry, but this might hurt," she said when she lightly pressed on Murphy's stomach then moved her hand down and Murphy's eyes widened.
"Christ," he hissed.
"Lord's name," Connor said and Murphy glared at him.
Moira wrote the information in the chart on the small table when she looked at Murphy and he waited for her to say something.
"Looks like you're going to need your appendix out," Moira said.
"Great," Murphy sighed.
"I'm going to inform the OR that we're bringing you up and get a nurse to get you ready for surgery."
They watched her leave the room as Connor got up from the black plastic chair and he walked to the examination table.
"You be ok while I go tell Annie and Diego what's goin' on?" Connor asked.
"Yeah," Murphy said.
Connor lightly patted his twin's left shoulder when he walked out of the room and he headed down the hallway. The double doors opened as he walked toward Diego and Annie and Annie saw the worry in her brother's eyes.
"How is he?" Annie asked.
"He needs his appendix out," Connor said.
"I bet he's happy about that."
"He's upset about not bein' able t'go look fer Lisa an' th'boys."
Annie took hold of Connor's hands as he wrapped their fingers together and she gave him a small smile.
"Guys!" made her let go of his hands while Darcy and Lou walked to them and she held Nichole in her arms.
"Did you find out anything?" Diego asked Lou.
"I talked with Gina. She told me the same thing she told you. Do you have any idea why Hank would take them?" Lou asked.
"Yeah. I do."
Diego had placed the plastic bag with the piece of paper in the pocket of his jeans as he removed the plastic bag and he showed them the piece of paper.
"What is this?" Lou asked.
"Looks like a confession," Diego said, handing him the plastic bag.
"Where did you find it?"
"In Hank's room."
"You took evidence from a crime scene?"
"It had my name on it."
Connor glanced at Annie and she pointed for them to go near the chairs.
"Lou knows Diego used to be a Texas Ranger," Annie explained.
"Does he know Diego used t'be FBI, too?" Connor asked.
"No."
They walked back to Lou and Diego when Connor noticed the worried look on Nichole's face and he walked to her.
"Hey," he said and Nichole looked at him.
"What's wrong with Mister Murphy?" Nichole asked.
"His tummy really hurts an' th'doctor has t'fix it."
"He's not gonna go away?"
"No. He's gonna be fine."
She gave him a little smile and Connor walked to Annie.
"Annie told me about your brother. Is he ok?" Lou asked
"Needs his appendix out," Connor said while a nurse walked closer and he turned to look at her.
"Sorry. They're ready to take your brother to surgery and he's asking for him," the nurse said, looking at Connor.
Nodding, Connor followed her to the double doors and the double doors opened. Lou watched them go into the other room when he looked at Diego then he looked at the plastic bag.
"Mind if I read this?" Lou asked.
"Go ahead," Diego said with a nod.
Lou looked at the piece of paper as he read what Hank had written and he frowned.
"He was dealing drugs while working on the ranch?" Lou asked.
"Looks like."
"And none of you knew?"
"Nope," Annie said with a shake of her head.
"I think Lisa knew. She was always having these intense conversations with him," Darcy said.
"Why didn't she fire him?" Lou asked.
"Could be Sam threatened her," Diego said.
"Can't believe that asshole has this much power."
"There is a lot of things you don't know about him."
"And you do?"
"Yep."
"Mind telling me?"
"I would, but the information I have is back at the ranch."
"Does Hank say where he was supposed to take Lisa and the boys?" Annie asked.
"Yeah," Lou said, handing the piece of paper to Diego.
Diego looked at what Hank had written while the anger built inside his chest and Diego looked toward the double doors.
In the examination room, Murphy looked at the ceiling tiles while he smiled then he looked at the small plastic bag handing from the metal pole.
"Hey," made him turn his head as Murphy smiled and Connor walked in the room then stopped near the examination bed. Connor looked at the wires sticking out of the top of the hospital gown then he looked at the heart monitor next to the examination bed. A blood pressure cup was wrapped around his right bicep and the plastic pulse clip was connected to his right index finger. The metal pole was to the left of the examination bed and the needle to the intravenous drip was taped to Murphy's left forearm.
"Did y'find 'em yet?" Murphy asked.
Connor noticed Murphy looked a little stoned and Murphy snorted a breath of air.
"Haven't gone lookin' yet," Connor said.
"Then let get goin',"
Murphy barely moved when a dull pain moved up his right side and he tightly closed his eyes.
"Shit."
"What happened?" Moira asked, walking in the room then stopped at the examination bed,
"He tried t'get up," Connor explained.
"I got stuff t'do," Murphy grumbled.
"What you need to do is stay still," Moira warned.
Barely sighing, Murphy nodded his head and Moira looked at Connor.
"Is he usually like this?"
"Yeah," Connor said and Murphy stuck his tongue out at him.
"Let's get you into surgery," Moira said to Murphy.
"I gotta pee," Murphy said.
"No, you don't," Connor scolded.
"Aye, I do."
"Do you want me t'go get Annie?"
"Who's Annie?"
"Our sister," they said at the same time.
"Well then…," Moira said, arching an auburn eyebrow. "Do you want him to go get her?"
"No," Murphy grumbled.
Moira walked to the doorway when she nodded and two interns entered the room. Connor moved back while the interns headed for the examination bed and he watched them get Murphy ready to move.
"Connor?" Murphy grumbled.
"What?" Connor asked.
"Go kick their ass."
Moira gave Connor a confused look as he shrugged his shoulders then she left the room and the interns moved the examination bed out of the room. Connor left the room as he watched the interns move the examination bed down the hallway and he felt a small sense of fear coming from his twin.
"Still gotta pee!" came down the hallway as Connor started to laugh, shook his head then he headed down the hallway.
Sam Warren's compound
The Ford came to a stop as Hank looked at the gate and the chain link fence and he held tightly onto the steering wheel. He had blindfolded Lisa, Chandler, Peter and Mark before he placed them in the back of the truck and he whispered to Lisa that he would shoot her if she tried to escape. He watched the man with a rifle strapped to his back walk closer and Hank sighed.
The man had a thin build, stringy blonde hair and blue eyes. The white tank top clung to his chest and stomach from sweat and there was a hole in the right knee of his jeans. He had on black work boots and a knife was in the holder hanging from his belt.
"Any trouble?" the man asked.
"Nope," Hank said as he looked at the fence. "Is he here?"
"Nah. Had somethin' to do."
"Where does he want me to put them?"
"Go down th'main road an' hang a left. It's th'fourth buildin' on th'right."
Nodding, Hank watched the man walk off then open the gate and Hank put the truck in gear then steered the truck by the gate. The truck bumped and rocked over the holes in the road when Hank saw the building the man was talking about and he parked the truck. Turning off the engine, he got out of the truck when he walked to the back of the truck and he looked at Lisa, Chandler, Mark and Peter.
"Don't move," Hank said as he opened the back of the truck and he hopped up onto the back of the truck.
"Where are we?" Lisa asked.
"Can't tell you. Now, get up."
Growling, Lisa nudged Chandler and Peter's legs and they stood up. Hank helped them out of the back of the truck when he led them to the screen door and he opened the screen door.
"Don't even think it," he said after he turned to see Lisa trying to reach for the gun and he opened the front door. "Move."
He helped them go inside the building then he looked at the other men watching him and he went inside, closing the door behind him.