All previous disclaimers apply.
"Bayou Justice"
Part 2
By Lorrie
Alex called Walker and gave him the news about Gage. "Sydney, why don't we go to the cafeteria and get something to eat?" Alex offered.
"Thanks Alex, but I'm not very hungry." Sydney said softly.
"How about a cup of coffee then?" Trivette offered.
"No thanks. I'm trying to cut back on caffeine." Sydney sat down and starred at the wall. "He has to make it. There are so many things I need to tell him," she thought as she sat there with her knees drawn to her chest.
An hour later, Dr. Stevens approached the waiting room. "Ranger Cooke?"
"Yes."
"Ranger Gage is out of surgery. He's in ICU."
"How is he?" Trivette asked.
Dr. Stevens looked at Sydney with concern. "He's on life support. His condition is still critical. I'm sorry; he's just lost so much blood. We've done all we can do at this point, the rest is up to Him." Dr. Stevens looked towards heaven. "You can see him one at a time for just a minute."
"Thank you doctor."
Sydney went in first; the sound of the heart monitor and the ventilator were almost enough to drive her crazy. Gage had a tube down his throat to assist his breathing, an IV in his left arm and was attached to the heart monitor. After looking at him in this condition, Sydney felt herself growing lightheaded as she reached Gage's bedside. She quickly sat down in the chair next to the bed to avoid passing out.
She gently took his hand and softly spoke to him. "Gage, there's so much we need to talk about. I need you so much." She stroked his hair.
Trivette stepped inside the room and tapped Sydney on the shoulder. "Are you OK?" he asked softly.
"No." She whispered.
"He needs to rest and so do you." Trivette put his arm around Sydney and escorted her out of the ICU.
**********
Laguex and his men had returned to their camp. "Mr. Laguex, do you want to go ahead with the shipment to the Gulf?"
Laguex paused, "Yes, we've got too much riding on this. But, we will wait for the next shipment and take them both down the river at the same time, then we'll clear out the camp."
"Very well sir, I'll make the arrangements."
"Jake, do you know where that Ranger's cell phone is?" Laguex asked.
"Yes sir, it's in the drawer of your desk."
"That will be all Jake." Jake left the room.
Laguex retrieved Gage's cell phone from his desk drawer. "I will have justice where you are concerned Texas Ranger, Bayou Justice."
**********
"Sydney did you keep your appointment with Dr. Wilder this morning?" Alex asked.
Sydney nodded. "Yes. I'm about four weeks along."
"Congratulations!"
"Thanks Alex, but its sort of bitter sweet. I want to share the news with Gage before I tell anyone else."
"I won't say anything. Have you been by the hospital yet?"
"No, that's where I'm headed now. I just wanted to check in with Walker." Sydney sat down at her desk just as her phone rang. "Texas Ranger's Company B, Sydney Cooke speaking."
"Ah, the beautiful Sydney. So you too are a Texas Ranger." Laguex exclaimed.
"Who is this?"
"I am surprised you do not remember me. How is our Ranger friend doing? Is he still carrying my bullet? It is such a pity he had to be shot."
"Laguex?"
"You do remember me, I'm touched. Soon you will join me, beautiful Sydney. You and your Ranger friend." Laguex hung up before Sydney could respond.
Her first thought was of Gage. "He's going after him." She checked her gun, grabbed her keys and left the office without a word to anyone.
Sydney reached for the car door when suddenly she felt something being pressed over her nose and mouth, she struggled momentarily, then went limp in Jake's arms.
**********
Gage lifted his right hand slightly, then blinked his eyes. The doctor had taken him off of the ventilator earlier that morning. Gage swallowed and fully opened his eye to see Trivette sitting in the chair next to his bed. "Trivette," he whispered.
"Well, it's about time you woke up." Trivette smiled. "I'll get your doctor."
**********
"Sydney's missing." Walker came quickly into Alex's office.
"She was just here a little while ago." Alex answered.
"Her car's in the parking lot with the keys in the door. There are signs of a struggle."
"Who do you think has her?" Alex frantically asked.
"Laguex and he'll go after Gage next." Walker and Alex headed to the hospital.
**********
Dr. Stevens was pleased with Gage's progress and had him moved to a room on the fifth floor.
"So, how are you feeling?" Trivette asked.
"A little tired. Where's Sydney? I sort of thought she'd be here." Gage asked.
"She has been buddy. She's hardly left your side. She had an appointment this morning, but she's probably on her way now." Trivette answered. Gage smiled at the very thought of Sydney.
**********
"Walker, what are we going to tell Gage?"
"I don't know yet. Let's see how he's doing and play it by ear." Alex nodded in agreement. They checked at the front desk for Gage's room number and took the elevator to the fifth floor.
"Well, you're looking a lot better than you did last night." Alex exclaimed as she entered the room.
"I feel better. Hey, where's Sydney?" Gage asked. Walker and Alex looked at each other.
"What's wrong?"
"Gage, it looks like Sydney's been kidnapped."
"By who?" Gage asked worriedly.
"We suspect Laguex." Walker answered as his cell phone rang. He answered the call and walked out into the hallway. After a minute or two he came back in with an agitated look on his face.
"What is it Walker?" Trivette asked.
"Toby, the guy we put in protective custody, he's dead."
"How?" Gage asked.
"Single shot through the heart. It looks like a professional job."
"Walker, we've got to go after Sydney." Gage stated firmly.
"Gage, you're not going anywhere."
"The hell I'm not." He glanced about the room and noticed the shock on Alex's face. "Sorry Alex." He looked down. "Walker, you can't get to Laguex's camp without me. Give me my clothes, I'm going." Gage pulled his IV out and got out of bed. The sudden flurry of activity left him incredibly light headed, he felt his knees buckle under him as Walker quickly reached his arm around Gage's back to help support him.
"Gage, it's not a good idea. You need to rest!"
"I need to find Sydney!" Gage shouted.
Walker nodded knowingly. "I know buddy, I know." He starred lovingly at his wife and thought of how many times he had come so close to losing her; the kidnappings, the hostage situations, her being shot. He did know exactly what Gage was going through. That wasn't just his partner out there, that was his best friend, the woman he loved.
Alex started to step out of the room so Gage could dress. She walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "She loves you too, you know."
*********
Sydney woke up and found herself suspended over the river, hands bound above her head, with two alligators directly below her, watching and waiting. "Whoa! What the . . . where am I?"
"Welcome to Louisiana, beautiful Sydney. You are in Bayou country now." Laguex responded.
"What do you want with me?"
"It's not exactly you I want. It's your Ranger friend, the one who sold me out. I will not let anyone make a fool out of me and live to tell about it." Laguex scoffed. "He cares about you, so he will find a way to come after you."
"He's not well enough to come after me."
"That is too bad, beautiful Sydney. I would hate to have to kill you without him here to watch."
"I thought you said I wasn't the one you were after."
"You're not, but unfortunately for you, the only way I can get to him is to feed you to the alligators while he watches. I feel that would be a fitting punishment for him before I kill him. For now, I will leave you to your thoughts." Laguex turned and left. Sydney shivered at the sound of the snapping jaws beneath her.
**********
"Gage, I wish you would reconsider." Walker pleaded.
"I'm not staying behind. Besides, it's me he's after and if I don't show, he'll kill her for sure."
"He may kill her anyway." Walker thought to himself.
"OK, but you stay clear if there's any rough stuff, got it?" Walker stated. Gage nodded, knowing that was a promise he couldn't really make to Walker or himself.
Gage, Trivette and Walker boarded the helicopter on the roof of the hospital and headed back to Lafayette, back to Laguex's camp in hopes of locating Sydney.
**********
"Rangers, we're about 10 minutes outside of Lafayette, where do you want me to sit her down?" The pilot asked.
"Mike, go back to where we were originally. We'll go through the swamp on foot."
"Walker, do you think Gage is up for that?" Trivette asked.
Walker looked over at the young Ranger who had fallen asleep. "I hope so, for his sake as well as Sydney's."
End Chap. 2
"Bayou Justice"
Part 2
By Lorrie
Alex called Walker and gave him the news about Gage. "Sydney, why don't we go to the cafeteria and get something to eat?" Alex offered.
"Thanks Alex, but I'm not very hungry." Sydney said softly.
"How about a cup of coffee then?" Trivette offered.
"No thanks. I'm trying to cut back on caffeine." Sydney sat down and starred at the wall. "He has to make it. There are so many things I need to tell him," she thought as she sat there with her knees drawn to her chest.
An hour later, Dr. Stevens approached the waiting room. "Ranger Cooke?"
"Yes."
"Ranger Gage is out of surgery. He's in ICU."
"How is he?" Trivette asked.
Dr. Stevens looked at Sydney with concern. "He's on life support. His condition is still critical. I'm sorry; he's just lost so much blood. We've done all we can do at this point, the rest is up to Him." Dr. Stevens looked towards heaven. "You can see him one at a time for just a minute."
"Thank you doctor."
Sydney went in first; the sound of the heart monitor and the ventilator were almost enough to drive her crazy. Gage had a tube down his throat to assist his breathing, an IV in his left arm and was attached to the heart monitor. After looking at him in this condition, Sydney felt herself growing lightheaded as she reached Gage's bedside. She quickly sat down in the chair next to the bed to avoid passing out.
She gently took his hand and softly spoke to him. "Gage, there's so much we need to talk about. I need you so much." She stroked his hair.
Trivette stepped inside the room and tapped Sydney on the shoulder. "Are you OK?" he asked softly.
"No." She whispered.
"He needs to rest and so do you." Trivette put his arm around Sydney and escorted her out of the ICU.
**********
Laguex and his men had returned to their camp. "Mr. Laguex, do you want to go ahead with the shipment to the Gulf?"
Laguex paused, "Yes, we've got too much riding on this. But, we will wait for the next shipment and take them both down the river at the same time, then we'll clear out the camp."
"Very well sir, I'll make the arrangements."
"Jake, do you know where that Ranger's cell phone is?" Laguex asked.
"Yes sir, it's in the drawer of your desk."
"That will be all Jake." Jake left the room.
Laguex retrieved Gage's cell phone from his desk drawer. "I will have justice where you are concerned Texas Ranger, Bayou Justice."
**********
"Sydney did you keep your appointment with Dr. Wilder this morning?" Alex asked.
Sydney nodded. "Yes. I'm about four weeks along."
"Congratulations!"
"Thanks Alex, but its sort of bitter sweet. I want to share the news with Gage before I tell anyone else."
"I won't say anything. Have you been by the hospital yet?"
"No, that's where I'm headed now. I just wanted to check in with Walker." Sydney sat down at her desk just as her phone rang. "Texas Ranger's Company B, Sydney Cooke speaking."
"Ah, the beautiful Sydney. So you too are a Texas Ranger." Laguex exclaimed.
"Who is this?"
"I am surprised you do not remember me. How is our Ranger friend doing? Is he still carrying my bullet? It is such a pity he had to be shot."
"Laguex?"
"You do remember me, I'm touched. Soon you will join me, beautiful Sydney. You and your Ranger friend." Laguex hung up before Sydney could respond.
Her first thought was of Gage. "He's going after him." She checked her gun, grabbed her keys and left the office without a word to anyone.
Sydney reached for the car door when suddenly she felt something being pressed over her nose and mouth, she struggled momentarily, then went limp in Jake's arms.
**********
Gage lifted his right hand slightly, then blinked his eyes. The doctor had taken him off of the ventilator earlier that morning. Gage swallowed and fully opened his eye to see Trivette sitting in the chair next to his bed. "Trivette," he whispered.
"Well, it's about time you woke up." Trivette smiled. "I'll get your doctor."
**********
"Sydney's missing." Walker came quickly into Alex's office.
"She was just here a little while ago." Alex answered.
"Her car's in the parking lot with the keys in the door. There are signs of a struggle."
"Who do you think has her?" Alex frantically asked.
"Laguex and he'll go after Gage next." Walker and Alex headed to the hospital.
**********
Dr. Stevens was pleased with Gage's progress and had him moved to a room on the fifth floor.
"So, how are you feeling?" Trivette asked.
"A little tired. Where's Sydney? I sort of thought she'd be here." Gage asked.
"She has been buddy. She's hardly left your side. She had an appointment this morning, but she's probably on her way now." Trivette answered. Gage smiled at the very thought of Sydney.
**********
"Walker, what are we going to tell Gage?"
"I don't know yet. Let's see how he's doing and play it by ear." Alex nodded in agreement. They checked at the front desk for Gage's room number and took the elevator to the fifth floor.
"Well, you're looking a lot better than you did last night." Alex exclaimed as she entered the room.
"I feel better. Hey, where's Sydney?" Gage asked. Walker and Alex looked at each other.
"What's wrong?"
"Gage, it looks like Sydney's been kidnapped."
"By who?" Gage asked worriedly.
"We suspect Laguex." Walker answered as his cell phone rang. He answered the call and walked out into the hallway. After a minute or two he came back in with an agitated look on his face.
"What is it Walker?" Trivette asked.
"Toby, the guy we put in protective custody, he's dead."
"How?" Gage asked.
"Single shot through the heart. It looks like a professional job."
"Walker, we've got to go after Sydney." Gage stated firmly.
"Gage, you're not going anywhere."
"The hell I'm not." He glanced about the room and noticed the shock on Alex's face. "Sorry Alex." He looked down. "Walker, you can't get to Laguex's camp without me. Give me my clothes, I'm going." Gage pulled his IV out and got out of bed. The sudden flurry of activity left him incredibly light headed, he felt his knees buckle under him as Walker quickly reached his arm around Gage's back to help support him.
"Gage, it's not a good idea. You need to rest!"
"I need to find Sydney!" Gage shouted.
Walker nodded knowingly. "I know buddy, I know." He starred lovingly at his wife and thought of how many times he had come so close to losing her; the kidnappings, the hostage situations, her being shot. He did know exactly what Gage was going through. That wasn't just his partner out there, that was his best friend, the woman he loved.
Alex started to step out of the room so Gage could dress. She walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "She loves you too, you know."
*********
Sydney woke up and found herself suspended over the river, hands bound above her head, with two alligators directly below her, watching and waiting. "Whoa! What the . . . where am I?"
"Welcome to Louisiana, beautiful Sydney. You are in Bayou country now." Laguex responded.
"What do you want with me?"
"It's not exactly you I want. It's your Ranger friend, the one who sold me out. I will not let anyone make a fool out of me and live to tell about it." Laguex scoffed. "He cares about you, so he will find a way to come after you."
"He's not well enough to come after me."
"That is too bad, beautiful Sydney. I would hate to have to kill you without him here to watch."
"I thought you said I wasn't the one you were after."
"You're not, but unfortunately for you, the only way I can get to him is to feed you to the alligators while he watches. I feel that would be a fitting punishment for him before I kill him. For now, I will leave you to your thoughts." Laguex turned and left. Sydney shivered at the sound of the snapping jaws beneath her.
**********
"Gage, I wish you would reconsider." Walker pleaded.
"I'm not staying behind. Besides, it's me he's after and if I don't show, he'll kill her for sure."
"He may kill her anyway." Walker thought to himself.
"OK, but you stay clear if there's any rough stuff, got it?" Walker stated. Gage nodded, knowing that was a promise he couldn't really make to Walker or himself.
Gage, Trivette and Walker boarded the helicopter on the roof of the hospital and headed back to Lafayette, back to Laguex's camp in hopes of locating Sydney.
**********
"Rangers, we're about 10 minutes outside of Lafayette, where do you want me to sit her down?" The pilot asked.
"Mike, go back to where we were originally. We'll go through the swamp on foot."
"Walker, do you think Gage is up for that?" Trivette asked.
Walker looked over at the young Ranger who had fallen asleep. "I hope so, for his sake as well as Sydney's."
End Chap. 2
