Part 2

Chapter 5

The sun was just rising as the Ranger helicopter landed at the look out station to let Walker and Trivette out. After pinpointing as close as they could to where the renegades were last seen it was decided that following the route that Sydney and Gage had taken would probably bring them closest.

After a quick check of their equipment the two senior Rangers headed out. Walker quickly picked up the trail of his two Rangers and he and Trivette followed it. About an hour later Walker stopped them squatting down he pointed to the dirt right in front of them and a little further ahead of them.

"Looks like Sydney caught her foot and twisted her ankle. Gage must have had to half carry her," he stated.

Trivette stared at him, "You can tell all that by this jumble of tracks?"

"That and the fact this tree root is sticking out of the ground and by the trail ahead they are suddenly walking side by side the smaller leaning against the larger," Walker concluded.

"Syd leaning against Gage," Trivette agreed adding, "he probably had to trip her to get her to walk that close to him."

Walker smiled at his partner's comment as they proceeded on. Another hour more and they came upon what was left of Sydney and Gage's camp.

"What happened here?" Trivette asked as he and Walker stood staring at what was left of the campsite.

"Tommy Blackfeather," Walker answered.

"Where do you think Syd and Gage are?" Trivette questioned as his partner once again knelt to see if he could pick up a trail.

"There was about a dozen of them on horse back and they took off in three different directions. There doesn't look like there was much of a struggle but it looks as if they might have been taken prisoner," Walker was explaining.

"So which trail do we follow?"

"The one that leads across the river," Walker answered heading out Trivette close behind.

~~~~~

It was becoming lighter as the black night began giving way to the morning. It seemed to Sydney that they had bounced along forever as she lay face down and silent across the horse.

She had no idea who these men were or what they wanted. From what she could see from her position was they looked like they had just stepped out of a cowboy and Indian movie. The men were dressed in buckskins and had long black hair with feathers in it. There faces were painted as if waiting an impending attack. Everyone rode bareback even the horse she had been slung over.

They had warned her to stay silent or her friend would have his throat slit. Every once in a while Sydney would get a glimpse of Gage. He had been tied and thrown over a horse in the same fashion as her but he didn't move all she could hope is that he was still alive.

All of a sudden they came to an abrupt stop, someone grabbed the top of Syd's shorts and hauled her off the horse to land hard on her butt on the ground.

One man stepped forward he wore a square of black paint across his eyes making him look like he wore a mask. He prodded Syd's leg with the toe of his boot.

"What do you want?" Syd demanded, it was as if they didn't hear.

"Put her in my tent," the man who had prodded her ordered as two came forward picking her up.

"Wait my friend," Syd cried.

The man with the mask came to where the two others stood holding her bringing his hand to her face he held her chin forcing her to look at his face. "He will die soon enough," he told her nodding his head for the other two to follow his orders. They walked with her to the tent but not before she saw Gage hauled from the horse to the ground still bound, still not moving.

The men literally tossed Syd into the tent landing her on her shoulder she cringed against the pain it caused when she landed. She lay motionless for a moment waiting for the throbbing in her arm to subside. Wiggling as best she could to the open tent flap she watched as one of them stood above Gage pouring water from a canteen into his face.

Gage's eyes were opening and he began to blink not just because of the water being splashed in his face or the searing pain in his head but he couldn't believe what he was seeing. A dozen or so Indian warriors dressed in full war paint were looking down at him. He tried to shake his head to clear it resulting in nothing but a pounding ache from the blow he had received last night.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Gage got out as he squinted up at the group.

The one with the black mask took a step towards Gage and gave him a fierce kick in the side. His knees automatically came up towards his chest against the pain.

"I am Tommy Blackfeather my brothers and I have banned together to help bring justice to our people. We are tired of adopting your ways we are going back to a time when we ruled the land starting with you and your lady friend."

Gage hadn't seen Syd and he was hoping that she had some how escaped being captured. He tried to look around for her still unable to see her when a worse fear struck him what if they had killed her.

"Your woman is going to be mine and you are going to die," Blackfeather proclaimed.

Gage swallowed hard at least he knew she wasn't dead that they had a chance of escape. Then another thought came to him, if they hurt her in anyway if he touched her… Gage's thoughts ran wild he knew he would find a way to bring justice to Tommy Blackfeather if Sydney was hurt…

"Stake him out," Blackfeather ordered walking away from Gage as three of the group swooped down on him. He tried to fight them but in his present position and three against him. All he accomplished was catching half a dozen more punches to the head and face.

They quickly flipped him on his face untying his hands replacing the bindings with leather straps that had tent pegs attached to them. Just as quickly they had him on his back stretching his arms out to the side and above his head tapping the ten pegs in holding him tight. They quickly did the same with his legs fastening them at the ankles and left him there as the sun began to rise in the sky.

Sydney hadn't been able to see what had happened to Gage Tommy Blackfeather had gone right to his tent where she was. The tent flap flew back and he stood there blocking her view.

"What are you doing to him?" Syd had demanded as Blackfeather pushed his way into the tent taking her by the shoulders at the same time pulling her with him so Gage was completely out of view. "Let go of me," she demanded to be met by her captor's hand hitting her hard across her face knocking her sideways to the floor of the tent.

Reaching down he pinched her face with his hand his thumb and fingers pushing hard into the hollows of her cheeks holding her there as he spoke, "You are a very beautiful woman I watched you on the riverbank yesterday and knew I would make you mine."

"I'll never be yours," Syd said through clenched teeth as Blackfeather tightened his grip on her face. "I don't care what you do to me I'll never be yours, you'll never possess me ever."

He pushed himself down on her kissing her trying to force his tongue between the tight drawn line of her lips as she struggled beneath him. Getting no where he pulled away bringing his hand back striking her again. "You will be mine," he repeated to her getting up and leaving her tied where she lay in the tent.

A tear trickled down her cheek across the  burning sting of the slap on her face as she thought to herself, "I'll die first."

~~~~~

Throwing back the tent flap Tommy Blackfeather crawled out of the tent. He jumped to his feet and stood staring at Gage who lay silent the sun beating down on him.

"What is it?" his friend White Hawk asked walking over to him.

"Nothing," Blackfeather replied turning to join the rest who were all ready sitting to eat.

White Hawk looked over where Gage lay stretched out in the heat shaking his head. He believed in what Blackfeather was doing and was fiercely loyal but he had no stomach for how he was doing it. His way was more of talk and peace not torture and death. He shook his head and went to join the rest.

Blackfeather sat unspeaking with the rest of his followers when again he looked over to where his prisoner was. Finally getting up he walked over to Gage and gave him a kick.

Squinting again Gage tried to focus on Blackfeather as the sun beat down in his face blinding him. It was still early morning but the heat of the day was almost intolerable, the sweat from his body soaked his clothes.

"What makes you so special?" Tommy asked kicking his prisoner's leg again.

Licking his parched lips he swallowed before he spoke his voice cracking as he did, "You tell me. You're the one that seems to think I'm special."

"I think there is nothing special about you, it is your woman that does," Blackfeather sullenly told him.

"Maybe I treat her with honour and respect," Gage replied again trying to swallow.

"She's a woman she should honour and respect me," Blackfeather challenged back.

By now a couple of the group were joining Blackfeather and Gage listening as they conversed. "I have a friend with Cherokee blood and from what he has told me honour and respect are a big part of what your people are about," Gage continued the others nodding their heads in agreement.

"And who is your friend?" Blackfeather asked doubting Gage's words.

"His name is Walker," Gage said in a clear voice. "I believe you may know him as Washo."

It was clear that Walker's name was well known among the men as they began talking among themselves.

"Enough," Blackfeather shouted glaring down at Gage.

"He is right," White Hawk agreed, "that is what we are about." The others murmuring among themselves agreed too.

Tommy Blackfeather's eyes narrowed as he glared at Gage. "I will honour you," he answered, "I will let you die an honourable death we will fight until only one of us is left standing, until only one of us is left alive and the prize will be the woman. Do you accept the challenge?"

Gage knew that this was their only chance barely being able to get out, "I accept your challenge."

"Cut him loose and give him to the woman for her to look after," Blackfeather shouted out standing back watching his orders carried out.

Chapter 6

Jimmy Trivette was pushing himself to his limits to keep up the fast pace his partner had set for them. After a quick search of what was left of Sydney and Gage's camp Walker had found the one thing that he had been looking for. Another leather necklace with a wild horse medallion accompanied by a black feather hanging from it.

They had learnt from Gray Fox that Blackfeather's first few strikes had been only property that was damaged that was up until the last strike when there had been loss of life. Each time a medallion and feather had been found this time being no exception. Both knew the two Rangers' lives were in grave danger if they weren't all ready dead.

Walker's instincts had once again been right, they had crossed the river and quickly picked up the trail. Ten miles further in four or five horses had joined them and once more about another five miles along more horses joined as well.

"Can you hold up a minute Walker," Trivette called to his partner. Slowing he turned and walked the few steps back where Trivette leaned against a tree pulling his canteen out for a drink.

"They have five or six hours on us," Walker reminded Trivette, "and they are on horseback too."

Trivette nodded his head straightening ready to begin the pursuit again. "You haven't seen anything that I missed that might indicate something has happened to the two of them have you?" he asked.

Shaking his head no they ended the conversation and continued on.

~~~~~

White Hawk threw back the tent flap and crawled in with Sydney drawing his knife at the same time. She cringed pulling as far away from the man as she could pulling her legs up to her chest to attack if she had to.

"You're lucky your boyfriend has decided to fight for you," White Hawk informed her. "Turn around so I can cut you loose, remember you'll not make it out of these woods alive if you try to escape." He stared into her eyes until she nodded her head yes, then turning on her side he cut the leather thong holding her hands. She turned back rubbing her wrists that were raw from being bound so tightly her arms aching from being held there so long. He then cut the bindings at her ankles leaving her sitting there.

The second White Hawk disappeared from sight Syd was at the tent's entrance to peer out to catch sight of Gage. Two of the band had dragged Gage to his feet and with one on either side of him were dragging him towards her. His head had lolled to one side and Syd feared he had passed out again.

"Gage," Syd cried as they dropped him just outside the tent in front of her.

"Syd… I'm okay," he barely whispered to her.

She put her hands on him to help him inside out of the sun gasping to herself at the heat radiating from him. Looking up she shouted to anyone who may be listening to her, "Please can I have some water, anyone please some water."

White Hawk walked towards them bucket in his hand. He dropped it beside Sydney without a word he simply turned and walked away.

Syd helped Gage inside, helped to pull his shirt off his burning body and cushioned his head in her lap before pulling the water beside them. Putting her hand into the bucket and cupping it she brought it to his burnt cracked lips letting the trickle of cool water pass over them.

"Oh Gage I'm so sorry," Syd whispered to him bringing several more handfuls of water to him before dipping his shirt in it to gently wipe across his face to cool it.

"I just have to rest a little Honey it's going to be all right," he told her forcing a half smile to his face.   

Again Syd dipped his shirt in the water to bathe his face and neck. As she brought her hand and the cloth down his chest he reached up and caught it. "Syd if you get a chance to get away take it I want you safe," he told her.

"Gage I'm not going any where without you," she firmly began.

He cut her off gripping her hand tighter telling her, "Syd I have to know you are safe don't be stubborn this time."

Syd sat quietly for a moment letting a grim smile cross her lips then bending her head down she kissed him. "I won't let anything happen to me I promise," she told him adding under her breath, "or you either."

"Help me sit up," he coaxed as she put her hands under his shoulders helping him to slowly sit. "Thanks Syd," he smiled again even though he still lay back heavily against her.

White Hawk suddenly appeared before them holding two plates of food that Syd gratefully took from him. "Thanks," she acknowledged as he turned to leave. "Wait can you explain to us what is going to happen with this fight?" Syd asked him.

Turning back White Hawk looked at both of them before he gave a sigh and began, "Tonight as the sun goes down a great feast will be held. Afterwards there will be dancing until it is time for the competition begin. Each of you will be given a knife and the rest of us will form a circle around you and the fight will begin till the death. If Blackfeather wins your woman will become his. If you win you both will be free to go."

All three stared at each other for a moment before White Hawk crawled from the tent leaving the two of them to their own thoughts.

"Gage can you do this? Are you well enough to do this?" Syd asked looking into face into his blue eyes.

Bringing his hand to her face he gently stroked her cheek softly telling her, "I'm the only one who is going to be touching you Syd, no one else."

"I know that Gage," she told him knowing in her heart she could never let anyone but him touch her ever again and that Blackfeather would die by her hand if Gage didn't kill him first.