This story is based on the characters of the TV series Walker, Texas Rangers. They belong to CBS Productions, Kick Top Productions, etc. I have no claim to them. But the story is mine. All disclaimers apply. No copyright infringement is intended.
The River
"Billy, no!" Mike yelled as his son jumped in the river after Gage. Tommy had to hold Mike back, telling him that it was no use; the current had already taken them both.
Billy had always considered himself a strong swimmer, but nothing prepared the 11 year old for the current that he had jumped into. All he could do was keep his feet downstream and try to keep his head above the waves. As he was pulled downstream, his smaller body was propelled faster, and he soon caught up to the unconscious ranger. He held on with all his might and prayed to God to let them both survive.
Headquarters
"Sydney, why don't you go on home? It's getting late anyway, and you look like you could use some rest."
"I can't sleep when I'm there anyway, Walker, it's not worth it. I think I'm going to call Julie and see if she wants to go to CD's for dinner though. And Tay's supposed to be coming home tomorrow…God, Walker, what am I going to tell him?"
"Tell him that his dad is working on a case and will be home as soon as he can. You don't have to tell him yet that Gage is missing. If you and Julie want, why don't you come to the ranch tonight? It'll be a place to sleep, and it will get you two away from your house. Then you can pick up Taylor tomorrow and spend the day with him."
"Walker, we couldn't impose. Julie and I will be fine at home."
"I insist, you look like you haven't slept since Gage disappeared, and from what I saw of Julie last night, I don't think she has either." Sydney continued to argue until Alex came down and agreed with Walker.
"I'm heading home now, Sydney, so why don't you go pick up Julie and come on over." Alex said assertively, leaving no room to argue.
"All right, Alex, Julie and I will meet you there in an hour or so," Sydney replied, defeated. She walked out of Company B and down the stairs, thinking that she wasn't going to sleep no matter where she was; not as long as Gage wasn't there to hold her close.
The Gage household
"I know, Julie, but you've tried to argue with them before, and you know how well that works."
"Yeah, you're right, I just get the feeling that if we leave, Gage may try to call here." Julie was close to tears, but knew that she had to stay strong for Sydney. She turned to her room to pack some things for the night, missing the unshed tears in Sydney's eyes as well. Both women were worried beyond belief for Gage, but neither was willing to break down in front of the other. . . until then.
Sydney walked into her room and opened the closet to get her bag. As she bent down, her eyes stopped on Gage's shoes. Funny, she thought, a little thing like a person's shoes were enough to shatter the barrier that seemed so strong for everything else. It was there that Julie found her a couple minutes later, and as she reached down to comfort her sister-in-law, the tears she had held in as well finally spilled.
"I can't believe he's not here right now, I just keep seeing him hurt somewhere and I can't do anything to stop it. He's my little brother, Sydney, and I can't save him this time, I can't protect him."
"I know what you mean. In the field, I'm always there to watch his back, and he watches mine, but there's no way to help him right now, I don't even know where to look. All we know is that he's near a river somewhere, and it's a river that you can't raft on. There's a million of those in Texas. . . if they're even still in Texas."
"He was always there to protect me, in foster care, and after, I just wish I could return the favor to him now. Now, when it is this important. But if I know anything about Gage, honey, it's that he can take care of himself. We both have to believe that he's all right, and we have to pray."
The Walker Ranch
"Walker, do you think that it's possible that Gage is dead? I mean, that note, and it's been a couple days now. . . you don't think. . . ?"
"No, Alex, I don't think that. . . I can't think that. . . for Sydney's sake, he'd better still be alive," Walker stumbled through, betraying his calm exterior as well as his fears for his junior ranger.
"Well, Julie and Sydney should be here soon, and you'd better have a better answer to that question to that. Now, do you think Gage is still alive?"
"Yeah, I sure do, Alex. . . I sure do." He looked down and then up at his wife, "Is that any better?"
Despite the fact that his question had such grave meaning behind it, Alex had to laugh. "Yeah, Cowboy, that's better."
As they said that, Walker heard a car coming up the driveway. They went out to meet Sydney and Julie, and though Walker missed it, Alex could tell that the two had only recently dried their tears.
"Hey Julie, Sydney, how are you two holding up?" Walker asked, making Alex want to elbow him.
"We're okay, Walker, I think we both just need a good night's sleep right about now. Thank you for letting us stay here for the night." Sydney replied, trying to mask the sadness that was emanating from the two women.
"You can stay as long as you need, don't worry about it. If you'll excuse me, a certain 5-year old of mine needs to be picked up. I'll be back in a little while, make yourselves comfortable, please."
"Walker. . . ?" Sydney got his attention meekly.
"Yeah?"
"He's going to be okay, right. I mean, we're going to find him soon aren't we?"
"Yeah, Sydney, he sure is." Walker turned to his Ram before he said anything else to betray his unsure feelings on the matter. He wanted Gage to be alive, but he couldn't be sure; and there was no way to find out. He spent the entire ride to the HOPE Center praying to God that he'd be able to find Gage alive, for Sydney and Julie's sakes.
HOPE Center
"Daddy, daddy, I missed you!" Angela yelled as she jumped into her father's waiting arms. She kissed him, and laughed when he turned her upside down and then tossed her around to his back to make his way out to the truck.
"We're going to have company tonight, sweetie. You remember Sydney, right?"
"Of course, daddy. Why's she gonna be here?"
"Well, since Gage is on a case, she and Gage's sister, Julie, are going to keep us company for a little while."
"Until Uncle Gage comes home?"
"Something like that honey, something like that." Walker wished that he could end the conversation, it was something that he didn't want to talk about, but his young imp was full of questions today.
"Is little Taylor going to be there, daddy?"
"Not tonight, sweetheart, Taylor's still at his grandma's house until tomorrow. Maybe you can see him then."
"Cool. Can we go riding after dinner, Daddy. . . PLEASE, please, please, pretty please?"
"I think we can convince Mommy to let us out for a short ride. Would it be okay if we asked Sydney and Julie to come too?" Walker pried, knowing that going riding may take all their minds off of Gage for at least a little while.
"Well, okay, I guess so." Angela smiled at the thought of going for a night ride with her "rough and tough" dad, as her mom so often joked.
The River
"Tommy, my son just dove into the river after that ranger, and you stopped me? How could you?" The distraught and very upset Mike ranted as he paced between two old trees.
"Mike, think about it. There's nothing you can do for now. You'd never catch up to him, and you'd probably just end up getting yourself killed in the process. Now the rapids here pan out about a mile down, if, and I stress if, they make it, that's where your son will be able to pull that ranger's body out, and that's where we'll find him. So let's go."
"Do you think he'll make it, Tommy?"
"Honestly, Mike, no, I don't. But there is a possibility, and we have to make sure that the ranger's dead, or we're going to have some major problems ahead of us."
"Well let's go then. 'Cuz if that ranger ain't dead, I'm gonna kill him myself for involving Billy in this!"
"Uh, Mike. . . never mind." Tommy knew that it wasn't that ranger Gage, or whatever it was, who was responsible for the boy being there, but if that anger was turned towards the ranger and not him, then all the power to Mike.
Walker Ranch
"So, Sydney, how about it?" Walker asked as he let his darling convince mom that even though it was a school night, a short ride on Amigo with dad was okay. Walker knew, somehow, that Angela would have an easier time convincing Alex than he would.
"I guess so, Walker. Yeah, I think it might help us both out a little. Let me change and get Julie and we'll meet you and Angela down by the barn."
"That is, if she can convince Alex to let her go with us." Walker smiled and turned to catch his ecstatic five-year old as she jumped for his back.
"Daddy, daddy, daddy, mom said I can go. . . if she can go too. I told her that it was 'otay' with me."
"That's 'okay' sweetie, and I think that's fine. Go get your boots."
The ride went smoothly, and as Walker expected, both took Julie and Sydney's mind off of Gage as well as tired them both out. Within minutes of getting back both women and one very happy little girl were sleeping.
Later that evening. . .
The phone rang, rather late for the Walker household, late enough that Walker jumped to answer it before it woke anyone else. He'd still been up thinking about. . . what else, Gage.
"Hello? Do you know what time it is, Trivette? What do you want?"
"Yes, I know that you had surveillance set up on Jose Manuel. What about it?"
"Okay, so you caught him with a lot of heroin. Why exactly are you calling me this late?"
"What? Wait, say that again. Slowly, Trivette, I can't understand you."
"I'll be right down. Yes, just let me tell Alex where I'm going. I'll meet you at headquarters as soon as I can."