Chapter 6

The Hand We're Dealt

"Angela disappeared," Chris cried.

Both Sydney and Gage turned to find Chris standing in the door way the look of shear fright darkening his face once again.

"Chris we don't know what happened," his father had crouched down in front of him his hands dropping to Chris' shoulders.

"They didn't get her did they?" he asked almost hysterically as his mother who had dropped by his side took him in her arms.

"Chris we don't know what happened they just can't find Angela right now," Gage began to explain. "Uncle Walker wants me to go help…"

"Who's going to take care of Mom?" Chris cut in more panic rising in him.

Taking him from Sydney's grasp Gage picked up Chris putting his free arm around Syd at the same time leading them back to the couch in the family room. "Chris I need you to listen to me for a minute," Gage told his son sitting him on his knee so that Chris could see both his Mom and Dad.

"You know what a good fighter your Mom can be don't you?" Gage asked.

Chris stared for a moment like he hadn't heard the question Gage posed to him. Sydney reached and took his hand and Chris slowly nodded so Gage continued. "You've seen Mom get the better of me just as many times as I've got the better of her right?" Again they waited for Chris to answer and again he nodded his head. "Even though I don't say it too often Chris I know that Mom is as good as me. She's as good as me when she fights and when she shoots. In fact some days she can be better then me when it comes to figuring things out. Mom will lock the door as soon as I go and she won't open it again until I get home, she'll keep Cat, Piper and you safe and won't let anything happen."

"But Dad they said… and now they have Angela…"

"Chris bullies always say things they can't follow up on and we don't know what really happened to Angela," Syd took up the conversation.

"But if they got her…"

"Then we had better let Dad get going so he can help get her back so nothing happens to her right?" Syd asked.

Chris thought a moment before shaking his head yes then throwing his good arm around his dad's neck whispered to him, "You have to find her Dad she is my very bestest friend."

"We'll find her Chris you help Mom look after the kids," Gage replied.

Swallowing hard Chris once more whispered, "I will Dad."

Northwest Elementary School

Walker's familiar silver rig was parked out front as Gage pulled up along with numerous DPD cars. Gordon had just pulled up with Alex and Gage hurried to catch up with them. Alex seemed to be holding things together until she caught sight of her husband; at that point she broke away from her father and ran to his arms.

"Anything Walker? Anything at all?" she desperately asked her husband.

Walker shook his head no indicating that there was nothing yet. He watched his wife's lip quiver as she tried to be brave, as she tried not to let her emotions get the best of her.

"Alex, Alex!"

Both Alex and Walker turned to see Melissa Anne's parents come running towards them.

"Connie Greg," Alex cried out recognizing the man and woman immediately the two of them coming right over to the Walkers.

"Please tell me you've found them," Connie was pleading with the Walkers.

"I'm sorry," Walker was saying as Gage turned to Trivette to get the details and see what was being done.

"After recess Angela and Melissa didn't come inside, the teacher Mrs. Bain notified the office and they searched the school. They found Angela's jacket over by the fence and a couple of the kids said they saw a couple of men in a SUV talking to Melissa. Nobody is really clear on what happened," Trivette filled Gage in.

"What's Walker want us to do first?"

"Trivette, Gage," Walker was coming over towards them before Trivette could say any more. They looked towards their boss waiting for him to come through again. "Get your wives on the phone I'm sending a patrol car over to the HOPE Center to pick up Erica, Marcus and Danny to take them to Sydney for her to protect. Principal Hart just went to have Torrie brought here so the officers can take her with them.

Both Rangers pulled their phones out without hesitation and began to dial knowing that Angela's best chance was her father. They each turned walking slightly away to converse with their wives.

"Find her Gage?" Syd immediately asked hearing her husband's voice.

"No it is beginning to look like her and her friend were abducted."

"Gage no," Syd began becoming silent.

"We are having a patrol car bring Erica, Marcus and Danny over to our place to be with you. I'm going to arrange for a car outside the house too," Gage told her.

"Gage I…"

"Don't argue Syd just do it as a favour to me," Gage cut her off short.

She was silent for a moment before saying, "For you Gage."

He hung up and redialled making sure that car would be sitting in front of his house before rejoining Trivette and Walker.

"I don't know anyone who would take her," Connie Martin was crying her husband Greg nodding his head in agreement. Gage's mind went to Piper remembering the pure hell that he and Sydney had gone through when she had been taken from them. He wouldn't wish that on his worse enemy.

Trivette's phone rang, "Just one?" he asked before saying, "don't do anything until we get there? Walker, Gage," he motioned to them with a nod of his head as he spoke.

Alex seeing her husband going to join their friends tried to charge after him but Gordon's tight grasp on her prevented her from doing so.

"What is it Trivette?" Walker barked out the question.

"A little girl fitting Melissa description was tossed out of an SUV down around Wells street. She's been taken to Memorial there are about a dozen homeless people down there that saw the whole thing happen. Walker," Trivette paused swallowing hard before he could continue, "there was a note pinned to the front of the girl addressed to you."

Walker's jaw tightened nodding his understanding. "You and Gage get down to where she was found and see if you can find anything at all I'm going to find out about Melissa and this note."

As Walker turned to let the Martin's know that they may have found Melissa his eyes came to rest on Alex and Gordon. Taking a deep breath he walked towards where everyone stood.

"Walker?" Alex asked her eyes pleading for him to tell her something anything that would bring her closer to her daughter.

"We think Melissa has been found," Walker told the group. "I think she was only taken because she was with Angela at the time and that she is safe now. None the less there are going to be police officers watching over her until this is brought to a close. She is at Memorial if we would like to all go there now..."

The Martins were all ready heading for the hospital and their little girl before Walker could finish speaking. "Angela?" Cahill questioned Walker, "What about Angela?"

Alex had collapsed in tears against her father, "When was it our children became targets in all this?" she cried out. She could feel her husband's arms go around her as he began to explain about the note.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Cahill challenged leading the way to Walker's truck.

~~~~~

Trivette and Gage climbed into Gage's car and headed towards Wells street. Trivette was chatting away soon finding he was in a one sided conversation. Unlike Gage and now Walker he had never had a child taken from him and Erica.

"You all right Gage?" he finally asked bringing Gage out of his thoughts.

"What did you say Trivette?" Gage asked.

"Just checking to make sure you were still alive," Trivette told him. "Thinking about Piper?"

"Yeah actually I was," Gage admitted. "It is bad enough when something like this happens with Syd but I at least know she can protect herself. When Piper was taken, the first time it had nothing to do with us really, but the second time when her and Anna B were taken right in front of my eyes… Man I have that same helpless feeling right now and even though I know she and Cat are safe with Syd… I can't help be scared."

"You have every reason to be in light of what happened to Chris in regards to this case," Trivette agreed.

"We have to find Angela," Gage stated as much to himself as Trivette.

"We're going to," Trivette agreed. They both fell silent until Gage pulled the car up to where the yellow police tape was closing off the street where Melissa had been pushed from the SUV.

Tom Hamilton who had gone to the hospital with Chris was standing waiting for them. "What have you got for us Tom?" Gage asked.

"Gage, Trivette," Tom greeted them. "According to the witness the general contention is that a black SUV screech up to a stop and tossed a little girl out onto the street. Then it took off out of here with out looking back. Old Joe over there flagged down a patrol car that got the EMTs out here. She had an envelope with Walker's name on it so we contacted you people right away. Now you know everything we know."

"Joe," Gage called over to the old derelict motioning him over to where they stood. The man doddered over towards Gage and Trivette the same time as Gage stepped over the yellow tape to meet him. "You saw what happened did you?" Gage asked.

"That little girl gonna be all right?" Joe asked.

"I think that she is her Mom and Dad should be with her now," Gage smiled at the man. "Can you tell me what you saw?"

"I had just set myself down over there beside Ellie," Old Joe began turning towards Ellie and waving her over. An old street lady hoisted herself from the curb and began making her way towards Gage and Old Joe. "This here young fellow wants to know what we saw."

"That little girl gonna be all right?" Ellie asked.

Gage felt he was talking in circles. "He don't know," Old Joe cut in, "Her momma and daddy are with her now. He wants to know what we saw."

"Well now Old Joe here had just set his self down beside me," Ellie began. "When this big old black truck thing came screeching up round that corner. I thought that they were going to run right over us for a minute. They suddenly came to a stop the door flew open and they tossed that poor little girl out onto the street. The truck took off down the street, me and Sally over there ran over to the little girl and Joe went to find help. We stayed with her until the police came to help her."

Trivette had joined Gage now as Old Joe took up the story again, "I was lucky there was a police car coming right down the street and I waved them down. They called for the ambulance to come get her."

"Did you see anything else? Anything about the men that were in the vehicle? Anything about the vehicle?" Trivette was firing the questions.

"Didn't see the men but got some numbers on the license plate N 66 does that help?" Old Joe asked.

"More then you know," Trivette told the old man.

"You've all been a big help," Gage added as he and Trivette turned to leave.

"Hey Rangers," Old Joe called, "Can yeah let us know how the little girl is doing?"

"We will," Gage promised.

Headquarters

The note that had been left with Melissa was waiting for Walker when he arrived at his desk. It was crudely written on a plain piece of white paper and the message was simple. It is time for the child to pay for the sins of the father.

Walker stared blankly at what was written his mind went to Sam Clay, how things had played out with him. He and CD had yes arrested him and he was sent away for a long time but never had they put John in harms way. Yet the old man wouldn't leave his mind and now with all the trouble they had been having with Stewart… Walker just instinctively knew that Stewart was behind this and that Sam was still pulling the strings.

Again his mind went back in time he was back in the courtroom with CD they had just pronounced sentence and Sam was being taken away. CD had turned his head he couldn't face either Sam or Sally he felt he had betrayed them both. He had later told Walker he just didn't know what had happened to Sam he had changed so much since they were kids. "Cordell," he had said, "Sam was my best friend we shared just everything the good and the bad, but there doesn't seem to be any good at all left in the man. There is nothing there but bitter evil." The words haunted Walker.

His phone rang Trivette was on the other end of the line, he told him about the partial plate number and that they had narrowed it down to three vehicles. "One of those vehicles is in the Stewart fleet," Trivette confirmed.

"You and Gage head over to Memorial and I'll meet you there. Have Gage go talk to Tammy Eastman, you and I will see if Melissa can tell us anything," Walker directed his partner.

"Will do Walker," Trivette agreed hanging up the phone.

Walker stood picking up his hat holding it in his hand as he headed towards his wife's office where he had sent her and her father to go through her old files to see if there was anything there that would point to the kidnapping. He had really only wanted to give her something to do so she felt she was helping to get their daughter back. He knew he would have to reveal to her what the note had said that this was all on his shoulders and not hers.

He rapped slightly on her door before saying her name and letting himself in. Both Alex and Gordon looked up from what they were doing hoping that Walker was going to tell them what they wanted to hear. His face gave him away, Alex bite her lip but was still unable to stop the tear from sliding down her cheek.

"Alex I'm sorry," he told her has he walked behind the desk where she sat. He turned her chair to the side and crouched in front of her. With her hands in his he told her the contents of the note. "It is someone taking revenge on me," he grimly told her wishing that he had more then that to say to her.

"We know who that someone is don't we Walker?" she simply asked. "If he hurts her…" Walker's arms went around his wife her tears falling to his shoulder. His father-in-law stood at the window staring out at a loss for what to say or do.

"Gordon why don't you and Alex go by Sydney's and pick up Danny, take them home," Walker's eyes pleaded with Cahill.

"Come on Honey we have to let Walker do his job," Gordon said taking charge of Alex like she was still his little girl. "He'll let us know the minute he has found her," he continued his voice faltering slightly.

"Anything Walker, anything at all," Alex questioned her husband letting him help her up.

Walker nodded his head yes pulling her close to him wanting nothing more then to bring their little girl home to her. He let her father put his arm around her and lead her from her office. Picking up her phone he arranged for protection for his family before he went to meet Trivette and Gage.

~~~~~

Gage walked down the hall from the elevator towards Tammy Eastman's room and identified himself to the guard at the door. Rapping lightly on the door he let himself in.

"Tammy Eastman?" Gage asked as he approached the bed.

"Yes," she hesitated a moment remembering where she knew Gage from. "You were with the lady Ranger at my apartment?" she questioned.

"Yes my partner, Ranger Cooke, I'm Ranger Gage," Gage replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Better thank you," she replied. "You were called away the other day," she commented trying to remember what the other Ranger had told her, "Something about your son having an accident?"

"It was a little more then that," Gage revealed to her. "Mine and Ranger Cooke's children go to your son David's school. It seems that David tried to bully my daughter and they got into a fight that ended with Piper getting a black eye and David a bloody nose."

"That's when I tried to contact the school to find out if David was all right. The school contacted my X-husband John and he sent his associates to warn me to stay away from the school," Tammy explained to Gage. "I told them John wasn't running me any more and that is when Darnell pulled the gun and I made a grab for it. Well you know the rest," she finished.

"Tammy there is a little more to things then that. My son was lured off the school property, beaten by three older kids, told to make his sister do what David Stewart said or his mother would be severally beaten."

"Oh my God," Tammy cried out tears springing to her eyes. "That isn't David talking that's his father. David was the sweetest little boy that you would ever want to meet… John is making him into a monster just like he is." Tammy was sobbing uncontrollably Gage grabbed a handful of tissues and pressed them into her hand.

The woman finally composed herself enough for Gage to ask her if she thought John would be capable of kidnapping a child to use against the parents. "That's his father Sam Clay's style," she retorted. "John told me once his father had taken a little girl to get the child's father to sign over a big track of land they wanted. He said the best part was just watching the power his father held over that man knowing the fear for his daughter would make him do anything."

"Any idea where John or Sam might keep someone's daughter who they were leaning on?" Gage asked out right.

"Not really but I do know that it would be some place close by. John had really thought it was funny when he had told me the story. He had said the child was right under his nose but out of his reach."

Gage thought about what Tammy had said for a moment then thanked her and said good-bye.

"Ranger Gage," she called as he reached for the door. Gage stopped and turned to face her. "Are you going to put John away?"

"That's what we hope to do."

"Me too I want my son back."

~~~~~

Walker and Trivette were waiting for Gage they had, had very little luck with Melissa Anne. She had told them that these two men had grabbed Angela that she had fought with them but they had picked her up and ran. Melissa had run after them she screamed out and one of them had grabbed her too. They had drove for a little while then Angela was taken from the SUV to another vehicle and that was the last she had seen her.

Gage quickly told them what he had learnt from Tammy Eastman. Walker stood silently listening as he spoke his mind unable to pinpoint the place that would be right under his nose.

"Trivette are we still set up for Sydney to go in tomorrow?" he suddenly asked.

"Ready when ever you are," Trivette replied as Gage shifted feet.

"Let's go as planned she might be able to get a line on where Angela is being held," Walker instructed. "Gage make sure you can hear her every minute she is in that building."

"Have no fear of that," Gage told him.

"Ranger Walker," a nurse was approaching them, "there is a call for you at the nurse's station."

Walker followed her and she reached over the desk to pick the phone up and hand it too him. Taking it from her he identified himself both Gage and Trivette watched his face pale.

"What is it?" Trivette was asking as his partner slammed the phone on the desk.

"They've gone after Alex!"

TBC...