Chapter 10

The TurningTides

On Way to the Rankin Farm

Alex Cahill Walker sat quietly looking out the window of her husband's truck. The protective body armour that she wore feeling heavy but not as heavy as her heart was with worry for her children.

"Will this ever stop Walker?" she quietly asked.

Reaching over Walker took her hand in his, "Alex we are going to save the children, we are going to bring Angela and Danny home just like the Gage and Sydney will bring home their children."

"How can you be so sure?" she asked turning to face him the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I have to be Alex I have to believe the good will prevail or I wouldn't be able to do this job. I have to believe we won't loose our family."

Alex nodded her head as her eyes once more moved to the Texas scenery.

~~~~~

Sydney sat behind the wheel of the car her eyes fixed on the back of Walker's truck her foot on the gas keeping an exact distance between them. Gage hadn't argued when she had got behind the wheel to drive he knew she felt more in control that way.

Walker had handed him his badge and gun before they had left headquarters saying, "It should never have been taken from you." Gage wasn't so sure about that at this moment, he wasn't so sure if he should ever have held a gun. He knew it was their profession that had put their children in this danger again.

"Gage?"

He turned to face his wife. "Honey?" he questioned back.

"This is… we'll be in time… we will…"

"Yes Sydney, yes we're going to get the kids back. We can't think any other way."

Gage had reached across to let his hand squeeze her shoulder and she reached up taking hold. "Your right Gage, I know you're right.

Rankin Farm

Sam Clay's chauffeur driven limo pulled into the Rankin farm pulling up at the old vacant farmhouse. The driver got out and ran around to open the old man's door to help him out and inside the house. Once inside and his men were in front of him he began to hand out the final instruction.

"When the Rangers and the ADA get here I want those four brats brought out here and when they are all together I want them all finished off except Walker I want that pleasure for myself," the grizzled old man told them. "And don't any of you forget it."

The Tool Shed and the Kids

"Just a little more and we should be able to squeeze through," Chris confidently told the rest.

"Chris what are we suppose to do once we get out?" Piper earnestly asked him.

"We are going to run to those woods and get away," Chris firmly told them.

"But go where?" Do you even know how to get home?" his little sister cried insisting on knowing.

"Not really but we still have to get away from here and find a way to let Mom and Dad know where we are," he replied taking hold of her hand.

"Don't worry Piper we'll find some place where we can make a phone call," Angela told her putting her arm around Piper's shoulder.

"All right Angela I'm not a baby," she told her shrugging Angela's arm off her.

"Come on you guys," Danny cried, "we have to get out of here."

"Danny's right," Chris interrupted, "Angela see if you can squeeze through and if you can wait for Danny and then run for the woods. Keep running Piper and I will be right behind you."

With out a minute to loose Angela wiggle through the hole to the other side. "All right Danny come on," she hissed back. Danny didn't need any more prodding he followed right behind his sister grabbing her hand and heading into the woods.

"Okay Pipe our turn ready?" Chris asked. She nodded her head and slid beneath the wall Chris close behind. Grabbing his sister's hand they too raced into the woods, away from the shed and the farm.

They ran non-stop the cold air burning their lungs Chris pulling Piper along. Stumbling and almost falling Piper called out to her brother, "I have to stop for a second. Where are Angela and Danny?"

"I don't know they have to be right up ahead," Chris retorted hoping he was right. "Ready?"

Piper shook her head and they took off again running for all they were worth until Chris suddenly heard a familiar voice calling his name. "Uncle Jimmy over here," he hoarsely called back.

"Chris," Trivette called again as the kids came running into his arms

"Did you see Angela and Danny?" Chris gasped out.

"Matt has them," Trivette told them.

"Are Mom and Dad here?" Piper asked wanting very much for her Dad to pick her up and hug her tight.

"Your Mom and Dad went to rescue you," Jimmy replied as they caught up to Sumner and the Walker kids.

"Sumner get Gage on the phone while I get Walker we are going to put a final stop to Sam Clay."

The Rankin Farmhouse

"They're coming in the laneway," one of the lockouts had come inside to tell them while the driver and bodyguard helped Clay to his feet. They went out to the side porch and waited as Walker pulled up his truck. Sydney pulled up right behind them both she and Gage watching as Walker got out then followed suit.

"All right Clay you got us here where are the children?" Walker barked out.

"Is your lovely wife not joining us?" Clay smirked flaunting what he had over Walker.

"There is lots of time for that when we see the kids," Walker retorted

Nodding his head he signaled one of the men to bring the kids from where they were being held.

"Ranger Gage," Clay continued Lieutenant Sears tells me you didn't like being on the opposite side of the law. I was going to let you go to jail so you could see what John is condemned to since you were instrumental in putting him where he is among other crimes against friends. Then I thought I probably won't live long enough to see the out come of you being broken and your lovely wife slowly loosing control knowing it was her fault you were there. Pretty clever set up if I do say so myself," he chuckled to himself.

"No this way is much better I'll see you die before my eyes," the old man snarled banging his walking cane on the porch floor. "Walker then there is you, your partner old CD Parker just couldn't wait for me to do my time. He was always cheating me out of something, fifteen years of my life, seeing my boy grow up, my revenge against him. You will have to pay double for your partner. That is where your wife comes in. I will have my revenge."

Just then the men he had sent to the tool shed had come back empty handed. One went to Clay and turning spoke to him in a whispered voice.

Walker nodded to the Gages and turning to her husband Sydney shrieked, "They're dead I know it we're too late they've killed them, they're dead."

"Sydney get a grip on yourself," Gage was ordering grabbing her arms to try and take hold of the situation.

By now everyone one was focused on the two of them with amused fascination.

"Leave me alone Gage," Sydney cried out flinging his hands from her arms at the same time both she and her husband turning to attack the man closest to them.

Walker had struck out at the man closest to him, Trivette and Sumner were coming from behind the house. The local sheriff and his men were coming in the lane blocking the escape ready to get a few licks of their own in.

Sam Clay's bodyguard was trying anxiously to get the old man into his car but the old man stood his ground his eyes fixed on Cordell Walker, the reason he had gone to jail, the reason his son was in jail and his grandson with his mother, the very reason he had to seek revenge.

The rangers had the situation pretty much in control when Sam pulled the gun he had holstered at his side and took aim at Walker. "You go to hell Walker," he spat out as his finger began to squeeze the trigger. Before he could carry out the shot Sam Clay dropped to his knees falling forward mortally wounded by a riffle shot to the side of the head, a sniper's bullet.

Everyone had crouched weapon's ready as their eyes searched for where the bullet may have come from. There was only one shot and it ended the life of Sam Clay.

"Walker Angela and Danny where are they?" Alex was crying she had to know that they really weren't harmed.

"Mommy Daddy," both Gage and Sydney turned hearing their daughter's shouts seeing all four of the children running towards their parents. Gage caught Piper in his arms picking her up and Chris caught Sydney around the waist. Gage's free arm wound around Chris and Sydney while Syd held one arm around Chris and the other around Piper whose arms held tightly to her Dad's neck.

Walker and Alex held their children in similar fashion. Angela took charge explaining all that had happened while Danny just laid his head on his father's shoulder glad to be safe in his warm embrace.

Trivette approached them a moment later to let them know that the school bus had been found, no one had been harmed and everyone was on their way home.

Gage was just making sure Piper's seat belt was on securely when Sumner stopped him to let him know that he would be coming by to take Anna B home a little later.

"Are you Anna B's boyfriend?" Piper butted in to ask.

"Well I'm her friend for sure," Sumner answered feeling his face turning as red as his hair. Gage was laughing out loud after his daughter's comment as Sumner told him, "No mistaking whose kid she is." Again Gage laughed.

Opening the car door he shouted to Sumner, "See you in a bit."

Memorial Hospital

Jimmy was just in time to say good night to Fred and the kids when he got back to the hospital. Torrie was all ready asleep in Fred's arms her little head laying across his shoulder.

"You're not to big to give your old man a hug are you?" Jimmy asked Marcus.

Smiling the boy shook his head no putting his arms around his father's neck when Jimmy leaned over. "I was so scared today I thought Mom was going to die," he said into his Dad's ear.

"I bet it was pretty scary," Jimmy agreed.

"I'm glad Uncle Gage got there when he did."

"Me too son," Jimmy conceded.

"I love you Dad."

"I love you too Marcus," Jimmy murmured holding him tight for a moment more before standing to kiss Torrie's cheek and tell them all good night.

Knocking lightly on his wife's door he let himself in. Erica was sitting up in bed nursing Simon she reached her hand out to her husband. Jimmy came to sit on the edge of the bed pulling back the blanket a little to see his son's face.

"I think he is going to look like your side of the family," Erica smiled as Jimmy leaned forward to kiss her cheek.

"I don't care who he looks like," Trivette replied I'm just glad he is here and you are both safe and healthy."

Erica's smile widened as her husband's arm went around her for a hug.

Walker Ranch

It had taken quite a while to settle the children down for the night. Now that they were finally asleep Alex took turns walking from her daughter's room to her son's room and then back again.

"You are wearing a hole in the floor Alex," Walker teased her coming up behind her wrapping his arms around her.

"I don't care," she told him leaning back against him finally being able to relax. "I just can't see them enough."

Walker smiled and chuckled.

"What?" Alex asked turning her head up to his face.

"Gage told me Sydney does the same thing with their kids. If he wakes up and she's not there he can usually find her in the hall looking into their rooms," Walker smiled again.

"Smart woman," Alex commented with a smile of her own.

With his arm around her Walker lead her towards the room they shared. She stopped in the doorway wrapping her arms around him to kiss him. "It's finally over isn't Walker?" she softly asked.

"Yes finally over," he agreed kissing her again even though a small voice was still nagging him. He tried to dismiss it from his mind holding his wife closer to him before leading her to bed.

Sydney and Gage's

Sydney lay on her side of the bed pretending sleep as she watched her husband come into the room. Sam Clay's bodyguard had agreed to testify that Ken Rankin owed Clay a pile of money in gambling debts. When he heard that they were trying to find out some kind of damaging information on either Rangers Gage or Cooke that is when he remembered Derek Shaw an old buddy of his. He had put Shaw in touch with Clay for the price of the gambling debt.

It hadn't been hard to put Shaw back into Syd's life and with both Sears and Samms on the Clay payroll it wasn't that hard to railroad Gage.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she asked watching him pull his t-shirt over his head. She purred contently as she scrutinized his hard muscular chest.

"Actually I was thinking about Sumner and Anna B," he admitted stripping off his jeans and underwear to head for the shower.

"What about them?" she called after him as he cranked the water on. Getting no answer she threw back the covers got out of bed and followed him to the bathroom. She could see his image through the shower door watching as he stood under the hot water letting it soothe his body the room filling with steam. "What about them?" she repeated herself.

"You say something Syd? he fired back.

"Francis," she mumbled loud enough that he could hear then peeling off her night shirt she opened the shower door and stepped into the shower with him.

His arms went immediately around her as he whispered, "What took you so long?"

~~~~~

It was Gage's turn to lay in bed and watch Syd as she dried her long black hair. He smiled contently as she flicked off the hair dryer and headed to bed with him. She quickly snuggled in beside him letting her head come to rest on his chest while he reached over to turn off the beside lamp.

They lay silently for a few moments Syd finally saying, "I'm glad to be putting this behind me."

"Is it really behind you Honey? She could feel his fingers gently moving in tiny circles on her back. She wanted to tell him yes but in reality she knew it would always be with her.

"How do you know me so well Gage?"

"I love you Syd, I wish I could make things different for you, change it so it never happened." She could feel his lips pressing the top of her head.

Pulling up on her elbow she leaned forward pressing her lips against his letting her fingers rub gently across his cheek. "It had to happen Gage it is a part of what makes me, me. I may not have found you if it hadn't happened.

"Syd believe me I would have found you one way or another," he told her kissing her again.

"Even so it is the hand that I've been dealt and I know I have you here to help me if the going gets too rough," she said laying her head against his chest again. They lay in peaceful silence again until it struck Syd that Gage hadn't elaborated on Sumner and Anna B.

"So do you know something about the Matt and Anna B that I don't know?" she asked poking him in the side.

"No not really only that Anna B has her sights set on him," he replied.

"And how do you know that?" Syd quizzed.

"Cause she asked me if I thought Sumner was a good catch," Gage chuckled.

"Oh Matt doesn't stand a chance," Syd joined in the laughter too.

Huntsville State Penitentiary

It was late but Jonas Blake's money paid off enough people that he was able to see his grandson.

"The walls are beginning to crumble Hunter," Jonas smiled.

"Did you see her grandfather?" Hunter anxiously asked.

"Yes Hunter, fiery red hair she has," Jonas replied.

"She's mine grandfather," he stated with the smile of a boy.

"And so you shall have her," Jonas promised as he said good night to his grandson. As Hunter was lead back to his cell his grandfather made him a further promise, "And no Ranger is going to stand between you and Annabelle."

The End