Chapter 5

In the desert, close to the border of Texas and New Mexico.

There sat a small one-room shack. Two men stood by the door at guard with machine guns. Inside Cole lay flat on the floor, facing the ceiling. The sandy stone floor, was like sand paper on his sweaty shoulder blades, and the muggy stale air hung over him while sweat beads rolled from his forehead down through his sandy wet hair. The drugs were slightly wearing off, and he opened his eyes. The ceiling fan spun slowly above him, and worked like hypnosis to Cole, while he stared without blinking.

Just then a large man swung the door open and stood boldly in the doorway. Cole turned his head towards the door and squinted in the bright afternoon sunlight, laying his arm over the side of his head, trying to look at the man.

"What… not happy to see me Turner?" The man wickedly laughed.

He had a large white suit on with a matching hat and a cane. He walked towards Cole. He was a fat man, with a round face, and sharp snake like features. Cole raised his head to sit up.

"No, you fat bastard, I was just thirsty that's all." Cole said in a grogy sarcastic voice.

"I see you haven't lost your sense of humor… after all this time." The man laughed.

Cole knew he couldn't go on like this for long. He was starting to become weaker lately, and if he did not find a way out soon, it would be it for him. Phoebe was the only thing that kept him from giving up already. The fat man known as, Abe made sure Cole knew Phoebe had a daughter and that they were alone and vulnerable. Abe told him he sent another man to live Cole's life for him. This haunted Cole something awful, and added to his helpless feeling.

Abe would torment Cole about how this man was sleeping with his wife and fathering the child. He would tell Cole about what he used to do to Phoebe before she left Chicago, and how she liked it. This was just to get a reaction out of Cole.

The thought of her suffering devastated him. Cole had learned of Phoebe's torment in the time he was held hostage. This made sense why Phoebe would be skittish sometimes, and always looking over her shoulder. Phoebe never told him about Abe, because she knew how it would hurt Cole. Cole hated that she had to live on the streets as it was, before he found her.

Satisfied at Cole's helplessness, Abe turned to walk out. He stopped at the door and spoke to one of the men, so Cole could clearly hear him,

"Get that poor dog some water, we wouldn't want him to die before his lovely wife arrives, now would we?"

Cole's eyes became intense, and he felt rage engulf his body, as he looked at the bright doorway and struggled to his feet. Standing there with his fists clenched, and hate in his eyes.

"What did you say?" Cole said in a deep rough voice.

The man smiled, satisfied at the reaction he got. Abe slipped on his sunglasses, and walked out of sight. Cole staggered fast toward the door.

"I said what did you say, you son of a bitch! You come back here…" Cole yelled.

But right then, Cole was belted in the mouth, by one of the men at the door, and flew backwards into the room. He let out a grunt of pain as he hit the sandy floor with his back. He rolled to his side coughing and spitting blood. His mouth stung sharply from the butt of the gun.

"Phoebe!" He mumbled.

The room spun, and he was weak from the hard blow, soon it got the better of him and he passed out.

Back in Dallas, Phoebe finished telling Gwen about what Levi had told her. Gwen was in shock. Then she stood up and ran at Levi. She started hitting him as hard as she could while screaming. Levi grabbed her wrists and dodged her attempts to his face.

"You set us up from the beginning you rotten bastard! You are the Devil! How could you! I trusted you!" Gwen screamed

Phoebe walked over and stood by Gwen putting her hands on Gwen's face turning her around.

"Gwen, he's not worth it, he is going to help me find Cole, and when this is all over we will never think about him again ok? I need you to focus with me now." Phoebe said as Gwen yanked her arms from Levi's grip.

These words were like a knife to Levi's stomach, as he watched Phoebe assure Gwen.

"Phoebe we need to go, Abe it not a patient man." Levi said firmly, trying not to show his pain.

Gwen stopped screaming but still glared at him coldly, then spit at his feet. Levi didn't move.

Dallas walked into the doorway.

"Why is Auntie Gin yelling at Levi mama?" She said in her little voice with a frown on her brows.

"Auntie's just excited baby, she's just pretending." Phoebe said gently to her.

The little girl walked over to her basket of toys and started playing, but she could sense something was going on. She was only three, but she was very smart and didn't miss much. She knew they weren't playing a game, but kept quiet.

"I need you Gwen, you can't come with me anymore. I need you to watch her for me." Phoebe said as she took her eyes off of Dallas and looked at Gwen.

Gwen didn't like this idea of Phoebe going into this trap alone, but she knew she had to stay with Dallas.

"Phoebe, I…You know what kind of a man Abe is, and he's just setting you up to fall." Gwen said sadly.

"Maybe so Gwen, but I have to go, all this would be for nothing if I didn't. All that we have been through these last years, and my life with Cole. Gwen I can't leave him there to die, It's been too long already. I owe him to at least try. I love him Gwen, and I have to go to him."

"I know but." Gwen said before Levi interrupted.

"Now Phoebe, we have wasted too much time as it is. I'll meet you in the car. I mean it Phoebe." He said walking out of the room.

Phoebe nodded at him and looked at Gwen again with a small smile.

"I don't have a choice sweetie." She said then turned to Dallas.

"Dal, I need you to stay with Auntie Gin, because mamma has to go get daddy ok?"

The little girl looked up at her mother with her sparkling eyes and sweetly said, " Daddy in the picture? Mamma you said…"

"Yes baby, but Levi told us daddy is alive." Phoebe interrupted and fought back tears.

She had told Dallas her daddy died so he couldn't come home. So Dallas was still confused and Phoebe didn't really know how to explain.

Phoebe would tell her stories about her daddy almost every night at bedtime, while Dallas would look at a picture of Cole and Phoebe at their wedding. Phoebe wanted Dallas to know her father even if he was gone and wasn't coming back.

"When will you come back mamma?" The little girl said, breaking Phoebe's thoughts.

"I'll be home soon baby. Daddy wants to see you too, so mamma has to go get him. You take care of auntie for me ok baby?"

Gwen's throat started to swell and tears ran down her face as she watched Phoebe and Dallas.

"Ok mamma, tell daddy I want him to come home."

"Ok baby, run along now and be a good girl, and don't be scared, mamma will take care of everything!"

Phoebe tried to say in a shaky voice as the little girl slowly walked out of the room. Phoebe stood up to Gwen and they both burst out crying as they hugged. The girls felt like this was the last time they would see each other.

"Take care of you" Phoebe said between sobs to Gwen.

"Take care of you" Gwen said squeezing Phoebe tighter, sobbing herself.

Phoebe tore herself away and ran out the door, but not without snatching the gun she laid down earlier. The thought of leaving her daughter and Gwen crushed her. She always told Dallas she would never leave her, so the thought of Dallas not having a father or a mother, brought back painful memories she had tried to forget a long time ago. She never wanted Dallas, to suffer the way she did. That's why she had to return to her no matter what the cost.

Gwen watched Phoebe and Levi drive away out of the window. She wiped her tears and said out loud to herself, "That's one brave girl." One the way to the heliport, Phoebe was silent. She just stared out the window in the car while he drove. Levi tried many times to say something, but he couldn't find the words. He just kept quiet and tried to think of how he would help Phoebe. He finally seemed to spill out,

"Phoebe, I…"

"Stop right there Levi... Save it!" She said, as she still stared through the window.

He did as she said, and they sat in silence the rest of the way.

They arrived at the heliport. It was getting late and the sun would be gone in a few hours. A man started up the helicopter as soon as their car was insight. They got out of the car. Levi put his arms around Phoebe making her duck low, and ran across the paved X where the helicopter waited. As soon as they were in air, Levi crawled up with the pilot, and put his headgear on.

Phoebe sat back in her seat. She strapped in, and sighed heavily. As they headed for the border, she was scared and full of emotion. She was used to being brave for herself, but she had no control over this situation. She started to remember things about the way things use to be. Phoebe would never forget how excited Cole was when she told him that she was pregnant. She was also surprised because she figured she couldn't have children, after what she had been through. He started buying things for the baby right away. Cole told Phoebe they were going to have a baby girl, but Phoebe always thought that it was a boy. At night, in bed after they would make love, Cole would lay on Phoebe's stomach and say,

"Daddy's sorry if he hurt you baby, but he loves mommy so much!"

He would rub Phoebe's stomach, and kiss it lightly. And a lot of time, he would fall asleep still on her stomach. She would lie there stroking his hair, until falling asleep herself.

Phoebe was awoken by Levi. She didn't realize that she had fallen asleep.

"Are we here?" She asked as she unstrapped herself.

Levi didn't answer, he leaned up to the pilot, and said something to him in Spanish, and then grabbed a small pack. Phoebe got out and grabbed her water and the gun and put them on the belt of her jean shorts, and then they ran from the helicopter. They brushed off the dust that covered them from the propeller, after the helicopter lifted away from them. They started their hike to where Levi was supposed to bring Phoebe. Phoebe didn't know where they were going, but she knew they had made it to New Mexico.

"What did you say to the Pilot?" She said looking at him.

"I told him to be waiting for us tomorrow."

"What do you mean? He's on our side?"

"That's what I mean Phoebe."

"Do you have a plan Levi?" Phoebe snapped.

"That all depends on Randolph. Just follow my lead Phoebe ok? Everything will be ok." Levi said as he looked ahead.