Chapter 4

Anna B's Home

Her fingers clacked furiously away at the keyboard like any other night. She glanced at the clock seeing it was almost midnight and her eyes went immediately to her phone willing it to ring so she could hear Sumner's voice.

Instead of the phone ringing she was interrupted by her houseguest. Sydney had asked her if she minded if Rebecca stayed over with her that night. Anna B knew Syd was worried about Beck, she stopped smiling to herself as her mind went to Gage realizing she had all ready adopted his pet name for Rebecca.

"Hey Beck you all right?" Anna B asked.

"I'm fine but you should know I really don't like being called Beck…"

Anna B laughed out loud before answering, "Believe me if you hang around Gage any amount of time the name will grow on you and stick."

"I don't think so…" Rebecca disagreed with her new friend.

"Yeah that's what I thought and that's what Syd thought too. Poor Cat never had a chance he was calling her by her knick name before he was sure if she was a boy or a girl. Although Sydney always said Gage knew she was a girl long before they had her," Anna B rambled on. "He just sort of gets under your skin."

"Well he is not getting under my skin," Rebecca insisted. "You know him does he always act so, so… he's never serious I don't know how Sydney stands him."

Anna B was laughing again.

"What's so funny?" Beck demanded to know.

"When I met him I thought the very same thing about him, that's until I really got to know him. You'll never have better friends then the Gages, Gage included," she told the girl trying to stifle another giggle at the same time. "Gage can be pretty cool and understanding… some of the things I've done…" her mind went to the house blowing up, "and he still always comes through for me."

"Humph," Rebecca replied, "That I find hard to believe."

Anna B's phone rang and she reached out for it laughing at the same time, "Wait and see."

Her smile widened when she heard Sumner's voice on the other end of the phone. "What are you laughing about?" he asked hearing her voice come on the line.

"Gage's merits," she told him still giggling.

"Gage has merits?" Sumner teased.

"Matt be nice," she warned him. "He is one of my favourite rangers you know."

"As long as he isn't your most favourite one," Sumner shot back."

"You're still number one on that list," Anna B told him almost seeing the smile appear on his face.

"Everything all right with you and Beck?" Sumner questioned.

"Everything is peaceful here has been all night," she answered.

"You think that you can keep it that way Beautiful," Matt replied.

"Are you trying to accuse me of getting into trouble? You are more like Gage then you care to admit Mathew Sumner," Anna B accused.

"When it comes to you and trouble I just know you as well as Gage does that's all," Matt retorted.

"You're so lucky I love you Sumner," she spit out and in the next breath asked if he was stopping for breakfast.

"Wouldn't miss it Sweetheart can hardly wait."

"I love you," Anna B told him.

"Back at yeah," Matt answered the heat all ready rising in his face as Trivette made a kiss face at him.

The Delmonico Estate

"Come here you," Gage pulled Syd beneath him after falling to the bed with her letting it creak beneath their weight.

"You are a Tiger aren't you Cory?" she loudly purred out pushing him off of her going to the dresser and mirror.

"You just bring out that animal magnetism in me Honey," he drawled back watching Syd roll her eyes to the ceiling as he followed her to where she was investigating for the camcorder and microphone.

"You're spoiling me for anyone else," she threw back, pointing to the tiny receiver that was hidden in the frame of the mirror.

Reaching in his pocket Gage pulled out a small penknife and pried the receiver out clipping its wire before pushing it back into its spot. "That should take care of that," Gage smiled.

"And just when you were starting to turn me on Francis," Syd chuckled.

"Don't worry there is plenty more where that came from," Gage teased.

"That's what I'm afraid of," she told him moving to the door to open it a crack. Gage moved up behind her and the both peered out. The hall was seemly empty, so with Syd wrapped in a robe that had been left for her use and Gage with his shirt open they headed out.

Together they went down the backstairs right where the office was. Syd tried the door handle to find it locked, stepping out of the way she let Gage pick the lock opening the door for her to enter. Quickly she headed in placing bugs in the phone and beneath the corner of the desk letting herself out where Gage stood waiting for her.

A minute longer and Syd would have been trapped in the office. As it was they ran right into Roberto. "What are you two doing down here?" he demanded to know.

"Just looking for some grub. Lisa here knows how to work up an appetite," Gage answered for them pulling Syd to him his hand running up her body as he bent her back in a hard kiss.

"Foods in the dining room," Roberto, told them eyeing them suspiciously.

"Come on then Shorty," Gage told Syd letting his hand slip inside her robe. "I'm not near finished with you."

"What ever you say Cory," Syd was quick to answer taking hold of his hand catching Gage's teasing smile at the same time.

Roberto looked after the pair there was something about those two he just couldn't put his finger on. He let it pass he had more pressing things to worry about he needed to get rid of that witness he had been going to wait until the evening's party was over but why wait he could slip out and be back with no one the wiser.

The rangers loaded up a plate with food and hurried back to Syd's room. Once the door closed Gage went into the bathroom to call Trivette that the equipment was in place while Syd stood watch.

~~~~~

Walker tapped lightly on the surveillance truck that was parked in a wooded area out of sight of the Delmonico Estate. Sumner reached over letting their boss inside.

"Anything?" he asked.

"Nothing so far," Trivette answered.

"Talked to Anna B," Sumner added she and Beck are doing fine.

Walker nodded his head in acknowledgement Trivette's phone suddenly ringing at the same moment.

"Gage what have you got?" Trivette answered the phone both Walker and Sumner facing him as he spoke. "Okay Gage got it, hey don't you and Syd enjoy yourselves too much think of us here with not even a stale coffee between the three of us not alone anyone to keep us warm," Trivette teased.

"Hey Gage come here," Syd called as looked out the window.

"Got to go Trivette duty calls," he laughed hanging up his phone and moving up behind his wife to see what she was watching below.

Roberto had come outside with Mitch close behind him. It looked as if they were in quite a heated argument as Roberto charged towards his black sports car. Mitch grabbed hold of his arm to which Roberto swung round hammering his partner hard in the jaw knocking him to the ground.

"Looks like trouble in paradise," Syd commented as they watched Mitch get back to his feet and strike Roberto. Syd had turned to grab her dress and wiggle back into it.

"Hurry up Syd," Gage hissed pulling his boots on as he watched the scene below them. "Roberto has reinforcements they're working Mitch over pretty good here."

Syd was beside Gage again Roberto and his buddies were all ready heading for their cars leaving Mitch lying unmoving on the ground. "Let's go," Gage hissed out all ready moving towards the door Syd a step behind him. A few of the girls and their clients were milling around but the security that had been in plain sight had all disappeared going with Roberto the rangers speculated.

Both rushed out to where Mitchell Delmonico lay on the ground not moving. As Gage began checking for a pulse Syd began calling for 911.

"What happened Mitch? Why Roberto do this? Where's he going?" Gage was firing the questions at the half conscious Mitchell.

"He's gonna kill her just like the other girls," Delmonico struggled to say. "I tried to scare her off she just don't scare. He caught me…" He began coughing and it took a few moments before he could continue. "I was sending her another warning but he caught me."

"Who? Who were you warning?" Gage was shouting his fear for Anna B rapidly rising.

"The teach… Miss McMurtrie… I never signed on for this…" Delmonico broke into another fit of coughing.

Syd was all ready dialling again, "Sumner," she cried Gage taking the phone from her hand.

"Sumner come and get me now. We have to get to Anna B's Roberto is on his way there."

The emergency vehicles were starting to roll in and transport was arriving to conduct a raid to permanently close the little enterprise. Walker's silver ram could be seen roaring in the driveway lights flashing.

"Go with them Gage," Syd urged. "Trivette and I will finish up here."

Gage caught her eyes silently thanking her as she yelled at him, "Get going."

Walker screeched to a momentary stop just long enough for Gage to pile in with him and Sumner before he took off for Dallas again.

Anna B's Home

"I think I'm going to turn in," Rebecca announced having watched Anna B for the last twenty minutes work on her computer program.

"I'm going to be right behind you," Anna B replied. "Just as soon as I look over my email."

"Okay good night then," Rebecca yawned heading towards the guest room.

Anna B smiled after her houseguest thinking it was not that very long ago she had been like Beck in many ways. She made a small vow to herself to keep in touch with the girl once things were back to normal for them.

She clicked on the email icon bringing up the program to see a dozen new messages pop up. She skimmed down the list her eyes coming to a stop on a message with the subject Hey Teach. Not recognizing the sender she cautiously opened the letter. It was simple, bold black letters, which read: You couldn't heed my warning now you are in danger of dying. Get out before it's too late."

Anna B snatched up her phone intending on hitting Sumner's keyed in number just as she heard a loud scream from Beck. Dropping the phone she ran to the girl's aid only to be grabbed from behind by Roberto the man she had seen murder Diane Banks.

With his arm around her throat squeezing tight Roberto forced a struggling Anna B down the hall into the bedroom with Rebecca.

"You just couldn't keep your nose out of things could you teacher?" Roberto asked. "Now you and your little friend are going to pay the price for that mistake."

"You don't know who you are dealing with," Anna B spit back just before Roberto flung her to the bed.

"Gentlemen you know what to do," Roberto smiled looking into Anna B's face.

One had all ready lifted a gun to point at Beck the girl frantically screaming out. At the same time the sound of shattering glass erupted in the air Sumner and Gage propelling themselves through the bedroom windows. Leaving his people to fend for themselves Roberto ran to escape only to be cut off by Walker's fist hitting him square in the face.

Sumner was quick to go after Anna B's two attackers within a few moments he had one down and his girlfriend freed. Another moment more and a couple of well placed kicks later he had the second man down cuffing him so he could take Anna B in his arms.

Gage had easily landed a couple of hard hits to his first target who had aimed at Beck. The suspect had come back hard but he was no match for Gage who brought his foot up into the assailant's gut taking him to the floor.

The last suspect had grabbed Beck his arm around her neck holding her in a choke hold while he aimed his gun at her head. Turning Gage caught sight of them as he tried to back out of the door dragging Beck with him.

"You don't want to do this," Gage started to say.

"I'm going to do what it takes to get out of here it's up to you what happens, if she lives or dies," he snarled viciously trying desperately to escape capture.

"Let her go," Gage shouted taking a step forward.

"Stay back," the attacker cried out cocking the gun at Beck's temple.

Gage stopped dead catching sight of Walker moving up behind the pair in front of him. "Come on," Gage started again. "You don't want to hurt her and we don't want to hurt you. Just give us the girl and get out of here," Gage continued his eyes never leaving the gunman.

Before another word could be said the would be killer gave Beck a wild shove right into Gage who scooped her tight into his arms leaving Walker to deliver a quick blow to the fleeing suspect.

"It's going to be all right Beck," Gage tried to sooth the girl sobbing in his arms pulling her close and stroking her hair.

"Gage, Gage he could have killed me. You stopped him from killing me," Rebecca was crying hysterically.

Anna B had pulled away from Matt to rush to Beck and Gage that same pang of jealousy hitting Anna B that had been plighting Gage for the past few days. She stopped short to watch him calm Beck like he always had calmed her. Sumner had come up behind Anna B and put his arm around her she leaned into him letting a smile cross her face. Her mind went back to when she had first met Gage, she felt Sumner's lips brush her cheek.

"He'll make sure she's okay," Sumner whispered.

"I know he's the best," Anna B agreed her arms going tightly around Sumner's neck.

Later Sydney and Gage's Home

Sydney came quietly into the family room at home where Gage had unsuccessfully tried to stay awake for his wife to come in. She sat down on the couch beside him leaning over him teasing his lips with hers.

"Hey Honey get all our paperwork done?" he asked without opening his eyes the same time letting a grin cross his face.

"Trivette and I got everyone booked but there are still a lot of reports to finish tomorrow. We didn't want you and Sumner to miss all the fun," she murmured kissing him again.

"You two are all heart," he smiled again half sitting up to catch her lips once more.

"Mitch Delmonico sang like a canary once we told him he would be brought up on accomplice to murder charges," Syd informed him pausing before asking, "Get Beck settled in?"

"Pretty much so. I told her she could stay for a few days…" Gage began to tell her.

"I knew you would, I talked to Anna B she told me what happened. You're a wonderful man," she told him letting herself squirm into the crook of his arm as he held her securely to him. "I do love you Francis."

"You would have done the same Syd."

"It's some how different though when it's you just ask your kids," she answered snuggling closer. "Just ask your wife for that matter," she yawned trying to pull herself closer still.

"Man I'm lucky to have you guys in my corner," he returned kissing her forehead getting no response his wife having fallen asleep beside him.

The End