~ Chapter Four ~
Sydney was up early the following morning and had breakfast on the table when Gage came down from the shower looking for her. "You didn't have to do this," he smiled leaning forward to kiss her.
"Don't get to used to it Honey I did this as much for me as you," she came back stopping long enough to twine her arms around his waist for a satisfying hug.
"I worked up an appetite in you did I?" he grinned further.
Teasing his lips with a quick kiss she answered with her own smile, "That too. But actually I just know you work better on a full stomach and we have a lot of ground to cover today. So eat up."
"Listen Syd about work…"
"Don't start Gage," she cut him off mid sentence.
"Sydney I was just going to say I know you are head strong…"
"Head strong," she jumped in again.
"Yes Cooke head strong… I'm the one assigned to look after you so please don't make my job any harder then it is."
Lifting her coffee to her lips she smiled, "You don't need to worry about me you just be ready to back me when I catch up to this piece of garbage."
"All the same I want you to be cautious out there do you hear me?" Gage warned trying to look sternly at her.
"All right I hear you, eat up and lets get going," she prodded picking up her plate and heading for the sink stopping long enough to give his temple a quick peck.
The phone rang Syd hesitated a moment before picking it up and answering, "Cooke."
She listened a minute before saying, "All right we'll stop there on our way and be in as soon as possible."
"Stop where?" Gage asked grabbing his keys off the counter.
"Memorial," Syd replied, "Mrs. McKay the woman whose husband was killed in the home invasion is well enough to speak with us. Walker wants us to stop on the way in."
"I'm ready when you are," he said stealing one more kiss before going out to face the day.
Memorial Hospital
The partner's met with Doctor Anderson before going in to see Mrs. McKay. He told them that the woman had been severely traumatized and he didn't know how much help she would be. "Please make this a short visit," he told them leaving them outside the woman's door.
Pushing open the door Syd and Gage entered to see a frail woman reclining in the bed her eyes shut. She had a bandage around her head and her arm was in a sling.
Walking over to the bed Sydney softly spoke to her, "Mrs. McKay?" The woman's eyes popped open. "Mrs. McKay I'm Ranger Sydney Cooke and this is my partner Ranger Francis Gage. We were hoping you might be able to tell us something so we can catch the individuals who did this to you."
"Punks they were just punks," she cried tears coming to her eyes at the recollection of what happened. "We were asleep in bed when Harold heard this crash and the sound of breaking glass. He told me to stay there he'd go and see what was going on… all of a sudden there was shouting and a loud bang of a gun. I tried to call for help that's when one of them wrenched my arm and broke it…"
"Mrs. McKay we don't mean to put you through all this…" Sydney had taken hold of the woman's good hand.
"If you could just tell us a little of what these guys looked like anything that could lead us to them," Gage added feeling they had hit a dead end with the lady.
"Tattoos," she suddenly said. "They all had snake tattoos, snake tattoos with ugly diamond shaped eyes. One hit me and ripped my night gown open I was so scared…" her voice dropped off for a moment. "Then one of the other ones came in and shouted at him "Cruz are you crazy leave the old woman alone we have to get out of here…" That's the last I remember I don't remember anything else," the woman sobbed.
"Mrs. McKay you did really good," Sydney told her helping the woman to lay back.
"You've given us a lot to go on," Gage added. "We are going to find who did this to you and stop them so they can't do it again," both partners promised.
"Gang Bangers," Gage commented Syd nodding her head in agreement as the door of Mrs. McKay's room closed behind them. "Let's get to headquarters and see if we can't get a line on Cruz and his snake friends."
"Maybe see if we can find out how they got hold of my gun," Syd agreed.
Headquarters
"Find out anything?" Trivette asked as the two of them walked into headquarters.
"It was some gang with snake tattoos that attacked the McKays," Syd answered as Gage went to pour them coffee.
"Snake tattoos with ugly diamond shaped eyes," he corrected his partner. "One of the group by the name of Cruz would have thought nothing of forcibly taking pleasure at Mrs. McKay's expense if one of the others hadn't stopped him," he added.
"The report says the couple are in their sixties!" Trivette exclaimed looking at the pair of them as if they had lost their minds.
Gage shrugged his shoulders handing Syd her coffee as Trivette turned to his computer and began punching keys. "Let's see if we got anything on file on snake tattoos and gangs," he absently said his eyes focused on the keyboard.
Both Syd and Gage stood behind Trivette watching what he pulled up as Walker and Alex came into the office. "Learn anything?" Walker asked both he and the ADA listening as Syd repeated Mrs. McKay's story.
Alex had come to stand behind Syd and putting her hand on her friend's shoulder leaned forward to ask, "Can you talk for a minute?"
"Yeah sure Alex," Syd answered her eyes still focusing on the computer screen as she moved off with Alex. "What can I do for you?" Syd asked as they moved into Walker's office.
"Sydney I just wanted to offer you a place to stay until you get back on your feet again. I know Gage is letting you stay with him and Walker says you have been spending your off time together it's just if you need something a little more…"
"Appropriate?" Syd tried to fill in the word.
"Yes… no… I mean…" Alex stammered out.
Laughing Syd took Alex's hand, "Alex thanks for the offer but I'm fine. Gage and I have become pretty close and well actually he has asked me to share his townhouse with him. I told him last night that I would so I do have a more permanent address and once we get this case behind us I think I'll be well underway to getting back on my feet."
"Walker told me that was probably the case but I had to ask you anyway," Alex smiled squeezing Syd's hand tight. "I'm really happy for the two of you and just in case you weren't aware there is no hard set rules in the Texas Rangers about living together or marrying. Since there are only three female rangers ever and you are one of them, I guess they never thought of it as a problem. Walker told me last night that if nothing changed in the way you and Gage worked then he had no intention of assigning you new partners.
"That's good to know that's one worry off my mind for sure," Syd told her friend.
There was a light rap on the door and Gage stuck his head in. "If you ladies are finished we got a line on our gang and Walker wants us to check it out," he informed Syd.
"I'll talk to you later Sydney when there is more time for details," Alex spoke up.
"Sure thing Alex," Syd called back following Gage out.
"So what did I miss?" Syd quizzed Gage as they walked to the car.
"Our gang is the Diamond Serpents they hold up in a condemned building on Tenth off Wells," Gage simply told her opening the car door to get in.
"Then lets go find Cruz I'm dying to have a little chat with him," Syd agreed sliding in beside him flashing him a smile as she picked up the file that Gage had for her.
Diamond Serpent Headquarters
Stopping the car both rangers got out. Syd waited for Gage to come around beside her and they proceeded in together.
They could see Tito Marlon the gang's leader sitting lounging with his buddies on a dirty old discarded chesterfield. Something the gang leader had said struck them funny and they all broke into fits of laughter.
"Hang back Shorty let me go in first and see if I can flush our boy out," Gage told her moving in front of her while she nodded and hung back.
"So what's the joke?" Gage asked walking boldly into the center of the group.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Tito exclaimed jumping to attention his followers doing the same.
"Take it easy Tito I'm not staying I'm just here looking for Cruz," Gage smiled before asking, "One of you wouldn't happen to know where he is would you?"
"You smell like cop, what do you want?" Tito asked again.
"Well actually Texas Ranger," Gage answered as one of them took a swing at him to which Gage quickly retaliated.
Two of the gang had come running right towards where Syd stood waiting she stepped out in front of them asking, "Going some where boys?" Syd had immediately recognized Cruz from the file photo her partner had shown her on the way over. As his pal rushed her Cruz tried to run past them. Blocking her assailant she quickly brought him to his knees and gave chase to Cruz.
As he ran out and down the front steps of the building to head round back Syd quickly vaulted over the railing tackling him to the ground her gun pulled and to the side of his head. "What's your hurry Cruz my partner and I want to have a little chat with you?" Syd asked. Getting his hands behind his back she quickly put her gun away snapping the cuffs on him and hauling him to his feet.
"Syd you all right," she could hear Gage calling to her.
"Fine Gage found Cruz," she sang out to him.
"Your buddies are taking a time out Cruz," Gage told him taking him by the arm. "So you'll have lots of time to chat with me and Ranger Cooke.
Syd called transport as Gage loaded Cruz into the back of their car. Within a few minutes a couple of DPD cars were out front loading the gang members for transport.
Cruz was all ready squawking as they pulled away from the curb, "You got no call to drag me in I haven't done nothing."
"Save it until we get to headquarters Cruz," Syd hollered over the seat at him noticing her partner looking in the rear view mirror.
"Think we picked up a tail Syd," he calmly told her as she turned to get a look at the SUV behind them. Her eyes had no sooner focused on the vehicle then a second SUV exactly the same as the first pulled out to pass the first speeding up to come along side of them.
"Hey what's going on?" Cruz cried out as the vehicle behind them rammed into the back end of them jolting them forward. Gage was quick to recover only to have the vehicle that had pulled up along side swerve into them followed by another hit from behind.
Again Gage was able to keep the car on the road. Pushing the gas pedal to the floor their car shot ahead of the two SUV but only for a moment as the drivers accelerated keeping pace with Gage.
Syd was all ready on the radio calling for back up and giving their position, as once again they were smashed from behind.
"You're going to get me killed," Cruz was screaming panicked he was going to die with the next hit the car took.
Slamming on the brakes Gage yelled, "Brace yourselves." Once again they took a hard hit from the speeding van behind only this time Gage was able to pull over behind the second SUV to barrel into them quickly pulling around them to speed up beside them.
Gage could see the flashing lights of the police cruisers behind them as they sped to catch up to them. Suddenly in a one last ditch effort both pursuing vehicles smashed into the rangers' car at the same time one pushing from behind and one from the side butting them up against the guard rail sparks flying out as they screeched along. Running out of guard rail the car careened sideways into the ditch rolling to land on it's roof the two SUV never stopping.
Moaning Syd moved her hand to unbuckle her seatbelt. Cruz was yelling from the backseat that he was hurt to get him some help. "Shut up Cruz," she barked at him the seatbelt letting go so she could ease her way out of it landing on the ceiling of the car.
It was at this point she realized that Gage wasn't moving. She could see police officers moving down the embankment as she wiggled closer to where Gage was suspended by his seatbelt. "Francis Gage you open your eyes," she commanded and as if he knew his eyes began to flutter open.
"Syd you okay?" he whispered still unmoving his eyes squeezing shut as Cruz began shouting for help again the officers making it to the over turned car.
"I'll live lets worry about you right now," she answered. "Can you move?"
"Helps on the way Rangers," one of the officers was shouting to them while the second called up to the EMTs that they were down below.
Like his partner had Gage was reaching to undo his seatbelt too, Syd helping to lower him down to her. He grimaced as she caught his shoulder. "You all right?" she quickly questioned.
"Never better," he said between gritted teeth. "Let's just get out of this car."
"Slow down Ranger," Syd could hear the paramedic before she saw him just as Gage was attempting to slide out the broken window.
"Check out my partner," Gage was arguing letting the EMT assist him out of car onto the grass.
"Get a back board under him," someone else was ordering getting more argument from Gage who was all ready trying to sit up and keep a close eye on the rescue people getting Syd out of the car.
She too was arguing with the EMT. "Keep an eye on my partner he was unconscious for a few minutes… I'm fine."
"Well I'm not fine," Cruz was yelling again, "I could use some attention over here. I'm pretty badly hurt."
"Both of you do as you're told go and get checked out I need you both on the job one hundred percent," Walker cut in him and Trivette coming to the bottom of the incline. Syd and Gage looked up hearing their boss' voice as he reinforced the words, "no argument."
Trivette's phone rang and all eyes went to him waiting to hear what the call was about. "All right keep us posted," he said breaking the connection. "They lost your friends in a parking garage downtown. They just abandoned the vehicles and escaped into the building. The vans are being towed in now," Trivette informed them.
Cruz was all ready strapped to a backboard and being taken to the waiting rescue unit while a couple more tended to the partners. "Let's go rangers we're ready to roll," one of the emergency people urged still fussing with the cut on Syd's head.
"We'll check on the prisoner before we leave the hospital," Gage told Walker teetering sideways a bout of dizziness over coming him.
"Gage," Syd was catching him his eyes momentarily closing to regain his balance.
"I'm fine," he insisted as Trivette went to the other side of him before they headed for the road.
"Sydney make sure he gets checked out thoroughly," Walker spoke to her before turning to Gage adding, "Your head isn't as hard as you think."
Later At Memorial Hospital
The extent of Sydney's injuries were just a few bumps and bruises Gage on the other hand had suffered a mild concussion along with his scrapes and cuts.
"Look I'm fine," Syd could hear him arguing from the other side of the curtain at the suggestion of x-rays.
Peeking in she looked directly at him, "Let them do the x-ray so we can get out of here will you," she cried out giving him a look only she could deliver at the same time. "While you're doing that I'll go and see if I can talk to Cruz see what I can find out."
Not happy but agreeing all the same he held his hand out to her which she held very tightly. "You're all right then?" he asked.
"Yes they're releasing me so please just do as they say so I can take you home with me," she told him sweetly smiling at him.
"Can you tell me at what point it was I started doing what you told me?" he asked a goofy grin coming across his face.
"Shortly after we became partners I think," she smiled back kissing his cheek. "I won't be long all right."
"All right," he answered pouting.
Smiling again Syd left to find Cruz, which wasn't that hard a task he could be heard shouting about the pain and how those rangers had almost killed him. "Please sir…" one of the young residents was trying to deal with him when Sydney stepped into the room.
"All right Cruz put a lid on it," Syd cut in, "before you have some real pain for them to deal with."
"What do you want? You almost got me killed," Cruz snarled at her.
"Cruz wasn't us that almost killed you it's the people you do business with," she told him walking close to the bed to catch his reaction.
"What are you talking about?" he stared at her.
"Whom did you get the gun from?" Syd asked her eyes not letting up on his face.
"I don't got a gun," Cruz denied the allegation.
"I know differently Cruz so don't even try and deny it. I know you and your buddies broke into a home two nights ago terrorized the owners killing one of them with the gun in question and attacking the other," Syd told him.
It wasn't me, I wasn't there," Cruz answered a little less defiantly.
"I beg to differ," Syd continued, "Our witness, remembers your tattoo and someone calling your name when they dragged you off her. We got you for attempted rape and murder…"
"I didn't murder anyone, it was Tito did the shooting," Cruz shouted out.
"Where did he get the gun Cruz?" Syd persisted.
"Same place as always, Cyrano," Cruz easily gave up the name.
"What's this Cyrano look like?"
"Tall white guy really blonde hair almost white, scar on his cheek."
Syd knew he was describing the same man as her former super had described to them only now they had a name. "Anything else you can tell me about Cyrano?"
"Always wears army clothes, drives around in one of those hummers you know what I mean."
"Yeah Cruz I know what you mean," Syd answered.
"So you going to get me out of this jam?" he was back to hollering.
"Tell you what Cruz I'll make sure Cyrano doesn't get in here and kill you before you talk to the DA's office. Maybe you can make a deal with them," she told him leaving him shouting after her.
Once in the hallway she called Walker and let him know what she had found out. "Sounds like this guy is a hired assassin and he's missed three times now he isn't going to be happy," Walked commented.
"But it's strange Walker if he is a hired hitman why is he bothering with Tito and his crew?" Syd questioned.
"I don't know why he likes to be involved with the local talent. I guess we'll just have to ask him when we bring him down," Walker replied. "How's Gage?"
"They were taking him for an x-ray and if that is clear they will be releasing him," she told him.
"The two of you take it easy and go home relax," Walker told her.
"I'll see how Gage is doing and we'll be in touch," she answered hanging up before Walker could make it a direct order. Turning she went back to where she had left her partner.
The doctor was with him explaining it was like they thought a mild concussion. "I was just telling the ranger that we would like to keep him over night for observation but he assures me that you'll be with him to look after him," the doctor said looking for Syd's confirmation.
Smiling she replied, "I'll try and make him behave."
"Then I'll see to the paperwork."
"Thanks Doc," Gage piped up as the doctor slipped out the door.
While Gage got dressed Syd began to fill him in on what she had learnt ending with, "Really Gage how are you feeling?"
"Bit of a headache my ears are ringing a little…"
"Your ears?" she cut him off panic crossing her face as she grasped hold of his hands.
"Hey I had the doc look in my ears and he said everything looked as it should so just take the frown off your face and stop worrying," he told her pulling her to him.
"I just want to make sure you're all right Walker wants me to take you home and look after you," she answered embracing him tightly.
"We need to find this Cyrano he's the key to putting an end to this vendetta against you," he whispered against her temple.
"Not at your expense Gage," she answered.
"Syd Honey I need to know you're safe and I'm not going to really be fine until I know that, so lets go find this guy."
Hugging him she nodded her head yes.
TBC
