~Chapter Five~

Slowing her van to a crawl Syd scanned her eyes over the road and fields trying to get a glimpse of anything that may seem out of place. She debated if she should pull to side of the road and go in on foot. After glancing at her watch plus things being complicated with the pain that had not only intensified but moved from her back to her side and lower abdomen she decided her only course of action was to just drive in the lane.

Biting her lower lip she turned in again another sharp pain biting her. "Not yet little one," she softly spoke, "We have to rescue your sisters first."

Seeing a parked car beside the old dilapidated farm house Syd pulled up next to it. Drawing her gun she got out slowly moving just as slowly to the front of the van. Taking another quick look around and seeing nothing she headed towards the back door of the house knowing full well that she was probably walking into a trap… She tightened her grip on her gun lifting her foot to climb the steps a nauseous feeling coming over her.

"Oh God why didn't I call Gage," she thought to herself forcing herself to keep climbing the steps beads of perspiration forming on the back of her neck to trickle down her back. Reaching the top step that now familiar pain gnawed at her again an involuntary moan escaping her lips.

Not really knowing how long she stood there trying to regain her composure Syd reached for the rickety old back door. Pulling it open she slowly proceeded into the dark musty old back porch. The light from the back door startled a pair of field mice who in turn startled Syd. She cried out taking a quick step back not noticing her phone slip from her pocket as she fell against the door.

Fighting back the tears she headed towards the dirty kitchen trying to stay focused on her daughters and MacKenzie Wilson the real reason she was there. Pulling open the screen door she stepped inside her eyes immediately catching the trap door in the kitchen floor. "Piper Cat are you down there?" she muttered under her breath making her way towards the old root cellar.

As before another pain hit her sending her slowly to the floor in front of the trap door. "Oh Francis I need you," her voice barely above a whisper a tear slipping down her cheek.

Struggling she tried to reach for her phone unable to lay her hand on it. "Looking for this Ranger Cooke?" Wilson asked holding up her phone in one hand so she could see it while holding his gun on her with the other hand.

"Where are the girls?" Syd defiantly questioned.

"At school I presume," he laughed stooping to take her gun from her.

Her phone rang and once again he laughed. "Good bye Ranger Cooke," he said leaving her laying on the floor as he walked out answering her phone as he did so.

Ranger Headquarters

All ready on his feet Gage was headed for the door running square into Walker and Alex. "What's going on?" Walker asked seeing the panic on Gage's face.

"Wilson has Sydney," Gage answered pushing past them.

"Where does he have her?" Walker questioned again stopping Gage watching him swing around to face his boss.

His eyes going to the ceiling and swallowing hard he admitted, "Walker I don't know where he's holding her. She snuck out not telling Erica she was even leaving I called her phone and Wilson came on the line told me I had till six o'clock to find her or Syd and the baby will pay for us sending Piper to spy on them," he finished up telling them what little he did know.

"We'll get her back Gage," Walker tried to ease his friends mind, "We always do."

"Will we?" he hollered his frustration fear for his wife and unborn child controlling his emotions. "We've been lucky in the past what if that luck has run out?"

"Gage we'll find her you have to believe that," Walker told him his hand on his friends shoulder. Gage nodded knowing he had to keep a clear head about this.

"Trivette anything on the last call to her phone?" Walker was looking over to where Jimmy was all ready clicking madly at the keys of his computer coming up empty.

"I'll get Anna B on it," Sumner volunteered, "If he uses the phone again she'll find him."

"What is the status on Lorna Wilson?" Walker questioned as Sumner went to call his wife.

"Still in a coma," Gage absently supplied the answer his mind still focusing on Sydney.

"Gage what could Wilson possibly have said or done to lure Sydney away from the house?" Alex asked she had been quietly standing there racking her brain for anything that might help find her friend.

Together both Alex and Gage said, "The kids."

"I'll call the public school," Alex was saying going to Sydney's desk while Gage went to check on Chris' where abouts.

"Alex I want them all at the house MacKenzie included," Gage replied just as his call connected.

"Yes I need to speak to Chris Gage it's urgent and I'm going to need to pull him from school today. I'll be there shortly to sign him out," Gage explained.

"Yes a Ranger will be there shortly to pick up the three girls," Alex was saying into the phone.

Setting down the phone Gage looked to Sumner, "Can I impose on you to get the girls and meet me at the house?"

"Yeah Gage anything I'll meet you at the house," Sumner responded starting towards the door.

"Thanks," he murmured following the young ranger out.

"Gage we'll meet you at the house too," Walker called after the two of them watching Gage nod his acknowledgement.

Cat, Piper And MacKenzie's School

Sumner had spoken once again to Anna B on the phone on his way over to the school. "Oh Matt Syd has been so sick with this baby this just isn't fair," she had cried into the phone. "How is Gage holding up."

"To tell you the truth I really don't know," he confessed to his wife. "I've never seen him like this before its like he is waiting for the other shoe to drop. I think he is really scared this time."

Sumner could tell by the silence on the other end of the line that his wife was fighting back tears.

"She's just got to be all right," Anna B whispered swallowing hard.

"I'm picking the girls up and going over to Gage's. He's picking up Chris and meeting us there," Sumner continued.

"I'm going there now too," she told him adding she would see him there.

Hanging up the phone Sumner pulled into the school parking lot and headed for the office. All three girls were waiting there for him. "What's wrong? Where's Mom and Dad?' Piper demanded to know.

"Let me get things straightened out and we'll talk about things in the car," Sumner replied going to talk to the secretary to sign the proper forms. Impatiently Piper stood by his elbow MacKenzie with her Cat between them.

"All right lets go," Matt smiled a few minutes later.

They had hardly made it out of the office that Piper started, "We've waited long enough Matt what's going on?"

"My father did something didn't he?" Kenzie chimed in her heart in her throat.

"Guys can we get in the car?" Sumner was almost pleading with the girls as he opened the door to help Cat into her seat.

"Sumner!" Piper cried out in exasperation, "What's going on."

"Okay Pipe," he finally gave in putting the car in gear. "Your Mom has sort of disappeared."

"Sort of disappeared? How do you sort of disappear?" she cried tears welling up in her eyes.

"She snuck out of the house without telling Aunt Erica that she was leaving and your Dad hasn't been able to find her," Sumner answered her as best he could.

"So why doesn't he just call her on her phone she doesn't go anywhere without it," like her mother Piper was questioning more.

"Well he tried that but…" Sumner couldn't finish.

"But what?" Pipe persisted.

"I'm sorry guys," Sumner tried again. "When your Dad called your Mom's number… MacKenzie's father answered."

"Sumner," Piper cried out total fear over taking her having felt Wilson's wrath all ready.

"I knew my Dad did something I just knew it," MacKenzie who had been silent up until this point had burst out.

"MacKenzie…" Sumner tried to soothe the child, "We don't know that for sure."

MacKenzie would not be consoled continuing to ramble on fear from her own experiences with her father fuelling her thoughts. "He took her to the farm I know he took her there. Nobody goes there but him. He made Mom and I go there once and kept us there for a long time. I hate him, I hate him," she chanted between sobs as Sumner pulled into the Gages' driveway.

Jumping out of the car Sumner opened the back door taking MacKenzie's hands in his. "MacKenzie Honey do you know where this farm is?" he questioned.

"It's where the five roads all meet… you go down the road where the farm is… nothing else is down there," she gulped out between sobs.

Sumner knew exactly where that was it had only been a few months back that they had broken up a drug ring out at Claxton Corners. They had been up and down all five roads in the course of the investigation.

"Sumner anything?" It was Erica speaking she had come out of the house when seeing his car pull in.

"Nothing concrete but I may have a lead," Sumner answered. "Tell Gage when he gets here I'm on my way to that deserted farm out at Claxton Corners. MacKenzie says her father goes out there quite a lot and has kept her and Lorna prisoner there too."

With Erica taking charge of the girls Sumner was back in his car and heading for Claxton Corners.