Chapter Three

The lights from the city of Baton Rouge shone brightly below as the plane circled the city. Sydney clasped tightly to Gage's hand the sooner they were on the ground the sooner they could get to the bottom of things she thought all but forgetting why they were there to begin with.

"Syd relax," Gage coaxed his arm going around her shoulder as he leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"I know, I know," she murmured trying to hide her anxiety. "It's just that it seems like yesterday I was covering for her, keeping her out of trouble." Syd's voice died away her eyes averting to the window once more.

"She's going to be all right," Gage tried to assure her.

"I know she's like a cat with nine lives it's just she must be working on about the seventh life about now," Syd answered her eyes turning toward Gage.

"Nothing to worry about then we have two more lives to find her," Gage teased.

Before they knew it they were on the ground and picking up their luggage. "Yes Mr. Thomas your car is ready," the rental agent said looking up from his computer screen. "I'll have it brought out front for you sir."

"Thank you," Gage responded smiling at the young agent as he signed the rental contract.

With Sydney beside him they headed outside where a sleek red Ferrari stood waiting for them the attendant waiting to hand the keys to Gage. "There you are sir enjoy her," the young man told them opening the door for Sydney.

Hardly able to contain his excitement Gage stowed their bags and hopped in. "Can you believe it Syd?" he asked firing up the engine to pull away from the curb.

"Can you try and keep your mind on why we are here?" she scolded her mind still on Marie.

"I am Honey," he smiled squealing away from the curb.

Marie LaBrowd's Apartment Baton Rouge

Together the partners walked into the old dilapidated apartment where Marie LaBrowd lived. Looking around at the broken up room more memories of her time spent with Marie came flooding back. "Oh Marie what kind of a mess have you gotten yourself into this time," she asked herself under her breath.

"Ranger Gage?" she faintly heard.

"Yes and this is my partner Ranger Cooke," he was answering as Syd looked up to see a balding middle aged man in a wrinkled grey suit offering his hand to her.

"Lieutenant O'Neal," he was introducing himself.

"Any new developments since you talked with my partner earlier?" Syd asked.

"We've canvassed the building and as expected no one saw or heard anything," he replied shaking his head. "Just look at this place and not one living soul will admit they heard the ruckus."

"Just like at home," Gage commented.

"Lieutenant," a young officer was calling to him. "There's someone here you should talk to."

Both Sydney and Gage as well as Dan O'Neal turned to face the officer and the young woman he had standing with him. "You know something about what happened here?" O'Neal questioned her.

The girl's eyes shot around the room looking over everyone there trying to decide if she should reveal what little she knew or not.

"Please anything you could tell us would be a real big help," it was Sydney's soft spoken voice that caught her attention again.

Her eyes not leaving Sydney she replied, "They took her."

"Who took her?" Syd gently prodded the girl for answers.

"Two men they tried to get Charlie too but he got away from them," she blurted out.

"Can you describe the men?" Syd kept on.

"Not really it was too dark but they were driving one of those big SUVs it was black…" her voice trailed away.

"Thank you," Sydney smiled, "You've been a big help."

"Please," the girl cut back in, "if you find Charlie…" again her voice died away.

"What's your name?" Sydney asked putting her hand on the girl's arm and leading her away from the men.

"Laurel, Laurel Munro," she answered Sydney.

"You and Charlie are friends?" Syd asked watching Laurel nod her head yes.

"You were coming here to meet Charlie when all this happened?"

Again she nodded yes. Seeing the worry in the girl's face Sydney decided they were more then just friends. "Laurel I'm Ranger Sydney Cooke can I make a deal with you?"

"What kind of deal?" Laurel suspiciously questioned.

"Well if we find Charlie then I'll let you know where he is and that he is all right, but if he comes to you then you will get in touch with me right away," Sydney told her.

Thinking over things for a minute Laurel agreed and together they walked back over to where Gage was still talking to O'Neal. Quickly Syd explained what Laurel had told her while the officer from earlier arranged an escort to take her home. Getting half way to the door she turned once more addressing Sydney. "You will call if you find out anything good or bad?" she asked again.

"I will," Sydney answered watching the young girl nod her head before leaving with the officer.

"I'll put out an all points on Charlie LaBrowd," O'Neal broke into her thoughts.

"And we have to get checked into the hotel so we can meet Kyle Clayton in the morning," Gage was explaining to the Lieutenant. "Ready Syd?"

"Umm yeah I'm ready," she replied Gage once again pulling her out of her thoughts.

"If anything comes to light we'll let you know," O'Neal assured them as the two rangers took their leave.

The Sheraton Hotel Baton Rouge

Gage pulled the car up front of the plush hotel after what had been a silent ride over from Marie's broken up apartment. The doorman came forward opening Sydney's door for her allowing her to step out on the curb.

Coming around to her side of the car Gage handed the keys to the parking attendant before putting his arm around her to walk inside. "Okay Honey?" he quietly murmured his lips against her forehead in a kiss.

"Yeah fine just tired," she answered falling into silence again as they approached the desk.

"Suite for TJ Thomas," Gage announced. The clerk behind the counter clicked a few buttons then looking up smiled.

"Right here Mr. Thomas," he answered handing the reservation card to Gage for him to sign. "I see you have a message waiting for you too," the clerk said handing the message to him at the same time.

Thanking the man Gage once again put his arm around Syd steering her towards the elevator. It wasn't until the doors of their suite closed that she asked, "From Kyle?"

"Yep he's eager to meet us. Wants to meet us for breakfast," Gage replied pulling her a little closer.

"Good the sooner we get this over the sooner…"

"We can find Marie," Gage finished her sentence for her pulling her up against him to hold her tight.

"Yeah the sooner we find Marie, I just have such a bad feeling about this, like this time she has gotten in over her head," Syd's voice trailed off.

"Syd we are going to find her one way or another," he replied knowing that there was no point trying to cross her intuition. "What we need right now is to try and get some sleep so that we look bright eyed and bushy tailed when we meet with Clayton tomorrow."

"You're right," she answered pulling away from him to retrieve her bag and open it.

Watching her for a moment Gage went to the bed and pulled the covers back while she headed into the bathroom. Sliding in he propped a pillow behind his head and clicked on the television. He was still channel surfing when Syd reappeared. Quickly clicking it off again Gage lifted the covers so Syd could slide in beside him. She gladly snuggled up to his chest letting him reach across her and turn off the light. Within moments both had fallen into a light slumber anticipation for the morning and the assignment weighting on their minds.

Just Before Four A.M.

Tossing in her sleep Syd jarred Gage just enough to wake him, he glanced at the clock to see that it read three fifty-four. Blinking his eyes closed then open again he pulled Sydney closer. He caressed her face with his fingertips smiling to himself enjoying her closeness. "I love you Shorty," he whispered as some where in Syd's subconscious the words registered yet she didn't wake only sighed in satisfaction.

Gage closed his eyes again hoping to get a couple more hours of sleep before it was time to get up, that was not to be the case. Without any sort of warning the fire alarms began to sound bringing both he and Syd to attention.

"Gage," he could hear Syd's voice above the din.

"Right here Honey," he shouted back throwing back the covers the cold air hitting them both as they scrambled for clothes.

There was shouting in the hallway and a loud banging on the door of their suite. Someone was shouting, "Stay calm we need to evacuate right now."

Gage pulled open the door to find people in a panic, shouting, pushing and shoving trying to make their escape to the stairwells the smoke all ready filling the corridor.

Moving up behind him Syd was quick to take in the scene, reaching for his hand they too made their way towards the end of the hallway and the staircase. Suddenly a loud cry for Mommy went up. "Go Gage I'm right behind you," Syd cried as her partner darted into the room beside them she close behind.

Quickly catching sight of the child through the smoke Gage raced for her only to have the child shriek again and dive beneath the bed. "You aren't my mom," she began to cry out. "I want my mom, I want my mom," she cried even louder kicking her feet at Gage.

"Hey, hey," Gage started saying the little girl still not giving an inch her shrieks as loud as the sirens.

"Gage let me try," Syd cut in reaching her hand in. "Please we want help you find your Mom."

The screaming stopped replaced by snivelling as the child began to reach out to Sydney. "I want Mommy," she sobbed again as Syd helped her from beneath the bed.

"We want to help find your mom too," Syd told her the same time asking if her friend Gage might carry her.

Looking from Sydney to Gage she nodded her little head. Wasting no time Gage scooped her into his arms he and Syd heading back into the hall.

Once again they headed for the exit Syd glancing back over her shoulder to catch sight of a couple of men heading into her and Gage's room. "Get her outside Gage I'll be right behind you," she called over the noise and confusion turning to dart back to the room.

"Syd, Syd," Gage called out seeing her head back from where they had come.

"Becky, Becky," a young woman was rushing towards Gage and the little girl in his arms.

"Mommy, Mommy," the child was crying.

"Thank you, oh thank you," the woman was sobbing reaching for her daughter.

"That's okay just get to safety," Gage hurriedly replied turning to go after Sydney. Getting to the door of their room he was almost bowled over by one of the two who had snuck into the room.

"Hey," Gage shouted about to go after him until hearing the crash inside the room. Hurrying in he was just in time to see Sydney deliver a hard kick to the second man sending him flying to the floor. In an instant Syd was on the intruder Gage seeing she had things under control darted back into the hallway but the first of the pair had disappeared into the crowded smoke filled hall.

Coming back in to where Syd was with her prisoner Gage could all ready hear her questioning him. "Just what do you think you're doing in here going through our stuff?"

"My job," he snarled back. "Old man Clayton wanted you checked out."

"Everyone remain calm," a voice was sounding in the corridor. "The fire is nothing more then a smoke bomb, there is no fire, everyone remain calm."

"You staged setting the hotel on fire to check us out?" Gage shouted standing in front of Ferris Clayton's man his hand shooting out encircling the man's throat as he pinned him against the wall.

Getting no response Gage let his eyes travel to Sydney. "Maria I think we are going to have to let Kyle and his old man see just who they are dealing with."

"I think you are right TJ," Syd answered falling into her Spanish lingo, "I think you're right."