They walked for over an hour before they saw their first sign of human activity. It was an old abandoned shack; clearly no-one had lived here for a while. The building itself looked too dangerous to go in but the shadow on one side created was an inviting reprieve from the sun and the partners took the opportunity to sit down and rest.
Letting go of their clasped hands they sat down with their backs to the wall of the adobe structure, too hot and tired to speak. Syd's head actually started lolling and it looked like she was about to fall asleep.
"C'mon Syd." Gage coaxed her. "You can't fall asleep now."
Her eyes still closed Syd sighed "I know."
Just then they heard the most welcome sound in the world – a helicopter. Gage stood up and walked out from under the cover of the adobe roof overhang, waving his arms madly as soon as he identified it as belonging to the Terrell County Sheriff's Department.
The chopper landed not too far from the abandoned hut; there certainly were plenty of wide open spaces for it to do so. As soon as the blades came to a standstill, a mass of blonde hair popped out the door and ran towards him.
"Gage!" Sergeant Nancy Wilding cried. "You're okay!" Before Gage knew what was happening the young woman had launched herself into Gage's arms, planting a large kiss on his lips.
Watching from the shade of the adobe structure Syd watched this overt display of affection and felt tears sting at her dry eyes. What did she care anyways? So what if Gage had kissed her – they had thought they were going to die. She couldn't, wouldn't hold him to the promise that she had felt in his lips during that near death moment. Still Syd bowed her head; she didn't think she could stand to see Gage kiss Nancy.
It took Gage a moment to disentangle himself from Nancy. "Yeah, a few scrapes and bruises but I'll survive." He said as he finally managed to place her at arm's length away from him.
Just then Sergeant Martin Stringer joined them from the helicopter. "Ranger Gage – you okay? We've been looking for you for hours."
"Yeah, I'm fine thanks Martin."
"How's Ranger Cooke?" Oh god Syd, he'd almost forgotten her. She would have seen Nancy throwing herself at him and that kiss...
Gage turned to look at Syd, her head bowed and her hands clasped together. "A little worse for wear but I think she'll be alright." He turned from the Sergeants and began to walk towards her.
"I can get her Ranger Gage." Martin called.
"I've got it." Gage called back, as he hurried his pace towards his partner. He had to let her know that he hadn't wanted Nancy to kiss him, that he hadn't kissed her back.
"Syd." She didn't look up but he saw her hands tremble.
"Syd?" Gage crouched down beside her and tilted her chin up, hating what he saw in her tear moistened eyes. "I didn't kiss her Syd, honestly. She just threw herself at me, I didn't want her to."
"Gage, I don't care who you kiss." Syd gritted her teeth as she lied, doing her best to maintain eye contact.
"Syd, I don't want Nancy Wilding." He cupped her cheek with his hand. "I just want you."
Syd's eyes opened wide at her partner's admission and replied, her voice hushed as if in awe. "You do?"
"Yeah Syd, you're all I've ever wanted."
Syd blinked back tears. Too stunned to speak all she could do was smile at him.
And then Sergeant Nancy Wilding's gasp caused her partner to turn around and look at what she was watching.
Ranger Gage leaned down gently and kissed his beautiful partner lovingly on the lips, and then he picked her up in his arms and tenderly carried her, her head resting against his chest, towards the helicopter.
"Nancy." Martin called. "Let's get the passenger seats ready."
"What? Huh?" Nancy seemed confused for a moment but then her professional training and rationale thought crept in to her conscious mind. "Oh, of course."
She ran towards the chopper and was fully composed by the time Gage and his precious cargo reached the passenger door. She and Martin got Sydney and then Gage settled into their adjoining seats, and then strapped themselves into their own seats and the chopper took off.
Syd took Gage's hand once again, and laying her head on his shoulder she looked out at the countryside as it passed by and thanked God for everything that today had given her.
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"Sergeant Stringer just radioed in – they've found them!" Walker called and the team of men and women gathered around him cheered. "They should be here in about an hour."
Walker walked back inside from the steps of the Terrell County Sheriff's office.
"I knew they'd fine them Ranger Walker." The Sheriff boasted proudly. "They are two of the best young law enforcement officials I have seen around here in a long time."
"Thanks Sheriff, I appreciate all your efforts. Ranger Gage and Ranger Cooke are two of my best as well. Can we arrange for some medical help? They sound as if they are in rough shape."
"I'll call the doctor."
"Thanks." Walker then walked over to a chair in the corner. "How are you doing?"
"A lot better now that I know they're okay." Trivette answered.
"I know - me too." His partner replied. "How's your shoulder?"
"Stiff, sore, painful – you name it. You know what it's like getting shot."
"You're lucky the bullet went straight through."
"I know." Trivette and Walker were both silent for a moment, contemplating how much more serious this whole thing could have been. As it was three of the Rangers had been hurt - who knew that working at an archaeological dig could be so dangerous?
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When the helicopter landed outside the Sheriff's office Walker and the Sheriff ran outside to greet it. Walker reached the rear passenger door as Nancy Wilding opened it, revealing an exhausted but alert Ranger Gage and Ranger Cooke.
"Walker!" Gage smiled, and then sobered. "How's Trivette?"
"He's fine, he's inside. How are you guys?"
"We've been better, but we'll be alright." Syd answered as Gage and Nancy helped her to step down where she leaned on Walker for support. Gage followed her out of the chopper, reaching an arm around her back and helping her to hobble towards the office as the Sheriff spoke to his Sergeants.
Inside Trivette greeted them heartily and the young Ranger's expressed their relief at seeing Trivette again. As the doctor examine them, bandaging the wounds around their wrists and disinfecting the smaller ones on their legs, arms and faces Gage and Sydney relayed all that had happened to them.
"So, what's happened here?" Syd asked.
"We've arrested the members of the smuggling group that we captured at the archaeological site. When they found out that the leader, a Marcos Sanchez – the one who took you Syd, had been killed they wanted to confess. Turns out they were all working for a man in Mexico called Rico Antonio Martinez, who apparently has quite the collection of illegally obtained sacred Native American goods."
"How did he learn about the finds in the first place?"
"It turns out that Neil Ramsey, one of the summer students, was not as innocent as we had thought. He was looking for a quick way to make some money and when the team found the relics he broke into Dr. Reach's office during siesta time and called Martinez."
"He seemed like such a good kid." Gage shook his head. "What a shame."
Walker nodded in agreement. "Yeah, in addition to the criminal charges he is facing he'll be suspended from the university."
"So what about the native group, other than Joe and Andre?"
"They were arrested on the scene after a bit of a struggle. That's how the van you guys were in was able to escape – the vigilantes did all they could to prevent the police vehicles from leaving the area. By the time I got up there the van was long gone."
"No sighting of Joe and Andre?"
"I've alerted the border crossings and sent Sergeant's Wilding and Stringer back out to find them. On foot they won't have gotten far; I feel confident that we'll have them in custody soon."
"So that feeling I had out at the dig site of being watched..." Syd commented.
"Nothing?" Trivette asked.
"Gut feeling about Neil?" Gage suggested.
"Ghosts of the dead trying to tell you something." Walker stated, his voice almost as eerie as Kate's had been when she suggested something similar, and the group looked at him with apprehension. Then he smiled. "Or nothing?"
They laughed.
"Guys, I don't mean to be rude but I really think that I need to get some sleep. I can barely keep my head up anymore."
"Sure Sydney, you should go back to the motel. How about you Gage?"
"You guys don't mind? My body is aching everywhere."
"No, we'll stay here and finish some paperwork, deal with Joe and Andre when they're brought in."
"Thanks Walker, thanks Trivette." Gage and Sydney both smiled their appreciation.
"I'll have someone drive you over." The Sheriff said as the young couple stood up. "Deputy Harris! Drive these two Rangers over to the Desert Star Motel please?"
"Sure thing Sheriff. Rangers?"
Deputy Harris drove Syd and Gage to the motel, where they both practically collapsed once they were inside Room #14.
Several hours later when Trivette and Walker entered the room they found the partners lying curled together on the same bed, still dressed in yesterday's clothes. Gage's arm was stretched out and around Syd, who was sleeping with her head on her partner's shoulder and her arm snaked securely around his waist.
"Look at those two!" Trivette whispered to Walker. "I can't believe Syd is letting Gage share her bed. Think we should wake them up and let her know that we've got another room for her? She doesn't need to share with us anymore."
Walker smiled as Syd murmured in her sleep and snuggled closer to Gage, his arm tightening around her automatically.
"I don't think she minds Trivette." He commented. "I don't think she minds at all."
THE END