Chapter Three
"Umm," Sydney Gage let out a slight moan trying hard to bring things into focus, trying hard to get her bearings. She tried to open her eyes only to be plagued by a searing pain going through her temple. "Umm," she mumbled again her senses slowly coming back to her.
Her hand moved slowly up the surface she was laying on her mind suddenly going to Gage realizing that she was sprawled on top of him and he wasn't moving. "Gage," she croaked out forcing herself up from his chest. "Gage are you all right?"
"Yeah I think so," he softly moaned coming to grasp the weight on his chest was his wife. "How bout you?"
"I'll live," she replied her eyes closing, her head falling back to her partner's chest. "Any idea where we are? Or who those guys were?"
"I was hoping you'd have some of those answers Hon," Gage dryly answered his arms tightening around her.
"No answers just a pounding head," she retorted trying to mask the worry and fear that was slowly closing round her.
Easing up slowly Syd slid from Gage's arms to sit up her hand rubbing the back of her neck as she did so. In the dim light she came to realize that they were sitting on a dirt floor with dirt walls around them.
Gage too had risen to a sitting position his hand going to his temple gently rubbing it. "Looks like an old root cellar," he commented his eyes going to what resembled an old wooden door above them, "And it looks like that is the only way out."
"Think you can boost me up on your shoulders so if I can see if we can get out?" Syd questioned trying to rise to her feet loosing her footing as she woozily fell back against Gage. "Umm," another moan escaped her lips.
"Hold on Shorty, take it easy for a minute, as much as I love you in my arms…" he tried to tease only to have his voice crack as he whispered out, "I just don't want anymore to happen to you."
Catching his voice Syd wiggled round in his arms so she could face him, the dim light from the trap door revealing one side of his face. "Francis I'm a Texas Ranger and was long before I was your partner or your wife. So no getting sentimental if we want to get out of this, you hear me?"
"Syd…"
"Francis!"
"I was just going to say that you're right," he lamented his grip tighten on her all the same.
They stayed that way a few moments more finally helping each other to their feet to investigate their surroundings. With each taking one side of the enclosure it didn't take long to discover that they were in some sort of dug out hole. The dirt was cold and moist beneath the touch of their hands, tree roots hitting their fingers every so often. Circling the walls they were soon standing in front of each other again.
"I guess the only way out is straight up and out," Gage pointed as he spoke. From where they stood in the dim light the opening looked to be about ten maybe fifteen feet above them with slatted boards covering the entrance. "Up to trying to climb out?" he questioned next.
"Yes," Syd nodded as she spoke the dim light getting dimmer by the minute, the sooner she got out the better she would feel.
Lacing his fingers together Gage leaned forward slightly for Syd to use as a foot hold easily swinging her up for her to scamper to his shoulder. She teetered precariously stretching up just able to reach with her fingertips. Pushing ever so slightly she was able to ascertain the covering was going to take much more strength then she would be able to manage standing on Gage's shoulders and barely reaching.
"No good Gage," she reported springing down to the ground in front of him.
"Looks like we just wait and see who it is has us trapped down here and what they want," Gage stated the obvious.
Syd nodded her head silently letting Gage's arm encircle her as they both slid back to the floor of their prison.
At Home At The Gages…
Caitlin Anne Gage stood just inside the back door watching her brother and sister when suddenly Chris had pulled Piper into his arms both crying. "Nooo…" she cried pushing open the back door at the same time and rush to her brother and sister tears streaming down her face.
Immediately surmising what Cat was thinking Chris let go of Piper to pull her to him. "Shh Honey Mom and Dad are all right. I promise they're all right," he choked the words out.
"Yeah but you and Piper… you can tell me I'm not a baby," she sobbed.
"Nobody said you were," Piper chimed in, "As far as we know Mom and Dad are just out of touch with us."
"Then why were you hugging Chris," Cat wailed still not convinced.
"If you must know we were talking about Grandma and Grandpa and how sad it must have been for Dad and Aunt Julie," Piper sputtered out.
"Really?" Cat demanded.
"Really," Chris answered. "Listen Cat Uncle Walker was here last night they're all out looking for them, he promised that the minute they know anything they'll let us know."
Looking from her brother to her sister she watched as Piper gave her nod of agreement. Not completely satisfied Cat, lips drawn tight blurted out, "All right I'll believe you for now."
"Everything okay?" Julie stood in the doorway Michael in her arms Cody beside her. She looked tired and drawn the strain of the last few months coupled with the disappearance of her brother and sister-in-law weighed heavy on her.
"Fine," Chris replied stepping forward to pick up his baby brother.
"Da Da," the youngster cried for Gage not understanding why his parents weren't there.
"Mom and Dad are working," Chris soothed the youngster.
"I go too," Cody insisted.
"None of us can go," Piper interjected taking Cody from Chris' arms and heading inside just as the phone began to ring.
Brushing past everyone Chris rushed inside grabbing up the phone to bark out, "Chris. Got anything?"
As the rest crowded round Chris' face remain void of emotion as he listened silently to the voice on the other end of the phone. "All right I'm on my way," he finally said hanging up the phone.
"Well what?" Piper prodded Chris out of his thoughts.
"It was Uncle Walker he wants me to meet them at headquarters," Chris replied pushing past the rest to grab his keys and head out.
"Do they know anything Chris? And what do they need you for?" It was Julie asking the questions.
"Nothing conclusive," Chris hedged eyeing the rest as if he couldn't say too much in front of them. "He just said he needed my help." Chris hoped that would be enough so they wouldn't question him further.
Julie nodded watching her nephew pull his leather jacket from the chair to disappear out the door.
Meanwhile At Ranger Headquarters…
Rangers Trivette and Sumner arrived simultaneously at Ranger headquarters Captain Walker and DEA agent Robin Chafe close behind now all four men crowd around Jimmy Trivette's desk and computer. Trivette had just opened a federally sealed file that Anna B Sumner had sent over to him. He had shook his head slightly still amazed at how Anna B could so easily break into these files without even leaving her signature behind.
Skimming over the contents they quickly came to realize that within the file was a trial transcript dating back to a few years before the Gages' car accident. It was the sworn testimony of one Daniel Rollins. They had lived in New York that was until one night that had witnessed a horrendous murder.
Late one evening Daniel had been picking up his wife who had been working late trying to catch up on some book work, she had just taken a position at Talos Distributing and was having quite a time straightening out the books. When her husband had come to the door she had let him and their tiny daughter in saying she just needed a few minutes more and she thought she would finally be caught up. Daniel had smiled and cuddling the sleeping baby a little closer he quietly took a seat to wait for his wife to finish what she was doing hoping this would mean the end of those late nights.
"That's it Daniel," she had finally said turning off the desk lamp in front of her. Moving in front of her husband Mary Jane had leaned down first kissing Daniel's cheek then her tiny daughter, Lucy, murmuring, "Let's go home so I can tuck you two into bed."
"That sounds perfect to me," Daniel had murmured back. Together they had come out of the office into the warehouse to leave.
As Mary Jane turned the key in the lock the big door to one of the loading bays began to rattle open with two cars at the same time screaming to a halt inside. Mary Jane recognized some of the men, her boss Amos Talos and his son John along with three others she didn't know. Before either she or Daniel had time to think or react the trunk of one of the cars had been opened to allow a sixth man to be dragged out.
The man in the trunk was all ready pleading as he was yanked to the cement floor of the building. "Please, please Mr. Talos I'll get your money back… I promise… it'll never happen again… I promise… please," came his desperate cries.
"You're right Tommy it'll never happen again," Amos Talos had laughed with a nod of his head signalling his people to finish the job.
Without a moments hesitation the men had acted viciously beating their prisoner until even his own mother wouldn't have recognized him.
Turning to his son Amos smiled claiming, "And that John is what we do with people who lie, cheat and steal from us."
By now Daniel had shielded Mary Jane and Lucy behind some crates waiting silently to make their escape hoping to go undetected. The Talos had gotten back in their car while the other three had deposited the young man's body in a waiting van. One of them had gone to where a hose was hanging on the wall quickly going to work until none of the tell tale blood of what had transpired was left. With one of them driving the van and the other two in the car they two took off slamming the metal door back in place as if nothing had happened.
Peeking out to make sure the coast was clear Daniel slowly emerged from there hiding spot.
"Oh my God Daniel," Mary Jane cried, "What are we going to do?"
"First and for most we're going to get out of here, then we'll do what we have to do go to the police."
Mary Jane nodded her head in agreement. Slowly Daniel crept to the door Mary Jane behind him still clutching the sleeping baby to her. Cracking the door he peered out seeing it was clear they made for the car and straight to police headquarters.
"What's this got to do with anything?" Robin Chafe piped up, "and who are these people?"
"Just a minute," Trivette interrupted his eyes still scanning the screen. "These people testified against the Talos family, the old man and eldest son got life but not before being threatened by the Talos family. The federal government in exchange for their testimony put them in the witness protection program. Mary Jane and Daniel Rollins became Collin and Mathew Gage while there daughter Lucy became Julie Lynn Gage."
"What about Francis?" Sumner questioned.
"Francis hadn't been born yet," Trivette answered, "He was born a Gage."
"So what happened?"
Walker who had been reading on while the others talked filled them in. "Joseph Talos the second son took over as head of the family. He had dealings in Austin with the Sayer family in fact his sister eventually married Thomas Sayer. When Talos got his mistress in trouble she came back on him for money. So he made the mistress disappear and Thomas and Connie Sayer adopted the baby as there own. The baby was Dominique Sayer.
One time when on business in Austin Joseph Sayer happened to run into Mathew Gage recognizing him immediately. Even though nothing could ever be proven except the fact that the accident was nothing more then that the suspicion always pointed back to the Talos.
"So Julie is actually Lucy Rollins?" Chafe questioned in amazement.
"Seems so," Trivette affirmed.
"I still don't get what this has to do with now," Sumner commented looking to Walker and Trivette for possible answers.
"That's what we are going to have to find out," Walker replied the others agreeing.
Suddenly the phone rang Trivette reached out to answer it. "Julie how is everyone holding up?" Chafe was all ready holding up his hand to take the phone when Trivette said, "Nobody here called Chris… are you sure. He isn't here and we haven't seen him… I'm sure there is an explanation Julie just a minute and I'll let you talk to Robin."
Quickly handing the phone to Chafe Trivette turned to Walker and Sumner to tell them what he had learnt. "Chris got a call this morning, he let on it was us wanting him to come down here. He took off right after that supposedly coming here."
By now Chafe had hung up the phone. "I've got to go Julie is in a big panic."
"We're right behind you," Walker announced. Turning to Sumner he instructed, "Ask Anna B to keep on this, I want to get to the bottom of things and soon."
Limberlost Road
It had only taken Chris about half an hour to get out to Limberlost road, now his eyes kept close watch for the old gate way that lead into the old homestead. He had almost missed the turn off Limberlost wasn't travelled much these days in fact next to no one came out there. The only reason he was able to notice the old gate post was because who ever had summoned him out there had tore down some of the overgrowth to expose it.
Chris pulled up and got out looking around to see if anyone was watching. Seeing no one he went to the post where he had been instructed to go. On the top of the post was an envelope with his name scrawled on it stabbed to the post with his Mother and Father's ranger badges.
Grimacing Chris pocketed the pins before he ripped open the envelope. The note was short and to the point it read; Finally a Gage that can follow instructions. Leave your car at the road and walk in. There is an old barn go inside if you want to see your mother and father again.
Crumpling the note Chris tossed it to the ground, looking around again, even though he could see no one he still felt he was being watched. Cautiously he proceeded down the old laneway the barn looming ahead of him. Approaching the door he peered inside it looked as if no one had been inside for years.
"Now what?" he asked himself aloud as he stepped inside. The same instance a figure stepped out from the shadows attacking Chris from behind. Spinning Chris took the defensive lashing out with a hard kick hitting his mark. Before he could make another move two more rushed and attacked. The first attacker was back on his feet and as Chris fought off the second two he came at him stabbing him with a syringe the contents pouring into his veins. The barn began to slowly spin around Chris staggered sinking to the barn floor unconscious.
TBC