Chapter Seven
"Jimmy, Jimmy, anything?" Erica Trivette cried as her husband came through the kitchen door at the Gage residence.
"Not so far Honey," he grimly replied his arms going round her.
"Everyone else know where their children are?" Walker's voice boomed behind the couple.
"Here with us," Alex came forward to greet him.
"Let's keep it that way," Walker spoke again adding, "Stress to the older ones that if they get phone calls no matter what is said to them we have to know. They just can't go it alone and hope to bring back everyone safely."
All stood silent for a moment Walker's words slowly sinking in. "Erica Honey," Jimmy was addressing his wife, "Where is Marcus suppose to be right now?"
"At work, he should be at work, they called he didn't show up Jimmy!" The tears were starting down Erica's face as her husband's arms went around her in comfort.
"So you haven't actually heard from anyone that they have him and our holding him with the Gages?"
She shook her head no both realizing something totally unrelated to the situation could have happened to their son.
Piper had been standing in the doorway listening to what was being said her hands balled into tight fists, her anger and frustration trying to take hold as she fought it back. Suddenly her cell phone began to play a little jingle indicating an in coming call. Turning on her heal she hurried into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her she answered it.
"Pipe it's me," Marcus Trivette's voice crackled over the line barely louder then a whisper.
"Marcus where are you? Everyone is in a big panic that who ever got Mom, Dad and Chris got you," she scolded him.
"Piper listen to me I think I know where your parents and Chris are," Marcus began to explain.
"Marcus what are you talking about? If you know anything you should be talking to your Dad," Piper cut back in.
"His line is busy and I haven't got time… Pipe I got to go."
"Marcus!" Piper exclaimed hearing voices in the background.
"Hey what are you doing here kid?"
"Mr. Talos ain't gonna like this."
"Get him!"
"Oh God," Piper cried swinging open the bathroom door. "Uncle Jimmy, Uncle Jimmy," she shouted, "its Marcus he's in trouble."
Everyone's attention was turned to Piper who was pressing the phone into Jimmy Trivette's hand. Trivette raised the phone to his ear just in time to hear his son call out to Piper, "Where the streams meet Piper!" the line going dead.
"Where the streams meet," Trivette repeated turning to look at Piper Gage fear griping him.
"Piper," his voice trembled as all eyes went to the young girl, "What streams that meet?"
"The streams that meet," she repeated her mind racing to a secret spot that only she and Marcus shared. It was a place they had shared many a heated discussion, shared heart felt talks and many passionate teenage kisses. "He can mean only one place at the end of Derry Lane where the stream from Uncle Walker's ranch meets up with the stream from the neighbours place," she answered.
Trivette looked to Walker the same time questioning Piper, "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure Uncle Jimmy," she insisted just as distraught as Trivette was.
"I know the spot," Walker began only to be interrupted by Alex.
"There's nothing there but the two streams," she surmised.
"Not if you follow the one on to Mr. Moss' property," Angela excitedly took up the conversation.
"That's right there's that old homestead that's been abandoned for years," Sumner piped up.
"You know about that old falling down house?" Danny had entered the conversation too.
"I'm not that old," Sumner retorted before being cut off by Walker.
"I know it let's get moving," Walker announced taking the lead, stopping only long enough to instruct Sumner and Chafe to keep running down leads on the Gages.
Jimmy Trivette stopped only long enough to press a kiss on Erica's forehead whispering the promise of the safe return of their son.
"Uncle Jimmy, Uncle Walker," Piper called after them both men momentarily stopping as Piper meekly added, "Marcus told me that he knows where Mom, Dad and Chris are."
"At the Moss property?" Trivette questioned her.
"I don't know he didn't have time…" she fell silent as she realized who ever had her parents and brother now probably had Marcus too.
"We're coming too Walker," it was Chafe making the announcement for him and Sumner.
Walker nodded his head and the men filed out.
In The Abandon Cellar With The Gages
"This is hopeless," Gage cursed slamming his hand on the hard cold earthen wall.
"Gage!" Syd chastised her eyes going towards Chris.
Catching her face Chris smiled in spite of the situation. "Mom I know all the words and on occasion I may have even used a few…"
"Christian Francis!"
"I thought I taught you better then that," Gage smirked momentarily forgetting the gravity of the situation.
"Hey you've had your foot in your mouth on numerous occasions," his son taunted back.
"Both of you there is a lady present so act accordingly," Syd warned them getting a, "Yes ma'am," in unison from both.
Everyone smiled but a sobering silence descended over them knowing that there was no way out and they would have to wait for their captors to come back for them before they found out their fate.
"Mom Dad what do you think is going to happen?" Chris questioned fear of the unknown gnawing at him.
"That remains to be seen," Gage answered. "I do know for sure that we need to get out of this hole there are a lot of unanswered questions. I need to find out…" That was as far as Gage got before being interrupted by their captors above them.
"Hey Rollins I bet you thought that you were important enough to have the whole state of Texas looking for you didn't yeah? Well as it turns out the only one that's been snooping around these parts is this scrawny kid," it was the old man talking.
"What are you talking about now Talos?" Gage growled out the question only to be ignored.
"Get that ladder down there," they could hear the orders being given. Gage turned to Syd saying, "You first Shorty, then Chris," then almost as an after thought he added, "I love you both.
As the ladder hit the ground in front of them Syd nodded grabbing the first rung she began the climb up Chris lining up behind her, Gage bringing up the rear. As his head cleared the opening of the hole he was met with two shotguns aimed at his head. Syd and Chris stood to the side with Marcus Trivette more guns reined on them.
Gage speculated only briefly on how it was that Marcus had come to be there his concentration was fixed on their predicament and how they were going to get out of it safely.
"I see you're no better then your old man," Talos stood squarely in front of Gage as he spoke to him. "You don't give a rat's ass who you drag into things. What's this kid have to do with you and your kids?"
"He's just a friend of the family," Gage answered, "He's got nothing to do with this, let him go." Gage knew his plea was futile but he made it anyway.
"Well he's about to learn that being friends with the likes of you was a big mistake. Kill them all and dump their bodies back in the hole" John Talos barked out giving the signal to shoot to the man who was pointing his gun at Marcus.
"Wait no," Gage shouted breaking away from the guy who had the strong hold on him the same time as Jimmy Trivette came feet first into the one about to shoot his son. Walker, Sumner and Chafe were close behind all jumping into the action, Sydney and Gage as well as Chris and Marcus.
As the fight heightened it became obvious that the Rangers were winning. Old John seizing his chance grabbed up an automatic weapon and with steely cold eyes pointed it at Gage. Chris caught sight at his father's old enemy just as the man shouted, "Die Rollins, I'm sending you to hell just like I sent your mother and father."
Without a second to loose Chris jumped into action making a dive for the senior Talos knocking the old patriarch from his feet just as his gnarled finger squeezed on the trigger sending a spray of bullets wildly into the air hitting everything in their path including human flesh.
Like lightning Walker was on the old man wrenching the gun from his hands. Both Sydney and Gage called out to Chris going to where he had fallen in his attack on Talos.
"Mom, Dad I'm fine are you all right?" Chris answered with his own question of concern.
Before either could answer there was a shout from Trivette. "Get the EMS Marcus has been hit!"
Sumner had all ready made the connection and was giving their position to the operator. "We need air rescue," Trivette could hear the words his partner was saying but his thoughts were only on his son.
Sydney went to where Marcus lay his father holding tightly to him. "Jimmy," she began.
"I know the drill Syd," the seasoned ranger cut her off softly adding; "Can you get Erica and meet us at the hospital."
"Of course," Syd answered knowing exactly what was going through her friend's mind. She looked to where Gage stood with Chris they both as helpless to what to do as she. The chaos of what was happening around them, rangers and law enforcement rounding up and taking the Talos people into custody.
Suddenly a loud mournful almost pitiful cry went up causing their eyes to revert to the sound. John Talos had dropped to the ground where he clutched his son Johnny to his chest, Johnny unmoving he too having been caught with the spray of bullets that had been fired from the old man's gun. One glimpse made it very evident that Johnny Talos was dead.
In his anguish and fury John Talos turned on the Gages shouting out his threats, "Rollins you and your family will pay for this, you'll watch your son die just like I did before I kill. I'll kill you all Rollins, I'll kill you all."
The rants continued on even as Sumner and Chafe stepped in to haul the old man to his feet and into custody. Gage had put his arms around his wife and son turning them away from the old man knowing they had a harder task to deal with. Walker had joined them explaining he was going with Trivette and Marcus and he would meet up with them at the hospital. The air rescue team was landing and Gage nodded his acknowledgement over the roar of the engines the three of them turning to break the news to Erica.