A/N After a mild case of writer's block here is the next chapter. Enjoy! Thank you for all the reviews keep them coming.
"Gage, can I ask you something?" Sidney asked as she and Gage braved the parking lot trying to find Gage's Mustang.
"Whatever it is I didn't do it. Oh look. Next aisle over, there's the car." Gage replied.
Walking over to the Mustang Gage unlocked the passenger door and then the trunk so Sidney could put her suitcase in the car.
"You didn't. Guilty conscience?" Sidney said as she put her purse on the passengers seat. She grabbed her suitcase and wheeled it to the rear of the car. "What I was getting at is what did you mean by you owe me one?" Flopping her suitcase in the trunk and closing it she looked at Gage for a reply.
As Gage opened his car door he ran his fingers through his hair at the back of his neck looking a little uneasy. "Well Shorty, there are some things that I've been thinking about this past week and with everything that is happening I thought that this would be the perfect time to talk."
Sidney grabbed her purse off the front seat so she could sit down. As soon as she picked it up by the strap it broke and fell to the ground. Sidney bent down to pick it up and when she did there was a muzzle crack and a bullet whizzed over her head shattering the window of the car in front of Gage's. In an instant she drew her gun as well as Gage. Ferociously looking around at where the bullet came from Gage's adrenaline started rushing. The only thoughts running through Gage's mind was that if Sidney's purse hadn't broken at that very instant, he'd be planning Sidney's funeral instead of planning on taking her to dinner. At that moment, Gage decided that he was going to be at her side 24/7 or as 24/7 as he could be.
"Sidney! Are you alright!?" Gage called out with a panic.
"I'm fine, can you see where that came from?" Sidney replied.
"No. I don't see anything. Do you?"
"No. Better call this in and get forensics out here."
Gage holstered his weapon and took out his cell phone and dialed Trivette's line. Trivette, this is Gage, we're at the airport. I've got Sidney and someone just tried to take a shot at her. No, we're both ok but we can't figure out where the shot came from. Ok. Right. We'll stay here until you and Walker get out here.
Gage looked at Sidney and put his cell phone back in his pocket. "Trivette and Walker are on their way. They want us to stay here until they get here." He made his way to the other side of the car and looked at the car who's window was non existent due to the gun shot. "That was close, too close. Sidney this is more serious than we all thought. I don't want any arguments but you just gained a shadow until we put this guy back behind bars. I don't want anything to happen to you. I just couldn't –"his voice trailed off careful not to scare her away with any emotion. Now was not the time for that.
"Couldn't what?"
"Never mind. Look. There's Walker and Trivette."
After the shot was fired, The Panther did what he always does. Spit his toothpick on the ground, gathered his gun and exited off the building from the fire escape on the opposite side. He knew he had an opportunity and missed it. Something that rarely happens to him. I will NOT fail again! He thought to himself. Pulling a jimmy bar out of his rifle case he picked the lock of the first car he saw parked at the far end of the very same lot that The Texas Rangers were standing. As quickly as the shot rang out he disappeared. He then parked the stolen car a few blocks away, meticulously disassembling his rifle he put it back in it's case. He then took out a kerchief and began to wipe down the steering wheel then the door, paying attention to the handle. He put the kerchief back in his pocket and walked another five blocks to a condemned building and entered. Setting his case down he pulled back a pile of rubble and cloth he began to assemble blocks of C-4. One way or another he was going to accomplish his mission and Ranger Sidney Cook would never see daylight again.