Chapter 11

A few weeks had passed since Walker had split she and Gage up and assigned them new partners, and as far as Sydney was concerned, things were going fairly well, all things considered. She and Barker had become fast friends, and if Barker still carried a torch for her, he was very good at hiding it.

Likewise, Gage and Malloy seemed to be hitting it off quite well. A smile crossed Sydney's face, she was happy for him that he had found someone he got along with.

Despite everything that happened between them, she still had feelings for him, no matter how many times she told herself that she should hate him for what he had put her through, her heart just wouldn't listen.

"Syd, why don't you just make up with him and get it over with?" Barker's voice brought her back to reality.

Sydney blushed. "Was I being that obvious?" She said.

"A little." Barker said with a benevolent smile.

Sydney knew he was sparing her any embarrassment, she knew she had been staring at him for the last thirty minutes like a high school girl with a crush.

Inside, Barker's feelings were conflicted. His heart ached for Sydney; the heartache she was carrying was palpable. He knew who her heart belonged to and part of him hated Gage for it.

'I hope you realize how lucky you are before it's too late, Gage.' Barker thought as he and Gage locked eyes.

"You got something to say to me, Barker?" Gage called from his desk.

"Nothing you don't already know." Barker replied as he sat back in his chair.

"And just what the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Gage said as he stood and advanced on Barker.

"Gage!" Walker's voice called, Gage took a steadying breath before turning to face his superior.

"If you have something to settle, save it for the gym! There's no fighting in here!" Walker said. Gage and Barker stared each other down.

"seventeen hundred hours … be there!" Gage said as he pointed at Barker.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Barker said with an almost hungry grin.


"I thought for a minute you chickened out." Gage said as Barker walked into the gym, his hands wrapped and his face set.

"Not on your life, I had to finish up some paperwork with that pretty partner of yours … Oh … I'm sorry … former partner." He said with a smirk.

With a roar, Gage tackled Barker hard, knocking the breath out of him.

"I swear to god, if you touch her, you're going to regret it!" He snarled, seeing red as he slammed him into the mat.

"Well. As much as I'd love to, she's still so hung up on you that there's no room in her heart for anyone else." Barker said as he threw Gage off him, stood, assumed a fighting stance and beckoned Gage to give it his best shot.

"What do you mean no room for anyone else?" Gage asked as they exchanged blows and kicks, each man landing a good his that threw the other back on their heels.

"Jesus, Gage! For someone who's so good at attracting women, you're painfully clueless about them. That woman loves you more than you deserve, especially since you have been a giant ass to her."

Gage opened his mouth to retort but there was nothing he could say, Barker was right, he had royally screwed everything up and had no idea how to fix it, if he even could fix it.

"Do you think it's too late?" Gage asked, Barker smirked as he took Gage's legs out from under him.

"Not if you play your cards right." He said as he helped him up. Look, regardless of what you might think of me, I really do want to see you two work this out, you two make a cute couple." He said with a grin as he clapped Gage heartily on the back.


Gage waited all week for an opportunity to talk to Sydney alone and attempt an apology, but it was like the universe was conspiring against them.

To make things worse, Sydney didn't even seem to miss their partnership, or if she did, she was really good at hiding it. He was so engrossed in his thoughts, that he barely noticed Walker walking up to them.

He handed them a file.

"Meet Leonidas Antunez, leader of the Dracul's." he's been out of the country on business in Columbia for the past month, and he's due back in town tonight. I want you two to stake out his home. Don't move on this guy without backup, I can't stress that enough." Walker said.

"You can count on us, boss." Gage said.


"Anything?" Gage asked Trent

"Nope." Trent said as he rubbed his eyes wearily.

"Here, take a break, I'll keep watch for a while." Gage said as he motioned for him to hand him the binoculars.

Trent gave him an appreciative grin as he settled back in his seat and closed his eyes to rest them.

It was well into the night when they saw a car, a Benz by the looks of it, pull into the circular driveway. A man climbed out and strode into the house accompanied by four henchmen.

"You call for backup, I'm going in." Gage said as he checked the clip on his weapon and exited the car before Trent could stop him.

"Damn it!" Trent said as he got on the radio.

"Dispatch, get me Cordell Walker!"

Gage crept up to the house, careful to watch his blind spots as he peered into the windows. He knew he should wait for backup, but his desire to see the asshole who shot Sydney and almost killed her fry for it one way or another.

He waited until the guards doing their rounds circled around to the back of the house before sneaking through the back door. He crept through the darkened maze like mansion, his adrenaline pumping through him like hot lava.

Suddenly, white hot pain exploded through his right shoulder, he spun and tried to aim but his injured shoulder made his shots go wide.

"Well, well, isn't this a familiar sight." A rich Latino voice purred as the tall, slender man they had seen before sauntered into view, taking slow, deliberate steps.

"Leonidas Antunez, you're under arrest for the attempted murder of a Texas ranger, among other things." Gage said as he switched his gun to his good hand and aimed it.

Leonidas' deep, robust laughter echoed throughout the expansive mansion.

"Ah yes, Ranger … Cooke, was it? You know my man was aiming at you, but she got in the way, oh well, I have you now, I guess things have a way of working themselves out." Leonidas said.

"You son of a bitch, I'll kill you!" Gage said, seething as he pointed his gun at Leonidas came forward with surprising quickness and before Gage could react, his gun, equipped with a silencer was pressed against his forehead.

"I don't want to kill you, Ranger Gage, but I will if you make me, now drop it."

There was a tense standoff until Gage let his weapon fall to the ground.

"Now sit." Leonidas said as he motioned to one of the large squashy armchairs sitting in front of a huge fireplace that was as tall as they were and twice as wide. Gage hesitated defiantly, Leonidas suddenly struck him across the face with the butt of his gun with enough force to knock Gage off his feet. He hit the ground, sputtering and coughing up blood.

"Now SIT!" He said as he took out his phone and dialed it.

Walker picked his phone up on the first ring.

"Walker."

"The famous Ranger Cordell Walker, I bet you think you've beaten me, but little do you know that I play my best chess when I am cornered." Leonidas smooth voice said over the line as Trivette, Sydney and Barker gathered around.

"What do you want, Antunez?" Walker said.

"You're mistaken, Ranger Walker, for it is I who has something you want."

The other rangers watched Walker's expression change and knew something was wrong.

"Walker, what's wrong?" Trivette asked as Walker set the phone down.

"Antunez has Gage, and he says he's hurt, and if we don't give him his drugs and let him escape, he'll kill him." Walker said.

AN: Please bear with me, m'kay? ^_^