This chapter is a bit longer so I hope you enjoy it. Please read and review. Thankyou to moviemom44 and all my faithful readers.

Gage cupped his hands together and brought them to his mouth, blowing warm air into them. He had seen Trivette and Sydney leave to go catch 'the Smuggler'. He looked up at the stars twinkling overhead and wished Sydney was next to him. He wished her warm body were snuggled close to his. The thought flooded his insides with heat. He smiled at the thought of her next to him. A noise behind him brought him immediately back to reality. He turned and watched the same cruel man he'd encountered yesterday emerge from the woods.

Good, Michael thought, He's still there. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a brown paper bag that held the bait for his trap. This will lure him into coming with me. It always does.

From inside the bag, Michael retrieved a sandwich wrapped in plastic. He approached the indigent lying on the ground before him. Kicking him viciously, he yelled, "Hey, Mutt, you want this?"

Gage had heard the man coming and had braced himself for an attack, tightening his abs to deflect the impact of whatever blows his assailant might deliver. But it still hurt enough to have Gage gasping for air as the man stared down at him. Willing himself to maintain his cover as a hungry street dweller, he cowered under the other man's glare and hesitantly raised his hand toward the sandwich.

The man pulled it away. "Not so fast," Michael teased menacingly. "Come and get it." He backed up toward the warehouse.

Gage got haltingly to his feet, still portraying a man too weak in both body and mind to be a threat to his companion. He noticed headlights in the distance and knew his backup was on the way.

"C'mon, Mutt, fetch," the man taunted.

Sydney saw the man leading Gage into the warehouse. Looking at Trivette, who nodded, she gunned the engine and sped to the scene.

Michael heard the car, as did Gage. "Texas Ranger," Gage announced as he reached for the man.

Michael threw the sandwich at Gage and took off running back toward the woods.

Gage gave chase with Trivette and Sydney right behind him.

The woods were thick and hard to see through at night. Gage proceeded slowly, trying to listen for any telltale sounds from the suspect. Without warning, he felt a stabbing pain on the back of his head. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground.

Michael smiled and grabbed Gage by the coat, pulling him into a small pile of downed trees where the unconscious ranger was hidden from view. His plans had changed suddenly, but this was going to be fun. Peering into the darkness, he heard more footsteps. He smiled. This was perfect. Two for the price of one.

As Sydney slowly walked into the dense woods, her senses alerted her to someone behind her. Aware that Trivette was farther down to her left, she spun around only to come face to face with a monster.

His face was horribly scarred. Sydney gasped, all but frozen in place as much by his surprise entrance as his gruesome appearance.

Burn victim was her last coherent thought before the man slammed a thick branch against the side of her head, knocking her unconscious. Her gun fell out of her hand as she slumped to the ground.

Michael dragged the female ranger to the trees alongside the bulky blond man who was still out cold. He watched from the shadows as the black Ranger found Sydney's gun and scooped it up.

Trivette knew something was wrong when he saw Sydney's gun. She wouldn't leave her weapon unless she was forced to do so, or unless she was hurt. His gut told him that Sydney and Gage were both gone, but he called out their names anyway. No response.

He slid her gun into his waistband and ran deeper into the woods. He yelled again.

"Gage! Sydney!" Still no answer.

Panic and frustration crowded his mind. He searched in vain, only to realize he would never find them in the dark woods. Trivette grabbed his phone and dialed Walker's number, but he couldn't get a signal. He ran out from under the thick canopy of trees that had rendered his phone useless. Finally, two bars appeared on the screen and Trivette speed dialed Walker, calling him to the scene.