WOW! We have finally come into the third Walker story!

I am so so so excited to be sharing Walker: Surrender with y'all!

Before we begin however, if you have not read the first two Walker stories of mine, Wish To Be A Walker and Walker: Secrets, I highly recommend that you go and read both of those before coming back to continue with this book. There are story lines in both of them that are vital to understanding Walker: Surrender.

This story is going to be considerably darker then the previous two books (I can hear you saying 'how' right now) but since S3 is shaping up to be the best (and darkest) season of Walker yet, of course I am duty-bound in my writing to continue that trend!

All chapters will include trigger warnings.

There will be themes such as kidnapping, torture (bring that up with the series), suicidal thoughts, underage drinking, cancer treatment and a couple others that will be mentioned before the chapters begin.

Please do not let this deter you from reading this story however. I promise that there is going to be plenty of sweet, beautiful moments with our favorite characters in-between the roller-coaster ride that the series has taken us on.

Don't forget to add this story to your library, follow my account, like and comment on this story!

Let's jump straight into Chapter 1!

Enjoy!

The four of them looked at each other, Trey turning to Liam after a moment of silence. 'You know what Liam, you're right. Your brother's a damn cheater.' He told him, hoping Liam would get the gist and play along.

'Yeah, you know, he-he's probably gonna do that thing-'

'Right, that thing where he's waiting, and then he's just gonna blow past us, right?'

'Yeah, yeah. He's just messing with us, Stella.' Liam replied as he looked at his niece.

'But the winner takes the hat, right?' Stella questioned.

'And you guys are here, so...' Maddie's voice trailed off.

'Don't even worry about it,' Trey assured them as he turned to leave, motioning for Liam to go with him. 'because I'm still gonna win this thing fair and square.'

'Yeah.' Liam agreed as he started after them.

Maddie watched them leave then gathered up Dakota's reins and cued the mare to turn around. 'I'm going with them.' She told Stella, the mare transitioning into a canter at her cue before her sister could reply.

Stella looked down at the hat in her hands then back up at Maddie as her sister rode after Uncle Liam and Trey, horse and rider disappearing from view around the corner. With a worried expression written on her face she started back to the house, skipping up the front stairs two at a time.

The sound of August playing on the piano greeted her as she walked in, heading for the kitchen to look for her grandmother.

'Your Dad back yet?' Abeline questioned as she saw Stella, walking into the room with another box tucked beneath her arm. Being so busy working on getting the house decorated and ready for the graduation party that was to take place later that night she didn't notice the look on her granddaughter's face or Stella's attempt to speak with her. 'I need help moving that table outside, and I'm not asking your grandfather.' She said as she placed the box onto the island bench, turning back to Stella for a moment. 'And please don't tell him I'm not asking him. He'll make it a thing.' Going to one of the cupboards she opened it up, taking a moment to look at what was inside. 'Ugh. Am I losing my mind? I thought I used to put the vases up here. I know I unpacked them...'

Seeing that her grandmother was much too frazzled to allow her a chance to get a word in edgewise, Stella headed out into the hallway.

'Hey, do you know who all's coming later?' August asked as he stopped playing when his sister joined him at the piano. 'I know it's like, your party and all, it's all about you...'

'It's not all about me.' She interrupted, fiddling anxiously with Cordell's hat in her hands.

'Okay, well, I'm actually really glad you said that 'cause I am hoping it's a little about me-''

'Augie...' Stella spoke up, her brother turning to look back at her with the tone she used. 'I think something's wrong.'

Liam and Trey jogged back down the path they had just come down, retracing their steps in an attempt to find Cordell. Once they were off the driveway and back onto the track heading through some shrubbery and stuff they slowed to a walk to take a moment to catch their breath.

'You know he didn't take a different way home, right?' Liam questioned as he took a look around as they walked down the track, trying to spot anything that was out of the ordinary.

'Of course I know that.' Liam replied. 'I didn't... Didn't want to freak Stella and Maddie out.'

'Yeah, well, I think it might be too late for that.' Trey pointed out, he too searching the surrounding landscape for any sign of Cordell.

'Okay, the shootout the other day,' Liam continued after a moment. 'they put a damn bullet through Cordi's hat.'

'From what I hear, that was just crossfire. I don't think they were actually aiming for him.'

'A damn bullet through his hat?' He questioned.

'What I mean is, I don't think he was the target, Liam.'

'Yeah, but you don't know that.'

'No.' Trey sighed. 'I'm not a Ranger, so I wasn't read in on the official report.'

Behind them, the sound of hoof-beats could be heard approaching. As Maddie appeared on the path the two of them stopped on the track to wait for her to join them, the teen bringing the black mustang to a halt nearby.

'Find anything?' She questioned with concern in her voice, one hand on Dakota's mane as the mare caught her breath. 'I was only ahead of Dad by a couple minutes...'

'We haven't found anything yet Maddie.' Liam replied as he walked over to the teen, placing his hand on her knee. 'Why don't you go back home and wait-'

'No.' She shook her head as she cut him off. 'I'm gonna help.'

Trey and Liam looked at each other then Liam sighed and shook his head. 'There's no talking you out of this, is there?'

'Not a snowball's chance in Hell.'

'Maddie-' Trey started as an idea came to mind. 'You-you taught Bel how to search for people, right? That's how you found that lost girl a few months back.'

'Trey, that's a great idea.' Liam exclaimed before Maddie could reply. 'Maddie, you started doing the same thing with Dakota, right?'

'Yeah, yeah, I did. I-I just... I don't know how she'll do... I mean, we started doing scent work a while back and she was really getting the hang of it but then everything happened and I just couldn't keep with it... So...'

'Do you think you two can give it a try?' Trey questioned. 'I mean, it's worth a shot, right?'

Maddie nodded. 'We'll give it a try. Can't promise anything...' With a cluck of her tongue she started Dakota forward and loosened the reins to let the mare take the lead. 'Search. Search Dakota.'

Liam and Trey exchanged another look between the two of them as Maddie and Dakota headed down the track, the two of them following after her. Silence fell as they both kept looking around for anything, also keeping quiet to allow the mare to focus on her job.

Dakota kept walking then stopped and lowered her head to the ground for a moment before she started walking off the track. She was onto something but what?... Maddie frowned as she looked around. She couldn't see anything-

The mare stopped again, this time sniffing something lying on the ground just in front of her. 'Uncle Liam, Uncle Trey-' She looked back at them and waved for her to join them, the two of them stopped on the path. 'I think she's found something.'

They both came over, Maddie asking the mare to back up as Trey knelt to investigate what she had found. 'Is that-' He held the object up for Liam to see.

'Cordi's watch.' Liam replied, recognizing it instantly even before Trey handed it to him. 'Em gave it to him when he was sworn in. He never took this off.'

A shiver ran up Maddie's spine hearing that, the teen looking around with concern as she patted Dakota's neck for a job well done.

Trey pulled his phone out of his pocket. 'I'm calling Captain James.'

'Hey.' Bonham started as he walked back inside, hanging his hat up on the hat rack as Abeline looked over from the work she was doing. 'I was just talking to Dan Miller out front. You think this is the right thing to do?'

'Giving him some of that land back?' She questioned. 'I do.'

'You think he'll know what the hell to do with it?'

Abeline shrugged as she set out another little flower arrangement for the party on one of the small tables beside the couches. 'I can't say but it's a gesture, Bon. It's sort of a first step in putting all that bad blood with the Davidson's behind us.'

Bonham sighed. 'I don't disagree. Not much good ever came out of all that fighting.'

'Except the truth.' She pointed out as she looked over at him.

'Hey, you want me to move that table out there?'

'I'm waiting for Cordell.'

'You're waiting on Cordell. What? I can move the damn table...'

'Do you remember when the boys were little?' She questioned, interrupting him. 'And they'd...' She paused for a moment, seeing that Stella and August were both seated in the hallway at the piano. 'they'd go off to school or camp, and at first, there was always this worry. You know, just a moment where they weren't sure if they wanted to go. They say they'd miss us, and they'd never say they were scared, but I'd have to remind them of the invisible string. How it connected us, and I told them all they had to do was tug on it, and I'd know. I'd just know.'

Cordell hadn't known what hit him.

He'd been out running with his brother and Trey when all of a sudden, three guys dressed completely in black came running out of the bushes and attacked him. He'd been able to evade them for a moment, just long enough to be able to stop his watch and drop it near the path before they found him again, this time being able to get a single shot off at one of the attackers. That had been all he'd been able to do though for three against one weren't odds in his favor.

Everything went blank.

The next thing he knew when he came to was that he had been tied hand and foot and blindfolded, lying face down on cold and smooth metal. A moment later he deduced that he was in some kind of vehicle from the motion and the sound, a shiver running up his spine as he realized what was going on.

He'd been kidnapped.

Play it smart Walker. He told himself as his mind raced to come up with some way to get out of this situation. How long had he been out cold for? He couldn't tell. All he could remember was being knocked out by some kind of chemical concoction they'd held over his mouth and nose while he'd been trying to fight the men off and now, waking up here.

And the brain fog...

He felt like his body and his mind were disconnected from each other, his thoughts so muddled up he couldn't think straight.

While he was still attempting to come up with some kind of plan he felt the vehicle slow and finally come to a stop, the engine being turned off a moment later. They'd obviously arrived at wherever these kidnappers wanted to take him too. He heard the sound of the vehicle doors opening and then he was roughly dragged out, landing with a thump on hard ground.

Half carried, half dragged by his captors, he feigned unconsciousness as best he could while still trying to see through the blindfold so he could figure out where he was. It was near to hopeless though, he could hardly see a thing and wasn't sure if it was just the blindfold or if it was from whatever they had used to knock him out.

He heard the sound of metal doors and what he thought were metal gates opening and closing, being dragged up and down a few flights of stairs here and there too. Though his mind was still foggy he did his best to remember the route they took, whether they took him left or right and for how long in each direction in an effort to attempt getting a layout of this place.

At the last flight of stairs they went up they dropped him, Cordell lying as limp as a rag doll as his captors dragged him by his arms along a concrete floor.

Another door.

Another gate.

Then he was unceremoniously dumped leaning against what felt like metal bars. He could hear someone kneeling down in front of him and felt them begin to untie his legs.

'Keeping him here, sir?' The man untying Cordell's legs questioned.

'Until we hear otherwise, yup.' Another voice replied, this one slightly further away from him. 'Why, you busy?'

'Just don't know how far we're taking this.' He dropped Cordell's leg again once he'd done the chain up to the leather cuff. 'I wasn't read in, and yeah, I got to pick up Jenny.'

'Well, sorry, Jenny,' Man number two scoffed. 'but we got to initiate our new inside guy.'

With his job done, the man looked back at Cordell. 'Texas ranger. They're gonna pull the whole state in on this. What do we got?' He asked as he stood. 'Thirty-six hours till they find us?'

'Little more if I did my job right.' He took the key he was handed by the other man. 'Don't worry. Won't take long to break him.' He assured him before walking over closer to Cordell and knelt down in front of him to take a closer look. 'So, this is the war hero, huh?'

Cordell stayed still, hearing the sound of four footsteps leaving then what sounded like a gate and a padlock being snapped shut. The footsteps grew fainter then disappeared when another door was slammed shut.

He waited for a moment until he was sure he was in the clear then he couldn't help but smirk.

He wouldn't be here long. He was sure of that.

'Okay.' He spoke to himself as he moved, trying to find some position more comfortable then the one he was currently in. 'Come on. Where am I?' He could feel warmth coming from the right side of him, just able to make out through the blindfold that sunlight was coming into the room from up higher. 'Uh... Natural light in the windows. I'm above ground.' He reasoned based on that observation. 'Concrete floor.' He remarked as he felt the ground he was seated on with his hands to confirm. 'Institutional.'

As he was still trying to gather his thoughts together and push off the remaining brain fog he heard a distant door opening again and the unmistakable sound of heavy boots on the concrete. Knowing that he would have been spotted he sat up properly as the footsteps came closer. He heard a key turning in a padlock then a moment later, the gate opening.

'You know why you're alive right now?'

Through the blindfold he could just make out that the man standing in front of him was wearing army boots. 'Sir, yes, sir.' He replied with more confidence than he felt then cleared his throat before continuing. 'Because you allow it, sir.'

The man chuckled. 'So formal.'

'Well um...' He motioned with his tied hands at his boots. 'You served.'

He frowned as he looked down, realizing that the ranger could see through the blindfold. 'Or I love an army surplus sale.' He replied, kneeling down to fix up the blindfold so he couldn't see.

'You really think this whole bandana thing is gonna make or break your operation here?' Cordell questioned with a scoff. 'I do have other senses. You know, for, uh, for example, uh... hearing. You hear that?' He pointed behind him where the sound of water dripping could be heard. 'There's a leak right over there.'

The man punched him in the face, hard. 'Less talking, smart-ass.'

'Okay, well,' Cordell started as he quickly composed himself after that surprise hit. ' well, first, one... one more example. Uh, smell.' He took a sniff before continuing, pointing at the man in front of him. 'I smell antiseptic. Recent. Maybe I'll-I'll call you Neo. So, tell me, Neo, was it an accident or a warning?' He heard the guy stand and looked up to follow him. All right. Wish I could say it's been nice meeting you, Neo.'

Cordell didn't know what happened next, Neo delivering another swift blow that this time, knocked the Ranger unconscious when his head hit the floor.

Taking off the blindfold, Neo left the cage and locked it securely behind himself.

Cordell was left lying unconscious on the concrete floor, alone...

'Hey.' Captain James started as he and Cassie walked into the house, having let themselves in through the front door when no one had come to answer their knock.

'Hey.' Cassie added as they walked into the kitchen, both she and Larry carrying a couple bags with them. 'Cavalry's here. How can we help, huh? Zhuzh some flowers? Rum some punch? I can DJ upon request.'

'She was a motivational dancer at bar mitzvah's, if that helps.' Larry remarked, placing his bag down in a vacant spot on the island bench.

Cassie turned to him. 'Hey, I never told you that.'

'Deep background checks, Perez. Very thorough.'

She nodded then looked back at Bonham and Abeline. 'You're quiet.'

Before either of them could reply the back door opened, Liam, Trey and Maddie coming to join them all in the kitchen.

'Gentlemen.' James started as they walked in, Liam holding the door open so Maddie could get through with her chair.

'Hey.' Cassie greeted with a smile.

'What, this-this is how you dress for a party?' The Captain questioned when he saw what they were wearing and that all three of them were soaked in perspiration.

'Hey, I tried calling you, Cap-' Trey started, Liam closing the door after himself and Maddie.

James frowned as he looked around at the Walker's gathered in the room. 'What's up?'

Before Trey could answer, Stella and August both came into the kitchen. 'There's not gonna be a party, so can we all just stop pretending like there is?' She turned to the Captain. 'Dad's missing.'

'What?'

'We lost him on the trail.' Liam spoke up, going over to the sink to grab Maddie a drink of water.

Cassie turned to Larry. 'I told you this wasn't over.'

'That's a leap, Perez. What's going on?'

'I say let's take it.' She continued. 'We busted Fenton, and he was so scared of whatever we were getting close to, he killed himself. Then we're shot up, and then Miles is shipped off to WITSEC. I need to call Miles.'

'I need us to take this into the other room.'

'No.' Stella said firmly as Larry went to leave, the Captain turning back to her. 'Talking about it in private is only gonna make us all assume the worst, and we're already used to that. Captain.'

Larry looked around the room, seeing the expressions each of them wore on their faces then nodded. 'Alright. Alright. Here's what we're gonna do...'

It was the sound of the dripping water that dragged Cordell back to consciousness with a start, Cordell having to take a moment to gain his bearings and his composure. God he had a headache and that, mixed with the brain fog he still had from his earlier knock out was really making him feel pretty horrible.

Quickly he sat back up, having to take a couple deep breaths as the room started to spin. 'Told them they didn't need to blindfold me.' He remarked out loud, wiping some blood from his split lip. 'All right. All right.' He moved around, trying to take stock of the situation. It wasn't great. He was handcuffed, inside a metal cage that there was no way out of and to top it off, chained by his leg to the bars. He could feel his heart starting to speed up and took a deep breath, reminding himself that the key to getting out of these kinds of situations was to remain calm and think things through. He sighed heavily. 'Day one. Graduation day.'

He closed his eyes, allowing himself to drift back into memories of happier times.

Him holding Stella earlier that day.

Being with his son at the Side Step, the two of them having a meal together.

Maddie learning to ride for the first time.

Sitting on the couch with his kids, his kids tucked beneath blankets curled up next to him..

His birthday, how his family had organized that surprise party.

His mom welcoming him home after he'd gotten back from being undercover.

Late night conversations with his brother on the chair out in the garden.

Christmas, giving Maddie her adoption papers. How happy she had been.

He and his father working together on the ranch.

Emily...

Emily and him playing with Stella and August.

The last kiss he and Emily had...

His eyes opened at that last memory and he did a double take when he saw Emily standing in the cell across from him. Maybe it was just his mind playing tricks on him, maybe it was just a hallucination but she was there. Emily was there with him. Standing across from him.

'I'm sorry.' He apologized softly. How she must be disappointed in him that he couldn't make it to their daughter's graduation. 'I know, I-I-I... I promised... I would be there. I'm sorry.'

'Babe.' Emily replied, motioning to the roof. 'Look up.'

'I know, Em, we're under the same moon, the same sky, but I promised I-I would be there.'

'Look up.' She insisted, kneeling down in front of him.

Cordell looked up where she was looking, seeing a pipe of some description. Through the pipe came something on a string, an origami crane. He jumped when the paper hit the floor and after a moment he tried to grab it, reaching through the bars of the cage. After a short struggle he was able to pick it up and he did so, looking at it as he turned around and sat down again.

'Is that a note?' Emily questioned, sitting beside him.

'No, they wouldn't give a prisoner a pen. I-I think it's just, uh...'

'Something pretty?' She asked as he looked over the paper crane and the string.

'Something to weigh the string down.' Cordell replied, figuring out what it meant. 'The string is a note. There-there are, there are knots. Uh, seven... Uh, five...' He counted out the knots out loud. 'Then nothing. Seven, five, seven. Or maybe it's a space. Uh, seven... seven, five, zero, zero.'

'What is that?'

'I don't know.'

'Code for...' Emily suggested, her voice trailing off.

'Code. Yes. It's a code.' Cordell chuckled as he connected the dots. '7-5-0-0. It's a code that, uh, pilots send to air traffic control when there's a hijacking, when they're in danger. 7-5-0-0.' he looked back up to the pipe where the string and paper had just come down. 'Are-are they a... pilot? I mean, we're not at an airport. Uh, I don't, I don't hear...'

'They just want you to know they know codes, maybe.' Emily said as he turned to her. 'Establish trust.'

'Establish trust. Yeah.' He nodded, looking back up to the pipe above him. 'And... danger. Uh... they're in danger.'

Back at Walker ranch, the Walker family, Captain James, Trey and Cassie were all in the beginning stages of organizing the search for Cordell. As they discussed what they were going to do, Maddie had retreated to the hallway and attempted to ring Colton.

'All right,' Larry started, phone in hand as he finished sending some messages. 'we're heading to HQ, set the BOLO's up statewide.'

'Cap, I just talked to the mayor's office.' Cassie said as she joined him. 'They're putting together a team.'

'You know what? We're gonna need a unit out here.' He looked over at Trey. 'Trey. You in?'

'As a Ranger?' He questioned then nodded decisively. 'Yes, sir.'

'All right. You can't badge up in the next five minutes- it's gonna be a process- but what you can do is set up a base camp here at the ranch, head up the search.'

'Yeah. I'll be with him on that.' Bonham offered.

'Yes, sir. Perfect. You know the terrain.'

'Maddie and I, we'll join the search too.' Liam added. 'Dakota found Cordi's watch, maybe she might be able to find something else too.'

Larry nodded. 'Right, good plan. I'll get in touch with the SAR here in Austin, see if they can assist with some extra riders. Cover more ground. Abby-' He looked over at Abeline, the woman still on the phone.

'Oh, I put the word out, and they're still going.'

'Okay.'

Abeline looked over at Liam, motioning to Stella and August who were seated at the piano. 'Could you... Hi...'

Liam nodded as his mother started speaking to another neighbor and walked over to join the kids, August moving over to make room on the piano stool for him to sit down. He sat, placing a hand on his nephew's shoulder then looked over at Maddie.

'She's leaving a message for Colton.' August explained.

'They haven't talked since...'

'Since the fire,' Stella said softly. 'yeah.'

'He's been driving through the mountains, I think, with Geri.' August added.

'Geri.' Liam said as he realized that they hadn't thought to tell Geri what was going on. 'We got to tell Geri.'

'They don't have a signal.' He told him. 'I think he's figuring something out with his mom or grandma, I don't know.'

'Right. That... that just happened.'

Larry started to the door, stopping on his way out to speak to them. 'Hey, we'll be checking in, all right?'

They nodded.

'Augie, you got my number. Use it.'

August nodded again. 'Yes, sir.'

Larry turned to leave, Cassie standing at the door behind him waiting for him. 'Hey, Cass. Look, I know this is a lot, especially after what happened with Miles, but we're gonna get through it. We're gonna find him.'

'Yeah, no other option. It does feel horribly familiar. Just the way he disappeared so suddenly and completely, and now the not knowing...'

'Just tell him you're happy to see him when he's back, all right?'

Cassie nodded, lingering for a moment before following Larry out the door.

August turned back to the piano after they had left, Maddie glancing over as he began to play. Again she reached Colton's voicemail but this time instead of hanging up she waited to leave a message. 'Hey Colt... It's me... Look, I know you and Aunt Geri are away and I don't know when you'll get this but... Dad... Dad's gone missing. We-we're doing the best we can but just thought you and Aunt Geri would want to know... So-' Her mind had gone blank and she paused for a moment, trying to think of what else to say. 'just give me a call back, okay?'

Ending the call she recognized the song that August had started playing, Uncle Liam joining in with him as he played When The Saints Go Marching In.

Both Stella and Maddie looked at each other as they played, Stella getting up from her chair beside the piano after a moment to go over to her sister. 'You... You doing okay?'

Maddie shrugged. 'No. You?'

Stella let out a huge sigh as she sat down on the carpet next to Maddie's wheelchair. 'Not... great.'

'And on the day you're graduating.'

'Yeah...' She took a look at her watch then shook her head as she saw the time. 'Well, I guess the only silver lining is that Dad won't have a chance to give his embarrassing speech...'

Maddie placed her hand on Stella's shoulder. 'Have you told Todd you won't be able to make it?'

'No, no, I didn't even think...' Her voice trailed off. 'Damn it!'

'Stella, it's fine. He'll understand.'

'I should go ring him...'

'Go.' Maddie assured her as the final notes of the song died away. 'I need to make a couple more phone calls anyway.'

'Alright.' Getting to her feet once more she gave her sister's shoulder a gentle squeeze before she left. 'Dad's gonna be just fine.'

She smiled sadly at her sister's attempt at reassuring her. 'I know.'

Stella left, Liam and August beginning to play another song together as she got her phone out once more. 'Elizabeth, hey... You got a minute?'

'Hello?' Cordell called out, looking towards the pipe in the roof. 'Hello?'

'Hey, keep in mind they sent you a note for a reason.' Emily hissed as she turned around to face him. 'Knots on a string, no less. It's quiet.'

'Yes, I-I know that.'

'Well, I'm just saying that if you get caught you blow it.'

'Okay, okay, I know. Be quiet. Let me think, just-just...' He paused, looking back up at the roof as Emily walked back to the far side of the cage away from him. 'let me think. Another prisoner above me, but they chose to put me here. They could've put me anywhere.'

'You don't even know what kind of building you're in.' She pointed out. 'I mean, is this even a building? Maybe you're on a boat.'

'No, no. I-I-I'm not on the water.'

'I didn't say you were on the water.' Emily replied. 'I said maybe you're on a boat.'

Cordell looked at her. 'Okay, why are we even arguing?'

'I'm just saying what you're thinking.'

From above came a very definitive 'Shh!'

'Okay, yes, I know.' Cordell replied, attempting to keep his voice down. 'I need to be quiet, but it helps me to think out loud. You know that.' '

'Be quiet.' A woman's voice said through the pipe.

He looked back up at the pipe. 'Hello?'

The door opened, Neo and a couple other guys walking into the room. 'Calling for me?'

'Oh, hey there. Neo.' Cordell replied as Neo unlocked the cage and he and the other men walked in. 'It's good to, uh, it's good to see you. Gentlemen. To what do I owe the, uh...' His sentence was abruptly cut off when Neo's two buddies grabbed him and dragged him forward, hanging the handcuffs up on a hook above his head so he couldn't move. 'Oh, okay, yeah. I'm sorry, you're not my type-'

'Hey, enough!' Neo barked when the guy grabbed Cordell's face, making him back off.

'You know, Neo, your friends aren't very nice.' He replied, taking a good look at the man he'd christened Neo standing in front of him. He was tall and buff with obvious military background but it was the nice open wound on his upper arm that made Cordell smirk. 'Oh, looky there. That's what it was, huh?' He sniffed the air. 'The antiseptic. You're, uh... bullet? Graze you?'

'Like you don't know.' Neo said as he picked up a full bucket of water off the ground nearby, throwing it onto the ranger.

Cordell spluttered for a moment, spitting out the water that got into his mouth. 'Sorry I, uh... Sorry I missed.'

'You know, I got to admit you, uh,' Neo started, taking a stun gun from one of the guys standing behind him and held it behind his back. 'You got pretty good reflexes.'

'Confused, Neo. I got a shot off, yet here I am, feeling good. So help me understand that. You, uh, need a new guy? After Fenton? Yeah?'

Neo produced the stun gun, Cordell flinching a little when he heard the sound of the electricity crackling. Their eyes meet then Neo jammed it into his chest, Cordell unable to stop the scream that came from him as the electricity coursed through his body.

'Ask about Jenny.' Emily yelled.

Neo pulled the stun gun away for a moment, looking at Cordell. 'You want me to stop, just let me know.'

'Ask him.' Emily insisted. 'He's got to pick her up. He's worried about missing it, enough to bring it up to that other guy.' Again Neo hit Cordell with the stun gun. 'She means something! Ask him.'

Neo took it away for a moment then went to take another go.

'Who-who's Jenny?' Cordell questioned.

Neo stopped, realizing that the Ranger had overheard his conversation about his daughter when they thought he'd been out of it. 'Don't you play dead like a champ?'

'Who's Jenny? Daughter?' He continued, seeing that he had found the guys weak-point. 'I'm guessing she's your daughter. Yeah, I got a daughter, too. Two actually but you knew that, didn't you? You know today is graduation day.'

'You're making this harder than it has to be, you know that?'

'Yeah, I read the same manual, Neo.' To that, he earnt himself another shock. 'End-end of the day,' He continued when Neo pulled it away again. 'you and me, we're dads. I bet Jenny worries about you. My daughters are worried about me, I could tell you that.'

'Shut up.' Neo yelled at him

Another man walked in through the door and marched into the cage. 'What, are we taking a break?' He questioned before snatching the stun gun from Neo's hand and jammed it into the guy's ribs, Neo collapsing on the ground in a heap. He snorted, motioning for the other guys to pick him up. 'Get him out of here.' The two of them did so and after they had left he turned back to the hanging ranger. 'Man. That is sad, Cordell. You lost your buddy. Listen, you can make a lot of other friends in here if you want. Just say the word.'

Cordell glared at him, remaining silent.

'No?' He questioned as his henchmen returned, bringing with them a tipped back chair, a large plastic jug of water and a towel. 'Well... I am really sorry about this, but...' He smiled. 'I guess you know what comes next.' Turning to leave he motioned for the two guys to take Cordell and begin the waterboarding. 'Go ahead.'

'Maddie!'

'Mika!' Maddie turned around as her friend ran over to her, the two of them embracing each other tightly.

'Hey, hey, I came as soon as I heard. Elizabeth told me.'

'I thought-I thought you were busy tonight.' She replied as she looked up at her friend, Mika pulling back. 'You-you said you had stuff on...'

'I did but this-this is more important.' Mika told her, taking a look around. Plenty of vehicles were parked around, police, the rangers, SAR, neighbors trucks, all people here to begin searching. 'Have they found anything?'

She shook her head, untying the mare from the hitching post. 'Nothing. Kota and I are just about to head out and join in. Grampa's in the barn saddling up horses for the neighbors. If you'd like to ride along I won't protest.'

'That's what I'm here for. Elizabeth will be here soon too. I'll wait here for her and we'll catch up with you.'

Maddie nodded, Mika jogging off in the direction of the barn. Cueing Dakota to bow beside her wheelchair she mounted up, fastening herself into the saddle before she asked the mare to move on. Bypassing a couple of neighbors that had come to join in the search she headed over to the portable gazebo that had been set up as base camp to await orders.

After being given her instructions she sat back and waited, Mika and Elizabeth riding over to join her a short time later. 'Elizabeth-' She started as her two friends halted their horses. 'Thank you for coming.'

Elizabeth lent over and gave Maddie a hug, rubbing her back. 'Of course.' She lingered for a moment then pulled back and took a look around. 'Where are we starting?'

'They want us to cover the ground again between the trail and either side of that paddock.' Maddie replied as the three of them began riding over to the search area. 'I've already taken the trail but either side hasn't been searched yet. Elizabeth, if you can ride one side, Mika and I will take the other. We'll cover more ground split up but I need someone with me in case Dakota finds something and I can't pick it up. Here's a radio,' She pulled an extra one off her belt and handed it over to her. 'call in if you find anything.''

Elizabeth nodded as she fasted the radio to her belt then turned the chestnut gelding she was on off the trail and began searching.

Mika turned back to Maddie, the two of them looking around carefully as they began searching their section. 'What happened?' She questioned softly after a time. 'I mean, what's going on?'

Maddie shrugged, sighing heavily as she turned to her friend. 'I wish I knew. Dad, Uncle Liam and Uncle Trey were out on this path this afternoon running. Dad had a head start and somewhere between the house and here, he disappeared.'

'Do they think he could be hurt somewhere here?'

'I don't know.' Another sigh as she looked around, still not finding anything. 'If he was here, Dakota would have found him already. He's not here. I can feel it.'

'Then...' Mika paused for a moment. 'Why is everyone out here searching?'

'Just trying to do what they can to help, I guess. The neighbors, I mean. The police, the SAR, hell, everyone here... They're just trying to find anything, anything at all that might help.'

Silence again.

'I won't ask how you're holding up.' Mika continued after a time. 'I know that's pointless. I just want you to know that I'm here though. I'm here for you.'

Maddie smiled sadly at her, reaching over to give her hand a gentle squeeze. 'Thank you.' She told her sincerely. 'It means more to me then you'll know.'

Giving her hand a gentle squeeze back she let her go again, looking around once more. The sun was getting low over the horizon. Sunset would arrive in a little over an hour or so... 'How long has he been missing?'

'About five hours so far.' She replied after checking the time on her smart watch. 'It was just after two he disappeared and it's now just past seven-'

Dakota snorted loudly, interrupting what Maddie had been saying and she instantly gave the mare her head, the mustang turning to go walk through some brush.

'She onto something?' Mika questioned, following after her.

'Perhaps...' Maddie replied as the mare stopped for another sniff before continuing. Images of what they might find danced through her mind and she had to shut her eyes, taking a deep breath. What if they found her father hurt... Or worse?

Dakota stopped again, lowering her head to the ground and she cautiously opened an eye. Cordell wasn't in front of them but there was something on the ground that the mare was concerned about. 'Mika, can you-'

'Yep.' She said, dismounting after stopping her horse next to Maddie's. 'Looks like...' She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket so she didn't mess up any fingerprints on the item and held it up.

Maddie's heart sank as she identified what it was.

A bullet casing..