The Law and Dan Mesa (15 page)

Ranger Mesa has a surprised look on his face and a smile.

“I know that some people care about me, especially Devlin. He is what keeps me going when I want to quit. I haven’t been there for him as I’d like to be, but I guess that can’t be helped. You said Garnett was here as well? That is a surprise. I didn’t think she’d come.”

“Dan Mesa, that lady still cares about you although she may never take you back. Always remain friends with her. I like her and the person she is. She said to tell you that her dad and mom send their love.”

“I have always done things my way and lived life my way. It prevents anyone else from getting hurt because of me. Had it not been for me, Sonia would still be alive. I will make Carlos and Antonio pay dearly for what they have done. Is there still a bounty on me?”

“Yes, there is, and we don’t know for sure who put up the bounty, but we do know that there are people waiting to kill you for it. So what do you plan to do about it?”

“I plan to get on with my life and train for complete recovery. Then I’m going after whoever is responsible for all of this.”

At that point, Dr. Burke walks in and says, “Ranger, you need rest, so get into bed, and if you are a good fellow, I just may let you go home tomorrow under the condition that you take it easy for a few days. You have to have someone stay with you, just in case you have fainting spells. You took a healthy blow to your head. You will have headaches for a few days, but don’t worry, they will go away. Who can stay with you for a few days?”

“Doctor, I live alone, and I don’t have any family that lives close by,” Dan says. “I guess I will have to stay here a bit longer.”

“Doctor, I will stay with him until he gets on his feet. I am down here on temporary duty assignment, and it will work to my advantage to stay with him and save me considerable money as well.”

Dan Mesa smiles one of his rare smiles as he turns toward Dr. Burke.

“Sir, I guess I will be leaving this hospital after all. Please express my appreciation to all the doctors, nurses, and staff for taking such good care of me. I owe them a debt of thanks.”

They arrive at Dan’s ranch in Nogales. He notices that the horses have been fed and that the place is clean. He is walking toward the kitchen to prepare coffee as Alana walks in. He smiles at her.

“Alana, how is your mom doing? I should call her.”

“She is fine. Dan, why are you so nervous around me? I am still the same person I was six months ago. I realize I may have said things when I had amnesia, but I am back to being me, and I care a great deal about you. So now, tell me what you are feeling and experiencing.”

“Alana, it seems as if everyone I love pays a heavy price for loving me, and I don’t know why it happens. It is not safe for you to be around me. You have been shot and Sonia kidnapped and killed. Ranger Savalas, a close friend was killed as well. Jose is dead, and I am running out of friends. I don’t have many friends left.”

Mesa slams his fist on the table saying; “I’ m going to make coffee. Would you like some?”

“Yes, coffee would be great if you have cream for it.”

Mesa continues toward the kitchen and suddenly straightens up and collapses. Alana rushes to his side, but he is unconscious. She calls 911, and an ambulance is sent. She makes a second call to Captain Johnson of the rangers to tell him what happened and then follows the ambulance to the hospital. Mesa is admitted, and the waiting begins. After two hours, Dr. Burke comes in.

“Lieutenant Osborne, Sergeant Mesa is resting well. There really isn’t anything to worry about. This was expected. He apparently overexerted himself and just passed out. It probably will not happen again, but I want to keep him here for a few more days.”

“Doctor, can I see him for a few minutes?”

“Okay, but just for a few minutes. He isn’t fully recovered yet, and it will take another week before he will be one hundred percent. I will drop in to see him in an hour.”

She walks into the room, and Mesa is sleeping but fitfully. She knows he is having a nightmare again. She lightly taps him on the arm, and he awakens with a start. He looks at her for a moment, totally confused.

“Where am I, and how did I get here?

“Dan, you collapsed and I brought you back to the hospital. Dr. Burke says you will be okay. You overdid it a bit. He wants you to stay for a couple of days. I am going to report into Captain Johnson and Major McMasters and then I will be back. You go to sleep and rest.”

Alana leans over kisses Mesa on the lips and says; “Here is a present just in case.” She place a gun in his hand. He says thanks and he smiles a sleepy smile and drifts off to sleep.

Mesa is having a nightmare and suddenly awakens, knowing someone is in his room. His hand closes around the handle of his pistol, and he rolls to the floor. The dark figure opens fire on the bed, and Dan Mesa returns fire, wounding the assassin in the chest. Security rushes to the room as Mesa struggles to get up from the floor. Sergeant Dan Mesa has a grazed head and a bullet burn on his arm.

The police arrive along with the rangers while Dr. Burke is treating Mesa’s head wound. Captain Johnson walks in with Sergeant Burke.

Johnson looks at Dan and says, “Sergeant Mesa, are you all right? It appears that someone still wants you dead. I think you should go into protective custody.’

“Captain, I have always fought my own battles, and I am not about to turn tail and run from these characters. I will meet them head-on. They started this, and I am going to end it. They killed Sonia and Savalas, and they have tried to kill me several times. Now it is my turn, and I plan to make everyone associated with this pay the ultimate price.”

“Sergeant, I will not have you or any of the rangers involved in personal vendettas while wearing that ranger badge. Do you understand me?”

For the first time in his life as a ranger, Dan Mesa pulls the star off his chest and hands it to Captain Johnson.

“Sir, I quit, because I will never give up hunting those who did this to Sonia and Savalas. I love being a ranger, but I will leave the rangers before I give up my quest.”

Captain Johnson realizes he is about to lose one of the best rangers he has. Suddenly, he realizes that the best way to keep track of Mesa is to keep him active as a ranger, because left to his own devices, Sergeant Daniel Mesa could be a force to reckon with.

“Sergeant Mesa, no one leaves the rangers. You are a ranger until you die. Just keep me posted on what you are doing. Now, tell me what happened.”

Mesa relates what happened to the captain. In the meantime, the suspect is being treated in the emergency room. He asks to speak to Dan Mesa.

“Doctor, please, I must speak to Ranger Mesa. Please I don’t have much time left.”

When Dan Mesa arrives in the emergency room, he says, “Yes, what do you want from me and who the hell are you?”

“Ranger, I was sent by Carlos to kill you. He has also put a contract on your family, your ex-wife and son. I am sorry.”

He gasps and dies on the operating table, never telling them who he is.

Mesa telephones Garnett. The phone rings in her office at Johns Hopkins.

“John Hopkins Hospital, how may I help you?” someone answers.

“I am Sergeant Daniel Mesa of the Arizona rangers, and this is an emergency. I need to speak with Doctor Garnett Williamson-Mesa.”

“One moment please.”

Mesa waits for what seems like and hour but is only a few minutes.

A voice answers saying; “Daniel, this is Garnett. What is wrong?”

“Garnett, pick up Devlin immediately and stay in the hospital until you hear from me. There is a contract out on you and Devlin. My captain is in the process of notifying the local police. But don’t you trust anyone until I get there. I will be there in a matter of hours, and Scotty will be there too. I am sorry I got you into this. It seems as if someone wants me dead and doesn’t care who has to die for that to happen. I will notify Scotty now, and he will escort you.”

“Daniel, what is all this about?”

“Well, I had a fainting spell and went back to the hospital for a day. It wasn’t anything serious and I am okay. While I was here, someone tried to kill me, but I got him. He told me about the contract before he died. Now, I promise all will be all right. You and Devlin will be okay.”

“Dan, I am holding you to your promise. I know this isn’t your doing, but I still get angry with you because of your job. Why can’t you just give it up and do something else?”

“Garnett, if I did give up my job as a ranger, would you come back to me?”

There is a silence on the other end and then a deep breath.

“No, Dan, I will not return to you. It isn’t that I don’t love you. It’s because too much time has elapsed, and we are different people now and can’t go back.”

“I see. I will make sure things are safe for you and Devlin. Give him a hug for me. Take care and don’t take anything for granted. Good-bye.”

At FBI headquarters, the phone rings in Agent Ortiz’s office.

“This is Agent Ortiz,” he answers. “How can I help you?”

“Scotty, this is Dan Mesa, and I need your help. Garnett and Devlin’s lives are at risk. In attempt to get to me, someone has put out a contract on them. I need you and your people to provide protection for them.”

“Dan, I will see to it personally. I understand they tried to kill you too. Take care of yourself, because I can’t afford to lose my best friend. I don’t do well at funerals.”

“Thanks, Scotty. I owe you one, and I will repay it. Garnett and Devlin mean a lot to me, and I don’t want anything to happen to them.”

“Dan, I will protect them with my life. The only way they will get them is through me, and that won’t happen. They are going to disappear until this is over. No one—not even you—will know where they are until this is over. So go and do what you do so well.”

Mesa hangs up the phone and rushes to the airport for a flight to Baltimore. When Mesa arrives, he is escorted to the air reserves headquarters.

“Hello, Captain Mesa. I am Colonel Williamson, Garnett’s first cousin, and I have been tasked to fly you to Baltimore the fastest way possible. Agent Ortiz will meet us at the airport. Take care of my cousin. She is one in a million, but you already know that.”

“Thanks, colonel, and I will do everything in my power to protect them. Scotty will take care of them while I put this whole situation to rest. It has gone on long enough, and too many people have suffered because of it. Now I am going to make some very bad people pay with their lives.”

“Captain Mesa or Ranger Mesa, I am glad you are one of the good guys, because you would make one hell of a bad guy. These fellows you are after, do they deserve what you are about to do to them?”

“Yes, sir, they deserve it and more besides. They killed a lady friend of mine and a fellow ranger, and they have tried killing me three times. The second time, they almost succeeded, but the third time I was ready for them, and the assassin paid with his life. Now I am going on the hunt. There will be a lot of dead people before this is over.”

When they arrive in Baltimore, they are met at the airport by the FBI. Mesa proceeds with Scotty to Johns Hopkins Hospital. Garnett has Devlin with her when Mesa arrives. The entire nursing staff has been alerted that the rangers have arrived. Mesa walks in with his traditional jeans, western shirt, badge, and white hat. Only today he is carrying a hidden gun, a 9 mm. Mesa’s features are drawn and tight, and he is wearing his death face.

As they step outside the hospital, two individuals open fire. Mesa pushes Garnett and Devlin to the ground and opens fire, emptying the revolver into the first assassin. With his left hand, he draws the 9 mm and opens fire. He puts four bullets into the second individual as she opens fire on him.

“Dan, stop. You will be killed,” Garnett yells, but Mesa keeps running toward the lady, firing. She switches from the revolver to an automatic and continues firing until she drops, mortally wounded.

As suddenly as it started, it is over. Dan Mesa has two bullet holes in his hat, a bullet hole in his sleeve, and a bullet burn on his arm. He calmly holsters his weapons and rushes to his ex-wife and son. Both are unharmed. Garnett is visibly shaken, and Devlin is crying. Mesa picks his son up and comforts him. He puts his other arm around Garnett and holds her for a few minutes.

Agent Ortiz takes over searching the woman and man for ID, but he finds none. The ambulance arrives, and the bodies are taken away to the coroner’s office. Slowly, order is restored, and Mesa takes Garnett and Devlin to her father’s home. Scotty accompanies them.

Jonathan and Nadia are waiting when they arrive. Nadia sees a difference in Dan. She notices the drawn lines around his mouth and a smoldering fire in his eyes. She sees a man carrying more burdens than anyone man should carry.

“Mom, Dad, I am sorry all this happened. It seems that I am always apologizing these days. This attempt on Garnett and Devlin is related to the situation in Arizona, and I didn’t know it would go this far. I will terminate this entire situation when I get back.”

“Son, sometimes you just can’t control some situations. Jonathan and I know that you didn’t intentionally cause all this. Remember that we were there for some of the action. You just do what you have to do, and you will be in our prayers.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Dan says, “I needed to hear you say those things. I believe Garnett faults me for what has happened. I would never do anything to harm her or Devlin. They are most important to me. I guess it is time for me to move on before she really gets angry with me.”

Garnett walks into the room and looks at Daniel Mesa with eyes as cold as ice. She turns away and then says, “Dan Mesa, if you ever endanger our lives again, you will never see me or Devlin again. What happened today was your fault. Don’t ever bring your problems around us again.”

Devlin comes into the room, and Dan picks him up and hugs him.

“Son, I love you dearly, and I would never intentionally hurt you or Mom. What happened today was because bad people wanted to hurt me because I am going to arrest them. They hurt two of my friends, and now they have tried to hurt Mommy and you. Always remember and know that I love you more than anything in this world.”