(Kick into Overdrive Day)
Andrew's Hartford's POV
One by one the four chosen to be rangers found their messages. Flattered looks came about from the compliments, but soon changed to confusion. They had been invited, but to where and why? I knew this because I had tracked their holographic messaged and recieved their replies. I crossed the invitations off my to do list - time was running out, and he had not everything done yet. Next on the list was to arrange for Spencer, the butler to take my son Mack into town the day of the meeting - I wanted to keep Mack safe at all costs.
"Spencer, can you come here for a minute?" "As you wish, Sir." He walked elegantly in, in his butler's outfit. "What can I help you with, Mr. Hartford?" "I want you to take Mack into town, so he can buy some books and other things. Make sure you stay in town for several hours... I have an important meeting that I don't want him walking in on." "Yes, sir."
4 months later...
Mack Hartford's POV
Oh my god! Today is the worst day of my life. The Guardian says it will only get worse, but how can that be, after how bad it has been today? He says that I will have no peace from this point foward, whether fighting, training or relaxing. That I will be in torment day and night, whether awake, asleep, or half-asleep, and in anguish whether living, dying or dead. That my life will never be the same, but how could it.
It all started this afternoon. Flurious attacked the city with another monster. The Overdrive Rangers came out to fight again. They fought a good fight, for about half an hour and then the monster let loose a new attack that knocked all five Rangers unconsicious. Flurious came down and froze them all solid, in their suits. He took them back with him to his icy den. It was on live news.
I was startled then, when I heard my father's voice from within his office - hadn't he been away this afternoon? I hadn't heard him come in. "Mack? Can you come here for a minute?" "Sure, dad." But when I got there, he wasn't there; in his place was the Guardian of the Corona Aurora. "Uh..you're the uh..." "Guardian of the Corona Aurora? Yes. I have come to apologize to you." "To me? Why?" "For three things." He waved his hand over my father's safe and it opened revealing the Corona Aurora.
"Dad? He.. He found it?" "Yes. And in doing so, he awakened Flurious and Moltar. I am sorry he did not tell you.. he wished to protect you, the one thing, and one person that he loves the most." "Oh wow." "Mack, the second thing that I have to apologize for is what happened to him." Puzzled, I asked, "What are you talking about?"
"Mack, your father, felt that he had to do something about Flurious and Moltar. He started the Rangers, and led them as the Red Ranger." Horror slowly grew within me as the realization hit me - what he meant... "Oh no! Dad! He's in the hands of Flurious?" "Yes." "Oh my god, no!" Just then, I remembered that he had said three things. I didn't want to know the third thing. I had just lost my dad. What could be worse?
However, my mouth betrayed me. "An- and the third thing?" "For this." He picked up the Crown and held it out to me. "Take it." Puzzled, I reached out and took ahold of it. Suddenly, I felt to the floor, in so much pain, that I could barely think; the crown slid from my hands unto the floor. And someone was screaming.
Spencer's POV
I was cutting tomatoes for the evening meal, when I heard Master Mack screaming in his father's office. Oh god, I thought. Not him too? First his father and now him? I dropped the knife and ran (normally I do not run, but this was an emergency) to Prof. Hartford's office. I threw open the door, screaming his name. My jaw dropped in horror to see such a sight. Mack lay on the floor, screaming, writhing in pain and sopping wet, the Crown, not from his outstretched hand. The door to his father's safe hung open, and the Guardian floated over Mack.
"I am sorry, I had to do it, I had no choice." The Guardian said this softly in a pained voice. "Spencer, he needs you now, more than ever, and not just as butler but as a friend."