Disclaimer: The usual routine here – I don't own the Power Rangers or any aspect of the Power Ranger universe, Saban does. I don't have permission to write about them, nor do I get paid to do so.
Notes and Timeline: Zeo Period, Jason is the Gold Ranger, Billy hasn't gone to Aquitar, and for the purposes of this story I am ignoring continuity from this point forward. Though set in the Zeo period, this is not part of my series the "Zeo Chronicles" as it does not fit into the continuity of that series as I have envisioned it.
Warning: This story contains references to non-consensual sex. Though it is not described in graphic detail, if this is something that upsets you in any way, don't read this story.
Betrayal
By Mele
Billy staggered to his feet with a groan of pain, looking around. To his surprise he found himself in his own backyard, and judging from the position of the sun it was mid morning. That would mean it had been almost exactly 24 hours from the time he and Jason were kidnapped from Angel Grove Park.
Trying to ignore the myriad messages of pain his body was sending out, he staggered to the door leading into the coolness of the garage. A quick search of his workbench turned up the small device he needed. Grabbing it, he carefully made his way upstairs into the morning quiet house.
"Anybody home?" he called out into the stillness. He was not surprised when he received no answer; in fact, he was relieved. Regardless, he checked his father's bedroom before heading toward his own.
He found a clean set of sweats in his closet, and took them with him to the bathroom. Slowly stripping off his clothing, he checked himself out in the full-length mirror hanging on the back of the bathroom door. Grimacing at the assortment of bruises and abrasions that decorated his body, he activated the small device he had brought with him and began to treat his injuries.
Twenty minutes later he was finished, and the pain - the physical pain, at least - had been reduced to a memory. Setting the device aside he stepped into the shower, turning the temperature as hot as he could stand it. He meticulously scrubbed his body, washing off the dirt and grime accumulated during the last day, leaving his skin flushed and cleansed.
If only he could slough off the memories as easily.
Leaning wearily against the shower wall he felt his control waver, then fail. Tears came then, more scalding than the water still beating down on his body.
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Jason looked around his backyard in confusion, wondering what exactly he was doing there. He had the strangest feeling that time had passed; quite a bit of time at that. Worried, he thought back to the last thing he remembered. The memory that surfaced was that of meeting the other Rangers in Angel Grove Park for a Sunday Brunch picnic. The idea had been Kat's, who thought it would be a clever way to celebrate Tanya's birthday. He recalled sitting with Tommy and Billy quietly discussing an upcoming karate tournament.
Then nothing. Nothing until finding himself in his own backyard.
Gathering his somewhat scattered wits, he entered the empty house and headed toward his bedroom. He didn't bother to check if his parents were at home, he knew they wouldn't be. They were on a rare vacation, spending two weeks traveling up the coast with another couple with whom they had been friends for fifteen years. They had left just the Friday before the ill-fated brunch in the park.
Sitting down on the edge of his bed he stared at his phone, thinking, summarizing what he knew. He had already discovered his communicator and morpher were missing. He was a bit dirty and disheveled, but uninjured. He realized he was quite hungry, as well as thirsty, but not particularly tired. He picked up the watch on his bedside and pressed the button that showed the date. It was Monday, so only one day had passed. More and more puzzled, he reached for the phone to call Tommy.
He had just picked up the receiver when he heard the doorbell ring. Setting it down he went to see who was at the door.
It was Tommy.
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The Zeo Rangers had been unable to prevent the kidnapping of Jason and Billy on Sunday morning. The attack had come seemingly out of nowhere, and ended almost before it had started. The orange clad humanoids had grabbed the Gold and former Blue Rangers and promptly disappeared, leaving behind two communicators and a morpher. Teleporting to the Power Chamber immediately, the team was told they had been traced to an anomaly in space just beyond the moon, which had suddenly appeared only minutes before the attack. Attempts to penetrate the force field surrounding it had failed, and Zordon had been unable to identify the beings that had grabbed the two teens.
Forced into a wait-and-see position, the five Zeo Rangers had spent a frustrating day monitoring the shielded sector where their two missing friends were being held. There was no sign of activity, nothing at all. They each arranged to spend the night at the Power Chamber, and had covered for Billy with his dad. They worked in shifts throughout the night, monitoring the situation.
Nothing happened.
Then, mid morning, Mondo sent down a monster. Nothing special, nothing unusual, definitely one of Mondo's mechanical monsters. Better shielded than most, it took the team a while to defeat it. However, after a protracted and fierce battle, defeat it they did.
They returned to the Power Chamber to find the anomaly gone, and the two missing Rangers back at their respective homes. They had been back about thirty minutes according to Alpha's estimate, he had been busy monitoring the battle against the monster and had not noticed the bleep that sounded when the two teens were returned.
"And they're in their own homes now?" Tommy asked.
"Yes, Tommy. Neither is moving, but both are inside. Do you want me to teleport them here?"
"No. Maybe it would be best if we go to them," Tommy decided. "I'll go to see how Jason is, and Adam you go check on Billy. The rest of you see if you can trace that ship or whatever it was where they were being held. Just in case."
With assorted replies in the affirmative the teenagers set out to do their assigned tasks.
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Adam had pounded on the Cranston front door without receiving any reply. Frustrated, he touched his communicator, opening communications between him and the Power Chamber.
"Alpha, are you sure he's here?"
"Yes, Adam, he's there. Perhaps he can't hear you?"
"Okay. I'll go on inside. Thanks."
Sighing, Adam reached up to find the spare key Billy kept hidden above the porch light. Unlocking the front door and replacing the key, Adam stepped inside and listened. He could hear water running upstairs and felt a sense of relief. Billy was in the shower. No wonder he hadn't heard Adam at the front door.
The Asian teen made his way up the stairs toward the bathroom. Standing outside the door all he could hear was the running water; there were no other signs of life. Wanting to let Billy know he was there, he knocked briskly on the door then shouted without opening it.
"Hey, Billy. It's Adam. I'll wait for you in your room, okay?" Without waiting for a reply, Adam went to the tidy room and settled down on the desk chair to wait.
Billy had been badly startled by Adam's knocking and shout. Choking back the sobs that still wanted to come, he rallied himself and managed to stop crying. There was no way he would let any of his teammates, even Adam, with whom he shared a special closeness, see how shaken he was. They must never learn what had happened during the last 24 hours. Never.
Taking his time to allow his eyes to lose some of their redness, and for his control to strengthen, Billy dressed in the sweats he had laid out, then went into the bedroom to greet his guest.
"Sorry, Adam, but I was so filthy, I had to take a shower. I didn't have a way to contact you guys right away," he explained hastily. "Is Jason back at his house as well?"
"Yeah, he is. Are you okay? What did they do with you guys? We couldn't get through their force field to rescue you, it was so frustrating," Adam said quickly, almost sounding anxious.
"It was weird. They just kept us in this big room. Jason was given something that seemed to affect his memory, I think. But outside that they didn't do anything to us. We tried to escape through a vent, which is when I got so dirty, but they caught us and put us back in the room. Then out of the blue, they just came in and said they were sending us back home. I guess they meant that literally, since I ended up in my backyard."
"That's weird. You should come with me to the Power Chamber, let Katherine examine you just to be on the safe side."
"Well, okay, I know the rule. But, really, I'm fine."
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"Tommy. Hi. Uh, what brings you here?" Jason greeted his friend.
"You bring me here. Are you okay? What happened to you out there? Why did they release you? Is Billy okay?" Tommy's worry found its voice in the rapid-fire questions.
"Well, I'm pretty sure I'm okay. At least I hope so. But…uh…I don't know where I was for the last day or so. I remember being in the park with all you guys, then I was in my backyard. I don't know what happened in between," Jason explained, his expression one of worry and confusion.
"It's okay, Bro. You were taken to a sort of a space station, I guess. But, don't worry about that right now. Let's get you to the Power Chamber and have Kat examine you. You don't hurt anywhere, do you?"
"No, I feel fine. Why'd you ask about Billy? Was he taken too?"
"Yeah, he was. But the sensors indicated he's at his house. Adam's over there right now, checking on him. He'll probably be at the Power Chamber when we get there," Tommy replied easily.
"Okay. Sounds good, I guess. I'd really like some answers, though."
"You and me both, Bro."
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Katherine ran thorough scans on both Jason and Billy, including one to determine if they were clones. That test had become fairly standard since clones had infiltrated the team several times already.
Her tests showed that Jason had the residue of some unknown chemical in his bloodstream, but was otherwise healthy. Billy's scan showed no injuries, but did turn up traces of a foreign substance in his intestinal tract. Billy seemed unconcerned, telling Kat it might be a trace of some infection left over from the flu he had had the week before. So Kat was pleased to be able to report that both were fine, and Alpha would be testing the chemical found in Jason to try to determine what it was.
While Jason was being scanned, Tommy and the rest of the team questioned Billy about what had happened during their captivity. With Jason lying quietly on the scanbed, Billy did his own lying.
"Really, guys, it was weird. When we were first taken, we were rendered unconscious, maybe from some sort of drug since I couldn't find any injuries that would indicate they hit us. When I woke up I found we were in this big room, it was completely barren. Jason was lying beside me, still unconscious. I guess they must have injected Jason with whatever it was while we were out of it, because when he came to he was pretty confused. Didn't know who I was, didn't know what had happened, nothing. Basically we just sat around. It was incredibly boring, actually. We did try to escape using a vent, but got caught as soon as we were tried to get out of the shaft. They blindfolded us and took us back to that room, where we stayed until they sent us back here. I was a little disoriented when I first arrived in my backyard, but that was all," he shrugged, looking a little uncomfortable with everyone watching him.
"You have no idea why they took you guys?" Tommy asked.
"No. No one threatened us, we didn't see anyone except when they recaptured us, and right before they sent us back here. Both times it looked like the same guys who grabbed us at the park. Sorry, I really don't have any idea what they hoped to accomplish with this act."
"That's weird. But, Zordon's trying to find out who they are, so maybe that'll clear it up. Anyway, I'm glad you two are okay. That's the most important thing."
A chorus of 'yeahs' accompanied his comment.
Jason sat up as Kat deactivated the scanbed. "Well, at least it doesn't sound like I missed much," he quipped.
"Hey, ready to help with the class this afternoon?" Rocky asked.
"Sure, unless there's some reason I shouldn't," he replied with a look at Katherine.
"You're fine. Go ahead. It will take quite a while to identify that substance. But, if you start to feel bad or anything, let us know. Okay?" Katherine replied with a stern look.
"Yes, ma'am," he grinned back, hopping off the bed and walking over to Rocky. "Ready to go, guys?"
"Yep," Rocky responded. At his nod, he, Jason, Adam, and Tanya all teleported out of the Med Room.
"If you're finished with me as well, I need to get some work done in the main chamber," Billy said.
"Go on. Same applies to you, though. If you start to feel bad, let us know."
"Okay," the former Blue Ranger replied as he headed toward the main chamber.
Kat turned to Tommy to invite him to join her for lunch at the Youth Center, but was stopped by the expression she saw on his face.
"What's wrong, Tommy," she asked.
"I just can't shake this feeling," he replied, still looking at the door Billy had disappeared through moments before.
"What feeling?"
"That he's lying."
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Forty minutes later, sitting in the Youth Center enjoying chicken sandwiches, Katherine could not get Tommy's comment out of her mind. Checking around to be sure that no one could overhear, she leaned a bit closer to the team leader.
"What makes you think Billy was lying?"
Tommy looked thoughtful as he chewed his bite of sandwich. Swallowing, he replied, "I'm not really sure. It's not something I can really explain, but I feel like he's hiding something from us. Darned if I know what it is, or why, though. Didn't you feel it?"
She looked down at her half eaten lunch, then back up at Tommy with an expression that clearly indicated that she did not like what she was about to say. "Yeah, I did. I didn't want to, but I did. Why would he lie?"
"I just don't know. You want to know something funny? I don't think Jason's lying. I really don't think he remembers a thing that happened while they were gone. But Billy sure does."
"Do you think he's being forced to lie to us?" Kat asked.
"I don't know. Maybe. Blackmailed somehow? You checked to be sure he isn't a clone, right?"
"Yes. And he's the real Billy. Should we confront him about this?"
"Not right now. But we should keep a close eye on him, just in case." Tommy sighed. "I hate this. Wondering if something is wrong."
"Yeah."
"Hey guys, why the long faces?" Rocky smiled as he sat down beside his two teammates.
"Just thinking about what happened with Jason and Billy. How'd Jason do with the karate class? Did he seem okay?" Tommy asked.
"Yeah. Perfectly normal."
"Good."
"What's good?" was Adam's question as he and Tanya joined the group.
"It's good that Jason is okay," Kat said easily, then gave a warning look as the Gold Ranger approached.
"Hey, great class, man!" Rocky enthused. He and Jason were working together, teaching a karate class for underprivileged kids.
"Yeah, it was. These kids seem to appreciate the lessons," Jason smiled.
"So, you feeling okay?" Tommy couldn't help but ask.
"Yes, Mother, I feel fine. Still don't remember anything, but I feel okay, so that's all I care about right now. I figure the memories will come back in time."
About that he was absolutely correct.
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The ship that had appeared so suddenly beyond Earth's moon, then disappeared just as quickly, was now heading at the speed of light back to its home planet, Keron. Content they had arranged the destruction of the human currently holding the Gold Powers, the ship set a nonstop course straight home. They had no further business on Earth.
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As Jason prepared for bed Wednesday night, he paused to look thoughtfully out his bedroom window at the peaceful street below. With his parents still out of town, the house was oddly quiet. He finally turned toward his bed with an unconscious look of dismay. He didn't want to go to sleep. He didn't want the dreams to start.
The last two nights he had been plagued by almost non stop dreams. Some were the usual, run-of-the-mill sorts of dreams he had always had. But the others…they were the ones that made him reluctant to go to sleep, regardless of how tired he was. That day he had purposely exhausted himself, hoping he would be able to avoid the dreams. But, deep inside, he knew they would still come. The dreams of darkness, and screams, and pleas for mercy, and the horrible feeling when he woke up that something he valued had been destroyed forever. The dreams resulted in Jason constantly feeling an unfocused sense of dread, the vague and unpleasant feeling that something was very wrong in his world, but he didn't know what. The dreams and their aftermath left him craving comfort-comfort that was not readily available when he was alone. He would not have admitted it to even his closest friend, but the truth was pretty simple.
He wanted his mother. Desperately.
He sighed and slowly slid between the sheets, his body tense and his mind anxious. It took a long time for him to relax, but eventually he did. Shortly thereafter his eyes began to move rapidly behind their closed lids as the dreams came, as he had known they would.
And when he awoke with a cry of despair in the middle of the night, there was no one there to hear it.
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Tommy teleported to the Power Chamber with the intention of dragging Billy out of there, bodily if he had to, and to the park to join the rest of the team. Since he and Jason had been returned Monday, the former Blue Ranger had kept a distance from the rest of the team, never finding time to join in their off duty activities. With it being summer vacation, the teens had plenty of free time and had been filling the long days with a variety of activities. Billy had suddenly started spending literally all day in the Power Chamber, and Tommy was determined to change that.
Zordon told him that Billy was working on some of the equipment in the Med Room, so Tommy headed there to confront the team's genius. Entering the open Med Room door, he found the light haired teen bent over a console with his back to him.
"So here's where you've been hiding. You can't…." he trailed off in surprise at Billy's reaction. At the sound of Tommy's voice Billy had straightened abruptly, turning around to face Tommy, his face suddenly bloodless and his blue eyes wide and terrified. Seeing that it was Tommy, Billy relaxed, but his breathing was harsh and jagged, and his color slow to return.
"Dammit Tommy! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" he gasped angrily.
Tommy looked at his friend worriedly. Because Billy worked alone most of the time, and had a tendency to get extremely involved in what he was doing, every member of the team had startled him at least once by coming in a room unannounced and speaking suddenly. But he had never seen Billy react so strongly. The blond teen was still unnaturally pale, and Tommy could see his hands were shaking.
"I…I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted to invite you to join us at the park for a picnic. Are you okay?"
"Fine," Billy mumbled, turning back to the console.
"What's wrong with you, Billy. I've never seen you so jumpy. You aren't hanging out with us at all. You're grumpy. It's not like you, man. What's going on? Maybe we can help."
"Nothing's going on. I'm fine. I was just really concentrating there, you know. You startled me, that's all."
"Billy, that was more than startled. You looked like you thought I was going to kill you. Please, what's going on with you?"
"Nothing, Tommy, really. I…I've been having some bad dreams, and I guess they're lingering more than I want them to. You know how it is. I guess I'm a little sleep deprived, and that makes me more jumpy, and with the dreams and all…" the former Ranger looked quite embarrassed by his confession.
"Yeah, I do know how it goes. What are the dreams about?"
"That's the worst part-I can't remember exactly. But I wake up trying to scream, sweating, my heart racing and I know it's the dream that causing it. But even as I try to hold on to the memory of what I was dreaming of, it slips away. It's frustrating"
"Ah, man, I hate those kinds of dreams. No wonder you're jumpy. Look, I'm sorry I startled you. But I did come here for a reason-I wanted to know if you'd like to join us at the park. Kat and Tanya fixed a picnic lunch, and if you get there before Rocky gets his hands on it you could find yourself with an excellent meal," Tommy offered, never even considering what had happened the last time Billy had joined the team for a picnic in the park.
"Thanks for the offer, Tommy, but I really want to get this finished. I'm recalibrating the diagnostic bed and the 'table', and I have to get them done as soon as possible. I would hate for someone to get hurt and to not have the right equipment available."
Tommy sighed. He really wanted to get Billy out of there, but if he had the most critical medical equipment they possessed inoperable, then it was imperative he finish getting them back on line as quickly as possible.
"Well, okay. But if you finish early, the invitation still stands, okay?"
"If I finish early enough, I'll be there."
Tommy knew he wouldn't see Billy at the park that afternoon.
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Jason had decided to try something different after yet another sleepless night. He worked out for a couple of hours that morning then mowed all the lawns surrounding his house. He did some weeding and raking, and washed all three family vehicles, waxing his father's car as well. Barely able to stand, he took a quick shower and collapsed on the bed, falling instantly asleep.
Despite his exhaustion, he awoke barely an hour later with a strangled cry. The dream was getting stronger, the images clearer. He was in a large room with someone. He was intent on hurting the other person, though he had no idea why he wanted to. And hurt the other person is exactly what he did. Though his actions were not yet clear, the cries of pain and the broken voice begging for mercy were. Jason jerked awake feeling revulsion and horror at what he had done.
And the feeling of self-loathing the dream left him with was intensified when he discovered he was also very aroused.
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Wallace Cranston wandered half asleep down the hall, making the return trip to his bedroom from the bathroom on autopilot. More asleep than awake, he almost missed the soft moans and whimpers from his son's room. Pausing, hearing the sounds but unable to identify them at first, he stood in the hallway with his head tilted, an oddly unfocused look of concentration on his face. Finally recognizing the source of the sounds, he made his decision and quietly opened the door to Billy's bedroom.
The teen was lying on his side with his back toward the door, making small sounds of distress, his body twitching. Wallace walked softly over to the far side of the bed and very gently shook his son's shoulder.
"Billy. Billy, wake up, son. You're having a bad dream," he said in a gentle tone.
The effect was explosive. Billy jerked awake wildly, wrenching away from his father's touch and making a panicked attempt to escape.
"No, no, please, don't hurt me anymore," he whimpered as he tried to escape the perceived attack. He ended up curled against the headboard on the far side of the bed, teetering in the edge. His bed mussed hair and sleep-swollen eyes made him look even younger than his eighteen years. Wallace's heart constricted as he recalled the nights, so many years before, when he would hear his son crying out in his sleep, and he'd have to come in to awaken the child from dreams in which his mother died in a car accident over and over again.
"Billy, it's okay. It's me son. Dad. Come on, wake up now," he soothed, heartened when he saw that Billy was finally awake.
"Dad?" Oh, how young that voice sounded in the deepest part of the night.
"Yeah, son. Come on and settle back down. You were having a bad dream, quite a doozy from the sounds of it," while still speaking gently, he encouraged Billy to lie back down in the bed.
"Sorry I woke you up," Billy said softly, lying down and trying to relax.
"I just happened to be passing by," Wallace replied easily. "Do you remember the dream? You were obviously upset."
Billy couldn't meet his father's eyes. "No, I don't. Just a vague unpleasant feeling," he lied.
Wallace, knowing it was a lie, but believing Billy lied out of embarrassment, didn't press him.
"Well, no matter. It's over now. Try to go back to sleep."
Billy then did something his father could not remember the boy doing in close to five years. He reached out to his father and hugged him tightly. Wallace returned the embrace gladly, wondering if maybe Billy had dreamed of his mother again, after all these years. He couldn't think of anything else that could have happened that would affect his son so. Ever since Billy had become a teenager, he had eschewed most physical expressions of affection from his father. But here, in the deepest ditch of night, in the darkened bedroom, the sometimes stiff-necked pride of his teenage offspring seemed out of place, and Wallace had the impression that for this brief moment he had his little boy back again.
So he held his son close, until he felt the strong young body relax into sleep, then gently eased him down in the bed, hoping he would sleep peacefully for the rest of the night. Looking at the face of his sleeping son, Wallace did something he could not remember doing for years-he leaned down and gently kissed his son's cheek, before quietly turning and going back to his own room.
And when Billy cried out in his sleep again two hours later, Wallace himself was asleep and didn't awaken.
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Tommy was getting increasingly worried about his two closest friends. Jason was starting to look like death warmed over. He was unnaturally pale, with deepening dark circles under both eyes. He no longer hung around with the team at all, but spent more and more time alone working out, doing odd jobs around his yard, or simply withdrawing into his house and refusing to be lured outside.
Billy was no better. He spent all his time at the Power Chamber or in his lab. If one of the team sought him out with an invitation, he deftly avoided having to go, claiming he needed to finish some critical job in case of an attack by Mondo.
As for Mondo and his group, they were attacking about every other day. The monsters were neither particularly easy nor difficult. The attacks required all six Rangers, and pushed them near, but not quite to, their limits. They had managed to avoid destroying any of their zords, but Kat's and Rocky's were both damaged, and would eventually need minor overhauls to restore them to maximum ability. For the time being, Billy and Alpha had jury-rigged them to bypass the damaged systems so they could be taken into battle at a moment's notice.
Tommy was considering all these things as he sat on the edge of a cliff in the desert outside Angel Grove, his favorite spot to retire to when he needed time alone to think. He had tried, gently, to get Jason and Billy to talk to him with no luck. He had asked Adam to try to find out what was going on with the former Blue Ranger, but Adam had met with the same passive resistance Tommy had.
It had been over a week since the two had been kidnapped. Thinking back, Tommy realized that was when his friends' behavior had begun to change. He felt a twinge of guilt as he realized he had almost forgotten about the incident in the face of the increased activity by Mondo. Now, reflecting on the past week, he felt the suspicion he had experienced right after their return reappear. The feeling that Billy was not telling them the whole truth about their experiences in that room he had described. Shaking his head in disgust with himself, he resolved to get to the bottom of whatever was bothering the Gold and former Blue Rangers. In the name of friendship it was the least he could do.
But, before Tommy could even begin to formulate a plan of action, his communicator beeped.
"Tommy, report to the Power Chamber immediately. Mondo has sent down another monster."
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Mondo's latest creation was a mechanized bipedal lizard-like creation Rocky dubbed the Lounge Lizard. It could shoot paralyzing darts from the tips of all six fingers, the venom rendering the victim paralyzed for from ten minutes to three hours, depending on the depth of penetration. To add to the fun, their suits would not repel the darts.
"Rangers, use extreme caution in dealing with Lounge Lizard."
"Rocky, did you have to give it such a stupid name?" Adam asked in exasperation.
"How was I to know Zordon would accept that as a name? He usually comes up with the names, not me," Rocky shrugged, still trying not to laugh at the sound of Zordon's deep, commanding voice calling that creature a Lounge Lizard.
"Well, next time just keep quiet until he's named it," Adam shot back, fighting not to laugh himself. It really was pretty funny.
"Come on guys, time to get to work. It's morphing time!"
Soon the six teens were in Angel Grove Park, dodging poisonous darts and trying with no success to bring down the monster before someone got injured.
"Let's try the Zeo Cannon," Tommy called out to the others. "Jason, try to keep its attention for a minute. Okay, Bro?"
"You got it," Jason replied without his usual heartiness.
Tommy shot a quick look at the Gold Ranger, briefly wondering if Jason was up to a battle, then dismissed the thought as he and the other Zeo Rangers powered up the cannon. They hit Lounge Lizard dead center, but the cannon had no effect at all.
"Billy, the cannon didn't work! Can you try to discover its weakness? And hurry, this one's strong," Tommy shouted into his communicator as he and Tanya narrowly avoided a barrage of darts.
"I'm working on it Tommy! Try to stay slightly to its left, that appears to be its weaker side. I'm trying to discover a way to use that weakness. I'll let you know soon as I find something."
Jason was only peripherally aware of the surrounding struggle. Without warning he found himself almost graying out, reality slowly slipping into the background. He found the fight, his teammates, and the monster all seemed distant, unimportant. Scenes from the dream he kept having filled his mind, blotting out the outside world. To his horror, it became clear for the first time, and Jason realized just what he had done, and to whom he had done it. And worse yet, this didn't feel like a dream, he knew now it never really had. It felt like a memory.
Paralyzed by his internal struggle, he didn't notice the Lounge Lizard turn its attention on him. He didn't hear his teammates' shouts, and barely felt it when Rocky plowed into him at the last second, knocking him out of the line of fire. He began to reconnect to reality as he realized that Rocky was not getting off of him, but was lying on top of him in a boneless heap. As Tanya and Adam distracted Lounge Lizard, Tommy and Katherine hurried over to help the Blue and Gold Rangers.
"Billy! Rocky's been hit! Get him out of here!"
"Got him. I'll set up Zeo Zord Three to be operable on remote in case it's needed."
With a look of mixed worry and anger at the Gold Ranger, Tommy spoke crisply. "We need to try to distract him while Tanya and Adam launch an attack at the lizard's left side. Come on, let's get this done."
Despite his despair, Jason joined his teammates in the battle. They were growing desperate when Billy's voice issued from Tommy's communicator.
"Tommy! I'm sending down the Zeo Cannon again, I modified it to penetrate Lounge Lizard's shielding. Sending it now!"
The modifications worked, and when the four remaining Zeo Rangers shot Lounge Lizard with the modified cannon it exploded in a most satisfying fashion, not leaving enough for Mondo to try to rebuild it.
Back in the Power Chamber, Tommy turned to Billy with a worried expression.
"How's Rocky?"
"He's going to be fine, Tommy. The darts mostly grazed him, he should be back on his feet within a half hour," Billy reported. "He's in the Med Room if you want to see him."
"I do, in a minute. What I really want to know is what happened out there," he declared, turning his suddenly angry expression to the Gold Ranger. "Why didn't you get out of the way, Jason? Rocky got hurt because of you. What were you doing?"
Jason looked at Tommy with an expression that melted the Red Ranger's anger instantly. If Rocky had died he didn't think Jason would look any worse.
"I…I…kind of, blanked out. I haven't been sleeping much. I…I dream all the time. The dream came back, but I think it's a memory. I hope it isn't, but I think it may be," Jason said, his words tumbling over each other, making little sense, his composure obviously shaken.
Tommy reached out and placed his hand on Jason's shoulder, steadying him and offering what comfort he could.
"What is it, Jason? What's this dream about, that has you so rattled?"
Jason looked around with that haunted expression, seeing all five of his friends looking at him worriedly. His mouth moved, but no sound emerged as he finally sought out his oldest friend's gaze. He took a deep breath, thinking he would rather face a dozen of Mondo's worst monsters than do this, but the need to know the truth overwhelmed him. He asked what he needed to in a nearly inaudible voice. Soft as the question was asked, it effect was devastating.
"Did I rape you?"
Billy didn't reply. He didn't need to. The truth was there for them all to see. The pain, the shame, the fear. Then, suddenly, startling them all, Billy was gone, teleporting away without a word.
Jason's eyes closed as he absorbed this new pain. "Oh, God, no. I wanted it to be a dream. Oh, God, I wanted it to be just a bad dream," he murmured in a broken whisper.
"Jason," Tommy started, then stopped, realizing he didn't know what he could say. That it would be okay? Tommy didn't know if it would be. That they understood? They didn't, at least not yet. That they would be there for him? Yes, that they could do, he realized. "We'll help you, man. Any way we can, we'll be there for you."
He looked around at the other Rangers for their support. The girls looked shocked, saddened. But Adam surprised Tommy with the anger he saw in the dark eyes. Without a word the Asian teen turned and headed toward the Med Room to check on Rocky. Jason did not miss the implications of the Green Ranger's actions.
"I need to go home, Tommy," Jason said softly. "Please tell Rocky I'm sorry. Tell Adam, too, okay?" He didn't wait for a reply, teleporting out in a golden flash.
Tommy stood still for a moment, raising his hands to cover his face. He let out a deep sigh and turned to his two female teammates who were watching him with worried expressions.
"What the hell are we going to do?" he muttered, more to himself than to Tanya and Katherine. "What a mess. Why didn't the scan turn this up?" he asked Kat suddenly.
"I don't know, Tommy. I did a full scan. There was nothing. Not a bruise. He didn't even have a hangnail. Nothing….except that residue," she stopped suddenly, sickened as she realized what that must have been. "Oh, God. It was right there and I missed it."
"Missed what?" Tommy asked, his despair making him impatient.
"There was something in Billy's intestinal tract. He said it was probably from the flu he had the week before…" her soft voice trailed off as she saw the dawning comprehension on the others' faces.
Tommy put a comforting arm around the Pink Ranger. "Don't worry about it. It wouldn't change anything if we had found it last week. The bottom line is, it happened. We have to find a way to help them get over it. Both of them," he added pointedly, seeing Adam standing in the doorway.
"I know, Tommy. I shouldn't have done that to Jason, but when I think of what he did to Billy…" his voice trailed off helplessly.
"They are both victims here. Jason would never hurt Billy intentionally. He wouldn't do it. He'd probably hurt one of us first. Remember when they first came back from captivity, Kat? We discussed the fact we thought Billy wasn't telling the truth, but that Jason was. They must have given him something to suppress his normal personality, and his memory. Something to make him do what he did."
"Well, that would explain Jason keeping quiet for all this time. What about Billy? Why was there no physical evidence? Why didn't he seek our help?" Tanya asked.
"He wouldn't tell because he's a guy. I did a report on sexual assault last year for a special assignment in that sociology class I took. Most of the resources didn't mention male rape, but those that did indicated the victims were far less likely to report the assault than a woman would be. And darn few female victims report their assaults. And even in cases where the man did report the crime, it was often not treated as seriously as assaults where the victim's a woman. Another of the socially dictated differences between men and women," Adam said a little bitterly. "Add to that the fact the assault was done by a close friend, a guy he thinks of as a brother, and it's no wonder Billy tried to hide it. He's probably been denying it even to himself."
"Still, there should've been some evidence when they got back," Tanya insisted.
"Billy was in the shower when I got there. I know for a fact he has a nifty little gizmo from the Aquitians in his lab. Kind of a hand held derma-regenerator. He was modifying it for our use, and I think he was about done. He may have used that to treat himself. Or their captors fixed him up before returning him," Adam shrugged. "Even if Jason was so careful as to not leave a bruise or harm him in any way, it was still rape. Still something Billy obviously did not want to happen. That is the important thing."
Tommy nodded unhappily at that. "Something Jason didn't want, either."
"Agreed," Adam replied back, letting his leader know he understood the situation. "And the most important question is: what do we do now?"
"I'm going to go talk to Jason. Then Billy. See if I can convince them we can work this through. You guys stay here until Rocky comes to, then fill him in. I'll contact you later about how they're doing. Zordon, do you have any suggestions?" he asked, turning to their mentor, who had remained silent during the whole confrontation.
"I have no experience dealing with this sort of situation. I am deeply saddened by what has transpired, and I am still trying to find out who was responsible for the kidnapping. Otherwise, there is nothing I can do for them," Zordon reported solemnly.
"Okay. Well, you guys take care of Rocky. I'll meet you back here."
With that the Red Zeo Ranger teleported out in a beam of scarlet.
PR PR PR
Jason was sitting in the den of his house, with the blinds pulled, staring at nothing. Some instinct, some need deep inside him led him to this room, where he had spent a great deal of his childhood playing with his friends. In particular with Zack and Billy. He could almost hear the echoes of their boyish voices laughing, shouting, arguing, plotting, planning, joking. This was the room where they watched hundreds of hours of movies, where they built forts and villages, where they rescued fair maidens (Kimberly and Trini most often), and defeated fierce dragons (his dog Smokey). Before he and Zack and Trini had left for Switzerland, the three of them had spent a long night in this room with Kim and Billy, reminiscing, planning their futures. It was the last time that the five of them had gotten together without someone else in the group, and even then the only reason Tommy hadn't been there was because he had some sort of family commitment that night. He remembered feeling a little guilty about leaving the Power Rangers, leaving Kim and Billy alone with the new team. But the two of them had convinced their friends they would be okay, and that their example would give them the courage to give up the powers when it came time to chase their own dreams. And so Kimberly had, leaving to pursue her gymnastics. Then only Billy remained from the first five, finally giving up his powers, but not his contributions to the team. Jason knew from his own experience how much that had hurt the former Blue Ranger. The first few weeks in Switzerland had been hell, he had wanted to return to Angel Grove and reclaim his powers at least a dozen times each day. But the three of them supported each other, and somehow it got better. He could not imagine how Billy got through those first few weeks after he gave up his powers, alone and exposed daily to that which he could no longer have. But then, Billy had always been much stronger than anyone had suspected.
Jason had been thrilled at the chance to take the Gold Powers. He had jumped at the opportunity to be part of the team again, to feel the charge the powers provided. The only downside had been knowing his friend could not accept the powers, that his hopes had been raised only to be dashed in the cruelest manner. And again Billy had rallied, seeming content in his role in the Power Chamber. The two of them had picked their friendship back up as if the time apart had never happened, and that had done much to alleviate Jason's guilty feelings every time he morphed in front of the former Ranger. Billy didn't seem to hold him responsible in any way for his not being able to accept the Gold Powers. And Jason's respect for his childhood friend had increased yet again.
Now this nightmare.
Jason could not wrest his thoughts away form the memories that had resurfaced that afternoon. He wanted to deny them, wanted to find a way to again believe they were just part of a very bad dream. But he knew better now. He had really done that. He made a small sound of despair as he considered all he had done under the influence of the alien's chemicals. He knew he had been drugged, that was among the memories that had returned. The memory blocking affects of the drug were gone completely, he remembered everything that was done to him, and everything he did. All the things he would have given anything not to remember.
He closed his eyes against the memories, but they would not be denied. Interspersed were memories from their childhood, taunting Jason with the realization of how much the smaller boy had looked up to him. Jason found himself remembering the time he had stopped two bullies who were beating Billy up behind the school, how the blue eyes had turned to him with such shining gratitude and faith. But no surprise. It was as if somehow he had known his friend would be there for him, would keep him from being too badly hurt. And now Jason had done the hurting, inflicting more damage than any of the bullies he had ever encountered had done. And thinking of how much his friend's faith had to have been destroyed was the most painful thing of all. Jason curled up in a corner of the old couch, moaning with a pain beyond tears.
That was how Tommy found him.
To be continued...