"We need to keep looking for other survivors out there." T.J said sternly.
"T.J, no, we're going to stop here. We're going to need all the rest we can get." Tommy Oliver looked at T.J straight in the eyes.
"The grinders will catch up to us by sundown!" T.J. began raising his voice.
"No! Theodore Jay Jarvis Johnson, you WILL listen to me! We'll set up camp here. Make no fire. Jason's in a critical state. Whatever you do, don't ever cease bearing arms."
"Fine. But if we're found and captured, it is NOT my fault." And with that, T.J stormed off.
Tommy sighed and went back to where Jason lay.
"Jason, hey man, can you hear me?"
Jason whimpered. His right leg and left arm had been broken. He was bleeding from the stomach, and his back had been badly burnt. T.J and Tommy had found him dying in the wastelands, after he had managed to escape from the clutches of Venjix.
They all had. Tommy just knew it. Every ranger had managed to escape. The power had protected all of them.
"Jason, listen to me. Can your hear me? How do you feel?"
"Cold. I'm cold. My legs. I can't feel-" He stopped talking as he winced in pain.
"C'mon, Jase, don't die on Rex. Don't die on him now. Make Zordon proud."
But Jason had already fell silent. He wasn't dead. Not yet. They would have to reach Corinth City soon, however. Taking one last look at his former teammate, Tommy sighed and left to collect some healing herbs. Devil's claws- They would provide as a substitute to painkillers. For the first time, Tommy realized that none of the rangers he had kept in contact with had aged. They'd grown older, but appearance wise, they hadn't changed at all from the way they looked back in their high school years, except for a few hair-cuts here and there.
…...
Andros and Zhane fought off several grinders.
"Zhane! Behind you!"
Zhane swiveled around and hit a grinder point blank in the chest. The two friends regrouped.
"Any sign of Ashley and the others?"
"T.J. managed to break through. He said he'd get help. Andros, you go look for Ashley and Karone. I'll go look for Cassie and Carlos."
"Right. Ignore the grinders. Destroy only when provoked. We don't have much more time left."
And with that, the former space rangers took off in opposite directions.
…...
"Rocky, don't move." Adam calmly said as a grinder was preparing to strike a blow from behind. "On the count of three, I want you to roll to your left and sweep the grinder from under. Can you do that for me, Rock-O?"
Rocky simply nodded his head a little, just so slightly that Adam would begin counting.
"Okay, on the count of three. One, two, THREE!"
Rocky immediately dove to his left and sweeped the grinder's feet out from under him. Once the grinder's head hit the concrete floor, the impact caused the grinder to explode. Adam and Rocky only had a brief moment to slap each other high fives before more grinders began showing up.
"More grinders? Damn!" Rocky said in obvious frustration.
"Rocky, fight off the grinders. I need to find Aisha and Billy."
Without giving Rocky even a chance to complain, Adam took off.
…...
T.J walked back to the site where Tommy and he had set up camp.
"Tommy. I found some fresh stream water. It's not all wasteland here. I... I found a jungle."
At that, Tommy looked up from where he was tending to Jason's legs.
"What?"
"I found a jungle. It's about three miles up north from here. I have no idea how large it is, though."
"Okay." Tommy said calmly. "Two things. One, I don't want you walking that far off without me. You could have gotten lost or seriously hurt. Two, show me where it is."
"Wait, but what about Jason?" T.J. queried.
"Just like you said yourself, the grinders probably won't get here until sundown. That gives us three hours. However, if they do manage to get here while we're still gone, then they'll probably have been given orders not to kill Jason. We need to take this risk. If anything, we'll be killed off by dehydration unless we can find a reliable source of water." Tommy reasonably explained.
…...
"Maya. Maya, seriously. You have to run as quickly as possible when I say go." Damon whispered.
"But I don't want to leave you!" Maya said through her tears.
"Look at me. C'mon, look at me, babygirl. It's your only chance. Corinth city is only five miles northwest from here. Leo already broke out and is hiding, waiting for you outside. Go with him. Stay safe. Maya, remember, I love you."
The two former rangers heard footsteps from behind.
"GO!" Damon yelled. Maya instantly sprang to her feet, and didn't look back. She kept running and running. All the while, she could hear the cries that emanated from Damon as he was carried off. Biting her bottom lip and fighting back her tears, she knew it was too late to turn back now...