Disclaimer: Don't own anything but I sure wish I did!
Jack's Despair
It had been not even a month since Elizabeth "Z" Delgado and Jack Landers had been turned into B Squad power rangers. Not that they liked it much at first but it was better than any of the other options. Neither had been into the whole 'super hero in cute little suits' gig, but had come around.
They both sometimes missed the less strict rule guides that they had when it had just been them as a team, instead of now five, whom worked somewhat uselessly together.
Z was laying on top of her bed staring at the ceiling. She sighed loudly. Headphones on, her head bobbing to the music, eyes closed. In full relaxing mode. All of the sudden there were some knocks on her door. Her head didn't even move as she spoke,
"Go away."
"Somebody's grouchy." A light-hearted voice echoed as it opened the door. Its blond curls bouncing in a child like manner, "Hey Z, we have to go on duty in a few minutes."
Her cheery nature perturbed the other one.
"Syd I prefer to stay here and not try to save the world. I seriously need a break." He vocal expression said she was bored out of her mind. However the pain in her side from when she'd gotten kicked was enough to make her lazy.
Syd didn't even take offense as she just pulled on Z's arm, gracefully drawing Z up to sit. She grabbed an earphone and took it off Z's head.
"Awww! Come on! It'll be fun!" she giggled.
Z sharply turned and hmphed.
"That's what you said the first time and look, what ended up happening." Z's sarcasm hung in the air. A hurried commotion made both girls glance back at the door.
"We're goin to be late." The grumpy entrance showed the newcomer's disappointment. He had his arms folded and a sour-look plastered on his face.
"We're goin to be late." Z mimicked him with a smirk. Resigning to take the headphones off and put them on the bed. Syd gave both warning looks.
"Guys it's like no use fighting."
Z finally swung her feet back around onto the floor, getting up to deal with this aggravation.
"Let's get this over with."
She walked past Sky with Syd running up behind them. The unlikely trio ended up in the main room.
Jack had been talking to Bridge excessively but as soon as he saw his sister come into the room he excused himself and ran up to her.
"Hey Z...um we need to talk." Z changed her body to face her brother, Jack, barely acknowledging Bridge who'd been right there.
Her curt nod showed she was in no mood for surprises. Syd collapsed onto the seat next to Bridge and immediately started to twirl her hair. Sky just glanced impatiently at his watch. Tapping his foot.
"Hurry up!" He barked as Jack slid by him. Jack hardly heard him. His mind was racing on a more pressing issue. His face held so much emotion it put Z on alert. He pulled her to the side away from their new 'partners.'
"What's the matter?" Z asked rolling her eyes. "You better not be makin a bigger deal out of it-"
"It's about Kiana"
Jack's temper rang short as he whispered loudly. Z gave a flicker of emotion. Inside her heart thudded as loud as it had that day they had been caught and detained by SPD.
She gave a gruff. "Ooh."
Kiana had been a young teenage girl that they'd met on several occasions. Her powers ranged past the one per person concept. But those multiple talents also caused grief. For she had a case of seizures thanks to her unique gene matching.
Medication was hard to come by if you didn't have a source of income. And even still if your medicine was highly expensive or most sought after most citizens would be out of luck.
A couple of times Z and Jack had commandeered a bottle of her precious Tryptophan in order to help Kiana survive the seizures that plagued her. Recently, however, she'd disappeared leaving Z and Jack back on their own. It had occurred to both of them that she just might be hiding, feeling like she was just making their lives harder than it should be.
Jack's eyes locked with hers as he continued to explain the scenario. He cupped his hands together and spoke in her ear.
"We've got to warn her that we're going to be in her area."
"How?" Z hissed, "we can't exactly call her and we don't even know if she's still around."
Jack thought a moment while Z gave him an exasperated expression. "Face it, we can't control her fate. We barely controlled ours-which I still blame you for."
Her fiery nature was rising above her level-head. His grew just as rapidly.
"Oh sure blame me we both know they were in trouble."
That glance the very same as on the day they'd helped Syd, Bridge and Sky. In seconds it had become a debate and that made Bridge and Syd curious.
"What do you think they're talking about?" Bridge asked Syd, who was concerning herself with her brand new manicured nails. Her eyes showed she was not sure what looked more interesting; her manicure or the new duo.
"Who cares?" Sky abruptly ended the conversation with a domineering tone, "Jack, Elizabeth, let's move, we're almost late."
He had no sympathy for either of them and found it absurd he would have to work with these two outlaws. Syd and Bridge jumped to attention. Used to just following his orders even though Jack had now been named leader.
Z took a nanosecond to scoff at Syd and Bridge. Still not fully comprehending how they would be able to blindly follow him.
"It's Z." She toyed with a warning tone in her voice. Carefully Jack mumbled.
"Z...we have to protect her..."
The puppiest of puppy eyes made Z stand down once more. All of the sudden lights started to flash and a horrendous blaring noise came from speakers high above everyone's head.
"Report! Report! Rangers, there's a fire on East Lane!"
Wars were dropped and the white flag flew as they raced to the command room to find out what needed to be done of them.
"You must help the firefighters rescue the people in the building."
Nearby fire stations had heard the distress signal and had come to the blazing building's aide. Among them was Carter Greyson. He dodged scorching pieces of wood as he broke down a door.
"Hello! Anybody here?"
His breathing slightly labored as he continued into the room. His eyes adjusted and tried to see beyond the smoke.
A small cough, erupted to the right of him. He called out once more.
"Hello!"
He heard someone sobbing as it tried to escape the fire.
"'elp!" Her voice barely above a whisper. "I am surrounded." The fear in her eyes- he couldn't tell if it was from being trapped or from a whole different problem. She backed away from the licking flames.
Carter approached the fire with caution. Watching his step. He saw the young female trapped by a circular blaze.
"I am coming, just stay still." He hollered. He radioed down. " Ladder 27 Greyson to command."
The radio spoke back:
"Command to ladder 27, we read you Greyson."
He squeezed the radio and called in:
" There's a girl trapped I am going to help her and we'll come out the north exit." Not waiting for an answer he picked her up and carried her down the steps.
By the time B Squad had gotten there, there wasn't much left to do except find the survivors and take down the accounts. Sky, Bridge, Syd, Jack and Z, took a look at the terrible sight. The building was charred but otherwise in okay condition. The ten story building would not be habitable for weeks to come. At the rate the foundation was looking,it seemed more likely that it would be torn down.
"Didn't Kiana use to live here?" Z wondered allowed, gaze digressing, back to her brother. Jack's recognition of the exact place proved her slight concern. She slipped her headphones on. It was her best way to relax; and somehow she thought she would need it.
Jack walked past them all. With the others right behind. They split up; Sky and Bridge, Jack, Z and Syd. They had to dodge all of the firefighters from their own town and the others. Working constantly to place their gadgets back and tend to the wounded.
Sky's gaze was searching for one person in particular. They'd been tracking her down for months. It was known that she lived here, in this building. Sky's head turned to his partner with light distaste. He didn't understand Bridge much.
"Bridge think you can find Kiana. She's, among other things, an Empath. Should be cake-work for you?"
His sarcasm was mild as his friend fidgeted under the blue ranger's piercing eyes. Bridge surveyed the scene as he allowed his telepathic abilities go. His face scrunched up. The task was giving him a head ache.
Just as Carter was passing by with his victim, Bridge hollered, pointing in Carter's direction.
"She's right there!"
Sky took little time to saunter over to the two. His eyes full of glee. They'd finally caught her and this time nothing would stop him from bringing in a thief. There's no way she could be good enough material for the academy. Not that they needed any more riff-raff bringing down the quality of the fine place.
Carter was wrapping up Kiana's broken wrist. Kiana whimpered at the fierce pain that drove up and down her wrist as he carefully tok care of her. Noticing burns from where the fire had seared at the exposed skin of bare arms and where her skirt stopped; a couple inches above her knees.
"I am sorry I know this must hurt. I also am going to have to put something on your burns. It won't hurt so much as feel cold."
Riffling in his pack for his kit. He opened it and unscrewed the vial containing a healing balm. Softly his hands glided over her seared skin, pasting it on her.
At the sign of an approaching stranger Kiana's chocolate-orbs grew wide and terrified. Two shadows hung above them. She had assumed SPD would catch up to her sooner or later. Resigning to allow this sweet gentlemen finish prepping her busted condition than to attempt to flee the scene.
"Sir, I can take it from here." Sky's voice full of authority reigning over Carter. Carter rose to stand. Carter had been interested and even used his own knowledge to pump the SPD Academy to it's full potential. He and several others took time out of their now less hectic lives, to make appearances.
"You sure?" Carter questioned. There was an obvious disagreement and you didn't have to read minds to figure that out.
Sky just solemnly nodded a small smile escaping his lips.
"Yes, you've been most helpful."
Carter acknowledged him and returned to look at Kiana. She at him. Her teeth gnawing at her lip. He patted her head.
"Don't worry, they'll protect you."
He told her ever so soothingly. With just one more glance, he packed up his gear and left the three. Checking back in with his unit. Preparing to leave the grounds. It was at least a half hour or more back to his base.
Sky held out his scanner and Kiana didn't stop him. It blinked for what seemed like hours. Bridge held his head. The emotions radiating off of her were immense. But he knew it was probably just as difficult for the girl lying on a cot before them. Especially if what Sky had said was true and she was an Empath. The scanner proved that she was a criminal; at least in the eyes of the black and white SPD Handbook. But just before she could be contained Bridge broke in and yelled,
"Jack, Syd, Z, we found her!" Bridge yelled, waving for them to come over. Jack and Z exchanged warning glances. More Z telling Jack not to make a rash decision.
"Found who?" Syd asked. Twirling a strand of her blonde hair with her finger. Bridge moved to reveal their criminal. Z let out a whistle of exaggeration.
"This'll be interesting." She implied, the others were not sure what she had meant by the smart remark.
Jack immediately bent to survey the damage. Eyes wide as several feelings slammed through his head. Hurt, anger, frustration . . . guilt . . . all swirling together in one painful shot. He reached out his hand and touched her bandaged wrist with trepidation. Barely able to withstand the sight of all of those burns on her flesh. Feeling that it was his fault she was in such horrible condition.
"Kiana you okay? What happened? How did the fire start? Why do you look so weak? You look so pale . . . Have you taken your medicine lately?"
A thousand more questions popped into his head. He was about ten seconds away from scooping her up and taking her to hospital for a full medical evaluation. His sister, Z, peered over in Kiana's direction. Just as Syd's mouth hung open for a nanosecond.
"You know her."
"Yeah . . . once upon a time." Came Z's vague response. There was no need to be reminded of the unhealthy conditions they had been forced to endure. Just seeing Kiana brought forth memories of feeling hungry and cold. When she was younger, not being able to have enough clothes or money. Always being afraid, she and Jack would get caught for stealing. Even if what their goal was, was good for humanity.
Sky's hand fell down to his waist. He poked at Jack.
"Jack get up. We have a job to do. If you don't have the stomach to do it get out of the way."
His gruff and menacing tone struck a chord with Jack. Unlike Sky who'd most likely had every single thing he had ever wanted in his life-except to being red ranger-him, Z and all their friends including kiana had not. Jack wondered how he could be expected to be interested in the full truth? Her story wasn't that open booked-a rule book couldn't explain it. Jack shook his head from side to side, calmly.
Kiana had regained some strength and without warning sat up. Her head swimming as she struggled to regain her bearings. Her present situation was not all that surprising. One of her gifts was premonitions which showed her exactly the lay before them now. Concerning the disabling fact that her two best friends would willingly betray her to the police.
She had tried to stop it. Had even walked away but at the sight of her fellow fallen comrades she went in to warn them but was cornered by the blast of sparks flying and the fire. It had forced her to create a makeshift escape. One that ended in her rescue by one of the brave firemen.
Her abrupt movements made all but Sky, jump, back in utter surprise.
"What job?" Playing the innocent victim.
"We have to bring her in," Sky sighed, aggravated. He was reminding Jack of the job he'd agreed upon more than reminding the victim broken in front of him. " I assumed you understood that." He wanted to say: 'we don't wear SPD Uniforms just to be fashionable' but held his tongue. Sometimes speaking was wasted on the likes of people like Jack and Z.
Jack held out a hand to her instead of listening to Sky's orders. He was Red Ranger after all and besides Kiana had been special to him. Not as special as Z, they'd been through more hell together than anyone. But she still had a place in his giant-teddy bear heart.
Proudly, however, Kiana refused the help. Turning to face away from him. Tears slowly trickling down. All the sudden aware of how pathetic she looked compared to the five in SPD suits. Her voice soft but firm she stared almost coldly at Jack.
"You betrayed me. I don't want your help."
That broke Jack's heart. He frowned with gloomy eyes.
"No . . . no . . . we didn't." He implored to her. 'Why won't you accept my help! I am trying to save you!'
His mind screamed and the Empath held her head for a moment.
She stood on her own and without warning, violently shoving him away almost falling back, herself. Sky and Bridge moved in and with a swift motion had a strong hold on her. Bridge was glad to not see her struggle, that would invoke Sky's rage more.
The Rangers were incredibly angered. Not sure why Jack of all people would allow someone to use him as a punching bag.
"Look at you. Said you understood trouble. Ya had been there for me... Where was ya a couple weeks ago when I broke down?" Flinching under the brutal grips of the trainees. Bridge eased up on her arm realizing that he had been pressuring on her broken wrist he replaced his hand on her elbow hoping he hadn't furthered the damage.
"I-" Jack blew air out of his cheeks searching for a way to explain him and Z's new situation. In all technicalities she was right. He was not there for her when she had needed him most.
"Let it go bro." Z shook Jack's shoulder in annoyance. Features creased with concern. Sky was losing trust in Jack once more and that wasn't accepatble in Z's oppinion.
"I'll tell ya, you was at the 'cademy." The scorn on her face rearranging into a wry grin of approval. She nodded as her version of a salute, boasting, mockingly:
"My big bro all of the sudden famous. You 'n' Z." It was then that Kiana took a real good gander at the rest of the team. She would do her best to deal with the emotions later which were ranging from light to dark.
"You're helping people now . . . but whom you really helping out? Us or them."
Her chin went down, on the word 'us' and rose to point to Sky on 'them.' Jack's mouth was still agape as he started to mumble randomly. Sky cut him off with a dramatic:
"Let's get this done now." His attitude reflecting his nerves. He shoved her into both of Bridge's hands and moved to make her a portable, catalogue-able card.
"Why does there have to be an 'us' or 'them'. Why can't we all be one?"
"You're kidding right? Traitor!" Both Sky and Kiana yelled passionately. Bridge moved a second from firing at Kiana. Before Jack could say a word it was done. Jack, sadly, picked up the card and spoke to her.
"I am sorry Kiana...But it has to be this way." Holding the card as he watched her sad face as she refused to answer him. Jack's face was in a torn expression as he walked back and joined the group. He handed it over to Sky, bitter and resentful.
"Take care of it." Was all he said, harshly, as he slid onto his vehicle and drove back to base. The others quietly following in pursuit.
hmmm could this be a series of more events or is it better left standing?