This story is based on a comment made by Ginastar to one of my earlier fics, Baby Blues. I would prefer you to read that, and baby proofing first for background information, but just in case I'll give you a short description of what happened to set up this story.
While she was six months pregnant with her first child, Kimberly and her husband, David were involved in a car accident. When he woke up, David was informed that Kimberly and the baby had died, however this was just an elaborate cover to the fact that she had in fact been abducted by a gang of criminals and held against her will until the baby was born, at which time it was sold on the black market.
She remained in captivity for a year and a half, during which time she was impregnated a second time through artificial insemination, but a new arrival, Kira Oliver brought hope and eventual rescue in the form of her husband, Tommy Oliver.
Following her release, she gave birth to her second child, a son she named Joe. However, the authorities were still unable to find her daughter. Is she doomed to never know what happened to her little girl? Or will her quest to find the child ripped so cruelly from her life be successful?
Rating: T due to adult themes, language and violence in places.
Legal Notice: I do not own Power Rangers or any of the associated names, characters, places, events etc. Any names, characters and events not covered by the above rights are to be considered purely the creation of the author.
Kimberly's Odyssey
Kimberly thrashed around in her bed deep within the SPD base. The horror of that day came back to her in vivid detail as it had so many times.
"About bloody time!" Doctor black snarled at his accomplices as they wheeled the gurney, carrying the protesting Kimberly into the delivery room. "I'd rather she didn't have the child in the middle of the corridor."
"Sorry, but I had to sedate her." Dr. White shot back. "She's a goddam hellcat!"
Kimberly knew it was pointless to try and resist. She was securely shackled to the gurney, preventing any chance of her escaping, even if she was in a fit state to run. The contractions were excruciatingly painful, and they were becoming more frequent. She knew it wouldn't be long before her baby was born. Tears of anguish and sadness streamed down her face as she realised that what they'd told her so long ago was true. They were going to take her baby and there was nothing she could do to stop them.
"Get her legs up on the stirrups." Dr. Black ordered. His accomplice complied with the order, strapping her legs into them to prevent her attempting to leave the bed.
"God, please don't do this!" She screamed as they continued to manhandle her in a clinical and degrading manner.
"She's fully dilated." Dr. Black announced, completely ignoring her request. "It won't be long before we see the head."
"Please I beg you!" She screamed as the pain continued to wrack her body. "Please, don't take my baby!"
"It's beginning to crown." He continued. "Start pushing Mrs. Goodman. It won't be long now!"
She no longer had the wherewithal to protest. All she could do was instinctively push as the baby entered the final stages of delivery.
"One more should do it." Dr. Black told her. A short time later, the pain began to ease and she collapsed back onto the table, thoroughly exhausted.
"Gentlemen, we have a perfectly healthy baby girl." Dr. Black remarked. "Our contact down south will be pleased."
Kimberly looked over, reaching her hand out for the screaming newborn. As she watched the evil Dr. Black leave the room, she caught a glance at the baby's bright blue eyes, just like her husbands, and wept as she realised that this was the last time she'd ever see her daughter.
She snapped back into consciousness, sitting up in the bed bolt upright and sweating heavily. She rushed out of the room, into the en suite and vomited into the sink. Her breathing became rapid and her chest felt tight as she began to hyperventilate. David came to her side and handed her a brown paper bag. Holding it over her nose and mouth, her breathing at last began returning to a normal rate.
"You saw it again, didn't you?" David asked her sympathetically. She nodded wordlessly as she continued to regain her breath. The attacks were now less frequent, there was a time she had been having the panic attacks virtually on a nightly basis. The medication had helped, but she continued to refuse to see a counsellor. "Honey, you need to calm down. We're doing everything we can to find her."
"God dammit David it's been two years already." She wailed as her tears ran freely down her face. She looked over into the corner of the kid's room where a stack of parcels, four birthdays and five Christmases worth, lay under a thin layer of dust. Kim had refused to give up on finding their daughter and vowed to give her those parcels, giving her back the birthdays and Christmases she'd had stolen from them. David had made the mistake of moving them once, but all this earned him was a barrage of screaming followed by two painful weeks where Kimberly never spoke to him once. It was pointless to try and bring up the painful possibility that they might never find her.
"You know there's a better than average chance of finding her." He reminded her. Since the Carsons had their little boy Bridge, it had been discovered that the radiation all the lab staff had been exposed to had left them with an altered genetic code, meaning that their children were born with genetic abilities. Bridge could read auras and Harry's son Sky could generate force fields. Contact had been lost with the Landors and the Delgados following a huge earthquake, and it was pointless to even test the Drews daughter for abilities because it was widely known that she was adopted. Unfortunately the Drews had been exposed to a much higher radiation count than the others and had both been left infertile. It had been devastating news when they found out; they were desperate to start a family.
"But no one-s reported a child with special abilities." Kimberly reminded him. "Besides, only you were involved in the lab testing. I was only ever a teacher. I wasn't exposed, there's a chance she won't display abilities."
David had hoped she hadn't figured that fact out. It was one of the things that kept her going, the knowledge that when a child showed unnatural genetic abilities that they could test them for a DNA match.
"We can't give up hope." He told her, holding her close. "Hope is all we have."
He led her back through to the bedroom and held her in his arms as she cried herself back to sleep.
The following morning, David made his way to the mess hall for a couple of triple espressos. It had taken him quite a while to get back to sleep, and he knew he'd need the caffeine if he was going to be at all productive in the sick bay today. Harry came in a short time later, his son Sky running over to his favourite corner and taking his place at the table.
"Morning David." He responded with a smile. "Looks like you had a good nights sleep."
"Kimberly had another attack." He told his long time friend.
"David, I'm sorry I didn't know." He apologised. He felt like a class one heel the way he'd just stuck his foot in his mouth. "Bit of a Tate family tradition. Poor little Sky there doesn't have a chance."
"It's ok." He remarked saving Harry's embarrassment. "You weren't to know. Anyway, how's the Mirloc case coming?"
"We're hot on his tail." He told David with a big grin. "We're certain we'll catch up with him soon. I've nailed some pretty big fish in my time, but this one's the biggest yet. IF I bring in Mirloc, I'm sure to be promoted!"
At that, a siren sounded, attracting their attention.
"Tate, Mirloc's been sited in the industrial district." Cruger's voice announced over his communicator. "Take Myers and go."
"On my way Doggie." He shouted back. "Sorry David, they're playing my song and you know how I love to dance."
"Does this mean we're not going to the cinema?" Sky groaned, a little petted lip a testament to his disappointment.
"I'll be back soon, and then we'll go." He replied, ruffling his son's hair playfully. "I promise."
"Dad, you know I hate it when you do that!" Sky whined as Harry ran from the room.
Later in the day, David was taking an inventory of the medical supplies when an alarm sounded in the base.
"We have an officer down, all medical personnel report to the surgery now!" Cruger announced over the PA system. David ran into the theatre room, scrubbing up quickly as Eric arrived in his Quantum Ranger outfit, along with the crash team.
"Hang on Harry! We got the scumbag, please just hang on!" Eric shouted to his injured friend. David could tell by the damage that the prognosis wasn't good. "We brought him in together Harry, don't you dare die on me!"
"Eric, we need room to work, could you please wait outside." David commanded. Eric couldn't move or speak. "Damn it Eric the best thing you can do is wait in the damn corridor!" He said a little more forcefully. Eric left the room slowly, still unable to mask his concern for Harry's condition.
"How does his blood pressure look?" He asked, removing Harry's helmet. A little blood was trickling from the corner of his mouth and he fought for breath.
"BP's dropping like a stone. He's bleeding out somewhere." One of the nurses answered him.
"He's having difficulty breathing." David said, tapping his chest gently. "We have to cut him, the pressure in his chest is building."
"I've got the surgical tray." One of the surgeons announced, rushing to David's side.
"He's crashing!" One of the nurses yelled as the monitor's alarm sounded ominously.
"Dr. Wheeler, sort out his chest pressure. Nurse, begin CPR!" He barked as he switched on the defibrillator.
"Give me a second." The surgeon stated. The nurse stopped the chest massage briefly, allowing him to insert the tube to drain the blood from his chest cavity. "We're good to go."
"Clear!" David shouted, preparing the paddles. Everyone stepped back as he pressed the paddles to Harry's chest, causing him to jump involuntarily. "Charging to 200."
The nurse continued with the chest massage as David watched for the light on the machine to change. "Everyone clear!"
Again, Harry jumped. The nurse returned quickly to the CPR. David watched for the light one last time. "Clear!" Harry jumped, but to David's horror, the line remained straight on the heart monitor. "Thanks. You did everything you could." David told his staff. He looked at the clock on the wall. "Time of death. 16:38." He sighed. Thinking about how his friend had been talking with him only a few hours ago, Davis suddenly became overcome with emotion and kicked over the defibrillator with a savage roar.
"Do you want me to inform the family?" One of the nurses asked, noting his distress. Everyone knew how close the two of them were. Harry was the kind of man it was impossible to hate. He always had a kind word or a joke to tell. There wasn't one person on the base who had a bad word to say about him.
"No, it's fine." David replied. "I'll tell them." Picking up Harry's helmet, he made his way out into the hall, where Eric, Harry's wife Diana and Sky were waiting. David looked down at the helmet forlornly as he approached. "I'm sorry." He began. "We did everything we could." He knelt down to Sky's level, handing him the helmet. "I'm so sorry."
"Son of a BITCH!" Eric screamed, slamming his fist into the wall.
"Officer Myers that's enough!" Doggie reprimanded him as he arrived, nodding in Sky's direction to remind him of the boy's presence. "Such displays do no one any good."
"I want to interview Mirloc." Eric snarled.
"That is not a good idea Myers." Doggie put down flatly. "You are in no state to deal with that prisoner."
"No one else is qualified to interview such a high security risk prisoner." Eric reminded him. "Harry was the only other one with security clearance for that."
"Very well." Doggie replied, conceding the point. "However, I would like Dr. Goodman to accompany you in the interview room."
"Sir, I'm not sure." David protested. "I've never done …"
"You're the only one on the base with psychology qualifications." Doggie interrupted him. "Harry was the only other one."
"But sir…"
"That's an order." He stated imperiously. "Myers, you do not go into that interview room without Dr. Goodman. That's final." He turned to leave, but stopped and turned back as he thought of something. "Oh, and if Mirloc leaves with any unexplained injuries, I'm taking you off active service for a month. Am I making myself clear?"
"Perfectly." He hissed back.
"Given the emotional state your in I'll let that slide." Cruger warned him with a growl. "But I swear, talk to me like that again and by the time I've taken you off punishment detail you'll wish I'd fired you. Dismissed."
"Yes sir." Eric replied, saluting before turning on his heel and leaving.
The two men arrived in the interview room, where they found Mirloc with his hands shackled behind his back. Kat had constructed special restraints that weakened him to the level of a human. Both men had already been warned that he could escape through reflective surfaces, and so were wearing matt effect sunglasses and had covered or removed any shiny articles of clothing on their person.
"Ah, officer Myers." Mirloc greeted Eric as he entered the room. "I was half expecting to see Officer Tate with you."
"You have the right to remain silent." Eric began. "But it may harm your defence…"
"You already read me my rights." Mirloc reminded him.
"This is on a new charge." Eric hissed. "If you do not mention anything when questioned which you later rely on in court…"
"What new charge?" He asked.
"First degree murder!" He informed him. "Officer Tate died half an hour ago. Anything you do say may be given in evidence."
"Your friend is dead?" Mirloc asked. "Oh I'm sorry to hear that."
"You aren't fit to speak about Harry." Eric roared, getting up from his chair and pacing intently to work off some aggression. "Who are your accomplices?"
"If I'm going down for murder one, then I'm already going to serve a life sentence." Mirloc taunted him. "What possible good could it do me to tell you anything? Surely you of all people should know you have to bargain from a position of strength."
"I am." Eric yelled, pounding the table. "The only way you're leaving prison is in a plastic bag."
"Exactly." Mirloc said. "So you have nothing to offer me."
Eric let out a huge yell, before spin-kicking Mirloc out of his chair to the floor. "I can offer you the choice. Die years from now, peacefully in your sleep in some cell." He pulled out a laser blaster, kneeling over the criminal. "Or die in here and now in a lot of pain!"
"Eric, stop!" David screamed.
"My my, abusing prisoners." Mirloc commented. "I have rights you know."
"Not on this planet." Eric hissed aggressively, pistol whipping him several times. "Amnesty international doesn't know we exist yet, remember?"
"Eric, for God's sake stop!" David yelled, pulling the larger man off the prisoner. Mirloc already bore the cuts and bruises from the savage beating, and his face was already beginning to swell up. "I know how you feel. I wanted nothing more than a few minutes alone with the scumbags who stole my daughter, but this won't bring him back!"
"Someone stole your daughter?" Mirloc asked. "By any chance was this in Las Vegas?"
"What about it scum!" Eric snapped.
"I knew an associate who was involved in the distribution of the children." He answered. "He said that his contact's name was Dr. Black."
All colour drained from David's face as he said this name.
"I'll tell you in exchange for one thing." He continued. "I collect memories. Sad memories. Tell me your saddest memory and I'll tell you what I know."
"That is it!" Eric screamed, levelling the pistol at Mirloc's head. David batted the laser aside just in time to stop him, the shot connecting with the wall.
"Eric, this is the first potential lead I've had in over a year!" He shouted, looking intently into his eyes. "If there's even a chance, I will not let you blow it for me."
"The man's gone insane!" Mirloc screeched. "He's going to kill me!"
"Everything you know or I swear I'll do it." Eric hissed.
"The memory first." He protested weakly.
"That does it." He snarled, kneeling on Mirloc's chest and hammering into his face a few more times. He then pressed the barrel to the bridge of his nose. "You have three seconds."
"No Please!" Mirloc Screeched.
"Two!"
"Eric, for the love of God don't!" David yelled, wrapping an arm around his neck, trying to haul him off the prisoner, but Eric was too strong for him.
"One!"
"All right!" He screeched. "His name is Albert Knox. When I knew him he worked in the records office in New Orleans." He felt himself trembling as he stared at the laser intently, the fear in his eyes obvious. "I've told you everything. Please don't kill me!"
Eric got off his chest and handed the laser to David. "You just saved your own skin." Eric told the terrified prisoner. "If you're lying, I'll come back to finish the job."
Doggie burst in the door. "Myers, my office NOW!" He snarled. As two other guards helped Mirloc to his cell, David and Eric went to Commander Cruger's office.
"I was watching the footage of that interview the hole time." He yelled. "Myers, I have NEVER in all my years seen such a disgusting display. I should have your badge."
"You're going to fire me?" He asked with a sarcastic sneer.
"I wouldn't be so flippant if I were you." Cruger growled. "Turn in your morpher."
"Best months vacation I ever earned." He replied as he handed Cruger the morpher.
"Three!" Cruger snarled. "Mirloc doesn't want to press charges. That's the only reason I'm not kicking you out of here personally. Get out of my sight. I've never been more ashamed of an officer in all my life!"
Eric felt a little lump rising in his throat as he saluted and left the room. He had blown it big time and he knew it.
"We cannot trust Mirloc's testimony." Cruger told David. "But I promise, we will follow it up."
"Thank you." He answered, saluting as he left.
David arrived back in his living quarters, finding Kimberly playing with Joe. He was now three years old and getting quite big. He was happily playing with a few assorted toy cars when David came into the room.
"David, you're as white as a sheet!" Kimberly gasped with a little worry in her voice. "What happened?"
"The officer that came in today, it was Harry." He informed her. "He never made it."
"Oh my God, David I'm so sorry." She said, hugging her husband.
"There's something else." He continued. "Cruger made me sit in on the interview with the creature that killed him." He looked into her eyes, considering for a moment what the news would do to her. "He said he knew someone involved with the baby sales."
"He gave you a lead?" She asked.
"Albert Knox." He confirmed. "He works in the Records Office in New Orleans apparently. That's probably how he got the false birth certificates and adoption papers down there. Cruger promised to check it out."
"If police start sniffing around he'll just cut and run!" She screeched, grabbing a bag and starting to stuff clothes into it.
"What are you doing?" David asked.
"If the scumbag's in Louisiana, then I'm going to Louisiana." She responded sharply.
"Kim, that's insane!" He begged her, trying to reason with her. "We don't even know…"
"If there's a chance that's good enough for me." She snapped, pulling out her cell phone and hitting speed dial. "Tommy, It's Kim. I've got a lead on my daughter."
"That's great news." He told her. "What can I do to help?"
"Can you meet me in Louisiana?" She asked. "There's a guy at the records office there who's involved."
"I'm really sorry Kim, but thing are crazy here at the moment." He told her. "But I do know a couple of people who'll be in Louisiana at the moment. I'll give them a call and tell them to meet you at the bus station."
"How will I know them?" She asked.
"One of them's Scottish. Thick accent, bit of a smart mouth on him, but his heart's in the right place." Tommy told her. "The other one's a bit of a live wire. Real headstrong, kind of reminds me of Kira at times."
"I heard that!" Kira's voice came from the background.
"Great, I'm in trouble." He said. "Anyway, they'll know who you are. They've seen my video log."
"You were a Ranger AGAIN?" She asked.
"No, not this time, but I had a group of kids this year." He informed her. "I forgot how much hard work teenagers are."
"OK, I can be there by tomorrow. Tell them to meet me at 8PM." She told him.
"I'll call them now." He answered. "Good luck Kim."
In New Orleans in a small motel room, a cell phone started ringing. Charisma reached over with her heavily-tattooed left arm and picked it up, smiling as she read the caller ID.
"Tommy!" She greeted him warmly. "Checking up on us already? We barely got into town."
"I'm afraid it's business." He told her.
"Charisma, who is it?" Colin shouted through from the bathroom in his thick accent.
"It's Tommy." She told him.
"Tell him I said Hi." He answered.
"Colin says hi." She told him. "So what can we do for you?"