Legend of the Campus Murder
Shifting her bag on her shoulder, she headed up the steps to the dance studio for jazz class. She smiled as she thought about how Zack was proud of her for pursuing a career in the arts; Dance specifically with a minor in Theatre. Ahead of her she saw her boyfriend Miles also and a grin split across her face. "Miles!" She ran up the final steps to his side.
"Hey Kim." He stopped long enough to kiss her. "Ready to dance?" He mimicked Madame Rosaline, their dance instructor for as they headed towards the lockers.
"Just as ready as I am to lie on the floor and die," she joked as she tossed her bag into her locker. She glanced around quick enough to note they were alone. She sidled up to Miles and twisted her arms around his neck. "I missed you yesterday." She murmured with a sigh.
"Sorry about all that." His arms lazily wound around her waist and he lowered his head to kiss her.
Suddenly glass exploded in on them, Miles pushed her to the floor, covering her with his body. He was no match however for the over powering Piranhatrons who were gone with Kimberly before he could do a thing.
"Alright Ayden what's the most important thing when someone begins to hassle you?"
"Use your head and above all stay calm." Ayden repeated the memorized words to his mentor.
"Good, now I want you to attack me." Tommy told the twelve year old.
"OK." Ayden was a bit awed by his instructor but did as he was told to do. When the boy attacked him Tommy was slow to respond trying to give the boy a sense of confidence.
"Alright Ayden lets call it a day. You're doing great." the pair bowed to each other. Tommy's thoughts strayed as he sat beside Rocky at the bar.
"What's wrong?" The Blue Ranger's question was softly spoken.
"I don't know. I just can't get this feeling that there's something bad about to happen off my mind."
"Maybe we should contact Alpha and Zordon?"
"I guess." Tommy's eyes strayed to his other friends.
"Here you go Tommy." Ernie's famous fruit smoothie was placed in front of him.
Kimberly shivered in a corner drawing her legs up to her chest. She wondered where Miles was and why he was not responding to her. She glanced around trying to recognize her location. She needed morphing abilities right about now.
"Ah Kimberly." a woman appeared causing Kim's fear to rise. "You are my bait for the college campus murderer." The woman laughed and then disappeared.
"Where am I?" She whispered as tears poured down her cheeks. She glanced at her old communicator which ironically was on her wrist that day. Out of her whole life this is the one day she wanted and needed it.
The familiar beep had the Rangers disappear from view. "What's up Alpha?"
"Rangers, Zordon needs you at the Command Center it's urgent."
"We're on our way." Since no one was around they teleported instantly.
"What's up Zordon?" Kat was the first to ask.
"Look at the viewing globe." Zordon mentioned to the globe. The Rangers' eyes fell to the viewing globe. Nothing appeared to be there just a black space.
"What's this about Zordon?" Tommy looked confused.
"Alpha, find her," Zordon responded tersely. The screen now displayed a figure curled up in a corner, shivering and crying. A figure that was familiar enough to Tommy his gasp was instant though he tried to think otherwise.
"Explain." Tanya demanded looking from the screen to Zordon.
"There's a legend about a serial killer who attacks college girls and kills them. Divatox has captured Kimberly to be the bait to bring him back to life. The killer, if brought back to life will not care what girls he kills. He doesn't care what kind of object he uses as long as its sharp but provides torture for his victim."
"Kim?" Tommy looked back at the screen and groaned. It couldn't be. Not this; not her. "Zordon where is she?" He had not heard from Kim since that dreaded letter but his feelings were still intense.
"She is in an underground chamber underneath her college. She and her boyfriend, Miles, were in the dance studio when the Piranhatrons attacked them. They left Miles and took Kimberly. Miles has reported her missing to the local police but since they have nothing to go on they are assuming he did it."
Tommy shook his head. "Is Miles ok?" He asked finally knowing that as a team against evil they had to think about everyone involved.
"No major injuries." Alpha reported.
"Alright let's go." Tommy said finally. Zordon's agreement sent them into Turbo mode and on their way.
Kimberly groaned as a Piranhatron kicked her in the gut. She was already weakened by having had no food or drink since being captured, and freezing. It was likely she would die soon if someone did not find her. She had to fight back. This was the worst situation she had ever been in.
She shifted her body trying to block herself from the creature. It was as if the evil woman had given them permission to do whatever they wanted with her. She broke down crying. She couldn't help it any more and she was ready to just give up and die.
"Tommy, where do you think should we start looking?" Adam asked worriedly.
"I think its time to talk to Miles." he was thoughtful on the subject. It would be really odd to have Power Rangers walk into a building looking for a student but they had to. There was no other way really but to find this Miles and ask him what had happened.
"But we don't have any ideas where to begin looking either for him or for her." Rocky's eyes flashed with anger. His over protective brother mode was in full swing. Suddenly the past mattered very little to any of them.
Kimberly had finally been left alone and she stood shakily. They had left a bottle of water on the side of the room with a bag of chips. Hunger and thirst forced her to get up and step over there. As she crossed the room she stumbled and fell to her knees. One of her knees cracked as she fell. Now she was really in trouble. She used her hands to feel her way around and screamed when she touched what felt like a human skull. The odds against her were stacked.
"Tommy, come in." Alpha's voice radiated through on their communications. He sounded frantic.
"What's up Alpha?" Tommy responded pausing in his walk around the campus.
"We were monitoring Kimberly on the screen when all of a sudden we saw a human skull. We believe that this legend may in fact not be just a legend."
"Great, just great." He growled, "Thanks Alpha. We're trying to find Miles to see if he knows anything but maybe this means we need to switch focus and locate Kim."
"We'll inform you if anything changes." This was Alpha's way of ending the conversation.
Kim's eyes were swollen almost shut as she tried to stop shivering in a corner. Her fighting spirit was dying fast and hypothermia was setting in. Time was running out.
Tommy could feel it in his every movement. Something was wrong and he knew that somehow they just had to find Kim now. They couldn't wait any longer.
"I think it's time for drastic measures." Adam whispered.
"We need to find her." Tanya agreed.
Tommy moved from the group; his frustration with the situation was growing. Kat's hand came on his shoulder and she asked him if he was ok. His answer was to push her away. It was Kim and he needed to help her now.
"Tommy!" Alpha's voice came through to them. "We have located the location of Kimberly's last signature." He gave them the coordinates and Tommy was off running through crowds of confused college students. Exchanged glances had the other Rangers following him.
Kimberly gulped at the bottle of water wishing for some relief from the burning sensation in her throat. She could feel herself slipping away.
"There." Tommy's heart was in his throat as he pointed to a large building; it lay in ruins. The building's foundation held strong and for that Tommy was grateful. He raced into the site, searching frantically for a way into the underground hole.
He was using his fingers to dig when he was pulled on strongly by Kat. "Stop, it Tommy! You can not do this alone." She pulled him up.
"I have to find her!" He ground out at her.
"What is wrong with you?" She yelled at him.
"Nothing." He glared at her before going on his way at what he was doing.
Adam grabbed Tommy's sleeve, "slow down man we all want to find her." Tommy looked at Adam gratefully.
Rocky suddenly pointed. "We've got to get her now!" He was looking at a site that terrified them all. There on the far side of the ruins lay a body strewn in pieces. Tommy's strength increased and he began digging his fingers through the ground again.
"Use your blaster." Tanya told him finally. Tommy didn't think twice he grabbed his blaster and used it to make a large hole in the ground. He leaped into the ground's hole and ran down a long corridor that had been hidden. A door stopped him in his tracks. Using his blaster he broke the lock and was down the flight of stairs.
A gasp elicited from him as he saw the heap in a corner. He rushed across the room dismayed to find a friend in such a horrible condition. "Grab her Tommy! We've got to get out of here now!"
He winced as he grabbed her, realizing just how lifeless her body was. There was nothing he could do at the moment to be gentle. He did try to settle her in arms the best he could, trying not to hurt her. She was not recognizable as the Kim he'd once known.
Kimberly moaned, crying out suddenly her eyes unable to open. She was in a dark place and had no clue what had her. "Kim its ok, you're safe now."
Stepping over to the opening Tommy carefully lifted the woman to Adam's waiting arms who immediately cradled her close. "Let's get out of here!" Rocky touched his teleporter's button and they were flown through the air to the Command Center.
"Nice work Rangers. Unfortunately I have bad news. Miles was discovered dead about 200 feet from where you found Kimberly. He was probably killed in his struggle to find Kimberly." Zordon's eyes were filled with sadness for his charges.
Kimberly stirred; hearing this exchange caused her to break out in sobs.
The Rangers exchanged looks. They resolved that whatever it took they would seek out and destroy the evil that this was.
The End
