A/N: Merry Belated Christmas, everyone!
Although not a Christmas story per se, it takes place right around Christmas time, that's why I call this my contribution to this year's Power Rangers Holiday Story Collection :)
This is another installment of my ongoing Cam/Hunter series, meaning it will involve a male/male relationship. If you don't like that, don't read it.
See my bio for the timeline of my C/H stories.
Don't Close Your Eyes
By Dany
PG-13
Summary: Blue Bay Harbor's most notorious criminal has a score to settle with the Wind ninjas – and it will have Cam fighting for his life. Can his friends save him in time?
It was another beautiful day in Blue Bay Harbor, California; the sun was shining, the azure sky was flecked with fluffy white clouds, birds were chirping in the crisp winter air – and a giant monster was stomping towards the Southside Mall, clearly intent on not just destroying the shopping center itself, but also everything along the way.
Hot on its heels were two equally huge, multicolored robotic machines - the Thunder Megazord and the Storm Megazord. Overhead, the blades of a sleek, green helicopter cut through the air as it swooped down, circling the monster's head. The creature let out an annoyed shriek and batted at the chopper, but its pilot evaded the clumsy swipe effortlessly.
"Hurry, guys," Cam called into his helmet headset. "Shoppazilla here is getting ready to level Macy's in a moment. Gun it, Shane!"
A quarter of a mile down the street, the Red Wind Ranger accelerated the Storm Megazord's speed to maximum setting. The Rangers' massive battle machines literally flew up Main Street.
"Is it me or have those freaks been getting uglier lately?" Dustin commented from his cockpit as Lothor's latest super-sized creation came into sight again after the Megazord rounded the last corner.
"You ain't lying, dude," Shane replied with a shake of his helmeted head. "Seems like Lothor's running out of original ideas and tries to make up for it with sheer hideousness. Not to mention that he must've been watching way too many Japanese horror flicks lately."
And hideous it was - a fusion between Godzilla and Mothra, the creature had a powerful, T-Rex-like body, sported a spiked tail and four multi-jointed arms, each one ending in five wickedly sharp claws. The dinosaur similarities, however, ended there; on its back was a set of incessantly buzzing membranous wings that looked pathetically small compared to the rest of his enormous size. Its head was distinctly insectile - and oddly reminiscent of Marah's hat. Long black antennae were quivering with every step it took. Its oversized shiny-black eyes were firmly fixed on the department store front ahead of it, its mandibles clicking loudly in thrilled anticipation of the destruction to come.
Shoppazilla looked ridiculous - but then again, this was Lothor's monster. What else was there to expect?
The Storm Megazord raised its sword, but a powerful swipe of the beast's tail flung the weapon aside at the same time as it thrust two of its arms forward - right through Macy's front facade.
"Aw no! Not on my favorite mall!" the Blue Ranger cried. "And tomorrow they were supposed to start their pre-Christmas sale..."
The Thunder Megazord came to a stop a few yards behind the creature and Hunter aimed his robot's shoulder lasers. "Man, I hope that thing isn't planning on sitting on Santa's lap."
The Thunderzord fired a fusillade of energy at the dino-moth.
"Hey, if you want first pick on the sales, use the front door like everyone else," the Navy Ranger exclaimed.
Shoppazilla surprised everyone by agilely dodging the energy blasts, but instead of going on the offensive, it quickly scurried around and along the side of Macy's towards a large side entrance that led into the main body of the mall. Hunter cursed the missed shot under his breath, a knot of dread slowly forming in his gut as he turned the Thunder Megazord, intent on heading after the monster.
Thankfully, the citizens of Blue Bay Harbor, necessarily familiar with the need to quickly clear out at the first sign of monster attacks, had already evacuated the mall. Or at least that's what it looked like.
Nevertheless, Southshore Mall was a structure built mostly for elegance and sleekness, glass and marble being the foremost building material. Consequently, the potential for very costly damages was enormous. They had to get to the freak before it...
Too late. Hunter cringed behind his visor as one of Shoppazilla's fists crashed through the domed glass ceiling of the mall.
"Shane, we have to get it away from the building before I can risk another shot," Hunter cried.
"On it," came the prompt response. The Storm Megazord had retrieved its fallen weapon and once again advanced on the creature. Hunter was about to aim his lasers again when Cam's voice cut through the intercom.
"Hunter, my scans are showing three life signs still inside the mall. Two in an elevator and one in the men's rest room. We need to get these people out!"
Hunter cast a look at the angry dino-creature, then at the crumbling glass ceiling of the shopping center. The Storm Megazord and the Samurai Chopper could handle Shoppazilla; the people inside the mall were priority!
"All right, Blake and I will take care of the civilians," he replied while reaching out to unbuckle his safety harness, knowing his brother was already doing the same. "Just keep the freak from taking another chunk out of the building."
"Will do." The Samurai Chopper swooped down, firing a short volley of energy into the monster's back that singed its wings. With an outraged roar, the creature spun around, taking swipes and throwing punches at the helicopter. But it did get Shoppazilla's attention away from the building and the two Thunder Rangers were able to duck under its massive tail and enter the shopping center undetected.
The center of the mall was a mess of broken glass and bent steel beams from the ceiling. Dust from broken plaster and cracked slabs of marble clogged the air and it took Hunter a moment to get his bearings. Glass was predominant in this part of the mall - Apart from the domed ceiling, there were enormous crystal chandeliers, huge interior storefront display windows as well as four glass-enclosed elevators running between the three shopping levels of the mall. The cars of three of the lifts were stationed on the ground floor, the fourth seemed to be stuck between the second and third floor - and Hunter could see two human forms moving within. He tapped Blake's arm and pointed upwards.
"I'll take care of those two, you go and find the guy in the men's room, ok?"
The Navy Ranger nodded and dashed off towards the closest 'restroom' sign.
Hunter raised his head again. The two figures in the elevator car had obviously spotted him, for they were now banging their fists against the glass and waiving frantically. Hunter raised his arm in acknowledgement, then took a flying leap and streaked to the third level. Leaning over the balustrade, he could now make out the two inhabitants of the elevator cabin much more clearly, especially since they were both peering up at him with frightened expressions.
They were a tall man Hunter estimated to be in his mid-thirties, with thin, receding hair and a boy of about eight years, hair a shade lighter than the man's, but his similar facial features clearly identifying him as the man's son. Two shopping bags lay forgotten in a corner of the car. The man was shouting something unintelligible, but before Hunter could formulate a calming response, the walls resonated with a shrill shriek of the dinomoth monster outside, followed by a crash. The building shook and the glass elevator swayed precariously. The little boy cried out in fear and threw his arms around his father's waist. Hunter cast the thick steel cable holding the elevator a worried look; it might hold, but then again, it might not...
Hunter estimated it was about a fifty-foot drop to the bottom. Even if the fall didn't kill them, the ensuing shattered glass would at least severely injure them. Hunter scaled the railing, then took a flying leap, landing surefootedly on top of the elevator car. A square escape hatch was built into the ceiling, and it took the Crimson Ranger only one hard yank to open it. Two pale faces were gazing up at him, but the thin-haired man was quick to react; he grabbed the boy around thewaist and lifted him up. The kid's slim form fit easily through the hatch and Hunter pulled him into his arms. The boy's brown eyes were huge with fear and he instinctively threw his arms around Hunter's neck.
"Just hold on, okay, buddy?" Hunter reassured him. "One quick hop and you'll be safe."
A lightning-quick streak, and the boy found himself safely deposited in front of a Victoria's Secret store while the Crimson Ranger went right back to the top of the lift.
The father was a little harder to extricate from the elevator car. Hunter planted both feet squarely on each side of the escape hatch and lowered his Thunderstaff into the opening, instructing the man to hold on while he slowly pulled him upwards. Thankfully, despite his height, the man was quite thin, not weighing much more than Blake, and his head appeared at the hatch only moments later. Hunter bent down, grasped his shoulders and pulled him all the way out when suddenly, the earsplitting noise and resulting shockwave of an explosion outside rocked the elevator once more. The man lost his footing and yelped. Hunter got an arm around the man's waist and clung to the steel cable, but the overhead pulley was now screeching with the strain.
The Crimson Ranger yelled "Hold on," then pushed off the lift top, still firmly clutching the tall man to him, transforming his leap into a streak. His boots barely left the smooth surface when the pulley's safeties finally disengaged and the elevator plummeted towards the ground. The noise of exploding glass was deafening.
From fifty feet up, Hunter saw the man wince at the sound and sight as they watched from where they had ended up on the third floor landing. The stranger's hands were shaking, fear, amazement and relief all clearly written on his pale face. "My god!"
Letting out a relieved sigh of his own, Hunter turned to the tall man. "Well, it sounds like the monster outside's been taken care of, but we should still get out of here pretty fast. For all I know, the whole building might not be structurally safe anymore."
On the ground floor, they met up with the Navy Ranger, who was half-dragging an elderly man behind him and together, the little group made their way towards the ruined mall doors.
Outside, acrid smoke greeted them. The Storm Megazord was standing over a black pile of smoldering metal, and bits and pieces of the dino-monster were strewn around the plaza.
Hunter kicked a warped piece of metal aside, then gave the 'thumbs up' sign to the waiting Storm Megazord before he turned to father and son.
"Well, looks like you're safe to go from here."
The tall man stepped forward and offered his hand to the Crimson Ranger, gratitude written all over his face. "You've saved our lives, I don't know how to thank you..."
"Yeah, thank you, Mr. Ranger," the little boy chimed in.
With an unseen grin at their outpouring of gratefulness, Hunter shook the offered hand, then ruffled the boy's hair. "Just doing my job, buddy."
The father disagreed. "No, this isn't just a job," he insisted. "You guys have saved this town so many times since these monster invasions began. You are definitely heroes, all of you." He inclined his head towards the Megazord in emphasis while Hunter nodded in awkward appreciation at the praise.
"Thank you. I'm just glad we could help." He jabbed his thumb at his own immobile battle machine. "I should get going, help with the clean-up here..."
He nodded in farewell, but before he could turn away, the tall stranger dug into his jacket pocket and produced a small business card which he held out to the Crimson Ranger.
"Here, take this," he said. "I'm a doctor at BBH General Hospital. If there's ever anything I can do for you or anyone on your team, call me. Please."
Hunter hesitated, and the stranger caught the pause. "You can count on my discretion," he added in a low voice.
Hunter took the card, and nodded once more while from several different directions, curious spectators began to pour into the plaza, some of them picking up scarred and twisted pieces of metal as souvenirs, others just gawking at the Power Rangers and their mighty battle robots.
Two young men among the crowd, however, were neither out for mementos nor a quick glimpse at the multi-colored heroes. Instead they remained in the background, studying the Crimson and Navy Rangers intently as they made their way towards their Zords.
"So whaddaya think, meng?" the shorter, Hispanic boy mumbled.
His companion, an only slightly taller Asian boy with acne-scarred cheeks frowned at the overly chummy moniker before he shrugged. "Hard to say. I would have to actually see them fight to be sure, but it doesn't look like that's gonna happen anymore today." He let out a frustrated sigh while his partner frowned.
"That's no good, man. Julio's getting impatient. What are we gonna tell him, huh?"
"You think I don't know that?" the Asian boy hissed. "But there's no way for me to tell anything just from the way they walk! We'll just have to wait until the next monster attack and hope to see some actual hand-to-hand combat."
He elbowed the shorter boy and jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. "Come on, let's go 'n report to Julio that there's nothing to report yet."
And with a last look at the two Thunder Rangers, the teenagers melted into the shadows of two adjoining buildings.
To Be Continued…
A/N: This is a work in progress, so the postings probably won't be at regular intervals since the story is kind of slow in coming. Be patient with me, guys…