So I'm posting this chapter a little earlier than I thought I'd be able to. Joys of procrastination - good for stories, bad for essay. Hopefully this means I'll be able to update a bit more regularly than I'd intended. Enjoy.
~the real vampire~
Chapter 2.
Tori stood at the crest of the hill, staring in shock. Where there should have been a path winding through the forest to the school, its slate-grey roof rising majestically above the treetops, there was only destruction. The school had been torn from the mountainside; broken and twisted rocks lay scattered on the bare earth where it had once stood. The trees surrounding the buildings had been uprooted, lying in tangles of smashed branches and splintered wood. Snow, which had been so carefully cleared from the pathways and training yards, was whipped up and dumped in heaps by the vicious wind. It stung Tori's face, pulling at her hair and clothes. Numbly, barely even able to comprehend what she was seeing, she began to make her way down into the wreckage, stones skittering and breaking beneath her feet. Evidence of fires since burnt out was everywhere, in the scorched snow-bare earth and patches of deadly black ice that glistened faintly in the dim light. Overhead, lightning flashed, illuminating the scene in stark relief before vanishing into the encroaching darkness.
There was no sign of life.
Weaving her way between the piles of brick and mortar that had once been the beautiful academy, Tori felt her panic increasing as she found no one. The only movement was the flakes of snow that the terrible wind sent spinning and dancing into the air around her. She blinked furiously to clear her vision. "Sensei? Shane? Dustin? Cam?" she yelled to the darkening ruins. "Anyone? Is anyone here?" Memories of the last time the school had been destroyed rose forcibly to the front of her mind, causing adrenaline to rush through her. Fighting to keep some semblance of calm, she stumbled further towards where they main school buildings should have stood. The rubble stood higher here, stone blackened and cracked by forces beyond her comprehension. Another flash of lightning illuminated the ground, and Tori caught sight of something that made the blood freeze in her veins.
A hand stuck out of a pile of nearby bricks, partially covered by the windswept snow.
With little regard for her own safety, she began tearing at the bricks, "Hello? Can you hear me?" But there was no response. The sharp edges cut into her hands, thin lines of blood welling up as she worked frantically to free the buried person. Just as she thought she was making some progress, another flash of lightning revealed a pair of blank, glazed eyes staring unseeingly at her. Tori screamed and stumbled backwards, catching her coat on some jutting masonry. Panic clouding her mind, she turned to flee, the material of her coat separating as she tore herself away from the rubble. As she ran, her foot caught on a twisted metal pipe and sent her flying. She plunged forward, arms outstretched to try and break her fall but all she achieved was to drive dirt and stones into her already cut hands. The denim of her jeans ripped at the knees as she hit the ground, pain shooting through her legs. The air was knocked from her lungs; the sudden impact causing her to bite her tongue. A bitter, coppery taste filled her mouth and she lay in the ashes, momentarily winded. She wasn't too sure how long she stayed there in the dirt, but finally the cold seeping up into her already-frozen body forced her to back into life. Gingerly she pushed herself up onto her hands and knees and then, when her body didn't protest too badly, made it to her feet. Holding onto nearby stonework for support, her mind felt numb. Shock and disbelief threatened to overwhelm her, but she risked one last cry for help. "Is anyone here?" Her voice shook. "Anyone? Please? Someone answer me." The last words came out as a strangled half-scream, half-sob that echoed forlornly into the intruding night.
"Tori?" The voice was soft and calm, yet it cut straight through the water ninja's panic.
"Cam? Is that you?" The relief in her voice and on her face was clear. She almost ran to embrace him, but her treacherous legs would not allow it.
The samurai nodded and in once glance took in Tori's frozen hands and face, and her ripped and dirtied clothing. He hurried over to meet her and put his arm around her, "Let's go." Dully,she allowed him to lead her around some of the larger piles of rubble to where debris had been cleared from a square patch of land. Pulling up a heavy wooden door set into the ground, Cam revealed a dark hole with worn stone steps leading down into the depths. Tori stared at it, the familiarity striking. The sense of deja-vu continued as she followed Cam down into the tunnel, the howl of the wind cut off as he carefully closed the door after them, leaving them in darkness. Stepping carefully, hand on the slimy rock walls for support, they made their way deeper into the earth. A faint light shining out of the black indicated they were almost at the bottom and the sound of muffled voices could be heard.
Stepping down off the last step, a warm blast of air hit them as they entered a large rectangular room. Huge wooden beams criss-crossed the ceiling and created pillars down the walls, separating the square panels that emitted a blue-tinged light illuminating the room. Sturdy stone flags paved the floor and a traditional, low Japanese table stood in the centre, a few coloured cushions scattered nearby for seating. To the left of the main entrance was a tall bookcase stacked with heavy tomes and ancient scrolls, while at the far end a large computer screen and console dominated most of the back wall, framed by other, smaller screens and dials. It looked the same as it had ten years ago, when Tori had first walked down into Ninja Ops. She half expected a habitat to be wheeled in, with a guinea-pig-shaped Sensei Kanoi talking to her.
But Sensei Kanoi was standing near the computer terminal, very much alive and in human form. He was deep in conversation with a dusty-looking Shane. Nearby, a group of about twenty shaken students sat huddled on the floor, all sporting torn uniforms and numerous injuries. Kayla and Dustin were speaking to them softly, their tone reassuring but worry clearly outlined on their faces.
"Look who I found…" Cam turned back to Tori and the words he was about to say died on his lips when he saw she was trembling. Tears began to spill from her eyes and she pressed a shaking, bloodied hand to her mouth in an attempt to stop them. Everyone stood awkwardly for a long moment, unsure of what to do. It was Cam's wife, Kayla, who hurried to the rescue. Putting her arm around Tori, the diminutive fire ninja led her to a seat.
"I'm sorry," Tori said, trying to keep a tremble from her voice. "I don't know what's wrong. I just… My hands keep shaking. I can't seem to make them stop."
"It's ok," Kayla said, her voice deliberately gentle. "You've had a shock." She glanced around at the rest of the occupants of Ninja Ops and sighed, "We all have."
Tori took a deep, shuddering breath and tried to calm herself down. Reason was beginning to seep back into her mind and she was starting to feel faintly embarrassed that she, an almost thirty year old woman, was having hysterics. Then the memory of two unseeing eyes floated before her and she felt the bile rise in her throat. "There was a body," she croaked out. "In the rubble."
A shadow crossed Kayla's face, "Aidan," she said softly, the faint shimmering of tears in her eyes.
Tori bowed her head as the fire ninja named one of Shane's intermediate students. "Was he…" She swallowed, "Was he the only one to..?"
"Die?" Tori nodded and Kayla shook her head, "We lost Kathy and Markus too. The others… Well we assume they're alive. They were taken." She trailed off, unwilling to continue. A hot tear trickled down from the corner of Tori's eye and the older woman patted her gently on the hand, then grabbed it to look more closely at the damage. "Your hands!"
The wind sensei sniffed and pulled her hand back, wiping the tears from her face with fingers that barely trembled. "They look worse than they are, I think."
Despite Tori's protestations, Kayla was not to be ignored and soon the blonde woman found her hands bathed and antiseptic cream spread on the already crusted-over cuts and the same treatment provided for her grazed knees. A pale student in a dirtied and torn uniform came over to give her a cup of hot tea. Tori thanked her, then started in surprise as recognition dawned. "Anya?"
The senior water student jumped guilty, "Sensei, I'm so sorry," she burst out, "I tried to save them, I really did but it all happened so quickly; I just froze. I'm so sorry, please forgive me. I tried." Her pale blue eyes welled up with unshed tears and Tori, alarmed by her student's distress, tried to soothe her.
"Shh, shh, it's ok. You haven't done anything wrong." Tori glanced over at the group of teenagers sitting in a small, dejected group and noted with a sinking heart how few of her own water students were present. "I'm the one who should be sorry," she whispered. At that moment, Kayla returned and kindly took Anya away to help her make up some beds for the students in one of the dorm-style rooms that could be found down one of the many passages that branched out from the main Ops.
As Tori sipped at the tea, suddenly grateful for it's warmth, she became aware of Shane and Dustin coming towards her. "Hey Tor," Dustin said, slipping a comforting arm around her shoulders, "Shane and I are heading home. We were just wondering if you were going to stay here, or you're more than welcome to stay at mine. You know Marah and the kids would love to have you." Tori knew that they didn't think she should be alone that evening.
"I think I'll stay here," she said, strength returning to her voice.
"Good," Shane said shortly, relieved she wasn't going to argue, "You can help Cam try and get in touch with the other Academies."
A cold lump of fear settled in Tori's stomach and she jumped to her feet, knocking Dustin's arm away and almost spilling her tea. "What's happened to the other academies?"
Cam glanced at her white face from where he sat in front of the computer, "I don't know. Nothing I hope. I just can't contact them. It may just be that our communications were taken offline in the attack."
"It'll be ok, Tor," Dustin said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek as he and Shane headed for the stairs. "We better get going. We'll see you in the morning."
Tori barely registered them leaving. Her head was spinning sickeningly and the heavily panelled walls were making her feel claustrophobic. She moved towards the entrance, legs working on automatic. "You ok?" Kayla caught her elbow, concern in her amber eyes.
Tori nodded, "I'm fine," she managed. "I just need some air." With promises to not go far, she made her way up the narrow stone steps fighting down the urge to streak to the Thunder Academy there and then. But it was getting dark in earnest. The wind had dropped, but so had the temperature. The freezing air that greeted Tori as she reached the surface cut through her torn coat, making her shiver. She took several deep, calming breaths, ice burning into her lungs but clearing her mind. Pulling her mobile out of her pocket she hit a button on the keypad. Hunter's number was on speed dial, which said volumes about how much their relationship had developed in the last month. Holding the phone to her ear, she sat on a lump of rock, foot tapping impatiently. The phone was ringing. And it kept on ringing. "Come on Hunter. Pick up, please pick up," she muttered over and over, hoping that any moment the blonde thunder ninja would answer with some flip remark, oblivious to everything that had happened. There was a sudden click at the other end of the line and Tori's heart jumped, "Hunter? Thank goodness, I…" but she was cut off by the cheery, automated answer phone message. Hunter hadn't even bothered to record his own. Tori hit the end call button and dialled again, one hand holding the phone to her ear, the other up to her mouth, the chewing of her nails betraying her worry. The phone just kept ringing. This time when it clicked on to answer phone, Tori left a brief message, asking Hunter to call her as soon as he could. It wasn't much, but it was the best she could do.
She had never felt so helpless.
Darkness had fallen completely now; night dropping like a curtain to hide the destruction Tori knew surrounded her. In the dim light that emitted from the open entrance to Ninja Ops she could see her breath in wispy clouds and flakes of snow were beginning to drift slowly down through the frozen air. Shivering as the cold finally hit, she turned and hurried down into the relative warmth of the caves. The students that had escaped were obviously tucked up for the night and it appeared that Kanoi too had retired, as only Cam and Kayla remained in the main room.
Tori paused at the entrance, and despite her worry for Hunter and the seriousness of the situation they found themselves in, a smile crossed her face as she saw the two of them together. Cam was at the computer, in his old familiar place, eyes fixed on the screen. Kayla sat perched on the arm of his chair, one arm across his shoulders, hand absently stroking his back, the other raising from her lap every now and again to point at the lines of code scrolling down the screen. Every so often, as Kayla leaned forward to look at something more closely, Cam's eyes would stray up to her face, his adoration for the small, chestnut-haired woman clear to see.
Sensing Tori's approach, Kayla turned to her with an anxious expression, "Are you alright?"
The water ninja smiled at the older woman's concern, "I'm fine now. I just tried phoning Hunter but…" she shrugged, not wanting to finish the sentence in case she began crying again. As Kayla gave her an understanding smile, Tori walked up to stand on the other side of Cam, peering over his shoulder at the computer screen. "Anything?"
Cam frowned, "I'm just trying to restore access to the… got it! Satellite feed is back on line." His fingers flew over the keys, brow furrowed in concentration. "Communications are still down but I should be able to at least get a visual on the other academies."
"Start with the Thunder Academy", Tori blurted out, throat dry. "I mean, it's the closest. If they're ok… they can help us." Cam nodded and tapped quickly on the keyboard. A satellite view of the area came on screen and Tori fixed her eyes on it as it slowly began to zoom in to where the Thunder Academy should have stood. Should have, but did no longer. Even in the darkness, it was apparent only destruction remained. Flames still rose from piles of rubble, casting harsh orange shadows across the twisted remains and scarred earth. Black smoke billowed across the ground, turning the white snow into puddles of sooty water. It appeared as deserted and lifeless as Tori had found the Wind Academy to be.
Tori felt her legs sway and clutched at the back of Cam's chair for support. She covered her mouth with her hand, trying to push down the fresh wave of panic that threatened to overwhelm her. Her worry for Hunter was magnified by the confirmation she had been dreading – that his school too had fallen to some unknown attacker and he was missing, perhaps taken, perhaps dead…
"I wonder how many of them could have got out of that?" Kayla asked softly. Like Tori she could not drag her eyes away from the scene of destruction.
"Not many of us, that's for sure," a raspy male voice suddenly said from behind them.
The three of them turned in shock to see Hunter standing at the bottom of the stairs, five wide-eyed young students behind him. A single glance took in their torn and dirty uniforms, pale faces pinched by the cold and all sporting various cuts and bruises. One young man was holding a clearly broken arm tightly to his chest and had to be supported by an older student. They all looked exhausted.
It took every ounce of Tori's self-restraint to not throw herself at the blonde thunder ninja then and there. But they were not alone. The students had to be taken care of first, though that didn't seem to be Cam's first concern.
"How did you get passed the sensors?" he demanded, looking at once worried and angry.
Hunter grinned, his teeth flashing remarkably white in his soot-blackened face, "Don't worry; there hasn't been a security breach. You forget you helped me redo the Thunder Academy defences two summers ago, basing them on yours here. It may come as a shock, but this ex-track rat does now know a thing or two about computers. I knew where your sensors would be, and I knew how not to set them off. We were being stealthy." If it wasn't for the seriousness of the situation, Tori might have laughed at the outraged look on the samurai's face.
As it was, Cam glared at Hunter for a moment before removing his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose wearily, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Hunter said lightly, walking further into the room, but Tori could see that beneath his calm façade there was unease in his blue eyes.
"Are you sure?" Kayla asked sharply. She too had noticed Hunter was moving more gingerly than normal.
Tori stepped in at that point. Hunter was proud and stubborn; he would not want to admit weakness in front of his students. Especially not at a time like this. "I think Hunter's students need to be seen to. Kayla?" She turned to the fire ninja and gave her a meaningful look.
Kayla flicked her gaze from Tori's steadfast blue eyes to the barely-upright thunder ninja, letting it come to rest on the injured students still standing awkwardly behind their sensei. Her expression softened and she smiled at them sympathetically, nudging her husband, "Cam, you boys can discuss sensors and computers later. We need to see to these young warriors."
"If you're sure the sensors haven't been compromised…" The samurai sighed at Hunter's quiet assurance that the security hadn't been tampered with and reluctantly turned away from his computer, "We'll talk about this in the morning."
Hunter nodded, his face serious, "That's not all we need to talk about." He turned to his students, "Go with Sensei Watanabe. He'll make sure you have some hot food and a place to sleep. If you have any injuries that need seeing to, speak to him and you'll get fixed up. I'll see you in the morning." The young ninjas filed passed him silently and followed Cam down one of the side passages, further into the network of caverns and interconnecting tunnels that made up Ninja Ops. Kayla quickly took over the care of the boy with the broken arm and the two of them brought up the lead.
As soon as they were alone, Tori practically flew to Hunter, pulling him into a tight embrace, which he returned in kind until a hiss of air escaped from between his teeth and he tensed involuntarily. Tori released him immediately, eyes darting across his face, seeing the pain he was trying to hide. "You're hurt," she said almost accusingly. Hunter opened his mouth to protest, but Tori had seen enough. "Sit," she commanded, indicating the low table in the centre of the room. Hunter didn't object. That alone told Tori how hurt he really was. Now his students were taken care of, the mask was beginning to fall from the thunder sensei's face; pain and exhaustion clear to see. He moved gingerly over to the table and sat down, trying not to wince as the movement jarred his side. "Where does it hurt?" Tori asked softly, coming to stand in front of him.
"Ribs," Hunter grunted. Tori gave him a look and he slowly began unbuttoning his shirt. His hands fumbled on the buttons and instantly a pair of smaller, feminine hands were there to help. Hunter stopped her, taking both of her hands in his large ones and bringing them up to his face. "I was so scared I'd never see you again," he whispered, drawing her close and resting his head tiredly against her.
Tori pulled her hands free of his and stroked his hair lightly. "I was so worried…" she trailed off, feeling the lump return to her throat.
Hunter heard the break in her voice and took back her hands, tugging her down so she was kneeling in front of him. "Hey, hey, it's ok," he said in a soft voice, trying to get her to look at him. But Tori wouldn't meet his eyes. "It's ok," he repeated, gently turning her face to his. "We're alive. We're together. We're safe."
"But not all of us," Tori burst out, sharper than she'd intended. "Hunter… my students… I should have been here. I should have…"
"Done what?" Hunter cut in, raising a finger to her lips. "Shhh no, listen to me. What could you have done, Tori? I got back in time to see my school destroyed. There were these… creatures. I barely got out of there alive, with those students I could find. The others were taken and all I could do was watch." There was barely disguised distress in Hunter's voice, "Tori, all I could think about was you. So scared that they'd get to you to. If you'd been with your students… you wouldn't be here now. You'd have been taken. Or worse."
"I could have fought," Tori said stubbornly, unwilling to listen to her lover's words. Guilt that she hadn't been there for her students, that she had abandoned them when they needed her the most, wracked her.
"And you'd have lost." He said it calmly, no doubt at all in his voice. "Tori, you didn't see these things. They were like the kalzaks, but far stronger. I just… I'm glad you're here. We're here. Once we figure out what's going on, we can fight. We will get our students back." He paused, gauging her reactions. His words were beginning to take effect, but Tori still didn't seem convinced. "I know what you're thinking," he said softly. "You should have been there for them. But you weren't. You off with me, enjoying yourself, while those boys and girls were taken. And you hate yourself for it." Tori started at those words, and Hunter knew he was right on target. "I made you leave them," he said quietly, watching her carefully. "Do you hate me for that?"
Tori looked up at him in shock. "No, Hunter. Of course I don't. How could I? You didn't know that the schools would be attacked-" She broke off as she realised what she was saying and then gave a rueful laugh, "I walked right into that one didn't I?" As Hunter gave a weary chuckle she managed a smile back, "I'm acting like a child aren't I?"
He nodded, "I didn't want to say it like that…" Tori growled at him and punched him playfully on the arm. Hunter laughed, then gasped in pain, clutching his side.
"Oh Hunter, your ribs! I forgot." Tori instantly began undoing the last few fastenings on his shirt. Hunter started to protest that they were fine, but the water ninja would have none of it. Carefully easing the top off him, her brow creased in concern as the full extent of Hunter's injuries were revealed. His entire right side was a mess of bruises, a mottled, violent reddish-purple that spread across his ribs, deepening in parts to a far more worrying blue-black. Tori traced a finger lightly over it, noticing the areas of extra sensitivity, and sighed, "You've broken at least two, if not more."
"Feels like more," he grunted, his voice strained.
The water ninja smiled at him sympathetically as she retrieved a medical kit from near Cam's console. "There's not much I can do, 'cept strap them up." Tori paused, "But you already know that, huh?"
Hunter managed a grin; fatigue and pain not yet robbing him of his humour, "I've had my fair share. Enough to last a normal person a lifetime." A quiet regret filled his next words, "Guess we're not normal."
Tori knelt back down and began wrapping a bandage firmly around his ribs. "No, we're not," she said steadily. "But you'd hate to be normal. You'd find it dull and boring."
"Right now, I half wonder if I'd be happier with boring, rather than dealing with… whatever the hell we're dealing with." He winced as Tori finished tightening the bandage.
She ran her fingers gently over the cotton strapping, not meeting Hunter's eyes, "We're in a lot of trouble aren't we?" She bit her lip, worry creasing lines into her face.
The thunder ninja took her head in his hands and tilted it upwards so he could plant a soft, chaste kiss on her lips, "We'll see in the morning. Things always look better in daylight." He had to stifle a yawn and Tori stood, offering a hand to help him to his feet. "I guess I'm in Blake and I's old room," he said sleepily, draping an arm over her shoulders to support himself as they left the main cavern.
"I guess officially yes." Sliding her arm around his waist she reached up with her other hand to entwine her fingers through his. He looked down at her, puzzlement on his face, and she gave him a weak smile, "I don't want to be alone tonight." Her voice was barely a whisper.
Hunter smiled and gave her hand an understanding squeeze. "I don't want to be alone either," he confessed, allowing her to lead the way through the passageways back to the little room that she'd often used when they'd been rangers.
XxX
A little while later found the two of them sharing the narrow bed; Hunter staring up into the near-total darkness with Tori lying on her side, snuggled in to the crook of his arm, one hand absently stroking the cotton bandages around his ribs. Despite his exhaustion, thoughts spinning through his head made sleep illusive.
Tori, unsure if he was awake as his breathing was soft and even, raised herself up slightly to try and see his face in the darkness, but it was impossible. "Hunter?" she whispered, her voice tentative.
"Mmmm?"
"I just wanted to let you know I don't regret this afternoon," Tori said softly. "Being with you… I don't think I've ever been happier than when we're together." She smiled as Hunter moved his hand gently up her arm to run his fingers through her hair, but it faded as less-pleasant memories returned. "I don't think I've ever been as scared as I was this afternoon. When I saw the school, all the destruction… It reminded me of Lothor. I mean, I was scared then too. But I had Shane and Dustin. This time I was just so alone." A tear slid from her eye, running down her cheek to drop onto Hunter's chest. "Hunter, I thought I'd lost you. I don't think I could bear life without you." She tried to stifle a sob but she wasn't fooling the thunder ninja.
"Tor-" He went to comfort her but her finger on his lips cut him off.
"Hunter, I think I love you. I want to tell you now, in case…" She couldn't finish the sentence and Hunter wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he could without causing himself any more pain.
"I think I love you too," he whispered back, wiping her tears away with his thumb. "Tori, we defeated Lothor. We can deal with this." But his voice lacked its usual conviction.
Tori sighed, "We were power rangers when we defeated Lothor. And we got lucky more times than I care to remember." Hunter chuckled at that but Tori didn't seem amused, "Do you remember what life was like back then? So much responsibility; so much fear? Always having to be alert, never being able to relax? Never knowing if the next monster was going to be the one to kill you… I don't want to go back to that." Anger coursed through her voice, "I was just beginning to enjoy my life, dammit."
"Hey, hey, hey. Shhh. It's ok." Hunter smiled at her in the darkness, his voice soothing. "Tori, I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow; or the day after. I don't know what we're facing. But I know I have you. As long as I have you, the future doesn't matter. I know together, we're stronger than anything this world can throw at us." He shifted slightly, wincing as his ribs pulled, but let his hand gently stroke Tori's arm. "I can't promise everything's going to be alright. But we're going to do everything we can to get our students back and make life to what it was before. Okay?"
Tori sniffed, nodding her head against his chest, a feeling of calm washing over her. "So what happens next?" she asked softly. But Hunter didn't reply. The truth was there was no answer to give.
