Chapter 3: Ransik Lives

It was a bright and beautiful morning. I was in such a good mood since yesterday when I became the red time force ranger. Now the next mission I had to accomplish was to get the guys someplace to live. I remembered my dad owned a couple of buildings that weren't even used anymore. I knew one place would be perfect. I ran outside after getting dressed, hopped on my bike and headed to the beach. When I got there I saw the others looking depressed with nothing but a campfire and their stuff all over the beach. It was a depressing site. I hopped off my bike as they saw me. They look like homeless people who have been there for years.

I walked to the beach and simply said, "Grab your stuff." Packing that stuff would be a project in it self. There were so many yellow cases that I guess held arsenal and gear for ranger missions. They gave me a confused look. "Come on I found a place for you to live." I laughed and began to help them pack. We walked up to building. I said, "Well there it is home sweet home." The building was a giant brick clock tower. I thought it would be cool for them to live here. It's got plenty of room and it was appropriate that the Time Force rangers lived in a clock tower. We began walking up the stairs.

I explained about the building to them, "My dad owns this building. Nobody uses it anymore." We continued walking up the steps.

Katie was way behind and she started to complain, "Hey! Is there an elevator?" What, people in the future don't use stairs anymore?

I laughed, "Yeah Right. Just wait it's worth the climb you'll see." We eventually made it to the top. The place looks great except for the pile of junk around it and the doves that were inside needed to go. I turned to the others, "So it's great huh?" The guys were not exactly impressed thou. I mean I guess I can't blame them since everything in the future is probably much more enhanced. Jen began to look around.

Lucas exclaimed, "What a dump".

Katie touched the wall and got dust on her fingers. "It is pretty dirty."

Trip whined, "We can't live here." Damn I thought Trip was positive about everything. I started to feel bad. It was hopeless until Jen looked out the window.

She yelled, "You guys?" She then waved her hand telling them to come over. "From up here we can see everyone but no one can see us." She turned to Katie. "It's perfect."

Katie then said, "I guess we could make it work."

Jen smiled at me, "Let's make this place into a home." I smiled back at her. It was nice to actually see Jen smile she was more beautiful when she smiled. Then again she's beautiful no matter what expression she has on her face.

We were cleaning for a while now. Jen and Katie were dusting off the walls, Lucas and I cleaned up the junk, and Trip was finding a place to put Circuit. I moved some of the junk upstairs. As I placed the box down I found a big black chest. I opened it up and found a bunch of old clothes in there. They weren't retro clothes, they actually looked pretty modern. I think I should give these to the guys because they can't wear those suits all the time or else people would start suspecting something and personally to me those suits look extremely uncomfortable. I walked downstairs with the chest. The place actually looks a lot cleaner and more suitable to live in.

I said, "I've been thinking guys. If you want people to think you're from here then you have to dress the part." I opened up the chest and the guys looked inside and began to pick out clothes. Katie picked a yellow sweater with a black vest and black pants. Lucas had almost the same outfit on expect with a jacket and a blue shirt. He showed off his outfit.

Katie said, "Yeah."

I said, "You look cool." Trip came in very shy in an orange jacket with a green shirt underneath and grey jeans. I also found a cool black hat he could wear. "One last detail". I put the hat on his head and he groaned. I told him, "I don't know if the public is quite ready for a Zybrian yet." I felt bad. I mean he could get away with the green hair but people would question the diamond.

Suddenly I heard Jen say, "Hi." She looked gorgeous wearing a flannel mini skirt with black boots, a pink blouse, and a leather jacket. She looked hot and it took all my energy not to admit it.

I just simply said, "Wow. You look great." She smiled at me and then we heard the sound of Trip's stomach growling. It became louder until we realized it was also the sound of a pigeon.

Jen said, "Come on Wes. We'll bring back something to eat." I followed Jen and we began discussing how we would get money for food. Jen's money for the future won't work here and I didn't have any money on me. She asked, "What about your dad? He's rich why can't you ask him for money?"

I simply responded, "I know my dad is rich, but I don't want to go to him for money. This is something I want to do on my own." It was true. I wanted to break away from my father and try to take care of myself.

As we were about to walk out the door, the door opened and an old man wearing a suit walked into the room. I asked, "Um… Can I help you?"

The old man responded, "This is Nick of Time Odd Jobs, isn't it? I want to hire you." He then pulled out a cloth and wipe it the dust off of the sign on the door. It revealed that the sign said, "Nick of Time Odd Jobs"

Jen then said, "Oh look. This was an odd job shop."

I knew we had no time for this, "I'm sorry but we're not…"

Jen interrupted, "…We'll do it!" I gave her a confused look. She looked at me and continued, "Whatever it is we'll do it. As long as it pays." It actually was a good idea, I just didn't expect Jen to come up with it nor that she even knew what an odd job shop was.

I responded as she gave me look, "Yeah… odd jobs are our specialty" I mumbled, "I guess". The job the guy wanted us to do was to paint a room in his office building. It was actually a TV station. I thought this was going to be no problem but I was wrong. This was actually the first time I painted anything. Living with a rich dad you're not exactly expected to do manual labor. I was actually happy I was doing this. It felt good to do some work instead of sitting around all the time.

I asked Jen, "Looks good huh?"

Jen gave me a straight answer, "Um… not really. You need some more paint and a roller." I looked at my brush. It was no wonder she was getting her sides done a lot faster than I was. I went to find a roller but I accidental knocked over a bucket of paint. Well I see now why painters put all those sheets on the floor. For klutzes like me.

I bended down to pick up the bucket. "Awe man." As I picked it up the paint spilled all over the floor. I turned to Jen who was laughing. I laughed, "I guess I'm not use to manual labor huh?"

Jen laughed, "Its okay. I'll go out and get more paint."

Jen put her roller down and went outside. I walked over and grabbed the roller she was using and continued my side of the wall. Suddenly, I heard something unusual. I heard footsteps that sounded like a certain rhythm. I walked over to the corner of the room. I turned my head and saw cyclobots. I turned back to hide myself. I bend down and started painting the lower wall. Hopefully they won't recognize me. They walked past me and turned their heads in unison. I said, "Never mind me I'm just your average ordinary painter. Yup love to paint." They began to walk away. I thought I was out of the woods until one of them grabbed my arm and lifted me up and the bots started to attack me. One kicked me in back and sent me down on the floor. One tried stomping on me but I rolled over tripped some of them and bounced back up. I kicked one and jumped over another and push the janitor's cart at them. It was enough thou as they became to overpower me. The bots grabbed me and kept a hold of me. I then heard a laugh that was too familiar. It was Nadria.

She grinned evilly, "How do you like my manicure?" She then unleashed her long claws again. They were about an inch away from my chest. I thought I was dead until she said, "Take him to daddy." The cyclobots began to drag to the studio. They brought me to Ransik. As soon as I saw him I got a cold shiver down my spine.

He smiled, "Ah! We have a visitor." I knew I shouldn't panic but it was really hard not to. Ransik may be ugly but he is scary at the same time. "Make our guest comfortable. The cyclobots cuffed me up to a chair. I tried breaking the cuffs but I had no such luck. Ransik then came face to face with me. Not only was he scary and ugly but he also really needed a breath mint. He said in such a cold way, "An hour from now, your entire dreadful city we'll be dust."

I asked, "How could you? Those are innocent people! They haven't done anything to you."

He then began to chuckle, "So, They haven't told you who I am. How I got here." He then turned my chair so I wasn't facing him and he whispered in my ear. "Well you have a little time left. Let me tell you about those innocent people." He said the word innocent with such rage that it made me jump. "It took decades of research. The genetic perfections were finally achieved. So every human would benefit from scientist dazzling success. In the year 3000, every baby born had a perfect DNA with all the perfect attributes parents picked out for them and as an added bonus, No disease ever. Then one day something went wrong. But science is a mysterious thing. Every organism as a deep instinctual impulse. An impulse to survive. And as the world above dreamed of perfect DNA. Their nightmares… a mutant was born. Unfortunately the future isn't accepting of imperfection. I shoved by everyone who saw me. An outcast! I gathered every other regent creature and formed an army of criminals that terrorized. With that kind of power I would of dominated the year 3000 if it weren't for your time force police."

I exclaimed, "So you came here to get your revenge before Time Force even existed. But you didn't count on being followed. Look, it wasn't right for to turn away from you. But revenge is never the answer!"

Ransik then got angry. He stood and yelled, "Destroy him!" I was expecting a bunch of cyclobots to appear but instead I heard a sound behind me. I turned around and saw another one of Ransik's mutants. He kicked me down to the ground and Ransik with his cyclobots teleported out. The mutant then touch his eye and looked like he was about to fire a blast at me and finish me off. But before he could a pink laser hit it and send him flying to the wall. Jen appeared with the other rangers morphed and ready to go.

Jen yelled, "You're out cold!" She bended down to me. "Wes, are you all right?" I nodded as Jen and Lucas helped me up.

I said, "Thanks guys." Katie used her strength to break my cuffs.

Trip was about to attack the monster, "Come on…"

I stopped him. I wanted to take this guy out myself. He really pissed me off after he nearly tried to kill me. I don't think it was really him thou I think I was just more angry that this was the third time Jen and others saved my life. I covered it up thou by saying, "This one is mine. TIME FOR TIME FORCE!" I then morphed and began to attack the mutant. I jumped up and dropped kick him thorough the wall. I yelled, "Can't let him get away." I flipped up and jumped through the hole in the wall. I was downloaded more information and found out the mutants name was Ferria. I landed next to Ferria. "Ferria you're Poly days are over!" The others jumped down beside me. "Let's do it! chrono blasters!" We took out our blaster and fired at Ferria. It took him down and out for the count. Or at least that's what I thought.

He got up and laughed, "Is that all you got!"

I was shocked, "I don't believe it." I thought a combination of our blasters would do it but it wasn't enough. He then exposed his mutant DNA and grew into a giant. Great, I hope this isn't what it will be like in every battle.

Katie said, "Whoa he's bigger than the last one."

I contacted Circuit, "Circuit we need help!"

Circuit responded, "You got it Time flyers online." The time flyers came through the time portal. We jumped in to our flyers and put them into mode blue. Ferria attacked first by giving us a slash with his sword.

Trip said, "Now it's our turn!" We did our bounce on the cloud dive attack. We the fired the blast from the time jet and gave him a few shots. We need more power to get rid of him. Trip said, "Switch to mode red!" We switch to mode red and had a sword duel with him. We dominated the fight and gave a few slashes to his chest.

I commanded for the saber and activated the time strike. Ferria was finally finished and frozen ready for containment. Later that day after we put Ferria in the prison Jen and I finished our paint job. An hour later we received our money from the old man.

He said, "A job well done. I'm going to recommend your shop to all my friends. Good day." He walked out the door as we waved goodbye to him.

Jen said, "Come again." Then a pizza boy walked in with a pizza box. Who ordered a pizza? I quickly got my answer when Trip snatched the money from my hand and him, Lucas and Katie ran up to pay the pizza boy. I then knew it was time to tell Jen what I found out about Ransik. I pulled her to the corner. "Jen, Ransik told me his story. How he rose up from an accident in a DNA lab. In a way I almost feel sorry for him."

Jen got serious and said, "Look, don't let him fool you. People did try to help him but they turned him away. He wants power and he'll do anything to get it and we got to stop him. He's evil through and through."

I still wasn't entirely convinced but at the same time I trusted Jen with my life so why would she lie to me. "Ok", I said.

Katie then walked over with the pizza box as Lucas and Trip followed. "Here it is!" We all were excited and opened up the box and all grabbed a slice. "To Nick of time odd jobs. Looks like were opened for business." We then laughed and said Cheers and put our pizzas together like they were wine glasses and began to eat. I was happy we were successful but I still could not get that image of Ransik being alone in the street, isolated out of my mind.

(Next chapter: A blue streak! Wes helps Lucas get his drivers licence but at the same itme Nadria has plans to make a hit and run at a bank. Now Wes and the rangers must use the new Vector cycles to stop her.)