Author's Note: That's Dr. UnromanticPoetess, to all of you. That is all.

Reviewer thanks: Richard (Thanks!), Ghostwriter (Thanks!), KLR1 (I never thought of evil spell victim blaming. Anyway, yes, I have heard of the reboot. I'm withholding judgment. I think the story can be condensed, recast, and made edgier… but, then again, Michael Bay's TMNT sucked pretty hard.), Son of Whitebeard (Thanks! I almost called you "Son of Whitebread"), Guest (I promise it won't get surreal.), brankel1 (Thanks!), Corianna15 (Yup!), iwstahle (Thanks! Sure thing!), alias093001 (Hmmm… Interesting things coming up in this chapter…), GothamPowerKaiju (More Bulk and Skull on the way…), MovieGal007 (Thanks!), falcon242 (I aim to please.), Dan (It's update time when I'm good and ready. *pops up collar, rides motorcycle into sunset* 50 Shades of Gray was originally a Twilight fanfic. Maybe I could strip this of PR source material and write it as a book? Six Darker Shades of Green?), Guest (OKAY!)

Brighter Paths

Book 1: New Light

Chapter 4: Red

Tommy bounced on the balls of his heels as he watched the monitor. He could see everything that was happening on the Viewing Globe, and none of it was good. The people of Angel Grove were forming rallies all around town, the biggest one in City Hall, with the monster made of the Unity statue in attendance. He didn't know what the purpose for all those rallies was, but it couldn't be any good.

In the meantime, they had yet to track down Rocky, Adam, and Aisha, before they showed up as servants of evil. The rest of the Rangers weren't too worried about them… but, then again, most of them didn't have quite a clear view of what the three must be going through. He did. Even Kimberly, who knew what it was like to be under an evil spell, had known kind of what she was getting into beforehand. These were civilians plucked from Earth and forced into service under evil. He definitely knew what that was like.

"I should be helping," he said in a low voice. "Not just…"

"You are helping, Tommy," Alpha answered him, startling him. He hadn't realized anyone was around to hear him. "You're following Zordon's orders, and you'll be of greater help once we complete this project."

Tommy smiled wryly. "Easy to say… harder to watch your friends deal with these odds. I thought those days were behind me."

"Soon, Tommy," Alpha cajoled. "Now, Zordon said we're past the testing phase. He thinks we can start with the first grafting procedure."

Tommy sighed and shut off the monitor, forcing himself to shut out the dangers his friends were facing. "I'm ready."

Goldar looked down at Angel Grove, trying desperately to track all the movements. The Yellow and Blue Rangers he'd last seen entering the Blue Ranger's house, so they were probably using the laboratory there. Finster was unable to pierce the security, but it wasn't a giant leap in logic that they were trying to figure out some brainy way out of Angel Grove's problems.

The Red, Pink, and Black Rangers had been tracking a couple of fellow teenagers for some reason. They'd disappeared, and now one of the teens' houses was under Command Center security. He couldn't fathom what any of this meant, but it couldn't be altogether important.

The parents of the Power Rangers, who were obviously unaffected by the spell, were headed toward the main rally at City Hall. What did they plan to do there? Goldar guessed they had some harebrained scene to stop the rally, but all they were doing was heading into danger. The Rangers would probably try to attack if he made a move against the parents, so it was probably not a good idea to escalate the battle that way.

"It'll be fine," he said to himself. "It'll be fine."

Everything was still going to plan. He wasn't able to magically deduce what all the Rangers were doing, or what their next moves would be, like Lord Zedd has apparently able to do, but that didn't mean he didn't have a pretty effective plan. He had control over the entire populace of Angel Grove, who had turned against the Rangers. He was also in possession of three good fighters who could be turned to Lord Zedd's purposes.

The prospect of fighting civilians would make the Rangers leave Angel Grove, and they would have to retreat to either their civilian identities or to the Command Center. One more day, and the population of Angel Grove would be permanently changed: they would all be loyal to Lord Zedd forever, and there would be nothing the Power Rangers could do about it.

Then, Goldar would finally break the news to Lord Zedd. He expected a violent initial reaction—he had, after all, done all this without Lord Zedd's knowledge or permission—but then that would change into acceptance and possibly gratitude. Then, perhaps, as Lord Zedd continued his plans to take control of Earth and Zordon, Goldar would be able to convince him to restore Empress Rita…

Goldar shook his head violently. One step at a time. Right now, he had to concentrate on securing Angel Grove.

Jason, Zack, and Kimberly appeared in an otherwise empty Command Center. Billy and Trini were still at his lab, Alpha was nowhere to be seen, Tommy hadn't reappeared from wherever he'd gone, and, most startlingly, Zordon's tube was empty. It was the slightly-staticky sort of empty that meant that he was elsewhere, but not entirely gone.

"I was, like, just talking to him," Kimberly frowned. "He didn't say he was going to disappear."

"Wherever he is," Jason said, "he's doing something important. That'll give us time to figure a few things out."

"I thought we were going to Billy's," Zack said.

Jason shook his head. "I still don't absolutely trust the security around Billy's house. Kim, you know how to put a house on the security grid, don't you? Can you take care of Skull's place?"

"Sure..." Kimberly said slowly, desperately reviewing Billy's security protocols. She'd helped him strengthen the security on her house during her more paranoid moments. "I can put Skull's house on the grid, but that will just make things suspicious. I'm not sure how strong it'll be if Zedd decides to attack."

"Do it. I'd rather take the risk that they might be noticed than..." He jabbed at his communicator. "Billy, Trini, how's it going down there?"

There was a pause, and Trini's voice crackled through the speaker. "We're almost done, Jas. Listen, all our families are gathered in the house, so we don't have to worry about them."

"Negative on that," Kimberly said.

"What was that?" Billy said faintly in the background.

Kimberly jabbed at the console. "I'm getting readings for Billy and Trini, and then I'm reading Zack's dad and brothers, and my brother..." She trailed off, her eyes wide with worry. "No one else is there."

Jason bit back a curse. He should have forced Zordon to give them something to do, or gone off plan and recruited them himself. They'd gotten used to helping, and now the whole town was up in arms. None of them were the types to just sit by and let it happen.

"Billy, Trini... get back up here as quick as you can," Jason said. "We need to shut whatever is causing that spell, or toxin, or whatever. Jason out."

Zack was operating the Viewing Globe. "I see 'em... They're headed toward City Hall, I think." The Viewing Globe focused in on their parents. They were all yelling with the rest of the civilians, and some of them where holding signs that showed various Rangers' helmeted heads with a slash through them. "It looks like they're trying to blend in."

Jason sighed. He jabbed his communicator again. "Mr. Taylor, come in. Mind telling me what everyone is doing?"

There was a shuffling sound and a few unnecessary beeps as Mr. Taylor tried to work the foreign technology.

"Dad, you don't need to press anything," Zack sighed. "Just speak into it."

"Oh!" the man said. "I'm not used to this thing... I can barely work your mom's cellular phone. Anyway, we're all fine. I've got the boys watching GI Joe, so..."

"And everyone else?" Jason said patiently.

Mr. Taylor hesitated. "They just wanted to help. To see what they could do, now that none of you can fight."

"Right," Jason said. "They're headed to the rally at City Hall, aren't they? We'll keep an eye on them. Let me know if they check in, okay?"

"Right," Mr. Taylor said. He didn't sound the least bit sorry that they'd been found out.

City Hall was jammed with people, people who were currently abuzz with excitement. There was a sense of hope and joy in the air... one that was entirely false. Currently, though, the only people who knew that were huddled together, trying to look natural as they winded their way through the crowd.

"What are we planning to do, again?" Sylvia said.

"Sh..." said Dr. Taylor. "We can't call attention to ourselves."

But they were all worried. It was clear as they entered City Hall that the problem was far bigger than they had thought. The entire town had showed up... if not here, then at various other rally points around town. City Hall, however, remained the biggest rally, as it housed the monster.

The monster their children had been prevented from destroying. The monster that the town had protected with their very lives.

The other reason the parents felt so out of place was because they were the only people in the room who were armed. They'd voted not to carry fire arms-only Frank had a permit for one, but he didn't want to risk anyone getting hurt-but all of them had knives, Frank was carrying a hunting bow in a case that looked innocuously like a briefcase unless you looked close enough, and Sylvia had something she'd lifted from Billy's lab. She didn't know what it was, but it had turned the garbage can in the back into a charred mess.

If the Power Rangers couldn't take out the monster, they could. And, just like it had happened so many times before, they all reckoned killing the monster would break the spell.

Hands clutched over weapons, they waited for the likeliest opportunity, all the while praying they wouldn't need to attack at all.

Kimberly pressed one last button. "Security's up at Skull's house, and Bulk's apparently still handcuffed. I still want Billy or Trini to see if it's strong enough... I was working from memory."

"Not much we can do about our parents... except maybe teleport them up," Zack said. "But, honestly... we can do that at any time, and I think right now they're not in real danger. We need to concentrate on keeping it that way right now."

"Agreed," Jason said. "Kim, I want to know what your theory is about Skull, and I've got a theory about all this on my own, but I'd really like to wait until Zordon, Billy, and Trini are here... and Tommy, if he's done with that mysterious mission Zordon sent him on."

As if on cue, Zordon's tube crackled to life. "I've been monitoring your progress, Rangers, and I'm anxious to hear your theories. However, there are rather pressing things that need to be addressed as we construct our plan."

"Okay... where's Tommy?" Zack said.

"He's working on a project that may or may not help you... but suffice to say, he is following my orders," Zordon said. "What is of more pressing importance is the three 'winners' of the ninja tournament earlier today."

"Aisha, Rocky, and Adam?" Kimberly said. "You've found them? Are they at the Moon Palace?"

"No, Kimberly," Zordon said. "They are actually on Earth, in one of the caves Rita used to use as one of her strongholds. Behold the Viewing Globe."

The three Rangers swiveled around to see the three teenagers in the dark, chained to a rock, carefully struggling and staring down a snake.

"I knew they hadn't really turned evil," Kimberly said. "At least, not voluntarily."

"That's the worst Lord Zedd can do? Jason said. "Threaten them with a snake?"

"You're saying that like it's nothing..." Zack said. "If it were me there, you'd already see a Zack-shaped hole in the cave wall."

"The snake is merely a vessel," said Zordon, "for the poison that lies inside. If bit, the three teenagers will lose all morality, all vestiges of their former selves. The only way to survive the bite intact is if you were already intending to surrender to evil... or if you had a particularly strong will."

"We'll have to monitor the snake for right now," Jason said. "If we make a move to save them, things might escalate too quickly in Angel Grove. I think if it works out, we can send someone to rescue them while everyone else is distracted with battle." He frowned. "This snake... is it one of Lord Zedd's inventions?"

"What else could it be?" Zack said.

Zordon frowned in return. "Why, no, Jason, not originally. I am aware of the creature because of my previous battles with Rita, but she had long decided to retire such a weapon. The servants it created were too unstable, so she learned other means of corruption... as we all know. Lord Zedd must have repurposed the snake from the stores Rita left behind."

"I'm not so sure," Jason said slowly. "I just think there's more going on…"

"Bulky?" Skull said hesitantly. "You okay?"

There was silence. Skull edged forward into the garage nervously, pretty sure that Bulk was going to explode at any moment. Bulk reacted to things, and was quick to react with anger, but he usually got over things quickly. He was just too easygoing to let things get to him for long. But this... with him acting all weird... Skull had no idea what to expect.

"You gonna get me out of these things, Skull?"

Bulk's voice sounded calm... a bit too calm. Skull cautiously made his way around to face Bulk without getting anywhere near him. Bulk's face was red, as if he'd been in a rage and was just barely keeping it together.

"Not sure that's the best idea, Bulky," Skull said. "You're... not right."

Bulk chuckled, and it was a sound that sent a shiver down Skull's spine. It sounded like Bulk, but it wasn't. He was used to Bulk sounding excited, or angry, or sullen, or laughing about something, or just plain bored.

This Bulk sounded... calculating. And it was freaking Skull right the heck out.

"We have to get to the rally, Skull," Bulk said. "We can end this."

Skull realized he was hardly breathing, and he forced a breath from between his teeth. It came out in a hiss. He sat in a folding chair wrong-ways. "What do you mean by 'end this'?" he said. There was a tremor in his voice that he couldn't keep out. It was dead quiet in the garage-his parents weren't home... were they at the rally? It was so quiet, when it wasn't supposed to be quiet. Something was wrong, and wrong was loud, not quiet.

Bulk broke the silence, but just barely. "The crowd wants the Power Rangers," he said. "We can give them to the monster. We can end this. Lord Zedd just wants the Power Rangers."

"How are we going to...?"

"We know who they are, don't we?" Bulk said.

Skull just stared. "We... we don't. We've been trying to, but we don't."

Bulk rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, lamebrain, open your eyes. You were just talking to them."

Whatever Skull had expected Bulk to say, that wasn't it.

"Wha...?" he said, cringing at how dumb he sounded.

"Why do you think Jason was here?" Bulk said. "Why did you think Kim and Zack were with him? Why do you think they're against the rest of the town?"

"I'm not with the rest, either," Skull pointed out.

Bulk chuckled. "Yeah, maybe your skull is too thick to get it. But I get it." Bulk's eyes grew wider. "It's so clear now. Can't believe I didn't see it before."

It was crazy talk, obviously, but if he was talking he wasn't struggling. "Why do you think Kim is a Power Ranger? And Jason and Zack? We've known them for forever."

"We have," Bulk said. "And Billy and Trini. We've known them for forever... and they've practically become different people in the last year."

Skull didn't answer, just stared. So Bulk continued.

"Let's just pass over how they're never around when there's a monster attack, that they run the other way... but we never see them in the emergency centers. Let's ignore that they never have an excuse for where they've been. And how they've decided to hang out all the time, all five of them. Let's just look at the really convincing bits. Like how Jason quit all his sports, even football, right when the Green Ranger was all evil. Like how Zack suddenly turned from dance to martial arts, and how Kim has turned from a gymnast into a fighter. Like how Trini stopped doing those kata things and started doing strength training. And Billy..."

Bulk laughed low in his throat again. "Billy was the surprise when I figured it out, but it makes sense. How he stopped putting up with us joking around with him. How he treated us when we crashed his party. How even his long-sleeve shirts can't hide that he's practically as built as Jason and Zack now. They're..."

"They're not heroes," Skull said.

"But they are Power Rangers," Bulk said, his voice filled with quiet conviction. "And you know it. And the rest of Angel Grove needs to know it."

"So that you can sacrifice them?"

"For peace," Bulk said, the calm of his voice breaking. "For Lord Zedd."

Skull hung his head. "Even if you're right... and I'm not convinced... I still can't let you out. I can't let you sacrifice innocent people like that. We're just going to wait until you remember what you're supposed to be."

"I wasn't asking."

Skull didn't have time to dodge. Handcuffs flashed at his face, and right above his left eye erupted in pain. Skull put up his hands in defense, but Bulk didn't go for him. He bowled past him and ran out the garage door.

Skull cursed. They were trick handcuffs all along. Knowing he couldn't do much, Skull ran after his friend, hoping all this would end before anything bad happened.

There was a crackle of teleportation, and Billy and Trini appeared in the Command Center, Billy holding one of his modified hand-held trackers.

"We've been monitoring the Command Center from the lab," Billy said, dismissing Jason's move to fill them in.

"I'm not sure about the snake," said Trini, "but our scanner can lead us to where the disturbance is originating, so we can shut it down from there. We'll need a distraction for that as well, though I don't know how much we can distract Lord Zedd. He seems pretty aware of everything going on."

"You'd be right," Kimberly said quietly. They all looked at her. "He's... well, he's crazy smart. Like, his brain is a computer. I've seen his diagrams and plans of attack, but I couldn't even understand them."

"I don't think that's a problem," Jason said. "As I was about to say before you guys showed up... I don't think we're dealing with Lord Zedd at all."

The other four and Zordon stared at him.

"I would have detected if another evil entity had entered our solar system," Zordon said. "There have been no disturbances."

"I'm not talking about someone new," Jason said. "I'm talking about someone already there. I think that, for some reason, Lord Zedd is either incapacitated or unknowing, and I think Goldar has taken it on himself to attack the Earth."

They continued to stare at him, their eyes getting wider. Billy was the first to break the silence.

"Your reasoning?"

Jason folded his arms and looked down, trying to parse through the chains of reasoning that had led him to this conclusion. "I started suspecting when we hadn't gotten any messages from Lord Zedd, and when he didn't make or promise an appearance. Most of his major attacks have been accompanied by letters, messages... He's not shy about showing his face around, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity."

"He could be waiting until the rallies tonight," Kimberly said.

"He could," Jason said. "Except there's a few more things that have been bothering me. The spell itself is a form of hypnotism, the kind that Rita used several times. While Zedd has used evil spells before," his eyes slid over to Kimberly, "with Kimberly and the Greek gods, he doesn't seem interested in controlling people on a mass scale. In fact... he's not very good at it. This spell on the town is much more sophisticated work. The snake is Rita's weapon, the cave where the freedom fighters are being held is Rita's stronghold, and I'm willing to bet that whatever is causing this spell over the town is Rita's as well. Finally... I checked the readings, and Squatt and Babboo have been on Earth."

"That's... really unlikely," Kimberly said flatly. "Lord Zedd treats them pretty much like janitors. They're also banned from going to Earth without permission, as Lord Zedd is paranoid that any of them might try to escape or help Rita is any way."

"Lord Zedd treats them like janitors, but Goldar might treat them as minions, or co-conspirators," Jason said. "If Lord Zedd is still not recovered from that blow that Tommy gave to him the last time we saw him, Goldar may have taken the reins... and I don't think Zedd knows anything about it. At least for now."

Zordon frowned. "It is true... I have not been sensing the same power bursts from the Moon Palace... as if the plans were relying on something other than Zedd's power. My attention has been elsewhere, so I didn't think to pursue that line. You have caught my error, Jason."

Jason scratched his head. "It's still only a theory. I could be wrong. And Lord Zedd could take things over at any minute. I don't think Goldar can keep all this a secret for long."

"So it seems like we should take care of this now," Trini said. "Fighting Goldar has to be easier than fighting Zedd."

Jason's hand went to his chest, to where the scar still marked him when Goldar stabbed him, the twin scar on his back. "Not sure about that, Trini. Both Rita and Zedd are used to taking charge and making plans. Goldar's a follower. I think things are going to get more dangerous. He's playing with matches... and he won't know when to shut things down when it gets too dangerous."

"I'm afraid you're right," Zordon said. "We must defeat the monster, break the spell on all the civilians, and save the freedom fighters before everything turns wrong or Lord Zedd takes charge."

"And we should proceed expeditiously," Billy said, looking down at the readings on a console. "The monster seems to be fueled by the crowd's devotion to Lord Zedd, and it's sitting right in the middle of the rally at City Hall."

"Where our parents are," said Zack.

"Rangers, I believe you should make the freedom fighters more of a priority," Zordon piped in. "Behold the Viewing Globe."

"It moved again," Adam said tensely.

Rocky closed his eyes. "Not much we can do about it. We can't focus on that and get out."

Aisha started trying to inch down the rock she was chained to. "I can almost make it, guys. If I get out first..."

"You run on," Rocky said. "Try to get help."

"Well, that's not happening," she said. "What I was going to say is that I can carefully kick the snake away and get you guys out... but I'm not really sure where to go from there."

"We'll have to take that as we go," Adam said. "And I know I saw that snake move."

It had been moving toward them, seeming to react to their struggles, though that might have been their panicked perception. It had seemed like hours, but though in the darkness they really couldn't tell how long it had been. They were all hungry, and Aisha had to pee, but no one talked about any of that. Instead, they breathed, slowly working their chains loose, hoping against hope that their captor didn't check up on them. They heard Putties outside... but they would have to wait until later to worry about them.

Finally, Aisha wormed her way down, scraping her arms and back all the way down. It hurt... but that was nothing compared to what would happen if the snake got to them. Immediately, she walked to the snake... perhaps too suddenly. The snake reared up. Aisha froze, her eyes wide, not daring to move.

"Aisha..." Rocky said in a low, slow voice."

"It's okay," Adam said. "Aisha, just try to back up slowly. Keep breathing slowly."

"Not sure if that's an option, but I'll try," Aisha said. Keeping eye contact, she edged back, her feet scraping against the cave floor.

She felt rather than saw the snake move, but she was already shifting back on her feet and dodging to the side. It lunged at her, but she was already dodging to the side for a pile of rocks she'd spotted while she was still chained up. Miraculously, she hit the snake in the head with the third throw, and the snake dropped, stunned.

"Can I look now?" Rocky said in small voice.

"It's okay," she said breathlessly, still buzzing from adrenaline. "But we gotta get out of here."

Aisha wasn't sure if it would work, but she pulled at the chains anyway. They fell off the two boys.

"Weird chains. They react to outside pressure... but wouldn't it have been better to just use regular chains?" Adam said.

"Something tells me we're not dealing with the world's greatest thinker, even if he could see through us at the beginning," Rocky said. "Come on, let's..."

There was a crackling sound, and the air seemed to shimmer around them.

"Got a bad feeling about this," Aisha said.

Adam reached out experimentally, but his hand met a barrier. He cried out and withdrew his hand, shaking it. "Some kind of barrier!"

The three fanned out, trying to find an opening. They yelled whenever they hit the barrier.

"It's all around us!" Rocky said.

He was about to yell something else, but Aisha clapped and hand over his mouth, her eyes wide.

Rocky and Adam knew in a minute why she did. The force field had enclosed them, all right... along with the snake. Who was waking up.

The Viewing Globe was now showing a sort of split-screen: the rally at City Hall with their parents and the monster, and the freedom fighters, now worse off than they were before.

"Right," said Jason, his voice trembling. "We're going to have to split up. We need to take care of all of this now."

"I'll help Aisha, Rocky, and Adam," Kimberly said.

"I'll go with her," Billy volunteered.

Jason shook his head. "We need you to counteract the device that's putting a spell on the town."

"Trini can do that," Billy countered. "She's much more versed in magic-technology hybrids. And if you really need me, I'm just a teleport away."

Jason knew they didn't have time to argue. "Fine. Call for back-up if you need it."

Kimberly and Billy nodded, and then morphed away.

"I'm patching the device into the Command Center computer," Trini said, "and we'll be able to morph and track it with our helmets. It's on the edge of town." She adjusted the Viewing Globe to show the area.

"Right around a platoon of Putties," Zack said. "That'll make things trickier."

"But not impossible," Jason said. "Let's do it."

Before they could move, the alert sirens sounded.

"Um… why are they going off?" Zack said. "It's not like we don't know we're in trouble."

"Sh…" Trini said, intent on the Viewing Globe, which now showed the rally at City Hall.

City Hall silenced all at once, the people turning toward the Unity Monster as if on cue. The parents of the Power Rangers turned with them, hoping against hope they hadn't lost their chance.

The mayor stood next to the monster, adjusting a microphone on a stand. "Citizens of Angel Grove," she said, "I thank you for such an impressive turnout. We're getting reports that rallies just like ours are happening all over the city, but we have been honored by Lord Zedd's representative, our own statue now turned to Lord Zedd's service in our alliance for peace.

"It has told me that it will now tell us why we are all here, what we can do to help achieve peace. We have surrendered. We have stopped the Power Rangers from continuing their violence in our city. But it's not enough. Please, Unity, speak to us."

She slid the microphone in front of the monster, but it had no need. Its voice carried through the building, out into the stairs and echoed through the night sky.

"Lord Zedd believes you have resisted too long," the monster said. "The monster demands sacrifice. Sacrifice of the innocent, as means to bind you to him. Sacrifice of your children. All children under the age of 18 will be brought to this location by tomorrow at dawn. They will join the three warriors you've already sent as servants of Lord Zedd."

The monster's words rung in the air, but there was no longer silence. There was a murmuring. As the parents of the Power Rangers stood frozen in horror, the rest of the citizens, for the first time… began to look uncertain.

"But why would he…"

"All the children?..."

"What does he mean by sacrifice?"

The children and teenagers in the room were looking wildly about, preparing to dash for it if anyone made a move toward them.

The monster's eyes flashed once, twice, and…

"HAIL LORD ZEDD! HAIL LORD ZEDD!"

The Hall erupted in a fervent chant. Apparently the spell had been dosed up… by a lot.

Mr. Scott gripped the knife in his pocket. "We have to act now," he said under his breath.

Mr. Kwan grabbed his wrist. "No, we can't. It's too dangerous."

"Yeah, dad, I think this rally has turned into a mob," Kristen said. "The monster will probably turn them all on us before letting us get to him."

"They'll come up with something," Sylvia said. "They've saved us before, and they will again."

The pronouncement had been magically filtered to every rally site, and probably throughout the rest of Angel Grove. Skull stood next to Bulk in the crowded high school auditorium. For a moment, Skull had stared at Bulk in shock, who was shocked in turn. It was only for a moment, though.

"If Lord Zedd demands our sacrifice… we're happy to make it!"

It was one of Bulk's football friends who had yelled that, and Bulk cheered along with the rest.

Like hell I'm going to sacrifice myself, Skull thought, but he couldn't voice that thought. He was surrounded by teenagers who, very suddenly, had decided to march to their death, or whatever Zedd had planned.

The best hope they had were the Power Rangers… but even they couldn't cover all of Angel Grove. They probably had to go where the monster was, and couldn't be everywhere.

Skull gulped. He couldn't let them leave the building. He had to do something about it… he glanced at Bulk… alone.

Jason, Trini, and Zack stared at the Viewing Globe in horror.

"That… that…" Zack stuttered.

"We won't let it happen," said Jason. "I don't care who's attacking us, Zedd or Goldar, and I don't care what it takes. The monster's gone too far."

"Then let's get the device," Trini said, and they teleported out.

Goldar gripped the edge of the balcony, his grip being the only thing keeping his knees from giving way and his body from crumpling to the floor.

This was too far… it wasn't supposed to go this way…

He had completely lost control of the monster. It wasn't responding to his mental commands, wasn't even acknowledging him. He wasn't even sure what the monster was pulling power from.

But he knew what the monster was planning. It wasn't planning to capture the children, but to murder them. Or, more accurately, to incite the adults to murder them.

He had three choices. One, he could go down and fight the monster himself, possibly try to gain control of it back.

Two, he could make it easier for the Power Ranger to defeat the monster. He just had to tweak a few things, and he had faith they could pull through.

Three… he could ask for Lord Zedd to help. Admit to what he had done, beg for mercy, and ask him to take control of the situation.

Goldar glanced nervously at the chamber door where Lord Zedd had shut himself away.

"Option two, then," Goldar said, and called up the Putties around the device… while forgetting completely about the three teenagers he had prisoner in a cave.

Tommy was completely obvious to everything going on outside. He removed his shirt and let Alpha fix the sensors to his chest.

"Are you sure you're ready, Tommy?" Alpha said nervously.

Tommy laid back on the lab table. "Not sure, no," he said. "But we've got to try. And Zordon thinks it will work. I trust him."

Alpha nodded. "Right, Tommy… close your eyes. This may feel strange."

Tommy closed his eyes, heard a switch click… and the world went white.