Trent looked at the people around him and swallowed. This was not going to be easy or pleasant. He licked his lips before he began to speak.
"Well…Kira was under a spell," he began and instantly Conner and Ethan scoffed.
"That's the best you got?" Conner interrupted.
"If you'd shut up and let me finish you wouldn't be so confused," Trent shot back.
"Mesagog and Elsa want Dr. O out of the way so we can't get to him. They want to divide us," he continued.
"How do you…" Hayley began to question.
"Because I heard them making their plans this morning. I…I was at Mesagog's lair," he admitted.
"You could have been caught," Kira exclaimed.
"I wasn't. I don't think they even knew I was there. And that's not all I found out. Principal Randall…is Elsa," he replied.
"Wait…go back a minute. What exactly were you doing in Mesagog's lair?" Ethan interjected.
"I was spying, ok. I figure the more we know about what they are up to, the better prepared we'll be," Trent answered.
"Look I know you guys didn't trust me. That's why I didn't say anything before," he added.
"You're right…we don't trust you. You can't just go sneaking around with the enemy. How are we supposed to know that you're really on our side?" Conner shot.
"Conner. Stop it," Kira said.
"This is so messed up. Dr. O is in jail…Kira claims to not know anything and you go behind our backs," Conner continued.
"Step off, man. I'm trying to fix this. All you're doing is standing there complaining like a little girl," Trent fired back.
"Trent, what else did you hear?" Hayley interrupted.
"Just that with Dr. O out of the way, we won't know what to do. They are going to use this as their way of taking over the world. And honestly, it's a pretty good plan. We're doing exactly what they want us to do…argue," he answered.
No one said anything for a minute. Kira had taken a seat far from the group and was rubbing her sore cheek. Jason had just been taking it all in. He knew he shouldn't have done what he did. While Trent, Conner and Ethan stood in silence he went and joined Kira. She jumped a little at his presence and tried to move away.
"I wanted to apologize," he murmured, offering his hand.
"I just…got a hot head. I guess I forgot what being a Ranger was like…when the bad guys do anything they can to mess with your head," he continued.
"I just wish I could remember what I did. I feel horrible that Dr. O is in jail because of me," she whispered.
"We'll figure it out," Jason tried to reassure her.
'So what do we do now?" Ethan asked.
"Yeah I mean we can't just let Dr. O rot in prison," Conner added.
"Trent…if you knew about Mesagog's plan…why didn't you say something?" Hayley interjected.
"I tried. I was trying to tell Dr. O when I got called down to the principal's office," he answered.
"So that's why you contacted me this morning," Kira said, a look of understanding dawning on her face.
"But why didn't you tell me?" she added.
"I was scared. I didn't want you to think I was still working with Mesagog," Trent muttered.
"Well maybe you should have tried harder," Conner grumbled.
Back in Mesagog's lair, Elsa was smiling contently to herself. So far her plan was working. She couldn't believe the look on Tommy's face when she'd walked in as Principal Randall. She had never seen him so flustered or embarrassed.
"Elsa," a voice called from behind her. She spun around and came face-to-face with Mesagog.
"Lord Mesagog. My plan is working. Dr. Oliver is conveniently being held in prison and the other Rangers have no way of contacting him," she reported.
"Good. Very good. Now. We shall begin the second phase," he said, smiling a disgusting grin.
"Second phase? What second phase?" Elsa asked, starting to panic.
"I will create a creature capable of turning the Earth back to its rightful state…piece by piece. It will be a magnificent creature. The Rangers will be too preoccupied with their situation to stop my monster," Mesagog informed her.
"Oh it's brilliant my Lord," she gushed.
"Just one question…what will happen to all the humans?" she asked.
"Once they are hit with my creature's ray, they will turn into dinosaurs. I will finally reach my goal. And no one is going to stop me," he cackled. Elsa laughed nervously along with him. She secretly hoped she wouldn't be turned into a dinosaur.
"Now, leave me. I must concentrate on my monster," Mesagog boomed.
Back at Tommy's lab Hayley was staring at the screen before at her. The others had grown quiet and were mostly pacing around, avoiding eye contact. She hit a series of keys and frowned.
"This isn't good," she announced.
"What's not good?" Jason asked, leaning over her shoulder.
"I can't pick up Tommy's biorhythms. Or his dino-gem energy," she answered.
"Can one of you try contacting him with your morpher?" she called to the four teens. Trent nodded and lifted his morpher to his mouth.
"Dr. O. It's Trent, come in," he spoke. He got no response so he tried again.
"Dr. O can you hear me?" he called and still no response.
"He's not responding," he announced.
"They probably took everything when he got there," Jason supplied. With that Hayley grabbed her jacket and keys.
"Where are you going?" Conner called.
"To see if I can see him. He needs to know that we're at least trying to figure this out. At the very least find out his side of what happened," she answered as she headed up the stairs.
"I'm coming with you," Kira said, sprinting up the steps.
"No. You can't go," Jason called after her.
"He's right. It's not a good idea for any of you go. We don't want to make things worse," Hayley agreed. Kira looked annoyed but descended the stairs.
"I'll be back as soon as I can," Hayley called. They all grew silent as they heard the door open and close and the car engine start.
She drove for what felt like ages, hitting every light on the way. By the time she go to the police station she'd spent nearly a half hour in the car. She rushed inside and stopped at the front desk.
"Can I help you?" a female officer asked.
"Uh…a friend of mine got arrested this afternoon and I was wondering if it were possible for me to just see him for a few minutes," Hayley said in one breath.
"Name?" she asked.
"Thomas Oliver," Hayley answered. The woman typed the name into the computer in front of her.
"He's in a holding cell. You can see him for fifteen minutes. You'll have to go through security," the officer told her. Hayley nodded her head and went in the direction the officer pointed. She walked through a metal detector and once the guards were satisfied she didn't have anything she could give him, they brought her to Tommy.
"Hayley?" he asked, standing. She ran and wrapped her arms around him.
"We've got fifteen minutes," she said and they sat down across from each other at a table. The guards kept a close eye on them.
"What's going on?" Tommy asked.
"Well…it turns out this is one of Mesagog's plans to take over the world," Hayley hissed.
"You have to be joking," Tommy groaned.
"No. Trent…overheard them planning. Elsa put a spell on Kira to well…you know. They need you out of the way," she explained.
"I've got to hand it to them…it's not a bad plan," Tommy muttered. Hayley smiled a little.
"But how did Trent overhear them?" he added.
"He was spying in Mesagog's lair," she murmured.
"So that's what he was trying to tell me earlier," Tommy gasped, realization dawning on him.
"We're going to figure a way out of this. I promise," she said, placing one hand over his.
"Thanks. Is Jason…" Tommy began.
"He's in town. He was a little…upset when he showed up," she said, hoping to not have to go into detail.
"How upset?" Tommy probed.
"Enough to hit Kira," Hayley mumbled into her sleeve.
"He did what? Is he nuts?" Tommy exploded. The guards took a step in their direction.
"You know how he gets. Do you want me to see if I can get him in to see you?" Hayley responded.
"No…I don't think that's a good idea. I don't want the guys here knowing…" he trailed off.
"He won't be happy but I'll tell him," she muttered. Just then one of the guards walked over to the table.
"Time's up," he said gruffly. Both stood and started to part ways.
"I have a bail hearing in the morning," Tommy called as they led him out the side door. Hayley made her way back to the front of the building, picking up her phone and keys on the way out.