Margaret was wrenched somewhat unceremoniously from her sleep as she heard power tools. She pulled herself up out of her bed, pulling the Beretta she normally kept there to bear. In a single motion she not only got to her feet, but pulled back the slide, chambering the first round and flicked off the safety on the gun.
She crept to the door of the room, taking the gun in a firm grip. She pulled the door open and swung into the hall, finding a somewhat terrified tradesman standing before her.
"Whoa..."
"Who the hell are you?" Margaret asked him. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I'm Trevor? The carpenter?" He asked her. She just stared blankly at him. "You know...for the re-fit?"
Just then, he heard more noise of works going on. She knew Phillipe wanted to turn this place into a Zandrian Embassy, and she knew a lot of work needed to be done to make that happen. What she didn't know was he had apparently already scheduled some of that work. Margaret lowered her pistol to a safe direction.
"Where's the Prince?" She asked him.
"He said he was going to be using that room as his main office." Trevor told her. Margaret just walked to the door, throwing it open. Inside, she found Phillipe with a few people, looking over some plans. This room was already virtually transformed, being lined with carved, wood panelling, and with the Zandarian coat of arms on the wall. Some guys were treating the wood to artificially age it and make it look antique.
"Alright, so I want the wood panelling in these rooms here, here and here." He told the man before him. "For the rest of the rooms, I think the eggshell would be a nice colour..."
"Phillipe?" Margaret called out. "What the HELL?"
"Could you all give us a minute?" Phillipe asked, gesturing to the men to leave the room. He could see that Margaret was still in her pyjamas and hadn't applied make up or fixe her hair. It was clear she had only just woken up, meaning that she had likely been woken by the work being done on the building. "Margaret, as you know this old place needs a fair bit of work done to it..."
"It's eight in the bloody morning!" She yelled at him. "How the hell do you even get a tradesman to begin work that early?"
"You forget, I do have black AMEX card." He chuckled. "It turns out that can be quite an incentive."
"You know, I am your head of security right?" She asked him. "Letting a whole bunch of people into the building while I'm asleep, buying this building, going places and not telling me...you are aware that does make my job kind of redundant right?"
"Relax Margaret, you worry too much." He chuckled. Just then, a guy came in.
"Prince Phillipe, there's a UPS guy at the door with a delivery from the customs office." He told them. Phillipe and Margaret just looked to each other, this was what they had been waiting for!
"Send him in right now! I don't want anyone within a hundred feet of this room!"
He just nodded and left the room. The Prince was a little eccentric in his demands, but for the rates he was paying, none of the tradesmen really cared if he was completely batshit or not. A little while later, the UPS guy and a couple of tradesmen brought in a crate.
"Set it down on the desk there!" Phillipe said, gesturing wildly. He hurriedly scribbled a signature on his I-pad. "Everyone out...not you Margaret! Everyone else, leave us!"
S they finally cleared the room, Phillipe took a pry bar and opened the crate. He stared into it, seeing the skull of a dinosaur inside! His men had dug it up in Zandar weeks ago, but it had been held up in customs for all this time. He lifted the skull out and put it on the desk.
"Phillipe, neither of us really know how this works." She reminded him.
"Margaret, you really do worry too much." He told her, using a chisel to separate the mandible from the rest of the skull. He flipped it open to see a glowing crystal lodged in a recess in the upper part of its mouth and smiled.
"Phillipe, you know what happened to..."
"That's what hospitals are for Margaret." He said half-jokingly. Margaret just rolled her eyes. Phillipe made her job so frustratingly difficult at times. It was bad enough he dropped off the grid and decided to train to hope to become a Ranger, but now he actually had an Energem...she could all but see her career slipping through her fingers as he pried it out with the chisel.
Phillipe's heart was jumping in his chest as he pried the Energem loose. This was what he had worked so hard for! This was his every dream! He took a deep breath, preparing himself for the backlash as he grabbed the Energem. He covered his eyes and turned away, but to his surprise...nothing happened! He'd heard the stories from Kendall about how the Pink Energem aggressively rejected her. He let out a relieved little laugh as he looked to it.
"Well, I didn't end up in an Emergency Room." He said in a somewhat relieved chuckle. "I suppose this means this IS meant for me."
"Alright, you've got the gem, let's not push your luck!" Margaret warned him.
"Where's the fun in that?" He asked, holding it out in front of him. "UNLEASH THE POWER!"
He stood for almost a full minute, his arm outstretched...and precisely nothing happened! There was no energy, no flash of light...nothing!
"Phillipe..."
"UNLEASH THE POWER!" He reiterated, but again, nothing happened. Margaret pulled the magazine out of her gun, cleared the chamber and put the safety back on as she came to his side. "I...I don't...I don't understand."
"You're talking about magical stones, I don't think ANYONE understands anything about them." She assured him.
"I've...I've worked so hard, I've done everything I can to be prepared." He said as he sat on a couch, completely deflated by this turn of events. "I was sure I had done enough."
"You're a good man Phillipe, I know that more than most." She reassured him. "I've known you since both of us were in diapers. There isn't anyone I know that I'd think would make a better Ranger, but...maybe this just isn't a choice that's up to you."
"I want to know what I did wrong!" Phillipe answered. "I must speak with someone who has an Energem, I must understand how they work."
He gathered up his jacket and looked to her.
"I'm in the mood for some burgers." He told her. "What do you say?"
"Give me ten minutes." She sighed as she headed back to her room.
Over in the museum, Allison was setting up the restaurant. It was irritating that she had to do it herself, but now that she knew the Rangers' secret, it was a lot easier. She knew it wasn't like they were sitting on their asses doing nothing and leaving her all the work.
"Thirty one." She muttered as she took a ketchup bottle off the neck of another. "I feel like I'm doing more marriages than the Pope."
Due to the nature of how condiments were often left out, bottles of condiments ran out at different times depending on how much customers seasoned their food. To maximise their profit margin, restaurants would turn one bottle that was nearly empty upside down over another bottle that had some in it. This was known as "marrying" the bottles. It was a tedious, but necessary task. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Kendall there.
"Ms Morgan!" She rushed out. "Um...I wasn't complaining..."
"I would be surprise if you weren't marrying bottles is boring as hell." She told her. "But I was going to ask you to do me a favour."
"Do I want to know?" She asked, remembering that not too long ago Kendall had literally handcuffed her to the furniture to keep her there. Kendall smiled.
"Believe me, you're going to like this. I've arranged a little surprise for Chase." She stated. Allison looked curious.
"What kind of surprise?" Allison asked. Kendall handed her a set of keys.
"As part of our natural history exhibit, I've arranged for demonstrations of tribal heritage...including the Maori." She explained. "It's so ingrained in their culture that most of the schools teach them about their culture."
"Um...OK?" Allison replied.
"Chase has been away from home for over a year and a half." Kendall told her. "I've pulled a few strings and called in some favours...one of the things I wanted to do was have some New Zealanders perform a Kapo Haka. The kids I have in mind just HAPPEN to be from the same school Chase's sister is attending."
"You're shitting me!" Allison gasped. "YOU MEAN...?"
"Try to keep it quiet, I want it to be a surprise." Kendall told her. "The plane lands in an hour, there's a minibus out front..."
"You're a legend Ms Morgan!" Allison said, almost knocking Kendall off her feet as she tackle-hugged her. "You're the best!"
With that, Allison ran out of the restaurant. Kendall just shook her head.
"I don't even want to know how Chase will react." She muttered as she straightened out her suit.
Meanwhile, over in Long Beach, Jack and Carl arrived at the arena. Jack just looked around.
"It's a lot bigger than I remember." He commented. Jack had been in the business so long, he'd wrestle everywhere from bingo halls with an audience in the low double-figures to the Tokyo Dome in Japan.
"Hey, good to see you Jack." The local promoter stated. "Glad to have you, even if you aren't advertised."
"You can't exactly advertise a run-in." Jack reminded him. "So where do you want me?"
The promoter handed him a ticket.
"Seat 11B." He told him. "Oh, and so people don't notice you, wear this."
He handed Jack a hoodie top and a ball cap. He just looked to them, seeing the logo.
"The Wolves?" He asked, noting the design. Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards were widely considered one of the top tag teams on the planet. He just nodded. "I guess I can work with that."
"You sit in that seat, and then when you get the cue, that's when you hit the ring." The promoter told him. "Security already know all about it, no one will get in your way, so if anyone does..."
"Kid, I used to work the carneys, if someone gets in my way I'm not expecting, they'll get dropped." Jack assured him, pulling on the hoodie. He put the cap on his head and pulled up the hood hiding as much of his face and head as possible. "Where's my seat?"
"Over there." The promoter told him. Jack went to his seat and sat down, pulling out a hip flask. He popped a couple of pills into his mouth and washed the down with some scotch as he waited for the show to begin.
Over in Amber Beach Park, Alessandra was stretching out, ready to begin her workout. She had arranged to meet Koda as part of their promise to train together to be ready for the show. She wasn't aware that a little way off, Koda and Chase were hiding behind some bushes.
Koda was wearing a tuxedo that Chase had lent him. He had, despite a lot of cursing and protesting, had his hair washed and brushed, styled into a simple ponytail. The caveman had no idea what any of this was meant to accomplish, but Chase did know more about these things than he did.
"Koda, stop fidgeting." Chase told him.
"Can't help it, feel...itchy." He grumbled, fingering his collar. "Not like..."
"Koda, you look a million bucks like this." Chase assured him. Chase looked to his shoes.
"Not like these, they really...squish toes, very much pain!" Koda told him.
"Look at that girl, right there." Chase told him, pointing to Alessandra. "Don't you think a couple of minutes of pain would be worth it for her?"
Koda just nodded.
"Fine, now, remember what I taught you." Chase told him. "Good luck big guy!"
Koda made his way out into view, approaching Alessandra as she stretched out. She looked up as a shadow informed her someone was standing before her. She looked up, seeing a suit...and could hardly believe her eyes when she saw the face...it was Koda.
"Koda?" She asked, looking more than a little confused.
"Hey there...uh..." Koda looked to the notes written on his hand. "Baby. These for you!"
He presented Cassandra with a box of chocolates. She just looked even more confused.
"Koda...why you...?"
"Also have these!" He said, thrusting some flowers towards her. Alessandra took one look at them, before starting to sneeze uncontrollably. Koda threw both gifts aside as he went to her.
"What wrong?" He asked her.
"I have hayfever, allergic to pollen." She told him between sneezes so strong they almost took her off her feet.
"I sorry, not know!" He rushed out.
"Koda, why you dress like that?" Alessandra asked him. "We meet to train."
Koda hurriedly looked to his other hand where some more notes were written.
"Why train? We have more fun somewhere else. What you say babe?" He said reading it out. Alessandra blinked a few times, looking more than a little confused...before the worst thing in the world happened. She started laughing!
Koda backed away as he saw her laughing, this was everything he dreaded. He knew he wanted to be closer to Alessandra, but he was always terrified that if she ever knew how he felt about her, she would not only refuse him, but would actually laugh at him. He felt himself tearing up and observed the only instinct he had left, running away.
"Koda wait!" She called after him. "KODA!"
It was too late though, the Blue Ranger was gone. Alessandra sat on a nearby bench and held her face in her hands. She didn't MEAN to hurt Koda, that was the last thing she'd ever want to do.
Over at the airport, Allison was standing at the arrivals gate, holding up a sign with the name of the school Chase's sister attended. Even though the museum was backed by Anton Mercer, a guy that regularly feature on the Fortune 500 list, she was well aware how much time, effort and expense had to be put into flying an entire class of school kids from New Zealand to the United States. It was no small thing, but given what Chase had already done for them for over a year and a half, they probably felt it was a small price to pay.
She saw a woman surrounded by kids and figured this was her party. She started waving her sign.
"Hi, I'm guessing you're..."
"Ms Ellington." The woman replied, shaking Allison's hand. She was only a little taller than Allison, and dressed very conservatively in a tweed suit. "I'm guessing you're our ride?"
"Allison." She introduced herself. "So, which one of you is Chloe Randall?"
"I am!" One of them yelled, bouncing around like a ping pong ball. It was easier for airlines to just give their passengers food and drink than it was to deal with them when they were bored on flights lasting hours on end. It seemed that Chloe had been given a few too many sodas!
Chloe was a small girl, barely reaching Allison's solar plexus, and even she wasn't exactly huge! She had long, dark hair that almost went all the way to her butt, and she was buzzing with energy and excitement at the prospect of being in a new country...and no doubt a dangerous combination of e-numbers and WAY too much caffeine for an 8 year old.
"I'm Allison." She told her. "I was sent to take you to the museum."
"Alright class, everyone follow Allison!" Ms Ellington told them. "Come on, we don't want anyone to get lost."
Chase finally caught up to Koda back at the museum. He found the tuxedo on the floor, having been ripped off with absolutely no care at all.
"There goes the deposit." He sighed, heading into the cave that Koda called home. Koda didn't even look at him. He was hunched over, and Chase could hear him sobbing.
"Go away!" Koda snapped.
"Koda, this isn't..."
"I SAY GO AWAY!" Koda yelled at him. "I do what you say, I give chocolates and flowers and...she laugh at me!"
"Koda, I'm really sorry..."
"I like her Chase, she...she make any day better!" Koda told him. "Now I do this...not even know if she friend!"
"Koda, I didn't mean..."
"NO, you NEVER mean!" Koda barked as he grabbed Chase and lifted him clean off the ground, ramming him against the wall. They'd only ever had one real fight, back in the beginning when Koda thought he was defending Kendall. Koda had tackled him through twin-paned bullet-proof glass without even breaking pace! He could see the look on Koa's face, the sheer rage in him, and the tears running down his face. "You never MEAN but you DO!"
"Koda.."
"Alessandra very special to me!" Koda told him. "If I lose...I never forgive."
With that, he tossed Chase onto the floor and walked away. As he fought for breath, Chase knew better than to follow him.