Sarah was in her garage, with her hoverboard once more stripped down virtually to the individual screws. She was trying her best to keep busy while they waited for Wrench to come back. She knew she wouldn't have to wait long, Cosmo's broadcast went out on a Friday, and so she had only a little over a day to wait.
She was trying to occupy her mind and keep herself from having too much time to think about the fact Preston was out of action. One of the disadvantages of having such an active mind was that it was able to think of more than a few things at the same time, so simple distraction rarely worked as well as she'd have liked. Staring once more at the components she was considering what else she could do to the board to maximise the efficiency and make it work longer with more than just her on it. She had only ever designed it to carry her, she never really thought much about carrying someone else as well.
She didn't even notice as Ellie came into the garage.
"Have you considered switching out the battery?" She asked. Sarah just sighed.
"It's a custom battery I built myself. It's not like I can run down to the local radio shack to get another bigger one." Sarah sighed dejectedly as she put it aside. "Without building a brand new one from scratch, I really want to try everything I can to maximise the efficiency."
"Well, there's something I wanted to talk to you about." Ellie said, pulling up a stool. "You know Hayley's step-dad Trevor?"
"The cop? I met him briefly in the park." She answered. "Why?"
"Well, he's been partnered up with a probationary officer that he's showing the ropes to." Ellie said as she tried to broach the subject.
"Yeah, I remember hearing, his name sounded familiar…"
"It's Spike Skullovitch." Ellie told her daughter. Sarah took a moment to try and think about the name, before the penny dropped.
"The kid from…?"
"Yes, it seems that's the case." Ellie interrupted her. "I just wanted to make sure you knew because, well, you know what happened. And more importantly…you know what it did to your dad."
Sarah just nodded in understanding. After news broke of the fraud scandal, some of the victims sought to seek out reparations of their own. Since Al's name had been sealed by the courts as part of his plea deal, they had targeted his partner Jerry…or more accurately Jerry's daughter Melanie who was a student at the local High School. Spike had been a hero, negotiating with the hostage takers and trying to talk everyone down, but by the time the siege was over, one of the hostage takers, an eighteen-year-old kid, had been shot and killed by a police sniper. The guilt over knowing a kid was dead in the wake of his actions had sent Al into a tailspin that took a long time and a twelve-step programme to overcome. It was the lowest point in his life, and one that they were sure he didn't need a permanent reminder of.
"I just wanted you to know because…your dad doesn't, and it might be for the best it stays that way." Ellie replied.
"I understand mom." Sarah said as she hugged her.
"I know you don't like keeping things from your dad, I don't either but this is probably something it's best he doesn't know." She stated. "Hey, you want to see if a second pair of eyes on this can…"
Just then, Sarah's Ninja-Comm bleeped. She looked to her mom and tried to think of something to say.
"That's uh…Hayley!" She replied. "She said she'd send me a message when she got something for a project we're doing at school. I…I should probably be going."
"Can't you wait until tomorrow? You haven't even had dinner yet!" Ellie protested.
"I…I'll get something on the go." Sarah told her. "I'll be back later!"
As Sarah ran out, Ellie just sighed and looked to the parts on the work bench.
"That girl of mine, always rushing around, never taking any time to stop and eat." She sighed. "Maybe I should make something to help with that…some kind of snack machine."
With that, she grabbed a nearby pad and pen and started jotting down ideas.
Over at the food truck, Brody was fighting for all he was worth just to keep pace with Wrench. He seemed to have a counter for virtually everything and anything Brody could throw at him. His shiny, chromed body wasn't just a questionable style choice, but it was a reflective coating that deflected blaster fire. Brody's spin-sword rebounded off his armour as Wrench closed in on him. Brody took a hard shot to the face and was sent spinning away from him, landing some way off.
"I've studied all your battles Red Ranger, there's nothing you can throw at me I've not seen and can't come up with a counter for!" He taunted him. "I think that helmet of yours will be a great trophy…I might not even take your head out of it before I take it!"
"Ninja Element Star, Steel Chains!" Brody called out, casting chains his way. Wrench found himself wrapped in chains within moments, but as Brody came running for him, he just broke the chains dismissively, before powering up an energy wave in his ace blade, casting it forth. Brody didn't have time to avoid the blow, which smashed him straight through the hot dog truck. Brody de-morphed as he finally came to a stop. Wrench started to advance on him, missile housings opening up in his shoulders.
"So much for the mighty Red Ranger. I honestly don't know how Rincon made it look so hard." He taunted him. "Now, here's the question, do I want to finish you with the axe, or really get messy and just use my bare hands? Then again, why mess up my nice, shiny coat?"
He fired off the missiles, which were heading straight for the defenceless Red Ranger. They arced high into the air, coming down, before the Yellow and Gold Rangers rushed into the way, blasting as many of them down as they could. Unfortunately, they didn't get all of them, and ended up shielding Brody from the rest of them with their bodies.
"Oh, look who finally got here!" Wrench laughed as he saw Hayley and Sarah arriving on the scene. "I think I've done enough damage for now. See you around!"
With that, he teleported away. The Rangers all gathered around Brody, who was only just coming to.
"Brody, are you alright?" Calvin asked.
"Tom!" Brody rushed out, pointing to where Tom was lying on the ground. Levi and Sarah rushed over quickly, clamouring over him.
"Tom? Tom, can you hear me?" Levi asked. "TOM!"
"He's…he's in a really bad way." Sarah said, checking over him.
"I'm calling an ambulance." Levi told her.
"I don't think he's going to make it that long." Sarah told him. She placed her hands on Tom's chest, at which they started to glow. She only held on for a second, it was as long as she could, but as Tom's breathing started to even out a lot more, she threw herself out to the side and started coughing up blood.
"For the record, I do NOT recommend that." She spluttered, grabbing her sides.
"Sarah, thank you!" Levi gasped as he grabbed her in a tight hug. "Hello, 911? I'm in the park by the old foundry, there's a man here who's been badly hurt! We need an ambulance right away!"
"Sarah, that was a huge risk…"
"It was my risk to take." She interrupted Hayley as the White Ranger helped her up. "I only held on for a second…"
"That's probably just as well." Levi answered. "Brody's not looking so good either."
"Do you think…?"
"I think they're both going to the hospital." Levi put down flatly. "No offence to Mick, but this looks…"
"No, we get it, we really do." Calvin answered. "We'll hang around until the ambulance comes."
"Tom, are you alright?" Levi asked him. Tom just gestured to Brody.
"Brody." He said in a laboured breath. "Where's Brody?"
"He's right over here." Levi told him. Tom felt around with his hand, before finally finding Brody's, gripping it tightly in his own.
The following morning, over at the Thompson House, Sarah was getting ready for school. Unfortunately to make sure no one got too suspicious, the others had to go home, but Levi had kept in contact with them to make sure they were updated on Tom and Brody's conditions as much as possible.
Sarah managed to force down some breakfast as she got ready for school. Her healing factor hadn't quite caught up with the injuries yet, and after taking on as much of Tom's injuries as she dared risk, she was pretty confident that her actions had been the difference between life and death for him. She definitely felt like she could do with a personal day, but unfortunately with one, possibly two Rangers on the injured reserve list, it wasn't as though she could risk taking some down time.
"So, how are things down at the precinct?" Al asked as Ellie took a sip of her coffee.
"Oh, things are great." She told him. "When I'm not getting yelled at by people who think parking tickets are optional, I'm apparently outperforming people half my age at basic office procedures."
"Is it really that bad?" Al asked her. She just shrugged.
"It's not the worst job I've ever had." She answered. "But let's put it this way, I'm glad it's only three days a week."
"Don't rub it in." Sarah sighed as she finished up her breakfast and got of the stool, trying to make sure she didn't let on it felt like her insides had been used as a punching bag by a heavyweight boxer. "I guess I need to be going now since I never got around to rebuilding my board. Unless…"
"You're not getting the car Sarah." Al put down bluntly.
"But dad!"
"Hey, I need to be mobile, I never know when a client's going to call and need me to come over." Al told her.
"Well, I guess it looks like I'm walking then." She sighed. "Have fun playing with numbers!"
"You know I always do!" Al replied as she left.
"I should be going too." Ellie told him. "The bus will be coming by soon."
As they both left, the stranger watched them. He had parked a little further up the street and was waiting for them to go. He had seen from his observations that after they left, they would be gone most of the day. He just needed to wait a little longer to be sure they weren't coming back before he made his move.
Over at the precinct, Trevor had arrived in the lab. He had come into work straight from home in the hopes of getting the results of the forensics report early. He was surprised to find that Spike was already in the lab.
"Skullovitch?" Trevor asked. "Kid, do you ever go home?"
"I'm still living at the temporary accommodation the department provided." Spike told him with a shrug. "There's not a lot to do there so I came in a little early."
"Trevor is a little early Mr Skullovitch, you on the other hand have already been here a full hour." The lab tech told them. "He seems to show something of an interest in this side of things."
"Yeah, apparently he was considering going this route." Trevor answered. "So, do you have anything for us?"
"I'm afraid not Trevor. It seems whoever was driving that car doesn't appear on the database." He answered.
"You're kidding." Spike stated. "You mean someone with the means to get an untraceable car and gun hasn't committed another crime?"
"Hasn't been CONVICTED of one." Trevor corrected him. "That could mean he's some kind of professional."
"Indeed. I find it hard to believe someone would have an untraceable gun if they don't have a conviction for a violent crime."
"Violent crime?" Spike asked. "Why violent crime?"
"We limited the search to convictions for violent crimes." The lab tech informed him. "I mean, why else would you want a gun?"
"Did you run a search for NON-violent convictions?" Spike asked.
"Isn't it always nice when the rookies come in telling us how to do our jobs?" The lab tech asked. "Alright, I'll humour you. One search through the fingerprint database and…"
The computer buzzed.
"Is…that a hit?" Spike asked.
"That is a hit." He answered, looking up the record. "This is strange, very strange indeed."
"What's strange?" Trevor asked.
"This man's profile definitely doesn't fit what I'd expect from someone who would risk these kinds of charges." The lab tech told them. "He does have a conviction, indeed a prison record too, but it was only a four-year sentence for fraud. Yes, you are a mystery Mr Goodwill."
"Goodwill?" Spike asked, coming over to the computer and checking it. "Oh my God!"
"What? What is it?"
"Jerry Goodwill! He's from Panorama!" Spike screeched. "This picture…does that look like the guy we saw at the grocery store the other day?"
"The guy with the gun?" Trevor asked. "Kind of, yeah."
"So, he's definitely in Panorama." Spike asked. "The question is why?"
Meanwhile, over at the Thompson house, Al was working on his computer when he heard the doorbell. He just checked his schedule.
"OK, I don't have any appointments." He commented. "Alright, I'm coming!"
He made his way towards the door, opening it expecting to find a client waiting for him. Due to the nature of his business and his clients, he did get quite a few drop-ins at odd times of the day.
"Hi, I'm Al Thompson, and welcome to…" He suddenly froze as he saw the man standing on his doorstep. "Jerry?"
"Hi there Al." He commented. "You're looking pretty good."
"Um…you too Jerry." Al said rather awkwardly. "I…didn't know…when did you get out?"
"I've been out about six months now." Jerry stated, looking around. "Nice house. It looks like you really landed on your feet."
"Yeah, things have been…" Al said, feeling really uncomfortable. While he had negotiated a suspended sentence as a result of the breadth and depth of his statement when he turned State's Witness, Jerry had been sent down. "What are you here for?"
Jerry pulled out the gun, pointing it at Al.
"I'm here to collect what I'm owed." He answered coldly.
