A/N: Hi everyone! Here's another TWO chapters for you. I am pretty amazed with myself for that. I hope everyone is enjoying it. I promise things are really going to start connecting in the next few chapters. Please be patient. As always, thank you for reading and I appreciate the reviews! Please remember to leave one if you like what you read...or even if you hate it!
Disclaimer: I have no rights to the Power Rangers though I do have quite the collection devoted to them! 8)
Kimberly
"What happened?" Kimberly asked as Hermes' locked my cell door. He gave me a kind smile before shuffling off. I rubbed my wrists where they had rubbed the shackles of the chair, a slight bump forming on my right one.
"They made me record something to send to Tommy." I replied, feeling drained. I was so incredibly pissed at myself. I had just set Tommy up to walk right into a trap. There was no way in hell he was just going to not run in and try to save me, regardless of which Tommy she was hoping to catch. She probably had better luck with teen Tommy. He still hadn't found a reason to hate me yet. He was still young and naïve. My Tommy – well, my time Tommy – would have no desire to save me now.
"What was it?" Sighing, I glanced up at Kimberly. She was leaning against her bars, her face between two of them while her hands gripped the lower section below. I'm not sure if it'll ever be not weird looking at myself like this.
"She is giving him 24 hours to surrender himself or else she's going to kill us." I said softly. Her eyes widened in shock and for the first time since she arrived, a small glint of fear crossing them. She knew exactly what my worst fear was. She knew exactly what was going to happen. She knew because it was exactly what she would be doing if the roles were switched.
"What are we going to do?" She whispered, emotion thick in the back of her throat.
"We are going to break out of here, get to Goldar's sword, and stop Rita's plan." I said giving her a determined smile. "I mean, you are still a Power ranger, after all. Even one has the power enough to change something."
"Wow." She said. "I guess Zordon does make quite an impact on my life. Do you still see him?" She asked. Kid, I'm trying to give you confidence here. Don't make me have to tell you that your mentor dies.
"Not so much. I'm kind of busy." I replied. "Do you have anything in your cell that you can use as a weapon?" I asked quickly, hoping to change the subject. She turned, glancing around her cell.
"There's a few little rocks and then a stool. What about you?"
"The same." I swore under my breath.
"What about the guy that brings the food? He's seems like an easy target." I shook my head.
"I tried that already. He'll be on his toes now." I thought for a moment, pressing my forehead against the bar in front of me. It was cool against my skin and for a brief moment, I thought about my mother. Did she know I was missing yet? Was she worried? I hadn't called her in a few days which was normal for us. Would she even know I was gone? Did Andrea? Was she safe? Had something happened to her as well?
"She's going to kill us, isn't she?" Kim asked in a meek voice, pulling me out of my thoughts. I shifted so I was looking at her and saw nothing but despair on her—our features. I shook my head.
"No, she's not. Come on. You told me that I couldn't give you, neither can you. Try breaking a part your stool. We can use the nails holding it together to try and break the lock." She nodded, walking deeper into her cell. I grabbed my stool as well, banging it against the stone wall. A piece of wood splinters off, landing by my feet. I heard her pounding as well and I hoped that Goldar or anyone else couldn't hear the noise we were making. Another piece splinter, this time longer and sharp. Bending down, I picked the piece up and tucked it into the waist band of my pants. There was a loud crack and Kimberly let out an excited cry.
"I got it. There's three of them." She said, coming back to the bars. She held them up, two small ones and one long one. One of the small ones was still embedded into a piece of wood. I hit the wall again and one of the legs on my stool broke off. There was a nail on the end of it and I picked it up. Carefully, I pulled it from the wood and ran over to the door.
"Try to pick the lock." I said, glancing up the hallway to make sure no one was coming.
"I don't know how to pick a lock!" She exclaimed. "Do I look like I would know how to do that?"
"Well, that's why I said try." I replied. Reaching through the bars, I felt around until I found the key hole under the handle. Taking the nail, I slid it inside of the hole and twisted it. I felt the small piece of metal scrap against the metal inside the tumblers, but the handle didn't move. I didn't know what the hell I was doing either, but it was a better option then sitting here, waiting for the younger version of Tommy to walk into the trap I had helped set up for him. Across from me, Kim was trying the same thing. I kept one eye on the doorway of the hall as I tried like hell to get out of here.
"Tommy and I aren't together in your time, are we?" Kim asked, breaking the silence as we worked. The question threw me off guard and I hesitated a moment before glancing at her.
"No." I said softly, feeling ashamed. "How did you know?"
"Every time I bring him up, I can see it in your eyes. If I asked, would you tell me what happened?" I shook my head.
"Somethings are better to be left unsaid, I suppose. And you can't let that get in the way of what you have with Tommy. Trust me. Things get really good for the two of you." I smiled at her, remembering some of my favorite memories of when I was her age. "You and the whole team, actually. Life just gets in the way. It's something I shouldn't have let happen but it's not something I can change now."
"When was the last time you saw him?"
"About a year ago." I said, hearing something in the lock click. I tried to pull on the door, but it didn't budge. "It gets a bit complicated. Take my advice and don't let it."
"Can't really do that if you don't tell me what to avoid."
"It's better for you to live through than for me to tell you." I replied. It was the truth. It wasn't because I didn't want her to know. It was because I couldn't bring myself to say the words out loud. It was messy, complicated and downright heart breaking to even think about. Saying it would make it more concrete, something that I couldn't let myself deal with. I've been in denial for a year now and it's been the only way I can live a semi-normal life.
"Kim!" Kimberly hissed, pulling me back to reality. "Someone is coming!" She hissed. I pulled the nail out of the lock and stepped away from the bars as the sound of heavy footsteps made their way up the hall towards us. She also shrunk back, taking her nails with her. Goldar emerged in the doorway and I instantly glared at him.
"What now?" I asked. He returned my glare, placing his hands on his hips.
"I didn't come for you. I came for her." He pointed at Kimberly. "Come on. Empress Rita has requested you." Pulling a set of keys from the area near his sword, he walked over to her cell. She stepped back from the door, planting her feet on the ground.
"I'm not going with you." She said, that fiery attitude I was proud of in high school poking through. Goldar growled, unlocking her door and swinging it open. Reaching out, he grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the wall of her cell.
"No!" I exclaimed, running to my bars. This Goldar was definitely different than the one we fought as kids. He was more ruthless and the look of bloodlust in his eyes as he smiled over at me made my skin crawl.
"I can't wait for Rita to tell me I can do what I wish with the both of you. I have some big plans. Starting with that big mouth of yours." He turned back to Kimberly who looked at me with such fright, it made my chest tighten. He released her, and she crumpled to the floor, gasping for breath. Grabbing a handful of hair, he dragged her from her cell and towards the hall. As he passed my cell, he reached up and grabbed the one orb of light in the containment area. He threw it to the ground, it smashing into a million little pieces. Darkness blasted through the area and all I could hear was his laughter as his boots headed away from me.
"Kimberly, hold on!"
In the darkness that now surrounded me, it was hard to keep my mind off of what they could be doing to her. The sick joy on Goldar's face made my stomach turn almost violently and I prayed that they were just making her film something like they had done with me. Sighing, I closed my eyes. It didn't do much. It was just as dark that way. I had tried to pick the lock with the nail but found it almost impossible without any light to help me. I kept the nail in my hand though, not wanting to lose it in the nothingness that swallowed me whole.
I strained my ears to try and hear something, anything, that would tell me where she might be. There was nothing. Not even the slightest scuff of a boot or claw. I'd give anything to have Hermes come now, just so that I could get some light and maybe some information. He didn't come though. Hours seemed to pass and still, they kept Kimberly somewhere. Fear and dread set into my chest and I would have paced if I didn't fear tripping over something and dying. I felt my way back over to the door of the cell and tried the lock again. Every now and then, it would scrap across the tumblers but not give enough for the lock to open. I swore each time, willing it to just give already.
The sound of faint footsteps in the hallway made me freeze. I listened for a second, determining they were heading my way. I couldn't tell who they were though. Goldar's wear heavy and assertive where Hermes were more scuffing and timider. I could barely hear these ones, but I did. I slunk back into the cell, making sure to tuck the nail into the pocket of my pants. Whoever was coming, they didn't want to be heard. I wished for a sliver of light, so I could find the stool to use as a weapon. It couldn't be done though, especially quietly. They would hear me stumbling around if I even tried to find it. Instead, I took refuge in the back corner of my cell, hoping whoever it was would be unable to sense I was there.
The footsteps were closer now, the soft steps seeming to be light as air as they entered the dungeon chamber. For a second, I thought I could see a figure moving in the darkness from my place tucked in the hay, but I knew that was a silly thought. I couldn't see a damn thing. Not even my hand in front of my face. The steps came closer to my cell and I could hear breathing. The figure became deadly silent, not a peep coming from him or myself as I listened intently.
"Kimberly?" A hushed whisper said into the black around us. Relief filled my chest at the sound of my name being spoken by someone other than Rita and Goldar. "Are you in there?"
"Yes!" I whispered back, climbing back to my feet. There was the sound of movement and suddenly, a pale green light filled the darkness. I blinked at the sudden brightness, covering my eyes so they could adjust. As they did, I realized that there was a Power Ranger standing on the other side of the bars as me. Green spandex with white diagonal shapes and a gold shield over the chest and shoulders, the Green Ranger faced me. I could see my reflection in the visor of his helmet, something I hadn't seen in the better half of twenty years. The ranger was holding a green orb in his hand and he reached up and set it in the same holder the one Goldar had smashed sat. He brought his hands up to his helmet and I heard him undo the clasps on the side. As he pulled it off, I felt my heart swell slightly at the sight of 16-year-old Tommy Oliver.
"Kimberly?" He asked, sounding a bit concerned to see me. "What did Rita do to you?" Wow. Okay. Hold off on the charm there, Tommy. I smiled back at him, choosing to not lecture him on being nice to his elders.
"I'm not your Kimberly." I explained. "Well…not anymore. I'm Kimberly, twenty years in the future."
"Right. Okay." He gazed at me confused, unsure of what to do with this information.
"I know that's a lot to take in right now, but you've got to get to Kimberly. Goldar took her somewhere, hours ago. I don't know what they are planning but you need to get to her and you need to get Goldar's sword." He raised an eyebrow at me, his brown eyes looking just as soft as I remembered them being. His hair wasn't long enough for a ponytail yet but was still shaggy, a piece hanging in front of his face.
"Goldar's sword? Why?"
"Fuck. I wish I knew exactly what time you guys are. You'd know what I was talking about then. Goldar's sword has some kind of travelling power. We can use it to get back to Earth." He smirked.
"Well, alright then. Let me get you out of here and we can get Kim." I shook my head.
"You go. I can get myself out of this cell. Meet me back here with her."
"Are you sure?" Tommy asked.
"Yes. I'll be okay." I looked at him one more time, taking in his features. It made me miss being a kid. Being there with him and having such a little care in the world. Well, besides Rita's shit.
"I'll be right back." He replied, winking at me. Even twenty years later, it made my legs weak at the knees. He clasped his helmet back on before heading back up the hallway where he had come.
"And I'll be right here." I muttered, fishing the nail from my pocket again.