Disclaimer: I do not own, or claim to own, or desire to own or make any money off the Power Rangers concepts and characters presented in this story. While the main characters and situation are new, and the timeline of this story differs from the television show, the majority of this stuff is owned by Saban and Disney (cause Disney owns everything). Any character you've never seen on screen is mine.
AN: Okay, for all of you who have reviewed (thank you!) and stated you want to see more Rangers, having the team fill out a bit has been in the works since Chapter 1, and it will be soon, but let me build up to it!
Power Rangers: Geo-Force
Chapter 21: I Know Who You Are
Commander Sky Tate was sitting in his office at SPD Headquarters, going over some reports, when his communicator beeped.
"Tate here. Go ahead."
"Sky?" Tyler Forge's voice asked.
"Tyler? What's wrong?"
"Are you alone?"
"Yes."
Immediately there was a red flash in front of Sky, as the Geo-Force Red Ranger teleported into his office.
Sky shut off his communicator, "I assume it's urgent."
"Yeah. Sorry, but I needed to show you something." Tyler placed a drawing on Sky's desk. It was photo-realistic sketch of a young man, roughly Tyler's age.
"Um," Sky responded. "Tyler, this is an excellent drawing, but . . ."
Tyler cut Sky off, "About a half hour ago, while I was on my way home, Crul attacked me." Tyler began to pace. "Look, this is gonna sound nuts, but he was able to grab me before I could morph. He was choking me . . . then I heard my mom's voice. She said "Fire burns away all falsehood," and suddenly my hands burst into flames. But I didn't burn him. This golden energy came pouring out of him, and in that light . . . I saw that face. I . . . I think that's who Crul really is. Or, at least was, before his Master altered him." Tyler stopped pacing, "You think I'm completely nuts, don't you?"
Sky stood, "Actually, no, I don't. Being a Ranger kind of requires you to accept things that other people would find preposterous. For example, Grumm had this ally, Moira. She was actually a woman named Morganna, who had been turned into a child, and preferred herself that way. She could draw monsters and then bring them to life . . . and then she would send them to try and kill us."
"Okay. Yeah, that's a bit weird."
"Read some of the original Rangers' memoirs if you want some really weird stuff. Some of Rita and Zedd's monsters would have been comical, if they weren't so lethal. Come on; let's see if Morv can use this drawing to get us anywhere."
Moments later Sky and Tyler were in Lt. Morv's forensics lab. Morv scanned Tyler's drawing into SPD's central computer and began a search.
"Alright. Since he appears to be human, we'll start with all Terran databases, and then move to off-world . . ." Morv was cut off when his terminal started beeping. "We've got a hit already." The Noctranian officer inputted a series of commands, and the main screen in his lab displayed a three-dimensional image. "Tyler, is that the face you saw?"
Tyler studied the image. The hairstyle was different, but the color, the shape of the face, nose, and the eyes were identical. "Who is he?"
Morv hesitated, and pointed something on his terminal screen out to Sky. Sky studied the screen for a moment, and then said, "It's okay, Morv. This may be the break that Tyler's team . . . that all of us need."
"Yes sir." Morv cleared his throat. "That image is actually an age progression from an unsolved murder/missing person's case from Reefside in Southern California. Subject is Kingsley, Craig. He would be 16 now. He and his twin sister, Melissa were discovered to be missing after their mother, a Debra Smith-Kingsley was found murdered roughly three years ago. Primary suspect was Debra's ex-husband, Dr. Jackson Kingsley . . . oh my!"
Tyler looked questioningly at Morv, and Sky asked, "What is it?"
"Kingsley was the primary suspect based on history, expertise, the nature of the crime, and the fact that he dropped out of sight just prior. It appears Kingsley has multiple Ph.D.'s; Botany, Genetics, Bio-Chemistry, and Cybernetics."
Sky and Tyler exchanged a significant glance while Morv continued, "The divorce occurred following his dismissal from a tenured position at the University of Terra for expressing radical theories on the manipulation of plant and animal genomes using nano-technology and mutagenic compounds . . . as well as ethical violations. Apparently, he had attempted to try out some of his theories. Debra gained full custody of the twins when Kingsley's experiments became known. The court determined that continued contact with their father would be detrimental to the twins."
"Okay," Tyler interjected, "I get that he seemed to be a wacko, but you said something about the nature of the murder?"
"Yes," responded Morv, "According to the forensic report, Debra Smith-Kingsley died from multiple stab wounds; however, they were unable to determine what kind of weapon made the wounds. They also were stumped by the fact that the wounds were full of traces of plant DNA."
"So Dr. Kingsley may be this mysterious Master of Crul and Malika's. But how?" Tyler asked.
"Kingsley loses everything; his reputation, the University's resources, and his family, and then resorts to experimenting on himself," Sky posited. "Then he decides to remake his own kids in his new image."
"Okay, that's twisted," Tyler commented. One thing still bothered him, however . . . how familiar the energy that poured out of Crul was. "Commander, Lieutenant, thanks. I think I need to talk to Grandmother." As he finished speaking, Tyler reached down to his wrist and activated the teleport, vanishing in a red flash.