Al was beginning to regret getting out of Mr Tien's car, at least...without really knowing where in the city he was. His own car was back at the office, and turned out that he was quite some distance from home. One of the perks he was given when he took the job with Mr Tien was a company car, and so he was completely lost with regards to the public transport system in Summer Cove. The bus and train timetables read more like they were the instructions for building an interstellar star ship than a timetable, and by observation on the weekends the timetable was more theoretical than anything else anyway. California by its very nature tended to build out more than they built up, since land was never really much of an issue, and so the State had evolved very much to the point where a car was virtually a necessity. That left him with the only real option being a very long walk.

He had his suit jacket slung over his shoulder, and she was looking around for somewhere to rest up for a moment while he refreshed his latest set of directions he had gotten a few blocks ago. Another unfortunate fact about California is that most of the cab companies didn't send cars out on the road to pick up random fares. The majority had to be phoned, and by virtue of having a car for most of his time in the city, he wasn't really familiar with the local cab numbers. He looked around for somewhere to stop for a couple of minutes, and his eyes rested on a bar. He put his hand on his hip and pondered his options for a moment.

"Typical." He muttered as he looked around seeing that this wasn't exactly the malt-shop kind of neighbourhood. It was the only business in the area that he could see that would let him get some kind of refreshment for the next leg of his trudge home. He headed inside, finding the place already starting to fill up. The screens seemed to be showing pre-game analysis of a baseball game between the Summer Cove Turtles and the Amber Beach Earthquake. People were already settling in for the game. Al had never really been a baseball kind of guy and really didn't care. All he wanted was something to drink, and some directions, or better yet, the barman to call him a cab. He walked up to the bar, setting his jacket over the stool and sitting down.

"What'll it be?" The barman asked.

"Do you have any lemonade?" He asked. The barman just snorted.

"Lemonade? I think you're in the wrong neighbourhood. Does this look like a wall-street place to you?" He asked. "We serve beer, we serve shots, we do coffee."

"Well I guess I'll have the..." Al was about to order a coffee, but he took one look at the machine which was not the usual silver or copper shade he'd expect it to be. It was kind of a grey, furry looking thing...like it had gathered a good layer of dust from lack of use. "Could I just have some iced water please?"

"I guess the suit is just for show then." The barman grunted, putting some ice in a glass and filling it with water. "Last of the big spenders huh?"

Al wasn't happy, but he didn't say anything about the comment. It wasn't like the first time he had heard it. A guy came over and ordered a round for his table.

"I ain't seen you around before." The man commented. It took Al a moment to realise that the man was talking to him. "You a quakes fan?"

"Baseball's not my thing." Al told him. The man was wearing a Turtles t-shirt, so he doubted telling him he was rooting for the other team was the way to go, and telling him that he was a fellow Turtles fan would likely only encourage the man to stay and talk more. He really didn't care for the game anyway, so the truth seemed like the best option. "I'm just in for a quick rest and a cab."

Yeah, you didn't look like this was your kind of place." The man answered. "Say, Eddie, how about a round of bourbons as well while you're at it?"

As the barman went to get other drinks, Al couldn't help finding his eyes resting on the beers already on the tray. His day was trying enough, and this was pretty much the last place he wanted to be. Mr Tien had been pressuring him for weeks now, but seeing the way he spoke to his own son was the last straw for Al. The sad fact was he had seen things like that before, and all he could think about was the life he had left behind for very good reasons.

Panorama City, 2010, it was a LONG time before, and Al was already a climbing talent in the city's leading Investment Brokers. The elevator opened and he stepped off, into the bullpen on the top floor, where the real artists of the game played. There was a huge cheer from the room as he stepped in, accepting it with a not-ironic-in-the-slightest bow. Most of his peers worked through lunch, not wanting to leave the office in a game where prices and markets could literally change from one minute to the next. Al though was an exception here, even among exceptions. In a room full of artists, he was Rembrandt, Da Vinci and Van Goch all rolled into one. He didn't just make portfolios grow; he made the numbers sing and dance!

"Man, I do NOT know how you do it!" One of his peers congratulated him as he handed him a bottle of Cristal. It was Champagne that cost about $200 a bottle, and they only broke it out whenever a deal broke target. Needless to say with Al around...that meant they drank it like it was lemonade! Corks stated to pop as he popped his own, chugging straight from the bottle. "Man, you earned more in your lunch break than most of these clowns did all day! What tipped you off to that company?"

"It helps when you send the guy that takes the minutes at their meetings a box of Cubans every month." Al told him with absolutely no hint of a lie. "The guy's a moron but his e-mails are really enlightening."

This was just one of the many secrets to Al's success. In the game, he cheated. Insider trading was illegal, but also extremely lucrative. By having an inside line on information that would not become public knowledge for weeks he was able to snap up stock for peanuts before the prices sky-rocketed.

"So you knew about the merger. You KNEW that they were talking a merger with Pittsburgh and you didn't tell anyone?" Another of the traders said as Al sat on his desk, chugging more of the bottle and wiping off his chin with his cuff. "That was so cold!"

"Hey, I didn't want anyone else getting the benefit." Al told them, before checking his watch. "Alright, now it's time for the best part...dump the bitch! Jerry, stop shoving that shit up your nose and get on that phone! Everyone get on your phones, I do NOT want to see a single share on our portfolio within the hour! Anyone who still has stock picks up the bar tab!"

"Wait, what?" One of them shrieked. "Al...It's been going up all week! It's just hit 800..."

"And in about an hour's time the announcement's going to go out that the merger fell through a week ago!" Al told them. "Get on the phones now, because by close of market, those stocks are going to be worth less than a roll of Charmin!"

Everyone immediately rushed to their phones and hit up every contact they knew. This was one of the biggest scams in the market, a 'pump and dump'. By pushing and promoting a product with misinformation the price could be artificially inflated, meaning that by the time the truth came out, people would have paid huge amounts of money for stock that was essentially worthless. It was like telling someone they were buying a Ferrari only for them to find out that it was really a Skoda with no wheels and no engine. Al's insider had told him that the meeting was discussing what to do about the failed merger and that the company was on the verge of complete bankruptcy. They were only deciding how many offices they needed to close and how many people they were going to have to lay off. They were hoping that just the mere rumours of the merger would keep their stock prices high enough to pull the pump and dump themselves, but Al had gotten in there first. He smiled as he picked up the phone.

"Arthur, its Al, your advisor." Al said with a little smirk as he chugged more champagne. "I have a high-risk option you do NOT want to miss! Trust me; your 401K will thank me!"

Back in the present in Summer Cove, Ripcon and Brody were giving the audience in the Warrior Dome the show of a lifetime. In what was quickly becoming one of the hottest rivalries in the show, Ripcon was eager to end the Red Ranger once and for all. He didn't care about Trapsaw, or whether or not he was successful in his own mission. So far, all he had done is legitimise him going down without Ripcon specifically scheduling the battle.

Their blades sparked as they clashed, both of them channelling all their power into their attacks. Brody formed his Morpher into Blade Mode to counter Ripcon's dual blades. Brody launched himself into the air, avoiding a swipe that put Ripcon off-balance, before bringing a powered-up blade right down across him.

"Remember when I cut off your horn?" Brody taunted him. "I've only gotten BETTER since then!"

He tried to follow up, but Ripcon was quick to block him. Brody used his crossed swords as a springboard to back-flip away, landing some way from Ripcon. He transformed his morpher into bow mode and started firing energy arrows.

Ripcon could see the improvement in the Red Ranger, his fight now was indeed much harder than before. That said, Ripcon had defeated monsters that were single-handedly capable of wiping out entire populations. The last time Brody had only defeated him with the aid of his friends, and right now he was alone, with none of the others in sight. As Ripcon batted the laser arrows out of the air, swatting them away like troublesome bugs, he summoned up all the power he could.

"Yes, you have grown stronger!" Ripcon commented. "But not strong enough!"

"Try saying that in about three seconds." Brody told him. Ripcon looked around, realising that the energy arrows had not disappeared. They all started to glow brightly, before exploding. Ripcon screamed out as he was burned by the fireball. Brody was still standing there, admiring his handiwork when the flames dissipated.

"You...you survived that?" Brody gasped. He had grown stronger, and that was one of his latest tricks. He was perfectly confident that Ripcon would be able to bat away a few arrows, but he was also sure he wouldn't pay enough attention to realise that wasn't the real attack. Unfortunately that was also one of Brody's most powerful new plays...and Ripcon was still standing!

"As I was saying before I was so RUDELY interrupted!" Ripcon snarled, causing Brody to start to back up slowly. "I should have done this ten years ago!"

Brody saw him hold his swords out to the side and dark energy start to form up along the blades. He had seen Ripcon do this many times, he had even been on the receiving end once, but he was sure that now Ripcon wouldn't be going at it with kid gloves. His only option was to do the one thing that Ripcon wouldn't expect. Ripcon would be watching him closely for an attempt to find cover and hide, or he would be expecting him to summon up all his strength to block. Brody's only hope was to cross the twenty feet of open ground between them and take Ripcon out of his attack before it came. He clipped his element star onto his sword.

"Say your prayers Rat Bait." Ripcon told him. "Beg for mercy if you'd like."

"I'll NEVER beg!" Brody roared as he broke into a run. Ripcon saw him coming, but his power was already building. He was committed to the attack. All he could hope was that he was a little faster than Brody was.

"Double-blade DOOM STRIKE!" He called out.

"STEEL SLASH!" Brody roared as he fell upon him. "FINAL STRIKE!"

They both collided and an explosion went off that blinded and deafened them both. The first Brody knew that he was still alive was when his vision finally started to return and he was lying on the ground about thirty feet away. He could see that Ripcon was also down, but that he was stirring. He considered his options, knowing that finishing him now would rid them of a powerful enemy, but also knowing that his own power was all but gone. If he underestimated Ripcon now, then he would hand-deliver his Power Star straight to him on a silver platter. He reverted to his instincts which were built on his training. If in doubt, it was always better to retreat and come back when the strategic advantage had shifted in favour of the ninja. He de-morphed, knowing he'd need every ounce of his strength for a technique he had only seen his dad use but had never had a chance to try. Concentrating, he ninja-streaked out of sight before Ripcon was on his feet.

Ripcon looked around, finding no sign of the Red Ranger. While he would have liked to believe that he had perished in the blast, he knew better than to suspect there would be no evidence left of his demise. When his father, a ninja far more powerful than Brody had been destroyed by the mighty Galvanax, the Ninja Power Stars had not been so much as scratched. Even with his ego Ripcon knew that he couldn't destroy the star, and it was nowhere in sight, which could only mean Brody had escaped and taken it with him. He let out a huge cry of rage that echoed for miles.

A short way off, Brody caught his breath, watching as Ripcon disappeared.

"He's...he's way tougher than I thought." Brody commented to himself. He knew Ripcon was powerful, but he had allowed himself to believe that the reason he didn't fight often on the show and rumours on the ship abounded he was planning on retiring was because he was past his best and was starting to weaken. The fact that Brody barely escaped with his life meant either Ripcon was still as powerful as he had always been, or even in the twilight of his career he was still immensely powerful. If the latter was true, Brody didn't even want to consider what he would have been like in his prime. "I need to warn the others about that other monster."

With that, he started to make his way for the Ribbon Tree, knowing that was where they were all headed eventually.

Back at the bar, Al finished his water, and he slid the glass back to the bartender.

"Can you call me a cab?" Al asked him.

"So you'll pay for a cab, but not a decent drink?" The barman scoffed. He picked up the phone and started to dial. Al noticed a crowd starting to head past the window, all carrying signs and chanting something about the Ribbon Tree. He got up and headed to the window.

He didn't know how they had done it, but it seemed Sarah and her friends had managed to get the word out, and that soon they were going to get support. He saw one of the signs held by a kid no older than three years old being carried by his mother declaring that the future was more important than profit. It was a sentiment Al knew all too well.

Panorama City, 2011, Al went down in the elevator, finding himself in the parking garage of his firm. He walked in a slightly shuffling gate, tossing back some champagne as he stepped off, before smashing the bottle on the ground. He headed out into the parking garage, clicking his key fob and heard his car bleep. He was going over, and was about to get in when he heard someone behind him.

"Do you really think driving home is a good idea?" He heard a woman say. He looked to her and the man beside her. They were both dressed in suits. Al just sighed.

"Traffic cops sure dress to impress in this part of town." He said sarcastically. They both pulled out identification. "I guess I was going to put stuff in the trunk before calling a cab, not that it's any of your business. I guess I've had a heavy afternoon. My firm's had a big day."

This was a complete lie; he had every intention of driving home. Of course, with the demeanour of these two strangers, he knew better than to admit that. He could smell feds a mile away, and he knew better than to give them any excuse. They both pulled out ID.

"Federal Exchange Commission." The woman identified herself. "Can we see inside your car please?"

"Well that depends." Al answered, sitting on the trunk and folding his arms. "Do you have a warrant signed by a judge?"

"This is a polite request." The woman answered. "Do we really need one?"

"Well, since you are asking to search my personal property...yes, I believe it is." Al said rather arrogantly. The woman and her companion did not look at all amused.

"If you've got nothing to hide..."

"Well that's the thing, you're the ones that need to prove I have anything to hide now aren't you?" Al interrupted him. "Now, do you want to harass me some more or do I have to remind you that this is private property and get security to ask you to leave?"

"Listen asshole, this firm is the biggest collection of crooks in the whole city!" The man snapped at him.

"You know, I know when I'm talking to the pet and not the owner so why don't you quieten down there junior while the adults talk?" Al dismissed the man, before turning this attention to the woman. "You know you might want to talk to your boyfriend here about a little thing called slander. Unfounded allegations can get you into a lot of trouble."

"This firm has made record profits and also received more complaints than any other financial firm in the city's history." The woman told him.

"Welcome to Capitalism!" Al said with a smirk, swaying a little as he over-extended on his gesture thanks to the three bottles of champagne he had already drunk that day. "People get jealous of the successful."

"A lot of the people you sell to are trusting you with their future, with their hard-earned money." The woman told him. "Teachers, cops, store workers...a lot of them have watched their savings disappear in a matter of minutes."

"You ARE aware that the stock market is a gamble right?" Al responded. "Shares go up, shares go down. I don't put a gun to anyone's head. If they can't afford to lose, they shouldn't gamble."

"A lot of these people have families! A lot of the savings you and your buddies upstairs have swindled was to help their kids! Don't you think about these people at all?" The woman asked him, looking at him judgementally.

"Every single day." Al answered as he hopped off the hood and took off his jacket, slinging it over his shoulder. "I think about them when I realise that by the time MY daughter is finished High School, she can pick any college she wants, and after that? I'll be able to buy her first home. She'll start out never having a penny of debt to repay for any of it. Those people have bought that future for me and my family and for that, I thank them."

"So you've got yours and fuck everyone else?" The man growled at him. "You're a real asshole Thompson!"

"Maybe, but fortunately there's no law against that." Al replied as he walked away. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm just going to get a cab. Have a pleasant evening!"

He pulled out his cell phone as he was walking away and smiled.

"Ellie, it's me. Sorry, but I'll be home a little late." Al told her. He looked to the irritated agents still fuming over his attitude. He waved to them. "Yeah, I'm getting a cab. I'll be home when I can."

With that, he put his phone away and headed for the bar across the street for a quick nightcap and a cab home.