A/N: It's that time again everyone - update time. I'm rather pleased with myself for not taking as long to get this next chapter out to you lovely folks. You all have been so patient despite all of the hiatuses I have taken over the past few years, and I cannot thank you enough. As much as I would like to update frequently like I did back in high school, college is a lot different when it comes to having free time. I mean sure, I have class only three days out of the week, but I still have to work five to eight hours at the job to keep the financial aid department off my back. So thanks for being so patient and understanding. You guys are the bomb!
When we left off, Hunter and a few of the rangers from team Ninja Storm defeated Archerina and her army of Cogs, while Blake, Tori, and Kira managed to track down Conner. I know we were all worried that the Time Force Rangers' prediction had finally come true, but aren't you glad that it did not? Hey, the Master hasn't even reached the earth yet. I can't go killing off one of my favorite Red Rangers. Could you imagine?
On with the update!
Reminder:
-I WILL NOT BE INCLUDING ANY OF THE RANGERS FROM ANY POWER RANGERS SEASON THAT TAKES PLACE AFTER DINO THUNDER.
-The White Tiger and White Falcon Powers are two different power sources; so for the sake of this story, the White Falcon Coin has been tainted with so that Rita and Zedd's mind control spells can work. Zordon and Alpha's speech about the White Ranger Powers never being used for evil referred to the WHITE TIGER POWERS for the sake of this story.
- This story is an AU. It follows the events of the series; but for the sake of my O.C. Molly, the time frame in which each season of Power Rangers has lengthened. So yes, this story does take place during the season of Dino Thunder, but everyone's ages have been altered to better fit this original idea of mine. If you can't accept that, you might as well click away now.
- I have switched Tommy's profession to history at this point because I am HORRIBLE at science & chemistry and felt that writing about history would be a lot easier. Plus, I think that studying dinosaurs and fossils leans more towards the history side of the educational world.
- Tommy x Kimberly are the main pairing of this story, but there are SEVERAL other pairings that will be used during the course of this story as well. For starters, Hayley and Tommy are a couple when this story begins. As with most romances, theirs is going to take a while to blossom. So don't expect things to be all "sunshine and rainbows" in the beginning.
- Although I edit this story frequently, I do tend to make a few mistakes. So if you spot them, KINDLY let me know and I will take care of the issue immediately. Insulting my intelligence or skills as a writer for such minor mistakes is not only rude, but I will not tolerate it.
- Most importantly, I have made this story a personal challenge for myself and have written it ENTIRELY in the present tense so it seems like the story is happening right before your very eyes. It has proven to be a difficult challenge, but fun nonetheless. So I hope you guys like it too.
Disclaimer: I do not own the popular television series Power Rangers, which is based off of the Super Sentai series that air in Japan. I do not own the rights to any of the show's characters that are used in this story. Both aspects are being used for entertainment purposes only. I am the creator of Molly Hart, Samara and Austin Scott, and all other original characters featured in this story. The plot of this story was also developed by me. DO NOT REPRODUCE ANY ASPECT OF THIS STORY. Thank you.
"The Big Bang"
Hayley is sitting in front of the computer down in Tommy's lab, her eyes carefully watching the Master's ship approaching, via an advanced tracking system. Her heart pace quickens when she realizes that the Mothership will be entering earth's atmosphere within a matter of hours. Even though the Power Rangers have defeated the Master's lackeys on numerous occasions, she cannot help but to feel as though they will be less than successful when the Master arrives. If there were ever a moment she wished Tommy was standing by her side, it was now.
The redheaded genius is pulled from her thoughts when the engines of the Raptor Cycles can be heard from the cave's exterior entrance. Immediately worried for her young friends, Hayley stands to her feet, the wheels of her swivel chair squeaking loudly as they roll across the stone floor of the cave.
Conner rides in, on the Red Raptor Cycle, with Shane sitting on the rear end. Blake then speeds in behind him, on the Yellow Raptor Cycle, while Tori and Kira are squeezed onto the back. Bringing up the rear is Dustin and the Black ATV, Hunter and Cam riding as backseat passengers.
Hayley walks away from the computers as the teens cut the engines to the motor vehicles off. The minute their feet touch the ground, they each take turns powering down. Hayley covers her mouth, with her right hand, when she takes in their injuries. Blake goes to Tori's side and presses his hands against the gash in her shoulder, and Hayley cannot help but to wince when Tori moans in agony. The Blue Wind Ranger sinks down to the floor, landing on her knees as she begs Blake to remove his hand.
"Tori, we have to get this stitched up." Blake argues as he crouches down, his hands pressing against the wound yet again. "It's bad, really bad."
"What about your ribs, huh?" Tori breathes out through her gritted teeth. "I don't see you tending to those either."
"God, what happened out there?" Hayley asks as she moves over to get a better look.
"The Comdrites were just a teaser to what actually lied within the city." Conner breathes out as he slowly pulls his shirt over his head. Hayley's right eye twitches when she sees the burns on his back. "The Master had a lot of the Power Rangers' past beaten enemies hiding within the city. We all wound up morphing to protect ourselves. Unfortunately, there were several witnesses around at the time."
"You did the right thing." Hayley says as Cam and Hunter help Kira over to the love seat, the Yellow Ranger walking with a slight limp. "I know how big of a risk you took by revealing your identities at the Power Rangers, but think of how bad things would have been had you not made the decision to morph. No matter. I'm just really happy that you're all okay."
"That makes two of us." Ethan's voice comes from the stairwell. Everyone turns just in time to see Ethan coming down the stairs with the Wild Force Rangers. Cole and the rest of his teammates disperse throughout the room, greeting their younger comrades with friendly smiles and "hellos."
"I'm glad you all made it back safely." Cole says, sincerity in his voice. "I only wish we could have been out there fighting alongside you all."
"It's alright." Conner says as Ethan sits down beside him with a first aid kit. "I'm just glad you all were able to come at all. I'm assuming that Ethan brought you guys up to speed."
"If you're referring to the fact that the Master is beginning to set his grand master plan into motion, then yeah." Taylor says as she folds her arms over her chest. "Is he really only twenty-four hours away?"
"I'm afraid so." Hayley says as she walks over to Ethan's first aid kit, her slender fingers snatching up a roll of gauze. "We don't have a lot of time to prepare. First thing's first, we need to get you all patched up. Then we can decide how to best protect what is left of Reefside. Tommy wanted the three core attack points protected, so that is what you all will need to do."
"You guys, where are Molly and Trent?" Ethan speaks up suddenly, bringing the conversation to a halt. Conner stands upright, ignoring the pain in his back, and looks around with a look of disbelief on his face.
"When was the last time anyone heard from them?" he asks slowly, suddenly worried for his friends.
"Trent contacted us a little while after he and Molly defeated Divatox." Hunter speaks up, reminding the others of their friends' battle with the masquerade-masked villain. "Come to think of of it, I haven't heard from them since."
Conner immediately sets up a communication link, worry lining his brow. "Molly, Trent, come in." he says. The others quiet down as they wait for a response, but the only sound coming through Conner's communicator is the sound of cracking static. Conner's eyes narrow as he calls out to them again, but he still receives no response.
"We should go and find them." Ethan suggests. "Perhaps their communicators were damaged in battle?"
"I'll try and send out a stronger signal." Hayley says as she hands the gauze in her hand to Blake. "I think teleporting them back to the cave is a better idea than you all going back out into the line of fire. Don't worry. We'll find them."
Conner nods before sinking back down onto the couch. Ethan shifts beside him before popping off the lid to medicated burn spray. Conner squeezes his eyes shut, as he mentally prepares for the horrible stinging that is to follow. Sure enough, the minute Ethan begins spraying down his back, Conner lets out a strangled groan before leaning over to rest his head on the arm of the couch.
"We're gonna have to stitch this wound Tori." Hunter says with a heavy voice, his eyes sympathetic for his blonde-haired friend. "The wound is too deep to heal on its own."
"There is no way in hell I'm going to let you stitch me up." Tori says as she scoots away from the thunder brothers.
"Come on Tori." Cam says as he extends a hand towards her. Tori stares at Cam's opened palm for a second and sighs. She takes his hand and smiles as he gives it a gentle squeeze. He then pulls her onto her feet before leading her towards the staircase. Cam mutters something about heading up to the bathroom as he and the Blue Wind Ranger disappear from sight.
"Any luck Hayley?" Ethan asks as he looks away from tending to Conner.
"Not yet." Hayley says as her eyes narrow in concentration. "Try and stay positive. Molly and Trent are going to be just fine."
Nebia and Kitana open their eyes as they step through an invisi-portal, and into the main hall of the Mothership. It is eerily quiet, the only sound coming from the air vents overhead. The two exchange a brief glance before heading for the Master's throne room. The doors slide open with a gust of cool air, and they head for the Master, who is sitting on her throne.
"Master, we have returned." Nebia speaks before she and Kitana stop and kneel at her feet.
"You may stand." the Master says as her lips curve into a sinister smile. "I wasn't expecting you two back so soon. I take it your rouse was successful?"
"It was more than successful." Kitana says as she rests her right hand on her hip. "The Power Rangers think they have won the battle, when it is only just beginning."
"Archerina is in position and ready to begin phase three of your plan." Nebia says. "The Ninja Storm Rangers really thought they had her beat. They have no idea just how cunning she actually is. Let's just say that in a few hours, Reefside will be no more."
The Master stands to her feet and lets out a small round of applause, a soft giggle escaping her lips. "You both played your parts dutifully. Dare I say, I am proud of you both. Now all I need is the arrow for my legendary bow, and the power of the Bambiraptor Ranger will be mine to control. We will enter the earth's atmosphere soon my precious Comdrites; and then, the dawn of my leadership will begin. Tell Archerina to put phase three in motion. There isn't a minute to spare."
"As you wish Master." Nebia and Kitana speak in unison.
Molly is standing in the bed of a rundown pick up truck, her hair whipping wildly in the wind. Her nostrils burn from the smell of blood and smoke in the air, and it is taking every ounce of strength inside her not to vomit. Trent jumps onto the truck as well to stand beside her, his obsidian eyes staring out at the wreckage surrounding them.
"Do you think we found all the survivors?" Molly says, her voice quiet.
"Let's hope so." Trent says as his left hand finds it way into her right. "I'd hate for anyone else to die today."
Molly nods in agreement before staring off into the distance, where the elongated root of a tree can be seen resting in the street. "I think Nebia and Kitana fled the city. I don't hear anymore explosions."
"I think you're right. Maybe we should contact the others?"
Molly nods and waits for Trent to set up a communication link. He calls out to Conner, but is answered by the crackling sound of static. Trent raises an eyebrow before trying another time, but he is still answered with silence. Molly rests her hand over his communicator to stop him, and then tries to contact Hayley using her own communicator. When she too is answered with silence, she lets out a frustrated groan.
"Well that's just great." she sighs. "Our communicators aren't working. Do you think we're out of range?"
"That's impossible." Trent says with a shake of his head. "Maybe they were damaged in the fight. Let's head back to my ATV cycle so we can search the city."
Molly nods before following after Trent, who has already hopped down from the truck bed. The two of them take off running through the streets, the soles of their shoes crunching against the gravel and debris beneath their feet. Every now and again, they pass a lifeless corpse or two, and Trent has to remind Molly to stay focused on the path ahead to keep her from breaking down. Molly does her best, swallowing her tears and putting her focus on steadying her breathing.
When the teens round a corner and turn onto Main Street, they come to a stop. The metallic body parts of defeated Cogs are littered across the ground, sparks and smoke rising off of their defeated corpses. Trent approaches one of the Cogs and crouches down to press the palm of his hand to the metallic head of one of the robots. He slowly pulls his arm back before glancing over his shoulder to where his girlfriend is standing.
"These creatures are Cogs." he explains, earning a confused look from Molly. "They were the foot soldiers that served the Machine Empire, enemies of the Zeo Rangers. These Cogs are still warm, meaning they weren't defeated too long ago. Judging by their injuries and the singed marks, I'd say team Ninja Storm took them out."
Molly opens her mouth, prepared to question where the Ninja Rangers had run off too, but stops when she hears a faint ticking sound. Trent notices the confusion on her face and stands to his feet, as he too begins to hear the noise. The two of them exchange a glance before heading towards the source of the sound. After stepping over numerous Cogs, and maneuvering their way through the debris left from the battle, the two of them reach a defeated robot who is lying on her back. The teens note that this robot looks very different from the foot soldiers, this robot appearing to be rather feminine with a crown on her head. Trent recognizes the robot, but he cannot recall from where he has seen her before.
"What is that sound?" Molly asks, her voice shaking with nervousness.
Trent crouches down beside the robot and rests his palm against her face, just as he had done with the Cog moments earlier. He finds that the robot is also warm to the touch, leading him to conclude that she is connected to the Cog attack. Trent pauses when he notices that the ticking sound is getting louder; and upon further inspection, he realizes that the ticking is coming from the female robot. Slowly, he stands to his feet and begins backing away.
"Trent, what's going on?" Molly asks as her heart begins pounding hard in her chest.
"Molly, I need you to stay calm okay?" he asks, knowing that the odds of Molly doing what he has asked are slim to none. "We need to get out of here and fast."
When the ticking grows louder, its pace quickening, only one word seems to come to Molly's mind - bomb.
Trent snatches Molly's hand and tugs her away from Archerina's lifeless body, his mind frantically thinking of where they can run to for safety. He did not see a timer anywhere on the lifeless robot, so he is unsure of how much time he actually has to get away. No matter, he has to do something to ensure that he and Molly will get out of this unscathed.
"We aren't going to make it." Molly screams, her voice frantic. "Oh God Trent. I don't want to die!'
Trent begins wracking his brain for some sort of solution to their dilemma. His eyes widen when he thinks of their best option. He then looks at Molly and holds up his right wrist so that she can see his Dino Morpher. Molly nods in agreement, understanding his plan before raising her own morpher.
"Dino Thunder, Power Up! Hah!" Molly shouts as she allows the power of the Green Dino Ranger to take over her.
"White Ranger, Dino Power!" Trent shouts as the power of the White Dino Ranger envelops him as well.
The teens feel a sudden burst of energy overcome them, and find that their speed has increased immensely. With adrenaline pulsing through their veins, the two Dino Rangers pick up the pace and break into a full on sprint.
"We should head for the northern half of town, near the school." Trent says as they round a corner. "It's the furthest away from here."
Molly nods; but before she can respond, the ground begins shaking violently. The Dino Rangers come to a stop and look over their shoulders just in time to hear a loud explosion go off in the distance. The ground's shaking increases to the point that they can barely stand on their feet, and buildings begin dropping like dominoes as a large mushroom-shaped could of smoke rises into the air. A violent rumbling can be heard as a powerful gust of wind, debris, fire, and smoke begins rushing in the rangers' direction.
"Run!" Molly shouts with a sore throat, before taking off running. Trent catches up to her in no time, his arms pumping wildly, as he falls in step beside her. Molly spares a glance over her shoulder, and her eyes widen in horror at the sight of the explosion wave closing in on them.
"We aren't going to make it." she says, her voice breaking in sheer terror. "Trent, what are we gonna do?"
Trent begins looking around for someplace that they can take shelter. His eyes finally settle on a brick-walled retirement home up the street. Knowing that there are no other options, he snatches Molly's wrist and pulls her towards the building. The White Ranger nearly loses his footing as they run over a pile of rubble, but he recomposes himself and manages to pull Molly to the revolving glass doors of the retirement home. The furniture inside the front lobby is shaking, while plants, papers, and decorations begin falling over from the force of the vibrations outside. The overhead lights begin flickering before the entire lobby blacks out. The emergency lights kick on almost instantly, and Trent catches sight of a stairwell just off the left of the lobby.
"This way." he says as he runs for the door. "Hurry!"
Molly does not argue, and follows Trent through the large metal door. They look up above them and see the stairs spiraling up for at least eight levels, but there is another set of steps that spiral downward. Knowing that getting underground is their safest option, Trent motions for Molly to follow him down to what he can only presume is the basement level of the building. Molly follows after Trent blindly, the Green Ranger doing her best to spot Trent in the darkened corridor. The rumbling outside of the building begins to grow louder and louder to the point that Molly cannot hear anything but overbearing noise. She then loses her footing and trips down the steps, falling right into Trent and sending them both tumbling down to the concrete floor at the very bass of the stairs.
Trent lands on his back, with Molly on top of him, and the two of them snap their heads upward as the sound of shattering glass meets their ears. Shards of glass rain down on them just as the entire top of the building is blown off. Molly screams at the top of her lungs, her fingernails grasping onto Trent's suit. Not wanting Molly to feel alone in their possible last moments together, Trent wraps his arms around Molly protectively and hugs her close just as the rest of the building above them is demolished.
The very last thing the White Ranger sees, before being overcome by darkness, is the stairs collapsing just above them.
Hayley curses under her breath as she fails, yet again, to establish a strong connection to Trent and Molly's communicators. She has tried more than twenty times to send out a signal to the two teens, and she keeps failing. Her nerves are beginning to get the better of her, and she finds herself growing increasingly worried for the White and Green Dino Rangers. An uneasy feeling settles in the pit of her stomach, and she suddenly feels as though she is going to be ill. Deciding to take a break, Hayley takes a deep breath before scooting way from the desk.
The redheaded genius looks over to the love seat and smiles gently at the sight of a newly bandaged Conner and Kira, the two lovebirds wrapped in each others' arms asleep. Ethan is sitting on the other end of the couch with his Nintendo DS in his lap, his right hand guiding his pen across the screen. The Wild Force Rangers are all seated on the floor of the cave in front of the couch as they have a hushed conversation, presumably about the Sacred Arrow and the Animarium. Hayley finds the scene to be calming for some odd reason, and her smile grows.
"You guys, get up here!" Cam's voice suddenly comes from the stairwell. Hayley and the Wild Force Rangers look towards the staircase, while Conner and Kira begin to stir.
"Cam, what's going on?" Hayley calls out to him, her worry returning. When Cam doesn't answer, Hayley makes a run for the stairs. She can hear the other rangers' footsteps as they hurry after her, and they all rush to the living room.
Cam is crouched on the floor in front of the television with Shane, while Hunter, Dustin, and Tori sit on the couch with their mouths agape. Cam turns the volume up on the television before backing up so everyone can view the screen. Hayley raises an eyebrow before walking further into the room, her curiosity piquing.
Onscreen is Cassidy's superstar reporter of a mother, Linda Cornell, as she sits in the rear passenger's seat of a helicopter. The camera keeps cutting between images of Linda and images of the town being attacked by the Comdrites and the Master's disposable army of foot soldiers. Hayley slowly sinks down to take a seat in the available armchair, while the other rangers spread out throughout the room to get a better look.
"The two witches, who first made an appearance in Reefside last week, have caused some serious damage to the city." Linda speaks into her mic as the screen cuts to an image of Nebia and Kitana wreaking havoc downtown. "The death toll has climbed into the hundreds, and emergency personnel say that the number is still rising. Aside from these devilish witches, other villains and monsters have been spotted throughout town battling with the Power Rangers. The Power Rangers have been fighting bravely to keep our city safe, but even they cannot contain the death and destruction that is being brought upon our city."
"Well that makes me feel a lot better." Conner says as he rolls his eyes. "We might be superheroes, but we aren't invincible miracle workers."
"There have been several reports that have confirmed the identity of two of the Power Rangers; and you wouldn't believe that they are just teenagers! The Red and Yellow Dino Rangers have been identified as eighteen-year-old Conner McKnight, and seventeen-year-old Kira Ford, both of them seniors at Reefside High School. Two other teens from the Wind and Thunder Ninja Academies, Tori Hanson and Blake Bradley, were also spotted in town."
"So much for secret identities." Tori huffed before running a hand through her hair.
"You guys, look!" Ethan says as he points at the screen.
"Oh my God! An explosion has just gone off between the Coral Reef Hotel and the high rise and Four Bridges Park! Tim look! There are two teenagers down there!"
The rangers gasp when the screen cuts to a shot of a large explosion going off, the impact reducing buildings to nothing in a matter of seconds. The screen then cuts to an image of Molly and Trent running just a few miles away. The camera zooms in just enough that everyone can make out the sight of Trent and Molly as they morph into the Green and White Dino Rangers.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it would appear that two of the Power Rangers are trying to outrun the blast. Oh God, are they going to make it out in time? Where are the rest of their teammates?"
"Hayley, we have to do something." Kira says as she starts shaking. "They're gonna die!"
"There isn't enough time to get them out of there." Hayley says as her eyes blur with tears. "God, help them."
The room goes silent as the cameraman zooms in on Trent and Molly. The two rangers enter an old retirement building and disappear from sight. A few seconds later, the oncoming explosion wave demolishes the entire structure. The camera begins shaking, while Linda and her crew begin screaming. The helicopter's engine can be heard in the background, along with the emergency landing alarms. Suddenly, the image cuts off, and a "Please Stand By" message appears onscreen. Cam's mouth begins moving around as he struggles to find the right words to say, but nothing seems to be coming out.
Tori is the first to break the silence. "This can't be happening. There is no way that...You guys, they aren't dead okay? They just can't be!"
Blake wraps an arm around Tori's shoulder to offer her what little comfort that he can. The Navy Ranger then looks towards Conner who is staring at the screen in shock. After what seems like an eternity, Conner finally blinks and slowly stands to his feet.
"What do we do?" Ethan asks as the back of his throat begins to burn. "Do we go and look for them?"
"That's exactly what we're going to do." Conner says as he finally comes out of his shock. "I refuse to believe it until I see with my own eyes that they're..."
"I'm coming with you." Kira says as she wipes tears from her face. "There is no way I'm letting you go alone."
"I'm coming too." Ethan says as he and Kira stand up to join their Red Ranger. "Trent and Molly are members of our time. I refuse to let them face this alone."
"Shane, I want you and Hayley to contact the rangers in Angel Grove." Conner manages to breathe out. "It won't be long before news of the explosion reaches Angel Grove, and it will be better for Ms. Hart to hear about it from us versus her seeing it on the news. Tell them that my team and I are going to check and see if Trent and Molly survived the explosion. Then tell them that Reefside has fallen."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Ethan asks. "There's a possibility that-"
"There are no possibilities that the city withstood that explosion." Conner says as he turns his head in Ethan's direction. "You all saw how powerful that explosion was. Nothing or no one were meant to survive that explosion."
"The Comdrites were sent to lure us into the city, but the Master sent along a few helpers to wear us down." Shane says as he begins piecing things together. "Had they succeeded in defeating us, we would have been trapped in downtown Reefside when it blew sky high. The Master would have successfully destroyed the town we were meant to protect, along with destroying us as well."
The room quiets once more as the rangers think over Shane's words. Of course that is what the Master had planned. If he had sent stronger villains to take them down, the Master would have succeeded in destroying them all. The thought was sickening, and it made them all mad as hell.
"Ethan, Kira, let's go." Conner says as he heads towards Tommy's lab. The Yellow and Blue Rangers nod as they head for the Raptor Cycles.
Darkness...Whipping Winds...Sirens...Falling Pebbles...Leaking Water...?
Molly's eyes slowly open as her five senses begin to fade back in, her unconsciousness coming to an end. There is a loud ringing in her ears, and her head feels as though it weighs a ton. It takes a minute for her eyes to adjust to the darkness; and a few minutes later she can see dim sunlight streaming into the darkened hallway through the debris overhead. She tries to sit up, but she cries out in pain as she feels her stitches pull. She lifts her right hand to her stomach and winces when it comes in contact with her former stab wound. She is back in her civilian form, and she is bleeding pretty badly from what she can tell. Still, she is alive, and she could not be happier.
The teen jumps when she hears the vicious growl of a dinosaur nearby. Her eyes quickly scan her surroundings, and settle on a bright green glow just a foot in front of her. Ignoring the pain in her abdomen, Molly crawls towards the light and breathes in relief when she spies the Green Dino Gem. She snatches the gem up and holds it over her heart, silently sending up a prayer of thanks that the gem had survived the explosion.
Molly's thoughts suddenly turn towards the White Ranger who had drug her into the stairwell, before she had lost consciousness, and she begins looking around with a panicked look in her eyes.
"Trent, where are you?" she calls out, but she is answered with silence. "Trent, answer me!"
Molly hears a faint moan, and she lets out a sound that is a cross between a laugh and a sob. She crawls towards the voice and gasps when she sees Trent lying face down on the floor, blood slowly oozing from a huge gash on his head. Molly hears the high-pitched growl coming from Trent's Dino Gem and she hurriedly digs through a small pile of debris to retrieve it. With the gem in hand, Molly crawls over to Trent and places the Dino Gem in his pocket. She then flips him over and rests his head in her lap.
"Trent, are you okay?" she asks. She frowns when Trent's head lolls to the side, unconsciousness overcoming him. Molly does her best to stay calm, and begins smacking his cheeks. "No, no, no Trent. You have to stay awake. Come on. Stay with me, please!"
When Trent doesn't respond, Molly's panic skyrockets to damn near overload. She quickly presses her index and middle finger to the pulse point in his neck and waits to feel the familiar throb of his vein pulsing, but she feels nothing. As tears begin to stream down her face, she presses her fingers to the point harder, determined to find a pulse. She can barely contain her joy when she feels the vein. Although it is beating rather slowly, it is still beating.
"Thank God." she breathes before raising her communicator up to her mouth. She bites her bottom lip, nervousness overcoming her, but she tries to start a communication link. "This is Molly. Please tell me somebody is there."
Molly waits for a moment and listens to the static of her communication link. She breathes a second time before repeating her previous statement. For what seems like the millionth time, she lets out a happy laugh when Kira answers.
"Molly, thank God! You had us all scared damn near to death. Are you okay?"
"I've been better." Molly says as she wipes the tears on her cheeks. "Trent led me into the old retirement building downtown, but it was destroyed in an explosion. Thankfully, we made it down into the basement before the building collapsed, but I'm worried that we won't make it out. Neither of us are strong enough."
"How bad are hurt?"
"I think my stitches ripped." Molly says with a wince, as she rests her right hand over the blood staining her shirt. "Trent took a blow to the back of his head, and he's bleeding badly too. I can't get him to wake up."
"Well, at least you're both alive and breathing. Just hang tight Molly. Conner, Ethan, and I will be there soon."
"Please Kira, hurry." Molly says as the link cuts off. With a shaky sigh, Molly looks down at Trent's head lying in her lap. Slowly, she begins to run her fingers through his raven locks to try and comfort herself. "I think I realize now just how scared you must have been when I stabbed myself with my Dragon Dagger. Not knowing whether or not I was going to bleed out in your arms must have been the most terrifying thing you have ever experienced. I am so sorry that I put you through that Trent, but I need you to pull through too, okay? We still have to go ice skating after all. I'm going to hold you to that promise."
Trent gives no response, but Molly smiles as he sleeps silently in her arms. Slowly, she leans over and presses her lips to his, ignoring how chapped they feel. Her love for him goes beyond words, and she can feel that now more than ever. She can only hope that her love is enough to help him fight through this. She hopes that her love for him is enough to keep him in the world of the living.
"Billy, what's going on?" Kimberly asks as she and Jason step into the Power Chamber. Billy, Tanya, and Adam are all standing around the viewing globe, the three of them wearing solemn looks on their faces. Kimberly raises an eyebrow before crossing her arms over her chest. Something is clearly wrong, and the nagging voice in the back of her head is telling her that she is not going to be happy about it.
"Reefside has been destroyed." Billy says as he gets straight to the point. "The Master sent Nebia and Kitana into the city to lure the Rangers out into the open. After the Comdrites fled, there was a huge explosion, its sources unknown. The entire city went up in a cloud of smoke, and the Reefside news chopper managed to get the whole thing on film."
"Are Conner and his rangers okay?" Jason asks, suddenly worried for the young Red Ranger. "Did they make it out in time?"
"Allow me to answer that question." a voice comes from behind Billy, Adam, and Tanya. The veteran rangers turn around and are surprised to see an unfamiliar man staring back at them on the communication screen. Hayley is sitting beside him, the redhead looking completely exhausted - her hair falling out of its ponytail and her eyes puffy.
"Hayley, what's going on?" Billy asked, suddenly worried about his fellow genius.
"It's just as you said Billy." she answers before scratching the back of her head. "Reefside was just destroyed in an explosion caused by Archerina."
"Archerina?" Tanya says with wide eyes. "She attacked you guys?"
"That's right." Shane speaks. "For those of you who don't know me, I'm Shane, the Red Wind Ranger from team Ninja Storm. My team went into Reefside with the Dino Rangers, when Nebia and Kitana attacked the city. Aside from myself, my teammates Cam, Dustin, and Hunter were confronted by Archerina and a gang of Cogs. We took them all out, but Archerina apparently had a back up plan ready to go. We did not know what her true intentions were."
"During the fight, several of the rangers' secret identities were revealed to the public." Hayley continues. "The rangers were not able to take on their enemies in their civilian form, and it is a high price that they had to pay. Everyone seemingly made it out of the city okay; but when they returned to the cave, we learned that Trent and Molly were not with them."
"Where is my daughter Hayley?" Kimberly asks, her voice strained as she struggles to keep her emotions under control. "Please, do not tell me that she..."
"At this time, I do not know." Hayley says honestly. "She and Trent were caught on camera trying to flee from the explosion. They were last seen ducking into a building downtown, to take cover, just before the camera cut off. Conner, Ethan, and Kira went into town to see if they survived. I am so sorry Kimberly."
The Pink Ranger feels her legs turn into jelly as she falls down to her knees. Jason crouches down beside her and wraps his right arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to him. He plants a soft kiss to her forehead as he whispers over and over again that Molly is alive. The Pink Ranger feels her eyes brim with tears, but she does her best to stay strong and believe in Jason's words. After all, she herself had survived numerous blasts and explosions in her younger days as the Pink Ranger. There is some possibility that her daughter's powers protected her in her desperate time of need.
"I don't understand." Adam says as he scratches his chin in thought. "Why did the Master destroy Reefside? What was the point?"
The conversation comes to an abrupt halt when the Command Center's alarm begins blaring loudly throughout the chamber. Billy runs over to the viewing globe and groans before turning back to face his teammates.
"Goldar is out in the desert with a flock of Tangas." he says. "No wait. Luna and Inferna are attacking downtown Angel Grove."
"You guys need to go." Hayley says as Shane scoots out of the way. "I promise you that the minute we hear word on Molly and Trent, I will contact you. Please, be safe. I'd hate for you all to lose your city too."
"Thank you Hayley." Kimberly says as she looks up at the screen. The two women exchange a heartfelt smile before the communication screen goes black. Billy and the others then turn to Jason.
"I want the Zeo Rangers to head into town and take care of Luna and Inferna." Jason says, as he goes into leader mode. "I want Justin, Aisha, Zack, Trini, and Kimberly to handle Goldar. Understood?"
"Yes Jason." Adam says as he pats Tanya on the shoulder. "I'll go and round up the others."
"Good." Jason says with a single nod of his head. "We can't let Angel Grove suffer the same fate as Reefside. No matter what happens, we will defend the city."
Molly stares down at Trent, her fingers still combing through his hair, as she hums Avril Lavigne's "I'm With You." She finds the song to be somewhat calming in this moment of distress, and she also finds that it is keeping her mind off of the current problem at hand - their being stuck possibly two levels beneath the surface.
For the millionth time, the ceiling groans beneath the weight of the rubble up above, and dirt showers down on the two rangers. Molly squeezes her eyes shut as she waits for it to stop, and she lets out a breath she had not even realized she had been holding. She opens her eyes and looks around to survey the damage done and frowns at the layer of dirt covering Trent's legs. With a small grunt, she leans forward and brushes his jeans clean before opening her mouth and singing: "Isn't anyone trying to find me? Won't somebody come take me home?"
Before she can belt out the chorus, the sound of an ear piercing screech can be heard up above. Molly's head snaps upward, and she smiles when she recognizes Kira's Pterodactyl Scream. More dirt begins to rain down from the ceiling, but Molly does not care about how filthy she will be when this is all over. Her friends have come to rescue her and Trent, and she lets out a choked sob before crying happily.
"Do you hear that Trent?" she speaks to the unresponsive male in her arms. "Kira and the others are here. I need you to hang on for just a while longer please. We're going to be going home very soon. I promise."
After five minutes of enduring the Ptera Scream, Molly can hear rubble shifting above her yet again. She shields Trent as dirt begins raining down once more, and it takes everything within her to keep from crying, when she hears Conner calling out to her.
"Molly, are you okay? Molly, answer me!"
"I'm down here!" she shouts as her resolves melts, her body shaking with sobs. "Conner, I'm here. Please get me out!"
"Don't worry Molly. We're trying to clear the stairwell now." Ethan pipes up. Another Ptera Scream echoes throughout the hallway, and Molly holds onto her boyfriend for dear life.
After what feels like an eternity, the rubble shifts and light pours into the hallway. Molly begins sobbing, but she smiles through her tears, when she sees the other three members of her team descending the staircase. Conner and Ethan run over to try and rouse Trent from his slumber, while Kira crouches down beside Molly and gives her a hug.
"Thank God you're alright." Kira says, relieved to be hugging her friend again.
"I never want to go through anything like that again in my life." Molly agrees as she hugs Kira tighter. "It was so loud, and I was sure we were going to get caught up in the explosion."
Kira pulls out of the hug and slowly lifts up the bottom of Molly's shirt, giving her friend an apologetic look that says: "Sorry for pulling at your stitches." When Kira gets a better look at what she's dealing with, she frowns. The bottom of Molly's wound has reopened, the stitching having popped free. If they do not care for it quickly, there is a strong chance that it will get infected.
"We should get out of here." Kira suggests as she spares a glance towards Conner and Ethan. "How's Trent doing?"
"He's got a pretty bad cut on the top of his head." Ethan says as he holds onto Trent's feet, Conner holding onto Trent's arms, as they hold him together. "He definitely needs stitches."
"Let's get him above ground so Hayley can teleport us back to the cave." Kira says before making her way over to the stairs. Molly follows after her, doing her best not to trip or hurt herself on any of the debris. When they finally get above ground, she stops dead in her tracks and starts crying once more.
The entire city has been leveled out and it is unrecognizable to her eyes. Cars have been buried beneath piles of dirt and debris, and there are fires ablaze all over the place. The paved streets and sidewalks have seemingly disappeared, the only trace of them ever existing at all being the occasional lamppost or two that survived the explosion. It looks like the scene out of an apocalyptic horror film, and all Molly wants is to wake up from this terrible nightmare.
"It's all gone." the brunette manages to breathe out. "I can't believe this."
Kira is silent as she stands beside her friend, but she nods in agreement. Molly can only guess what kind of turmoil is conjured up in the curly blonde's head. Reefside had been Kira's home for her entire life. She had walked these streets for years, visited the shops, made friends, and made plenty of memories in this town; and now, it is nothing but a barren wasteland. With her heart breaking, Molly takes Kira's left hand into her right and gives it a gentle squeeze, pouring every bit of love and encouragement into Kira as she can.
Conner and Ethan emerge from the remnants of the retirement home a few minutes after the girls, the two of them breathing heavily with exhaustion. Getting up and down the unstable staircase was already hard enough, but having to carry Trent's dead weight made it all the more terrifying. Once outside, the boys look around at what had once been their hometown before sitting Trent upright against what is left of the concrete foundation of the building. After smoothing out the wrinkles in his jeans, Conner lifts up his sleeve and sets up a communication link.
"Hayley, we've found them." he says before waiting on the redhead to answer.
"Thank goodness." her cheerful voice cracks through the speaker. "Are they alright?"
"They're both going to need stitches, and Trent has lost a lot of blood, but they're both doing fine. Can you teleport us back to the cave?"
"I'm locking onto your coordinates now. We'll be ready an waiting."
Conner nods before ending the communication link. He takes one final glance at the ruins around him before he is teleported away through a familiar rush of red energy.
A/N: So Molly and Trent managed to survive the city's destruction, and most of the rangers' secret identities have been revealed to the public. Of course, with the entire city being destroyed, who has time to worry about keeping their civilian identities a secret? As small of a role as they had in this chapter, the rangers back in Angel Grove are about to face off against Goldar, Luna, and Inferna. Will they be able to spare their city the same fate that Reefside suffered?
I guess you'll have to wait for the next TWO chapters to figure that out. That's right. I said TWO. I think it's high time we find out what's going on on the Megaship, don't you think? So leave me a review, let me know what you thought of the chapter, and I'll see you guys at the next update. Thanks guys for all of the encouragement thus far in my writing journey. You're the greatest!
-KairiAngel13
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