Chapter Three: A School of Rangers
Emily Rice stared openmouthed at the aqua blue, bungalow-style home in front of her. "Whoa. This beats my dorm room," she told Nakoa as he crawled out of the truck behind her.
The house sat on a waterfront lot. Emily could see green lawn wrapping around the side of it, and beyond it, a strip of beach and the gray expanse of the Pacific Ocean. The stormy weather had subsided right around the time of their defeat of the rolling, glowing things with tentacles. She shouldered her backpack and looked up at Nakoa, who was taking it all in.
He whistled. "Nice," he agreed, snapping a photo with his phone, then dragging Emily in for a selfie.
"I called in a favor," Dr. Johnson was telling Landon as she led the way up the driveway to the front door. "Really, the only two of you that are acquainted are Emily and Nakoa, so this'll be a chance for you guys to get to know each other, since you'll be working together."
Working…Landon refrained from rolling his eyes. Not exactly the word I'd have chosen.
She unlocked the door and held the door while Landon, Emily, Nakoa and Kealey entered. The four of them stopped in the entryway. Dr. Johnson sighed. "Guys. Move," she said with a grin. "Seriously. There's more to the place than the entryway."
"Yeah," Nakoa whispered to Emily, "and I might get lost if I don't have a way to get back here."
"This isn't bad," Kealey decided. "Kinda reminds me of the CEO of Storm Chargers' place in Santa Barbara."
Landon set his duffel bag down and turned to Dr. Johnson. "This place is amazing, Doc," he told her. "I just…"
Dr. Johnson nodded knowingly. "Yeah, I get it, Landon. Believe me, I get it better than you think." She gestured toward the kitchen at the back of the house. "How about you guys find a bedroom, get settled, and meet me back in here in about twenty minutes?"
Emily followed Nakoa downstairs, where they discovered two bedrooms and a bathroom, with a sunroom that opened out onto the lawn. "You pick, Em," Nakoa offered graciously. "I'm good with whatever."
Emily smiled and poked her head in both bedrooms before tossing a thumb at one of the doors. "This one," she said. She went in and tossed her backpack on the bed. Nakoa followed her in, surveying the room. It was painted a sunny yellow with white furniture and a big window that looked out toward the front of the lot. "It's big and bright, like you," Nakoa teased.
"Ha," Emily shot back. "Let's go look at yours!" She hopped off the bed-literally, as her short stature meant she'd be climbing off and on-and followed Nakoa to the other room. "Oh yeah, this suits you," she told him, taking in the palm tree motif that framed the bed and the big potted aloe vera plant in the corner.
"This is all so crazy, isn't it," Nakoa said, leaning on his windowsill that framed the beach. "I mean, one minute, we're normal people, and the next…"
"It's unbelieveable," Emily agreed. "And terrifying. I came here for an associate's degree, not to become some kind of superhero." She sat down on Nakoa's bed, thankfully shorter than her own. "Hey, Nakoa…you wanna trade me beds?"
Landon leaned in the doorway of Kealey's room. "All settled in?" he asked the surfer.
Kealey set her surfboard in the corner, a bright pink accent to an otherwise pale blue room. "Depends on what you mean by 'settled,'" she countered.
"Yeah, I get that," Landon replied.
"No, you don't," Kealey turned around to face him, pushing her blonde bangs out of her eyes. "You weren't dead two hours ago."
Landon grimaced. "You're right," he said. "I guess I meant settled into how things are going to be for awhile."
"Yeah, and just how long is 'awhile?'" Kealey asked him. "I've got a life, thank you. A life that did not involve creepy rolling white things, black superhero suits and dying."
"And yet," Landon told her, "everything that you just said involves us too," he said. "You don't remember, but Nakoa almost died coming in the water after you, and I was the one giving you CPR on the beach after we fished you back out." He gestured with his hands at the house. "Like it or not," he told her, "we're all in this together."
"I didn't ask for this," Kealey burst out.
Landon shrugged. "Neither did the rest of us," he reminded her, turning to leave. As an afterthought, he added, "See you in the kitchen."
Kealey waited until he left the room, then flopped onto the bed in a huff.
Memories, Hannah Johnson thought to herself, looking at the four strangers currently making small talk at the table over pizza and soda (beer for Landon, as he was the only one of age). While she hadn't actually lived in the same house as her fellow Oceania Rangers, she did remember similar circumstances. Five strangers thrown together and forced to fight some weird creatures. Six, she remembered, that day on Maui…God, that was an awesome day. Terrifying. But awesome.
She blinked when she realized Landon was calling her name. "Sorry, Landon, what?" she asked.
"Well," the Red Ranger said, looking around the table, "we, ah, were kind of hoping you'd be able to answer some questions for us."
She nodded. "Sure," she told him. "Fire away."
"Well," Landon started, "how about these things?" He held out the bright red shell.
Hannah smiled. "They're nanotech," she explained. "Voice-activated...Well, except for the first time you used them," she added, running a hand through her hair, embarrassed. "I may have accidentally kickstarted that for you, Emily and Landon." The two young people exchanged a Look, and Hannah shrugged. "What? I was excited, and you needed the push! The nanites are in the casing. Your suits are designed to give you protection as well as enhanced reflexes. The headpiece is equipped with a communications system that links you to each other as well as to me. Plus a heads-up display and a couple other things."
"So, you and Doc McCoy just decided one day to build a ranger suit?" Landon asked.
"No, actually," Hannah replied. "What we were trying to design was a diving suit capable of handling deep ocean exploration."
"I don't get mine," Emily said. She toyed with the white shell. "'Cause well, Landon's looks like a killer whale, Kealey's got a dolphin, Nakoa has shark teeth, and mine…what's with the bear paw?"
"Polar bear," Hannah supplied.
"Polar bears don't live in the ocean, Doc," Kealey informed her. Landon shot her a Look, but before the marine biologist could explain, Hannah took over.
"They're technically classified as a marine mammal," she explained. "I mean, we could've done a jellyfish or something, but I kind of liked the power and grace of the polar bear."
"Obviously not Dr. McCoy's idea," Landon guessed, and Hannah nodded.
"Speaking of that Dr. McCoy person," Kealey jumped in, "what was that thing we saw in the video?"
Hannah shook her head. "We don't know. Some kind of undiscovered creature that lives in the Trench, I guess. They're going back down there to try to figure it out."
"I can't believe they're going down there again," Nakoa breathed. "That's crazy. I mean, look what happened the first time."
Hannah shivered; she was well aware. "There is definitely a connection between what happened to the four of you today and the attack in the Challenger Deep," she told them. "For one, the attack on the sub, combined with the strange humanoid creature on the Leo video, then the foraminifera off Waikiki…" She shrugged. "Too many strange occurrences at the same time lead me to believe there's a connection."
"You would know," Landon added. "Because of the whole Ranger thing?" he pressed. "That was not mentioned when you hired me."
"First of all," Hannah pointed out, "that wouldn't have been anything having to do with your job description. Second of all…yes, it's been my experience that when weird, creepy, supernatural-type stuff happens, it's happening for a reason."
"And so now we're in charge of stopping it," Emily spoke up. She looked around the table. "Why us?"
Hannah looked at each of them in turn. "Right place, right time," she said seriously. "I have to believe it was the four of you for a reason."
"But what you're saying is that, if it would've been any four schmucks on that beach…" Nakoa trailed off.
"Yeah, that's not exactly reassuring," Kealey added.
Landon set his beer bottle down so hard the sound echoed in the kitchen. "The point is," he told them, coming to his boss's defense, "it's us. Like it or not. So we better get used to each other and our new side jobs." His gaze lingered on Kealey longer than everyone else before getting up from the table and going out on the deck.
Emily blinked at him. "Wow, underneath that mild-mannered scientist is Aquaman!"
The group laughed, but it was an uneasy laugh.
Landon didn't know how long he was out leaning on the railing listening to the wind and the waves. He was aware that behind him, conversation had dwindled. He didn't know who was still at the table.
The door slid back and closed, and someone came to stand beside him.
"What was all that, Landon?" Nakoa asked him. The younger man turned his gaze to the dark water and starlit sky.
"What was all what?" Landon returned.
Nakoa barked out a short laugh. "That whole Captain America speech," he replied. "You seem to be taking this all really well," he added. "More than the rest of us."
Landon thought a moment before answering. "Guess I got a little heated in there," he said after a bit.
"So what was that about?" Nakoa asked him again.
The newly-crowned Red Ranger shook his head. "It's stupid, really," he told Nakoa.
Nakoa shrugged. "Try me," he said.
Landon turned to look at Nakoa. "My dad and I lived in Louisiana during the BP oil spill," he said. "That's when I decided I wanted to study the ocean, the things living in it…so I could help them. Maybe to keep something like that from happening again."
"Em was right," Nakoa said. "You really are Aquaman."
Landon snorted. "She said that?" Nakoa grinned, and Landon shook his head. "Yeah well…maybe I'm taking this a little too seriously, this whole saving the ocean thing, but…" He looked at Nakoa. "I mean, we kicked some ass on that beach today. Tell me you didn't like it, just a little."
Nakoa shook his head. "You kidding me? That was terrifying."
Landon raised an eyebrow.
Nakoa grinned. "No, it was pretty awesome though." He let his smile drop and he looked out on the water. "Do you think there's more coming?"
Landon nodded. "Yeah. I also know we're not gonna get through it unless we work together."
The two men watched the waves break on the beach below, lost in thought.
Emily flicked idly through the TV channels, finally settling on the local news. Nakoa had followed Landon outside and Kealey had retreated to her bedroom. Dr. Johnson had left, citing an early morning for work.
"Let's take a live look out at Diamond Head," the weather anchor was saying. "Clear skies, beautiful night…what's that?"
Emily frowned, catching what the news anchor was talking about. A white glow, lighting up the slopes of Diamond Head. "Guys!" she gasped, then, louder, "Guys! Get in here!"
Landon and Nakoa burst through the doors, sliding across the teak floor into the living room. Half a second later, Kealey came sprinting from her bedroom, her hair in a messy pony and wearing a sleep tank and shorts. "What the hell, Emma?"
"It's Emily," Emily said. "And look at Diamond Head."
The four of them watched. A news helicopter was currently en route, and social media video was pouring into the station. "Those people are crazy, what are they doing there?" Nakoa wondered.
"Look! It's more of those things from earlier...the fora...the tentacle things!" Kealey pointed.
In front of the line was a larger creature. It had large eyes and a bulbous head. As the Rangers watched, it started to glow, until it was too bright for the skywatch camera, and they had to cut back to the studio.
"What the hell's that big thing in front of 'em?" Emily asked. "The thing with the literal headlight?"
Landon thought about it. "Some kind of Barreleye," he decided. "The eyes, see how they stick out from the body? It's so they can look up as well as forward to find prey. They're also called spook fish."
"They're pretty damn spooky," Kealey agreed.
"Something else that shouldn't be walking around Hawaii?" Nakoa looked to Landon for confirmation, and the marine biologist nodded. "Then maybe…maybe we should tell them to shove off?"
The four young adults looked at each other. Behind them, the news anchor had gone into crisis mode. "You can see from the video that these creatures are attacking people! We've been advised to tell people to stay away from the Diamond Head area. Honolulu PD are en route-"
"There, let the cops handle it," Kealey said, pointing to the TV.
"But Kealey…" Emily looked at her. "These are walking fish. I don't know…I think this is a little beyond them."
"But it's right up our alley," Landon said. He looked at them. "If we don't do something, who knows what they'll do. People could get hurt. Besides, maybe we can get some answers as to what's going on."
"I'm in," Nakoa said immediately.
Emily looked at the TV, then at the two boys. "Yeah, I want to know what's going on," she decided.
The three of them looked at Kealey. The blonde looked at them.
Kealey sighed. "This is crazy, you realize that, right?"
"Completely," Landon agreed with a grin. "So…are you coming?"
The blonde haired surfer looked at each of her new housemates in turn.
"Come on, Kealey," Nakoa said. He was grinning. "You love some good competition, right?"
She tugged on her nanite shell. "Can't let you guys have all the fun, I guess."
The walking ghostfish gave the slopes of Diamond Head an eerie glow. Landon pulled his truck, a bright red Chevy Avalanche, into a parking spot near a small picnic area. Some late-night picnickers had been cornered by the creepy-looking fish creatures and the taller barreleye that was coordinating the attack. Up close, they could see that the fish were more of a fish and human hybrid- fishy features with legs and arms.
"This just keeps getting weirder," Emily commented.
"Hold it right there!" Landon yelled, slamming the door of his truck. He pointed at the Barreleye. "Leave those people alone!"
The barreleye said nothing, turning its' elongated eyes toward the four newcomers. As if on some telepathic link, the round foot soldiers turned, angling toward the better prey that had just arrived.
"Get outta here!" Kealey yelled at the terrified people, who turned and ran, nearly knocking over a garbage can nearby.
Landon stepped in front of the group. "Who sent you?" he demanded of them. He clenched a fist and dug a toe into the sand, standing his ground as they silently advanced.
"Maybe they're shy," Emily muttered.
"Or just not the talkative type," Nakoa agreed.
"Then it's a good thing I'm not really in a talkative mood," Landon replied. He pulled his shell from his pocket. "Ready…team?"
He got three nods. "Let's do this!" His fingers clenched around the shell and the nanites emerged. "Let's Turn the Tide! Ho'ololi!"
Red, Pink, Blue and White light glinted off the beach as the nanites spread, forming their suits, competing with the ghastly glow of the white foraminifera. Four Rangers stood, their heels dug into the sand.
"Let's turn these guys into bait," Nakoa said, brandishing his twin daggers.
"Let's see if we can't get some answers," Emily agreed.
"Enough talking," Kealey decided, and charged forward.
Landon gawked at her a moment, then followed her into the fray. "Could use those special weapons tonight, Doc," he spoke aloud, holding out a hand, the Coral Blade materializing in his hand.
"You've got it," Hannah said easily. "And, sending the others."
Landon's red sword easily sliced through the forward-marching soldiers. He drove his foot into one, brought his blade back and around, and bisected it. The two pieces dropped to the beach and then, like a worm in the sunlight, shriveled into nothing.
He turned to look at the larger Barreleye, which had set its' eyes on the Red Ranger. "Come get me," Landon taunted.
Kealey's whip bound several of the white fish together, and Emily and Nakoa made short work of them. The three of them turned and looked through the crowd to see Landon taking on the bigger fish by himself. The Barreleye charged him, catching Landon off guard, knocking him sideways into the sand. His sword skittered through the dark sand.
"That thing's huge, he'll never be able to take it by himself," Emily said.
Landon nimbly rolled away but the Barreleye came silently after him, moving on land more agilely than any of the rangers would have thought. The translucent bubble protecting its' eyes glowed bright, and Landon threw an arm over his visor to block it.
"Must be part of the adaptation to living in the Trench!" Nakoa said, pummeling one of the round amoebas with his gloved hands.
"It's not supposed to glow like this!" Landon countered. "Whatever sent it, it must have, I dunno, enhanced it somehow!" The ghastly fish was glowing brighter, and Landon rolled out of the way, shaking his head to clear his vision.
"How can we fight it if we can't see it?" Kealey asked, tripping up one of the glowing foot soldiers with her whip.
"Maybe if we all charge the light at once…I mean, we've gotta hit something no matter what, right?" Emily offered, cutting down another.
"Sure, except it'll probably be one of us!" Nakoa countered.
"Worth a shot. If we don't do something, Landon's going to either go blind or get his ass handed to him…neither of which are promising," Kealey said.
"First, we gotta get through all these damn things," Nakoa huffed. He plowed into one of the ghost fish like a linebacker, knocking it into Kealey, who wrapped her whip around it so Emily could use her bladed fans to slice and dice.
The three of them looked at each other in surprise. "That was cool," Emily pronounced.
"So, don't stop now!" Kealey told her, and the three of them went back to work….together.
While the Pink, White and Blue rangers fought their way through the amoeboid soldiers, Landon fought back against the Barreleye. His mind was racing, trying to think of a weakness for the strange fish. If it looks like a Barreleye, it should have the same weaknesses…The bright light emanating from its' forehead was making it near impossible to focus. He was having to blindly attack and then duck out of the way. The thing was like Rocky Balboa, it just kept coming at him.
"Hey, Landon!"
Landon took a wild swing with his Coral Blade and shielded his eyes to see the others coming at him. "Little busy," he breathed.
"We're all gonna charge it together!" Emily instructed.
Landon swung again and heard an unearthly howl. I got him! "What if we hit each other?" he asked, somersaulting through the sand.
"We won't!" Nakoa assured him. "We can do this!"
"Just aim for the brightest thing on the beach!" Kealey said. "And get close enough for a major hit!"
Landon shook his head. "This is a terrible plan," he told them.
"You got any others, oh Fearless Leader?" the Pink Ranger shot back.
Landon considered that. "I'm not your Fearless Leader. Guess we're doing this." He closed his eyes. "I trust you guys. On my signal."
Nakoa tensed. The light was blinding. He felt the sand shift next to him, knew Emily and Kealey were flanking him.
"Now!" Landon commanded. The four rangers surged forward, weapons outstretched, and brought them over their heads and down onto the Barreleye.
The light disappeared instantly, and Landon opened his eyes.
The Barreleye lay on the beach, the glow in its' forehead slowly blinking out. Then, it too shriveled and disappeared.
The four rangers stared at each other, eyes adjusting to the darkness on the beach.
"Got any other bright ideas?" Landon asked Kealey.
The Pink Ranger rolled her eyes. "Just one," she said, and punched him hard in the arm. "That was for the lousy joke."
But she was smiling as she said it.
Landon yelped, and the four of them burst out laughing.
Back at AMRI, Hannah Johnson watched the video feeds from the helmets with a satisfied smile on her face.