A/N: Hi, everyone! Happy Saturday. My birthday is tomorrow, 3/27, so I thought I would gift you all with a present of a chapter. I hope you enjoy.

Also, my book will be available for purchase electronically on 3/29. Message me for more details if you'd like. :)

Ranger Slayer

Holding the piece of parchment in my hand, I glanced down from the rooftop I stood on. Below, I could see the trail of dust coming from the dirt bike that Tommy Oliver was driving. I could hear its engine buzzing off the walls of the ruins of Angel Grove as he sped past what was once the business district. He zipped out between the buildings until he was on the main road, heading out of town. This has been his daily ritual lately. He will head into town to see what he can scavenge for himself and spy on the soldiers that Drakkon had stationed at the portal in the center of town. Then, he heads back out of town to the place where he has been holed up. It was just a small shack in the middle of the woods on the outskirts, something that was only visible from the air if you knew where it was. It had taken me three different ties to find it myself when I had first started tracing him. But now, I could find it with ease.

I wasn't following him today though.

Jumping from the building, I walked through the crumbled remains of town until I made my way to the high school. Unlike in my world, a great deal of it was still intact and standing. I entered through a large hole on one side of the gym and readied myself with my bow. It was one that William had crafted for me from spare weapons in the Command Center. Given the state of the GRid, I wasn't able to call my own bow without risking the fate of the world or Drakkon being able to track me. I preferred my bow to this humanized version but it worked just the same to protect myself. As I walked through the darkened halls of the school, I listened for any sign of movement. I couldn't be here long. Tommy was planning to head out of town tonight to follow Drakkon's convoy as they head on to the next tower. I needed to ensure that I was behind him when he left to make sure I could keep tabs on him.

"You've always been a hard one to sneak up on." A voice said behind me. I spun on my back leg, my bow and arrow raised to shoot whoever stood there. To my surprise, it wasn't Drakkon. I thought it was him who had sent me the message last night to meet him here in the school library. It would be his motive to meet like this and for a brief moment, I was disappointed. Confusion set in though when I saw that it was Finster dressed in a dark cloak that covered him completely. He gave me an amused look as I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Awfully far from home, aren't you Finster?" I questioned. "Did Drakkon run out of men to come after me with?"

"He doesn't know I'm here. I don't have much time either, I'm afraid. So, you can either kill me or let me get to the reason I've asked you to come here." Gazing at him, I pondered what he could possibly want. Finster was Drakkon's literal rat. He did whatever Drakkon wanted and was his closest friend on his forces. I was sure it hadn't changed since I had left. Drakkon held Finster in such high regard that he was more like an advisor to him instead of a lackey. So why on Earth had he traveled through the Morphing Grid to come to see me?

"What do you want, Finster?" I asked, slowly lower my bow.

"Lord Drakkon seems to have a new plan in development to go against you and the rest of the Rangers. It's a brilliant plan, one that I think will work. I've told him so myself. I've helped him construct various components of the plan and I believe that with his powers and determination, your side will fall in no time."

"Did you come all the way here to gloat?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow at him. "Because I will take you out right now and give Drakkon one more reason to hate me."

"Good heavens. Lord Drakkon would seek revenge at once, I would hope. But, no. That is not the reasoning I have for this trip. Instead, I've come seeking your assistance in something."

"You must be joking." I scoffed. "What the hell makes you think I would help you with anything? Unless it's Drakkon's surrender, I'm not interested."

"He is not himself. Ever since the battle here in this world, he returned as a different person. He seems colder, more hell-bent but careless. I fear that he is beginning to fall under the effects of the strain from the Morphing Grid being infused into his body for so long. Humans aren't designed to carry these powers for very long and he has had more than any other human has to give him his God-like status. It's beginning to wear out his DNA and causing structurally profound damage to various systems in his body."

"Tell him to surrender then. If he's so weak, tell him to take the dignifying way out and let us try to put the world back in order." He shook his head.

"You know Lord Drakkon would never consider this. He is set on ruling both worlds as the supreme ruler that he is. I am more concerned for his mental well-being at this point. The edges of his mind are showing the effects." I laughed.

"Find him a therapist then. What do you want me to do about it?" Finster gave me a quick glare, turning to face me.

"You don't understand! Once the pieces of his mind start to fray, there's no reversing it. He will never be able to undo the damage caused by the access of power. I've tried reasoning with him but he won't listen to me."

"And you think he will just start listening to me? He would rather see me dead at this point. If he knows what's best for him, he will put his sword down and just come to the Rangers peacefully."

"That's why I've come to you." He said, looking tired. "I have a proposition for you."

"I'm not working for you or Drakkon." I replied. "Get that idea right out of your little rat brain."

"I know. That's why I'm offering to help you and the Rangers. I'll provide you with information about Drakkon's forces, his movements, anything that I can without getting caught. It will be risky for me but I will do whatever I can to help your side." I narrowed my eyes, looking Finster up and down. He wanted to help us now? Why? What had changed so much that he suddenly was willing to betray the one person he was most fond of?

"How do I know this isn't a trick, Finster? And that you aren't leading us into a trap? It seems like something Drakkon would do."

"Because I am risking my own life just by being here." He stated. "It takes a great strain on my body to travel through and if Drakkon is aware of me being here, he will slaughter me. Do you think I would willingly take that risk to just trick some pathetic humans into a trap? I would send one of my creatures if that was the case. Some may consider me a coward at times but I consider it being willing to live to see another day if I do say so myself."

"Alright. You're gonna start giving us information behind his back then. I want to know where his fleet is going when they are leaving and exactly what they are planning to do when they get there. Hell, I want to know when his generals plan on going to the bathroom. I need to know everything you can tell me what he has planned in regards to attacking this world again."

"I will do my best. I have limited knowledge that I would be able to give on some subjects, given his trust in me. I can't jeopardize my wellbeing."

"He must have something big planned then," I said, stepping towards him. "For you not to know, it means that he has something up his sleeve."

"I'm afraid you're correct. I can't tell you the details."

"Can't or won't?" I questioned. Finster glanced at me and I saw the struggle of inner conflict in his large eyes. He wanted to tell me but his loyalty to Drakkon was stronger than that desire. I had heard once that his species was known to be loyal to those they serve in any way imaginable. I could guess that this was proving to be very challenging for him to go against generations of DNA.

"Please, Lady Kimberly. I'm doing all I can."

"What do you get out of this then? Hmm? What is it that you want in return for your help, Finster? Immunity?"

"Yes. But not for me." He took a deep breath. "For Drakkon."

"You've got to be joking. Do you expect the Rangers to just forgive him after what he's done? The crimes he's committed? The people he's killed. You're losing your mind too if you think they are going to be willing to do that." I replied. He closed his eyes, shaking his head slowly. He opened them again and turned to face me.

"I want your word that when they defeat him, they won't kill him." He said in a hushed tone. "Drakkon has to pay for his crimes, of course. But I want to hear you promise that he won't pay for those with his life."

"I can't make that call," I answered. "It's not my team."

"Aren't they, though? You were one of them once. You're helping them now. You can help them see that killing Drakkon isn't going to change anything that he's done. Let him spend his life in lock up or a prison chamber. Just don't kill him. I couldn't bear the thought." It was at that moment that I realized that Finster didn't regard Drakkon the same way he had Rita. He didn't see him as a boss or a ruler. Nor someone who gave him commands. Drakkon was someone he saw as blood. All he wanted to do was make sure that Drakkon survived this war with his life at the end of it, regardless of the outcome.

It was the same thing I had asked Jason to do when he released me from the cell.

"Tell me everything you know."

I knew that I needed to talk to Finster as soon as possible. I wasn't sure exactly how I was going to be able to do this seeing as the Grid was fragile but I at least had to find a way to reach out to him to let him know we needed to meet. After the burning of Jason's body, I grabbed my bag and left the Command Center. I used the teleporting pad once I was far enough away and landed in the middle of the parking lot of the school. It was quiet and dark, the only light coming from the patrol ship that hovered in the air closer to the center of town. I stalked in the shadows, keeping low and out of sight until I made my way into the school. I traveled the familiar path up the hallways and past the lockers where I had first met Tommy Oliver. I ignored the thoughts of how he had saved me from Bulk and Skull being asses and how he had given me the warmest smile that day I had ever seen before in my life.

Instead, I headed straight to the library and headed to the fiction section. I scanned the shelves, looking for a certain book. When my eyes fell on the small hardcover version of the novel, The Giver, I reached out and plucked it from its spot between War & Peace and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Opening it, I went to the middle of the book where I found the blank page that lay between chapters 10 and 11. Pulling the pen from my pocket, I scribbled on the page.

We need to meet when the portals are open, I wrote. The black ink appeared on the page for a moment before glowing a golden color. They disappeared after this, not a trace left of them on the paper. There wasn't even an indentation on the next page, as if I had never written anything there. I closed the book and waited, watching it closely. The letters on the cover that make up the title glowed gold, signaling me that there was a return message. Opening the book, I flipped back to the page.

Things are worsening. Will meet in other world tomorrow evening, was written on the page in Finster's handwriting. It glowed gold, disappearing as mine had.

Is Drakkon planning an attack? I wrote back. Again, it glowed before vanishing. I closed the book, waiting for the reply. Behind me, I heard a noise similar to that of crushed stone. I grabbed my bow, turning with the blades of the swords pointed out. I came face to face with Trini, Kimberly, and Tommy. The blade rested right below Trini's chin, near centimeters from her throat. I relaxed, stepping back when I realized it was them.

"Why did you follow me?" I asked, turning my attention back to the book.

"To make sure you didn't do something foolish," Trini replied. "Have you heard from Finster?"

"Finster?" Kim asked, confused. "You've been in contact with him?" Raising my head, I nodded.

"He's been my source from the other world this whole time," I explained. "But he happened to leave the part where you were alive over there."

"Because of his loyalty to Drakkon." She replied. I nodded. Just then, the book glowed in my hands.

"Finster created a small pocket dimension in this book. It allows us to contact one another without using the Grid and alerting Drakkon." Opening the book, I flipped back to the page. "He said Drakkon has a plan in motion but isn't set to attack yet. It could take a week for him to prepare."

"A week? That doesn't give us long to plan something." Trini said, worry on her face.

"Can you ask him about Abby?" Kimberly asked, gently grabbing my arm. "Can you ask him if she's okay? He'll know better than anyone." Nodding, I scribbled on the page asking if Abby was alright and if he's seen her. I shut the book, staring at the cover. Moments later, it glowed. I flipped it open right to the page. She's alright. He's keeping both children safe and well taken care of. Please let Lady Kimberly know that I will guard them both with my life, he wrote. I held it out for Kimberly to read. She brought a hand to her chest in relief. Closing the book, I returned it to its place on the shelf.

"I'm meeting with him tomorrow evening. He can tell me more about what Drakkon has planned and exactly what we will be up against." I said. "Something tells me from the patrols outside that he is doing his best to get the portals and the Grid back on track as quickly as possible." Outside, I could hear the patrol craft circle around the school for a minute before heading to the east.

"We need to talk about what you know," Tommy said, looking out the closest window to us to make sure the craft was gone.

"I just told you," I said. He shook his head, walking back towards us.

"No. I mean about Zordon. Jason was trying to tell me something back at the palace before he died. Something about my destiny. What did he mean?" He asked. I shifted my gaze away from him.

"It's nothing," I said, shaking my head. "He was just saying something to get you to leave."

"You're lying," Kim said, eyeing me. I glared at her, hating that I had to now deal with a version of myself in the equation. How the others didn't get annoyed with it was beyond me.

"Look, if Zordon hasn't told you, what makes you think I should be the person to?" I questioned. "I don't run things around here. I just hang out for the ride."

"I know you'll tell me the truth before he will," Tommy answered. "He isn't known for exactly telling us everything he knows without being vague as shit. I have the right to know what the hell is going on and how it has to deal with what everyone is calling my destiny. Even the Grid says something each time I'm inside of it. What is going on?" Sighing, I walked over and sat on the edge of a table in the corner of the room.

"Zordon is fulfilling a prophecy that was written millions of years ago. Like back when the guy who made the Zeo crystal was still hanging around. I don't exactly what it says. All I know is that they wanted to make sure you kept yourself alive long enough to fulfill your part in it. That's where I came in. Jason and Zordon asked me to follow you to make sure that you didn't get yourself killed."

"Follow me?" Tommy asked, looking confused. I nodded.

"I was tracking you the entire time you were on the run," I replied. "Right down to your trips to Nevada and up north. I was right there with you. You just didn't know it because I didn't want you to."

"Zordon asked you to spy on me?"

"No. To help keep you alive. He was afraid that you would try anything to bring Kim back, including risking your own neck in the process."

"I didn't need protecting." He said, giving me a soft glare.

"No? Do you know how close you came to getting your block knocked clean off when you weren't looking? I can't even tell you how many times I had to save your skin because you were careless in the beginning. Clearly, you got better at it over time but you were pretty reckless there for a bit."

"So what is my role in this prophecy?" His voice sounded bitter and annoyed and I didn't blame him one bit.

"I'm not sure. Only Zordon can answer that."

"Then I think it's time I fucking ask him."