By Didi
Disclaimers: Characters are owned not be writer of this particular fan fiction. Please do not sue me for I'm definitely not making any money off of this story and is for amusement only.
Warning: Rated R for violence and strong language.
Note: This is my sequel to "What Lurks Beneath," where we learn much about the lives of our former Power Rangers as they rush to save the world from a creature out of their past. Set eight months later, we face a new terror, of man-made this time. The title should give it away some.
Age check: Billy, Tommy, Jason- 28. Adam, Rocky, Trini, Zack-27. Aisha, Katherine, Tonya, Kimberly-26. Justin – 20.
Author's Note: This is my way of distracting myself when schoolwork becomes too much of a pain after a while. The universe created here is not the same of the one in Saban so anything you think is strange just blame it on my imagination. It would also help for you to read "What Lurks Beneath" where I first created this universe. Sometimes I forget and add things from there, so it makes more since when you have the context from the other story to go on. J
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Chapter Three – The Nightmare
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November 30, 2002 – 10:05 p.m. London Time
ISS London Headquarters – Director's Office
London, England
"I know that I'm suppose to have dinner with you and the girls, Karen. But things are a little tense around here right now." Emmerman sighed and glanced at the clock again. "I know that that I promised but….. No, no, not another earthquake thing. It's more like……terrorist kind of thing."
Jonathan Emmerman knew that telling his wife what it was would be a bad idea. Karen was already freaked about the last time he sent her and the children away for their own safety not eight months before. "Honey, I have to leave town tonight…… Yes, tonight. The ISS jet is being fueled now……. No, I'm going to be fine. I'm heading for California."
He was tired, very tired. There was nothing like a stressful job to make a man wish for retirement. Of course if he retired, he'd be bored with life within days. "I'll be back in time for Christmas. It's probably not going to take that long. Two, maybe three days at most. Honey please……"
Agent Solivan stepped in just as Emmerman was about to cox his wife into calming down as she screeched into the phone piece. "Sir, Director Ballard on line two."
Emmerman nodded his head and waved the man away. "Honey, I have to go. Richard has something for me. I'll call before I leave, I promise. Love you."
The sigh was deep and painful. "What do you want, Richard?"
"Trini is in London."
"What?"
"Dr. Kwan is at her London place right now."
"How did you know?" Emmerman asked even as he yanked out his address book. Next to Kimberly, Trini would be his next choice of agent to take charge. The fact that Trini had quit some eight odd months ago was conveniently forgotten.
"Agent Patricia Anderson had lunch with her today. I called Pat to get her on the next plane out to Washington and she mentioned it."
"I'm calling her right now."
"She might not want to have anything to do with it." Ballard warned. "Besides, the woman has a wedding in two months. Was in every newspaper in the country."
"Yeah, I know. She must have been pissed over that. God, remember the big who-ha she put up when the reporters put her in the news eight months back? Damn near tear off my head off for revealing her name in the whole thing." He's eyes scan the address book. "But maybe she'd be willing to make an exception. By the way, I'm headed to California with Agent Lyman. I'll be there only a few days to set up a base of operations."
"Sounds good." Ballard sighed. "The FBI boys are back, I better go take care of this."
"You do that. I'll call you later with details."
Emmerman hung up and phone and punched in the number for Trini Kwan's new London town house.
"Hello?" The voice deep and kind of bored.
"Dr. Kwan, please." Emmerman had a pretty good idea who was one the other line.
"Just a second, can I ask who is calling?"
"Director Jonathan Emmerman."
There was a resigned sigh then, "Hang on." From the back Emmerman can hear, "Trini, your old boss."
A second later. "Hello?"
"Dr. Kwan?"
"Oh no."
"Just hear me out."
"Whatever it is, the answer is no." Trini said firmly.
"Please." Emmerman asked nicely.
A sigh followed by another then, "You've got two minutes."
"Terrorist stole weapons from ISS transport from France. Enough artillery to blow up a small country. We've tracked it to California where it could be anywhere now."
Trini's voice was calm. "You need to call Pentagon with this one."
"FBI and CIA are already alerted to the situation. We need an agent in charge from this end."
"Send Edward or Josh."
"Josh is on his way, Edward is on vacation in the Baja."
"Josh will do."
"I'd rather have you." Emmerman said completely straight. "Think about it. We have a plane leaving in the morning for LAX. If you change your mind by seven, be there."
"I'll think on it but I don't think anything will change my mind." Trini answered honestly.
"Fair enough."
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November 30, 2002 – 2:10 p.m. PST
Fairplex Convention Center – Fifth Annual Baby Convention
Marina Del Rey, California
"Are you sure?" Kat asked in a hiss. Her Australian accent becomes more pronounces when she was upset.
"Where have you been anyways?" Aisha asked as they tried to make their way to a side exit. Six men were guarding the main one now.
"I had to use the little ladies' room." Kat said with a roll of her eyes. "How was I supposed to know there was danger to be found at a baby convention? It seemed like such a safe place when we decided to come. What is the world coming to?"
"Stop arguing." Kimberly shushed. "We have to get out of here. Hide your cell phone if you have one." She scanned the area again. No visible unguarded exits.
Kat searched her purse and pulled the cell out just as the first gun fired. It was a horrible explosion that had everyone's attention mighty quick.
Screams erupted form all around, screeching and frightening. Women were in a panic now as they looked to tried to get away. Shoving hands, pushing bodies, high levels of adrenaline. This was not a good thing to be handling when you are caring life within.
"LADIES!" The man was not tall, nor particularly big. Medium height, medium built, graying hair, big ugly gun. But he had a commanding presence that demanded that he be heard and paid attention to. He stood up on one of the raised tables filled with materials for the convention. He eyes scan the place patiently and quietly. He waited for his control to be restored for those short moments when all hell seem, to break loose. "No one will be hurt if you do as you are told."
Crying and sniffing could be heard now. Everyone was frightened but listening to what was being said. Kimberly, Kat and Aisha held their breaths and their motions. Running won't do any good now.
"You ladies are all invited to participate in a little event. Everybody is going to slowly moved toward the back of the convention center. NOW!"
The people started to move, slowly toward the back. The sporadically disburse of dark coated men were weaving in and out of the stream of people, pulling men away one at a time. They were separating them all. The men from the women. The obviously pregnant ones from flat stomach ones. There were about eighty obviously pregnant women all together, including Kimberly and the pregnancy suited Kat and Aisha.
The pregnant women were the ones that were being concentrated on. "You ladies are going to take a little trip with me, and become my guests for a short bit. Please line up single files and drop your purses in that baby crib."
The women cried, sobbed and sniffed into handkerchiefs as they filed passed the crib and dropped their purses and other carry on items.
Kimberly felt sick to her stomach, and it wasn't from morning sickness. These people were going to do something. The word 'Terrorist' might as well be tattooed to their foreheads. She knew from experience that hostages rarely make it out alive, especially when you have unpredictable elements, like that guy with the gray hair. He looks familiar but she couldn't put her finger on where she's seen him before. There was a quality of wildness in his eyes, like a caged animal. It didn't bode well all around.
"Now, everyone in the truck!"
Kimberly helped another woman into the back of the big cargo truck and was about to get in when she turned to look back at the building they had been in only a few moments before. Three of the men were dropping smoke grenades into the open doors. She froze for a second, what would the gas do to the unborn babies of some of those women?
She didn't have a lot of time to muse over the thought. "Move." She was pulled by the arm and into the dark cargo truck. She had a really bad feeling where this was all going. Her only chance was to hope that she could get a signal later on to contact people for help. She prayed that Tommy doesn't hear about this alone, he was not going to handle it well.
Kat grabbed Kimberly's hand as soon as she could and helped her on to some cushions that had been piled in. "You okay?"
"Gas grenades."
"What?"
"They threw gas grenades in the building to knock everyone out." Kim explained in a whisper. Her mind pulled itself from personal problems and focused on what she can help out with. "Standard military operation."
Aisha gasped. "What are you saying?"
"I'm not sure yet." Kimberly rubbed her swollen belly. "But I have a really bad feeling."
"Me too, girl." Aisha whispered a she too put her hand on her belly, only she was feeling for the pair of cell phone and the hand gun there. "Me too."
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November 30, 2002 - 2:57 p.m. PST
Angel Grove University – Parking Lot
Angel Grove, California
Twenty-year-old Justin Stewart knew two things to be true in life. One, always expect the unexpected and don't ignore that tickle in the back of your mind when it comes. And two, you can always count on a Power Ranger, former or otherwise. He had grown up in a world full of danger and evil but he had learned so much from it. Now a student at the university, he just wanted to learn, period.
The little red convertible this dad had gotten him on his eighteenth birthday was flashy, cool and exactly what he didn't want. A nice jeep would have done just as well and probably suited him a whole lot better. But the car was fast, not quite as fast as his old turbo cycle, but it'll do in a pinch.
"Justin!" Kelly Crammer had been the high school homecoming and prom queen, head cheerleader, and class valedictorian, and probably the last person he wanted to see that the moment. He was in a hurry and Kelly tends to like to talk long. And for some unexplained reason, she seemed to find him interesting.
"What is it, Kelly? I am really in a hurry."
"Oh nothing. I just wanted to know if you were busy this weekend." She flashed that brilliant smile that could usually get anything male and on two legs panting. But it had no effect on Justin. "There's a party at Marcy's, I was hoping you'd go with me."
"Like as in your date?"
She smiled again. "If you like."
Justin hesitated. Taking Kelly Crammer out would be nice; it might even give him a chance to find out what she really wanted from him. "I'll think about it."
The pout was there and gone in a flash. "You do that."
Justin tried to smile but ended up giving her a lopsided one. "See ya." And his car was off in a screech of brakes and motor conflicting.
The traffic was fairly light, which was good cause he was in no mood to handle bumper to bumper traffic. He needed to get to the dojo. The guys needed to know if he's memory served correctly.
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November 30, 2002 – 3:15 p.m. PST
The Tech-Hi Dojo
Angel Grove, California
"Okay, Adam," Tommy said as he spotted the weight bar for him. "You know what to do."
Adam grunted and began to push slowly. The weights are twenty pounds lighter than what he usually did. But his arm was still sore and hurt when he pushed it too hard. The muscles needed time to mend itself. In the meantime, he can't afford to get soft on the rest of his body.
"I use to be under the opinion that muscles depletes the mind's powers," Billy said as he wiped his glasses with a towel. "But then Jason showed him just how depleted his SAT scores were."
Rocky grinned. "Yeah, Jason would do that to a stereotype won't he. What's he bench pressing now?"
Tommy grinned and looked over at them. "Trini!"
The men laughed in mutual appreciation for the finer things in life. They had all been excited and happy when news of the two's engagement made it back to them. It was about time that two of the most perfectly matched people get together.
The screeching of wheels being stopped too abruptly had them frowning.
"What the hell was that?" Adam asked as he put the bar back on the stand.
Justin burst in, or more like stumbled in he had been moving too fast and the floor was slightly uneven. He had listened to the radio the entire time he drove over. His heart could have given his car a race worth putting money on. "Tommy, did Kimberly go to that convention today?"
"What?" Tommy moved over to his young friend. The college boy was not making any sense. "Here drink this before you fall over."
"DID KIM GO TO THE CONVENTION?!?"
Adam frowned. "Yeah, the girls went together. All except Tanya who had to work today."
"Oh god," Justin rushed over to the television against the side of the wall. "This work?"
"Yeah!" Tommy frowned at him. It wasn't like Justin to overreact like this. The kid had mellowed out some over the years.
"You guys have to see this." Justin said as he turned the channel. They were all reporting the same thing.
"If you're just tuning in now, we're reporting live from the Fairplex Convention Center here in Marina Del Rey where the Fifth Annual Baby Convention was being held. At approximately two-twenty this afternoon, fifty men kidnapped 82 of the visitors here at the convention at gunpoint. The hostages were all married pregnant women. About a hundred and forty people were left behind along with sixty cans of knock out gas. According to the authorities, this was the work of an organized terrorist. We're reporting now live as the victims of the knock out gas are slowly coming to. It is yet unknown where the pregnant kidnap victims are or what will become of them. There were approximately a hundred other pregnant women in the building when the gas was thrown in. We don't know how this will effect their pregnancy……Wait, we have a new development. Before the pregnant hostages were taken, they were asked to drop their purse and identification into a nearby crib. The authorities have a list of women that's been taken. They are not releasing it to the pubic at the moment but if you believe your wife or daughter is among those that are taken, please contact your local authorities for news on…."
Tommy was no longer paying attention to the news now. He grabbed the phone so viciously that it fell over. Rocky pulled the receiver from him and punched in another number. "This is detective Rocky Descantos, I need names on the Marina Del Rey thing… I'll be in."
He turned to look at the others. "All authorized personnel are being recalled. Adam, let's go."
"What about…" Tommy's eyes were tortured.
"We'll get the list." Rocky said with a nod. "Wait here for news from us."
Adam gave Tommy a comforting pat on shoulders before grabbing his jacket and shield. He was needed though he wanted to stay to help. "We'll be back.
Justin watched the two with quiet eyes before turning to Tommy and Billy. "I'm so sorry."
Tommy shook his head. "Thanks for coming here to tell us."
He nodded and looked at Billy. "You look good."
Billy smiled. "So do you, kid."
The three of them sat in silence and watched the news for more.
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December 1, 2002 – 12:12 a.m. –London Time
33 Grover Street – Trini Kwan's Residence
London, England
"Mmmm….." Trini smiled as Jason kissed his way back up to her lips.
"You are too good." Jason said, as he tasted her lips again.
She giggled and wrapped her arms around him. "So when are you going to stop avoiding the question and tell me what you really thought about the whole thing?"
"What?"
"You know what."
"The whole job thing?"
"No, you silly." She wiggled under him and held him tight. "The wedding."
"Oh that…." Jason sighed. He hadn't really wanted to think on it at all. He would be happy just to be married at city hall. As long as he had Trini, he didn't care how they get to the you-may-now-kiss-the-bride part. "If you don't mind the reporters…"
She laughed. "Would you?"
"Well…" He kissed her again. "Why don't we talk about this in the morning? I have a better idea of what we could be doing right now."
She giggled again as his hands found a sensitive spot. Then the phone rang.
Jason groaned and not for the right reason. "If that's your boss, tell him to go blow it out his…"
"JASON!" She laughed and reached over to grab the phone.
"Don't!" He grabbed her arm. "Let it ring."
"It might be important." She chide but he won't let go.
"It's midnight. Nothing is that important."
She laughed but picked up the phone as he sighed with resignation. "Hello?" The voice that came through was barely recognizable. "Tommy?" Trini sat up in bed and frowned at the phone. "Wait, wait, slow down. What happened?" Jason sat up slowly and looked at her. "WHAT?" The frown on her brows was not a good sigh. "Okay, I got it, I got it. Listen to me, calm down and listen. Take a deep breath; everything is going to be fine. We're on the next plane out." She hung up and flung the blanket back. "Get dressed."
Jason didn't question it. "What happened?"
Trini yanked the closest door open. "Kimberly, Kat and Aisha have been kidnapped. Terrorist. Tommy is a mess. Really needs you."
Jason went stone cold. "Oh god." And the nightmare has begun.
