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 Seven – Where in the World?
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December 1, 2002 – 6:02 p.m. PST
The Tech-Hi Dojo
Angel Grove, California
Billy rubbed his eyes as everything became a blur. He's been up too long, that was the problem. Blinking his eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses, he stared at the screen again. No….something was wrong with the screen. Shit!
"Trini!"
Trini looked over to where the computer genius was working and put down her files. "What is it?"
"Tell me what you see?" Billy asked moving away from the screen in front of him.
"Tell me what I'm looking at first?" Trini asked as she pulled up a chair with a sigh.
"I've inputted the tracking for all three of their cell phones. They are color coded so that I know which one pops up at any given time. I used green for Kim, pink for Kat and yellow for Aisha, obvious reasons. It's supposed to interface with the computer tracking system of the global net. So, my questions is: what's wrong with this picture?"
Trini studied the image before her, all the lines were jumbled up and there were four dots for three women and no color. She watched it a little longer until she began to feel her eyes cross. Shaking her head, she sighed. "I can't tell." She rubbed her eyes, all the bright white lines on black background was giving her a headache. "Billy can you change the colors?"
"Yeah, what do you like?"
"Um…" She hadn't actually thought about it. "Light blue on white." It was the colors that Jason used for his blue-prints. It was always easier on the eyes.
"Okay." Billy's hand flew across the keys.
"Jason!" Trini called turning around in time to see flat of Jason's foot connecting with the side of Tommy's helmet padded head. She winced with sympathy as Tommy fell to the ground. "Honey I need you for a moment."
"Okay!" Jason called back to her. "You okay, buddy?"
"Yeah," Tommy said as he got up. "Didn't see that one coming."
"You were distracted." Jason said as he pulled off the thin gloves.
"Sorry about that." Tommy said as he too began to remove his sparring equipment. "I wanted to…."
"Easy, I understand." Jason said with a smile. "We'll try again later. Trini wants to me now."
Tommy nodded and followed his friend over.
Trini kissed Jason on the lips before turning to Tommy. "You okay?"
"Fine."
"Sorry if Jason was…."
"Not his fault. I wasn't paying attention."
Trini shrugged and sat down again. "Jason, what do you see?"
Jason glanced at the computer-generated picture in front of him. It took a moment. "Two maps that are over laid on different geographic regions."
Billy smacked his forehead. "Damn!" He frowned at the computer. "Two of them are on at the same time in two different places. Shit! Okay, we need two more computers, I want to track them separately."
Trini pulled out her cell. "You got it!"
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December 1, 2002 – 6:23 p.m. PST
Farmlands of California
Somewhere, California
Katherine looked at her cell phone again from beneath her blanket. She didn't want to alarm anyone with it. The women were all napping now. Last night had been long and horrifying, the day hadn't been any better. Now, they were all tired out from their ordeal.
The news had been full of their recent kidnapping. She thank the gods that Aisha had talked her into getting a phone that carried global internet access so she can see what was going on outside this little hole in the wall. But information was limited and all she knew was that all available law enforcement agencies was on the case.
Time was growing short for all of them, the end of the first day is just less than six hours away. She didn't want to think what would happen if they didn't give into the madman's demands and there was no rescue to be had. Come on guys, give me some sort of sign that you're doing something.
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December 1, 2002 – 7:12 p.m. PST
The Tech-Hi Dojo
Angel Grove, California
"Set them up along that wall." Trini directed as more equipment was unloaded.
Billy ignored the den of people and concentrated on the short simple e-mail message. It read very simply: Working on rescue, keep cell on, sit tight.-PR. He hoped that the girls remembered that PR stood for Power Rangers.
Trini came and sat beside Billy. "Are you sure that that's a good idea?"
"I need to give them hope." Billy said in a short whisper. "Trini, I…"
"I understand." She nodded her head and looked over at the three additional computers being set up now. "Get cracking on those babies and I'll keep working on getting man power for the rescue."
"Who would have thought that the prisoners wouldn't all be kept together?" Billy muttered to himself as he got up to work on the other machines.
Trini waited until he was out of ear shot, "I would."
It bothered her that the hostages were kept in separate locations, it made track and find harder for them. But what disturbed her the most is the possibility that this was not just a simple father-wants-to-rescue-son scenario. Everything was planned out too perfectly, down to the don't-put-all-your-eggs-in-one-basket technique. Some piece of the puzzle was missing from this and she wasn't sure she wanted to know what it was.
The files on Esera Trodue sat on Trini's worktable, she's poured over the stuff with a fine toothcomb but still came up with nothing. Time for new eyes to have a crack at them while she dealt with the new problem of multiple rescue schemes. "Rocky?"
The former red ranger looked up and held her gaze for a moment. "Yes?"
"Want to do something really mind numbing and tedious?"
"Not really but I'm going to guess that you're going to give it to me anyways." He got up with a slight smile and came over. "What is it?"
"Psych profile on our guy."
"You want me to…" He gestured with his hand to the file.
"No, I want you to find out what kind of wine he likes with his last meal." She made a face. "Get going!"
Rocky grinned and nodded his head and took the file. "How's Billy coming along with that computer tracking?"
"He's setting up separate ones for the girls now. Looks like we may be looking at a multiple holding pattern."
"Damn!"
"Yeah, my thoughts exactly."
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December 1, 2002 – 7:21 p.m. PST
Mountains of California
Somewhere, California
The insistent beeping of Kim's cell phone as they turned it on had the women in the cabin gasping in alarm as the all glanced at the door to make sure no one heard that. Three women scrambled to the window to keep a lookout for their capturers. They could not afford to get caught.
Kimberly's competent hand punched the buttons of the little device of hope.
"What is it?"
"What's going on?"
"Is it the battery?"
Kimberly looked at the machine with interest. "It's an e-mail."
"What does it say?"
Her breath caught in her throat as she read the brief message. The smile on the face gave the others hope. "It's message from some friends of mine. They're working on getting us the hell out of this place." She looked up with bright eyes. "They must have figured out that I still have my cell phone with me. They're pin pointing our location with the global tracking system using my SIM card. We're to sit tight and keep the phone on."
The others looked ready to cry with relief. This was the best news they've heard since learning of the phone.
"There's hope?"
"We're going to get rescued?"
"Better turn it to silence!"
"Oh god."
Aisha and Kimberly exchanged glances as Kimberly mouthed power-rangers to her. The former yellow ranger nodded her head and glanced at the others. They were all so happy that rescue was a possibility that no one else notice.
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December 1, 2002 – 10:42 p.m. EST
ISS New York Headquarters – Director's Office
New York City, New York
"How does it look?" Emmerman's voice came through the phone clearly.
"Trini and Billy have the place running like a well oiled machine. They're working on the tracking now." Ballard rubbed his eyes, three hours of sleep was simply not enough. He was exhausted beyond anything he had felt before. It was getting harder to concentrate now.
"We have locations?" Emmerman sounded every bit as back as Ballard felt.
"Not yet, but we did get something." Ballard glanced at the big coffee pot sitting at the side but decided against it. He needed sleep tonight. "Something about overlying maps of different locale. They're setting up different trackers now. They felt that they should have something by the time the night is through."
"Man power?"
"FBI is offering ground troops."
"Good." Emmerman sighed into the phone. "Get Pentagon in on this. Let's get the ground troops as well."
"We need covert. Too many people can drive the terrorists into a frenzy."
"Good point. Talk to CIA then."
"Will do."
"And for goodness sakes, get some sleep Richard. You sound worse than I feel." Emmerman admonished.
"I can say the same for you."
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December 1, 2002 – 7:46 p.m. PST
The Tech-Hi Dojo
Angel Grove, California
Billy grinned as two e-mails came back short and sweet. One was from his Katherine: Sitting tight, hurry-KH. The other was from Kimberly: Aisha w/ me, in mountain area, other CP on truck on leader. Hurry!-K&A. It gave them something to work with. And it gave them all relief to know that the girls were okay.
"Are they set up yet?" Trini asked over Billy's shoulder.
"Almost," Billy said as he sighed. His eyes hurt and his hands felt numb. The lack of sleep in the last two days was beginning to catch up to him fast. "All we have to do is connect all three computers to this one and separate the…" His voice trailed off as he concentrated on the work at hand.
Trini shook her head and headed off to see Tanya. The girl had been walking around like the living dead for some time now. "You okay?"
Tanya smiled. "Yeah."
"You sure?"
"Yeah," Tanya looked at he friend. "I was freaking out earlier but Adam helped and now…"
"You're still freaked but less panicky now." Trini hazard a guess.
A twinkle erupted in Tanya's eyes. "Something like that."
"What did he say to you?"
"You know Adam…." He looked over at the dark haired man and smiled. "He always seems to know what to say when it comes to calming a woman down."
Trini almost laughed. "Interested?"
Her eyes twinkled again. "A little. Helping him get Aisha and Rocky together gave me ideas."
Trini laughed with delight. "Good for you. You should go for it. We all lead such strange lives that when the chance comes; you have to seize it. I say jump him the first chance you get."
Tanya's eyes went wide with shock the brimmed with laugher. She could believe the prim and proper Trini would be encouraging her to jump their fellow former ranger. "You know, I wonder if…"
"Trini!" Travis jogged in and handed her the cell phone in his hand. "You're going to want to take this."
Trini put the ear piece to her left ear. "Trini here."
"Trini!" Kimberly's voice was filled with relief. "Listen, I don't want to waste battery. I've got a hunch. These guys are so uniformed that they remind of that little trip to Bangkok we took a while back. Check into Trodue's past affiliations, I think they might be military."
"Got it. Any else?"
"Tell Tommy that I love him."
"You take care. We'll get to you soon."
"I hope so. I'm afraid that some of these women aren't going to be able to hold on."
"What do you mean?" Trini's brows were knit with concern as the others came forward, trying to catch anything.
"Some of them are close to term. I'm afraid the stress may induce labor."
"Shit!"
"I know." Kimberly sighed with concern. "Hurry, okay?"
"We'll try. Love you girl!"
"Me too."
The click of the line going dead was louder than the first shot fired at Concord. They all looked at one another, all knowing that they were being counted on to bring their friends and loved ones home. Kimberly's call did give them hope for the best. It took a moment but they stirred from their silence.
"Okay. Travis, I need files from all known associations that Trodue was affiliated with. I don't care how, just do it. We're looking at military here." Travis nodded and took off. "Rocky, see if you find Adam and get something on the local stuff." Rocky put down the stack of files he had been carrying and headed toward the door. "Tanya, go with Rocky and see if you can help out there." Tanya gave Trini a grateful smile for keeping her in the action. "Billy, keep working on those tracking signals. I need locations." Billy nodded his head and sighed.
Trini sat down and closed her eyes. She really needed a long hot bubble bath.
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December 1, 2002 – 9:35 p.m. PST
Farmlands of California
Somewhere, California
"Oh no."
The women all turned to the sound of distress coming from the other end of the room. A young woman, in her early twenties, long limp dark brown hair clung to her head saturated with perspiration. Her breaths were coming in short painful ones. She held her hand to her bulging stomach and leaned back against the side of the wall. A small pool of wetness had gathered underneath her.
Katherine swallowed hard. The situation just go worse. "Are you…?"
The woman's warm blue eyes opened to look at her. "My water just broke."
"Oh no."
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December 1, 2002 – 10:03 p.m. PST
The Tech-Hi Dojo
Angel Grove, California
"I got it!" Billy's voice startled everyone else in the room. "All three locations pin pointed."
"Where?" Trini asked ash she rubbed her blurring eyes.
"Katherine is located in the Monterey area, lots of farm lands and heavy wind generators, which would explain why her signal kept going in and out. Kim and Aisha are in Yosemite park, top peak of the Granited Mountain. It's going to take some doing to get over there. Aisha's cell is suppose to be on the truck that Trodue took when he left the hostages. That signal has been pinpointed off shore."
"Off shore?" Tommy's brows came together. "What do you mean?"
"I'm going to say that where ever Aisha stashed it, it's on Trodue. And that man is where northeast of the Catalina Islands." Billy said as he punched in the coordinates "We're looking at a three way mission here."
Trini nodded and realized that it was time to move the troops. "Okay, let's get this show on the road."
