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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Eight – The Long Night
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2, 2002 – 12:13 a.m. PST
The Tech-Hi Dojo
Angel Grove, California
Jason came up behind Trini and rubbed her shoulders as she got off a conference call with Pentagon, ISS headquarters in London and New York, the director of FBI, the director of CIA, and the Governor of California. It was a long and rather trying call that lasted well over an hour. She was exhausted.
"You want something to eat?" Jason asked feeling the tension in her body. His big hands kneed the knots that had formed around her collar and back of the neck. "You need to rest if we're to pull this off tomorrow."
"I can say the same thing to you." Trini said closing her eyes and allowing herself a moment of peace with her fiancé. "How are you doing?"
"I'm calm and collect, which is more than I can say for Tommy. That boy is jumping out of his skin."
"Can you blame him?" Trini asked looking up at him from her seat. "I love you Jason."
The man that once been the red and gold ranger leaned down and kissed that sweet mouth turned up him. "And you know that I adore you."
"Tommy is going to be so mad at me tomorrow." Trini remarked before she got up.
"Why?" Jason asked with a frown.
"I'm not going to let him go after Kimberly's team." Trini explained quietly eyeing the former green, white and red ranger.
"Why won't you…" Jason's mind whirled for a moment. "Oh, cause he's too close to this. In his enthusiasm, you're afraid he might compromise the mission?"
"You bet your sweet little ass that he would." Trini shook her head. "I hate doing it to him but I need his head clear over this."
"Where are you sending him?"
"Out to sea." She smiled sweetly at Jason. "I see nothing wrong with letting Tommy take out his anger on the big man himself."
Jason laughed. "Trodue better watch out. Tommy is going to beat the shit out of him."
"I know." Trini grinned with some delight. "Hey, I'm going to go call Zack with an update. He's been waiting by the phone for the last two days."
"How is he?"
"Sorry that he can't come."
"Hey, we all understood. His broken leg laid him up for so long. To ask him to leave the company now while he's in the middle of something would be cruel." Jason smiled and kissed Trini again. "Well you get some rest after the phone call while I go talk to Tommy?"
"Why are you talking to Tommy?" She asked suspiciously. "Are you going to…"
"You're my soon-to-be-bride. The least I can do is help you deal with a very angry husband of your best friend."
"And your best friend to boot." Trini reasoned out with a smile. "Thanks, honey."
"No problem. Go home afterwards."
"You coming?"
"Yeah, as soon as I take care of reasoning with Tommy."
"Then I'll wait for you. I sleep better with you next to me."
"Okay then."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2, 2002 – 12:35 a.m. PST
Farmlands of California
Somewhere, California
"Deep breaths honey."
"Keep her legs up."
"Someone get a warm towel."
Kat watched in helplessness as the women all gathered around the soon-to-be-mother. They all rallied around the woman in support and to help her bring her child to this world. The guards had come in during all the commotion but quickly left when the realized what was happening.
"Someone get her some water."
"Bring another blanket."
"We need a pair of scissors."
"Breath, kid. Keep breathing."
"This could take hours."
The mother to be was panting with pain and her eyes filled with tears. "I want my Peter."
"We know kid, we know."
"Keep breathing."
"Hold this. Squeeze it when the pain comes."
Kat didn't know what to do. Turning away from the others, she punched in an e-mail as quickly as she could. Woman in labor now! Hurry!-KH. She could only hope the others come soon. Who knows what can happen?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2, 2002 – 12:35 a.m. PST
The Nemesis
Off the shores of Catalina Island, Pacific Ocean
Esera Trodue stared at the TV screen in front of him with a sense of numbness in his heart. The explosion happened again and again in his mind as well as on the screen. Everything happened in slowly motion, the bomb, the explosion, the screaming people.
You cannot take away from a man something that was deadly important. Everyone will pay as he has. This Christmas will be one no one will forget. He'll give them something to celebrate!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2, 2002 – 12:35 a.m. PST
The Tech-Hi Dojo
Angel Grove, California
The phone rang and rang. Tommy glanced about impatiently. He could feel his temper rise with every ring but he kept it in check.
"Hello?" the sleepy voice attested to Tommy's guess as to why the phone wasn't picked up.
"Justin?"
"Yeah? What is it, Tommy? Did something break?" Justin's voice became clearer and clearer as he spoke, his mind coming awake.
"Kind of. We're pulling in troops tonight and moving out tomorrow morning for a rescue. Can you make it?" Tommy asked as he watched Trini and Jason speak. The two hugged in an embrace that reminded Tommy of the many times he and Kimberly would hold each other simply to comfort.
"Of course. What time do you need me? I have to make an excuse with my dad." Justin asked running a hand through his now short cropped hair. "Tommy?"
Tommy pulled his gaze away from the embracing couple and tried to focus on the conversation at hand. "Sorry. Can you get here around seven?"
"Sure, not a problem. You all right?"
"I will be by tomorrow."
"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then. And get some rest." Justin urged. "You have to be ready for anything."
"Don't worry, I'll be ready." Tommy said and hung up the phone with a sigh.
"Hey!" Jason walked up just as Tommy hung the phone up and looked at a rather haggard face. "You need sleep man. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."
Tommy sighed. "I don't know if I can sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I see Kim's face."
"It's going to be all right." Jason said reassuringly. "Listen, I need to talk to you about something."
"What?"
Jason glanced at Trini, who was once again on the phone, then turned back. "Trini decided that she's going to send you after Trodue."
"What?" Tommy's eyes narrowed. "No, I'm going after Kim and the baby."
"Tommy…"
"You tell your girlfriend that…"
"Stop right there." Jason's eyes went dark with anger. "Don't you dare take that tone with me."
"Jason!"
"Tommy! Just stop and think." Jason pushed against Tommy's chest as the man made to get up from the stool next to the phone. "You're too close to this and everyone knows it but you. If Trini was up there you'd be having this conversation with me right now."
Tommy took a keep breath and calmed himself. He could feel the blood racing in his head. It took a moment, but he really thought it over. "Okay, I get your point."
Jason's eyes watched the emotions in Tommy's. "You're not going to argue with me anymore?"
"No." He sighed with pain. "And I owe you an apology. I shouldn't have…"
"Forget it." Jason said with a pat to the other man's back. "I know how you feel."
"Well I still shouldn't have gone off like that."
"You were thinking with your heart not your mind there."
"And I owe Trini an apology."
"Don't worry about it. I think she more than expect you to react that way." Jason grinned and sighed with some regret. "I wish…"
"What is it?"
"Nothing. I just wish this were all over with. Trini and I have to re-plan the wedding."
"Oh that. I'm so sorry man."
"Me too. I want to marry her as soon as possible."
Tommy turned to look at his best friend. "You're really in love, huh?"
"Yeah, who would have guessed it?"
"That's great, bro. And don't worry, everything will work out."
Jason nodded. "Trini and I are going back to my place for some sleep before tomorrow. Want a ride?"
"No, there's a cot in the back of the dojo I'm going to use. You go on."
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then."
"See ya." Tommy smiled and watched his two friends take off for some much deserved rest. Picking up the phone and flipping through the handy-dandy list of number that Kimberly put up, he punched in an unfamiliar number. "I want to talk to the director. Tell him it's Agent Hart's husband."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2, 2002 – 12:42 a.m. PST
Angel Grove Police Department – 5th Precinct
Angel Grove, California
The place was emptied out except for those pulling the graveyard shift. Tanya rubbed her eyes as she shut the file. It was time to get some sleep. Rocky and Adam were still making notes and pouring through the dozens of files that Agent Larken bought down for them. There were dozens of them.
Adam played with a pen as he marked down yet another member of the Muslim syndicate. This was turning out to be a real showcase of hardened ex-military turncoats. "Damn!"
"What's up?" Rocky asked as he put down his own pen and looked at the growing list of military trained cons. "Anything interesting?"
"Same as before. Trini better prepare the guys, were looking at guys that are trained to do this kind of thing everyday." Adam shook his head. "I think we may have a serious problem if we're moving military against military. I've tracked most of these guys, and about 80% of them are dead but there are more than enough to give us headaches like crazy."
"Should we pull the military back then?"
"We need the man power."
"Not if we do covert stuff. Use the main force as a pull out unit instead." Rocky reasoned. "Most of us have been doing this whole cloak and dagger thing for so long that we're more than enough to pull this off."
Adam sat back and thought it over. "What do you think, Tanya?"
The former yellow ranger shook her head. "I think that the less people involved the less chances of people getting killed."
The others nodded their head. "We'll talk to Trini tomorrow morning then. Knowing Jason, he's probably already made sure Trini is in bed."
Adam laughed. "Yeah, that's a man in love for you. Speaking of which, how are you holding up bro?"
Rocky smiled but shook his head. "I'll be better tomorrow." Picking up his jacket and slipping his gun into his holster, he got up to leave. "Good night guys."
"You want company tonight?" Adam asked with concern.
"No, I'm good. I'm going to get my girl back tomorrow." With a quick flash of a smile, he was gone.
Tanya sighed and shook her head. "He's hurting and worried. I just hope…"
"Don't." Adam got up and walked over to the desk that Tanya was working at. "We're going to get them all back and everything will be great again. Kim will have her baby, Jason and Trini will get married, and Rocky will stop jumping out of his skin every time the phone rings."
She smiled at him. "Could I ask for a favor?"
"Sure."
"I'd like some company tonight."
He gave her one of his boyish smile. "Then you have it."
"Thanks."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2, 2002 – 3:51 a.m. EST
ISS New York Headquarters – Director's Office
New York City, New York
Ballard grinned as he waited for Emmerman's reaction to Mr. Oliver's request. He was exhausted. The last two days has basically been lived in the office. He hadn't gone home since the news broke out, which was why he was here to answer the call from Kimberly's husband.
"You're kidding right?"
"Nope, that's what he said." Richard Ballard could almost see the grin beginning to form on the man's face. "Well? What do you think?"
"I think we should do it." Jonathan Emmerman's voice held the tone of why-the-hell-not.
"Can we get it approved?"
"Sure, I see no reason why they would deny us."
"Then you can plan it."
"Sure, why not." Emmerman smiled in reaction then turned the subject to more serious matters. "How's everything going?"
"Good, we move out tomorrow. Trini will have game plan for us by seven, hopefully."
"Okay, keep me informed and I'll take care of the other thing."
"Sure."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2, 2002 – 12:52 a.m. PST
574 Ribbon Tied Drive – Jason Scott's Residence
Angel Grove California
Jason dropped the keys on the table next to the door as he shut the front door and removed his jacket. Hinging it up, he watched as Trini survey the room quietly. "What's wrong?"
Trini turned to him with tired eyes. "When you said that we're going home, I just assume that we'd be going to my home."
"Baby, this is your home, at least when we're in Angel Grove. Unless you got a place in town that you didn't tell me about." His teasing smile gave her comfort.
"No, I…. It's just that…." She bit her lip. "We're not married yet."
"I know." He sighed. Pulling her into his arms, he realized that she was exhausted and concern over this whole mess. "We will be soon. I promise."
"Jason?" She looked at him with her brown eyes softened with worry. "If anything should go wrong tomorrow…"
"Nothing is going to go wrong." Jason pulled her roughly into a tight embrace. "Everything is going to go fine. We're going to rescue the women, watch Kim and Tommy together again, plan our wedding so that no one can crash it, and live happily ever after."
"Jason…"
"Trini, please." He didn't want to think about it. The mere mention that something could go wrong and that he might lose the best thing that's ever come into his life was too terrible for him imagine and his heart goes cold just knowing it was a possibility. "Let's not talk about this."
"Jason, we have to be realistic." Trini pulled away and pulled him toward the couch. "There are no guarantees in this game. A plan is only as good as when the first person moves out. After that, anything goes. I want you to know that I do have a living will."
His eyes went wide with shock. It never occurred to him that she had thought so far ahead. "Trini…"
"No, let me finish." She held his hand and gave him a reassuring smile. "I had my first made up before the whole Containment business. I've had one updated every year since I went into ISS. My last update was two months ago. I'm leaving most of my bank accounts and stocks to my parents and other various family members. My townhouse in London and loft in Venice I'm leaving to you. Along with my collection of paintings and antique watches. I…"
"Trini, stop!" He clung to her like a drowning man. "I don't want to hear it. I…I don't want to…. You are going to come back to me. We're going to be married and we're going to make this work."
She wrapped her arms around him and nodded her head, knowing how much it hurt him as well as her to have to tell him all this. "I know, I'm just making sure that if…"
"Let's go to bed." He stood up abruptly, pulling her to her feet. "We need to rest."
"Okay." She allowed herself to be led to his bed. "We'll talk tomorrow."
"Tomorrow." He whispered and hope to god that he had the strength to do so. "Trini?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"Me too, Jason. I love you too."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2, 2002 – 1:04 a.m. PST
Mountains of California
Somewhere, California
Kimberly took long deep breaths. She needed some water but knew that it was too late to ask anyone to get it for her. They were all exhausted and the night was dragging on slowly. But they had hope that rescue would come soon. That was what was most important.
The stomachache started about an hour before. It felt as if her stomach was doing flips with the baby pushing it with its feet. It was extremely uncomfortable but bearable for now. She could only hope it goes away soon.
Keep breathing, she needed deep breaths to control the pain. The others will come soon. In the mean time, it would appear to be a long night to come.
