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 this is for amusement only.
Warning: Rated NC-17 for content and language.
Note: The former rangers have moved on in their lives but are pulled back into the game by a little gift left behind from an old "friend." While they fight for their lives yet again, they learn more about each other.
Age check: Billy, Tommy, Jason, Zack-27. Adam, Aisha, Rocky, Trini, Kimberly-26. Katherine, Tonya-25.
Acknowledgements: This one is for Shawn (Ozmandayus), for all the encouragements he has given me and for inspiring me to do this story with all this great writing. Thanks!
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Chapter Fourteen – Preparations and The Night Before
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April 25, 2002 – 1:03 p.m. Berlin Time
ISS Warsaw Headquarters – Rocky Desantos's Quarters
Warsaw Poland
Rocky paced the length of the room and shook the sting out of his fist. He was trying to calm down, really he was but it didn't seem to be working. The more he paced, the more he thought; and the more he thought, the angrier he became.
It was so unlike Adam to be so calloused where women were concerned. Hell, he didn't know anyone who had more respect for the female species. Adam has always been the champion of women's equality and has always show deference to them. Between the two of them, Adam was the knight in shining armor and he was the evil lecherous villain. So why the sudden show of…. unless it wasn't what it was? And toward Aisha too.
He sighed and sat down. Aisha... there's the crux of the problem. They've both known her for as long as they could remember. She was like a sister to…… He was lying to himself. There was no way in hell he could ever think of her as a sister of anything. It was Adam that's always said that he felt that Aisha was like the sister he never had. In fact, it was Adam that always teased him about having ……
Well, damn!
Exasperation raced through Rocky as he sighed and made a helpless gesture. Of all the rotten tricks to play on him! Rocky shook his head over his friend's cleverness. Well, if that's the way the game goes…..
"You calm down yet?" Adam asked with his head just inside the door. "Cause I'm not coming in if your going to take another poke at me."
Rocky glared at him. "Yeah, I'm all calm again."
"Sure don't sound it!"
"What were you thinking?" Rocky asked as he turned to face his friend. He stayed sitting just so he didn't look so threatening. "Cupid, you are not!"
Adam Park looked like a kid that's just committed the most inspired trick. "Figured it out, huh?"
With a raised brow, he motioned toward a seat at the side. "Can I ask why?"
"Sure," Adam shrugged. "You're an idiot!"
"I see."
"Do you?" The shit-eating grin on Adam's face was just tempting enough for Rocky to want to have murderous thoughts again.
"You're a pain, you know that?"
"I can see that you're just going to be stubborn about this!" Adam said as he rubbed his jaw. "But you have to admit that…."
"Okay, okay, I got it." Rocky said with hands in the air.
"Talk to her?"
"I will."
"Good." Adam bounded out of his seat. "I expect to be best man and godfather to your child."
"Don't ask for much do you?" Rocky said with a grin.
"Not at all." Adam headed for the door. "I better go tell Tanya that the mission is accomplished."
"Her too?" It hadn't occurred to him that anyone else would be in on it.
"Sure," the grin was back on his face. "After all, Aisha is about as blind as you are!"
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April 25, 2002 – 2:52 p.m. Berlin Time
ISS Warsaw Headquarters – New Science Unit
Warsaw Poland
Trini watched the men work through the plastic shielding of her containment unit. Welders were now putting the titanium plates together. It was a long and hot process, but hopefully the end results would give the team a winning chance of coming out of this in relatively one piece. There wasn't as much material to work with as she had hoped but it would have to do for now.
The Base-Toxikon formula she was playing with was in its most concentrated form that she deemed safe for transportation. The news that they would be getting more than two warheads had sent a cheer throughout the camp. She was glad there would be more than one chance to do it right. But it would also mean that she's got to work double overtime to create enough formula to make sure they have the concentrated stuff along with the milder stuff for coating and use as weapons.
She rubbed her temples as she watched the temperature over the Bunsen burner. She was going to start on second batch when something hit her. Why did they need that much if they had the advantage of more than one warhead? She could really put the extra ones to use by make sure the monster didn't create trouble should they find the need to blow him to kingdom come.
Finishing the batch she was working on now, she stripped out of the containment suit and headed toward the conference room where she knew the others were working now. She wanted to run things by them before she got started.
Jason as going over the plans again when Trini came in. "Hey beautiful, what's up?" The gleam in her eyes told him that it was nothing good for him. "Oh no, you've got another idea."
"Relax, it'll fit nicely with everyone else's." Trini said with a smile.
Rocky and Adam exchanged looks of resignation and prepared to do whatever it was she wanted. Billy looked like he was about to roll over in his seat. There were more changes to be, yet again. Tommy and Kimberly merely looked interested.
"I want to fit some of cylinders with neutralizers. We can detonate them overhead and rain the stuff on him. If the Base-Toxikon doesn't work, we'll still have to blow this guy up. I want to make sure that we have all the bases covered. What do you think? Two? Maybe three cylinders?" She looked at them all.
Kat was the first to agree. "I think it's a great idea. With so many warheads, we should be prepared in case plan A doesn't go off as planned."
The other nodded their agreement.
Trini smiled at them and headed for the door again. "Great, I'll get started with….."
"Whoa…."Edward stopped just in time not to run into a hurrying Trini. "Sorry about that."
"Hey Edward, what's up?"
"Warheads are here!"
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April 25, 2002 – 3:39 p.m. Berlin Time
ISS Warsaw Headquarters – Military Encampment Behind Base
Warsaw Poland
Kimberly took a deep breath. She was currently facing about two hundred military personnel that was stationed at headquarters as backup. They had been so patient with them while helping out with clean up and set up of new stations, medical facilities and other odds and ends. Now Kim has to ask them to help out with thing that was infinitely more dangerous.
"Okay, as you all know, we are going to try something completely radical. You've all seen what these creatures can do. They need to be eliminated from this planet. And now, we have a solid plan to do so. This is a dangerous and possibly deadly plan. We're asking for volunteers only. The chances of survival are good but there is still a risk involved here. You will not be asked to play point on this mission. This is purely backup and support troops. We need three escorts for each warhead, two for transport and one for protection. We will outfit you in best way we can. Dr. Kwan has been working on a suit that will hopefully protect us better both against the acid and tentacles. It's not perfect but it's the best we've got at the moment."
She wanted for a moment. "Okay, I need twenty-seven to volunteer to go into the cavern below surface where the creature dwells, who's with us?"
The insane hour she sat at her table worrying that they would not have enough people was wasted. She could not see one person whose arm wasn't raised and ready. She could feel tears in her eyes and her voice broke when she tried to speak again. These people were so selfless that she felt bad in asking them.
"Thank you all for your (sniff) support." Her eyes stung with tears as she tried to push them back. Nodding her head with gratitude, she asked with more specific qualifications. "I know that everyone of you is ready to die for this cause. But we want this to be as clean a mission as possible with the least possible fallouts." Wiping the tears away. "Now, I ask those of you that are single and have no children waiting for your return." There were maybe a hundred hands still left up. "Those that have prior experience with warheads and missiles." Fifty hands still left standing. "Okay, let's talk about selection now."
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April 25, 2002 – 8:56 p.m. Berlin Time
ISS Warsaw Headquarters – Conference Room
Warsaw Poland
"Warheads are fitted with the cylinder rings. Once Trini's got the barrels coated, then we can pour in the formula and we'll be set." Billy announced as they waited. "Kim, do you know if the GI brought military pin cameras when them?"
"No, I'll check on that. Why?" Kimberly asked as she sorted through the papers.
"I thought it might be nice to at least have visual here at base."
"I don't think I want to watch," Tanya said as she sat on the chair to the side, redesigning the protection suits to Trini's specifications. "I will be nerve wrecking enough as it is, but to watch it happen and not be able to help? That's rough!"
Kimberly looked at Tanya and her bandaged leg, then at the sling holding her left arm in place. Zack was off to another side discussing maneuvering tactics with Tommy and Jason. The cast on the dancers leg was covered with get well wishes from his friends. "I forgot."
"What'd you forget?" Kat asked bring in a basket of rolls for them all. Dinner had been earlier and chances are they will all be up most of the night with changes and other different assortment of things to do.
"That those wounded can't go." Kimberly muttered as she looked at Katherine. The two former pink rangers exchanged understanding glances.
Tommy and Jason looked up. "Well, it stands to reason. Jason and I will be taking this on point."
Kimberly frowned in reaction. "Tanya did Trini tell you how many?"
The former yellow ranger frowned. "She didn't but I can tell by the tone of her voice that it's not as many as she'd like."
"But how many?"
The woman looked slightly uncomfortable. "We're cutting back on the full suits. The escorts would only have the minimum stuff and…"
"Tanya!" Kimberly stood up. "You are avoiding the question. How many?"
"I don't know." She answered honestly. "Full suits for point, maybe seven if we're real lucky."
"Seven?" The others hadn't expected that. It was just naturally assumed that there would be enough to go around. But titanium plated material was hard to come by and even harder to work with.
Kimberly nodded to herself. Seven suits would give them more than enough cover. There were eleven former rangers and three of them were out with wounds, which would leave one more behind. It would have to be Trini, especially after she gets done with everything. It was going to be impossible for the girl to stand much less fight her way through a chamber of evil beings and destroy a monster. "Trini stays then."
"Agreed!" The others all nodded.
"Who's going to tell Trini?" Jason wanted to know. The spirited Trini was not going to take this well.
"Tell me what?" Trini asked with a yawn as she walked in with her empty cup. "Oh good, food. I'm starving?"
"How's it going?" Tommy asked as Jason walked over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"I'm half way done with the third batch of Base-Toxikon. I've got two of the neutralizers mixed and ready to go. Third one will be done in an hour. I have some of the science team working on the milder stuff and they've got almost fifteen tanks filled. I'm hoping for everyone that goes in to have a tank."
"Do you have that many tanks?" Billy asked as he waited for someone to inform Trini that she'll not be going along for the final confrontation. The shit, as they say, it going to hit the fan!
"Yeah, the boys in blue brought plenty from US and Britain. Plus France had some delivered over with their warhead when they found out what I was doing." She smiled. The countries are really uniting for this cause. It was nice to know that not all her work at the Peace Conference had been wasted. Lordy, she missed those nice quiet days when all she had to worry about was keeping Justin Timbersee from Austria and Brittany Speartin from Germany from going at each other's throats over a discussion panel.
"That's great!" Adam said with more enthusiasm than necessary.
Trini eyed them with apprehension. "What's going on?"
They all look to Jason, who rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I'm not doing it!"
"Doing what?" Trini asked turning to him.
Kimberly felt that since she wasn't going to be able to go as well, she'd take the bull by the horn on this one. "We've done the calculations for how many people are going to the final rendezvous with Mr. Ugly due to limited supplies."
"And?" Trini asked not quite comprehending the situation at hand.
"And we've decided that you would be the fourth person on this team not to go." Kimberly announced all a rush and wanted to crawl under the table to avoid the explosion that was sure to follow. The others all winced or prepared themselves for Trini's wrath, even Jason took a step away from his beloved.
But sweet Trini merely shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, I kind of figured that that's what you'd say anyway." She scratched her neck and yawned. More coffee was what she needed right now. There was still so much work to be done. "Besides, I'm going to be too tired to be able to carry all that weight around."
Jason looked at her cautiously. "Are you sure?"
"Jason," she put her arms around him and gave him a smile. "I may be one of those people that want to always help out, but I'm not completely out of my mind. I do know where my limits are and I think that I've pretty much extended it as far as it will go. Becoming a liability to the team was not what I had in mind when I signed on for this mission."
Jason smiled back and sighed. "I'm glad you can see that this is for the best."
She groaned and look around. "Am I really that scary that you'd all be afraid to reason with me?"
Rocky grinned. "No, it's just we all know how we'd feel about being left out of the final scene."
Trini nodded. "I guess. Okay, back to work."
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April 25, 2002 – 9:29 p.m. Berlin Time
ISS Warsaw Headquarters – Conference Room
Warsaw Poland
"Okay guys, time for bed." Tommy announced as they others continued to work. "Hey, guys!"
"Tommy," Adam said with a frown. "It's not even ten yet."
"We need a good night's rest if we're to get this thing done tomorrow."
"You're assuming that Trini can get the stuff ready tomorrow. We may have the warheads but without the formulas, they're useless!" Rocky said as he looked up from the map they had created of the caverns.
Tommy crossed his arms. "Trini says that they'll be ready by noon. We'll need to get organized in the morning so when she's done, so will we." He looked at the clock. "Bed, guys."
Like children, they all grumbled then complied.
Rocky waited until he was relatively sure everyone was in their rooms to come back out again. Making his way to Aisha room was a snap compared to actually talking to her.
"Come in." Aisha's eye followed him as he stood nervously by the door.
"Listen, I'm not going to stay very long cause I know Tommy will bust my balls if I'm all sleepy eyed and tired tomorrow morning so I'll just keep this short and…."
Aisha's lips seemed to have had a mind of its own. She's been obsessing over Tanya's words since the day before yesterday and everything has been festering since. She's been repressing it for so long that it's been like a natural barrier for her against any kind of connection to anyone. Rocky and her has always had this undeniable connection. The thought of Tanya with him……it was like driving a stake through her chest. She didn't want to deny those feelings, not any more. Not when the whole world could end come tomorrow morning.
Rocky may not be the smartest guy on the planet but he certainly wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Especially if the mouth tasted like cinnamon apples and sweet summer fun. He could smell the shampoo she uses and the perfume she wore. It was more intoxicating than any drug Trini can concoct in her lab.
When oxygen became in issue, they both pulled back panting for breath and grasping for sanity.
Rocky leaned against her and tried to make some sense of it all. "Okay, this is…..this is insanity."
She didn't want to think of anything. Not of any right or wrong, rhythm or reason. She just wanted this moment and tonight, come what may in the morning. "Rocky, I know my timing is not exactly great and everything is just spinning out of control, but I don't want to spend tonight in my bed regretting the last six years that I've spend ignoring everything that's gone on between us."
He didn't know what to say, and perhaps saying nothing would the best thing he could do. Instead, he grabbed on to her and didn't let go. "I think we should just both stop talking."
When she felt the hand on her back, reaching for her shirttail, she realized that he was right. "I think that's a good idea."
They made love, slow and tender. Tears fell from their eyes as they touched and caressed each other to the point of madness. It was the first time they've ever expressed their affections in such intimate terms. It was the first time either one realized just how deeply they had repressed their emotions. Now on the cusp of what could be their most dangerous mission together, they find their way to each other. Life would seem to have a really bad sense of timing.
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April 25, 2002 – 9:38 p.m. Berlin Time
ISS Warsaw Headquarters – Tanya Sloan's Quarters
Warsaw Poland
"You saw him go in?"
"And he didn't come out." Adam said smugly. "Think they'll thank us?"
Tanya snorted her disbelief. "Yeah right. We'd lucky if they don't kill us."
"They get to spend the night together and we don't even get a thanks?" Adam said in mocking disbelief. "I'm wounded!"
"In the head!" She laughed. There were a few moments of silence. "Listen, be careful tomorrow. I want you to all to come back alive."
"Tanya…."
"No, I'm serious. Be careful."
"We will." Adam smiled at her. "We're always careful." He leaned in and kissed her gently on the cheek. "Don't you worry."
Her eyes were teary as he left. She spent the night crying out her fears. Only tomorrow will tell if everyone she loved will return to her.
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April 25, 2002 – 9:46 p.m. Berlin Time
ISS Warsaw Headquarters – Agent Kimberly Hart's Quarters
Warsaw Poland
Kimberly's tears fell silent. She didn't want Tommy to see. The fear was eating at her even while she still had him safe, his arms wrapped around her waist as she slept. But the fear was there. Tomorrow she could lose him. She could lose them all.
He could feed her crying but didn't know what to say or do to help her. He was afraid as well, but not of the monster that threatens them. The thought of never seeing her again could easily tear out his heart. He needed her, always have.
"It's okay, baby. Everything is going to be okay." Tommy smooth back her hair and held her tighter.
She sobbing got worse. "I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you. I'll die, I'll simply die." She held on to his strong arms and cried.
"Nothing is going to happen. I'll always be here. Tomorrow will just be another day in our crazy lives. Everything is going to be just fine."
"Tommy!" She turned around in his arms and pressed herself against him, ignoring her throbbing arm. "I don't want you to go. Please, just let Jason handle this! He can do this just as well as you can. Stay here with me."
"Kimberly." He held her tighter, careful to avoid crushing her arm again. "You know I can't do that. Jason is my best friend and I can't just abandon him simply because we're scared. He's got his own concerned as well."
Kimberly knew that. Everyone is making sacrifices for this mission. Trini was now sacrificing her sleep, as well as her health, to make sure they have the chemicals they need. Billy has put his career at NASA at risk for this. Adam and Rocky are both taking leaves of absence from the force. Kat and Aisha are both risking getting fired for being away for so long. Zack nearly lost the ability to ever dance again. They all make sacrifices to be here, the sacrifices of former rangers in dealing with an evil that stems from their past together.
"Love me, Tommy. Love me tonight." Kimberly whispered in the dark.
No one ever called Thomas David Oliver an idiot. His hands pressed her down to the mattress, tugging at the nightgown she wore. His hands smoothed over heated skin that was softer than rose petals. So beautiful she was in the silvery moonlight. Her eyes illuminated by her wet tears and the moon.
She watched him, watched his every move as he undressed and came to her. His skin golden and smooth, taut over hard muscles. His male beauty was enough to leave her breathless. The pleasure was so great that it hurt.
They made love like there was no tomorrow, breathing in the power of today. It was heaven and hell for them both, knowing that this may be their last time together. With passion spent, they both melted into heated pools of emotional outpouring. Kimberly slept on top of Tommy, reluctant to leave him.
They may not have tomorrow but they had tonight. And tonight was all that mattered now.
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April 25, 2002 – 10:30 p.m. Berlin Time
ISS Warsaw Headquarters – New Science Unit
Warsaw Poland
Jason watched her work with all the people milling around, banging noises, shouts, laugher, and other assortment of distraction. Yet she seems completely oblivious to it all. The loose ponytail she had tied her hair in seems to be coming apart but she took no notice of that either. Everything was focused on jar in front of her.
"You stare any harder you'd set it on fire."
"I'm trying to figure out just how much I can get this in here without instant combustion." Trini muttered as she dropped another drop of the bright green liquid into the jar.
"You're not going to set yourself on fire, are you?"
"I'm going to try not to." She still hasn't turned around yet but he didn't feel the least bit ignored. She as hard at work and that was what he loved about her.
"I thought you were working on Base-Toxikon."
"I am." She dropped another drop in. "It's cooking over there. It takes four hours for a batch. Number four is almost done." Another drop into the jar and still nothing.
"What are you working now?"
"Would you believe Greek Fire?" Another drop.
"Trini?"
"Wait," she murmured. "One more." Drop. The explosion was so great that it knocked her back into his arms. Men came in running from all directions.
Jason coughed and helped her back on her feet. The smell was terrible.
"Everything all right?"
"Are you hurt?"
"Dr. Kwan!"
Trini waved a hand over her nose. "I'm fine. Everything's fine. Go back to what you were doing. Thank you for your concern."
Jason coughed again. "What was that?"
"Nothing. Wrong chemical." Trini sighed and put the pipette she had been using down. "Back to the drawing board."
"Can you take an hour off?"
"Sure, in about twenty minutes. Why?" She looked back at him. He looked tired. "You should be in bed. It's going to be a really long day tomorrow."
"I know," he waited for her to put things away and glanced at the Base-Toxikon on the burner. "I wanted to make love to you first."
She turned to look at him. "That's what you want the hour for?"
"I prefer two hours but I know you have to work through the night."
"Jason," she reprimanded him.
"Trini," he touched her shoulders. "I have to leave tomorrow and I'm scared tonight. I love you and I need you. I just want an hour to show you how much I love you."
She looked at those beautiful eyes that were staring into her soul, so sorrowful. "Can you wait twenty minutes?"
"I can wait forever if necessary."
The tears in her eyes blurred her vision. "Twenty minutes will do. I get the next one started and have someone watch it for me."
"I love you so much."
She cried then.
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April 26, 2002 – 1:09 a.m. Berlin Time
Underground Caverns
Cracow Poland
His energy was building. The people, they kept screaming. But he was building his energy, and his runners. Eighteen now. He had eighteen.
Tomorrow, there would be twenty. Food was good.
The Rangers shall be destroyed; they shall be destroyed for hurting him. His masters will be so pleased with him and that they will reward him. They will set him free.
The humans need to stop screaming. His food is becoming annoying. But he needed the energy.
Energy will help him defeat those that would oppose him. Energy will help make more runners.
Runners, his children. They will defeat his enemies. The Power Rangers are his enemies.
Time, he needed time to build his runners. He shall have his revenge.
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September 30, 2002 - This chapter has been altered from the original format to comply with FanFictions.Net's new ratings rule.