POWER RANGERS: Omega
Femme Fatale Saga:
Part Three – Episode Five: Bird of Prey
The gray clouds hovering overhead provide the perfect backdrop for Silver's mood. Standing inches from a grave marker, the warrior clutches the stems of several lilies bound in silk. As he lowers himself to one knee, his grip tightens.
"I'm sorry." He looks over up from his shameful bow, allowing his eyes to scan the words: JESSICA KYLE.
Blue Ranger lands two quick jabs to Kubarra's face, staggering the monster. She ducks a wild swing, and Green Ranger leaps over her, connecting with a side ways scissor kick to the man-beast's face. Kubarra falls onto his back and the three Rangers surround the fallen beast.
"Give it up and go home." Green Ranger folds his arms across his chest.
Kubarra stands, and then stops as he hears someone speak to him in the miniature transceiver in his ear. Report back now. Time to employ a different strategy. Kubarra complies, walking away.
"You have not seen the last of me Rangers." He tosses the warning over his shoulder without glancing back. A vortex of energy swirls about his feet and he disappears.
"Okay. Now with that out of the way, welcome to the team." Green Ranger extends his hand to the new Ranger, who accepts it.
"Nice to be able to say I'm part of it."
"Well, I suggest the three of us get to know one another back at your place," Purple Ranger adds. Green Ranger holds their hands and instantly, they vanish.
Maurice gently brushes his lips against Keisha's forehead. After finding her bleeding and covered in fur, Maurice injected a sedative into her. During her drug-induced slumber, he shaved off her fur and bandaged the long scratch marks on her arm. I know Silver had something to do with this. I'll make him change you back. He takes another look at her before leaving the room.
"Kubarra, are you finished?" Tigress inquires.
"Yes. The Rangers didn't inflict that much injury to my body. I'm ready now."
"Excellent," comments Cornelius. "But, now is not the time. We attack early morning unless otherwise directed. Do what you need in order to be prepared."
"Maurice!" yells Tommy, exploring the main floor of their home/store. Maurice appears behind him. "Where were you?" the younger man inquires without turning to face him.
"Here. Why?"
"Because a new monster is on the loose and I couldn't get in contact with you."
"I had personal matters to attend to."
Whirling around, Tommy remarks, "Now I see what Trini and Kim were talking about. You act like your personal matters supercede every thing we do."
"I don't have time for this." Tommy grabs his arm. "I suggest you let go of me."
"Or what, you'll beat me up? You are going to stay right here and meet the new Rangers and explain to me what is so personal that you'd risk me getting killed."
"New Rangers?"
"Yes," Tommy replies. "Now sit down for a second." Maurice does as told and Tommy releases his grasp. Two females enter the room moments later.
"You!" Maurice exclaims, staring directly at Saundra.
"I thought you'd be excited sweetie."
"Hi, you must be Maurice. Nice to meet you." Ashley extends her hand and Maurice shakes it. "I'm Ashley."
"Okay, now that acquaintances have been established, may I leave now?"
"Do whatever you want Mr. Mysterious. Just answer your pages from now on."
Maurice flashes Tommy a cryptic look before exiting through the main store door.
"Well, I think that went well." Ashley hops onto the desk and kicks her legs out a few times. Tommy's eyes travel the length of her body. Although her assets were not as large as Saundra's, the younger female still possessed a beautiful figure with curves in all the right places. Shaking his head, he leaves the two females to discuss their new appointment as Rangers.
"Silver!" the rage filled yell of Black Ranger fills Keisha's apartment. Perhaps Silver Guardian would return to the scene of the abduction like criminals on the two police serials on television.
"Did you miss me?" Black Ranger turns around quickly, a punch almost too fast for even Silver to detect slamming into the other man's chest, knocking him backwards. Even as he stumbles, Black Ranger begins hammering in more inhumanly quick punches to his main adversary, ending the assault with a jumping spin kick that floors Silver.
"What did you do to her?" Black Ranger kneels against the fallen man's chest and wraps both hands around his neck. A white aura endows the pinned down warrior.
"Yaaaa!" Silver's scream sends a surge of power from his body, expelling Black Ranger from his person and across the room. Popping his neck, Silver stands back to his feet. "Calm down. It's not what you think."
"What happened then?" Black Ranger demands, already back on his feet.
"I can't tell you that just yet." Silver turns his back on Black Ranger and gazes out of the window. "But let it be known that I had nothing to do with anything happening to her right now."
"Why should I believe you?"
Turning to face him, he replies, "Why shouldn't you?"
The simple melody fills the still air around the partially rebuilt docks. Tommy sighs as yet again nothing stirs beneath the calm waters.
"What are you doing?" Tommy turns in response to the voice and finds Ashley standing a few feet away from him.
"Trying to get in touch with spirits from the past." He returns the dagger to his pocket and walks over to her. "Why are you here?"
"I wanted to hear first hand how difficult it is to be a Ranger in this day and age. And I wanted you to tell me. No offense, but your friend doesn't seem like much of a people person."
"He's not, and none taken. Let's get something to eat first."
Maurice stares out of the window aimlessly pondering his relationship with Silver. What had the warrior meant by he had nothing to do with whatever is happening to Keisha?
"Are you really trying to be my ally?"
"I see," Ashley remarks, sipping from her milkshake. "So the last year it's just been you and Mr. Personality."
"Didn't know you cared." Ashley nearly falls backwards in her chair at the sound of Maurice's voice.
"He has a habit of doing that," Tommy smirks, biting into an apple. "So, are you through playing the role of 'one man army'?"
"For the time being, yes." Maurice exits the kitchen and ventures upstairs to the room currently serving as Keisha's.
Three thousand miles away, Silver stands atop a desolate skyscraper in the middle of former downtown NYC. Ravaged by the constant battles of the last two decades, New York no longer resembled the world-renowned city it once had. During the carnage that ensued, not all people shared the idea of being a "good neighbor." Unlike many of the other former metropolises, New York's crime syndicates reestablished themselves as well as several paramilitary groups. Currently keeping tabs on these events was a lone defender calling herself Raven. Silver's reason for being in New York centered on her.
"There's my little birdie." His expertly trained eyes capture the faintest movement below him and he somersaults from the building.
Black Ranger avoids a punch aimed at his head and twists away from a kick directed for his midsection. Rolling between the other two Rangers, he distances himself just long enough to grab the wrist of Purple Ranger and kick her in the back of the knee. Blue Ranger manages to kick him in the chest and he releases his wristlock. Backing up to keep from falling, Black Ranger eyes the two females as they advance on him. Attacking as a tandem, the two newest Rangers manage to land a few punches on their sparring partner, but not nearly enough to even stagger him. A fist too fast for either of them to detect slams into Blue Ranger's shoulder, knocking her off balance. A forearm shoots out and connects with Purple Ranger just below her throat. Leaping into the air, Black Ranger connects with split kick, each heel finding its intended mark: the other two Ranger's jaws.
"Ouch," Tommy cringes from the sidelines, munching on his third apple in the last two hours. The only Ranger not engaged in the exercise, he opts to watch the two feisty females spar with Black Ranger to see if they would get through their first full contact practice without a few scrapes and bruises. "You guys done yet?" he inquires, hopping off of the crate he is sitting on. A final sidekick that sends Blue Ranger crashing into Purple Ranger answers the inquiry as Black Ranger strides over to the fallen Rangers.
"You did well for the first time. Better than Tommy in his first few sessions. Get showered and dinner will be ready shortly." Black Ranger walks off towards the house as the two females transform back into their civilian clothes.
"Outstanding," Tommy applauds, smiling widely. "I think you two have gotten to him."
"Whatever. I think I'll go take that shower he talked about." Saundra shakes her head a few times then pops her neck.
"Me too," Ashley adds, running her fingers through her dampened and disheveled hair.
"Think I'll join you two ladies." The three of them head off towards the shower room located in the gym annex of the compound.
Within the last hour, Silver has watched the woman calling herself Raven apprehend three thugs robbing couples in the alley next to a dance club, save a young child from getting hit by a car, and rough up a few dealers and pimps for information.
"I applaud you," Silver calls from the shadows, the sound of clinking metal from his gauntlets echoing just loud enough for Raven to hear them.
"I don't have time for men dressed up in tinfoil. If you want your butt kicked, talk to my assistant. I have a busy itinerary to complete." She drops a smoke bomb and in the five seconds it takes the smoke to dissipate, she is gone. Silver smirks, notes her interesting energy signature and teleports to it.
"Nice trick. Didn't think too many people were that fast."
"How the hell did you do that?"
"Just a little something I picked up along the way. Well Miss Raven, can I call you Miss?" She stares at him unblinkingly. "Okay, just thought I'd be cordial."
"Tell me what it is you want and then be on your way."
"Direct and to the point. I admire that in a woman. That and a nice set of breasts. But, I guess we can't get what we want all the time. But I digress, the reason I have sought you out is to offer you a new career enhancement. You're pretty talented now, but imagine if you worked for Omega. The possibilities would be limited only to your imagination."
"Thanks but no thanks. I'd rather be a Power Ranger than a slave."
Silver's laugh causes her to strike a defensive posture as he continues.
"You're missing the point. This is not a request, this is your only choice. You join Omega or I kill you." Raven is shocked. She'd heard the phrase "faster than the blink of an eye", but she had not blinked and suddenly Silver is in her face. "It would be the simplest of reflexes to unsheathe my blade and cut you down where you stand. I offer you something grand in exchange for the trifle sum of your loyalty."
"Sorry to interrupt, but I could have sworn she said she'd rather be a Ranger. Could be this helmet though." Green Ranger adjusts his helmet.
"Where's your body guard?" Silver turns to face the young Ranger.
"I gave him the day off. Just me and you sunshine."
"Excuse me little girl, but I have other matters to attend to at the moment. Why don't you take a little nap?" The blow is unseen, but the pain spreads through her nerves quickly as she slumps into a heap.
"Shame on you. Thought you were better than that." Green Ranger initiates the offense with a sidekick that is swatted away by the back of Silver's hand. A sidekick of his own is avoided by the Ranger with a quick sidestep and a follow up punch that is met by a metallic gauntlet.
"You've improved."
"I get better." Green Ranger rams his knee into Silver's gut and then elbows him in the neck. Spinning, he back fists his opponent then somersaults over him. "I'd love to finish this off, but I've got what I came for." Scooping the fallen vigilante into his arms, he waves to Silver. "Buh bye now."
"Arrg!" Silver's anger demolishes the sides of the two buildings he is standing in between. "I can't believe I fell for that. That kid knew he was no match for me and I played right into his game. No matter. Five Rangers will still not be enough to defeat Omega." Calming down, Silver returns to his room to brood.
Keisha rests quietly in her bed as Maurice pulls the discarded sheet over her body. Raven watches him exhibit the type of care reserved for loved ones as his lips brush against Keisha's forehead before turning to address her.
"Listen, I've chosen you because of what you've been doing for the people of New York. You don't have to live here, but when we call you, you drop what you're doing and get here immediately. Take your powers back with you New York if you desire. Just remember what I just said." Reaching into his pocket, he retrieves a bracelet similar to Saundra's and tosses it to her. "Practice. The more times you morph, the less severe the pain that follows the transformation."
"So I'm not obligated to live here?"
"I have more than enough females under this roof to look after as it is. But you are welcomed. Like I said, I'm not forcing you into any decisions. If you don't like being a Ranger, give up the morpher and we'll replace you. Understood?"
"Understood."
"Good. Now. It's morphing time." Maurice completes the simple hand gestures that accompany his transformation.
"White Falcon!" As raw energy flows through her body and the suit materializes on her person, an unprecedented amount of pain shoots through her, nearly dropping her to one knee.
"Get up!" Black Ranger commands, holding her by the forearm and half dragging her to her feet. She finds her bearing and grits her teeth in spite of the pain. "Raven no longer. You are the White Falcon."
End of Part Three
NEXT TIME ON POWER RANGERS: OMEGA – With five Rangers to deal with, Omega launches his latest creation, Voltor, to aid Kubarra and Tigress in battle.