Ray, Gaby, Gunn, Alcott, Lorent, and TransGenics are mine.
Rated PG-13 : Mild sexuality; harsh language, strong violence.
Ray was getting weaker. He could feel it, not a big difference yet, but he knew inside it would get worse. Eric had been right, he was sick, maybe dying. Strangely enough, as his physical strength faded, he was still getting smarter. He already knew Alcott had been lying to him all along, and was starting to realize how thoroughly and heartlessly he had been used.
He looked around at the small house they had been staying in. It was pretty here, on a small mountain overlooking the city. In the future they still seemed to have some places that were mostly trees and grass, despite the buildings that covered so much of the land around them. But pretty or not, it didn't feel right here. He wanted to go home.
As he got up and walked to the door, he heard Alcott's voice behind him.
"Ray, where are you going?"
"Out." He stepped out, into the sunlight. A moment later Alcott had followed him.
"You know we should be staying out of sight. They have advanced aerial surveillance here."
"I hate sitting inside."
"It won't be for long."
"Where does Lorent go all the time?"
"He goes to see his friends. We told you that."
"To get more weapons? So you can take them back and sell them?"
Alcott looked at him sharply. "That's one of the things he's doing. He's also showing his morpher to his friends."
"So they can see how it works and how to make more?" He smiled grimly at the expression on Alcott's face. "I told you I've gotten smarter."
"You've been listening to us again. You shouldn't do that."
"What are you going to do? Kill me the way you killed that Ranger?"
"Of course not. We wouldn't do something like that."
"He said your treatment would make me sick. And it has. I can feel it."
"How? What's wrong?"
"I hurt. And I'm not as strong anymore."
Alcott's eyes moved over his face appraisingly. "I'm sure you'll be fine." He turned to go back inside.
Ray moved to block him, stepping close. "We've been here for days. I heard you talking about a serum that could help me. Why haven't you gotten it, and given it to me?"
Alcott backed away a step, looking nervous. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"You're lying." He stepped closer again.
"There's nothing I can do!" Alcott burst out. "Lorent is getting the serum. But it's already probably too late to use it on you. He doesn't want to waste it."
Ray stared at him for a long moment. "At least you're finally telling the truth," he said quietly, and moved aside.
"I'm sorry, Ray. And you can believe that, too." After a look that might have contained apology, Alcott quickly stepped past him and into the house.
They faced each other, Jen watching Alex as they circled, starting their morning combat workout. She usually enjoyed this, but the last few days it had been an ordeal, in fact any contact with Alex had been difficult. Since his encounter with Wes, he had been silent and withdrawn around her. She knew she hadn't been much better with him.
Alex moved forward, attacking. She deflected the blow and returned it, watching for an opening. When it came she took it, striking him solidly in the hip. He fell back, staring at her, anger flaring in his eyes.
"Sorry," she said. "Did I hit too hard?"
"No." He moved back toward her. They continued, training taking over, the rhythm of combat practice focusing her mind. She watched his face, hard and cold, without the occasional smile he usually had for her, even here. Finally she had had enough.
"Alex?" she said, stopping and stepping back. "What's wrong?"
"You know damn well what's wrong!" He stared at her for a moment and then turned and started out of the room.
"Alex, wait!" She ran after him. "What's the matter with you?"
"Wes is the matter. You want to know what he said to me? Besides wishing I was dead? He pointed out the fact that we're not engaged again, after more than a year. He said I'm the one who's jealous. And he's right." He had stopped and was staring at her, his face now hot with anger.
"I'm... I'm sorry he said that."
"You've never been able to forget him. Admit it."
"I know I can't be with him. I know that. I have no intention of going back to him."
"If it was up to me, we'd send him back to his own time right now. Better for you, and better for our mission."
"He can help us."
"Can he? I don't trust him."
She took a step closer. "I know you're angry with him. But Wes is a Ranger. I know what he's like. He'll do his best to help us, no matter what."
Alex's face calmed a little. "Yes. He's a Ranger. I hope he lives up to it."
"He will."
He paused, looking at her intently. "Can you honestly tell me you don't still love him?"
"I..." She looked down, unable to meet his eyes.
"That's what I thought." He started out again.
"Alex, wait..."
But all he did was throw her another hard look as he left the room.
Another tour. Wes wasn't really in the mood, but anything was better than sitting in his room alone, alternating between anger at Jen, hatred of Alex, and guilt at his own behavior. The guilt was starting to win. He reminded himself that this was an opportunity he shouldn't even consider passing up. How many people got the chance to see the future? He smiled at the thought of Dr. Zaskin. He'd be willing to give up important body parts for a chance like this.
"Nice to see you smiling again," Katie commented. She was sitting next to him in the flyer, a small, car-sized ship just big enough for the four of them. Lucas was driving, and Trip sat in the other front seat.
He had seen Jen and Alex only in the daily briefings Captain Logan gave. Neither had made any attempt to talk to him again, although he had caught Jen watching him a few times. He had looked for signs of any affection beyond friendship between them, and seen nothing. But maybe they were just good at hiding it.
"Okay, we're off," Lucas said. They lifted smoothly. The flyer's engines made only a soft humming sound. It was very similar to the Timeflyers, but didn't feel as powerful. They rose in a long loop over the Time Force complex.
Wes looked down. "It's big," he commented. "How many people work here?"
"I guess about twenty thousand people work for Time Force," Lucas answered. "Not all of them here. A lot of people live here too. Like us."
"How many Power Rangers?"
"The five of us, including Alex as the Black Ranger, and two other teams. Fifteen in all. The other teams are still in training. They aren't located here, that's why you haven't seen them."
"Alex is the Black Ranger now?"
"Yes," Trip answered. "Since you had taken over as the Red Ranger and kept your morpher, he didn't want to be the same color." He hesitated before going on. "You shouldn't be mad at Jen and Alex. They didn't do anything wrong."
Wes answered reluctantly, "I know. I just can't help it."
"We understand," Katie said.
"Don't worry, you can all count on me for this mission. I won't let you down, if that's what you're thinking."
"We know you won't. We're worried about you, and Jen. And Alex. This is hard on them too."
"I guess," Wes muttered, both anger and guilt rising up again.
"We're going over the main part of downtown now," Lucas announced. Wes watched as they gained altitude, getting high enough to fly over impossibly high towers, many with decorative spires and domes on the tops.
"You guys build high."
"Sure," Katie said. "The big cities are really dense, even more than in your time. The only way to build is up."
"So the population kept getting bigger? You're more overpopulated than we are?"
"We've controlled our population. But almost everyone wants to live in the cities. The rural areas are mostly farms, run by machinery, with very few people living on them. But that gives us space for some big parks in the countryside."
"You seem to have solved the pollution problem, too."
"Yes. We kind of had no choice."
Wes turned away from them to look out as they swept on, the city thinning out now below them, fields opening up, the familiar California coastline visible. Despite the dazzling view, now he found himself wishing he was in his room again, alone.
Lorent was back. Ray watched him land his flyer, get out, and come toward him. His eyes settled on the morpher on his wrist. The one he had killed Eric to get. Now he was going to let Ray die, too. But it wouldn't be that easy.
"Ray. What are you doing out here?"
"Getting some air."
"You should get back inside."
"Why? Afraid Time Force will find out where we are?"
"How did you know about Time Force?"
Ray smiled. "I can hear better than you think. I've heard a lot of things."
Lorent looked at him, annoyance on his face. "You can tell me about it inside."
"I know the treatment you and Dr. Alcott used on me is making me sick. I can feel it already. There's a pain inside my bones. It hurts sometimes when I move. You could get the serum I need and help me. But you don't want to waste it on me."
"Ray -- calm down. Everything will be fine." Lorent put a hand on his arm and tried to move him to the door.
Ray pushed him off. "Everything's not fine! Both of you have just been using me! You don't care what happens to me!"
"Ray, you know that's not true." It was Dr. Alcott's voice. He had come to the door of the house.
"It is true." Ray calmed himself with an effort. He had already made the decision. "I'm going to Time Force, and tell them all about you. Maybe they can help me." He started for the flyer. He had watched Lorent drive it, and was sure he was smart enough now to do it too.
"Ray! Come back here!" Alcott shouted from behind him.
"No! All along I've done what you wanted, and believed your lies. But no more. I'm going."
He heard Alcott yell at Lorent, and then Lorent's voice shouting, "Quantum Power!" When he turned, the Quantum Ranger was aiming his blaster at him.
Ray smiled. "What makes you think you can beat me, when Eric couldn't? He was twice as good as you."
"We'll see." Lorent fired at him. Ray still had most of his speed, he dodged and leaped for his opponent.
There was a soft beep from the control panel. Lucas answered it. Wes could clearly hear Captain Logan's voice.
"We've located the Quantum morpher. It's been activated. There's no time for you to return to base. Proceed to the coordinates I'm sending. Alex and Jen will meet you there."
"On our way," Lucas replied. "Sorry, Wes. Tour's over."
Wes stared out as they swiftly turned, sped up, and descended toward a hilly region after a few moments of flight. Another battle was coming up, one they needed to win. He could only hope they would have better luck this time, and stop Lorent and Alcott once and for all. This time there would be six of them. Six Rangers again. Just like old times. Almost.
They met at the door to the flyer, exchanging a swift and silent look as they went in. Jen slipped into her seat next to Alex, as he took the controls and started up. She checked the ship's weapons status and then risked a glance at his profile.
"Alex..."
"They're not far. ETA less than ten minutes."
"Right," she said faintly.
"Get ready for takeoff."
He turned to look at her briefly. To her surprise, he smiled. "We're teammates, Jen. We'll always have that, no matter what. We can work out our problems after this is over."
She nodded, smiling, not quite trusting her voice. They lifted off, smoothly, turned and rose into the sky. There was a fight coming up, a critical one, and everything might depend on them. Alex was right. The most important part of their relationship -- the one part they both knew they could always count on -- was the fact that they were partners, and Rangers. They had a job to do, and they would do it the best way they could. She turned back to her control panel, and turned her thoughts to their mission.
They spotted three men outside the small house they were approaching, three faces turning up to look at them. Or rather, two faces and the Quantum Ranger's helmeted head. Wes's eyes narrowed as all his rage at the man who had killed Eric to steal his morpher returned.
They landed dangerously fast and piled out, already morphed. Wes headed straight for Lorent -- he refused to think of him as the Quantum Ranger -- who was running, Ray right after him. Alcott was in the doorway of the house, as in their previous battle, with a blaster. Wes fired at him as he passed, and saw him duck inside, unharmed.
"Lucas, Trip, you get Ray!" Wes shouted. "Katie, we'll go after Lorent!" He ran, Katie right behind him, and passed Ray, who stopped and watched him, not trying to attack. There were shouts as Lucas and Trip went after him. Wes fired, hitting Lorent in the back. He stopped, whirled, and fired back. He was getting better, he hit Katie. She fell, but was up again immediately.
Wes fired again, with Katie joining in. Lorent threw himself to the ground, avoiding the shots. He was getting better. A moment later the TF Eagle had appeared and swept in, landing in front of Lorent and shielding him while he jumped aboard. In a moment it was airborne. Wes fired at it in frustration.
"I'll get him!" Lucas shouted from behind Wes. He was running back to the flyer, Trip right behind him.
"Lucas!" Katie yelled. "That flyer's not equipped for fighting! It's too dangerous!" Lucas and Trip kept going. They disappeared inside the flyer and took off seconds later, sweeping upward to pursue the TF Eagle, now circling above.
There were two more enemies left. "Katie, you go after Alcott. I'll take Ray," Wes said. She nodded and headed back to the house. Wes aimed his blaster at Ray, who was standing a few yards away, strangely enough not doing anything.
"All right, Ray. You have nowhere to go now, and no one to help you."
"You don't understand. I'm not…"
They both looked up, startled, at the sound of an explosion overhead. Wes saw Lorent firing at the flyer from the Eagle, hitting it for what was obviously the second time, sending smoke and flame bursting from its side. It turned back and rapidly descended, with the Eagle right behind it, still firing.
"Trip! Lucas!" Wes shouted helplessly. Lorent fired again, grazing the flyer. But another ship appeared, coming in fast, opening fire on the Eagle as soon as it was in range. It was a small Time Force fighter ship, obviously Jen and Alex, joining the fight as promised. Lorent exchanged a few shots with it, and then ran, the fighter streaking after it. Meanwhile, Wes watched as the flyer with Trip and Lucas aboard attempted to pull up for a landing, slowed, then crashed into the ground. Wes ran for it.
The flyer was wrecked, but not as badly as Wes had feared. The cabin was still intact. He ran to the door, and struggled with it, aware of the fire blazing in the engines. Another pair of hands joined his, and he looked up to see Katie.
"Get back!" she shouted. He stepped out of the way as she ripped the door from the cabin wall and tossed it aside. They both climbed in.
The interior was filled with smoke, and there was no movement. Part of the ceiling had collapsed on the two front seats. Katie moved in again and lifted it, trying to keep it level. Wes slipped past her and saw Lucas and Trip, demorphed and unconscious, in their seats. Lucas was closest, he grabbed him and pulled him out of the seat. There was a movement as someone else went past him in the smoke, lifted Trip, and carried him toward the door. Wes followed, dragging Lucas.
As he went through the cabin doorway, Wes heard Katie drop the ceiling section, and saw her follow them. She caught up and together they carried Lucas a safe distance away. Then he looked around for Trip.
"Hey! Leave him alone!" he shouted. Ray was a few yards away, bending over Trip. Wes ran to them as Ray backed off.
"Take it easy. I was just trying to help. Who do you think got him out of there?"
"He'd better be okay." Wes checked Trip. He was breathing, and starting to move. Katie was next to him an instant later, Lucas limping behind her. They confronted Ray, who stood tensely, staring back. Above them, Wes saw the Time Force fighter ship returning, rapidly coming in for a landing. There was no sign of the Eagle, or of Alcott.
"I'm not your enemy," Ray said quietly. "Not anymore. I need your help."