Note: First of all, to correct an oversight committed in the previous chapter ... in describing Trini's funeral, we drew heavily on actual events from Thuy Trang's family ceremony, especially screen caps which can be found at El Fuñaroverse (http://www.planetnaboo.org/~funaroverse/funaroverse/index.html). Apologies for not citing our source.
Second, this is our take on how the Rangers might have reacted to the New York tragedy. Our sympathies to the victims and their families.
Lastly, even though this is short and sad, please have a good read and as usual, leave feedback on the way out? CR/DB
Seasons To Remember
Chapter 9: 9/11
"Why do you have these pictures here?" Jasmine asked as she pointed out a pair of images in the book. They were the only two items on the entire two-page spread. One was a postcard of the Manhattan skyline, the World Trade Center looming over all. On the opposing page was a newspaper clipping of the same skyline with billows of smoke where the towers used to be.
"Kim never wanted to forget that awful day," Tommy answered quietly, a lump forming in his throat.
"September 11, 2001," Kat echoed, just as choked up as her soon-to-be husband. "What a nightmare."
All the kids had learned about the terrorist attacks in their history books, but it had never really sunk in that their parents had lived through it.
"Mom and Dad were living in New York then," Jasmine murmured. "They don't like to talk about it. For the longest time, Mom had nightmares about it."
"Thankfully, they weren't in the heart of the destruction," Kat said. "They didn't talk about it much to us, either. We can only imagine what sort of Hell it was to be there that day."
"But we endured our own Hell back here," Tommy added, recalling that terrible September day.
~*~
The phone rang, rousing Tommy from a fitful sleep. Once again, he had fallen asleep on Kimberly's couch. He'd been spending most of his time with her since he'd come home for Trini's funeral – and not only because his time was short and they had a great deal to work out. Kim just didn't want to be alone; she was still hurting from Trini's death.
The phone sounded again, and blearily, Tommy answered it. What God-awful hour of the morning is it? "Hullo?"
"Tommy, turn on the TV – now."
"Mom?"
He'd let his mom know where he was likely to be over night, just as a force of habit. Fortunately, she hadn't given him any grief about it. After all, his and Kim's relationship was too new for there to be any 'funny business' yet. Even so, both of them were old enough that it was none of his parents' business anyway!
"It's important, Tommy. Something terrible's happened ..."
Hearing the tears in his mother's voice was more sobering than a pot of strong coffee. His mom was not one given to tears. He grabbed the remote and switched on a local station since she hadn't specified a channel.
"... an airplane has crashed into the World Trade Center ..."
"Oh God," he gasped as he saw the flames and smoke billowing out of the tall tower.
"Your father called to tell me ..."
His father had flown out to the east coast over the weekend for a business meeting. Tommy felt a cold lump of fear settle in his stomach. "Dad's not in New York, is he?"
"No, thank God. He's in Boston."
Tommy never remembered hanging up the phone. Numb, in shock, he sat there in the darkened apartment staring at the horrific images filling the TV screen.
"T-Tommy, was that the phone?" Kimberly asked sleepily as she padded into her living room. "Who was it?"
"Kim ..." he began as he turned to face her. He didn't know where to begin or how to tell her.
"Is that the World Trade Center? It's on fire!" she gasped, stumbling forward to join him on the couch.
Just then, live in the background of the reporter on screen, a second plane slammed into the other tower.
"... not an accident ... terrorists ..."
The newscasters were saying things, but the words barely registered.
"Oh God, Tommy," Kim sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks as she clutched his hand. "Those are people jumping from the windows ..."
Tommy squeezed her hand, unable to speak, unable to believe what he was seeing. Almost unconsciously, he reached for the phone and dialed.
"Jase, have you ... yeah, Mom said Dad called her ... no, he's fine ... You're right. I think we'd better get to Rocky's."
"Rocky's?" Kim queried, half paying attention to the one-sided conversation and half listening to the television.
"Adam and Tanya live in New York City."
~*~
"Have you heard anything yet?" Tommy asked as Rocky greeted him and Kim at the door. His friend's face was ashen and his brown eyes were filled with emotions too numerous to count.
Tommy's question needed no explanation.
"No," Rocky choked out. "I called both the Sloanes and the Parks. They haven't heard anything either. Mrs. Park promised to call me as soon as she knew anything."
Jason arrived shortly after Tommy and Kim. He noted the trio on the sofa and joked mirthlessly, "I see we all got the same memo on today's dress code."
None of them had bothered getting dressed; they'd just thrown jackets on over their pajamas before rushing over to Rocky's apartment. Jason pulled up a box – Rocky was in the process of moving to a larger place – and the four watched and waited, hoped and prayed.
~*~
Kat had joined the quartet, directed their way by Jason's mother. Since Helen had told her Jason had left pajama-clad and unfed, she'd stopped by the bakery for some croissants. Not, she imagined, that any of them felt much like eating. She, too, had called the Sloanes upon learning of the tragedy.
Jason greeted her at the door and wrapped her in a fierce, much-needed hug. Then, he ushered her inside.
~*~
By the time the South Tower fell, Billy, Zack and Aisha had joined the group.
"All those poor people trapped ..." Kat sniffled, doing nothing to stay the flow of tears.
On screen, they watched as a monstrous cloud of smoke and débris engulfed the streets of Manhattan, turning day into night.
"Thank God Dad's in Boston," Tommy murmured.
"Was he due to come home today? If so, he could have been on one of those planes," Jason realized, feeling a chill of dread.
"No, he's not due back until Friday."
"Adam and Tanya wouldn't have been near ground zero, would they?" Billy asked, unconsciously using the media's jargon for referring to the scene of the attack.
"They don't live in the area, and I'm not sure where the recording studio is, but there could have been any number of reasons why they could have been in the vicinity," Aisha replied; she had spent some time in New York visiting Tanya upon her return from Africa over the summer. They had gone sightseeing. Tanya had taken her to the World Trade Center. She'd just been there; now it was gone!
Rocky hadn't said much throughout the morning, consumed with worry for his best friend.
"He has to be okay," he said, more to himself than to the others. "He's going to be best man at my wedding next month."
"Man, this just ... just ... sucks!" Zack suddenly burst out, jumping up and pacing. "How can we just sit here and watch this? We've got to do something!"
"But what can we do?" Billy asked reasonably.
"What about the Power Rangers? They've saved the world hundreds of times over, fighting monsters and living machines and space pirates!"
No one was certain if he was referring to the current teams or the ones they'd been a part of.
"The Power Rangers were meant to handle threats beyond Earth's ability to combat," Billy reminded Zack.
"So we can't do a blessed thing while kooks ram airplanes into buildings?" Zack practically shook with his fury and frustration.
"They're not kooks," Jason said quietly, his eyes straying from the scenes of earlier footage being replayed. "That's one of the things we learned at the Peace Conference, remember? Whatever else they may be, terrorists are serious people. They believe in their cause, right or wrong, enough to die for it. People who dismiss them as kooks dangerously underestimate them."
Before the topic could be pursued further, the North Tower fell.
"I'm so glad Trini didn't live to see this," Billy murmured, his voice hoarse and his soul still raw from the loss of his beloved friend. "Such a terrible loss of innocent lives would have devastated her."
"If Trini had lived," Kim spoke up through her tears, "she might have died today."
"What do you mean?" Tommy asked.
"She had an interview this week in New York ... she told me the company headquarters was in the World Trade Center."
~*~
They watched all through the day, skipping classes, closing the dojo. They stayed together, needing the strength of their friendship as they waited for word on their friends.
They watched as day gave way to night in New York and Washington. They watched as recovery efforts began. They heard reports of tragedies ... of triumph as loved ones were located ... of heroism ... of sacrifice. It was a balm to their scarred souls to know that the best of humanity could rise from the ashes wrought by the worst of humankind.
It was early evening when the call came that they so desperately prayed to receive:
"Rocky, It's Adam. I'm all right ... Tanya and I, we're both all
right."
To Be Continued ...