Wes, Eric, Jen, Alex, Zaskin, Miller, and Mr. Collins belong to Disney/Saban.
Nightwing/Dick Grayson, Batman/Bruce Wayne, and Oracle/Barbara Gordon belong to DC Comics/Time Warner.
Tony Newman, Doug Phillips, and Ann MacGregor belong to Irwin Allen Productions.
I am using them without permission, however I have not and don't expect to make money from this.
Gaby, Rick, Norman, and any others you don't recognize are mine.
Rated PG-13 : Crude language; violence; sexual references.
I wish I could take credit for Tony and Doug's story, but it's the second 'cross' in this crossover. 'The Time Tunnel' was a TV series that ran for one season in 1966 (taking place in 1968). Most of you have probably never heard of it, but not to worry, all will be explained.
Reviews are appreciated, please take a moment to leave one.
The Time Tunnel
Tic-Toc
Dick frowned at the television. He was having a late room-service dinner in his room at the hotel. It was a quiet meal, he hardly noticed what he was eating as he watched the news coverage of today's attack on Bio-Lab.
'While these cyclobots were obviously different from those of two years ago, there were marked similarities.' The screen showed two images, side by side, one of a robot identical to the ones they had fought earlier, the other of a similar robot, but with a smooth surface almost like tight metallic clothing. 'In particular, the fact that they overran Bio-Lab, destroying everything they found, in a nightmarish repeat of an earlier attack.' Now he saw film of the inside of a demolished Bio-Lab, then a view from outside, stretchers being carried to waiting ambulances, demoralized-looking Guardians walking around.
'This time, police and Silver Guardians had a little extra help.' The scene shifted again, showing him -- in his Nightwing costume -- leaving the building and disappearing into the darkness. The camera followed him briefly before the anchorperson's face reappeared on the screen. 'While we don't know what the former Boy Wonder was doing in Silver Hills-'
"Former Boy -- shit!" Dick muttered, glaring at the television.
'-We're sure everyone here is grateful for his help. Especially Alan Collins, head of Bio-Lab, and Lieutenant Robert Quinn, both of whose sons are missing, along with Eric Myers, better known as the Quantum Ranger, two more of Bio-Lab's staff, and a police detective who is engaged to Wesley Collins.' Pictures of the six missing people were briefly displayed.
'We will keep you informed of further developments in this breaking story.'
Dick picked up the remote and turned down the sound as the broadcast moved on to other news. Then he frowned again as his cell phone rang.
"Dick?"
"Bruce. What's up?"
"I should ask you that. Are you all right?"
"I guess you've been watching the news."
"Yes. You were hurt again."
"Not really. Just knocked around a little."
There was a pause, while Dick could almost hear Bruce thinking, wondering how to offer help without making him angry... "Anything I can do to help?"
"No. I'm fine."
"Six people are gone? Including the Rangers?"
"Yep." There was another silence. Dick reflected, not for the first time, on how well they knew each other, so well that he could almost read Bruce's mind. "You think I'm in over my head, don't you?"
"Dick, I have the utmost confidence in you. But this sounds bad... if even the Rangers couldn't defend themselves. Just... be careful. Ask for help if you need it."
He was standing at the window, becoming aware of the view as he listened. Downtown Silver Hills lay before him, city lights sparkling in the night. Not as big as Gotham, not as dirty, not as dangerous, not as beautiful. For the first time in months, a wave of homesickness washed over him. Gotham -- the mansion, Bruce, Alfred, even the Batcave, cold and dark as it was.
He could remember how it had felt to walk away from all of it, years ago. After he had been badly wounded in a fight, and Bruce had suddenly and illogically decided it was too dangerous for him to continue as Robin. Had tried to force him to give it up. When Dick had refused, Bruce had ended their partnership with cold finality, and in an equally cold rage had made it clear he was no longer welcome in the home he had thought was his as much as Bruce's.
Dick had left without any goodbyes, and spent the next two years wandering aimlessly. Eventually he had stopped being Robin, by becoming Nightwing instead. Eventually, he and Batman had worked as a team again. They had patched their relationship back together. But the patches still showed.
Thinking back on it now -- after what had happened to Barbara -- he wondered if he would have done the same, used any means possible to stop her from being Batgirl, to keep her out of danger. She was Oracle now, with a new role to play, her new weapons were computers and technology. She seemed almost content with her fate. But if there had been any chance of preventing the attack that had crippled her -- even at the expense of the friendship which had later deepened into love -- yes, he would have done it in a heartbeat.
With a sigh, he turned away from the window. No point in remembering. No point in still being angry. Not when a part of him had begun to understand.
"I will, Bruce," he said. "And... thanks."
Wes demorphed, obviously startling the two strangers. He sent another nervous glance at the cave entrance before turning to face them. Now that he took a closer look, he saw that they were both unshaven, and thin, and their clothing was worn and ripped in places.
"I'm Wes Collins," he said. "This is Eric Myers. And thanks for your help out there."
They both stared for a few more seconds. Then the taller one -- Doug -- spoke up. "How did you do that? What was that -- uniform? What are you two?"
"We're Power Rangers. The suits are sort of combat equipment. These morphers change us in and out of them…"
"Amazing. We weren't sure you were even human, until you -- changed." He paused for a moment. "Did you come here to find us? To take us home?"
"Sorry, no. I guess that means you don't have a way out of here, either."
"No." Both of their faces fell. "You mean you're stranded here, too?"
"Yeah." Wes took a few steps to kneel at Eric's side. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"What the hell do you think?" He blew a breath out and glanced up at Wes. "Sorry. I'll be fine." But blood was trickling between his fingers, where a hand clutched his chest, and running down his bitten arm.
"You're bleeding."
"I said I'm okay."
"Right." Wes glanced up at Tony and Doug again. "First of all, we should do something about those wounds."
He felt his stomach twist queasily as they helped Eric remove his jacket and shirt, revealing a set of three deep, jagged gashes across his chest and the punctures left by those long teeth in his arm. Eric inspected himself without comment, his lips thinning slightly. The smaller man, Tony, brought water from the stream they could hear nearby in a cup made of a hollowed-out piece of wood. A few minutes -- and several curses from Eric -- later, they had rinsed off as much dirt as they could and bandaged the wounds with strips torn from his and Wes's undershirts.
"I guess that's the best we can do," Tony said, his tone unhappy.
"I know," Eric said. "Can't exactly run out to the drugstore for bandages and antiseptic." His eyes met Wes's. Stranded in this time, without any medical supplies, wounds like that were likely to become infected, and there was nothing they could do about it if they did. Wes looked away.
"You're obviously Americans, like us. What year are you from?" Tony asked.
Wes sighed. "2003. You?"
"1968. You're from -- thirty-five years in our future."
"How did you get here?" Doug asked as he sat on the stone cave floor.
"We really don't know," Wes said. "It was some kind of accident. Someone apparently built a time machine in the laboratory where we work."
"Are you scientists?"
Wes smiled, and Eric laughed and then winced. "No. We're part of the security force that protects the scientists. We were trying to do our jobs today, when it happened. We were under attack, by robots…" He briefly gave them a slightly edited account of their latest trip through time. "We waited to see if anyone would come get us, but nothing happened. Then we decided to search for shelter. And then we ran into those dinosaurs."
"We've seen them before," Doug said. "That pack's been around for a few days. We've been afraid to go out. Then we heard you fighting them. Heard sounds that obviously weren't animals."
"Thought you were here for us," Tony added with a brief smile.
"Sorry," Wes said again.
"And now, it's your turn," Eric said, his voice sharp. "How did you get here? How do we know you don't have something to do with stranding us here in friggin' Jurassic Park?"
"We didn't ask to be stuck here either," Tony retorted angrily. "And how are you so sure this is the Jurassic?"
Wes quickly hid a smile. "Don't mind Eric. How did you get here?"
They exchanged a glance. "I suppose if you already have time travel, we can tell you. Most of it, anyway," Doug started.
"All right, Rick. Spill it." Jen sneezed again, and glared at the young man.
They were back in the cave, and everyone had calmed down after their narrow escape. With the help of Jen's Time Force survival training, they had even started a small fire. The light and warmth were welcome, as the last colors of sunset faded into a sinister darkness outside their little cave.
"You mean about the time machine?"
"Yes, I mean about the time machine. How did you build it? Where did you get the technology? And don't tell me you invented it all by yourself."
He smirked. "I am a genius."
"Cut the bullshit. You're the reason we're here, and I want to know how and why."
The smile disappeared, replaced by a sheepish look. "No, I didn't invent it by myself. It's… kind of a long story."
"Then you'd better get started."
"I didn't mean any harm. I wanted to help. Fix a mistake that was made years ago." His face became gloomy. "Now I guess I made another one."
Jen softened her voice. "Just go on and tell us."
"Okay." Rick was silent, his face thoughtful, for a few seconds. Then he began to talk.
"It started almost forty years ago, in the sixties," he began. "The United States government began an investigation of time travel, as a military project. Very top secret. The best scientists in the country were working on it. They developed a theory, it led to a practical application…"
"Are you telling me the government built a time machine?" Jen demanded.
"Yes. In 1968, the first working time machine -- that we know of -- was built and tested."
"Working? It actually worked?"
"Well, yes and no. Just let me tell it."
"Sorry. Go on." By now all of them were sitting quietly, fascinated.
"It was code-named Project Tic-Toc. As I said, top secret. It was located in Arizona, in the desert. Nothing much visible on the surface, most of it underground. A huge complex, all hidden, under the sand… Anyway, the first working time machine was completed in 1968. It looked like a big tunnel made of concentric metal rings, big enough for a person to walk into it. They called it the Time Tunnel.
"They had run only a few tests, sending objects and a couple of test animals back in time. All successful, as far as it went. The government wanted more. The project was over budget, there were complaints, they wanted to see results. They wanted a man sent back, and retrieved. And they were going to shut it down, if they didn't get what they wanted.
"There were three principle physicists working on the program. Doug Phillips, the project leader; Tony Newman, and Ann MacGregor. They had developed the Tunnel, put their whole lives into it for years. Tony especially didn't want to let it end. He was… impulsive, I guess. He decided to test it. On himself. Set up a transport in secret, started up the Tunnel, and walked inside… It worked, all right. The project crew located him a few hours later. He was in 1912, April 13th, and he was on board a ship. The Titanic."
Tony paused. "It was a stupid mistake. I hadn't stopped to think what kind of position I'd put the project in, if they couldn't get me back safely. Didn't think I'd land in so much trouble that they had to use the Tunnel to help me.
"I knew the Titanic would hit an iceberg the next day and sink. Tried to warn the captain, tried to tell the passengers, but they thought I was crazy. Locked me up. I was trapped in a room near the waterline, in the section that flooded first."
Doug took over the story. "Back in 1968, we could see everything that was happening on the Tunnel's viewscreen, but we realized we couldn't get him back. Couldn't get enough of an accurate lock on him to retrieve him. But we could send someone else after him. There was only one thing to do. I had to help him. Keep him alive long enough for Ann and the others to resolve the problem, and retrieve both of us safely."
Rick went on, his voice the only sound besides the soft crackle of the fire.
"It didn't work that way. The transport went okay, Doug materialized on the Titanic, and he found Tony and freed him, but the Tunnel began to have technical problems, they couldn't get the retrieval sequence to work. The ship hit the iceberg and began to sink right on schedule. With nothing else to try, they shifted both of them in time, not knowing where -- and when they would end up.
"Well, to make a long story short, that's how it went after that. Every effort to get them back just shifted them to a random new time and place. Doug and Tony were in Pearl Harbor when it was attacked… On Krakatoa when it exploded, in other wars and disasters… They always seemed to land in the middle of a crisis…"
Rick's voice had gotten softer. His face bent over his hands, loosely clasped between his knees. "They never brought Tony and Doug home. Never. They shifted them again and again, and then -- after the last shift -- they couldn't find them. They were just -- lost. After a year of trying, the project was shut down, the site was demolished, the scientists were reassigned, the ones who didn't quit. Tony and Doug were abandoned. And everything was hushed up. Forgotten. By almost everyone."
"It went on for months." Tony's voice was low. "Bouncing around from time to time, never knowing what was next, always barely escaping with our lives, seeing some of the greatest tragedies in history, and never being able to prevent them. Always hoping the next jump would bring us home. But it never did.
"And then -- we shifted times again, and found ourselves here. Long before humans even evolved. We waited. Weeks went by, then months. I think we've been here close to a year now. After a while we realized they weren't going to shift us again. They must have lost us, couldn't locate us this time. We don't even know if they're looking anymore."
Doug continued when Tony fell silent, bowing his head. "Ann wouldn't have given up, but the government may have shut us down. We lost hope. Just concentrated on staying alive from day to day. Trying to find food, trying to stay away from the predators, making cave drawings and hoping someone would find them someday and know we were here." He sighed, and smiled tremulously. "Thought we'd never see another human being besides ourselves again. Then you showed up. We were hoping… but you're as lost as we are now."
All of them sat in silence for a few moments. Jen shook herself mentally and asked, "How do you know all of this?"
Rick looked up and smiled slightly. "Dr. Ann MacGregor was the third principle developer of the Time Tunnel. She felt guilty about what happened -- felt responsible --and both Tony and Doug were her friends. She tried so hard to get them back, and to get the government to keep looking…
"When the Tunnel was shut down and destroyed, she was devastated. Quit her job. After five years of trying to have the project revived, she gave up her scientific career and moved to Silver Hills. A year after that, she got married. To a cop, named Robert Quinn. She's my mother."
"Your mother. So she must have taught you what she knew about time travel. But…"
"I know. How did I build a time machine without a huge amount of funding? How did I do it in secret, on my own time, hiding the machine at Bio-Lab? Besides being a genius, of course." He looked at Jen, smiling a little again. "It was your timeship."
"What? What are you talking about?"
He sighed. "Don't even try to deny it. You and the other Rangers showed up out of nowhere with incredibly advanced weapons, and those suits. I already knew time travel was possible… I guessed the truth, that you're from the future. I found out that Wes had had some Bio-Lab workers salvage and store away the wreckage from your ship. I went through it. Found the parts from your time machine."
"The timehole generator."
"If that's what you call it. I knew enough from Mom and my own research to recognize what it was. Learned enough from it to take a stab at building my own -- timehole generator. Made it small, used parts and instruments from the lab, told everyone it was an air purifier." He sighed again, heavily.
"Ever since Mom told me the story, I dreamed about finding some way to rescue Tony Newman and Doug Phillips. Save them, make her happy... That's what I was trying to do. I built a detector, too, from Mom's information, using some of your technology. I'm pretty sure I found them. Had the time machine calibrated to transmit to their location. I set it up to send, and then retrieve a few minutes later. Was going to test it, and then go through myself, try to bring them back with me.
"That's why I used it when we were attacked, I thought it was our only chance. I thought it would bring us back again. But something went wrong. Maybe because it was four people, more than the machine was set up to transport. It never retrieved us, and apparently Tony and Doug aren't here. I don't know what went wrong, and I don't know how to fix it, and now we're all stranded. I'm sorry."
Jen reached out to pat his hand. "Don't lose hope, Rick. You meant well." She smiled reassuringly. She didn't want to raise their hopes, but -- Rick had based his machine on her timeship. That meant future technology had interfered with history. Which meant Time Force would be searching for them, to return them to their own time. Her smile faded. She could only hope that search would be successful.
TBC...
