Norman, Silver, Purple, Gaby, and any others you don't recognize are mine.
Rated PG-13 : Harsh language; violence; strong sexual references.
Reviews are appreciated, please take a moment to leave one.
A/N: This story and 'Connections' take place at the same time, and I am posting them at the same time. They are separate but related stories, and can be read together or separately.
I have used Alex's official last name of Drake here, and done my own alteration of history by changing it in my previous stories. This is not to imply anyone else should do the same, it's a matter of personal choice. I also learned recently that Silver Hills is officially in Washington State, but I refuse to move it when it so obviously looks like California.
Part of this is similar to a story by Giannola, my thanks to her for not objecting to my using the same plot idea.
Steve Miller was unhappy. It was an unusual state for him, being consciously unhappy. Most of the time he simply didn't think about it, one way or the other. He just did his job, a job which took up most of his life. And most of the time it was enough.
Now, typically, it was his job as Lieutenant Commander of the Silver Guardians that was making him unhappy; or not the job exactly, but the fact that he couldn't reach Wes Collins. While Wes wasn't the most conscientious person in the world, he could be relied on to check in periodically. And so far today, there had been no word from him since an early morning call to say he was still with his father in the hospital. Steve had tried Wes's cell phone and gotten no answer. He could be in a large building, he could have turned his phone off. He had an annoying habit of doing that. He could be following up a lead, he and Jen could be at lunch and didn't want to be disturbed. They weren't kids, after all. But some gut instinct told him something was wrong.
The worst part of the problem, the thing that was making him unhappy, was that he didn't know what to do about it. Mr. Collins was in the hospital, he would be no help, and Steve was reluctant to worry him. He was under strict orders not to call Eric except in an emergency, and it was probably nothing, after all...
Much too soon to be concerned, he decided. Wes always checked with him by the end of the day. He'd show up.
Wes walked into his office and stood for a moment, sighing, before crossing the room to sit behind his desk. He picked up the small pile of papers in his inbox and tried to concentrate. After a few minutes he gave it up and let his mind drift, remembering what had happened in the garden that morning. His mind had cleared quickly, his memories becoming real and coherent. And unpleasant.
Months ago, Jen had used him to unlock the morphers. Then she had taken the red morpher back, calling him a spoiled child who had never had to fight for anything in his life. He had been angry and hurt, mostly because he had known she was right. He had gone to considerable trouble to impress her after that, hoping to join the team on a permanent basis, even finding them a place to live in the old clock tower. But it had done no good.
He grimaced, remembering what had happened. He had fallen in love with Jen, a hopeless and so far unreturned love. He had pursued her, taken her out several times, thought he had a chance. But every time he tried to get closer, make their relationship more intimate, she would withdraw and mention Alex. He believed that she was sincerely devoted to the memory of her recently dead fiancé, but over six months had passed now, and nothing had changed.
And then, to make things worse, Eric had shown up, found the Quantum morpher, and succeeded where Wes had failed. Become the fifth Ranger. Fought at Jen's side against Ransik. Taken what Wes had wanted… He frowned. Eric had been arrogant and hostile when he had shown up in Silver Hills, but becoming a Ranger and commander of the Silver Guardians had seemed to settle him down. With time, they had begun to work together at Bio-Lab, and had even begun a cautious friendship. But they had little in common, little reason to spend time together. Wes was unable to overcome the envy he felt, and he suspected Eric envied him his money and relatively easy position in life.
"Got a minute for your father?" The voice, accompanied by a knock on the open door, distracted him. Looking up, he smiled quickly. "Dad. What's up?"
"Meeting in half an hour. Don't forget."
"I won't." Wes sighed. "What's this one about again?"
Annoyance crossed Collins' face. "Progress report on East Coast sales. Wes..."
"I know, I forgot again. Sorry."
"Eric will be there." Collins took a few steps into the room. "He'll be prepared for it, and you won't. You don't want him to look better than you, do you?"
Wes frowned at him, surprised and hurt. "Dad... I didn't know I had to compete with him."
"It might be good for you to compete with him. He's a Ranger. He's got command of the Guardians. On top of that, he's doing a better job as a businessman than you are."
"What?" Wes stood, anger stirring inside him now. "That's not fair!"
"Life isn't fair, son. If it was, you'd be doing all those things. You'd have everything Eric has."
"I..." Shaken, Wes stared at him.
"Amazing, how he can handle being a Ranger, leading the Guardians, and keep up with the business side. He's quite a man. Ambitious. He worked hard to get where he is. At Bio-Lab, and with the Rangers."
"And I didn't."
"Well, I'm sorry, son, but it's the truth. You can't blame Jen for accepting him into the team. Eric's a great Ranger."
"Huh. She didn't have much choice, when he wouldn't give up his morpher."
"But they're pretty friendly now... Wes... There's something I have to say." His father hesitated, a look of compassion on his face, but his eyes watching with only coldness behind them. "You're not going to like this, but someone has to tell you sooner or later. Eric and Jen have been seeing each other."
"What?" Wes stared at him, his heart freezing. "What are you talking about?"
A hand touched his shoulder. His father was next to him now, his voice low. "Son, I know how you feel." There was a pause. "I know how much you care for her. But she's been with Eric for a while now. They didn't want you to know."
"What? Eric and Jen? No..."
Collins stared at him, then turned to look out the window, standing close, his voice continuing softly. "All that time you spent, trying to get closer to Jen. She was just starting to like you… But then Eric came along. After he became the Quantum Ranger… All those months of working together… She fell for him. That's why you haven't gotten anywhere with her."
"No. It can't be true!"
"It's true, Wes." Collins sighed. "I don't blame you for taking it hard. Must be tough, losing someone like Jen, especially to a man you thought was your friend."
"Yes, Eric's my friend..."
"But would a friend have taken everything you want? Would a friend be with the woman you love?"
"No... I don't know..." He pressed a hand to his head, feeling unsteady. "This isn't right. How could Jen be with Eric?"
"She leads a team of trained combat officers. You're a kid from the suburbs who was never in a real fight before in your life. Eric -- he's been in the military, had the training, was in the Silver Guardians -- and face it, he's handsome, he can even be charming, when he wants something. Wasn't it natural she'd fall for him?"
Feeling weak, Wes felt the backs of his knees contact the chair and sat heavily. It was all true, it must be true. It even made a perverse kind of sense. He looked back up at his father, pain starting to turn to anger and resentment. "Maybe if you'd let me join the Guardians, things would have been different."
"You in the Guardians?" Collins chuckled. "You never showed an interest, until it was too late. And you're not exactly the type. Eric's doing a great job as commander. Just like he's moving up in Bio-Lab -- he's got all the dedication and drive you never had. Someday he'll take over the company."
"But I'm your son! I should be the one to take over."
His father leaned on the desk, smiling slightly and bending close to speak almost in his ear. "Now, that just wouldn't make any sense, Wes. You never took an interest in the company. You never cared, not even enough to stay awake in meetings. Eric is the one who knows what's going on, the one who understands the business, the one who can make the tough decisions. You're a low-level manager. Be satisfied with that. It's as high as you're going to go."
"But -- I've been trying -- I've been learning..."
"Doesn't that just prove it? You went to business school -- Harvard -- you grew up in my home, had the best education, the best training, and yet a high-school dropout who grew up in an orphanage already knows more about Bio-Lab than you do."
"That's not true! There are things I can do better than Eric!"
"He's tougher, smarter, stronger."
"I'm better at dealing with people! And he's not smarter or stronger!"
"He works harder."
"If you'd just given me a chance... I could be a good leader for the Guardians, and a good businessman. I know I could."
Collins laughed again, softly but with a mocking note. "You had plenty of chances, Wes. And you blew them all."
Wes stood up again and turned away, his heart filling with bitterness. "If Jen had let me be a Ranger, none of this would have happened."
"Can you blame her?"
"I... I don't know." Wes raised a hand to his head, trying to hold back another wave of dizziness.
"Jen and Eric. They're together, now. They've gone off somewhere." Collins' eyes became intent. Just for an instant, Wes thought he saw something flash in them, something silver, but then it was gone, leaving icy blue. "Where are they, Wes? Where's Eric gone?" he asked, in a soft but intense voice.
"No -- you're confusing me…"
"You could find them, stop them."
"I don't understand..."
"He's touching her… His hands are on her, on her body… He's kissing her, she's kissing back…"
"No! Why are you saying that?"
"She thinks he's better than you, as a Ranger. As a person." Collins' voice was even closer, filling his head with the image of Eric and Jen, together, their bodies naked, moving together… It became a whisper that seemed to pierce right into Wes's heart. "She thinks he's a better lover, too."
"NOO!" Wes jumped up, looked around blindly, and ran from the office, pushing his father aside. He slammed through the door into empty corridors, and kept running, an angry voice shouting behind him.
"No, I haven't heard from Jen."
Steve frowned as he listened to Jimmy Duran's voice over the phone. "Did she check in with anyone? Any idea where they could be?"
"She called this morning and said she was going to the hospital to check on Collins and Wes. I didn't really expect to see her. Assumed she was working on the case on her own, or maybe went home to get some rest."
"Yeah, they had a rough night."
"Look, it's probably nothing. It's only been a few hours. They could be somewhere out of cell phone coverage, or have them turned off..."
"I guess you're right. Thanks, Jimmy. Let me know if she calls."
"I will. And... get in touch if you hear anything first."
Steve put the phone down and sighed. Probably nothing. Just his own paranoia. But he had heard just a hint of worry in Jimmy's voice.
Jen stirred, the lingering sweet smell of flowers in her nostrils, and opened her eyes. Squinting in brightly blinding light, she tried to raise a hand, but something held her back. Startled, frightened, she looked down at herself. She was dressed in prison gray, and chains glinted in the light, her hands cuffed in front of her. She pulled at them in panic.
"Don't fight. You'll only hurt yourself," a voice murmured. She looked around, seeing three uniformed guards around her, just outside the small circle of light she was standing in. It was darkened everywhere else in the large room she sensed she was in. The guards' faces were shadowed, only their eyes visible, watching her coldly, watching her as if she was some dangerous animal.
"Please continue your testimony, Commander Drake." The voice came from above her, out of the darkness. Peering up, Jen could just make out a raised bench, with three hooded figures sitting behind it.
"Yes, Judge." This voice was familiar, terribly familiar. Jen squinted again, seeing a box next to the judges' bench, a witness stand, with someone in it. His face was familiar, too.
"Alex," she whispered.
Perhaps he heard her. His eyes moved sharply to her face, his expression hard and unyielding. He watched her as he began to speak.
"When the Rangers' mission was completed in 2001, they were instructed to return home. Captain Logan gave them a direct order, and sent a timeship for them. They knew the situation, knew the risk to the timeline if they stayed longer than they had to." His gaze intensified on Jen's face. "The others came back as ordered. But Jen didn't."
She closed her eyes, shutting out the hard cold mask of his face. She had stayed in 2001... It didn't seem right. She had decided... But the memories fell into place, slowly, one by one. Months of hiding, with Wes. Running. Being hunted down, by Alex and her former teammates. Finally being caught, giving up, neither she nor Wes being willing to fight their friends. The tearing pain of being separated from the man she loved, forever, the shame of being arrested, locked up, brought to trial, surrounded by contemptuous and condemning eyes.
"What happened that day?"
"Lucas, Katie, and Trip waited at the timeship. Eventually Eric came to tell them Jen and Wes had disappeared, run away together."
"The accused was your fiancée at that time, was she not?"
"Yes, Judge, she was."
"Did she contact you? Give any reason for her actions?"
"Yes, Judge. Eric brought a letter she had left for me and her former teammates."
"Please summarize the contents of that letter for the court."
"It said..." He hesitated for the first time. "It said she had found her one true love. And she couldn't give him up. Even if it meant betraying me, and the promises we made. Even if it meant damaging the timeline. Even if it meant changing history, throwing our world into an alternate reality. She didn't care how many lives she destroyed, as long as she and Wes were happy."
There was a murmur from the stands surrounding them. Jen could see them now, a sea of dim forms, people sitting in their places watching the trial. A buzz of shocked disapproval rose from them.
"What happened then?"
"Lucas, Katie, and Trip obeyed orders. They returned to our time and reported in. We realized we had a serious situation that required correction. I was given the black morpher, made a Ranger again, and sent with the other Rangers to capture Jen."
"Wasn't that considered a threat to the timeline also?"
"Yes, sir. But the greater risk would have been leaving her there. We had no choice, she forced us to do it."
"Did the accused attempt to hide? Did she resist arrest?"
"She and her lover fled. They managed to avoid detection for a few months. When we tracked them down they tried to escape, but they surrendered when they realized they were trapped."
"Where is Wesley Collins now?"
"We brought him here, temporarily, to testify."
Startled, Jen pulled in a breath and looked around, trying to find Wes. She saw only blank, hostile faces. And then she saw them. A tall Asian man, a tall brown-skinned woman, a head of bright green hair. All sitting in the witness section.
"Thank you, Commander Drake. You may step down. Call the next witness." There was a pause while another form took his place in the witness stand. "State your name."
"Lucas Kendall." His eyes fell on Jen as he added, squaring his shoulders slightly, "Time Force officer."
"Can you support Commander Drake's statement? Is that the way it happened?"
Without hesitation, he replied. "Yes. That's the way it happened. We all knew Jen was in love with Wes. We knew she didn't want to leave him. But she was a Time Force officer, one of the best. She worked harder than anyone to stop Ransik from changing history. We never suspected she'd turn traitor to us, to her entire world, just to be with him."
Jen swallowed and looked away, unable to meet his harsh gaze.
"And can you think of any extenuating circumstances? Anything that might excuse her behavior, or give the court reason to show mercy?"
She stole another glance at him. His face showed nothing as he answered. "No. She broke the law. She knew what she was doing. There's no excuse for what she did." He paused, his face becoming even harder, colder. "She's a disgrace to Time Force."
"You're excused. Next witness."
"Katie Walker. Time Force officer." Her eyes were filled with pain, her face pinched with it.
"Do you support the testimony given before the court in this case?"
"Yes, sir." It was not much more than a whisper, but it carried clearly to Jen.
"Can you offer any insight into why she did it? Any reason, any logic?"
Katie raised her eyes to the judges' bench. "She did it for love, Judge. The oldest reason in the world."
"Are you saying you understand it?"
"I..." She looked back at Jen, seeming to struggle with herself. "I don't know. Perhaps I understand it, we can all understand love, wanting to do anything, give everything up for love. If she had only hurt herself, I could understand. But she was willing to hurt everyone; Alex, us, our families, everyone... I can't understand that." She took a deep breath. "I hate saying it. But Jen betrayed us all."
"Can you offer any reason for the court to show mercy?"
"No. I'm sorry, Jen."
"That's all, Officer Walker. Call the next witness."
Green hair, a youthful face, now filled with as much distress as Katie's. Trip took the stand, avoiding her eyes after one quick glance.
"Please state your name."
"Trip Regis. Time Force officer."
"Have you anything to add to the testimony given before this court?"
He took a breath, glancing at Jen briefly again. "Everything that's been said here is true. Jen should have come back with us. She knew it was important for her to leave 2001. Knew the consequences if she stayed. But she chose Wes over everything and everyone else."
"Do you know any reason why the court should show mercy?"
"Judge..." He hesitated, looking even more troubled. "Jen was our teammate. She did a great job. I don't think we could have beaten Ransik without her. She led us, gave us guidance and support, kept us in line, trained Wes, made us all into good Rangers. Our whole world owes her a big debt."
"Are you saying she should be excused because of what she did before her crime?"
"No." He sighed, looking directly into Jen's face. "It just makes it worse. Jen saved all of us. She worked so hard, did so much. She knew exactly how important it was. And then... she was willing to destroy all of that, just to be with Wes. To please herself. To make herself happy, at the expense of other lives."
There was silence for a moment. "Do you still consider her your friend?"
Trip hung his head, lips trembling for a moment before he whispered, "No."
Wes ran, chest heaving, through hallways that seemed to never end. He slowed, bent over, then moved to brace himself against a wall. Panic filled him. As his breathing slowed, he looked around, the cold, empty corridors slowly becoming familiar, until he finally recognized where he was. Ironically, right where he was supposed to be, outside the conference room where the meeting he was supposed to attend was being held.
"Wes, are you all right?" A glance showed his father in the doorway, his face shadowed.
"Dad... Sure, I'm fine."
Collins shook his head. "You're always doing this. Always acting on impulse, without thinking."
"Sorry, Dad."
"Well, come on in. The meeting's about to start."
Wes followed him in. Everyone else was already there, faces turning to watch him come in, watch him walk to his place and sit down, the last one, as usual. Eric was a few places away, his face blank and impassive, his dark eyes staring coldly. He nodded as he met Wes's gaze.
"Now that everyone's here, we can get started." His father's voice seemed to trail into a blur of background sounds as Wes watched Eric furtively, wondering. He had to know the truth, know if his friend was betraying him, with the woman who should have been his. And he'd find out. Soon.
He was just about to dial the hospital, still wondering how to ask without causing unnecessary worry, when his phone rang. Steve picked it up, his pulse quickening, already sensing it was something he didn't want to hear.
"Steve?"
"Mr. Collins. Sir. I was just about to call you."
"Steve, have you heard from Wes or Jen in the last few hours?"
He paused for a moment, unconsciously raising a hand to run his fingers through his hair. "No. I guess you haven't either."
"Right. He hasn't called. He was supposed to take me home from the hospital today. I can't reach him or Jen."
"Shit... Sorry, sir. I've been trying to get him since before lunch. Tried Jimmy, too, but he hasn't heard from Jen. Thought they might just be busy, following a lead or something... Didn't want to worry you. But if he didn't come to pick you up, something must be wrong."
"Yes." A hesitation on the other end. "We have to call Eric."
"Yeah. He's the only one who can find them quickly, with his morpher." The decision made, Steve stood up. "Do you want to call, or should I?"
"I will... No. Damn. Call him, and arrange to back him up with a troop of Guardians. You can move faster that way."
"Right away, sir."
"I'm counting on you, Steve. And pass that along to Eric, too."
He hung up, called the number, felt relief when the familiar voice answered. "Sir," he said, "I'm afraid I have bad news."
TBC...
