Chapter 4
"Jen is not going, period."
"But, Alex."
"I said she's not going, Katie," Alex said, lifting both arms. The research assistants pasted different measurement gear onto his arms, his back, and the sides of his chest.
"But, Jen was the one who found he was there, she deserves to go!" Katie said. "Not to mention, she is the only one who can detect a trap."
"She's not going," Alex said simply. "I can detect a trap. And, in case you have chosen not to think about this, if it is a trap, it's to get her."
"Well, I give you that," Katie said. "But, don't you think she deserves to decide if she wants to hide or fight?"
"No," Alex said, and his entire body shuddered when one of the assistants stuck an electrode covered in cold gel to his left nipple. "Because she's going to choose to fight and it won't do her any good."
"It's her life," Katie said forcefully. "And she has the right to choose what to do with it."
"She's my wife!" Alex said forcefully in his turn. "And I swore to protect her from any harm!"
"And what's your plan? Locking her in the house forever? Because she's a Time Force officer, just like you and me, and she likes the risk."
"Not this risk," Alex said softly. The assistants ceased all contact with his body and walked towards their computers. "You haven't seen her, you don't sleep in the same bed with her and you don't know what she's going through."
"First, I have seen her, she's thin and tired. Not to mention the other day I got a taste of the horrible images that go through her mind when she accidentally sent them my way with her telepathy powers. Second, I'm sure the fact that we don't sleep in the same bed is a very good thing and third." Katie shut up and took a deep breath. "All right, I really don't know what she's going through, but I'm sure it doesn't feel good. That's why we want to help her!"
"This discussion isn't about you wanting to help Jennifer or not," Alex said. "This discussion is about the reasons why Jennifer is not going with us to that house."
"Us?" Katie repeated. "Exactly what makes you think she's not going to pull the husband card and ask YOU not to go because it's dangerous? At least she's a Ranger."
"Nothing assures me she won't, in fact I'm convinced she will, but the difference is I'm her superior, and I can order her not to go, while she has to ask me to do what she wants."
"That is abuse of power," Katie said.
"Maybe, but I'm not letting my wife get in the wolf's cave," he said.
"Interesting choice of words," Katie said and they both broke into a soft laugh. Of course, the wolf matter was nothing to laugh about, Jen's mother had died trying to save a mare from a pack of wolves, and in consequence Jen had a pathological fear of wolves.
"So, you are not letting her go?" Katie asked, while the assistants pushed her out of the room in complete silence.
"Katie, we both know Jennifer," Alex said. "Does it really matter if I let her go or not?"
Katie was taken out of the room which looked more like a giant glass tank than anything else. Trapped inside were Alex, two scientists and four assistants and about a dozen computer consoles and an awful lot of cables, of all colors and sizes; connecting the computers to each other and to Alex. Outside of the tank stood Katie, along with Lucas and Trip, who had had their turn to talk to Alex about the house.
Since Jen had heard Ransik's voice in the attic the previous day, they had presented Alex with the idea of exploring the house to see if Jen was right, and to find more information if she was. But Alex had refused to let them do it the previous day, because when he picked Jen up in her office after welcoming his mother back, it had already been dark.
In the morning Alex agreed for them to go, but he refused forcefully to let Jen go with them. She was a potential victim and he wasn't about to throw her into a trap. In that moment, when Alex was held captive by some research that required his presence, had seemed to be the perfect moment to try to convince him of the opposite.
Suddenly, the glass of the room's wall became dark, and they couldn't see anything from the outside. Inside, Alex looked at the silver device on his left wrist and smiled. He had a sensation of déjà vu, but a good one. He felt the warmth of knowing. A strange happiness built in his heart as he remembered the first time he had been in that room, many years ago.
Back then he was single and dedicated first to his work and then to his personal life. He was alone and he liked it. He had done two or three tests a week for about a month and then he had been given the product of all the hard work.
And that very same day he had met Jennifer and it suddenly hadn't felt that important. All that stuff he had gone through, even days in the hospital suffering from the side effects, was suddenly unimportant, because the only thing that mattered was seeing that smile again. The only important thing were those brown eyes, the only thing he wanted to do was kissing those soft lips.
He suddenly had stopped wanting to be the Red Time Force Ranger, he now wanted to be just Alex (not even Alexander Drake because his last name had a powerful influence in that city) and be her boyfriend. And he had gotten it. All of it, becoming her boyfriend and being just Alex and being the Red Time Force Ranger. He shook his head before he could bring all the memories back. Being defeated by Ransik, losing his powers, and most importantly, losing Jen.
"Colonel," said one of the scientists. "Proceed."
Alex nodded and lifted his left wrist. He pressed two fingers against the big button in the middle of the device and said the words he thought he was never going to say again: "Time for Time Force!"
*********************************
Jen sat in her office. Bored as she was, she was twirling on her secretary chair like a little girl. There was a knock on the door, and she sat straight and turned on her computer.
"Come in!"
It was Major Logan. "Captain," he started. Jen stood up and saluted. "Please sit down," he told her.
She obeyed. "What can I do for you?" she asked, picking up a pencil and playing with it absentmindedly.
The Major's sight fell on it and then he looked up at her, severely. Jen put the pencil back in the holder. "I know you and Colonel Drake were in charge of a case about ten months ago," he started.
Jen took a deep breath. She would have rolled her eyes if she'd have been able to. He was going to ask her if she wanted to get out of the case, because of all the danger she was in, and then he was going to start with a list of reasons why she was the best woman for the job, and then he'd tell her he was glad she was going to take care of it, without even letting her say a word.
"And I know all the danger you are in right now, so if you want to leave this case in the hands of somebody else, then fell free to tell me."
Jen smiled politely. She knew that no matter what she said, she was going to get stuck with this case, so she might as well say she was glad to take care of it before he started enumerating the things that made her perfect for the job. "Don't worry," she said. "I'm willing to carry on with this case, there's a chance The Mistress might be back, and if there is, then I have to get her," she assured him. He looked at her, seeming surprised. Jen could have told him who The Mistress was and why she wanted to get her, but decided good old fashioned pride would do it. "Nobody kidnaps my boyfriend, attacks my friends and shoots me and walks away freely. I'm going to get her," she assured him with a smile. She didn't know if she was proud or ashamed of being such a good half-liar.
"Well, if that's the case," Major Logan said, getting up. "Are you sure this won't be personal? Because if it is, then you can't take care of this case for that reason," he added rather nervously. She was his subordinate, but he tiptoed around her as if she was his superior. It probably had to do with her sleeping with Alex every night.
"Don't worry, Major," she said, smiling. "I assure you my husband won't let me break any rules."
Logan nodded and smiled politely. "If that's so, good luck," he said and saluted. She responded and he left.
"You are dismissed," Jen whispered playfully after him.
Her phone rang and she picked it up. "Scotts Drake." After she had gotten married, and therefore taken Alex's last name, she had started to pick up the phone and say: 'Drake' like a good wife. But she always got the 'Oh, I'm sorry, I was certain I had dialed Captain Scotts's number,' answer, so she added her husband's last name after her own.
"Jen? Hey, you all right?"
"Yes, Alex, I'm still alive," He chuckled at the annoyance of her voice.
"Great! You have any plans for this afternoon?"
"No."
"I'll come pick you up and take you out for lunch, I have great news."
"What news?" she asked, starting to focus on him.
"Hey!" he complained. "No peeking! Don't read my mind; I want this to be a surprise!" Jen was amazed by him. Her powers were so strong that people couldn't feel her when she read their minds, but Alex could feel her, it was a strange link between them and it was useful. That had helped her find him when The Mistress had kidnapped him and many other times after that.
Technically, with the rank he had, Alex should stay in headquarters all the time, sitting behind a desk, having his subordinates do all the dangerous stuff (or having all the fun like he used to say), but he was an adventurer and he liked to go out and capture the mutants himself, which usually led to him getting in a lot of trouble, because he used to forget he was no longer the Red Ranger.
"All right, all right, I'm not reading your mind," she said.
"Promise."
"I promise, I won't."
"Ok, I'll pick you up in twenty minutes," he said.
"I'll be waiting," she said. "I love you."
"Right back at you," he said and hung up. Jen hung up.
There was another knock on the door and she frowned. A lot of activity in the past five minutes, and she had been bored all day long. "Come in," she said. To her surprise, Samantha Drake made her way into her office.
"Good afternoon, Jennifer," she said throwing a quick glance at her watch. Jen did as well; it was twenty-five minutes past noon.
"Mrs. Drake," she said. Since she had called her 'Jennifer' and not 'Captain' she assumed her mother-in-law wanted to keep the conversation personal.
"It's the first time today somebody forgot about my profession," she said. Jen tensed. She was acting way too sweetly, and she didn't want to let her guard down. She reminded herself this was the woman who had kidnapped and killed fourteen children and had shot her. "No need to be so tense, Jennifer," she said noticing her companion's state.
Jen opened her mind. She tried to get into the other woman's mind. But she had some kind of protection and her thoughts bounced back at her like they had when she had tried to find Alex. She knew she could still hear what Mrs. Drake was thinking, but that would have meant she had to stay quiet and pay attention, and that would have given away her intentions.
"What do you want?" she asked rather defiantly going for the old-fashion again.
"I want to get to know you better, since you will be married to my son 'as long as you both shall live', right?" she said.
To be continued.
"Jen is not going, period."
"But, Alex."
"I said she's not going, Katie," Alex said, lifting both arms. The research assistants pasted different measurement gear onto his arms, his back, and the sides of his chest.
"But, Jen was the one who found he was there, she deserves to go!" Katie said. "Not to mention, she is the only one who can detect a trap."
"She's not going," Alex said simply. "I can detect a trap. And, in case you have chosen not to think about this, if it is a trap, it's to get her."
"Well, I give you that," Katie said. "But, don't you think she deserves to decide if she wants to hide or fight?"
"No," Alex said, and his entire body shuddered when one of the assistants stuck an electrode covered in cold gel to his left nipple. "Because she's going to choose to fight and it won't do her any good."
"It's her life," Katie said forcefully. "And she has the right to choose what to do with it."
"She's my wife!" Alex said forcefully in his turn. "And I swore to protect her from any harm!"
"And what's your plan? Locking her in the house forever? Because she's a Time Force officer, just like you and me, and she likes the risk."
"Not this risk," Alex said softly. The assistants ceased all contact with his body and walked towards their computers. "You haven't seen her, you don't sleep in the same bed with her and you don't know what she's going through."
"First, I have seen her, she's thin and tired. Not to mention the other day I got a taste of the horrible images that go through her mind when she accidentally sent them my way with her telepathy powers. Second, I'm sure the fact that we don't sleep in the same bed is a very good thing and third." Katie shut up and took a deep breath. "All right, I really don't know what she's going through, but I'm sure it doesn't feel good. That's why we want to help her!"
"This discussion isn't about you wanting to help Jennifer or not," Alex said. "This discussion is about the reasons why Jennifer is not going with us to that house."
"Us?" Katie repeated. "Exactly what makes you think she's not going to pull the husband card and ask YOU not to go because it's dangerous? At least she's a Ranger."
"Nothing assures me she won't, in fact I'm convinced she will, but the difference is I'm her superior, and I can order her not to go, while she has to ask me to do what she wants."
"That is abuse of power," Katie said.
"Maybe, but I'm not letting my wife get in the wolf's cave," he said.
"Interesting choice of words," Katie said and they both broke into a soft laugh. Of course, the wolf matter was nothing to laugh about, Jen's mother had died trying to save a mare from a pack of wolves, and in consequence Jen had a pathological fear of wolves.
"So, you are not letting her go?" Katie asked, while the assistants pushed her out of the room in complete silence.
"Katie, we both know Jennifer," Alex said. "Does it really matter if I let her go or not?"
Katie was taken out of the room which looked more like a giant glass tank than anything else. Trapped inside were Alex, two scientists and four assistants and about a dozen computer consoles and an awful lot of cables, of all colors and sizes; connecting the computers to each other and to Alex. Outside of the tank stood Katie, along with Lucas and Trip, who had had their turn to talk to Alex about the house.
Since Jen had heard Ransik's voice in the attic the previous day, they had presented Alex with the idea of exploring the house to see if Jen was right, and to find more information if she was. But Alex had refused to let them do it the previous day, because when he picked Jen up in her office after welcoming his mother back, it had already been dark.
In the morning Alex agreed for them to go, but he refused forcefully to let Jen go with them. She was a potential victim and he wasn't about to throw her into a trap. In that moment, when Alex was held captive by some research that required his presence, had seemed to be the perfect moment to try to convince him of the opposite.
Suddenly, the glass of the room's wall became dark, and they couldn't see anything from the outside. Inside, Alex looked at the silver device on his left wrist and smiled. He had a sensation of déjà vu, but a good one. He felt the warmth of knowing. A strange happiness built in his heart as he remembered the first time he had been in that room, many years ago.
Back then he was single and dedicated first to his work and then to his personal life. He was alone and he liked it. He had done two or three tests a week for about a month and then he had been given the product of all the hard work.
And that very same day he had met Jennifer and it suddenly hadn't felt that important. All that stuff he had gone through, even days in the hospital suffering from the side effects, was suddenly unimportant, because the only thing that mattered was seeing that smile again. The only important thing were those brown eyes, the only thing he wanted to do was kissing those soft lips.
He suddenly had stopped wanting to be the Red Time Force Ranger, he now wanted to be just Alex (not even Alexander Drake because his last name had a powerful influence in that city) and be her boyfriend. And he had gotten it. All of it, becoming her boyfriend and being just Alex and being the Red Time Force Ranger. He shook his head before he could bring all the memories back. Being defeated by Ransik, losing his powers, and most importantly, losing Jen.
"Colonel," said one of the scientists. "Proceed."
Alex nodded and lifted his left wrist. He pressed two fingers against the big button in the middle of the device and said the words he thought he was never going to say again: "Time for Time Force!"
*********************************
Jen sat in her office. Bored as she was, she was twirling on her secretary chair like a little girl. There was a knock on the door, and she sat straight and turned on her computer.
"Come in!"
It was Major Logan. "Captain," he started. Jen stood up and saluted. "Please sit down," he told her.
She obeyed. "What can I do for you?" she asked, picking up a pencil and playing with it absentmindedly.
The Major's sight fell on it and then he looked up at her, severely. Jen put the pencil back in the holder. "I know you and Colonel Drake were in charge of a case about ten months ago," he started.
Jen took a deep breath. She would have rolled her eyes if she'd have been able to. He was going to ask her if she wanted to get out of the case, because of all the danger she was in, and then he was going to start with a list of reasons why she was the best woman for the job, and then he'd tell her he was glad she was going to take care of it, without even letting her say a word.
"And I know all the danger you are in right now, so if you want to leave this case in the hands of somebody else, then fell free to tell me."
Jen smiled politely. She knew that no matter what she said, she was going to get stuck with this case, so she might as well say she was glad to take care of it before he started enumerating the things that made her perfect for the job. "Don't worry," she said. "I'm willing to carry on with this case, there's a chance The Mistress might be back, and if there is, then I have to get her," she assured him. He looked at her, seeming surprised. Jen could have told him who The Mistress was and why she wanted to get her, but decided good old fashioned pride would do it. "Nobody kidnaps my boyfriend, attacks my friends and shoots me and walks away freely. I'm going to get her," she assured him with a smile. She didn't know if she was proud or ashamed of being such a good half-liar.
"Well, if that's the case," Major Logan said, getting up. "Are you sure this won't be personal? Because if it is, then you can't take care of this case for that reason," he added rather nervously. She was his subordinate, but he tiptoed around her as if she was his superior. It probably had to do with her sleeping with Alex every night.
"Don't worry, Major," she said, smiling. "I assure you my husband won't let me break any rules."
Logan nodded and smiled politely. "If that's so, good luck," he said and saluted. She responded and he left.
"You are dismissed," Jen whispered playfully after him.
Her phone rang and she picked it up. "Scotts Drake." After she had gotten married, and therefore taken Alex's last name, she had started to pick up the phone and say: 'Drake' like a good wife. But she always got the 'Oh, I'm sorry, I was certain I had dialed Captain Scotts's number,' answer, so she added her husband's last name after her own.
"Jen? Hey, you all right?"
"Yes, Alex, I'm still alive," He chuckled at the annoyance of her voice.
"Great! You have any plans for this afternoon?"
"No."
"I'll come pick you up and take you out for lunch, I have great news."
"What news?" she asked, starting to focus on him.
"Hey!" he complained. "No peeking! Don't read my mind; I want this to be a surprise!" Jen was amazed by him. Her powers were so strong that people couldn't feel her when she read their minds, but Alex could feel her, it was a strange link between them and it was useful. That had helped her find him when The Mistress had kidnapped him and many other times after that.
Technically, with the rank he had, Alex should stay in headquarters all the time, sitting behind a desk, having his subordinates do all the dangerous stuff (or having all the fun like he used to say), but he was an adventurer and he liked to go out and capture the mutants himself, which usually led to him getting in a lot of trouble, because he used to forget he was no longer the Red Ranger.
"All right, all right, I'm not reading your mind," she said.
"Promise."
"I promise, I won't."
"Ok, I'll pick you up in twenty minutes," he said.
"I'll be waiting," she said. "I love you."
"Right back at you," he said and hung up. Jen hung up.
There was another knock on the door and she frowned. A lot of activity in the past five minutes, and she had been bored all day long. "Come in," she said. To her surprise, Samantha Drake made her way into her office.
"Good afternoon, Jennifer," she said throwing a quick glance at her watch. Jen did as well; it was twenty-five minutes past noon.
"Mrs. Drake," she said. Since she had called her 'Jennifer' and not 'Captain' she assumed her mother-in-law wanted to keep the conversation personal.
"It's the first time today somebody forgot about my profession," she said. Jen tensed. She was acting way too sweetly, and she didn't want to let her guard down. She reminded herself this was the woman who had kidnapped and killed fourteen children and had shot her. "No need to be so tense, Jennifer," she said noticing her companion's state.
Jen opened her mind. She tried to get into the other woman's mind. But she had some kind of protection and her thoughts bounced back at her like they had when she had tried to find Alex. She knew she could still hear what Mrs. Drake was thinking, but that would have meant she had to stay quiet and pay attention, and that would have given away her intentions.
"What do you want?" she asked rather defiantly going for the old-fashion again.
"I want to get to know you better, since you will be married to my son 'as long as you both shall live', right?" she said.
To be continued.
