Chapter 30

The door burst open and three monsters made their way into the house. Josephine yelled at the top of her lungs and ran upstairs to look for her children, followed by Kevin who was trying to protect her from the three gigantic monsters that came after them.

Josephine burst into their children's room and woke them up. "Mark! Mathew! Wake up, now, we have to run, hurry!" The twins opened their eyes sleepily and their parents grabbed one each and ran towards the attic. "Kevin, now what?" Josephine asked, desperate as her husband bolted the entrance to the attic. "That won't hold them back for too long, there are many of them that can fly!"

She kissed the hair of her baby Mathew, who was crying fearfully on her shoulder. She was crying herself, unable to believe that this day had finally arrived. She had been getting ready to make love to her husband minutes ago and now she was running for her life, holding her children tight against her chest, trying to find a way to protect them.

"We have to get out of this house, Jossie, we have to escape through the window," he told her, with Mark hanging from his neck, trembling.

"We'll get killed!" she complained as tears ran down her cheeks, exposing her desperation and fear.

"Josephine, I need you to calm down. It's going to be okay if you do as I tell you, but you have to calm down," he instructed her, grabbing one of her shoulders and shaking her, trying to make her regain control of herself.

She nodded and sniffed. "Okay, what do we have to do?"

"For now, the only way we can get out of this attic is through magic," he told her with a significant look. She looked around at the contents of the attic and saw several huge wooden boxes where they kept most of the things they didn't need. "I asked some of the men to empty some of these boxes for us, all we have to do is get in them, until your sister's friends get here," he explained. "Now, take that one, and hide inside it with Mathew. I'll take Mark with me, okay?"

"Okay," she said.

"Stop crying, or you'll give yourself away. And boys," he added, looking at his twin sons. "Be strong and brave for Mommy and Daddy, okay? Keep it quiet; don't say a word, all right?" the boys nodded, too scared to talk. "I'll see you in a bit," he told Josephine and they shared one last kiss, not knowing if it was truly going to be their last.

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"MUTAAAAAAAAAANTS!!!" Buda bellowed at his top volume, calling for everyone's attention. "Where?!" Alex asked, putting his jacket on, followed by the others.

"At the Simmonses' farm, hurry!" Circuit completed.

Alex looked at the others and they all nodded. "Let's go!"

They teleported out. Wes and Jessica arrived at the room only a split second later.

"Where are the others?" Wes asked.

"At the farm, mutants are finally attacking," Circuit answered. Wes felt Jessica grasp his hand tightly.

"It's okay, Honey, don't worry, they'll be alright," he assured her.

"It's not that," she said through gritted teeth. "My water broke, Wesley, it's time," she said.

Wes stood there frozen for a second. This is going to be one long day, he said in his mind.

Nah, you think? He heard a female voice add, it wasn't Jen's. He looked at Jessica questioningly but she was waiting for him to react to the news.

"Wesley?" she urged. He shook his head and walked to the hallway.

"Philips, it's time, get the car ready!" he ordered.

"On my way, sir," the servant answered immediately.

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The house was theirs now, but the Simmonses were nowhere to be seen, or so she was informed. "So what? They just disappeared into thin air?!" The Mistress asked angrily of her mutants.

"Mommy, if you allow me and Daddy to go--" Nadira began, but The Mistress cut her off.

"Not a chance," she said firmly through her mask. "You and your father will stay here and guide the youngsters in battle, now that the Power Rangers have arrived. Centauricon, Boulderac, you are going in. Fly-tag, watch the house from above," she ordered. Fly-tag took off, while Centauricon and Boulderac entered the house.

"I heard them run upstairs," Boulderac said once inside.

"Let's check the upper floor, and see if Fly-tag can get the children," Centauricon answered. With 'get the children' they had meant 'save the children'.

They moved upstairs swiftly. "Man, you have to tell me how did you learn to climb stairs," Boulderac said.

"Well, sometimes you just don't have a choice, pal," the centaur answered as he climbed the stairs expertly.

They heard explosions outside and saw sparks and laser beams fly back and forth. "That is one ugly fight," Boulderac commented peering through the window.

"And we better hurry before one of the lethal Teletubbies comes for us," Centauricon urged. They walked around the floor a couple of times, looking into every room.

"They're not here," Boulderac said. "They are just not here."

"They have to be, unless they jumped out of a window and ran through a battlefield where we were standing," Centauricon said. "I'm thinking, I don't know, basement?"

"Basement on a second floor? And to think I thought you were smarter than a horse," Boulderac commented.

Centauricon hit him playfully on the arm. "What is it they're called when they're on top?"

"They're called attics, loser," the rocky mutant answered.

"Well, whatever they're called, I say we look for one."

They inspected the ceiling and finally found the small square that marked the entrance to the attic. "That's my man," Boulderac said, pointing at it.

Centauricon stood underneath it and stood on his rear legs and pushed on it with his hands. It didn't give. "They've blocked it with something," he said.

"Then it's time for me to do my mutant thing," Boulderac commented. Centauricon moved back from the door and the other mutant produced a large boulder from his hand. He tried to punch on the door with it, but it was too high for him.

"Go team, go!" Centauricon mocked, for Boulderac looked as if he was a cheerleader. A really ugly cheerleader.

"Come here and give me a hand, you colt," his friend complained.

Centauricon stood under the door again and bent his forelegs, so his friend could easily climb on his back. "Is that high enough or do I need to stand on my rear legs?" he asked.

"Don't you dare stand on no rear legs, you hear me?" the other mutant said. "You stand still, I'll stand on your back." He began to do it and Centauricon began to whip his tail. "Careful, careful, colt, we don't want any accidents."

"Try not to bury any of your spiky ends on my back, or I won't be responsible for my reactions," the centaur said.

"I'm trying, but your tail wiggling is making me nervous," the rock-like mutant answered.

"It's called waggling, rockhead," the horse said. "Hurry up, will you? Do you still remember the Time Force officers outside?"

"Why couldn't we just teleport?" Boulderac asked.

"How should I know? Open the freaking door already, man!"

"Fine, fine," said Boulderac as he kept punching the door that was finally giving in. "Keep your pants up, palomino, it's giving in," he added.

"I'm not a palomino," Centauricon said bitterly.

"What kind of horse are you?"

"I don't know, but I do know I'm no palomino."

"You have anything against palominos?"

"Is the door opened already?" he asked. As a form of answer, there was a loud crash and bits of wood fell around him.

"It is now," Boulderac said.

"Get off my back," Centauricon ordered.

"There's a staircase that will fall down on your head if I let go," the other mutant said. Centauricon moved forward half a step when a yell stopped him. "What the hell are you doing, man?!"

"Getting out of the way," the horse answered.

There was a tap on a nearby window. "Would you hurry up? We have to get that family and leave now!" Fly-tag said.

Boulderac shrugged and let the stairs fall down. Centauricon looked at it. "Go upstairs and open a window for Fly-tag to climb in. Take them with you, I'll meet you outside."

"You're not coming?"

"I can't climb that," the horse-boy said, pointing at the stairs. "I'm not that good."

Boulderac shrugged and climbed the stairs. He looked around and then looked down at Centauricon again. "It's empty, man."

"Check again," Centauricon ordered.

"Guys!" Fly-tag called. "The Power Rangers are winning, The Mistress wants the Simmonses at headquarters now."

"Tell that to Boulderac, who refuses to find them!"

"THE HOUSE IS EMPTY!!!!!!!" Boulderac yelled. "Why won't anyone believe me when I say the goddamned house is empty?!"

"Open the window," Fly-tag ordered. Boulderac opened the attic window for her. She climbed in and looked around. "Did you check the boxes?" she asked.

"No," he admitted.

"Let's check," she suggested. "And be careful, they might be armed."

"Did The Mistress tell you what she wants them for?" he asked.

"No," she answered, opening one junk-filled box after another. "But the plan has changed, we can't take them to safety from here, we have to take them to headquarters and then get them out."

"Why?" he asked, copying her procedure.

"Because The Mistress would kill us now if we show up without these people, she's officially in a mood," Fly-tag said, finally stopping by the box that contained Josephine and Mathew. She opened the lid and looked inside. Josephine covered her son's body with her own, crouching in terror.

"Mrs. Simmons," Fly-tag began. "My name is Fly-tag, and in order to save all of our lives, I'm going to need you and your son to come with me, I assure you your lives will be safe."

Josephine looked up at her. "You are going to have to kill me first if you want Mathew," she said shakily, trying to sound braver than she felt.

"We are not here to kill anybody, Mrs. Simmons, we just want to buy ourselves some time, until we can come up with something," Fly-tag promised, offering her hand. Josephine didn't take it, she just held her child tight to her and stared into Fly-tag's eyes. She finally shook her head, and jumped suddenly out of the box, surprising Fly-tag. She made to run for the door, but Boulderac grabbed her.

"NO!" Josephine yelled as she struggled to free herself. "Let me go! Let me go! I've done nothing! I've done nothing, please let me go, let my children go!" Her voice lowered into a plea as Boulderac and Fly-tag managed to subdue her. The child was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly they heard him scream from the floor below.

"NO!" Josephine yelled desperately. "Mathew!" Let my baby go!" she demanded. "Let HIM GO!!" she yelled, struggling forcefully again. "LET ME GO!" she demanded.

Suddenly another box exploded and Kevin Simmons jumped out of it and hit Boulderac on the back of his head. The mutant wasn't knocked out, he just turned around and stared at Kevin with an annoyed expression.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked the man, who immediately pushed him as hard as he could and tried to get to his wife, who was being held by a butterfly-like mutant, who was keeping both of Josephine's arms folded against her back, keeping her from moving.

"Kevin," she whimpered.

"It's going to be okay, Jossie," he promised. "I love you."

"And I love you," she said through the veil of tears that covered her face. "Where's Mark?" she asked.

"I think he ran," he said.

"You got the twins, Centauricon?" Boulderac asked as he twisted both of Kevin's arms behind his back as well.

"Two for one," Centauricon yelled back. "They are both secured." At these words, Josephine let out a desperate moan.

"No," she whimpered.

"Listen up," Fly-tag began. "Secured is code for safe," she whispered in the mother's ear. "We are traitors, we are keeping it hidden still, and we have to take you to The Mistress' headquarters now, but we promise we'll buy you some time and keep you safe."

"Listen carefully," Boulderac said. "If we see your time's run out and we can't buy you any more, we'll get you out, even if that means blowing our cover."

"And exposing ourselves," the butterfly completed.

Kevin and Josephine looked at each other for a few seconds. "What do we have to do?" he asked. "Exactly what you were doing," Boulderac said. "You were doing just great with the yelling and the whimpering, just know that your lives are safe, we guarantee it."

"Okay," Kevin said, and looked at Josephine who nodded.

"Let's take them to The Mistress," Boulderac said to Fly-tag.

"I don't think so!" Kevin yelled and began struggling against Boulderac.

"Very good, man, you should have been an actor," Boulderac whispered. "Heaven knows you could use a few good ones in this time period..."

to be continued..