Chapter 9

Ann smiled as they finished the last song and the room erupted in applause. This was actually one of the things she hated most, it reminded her of their other life. As one they all bowed, then Ernie came up and took the microphone from her. She listened half-heartedly while he talked, as they began to pick up the instruments.

The group of people began to clap once more, then she heard the tell tale signs of people leaving and sighed in relief. Soon they would be free of Angel Grove, free of the possibility of discovery. It had been a mistake to take the job, but they had needed the gig. They knew that they would not make the same mistake twice.

"Hey Ann, you ok?"

Ann looked up at Robbie with a smile. "I'll be fine, just thinking how great it is to be getting out of here."

Robbie smiled as he started to unplug all the cords. He glanced up, not sure what was calling his attention, he just knew something was going on. He scanned the room quickly, then saw the group of people watching, from the looks of it, Ann. They were talking among themselves, and he read one of their lips, saying something about 'Kim'.

/-/ Oh hell. /-/He thought to himself. Quickly but unobtrusively he tapped Johnny on the leg to get his attention. Johnny knelt down and unplugged a few cords, sending him a questioning look.

"Two o'clock, cover's blown." Robbie whispered softly so only Johnny could hear. Johnny stood up with the cords and began rolling them up, sliding his gaze to the group. They were looking at Ann. Robbie was right, they had to get out of town as soon as possible.

As quickly as they could, the two men hurried through they breakdown, and packing. Johnny caught Rachel as she was taking something to the truck and filled her in. She in turn filled Stephanie in on another trip, and the four decided to make sure Ann was never alone. Within thirty minutes, they had everything in the truck. Johnny went to get the check from Ernie, while Robbie and Stephanie went to use the restroom. Ann headed out to the truck, all thoughts on getting out of town.

Johnny sighed in relief after he left Ernie's office. They would be out of town within the hour, just a quick stop at the hotel to check out, then back to Florida, and peace at the house. As he walked towards the door, he saw Robbie and Stephanie coming from the direction of the bathrooms.

"Hey Johnny, we all set?" Robbie asked as they met at the door.

"All set. So where's Ann and Rach?"

"The truck as far as I know." Stephanie replied.

"Steph?"

They turned around to see Rachel behind them, looking at them in shock as realization began to hit them all. Ann was alone.

"I thought you were with Ann."

"I thought you were."

"I had to use the restroom." The two women said in unison, then closed their eyes in anger at themselves.

"Let's worry about who did what later." Johnny began as he turned towards the door. "The group is gone, and Ann is on her own." He continued as he walked out the door, the three looking around the room once then ran after him.

The three quickly made their way to the truck, and looked in horror at what they found. Ann was gone, and her bag was on the front seat. Johnny, Robbie, and Rachel quickly spread out across the parking lot, hoping they might find her. Stephanie brushed her fingers over her friend's bag and thought about what might have happened. She looked back down at the bag as she felt a piece of paper. Picking it up she saw a couple of lines and some hastily written words. Looking around for any sign of what Ann had been up to, she caught the name of the street, then looked back down at the paper. It was a map! Leave it to Ann to have enough sense to draw a map.

"Johnny, I know where she is." She called across the parking lot, and saw everyone turn and come running towards her. /-/ We're coming Ann. /-/

:-:-:-:-:-:

Ann sighed softly as they took her into the house. She had heard them coming, and had quickly got a piece of paper, showing how to get to the place they were talking about. Luckily they were stupid enough to let her return to the car to get her 'medication' so she could put the note where someone would find it. Rolling her eyes she sat down in a chair as everyone else sat around the room, except for Angela and Emily that is.

"What's going on?" Ann asked folding her arms over her chest. "You do realize this is kidnapping don't you."

"Only if the kidnapped person exists, and last I checked there is no person named Ann Heartfelt in all of America." Jason replied evenly.

Ann smirked raising one eyebrow. "Is that so. Well then, who am I?"

"Kimberly Ann Heart." Trini replied without a thought.

Ann raised her other eyebrow. "The gymnast?"

"So you admit it." Rocky said happily.

Ann rolled her eyes, "He's had way too much sugar if you ask me. And no, I wasn't admitting anything, I was asking if you were talking about the gymnast."

"Oh." Rocky said his happiness deflating. "Yeah, her."

"But that still proves our point, that you are her. How else would you know she's a gymnast." Tanya replied with a smile.

"I live in Florida my dear, Schmidt's center is world famous, don't you think it would be famous in Florida. He's on the news constantly, and so are his gymnasts. As far as I knew, Miss. Hart was still training at the gym, or so the last newspaper article on the center said." Ann explained sighing softly. "So can I go now?"

"We know it's you Kim." Billy began.

"Look, I'm sorry, but I'm not whoever you are looking for. Kim Hart is at Schmidt's training center. If you don't believe me, give them a call." She replied silencing the older man as she stood up and made her way to the door.

"We did, and he said you were there. But he couldn't answer how someone who looked just like Kim would with blonde hair was here in Angel Grove." Tommy replied, stopping her in her tracks.

Slowly Ann turned towards them, and they all stared at her in shock, the color had drained completely from her face and she looked like she was about to pass out.

"You told him that I was here?" she asked barely above a whisper.

"Yes." Aisha began slowly.

"When?"

"This morning." Kat replied starting to wonder if they had gone about this wrong.

"Are you all right?" Adam began slowly.

"I have to go. Now." She replied turning to the door, then stopping dead in her tracks as lights ran across the window, signifying a car had pulled up.

"Oh please let it be Johnny." She whispered, but they still heard her and looked at each other in surprise.

They heard car doors opening and closing, then the sound of feet on gravel, and no one moved, all looking at Kim warily.

Ann listened, trying to distinguish the footstep, but couldn't. /-/ Please oh please let it be the group. /-/ She prayed silently. Finally they heard a knock on the door, followed by a call.

"Ann, we know your there, let us in."

Ann nearly jumped for joy as she rushed to the door and opened it, falling into Johnny's arms in tears.

Johnny held her as she cried, and looked at the other occupants in the room, sending them all death glares, which he knew were also being sent by Robbie, Rachel, and Stephanie. In fact he could hear Stephanie growling low in her throat.

Using his foot he closed the door behind them and picked Ann up, then carried her over to the empty couch as everyone was standing. He set her down, as Steph and Rach quickly sat down next to her. Then he walked over to Oliver, while Robbie grabbed Scott.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" he roared.

"What did you expect us to do, let you leave town knowing that she was Kim." Tommy replied without skipping a beat.

"Who the hell is Kim?" Robbie asked as he debated whether or not to hit the man next to him.

"Her." Jason replied, wondering if the man was going to hit him. He couldn't quite tell what the glint in his eyes meant.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rachel asked rolling her eyes.

"What have you all been smoking?" Stephanie continued.

"Nothing. We know that she is Kim, you can't hide it." Trini replied.

"Look people, her name is Ann, Ann Heartfelt. So you people have to be smoking something in order to not realize that." Johnny replied shaking his head.

"They called Schmidt."

Everyone stopped and looked at Ann after they heard her barely spoken whisper.

"They what?" Stephanie asked in shock, looking up at the others as all the color drained from her face.

"They called Schmidt, and told him I was here." Ann continued softly.

Johnny turned towards Tommy once more. "You called Schmidt."

"Yes."

"Why you." Stephanie began as she charged Tommy. Johnny reached out and grabbed her before she had a chance to get Tommy. Everyone living in Angel Grove stared in shock as Stephanie swung at Tommy, Johnny barely holding her back.

"Stephanie, get a hold of yourself." Johnny admonished.

"How dare they go call that bastard. I'll kill them." Stephanie yelled, still trying to claw Johnny. Stephanie managed to kick out far enough to bring Tommy to his knees, and smiled in triumph.

"Stephanie."

Stephanie stopped as she felt the light touch on her arm and looked to her right to find Ann standing there.

"Give it up Steph. You've already threatened his chance to have children, I think that's punishment enough. Let's just go, before the bastard arrives."

"What are you talking about Kim?" Zach asked, slightly appalled at her language.

"Listen to me, I'm not Kimberly Hart." Ann began turning towards the group.

"Stop lying Kim, we know that you are her, you proved it with the reaction to Schmidt." Kat exclaimed.

"Look, I'm not Kimberly Hart, maybe I was a long time ago, but that's just it. Kimberly Hart is at Schmidt's center, that's all there is to it. I'm not Kim, not anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Tommy asked in confusion, as he stood up, still grimacing.

"Listen, all of you. Kimberly Hart is in Florida at the training center. She'll die there. Let her go, bury her, forget about her. It's the best thing for everyone." Ann replied softly while Rachel stood up. The five turned as one and began to walk to the door while the others watched them in shock.

"Kim wait." Jason called.

Ann turned towards them and smiled softly. "Goodbye, rangers." She whispered, but they read her lips. Turning back she opened the door, then stopped, staring in horror at the sight that greeted them.

"Hello Kimberly, it's been some time." Gunther Schmidt said with a smile.