Authors note - We've made a few...okay more then a few assumptions here, for example making Jason the White Ranger, and also clarifying Tommy as the Black Ranger before he even admits he has that gem on the show. But guess what we control THIS world and personally think our idea of making Jase a Ranger again makes sense, so deal with it and love us for it.
Time frame - We've skipped ahead a few months to after Tommy has admitted he's the holder of the black gem and Jason has reveled himself as the White Ranger. As we have no clue how that goes down on the show, you will be favored with flash backs of it happening in later parts. *Bows* Thank you.
Summary - Oh Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, he just draws trouble to him wherever he goes.
Escaping the Past
(December 15th, 2004)
"I would like to remind you Dr. Oliver that you are a teacher here, not a friend. It is your job to keep the students under control and get them out of this school, not entertain them, is that clear?" Glaring at me over her far too lush, high and mighty principle's desk, she is really working my last nerve today. School let out two hours ago and I'm still stuck here, getting a freaking lecture on my 'unethical' behavior. I let Kira play her guitar the last five minutes of class, so what?! She finished everything and so did the rest of the class and if this witch won't just let me let them go, what's the harm with Kira entertaining everyone?
Leaning back as much as the hard wood chair will allow me to, I pull at my tie once more, wanting nothing more right now then to rip it off, get out of this dress shirt, and go home. I have the kids' midterms to grade, along with the extra credit I offered and surprisingly half the class actually attempted. Go them. "Mrs. Randall, as I explained, they had all finished their exams and had nothing to do but sit and fidget, I just didn't see the harm in letting her strum her guitar and keep them all quiet." Why are you arguing? This is pointless, just go damn it, admit you were wrong even though you weren't and leave it at that.
Leaning on her desk and giving me such an evil glare, I'm actually taken back, she snorts at me. "Dr. Oliver, consider this your final warning, I've been watching you and frankly your teaching techniques, if they can even be considered that, are questionable at best. You are constantly leaving school grounds in the middle of the day, asking other teachers to cover for you, with no explanation for your disappearances. Also according to my records you have attended a total of four staff meetings this semester." Well that's not so bad, right?
"Well four isn't bad, right?" I mean how many could there have been, five maybe six total.
"Considering there have been thirty two total, I'd say it really is." Oops. Well how many has Jason attended huh? He's a teacher here, true he started after I did, but I know he couldn't have been to more then four of those meetings either. "Even the new history teacher, Mr. Scott has attended more then you and he has only been here half the time you have." Perfectionist.
"Alright, I'll do better, I promise." And suddenly I'm sixteen again, great. What is with her anyways though? She's just...evil.
"See that you do." Closing what I guess is my file; she stands and gives me one more malevolence look. "Well is there something more you need?" No I think you've damaged my ego enough for today, thanks.
"No, I'll just let myself out." Standing and grabbing my shoulder bag, I tiredly head out of the dark and wickedly decorated office. Something about that woman is so evilly familiar. Maybe I'm just tired, s'been a hell of a few months, Jason coming back into my life, those kids and the dino gems, teaching teenagers how to do something other then to talk obnoxiously and skip class. Sigh, when the hell did I grow up.
~*~*~*~
(20 min. later, Dr. Oliver residence/two story hideaway)
Pulling into the dirt and gravel driveway, I kill the engine on my baby and grab my books and leather shoulder bag, so many papers to grade, and damn me, I promised to have them back to them before their break next week, which means I only have tonight, Thursday, and Friday left to get it done. "Be a teacher I said, it'll be easy and fun I said. Be on the other end of the grading scale, have some peace and quiet. God I'm such an idiot."
Heading up to the house and watching the sun dip lower behind the trees, I can't help but mellow a bit at the serene sight. I love living out here. Yeah it was a pain in the ass to have the house done, but still, it's just really nice and calming, if not just a bit lonely at times.
Putting my key in the lock, I frown as it won't turn before trying the handle and shaking my head when I realize I've once more left the damn door unlocked. I know, I know, bad me, but I live in the middle of nowhere and let's face it I really don't have anything worth stealing in the house part. Letting it go and walking into the dim hall, I close and lock the door, barely keeping hold of my books and bag in the process. Moving quickly to the messy living room, stupid kids coming over here, leaving pizza boxes and video games everywhere. I drop all my stuff onto the floor, kicking an empty penutbutter jar out of my way. Conar, I swear I'm gonna strangle him.
"What a mess. I swear when they come over next time I'm giving them all maid's uniforms and putting them to work." Pulling my papers from the bag, I toss the tests in one pile and the extra credit in another, growling as I pick up a Sourcream and Onion potato chip bag. "Jason." Tossing it on the table and slipping out of my jacket, tie and shoes, I set the clothes aside and nearly trip over the guitar lying on the floor by the coffee table. Picking it up with a louder growl and setting it on the table, "Kira." I nearly knock over the video game boxes sitting on it already. "Ethan. I give up." Leaving it all, I move back to the papers.
"God I'm never going to get anything done, I don't even know what I was thinking, I should have just passed them all and called it quits." Starring down at the work in near disgust, I'm just about to lay out on the floor to get to work when the cold sharp steal tip of what is no doubt a dagger grazes the back of my neck. Shit.
"You always were a quitter, Thomas. It was certainly one of your many faults." The low growl makes my blood run cold. The voice is a bit off, but I still know it nonetheless.
"Mercer." The name coming out of my mouth in a clumsy and childishly scared manner, I mentally kick myself for showing my fear so plainly. Calm down, just calm down Tommy, you're strong, you are the holder of the Raptor gem and you are once more leader of the Power Rangers, you are not afraid of him, not afraid, not afraid. Turning slowly, and wincing as he only keeps the tip of the knife pressed against my neck enough to remind me it's there. I brace myself and gaze up into his fa-oh dear lord he looks worse then I remember! I think his face is melting now! I mean the first time I saw him looking like this, that day, I nearly lost my lunch in front of Kira and the others, but that was at a distance at least, this, this is just, oh god don't puke on him, don't.
"Thought you could get away from me didn't you, you stupid brat." Hand lashing out he strikes me across the face hard enough to send me sprawling to the floor, stunned momentarily. Fuck, of all the things I don't need right now this is one of them. "Well, I have to say it's been amusing watching you run around and play super hero, but I've grown bored of it and it's time to end the games and remind you of the rules you've obviously forgotten."
Okay now is not the time to lay here, stupid, move! Get up, Tom! Get up now! Rules, punishments, you remember all that? The shock therapy? The whips? The drugs that made you want to puke from sun up to sun down? Do you want that again? Well then move, stupid! Scrambling to my feet just as his scaled hand comes toward me, I make it a good three feet before my ankle is grabbed and I hit the floor hard. At least this time it was my face and not my ass.
"Now you weren't thinking of running again were you?" The taunting and still pissed voice makes me cringe. "Especially after last time when you not only ran but also blew up everything I'd worked for!" Um, did I do that? Hehe, no, no must have me confused with someone else you tortured and manipulated and forced into building dinosaur robot creatures of destruction. When I give him my best 'I'm an innocent puppy' look he sneers and I know I'm so dead. "Don't even try it, Thomas, I know you set those bombs and took out the security and back up systems. You've been a very, very bad puppy."
"Pl-please, please I'm sorry, I just, I...yer evil! I couldn't let you do that and, god look at you! Look what you've become! The outside of you finally matches the inside and it's sick and twisted and you need help!" Or to be killed, damn me for not doing that when I blew the compound!
"No, Thomas, right now I think you're the one that should be looking for help. By the way, love the house, you know what they say location, location, location, and I must say your choice of location, the middle of nowhere, with no neighbors or friends to hear you scream, very nice." Dragging me by the ankle toward the stairs, I try to grab anything and everything possible to stop him. No don't grab the peanutbutter jar! No not the Cheetto bag either, stupid! Finally reaching the stairs, I latch onto the banister for dear life. I'm dead, so dead, there won't be enough of me for Jase or the others to piece together and bury.
"No! Please no! I'll be good! I'll fix it! I-I promise, just please!" I don't want to know what he has planned. I don't want to think of his reasons for taking me upstairs instead of back to his base. I just need to keep holding onto this railing or I'm s-ow! As the swift kick bruises two of my ribs, I release the railing and get literally dragged up the remaining stairs, my body banged and damaged with every step he hauls me up.
Body screaming at the rough treatment, I claw my nails into the hard wood floor as I'm pulled down the upstairs hall and into my room. I also don't want to know how he knows which room of the three up here is mine.
"Shut up, bitch, I've heard more then enough of you these past few months. You had your chances to come back and beg forgiveness and you didn't instead you destroyed my lovely creations, and you've been nothing but a bother. Well it ends now. You'll be good and respectful again and take your punishment like you deserve." Throwing me onto my bed, I literally stop breathing for a few seconds as I feel my panic at the familiarness of it all hit me. I can't let this happen, not now, not again, not when I've been doing so good and come so far and fixed myself.
(4 years ago, Mercer/Oliver Island)
Setting down the last of the 'crystal bombs' as I like to call them, because of their glassy outer shells, I heave a sigh and flip it's switch activating it. "That's it then, one in each of the main the chambers...no turning back now, Tommy boy."
Walking away from it, I quickly head into the main control room and scan the computer monitors to see if I can locate my psychotic tormentor and one time trusted partner. Son of a bitch, what am I saying, he was never my trusted partner, he was using me from the beginning only then it was pure manipulation instead of the abuse and threats. Well no more ya psychotic son of a bitch. I may die trying to end this all, but at least this way the rest of the world will be safe. "Personally though, Tom, ya gotta admit you both probably just watched one too many damn Jurassic Park movies and it just rotted his brain before yours." Hehe, see maybe about to die but I still have a sense of humor.
Not seeing him anywhere on the monitors, I sit down at the main computer, the nerve center for our whole base of operations here. Pulling the dark blue disk from my pocket I slide it on into the computer and bring it up. Funny how something so small and meager can hold such a huge virus. "Okay, okay now to just-" As the crash and faint noise snaps me to attention; I pause for only a second. "Just do it and get out of here." Time's up buddy boy. As the screen suddenly goes dark green, and the other computers that had been showing calculations, security codes, and various details on my genetic research do the same, I get up and remove the detonator from my pocket. All those bombs, all controlled by one little device that fits in my palm, and they said Billy was the smart one.
Taking one more glance at the crashing and dying computers, I head out, only to find myself face to face with what looks like the new and improved models of my cyberelectronic raptors. Okay I definitely did not make them able to stand up like that now all he had to do is give them human arms and a human shape, this is what I'm talken about here, just doesn't respect my work. "Well, let's see if he'll respect this, huh guys." Hitting the button on my 'toy' I haul ass as the first explosions rocks the compound. Fuck, fuck, fuck, not good, so not good!
As his claws and dagger rip through my clothes and into my skin, I'm sharply and cruelly jerked back to the present time and my present pain and life or death situation. Have to get out of this! Have to get him off me and go now! Where are those bombs when you need 'em? "Where is it?!" Where's what?! Pulling the shreds of my clothes off, I am in huge trouble here, as he looks at both my healed wrists. "Give it to me and maybe I'll let you remain conscious." Tell me what it is and I'll give it to you!
"W-what? What do you want, I don't have anything." Okay this whole mutation thing really must have screwed him up here, and if my body wasn't screaming in agony already from the knife slashes, I'd-
"The gem! Where is the gem you little fuck?!" Pinning me to the mattress and putting all his weight on me I can't breath. It feels like he's slammed me in the chest with blocks of cement. Air, I need air now!
"Pl-please air, can't, can't bre..." Get off me! Moving some of the weight off my probably crushed ribs and lungs, he growls down menacingly at me. "I don't have it." You think if I did have it on me right now I'd be in this position? Heeeeell no. Stopped me though, had to leave it in the control room this morning.
As the sharp smack, makes my vision blur and mouth fill with coppery blood, I know I'm dead if he doesn't get my gem in the next few seconds. "How dare you lie to me!" As the weight is suddenly lifted, I get a second of relief, before my wrists are secured to the bed rails and the horrific pain starts once more. "Where is it?! Tell me now or I swear I'll rip you apart right here, I won't even wait until I get you back to the base!" I doubt he'd wait anyways to be honest.
Trying to pull into my self, I try my damnedest to distance my mind from the pain, he'll stop eventually, he has to and when he does I'll still be alive. Horribly scared and messed up, but alive. Just hang in there, have to hang in there, if I just concentrate I can barely feel it rig-OW! Shit I felt that one!
"You stupid brat! You take the gem that should have been mine! You destroy nearly all of my work! And now, now you give the other gems to a bunch of children, who I should turn into tyranadons, or better yet turn back into pre-evolved slim!" Having a bad day are we? As the belt now takes the place of the knife I squeeze my eyes shut tighter and bite my tongue nearly clear through to keep from giving him the pleasure of hearing me scream. I won't let him win; I let him have it before, but never again! Never you hear me you son of a bitch, never!
To be continued....