Chapter 2. The walk.
"I hope you brought your swimsuits." Leo said as he led the others to the swimming pool.
"How did we know?" Kelsey ROLLED HER EYES. It had been one of the tings the ex-red ranger had mentioned they might need.
"Why don't you all have a seat and we'll get you something to drink." Kendrix offered and as the others took seats around the two umbrella shaded tables Dana moved to take a seat a little ways away.
***
The figure watched them all, as they now gathered poolside. They were still not all there, but soon, soon it would be time and then the game would truly begin. Soon, very, very soon…
The shadow knew that it was time for another one and smiled cruelly he'd particularly enjoy this one. It wouldn't be as easy as the others.
***
"So how have you been?" Maya asked joining Kelsey and Angela at the table.
"Not too bad, you know working at the paper and stuff." Kelsey shrugged. After she'd finished being a ranger she'd gone to college and gotten a degree in print Journalism. Now she was the lead sports editor for the Angel times. "How about you?"
"Not to bad, Mike and the baby keep me pretty busy but I'm happy.' the native Mirinoian smiled contentedly.
"Hey Dana's ok right?" Joel asked looking to Ryan who shrugged.
"I haven't talked to her in a while."
"More like she won't talk to you." Kelsey sighed feeling some of the resignation she heard in his voice. She'd tried to get Dana's attention but it was never enough. Her old friend was always in a hurry. Kelsey didn't even really know just what Dana was doing for the Feds. All she knew was that everyday the doctor went to the Angel Grove headquarters.
"Well, spending two hours with a dead body can do that." Chad offered.
"It's more than that; she looks at them for a living." Ryan put in and when all of the others at the table looked at him he added. "She's a forensic pathologist."
"Since when?"
"Since she whizzed through med school and got a job with the FBI." The actor replied and all looked at him a minute. It was obvious that although she didn't talk to him he still kept close tabs on his little sister.
"What about you? Your last movie was a hit."
"Acting's easy."
"Yeah, I hear that." Angela smirked at her husband who rolled his eyes.
"Can you believe that this woman of mine played hard to get for over a year?"
"Man you got her in the end." Leo put in and Joel shrugged.
"I knew I would but she pretended not to like me."
"Conceded." Kelsey teased.
***
Dana sat there in the lounge chair her spine strait, her eyes on the pair in the pool. Damon and Kai were racing laps in the water. They were both strong swimmers but Kai won every time. He was just more percisioned in his strokes. She thought of times when she'd gone swimming, when the rest of her friends had gone swimming and felt the dull ache begin. She decided that sitting there wasn't' what she needed to do so she got up and headed over to the others. She took in the picture they all made, talking, laughing and generally relaxing. It was a nice picture, but no longer one she belonged in. No, not anymore.
"I think I'll go for a walk." Dana announced as she reached the spot just behind her brother.
"Just be careful." Leo called and she started off around the side of the building. She had seen a gate somewhere. She listened to the fading sound of laughter and chatter from the pool area as she came to a high metal fence. For a minute she just stood there looking at the links of it and wondering if it was to keep dangerous animals in the woods beyond.
Dana turned and walked along the barrier studying the lush trees and over abundant foliage. She wondered if there were still places on this world none had explored and what it would be like to be there, alone and unbothered. She didn't think she'd feel lonely; no she'd probably be at peace.
Continuing along the boundary marker she noted a vast assortment of wild flowers. Some she recognized and others looked odd. One unusual bloom was tall; it had a silver stem and ice blue points that looked as soft as a feather.
As the blonde reached the far end of the building the hair on the back of her neck rose up to full attention, goose bumps shivered up and down her back. She wasn't alone. Dana knew it as well as she knew that whatever was out there was bad. It felt too frightening.
Dana fought back the urge to turn and run, opting to find out what it was out there.
"Hello?!" She called tentatively but there was no answer. She didn't even realize what she was doing until she felt her hand brush her hip. She'd been reaching for her good old rescue blaster. But it was not there, she was not a ranger here, she was just a wedding
Guest on a foreign planet.
As suddenly as the feeling had hit her, Dana's feelings of danger intensified. She did a survey of the area, she could see nothing threatening but what was that? She thought she heard a voice.
"Go back…" it could barely be more than a whisper on the wind but the urge to run kicked in at the sound of snapping twigs. Now she did run.
Dana could hear it, the sound of breathing, breathing, right behind her; she could almost feel her pursuer breathing down her back. He forced her legs to a greater speed, her lungs to
Expand further, her mind from the panic and into the cool detachment of a ranger in battle mode.
Veering off to the side she jumped the high fence and making a grab for a large tree branch she whirled…
"Ahhh!"
***
Don't you just hate cliff hangers? *evil grin*If you want to know what will happen knext PLZ let me know.