Disclaimer: the usual...A/N: Sorry about the delay, had computer troubles.

CHAPTER 18

Heat It Up

A little over two hours, everybody was gathered in the cars and driving towards the Lightning Academy. Tommy, Kim, Hayley, Anton, Laura, LeeAnn, Sensei Omano, Brian, and Scott had climbed into the Omano's big van. Tommy had given Ethan his keys, so Ethan and Devin were in Tommy's jeep. Tori, Blake, Kira, and Trent were in Tori's van while Conner, Chloe, Hunter, and Leila were in Conner's car. Chloe and Leila couldn't put their fingers on it but something was in the air. Something that effected them severely. Tears escaped their eyes and tried to hide it from their guys, but Hunter and Conner both saw it. They attempted to ask the girls something but Leila jumped ahead.

"So, um, are Shane, Dustin, and Cam meeting us somewhere?" Leila asked.

"Yep, right up here," Conner responded, pulling off the road next to a bridge. The other cars pulled up beside them. Out of the woods came the two wind rangers and the samurai ranger in their ninja uniforms. They climbed into Dr. Oliver's jeep, being the only one with room, and the cars started off again.

"How are the girls?" Shane asked of Ethan and Devin. The blue dino and Triassic rangers glanced at each other, knowing he meant Leila and Chloe.

"Leila's pregnant," Devin said.

"That's great," Cam said.

"But they've got new powers to deal with and none of are sure what we're going to face when we get to the Lightning Academy," Ethan explained.

"Dude, freaky," Dustin said, scratching his head. Brian glanced at his brother.

"Whatever goes, save the students," Brian said.

"You got it man," Scott replied. An hour later, they arrived right outside the entrance to the Lightning Academy grounds. Chloe, Leila, Hunter, Tori, and Blake gathered together with Cam, Shane, and Dustin right next to them. The group tore off their street clothes and stood up in their ninja uniforms. Brian and Scott followed soon after. The group gathered together.

"Okay, Brian, Scott, and Chloe both know the actual academy better than anyone. I think you should each grab a partner and search the academy. The rest of us will cover the grounds," Tommy said.

"I'll go," Trent volunteered.

"Me too," Hunter added. Conner grabbed Chloe's hand and pulled her to him.

"Uh, I think Conner wants to go," Chloe said. The group let out weak chuckles.

"Let's do this," Leila said. They turned and walked through the portal. When they were all the way through, they stopped. It was dark and weary.

"Where is everybody?" Blake said, the grounds being seemingly deserted.

"We'll find out soon," Scott said. He, Brian, Trent, Hunter, Chloe, and Conner walked away from the group and towards the academy. Tori, Shane, and Dustin grouped together while Cam, Ethan, and Devin went together. Leila, Kira, Kim, and Hayley stayed together while Tommy went with Anton, Sensei Omano, Laura, and LeeAnn. Brian, Scott, Trent, Hunter, Chloe, and Conner entered the academy and split up into their respective groups.

"Now where exactly are we looking?" Trent asked of Brian.

"We're searching the basement areas, that's where we have the practice rooms for teachers and stuff like that," Brian explained. Suddenly, there was some fumbling and small crash. The two approached a storage closet carefully. Brian swung open the door and the two found a group of students bound and gagged. Brian bent down and undid the gags.

"What happened?" he asked.

"It was the Sensei's. They went crazy," one student explained.

"Do you know where the other students are?" Trent asked.

"Only in the basement sir. But they've got them tied up all over the place," another student explained.

"What did they do to the academy?" Brian asked. The students were silent, signaling that they did not know. Hunter and Scott explored the top floor of main dorm rooms.

"You got anything?" Hunter asked.

"Nothing," Scott said. He sighed and started opening random doors. He suddenly found a bunch of students tied up in one dorm room.

"Over here!" he called. Hunter came in and started to help untie the students.

"What happened? What's going on here?" he asked of the students. None of the students knew what had gone on and couldn't answer him. Chloe and Conner were searching the main level of offices and dorm rooms.

"You look through the dorm rooms. I'm going to check the offices," Chloe said.

"You be careful, okay?" Conner said. Chloe nodded and gave him a quick kiss. Chloe had gotten an immediate vibe the second she had stepped foot into the academy. She approached the office of her adoptive parents and opened the door. There, sitting on the desk, was the very bomb Jon and Tara had set. She sighed and closed the door, walking around to standing at the desk. On the timer was ten minutes left. She took a deep breath and placed her hands over the bomb, calling up her energy that started to glow and gather in her hands.

Back outside, Leila was looking around with her Kira, Kim, and Hayley when she felt something. She looked over to the Lightning Academy.

"Oh no," she whispered. She would've run straight to the academy but something appeared straight out of the sky. The groups were all over the place and turned to take in the appearance of Torrance. He had an evil glare in his eye as he looked from group to group until his eyes fell on Tori, Shane, and Dustin.

"Your time has come, Wind Rangers," he declared.

"How original," Kira retorted. Blake and Cam, nearest to Torrance, rushed at him, attempting to attack but were knocked out of the way. Torrance just kept making his way towards the Wind Rangers. Leila hesitated because she wanted to help. But her thoughts were on the academy itself. She could feel her sister and so many others in danger. Debating internally, Leila tore her eyes off her troubled friends and rushed towards the academy.

"Leila, wait!" Hayley cried but Leila didn't stop.

"Where is she going?" Kim asked.

"To help decide how this ends," Kira replied, the pregnant girls being too far along to be of too much help. Leila ran as fast as she could and rushed passed the main threshold.

"I'm coming Chloe," Leila thought to herself. Conner was working his way through the rooms, untying all of the students when he stopped. His heart seemed to stop as he felt something.

"No," he whispered before rushing out of the room.

DUHN DUHN DUHN!! What's going to happen? Will the bomb stop in time? How will the fight with Torrance end? How will the relationships and pregnancies turn out? Find out next time.