Silver Hills 2004 AD
Andrew leaned up against the wall in his cell, staring out the window. Considering there was another building directly outside, and that there were bars in the window, there wasn't much of a view.
He sat there, trying to come to terms with what had happened over the past few hours. 'Elaine? But how?' he wondered. He remembered the day she was killed, and how devastated Alan was. He recalled going to her funeral, helping Alan as much as he could with raising Wes. The entire time, he was plotting against his brother, looking for ways to undermine him within the compnay, looking for ways to take the Bio-Lab from him.
It wasn't until he was on a hiking trip that he came across what looked like, to him, a space ship. He wandered inside the ship, amazed at some of the things he saw. Everything seemed too advanced, further ahead than anything he'd ever seen before. It was then that he accidentally released Gluto from his cryogenic prison, and Gluto made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
From there, his plans went into motion, and when he met Kyle, he knew he'd found the perfect man to carry out his plan. The plan was kidnap both Wes and Alan until they were declared legally dead. Meanwhile, as the only living relative, Andrew would inherit the company. After he assumed control of Bio-Lab, Kyle would send him a ransom note demanding money, money that Andrew would happily give to save his family. Because of that selfless act, he would be declared a public hero, and because Wes and Alan were already declared dead, they would no claim to Bio-Lab.
With phase one of his plan complete, he would begin developing the bio-chemical agents, which would infect the city. Then, in another act of heroism, he would come up with a cure for the plague that infected the city. Not only would he be praised as a hero, he would make billions of dollars by charging for the antidote.
In his opinion, it was a brilliant plan, and would have succeeded, but things had gotten out of hand. After the battle at the funeral, he was arrested without the possibility of bail, awaiting a trial.
Though his plans to make billions of dollars were ruined, he remained confident that there was no way they would be able to link him to Wes and Alan's deaths. 'Then again, Wes isn't even dead. Maybe Alan isn't either. I'll be outta here in 24 hours,' he thought to himself.
"You got a visitor," a guard announced, quickly getting Andrew's attention.
Andrew stood up, walking over the bars in his cell as he walked into the room.
"Kyle, you're here to get me out, right?" he asked.
"No, I'm here to tell you you're going to be in here for a long time," he told him.
He glanced around, making sure there was no one else around. "Now that Wes is back, Alan may be back too. Maybe they got out the car before it exploded, so they can't pin us with murder. Besides, I never did anything. It was you who planted the explosives in the car, so if I'm going down, you're going with me," he pointed out.
Kyle reached in his pocket, pulling out a mini recorder, then pressed play:
"Now that they're out the way, I'll be able to fulfill my dreams, my destiny! I will usher Bio-Lab into a new era, making this company billions of dollars and making me the richest, most powerful man in the city!" he said.
"Don't you making us rich?"
"Of course Kyle. I'll never forget the role you played in this. Granted, I didn't want my brother killed, but what's done is done. Just keep Wes out the way until I'm officially announced the owner of Bio-Lab," he said.
"And what if young Mr. Collins tries to escape?"
"Kill him," Andrew said coldly.
"As you wish," Kyle agreed.
He pressed stop on the tape. "I've already given a copy of this tape to the authorities, and when they realize you're an accessory to murder, and you'll be in here for at least twenty five years," Kyle said.
"But I mentioned your name on that tape. I'll be in here for live, but so will you," he mentioned.
"I doubt where I'm going, they'll be able to find me," he rolled up his sleeve, revealing his morpher. "Kyle to Alex, I'm ready here," he said.
'Stand by,' a voice said.
"One more thing Andrew: where you're going, you don't wanna drop the soap," he said.
"You bastard, I swear I'll..."
He was cut short as there was a stream of blue light that seemed to engulf Kyle. Then, within seconds, he was gone.
"I don't understand, how did you... I mean, how are you..." Wes couldn't find the words. Rather, he knew what he wanted to say, but was so overcome with emotion that he couldn't express them.
"I know Kyle must have told you about his mission in the past to capture a renegade mutant," Wes nodded. "What he probably didn't tell you was that I was his partner, and the mutant's mission was to assassinate your father. I went undercover, getting close to your father to protect him from the mutant. While I was here, I fell in love with him, and once our mission was over, I told Kyle I wasn't going back. He agreed to leave me in the past, where I married your father and had you. Almost ten years later, Time Force became aware of my presence in the past, and sent a retrieval team to get me. Kyle came back as well, helping me fake my death so that I wouldn't have to go back," she explained.
"So when that car exploded..." he was cut short.
"I wasn't inside. Kyle helped me stay out of histories way, allowing me to watch you grow up," she said.
"But what about her? When did I get a sister?" he asked.
Leslie quickly chimed in. "Mom was pregnant with me when Kyle helped her fake her death, and she never got the chance to tell you or dad about me. She raised me the best she could, training me in martial arts as best she could. When she stormed out the house a few days ago and didn't tell me where she was going, and when I saw what was happening on the news, it didn't take me long to figure out where she'd went. I took her morpher and came here," she explained.
Wes sighed, wiping the tears away from her eyes. "I never forgot you mom, never," he cried, rushing over to him and wrapping her arms around her again.
"I know baby, I've watched you over the years. I was there when you graduated from school, when you first encountered the Time Force rangers, when you and Eric did your best to protect the city on your own. I saw it all, and I was so proud of the man you'd become," she cried.
"So what happens now?" Leslie asked.
"Now, we have to ensure that the time line is preserved," it was at that moment that Alex walked into the room. He quickly removed his sunglasses, tucking them neatly into his uniform. "Wes, you have to assume control of Bio-Lab as history intended," he said.
"But why? Dad is alive, why can't we..."
"I have a feeling he won't want to resume control of the company after I make him an offer," he said.
"What offer?"
"Time Force regulations dictate that now that I know about Elaine's presence in the past, I have to turn her into the proper authorities, but because history already presumes her dead, I see no reason to do that. Also, if Alan were to come back, then Kyle couldn't be convicted of murder, and within a few years, he'd be free again. So, provided that the two of will agree to simply stay out of histories way, I will allow the two of them to be together again," he told them.
"You mean Alan and I..."
He nodded. "Yes, both of you have done your best to preserve the future on more than one occasion, and I see no reason to separate the two of you again," he said.
"But she just got back. You mean I have to let her go again?" Wes snapped.
"There's no other way."
"There is always another way. I will not lose my mother again!" he snapped.
"Wes, you'll never lose me. I'll always be here if you need me," Elaine said.
"I need you here, with me."
"If Time Force were to find out I was still alive, I would be taken back to the year 3000 for memory adaptation, and Alex and Kyle would both be fired from Time Force. Its best if I just disappear again," she told him.
"But I don't want to be without you again. I want to get to know you, to know my sister," Wes sighed.
"Leslie will be allowed to stay with you, so that history can take its natural course," Alex said.
"Wait a sec," she turned to Alex. "You're saying that all of this was meant to happen?" Leslie asked.
"I'm not qualified to answer that, but I will say that history always finds a way to unfold as it should," he said.
"Will I ever see you again mom?" Wes asked.
"Probably not, but I'll see you," she promised.
"Wes, you should get to Bio-Lab. I'm sure the press will be looking for a statement from the new CEO of the company," Alex said.
"I guess you're right,"
"Besides, you'll have to show your sister around," Elaine told him.
Wes rushed over to his mother, wrapping his arms around her again. "I love you mom, I've always loved you," he cried.
"I know baby, I know."
He'd been locked away so lock, he wasn't sure how much time had passed. He wasn't sure where he was, but even though he was blindfolded, he was able to pick up on a few different things.
For one, wherever he was, it was cold. Based on how the floors and walls felt, it was metal, like a ship of some kind, but he honestly couldn't tell if they were in motion or not. He'd heard a few thumps in the distance, and sometimes he heard voices, but nothing he could make out. Several times a day, someone came into his room and presented him with a plate of food. However was responsible for kidnapping him, they'd done their best to make him feel comfortable.
He was able to move freely around what he conceived to be a cell, but there were no discernable windows or doors, at least not of the conventional type. Even though he'd been locked away for what felt like days, he rested comfortably knowing that sooner or later, Eric and Wes would find him.
His thoughts were broken as he heard a familiar hissing sound. He didn't know what he was, but it was sound he normally heard when it was time to eat, so he assumed the hissing was the sound of a door opening.
"Who's there?" he called out.
There was no answer.
"Damn it, I said who's there?" he snapped.
He felt someone grab his hands, but not forcefully, simply enough to remove the constraints on his hands. Next, they removed the blindfold. Before he'd been in the dark for days, it took a moment for his eyes to adjust. When they did come into focus, he saw her.
"Elaine?" he sighed.
"Yes Alan, its me," she cried.
"How... what..." he backed away from her.
"Its me Alan, Elaine. I'm here," she told him, leaning in and touching his face.
"Laney?" he cried.
She nodded, and without another word, they wrapped their arms around one another.
Alex and Kyle, who were standing in the doorway watching, simply smiled with approval.
"This is Chynthia Hawkins in a channel six exclusive. Apparently, the death of red ranger Wesley Collins, and his partner, Eric Myers, the Quantum Ranger was a hoax. Wesley Collins, son of billionaire Alan Collins, faked his death in order to unravel the conspiracy of who murdered his father. After receiving an audio tape of Andrew Collins, Alan's brother, conspiring with an unidentified person to murder Wes, prosecutors opted to attorneys today to sentence him to the death penalty. If convicted, the death penalty will be administered, but we have been informed that Andrew's lawyers are hoping to appeal that decision.
Both Wesley Collins and Eric Myers have returned to work today, and though he refused to speak to the public, was quoted as saying he will not be satisfied until his Uncle has been brought to justice for his crimes, and that he will be assume control of the multi-billion dollar company, Bio-Lab.
In other news..."
He quickly turned off the television, tossing the remote on the table.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again," Cassie sighed, wrapping her arms around him.
"Next time I plan to fake my death, I'll let you in on it," he joked.
"So what happens now?"
"Now, I try to run the company and take care of my sixteen year old sister," he told her.
"Well, you won't have to do it alone. I'll be here," she assured him.
He leaned down, kissing her gently on the lips. "Thank you, I needed to hear that," he said.
She leaned in to kiss him again, but they were interrupted...
'Wes, this is Lucas. Come in,' a voice said.
Wes glanced down at his morpher, where a holographic image of Lucas appeared. "What's up Lucas?"
'We're about to leave. I thought you might wanna say goodbye,' he mentioned.
Wes glanced over at Cassie, who nodded, tacitly agreeing. "I'm on my way," he said. The holographic image of Lucas appeared, and Wes stood up. "You're welcome to come," he offered.
She shook her head. "No, go say goodbye to your friends," she said.
"You sure?"
"Positive," Cassie said.
He leaned down, kissing her on the cheek. "I knew there was a reason I fell in love with you," he said, then made his way out the house.
By the time he arrived at the beach, Eric and Taylor were already there, saying their goodbyes.
"About time you got here Collins," Eric joked.
"I was held up," he glanced over at Taylor. "I work with this guy so I have to put up with him, what's your excuse?"
"He's good in bed," she told him.
"Damn straight!" Eric added.
At that moment, Jen approached them. "Hi," she said shyly.
"Come on Eric, we'll go wait in the truck," Taylor said, grabbing him by the hand and leading him away.
"Hi," Wes said.
"Its good to see you're okay. For a minute there I thought..."
"You came all this way because you thought I was dead?" he asked.
She nodded. "I had to see for myself, I didn't want to believe it," she said.
He moved closer to know. "I think you should know," he paused. "I've been with Cassie for a while now," he said.
"I know."
"I love her, but there will always be a part of me that still loves you," he told her.
"I know that too."
"I just didn't want you to think that..." he was cut short as she leaned in, kissing him on the cheek.
"I still love you too," she sighed, and then backed away slowly. "Take care of your sister, you have no idea how important she is to the future," she told him.
With a tear in his eye, he watched Jen as she walked towards the Time Shadow, disappearing into a stream of blue light.
"Goodbye Jen," Wes sighed.
Jen walked over to the controls, sitting down at her station. Although she didn't say a word, it wasn't hard for the others to tell she was upset.
"Are you going to be okay?" Trip asked her.
"I'm fine," she wiped the tear away from her eyes. "Lets get going, its time to go home," she said.
"Did you tell him about you and Alex?" Katie asked.
She shook her head. "I don't think he needs to know. He's happy now, lets just leave it that way," she said.
"Engaging engines," Lucas said.
"We're ready, lets go," Trip said.
Time Force 3000 AD
The Time Shadow landed into the docking bay, and the four of them quickly stepped out. The first thing they noticed was that the time ship had already docked, meaning Alex and Kyle were already there.
They proceeded down the hallway, where they found her laying on the ground.
"Oh God, Sierra," Jen sighed, dropping to her knees to check on her. "She's dead."
"You didn't hit her that hard, did you?" Trip asked.
"Look around, there was a battle here, a big one," Katie mentioned.
The four of them glanced around, noticing laser burns along the walls, broken glass and damaged equipment.
"What could have happened here?"
"I'll tell you what happened," they all looked up as Alex walked over to them, holding his ribs in pain. His uniform had been ripped to shreds, and he appeared to be badly injured. "Its Ransik, he's back!"
END?