Chapter Fourteen

She was lying on the life-force extractor, motionless. Her eyes were closed and she looked almost peaceful. Melissa was unconscious in an empty room in Mesogog's lair; it had to be a trap. You would have expected a guard to be standing at the entrances to the lab or at least inside the lab, but there were none in neither place... or any other place that the rangers had wandered through. It had to be a trap.

The Black Ranger walked up to her and gently touched her face with a gloved hand. "She's still alive… but something's not right. Why would Mesogog just leave her alone in an unguarded room?"

"Are you sure it's really her?" Conner asked, receiving a slap on the arm from Kira and Ethan. "I was just asking."

"No. It's her, but something still isn't right. Keep watch while I try to wake her."

"Right." Ethan said.

"Please hurry." Kira added, still not liking this place after being trapped there once before.

Tommy powered down and gently shook his old friend. He didn't know how she would react to seeing him in his ranger outfit after being unconscious. "Mel? Mel, can you hear me?" He asked.

Melissa stirred slightly and opened her eyes. "Tommy?" She asked. He didn't say anything as he saw her eyes light up as she sat up and hugged him. "Oh, thank God! I knew you would come."

"Where's Mesogog?"

"I-I don't know. The last thing I remember, Elsa wanted to reconfigure the life-force extractor… but I can't remember why."

"It's okay. Let's get you out of here."

She quickly nodded. "The sooner, the better." She said as he helped her climb off of the machine. She stumbled slightly as she got her balance back.

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, guys, let's get going." He said to the morphed teens.

"Not so fast, Dr. Oliver." They heard a menacing voice say from behind them.

"Mesogog!" Conner cried out.

Melissa grabbed Tommy's arm from fright. It was almost as if she was seeing him for the first time. Tommy didn't think anything of it as he stared into the eyes of the monster before him.

"The girl is mine… Leave now or be destroyed."

"She's not yours, Mesogog! She's a Power Ranger!" Ethan said.

"Mel, run for cover. You shouldn't morph after what you've been through."

She nodded. "Okay. Be careful." She said as she let go of his arm and ran into a dark corner to hide.

Tommy looked at his foe with an angry gaze. "No one messes with my friends… Dino Thunder, Power Up!" He said, reaching for his key to put it in his morpher, but both were gone. "Huh?" He asked.

"What's wrong?" Kira asked.

"My Dino Morpher's gone!" He said.

Mesogog did nothing but laugh evilly at the rangers. But, he wasn't the only one. There was another laugh coming form behind Tommy. This one, female.

The rangers thought it to be Elsa, but they were wrong. Out from the shadows, stepped a black, leather, high-heeled boot, which coordinated very nicely with the black, low-riding leather pants and the leather top that showed the woman's entire stomach, including a very tasteful green star-shaped belly button ring. As she walked from the shadows more, they could see that her blond hair was streaked with black and green. It could only be one person.

"Mel?" Tommy asked.

She laughed even more as she help up his Dino Morpher. Her laughter made her seem as though she wasn't her normal, happy self. She seemed, now, more dark and sinister than Tommy had ever seen any of his friends. "Poor Tommy; always so trusting, aren't you?" She asked, grinning evilly.

"Whoa! What happened?" Conner asked.

"I've been completely reinvented, I guess you could say… thanks to Lord Mesogog."

"No!" Kira said.

"This can't be happening." Ethan said as he watched Melissa slink over to the half-human, half-dinosaur.

"I'd like to introduce my new queen." He said to the rangers, then turning to Melissa. "You know what to do."

She nodded as she placed Tommy's morpher into a pouch that hung from her belt. "Green Dino Raptor, Power Up!" She cried out as she morphed.

Tommy stood there in awe at the sight of her. This wasn't the same girl he had once known. "I can't believe this."

"Believe it, Black Ranger. For your end has come." She said, a bitter tone to her voice.

"Not if we can help it!" Conner said. "Ready guys?" He asked as the three of them looked toward their mentor and saw the look of horror on his face. They had to do something.

"Right!" Ethan said.

"Let's do it!" Kira chimed in.

They charged at the Green Rangers, but didn't even get the chance to touch her as she waved her hand and they went flying. "Pitiful." She said as he turned to Tommy, who's eyes were wide with surprise. She'd never been able to do that before.

"Mel, I know you're in there. Don't do this." He tried to persuade her.

"You can't lay a guilt trip on me. I am only pure evil, now."

"That's not true and you know it!"

With another wave of her hand, he was sent flying across the room. "You tire me with conversation."

"Then, how about this?" Ethan asked as he attacked her with his shield. He was quickly sent flying, his powers failing him as he was powered down. "Whoa! She's too strong!"

"Let me try!" Kira said, charging at her with her Ptera Grips. Melissa was able to block every move and send the yellow ranger flying with an energy blast that came from a gem that was set in her helmet. Kira's powers soon failed her as she was powered down. "I don't believe this! Where'd that energy blast come from?"

"My turn!" Conner said, pulling out the Tyrranostaff. Melissa had to admit that he was very good with it, but soon he too ended up like the others.

"Guys, get out of here! I can handle this!" Tommy said. He knew that they didn't want to fight Melissa. He didn't either, but at least, if they were to escape, they, along with Hayley, would be able to find a way to free Melissa from this curse.

"Are you sure?" Kira asked.

Tommy only nodded before the three teleported out of there.

"You didn't tell me they could do that." Mesogog said to Melissa.

"I didn't know, my Lord." She said as she powered down. She walked over to Tommy and picked him up by his shirt, her eyes narrowed into evil slits. "You made a bad choice by staying here, Black Ranger."

"I'll make that decision, myself." He said, kicking her in the gut.

She stumbled back with an "Oof!", but she soon steadied herself so she would be able to attack him again. She was deterred from doing so, by Mesogog grabbing her arm.

"Leave him. I have other plans for him… I want him taken to my dungeon, for now."

She didn't want to oblige. She wanted nothing more than to destroy the pathetic human in front of her, yet she nodded in compliance. "Yes, master."

Okay, it just wouldn't be a ranger fic without a ranger turning evil. Even if the ranger is my own creation.

Please, tell me what you think. I can use some critique on this chapter, because it'll help me to develope the next few chapters. So, please, give me your comments. Even if you don't like it, tell me why. It'll all help me out in the end!

Thanks!