Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Power Rangers…this is for entertainment only…
I'm not saying anything about this chapter! Read!
Mike: (PRTFLO) No, I'm not having a clone of Jen made…an interesting idea though…
Chapter 11 up! Enjoy!
Silent Night
Vinnie sat in front of his computer monitor, his hands flying over the keyboard.
'Come on.' He thought. 'I know you're here somewhere.'
Chemicals flowed through numerous tubes and into beakers.
"There must be a simpler formula." Vinnie muttered.
He worked well into the night, the monitor glowing.
But his red vile was still near by.
At Time Force-the next evening
Wes sat in front of the computer. His eyes scanned the screen.
"PROFILE: HARTING, VINCENT" the computer said.
A holographic diagram appeared on it as Vinnie's profile came up.
Just then, the door opened. In walked Jen with a sigh. He turned to her.
"Hi Jen." He said.
Jen didn't answer, only went back into their bedroom and immerged wearing her workout outfit.
"Jen, anything wrong?" Wes asked.
Jen only fell onto the couch and slammed a pillow down onto her face. "I can't take it anymore." Her voice was muffled by the pillow. She let out a flat scream.
"Ahhh what?" Wes asked. "Someone's a bit moody, are we?"
She looked at him and threw the pillow at Wes, who caught it. "Don't even start, Wes." Jen said.
"What's wrong?" he asked. "Is it Alex?"
Jen looked at him. "When is it not Alex?" He chuckled. "I'm just pissed that we've taken this long to find Vinnie. He's a dangerous man to be on the loose."
Wes turned back to the computer. "You're telling me."
Jen got up and walked over to where Wes sat. "He's got a record a mile long, starting with…" he cocked his head. "You know."
Jen sighed. "What he did to me was only the beginning."
"Yea, he's been taken in for drug smuggling, numerous rapes, robberies, armed I may add, the list keeps going."
Jen put her chin on his shoulder. "I know. But all he needs is a computer and he's deadly. Vinnie was studying chemistry back in high school. He was a genius when it came to it. It's been in his family."
Wes looked at her. "Really?"
"Yup. His great great great—I'm not even going to try." She shook her head. "His granddad discovered the cure for AIDS in 2124. Who would have thought a marijuana leaf would be it?"
Wes laughed. "So he's a chemist. Can he clone people?"
"No. Let's just hope that he doesn't think of that next." Jen said.
Wes scrolled down the page, and something caught his eye. "Performance enhancers?"
Jen walked over to the refrigerator. "Yea. His whole family has been working for over 1000 years to prefect them. That's the one thing we don't need in this time. Imagine of someone like Galden or Vinnie got their hands on something like that. It'd be bad."
Wes was in disbelief. "It says here that the enhancers can increase energy output to at least 100 times the rate of a normal human. Strength increases, muscle mass is bigger, it's like a complete skeleton makeover. And they're no reversal for it either."
"Well, what do you expect from a mad genius bent on revenge?" Jen asked. "I'm going down to the gym for a bit."
Wes jumped up. "I'll come with you. I need to get back in shape anyway." Wes got up and went to get changed. Minutes later he immerged and they headed down to the gym.
Meanwhile
A punch went flying, nearly missing Josh. "Whoa, easy Jason. You're gonna punch a hole right through this thing."
Jason threw a kick at it. "Then let me. We need a new one anyway." His fist missed the bag and nearly hit Josh again. Mitch caught his arm as Josh fell back.
"Jase! Watch it!" Mitch yelled. "What's your problem, bro?"
Just then, the Lieutenant and Wes walked past the doors, deep in conversation. "What do you think?" Jason said as he eyed them.
Josh and Mitch looked at them. There was a smile on their Lieutenant's face as her and Wes set up to spar.
"So, tell me, Jen. What has been bugging you?" Wes asked.
Jen rolled her neck from shoulder to shoulder and went into motion. "You know exactly what's been bugging me."
They moved around in a circle. "I forgot. Tell me again."
Jen aimed a punch for his head, but he blocked. "Vinnie is what's bothering me. I thought he was bad," she kicked him. "but now he's worse."
"Really?" Wes countered her kick with one of his own. "Why?"
About twenty minutes later, the rest of the officers and cadets exited out and Jason, Josh and Mitch headed for the locker room for a "spy" situation, as Jason called it.
Jen threw a powerful kick at Wes, knocking him down. "You know exactly why. End of conversation."
Wes was still on his back however, trying to capture his breath. "Give me some warning why don't you?" he coughed.
Jen smiled as she caped her water bottle. "You'd think for the ex-Red Ranger you'd be a better fighter."
Wes cracked his back as he sat up. "And you'd think that almost seven years as a Time Force officer, you'd be able to hit CARDBOARD targets with a TOY gun!"
Jen's eyes opened wide as she placed her hands on her hips. "You're still resorting to that saying, aren't you?" Wes stood up and eyed her.
"If it works…" Wes began. Jen rolled her eyes and walked towards the locker room with Wes following her. "Besides," he opened the door as they walked in, seeing it to be completely empty. "You still get worked up over that?" He asked as he opened up his locker.
Jen pulled her sweaty t-shirt over her head and shoved it into her bag, leaving her in pants and a sports bra. She grabbed a clean one from her locker. "Ok, if you were me how would you feel if all of Time Force knew you as the sharp shooter? And your loud mouth boyfriend went around yelling 'The Lieutenant couldn't knock over some shitty cardboard targets with a toy gun without MY help?'" Jen threw her hands up.
Wes laughed as he walked towards her. "Ok, would you be mad if I brought up the time when you had your guard down in the closet and you were admiring yourself in the mirror?"
Jen eyed him. "And you waked in to see me in my bra and thought it was hilarious that I let my guard down."
Jen closed her locker door and stared at him. Wes merely walked towards her. "That was different. I gave you privacy and didn't push the subject."
She felt the wall up against her back, and Wes's arms go around her bare waist.
From behind a shower curtain, Jason, Josh and Mitch watched the sight in disbelief.
"I knew they were in love, but not to this extent." Josh whispered lowly. Mitch nodded. They had thought it was just a little flirting and a few kisses here and there. But the sight they were witnessing didn't do justice for their thoughts.
"But now it's different." Wes continued.
"And how is this situation different?" she quizzed.
Wes's fingers brushed over her sides, running over a ticklish spot. Jen giggled.
"Because last time we were just co-workers. Now... Back in 2001, that was just by chance." His voice dropped. "But this time, however. It's a temptation."
Jen smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I guess it's okay to give into temptation now and then."
Wes chuckled and kissed her. "Come on, I'll take you out to dinner. Get your mind off of your crazy ex-boyfriend for a while."
Jen nodded. "I'd like that, Wes." They quickly changed and grabbed their stuff.
He took her hand as they walked of the locker room, and headed up towards their room to change. "You know what I've realized? You've had some crazy boyfriends over the past few years. First Vinnie, then Alex."
Jen laughed. "Now you."
Wes laughed as well as they exited out of the locker room.
The shower curtain was pulled aside as the three spectators piled out. "Man, I knew they were in love but…wow." Mitch shook his head.
"Jeez, that's one side of her we haven't seen." Josh muttered.
Jason however threw his hands up. "Didn't I tell you? Hell, it goes beyond love, man! I'll bet anything that they're sleeping together." He stormed towards the door. "Once the Captain hears about—" Jason was stopped as Mitch turned him around slammed Jason in the face. He fell back, his nose began to bleed.
"Jason would you shut the hell up?" Josh yelled. "So what? They're in love! Wes is entitled to having a love life, and so is she!"
"Just because she dumped you in high school doesn't mean you can ruin the rest of her life!" Mitch added.
Jason looked at his two friends as blood dripped into his shirt.
Later
It was a pleasant evening for the young couple as they strolled through Millennium Park. Wes had his arm around Jen's waist, her hand entwined in his.
"I had a nice evening, Wes. Thanks." Jen looked at him. Wes shook his head.
"My pleasure." Wes said. "It was nice to get away from everything, just to escape for once."
Jen sighed. "That's all I want to do is escape. Get away from here for a change." She looked up into the night sky. "Go somewhere far away, like Hawaii or Florida. I've heard Australia is nice this time of year."
"Australia?" Wes asked. "Why the hell would you wanna go to Australia?"
Jen shrugged. "Why not? It's anywhere but here."
"Jen, once all this is done and over with, and when Vinnie is caught, we'll go on a long vacation away from Time Force. We'll go around Europe." Wes held her hands out.
"The Bahamas, Jamaica." Jen said loudly. Wes ran to a swing in the park and sat on it, Jen taking the vacant one next to him.
"We'll go all around Hawaii, spend a week on each island. Go tanning at the beaches." He pulled her swing closer. "And no Time Force for miles around. It'll be just us, no one to get in the way of that."
He placed his forehead on hers. "I'd like that, Wes."
"I knew you would." He smiled and gave her a quick kiss.
"Come on," Jen said. "we should be getting back now."
He took her hand as they headed back towards Time Force Headquarters.
Back at the house
"This is all useless!" Vinnie yelled. He threw beakers across the room, as they broke on the walls. "One simple chemical and I can't find it!"
The empty beaker he had in his hand shattered, sending glass into his hand. He kicked the table nearby, waving his bloody hand in the air, drops of blood going all over the place.
Then, the computer beeped. Vinnie stopped and stared at it. There was one work blinking.
COMPLETEA smile crept across his face. "It's…finished." He said in disbelief. Vinnie took the red vile from its holster, as it was now covered in blood.
He looked at the computer. "Blood…of course! In order for it to work, the enhancer needs a sample of the person who it will adhere to! It needs DNA."
He sat down quickly and got out a test tube and a needle. "Troy!"
The young man walked in. "Yea Vin?"
"Come here. I need you to take a sample of my blood."
Troy looked at him. "Vinnie, you're not planning to make the enhancers are you?" Vinnie didn't answer. Troy knew the answer. "Vinnie, it's suicide! Just looked at what happened to Dad and Grandpa! They died trying to make it!"
Vinnie twirled around and shoved Troy up against the wall, his neck in his hand. "Now, you listen to me, Brother." Vinnie sputtered. "This is my way of getting my revenge on Jen."
Troy looked at him. He had forgotten that Vinnie was his older brother. "I don't know why you'd want revenge on her."
Vinnie threw his little brother down. "She ruined my life. And once I find her, I'll make her pay."
Troy didn't answer. He silently got up and drew his brother's blood then left for his room.
On his way up, he thought of his parents. His mom had died giving birth to Troy. And everyone thought his father had died in a car crash.
But the car crash was just a cover up.
His father and his grandfather's before him all worked on the performance enhancers, each one failing to live through each test. Troy knew his father was different, he was a mad man.
And that was exactly what Vinnie was becoming.
But there was one difference between Vinnie and his father.
Vinnie had perfected the performance enhancers.
He sat down at the old desk in his room and took a piece of paper and began to write.
Next Week
For the past week, Alex had secluded him from the rest of Time Force since his argument with Jen. All he did now was attend calls, eat, sleep and do his work.
He walked into Time Force from patrol duty when the receptionist called him over.
"Captain Drake, sir!" she said.
Alex walked over. "Yes?"
She handed him an envelope. "Can you bring this to Lieutenant Scotts, please?"
Alex didn't answer right away. "Sure." He said bleakly.
It seemed like forever for him to reach her office. When he did, he hesitated.
But he finally knocked. "Come in." she said.
Alex opened the door slowly to find her typing away at her computer. Jen turned around to see Alex there.
"What can I do for you, Alex?" Jen asked. He shut the door.
"I—" he stopped. "The receptionist at the desk downstairs asked me to deliver this to you."
He handed her the letter. "Well, it's a cold day in hell when I get mail." She muttered.
Alex chuckled as Jen opened the letter. "Well, I best be going." Alex said.
"Alex, wait." He turned his head to see her sitting in her chair. "I just wanted to apologize for the other day when we talked."
Alex shook his head. "No, I should be the one apologizing, Jen. I put my two cents in when I shouldn't have. It's your life, live it the way you want. I know more about you then anyone in this building, besides Wes I mean."
Jen looked at her ex-fiancé. "We all can't have everything we want, now can we?" her voice was low. "Alex, if we're going to be working together, I don't want anything to come between us." She stood up and walked towards him. "There will always be a part of me that belongs to you. If you need a friend, I'll always be here for you." Alex gave her a smile. "There's something I haven't seen on your face for a while."
Alex gazed into her eyes. "Thank you, Jennifer."
Jen gave him a confused look. "For what?"
Alex ran a finger down her cheek and kissed her briefly. "For everything."
He left abruptly, leaving Jen in a state of shock. But she shook her head and went back to work. Jen placed the letter on her desk, planning to read it later.
But there was something odd about this letter. The envelope was old, brown with age. Jen opened the envelope and read the letter inside.
Her eyes widened at the letter and she jumped up, throwing the letter onto her desk.
Jen grabbed her jacket and left.
Later
Wes was sitting on the couch reading his book. It was almost nine o'clock and Jen hadn't come home.
And Wes was getting worried.
"Something's not right." Wes muttered. He got up and went back to headquarters to talk with Captain Logan.
"Where is she?" he asked himself as he entered an elevator. "It's not like her to come home so late. She's probably working."
Wes went to her office after the elevator stopped.
The office lights were off. "Jen?" He asked as he slowly opened the door. She wasn't there. Wes looked around her office to try and find something.
On her desk was the letter. "What's this?" he muttered. He read the letter. "Oh no."
Lieutenant-Vinnie is planning to use the performance enhancers! He's perfected them and is making a bigger batch now. Now is your only chance to stop him. But be careful, he's gone crazy. Bring as many officers as you need, for he's dangerous.
The house we're in is the old Clifton house on 5th Street and Pine, the one on the cliff.
Troy Burgess
Wes backed out slowly and bolted towards the elevator.
But someone grabbed him. "Where do you think you're going, Collins?" Jason shoved him into the wall.
"Not now, Jase. I need to speak with Captain Logan, immediately." Wes said firmly.
"Really. How do I know you're not running off to fuck with the Lieutenant?" Jason said angrily.
"What are you talking about?" Wes asked. He threw Jason's hands off of him.
"I saw you with her in the locker room." Jason said.
"Jase! Come on, let's go." Josh and Mitch walked out of the elevator.
Jason shoved them away as well. "No, not until this little fuck admits he's sleeping with her."
Wes looked him in the eye. "Jason, I have no time for this." Wes began to talk away but Jason grabbed him again.
"No! You listen to me, Wes!" Jason yelled. He began yelling at Wes.
"Jay, I'm sorry, this is gonna hurt me more then it hurts you." Wes muttered. He punched Jason in the face hard, knocking him down and out cold.
Wes looked at Josh and Mitch. "He deserved it?" Josh asked Mitch.
"Yup, he deserved it." Mitch directed his attention towards Wes. "Wes, just tell me one thing. Are you and Jen in love? I mean beyond a dating relationship."
His silence confirmed Mitch's question. "I don't have time to talk now, guys. I'm sorry." Wes walked past them.
"So it's true then." Josh said. "You are from the past. You're the Red Ranger from the year 2004."
Wes stared at them. "What you know you can't tell anyone. Please. Now, Jen's in trouble. I have to save her."
"Then go." Josh nodded.
Wes ran and headed down towards Captain Logan's office.
Logan's office
Logan sat in his office, talking with the Ensigns and Commander Datas. Alex, however, was not present.
"Captain! Sir!" a knock came at his door, followed by a persistent voice. "Captain, it's Wes!"
"Come in, Officer Collins." Logan urged.
Wes burst in and almost fell. Datas stared at him, his mind began to race. "Sir!" Wes coughed.
"Collins, what's wrong?" Logan stood up.
"It's Jen, sir." He drew in a breath and took out the letter. "She's gone!"
At the abandoned house
Jen walked up silently to the house. It was nearly a thirty-minute walk, but her heart was racing.
She crept around the house and came to a dirty window. A computer monitor glowed.
"What's he up to?" Jen muttered to herself.
Jen looked for the door, and opened it quietly. Her and Vinnie used to come to this house when they were younger.
Now she was hunting for him in this house.
Meanwhile
"What do you mean gone, Collins?" Datas asked.
Wes threw the letter onto Datas's desk. "Read it. She's gone after Vinnie alone."
Datas read it. "Get every available unit ready. We're going to finish this once and for all."
Wes bolted out of the office just as the alarms went off, and Datas's announcement echoed through the building.
Back at the house
After a series of long hallways and stairs, she came to a room.
Vinnie stood in front of the computer, mixing chemical after chemical. Jen quietly took her blaster in hand.
"Freeze Harting!" Jen jumped into the room.
Vinnie didn't take his eyes away from the computer. "Hello Jennifer. I knew you couldn't stay away too long."
"Vinnie, I suggest you stop all this and just give up." Her voice was firm.
He turned to face her. "That won't be happening anytime soon, I promise."
Galden jumped out from a corner and hit Jen over the head, dazing her. Galden walked out of the darkness with a metal pipe in hand. Vinnie looked at him. "Pack everything up, we're moving." He took Jen's arm. "You, on the other hand, are coming with me."
He forced Jen out of the room and closed the door.
At Time Force
Wes stood at his locker, strapping up his vest and blasters.
"'Bout time we see some action!" an officer said. "Rescue missions, yea!"
Wes tried to act happy. "Yea." He zipped up his jacket, but didn't close his locker right away. He looked at a small object in the back. He reached for it and rubbed his finger over it. "Why did you go at it alone?" He whispered.
It was the badge she gave him five years ago. "I'm coming for you. Just hold on." He put the badge on his jacket pocket and zipped it up.
"Listen up!" Alex called. The officers fell into steady lines, with Wes being in the front. "This mission is vital to the Pink Ranger's lives, and some of our own." He looked at Wes. "Move out!"
The officers ran towards the van. "Officer Collins." Alex called. Wes hung back. "You are coming with me, I have something to tell you."
Wes gave him a confused look, but followed.
The vans left a few moments later, each officer sat in anticipation.
But Alex and Wes were left behind.
Twenty minutes later
They stopped ten minutes from the house and followed on foot. Logan and the officers followed silently up to the house. After a series of hand motions, the group was broken up.
Logan counted…one…two…three…
They house was alive with each person bursting in. Shouts were heard as the neared the area where Vinnie was, a light cut through the darkness.
Logan rounded the corner, his blaster hot. "Freeze Harting! You're---"
But no one was there. Logan lowered his weapon and ordered his men to do the same.
Moments later, each officer followed one another out of the house, disappointment shown in their eyes.
Just then, the Red Ranger pulled up next to Logan.
"Sorry I'm late, Rob." The Red Ranger said.
"Don't worry about it." Logan said. But something stopped him from saying something else. Something was different about the Red Ranger that Logan couldn't place his finger on.
"Did we get him?" The Ranger asked hopefully.
Logan shook his head. "No. We were too late, they've moved." Logan watched his head fall.
Logan hesitated to ask him a question, but something told him not to.
Each officer watched the Ranger, wondering what was wrong. He wasn't barking orders like he used to. He only walked to the edge of the cliff and watched the sun set.
The Red Ranger looked off into the distance, his eyes lingering. His face, frozen with emotion, was hidden from behind the helmet.
"We were too late…" he whispered.
ch 12 up soon…
So what's going on with our Red Ranger? Where did Alex take Wes? All will be revealed in Chapter 12!