I'm posting this chapter early 'cos I promised to make up for that last one. I'm glad (and surprised) that it got so many good reviews - you can be honest you know! Well, anyway, here's chapter 10, enjoy...


"What is it Sensei?" Tori asked as the five of them entered Ninja Ops.

"I think Cam better take a look at this." Sensei said; a paw raised towards the computer.

"That's not right." Cam exclaimed.

"What?"

"Hunter's morpher's gone off-line; about the time that alien appeared."

"Off-line? What do you mean? He switched it off?"

"They can't be switched off Dustin." Cam said patiently. "Something's not right. I'll try to trace it." Shoulder injury forgotten, his fingers flew over the keys. "That's odd. The morpher appears to be in a trash can outside Hunter's house. I'll send Cyber Cam to collect it. Something strange is going on here."

"This isn't even the beginning of it." Shane said.

"What?" They all turned to look at him.

Blake swallowed. "Me and Shane went to see if Hunter was at Storm Chargers after he didn't turn up for training or for that alien and Kelly had some weird news for us. Hunter doesn't work there anymore. Turns out that he's been lying to his parents, saying he's been at work when he's been up here or fighting aliens…"

"Well, that's alright," Tori began, "He can't exactly tell them that he's a power ranger can he?"

"He hasn't told them he races either. It seems they don't know very much about him." Blake continued. "So we went to his house. He opened the door…" Blake hesitated.

"He was black and blue," Shane carried on. "When we challenged him he tried to say he's had a bike accident."

"But we know he hasn't been riding since Monday." Blake chipped in.

"Yeah, anyway, before he could give us a truthful answer his step-dad appeared. Hunter told him we were his friends from a 'nature club', only I kinda gave the game away. Anyway Phil got angry and started yelling at Hunter and Hunter shrank away from him. I mean, he actually flinched. Phil didn't hit him, but Hunter blocked anyway."

"Hunter expected to be hit; you could see it in his eyes. He was surprised when nothing happened." Blake added softly.

"Phil told him to go inside and he did. No argument. There was fear, real fear, in his eyes. I've never seen Hunter look like that. Man, he's taken a serious beating. I hope we didn't get him into anymore trouble, although I hate to think what sort of state he's in at the moment."

There was silence.

"Hunter wouldn't let anyone hurt him." Dustin said firmly. "He'd hit back twice as hard. Phil isn't much bigger than him; Hunter could beat him easily."

"In theory, yes." Cam said. "But to beat someone you have to believe you can. I don't think Hunter believes he can."

"Huh? Dude, if someone hits you, you hit 'em back."

"What Cam is trying to say," Sensei cut in, "is that it's not all about strength. Hunter could beat his step-father if he wanted to, but we don't know what Hunter has been through. If his step-father bullied him as a child, Hunter might be too afraid to fight back. We don't know anything about Hunter's life before he met you, Blake. We don't know what demons there are in his past that may be being brought to life right now. And we are only assuming that it is his step-father that is causing him all these injuries…"

"But, Sensei," Shane protested, "we saw…"

"You need proof." Sensei said, but was prevented from saying more by the arrival of Cyber Cam with Hunter's trashed morpher.

"Jeez, look at it." Tori said as the mangled remains were put on the table.

Cam bent over the pieces as the other waited in silence. Then he straightened up, his face grim.

"This wasn't an accident." he said. "Someone has deliberately stood on or crushed it."

"Who?" Shane asked.

Cam gave him an exasperated look. "Shane, as brilliant as these things are, they cannot talk to me– " he trailed off. "Wait a sec." he hurried over to the main computer and began typing frantically. "These things do, however, have a recording device on them; maybe Hunter…" he waited expectantly as the computer whirred.

"Like a cry for help sort of thing?" Blake said, peering over Cam's shoulder.

"Yes, he did! Here we are…"

There was a pause, then Phil's voice came over the speaker.

"What's that?"

"J-just my watch," came Hunter's reply. His voice cracked a little and sounded a bit tearful.

There was the sound of a struggle; then Hunter's voice again, this time filled with panic.

"Please, please no!"

There was a thud which sounded like someone falling to the ground, followed by a bang as the morpher hit the floor. There was a crashing noise, then only static.

The rangers stared at one another in silence.

"That settles it." Shane growled. "Phil is behind all this. I'm gonna go and beat his ugly…" he was stopped from leaving by Dustin.

"Hold it man. That doesn't prove anything."

"How can you say that?" Shane nearly shouted. Blake was quiet.

"This is one of those rare times when Dustin is right Shane." Sensei said softly. "Wait! Before you open your mouth, let me finish. I agree the evidence does point towards Hunter's step-father, but we need something more to go on. I suggest we have a look at what Social Services have to say about Hunter."

Cam stared at Sensei in amazement, "Father that would mean hacking into their files. That's illegal!"

"I know son, but one of our fellow rangers is in trouble, so I think we can bend the law this once." He gave a small guinea-pig smile.

They looked at one another. Mutual agreement passed silently between them.

"Ok then." Cam said as he began typing. "Here we go."

Time seemed to be passing at the speed of a snail, until there was a small sigh of satisfaction from Cam.

"Ok, I'm in." he said finally. "Searching 'Hunter Bradley'." They waited. Cam looked puzzled. "There's no information held on a Hunter Bradley."

"Wait. Try 'Robinson'. That's what he was called before he was adopted." Blake said quickly.

Cam typed in 'Search: Hunter Robinson'.

"Success!" he exclaimed. Then his face fell. "My god." he whispered. "I had no idea…"