Hey everyone, I'm back! Thanks for all your great reviews:
Sreym - thanks, you knowI had to look parenthesis up in a dictionary!
YellowCrimsonforver - yeah, I'm a meanie, especially where I've left this one!
Everyone else - thanks. Here's chapter 15 up and ready to go... Don't forget to review!
Phil was sitting down in front of the television when he heard the sounds from the basement. He slammed his dinner down on the table and stormed towards the locked door. Unlocking it, he flung it open.
"What the hell are you doing down there?" he yelled.
There was silence. Phil was fuming by now. What was that boy up to? What kid had Maggie dumped on him? He was going to have to teach him a lesson, one he might actually remember this time. Snapping on the light he made his way down the stairs.
"I asked you a… what the hell is going on?" Expecting to see just Hunter, he was met by four people in different coloured suits of lycra. The Navy one, which had just been kneeling next to Hunter jumped up and ran across the room. He picked Phil up and slammed him against the wall, holding him by his throat.
"How dare you treat someone like that." Navy yelled at Phil as he choked. "You shouldn't treat anyone like that." He slammed him against the wall again.
"Bl… Navy Thunder Ranger. That's enough." The Red Ranger called anxiously to his team-mate. "You'll kill him."
"It's nothing more than he deserves." The Navy Ranger growled, but let him go anyway. Phil slid down the wall, massaging his neck and gasping for air.
The Navy Ranger turned his back on him and went back to Hunter. "It's ok bro," he said in a low undertone so Phil couldn't hear. "I'm here, you're safe now."
Hunter moaned and opened his eyes slightly. There was a noise from the top of the stairs. Maggie stood there, one hand over her mouth.
"Ok Samurai." The Yellow Ranger said apparently to no one. "Get us out of here."
Hunter stared at his mother as he began to glow with a crimson light. He saw her run down the stairs towards him before the darkness took him.
Maggie stared at the place where her son and the four rangers had disappeared in coloured lights, then knelt down beside her husband to help him. Supporting him slightly, she helped him up the stairs, only looking back once to see if it had all been a dream. But Hunter was gone…
"Hunter. Please, stay with us," Blake begged his brother. "Where the hell is this friend of yours Sensei?" he said angrily. "He's dying. Why can't we just take him to the hospital?"
They had arrived back at Ninja Ops and demorphed. Hunter was in a worse state than any of them could have imagined. Seeing him properly, he was covered in blood and dirt. So much so that it was impossible to see the bruises underneath. Sensei had told them not to take him to the hospital. He had a friend who could do more for him than any hospital.
"Patience Blake. He will be here soon." Sensei said, trying to calm down the frustrated young man.
"Kanoi!" a voice called from the entrance to Ninja Ops. A middle-aged Chinese man walked down the steps.
"Jason." Sensei replied. Not many people knew his real name, but Jason was one of those few.
"Rangers, let me introduce you to an old friend of mine, Dr. Jason Chan. Dr. Chan was a student here once."
Dr. Chan grinned, "I decided my calling was healing people rather than hurting them. Now, let's see the patient."
If Dr. Chan was shocked at Hunter's appearance, he did not show it. "One of your strays Kanoi?"
"No, one of my students. He's had a hard time at home."
Dr. Chan didn't even blink. "Well then, I'll need some hot water and bandages. You know what else."
"You're just a doctor." Blake said, not moving as the others hurried to get the stuff Sensei listed. "What can you do for him that the hospital can't?"
"Blake," Sensei cautioned.
"No Kanoi, it's fine. The boy has a right to know." He smiled at Blake. "Your friend means a lot to you, huh?"
"He's not my friend." Blake replied. "He's my brother. Now please tell me what you can do for him or I'm going to take him to the hospital myself. He's dying." His voice had a hint of panic in it.
Dr. Chan nodded. "I studied here long enough to learn about ninja healing powers. When I left, I went to a different academy, one that specialized in the healing side of the ninja powers."
"Dr. Chan is one of the best and most experienced doctors around, mainly because he can use ninja healing powers to heal other people, not just himself. It's not something many ninjas can achieve. If he can't help Hunter, no one can." Cam said.
"Are you satisfied now?"
Blake nodded.
"Ok. Everyone out, including you Kanoi. I'm sorry but this needs to be a clean environment. Guinea-pigs really aren't good in this sort of place."
They all made to leave, except Blake who sat down next to his brother who was lying on a makeshift bed and held his hand.
"I'm not leaving him," he said stubbornly, not looking at anyone. "I left him once; I'm not going to do it again."
"Fine." Dr. Chan said. "I'll probably need some help anyway." He met Sensei's eyes and gave him a small smile.
Once the others had gone, Dr. Chan got to work. "Here," he handed Blake a damp cloth. "I've got to be able to see what I'm working with. Get him cleaned up a bit but be gentle." Blake nodded and started to gently clean the blood and grime off Hunter. Meanwhile, Dr. Chan began on the wound in Hunter's side.
The others were waiting in one of the side rooms just off the main operations area. There was nothing to do but wait. Training was out of the question. No one could concentrate. Finally Dr. Chan appeared and announced that they could come back in.
"Well?" Sensei asked.
Hunter was still unconscious on the bed, but he was now clean. All the blood has been washed away and the full extent of his injuries could now be seen.
"He's got minor cuts and bruises over his entire body." Dr. Chan said in a low voice to Sensei, but the others were listening. "There's a big gash over his right eye and a cut on the back of his head which needed attention, but that's not what I'm really worried about. There're only superficial, however, he has a number of broken ribs and there's that deep cut to his left side. I've done what I can, but his own healing powers are nearly non-existent."
"Non-existent?" Dustin couldn't help himself. "What do you mean? We've all got them – it's part of our ranger power perks."
"Along with sensitive hearing too, I've noticed." Dr. Chan said dryly. Dustin turned pink.
"Dustin's right though." Shane said. "We all have healing powers. Hunter's used his more than once before. We know they exist; how can you say they're not there?"
Dr. Chan shook his head, "Over-use." he said simply.
"He's used them so much recently that they're just completely worn out." Sensei explained.
"And that's where the problem lies." Dr. Chan said. "My talent is using my healing powers to boost the patient's own. Hunter's are so used up that I'm relying almost completely on mine. The next 24 hours are crucial – he's not out of the woods yet."
Hunter was carefully moved from the main operations center to a small room that had been prepared for him.
"I'm staying with him." Blake said firmly. "He wouldn't want to be alone. If, when he wakes up…I don't want him to be alone."
The others nodded. "I'll bring you something to eat in a little while." Tori said and they left him.
"His physical injuries aren't the only thing I'm worried about." Dr. Chan said in a quiet voice to the others. "If Hunter wakes up, I fear he will not be the same person that you knew before. He's been through a traumatic experience, and from what you've said, this isn't the first time. I have no idea what his mental state is going to be like."
"That's assuming he does wake up." Shane said softly. "All we can do now is wait."
