From a distance Alex watched Tommy work out in the morning light. He watched as Tommy moved so gracefully, move after move, kick after kick, and punch after punch. But he also could see something else, the great man and warrior he was, a true friend. The kind of friend who'd put his life on the line no matter what.
It was no secret in Time Force as to who Tommy Oliver was. In fact every school-aged child and teenager knew who Tommy Oliver was. He was by far one of the greatest power rangers in all of history. Although it had taken many years, long after his death, until the world knew who any of the power rangers had been.
As a boy Alex remembered growing up saying he wanted to be just like him and he would have given anything to meet him. And now here he was a grown man, who had fulfilled his dream of being a ranger and now was fighting alongside his childhood hero.
But Alex knew other things about Tommy Oliver, things only Time Force knew about. The secrets the great warrior had kept all of his life from his tragic past. And although part of Alex knew the others should know about what had happened during that time when Tommy was working with Anton Mercer, he would never say anything to them. Things were hard enough as it was for Tommy.
Tommy turned around, sensing someone was watching him. "Oh Alex, I didn't know you were here." Tommy stopped his workout. He picked up a towel lying on the grass and wiped the sweat off his face.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."
"No. I was just about done anyways. Anything I can help you with?"
"Yes, actually. I need to discuss something with you, it's about Hexasaur. But I need for this to stay between us, for now at least."
A concerned look crossed Tommy's face. He didn't like keeping things from the others. He was already doing that as it was. He didn't like the idea of keep more things from them, than he needed to. But on the other hand, Alex, at least most of the time, had a reason for everything. So for now he had to trust that Alex was doing the right thing. "Okay. Ah...Let's go in the house."
Alex nodded his head and followed Tommy into the house.
"NO! WES! Please. Leave him alone," Jen cried out in her sleep.
She was in the abandoned building, where Janixsaur had killed Wes. Fire was burning everywhere, smoke surrounded the room. She watched as Janixsaur punched Wes nonstop and tossed him across the room. She tried to get to him. But she couldn't.
"Jen, help me," she heard him cry out. He was in pain, bleeding to death, barely hanging on to life...
But she couldn't get to him. Burning boulders were in her way, blocking her from him.
"Wes," she cried. She felt so powerless to do anything, to stop what was happening.
"You can't help him. You never could," hissed Janixsaur, as he grabbed Wes by the neck, choking him to death.
"Jen," he cried out again, out of breath.
Janixsaur threw Wes right at her. Wes hit the wall hard and dropped to the ground.
"Wes!" Jen rushed to him, dropping to her knees. "Wes," she cried. His face was covered in blood.
He opened his eyes, just barely. "Why didn't you save me? Why didn't you save me Jen?" he repeated over and over, his voice getting softer every time.
"Jen..."
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she cried.
"Jen. Jen, wake up. It's only a dream," said Eric, shaking her shoulder.
Her eyes flashed open, and she quickly wrapped her arms around Eric. "I couldn't save him," she repeated over and over.
Eric sighed heavily, as he put his arms around her, holding on to her. "Shh, it's okay. It's just a dream," he told her. Eric turned his head towards the door and saw Hayley looking at them sadly.
They had just walked into the house when they had heard Jen crying out. Eric had raced up the stairs to see what was wrong, and found Jen crying in her sleep. "It's going to be okay," he told her. "It wasn't your fault." Eric slowly felt Jen start to calm down and fall back into a deep sleep. He gently laid her back down on the bed. And just sat there for a moment watching her, wanting to make sure everything was going to be okay.
"She must be exhausted," said Hayley, walking up behind Eric.
He sighed. "Yeah. Alex said all she's been doing is working, pushing herself too much."
"I wish there was something we could do."
"Me too, but I think the only thing that would make this all better, is if…he hadn't died."
"Things will get better. It's just going to take time is all." The two stayed there until they were fully sure Jen wouldn't be having any more nightmares.
"We should tell them. They have a right to know," said Tommy.
"No! It's too risky. And we don't know for sure."
"And we don't know for sure it isn't."
He sighed heavily. "Look, I don't like it any better than you do, but we don't have much of a choice."
"Yes we do. We always have a choice."
"What good will it do telling them?"
Tommy didn't answer. For once he didn't have an answer, try as he might, he couldn't come up with an answer.
"Telling them would only be putting them at risk. You know as well as I know, for now, this is the right thing to do."
Tommy hated this whole situation. He hated keeping more secrets from the team. He hated the fact that Alex hadn't told him. Is this what my life has come to, keeping secrets from those I care about the most? "Just because you think it's the right thing, doesn't mean I have to!" He started towards his front door.
Alex abruptly got up from his chair. "If you tell them this, then I'll tell them what really happened with Mercer and you." He wasn't sure why he said it; it just came out, as if he had no control over it.
Tommy turned around and glared right at Alex, in shock. How did he know? Wait, Alex is from the future, of course he knows.
"That's right. I know all about your little experiment, the accidents, everything."
"So is that a threat?" Tommy replied harshly.
Alex held his composure well. He crossed his arms against his chest. "If it will stop you from telling the others what I told you, yes it is a threat."
Tommy walked right up to Alex. His hand turned into a fist. He could feel anger burning inside of him, flowing through his veins. "You know I'm beginning to see why some people have a problem with you."
Alex didn't flinch or do much of anything. He continued to look Tommy right in the eyes, fully prepared for anything. "So you won't be telling them."
How could he be so heartless? He wanted to hit Alex right in the face, but no. That wasn't what he was about. He loosened his hand and just looked Alex smack in the face. "Damn you, Alex!" Tommy walked past him, brushing shoulders.
Alex sighed, watching him go. As much as he hated it, he felt this was the right thing. For better or worse it was done. "I'm sorry," he said softly.
"Yeah, so I am," answered Tommy with a hard tone in his voice.
She was walking alone in the park. Eric and Hayley had both insisted they come with her, afraid she might have another breakdown, but she had told them she would be fine and needed some time alone, that the fresh air might do her some good.
It was a nice warm afternoon, but surprisingly no one was in the park. She had it all to herself, which she didn't mind. There would be no one here to bother her. It had been weeks now since it all happened. And although she was starting to get used to the fact of him not being around, she still felt numb inside, like at any moment she could lose control of all her emotions.
She walked over to a bench and sat down, bowing her hand down and fumbling her fingers together. The dream she had kept on playing over and over in her mind. She wasn't sure why she was having it. She hadn't been there in the building, to have seen it. Perhaps she was having the dream because of the guilt she was feeling. What if I had never told him how I felt? What if I had stayed here the last time? What if I had gone after him, after our fight? These what-ifs she had kept tossing and turning around in her mind for days now. And that's when the nightmares had started. She couldn't get to him in time. She couldn't save him. All she could do was stand there and watch as Janixsaur killed him.
"What's this, a lone ranger?"
Jen jumped and turned around just by the sound of his voice. "You must be Hexasaur. I've heard all about you." She quickly got into a fighting stance.
He laughed. "Then you must know I'm here to kill you power rangers, starting with you, pink ranger."
"I'd like to see you try!" Jen morphed into the pink ranger in a flash of light. "Come and get me!"
"You may be brave now, but just wait until you have just a taste of what I can do!" Hexasaur charged at Jen. He punched her straight in the chest.
She fell back a few feet. "Is that the best you can do!" she spat.
"Oh, I'm just getting started." He powered up an energy ball to send right at her. But Jen dodged the blast, she watched as it flew over her, hitting a tree. She watched as the tree exploded, like it was nothing but paper.
She felt her heart racing. This guy isn't kidding.
"You see, it will only be a matter of time until you and your friends fall. Just like that pathetic red ranger of yours; Janixsaur told me how he killed him."
"Wes," she said softly. She could feel her anger build up, as she began to let her guard down, and all her thoughts turned to Wes and his death.
"How he begged for his life, over and over, until Janixsaur killed him." He laughed evilly. "Oh please, Janixsaur don't kill me, please."
"You bastard!" Jen yelled as she jumped to her feet; she went charging right at Hexasaur in blind rage of anger and fury.
Her guard and sense of control were down. Hexasaur moved quickly just as she was about to charge right at him. He turned and whacked her with his tail, sending her flying in the air. Unable to stop what was happening Jen could only watch as her body collided with a tree.
He laughed darkly, as he watched her body drop to the ground and demorph. He started to approach, intending to finish off the job.
Her vision was blurry. She tried to push herself up, but every time she did, everything spun around, making her dizzy and leaving her with a sick feeling. She flinched as Hexasaur grabbed her by the collar of her shirt.
"You see, pink ranger, I'm more powerful than you ever dreamed of."
She had nothing left in her to fight with. She had done all she could. Maybe it was time to just give in and let him win. Then all of this would be over, at least then she would be back with him. "Go on, do it! Get it over with!" she yelled, choking on her tears.
Hexasaur was somewhat caught off-guard. She was practically begging him to kill her. She wanted her life to be over. But why? He stared her right in the eyes; something felt familiar. It's happening again. What's wrong with me? I should be able to kill her. It's what she wants. Why can't I do it?
Jen could see the struggle in his face. What's going on? He should have killed me by now. I should be dead. She then felt as the grip around her collar began to loosen; she dropped to the ground.
"Hey, leave her alone!" yelled Trent, who was morphed into the white dino ranger, with Alex not too far behind him. Both of them had their blasters pointing right at Hexasaur.
Hexasaur just looked at them and then back to Jen. Jen noticed something different in his eyes than before, he looked confused, afraid even, like he had no idea what was going on. He then took a few steps back and disappeared.
Once he was gone, Trent and Alex ran towards her, both demorphing. Alex dropped down in front of her, grabbing a hold of her head, checking it over. "Jen, are you alright?" he asked, his voice full of concern.
"I think so." She started to stand up, but everything felt dizzy and she almost fell over, but luckily Trent ran to her side and caught her.
"We need to get her back home, check and make sure she doesn't have a concussion," said Trent.
"Good idea." Alex helped support Jen's other side, as both he and Trent helped Jen walk. "Hang in there, Jen, we're going to get you all checked out."
"Damn you! You worthless creature!" Janixsaur got right in Hexasaur face. "I created you for one reason only, and that was to destroy the power rangers. You have come this close to killing two rangers, and both times you stopped. Why?"
"I'm sorry, master, but every time I get to the point of killing, something comes over me. I can't explain it. But I promise next time, I will kill a ranger!"
"You had better. Now leave me, the sight of you sickens me."
"Yes, master." Hexasaur left the room.
"It seems Mesogog isn't the only one with problems killing rangers. It seems your pet still has too much of a heart," mocked Elsa as she came out of hiding.
"He's perfectly capable of killing. I just need a better way of controlling him, stop whatever it is he senses right before he kills." He turned to Elsa, smiling. "I think it's time to put phase two of my plan to work. Once I have Mesogog's powers, Hexasaur will have to do whatever I say, no matter what."
"And how do you plan on getting Mesogog's powers?"
"Simple, go to him when he's in his weakest state."