Even though he felt his instincts were right, that didn't stop him from seeing his life flash before his eyes. Every possible thing that had happened to him over his life he saw in one instant. It all seemed bittersweet and frightening at the same time, knowing that at any moment his life might be over. And if this truly was the end that meant he wouldn't see Conner or the others graduate, he would miss Jason's wedding, he would never see Kimberly again. He felt his heart racing as he was nearing the ground below. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping…. THUD.
He hit the ground hard, but nothing had broken. His bones ached and he felt short little pains, but all in all he was okay. But how? Tommy lifted up his head and opened his eyes. "What? Where am I?" He was in a room of some type. Strange writings and pictures were on the rocky walls. It appeared to be prehistoric, dinosaur related.
Tommy pushed himself up and began reading the pictures on the walls. He saw drawings of people looking at a strange gem or rock. The rocks then begin to glow and the people to change to what looked like fierce warriors. Tommy's eyes widened with fear. This is how Smitty became Zeltrax and the same with Ellie becoming Elsa. "Oh man." Tommy ran his hand over his face. Three dark shadows then stepped behind Tommy.
"Hello Tommy, how nice of you to join us," said a voice that was eerily familiar.
Scared to death of who the voice belonged to, Tommy turned around and found Zeltrax and Elsa staring right at him. But there was a new warrior before him and Tommy felt his heart go to pieces. "No. Hayley..." Whatever had happened to Smitty and Ellie was now happening to Hayley. His friend he had been so close to had just become his enemy.
"Sorry, no Hayley here."
"No!" And before he could do anything, arms grasped him and tossed him across the room. Tommy felt as his back hit hard against a black-purplish large gem glowing brightly. His eyes widened with fear, this is what had changed them, changed them into the monstrous creatures they were now.
"Join with us Tommy, become one of us," hissed Elsa. "Things will go much easier for you if you do."
"Yes, join, Tommy, you'll have powers you never even dreamed of," hissed Hayley. "You'll be more powerful than all your ranger powers combined."
"Come on Tommy, with you on our side we will be unstoppable."
His heart was racing as the three continued to make remarks about him joining them, to become one of them. And even now he could feel as the evil gem was trying to gain control of him. He struggled to keep control. "No I won't become evil!"
"It's already too late, Tommy. The gem's power is already taking control; it's only a matter of time until you give in."
He jumped to his feet and got right into Hayley's face. "Let her go! Release her you bastard!" He grasped onto her arms tightly, yelling into her face.
"The girl is gone. Only I remain." She shoved him right into Zeltrax's grasp.
Tommy felt as Zeltrax's arms went around him, holding him tightly, forcing him to look at the gem. "Look at the gem, Tommy." He leaned closer to Tommy's ear, and whispered, "Can you feel its power?"
Tommy struggled to free himself from Zeltrax's grip, but was slowly feeling his own strength give away and soon found himself looking at the gem, as if it were calling him. "No!" He shook his head away, forcing his eyes shut. "I won't become evil." And even as he tried to force his eyes shut, he could feel them starting to open. "No. Not again!" He wouldn't become evil. He had promised himself a long time ago he would never let the forces of darkness change him.
"Don't fight it Tommy, it's useless," Zeltrax hissed into his ear.
He took a deep breath, slowly starting to lose all hope, but he had to be strong, he couldn't, he wouldn't give up. There was one thing he hadn't tried yet, something that might be their only hope. Smitty had regained his memory just before he fell, which meant there still maybe a chance to get through to him. The gem still might have not gotten full control over him again. "Smitty, if you're in there, I could sure use your help right about now!"
"I'm getting worried, he should have contacted us by now," announced Kira. It was nearing noon and Dr. O still hadn't made contact with them.
Trent walked up behind her and put his arm around her. "I'm sure he's okay, he's the best there is," Trent assured her, knowing that Dr. O was one of the best rangers there was; if anyone could beat Zeltrax and save Hayley it would be him.
"Even the best fall," Alex sighed. He wasn't trying to get their hopes down, he was only being realistic. That eventually every hero does fall. There had been a time when many had considered him a hero, the best of the best; and he too had fallen, and come close to losing his life.
No one answered. They all knew that Alex was right. Tommy might be one of the greatest and best rangers there was, but he wasn't Superman. Even he had his own weaknesses. One can only cheat death so many times.
Conner, who had been ignoring the conversation ever since the mention of the possibility of Tommy not returning alive came up, had turned on the television to watch the news. Then he saw a report about a man he had heard both Tommy and Alex talk about a few weeks ago. The man who had helped saved Trent's father's life. "Ah guys, I think you might want to take a look at this." Conner turned up the television as everyone gathered around him.
"At ten o'clock this morning while on a routine patrol, Officer Landon Gunner's squad car lost control and crashed into an abandoned building, killing him instantly. Luckily no one else was hurt…."
"Oh man, poor Helen." Wes felt a shiver go down his spine for his cousin's loss. He knew that Helen loved Landon very much, but what Wes didn't know was that he and his cousin shared something in common, they had both fallen in love with people from different times. "I've got to call her." Wes felt as Jen put her arms around him.
Alex stared at the screen, listening to the report. He crossed his arms against his chest.
"What is it?" asked Eric, leaning over his shoulder.
No answer. Alex scratched his chin; something just didn't seem right. It all seemed too sudden. He continued to put his focus on listening to the news report once again. And then he heard Landon's words play over in his head. "There are ways."
"Come on Smitty, I know you're in there. You're better than this. Fight it!" Tommy struggled to get free of Zeltrax's bone-crushing hold on him. With every passing second he could feel himself losing control and could feel the dark gem's powers roaming through his entire body. It would only be a manner of a few more moments until his mind was no longer his and his body would begin to change, changing him into what his friends had become. "Please, don't let it win."
During Tommy's desperate attempted move to break lose of Zeltrax's hold, unbeknown to them the photograph had once again reveled itself; it had fallen loose from Tommy's shirt. Zeltrax continued to hear the desperate calls for help from his old friend. The dark warrior then caught sight of the photo once again, but this time was much different; a memory flashed through his mind. He couldn't hear anything, only images of them, of the friendship they once had. Zeltrax then heard Tommy again. "Fight it Smitty!" but Tommy's voice was beginning to drift away. "We can't let it win..." Tommy's body went limp.
As if something had suddenly hit him, Zeltrax, or rather Smitty, flung away from the gem, as if his eyes had truly opened. Once again he had regained control of his mind, but it would only be a few short moments until the gem would try to regain control. "Tommy." Smitty looked down at his friend as he shielded him from the powerful gem. "Can you hear me?"
Tommy's eyes sprang open, slightly dazed and confused. "Smitty. I knew you were still in there."
"I always was, just couldn't see past the lies."
Tommy nodded his head and was getting ready to respond when his eyes filled with terror. Smitty quickly turned around and found Elsa, who at one time had been the woman he loved with all of his heart, and the other Hayley. Before Smitty could even react, the two lunged into him and threw him across the room. Smitty went crashing right into the wall, leaving Tommy a sitting duck.
Weakened, Tommy could only watch as the two pulled him to his feet, dragging him back over to the gem. "Don't fight it, Tommy. It will all be over very soon," whispered Hayley.
Smitty could feel the gem starting to regain control of him. He only had a few moments to spare. He gripped his hand around his sword, pulled himself to his feet and went charging right at the gem. He raised his sword high and struck the gem with all he had left to give, while seeing images flash through his mind, of happier days. The love and happiness he and Ellie had once shared; his friendship with Mercer and with Tommy, how at one time the three had made the perfect team. And then it was all over, a bright light flashed through the room, forcing everyone back, hitting the walls hard and dropping to the ground as if they were nothing.
The light disappeared as quickly as it had come; it was as if the light had never been there. Hayley lay flat on the ground, she was herself again. Slowly she cracked her eyes open. At first she was confused; how had she gotten here? The last thing she remembered….. Zeltrax had thrown her over the cliff in her attempt to escape from him. And then she had ended up here, with Elsa, and a strange gem rock that was glowing. She looked up and found Tommy a few feet away from her lying on his back not moving. "TOMMY!" She bolted over to him, heart racing.
"Tommy!" She shook his shoulder, trying to wake him up. Then her eyes saw his morpher or what was left of it. "Oh no." She shook him again and checked to see if he was breathing. "Tommy, come on! Don't do this."
One by one his eyes opened, at first everything was blurry. "Wh-What happened..." He sat up and was face to face with Hayley. "Hayley? You're all right." He grabbed onto her, holding her in a friendly hug, glad that she was alive.
"Thanks to you." She returned the hug.
"Me?" Tommy looked confused; the last few seconds had been a blur to him. His eyes then wandered over to the dark warrior lying on the ground not moving. "Smitty!" Tommy jumped to his feet and raced over to his friend.
"Smitty?" Tommy looked down at his old friend, still in the form of Zeltrax. Tommy bowed his head down when he saw so sign of life in him. "It wasn't me that saved us." He gulped in hard; Smitty had sacrificed himself to save them. "He saved us." Suddenly the body began to rise, as lights surrounded the now floating body.
"Tommy, what's going on?"
"I-I don't know." Stunned and confused, Tommy watched as a sort of heavenly light went through Smitty, blinding them all for a brief moment. When the light was gone both Tommy and Hayley saw Smitty lying on the ground, but he was no longer the powerful warrior known as Zeltrax. He was back in his human form, his one true form.
"Smitty?" Tommy and Hayley looked over their shoulders and saw Elsa…no, not Elsa.
"Ellie," whispered Tommy, she had survived the transfer.
"Is he...?" she cried as she slowly walked over to the two.
Tommy felt his heart sink. "I-I…."
"He's alive!" cried Hayley.
Tommy quickly turned around to watch as Smitty slowly opened his eyes. "Smitty, you're all right!" Tommy then gripped his old friend's hand. "Welcome back, old friend."
"It's good to be back," replied Smitty, taking in a steady breath, after coming close to losing his life.
"Smitty. I thought I lost you," cried Ellie as she dropped down onto her knees next to him, throwing her arms around him.
"Ellie." It was just enough to know she was alive. "This all seems like a nightmare," he said as Ellie helped him up.
"The nightmare's over now," answered Tommy.
"Yes. Yes it is." For a long moment Tommy and Smitty looked at each other in silence; so much had happened between them, many things that both of them weren't proud of. "I want you to know Tommy, I'm sorry for everything. I let my jealousy blind my better judgment. I hope that in time you can find it in your heart to forgive me."
"Of course." Tommy smiled. "I'm just glad you're all right." He looked to Ellie. "Both of you."
"I don't mean to interrupt this joyous reunion, but do you think we could carry it on after we get out of this place? This place is starting to give me the creeps."
Everyone starting laughing. Tommy then helped Ellie get Smitty up to his feet. "Come on; let's get you guys back home."