Wes, Eric, Kat, and all other characters from Power Rangers belong to Disney/Saban. I am using them without permission, however I have not and don't expect to make money from this.
Nick Tate, while technically canon, is mine in the form he appears in here.

Rated T: Be warned, there is some strong language and talk about sex.

This story is slash, meaning sexual and romantic relationships between men. If that's not something you're okay with, don't read it.

The Secret of BioSynth

Jealousy

- - -

Wes watched as the former employees of BioSynth came into the main lab assigned to them and found seats on various benches and stools, their faces expressing everything from curiosity to resentment to anxiety. Nick Tate was among the last to enter, darting a quick look at them. Katherine Manx stood near himself, his father, and Eric, silently watching, her face giving no clue to what was passing behind those green eyes. Finally she gave them a nod. Everyone was present.

Collins cleared his throat, smiled and stepped forward a little, waiting another few seconds for everyone's attention. When they were all watching expectantly he began, as confident and commanding as at one of his board meetings.

"I wish this was as pleasant an occasion as the reception a few days ago, but it isn't. Something has come up that I want to speak to all of you about." A roomful of faces followed his movements as he brought out two sheets of paper. "In the last two days, I've received these two notes. Wes Collins and Eric Myers, commanders of the Silver Guardians, got identical copies of the same notes. I've just learned that your own Dr. Manx has also."

He glanced down at the papers. "They both talk about a secret, one that involves BioSynth." He paused. Some of his audience were watching him with heightened attention. Some were exchanging furtive glances. All had reacted, if only by an increase in tension.

"They're not a threat, not exactly. Not yet, although that may be coming. At this point I want to ask all of you - do you know anything about this?" He waited, and got no response. "Any idea who could be behind it? Or what the secret they refer to is? No? Very well."

He smiled. "Then let me assure all of you that we will certainly get to the bottom of this. The Silver Guardians are one of the best security forces in the world, and they have all the resources of Bio-Lab behind them. If necessary, we'll involve the police. You're my people now, and I don't allow my people to be threatened or harassed in any way." He paused to catch the eyes of each person present. "We will find the one responsible for this, you can be sure of that. And we will deal with them. That is all."

"Thanks for the reassurance," Kat murmured as her co-workers began to quietly drift out. "It's good to have your support."

"Don't relax too much," Collins said, his voice low and a smile still firmly on his face. "There's something going on here that I don't know about. But I intend to find out."

"Anything I can do to help, just ask."

"You could tell me what your secret is."

Was that guilt Wes could see in her eyes? But no, they were a clear and unblinking green as she raised them to his father's face. "I wish I had more to contribute, but there's nothing I can tell you," she said.

It was a minute later, as the three of them walked back to the main part of Bio-Lab, that Eric spoke up. "Think she's telling the truth?"

"Kat? I didn't get the feeling she was lying," Wes answered.

"Truth is an interesting thing," Collins said with a slight smile. "Just remember - she said there's nothing she can tell. Not that there's nothing to tell."

- - -

Kat stood with her back to the door of her small apartment, only a few blocks from the Bio-Lab buildings where she now worked, trying to make up her mind. She sighed. Why had she come home on her lunch break, if not to call? SPD wouldn't be able to solve her problems - but at least she could get an update on exactly how bad they were. And maybe even a little advice.

Quickly, she pulled out the portable communicator disguised as a notebook computer. It even worked as a computer - until a certain combination of keys was pressed. Over the last five years her communicators had taken on various appearances - from television to computer monitor and now to notebook. This one was more convenient than most.

And one more thing - a touch deactivated the holographic disguise projector built into the locket she always wore on a chain around her neck. Then a glance into the mirror hung over her dresser, as if to reassure herself that her own ears, eyes, teeth, and facial markings had reappeared. She nodded in satisfaction. While humans were not unattractive, she had always found them rather - bland looking. It was necessary for her to pass as human in order to live and work with them, but it was always a relief to see her own normal appearance.

It took less than a minute to connect. Kat imagined it as she waited, the signal from her communicator reaching across light years in only seconds, faster than anything the science of Earth could imagine. On a world orbiting a star the humans called Sirius, a technician in Space Patrol Delta would be setting up the connection and routing her to her commanding officer.

"Kat. It's good to see you." The voice was deep. The face that looked out at her from the screen had a long, heavy snout, deep-set eyes, and pointed ears set high on the skull. Above the neck he somewhat resembled an Earth dog, although as she knew his body was quite humanoid.

"Captain Osiris. I'm glad to see you too, sir." Kat did not smile; unlike among humans, the baring of teeth was not considered a friendly gesture by her species or his.

"Has anything happened? It's not time yet for your regular report."

"Nothing major has happened," she assured him. "But it may soon." Quickly, she summarized the current situation at Bio-Lab. "It must be someone on my team, or perhaps someone close to one of them," she finished. "Someone who knows what happened a few years ago at BioSynth, and maybe was directly involved."

"They are concerned for themselves, and for their children. It's only natural," he said heavily. "The accidental exposure to mutating agents was - regrettable."

"No one regrets it more than I do." Kat sighed. "But it happened, and nothing can change that."

"If a member of your team were to reveal the truth, what would be the consequences?"

"Our research might be stopped as too dangerous. There would be an investigation, I suppose. And there would be the obvious consequences for me if anyone looks into my past too closely."

"We can remove you from Earth if that happens."

"But you can't," she protested. "My work here is too important. We need the morpher technology."

"No one knows that more than I do." Osiris paused for a moment. "Gruumm has advanced. He and his army are moving into an attack position. So far we've been completely unable to stop him."

She stared at his image in dismay. "Attack? You don't think Sirius itself could be in danger?"

"Yes, I do. It will take a few months, possibly years. But it will happen." His eyes dropped, and then rose to hers again. "If my planet falls, if SPD falls, we will need Earth more than ever. I agree, you must continue where you are."

"If..." Kat's mind whirled, but she nodded. "I understand. Should I move up the timetable here? Think about going public sooner?"

"You may have no choice. You're now in contact with two Rangers, aren't you?"

"Wes Collins and Eric Myers. Yes."

"Perhaps you should consider telling them the truth. If anyone on Earth can understand, they can. With their cooperation and protection, your research can advance more quickly."

"That's true. If I can convince them, and get Bio-Lab management on my side, and start persuading the humans to accept the idea of aliens on Earth, and somehow find some time for my work..." She shook her head. "It's a challenge."

"One which I'm sure you can handle."

Kat nodded. "Don't worry, sir. You can count on me."

"We are, Kat. All of us are. Osiris out."

Don't worry. But it was no use to tell herself that. Kat allowed herself a few moments to feel helpless, bewildered, overwhelmed, and frightened - before she put away her communicator, turned her disguise back on, and quietly headed back to work; already debating plans of how and when to approach Wes Collins and Eric Myers.

- - -

It probably shouldn't have surprised him, and yet Eric felt a chill when he saw another envelope lying on his desk. Maybe it shouldn't have surprised him either when he saw that the message was different this time. He stared at it numbly. No question this time; this was meant for him. It was personal, and definitely threatening.

The sound of a soft knock on his office door penetrated the haze of anger and uncertainty. Eric looked up to see Nick. The moment stretched as they stared at each other silently, and as he wondered... Could he have been wrong? Could it be Nick after all? There had been affection between them, but also conflict, even before the end. Were those the times his former lover was remembering now?

Eric sighed inwardly as he caught sight of Nick's face, watching him from across the room. He looked angry. Well, he was about to find out he wasn't the only one. "Excuse me a minute," Eric said to the man he had been talking to at the bar. He got up, crossed the room - ignoring the interested glances he got along the way - and slid into the other chair at Nick's small table.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he said, with a brittle smile for the benefit of anyone watching.

"Don't I have the right to hang out in gay bars and pick up tricks too?" Nick retorted.

"Hey, I don't give a shit what you do on your own time. But you're not the type. You came here to keep an eye on me, admit it." Eric watched as Nick's face tightened in anger. "Look, we never made promises, did we? I've never lied to you or said I was anything but what I am."

"And exactly what is that?"

"A guy who's out for a good time. A guy who doesn't want to be tied down. A guy - maybe not the kind of guy you really want."

"You think we should split up?"

Split up? For just a moment, Eric felt something strange. Fear - fear that Nick would tell him it was over, that the little corner of warmth, stability, and security he had added to Eric's life was gone. Stupid. No reason to think it would last anyway. His own parents hadn't bothered to stick around, no reason to think Nick or anyone else would.

"I didn't say that." Eric paused, watching him, before going on. "Look, we like each other. We like hanging out and having sex. Why try to make it more?"

Nick shrugged, his unhappy eyes moving to look towards the bar. "Do you even know his name?" he asked bitterly.

"Yeah. It's Roger." Eric turned his head. Speaking of Roger, he was already talking to someone else. Too bad, the guy had a great body - but somehow the sight didn't really bother him.

"Looks like you missed out."

"No big deal. There's always more."

"You come here a lot? Do this a lot?" The question was a strange echo of the first time they had met, at another bar.

Eric shrugged. "Sometimes. When I feel like it." No reason to explain that this was the first time in a few weeks, and the last time he had been here he hadn't even done anything beyond talking. Somehow the urge wasn't so strong in him anymore. Not that it was because of Nick, of course, it was just that with a steady supply of sex he could afford to be a little more choosy.

"Eric, what do you want?" Nick was looking at him, no longer angrily, but with an expression he couldn't quite read.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you want from a relationship? What do you want from sex? From me? Hell, from life?" A little smile accompanied the last question.

"Geez, you don't ask for a lot, do you?" Eric smiled, and then sighed in resignation when Nick just kept staring at him, waiting. The guy had the strangest habit of making him think about crazy things... "Okay. A relationship? Someone I like being around. But no promises, no expectations, both of us free to do what we want. Sex - well, I dunno. I don't think about it, I just do it. I mean - not thinking is kind of the point, isn't it? From you..." He stopped for a moment to try to come up with something that would both be honest and wouldn't set Nick off again. "We have a good time together. I just want things to go on the way they are."

Nick nodded. "And life?"

"Life? I want..." Eric's gaze wandered to the barroom wall and focused on something beyond it. "I want a good life. Money. A nice place to live. A good job, with a future that's really going somewhere. I want to be someone, someone important..."

"And love?"

"Love?" The question brought his attention back to Nick. "What's love got to do with anything?"

"I see." Abruptly, Nick stood up. "I'm going back to base. Have fun with Roger or whoever you end up in a back alley with."

Years after Eric had watched him walk out of that bar, Nick spoke up from his office doorway. "I see you got one too," he said quietly. He held up a sheet of paper.

Eric blinked. "You too?"

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours." Nick smiled grimly as he came forward to stand in front of the desk.

Wordlessly, Eric smoothed out the paper he had, without realizing it, crumpled in his hand. He watched the other man lean over to read it, his face creasing into a frown, eyes narrowed. Was he faking? No, that wasn't like him. Honest to a fault, that had always been his style.

Nick read it, his voice lowered almost to a whisper. "'BioSynth must pay. If you want to keep your own secrets, don't interfere. What would the Silver Guardians say if they knew what you did in the Army?'" He looked up. "Mine is the same, except it says 'your wife' instead of 'the Silver Guardians'."

Eric answered just as softly. "If we both got the same thing, there's no question what they're talking about."

"Yeah. No question."

It was Eric who broke the silence this time. "This wasn't sent through the mail."

"Huh?"

"The envelope mine came in had my name and address printed on it, just like before, but there's no stamp or postmark." He raised his eyes to Nick's face. "It was left here, by someone who came to my office."

"So...?"

"So it's got to be someone with access to Bio-Lab. Someone who was in the building today."

"One of us?" Nick frowned and said thoughtfully, "I can't believe one of us would do this."

"Or someone close to one of you. Your wife was here today, wasn't she?"

Nick looked at him, his startled expression quickly becoming angry. "Lyn? No way. Why would she do something like this?"

"You tell me. And then tell me who else would be close enough to you to know about this..." He indicated the notes. "About our Army days."

"But - it's threatening to tell her about me..."

"Could be a cover-up. Are you sure she doesn't know?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. How would she find out?"

"Any other ex-boyfriends of yours around? Anyone else who knew you in the Army?"

"No, I didn't have a lot of boyfriends, and I was never into the casual stuff - don't have to tell you that. And whoever this is seems to know about both of us. We were always careful; I don't think anyone suspected at the time, and I never told anyone." He looked up challengingly. "Maybe it's someone you know."

"I never told anyone either. But there must be something..."

"Oh, shit."

"What?"

"The letter... No, it's impossible." But Nick's expression was worried.

"The letter?"

"I sent you a letter after you got out. It was returned." His eyes were on Eric.

Eric frowned uncomfortably. "Yeah."

"I put it away, and then I met Lyn; we started dating and I forgot all about it. Probably should have thrown it away, but..."

"Could she have found it?"

"No. I don't think so... I haven't seen it for years. Must have gotten lost when we moved."

"Does she have any reason to want the BioSynth research shut down?"

"She..." Nick stopped, swallowed, and then leaned over the desk, looking directly into Eric's face, his voice still low but intense. "You don't know Lyn. She's a great girl. If she had a problem, she'd confront me; she'd come out with it. She would never go behind people's backs and make threats like this. So - so just leave her alone. Don't even think about suspecting her."

Eric couldn't help smiling. "And you talk about me being in love..." he said. "Actually, I think you're probably right. Whoever did this..." he poked at the two notes again, "knew that the Silver Guardians are getting involved with this. I think it's someone who was at our little meeting this morning. Someone in your research group. Any ideas?"

"Someone who's in our group and knows about my past - our past - too?" Nick shook his head.

Eric saw movement at the doorway and looked up, quickly and guiltily. They had kept their voices low, but Nick had left the door cracked open. Someone stood there now...

- - -

Wes stared at them. Eric was sitting behind his desk with a startled and guilty look on his face, Nick was leaning close to him, their heads together. The voices he had heard as he opened the door had been low and intimate. His reaction was instant and instinctive.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said stiffly, stepped back, turned, and walked away fast. He didn't stop when he heard Eric's voice call his name.

- - -

TBC...