Here's a little extension of a scene in chapter 24.

ZzZzZ

Kale looked up as soft musical notes floated through his quarters. He had been watching files of the recent battles, hoping to find something to help them against Jadikai. The Knights of Destruction had finally been pulled off the frontlines, but Jadikai still had plenty to throw at them. He'd been looking too hard and his eyes were starting to sting a little. A break was just what he needed. He mentally ordered his front door to open and Valin stepped in looking like he'd run a marathon. Kale stood up, instantly worried about his friend. Valin was bent over trying to catch his breath.

"Zac's leaving." Valin managed to get out.

Kale drew in a quick breath. "What?"

"He's loading up his zord right now." Valin said. "Go quickly."

Kale didn't even think. He ran out of his quarters and made a beeline for the lifts. The whole way he tried to understand why his brother would leave. Sure things were becoming a little worse for the Gifted population. He was getting a little annoyed with all the protests and the laws that were being brought before the Council. All citizens were already in the system files, but many were wanting the Gifted to be marked somehow, both physically and on their files. Even though he and Zac were rangers, all the changes would effect them as well. It bothered him, made him worry about the way things were going, but he knew it bothered Zac much more.

As the lift stopped at the zord bay level he rushed out to see Zac gathering his belongings onto a lift into his zord. He stood there for a moment, watching as Zac boxes onto a lift. Valin wasn't joking. Zac really was leaving.

"You're leaving me?" Kale asked.

Zac spun and Kale could tell he was surprised to see him there. That just made Kale angrier. His twin brother had planned on leaving without saying goodbye. After everything they had already suffered through together, his brother was just going to leave him behind.

"I can't stay here anymore Kale."

"You can't leave me Zac, I need you here." Kale argued.

Kale felt tears prickling at his eyes as Zac walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Kale, you know that no matter how far away I go we're always connected. Twin thing, remember? I'll always be with you."

"How can you leave us when we still need you? Jadikai is still a major threat." Kale demanded.

"I have to go. You may not be able to see what's happening, but I can. I'm not going to stay and be witness to our world falling apart because of internal strife." Zac said. "I'm not going to be treated like a freak because I have purple eyes and can move things with my mind. They're not placing restrictions on me."

"We can deal with it together." Kale argued.

Zac frowned. Kale was being too naïve. Everyone was being naïve. The Gifted were just going to keep getting treated worse and worse. Soon they would be locking Gifted up just for being different. Worse, they would draft Gifted into the army and use their powers with no regard for the Gifted. He couldn't stay there for that. Being a Power Ranger might have saved him from the humiliation of some restrictions, but he couldn't stand by and watch others suffer.

"Come with me Kale, we can go someplace where our differences won't matter." Zac urged. When Kale shook his head Zac's eyes grew dark. "That's right, you choose your boyfriend over me."

Kale's chest tightened with anger. "It's not fair to make me choose."

"Life's not always fair Kale." Zac replied. His eyes softened again and he pulled his brother into a hug. "I'll keep in touch."

"You better." Kale said into his brother's neck. "Take care of yourself."

"You do the same. Good luck."

With that Kale watched as his twin brother transported into his zord. The giant silver robot looked down at Kale one last time before the rockets fired and the zord shot into space. Kale felt tears filling his eyes. He could already feel his brother getting further and further away and he knew there was nothing he could do to bring him back. He didn't even flinch as a hand landed on his shoulder and he turned to look into caring brown eyes.

"He's gone Nick." Kale whispered.

"It'll be okay. He'll be back." Nick said comfortingly.

Kale allowed himself to be pulled into Nick's arms. "I have a bad feeling that he won't."

"I know it doesn't compare, but you'll always have me Kale. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Kale warned.

Nick smiled softly and kissed Kale's cheek. "I think I can keep this one."

Kale sighed and leaned into Nick's taller, broader frame. He suddenly felt lost and more alone than ever before even though Nick was right there with him. He'd never been far enough away from Zac not to sense him. With the death of their parents during a monster attack the two had grown closer than ever before. They made an unstoppable team together, able to fight in unison without words. And now that was gone. He felt empty.

"What are we going to tell Rez?" Kale asked finally.

Nick grimaced. "He's not going to be pleased."

"He'll have to get over it. Zac's not coming back."