Chapter Eight

"Arrested last night, Anderson pleaded guilty to seven counts of first degree murder," Kimberly read, holding the daily paper and leaning against the console beneath Zordon's plasma tube, "as well as countless other charges including kidnap, arson, conspiracy to commit murder and grievous bodily harm. He may also be the first ever person charged under new supernatural crime law reforms, currently on the agenda in parliament. Sergeant Thompson of the Caloundra Police Department said that he'd like to thank the Power Rangers, saying they were instrumental in apprehending the vigilante."

"That was sweet of him," smiled Trini.

"Yeah," nodded Zac, turning to the Grey Ranger beside him. "Ian, give your father a hug for us next time you see him."

"Anderson will reappear in the District Court for sentencing in two weeks. In somewhat related news," continued Kimberly, turning the page, "noted civic libertarian James Pratt was treated last night for a broken nose after being caught in the battle between the Rangers and the vigilante. He spent the night in Caloundra Hospital for observation, and should be released sometime today."

I couldn't help it, I looked away and raised my hand to stifle a giggle.

Kim turned to me. "That's not funny, Peter," she said, with a tiny smile herself.

Tommy took the paper from Kim and turned back to the front page. "There were about a hundred witnesses including the twelve of us who can attest that Ryan and Fury were one and the same," he said. "I think he's gonna be away for a long time."

Jason nodded. "And probably solitary confinement too, judging by the kinds of people he murdered."

Billy turned to Teresa. "Do you think he wishes to atone for his crimes?"

Teresa shrugged. "I couldn't say. But I think it's a safe bet that Fury is gone for good. Ryan did seem pretty genuine."

"I agree," said Ian. "At least now he can spend some time getting serious help. The guy had issues, and a whole lot of them."

Scott nodded. "It's a good thing then," he began, with a glowing look at Teresa, "that we got through to him when we did."

"Indeed," boomed Zordon's voice, and we all looked up to him. "You twelve did a very good thing last night. Putting aside your personal objections, you worked together to solve a mystery and stop a murderer, as well as forcing a man completely consumed by hatred to confront his own humanity, and thereby end his killing spree. Jason, excellent thinking by contacting Anderson's family."

"Thanks," replied Jason. "I figured everything Anderson had done as Fury was about his family. That was the moral core we could reach. If we couldn't have stopped him, I knew that seeing his family would've frozen him in his tracks."

Zordon nodded. "You performed above and beyond your duties as Rangers, all of you, and I'm proud of you." Everybody smiled, and Zordon looked down to me and continued. From the expression on his face, wherever he was, he was massaging his temples. "And Peter? Next time, try not to beat up the innocent bystanders."

Sarah shook her head. "Boys," she sighed.

Brendan turned to her. "I represent that remark," he said, with mock indignation.

Kimberly laughed. "At least we can start enjoying our holidays. Only a week into them," she said.

"And I can finally start on that stupid English essay," said Tommy, and then paused. "Am I that enthusiastic about homework? Somebody hit me..."

Zac smiled. "Well if you want something to do, I went past the Youth Centre on my way in today, and it looks like Ernie's organising some kind of benefit for the Red Cross."

"For the earthquake victims in Taloqan," nodded Trini. "That's right, I heard it on the radio this morning."

"He is?" asked Brendan. "Awesome! I mean, cool..."

"Well since we're fresh out of supervillains," said Kim, "and the world isn't in danger of exploding or anything, we should go help."

We all agreed, and as everybody began saying goodbye to Alpha and Zordon and teleporting back into Caloundra, Scott picked up a folder lying on a nearby console, and carried it over to Teresa.

"Hey sis, wait up," he called.

Teresa smiled. "Well I wasn't going to leave without you," she replied, as Scott handed her the folder. "What's this?"

"The other night, I overheard you and Peter talking outside," Scott began. "Alpha and I did a bit of digging...we, uh, we thought you might want to know..."

Teresa opened the folder. A man looked back at her from the top of a stack of photos. He looked to be middle-aged, with his family beside him and his house in the distance. She recognised him instantly. The man in Taloqan she couldn't save.

"Scott, I don't understand..."

"His name was Ahmad Afshar," Scott said. "He actually worked for the council of Taloqan, that's why we were able to find a photo. Here, check this out," and reaching over, he pulled the photo from the top of the pile. Underneath was a picture of two young men, both of them with the same smiles as Ahmad. "He had two sons. The eldest is Zahir - he's the one on the right - and the youngest is Shah. Those were the two boys you saved."

Teresa blinked away sudden tears, and looked up to her brother. "Scott, I don't...I don't know what to say..."

Scott remained silent, reaching over and revealing a third photo. This one was a shot of a woman, carrying a young girl in her arms. "Ahmad also had a wife and daughter, who were both out when the earthquake hit. They were visiting relatives a few streets away - you and Jason and Peter ended up saving their lives too, Alpha and I checked."

Wiping away tears, Teresa leaned forward to hug her bother. Scott smiled and returned the embrace.

"I heard what you were saying," he said, "and I just don't want you to think that you messed up, or that you didn't do enough."

Teresa smiled. "You are the coolest big brother ever, you know that?" she said. "Even if it is only by five minutes."

"So," I began, as Jason and I wandered down through the city with a handful of yellow leaflets each, "where does Ernie want the rest of these fliers put up?"

"A couple in Sunland Shopping Centre," Jason replied, "some by the arcade down at Golden Beach, and I think he wanted us to drop into the Suncoast Daily office as well."

I nodded. "Cool," I said. "We can stop there first. It's on our way through town."

But that gave me pause, and I stopped and looked out over the bustling streets before us. This wasn't just 'town', it was our town. Safe again.

"Hey," said Jason, turning back to me with a grin, "we gotta lot of work to do."

"I'm coming, I'm coming," and I quickly jogged forward to catch up.

We passed the same electronics store we'd walked by two mornings ago with Kimberly and Billy. The televisions in the window were still tuned to the twenty-four-hour news channel, and they were currently playing another earthquake story. The journalist was interviewing a family of bruised and battered survivors, all of them covered in bandages and several with broken arms and legs. A pile of rubble in the background looked to have once been their home, and in the foreground, a smiling young boy was talking with the reporter.

Hang on a minute...

"Jason, that's him!" I cried, leaning in close and pressing my face against the window. "That's Timur!"

"Wow," he said, gazing in wonder at the televisions. "Small world, huh?"

Timur was talking excitedly to the interviewer, his large brown eyes shining. And almost immediately, Jason and I realised he was talking about us.

"...they came in giant machines," the subtitles read, fighting to keep up with him. "They were so bright in the dark, and so strong and fast. The red one said they were not angels, but they rescued my father and Kheirudden and all of my friends. What else could they have been?" Overcome with excitement, Timur stepped backwards and wrapped his arms around his father's waist, the man smiling and playfully ruffling his son's hair.

"Wow," I murmured. "Even after everything he lost, we still gave Timur a small spark of..."

"Hope," finished Jason, nodding slightly. "I just wish he'd stop calling us angels. That's kind of embarrassing."

Hearing a tone in Jason's voice, I turned to him. "Are you okay? You sound a little out of it."

"Just tired, I think," he replied, turning to me. "Long week. And that night in Taloqan, I guess it's all finally catching up to me. I've been putting it off all week, but now..." He sighed. "I just hope the world doesn't need saving any time soon, I don't think I've got the energy left to do it."

"Well, we still are in a way," I said, holding up the posters Ernie had assigned us earlier that morning.

Jason nodded. "You know I hadn't even thought of it like that. You're right."

"Of course I am," I grinned. "Who needs superpowers to save the world anyway? We can do it just like everybody else."

Jason glanced back to the screen, to Timur's joyful face, and smiled. "And for the moment, I guess, that'll do just fine."

The End.