Chapter 29: Can Never Replace

Kimberly was sitting in Ninja Ops looking over some status readings for the zords. "How's it coming?" Blake asked. Kimberly looked up with a smile.

"It's going pretty well. I'm surprised they're still intact after your battle against the last monster," she replied.

She then looked up at Blake. "Have you seen your brother? I've been trying to contact him all day," she informed.

"No, can't say that I have," Blake replied.

Kimberly looked back at the computer when it started beeping. "What's going on?" Cam asked.

"Not sure yet," she replied.

She then brought up a chart with energy readings. "Wow, there's a lot of radiation right here," she informed. She pointed to a spot on the map next to the chart.

"I'll go check it out," Cam answered.

"Be careful," she cautioned.

Cam let out a sigh. "I wish people would stop telling me that," he mumbled. Kimberly shook her head as she went back to the chart.

"This is weird. The last time the radiation was this high off the charts was with the gem of souls," she commented.

"But the gem of souls was destroyed," Blake pointed out.

"I know, but you heard what Sensei said. The gem is still powerful even though it was in pieces."

"Right."

Kimberly sat back and let out a sigh. "I'm a little worried, Blake," she stated.

"I'm sure everything's fine," he assured her.

"It's not just the radiation, it's Kylie. I mean, I wish I knew who was trying to kill her."

Blake placed a hand on her shoulder. "Mom, I'm sure Billy's taking good care of her and protecting her from whoever it is that's trying to kill her," he told her. Kimberly nodded and she played with her ring.

"Miss Hart, I'm getting closer to the radiation surge," Cam informed.

"Alright," she answered.

"Just be very careful," Sensei put in.

Kimberly lifted her communicator up to try to contact Hunter again. "Hunter, come in, it's me," she informed. Just then, Cam came over the intercom.

"Miss Hart, dad, I found Hunter and he's found Zurgane's saber," he informed.

"Okay, bring it back to ops," Kimberly instructed.

"On our way," Cam answered.

Kimberly cut the transmission and stood up. "I think it would be wise to contact the other Rangers," Sensei informed.

"Right," Kimberly agreed.

She called for the other Rangers and looked up when Hunter and Cam came down. "Where have you been?" She asked.

"Sorry, I've had a lot on my mind," Hunter answered.

Kimberly saw that he was distracted, but she would talk to him about it later, for now they had to find out what happened to Zurgane. They found out that Vexsecus had destroyed Zurgane to gain power. They knew they had to get the ninja students back from the ship. "But the force field around the ship is powerful. I don't' know if I have enough energy to get them out," Cam informed.

"Leave that to me," Hunter informed.

"I'm going with you," Hannah put in.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Kimberly objected.

"She'll be safe with me," Hunter assured her.

Kimberly watched them go and bit her lip, hoping that they would be okay.

Hannah ran up the hill with Hunter and watched as her brother started digging something up. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"Getting the power source that Cam needs," Hunter replied.

Hannah's eyes widened when she realized what he was holding in his hand. "Hunter…is that…" she trailed off.

"So my readings are correct," Vexsecus commented.

Hunter stood in front of Hannah. Hannah gasped when a huge black bird monster landed beside Vexsecus. "Meet Condortron an ingenious creation if I do say so myself," he laughed.

"Hannah get out of here," Hunter insisted.

"No way," she answered.

"What are you doing here?"

"I suspect the same reason you are."

Hunter placed the bag into Hannah's hand. "Hold onto this and don't let Vexsecus take it," he instructed.

"Okay," she answered.

Hunter looked up when he was about to throw a blast. "LOOK OUT!" He shouted. He pushed Hannah to the ground. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"Get out of here now please."

He stood up and looked over at Vexsecus. "I have more important things to think about right now. THUNDER STORM RANGER FORM!" He shouted. Hannah shrieked when Vexsecus grabbed her arm.

"Hand over that bag," he ordered.

Hannah glared at him and kicked him in the stomach. "Not in this lifetime," she answered. She stuck the bag into her pocket and got into a fighting stance. Her eyes widened when he pulled out his sword. "No," she whispered.

(Ninja Ops)

Kimberly bit her lip when she saw both of her kids fighting the enemy. "I'm going with you," she informed. The Rangers nodded and morphed.

(Battlefield)

Hannah gasped when she saw that there was no ground left behind her. "Hand over the bag," he ordered.

"No," Hannah answered.

She quickly spun around and did a front flip off the cliff's edge. However, she felt a burning pain go through her shoulder when she hit the ground. "HANNAH!" Hunter shouted. She heard a motorcycle and she gasped when someone grabbed her.

"Easy, easy, it's me," Kimberly assured her.

Hannah sat up with her mother's help and hissed in pain. "Shoulder's dislocated," Kimberly informed. She looked up as the Rangers fought Condortron and put her attention back to Hannah. "This is going to hurt just for a second," she informed. Hannah nodded her head slowly and closed her eyes tight. Kimberly put Hannah's shoulder back into place. Kimberly held her daughter and looked up when Hunter called for his glider bike.

"FLIGHT MODE ENGAGE!" Hunter shouted.

"Mom, I have to give you something," she murmured.

"What is it?" Kimberly asked.

However, before Hannah could give Kimberly what was in her pocket, Hunter crashed into the side of the cliff. "HUNTER, NO!" Blake shouted. Kimberly stood up.

"HUNTER!" Kimberly and Hannah screamed.

They got up from the ground and ran over to him. Kimberly made it over to Hunter first she helped him off the ground. "Hunter!" Blake called.

"I'm okay," Hunter assured them.

Hunter looked at Hannah. "You okay?" He asked.

"I'll live," she replied.

Kimberly watched as the Rangers started to fight Vexsecus. "Hannah stay hidden," she instructed. Hannah nodded.

During the fight, Kimberly was looking around when Vexsecus disappeared. "Where did he go?" Shane asked.

"MOM!" Hannah shouted.

Kimberly gasped when Vexsecus grabbed her from behind. "LET GO! LET GO OF ME!" She shouted.

"LET HER GO!" Blake shouted.

"Give me the gem and I'll let her go," Vexsecus answered.

"Don't do it," Kimberly insisted.

Kimberly fought against Vexsecus. "When you hand over the gem I'll return your mother," he laughed.

"MOM!" Hunter shouted.

"NO!" Blake shouted.

They ran to attack him, but they disappeared. "NO!" Hunter shouted.

(Lothor's Ship)

"Let go of me you big fish," Kimberly snapped. She struggled against Vexsecus as he tied her arms to a pillar.

"Let's see if your precious sons can save you now," he laughed.

Kimberly glared at him as she jumped up and kicked him in the chest. She winced in pain when he punched her in the face.

(Ninja Ops)

Hannah's arm was in a sling until her shoulder was healed. She looked at Hunter with disappointment on her face when he revealed that he had the gem of souls. "I was hoping that if we kept the gem of souls that it would bring mom's powers back. I mean, she's helped us so many times I just hoped there would be a way we could help her. It was my fault that her powers are all gone," he explained.

"I understand that you want to help your mother in anyway possible. But the draining of your mother's power energy is done and they won't come back," Sensei informed.

"I know…" Hunter answered.

He handed Cam the gem pieces. "I'm going with you onto Lothor's ship to get her back. I'm going to make things right," he informed. Hannah bit her lip. She couldn't believe that after all this long time that Hunter still blamed himself for the loss of their mother's powers.

"Alright," Cam answered.

"Be careful, Hunter," Tori told him.

"Same to you, Cam," Sensei put in.

They nodded and went off to save the ninja students and Kimberly.

Once they were able to get on the ship, Cam looked over at Hunter. "You go find your mother, I'll handle things here," Cam informed.

"Right," Hunter answered.

Hunter ran through the ship. "MOM!" He shouted.

Kimberly looked up. "Hunter?" She whispered.

"MOM!" Hunter called again.
"HUNTER, I'M IN HERE!" She shouted.

Hunter ran into the room and found her tied to the pillar. "CRIMSON BLASTER!" He shouted. He shot the restraints and caught her before she hit the ground. She was pretty beaten up. "They hurt you," he murmured.

"Nothing I can't handle," she assured him.

Hunter picked her up. "I'm sorry mom," he apologized.

"Leaving so soon?" A voice asked.

Hunter looked up to see Vexsecus standing there. "Hunter you must return immediately, the Rangers need your help," Sensei informed.

"On our way," Hunter answered.

Hunter pulled out his Crimson Blaster and held it up. "Stay away from my mother, my brother, and my sisters," he snapped.

"And your little blaster will stop me?" Vexsecus asked.

Hunter then aimed the blaster above at the ceiling and fired. Hunter ran towards the exit when the ceiling fell on top of Vexsecus. "Sensei, I'm on my way and I have mom here," he informed.

(Ninja Ops)

Hunter ran into Ninja Ops and set Kimberly down. "I'll be fine just go," Kimberly insisted.

"Right," Hunter answered.

"Cam is already out there," Sensei informed.

Hunter ran out of Ninja Ops to help his friends defeat Condortron for good.

(After the Fight)

Hunter was sitting out on the rock looking out at the quarry. "Anything else you'd like to tell me Hunter?" A voice asked. Hunter looked over to see Kimberly walking over to him.

"Hey, didn't Sensei tell you to take it easy?" He asked.

"I'll be fine. I've been through worse beatings," she assured him.

Kimberly stood next to him. "Blake and Hannah told me how you blame yourself for what happened to me on Lothor's ship," she commented. Hunter let out a sigh.

"It feels like it was my fault. I didn't listen to you when you told me it was a trap and now you're powerless," he answered.

Kimberly sat next to him on the rock. "Hunter, I was unconscious on that ship the whole time I don't remember much. I do remember that it wasn't your doing. I wouldn't say I'm powerless," she told him. Hunter looked at her confused. "I have the greatest power of them all," she added.

"Oh what's that?" He asked.

"The power of fulfilling the greatest dream ever."

"And what would that be?"

Kimberly wrapped her arm around Hunter's shoulders. "Becoming part of something big and having the for greatest kids that a parent could ever ask for," she replied. Hunter smiled and Kimberly's face turned serious. "Hunter, don't ever think that anything that happened to me was your fault, because it wasn't your fault. Do I miss having my powers? I would be lying if I said I didn't. But I would never, ever put my powers in place of any of your lives. You four mean the world to me and losing you would break me," she explained. She brushed the hair out of his eyes with a smile. "I love all four of you more than anything in this world," she added. Hunter nodded.

"And we love you too," he answered.

"We will get those ninja students out of there, I promise."

"Right."

Kimberly hugged him and let out a sigh. "Don't blame yourself for what happened to me, because it was never your fault," she assured him. Hunter hugged her back and silently agreed.