'TIL I COLLAPSE - PART FOURTEEN: TAKING LIVES (PG-13)
SEQUEL TO: ORDINARY WORLD
SUMMARY: The team retires to a much needed rest. But the night is full of more surprises than they would have thought.
DISCLAIMER: Power Rangers is not mine, but the control of what they go through in this series is. If you didn't read "Ordinary World" or "The Reason" you'd better go back and do that to understand some of the basis of this part of the series. Fair warning. Once you're in, you may not come out of my world.
A/N: Um...I don't want to give anything away. Just read on and see what will happen next. It isn't what you expected. I didn't necessarily pick this title as any reference to the movie, but I couldn't really think of any good ideas for a title regarding what is about to happen to the team. And like I said before, it isn't what you'd expect. So, read on and tell me what you think, aiight? Later dayz.
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"You know how I said that I felt like we were being watched? Well, now I think it is far more worse than I thought. I really do not know what to think of what has happened to us since this evil guy has showed up. And I really could not imagine what will happen to us if we do not succeed." -Eclyptyk Neo
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Anton Mercer sat slightly dazed and tired in a darken room he had called his own for the last few weeks. A small cot on one side of the room and a small desk against one of the other walls for him to continue his work requested by Mindshatter. It was evident in his face that he couldn't take the capital punishment anymore.
Day in and day out, since the island fortress was operational, he had been strapped down to a table or chair. Syringes of many chemical substances were injected into him, hoping one of them could be the missing link to bring back Mesogog. But many had failed, or would last for only a few hours. Never a full day. He was surprised that it had not killed him, but he was glad that it didn't.
Anton ran a hand through his hair, forcing out several breaths. In those hours he was Mesogog, his anger and rage were so much more powerful. So much more stronger. He didn't know what would happen if he ever became Mesogog. For good. "I have to be strong. I have to keep fighting. I can do this. I can hold on. For the team."
He didn't even want to think of what would happen if Mindshatter ever found a substance that would leave him in the permanent state of Mesogog. With all those trials, he could feel his mind become poisoned once again. He felt all his memories, of friends, family, his success, were being destroyed right before him. At times, he felt like he couldn't recall who he had worked with in the past, who his girlfriend was, or even who his son was. Or even who the Power Rangers were.
He lowered his head, sunk his shoulders, watching the blinking lights on his wrists. They acted as a homing device for his location, and if he wasn't mistaken could also house a camera to monitor exactly what he was doing at that very second in time. The headband around his head had been removed to compensate for the constant injections into his body, disrupting his train of thoughts.
He wasn't sure how long he could last. He had been fighting for weeks now. Followed orders as any person would from their elitist. But in the back of his mind, that's what set his own rage. To have some guy from space, who could be mistaken for a bad version of Darth Vader with a porcupine back, try to rule the world his alter ego worked so hard to achieve. And as any other evil being was attempting to do to Earth, all have failed. And he was his victim, a pawn, in the game to take over the planet.
He thought he could get away from his painful past, but now as the weeks have gone he could only really conclude one thing about it. In order to get peace, he may have to destroy himself. Self-sacrifice for the team. But he figured, that would come some time later.
He wanted to believe there was still hope that the rangers would come and rescue him from this torment, but Mindshatter was in fact, a tricky guy. He didn't know a whole lot about Mindshatter. He had kept many things to himself or had spoken in his alien dialect, in which he could not understand at all. Anton had also hated that no matter how far away he wanted to get from his past as being the guy who wanted to reset the world, and make it into the paradise lived by the kings of the reptiles, it would never leave him. In a small part of his mind, he knew that Mesogog still remained. Even after the painful separation from his alter ego months ago, he knew that Mesogog will always live in him. Because he was Mesogog. But not by choice. It was the end result of an experiment gone wrong. And now, here he was again, a guinea pig, to bring back Mesogog. He was living with his consequences, and they were painful.
He felt the rage inside him grow. He forced out several painful breaths as he felt his stomach churn and his head began to melt and transform as the infamous green and yellow light covered his body. His head slowly began to take shape as the head of Mesogog. His true eye color faded into the sharp golden yellow eyes of his evil alter ego. He growled as he hit the ground, his eyes fell shut.
The transformation had stopped, but the body of Anton Mercer remained and the head of Mesogog was locked on his neck.
The door slid open slowly as two cybots stepped into the room, and collected the unconscious half-man/half-dinosaur. They carried the creature around their shoulders into the main lab where Mindshatter had been waiting. They set the unconscious beast on the ground and left the room just as Dinoshade emerged from the shadows.
"You would put your trust into a pathetic human to find a way to destroy those rangers, master?" Dinoshade growled.
Mindshatter turned around, holding out a hand. It was evident he was angry as his eyes glowed to a hard bloody red. Dinoshade hit the ground, grabbing his head, groaning. "You failed to destroy the rangers when you had the chance! I do not take kindly to your lack of dedication in this regime, Dinoshade. If I must, I will find someone more reliable to take your place!"
"My lord," Dinoshade began as he tried to fight back the mental strain. "You said we should mess with the rangers first before we destroy them."
Mindshatter released his mental power on his henchman and thought for a moment. He picked up the unconscious creature on the ground and tossed him into the newly-defined Geno-Randomizer. "You have given me an idea, Dinoshade. I have noticed that these humans are most vulnerable mentally. What is the status on the new Geno-Randomizer?"
Dinoshade slowly got to his feet as he walked over to the control console. He pushed a few buttons on it, looking at the read-outs of the machine. "It is up and running, master. But there could still be some problems. If we destroy him, my lord, we may not have anyone else to pry information from about our enemies."
"There are plenty of resources out there. You just got to know where to look," Mindshatter hissed. "Fire it up!"
Dinoshade didn't say anymore as he fired up the console. The machine hummed to life as the lights turned on. And the cell in which the half-man/half-dinosaur laid in was clouded with smoke. Time passed slowly as the machine whirred down and the doors hissed open.
A figure emerged from the smoky mess as he roared to life. And of all the experiments and trials that were failures, Mindshatter was sure this had done the trick, if not cut it the closest.
Mesogog hissed again as he looked around the room to see his entire work no longer around. Much of the room was plastered with machine upon machine, metal upon metal, blinking lights of sorts. And of a technology that he wasn't familiar with. He lowered his head looking over his body, flexing his arms and clenching his claws as if to get a feel for what it was like to use them. In the back of his mind, he could hear the echoing cry of help of his alter ego, Anton Mercer. And he hissed with some satisfaction for returning to life.
"Revenge will be mine," he hissed with happiness.
"It is so good of you to join us, again, Mesogog," Mindshatter bowed. "I have been working for weeks now to bring you back to life, and it seems this has been the most successful test."
"If you think I will ever work for you, Mindshatter, you're wrong," Mesogog walked over to him, pulling up his talon hand in a threat.
"That's not what you said hours ago," Mindshatter shook his head. "Remember, I brought you back to life. You are clearly my servant. Just as Zeltrax was to you."
Mesogog growled as he turned away. He could recall that only hours ago, he felt his life force return to him, if that was a way to describe it. He wasn't sure exactly how, but even months ago he could still feel a little bit of Anton still living inside him after he found a way to separate himself from the scientist. When he went down in that battle with the rangers, he felt his body was destroyed, but somehow his spirit was still alive. Alive in his alter ego. Now, here he was, back in his body, but Anton still remained. And he knew now that he could never get rid of him. But that wasn't his concern now.
In the back of his mind, when he had returned for only a few hours, he had been told by that tin can in front of him, that he was merely a servant now. He never stood down to anymore, and that tin can would make no difference. He would play along with his game, but then find a way to overthrow him and retake his place to rule the planet under the age of the dinosaurs. He wouldn't allow some scrap heap to take his place as the one to rule Earth when he was nothing more but a cyborg in his eyes.
Mesogog blinked and turned back to the metal brain he wanted to destroy so much. "We share a common enemy, Mindshatter. The Rangers must be destroyed."
"I am glad you see it my way, Mesogog. I have a mission for you," Mindshatter nodded as he held out a small device for the dino menace. "Take this, and raid each of the rangers' homes. When they wake up in the morning, they'll be in for a surprise they won't forget."
Mesogog looked at the small device in his hand. He wasn't quite sure what it did, but he would take the word of the spiked leader as he nodded and left the room.
Dinoshade walked up beside his leader, shaking his head. "I do not like this, Master. We can't be sure it will work."
"If it won't destroy the rangers, it will destroy him. Keep a sharp eye on him, Dinoshade. He can be just as tricky as you," Mindshatter announced.
The robotic dinosaur nodded and left the room, using the shadows like his way of travel.
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Kira had been snug in bed for some time, but when a brisk coolness brushed her shoulder, she opened her eyes and looked around the dimmed room.
She sat up and looked around the room again, but found no one there. But she had a funny feeling of being watched by something. She looked over at the clock, groaning as she sunk back into the comfort of the bed, throwing a pillow on her face.
"Man, is it only 1:00 in the morning?" she whined. She had to admit, since Mindshatter had shown up her sleep time wasn't what it once was. She would wake up in the middle of night, convinced that someone had been watching her from the shadows. But found no one there. She kept telling herself it was nothing, and it was nothing now. "Why do I have such a hard time sleeping now?"
Her eyes fell heavy and she went back to bed.
But from the corner of the room, a figure stood, holding out a device that began to whine and hum, but at a pitch no human could hear. And at the click of another minute passing in the evening, the figure disappeared into the shadows, never to be seen again in the room. At least for the time being.
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Ethan's head slowly bobbled up and down as he tried to stay awake, but he couldn't. It was clear that he needed to catch some zzz's or he would never make it through the day at school. But he was so determined to get the game mastered that he could take to reality.
The game was Step Mania. A game that Trent had introduced him to. It was a step up from that DDR game many people were hooked to, and helped Ethan with his hand-eye coordination. And if he could convert that to the game-pad, he could rival Trent at it. But he still had to get the game pad, and time at the mall to play the game wasn't on his schedule. But he was determined to get it mastered in hopes it could inspire some new moves to present to the dance team.
But, he couldn't keep his eyes open at the late hour and his head hit the keyboard and he fell into a deep slumber.
In the very corner of his room, a figure stood in a knelt position, watching as the teen in blue finally called it a day as he fell asleep.
A device was held in his hand, and it whirred to life and quickly off when the process was complete. And when an upcoming car light passed through the window to light the way, the figure was in and out of the room like the wind.
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Conner finally called it a night when he had reluctantly completed his homework and said good night to his girlfriend. After that last battle, he was glad to have someone there to comfort him. But still felt the sinking feeling of not telling her the entire truth about his life.
"Maybe another time, Conner," he told himself as he hopped into bed and tossed the blanket over him.
He reached over and turned off his lamp as he looked around the darken room. For awhile, he felt like a pair of eyes had been watching him from the very depths of the shadows in his room. After he had seen Dinoshade use the shadows as means of retreat, it made him fear the shadows as much as the walls. He could remember during Trent's evil reign when Trent would emerge from beyond the walls like they were nothing. Chameleon powers.
He shuddered as he pulled the blanket over his shoulders and over his head as he felt the heaviness settle on his eyes. And he slowly fell into a deep slumber.
A figure swiftly moved through the room, approaching the hidden red DT ranger with a device in hand. The humming and whirring came on in a blink of an eye and diminished just as the teen took a breath. And when he pulled his head over the covers, eyes still closed, the figure was gone out of sight.
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Trent sat at his art desk, a line of pictures plastered on the tape or wall. He was creating a collage of heroes he felt were appropriate to pull off in his first project. He yawned as he shook his head, hoping to wake him up a little, but didn't.
His head sunk as his eyes grew heavy. He just couldn't stay up. And his head hit the desk and he fell into a deep slumber for the evening.
A figure emerged from the shadows as it approached the teen in white. With a device held in hand, a humming stirred the teen as he slowly moved his head. But his eyes remained shut, stopping the figure in his tracks.
"Dad, don't worry," Trent mumbled quietly. "We'll find you."
"Son..." the small weak voice of Anton escaped from the figure looming over him. "Help me."
But as Trent jerked his head up, his heavy eyes slowly opened,the figure melted back into the shadows. He looked around swearing he thought he saw something beyond his bed, but found nothing. He breathed slowly as he looked down at his dino gem, watching the glowing white light escape from it. And at that moment, he felt his eyes grow heavy once again and he fell asleep.
But the figure that had been staying beyond the shadows, where Trent was sure someone was, was now gone. And only the teen remained in the room alone to catch a few zzz's.
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Tommy and Kim were snuggled close, Kim tucked into her husband's side as they slept soundly. After the sincere apologizes for placing Kim on grounded status, he had made it up to her by making sweet love to her. That no matter what, he would cherish her, even if she was no longer a ranger in true active status.
A figure slowly walked into the room, his eyes centered on the couple sleeping quietly. He hissed in disgust as he pulled out the device and pointed it at them. The device hummed to life and shut off in a matter of seconds and the figure left the room undetected.
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Mesogog slowly walked through the darken woods as he found a place to crash. His head was pounding with pain as he slowly collapsed against a tree. He groaned in pain, and it was clear that something had gone wrong in the transformation if he was feeling this way.
He watched as the shadows began to dance around as a breeze came through the area. He sniffed the air, smelling the scent he distinguished as Dinoshade. "I know you're out there, Dinoshade. You can't hide from me, you pathetic excuse for a cybernetic dinosaur."
Dinoshade growled as he emerged from behind a tree beyond the dazed dino menace. He walked over to the weakened dinosaur, pulling him to his feet. "You're just as pathetic as those Rangers. It'll only be a matter of time until you're destroyed."
"Not until I see the end of you and Mindshatter. Earth is mine for the taking!" Mesogog hissed, but his eyes grew heavy and the strange hint of the greenish-yellow light that covered him during his transformation took over.
And when it ended, Anton stood there, sweat running down his face, still locked in Dinoshade's embrace. He looked pale as he barely could keep his eyes open.
"Why must you try so hard?" Dinoshade questioned the man.
"So hard to what?" Anton asked quietly as he tried to force the metal hands off his neck.
"To protect those pathetic rangers? We will find a way to destroy them, and when we do, it'll be a matter of time until you're all dead." Dinoshade hissed as he threw the man to the ground.
Anton groaned as he felt his body hit the ground. And for a moment, he caught his breath. He knew that in those moments, that Mesogog lived strong in his mind. But it was clear that his objectives were slightly different than what he knew in the past. But he wasn't quite sure what. And he knew, or more so felt, that after each transformation from himself to his alter ego, it would weaken him more. Dinoshade reached into the hidden pocket of the weakened man and pulled out the device Mindshatter had given to him hours ago. He pushed a few buttons on it as it whirred to life and a few lights turned on on the device.
And when he pushed one final button, a line of lights escaped from the device and raced through the woods until it disappeared out of view.
"What'd you do?" Anton asked as he slowly got to his feet.
"You'll find out soon enough," Dinoshade said as he grabbed the scientist's arm and pulled him into the shadows.
And they were gone out of sight. A figure, dressed from head to toe in black, pulled away from the shadows as the silence fell over the area.
"It's only beginning," the figure spoke quietly to himself. "We have to find a way to stop this, or we're all doomed."
to be continued...
A/N: So, um...yeah. It is official, Mesogog is back. But not of the permanent status Mindshatter is aiming for. And what kind of punishment does it take out of Anton? And how long will he last? And what does Mindshatter have in store for the Rangers? And who was spying on the robotic dinosaur and the scientist? So many questions. So little answers, in so little time. See what we got in store for our ranger team in the following chapters. You'd be surprised. May the Powers Always Protect You.