'TIL I COLLAPSE: PART THIRTY-SIX: LIFE OR DEATH
SEQUEL TO: ORDINARY WORLD
SUMMARY: The rangers have made a terrible discovery about their fellow rangers in hiding. Can they stop it before it gets worse? Or will they meet the same fate as the other rangers?
DISCLAIMER: Power Rangers is not mine and never will. I just own this story and how it will end. You have been warned.
A/N: Can you smell death in the air? I'm sorry, it has to be done to prove this guy really means business. I think I'm losing some of you people to short reviews. Not that it is a bad thing. Thank you for the reviews, or this would be nothing. I just need more to work with, so I hope you like it. Please don't hate me too much after you read this. This was sorta randomly put in, but it needed to for the transition between the chapters to come. So enjoy!
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"We are running out of time. We need to move fast or we will suffer a tragic event we are not ready to face. I will not stand here and let the rest of the world crumble as this evil machine continues to destroy us. And try to divide us. We are better than this. We always will be." -Eclyptyk Neo
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The array of rangers had returned to the lab in one piece. Luckily, no cybots or the psycho rangers had followed them back. They had enough then they could bargain for in the last few days of their time as a ranger.
Upon their return, Hayley had joined Cam and Aisha in the lab trying to analyze the situation at hand. Still looking a little pale, Andros, Trent and Tommy were placed into the care of Adam to one side of the room.
"You're lucky, Kim hasn't come down here to ask where you were at, Tommy," Cam called from his place at the main computer.
"Glad to have you back, too. All of you," Aisha breathed a sigh of relief.
"Can I say I'm sick of these suicide missions?" Rocky nearly collapsed to the ground in relief that it was all over.
TJ moved over to the main console where he handed back the devices to the technical director with red hair. He thanked her for the work done to them and how it was ver beneficial in the fight.
Adam had worked frantically to revive the three rangers, giving them more energy and awake them from their trance. They had seemed to fallen into it once they hit the lab, especially Tommy and Trent. Ashley, Kira and a few others watched on with agitation wondering what service they can be to the medical doctor. They were relieved to have him there, but also wished what kind of miracles he really could perform.
"Well, let's go down the line with information. TJ, what did you guys discover?" Hayley asked.
"We can't morph," TJ replied as he looked down at his morpher.
Rocky sprang to his feet nodding. He pulled off his zeonizer and tossed it to Hayley. "Yeah. Rumor has it that the morphing grid has been tapped and we can no longer morph."
"Well, not us," Conner corrected as he joined the blue zeo ranger, looking down at his own morpher. "How's that?"
"Because we're the most current team. The grid didn't effect our morphing energy," Ethan replied.
"But if the grid was tapped into, somehow, that would leave the other rangers vulnerable, too, right?" Tanya asked.
Hayley looked over at the zeonizer in her hand. She ran a scan over it on another computer and nodded. "These things have been fried. You guys can't morph unless you find a way to tap into the grid and fix the energy source around your powers."
"Is there a way to do that?" Aisha asked. "And does that include our ninja powers?"
"It couldn't. Those powers were already destroyed, but the actually spirit has not. It's part of our soul," Adam called out as he snapped a finger in front of Andros. The red space ranger stirred as the color in his face began to return. He patted him on the shoulder. "Well, that's one. How you feeling, Andros?"
Andros groaned as Ashley rushed over to lock him in a hug. Relief fell over her as sighs fell over the other space rangers. "Like someone stopped over my brain and put it back in my head. But I'll be fine."
"You're lucky we got you out of there when we did. It could have gotten worse," Adam stated. "I'm not sure what Mindshatter did, but..."
"What he did best, produce images to think my friends were really my enemies. And I couldn't fight them. Not without help." he spoke as Ashley laid a gentle kiss on his lips.
"We're just glad you're back," Ashley nodded.
Carlos and Cassie moved to grasp the red space ranger in their own signs of relief and gladness. Adam had moved over to the white and black DT rangers who still appeared in a trance state. He waved a hand over Trent's head as he lunged forward, Adam catching him as he hit the ground.
Trent cried out in a panic as Adam stabilized him. The color in his face had returned as his eyes began to register the life around him. He let air back into his lungs as he sighed deeply.
"You're okay, Trent. The nightmare is over," Adam said slowly.
Trent shook his head. "Then why do I not feel convinced? I feel like my mind is still being probed."
"Those are the side effects. You should be fine," Adam stated as he patted the teen's shoulder.
Trent had to take his word for it. He was after all a doctor of medicine. He slowly got to his feet as he walked into the waiting arms of Kira. And relief fell over the two, as Ethan and Conner had relaxed a little for the two. But work had to be done and they knew the two need some time to catch their breath as did Ashley and Andros.
Adam moved over to his last patient as he used an herbal remedy to calm the tense shoulders of his friend. He waved his hand over Tommy's eyes and he slowly blinked and finally came to. His whole body began to show more signs of life. For a moment his eyes fell on Adam like a predator on his prey. Confusion and fear fell over Adam's face just as a little evil smile fell over Tommy.
But when they had both blinked, the reality of that moment was only a memory. And Tommy groaned, waking from the nightmare as he lowered his head, groaning.
"Hey, Tommy. You're fine. It's over. The nightmare is over," Adam said slowly as he placed a reassuring hand on his frien'ds shoulder.
Tommy shook his head, as he grabbed it again. "I wish I could believe you, but I"m not convinced, Adam. Something is going on in my head that I can't seem to figure out."
"You just need to rest," Adam stated more like an order. "We've all been through a lot in the last few days."
Tommy sighed as he nodded. He had to take his doctor's word on it. He just hoped that he was right. But he wasn't sure what he was feeling. He did feel different, that something wasn't falling into place. He didn't want to say anything and hoped that some sleep would let his doubts leave him.
After a few moments for all of them to catch their breaths, they began to inform the others about their findings while exploring the fortress or looking into communications systems among the other rangers.
Through constant trials and test-runs, it was official that no other ranger could more into their ranger suits, or use their ranger powers in any case, but the dino rangers. Meaning, if they didn't figure this out soon, they would be really doing this battle on their own.
Ethan had told the team about the underground passageways that Mesogog had lead them through and told them about the room that worked the entire network of the fortress. He said that, according to Mesogog/Anton, was the only sure fire way to re-program the cybots and Dinoshade. He had also mentioned that it could be in that very room where they could destroy Mindshatter for good. The only thing was acknowledging the type of codes that came with it.
The also found out that Mindshatter had a way to use their morphers as homing devices, much as they were trying to program them to track down each other. That's why they couldn't risk communicating to each other. He had been one step ahead of them the entire time. And that communications were limited within the fortress as well as from the command centers in Angel Grove and Reefside. But hidden well enough to avoid electronical damage from what Mindshatter was attempting to do in the future.
They had also concluded that there was only two psycho rangers left, but they can still cause a lot of damage. And if they didn't stop them soon, more damage would be inflicted than they would have wanted from an evil being.
Andros, Trent and Tommy even explained the thoughts and the mind tricks that Mindshatter had played on them. To make them, their friends, look like the enemy right before their eyes. That even under the pressure of figuring out how to stop them, they feared their minds were still being probed and controlled, especially Trent and Tommy. They felt like whatever was being said was somehow broadcasted to Mindshatter in the fortress.
"So, if we don't find a way to reset the entire morphing grid, we're on our own in this final battle?" Conner asked as fear ran over him. For as long as he could remember, he had always had some courage knowing he had the back-up of a few rangers with their powers. Now, there was nothing. "What are we against Mindshatter if there is only five of us to stop him?"
"A miracle. That's what we need," Kira admitted. "Even if we managed to get Mindshatter down to that central computer room, wouldn't you think he'd be smart enough to override it?"
"Not if there is a lot going on. If we can somehow gain access from this lab and possibly Angel Grove, we can add to the disturbance and distrupt him before he gets a chance to knock us out," Haylye concluded.
"Dr. Mercer had also mentioned something about a disk," Ethan said as he looked over at his mentor and teacher, who hadn't said much during their entire discussion. But the gaze had caught his eye as Tommy looked up at him. "A disk that he had given to you somehow. What was that about?"
Tommy sighed for a moment before getting off the chair and moving to a desk in the room. Despite the mess of gadgets and papers, he had found a disk under all of the mess and held it up for all to see. "I got this disk from Anton weeks ago when a certain ranger decided to go up to the fortress to go rescue his father," he stopped for a moment as his gaze fell on Trent. But Trent had not said anything as he looked down with guilt.
"Unfortunately, I have not had the time to look at it, nor do I quite know what is on it."
"Well, Mesogog, or Mercer, I'm still confused about it, mentioned that you also have some background knowledge about the underground passageways below the actual fortress. Mind explaining that to us, buddy," Rocky stated as he re-collected the words from the conversation with Mesogog/Anton.
"Actually, he's right about that. It was those same passages where most of our first experiments had begun. Unfortunately, most of it had been lost in the explosion. I guess, it was more so passageways meant for two, rather than a whole team. Not many other scientists we've worked with knew about those except for me and Anton. I had not realized they were still around because I thought the explosion would have taken them out, too. But it's been so long and I can only remember so much. I do know it is one place even Dinoshade or Mindshatter fears about going into. Yet, I have not figured out why," Tommy had to admit, knowing any information would be crucial to their cause.
"So, the disk," TJ pointed out as Tommy tapped it on his hand. "Any idea what sorta information Dr. Mercer gave you?"
"Enough to get us by and find a weakness in Mindshatter. But much of it is in code. In code even I can't decipher and I'm not sure if Hayley or Ethan could either, no offense, guys," Tommy said as he looked over at the two computer whizzes for the DT team.
Then there was a scream from upstairs. And like lightning, if not faster, Tommy stormed up the stairs and into the place he heard it coming from the living room. Several of the other rangers followed suit in curiosity and fear as they clamored upstairs.
"Kimberly! Serena!" Tommy called out as he came to a halt at the threshold of the living room. He caught his breath for a moment as he saw the tears escape his wife's eyes, Serena clinging to her with tears running down her face as well.
Their eyes were affixed on the tv like mindless zombies in fear. Tommy walked farther into the room as he saw what had caught their eye. It was a news report.
"...they just came out of nowhere. ...they didn't stop for anything. ...destroyed everything..." bystanders were shown in clips across the tv.
There were images of explosions and fire raining the streets. It was reported only minutes ago by an amateur cameraman. In the city of Mariner Bay.
Then it panned over to a woman news reporter, shaken and struck with fear. "This is a terrible and horrific event for the people of Mariner Bay. Innocent bystanders were killed today in a terroristic-like attack. Among them, the Lightspeed Rescue Power Rangers, who the city is highly grateful for, were also ruthlessly and viciously killed by an army of robotic soldiers lead by two suited figures that witnesses could only describe as 'stormtroopers' and phantoms in a blue and yellow suit..."
Tommy felt his knees weaken and lock as he raced over to his wife and daughter, pulling them into a protective hold. Tears ran down all of their faces as the other rangers fell into the room like mindless droids.
They collapsed on chairs, hit walls or stumbled to the ground, others tried to hold their tears back. As they listened to the report and saw the footage that had been captured, fear ran over them. None of them had expected it or could have gotten the chance to warn them. They had fought, all six rangers, and none had survived, without their suits against the cybots and psycho rangers.
"...I have with me, the man who was responsible for giving the rangers their powers. If I may, Captain Mitchell, a moment of your time," the reporter requested as a man in a navy-like uniform shielded his face from the camera. The reporter began to file out questions as he refused and pushed the mic away, walking away. "...sir, please, I know this is very tragic for you, but..."
Then the man finally grabbed the mic, looking directly into the camera. His face was scarred with tears. "This is a message to the other rangers out there. If we do not find a way to end this, this entire world will be destroyed. Do not let this same fate happen to you or any other. I speak to you especially, rangers of Reefside, we must find a way to stop this or no one will be left to protect the planet. They took away my rangers... my son and my daughter..." He had pushed the mic away and walked off as the tears fell.
The rangers clung to each other, to the wall, to anything they could as they heard the words replay in their minds. Of the words spoken by another mentor of a ranger team. No one could really say anything. They were in awe and shock. They had not expected this to happen. The thoughts and images as another shot of the destructive nature of the cybots took out the Lightspeed Rescue Rangers with no mercy. Some had tears falling, others tried to hold them back. But all were feeling the loss.
"They're on a rampage," Conner breathed as he wiped a trail of tears from his eyes.
"They're taking us out. Team by team." Ethan said in a low voice. Despite the fear, grief and asadness, rage ran through his bones. "It's an elimination."
"They're like animals now. No mercy," Kira shook her head as she clung to Trent for comfort.
Then the broadcast had switched over to a guy in the studios as he touched his earpiece. "Indeed a tragic moment in the world. But I have just gotten word... another attack... in Turtle Cove. We go to Jerald Jones live in Turtle Cove..."
"No. Not Turtle Cove," Tommy said in a low voice. His eyes fell on the TV as the screen switched over to a man under the location of Turtle Cove.
"Madess raged through the streets of Turtle Cove only thirty minutes ago," Jerald, the reporter, began to say. "Many are injured, and several are dead. No information has been released by rescue workers about the damage done. However, witnesses have claimed that soldiers in white armored suits plowed through the streets, firing like ruthless terrorists toward everything and anyone. This is truly a tragic sight to see. Who are these masked soldiers? What was their purpose? And why weren't the Power Rangers of Turtle Cove here to protect us?..." he stopped for a moment as something was fed into his earpiece as he spoke. "I have just received word that there was some amateur footage of six people trying to direct people to safety and fight these armored soldiers. We go to the footage now..."
The eyes fell on the TV as the rangers assembled in Reefside watched in horror as the six figures fought the cybots. These six figures that all could conclude were the Wild Force Rangers, also without the protection of their suits, fighting. But the fire power was beyond their control to dodge or evade. One went down, then two, then two more and finally the last two. The cameraman raced out of there just as firepower came his way. And it was lost. But no real clue could be made if they had survived.
Tommy felt his knees weaken even more as he collapsed to the ground. Kim and Serena encased him in their arms as he cried. "No, not the Wild Force Rangers, too."
"This can't be happening," Cam breathed as he collapsed against the wall.
"Who's left?" Cassie shook her head. She just didn't want to believe the truth.
"They're attacking while we are most vulnerable," TJ said as he forced air back into his lungs. "When we can't morph. We're nothing without our powers."
None of them could believe it. In the matter of hours they were worried about getting Andros, Tommy and Trent free from danger, they had lost twelve rangers in the ranger family. They wanted it to be a dream, and even as Adam flipped through the other news channels, word had gotten around. Two Power Ranger teams ceased to exist in only a matter of minutes between each other. And that now contributed to the lost of the Lost Galaxy Rangers and the Silver Space Ranger.
Cam raced out of the room, pulling out his cell phone. It was the only means he had to reaching the others without getting tapped into. He dialed up Shane's number waiting patiently. Then it clicked as someone answered. "Shane, fall into procedure Code PRO-04 and don't argue with me. ...It will be your best defense against the cybots until this is over... You can't find Hunter or Blake? ...Find them, Shane! And quick before those cybots move against you. We can't afford to lose anymore rangers."
Tommy had heard the call out of the corner of his ear as he pulled out his own cell. He began to dial up Jason's number, hoping his friend had heard the news and moved onto Plan AGR-01, which meant finding a way into Angel Grove or Reefside if anything got too serious for the rangers. He waited for a moment, calming his anger, sadness and mixed feelings as he hoped to get a call back. It rang and rang, but the machine had gone off. He shook his head as Kim tried to comfort him, stop him before he went completely ballistic.
He tried Jason's cell phone, hoping to get somewhere with that. And even Aisha had moved to inform her boyfriend of the news, if he wasn't already on the move. And Andros had moved to contact Wes, in hopes Eric was with him, and they were already on the move. But none of them had gotten a connection.
For a moment, no one had moved as they exchanged a look, knowing what was going on in each of their minds. Did they lose five more rangers to the hand of the cybots? Hayley had raced down into the lab, with an array of rangers following. Tommy pulled Serena into his arms as he escorted his wife down the stairs, taking up the rear. Like all of them, they were all worried and hoped nothing had come of them.
Hayley was already quick to work as she used the cell phone numbers to target their location. Luckily, she was a genius enough to find some location on the hidden rangers. She worked at a speed no one had ever really seen her work at as images and satellites pictures ran across the screen. Then a red dot came up outside of Los Angeles was moving southward toward Reefside. She got another lock on one heading for Angel Grove.
"What do we got?" TJ asked as he raced over trying to figure out the images. Despite, the crushed spirits, he knew he had to be stron, as did Andros and Conner. The rangers as a whole had to keep their heads high for the sake of the rest of the world they had to save.
"I got one heading for Reefside and one toward Angel Grove. I think we got Jason and Katherine on a course toward Angel Grove. Wes and Eric is heading for Reefside," Hayley concluded as she tried to close in and the search.
"What about Zack?" Aisha bursted through as fear ran over her. With as much action as she had seen in her months of helping the dino thunder rangers she never had enough time for Zack. But nor did he, still working between his dance studio and getting his album perfected and completed. But they talked, kept each other informed about what was going on. But she hadn't actually seen him in weeks.
"What about Zack?" a voice called out from the forest entrance of the lab.
Everyone turned to see the original black ranger standing there. And despite the fear that seemed to run through his body, he still had a smile on his face. It was clear to the breathless run, he had left in a hurry and jetted onto a safe haven after hearing the news. He rushed over as the familiar face of his girlfriend as he locked her tightly into his arms as they shared a kiss.
"I missed you, baby," Aisha whispered.
"I'm okay, 'sha. I'm right here," Zack replied as a soothing clam fell over him.
Relief fell over the rangers as they were glad to see one ranger out of harm's way. It was the others they were worried about. And hoped they could find a safe haven soon.
"They're moving fast," Andros concluded. He had been making calculations in his head over the news. "Space Rangers, assemble. We gotta head back to Angel Grove. Karone and Billy are sitting ducks without us."
"Even without our powers, what good are we?" Carlos shook his head. He had to agree with his leader, but felt at a huge disadvantage. "We're nothing against that kind of firepower."
"I'll go," Tommy spoke up as he took his place at the center of the room. Eyes fell on him in shock and terror, especially from his daughter and wife.
"No way, Tommy. You're not going anywhere... did you see.." Kim began to say, but he put a finger to her lips shaking his head.
"Daddy, no. Don't go," Serena dried as she hugged him tighter.
"Yeah, no way, Dr. O," Ethan shook his head. "You've already been through enough..."
"We still got one more option on our hands. Well, a few. I've made a copy of that disk that Anton gave me. The rest of you guys stay here and look into it. See what you can find. I'm going with Andros and the others. If I'm lucky, Billy can find something out up there. They're gonna need some protection until we get the morphing grid back up..."
"But you're a key element in unlocking what's on the disk," Conner protested.
"You got Serena and Trent. They know enough to get you started. If I'm lucky, maybe we can call in another source over at NASADA, too," Tommy let out a breath as he looked over at his wife again. The look in her eyes ran with fear and he didn't want to see it. He laid a kiss on her lips as she pulled a hand over to her round belly. "I'll be okay."
"You'd better be. You've gotten into a lot of messes lately. I'd hate to have our son not see how great his father was as a person," she manages a smile as she laid a kiss on his lips. "Love you."
"Love you, too, Beautiful," he whispered as he looked over to the little girl he carried in his arms. She pulled him into a hug as he laid a kiss on her lips. "Keep an eye on your mother, Serena. I'll be back."
"You one crazy ranger, daddy," she said hoping to lift the burden on his shoulders. A smile passed her face. "But you gotta do what you gotta do."
"Hold down the fort while I'm gone. Make sure Trent doesn't do anything stupid. Love you, baby," he whispered as he placed her into his wife's arms and exchanged another kiss with his wife.
Then he turned and headed up the stairs with the space rangers following. The array of rangers in the lab watched as he left, unsure what to make of his plan, but hoped he knew what he was doing. It had consisted of the original black ranger, the pink and yellow ninja rangers, the green, yellow and blue zeo rangers, the green samurai ranger, the DT teens, the DT technical advisor and the little girl with a huge legacy under her wing.
And despite the tragic events of hearing the loss of two ranger teams, they had to get down to business and find a way to end this annihilation before they were next. For a good long time, they grieved, in their own silence over the loss. No one could speak to another. None of them could really say they had known any of the rangers who had fallen victim to death, but they knew of their contributions to the legacy. And they could only hope that the other rangers were finding a safe haven elsewhere.
The war was only getting worse, and the toll was striking on the rangers still alive to tell their story. They could only hope they find a way to stop Mindshatter before he found a way to take them out by another sinister plan.
to be continued...
A/N: So, it is a tear-jerking, kinda. I mean, we now lost twelve other rangers. We have no clue on the others still out there. And what does Tommy have in mind as he heads up to Angel Grove with the Space Rangers? Hit up the next chapter to find out. Please don't have me too much for doing this. It had to be done. It just had to. RIP, my ranger friends. May the Powers Always Protect You.