Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers.
Dissension within the Ranks
Chapter 14
Gruumm still had Sky lifted up in the air with his telekinesis when a stream of electricity sends Gruumm flying backwards into a wall.
"Who dares attack me?" Gruumm asked his eyes glowing red.
A figure came down from the ceiling where it was hanging upside down. The figure was Broodwing.
"Broodwing, what are you doing? You are supposed to be on my side!" Gruumm hollered.
Broodwing laughed evilly. "Your side? Why would I ever be on your side? I'm on nobody's side but my own!" Broodwing replied.
Gruumm shot Broodwing with his staff. When the smoke cleared, Broodwing was still standing without a scratch on him.
"But how?" Gruumm asked.
Sky was confused. He didn't know what the heck was going on here. He had no idea why Broodwing would save him. He had no idea why Broodwing and Gruumm would be fighting each other. He wasn't sure if he should help either of them or just let them beat each other senseless.
"For a mighty, powerful emperor you sure are stupid! Do I really need to spell it out for you? I'm a mercenary! What that means is you pay me and I provide you my services, therefore when you no longer pay me, I no longer provide you my services," Broodwing said.
Gruumm let out an angry roar. "I've told you that I've given you enough money for your ineffectual weaponry. Where has that got me? I've watched time and time again your robots, your monsters, your weapons be destroyed by the power rangers," Gruumm shouted.
"Hmm…this is really getting good. I'd give anything to have some popcorn right about now," Sky thought to himself. "Wait a second. If Gruumm isn't piloting the ship, then who is?"
"Well Gruumm, why don't you stop bitching and attack the rangers yourself if everything I provide you is so ineffectual? Some emperor you are! You have everyone do the dirty work while you sit on your ass!" Broodwing screamed.
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Jack had made his way to Syd's room just in time to see Z come out from there.
"How is she?" Jack asked.
Z frowned. She turned so she wasn't facing Jack. Then she said, "Not good. She's really worried about Sky not to mention the fact that she just found out she's pregnant."
Jack sighed. "Yeah I know what you mean. We all feel…wait a second. Did you just say Syd's pregnant?" Jack asked.
"Unfortunately," Z replied.
"Unfortunately? That's great!" Jack exclaimed.
The door to Syd and Z's room opened to show the pink ranger with hands on her hips and tears still streaming down her face ruining her makeup. "Great? No Jack that's not great!" Syd exclaimed.
"Are you kidding me? We're going to have a baby!" Jack said.
Z rolled her eyes and sighed in disgust. "You're not the one who has to carry around a child for nine months not to mention have to give birth to it Jack! Pregnancy can be very scary to a bunch of women," Z explained.
"You failed to mention the reason I'm pregnant Z. He raped me. You don't get it because you're a guy. Some women prefer to wait to have sex until they have it with the man they want to spend the rest of their life with," Syd said.
"Are you saying you don't want to spend the rest of your life with me?" Jack asked.
"Hello? Yes that's what she's saying!" Z answered.
"You know you could have taken it slow and actually dated me first instead of just forcing yourself on me," Syd remarked.
Jack put his hands on Syd's shoulders. "But we're having a baby," Jack said.
"Jack get your hands off my shoulders now before you have a fist of iron pounded into your big head!" Syd warned.
"You wouldn't do that because that's what got you in prison in the first place," Jack said.
"Try me!" Syd said reaching into her pocket for a lump of iron.
Syd was pulled back by Z. "Don't Syd. He's not worth it," Z said.
Jack had a shocked look on his face. "You don't mean that Z. I thought I was like a brother to you?" Jack asked.
"Oh is that what you consider yourself now? Funny because I recall one time you wanting me to be your girlfriend. So which is it Jack? Am I your sister or your girlfriend?" Z asked.
"I'm your brother. No, your boyfriend. Hey, is this a trick question?" Jack asked.
"Come on Syd," Z said leading Syd back into the room they shared.
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The children's foster dad took them back to his home. He led them to their bedroom and shut the door behind him and locked it. He dropped the kids on the floor.
"Now kiddies, it's time you learn some respect. Take off your clothes!" their foster dad ordered.
This wasn't anything new to the children so they immediately followed orders otherwise they'd be in even worse trouble with their foster dad than they already were in.
Their foster dad took off his belt and started whipping them with it. With each and every whip came the sound of leather smacking flesh as the belt came down on the backs of the children time and time again. The children were crying both from the pain that the belt caused upon striking their flesh and from terrifying fear.
"This is for talking to and running off with a stranger!" their foster dad shouted striking their backs with his belt. Large welts started forming on both of the children's backs.
"This is for not calling me 'daddy'!" their foster dad yelled striking their backs with the belt again. Now blood started oozing out of the welts on their backs. It trickled down their small naked bodies.
A smile of satisfaction appeared on their foster dad's face as he looked at the battered and bloodied backs of his two children.
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Bridge was in the room that he and Sky shared. Bridge was lying on his bed deep in thought. He was thinking about how he should've noticed that Birdy was an imposter sooner. He was thinking about how Sky sacrificed himself at the warehouse to save both he and Z. He was thinking about how close he was to finally being able to share his room with Sky, his best friend again. His eyes followed the green stripe that ran across the wall on his side of the room. Eventually, it changed into a blue stripe that ran across the wall on Sky's side of the room. He frowned. Bridge closed his eyes hoping that sleep would drown away his guilt.
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Back on the S.P.D. ship, Sky was relieved to discover that the ship was on auto-pilot. However, he didn't like what the destination was, Gruumm's ship. So, he entered in a new destination, S.P.D. Earth station. He turned around and saw that Gruumm had lifted Broodwing five feet in the air with his telekinesis.
"I know what that feels like all too well," Sky thought to himself. He was pondering whether or not he should help Broodwing. He concluded that if, if being the operative word, he decided to help one of them, it would be Broodwing since after all Broodwing did save his backside earlier. Then he wondered if he could just sneak out without them noticing anything but decided that wouldn't work because they were out in space. Maybe once they were back at S.P.D. Maybe.
Gruumm eyed the mercenary up and down. He circled around him. Then he decided to speak. "So, you dare defy me?" Gruumm asked.
Just then, a force field slammed into Gruumm. Gruumm turned around to see that the blue ranger had snuck up behind Gruumm so that he was only inches away which would enable his force field tohit him. Broodwing and Sky got into an attacking stance beside one another facing Gruumm.
Gruumm laughed evilly. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? The blue ranger and the traitor joining forces! Too bad it's still not enough!" Gruumm said before shooting them with his staff.
Sky waved his arm around in a circle erecting a force field to protect Broodwing and himself. Gruumm was still blasting away.
"You know you can't hold up that force field forever ranger," Gruumm said seeing that Sky was starting to strain.
Broodwing saw this as well.
"Attack him while he's distracted. He's right. I can't hold this up for much longer," Sky said to Broodwing.
"You know what a skeleton's weakness is?" Broodwing asked not really to anyone in particular. "Fire!" Broodwing shouted pulling out a flamethrower from his cape. He engulfed Gruumm with flames. Gruumm's body was on fire. He was screaming in pain. He was running to and fro like a chicken with its head cut off. Finally he teleported out of there.
Sky extended his hand for Broodwing to shake.
"Thanks," Sky said.
Broodwing shook Sky's hand. "No, thank you. Don't worry ranger, I won't hurt you. As far as I'm concerned we share a common enemy in Gruumm," Broodwing said before transforming into a bat and teleporting away.
Sky had a puzzled look on his face. "Did that just happen?" Sky thought to himself.
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Over in the room that Syd and Z shared, Syd had calmed down somewhat. She was no longer crying but occasionally sniffled. There was a comfortable silence in the room.
"Why are you being so nice to me? I thought you were jealous that I was interested in Sky too?" Syd asked.
Z was surprised when she heard Syd speak. The room had been silent up until that point for quite some time now with the exception of the sound of Syd crying. "It's like I told you before. We girls have to stick together. Besides, if situations were reversed I know I'd want someone to be there for me like I am trying to be there for you now," Z answered.
A small smile appeared on Syd's face. Then, she started giggling. Z looked at Syd not knowing what she could possibly be giggling about.
"It is kind of silly how we were fighting over a guy. Not just any guy, but Sky. Mr. Sky by-the-book Tate, the poster child of S.P.D." Syd said.
Z laughed at the sound of Syd's voicewhen she said "the poster child of S.P.D." and she smiled herself. "Yeah, we should go to Kat and get examined, we must've come down with something," Z said playing along with Syd.
Syd and Z both laughed for awhile before the room fell into a comfortable silence with the exception of a few snickers here and there. Syd put a more serious look on her face. "Thanks Z. You've been so nice to me and I don't even deserve it after I attacked you the other day," Syd said.
Z had a serious look on her face as well. She walked over to Syd's bed and sat down beside her. "You're wrong Syd," Z said. She looked over to the broken home pregnancy test lying on the floor. "After what you just found out, you deserve all the kindness I've shown you and then some."
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Back at the foster home, the children's foster dad scooped up the naked, unconscious children in his arms after he had whipped them unconscious with his leather belt. He opened his closet door and threw them in his closet. He shut the door and locked it.
"That'll teach them to respect me," he thought to himself. He decided to go to a bar and get himself drunk. This was a routine for him. He went to the bar every night and got himself drunk. He had become a regular at the bar. Alcohol made him even more violent and abusive if that was even possible. He stopped at the doorway of his bedroom. He stared over at the closet. A sadistic smile appeared on his face after he reflected on what he had just got done doing to them. He headed out to the bar.
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Sky had landed the S.P.D. ship at the Academy. As Sky stepped out of the ship, he saw Cruger running towards him. Soon, he was being hugged by the alien dog.
"I'm so glad you're back safely," Cruger said still hugging Sky. Sky was shocked with the way Cruger was behaving. It was very unprofessional not to mention un-commander-like of him. He returned Cruger's hug not knowing exactly how to react in a situation like this.
"Where are the kids?" Sky asked.
Cruger stopped hugging Sky and took a few steps back. He cleared his throat. "Their foster parent took them," Cruger replied knowing they meant as much to Sky as Sky meant to Cruger.
There was silence as those words seemed to hang in the air. Sky frowned at first. Then, he clenched his fists. "He's not their father! They are victims of mental and physical child abuse. He should have his foster parent license revoked," Sky said his eyes burning with hatred of which Cruger never seen before in Sky. The next thing Cruger knew, Sky was leaving the Academy in search of them. Sky had a pretty good idea where to look.
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Jack was walking down one of S.P.D.'s many hallways, when he passed by Bridge's room. He saw Bridge was lying on his bed. He couldn't tell if he was asleep or not. Even if he wasn't, Jack was probably the last person he'd want to see. It bothered Jack so much that Bridge was still afraid of him. Jack knew that he had made a mistake and he regretted it, but the damage appears to have already been done. It appears to be unfixable. He knew that he might regret this, but he knocked on the door.
Bridge's eyes opened at the sound of the knock. Bridge had been asleep. The operative word being had. He was upset that someone had woken him from his sleep. "What do you want?" Bridge asked sitting up and seeing Jack standing in the doorway to his room.
"Did I wake you?" Jack asked.
Bridge rubbed his eyes and let out an obnoxious yawn. "What do you think?" Bridge snapped.
Jack put his hands up in surrender. He had never seen Bridge like this before. Usually, he was the cheerful member of the team. It was a rarity to see Bridge angry, but this appeared to be one of those rare occasions. "I was looking for someone to talk to. I think talking to someone would make me feel better," Jack said.
Bridge rolled his eyes. "You want to talk to someone? Go talk to a wall!" Bridge exclaimed.
The next thing Jack knew he was pushed back and the door to Bridge's room slammed in his face.
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Over in the room that Z and Syd shared, Syd and Z were bonding. It really was amazing how well they were getting along with each other now considering how not too long ago, they couldn't stand to be around each other.
Syd and Z were still seated side by side on Syd's bed. "I don't know what I'm going to do," Syd said.
Z put a hand on Syd's shoulder. "You don't have to think about that right now. Just try taking it one day at a time," Z replied.
Syd sighed. She felt her eyes begin to water again. She bit her lip and fought back her tears not wanting to cry again. "I've always wanted children, but not now. I'm only nineteen years old. I'm still young. At the same time, I couldn't put my child up for adoption after it grew inside of me for nine months. I'm sure I'll feel a strong connection to it, yet I'm content with my life just the way it is now. I've been an Olympian. I've won beauty pageants. I'm on the front of multiple issues of Miro magazines. I've recorded a cd that has gone double platinum. Being here at S.P.D. means everything to me. Sure I love being the center of attention and being a celebrity, but as a ranger I feel important. Like I'm actually making a difference in the world. I wouldn't want to give that up for anything," Syd said.
Z nodded her head understanding what Syd meant. She was happy that she decided to become a power ranger. Playing the role of Robin Hood was nice and it brought smiles to the faces of the less fortunate citizens of New Tech City, but Z had always wanted to be a part of something bigger, something that made a difference.
"I know what you mean," Z said aloud.
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Sky was at the front desk of Social Services. He was talking to a secretary that was around Sky's age.
"Did a really tall, big guy come here recently with a little boy and girl?" Sky asked the secretary.
The secretary shook her head yes.
Sky was relieved to hear he was on the right track. "Do you know where they went?" Sky asked.
The secretary looked back down at the paperwork on the desk she was seated at. "I'm afraid I can't disclose that information," she said.
Sky took out his badge and held it in front of him. "I'm S.P.D. Now will you tell me?" Sky asked.
The secretary saw the badge. Then something just dawned on her. She looked at Sky's uniform and saw the blue on it. "You're going to have to leave or else I'll call the cops," the secretary said.
Sky couldn't believe what he had just heard. He could swear this secretary knew more than she was letting on. Almost like she was deliberately hiding something. "You seem to forget that I am a cop," Sky said.
The secretary stood up from her seat and backed up a few steps. "He said that you attacked him and left him for dead," she said.
Sky was furious that the story she was told was blown out of proportion. He was starting to lose his patience with the secretary, but he kept his cool. "That was a lie. Look, those kids are in danger. They told me he physically and verbally abused them," Sky said calmly.
"That can't be true! He's been a licensed foster parent for three years. Those two were his first and only children that he's been a foster parent to. If those kids were being abused, we would know about it," the secretary said.
Sky couldn't help but lose his patience. He pounded his fist on the desk. "Do you think five year old children or for that matter anyone who is a victim of physical and verbal abuse would feel comfortable enough telling people they were being abused? Of course they wouldn't. They are fearful that they will be abused even more if their abuser finds out they told someone," Sky said.
What Sky said made sense to the secretary. "But then how did you know?" she asked.
Sky shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea why, but for some reason they trust me and are really attached to me," Sky answered.
The secretary looked into Sky's eyes and could tell he was telling the truth. She sighed. "I'm sorry for doubting you. They live in 911 Magnolia Street," the secretary said.
"Thank you," Sky said before turning around and heading out the doors.
The secretary watched Sky as he left. "Whoa! Nice ass! Great bod! Damn he's hot! He has such gorgeous eyes! I didn't see a ring. I wonder if he's single? Crap, I should've asked him for his number. Hell, I didn't even get his name. Sometimes I can be so stupid!" the secretary thought to herself.
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Sam was floating around as a ball of a light. One plus from being a ball of light is that he could easily eavesdrop on people without them noticing him. He knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help being snoopy. He floated by Jack's room and saw Jack sitting on his bed facing the wall. If Sam's ears weren't deceiving him, he could've sworn that Jack was talking to the wall.
"This is just great! Bridge is mad at me. Syd is furious at me. Even Z is angry at me. Not to mention Sky who disappears almost as soon as he appears. I can't figure out why Syd isn't happy that we are going to have a baby! I'm so excited to be a father. Of course, I wish I hadn't got Syd pregnant the way that I did, but still. But it wasn't my fault. I was going insane in prison. Wait. No. Syd's right. I need to take responsibility for my own actions. At the end of the day, I was the one who raped her. Damn it! Sometimes I wish I didn't get jealous so easily! I can't help the fact that I am overprotective of those whom I care about! I'm such an idiot!" Jack said out loud.
Sam cleared his throat. Jack spun around nearly falling off his bed in the process. "You got no argument from me there! By the way, why are you talking to a wall?" Sam asked.
Jack was embarrassed that Sam had been listening. "How much did you hear?" Jack asked.
Sam thought about it for a second. A grin appeared on his face. Well, not really his face since he was in his ball of light form. "Not much really. Just a little here and there. And everything in between," Sam answered.
Jack got out of his bed and chased the ball of light.
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Sky had arrived at the address he was given. He walked into the house. Nothing appeared to be out of place. Sure things weren't kept as properly as Sky would've preferred, but it wasn't like it was messy inside or anything.
"Hello? Is anyone here?" Sky asked.
There was silence. The silence was broken shortly thereafter by a response.
"We're in here," came two voices that sounded very familiar to Sky.
Sky followed the sound of the voices into the master bedroom. He called out to them again to pinpoint their exact location because there was nobody in sight.
"Where are you?" Sky asked.
"In the closet," the boy and girl replied.
Sky saw the door to the closet was locked. He unlocked it and opened the door.
"Oh my God!" Sky exclaimed at the sight before him.
To Be Continued…
Note: Whew. Another chapter finished. I know I haven't named the orphan boy and girl or their foster dad, but I can explain. I was never one to be good at naming people. It just isn't my cup of tea. So, I thought why not leave it up to the reviewers? I want the names to be a true reflection of the characters though, so I haven't been able to come up with anything good, not that I could to begin with because of the aforementioned reasons. As you've probably figured out by now reading the chapters of this fanfic, the kids are victims of child abuse and the foster dad is an abusive alcoholic. Who knows? I might end up using the names you suggest. (Probably better than anything I can come up with!) Scratch that. More than likely, I will use the names you suggest. I tried to bring some humor back into my fanfic without sacrificing the drama and seriousness of it. Hopefully I pulled it off. If not, well I tried. This is my longest chapter to date, so I apologize if it was a bit on the lengthy side for you. If this is a problem for you, let me know and I will keep that in mind. I know I sound like a broken record, but thank you guys so much for reviewing my fanfic. I appreciate all your reviews and support. Crimson Mystery, thank you for your constructive criticism. I tried to follow your advice and will continue to do so. I'll try to update this on a daily basis. If you guys are lucky, you'll get more than one update in a day. Uh don't hold me to those statements though. Hehe. Thanks again.