If you haven't wathced Reflection part 1 & 2, you might want to wait to read this chapter..

How had this happened? It was a blur to him now, as he laid there unable to move, blood dripping down the side of his head, boulders and parts of the ceiling on top of him crushing his wounded and beaten body.

He turned his head over in the direction where Eric lay, several feet away. He didn't even know whether his friend was alive or dead, lying under the pile of rubble. Outside the building he could hear voices working quickly trying to get them out before…. Wes gulped in heavily; it was painful to breathe. He knew his injuries had to be serious. It was getting harder to focus and the pain in his chest was growing stronger. He glanced over to where Mirloc was beginning to get up, looking to be fine and ready for another fight. How had this happened? He was a Ranger. He had been through worse, or so he thought. Ever so slowly it came back to him in a flash….

There was smoke everywhere. By the time he had arrived the destruction was enormous; one of the apartment buildings was already up in flames. Wes felt his heart racing fast as he flew above, watching as the officers and cadets fended off the heavily armed thugs. He could see several of the officers hurt and in need of medical attention, but the ambulance couldn't get close enough with all the shooting going on. And what scared him even more, was that Eric was nowhere to be seen and neither was Mirloc. "You better be okay, Eric!" Wes flew the flier down on the ground and hopped off to join his comrades, in the never-ending battle.

Wes saw a man and woman cornered by several of the thugs; they were completely helpless. "Hang on!" Wes cried he jumped high in the air doing a flip over the thugs and now was in-between the man and woman and their attackers. Wes pulled his blaster out, pointing it right at the masked men. "Put your weapons down, you're all under arrest."

"In case you haven't noticed, you're a little outnumbered, Commander," laughed one of the thugs.

"Oh, believe me, I've been outnumbered far worse than this," exclaimed Wes not at all intimidated. "So if you're wise you'll do as I say. Otherwise, you won't like the alternative. It's your choice."

The thug's eyes grew dark. He wasn't about to back down without a fight. "You heard the man! Boys, let's see if he can live up to it," he snickered as he and his buddies closed in.

"Get behind me." Wes looked over his shoulder making sure the man and woman were both safely behind him. "I'm going to get you out of here."

"Please," the woman cried.

"Don't worry, you'll be just fine." Wes turned back to the surrounding gunmen, watching as they came closer and closer, until it was like they were almost breathing down their necks. From behind the gunmen Wes saw Culby and Heather slowly approaching. "Wait. Wait a minute….Now, Culby!"

The leader of the masked men stopped looking at Wes, confused. "What?" He then turned, but it was too late; Culby, along with Heather, joined in the scene. Wes punched the leader in the face, knocking him to the ground hard; a fight then began to break out amongst them.

"Can you handle them? I got to get these people out of here," asked Wes.

"Yeah. We got it from here sir," announced Culby as he continued to fight the remaining gang members along with Heather.

"Good!" Wes turned to the man and woman. "Come on, let's get you two out of here." Wes helped both of them lean on his shoulders and he moved swiftly and quickly, getting them out of firing range. Once he believed they were a safe distance away, he stopped and looked them over quickly knowing he needed to get back to the fight to make sure there were no more innocent civilians there. "You both should be fine, wait for the ambulance to arrive."

"Thank you, sir."

"Yes, thank you."

"Just doing my job." Wes then turned and headed back towards the fight, where the fire was now breaking out and the buildings were beginning to come apart. Wes noticed that two of the officers were unaware that the ledge on the building above them was getting ready to fall on top of them. He ran fast, leaping into the air. "Watch out!" He grabbed a hold of them rolling quickly away, before the ledge fell on where they had been standing only moments before.

"Commander Collins, I owe you one," said Dash, as Wes helped him to his feet.

"You're welcome. Where is the rest of your team?"

"Tanner and Gina are inside helping Commander Myers fight Mirloc." Dash pointed towards one of the buildings that hadn't yet caught on fire.

"Mirloc." Wes gripped Dash's shoulder. "Finish rounding up these guys. And wait for the fire department to arrive. I'll go inside and tell Tanner and Gina to assist you. Help as many as you can."

"Yes sir!" Dash turned to the cadet standing next to him. "Come on, you heard the Commander." Dash then yelled to the other cadets and officers to join him.

Wes turned, taking one last look, making sure Dash had the situation under control. "Good luck, kid. You're going to need it." Wes then ran into the building, in hopes to find his best friend still alive.

Inside Eric, Tanner and Gina fought hard against Mirloc, who was growing stronger with every passing minute. Blaster fire was going all over the place, powerful enough to burst through walls. Tanner and Gina were taking most of the damage, since they weren't wearing the protective ranger suits. And Eric knew they wouldn't last much longer, but he also knew he couldn't win this battle on his own.

"Your prodigies are useless, admit defeat now and perhaps I'll spare their lives," mocked Mirloc, knowing they were growing weary. It wouldn't be long until they were at his knees begging for mercy, begging him to spare their lives.

"Then you must not know us well enough. Rangers never admit defeat!" announced Tanner, standing tall, pushing all his pain aside, ignoring the blaster wounds and cuts on his face. Showing Mirloc just how much will power a Ranger truly had. That there was more than just the protective colorful suit, that it was the will of the person inside that counted.

"You got that right. The only way you're going to stop us, is by killing us," stated Gina firmly as she stood next to Tanner, ready and willing to go for another round, even if it was a battle to the death. She would keep on fighting until she could fight no longer; both Commanders Myers and Collins had taught her that. And both spoke highly of one female Ranger in particular they both had once thought along side with. She just hoped that one day she could live up to that Ranger they spoke so highly of.

"Looks like you have another fight on your hands Mirloc," exclaimed Eric. "Think you can handle it?" He held his defender gun firmly. He knew he had trained them well; anyone else might have turned away and admit defeat, but not these two and they were willing to fight to the death, like him, because that's what a Ranger does. They never stop fighting. They never give up, no matter what. No matter the cost.

"Very well." Mirloc pulled a large blaster from behind his back. "It's the end for you…."

"Hold it right there!" Wes came running in blasting his blaster at Mirloc.

Eric turned. "Wes! What the hell are you doing here? You're supposed to be at home," yelled Eric.

"You didn't think I'd let you have all the fun, now did you?" Wes joined up with them while Mirloc recovered from the blaster shots.

Eric laughed. It was just like Wes to show up when he was needed. Always dropping what he was doing if someone was in trouble, always putting others first. "Well, it's good to see you, but we did have the situation under control."

"Right." Wes turned to Tanner and Gina. "Cadets Wilson and White, go help your team with the situation outside, Commander Myers and I will handle things here."

"Yes sir!" they both yelled, as they ran out of the building to join up with their teammates.

Mirloc laughed under his breath as he locked eyes with Wes. "Perfect."

"Shit!" Eric jumped in front of Wes, shooting several shots at Mirloc. "Wes, it's your helmet. He can see his reflection and escape!" Something he knew they couldn't allow to happen. They couldn't let someone as vile and dangerous as Mirloc to get away.

"Thanks for the heads up." Wes quickly took his helmet off and blasted away his visor and tossed the helmet to the ground. Wes eyed Mirloc with a sly grin. "You won't be going anywhere, now. The only way out is through us!"

"If that's the way it has to be. Then so be it!" snarled Mirloc. "You both better prepare for the battle of your lives, for it will be your last!"

"You talk too much." Eric turned to Wes. "Wes, let's say we show him what a little teamwork can do."

"I'm with you, partner." Both of them went charging together, headed right at Mirloc.

Outside the squad teams were getting things under control, rounding up the thugs and handcuffing them before putting them into the large trucks, while other officers and cadets assisted paramedics getting the injured medical attention.

Dash and his teammates searched the surrounding area, making sure everything was secure and that they had found all the injured. "What do you think?" asked Dash.

"I think we got them all," answered Tanner as he continued to scan the perimeter. "We should help the fire department with the building. We don't need the building with Commander Myers and Collins to catch on fire."

"Good. Let's move." Dash lead the way, as he and his teammates assisted the fire department with getting rid of the fire in the now demolished apartment building complex.

"I think we almost got it all," said one of the firemen as he and his team continued to blast the powerful force of water to take out the fire. Within moments the fire was gone, but so was the building, nothing was left but bits and pieces.

"Not bad for our first big fight," said Culby, putting his arms around Tanner and Gina.

"Not bad at all," smiled Dash, giving a thumbs up to his teammates, who all looked like they had been beaten to death. It had seemed they had done very well, no civilians had been killed, only a SPD personnel. Then without warning there was a huge explosion. The windows in the building where Wes and Eric were fighting Mirloc burst open, shattering glass all over, as part of the building came off and fell right in front of the entrance of the building.

Everyone's hearts raced and eyes widened in fear. "The boiler must have exploded," announced Gina, remembering that it had been steaming off when she had been in there, but had completely forgot about it due to the intense battle.

Dash reached for his radio. "Commander Myers, do you read? Commander Myers, please respond." Dash looked to his teammates and shook his head. This wasn't good. He shouted into the radio again. "Commander Collins, do you copy, please respond."

"That does it. I'm going in." Tanner pushed Dash aside and started towards the building, but another explosion rang though, forcing him back right into his team and knocking them all to the ground, along with everyone else.

Eric yelled out loudly as the powerful force of the boiler exploding pushed him back, hitting hard against the wall. He heard Wes cry out his name several times over, as Mirloc saw his chance and began firing at him, as he went through a forced demorph. Wes tried to reach Mirloc to stop him, but Mirloc was ready and with his other hand fired hard at Wes. The blast forced Wes back, hitting the wall hard.

Powerful blasts were going off all over the place and combined with the explosion of the boiler. The building began shaking and the ceiling started to cave in. Large pieces of the ceiling fell right on top of Eric. "WES!" he cried, until nothing came out of his voice.

"Eric!" Wes pushed himself up and stared for Mirloc, angry. "You bastard! You're going to pay for that!" He ignored his pain and went charging at Mirloc, fighting for everything he was worth, fighting for Eric, because he wouldn't want him to give up. "This one's for you Eric!" Wes turned quickly and kicked Mirloc hard in the head knocking him to the ground.

Mirloc pushed himself back to his feet, rubbing his cheek. "Good, but not good enough." Quicker than light, Mirloc moved faster, and got himself behind Wes grabbing a hold of Wes and twisting his arms behind his back.

Wes struggled to get free. He could feel Mirloc's hot breath on his neck, laughing into his ear. Thinking fast, he raised his legs and flipped over, kicking Mirloc in the back, forcing him away from him. He quickly used his blaster, firing several shots at Mirloc, not ever seeing where any of them were going and then... BOOM. The entire ceiling caved in and everything went black…

Wes tensed up. He was a sitting duck. He reached for his gun that was lying next to him with his one arm that was free to move around. He aimed his gun right at Mirloc, trying to use all of his focus in taking Mirloc down. He couldn't let him get away, he couldn't let this monster go free.

"Some hero you turned out to be," Mirloc laughed as he moved towards Wes. "Even your friend put up a better fight than you. Gruumm was right that you would be easy."

"So this was a setup, removing me and my partner from SPD," stated Wes flatly.

"You, yes, your friend however was an extra bonus," Mirloc snickered as he approached Wes. "And once I'm through with you..." He gave a sly grin that sent chills down Wes's spine, "I think I might go after your son and pretty wife."

Rage filled Wes's eyes at the mention of his family, he began firing his weapon aiming right at Mirloc. "You're not going to touch them!" he spat. "Not ever!"

"We shall see." Mirloc reflected most of the shots, but one finally did make a direct hit and he dropped to the ground, gasping for air.

"Got you!" Wes eyed him coldly.

"And I got you." Those were the last words Wes heard him say, as Mirloc eyes closed with a sly and evil smile across his face, as he fell into unconsciousness.

And that's when he saw it, the very thing that Mirloc was talking about. He had gotten him. Sometime during the time he was firing, Mirloc had tossed in a present of his own. A bomb, very small, but deadly enough to do what Mirloc intended it to do. Wes tried to reach for it, but his arm couldn't reach far enough and his other arm was unable to move, lying under the piles of concrete and plaster broken from the impact of the ceiling falling onto it. By the time help would arrive it would be too late.

So this was it. This was how it all would end. Somehow this wasn't how he had planed spending his last few moments. He had pictured it with family, grown children, grandchildren. Not alone, lying under pieces of rubble waiting for death to come to him.

Not wanting to watch as the last remaining seconds of his life clicked by, he turned away and reached into his shirt pocket for his two favorite pictures. The ones he carried with him always. He pulled out the picture of his family, his father, Lisa, Eric and his son, Sky. He eyed them all closely, wanting them to be the last thing he would ever see, but then he looked to another picture, Jen. His son's mother, the woman he had never stopped loving, a day hadn't gone by that he didn't think of her.

It gave some comfort knowing he would be reunited with her. After all, for a long time that was all he had ever wanted, to be with her. But now, things were different. He had a family, a wife he loved very much and a son who meant the world to him.

And in those last few moments he saw his life flash before his eyes, everything that had ever happened to him he saw in flashes, like a movie, only going backwards, going back so far he saw the days long before his mother had died.

Tears ran down his cheeks. This really was it. He would die as a Ranger, a hero, Sky's hero. Sky… Like Jen he wouldn't be here to see his son grow up, go on to the academy, learn to drive a car, his first date, graduation, marriage, children of his own. "I'm sorry, Sky…" Wes uttered those last three words and the time bomb clicked zero…. "I'm so sorry..."

They had finally been able to find a way in. After the small explosion an opening had been made and it was enough to get in. Dash, along with his teammates, walked around, trying to find their commanders, using their flashlights. It was nearly dark by the time they had gotten in. It seemed so unreal that this had gone on all day.

Dash walked on ahead and then came to a stop when he came in front of Commander Collins' helmet; he bent down and picked it up, bushing it off until he could see red again. He looked around, thinking that Wes wouldn't be too far. "Commander Collins?" he called out.

"I found Commander Myers," shouted Heather. Culby and Gina walked up behind her, watching as she moved a few pieces from the ceiling off of him.

Culby leaned closer, seeing his once proud and mighty commander now looking like a beaten mangled dog. It didn't even look like him. "Is he...?"

Heather felt around his neck. "He's got a pulse, just barely." She turned to them. "We need to get a medic in here."

Dash continued to walk around until he spotted a large body lying on the ground. The first thing he could tell was that it wasn't human. "Mirloc!" Dash kicked the body over. He could hear Mirloc groaning, coming in and out of consciousness. He pressed his foot hard onto his chest pointing his blaster right at Mirloc's face. "You're under arrest." Dash looked over to where Tanner had walked up ahead and came to a stop. "Tanner, did you find Commander Collins?"

Tanner didn't answer. He stood dead still in his tracks staring down. He bowed his head heavily, and felt as a few tears leaked through his eyes. "Tanner!" Dash yelled again.

Gina came running from behind Tanner and came to a dead stop. "Oh my God! No!" she cried in shock. Tanner put his arm around her as she buried her face into his chest. Lying before them was Commander Wesley Collins, the best of the best of rangers. The one who would always answer the call for help. And in his hands they found the burnt and torn picture of his family. The people who meant more than anything to him.

"Cadet Wilson, please report, this is Commander Cruger," the voice came through from his radio, but Tanner didn't answer it. His face was still set onto his Commander who had given his life to bringing Mirloc in. "Cadet Wilson, respond! What is the status of the situation?" Again Tanner didn't answer the call. "Cadet Wilson?"

Gina grabbed Tanners radio from his belt and handed it to him. He nodded his head, sighing. "Officers down. I repeat, officers down….."