Marah sat on her bed, thin legs drawn up beneath her chin. She stared at the floor. There was a shuffle of feet outside the room as her kelzack guard slid a tray of food through the door. Her eyes lifted slowly... heavily to watch. The kelzack set the tray on her vanity, then closed the door tightly; the lock clicked as if leering at Marah. She didn't move; hunger was one of the countless feelings which she no longer remembered.
Her room was a prison now. Whenever she left her room, a kelzack followed close behind. She didn't know her sister any longer. Kapri had changed. Choobo was no less creepy than usual, and her uncle was... dead? This, Marah could not make herself believe. How could it be true? It felt as if he would walk into her room any day now and explain everything. And what about the Thunder Rangers? They were almost always present in her dreams, always just out of reach and not interested in helping her. It only made Marah feel worse to think about the fact that they hadn't made a rescue attempt yet. They had probably forgotten all about her. Hunter never had warmed up to her anyway.
Marah's brain was numb from so much betrayal and loss in such a short period of time. In only a few weeks, her entire life had completely come undone. Her heart was no longer warm and accepting, but was instead cold as stone, heavy in her chest. She was incessantly tired and spent most of her time in a sickly slumber filled with unsettling nightmares; there was nothing good left to dream about. With each passing day, Marah's soul was crushed smaller by the clenched fists of depression.
*******************
Hunter raced down the endless hallway. Kelzacks were firing at him from behind, but he couldn't turn around to fight. He had to get to Marah. A fiery laser beam found his shoulder. Hunter yelped in pain but kept running. His heart was pounding and his breath was labored. Keep going, he told himself, keep going... for Marah. At last he reached a door at the very end of the corridor. He opened it. "Marah!" he called as he flung open the door, but stopped short. Lothor and Kapri held a struggling Marah tightly between. Kapri held a gun to her head. "Marah." He stared at her tear-stained face, her huge bottomless eyes. She looked pleadingly at him.
"Don't take another step, Crimson Ranger," Lothor sneered. "Or I'll kill her... just like I killed your loving parents."
"Don't you dare hurt her!" Hunter screamed in a hot wave of rage.
"Oh, calm down. Honestly. You were always so emotional."
"Shut up! You wouldn't have the guts to kill your own niece!"
Marah's face changed. She stared at him with eyes overflowing with terror. She nodded and mouthed silently, her lips quivering, "Yes, he would."
Hunter's heart seemed to stop. He pulled his gaze away from her and stared at Kapri's finger, which was sitting tensely on the gun's trigger. If she fired, Marah would be dead instantly. He stood frozen.
In a sudden rush, the kelzacks swarmed into the room behind him. At that moment, Hunter lunged forward. Kapri jumped, her gun firing haphazardly.
"NO!" Hunter wailed as he heard Marah let out a scream that stopped his blood cold. He rushed to her side. She lay helplessly on the floor. "Marah..." he choked. "You can't- I was just about to- I was coming to-"
Marah's eyelids fluttered. She gazed wearily up at him. "I know..." She lifted a hand to his cheek. "You were coming to save me."
"Yes! Yes! Please just hang on! Don't let them win!"
"They already have," Marah whispered, as if it was painful.
Hunter looked up. Everyone was gone. Lothor, Kapri, and the hoard of kelzacks had all vanished. He and Marah were now in the middle of a field, colorless and dry, lit by a heavy blood-red sky. Black clouds swirled in slow, sickly patterns above their heads. Hunter couldn't breathe. He couldn't think straight.
"Hunter..." He looked back down at Marah. Her fingers curled stiffly against his cheek. "Thank you..."
"Marah-" Hunter started as the girl's hand fell to the ground. She smiled up at him before sighing and closing her eyes. "Marah? Marah, don't leave me! I came for you! Don't go!" Hunter shook his head. "This can't be happening...."
******************
"NO!" Hunter screamed as he flung himself upright. He sat panting in the darkness. "A dream," he realized aloud, "it was just a dream..." He wiped his sweat-drenched face with his sleeve before sinking back down onto his blanket. Trying to steady his breathing, Hunter stared at the dark abyss above his head.
"Hunter?" a sleepy voice mumbled nearby in the pitch-black night. "Was that you?"
"Yeah," he panted, "sorry."
"It's fine... are you okay?"
"Just a dream. That's all."
"Okay..." There was a long silence.
"It's been too long, Blake. We need to get Marah out of there," Hunter said suddenly. "She could be in serious danger right now."
"I know," Blake nodded, pulling out a flashlight and flicking it on. "So you really think that you're ready?"
"I've BEEN ready."
"All right... let's do it then."
"Let's do it."
******************
Dustin stepped into Storm Chargers, the door jingling and closing behind him. Kelly was unloading a box in the far corner of the store near the dressing rooms. "Sorry I'm late... my alarm clock... it's really dysfunctional..." he attempted, but Kelly didn't respond. "Um," Dustin stared at the back of her head, "I really am sorry... about everything."
"Fine," Kelly said shortly, not looking up.
Dustin shifted nervously. "Okay then... I'll leave you alone and get to work."
"I think that'd be best," Kelly muttered as she tore the plastic off of a display skate-board.
Dustin nodded and went behind the counter. "This is a mess," he sighed to himself, sinking down onto his work stool.
"Hey Kelly," Tori said cheerfully, entering the store. Dustin looked up.
"Hey," he heard Kelly murmur, unaffected.
"Dustin...?" Tori asked with a confused look on her face as she slipped behind the counter. "What's with her?" she asked softly. "Things seem to have been a little... tense... between you two lately. What's going on?"
"Nothing."
"Okay..." Tori was smiling smugly.
"Not THAT kind of 'nothing'!" Dustin whispered harshly.
"Fine!" Tori threw her hands up. "Just asking."
Dustin opened his toolbox.
"So what do you think about the Thunder Rangers?"
"What about them?"
"Do you think I should go look for them?"
Dustin stopped his tinkering. "Are you serious?"
"Well, sure! I mean, it's not like it's illegal or something..."
"Dude, did you hear the way Hunter spoke to us? They don't want anything to do with us!"
"Well, Hunter maybe... but not Blake."
"Tori," Dustin sighed, "do you really want to pursue something with him?"
"I don't know... maybe," Tori shrugged, looking suddenly downcast. When Dustin didn't respond, she said, "Fine! I won't go looking for them! I'll just go surf instead. At least the weather's warming up again."
Once Tori was gone, Kelly stepped softly behind the counter, carrying her half-empty box. It was clear to her that Dustin just didn't want to be friends with her anymore. She saw how close he was to Tori... He used to be like that with Kelly, but something had changed. She paused at the door to the back room. Barely glancing over her shoulder, she could tell that Dustin was staring at her. Quickly she looked away and trudged into the storage room without a word.
*****************
"Are you ready for this?" Blake asked.
"We've been 'preparing' for it all friggen day. It's already dark out. Of course I'm ready."
"Kapri will know that we're on the ship the second we appear in the teleporters. We'll have to make this fast. Do remember the plan?"
Hunter said nothing; his gaze was fixed on the expanse of sky overhead.
"We'll get Marah and LEAVE. No looking for Lothor."
"All right!"
Blake sighed and nodded. "Okay." The brothers looked at each other. It was obvious that Hunter was nervous, though he would never admit it. His saline eyes were wide and stormy, his lips thin and tight over clenched teeth. He nodded to Blake.
"No turning back now."
They both tensed up as they got ready to propel themselves up into space when suddenly-
"WAIT!" The two rangers whirled around.
"T- Tori?" Blake stammered. "What are you doing- How did you find us?"
"I had to see you. Once I had an idea of where you were..."
Hunter watched the two gazing blissfully at each other.
"... I couldn't stay away," Tori finished.
"Sorry to brake this up, but we have some incredibly important business to attend to," Hunter snapped, having no patience to watch a romantic reunion progress when Marah's life was at stake somewhere above them, past the atmosphere.
"Blake-" Tori said pleadingly. "Don't leave now... please."
"I have to go. Wait here. I'll be back really soon, I promise."
"No! I'm not waiting any longer!"
"Tori-"
"No!"
The two jumped as Hunter morphed behind them. Blake took the hint.
"I really have to go. It's urgent."
"But..."
Hunter rolled his eyes inwardly, seeing the girl's eyes start to water. "Look, whatever your name is... We don't have any time to waste convincing you to stay here! Do you want to be the cause of someone's death?"
"Tori," Blake reached out and grabbed her hand, "I swear, I wouldn't leave like this if it weren't completely necessary. Do you believe me?" He looked intensely at her.
"Yes," she nodded. "I believe you."
"All right then," Blake let her hand go. "Wait right here." He turned to face a VERY impatient Hunter. "Let's go." The two brothers shot up in twin beams of light. They didn't even realize that a third followed close behind them.
*****************
Kelly stepped out the back door of Storm Chargers. The day had flown by and now it was already nighttime. She looked up at the brilliant stars in the sky, sighing. She began walking down the ally towards the street when suddenly a dark figure appeared in front of her. She gasped.
"Hey there," the figure sneered.
"What do you want."
In the faint glow from the street lights, Kelly could see the man grin. She took a step back.
"Don't even think about it," the man growled, pulling out a shot-gun. Kelly froze, barely ten feet from the back door to Storm Chargers. "Gimme your purse," the man motioned to her messenger bag.
Silently, Kelly tossed it on the ground and kicked it towards him. She tried to inch away as he started to dig through the bag. "STOP!" he shouted, looking up. His gun gleamed dangerously. Kelly stopped moving again. She held her breath. "Where's your wallet?"
"Wha- what?" Kelly's voice was shaking.
"Your wallet! Wait... I know..."
Kelly shivered nervously.
"I bet it's in your pocket...."
Kelly's heart stopped. "Ye- yes. Let me just get it out-"
"NO! I'll get it..." the man grinned menacingly. He started to walk forward.
"Please, just take my money... It's all I have... please..." Kelly started to shake with fear as the man took a final step and stopped mere inches from her face. She gulped, keeping her chin up but lowering her gaze to his gun, which was still pointed at her chest. She yelped as she felt his hand suddenly dive into her back pocket. She could feel his fingers curl around the wallet, but he didn't remove it.
"Well, you're a lot prettier up close... you know that?"
Kelly sucked in her breath.
"Did you?" he grunted, ramming her against the ally wall.
Kelly let out a scream. She thought she would pass out from the insane pounding of her heart. She could no longer breathe. Her mind was flooded with terror. She screamed again as he lowered his lips to her neck. She pounded her fists desperately against the man's chest and tried to kick her knee up, but he was far too big to take on.
"Oh, a feisty one," he groaned in her ear. In the next horrifying instant, Kelly realized that he was ripping open her jacket... and then her shirt.
"NO!" she screamed as he tossed the jacket aside. "SOMEONE HELP ME! ANYONE! HELP ME!" The man clamped one large hand forcefully over her mouth, digging his gun into her ribs.
"You'll pay for that one..." his growled, his gaze falling on her partially unbuttoned shirt. He plucked at her name tag. "... Kelly." She struggled beneath his tight grip. The man stroked his gun against her collarbone. She kicked and squirmed but to no avail. She let out huffed whimper under the suffocating restraints of his hand. The man leaned in again.
"STOP!" Both Kelly and the man turned their heads to see a bright flash of yellow. The Yellow Power Ranger appeared at the dark end of the ally, near the back door to Storm Chargers. "Drop the gun." Kelly stared in total disbelief. A wave of hope washed over her. The man tightened his grip on her. A muffled cry escaped her lips as she stared at the Yellow Ranger. "Drop the gun," he said again. There was something familiar in his voice that stirred Kelly.
"Don't take another step! I'll shoot!" the man cried.
"No you won't," the Yellow Ranger said calmly. He fired his own strange looking weapon and shot the gun right out of the attacker's hand. The man yelped, let go of Kelly, and backed away. The Yellow Ranger fired another golden laser at the man's feet. He scrambled out into the deserted street and ran away, leaving Kelly's bag lying in the middle of the ally. Kelly slid down the wall, feeling her legs give way beneath her. She stared up at the Power Ranger through blurred eyes. She was gasping for air. The Yellow Ranger rushed forward. Kelly pushed herself away, looking quizzically at the ranger's strange behavior.
"Thank you," she attempted to say, though her voice cracked. "Thank you so much."
"Kelly-"
Her eyes grew wide. "H- how'd you know my- my name...?"
"Kelly- it's me." The Yellow Ranger pulled off his helmet.
****************
Hunter looked around, taking in his surroundings. He had made it. The familiar red glow and strange spongy walls triggered unreadable emotions that bubbled up and pressed against his chest. He knew that he was standing in a teleport cell. He knew that he was on the ship. He knew that Marah was only minutes away now. He took in a faltering breath.
"Hunter?" Blake's face appeared around the corner of the outlet. He sighed with relief. "Good, you made it."
"Of course I made it," Hunter whispered sharply, his mind on other things. He stepped out into the hallway.
"Do you even remember what way to go from here?" Blake asked quietly.
"Forward," Hunter muttered. "This is a dead end hallway." He took a step down the hall but stopped. Both brothers turned in shock as another figure appeared in the teleport. There was a weighted silence.
"TORI?" Blake exclaimed. He winced, then continued in a more hushed tone, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm coming with you."
"No. You're not," Hunter sputtered angrily. "And keep your voice down." He couldn't believe the nerve of this girl!
"You have to leave, Tori," Blake stepped in front of Hunter, afraid he might snap.
"You're going after Lothor, right? Let me help you!"
Blake flinched, knowing what was in store.
"Quiet! You don't know what the hell you're talking about! Get out of here! Now!" Hunter whispered harshly. He couldn't take any more of Tori's ignorance.
"Listen," Blake whispered in a rush to Tori, "there isn't enough time to explain. We're not here for Lothor. We're here to save someone. Any minute now, Kapri is going to send a bunch of kelzacks down here, so Hunter and I need to get going. Go back, Tori. Please."
It wasn't a request, it was an order and Tori knew that. But she wanted to help them. If someone was in trouble, couldn't they use an extra hand? "Power Rangers help people. Let me help you help whoever it is you're trying to save."
"We're not TRYING to save anyone! We're GOING to save her and you're going to leave!" Hunter was reaching his limit.
"NO!"
"Take her BACK to Earth, Blake," Hunter growled through clenched teeth.
"You can't do this alone."
"Yes I can, just take her!"
Blake moved more quickly than Hunter could follow. In less than a second, Blake had thrown Tori into an outlet and pressed the button.
"NO!" Tori shouted, latching onto Blake's arm.
"Let go, Tori!" Blake exclaimed in a panic. If she kept her hold until she started to disappear, his arm would go with her. He didn't want to lose an arm. However, Tori was too caught up with emotion to think of that. Hunter watched the scene unfold and acted quickly. He shoved Blake into the cell with the girl just before the two started to fade.
Tori's face suddenly fell. "Oh no. Oh my God, what have I done? Blake get out! I'll go! Just stay here and save that person! Hunter! Turn-" Tori was cut off as the two vanished abruptly.
"It's too late for that," Hunter panted, staring at the now empty outlet. For a moment, he just stood, sorting out what had just happened. Could he really blame that girl? Maybe she cared so desperately about his brother that she wasn't thinking straight. Maybe she cared so much that... "Marah," Hunter said aloud. He would save her... alone if he had to. He wasn't about to let his nightmare come true. Suddenly, a red laser beam shot past him, hitting the teleport's mother-board. It sparked and flickered. Hunter spun around. An army of kelzacks stood before him, weapons all up... and aimed directly at his head.
****************
"Blake..." Tori whimpered as the two appeared in the middle of the forest. He yanked his arm out of her grip.
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT!" he screamed. "YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT YOU HAVE JUST DONE!"
"I'm so sorry, Blake... I don't know what came over me!"
"THIS COULD BE HUNTER'S DEATH! HE'S ALL ALONE UP THERE AT THIS VERY MOMENT! YOU SAW HOW MANY KELZACKS THERE WERE!"
Tori let out a sob. She watched with tear-filled eyes as he prepared to launch himself into the cosmos once more.
And Blake was trying. There had to be something he was doing wrong. Why wasn't it working? "No," he said, realizing what the root of the problem must be. "NO!" he screamed again into the night. Slumbering birds awoke and took flight in a frantic rustle of tree branches. Tori shuddered.
"They broke the teleporter," Blake cried in disbelief. "THEY BROKE THE GOD DAMN TELEPORTER!" He knelt to the ground, pounding an angry fist down into the soil. Hunter would surely die. There was no way that he could take on all the kelzacks Tori and Blake had seen behind him. "DAMMIT!" he wailed helplessly. "I'm so sorry Hunter... I'm so sorry."
Tori was too afraid to speak. She knew what she had done. She was overwhelmed with guilt, grief, shame. She didn't know what to do. She couldn't move. She let out another sob.
****************
Kelly gasped and fell backwards in shock. Her mouth hung open. "Dust- Dustin?" she stammered in disbelief. "Is that YOU?" Her hand moved to cover her trembling lips.
"It's me, Kelly, it's me.... This is what I've been keeping from you." Dustin took a step forward, seeing that Kelly was struggling to keep from crying.
"You saved me," Kelly whispered, hot tears beginning to tumble down her cheeks. "You- you're a Power Ranger! I can't believe it! I can't believe... " Her voice trailed off and she stifled a sob. "Oh, Dustin, I'm so sorry. I should have trusted you! I should have-"
"No," he broke in, dropping his helmet and kneeling down in front of her. "I should have told you sooner. I'm the one who should be sorry..."
Kelly couldn't keep it in any longer. She let out a loud sob, then another, then another. She couldn't stop crying once she had started, her guarded emotions all pouring out as the wall crumbled in this man's presence. She lowered her face into her hands, ashamed to be crying in front of Dustin.
"Kelly..." Dustin leaned forward, but she pulled away, not wanting to be toughed, still deeply shaken by the attack... and Dustin suddenly knew why. His breath caught in his chest as he realized, with trepidation, that Kelly's shirt had been torn partially open. Her hair was disheveled, her face was wet with tears and smudged with some sort of car grease from the attacker's hands. Another long streak of grease ran across her exposed collar bone. Dustin stared in horror but snapped out of the shock, fore Kelly was crying harder now. "Oh... Kelly, I'm so sorry." He impulsively wrapped his arms around her trembling figure. He felt her freeze under his touch. "I'm not letting you go," he cried, finding that his voice was shaking as violently as Kelly's body. His eyes were watering and his throat was tightening at the sight of his friend in such agony.
Kelly let out another sob and grabbed onto the golden fabric over his chest. She buried her face into Dustin's chest, letting all of her built-up emotions finally come out through tears. "It's okay," she heard Dustin whisper into her hair, his chin resting on her shoulder. "It's okay now..." She curled up against him, feeling his arms wrap more tightly around her.
After a while, Kelly's sobbing started to subside. She hated to pull back from the embrace but she had to. She sniffed and wiped her tears away as she leaned back. She traced the emblem on Dustin's uniform with her trembling fingers. "Wow." The word was barely audible as it escaped her lips, riding out on a shaky sigh. She hesitantly looked up at Dustin. He was looking at her with more worry than ever before. Kelly's face softened. "Wow," she said more loudly. "You're a Power Ranger."
Dustin laughed hoarsely and brushed the auburn hair from Kelly's face. "Yep." It felt so good to tell her. It was an amazing release. He hadn't yet retracted his arms from around her, but he didn't want to. Kelly's hands were still resting on his shoulders. Kelly just couldn't stop staring at the uniform, the helmet sitting beside them... Dustin himself. She was so happy, all she could think to do was laugh, and laugh she did. Loudly.
The two sat there in the ally, the aftermath of the night's events all around them: Kelly's bag lying opened on the ground, a burnt spot where Dustin had fired at the attacker's feet, Dustin's helmet sitting on its side, Kelly's jacket thrown across the ally floor. And yet they laughed. They laughed as hard as they had before Dustin's little secret, before they had begun to drift apart. They laughed with relief, but something was different now. Neither one could identify what it was, but it was there... this new air between them. An air that was free, unencumbered, trusting... and something else.
"Um," Kelly started. Her laughter faded, as did Dustin's. They looked at each other with uncertain eyes.
"Yeah..." Dustin said, removing his arms from around her. "Sorry, I was just... you know... you were crying and-"
"Dustin." Kelly slid her hand into his. What am I DOING? she thought nervously. She considered pulling her hand out of his, but it suddenly felt as if it were glued there. Dustin stared down at the unfamiliar sight and gulped, then looked up into her eyes. She looked as anxious as he felt. "Thank you," Kelly said softly, "for everything."
Dustin gave a weak smile. "You're, uh, you're welcome..." His response was followed by an awkward silence. With an unsure hand, Dustin impetuously cupped Kelly's face, running his thumb roughly across her tear-stained cheek. He had absolutely no idea what he was doing. He stared into her eyes, afraid to voice all the things running through his head. Kelly returned the stare. She was nervous, but she couldn't make herself stop what was happening. She shifted so that she could lean into Dustin. She went weak as he pulled her hand to his chest. She suddenly flooded with emotion. Dustin's heart was racing as rapidly as hers.
Dustin couldn't stand it any longer. His gaze lowered to Kelly's lips then back up again. He pulled her against his chest. Before he even knew what he was doing, Dustin had tilted her face up and was brushing his lips against hers.
****************
Hunter fought harder than he had ever fought before. He ran head first into the mass of kelzacks and battled his way through. He froze as a laser hit him in the shoulder. It was just like his dream. "NO!" he cried, knocking more kelzacks away. He stumbled and fell on their feet. They piled on top of him. Hunter could barely breathe under the weight. He screamed in agony as a knife sliced into his side. He gasped at the unbelievable pain. Now he could not even move. There was no way he could do this. Not without help. But what about Marah? A new wave of energy passed through him. He would fight the kelzacks off and get to her. He had to save her. He cried out in pain, swinging his arm back and knocking one off of him. Then another. Hunter flipped over and kicked two off at once. He jumped to his feet, forgetting the pain, and ran. The kelzacks were right behind him. Suddenly, it was as if he was reliving the dream. He was panting. He was in incredible pain. Kelzacks were behind him in hot pursuit. The hall seemed to go on forever. I'll fail this time too, Hunter thought hopelessly.
He snapped out of it when he saw another hall branching off up ahead. It looked right to him. He turned into it with a new confidence. This wasn't his dream. He could still make it work. He just couldn't give up. There: a row of doors. Hunter saw a kelzack standing guard outside the farthest one. That had to be Marah's room. Suddenly, Hunter was scared. He didn't know why, but he was suddenly very aware of the reality of the situation. He pushed his fears aside, firing at the kelzack. It fell back against the door and crumpled to the floor.
With a deep breath, Hunter opened the door. Marah was standing wide-eyed before him. Hunter snapped his helmet visor back. He acted without thought, having no time to realize the awkwardness of their reunion. "It's me, Marah. Come on we need to go!" He grabbed onto her wrist. She stared dumbly down at his hand. "Marah?"
"You came..." Marah said with eyes huge in disbelief.
"Yeah," he panted. They stared at each other for a long moment. A laser hitting the door frame beside Hunter's head snapped them out of it. "Come on, we need to move." He pulled her out of the room. They ran down the hall.
"I know another way back to the teleporter," Marah panted beside him.
"Lead the way." They ran as fast as humanly possible. Marah was a little shaky, but she forced herself to move, to think. She felt sick and confused. This didn't feel real. This felt too real. She stumbled to halt. Hunter crashed into her back. Marah was too stunned to notice. The teleporter's motherboard was blackened with damage. The lights were not on.
"Oh no," Hunter suddenly remembered what had happened to the machinery earlier.
"I can fix this!" Marah cried, desperation kicking in. She looked at Hunter. He was scared. She could actually see the fear. It was written all over his face. "I can do this," she said again, placing a shaky hand on his arm. He nodded.
"I'll keep watch. The kelzacks can't be far behind us." Each minute lasted forever. Hunter's heart was pounding so hard, he could barely hear the cackle as Kapri rounded the corner. Hunter fired his gun. It bounced off of a strange wall of rippling green that appeared in front of the woman.
"A rescue attempt?" she laughed viciously. "HA!"
Hunter clenched his fists. He could feel Marah standing right behind him, her hand just barely touching the small of his back. He heard her breathing stop beside his ear. "It's not fixed yet," she whispered with a tremor of fear. Hunter sucked in his breath.
Kapri watched in amusement. "Well," she scoffed, "you just fell into my lap, didn't you, Crimson Ranger?"
"Don't hurt him!" Marah shouted, holding onto Hunter's arm and stepping out beside him.
"Marah, don't do this," Hunter chocked out through gritted teeth, trying to push her back.
"As fun as it is to watch you two, I'm afraid I'm going to have to break it up." Kapri snapped her fingers with a alarming grin. The kelzacks had been hiding around the corner and now stepped into view. Marah's mouth fell open. Hunter snapped his visor back up.
"Oh, that won't help you," Kapri chuckled crudely. The kelzacks surged forward around her like river water around a rock. They overtook Hunter, surrounding and restraining him. They pushed Marah away.
"Let him go!" she wailed, clutching onto Hunter's hand desperately. Their fingers laced together. Their panicked gazes locked. "FIGHT THEM! PLEASE!" she howled to him, tightening her grip on his hand as the distance between them grew. Kapri was there in a flash, jerking Marah away from him. "NO! HUNTER!" Her hand slipped out of his.
Hunter's heart skipped a beat. Marah had used his familiar name. She had held his hand. She had fought to stay by his side. "LET HER GO KAPRI! SHE'S YOUR SISTER FOR GOD'S SAKE! MARAH!"
"FIGHT THEM, HUNTER!"
"Give it up, dear sister," Kapri snarled, clasping her hand over Marah's mouth.
Marah felt everything shift into slow motion, as it had before when Zurgane had died. Marah thrashed her arms around, screaming under Kapri's long-nailed hand. She watched as the kelzacks began to drag Hunter down the hall. As he was pulled past her, their eyes locked. Hunter stared helplessly at her. "It's okay," he mouthed silently amid the chaotic victory cries of the kelzacks. Marah''s heart shattered into a million pieces, seeing Hunter barely two feet from her, but yet impossible to reach.
"If you act up one more time," Kapri sneered in Marah's ear, "I'll mind warp you again." Marah gasped, struggling. She saw Hunter's face fall. He had heard Kapri's threat. As Hunter disappeared down the hallway, Marah felt something jab into her arm. Her eyes widened. Kapri pulled the empty syringe from her arm.
Her room was a prison now. Whenever she left her room, a kelzack followed close behind. She didn't know her sister any longer. Kapri had changed. Choobo was no less creepy than usual, and her uncle was... dead? This, Marah could not make herself believe. How could it be true? It felt as if he would walk into her room any day now and explain everything. And what about the Thunder Rangers? They were almost always present in her dreams, always just out of reach and not interested in helping her. It only made Marah feel worse to think about the fact that they hadn't made a rescue attempt yet. They had probably forgotten all about her. Hunter never had warmed up to her anyway.
Marah's brain was numb from so much betrayal and loss in such a short period of time. In only a few weeks, her entire life had completely come undone. Her heart was no longer warm and accepting, but was instead cold as stone, heavy in her chest. She was incessantly tired and spent most of her time in a sickly slumber filled with unsettling nightmares; there was nothing good left to dream about. With each passing day, Marah's soul was crushed smaller by the clenched fists of depression.
*******************
Hunter raced down the endless hallway. Kelzacks were firing at him from behind, but he couldn't turn around to fight. He had to get to Marah. A fiery laser beam found his shoulder. Hunter yelped in pain but kept running. His heart was pounding and his breath was labored. Keep going, he told himself, keep going... for Marah. At last he reached a door at the very end of the corridor. He opened it. "Marah!" he called as he flung open the door, but stopped short. Lothor and Kapri held a struggling Marah tightly between. Kapri held a gun to her head. "Marah." He stared at her tear-stained face, her huge bottomless eyes. She looked pleadingly at him.
"Don't take another step, Crimson Ranger," Lothor sneered. "Or I'll kill her... just like I killed your loving parents."
"Don't you dare hurt her!" Hunter screamed in a hot wave of rage.
"Oh, calm down. Honestly. You were always so emotional."
"Shut up! You wouldn't have the guts to kill your own niece!"
Marah's face changed. She stared at him with eyes overflowing with terror. She nodded and mouthed silently, her lips quivering, "Yes, he would."
Hunter's heart seemed to stop. He pulled his gaze away from her and stared at Kapri's finger, which was sitting tensely on the gun's trigger. If she fired, Marah would be dead instantly. He stood frozen.
In a sudden rush, the kelzacks swarmed into the room behind him. At that moment, Hunter lunged forward. Kapri jumped, her gun firing haphazardly.
"NO!" Hunter wailed as he heard Marah let out a scream that stopped his blood cold. He rushed to her side. She lay helplessly on the floor. "Marah..." he choked. "You can't- I was just about to- I was coming to-"
Marah's eyelids fluttered. She gazed wearily up at him. "I know..." She lifted a hand to his cheek. "You were coming to save me."
"Yes! Yes! Please just hang on! Don't let them win!"
"They already have," Marah whispered, as if it was painful.
Hunter looked up. Everyone was gone. Lothor, Kapri, and the hoard of kelzacks had all vanished. He and Marah were now in the middle of a field, colorless and dry, lit by a heavy blood-red sky. Black clouds swirled in slow, sickly patterns above their heads. Hunter couldn't breathe. He couldn't think straight.
"Hunter..." He looked back down at Marah. Her fingers curled stiffly against his cheek. "Thank you..."
"Marah-" Hunter started as the girl's hand fell to the ground. She smiled up at him before sighing and closing her eyes. "Marah? Marah, don't leave me! I came for you! Don't go!" Hunter shook his head. "This can't be happening...."
******************
"NO!" Hunter screamed as he flung himself upright. He sat panting in the darkness. "A dream," he realized aloud, "it was just a dream..." He wiped his sweat-drenched face with his sleeve before sinking back down onto his blanket. Trying to steady his breathing, Hunter stared at the dark abyss above his head.
"Hunter?" a sleepy voice mumbled nearby in the pitch-black night. "Was that you?"
"Yeah," he panted, "sorry."
"It's fine... are you okay?"
"Just a dream. That's all."
"Okay..." There was a long silence.
"It's been too long, Blake. We need to get Marah out of there," Hunter said suddenly. "She could be in serious danger right now."
"I know," Blake nodded, pulling out a flashlight and flicking it on. "So you really think that you're ready?"
"I've BEEN ready."
"All right... let's do it then."
"Let's do it."
******************
Dustin stepped into Storm Chargers, the door jingling and closing behind him. Kelly was unloading a box in the far corner of the store near the dressing rooms. "Sorry I'm late... my alarm clock... it's really dysfunctional..." he attempted, but Kelly didn't respond. "Um," Dustin stared at the back of her head, "I really am sorry... about everything."
"Fine," Kelly said shortly, not looking up.
Dustin shifted nervously. "Okay then... I'll leave you alone and get to work."
"I think that'd be best," Kelly muttered as she tore the plastic off of a display skate-board.
Dustin nodded and went behind the counter. "This is a mess," he sighed to himself, sinking down onto his work stool.
"Hey Kelly," Tori said cheerfully, entering the store. Dustin looked up.
"Hey," he heard Kelly murmur, unaffected.
"Dustin...?" Tori asked with a confused look on her face as she slipped behind the counter. "What's with her?" she asked softly. "Things seem to have been a little... tense... between you two lately. What's going on?"
"Nothing."
"Okay..." Tori was smiling smugly.
"Not THAT kind of 'nothing'!" Dustin whispered harshly.
"Fine!" Tori threw her hands up. "Just asking."
Dustin opened his toolbox.
"So what do you think about the Thunder Rangers?"
"What about them?"
"Do you think I should go look for them?"
Dustin stopped his tinkering. "Are you serious?"
"Well, sure! I mean, it's not like it's illegal or something..."
"Dude, did you hear the way Hunter spoke to us? They don't want anything to do with us!"
"Well, Hunter maybe... but not Blake."
"Tori," Dustin sighed, "do you really want to pursue something with him?"
"I don't know... maybe," Tori shrugged, looking suddenly downcast. When Dustin didn't respond, she said, "Fine! I won't go looking for them! I'll just go surf instead. At least the weather's warming up again."
Once Tori was gone, Kelly stepped softly behind the counter, carrying her half-empty box. It was clear to her that Dustin just didn't want to be friends with her anymore. She saw how close he was to Tori... He used to be like that with Kelly, but something had changed. She paused at the door to the back room. Barely glancing over her shoulder, she could tell that Dustin was staring at her. Quickly she looked away and trudged into the storage room without a word.
*****************
"Are you ready for this?" Blake asked.
"We've been 'preparing' for it all friggen day. It's already dark out. Of course I'm ready."
"Kapri will know that we're on the ship the second we appear in the teleporters. We'll have to make this fast. Do remember the plan?"
Hunter said nothing; his gaze was fixed on the expanse of sky overhead.
"We'll get Marah and LEAVE. No looking for Lothor."
"All right!"
Blake sighed and nodded. "Okay." The brothers looked at each other. It was obvious that Hunter was nervous, though he would never admit it. His saline eyes were wide and stormy, his lips thin and tight over clenched teeth. He nodded to Blake.
"No turning back now."
They both tensed up as they got ready to propel themselves up into space when suddenly-
"WAIT!" The two rangers whirled around.
"T- Tori?" Blake stammered. "What are you doing- How did you find us?"
"I had to see you. Once I had an idea of where you were..."
Hunter watched the two gazing blissfully at each other.
"... I couldn't stay away," Tori finished.
"Sorry to brake this up, but we have some incredibly important business to attend to," Hunter snapped, having no patience to watch a romantic reunion progress when Marah's life was at stake somewhere above them, past the atmosphere.
"Blake-" Tori said pleadingly. "Don't leave now... please."
"I have to go. Wait here. I'll be back really soon, I promise."
"No! I'm not waiting any longer!"
"Tori-"
"No!"
The two jumped as Hunter morphed behind them. Blake took the hint.
"I really have to go. It's urgent."
"But..."
Hunter rolled his eyes inwardly, seeing the girl's eyes start to water. "Look, whatever your name is... We don't have any time to waste convincing you to stay here! Do you want to be the cause of someone's death?"
"Tori," Blake reached out and grabbed her hand, "I swear, I wouldn't leave like this if it weren't completely necessary. Do you believe me?" He looked intensely at her.
"Yes," she nodded. "I believe you."
"All right then," Blake let her hand go. "Wait right here." He turned to face a VERY impatient Hunter. "Let's go." The two brothers shot up in twin beams of light. They didn't even realize that a third followed close behind them.
*****************
Kelly stepped out the back door of Storm Chargers. The day had flown by and now it was already nighttime. She looked up at the brilliant stars in the sky, sighing. She began walking down the ally towards the street when suddenly a dark figure appeared in front of her. She gasped.
"Hey there," the figure sneered.
"What do you want."
In the faint glow from the street lights, Kelly could see the man grin. She took a step back.
"Don't even think about it," the man growled, pulling out a shot-gun. Kelly froze, barely ten feet from the back door to Storm Chargers. "Gimme your purse," the man motioned to her messenger bag.
Silently, Kelly tossed it on the ground and kicked it towards him. She tried to inch away as he started to dig through the bag. "STOP!" he shouted, looking up. His gun gleamed dangerously. Kelly stopped moving again. She held her breath. "Where's your wallet?"
"Wha- what?" Kelly's voice was shaking.
"Your wallet! Wait... I know..."
Kelly shivered nervously.
"I bet it's in your pocket...."
Kelly's heart stopped. "Ye- yes. Let me just get it out-"
"NO! I'll get it..." the man grinned menacingly. He started to walk forward.
"Please, just take my money... It's all I have... please..." Kelly started to shake with fear as the man took a final step and stopped mere inches from her face. She gulped, keeping her chin up but lowering her gaze to his gun, which was still pointed at her chest. She yelped as she felt his hand suddenly dive into her back pocket. She could feel his fingers curl around the wallet, but he didn't remove it.
"Well, you're a lot prettier up close... you know that?"
Kelly sucked in her breath.
"Did you?" he grunted, ramming her against the ally wall.
Kelly let out a scream. She thought she would pass out from the insane pounding of her heart. She could no longer breathe. Her mind was flooded with terror. She screamed again as he lowered his lips to her neck. She pounded her fists desperately against the man's chest and tried to kick her knee up, but he was far too big to take on.
"Oh, a feisty one," he groaned in her ear. In the next horrifying instant, Kelly realized that he was ripping open her jacket... and then her shirt.
"NO!" she screamed as he tossed the jacket aside. "SOMEONE HELP ME! ANYONE! HELP ME!" The man clamped one large hand forcefully over her mouth, digging his gun into her ribs.
"You'll pay for that one..." his growled, his gaze falling on her partially unbuttoned shirt. He plucked at her name tag. "... Kelly." She struggled beneath his tight grip. The man stroked his gun against her collarbone. She kicked and squirmed but to no avail. She let out huffed whimper under the suffocating restraints of his hand. The man leaned in again.
"STOP!" Both Kelly and the man turned their heads to see a bright flash of yellow. The Yellow Power Ranger appeared at the dark end of the ally, near the back door to Storm Chargers. "Drop the gun." Kelly stared in total disbelief. A wave of hope washed over her. The man tightened his grip on her. A muffled cry escaped her lips as she stared at the Yellow Ranger. "Drop the gun," he said again. There was something familiar in his voice that stirred Kelly.
"Don't take another step! I'll shoot!" the man cried.
"No you won't," the Yellow Ranger said calmly. He fired his own strange looking weapon and shot the gun right out of the attacker's hand. The man yelped, let go of Kelly, and backed away. The Yellow Ranger fired another golden laser at the man's feet. He scrambled out into the deserted street and ran away, leaving Kelly's bag lying in the middle of the ally. Kelly slid down the wall, feeling her legs give way beneath her. She stared up at the Power Ranger through blurred eyes. She was gasping for air. The Yellow Ranger rushed forward. Kelly pushed herself away, looking quizzically at the ranger's strange behavior.
"Thank you," she attempted to say, though her voice cracked. "Thank you so much."
"Kelly-"
Her eyes grew wide. "H- how'd you know my- my name...?"
"Kelly- it's me." The Yellow Ranger pulled off his helmet.
****************
Hunter looked around, taking in his surroundings. He had made it. The familiar red glow and strange spongy walls triggered unreadable emotions that bubbled up and pressed against his chest. He knew that he was standing in a teleport cell. He knew that he was on the ship. He knew that Marah was only minutes away now. He took in a faltering breath.
"Hunter?" Blake's face appeared around the corner of the outlet. He sighed with relief. "Good, you made it."
"Of course I made it," Hunter whispered sharply, his mind on other things. He stepped out into the hallway.
"Do you even remember what way to go from here?" Blake asked quietly.
"Forward," Hunter muttered. "This is a dead end hallway." He took a step down the hall but stopped. Both brothers turned in shock as another figure appeared in the teleport. There was a weighted silence.
"TORI?" Blake exclaimed. He winced, then continued in a more hushed tone, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm coming with you."
"No. You're not," Hunter sputtered angrily. "And keep your voice down." He couldn't believe the nerve of this girl!
"You have to leave, Tori," Blake stepped in front of Hunter, afraid he might snap.
"You're going after Lothor, right? Let me help you!"
Blake flinched, knowing what was in store.
"Quiet! You don't know what the hell you're talking about! Get out of here! Now!" Hunter whispered harshly. He couldn't take any more of Tori's ignorance.
"Listen," Blake whispered in a rush to Tori, "there isn't enough time to explain. We're not here for Lothor. We're here to save someone. Any minute now, Kapri is going to send a bunch of kelzacks down here, so Hunter and I need to get going. Go back, Tori. Please."
It wasn't a request, it was an order and Tori knew that. But she wanted to help them. If someone was in trouble, couldn't they use an extra hand? "Power Rangers help people. Let me help you help whoever it is you're trying to save."
"We're not TRYING to save anyone! We're GOING to save her and you're going to leave!" Hunter was reaching his limit.
"NO!"
"Take her BACK to Earth, Blake," Hunter growled through clenched teeth.
"You can't do this alone."
"Yes I can, just take her!"
Blake moved more quickly than Hunter could follow. In less than a second, Blake had thrown Tori into an outlet and pressed the button.
"NO!" Tori shouted, latching onto Blake's arm.
"Let go, Tori!" Blake exclaimed in a panic. If she kept her hold until she started to disappear, his arm would go with her. He didn't want to lose an arm. However, Tori was too caught up with emotion to think of that. Hunter watched the scene unfold and acted quickly. He shoved Blake into the cell with the girl just before the two started to fade.
Tori's face suddenly fell. "Oh no. Oh my God, what have I done? Blake get out! I'll go! Just stay here and save that person! Hunter! Turn-" Tori was cut off as the two vanished abruptly.
"It's too late for that," Hunter panted, staring at the now empty outlet. For a moment, he just stood, sorting out what had just happened. Could he really blame that girl? Maybe she cared so desperately about his brother that she wasn't thinking straight. Maybe she cared so much that... "Marah," Hunter said aloud. He would save her... alone if he had to. He wasn't about to let his nightmare come true. Suddenly, a red laser beam shot past him, hitting the teleport's mother-board. It sparked and flickered. Hunter spun around. An army of kelzacks stood before him, weapons all up... and aimed directly at his head.
****************
"Blake..." Tori whimpered as the two appeared in the middle of the forest. He yanked his arm out of her grip.
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT!" he screamed. "YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT YOU HAVE JUST DONE!"
"I'm so sorry, Blake... I don't know what came over me!"
"THIS COULD BE HUNTER'S DEATH! HE'S ALL ALONE UP THERE AT THIS VERY MOMENT! YOU SAW HOW MANY KELZACKS THERE WERE!"
Tori let out a sob. She watched with tear-filled eyes as he prepared to launch himself into the cosmos once more.
And Blake was trying. There had to be something he was doing wrong. Why wasn't it working? "No," he said, realizing what the root of the problem must be. "NO!" he screamed again into the night. Slumbering birds awoke and took flight in a frantic rustle of tree branches. Tori shuddered.
"They broke the teleporter," Blake cried in disbelief. "THEY BROKE THE GOD DAMN TELEPORTER!" He knelt to the ground, pounding an angry fist down into the soil. Hunter would surely die. There was no way that he could take on all the kelzacks Tori and Blake had seen behind him. "DAMMIT!" he wailed helplessly. "I'm so sorry Hunter... I'm so sorry."
Tori was too afraid to speak. She knew what she had done. She was overwhelmed with guilt, grief, shame. She didn't know what to do. She couldn't move. She let out another sob.
****************
Kelly gasped and fell backwards in shock. Her mouth hung open. "Dust- Dustin?" she stammered in disbelief. "Is that YOU?" Her hand moved to cover her trembling lips.
"It's me, Kelly, it's me.... This is what I've been keeping from you." Dustin took a step forward, seeing that Kelly was struggling to keep from crying.
"You saved me," Kelly whispered, hot tears beginning to tumble down her cheeks. "You- you're a Power Ranger! I can't believe it! I can't believe... " Her voice trailed off and she stifled a sob. "Oh, Dustin, I'm so sorry. I should have trusted you! I should have-"
"No," he broke in, dropping his helmet and kneeling down in front of her. "I should have told you sooner. I'm the one who should be sorry..."
Kelly couldn't keep it in any longer. She let out a loud sob, then another, then another. She couldn't stop crying once she had started, her guarded emotions all pouring out as the wall crumbled in this man's presence. She lowered her face into her hands, ashamed to be crying in front of Dustin.
"Kelly..." Dustin leaned forward, but she pulled away, not wanting to be toughed, still deeply shaken by the attack... and Dustin suddenly knew why. His breath caught in his chest as he realized, with trepidation, that Kelly's shirt had been torn partially open. Her hair was disheveled, her face was wet with tears and smudged with some sort of car grease from the attacker's hands. Another long streak of grease ran across her exposed collar bone. Dustin stared in horror but snapped out of the shock, fore Kelly was crying harder now. "Oh... Kelly, I'm so sorry." He impulsively wrapped his arms around her trembling figure. He felt her freeze under his touch. "I'm not letting you go," he cried, finding that his voice was shaking as violently as Kelly's body. His eyes were watering and his throat was tightening at the sight of his friend in such agony.
Kelly let out another sob and grabbed onto the golden fabric over his chest. She buried her face into Dustin's chest, letting all of her built-up emotions finally come out through tears. "It's okay," she heard Dustin whisper into her hair, his chin resting on her shoulder. "It's okay now..." She curled up against him, feeling his arms wrap more tightly around her.
After a while, Kelly's sobbing started to subside. She hated to pull back from the embrace but she had to. She sniffed and wiped her tears away as she leaned back. She traced the emblem on Dustin's uniform with her trembling fingers. "Wow." The word was barely audible as it escaped her lips, riding out on a shaky sigh. She hesitantly looked up at Dustin. He was looking at her with more worry than ever before. Kelly's face softened. "Wow," she said more loudly. "You're a Power Ranger."
Dustin laughed hoarsely and brushed the auburn hair from Kelly's face. "Yep." It felt so good to tell her. It was an amazing release. He hadn't yet retracted his arms from around her, but he didn't want to. Kelly's hands were still resting on his shoulders. Kelly just couldn't stop staring at the uniform, the helmet sitting beside them... Dustin himself. She was so happy, all she could think to do was laugh, and laugh she did. Loudly.
The two sat there in the ally, the aftermath of the night's events all around them: Kelly's bag lying opened on the ground, a burnt spot where Dustin had fired at the attacker's feet, Dustin's helmet sitting on its side, Kelly's jacket thrown across the ally floor. And yet they laughed. They laughed as hard as they had before Dustin's little secret, before they had begun to drift apart. They laughed with relief, but something was different now. Neither one could identify what it was, but it was there... this new air between them. An air that was free, unencumbered, trusting... and something else.
"Um," Kelly started. Her laughter faded, as did Dustin's. They looked at each other with uncertain eyes.
"Yeah..." Dustin said, removing his arms from around her. "Sorry, I was just... you know... you were crying and-"
"Dustin." Kelly slid her hand into his. What am I DOING? she thought nervously. She considered pulling her hand out of his, but it suddenly felt as if it were glued there. Dustin stared down at the unfamiliar sight and gulped, then looked up into her eyes. She looked as anxious as he felt. "Thank you," Kelly said softly, "for everything."
Dustin gave a weak smile. "You're, uh, you're welcome..." His response was followed by an awkward silence. With an unsure hand, Dustin impetuously cupped Kelly's face, running his thumb roughly across her tear-stained cheek. He had absolutely no idea what he was doing. He stared into her eyes, afraid to voice all the things running through his head. Kelly returned the stare. She was nervous, but she couldn't make herself stop what was happening. She shifted so that she could lean into Dustin. She went weak as he pulled her hand to his chest. She suddenly flooded with emotion. Dustin's heart was racing as rapidly as hers.
Dustin couldn't stand it any longer. His gaze lowered to Kelly's lips then back up again. He pulled her against his chest. Before he even knew what he was doing, Dustin had tilted her face up and was brushing his lips against hers.
****************
Hunter fought harder than he had ever fought before. He ran head first into the mass of kelzacks and battled his way through. He froze as a laser hit him in the shoulder. It was just like his dream. "NO!" he cried, knocking more kelzacks away. He stumbled and fell on their feet. They piled on top of him. Hunter could barely breathe under the weight. He screamed in agony as a knife sliced into his side. He gasped at the unbelievable pain. Now he could not even move. There was no way he could do this. Not without help. But what about Marah? A new wave of energy passed through him. He would fight the kelzacks off and get to her. He had to save her. He cried out in pain, swinging his arm back and knocking one off of him. Then another. Hunter flipped over and kicked two off at once. He jumped to his feet, forgetting the pain, and ran. The kelzacks were right behind him. Suddenly, it was as if he was reliving the dream. He was panting. He was in incredible pain. Kelzacks were behind him in hot pursuit. The hall seemed to go on forever. I'll fail this time too, Hunter thought hopelessly.
He snapped out of it when he saw another hall branching off up ahead. It looked right to him. He turned into it with a new confidence. This wasn't his dream. He could still make it work. He just couldn't give up. There: a row of doors. Hunter saw a kelzack standing guard outside the farthest one. That had to be Marah's room. Suddenly, Hunter was scared. He didn't know why, but he was suddenly very aware of the reality of the situation. He pushed his fears aside, firing at the kelzack. It fell back against the door and crumpled to the floor.
With a deep breath, Hunter opened the door. Marah was standing wide-eyed before him. Hunter snapped his helmet visor back. He acted without thought, having no time to realize the awkwardness of their reunion. "It's me, Marah. Come on we need to go!" He grabbed onto her wrist. She stared dumbly down at his hand. "Marah?"
"You came..." Marah said with eyes huge in disbelief.
"Yeah," he panted. They stared at each other for a long moment. A laser hitting the door frame beside Hunter's head snapped them out of it. "Come on, we need to move." He pulled her out of the room. They ran down the hall.
"I know another way back to the teleporter," Marah panted beside him.
"Lead the way." They ran as fast as humanly possible. Marah was a little shaky, but she forced herself to move, to think. She felt sick and confused. This didn't feel real. This felt too real. She stumbled to halt. Hunter crashed into her back. Marah was too stunned to notice. The teleporter's motherboard was blackened with damage. The lights were not on.
"Oh no," Hunter suddenly remembered what had happened to the machinery earlier.
"I can fix this!" Marah cried, desperation kicking in. She looked at Hunter. He was scared. She could actually see the fear. It was written all over his face. "I can do this," she said again, placing a shaky hand on his arm. He nodded.
"I'll keep watch. The kelzacks can't be far behind us." Each minute lasted forever. Hunter's heart was pounding so hard, he could barely hear the cackle as Kapri rounded the corner. Hunter fired his gun. It bounced off of a strange wall of rippling green that appeared in front of the woman.
"A rescue attempt?" she laughed viciously. "HA!"
Hunter clenched his fists. He could feel Marah standing right behind him, her hand just barely touching the small of his back. He heard her breathing stop beside his ear. "It's not fixed yet," she whispered with a tremor of fear. Hunter sucked in his breath.
Kapri watched in amusement. "Well," she scoffed, "you just fell into my lap, didn't you, Crimson Ranger?"
"Don't hurt him!" Marah shouted, holding onto Hunter's arm and stepping out beside him.
"Marah, don't do this," Hunter chocked out through gritted teeth, trying to push her back.
"As fun as it is to watch you two, I'm afraid I'm going to have to break it up." Kapri snapped her fingers with a alarming grin. The kelzacks had been hiding around the corner and now stepped into view. Marah's mouth fell open. Hunter snapped his visor back up.
"Oh, that won't help you," Kapri chuckled crudely. The kelzacks surged forward around her like river water around a rock. They overtook Hunter, surrounding and restraining him. They pushed Marah away.
"Let him go!" she wailed, clutching onto Hunter's hand desperately. Their fingers laced together. Their panicked gazes locked. "FIGHT THEM! PLEASE!" she howled to him, tightening her grip on his hand as the distance between them grew. Kapri was there in a flash, jerking Marah away from him. "NO! HUNTER!" Her hand slipped out of his.
Hunter's heart skipped a beat. Marah had used his familiar name. She had held his hand. She had fought to stay by his side. "LET HER GO KAPRI! SHE'S YOUR SISTER FOR GOD'S SAKE! MARAH!"
"FIGHT THEM, HUNTER!"
"Give it up, dear sister," Kapri snarled, clasping her hand over Marah's mouth.
Marah felt everything shift into slow motion, as it had before when Zurgane had died. Marah thrashed her arms around, screaming under Kapri's long-nailed hand. She watched as the kelzacks began to drag Hunter down the hall. As he was pulled past her, their eyes locked. Hunter stared helplessly at her. "It's okay," he mouthed silently amid the chaotic victory cries of the kelzacks. Marah''s heart shattered into a million pieces, seeing Hunter barely two feet from her, but yet impossible to reach.
"If you act up one more time," Kapri sneered in Marah's ear, "I'll mind warp you again." Marah gasped, struggling. She saw Hunter's face fall. He had heard Kapri's threat. As Hunter disappeared down the hallway, Marah felt something jab into her arm. Her eyes widened. Kapri pulled the empty syringe from her arm.
