JASON - TWO DAYS LATER

I've not slept worth a damn since Dar's call. Now, between Andros and Trey, there are several ships orbiting the planet where they think Tommy is. I know that they aren't sure, got the information somewhere, and that Zedd hasn't been able to feel him through the bond since Tommy closed it before they were attacked. Still I can't help but curse my brother slightly for being too damn stubborn to reopen it at least long enough to help us save him. Not that we're lacking resources when it comes to saving him though. I honestly can't believe how many Rangers are still active and able to just drop their lives to help us come after Tommy.

Being that Trey brought the largest ship, as he has some of his forces with him, we're all going to go over there to meet and make plans. Knowing that both Trey and Andros can call on hundreds more allies if needed helps a bit, but not a great deal until I know he's even still alive and able to be saved. I once more pray that Tommy isn't lost to us yet and we can get still to him before he is and this turns from a rescue mission to one of straight up revenge.

Once on Trey's ship, I'm introduced to a few Rangers from other worlds that were able to join us. Knowing I'm going to have to beat the hell out of Zedd when this is over and done with, I become more than a little uncomfortable when I'm introduced to his parents. However, as standoffish as Kerch is, Mara is very plain spoken and open - and spoiling for a fight as well. Apparently, Tommy worked some of that Oliver charm on her and she's quite pleased with him as a mate for Zedd, so pleased in fact she's apparently spent her free time learning English just so she can talk with him in his native language. Great, I'm guessing that nobody has told her that Tommy decided to come home since it - for whatever reason - wasn't working out.

The minute Zedd, Dar and Pina step into the room, I can feel my hands curl into fists, Zedd's obviously distraught appearance doing little to cool my temper. I really want to know what he did to make Tommy want to come home. He was so happy and excited to be moving into the palace. For him to do a complete turnaround like that, it must have been something pretty major. Hayley sets her hand on one of my arms, while Kira holds the other. "Wait, Jason. Free Tommy first, then you can kick his ass."

Kira nods in agreement. "There'll be time later - and probably a line of people behind you, me included."

The matter of fact way she says it makes me chuckle a bit. I jump slightly when Mara speaks behind me. "Dare I ask what you are going to beat on Zeddic for?"

I sigh, not really wanting to get into it now, but knowing she - like most mothers - won't let it go until she gets an answer. "Before they were attacked and Tommy taken, he called me to tell me that he was coming home to Earth because things weren't working out between him and Zedd."

Her eyes instantly narrow and I can all but feel the worry and displeasure coming off her. "Not working out how?"

"He wouldn't say, but I haven't heard him that unhappy and close to tears in a long time."

"Is that right, will you excuse me." She stalks over to her son and pulls him away from the small group he's talking to by the collar of his shirt. As they talk, I can see Mara getting angrier as Zedd begins to look increasingly desperate in whatever explanation he's giving her until her hand comes out and promptly cuffs him on the back of the head. Glad now that I told her, and semi satisfied by her chastising of him, at least for the moment, I turn when someone else calls my name.

Trey and Andros approach me. "We're ready to start the meeting."

A FEW HOURS LATER

I shake my head, still not sure how I got talked into this. Zedd, Dar, Pina, Hayley, Mara, Kerch and I are headed for the front doors, the ruse being that we want to bargain for Tommy's freedom. I originally protested Mara and Kerch going in with us, as I felt that they might be more of a hindrance than a help if and when an actual fight broke out. Pina and Dar, however, convinced me that in spite of no real formal fight training, they could certainly take care of themselves, not to mention it is apparently the normal custom for their people to handle bargaining their own children back. Something I'll admit I was not elated to learn about their culture as if Tommy ever does want children, and for whatever reason returns to Zedd, I highly doubt he will enjoy having to go through having them randomly kidnapped.

As the door opens and we're allowed in, I force myself to focus on the here and now. We're led to what is essentially a throne room. I barely stifle the urge to roll my eyes at the extravagance as even Zedd in his worst days wasn't such a damn peacock. I look at the man on the main throne as Mara addresses him. "Wopenga, we're here to negotiate for the release of Tommy, Zeddic's mate."

The male frowns. "Hmm. Tommy? There's nobody by that name here. I have a pet that used to answer to that, but he no longer does. In fact, he doesn't answer to anything anymore."

"If you've hurt or killed him, you will pay for it with your life" Zedd snarls.

"First of all, if I'd killed him you wouldn't be standing here right now" the man replies in a rather 'duh' manner, mostly done to no doubt rile Zedd up and little more. "Second of all, all things considered, I treat my pets rather well compared to some, your brother included I might add. However, he's in no condition to be any kind of pet right now. Either way, he's mine. He came with me willingly, abandoning his so called mate without a second thought, so in fairness I really don't see why you're even here."

"Liar!" Pina cries out. "You told him that if he came with you, you'd allow us to live. You didn't give him a choice."

He sighs. "An offer I'm starting to regret with how pathetically depressing he is. Still, functional or not, he's still rather comely and I'm going to keep him and there really isn't anything you can offer me that would persuade me to part with him."

"How about your life?" I snarl in my turn.

He sighs again. "You humans are so predictable. Give me this or I'll kill you. Give me that or I'll tell someone else and they'll kill you. Yell, cry, complain, that's all your species does. I swear you're almost as bad as Zeddic."

"You really don't want to see how bad I can be where my brother is concerned" I warn before Zedd can even open his mouth to give his own response.

"Listen little human, as amusing as I'm finding this, and believe me after the trouble Zeddic's little pet has caused me, I am indeed finding it slightly amusing you're all so keen to get him back, I do have other things to do today, so if you're done making your pitiful little threats I'll thank you to kindly show yourselves out."

"We're not leaving without my son" Mara states firmly.

Learning forward and looking at the Zedd's mother with a sort of buried anger I can't quite place, Wopenga's words send my own blood boiling. "Your 'son' is now my plaything my dear, now I suggest you leave before I call my guards in here and you lose the other one standing there to the same fate."

About to come to her defense, I'm however taken off guard as Zedd suddenly begins laughing, causing all of us to look at him in disbelief.

"Zedd-"

"Uh oh." Taking a step back and pulling me with her, Pina shakes her head signaling for me to keep quiet for the moment. "This is going to be bad."

"Or really good, depending" Goldar mutters a smile forming on his mouth.

"And what may I ask is so amusing oh great lord of evil?" Our host questions/mocks, though not without his own look of slight worry now.

"Nothing, just imagining what I'm going to do to you once I get Thomas to safety. You know the last time I was taken, he locked my ex in my dungeon and tormented him for a week or two before bargaining him off to Lord Trey as a pet. You though, oh you, my dear, stupid, stupid friend, you will only wish for such a pleasant time."

"Kerch, I strongly suggest you reign in your son before he causes all of you to get hurt" comes the warning from our foe even as he signals for several guards to come stand before him.

"On the contrary, this is one of the few times I think I'll allow him the freedom to express himself as he sees fit. For your sake however I will strongly suggest you do release the boy to us as promptly as possible."

"He's not going anywhere."

"Somehow we thought you might say that." I trigger my communicator. "Come on in."

I really don't even try to hide my smirk at his shocked look as the front doors crash open under the onslaught of so many Rangers and Trey's guards. Wopenga tries to make a run for it but Dar dives after him, following him from the room. Just before he goes out the door, he shouts back, "Find Tommy!"

We scatter - Pina, Zedd and I head in one direction while Mara, Kerch and Hayley head in another direction - as well as other Rangers spreading out to search too. We reach a staircase that goes both ways. I glance at the other two. "Up or down?"

Pina and Zedd exchange quick looks. "He hasn't had Thomas all that long. I seriously doubt he'd put him in the dungeons this quickly."

"Especially not with how hard he tried to get him before." What now? Zedd shoots Pina a glare, which she shrugs at. "What? Admit it, Zedd, if it weren't for your father, Wopenga would probably have had Tommy before now."

Now I'm the one glaring at Zedd. "We will talk about that later." I head up the stairs with the other two right behind me. Once in the upstairs hall, we all dive for different doors, calling out for my missing brother as we do. "Tommy!"

"Tommy!"

"Thomas!"

Hope flounders as we open more and more doors and still find nothing. Suddenly, Pina calls out, "This one is locked!"

"Move!" snaps Zedd. She steps aside and, even as we run to meet her, Zedd fires a bolt from his staff at the door, breaking the latch and lock. Zedd falls back slightly, allowing me to throw my shoulder against the door, knocking it wide open. The three of us pile into the room, ready for trouble only to once more have my hopes dashed. I don't see anyone in here.

"Damn it!"

About to call the others to see if they'd had any luck I'm stopped short as suddenly the other two sniff the air, Zedd releasing a low growl as he does. "He's in here somewhere."

Pina nods in agreement, though looks about as pleased as her boss over this fact.

Almost afraid to ask, terrified of what they'll tell me, I however can't help myself in the end. "What's the problem?"

Ignoring me Zedd begins searching even as Pina replies, "His scent is too strong. So is Wopenga's." His scent, what the hell- oh, oh fuck.

A quick glance around shows me that we're in a bedroom - probably Wopenga's. My stomach clenches, a hundred things racing through my mind that he could have done to Tommy. Are we too late? Fear holds me momentarily motionless as they spread out around the room, sniffing Tommy out.

My training kicks in and, while Wopenga isn't human, there are a lot of similarities. Okay, Jason, think about all the perpetrators you've dealt with in the past. My eyes stray to a wardrobe not far from where I'm standing. It would certainly be large enough to hold Tommy. Quickly, I stride over and yank the doors open. "Oh god."

Tommy's not in here, but then again neither are clothes. It is, however, filled with all kinds of bondage and discipline equipment as well as 'toys'. If he even considered using these on Tommy, he won't live to see another day. I close the doors and resolutely turn away. I'm pulled out of my plans for revenge when Zedd pulls back a curtain and cries out, "Thomas!"

Instantly, Pina and I are by his side, looking down at Tommy, curled up on a cushion on the floor. Zedd's talking to him, I'm guessing in Eltarian, but he doesn't respond other than flinching slightly when Zedd strokes his hair. He's dressed in nothing but his boxers and he's shivering slightly. I move to snatch a blanket off the bed, but Pina stops me.

"No, that will have Wopenga's scent on it. Zedd-"

Swiftly, Zedd strips off his shirt and pulls it over Tommy's head. When he tries to put Tommy's arms in the sleeves, he curses. "They've chained him!"

Pina frowns. "Jason, look for the keys. Zedd, you try and get through to Tommy. I'm going to try something that Dar taught me a while back."

I eyeball the chains on his ankles, wrists and neck to get an idea of distance. I pace it off, knowing that anybody with less than half a brain wouldn't leave the keys where he could get to them, catatonic or not. Abruptly I realize that the length of the chains would only allow him to get to the cushion he's curled up on, the bathroom and the bed. The implications make me want to throw up, but I have to push that back for now. The most obvious place for the keys are in the nightstand on the far side of the bed. Quickly, I dump the drawers out on the bed and paw through the contents, keeping my focus on finding the keys and not what I'm having to dig through.

I hear Pina curse, so I'm guessing that whatever she was going to try didn't work. I'm just about to give up when I see a small set of keys. Snatching them up, I hurry back to Tommy, praying that they're the right ones. I all but shove Pina out of the way and my hands are shaking just a bit as I chose a key and stick it in one of the locks. It's not until the third lock that one opens, but at least I know that it's the right set. Quickly, I get rid of the restraints, allowing Zedd to finish putting the shirt on him properly. Tommy still doesn't react to our presence or anything that we're doing and it's scaring me.

"Come on, bro. Let's get the hell out of here." Zedd picks Tommy up and Pina and I flank him as protection in case anyone is stupid enough to attack us on our way out.