In Summer Cove, things were pretty quiet down at the precinct. The Rangers' final battle against Galvanax had now been some time ago, and so far no one had seen or heard from the Rangers. They had sent a recorded message to the press promising that they would be back if they were needed, but so far, no one had seen or heard a thing from them. There hadn't even been a sighting in days, and it looked very much like they were keeping their promise.
Most of the precinct saw this as a good thing. Summer Cove had been one of the lowest crime areas in the entire country never mind the state before the Rangers' battles with Galvanax began. While there had been a lot of the force deeply divided on their view of the Rangers, with many going so far as to actually attack them and try to bring them in, that viewpoint was losing a lot of support now. With things quietening down, many were just happy to have things back to normal and were of the view "out of sight, out of mind" when it came to the Rangers.
Trevor was uneasy about the fact they were gone. Not only did he personally feel that it wasn't enough that they simply said they "wouldn't do it again", but there was still the power inside him, the power he didn't really understand completely. The power of the Psycho Green Ranger was always there, just broiling under the surface, as though waiting for a reason to come forth. Of course, right now there wasn't really any reason for it to come out. Not when the most pressing matter on Trevor's desk was old lady Edward's missing bicycle which he was sure she would most likely find in her garage, but didn't have the heart to tell her she probably just forgot she moved it inside when it was raining last night.
He started looking through the bulletins for something, anything to get him some action. Unfortunately, they were largely blank. He could feel the impatience of the Psycho Green powers, looking for a reason to come forth, but since they didn't, he was starting to think that perhaps he now had the control he desired over them. After all, the one thing he couldn't dispute was that it was a powerful weapon, one that perhaps, he was starting to think, if he could harness…
His thoughts were interrupted as a piece of paper was slapped down in front of him. He looked up, seeing a familiar, smiling face.
"Look who just got his medical clearance!" Spike said cheerfully. It had now been some time since Spike was shot in the line of duty. He had been trying to talk down a suspect when one of the Rangers got involved. In a moment of panic the trigger was pulled and Spike paid the price. He was amazingly upbeat for a guy that had lost a few inches of colon to the ordeal, but Spike was one of those people that wanted to be a cop for all the right reasons and was just itching to get back on the streets. "What do you say we grab a cruiser and get out of here?"
"You're cleared?" He asked, picking up the letter and starting to read it.
"I've always been a pretty quick healer." Spike told him. "Come on Trev, let's get out of here! I've been cooped up in the precinct for ages now!"
Trevor was about to refuse, but he looked down the hall, seeing Sterling talking to some suits, before disappearing into her office. There was a lot of talk as to why she was still there. The Rangers were gone, the monster were gone, so many of them were wondering why she was still hanging around. Trevor of course knew. He'd gotten the dagger from her office. He'd only had it a short time and even he knew its power. Sterling was unlikely to go anywhere until she got it back and found whoever took it. He'd wondered if he could just return the dagger, leave it in her office and forget about it, but even when he was separated from it, he still felt the power within him.
"Alright, but call me Trev again and you're riding a desk until you retire." Trevor warned him, grabbing his jacket and heading out with Spike.
Over in Zandar, Calvin and Preston were being attended to in the castle. They'd been found in the streets by some passing strangers and had asked to be taken there. At first no one would believe they knew Phillipe, but by chance some of the guards were in the area and overheard the commotion.
"Well, there's no doubt about it, these two got really lucky." Kendall commented. "It's pretty clear if it wasn't for their powers, they would certainly be dead."
"That's one good thing at least." Hayley commented, taking Calvin's hand in a comforting gesture. "So what happened?"
"We were just on our way back to the castle after lunch." Calvin told them. "Then some guy attacked us. At first we thought it was some really unlucky mugger but then…"
"Yeah, I think it's fair to say this was not a mugger." Sarah chipped in. "Did he even say what it was about?"
"He just said he wanted our Power Stars." Preston told her.
"Well, that's hardly new." Hayley stated. "But we found your Power Stars."
"Yeah, that's the thing. Just before I passed out, I could swear I heard him say that they were the wrong ones." Preston told her. They all just stared at him.
"Wrong ones?" Chase asked. "Like…he wasn't after you but others on your team?"
"I don't know, I was kind of in and out." Preston stated.
"Who is this guy anyway?" Tyler asked them. Calvin and Preston just looked to each other.
"He did give us a name." Calvin told them. "Drakkon."
With the exception of Sarah and Hayley, everyone just stared blankly at them.
"So…he one of yours?" Riley asked.
"Kind of." Hayley explained. "We've never seen him or encountered him, we only heard the name."
"One of our bad guys brought up the name." Sarah told them. "We hadn't heard it before then, and we still had no idea who it was, but the way they said it, it was like…"
"They were scared of him?" Chase suggested. "That's not new, I mean the bad guys generally don't win loyalty with tea and cakes."
"Yeah, usually it's more like 'Do as I want or you'll be vapourised'." Shelby agreed.
"No, you don't get it. We've heard them talk with fear before when they were talking about Galvanax." Sarah replied. "This Drakkon guy it was something else, it was like…I don't know but…if I was to hazard a guess, if it was between pissing off Galvanax and this guy, they'd pick Galvanax every day of the week."
"I can see why." Preston answered. "I've only met this guy once and already I'm hoping that's the last time."
"Something tells me we're not going to be that lucky." Calvin stated.
"So that still doesn't explain one thing." Hayley said as she looked to Calvin and Preston. "Why did you two wander off on your own? Why didn't you go to pick up Koda with the others?"
"That…um…" Preston stammered a little. "That would be down to me."
"Preston?" Sarah asked.
"Guys, can you give us the room please?" He asked. The rest of the Rangers started to file out. "Cal, you too please?"
"Yeah, just ask the guy with three fractured ribs and a broken wrist to get out of bed." Calvin grumbled as he rolled out of bed and started to hobble out the door. He looked to Preston, before offering him a fist-bump. "Good luck man…OW…oh that was so not smart!"
As they left, Preston looked to Sarah. She could feel her chest beginning to tighten. She had been meaning to talk to Preston, to try and explain to him what she felt now that they had kissed. She was more than a little apprehensive about it all, and it wasn't hard to figure out why, but when he had been literally carried in, she had decided it was for the best that she have that discussion another time. She went to his side and he took her hand gently.
"Pres…"
"Sarah, there's something I really need to say, something I was coming to say to you before…well…all of this happened." Preston told her. "Now, it's going to be difficult to I want you to just listen and please, don't say anything until I'm finished alright?"
Sarah just nodded. Preston steeled himself to say what he had to say. He knew there was no easy way to broach the subject. It wasn't something he imagined many people wanted to hear, and he really hated the thought of hurting Sarah. He kind of felt a little glad about what happened with Drakkon now though. Maybe he could play on the sympathy card and get through this without Sarah lashing out at him too hard.
"Sarah, it's…it's about what happened between us." Preston told her. Sarah sighed and looked to him. "Look, we've known each other quite some time now and you are by far the most amazing, crazy and really fun person I've ever known."
Sarah felt her stomach churning as she heard him say this. He was building up to something, something big. She didn't know what would be crueler, saying what he wanted to hear just to make him feel better or telling him that she felt nothing for him beyond friendship. Looking at him now though, she was almost scared it would finish him off.
"If it hadn't been for you, I don't think I'd have done half the things I've done this last year." Preston told her. "Hell, I know for sure I'd never have been a Ranger. I've got so much to be grateful to you for and I would not trade one second of everything we've done for anything."
Now Sarah was really worried. She turned from him, biting on her hand, trying to stop herself saying something before he said something he couldn't take back.
"But…I…really don't want to be your boyfriend." He said awkwardly. Sarah turned and looked to him, completely stunned. He hated the look in her eyes, was she about to cry? Please don't cry! He couldn't bear it if she cried. He could take pretty much anything else. Screaming, swearing…even in his state if she hit him that would be better. "Don't get me wrong, you are my best friend and I don't want that to change at all, really I don't, but when we kissed…I didn't feel…I just…think…"
He was cut off as Sarah grabbed him in a tight hug.
"Whoa, what the…?"
"Preston, are you…are you serious?" Sarah asked him, parting from him a little way.
"Yeah?" He asked.
"Preston, I was feeling the exact same way!" She told him excitedly. "I mean, don't get me wrong I still think you are an absolutely awesome guy and everything but when we kissed it just felt so…"
"Weird." He offered.
"Yeah, and wrong!" She agreed. "Preston, I don't regret anything that happened, not for a minute, but I think we were happier, we were better off as…"
"Buds?" He asked.
"Buds!" She agreed. "So, what is it a fist bump? Or a high-five or…?"
"Are you kidding?" Preston asked, holding his arms open. "You give the most awesome hugs ever! What would my day be without one of those?"
"Well, you don't need to worry because unless I lose both my arms you're never going to have to find out." She answered as they embraced. "Thank you Preston."
"Any time." He answered.
Meanwhile, in Millport, Brody was putting Redbot together again, hoping that doing so would raise his spirits. They'd always promised Redbot he'd have a home on the Romero farm with them, but for a while now they'd been delaying putting him back together until the workshop was rebuilt. They didn't know how understanding the residents of Millport would be watching a big red robot walk around the farm, and knew he needed somewhere he could keep out of sight.
"Alright, if I just move this over here then…" Brody said, just as a spark came off. "Alright Redbot, give that a try."
Redbot started to stretch and bend his knee joint, before looking to Brody.
"You did an excellent job of that Brody." Redbot complimented him
"I still kind of wish Mick was here, but I think I did a pretty decent job." Brody answered. "So, now you've got a body and both your legs, I guess the next step is to get these arms…"
"Brody!" Tom rushed out as he came in. "Get Redbot out of sight!"
"We're still kind of in the middle of…"
"Brody, a whole bunch of the neighbours just showed up!" Tom told him. "Get Redbot in the cupboard or something!"
"Sorry about this Redbot." Brody said as he went to the cupboard, opening the door. Redbot just got up and walked into the cupboard.
"I really was hoping to get those arms today." He commented as Brody closed over the door. Brody headed outside with Tom, to where Levi and Dane were waiting, watching as a few trucks showed up. They watched as a whole bunch of the locals started to get out, carrying a variety of tools.
"Something I can help you with?" Dane asked. One of them approached him, carrying a hammer in his hand, something that Dane clocked right away. He was starting to wonder what his intention was.
"Word got around that you're fixing this place up." He said. Dane just nodded his head.
"That's right." He replied. The man smiled in response.
"Well you're going to need more than four people for a barn raising aren't you?" He asked. Dane then saw that the others were unloading a variety of other items. He knew that the Romeros returning as mysteriously as they had disappeared had caused a lot of whispers around town. He'd even had an uninvited guest at the farm he'd chased off, but for the most part they'd kept their distance. "So, do you want the barn the same place as the old one?"
"We figured we'd keep the place more or less the same as it always was." Dane answered. "You know…before it was abandoned for ten years."
"Alright folks, you heard the man!" He called out. "Let's get this thing up!"
Dane was at a loss for words as they all started to head towards the lumber that he and Levi had been starting to make up into a framework that would become the new workshop. Tom just chuckled.
"This is so much like home." He commented. "I guess these villages are the same all over."
"Yeah, I guess they are." Dane said with a smile. "Come on boys, these fine people are good enough to help us, pitch in a hand!"
Brody rushed to the truck belonging to the owner of the hardware store. He found Burt struggling to move a bucket. He went over to help.
"Here, I got it." Brody told him. It was a bucket of cement mix, which it seemed Burt was struggling with. He saw Burt wince a little as he shifted it, before Brody took it off him. "Say, are you OK?"
"I'm fine." Burt told him. "I just…fell."
"Fell?" Brody asked.
"Yeah, I was training for a marathon and I tripped alright?" He demanded. Brody just held up his hand defensively and backed away.
"Sorry for asking!" He commented as he walked away, casting a glance back.
"What's his problem?" Levi asked.
"That's what I'd like to know." Brody answered.
Back in Zandar, Kendall went to one of the guest chambers, knocking softly on the door. It was quite a while before she got an answer, but she could hear from the inside that there was movement. Eventually the door opened and Alessandra answered.
"Kendall, you come see Koda?" She asked. Her English, like Koda's, was getting a lot better, but it was still occasionally a little stilted and broken. Kendall just nodded.
"How is he?" She asked her.
"He very quiet, he not say much on flight." Alessandra told her. "He only really talk to discuss what we do in match."
"You're going to be in the match instead of Jack?" Kendall asked. Alessandra sighed and nodded.
"Carl ask we put on match for title." She explained. "Jack work with me a lot when I come here. I really want do well for him, make him proud."
"I'm sure you will." Kendall assured her. Alessandra allowed Kendall inside, before leaving the room herself. She figured it was probably for the best that she spoke to him alone.
Of everyone, Kendall had spent the most time with Koda. She'd been part of the team that discovered him in the glacier and she had studied him for some time before they began the Ranger project.
She saw Koda was at the table, looking over something. She came across, finding him with some of Jack's belongings, one of his old t-shirts and some of his old tights. She put a hand gently on his shoulder.
"I'm really sorry to hear about Jack." She told him.
"He wanted to come, say he loved idea of match in castle." Koda told her. "He tell me where he come from, Ireland, there lots of castles. He say he always love them as young boy."
"How are you feeling?" She asked him. Koda just shrugged.
"I not know how I feel." Koda told her honestly. "I sad that Jack gone, but…I not just sad. I feel…confused, feel angry at times, I…I sometimes feel like sometime soon Jack come in and ask why I sad."
"I know Koda, it's always a tough time." Kendall told him. "I know Jack meant a lot to you. I know he was a friend…"
"Jack more than just friend, he reason I am what I am today." He told her. "He teach me so much."
"I know this probably isn't the first time you've known anyone to die Koda." Kendall said, imagining what things must have been like in his time. Medical science didn't really exist in any recognisable way and conditions were such that mortality was just a fact of life. People probably got sick and died quite young on a regular basis, but she could see he was still taking it hard. She had seen how Koda identified with Jack, and in some ways, she saw him almost look on Jack as a surrogate father. "It's always alright to feel bad when its' someone we care about."
"I just…no understand." Koda told her. "Why he die?"
"Well, they said it was a stroke." Kendall told him. "What that means is something went wrong in his brain, that blood got blocked in it and didn't flow properly and when that happened…"
"Hospital already tell me that!" Koda snapped at her. Kendall was a little taken aback, Koda never spoke to her like that. "Why?"
"Well…unfortunately I really can't say." Kendall told him. "There can be any number of reasons these things happen, infection, injury…sometimes a person can just be unlucky. There's really no way of predicting things like this."
"But Jack fine until it happen!" Koda told her. "He better than fine, he excited, he working really hard, he get in good shape for match…he in better shape than a lot of the younger guys."
"He was in pretty good shape for his age." Kendall told him.
"Then why it happen?" Koda asked her with tears beginning to show in his eyes. "Why Jack die?"
Kendall gestured Koda in, hugging him tightly. She could understand his confusion. Jack may have retired from the ring, but he was still a trainer, and he still worked out. It had to be a surprise to a lot of people what happened. She knew it wouldn't bring Jack back to know the gory details of his stroke, but as Koda held her and wept, she thought maybe if he could hear some answers, it might help him understand why his friend was dead.