Reefside: The "AAR" Chronicles – Part 6

Family Emergency

By Justin Jack

August 23, 2023

The Road to the Oliver Residence

Reefside, California 2:05 P.M.

Tommy drove down the familiar path that led to the Oliver homestead with his daughter Beth in the passenger seat and Will in the backseat. Beth had strapped her seatbelt on just to make sure she didn't float away. She was still fazing in and out of invisibility.

"Dad, I don't know how much longer I can take this!"

"I know Sweetie, we'll figure it out soon...I promise."

Will leaned forward in his seat to get Beth's attention.

Hey, if we don't fix it we can always sell you to a carnival freak show."

Beth turned and punched him in the arm.

"Butt Head!"

"Ouch, I was just trying to lighten the mood. Calm down B!"

"I'll be calm when we fix--"

All of a sudden, Beth noticed her vision getting blurry. She unhooked her seatbelt for fear that she had it strapped too tight, but her vision didn't improve. She looked at Will, then at her father. Her eyes started to glaze over. Tommy looked at her in shock.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"Daddy, I don't feel so go--"

Beth slumped forward in her seat and landed on the dashboard. Tommy did everything he could not to take his hands off the wheel and check on his daughter. Without thinking he reached for Beth with one hand and tried to keep his other hand on the wheel, causing the jeep to swerve on the road.

"Keep driving Dr. O, I've got her!"

Will lunged forward and grabbed Beth by the shoulders and pulled her back upright in her seat. She was still out cold. Her abilities had subsided, but that was the least of their worries.

"Come on B, wake up! It's me Will, you're buddy!"

No response. Tommy pulled his cell out of his pocket and speed dialed Haley.

"Hello?"

"Hayley, it's Tommy! Get down to the Cave and pull out every life support system we have!"

"What's wrong? Is it Beth?"

"Yeah, she's out cold and Will can't wake her up!"

"What's Will doing there?"

"I vouched for him. He wanted to come...I think he can help!"

Will looked at Dr. O and motioned for the phone.

"Let me talk to Mom."

Tommy passed the phone to Will.

"Mom, it's me...don't be mad...if anything happens to Beth, I want to be there when it does. We'll be there soon...just have everything ready...okay, here's Dr. O.

He hands the phone back.

Hey, is Kim home yet?"

"Yeah, she's here...hold on,"

There was a moment of silence before Kim can be heard on the other end of the line.

"Hey Kimberly."

"Hey Tommy, what's wrong with Beth?" Kim asked.

"That's what we're gonna find out, don't worry. I'm not gonna let anything happen to her, I promise."

"I know. I love you Tommy, I'll be here waiting for you."

"Love you too Kim. I'm almost there, just tell Billy and Hayley to be ready."

"We'll be ready."

"Okay, we're incoming!"

Tommy hung up and put the pedal to the metal and raced for home.

August 23, 2023

Oliver Residence-The Cave

Reefside, California 7:45 P.M.

Hours had gone by without a change in Beth's condition. She had been brought into the Cave and hooked up to life support as her family tried desperately to bring her back around. Billy and Hayley were around the computer console running diagnostics. Kim was sitting beside Beth holding her hand not wanting to leave her side. Tommy walked down the steps through the trapdoor with Will carrying food and drinks. They had ordered take-out and pizza just so they wouldn't starve.

"Any change Billy?"

"Nothing yet Tommy," Billy answered.

"We're working on it Tommy," Hayley added.

"Okay, Let me know if I can help," he said back.

Tommy opened the pizza box and put a piece on a paper plate and walked over to Kim.

"Hey Beautiful, you need to eat something."

Kim looked at the plate and then back at Beth.

"I'm not hungry."

Tommy sat down next to her.

Kim, I know you're upset, but you still have to eat."

"How can I when our baby is dying?"

"She's strong, she'll pull out of this. Besides, we have two of the best minds in the field working on how to wake her up."

"Three!" Will yelled from across the room.

This got a slight chuckle out of both Tommy and Kim.

"Sorry...three," he smiled at Will.

"Please eat Beautiful, she's in good hands."

Kim took the slice off the plate and bit into it. Tommy moved a strand of hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. He looked over at Beth and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Tommy...Kim, can we talk to both of you?" Billy called from the console.

"Sure."

Tommy gave Kim's hand a reassuring squeeze as they both headed over.

"What have you got?"

"Well, the info I gathered off my scan of her body is that the abilities that you and Kim had with your Dino Gems have been passed on to her, but the amount of power she was giving off was off the charts."

Hayley stepped forward.

"We've never encountered anybody who has held two gem powers at once. The abilities seem to be fighting each other to be the dominant one. Without a Dino Gem to control the power, they are literally tearing her apart from the inside out," she told him.

"How do we stop it?"

"I'm thinking of every possible solution, but if we don't stop it soon...it'll kill her," Billy said as he put his hand on Tommy's shoulder.

"Billy, I have faith in you and Haley. Do whatever it takes to save our daughter," Kim spoke in an almost demanding tone.

"I promise you Kimberly, we'll do everything we can," Billy reassured her.

"Thank you Billy."

Billy gave her a nod as he and Hayley walked back to the computer console to continue their research.

Tommy and Kim walked back over to Beth's bedside and sat down to continue their vigil.

"Tommy, do you think she'll wake up out of this?"

"Hey, we're Rangers...we don't die, we multiply," he joked.

She looked at him with a little smile.

"I believe you," he smiled as he kissed her tenderly on the lips. "But if you ever tell a joke that corny again, I'll sic Jason and Aisha on you."

"Okay Beautiful, I promise."

"You better Handsome, you know how tough they can be. Jason bites and Aisha claws," she laughed back.

"I got it."

They hugged for what seemed an eternity. The entire time they were consoling each other, Will had been deep in thought. He had heard the conversation about the gems and suddenly a light bulb went off in his head.

"Hey!"

Everybody turned to look at Will who had a smile on his face.

"I've got an idea."

End of Part 6

TBC