Wes and Alex ran towards the frantic voice, morphing in the process; it wasn't long until they found the source of the voice. Both of them stopped dead in their tracks, to see a horrifying sight: Jen, their precious Jen, was in the clutches of Ransik. He had one arm with his sword wrapped tightly around Jen's neck, pressing the blade of the sword against her skin. His other arm and sword were around her waist, she was unmorphed and weakened from the battle she had been fighting against Ransik.

"Jen!" The two men looked at each other, unsure of what to do. If they tried to attack Ransik head on that would only result in Jen's death. Alex quickly drew out his blaster, fully determined to take Ransik out and get Jen out of his deadly grasp.

"Not so fast." Ransik brushed the sword against Jen's neck, cutting it lightly, watching as the blood dribbled down. "Toss your weapons over or I will kill her." He looked to the Quantum Ranger, seeing that he was reaching for the Quantum Defender. "That means you too, Quantum Ranger."

"Don't do it. Just shoot him!" yelled Jen. She knew that Ransik wouldn't keep his word, there was no way he would let her go alive and she knew that they both knew it, while she knew she could count on Alex doing just that, she also knew Wes would have second thoughts about it.

"Silence!" Ransik kneed her in the shin, and caught Jen before she dropped to the ground. He once again eyed the two Rangers. "Don't underestimate me, Rangers," he hissed. "I would love nothing more than to put an end to this dear little pinky who has caused me numerous problems."

Alex, Red Ranger looked at Jen, though she couldn't see it and he thanked God she couldn't, he was terrified. For the life of him, he couldn't put his emotions behind him, not like he used to, not with Ransik holding Jen captive and able to end her life at any moment. Damnit! Damnit Wes, why do you have to be right!

Alex looked to Wes, nodding his head; together the two tossed their weapons over. "All right, Ransik, let her go, we're unarmed," announced Alex.

"Not quite." He brushed his thumb against Jen's cheek, getting a sensation of watching Jen quiver in fear. He watched as both Rangers clenched their fists together and how it took everything they had to stay back and remain still. "Demorph, now." He looked over at the Quantum Ranger. "Besides, I want to see who you are; you have caused me nothing but problems."

Both Wes and Alex knew the moment they demorphed it would be all over, Ransik would have them. They could try to overpower him together, but in Wes's weakened state it wouldn't be long before Ransik took charge. But if they didn't do as he said it most definitely would result in Jen's death. A risk neither one was willing to take.

When they didn't make a move, Ransik again had to show them that he meant what he said; he ran his sword against Jen's waist, cutting it. A slightly deeper cut than before.

Jen gasps light, though she wasn't screaming and was holding it together to stay strong, it was more than Wes could handle. He was the first to break. "All right! All right….. Stop! You win." Wes stepped forward and demorphed, ignoring both Alex' and Jen's pleas not to. "Power down!" The demorphing brought a surge of pain to Wes's chest, he clutched at his chest tightly as he looked Ransik directly in the eyes.

Ransik couldn't believe his eyes. "Impossible, I killed you. I watched you die." He could remember clearly digging his sword into Wes chest, hearing the painful cries as he went deeper and deeper, watching as the blood poured out. "You should be dead." In his disbelief that Wes had somehow miraculously survived he slowly started to loosen his grip around Jen, something Alex had taken notice of.

"Guess I got lucky then." Even Wes had begun to notice that Ransik had let his grip around Jen slowly lessen. He didn't have to turn around to know that Alex was coming up with something to do. He just needed to give him a little more time.

"Even you aren't that lucky," spat Ransik.

Wes narrowed his eyes at Ransik. "I am, thanks to someone's daughter. If it weren't for her, I would be dead."

"What!" Ransik was totally unaware he had let go of Jen completely in his anger. "She would never save the likes of you, a human!"

"Hate to be the one to break it to you," Wes clenched at his chest, "but she saved more than just me, that day."

Ransik was at a loss of what to say or do. He had never imagined in all his years that his own daughter, his flesh and blood, would turn against him. Not after everything he had done for her.

Seeing his chance. "Now, Jen!" yelled Alex.

Jen broke away from Ransik, kicking him hard in the gut and slamming into the wall. She then ran right into Wes's arms, wrapping her arms tightly around him, giving Alex enough time to reclaim both his and Wes's blasters, and get a direct shot at Ransik stunning him, giving both Wes and Jen time to regroup.

"You okay?" Wes ran his hands over her arms, staring into her face, thankful to have her back safely in his arms.

"I'm fine." She looked at the bloodstained bandage around his chest, concern filling her eyes. "What about you, are you okay?" He seemed to be holding it together okay, but given everything that had happened, the last person Wes would be worried about was himself.

"I'll let you know once we get out of here."

"No one will be getting out of here!!!" roared Ransik, throwing a powerful blast right at the three.

"LOOK OUT!!" shouted Alex.

Mace marched into Mr. Collins' office, his face alert and his heart racing. He knew Collins didn't like to be interrupted, but given the situation and the news that had just been brought before him; he knew his boss would want to hear about it.

"Sir!"

Collins looked up, irritated, from his work. The last thing he wanted was interruptions, it had been over a day since he had last heard from Eric and he was beginning to worry that the same fate that had found his son might have now found Eric, who in a way had become like a son to him. "Mace, I thought I told you….."

"He's alive, sir."

"What?" Collins wasn't sure what Mace was talking about. "What are you talking about - who? Who's alive? Eric?"

"No…. I mean yes." He was so full of excitement that he couldn't keep his words straight. "Eric's fine, as far as I know, but that's not who I was talking about, sir." Mace looked Collins right in the eyes, knowing that the moment when Collins learned that Wes was alive, that everything was going to be okay again.

"Then who are you talking about……" In the pit of his stomach he knew, but even then he didn't want to get his hopes up. It just wasn't possible, it had been months, he would have been hurt badly, there was just no way. "You don't mean….." tears filled his eyes.

"Yes sir, your son….. He's alive."

"But… but how? How do you know?"

Mace opened the office door to let in three of the Silver Guardians who had been presumed dead, like Wes had been. Also entering the room was Nadira, holding young James in her arms, who seemed much calmer than he had been just a couple of hours ago. Collins didn't know what to think, he stared at Nadira, not knowing how to react.

"It's all right, sir," answered one of the Guardians. "If it wasn't for Nadira we'd all be dead, including Wes. She saved his life."

Collins was too overjoyed with the knowledge of his son being alive to even care why Nadira was there in the room with them. "But if he's alive, then where is he?"

The Guardians and Nadira looked at each other. While Wes had been alive all this time and was when they had left him, one question remaining was, was he still alive? They had wanted to wait it out until they knew for sure, but everyone thought it was best to get Nadira and James out of the city and bring them here safely to Turtle Cove. Then one thing led to another and another and they had no choice but to tell them.

Collins recognized that look. "What? What is it?"

Trip began to get that uneasy feeling, like something horrible had just happened. The look of horror was all over his face, his heart was racing and everyone had seen the look on his face, but only one of them knew what it meant.

"What's his problem?" asked Eric, crossing his arms against his chest, not happy that everyone had stopped the search for a second way out due to Trip's sudden flash of panic.

"He's had a vision." Katie pointed out the gem on Trip's forehead, and ran towards her young green friend, terrified about what he might have seen. She quickly put her arms around him in a motherly way, like she had so many times in the past. "What is it, Trip, what did you see?"

"Wait a sec, he's a psychic?" exclaimed Danny.

"Not exactly, my understanding is he's a Xybrian," answered Eric, recalling the time when Trip had revealed the gem on his forehead that had been hidden under his hat.

"A what?" Danny had heard of a lot of strange things, but this had to be the strangest. "So he's like an alien from another planet?"

"Yeah." Eric just shook his head. "For a guy that's been fighting strange creatures called orgs, you seem pretty surprised to find that life exists on another planet."

"Will you two knock it off!" yelled Katie, knowing that Trip needed complete silence in order to concentrate on his vision, to fully understand just what he had seen. "Just take your time, Trip."

"Take your time!" Eric spat and got right into their faces. "We don't have time; every minute we waste waiting for greenboy to get his head together, wastes another minute that could kill them!"

"You think I don't know that? You're not the only one with a friend down there!" Katie shouted, getting into Eric's face. The situation was grim, the battles might be over, but lives still hung in the balance.

Eric was getting ready to lash back with a comeback, when….. "Stop it!" yelled Trip. The two turned to face him; Danny was by his side, his face horrified. "We have to hurry, they're in trouble. Big trouble!" The look on Trip's face said it all, something terrible had happened and they needed to move fast. Eric felt as if his heart skipped several beats; not long ago had they sent the Guardians and Nadira away back to Silver Hills to inform Collins on the situation, to tell him that his son was indeed alive, had been all these months. And now that could all be shattered.

Cole carefully led the others to the whereabouts that Merrick had told them to go to. All seemed quiet. Too quiet, but then again the place had been abandoned for months. There would be no noise, but an eerie uneasy feeling surrounded this place, a place that left an unsetting feeling in the pit of their stomachs. While the voice had indeed sounded like Merrick's, Lucas had pointed out that this could also be a trap. They needed to stay alert and ready for anything, just in case their young lone friend had met his match.

"This is it," announced Cole, looking around; it was gloomy in what should have been a beautiful downtown city, looking like a ghost town, not even the sun could bring light into this city. "I think…." Cole couldn't be sure, no matter where you went it all looked the same, abandoned buildings, destruction in every direction, smoke, the reek of death.

"No, you're right." Taylor looked around, recognizing the street sign as being the one that Merrick had said to go to. "This is the place."

"If it is," Max walked around trying to get a better feel of their surroundings, hoping to find Merrick or something to tell them that he was indeed here, "then where is he?"

"You don't think something happened to him since we talked to him. Do you?" exclaimed Alyssa, afraid of the answer. Though Merrick had said he was fine, that was over several minutes ago and something could have happened since then.

No one answered. They too were unsure and afraid of the answer. Taylor walked up to Lucas, who was taking in the sights, trying to find something, anything. She gripped his shoulder. "What do you think?" She hated to admit it, but maybe he had been right, maybe this was just a trap, maybe Merrick was indeed gone and it had been the mutorgs that had brought them here.

"I don't know what to tell you." He turned to face her, his face sympathetic. "I can't even tell you how the battle may have happened, not when the whole area had been consumed with so many battles months prior. I don't even know if they're alive or dead."

"Then all we can hope for is that Merrick destroyed that monster." Taylor didn't know what else to think. There was nothing here for them, no signs, nothing. "We should head back, see if they got the others out."

"Yeah," Lucas sighed.

They all started to head back as a group, when a dark shadow appeared behind them. "Oh, don't leave now, the fun has just begun…." it hissed.

They all stopped dead in their tracks and slowly turned around to be faced with a monster unlike any they had ever seen. It looked like an org, but yet it didn't. He was more hideous then Master Org or anything they have ever faced his the past. His eyes sent chills throughout their bodies. He had massive sharp horns all over his arms and back. His body was massive and large; they could clearly see his mussels.

"Wh- That can't be an org!" exclaimed Max. "Can it?"

"Oh but I am, blue warrior, the most powerful you have ever faced."

"Where's our friend!" shouted Alyssa.

The mighty org leader just grinned and glared at all of them, not saying a word. Taylor stepped forward, fist clenched together. "She asked you a question. What'd you do with Merrick?"

"I'm afraid the ancient warrior you know as Merrick has met his fate, like those before him." He didn't take his eyes off of them. He would push them over the edge and then make his move. "I want you to know he fought bravely, but was unable to succeed in defeating me."

Cole had had about enough; his body filled with fury and he rushed over to Taylor's side. "Liar! He's alive!"

"Am I?" he hissed, his eyes glowing brightly as he stared them all down, wanting to watch as the fear inside of them grew. "Then why not face me and see just how powerful I am?"

Max didn't know what to do, this org was by far unlike any he had ever been faced with before, so intelligent, taunting, a living nightmare. He felt his heart pounding against his chest. He tried not to be afraid, but couldn't help it. This thing said he had killed Merrick and that appeared to be true. If it could kill Merrick it would have no problem killing each of them. He quivered over to Taylor and rested his hand on her shoulder. "Taylor, wh-what are we going to do?"

Taylor didn't know what to do. She looked at Cole who stood in front of her, he was determined not to believe that Merrick was dead, as the mutorg had stated. She gulped in heavily, needing to come to her senses. "We take him down." She looked from Max to Alyssa. "It's what Merrick would have wanted."

"But Taylor, you heard what he said….." exclaimed Alyssa.

"It doesn't matter. The Princess chose us to defend the Earth. It's our job to stop this thing. No matter what happens!"

Lucas stood off to the side, watching his surroundings, staying alert just in case there was anything else around. He didn't need anyone to tell him that things were bad. Just looking at this monster, this org…mutorg, he knew it was far more powerful than Ransik ever could be. He joined Cole and pulled out his badge, now it was time for him to do his job. "You're under arrest, you can come in quietly or be brought in the hard way!"

"Hah….." the mutorg laughed at the Time Force officer. "Foolish defender of the future, even your high-tech weapons won't be able to stop me. How else do you think I was able to break out of your prison?"

Lucas put away his badge and smirked. "Well then, I guess we're just going to have to kill you then…"

"Doesn't that go against your code?"

"Yeah, but we're not in my jurisdiction, we're in theirs. Time Force code doesn't apply here ….at least not to you." Lucas kept his eyes locked on him, wanting the mutorg to keep full focus on him. "You've been classified as 'bring in dead or alive', whichever comes first. The choice is yours."

"What the hell are you doing, Lucas, you're only making him more pissed off!" announced Taylor. If there was one thing she had learned from being a Ranger, fighting orgs, the last thing you wanted to do was to piss one of them off.

Cole was about to say something when he caught onto what Lucas was doing. He had only seen a glimpse of something moving in the shadows, but his senses told him that whatever was moving fast and quick in the shadows was on their side. "Yeah, so what will it be, you sorry piece of shit?"

Max was blown away and looked from Taylor to Alyssa. "Did Cole just….."

"I've had enough of this; it's time for you to DIE!!" The mutorg's eyes burned with darkness and sparks began to emerge around him; he was getting ready to throw a deadly energy blast of destruction at them, when….

"You first!" cried out a voice.

"What?" he turned around and saw Merrick, the lone wolf Ranger, behind him. "You're alive….?"

"So sorry to disappoint you!" Without even thinking Merrick blasted at him, his weapon set to kill. It combined with the powerful blast the mutorg had yet to unleash; it consumed him and became too much for him to handle. The Rangers were all vaguely aware of Merrick crying out to them to seek cover.

They all watched as the power consumed him and he dropped to the ground in what became a powerful blast, full of light, nearly blinding them all. And once it cleared all that was left was burning pieces of the mutorg that only moments ago had threatened all of their lives.

"And I thought the fireworks on Fourth of July were awesome," exclaimed Max, as he picked himself up.

"Merrick, you're alive!" cried Alyssa as she ran over to him and threw her arms around him.

For a moment he was slightly uncomfortable; for so long he had pushed them all away, hoping that they would take the hint that he didn't need them, not after everything he had done, all the pain and horror, but that didn't seem to matter to them. They truly wanted to be his friends, be his family, something he had lost long ago and thought he could never have back. Perhaps today would be the start of a new beginning. He could start over, build new relationships …..and maybe even work on old ones. He returned Alyssa's hug, grateful for her friendship and kindness.

"That was a nice shot there," announced Cole, holding out his hand, a big grin on his face.

Merrick shook Cole's hand and nodded his head. "Thanks. Sorry I had to cut it so close."

Taylor turned to Lucas, looking at him, surprised. "Did you know?"

"I just knew we had to be ready for anything."

"So it's over then, we beat the bad guys and saved Silver Hills," exclaimed Max.

"Almost…" announced Lucas, knowing that one thing still remained.