Chapter Two
The first thing he became aware of was the sound of his own breathing. It was harsh and heavy, much like his body was beginning to feel. His wrists were the next thing to register, they felt wet. He concentrated all his power into opening his eyes, and blinked a few times to clear his vision. He immediately regretted the decision.
Billy's pale blue eyes scanned the room before him. It was a plain cement box, with only one door off to the side, and a weak table lamp bearing a naked bulb on the floor. He was in an upright position and looked up to see iron shackles holding him that way. His wrists felt wet because they were coated with blood where the shackles had held his unconscious body weight. He moved to take a step and was startled by the sharp sound of chains reverberating in the plain room. To his dismay, he found his feet were bound, too, with the chains to the shackles bolted into the cement floor.
It was a painful relief to shift his weight onto his feet, but it helped his wrists a little. It was chilly in the room, but that was partially due to the fact that he was only wearing his blue jeans. Everything else had been stripped away. There was nothing in front of him, and that bare lamp to the side, so he craned his sore neck to look behind him. As the Blue Ranger twisted, a stabbing pain made his breath catch in his throat. He had almost forgotten about the knife wound to his side.
The best Billy could see was a tan form in a white tank top and black jeans tied to a chair. It had to be their leader, but he wasn't moving. A closer inspection revealed that one of the forearms tied behind his back was twisted grossly out of shape. "Tommy…" he whispered loudly, not wanting to call attention to the fact that he was awake, "Tommy!" The White Ranger did not move. Before Billy could do any more, the door clicked unlocked and opened, revealing his captor.
It was a well-built male with jet black skin and blinding white hair in a flat-top buzz cut. The irises of its eyes were white, but the pupils were black, taking away any hope that it might actually be blind. It wore simple gray armor that stood out against the dark skin and moved with a purpose. It strode up to the Blue Ranger, who stood tall and faced it in the chains. "Ah, I see you're awake. Excellent."
It reached behind Billy and picked up a long, slender switch from a small table. The stick was as black as the one holding it, and the monster slapped it onto the palm if its other hand. "My name is Cruelty, and I have a question for you, Blue Ranger." Billy straightened and stared straight ahead, looking past the monster. It walked behind him and raised the cane. "Would you like to know what that question is?" Before Billy could answer, it brought its arm down, whipping the cane over his bare back. The crack echoed through the empty room.
Billy's whole body flinched in pain, and he felt the first hot drop of blood sliding down his back from the mark. It walked around to his front and looked at him, victory on its features. Billy calmed himself slightly and gave it the answer, "No, I wouldn't." The smug look turned to anger as it registered what he had said.
"Are you sure?" It again moved behind him and brought the cane down on the muscular back.
Billy's whole body rocked with the impact, but he answered defiantly again, "I'm sure…and you'll get nothing from me." The Blue Ranger squeezed his eyes shut and another blow struck. It paused long enough to allow Billy to relax a bit, then brought the wood down even harder. Billy clamped his teeth shut to prevent a cry from escaping. Another blow echoed into the room and he broke into a sweat.
"Well," it sneered between strikes, "I am going to tell you anyway." It hit Billy again, who was outright panting now. "I want you to give me…" the next mark crossed two of the others and Billy jerked, "…your power coins." The switch cracked again and the Blue Ranger pulled futilely on the shackles, causing his wrists to bleed more. "Once you do that," the wood cut deeper than the other times, "I'll end it quickly." Another hit and the Blue Ranger sagged in the chains, breathing hard.
No way could he allow their power coins into this monster's hands. If it gave them to Rita and Zedd, their powers would be increased exponentially. They would have no problem enslaving the occupants of Earth, and then spreading out from there. Even if Cruelty didn't give the coins to its makers, it would become an even more dangerous monster, and that was hard to imagine at this point. What would it do with the powers of the colors, if it was nothing but evil now? He shuddered at the thought.
It walked around, squatted down, and looked up into Billy's blue eyes hazed with agony. "Well?" Cruelty asked sweetly. The black cane was glistening in the lamplight with his blood, almost pretty except for the context. To the monster's surprise, Billy took a deep breath and stood up straight, again looking ahead. Anger crossed its features again and it stood, speaking softly right into Billy's ear, "You'll regret that, Blue Ranger." It moved around behind him again and began raining blows down indiscriminately.
The wet cracks of the cane were deafening, and the pain was beyond bearable. But Billy would not cry out, no matter what happened, and give this creature the satisfaction. He had come very close at times, having to jerk his wrists in the shackles to shift his awareness to them, and hold off the scream. He was tensed and covered in sweat, squeezing his eyes shut and gritting his teeth against the torture, tears running down his face. His analytical mind knew it was only a matter of time before his brain shut down from the pain stimulus, but he hoped with all his being it was sooner than later.
As the strikes continued, his mind began to notice other things, like the feel of warm blood soaking his jeans down the back of his legs, and how the floor he was standing on was so smooth under his bare feet. He was grateful when his vision got dark and he began to lose feeling in his body. His body was finally giving out, his mind mercifully allowing it to shut down. He was finally dying.
It was then that the blows stopped. The monster was panting from the effort, and pissed off that Billy hadn't broken. Cruelty put the cane down and moved to Billy's front. The Blue Ranger was hanging in the shackles, blood dripping down his forearms and soaking into the legs of his jeans. His brows were furrowed in pain and he was panting heavily, but he still had not cried out once. It picked up a small knife from the table and tapped it gently on Billy's cheek. The Blue Ranger looked at it, trying to focus his blue eyes.
The black-skinned evil drew back the knife, point directly towards Billy's heart. The Blue Ranger mustered his remaining strength and stood up, facing death bravely and gratefully. It must have read his intentions, because it simply smiled and moved over to the sitting form of the White Ranger. Billy strained to watch it, hoping Tommy would stay blissfully unconscious to his end. Cruelty drew back and punched Tommy hard in the jaw with a black fist, knocking him awake. The Blue Ranger looked away, not wanting to watch what was coming.
Tommy jerked in the chair once he realized he was bound, but growled at the intense pain from his broken right arm. He looked up with angry brown eyes and startled when Cruelty was right in his face. "Glad you could join us," it hissed, moving out of the way and gesturing with the knife at the chained man standing before them. Tommy looked at the beaten body with horror, at first not recognizing the chiseled shape. As his gaze moved up, he recoiled when he identified the sandy blond hair and proud posture.
"Screw you," was all the White Ranger could muster, sickened that the most innocent of them all had been subjected to such a barbaric torture.
Billy bowed his head, knowing the creature was now going to win and that he was going to be the cause of it. Any of the Rangers could handle personal defeat, but as soon as the welfare of another was in jeopardy, they acceded. He had become the leverage against Tommy the monster wanted. The Blue Ranger cursed himself for not dying before Tommy was brought into this. Behind him, Cruelty smiled, knowing what Billy knew.
"You two were the only ones still moving, so I figured you could give me what I want." Tommy tried to lunge at the monster, tugging on his bonds and even moving the chair a little. "Your friend here takes to pain surprisingly well, so I guess you'll have to tell me." It moved like lightening and drove its fist across Tommy's face, whipping his head to the side. When he sat up again, he was bleeding from the mouth and his long hair was around his shoulders, the tie broken.
"What I want to know is," it punched Tommy again with the force of an elephant, knocking him and the chair backwards, "where are your power coins?" It put its foot on the chair and pulled Tommy into the upright position again.
Tommy knew the same thing Billy did, that it was not an option for this creature to get hold of those coins. He answered by spitting blood right into its face. Cruelty yelled in rage as it wiped its face off and took hold of Tommy's throat, squeezing hard. The White Ranger struggled to breathe past the crushing hand, rasping for air as he tried to free his hands. Spots appeared in his vision and the blood roared in his ears, but Cruelty let him go. He gasped, trying to regain himself, as it walked toward Billy. It smiled at him as it took hold of the poisonous knife blade still imbedded in the Blue Ranger.
In all the torture, Billy had forgotten about that annoying pain in his side. The ferocity of the agony caught him completely off guard and he cried out as Cruelty twisted the blade, throwing his head back in anguish. The black monster twisted the blade again, and Billy's scream turned from expressing the pain to begging for it to cease. Tommy yelled for the monster to stop and tried to get at it, even though he was tied to the chair. It let go of the knife and Billy sagged, tears once again on his cheeks and panting. He had failed by crying out, and Cruelty was enjoying it immensely.
Tommy was seething, the hatred practically radiating off him. Cruelty said cheerfully, "Give me what I want and this will be over quickly." Tommy pulled at his bonds again and groaned in pain as one of the broken bones popped. The black-skinned monster smiled at his efforts, "I must say, I'm truly impressed by both of you. But the longer you wait to tell me…" It spit in its hand and smeared the acidic saliva over Billy's back. The Blue Ranger flinched in the bonds and sucked air through his teeth, but otherwise stayed quiet.
Tommy glared daggers at their captor, slowly moving his broken arm in the bonds and using the pain to help him focus. "It's too bad more of you didn't make it. That Yellow one would have been fun to work with, but she passed out too quickly." It walked slowly around the room as it taunted them with the fate of their teammates. "The Black one was hardly worth killing, he was completely useless." It stopped to look into Billy's eyes, "The Red one had some fire though…oh well." Billy dropped his gaze so Cruelty wouldn't see the pain of their loss in his eyes.
It sauntered over to Tommy who was just aching to get out of the bonds and at the monster. "Oh, but that Pink one, I shouldn't have killed her so soon, she would have been…" Tommy's brown eyes burned with rage, "…quite pleasing for awhile."
That last comment cut Tommy to the bone, he had to take a deep breath to distract himself from the memory of the last time he saw his beloved Kimberly. The amount of blood coming out, and how still she was, he felt her loss as keenly as any. He loved her, and now she was gone, before he had a chance to tell her. Cruelty lived up to its name, saying, "What's the matter? Was she somebody to you?" Tommy only closed his eyes and swallowed the lump in his throat.
Their captor stretched languidly and stated, "Well, you have one more chance to tell me, before you lose another loved one." It grabbed a fistful of Billy's blond hair and yanked his head back, exposing his vulnerable throat. The blade of the knife was cold against his flushed skin and the Blue Ranger tried to rein in his fear. Cruelty spoke slowly and deliberately, "Where are the power coins?"
Tommy set his jaw and pulled uselessly against the ropes holding him. Cruelty let the blade cut into Billy's neck slightly and the Blue teenager stiffened. Tommy couldn't bear to watch another one of his friends killed, least of all the kind, quiet one. He opened his mouth to give an answer, but Billy's smooth tenor voice spoke over him. With a heartbreakingly accepting tone, the blond said, "No, my friend."
Whatever the long-haired teen was going to say caught in his throat at Billy's denial. The Blue Ranger knew it meant his death, and was still willing to accept the consequences of his defiance. Tommy's heart swelled with pride and panic as Cruelty smiled and drew the blade back in preparation for plunging into the beaten Ranger's chest. Tommy screamed, "No!" in a futile effort to stay his enemy's hand.
The White Ranger roared as he tore his broken arm from the bonds, freeing his other hand. Cruelty was so shocked Tommy got loose, it didn't move when it should have. Tommy dived at the monster's legs, trying to knock it away from Billy. On the way down, he ripped the knife from its grasp with his good hand and flipped it around, all in one smooth motion. He buried the shining blade in one of the white eyes, twisting it for good measure.
A cry erupted from the fallen beast as it twitched once then lay unmoving, a look of shock still on its face. Tommy pulled the knife from its head and sliced the ropes off the chair he had dragged with him in his attack. A panicked, "Tommy!" came from above and he stood, cradling his right arm. As the two had gone down, Cruelty had dealt one last blow by slicing into the side of the Blue Ranger's neck. Blood was pouring down his shining shoulder, glistening in the lamp light.
"Oh no," Tommy said raggedly as he looked around for something to stop the bleeding. He whipped off his tank top and held it tightly against Billy's neck, stemming the flow a bit. After a quick search, he found the keys to the shackles on Cruelty's belt and unlocked one arm at a time. Billy fell distressingly limp against his friend, and Tommy gently lowered him to the ground. He unlocked the gentle Ranger's ankles and then turned all his attention to stopping the blood flow. Billy was weakly holding the shirt, the red rapidly spreading to cover the white.
"Billy! Don't you go now…Billy! We just beat the bad guy…hang on, buddy." Tommy was beside himself. It looked like the cut had just barely nicked an artery, and while there wasn't spurting, if he didn't get the bleeding stopped soon, it wouldn't matter.
"T-Tommy…" the blond began, his words catching as another wave of pain passed through his bloody back against the cold floor.
"Don't speak, save your strength," the leader of the Rangers responded, pressing firmly on the reddening shirt and looking around for the rest of their clothes and communicators.
"No," Billy panted, "b-behind you." The Blue Ranger saw it, but could not warn his friend in time.
Cruelty rose up behind Tommy with the discarded knife and plunged it into his kidney, laughing. "You thought that would kill me? You pathetic creature." It pulled the knife out and moved to strike again.
Tommy grunted in pain, but forced himself to turn around and face his attacker. The only thing in reach was the chair, and he took hold of it with his good hand. They both stood, the White Ranger staggering a bit from his new injury. They moved at the same time, like two wild beasts stuck in a cage together. The chair smashed into bits against the black monster and caused him to miss his slash. Tommy took one of the sharper broken fragments and drove the wood into Cruelty's chest, knocking him down.
When Tommy leaped on it, the beast slashed upwards, opening a gash along Tommy's good arm. The two grappled over the knife when Cruelty suddenly lost some mobility and concentration. The long-haired black belt took advantage of the lag and pried the knife from its fingers, plunging it directly into the throat. It let out a gurgling laugh and said, "That won't kill me."
"Yeah?" Tommy began to saw through the soft tissue brutally. "Maybe this will." Cruelty screamed as the blade hit its spinal column and stuck. Tommy used his good arm against his body for leverage and snapped the neck, separating it completely from the body. There was one last gurgle and Tommy rolled the head across the room. For good measure, he wrenched the blade from the spine and buried it into the still heart, right beside the hole from the chair fragment.
Panting, he rolled off and was shocked to see Billy holding the bottom half of the body. It was he who had distracted Cruelty at the crucial moment and given Tommy the chance to get the upper hand. But at what cost? He was laying over the legs face down and not moving. The White Ranger rolled his friend off and was perturbed to see that not only had Billy's bleeding not stopped, but the shirt was soaked, useless, and across the room. Tommy moved to fetch the shirt, but cried out as he dropped, the knife wound in his back finally catching up with him. He fell beside his friend.
They two teenagers looked at one another with a strange combination of victory and defeat. Billy didn't even have the strength to hold his hand to his neck, and the flow was slowing a bit with his heartbeat. Tommy could feel the hot pool of black blood growing under him, the cut to his organs had indeed been deep. Brown eyes met blue and they exchanged weak smiles.
"It has been an extreme honor and pleasure to serve beside you, my friend," Billy said softly, no strength left to do otherwise. He closed his eyes briefly against another wave of pain, but it was soon over. All the sensations from his beaten back, the poisoned blade in his side and the laceration on his neck were fading to a pleasant buzz.
"I've never been so lucky as to have known you. Thank you." Tommy felt the heat of his body escaping with the blood and began to shiver slightly. He couldn't feel his right arm at all, and even the pain in his heart for failing the entire team as their leader was beginning to lessen. "I-I'm sorry I couldn't s-stop…" his words faded away as Billy smiled in forgiveness.
Neither of them knew if any of the others survived, nor would they ever. They each only hoped that the Power Rangers, those who still breathed, would live out full and happy lives. They regretted not being able to say goodbye, but perhaps it was better if they were not seen in this condition. That was no way to remember a friend.
Tommy suddenly stopped shivering and turned a calm look toward the Blue Ranger. Billy's unseeing eyes stared at him, and he could swear he saw a blue aura drift up from the broken body. His own lids got heavy and he felt a warm, bright light calling to him. After such a long fight, it was time to go home. Tommy closed his eyes.
The End