Disclaimer: Don't own it…

Greetings from Florida, everyone! My Spring Break begun on Friday (April 7) after school and I was stuck in a car for two days as we drove down to my grandparents house in Florida. 18 hours in a car isn't exactly fun, but it has produced Chapter 11!

Recap: Steelix is back, and what exactly does Alex know? And the answer to everyone's question shall be answered shortly!

Here it finally is! Chapter 11!

The Awakening: A Broken Hallelujah

"This is driving me up the wall!" Z muttered as she sat down in the rec room and hastily picked up a magazine. "Grumm has never been this silent for this long."

Jack nodded in agreement. "I agree, it's been too long and too quiet since Grumm has even made the slightest peep." The Red Ranger sighed as he looked out the window of SPD Headquarters. "I… I have a feeling that Excavious as found Doomtron."

The Blue Ranger huffed. "As much as I hate to say it," Sky said. "I have to agree with you, Jack. It would explain why Grumm has been silent these past few days."

"Rangers," Commander Cruger said as he walked into the room. "Come with me, you all need to see something."

Curiosity rang out in all of their minds as they looked from one to another and followed the Commander out of the room.

On their way to the Command Center, an idea came to Bridge.

"Hey guys, I have a theory." The Green Ranger spoke up.

Syd turned to where Z stood besides her. "This should be interesting."

Bridge gave her a smirk. "Well, what if Grumm has left Earth?" He paused. "I mean, Grumm leaves, but that means Broodwing is still here. He has Excavious, and, for arguments sake, Excavious has Doomtron," Bridge thought for a moment. "But getting parts for Doomtron would need money, and if Excavious gets money from Broodwing, who will Broodwing get his money from if Grumm has left Earth?"

"Bridge," Sky spoke up. But the Green Ranger continued his ramble.

"So if Grumm leaves, then Broodwing wouldn't have any money. So if Broodwing doesn't have Grumm to get money from because Grumm left Earth, Broodwing will have to rob a bank…"

Cruger turned his head around. "Bridge…" he said louder than Sky. Again, Bridge kept on going.

"So if Broodwing tries to rob a bank, we'll capture him, then Excavious because he needs Broodwing to have money to buy parts for Doomtron." Bridge jumped with joy. "So if Excavious comes looking for Broodwing after we capture him we'll-"

"Bridge!" they all shouted at him, causing the Green Ranger to stop in his place and blush.

"Sorry," he chuckled. Z merely laughed and ruffled his hair.

Sky found himself laughing as well, and his eyes met Syd's. But she merely turned her head away from him. They hadn't spoken in days and after their argument a few days back, Syd refused to even look at her boyfriend. Sky sighed and began to walk towards her, and before Syd could enter Command, he took her aside.

"Syd, wait," he said. "Please."

Syd grabbed his hand and threw it off of her shoulder. "What do you want, Sky?" she growled. "The last time we talked you treated me like dirt!"

"Syd, please," Sky sighed as she fingered the ring in his pocket. "Please, just… let me explain why." He waited for a response from her, and he wasn't even sure of one would come.

"You wanted to see me, Jen?"

Jen sighed, and then reluctantly nodded. "Yes, I…" she bit her lip and turned to face the gray mutant. "I have some questions for you, Steelix."

The mutant nodded as he stepped forward and stood besides her at the balcony. "What do you want to know?" he asked.

It was not or never. "Do you remember escaping cryogenic detainment back in 2001? Back when Ransik was here?"

He blinked. "No, Jen. The last think I remember clearly was after we captured Conwing back in 2998, and I was injured. According to Captain Logan I was hurt so bad that I slipped into coma leaving you and Lieutenant," He paused to correct himself. "Major Drake alone for years. Only months ago did I awake and was briefed on the situation, and Admiral Watson sent me back in time after a few weeks of rehab and therapy. Why do you ask?"

She turned to him and eyed him for a few seconds, unsure of what to think. "The way I remember it, you sold the secrets to Ransik, you tried to destroy me in 2001. You came back in the year 2025 with Conwing to try and destroy SPD and my Rangers. You put me under a spell with Phantom56, the chemical you stole from SPD."

Steelix bowed his head. "If I did all this, when why is it that I do not remember this?"

"I assume Time Force re-wrote your memory after Memory Adaptation."

"Is there more, Jen?"

"Yes, but, I don't know if you want to hear it. It… gets darker." Jen looked back to Steelix who nodded. "After, or during I should say, when I was under the spell, you had ordered for the demise of Rangers, and I was the guinea pig for the assignment. Stuck in the middle of all this was Wes," Jen played with her thumbs as her voice dropped. "My fiancé. He was always so overprotective and all, but his heart was pure gold. But that day, he didn't deserve all the pain he went through, none of it."

"What happened to him?"

Jen glanced down at the chain that was around her neck, and resting on her chest was a diamond ring that she took into her palm. "Somehow, like the first time I was placed under that spell, Wes got me out of it. I never got to thank him, never got to say how much I loved him, and was sorry for all the pain I caused him." Jen looked back at Steelix. "The Steelix I remember, he somehow had a vest full of C4 attached to his chest. Once Wes broke me from the spell, you pulled the cord and everything went silent as the vest exploded, taking you, Wes, the Ranges and myself. They all survived, as you van see. All except Wes."

Steelix winced at the sound of her voice cracking. "What are you saying, that I killed Commander Collins?" Jen nodded silently. "Jen," he said amazed. "That's preposterous!"

Immediately, her head shot up and her voice changed. "What?"

"Like I said, I could have in no way killed Commander Collins. I just saw him-"

"Jennifer," she turned around to see Alex standing in the doorway with a file in his hand.

'Always interrupting at the wrong time,' Jen though. "What is it, Alex?"

"When you are through with your conversation, if you could please join me at in my office, I have some things that I think you should see. Thank you." He said and left abruptly.

There was silence for a few moments, and Steelix broke it with a chuckle. "Well, he hasn't changed much, has he?"

Jen immediately laughed and nodded in agreement. "No, he hasn't."

Steelix looked at her and smiled. "That's something I haven't seen on your face in a while," Steelix lifted his finger up to her chin and looked into her eyes. "Don't worry, Jen. Everything'll turn out fine, trust me."

The Pink Ranger smiled again and nodded. "Alright. The quicker we get Excavious back into custody, the quicker we get back home."

Steelix returned her smile. "That's what I wanted to hear," he said and drew in a breath, while extending his open hand. "Partners?" he asked her.

Jen started at him for a moment, trying to see past his grin. 'He truly is different.' She extended her hand and shook his. "Partners." Her handshake confirmed it.

Steelix grinned and hugged her for a few seconds and was happy to see Jen returned it and he released her, knowing that their friendship was renewed. 'Just like when we were younger, she always shined.'

"I must be off. Alex gets annoyed if you keep him waiting for too long," Jen said and turned on her heel, but paused. "I know one thing is for sure, Steelix."

"Oh?" the mutant asked. "What would that be?"

Jen's eyes trailed off towards the horizon and back to the spot where he stood. "We're one step closer to finally capturing Excavious."

With that, she was off, leaving Steelix alone on the balcony. He sighed. "The things I get myself into." He too looked off towards the horizon. "Only of you could see her, Commander. She's stronger than she was before you left."

"I expect a full report, Steelix." Came a voice over his comm..

"Yes, Sir. I'll report in now."

"Good, I expect everything went well with Captain Scotts?"

"Yes, Sir. We have her back with us."

"Excellent. Report back to HQ, I think it's about time we let the Rangers know exactly what we've been up to these past few weeks."

"Received, I'm on my way, Commander." Steelix closed the link and left. Once out of SPD Headquarters he made his way to a car and began to drive out of the city. There was an old rusted sigh that he passed, and four words faintly were written on them.

Welcome to Silver Hills

"Well, I'm still waiting for an explanation, Sky," Syd huffed at the Blue Ranger. "I have a meeting to attend."

Sky's fists curled into a ball inside his pockets. "Just… wait. Syd, you know I'm not that good at…" his frustration took over, and he paused. With his train of thought gone, Sky found trouble finding the right word.

"Apologizing?" she suggested and Sky nodded. "Now seems the right time to do it, eh?"

He sighed. "Yes, I think it is." He closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. "Syd," he said and felt his muscles relax. "Look, when I yelled at you, I didn't mean to. I've had a lot on my mind, lately."

"Oh?" she responded sarcastically. "Like what, for instance?"

Sky turned around and took a few steps back. "Millions of things…" he sighed and fingered the ring in it's velvet case. "This mission, my mom being back, Doomtron, Grumm, Excavious, my father being…" he stopped. "Other things. Just think of all that we've been through, Syd. After having my father being killed almost a year ago, I've been all sorts of crazy. But most of all," he said and stepped towards her again, but again, he shoved the ring back in his pocket. "I've been worried about you."

"You don't seem to show it, Sky." She muttered. "Not recently, anyhow."

"Listen, Syd," he said and took her hand. "I'm going to make it up to you, I promise. Once all this is done and over with, we'll go away, away from here, wherever you want."

Syd eyed him. "What's the catch?" Sky smiled as she jumped. "I knew there was a catch!"

"Come on, Ken and Barbie, let's go! We have work to do!" Jack called from inside the room. Sky rolled his eyes and turned back to Syd.

"I just need you to stick with me for these next few days, that's all." Sky's voice dropped. "Help me get through it, without doing anything dumb."

Syd smiled at him. "I do that good, don't I?" Sky nodded as he hugged her, happy to have this little tiff over and done with. With a triumphant step, they stepped forward into the Command Center and joined the rest of the Rangers.

Without warning, the building let out a violent shake, which threw all the Rangers off balance and crashing into one another.

"That wasn't normal," Z said as she helped Jack up. No sooner did they stand up, the room was painted with a red light, and alarms began blaring.

"Emergency! Emergency!"

"What the hell could he want now?" Jen asked herself, as she knocked on the door that lead to Alex's makeshift office. "Alex, it's me, Jen."

"Come in," his voice came from behind the door. Jen sighed as she opened the door and walked in to see Alex sitting down at his desk while typing away at his computer furiously.

"You wanted to see me?" she asked as she closed the door.

Alex sighed as he stood up with a file in hand. "Something's wrong, Jen." He handed it to her and encouraged her to open it. "It's… about your heart."

Jen felt all the color run from her face. "My… heart…" She muttered and opened it, her eyes glided over the lines as she read.

Captain Scotts-

It has come to our attention that the medication that you have been on for the past four weeks for your heart condition has become null and void, and we encourage that you stop taking the medication as soon as possible.

We received a blood sample from your doctors in your current location. After testing the blood, it was discovered that your heart condition…

"No longer exists?" Jen said as she looked at Alex, stupefied. "Define to me how that is wrong, Alex." She demanded.

"Everything about the whole instance is wrong, Jen." He said and walked towards the window. "Think about it. Your heart has been bad since you were given that Phantom56 stuff almost a year ago. Five months ago they were talking about you needing a heart transplant. How could your condition suddenly just… disappear?" Alex sighed as he handed her the file. "This is all your medical records that I had sent from TF Headquarters." He watched as Jen went through it. "There is nothing in there about a heart condition, yet we have records that you were indeed diagnosed with a heart problem and was put on recorded prescriptions."

Jen too was confused. "You're right, Alex." She said as she read through the prescriptions, but there was no logic for it. Something clicked in Jen's mind. "It would explain why I have felt fine."

"There's only one possible explanation for this," Alex sighed as Jen turned to him, and she knew the answer as well.

"The timeline's shifted," Jen said. "It has to be that. Would the rift wave all those months have anything to do with it?"

"I think that's what started this whole mess, actually. Something happened in time that shouldn't have. We still have people trying to find it. Whatever happened that caused that wave has either balanced itself out, or…" Alex trailed off.

Jen looked up from the file again. "Or what?"

Suddenly the floor beneath them shook violently, tossing Jen into Alex as they both fell to the floor. "What was that?" Alex said as the room was painted in red lights and alarms started blaring.

"Emergency! Emergency! All Rangers report to Central Command!"

"This can't be good," Jen muttered as she ran out of the room with Alex at her heels.

"What the hell is going on here?" Lucas demanded as Jen and Alex came careening into Central Command.

Katie grunted as she helped Trip up. "That was no normal quake!"

"Captain, we have a serious problem!" Kat announced to Jen as she ran into the room and almost fell as the floor shook violently again.

"What is it, Kat?" the Commander asked.

Kat sat down at a computer as the Rangers crowded around her. "We have reports of mutants downtown," she said and pulled up the screen.

"It could be Excavious," Trip said.

Jack stepped forward. "I agree. It's time we brought down these goons once and for all."

"Let's go, guys. It's now or never!" Katie spoke up as they ran out of the room.

All but Alex. He stood there and watched as they ran out. "Be careful, Rangers." He muttered. "Dr. Manx," he said. "Pull up the fight and monitor it." Alex turned his back and retreated to his office. "I have a phone call to make."

Within minutes, the Rangers came up to the area where there were reports of robots terrorizing downtown. Once the Time Force Rangers dismounted their cycles and the SPD Rangers climbed out of the Jeep, they began to circle around.

"Keep you heads up, guys. Excavious could be anywhere." Jen then turned to Katie, Trip and Lucas. "Go to scan mode."

Trip chuckled as he hit a button behind his ear and his glasses formed around his face. "Just like the old days."

Meanwhile, Jack turned to his team. "Alright, guys. Let's span out. Bridge," he turned to the Green Ranger. "Take the East side, Z, the West and Syd, I want you covering South."

"I assume I'm with you?" Sky asked and Jack nodded. "If you spot anything, no matter how small it may be, contact one of us."

Z turned to the others before she left. "Be safe, guys."

Behind them, Jen had finished giving her orders. "You guys know your assignments, fall out and be safe."

With a nod, the Rangers turned and left, in hopes of finally capturing Excavious, one and for all.

The room, like always, was dark. The only source of light came from the holoscreen. Alex removed his glasses and sat down at the computer and began to type in a series of coordinates and a message, and then he clicked send. Minutes later, a man's face appeared in the screen.

"I read you, Alex. Go ahead."

"Good to see. Is Steelix with you?"

The man nodded. "Yes, he is. He told me everything."

"Good, but I'm afraid to say, that we'll need you to come here sooner then expected. Excavious has… reanimated Doomtron, and the Rangers are out looking for them now."

"Received. Have you told the others yet?"

Alex shook his head. "No, I haven't."

The man sighed. "I hope it's not too much of a shock."

Alex mirrored his reaction and sighed as well. "Yea, me too. Until tomorrow, I must leave. I'll keep you updated if anything changed."

"Good, we'll leave tomorrow morning."

"Alright, Drake signing off." Alex said and cut the connection. He sighed as he put his head into his hands.

Tomorrow would be the day the truth was discovered, and there would be no more secrets. But for Alex, tomorrow couldn't come slower.

"Jack, report in," Jen said into her comm.

"Cadet Landers reporting. No sign of Excavious or Doomtron, Captain."

Jen let out a frustrated sigh. "Received, continue."

Hours passed without signs of Excavious, Broodwing or Doomtron. At about five o'clock, the Rangers grouped again in Butler Square to converse.

"We haven't seen any sign of them, Jen." Lucas spoke up. "Not a single sign."

Jen sat down on the ground and sighed. "Alright. Here's what we'll do. We'll search for another hour then-"

Suddenly the ground shook sending the Rangers flying into one another. Each grumbled as they stood up in a slight pain, but were soon covered with lasers.

"Greetings, Rangers!" Broodwing cheered. "I hope we haven't woken you up from your nap."

Sky stood up alongside his Rangers. "On the contrary, we were just about to come and find you."

"Brave boy," the bat muttered. "Anyway, I would like to introduce you all to a friend of mine."

A flash surrounded them as each Ranger felt the wind being knocked out of them. "How's that for a hello?" Excavious laughed. "We have been hard at work to revive a friend if yours, Rangers." He pressed a button on the controls and the ground shook again.

From a crack in the streets, a large bourbon colored robot emerged, and spanned about fifty feet in the air. It's red eyes and pointed claws were something all too familiar to the Time Force Rangers.

The Time Force Rangers looked from one to another, shock and fear clouded their faces. It was something they hadn't seen in almost twenty years, and brought back memories they had tried to forget.

The robot let out a shower of lasers at them again as they all crowed into an alleyway, bruised and battered.

"What is that thing?" Z panted.

Lucas grunted again as more lasers were fired and flew down on them. Only one word escaped his mouth as the rest of the Rangers looked to him.

"Doomtron…"

chapter 12 coming up soon!