Chapter 2: Cranston Syndrome
"Excuse me?" Billy asked.
"I said, tell me everything about this Cranston Syndrome. Leave nothing out."
He winced, then replied, "It'll take a little while. Might want to sit down."
The Rangers all found places to sit near Zordon, then Adam motioned for Billy to start.
"This disease...the first outbreak of it was three years ago, in Angel Grove park. A group of elementary school children were there for a yearly picnic. According to Andrea Woods, Clairie's teacher at the time, everyone there heard a loud boom, right at noon. One of the student teachers and some of the children were knocked off their feet immediately after that. The student teacher, by the way, was Catherine Hart, Kimberly's mother."
There was a moment of surprise from Tommy and Kat at that little fact.
"Mrs. Hart found 6 children, all in different conditions. By the end of the day, four were struck mute, but were in stable condition. One became catatonic and another that had been in the same state died within 2 hours. Before the end of the year, there was only one survivor. At that time, the doctors made an official announcement about the incident. They claimed that the kids were caught up in an explosion, but they also said that it was a previously undiscovered disease. They named it after my sister: Cranston Syndrome." He winced as he spoke, "Like I explained to the others, Zordon, I can't help but cringe every time those two words are in the same breath, even from me. It's not a nice feeling."
"Wait a minute," Adam said, "The doctors said there was an explosion they were caught up in. Was there really?"
"No. Mrs. Hart and Mrs. Woods both said there was none, just the loud boom."
"How many outbreaks have there been of this disease?"
"Including the first one? Four of them. In the other three, no one survived. From all the data, children between the ages of 6 to 11 have been attacked by it. The reason it's called a regional disease is because only people from Angel Grove and people who moved here long ago have been hit by it. Also, every time an outbreak happens, there's always a loud explosive sound. It's nicknamed 'Silent Death' for a reason. Onset is always becoming suddenly mute. Those that don't die instantly become increasingly fatigued. Sometime later, the kids become catatonic...and within one week after that, they die."
"Exactly when was the first outbreak? Do you remember what day?"
"There's no way I'd ever forget. It was two days after we became Power Rangers and first fought Rita. Clairie's birthday was the previous weekend, on Sunday."
"Exactly three years, one week and two days ago," Tommy inserted, voice grim.
Billy's eyes widened. "Yes, it is," he agreed in surprise, "and last week was when you became the Zeo Rangers, and I stepped down, becoming an advisor."
"I don't like the way this is coming together," Adam put in.
"Yeah, this smells like monsters to me," Tommy agreed.
"That is a possibility," Zordon agreed., "It might be possible to find out the true cause behind Cran-"
"CS!" Rocky exclaimed.
"Huh? Come again?" Tanya asked.
"Folks call muscular dystrophy MD and cerebal palsy CP. Calling this disease by its full name all the time's not a good idea," he explained, nodding to Billy, "So how about we call this one CS or Silent Death?"
"I wouldn't mind," he answered with a grateful nod.
"Very well. It might be possible to find out the true cause of CS."
"Before you go on, there's something I want to ask you...all of you."
"I believe I know what it is, Billy."
He nodded and looked at all of them. The pain and despair from before was very clear in his eyes, but there was something else entering them as well: the sense that he didn't know if he dared to hope.
"I'm not going to ask you this as a former Power Ranger, as an advisor, or any of that. This is only as myself, Billy Cranston," he continued, "Will you please help my sister Clairie?"
There was a pause before Zordon replied, "Yes. We will do everything we can to try to save her, especially if monsters are involved."
He nodded and said quietly, "Thank you."
"This is on two conditions, however."
"What are they?"
"Is she a model child and trustworthy?"
"You're asking if she can keep things a secret."
"Yes."
"Yes, she can. Back when Kimberly and I accidentally switched bodies, she told me that Clairie figured out that I...wasn't myself. She also said she wouldn't tell anyone...except for me, of course." He blinked and added, "She can't speak but she can write and we both learned sign language soon after the incident with Gnarly Gnome."
Tommy laughed, "How'd your sister figure that out?"
Billy turned beet red as he replied, "She said that both our typical speech patterns were grossly inaccurate, regardless of our attempts to do otherwise. She also said that Kim walked like a guy and that I walked like a girl."
The others laughed at this, including Alpha.
"Laugh it up," he grumbled, "It's not that funny..."
After a minute to settle down, Zordon continued, "It's good that Clairie can be trusted with a secret. The medical equipment here is capable of detecting various things that Earth-based one cannot. However, moving most of it to a hospital or to the Cranston residence will be impossible."
Tanya asked, with wide eyes, "Are you saying we'll have to bring her here? To the Power Chamber?"
"Yes."
"What about our identities? It's always been a rule to keep them secret."
"In this case, it's unavoidable. Is that what you're telling us? That's why you asked if Clairie can keep a secret."
"Yes, Billy. That is exactly what I am saying. The other condition is this: You, as the Power Rangers, will need to get permission from Billy and Clairie's family before bringing her here. As dire as this situation is, I will not condone a kidnapping."
"Count on it, Zordon, " Tommy replied, "We'll get that permission, then be back here."
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Before leaving the Command Center, they had all morphed and teleported across the street from Billy's house. Tommy went over the plan again, and at the same time, he thought back to the conversation in the Power Chamber just moments before.
"Okay, you all know what to do?"
"Yeah, we talk to Mr. and Mrs. Cranston and get permission to take Billy's sister with us," Kat replied, "And Billy stays here."
"Exactly. You need to get things set up in case we get the green light from your parents." Tommy agreed.
"It's just my father, actually," Billy corrected, "My mom, Marie Cranston, died in an auto accident a month after Clairie's onset."
"Oh...I'm sorry."
"That's all right, none of you knew about it. It's not something I discuss much. Oh, if you do get father's permission," Billy asked, "Can you get Cosima?"
"Cosima? What's that?" Kat asked.
"It's a stuffed doll in female jester's clothing and a blue star on its back."
"Her favorite, huh? Ok, I'll look for it."
He nodded gratefully. "I don't want this thing killing any more children, or causing more like my sister."
"Everyone ready?" Tanya asked.
"Yeah!"
Tommy nodded and answered, "Then here we go," then rang the doorbell.
Just pray that his father will listen to us, Rocky thought. Before them stood the familiar, eyeglass wearing teacher. However, his normally well-groomed hair was disheveled and his eyes were as red as his son's.
"The Power Rangers? This would normally be a surprise, but I have to admit, you picked a bad time to visit. My daughter's dying and my son's gone missing."
Tommy answered, "Yes, we know. That's what we want to talk to you about. May we come in, sir?"
That very sentence surprised Mr. Cranston, who numbly nodded. The group went inside and sat down in the living room, the Rangers sitting on the couch, while Billy's father sat in a chair in front of them.
"Now, you said you know about what happened. How?"
"The reason that Billy went missing," Katherine replied, "is because he found a way to contact us. We went to meet with him, and he explained everything."
"Everything? Even about Clairie's condition?"
"Yeah," Adam put in, "He asked us for help. We started putting some of the puzzle pieces together about this, and it already looks like monsters are behind it."
"Where is he now?"
"He's at our base, helping with something."
Mr. Cranston nodded and said, "I'm glad Billy's safe. He's got to be taking this pretty hard, he really loves his sister."
"Sir," Tommy said, "Another part of why we came here is because we want to do everything we can to save Clairie, and for that, we need your help, and your permission."
"Of course I'll help. I don't want my daughter to die either." He paused, then asked, "Permission for what?"
"The equipment at our base is pretty hi-tech, but it also can't be moved," the Red Ranger replied, "if it were possible, we would-"
He caught on quickly. "You're asking permission to take her with you."
"Yeah," was the quiet answer.
"I take it there's little to no chance on me going with her?"
"You'd be right," Tanya replied, "Sorry."
"But Billy's gonna be there with her," Rocky reassured, "and we'll keep you posted on her condition."
Mr. Cranston thought for a moment, then asked, "You're sure taking her's the only way?"
"Positive."
He sighed, then nodded. "All right. She's in her room."
Tommy replied, "Thanks. Pink, could you-"
"Sure," was the answer as Kat got up.
"Her room's upstairs, first door on the left, across from Billy's." Mr. Cranston thought, then added, "Diary..."
"Hm?"
"Clairie always writes in two diaries, pink for good days, blue for bad. I might be grasping at straws, but maybe you'll find some more clues in both of them. I know she wrote in the blue one the day that this first happened to her. They're in the top dresser drawer. Blue diary's underneath a picture of Billy."
"You heard him," Tommy added to Kat, then said to Billy's father, "Thanks a lot, sir. We'll need all the clues we can get to save her, and maybe solve the mystery behind Cranston Syndrome."
Kat nodded and quickly went upstairs, following the directions to reach her room. She first opened the drawer that he mentioned and found the pink diary on the top and the blue one underneath a picture of Billy, sitting outside with a warm, gentle smile and a little girl in his lap.
She turned and found the little girl from the picture on the bed. She was wearing a green nightgown, and her shoulder-length hair, the same color as Billy's, was a bit disheveled. The only parts of her that were moving was her chest when breathing and her eyes that blinked normally.
"Hey," she said quietly, "I dunno if you can hear me or not, but don't be scared. I'm going to take you to your brother."
As she walked to the bed and started to bend, she saw the point of what looked like a blue cloth star.
"Is that...?"
She moved the blanket and uncovered a stuffed doll, made of cloth, in silver jester clothes that felt like silk.
It is!
She took the doll and put it and the diaries on the child's chest, and then gently picked her up, then slowly went downstairs.
In the living room, Mr. Cranston was on the phone with someone.
"Yes. Billy's going to be staying home for a few days. I'm just glad he was found when he was. All right, I'll let you know. Goodbye." he hung up then said to Kat, "That was Mr. Caplan I was talking to. Everything's set up where Billy's concerned at school, so can you let him know when you see him?"
"Count on it," Tommy answered, "Thanks a lot, Mr. Cranston."
"You're welcome." He looked at Katherine and smiled. "Looks like Billy mentioned Cosima. It's her favorite doll. He got it for her birthday last year."
"Yes, he made sure I knew what she looked like."
"That sounds just like him. Oh, also, I made arrangements to pick up his daily homework. Just come by about one hour after school ends and I'll give them to you."
"We will," Tanya agreed, "I think he'd really appreciate that."
The communicators went off. Before anything could be said, Tommy said, "Time to go. Best to teleport from here, if that's ok."
"Agreed, you'd probably make a scene otherwise. Keep me informed about my son and daughter, all right?"
"Sure thing."
"Good luck."
With that, the Rangers teleported out with the child.
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When Tommy and the others arrived in the Power Chamber, both Alpha and Billy were near the center of the main room, waiting.
"Looks like you got my father's permission," he stated, although there was a questioning tone to it.
"Yeah, we did. He also pointed out a couple of things that might give us some clues," Tommy answered and walked over to Katherine, taking the two books and handing them to Billy.
The young man took the items, then said in a alarmed tone, "These are Clairie's diaries!"
Adam saw the expression on Billy's face and replied, "Yeah, I know how you feel, but this is no time to be a gentleman."
"I'm sorry. You're right, father would not have suggested taking them without a good reason. Did he suggest which one to start with?"
"Yeah, the blue one, the day this thing hit her."
"Rangers, we must get started right away," Zordon cut in, "Katherine and Alpha, go to the medical bay and begin preliminary examinations on Clairie. Also get the intravenous ready."
"Right away, Zordon!" Alpha answered, "The medical bay is this way!" He then walked to the door in the northwest, with Kat behind him.
Billy made a face, then sat down on the floor.
"Is something the matter?"
"I suppose this is one time I should be grateful that she's...like this," he answered, "Clairie has trypanophobia."
"She's got what?" Adam asked.
"That means she's afraid of needles."
"Yes, exactly," Billy replied, giving Zordon a grateful nod. He then opened the blue diary and started to go through the entries, looking for a date that he knew by heart.
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Katherine entered the medical bay and went to the examining bed that Alpha had waved at. It looked like a large, rectangular slab of metal, but at one end it had a pillow, and on the wall nearby was a a cabinet and a table. Near the middle of the bed was a piece of metal, full of screens, knobs and switches that went from one end to the other in a high arc. On the other side of the bed was equipment that the Pink Ranger recognized was used for IVs. To the right of that was another table that was Alpha's height. On that table was a console and control panel.
"Looks like you really were busy while we were at his house," she remarked.
"Yes. We all guessed that Billy's father would give his permission. All right, put her down gently."
She complied, making sure that the child was comfortable.
"You'll have to take the doll off of the bed while I start the examination," he added, sounding regretful.
"Oh. I forgot," she replied and picked up the jester doll, then put it on the nearby table and stood back.
"Activating scanners," he continued, "Recording equipment is turned on. Katherine, activate the intercom system for the main room."
"Got it," she answered and went to the intercom on the wall and did precisely that.
"Zordon, we're ready to begin."
"Good. Begin by running a general scan, then check her brain for activity. We need to confirm the catatonic state."
"Right away," the automaton agreed and began tapping at the controls. As he did so, the metal arc began slowly moving upwards from the center of the bed towards Clairie's head, humming as it went. Once it was over the top of her head, the device stopped moving, but continued to emit a low level hum.
After a moment, Alpha jerked backwards, his usual way of showing that he was shocked. "This can't be right," he said, "I'll run it again." He tapped at the controls and waited another moment, while the brain scan was done a second time.
"Ai yi yi! Zordon! You're not going to believe this!"