Chapter Nine: Survival, Old Friends, Teaching
As time passed on the island, our group dwindled down to six. Myself, Anton, Dr. Harrison Moore and his assistant, Carol Hunter, Dr. Franklin Prince and his assistant, Henry Jones, and Dr. Norman Marks and his two assistants, Harold Clarkson and Matthew Long.
Dr. Julius Reed had married his assistant Rachel Lee. They left the island for their wedding and honeymoon. Dr. Leigh Li's mother died during our first year and she and her assistant, Marshall Samson left and never returned. Dr. Kevin Rodgers and his assistant, Christopher Michaels not only feel in love but had an ethical disagreement with Anton, Dr. Moore, Dr. Prince, and Dr. Marks. They believed what we were doing was wrong. Apparently they had seen Jurassic Park and saw the flaws with our research. I had to admit that they were right. The dinosaurs had their time and now was ours. Dr. Rodgers brought forth questions, where would we put the animals, will they be able to adapt to the new worlds diseases, will they be hunted for game, how will they effect our eco system and there were many more. So, Dr. Rodgers and his lover left the island.
Despite losing over half of our researchers, our work flourished. We were able to make the drones completely submissive to orders, lock away five dinosaurs powers in gems in a way that they could only be used by people they sensed was worthy, and bring dinosaurs back to life by combining their DNA into the machines we had created.
It wasn't long after our research was complete, that Mesogog made himself known to us. He attacked our laboratories.
At the beginning of Mesogog's attack, we were separated from Anton and I had believed him killed. For days myself and the others hid in the deep jungle of our island. We pieced together whatever survival skills we each owned to survive. Dr. Moore, whose specialty were plants, found food and water for us. Dr. Prince, an engineer and his assistant built our temporary shelters. Dr. Marks and his assistants made our weapons and helped fight. They were all surprised by my skills as a martial artist and quickly made me in charge of combat.
For the first three days, we were not discovered, but on the forth day, the drones found us. They attacked our temporary camp in the early day while we were all resting from a night of watching out for our enemy. It was the painful cry of Henry Jones that woke us. Carol, Dr. Prince, and Dr. Moore ran while the rest of us stood and fought. We lost not only Henry that day, but Matthew as well.
Afterwards, we had a small funeral and became more vigilant. I myself barely slept, only taking small naps here and there.
Another, four days passed before we were discovered again. This time we were more prepared but we lost Dr. Marks.
By the next day, Mesogog had sent out most of his troops to find and kill us. They were able to kill Dr. Moore. And with only one of us killed that day, Mesogog decided to destroy the whole island.
It started with slight tremors, growing into earthquakes. A huge sink whole opened up, swallowing Carol.
Now there were only Dr. Prince, Harold and I.
My final day on the island was just as bad as the previous days, but made ten times worse by Mesogog himself discovering our location. He gave poor Harold a migraine so bad, that it caused blood vessels to explode in his head. Before this, I never seen anything to merciless. Blood had not only dripped from Harold's ears, but his eyes, nose, and mouth. It was a horrifying sight. It was so horrifying that I could not move and it took Dr. Prince's demanding voice to get me to move again.
I ran from the clearing where Harold lay died. I ran until my lungs burned and I was forced to stop. It was then that I noticed the Dr. Prince had not followed me and it took me a moment to remember that he hand placed himself between Mesogog and myself. He had sacrificed his own life to save mine.
After a short rest, I began to run again, only to come into contact with the drones. I stopped and fought them for a moment before running off again. I came to a cliff at the very edge of the island. Taking a deep breath I jumped off the side and swam. I swam as far as I could away from the island. I turned in time to see it sink. The earthquakes were Mesogog's doing. He destroyed the island and with it sank the bodies of my colleagues.
I do not remember how long I was stranded in the deep ocean with my hands clutched tightly to the one thing I was able to take with me, a single bag. Inside the bag were three gems. The red, yellow, and blue Dino gems. I don't even think Mesogog realized I had them. I didn't even take them. It was brave old Dr. Prince who had thought quickly to save some of our research.
It seemed like weeks, but it must have only been days when a rescue ship came. I SOS beacon must have been sent from the island.
After my rescue, I was unconscious for days. I woke up in a hospital in California. Hayley beside my bed. She had informed me that I had been found dehydrated and practically starved to death. She said it was a miracle that I survived. She also told me that she had the gems and had hidden them in a safe place.
I was relieved that the gems were safe. I did not know if Mesogog survived the sinking of the island or not.
I thanked my friend before she left to put the final touches on her business she had decided to create.
When she left, the guilt started. I was unable to save my colleagues and friends. I felt responsible for all of their deaths. I was a former Power Ranger. I should have been able to protect them from the monsters. For the first time in years, I cried for such a tragic lost.
While my body recovered, I feel into a deep depression. I only ate because Hayley was such a forceful woman and wouldn't allow me starve.
One day, she came into my room. In fact, she stormed in.
"Thomas Oliver, you need to stop this," she said harshly. "It wasn't your fault."
"I should have been able to save them," I argued.
Hayley scoffed and put her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes.
"You are no longer a Power Ranger," she said in a harsh whisper. "There was nothing you could do. In fact, you did the best you could under the circumstances."
I remained silent for a moment. I hated that she was right. There was nothing else I could do. At that moment I came up with the best solution I could.
Hayley had told me that while I was gone there had been another group of Power Rangers, the Ninja Storm Rangers and it had been a two years since they fought their enemy. The world was unprotected. I made a decision. Using the Dino Gems, I would create my own Power Rangers.
"Hayley, if Mesogog is still out there, the earth is going to need protection," I said. "I need you to contact my friend Billy Cranston."
"Billy the first Blue," Hayley said in awe.
Before I had gone to the island, Billy had returned to Earth. His romance with the Aquatar Princess had fizzled out years before. He had stayed the water planet for years studying there technology. I knew that he would be able to help.
"You're going to need his help with making power morphers and zords. I know that you are smart and probably do most of it on your own, but Billy has experience."
"I wasn't going to protest, it will be an honor to work with him," Hayley said with a slight blush.
Hayley had little trouble contacting Billy and after I was released from the hospital; my old friend greeted me at her apartment. There we came up with plans and designs for power morphers and Command Center.
I moved to Reefside. I had found a house above some old, undiscovered caves. The caves were to be converted into a Command Center.
"Are you sure about this?" Hayley asked one day when we were all standing in a cavern that was under my home.
"Yes, this needs to be done. I can't let Mesogog destroy the world," I answered remembering the island.
"Well, it will not take long for Hayley and me to create your Command Center," Billy said staring a little too long at Hayley.
I cleared my throat as he paused.
"Right," he said turning away from her. "We will construct two secret entrances. One going up to your home and another back entrance into the woods."
He walked around the area as he said this.
"Yes," Hayley said as she walked up to a large wall. "And the monitors will go here. Billy has made alien surveillance devices so you will be able to see around the city."
They continued to discuss their plans with me.
Billy was right, what should have taken at least a year to construct only took us a month. The Command Center and Morphers were finished. Billy left Reefside to Angel Grove, where he lived, with promises to keep in touch. I had a feeling the promise was more to Hayley than me.
Once settled, I decided a new career path was needed. I had gotten my doctorate, thanks to my work on the island and Anton's recommendations, and I did not want to spend my time working on digs and discovering fossils, traveling. I wanted to teach. I loved teaching. I discovered this when I was teenager and instructed Martial Arts and Self Defense classes back in Angel Grove.
I worked hard on obtaining my teaching degree, taking a year and half to do so. Once, I got my teaching certificate, I placed applications and resumes to the school board and was hired at Reefside High School.
It would be my first day that Mesogog would show his ugly head and three new Power Rangers would rise.
END of Ch. 9