DISCLAIMER: I own nowt
CHAPTER 5
Black And Blue
Standing within the building that had once felt more comfortable to him than his own home, Zach Taylor drew a silent breath deep into his lungs as feelings, he had spent so long trying to repress flooded his senses and threatened to crack the icy exterior that he had constructed to ensure his own survival, years ago
The emotional attachment he had felt to this place and everything associated with it had fallen away in what seemed like another lifetime and now all he could bring himself to feel for it was a cold nothingness as memories he barely recognised rattled aimlessly, and pointlessly around his empty soul.
This building… what lay within it and what it signified… to him and to his life, were all things Zach had found himself struggling to make sense of once the ties that had bound him to it had been broken, clarity had come slowly, like a fog lifting from his eyes but the anger and resentment that followed had taken hold in a second and hadn't released him from it's grip since.
Although Zach was still standing in the entrance way and was yet to lay eyes on the being that had seen fit to choose him over every other child in the world and had therefore chosen the path that his young life would go down, Zach could sense his presence and that alone caused temper to surge white hot through his chest .
What Zordon had taken from him… from all of them, no one had the right to take. Childhood decisions and mistakes where the right of the child alone, but Zordon had taken that right from each one of them and Zach knew without doubt that he would never forgive him for it… and one day he would make him pay!
Clenching his teeth together, Zach dragged his gaze over the faces of the 7 teenagers stood before him. The fact that they were once again gathered here together, on nothing more than the say so of a crazy man caused him to let out a snort of disgust at their inability to grow up, take control of their own lives and see the truth of the situation for what it really was- the Power Rangers weren't super heroes, in fact, as far as Zach was concerned, they were nothing more than brain washed children running around in ridiculous outfits, fighting a war and taking risks that they weren't old enough to understand.
How he could ever have felt a kinship towards these droids was beyond him
"Wow, the big guy says come and you guys just come running, huh?… I guess some things never change"
Grinning up into the darkened face of Jason Lee Scott, Kimberly couldn't help but to feel triumphant . Her belief that Zach would turn up had never faltered and now here he was!
"I told you he would come" She whispered whilst moving her disappointed gaze to Trini and then back up to Jason "I can't believe you ever doubted him" And then without even waiting for their response Kim turned on her heels and headed in Zachs direction, even managing to find a smile for him through the darkness of the situation "Zacky…what kept you? We were beginning to think you weren't going to…"
The long low wolf whistle that cut through Kimberlys words caused her feet to freeze to the spot and her forehead to crumple in confusion
"Kim-ber-ly… girl you look Kim-ber-licious" Licking his lips suggestively Zach observed the petite brunette and found the look of surprise and confusion that coated her features was so sweet that he had to fight the urge to lick it off.
After sucking a deep breath into his lungs, Zach managed to keep hold of himself long enough to reach out, take hold of Kimberlys slim hand, pull her close to him and then, through a self satisfied smile he planted a kiss firmly on her cheek.
The feel of Kimberlys body trembling slightly within his grip only served to further ignite the animalistic fire that was roaring to life inside of him, and casting his gaze across towards Tommy, Zach knew for sure that he had found the perfect way to get to the man who now epitomised everything that he had grown to hate
"Bet you miss doing this Tommy… don't you? Well I have to tell you man, she smells as good as ever, mmm…" He took a long, exaggerated sniff " Just like raspberries, with a cool hit of vanilla"
The wink that punctuated his statement almost caused Tommy to completely lose the coolness that he was renowned for., because in his jealous mind he just couldn't shift the belief that no one in the world had any right to touch Kimberly… or kiss Kimberly but him. The knowledge that she no longer wanted him to touch or kiss her was the only thing that kept Tommy still.
Gripping hold of his friends shoulder Jason growled Tommys name in an attempt to gain his attention but the large mans gaze was fixed solely on the disgusting scene being played out before him
"Tommy! Listen to me" Finally brown eyes met brown "I'm telling you to ignore him man"
"And I'm telling you, I'm about this close to breaking his fingers off one by one…"
"He's just trying to be the big 'I Am' in front of everyone, it doesn't mean anything"
"It means he's about to become the big 'I Was' if he doesn't take his hands off her right now and I'm not messing Jase…"
"Hey Tommy!"
The sound of Zachs cheerful voice quickly gained him the attention of both men.
" I can see why you were a blubbering mess when she dumped you for that weedy gym guy, I guess you were wrong when you thought long hair would be in fashion forever dude"
Grinning widely Zach couldn't help the wave of pleasure that washed over him as a scarlet blush set fire to Tommys cheeks and a large hand self consciously smoothed out his long pony tail. Tommys mouth opened to argue but surprise and humiliation caused his words to stick silently in his throat, unfortunately, silence wasn't something that Zach seemed to be familiar with these days
"I wish I could say that I didn't see the break up coming but I have to be honest… I saw it coming. A girl like Kim was never going to be satisfied by a guy that liked play fighting with his friends more than he liked playing with her… isn't that right Kim, you never did like second place, did you princess?"
"Zach!" Ripping herself away from her friends grip, Kimberlys momentum caused her to stumble backwards a few steps, but as Trinis arm came to wrap around her shoulder Kim found the humiliation of Zachs words proving too much for her already fragile state. Tears oozed from between the eyelids that were clamped closed by shame as opening her mouth she tried to speak, to yell at him for his cruelness, but all that escaped was a pathetic whimper.
Zach… her friend… the one person who could always make her laugh no matter what terrible situation they found themselves in, the man she'd been so pleased to see after all these years… how could he say those things about her? How could he be so cruel to Tommy? …poor Tommy who she had hurt so deeply when he hadn't deserved any of it.
Lifting her head Kim sought out the dark eyes of the man she adored more than life its self, even though he could never be allowed to know it and was horrified by the emotions she saw reflected in them. Zach had humiliated him in the worst possible way and in front of everyone that meant anything to him…
"Tommy…"
His name passed over her lips as a hoarse whisper but he barely acknowledged that he'd heard her before turning around and walking with heavy steps into the heart of the Command Centre and out of view, knowing that now was the time to walk away, not the time fight amongst themselves… that time would come later, he would make sure of it!
"Wow we're just one big happy family aren't we?" Joked Zach, his face visibly darkening as Jasons large frame powered across the floor towards him
"What are you doing here Zach?!"
"You know me Jase, I could never say no to a party, especially when I appear to be the guest of honour" The two men were now standing toe to toe , their noses inches apart, recent events and history bubbling close to the surface, but as they stared each other down neither man dared to recognise it or to address it
The two men had spent almost their entire lives together, they had grown to be closer than most blood brothers but tragedy had torn them apart just less than one year ago and now they remained divided by the knowledge that both had seen and done too much
"A party?"
Adam Park stood close behind Zach, his eyes almost black with fury
"Does this look like a party to you?!"
Without looking away from Jason once, Zach began to address the man who had stepped into his shoes when life had taken him away from Angel Grove and away from the team, when he'd finally been granted his freedom and everything that came with it
"Sure it looks like a party, in fact I'm talking to the two clowns right now and I'm sure if you wait just two more minutes Rocky will appear with the ice cream and jelly"
Adams hand was clamped onto Zachs wrist and forcing it up his back long before Zach even had time to register the pain
"What the…"
"You think this is all one big party Zach?!"
"Adam stop!" Trinis voice was trill as she rushed towards the two former Black Rangers, her arms held up in attempt to halt the violence she was sure would escalate
"You think we're just a bunch of clowns?!"
The sickening crunch that rang out as Zachs knee gave way and crashed down onto the concrete floor as Adam continued to push him deeper into the Command Centre caused Trinis hand to shoot up and cover her mouth. This was going too far, Zach as usual, had said the wrong thing at the wrong time and provoked a violent reaction from one of the most gentle men Trini had ever met and yet here she was, trying to help him when he wasn't even willing to help himself, why could she never mean it when she told him he was now on his own?
"Yes you're clowns" Zach remained defiant as pain ripped through his arm and up his leg "This whole place is a circus!"
"Zach stop it! Adam let him go, you're hurting him!"
But Adam continued to push and when Zachs other knee gave way, pushing become dragging
"Hurting HIM?!" Adams face was red with exertion and fury in equal measures "Trini he doesn't know what it feels like to hurt"
"Oh and is this where you show me?! You of all people!"
Finally the two men came to a halt as Adam bent low, gazing into Zachs eyes with an intensity his predecessor had never witnessed and clutching at the stitches in his side that he was sure he'd just ripped
"What does that mean? Me of all people?"
"Well look at you, strutting around the Command Centre like you own the place, you'd better remember why you're here and show a bit of respect"
"Respect? For you? Like you just showed Kimberly and Tommy?"
"You're talking to one of 'The Chosen' Adam, that's right- me! You're nothing more than a 'Replacement Ranger' and you'd better not forget that, so get your stinking hands off me Mr. Second Best"
"You know what Zach, not everything is about you" the sadness that dripped from his voice surprised Zach, but not as much as the hand that grabbed the back of his neck and forced him up onto his knees. "You see, you aren't here for a party, you're here to help us save Rockys life… and you aren't leaving here until we've done that… and that's something you'd better not forget"
Staring down into a face he thought he recognised but couldn't think where from, Zach Taylor almost found it in him to argue back with the man who had just dragged him the length of the Command Centre but as an eerie silence filled the room everything started to become clear.
The face… pale and damp, battered and bruised… he did recognise it!
Bitter bile flooded his mouth
"Rocky?" Automatically his head shot up, looking to the man who always had the answers… but he found the tube that was his inter- dimensional home empty "Zordon?" Zachs voice sounded foreign as it fought it's way out through a black cloud of confusion. Dropping onto his behind and pushing himself backwards against the crib that held Rockys frail body he drew his knees up to his chest until the nausea passed "What's going on?"
"Oh now you care!" Scoffed Jason "Someone fill this jerk in because I'm telling you now…" Crouching down he moved his face to within inches of Zachs " I'm donewith him" Returning to his feet, Jason turned his back on the man who's secrets he guarded but who he could no longer bare to look at.
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Hopeless…
The word kept repeating its self over and over in Billys head
Could the situation really be hopeless, when he had always believed that nothing was ever beyond hope?
He was the logical thinker… the solution finder and yet no matter which way he looked at this situation, no matter which way he turned it around he just couldn't find a solution to what they were going through
Katherine and Tanya were missing and they had no idea where to even start looking
Zordon and Alpha were gone… and Billy had found himself keeping their secret from the others at a time when they should have no secrets between them, but the truth… as he knew it, could do them no good at this time- he was sure of that
And then there was Rocky… fear flooded every inch of Billy as he thought about how close to death Rocky was becoming.
Should they turn their back on everything Zordon had taught them? Show them selves for what they were… The Power Rangers and take Rocky to a hospital?
In his morphed state would the Doctors even know what to do to help him? And what would happen to them? They would be taken into custody and become nothing more than science experiments, that much he knew for sure
Gazing around the Command Centre at the fragmented pieces of the Power Team Billy Cranston couldn't help the knot that was beginning to form in his throat
Time and hope was beginning to slip away…
"When everything is hopeless, we are the hope"
Trinis voice cut through Billys dark thoughts as without conscious thought he began moving forward towards her.
"When the power is gone, we are the power"
Jasons deep voice caused Billy to stop dead in his tracks as inspiration began sparking in his brain and hope sparked deep in his stomach
When hope is gone… we are the hope
When the power is gone… we are the power
Reaching out to Trini, Billy grabbed hold of her shoulders, took a second to steady himself and then asked
"Where did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Her surprise at Billys sudden appearance evident in her voice
"About being the hope, where'd you hear it?"
"In the dream I had, Billy…"
But it was too late to question him because he had already released her from his grip and was now rushing across the Command Centre to where Jason stood, deep in conversation with Tommy
"Jason, what you said… about being the power, did you dream that too?"
"What, are you eves dropping Billy?" he teased
"We don't have time for teasing Jason, just please tell me whether you dreamt that or not"
"Yes I dreamt it Billy, I was just going over things again with Tommy, trying to see if we could…"
"I think I know how to get this place up and running" Rushing across to one of the computer panels Billy lifted off the covering and began disconnecting wires as Tommy, Jason, Kimberly and Trini looked amongst themselves in confusion before walking slowly towards their friend
"You do?" Kimberlys face twisted into a look of complete bewilderment and as she looked to Jason and Tommy for answers yet all she received was a shrug
"How?" Even Aisha and Adam found it in themselves to leave Rockys side as hope propelled them to Billy
"Jason dreamt it! Jason and Trini, between you, you dreamt the answer, you've had it all along only we didn't realise"
Jason and Trini looked as confused as everyone else as they watched Billy move on to the next computer panel, throw it open and then begin rewiring the circuit boards
"When the power is gone… we are the power, Jason that's what you were told in your dream, well look around us, the power is gone… all that's left is us"
"Billy, you aren't telling us anything we don't already know, give us something we can work with man" Tommys voice was thick with impatience as he tried to figure out where this was all leading
"The power is gone, we are the power, we can power the Command Centre! We were all wired up to the morphing grid, there has to be residual power left in all of us, if we can somehow pool that power together, we should be able to power the Command centre, at least long enough for us to send a distress signal out"
"Use ourselves to power the Command Centre?" Jason asked his friend dubiously
"Billy, isn't that a little dangerous?" Trini looped her arm through Kimberlys as concern burned bright on both of their faces
"It is dangerous, but it's also our only choice"
"So how do we do it?" Tommy stepped forward, ready for action, ready to put his life on the line, to do whatever it took… standing around talking and thinking… it was getting too much for him, especially since Zachs appearance. The truth was beginning to bubble too close to the surface and he knew without doubt that if he did not do something to stop himself thinking and analysing it then he was in danger of erupting and that was definitely the last thing the team needed to deal with right now
"Tommy, we should talk about this first"
"Trini, we don't have time to talk, now is the time to act, so come on Billy, what's the plan? What do we need to do?"
"We need to try to search inside ourselves… into the deepest darkest corners… where the very last traces of the power will be hidden. It's not going to be easy… we're going to have to search ourselves, find that spark that made us Rangers in the first place"
Shaking his head, Tommy began stepping away from the group
"There has to be another way"
"Tommy…"
"Billy, I'll hit what ever you want me to hit, risk whatever you want me to risk but I'm telling you man… what you're saying… I can't do it"
"Tommy…"
"I'm telling you I wont do it… you'll just have to find another way!"
"You said it yourself there is no other way… we're running out of time, Tommy, Rocky is running out of time, we have to do this, and we have to do it now!"
* By the end of the chapter I really wanted them out of the command centre and on the move but the whole Zach situation became much darker than I planned and a lot more complicated (although I think it's going to be fun to write him as the bad guy for a while to come yet)
I know this story is quite slow moving and not to every bodies taste but I just wanted to go a little deeper with each character. I do have a few lighter hearted projects in the works though so it won't all be angst from me