The Return

Chapter 2

Lily had tried using her superspeed, despite Casey's pronouncement that she wouldn't be able to. The second she did her arm started aching. When she stopped and looked down she saw that the cuts were growing red and the stitches were close to popping. She sighed and hiked up to the train station. It would be a full day's ride down to Turtle Cove. Casey had raided the cash register, taking out everything bigger than a ten to make sure she'd have enough money for the trip, and Lily had grabbed her tip jar from beneath her bed. In it she kept every extra cent her customers felt they owed her and today it was going to be put to good use. It jingled lightly at the bottom of the pack she wore. She'd brought a blanket, a change of clothes, a first aid kit, and the large pack of food Theo had given her -- better to be prepared than not, she reminded herself as she shifted the weight. She'd somehow managed to get out of the restaurant before Fran could ask what was going on, she only hoped the boys could come up with a good excuse.

"One for Turtle Cove," Lily said when she reached the counter at the train station.

"Can I see your ID?" the teller asked kindly.

Lily dug in her pockets, wincing as the fabric of her shirt scraped across her wound.

"Are you all right?" the teller asked, peeking over the counter to get a better look.

"Fine," Lily said quickly, angling her arm so the scratches weren't so noticeable. "How much is it?"

"Fifty-eight," the woman said. "You'll have to transfer in San Angeles. You can ask one of the conductors for help if you need it."

Lily counted out the bills and handed them over. She still had forty dollars and the money in her tip jar, but if she had to take the train back up or the trip took too long -- she didn't think about it any farther. RJ needed her to stay positive, to keep her mind focused on her task. She just really wished she knew what exactly her task was.

She barely managed to reach the platform before the train arrived and she hurried to find a seat to herself. Before stowing her pack in the overhead compartment she pulled her first aid kit out and wrapped her stitches in gauze. If anyone asked she could say she had a rash or a burn or something -- just so long as no one saw the claw marks. She settled into her seat then and, in an effort to keep herself from obsessively worrying about RJ, began to meditate. But that quickly turned into a well deserved sleep.

Casey watched RJ all night, only venturing down into the pizza parlor every hour or so in an effort to obey RJ's order. He always found himself mounting the stairs again after only a few minutes. He just couldn't bear to take his eyes off his master when he was so vulnerable. Theo, luckily for all of them, was good at working through his feelings and focusing on the task at hand. Casey made a mental note to thank Master Swoop for that later.

RJ was curled up like a dog on his chair and he dreaming like one too. He would growl and snap at some unseen animal then move his arms and legs like he was running. It was really beginning to scare Casey. Theo came upstairs just after eleven and suggested Casey get some sleep before grabbing a sleeping back and taking over Lily's floor. The two boys usually slept on hammocks in the main room while RJ and Lily took the bedrooms. As Theo put it, there was no point in a perfectly good bedroom going to waste, even if he couldn't sleep on the bed. Casey nodded and let him go. He would occasionally move; sometimes he'd sit on one of the yoga mats, sometimes in the beanbag chairs, sometimes on the kitchen counter. But at midnight he was sitting on the step that ran around the edge of the training area and he had a perfectly good view of RJ in the moonlight when he awoke.

"Casey," RJ said, his voice calm, not at all like he'd just slept for seven hours after being seriously injured.

"RJ," Casey said, standing to rush over.

"No!" RJ said, holding out an arm and sitting up himself. Casey slowly returned to his seat, but stayed ready in case RJ needed him. RJ opened his eyes slowly and Casey was shocked by the yellow glow. "He must hate me," RJ muttered.

"Who?"

"Jarrod. I tried to kill it often enough."

"Kill what?"

"The Lion of course. You must hate me too. I almost did kill her and her guardian. If it hadn't been for --" RJ's eyes widened and a pained look came on his face. He put his head in his hands. "Why did I do this? Why did I think I could do what he did?"

"Do what who did?" Casey asked. He was on his knees, inching slowly closer to RJ.

RJ's head snapped up and he looked straight into Casey's eyes. "I'll kill you, you know. Just like the rest of them."

"RJ," Casey said quietly, trying to keep the tremor of fear out of his voice, "Lily's gone to get Taylor. Soon they'll be back with that Shayla person."

RJ chuckled darkly. "Shayla can't help me. He was the one who listened to her. He never forgot her, never stopped pining over her, even thousands of years later. I never cared."

"Then why did you tell Lily to get her?"

"Because I was afraid -- like you are."

Casey's eyes widened and he didn't have time to react before RJ was lunging for him, hands out like claws, teeth bared. A whirring sound filled the air and Theo's fan struck RJ in the back, sending him sprawling. Casey hurried to his feet as Theo came up behind him.

"The collar must weaken him," Theo said, watching the unconscious RJ. "That's the only reason I was able to beat him at all."

"Theo," Casey said, pulling his friend out of RJ's hearing, "has anything like this happened before -- at the academy?"

"Not that I know of. I'm sure he'll be fine, Case. He knew what needed to be done with the collar and sending Lily and all. He was prepared for this, so there has to be a way to fix it."

"I hope so."

"Come on, let's get to bed."

Casey grabbed a sleeping bad and headed downstairs, saying something about wanting to watch for burglars. Theo rolled his eyes, but let the Tiger go and headed into his own room. Once Casey's footsteps had ceased and Theo's breathing evened out, Camille stepped forward. She'd been standing still for the past six hours, watching that idiot Red Ranger move aimlessly about. She was certain the boy would be back soon and so hurried across the room. She knelt beside RJ and pulled his shaggy hair back to examine the collar around his neck. She could feel the ancient energy pulsing from it. It would be difficult to break. She grasped it between her fingers and pulled. She was trying to pull him up, but found that the collar expanded. She easily lifted it over his head and his eyes flashed open. He leapt to his feet and scampered away from her.

"Now, why didn't you just do that yourself?" Camille asked, examining the inscriptions on the collar. She looked up at him and her eyes lit up. The evil energy coming from him was much greater than she ever would have thought. "Well," she said, "who knew you would be so -- evil?"

"You," RJ said, eying the collar. "You did blast me with a spell to release my darker half."

"It was meant for the Red Ranger."

RJ grinned. "I'm better."

"I can see that." Camille swung the collar to the side and watched RJ's eyes follow it. "You don't like this thing, do you?"

"It slows down my natural instincts, makes it harder for me to think and act. Get rid of it."

"No," Camille said pleasantly, "I don't think I will. Let's just call it insurance."

RJ growled, but cut off quickly as footsteps echoed up the stairs.

"Get back on the floor." She disappeared.

RJ grudgingly did as she said and waited.

Casey came quietly up the steps. He was exhausted, but he couldn't just leave RJ all alone up here. He paused when he entered the room, watching RJ sleep. Whatever was wrong with him, they would fix it -- they had to.

"Hello, Ranger," a voice hissed in his ear. Casey felt a strong arm wrap around his shoulders, pressing him up against his captor.

"Camille," Casey growled, acutely aware of his injured master not ten feet away. "Haven't you done enough damage today?"

"No," Camille said, holding the collar up with her free hand, "I really don't think I have. What about you, RJ?"

Casey's eyes widened as RJ rose to his feet, an evil glint in his eye.

"Don't call me that," RJ snapped.

Camille raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

RJ stepped slowly forward and Casey couldn't quite stop himself from shuddering as RJ sniffed him. "The last time I met a Tiger, it was a girl. But I think you'll be just as appetizing."

Casey paled as he looked into RJ's eyes. There was something there, some malevolence that he had never seen before. He could feel it watching him, hunting him. But he was already caught and there was no chance of escape. As it swallowed him whole Casey realized that the distant screams he heard were his own.