QUEST FOR
THE LUNATI TREASURE
Episode #9
"The
Phantom Menace"
Two Years Ago
"So close."
The man spoke in a deep, husky voice, as if he knew the meaning of hard labor. That wasn't his life, though. He spent most of his recent days in that room, with only a dim lamp to light the pages on his desk. He had been scribbling notes, attempted translations and even gibberish in his search.
As he slammed his fist on his desk in frustration, he took a deep breath and looked around. The office was a mess. As he thought of cleaning it, his thoughts veered to the other occupant of his home. But as soon as her image appeared in his head, he cast it aside, refocusing his attention on the job at hand.
As his eyes veered back to the texts and symbols in front of him, it hit him like a ton of bricks.
"That's it!" he grumbled. "That must be it."
He opened his small leather bound book and began thumbing through the pages, until he found the last one he had written in. He smiled, as he compared his notes to the sheets on his desk and began writing feverishly in the book.
"Finally," he said, his voice low, despite his enthusiasm.
At that moment the phone rang. He picked up the cordless device and glanced at the caller ID readout. When he saw the caller was Ian Hartford he moved his finger to answer it on the second ring, but before he could, it stopped ringing. The call had already been answered by the other occupant of his home.
The man raised his head to the sky, waiting. He didn't hear footsteps walking upstairs. He didn't hear her voice. She wasn't coming to alert him to the call. The man slammed the cordless phone down on his desk so hard that he thought it would break.
He closed his small leather-covered book and tossed it in the silver safe behind his chair, near his large bookcase. After sealing the safe, he grabbed his coat and stormed out of the office. He never bothered to find out what Ian Hartford wanted. He never told his wife he was leaving. He never returned.
Present Day
Dr. Ian Hartford tried his best to concentrate, but it seemed that every time he was on the verge of an intelligent thought, it was blasted to hell by the intense noise happening around him. He lifted his head from his computer terminal. His office was empty at the moment, but the construction next door in his study was becoming unbearable.
Ian unsuccessfully tried to regain his concentration, but soon gave up and turned off the computer. He wheeled himself around his desk and down the small ramp that had been installed to compensate for the tiny steps that led up to his raised desk. As he approached his door, full of fury for his contractor, Spencer Kingston burst into the door and closed it quickly behind him, staring a hole through Ian.
"This can not go on, sir!" Spencer said, forcefully.
"I agree," Ian said. "The noise is driving me insane!"
Spencer looked confused.
"No, not that sir," Spencer said. "Mr. Mason has assured me that the elevator installation will be finished in a few days. I'm talking about a much bigger problem."
"What could be more important than my sanity?"
"Mine!" Spencer said quickly. "And I swear I'll go insane if I let you wheel yourself around this house one more day looking like that!"
Ian looked confused, as he glanced at himself. He was wearing old black sweats that he used to workout in. He raised his bearded head back up to his butler, knocking his long dark hair away from his face in the process.
"Spencer, what are you talking about?"
"Your hair, your face, your clothes. Sir, this isn't you. Won't you let me lay something else out for you to wear? I don't mind helping you get a shave," Spencer explained.
"I'd much rather you leave me alone, so I can find some peace and quiet." Ian said.
"You want peace and quiet, sir, let me take you out...to a barber!" Spencer said, with a bright smile. "Just a quick cut...please sir."
Ian wheeled himself forward, forcing Spencer to move or be run over. The butler, however, stood his ground, not moving.
"Get out of my way, Spencer," Ian said, as he wheeled himself out into the hallway.
"Not until you clean yourself up," Spencer said.
"Why do you care so much?"
"Because your current state could be seen as a reflection of my service and quite frankly, I'm embarrassed to be seen with you," Spencer said, boldly.
As the phone rang at his desk, Ian sighed. He switched directions and rolled back to his desk.
"I suggest you don't be seen with me, then," Ian said, in his grumpy tone.
He picked up the telephone, quickly answering. As he heard the voice on the other end, his eyes grew wide. He turned back to Spencer, who noticed his surprised reaction. Spencer walked closer to the desk, as Ian's reaction turned from shocked to troubled.
"Okay, just calm down," Ian said to the caller. "I'm on my way."
As he hung up, Spencer waited with baited breath for details. Instead of words, he was given a disturbed look by his employer, whose head dropped. He appeared deep in thought.
"Sir, what is it?" Spencer asked. "Who was that?"
Ian looked back up at him.
"That was Karen...Tracy," Ian said, his voice still surprised.
"Well, that is a shock," Spencer said. "How long has it been?"
"Two years," Ian said, as he seemed to gain a burst of energy.
He wheeled himself back down the ramp, headed for the doorway.
"What did she want?" Spencer asked, as Ian reached for the door handle.
"Someone broke into her house," Ian explained, as he wheeled himself out into the hallway, headed for the guest bedroom that had become his. "She needs me."
"I'll grab my clippers!" Spencer said, causing Ian to stop in his tracks.
He turned back to his butler and friend.
"We don't have time," Ian said, sincerely. "I need to be there as soon as I can...clothes are the bigger priority."
"I'll get right on it, sir," Spencer said, as he rushed past the wheelchair and headed quickly up the staircase, passing Chris and Jessica who were on their way down.
They noticed his hurried pace.
"What's the rush?" Chris asked, as Jessica peeked over the banister, seeing Ian wheeling himself towards his room.
"Something wrong?" she asked.
"Yes," Ian said. "An old friend of mine...she's been burglarized. I'm heading over there."
"What friend?" Chris asked.
"Karen Tracy," Ian said, as he locked eyes with Chris.
"Wow, that is an old friend," Chris said, seriously.
"Wait, who's Karen Tracy?" Jessica asked, curiously.
"I don't have time to explain," Ian said, as he rolled himself into his bedroom.
As Jessica remained in the dark, more than she liked, Spencer trotted down the steps with a blazer, freshly pressed dress shirt and matching pants.
"What's the rush?" Jessica asked.
Spencer didn't answer, as he disappeared into Ian's room, closing the door behind him. Chris reached the bottom of the steps and looked back at Jessica.
"Karen Tracy," Chris stated.
"I don't get it," Jessica said.
"You should come along, then," Chris said. "Trust me when I say, this is going to be interesting. Her husband, Gordon, was my dad's best friend."
"Oh," Jessica said. "I don't think Dr. Hartford's ever mentioned any friends."
"That's because dad isn't a real people person," Chris explained. "The Tracys were different though. They were all really close."
"What happened?" Jessica wondered aloud.
"Mr. Tracy committed suicide two years ago," Chris revealed.
Jessica's jaw dropped.
As Spencer's classic black Bentley Continental sped down a secluded road, keeping close enough to the speed limit to avoid a ticket, Jessica sat in the back seat next to Chris, intently listening to the history of Ian Hartford's friendship with Gordon Tracy.
"We met in college," Ian explained from the front passenger seat. "Gordon was a brilliant businessman. He helped me start the Historical Society. I never would have gotten it off the ground without his help."
"He was also my godfather," Chris added, as he looked to Ian.
Jessica sensed that he was fishing for something...something his father didn't bring up.
"Gordon and Karen were amazing friends to me and Maggie," Ian said.
Out of the corner of her eye, Jessica saw Chris's head fall upon the mention of his mother's name.
"After she died, they were there for me and Chris," Ian said. "But, as the years went on, Gordon became more reclusive, especially during his final months. He withdrew from everyone. His marriage fell apart...and then he was gone."
"Kind of a sad story," Jessica said. "He sounds like he was a great man up until the end."
"He was," Chris said, as he cut his eyes at his father, who didn't see the gesture.
"Here we are," Spencer announced, as he pulled the car into the Tracys' private estate.
Surrounded by trees, the place was the epitome of seclusion. In fact, if one didn't know what they were looking for, they would probably miss the two-story home. It wasn't as large or extravagant as the Hartford mansion. It was a quaint country home, complete with a small lake a few yards behind it. Jessica took in a deep breath of the fresh air all around them, as Chris and Spencer helped Ian get into his wheelchair.
All three of them helped get the wheelchair-bound doctor up the two steps to the porch, where he took a deep breath of his own before ringing the doorbell. After a moment of straightening his clothes, he looked up to see the door open. Karen Tracy emerged.
She looked as beautiful as he remembered, Ian thought to himself. Her wavy black hair seemed perfectly placed, even if it was in a ponytail. Her eyes, however, didn't convey perfection at all. They were full of dread and even sorrow as she looked down at him.
"Ian?" she said, as she shook her head. "What happened to you?"
Ian sighed.
"It's a long story," Ian said. "Right now, I'm worried about you. Are you okay?"
"Yes," she said, as she opened her door wide, allowing his group to enter. "I called the police. They're sending someone out, but I figured I should call you. You know Gordon's office better than I do."
As Ian rolled himself into her sitting room, he looked back at her in surprise.
"His office?"
"Whoever broke in, they trashed it. I don't know. It seemed like they were looking for something," Karen explained. "I couldn't possibly tell them what's missing, if anything. I haven't been in there since..."
Her voice trailed off as she thought of that last time. She and Ian had been in there looking for some sign, some reason as to why Gordon had died.
"I understand," Ian said. "We'll find out who did this."
"Please, everyone, have a seat," Karen offered, as she sat down herself.
"Oh, uh Karen, this is Jessica Lorrie, my assistant and of course you remember Spencer...and Chris," Ian said.
"Chris," Karen said, cracking the first smile of her day. "It's been a long time."
"It's nice to see you, Mrs. Tracy," Chris said, nervously, as he sat down next to Jessica.
"I have coffee," Karen said, as she seemed to scold herself for not offering sooner. "I just need to—"
"It's okay," Ian said, quickly, as he motioned for her to sit. "Spencer, will take care of it."
Ian looked up at his butler, who seemed stunned that he was being put to work in someone else's house.
"Of course I will, sir," Spencer said, his voice tinted with sarcasm.
He walked off to the kitchen, as Karen looked back at Ian.
"So, tell me, what happened? How did you end up in a wheelchair?" Karen asked, concerned for her friend.
"It's a very long story," Ian said, seriously. "I took a fall."
"Oh. So, this is only temporary?" she asked.
Chris watched his father's every move.
"I hope so," Ian said, with a smile. "Chris actually saved my life."
He glanced back at his son, giving him a proud look. Chris shook his head and stood up.
"I'm gonna get some air," he said, as he exited the house, just as Spencer returned with coffee.
"I wonder what I missed," he said.
Jessica glanced at the trail Chris left behind and then at Ian. The tension between them was off the charts and she knew it had something to do with the Tracy family.
After coffee, Ian found himself inside Gordon Tracy's first floor office. It felt like a tomb to Ian. Entering one room brought back so much. He took a deep breath, as he noticed all of the clutter. The place had been ransacked. With Jessica at his side, he advanced in, rolling over several fallen books and papers on the floor.
"This is a real mess," Jessica said aloud. "I wonder who would break in just to tear up an old office."
"Someone looking for something," Ian muttered, as he rolled himself behind the desk and began searching on top of it.
Jessica looked around, not knowing how she could really help. Besides, her mind was still in the sitting room and the blatant tension between a father and son.
"Notice anything?" she asked.
"No," Ian said, with a sigh. "Although with all of this mess, I doubt I would remember what was really here. It's been a long time."
However, as he turned away from the desk and glanced at the bookcase, he did notice something. He looked down at the floor and his suspicions were confirmed.
"I take it back," he said, drawing Jessica's attention.
She walked over to his position and followed his finger, which was pointed at a spot on the floor. There was a square outline on the carpet, as if something heavy had been sitting there, next to the bookcase.
"What would leave a mark like that?" she wondered, as she knelt next to it.
"Gordon's safe," Ian revealed. "He kept it right here."
"You think that's what the thieves were after?"
"It must have been," Ian said, as he looked around. "I don't think there was much else of value in here."
"Any idea what he kept inside it?" Jessica wondered, as she continued looking around.
"No. He never said."
"Sounds like you two weren't so close in his last years," Jessica said, as she walked near the office window and pulled back the curtains to let the daylight in.
"Things were strained," Ian said. "I tried to reach out to him, but he didn't seem interested in much outside this room."
Jessica glanced out the window and saw Chris standing outside, staring off into the trees.
"Where does Chris fit in?" she asked, unable to avoid her curiosity.
She looked back at Ian to see if she had touched a nerve. He had stopped looking through the strewn papers on Gordon's desk. He looked over at her and sighed.
"Twelve years ago, my wife died," Ian revealed. "The day we buried Maggie, everything changed. Everything."
Jessica looked even more interested, as Ian began his story.
"There was so much going on that day. I was coming apart at the seams, but Gordon and Karen, they were there for me, to help. Maggie was an amazing woman. She left behind a lot of friends and admirers," he stated.
"And family," Jessica added, as she thought of Chris, whom she knew could only have been nine or ten at the time.
"Everyone wanted a handshake, a hug, a chance to tell me how much they'd miss her," Ian explained. "But I knew I was missing her more. Gordon and Karen knew that. They helped me deal with it all. But, there was one thing I couldn't deal with—my son."
"I don't understand," Jessica spoke.
"Maggie's cancer spread extremely quickly," Ian said, shaking his head. "She didn't get a chance to fight it. Everything was happening so fast and—and I wanted to shield Christian from all of it. As Maggie got sicker, I swore to her that I would protect him. I never told him about the cancer."
"How could he not know?" Jessica said, confused.
"I told him that she was ill, but I never told him how serious it was," Ian revealed. "I kept up hope as long as I could, even after it was gone. Once Maggie passed away, I couldn't bring myself to tell him. I just—froze. I let him go on playing, smiling, thinking everything was going to be all right."
"What happened?" Jessica asked.
"The day we buried Maggie, Gordon came to the house. He told me Karen was at the church dealing with the guests. He had come to check on Chris and me. He couldn't believe that I still hadn't told Chris about his mother," Ian said. "He wanted me to tell him. He said I had to before the funeral."
Jessica could feel Ian's emotions rising as he spoke.
"I knew he was right," Ian said, with conviction. "But I couldn't break Christian's heart. He offered to help me tell him...but it was too late."
"What do you mean?"
"I thought he was upstairs with Spencer, but Chris had been sitting on the stairs the whole time," Ian said. "He heard us talking. I don't think I ever would have noticed if he hadn't dropped his toy. I think my heart stopped when I heard it falling down the stairs."
Jessica looked into Ian's watery eyes.
"I'll never forget it," Ian said. "That little red dump truck landed right at my feet. Kind of ironic, given our current circumstances. He was crushed. I could see it in his face. I know I was wrong for what I did, but Chris has never forgiven me. That day has haunted us both for so long. I think it haunted Gordon too, because we were never the same after that."
Jessica took a deep breath, as she absorbed it all. She turned back to the window and glanced down at Chris again, realizing just what kind of pain he had been dealing with for so many years. As she watched him start walking, she noticed an approaching vehicle. She perked up as she saw the motorcycle pull up next to the Bentley. She watched Detective Stephen Garza dismount and walk over to Chris.
Outside the Tracy home, Chris extended a hand, which Garza shook.
"Why am I not surprised to see you here?" Garza said, sarcastically. "Treading on my turf again, Hartford?"
"Karen Tracy is an old friend of the family," Chris admitted.
"Of course she is," Garza said, as he walked up to the house, with Chris.
Karen appeared in the open doorway.
"Mrs. Tracy?" Garza presumed.
"Yes."
"I'm Detective Garza," he announced, as he flashed his badge. "Wanna tell me what happened here?"
"I had a doctor's appointment this morning. I came home and everything seemed normal. But, when I noticed my husband's office door ajar, I peeked inside and that's when I saw the mess."
"Was there forced entry?" Garza asked.
"No," Karen said. "All the doors and windows were locked."
"I didn't notice any fresh tracks outside. Can you be sure the burglary happened today?"
"Yes," Karen said, quickly. "Like I said, I always keep my husband's office closed. I haven't been in there in over a year. The door is always closed, Detective...always."
"The cavalry has arrived it would seem," Spencer spoke, as he saw the trio enter the sitting room.
"Spencer, this is Detective Garza," Chris said.
"Oh," Spencer said, as he recalled everything he learned about the detective from the altercation with the Ja'Vey. "Nice to meet you, Detective."
"You are?" Garza asked.
"Oh, Spencer's our butler," Chris revealed.
Garza let out a troubling sigh.
"Did you people move in before or after the burglary?" Garza said, troubled at so many people being near the crime scene.
"I'm sorry," Karen said. "Ian Hartford was a close friend of my husband. I thought he might be able to help the investigation."
"And, where is Dr. Hartford?"
"He's in the office," Karen said, a bit nervous as to what the Detective might do next.
"Of course," Garza said. "Can you lead the way?"
"Right," Karen said, as she approached the office door.
Chris & Spencer followed close behind. Karen opened the door and Garza walked in first, with a smile, as he saw Ian and Jessica. He paused his eyes for a moment on the Pink Ranger, before settling them on Ian.
"Finished tainting my crime scene, Doctor?" Garza said. "You have no business in here."
"The safe's missing," Ian said, as he rolled himself towards the doors. "I didn't notice anything else, but with all the mess I can't be sure."
"Noted," Garza said. "Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to secure the crime scene. Unless, of course, your butler also happens to be a detective?"
Spencer huffed at the detective's sarcasm. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he did notice something. Spencer walked further into the office, despite Garza's grumble. Spencer bent over in front of Gordon's desk and moved a piece of paper to fully glance at what he spotted. Spencer picked up the object and turned back to the group who had gathered in the doorway.
"A feather?" Garza said, looking oblivious.
"Not just any feather," Spencer said. "I would recognize it anywhere. This belongs to that ravenous owl, Waza!"
"Dark Shadow did this?" Chris spoke up.
"Dark Shadow?" Garza asked, confused.
"They're a group of thieves, usually for hire," Ian said. "Always in blue."
"Great," Garza said. "More freaks. I'll take it from here. I think the rest of you should clear out, now."
Ian wheeled himself past Garza, led towards the front door by Karen. Chris followed at a safe distance. As Jessica passed Garza, she gave him a polite smile.
"Sorry," she said. "We didn't touch much, really."
Garza nodded, as she left. Spencer walked proudly over to the detective, presenting him with the blue feather. Garza snatched the piece of evidence out of Spencer's hand.
"You're welcome," Spencer said, with a frown as he departed.
Garza stared at the feather in his hand as he shook his head and sighed.
"Dark Shadow," he said, while rolling his eyes.
Inside of Dark Shadow's lair in Japan, Evan Yukito was on his knees, with one cheek pressed up against the cold steel of Gordon Tracy's safe. As he turned the combination dial slowly, he opened his ears as much as he could, waiting for the click that would satisfy his curiosity today.
Evan was concentrating so hard, that he never noticed his tall, dark and brooding teammate Taiyami storm into the sitting room behind him. Evan had been able to block out Taiyami's approaching footsteps on the wood floors and even Waza's breathing, as the great owl was perched on top of the safe, glancing down at his work.
"Any luck?" Waza asked, in a whisper.
Evan groaned, as he moved his head away from the safe.
"Not at all," Evan said. "It's like there's no locking mechanism—at least not one I can hear."
"Perhaps I should give it a try," Waza said. "My ears are much more sensitive than yours."
"Knock yourself out," Evan said, with a smirk. "But the dial is pretty thin. I'm not sure you'll be able to grip it."
Waza huffed, as he glided down to the floor and began examining the dial. Evan got to his feet and turned to see Taiyami had his arms folded, as he cast his serious gaze down on Evan, who was several inches shorter than him. Evan looked up into Taiyami's glowing yellow y-shaped helmet.
"Is there a problem?" he asked.
"What are you doing?" Taiyami asked, sternly. "We were not hired to open the safe, just to retrieve it."
In the background, Waza tried to grab the dial with his claws, but it appeared to be too small. The owl continued to try, merely scratching the safe. He let out a flustered groan.
"I know that," Evan said, with a smile. "But when opportunity knocks, you have to answer."
"Our client will not be happy," Taiyami said. "You know what happened last time."
"Well, our client was stupid to employ our services," Evan said. "Besides, whatever's in that safe could be useful to us and you know me. I'm all about liberation. Locked boxes make me nervous."
"You are playing with fire...literally," Taiyami stated.
In the background, Waza dove at the safe, grabbing at the dial with his beak, but being unable to move it with that appendage either. The owl's wings moved rapidly, causing his feathers to fly everywhere, which Evan and Taiyami didn't seem to notice at all.
"I can handle it," Evan said.
"Yuki!" Miko called out, as she came trotting into the sitting room, joining Evan and Taiyami. "Take a look at this."
Miko held up a Silver City newspaper, showing a large picture of the Ja'Vey demons and the damage of their attack on the downtown area. Evan and Taiyami both glanced at the article.
"They look pretty dangerous," Evan surmised.
"And ugly," Miko added, as she contorted her face.
"They should provide a welcome distraction for Hartford's crew," Taiyami figured. "It will be good to have them off our backs."
"I have a question," Evan said, as he narrowed his eyes on Miko. "What are you doing reading a newspaper?"
Miko looked shocked.
"I'm not some dummy!" Miko said, as she walked away from him, a bit nervously.
"Of course not," Evan said, as she followed her over to the couch. "But that doesn't answer my question. Our Miko doesn't do news. So what's the real news?"
"I—I picked up a copy while I was trailing Mrs. Tracy, that's all," Miko said, averting her gaze.
"Miko..." Evan pressured.
"Okay," Miko said, "But please, just keep an open mind."
Miko thumbed through the paper until she found what she was looking for. She then opened the newspaper to show Evan and Taiyami.
"Fashion Week!" Miko squealed. "Can we go, please?"
"No," Taiyami said, quickly, before storming off.
Miko pouted and began whining, as she laid her head on Evan's shoulder.
"Sorry, babe," Evan spoke, as he patted her on the back.
At that moment he heard a crash by the safe, as Waza collapsed onto the floor. Evan chuckled, as he walked over to the fallen owl and knelt beside him. He leaned over Waza's face, as he saw the owl panting heavily.
"So, did you get the combination?" Evan asked, sarcastically.
Waza swiftly raised his heavy wing, popping Evan in the face, causing him to fall backwards onto the floor.
Inside the Hartford mansion, Spencer stood in the kitchen, stirring a large pitcher of freshly squeezed lemonade. He had been provided with many lemons these days, but he had dealt with them accordingly. In fact it was the day's troubles that prompted him to make the pitcher, knowing that both Chris and Ian would enjoy a fresh glass. He poured a glass and stepped out of the kitchen into the first floor hallway, where he could hear his employer's raised voice coming from his study.
"I can't take this anymore, Aaron!" Ian yelled. "I want the work done faster."
"We're going as fast as we can, Dr. Hartford," Aaron Mason responded. "I've pulled all my guys in on this, but it's gonna take time...especially if you want it done quietly."
"We'll you're not being very quiet either," Ian said, angrily. "I'm paying you a lot of money."
"And, trust me, you're getting your money's worth," Aaron spoke. "I have overseen every modification you've wanted for this property and done it with discretion. Do you think any other contractor would drop all his other jobs to do all of this?"
Spencer walked in and quickly stepped between the two.
"Mr. Mason, I assure you Dr. Hartford is grateful for your services," Spencer said, sincerely. "It's been a very long day."
"If there's nothing else, I'll get back to work," Aaron responded, as he looked past Spencer at Ian, who was staring away from them both. "It's gonna be another long night if we want to keep to our deadline."
Spencer took a deep breath as Mr. Mason walked back over to his crew. He turned back to see Ian rolling himself out of the study, headed towards his makeshift bedroom.
"I made fresh lemonade, sir. Would you like a glass?" Spencer said, offering the drink.
"No," Ian said, as he parked himself next to his bed.
Spencer closed the door.
"Sir, I realize that it's been a trying day...seeing Mrs. Tracy again after all this time, but taking your anger out on Mr. Mason isn't the proper way to deal with things," Spencer stated.
"It's not anger!" Ian said. "It's...frustration! I'm tired. I'm tired of this room! I want to sleep in my own bed. I'm tired of this damned wheelchair!"
"I know, sir," Spencer said. "I understand."
"No, you don't!" Ian said, as he gave Spencer a look of anger. "Seeing Karen's face today...she looked at me with such pity. I wanted to go over there and be strong for her and I couldn't even accomplish that."
"I know it's hard," Spencer said, as he sat the glass of lemonade down on Ian's nightstand. The butler sat down on the bed and looked at his employer. "And when I say I know, it's because I know. When I was a boy back in Liverpool, I was a bit rambunctious. As such, I spent a lot of time in trouble. The caretakers at the orphanage never really knew what to do with me."
Ian looked at Spencer with interest. He knew his butler was always reluctant to reveal much about his childhood.
"One day, all of the children were playing outdoors. I ventured into the street, chasing something, I don't remember what," Spencer explained. "The car seemed to come out of nowhere."
"You were hit by a car?" Ian asked.
"I spent the next year of my life in a wheelchair," Spencer admitted. "As a nine-year old, it felt like my life was over. So when I say I understand, I would appreciate it if you would take me at my word."
"Spencer...I had no idea," Ian said. "You never talk about your past."
"It's because I like to look forward, not backward. We learn from our mistakes. We shouldn't let them run our lives," Spencer said. "That's a moral this house could use a lot more of."
Spencer exited Ian's room, leaving him behind. As Ian watched the door close, he looked back at the lemonade Spencer had left for him. He took hold of the glass and drank.
Back at the Tracy house, Garza continued his search of the crime scene, when he noticed Karen Tracy standing in the doorway. He looked up at her.
"You don't come in here much?" he said, as he noticed she hadn't crossed that threshold since he arrived.
"No," Karen said, as she folded her arms.
"Too many memories?" Garza asked aloud, as he returned his eyes to the clutter on Gordon's desk.
"Not really," Karen responded. "This was my husband's sanctuary. He came here to be alone."
"I read about your husband's case when I was assigned to this case," Garza said, somberly. "I'm sorry."
"It's been a long time," Karen said. "There's no need for condolences."
"Still," Garza said, without thinking, "Driving his car over a cliff...that's a bad way to go."
As he looked up at Karen and saw her entire demeanor change, he realized he shouldn't have brought up her husband's death.
"Yes," she said, simply. "I'll leave you to your work."
As he watched her walk away from the office door, he grimaced.
"Good job, detective," he mumbled to himself, as he heard the doorbell.
Garza walked over to the window, thinking it was probably his backup. But as he looked outside, he didn't see any squad cars. He didn't see any cars at all.
Karen walked up to the door and opened it, surprised by the figure she saw standing before her. The woman at the door was wearing a black suit. Her hair was pinned in a bun behind her head. Karen noticed her Asian features, as she fixed the glasses on her face, holding tight to the clipboard in her arm.
"Can I help you?" Karen asked.
"Mrs. Tracy, my name is Cynthia Blu," the young woman said. "I'm an insurance agent."
"Oh, of course," Karen said. "They said they'd be sending someone over. Right this way."
Karen led Cynthia towards her husband's office.
"The police detective is still here, so this actually should be perfect. I don't know if you'll need any information from him," Karen said, as Cynthia looked a bit more nervous.
Karen opened the door, as Garza looked up to see the newcomer.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"This is Cynthia Blu, my insurance company sent her," Karen said.
"I didn't know insurance companies made housecalls," Garza said, as he eyed the beautiful raven-haired woman.
"When you pay for one of our premiere policies, you can get all kinds of perks," Cynthia said, as she sauntered in and began peeking at all of the mess, adjusting her glasses in the process. "They left quite a mess. This may take some time."
"I'll leave you all to it," Karen said. "I'll be in the sitting room, if you need anything."
"Thank you," Cynthia said, with a beaming smile and a polite bow.
With the door closed, Cynthia began to take a closer look. Garza, meanwhile, was taking a closer look at her.
"Do you know what was stolen, officer?" Cynthia asked.
"It's Detective actually," Garza corrected.
"My apologies."
"You enjoy your walk?" Garza asked.
He noticed Cynthia's look of confusion immediately.
"I don't understand?"
"Your walk?" Garza said, as he pointed to the window. "No car."
"Oh," Cynthia said, giggling slightly. "I was dropped off."
"I see," Garza said.
"So, do you know what was taken, Detective?" Cynthia repeated, as she shifted her glasses once again.
"Mr. Tracy's safe...but I have feeling you already knew that," Garza said, as he walked closer, causing Cynthia to back up until she hit the wall behind her.
"Excuse me?" Cynthia said, as she looked a bit frightened by the officer, who brought his face extremely close to hers.
"Who are you, really?" Garza asked.
"I'm Cynthia Blu. I told you—"
"You said, they!" Garza said, angrily.
"What?"
"Earlier, when you came in here. You said 'they left quite a mess.' How do you know it was more than one person?" Garza said, as his eyes narrowed on hers, which were moving all over the place.
"I—I—I don't know what you're talking about," Cynthia said, growing more nervous by the second.
"Maybe I should ask these questions down at the station, then, Ms. Blu. While we're there, you can explain to me exactly what insurance company you work for."
Garza grabbed her arm and headed for the door, but the woman ripped her arm from his grasp. She twisted her body away from him. As Garza advanced towards her, she nailed him with a karate kick, sending him flying over Gordon Tracy's desk and onto the floor. Cynthia tossed her glasses aside and let her hair down, as she giggled a bit.
Miko saw no sense in continuing the masquerade. She grabbed at her left shoulder, seemingly pulling her entire disguise off to reveal an outfit she was much more comfortable in. She was now sporting a long-sleeved black blouse with a navy-colored leather vest and matching skirt. Her heeled boots made her seem a few inches taller than before.
As Garza lifted his head, she swung her clipboard at him, turning it into a lethal weapon. Garza ducked quickly and pulled out his gun. Pointing it at Miko, using the desktop to balance his arm.
"Freeze!" he yelled. "You're under arrest."
As Miko saw the barrel of the weapon trained on her, she let out a whimper and began to frantically sob, which caught Garza off-guard. As he got to his feet, he heard a scream coming from outside of the office. It was Mrs. Tracy.
Garza rushed out into the sitting room to see Karen sitting on a chair, in stunned silence.
"What's wrong?"
Karen pointed to her front door, where Taiyami's hulking form stood, letting out a low chuckle. Garza pointed his weapon at the creature and placed himself in front of Karen.
At that moment, Evan Yukito peeked out from behind Taiyami, fully morphed. He stepped up to stand next to his comrade, as he folded his arms.
"Well, well, looks like the law finally caught up with us," Evan said, slyly. "Waza, go!"
The feathered fowl fluttered past his comrades, drawing Garza's fire. As his pistol discharged, Karen screamed. Waza managed to dodge the bullets and fly directly into Gordon's office, just before the door slammed shut.
Garza started walking that way, only to have his arm grabbed by Taiyami. The ninja used his superior strength to force Garza to drop his weapon. He used his free hand to punch at Taiyami's face, which seemed to do no damage. The ancient creature threw Garza through the air towards his partner at the door. Karen screamed, as she tried to get up, only to be pushed back down by Taiyami.
Garza landed at Yukito's feet. Evan grabbed him by the shoulder, but Garza broke free of his grasp and threw a punch that he figured would hurt his hand more than Yukito's face. Evan scored a spinning kick, sending Garza flying through the doorway of the house. His body flew several feet through the air, until it came to a stop next to his motorcycle.
"I think this investigation is over!" Evan yelled, as Taiyami joined him on the porch.
"Paper crane attack!" Taiyami yelled, as his helmet parted to reveal his true form, just as the colored paper cranes appeared around his body.
Taiyami sent them flying directly at Garza, who dived over his motorcycle, using it as a shield from the blasts. As he covered his head, he heard approaching sirens. Three squad cars rolled up next to him. With their weapons drawn, they began opening fire on the two members of Dark Shadow.
"Hover Strike!" Evan yelled, as he extended his arm, causing his weapon to materialize.
He activated the blue weapon's powerful fan, sending his body up above the cops' fire, as Taiyami blocked their bullets. He used his twin blades and his intense speed to deflect each bullet before it could connect with him.
"Time to retreat!" Evan yelled, as he landed on the roof of the house, high above Taiyami.
"Miko! Waza!" Taiyami called back into the house.
Up above, Evan pulled his tracker and summoned his zord. The blue Helio Zord descended through the clouds and he hopped aboard, just as Miko & Waza appeared at the doorway, taking cover behind Taiyami.
"We didn't find the combination anywhere," Miko told Taiyami.
"We must go," Taiyami said, as he grabbed hold of her.
He used his tremendous speed to zip up the side of the house and hop inside the Helio Zord, followed by Waza.
As he watched the Helio Zord speed away, Garza took a deep breath, wondering what he had fallen into the middle of...again.
A few hours later, it was all quiet in the Hartford mansion...except for the occasional hammering and clang of metal hitting metal coming from the study. Jessica Lorrie sat at the dining room table, quietly typing on her laptop computer. With all of the construction involving the study and the Tracking Lab, she had relocated to continue her work. But, her concentration was soon broken by the sound of the doorbell.
Jessica stood up from the table and walked over to the front door of the mansion, which was only a few feet away from the dining room. She opened the door and instinctively smiled, despite the visitor's very visible frown.
"Detective Garza, this is a surprise," Jessica said, as she motioned for him to come in.
"Where's Dr. Hartford?" Garza said, sternly, his tone surprising her.
"He's resting. What's wrong?"
"I just got attacked by some friends of yours," Garza said, as they talked in the foyer. "A tall, blue ninja wielding paper cranes of death, hot chick in disguise and a fellow who's costume looked a hell of a lot like yours...only blue."
Jessica let out a deep sigh.
"That's Dark Shadow all right," she said.
"The blue suit can't be a coincidence," Garza said. "I read a report about him shoplifting at Silver Heights."
"It's a long story, but that wasn't Evan at the mall," Jessica explained. "It was Miko, hot chick in disguise. Not that it matters now. Evan's not one of us."
"Then why is carrying around your boss's power?" Garza wondered.
"That would be my father's fault," Chris spoke, as he came walking down the master staircase.
Jessica frowned, as she could sense the anger in his words.
"Then again, everything going on out there is his doing," Chris stated, as he walked over to Garza. "My father was the one who brought the blue tracker in here and left it out where Yukito could steal it. Then, he decided it wasn't a good idea for me to try to stop the shoplifting."
"Chris, this isn't about that," Jessica jumped in.
"Yes, it is," Chris said, as he looked back at Garza, ignoring Jessica. "My father does things without thinking most of the time. He just picks the option that works best for him and doesn't care if it screws anyone else over. Just look at what happened to Gordon Tracy!"
"What does that have to do with anything?" Garza wondered.
"My father doesn't know what he's doing," Chris said. "He can't safeguard these powers. He sucks at friendship. Don't get me started on his skills as a father and husband!"
"Chris, stop it!" Jessica said. "You're not helping. Look, Dark Shadow obviously stole the safe and they went back to Mrs. Tracy's for something. We have to figure out why."
"That's easy," Garza said. "I overheard this Miko character telling her big ninja buddy that they weren't able to find the combination. My guess is they want to open that safe and they're going to do anything to accomplish that."
"Wait a minute," Jessica said, looking more troubled. "They didn't find what they wanted?"
"No, my backup arrived just in time to run them off," Garza said.
"One thing we've learned about Dark Shadow is they don't just retreat without a plan," Jessica said, as she looked to Chris, who was still fuming.
"You think they might go back to the house?" Garza asked.
"Are the cops still there?" Jessica asked.
"No," Garza said. "Everyone cleared out about an hour ago."
"Then I'd bet money that Mrs. Tracy is going to be getting another visit very soon," Jessica said, completely worried. "Dark Shadow doesn't give up that easy."
"Let's go," Chris said, as he headed for the door, with Jessica following.
"Wait for me," Garza said, as he rushed out after them, leaving the Hartford house relatively quiet once again.
The piercing scream of Karen Tracy was all that could be heard, as she was pulled out of her home by Taiyami's powerful grip. He threw her to the ground outside her large home. As she tried to get to her feet, she saw the Blue Ranger and Miko standing in front of her, as their pet owl fluttered around near them, until he landed on the familiar silver safe which was sitting on the ground. Evan had his arms folded.
"Not so rough, Taiyami!" Evan shouted. "We don't want to hurt her."
"What do you want?" Karen said, amidst her tears of terror.
"Miko, tie her up," Evan said, as Miko pulled Karen from the ground and tied her to one of the large trees outside of her home.
The large stretch of land that extended towards her pond was secluded, thanks to the ample amount of trees around. Miko tied Karen to the tree just as the morphed Blue Ranger walked up to her.
"Now, all you have to do is tell us what we want to know," Evan said. "We've searched that entire house and we still haven't found the combination to the safe. All you have to do is give it to us and this will all be over."
"I don't know it!" Karen yelled.
"Do not lie, human!" Taiyami called out, as he pulled his blades and advanced towards her.
The Blue Ranger put up a hand, blocking Taiyami's path.
"Now, now, Taiyami, what have we said about blind rage?" Evan said, calmly. "There's no need for anyone to get hurt here. We just need that combination."
"I told you, I don't know it," Karen said. "Gordon never told me."
"Then where is he keeping it?" Miko said, annoyed.
"Apparently some place you'll never find it," Chris Hartford's voice came out of nowhere.
Every member of Dark Shadow turned to find Chris, Jessica and Detective Garza standing a few yards away.
"Let her go," Jessica called out.
"And not too fast," Garza said, as he had his pistol drawn.
"Haven't you learned your lesson about guns yet?" Taiyami shouted, as he joined his blades together, casting them down towards his prey.
A stream of powerful blue energy burst out of the weapons, landing just in front of the trio of newcomers, sending them all flying to the ground thanks to the explosion.
Evan sighed.
"This should give you some time to think," Evan said to Karen Tracy. "And when I get back, you better have a good answer for me about that combination! Waza, watch her and the safe!"
He pulled his hand blaster and ran off, leaving Karen struggling against her restraints. Garza got to his feet, with his pistol drawn. He saw the Blue Ranger sprinting towards him and he began firing. Evan dodged every shot except one, which grazed his arm, causing him to fall to his knees. He quickly rolled back to his feet, with his hand blaster ready.
"Nice shot. Try one of mine!" he said, as he fired.
Garza's eyes grew large, as he saw the laser strikes coming towards him. He jumped away, as the blasts landed at his feet. He landed hard on the ground, with the Blue Ranger standing just above him.
Evan pulled Garza to his feet, only to have the detective knock his arm away. Evan ducked Garza's attempted punch, but was hit in the stomach by a brutal kick, which sent him staggering backwards. He flipped over the policeman's head. Garza whipped around quickly, blocking several of Evan's punches, making sure they didn't hit his face. But once he saw Garza's midsection unprotected, Evan went for the kill. He planted his foot in Garza's stomach, sending him flying several feet away, thanks to the powerful kick.
"Anything you can do, I can do better," Evan said, smiling beneath his helmet.
Several feet away, Jessica kept reaching for the tracker in her pocket, only to have Miko nail her arm with her wooden bo staff, before she could get a hold of it. Miko swung around, wielding the powerful weapon.
This time she aimed at Jessica's feet, but the unmorphed Ranger jumped, landing on the stick, pinning it to the ground. Miko brought her hands together jabbing them into Jessica's chest, sending her flying to the ground. Miko grabbed the wooden bo from the ground and flipped several times towards Jessica, who was still down on the ground, but watching her opponent closely. She grabbed her tracker from her back pocket.
Miko landed right near Jessica's head and brought the wooden weapon down towards her face for a finishing strike. Jessica lifted her tracker, blocking the bo with it.
"Start up!"
She ripped the device across the larger weapon, causing her to instantly morph. She kicked the bo away and flipped to her feet.
"No!" Miko squealed in anger, as she swung her weapon wildly at the Pink Ranger.
Jessica pulled her hand blaster, transforming it into its blade mode. She brought the weapon up to block away Miko's attacks. She spun underneath the wooden bo and slashed at Miko's chest with her blade, sending Dark Shadow's only woman flying into the air, in a barrage of sparks and screams.
Nearby, Chris Hartford's body went flying through the air, twisting repeatedly, before crashing to the grass near the tree where Karen was tied up.
"Chris, what are you doing?" Karen yelled.
"Don't worry," Chris said, as he got to his feet. "We'll have you free in no time."
Just then, he was grabbed by the color by Taiyami and thrown across the yard once again. He jumped to his feet and scored a kick to the creature's face, which did little damage. He grabbed his tracker from his pocket, as he saw Taiyami bringing both of his blades down at him. He ducked under the strike from one sword, just as the other came down towards his face. He flipped out of the way and extended his left arm, ripping the tracker across it.
"Start up!" he yelled.
With is morph barely complete, the Red Ranger found himself once again quickly dodging Taiyami's strikes.
"Power Staff!" he yelled, causing his weapon to materialize in front of him.
He grabbed a hold of the weapon, just as Taiyami's blades came towards his head. He used his strength to push him away, allowing him to go on the offensive. He fought Taiyami back. They fought past the safe, where Waza was still perched.
As the owl saw the battle escalating around him, he flew over to the tree where Karen Tracy was still tied.
"As a believer in feng shuai, I must say this battle is doing terrible damage to your lawn which is not good news for the positive energy of your home," Waza explained. "Just tell me the combination."
"I don't know it," Karen said again, as she rolled her eyes. "I can't believe I'm talking to a talking owl."
"I suggest you think harder. Even if you don't know it, perhaps you can figure it out," Waza reasoned.
Karen closed her eyes. All of the commotion happening around her made her unable to even think about the safe. She was much more concerned with her safety, a fear that she didn't reveal to her captors.
As the battle continued to rage, a stream of fire seemed to come out of nowhere, twisting and turning around all six of the fighters, before settling around each of them, causing a major explosion that sent each one of the fighters flying to the ground, smoking with damage.
Before any of them could reach their feet, a swarm of fiery Draggs was on the scene, with their hot blades drawn down on all of them. Waza pecked at two of the Draggs surrounding him, but he was unable to fight them off and flew even higher, forced to leave the safe unprotected.
The red dragon-like creatures seemed to be everywhere and Evan Yukito knew that could mean only one thing. His client had come to collect.
Drakar stormed onto the property, with his eyes on the safe, which was now being guarded by two of his Draggs. He nodded to the two, as he cast his golden eyes down on Evan Yukito.
"Bring him!" Drakar yelled.
Two of the Draggs forced Yukito to his feet and dragged him over to Drakar.
"You have betrayed me twice now," Drakar said. "You believe yourself to be lucky, but I am prepared to show you that you are not."
"Betrayed? Me?" Evan said, a bit cocky. "I don't know what you mean. We were just on our way to deliver the safe, I assure you."
"You lie!" Drakar seethed. "Every word has been a lie."
Drakar focused his brainwaves on the Blue Ranger, as his helmet began to glow orange. A stream of energy burst forth from his head, landing squarely on the chest of the Blue Ranger. His suit lit up with sparking damage, as he collapsed to the ground.
Drakar chuckled, as he saw the Blue Ranger on the ground, not moving. He stepped over to the safe and ran his fingers along it.
"Bring it!" he yelled to his Draggs.
The two creatures grabbed a hold of the safe and followed Drakar. As he passed Karen Tracy, he chuckled once again. He swiped his claw at the ropes restraining her and she fell to the ground, looking upon him with great fear.
"Thank you!" Drakar said, as he continued past the field of captive warriors.
As he passed Taiyami and Miko who were held at knifepoint by his Draggs, he looked to them for only a second.
"If you want the job done right, you have to do it yourself," he murmured.
Once he was clear of the battlefield, he extended his palm, sending another streaking fire stream around Miko, Taiyami, Chris, Jessica and Garza, causing them all to be hit with his powerful attack. As they all collapsed to the ground, the Draggs retreated, disappearing with their master and the safe.
"You okay?" Jessica asked Garza, as they stood outside the Hartford mansion next to his motorcycle.
"A little banged up, but nothing that won't heal," Garza said.
"I warned you about getting involved in our craziness," Jessica said, with a smile.
"It's a little late for warnings now, isn't it?" Garza said. "So this Drakar...another freak huh?"
"Definitely," Jessica said.
"How many more are there left for me to meet?" Garza asked, sarcastically.
"One, and he's got two Rangers too," Jessica explained.
"You're kidding right?"
"Not one bit," Jessica said, as she chuckled.
"I swear I should lock you all up," Garza said. "I'm gonna have to explain to my Sarge why I didn't."
"Well, good luck with that," Jessica said. "I trust you know who the good guys and bad guys are."
Garza sighed, as he mounted his motorcycle and grabbed his helmet.
"I'm learning," he said, flashing a bit of a smile, as he put on his helmet and took off.
Once Detective Garza was out of sight, Jessica turned to face the mansion. She wasn't quite sure if she was ready go back inside just yet. There was a lot going on in there, a lot of good and a lot of bad. She found that she was in the same boat with Garza, still trying to decipher the good from the bad. She sat down on the side of the fountain and continued staring at the Hartford house.
Within the walls of the mansion, Ian Hartford found himself in the middle of an apology, as he shook the hand of Aaron Mason.
"I was on edge," Ian reasoned. "I shouldn't have lashed out at you, Aaron. You and your men are doing a great job and I have no doubt that I'll be satisfied with the finished product, whenever you're done."
"Thank you, Dr. Hartford," Aaron said. "I understand. We can all get a little stir crazy some time, even me. Just ask some of my guys."
The two shared a chuckle.
"I'll see you in the morning," Aaron said, as he headed for the front door.
He opened it, just as Karen Tracy was walking up to it. Aaron excused himself after a quick greeting. Karen walked in, as she saw Ian.
"Am I interrupting?" she asked. "I saw Jessica outside. She said I should come right in."
"It's perfectly fine," Ian said. "I was actually going to call you."
Karen entered completely, closing the front door behind her.
"Jessica told me what happened. Are you all right?" he asked.
"A little frightened out of my mind," she said, nervously. "I was actually on my way to a hotel. The house is a little too quiet. I keep expecting someone or some thing to come busting in."
"I understand," Ian said, forcing a smile. "I would invite you stay if I thought you'd accept."
Karen shook her head.
"Thanks for the offer but I'll be fine," Karen said. "Besides, you've got your own issues to work out. You don't need mine."
"I always had time for you," Ian said.
"Too much time, according to some," Karen said, sadly.
After a long silence, Karen sighed.
"Thank you," she said, as she leaned over, kissing him on the cheek. "I've missed your friendship, almost as much as I miss my husband."
"I feel the same way," Ian said. "I just wish I could guarantee that you wouldn't have anymore unwanted visitors."
"I just hope they got what they wanted," Karen said. "Whoever that red fellow was, he seemed satisfied with the safe."
"Unfortunately, I've come to realize in the last month or so that Drakar is never satisfied," Ian said, as he looked down at his wheelchair, thinking back to the red beast's devastating attack that paralyzed him. "I'm just glad he didn't hurt you."
As Ian took her hand in his, Chris watched from the top of the staircase.
Inside of his Hawaiian volcano, Drakar sat on his self-created throne. Using his monitor to spy on the Hartford mansion, he watched Ian Hartford's interaction with Karen Tracy. He chuckled to himself, before deactivating the device. Drakar stood from his seat and walked towards the platform that led to the volcano's exit. He looked up and could see the night sky outside. His gaze shifted to the area on the other side of the stone platform. Several Draggs were standing there, with the silver safe.
"Bring me the safe!" Drakar ordered.
Two of the Draggs carefully carried the heavy object across the platform, laying it at Drakar's feet. He fell to one knee and ran his hand over the top of it once more. His hand rested on the dial as he slowly twisted it, inputting the correct combination. The safe door opened.
"Yes," Drakar said, beneath his breath. "The contents of this safe will surely place me ahead in the race for the Lunati treasure."
As he opened the safe door fully, he saw only two objects inside. A small shiny silver box and the leather-bound journal of Gordon Tracy. He picked up the journal, holding it tight in his hands. He looked back up at his Draggs, with confidence.
"This is the key," Drakar said, as he stood back up. "The key to finding the next piece in my ultimate quest."
THE END
Next time on
Quest for the Lunati Treasure
With tensions still running high in the Hartford
mansion, Jessica & Chris find themselves at odds.
When Jessica accidentally awakens an ancient
Lunati spirit, Chris finds himself in grave danger.
Ian makes a shocking discovery about Drakar.