QUEST FOR THE LUNATI TREASURE
Episode #12
"Lethal Weapon"
"The power, Abaddon," Gadarel shouted. "He is stronger than we are!"
"For now!" Abaddon spoke, his voice low and dark.
His last words in front of the hunter continued to run through his mind, even days after their last confrontation. Abaddon continued to pace inside of a darkened warehouse, contemplating his failure. Barbus was gone. The fate and fury of the Ja'Vey was now in his hands, he knew. He had failed his lord and his people. There was one other thing that Abaddon knew. Vengeance would be his.
At that moment, he heard approaching footsteps. They were still new to their powerful fighting upgrades, but Abaddon could never mistake the footsteps of his comrade, Gadarel. He looked over and saw a pair of approaching gold eyes. Gadarel's footsteps were patient and methodical. Gadarel had a constant thirst for blood, which was why Barbus had originally chosen him to train his pack. He was also extremely loyal to his leaders. Barbus trusted him and Abaddon had adopted the same feeling toward his comrade since their rebirth. But he knew the fierce warrior inside of Gadarel was growing restless.
"What are we to do, Abaddon?" Gadarel asked.
"We are to fight, of course," Abaddon spoke calmly.
"But Garza—the hunter has more power," Gadarel said. "Not even our new abilities are enough to destroy him now that he is a Ranger!"
"Then we will seek more power," Abaddon said, contemplating the thought which had just popped into his head.
"Tarok? Do you really think the Lunati will help us after the last time?" Gadarel wondered.
"He will not grant us more power without a price, I'm sure," Abaddon said, slyly.
"I am tired of this constant bartering! We are warriors, meant to take what we want," Gadarel spoke, intensely.
"And I grow tired of losing!" Abaddon shot back. "The Ja'Vey remain strong through us."
Abaddon's voice grew more soothing as he spoke, trying to calm his partner.
"We have more than one option for more power," Abaddon explained. "Our brains have been just as enhanced as our muscle. Open your mind, Gadarel. Inside, you may find the knowledge that I have."
Abaddon tilted his head downward, which pleased Gadarel. The Ja'Vey now looked fiercer. The fight was not over yet and soon they would have the new power they sought.
Deep in a mountainous jungle of Panama, a slight thrashing could be heard in the distance behind several large trees. The growing sound left a large rattlesnake thirsting for peace. The creature slithered out onto a sturdy branch, but as the creature crossed over to the branch of another tree, a clawed hand grabbed the reptile right in the middle of its long body. As the red hand gripped the creature tighter, the snake lashed out, biting the tall monster viciously.
The bite, however, did no damage to Drakar's tough exterior. He grabbed the rattlesnake with both hands and ripped the creature apart, tossing both halves onto the ground at his sides. Drakar grumbled angrily, as he continued stomping his way through the area. After climbing upwards several more yards, Drakar reached an area of level ground beside a rocky mountain, half-covered with greenery.
He chuckled, as he saw the object of his journey only a few feet away. Drakar could see the shining handle in the distance. He glanced down at the piece of Gordon Tracy's journal in his hand. He felt triumphant. He barely needed the book, now that most of his memories were returning.
"It must be the treasure," Drakar remarked, as he stepped closer to the mountainside.
Drakar didn't want to fathom that it was his encounters with Ian Hartford that were drawing out the memories of his life as Gordon Tracy. He was simply grateful that he remembered his drawings of the map to this place, since the journal had been ripped in two.
Drakar stepped up to the side of the mountain where he could see the bottom of the relic sticking straight out of the rock, as if the mountain had been stabbed.
"The Lunati sword!" Drakar grumbled, as he reached out his hand to grasp the handle.
As his hand gripped the golden sword, a surge of energy seemed to emanate from the weapon, traveling up Drakar's arm. As the energy reached his chest, he could feel the power transferring to his body. It erupted into a giant surge, which sent the Ferum leader flying several feet away from the sword. If there had not been a heavy tree blocking his path, Drakar might have flown right off the side of the mountain.
Drakar crashed to the ground, his body paralyzed for a few moments from the massive surge. He shook his head, attempting to regain all of his senses. As he stood up, he grabbed his half of the journal and looked at it, trying desperately to remember the notes he had written on the missing pages.
"What am I missing?" Drakar spoke aloud, as he glanced back at the sword.
For a moment, he envied Ian Hartford again. The archaeologist would have figured out a way. Drakar's thoughts then veered to Hartford's son. It was then that he realized exactly what he needed to gain possession of the sword.
As the sun made its way further into the sky, two souls were deep in dreamland…but only for one additional minute.
Inside the dark dampness of her cave home, Addie Malcolm was knocked from her deep sleep by a small clump of dirt that fell from the top of her cavern, hitting her right in the face. She awoke with a choke, as she frantically wiped the dirt away from her face. She began to spit repeatedly onto the floor of the cavern. Once she was sure she had gotten the taste out of her mouth, she began to catch her breath and realize she was indeed awake. She glanced up to see her older brother still sleeping soundly on his slab of stone. She grimaced, almost wanting to wake him out of spite that he was still asleep. Instead, she groaned at the state of her so-called home.
Across town, Chris Hartford smiled, as his mind filled with pleasant dreams, until the harsh sound of his alarm clock blared throughout his spacious room on the third floor of the Hartford mansion. He winced, instantly knowing that it was time to wake. He held his eyes closed tight, hoping that he could somehow force the clock to shut off with telepathy that he didn't possess. When that didn't work, he reached over, pressing the snooze button. He rolled over onto his stomach and pulled his fluffy comforter over his head, hoping for a few more minutes of peace.
Inside her cavern, a frowning Addie slowly rolled up the thin pallet she used to keep her from sleeping directly on the cold, hard and dirty ground of the cave. It may have been more comfortable than sleeping on a stone slab like Bishop, but trying to keep her sleeping space clear of dirt was becoming more of a nuisance everyday. As she wiggled the blanket in the air with one hand, she was met again with dirt, which now was all over her body. She let out a whimper and threw the blanket across the cavern, which still didn't wake Bishop. She walked over to her large yellow duffle bag and searched through it for clean clothes. She groaned as she found one short-sleeved pastel yellow shirt, the only thing left clean. She grabbed her favorite khaki shorts and stormed out of the cavern in a huff.
Inside the Hartford mansion, Chris yawned as he finally mustered the courage to crawl out of bed. He made his way towards his closet, scratching himself. Chris grabbed a remote control off the floor and pointed it at his stereo, activating it. As the rock music filled the room, he took a deep breath and opened the door to his walk-in closet. Chris rubbed his eyes as he slowly ran his finger through the hanging clothes on both sides of him. His left hand stopped at a long-sleeved white t-shirt with a red lightning design running down one side of it. He nodded and pulled it off its hanger. He glanced to the right and grabbed a pair of ripped blue jeans and exited the closet, tossing the clothes onto his bed. Chris made his way into the bathroom.
Inside the remote cave system that Addie called home, she made her way through a winding tunnel until she reached a small cavern, with a stone water trough that carried water out of the caves. Fully changed, Addie carried a small white towel, toothpaste and a toothbrush with her. She splashed some of the water on her face, hoping to wipe away the last remnants of dirt there. She glanced into a large piece of broken glass, which was once a large vanity mirror before it was dumped into a local garbage heap. She began to brush her teeth. As she closed her eyes and calmed her spirit, she began to subconsciously hum an upbeat tune that had been stuck in her head for a long time.
Inside the Hartford mansion, Chris finished his hot shower and wiped the fog off of his repaired mirror. After a few tugs at his wet hair, he turned on the water and grabbed the tube of toothpaste from the cabinet hidden behind the mirror. When he squeezed the tube and found only a few drops landing on his toothbrush, he casually tossed the tube into the trashcan behind him. He grabbed another fresh tube and began brushing, keeping perfect time with the music.
Inside the cavern, Addie found herself gently brushing as she continued to hum. As she began to nod her head, hearing the music loud in her head, Bishop Malcolm entered the cavern, with the same action in mind. He grabbed the toothpaste his sister had dropped, only to find it practically empty. He frowned as he looked over at Addie, who appeared to be in her own world.
"Why are you so perky?" he called out.
Addie stopped quickly, obviously stunned by his appearance which she never noticed.
"What?" she said, looking confused as she hadn't even heard his question.
"Nevermind," Bishop said, with a sigh.
He shook his head and began to brush with the last bit of toothpaste he could squeeze from the tube. He had barely begun his ritual when footsteps approached the small cavern. Tarok stood in the entranceway, getting Bishop's attention. He sighed, as he wondered what their leader could want now.
"What is it?" Bishop asked, seriously.
"I have deciphered the journal pages," Tarok announced. "I require assistance."
"Give us a minute," Bishop said, before returning to his brushing.
"I only need Addie," Tarok spoke, surprising both the Malcolm siblings.
Addie looked back at Tarok, as a glob of toothpaste rolled down her chin.
"Huh?" she muttered.
Spencer held his head high, as he tightly grabbed hold of his weapon of choice on this day. He gripped the trigger firmly with his finger. His right hand was ready for action. In his left hand, he held the apparatus that would wipe up the impending destruction. He extended his hand, pointing directly at his target. With one quick pull of the trigger, his enemy was destroyed.
Spencer smiled as he quickly wiped the window clean of the last smudge. The rag in his left hand was now a bit smudged as well, thanks to his morning work. Spencer resigned himself to retrieve another fresh towel. As he passed the hallway leading to Ian Hartford's office, he stopped, as he noticed Jessica Lorrie standing just outside of the cracked door. Spencer quietly snuck up next to her. He peaked inside the crack and saw Chris standing in front of his father's desk, where Ian was seated.
"Eavesdropping are we?" Spencer whispered to Jessica.
He expected her to be caught off-guard by his appearance, but Jessica didn't move. Spencer glanced at her face and got the distinct impression that her mind was actually miles away from this place. Jessica's eyes were staring at her hands. Spencer looked down to see her cell phone was the only thing in her clasped hands.
"Something wrong with your new purchase, Ms. Lorrie?" Spencer whispered.
This got her attention.
"Huh—oh—it's nothing, Spencer," Jessica said, her voice quiet.
She tried to pretend like she wasn't focused on the cell…or the call she wished for. Instead, she glanced back at Dr. Hartford's door.
"They've been at it for a while in there," Jessica revealed, as she continued to listen in.
Inside the office, the father and son were once again at each other's throats.
"All we went through and you didn't get the journal!" Ian said, angrily.
"You act like the Ja'Vey weren't even there!" Chris shot back. "Hell, if Garza didn't show up, we'd probably be dead right now. Is that what you want?"
"I want to end this quest," Ian said. "I thought that's what you wanted!"
"I do!"
"To do that, we need to get our hands on the treasure," Ian said, sternly. "We can't let it slip through our fingers over and over again…like the crown, which you lost again!"
"What was I supposed to do?" Chris said. "Tell me, dad, really!"
"We can't afford to keep playing games with Bishop and Addie. You should have left them shackled!" Ian shouted.
"Yeah, because that wouldn't have been wrong at all," Chris said, sarcastically. "If I had left them, the Ja'Vey would have killed them."
"If you had left them, we'd have the crown, the journal and my trackers back!" Ian shouted.
"Wow," Chris said, as he walked towards the door. "So, let me get this straight. At this point, no one else's life matters as long as you get what you want."
"Chris, that's not—"
"No!" Chris said. "I see now. I get it, dad. You've made yourself very clear."
Jessica and Spencer tried to appear inconspicuous as Chris whipped the door open and stormed out. Spencer quickly turned and sprayed a bare wall and began dusting it, creating more of a mess. Chris stormed right past both of them without stopping.
"Chris," Jessica called out, as she followed him towards the door.
"I'm going out," Chris shouted before slamming the front door upon his exit from the house.
Jessica grimaced and started her way up the main staircase. Spencer walked over to the banister. He saw her glancing at her cell phone again as she headed up.
"Ms. Lorrie, perhaps one of us should go after him?" Spencer said, wondering why she didn't seem interested.
Jessica shook her head.
"Maybe we should give him some time to cool off," Jessica said, as she continued up the stairs.
Spencer sighed as he worried for both of the young adults living under that roof. They were both troubled and at the moment, he didn't know how to help either of them. Jessica continued walking until she reached the third floor of the mansion. She entered her bedroom and checked her cell phone again. When she saw there had been no new activity, she groaned angrily. She stomped over to her dresser and opened the top drawer. Jessica promptly dropped the phone into the drawer and slammed it shut.
"Screw you, Stephen," Jessica moaned to herself.
Inside of his volcanic home, Drakar watched the action occurring inside of the Hartford mansion. As he saw Chris Hartford storm out of the house, he proudly nodded his head, realizing that his new plan to gain the Lunati sword had just taken shape and hadn't even lifted a finger.
Bishop brushed and washed as fast as he could. Before long, he was walking into Tarok's cavern, where he saw the Lunati king hunched over half of the journal that Bishop had thrown at him the day before. Addie was holding the book, staring intently at a hand-drawn map on half of the page.
"Do you understand?" Tarok asked her.
"Understand what?" Bishop said, making his presence known.
He walked closer to the two and Addie looked up at him, noticing his over-protective curiosity reaching its peak.
"This map…Tarok thinks it leads to the Lunati sword," Addie said to her brother. "He wants me to get it and I intend to do just that."
"What?" Bishop exclaimed in disbelief.
"I need Addie," Tarok spoke proudly to Bishop.
"I'll do it," Bishop interjected. "Just give me the map and I'll bring the sword back."
"No!" Tarok said quickly and sternly. "It must be Addie!"
Tarok knew that the Lunati sword could only be removed from its hiding place by a pure spirit and Addie's was the purest he knew. Tarok couldn't help but also think of the power he sensed flowing through Addie. She had been able to break one of his powerful spells and he had never forgotten it. If Addie was that strong, she might just prove to be the perfect tool to retake his treasure. He needed to know more about this power within her.
"Why?" Bishop asked, with interest.
"Because…," Tarok paused, for only a moment. "You are needed here. The crown must remain protected, especially now with the Ja'Vey lurking."
Bishop groaned. Addie patted him on the shoulder.
"I'll be fine. You don't have to worry about me," Addie said.
'It's not you I'm worried about,' Bishop thought to himself, as he locked eyes with Tarok.
Back in the heart of Silver City, Chris Hartford walked slowly down a vacant street, passing several empty businesses. As he glanced at the names on each of the windows, he wondered why his father couldn't be a simple businessman. Why couldn't he own a shoe store or a bakery or even an ice cream parlor? Chris frowned, as he realized this was pointless. There was no changing his father's job and there was no changing the current state of their lives. The only thing he could do was move forward, no matter how difficult the path was becoming.
As he turned a corner, he stopped dead in his tracks for just a second. Chris caught sight of Drakar standing further down that street, facing a handful of his Draggs. Chris crept back around the corner, watching the heated exchange between the Ferum leader and his foot soldiers.
"You are worthless!" Drakar yelled at the creatures. "I ask you to take care of one thing and you fail! You must find that map, now! It is the only way to find our way back to the Lunati sword."
Drakar turned his back on the three creatures, who were all cowering in fear of him.
"I must get to that sword before any of the others do. Its power will surge in my hands. I'm certain of it," Drakar pronounced before strutting off down the opposite street.
The Draggs seemed to mumble and growl incoherently to one another, as they began searching for the map that Drakar needed so much. Chris appeared curious, as he saw the creatures scurrying around the deserted street.
It was at that point that Chris spotted something tucked just underneath a dumpster in the adjoining alley. He kept his eyes on the Draggs as he snuck into the alleyway and knelt down by the dumpster. He grabbed the thick brown parchment and saw the hand-written map sketched onto it. Chris smiled, as he focused on the red "X" in the middle of the sheet.
"The Lunati sword," Chris said to himself, standing up.
When he turned around to leave the alley, he found his way blocked by the three Draggs. He hid the map behind his back and pretended to be oblivious to the current situation.
"Hey there," Chris said, waving his empty hand. "Long time, no see."
Chris began slowly walking towards the alley entrance, heading towards the open space that wasn't covered by a Dragg.
"Well, it was nice running into you, but I really should be going," Chris said, as he attempted to run past the creatures.
One of the Draggs, however, grabbed a hold of Chris's hand that carried the map in it. The Draggs squealed as they saw the parchment in the Red Ranger's hand. The Dragg pulled his arm back, pulling him further into the alley. Another Dragg swung at Chris, but he ducked under it, kicking that Dragg away. The creature collided with the brick wall that created the alley's structure.
Chris twisted his head underneath his trapped arm and slammed his knee into that Dragg's stomach, causing him to let go of his arm. Chris ducked as the third Dragg came running towards him. That Dragg ran right into the bent over Dragg, causing him to be head butted in the gut. Chris grabbed the arm of the first Dragg and used his strength to hoist him over his head, right into the open dumpster.
This action, however, caused the map to fall from Chris's hand. Before he could grab it, the last Dragg took hold. The creature headed back towards the street, but Chris pulled the scope shot from his back pocket. He launched the tiny grappler, which grabbed a hold of the Dragg's leg, tripping it. Chris retracted the grappler, causing the Dragg to unwillingly slide back towards him across the ground. Chris planted his foot on the creature's back and snatched the map from his grasp.
Chris sprinted out of the cave as fast as he could, leaving the fallen creatures behind. As he ran, he took another glance at the map in his hand. He smiled, deciding exactly where to pick up the trail of the Lunati sword. He grabbed his tracker and instead of calling home, he called for the Hyper Jet. Back down the street, Drakar peeked around the corner, spying Chris as he left the scene. Drakar chuckled.
Addie Malcolm was already in Panama. As she trekked up the mountainous jungle area, heading for the sword's location, she continued to keep herself focused and calm by singing a quiet tune. It was the song that had never left her mind on this day. It was a song that she couldn't seem to forget no matter how much she tried.
"If I was blind, you'd help me see. If I lost my mind, you'd find it for me," Addie sang, gently moving her head to keep time with the music as she remembered it. "Speak on it babe. Tell me what do you need. Because all I need is you to love me, baby."
Several feet behind and below the climbing Addie, Tarok was following. He seemed to stare at her strangely, as he heard her singing. Her voice was appealing, he thought, but he didn't understand why she chose such an important time to engage in such mindless entertainment.
"Put your hands on me, baby," Addie sang a bit louder. "Put your hands on—"
"Why are you doing that?" Tarok asked, unable to halt his curiosity.
Addie was so focused on her song that she jumped a bit when Tarok called out to her. She glanced back at him, pausing her climb.
"Doing what?" Addie asked.
"This is hardly the time to be singing," Tarok said.
"You haven't ever heard of defense mechanisms?" Addie wondered, rolling her eyes.
"You are afraid?" Tarok asked. "Of what?"
"Oh, I don't know," Addie said. "Maybe it's the uncertainty of what's waiting for us. We don't really know what's ahead…at least, I don't."
"Sometimes fear can be a great weapon," Tarok said, attempting to truly gage the state of Addie's spirit and power.
"Don't give me that 'fear leads to the dark side' speech," Addie said. "I may not remember seeing it but my brother is a Star Wars fan. Don't ever tell him I told you that."
"What is this Star Wars?" Tarok asked, looking confused.
"Nevermind," Addie said, as she tried to continue her trek. "It's not so much about fear. It's like…losing control. I don't like the way I feel when I get…off balance."
"Off balance," Tarok repeated, as he tried to keep up with her, hoping to learn more. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know," Addie said, not even realizing she was being probed for information. "It's like something inside me…it comes out when I lose control. It makes me feel weird…but I don't really remember it."
"It sounds like a powerful force. Perhaps you should explore your feelings," Tarok pushed.
"I know I don't like it," Addie said. "That's all the exploration I need. Singing helps me stay focused and balanced. That's how I deal with it."
She didn't mention that it also evoked memories of the first time she heard that song, when her essence was inside the body of Jessica Lorrie.
"I'm not so sure you understand the full extent of power," Tarok said. "When it pulses through your veins it can be…"
"Intoxicating?" Addie finished his sentence, surprising him with her knowledge of exactly what he was talking about.
"It can make you feel stronger than you've ever felt before," Tarok revealed. "When you hold the sword, you will understand a bit more clearly."
"Wait," Addie said, stopping again. "You want me to handle the sword?"
Tarok continued climbing, passing her by, as he grinned a bit, out of her sight.
"I believe you are worthy of power," Tarok said.
Addie watched him continue up the mountainous terrain, inching ever closer to the Lunati sword. As she pondered his words, she began to feel even more uneasy.
"Put your hands on me, baby," Addie sang, a bit nervously, as she tried to regain her focus.
Jessica stood in her bedroom, staring out her window, remembering the passionate embrace of Stephen Garza. She shook her head, trying to forget it, along with the fact that the detective had not even attempted to call her since.
"It's only been a day," Jessica mumbled, trying to keep her wits.
She stomped her foot and turned her back on the window.
"Why do you even care?" she said to herself. "It was nothing, just some spontaneous…thing. This isn't like you, Jess. You need to stop moping around like some lovesick teenager!"
Jessica continued to berate herself when she heard a knock at her door. She quickly began knocking the creases out of her clothes and fixing her hair, since she had no idea who it could be. It never occurred to her that there was no doorbell and no motorcycle outside her window. The only thing that occurred to her was the possibility that it could be Stephen Garza.
"Yes," she called out.
The door opened quickly and Spencer Kingston came walking in. Jessica's entire demeanor changed and she slumped her shoulders, which caught Spencer by surprise.
"Sorry to disappoint you," he murmured.
"What is it, Spencer?"
"It's Master Chris," Spencer announced. "The Hyper Jet was activated. It took off a while ago. He's obviously going further than a walk."
"Just track him," Jessica said, nonchalantly.
"I already did," Spencer said quickly. "The Hyper Jet is headed towards Panama!"
Jessica groaned, as she headed towards the door. She paused for a moment, then walked over to her dresser drawer and grabbed her cell phone…just in case.
Inside the caverns, Bishop leaned against a hard rock wall, unable to shake thoughts of his sister being in danger. He knew he should never have let her leave with Tarok. As he gently juggled his tracker between his hands, his fears were mounting. He had a bad feeling and for him, that meant action was needed. He wasn't someone who could sit and wait when his gut was telling him he needed to be somewhere else.
Orders or no orders, crown or no crown, Bishop knew where he needed to be.
He grabbed tight to his tracker and headed towards the cave entrance. As he approached it, several Karths appeared, blocking his path.
"Move!" Bishop ordered.
The Karths didn't move.
"I'm going out. Go protect the crown," Bishop told the creatures, but they were still unmoving.
For a second, he didn't understand. They were usually obedient. Then, he remembered their chain of command. Tarok had obviously told them to make sure he didn't leave, but why. Now, he was even more nervous.
"I'm leaving, whether you like it or not, so if you like living, I suggest you move out of my way," Bishop said.
The five Karths began moving towards him, their muffled voices getting louder. Bishop took a defensive stance. Two of the Karths tried to restrain his arms, but once they took hold, he brought his arms together, slamming the two Karths into one another. He tried to run swiftly out of the cave, but two more of the Karths grabbed his stomach. The last Karth grabbed his back. Bishop lunged forward, causing that Karth to fly over his head. He used his arm to elbow one of the Karths in the head, knocking it away. He grabbed the other Karth by the shoulders and headbutt it, sending it falling as well. Bishop jogged out of the cave, turning back for only a second.
"Guard the crown!" He yelled back at the Karths, as they began to pull themselves back together.
He slid open his tracker and called upon his zord. The black and silver Tow Speeder was at his location within seconds. He hopped aboard the massive car and took off.
In the mountainous area of Panama, Addie sighed as she finally reached level ground. She pushed away the leafy branch of a tree and it was then that she caught sight of the Lunati sword sticking straight out of the mountainous rock. Addie stepped closer, as the sun seemed to hit the exposed handle perfectly, causing it to shimmer.
In fact, Addie was so entranced by the discovery that she never noticed someone else entering the area several meters away from her. Chris Hartford reached the level ground, breathing heavily. As he looked around for his target, he saw Addie standing there. Feeling his eyes on her, Addie turned spotting Chris for the first time.
The two walked right up to one another. The sword was several feet away from them, but it seemed to be placed right in the middle of them from a distance.
"What are you doing here?" Addie asked, looking surprised.
"Hey, I'll ask the questions," Chris said. "What happened back there at the warehouse?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You stole the crown and the journal!" Chris accused. "We had a deal!"
"You were there to 'steal' just as much as we were," Addie said, attempting to look devious. "Turnabout is fair play."
"Fair? You want to talk to me about fair? You betrayed me!"
"Betrayed you?" Addie repeated. "What was there to betray? It's not like we trust each other or…anything like that."
"I'll remember that next time you're in Jessica's bedroom," Chris said, bringing up their past encounter.
Addie's jaw dropped, as the embarrassment took hold of her.
"Now that I have your attention," Chris said, with a smile. "What are you doing out here all by yourself?"
At that moment, a surge of blue lightning energy grabbed hold of Chris. He screamed in pain, as the energy lifted him several feet off the ground. Addie was stunned. She turned to see Tarok was using his power on Chris.
"She's not alone!" Tarok yelled, as he smiled at Chris's pain.
Addie ran over to Tarok's side.
"Stop!" she said. "Let him go."
"Why?" Tarok muttered.
"He's not morphed. If you keep this up, you could kill him!" Addie professed.
"It would be one more obstacle out of my way," Tarok said, as he continued sending his energy pulsing through Chris's body.
"No!" Addie yelled, as she reached out, grabbing Tarok's arm forcefully, ending his assault on Chris.
Tarok was caught off-guard by Addie's power. He felt a real, burning pain shooting up his arm. The energy was coming from Addie's hands. Tarok resisted the urge to show his pain at her hands. Instead, he halted his attempts to attack Chris Hartford. He showed no overt signs of pain, purposely making sure that she didn't see him in pain.
Chris collapsed to the ground, seemingly unconscious. Addie released Tarok from her grasp and started towards the fallen Red Ranger. Before she could get to close, Tarok called out to her.
"Addie!" he yelled. "Get the sword! You crave the power. Now, take it!"
Addie couldn't calm her mind at that point. She wanted to check on Chris, but something was pulling her towards the sword. She didn't care if she disobeyed Tarok, but there was something else inside of her, something that wanted her to feel that sword in her grasp. She tried to take another step towards Chris, but she couldn't. Instead, she turned towards the sword, stuck in the mountainside. Her eyes were intently focused on the blade, as she reached out for it.
In the distance behind her, Tarok stared, watching her every move, almost salivating at the prospect of finally getting his hands on the sword.
Addie reached out, grabbing the handle in her hand. As she applied pressure to it, she began to pull. At first, it appeared unmoving, but as she continued to pull, the blade began to show itself. A few seconds later, the Lunati sword was in her hands. The blade was thick and most of the sword was gold, fit for a king. The shining silver parts of the blade were still as sharp as ever. Addie held the sword tightly in her grasp, raising it above her head a bit. The massive sword appeared to be too heavy for someone of her stature, but she wielded it with great strength and intensity. She could indeed feel its power coursing through her body.
At that moment, she felt something else. A strong hand had grabbed her wrist and was quickly tightening its grasp on her. Addie looked over to see Drakar; the fearsome Ferum leader was gripping her arm that held the sword.
"I'll be taking that!" Drakar shouted, as he cackled with pride.
Bishop tried for a third time to gain better footing, as he made his way up the mountainside, in search of his sister. His tracker had locked onto the Lunati trace that he knew had to belong to the sword…or Tarok. Either way, Bishop wanted to get to that spot. He still had a bad feeling. As he made it his way up a few more meters, he lost his footing once again and slid back down to his previous position. He slammed his fist against the hard, dirty mountain in anger, just as he heard a slight chuckle below him.
He looked down to see Jessica Lorrie making her way up the mountainside, practically with ease. She caught up to his position quickly.
"What are you doing out here?" Bishop asked, annoyed at her arrival.
"I could ask you the same question," Jessica sniped back, as she climbed toward him. "But since I don't give a damn, I won't."
She passed him, nudging his shoulder hard, which caused him to fall down a few more paces, making him angrier.
"Hey!" Bishop shouted at her. "Who crapped in your coffee today?"
Jessica stopped her trek and gave Bishop a disgusted look.
"First of all…ew!" she said. "Second of all, that's none of your bloody business. Judging by your climbing skills, I suggest you just stay out of my way."
Bishop watched her begin to climb again. He looked back down the mountain and saw no traces of anyone else. It was then that he began to put the pieces together.
"Where's the golden boy?" Bishop asked, as he tried to catch up to her.
Jessica continued to ignore him, as she climbed.
"Wow, something is really bugging you," Bishop said, picking up on her mood.
Jessica was furious, mostly with herself for being so transparent today.
"Oh, what do you know!" she grumbled.
"I know you're not your normal, chipper self," Bishop said, as he continued to struggle with his climbing.
Part of him hoped that his attempts to talk to her might keep her distracted long enough to allow him to catch up and pass her.
"Yeah, well…let's just say I'm having a bad day," Jessica said, as she grabbed her cell phone to check for any missed calls.
Bishop reached her side and grabbed her arm to glance at the phone. Jessica yanked her arm away from him, causing the phone to fall from her grasp. Her jaw dropped as she saw the cell phone plummet downward, cracking open several times along the way.
"Looks like your day just got worse," Bishop said, with a laugh.
"So did yours!" Jessica yelled, as she kicked Bishop in the shin, causing him to slide several feet down the mountainside, screaming in pain along the way.
Jessica planted her feet and hands back onto the mountainside and continued to climb. She looked down to see Bishop had caught hold of a tree growing out of the mountain. He was regaining his footing.
"Happy hunting," she said, faking a smile as she continued on her way.
High above, Addie tried unsuccessfully to wrest her hand from Drakar's grip. When she had no luck, she used her free hand to grab hold of her tracker. Drakar grabbed her other hand, holding her at bay. Addie hopped up, planting both her feet in his chest, forcing him to break his grip on her. She flipped completely over, landing on one knee. Holding tight to the Lunati sword, she ripped her tracker across her knee.
"Start up!" she yelled.
The Yellow Hunter fully morphed and got to her feet, just as Drakar was coming at her with his twin blades drawn. He brought the weapons down on her, but she brought the sword up in front of her, shielding herself from the blows. The power of the Lunati sword caused the power of Drakar's strikes to deflect back at him, sending him flying into a tree.
Several feet away, Chris awoke on the ground, immediately grabbing his head. He hadn't realized what had hit him, but it was super strong. He looked up and saw a morphed Addie fighting toe-to-toe with Drakar. His eyes grew wide, as he saw her wielding the Lunati sword.
He got to his feet and grabbed his tracker, sliding it open with his right hand. He extended his left arm and slid the tracker down his arm.
"Start up!" Chris shouted, morphing.
The Red Ranger sprinted towards the fight, just as Tarok stepped in front of him, blocking his way.
"No double-teaming," Tarok said, as he waved his index finger in front of Chris.
Tarok used his other hand to send another lightning surge into the Red Ranger's chest, which sent Chris flying backwards. As he hit the ground, he realized that was what had hit him before. He staggered to his feet, as Tarok came barreling towards him. The Lunati king grabbed the Red Ranger by the throat, but Chris quickly broke free of his grasp. He attempted several punches and kicks. Despite his advanced age and heavy robes, Tarok moved swiftly, methodically avoiding the Red Ranger's attacks.
As she felt the power of the sword surging through her veins, Addie yelled in anger as she lunged at Drakar with the sword. The Ferum leader flipped out of the way, causing her to slice right through a tree. As she admired the power, Drakar attacked from behind, sending a surge of his own red energy towards her. The power burst struck her in the back and fell to her knees, dropping the sword. Before she could grab it, several Draggs grabbed her arms, pulling her away from the sword. Tarok managed to hold Chris at bay long enough to create several Karths from the stone of the mountain. The white creatures quickly ran to Addie's aid.
Drakar swiped one of his blades at the Yellow Hunter, hitting her directly in the chest. Her body flailed violently, as the strike, causing her entire suit to light up with damage. She fell to her knees. Drakar turned on his heels, eyeing the sword lying on the ground. He began walking towards it, as Tarok ran to Addie's side, urging her to get up and continue the fight. Drakar got closer when he saw the sword being lifted off the ground by the hand of the Red Ranger.
Chris held tight to the sword in his hand, stunning Drakar. Chris let out a fierce battle cry, as he whipped himself around, sending a massive wave of energy from the sword to his opponent. The blast not only hit Drakar, but Tarok and Addie who were standing several feet behind him. Chris watched the energy wave engulf all three, seemingly causing them to explode with damage. Even though they were protected by his visor, Chris's eyes squinted from the barrage of sparks coming off his enemies. Part of him, however, was upset that Addie had been caught in the melee.
At the side of the mountain, Jessica finally made her way to the level ground. She spotted the sword in Chris's hands and she was in awe of its size and power, as Chris used it against the Karths and Draggs that were attacking him. Jessica saw Tarok and Drakar both getting to their feet, but the Yellow hunter was still down.
"Addie," Jessica grumbled, finally realizing why Bishop was in such a rush to get up there
She finished her climb, but before she could rush to Chris's side, she felt something pulling at her ankle. She turned back to see Bishop's scope shot grappled around her leg. He pulled her back down the mountainside, but she grabbed hold of a tree branch on the level area, stopping his attempt. She looked down to see that Bishop was using her leg to gain leverage in his climb to her location. Jessica tried to grab at her ankle to remove the grappling hook. When that didn't work, she grabbed the scope shot from her own pocket and aimed the barrel of the handheld weapon. She focused on the thin grappling wire that connected her to Bishop. She fired with precision, sending a laser pellet straight through the wire, breaking their connection.
Bishop grabbed hold of the mountainside and continued his climb, reaching the plateau seconds after Jessica did. Both drew their trackers and activated them.
"Start up!" they shouted, morphing simultaneously.
The Pink Ranger knocked away two Karths, swiping at them with her hand blaster in its sword mode. Before she could hit another that was after Chris, the Black Hunter was on top of her, blocking her attempt. The two fought against one another, as Chris used the Lunati sword to power through the three Draggs in front of him.
"Bravo, Red Ranger!" Drakar shouted from behind him. "But it's time to hand over that sword!"
Chris turned to see Drakar was holding Addie by the throat.
"I will destroy her if you don't!" Drakar shouted.
"No!" Bishop shouted, as he dove onto Drakar, causing him to release Addie from his grip.
Jessica tried to run over to them, but she was blocked by Tarok. She reformed her hand blaster and fired on him, but he used his lightning energy to deflect her laser blasts easily, forcing her into hand-to-hand combat with him.
Several feet away, Chris ran to Addie's side, kneeling next to the Yellow hunter.
"Addie! Are you all right?" he asked.
He reached out for her, just as her helmet twisted towards him. Addie brought a leg up, kicking the Red Ranger squarely on the helmet. Chris fell backwards onto his back, allowing her to jump on top of him, grabbing at the sword in his hands. The two continued rolling around on the ground, which got narrower, as they got closer to the edge.
"I can't believe you attacked me with that!" Addie said, furiously, as she finally got a hand on the sword.
"Accidents happen," Chris said, as he tried to keep it out of her grasp.
"Not in my world," Addie said, as she planted a knee in his groin. "Oops!"
Chris groaned in intense pain. He loosened his grip only slightly, which allowed Addie to grab hold of the sword just as it tipped over the edge, sending her over as well. Addie screamed, as she started falling only briefly, before she felt something grab hold of her free hand. She looked up to see it was Chris.
"Give me your other hand!" he shouted.
Addie looked down to see the heavy sword was weighing her down. She couldn't grab hold of him with it in her hand.
"Give me the sword!" Tarok's voice came out of nowhere, as he appeared, kneeling next to Chris.
He reached out for the weapon, leaving Addie with a choice. She continued to squeal in pain.
"You're slipping," Chris said, through clenched teeth. "Drop it!"
"No!" Tarok yelled.
Several feet away, Bishop saw his sister was missing. When he spotted Tarok and Hartford at the edge of the mountain, his bad feeling got worse.
"Addie!" Bishop called out, as he began running in their direction, only to be cut off by a sword strike from Drakar.
The Black hunter doubled over in pain, as his suit lit up with damage. He fell to the ground, as Drakar cackled. He passed the Black hunter, only to be blocked by the Pink Ranger. She fired her hand blaster at his chest, sending him flying backwards. As the Draggs and Karths continued to fight all around them, she kept her eyes on Drakar, hoping to keep him off Chris's back.
"Addie, please!" Chris called out. "I can't hold on much longer."
"Give me the sword," Tarok ordered, reaching out further.
Addie could feel her entire body quaking with so many emotions. Something inside was urging her to keep the sword. Its power was more intoxicating than she could have imagined. The other part of her wanted to save her own life. As she looked up at the Red Ranger's helmet, she made her final decision.
Tarok gasped in horror as he watched the Lunati sword drop from her hand and fly downwards, swiftly cutting through the air until it was out of their sight. Addie reached up her extra hand, allowing Chris to get a better grip and pull her to safety.
Drakar arrived at the edge of the cliff and saw the treasure was gone.
"No!" he yelled. "The sword!"
"Why don't you join it?"
Drakar turned around quickly and was met by a strike from the Black hunter's turbine crusher. The mallet-shaped weapon struck him so deep in the chest that he went flying over the cliff as well.
Bishop pulled the Red Ranger off the ground furiously. He prepared to unleash even more fury, just as a barrage of laser strikes rained down on the mountainside, almost hitting everyone present. Jessica glanced up and smiled beneath her helmet as she saw the Silverhawk's arrival. She grabbed a hold of Chris and before he knew it they were onboard.
As the Silverhawk sped away from the mountain, Chris glanced through the window and saw the Yellow hunter was indeed safe. He took a deep breath, as he de-morphed, alongside Jessica, who did the same. The two joined Spencer, who was seated at the controls.
"Perfect timing, as always," Jessica said, with a smile.
"I got too bored waiting for you on the ground," Spencer said.
"I can't believe I had the Lunati sword in my hand," Chris said, as he slumped into the seat behind Spencer.
"You mean this sword!" Spencer said, as he pulled the large weapon out of its hiding place under his seat.
"Spencer!" Jessica exclaimed, as Chris took hold of the sword. "You're amazing."
"Not quite," Spencer said. "I'm sorry I couldn't salvage your cell phone."
"Oh, that's all right," Jessica said, with a sigh, as she rested her head on her seat. "I'm not expecting any calls."
As the Silverhawk continued on its journey back to California, Jessica glanced back at Chris. Although he was holding one of the biggest pieces of the Lunati treasure, he seemed to be miles away, as he stared out the window of the Silverhawk. She sighed again, wondering if it had anything to do with Addie Malcolm.
Upon their arrival back at the mansion, they exited the Silverhawk and made their way towards the Tracking Lab. As they entered it, they could hear the low ding of the mansion's elevator system. Spencer paused at the elevator door, watching it open to reveal Ian Hartford, who activated his chair, rolling into the lab, where he caught sight of the Lunati sword in Chris's hand.
"Oh my," Ian said, almost at a loss for words. "It's amazing."
Chris shot his father an angry look as he walked over and sat the sword on his father's lap without a word.
"Happy now?" he said, angrily.
"Drakar lured you out there," Ian said. "You're getting as reckless as you say I am."
"Well, you may not have to worry about him anymore," Chris revealed. "Last time I saw him, he was falling off a cliff."
Ian appeared a bit stunned at that bit of news. He looked back up at Chris, wondering if he had caused Drakar's fall. Chris knew instantly what his father was thinking.
Chris simply shook his head and walked off, leaving his father to admire the Lunati sword. Jessica and Spencer exchanged serious looks, as they witnessed the continued rift between father and son.
As Addie made her way further away from Tarok's chamber, she sighed. She had grown tired of his continued yelling at Bishop for abandoning their home to come looking for his sister. Tarok was still upset that Bishop had left the crown with only the Karths to protect it.
Addie longed for some peace. She began to hum the tune that never left her brain…except when she had the Lunati sword in her grasp. She exited the caves and glanced up at the setting sun. She took a deep breath, as she leaned against the mountain that housed the system of caves she called home.
It was then that she noticed a small black leather back near the entrance. She knelt down and picked it up. She listened to make sure that it wasn't ticking, and then she unzipped it. Inside, she found a small white card with her name on it. She was even more intrigued. She reached inside the bag's pouch and found a yellow Microsoft Zune mp3 player. She never found any indication of who it was from. Finally, she flipped over the card with her name on it. She looked a bit confused, as she read the message aloud.
"Press play," Addie read.
Addie placed the ear buds into her ears and activated the device. She pressed play when she was met with a familiar tune. She smiled, as she instantly knew who had left the gift behind.
I guess I'm picky with love
Well baby I give it up. It's you I choose
And don't keep me waiting
This girl's got things she needs to do
Oh if I was blind, you'd help me see
If I lost my mind, you'd find it for me
Speak on it babe tell me what do you need
Because all I need is you to love me baby
Put your hands on me baby
Put your hands on me baby
Addie smiled, as she listened to the song, no longer having to settle for her own humming. She looked around, but saw no sign of Chris Hartford. It was probably for the best, she told herself. Addie had no clue what she would say to him if he were there.
She headed back into the cave, just as a heavy hand grabbed her mouth, preventing her from possibly screaming out. She was pulled closed to the creature in the black armor and instantly knew who her captor was. As Abaddon gripped her waist even tighter with only one hand, she couldn't find a way to break free or even get to her tracker. The mp3 player fell from her hand and landed on the ground, as Abaddon dragged her into the caverns.
Tarok and Bishop continued arguing amongst themselves inside of Tarok's large cavern. He was walking towards the crown which was still resting on his stone altar several feet away.
"I don't get the problem here. The crown is right there. It's fine!" Bishop stated.
"Of course you do not get it!" Tarok shot back. "The crown is the most precious piece of the treasure and must be protected. You know what happened the last time the Ja'Vey gained access to it! It's already missing its primary jewel, which has stunted its powers. We cannot risk it becoming any more damaged."
Bishop shook his head. At that moment, they could hear the approaching footsteps, and Addie's gagged shouts. Bishop headed towards the cavern entrance, just as Abaddon appeared there, holding tight to Addie.
"Wha—" Tarok was shocked to see the Ja'Vey warrior.
"Let her go!" Bishop shouted, as he reached for his tracker.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Abaddon said. "If I wanted to, I could snap her neck, making her death quick and painless."
Addie let out another muffled scream.
"Free her!" Tarok said, as he took a half-step towards Abaddon.
Tarok, however, was not stupid. He didn't want to lose Addie and the powerful essence within her, but he also could not lose his crown. He refused to go far from the altar, especially since Abaddon's comrade was not present at the moment. Gadarel was conspicuously absent and that meant more trouble, Tarok figured.
"It will be done…but first you must further enhance our power," Abaddon ordered Tarok.
After a long few seconds of silence, Tarok locked eyes with Addie.
"No," he said simply.
Addie looked stunned. Tarok had hoped the powerful energy inside her would manifest itself, but it didn't appear to be working.
"Just let her go," Bishop said. "This isn't about us. This is between you and Tarok."
"This is not a negotiation!" Abaddon yelled. "You will give us more power, or we will destroy you all!"
Tarok defiantly laughed.
"You are bluffing," Tarok said, boldly. "If you were going to destroy us, you would have killed her already as an example!"
Tarok continued staring at Addie as he spoke, waiting for her power to manifest itself. He saw nothing…but a stray tear roll down her cheek.
"I feared this would be your response," Abaddon said.
The Ja'Vey demon threw Addie towards her brother. Bishop caught her, as she stumbled to the ground.
"So you will all be guinea pigs instead!" Abaddon revealed.
"What are you talking about?" Tarok wondered.
"I'm talking about more power!" Abaddon yelled, as he pulled his twin blasters out.
He jumped out of the cavern's entranceway and fired at the top it if, causing several stone pieces to fall, blocking their exit. The three were trapped inside.
"What did he mean?" Bishop asked aloud, as he looked over at Tarok. "What did he mean?!"
As a rumbling was heard, getting louder by the second, Tarok's eyes grew wider.
"We must get out of here!" Tarok shouted, as he headed for the entrance, which was still blocked.
Before he could focus his own power to remove the slabs of rock that blocked their way, he remembered the crown. Tarok shuffled back over to his stone altar to grab it, as Bishop helped Addie to her feet. At that moment, the ground below them started to quake. Addie held tighter to her brother.
"What's happening?" she mumbled.
At that moment, the sky began to fall. Pieces of rock and stone began to fall down into the cavern, as the cave began to fall apart. Then, a massive, roaring sound was heard, causing even larger pieces to fall.
"The cave's collapsing!" Bishop yelled.
Tarok grabbed a hold of his crown, as he dropped to the ground, rolling beneath his altar. A large piece of rock fell towards Bishop and Addie. The mass of rock hit Tarok's floating stone throne, which was now falling towards them. Bishop did the only thing he could do. He crouched down on top of his sister, shielding her from the falling debris, as the entire cave system came crumbling down, burying the three of them deep inside.
On the outside of the massive destruction, Abaddon had joined his comrade Gadarel. Standing tall over the wreckage was a large, hulking machine, just large enough to take down a mountain of this size. In fact, the massive robot was large enough to take down an entire city. Inside the cockpit of the grand creation, Abaddon and Gadarel glanced at one another in triumph.
"Now, who's got the power?" Gadarel exclaimed.
The two Ja'Vey demons howled in unison, as their robotic monstrosity stood tall over the wrecked cave dwelling, which had just left three lives in ruin.
THE END
Next time on
Quest for the Lunati Treasure
As Addie struggles to keep Bishop alive, she experiences
flashes of memory surrounding her parents' deaths. Tarok
senses the rising power within her. The anniversary of Maggie
Hartford's death has Chris & Ian both in dark places. When
the Ja'Vey unleash their robot on the city, Garza responds.