QUEST FOR THE LUNATI TREASURE
Episode #18
"Resident Evil"

As the sun beamed into the windows of her two-story brownstone in Manhattan, Dr. Terry Malcolm sighed, as she looked at the photographs her husband had just handed to her. She glanced down at John Malcolm Sr. as he sat at his desk inside their home-office. She smiled.

"You're sure about this?" Terry asked.

"I've been on the trail of this thing for months, sweetheart. It's the real thing," John said, with a triumphant smile. "We need to act on this one, quickly."

"I can't help thinking the timing is terrible," Terry said, as she sat down on her husband's desk. "Junior's birthday is only a couple days away."

As the two talked, neither of them noticed the pair of eyes peeking through the office doors, which were partially open. At fourteen years old, Addie Malcolm was admittedly nosy. As she passed the doors, she heard her mother mention her older brother's impending birthday. She listened in, hoping to hear about their gift plans for him. Addie always loved knowing a secret she could hold over her brother, if only for a few days.

"This is the opportunity of a lifetime, Terry," John said. "We can't let it pass us by. These ruins might not be there in a month, or even a week. This area's remote and it's known for sandstorms. We've been looking to make a find like this for a long time."

Terry sighed. She always loved her husband for his adventuresome spirit. It was one of the things that kept her interested in archaeology even after fifteen years in the field. But even though she loved her husband's attitude, she still worried about her other loves and she knew her son wouldn't take this well.

"I don't like the thought of not being around for Junior's birthday," she said.

"He's growing up. He'll understand," John replied.

"Have you thought about calling Ian?" Terry asked. "Get his thoughts on this."

"Ian's off in the orient somewhere," John said. "Besides, I want this to be our discovery. Yours and mine. We had fun last time we were in Egypt, didn't we?"

"Ten hours of labor was not my idea of fun," Terry said, with a smirk.

"At least we were together. I don't want to make the trip out there all by myself," John said.

"I know," Terry said, as she glanced back at the photos. "And it's awfully tempting. But what about the kids? It would take my mom a couple days to be ready to fly in to look after them."

John took a deep breath and then it hit him. As if a light bulb went off in his head.

"I got a great idea," John said, with a smile. "Why don't we all go? We'll make it a family vacation!"

Terry looked at John as if he were a stranger.

"You've met our kids before, haven't you?" she replied, sarcastically. "We can barely get Addie to leave the house as it is and Junior hates the beach because sand gets in his toes. I don't think they'd be all that interested in the desert."

"We'll make it fun," John said, as he stood up, grabbing his wife by the arms. "Like you said, Junior was born there. It's part of his legacy. He can have his birthday in Egypt! It'll work out fine. You just let me take care of everything."

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Terry said playfully, before matching her husband's smile.

"I'll call the travel agent," John said, as he picked up the phone and dialed out.

Addie watched from the cracked doorway, not particularly interested in a trip to Egypt. But, as she watched her mother turn her back to the doorway, she got a better look at the photographs she had been holding. As Addie's eyes fixed on the small tan-colored statue in the photographs, Addie felt dizzy, as if she were being drawn closer to that artifact. Then, she heard the piercing scream.

Addie jumped up in her bed, back in the present. Leaving her dream behind, she found she was lying in a cold sweat in a darkened room inside the shoe factory that was currently her home.

As she thought hard to remember what had terrified her so much, she could not remember. It was a plight that had plagued her for five years. But recently, her lack of memory had led to strange dreams. In fact, they seemed so real that she was beginning to wonder if they were dreams…or memories.

The next morning, the sun was bright in Silver City. Spencer Kingston felt like a circus performer, as he delicately balanced four paper bags in his arms, each full to the top with food. He entered the Hartford mansion through the rear entrance, closing the door with his foot. Spencer quickly made his way to the kitchen. As he walked through the doorway he saw Chris Hartford grabbing a couple of strawberries out of one of the bags he had already brought in. Spencer gave him a dumbfounded look, as Chris looked in his direction.

"Morning, Spencer," Chris said, nonchalantly.

"So, you found a kitchen full of groceries and your first inclination was not to check and see if I needed any assistance at the car, but to come in here and eat unwashed fruit?" Spencer said, annoyed.

Chris' mouth was already open for the first strawberry just as Spencer finished his sentence. Chris pulled the fruit away from his mouth, as he saw Spencer standing a few feet away from him, still holding the four large bags.

"Sorry," Chris said. "You're totally right."

Chris trotted over to the sink in the opposite direction, where he promptly washed the strawberries. Spencer shook his head in shock. When Chris turned around, Spencer saw him grinning. Chris ran back over and took the load off Spencer's arms.

"Thank you!" Spencer said.

"Is that it?" Chris asked.

"Yes," Spencer said, as he began unpacking the bags. "I'm surprised to see you up so early."

"I couldn't sleep," Chris said. "In less than 24 hours I will officially be legal."

"Ah yes," Spencer said, with a sigh, while put away a bag of flour. "The big day."

"You don't understand, Spencer," Chris said. "I have been looking forward to my 21st birthday for years! So, I hope you bought beer."

"You're not 21 just yet, Master Chris," Spencer said, with a smile.

"Helps to be prepared," Chris said, with a smirk, as he began searching through the bags.

"Are you looking for something in particular?" Spencer asked, annoyed that Chris didn't actually unload anything from the bags he was looking through.

"Just wondering if you might have stopped and picked up a birthday present while you were out," Chris said, slyly. "Give it up. What did you get me?"

"Master Chris, have I ever given you a gift that you did not enjoy?" Spencer asked.

"No," Chris said quickly.

"Then, I suggest you stop badgering me or that tradition will come to a very quick end," Spencer said, his eyes wide.

"Fair enough," Chris said. "This is the big one, Spencer. I'm really looking forward to it."

"Well, I'm not the only one you'll be expecting a gift from. So, why don't you leave me in peace and go hound Miss Lorrie or Dr. Hartford," Spencer answered.

"Jessica's gone out somewhere," Chris said. "And don't get me started on dad."

"Here we go," Spencer said under his breath.

"Spencer, he hasn't given me a gift that I've actually liked in over a decade," Chris said.

"Maybe life isn't all about gifts," Spencer said, sure that Chris wasn't even listening.

"Besides, we both know the only thing he cares about right now is the Lunati water," Chris said, annoyed at his father. "Heck, I'm surprised he hasn't walked right on in here to show off his miracle cure."

As Chris spoke, he turned away from Spencer, towards the doorway. Chris left the kitchen and jogged up the main staircase. When he left the kitchen, he never saw his father's wheelchair stopped right outside the kitchen door. Ian had heard every word from his son while he was inside.

"It seemed so real," Addie said, as she looked over at her brother.

She had spent the last few minutes piecing together her dream, relaying everything she could remember to Bishop, who sat troubled on a chair opposite the cot where she sat in her room.

"Did that really happen?" she asked, wondering if she was simply dreaming.

A few moments of silence passed in the dark, dirty room, as Bishop racked his brain.

"I don't know," he said finally. "You never said anything to me back then about hearing mom and dad plan that trip. It was probably just another nightmare. You certainly didn't seem as spooked as you do now."

"That photograph…the statue in it. Something about it—it's like it was calling out to me," Addie said. "Then, I heard that piercing screech."

Bishop could see his sister was unsettled. He watched as she rubbed her arms, while her feet seemed to tap against the floor nervously.

"Come on," Bishop said. "It's cold in here. Let's get the blood flowing."

Addie took Bishop's hand, surprising her brother with how cold it was. This wasn't the place for her, Bishop thought to himself. She didn't need to be living in a factory, away from humanity. He had tried to do so much for her and he couldn't help thinking this place, this situation, was just another failing of his.

They exited Addie's room and began walking up the nearby staircase to the ground level of the factory. Bishop had his arms around his sister, trying to warm her up.

"You're gonna be okay. You know that right?" Bishop said, trying to reassure her.

"It's that dream, Bish!" Addie said, with ears in her eyes. "It just…made my blood run cold."

"It doesn't matter," Bishop said, as they stepped outside the factory, taking in the heat of the sun. "None of it matters."

He made sure that he locked eyes with his sister, so that she could see his sincerity as he spoke.

"Once we get our hands on the treasure, we'll make it all right," Bishop said. "You'll have your memory back and we'll have our parents back. I promise."

"I'm just not sure how much more I can handle," Addie said. "Whatever this force is inside me…I just feel like it's trying to take over. I'm so sacred of losing control. I don't know what might happen."

"You're going to be okay," Bishop said. "I'm gonna make sure of that too."

Bishop took his sister into his arms, trying to calm her nerves as she shivered in his grasp.

Neither of the Malcolm siblings noticed Tarok standing just inside the factory, listening to every word of their conversation. As he eavesdropped on his two hunters and heard of Addie's increased instability, Tarok couldn't help but smile.

Detective Stephen Garza glanced around the coffee shop, as he picked up the two steaming mugs from the counter. He headed over to a secluded table in the corner. Even though the place was only minimally occupied, he still preferred the table in the back. He placed the two black mugs onto the table and sat down in the chair opposite Jessica Lorrie. The first thing he noticed when he glanced at her was that she seemed to be deep in thought.

"Something wrong?" he asked, as he sat down.

Jessica frowned.

"Tomorrow is Chris' birthday and I still haven't gotten him anything," she said, as she sipped her dark roast. "I'm totally drawing a blank on gift ideas."

"What to get the boy who has everything?" Garza asked, rhetorically. "I hope you're not expecting my help. I barely know the kid."

"Kid?" Jessica said, giving him an annoyed glance. "Chris and I are the same age. In fact, he's four months older. If he's a kid, what does that make me?"

Garza's mouth hung open, as he searched for the right words to appease Jessica, who was clearly annoyed at his last words.

"You're…completely different," Garza said, still stammering. "You're a woman…of the world."

"You make me sound like a prostitute," Jessica said, still annoyed.

"See—you're twisting my words, now," Garza said, trying to wiggle his way out of the situation. "I just mean…you're smart—wise beyond your years!"

Jessica's angry frown was slowly turning to a grin, as she enjoyed seeing him struggle to turn things in his favor where she was concerned.

"Still makes me sound old," she said, pressing her lips together into a pout.

"Did I mention you're insanely beautiful?" Garza said, as he leaned over the table, garnering a smile from her.

As the two came close to a kiss, he backed away, once again causing Jessica to frown.

"What's wrong?" she said, with a sigh.

"Nothing," Garza said, as he looked around, noticing a couple pairs of eyes glancing in their direction.

"You sure, because I get the feeling you're embarrassed to be seen with me?" Jessica said, as she glanced over her shoulder to see what he was looking at.

"It's not that," Garza said, seriously. "It's just—we're supposed to be keeping things quiet."

"Something tells me the Ja'Vey don't care much for coffee, so who exactly are we hiding from?" Jessica asked.

"At the station—people talk," Garza said. "I mean, Becca already knows about us."

"She's spreading gossip at the police station?" Jessica asked, curiously.

"No. She hasn't told anyone. It's just…if Jimmy found out—I've just got a lot at stake," Garza said.

"Look, I agreed to keep our relationship out of public because you were worried about the Ja'vey—"

"I still am!" Garza cut her off.

"But, I'm not going to pretend for your friends or your boss. There are a lot of police officers in this city and I shouldn't have to tip-toe around them," Jessica said. "And I don't intend to."

Garza took a deep, frustrating breath, unsure how to continue this conversation.

As his wheelchair approached the third floor bedroom, Ian Hartford almost had second thoughts. But his son's bedroom door was open and he was unable to halt the force inside, pushing him towards that doorway. He told himself that he wouldn't mention the crude remarks that he had overheard from his son in the kitchen. But, he also knew that Chris had the ability to push his buttons. Ian shook his head and rolled up to the doorway.

Inside, Chris Hartford sat in his rolling desk chair, firmly planted in front of his plasma television screen. Ian watched as his son hit the buttons on his video game controller with precision and force. Ian glanced at the screen, but had no idea what exactly he was looking at. Given Chris' proud murmurs, however, Ian had a feeling his son was excelling in his game. What Ian didn't realize was that his son was able to multitask extremely well and Chris had noticed his arrival, without looking in his direction.

"Did you want something?" Chris asked, not taking his eyes off of the television.

Ian took a deep breath and rolled over the threshold. He had not been inside of that room in many months.

"Not really," Ian said, softly. "I was just thinking about your birthday. It's right around the corner."

As he glanced around, his eyes couldn't help but stop on the framed photo of his wife that sat on Chris' desk. Ian rolled over and touched the picture. Chris paused his game and glanced over at his father.

"I wish she was here to see it," Chris said, referencing his birthday.

Ian lowered his head, sadly and put the photograph back.

"You know I often wonder what my birthday would be like with my mom around," Chris said, his voice tinged with anger.

"Chris, don't…" Ian spoke, as he turned his chair away from the desk, and his wife's smiling face.

"I wonder what she would think of me as I get older," Chris said, ignoring his father's protest.

"Chris, please don't do this now," Ian said, as he looked into his son's eyes. "I don't know how many times I can apologize."

"Just because I talk about her doesn't mean I'm looking for an apology," Chris said, quickly. "It's not all about you. I know that's an alien concept for you."

"I'm done," Ian said, showing his own anger as he rolled towards the door. "I came up here hoping to talk to you, to bury the hatchet before your birthday. But I can't handle another one of your tirades."

"You know what, dad?" Chris said. "You're the one who said we were so much alike, remember? So I guess I'm just being selfish, just like you."

"I have sacrificed. You may not like to admit it, but you have everything in this room because of me!" Ian said. "I'm tired of being your punching bag. I made a mistake years ago because I was hurting more than I ever thought possible, yet you take so much pleasure in throwing it back in my face!"

"I just want my mother," Chris said, his face conveying his discontent. "You should know how that feels. So I'm sorry if I can't just turn off how I feel, but you betrayed me. I was just a kid and I would have understood if you gave me half a chance. But you didn't. You kept her all to yourself, even in your grief."

Ian looked over at his son. He could feel himself on the verge of tears, but his resolve would not break in front of Chris. He vowed that.

"I find it real funny that you were so adamant about us saving the Lunati water," Chris said, not holding back his emotions. "It's too bad you didn't have that kind of desire when mom needed it."

Ian grabbed the control stick on his wheelchair and pressed it harder than he ever had before. The wheelchair rolled out of his son's vicinity as fast as Ian needed it to. In that moment, he wanted to be as far away from Chris as he could. He headed for farthest place in the mansion from Chris' location. He entered the elevator at the end of the hallway and pressed the button that would take him to the Tracking Lab.

As Addie lay on the hard cot in her small room inside the shoe factory, she was fast asleep. Bishop had sent her to rest, but she found no rest in her slumber. Her body jerked wildly as her mind was invaded with darkness. Inside her head, Addie felt it all around her. She could see herself, trudging forward in a world of pure shadows, totally black.

Addie wandered forward, turning to look in all directions, searching for some semblance of light. She could hear whispers in the distance, but they seemed to be coming from all around her.

"Hello?" Addie called out. "Who's there?"

There were only heightened whispers in response. Addie couldn't make out what the voices were saying, which only frightened her more.

"Please!" Addie shouted. "Who's there?"

She was so deeply asleep that she didn't realize her body was moving in reaction to what was happening in her head, calling out for help.

"Who—" Addie mumbled loudly, through her sleep. "Who's there?"

Outside of her room, Bishop approached. Hoping to check on his sister, he knocked at the metal door that separated them. There was no answer.

"Addie?" he spoke, as he pressed his ear to the door to see if he could hear her response.

"No," Addie called out. "No, please!"

When Bishop heard his sister's distress, he reached for the door handle. He expected the door to open instantly, but it didn't budge.

"Addie!" Bishop called out, as he banged on the door. "Open the door."

Bishop continued to yank at the handle, trying to open the sealed entrance. He began ramming his shoulder into the door, hoping to break it down.

"Who's there?" Addie shouted, unable to shake the terror that surrounded her in darkness.

The whispers got louder and louder, as Bishop's pounding on the door also grew in volume. Addie continued to wrestle with the air around her on the cot, still in a deep sleep.

"No, please…who's there," Addie mumbled in her sleep.

Outside the door, Bishop began pounding his fist on the door again, having no luck in busting it down. Tarok came storming into the area, staring at him.

"What is going on?" he asked.

"I don't know," Bishop said, in a panic as he turned to face Tarok. "Something's wrong with Addie. The door's locked."

"These doors do not have locks," Tarok said, calmly.

"I know that!" Bishop shouted. "But something's blocking it and—"

At that moment, the door cracked, shocking Bishop. He looked back at a curious Tarok for only a second, before he burst through the door and saw his sister wiggling around on her bed, fighting something that none of them could see.

Bishop fell to his knees at the side of her cot and began gently shaking her shoulder, attempting to wake Addie from her nightmare.

"Addie, wake up," Bishop said.

Tarok watched from a few feet away, with great curiosity.

"Addie!" Bishop spoke louder, when his sister did not respond.

After a few more seconds of shaking her, he noticed her body stopped its fight. Addie's breathing seemed to calm. Tarok walked closer to the siblings.

"Why won't she wake up?" Bishop asked, looking up at Tarok.

"She is exhausted," Tarok surmised. "Perhaps you should let her rest now."

"Something is wrong," Bishop said, sternly. "This isn't just nightmares."

"Her soul is in great distress," Tarok said. "If you wake her now, she will just be weaker. You must allow her to rest."

"She's not resting," Bishop said, as he stood up to face Tarok. "She's being tortured!"

"I may know of a remedy," Tarok said.

"No!" Bishop said quickly. "I'm not letting you use any of your hocus pocus on her."

"What I am proposing is not…hocus pocus. It is an ancient herbal remedy of my people. It is designed to counteract a restless spirit and revitalize energy," Tarok explained.

Bishop still seemed reluctant. Tarok walked over to the small table next to Addie's cot. He grabbed a small notepad she had there, along with a pencil. He quickly scribbled on a piece of paper, handing it to Bishop.

"These are the ingredients," Tarok said. "As you can see, they are all natural."

Bishop locked eyes with Tarok.

"I guarantee it will help," Tarok said. "Can you collect these things?"

Bishop took a deep breath. He wasn't sure if he could trust Tarok, but as he glanced down at his sister, he knew he had to do everything in his power to help her.

"It shouldn't take me long to find this stuff," Bishop said, looking back at the list. "I'll be back soon."

Bishop jogged out of the room quickly, leaving Tarok with his sister.

"I will be waiting," Tarok said quietly.

He then turned his sights back to the sleeping Addie. Tarok couldn't help but show off the wide grin on his face. He leaned over Addie and touched her forehead, as he closed his eyes, sensing the feelings within her.

"Yes," Tarok said, in a whisper. "The darkness is rising. It will soon be time to explore your true nature."

Ian Hartford sat in his chair, certain that it would be the last time. He held the small blue vase in his hand, staring at the black cork that separated him from the healing water inside of it. He held the vase tightly in his left hand. Ian's breathing intensified as he gripped the cork. He was so focused and filled with anger that he never heard the approaching footsteps behind him.

"Dr. Hartford?" Spencer said, quietly as he entered the lab.

"I can't do this anymore, Spencer," Ian said, realizing his butler's presence.

"Can't do what, sir?"

"Stay broken," Ian said, sadly. "It's gotten too hard."

Spencer walked a bit closer to his employer and friend.

"I hate to tell you, sir, but things appear just as broken up here as they do from where you're sitting," Spencer said, earnestly.

"You said it yourself," Ian spoke. "The water is useless if no one intends to use it."

"You can't drink your problems away sir," Spencer said. "What happens tomorrow or the day after? What if you walk again, right now…only to fall down the stairs in the morning?"

"It's too hard to fight like this," Ian said, once again on the verge of tears as he thought back to his encounter with Chris.

"The point I'm trying to make, sir, is that once that water is gone…it's gone," Spencer said, with a sigh. "For the first time in your life you feel powerless. I know it's an unpleasant feeling for you, but perhaps that is where you need to start the healing process. There's no quick fix."

"This can help me walk again," Ian said, showing Spencer the vase of water.

"It can also help you run," Spencer said.

Seeing Ian so emotional, Spencer walked back towards the entrance to the lab. He decided to leave him alone to make his final decision. He took one final glance at Ian.

"Running away from the real problem won't heal what's truly been broken," Spencer said before leaving.

With Spencer gone, Ian gripped the vase once again. For the first time since he took it in his hand, he looked up to the ceiling, hoping for more help, beyond the skies. He let out a silent prayer, hoping for Maggie Hartford to guide him.

Addie continued to wander in the darkness of her mind. Drifting along, amongst the shadows, tormented by the increasing whispers around her. She held her hands against her ears, covering them, hoping that it would stop the sounds. These were not ordinary whispers. They sounded almost like insects clicking and clacking around her. As she turned in circles, searching for some way out of this nightmare, she finally turned and saw it.

The brown statue was identical to the one she remembered seeing in her dream. But this was no photograph. It was there, plain as day in front of her. Addie walked closer to the statue, which was taller than she was now. The photograph had shown a small statue, no larger than a beer bottle. This was massive. As she got closer, she could make out a face carved into the relic.

At that moment, she wanted to stop. She no longer wanted to find out more about this face. But the wooden eyes seemed to call out to her, pulling her forward. It was then that she saw two pairs of hands grasping the large statue. She gasped as she saw the two figures peek around it.

"Addie," her father called out, staring right at her. "Come closer."

"We have something for you darling," her mother spoke.

Addie shook her head, refusing. They looked like her parents but their voices were different. They spoke loving words, but there was nothing good within these spirits.

"No, please," Addie called out. "Just leave me alone."

"Come child!" her mother said more sternly.

"Now!" her father shouted, sending a booming sound through the darkness around her.

"No!" Addie shouted, as she fell to her knees, trying desperately not to move any closer.

She shut her eyes tight, as she continued to cover her ears.

"Go away!" she yelled.

As she steadied her breathing, she realized the whispers had stopped. She opened her eyes and looked up. Her parents were gone, but the statue remained, as large as before. She slowly removed her hands from her ears as she glanced around her, wondering if the spirits would return.

Addie's eyes shifted back to the wooden statue and when she looked into the statue's eyes, they began to glow a bright yellow. The light grew so quickly and so brightly that any normal man would have shielded their eyes, but Addie's could not move from their position. The golden light from the statue seemed to come alive, with a roar as it shot forth, striking Addie's eyes.

Addie awoke with a scream, hyperventilating from what she had just experienced within her deep sleep. She looked around her bare room which was practically dark as well. As she began to cry, she heard movement in the corner.

"Who's there?" she asked, wondering if she had truly awoken.

"Are you alright?" Tarok said, as he stepped out of the shadows. "We have been worried."

"It was terrible," Addie said, as the tears flowed from her eyes. "It was all around me."

"What was it like?" Tarok inquired, insanely curious about the darkness within her.

Addie shook her head, as if it could knock the terror out of her head.

"It's evil," she said, in a terrified whisper. "Where's Bishop?"

"He is gone on an errand," Tarok said, before stroking his chin. "He has been gone for a while. I hope he has not run into trouble."

"What?" Addie said, giving him a worried glance. "I need to find him."

Addie tried to get to her feet, but was severely off-balance. Tarok grabbed her by the arm, keeping her from falling.

"You are too weak," Tarok said.

"I have to go. He's my brother," Addie said, desperately.

"You want to protect him," Tarok said, continuing to probe at her emotions. "You want the strength to fight back at what harms him…and what torments you."

Addie looked into his eyes.

"Yes," she said, appearing exhausted and powerless.

"Then, take the crown," Tarok said.

He reached under his robes and showed the crown to her, offering it. Addie pushed his hand away.

"I—can't," Addie said.

"You must," Tarok said, his voice stronger than before. "The crown is the only thing that will give you the strength to fight back against the evil within you. It can help you protect your brother!"

"You said the crown was useless without the jewel," Addie said, seeing the crown's main jewel was still missing.

"It is to me," Tarok said. "However, for a mere human, it can still yield great power."

"I—I—don't know," Addie said, as she sat back down on her cot.

"Addie, this may be the only way to fight the darkness boiling within your soul," Tarok said. "It may be the only way you can help Bishop. Even now, he may be losing his fight. Wear the crown and you will be strong again! You can save him…the way you could not save your parents!"

Addie's emotions were so scattered that she couldn't think clearly. She reached out, grabbing the crown.

"Yes," Tarok said, as she placed the crown on her head.

In that moment, Addie took a deep breath. With her eyes closed, she stood up all on her own and approached the doorway of her room.

"Feel the power," Tarok coached, hoping for a much bigger response to the crown. "Unleash your spirit!"

Addie's eyes opened, revealing a bright, golden light. She turned to face Tarok.

"Yes!" she spoke, but the voice was not her own.

This voice was deep and dark and full of rage.

"I can feel the power rising through every inch of this body!" the demonic spirit said.

"Go forth and unleash your will!" Tarok said.

The demon let out a monstrous laugh. With Addie's body as its vessel it turned towards the doorway once again. As it passed over the threshold, the rising, powerful energy within seemed to manifest itself all around Addie's body, like lightning swarming around her.

Tarok wasn't far behind, as he watched with a smile. This energy force was more powerful than he had ever imagined and he couldn't wait to see what kind of destruction it would inflict on the city.

Inside the Tracking Lab, Ian Hartford had not moved in almost an hour. He sat, holding the vase of Lunati water, still wrestling with the decision in front of him. Deep in his heart, he knew Spencer was right, but fate had not been kind to him and he was determined to no longer be a victim.

This was his chance to fight back. Ian gripped the vase a bit tighter and dropped the cork onto the floor next to his wheelchair. He took a deep breath as his lips touched the rim of the vase.

Then, the alarms sounded.

Ian quickly turned his head toward the monitor. He put the vase down and rolled over to the computer table, quickly keying in his access code and checking the video readings. When he saw Addie floating through downtown Silver City, Ian instantly panicked. As she passed the buildings, levitating above the streets, causing chaos amongst the pedestrians and drivers, the glass windows of the buildings around her shattered, causing even more destruction.

Ian's eyes locked onto the crown on her head. He ran his fingers across his keyboard, accessing the tracking systems. It was true. She was wearing the Lunati crown. Ian's eyes grew wider.

"Chris!" Ian shouted.

Inside the coffee shop, Garza looked up from his empty cup, glancing over at Jessica who was staring out the window. He took a deep breath. Neither of them had spoken a word in over an hour. The detective shrugged his shoulders.

"Are you really gonna keep up the silent treatment?" Garza asked, finally.

"I've said my peace," Jessica said, not turning her eyes to look at him.

"You know, it's really easy to sit where you are and talk about being open and honest with the world. But it's not easy from my position," Garza said, seriously. "Personal lives should stay personal and I'm sorry if you don't get why I need that right now."

"I get it," Jessica said, finally turning her head to face him. "But that doesn't mean I agree. If these people care about you as much as you seem to care about their opinions, then you should be able to live your life how you see fit. They should support you."

"It's more complicated than that," Garza responded. "Between the Ja'Vey and my boss also being my best friend and roommate, plus the fact that the Power Rangers aren't on the police's most friendly list all makes it more complicated than just you and me."

"The difference between you and me is that I'm willing to dismiss all of that for us," Jessica said. "To hell with them—all of them, even Chris and Dr. Hartford. That's why I'm keeping your secret about the ring. That's how much you mean to me."

Garza stared into her eyes and he didn't see anger. He saw a quiet sadness, but in her accented voice he could hear the determination that he admired so much in her.

"It's hard. That's all I'm saying. That's why I'm nervous and that's why I'm trying to keep things quiet," Garza said. "Believe me. I am trying."

"You'll never have it all, Stephen," Jessica said, as she grabbed her purse and stood up. "But you can have me. That's what I've always offered. Despite the good and the bad, you can have me in your life. I'm willing to risk it all."

As her words sunk in, Garza heard the beeping coming from her purse.

"I have to go," Jessica said, as she quickly made her way out of the coffee shop.

She ducked into the alley behind the establishment and grabbed her tracker from her purse.

"What's up?" she called out.

"Jessica! We've got trouble downtown. It's Addie. She's wearing the Lunati crown and it seems to have taken over her. Buildings are coming down everywhere," Ian explained. "Chris is on his way but you're closer."

"Really?" Jessica said, appearing confused. "I'm downtown now and I haven't heard any—"

At that moment, she heard screams growing louder around her. She peeked around the building and saw a massive pack of people fleeing from further downtown. Her eyes grew wide as she heard a loud roar and the sound of collapsing glass and crashing debris.

"Never mind," Jessica finished her sentence. "I'm on my way."

"Jess, if you can get the crown back—"

"I know," Jessica said, cutting Ian off.

She closed her tracker, keeping it firmly in her grasp as she ran back around the coffee shop, as customers appeared to be evacuating. Garza came running out of the place, almost bumping into her.

"News said there was trouble nearby," Garza said, as he pointed through the window at the mounted television screens inside the coffee shop. "I get the feeling it has something to do with that call you got?"

"I need to go," Jessica said.

"I'll go with you," Garza said, as he hopped onto his motorcycle, grabbing the helmet. "Hop on."

Jessica hesitated.

"You'll never get through in your car. With the panic and chaos, the roads will be no better," Garza said, holding out his helmet for her to take. "Please trust me."

"Trusting you has never been my problem," Jessica said, as she grabbed the helmet and jumped on the back of his motorcycle.

Once her helmet was secure and she clasped her hands around his chest, the motorcycle sped off down the street, dodging running pedestrians and speeding cars, all going in the opposite direction.

The motorcycle sped on its way, with Garza's eyes firmly focused on the road, when he saw two cars ahead trying to make u-turns to head back in their direction. He glanced over his shoulder for only a second.

"Hold on tight," he said to Jessica.

Garza slowed the motorcycle a bit, as he jumped the curb, continuing forward on the sidewalk until he passed the traffic jam.

Under her helmet, Jessica grinned.

What neither of them saw, however, was the figure standing atop an upcoming building. Tarok had his eyes on Addie, but the approaching engine caught Tarok's attention. Most had fled the area that Addie had already passed. Tarok glanced down and it was then that he saw the face of the Silver Ranger on his motorcycle, speeding towards Addie's position just a few blocks away. Tarok's eyes grew wide, as a sneer formed on his mouth.

Tarok raised his two fists and threw two handfuls of white stones down off the building. The stones landed on the ground almost a block away from the approaching cycle. Within seconds, the Karths formed in front of them.

"We've got company," Garza shouted, as he slowed down the motorcycle a bit more.

Jessica peeked around Garza and saw the horde of Karths blocking the street. Jessica ripped the helmet off her head, dropping it on the street.

"This is where I get off!" Jessica shouted over the engine so Garza would hear her.

"What?!" Garza said, stunned.

Jessica slid open her tracker and pressed the activation button. She let go of Garza's waist and ripped the tracker down his shoulder as her body took off into the air. As her body went flipping backwards, the motorcycle continued on its way. In midair, Jessica morphed instantly into the Pink Ranger. She came to a halt on the ground, with her hand blaster sword in hand. Her body instinctively slid on the asphalt to come to a stop, right in the middle of the Karths. The Pink Ranger quickly slashed through three of the creatures, while scoring a spin kick on the fourth.

Garza spun his motorcycle, as he brought the vehicle to a halt. He hopped off and flipped open his wrist morpher. Before he could press the activation button, a Karth swung his sickle at him. Garza ducked the shot and punched the creature across the head with his wrist, causing his morpher to activate. Within seconds, the Silver Ranger stood tall, with his Tracking Striker in hand, as he began fighting off the rest of the Karths.

Around the next corner, Bishop Malcolm came running. He saw the Rangers fighting the Karths, which caused a confused look to rest on his face. It was then that he heard the roar in the distance on the opposite side. Something about it seemed familiar…too familiar. He dropped the brown paper bag he was carrying.

At that moment, he spotted Hartford's Tracking Jeep come speeding around the corner, headed in the direction of that sound. He saw Chris behind the wheel and that was all he needed. Bishop took off running, pulling out his tracker and activating it in stride.

Above the buildings, Tarok levitated over the roofs, heading towards Addie's position. He rested above the building right next to her. She was still floating above the ground, between two buildings that were both now without windows thanks to her power. As she hung in the air, the yellow and white energy streams continued to swirl around her. Tarok saw that she wasn't moving and it appeared to him that she was simply staring off at the setting sun in the distance.

"So much power," the demonic voice within her spoke, staring at the sun. "Finally, I can have it all!"

Tarok listened intently and that was how he heard the Tracking Jeep come to a screeching halt a few feet below Addie. His eyes grew wide once again as he saw Chris Hartford hop out of the vehicle. It was then that he spotted the Pink & Silver Rangers in the distance, steadily moving their fight closer to Addie's location. Tarok felt disgusted, until he saw the morphed Black hunter running right at Chris, who was still unmorphed.

"Addie!" Chris shouted from the jeep, as he ran to a position so that he could see her face.

Beneath the crown, she still looked like her, except for her piercing, golden eyes.

"You have to stop her," Ian's voice came through on Chris's tracker which was in his hand. "She's destroying the city."

At that moment, Chris was tackled around the waist by the Black hunter. The two rolled onto the street and Chris landed with a thud that seemed to re-injure his ribs. His tracker went flying across the street, sliding underneath a parked car. Bishop mounted the fallen Red Ranger.

"Stay away from my sister!" Bishop shouted, as he started punching Chris relentlessly.

"Look at her!" Chris said, as he could feel his lip swelling.

As he saw Chris's head collapse onto the street, Bishop glanced back up at Addie and it was then that he saw the energy surrounding her and her eyes that resembled headlights at this point.

"Addie!" Bishop yelled in a panic.

At that moment Bishop was shot in the shoulder, causing him to fall off of Chris. The Pink Ranger came running to Chris's side.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Perfect," Chris groaned through the pain, as he got to his feet.

He couldn't help but look up at Addie.

"We have to figure out how to stop her without hurting her," Chris said, through his bloodied lip.

"You can go for the 'without hurting her' part, but I'm more interested in stopping her and I think the best way to do that is to get that crown off," Jessica said.

Then, a laser blast landed at their feet, sending both of them falling to the concrete. They looked up to see Bishop back on his feet with his blaster pointed at them. Jessica took off towards him. She looked back at Chris.

"Remember what I said," she said, as she pulled her weapon. "Hydro cannon!"

She fired on the Black hunter as she kept running towards him. Each of them used their weapons to block the others' attack.

Chris reached under the car, grabbing his tracker.

"Dad, you gotta find me another way to stop her," Chris spoke into the device.

"The crown, Chris! You have to remove the crown. I think it may be the source of her power," Ian said.

"I got it, kid!" Garza shouted, as he went running past Chris.

The Silver Ranger jumped into the air with his Tracking Striker in hand. He brought the weapon down towards Addie, as the demonic voice within her chuckled.

"No!" Chris shouted, seeing the Silver Ranger's weapon slashing down.

But before it could connect, it froze in the air, along with Garza's body.

"Such power," the dark voice uttered, with a smile.

Garza looked into those golden eyes for only a second before the demonic force sent the Silver Ranger flying backwards, crashing into the Tracking Jeep.

"Garza!" Jessica shouted, as she aimed her Hydro cannon at Addie.

Before she could fire, Bishop swiped her arm away and kicked the Pink Ranger in the gut.

"Don't go near her!" Bishop yelled furiously.

As their fight continued, Chris stepped up to Addie, seeing Garza beginning to stir in the wreckage of the Tracking Jeep. Chris looked up, feeling his own breathing intensified. Above the building to Addie's right, Tarok watched with a smile.

"Seek out their destruction!" he said, in a whisper.

Addie's mouth opened wide as the dark, demonic voice let out another fierce roar that caused the building to Chris's right to crumble. The Red Ranger fell to his knees to avoid the shattering building. He activated his morpher, quickly sliding it across the street. Now fully morphed, he felt his body get a bit stronger, despite his pain.

Sensing her focus on the destruction and not her enemies on foot, the Red Ranger took off running and flew into the air, grabbing a hold of Addie's arms. At that moment, he saw the demonic eyes focus directly on him and smile.

"Another petty human with more power for me!" the demonic voice called out.

"Addie! I know you're in there," Chris said, screaming as loud as he could. "Please, fight this! You have the power. I know it!"

Addie's head dropped a bit, as he began to slowly shake.

"More power," the voice shouted.

"Addie, can you hear me?" Chris yelled. "Please, come back!"

Garza gathered himself and saw Chris floating in the air, partially due to holding Addie's arms and partially because of the energy swirling around her, which now had Chris in its grasp as well. Garza shook his head and was about to come to the Red Ranger's aide when the Karths surrounded him, forcing him into other combat.

"Addie, you can hear me. Fight the evil!" Chris shouted. "You're not evil!"

High above them, Tarok could sense that the demonic force within Addie was beginning to subside. He realized that she was beginning to hear what the Red Ranger was saying to her. Tarok focused his own telepathic energy, reaching out to the slight opening in her mind that had been created by the Chris Hartford.

'You must stop them…they will kill your brother!' Tarok whispered into her brain. 'Embrace the power! Unleash your fury!"

"Addie, please, listen to me," Chris said. "I know you're still in there. This isn't you!"

At that moment, Addie's head rose to face him. The demonic spirit within her smiled, as it unleashed even more power.

Garza kicked away another Karth and aimed his Tracking Striker in blaster mode. He tried his best to focus his emotions. Using his expert marksmanship, he aimed at his target, but in that moment, the energy that surrounded her swirled even faster until it all entered her body and burst forth like a giant fireball, striking through the Red Ranger in front of her. The energy was so powerful that it seemed to pierce right through his suit.

All eyes on the ground watched, as time seemed to stand still. Chris gasped for air as his body fell several stories straight onto the street like a stone.

"Chris!" Jessica shouted, as she kicked Bishop away from her and ran to his side.

Bishop was about to pursue, when he saw Garza's weapon pointed at Addie. He took off running towards him. High above, Addie began to breathe deeply. Garza knew exactly what had happened. The spirit had maxed out its energy to attack Chris.

He fired.

Bishop pushed him to the ground like a linebacker, but it was too late. He looked up at his sister. The laser blast from Garza's weapon had struck the crown on Addie's head, knocking it off. Addie's eyes returned to normal, as her body began falling, just as Chris's had. Bishop ran over, catching her in his arms before she could hit the ground. The crown landed at his feet and he knelt to the ground, holding Addie close.

"Addie? It's going to be okay," Bishop said. "Just hold on."

Above the building, Tarok shook his fist in the air, furious at this turn of events. He extended his palm, sending a lightning swirl around Bishop & Addie. It enveloped them and the crown. In an instant, they had disappeared, along with Tarok and the Karths.

Down on the street, Garza got back to his feet and took a deep breath, seeing the threat had been stopped. He took a couple deep breaths and then turned to see the Pink Ranger kneeling at the side of the fallen Red Ranger.

As Garza approached, he saw that parts of Chris's suit were completely ripped away by the energy attack, along with most of his helmet. Jessica looked up at him.

"He needs help," she said, before shouting. "He's not breathing!"

By the time Tarok's energy deposited them back inside the shoe factory, Addie was coming around. She broke free of Bishop's grasp, as she gasped for air, finally regaining the use of her body. She crawled to her knees and saw the crown.

Addie let out a mighty scream as she slammed her fist against the crown, causing it to slide across the floor, stopping at Tarok's feet. He picked it up.

Bishop grabbed Addie's shoulders, trying to calm her.

"It's okay now," Bishop said. "You're okay."

She broke free of his grip again. She looked upon him with anger and her voice conveyed her panic.

"I'm not okay!" she shouted, breaking down. "I'm not okay. It's inside me. It's pure evil."

Tarok listened intently, as he held the crown tighter.

"What? What is it?" Bishop asked.

"The darkness," Addie guessed. "The darkness of my nightmares."

"It's okay. We can fight it," Bishop assured her. "We can fight anything."

"I can't fight it!" Addie yelled, as the tears fell from her eyes. "It's too strong. It's so powerful and it wants me. It wants me to destroy everything."

Tarok watched with great interest in pleasure. He was more interested than ever in the dark energy that dwelled within her soul. Tarok wanted that energy for himself.

With the moon raised high above the sky, Jessica sat inside Silver City Metro Hospital, tapping her foot on the floor nervously with Garza at her side.

The elevators opened and she saw Ian and Spencer rush out. In fact, they were moving so fast that Spencer was pushing Ian's wheelchair himself.

"Where is he?" Ian asked, showing his fear.

"They took him—um, to..," Jessica stammered and it was that unevenness that scared Spencer more than anything.

She was terrified.

"He's in one of the emergency rooms," Garza spoke up. "It looked pretty bad."

"Oh dear," Spencer uttered.

"How did it happen?" Ian asked.

"She was too strong," Jessica said. "I don't know what it was but Addie was more powerful than we were. She just—ripped through him."

Spencer's heart fell.

"I'm going to see what they're doing," Ian said, as he activated his chair.

As he wheeled closer to the emergency room doors, they opened on their own. An emergency room doctor appeared there, glancing at Jessica and then at Ian.

"Are you the father?" the doctor spoke to him.

"I'm Dr. Hartford. How's my son?" Ian asked.

"I'm sorry," the female doctor answered. "His internal and external injuries were all fixable…but there were other complications."

"What kind of complications?" Ian said, his voice growing angrier at her cryptic response.

"There was brain damage," the doctor said. "We lost him."

"What are you saying?" Spencer said, as his face went pale.

"There's nothing more we can do," the doctor said. She looked Ian in the eyes. "Your son's gone."

Ian turned his wheelchair to look at Spencer and Jessica, who began to cry. Garza put a comforting arm around her. Ian's mind was racing with so many thoughts. The one pervading thought was that she was wrong. She had to be wrong.

In that moment of silence, they all heard a beeping alarm coming from the doctor's watch. She quickly fiddled with the device, stopping the tone.

"Sorry," she said. "It does that at midnight."

Ian was breathless as he glanced at the clock on the wall. Spencer, Jessica & Garza all looked at the clock. It had struck midnight. It was officially Chris Hartford's birthday.

THE END

Next time on

Quest for the Lunati Treasure
Something happens and something else happens
and you will be forced to just wait because there's
no way I can write this preview without spoiling
some huge details about the story. So stay
tuned to the next episode! Sorry!