QUEST FOR THE LUNATI TREASURE
Episode #23
"War of the Worlds"
Jessica Lorrie stood staring in the mirror of the women's restroom. She took a deep breath and tried to push her nerves as far away as she could. She closed her eyes and began pacing around the bathroom, rehearsing her lines one more time. Jessica glanced back into the mirror and noticed the black robe she was wearing seemed a bit crooked. She fixed it quickly, as she heard the bathroom door open.
Jessica looked over and smiled upon seeing a familiar face. A young brunette walked in, wearing a similar robe to Jessica's. She was carrying an envelope.
"It's almost time," the girl said, taking a deep breath as she checked her own hair in the mirror. "You ready?"
"Of course," Jessica said, without hesitation. "You know me, Tina. I'm always ready."
"That's why you're the valedictorian," Tina answered, with her trademark wit and saucy English accent. "I still can't believe you're doing your speech in Latin."
"Can't break from tradition now," Jessica said, with a smile.
"Well, I'll just nod and laugh whenever everyone else does," Tina said, with a smirk. "So glad my graduation wasn't hinging on being fluent in a dead language."
Jessica smiled.
"Oh, this came for you earlier," Tina said, handing Jessica the envelope. "Good luck out there. Everyone'll be watching."
Jessica took the envelope and nodded.
"Thanks," she said, as Tina left.
All alone in the bathroom, Jessica noticed the very familiar return address and wondered why her mother would send her something when they were on their way from London. As she read her mother's words on the letter, she understood. They weren't coming. Jessica closed her eyes for a moment, making sure that she kept her emotions in check. This was no time for tears. She placed the letter back in its envelope and ripped it to pieces, tossing it in the trash.
She grabbed her graduation cap on the rim of the sink and placed it on her head, glancing back into the mirror at her reflection. A single tear rolled down her cheek. She carefully wiped it away so she wouldn't smudge her make-up and then left for her graduation ceremony.
Almost two years later, Jessica Lorrie found herself once again in front of a mirror. As she remembered that day back in England she realized just how much she had changed. She certainly didn't look as polished as she did on that day. Jessica had just rolled out of bed and hadn't had time to pretty herself up at all.
She glanced over at the clock on her desk and sighed. She was late by her own standards. Jessica found it hard to get herself ready for the day, especially after the events of the preceding day which included Evan Yukito's volunteering of the Lunati crown jewel. She had felt terrible ever since and she hadn't spoken to Ian Hartford, a task she knew was coming soon.
Jessica heard a knock at her door and winced, worried that the time had come.
"Come in," she called out.
The door opened and she saw Chris Hartford's head peek in.
"Good morning," he said.
"Hey," Jessica responded.
"What are you, hiding out in here?" he asked.
"I guess you could say that," she said.
"Is this about the ring?" Chris asked, noticing she wasn't wearing it.
"Why did Evan have to give Dr. Hartford that jewel?" Jessica said, clearly annoyed. "With one fowl swoop he made me look like a total traitor."
"Come on, Jess. You're being a little dramatic aren't you?" Chris responded.
"It's like I've been lying to him this whole time and I know once he finds out, he's going to be so disappointed in me," Jessica said, sadly. "He's never going to trust me again."
"He may be disappointed, but who cares?" Chris said, shrugging his shoulders. "You had your reasons and if he doesn't get that, screw him."
Jessica grimaced, as she looked back at her reflection.
"I'm not like you, Chris. I can't just dismiss Dr. Hartford. He hired me because I was the best, because he knew that I wouldn't let anything stand in the way of my job," Jessica explained. "That's exactly what I did."
"You had your reasons," Chris repeated. "Do you regret keeping Garza's secret?"
"It's hard to say no after he walked out on me," Jessica said, frowning.
"Are you saying no?" Chris said, with a sly grin.
"No," Jessica said. "I don't regret it."
"Then don't start now," Chris said, smile. "Just tell dad and let the chips fall where they may. If it helps, you can tell him that I knew too and then he'll shift his passive-aggressiveness onto me."
"It's just—ever since I came here, your father and Spencer, they've been like my family, the one I always wanted, the one that valued my intelligence," Jessica said. "I don't want to lose that."
"Well, since I like to consider myself part of that group too, I can say that we don't keep you around just because you're smart," Chris said.
"Thanks," Jessica said, as she walked over, hugging him. "And you are part of that group. I don't know what I'd do without you sometimes."
"Aw, ain't I special," Chris said, grinning. "You're okay too."
"You're the best friend ever," Jessica said.
As Chris hugged her and as he glanced in the mirror, he smirked even more.
"And can I add that your butt looks fantastic in those shorts," he said, trying not to laugh.
Jessica playfully popped him in the back of the head, releasing him from their hug.
"I guess I better go talk to him," she said.
"You've still got time," Chris said. "Dad got a call. It sounded urgent. He & Spencer left a little while ago."
Jessica frowned a bit, curious as to what could have drawn Dr. Hartford out of the house.
Ian waited as the hotel room door opened, revealing Karen Tracy. She smiled, as she opened the door wide enough for him to enter. She glanced out into the hallway.
"Spencer drove you?" she wondered.
"He's waiting in the lobby," Ian said, as he noticed suitcases near the door. "Going somewhere?"
"Coming back actually," she said. "I thought some time away would help me clear my head. But after a few weeks I realized it was hopeless. No matter where I go, I can't seem to get Gordon out of my head."
"I know what you mean," Ian responded. "I find myself thinking about him a lot too. Although, usually my thoughts come while he's trying to kill my son."
"This isn't him," Karen said, somberly. "I just don't understand why he'd do this to himself. How could he be that jealous?"
"Gordon was obviously in a dark place when he stole that helmet. But I've learned this year that it doesn't take much to contemplate taking extreme measures if you think they'll take away the pain," Ian explained, glancing down at the wheels on his chair.
"Are things better between you and Chris?" Karen asked.
"I think we're getting there," he answered. "We both have to put aside a lot of selfishness, but we have our moments."
"Selfishness," Karen repeated. "I guess that's part of the reason I asked you to come over here."
Karen grabbed an envelope from her suite's dining table.
"This was waiting for me when I got back," she said, as she handed the envelope to Ian.
He removed the documents inside and read over them. Curiosity and confusion came over him.
"You're trying to get Gordon's death declaration reversed?" he surmised from the information.
"Before I left for my trip, I knew I couldn't just forget about him," Karen explained. "I talked to a detective and our lawyer. They didn't seem to understand fully what I was trying to tell them about Gordon's current state, but they said if he's indeed alive then there are grounds to have him declared…undead."
Ian took a deep breath.
"It's not selfish of you, Karen," Ian said. "It's a noble gesture."
"But is it wrong to hold out hope that he could be what he was before all of this?" she asked. "I can't even go home because of how scared I am of seeing him again."
"I don't know what to tell you," Ian said. "All I can say is that if there's a way to get my best friend back, I'll try. I'm just not sure it's possible."
Karen nodded.
"I'm sorry I called you over here for something so unimportant," Karen said. "I'm sure you're busy."
"There's nothing unimportant enough to keep me away," Ian said, with a smile. He rolled towards the door, which Karen opened for him. "Just know that I want him undead too."
He handed her the documents. Karen gave Ian a somber smile, as she watched him roll away from the door.
On a remote island in Hawaii, a volcano was bubbling a bit more than usual. The once dormant volcano was more alive than ever these days. Inside of that volcano, several feet above the boiling lava, a platform separated the two sides of the structure. One the far side was a hidden tunnel that led to a man-made exit from the volcano. On the near side, there was no exit but there was a large stone slab reformed to create a throne of sorts for the Ferum leader, Drakar.
At this moment, Drakar wasn't seated there. He was glancing down at the video screen, showing him a view inside the Hartford mansion. Through the hidden cameras he could see Evan Yukito and his sidekick Miko seated at the Hartford's dining room table, eating breakfast.
"My enemies' numbers are growing," Drakar said, angrily. "Even those betrayers Dark Shadow have joined Hartford!"
He shook his fist in frustration.
"Perhaps they have learned the error of their ways," Zel spoke from behind him.
Drakar turned to see the Lunati sword, transformed into its humanoid form. Zel was chained around the neck like an animal. Drakar walked closer to him. Zel was unable to reach Drakar's location, given his chain's attachment to the inside of the volcanic rock face.
"You still haven't learned yours," Drakar said, furiously. "Tell me what Ian Hartford has that I do not!"
"Humanity," Zel said instantly.
Drakar turned his back on Zel after hearing that. He did not want to focus on his own humanity, not now.
"And when he forgets it, he has people around that remind him," Zel continued speaking. "Perhaps that is your mistake. You surround yourself with artificial life. I think it's because it helps you forget about your human nature."
"You know nothing about my life!" Drakar shouted.
He stepped right up to the golden creature, staring into its glowing green eyes.
"Ian Hartford stole my humanity!" Drakar yelled. "He didn't expect me to pay him back for his betrayal, but now he knows how terrifying I can be. The Lunati treasure will seal my greatest revenge and Ian Hartford will look back on his time in that wheelchair fondly, because his future will be so much more devastating!"
"The Lunati treasure was not meant for revenge!" Zel said, proudly.
"If you know so much about humanity, then you know that throughout history some of the greatest discoveries have led to the biggest tragedies in this world," Drakar said. "The treasure of your people will be no different."
"It will destroy you too," Zel revealed. "If you attempt to put the treasure together and use it, you won't be strong enough for its power."
Drakar's golden eyes cast no emotion as he looked upon Zel.
"I may not have the Lunati water, but that won't stop me from unleashing the ultimate power on those I hate," Drakar said, fiercely. "How does it feel, Zel, to know that you will be instrumental in the destruction of your former allies?"
Before Zel could respond, the two were unknowingly joined by a pair of intruders on the other side of the volcano.
"I wouldn't count on that wish coming true," Bishop Malcolm shouted.
Drakar turned and saw the morphed Black & Yellow Hunters standing on the other side of the platform. Drakar let out a furious scream. He stepped up to his side of the platform, looking directly at the new arrivals. His gaze soon focused in on the shield being carried by the Black Hunter.
"If I had known you'd deliver the shield to my home, I wouldn't have bothered traveling all the way to Japan!" Drakar said, boldly standing his ground.
"This ain't a delivery," Bishop said, as he & Addie had their hand blasters trained on Drakar. "It's a pick-up."
Drakar glanced over at Zel, chained up, watching their every move.
"The only question left is how hurt do you want to be before we leave with the sword?" Bishop said, defiantly.
Addie glanced over at her brother. She couldn't see his face underneath his helmet, but she could sense the confidence in him. It was the effect of the shield, she knew. He felt untouchable but Addie knew that wasn't true. She was glad to be at his side now, to make sure that his cocky confidence didn't lead to his destruction.
"You may be able to take me out with help from that shield," Drakar said. "But you'll have to get to me first!"
Drakar unleashed a golden stream of electrical energy from his helmet, raising his hand towards the two hunters. The energy blast struck near their feet, causing both of them to dive to the ground to avoid being hit. With the two of them down, Drakar took his chance. He stepped out onto the platform and extended his fists, pointing them down at the lava below him. He opened his palms, causing more energy to shoot out, hitting the bubbling lava below.
Within seconds, tiny blobs of lava shot up towards him, landing on the platform and the far side of the volcano. The lava pools transformed into his Draggs. The menacing foot soldiers surrounded Bishop & Addie as they got to their feet. There was now a small army separating them from Drakar and the Lunati sword.
The rear entrance to the Hartford mansion opened and Spencer entered the house first, followed by his employer. Spencer could sense during the entire drive home that Dr. Hartford was troubled by something. After twenty-five years, Spencer also knew when not to pry where Ian was concerned.
He watched Ian control his wheelchair, headed straight for his office. Spencer wasn't far behind when he saw Chris & Jessica coming towards them. Ian rolled right past the two and entered his office, closing the door. Spencer noticed Jessica's troubled sigh, as she looked at Chris.
"You don't have to do this now," Chris said to her.
"It's now or never," Jessica said.
"Okay, just remember. Rip it off quick, just like a band-aid," Chris said, patting her on the shoulder.
"Thanks," she responded quietly, before entering the office.
Spencer walked right up to Chris, looking curious.
"What's going on?" he wondered.
"It's a long story," Chris answered.
"Start talking," Spencer said, sternly.
The two headed off to the kitchen, where Chris followed Spencer's command.
Inside Dr. Hartford's office, Jessica found herself standing in front of his desk. She thought she would look him in the eye and be an adult about this. But at that moment, Ian had his back turned to her. He was busy glancing out of his office window.
"Sir, is everything all right?" Jessica asked, nervously.
She heard Ian release a deep sigh. He spun his wheelchair around to face her, showing her his somber eyes.
"I just came from seeing Karen Tracy," Ian revealed. "It put a lot of things into perspective. It's easy to forget who Gordon was given his current state."
"And even easier because of what he did to you," Jessica guessed.
Ian looked into her eyes and smiled.
"You know me too well," he said.
"I wish I could say the same," Jessica said, as she fidgeted, a true sign of her nerves.
"What do you mean?" Ian asked.
"I've been lying to you for almost a month now," Jessica blurted.
Ian's smile faded into a frown. He didn't say anything, but Jessica knew he was listening very closely. She took a breath and proceeded with her confession.
"I know where the Lunati pendant is," Jessica said. "I've known for a while now."
"Jess, I don't understand," Ian said, appearing confused. "Why wouldn't you tell me and where is it?"
"It's right here," Jessica said, as she leaned over, placing Garza's ring on the desk.
"I still don't get it," Ian said.
"The ring was Garza's," Jessica explained. "Apparently, one of the Ja'Vey hunters took possession of the pendant after destroying one of the demons. It was passed down through the generations. Stephen's father had it melted down to make this ring."
Ian's frown now conveyed his shock.
"How long have you had this?" he asked, his voice low.
"Garza sent it to me when he left town," Jessica said, scared of Ian's reaction. "He asked me not to tell you about it when he found out and I knew it wouldn't fall into evil hands as long as he had it. He protected it with his life and I trusted him."
"But, you didn't trust me," Ian said, angrily.
"That's not it," Jessica said quickly.
"Yes it is," Ian said, as his eyes focused on the ring and no longer on her. "You know me too well, remember? You've always thought that I was going to use the treasure to walk again. You even told me so. You didn't trust me to do what was right for the job that I hired you for."
"I know you're upset and you should be. But I promise you that it wasn't about you. It was about not betraying Garza. He trusted me to keep his secret," Jessica said.
"So you betrayed me instead," Ian said, flatly, still refusing to look at her.
"I'm so sorry," Jessica said. "But it's here now and it's safe and no one knows we have it, which is a good thing."
Ian didn't respond. Jessica could feel the anger in the room, as she looked at his head, which was lowered away from her.
"Dr. Hartford, I know that you hired me to do a job and I…got a little off-track. It wasn't professional of me and like I said, I understand why you'd be upset with me. Just know that I'm truly sorry and I'm going to spend the rest of my time here proving that I can finish this job the way you want it done," Jessica said.
She stood there, waiting for his response. Ian's wheelchair began to roll. He came around the desk, passed Jessica and exited the office. Jessica closed her eyes, realizing that she had gotten her answer.
"He'll come around," Chris said.
He was right behind her, as they descended the hidden staircase behind the study on the first floor. The two strolled into the Tracking Lab. Jessica's face was blank, as she headed for her terminal, unable to believe Chris at that moment.
"I betrayed him," she said, as she sat down at her desk. "He said so. He's never going to trust me again and I'm pretty sure I'm going to be fired."
"He's not gonna fire you," Chris said, smiling. "Nobody's perfect, not even you."
Jessica turned and looked at Chris.
"Dr. Hartford hired me because I was perfect—for this job," Jessica said. "I didn't do that job, so stop trying to make me feel better."
Chris took a deep breath and raised his hands in surrender, choosing to let her wallow for a while. His attentions were shifted as he heard more footsteps coming down the hidden staircase behind them. He turned to see Evan and Miko enter.
"Come to do some spying?" he said, sarcastically.
"Been there, done that," Evan shot back.
Chris had grown to enjoy his verbal sparring with Evan Yukito since his stay began in the Hartford house. He had to admit that it was nice having some new personalities around.
"How are you feeling?" Chris asked Miko.
"Better, still a bit confused, but Evan is helping me adjust," Miko said, as she glanced around the lab. "Can't say I ever thought I'd be staying here."
"Join the club," Jessica said, still upset.
Miko walked over to her, peeking over her shoulder. Chris joined Evan near the doorway leading to the staircase. They both watched, as Jessica tried to block Miko from what she was doing at her computer terminal, only for the inquisitive young woman to keep trying to pry. Evan bobbed his head towards them, as he looked over at Chris.
"So, you and her…how close are you two?" Evan asked, slyly.
"Depends on your definition of close," Chris answered quickly.
"I mean…close," Evan said, keeping his voice low enough so the girls couldn't hear the exchange.
"Jessica's my best friend," Chris said. "We're very close."
"That's not my definition of close," Evan said, with a smirk. "I guess that means she's single."
"She's not," Chris said.
"Ohhh," Evan said, finally realizing. "The Silver one. Right. I should have figured that. He's not around anymore though."
"What about you and her?" Chris said, glancing at Miko.
"We're close, very close," Evan said.
"My definition or your definition?" Chris asked.
"My definition," Evan said, with a smile.
"She probably wouldn't be too happy with you asking about Jessica's status then."
"It's okay. I was just spying," Evan whispered.
For a second, Chris wondered if that was true or if Evan was just deliberately trying to pull his leg again.
Jessica let out a frustrated sigh, as she felt Miko breathing down her neck.
"Do you really have to stand so close?" she asked, annoyed that she was being bothered right now.
"You don't I know much do you?" Miko asked. "I know what you're doing. You're scanning for the Lunati shield. You probably think it will lead you to where Tarok's keeping it and the crown. See? I know my stuff."
"Just don't break anything," Jessica said, before returning her gaze to her computer screen.
"It's cool," Evan interjected. "We've been down here before."
"Oh yeah, when you stole the crown from us so you could hand it over to Drakar," Chris added.
"To be fair, it was a decoy crown, not the real one," Evan said, eyeing Chris.
"You didn't know that when you stole it," Chris said, with a smile.
"Says you," Evan said, defiantly.
Miko liked the banter between them and wanted to join in.
"Or remember when we installed those hidden cameras for him too," she said, getting Chris & Jessica's attention instantly. "It wasn't just about the crown!"
Miko saw the look of shock on Evan's face and her smile faded quickly. She saw Chris and Jessica both appeared stunned at her revelation.
"I'm guessing you didn't know about that," Miko said.
She stood there silently grimacing, as if she had just torn apart their prize-winning lottery ticket.
"What is she talking about?" Jessica yelled at Evan. "You put hidden cameras in here for Drakar?"
"It was part of our original deal," Evan admitted. "We figured you guys would have found them by now."
"Where are they?" Chris shouted.
Evan took a deep breath. He had a feeling that his stay in the Hartford house might have just come to a screeching halt.
As dozens of Draggs swarmed around them, Bishop and Addie stood their ground. The Black Hunter's focus, however, remained on Drakar on the other side of the volcano. With at least five Draggs standing on the thin platform connecting the two sides, he knew there wasn't enough room to pass. As he glanced around, he could see more of the Draggs closing in around him.
He glanced over at his sister.
"Stand your ground," he ordered her.
Bishop flipped into the air, above the swarming Draggs, leaving his sister in the middle of them.
"Bishop!" she shouted angrily, as she saw him in the air.
Bishop held tighter to the Lunati shield in one hand and his hand blaster sword with the other, as his body flipped downward towards the platform. With the shield covering his chest, he landed right on top of one of the Draggs. As the shield pushed the lizard creature down onto the stone platform, the Dragg erupted into pure lava, crushed like a bug by the shield. Bishop used the shield to knock away two more of the Draggs on the platform, as another came from behind.
Bishop could sense the Dragg coming at him and ducked, as the creature went flying over his head, landing just in front of him. Bishop kicked the creature across the head, knocking into the lava pit below.
Drakar watched from the other side. He instinctively took a few steps back away from the platform. Standing chained a few feet away from Drakar, Zel watched his movement. He was afraid, Zel thought to himself.
Bishop stood his ground with the three Draggs left blocking his path to the other side. The tree foot soldiers glanced at one another and then back at Bishop. All three opened their mouths in unison, sending streams of fire towards the Black Hunter. Bishop dropped to his knees and with one swift motion, he spun the shield across the stone platform, tripping all three of the Draggs, causing them to stumble over into the lava.
Drakar felt a twinge of excitement as he saw the shield sliding right towards his feet. Bishop flipped into the air once more, as the shield came to a stop just at Drakar's feet. The Ferum leader reached down to grab hold of it, but Bishop's foot was planted right in his chest first, sending him stumbling backwards. Drakar fell right onto his throne. He jumped back to his feet in time to see Bishop once again in possession of the shield.
Back on the other side of the volcano, Addie had called upon her Thunder Claws, using the twin weapons to smash into each lava-based warrior as it came at her. Using the weapons like bats, she swung, punched and toppled several of the Draggs, but there seemed to be a never-ending supply.
"Bishop," she spoke again.
This time however, Addie's voice was more of an annoyed groan, than a call for help. She knew that her brother had one sole focus now and it wasn't her.
Drakar watched as the Black Hunter's helmet slowly turned towards Zel. The Black Hunter began walking quickly towards the chained Lunati sword. Drakar took off running. Both warriors reached the sword at almost the same time. Drakar reached for Zel's chain, but felt his hand swiped away by the blade of the Black Hunter's hand blaster sword. Zel watched as the Black Hunter took a position on one side of him, while Drakar stood on the other.
Bishop brought his blaster sword down once more, but Drakar ducked this time, grabbing hold of Zel's chain and using it almost like a shield. Bishop expected the chain to break apart when his blade hit it, but it did not. This was not an average chain. Drakar had molded it from his own special lava to bend to his will. The strike caused only a few strikes.
Bishop realized he would need to do more to free the sword to take for himself. He sent his foot into the air, going for a kick. Zel ducked quickly so the strike wouldn't hit him. Drakar was knocked in the head, sending him colliding with the volcano wall where Zel was chained. He grabbed the chain, pulling Zel closer to him. Bishop quickly holstered his weapon and grabbed hold of Zel's arm, pulling him back in his direction.
Zel had enough. He sent his foot right into the chest of the Black Hunter, causing Bishop to release him. Zel grabbed hold of the chain, yanking Drakar back in his direction, where he planted his elbow right into the head of the Ferum leader, causing his helmet to shift a bit. Drakar fell to his knees in pain, grabbing at his head, until he got the helmet back on straight.
"You stupid creature!" Drakar yelled, as he sent an orange stream of energy from his helmet.
Zel ducked quickly. Standing right behind him, Bishop raised the shield, causing the electrical strike to deflect off the shield and hit Drakar's stone throne, which crumbled. Drakar grabbed hold of Zel's chain, yanking it in just the right way, which caused a surge of his own energy to travel into Zel. The creature's body was struck by an electrical charge so strong that he was forced to transform into his sword form.
Drakar reached out for the handle. Bishop's eyes grew wide under his helmet and he swiped the Lunati shield downwards towards the chain. The power of the shield broke through Drakar's chain, just as the Ferum leader grabbed hold of it. Still on his knees, Drakar held the sword up to protect himself from the force of the shield coming at him. The force of the two Lunati relics hitting one another caused an energy burst that sent both warriors flying away from each other.
Back in the Tracking Lab, Ian Hartford was furious, as he held the tiny hidden cameras that had been placed all over his property by Dark Shadow to help Drakar to spy on everything that he and his crew had done.
"I can't believe this!" Ian shouted.
"It makes so much sense," Chris said. "This is how he knew where we'd be. We've been leading him right to the treasure all this time."
"This is all my fault," Jessica said, sadly, standing next to Chris. "Dr. Hartford, I should have known. I should have found them."
Evan and Miko stood on the other side of the room, making sure not to make any sound.
As Jessica spoke, Ian's head lowered, as he was still filled with so much anger.
"At least we've found them all now, right?" Spencer asked, glancing at Evan & Miko.
"That's all of them. I swear," Evan said, sincerely.
"Too little, too late," Ian said, fuming.
He rolled his chair towards the exit where Chris & Jessica were standing. He looked up into Jessica's eyes. She was so disappointed in herself, but in that moment Ian didn't see that. He dropped the cameras at her feet and activated his chair again, rolling over to the elevator.
"Dad!" Chris shouted, as the doors to the elevator closed. "This is not her fault!"
Chris looked at Jessica.
"It's not," Chris said. "We all missed this."
Jessica didn't respond. She bent down and picked up the cameras. She carried them over to her desk and sat down, lowering her head. She felt she had failed again in her employer's eyes.
"He can't do this," Chris said, as he headed for the exit.
Spencer caught up with him, grabbing his arm.
"He can't put all of this on her," Chris said to Spencer, angrily.
"Let me take care of it," Spencer said before leaving to go after Ian.
Chris sighed, as he glanced at Jessica sitting at her terminal, staring blankly into the computer screen.
"You can't blame yourself," Chris said, as he walked over, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Jessica, however, didn't want to be comforted.
"He's right," Evan chimed in. "If you want to blame somebody, blame us. We installed them."
"Shhhh," Miko whispered, nudging him on the arm.
"If anyone's to blame it's Drakar," Chris said to them all. "He's the one who got what he wanted. But not anymore."
"It doesn't matter now," Jessica said, her voice so low they barely heard it.
She pulled her shoulder away from his hand and Chris let out a frustrated sigh. He was determined not to make Jessica lose it over this. He racked his brain, trying to figure out a way to make her see how important she was to their team. Then it hit him.
"It does matter," Chris said, reaching an epiphany. "Jess, if Drakar could see us through these cameras, isn't there some way we can reverse them?"
"Reverse them?" Evan asked, looking confused. "What would be the point of that?"
"We could turn the tables on Drakar," Chris said quickly. "He spied on us. Now, we spy on him! We could see how he's keeping Zel captured and use it to come up with a plan to get him back."
"Those cameras aren't that advanced," Miko said. "That's impossible."
"Not for Jessica," Chris said, sternly. He squatted down so he could look her in the eye in her chair. "Come on, Jess. You can do this."
Jessica took a deep breath, as she looked into his earnest eyes. She wanted to make amends for her perceived mistakes and as she thought more about Chris's proposal, she realized just how simple it might be.
"Maybe…" she said, showing some signs of positivity.
"Do it," Chris said.
Jessica began attaching the cameras to several ports on her computer terminal. With a few tweaks to their circuitry, she was able to pull up a feed from the cameras on her monitor. With Chris glancing over her shoulder, she accessed the video technology inside the cameras, syncing it to their own video control systems. A few minutes later, the screen was showing them a view inside of Drakar's volcano, showing them everything that was captured by the monitor near Drakar's throne.
"That's it!" Chris exclaimed. "You did it."
Evan and Miko rushed over to see the feed. Miko's eyes grew wide.
"Wow, you are smart," she blurted out.
"Is that who I think it is?" Evan said, as he spotted Bishop, holding the Lunati shield.
"Looks like Drakar's got trouble," Jessica said.
"Big trouble if Bishop's got the shield with him," Chris said.
"What do we do?" Jessica asked, looking at Chris.
"We go," Chris said.
"What? Are you crazy?" Evan said. "Drakar has the Lunati sword and Bishop has the Lunati shield. Our weapons are no match for them. Let them fight it out and destroy one another, if you ask me."
"Think about what you're saying," Chris said. "If we leave them to fight this out, one of them's gonna win. They won't stop until they do and whoever's left is gonna have both the shield and the sword. Now, I don't know about you, but if that's the outcome, I'd rather be part of the equation than watch on the sidelines as one of my enemies gets even stronger."
Evan silently cursed, knowing he was about to agree with Hartford.
"Well, when you put it that way," he said.
"Let's go," Jessica said, as she stood up.
"Miko, stay here," Evan said.
"No problem," Miko said, as she sat down in Jessica's seat. "Should I alert Dr. Hartford?"
"Don't bother," Chris said, as he glanced at Jessica. "Let him stew."
"Gotcha," Miko responded. "I'll be watching."
"Don't get carried away out there. I know you're upset," Chris said, as he walked through the adjoining hallway, headed for the launch bay.
"Me?" Jessica said. "I should be saying the same to you. After all, where there's Bishop, there's Addie. I just hope you can keep your emotions in check."
Walking one step behind them, Evan was taking everything in. He looked over at Chris.
"You and Addie?" he said, with a smirk. "The plot thickens."
"You just don't forget which side you're on!" Chris snapped at him sarcastically.
Jessica mustered a smile as the three Rangers headed toward the Silverhawk, which would carry them quickly to Hawaii to join the fight for control in the quest for the Lunati treasure.
One floor above the launch bay, Spencer found Ian just where he expected. The elevator let Ian off in the study above the Tracking Lab. Ian huffed, as he saw Spencer, giving him that eye that only his butler knew how.
"You went too far," Spencer said, calmly.
"I expected so much from her," Ian said, his voice low and full of disappointment.
"You of all people should know that no one can live up to every expectation placed upon them," Spencer said.
"Those cameras were all around us this entire time," Ian said.
"And none of us ever noticed them," Spencer said, emphasizing the true mistake. "None of us. But I have a feeling this is about more than just cameras."
Ian shook his head.
"So, you knew about the ring too?" he said, glancing at Spencer.
"Only after Master Chris told me this morning," Spencer said, with a sigh. "She was trying to protect someone she cares deeply for. I would think that you'd admire that."
"Why would I admire that?" Ian said, angrily. "I brought her here to be loyal to me, not Garza!"
"You gave her a job, which she tried her best to do. She never put the ring in jeopardy. In fact, she did exactly what you asked her to do," Spencer said. "She secured and protected it. You're upset because she didn't tell you about it and that's a personal matter that you need to come to terms with. Loyalty isn't reserved for only one person."
"I've treated her like a member of my family. I guess I just felt her loyalty to me would come first," Ian said.
"No one knows more than I do that living in this house requires a lot of patience and the ability to see more than one side of things," Spencer said. "I never felt truly connected to anyone or anything until I arrived here and I believe Jessica feels the same way. I may not know where I came from, but I know where I belong."
"It's hard to see other sides when you're the one who feels betrayed," Ian said.
"I know. Just look at what that inability did to Gordon Tracy," Spencer said. "That's also weighing heavily on your mind and you can't take that out on Jessica either."
Ian let out a deep sigh. Spencer knew that he had gotten through to his employer. He prepared to leave him alone, but before he left the study, he looked back at Ian.
"I would think you'd want to support her," Spencer said. "Considering you know all about hiding the truth in an effort to protect someone you love."
Ian looked into Spencer's eyes and he wanted to scream, because Spencer was right. After all, it was Ian who didn't reveal his wife's cancer to his son, because he didn't feel the boy could handle the devastating news.
Addie Malcolm could hear the thunderous roar that occurred when the Lunati sword hit the shield and for a second she was worried. She had seen that force before and how much it tossed Bishop around the last time. She punched away another Dragg with her right Thunder Claw and glanced across the volcano, seeing that her brother had hit the rock face, but had not fallen anywhere near the edge of the cliff that led to the lava pit below.
She gave a sigh of relief, but only briefly, as several more Draggs began to swarm around her. Addie smashed the head of one Dragg using both Thunder Claws. She ducked a punch from another and kicked him into the lava pit.
"I've had just about enough!" Addie said, angrily.
She dropped to one knee and slammed her Thunder Claws into the stone precipice with precision. She made sure to emit just enough force to shake the area, causing four more Draggs to stumble backwards over the edge. Addie didn't want to break the ledge apart, which would surely lead to her own death.
Addie dropped one Thunder Claw and reached behind her back, producing a handful of white rocks. She tossed them onto the ground like dice and the rocks transformed into Tarok's foot soldiers, the Karths. Addie smiled behind her helmet, as her backup sprung into action, fighting against the lava-based lizards.
Across the platform on the other side of the volcano, Bishop was once again stalking Drakar.
"You know if you just give up the sword, this will all be over," Bishop said.
"I do know," Drakar said, defiantly, as he stood his ground. "And that's why I'll never let it go!"
Drakar swung the sword and Bishop ducked the blow, causing the Lunati sword to hit the rock face behind Drakar's crumbled throne. Drakar swung around for another shot, but this time Bishop blocked, using the shield, which knocked Drakar away from him and knocked Bishop to one knee.
As the battles continued, the sounds of weapons colliding and punches being thrown mixed with the sound of lava bubbles bursting below drowned out the sound of the approaching vehicle in the air above the volcano. The Silverhawk came into view and soon deposited three Power Rangers onto the scene. Chris, Evan and Jessica landed on the platform, directly in the middle of the volcano. They glanced at both sides, quickly assessing the situation.
The Red Ranger went running to one side, where Drakar & Bishop were fighting fiercely. The Pink Ranger quickly trotted off to the other side, joining the fray with the fighting Karths, Draggs and Yellow Ranger. She knew they might need a clear path to the tunnel for a quick exit. The Blue Ranger, however, stayed put right in the middle of the platform connecting the two sides. He continued to glance back and forth, wondering which side needed him most. Evan watched as a Karth and a Dragg fought out onto the platform. He smiled.
The two creatures continued to fight one another, not realizing they were getting closer to the Blue Ranger. He tapped both creatures on their shoulders. They looked to him at the exact same time. Evan brought up both his fists, nailing both foot soldiers in their heads, causing them to fall into the lava pit.
"Too easy," he said.
Back in the Tracking Lab, Miko found herself clapping, like an excited sports fan whose favorite player just scored the winning touchdown. As she had her eyes glued to the screen, the elevator door opened in front of her. She peeked around the computer terminal and saw Spencer and Dr. Hartford exit. They each looked surprised to find Miko was the only one in the lab.
"Where are Chris and the others?" Ian asked.
Miko wondered how she could explain, but instead of saying anything she pointed to the monitor screen. Ian and Spencer gathered around her and saw exactly where the Rangers were.
"What the devil are they doing there?" Spencer wondered.
"It was Jessica," Miko revealed. "She reversed Drakar's cameras and we got this feed. They saw Tarok's crew there fighting Drakar and figured they should join in."
As Miko explained, Ian's eyes never left the feed which was now showing the Pink Ranger in a crowd of Draggs and Karths. Ian almost smiled to acknowledge Jessica's ingenuity and how it had come through once more. For he knew if the Rangers were successful on this mission, they just might return with the last two pieces of the Lunati treasure.
Jessica kicked another Karth in the chest, causing it to fall onto another one. She twisted around quickly, swiping at a Dragg with her hand blaster sword, causing his body to spark with damage, as he fell away from her. She caught sight of the Yellow Ranger and watched as her counterpart knocked away two Draggs blocking her path. It was then that Addie noticed the new arrival.
"Not you again!" Addie shouted, as she ran towards Jessica with her Thunder Claws still on her hands.
She brought the dual weapons down on the Pink Ranger, but Jessica ducked, causing them to hit the rock wall. Several pieces of stone were chipped off the wall as a result. Jessica kicked her leg up high, hitting Addie's forearms and knocking her a few paces back.
"Why can't I ever get the Red one?" Addie said, annoyed.
"Maybe because the last time you came face to face you tried to kill him!" Jessica shot back.
Addie screamed in anger as she raised her Thunder Claws for another strike. Jessica dropped to her knees and fired her hand blaster at the twin weapons, again knocking Addie backwards.
"That wasn't me," Addie shouted with frustration.
"It certainly looked like you," Jessica said, angrily. "And Chris would be wise to stay far, far away."
Addie went back on the assault, furious that Chris might feel the same way Jessica did.
On the platform a few feet away from the women, Evan Yukito continued to fight off any stray Draggs or Karths that wandered close to him, happily knocking them right into the boiling lava pit below him.
On the other side of the volcano, Chris found himself holding tight to his Power Staff above his head, as he tried not to submit to the will of both Drakar and Bishop. The Ferum leader had Zel pushing on one end of the weapon and Bishop had drawn his hand blaster sword, attempting to come down on him from the other side. Chris groaned, as he tried to muster all of his strength to fight both of them off. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Blue Ranger toying with more foot soldiers on the stone bridge.
"I could use a little help here," Chris called out.
Evan scored a spin kick, knocking the Karth in front of him off of the platform. He pulled his hand blaster and fired on Bishop, hitting him right in the ribs and causing him to back away from the Red Ranger.
"All you had to do was ask," Evan called out, as he took on another approaching Dragg.
Chris managed to push Drakar away and spun around, plunging his three-bladed staff right into Drakar's midsection, which lit up with damage, sending Drakar tumbling into the wreckage of his throne.
Chris turned quickly, as Bishop was getting back to his feet. The Black Hunter spun around, aiming the shield right at Chris, who pushed his weapon out in front of him, hoping to block the brunt of the strike, but the force of the shield sent him flying backwards into the rock face.
Bishop turned towards the Blue Ranger and stormed out onto the stone bridge, swinging his hand blaster sword, which Evan blocked with his identical weapon.
"You're still a sell-out I see!" Bishop shouted.
"Takes one to know one!" Evan said, as he fought back, matching Bishop's strikes, blocking each of his attempted cuts.
Evan's words fired Bishop up even more. As the anger overcame his body, he could feel even more power coming from the shield. Bishop's power intensified and he sent the shield right into the Blue Ranger's chest, sending him flying backwards through the air with brute force.
The Blue Ranger screamed out, as his body slew out of his own control. Addie & Jessica continued sparring when they both saw the Blue Ranger flying straight towards them. Both women dived out of the way quickly, leaving only a Karth behind. The Blue Ranger crashed into the Karth, carrying it right into the volcano's rock wall. The Karth smashed into the rock face, crumbling instantly and managing to break the Blue Ranger's fall, as he collided with the wall as well.
As the Pink Ranger and Yellow Hunter dove out of the way of the flying Ranger, neither noticed there was no more solid ground to land on and they both tumbled over the ledge. Each of them held onto the side of the precipice on their side of the volcano. With the foot soldiers busy fighting each other, Addie knew they wouldn't come to her rescue. She looked over at her brother, whose eyes had returned to Drakar on the other side of the volcano. She saw him walking across the bridge back that way, away from her.
"Bishop!" she called out, but got no response.
"Oh my god," Ian said, breathlessly, as he saw Jessica and Addie hanging. "Jessica's losing her grip."
Sure enough, one of the Pink Ranger's gloved hands release the ledge and she was left hanging by one hand. She screamed out, trying to muster the strength to pull herself up. Just before she felt her other hand losing its grip, she was saved. She looked up to see the Blue Ranger had grabbed hold of her arm.
"Evan," she said, relieved.
"Help!" Addie screamed several feet away from them.
Both of them glanced in her direction, but with the Karths and Draggs taking up so much space on the ledge, Evan didn't have the room to save both of them.
On the other side of the volcano, Chris Hartford, however, caught sight of Addie's plight. He glanced over, seeing Evan had caught hold of Jessica. Chris then spotted Bishop walking slowly towards Drakar, focused intently on him. Drakar got to his feet, holding tight to the sword.
Chris ran up to Bishop, blocking his path.
"Your sister is calling for you!" he shouted.
The Black Hunter, however, only saw the obstacle in his way. He elbowed the Red Ranger in the neck, knocking him out of his way.
"I'm slipping!" Addie yelled.
Chris landed on the ledge on the other side of the volcano and saw one of her hands let go of the ledge.
"Hartford!" Evan shouted. "Hover Strike!"
Evan extended his left hand, causing the large weapon to materialize on his hand, as he held onto Jessica with the other hand.
"Catch!" he shouted to Chris, as he hurled his weapon across the lava pit.
The Red Ranger jumped into the air, catching the Hover Strike in midair over the lava pit. Chris activated the weapon, which allowed him to glide over to the other side, just as Addie's other hand let go. He caught her with his free hand and the two were soon raised back onto the ledge, thanks to the Blue Ranger's weapon.
"Thanks," she said.
Without a word, Chris glanced at Evan, seeing him pulling Jessica to safety. He felt relieved himself, but as he looked back across the lava pit to the other side of the volcano, he saw Drakar and Bishop still fighting furiously close to the edge. Drakar scored a major strike with the Lunati sword that caused Bishop's suit to light up with damage. But the Black Hunter didn't fall. He let out a fierce battle cry and slammed down on Drakar with the shield. Drakar used the sword to block the strike, but as the shield came down, it also collided with Drakar's helmet, unsettling it from his head once again. Drakar lost his strength in that instant.
Bishop was knocked backwards from the brunt of the blast. As his head hit the rock face, he fell down onto the ledge, unconscious. Drakar fell to his knees, grabbing at his helmet with one hand, as he began to lose control of his body.
Chris watched breathlessly, as the Ferum leader and his father's former friend, fell over the ledge. Chris took off into the air with the Hover Strike once more, landing on the ledge, just in time to grab hold of Drakar's hand, which still held the Lunati sword. Chris had to hold on with both hands, to grip both Drakar and the sword.
"No!" Drakar shouted, as he began to lose his grip on the helmet on his head.
He tried repeatedly to fix the helmet, which was the only thing keeping him in his dragon form.
"Grab onto me!" Chris shouted to him.
But as the Ferum leader's grasp on the helmet was lost, he watched it fall into the lava pit below, melting. His body went through violent convulsions as he transformed back into his human form. But Gordon Tracy could no longer live without that helmet.
"Let go of me!" Gordon shouted. "I need it!"
He ripped his own hand away from the Red Ranger and fell into the boiling lava pit, which killed him instantly.
"No!" Chris shouted, traumatized by what he had just seen.
All that was left in his hand was the Lunati sword. Chris sat on the ledge, completely frozen by what had happened. His comrades on the other side of the volcano were busy fighting off the Karths, as the contingent of Draggs all turned to lava upon the destruction of Drakar's helmet.
Then, the volcano began to shake.
As Jessica kicked away another Karth, she glanced over the ledge on the other side of the volcano and she saw the burning orange lava begin to rise, as a tiny pool of red in the center of it expanded. She realized that was the exact spot where Drakar's helmet fell into the pit.
"It's going to erupt," she said, looking over at Evan.
"What?" he said, as he knocked the last Karth right over the edge.
"The volcano," she said, as she ran up to him. "It's going to erupt!"
They both looked across the chasm and saw Chris sitting still on the other side. They couldn't even tell if he was breathing.
"Chris!" Jessica shouted. "Chris, come on!"
There was no response from the Red Ranger. They both ran across the stone bridge to the other side, as the volcano began to shake even more. The Pink Ranger knelt next to him, shaking his ram.
"Chris, get up," she said. "We have to go, now!"
Evan groaned, as he put Chris's arm around his neck and pulled him to his feet. Jessica grabbed his other arm, which was still holding tight to the Lunati sword. They quickly ran across the stone bridge, as the volcano began to quake more violently. They passed Addie on their way towards the tunnel exit.
"Get out," Jessica mumbled as they passed her. "It's going to blow."
Addie panicked, as she looked back across the volcano, at her brother, still knocked out on the other side.
"Bishop!" she shouted, but he did not respond.
Addie tossed another handful of stones across the volcano near her brother. Before long four Karths had appeared. The quartet picked up Bishop and fled, along with Addie and the shield.
Outside the volcano, the three Rangers took cover. At that moment, the volcano erupted, sending lava spewing out in every direction. Jessica called on the Silverhawk and they were gone. As Chris sat, staring out the window of the vehicle, he saw the lava spilling out of the volcano at full force.
Back in the Tracking Lab, Spencer and Miko were both shocked by the turn of events. Ian Hartford sat, staring at the screen and the image of the Red Ranger, before the feed ended abruptly. He had been unable to avert his eyes.
"Sir…" Spencer spoke, unsure of what to say in regards to his fallen friend.
After a few seconds, he heard Ian.
"It's over," Ian said, still stunned.
A few hours later, Dr. Ian Hartford found himself back on the doorstep of Karen Tracy. The woman opened her hotel room door and gave a pleasant smile.
"Ian, this is a surprise," she said, greeting him.
Ian glanced into her eyes and she could see the sadness peeking out.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "What's happened?"
Ian propelled his chair into her hotel room, without answering.
In her heart, Karen knew it was big. She watched Ian roll over to the table where she had placed the documents regarding her husband's death declaration. Ian neatly folded the documents and looked back at her.
"You don't have to worry about this anymore," he said.
With those words, Karen understood. She sat down on the closest chair and stared straight ahead. She had cried a river of tears the day she thought her husband had committed suicide. Now, she found, she had no tears left.
Ian rolled over to her, placing his comforting hand on her leg.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I wish we could have saved him."
Karen took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly, remembering the man she loved, the man she had mourned for once before. Ian didn't know what more to say and he wasn't sure if she would even be able to formulate a true response. Then, she said something that helped him understand.
"I think it's time for me to go home," she said, quietly.
Ian shared the somber moment with her.
As the newly-graduated students of Oxford University mingled with their families and friends, snapping pictures, Jessica Lorrie made her way through the crowd, managing to smile whenever she passed a smiling face, or was offered a congratulatory handshake for her speech, which she had pulled off flawlessly.
Jessica passed a row of seats and stopped for a moment, staring at two in particular. They had been reserved for her parents. They had remained empty. Jessica took a deep breath and continued to make her way through the crowd, ready for her long day to end.
Then, she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. Jessica turned to see the middle-aged American man smiling at her.
"Jessica Lorrie," he said, warmly.
"Yes."
"I was watching your speech. It was perfectly executed," the man said.
"Eh, I flubbed a couple of lines actually," she said, always more critical of herself than others were. "But thank you."
"My Latin's a little rusty, like most of the stuffed shirts here," he said, with a smile. "No one noticed."
"Thanks again."
"I have to confess, I didn't come for the speech," he said. "I came to offer you a job."
"Excuse me?"
"Jessica Lorrie, double major in engineering and physics, with a flare for ancient history," the man recited, as if he had memorized her college transcripts. "Aced all courses and graduated a year early."
"That's me," she said.
"Then, I think you're exactly who I'm looking for," he said, extending his hand. "I'm Dr. Ian Hartford and I have a unique opportunity that I think you'd be perfect for, as long as you don't mind heavy travel…and relocating to California."
Jessica eyed him curiously and then she caught sight of those two empty seats again. She looked back at him and smiled.
"Tell me more."
Jessica smiled a bit as she remembered her first meeting with Dr. Hartford. She closed the passenger door of her car, after helping him get settled in. She made her way to the driver's side and started the car, preparing to leave the Hotel Wyndham behind. She watched him lock his seatbelt into place.
"I'm sorry," Ian said, knowing she was looking at him. "The way I treated you today was wrong."
Jessica looked a bit surprised.
"You weren't wrong," she said. "I screwed up."
"No, you didn't," Ian said, with a sigh. "You managed to protect someone you cared about while still doing the exact job I hired you for. You found and secured the Lunati pendant. In fact, you were so good at your job that no one ever caught on—not even me."
Jessica smiled a bit, grateful for his apology. Ian grabbed her hand, as he pulled the ring from his pocket and placed it in her palm.
"I don't understand," she said.
"I think this will be safer in your hands than it could ever be in mine," Ian said.
Addie returned to the shoe factory with a frown on her face. She was carrying the Lunati shield, but she made sure not to hold it in the manner it was designed for. She carried it like a gigantic plate, never touching the handle. She didn't want the power, she told herself.
She couldn't help but glance at her brother, now unmorphed, still being carried by the only four Karths to make it out of the volcano in one piece. She followed, as they carried Bishop down the metal staircase.
Upon hearing their arrival, Tarok quickly left behind his reading of the Egyptian text and glanced over at the stairs, seeing Addie carrying the shield. He looked around, curiously.
"I do not sense the Lunati sword's presence," he said. "Where is it?"
He walked right past the Karths that carried Bishop off to his room. Tarok blocked Addie's path.
"The Rangers showed up and they got it," Addie admitted.
"This is not good," Tarok said, seething with anger. "Is your brother injured badly?"
"I don't think so," she said. "He just hit his head. He mumbled a bit on the way back here. He's gonna have a monster headache, but that will probably be it. His suit protected him from most of the damage. Can't say the same for Drakar though."
"The Ferum are no longer a problem?" Tarok surmised.
Addie shook her head.
"That means that the only thing standing in my way now is Hartford and his Rangers," Tarok said, proudly.
"You mean our way, don't you?" Addie corrected.
Tarok stared into her eyes.
"You and your brother will get what's coming to you, I assure you," Tarok said, eyeing the shield.
He reached his hands out and Addie gladly handed it over. Part of her was glad Bishop was unconscious and unable to hold onto it any longer. It was changing him too much. Tarok studied the shield closely, walking away from Addie. She shook her head, knowing Tarok was already corrupted. She could only imagine the kind of king he had been to the Lunati. She let him celebrate his small victory over having the shield and she turned away from him, deciding to check on her brother.
But as she turned, Addie caught sight of the familiar book on the table where Tarok had been standing before. As she walked a bit closer, she saw the image of the Sutekh idol on the pages. Addie struggled to hide her shock and steady her breathing. Tarok had been reading up on the demon inside of her. She glanced back at Tarok, whose back was still turned to her. Addie had a look of intense fear on her face, as she wondered exactly who she and her brother had pledged to help.
"You look a lot better," Jessica exclaimed, as she and Ian stepped off the elevator and entered the Tracking Lab.
Chris took a deep breath.
"The hot shower helped," he said. "It was all so surreal. He was there and then—gone."
"It wasn't your fault, son," Ian said. "He let go. Gordon made his choice."
"He's right, Master Chris," Spencer chimed in. "You cannot blame yourself."
Evan glanced at them all, seeing their somber faces.
"Come on," he said, happily. "We should be celebrating. We got the sword!"
Miko smiled at his side, nodding in agreement.
"I agree," Jessica said. "Zel's finally free and that's definitely something to celebrate."
Chris held up the Lunati sword and twisted the oval-shaped control knob, allowing Zel to transform into his humanoid form.
"I am back," Zel spoke, as he glanced around, seeing his surroundings. "You've freed me from Drakar."
"Glad to have you back, Zel," Jessica said, patting him on the shoulder.
"Drakar?" Zel wondered.
"He's gone," Ian said, sadly. "For good."
"Such a waste," Zel said, shaking his head. "He had the soul of a man, but made so many monstrous decisions."
"He was still a man," Chris said, somberly. "Just as flawed as the rest of us."
"This doesn't sound a celebration to me," Spencer said, attempting to raise everyone's spirits. "We have come so far. We have the Lunati chalice, the pendant—or ring, the crown jewel and now the Lunati sword back in one piece."
Spencer walked right up to Zel, looking him in the eye up-close for the first time.
"And we're going to make sure you stay that way," he said, happily.
As Zel's glowing green eyes stared into Spencer's, the Lunati creature slowly took a step back away from him, almost in fear. Chris and Jessica picked up on his movement, since they were standing at his sides.
"Zel, what's wrong?" Chris asked.
"Was it something I said?" Spencer wondered.
"You," Zel said, almost breathlessly. "I can sense it."
"Sense what?" Ian asked.
"This man…he is Lunati," Zel said, as he pointed directly at Spencer.
All eyes fell on the Hartfords' butler. Spencer's face went cold, as the look of shock appeared.
A gentle rain fell on a six-story building and its adjacent parking lot. The large drops of much-needed water fell on each of the cars in the parking lot and even upon the one motorcycle in the parking lot. It was covered with a small black tarp, which effectively caught each of the drops and allowed them to slide down onto the concrete.
Even, as the downpour hit the windows, no one inside reacted to the weather. They all had much higher priorities. Inside the building there was seemingly a sea of white. Whether they were nurses clad in their white uniforms or doctors in their white coats, they were everywhere.
One of these nurses quietly whistled, as she prepared for the last patient on her rounds. She glanced at the chart, running her finger across the paper until she reached the name. She tapped it with her finger and grabbed a small white cup.
She located the appropriate pill bottles and placed them next to the white cup. She checked the labels once more, to make sure they matched the patient's name.
"Garza," she read.
She placed the pills into the small white cup, now filled with medicine. She laid the cup onto a small silver tray and then grabbed a bottle of water, which joined the white cup on the tray. The nurse began to whistle again, as she made her way to the third floor of the institution. It was time for patient Garza's medication.
The nurse turned a corner and almost collided with the man in the black leather jacket.
"Sorry," he said quickly. "Excuse me."
"You scared me, Detective."
"I thought I heard you coming," he said, quietly, as he glanced at the tray.
She took a deep breath and handed him the bottle of water.
"I figured you could use that," she said. "I could get into a lot of trouble for this."
"Please," Garza begged. "It'll only be a minute."
"Okay, but only because you've been coming here every day and unlike the doctors, I actually think it might do some good," the nurse explained.
"Thank you," Garza said.
The nurse made her way to the right room and unlocked the door. She walked inside, followed by Detective Stephen Garza. She smiled at the patient, who lay still on the bed, in the completely white room.
"Good evening," the nurse said with a smile. "It's that time again, sweetie."
She gently took hold of the patient's arm, helping to sit her up on the side of the bed.
"There's someone here to see you," the nurse said, politely, as she looked over at Garza.
"Hey, mom," Garza said, with a smile.
THE END
Next time on
Quest for the Lunati Treasure
Spencer is shaken to his core by Zel's revelation.
Garza reaches out to his mother and in the face
of her suspicions, Addie reaches out to Chris.
But when Tarok reveals to Addie that he can purge
the evil spirit within her, she finds herself once
again trusting Tarok, who has his own sinister
plan to gain all of the Lunati treasure.