QUEST FOR THE LUNATI TREASURE
Episode #24
"Apocalypse Now 1"
Faith
It's the belief in an unseen, higher power. It drives us forward, giving us confidence that we can succeed, despite the odds. Faith is the trust that we can persevere against our enemies. It's the strength to finish what we start and the obligation we carry to those around us, those that trust us to prevail for their safety, their protection and their hope for a better world.
In the quest for the Lunati treasure, faith is a driving force. For some, it is the faith that order can be restored. For others, it is the faith that they will accomplish their agenda to capture their greatest reward, be it good or evil. But as the journey has grown arduous and difficult, faith can wane. The loss of faith in our mission, the loss of faith in those we choose to stand with and the loss of faith in our hearts can lead to more than defeat, but to utter chaos and destruction.
Chris Hartford quietly walked into the Tracking Lab in the basement of his childhood home, a place that had begun to feel a lot more like home for him over the last few months. So much had happened since his return to Silver City, he thought, as he looked around the Tracking Lab, holding tight to the manila folder in his hand.
It had taken Chris some time to come to terms with Drakar's death, which he had felt partially responsible for. Even though he felt the man let go of his hand, Chris still wondered if he could have done more to save him. It was Drakar that had started this journey for Chris after his attack on his father. Even though that chapter had come to a close for his enemy, the war still waged on.
Chris walked over to the large compass symbol on the wall, which hid the relic storage locker behind the wall. Chris ran his hand across the symbol, knowing that the Lunati chalice, sword and crown jewel were safely sealed away. But there were still pieces to this grand puzzle out there, in the hands of his other great enemy.
Chris took a deep breath as he opened the folder he carried. He skimmed through the files on Addie Malcolm and her family until he got to the written account of how Tarok was released in the first place. Jessica's text was extremely thorough, as Chris expected. As he read the file, he could picture the events as if they were streaming video inside his head.
The Sub Diver descended further into the depths of the ocean, headed towards a Lunati signal that seemed to be getting stronger. The Pink Ranger was at the helm of her white, black and pink zord as it propelled deeper into the waters.
Standing behind her inside the cockpit, the Black and Yellow Rangers watched the front window with great anticipation, mixed with excitement and a bit of anxiety. This was their first mission since being hired by Ian Hartford.
"We're getting closer," Bishop spoke.
"Can we go any faster?" Addie wondered. Her voice was more excited than anyone else's.
"Slow and steady," Jessica responded. "A lot of this area is uncharted since it's so far below sea level. We don't want to disturb anything."
"Look!" Addie called out, as she pointed out the window.
All three Rangers locked eyes with what appeared to be a large underwater structure. Blackened and barnacled, the structure didn't appear whole, as several chunks of it had been compromised by the rough waters. There was still enough of it intact to raise the interest of the trio inside the approaching zord.
Jessica reached out to her control console and opened a communications channel.
"Dr. Hartford, are you seeing this?" she called out.
"Every bit of it," Ian responded from inside the Silverhawk several feet above the water.
"We're going to check it out," she said.
"You can't take the Sub Diver too close," Ian said. "We don't want to cause anymore damage to the exterior. It could compromise the structural integrity and the whole thing could collapse."
"I understand," Jessica answered.
"Bishop, Addie, here's your chance," Ian said. "I want you two to scout the area. Assess the situation and report back."
"Are you sure?" Jessica said quickly, caught off-guard by his choice. "They're still rookies."
"We can handle it," Bishop said, confidently, before turning to Addie. "Come on."
The Yellow & Black Rangers exited the zord, using specialized diving gliders that carried them quickly through the deep waters. They soon found an opening into the buried structure and entered, as Jessica watched. Once they were out of sight, she turned her attention back to her boss.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Jessica said to him.
"Have a little trust, Jessica," Ian said. "They're good kids."
Inside the structure, the Black & Yellow Rangers made their way into a cavern, deep inside of the structure. They were both surprised to find that no water had seeped that far inside. They approached a large stone door and used their combined strength to push it open.
"Wow," Addie uttered, as they walked inside the hall.
In the middle of the stone room was a stone podium. The siblings walked over to it and Bishop noticed the markings on top of the stone post.
"Looks like Lunati text," he said.
Addie looked closely at it and was confused.
"This calls for a translation," she said, as she slid open her tracker and scanned the text. "This is interesting," she read. "It says that the greatest of the Lunati lies within."
"Jackpot," Bishop said, grabbing his own Tracker and activating a communications link. "Dr. Hartford, it looks like there's some kind of stone casing in here that's emitting the Lunati signal we picked up."
"What's the surface condition?" Ian asked.
"All clear," Bishop responded. "Once we got further inside, there was no sign of water. It all looks really preserved."
"There's a massive air pocket," Addie reported, as she continued scanning with her tracker.
She caused her suit to disappear, demorphing, to her brother's shock.
"Addie!" he yelled.
"It's okay," she said, with a smile. "I told you there was an air pocket."
Bishop demorphed as well, still sighing at his sister's overzealous decision.
"Sit tight. We're on our way," Ian announced.
Inside the Tracking Lab, Chris took a seat, as he continued to read, engrossed by the story Jessica had compiled.
Bishop and Addie continued looking around the large stone room, with its grand columns which sat in a perfect circle around the podium.
"You think this could have been part of the Lunati kingdom?" Addie wondered.
"It was," Jessica called out.
Bishop & Addie turned to see Jessica & Ian enter the room. Neither was morphed.
"The coordinates of this spot match those from the original Lunati text I found," Ian revealed. "That's how I knew where to start the search."
Jessica walked over to the podium, running her tracker along the text and confirming Addie's earlier discovery.
"This is definitely where the signal's coming from," Jessica said, as she looked around the podium. As she stepped around the podium, she noticed something interesting about the platform it sat on. "The floor here feels hollow. I think there may be a hidden compartment of some kind underneath this."
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Ian said, beaming. "Let's open it."
All four of them exchanged excited looks. Ian began feeling around the podium until he found a switch. After pulling it downward, they all felt the ground begin to shake a bit. The team jumped off of the platform, as the podium began to spin around quickly, as it lowered into the platform below it. Once it became flush with the ground, the entire platform slide aside, revealing a tomb.
Ian and the others approached it and his jaw dropped.
"Unbelievable," he said.
"The signal's off the charts," Jessica said, as she scanned the tomb.
"I have a feeling this is more than just a relic," Bishop added.
"What if it's the whole treasure?" Addie asked. "Maybe someone already collected it all and put it here."
"I don't think so," Jessica said. "It wouldn't make sense, given what we know from the text. The treasure was scattered all over. It must be something else."
"There's one way to find the answer," Ian said, as he reached for the seal on the tomb.
Bishop grabbed his hand before he could touch it.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" he asked.
Ian pulled his hand away from Bishop and grabbed hold of the seal, turning it with all of his strength. The dust on the tomb transferred to his hand, as the seal began to move. All eyes were on the tomb, as it began to move. Ian let go of the seal, as the coffin-shaped casing began to slide open, revealing a sleeping man in white robes.
The four shocked faces couldn't help but watch stunned as they saw the creature preserved perfectly within the tomb. All four of them leaned over the tomb, wondering about the being inside.
"Is he alive?" Addie asked.
Before Ian or Jessica could answer, Tarok's eyes popped open. He saw the four humans above him and he quickly touched the sides of the tomb, causing electrical energy to build up, zapping all four of them with a power so strong that they were thrown away from the tomb and landed several feet away from it.
As they regained their bearings, they glanced over to see Tarok rising from the tomb, levitating above their heads.
"I have been awakened, finally!" Tarok shouted. "My power is restored."
Ian and the others tried to get to their feet, but Tarok sent out another burst of his electrical energy, stunning them all into submission once again. He chuckled loudly.
"You are not Lunati," Tarok knew instantly. "Much time has passed. The throne will be mine!"
Chris shook his head, silently cursing his father for opening that tomb. It was a huge mistake. They had no idea what they were dealing with. Chris took a deep breath, as he contemplated the power within Tarok.
At that moment, his tracker sounded. Chris stood up and slide the device open, looking a bit confused. He figured Jessica & Evan were upstairs and no one was in the lab to use it to contact him. That left only two other trackers.
"This is Chris."
"I need to speak with you," the caller responded.
"What about?"
"Please, just meet me. It's important."
A long moment of silence passed, as Chris contemplated his next move.
"Okay," he said.
"Come alone."
"You better do the same," he shot back.
"Follow my tracker signal and you'll find me."
Chris got a reading on the other tracker and headed to his car. He left the folder in the lab, not wanting to lose its contents. As he jumped into his car, he sighed, thinking about his destination and the meeting he was about to attend.
"Addie," he said.
As Jessica Lorrie approached the kitchen inside the Hartford mansion, she couldn't help but take in the sweet aroma she smelled coming from that room. Her feelings of anxiety over her friend and countryman, Spencer and the revelations about his past almost subsided, until she walked into the kitchen.
"Well, you must be feeling better," Jessica said with a smile. "That smells wonderful."
She walked up to the counter in the center of the large kitchen, just as she heard the oven close. Then, her smile faded when she saw the chef's head pop up to face her. It wasn't Spencer.
"Thank you!" Miko said, beaming with pride. "It's the apricot glaze for the cheesecake I'm making. It's Yuki's favorite."
Jessica frowned a bit, as she glanced around the kitchen.
"Does Spencer know you're in here cooking?"
"No, I haven't seen him today," Miko replied.
Jessica sighed.
"What about Chris?"
"I haven't seen him," Miko said, shaking her head.
"Dr. Hartford?"
"I haven't seen him," Miko repeated.
Jessica shrugged her shoulders.
"What about Evan? I'm sure you've seen him today," Jessica said, sarcastically.
"Actually…I haven't seen him around either," Miko said, surprising herself. "You want to try some cheesecake when it's done?"
"No thanks," Jessica said, as she exited the kitchen.
She trotted up the front staircase until she reached the second floor. Jessica walked up to Spencer's bedroom door and knocked. There was no answer.
"Spencer, it's me," she spoke. "Can I come in, please?"
After a few moments, she heard the door unlock and Spencer opened it with a sigh, inviting her inside.
"You haven't come down all day. I was worried," Jessica said. "Everyone is…except Miko. You know she's cooking?"
"Oh," Spencer said, nonchalantly, as if he were a hundred miles away.
"She's using your oven!" Jessica said, hoping for more of a reaction.
Spencer looked into Jessica's eyes somberly.
"I'm sorry, Miss Lorrie, but food is the last thing on my mind," Spencer said.
"I know and that's why I wanted to check on you. You've never been this quiet before."
Spencer took a deep breath, as he tried to form the words to communicate his feelings.
"I gave up hope many, many years ago that I would ever find out where I came from," Spencer said. "After 65 years, it just didn't seem important anymore. I had my identity. I had my life. Now, when I look in the mirror, I see a stranger. It's like I'm a child all over again. Like my future is full of so much uncertainty as it was back then."
"That's completely understandable," Jessica responded. "This is a huge shock. No one could have guessed that this quest would lead to something so major for you. But that doesn't mean things have to change."
"Things have changed, Miss Lorrie," Spencer said, seriously. "One revelation, one answer has left me with more questions than I could ever have imagined. I've never felt so unsettled before. You know there is some comfort in not knowing about your past, after such a long time."
"Ignorance is bliss," Jessica said.
"The only thing I know now is that I come from some ancient civilization that supposedly died out hundreds of years ago," Spencer said, shaking his head. "How is that even possible?"
"We have no reason to doubt Zel's senses, but if he's right, there has to be an answer," Jessica said.
"If he's right, I could count Tarok as one of my ancestors," Spencer said, giving Jessica a look of disgust. "And you have no idea how repulsive that prospect is. What if I'm like him?"
"Spencer, you're nothing like him," Jessica said. "And I doubt Tarok is your ancestor. He was asleep in that tomb since the fall of the Lunati Empire. He has no descendants."
"Still, you must admit that the Lunati we've encountered are less than…humane."
"And you're more humane than anyone I've ever met," Jessica said. "You can't start thinking the worst, because if you do it'll become a self-fulfilling prophecy and you'll find yourself questioning everything you believe."
Spencer wanted to tell her it was already too late for that as well, but instead he was silent.
"What if I can find information about your real ancestors?" Jessica said. "Would that make you feel better? They can't be all bad."
"My parents came from a long line of Lunati and they abandoned me as a child. Forgive me if that makes it hard to imagine a kind-hearted soul from that culture," Spencer said, sadly.
"Just, please let me see what I can find out. You don't have the luxury of ignorance anymore," Jessica said. "You might as well know the real truth."
After a few minutes of silence, Spencer sighed.
"All right," he conceded. "Thank you, Miss Lorrie."
Jessica headed for the door with a renewed sense of purpose. She turned back to Spencer and smiled.
"And if I find some answers, you have to promise me one thing."
"What's that?" Spencer wondered.
"You'll start calling me Jessica," she said, with a wink.
As Chris drove up to his destination, he parked almost a mile away from the coordinates he saw blinking on his tracker screen. He didn't want to risk driving his new corvette on unpaved road. Chris peeked out the window and saw her standing in a clearing just beyond a crop of trees. He knew the area well and so did Addie.
Chris made his way through the brush and Addie watched closely, as he came closer. Chris suspiciously looked around, wondering if her brother might pop up at any second.
"It's just me," Addie said, earnestly.
"You'll have to excuse me if I find it hard to believe you," Chris said.
"Nice wheels," Addie said.
"Thanks, now why did you call me out here?" Chris said, cutting to the chase and catching her off-guard with his hard response.
Addie took a deep breath, as her eyes dropped to the ground. She nervously dug her brown boot into the dirt below her. This was the spot where Tarok's caverns had once stood, until the Ja'Vey destroyed them, with Addie inside. It had taken her a long while to get over the incident, but she had tried to put it behind her. It was the same thing she was trying to do now with Chris.
"I wanted to say I'm sorry," she spoke, as she looked up into his eyes. "For what happened downtown."
"Oh that," Chris said, sarcastically.
"I never meant to hurt you," Addie said. "When I thought you died—"
"It's fine," Chris said.
"No, it's not," Addie said. "It changed everything. Before that—there was…something between us."
"It's all in the past now," Chris said, not looking at her, trying to fight the urge to tell her about the dream he experienced while he was unconscious.
Chris wanted to help her, but the scared, terrified Addie that he had encountered in his dream was not the same person he had been fighting against that day.
"But it's not. That's just it," Addie said, sadly. "That day, that wasn't me. There was—there is something inside of me that I can't truly control and…it's evil."
Chris looked into her eyes at that moment.
"When my parents took us to Egypt, they died while looking for this statue—"
"The Setesh Idol," Chris said, interrupting her.
Addie looked surprised.
"You know about it?"
"Thanks to Jessica, I've been brought up to date on everything about you," Chris revealed.
"I doubt she could tell you that there was a demonic spirit trapped in that statue, since I only found out about it recently myself," Addie said. "It's inside of me and it's evil. I feel like I'm just waiting for it to come out again and destroy everything I care about. When I realized what it made me do to you, it was hard to cope."
Chris finally emerged from his tough exterior and touched Addie's arm.
"If you want to make it up to me, then come back with me to the mansion, now," Chris said, nervously.
"What?" Addie said, shocked.
"My father is coming up with a plan to take down Tarok and get the crown & shield back," Chris revealed. "You can help us stop him, for good."
Addie turned away from Chris, pulling her arm from his grasp. She was hiding her fear from him.
"I can't do that," she said, sadly.
"This is about Bishop?" Chris wondered. "You can't let him dictate your future. He makes his choices and you make yours."
"That's not it!" Addie said, loudly, with her back still turned. "This thing inside me…Tarok promised he would get it out if he got the treasure. He promised to bring my parents back."
Chris gave her an incredulous look, as he walked up to her, gently grabbing her by the arms.
"There's no guarantees that he'll follow through," Chris said, frustrated. "You have no idea what Tarok will do if he gets all of the relics. Can you really put your trust in him?"
"I have to," Addie said.
"He's lied to you!" Chris said, forcefully.
Addie closed her eyes, trying not to hear him.
"He's not the Lunati king!" Chris said. "I bet he never told you that."
Addie looked at him with shocked eyes.
"Don't you see? He's just using you and Bishop too, but this is your chance. You can come with me and we can end this together," Chris said.
The revelation about Tarok began to sink in for Addie. She looked into Chris's eyes and she could see that he wanted desperately to help her. But deep down, she felt the Lunati treasure would not help her if it were in Ian Hartford's hands.
"I have to go," she said, walking off quickly.
"Addie, come on!" Chris called out after her, but she didn't stop.
As she heard his calls, she didn't turn back. Unfortunately, at that moment, Addie was also unsure that Tarok would actually help her either once he got his hands on the treasure. She had placed her faith in the Lunati king…but now she knew that the Lunati king was dead.
Tarok ascended the metal staircase from the basement of the shoe factory that acted as his current lair. He had heard the thrashing from below and he had grown tired of the noise, especially since he was expecting a visitor. As he walked into the darkened main factory assembly area, he spotted his Black hunter throwing old, dusty equipment around.
"Are you looking for something?" Tarok asked, deviously. He already had his suspicions.
"Yeah!" Bishop yelled, as he stormed over to him. "Where's the shield? You took it from me while I was knocked out!"
"Your failure at the volcano was not something to be rewarded," Tarok said, sternly. "Besides, you were never told you could keep the shield permanently. It was time to move it."
"Move it? Where?"
"The time for my ascension to the throne is coming quickly," Tarok explained. "I am preparing myself. It is time for you to refocus and prepare as well."
"What are you talking about?" Bishop asked, curiously.
"I grow tired of waiting. Once the treasure is in my hands, I will restore this world to what it once was. It is time to make that happen."
"And how do you plan on getting the other relics from Hartford?" Bishop wondered.
"I have a plan," Tarok said, boldly. "You will go to the Hartford mansion and retrieve them!"
Bishop gave Tarok a confused look.
"Yeah," he said, sarcastically. "What's the real plan?"
"I am not joking!" Tarok said.
"You expect me to just waltz in there, ask nicely and wait for them to hand them over?"
"I expect you to barge in, defeat them and take what rightfully belongs to me!" Tarok said, forcefully. "That was our deal."
Bishop scowled, as he began to nervously tap his foot on the concrete floor.
"When does your plan begin?" Bishop reluctantly asked.
"Right now," Tarok said. "You should go prepare yourself for battle."
Bishop sighed. "I'll need to wait for Addie. She's out."
"No," Tarok said, quickly. "Your sister will not be going with you."
"Why not?" Bishop asked, defiantly.
"She is easily swayed by the Red Ranger. You cannot afford any distractions from your mission," Tarok said. "You will take an army of Karths. They will suffice."
Deep down, Bishop knew Tarok was right about Addie's emotions towards Chris Hartford, but he did not want to go without her.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Bishop spoke.
"It is good that your feelings do not influence my decisions," Tarok shot back.
It was then that Bishop realized something else.
"What about the pendant?" Bishop said. "No one ever found it."
"I told you I have a plan," Tarok said, slyly. "I suggest you begin forming your plan of action."
Bishop stormed off towards the basement of the factory. Tarok stood watching him, until he was out of his sight. Then, Tarok heard approaching footsteps in the shadows behind him. He smiled. The visitor called out to him.
"Do you really think that was a good idea?"
Tarok's smile grew wider.
"You will need a distraction if you are to succeed," Tarok answered.
Tarok turned around, as a smiling Evan Yukito emerged from the shadows.
"Sending Bishop is like feeding him to the sharks," Evan said, with a smile.
"You know all about sharks," Tarok said. "If I truly believed that Hartford or any of his…children had the courage to kill anything, I might have had second thoughts. Then again, the Black hunter is expendable."
"But his sister isn't?" Evan asked, slyly.
"Addie is not your concern," Tarok said, sternly. "Stick to our deal, Yukito. Bishop & the Karths will distract the Rangers, giving you the chance you need to steal the treasure and deliver it to me, just as planned. If you ask many more questions, I may begin to wonder about the amount of your compensation."
Evan placed his hands up in symbolic surrender.
"No more questions," Evan said. "As a matter of fact, I brought a gift, as a sign of my good faith in our little arrangement."
Evan reached into his pocket and pulled out the small blue gem he had brought along. He reached out, offering it to Tarok, whose eyes grew wide.
"The crown jewel," Tarok said, almost breathlessly, as he took hold of it.
"I told you I was serious," Evan said. "That's why I told you about the pendant and it's convenient transformation into a ring, which the Hartfords also have."
"Which you will bring to me, along with the chalice and the sword," Tarok said.
"As you wish," Evan said, smiling widely.
The Lunati ring fit snugly on the finger of Jessica Lorrie, as her fingers glided across the computer keyboard in front of her. She diligently searched through the Lunati database, looking for some evidence that would lead her to a hypothesis about Spencer's past. She looked up at her research partner for the day.
"Zel, I still don't quite understand," Jessica said. "All of the text explicitly states that the entire Lunati kingdom was wiped out by the Ja'Vey. How could there be Lunati alive today, if that's true? I mean, we know Tarok survived inside that tomb, but there weren't more of them, were there?"
"No," Zel responded, as he stood on the other side of the desk, looking at Jessica. "The sacred tomb was reserved for the king. Of course, he would never use it. It would mean abandoning his people at their greatest time of need. Our king was never that selfish."
"It certainly didn't stop his duke," Jessica said. "Tarok managed to escape execution twice in one day."
"He is a devious creature and he should never be underestimated," Zel said.
"We're still no closer to figuring out the mystery of Spencer, though," Jessica said, as she racked her brain. "What are we missing?"
"The missing!" Zel exclaimed.
"What?" Jessica said, curiously looking into his glowing green eyes.
"All of the Lunati were not present during the massacre," Zel said, shaking his head, as if he should have realized these details long ago. "Why didn't this occur to me before?"
"What are you talking about?"
"The outcasts," Zel revealed.
"Outcasts?" Jessica said.
"Yes. From time to time, the king was forced to punish those who committed treason against the crown," Zel explained.
"Like Tarok and his affair with Queen Seviny?" Jessica chimed in.
"Yes, but hangings were only utilized in extreme cases. Most of the time, offenders were ostracized from the kingdom and sworn to never return," Zel said.
As Zel talked, Jessica's hands feverishly typed on her keyboard.
"I haven't found anything in the database about any outcasts," Jessica said, curiously.
"Perhaps you should search for references to the Shumati," Zel said. "That is what the outcasts were known as."
"No wonder," Jessica said, as if she had an epiphany. "That's a name I do remember. I thought it was just a term that referred to those who were considered sinners within Lunati society."
"To an extent, you were correct," Zel said.
"There's always something lost in the translation," Jessica said, silently scolding herself.
She searched through the database and found more information.
"This is interesting," she said. "It looks like most of the Shumati didn't go too far from the kingdom."
"That does not surprise me," Zel said, as he walked around and peeked over Jessica's shoulder to glance at her terminal screen. "Some of the Shumati were severe offenders, but many were victims of circumstance and the then-unknown vindictive nature of our queen."
Jessica looked at him curiously.
"Queen Seviny often used treason as her way of eliminating those that had opposing viewpoints to hers. It is one of the reasons I began to lose trust in her near the end," Zel revealed. "I remember one young peasant girl whom Seviny believed the king had feelings for. She caught the young woman with her prized Lunati pendant and the king was forced to ban her from the kingdom."
"That sounds like something the queen would do," Jessica said, remembering her encounter with Queen Seviny. She glanced down at the ring on her finger. "Did the king have feelings for the girl?"
"I'm afraid I'm unequipped to answer," Zel said. "But I can tell you that many of the Shumati were not so evil."
Jessica pulled up a current map of the country on her computer screen. She pointed at the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.
"That's where we found the ruins of the Lunati kingdom and Tarok's tomb," Jessica said.
Zel nodded, as Jessica typed in several more commands which caused another, more ancient map to appear on the screen, on top of the last one.
"Now, looking at this old map created by your people, we can match up the area where the kingdom was located back then to where it is now," Jessica said, as she pointed to the right of where the kingdom was located. "This is the point where the text surmises that the Shumati settled."
Without removing her finger from the screen, she eliminated the ancient map, leaving behind only the current map of the United States. Zel leaned in closer to where her finger was on the screen.
"Nevada," Zel read the name of the state.
"It looks like it would have been somewhere near Carson City," Jessica surmised.
"I thought you said Spencer came from your home country?"
"He did, but it looks like his ancestors may have come from there. It would have been generations ago," Jessica explained. "Considering the time, some of the Shumati descendents could have relocated to Britain on one of the old trading ships."
"Interesting, indeed," Zel professed. "Do you believe what you've found will help Spencer?"
"It's a start," Jessica said, somberly as she looked to Zel. "I hope."
Several feet behind them, Spencer stood at the bottom of the hidden staircase in the darkness of the corridor, listening to everything that Jessica & Zel had discussed. Spencer closed his eyes and took a saddened breath.
"I was so close dad," Chris said, as he stood in front of Ian's desk inside his office.
Chris remained frustrated over his previous meeting with Addie Malcolm.
"You can't expect her to turn on her brother," Ian said. "Think about what Tarok has promised her. If you were in her position, you'd find it hard to turn your back on as well. Addie feels that aligning herself with Tarok is the only way she'll get back what she lost."
"I wanted to help her," Chris said. "But I can't be like Tarok. I can't lie and say that I'll use the treasure because who knows what could happen if anyone does."
"That's exactly why we have to focus on our main priority, keeping the treasure safe and out of Tarok's hands," Ian said from his wheelchair. "If Addie's getting rattled then Tarok will no doubt pick up on it and realize he's running out of time. We have to be ready for anything."
"I just hope that doesn't put her in more danger," Chris said, anxiously.
The door to the office remained cracked, which was all Evan Yukito needed to overhear everything that transpired between the father and son inside. He listened intently to their entire conversation. He glanced at his watch, knowing time was indeed running out. At that moment, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Evan turned quickly and saw the hand belonged to Miko. He quietly pulled her away from the partially-opened door.
"What are you doing?" Miko asked.
"Shh," Evan said, whispering. "I'm securing our future. What are you doing?"
"Trying to find out what you're up to," Miko said. "I haven't seen you all day. What's going on, Yuki?"
"Just top asking questions, okay. I had some things I needed to take care of and I still do. Don't worry. It's all gonna work out," Evan said.
"Then why won't you tell me and why are you whispering around the Hartfords?" she asked.
"Look, just trust me," Evan said. "And no matter what happens, watch your back."
Evan walked off, leaving Miko behind. As she watched him walk away, Miko appeared sad. She was not only worried about him, but she was worried about the kind of secrets he was keeping, especially if he wouldn't confide in her.
"Bishop," Addie called out, as she entered the shoe factory.
When she got no response on the main level, she headed downstairs, hoping to find her brother quickly. She felt tenser than ever as she descended the metal staircase. Addie approached the bottom slowly, remembering the last time she had seen Tarok at the bottom of the stairs. He had been reading the text on the Setesh Idol and the demonic spirit inside of her.
Addie wanted to confide her fears in her brother, because he was the only one she had left, but as the walked away from the stairs, she got a strange feeling that Bishop was not going to be the one she would find.
"Bish, are you down here?" Addie called out down the darkened hallway.
"He is gone," Tarok spoke, from behind her.
Addie turned quickly and saw Tarok now standing at the foot of the stairs.
"Where?" she asked.
"He is preparing for an important mission," Tarok revealed.
"I should probably join him, then."
Addie felt more nervous. She reached into her back pocket and grabbed her tracker. Trying to appear calm, she swiftly walked towards the stairs, where Tarok grabbed the wrist of her arm holding the tracker, before she could go up.
"Let go of me," Addie said, scared.
"I have other plans for you," Tarok said, devilishly.
"What do you mean?"
"It is time, Addie," Tarok said. "Time to free you from the suffering of the spirit inside."
Addie's fear intensified.
"I don't understand," she said. "You don't have the treasure."
"As I'm sure you've realized, I have taken a special interest in your plight. I have learned much about the demon Sutekh," Tarok revealed, causing her even more unease. "I am prepared to remove his spirit from within your soul…now!"
"But how?" Addie asked.
Upon hearing her very good question, Tarok smiled. He did have a plan and it was one that he knew would succeed with her assistance.
Evan Yukito slowly entered the study on the first floor of the Hartford mansion. He headed towards the bookcase in the rear of the room. He grabbed the copy of Moby Dick, revealing the activation button that would reveal the secret entrance to the Tracking Lab. He checked his watch and knew that no one was downstairs at that moment. But before he could press the button, he heard Jessica's voice yelling.
"Everybody, come quick!"
Evan gave a frustrated sigh, before replacing the book. He left the study and walked towards the foyer, where he was joined by Miko, Chris and Ian. Jessica was standing on the stairs above them.
"Have any of you seen Spencer?" Jessica asked, looking worried.
"Not at all today," Ian said.
"I've checked everywhere," Jessica said. "He's gone."
"Well, I saw him earlier heading towards the study," Miko offered.
"Have you checked the lab?" Evan said. "I can go look."
"I was the last one down there," Jessica said. "Some of his things are missing from his room. He's really gone."
"He wouldn't just leave," Chris said, now worried himself. "Not without saying something to one of us."
"Spencer's going through something traumatic," Ian reasoned. "We have no idea how he'll react to what he's discovered."
"Miko saw him go into the study. I wonder if he may have heard Zel and me talking in the lab," Jessica said, as she slowly walked down the stairs.
"About what?" Chris asked.
"I was able to figure out that Spencer's ancestors may have originated from a group of outcast Lunati that ended up settling somewhere in what is present-day Nevada," Jessica revealed.
"You don't think he'd actually go there, do you?" Chris wondered.
"If he did, we have to go after him," Jessica said.
"We can't. Not now," Ian said, looking at all of them. "Look, I want to help Spencer just as much as you all do, but we can't leave this place unguarded. Priorities, remember?"
He looked into Chris's eyes and saw the sadness over his butler, especially as Chris realized his father might be right.
"Well, you may not be able to go, but I can," Jessica said. "He went there because of me. I'm going after him."
"Jessica," Ian called out to her, but Jessica was already out the front door, before he could protest further.
"Let's hope it's a short trip," Chris said to his father.
The two left together. Miko glanced at Evan and saw him looking at his watch again. His rendezvous time with Tarok was fast-approaching. Miko frowned at him, as he looked up and saw her watching.
"Late for another secret?" Miko said, sarcastically before walking off.
Spencer's car rolled into a small town in Carson City, Nevada. He looked around curiously, as he saw a nice amount of people walking and driving amongst the community. Spencer took a deep breath and felt the twinge of hunger in his stomach. He had not eaten anything since the day before and his appetite was beginning to catch up with him.
He soon located a small diner and parked his Bentley. He emerged from the vehicle and pulled up the hood on his red sweatshirt, bearing the initials of Chris Hartford's college. It was a gift that Spencer had only worn on the few occasions he had visited Chris to attend one of his baseball games. Today, it was concealing Spencer's face a bit, which is what he hoped would help him blend in.
He found an empty booth and sat down inside the diner, just as a young waitress approached him.
"You're a long way from Florida," she said, noticing the FSU letters. "Must be hungry. What can I get you?"
"Just coffee, please, black," Spencer ordered.
"Coming right up," she said, as she walked off behind the bar which was located directly to Spencer's right.
He glanced to his left and looked out the window. He took a deep breath, as he looked out upon the town, wondering what had spurned him on to come there. Did he really think he would find a key to his past? Or was he just escaping the links to his past that resided in Silver City?
Spencer's eyes grew wide as he saw a very familiar link to his recent past jogging across the street, coming towards the diner. Spencer instinctively turned away from the window and adjusted his hood as Stephen Garza entered the diner and walked over to the bar.
"Here's your coffee," the waitress spoke to Spencer, as she placed the hot cup on his table.
Spencer sipped the coffee and turned his head away from Garza and back towards the window. But after a few seconds of tasting the coffee which reminded him how much he missed his own brew, he couldn't help but peek over at the bar.
"So, can I get your usual, Detective?" the older woman behind the bar asked him.
"My usual?" Garza responded.
"Come on, now. As much as you've come in here lately, I've got it memorized," she said with a smile.
"Then I'll just sit here quietly and wait," he said, with a smile, as he sat down on a stool.
"It'll be up in a few minutes," she guaranteed.
"Take your time," Garza said. "It'll be a while before I can show my face in the hospital without security kicking me out."
Spencer was curious at Garza's mention of a hospital. He glanced out the window once more and remembered seeing Garza come across the street on foot. It was then that Spencer saw the hospital in question. Spencer grew even more curious when he noticed it was a mental institution.
On the outskirts of Silver City, Addie Malcolm found herself once again inside a hidden cavern. Part of her wondered how Tarok had such a knack for finding secluded caves. As he tied her hands to the cave wall behind her, Addie grew more scared.
"Are you sure about this?" Addie asked. "Why do you have to tie me up?"
"You should be calm," Tarok spoke. "Soon, you will be rid of your greatest detriment."
Tarok made sure the ropes were tight and he slowly walked away from her, towards the front entrance to the cave. He glanced over at the stone altar he had constructed which was located to his far left. On top of the altar were the Lunati shield and the crown, along with its newly-replaced jewel.
Tarok turned to face Addie.
"Your restraints are for your protection," Tarok explained. "Removing a demonic spirit can be a very violent process and I want to ensure that Sutekh feels restrained enough to leave your body and find a new host."
"I'm not sure I like the sound of that," Addie said.
"I am sure you will feel much better once you are free," Tarok said, smiling.
As Tarok began to chant in his native Lunati, Addie wasn't sure exactly what he was saying. She closed her eyes, trying to relax as much as she could. She hoped and prayed that Tarok was right and this would free her soul from the gasp of evil. But as Tarok continued to chant, something occurred to her about his plan. Her eyes popped open.
"Wait a minute," Addie said, more troubled than ever before. "You don't have the Setesh Idol. If the demon leaves my body, where is it going to find a new host?"
She saw Tarok's smile grow wider, as his chanting grew louder. He raised his hands, causing sparks of electrical energy form around his palms. Addie began to feel queasy.
"Tarok," she called out, as she could feel the energy within her being drained.
Tarok continued chanting his mystic spell, as the electrical charges around his palms began to grow in strength.
"Tarok!" Addie screamed with all of her might, as her eyes turned gold and her voice grew deeper and more demonic.
As her spirit was taken over by the demonic Sutekh, the voice of the demon grew more piercing in its screams.
"Free yourself from this petty shell!" Tarok called out. "You are a mighty force whose power is far beyond that of a human girl. She is an unworthy host! Come forth and leave her!"
Tarok continued his ancient incantation, as a golden energy began to rise within Addie's body.
"Leave behind all weakness and choose strength!" Tarok shouted. "Choose a host that will give you what you desire most. Come to me, Sutekh!"
Tarok swiftly pointed his palms at Addie, shooting electrical energy into her body. The demonic voice screeched louder, as the evil spirit of Sutekh emerged from Addie's body in a cloud of golden energy. The spirit hovered in the air between the two beings for only a moment, before entering Tarok's body through his open mouth.
Tarok's body twisted and convulsed in several directions, as he became one with the demon, which grew in strength due to his powerful spell. His entire body began to transform, as he merged with Sutekh. As the golden cloud of energy dissipated, along with Tarok's electrical power, the Lunati villain took on a grotesque new look.
His domed white hat had merged with his entire head, which was now all-white, with the exception of the large black circles that masked his beady white eyes. Several small golden areas of his body gave homage to the demon he had literally joined forces with. Tarok's body heaved, a he regained normal breathing. He glanced down at his new powered-up form.
His head raised and he locked eyes with Addie still tied to the stone wall of the cave. She was now drained and completely unconscious. Tarok, joined with the spirit of Sutekh inside of him cackled triumphantly at the power surging within his bones.
Bishop Malcolm tightly gripped his Turbine Crusher as he stood behind the steel fence, separating him from the grounds of the Hartford estate. Behind his helmet, he had a look of determination and fury on his face, but for once it wasn't directed towards those inside that house. He had a mission to accomplish and Tarok was not a benevolent leader. Bishop knew that if he returned without the relics, he could not be certain that Tarok wouldn't destroy him.
The Black hunter spun around swiftly, swinging the Turbine Crusher so hard that it burst right through the fence, opening it wide. Bishop slowly trudged forward, flanked by an army of Karths and headed straight for the front door.
Inside the Hartford mansion, the security alarms sounded the moment, the gate had been breached, but a calm hand reached out for the alarm panel and keyed in the proper security code, causing the alarms to cease within the house.
Outside the mansion, Bishop reached the front porch. He glanced at the Karths to his left.
"Spread out and surround the place," Bishop ordered and over a dozen Karths lurched off in both directions.
Bishop turned to the Karths on his right.
"The rest of you come with me," Bishop said, as he walked up the steps towards the front door, quickly kicking it in.
The door swung open and Bishop stepped over the threshold, surprised that he didn't hear the sound of alarms and even more surprised that there was no resistance there waiting.
"What? No welcoming committee," he said under his breath.
He slowly walked further into the foyer, with the Karths following him. Underneath his helmet, Bishop carried a puzzled look. As he passed the staircase, heading towards the rear of the first floor, he never saw or heard the figure that was now standing in the doorway behind him, fully morphed.
"Looking for me?" Chris spoke, just loud enough for Bishop to hear.
The Black hunter gasped, turning swiftly and slamming his Turbine Crusher onto the hardwood floor, which sent a shockwave of energy straight through the floor towards the Red Ranger.
Chris flipped out of the way as the energy blast ignited at the doorway. As he landed on the ground, he knew the battle was on.
"Power Staff!" Chris shouted, causing his own personal weapon to materialize in front of him.
He grabbed hold of it, just as two Karths came at him. He ducked the punch of one of the creatures and kicked the Karth away. The other swiped at him with his sickle weapon, but Chris blocked it, using the Power Staff. He jammed the three-bladed tip of his weapon into the Karth's chest, which lit up with damage. The Karth went flying backwards right into living room, where it collided with the fireplace, crumbling into a mound of stones before hitting the floor.
Evan stood inside the study, listening to the commotion coming from down the hallway. He checked his watch one last time and took a deep breath, removing the copy of Moby Dick from the book shelf. He opened the secret entrance to the Tracking Lab and started down the staircase. Evan heard another crash coming from the foyer and for a moment, he thought of what Chris might be facing.
Evan continued down into the Lab, where he opened the storage locker and removed the large black and gold containment box that contained the Lunati relics. Without looking back again, he ran towards the rear of the lab, heading for the vehicle bay and the exit that would help him make a quiet escape, just in time for his meeting.
"Where is Evan?" Miko whispered, as she peeked out of the cracked door to Ian's office.
She glanced at Chris doing all of the fighting. Then she closed the door and locked it, sighing.
"How's he doing?" Ian asked, as he sat behind his desk, typing on his laptop.
"Okay, I guess," Miko said, as she walked back towards Ian's desk. "What a time for Jessica to take a road trip and don't ask me where Evan got to. Maybe you should contact him on his tracker?"
"Chris has it under control," Ian said, confidently.
"I hope you're right," Miko said, as she turned away from him and glanced back at the closed door, wondering again what was happening on the other side.
Bishop watched as a third Karth went on the assault. He watched as Chris Hartford swiftly disposed of the foot soldier, knocking it straight through the wooden dining table, crushing it in the process. Bishop screamed in anger, as he flipped into the air and landed on the banister, with his Turbine Crusher lowered in front of him. His boots slid downwards, headed straight for the Red Ranger. As the Turbine Crusher skidded along the wooden banister, it produced a stream of sparks.
The Black hunter reached the bottom and flipped into the air, coming down towards the Red Ranger with his weapon still drawn. Chris saw him, just after kicking away another Karth. He brought up his Power Staff, blocking the weapon before it could strike his head. The two jockeyed for control, each weapon pressing against the other.
Chris gained the upper hand, knocking Bishop away from him. He lifted his weapon for another attack, just as two of the Karths grabbed his arms, stopping him. They held him at bay just long enough for Bishop to regain his bearings.
"Outnumbered, golden boy!" Bishop shouted; he pounded his weapon onto the floor once more, sending a streak of energy straight towards the Red Ranger.
Chris' suit lit up with damage and he staggered backwards. Bishop watched once again as the other three Karths got to their feet and aimed their weapons at the Red Ranger, firing off electrical energy similar to Tarok's. The two Karths released Chris, as he was hit with the streams of energy and collapsed to the floor.
Bishop rushed into the study to find the entrance to the Tracking Lab already opened. He looked around curiously. He had expected the Pink & Blue Rangers, but they had not come to assist Chris. He trotted down the stairs and walked slowly into the Tracking Lab, expecting to see them there instead. Bishop glanced around curiously, as he saw there was no one. The Tracking Lab was completely deserted.
Upstairs, on his laptop, Ian watched surveillance video showing the lab below. As he saw the Black hunter walk further into the lab, he smiled.
"Perfect," Ian spoke, knowing things were going according to plan.
Evan Yukito arrived at Tarok's specified coordinates. He saw the large cave ahead and he looked around suspiciously, surprised that Tarok wasn't there to greet him.
"Tarok?" Evan called out, carrying the containment box. "I'm here."
Evan walked closer to the darkened cave, as his eyes grew wide and he staggered away upon the sight of Tarok exiting the cave.
"You are late," Tarok said, sternly.
"It was hard getting away," Evan said, trying to mask his shock over Tarok's change in appearance. "But I got what you wanted."
Evan placed the containment box on the ground. He watched as Tarok walked closer to the box.
"The code on the box—only Jessica knows it," Evan said. "I don't see how you can get—"
Tarok put up a hand, silencing Evan instantly. With his other claw, Tarok focused his energy on the large box and sent a surge of energy out of his palm that caused the box to instantly break apart, revealing the contents.
The Lunati sword, chalice and ring now lay on the ground at his feet. Tarok smiled, but given his monstrous new face, Evan couldn't tell.
"It is all coming to an end," Tarok said, his voice dark and sinister.
Evan nervously watched as Tarok began to kneel towards the three pieces of the Lunati treasure. As Tarok got closer, Evan grew more uneasy, as he wondered what Tarok's transformation might mean.
Inside the darkened cave that Tarok had just exited, footsteps slowly moved amongst the shadows. The figure that had entered the cave without Tarok noticing saw the altar on the opposite end of the cave. Chris Hartford stepped out of the shadows and smiled. He glanced back at the cave entrance, making sure that no one was heading in that direction.
When he saw the coast was clear he walked towards the altar he had found by following Evan Yukito to these coordinates. But before Chris could reach the crown and shield, he spotted Addie Malcolm tired to the wall.
"Addie," he said, in a panicked whisper, as he rushed over to her.
She was still unconscious. Chris caressed her face and tried to wake her, but he had no luck.
"Addie, come on. Wake up," Chris said, his voice a little louder.
Outside the cave, Tarok's hands reached out for the treasure, but then stopped. Evan watched curiously as Tarok seemed to kneel there, frozen in place.
"What's wrong?" Evan said, loudly. "Is there a problem?"
"Red Ranger," Tarok said, in his dark, gritty tone.
His head turned back towards the cave and he stood straight up. It was at that moment that Tarok caught onto the ruse staring him right in the face. He glared back at the relics on the ground. At first he figured his senses towards them were masked because of his merging with Sutekh, but that was not it. He sensed no Lunati connection to those relics on the ground. Tarok sent two spheres of energy out of his palms, destroying the fake relics.
"I don't know what you're thinking, but we had a deal and I'd like to conclude it," Evan said.
He advanced towards Tarok, nervously stepping in front of him and blocking his path to the cave. With one swift wave of his hand, Evan Yukito went flying straight into a nearby tree, crashing to the ground.
"Hold on," Chris whispered to Addie. "I'll have you free in a second."
He reached for Addie's first tied hand.
"I don't think so!" Tarok shouted from behind him.
Chris whipped around, stunned by the sight he saw.
"What is going on?" Chris asked, breathlessly.
"Extreme power!" Tarok shouted, as he raised his palms towards Chris and shot out massive streams of electrical energy.
Chris dove out of the way and slid through the dirty ground. He glanced back at Addie to make sure none of the energy blasts had hit Addie. When he saw her condition hadn't changed, he grabbed his tracker, sliding it across the floor.
"Start Up!"
Inside the Tracking Lab, Bishop glanced at the large compass symbol on the wall, knowing the relics he sought were kept inside the storage locker hidden behind that wall.
He drew his Turbine Crusher and lifted it above his head, ready to break through the wall with all of his strength, but before he could bring his tool down towards the compass, a strong hand gripped it, stopping its descent.
Bishop was caught off-guard when he saw the hand belonged to Zel. The Lunati warrior pushed the Turbine Crusher away, causing Bishop to stagger backwards into a rolling chair from the computer table. He grabbed the chair, hurling it towards Zel, who fiercely kicked it back towards the Black hunter.
Bishop ducked the flying object, which collided with the wall behind him. Zel came towards Bishop and the Black hunter swung his weapon, knocking Zel across the head, causing the creature to stagger into one of the flatscreen computer monitors, knocking it onto the floor where it shattered. Zel backed away from Bishop, heading towards the rear of the Tracking Lab, with the Black hunter in hot pursuit. Zel stood in front of Ian's elevator, as Bishop bore down on him.
"You will not get what you came for," Zel guaranteed.
"Funny, cuz I came for you!" Bishop said, gripping his weapon even tighter.
He swung at Zel, but this time the warrior ducked away, causing Bishop to take his place in front of the elevator. Zel whipped around. As the elevator door opened behind Bishop he kicked the Black hunter in the chest, causing him to fly backwards right into it.
"Gotcha!" Ian called out in his office, as he pressed a button on his keyboard, activating a force field that trapped Bishop inside the elevator.
With Miko watching the surveillance cameras over his shoulder, Ian smiled.
"It worked," Ian said. "Now we just have to wait for Evan & Chris to return with the last two relics and it'll all be over."
Miko appeared utterly confused.
In Carson City, Jessica Lorrie drove her car through the streets, not sure exactly how she would locate Spencer Kingston, but she knew she had to try.
As she came to a stop light, she couldn't help feeling even more frustrated at herself for not taking more time to comfort her friend. Jessica looked back at the road, checking the status of the still-red stoplight. It was then that she saw several pedestrians crossing the street. When she recognized one of them, she turned her car off and without regard to the traffic situation, she exited the vehicle, staring at his face as it passed without seeing her.
"Garza!" she yelled.
Stephen Garza stopped dead in his tracks, as he heard her voice. He turned around and locked eyes with Jessica. His jaw dropped.
"Jess," he spoke, practically gasping.
As they stood in the middle of the street holding up traffic on two sides, they ignored the honking horns. Inside the diner that Garza had just exited, Spencer Kingston sat in his booth watching them from inside, unsure of exactly what he should do.
Chris Hartford tumbled out of the cave, thanks to Tarok's enhanced energy. The Red Ranger rolled to the ground, as the monstrous villain exited the cave, amidst another puff of white smoke. Chris tried to get to his feet, as he held his chest, still hurting from Tarok's attack.
The creature grabbed him by the neck, lifting him off the ground.
"It is time to say goodbye, Red Ranger!" Tarok said.
"I don't think so," Evan Yukito called out, as he grabbed at Tarok's arm.
The transformed Lunati duke glared at the morphed Blue Ranger and tossed the Red Ranger several feet away, sending the Blue Ranger flying by his side. They both landed on the ground, as Tarok continued to stand tall.
Tarok raised both of his palms, building up a massive surge of energy. He fired on the rangers, causing both of them to virtually explode under his power. Tarok chuckled loudly, as he watched them collapse to the ground.
"You are no match for me! You will be destroyed and I will have what is rightfully mine. It's all over!"
TO BE CONCLUDED
Next time on
Quest for the Lunati Treasure
Just as Ian believes his plan is coming together,
things begin to fall apart. Garza fills Jessica in
on why he's in Nevada, as Spencer watches
from afar. Back in Silver City, the Rangers
face their toughest challenge ever and when
Tarok storms the Hartford mansion, there
may be no one left to stop him.