Chapter 5:

Tommy couldn't say how long he sat in the hospital waiting room; time seemed to just slip away like quicksilver. He hadn't even bothered with trying to get himself cleaned up. Instead, he alternated between staring blankly at the walls and holding his head in hands. The rest of his friends who were the Power Rangers joined him in the waiting room. They tried to console him but found that it was better to let Tommy have his space and to just be there for moral support.

Kat Hillard, the fifth ranger and Tommy's love interest came into the waiting room. "Tommy, thank God you're alright!" She said rushing up and embracing him in a tight hug. The lilt of her Australian accent usually never failed to comfort him but this time Tommy was too far gone in his sadness. She hugged the rest of the team except for Adam who was away and got the lowdown from Tanya.

Adam returned a short while later. Like Tommy, he was interning at the hospital for the summer for recommendations to get into college as an orderly. Kat saw him and gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek. He gathered the rest of the Rangers together in the waiting room. Tommy stood up and took a deep breath, fearing the worst. "Guys, it looks like Dr. Taggart is going to be okay. I just got word from post-op and though he sustained some bad injuries, the doctors were able to stabilize him."

A cheer went up from the Rangers and Tommy looked visibly relieved. "Aw man, that's so great to hear. I was so worried; if only I'd…"

"Tommy, it wasn't your fault that he got hurt, the blame falls squarely on King Mondo!" Kat said, putting her arm around her boyfriend.

"She's right Tommy. You did everything you could to protect Dr. Taggart and that laser that the Cogs were apparently after. It was unfortunate and I hate to say this but sometimes, things like this happen." Rocky chimed in. The rest of the group nodded and mouthed their agreements.

It didn't make Tommy feel much better but it would do as far as he was concerned. He didn't say anything but instead nodded slowly. "You should go home and get some rest Tommy; I'll call you if there's any more news." Adam said.

Though he was reluctant, Tommy slowly nodded in agreement, his exhaustion finally starting to catch up with him. "C'mon, I'll give you a ride home." Kat said, draping her arm around him and leading him toward the elevators. He moved like an old man and his state wasn't lost on his teammates.

"Aw man, Tommy is really taking this hard." Rocky said. Adam and Tanya nodded solemnly.

"I wish there was something we can do to help him." Tanya chimed in.

"All we can be is there for him. You guys should go home too. I'll call everybody if anything changes okay?" Adam replied. They hated to admit it but they were tired of being at the hospital and wanted very much to just chill out. None of them were even thinking about the zombie movie at that point.

Meanwhile back on the jumpship which was nestled high in the Angel Grove Mountains, Captain Power and the rest of the team was busy researching Peter Taggart. Mentor had tapped into the city's computers compiling any and all information about their quarry. Each member had thrown themselves into their task but all still had lingering reservations with the exception of Captain Power who was totally committed.

Hawk had the most apprehensions about their quest but he kept quiet. John did make perfect sense; if there was a way to save his boy, what kind of a fool would he be to not take it. Still, he was a soldier and there was difference between combat and murder. The line on this mission was so vague that…. He shook the thoughts out of his mind as a beeping from Mentor indicated that his search was complete.

"Got him!" Hawk exclaimed as he pulled up the information. "It says here that Dr. Peter Taggart was injured in an attack at his laboratory. It doesn't mention who attacked him or why but apparently, he was working on some kind of revolutionary laser so I'd guess that was the motive. He's being treated at Angel Grove County General Hospital which is more or less in the center of town."

Captain Power leaned back in his command chair as he decided on a plan of action. "Gentlemen, I don't need to tell you that this is the biggest mission we've ever had to undertake and the stakes are the highest we've ever known. I know we all have some misgivings about this mission so if anyone wants to back out, now's the time." When nobody piped up, Power slowly nodded.

"Okay then, here's the plan…."

Adam Park made his rounds in the hospital, cleaning up rooms and making sure every piece of equipment was accounted for. He had an eye for detail that served him well in this job and he found it suited his calm demeanor. For the most part, the patients and staff at the hospital were friendly and he wasn't chained to a desk as he got to move around. He found that he couldn't ask for too much more than that.

He went to check on Mrs. O'Leary who was having a kidney removed. She was a kindly old lady who said that he reminded her of her own son. "How are you this evening Mrs. O'Leary?" He asked as he smoothed a blanket around her legs.

"Oh just fine dear boy, just fine. A boy your age shouldn't be cooped up around us old codgers. You should be out with your friends tonight! It's a nice night."

Adam had to smile at that. "Well maybe tomorrow perhaps. If you need anything, don't hesitate to hit the call button. I or any of the nurses will be here right away, otherwise, good night." She waved goodbye to him as he closed the door. Smiling he strolled up the hallway toward the intensive care unit, whistling a lively tune.

Something struck him as funny as he saw a doctor going into Dr. Taggart's room. What was funny was that Adam had never seen this doctor before. He was young, in about his early to mid-twenties, black with long hair. His appearance didn't strike him as overtly odd but Adam had to question why Dr. Taggart was being checked on when he just looked on the patient not more than five minutes ago. Going with him, actually taking the lead was a tall man, with black hair cut in a semi-military style hair cut. The strides he took were purposeful. Also, the group of doctors hanging around at various points of the ICU also struck him as funny.

"Excuse me doctor, may I help you?" Adam asked walking up rapidly.

"Uh…no, we're fine here, thanks." Scout replied as nonchalantly as he could manage. He was getting the heebie jeebies just standing there. All he wanted was to get this over quick.

Sensing something was not right, Adam tried to bar the entrance into the room. "I don't recognize you four here, are you new? I just checked on the patient five minutes ago, he should be fine."

Power also sensed something; he sensed that the jig was up. "I don't have time for this!" He said, grabbing a very surprised Adam. "Scout, do it!" He called over his shoulder. "Relax kid, nobody's going to hurt you.

Panic started to set in as he saw the man referred to as Scout approach the unconscious form of Dr. Taggart. Using his martial arts skills, he twisted out of the man's grasp only to be surprised that the man regained his grip. "Sorry to do this!" Adam said before planting a standing drop kick into Power's chest. Power stumbled back and hit the wall, the wind knocked out of him. Never stopping his motion, Adam yanked the fire alarm and proceeded into the room. He threw a flying kick at Scout, knocking him against the wall.

Regaining himself in moments, Scout stood back on his feet. "You idiot, do you realize what you've done?" He snarled at the Adam. Meanwhile the orderly in front of him broke into a defensive stance. Scout could tell he had training but didn't care. Anger and fear guided his actions. The two punched and kicked at each other, both blocking and countering each strike given. Finally, Scout scored a lucky shot that caught Adam flush across the jaw, sending him reeling into a nearby chair.

"Scout, we've got to get out of here, mission aborted!" Captain Power called from the hallway. Scout was about to finish what he started but realized that the orderly would be too much of an obstruction and killing him was out of the question. Instead he ran down the corridor with the rest of his team.

Rubbing his jaw, Adam staggered slightly on wobbly legs toward the bed. He checked Dr. Taggart's vitals and breathed a sigh of relief when he found nothing had changed. "Somebody's gotta stop those guys!" He said as he ran out of the room. Patients and nurses were coming out of their rooms, confused as to what was going on. "Someone just tried to attack Dr. Taggart, call for help!" Adam said to a nurse while on the run.

Outside, the quartet was mere feet from their hoverbikes when police cars came rolling up. "Freeze!" came the cry from one of the cops.

"What do we do now Captain?" Tank asked.

Power withdrew his blaster and on cue, so did the rest of the team. "No casualties, just property damage, drive them back and away!" he said as he took aim at the nearest cop car. One singular blast and the hood flew thirty feet into the air as the engine block shattered. The cops in that car ran away just in time as it exploded. They then returned fire which caused the team to duck.

"No good, we're pinned down!" Hawk said, firing at another car and exploding it.

"Then we have no choice, we have to armor up and make a break for it!" Power said to which the others nodded. In unison, they touched their right fists to the patch on the left side of their uniforms and said "Power on!" In a flash of light and crackling energy, they were clad in their armored forms; walking arsenals of nearly unlimited power. The bullets bounced off them harmlessly as they went for their hoverbikes.

This transformation was not lost on Adam who saw the whole thing. He was still in shock but his mind got over it quickly as he realized what he had to do. "Guys, I'm gonna need you down here as soon as possible, got no time to explain!" He said on his wrist communicator. From thin air, his morphers appeared on his wrists. "It's morphin' time!" He called as he clashed his wrists together and brought them down to his sides initiating the transformation process. "Zeo Ranger four, Green!" he shouted. In a shimmering of energy, he transformed into his green clad alter-ego the Green Ranger and second in command of the Power Rangers.

Outside, the police and citizens screamed as Captain Power and his team laid down harassing fire. Their shots were perfectly accurate so no one got hurt but there was nothing they could do about the panic they were causing. Captain Power regretted that but couldn't see any alternative until they got out of there. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a laser beam flash past him. He whirled around to find a man clad seemingly in green spandex and helmet with a rectangular visor holding a laser pistol at them.

"That's far enough guys. I don't know who you are, what you're doing or why but I'm taking you down!" The Green Ranger said. Adam charged, firing his laser pistol at the Soldiers of the Future. His shots were wide, firing on the run and they gave the more experienced gunfighters time to get cover.

"Is this guy for real? " Hawk asked incredulously.

"I don't know but that blaster he's using is so don't take him lightly!" Power replied. As if to emphasize his point, Scout staggered backward from a direct hit by Adam's blaster.

It was then they realized that, the Green Zeo Ranger's shots were merely meant to get Power's group confused so he could close the distance. With leap that covered tens of yards, Adam leapt into the middle of the group. "Zeo Hatchets!" Adam exclaimed and from thin air, green, metallic hatchets appeared in his hands. He was a whirlwind of strikes, making Power's group duck, dive and dash for distance. They were too close to use their blasters and Power realized that he was dealing with a canny foe.

Adam kicked at Hawk, knocking him down while making Power leap backward out of the way of his slash. He swung at Tank, the big, hulking, armored giant but his hatchet was parried by the barrel of Tank's heavy duty laser cannon. With a speed that defied his size, a super-strong hand snaked out and gripped Adam by the throat. His feet flailing off the ground, Adam struggled to create distance from his attacker but couldn't get the leverage to swing his hatchet.

"Don't go away mad, just go away!" Tank bellowed as he tossed Adam thirty feet into the air. A silent cue from Tank borne from years of working together, Hawk targeted Adam and fired his blaster, scoring a perfect shot at his chest. A shower of sparks and a scream from the Green Zeo Ranger told that Hawk that he hit his mark. Adam slammed to the ground hard, clutching at himself. "It looks like whatever he's wearing is some sort of armor." Tank noted. "Good shot by the way Hawk."

"Thanks" came the sardonic reply from Hawk.

Soon, the other four rangers showed up on their Zeo Bikes. Tommy was the first off his bike and helped Adam to his feet. "Sorry about the delay Adam, looks like the teleporters are down!" Tommy said, with a gesture for emphasis. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine but these guys won't be!"

"Great, this day has gone from bad to worse." Captain Power muttered, sensing that he truly had a fight on his hands.