Copyright: Power Rangers, the name and characters are owned by Saban Entertainment.
***Somewhere on the Amazon River***
***The next day***
The crew was traveling down the river by boats. After about an hour of traveling, they suddenly began to hear some strange drums in the distance.
"What is that?" Adam asked.
"Sound's like Morse code!" Jason responded as he scanned the horizon.
"It's the jungle telegraph." Tommy noted. "Probably natives."
"Do you understand them?" Kimberly asked.
"Not much…" said Tommy, as he was listening in. "…they are talking about food… sounds like a menu… did you catch any more?"
"A little." Rocky said. "Their description of Miss Kimberly wasn't very flattering, they find her skinny. But be flattered professor Cranston, you are the main course." Billy turned around, unsure of how to react.
"Heh." Tommy giggled at the sigh of Billy being scared.
"Keep your hands on that rifle, sergeant!" Rocky yelled.
"Always have!" Jason remarked as he held his rifle tightly. "Always will!"
After traveling for several hours by boat, and another hour on foot they had reached their destination and began set up camp.
"This is it!" Tommy said as he gazed into the mountains in the distance.
"We found the plateau?" Kim asked.
"I am sure of it!" Tommy proudly said as he took another look at his friend's journal.
"All I see is a mountain side and no plateau." Billy noted, sounding unimpressed.
"What do you think is behind these clouds?"
"More rock."
"I hoped that proving your scientific knowledge being nothing more than a fraud title would be enough!" Tommy told him to his face. "But no, I guess something more real is necessary to thwart your negative attitude!"
"Gentlemen, that is enough!" Jason stepped in. "You can kill each other when we get back to Angel Grove!"
"If we get back to Angel Grove!" Billy added.
"Ok, everyone, let's make camp!" Tommy said. "We have a lot of work, before we go to sleep!"
"Doctor…" Adam said. "I think we should ready the balloon, if we are to leave in early morning."
"Balloon!" Billy said. "What balloon!"
"The balloon that will take us to the plateau!"
"Surely, Thomas…" Billy said, without attempting to hide his annoyance. "Out of all your crazy schemes, this has got to be the worst one! Do you really expect us travel into the mountains in a balloon?"
"Well…" Kim explained to him. "…the only chopper we could schedule was delayed for another week."
"You can't be serious, miss!" Billy said. "Do you know how unsecured these things are?"
"You don't have use the balloon if you don't want, professor!" Tommy said. "If you want, you can stay here with the natives!" he grinned. "I am sure they would love to have you for dinner."
"Balloon it is!" Billy reluctantly agreed.
"Doctor…" Adam said. "…the workers just finished unpacking the balloon. It will be ready by tomorrow morning."
"Good!" Said Tommy, as the drums once again began to beat in the distance. "And consider THAT, as the native's invitation to you, professor!"
***Early Morning***
Thanks to Rocky and Adam's early bird spirit, the balloon was all set before most of the people were even up. They were soon joined by Tommy and Jason, who were helping them get all their equipment up onto it.
"Jason…" Tommy said. "Tell Billy to wake up the bearers, we need help setting up the balloon."
"Ok!" Jason responded and went up to Billy's tent. "Oi professor, wake the bearers, we need help getting all the stuff on board!"
Billy got up and went up to one of the worker tents. "Morning, gentlemen! Rise and shine!" However when looked inside the tent he realized that it was empty, so he went up to another tent. "We are in need of your service!" He looked inside another tent but it was also empty. "Hello?"
"Good morning." Said Kimberly, who had just gotten up.
"Have you seen the bearers?" Billy asked her.
Kim looked around and pointed at the forest. "There's one over there."
"You, sir!" said Billy to one of the workers who had leaned on a tree. "We need to leave, let's go!" however the worker completely ignored him. "I spoke to you, sir, you can at least respond!" Billy then walked over to him, when he realized why he was leaning next to the tree. He was stabbed with a spear. Billy turned around in terror as he found the rest of the workers, all lying dead with arrows and spears in their bodies.
"What is taking Billy so long?" Tommy asked as he was carrying the supplies to the balloon.
"THEY'RE DEAD!" Billy screamed as he ran up to them. "THE WORKERS ARE ALL DEAD!"
"Get everything that is essential to the balloon, we are leaving!" Tommy was quickly cut off when he heard Kimberly screaming, as she was being chased by a group of armed natives.
Tommy picked up one of the stashed AK's and fired several rounds in the air to scare them off. It worked as they retreated back into the bushes. This allowed Tommy, Jason, Kimberly and Billy to get on the balloon. Rocky tried to hand them over one of the rifles, but was shot down by incoming native arrows.
"We have to take off!" said Tommy to Adam, who was detaching the balloon's anchor. "Come on!"
As Adam was cutting the rope, the natives attacked once again. One of them charged at him with a spear, but Adam managed to shoot him down with his pistol. The balloon began to ascend, so he grabbed onto the anchor rope and hanged on for his life. The natives began firing arrows at him, as well as the balloon. Realizing the danger, Jason took out his M4 and shot down several natives, allowing Adam to climb up onto the balloon unchallenged.
"Close call, Adam!" Jason said by tapping him on the back.
"Thanks!" Adam responded. "Did this change your opinion on ballooning, professor?"
"It has its uses!" Billy admitted.
They were finally safe in the air and were traveling towards the cliffs. As they got closer and closer they could see the plateau between the fogs. They sat down to relax and enjoy the lovely view when suddenly the balloon was hit by turbulence.
"What the hell is that!" Kimberly screamed.
"The air current!" Tommy yelled as they were all trying not to fall down. "Hold on tight!"
"I don't think this is your normal strong wind, doctor!" Adam said.
The powerful winds continued for several minutes and were later joined by a lightning storm. The balloon was constantly shaking and felt like could fall apart in any second. Suddenly out of nowhere all of the bad weather stopped and the sky was clear again.
"Thank God, that's over!" Billy sighed in relief.
"Look out for the cliff!"
To be continued…