They moved down the darkened corridor, Red following behind Drakkon on the right. Their boots clicked on the metal floor, echoing back eerily. It was obvious to the newcomer that the vessel had recently taken heavy damage.
The tyrant had resumed his rendition of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" as approached the security area. He quickly ceased his whistling as a weakened but furious voice could be heard from the holding cells.
"Oh good! Sunshine's awake," he smiled to Red. "Wait here and I'll bring the little one out. There's no power down this wing so the lights are useless."
Drakkon proceeded ahead as he resumed his tune merrily.
His feline-like vision detected the little one squirming and twisting as he tried to break the manacles encircling his wrists and ankles. The Red Omega stopped once he detected the sound of approaching footsteps.
"Drakkon?" he croaked angrily. "I swear to God once I get out of these…"
Suddenly, powerful hands grabbed his neck and hauled him to his feet.
"Now, now. Stop that useless struggling, little Omega. You'll only tear yourself up doing that," he whispered. "And that's my job."
Jason continued to defiantly fight the restraints, cursing Drakkon as soundly as he could in his hazy state. He felt the warlord dragging him out of the holding cell and down the dark hall. Every movement only served to exhaust him much to his frustration.
Red stood at attention in the corridor as Drakkon returned with another prisoner snared by the neck.
"Let's go somewhere more comfortable," he ordered his pet. "Somewhere with better lighting."
He continued walking with the little one still fighting his hold. Red trailed behind, unsure about this other pet. But it wasn't his place to comment.
They returned to a lighted corridor and Drakkon moved purposefully down it towards a closed door. There was a name imprinted on it, Red noted.
'Jason Scott'.
His brown furrowed in further confusion. His master manipulated the panel and the door slid open with a small whoosh. Red followed silently into the room and was startled by his master's sudden vicious snarling.
"Stop it! Goddammit!" he bellowed in the younger man's face before violently throwing him into the far wall. "Fucking disobedient brat!"
Drakkon bounded across the room to the stunned victim. His gloved fist punched the other prisoner in the face of his helmet, knocking his head back painfully. The little one cried out with pain.
Red felt something tighten in his chest as watched his master begin to pummel the bound Omega, who could only lay curled on the ground defenseless. When Drakkon finally stopped, the tyrant was out of breath himself. He angrily reached down and unsnapped the ruby colored helmet and tossed it aside.
"I have a feeling you are going to cause me a lot of trouble, duckling," he hissed, panting.
He swiftly stomped down on Jason's injured leg causing the Ranger to scream in agony. Tears streaked down the young one's face as he began to dry heave from the blinding pain. Drakkon merely laughed, his mood suddenly chipper again and he resumed his "Mary Had a Little Lamb" solo.
Red noted his master had something in his hand that he was manipulating as he moved to crouch down again beside the new pet. Jason apparently registered what he was doing even through his tears and he immediately tried to move away.
"No, no, no, don't," he cried frantically. His dark eyes locked with Red's, pleading.
To Red's amazement, Drakkon seized the kiddo's throat and pinned him in place. Almost in slow motion, the traumatized man watched the evil tyrant plunge a long, thick needle into the little Ranger's hip.
The young cried out pitifully as Drakkon yanked the needle back out and tossed the empty vial over his shoulder.
Red felt his breath coming faster, his heart starting to race as Trini's pleas echoed in his head.
He drugged you. He drugged you. He drugged you.
Then Drakkon's voice hissing.
I would never resort to cheap tricks!
His blood ran cold and he couldn't suppress a shiver as it rolled over him.
Drakkon was too busying manhandling the little Omega onto a nearby bed. He threw him down hard and punched him smartly again in the face for good measure.
"Now then, since I don't have time to deal with your bratty behavior, its time you took a little nap, kiddo. You need to rest because you've got a hard life coming up ahead of you."
Turning to Red, he composed himself and patted his leg.
"Come here, my good boy. I have a very important job for you."
As commanded, the older man approached and knelt as he had been trained.
Drakkon ran his hand through the thick hair of his pet.
"I'm going back to the control room so I can get us safely away. It isn't in that one's best interest for me to be in here right now. You stay and make sure he behaves until its night-night time. I think his attitude will require much correction," he ordered.
Red could only nod submissively as his eyes glanced at the younger man on the bed, who was bleeding profusely from his mouth and nose.
Drakkon grinned.
"Good boy," he soothed. "I think you'll be much happier with someone else taking your place in the cage fights. And I know you will be a big help in teaching him what I expect from my pets."
The tyrant turned toward the injured little one and growled.
"You're going to learn how to behave, kiddo. In my absence, you will do as Red tells you. Understood?" he threatened.
Not waiting for a response, Drakkon spun on his heel and exited the room, the door slamming shut behind him.
Slowly, Red stood from his crouched position on the ground and approached the Omega. Jason stared back at him, confused at who he was looking at.
Realization began to sink in and his mouth fell open in stunned clarity.
"You're me…" he started. "I mean, you're Drakkon's Jason. Red."
The older man shrugged.
"If you say so," he whispered. "I'm not sure who I am anymore, but it's possible."
The Omega tried to sit up but flopped over. Red moved over towards him and pulled the younger man into a sitting position.
"No," he said as forcefully as he could manage. "You are Jason. Me. I'm sure you are. You might be thinner and older but I see me in there."
His head started to slump forward and he fought to stay upright.
"Goddamn Drakkon," he swore as his vision blurred and he felt himself start to sleep toward unconsciousness.
Red eased him back carefully on the pillow as he stared at the young man's face intently. He felt more memories shifting in his mind and swallowed the lump starting to form in his throat.
One hand went to his own face and felt his features under gloved fingers.
"I'm sure who you are," the Omega managed as his eyes started to roll up. He fought to focus on the older man. "Drakkon is a liar. Don't trust…"
His voice trailed off as he passed out again.
Red stood and moved to the adjacent bathroom that he noted upon first entering. He flipped the light on and timidly approached the mirror. His hands grabbed the porcelain sink tightly as he took in his full reflection.
The little Omega was right!
He ran a hand over his hair pulling it back out of his scarred face. Same eyes, same nose, jaw line. Yes, he was older and thinner but underneath he could see the Omega. Could see 'Jason'.
Drakkon was a liar; he had seen it for himself just a short moment ago. He'd lied about using drugs as he had clearly forcibly injected the younger Jason with something. A muscle in his face began to twitch as a boiling rage began to bloom in his chest.
Drakkon's voice, snarling "Beg me, Jason. Beg me to give your coin back!"
Being beaten and kicked, slashed and violated.
The smug possum grin gracing Drakkon's face as he listened to his pained screams.
He felt his stomach start to heave and his mouth filled with saliva. Panicked, he staggered to a trash can and vomited.
"My name was Jason. I was Jason Scott," he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut. "I was the Red Tyranno Ranger."
Red continued to curl over the trash can as more started coming back.
"Such a good boy," Drakkon's voice in his ear as he stroked his hair.
Fighting in an arena as the tyrant watched from above.
Licking the soiled boots as he cooed down at him.
And most sickeningly, the memory of physically satisfying his master with his body.
It felt like a dam broke inside his mind and he sprung back to his feet, eyes wide.
Rushing back into the room, he approached the bed where the Omega lay quietly now. Gingerly, Red felt for a pulse in the young man's neck and breathed a sigh of relief to find it still beating strong.
"You're going home, kiddo. Right now. And I'm going to end this for good."