January 9, 2010
Chapter 5: The Agreement
Clods of dirt crackled as they tumbled down the steep trail. It was sunny, the whir of locust and hidden grasshoppers buzzing. They had just passed the third archway leading to Dai Shi's temple. A young man pulled his cloak's hood back, his forehead spotted with beads of sweat. The humidity was thick, suffocating. "How do you know the other gem is here?" he asked, irritated with her attitude.
"Because, Hartford, Xai Lin was an egotistical warrior, he held hatred and greed close to his icy heart. If he had anything to do with the hiding of the gems, the second would be in his old chambers. Plus, I can feel it calling me." The cloaked figure threw aside her hooded-tunic, revealing short, dark hair resting at the middle of her back. Her dark brown eyes locked with his. "Careful, I don't want any knowledge of our visit."
Mack Hartford bobbed his head, discarding his cloak in the leafy foliage as well. He ran a hand through his hair, long and cluttering his vision. He ripped a piece of his sleeve off and made a makeshift headband. All that time her eyes never left him, intently watching his every movement, so carelessly executed. "If you're done," she implied with no attempt to restrain her annoyance.
Mack glared at her. "Let's just get this over."
Command Center
As the Command Center became crowded, Andrew encouraged the rangers to relax upstairs while he, Spencer, RJ, and Master Finn, who had been called in for help, tried to better understand the pictures taken before the cave-in. Begrudgingly, they all headed upstairs into the common room. "I feel like a kid. I'm not. I'm the red ranger," Casey declared.
"Hey, how do you think I feel? I'm RJ's best friend and I was still kicked out," Dom sighed, easing into the very comfortable, red couches.
"Listen, this will give us a chance to bond with the Overdrive team," Lily said, of course, being the one to find the silver lining.
"That's what you think," Theo quipped, taking a seat next to Dom. His eyes drifted to the Overdrive rangers sitting outside under the party tent, left from the funeral. "You might want to reconsider your 'bonding theory'."
"Nonsense," the yellow ranger dismissed. Taking a big breath, Lily marched outside toward the other rangers. "Hey," she greeted, in her ever-cheery voice. When she received no response, Lily quickly thought of something – something to break the ice. "They were a cute couple." Undoubtedly, talking about the deceased red and pink Overdrive rangers was not exactly how she wanted to make a first impression, but nervous, it was the first thing that came to her mind. Her friends joined the cheetah in enough time to hear her mention the late Mack Hartford and Rose Ortiz and for Theo to smack himself on the forehead.
However, her comment about them seemed to at least trigger a response as the Overdrive team scrunched up their faces in thought at what she said. "Uh," Tyzonn looked to his friends, befuddled. "Did I miss something?"
"No," Dax answered the mercury ranger. He turned to the Jungle Fury rangers, "They were just friends."
"Oh," Lily said, looking down.
"Don't be embarrassed. It was an easy mistake. We were all very close . . . like a family," Ronny smiled at the last words. The world class racecar driver asked them to join her and the others. With much enthusiasm Casey, Dom, and Theo took a seat on the brick ledge, protecting the landscaping, while Lily took a seat next to Ronny on a swivel patio chair.
"Will." Lily cocked her head to one side, curious at the deep, pensive look on the black ranger's face. He hadn't said a word since their coming over.
He looked up, his eyes only showed how startled he was, his stance relaxed and indifferent. "It's nothing." He meandered farther down the property, enveloped in his thoughts.
"Don't pay any attention to him," Ronny said, rolling her eyes. Her mood changed from mild disgust to somber. "Will and Mack were like brothers." The yellow ranger glanced back at the retreating figure of the African American. "I think he blames himself for what happened to Mack and Rose." The group grew quiet until Spencer and Vella arrived with some platters of food for the rangers to nibble on while Andrew, Master Finn, and RJ tried to piece together things down in the Command Center.
Outside Dai Shi's Temple
They stood stoically on top of a hill, overlooking the temple. Although still very hot outside, a nice wind was wandering through. "What's your plan for getting in?"
Her lips pressed together, contemplating several options. She watched the courtyards, the wall that fenced in the temple. Rin shi came and went, but their numbers were few and unpredictable. Mack watched her nose flare, unsure of what was causing the surge of anger. He leaned against a tree, out of her way. "You will stay here, if I'm not back in fifteen minutes then rush the temple, got it?"
"Be careful, okay," he told her, voicing concern.
"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten our deal," she cooed. Mack grimaced, taking unkindly to her mocking smile. He sat on a small boulder and watched the petite woman make her way into the temple, vanishing from sight at the gate as she tapped into her invisibility. Rose . . . why you? The red ranger clamped his eyes shut, refusing to let loose any pity tears.
Quickly moving through and around the streets of the temple, Rose easily accessed Dai Shi's coveted throne room. Something, call it instinct, pushed her to believe that the precious Angel's Heart was stowed away there. Still invisible, Rose waited a few minutes to ensure the area was clear of any rin shi. Hastily, but meticulously, she searched the throne room. Scarce already, Rose was led to the throne, itself, and the fenced ledge behind it. Crouching down, she sprang up and volleyed over the detailed gate. She eyed the three statues, suspiciously. Three small square-sized holes were made, holding three statues: a turtle, a tarantella, and an alligator. "Of course, no viper," she sneered.
Suspicious the figurines would trigger a trap if moved, Rose carefully felt behind and around them. First, she checked the alligator, next the turtle, and lastly, the tarantella, satisfied when a smooth, defined objected, tipped and sputtered at her fingers' hungry, fervent grasps.
Biting her tongue in determination, she extracted the Angel's Heart from behind the tarantella. She raised it to the little light that streamed through, crystal blue as a clear island ocean. "So beautiful," she said, dreamily.
"It really is."
Rose whirled around, her heart pounding in her ears. Her breath quickened, her eyes darting all around in search of who had spoken. "Come out!" she demanded.
"You first!"
Rose landed hard on the ground floor. She picked herself up quickly. She fired several shots with her blaster, hitting the chameleon. Camille braced herself against the wall briefly. With fierce determination set in her eyes, Camille leapt down, kicking wildly. Rose evaded the bicycle kicks. Hearing the scuffle, Dai Shi appeared in the doorway moments later to see his general and a stranger fighting. While Camille used her Sais, the pink ranger chose to fight open-handed. Dai Shi was about to intervene, feeling compelled to aide his general and protect his temple.
However, he was unable, feeling a strong force grab and throw him against a wall. Angered by the insolence and bold move to attack him, Dai Shi was nearly foaming at the mouth. Mack stood, shoulders drawn back and chest puffed out. In a blink of an eye, Dai Shi's fist was centimeters from the red ranger's face. Evading the lion's punch was a fluke as Dai Shi used his momentum to back-kick Mack in the stomach. Mack doubled over, but was quick to recover, pushing Dai Shi's follow-up kick aside and making several counterstrikes.
As soon as the fight began it stopped. The shrill voice of Camille halted the two men from their sparring. "Give me the gem, or I'll kill you where you stand." The tip of Camille's Sai caressed Rose's throat like a cold icicle. To show that she wasn't kidding, Camille pressed the dull side of the blade into Rose's neck. Camille's feigned confidence was transparent to the pink ranger, her grin widening more and more with each twitch of Camille's eye.
"Go ahead," Rose challenged; her voice taunting and contemptuous.
"No!" Mack cried out. Engulfed in the two women, Dai Shi was unprepared and unable to brace himself when Mack shoved him to the floor. Also in shock, Camille's grasp was limp, allowing Mack to bat away the threatening Sai and step in front of Rose who still adorned a malicious and arrogant grin. Camille and Dai Shi repositioned themselves to fight Rose and Mack. "Wait, wait," Mack sputtered. "Help us, and we'll help you."
From impudence to confusion and disapproving, Rose glowered at the young man guarding her. "What are you doing, Hartford?" she whispered, harshly.
"Saving our asses," he retorted, smiling at Dai Shi and Camille, making everyone uneasy and slightly uncomfortable.
"What do you propose then?" Rose asked; a note of sarcasm in her question.
"I don't know, but we're not getting out here without a fight. Remember our deal." Mack quickly looked over his shoulder, seeing if Rose showed some type of comprehension.
Rose stepped around Mack, her disposition serene and dangerous like a venomous snake ready to strike on an unsuspecting field mouse. "You help us and we'll help solve your ranger problem."
Intrigued, Dai Shi probed for deeper explanation. "We have it handled. Why do you need the gem?"
"Please, I've been told of your "plans" to destroy those Jungle brats. Even if you succeed," at this Rose laughed incredulously, "there are more of them." The pink ranger's eye roamed in the direction of the red ranger who was standing adjacent to her left, before quickly locking eyes with Dai Shi again. "Because I understand the importance of openness, I'll tell you why we need this . . . precious gem." Rose awed at the aquamarine stone for a moment, admiring its raw aesthetics. "We're – I'm going to free Zhao Lee."
Dai Shi snarled, his shoulders tensing at the mention of the name. "I'll be taking that back." He stretched his hand out, the gem reflecting in his pupils.
Pulling the jewel out of Dai Shi's reach, Rose looked at the two with pity. "Please, spare me with the overindulgent – already – won tone. You haven't won and you won't. Let me put this into better perspective. While we both know Zhao is better," Rose smiled, taking a few steps toward the door. "Zhao has no intention of dominating this planet, so don't feel so threatened." Dai Shi's eyebrows furrowed, not pleased at being talked to like a child. "In return for your . . . help, he will endow you both with great power and rule."
"Zhao, give up power?" Camille snorted.
Ignoring the chameleon, Rose took a calming breath. "Zhao's plans don't involve this planet any longer. He is no longer restricted," at this, Rose's attention drifted to Mack who looked extremely unsettled, his eyebrows furrow, and his eyes darting around the room. Seeing Rose slither her way out of another fight, while recruiting two more people, Mack couldn't meet her playful expression.
Dai Shi breathed through his nose loudly, looking at Camille, who seemed uncertain, something made her untrusting of Rose, but if Dai Shi agreed, she would undoubtedly accompany him, if not to reap the rewards, but to protect her master. "Deal," Dai Shi said, mirroring the pink ranger's ferocity. Rose stretched her hand out to shake his, making it official. "But, we hold the jewel." Clearly unpleased with the condition put into the deal, Rose flared her nose, her glare cold, she switched hands. Dai Shi smiled at the victory, shaking Rose's hand and in the process accepting the Angel's Heart. "Where are we headed to?"
"Gyatso Mountain, Japan," Rose informed, leaving the chamber first, followed by: Mack, Dai Shi, and Camille.
~ End Chapter 5
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