Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers. Saban and Nickelodeon own them. I also don't own any song lyrics used.
AN: Here's chapter 30! Enjoy and let me know what you think! Thanks to all the great reviews too and here's notes to those individuals:
RHatch89: Thank you, glad you enjoyed it.
XRanger13 : Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. As for Hayley, I have decided on Hayley/Cam. I just haven't got the development on their relationship going yet, but it will be coming. This story is just so massive, but I won't forget them. :)
Alex B. Goode: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. As for Tori and her dad, it will be a rocky road. And the Lightspeed powers were destroyed. Since they're not connected to the morphing grid, they can probably be repaired eventually, but that's much further down the road IF I decide to repair the Lightspeed morphers. :)
Harry2: Yep, it's the beginning for Billy and Kat. It will be slow, but it's coming. :) And prepare for those fireworks, because they start in this chapter. :)
TommyOliverMMPRFan: Oh, you're so right. Buckle up for this chapter, cause Vile, Gorbin, and Ooze are all up to absolutely no good. :)
fallingstar22: Thanks, I'm glad you liked the girls/guy night scenes. And the Billy/Kat scene of course. Yep, Hunter and Tori are engaged. Unfortunately, evil is up to no good, so hang onto your seat. :)
WideOpenSpacesGirl045" Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Yes, Tori has found out about her dad, but she has Hunter. Unfortunately, evil won't stay quiet for long. Prepare for lots of action to come. :)
Pinkrangerfan: Glad you enjoyed the proposal. Yes, unfortunately Tor's dad has made some poor decisions and it has to get worse before it gets better I'm afraid. :)
MMPRFansince93: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Hunter will be there for her, but there is Ooze and Vile who will complicate things. Read on to find out. :)
garnetred: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. To be honest, I had forgotten about the mention that Tori had a sister in the series. For the purpose of this story, I am omitting that and she is an only child. I could change my mind down the road, but the cast of this story is so massive that I doubt I will add her. But I have been known to change my mind. Time will tell. :)
JEMILYLOVER1234" Thanks! Glad you're enjoying the story. :)
Crimson Rising
Chapter 30: Has Our Time Run Out
Tell me, has our time run out?
Tell me, is there no hope now?
Tell me, will we make it out?
I don't wanna be let down
Tell me, has our time run out?
Nothing's safe, no requiem will ever bring you peace
Throw away the guilt makes you incomplete
Tell me, has our time run out?
Tell me, is there no hope now?
Tell me, will we make it out?
I don't wanna be let down
Tell me, has our time run out?
Song: Has Our Time Run Out
Artist: Eyeshine
Blake had the sensation he was falling and in response, he naturally jerked and awoke with a start. However, opening his eyes was a big mistake, as the sunlight was like knives stabbing his corneas.
"Oh man…what the hell…" he groaned.
"Dammit…that's the last time I try to keep up with Hunter," he grumbled, as he stumbled to the bathroom. Somehow Shane had managed to get up before him, though he remembered that the red ranger had just as much to drink as he did. After a quick shower, he dressed, and then stumbled down to the kitchen, before collapsing at the breakfast table in defeat.
"Good morning," Carly said cheerfully, as she walked in.
"Ugh…not so loud," he groaned.
"Aww…bad hangover, huh?" she asked.
"I feel like somebody used my head as a soccer ball," he complained.
"Sit tight and I'll make you my special cure for hangovers," she told him, as she started taking things out of the fridge.
"You have a cure for hangovers?" he asked.
"Does that surprise you?" she questioned.
"I guess not, you just don't seem like the type that is careless enough to get drunk a lot. You're way too smart for that, unlike me," he replied. She smiled.
"Thanks for the compliment, but even I've had one too many before. Unfortunately, when MIT students get drunk, missing classes can have some pretty harsh penalties, so we have to come up with ways to get over our hangovers faster," she explained, as she popped several ingredients into a blender and Blake groaned, covering his ears when she turned the contraption on to frappe the concoction.
"Sorry," she apologized for the noise, as she poured the sickly looking green liquid into a glass and set it before him.
"You expect me to drink this?" he asked eyeing the glass with disgust.
"It tastes about as good as it looks, but I promise it will cure your hangover," she replied. He sighed.
"Down the hatch I guess," Blake said, as he held his breath. There was a look of pure disgust on his face, as he drank the thick liquid.
"Ugh…that's not a taste I'll forget anytime soon," he groaned. She smiled.
"I hope that you don't think of this stuff now every time you think of me," Carly joked. Blake smiled.
"Trust me, green liquid is the last thing I think of when I think about you," he replied. She blushed.
"Charmer," she teased.
"I don't know what's in that stuff, but I think I already feel my head clearing," he mentioned. She smiled.
"Told ya," she replied, as she sat down with a bowl of cereal.
"So, my Uncle Z was telling me that the island has some pretty prime terrain for dirt biking. I was thinking about checking it out and I was wondering if you'd like to come?" he asked.
"I'd love to, but I've never done motocross or dirt biking before," she replied shyly. He smiled.
"My bike seats two," Blake replied. She smiled.
"Then I'd really love to," she said. He smiled.
"Perfect, I'll see you later then. Thanks too by the way, I feel a lot better," Blake said.
"You're welcome," Carly replied, as she watched him go with a smile on her face.
Ranger Ops
Conner held Kira's hand as they entered Ranger Ops and he really hoped the aspirin he took would kick in already.
"Well, well, if it isn't our fearless leader," Trent teased.
"Yeah, I guess we know why you're the T-Rex now," Ethan prompted. Conner rolled his eyes.
"And why is that?" he asked, taking the bait.
"Because you totally sing like one!" Ethan joked, as he and Trent laughed.
"Haha…so funny," Conner replied sarcastically.
"I mean it Kira, he was bad. He shredded your poor song," Ethan went on.
"I know, but he spent most of the night on the bathroom floor so I think he's suffered enough," Kira said, taking pity on the man she loved.
"Thanks babe," Conner replied.
"Never sing one of my songs again, Tyranno boy," Kira warned in a no nonsense tone.
"Yes ma'am," Conner obliged, as they gathered around to hear what had been learned so far.
Tori sat on the beach and watched the perfect swells in the ocean that seemed to be calling to her. But surfing in her state of mind would be too dangerous, for her mind was elsewhere. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice Olivia running up to her until the little girl was upon her. Tori managed a natural smile, as the chocolate haired bundle of energy put her tiny arms around Tori.
"Hi there Liv," she said.
"Tori, why are you sad?" Olivia asked, as she sat in Tori's lap. Aisha was watching nearby and she assumed that Rocky was inside with the others, learning of the situation.
"I just found out something that was kind of hard to hear, but it's nothing you have to worry about," she assured her.
"I'm gonna build you a sandcastle to make you feel better," Olivia jabbered, as she went to work just a few feet away in the sand, while Aisha sat down next to her.
"You look like you could use a shoulder," Aisha mentioned.
"My father is alive…" Tori said. Aisha's eyes widened.
"That's wonderful Tori," Aisha replied, but noticed the tears in the blonde's eyes.
"Isn't it?" she asked.
"He…he disappeared years ago and let us think he was dead so he could work for GAMA. He's been building zords to use against the invading aliens all these years. I think it's GAMA's goal to make rangers unnecessary," Tori said.
"Oh sweetie…" Aisha consoled the younger girl by stroking her blonde hair and leaning the girl's head on her shoulder.
"Why would he leave me…willingly?" Tori asked.
"Why is only going to make you angry, hon. There is going to be no answer that's a good enough reason to willingly leave your child behind. Whatever his reasons…I'm sure they were very misguided," Aisha replied.
"Olivia is so lucky to have you and Rocky as parents," Tori whispered.
"You'd never leave her," she added. Aisha smiled.
"Never willingly," Aisha assured, before looking at her.
"I know you want to hate him, but it's just not in your nature sweetie," Aisha told her.
"Then you think I should forgive him?" Tori asked.
"I didn't say that either. If you see him again, then hear him out, but he has to earn your forgiveness," Aisha advised, as she saw Hunter in the distance.
"But remember that no matter what, you are so loved and your ranger family has your back," Aisha reminded her, as she hugged her.
"I think someone else who loves you very much wants to make sure you're okay though," Aisha said, as she stood up and took Olivia inside with her. Hunter sat down beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. Tori put her head on his shoulder and they were silent for some time
"Dumb question, but are you okay?" he asked. She nodded and kissed him on the cheek.
"I'll be fine, I guess I just have questions," Tori replied.
"Of course and you deserve answers," Hunter told her, as her phone chimed for a second time in just a few minutes. Tori sighed and checked it again.
"Who is it?" he asked.
"It's my mom, she must be sober today, because she keeps texting me. She apparently has seen the news and wants to know if I'm okay," Tori replied.
"Maybe we should go check on her," he suggested. Tori shook her head.
"It's too risky and you have training," Tori replied.
"It's not too risky if I go with you and training can wait. If I lose a battle because I missed one day of training, then I wasn't going to win that battle anyway," he said. She sighed, as her phone chimed again and she rolled her eyes.
"I doubt she'll leave me alone until I go see her, so let's get this over with," Tori said, as they stood up and brushed the sand off.
"Hey Cam, can you teleport Tori and I somewhere secluded in Blue Bay?" Hunter asked into his phone.
"You sure that's a good idea?" the green samurai asked.
"We'll be fine. No one will see us if we ninja streak and Tori needs to check on her mom," Hunter replied.
"Okay…call me when you two are ready to come back," Cam replied, as a beam of teleportation swept them up in a streak of crimson and aqua blue.
Ranger Ops
"Damn…how is she?" Kim asked, after finding out about the Thunderzord wreckage and Tori's father's secret involvement.
"She's Tori, so I'm sure she'll be fine. She always is somehow," Cam replied.
"Hunter's with her so she'll be okay," Kelly reasoned.
"I'd sure like to give her dad a piece of my mind though. I mean, what the hell had to go through his mind to get him to leave his daughter to work for the government?" Shane asked angrily. Tommy shook his head.
"From what we've gathered from the files, Gorbin used the very fear that a bunch of kids were responsible for protecting the planet and let's face it, no one has much faith in teenagers to make the right life choices, much less protect the planet," Tommy interjected.
"He may have convinced most of these people that they were leaving their families for the "greater good" and probably failed to tell them that the weapons they would be building might someday be turned on not just aliens, but rangers and even humanity. Obviously Vile has had some kind of influence on Gorbin," Jason added.
"But before 1998, Gorbin did this all on his own. Vile's appearance only fast tracked his operation," Billy reminded.
"I found it!" Carly called from her computer terminal.
"Found what?" Blake asked.
"Arrest records…they have T.J., Cassie, Carlos, Justin, and Zack, just like you guys suspected," Carly reported.
"The Stone Canyon military base's prison is where they are. It shouldn't be too much trouble to break them out," Tommy suggested.
"Gorbin is going to be expecting this from us so he may be ready for it. We need to be careful," Trini reminded them wisely.
"Trini's right, the mission will be a lot like the one in D.C. so same team. We'll leave in an hour and everyone else will standby for backup," Jason ordered.
Blue Bay Harbor
Tori knocked on her mother's door and they waited a few moments, before it opened. Allison Hanson gasped in surprise and hugged her daughter tightly.
"Tori, I've been so worried!" Allison gushed.
"I'm fine Mom," Tori replied.
"Hunter…it's good to see you too," Allison greeted. He nodded curtly.
"Mrs. Hanson," he said politely.
"Please come in, both of you," Allison said, as she let them in.
"Your texts were pretty urgent," Tori mentioned, as she looked around her old house.
"There's something I need to tell you and I thought it should come from me first," Allison replied.
"Really? I guess it's a good thing we got here when we did. You've only finished one bottle today," Tori said bitterly, as she spotted an empty vodka bottle.
"Sweetheart, I really have been trying," Allison tried to explain.
"Trying would be checking yourself into rehab," Tori snapped.
"Well, I thought we were going to be civil, but I guess that ship has sailed. I guess I'll just come right out and tell you," Allison said.
"If you're going to tell me that dad is alive, don't bother…I already know," Tori replied. Allison was silent, as she sank onto the sofa.
"He came here looking for you," Allison told her.
"He wouldn't have to look if he had never left," Tori retorted.
"I never wanted to leave, Victoria. I was just doing what I believed I had to in order to protect you," a male voice said. Tori's head snapped toward the door, as Peter Hanson stood there.
"Don't call me that," Tori snapped. He had always called her Victoria and she hadn't let anyone call her that since the day he left.
"Just give me a chance to explain," Peter pleaded. She took a deep breath, as she felt Hunter's calming hand on her shoulder.
"Fine…explain," she replied. Peter looked at the tall young man beside her.
"This is a family matter, young man. Perhaps you could wait outside," he suggested. Tori clenched her teeth.
"Hunter is my family and he's not going anywhere," Tori refuted, as she laced her fingers with his. It was then that Peter noticed the ring on his daughter's finger.
"When I was called to the GAMA project, I was told that I would be protecting the planet by doing what I was doing…that I would be protecting you. I had no idea you would get mixed up in all this," he stated.
"Gorbin doesn't care about the planet. He only cares about power and you helped hand him that power. Like we don't have enough enemies to fight," Tori snapped.
"Tori…you don't belong fighting in this…you're going to get hurt," Peter stressed.
"I'm exactly where I belong, dad. You're the one on the wrong side," Tori responded.
"She's right sir, Gorbin serves the President and he's not the man everyone thinks he is. He's been taken over by an evil being that is hell bent on destroying this planet," Hunter added.
"Destroying this planet…or destroying you, Mr. Bradley?" Peter questioned, silencing him.
"Gorbin seems to think that if you would just leave this planet that you would take Ivan Ooze and whoever else with you," Peter said.
"Gorbin is wrong. Ivan Ooze wants to conquer the universe. He's already destroyed and captured several allied planets," Hunter retorted.
"I can't believe you would even suggest that Hunter leave! Earth is his home, as much as it is for any of us. He's the man I love and I'm sorry daddy, but if you think whatever zords you've managed to build will be able to defeat Ivan Ooze, then you're in for a big disappointment," Tori said fiercely.
"That remains to be seen, sweetheart and you must know that I'm only trying to protect you," Peter said, but he knew instantly that it was the wrong thing to say.
"Protect me?" Tori asked incredulously.
"PROTECT ME? Where the hell have you been for the last eight years?" Tori screamed, finally losing her temper. Hunter put his arms around her and tried to calm her down, which seemed to help a little.
"You have no right…" Tori said, her voice quivering, as she turned to her fiancé.
"I want to go," she told him. Hunter nodded and led her past her parents and outside the beach house.
"Tori wait…please!" Peter pleaded, as he and Allison followed them out. But they were met by the same obstacle as the two younger people. General Gorbin stood in their path, with the blue and black Overdrive rangers flanking him, and at least two dozen GAMA guardians, armed to the teeth.
"General…what are you doing here?" Peter questioned.
"Please Mr. Hanson, I had you followed of course. I knew you would seek out your daughter the first chance you got and I knew that would in turn lead me right to him," Gorbin said, as he pointed at Hunter.
"What do you want?" Hunter snapped impatiently.
"I think you know the answer to that, Mr. Bradley. The President is very interested in meeting you," Gorbin replied.
"Well, you can tell Master Vile or whatever he wants to call himself to go to hell," Hunter retorted. Gorbin simply chuckled, as the GAMA guardians raised their weapons. The crimson ninja willed his prized weapon into sight and it appeared in a scabbard on his back. He drew his blade and crimson flames parted a path for them through the men, who scampered away from the flames.
"If you think you can just use your powers to get out of every situation, Mr. Bradley, then you are sadly mistaken," Gorbin called. The two lovers were about to disappear into their Ninja streak, when Hunter heard the whine of a blaster powering up. He turned to see a peculiar purplish beam of energy barreling toward them. He saw it on line to hit Tori and stepped in front of her.
"Thunder Shield!" he called, as the amethyst colored shield shimmered to life before him. What he didn't expect at all was the blast completely nullifying his shield and hitting him head on. He cried out in pain, as he collapsed to the sand.
"HUNTER!" Tori screamed, as she dove beside him. The Phoenix saber crashed to the sand beside him and his eyes widened, as he willed his body to move, but it ceased to obey.
"Tori…run…" he choked out through clenched teeth, as he tried to figure out what was going on.
"What?" she questioned.
"Tor…I can't move. Something in that beam has paralyzed me…run!" he cried. But she shook her head and willed her morpher into sight.
"Not a chance," she said fiercely, as she raised her arm to the sky.
"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form!" she called, as her blue armor molded around her.
Ranger Ops
"Guys…we've got problems!" Cam called, as those remaining gathered around his terminal.
"Hunter's been hit with some kind of paralyzing beam. Tori needs backup," Cam said.
"Kira and Ethan, let's go!" Conner called.
"It's like the beam that hit Mack!" Andrew cried. Billy nodded.
"Looks that way," he agreed.
"Gorbin said they were going to try and make one to take down Hunter, but I didn't actually think they would be able to do it," Andrew said in disbelief.
"Let's get out there!" Billy called, as Kim, Rocky, and Trini followed. Zedd watched the monitor with an expression of anger.
"This is Vile's doing…patch me through to Dulcea!" he requested. Cam did so and the beautiful Ninjetti Master appeared on the screen.
Stone Canyon Military Base
Prison barracks
"Man…this is inhumane," Zack griped, as he shoved the bowl of what they were calling food away. Justin held the spoon of thick, paste like oatmeal and shook the spoon, before shoving it away as well.
"They didn't spare a drop of water for the oatmeal this morning," he complained.
"I'll eat whatever they want me to if they'll just let me see Cas," T.J. growled, as he shook the bars angrily.
"Calm down Teej…they'll just send another soldier in here to threaten us again if you don't keep it down," Carlos snapped in annoyance.
"I don't care…I'm sick of this! They have no right to keep us locked up!" T.J. said angrily.
"You think I don't know that?" Carlos challenged, as he and his best friend got in each other's faces.
"Guys, if you don't stop fighting, I'm not going to be able to get you out," an unfamiliar voice said. The four men looked at each other and then behind them outside the cell, only to find none other than Adam Park standing before them.
"Adam!" Justin cried, but he was swiftly shushed.
"You get the key, Tom?" Adam asked, seemingly to thin air.
"Not really, I may be invisible, but it was on the guard's belt. I think floating keys might have tipped him off," Tommy replied, as he appeared.
"But Billy gave me this and it's better," Tommy added, as he used a handheld laser tool to melt the lock.
"Man, you don't know how glad we are to see you guys," Zack whispered.
"We have to get Cassie out. She's in the women's prison block," T.J. whispered.
"The girls and Blake went after her. Trent and Jason are keeping watch, but they're going to know we're here really soon," Tommy whispered back, as his phone vibrated.
"Talk to me Tanya," he said.
"We've got Cassie, but they know we're here," Tanya said, as she sounded winded.
"Dammit…let's go," Tommy called, as they started down the corridor.
"STOP!" the guards called, as they gave chase.
"Cam…can you get us out of here?" Jason called, as they met up where the corridors met.
"Hang on…Tori and Hunter are under attack in Blue Bay Harbor. I'm teleporting the others there," Cam responded, as Blake and the girls, including Cassie, joined them. T.J. hugged his wife fiercely and she sighed in relief.
"Things just got worse in Blue Bay…Hunter's down," Cam reported.
"What do you mean Hunter is down?" Blake asked into the device.
"Some sort of ray hit him and it's paralyzed him. I'm sending the active rangers there and I'll bring the inactive ones back here. Stand by," Cam called.
"Freeze!" the guards called.
"Stego shield!" Kat called, as she blocked them from getting to them. It proved to be long enough, as they soon disappeared in streaks of light.
Blue Bay Harbor
Tori crouched in fighting stance in front of her prone lover, as Gorbin smirked smugly at her, proudly holding the device that he had used on the crimson ranger.
"What did you hit him with?" Tori demanded to know.
"A simple electro-ion wave. It is very similar to the one we used on the android ranger, only this one has been modified specifically to your lover's hybrid DNA. He carelessly left behind a blood sample when you escaped us outside the waterfall entrance to your old base," Gorbin explained triumphantly. Tori turned her helmeted head to her father and he could almost see his daughter's blue eyes glaring at him.
"Now step aside, blue ranger. He'll be coming with us," Gorbin stated.
"Over my dead body," Tori growled. Gorbin chuckled.
"Well, if you insist," he responded, as he motioned to his armed men to shoot. But before they could, purple lightning struck the sand, throwing all present off their feet. From the smoke, a tall, creature emerged. Since the day he had turned their lives upside down, he had yet to meet them face to face on the battlefield. But Tori knew without a doubt that the monster striding toward them was Ivan Ooze himself. He was flanked by his daughter and an unknown Burlot general. Hoards of Tengus and Burmites swarmed around them. Several GAMA guardians cried out in agony, as the Burlot general pierced them with its tail and fed on them. Will and Dax were immediately occupied by the Tengu warriors, who were proving their worth as foot soldiers, while Tori continued to stand strong before her beloved.
"Greetings blue wind ranger. We haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet, but I am Ivan Ooze," the purple being stated. Hunter struggled with all his might to overcome the paralysis, but to no avail.
"You're uglier than I expected," she spat back. He chuckled.
"Too kind…" Ivan joked, as he looked down at the blonde laying the sand, his eyes glowing purple.
"Son of Zander…at last we meet too. I am very much looking forward to making you suffer," Ivan promised. Tori sunk into a defensive stance and waited for the being or his daughter to make a move.
"Toxa…" Ivan motioned. The female creature raised her blade, challenging Tori, who called her Dolphin blades.
"I'm going to gut you like the fish you are, little girl," Toxa promised.
"Dolphins are mammals, not fish, stupid," Tori snapped. Toxa growled and charged at her.
Ranger Ops
"Dammit…how could I have been so careless?!" Zedd exclaimed, as he and Cam observed the confrontation and heard how Gorbin's scientists had managed to use Hunter's DNA to build a weapon that would be ultimately very effective.
"We couldn't have known he would have gone so far as to have his forensics team dig Hunter's blood out of the dirt," Cam reminded him.
"If Ivan Ooze is there, then Hunter and Tori are in mortal danger if he cannot access his Phoenix saber," Dulcea said, her voice near frantic.
"We're sending the others. What else can we do? It could take hours to come up with something to reverse the paralysis of that blast," Cam said.
"There is a way…magic can nullify the blast," Dulcea suggested.
"Magic…but I thought Rita's magic was drained by the final battle with the Mystics?" Cam questioned.
"It sadly was. Nick and Maddie are still traveling to locate Udonna and Lianbow," Rita said sadly.
"Except she's talking about my magic," Zedd replied.
"I thought you lost your magic when Zordon's wave hit?" Hayley asked.
"No, I renounced magic when Zordon gave me a second chance. Power corrupted me once and I wasn't about to let it happen again," Zedd replied.
"Zedd…you are a different person now. Power won't corrupt you, because you have love in your heart. But if you don't do something, my son's fate will be the same as my husband's," Dulcea pleaded. Zedd glanced at the other screen and saw his nephew struggling to will his body to move. He flinched and his jaw clenched in anger.
"All right…you have my staff?" Zedd relented. Dulcea smiled, as a long, silver staff appeared in his hand.
"I know it has a lot of bad memories, but use it this time to save Hunter," Dulcea pleaded, as something else appeared in his hand.
"And keep this in case you need it. After all, it was originally yours and Tommy will understand," Dulcea said, as the green Dragon dagger gleamed brilliantly in his hand.
"The green coin was originally yours?" Hayley asked in surprise.
"Yes, like Blake, I have the Ninjetti spirit of the dragon. Long ago, I tainted the coin when I turned evil and am nearly solely responsible for Tommy's stint as the evil green ranger," Zedd confessed.
"And the only one that's still blaming you is you," Cam reminded. Zedd allowed himself a small smile.
"Can you teleport me to Blue Bay Harbor?" Zedd asked.
"Yes and I'm going with you," Cam replied, as his amulet became full sized.
"Samurai Storm, Ranger Form!" he called, as his green armor molded around him and the two of them disappeared in twin green streaks of teleportation.