Power Rangers: Public Enemies
Chapter 4: Those that cooperate with the authorities
"So, why did you register?"-Hunter asks his brother, Blake.
"I just felt that, you know, I couldn't risk my career like that, you know?"-says Blake.
"Still… I don't think many Rangers have registered just yet,"-says Hunter.
"Remember, many of them have nothing to lose,"-says Blake- "Not like I did."
"Yeah,"-says Hunter- "You've been working your butt off to get your motocross career to where it is today. I can't blame ya for being a bit protective of it."
"I feel like I did the right thing, you know?"-Blake says, staring at his soda- "I mean… It's not like…"
"Listen… don't hesitate, ok?"-says Hunter- "It's not like people hate the Power Rangers THAT much!"
"I'm actually surprised they feel that way,"-says Blake- "I mean… how many times have we saved the world?"
"Yeah… remember how we handled that big ass demon?'-Hunter shudders at the memory…
"It's too powerful!"-Mack says- "We need more backup!"
Baal claws away at the Konga Zord, whilst the Zeo Megazord tried to slash away the demon's arms. That was when Titanus arrived, and fired away at Baal.
"Shit!"-says Hunter, piloting the Thunder Megazord (Ninja Storm version)- "Man, six Megazords just aren't enough for this thing!"
"Don't worry guys, help is on the way!"-Justin says, arriving with the Rescue Megazord. He is followed by the Predazord, the Shogun Megazord, and Tor…
"Man, that was hell…"-Hunter says, sighing.
"It was a miracle we managed to beat that thing…"-says Blake.
"Yeah…"-Hunter lays back on his chair. The waitress brings them another soda- "Hey, she's kinda cute, don't you think?"
"Yeah,"-Blake smiles slightly- "Hey, you hear what happened at Crystal Waves?"
"No, where's that?"-asks Hunter.
"Over at Georgia. Cleanest beach town in the state,"-says Blake- "It has its own team of Rangers."
"And you're bringing this up… why?'-asks Hunter.
"I've seen their Red Ranger,"-Blake smiles slyly- "And she is SO fine!"
"Ah!"-Hunter smiles- "So… you gonna try to date a Red?"
"Not so loud!"-Blake chastises his brother- "People might hear us."
"Yeah,"-Hunter looks around him in suspicion- "Being a Ranger ain't what it used to be…"
Over at Stone Canyon…
Rocky, Aisha, Billy and Adam were drinking coffee at Kimberly's house. Kimberly sighs.
"Man, I hated having to do that,"-Kimberly says- "But I have two kids to think about."
"It's not like they would have arrested you, Kim,"-says Aisha- "I mean, the Government would NEVER do that!"
"Aisha's right, Kim,"-says Rocky- "I mean, how's the Government gonna arrest you, if no one knows who you are?"
"It's not that simple,"-says Billy- "Remember, the Overdrive Rangers know of our identities. So do the Lightspeed Rangers. Public opinion on the Power Rangers is at an all time low. Combine that with the fact that everyone knows who the Lightspeed and Overdrive Rangers are. With the right circumstances, the Government will have no less than twelve informants who can give away, at the very least, the names of every Ranger that's ever lived, up to this very date."
"No way! Once a Ranger, always a Ranger!"-says Rocky- "They would NEVER sell us out!"
"Loyalties are not what we should worry about,"-says Billy- "Those Overdrive Rangers, especially, worry me. Most of them, unlike us, have lives that can be adversely affected by the public's low opinion of the Power Rangers."
"I know that!"-says Rocky- "What I mean is… you know, uh…"
"I know it's hard to accept the idea… but we have to be prepared,"-says Billy- "For that very reason, I registered."
"Maybe, we should register too,"-says Aisha- "I mean… I'd rather not be sold out."
"Don't worry, Aisha,"-says Kimberly- "I doubt the Overdrive Rangers would do that. Much less the Lightspeed."
"Why not the Lightspeed?"-asks Billy.
"Because they've always been professional about their duties,"-says Kimberly- "And besides, they've been public servants before they were Rangers, and continued to be after they were Rangers. It'd be hard to antagonize them."
"Not so with the Overdrive Rangers,"-says Billy- "It'd be easy to make them appear as traitors if they don't cooperate with the Government."
"Shit…"-is all Rocky can say, as the reality of the situation finally sinks in- "I never thought I'd miss the days we fought King Mondo."
"Back then, the world was so black and white,"-says Billy- "These days, there's only room for gray areas."
Rocky sighs, and leans back on his chair. Kimberly takes a sip of her coffee. She puts it down.
"At least it's a step up from last year,"-Kimberly looks away, not noticing how just mentioning the previous year has made Rocky and Aisha shudder.
"Last year was hell,"-says Billy. He thinks back to a certain event that had happened the previous year…
"Everybody, return to your tents, immediately!"-the police yelled via the megaphones. The riot squad was fully equipped with anti-rioting gear, and were spreading pepper spray all over the rioters, in hopes of quelling the disturbance. No such luck, as many people began to throw garbage at the police.
"Return to your tents! Or we will open fire!"-the officer warns. The warning falls on deaf ears.
"Mother fuckers! Who the hell's paying ya!"-yells a rioter. He takes an incendiary lights it on fire, then throws it at the police. The incendiary explodes, injuring a pair of cops. That was when Billy and Carlos, fully morphed, arrived on the scene.
"Return to your tents. Final warning,"-Billy says in a cold tone of voice. Carlos, who was right beside him, seemed rather nervous.
"Fuck you!"-a rioter throws a rock at the Blue Ranger. Billy grabs the rock, and crushes it in his gloved hand. He sends his gaze towards the rioter, takes out his blaster, and fires a shot at the ground in front of the rioter.
"You jerk! Look, he's using excessive force!"-yells yet another rioter. Suddenly, all the rioters began to chant "We're not criminals, we're people!"
The rioters began to push themselves towards the police, preparing to tear them apart. The police picked up their guns…
On that day, Billy and Carlos became eye witnesses to what would later be called the Turtle Cove Massacre of 2010.
"The memory of 2010 is fresh on a lot of people's minds,"-says Billy- "And so long as anyone can be faulted for what happened back then, they will suffer. Big time."
Over in Reefside…
"So, Tommy,"-Hayley didn't need to continue. Tommy nods his head, answering the unasked question.
"Why?"-she asks out of curiosity. Tommy sighs, and leans back on his chair.
"Because it's the least we could do,"-he says- "Last year, we crossed the line…"
"What the hell did you do!"-asks one of the thirteen men who, just five seconds ago, were fighting over a bottle of medicine.
"You heard me!"-Tommy, decked out in his Black Ranger suit, fueled by an unspeakable rage- "Get back to your homes NOW!"
The twelve remaining men run off, leaving the medicine behind. As Tommy steps on top of the corpse of the man he just killed, he kneels down, and inspects the original holder of the medicine for any signs of life.
"She's still breathing,"-Tommy lets out a sigh of relief. He picks up the little girl, who was now holding the medicine, and says- "Come on, your baby sister needs that."
The horror of what he had done did not even come across his mind until he saw that the little girl was finally safe in her home. He had killed a man…
"These hands of mine, Hayley, they're stained,"-Tommy says- "And… I know giving up my Morphers isn't gonna clean them, but… it's a start for me. I want to believe it's a start for me…"
Over at Crystal Waves…
"Ah, Jason. Isn't the beach so romantic?"-asks the red headed girl in the red tankini*.
"…Yeah… sure,"-Jason responds, feeling somewhat uncomfortable being flirted with by a nineteen year old girl- "Bella, I told you, call me Mr. Scott…"
"Sorry Jason… I mean Mr. Scott,"-Bella responds. She sighs, and allows her naturally wavy red hair to flow with the ocean's breeze.
"We… we registered,"-she says nervously.
"Why?"-Jason seems shocked.
"Blaise said he had a vision. He saw soldiers coming over to our houses,"-she says- "They would then arrest us. We… registered to avoid that."
"Jason!"-a voice echoes in Jason's head- "You and I know, not one of Blaise' visions has failed to come to pass."
"I know, Echo,"-Jason mentally responds- "But we can't let the Rangers panic. Who knows? This might be the one time Blaise has got it wrong…"
"Let us hope so,"-replies Echo, the Mentor of the Power Rangers of Mu. He's also a psychic dolphin that is scarlet in color, and the last survivor of the ancient civilization of Lemuria.
"Jason? You look like you've seen a ghost. Did Echo contact you?"-Bella asks.
"Yeah, he did, but don't worry,"-Jason says- "Everything's going to be fine."
"Yeah right,"-Bella sighs- "At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if the Devil Diver showed up again…"
Over at Karol's café in downtown San Angeles…
"So… did you get it?"-asks a man reading a newspaper.
"Yep, the first,"-responds a man reading a magazine. He sat right behind the man reading a newspaper.
"The first of six… good,"-responds the man reading a newspaper- "So, his approval ratings are going up, right?"
"He has a 71% approval rating. Highest of this century, highest of any president since Franklin Roosevelt."-responds the magazine man.
"And the Rangers?"-asks the newspaper man.
"The latest poll is in. 21% say they are innocent. 34% believe them to be guilty. The rest is unsure."-the magazine man.
"I see… This plan cannot fail,"-the man reading the newspaper gets up, folds his newspaper, and leaves.
The man reading the magazine crumples it, and says- "America does not deserve heroes."