Power Rangers: Public Enemies
Chapter 10: The meaning of the word Hero
Jason was directing Arthur and Kenneth on how to make a bonfire. The Power Rangers of Mu were hiding in the Alabama countryside, in order to avoid any detection by the military. As the sun set in the sky, Blaise and Wind held each other in a loving embrace.
"Forgive me, Wind. If not for I, we would not be in this predicament."
"Why do you always use those fancy words? I told you, talk simply." Wind places her fingers on his lips, shushing him. Bella looks at Jason, then sighs in defeat.
"Bella, forgive me. I ruined your birthday." Blaise looks at Bella apologetically.
"Blaise… I wouldn't have gotten what I wanted anyway. Don't worry about it." Bella turns her gaze towards her teammate, then smiles. "It's ok. You didn't do anything."
"It's a long road ahead. The closest way to get to the Magic Nexus is to go to Briarwood." Jason gets up, and dusts his hands. "We have a very, very long road ahead of us. And we gotta go incognito."
"Shit…" Arthur wipes the sweat off his brow. "This shit is fucked up."
"I know." Kenneth keeps moving the burning branches, keeping the fire going. "But it beats the alternative."
"Something's been bothering me. Why were you allowed to keep your morphers?" Jason asks the five young adults.
"I guess it's because we're the latest team of Rangers." says Arthur. "I mean, it makes sense to me."
"But when I think about it, it doesn't make a lick of sense." Wind lets go of Blaise, and walks over to the fire. "After all… how does being the latest Ranger team make us any different from the rest?"
"Yeah, and it's not like we're unimportant." Arthur smirks. "We saved the world from getting flooded!"
"Yeah… I miss those good old days…" Bella lays on her back, thinking back to a happier time…
"Observe! Chac Mol has arisen to flood this filthy world!" The Devil Diver raises his hands in triumph, as his diving suit gets soaked by the pouring rains brought upon by the disturbed Rain God. "Yahweh once drowned this world in water, sparing only 8 humans. I do things differently. I shall spare no one."
Lightning illuminates the cloud filled sky, as rains pour down to drown the Planet. Several maelstroms form around the waters of Miami. A tidal wave, three stories high comes crashing down on the shores, drowning the tent city that had formed in what was once a tourist's location. The waters keep rising, overtaking the asphalt roads and low income neighborhoods. Hundreds lay on their rooftops, looking on with fear as their beloved homes drown in a sea of rainwater. The rain keeps increasing with intensity. The raindrops are starting to hurt.
"Who the hell are you to talk about drowning the world!" Bella, fully morphed, stands against the villainous Diver. "What gives you the right! You didn't create this world! Mankind's lived for thousands of years before you were born!"
"Mankind's lived for too long. I was born to destroy it. Don't you see? Rita, Zedd, the Machine Empire, the Orgs, all of them were brought here by God to put an end to the human race. Their constant defeat has bought humanity some undeserved time. But here I am." Devil Diver removes his helmet, allowing the stinging rain to drench his face. "I am Jebediah Isaiah Triptikas. I have seen the abyss for which mankind has been destined. I have been given this mission, from God Himself, to fix His mistake. I have been assigned to avenge his murdered Son, to drown the sheep undeserving of the Messiah!"
"Is that it! Is that all you've got to say!" Bella readies her Dolphin Bow, and aims at Devil Diver's face. "You weren't given any mission from God. You chose to flood the Earth. That was your choice, the choice you made as a being with free will. And this, this is my choice! I choose to save mankind! I choose the future! For the children yet born! Today is the first day of the rest of humanity!"
Bella was snapped out of her reminiscing by Arthur's constant babbling. She looks up at the stars, nostalgic for the good old days…
Earlier that day, on a cemetery in Alabama…
"This it?" Lieutenant Lionel Smash looks on at the grave. It read: 'Here Lies the Power Ranger, John Hill'.
"Yes, son. This is the grave of America's finest hero." Says Colonel John Smash, retired soldier. "Forty years ago, give or take, this man flew a rocket into space. He saved the Earth at the cost of his life."
"So, why are we here?" asks the young Lieutenant. "And why did you bring that tape recorder, grandpa?"
"Oh, this is to play a tape that an old friend kept safe for me." The old soldier smiles. "For over forty years, Russia has kept this tape under lock and key. State property, they said it was. But now, they said I could keep it."
"What does that tape contain?' Lieutenant Smash is eager to learn the truth. "Nuclear codes?"
"The last words spoken by John Hill and Yuri Sergevich Patlov to this sinful Earth." John Smash's old, wrinkled face is moistened by his tears. The ninety year old man looks on with delight at what he holds in his hands. He plays the tape…
At around noon, this happened at the Military Base in Stone Canyon…
"I hate the idea." Mack was speaking to himself. He paces across the room, uncertain of his actions.
"Sit down." Taylor's voice sounds rather commanding. It is the tone that is most fitting to an Army General.
"I'm sorry." Mack sits down. He is sweating bullets.
"Go home." Taylor commands.
"No! Please… I need to do this." Mack stands up again.
"You're just some rich kid. You don't have any idea what the difference is between what you want to do and what you have to do." Taylor's aura exudes authority
"No! I have to catch these…" Mack's nerve breaks down under Taylor's glare. However, he composes himself again. "If I don't help in catching these rogue Rangers, then my teammates…"
"Cut the crap." Taylor stands up, and looms over the Red Overdrive Ranger. "Are you really willing to sacrifice six Rangers for the sake of three?"
"What about you! Why the hell are you trying so hard to catch them?" Mack immediately regretted those words.
"LDRSHIP. The virtues of the US Armed Forces." Taylor looks out the window. "L stands for Loyalty. D for Duty. R for Respect. S is for Selfless service. H is for Honor. I is for Integrity. And P is for Personal courage."
"So… what does that…" Mack looks at Taylor, curious about where she was going with this.
" I am a member of the US Armed Forces, and I was a member of the Armed Forces long before I was a Power Ranger. I took an oath, kid. And I will live to keep that oath, for the rest of my life."
"So… you took the oath to serve your country. Whatever they ask of you, you do, right? Ask not and all that?"
"Yes, Mack. My Country, Right or Wrong." Taylor breathes in, then exhales.
"Hey, got some news." Chad enters the room. "We have until the day after tomorrow to find them. If we don't get them by then, we will be relieved."
"I see." Taylor rubs her temple.
"Wait, what! Then we have to hurry!" Mack is horrified.
"Bob Parker." Taylor speaks the name without looking at anyone. Mack looks at her quizzically.
"Who?" Mack asks.
"Remember Osama bin Laden?" Taylor looks at Mack, directing the question to him.
"Yeah, the guy behind 9/11."
"Back in 2004, around June if I recall, bin Laden was caught. Bob Parker was the guy who risked life and limb to catch that asshole." Taylor smiles at the memory of the man.
"Wow…" Mack is embarrassed to have forgotten that man.
"In July of 2004, Bob became a household name. In 2005, he was America's number one hero. By 2006, his discharge received minimal media coverage. By 2008, Bob lived a quiet life, away from the pubic eye. In 2009, Bob's home was seized by the Bank. He killed himself last year, broken and penniless." Taylor's smile had long since disappeared during the narration of this tale.
"Reminds me of Alan Turing…" Chad leans against the wall. He's in deep thought.
"Wow…" Mack reflects on what he's learned.
"Excuse me, we found them." A young soldier hands Taylor a paper with some directions.
Returning to the present time, it is night time. In an old home in Alabama, Lt. Smash and his grandfather speak about the recording.
"I suppose it's better that those words were never heard, grandpa. Considering the political climate, such words would have been unacceptable." Lionel says, drinking a glass of milk.
"No son. These words needed to be heard. They still need to be heard." says John, his wrinkled face in tears. Jason and Bella enter the kitchen.
"Thanks for taking us in, great uncle Smash." Bella kisses her great uncle. Yes, John Smash is the uncle of Bella's mother.
"Bella, get your little friends in here. I need the six of you to listen to this." John wipes away his tears. Lionel looks at the Rangers nervously.
The Rangers gather around John's chair. John presses play…