Power Rangers: Public Enemies

Chapter 18: A lot of talking. Too much, maybe

Mack and Rose held each other tightly. As Mack observed Rose sleeping, his mind tried to make sense of what he had seen that day.

"H.E.L… shit…" Mack's mind raced. "I helped the Government do this. I HELPED the Government do this…"

Mack looks at Rose. She is fully asleep. He touches her soft, copper colored skin. He had to admit to himself, she looked so beautiful. He smiles, remembering the happier times. Then he silently laughs to himself, remembering that, during those times, he was a robot. He gets up, grabs his pants and puts them on. As he puts his shirt back on, he looks at Rose, one more time. He didn't want to leave her again. But he knew, this was something he needed to do.

"Chad had to do it, because he was a Government issued Ranger. Taylor had to do it, because she is a member of the US Armed Forces. What's my excuse?" Mack goes down the stairs. "I did it all on my own free will. I am the only one guilty of treason. I HAVE to do this…alone."

Mack opens the door, grabs his morpher, and goes down to the basement. He turns on the lights, standing atop Operation Overdrive's Zord hangar. He descends the stairs, walking towards Sonic Streak. He climbs the Zord, gets in, and turns it on. He starts flying the Zord, last of the OO Zords to still work.

Spencer held Rose, as she watches Mack leave without saying a word. Between the two of them, there was this silent understanding. He had to go. Both knew that.

Meanwhile…

Jason sat on the grass, watching the camp fire burn. He looks to his side, and sees Ethan, still awake.

"Can't sleep?" Jason stirs the cinders. "Have a big day tomorrow."

"Understatement of the century." Ethan does not look at anyone, choosing to stare at his Morpher. "Blood…"

"What?" Jason looks at Ethan's Morpher.

"I…see blood. Jason… I killed them…" Ethan's eyes start to water. "I killed someone."

"I see. Yet you never had a problem killing monsters?" Jason keeps stirring the cinders.

"No… I mean… those monsters we killed…they always…" Ethan's eyes started to dart around, searching for something to keep his gaze away from the Morpher. "I… don't know."

"You don't know what?" Jason sits up straight, and looks at Ethan.

"The difference… is there a difference between Monsters and humans?' Ethan looks at his Morpher again.

"Yes." Jason stands up, and dusts his pants. "And I think you know it too."

"Monster terrorize people…hurt them…" Ethan buries his face in his hands. "But… so do soldiers."

"Huh?" Jason is taken aback.

"Soldiers…go in and kill people. That's their job. To kill. Their tools are tools of murder…" Ethan glances at his Morpher. "So… I don't know… maybe they are not so different from Monsters."

"Soldiers are people too. There's your difference." Jason says with utmost certainty. "Soldiers aren't faceless troops. They are people. People doing a job they signed up for. People with hopes and dreams, histories, families. The monsters we've fought before never had that."

"I wonder who it was I killed…what their names were…" Ethan starts to cry.

"Ethan…" Jason sits down next to him.

"I'm not sure of anything anymore." Ethan dries his tears. "Except for one thing. I hope never to kill again."

In a chapel in Wisconsin…

"Oh… I SAW the mountain road ahead of me! And I saw how poisonous snakes and deadly scorpions HINDERED my way!" the old preacher is on fire. "But I KNEW! I had faith that the lord JESUS was there with me!

"Preach it, father!" The old lady in the wooden bench yells out.

"I knew the LORD was there for me. As I kept the faith on Him, He stood by me during those turbulent times." The choir sings at this moment, giving the frail preacher time to catch his breath. "Now, brothers and sisters, I know we are going through a turbulent time right now. We have placed our faith in men."

"That George Sears was good at making promises, but not so good at keeping them!" A young girl shouts out.

"Brothers and sisters, George Sears is nothing more than another chapter in our latest trend. Putting our faith in man. It says so, right here in the Good Book in Mathew 5:19-23 'For the Man who places his faith in his fellow man is a FOOL! For he who places his faith in his fellow man places his faith in the works of sinners. But he who places his faith in the Lord, my Father, shall be the only one who shall NOT be disappointed!' It's right here! It's in the Bible! The Lord does not tell lies!" The old preacher takes a drink of water, as the choir sings.

"Now, brothers and sisters, allow me to get to the point. We have, since the year 1993, been placing our faith, in the hands of men. Yes, brothers and sisters, we have placed our faith in the Power Rangers. For 18 years, we have placed our faith in the hands of men. We STOPPED praising the lord, and began to praise MEN. Our prayers became directed to FLAWED men, SINFUL men. Powerful men? No. The Bible says, in the good book of Elijah 14:33-34, that no man on Earth is powerful, for all power comes from God." The old preacher begins slamming his fist into his podium. "And what has prayers to men given us? What has worshiping fellow sinners wrought us? 2010. Yes, 2010 was a punishment from our God, almighty! America has strayed too far from the righteous path! Now, we still face His righteous punishment. But! We STILL have a chance to repent. Now, brothers and sisters, we shall begin to pray, for the good of our nation. Pray for George Sears' punishment, for the banishment of the Power Rangers into the pits of Hell. And most of all, brothers and sisters, pray for America."

In the flowered fields of Corinth…

Ashley stared at the full moon. She holds in her hand the Yellow crystal of Gaia.

"I think there's only one of these left out there." Ashley thinks to herself. "Jesus, the moon looks beautiful. Maybe Andros and I can come over here next full moon."

Ashley gets up, puts the Crystal in her pocket, and presses a button on her communicator.

"Hey!" Justin runs up to Ashley. "Sorry I'm late."

"What took you?" Ashley bops him on the shoulder. "Come on, we need to get going. I already signaled the ship to come get us."

"Sorry…just needed to grab Alpha." Justin signals to the little robot behind him. Alpha runs as fats as he can towards the two former Rangers.

"Hey, did Alpha grow taller?" Ashley giggles.

"Ay yi yi, you think so?" Alpha's voice is hopeful. That was when the Megaship Mark 3 arrived…