Back in Time
Chapter 29
"What's going on?" Trini asked as she walked down the stairs into the Dino Lab, Zach, Adam and Billy behind him.
"Mesagog took Kim." Jason said, watching Billy take Tommy's seat in front of the computers.
"What? Why?" Zach asked.
"We don't know yet." Conner said. He was about to continue when a voice interrupted him.
"I do." They all turned to look at Kira who had taken up her usual perch on the rock in the wall. "Well isn't it obvious? Zeltrax saw Kim and Tommy together in the past. He knew they were a couple. And since she's here now, he probably assumes that they're still together." The room was silent for a moment before Tommy sighed.
"He took her to get to me." He muttered, running a hand through his hair.
"But you're with Kira, not Kim." Conner said, making Kira laugh slightly.
"You guys didn't even know that until yesterday. There's no chance that Zeltrax and Elsa would suspect that." She said, making them frown. "As far as they are concerned, Tommy would do anything to get Kim back." Tommy could hear the slight bitterness to her voice, and by the look Conner was giving her, so could he.
"It makes sense." Trini said. "I mean, remember all the times Rita and Zedd used to kidnap Kim as bait for Tommy? If Zedd told Zeltrax about that while he was in the past, then maybe he assumed it'd have a similar result now."
"So what's the plan?" Ethan asked, breaking the slight tension in the room. "Obviously we can't leave her there, so how do we get her back?"
"And remember, your 2 hour rule does not apply here." Jason said, making Conner smirk slightly.
"They must have a plan. Surely they wouldn't just take Kim without thinking it through, would they?" Billy asked, making the Dino Thunder rangers share looks.
"It wouldn't be the first time they haven't thought a plan all the way through." Trent said. "If you can find a portal, I could get onto the Island and get her back."
"You're not serious, are you?" Adam asked. "Even Rocky wasn't stupid enough to go into the enemy's base, and that's saying something."
"Wouldn't be the first time." Kira said, making the former rangers look at her in shock. "They took me there when they kidnapped me, and Conner, Ethan and I went through a portal when they took Tommy."
"It's not a bad idea. But you're not going alone, Trent." Conner said before looking at Billy. "Think you could find us a portal?"
"I'll do my best." He replied, turning to the computer and typing away.
"Should we call Hayley?" Conner asked, looking at Tommy.
"No. She'll be busy at the café. We'll call her if we need her, but let's not disturb her yet." He replied.
"Right, I'm getting energy spikes in two different locations. They might be portals." Billy said, showing them the map on the screen with two flashing dots. "One downtown, and one in the forest."
"Right. Looks like we'll have to split up." Conner said, looking at his team. "Dr O, Trent and Ethan, you guys take the one in the forest. Kira, we'll go downtown. Take the raptors."
They all lined up and morphed. Tommy opened the door into the tunnel as Ethan smirked from behind his helmet at the former Rangers. "You guys are gonna love this," Ethan commented as Tommy whistled into the tunnel. The former rangers frowned at the sound of running footsteps from the tunnel, before 4 raptors ran into the room, making them all gasp in shock.
"Woah, easy!" Kira called as she grabbed the yellow raptor and gave it a quick stroke. "Let's saddle up." They quickly got the saddles and reins on their raptors before mounting them, Trent climbing on the blue raptor behind Ethan.
"Let's go." Conner said and they left, the former rangers watching with open mouths.
"Were they riding live raptors?" Zach asked, breaking the silence.
"I think so." Billy replied.
"Man, I wish we had those." Adam commented, making them laugh.
In downtown Reefside, Kira and Conner reached the energy spike location and climbed off their raptors, sending them away.
"What exactly are we looking for?" Kira asked as they began searching the area.
"I'm not sure. Anything that looks like a portal I guess." Conner replied, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. "You alright?"
"Fine. Nothing hurting." She replied, making Conner roll his eyes.
"As nice as that is to hear, that's not what I meant." He said. "You sounded a bit angry back there. Anything you want to talk about?"
"Nope." She said, her voice slightly sharp.
"Are you sure? Because it sounded like you were pissed off at the idea that Elsa took Kim to get back at Dr O." He said, making her sigh slightly.
"I don't want anyone to be held hostage by that lot." She said, her voice slightly softer than it was before. "But you heard Trini. Kim always got kidnapped and Tommy always went running after her. I don't care that he's trying to find her now, because I want to get her away from those psychos too. But I can't be that for him. I'm not some damsel in distress for him to come and rescue."
"Good." Conner said, making her frown as she looked at him. "Because I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be together now if you were. Kira, you're strong, determined and feisty. And I'm pretty sure that's what Dr O likes about you, because that is who you have been since the beginning of all of this, and that is the person he started dating. Not some helpless little girl, but a bloody scary Yellow Ranger." He said with a laugh, making her slap his arm lightly.
"Right, enough emotional rubbish. Let's get to work." Kira said, turning away from the Red Ranger. "The sooner we find that portal, the sooner we find Kim."
"I'm right here." They both spun around to see Kim behind them, looking slightly dishevelled.
"Kim! Are you alright?" Conner asked, frowning slightly at the expression on her face.
"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?" She asked as Kira went over to her.
"We have to get you back to the lab." She said, relieved to have found the former Pink Ranger. "How did you get away?"
"I didn't." She replied, making Kira and Conner freeze. Kira looked and saw the red in Kim's eyes, and the sickly smile on her face. "He freed me."
"Kim?" Conner asked in a wary voice. Suddenly, Kim shifted and kicked Kira in the chest, sending the Yellow Ranger flying backward and into a wall, knocking her out of morph as she hit the floor.
"Oof." She gasped as she felt searing pain in her ribs.
"Kira!" Conner called, running over to his teammate and helping her stand up. "Kim! We're you're friends!"
"No. You are in my way." She snapped, turning and walking away. "Tell Tommy that I can't wait to see him again." They watched her turn the corner before Conner whistled, calling the raptors back to them.
"Are you alright to ride?" He asked, a nod all he needed before helping her onto her raptor. He raised his morpher to his mouth as he climbed onto his own raptor. "Dr O, you guys need to get straight back to the lab! Now!" He said before the two rode back towards the cave entrance, both wondering what had happened.
Xxx
Tommy paced the lab slowly, waiting for Conner and Kira to show up. He had listened to Conner and he, Ethan and Trent had all returned to the lab as quickly as they could, although none of them knew why.
"Anything Billy?" Tommy asked, looking at the former Blue Ranger that was scouring he cameras downtown for any sign of them.
"Not yet." He replied. Tommy was about to say more, only to spin around at the sound of the cave door opening. He breathed a sigh of relief, which got stuck in his throat when he saw Conner helping the limping Kira into the lab.
"Kira! What happened?" Tommy asked, rushing over and helping Conner get Kira on the bed as the others crowded round.
"She kicks damn hard." Kira mumbled, holding her ribs as she looked at the others with a wry smile. "We found Kim."
"You did? Where is she?" Trini asked, looking around as if she had missed her walking in.
"Probably kicking someone else's ribs in." Kira ground out, making everyone freeze.
"Kim hurt you?" Tommy asked, making Kira nod as Ethan grabbed the scanner.
"Something wasn't right with her." Conner said, frowning slightly. "She said Mesagog freed her, and that we were in her way. And there's no way she should have been able to kick Kira in the chest hard enough for her to fly into a building and be knocked out of morph."
"Did she say anything else?" Jason asked, making Kira and Conner share a worried look before looking at Tommy.
"She said to tell Tommy she can't wait to see him." Kira said, making Tommy frown before closing his eyes.
"Please don't tell me that she's evil again." He groaned.
"Sorry mate, but that's how it looks." Adam said with a sigh. "Man, let's hope she's not Maligore evil again. That was beyond scary."
"Well, Mesagog obviously did something to her. And from that bloody kick, he's obviously given her some extra strength." Kira said from where she was sat as Ethan finished scanning her.
"Nothing broken." He said, putting the scanner. "But you may want to be careful. That's 2 injuries you've had to your ribs in 3 days."
"Alright, next bad guy we fight, I'll ask them nicely if they can just avoid the ribs." She grumbled, jumping off the bed, only for Tommy to catch her as she lost balance.
"You may have hit your head as well." Ethan called, making her grumble more as Tommy helped her sit down on the sofa. "So, what are we going to do?"
"We need to find a way to scan Kim and figure out what happened." Billy said, walking to the computers.
"And how are we going to do that?" Zach asked, making Tommy frown.
"You are not going to do anything." He said, making the former rangers frown.
"She's our friend." Adam said.
"And you're not rangers anymore." He retorted. "She's got enough strength to knock Kira out of morph. Do you really think you can stop her with no powers?"
"We could…." Adam started.
"Don't even think of saying morph with broken morphers. I thought you'd already learnt your lesson from that one." Tommy interrupted.
"I wasn't going to suggest broken morphers!" Adam mumbled, wincing slightly at the memory. "But I do still have my Zeo powers."
"Oh, no chance he gets to morph and we don't!" Jason exclaimed, annoyance written all over his face. "It's bad enough that Tommy still gets to morph!"
"And we don't know if the Zeo powers are still stable. I've never tested them." Tommy added, ignoring Jason's remark.
"Hey, guys." They all looked over at Billy, their conversation halted at his frown. "I found her."
"Where is she?" Trent asked, frowning at the look that Billy gave him.
"Outside." They looked at the screen and saw the former Pink Ranger stood outside Tommy's house, a smile on her face.
"Ethan, get the scanner." Conner said, as he started towards the stairs.
"Stay!" Tommy snapped at the former Rangers as the Dino Thunder rangers ran up the stairs.
"We're not dogs!" Zach called back as Kira followed her team, wincing slightly. They ran onto the porch and froze at the sight of Kim standing by the cars with her arms crossed.
"Well, it took you long enough." She said, the sickly smile back in place. "Hello Tommy. Miss me?"
"Dr O, look at her eyes." Ethan muttered. Tommy looked at her eyes and saw that the normal brown had been taken over by red.
"We need to keep her talking." Tommy said as Ethan started scanning her.
"Oh look, Yellow's back for more." Kim said as she noticed the Yellow Ranger on the porch, making Kira glower.
"What do you want Kim? What did Mesagog do to you?" She asked, making Kim laugh.
"I told you, he freed me." She replied, looking at Tommy. "And I want what's mine."
"Well, I hate to break it to you, but he's no longer yours. He's taken." Kira snapped, walking down the steps of the porch.
"You don't know when to give up, do you?" Kim asked, slipping into a fighting stance.
"Not my style." Kira replied. She put her hand behind her back and did a gesture that the boys all recognised. They all put their hands over their ears as Kim pounced, only to be sent flying backwards as Kira unleashed her Ptera scream, Ethan trying to keep the scanner aimed at the former Pink Ranger. Kim jumped back up, a firm glare on her face.
"You'll regret that Yellow." She hissed as Kira took a few steps towards her.
"Will I now?" Kira replied, walking slowly towards the Pink Ranger. "See Kim, if you want to get to Tommy, you'll have to go through me first."
"Then it looks like I'll go through you." Kim snapped, slipping into a fighting stance.
"You don't want to do this Kim." Kira said, making her laugh.
"Oh yes I do." Kim snapped before she attacked. Kira managed to block a lot of her blows and delivered some of her own, while the 4 boys just stood and watched in shock.
"Ethan, did you get that scan?" Tommy asked, not taking his eyes off of the fight.
"Yeah. I'll be back once I've checked it." He replied as he ran inside. They watched as Kira did a low kick and swept Kim's legs out, knocking her onto her back. Kim jumped back up and tried to kick Kira's head, only to find her leg in the Yellow's Rangers hands as she delivered a kick to her ribs, sending the older woman stumbling back and gasping for breath slightly.
"Not nice to be kicked in the ribs, is it?" Kira taunted as they circled each other.
"Dude, that is your Ex, fighting your girlfriend." Conner commented, making Tommy glare at him for a moment before turning back to the fight.
"Kira!" Kira raised her wrist slightly, hearing Ethan's voice coming through her bracelet. "The necklace around her neck! It's producing a lot of energy and spreading it around her body!" Kira smirked as she saw the black necklace tied around the Pink Ranger's neck.
"I've had enough of this." Kira snapped, aiming a punch at Kim. Kim grabbed her hand and spun the Yellow Ranger around, pinning her hand behind her back with one arm and wrapping the other around her neck, the extra strength coming from the necklace making Kira unable to escape her grip.
"Kira!" Tommy called as he, Conner and Trent hurried down the step and stopped in front of them.
"I wouldn't come any closer unless you want me to cut off her air." Kim said, tightening her arm around Kira's neck.
"Kim, you don't have to do this! Mesagog is manipulating you!" Tommy pleaded, worried about Kira. "Let us help you."
"You know, I thought we'd be able to settle this between us Tommy." Kim said, smirking slightly. "But it looks like I'll have to get to you another way. And what better way, then taking away the one you love?" She laughed before dragging Kira into the invisiportal that opened behind them, leaving the DinoThunder rangers staring at the space they left in shock.
"Shit." Conner hissed, running a hand through his hair. "Now what?"