Rangers In Wonderland
Chapter 9 - Reunion

The rangers in Amber Beach made a mad scramble to collect passports, clothing and other travel essentials. The entire time, their hearts were in their throats at the idea of what could have happened to Shelby and Kendall. Thanks to Prince Philip they were able to board a private jet. Chase paced the length of the plane until Ivan told him to sit down before they all got motion sickness watching him. It was an ungodly slow process made all the worse by the lack of communication. All they could do was hope.

Underland…

Meanwhile in Underland, night had fallen and Mirana arranged rooms for Shelby and Kendall after a grand tour with Hatter and Alice. If it weren't for the situation, it would have been incredible to be there. The palace was decorated in an enchanting mix of lavish and bizarre. Ornate carvings of creatures never seen before, lush fabrics made from materials they'd never heard of. Everything was just so strange. For example, the servants regularly chatted with the walls - after all they did have ears and just because they could speak didn't mean they couldn't appreciate the conversation. There was some consideration as to how they were meant to leave but with Sledge and company on the loose, it was rather a moot point. Shelby retired early and spent a while quietly calling Tyler to see if maybe a miracle would happen. Kendall knew rationally calling would yield nothing and instead channeled her mind into figuring out Sledge's next move.

Underland was on red alert but no one had seen or heard anything since that first skirmish. Heckyll was still being tended to by Mirana but had yet to answer the White Queen's question. He seemed to mellow out considerably since his arrival but his hands and feet remained bound at the Queen's behest.

"I am largely healed," he observed. "Your magic has had a considerable effect. You don't need to be here anymore. Why won't you let me rot here?"

"I told you, I will not harm a living thing. Not you, not Sledge." Mirana said delicately.

"What harm could come to me bound in this comfortable bed? Truly your highness, you've asked me so many times, but what about you? Why are you here?"

"Because I can be."

"Why?"

"Simply that - because I can. You asked about power, this is it in the truest form. I can heal, I can break, I can discard, I can move."

"But you can't kill."

"I won't kill. I can make that choice." Mirana sighed ever so lightly. "Why are you here Heckyl? I can sense unbridled evil energy pulsing under your skin. You could have taken that power and done anything and yet here you sit. Content to lay on a bed. Well," she pushed his head to the side, exposing the blue mark on his neck, "not all of you."

Heckyll stared at her with fresh eyes, "How long have you known?"

"From the moment they brought you in here." Mirana informed him. "Now might we have a chat?" She might have been asking for an extra lump of sugar for her tea with that tone. Heckyll's eyes involuntarily darted to his pocket and the Queen pulled out the pocket watch and opened it. "Ah." As with anything inconvenient, Snide was furious. "And you are?"

"Snide," the dark half growled. "I will take over and destroy this entire palace."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible."

"I've burned worlds!"

"But not mine," Mirana said coldly. "Surely you've realized that you cannot manifest."

"What?!"

"Oh, you didn't. Regardless, now you know. Once we deal with Sledge, I will escort you both personally to the borders and ensure you never return. Try and well…while I will not harm any living creatures, my sister I think you'll find her quite irascible. Terribly difficult to control." She primly snapped the watch shut and threw it on Heckyll's chest.

"Isn't sicking your violent sister on us the same as causing harm to a living being?" Heckyll asked bemused.

"My sister knows my laws. She only responds in defence. Are you suggesting that Snide will come in a diplomatic fashion?"

"No he's never been one for that," Heckyll conceded with a chuckle. "I admit your Majesty, I am thoroughly impressed."

"As you should be. I'm still waiting for an answer, you know. I truly hope you give me one before you leave."

"Why?"

"I see so much in you," Mirana tilted her head, contemplating his face. "But it's all so cloudy. Only you can clear the mist."

"What do you see?" Heckyll asked softly.

"Everything. And nothing." Mirara moved away. "Rest well."

*RIW*

The rangers touched down in London where the prince had cars waiting to take them straight to the Ascot estate. The police had already cleared out so it was nothing to sneak under the tape and search the ruins. There was residual heat rising off the blackened remains of the opulent mansion, the grass was scorched and white ash blanketed whatever had had the misfortune of surviving. "The police didn't recover any remains," Philip reported. "My contact with the Yard said they canvassed the entire property and found no trace of anyone."

"So where did they go? Why can't we reach them?" Tyler kicked a stray piece of wood.

"I am wondering the same thing." Keeper had appeared, looking as solemn as ever. "I sense something is strange in this place."

"Aside from the fire and our missing friends?" Riley scoffed.

"No. I mean the energy here. It is different. It feels thin."

"Thin?" Tyler repeated.

"Yes, thin. Like fabric that has been worn away but not torn. Soft but substantial, weak but holding. The universe is thin here."

"The universe?" Chase scratched his head. "Like dimensions?"

"You're not suggesting that Shelby and Kendall are in another dimension," Riley gaped. "That's ludicrous!"

"As ludicrous as harnessing the power of intergalactic gems imbued with the spirits of dinosaurs to fight an alien bounty hunter and his fiancee?" Tyler quirked an eyebrow.

"Touche, as you were," Riley stepped back.

"But how do we even access this other dimension?" Prince Philip asked. "We don't know how the girls did it."

"Well let's talk this out," Tyler held out his hands. "The girls were here and suddenly attacked by Sledge. They wouldn't have the time to do anything too complicated, mainly just run."

"Why didn't they morph?" Chase asked.

"Not enough time? They were also meeting with that Kingleigh person so maybe they didn't want to risk it?"

"Either way, they didn't do anything fancy which tracks if Sledge followed. If the universe is thin here, maybe there's a gap?"

"So what? They all just jumped through a hole in the universe?" Riley concluded.

"That's exactly what they did," Philip nodded. "It makes sense to a degree. The hotel hasn't seen them since they left for the meeting, the cab confirmed dropping them off so there should've been at least three people here but the police found no bodies. If Sledge had kidnapped them, he would've made a move by now with Shelby's energem. Also why would he take the Kingsleigh rep? No contact from the girls means they are unable to reach us but our communicators work worldwide."

"On top of that, Sledge is gone too." Chase continued. "That fight with Spikeballs just wasn't his style in the slightest. And since then, there haven't been any other issues in Amber Beach. Even if he got Shelby's gem, he's been after all the energems for so long. It's really unlikely he'd just stop at one."

"Okay but that doesn't solve the question of how we go after them?" Tyler pointed out.

"Keeper," Chase turned to him. "Does anywhere feel, I dunno, thinner than the rest?"

"Hmmm well…" Keeper began to walk around the place, stepping carefully through the rubble until he came to a stop. "This is quite thin."

The boys moved closer to see what their friend was pointing at and saw a large cracked mirror. With a wave, Keeper fixed the cracks and it lay there, brand new, reflecting their bewildered expressions back to them. Riley tapped the glass - solid. "How do we open it? Magic words? Open sesame?"

"Kendall once told me that all magic is unexplained science," Chase shrugged.

"Well in science, if you want to change the state of matter, you essentially need to add or subtract energy from the particles." Riley said.

"We've got energy in spades," Tyler waved his energem.

"We all do," Chase took his out too, the other followed suit. "On three then boys - one, two, THREE!" They pointed their gems at the glass and beams of pure energy issued. Remarkably the glass absorbed the power and looked like it was melting but it wasn't. They stopped and glass seemed to be flowing like fabric in the wind, billowing and fluttering. Tyler tentatively touched his foot to it and was shocked to see it almost pass through.

"Alright then," Tyler gulped. "Please," he beseeched the portal. "I need to find Shelby. And Ms. Morgan. Please help us!" With that, he jumped, fully into the looking glass, the others following right behind.

The boys landed in a pile on a hard path covered in rocks. Sore and groaning, they gingerly got up and dusted themselves off. "Could've been worse I suppose," Chase checked his arms for cuts.

"Um guys," Riley called and they turned to see him looking in the opposite direction, awestruck. That's when they realised they were on a cobblestone path lined with cherry blossom trees leading up to an enormous palace of white marble. The facade looks as though it was made of chess pieces patchworked and morphed into spires and towers.

As if they weren't stunned, a white rabbit in a blue coat and a ruff approached them, pocket watch in hand. "Follow me, you're late!"