(Author's Notes: Hey guys, here is chapter 9 of the story. The younger Rangers discover secrets lurking at Reefside High while Tommy and Kimberly get answers from an old acquaintance from the past making the team question who's the real threat in the city.)
Chapter 9: Who's the Puppet & the Puppeteer?
April 7, 2004
Somewhere in Reefside...
"How long do you think these little pathetic lifeforms will be out?" Elsa questioned wary as the tyranodrones brought forth more equipment.
It bothered her that the last few battles with the Power Rangers wasn't working in their favor. Not only did Tommy learn that Zeltrax was once Terrence "Smitty" Smith but she was ousted by the Pink and Black Dino Ranger during a confrontation revealing that Principal Randall was in fact Elsa. The worst news of all was that Trent managed to defeat the evil White Ranger clone, meaning their last line of defense was gone.
Mesogog wasn't fazed by the fact that their monsters were being defeated and that they lost the evil White Ranger clone. He was still in pursuit of the Dino Gems, but to the dismay of Elsa and Zeltrax, Mesogog managed to find himself a strange ally in the form of the mysterious Dalia Tate and this group who call themselves the Emissary. Elsa didn't trust these so called warriors who were a threat to her and Zeltrax's position within Mesogog's ranks. They looked human, but there was more to these people.
"The process should be complete soon," Zeltrax said looking at the strange ancient device. "Soon, we will obtain the power source needed to activate it."
"Since when did our plans include strange alliances with mysterious cults? These soldiers of the Emissary are unlike any humans I've encountered." Elsa stated. "They mask themselves like shadows and move around without a single sound. I fear our master is being manipulated by these so called allies of ours."
"Are you questioning Mesogog's loyalties to us? We have been his heralds since day one Elsa." Zeltrax snapped. "We must trust his judgment and it is our duty to keep a close eye on those who pose a threat to our master."
"This Dalia knows who we are and yet she does not fear us. Her followers fight better than our tyranodrones and he rather use her soldiers than ours." Elsa stated looking at the unconscious hostages laying in their lair. Each of them were hooked to many IV lines as if they being used for human incubators and the lines were connected to the strange ancient device in their possession. It was as if Mesogog was a completely different person being around Dalia Tate and her followers. "Do you suppose that our master answers to a higher power Zeltrax?"
"Our master answers to no one but himself." Zeltrax simply said. "He has his own agenda and we are task with carrying out our master's orders. Besides, once we're finished, there will be no one to stop us from carrying out our master's plans. Unfortunately...our master doesn't know about the minor mishap we forgot to take care of. But it is not our concern to fix up some mishap our master is tasked to carry out by someone else."
April 7, 2004
Reefside High School
Reefside, CA
The teens were actually looking forward to last period since it was gym class and today was going to be a co-ed gym class with both the boys and girls. School went on regularly for Connor, Kira, Trent and Ethan after Principal Randall's sudden "resignation" and vice principal Costa was made interim principal by the school board until further notice. It was the news Tommy and Kimberly heard during their staff meeting earlier in the day. However, only them and the Rangers knew the real truth behind Randall's resignation.
With the nice sunny weather today, the senior gym class were going to spend last period practicing some archery. Unfortunately, they needed some tools to set up the target boards on the field that he sent the four teens to retrieve the tools from the janitorial maintenance room. Grabbing the janitor's tools bag, the four of them were prepared to leave until Connor accidentally knocked over the ladder as it hit the wall.
"Real smooth move dude," Ethan joked as the ladder toppled over. However, Connor's attention was diverted noticing that his little mishap with the ladder triggered an unknown switch revealing a hidden door. It raise suspicion with the other three Rangers.
"Okay, since when does the maintenance room have a super secret closet?" Kira asked in awe as Trent spotted a few flashlights on a nearby shelf.
"Wait...is it safe to actually walk in the janitor's secret storage room?" Trent asked. "We don't know where this leads to."
"Which is why we're about to find out," Connor said taking the lead into the hidden room. It was pitch dark as they ventured deeper and deeper until they heard grunt and moaning sounds in the room and something dripping. "Wait...what's that sound? Can you hear it?"
"Something doesn't seem right," Ethan argued lookin worried as they found the sounds they were hearing. However, the four teens stopped dead in their tracks at the source of their discovery. There was no words to describe what they stumbled upon but it horrified them to the core. "Oh...my...god what the hell is it?"
"This is some messed up shit right here," Connor said stunned at what he saw. They were horrified to find kids caged up like animals and noticed they were all in terrible condition. Each of the kids had tubes attached to their bodies and they were being drained of their blood. Connor pointed his flashlight and it saw the tubes going into a stone sarcophagus and it was a sight that troubled the Rangers. "Shit, this is...definitely disturbing." Kira shined her flashlight to one of the cages and spotted one of their missing classmates.
"Guys...it's Deanna Steger," Kira said looking frightened seeing the sophomore's condition. "Deanna? Deanna? Can you hear me?" They saw movement in Deanna's cage but the girl was too weak to respond nor didn't notice a light shining on her face. "Who the hell would do something messed up as this? Unless Mesogog has some blood fetish."
"I really don't want to find out but whoever has been keeping these kids here," Trent said looking at the scene as Ethan took a picture of the stone sarcophagus. "Treated them like human incubators for whatever the hell is inside that giant stone bowl. We...need to tell someone right away. They...need to see this."
Kira ran out of the maintenance room in complete shock and dismay at the scene they stumbled upon. It didn't matter if school was still going or that she was in her gym clothes but she was running through the hallways looking for anyone who can help. She ran into Kimberly coming out of the teacher's lounge who finished copying some worksheets for her upcoming lessons. Kim saw the worried look on the Yellow Dino Ranger's face.
"Hey Kira," Kimberly greeted. "Kira, is something wrong?"
"Where's Dr. O?" Kira asked frantic. "Is he teaching a class right now?"
"He has a last period spare he should be in his classroom." Kim replied looking at Kira's panicking face. "I just finish photocopying these worksheets for my last period class is something the matter?"
"Mrs. Oliver, it's an emergency because the guys and I found something in the maintenance room we can't explain." Kira answered. "Please, we need your help."
Kimberly can tell whatever Kira and the boys stumbled upon frightened them beyond words. Taking note of the young girl's state, she rushed back to her history class leaving the worksheets with her students to work on. She told her students to remain in the class until the end of the period and left heading towards Tommy's science class.
"Kim, Kira what's going on?" Tommy asked suspiciously. "Is something the matter?"
"Tommy, we got an emergency in the maintenance room of the school," Kim said discreetly. "The teens discovered something that...we need to see."
"Alright let's go," Tommy replied as he and Kimberly followed Kira to the maintenance room and notice a hidden door near the wall. The Yellow Ranger had the feeling the two veterans were going to respond to the same shock and dismay once they laid eyes at what awaited at the end of the hidden room. The three heard the sounds of Connor, Trent and Ethan attempting to pry open what sounded like a cage to release a prisoner. Just as anticipated, Tommy and Kimberly were shock at what they saw.
Dr. O, Mrs. Oliver...we can't get them out," Connor said with disdained. "We...found them and we don't know how long they been here."
"Oh my god," Tommy said borrowing the flashlight from Trent and pointing the light around the room. Kimberly looked horrified seeing a group of unknown kids caged up like animals in poor and inhumane conditions. These kids looked like they were tortured and the obvious indication that they were being drained and used as horrible blood banks was a sight that made Kimberly's stomach turn. "What...what the hell happened to them?" Tommy was in complete shock looking at each of the caged up kids' state.
"These kids need serious help Dr. O," Ethan informed looking around the room. "They still have pulses which means they're alive. But how the hell are we going to explain this to the teachers and students?"
"It looks like not one of them haven't seen the light of day in over months," Kimberly said. "Yeah they're going to need all the help they need. However, getting them out of here we're basically going to have a field day at school. Tommy, we need to do something. This is some messed up shit we stumbled upon."
"I can't really describe what the hell we discovered but this is more than twisted for something for Mesogog to plan," Tommy replied processing what he was seeing. He turned to the teens and gave them their orders. "You guys need to find vice principal Costa and get him to call the local police. Kim and I will inform the staff we got a situation since it involves a student at the school." He turned to one cage recognizing it was Deanna Steger, the missing sophomore student. "We need to be very discreet...about this."
"Well in the next ten minutes this is going to turn into one big frenzy trying to get out a bunch of missing kids," Trent said worried.
"We're going to be very discreet trust us," Tommy said looking at Kimberly. "We need to get a hold of Hayley since she has our contact lists. We'll get a hold of the Silver Guardians to ask for any reports of missing kids and authorize the transport to the hospital. Dana should be on call today at Reefside Hospital we can find a way to get these kids transferred to her care. We can also get a hold of Lightspeed to figure out a way to identify these missing kids. This is beyond something Mesogog, Elsa or Zeltrax would plan out. This...is something else beyond anything we encountered."
"How the hell are we going to explain this but at least we can try to keep this under discretion with their help. Tommy...look at those tubes," Kimberly said in shock pointing at the stone sarcophagus. "Jesus Christ, these kids are being used as personal blood banks for that sick stone crap there. I mean...look at them."
"Trust us Mrs. Oliver this is something we're trying to wrap our heads around," Kira said as the team worked on trying to get the imprisoned kids out and figuring out how to prepare themselves for the frenzy that is waiting to occur once they leave this room.
Later that Night
Reefside Hospital
Reefside, CA
It was expected that the Rangers' recent discovery at Reefside High School would cause a frenzy and leave the local law enforcements with jaws dropping. The response among the staff and students at school was beyond shock and disbelief after seeing at least six ambulances pulling out of the premises, among them was one of their fellow classmates Deanna Steger. Tommy knew calling Lightspeed Rescue and the Silver Guardians was the right calling knowing they can bypass any legalities and red tape, but this was Ranger business neither of the teams have ever encountered.
Unfortunately, Tommy and Kimberly along with the Rangers knew whoever took these missing kids would somehow come back for them. They couldn't have them formally admitted to the hospital but they were in dire need of treatment. Dana, with some help from her father Captain Mitchell, Ryan and Carter discovered that there was a wing at the hospital that was currently under construction and they were able to rush the rescued kids to the disclosed wing under strict protection.
The Silver Guardians were assigned as bodyguard detail to protect the rescued kids as everyone was questioning the current team of Power Rangers. While Dana continued to treat the patients, Tommy and the others were getting info about possible missing kids reports in the last few months. Connor and Ethan was at the hospital worrying over the condition of Deanna because they knew the sophomore as a member of the student council. However, Tommy and Kimberly were wondering where Kira and Trent went.
"How are the patients doing?" Tommy asked as the group met with Dana in the disclosed constructed wing of the hospital. Dana and a few staff members who knew about Lightspeed Rescue were working on trying to get the patients' conditions stabilized. "We don't know how to thank you for all of this given the circumstances."
"We're Power Rangers we help one another so I can't deny a request from a fellow comrade. Guys, I honestly don't know how to explain this situation. However, you better be thankful that my father and Lightspeed along with the Silver Guardians manage to spin this messed up fiasco your team stumbled upon." Dana explained. "According to the official report, it was an illegal human trafficking ring that was operating in Reefside. Ryan is good at spinning stories and stated that these kids were abducted and held captive for months."
"At least half of it is partial truth," Connor said with unease.
"But the condition all those kids were brought in were beyond inhumane," Kimberly sighed. "Literally, these kids looked like the walking dead and judging by the amount of blood literally drained from them, it amazes me how they're still breathing."
"What you guys basically brought in was one medical complication after another." Dana continued. "The blood loss thing is just one symptom we're dealing with. A lot of these patients had self-inflicted wounds as if they cut open themselves; there are definite signs of malnutrition, hypothermia, dehydration, signs of muscular weakness; lack of motor function, it's like a chalkboard full of symptoms. And there was something else..."
"What else did you discover Dana?" Tommy asked.
"Doing a physical examination of each of the patients, it looked like...their fingerprints were brunt off," Dana added. "As if someone didn't want these kids to be identified. But you can thank Wes, Eric and Taylor for coming through and managing to identify these kids based on other physical aspects about them, along with DNA samples. One kid was identified as a resident of Angel Grove who went missing since Labor Day of last September; one of the girls was missing since Christmas time who is from Silver Hills, two of them are fraternal twins who disappeared around Thanksgiving from a shopping mall in Mariner Bay, and another kid who went missing last month in Blue Bay Harbor."
"Who the hell would want to burn off these kids' fingerprints?" Tommy questioned.
"Are the parents being contacted about the whereabouts of their kids?" Kimberly asked. "They must be terribly worried."
"Carter got in contact with the parents but we had to explain the discretion part that we couldn't publicly release information to local media." Dana said. "Whoever did this to them also did more than just try to make it impossible to identify these kids. We did some tests on the patients for any signs of pathogens in their bloodstreams. According to the lab reports, medical staff found some unidentified organic compounds in their bloodstream. The staff couldn't identify what the pathogen was in their blood, but they believed these kids were being used as incubators to hold this unknown compound in their system and then somehow it was drained from them voluntarily."
"Someone shoved some unknown organic stuff in their bloodstream and then cut them open to drain it out of them?" Ethan asked in dismay. Remembering the picture he took earlier, he pulled out his phone and showed Tommy and Kimberly the picture. "Dr. O, Mrs. Oliver...I think this is where the patients were draining their blood into."
"What is it? Like a stone sarcophagus?" Tommy and Kimberly questioned with suspicion and shock. "Are you telling us...these kids' blood is going into this thing?"
"We think...it might be the mystery item that was on Mercer Island along with the Dino Gems," Connor pointed out. "Dr. O, what do you think it is?"
"I'm not sure but unless Mesogog is into some cult like crazy rituals like blood offerings, then we got other problems to deal with." Tommy sighed rubbing his head. "Maybe, Mesogog isn't the only one pulling the strings in our city. He...may have gotten aligned with someone or something with very, very twisted and dark intentions."
April 9, 2004
Mercer Industries
Reefside, CA
"It is not ready yet and we still need more substance to activate the sarcophagus," Balor warned as some of the Tyrannodrones moved the stone sarcophagus to a secret docking loading bay at Mercer Industries. Mesogog wasn't pleased that Elsa and Zeltrax made a mess of things leaving their "commodities" at Reefside High unattended. He faced criticism from Dalia and the rest of the Emissary for losing their source of the substance.
"My apologies for my error Balor, but I am not held accountable for my generals' actions." Mesogog argued. "We still have a sustainable quantity of the substance we obtained from our commodities. It should hold us down for now."
"But it is not complete and the quantity we have currently is only a small portion. We need a few more litres to complete it and then we go on to obtaining the power source to activate the sarcophagus...the Dino Gem." Balor reported while they were preparing for the final phase.
"Yes, but how are you going to bleed out your blood supply when it's under lock and key at the hospital? And by protection of the Power Rangers?" Elsa asked smirking.
"Do you doubt our abilities as mere simple humans, Elsa?" Dalia asked with disdain. "You shouldn't doubt your master's capabilities and he trust our judgment...since in his former life he was one of us, a pillar for the Emissary."
"Yes, and soon we finally be able to serve life itself," Mesogog said. "Nothing...will stop our plans, all of our work will be worth it."
However unknown Mesogog and his minions, they didn't realize that Trent and Kira followed them from Reefside High School all the way to Mercer Industries. Trent was surprise that Dalia Tate knew about his father's secret identity as Mesogog and that whoever these people she worked it, were in league with Mesogog and his generals. Kira was shocked to discover that Anton Mercer was in fact Mesogog and he willingly transformed in front of these mysterious adversaries they were spying on.
"You knew didn't you? About your father's identity as Mesogog?" Kira asked while they were hiding.
"I was going to plan to tell you guys and I will but now you know the truth," Trent replied looking worried. "And I'm scared not only for myself...but for my dad as well."
"This is absolutely a terrible idea tonight coming down here without a backup plan but now we know the truth about Mesogog and these people. Now it makes me wonder who is real puppet master in all of this Trent."
"Kira...contact the others and tell them where we are," Trent said as he continued to look. "Right now shit is about to hit the fan and right now we need to get out of here."
"Oh you two should have thought of that before wandering into the viper's nest," a voice spoke from behind them. The two turned around to find themselves confronted by Zeltrax and a group of Tyrannodrones. Kira and Trent realized that they have may an error of judgment walking right into a trap.
The two tried to hold their own against Zeltrax and the Tyrannodrones as Mesogog and the other moved to secure the stone sarcophagus. Trent and Kira attempted to make their way to the loading bay area of the building, but something told the two they were surrounded and Zeltrax came with more company. The two were outnumbered until the rest of the Dino Rangers arrived to aid their friends.
"Looks like we're on time for the party," Tommy replied as they fought against the tyrannodrones.
"Didn't we tell you guys it's never a good idea to charge into a viper's nest alone?" Kimberly commented.
"Finally, a chance to dispose of the great Dr. Oliver and Kimberly Oliver once and for all," Zeltrax sneered. "You meddlesome Rangers have interfered in our master's plan for far too long."
"Well tell that to a lunatic who bleeds out innocent kids." Connor snapped.
"Let's see about that shall we?" Zeltrax swiped his sword down to his side as the six Rangers found themselves surrounded by some mysterious ninjas.
Zeltrax smirked wickedly watching the Dino Rangers being overwhelmed by his reinforcements. It was hard to track their movements since Tommy figured out they had the ability to mask their heartbeats and footsteps. Concentrating hard, Tommy told the others to trust their senses and track their adversary's weapons. However, things were looking bleep as one ninja was about to take out Ethan. To the Blue Dino Ranger's surprise, a mysterious warrior with a katana intervened decapitating the ninja.
The warrior made quick work of the Zeltrax and his forces forcing them to retreat from the scene. He helped Ethan up to his feet as he felt his shoulder was dislocated as the other Rangers rushed to their teammate's aid. The mysterious warrior turned to the Dino Rangers but Tommy and Kimberly were stunned to realize who aided them, leaving the younger Dino Rangers confused as to who this fighter was.
"So...who wants to get the hell out of here?" Quinn said slightly smiling at the group, but noticing the disdained look on Tommy and Kimberly's faces.
Later that Night
Oliver Residence
Reefside, CA
When they got back to the lab, Connor and Trent helped Ethan to the table as Hayley got the medical supplies. They had the difficult task of trying to help pop Ethan's shoulder back into place. However, Quinn took the lead to help the young man heal and it was the first time Ethan let out a anguish scream feeling his shoulder pop back into place. It shocked Tommy and Kimberly but their old counsellor told them he knew what he was doing.
It was a long night as Tommy gave some painkillers to Ethan to relieve the pain and Kimberly went upstairs to check up on Amelia. They had enough to deal with in the last few days ever since the incident at Reefside High school. Now, they were informed by Trent that Anton is actually Mesogog and that he and Kira witnessed Mesogog conversing with Dalia Tate and her associates from Rideau Circle. Although the revelation of Anton being Mesogog caused some minor discord for a bit, the Rangers settled their differences and figured out Trent's reasons for not coming clean earlier.
Although they were grateful to make it out of Mercer Industries in full tact, Tommy and Kim were startled by the sudden reappearance of Quinn. It further complicated things to explain to the younger Rangers and Hayley who Quinn was and it wasn't coincidence he was here. Whatever issues the couple had with their former counsellor, the two felt Quinn knew a lot more to Mesogog's friends than he was letting on. Hayley offered to look after Amelia as their daughter slept leaving the team downstairs in the lab.
"I guess we owe you for saving our asses back at Mercer Industries," Trent reluctantly said.
"It's no sweat," Quinn simply said sheathing his katana. He looked at Tommy and Kimberly and slightly smirked. "Did you ever teach your brigade about not charing guns blazing into a hornet's nest?"
"Well we probably missed out on that lesson Quinn." Kimberly snapped. "So what is this? Another check in and then you'll skip town like you always do?"
"Is that what you think? Sometimes there are some things you wouldn't understand until you believe it.." Quinn said, but frustration came over Tommy and found himself being punched in the face by his former student. The action shocked the young Rangers, but it didn't faze Kimberly. "Jesus, didn't we do this already?"
"Start talking, Quinn." Tommy demanded. "No more riddles, no more cryptic dialogue. I'm not eleven years old anymore so you're to give us answers now."
"It's about the war." Quinn stated pointing to the two of them. "The one you two were suppose to be training for since I day I met you."
"What is?" Kimberly asked angrily. "The Algoma summer camp, you were trying to recruit people weren't you? What's it's all about Quinn?"
"All of it. The island explosion on Mercer Island, Mercer Industries, the missing kids, Anton Mercer, Terrence Smith, the damn sarcophagus, Mesogog-" Quinn said. "You think the true enemy is Mesogog, but the real puppet master is the one pulling the strings behind your enemy."
"Are you telling us that Mesogog has a master?" Kim asked. "How do you know about Mesogog? How the hell do you know about us?"
"If you stuck around a little longer Kimmy I would told you everything." Quinn answered. "Instead you and Tommy boy ran from the frontlines the first chance you got in order to avoid this war. However, fate does have a funny way to lure you two back to the frontlines and with a new brigade to follow you in battle."
"All right, you've been using this war as an excuse since the day we met you, and you still haven't told us a goddamn thing about it. You know what I think?" Tommy said.
"Tell me." Quinn challenged him. "Tell me what is on your mind, kid."
"I think you're full of shit. I don't think there is any war." Tommy snapped getting in Quinn's face. "I think you're just a sick delusional fighter dying to hit people, so you make up stories to justify your behavior. And then, you rope in the wounded so that you can sit back and watch them throw away their lives, and you can feel important. You did it to me when I was a kid and then again after we graduated. So unless you got something useful for us, either you tell us or you get the hell out."
"Sit down. Sit down, Tommy and the rest of you should get yourselves comfortable." He explained looking at Tommy, Kimberly and the Dino Rangers. "It all began centuries ago. Nobody knows how many, but the shit we're dipping into is ancient, even from beyond the stars. Back then, warlords and their gangs ruled the countryside. Not that much different from today. Bloodthirsty, greedy brutes after loot, pussy, booze, same ol', same ol'. But one day, one of these collections of assholes comes across a thing they can barely understand. Real treasure. Not gold, or rubies, or any of that. They found the secret."
"What secret?" Kira asked curiously.
"Immortality. Bringing the dead back to life." Quinn answered. "It was one of the secrets Mercer Island held before it lit up like a Christmas tree."
"Come on, Quinn." Kimberly skeptically said. "Immortality? This is like something out of fairy tale story."
"I thought your parents were a Catholic, Kimmy. Doesn't your whole belief system hinge on one guy pulling that off?" He stated much to Kim's disdain. "So free from the fear of death, these pieces of shit step up, kill their master, take over and paint the shores of the Far East with the blood of anybody who stands in their way. They grow in size, power, wealth and spread across Asia and finally give themselves a name: Shisha. It means, "The Emissary."
"And did they have a goal?" Trent asked.
"Weapons. It's always weapons." Quinn continued.
"Like, guns, bombs?" Ethan asked.
"Worse. A powerful weapon beyond our imagination." Quinn explained. "The weapon is called The Scarlet Sovereign."
"So, what's it do, this, uh, Scarlet Sovereign?" Tommy asked suspiciously.
"Nobody knows exactly." Quinn said.
"Why not?" Connor asked.
"Because they've never activated one. They've tried. They'll try again." Quinn continued. "For many years they seek out the Scarlet Sovereign, but it was lost to them as time passed. These bastards built their fundamental and fanatical beliefs on serving this thing. Unfortunately, the Emissary made one mistake."
"They made enemies." Kimberly simply answered. "Typical for one faction to gain a rival throughout time."
"Ding, ding you got it right." Quinn replied.
"So who had the guts to stand up to this Emissary?" Tommy asked. "Who be crazy enough to take on a powerful group like them?"
"They don't know who started the opposition because there were many stories." Quinn continues. "One story tells a different version about who founded the opposition. Some say it was just a kid. The Emissary comes into his village, kills everyone almost. Kid pulls the knife from the breast of his dead mother and goes to work. He cuts down some of the Emissary's finest warriors. They're lying dead and the kid's standing. They give him a name. The Garrison."
"And he's just one kid? Alone?" Connor asked.
"Kid grows up, rounds up every warrior he can. Men, women, young, old, doesn't matter as long as they kick ass. And they do. Without mercy. And right now they are the only protection this world has against the Emissary and the threat they impose." Quinn said. "That is until now..."
"Wow that is some story you got there." Tommy said with a hint of skepticism. "Now, in this fairy tale you're the Garrison, right?"
"It's why I didn't tell you." Quinn said. "You two were young and innocent, but you two had gifts that needed to be harnessed, channeled into something for a greater cause. If I told you the whole truth, it make you scared of the power you possess. I'm not what you think, but I know things and I know that long ago you two served a higher purpose to defend the Earth from the forces of evil. Now today, you'll doing the same thing and this time you'll training a new generation to follow suit."
"No, no, it's...it's a good story, one filled with action and plot twists." Kimberly said looking at Quinn. "You're right about one thing that you're not what we have expected because for many years you been a mystery we never could figure out. Somehow, you been an influential part of our lives despite how much of a prick you can be at times to us. As for your story, it's one very interesting tale. It leaves you front and center. Finding the Emissary, keeping the Scarlet Sovereign at bay. Murdering when it suits you. Telling people...that death is a normal part of war and that you were putting the lowlifes down for a greater cause."
"Believe it or don't. The fact remains that the city you're sworn to protect is ground zero in a war it doesn't even know is happening." Quinn warned them. "That sarcophagus is just the start. So, you can kill, die, or sit on your ass and watch Reefside burn but this war is bigger than you, or me, or any of our problems."
"And you've been trying to pulled us to your side, haven't you?" Tommy questioned. "It doesn't matter the tactics you use and who gets caught in the line of fire. You call yourselves The Garrison and basically you're trying to find troops for this war against the Emissary. Mesogog and his minions have gotten involved with the Emissary haven't they? Or he is actually a member of this secret evil organization? Because if he is...then we got bigger problems on our hands than just keeping our Dino Gems safe. So to answer the question...our Dino Gems, they're the power source they need to activate the Scarlet Sovereign?"
"Welcome to the world, kid. Those Dino Gems, the source of your Dino Ranger powers are what they need to jumpstart their war." Quinn said sternly. "The only way to stop it is to either take out the power source itself or destroy the Scarlet Sovereign. Either way it sucks to know that every situation is a matter of life and death where you like it or not."