(Author's Notes: Hey guys, here is chapter 26 of the story. The Rangers begin surveillance to track their enemies but soon it becomes a personal matter for one of the Rangers as things intensify.)
Chapter 26: Under Surveillance
January 28th, 2009
Stone Canyon, CA
Quinn watched from a distance rooftop of the carnage that was being unleashed below the city streets of Stone Canyon. He mastered concealing his breathing and heartbeat to prevent detection from his enemies knowing that his escape from their imprisonment didn't settle too well with them.
However, a plague of regret struck him as he helplessly watched loyal soldiers of the Garrison become another casualty at the hands of the Emissary's weapon, the Scarlet Sovereign. He knew the fallen brigade were under the command of Felix but the last remnants of the Guinea Sanctum was swept away violently. It was a big gamble to redirect the remaining Garrison sanctum forces to Monument Valley at the cost forfeiting the sanctum itself instead of their forces.
His allies were fallen one by one at the hands of the Scarlet Sovereign at the behest of the Emissary and their forces were depleting in numbers. He helplessly stood by and watched as Quinn observed as the pillars of the Emissary carefully handled their prized weapon and escorted her protectively back to their base of operations. He knew the drill all too well that have been occurring time and time again once the white vans pulled up to the scene of crime. Quinn knew the routine too well surveying Malo's hired "cleaners" to destroy any traces of the Garrison's presence in Stone Canyon.
He got a sample of the power the Scarlet Sovereign possessed and the power she wield, but Quinn attempted to look beyond the Emissary's weapon. His thoughts dwell on the vessel wondering if there was any recollection left of the person who it once was in their previous life. With his adversaries out of plain sight after evidence of the attack was erased, the Scarlet Sovereign was escorted away as Malo remained to instruct the cleaners to deal with the remains.
He had seen variations of the Garrison fall throughout the course of time, and the Garrison established on Earth four thousand years ago has been the longest running chapter due to persistence and resilient efforts. It was what made them different from the other incarnations throughout the universe, they wouldn't yield and they have that same drive and desire to persevere as the group was on the brink of annihilation. Even if the Garrison fell today or tomorrow, they could smile in gratitude to know that their mission they have carried for four thousand years had been completed. They ignited the spark they have long kept protected and safeguarded throughout the years: the spark called hope.
Quinn's surveillance of Malo's cleanup crew was interrupted when someone stumbled upon the scene, startling the crew. One of the intruders had chestnut brown hair and was accompanied by a tall Hispanic man. As the group dispersed out of fright after getting into a confrontation with the two intruders, Quinn watched the duo pursue one of the crew members, a boy who looked like he was sixteen years old, but his eyes were drawn to the chestnut brown hair young man recognizing who he is.
"You impulsive little bastard, you're just digging a bigger hole for that lost cause you're trying to save." Quinn muttered in disbelief observing Justin and Carlos from a distance on one of the nearby fire exits, trailing the two friends. "That kid just signed his own death wish when the Emissary finds him."
"Let me go! Who the hell are you guys?!" the teen yelled frustrated. "Oh man, shit I screwed up big time! I was just suppose to do my job. Why are you following me?"
"Carlos I owe you pal for helping me find him, especially for Nico's sake." Justin replied.
"Most of those guys were part of the youth soccer team, especially Arturo over here. When I got word that a few of the kids stopped showing up to practice the last few weeks I got suspicious." Carlos explained. "And now it explains things about this so called money on the side job you guys have been doing."
"Wait a minute...Coach Vallertes? What are you doing here in Stone Canyon?" the teen Arturo answered and looked at Justin. "Wait I know you as well. My older brother talked about you after he got back from overseas. You're Justin Stewart aren't you? I remember you used to come over to our place back in the day and hangout with him."
"So you remember me? Nico and I enlisted together and served four years together in the army." Justin said. "You probably know about Kandahar and what happened. I've known your brother for over a decade and as a favor to him I came here with Carlos to find you and bring you home."
"Look, I just needed some extra cash and these odd jobs I been doing has provided enough for our family, given Nico's condition." Arturo answered as suddenly the sound of police sirens were being heard in the distance. "Oh shit, oh man I can't be here! You have to let me go!" He struggled as Carlos and Justin attempted to interrogate Arturo in the alleyway, but in a state of panic Arturo began to fight back out of fear. Soon, a trio of patrol cops came upon the alleyway and saw Arturo attacking Justin and Carlos and instantly apprehended the young teen. The situation only got worse for Arturo as he was being hauled away in the police car clearly resisting arrest.
"Wait, wait officer! Officer! It was just a misunderstanding, we know him!" both of them argued to the authorities. "Arturo! Arturo tell them the truth!"
"Well this young man is going downtown and he's under arrest on charges of assault against an officer, trespassing on private property, and resisting arrest." The officer claimed as Arturo was being put in the back of the swat car. "Gentlemen, I suggest you contact that boy's family and his lawyer. He and a few other teens have been under surveillance for the last four nights on a string of suspicious break-ins in both here and Angel Grove. He's being transferred back to Angel Grove after he's processed downtown for three counts of trespassing."
Justin could only watch as the teenager was on route to the police station as he and Carlos were force to give the authorities their statements. Unbeknownst to them, Quinn observed off in the distance what looked like one of the Emissary's agents spying on the teen Arturo. He overheard Justin telling Carlos about his plan to investigate Arturo's side job and find out the person recruiting teens in Angel Grove for these late night cleanup jobs. Much to Quinn's dismay, he was worried that his attempt to help out will only put him on a collision course with the Emissary.
January 31st, 2009
Oliver Residence
Reefside, CA
"The analysis should only take a few minutes." Hayley said as she continued to work on the computers, adjusting to the upgrades implemented on Tommy's lab 2 weeks after the original Rangers once again regained the Ninjetti Powers.
Tommy recalled the 24 hours after the original Rangers were successful on uncovering the lost Ninjetti kingdom hidden in Reefside forest, he woke up the following day to find his lab have been drastically upgraded courtesy of Zordon. The major upgrades included full teleportation capabilities and syncing the Rangers' communicators to the lab; upgraded weaponry artillery to aid the Rangers and their allies and Shark cycles for faster speed. There was also upgrades to the lab to receive distress signals throughout the galaxy and the security system have been upgraded to provide only restricted access to only them and their other Power Ranger comrades.
With the addition of a new viewing globe it felt like old times again now that Tommy's lab possess the same technology and operating systems that once existed in the Command Center. Tommy noticed that there were a few added amenities to the lab such as a few secret quarters he figured were created through Zordon's magic knowing that he'll be expecting visitors in the near future to aid them in their fight.
"So Hayley what's the status?" Tommy asked. "Did you run the diagnostics on Amelia's bio scan along with myself as well? The bracelet Dulcea and Zordon left behind after the upgrades says that it can protect Amelia, especially now with the knowledge of what we know about our history."
"Her bio signatures are normal as long as she keeps that little mystical bracelet on. For the record, you're starting to come off as one of those parents who basically hover around constantly over their kids, making sure their precious little ones are bubble wrapped protectively and under lock and key." Hayley commented.
"What do you think I'm too overprotective of Amelia? Okay, I maybe very protective of my daughter but she's my only child and with everything going on I just want to keep my little girl safe." Tommy replied, unfortunately he was getting some questionable looks from his friends, especially Kat and Jason. "You two should know with your brood."
"Bro you got to understand children tend to get bumps and bruises because that's part of being kids. Sure Kat and I have our hands full raising four children and like you as a parent, we do worry about the safety of our kids." Jason smiled and then notice one of the monitors on the screen with a shot of Amelia and the rest of the kids playing upstairs in the living room. "However, we don't turn our children into a walking security system wearing jewelry with hidden trackers, bracelets that conceal some mystical powers and seriously bro, did you have to add some hidden surveillance to that little tracking necklace Amelia is wearing?"
"Dude, you have a high tech surveillance security system surrounding your property." Rocky added. "Literally it's impossible to break into Fort Tommy. You're probably implying that we do the same thing at the dojo to keep a close eye on Robbie and Bianca."
"It's not harmful to add an extra layer of security to keep track of my daughter when I'm not around," Tommy grunted, coming under questioning about his parenting style.
"There's a term that the parents in Matthew and Olivia's playgroup describe for your brand of parenting." Kat said smiling. "You probably read this in parenting books but in typical Tommy Oliver behavior, must have slipped out of your mind. You're what most of the parents in the twins' playgroup would describe as a helicopter parent."
"A helicopter parent?! Nah, no way...I'm not really a helicopter parent, am I?" Tommy asked baffled by those remarks. "I know what it means, and it's been Amelia and me for over four years now. But seriously, do you guys think I come off as that type of parent?"
"Well let me ask you something bro," Jason asked. "Did you ever constantly shadow Amelia, always playing with and directing her behavior, allowing her zero alone time?"
"I introduced my little girl to some toddler playgroups on our travels the last four years away from home. I have to supervise my kid because I'm her dad and I want her to grow up with a respectable young lady Kim and I expected she'll turn out to be." Tommy added. "I don't literally dictate Amelia's behavior and I made sure she was enrolled in some of the top preschools in the country and always visited her during my breaks from work."
"Well what about when you enrolled her at Reefside Elementary School?" Hayley asked. "Amelia's teacher, Laurel Versio comes from a military family with her father being a retired Air Force Officer and that two of her brothers are currently doing their second tour overseas. I know because Laurel comes every morning to my store for her regular coffee order.
"Okay, maybe it was coincidence my daughter's teacher comes from a military background. However it's not not like I requested when I first enrolled Amelia that my daughter has a certain teacher or coach. Heck, I don't go around selecting my child's friends and activities, or providing disproportionate assistance for homework and school projects. Well, maybe if I see her struggling with some homework but she's six years old. She does need help at times and..." Tommy said trying to defend his methods of parenting until he sighed, letting out a small smile. He then looked up and turn to his friends. "Alright, you got me. I think I come off as helicopter parenting my kid..."
"Oh don't worry about it Tommy, Jason and I had our moments where we somewhat helicopter parent our kids." Kat reassured. "We're parents it's normal for us to want what's best for our children whether it be their education, their social lives, or their safety. We know how much you love Amelia and everything you've done for her these last couple of years."
"We know you want to protect your little girl just like Rocky and I will do the same thing to keep Robbie and Bianca safe." Aisha added. "However, every once in awhile don't lose sight of the fact that you should let your daughter be a kid. At least let her get some free rein to do things most kids her age would do."
"With everything happening I do lose sight of the fact that at least I got to let my daughter grow up living a normal life." Tommy said as he heard the jukebox upstairs in the living room. He could tell it was Amelia showing the other kids how to operate the jukebox and introducing them to vintage classic songs. "It's hard to describe what normal is these days now that we're back on active duty again. Those kids upstairs is why we're on this mission and yeah they're going to be exposed to our other life, but for them they understand. Yeah, sometime we do lose sight to see that our children need to have a childhood to experience."
"Even if it sometimes trends into the line of helicopter parenting yeah, that's part of them being kids and us being parents." Jason smiled patting his best friend's shoulder for reassurance. "You've done a wonderful job raising Amelia these last four years and Kim would have been proud of how her little girl turned out. Don't think we're trying to take you down a notch about your parenting skills bro, but we just want to remind you that you still got to see that your kid has a lot of growing up to do. We're one big family here and we're all going to have a part in helping be apart of our kids' lives in some capacity."
"Thanks Jase I really appreciate it and yes your brood have been reintroduced to their Uncle Tommy's life these last few months." Tommy said jokingly. "Dude, you two got to get a work on the brewing kleptomania your kids got when it comes to my visiting their good old uncle in Reefside. I even have to keep a close eye on my godson Henry."
"Trust us we'll help Jason and Kat keep that godson of yours in check," Tanya replied smiling. A little while later, Hayley finished working on the new security systems in particular the CCTV configurations when Hayley got the group's attention.
"Alright, before the unscheduled bio scan I managed to reconfigure the CCTV range beyond Reefside." Hayley explained as she started pulling up CCTV footage throughout Angel Grove. "With Zordon's upgrades, he also enhanced the lab's CCTV security programming. Although Tommy is two hours away, he can still monitor activity in the city by tapping into the CCTV feed. This CCTV feed we're currently viewing...it's Weyland Co, our main link to Rideau Circle. Sure wish Billy, Trini and Justin were here to see this."
"We all do too but currently Justin needed Billy's legal expertise to help out Nico's younger brother." Zack informed.
"Did you seriously hack into Weyland's security cameras?" Tommy asked inquiring. "What about Rideau Circle? If we have the capabilities of accessing the CCTV around the city, we can probably get an inside peek into Rideau Circle. Something tells me they're more than just a high end financial company. Hayley, do you think you can tap into the security system?"
"It's going to take some time because I tried accessing the CCTV around the area, but it's encrypted." Hayley explained. "We got to think outside of the box but we need to find a way to hack the network without them detecting it. The only way we can do that is to get access to their servers remotely. Once we access Rideau Circle's servers then it will be easy for us to hack into the CCTV both in the building and outside the building."
"Are you sure this is a wise idea? If we get access to Rideau Circle, then we're going to put them under 24/7 surveillance." Jason warned. "It took us months to put together a lead linking them to business activity involving Weyland Co and Billy's old law firm. With everything we got from Sasha this can count as class action lawsuit."
"This goes beyond the good old legal system." Tommy said. "Everything that has happened within the last few years leads to Rideau Circle. I don't know much about them but after what happened five years ago in Reefside, I can't shake the feeling there is more to them than just being a legitimate financial company. All these interweaving events and coincidences are connected. Something tells me these people are more than just professional businessmen in suits. We were warned not everything is what it seems to be...so we got to take that lesson to heart."
AGPD Station
2:00 p.m
Angel Grove, CA
It was good that Billy still had connections with the AGPD to allow him to question his latest "pro-bono" client currently in police custody. Trini kept Justin and Nico company in the interrogation room as Billy attempted to question Arturo once again for information. However, Trini did give Justin her two cents for going rouge and dragging Carlos to Stone Canyon to track down Arturo.
On the contrary, Billy was more understanding between the two after Justin contacted him once Arturo was transferred into AGPD's custody. Despite Justin's actions, Billy convinced Trini to support him on his decision to represent Arturo out of respect for his older brother. Billy came out of the interrogation room after he was done and Arturo was escorted back to his cell.
"How's my little brother?" Nico asked addressing concerns for Arturo. "Mr. Cranston, did Arturo give you any information that can help him?"
"Well, he finally talked though it wasn't much, but it's a start. However, given that your brother has three previous priors for misdemeanour he's scheduled for a court hearing on the 10th of February." Billy said. "Right now, his release is being processed and he'll be out within the next 48 hours on bail."
"Huh how much is the bail for my brother's release?" Nico asked sounding uncertain. "Look, given with everything that has occurred and with..."
"It's already been taken care of so you don't have to worry," Trini reassured. "You can say we have a soft spot for people who served in the military and did service for our country. Justin is a good friend of ours and he told us about you guys friendship for over a decade and how you two both enlisted for four years of service. He explained you two underwent basic training together before being deployed to Kandahar."
"Yeah Kandahar, boy those were the days right buddy?" Nico asked as he cautiously look at his right leg and rubbed it as if he was feeling some muscle tension. "This guy was already done college and university by the time he was eighteen and I just graduated high school when I decided to enlist. I was surprise Justin decided to go for the military career for the next four years. He and I ended up in the infiltrate unit after completing our training. Given our history, I don't know how to thank you with all your help pal knowing how much of a handful my brother was back in the day."
"Arturo is a good kid and he respects you as a brother Nico. I was hearing from Carlos that your brother is an active member of the youth soccer team and how he's hoping for a sports scholarship after graduation." Justin explained. "It's not like him to get mixed up in some questionable things out of the ordinary. It was one of the things that Carlos addressed lately that Arturo and a few of the members of the soccer team were missing some practices due to some employment recruitment in the area."
"That is what Arturo stated because of a leaflet advertisement that was left on one of the bulletin boards at the Juice Bar." Billy said. "Arturo described the advertisement stated that they were hiring youth workers for some night work with payment in advance for services. Anyone who replied to the ad met near Angel Grove High at night."
"Did my brother at least give a name?" Nico asked.
"He didn't give much information except how he got the employment." Billy said turning to Nico. "Listen, I managed to arrange for you to visit your brother with my contacts so I suggest you take some time Nico to see him. It will help Arturo to know his older brother has his back. I just need to finalize the paperwork and arrange a bail hearing to get your brother released. Don't worry about legal fees I'm doing this pro bono."
"Thank you Mr. Cranston, I greatly appreciate everything you have done for my brother." Nico replied and then smiled at Justin nodding in approval. They watch as he took off to visit Arturo leaving the three of them alone to discuss some confidential information as Billy looked once Nico was out of sight.
"You got the information didn't you Billy? It's why you wanted to wait until Nico was out of sight." Trini said.
"I got a name alright and according to Arturo someone by the name Gray Beret entered the neighborhood and he was the person responsible for hiring the youth of Angel Grove for night work." Billy explained. "Justin, you said Carlos heard that name whispered around the Juice Bar. Was there a man in a gray beret you guys saw the night you tracked Arturo to Stone Canyon?"
"I remember Carlos and I saw a guy in a gray hat preparing a group of youths for their tasks and then we saw Arturo was among them." Justin said. "And then we trailed them all the way to Stone Canyon."
"Did Nico's brother realize that the cleaning jobs he's been doing involved cleaning up bodies and that he was going on about the organization that hired him is tracking their movement? It is why Arturo is on edge and then he requested something from you Justin." Billy sighed cleaning his glasses. "He asked for you to buy his mother and Nico some lottery tickets and that he is sorry. Justin...we saw this M.O before and you know what is going to happen..."
"Well, we made a promise to wipe the ledger clean of adding another victim on that list. If this has them written all over it, I'm going to make sure Nico's brother doesn't end up being another casualty in this." Justin said as he stormed away. Trini and Billy looked at each with concern over the youngest member of the original twelve.
Billy knew the M.O and the situation that Nico's brother Arturo was involved in. Him and Justin have seen it previously months ago and the couple feared their friend's attempts to save the teenager's age will be futile. They knew they were being tracked which is why Billy hoped the legal system would work in their fortune, not only for the sake of one wayward teen. However, they hoped that it will prevent Justin from going rouge and taking matters into his own hands.
February 6th, 2009
3:00 p.m
Reefside Elementary School
Reefside, CA
Tommy smiled that he arrived ten minutes earlier for pick-up with his schedule for the new semester at Reefside High leaving last period free from teaching and time for him to focus on the mission. He left work once he finished teaching his last class for the day only to reply back to a dozen of voicemails left on his phone by his friends and allies as he drove his Jeep towards Amelia's school.
Hearing about the situation about Arturo's case in Angel Grove prompted Tommy to launch his own investigation of similar patterns that occurred in nearby cities, especially recalling the events six months prior in Boston. The rest of the group voiced their concerns over Justin's personal involvement and Tommy knows too the effects of how personal issues can impact the mission. As he waited for Amelia to be let out for the day, he took a quick phone call from Wes in Silver Hills with some intriguing intel.
"So this has happened more than once you said? Some of these suspicious deaths were ruled out as gang warfare or accidental deaths? Most likely these suspicious deaths involved youths in Silver Hills doing some late night activity." Tommy seethed.
"Taylor found a similar pattern in Turtle Cove too with the same M.O about fourteen months ago." Wes said on the other end. "Eric and I compared her findings with what we gathered in Silver Hills. It looks like somebody was recruiting youths in Silver Hills and Turtle Cove for late night clean up work according to testimonies."
"Yeah I bet I know what the late night activity involves." Tommy said. "I saw this six months prior in Boston. These clean up jobs involve clearing up bodies of dead victims."
"The word on the street was they were being recruited by someone that goes by the name Gray Beret. This person was the one responsible for hiring these youths in the cities in question. They're dealing with this in Angel Grove aren't they Tommy?" Wes asked.
"Unfortunately it's happening and this Gray Beret is recruiting youths in Angel Grove for late night clean up disposal." Tommy said. "We tapped into the CCTV throughout the city the last couple of nights to monitor these youths being recruited for these clean up tasks. One of Justin's friends, Nico, his younger brother Arturo is involved with the latest youths of Angel Grove recruited by Gray Beret. It's why we need all the intel we can before we fear Justin may take matters into his own hands."
"I got Eric and Taylor looking into some of these suspicious homicides in Silver Hills and Turtle Cove. If we find anything we promise we'll get back to you guys asap. You need to keep an eye on that kid Justin is trying to protect knowing if he talks, someone will make sure they silence him permanently." Wes replied.
"Billy managed to get him released on bail despite some priors he has on his record." Tommy stated. "Right now we're trying to track down Gray Beret to see who else he is attempting to recruit for some late night clean up. We're using Angel Grove's CCTV to monitor the city thanks to some genius hacking. Keep us posted if you find anything."
It was no surprise that these youths being recruited by Gray Beret were being tasked with clean up jobs involving clearing up the bodies of dead Garrison members that were being killed by members of the Emissary and the Scarlet Sovereign. He worried it was going to become very personal for Justin should anything happen to Nico's brother Arturo. It was why for the last week since Arturo's release, Tommy saw through the CCTV footage Justin keeping a close watch on Nico's family as if he was protecting them.
On the contrary, despite the recent events going on with their Green Ninjetti Ranger, Justin with the help of Billy and Trini manage to help the others access the servers at Rideau Circle to fully hack the company's network and security systems. However, the limited signal from the network only allowed partial access to monitor the mysterious company until the trio modified the program and completed the decryption to decode Rideau Circle's network.
Once Tommy heard the school bell ring, the students started piling out of the building as Amelia smiled seeing her father's Jeep and her dad waiting. Amelia climbed into the front seat of her dad's jeep and put her backpack down in front of her. During these times of mayhem and chaos, the moments Tommy had with just him and Amelia were one of the few times he felt a sense of normalcy.
As they were driving away from the school and towards their house, Amelia talked about her class' plans for Valentine's Day and asking for Tommy's assistance in baking some treats for the school's Valentine's Day Bake Sale. He continued to listen as Amelia told him about buying cards for her classmates and then she showed Tommy her latest work for arts and crafts she's done today. Tommy noticed she made a homemade Valentine's Card despite it being one week away, but then he looked at it carefully.
"A boy in my class named Myles asked me why I'm making a Valentine's Day early when it's not until next week." Amelia said looking at her card. "Then he asked Ms. Versio why I was making a card for mommy when he told the teacher I shouldn't be making a card if I don't have a mommy. Ms. Versio made Myles apologize for what he said but it made me a little sad that I almost didn't finish my card. I wanted to beat up Myles today because he was being such a meanie but I know you be upset if I did that. Instead, Lindsay kick his butt because he said the same thing to her too about her not having a daddy."
"That is a good thing peanut that you didn't fight with Myles." Tommy told his daughter. "Although what Myles said wasn't nice it doesn't mean it gives you the right to retaliate no matter how much they deserve it. Besides, the last thing I need is a call from your teacher telling me my little girl got into trouble. Was what Myles said to you about your card is why you're upset?"
"Something like that," Amelia said sadly. "He said I shouldn't be making a Valentine's Day card for mommy when I don't know what it's like to have a mommy. But I wanted to make one for her and give it to her at the place she's sleeping in the ground right now."
Passing by the familiar flower shop, Tommy pulled the Jeep aside and parked it on the street as he went to insert some change into the parking meter. It bothered him to hear from his daughter how one of her classmates pointed out the fact she was one of the children in her class without a mother. There was so much Tommy could do to give Amelia the life she deserves and everything he can to protect her.
Unfortunately, the one thing that Tommy couldn't protect his daughter from was the truth and the fact that her mother wasn't coming back. It was why Amelia loved hearing stories about her mom because it was the young girl's way of keeping Kimberly alive for the last five years. Deep down the subject of not having Kimberly around panged Amelia's heart, but not as much as it did her father's heart.
Although their Valentine's Day celebrations mostly consisted of avoiding anything involving romance and love, the father and daughter duo usually settled with takeout food and binge watching on a bunch of cartoons and action movies. But the infamous day of love also held a double standard as it was also the day of Kimberly's birthday, one that held many happier times full of love and innocence.
He made plans tonight to drive up to LA to support Zack and Tanya for a launch party with the guys and also follow up with some surveillance footage they obtained the last few days. However, his duties as a father outweighed his duties as a Ranger any day and Amelia was in need of some quality time with both of her parents. They walked into the flower shop purchasing a bouquet of carnation flowers and made the familiar trek towards the cemetery to visit Kimberly.
5:30 p.m
Los Angeles, CA
"Well it looks like Mr. Rainbow isn't coming up tonight." Zack replied checking his phone and coordinating with his personal assistant. "Apparently he and the little peanut are going to pay a visit to Kim's gravesite today. Amelia had a rough day at school and Tommy sends his regards. Oh and Trini and Billy are a no show along with Justin."
"I'm probably guessing some little twerp at school pointed out to Amelia she doesn't have a mother." Tanya muttered in disbelief. "Kids these days can be insensitive to one another and disregard each other's feelings. Poor Amelia, but thankfully her heroic dad is on the case. I can understand what it's like not having your parents around. Heck, I didn't reunite with my family until senior year of high school. My parents were missing during an expedition, my siblings went into the system and we were separated after the authorities deemed our folks MIA."
"But at least you found your parents and reunited with your family afterwards," Adam reassured them. "Family is one of the most important things we fight for, whether it be as heroes or civilians. We fight to protect the people we love."
With everything that has been going on these last few days in Angel Grove, Adam thought it the group needed at least one night away from home. Despite regaining their powers two weeks ago, the Rangers insisted on going on with their daily lives. It is one of the reasons why they made the trip down to Los Angeles to support a live event for Zack and Tanya's record company.
They knew days like these were limited and it would only be a matter of time before it was time for them to step onto the battlefield. Everyone else who made the trip up to LA wanted to show their support for Zack and Tanya since today they were attending a record release event for one of Dune Lion Record's artist. Even if other major music record companies viewed Dune Lion Records as an indie label, it is where it is on the hard work of Zack, Tanya and their staff and recording artists.
"So it's a big night for Zack and Tanya's record label? Six years they spent building Dune Lion Records to where it is now." Jason said.
"Yeah they basically had to start from the bottom after things didn't turn out in Tanya's favor after she graduated college." Adam explained. "Zack wasn't faring well much too despite getting his business degree. According to those two the idea to start up a record label came when we all spent a weekend in LA trying to send some demos of Tanya's music to some of the local record companies in the city. Zack ended up buying this commercial that was on foreclosure to originally start up a dance studio but he took a gamble on a big business venture with Tanya as his business partner. The rest of the story is history."
"And now six years later look where Dune Lion Records or DL Records as others refer to it is today." Tanya smiled taking a hold of Adam's hand. "You know you been our biggest supporter for six years with our record company. There were times where my dedication to keep this company and our artists going often took time away from our relationship. Then we had our minor spat over your insecurities of thinking that there was something going on between Zack and me. However, despite everything I just want to thank you for being there for me and supporting me over the years. It's why I'm so deeply in love with you Adam and it means a lot you're here tonight, all of you."
"Hey we're all family no matter what," Kat smiled at her best friend. "We all support each other and stand by one another. Also, being in LA we're thankful to get a one baby pass for the night and Jason's parents were grateful to take the kids for the night."
"It's greatly appreciated and this is a big night because this is Zack's first round of being credited as a producer." Tanya added.
"Well the artist's album I produced and recorded is an all around talent. You could say she pretty much took a chance at bringing me on board to record her album." Zack replied as the MC of the event was making their introduction. The others listened as the MC was thanking everyone for attending the record release party and announced Zack as being the executive producer of the upcoming album. To the surprise of the others, they learned the record release party is to celebrate Tanya's new album to which they congratulated their friends for.
"Oh my gosh, this is your record release party?!" Aisha smiled hugging Tanya. "And Zack is the producer of your album?!"
"Yeah my business partner is also my producer and who better than to make my music sound smooth and collective than the Zack man," she smiled.
"Well let's make sure we videotape the event for the others tonight," Rocky suggested. "I'm sure they will like to see highlights of Tanya's record release party."
6:00 p.m
Angel Grove, CA
Trini and Billy rushed through the doors of Angel Grove General Hospital and were met by Carlos, TJ and Cassie in the waiting room. The three former Turbo/Space Rangers finished giving their statements to the police who were with the trio. They got the call from Carlos that an incident occurred earlier in the afternoon in the parking lot of the Youth Center that resulted in a shooting.
The trio gave Billy and Trini their account of the incident and told them that Justin was there with Nico and Arturo during lunchtime. The five Rangers were concern over Justin's wellbeing as of late after the events at the AGPD. Ever since Arturo was released on bail, Justin spent everyday hanging out with Nico and his brother to ensure Arturo's protection and safety.
Worrying over Justin's wellbeing, the original Rangers enlisted the help of Justin's former teammates to keep an eye on their wayward friend and dig up any information about Gray Beret. The five of them were waiting for news about Justin when the Green Ninjetti Ranger stepped into the waiting room after he received medical treatment in the ER.
Unfortunately, there was a look of disappointment and sadness plastered all over Justin's face which could only mean one thing. Immediately, Trini and Cassie rushed to the young man's side giving him a hug for comfort and condolences. They saw on the other side of the room the devastated and grieving faces of Nico's family and with a heavy heart, they knew something happened to Arturo.
"The two other kids who got caught in the crossfire of that shooting are in critical condition, but it's touch and go. According to the doctors, Arturo sustained a wound to his abdomen which punctured the celiac trunk and more superficial wounds to his scapula." Justin muttered sadly. "The bullet wound he received to the back of his neck severed his spinal cord at C7 was where most of the damage was done. He already lost a lot of blood once they got him on the operating table. It was the wound...that killed him."
"Justin, we're so sorry." The others replied consoling the distraught young man.
"Is there anything we can for you? We're here for you if you need anything, you're not alone." Cassie said patting his back.
"Eight months ago Nico lost his leg in Kandahar and it marked the end of his military career." Justin said looking at his friend. "He risked his life for me that day at the cost of his leg and cutting his military career short. It sucked for Nico but he didn't care as long as he got back home to make sure his brother was staying on the right track. I made a promise to him if anything happened to either one of us, we look after each other's families. Arturo was only sixteen years old and he dreamt of a better life outside of Angel Grove, hoping one day to become a professional soccer player, despite living in one of the roughest parts of town."
"Arturo was a good kid Justin," Carlos and TJ reassured him. "It is a tragedy that his life got suddenly cut short."
"We're going to do whatever it takes pal to get retribution for what happened to Arturo," Billy assured his friend. "We know you've done everything you can to help him out and we know who grateful Nico is to have a friend like you for over a decade."
"Well it's not going to bring Nico his brother back isn't it?" Justin said angrily. "You warned me Billy that this M.O and pattern repeated itself for years. Arturo is dead because he got caught up in something he was ill prepared for and they targeted vulnerable young youths like him for their own gain. How many times have they done this to other youths all over huh? Boston? Turtle Cove? Silver Hills? The list goes on and these kids get disregarded as casualties and victims of misdemeanours! How many parents had to bury their kids before they graduated high school?! I didn't want a kid like Arturo to be another name on that ledger, but it looks like not everyone can be saved."
"You did everything you could for Arturo and Nico and he needs his best friend to help him through his grief." Trini replied. "Nico and his family could use your support."
"You're right, the least I can do is uphold my promise to my friend and also layout my plan." Justin said sternly. "Those surveillances we been doing, I got a lead on Gray Beret's location. I been following him for the last few days after Arturo gave the name and tracked his movements through CCTV footage. This son of a bitch has destroyed enough young lives just for his own personal matter. Not this time, because Arturo is the last life he'll claim before he takes another innocent youth's life."
"Tell me you're not serious are you?! Look, you're not thinking rationally Justin and you just partaken in a recent incident today." Billy tried reasoning with the young man, but his efforts fell on deaf ears. Justin's former Turbo Ranger team attempted their hand at trying to talk him down, but it was another failed attempt. "Listen to me, listen to me Justin. You track down Gray Beret you're going to be walking straight into a trap. We all been effected by what these people have done to us, but now is not the time to be brash and impulsive."
"I'm not going to confront "Gray Beret" head on, but I intend to unmask the bastard behind the name." Justin replied angrily as he stormed off. "I want to know the face behind it so I can make sure he knows who I am. When I find him...I want my face to be the last thing he sees before I put a bullet right between his eyes and ends his miserable, pathetic life."
The others only watched in helplessness and disbelief as Justin walked away angrily out of the waiting room. They couldn't imagine the possibility of the young Green Ninjetti Ranger willing to take a life all in the name of vigilante justice. Billy and Trini were worried that they put their friends on high alert that Justin was going to cross a line that maybe difficult for the young man to come back from.
6:30 pm
Reefside, CA
Tommy watched as Amelia approached Kimberly's grave with the Valentine's Day card she made in school and half a dozen of carnation flowers. At his daughter's request, she wanted to give her mother an early birthday present, though it was paid for by her dad. He heard the gossip among the other parents of the kids in Amelia's class about his parenting style and pity talks about Tommy's struggles being a single parent. The Oliver family were what some would consider a recluse family who enjoyed the solitary life which is why many of Amelia's classmates would tell stories about Amelia's family based on their perceptions.
Although in the eyes of everyone else around him, Tommy is considered a widowed and single father. However, he despised that label to describe his marital status or the fact other kids at school stated the obvious to Amelia. He looked at the messages on his phone from his friends who offered their support and condolences and had no hard feelings for not joining them in LA for Tanya and Zack's launch party.
Listening to Amelia's one sided talk at her mother's gravesite made Tommy wholeheartedly wish for the impossible. To everyone else, Amelia is only six years old, a little girl living a colorful, yet interesting childhood. However, Tommy and Kimberly knew there was something special about the daughter they created together although she was what they considered an unexpected surprise. On the contrary, Amelia represented everything that defined the relationship between the two of them and the vow of an everlasting love they held for one another.
Despite the gossip and the rumors of their reclusive reputation, the bond between father and daughter remained strong and unbreakable. It was an "always and forever" bond that Tommy and Amelia shared: living life in the world everyday for the pink crane that meant everything to them. Despite Amelia's age, she held a grace and wisdom beyond her years from other children her age. It was as if somehow Tommy's missing princess and soulmate was still present with them.
Amelia stepped back after the little girl raised her fingers to her lips and touched them on the engraved name on her mom's tombstone. She let out a small smile seeing her dad observing her and made her way towards Tommy. She saw the bouquet of flowers Tommy had on him which turned out to be orchids.
"Hey kiddo, how are you feeling?" Tommy asked smiling at his daughter. "Did you enjoy your time talking to mommy?"
"I did and I told her about what happened at school today with Myles." Amelia replied looking at her mother's grave with a small chuckle. "I don't think mommy would be happy if I tried picking a fight with Myles today for what he said. It's nice talking to mommy and I told her about my card I made for her birthday & Valentine's Day."
"Your mommy would probably say the same thing about fighting and how it's not a good thing." Tommy said. "Unless if you're taking karate and you're competing in a match or competition. I can tell you that if mommy was around she tell you to ignore what Myles said to you because he doesn't understand."
"Thanks daddy and I like being here with you and seeing mommy. It's like she's with us even if she is sleeping under the ground." She said with a heartfelt smile.
"Me too peanut and seeing mommy kind of feels like our family is whole alongside our defender." Tommy murmured reflectively as he took a step towards Kim's gravesite, placing the bouquet of orchids in front of the headstone. "Hey Beautiful, it's your white knight and falcon paying tribute to our crane, our Winged Lady of the Skies."
"It's your turn now daddy to go talk to mommy." Amelia said sweetly. "You can ask her what kind of cake she liked eating on her birthday."
"Okay peanut I'll go ask your mom about the cake." Tommy let out a small chuckle at his side conversation with his little girl, then redirected his attention back. "You should see our little girl, Beautiful, so full of life, energy, carefree and high spirited just like her mother. I should probably wish you an early Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Birthday though it's not until next week..."
A felt a slight breeze as the sun began to set and daylight was slowly fading. "Valentine's Day does have it's double standards doesn't it? It held so many memories for us hasn't it Kim? I remember proposing to you on your birthday during our last year at ASU and you instantly said yes which made it worth while. I remember our first time celebrating it after our move to Reefside and how we brought our eight month old daughter to dinner at a fine dining restaurant that mostly catered to adults. Boy, I think that was the one year we killed the romance in that establishment with a crying ruining the love fest..."
"However, the double standard about this day also marked your birthday...or what would have been your birthday." Reflectively, Tommy rubbed the back of his neck and let a heartfelt sigh as he continued. "This would have been the big one...the big 30. I could imagine the celebration to mark your thirtieth birthday, Beautiful. It probably be us celebrating with all our family and friends and at the same time turn it into some semi Power Ranger reunion. You would definitely remind me to order you a strawberry shortcake since it's your favourite cake. I think I be left in charge of planning your party although somehow the Trini and the girls would probably take over on the planning..."
"We probably make jokes with you about the pros and cons of turning 30." He further said. "And then you top off the night giving a speech or a tantrum of how it sucks getting older every year. It would have been probably one of your best birthdays to celebrate because you had us alongside with you for the festivities. Unfortunately, wishful thinking of the impossible reminds us of the reality we're living for almost five years. Yeah, it would have been your 30th birthday, Beautiful and one we would have celebrated this Valentine's Day with our favourite birthday girl."
"Amelia knows about Valentine's Day and how it's your birthday and this year it's going to be special." Tommy took a deep breath and went on. "People talk about us and think we live like recluses, very private and somewhat not too sociable with the locals. Life has its way of being interesting which is why I'm here with our little girl instead of attending a record launch party hosted by Zack and Tanya in LA. We thought about it and this year we're not skipping out on Valentine's Day or your birthday for that matter because this is the big 30. Yeah, it may sound weird to people I'm celebrating my deceased wife's birthday but let them talk and say things, it doesn't matter."
"Part of me feels there something on the horizon and this here maybe the calm before the storm." He quickly said. "I stopped running, Beautiful and I stopped renouncing my fate and destiny. I'm paving the way to finish what we started five years ago and I know I have to head out to the frontline again. There is a lurking shadow from the past that is about to descend upon us and I need to be ready for whatever comes next. I want to be able to at least quell the shadows and keep them at bay in order to keep the light within safe and our little girl's future."
"I should probably end this on a high note for Amelia's sake. So, I wish you an early Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Birthday, Beautiful." Tommy replied with a heartfelt sigh. "If I could probably guess what you would wish for on your birthday, it would be that everyone you love stays safe and happy. It is always like you to think about others before yourself, even on your birthday. Whatever comes next, I pray and hope...somehow your wish does come true, even on your special day wherever you are. You deserve all your dreams and wishes to come true..."
Finishing up his final moments of reflection, Tommy felt Amelia's small hand slip into his as he gently held the small hand. Both father and daughter gave their last goodbyes to the gravesite of their beloved Kimberly as they turned and made their exit out of the quiet cemetery together. Unbeknownst to departed father and daughter, their pink crane's gravesite had one last visitor who eyed the headstone in the form of Quinn. He took a deep breath and a let out a reflective sigh deep in thought.
"Wishful thinking for the impossible will soon become the possible for your dear white falcon, girlie." Quinn said deep in thought. "I pray somehow that beating heart in the void can still answer the call of its long lost mate. This war is more than just for the faint of heart and soul...I hope somehow he can endure what he faces on the frontline especially if that includes the lurking shadow that has haunted him for years..."