Sins of the Father Part Four
Maya did not know what to say at the moment. Just days before, she was dreaming of her father, hoping and praying that he was watching over her from above. The man she once loved so much. Her hero...was a cheater this whole time. And here she was, sitting in a gloomy, dark theatre room, facing one of her toughest enemies, whom she just found out was the illegitimate child of her father. Marco was her BROTHER.
"Okay...you got what you wanted, right?" Maya venomously asked, tears glistening in her eyes. "Hero and villain, face-to-face, and you know what happens now, the villain DIES!"
Marco grinned mischievously. "Exactly! But I'm not the villain, Maya...your dad is. You are the proof, as well as him."
"Well, in that case..." Maya then stopped for a second, allowing what Marco said to sink in. "Wait, what do you mean by 'him'?"
Marco shook his head, the wicked grin still implanted on his face as he walked over to the side. Maya then noticed the sounds of panicked muffling from a distance before Marco pulled out a young teenage boy whose hands were bound behind his back, and his eyes, ears, and mouth were covered in tape.
Maya's eyes widened in horror as she screeched. "Pablo!" She took a step forward, but Marco barked out viciously.
"Do not take a single step forward! Taking down a ranger is child's play for me, so don't think I can't easily extinguish our brother like I did that inner-city freak and that prissy little chick."
"Why are you doing this? Maya asked hysterically.
"Because somebody has to pick up your father's tab. I don't believe killing him was enough!"
"But you can't-" Maya then stopped for a moment, realizing what Marco had just said. "What do you mean?"
Marco violently threw Pablo to the side. The boy stumbled before landing on his shoulder. He grunted in pain.
Marco kept his eyes on Maya, his teeth seething with rage. "There had been an open window in which Po seeped through the human world while your Sensei was out of the country. He found me as I was left out in the cold...I had nothing, and he gave me a kind offering. I sacrificed half of my humanity and abandoned Uni and my duties, and he would take me in as his son and would allow me to seek my revenge. Uni disapproved and threatened to disown me if I dared to move forward, but once I reluctantly agreed, I was filled with so much power and the first thing I did was take a trip to Iraq!"
The level of shock Maya was experiencing was immeasurable. His father's death wasn't an accident but was premeditated by her newly discovered brother.
"Y...you killed my father!" Maya stumbled with her words. Her emotions were becoming intense, with anger, rage, and shock being mixed like a dangerous concoction.
"And now..." Marco continued, shrugging his shoulders, a wicked grin plastered on his face. "We can get started with a game. We duel, but you have limited time to defeat me before your brother turns into the final installment in my collection." He violently picked up Pablo from the stage floor and pulled him to the side, where he pulled out a gurney that was kept hidden behind the curtain and strapped Pablo down.
Maya knew she had to do something. She sprinted forward, but then Marco snapped his attention over to her and shot her a deadly glare, before zapping her with a streak of yellow raw energy from his hand. Maya was stunned by the attack as she stumbled backward, before falling on her back.
She then saw Marco pull out an IV bag pole. The right end was hanging a big, round-cylinder container. He then used a long nozzle that was connected to the bottom of the container and pierced it through the gag, into Pablo's mouth.
"NO!" Maya screamed, jumping to her feet, realizing it was time to morph. "Call into Combat!" She transfigured into the Yellow Ranger, yanking her blade out from behind.
Marco snapped his fingers, transfiguring into his ninja form.
Maya and Marco were pushing their weapons against one another. "You...you bastard!" Maya exclaimed through her teeth as she struggled to push Marco back. "That was your father...and those were innocent children."
Marco managed to push Maya back against the wall. The girl only had her blade just an inch from her face as she struggled even harder to keep it steady. "Those children weren't just random. Your father has had an affair with two other women. Roberto's mom was just a prostitute who was knocked up by your dad during a one-night stand, while the other woman just so happened to be one of your dad's coworkers who cut ties with him."
The Yellow Ranger then let out an inhumane roar as she pushed the Yellow Ninja backward. She tried to dash to the side to get to Pablo, but Marco immediately gathered himself just in time to stop her.
"Oh no you don't!" In a flash, he took out his mallet. He smacked the mallet at Maya's chest. The force of the strike was so strong that is sent her flying. She squealed the entire way till she fell, roughly, between the rows of seats, close to the rear exit.
Maya began to choke and cough as she attempted to regain control of her breathing abilities following the sharp hit to her chest. She managed to elevate her head above the seats but then gasped as she saw Marco return to the platform, pouring a gray, beige liquid into the container linked to the tube. The liquid then moved downwards through the nozzle, gradually approaching Pablo's mouth. Pablo was trembling fiercely. He couldn't see or hear anything, but the thick substance produced a haze that made it impossible for him to breathe.
"NO!" Maya stumbled as she lunged over the seats, but Marco then swung his head toward her and blasted her to the ground with yet another bolt of energy.
"Stop meddling. This is the end! For so many years, I have held a grudge against that man's children...the life you guys were being raised in. A loving family and friends...that should have been ME!" He ranted, looking down at Maya with a loathing stare. "Your father gave you a wonderful soul, and I think it reasonable to do whatever it takes to destroy it! I could easily eliminate you, but if your spirit survives, what have I accomplished? NOTHING!"
"I will kill you, you bastard! I will kill you!" Maya swore ferociously, desperately trying to get back to her feet.
He let out a laugh that echoed throughout the entire theatre, and maybe even beyond. Just as the liquid was mere inches from Pablo, the power all of a sudden shut off, leaving the room pitch black.
"Hey!" Marco yelled. "What's going on?"
Maya looked around, frantic as to what was coming next now that the power was out. It seemed too convenient for her and her brother. Perhaps...
Just then, the lights flickered for a moment before it sprung back to power. The only difference was that Pablo was absent, and the tube was slashed, leaving the pouring out of it down onto the ground.
"What?!" Marco stared intensely at the vacant gurney. "What's going on?! Who's here?"
He flipped the gurney over in a fit of rage. "Whoever is here? Show yourself!" He demanded, gripping his mallet.
"Hey, shithead!" A voice called out from the mezzanine above. Marco looked up and scowled at the Green Blue, and White Rangers staring down at him.
"Guys!" Maya screamed helplessly. "My brother!"
"Max got him." The Blue Ranger clarified.
"Genius idea for him to shut off the lights!" Bonnie added.
Marco growled. "You insufferable fleas! Karadracs attack!"
As requested, the mezzanine was swarmed with foot soldiers, ambushing DJ and the twins
With her focus back on the stage, Maya swung her blade and lunged at Marco. The ninja noticed her approaching and sidestepped her assault just in time. He then continued to hit her with his mallet at various angles.
He whispered, "Pathetic...daughter of a... irredeemable man," as if to show his hatred for Maya and her family with every syllable. Maya felt bruises forming through her suit. She staggered to the side, gripping the curtain to prevent herself from falling over the edge. The Yellow Ninja just shook his head before striking Maya to the side, sending her off the stage, using all the strength he could muster.
She landed hard on the hard, cold floor. She tried to hold back the sob, not from the physical pain she was experiencing. She experienced much more and never shed a single tear from an ouchie here and there. The pain that was overwhelming her was the emotions. Her father, her hero, was a liar and a cheater.
She suddenly remembered a memory of her father that remained with her for so long, despite having it been so long since it happened.
Maya was 6 years of age and had come home after a long and hard first day of 1st grade. She had been maliciously picked up by a gang of girls and had rushed to her room, crying on her bed.
Her father walked in, his face etched with concern. "Maya, ¿qué pasó, nena? What's wrong?"
Maya lifted her head off of her pillows, her cheeks stained with tears. "Papi, those girls were mean to me."
Her father embraced her, shushing her as she continued to sob. "Maya, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. You know, I was bullied when i was your age."
"Really?" Maya asked.
"Yes, and I felt very sad, but the best thing I did was turn that sadness into anger, and that made it very easy to stand up for myself. Bad people are afraid when good people become angry because it shows that they are not scared."
Maya sniffled. Her father kissed her head and spoke softly.
"Maya..."
"Maya..."
"Maya..."
"Maya!"
Maya was snapped out of her trance as she looked up. She saw Max in front of the seating area, slashing down at a foot soldier who ambushed him.
The Red Ranger turned to face his friend and took out the Sacred Box. "You need this!" He shouted.
Marco clenched his hammer. "Oh, no you don't!" He retaliated, charging at Max.
Max acted quickly, chucking the box over toward Maya before Marco reached him, striking him down with his mallet. Max grasped his shoulder and moaned as he looked up at the ninja, who was above him like a lion over its prey.
Marco snickered as he raised his mallet, preparing for the final blow. "This is the end of the line for you, Red Ranger!" He said righteously, but just before he could take out Max for good, he was bombarded by multiple blasts from behind,
He turned and grasped his back in anguish. The Sacred Box had helped the Yellow Ranger change. Her rectangular visor was much larger and colored yellow, with thicker canines at each corner. She now donned a black belt instead of gold, a vivid yellow vest, and silver steel gloves. Finally, rather than having massive wings connected to her back like Max or a fin like DJ, Maya's power-up came from her shining yellow boots with enormous rear wings attached.
"Alright, Maya!" Bonnie cheered. She and the others had finally finished off the Karadracs and were observing the scene down below from the mezzanine.
Maya, remembering her father's words, looked daggers at the person who had taken him away from her. She was overcome with dread, despair, agony, and sadness, but she now knew the best way to channel those feelings to her advantage, which was to turn them into pure wrath.
"Time for my last encore," Marco declared vehemently.
"You won't be around to see the end of me," Maya barked out, swinging her double-edged sword with style.
"Maya!" Max shouted, grabbing his sword and getting up to his seat.
Marco whirled around fast. "Buzz off!" He barked and charged up his hammer. The electrified weapon was then used to forcefully strike Max's chest. The Red Ranger was sent flying till he collided with the neighboring wall.
"Max!" DJ cried out.
Marco then glanced up and unleashed a massive yellow lightning bolt at the mezzanine where the others were. The blast pushed them off the high floor. They plunged and landed close to Max. All four of Maya's companions were groaning in agony from the attacks.
That did it. That was the clincher.
The theatre tremored.
Marco was completely ignorant of what had hit him. Several light flashes blasted him simultaneously as if a camera was constantly flashing in his face. In reality, it was Maya, who was speeding like a cheetah, leaving what looked to be skidding tracks on the ground as she attacked him many times with her sword.
Max lifted his head and watched as Maya sped across the floor, continuing to hit Marco. He should be cheering, but he was worried since Maya was unintentionally assisting Po's plot. He didn't know how much power would be required to complete the link between Kartae and Earth, because God would only know the fate of Earth once Po's plan was completed.
"This is for Papi," Maya declared proudly, sprinting across the room and striking her half-brother once again. "This is for the children you murdered." She skidded to a halt, before pulling out her bow gun. "And this is for my friends, my family, and the life you desperately craved. Too bad I got to live it instead."
Her battlelizer helped amplify her bow gun's power. She pulled the trigger, holding it, allowing the energy within the gun to build up.
Marco's outfit was ripped up from the several slashes he had received. He was inhaling and exhaling heavily as he looked at Maya with wicked, malevolent eyes.
"Take...the...shot," he said with a grin.
Maya said, "Say hello to Father for me," before finally releasing the gun's energy. The cannon launched a yellow energy beam, which pierced Marco.
Marco groaned from the attack before laughing lightly.
Maya lowered her gun. "Why are you chuckling?"
"Because you really thought you won," Marco rasped, his eyes ablaze. "Haven't you realized that Po would send me here just to get my revenge? He just needed me to fulfill his plan. He only needed me to complete his goal. Can't you feel the Earth's vitality surging? Its overloading would destroy any border between it and Kartae, and the Humanitors will rule the WORLD!"
He cackled maniacally as his entire body lit up, erupting in a massive explosion. The magnitude was sufficient to burn the theatre ablaze.
DJ managed to Bonnie and Donnie and led them to the emergency exit.
"Go, go! We need to get out of here" He ushered urgently, forcing the twins out of the room. "Max!" He yelled out.
The Red Ranger stared marveling at the flames that had been created. He couldn't see Maya from the opposite side.
He implored DJ in a terrified voice. "DJ! We need to get Maya!"
Smoke was engulfing the entire room, making it difficult to see through. DJ only managed to grab Max's arm and pulled him toward the exit. "We have to get out of here!" He said as the entire theatre was crumbling.
Max was trying to push DJ away. "NO! MAYA!" He yelled hysterically.
The smoke was emanating from the theatre as DJ dragged a protesting Max away from the burning building.
Max's voice echoed through the crumbling walls, pleading for his best friend.
"MAYA!"
To be continued...