"Hello ma'am, my name is Lt. Stone," Lt. Stone said in a professional tone as the door opened and Helen Lee Scott came out on to the porch dressed in a tan pantsuit and shoes. "I was sent by your son…"

Helen Lee Scott frowned, "Has something happened to Jason, officer?" she asked in a very worried tone as her normally gentle expression melted into one of concern. "He was visiting a friend at the hospital earlier and then he was going to visit with some of his other friends. Please, tell me, is he all right?"

"Your son is fine, ma'am," Lt. Stone replied in a softer tone. "I'm here about your nephew, Malcolm…"

Helen's eyes widened, "I haven't seen or heard from Malcolm or his parents for several years," she replied in a shocked voice. "His father, Tyler, is my husband's brother and they had a fight a long time ago over Tyler wanting to move for a better position in his company. What's happened to them, officer?"

"As you may know through the newspaper, there was a serious car accident just outside of Angel Grove two days ago, ma'am," Lt. Stone stated, trying to keep his composure. "According to the investigation Angel Grove Police are currently conducting, a car swerved off of the slippery road and crashed. The car and two of its occupants were incinerated, but one occupant and some possessions were ejected…"

Helen's eyes went narrow, "I don't understand what a car accident has to do with me," she replied.

"Mrs. Lee Scott, the occupants were Tyler, Karen, and Malcolm Lee Scott," Lt. Stone stated in a solemn voice as he removed his hat. "Only Malcolm Lee Scott survived and is in stable condition at the hospital."

Helen's eyes widened again and she swallowed hard, "Take me there," she snapped. "Right now."

"Ma'am, your nephew is in a delicate emotional state right now…" Lt. Stone began to protest."

For the first time ever, anger appeared on Helen's face, "You'll be in a delicate physical state in the next few seconds if you don't take me to see my nephew and son," she snapped. "My husband is at work and I can always send Jason to come get him later on. I need to see what my nephew has grown to become."

"…What a mush bowl," Rita scoffed as she turned away from her telescope and saw that Finister and Goldar had come out of the shadows. "I thought I had given you both important things to do?"

Finister nodded, "The potion is being prepared for the Black Ranger," he replied. "Goldar has news…"

"Lord Zedd's heir is prepared," Goldar cut in, excited that there was finally a new ally to evil prepared.

Rita grinned and marched through the darkness, not stopping until she got into the room where the power source had been stored since its arrival. A figure in black robes lay unconscious on a metal bed with the hood over its face. Rita moved closer to the bed, excited for the figure to wake up.

"Heir of Lord Zedd, arise from your slumber!" Rita shouted. "Your time of destiny is at hand!"

There was silence and then the robed figure sat up. He silently removed his hood, revealing a face that was identical to Malcolm's except for an evil red shade in his eyes. The teen gazed at Rita and Zedd.

"Oh, Zeddy, he's PERFECT!" Rita said as she moved a step closer. "Finally, a son to call our very own!"

Zedd grunted, "Just remember not to spoil him too much, Rita," he replied gruffly. "We have much to teach him that he might one day defeat Zordon, Alpha, and the Power Rangers for abandoning him."

"What is my name, Father?" the young man asked in a toneless voice. "I must have one."

Zedd thought for a moment, "Zedison, Son of Chaos," he replied. "Your simple name will be Mark."

"Zedison," the young man replied tonelessly as he rose from the bed. "It is an acceptable name."

Rita touched his shoulder affectionately with an evil grin on her face, "Your father and I will teach you every dreadful and despicable thing you'll need to know," she said in an evil tone. "In fact, to help you on your path to evil living, we are preparing a guide and bodyguard to help and protect you from good."

"Excellent," the young man, now known as Zedison, said as he gazed at the telescope with a wicked smile on his face. "Once I learn all that I need to, Zordon, Alpha, and the Power Rangers will SUFFER."

"…You hate the Rangers because they do not see you as they see Tommy...as an equal..."

Zack's eyes popped open and he realized that he was lying in a sealed pod of some sort with water underneath him. He tried to move his arms and legs, but they were bound and immobilized.

"…Zordon prefers Tommy with the Rangers over you…He has taken your Black Ranger Powers from you because you are not worthy of them…"

Shock and horror filled Zack's heart as the image of Zordon and Alpha appeared before his eyes and they seemed to be talking to the other Rangers, all of whom were in their uniforms and holding hands.

"…I am cutting Zack off the Power Grid and making Tommy the new Black Ranger since his Green Ranger powers are no longer functioning," Zordon said in a deep voice. "Tommy has a value to the Power Rangers that Zack does not seem to have any longer. Therefore, it is time to release Zack to the world."

As the vision faded, Zack shuddered violently; was it possible that Zordon was replacing him now?

"…Sleep…let the transformation complete you into who you were meant to become…"

Zack tried to fight the sudden fatigue that rose up in him, but eventually, he fell into blackness.

"…Jason?"

From his chair beside Malcolm's hospital bed, Jason looked up and saw his mother lingering in the doorway holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a small bag of things in the other. He then saw Lt. Stone come into the room with a small, see-through bag of old clothes in his hands.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" Jason asked as he rose from the bed and walked over to his mother so not to wake Malcolm from the much needed sleep he was having. "Why is Lt. Stone with you?"

Helen gave Jason a sad smile, "Lt. Stone came to the house and told me what happened," she replied as she walked closer to the bed and set the flowers on the end table. "I decided that Malcolm could use a few things so I asked Lt. Stone to help me bring them here. A few of your old clothes, some books…"

"A nurse gave Malcolm some medicine to help him rest a while ago," Jason replied softly, remembering that after the two of them had been alone, Malcolm had begun crying and puking so much that he had begged for something to help him sleep. "I don't know how soon he'll wake up and feel like talking."

Nodding, Helen set the bag on the portable table and moved closer to the bed, "Jason, did your father ever show you pictures of your Uncle Tyler?" she asked softly as she watched Malcolm sleep.

"No, I don't think he's ever even talked about Uncle Tyler, Aunt Karen, or Malcolm in front of me," Jason replied as he moved closer to his mother. "I saw a photo of them once, but Dad took it away from me."

Helen sighed and gently brushed a loose strand of hair off Malcolm's bandaged forehead, "Malcolm looks so much like your Uncle Tyler," she said. "He'll need someone else to take care of him now."

"Well, we could do it, Mom," Jason replied softly. "I'm sure Dad would let Malcolm live with us."

Before Helen could reply, however, Malcolm let out a quiet moan and slowly opened his eyes. He looked relieved to see Jason there, but also looked very confused as to why Helen was there, fussing over him.

"Malcolm, you may not remember me," Helen said in a gentle voice. "I'm your Aunt Helen, sweetie."

Malcolm nodded and winced as he sighed, "My mother told me about you and Uncle Thomas," he replied in a tired voice. "She mentioned that my dad and Uncle Thomas had a fight years ago because my dad wanted to open a dojo in Crystal Valley and not in Angel Grove. It split them apart for years."

It was then that Helen noticed the items already on the portable tray, including the photo, "Your father's dojo?" she asked as she picked up the photo and showed it to Malcolm. "Did you help him run it?"

"I trained under him since we moved there," Malcolm replied softly. "My last match was two days ago in Stone Canyon and after that, my dad said we were going to come to Angel Grove to try and visit you—"

Tears suddenly came to Malcolm's eyes, "This isn't the way I expected to reunite with my family," he said, deeply embarrassed to be crying in front of his relatives. It was then that he noticed the clothes and couldn't help but wince. "Did you bring me some things so that I'd be okay in a shelter after they let me out of the hospital? I don't think Uncle Thomas will want me around…I'm too much like my dad."

"Oh, Malcolm, no," Helen replied in a comforting tone. "I talked to your doctor on my way in and he said that you'd be here for several more days. The clothes are just in case you get tired of wearing a hospital gown and the other things are for personal hygiene and some books you can read when you're awake."

Lt. Stone suddenly cleared his throat, "Mrs. Lee Scott, may I talk to you in private for a moment?" he asked, intending to arrange guardianship for Malcolm while he was still convalescing in the hospital.

Helen nodded and smiled at her son as she left the room with Lt. Stone, "I don't care what my dad says," Jason said as he smiled at Malcolm. "Even if he doesn't like you, you and I are still family, okay?"

"I don't want to create any more rifts in your family," Malcolm replied as he placed his hand, which was shaking from cold, over the bandages that were under his gown. "I already lost my parents and I don't want you to lose yours to try and be my friend. Maybe I'm just better off being left on my own."

Jason frowned and gently took Malcolm's hand in his own, "Malcolm, we're family," Jason said in a firm, yet gentle tone as he tucked Malcolm's hand under the blanket. "Family looks out for one another."

"It seems that Jason is keeping his vow," Alpha reported as he watched Jason help Malcolm through the viewing globe. "Zordon, have you managed to locate the Black Ranger yet? He must be in trouble."

Zordon sighed, "The Pink, Yellow, and Blue Ranger are out searching," he replied. "Hopefully…"

Suddenly, there was a flash of light and the Black Ranger's Power Coin and Morpher materialized on one of the data ports. As Alpha approached them, both items quickly caught on fire and melted into nothing.

"…The Powers of the Black Ranger have been captured by Rita and Zedd," Zordon's voice boomed throughout the Command Center. "To preserve the other Rangers' powers, we must act immediately."

Alpha trembled as he ran over to another console, "Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi!" he shouted, realizing that in order to save the other Rangers from destruction, the Black Ranger power had to be cut off from the Power Grid.

"Retrieve the Rangers from their search," Zordon said in a grave tone. "We need their help in this."

Alpha nodded and pressed a button on the console. Almost immediately, Trini, Kimberly, and Billy appeared in the Command Center, all of them still dressed in their Power Ranger uniforms.

"Even though the Green Ranger's powers are gone, send a message to Tommy about the situation," Zordon spoke as he gazed at the three Rangers. "Rangers, Rita and Zedd have taken Zack under their control and have also taken control of the Black Ranger Powers. We must now cut them from the grid."

Kimberly, Billy, and Trini looked horrified at the news, "We can't abandon Zack!" Trini cried in an anxious voice as she removed her helmet. "He's our friend and we just can't! Isn't there another way, Zordon?"

"If we do not cut off the Black Ranger from the Power Grid, the rest of you will eventually lose your powers to Zedd and Rita's control," Zordon replied. "We need Power Rangers to protect the Earth."

Kimberly nodded, a frown on her face, "Does this mean the Green Ranger will be able to be restored to fight alongside us?" she asked in a confused tone. "Shouldn't Jason be here to help us with this?"

"Jason is taking care of another matter," Zordon replied. "And no, the Green Ranger is gone forever. Tommy cannot reclaim those powers."

Alpha sighed and activated a console, "Once I press this button, the Black Ranger powers will be cut off from the Power Grid," he said in a solemn voice. "There is nothing we can do but this to preserve the other powers. I am very, very sorry."

Silence reigned and Billy, Kimberly, and Trini watched with dismay as Alpha pressed the button and cut the Black Ranger and Zack's hold on the powers from the Power Grid. It was the partial end of an era.

All that remained to protect the world was four...four Power Rangers.