A/N 1: So this is a little plot bunny that just won't go away. Note: I am not a Kat hater. But this one just won't go away.

A/N 2: Tommy ends it with Kat, on New Year's Eve. Lokar and Kat plan their revenge in retaliation. Meanwhile, Elsa has a new creation, and the geniuses and Wes devise a plan to free Jen.

A/N 3: Usual disclaimer. Not mine. Eldin, Grace Sterling, Zophram and Fienna are products of Boom Studios.

Chapter 16: Secrets

December 24, 2004

Grandma F's Hotel, basement Command Center

Angel Grove, CA

Now that everyone who was staying at Lady Fienna's command base could relax somewhat, a lot of things had been revealed that few knew.

The Rangers, firstly, were surprised that Grace Sterling was a Ranger before her time – going back to the 1960s in fact. The reason, she said, that she didn't get involved with Ranger business when Rita, Zedd et al first attacked in the 1990s was her intense distaste for Zordon's practices.

However, as she said, "that does not take away from the respect I have for everyone in this room. The threats from alien invaders were real and you selflessly put on the uniforms as we did and you beat everyone that came in your path."

Though she had intense distaste for Zordon himself, she knew he picked exemplary people to wear the uniform and for her, that's what they were – including every team that came after Zordon.

And then Trent spoke.

"Grace isn't the only one with secrets, unfortunately. What I am about to tell you is a secret I had to keep," Trent said. "To make a long story short, Mesogog was not the one who infected my Dino Gem."

"Then it was…" Kira said, too stunned to speak.

"Yeah. Kat, and Goldar," Trent said. "I didn't personally meet Kimberly when I was in my evil state, but had that been the case I probably would have tried to tear her head off. Kat specifically told me to eliminate Tommy."

"God that's horrible," Ethan said. "And you've had to live with this all this time, even since you've been in New York."

"Yes, and it's been hell. Dr. O swore me to secrecy," Trent said.

"And for a good reason, unfortunately," Conner said. It was at this point he knew he needed to put his past problems with Trent away. The hell he'd been through was undeserved.

In fact, in Conner's mind (and he had no doubt this was the case with Kira, Trent, Cassidy and Devin too) it made him more determined to win. He was, silently, in a rage.

"It's true, it's the reason why he wasn't fired by Hayley or kicked off the team by Tommy," another voice said as three more figures entered the room. The person who had spoken was Anton, and with him was Elsa. The third was a mysterious, blonde-haired woman in a white power dress who most of the Dino Thunder team had never seen before.

"Dad, Mom, Mandy, you guys got here," Trent said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"We got the call from Dr. Cranston to come here," Anton Mercer said, followed by Elsa and the mysterious "Mandy."

"Yes, it is both Tommy and Dr. Cranston's belief that we will be targeted since Ms. Hart is now a free woman," Elsa said. "So we are taking no chances."

Trent rolled his eyes…he'd called his parents a week ago after coming back from New York and told them to get out of Reefside, but Anton refused to leave. Now, however, things were different.

"Mind telling us what a civilian is doing in our base?" Conner said, his senses bristling. He already didn't trust many people in Reefside except for Dr. O (who was in Paris now anyways) and so he was on high alert.

"Wait, I've met her…she's a math teacher at Reefside High and almost got hired by Reefside Tech," Ethan said. "She got hired at the high school after we left."

"Yes, and she comes with some…surprises," Elsa said, nodding to "Mandy," and saying, "Would you care to demonstrate?"

"Certainly, class," she said in a sweet voice. With that being said, her human form began to morph into a humanoid alien being. It was a math based creation – the white coat remained, her weapon was a long, ruler-like staff and her entire chest inside of her coat was literally a calculator!

"I suppose explanations are in order," Elsa said, sitting down before the teens. "During Mesogog's reign of terror, I created this monster, the Mathematitress, as a potential plan to destroy the four of you and Dr. Oliver. It didn't work out and I thought that when I turned human that I would lose her too."

"However, Trini, the late Yellow Ranger, visited Elsa and myself in a dream after Mesogog was defeated and gave us each one wish," Anton said. "Hers was to bring the monster back and for the monster to use its powers for good."

"There's only one problem though," Mathematitress explained. "I haven't used my powers since I was brought back and it's been months since there's been any sort of threat. I was hoping Elsa would use me in the last attack on Reefside, but you guys handled your business."

"So you need someone to be your guinea pig. To make sure your powers still work," Jason said.

"Correct, Mr. Scott. If my powers work, I can trap anyone in this calculator that I please. The calculator doubles as a dimension similar to Mesogog's Island and only I have the power to let inhabitants out."

"Then I'll do it," a new voice said, as Justin entered the room. "I was always the expendable Ranger. I was the one that stayed behind after we lost to Goldgoyle. Let me take the bullet."

Those who had served with Justin felt sad, but they knew he was not wrong.

"A selfless student indeed," Mathematitress said. "Hold still and let's see if my powers work."

"Before you do that," Billy said, "I promise you Justin, we will contact the Space Rangers and let them know of the situation. They will absolutely be in the next fight and you will be with them."

Her calculator chest began to glow with power and a blue beam shot forth from it, enveloping Justin.

"See you soon, guys, I hope," Justin said. Wordlessly, he ceased moving as the beam sucked him in.

"I can't believe it. That worked perfectly," she said, as she turned back into Mandy.

"And she can suck every one of those goons in her chest if she pleases?" Billy asked, gobsmacked. "That's a prodigious weapon."

"Yes, and the only way I'd let them out is if Kat and Lokar surrender to us and ends this cockamamie plan of theirs to destroy Tommy," Mandy said.

"Another thing about my creation. With every individual she captures, she becomes stronger," Elsa added.

"So, like the Terror Toad back in the day," Jason mused, then slapped his head. He'd forgotten the Dino Thunder young adults were in the room. He immediately mouthed at them, 'old monster,' to which they nodded.

"I'd say Elsa outdid herself this time," Cassidy said.

"I'd say the next time Kat attacks she and her henchmen are going to be in for one big surprise."

"I'll release Justin when the time is right, guys. He will be back in the land of the living soon enough," Mandy said. "In the meantime he will be perfectly safe in there."

"There's more," Wes said, as he suddenly walked in the room.

"What more can there possibly be?" Grace asked.

"We may have a way to free Jen the next time we go to battle," Wes said. "Yesterday I went to the house, looking for anything that may help us be able to battle Jen or even free her. I came across this."

It looked like your ordinary box of chocolates, but those with connections to the Grid could feel the evil emanate from it.

"My theory is whoever the culprit is used these chocolates to corrupt Jen. I can literally feel the evil emanate from them. I personally would rather not touch one of them, but I gave the box to Justin and Billy to take a look at, and Hayley has been analyzing this too."

"And?" Rocky asked. He preferred to not have to fight Jen as he could see how much power she wielded just by seeing her for the first time. The Ninja Storm team was no picnic either.

"There is a good chance I will be able to create an antidote to free her the next time we go into battle," Billy said. "The problem is she's really smart and we'll probably only get one shot at this…"

December 31, 2004, early morning

1492 Valencia Drive

Reefside, CA

Katarina woke up that morning and immediately knew something was terribly wrong.

Her belongings were there, all of them. But her husband was not with her, and even more ominously, nor were any of his belongings.

Instinctively, she made her way down to the lab. As she walked to the lab, her eyes went up and down.

None of the pictures she and Tommy shared in the house were there. Nothing they cherished that was his was there.

"It can't possibly be…" she muttered as she walked faster and faster down the steps to the lab.

And the lab was empty too. None of the technology that Tommy had built was there, none of it.

Nothing but one single note, taped to a wall. And a mysterious orb in the corner of the lab that glowed ferociously with power.

Opening the note, Kat began to read it, and her black heart broke with every second.

Katarina,

If you are reading this, as of this very moment, our relationship and our marriage is over. It's funny, I proposed to you on New Year's Eve, December 31, 2000, and now it ends on New Year's Eve four years later.

Actually, it was over a long time ago for me, but I had the unenviable task of keeping you in the dark. To be precise, it was over the day you tried to kill me back in March. I have known you tried to kill me since that day.

I know everything, Katarina. That you tried to kill me, your relationship to the accursed Lokar, that you are seeing Ivan Ooze behind my back, about your brother, everything. I even know that you orchestrated the Red mission to the moon, and that you killed Trini.

And I certainly know what you've been doing to Kim over the years.

And poor Trent, what you made him do to me. That poor kid never deserved anything you made him do.

You are a disgrace, and I will make you pay for everything you did to me and to us. My lawyer will be in touch with you after the New Year. And I'll see you on the battlefield. Your nightmare has just begun.

One last thing. If you have even one smidgeon of a thought of turning my base into some evil headquarters, don't even try it. That orb you may have seen is the Orb of Hope, and it will snuff out any evil you try in my base till I return – and I will.

I used it to create that lightning stunt to draw your family out on Christmas Eve and that's exactly what it did. I snuck back in the night after Christmas to return it so you wouldn't tamper with anything until I returned.

Happy New Year and good riddance,

Tommy

P.S. – I actually left 10 days ago. That 'Tommy' you were seeing was a clone. I am actually in Paris. I don't have to tell you what that means. See you soon.

Kat just stood there for several minutes, unable to find words to say.

She didn't think it could possibly happen, but it had happened.

Tommy had played her for a fool. He had made her think he didn't suspect anything, when in fact, he had known all along and had waited until the right time to inflict maximum impact – and he had.

She didn't even begin to think anyone was in the lair with her, until someone said, "You've been standing there for quite a while, Kat."

She didn't even have to turn to know who was in the room with her, but she nodded when she saw Goldar and Grifforza anyways.

"Read it," she deadpanned, her emotion gone. "He played me for a fool. He's in Paris with Kim and since there's a TRO against Kaden we can't touch him either. He made sure I saw this on this day too, four years to the day after he proposed to me."

The two read the note, and even they were surprised.

"It's not your fault. The good doctor has quite simply gotten a lot smarter since his teenage years. He was obviously looking for the right time to cripple us," Goldar said looking at the Orb of Hope. "That Orb is a real problem…we can't do anything evil here. We will have to continue to operate out of Florida."

"I suspected Tommy was up to something, but not to this level," Grifforza said. "None of us suspected, I don't think even Lokar did. He fooled all of us."

"The good news is, we still have strength in numbers," a new voice said. Kat gulped…she knew it was her father and her body clenched in fear.

"I know what you're thinking. It's OK…they're right. Dr. Oliver had all of us fooled. Including me. I would love to turn his house into our headquarters but the Orb of Hope is very powerful, we can't do that," Lokar said, consoling his daughter. "Like I said, we still have strength in numbers. Dr. Oliver and his Crane may have escaped our wrath, but they will pay a significant price."

"And that price is?" Kat said.

"The death of every living Ranger in existence, right up to Dr. Oliver's four Dino Thunder rats and those two nerdy reporters. We will destroy them all for what Tommy and his Crane have done," Lokar said, malice dripping through his voice.

Grandma F's Hotel, midday

Angel Grove, CA

This day had been most unusual. Most of the residents of the base didn't think they'd be stowing boxes away for the time being. Heavy boxes, too.

Conner knew instinctively what the boxes were when they arrived as well. They were all of Tommy's possessions…on instinct, he and the Dino Thunder teens knew Tommy had vacated the lab and the house writ large thanks to Kat's presence.

They only suspected that Tommy had dropped the bombshell. That their marriage was over.

To which Kira had said, "good riddance." And they'd all agreed.

Right now they were all watching, on the screens, how Kat had found out about the end of her marriage. The way Tommy had played it was perfect. Even the veterans were impressed…they expected Tommy to come through but not like this.

"Wow. I've known Tommy for years and even I'm impressed," Zack said. Yes, Zack, who was a lot more reserved these days, had finally shown his face in the last day or two and when he had, Billy had brought him in immediately before Lokar could target him.

Zack had immediately been debriefed about the situation, and as Billy and Jason had predicted, was mad as hell. Before, as bad as the Island of Illusions was, that was business. But Lokar had hurt Tommy (and Kim, and killed Trini) and he wanted to be part of defeating Lokar for good.

"Yes, he's definitely gotten smarter," Billy said, "because Kat is not easy to fool."

"No she isn't," came another voice, "which makes me even more proud that I pulled it off."

In the next moment, a shimmering portal appeared and a silhouette that everyone in the room recognized came through the portal.

"Tommy!" Jason and Zack said, simultaneously as they rushed to greet their old teammate with Billy not far behind. Jason then said, "We thought you'd spend New Year's night in Paris with Kim."

"I will but I thought I'd come check in for a few minutes. Kim is on another planet right now actually, working on strengthening her Crane powers."

"Dulcea," Billy muttered to himself. There was no other place Kim could be.

"How is she, bro?" Jason said.

"Better but she's still not that well off, Jase. They did a lot to her and even if we win, it's going to take a long time before she's the old Kim again. The only reason she hasn't gone completely off the rails is because I am with her and because Saba was with her before."

"Saba? I thought he was gone?"

"He is again but I asked him through the Orb of Hope to watch Kim until I could get her free."

The Dino Thunder team watched the dynamics between their predecessors carefully. They'd already seen a lot of it but Tommy wasn't in the room. Now he was.

The situation had hit home. Even though they were still alive for now, this force had driven Kim to her knees and could do the same to any of them.

"That's our cue to leave and go to our rooms. This is for the old teams," Cassidy muttered, and the Reefside six nodded. As one, they stood up and walked out

Tommy couldn't blame them. He would address them later, but their deduction had been this was an original teams moment, and they weren't wrong. They, with the possible exception of Cassidy and Devin, couldn't possibly know what Kim had been through. He did. She'd told him everything…and it had been difficult for her to do that.

"Have my boxes been put away until Monday?" Tommy said.

"They have, Tom," Elsa said.

"Good. I fly in from Paris Monday afternoon…I hope Lokar doesn't attack before then but he probably will. I'll come get the boxes Monday – the Orb can do the rest. Elsa," he said, nodding at Mathematitress, "is that Mandy's alien form? I don't think I've seen it before."

"It is, and when we go to battle next, I will trap Lokar's forces in my calculator one by one, Dr. Oliver," Mathematitress said. "What happened to Kimberly will be avenged."

"That's great but I've been doing some thinking," Billy said. "When this is over, I'm going to make sure nothing like this ever happens again. What happened to Kim is a disgrace."

"When we get a house," Hayley said, "he wants there to be enough room for a tech startup. Cranston Tech, he wants to call it. He is even more angry than Tommy is about what Lokar did because he saw the hell Kim was in – even Tom didn't see that."

"Yep, I'm pissed off, to put it bluntly," Billy said, "and while we have to beat Lokar this can happen to any one of us in the future. I plan on making sure it doesn't happen next time."

Tuesday, January 4, 2005

Grandma F's Hotel, basement

Downtown Angel Grove

The Rangers could sense, touch, smell, feel the danger as the morning passed. The fluctuations of the atmosphere didn't help worries. It should have been sunny out but the morning just kept getting darker and darker.

That's why everyone in the base was relieved to see the Space Rangers come through to the main room, along with Trey, the Triforian Prince. Justin, who had been released by 'Mandy' the previous evening, was predictably overjoyed but his and their joy was tempered. They all knew.

"Thank goodness you guys got here," Billy said.

"Yeah, no kidding. We're thinking the same thing you guys are," Ashley said. "Trey thinks an attack by Lokar is imminent."

"And it's going to be bad," Trey warned, looking at Billy. "Once again, Power Rangers of Earth, I come to your aid in your hour of need. I wish the situation with Kat was the other way around but it is what we have."

"Did you get ahold of Lightspeed and Wild Force?" Trey asked Billy.

"No need," someone else said, "because we are here now."

The voice heralded the arrival of two teams. The first was the six of Lightspeed, led by Carter Grayson and his wife Dana, follow closely by Wild Force, with Princess Shayla and Taylor's fiancée Eric in tow.

"Lokar can get to the Animarium too?" Kira asked. "That's really bad."

"We don't know, but Shayla said it's best if we don't take chances," Taylor said, "so we're here now. Is it true that Jen is batting for the other team now, Wes?"

For now, she is, though I hope we can get her back. From what I understand, there's a plan."

Wes wouldn't reveal details, but he was the center of that plan. He would have to defeat her himself in order to free her.

Billy opened his mouth to say that "we need just one more person," until they heard footsteps.

"I'm here guys, just got in," Tommy said. "I got back home and the Orb restored the lab and the house to its former glory – without the Kat mementos of course. Those will be disposed of after we win."

They wanted to ask Tommy whether Kim would show but they knew better. Kim was in no position to fight right now – maybe physically she was but not mentally, at all.

And then the alarms blared. There was no more time to talk.

"It's in Angel Grove Park," Fienna said. "And it's an army."

"Then it's time to Ranger up," Tommy said, "and take out the trash."

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