Operation Overdrive: Obscured Fate!

Chapter 14: Tea Time

A/N:I'm sorry for the long wait. Things have been getting really bad here lately and it's been slowing down my writing by a lot. Plus - I'm working on a manuscript to send out to some publishers, so wish me luck!

I'm only going to say this once: Do NOT let others walk all over you or trample your dreams. Hold onto what you love with a grip of steel... Your passion and love are part of what makes you 'you'! Whether your passion is writing, drawing, sports, or whatever, people will be jerks because they're either jealous or want to discourage you from achieving your dreams.

I know what I said is random, but I felt the need to tell my readers this. Because it seems everyone on this planet tends to run into those kinds of jerks regardless of what you're into.

- Much luvs!

~~Hyne~~

Inside the estate, the Rangers were still out and about, leaving Iseldur alone with Andrew and Spencer. On the other hand, Tray was reading one of the more popular books from a bookshelf in the living room. They were engrossed in whatever fantasy the book had, to pay too much attention to the goth.

Hyne awkwardly stood near one of the sofas and kept her helmet on, knowing full well that her visor was ruined earlier. The raw feeling of fear, frustration, and pain was difficult to keep under the lid, but she knew she needed to keep her cool in order to talk. To make sure he and none of the Rangers would reveal her identity to anyone.

There was a large gap between her and Hartford, as the man carefully sipped at his coffee. "Please, sit." With a gesture of his finger and a friendly smile, he spoke. There wasn't an ounce of mischief in his voice, aside from the barely audible nervousness.

She could see it. Pure concern and fear that was masked by a professional and kind smile. His brown puppy-dog eyes were what caused her to avert her gaze and grumble irritably. "You know why I'm here."

"Yes! For my delectable tea, of course!~" Spencer stepped closer to her with a cup of warm tea in his hand and offered it to her. The seemingly bright and unwavering smile made questions form at the back of her mind, as to how he's not intimidated as he should be.

An awkward reach for the tea was a sign of unease.Tea? Right... They said they would give me tea the next time I visited. But I can't let this distract me! They need to know not to-before she could continue her thoughts, Andrew grabbed her attention with an amused chuckle.

"You can take off your helmet. We saw your eyes. It's okay." He reassured and changed hands to keep a firm hold on his cup. "I want you to enjoy the tea, so don't be afraid." He added, to which Iseldur sluggishly placed her cup down, lifted her hands, and pulled the helmet off; she awkwardly sat in the seat across from him.

The look on his face when he saw hers more clearly was that of pure awe.Why is he staring at me like that?Folding her arms and putting a leg over the other, the goth questioned in her mind. They sat there staring at each other for the longest time until Spencer cleared his throat and snapped Andrew out of it.

She watched him blink several times and take in a short, deep breath. When he straightened up and smiled, Spencer's chuckle echoed behind her, as if he knew something she didn't. However, her patience was running thin.

Her leg was removed from the top of her other before it started to bounce. The stirring emotions beneath her lid were boiling, and if their conversation didn't start, then she would be the one to speak first.

"Sorry." The way Andrew laughed and looked down at his feet was a clear indication of nervousness. "Anyway – uh... Don't worry about your identity with us. We haven't told anyone and we never will, I promise." He paused a moment and lifted his head. She could tell he was trying to be as welcoming and friendly as possible to not come off as some kind of threat. "I know you probably don't believe me, but – the Power Rangers and I are worried about you. We know you're struggling with something, and I was kind of hoping you'd talk to us." She heard his Sincerity follow each word.

Everyone lies... Everyone lies! He has to be lying!Her fingers clenched harshly onto her biceps, unaware of her furious expression portraying her anger. The kind, warm, loving smile of her old master resurfaced in her mind and warped into a cold and heartless stare.He's lying with a smile! Just like her! He has to be!She added, which only worsened her expression and almost caused her nails to draw blood from her arms. "No..."

"Come on, Iseldur. You need to trust someone." Tray's voice chimed in from behind, making her heterochromia eyes blink in their direction. Their footfalls drew closer to her other side, opposite Spencer, who stood completely silent to observe.

"Heh... Trust. Right." Her sarcastic attitude caused Andrew to frown and stare quietly. Reaching over, she took her tea and began to sip at it. The warm and sweet sensation wasn't too overbearing; it was soothing her nerves just enough to stop her bouncing leg.

"Would you... Be alright, if you told us who that woman was?" Hartford's subtle head tilt and genuinely curious puppy-dog eyes nearly made the goth spit her tea out through her nose. She was lucky it didn't go everywhere after she started coughing, instead, it returned to her cup.

"Why do you want to know about her? She's none of your damn business! I wouldn't want anyone getting involved with that heartless bit-" Her eyes sharpened with anger when she was about to swear under her growling breath, but was quickly cut off by Spencer.

"Language!" With as much strictness as a parent, the old man glared down at her and frowned. To say he was displeased to hear such words would be the understatement of the year.

"English!" Her head whipped to the side and practically snarled with her pearly whites bared. However, the look on his face told her he wasn't going to back down from her temper. Her outburst did little to stir him.

"I do not care who you are – I will not tolerate such foul words while in this Estate!" With his chin lifted, his arms against his back, and a firm stare down had said that he had dealt with others similar to her before. Which only added to his mystery as to how he's able to see through her a little.

"Why do you people care so much if I swear or not? They're just words to express emotion, just like all the others." Clicking her tongue and taking another sip of her tea, she sighed through her nose.

"Because it can be emotionally draining to hear, and it's not good for the one speaking it either. But this topic should be for another time." Spencer answered with a subtle bow of his head, which she saw in her peripheral.

"Anyway." Andrew cleared his throat and took a sip of his coffee before continuing. "Can you at least tell me just how bad this woman is? I know you're not a... Horrible person. If you were, you wouldn't have attacked the Rangers for whatever evil reason you might have had. But since you didn't and you were trying to protect Tray from those men – there's still some good in you." He paused a moment to take a breath. The tension in the air started to thicken the longer she stayed there. "So if just seeing her was able to make you break down and cry like that... She must have caused you a lot of pain." His empathy reflected in his puppy-like eyes when they began to gloss with emotion.

If she had known the Rangers were eavesdropping behind them, Iseldur would've contained herself more. No, there was no stopping the fire bursting out of her when she rose to her feet, knocked the tea out of her hands, and screamed. "You don't know anything! You've no idea how much HELL she caused!" It wasn't just Nightshade that caused her pain, but the loss of her planet and the things she saw before it lit up in flames when she was just a small child. Those memories were still as vivid as the day they happened, bringing her hurt to the surface. Her eyes started to water and turn a little red when she felt her heart race from the adrenaline.

Immediately, she turned around to leave, not before hearing Andrew place his cup down and raise his voice. "And we never will until you tell us! Miss Hyne, you're in a lot of pain! Let us help you! We're not going to hurt you!" Across the large space between them, the goth heard the concern and the desire to be heard. Yet she never looked at him.

Her clenched, quivering fists and the stray tears were faint signs of proof of what he said, but her next outburst only solidified it. When she whirled around to face him, she screamed. "You don't know anything about PAIN!" Her throat felt like it was doing crunches; it kept getting tighter from needing to cry.

Her powerful scream stunned everyone. The silence that came next made her snap out of her rage for a moment to realize what she said, and looked around her. He, the Rangers who shared sympathetic faces, and Spencer, all watched in astonishment. Her head shook in denial before she trudged out of the living room and headed toward the front door.

"Wait!" Ronny ran to her and managed to grab her bicep, which successfully stopped the goth in her tracks. "Please, don't go... Please! Let us help you!" Iseldur felt the blonde cling tighter.

I can't... I can't let anyone get close! They'll just get Nightshade's attention! I don't need anyone getting involved with me...Thoughts of yesterday, when Tray was caught in the middle of an ambush, returned to her mind. About how they could have been killed since the Footsoldiers were trained to eliminate witnesses. Then came the other memories, where Nightshade ordered her Elite to kill off all of the witnesses nearby who saw him take people's lives for a contract. From children to teenagers, adults, to elders. There was no limit to the unnecessary bloodshed.

"Just tell us what she did. Maybe we can-" Mack was next to step closer, judging by the sounds of his feet and his voice.

He was quickly cut off when the goth raised her voice with venom. "Stay away from me. Unless you want to die by amonster!" Aggression was in her movements when she jerked her arm out of Ronny's hold and fast-walked out of the house.

A monster... That's what I am, aren't I? Just a trained beast meant to kill. An Assassin out for blood. A monster that only sees red.Her thoughts were full of frustration and pain as she made her way to her motorcycle.I'll go down when Nightshade does! I want to see the look on her face when the monster she made kills her!

Just when she lifted a leg and brought it around, and sat on her bike, she looked around for her helmet. A slow recognition hit her when she remembered it was left in his mansion, resulting in a careful placement of her palm to her face. Sighing, groaning, the goth was about to wing it and leave without it when she saw Andrew sprint out of the house.

The sight of him surprised her. The helmet was in his hand and once he caught up, she saw how gentle he was with giving it back to her. "Here. I didn't want you to forget your helmet. Safety comes first, you know." The kind smile and the softness in his eyes made her gasp.

Never in her life had she met someone afraid of her, yet he was still willing to try and push past it to talk to her. Like Tray, who was still innocent and in their youth, the thought of letting a kind person get involved with her life shook her. It scared her to the point of ripping the helmet from Andrew's grasp and looking away. "I'm not afraid of you, Miss Hyne... Please, come back and hang another time."

"Whatever..." Her cheeks burned past the anger and pain that surfaced a bit ago, distracting her for only a moment. "T- Thanks... For the tea and... Sorry, for spilling it." With her head down to hide her shame and red cheeks, she turned her helmet so the open space was facing her. Just inside was a piece of paper.

"Don't worry about it. I understand – I overstepped and I'm sorry. But I really do want to get to know you. There's still some good in you... I can see it, and so can the Rangers. Just... Come by again, I'd like to see you.~" There was almost a lift in his voice when he said that, and it was her face darkened and the tips of her ears reddened nearly instantly. "Take care. And don't forget to eat when you can!" She didn't have to look to know he was smiling, the light tone in his voice had told her.

It wasn't long until he returned to his Estate. The goth was so busy staring in awe at the piece of paper in her helmet and hearing those words from him. They repeated like a recording, the words 'Come by again, I'd like to see you.~' were relentless even after sitting there for a good while.

Shaking her head to snap out of it, her fingers pulled the paper out and read it. What was inside had made her gasp; it was a set of numbers with his name beneath them..

Her hand quivered the longer she held it, as the need to cry pushed and pushed until she bit her bottom lip to hold it in. Without further ado, the helmet was shoved on and the paper was put into her pocket.

~~Andrew~~

In the doorway, Andrew released a breath he didn't realize he held. He could feel his face burning at what he did, there was no going back now.She really is suffering. Whatever pain she has, she's still fighting it. But...he paused. He remembered when she whipped around and screamed at him, and saw her tears.I don't know anything about Pain?A frown pulled on his lips at the thought.

A lot of things happened in his life, and a lot of pain was inflicted, but he moved on from it. So, how could he not know pain when he's endured it for so long? The death of his wife decades ago left him not wanting to find another woman and kept him from falling in love again. But to run into a woman who somehow managed to make his heart flutter, he wanted to deny that he had any interest in her in that way.

I want to help her. I have to. She's hurting... And I can't just sit by while someone's in distress like this.As he pondered, his eyes hazed over from thinking about her expressions. But what brought him out of it was when he saw the Rangers and Spencer smiling knowingly at him. "W-... What?"

"Sir, if I didn't know any better. I'd say youlikeher. Why else would you say those things and hurry to her to give her the helmet?~ Shall I prepare some congratulatory drinks for fancying a lady for the first time inseveralyears?" Spencer joked and chuckled, smiling broadly at him.

His comment made the Rangers giggle, which only made the Dad sputter out unorganized words and aimlessly look at everyone in a flustered mess. "I- It's not like that, Spencer! I just... Felt that it was right that I try and help her, that's all."

"Is that why you sneaked your phone number in her helmet?" Rose covered her mouth, and laughter filled that part of the room. Will, Tyzonn, Mack, Tray, and Ronny made the laughter worse.

"W- Why aren't you guys at the talk show? Shouldn't you be meeting with Jessica?" Yes, before Iseldur had come in and before his old friend left earlier, he asked the Rangers about the talk show.

Right away, they ran for it, excluding Tray, of course, since the kid lingered a bit longer and stared at him for the longest time. "Hartford." They started with their brown eyes shifting away in thought. "Would it be alright if I told Miss Hyne about... My secret?" He saw it, the internal debate whether or not to reveal their secret to their bandmate, but all Andrew could do was frown.

"Maybe in a little while. Think about how she'd react to another teenager getting into danger. She threatened my life because of the decisions over the Rangers. She probably wouldn't trust me if she found out about your secret..." With both hands on his hips, he made slow strides toward the living room and sat on the edge of one of the couches.

"But it's not you she wouldn't trust. I decided on it, you didn't. So I should be the one to tell her... Besides, there's... Something else I'd like to talk to you about." Tray paused with a nervous gulp and sighed as they sat opposite him.

"I'm listening." Nodding to the kid and leaning on his knees to give them his full attention, he watched them lay the side of their face into their palm. Thoughts clouded their mind when they sat there to ponder a moment, trying to pick the right words to say.

"You and I both know that I came from an alternate universe. That I was brought here by some strange phenomenon. You took me in and gave me aid when no one else would, even going as far as providing me a an apartment for shelter. But... I haven't told you everything." The kid's lips flattened more, rubbing them together anxiously. When Andrew saw their eyes flick up to look, he stayed quiet to let them continue.

"The Fearcats were in my world, too, and after I found out that they were here, I vowed to hunt them down. But... Someone else took me in before you did, and she trained me for a while until I realized just how bad she really was." They trailed off, sighing in defeat, and refused to look Hartford in the eyes anymore. Perhaps it was from fear of being scolded or to avoid seeing hurt on his face, either way the kid grew silent.

"Yes, I remember. That's why I made you the secret Green Ranger. A Spy to help gather information on some villains. And in return, I find a way to send you back. However, I didn't know someone took you in before me. Who is it?" He asked with a lift of his brow and cocked his head slightly. This was news to his ears. Just how long has Tray been in their world before they met? It was a question that lingered in the back of his mind.

"Her name's... Lady Nightshade. I barely managed to sneak away from her and her Assassin clan. I trained under her for about half a year until I started seeing through her facade." Darkness enveloped Tray's dimming eyes when they looked down.

"Assassin clan? So my assumption was right? Was that mysterious woman the cause of Miss Hyne's pain? What does she do? I mean - I saw her kill the last of her men when Miss Hyne was just about to." The concern over it all made his brows knit. He recalled the many things he's overheard from Iseldur, and one of them was when she screamed 'Murderer' at the warrior in red and called the woman a 'Monster'.

"Mr. Hartford... That woman is the real monster. She has killed so many innocent people because they were witnesses. And now that we all saw her, she'll be after us next!" For a moment, Tray paused and gulped. "I saw Kamdor and Miratrix too, she might go after them first. Lady Nightshade sends her bloodhound out to do most of the dirty work for her... I..." Again, he took a second to mull over the right words to say. "Don't know where to start with her long list of things she's done. But all I knew back then was – when I was under her training and I wanted to get out, I managed to escape in a similar way Miss Hyne had." They explained with a subtle lift of their head.

"And that would be?" Andrew asked with his worried expression unchanging.

"I faked my death." The moment the kid said that, surprise lit up Andrew's eyes, and when he opened his mouth to speak, Tray continued. "Miss Hyne didn't fake her death. She was supposedly killed... But-" A quick pause let the kid take a breath before continuing. "She escaped the Assassin clan because of it. Lady Nightshade assumed she bled to death that day, which means she attempted to kill Miss Hyne. I know this because everyone in the clan talked about it a lot whenever Nightshade wasn't around. Miss Hyne... Is in far more pain than you realize." When they finished explaining, Andrew leaned over and rested his face in his free hand.

Hearing that almost made him want to break apart.If Nightshade is an Assassin, then she could take out the other villains and us from the shadows with ease... Skills can easily surpass power if done right.Mulling over the kid's words had him staring at the floor for a long time.So... Miss Hyne really is afraid. Afraid to trust again - afraid to get close to someone. And her anger stems from the betrayal and probably from her old master's teachings. But... Why does it feel like the pain runs a bit deeper than betrayal? As if her experience with the clan only added to an existing pain?He pondered and leaned back into his seat with a gentle fold of his arms.I got a hunch that there's more to her pain than just Nightshade and her Assassins.Sympathy continued to cloud his thoughts, making it more difficult to focus on solving the mystery.

"Alright. Thank you, Tray. Now..." he started with a strong exhale and reached for the remote on the TV stand in front of him. "Can I trust you to keep an eye out for her just in case she shows up again? Nightshade or Miss Hyne? I'm going to watch the Rangers talk with Jessica." His contagious, friendly smile was but a mask to hide his deep concern for Iseldur and the news he received.

"Sure!" Tray did the same, doing their best to put on a smile before they stood and walked away. "Baby steps are the best way to earn a wounded, stray dog's trust." They added with a wave of their hand goodbye, before fully leaving the living room.

It wasn't too much longer before he was watching the talk show. Spencer had joined him about halfway into the show, fully enjoying their conversations with a smile on his face.

"They do look rather splendid, don't they, sir?" The elder asked with as much happiness on his face as Andrew's.

"Yes, Spencer – yes, they do.~" It was nice to see them enjoy themselves on the show, their laughter and comments brought a loud chuckle out of him.

~~Kamdor~~

In a dark room where only a small bit of light shone through the top, stood the blue ninja himself. "Did you complete the task?!" with impatience, he asked. It relieved him a bit that she came back with a grin on her face. He was so caught up in thinking about the way Iseldur had exploded with so much emotion that he nearly forgot their current goal until Miratrix had finally shown up.

"Of course.~" The Kunoichi soon stepped up in the center, and by his side. "That bubble brain reporter took the bait; hook, line, and sinker. What an airhead." Smirking and checking out her nails, Miratrix added with some sass.

"I made those metals with a special alloy that should react to the Mercury Ranger's physiology. He won't know what hit him!" His outburst only made the girl giggle, finding some sort of amusement in it, which caught his attention. "Why are you laughing?"

"Because you haven't made any attempt to fight the Assassin. And – while I was out, I may or may not have overheard those Rangers talking about her on their way to the show's stage. I was sitting by, waiting for the perfect moment to approach Jessica Jeffry, when I heard them.~" She paused and giggled before continuing. "Turns out, the Assassin is Miss Iseldur Hyne. You know, the famous singer from Cold Blaze? I knew there was something I liked about her." Next, she faced her master with her arms folded. "I'm going to approach her without her wearing all of that armor. That way, it's less of a chance of her killing me on the spot." Confidence poured off of her in heaps, it was clear to him that she wasn't going to back down any time soon.

"Right. Just don't forget your goal!" Kamdor was beginning to get agitated with how much she was stalling, but then again, who ever said approaching a predator was going to be easy? Taking her time and planning it out was the best thing she'd be able to do. However, they froze at the sight of a darkened silhouette.

Someone stood in the shadows, close to the entrance of their little base. A tall, masculine figure who had leaned and rested their shoulder on the entrance's frame.

Slow claps echoed in the cave-like base as the figure stepped away from the doorway and gradually came closer. "Bravo... Bravo. You two must be the little ninjas my Master has been watching." A deep, cold voice, mocking and dripping with malice, spoke.

Out of the shadows and into the bits of light that cast down into the center of the room came a warrior clad in crimson armor. Two symbols represented his position and who he belonged to. A crescent moon on one pectoral and a skull on the other.

"Wait, who's your-" Before Mitratrix could say much else, she screamed when a blade swiftly unsheathed and stabbed her. The metal cut through her armor with ease, and just as she fell to hold her wound, he took out his second blade and whirled.

Kamdor was fast to block his strike, grunting angrily from the surprise attack. "How dare you barge into our base and attack! I'll have your head!" Fury burned in his voice, only to hear the warrior chuckle with a shake of his head.

"I'm sorry. But the executioner's job is already taken.~" He answered through a low growl and lifted his other blade to successfully stagger the blue ninja. "And I was ordered to take a few heads... Nothing personal." There was a lift in his tone, amusement, as if he had grinned behind his black mask. His sharp green eyes were barely noticeable in the dark. "I think I'll let the girl bleed to death, while I deal with you.~" The blue ninja watched him walk around tauntingly like a predator provoking its prey.

When Kamdor slowly stood and took a stance, he copied the crimson warrior's footwork. All of his anger was pushed aside to prepare for a battle to the death.There's no reasoning with a dog! Wait... That woman told Hyne that she would send her Bloodhound after her instead. Was she talking about him? And if so, why is he coming after us?He was confused but kept on his toes in case the so-called dog were to lunge.