Power Rangers: One Morph

Part 1

Chapter 1: Return of Lord Zedd

The desert. A hot forbidding environment. Constantly under the unwavering gaze of the baking sun. What makes a person go out into the desert? A sense of exploration? A spiritual journey? The need to be alone? What about...a crystal? Recently, rumors of a very rare, very valuable crystal have surfaced, drawing every archaeologist trying to advance his or her own career. But no luck. After days and days of unending digging, nothing turned up. Not a clue. Not a shred of evidence that anything was hidden beneath the sand, let alone a crystal. Everyone headed back, except for the few remaining. The foolish, the ignorant, the stubborn, the foolhardy. The few stragglers left stay in the hope that it won't be for nothing. As the sun goes down, signaling the end of another unsuccessful day, the sounds of work die down, as everyone retreats to their RVs and tents. Except for one man. A man that has been out working 12 hours everyday since the rumor started. Soon his shovel is the only one making scraping sounds against the dirt. Sweat has soaked his shirt, the sign of the tireless. Just as he decides to pack it in for the day, a chill flies through his spine like lightning. His shovel has struck something hard! Is it another false alarm? Lord knows he's dug up enough rocks over the past couple months. No! Not this time! On his hands and knees frantically pawing at the dirt, he uncovers a wooden box in near pristine condition. With his eyes wide with wonder, he lifts the box out of the ground and gazes at it. He can feel an energy emanating from the chest travel up his arms, and tickle his brain. Snapping back to reality, he puts the chest under his arm, and makes for his jeep. Kicking up dirt, the jeep speeds across the open desert, like a demon possessed.

Downtown Angel Grove. After Hollywood, and Los Angeles, its one of the crown jewels of the west coast. With its gleaming skyscrapers, access to the beach, and the beautiful Angel Park, the city was named one of America's most livable cities 10 years in a row. It even became the merging leader of the Green Movement on the west coast. But it wasn't always this way. 5 years of constant monster attacks drove most of the population away. The city was almost turned into a ghost town. The existence of Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa was reduced to internet rumor the government of the United States. No one doubted the existence of the Power Rangers. Costumed super heroes that could summon giant machines to fight off the monsters. The identities of the Rangers was always a mystery. Guesses ran the gamut from space aliens to average everyday people to high school students. Even after the Space Rangers revealed themselves to the world, the identities of the Rangers largely remained a mystery. The Gym and Juice Bar was rumored to be a local hang-out for the Rangers, whoever they were. The Juice Bar has seen a few changes in management. From Ernie, the founder, recently deceased, to retired policeman and detective Jerome Stone. Despite the changes, and the years, its building is still the same. The arcade machines, neon lighting, and bright paint. Even the various weight machines were originals, showing no signs of wear. But today, no one was using the machines. No one was playing the arcade games. Everyone was concentrating on the final match of a karate tournament. Long time citizen of Angel Grove, and archaeologist, Thomas Oliver was squaring off with a younger man, Mack Hartford. Mack was considered to be one of the best explorers in the world. If the stories are to be believed, he recovered five very important and valuable gems. What they were, or what they were for, no one from Overdrive was saying. The internet proclaimed the forces of evil wanted them, but no evidence was found. Tommy founded this tournament in an effort to raise money for cancer research. It was cancer that had claimed his friend's life some 15 years ago. Trini Kwan could always be counted on when the chips were down. With one of her trademark smiles and constant encouragement, she could turn a bad day around, no matter what. In the final match, Tommy and Mack were tied 2-2. The next victory would mean the winner would go home with the coveted Angel Grove Fight For The Cure trophy, and a $50,000 donation for the cause. Both fighters have retreated to their own corners for a breather before the final bout to knock the other guy out.

"You're slowing down, old man, maybe it's time you retired before you get hurt!" Mack quips. He knows Tommy's history. Longest serving Power Ranger in history. Once a Green, white, black ranger and twice red. His is the story of falling, redemption, friendship, love, and sacrifice. Mack has nothing but respect for the man, who set the bar for others to follow.

"I've been going easy on you! You haven't seen anything yet!" Tommy was impressed with the young man's abilities. If this was any indication, he has a long and bright future as a Ranger in front of him.

"Alright, gentlemen, to the center!" The referee instructs. The two combatants bow to each other. The bell rings. The warriors exchange blows in a fast and furious effort. Feet and hands are mere blurs as they cut the air faster than human human reflexes should allow. Attack, counter-attack, attack again. The rhythm of the match takes on that a well choreographed dance. Several near falls leave the crowd breathless as the 2 fighters look for weaknesses in each other's impenetrable defenses. Tommy with his years of experience, and custom fighting style versus Mack's youth and vigor. There's a break in the action as the two of them spin away from each other for a breather. With their outfits soaked with sweat, they evaluate what just happens. The crowd goes wild as their expectations for this match were easily exceeded. The bookies working the crowd are swamped by those looking to make a quick buck from a charity tournament. The peace is broken again, as the Rangers go at it one more time. There's a lot of pride on the line, and no one wants to go back to the locker room as the loser. Minuted later, Mack slips, and gets thrown to the mat by the veteran. The crowd erupts.

"POINT!" The ref declares. The crowd blows the roof off the place with their wild screaming. This is match up that would never happen again, and something they would tell their grandchildren about. Tommy picks Mack off the mat and holds his hand up. The people applaud the sheer effort put forth by both men. A man hands Tommy a giant check, while cameras and flash bulbs go off. In the locker room, Tommy gathers his things and prepares to leave, but is stopped by Mack.

"Good match, Tommy." Mack extends his hand in a sign of respect. Tommy takes it, and they shake.

"You too. I haven't had competition like that in a long time."

They leave and start walking through downtown. The sun is high, the sky is blue, and everything is alright. As they walk, random people from the street run up to Tommy and gush about how big a fan they are, how exciting the match was, and so on. Mack pretends not to notice. His disappointment hides beneath the surface. Feelings of jealousy and anger rise up, but Mack swallows his pride. After an impromptu autograph signing they start walking again.

"Can you teach me that?"

"Teach you what?"

"Whatever you did that let you beat me."

"To be honest, I didn't do anything. You just became tired, and slipped up. Next time, don't let it happen."

"Now wait a minute-"

"Mack, I'm just kidding! Come on!''

They share a laugh as random passers-by give them strange looks. They regain their composure, the start walking again. It's another beautiful day in Angel Grove. The breeze is blowing, he sun is shining, and the people are friendly. They come to the outskirts of downtown, which borders the foothills. Tommy looks upon the hills and remembers.

"Do you have to get back right away?"

"No. What's up?"

"I know a place we can go, besides I want to show you something."

They slowly, methodically make their way up the old paths, to a certain plateau. A plateau that has been abandoned for the better part of 15 years. No one but a select few has ever been up here. Even more didn't know it existed. Soon enough, though, the world would know.

A secluded forest. A forest containing unbelievable power. A perfect place for an ancient healing temple. An enclave for the wise, and those seeking knowledge. A place for the powerful. Such is the dwelling of Daggeron, the Solaris Knight. Arguably, the most powerful of the Mystic Rangers, he meditates under an ice cold waterfall. He always said that the focus gave his powers a permanent boost. But lately, he seems to have trouble maintaining his meditative state. Maybe today would bring an end to it. He strips to his underclothes and sits under the chilly waterfall. After a few minutes of various relaxation and deep breathing exercises, he falls into a deep trance. Deeper, deeper, deeper still. Soon, the feeling of free floating pervades. That was new, and a little unusual. In a vision, he finds himself standing on the moon. A pair of astronauts remove the lid to a short, wide, bronze cylinder. After a loud rumbling and a quake, a huge, black, forbidding spire rises into the sky. Daggeron stares in horror as the sky turns black, and lightning streaks across the sky. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps and breathing interrupts his revelry. Turning, he stares right into the face of pure evil. Embodied in the form of a 7 foot tall, muscle bound freak, with a chrome skeleton protruding out all over the place.

"No...it can't be!"

"Oh, but it is, my old friend!''

Snapping back to reality, Daggeron wakes to see that he's all alone in the forest, under the waterfall. Various species of birds cry out and flee from the safety of the trees. In a panic, Daggeron collects his clothes and runs back to his temple. He quickly throws on some dry clothes. He quickly locates a small chest and opens it. Contained within is his Solar Cell morpher and a stack of cards. Stuffing them into his pockets, he teleports away, leaving the quiet of the forest behind.

Back on the plateau, Tommy and Mack explore the empty space. They spend most of the time enjoying the view of downtown. They're taking a break from practicing.

"So, it was right here? Me and my dad spent untold hours and days researching it, but we never came across anything conclusive."

"A lot of history right here, Mack. I remember there used to be a, uh...an underground area right around here. That's how they blew it up the first time, you know. Goldar and Rito managed to infiltrate the basement and planted a charge. We almost didn't make it out alive. How the Zeo crystal survived, I'll never know. Thank God it did, or we really would've been up creek."

"What was it like? Being one of the originals?"

"Can't tell you how many times I've been asked that. Being the Green Ranger wasn't a choice. It was forced on me. But afterwards...when I became a force for good, everyday was a choice. Everyday, I had to get up and choose to be the Power Ranger, considering the sacrifices I had made. I could've left at anytime. Especially when I lost my powers. I leave, and return to having a normal life. But by then, the idea of a normal life, was a completely foreign concept to me. There was no way I was going to be able to stand aside, watch all the evil, going on and not do anything about it. Morally, I had a responsibility to the people of Angel Grove, and that is a responsibility I gladly took on. But eventually, I just got run down and burnout had set in. So when the opportunity to pass the torch came along, I took it. I have not regretted one decision I ever made as a Ranger. I think that's how I got where I am today."

"Bu there was the time you were the Black Ranger. That had to have been unique."

"Yeah, the last blast. That ride was fun while it lasted. It brought back a lot of great memories for me. Looks like it's getting dark, we better get going."

In the fading light, they carefully make their way back down through the hills. In the still of the night, no one was stirring. Except one man. The digger. On this night, he is having trouble sleeping. Tossing and turning, disturbing dreams. He startles awake. Beads of cold sweat coat his hair and back. He sits up in bed and looks around nervously. On his dresser, an object is wrapped in a black cloth. The man stares at it, like he's never seen it before. Slowly, carefully, he gets out of bed, and approaches it.

"I just need to see it...just one more time!"

With a sense of reverence, he removes the cloth, unveiling the crystal. It's normally black surface now has a mysterious, ethereal glow emanating from its murky depths. The man slowly turns it over in his hands. Steadily the glow becomes brighter and brighter. Suddenly, it fills the room. The man tries to throw it away, but can't. It's stuck to his hands. He throws himself to the floor in a vain attempt to rid himself of the object that is searing his hands and mind. But as soon as it starts, its over. He stands up, but not in his bedroom. He's in the middle of a dark space. While looking around for a way out, the sound of heavy footsteps, and menacing breathing echoes. The man tries to run, but finds he's up against a wall. With no where to go, he presses himself against the wall. Out of the shadows, the 7 foot evil figure emerges.

"Who are you?" The man screams, out of fear, rather than anger.

"It hasn't been that long. You know who I am."

"What do you want? Where am I? What am I doing here?"

"You know where you are. Look around!"

The man looks around and sees that they're on top of a tall spire on the moon. A lifetime of memories comes back to him. Memories of galactic conquest, power, ambition, fear, intimidation, and ultimately, defeat.

"Yes...now you remember. Don't you?"

"No, that's not true! That's impossible!"

"Face the truth, you know it is true!"

"That's not me, that's not who I am! I am nothing like you!"

"Do you remember what happened? At the end of all things, when it seemed victory was within our grasp?"

The man takes a deep breath and relaxes. He looks around and collects himself. He remembers back to the day when evil had the galaxy by the throat. 4 huge armies taking on the forces of good across dozens of worlds. Just when it seemed that a final victory was near, Zordon sacrificed himself to rid the galaxy of all the known evil. Lord Zedd, Rita Repulsa, Divatox were turned good by the shockwave, and the Machine Empire was left in shambles.

"I remember. It burns inside my mind the way we suffered that defeat."

"Don't worry. I have a plan, and fortunately for you, I have something for you to do."

"No. Whatever it is, I want none of it. I'm not like you. Not anymore."

"That's where you are wrong. You will serve me, whether you like it or not."

"Over my dead body."

"That could be arranged. But I have use of you."

The menacing figure steps towards the man. In one swift move, the figure jams his hand into the man's chest. Pain, agony, and despair fill the man. Screaming in sheer pain, the figure slowly puts his arm into the man's body. Then his entire figure has disappeared into the man. Twisting, warping, bones cracking and reshaping themselves. The man grows to 7 feet. His skin melts, revealing a very muscled build. Chrome protrudes through his muscles, framing his new figure. The screaming stops, and the figure rises to his new height.

"It begins..."

He disappears in a giant fireball. In the man's bedroom, there's thunder, lightning, and a whirlwind of fire, and everything burns. One of the worst events in Angel Grove has happened. In 15 years, nothing of this magnitude could've been seen by anyone. One of the greatest evils to ever walk the Earth has come. The return of Lord Zedd.

Deep in the mountains, is a secret academy where the next generations of defenders of the Earth are trained. A secret academy where ninjas are trained to be the best they can be. For a particular class, veteran Ninja Blake Bradley trains them. After a career as the Navy Blue Thunder Ranger, he tried his hand as a motocross biker. Unfortunately, a tragic accident cut that short. He tried to do a quadruple back flip off a big ramp. Fortunately, a broken collarbone, leg, and a minor concussion was all he got for his troubles. So when the opportunity for teaching came up, he didn't even think twice. So far, he had done a good job with the students. They liked him, and his reputation made him very popular. Trying to get into his classes was almost impossible. On this particular day, he was teaching them various forms of sword combat. Today was their drills, to measure how far they came. Blake walked through the rows of students, watching them go through their routines. When he takes his place at the font of the class, the students execute a flawless right face.

"So far so good. All of you have shown improvement over the past few weeks, and I'm proud of you. But there is still a lot of work to do before you can graduate. So for tomorrow, I want you to-"

Before he can continue, a flash of golden light and a crackle of lightning. Daggeron emerges from the light, and rushes towards Blake. He's still in a panic.

"Blake! Blake!"

"Daggeron? Are you alright? What's wrong?"

"I need to talk to you. It's an emergency!"

"Alright, hang on. Class dismissed!''

The students bow, then go their separate ways.

"What's the emergency, Daggeron?"

"He's back, Blake!"

" 'He' who?"

"HIM."

Blake is taken aback when he realizes who Daggeron was talking about. Blake remembered the tales of Lord Zedd. Zedd had command of the entire galaxy. A ruthless leader, with a quick temper, he would subjugate, or kill, anyone who would stand in his way. The only force he could not contend with was the Power Rangers. Despite having an entire arsenal of power, armies, and monsters at his command, a group of 6 individuals manged to beat back his assaults time and time again.

"I would like to help you, but I can't. If I get injured one more time, that's it for me. I won't be of use to anyone. I won't even be able to teach."

"Who am I supposed to get, Blake? Only the two of us knows what needs to be done. I need you. They will need you."

"Daggeron, I don't know..."

"To sit back and let Zedd destroy the world is just as bad as helping him. You need to stand with us, or you too will be destroyed."

"Alright. What do we need to do?"

"I've maintained contact with some Power Rangers. We need to go find them. We gather as many as we can in 2 days. On the third, we prepare for war."

Alarms blare throughout the Space Patrol Delta's headquarters. Tech people frantically run around trying to get a handle on the situation. SPD supreme commander Anubis Cruger casually strolls. Alarms randomly going off is not unusual. When in charge of a galactic police force, -not- having an alarm go off would be unusual. Cruger moves among the various banks of computers seeing what exactly is wrong. Not seeing anything, frustration slowly sets in. None of the patrols were reporting disturbances, and the base wasn't under attack. What was it?

He walks over to to an intense looking sergeant.

"What it is, Rollins? What is causing this disturbance?"

"Sir, the year 2009! Lord Zedd has returned!"

"Are you sure? He's been dead for almost 30 years!"

"I don't know what to tell you sir. So far, there's no other explanation."

"Alright. Recall all the SPD Ranger at once. We'll need to deal with this right away."

"Impossible sir. All of them are engaged. The only one available is Nova."

"Fine. Get her back here."

"Yes, sir, right away!"

Oddly enough, the Nova ranger had returned from the year 2040, offering her assistance for any emergency that came up. Her timing was more than a little odd. During the few days she was here, she hardly interacted with the others and said next to nothing. Every time somebody saw her, she always looked nervous. Whenever she did talk, it was always about "something bad was going to happen". Maybe her suspicions were correct. Hoping against hope, Anubis hoped she was wrong. The last thing he needed to deal with was the return of the most evil thing to ever walk on two legs.

From his tall castle, Zedd could stand on the balcony, and take in all the Earth. In his hands, he slowly turns the crystal over and over, wondering what to do with it. The only thing he manged to do with it was find his old servant, Finster. After bringing him out of the crystal, with much adoration from the mutated Scottish Terrier, Zedd put him to work, building machines to fill out his army. But what to do with the crystal? It seemed that it was indestructible. He knew he couldn't hold onto it. To do so would be folly, because there was a chance it could be used against him.

"Oh, Zordon you were wise to make the Time Crystal indestructible. But you didn't count on it falling into the wrong hands did you? No, of course not. Soon events will happen that will make your life, and eventual death, unnecessary. Very soon, I will return to my throne, and you and those punks will not be able to stop me."

He winds up, and hurls the crystal towards the Earth. Reentry ensues, as the crystal begins to slowly break up. The crystal streaks over Turtle Cove, CA. Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Alyssa Enrile, sees the crystal. With a strange sens of dread, she immediately pulls out her phone, and dials a number.

"Hi, yeah, did you see it?...Yeah, it just flew right over here...Operation? What opera-...Oh, I see. Alright, I'm on my way."

She bags up her stuff, and rushes to her car.

On Angel Grove highway, Blake is barely going the speed limit. Daggeron hangs up his Cell Morpher, and puts it back into his pocket. So far so good. His plans were falling into place.

"Who was that?"

"White Wild Force Ranger, Alyssa. The only other Ranger to live around here."

"What's Operation Galactic Relocation?"

"When his war with Rita came to an end, Zordon had in place a plan that if such an evil threatened the galaxy, all available Rangers would fall back to Earth and wage war to end the evil before any real damage could be done. Zordon put me in charge of executing it, should I ever see a need for it."

"How many Ranger will fly to our rescue?"

"Interesting choice of words, Blake. To be honest I don't know. With Zedd being gone all this time, it would seem the galaxy has become...lax. Odds are, he'll seize upon this, and press the advantage wherever possible. Rangers will be needed everywhere. Not just here."

"What can I do?"

"When we get into town, make contact with a Ranger named Thomas Oliver."

"Tommy Oliver? He's a legend..."

"Yes he is. I'm placing him in charge, so listen to him. He gone toe to toe against Zedd before. He'll know what to do."

"I will. What will you do?"

"Continue the operation, of course. My next stop...space."

They look up in time and see the crystal fly overhead. Daggeron engages his morpher, and teleports away in a bright flash of light. On the empty plateau, Tommy and Mack practice some more karate forms and moves. Everything is still. But all of a sudden, a sonic boom echoes throughout the air. Tommy and Mack look up, and see crystal barreling right at them.

"Look out!'' Tommy grabs Mack, and they barely make it out of the way as the crystal makes landfall. A large explosion, and cloud of dust erupt from the plateau. The people of Angel Grove gather around the foothills, and gaze in curiosity. Amateur cameramen film the phenomenon, some providing their own commentaries. The dust settles, revealing a relatively small crater. Tommy and Mack crawl out from under the dust, and brush themselves off. The people down below notice them and a collective gasp of surprise escapes. Mack walks over to the crater and sees shards from the crystal. He touches, but jerks his hand away.

"Is it hot?

"No, it's cold. Here."

Mack hands Tommy a piece. He almost drops the freezing shard. He closely inspects it.

"What is it? A meteor?"

"No, Tommy. Meteors typically aren't made of glass. Or in this case, crystal. There's no way it should have survived reentry."

As Tommy inspects the other pieces, they start to glow slightly. Running footsteps are heard coming up to the plateau. Tommy and Mack quickly gather the shards and make their escape.

They take a secret path down the hills, and head into the back alleys of the city.

"We need a place to stash this!" Mack suggests.

"I know a place. Follow me!"

They change direction, and head for the seaside warehouse district. Walking among the identical buildings, Tommy earnestly searches for the right one.

"I remember being here before..."

"You were? When?"

"Couple years ago. Adam brought us here. Looking for Alpha 5."

"He did say something about that when I talked to him about it. Sorry I missed that party. Here."

They stop at building PR117. Tommy reached into his bag, and pulls out a ring of keys. Going one by one, he comes to a long, gold key. With confidence, he carefully inserts it into the lock. The tumblers click into place. The lock turns, and the sheet metal door flies up. Inside are boxes, and crates stacked on top of crates. All of them have mysterious labels. "Parts. Supplies. Computers. Globe."

"What is all this?"

"After the Divatox destroyed the Power Chamber, and the fight was taken to space, a few of the other Rangers and I came back, and tried to salvage what we could. We found a lot more then we thought we would. So we stashed it here."

Tommy pulls back the lid on one of the crates, and goes to deposit the satchel containing the shards. Before he can do anything, there's a big, bright flash of light from outside, and the lights flicker. The sounds of a ship passing overhead shakes the building and dust flies. Everything goes quiet. Tommy and Mack peel themselves off the floor.

"What was that?"

"Maybe it was another meteor."

They carefully make their way outside. Filling their vision, is a futuristic looking ship. It's engines are off, yet still give off smoke. Sounds of the ship powering down echo off the surrounding buildings. Rapid fire popping, and the whoosh of a lowering ramp emit from the ship. Out of it walks a young man dressed as a military commander. TIME FORCE! Tommy and Mack greet the man.

"Eric. Long time no see."

"It's good to see you Tommy. It has been a while. Who's this?"

"I'm Mack Hartford. Red Overdrive Ranger."

"Ah, another Red Ranger. We could've used you a few years ago."

"So I hear."

"Anyway, I don't have long. Tommy, let me have the Time Crystal."

"The what?"

"The crystal. I saw it was broken, so I came to fix it."

"I see. Come on, I just put it away."

The trio enters the warehouse yet again. Tommy opens the crate that the satchel was in. He goes to pull it out...but its not there. It was gone! But no clues as to where it went. Panicked, Tommy and Mack quickly look around."

"I don't get it! It was right here! Where could it have gone!"

"Are you sure you put it in that one? Maybe it one of the others-"

"No, Eric, it was this one, I saw him put it in there!"

Before any serious search can be started, a loud clattering is heard, and a few items fall over. A sense of dread comes over the complex. The three Rangers spread out and slowly advance on the disturbance. With the dexterity of a cat, Eric slowly unstraps his pistol, and wields it. He sweeps it back and forth, wary of his surroundings. Tommy finds a metal rod, and Mack a shovel. Together they search high and low, making sure the culprit doesn't escape. In a dramatic fashion, Mack jumps from behind corners, trying to surprise someone. Tommy and Eric shake their heads and try not to laugh. Sounds of metallic footsteps bounce off the walls. The three take notice and double their efforts. Eric comes around and corners the would be thief, holding the bag.

"Gotcha!"

"Please don't shoot! I was trying to help!"

The other 2 Rangers come over and finally exhale. A look of sheer surprise comes over their faces. Of all the people in the universe...

"I thought I recognized that voice."

"Ay-yi-yi-yi! Tommy! So good to see you again! It's been so long!"

Completely mesmerized, Eric steps forward and stares right into Alpha's 'visor'.

"A 21st century, fully sentient, multi-functional automaton. I've never seen anything like it!"

"Alpha? What are you doing here? How did you get here?"

"Your dad and I followed the crystal as it fell through the atmosphere. After we concluded that it landed, I teleported here to recover it."

"That's why I'm here. I have a machine on my ship that can fix it."

Eric walks back to his ship. He comes back with a box labeled "Delicate". Setting the bag aside, Eric pulls off the lid, revealing an active machine. As the Rangers look on in amazement, he puts the shards in the machine, one at a time. The machine goes on. Whirring and grinding ensue. A small whirlwind encompasses the box. Crates, boxes, and various items fall over. After a few minutes, everything calms down. Eric opens the machine and pulls out the newly reformed crystal.

"Here you go, Tommy! Good as new!"

"That is amazing."

"That's what I would've done. Well, since I'm not needed, I have to get back. Command seems to suffer when I'm not around."

"Stay with us. We could use you."

"Sorry Tommy, but I have an international army to look after. But I'll be back if I'm needed. Count on it."

Handshakes go around. Eric boards the Time Ship. The engines click on, and charge up. In a few seconds, the ship takes off for the year 3000. The remaining two Rangers look down at the Crystal in Alpha's hands. It still emits its trademark glow. Alpha has a device strapped to his back. It resembles a large ray gun.

"What's that for?"

"You'll see Tommy. You'll see. We need to get to the plateau. We don't have much time!"

But before they can leave, a blue jeep pulls up in front of them. Blake jumps out and approaches the group. He warily approaches the Rangers and, what appears to be, a heavily armed droid hugging a crystal. If he had a camera...

"Which one of you is Thomas Oliver?"

In the main chamber of Zedd's palace, Finster shows him a very complex blueprint. Laid out in explicit detail, is a large circular complex, with ringed walls surrounding a rectangular building; like a target. Large turrets, spaced every 20 feet, and a giant satellite dish are the only distinguished features. Guard posts surround the complex. Four large gates are the only way in or out. The entire structure is made out of metal, and brick and mortar.

"You better not be wasting my time, slave! I have an army to raise!"

"Yes, your evilness. Here it is: the project I've been working on!"

"Hmm...your morph blocking machine. Does it work?"

"Well, only in theory. Keeping in mind it hasn't been built."

"I'm aware. Fine. How does it work?"

"Once it's been powered up, it fires a pulse deep into space, completely cutting off all Rangers' ability to morph for 24 hours."

"How big is the blast radius?"

"25,000 lightyears, master."

"I like what I hear, Finster. OK. Take some quantrons and get it built. You can use anything at your disposal."

"Right away, sir, thank you!"

Daggeron is on the Astro Megaship. Gathered around are the Galaxy and Space Rangers. They listen intently as he dramatically tells the tale of how he found out Zedd came back form the dead. A few of the Rangers listen intently. A few seem to be genuinely nervous. Andros, on the other hand, stands against a wall, arms crossed, not listening. Or caring. The self proclaimed leader of the group, he is the longest serving Power Ranger out of all the ones gathered. Whether or not that fight is up to him. After Daggeron finishes the story, an uneasy quietness settles over the room.

"Well? Any volunteers?"

"No."

Andros says with finality as he crosses the room.

"Listen to yourself: The return of Lord Zedd? We were all there. Most of us witnessed it. He was killed that day."

"Do you not here yourself Andros? HE'S. BACK."

"IF that were so, what proof do you have? All we have is your word. Besides, why now? After almost 20 years?"

"Because of attitudes like that. Complacency, Andros. People have gotten lazy. They forget the terror caused by Zedd. The destruction, the loss of lives. The shock has finally wore off. And it doesn't help that Earth is largely undefended."

"What are we supposed to do then? Go on a galactic manhunt? Find Zedd and kill him before he does the same to us? Oh, here's an idea: declare galactic martial law! Anyone steps out of line, BAM!"

Andros sits heavily in a chair. All eyes are on the two men, and the situation turn palpable. It would seem opinion was divided pretty evenly. Either try to hunt down Zedd, and stop him, or run the risk of revealing himself, then acting. Before another argument can break out, Daggeron approaches Andros, and stands over him. Andros stares at the table, and doesn't move.

"Its attitudes like yours, Andros, that will help Zedd win this war."

"What would you have me do?"

"Let me have two of your Rangers. That's all I'm asking."

"Alright."

"Thank you Andros. Like I said before: Any volunteers?"

Corinth. A domed city in the middle of an inhospitable wasteland. The war with Venjix was brief and devastating. When Venjix was released, he resurrected the Machine Empire, and went on a world wide rampage. Killing everything in sight, the war was short and extremely brutal. Corinth became the only refuge, housing the remnants of the human race. Little did everyone know, was that Venjix had hybrids infiltrate the city. Hybrids, human in disguise, machine in nature. Pushed to his limits, Venjix activated the hybrids and ordered them to go on a rampage within the city. Fortunately the RPM Power Rangers held the line, and managed to destroy Venjix and the Machine Empire once again. Damage from the war was still visible, even after weeks of the attack. The Rangers had taken an active role in the rebuilding. Except Dillon. Ever since he had found out he was a pawn in Venjix's game, he had grown despondent. Despite wearing the uniform, he had always considered himself an outsider. Finding out his sister was a general in the opposing army didn't help matter much. He had managed to save her, but just barely. She finally found the truth right before the end. Ultimately, it was her that was responsible for dismantling the Venjix network. Still not quite over the shock of having all these revelations, Dillon spent most of his time alone. Often, he would be found in the garage, working on his car. For some reason, it brought him a piece of mind like nothing else could. Alone with his thoughts, he might be able to make sense of the events he thought was his life. That was true until he got a visit from a strange visitor. In the garage, a silver light flashed. Confused, Dillon came out from under his car, and looked around. A pinprick of silver light hung in the air. Slowly it grew and grew, filling the space with light. Blinded, Dillon tries to protect himself from the searing light. Amazingly, out of the light, walks a young woman, with flowing black hair, and shining silver eyes. The light has now disappeared.

"Who are you?"

"You first. Are you Dillon?"

"Who wants to know?"

"You're not going to make this easy are you?"

"No. Who are you?"

"Nova Ranger. SPD Ranger."

"SPD. I've heard of you. Space Patrol Delta."

"You've heard of us?"

"Good job on being here when it counted."

"We couldn't have known."

"That maybe true. But always knew where I was. Everywhere I went, you were one step behind. Tell me, Nova, if that is your real name, when you had the chance, why didn't you pull the trigger all those years ago? You had me cornered. You could've stopped me. But you didn't. Why?"

"Because nothing would've been gained. And apparently a lot would've been lost. Look at you: You're a Power Ranger. You save people. They would've died to, if I captured or, Zordon forbid, killed you. Understand what I'm saying to you Dillon? By the way, it's time you returned the favor."

"What are you talking about?"

"21st century Earth is about to be under attack from the greatest evil to ever exist: Lord Zedd."

"And? Why should I care? It doesn't concern me."

ONE OF US!

"It does concern you. If Zedd sacks Earth, the very world you live in will disappear. He will set up a never ending empire. You will cease to exist!"

"Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I didn't choose this. I didn't choose to be a cyborg. I didn't choose to be a Power Ranger! If I didn't, they would've executed me for having Venjix hardware in me!"

"Exactly."

"Wait, what?"

"That's why I let you go. During our standoff, I could see you were destined for doing great things. Glad to see I was right."

The grand scheme of things finally sinks in. Call it fate, destiny, God, whatever, something had chosen him to be the Black Ranger. After leading a criminal life, for which multiple death sentences would have been in order, he was given a new lease on life. Saving people had become routine. Another item on his check off list. Finding out about his past was more important. Having access to Ranger powers had been a big help. He found her, found out about his past, and he didn't like what he saw there. Facing his ugly past had also become routine. Having a fresh perspective hadn't occurred to him before, now he was relishing in it.

"A deal I pose to you, Nova."

"OK. What?"

"I help you. You erase my criminal record."

"Dillon, I don't know..."

"You want my help? You'll do it."

"Fine. Can we go now?"

"Let's do this."

The silver light appears again. It fills the garage. They step into it and disappear.

On the plateau, Alpha and the Rangers stand in a circle. Alpha has a death grip on the crystal. Despite it being noon, the crystal's glow is still visible. By some strange power, the crystal's jagged edges have rounded out. Today seems a little warmer than usual. The sun is riding high, and beating the Earth with its harsh temperatures. More than once do the Rangers have to wipe their foreheads. Eventually, Tommy takes out a bandanna and ties it around his head. Mack does the same. It looked like a record high for Angel Grove.

"All right, Alpha. Why are we here?"

"Surely you remember what was here Tommy."

"Yeah, the Command Center. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything Tommy. Did you know there's a way to bring back Zordon?"

"What?"

"Oh yes, Tommy?"

"Bring Zordon back...from the dead? How?"

"With this crystal we can bring Zordon back. Here-"

Out of the blue, Alpha tosses the crystal to Tommy. He catches it. Instantly, the glow intensifies, and the crystal burns bright with what appears to be flames. It sticks to Tommy's hands as he thrashes around on the plateau, and screaming in pain. Mack rushes over to try and wrestle the crystal from Tommy, but he gets blasted back by the crystal. While thrashing around, Tommy feels his mind and spirit being torn from his body. For a moment, he feels like free floating. Soon, he's surrounded by utter darkness. Spinning around, and nearly panicking, he looks around for any clue as to where he is. Finding none, he sets off in a random direction. Back on the plateau, Mack stands over Tommy's catatonic body.

"What happened to him Alpha? Where is he?"

"Inside the crystal. If he can find Zordon, then everything will be alright."

Back inside the crystal, Tommy finds himself walking down what seems to be a hallway. On either side, memories of his past life move past him. His battles as the Green Ranger: destroying the command center, defeating the Power Rangers, and sabotaging the megazord. His redemption. Beating back the forces of evil time and time again. Waging a last stand even as his powers were fading away. Returning as the White Ranger, leading the new Rangers in a successful campaign against Zedd. Surviving the destruction of the Thunder Megazord, and the loss of everyone's powers, seemingly for good. Having bestowed upon him the Ninja Ranger powers. Events surrounding his, and everyone's, de-ageing. Meeting Rangers from another planet. Acquiring the Zeo, and eventually, Turbo powers. Deciding that enough was enough, passing the torch to a new generation of Rangers. Year later, as California found itself under attack, becoming the Black Ranger. Wanting a normal life, he decided to retire for good, leaving the life of a Ranger behind. Slowly, he finds himself surrounded by still images from his memories. All of a sudden, all his past incarnations come out of the memories, and slowly surround him.

"Its him."

"Do we proceed?"

"Yes."

"He is only..."

"A Ranger."

"You have a choice to make Tommy."

"Join us."

"Become one of us."

"You are one of us Tommy."

"You are one of us..."

"One of us..."

"One of us..."

"ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US!"

In a flow blown panic, Tommy shoves his way past the ghost Rangers. Running, and eventually sprinting, his way through the darkness, lines of the Rangers have surrounded him still chanting. Plowing face first into a wall, Tommy gets thrown to the ground. Slowly turning around, all 5 past Rangers tower over him.

"One of us...One of us...One of us...One of us..."

On the plateau, the sun has started to go down. It still early afternoon, and Mack paces nervously. With the heat of the sun now gone, it turns chilly. The day has been rather strange today. Real hot to what now seems to be real cold. He turns and faces Alpha. The droid just stands there staring at the crystal. He keeps a silent vigil.

"Alpha?"

"What is it Mack?"

"Do we have much time left?"

"Not to worry Mack, we still have a few hours to go."

"What happens if he doesn't make it out?"

Tommy cautiously gets to his feet. The mysterious Rangers haven't given him any ground, and still crowd him.

"I'm not going to fight you. I've already beaten most of you. We're not doing this again."

"No we're not Tommy."

"You still don't understand."

"You are one of us."

"Even if you have turned your back on what you are."

"Even if you have turned your back on who you are."

"You are still a Ranger Tommy."

"Once A Ranger..."

"Always A Ranger."

"No. I'm not you! Not anymore! Leave me alone! Get away from me!"

"One of us. One of us. One of us."

Tommy closes his eyes, and puts his fists on either side of his head. He can hear the ghostly chant inside his head. As it threatens to split his head apart, he lashes out one more time.

"LEAVE ME ALONE! SHUT UP!"

When he opens his eyes, he's completely alone. Even the wall has disappeared. On the verge of a panic, he breathes rapidly, and looks around again.

"Tommy..."

"Who's there?"

"Tommy..."

"I'm here. Who are you?"

"Tommy!"

"ALRIGHT WHAT! WHO SAID THAT? WHO THE FUCK SAID THAT? SHOW YOURSELF!'

A blueish-white light appears behind him. Shielding his eyes, Tommy turns and looks. Out of the light, comes an old man wearing simple warrior garb.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

"It's good to see you again Tommy. It's been too long, and the years have been good to you it seems. I knew i made the right choice..."

Slowly it begins to dawn on Tommy. His expression softens, as it becomes clear that this is no man. But a legend.

"Zordon?"

"Yes Tommy, it is I."

"But you...you were destroyed! How is this possible?"

"I can assure you, that this is no trick. When I was killed, my spirit went on to live in all good people. Including you. Even though you have forgotten who you are."

"I haven't forgotten. It's not something I want anymore."

"Hmm. I see. Tell me: do you know where we are?"

"Inside a crystal?"

"Very good. Based on what you have seen, what can you ascertain about this crystal?"

"I don't know. I guess it has something to do with time."

"Close. Right now, we are interdimensional beings caught in a time warp. You see, back when I was at war with Rita, I came upon a group of 6 warriors on Earth. They had spectacular powers that they drew from a certain crystal. not only did it make them stronger, it gave them the ability to time travel. They were the original Time Force Rangers. After helping them fend off a particularly brutal siege, they gave me a piece of the crystal. The piece you are now in. I always thought that if something happened to me, I could use the crystal to bring myself back. So I hid it. In a place I thought no one would look for it. The desert. Unfortunately someone did find it."

"Zedd."

"Yes. Shortly after the conflict, Zedd had pursued me, always looking for my part of the crystal. After he was...done away with, I thought the crystal was safe. I was wrong. When it was in my possession, I had learned that pieces of the crystal slowly degrade over time. So I coated it with a special solution to protect it. Even to the point of re-entry it seems."

"How did Zedd get out of here?"

"Someone with a forceful enough personality can leave at anytime. Zedd found his human self. So using his influence, he made that archaeologist dig up the crystal. The rest is history."

"Alright. So your war is still going on, it seems. How do we get you out of here?"

"Under normal circumstances, I would need someone to help bring me out. In this case you. But, before we go, you have a choice to make."

Green, white, red, and black lights shine behind Tommy. He turns and is surprised by the Rangers.

"We told you Tommy."

"You are one of us."

"Now choose."

The Rangers unstrap their Morphers. The suits disappear, revealing 5 younger Tommy's. They hand over their morphers. Tommy approaches the five and examines the morphers. Carefully, he extends his hand, taking one of the morphers. The Tommy's turn and walk away into the darkness. Tommy turns back to Zordon.

"They can't come with us?"

"No. Their time is past. Yours it about to begin."

A loud whining noise permeates the space. A blinding white light fills the space. Energy crackles over the two men, and everything explodes. Tommy wakes up on a hard metal table. Shivering, he tries to sit up, and almost fails. Ashley, a fellow Ranger runs to him. She helps him sit up, and wraps a blanket around him. He gratefully accepts it, and seems genuinely surprised that she's here. They share a brief smile. Tommy gets up and look around. Everywhere, memories come flooding back. Nostalgia thicker than glue. The terminals, the viewing globe, the tubes of glass housing the original Power Suits. A holographic map of Angel Grove hangs above the floor on one side. The Power Chamber has come back to Angel Grove. Alpha 5 goes from terminal to terminal, flipping switches, turning dials and pushing buttons. Alpha turns and sees his friend awake.

"Ay-yi-yi-yi! Tommy! You're back!"

"Hey Alpha. When did this happen?"

"As soon as you got back. It just appeared out of nowhere."

"Like out of a time warp..."

Ashley was a relative new comer to Angel Grove when she was chosen to be a Power Ranger. Coming off a failed string of independent movies, and two failed TV pilots, she left Hollywood to pursue a quite lifestyle. One day, she packed her bags, got in the car, and just drove. Eventually the road led to a suburb of Angel Grove. Finding a house to live in, settling down was easy. Finding a regular job at the Gym and Juice Bar, she finally found a place she could call home. It seemed life was going to be easy. Until a chance encounter with the Turbo Power Rangers changed all that. Thrust onto the front lines of an interstellar war, she had little time to get adjusted. Chasing intergalactic pirate, Divatox, into Space was even harder. All she wanted a personal life, and what she got was the opposite. Always on the chase, resting was barely an option. Even after the war was over, she had gotten to adjusted to this life to go back. She continued to travel with the other Space and Galaxy Rangers, rooting out evil whenever and wherever it was. They were on a mission to stop a dangerous ring of Dark Spector worshipers. They were planning on a mass suicide to bring back their leader. That was until Daggeron arrived. After briefing them, he asked for two volunteers. Ashley and the blonde Galaxy Ranger, Karone, volunteered. After dropping them off, Andros and the others went to go prepare defenses on other worlds. Shortly after arriving, Nova and Dillon teleported in.

On the moon, Zedd paces back and forth, fuming. The Power Chamber being rebuilt was -not- in the plans. If the Chamber was back, then Zordon wouldn't be far behind. And that would mean more Rangers. Everything he had planned for would easily fall apart, if this went too far. He would have to accelerate his plans, and time was of the essence.

"FINSTER!"

"Yes, your evilness?"

"Is my army ready yet? I need to initiate a first strike soon."

"Yes, lord. They should be ready in a few hours."

"Excellent. Soon, those Rangers won't know what hit them.

Back in the Chamber, all the Rangers are present. Tommy, Ashley, Alyssa, Blake, Mack, Daggeron, Karone, Nova, and Dillon. introductions went around. All of a sudden, the lights start to flicker, and they go out. Even the emergency lights. The big glass tube at the front of the Chamber glows blue, and lightning flies from it, and bounces around in it. Thunder rumbles, and shakes the Chamber to its core. Not knowing what to do, the Rangers huddle together. Then, a giant floating head slowly lowers itself into the tube.

"Welcome, Rangers!"

Everyone stands in utter disbelief. Here he is. The originator of the Power Rangers. The one who successfully defeated Rita all those years ago. The original mentor to the Rangers, and the single source of hope to an entire galaxy. Zordon of Eltar has come back. Emotions ranging from disbelief to ecstasy wash over the Rangers. They all crowd forward, trying to express themselves. Zordon looks at them and smiles.

"Yes, it is good to see you to. It has been too long."

From his balcony, Zedd has been spying on the recent going-ons. He emits a low, guttural growl, that's more animal then man. His muscular body is pulsing a deep red, and the "Z" on his crown gives off a faint static charge.

"So that boob of a leader has returned as well. Little does he know who he's messing with. Finster, is the holographic interface ready? It's time to begin."

"Yes, master. All ready."

As the reunion in the Chamber dies down, the old alarm starts blaring. The map turns upright, showing a bright red blip. The viewing globe zooms in on the warehouse district. The Ranger stare in confusion.

"I don't get it. There's nothing there."

"Could be a false alarm."

"Let's not take nay chances. Mack, you and Dillon go investigate. If you find anything, let us know immediately."

"Alright, Tommy. We will."

Good luck, and may the protect you."

"Thanks Z."

They teleport out, leaving the other Rangers alone. They arrive right outside the warehouse. They look around, being sure to check out every nook and cranny. They meet up again.

"Find anything?

"No. You?"

"Nothing. Come on, let's go in."

Mack opens the door to the warehouse. Its filled with random boxes and crates. Oddly enough, its dark inside, despite the sun being able to shine through the windows. They carefully make their way through, making sure to watch their backs.

"I thought this looked familiar..."

"What do you mean?"

"Me and Tommy were here before, a couple days ago."

The sound of heavy footsteps interrupts the search. The Rangers turn and see nothing. The steps seem to be echoing off the walls, making point of emission difficult to determine. With a sense of fear pervading the atmosphere, they press on. After a while the steps stop, leaving the air still. Not even the dust seems to be settling. As they come to the last row of boxes, a huge menacing figure comes out in front of them.

"YOU!"

"You're a dead man!"

Dillon tries to tornado kick Zedd in the face, but falls right through and lands on his back. All he gets for his efforts is a long string of laughs from the devil himself. Dillon gets back up, and rejoins his friend.

"He's using a hologram."

"He must be close."

"I was wondering who Zordon would send to silence me. Ranger Black and Red Overdrive. I'm flattered."

"Come one out, so we can kill you."

"Ha ha. Get in line. Now listen to me. As I'm sure you are aware, I am prepared to launch an apocalyptic attack on the galaxy. My army numbers in the millions, and can easily be reinforced. Not to mention that with their sheer numbers, the overrun any pathetic defense brought before them."

"What is it you want?"

"I cannot lead this army on my own. I need someone to do it for me. And I've chosen you."

"We'll never join you!"

"Calm down, Ranger Black, hear me out before you do anything rash...again. As a Ranger, what is your first responsibility?"

"The protection of planet Earth."

"Ah, good. Here's what I'm proposing: Join me, lead my army, and I'll spare your pathetic planet."

"Why would we? Why us?"

"Mack, you can't be listening to this. Come on!"

"Hold on! Like I said, why us?"

"Because you two would feel right at home among my army. Face it: the two aren't even human. Red Ranger, you were a robot built by your father, yes? And Dillon, the Venjix virus has turned you into a cyborg."

"That's true but so what? That has nothing to do anything."

"It has everything to do with it! You only have emotional ties to humans because you are programmed to. And what about your respective pasts? Red Ranger, at a recent tournament, you lost to Tommy, did you not?"

"I did. But only because he's better than me."

"Not true. He's been retired for many years. You have the skills and abilities to beat him. You know you do, and i know you do. You have so much potential to be great. And Dillon, what about your past? Come with me, and I can make it go away. Permanently. Join me, the both of you, embrace who you are, become who you were made to be. Seize your destiny. I'll be back in 24 hours. Oh, and before I forget: get Tommy to come here with you."

And with that a projector falls to the floor, and fries itself. Mack and Dillon are in complete shock. This turn of events was unexpected, and leaves them completely drained.

"Could we do it Mack?"

"You mean, sacrifice trillions of lives for the sake of a few billion?"

"You know what I mean. OK, so we stay here and wage a last stand. What then? We would be fighting off unending waves of reinforcements. And you know what? Nothing will have changed. We will be killed, and the galaxy enslaved."

"Too bad we can't call on the other Rangers. They'll have their hands full."

"What do we do?"

"We have no choice."

They teleport back to power chamber, and update everyone on what happened. Fear and doubt spread throughout the room, as the implications of what transpired being to sink in. Zordon just flots in silence, and glares at Mack and Dillon.

"You told him "no" right?"

"Not yet. We have to go back tomorrow with our final decision."

"Fine. Maybe one of us should go with you?"

"Not necessary Tommy. We can handle ourselves."

It is now night. A few Rangers have decided to camp out in the power chamber. Only a few dim lights illuminate the interior. Zordon's energy tube is dark, and Alpha has holed up in his recharge bay. No one is stirring. The recent developments have left everyone exhausted. Except for Dillon. Silently, he sits up and looks around. Being a cyborg has allowed him to easily see in the dark. Softly, he gets up and walks over to where Mack is sleeping. He puts his hand over Mack's mouth. He tries to resist, but Dillon gives him a sign to stay silent. He then motions for Mack to follow him. They stealthily sneak out the back door.

"What's going on, Dillon? What's this about?"

"Zedd wants us to capture Tommy as proof of our loyalty, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Have you considered how? I have. We don't have a lot of time to pull this off."

"What's the plan?"

"Let's go."

Teleporting to the warehouse district, they come to the prearranged spot. Entering the even darker warehouse, they flick on a pair of flashlights hanging on the wall. Dillon moves from crate to crate, checking out labels, as Mack watches.

"What are you looking for?"

"One of these has flash-bang grenades in it. I had my dad send over a box of them, just in case."

Mack starts inspecting the labels to. He zeroes on one them having a suspicious label.

"I found it!"

They take the crate down, and pry off the lid. Sure enough, its full of the grenades, carefully packed.

"Now what do we do?"

For the next few hours, they place the grenades in strategic places, and wire them together so they go off at the same time. Attaching them to pillars, on walls, in corners, the trap slowly comes together. Afterward, they pile as many boxes and crates against the wall, to create an open space conducive for capture.

"Trap is set. Let's lure him in."

It is now early dawn. The sun is teasing the world with its appearance. For now it casts purple and orange colors everywhere, mimicking an artist masterpiece. The only sign of life is Tommy Oliver, doing laps around the neighborhood. Ever since Zedd came back, he has dedicated himself to getting back into better shape. Not that he needed to, but every little bit helps. The quiet morning, is still chilly, and Tommy is chasing the wind, as his breath leaves vanishing traces in the air. The only sounds are his feet pounding the pavement, and his heartbeat. Shattering the still silence, his communicator goes off.

"Tommy! Agh! Its Mack! We're at the warehouse district! Its an ambush! Quantrons are everywhere! Help!"

"Hang on, I'll be right there!"

Quickly looking around to make sure there's no one watching, Tommy disappears in a tube of green lightning. A second later, he arrives in the middle of the warehouses. He sees smoke pouring through an open door, belonging to an unusually dark warehouse. Carefully making his way inside, he makes sure he doesn't get ambushed. After getting inside, the door slams shut. An sense of malevolence settles over the building, as Tommy ventures inside.

"Mac? Dillon? Where are you? Sound off!"

His greetings are met with still silence. The high walls seem to close in around him. The urge to escape tickles at the back of his mind, but he shrugs it off. All of a sudden, a real sense of mortal danger hits him in the stomach. Spinning around, he spots metallic tubes strapped to the pillars. For now they, show a steady green light. Then they start blinking. Realizing the danger, he's in, he rushes for the door, but it doesn't budge. He even throws himself against it, but it's no good. The lights on the devices blink rapidly. Finding a window, Tommy tries to jump through it, but like the door, doesn't give. All the devices turn a bright red. Seeing doom getting ready to pounce, Tommy does his best to duck and cover. In a few seconds the building is rocked by loud explosions, and bright flashes of light. Smoke fills the interior. Its all over in a matter of seconds. Tommy gets up and staggers around, desperately looking for a way out. But, being unable to see, and with the harsh ringing in his ears, getting around is a little hard. Completely sapped, he collapses on the cold concrete floor. His vision clears just enough for him to see two sets of boots closing on him. Then he blacks out.