Chapter 15:
In the chaos and confusion that erupts, as what seems like a small army of armed mercenaries pour into the room, at least three people manage to slip away unnoticed. The first being the city's superhero, looking for a place to make a quick change so he could save the day. The second and third being Jimmy and Ali. Terrified, the men were there to abduct the team, the young couple slipped away down the hall, and into an unlocked storage closet, where they worked their way to the back of a very cluttered room, and curled up in a dark cramped corner and held each other close. Hoping to safely ride out the danger unfolding in the ballroom.
Back in the ballroom, the four former rangers instantly fall back into old habits, as they take up fighting forms. They were a little surprised to see the invaders skip over some of the more prominent people in the city in their effort to head right at the small group.
"Now it really feels like old times," says Jason.
"These guys have the same bad timing as putties did, what are the odds they fight just as poorly?" asks Kim.
"One way to find out," says Trini.
"Stay sharp, just cause their human doesn't mean it will be an easy fight," Tommy orders them, slipping into his leader tone of voice.
They all nod as the fight quickly came to them. Just like old times, fighting with these humans was a lot like fighting with putties, if not a bit easier.
Back in their ranger days battles like this always seemed to be more of a distraction from the bigger plan. Which put all of them on edge as they fought, trying to figure out what this is supposed to be distracting them from, and just who is the puppet master this time around.
They all noticed that the men fighting them seemed to be targeting Tommy and Kim more than anyone else there. If that was the case then it wasn't hard to figure out just who could be pulling the strings behind this particular fight.
The next few things that happened, happened in such quick secession that they almost seemed to happen all at once.
One scream rings out above the din of all the other noise in the room.
Kim turns to see Lois is grabbed by one of the men, in that mere moment of distraction Kim is grabbed from behind as one of the men puts a bowie knife to her throat.
A blue streak seems to shoot through the room faster than lighting, as Tommy's eyes started to glow a bright green that suddenly begins to pulse as the glow slowly spreads from his eyes into his very skin. Just as he witnesses a small rivulet of blood trickle down Kim's throat from where the blade nicked her skin in her struggling with her capture.
"Oh crap!" Jason exclaims as he sees what is happening with Tommy.
"This is not good." Trini swallows at seeing the same thing, "Jason, do something before Tommy loses control over Dragon."
A think line of men stood between Jason and Trini and where Tommy and Kim were. The more they fought to get to their friends, the more they saw that Tommy wasn't as much fighting the men anymore as he was, breaking them like life-sized toys.
"Unless we can free Kim there not a lot that I can do," responds Jason.
"Shit, now our only hope is that Kim can get herself free in time. Dragon has taken over more than ever before," said Jason.
"Last time this much of him was out was when were fighting him for the first time," says Trini
Trini shivers at the memory of fighting the evil green ranger. Tommy under the influence of the spell had been their worst enemy. Dragon was still a piece of that history, a remnant of a waking nightmare best forgotten. The nightmare was back though but this time going after the man who held Kim at knifepoint.
He would make him pay with his life for making her bleed.
Before Dragon could get to the man holding Kim he was disarmed by Superman who had already freed Lois. The number of men still on their feet able to fight was shrinking by the moment.
Kim rushed over to Tommy unaware of the blood trickling down the front of her throat, "Tommy stop I am fine, come back handsome. Come back to me." Kim says in a soft voice, trying her best to keep her voice steady as she takes his face in her hands and draws him close enough to make eye contact with her, "My handsome Falcon, come back to your crane, she needs you."
She watches as the glowing green light in his eyes starts to flicker as if warring internally for control. Slowly the glow receded from his skin and slowly the green died out as the brown of his eyes reestablished itself.
She kissed him and says "I'm okay, handsome," as fighting continued around them.
Trini as well as Jason sighed in relief as Tommy won his control back again. One combatant at a time is all they could handle at the moment.
The tide of the fight seemed to be turning in their favor, with Superman at their side. The end of the battle seemed to be in sight, as all the other guests in attendance seemed to be herded back into the corner of the room, and most of the attackers littered the floor unconscious. Just then Trini noticed one of the men nods. Almost as if he had been signaled by someone in the crowd behind them.
She saw the man take a small lead box out of a pouch around his belt. he then opened it, showing off a bright green stone inside. Within moments Superman dropped to the ground writhing in pain.
Jason and Trini looked at each other in confusion, it was like the green stone was taking all of his powers.
Whatever that stone was effecting superman severely.
"Get rid of it! " shouted Kim.
Trini being closest to the man holding the box, but out of his line of vision, starts to move. Jason sees what she going to do and draws the attention of the men, so they don't see Trini circle around back and hit the guy holding the box across the back with a chair.
The man is forced forward from the blow and the box flies forward it lands at Jason's feet.
He quickly grabs it and shuts it. He quickly runs as all the men go after him to get it back. Jason throws the box out one of the broken windows and you hear it clanging off different objects as it bounces into some unattainable crevice.
They all see Superman rise at his feet again and end the fight in a matter of seconds by tying all the men up. It was time they had a talk with the superhero and his fiance.
Jason walked back over to the others and says, "I don't know about you but I've had enough fun for one night."
Kim says, " I agree, I think this party is over anyway."
Tommy nods in agreement.
"Why don't you all stop at our house for one last drink?" Clark said like he never left.
"Where you disappear to? You missed all the fun" says Trini, with that slightly disbelieving look.
"I went for help," was the excuse Clark used to cover up his absence.
" I think I could definitely use a drink after all this," says Tommy before Trini could react again.
"You and me both!" exclaims Kim. Jason could nod in agreement.
Clark wrapped his arm around Lois's shoulder while leaving. The other couples followed his example and the men each wrapped an arm around their loved ones.
They head out to the limo and all piled in. Once in Kim tells the driver where to go, then closes the partition so they have utter privacy.
"We need to talk, and lay all our cards on the table," says Tommy
"What do you mean?" Clark asked still playing his part.
The four former rangers look at each other and sigh and nod before Jason says, " As one set of heroes to another its time to come clean about everything so we can work together more effectively." "Wouldn't you agree Clark? Or should I say, Superman." Tommy remarked.
