Power Rangers Zeo: Venusian Encounter by Heather Ray (free e books to read online .txt) 📕

candid shots, as well as a few portraits of unfamiliar people. Also, there were a few photos of a familiar dark girl.

"This is Renee!" Tanya declared, focussing on a photo of the entire family. There was a tall African-American man with midnight black moustache and hair, a black young woman with wire frame glasses and short dark braids, a taller young woman with flowing brown hair and an enchanting smile, and finally a deadly beautiful tan woman with auburn hair and shimmering eyes. Tanya took this one photo out of the frame and continued to look around the room. She noticed a suspicious pile of ashes on the tiles of the kitchen floor, as well as several blood stains on the floor and on a butcher's knife. Tanya also noticed that the phone cord had been severed.

"This definitely doesn't look good for Renee's family," said Tanya, passing the pile of ash and walking towards the window. The window looked like it was forced open. "Whoever was here must've broke into the house via this window and then teleported back to Venus Island from here. I don't see a body, so hopefully Renee's family was captured, and not killed. Still, that pile of dirt is really giving me a bad feeling."

Tanya shrugged and snapped her helmet back on. She tucked the photo into her belt, and held her hand out. Instantly, a small test tube appeared in her hand, and she scooped up a sample of the ashes with a teaspoon from the kitchen counter. She then activated her communicator. "Alpha," she said into her wrist, "Do you read me?"

^I read,^

responded the robot, ^Did you find anything?^

"I'm in someone's house, Alpha, and there's no one here. I think it's Renee's family, since I found a few pictures here. There are signs of a fight, as well as blood stains and a pile of weird ashes. I can't find a body, though. I'm teleporting you a sample of the ash. Could you scan it and tell me what it is?"

^Certainly. Teleporting now.^

Then, the vile of ash vanished from Tanya's hand. She took one last look around, and then touched her belt buckle. "One down, one to go," she sighed, teleporting from New Jersey to New York City in a blink of an eye.

Chapter Eleven

On the campus of Oxford in England, the police are investigating an abduction. A young man named Gregory Sampson called them a half hour ago, reporting that his girlfriend, Andrea Turner, was attacked by a tall, beautiful brunette wearing gold armor and spandex. The police are once again going over the victim's dorm room, which was ransacked by the fight. They hoped they'd find some clue about the crime that had taken place, but they couldn't even find a fingerprint or a strand of hair from the assailant. They were about to give up when a beam of pink light attracted their attention. The Pink Zeo Ranger materialized in the middle of the room, startling the two police officers still there.

"I say," said one of the police, "who are you, Missy?"

The Pink Ranger was surprised by this question. "I'm the Pink Zeo Ranger," she answered with an Australian accent, "Surely you've heard of the Power Rangers."

"Yeah," said the second policeman, "Cliff, remember the Power Rangers? They were on the news a few weeks ago. They're some American super heroes."

"She certainly doesn't sound American, Charles," said the first officer, "What can I do for ya, Missy?"

"I need to know what happened in here," she said, looking around at the destroyed bedroom. Cliff sighed audibly.

"Well, the report is that about an hour or so ago, two students were in here studying, and they were suddenly attacked by some woman in gold armor. She somehow hypnotized the lad, and when he snapped out of it, his girlfriend and the attacker were gone without a trace. There were no signs of forced entry, and no one in the building saw the woman in gold armor. Personally, I think the lad's daft."

"What were the names of the two students?" asked the Pink Ranger, a pink pad of paper and a pink pen appearing in a flash of pink light. The two policemen stared at the Power Ranger in a stupor, until Charles shook his head and glanced at his own note pad.

"Uh, the boy who reported the incident is Gregory Sampson, and the missing girl is Andrea Turner."

"And you're sure she was kidnapped by this Amazon?" asked the Pink Ranger.

"That's what the lad said," said Cliff. The Pink Ranger nodded while writing and when she was done the pink notepad and pen vanished.

"Thanks for your help, officers," she said, touching her belt buckle, "G'day."

With that, the Pink Ranger vanished in a streak of hot pink light. The two policemen returned to what they were doing.

"Well," said Charles, "There's something ya don't see everyday, chap."

Chapter Twelve

Jason Lee appeared in the bushes near a sizeable mansion in uptown Angel Grove. He climbed out of the bushes and observed the group of police officers, an ambulance, and a number of curious spectators being held off by police lines. Jason walked over to one elderly man in the crowd and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, Sir," he said politely, "What's going on here?"

"It looks like some burglar attacked the Trents," said the old man, "Arthur Trent is being hospitalized, and his family has vanished."

"What are the names of the missing persons?" Jason asked.

"Uh, Josephine and their daughter is Kelly. Charming young girl. Its really a shame."

With that, the old man turned away from Jason. Jason walked towards the police line, trying to get the attention of the police officers. One officer noticed Jason and walked over.

"We're really busy here, young man," said the officer irritadedly.

"Yes Sir, but I was just wondering what happened to Mister Trent."

"He's suffering from a severe loss of blood. He sustained numerous wounds, apparently inflicted by a large knife"

"Or maybe a sword," Jason whispered, rubbing his chin. "Thanks so much, Sir."

The officer nodded and got back to work. Jason pushed through the crowd and hid in the trees. Before he teleported to his next destination, he stopped to think for a minute. Kelly. That name sounds so familiar. Hmm.

Jason shrugged frustratedly and prepared to teleport. Well, at least we know they're probably still alive,

he thought as his body vanished in a flash of white light.

Chapter Thirteen

Kimberly Hart appeared in a wash of soft pink light in a small art studio. She scanned the room hurriedly, glancing briefly at the dozens of finished still lifes and portraits decorating the room. She then saw an unfinished portrait of her mother, torn and thrown on the floor viciously, as well as puddles of paint and water. Her fear began to rise substantially as she took in the frightful scene. Her step-father's art studio had been completely wrecked, and she hadn't found either her step-father or her mother. She gasped audibly when she saw a still body laying on the floor. She dashed to the person. cradling his head in her lap. Hey eyes filled with tears when she saw a streak of dark red on his neck and forehead. She gently touched the stream of red on his forehead, and then examined it closely. She smiled as she rubbed the red substance between her fingers.

"Paint," she whispered amusedly, touching her step-father's neck to detect a pulse. She sighed in relief and lifted him into her arms. She carried him to the work bench and laid him down carefully.

"Wow," she whispered to herself as she touched his forehead, "I'm a lot stronger than I look. I wonder what other powers we Venusians have. Well, I can find out some other time. I have more important thing to take care of. Pierre, are you with me?"

Kimberly shook him gently, but he didn't respond. She began to get irritated as she shook him harder. When he still didn't awaken, she stood up and searched the room. She stopped when she saw a glass of water on the table. She picked it up and ran back to her still step-father, dumping the water on his face. He coughed loudly and sat up in shock, wiping his face with his hands. He looked around the room, and smiled with relief when he saw Kimberly's smiling face. He leaned over and gave her a warm hug.

"Kimberly," he whispered in his thick French accent, "I'm glad you are here. What happened? Where is your mother?"

"I don't know," she said, "I was hoping you could answer that question for me. What happened to this place?"

"I was working on a portrait of your mother all day," he explained, touching his throbbing head, "She was sitting on the windowsill, looking out at the Louvre, as a pose, when suddenly a woman with golden armor leapt through the window and grabbed your mother by the wrist. I tried to stop her, but she struck me with the blunt end of her blade. I just awoke now."

"Did this woman say anything?" asked Kim worriedly. Pierre thought for a moment.

"She said that she was taking Caroline home," he recalled aloud, "Kimberly, do you know anything about this? Why are you in Paris anyway?