Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie by Heather Ray (beach read book .TXT) 📕

long enough, Tommy released a deep sigh. Slowly, he walked to the communications relay.

"I hope Jase has his communicator on," he mused, activating the system.

Before the signal even went through, the Rangers all jumped at the sudden wailing tearing from Lerigot's throat.

Galvanized into action, the entire assembly migrated to the Liarian's side.

"What's happening to him?" Katherine demanded.

"He is receiving a telepathic transmission that is obviously upsetting him greatly," Alpha explained, nimble fingers flying over the controls, "Zordon, what should we do?"

"PERHAPS IF WE CAN SEE WHAT IT IS HE'S RECEIVING, WE CAN HELP HIM,"

Zordon surmised. "ALPHA, ATTACH THE CRANIAL TRANSMISSION SCANNER, AND CONNECT IT TO THE VIEWING GLOBE."

Alpha immediately followed Zordon's instructions. Moments later, a hazy image began to form on the Viewing Globe.

The Power Rangers were stunned to see and image of a masked woman, gazing into a mirror compact.

^Zordon,^

she greeted, casually refreshing her lipstick, ^I know you can hear me, so listen up. Lerigot must surrender. Say hello to Lerigot's family...Yara, the loving wife and caring mother to little baby Bitel.^

The image pulled away, revealing a cage behind Divatox, with two Liarians trapped inside. A Piranatron stood behind them, holding a mechanical cap about a foot over Yara's head.

^Don't you just want to pinch those adorable cheeks?^

Divatox sneered.

"Stop!" Kat pleaded, turning back to Lerigot, who was groaning pathetically. "Look what it's doing to him!"

"Kat, she can't hear you," Adam commented. "The transmission is only one-way."

^Bring him to me.^

the Pirate Queen demanded. ^Oh, and by the way, as a token of my appreciation, I'll spare a couple of your favorite humans.^

The Rangers stared at the globe anew, fresh anxiety quickening their hearts as their newest nemesis played her hand. They stood waiting as the image in the globe shifted to a dark, wet cell, with two individuals wandering near the wall. Apparently, they were taking a closer look at their prison.

^They're not much to look at,^

Divatox's voice drawled on. ^But rumor has it they used to be some of your...oh, what do you call yourselves? Power Rangers.^

The view focused on the smaller of the two. While her dark clothing helped her meld into the shadows, it was clear from her form that she was female. Long tresses of dark brown hair, dripping with seawater, clung to her back as she dragged her fingers along the far wall.

Finally, she turned around.

Tommy suddenly stopped breathing. A hand of ice enclosed his heart, freezing him in place. He didn't hear his teammates gasp as they recognized the prisoner. He didn't feel Katherine enclose his hand with hers, clutching him tightly. He didn't even hear his own voice as he breathed her name.

"Kimberly."

It was too incredible to believe. How did Divatox even find her? She hadn't been a Power Ranger in nearly year! And why would Divatox even bother going to Florida...thousands of miles from Lerigot's location?

He soon got his answer...for the view suddenly shifted, zooming in on the other prisoner. Clearly a man...a tall man, his athletic build perfectly discernible in the form-hugging rubber wetsuit --

"No..." Tommy breathed. The muscles in his stomach clenched as a dozen emotions whirled in his mind.

Horror, that his friends were in peril. Disbelief, that they could've been dragged into the conflict. Panic, that Divatox truly had the upper hand.

But just under the surface lay the sting of betrayal, as pieces began sliding into place all at once.

"Jason," he croaked.

Jason and Kimberly. Together.

Part Eight: Prelude to the Storm

Author's Note Part One::

As I'm certain you've noticed, this story has now dipped into "Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie."

However, I'm not recounting the entire thing. If you have never seen it, in all honesty, you didn't miss much. I'll be skipping the vast majority of the movie, jumping right along to the parts that matter to "Pawns,"

while throwing in broad summaries to keep you with me.

Author's Note Part Two:

I thought I should mention this, just to warn you: while the next few chapters revolve around events in "Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie"

, it is not straight out of the movie. Most of the scenes weren't in the movie at all, and the scenes that were have been completely rewritten to suit my creative vision.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Katherine carefully climbed the ramp leading to the deck of the Ghost Gallion. Her teeth chattered quietly as the freezing night air stung her arms and legs, yet she chose not to take refuge below deck.

She needed the cold. She needed the silence. She needed the darkness.

She needed to think.

Once Lerigot landed on Earth, the Rangers were swept into a whirlwind of events. Divatox had demanded Lerigot's surrender to preserve the lives of his family, as well as Kimberly and Jason. Of course, it was impossible to convince the stricken wizard of Divatox's trickery, for under no circumstance would he leave his wife and infant daughter in the hands of evil. So the Rangers escorted him to the beach at sunset, as was arranged.

Not surprisingly, Divatox wasn't about to give up her advantage. Her men dumped two bodies into the ocean, distracting the Rangers long enough for other soldiers to capture Lerigot. Only after the Rangers discovered the bodies were mere mannequins did they realize Lerigot was missing.

Divatox was yet another step ahead of them.

Now, Divatox had Lerigot's magical Key…the means to open the path to the mythical Island of Muiranthias. And that meant the Rangers had to prepare for the possibility that Maligore would be brought to life.

Zordon, in his characteristic wisdom, discerned that new Powers had to be developed… powers designed to handle the mutant army of Divatox, as well as the brutal strength of Maligore. The new foe was vastly different from either Zedd's empire or the Machines. Rather than creatures of magic or advanced technology, the monsters were simply supremely strong aliens from a variety of systems. A team of Rangers with enhanced speed and strength, rather than extensive magical defenses or machine-disruptive capabilities, were needed.

So, the Turbo Rangers were born.

Yet that wasn't the end to the surprises Zordon had in store. Clearly, Jason wouldn't be able to fill in for Rocky, as was previously determined. And with all the other retired Power Rangers inaccessible, the only option was to recruit someone new.

Given the limited amount of time, Zordon wasn't able to conduct an extensive search, which he utilized when he first approached the original five Rangers. Also, the Rangers didn't have any civilian allies who'd already proven their valor, as was the case when Jason, Zack, Trini, and Kimberly had taken their leave.

The only option was to abide by Rocky's own instincts. And Rocky had deemed Justin Stewart his successor.

Justin Stewart… a twelve-year-old child.

True, he was a surprisingly intelligent and mature boy. The loss of his mother had aged him quickly, and his reclusive nature led him to spend his free time reading and studying. In addition, he dabbled in the martial arts, usually under Rocky's own eye.

Rocky had a great deal of faith in young Justin. During his tenure as a volunteer "Big Brother"

at the Little Angel's Orphanage, he'd developed a bond with the boy. And he genuinely felt him able to carry on as the Blue Ranger.

So now, the Power Rangers were in hot pursuit of Divatox's submarine. Traveling through the cold night in the magical Ghost Gallion, come morning they would reach Muiranthias. And face a challenge like no other.

Katherine shivered anew as fresh anguish assailed her. Never in her months as Pink Ranger did she have to face such a situation. The Rangers had to race to save their friends from certain death. They didn't even get the chance to adjust to their new powers.

New powers. New Blue Ranger. And their foe was a legendary evil so terrible, the heroes of old couldn't muster the strength to destroy him.

And just to make matters worse, their leader was so distraught he could barely think straight.

Kat couldn't deny that at least a small part of her stroll above deck was to check on the Red Ranger. He'd been hopelessly aloof throughout the entire ordeal as he struggled with an inner conflict his friends could only guess about.

Granted, two people he cared for tremendously were in dire peril. Yet, he was the veteran on the team -- hadn't he faced very similar situations before? Why couldn't he keep his head?

Chapter Thirty-Six

Kimberly…his first love.

The girl that charmed him at their first encounter, with her genuine smile and endearing eyes. The girl that stole his attention with her beauty and grace…but stole his heart with her undying compassion, fierce loyalty, and endless optimism. The girl who stood by him through the extraordinary: power losses, evil spells, and painful trials of leadership. Who stood by him through the mundane: constant forgetfulness, often crippling lack of self-esteem… just trying to find

himself, as every teenager must.

The girl that broke his heart.

Tommy's shoulders hunched just a little more. He'd never thought her capable of even disappointing him… much less sending the "Dear John"

letter that tore a hole through