Shattered Dreams

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    Kelly ran to Ransik's side. She looked down at him, wiping the rain from her eyes. She gasped when she saw the wound in his side. The blood came through his black leather costume. Kelly: "Ransik!" She hoped she could wake him up, but his eyes didn't open. Panicked, she looked around; trying to think of something to do. A man on the street stopped and looked at them. Kelly turned her head. Kelly: "Go! Get a doctor!" He was startled and didn't move right away. Kelly: "Go!" He took off after the second time. Kelly: "Hang on, Ransik. You can't leave me. Not after all we've been through." She laid her head against his chest and prayed he'd be all right. She started to sob and her eyes filled with tears. Kelly: "Come on. You can beat this. You have to." She became even more worried as the blood on his costume began to spread. Kelly: "You have to live. I couldn't imagine my life without you."
    Niki: "You think mom's okay, right?" Thunder boomed outside the window the girls sat next to. Ice: "It'll take more than this storm to stop her. I'm sure she's fine." Ice's mind began to wonder as she saw the next flash of lightening. Niki: "Bad storm huh?" Ice didn't respond. She was focused on the weather. Niki: "Ice? Hey." She turned her head back to her. Ice: "Sorry." Niki: "What are you thinking about?" Ice: "This. Are storms on Stregna this bad?" She nodded. Niki: "Most of them are." Ice: "Oh. I thought maybe... this could have been something else." Niki: "Like what?" Ice: "I don't know. I've just got this weird feeling. Like something's going to happen tonight." The wind outside blew so hard that it looked as if the trees could break in half. Niki: "What do you think could happen?" Ice: "I don't know. Its just a feeling. And I don't like it." She thought for a minute. Ice: "You know that feeling you have after a nightmare. You wake up and know it was a dream. Your mind's telling you you're all right. But you still feel scared. That's what this is like." Niki: "Oh. I get it." Ice: "There's something so erie about that lightening. Maybe its cause I'm from Earth. I don't know." Niki: "I've seen it like this before. But I've never had those kinda thoughts about it. Except when I was little." Ice tried not to laugh, thinking that she still was little. Ice: "I'll bet its cause I'm not used to this. Storms on Earth are almost never this bad." She returned her attention to the window. Ice thought: "Why did I tell her that? I shouldn't scare her like that. But something's not right here."
    Kari was laying on her bed. She looked over at the bag of cloths that she sat on the table. Karone walked in looking concerned, in her usual sweet way. Karone: "I heard you guys fighting earlier. Is everything all right?" Kari: "Yeah. We do this constantly." Karone: "What's it about this time?" Kari: "He got mad because I started in about his job." Karone: "What's that?" Kari: "He's sells drugs!" Karone: "And he was mad because of that?" Kari: "Yes. I told him to get a new job and he won't." Karone: "Hmmm." Kari: "I don't see how I'm supposed to raise a child knowing that its father is a dealer. That's not the kinda world a kid should be brought up in." Karone: "You're right. I would have never exposed Sarah to anything like that." She paused. Karone: "Doesn't he see where you're coming from?" Kari: "No. You can't tell him anything! He's the most hard-headed guy I've ever met!" She sat up. Kari: "I know if the baby sees him doing this. Its going to grow up thinking that's all right. If its all he's ever known." Karone: "I can't believe he wouldn't try to work with you on this." Kari: "He says he cares, but he's just to da*n set in his ways. He's not willing to change for anything. Not even his own child!" Karone: "He might change his mind after its born. It seems like parenthood doesn't really hit the guys until there's living proof. Some of them have to actually see the baby before they realize 'Hey, I'm a father'." Kari: "Ya think?" Karone: "Yeah. Rick seems like that kinda guy. He's been the way he is all his life. It'll probably take a lot to change him. But it can be done." Kari: "Did your guy have to change or something?" Karone: "No. Taylor didn't have any time. I brought Sarah home from the store one day. It came as a total shock to him." Kari: "What?" Karone: "I found her there. But luckily he didn't need to change very much though. He had thought about that a little before hand. Rick... he's got other problems. Its not going to happen over night." Kari: "If Taylor didn't need to adapt, then how can you say any of this? You wouldn't know." Karone: "I've been around a long time. I know more than you think I do."
    Kelly saw flashing light down the street. She breathed a sigh of relief. Then stood up as the ambulance pulled up in front of them. Two guys jumped out and put Ransik onto a stretcher. Kelly wiped the tears from her eyes as a third walked up to her. Doctor: "I'm going to need you to step away ma'am." Kelly: "I'm his wife." Doctor: "Oh. Then get in. You have to fill out some paper work." She didn't even hear him talk about the papers. Her mind was on Ransik. She could focus on nothing else. She climbed into the back on the ambulance with him and held his hand. Kelly: "You're going to be okay. You have to be." As she said it, she knew she only trying to convince herself. Seeing as how he couldn't here her.
    Ice continued to stare out the window. For a second, she thought she saw something. A quick flash that was gone before she could know what it was. Ice: "Did you see that?" Niki: "What? The lightening?" Ice: "No. Something else. Something out there." Niki: "No. I didn't see anything." She looked back and thought she saw it again, but when her eyes focused, it was gone. Ice: "I guess I'm tired." She leaned forward and rubbed her eyes. When she looked back up, she was certain she saw something. Ice: "There." It stayed this time, but was distant. She leaned forward trying to get a better look. Then the lightening flashed once more and it disappeared. She turned to Niki. Ice: "You really don't see that?" Niki: "No. Its just a storm." She stood up and ran her hands through her shoulder length blonde hair. Ice: "Why can't I shake this? This feeling." Niki didn't know how to respond. She had never seen Ice like this before. Ice: "Something is really wrong here. I know it now." Niki: "Maybe you should go to sleep. It might help." Ice: "I don't think so. I feel like.. like I'm already asleep. I know this isn't a dream, but it doesn't seem real either." Her head turned suddenly to the widow. She could make out the image outside, but only for a second. It was a man. She couldn't see anything about him. Ice: "What the he*l?" When he appeared again, he was closer. Ice stared at him without blinking for fear of him disappearing again. His expression never changed. His arms were folded across his chest. Ice: "Why is he out there?" Niki: "Who?" Ice: "That guy. In the rain." Niki looked out the window for a long time, then turned to Ice. Niki: "There's nobody there." The words sent a  chill down her spine. She began to doubt her own mind as she stood there looking at him.
    Kari: "I want him to stop this. But he does have one good point. Another job wouldn't pay what he gets for this. That kid wouldn't have to worry about money for a long time the way he's going." Karone shook her head Karone: "Kari." Kari: "I don't want the money for myself. He*l, I didn't even want it in the house before all this happened. I'm thinking about the baby." Karone: "There would be comfort in knowing it would be provided for." Kari: "That's what he was trying to say. And in a way he was right." Karone: "But you want something more than a life of crime for your family." Kari: "Yes!" Karone: "Maybe you should try to talk to him later. After you both cool off a little." Kari: "It won't do any good. Every time I bring this up, we fight. No matter how happy we are that can ruin it." Karone: "So what are you going to do?" She beat her hand up against the headboard. Kari: "I don't know! There's so much to consider." Karone: "So if you're not even sure yet, why rip him a new a*s over it?"
    The wind blew hard, causing him to disappear. A few seconds passed without anything more. Then it happened. When she saw him next, he was standing right outside the window. Their eyes locked. Ice began to back away slowly. Ice: "No. Its not real. You can't be real." She jumped when she backed into the table. Man: "Come on Ice. Come find me."  The wind blew through his hair. His face showed no signs of feeling. Only emptiness. Ice: "This can't happen. You're not there! You're dead!" He shook his head without speaking. Then disappeared. Ice ran out into the hall and tore open the door. She ran out into the rain and began moving as fast as she could towards him. When she got there, he was gone. She stood alone in the darkness looking around, feeling as if she were crazy. Ice: "Who are you!" The only reply she got was the howl of the wind. Ice: "Come on! Who the he*l are you?" Voice: "You know." The voice echoed around her. She saw no one but the voice was unmistakable. She looked up into the sky. Ice: "Show yourself you bas*ard!" When she looked back in front of her, she feel backwards. The sight of him standing there startled her. She tried to speak, but no words came. He stood, still with his arms crossed, staring down at her. Lightening flashed behind him as they looked into each other's eyes. Ice: "What are you? How do you know me?" Man: "Don't recognize me? I'm your friend." She shook her head. Man: "Its me.... Burner."
    The doctor's rushed Ransik down the hall of the hospital. Kelly was still holding his hand. One doctor put his hand on her shoulder. She let go of Ransik and watched them wheel him into the O.R. She turned to the doctor. Kelly: "He'll be okay, right? How bad is it?" Doctor: "We don't know at this point. Right now we have to do everything we can to stop the bleeding. He's already lost a considerable amount of blood." Her hands shook. When he legs began to tremble, the doctor walked her over to a chair in the waiting room. Doctor: "Why don't you sit down and try to relax? I'll let you know as soon as we have any news." Kelly: "Thank you." After he left, she sat there looking at the door they had taken Ransik through. Then looked around the big white room. She began to feel sick from worry. Kelly thought: "I never thought I'd be in a place like this. Not for this." She went over to the wall and picked up a pay phone.
    Ice: "This can't be happening. You've been dead almost 20 years." He held out his hand to help her up from the ground. She stood without his help and stared at him. It was all she could do. His body was exactly the same as before, but his face was what scared her. She knew there was something different about him. Something evil. She stepped forward and tried to touch his face. As they made contact, he disappeared. Her mouth fell open slowly as he faded into thin air. Ice: "What is this?" Scared, she tried to run back to the fortress, but when she started to move, the ground moved under her. She felt like she were drifting through space. The world around her turned to nothing but fog. Ice: "Am I really dreaming?" She tried to think of a time she had went to sleep, but she knew she never did. Ice: "Am I dead? What's going on here?" Voice: "All will be answered in time." The voice was different from the other, but both surrounded her. She had lost all sense of direction. Finally let herself go; knowing she couldn't fight this. She let herself float through the fog; completely weightless.
    Kari: "Where were you before? Like when I could have used that advice." Karone: "You have to make up your mind what's more important to you. You can give you child a life of truth and honesty and be assured it will grow into a fine person. Or you can give it anything and everything and not have to worry about being poor." Kari: "Thanks, you're really helping." Karone: "I'm sorry, but its not my decision to make. You have to work this out with Rick." Before they could say any more, the phone on the night stand rang. Kari picked up and handed it to Karone after a minute. Karone: "Hello?" Kelly: "Come to the KO-35 medical building. Ransik was jumped and he's in the O.R. now." Karone's eyes grew wide. She almost dropped the phone. Karone: "Oh my God." She paused, looking for the words. Karone: "I... I'll be right there." She hung up slowly and tried to piece herself together. Kari: "What's wrong?" She didn't answer. Once she had processed it, she ran out the door. Kari: "Hey! Karone!" She ran out into the hall, but Karone was already gone. She still heard her shoes clanging quickly on the metal floor.
    About an hour later, Cerina came walking in. She was soaked from the rain. Niki: "Where have you been?" She looked down at her daughter and smiled. Cerina: "Have you heard from Ransik recently?" She looked confused. Niki: "He went out with Kelly. Why? What could you want with him?" She hesitated, but sat down on the daybed beside her. Cerina: "You have to keep quiet about this for a while. Can you do that?" Niki: "You know I can. Now what?" She smiled again, imagining what had happened to him. Cerina: "I was wondering if he was here... or if he had made it back." Niki: "What do you mean?" Cerina: "You remember those guys that used to work for me?" She nodded. Niki: "I liked them." Cerina: "I didn't know if you were too young to remember or not. Anthony always used to carry you around on his back." Niki: "Yeah I remember. He gave me some of his beer once too!" Cerina: "Well I met with him earlier." Niki: "And you didn't take me?" Cerina: "I asked them another small favor; the way I did before with Vulca. Only this time... this time I sent them after Ransik." The girl's eyes lit up. Niki: "They kicked his butt?" Cerina laughed. Cerina: "I'd say so, yeah." Niki: "I wish I could have been there." Cerina: "Me too. I'm sure it was quite a sight." She thought for a minute. Cerina: "I can't imagine where they could be now though. I sent them after them a while ago. I thought he'd be back here by now." Niki: "Maybe he's in a gutter some place." Cerina: "Possibly." She stood up. Cerina: "I have to go change." She reached into her purse and tossed Niki her cell-phone. Cerina: "Why don't you call Anthony and see how things went down?" Niki: "Yay!" Cerina rolled her eyes and walked out into the hallway.
    As the fog started to clear, Ice felt ground form under her. Once it had completely gone, she stood amazed at the sight around her. She was standing in the middle of a huge, green jungle. The hot sun came beating down on her from a hole in the canapé of leaves and branches. Ice: "The sun? But..." With that she realized she was no longer on KO-35. She saw a small path and followed it. It lead her to a small beach. Voice: "Welcome to the jungle, Ranger." It was the same voice she had heard in the fog, only this time she recognized it. She turned quickly and saw Hevesta standing by the water. She held her septor tightly, her face as dead as Burner's had been. Ice's muscles tensed at the sight of her. Hevesta walked closer. Hevesta: "After all these years we finally meet again." Ice: "What is this place?" Hevesta: "My revenge. I have spent countless nights lying awake, praying that one day I'd get the chance to pay you back. Finally that day has come." Ice: "You want me dead, then come on! But don't waste my time!" Hevesta fired a blast of energy from her hand, knocking Ice down on the sand. Hevesta: "You haven't changed. Even back then, you never knew when to shut up." She bent over and picked Ice up off the ground. She held her by the throat and began to dig her nails into it. She groaned softly the further they went in. Hevesta: "It would be so easy to kill you right now. Cut my losses and be done with you once and for all."
    Cerina stood in the bathroom in front of the mirror. Niki was next to her dialing the number into the phone. Anthony picked up after the first ring. Anthony: "Yeah?" Niki, trying to sound tough: "Well? What happened? Is Ransik taken care of?" Anthony: "Hey sweetie." She returned to her normal tone. Niki: "Hey." Anthony: "Ransik won't be a problem anymore. I'm sure he's been put in his place. If he didn't bleed to death right there on the street." She laughed. Then looked up at Cerina. Niki: "They got him." She bent over the sink started to dry her hair. Cerina: "Good. They'll get their payment soon." Niki to Anthony: "She sounds pleased. You'll get your money soon." Anthony: "So how have you been? Any boys been hitting on ya?" Niki: "No way! That's gross!" Anthony: "Oh. I see." Niki: "I'm always bored here now." Anthony: "Why?" Niki: "Cause mom's boyfriend arrested my friend. Now I don't have anyone to play with." Anthony: "Cerina's dating a cop?" Niki: "Yeah. His name's Lucas. He's a Time Force officer." Cerina walked out into her bedroom picked up a dry shirt from the bed. Anthony: "I never would have  thought I'd see her with one of them." Niki: "He's not that bad. But he doesn't seem like he's her type." Cerina tried not to laugh. Niki: "I think she should try dating you." Cerina: "What?" Niki: "Oh you should have seen her face!" Anthony: "You were joking, right?" Niki: "Well yeah. She can't date you." After changing, Cerina reached for the phone. Niki walked across the room and continued talking. Niki: "Guess what? I'm a ranger now! I got into this fight earlier with mom's sister's henchman. It was so fun! I beat the snot out of him!" Cerina finally got the phone away from her. Cerina: "Anthony." Anthony: "You got a great kid there, Cerina." Cerina: "I know. Thanks for what you did. You really helped me out." Anthony: "It was not trouble. Now I want you to call if you need anything else." Cerina: "I will." Anthony: "I'm serious. You say the word and me and the guys will come running." Cerina: "Okay. Thanks again."
    Ice: "Go ahead. Kill me. But don't think that will end your suffering. Demosi is dead! Nothing you can do to me will ever change that!" Hevesta stood there for a long time, still holding on to Ice. After a minute she threw her back to the sand. Hevesta: "How dare you! You took away my life!" She showed no sympathy for her as she looked up at her from the ground. Hevesta: "He was my heart. You have no idea the pain you put me through." Ice: "I'm not going to feel sorry for you. Not after everything you did to me and the other rangers. You deserve every bit of pain you've gone through." Ice stood again. Hevesta: "Enough." An army of warriors in gold armor appeared around her. They all stared at Ice. Ice: "No generals? Too bad. Now its just these guys." Hevesta: "Generals are worthless. A complete waste of time." Ice: "And you darling Kylara? What about her?" Hevesta: "Never speak her name! She is no more loyal then those back stabbing slaves!" She looked at the army in front of her. Hevesta: "Destroy her!" She disappeared, leaving them alone. Ice took a deep breath and charged into the group of warriors.
- *  *  *     The next morning, Karone and Kelly were standing outside Ransik's room. They looked in at him through a huge window. Karone: "Why would someone do something like this? He couldn't have done anything that bad to them." Kelly: "That's what I don't understand. We have plenty of enemies, sure. But not here. We don't know anyone on KO-35. There's no reason those guys would have attacked him." Karone shook her head. Karone: "Its so sad. He's such a sweet man once you get to know him. And those guys just came up and attacked him." Kelly's face turned angrier as she looked at her husband, strapped to all kinds of machines. Kelly: "If I could get my hands on them. Even if it was just for a minute I swear I'd make them pay." Karone: "Did you call anyone else? Somebody to calm you down maybe." Kelly: " Like who? We don't have friends around here. We were forced into this whole thing. Those rangers are using us to get back at Vulca. That's it." Karone: "Cerina might be. But are you sure about the others? I think they might want to know." Kelly: "No. They're no better than she is really. She's at least honest." Her mind went back to the night before. It was probably the hundredth time she had played it over in her mind. The events made no sense to her at all. And the more she thought, the more confused she got.
    Kari was walking around the fortress with a cup of coffee. Rick walked up to her with his arms folded in front of him. He noticed the worried look on her face. Rick: "What are you doing? Did something happen?" She sighed. Kari: "What? One night goes by and suddenly everything's okay again? You have to give me the rule book on this stuff cause I'm lost." Rick: "I was hoping we could forget that. We're not going to agree on my job. So lets just agree on one thing. I love you Kari. That's all that really matters. This baby may not be in the best environment but it will be loved and happy. You can't tell me what I do for a living is more important than that." Kari: "I guess I have been forgetting why we had this child in the first place. I'm sorry. Karone tried to tell me to make up my mind but honestly I can't. So there's no reason we should keep fighting over this." Rick: "Exactly. Is that what was bothering you." She looked at the floor for a minute. Kari: "No, there's something else." He took her hand and walked her into the kitchen. They sat down at the table. Kari: "Kelly called Karone last night and I don't know why." Rick: "This is going to sound bad, but who the he*l cares? Neither of them are our problem." Kari: "I know, but... I'm starting to see a new side of Kelly. You know that. I'm worried about her. She sounded really upset on the phone." Rick: "I you sure you can really trust her?" Kari: "You're starting to sound like Cerina. She's not as bad as you guys think." Rick: "Okay fine. But that doesn't mean you have to worry about her. You have enough on your mind without adding her." Kari: "I can't help it. I need to know what's going on. She's my friend and I care about her." He ran his hand through his hair. Rick: "Come on. I think I know how to help you." Kari: "Thank you. You don't know how important this is to me." They headed back out into the hallway. Rick: "Yeah I do. You have a good heart. I know that. If somebody's in trouble you have to help them... no matter how big of an irritating slut that happen to be." Kari: "Rick stop. Please. Give her a chance." Rick: "I don't trust her. She's everything Cerina says she is." Kari: "That's what I thought too but she told me stuff the other night that changed my mind. I'm telling you she's not a bad person."
    Cerina was still in bed when Niki came walking into her room. She held a phone in her hand. Niki: "Mom." She opened her eyes slowly. Niki: "Its Anthony. He found out where Ransik is." Cerina: "A cemetery?" Niki: "No. The hospital." Cerina: "Also a good choice." Niki spoke into the phone: "She'll probably call you later. She's just woke up." Anthony: "All right. Its no rush." Niki: "You should see her hair. Its such a mess!" She took the phone from her. Cerina: "Good bye." She threw the phone across the room. Niki: "What are you going to do now?" She let her head fall back against the pillow. Cerina: "I was going to sleep a little later. What the those two out of my hair." Niki: "No! Come on! Get up!" She climbed up and began to jump up and down on the bed. Cerina: "God Niki stop. What do you want?" Niki: "I wanna see Ransik hurt! Can we go?" Cerina: "All right." She sat up and Niki put her arms around her mother's neck. Cerina: "It'll be so nice to see him lying there; helpless and weak." She kissed Niki. Cerina: "Lets go."
    Ice had beaten the warriors and ran deep into the jungle. Tired, she sat down by a tree. Ice: "I don't believe this is happening again. I thought this was over. Hevesta is supposed to be dead. She killed herself! I know it!" Sweat began to run down her face. The leaves shaded her from the hot sun, but the humidity was almost unbearable. Ice: "You won't win. I promise you that. You couldn't beat me 20 years ago and you can't beat me now." She didn't know if Hevesta could hear her or not, but she spoke as if they were face to face. Ice: "You don't scare me. You never did." As she said that, the wind began to blow hard through the trees. From that she knew Hevesta had heard her. Ice: "You control this whole place don't you? Well give me all you've got. I'm ready to end this once and for all." She glanced down at the dirt beside her and gasped. A message was writing itself in the dirt. It read: "End? Your nightmare is only beginning, Silver Ranger." Ice: "Why don't you come out and face me? Instead of using these cheap tricks. Prove you're half the woman you claim to be."
    Rick and Kari went into the control room. Rick: "I don't think you should worry about this. You need to relax. The closer it gets to time for you to have the baby, the more rest you need. This is the last thing you need to deal with." Kari: "I'll be fine." He typed a code on the computer. Rick: "Karone showed me this the other day. The call came in from the hospital." Kari: "The hospital? Why would she be there?" Rick: "I don't suppose I can convince you to stay here." Kari: "You know me better than that." Rick: "Then I'm going with you." Kari: "You don't have to worry like this." Rick: "Yes I do. You're not going anywhere alone. Not now."
    Karone had gone to sit down, but Kelly couldn't move away from the window. Her hand was on the glass; her eyes filled with fear. A doctor walked past her and she grabbed him. Kelly: "Do you know anything?" Doctor: "I'm afraid not." Kelly: "We've been here all night. What's your problem? Do something! That's my husband in there! Get you a*s in there and help him!" Karone from across the room: "They're doing all they can. Let him go." Kelly: "How can I? For all I know this guy could go out to lunch and he could die! I'm not going to let that happen!" Karone: "He's not going to die. He's strong. You have to relax." Doctor: "I'm fairly sure he will survive. You called us immediately and that was very helpful." Kelly: "You're 'fairly sure'? What kinda answer is that?" Doctor: "Look, I'm not going to dress this up for you. You're not a child. He is badly hurt. His condition is still in the red. All I am saying is that I believe he will pull through. I can't guarantee anything." He walked away from her, looking angry. After the doctor had left, Kari and Rick came running through the door. Kari went right to Kelly and hugged her. Kari: "What's going on? Are you all right?" Rick stood back against the wall. Karone smiled at him, but he didn't turn his head to face her. She wasn't used to his cold nature yet. Kelly: "Yeah I'm fine. Its Ransik." She pointed to the window of his room. Kari: "Shelona got him?" Kelly: "No. I don't know who was behind it really. Three guys attacked him. I've never seen any of them before." Kari: "Are you doing all right?" Kelly: "I'm fine. Its Ransik you should worry about. The doctors around here don't know sh*t about sh*t." Kari hid her face as a nurse walked by hearing Kelly's comment.
    Cerina was in the silver business like dress she had worn during her time with Vulca. Niki wore all black; a pair of jean shorts and a spaghetti strap shirt. An outfit similar to one Cerina had. Niki: "Hurry up!" Cerina: "Don't worry. Ransik won't be going anywhere for a long time. I know how Anthony is. When you tell him to do something, he does it right." The two girls stopped when the saw Caster leaning against a building. Caster: "I have a score to settle." Niki stepped up in front of her mother, confusing Cerina. Niki: "You're still giving up your life for Shelona, huh? That's real sad." Caster: "Don't start with me. I've come to pay you back for what you did to me." Cerina looked down at her. Caster: "You have no idea the horror the queen put me through after loosing to you." Niki: "If you're stupid enough to work for her, you deserve it." Cerina: "Hey hey hey. Somebody explain this please." Caster fired a  blast at Cerina, knocking her to the ground. Caster: "This doesn't concern you!" Niki held out her arm and pushed the button on her morpher. Niki: "Psycho Blast!" Once morphed, she jumped up and spun in the air. Then landed in front of Caster. He picked her up and started to punch her. He got about four good shots in before she broke free. Cerina got up and ran at him. She kicked him and while he was effected by that, smacked him in the face with her morpher. He let out a growl of pain and stepped back. That gave her enough time to morph. Cerina: "Psycho Blast!" Caster: "This is between the child and myself." Cerina: "If you lay one hand on her you'll be wishing for whatever my sister did to you!" Caster: "She took away my honor. And I will make her regret that." Niki pushed past Cerina. Niki: "Honor? Please! I didn't take anything from you! Shelona did!" He kicked her in the face knocking her down. Caster: "I am her warrior. That can not change." Cerina grabbed Niki's arm and started to run. Caster shot several blasts at them. They avoided them and kept running. He watched angrily. Caster quietly: "You can't run forever."
    Ice: "That's what I thought. You're all talk." Just as she said that, she heard a voice behind her. It was a man's voice. One she hadn't heard since she was a child. Man: "Alexandra stop this." She turned around to come face to face with her father. Ice: "Dad?" He nodded silently. After a minute, she shook her head and turned away. Ice: "You're not my father. You're just another one of Hevesta's tricks." Dad: "After all the time I've been gone you still don't have anything to say to me. I can't say I'm surprised. You didn't even come to my funeral." She started to look sad. Ice: "I didn't know you knew." Dad: "You don't know how much that hurt. My own daughter didn't even want to say good-bye." Ice: "I tried to come there. I really did. But I couldn't. You treated me like I was nothing when you were alive. How could I come in there and act like you were some kinda saint?" Dad: "Dirt? Because I didn't want you to fly?" Ice: "No. Not because you didn't want me to. Because you said I couldn't. I wanted support from you. But all I ever got was you saying I wasn't good enough." Dad: "That's no excuse for how you treated me." Ice: "Being a pilot was my dream! Its all I ever wanted to do!" Dad: "It was a waste. Nothing more." Ice: "It makes me happy! But that never mattered to you!" A few miles down, Hevesta saw the two of them in her head. Hevesta: "You're playing right into my hands." An evil smile spread across her face.
    Karone looked up at Kari hopefully. Karone: "Maybe you can get her to relax." Kelly: "I told you. I can't relax. The man I love is lying there hurt and there's nothing I can do about it!" Kari: "I know how you feel. But you aren't doing him any favors by wearing yourself out like this." Karone: "She's right. He wouldn't want you to worry yourself like this." Kelly: "Don't sit there and preach to me. Not until its your husband in there. Then and only then will you know what I'm going through." Karone: "Don't you think I've been through something like this before? I understand. Believe me." Kari held her hands. Kari: "Come on. Lets go back to the fortress for a while. Maybe you can..." Kelly jerked her hands away. Kelly: "No. I'm not leaving. I'm not calming down. So stop trying." Kari: "We're your friends. We're only trying to help you." Kelly: "You wanna help? Then leave me alone." Karone: "Pushing us away is not the answer." Kelly: "Well then, Miss Know-it-all, what is? What in you infinant knowledge is the answer?" Her eyes turned to the cold stare she had used as Astronema. Karone: "Don't get cross with me." Kelly: "Or what? You have to realize you don't know everything! I don't care how long you've been a ranger! Or how messed up your life has been! You can't solve everybody's problems!" Kari and Karone exchanged worried glances. Kari: "Okay. We'll be quiet. If you come away from the window for a while. You're driving yourself crazy standing there." Kelly: "Don't tell me what to do." Woman: "Typical Kelly. Being a bi*ch to everyone in sight."
    Caster screamed in pain as a blast hit him in the back. He had been planning his next move when he was hit. He was lying face down on the ground when Shelona walked up to him. She put her foot on his back and began to push the heal of her shoe in. He groaned. Shelona: "Who told you to go after that little girl?" Caster: "She made a fool out of me." Shelona: "I don't care. You are not to act without me order. Ever." She took her foot off his back and he climbed to her feet. Caster: "I didn't endanger your mission, my queen. I only wanted to teach her a lesson." Shelona: "Take no action until I give the order. You knew that when I hired you." He didn't speak. He was trying to look back and remember the day he had joined her. But his mind was blank. Nothing but blackness entered his mind when he tried. Shelona: "You will get your chance with her and the other rangers... when I say. And not before." Caster: "It would be to your advantage to let me finish her." She pulled her hand back and smacked him. He stood there staring at her, holding his face. He was clearly mad. Shelona: "Don't argue with me. Don't attack until I say." He didn't say anything. Shelona: "This discussion is over." She disappeared.
    Dad: "You always were to stubborn to listen to me. You are wasting you life. First as a pilot. Now a ranger. Where do you have time for what really matters?" Ice: "God, I'm not like you! I never will be!" Dad: "On that much we agree. You are letting life pass you by." Ice: "You're wrong. I am living my life the way I wanted to. And I'll keep doing that with or without your approval." Dad: "You're so beautiful. But that won't last forever." Ice: "So that's it. You still want me to have a family." Dad: "Of course that's what I want. Is that not what every man wants? Someone to carry on his name." Ice: "I don't share your dream. A family is great... but not for me. I'm not the kinda woman that can get up every morning and fix lunches and go to PTA meetings and stuff. I could not handle that life." Dad: "It was fine for your mother so why not you? Think you're too good for it?" She let her head fall back and looked up at the sky through the top of the trees. Then returned her focus to her father. Ice: "I love Mom. And I respect what she did so much. She was the finest woman I've ever met. But I didn't want that life. Its just not in me." Dad: "I wish I could have changed your mind before I died." Ice: "Nobody can change my mind. So don't try." He nodded silently again. Dad: "Have it your way." She could see he was disappointed and tried not to let it bother her. He walked a few steps and stopped when he heard her voice again. Ice softly: "I'm sorry I didn't come to your funeral. I really am." He didn't speak or turn back around. As he walked far enough away from her, he disappeared. She turned and punched a tree as hard as she could. She was frustrated with Hevesta and her mind games. She looked down at her bloody hand and sighed. Ice: "I won't let you win. No matter what you make me face."
    Cerina and Niki stood in the door of the waiting room staring at Kelly. Kelly: "Get out of here." Cerina walked in and looked over at Ransik through the window. Cerina: "Looks like he finally ran his mouth to the wrong person. I wonder when you will." Kelly: "He could have died!" Cerina sarcastically: "And wouldn't that be a tragedy!" She didn't respond. Cerina: "You would come out on top if that happened. You'd be entitled to all that insurance money." Kelly: "Do you think I care about that?" Cerina: "Seems to be all you care about." Kelly: "I love him! Not that you'd ever believe it." She turned and stormed into his room, slamming the door. Kari stood up from the chair. Kari: "Why'd you come down here? There was no reason for you to make a scene like that." She put her hands on her hips and glanced over at Ransik. Cerina: "I wanted to see for myself that the old bas*ard was really here." They looked over at Niki who was making faces at Kelly through the window. Karone: "Can't you control your daughter?" Cerina: "I could.... not going to, but I could." She laughed as Niki continued her behavior. Kari: "Come on, ya'll have had your fun. Now would you please leave? Kelly is having a hard enough time without you two." Cerina: "I'm not going anywhere." She started to laugh again. Cerina: "I'm enjoying this way too much!" Karone stood up as well. Karone: "I can't believe this. You're exactly like Ransik said. No better than your sister." Cerina: "Oh is that what he told you? Well I guess he left out the part about him being a heartless criminal. And his daughter, oh don't get me started on Nadira!" Karone: "He told me how his life used to be. But he never chose that. It wasn't his fault humans shunned him like that." Cerina: "Oh my God! You actually sat there and let him tell that sappy a*s story! Were you at least drinking at the time?" Karone: "Why do I bother?" She went into Ransik's room leaving Kari standing in front of her. She looked at Cerina for a minute. Then spoke. Kari: "You don't know when to stop, do you?" Then she too walked away.
    Karone: "Try to ignore her. She's not worth your time." Kelly wiped tears a few tears from her eyes. Kelly: "She usually doesn't bother. I know what she's like. But today I can't take it." Karone: "I know. She's way outta line." She reached into her purse and got out a pack of cigarettes. Karone: "I don't think they'll let you smoke in here." Kelly: "I'd like to see 'em stop me." She lit it and took a deep breath of it. Kelly: "Can you believe she has the nerve to call Ransik and me bad parents? Look at her. That's the kinda example she sets for that girl." Karone: "I noticed. They act so much alike." Kelly: "Its scary. Even after we're old and gray there'll still be another one out there just like her." Karone looked down at Ransik. Karone: "He told me once she said Nadira was a brat because he didn't control her." Kelly: "I know. And she lets her raise Hell. It doesn't make any sense." Karone: "I guess as long as she's good for mommy that's all that matters." Kelly: "Sounds like her warped way of thinking."
    Cerina looked back at Rick, who hadn't moved from the doorway. Cerina: "She deserves this... right?" He nodded. Rick: "Yeah." Cerina: "At least somebody thinks I'm right." Rick: "Kari would have thought that too... at one time. I don't know what happened with the two of them, but now Kelly and her are friends." Cerina: "I know. I tried to tell her she's wrong but she won't listen." Rick: "She said they talked one night and she kinda understood her. But come on! She could have been lying." Cerina: "That woman is beyond redemption. I don't care what she told her." Niki was sitting on the floor by the window, having gotten bored with annoying Kelly. Niki: "I'm gonna go walk around." Cerina: "All right. Don't go too far." She got up and ran out a side door into the hall. Rick: "Don't worry about Kari though. She'll come around." Cerina: "Oh I know." She thought for a minute. Cerina: "I wish I knew what she wanted with her. Why would she go to all this trouble to make her think they were friends?" Rick: "That's the same thing I've been thinking about for a while. I doesn't add up. Why all of a sudden would she tell her that story?" Cerina: "There has to be a way we can make her understand this. Before its too late." Rick: "She'd never listen. Only push you away even more." Cerina: "What about you?" Rick: "Probably still wouldn't. All that would accomplish is starting another fight between us. We can't keep be at war with each other." Cerina held her head for a minute. Cerina: "How can she be buying this crap? I can see right through Kelly. Why can't she?"
    Ice tried to sound strong, but inside she was falling apart. All the memories that had come back to her in the jungle were too much to take. She tried desperately to clear her head, but she couldn't do it. Suddenly, she felt cold, hard metal hit the back of her head. She fell to the ground on her back. Everything around her started to get blurry. All she could see were a pair of black boots beside her. After a few seconds she closed her eyes slowly and fainted.