Chapter 3

Dana ran out of the doors of the hospital to her car. She had to find that other car and find out if Diabolico really was back in town.

She fiddled with her keys for only a moment and then unlocked her car. She thrust the key into the ignition and fired up the engine. She barely took the time to do her seatbelt before screeching out of the parking lot.

Dana fumbled with her morpher trying to remember which button would contact the aquabase. She finally remembered and pressed the button. Her father’s voice filled the air. “Dana what is it?”

“I think I know who we’re dealing with. I spoke to one of the patients from that car wreak I was called in for. He told me a monster caused the accident. He described Diabolico exactly. I’m heading out there now. The man also said there was a sixth car that the rescue workers missed.”

“I’ll send the other rangers there too. If it is Diabolico you’ll need back up.”

“Thanks Dad.” Dana ended the transmission and refocused on driving. Soon she found herself at the scene of the accident. The police were still there trying to figure out what happened. She noticed a couple of them were yelling back and forth. She ignored the cops and went to the ledge. There were a few branches broke off a tree, but the guardrail was untouched.

Without thinking Dana quickly morphed. Once in her protective pink suit, she began making her way down the side of the cliff. As she reached the bottom she could hear crying. She searched the area until she came across a small white car. A young woman sat on the ground next to the car. Her leg obviously broken.

Dana went over to her. “I’m here to help you. How are the others?”

“Dead! They’re both Dead!” the woman cried. Dana didn’t want to look but knew she had to. She moved closer to the car. There was a man behind the wheel. His dark brown eyes wide open and glazed over. She then looked in the backseat. She felt herself grow sick. A small child about three or four year of age lay across the seat. Her blonde hair was red with blood. Dana wanted to vomit as the sickly smell of blood came through the vents of her helmet.

*I swear if Diabolico is behind this, he will pay!* Dana told her self as she turned her attention back to the survivor. “I am a doctor, I can help you.”

“Why didn’t they find us?” the woman asked barely above a whisper. “Annie could have been saved if they had found us earlier.”

“There was no indication that your car was down here.” Dana said trying to sound professional.

“Why didn’t the other people in the other cars say something?” She said looking back up at Dana. Her deep green eyes showed anger and pain.

“One said something, but he was at the hospital before he spoke. He told me and I came here.”

“My Annie, my little baby, she’s dead.” The woman said covering her face with her hands. She cried harder. “No mother should have to see their child die.”

“I know.” Dana said as she wrapped the woman up into a hug. The woman buried her face into Dana’s shoulder.

“Dana! Come in Dana!” Carter’s voice boomed from Dana’s morpher.

“This is Dana, go ahead Carter.” Dana replied as she shifted the woman.

“Thank God you’re okay. Where are you?”

“Down the side of the cliff. I found the other car.” Dana didn’t want to tell them the sight that she was seeing but knew she had to report. “There’s only on survivor, two casualties. One of them, a child.” Dana replied. Her voice cracked was she tried to hold back the overwhelming urge to cry.

“How is the survivor?” Chad chimed in.

“Broken leg, and I think a concussion. No other injuries that I have found.” Dana replied. The woman looked up at Dana again. She had been so wrapped up in the loss of her family she hadn’t noticed her leg. She glanced down at her left leg. There was no way it wasn’t broken. Foot was at a forty-five degree angle from her leg.

Her senses turned back on and all she felt was pain. She screamed and cried for herself for the first time. Dana finished telling the others how to find her and quickly took her hands. “Just squeeze my hands as hard as you want.” The woman nodded through the pain and squeezed down on Dana’s hands. “What is your name?”

“Carrie… Carrie Dawson.” She gasped.

“Take an easy and take deep breaths.” Dana instructed. Carrie did as she was told. Dana finally spotted the other rangers coming with a few rescue workers. They took over the care of Carrie.

Dana stood up as Carter moved near her. He placed a hand on her shoulder as they watched the rescue workers carry Carrie away. They said they would be back for the two bodies.

When the workers and Carrie were out of sight Dana removed her helmet. She threw it at the car. She fell to her knees and cried. Carter knelt down and pulled her into his arms.

“You did everything you could do Dana.” he said.

“No I didn’t.” Dana cried. “If I was a better ranger and a better doctor all of them would be alive.”

“You can’t blame yourself.” Carter reassured her. Dana pushed him away.

“I lost my first patient today right before I came here. Jimmy was only fifteen. Then I got here and Carrie was the only one alive. She said she watched her daughter die, she couldn’t do anything. She didn’t say anything about the man, I can only assume was her husband.” Dana was fully enraged by now. She stood up. She looked past the other rangers. “Come out of hiding you son of a bitch! Diabolico I know you are still here!”

“Ah-ha. I knew the pink one was smart. Hello rangers.” Diabolico said as he appeared in front of them.

“What do you want this time?” Joel called out.

“Nothing more than to see all of you die.” He sneered. “I’d like you all to met a friend of mine.” Lightning struck the ground causing dust to fly into the air. As the dust settled the rangers focused on a new demon. His body was all black and trimmed with gold, he was built like Diabolico except he didn’t have the horns. Dana and Carter both gasped.

“Hello Rangers. My name is Hadus.” He smirked.

“Your name doesn’t matter because you won’t be around for much longer.” Kelsey shot back.

“The yellow one has a mouth on her.” Hadus said to Diabolico.

“Yes brother. They all do.” Diabolico replied.

“Brother?” Ryan and Chad said at once.

“Yes rangers, this is my brother. You don’t stand a chance against us.” He laughed. Hadus and Diabolico sent fire blasts at the rangers. They couldn’t move out of the way in time and fell to the ground.

“Man, that was brutal.” Dana said as she got to her knees.

“If they can go harder than that we won’t last long.” Joel added.

“Ha ha. You should just give up rangers, we might spare your lives if you do.”

“No way. We won’t let you take over the city.” Carter yelled.

“You think I am after the city? Ha, I’m after the world my dear red ranger.”

“Never going to happen. There are more rangers than just us.” Chad responded.

“I am already taking care of them.” Diabolico laughed. With that Diabolico and Hadus disappeared leaving the rangers stunned.

“How is he taking care of the other rangers? There are a lot out there.” Kelsey spoke what they were all thinking.

“Let’s go call as many as we can. We should warn them. That way they can have their morphers or whatever they need.” Chad suggested.

“Good plan lets get back to the aqua base.” Carter said. The rangers quickly headed back up the cliff to their jeep and Dana’s car.

“Ryan, would you ride with Dana? I don’t want her to be alone right now.” Carter asked Ryan once they were at the top. Ryan said nothing but nodded. He let go of Kelsey’s hand and went to catch his sister.

“I’m sorry to send your husband without you Kels.” Carter said. She just shrugged.

“That’s his sister. My sister too now.”

“I know, We’re all just one big happy family now.” Carter smiled. “Come on little sister”

“Carter!” Kelsey shrieked as she chased him toward the jeep. “I’m not that little and you know it and besides you’re my husbands brother in law.” She teased. She didn’t mind saying Carter was her brother at all, it was just when he teased her about being younger.

“For just getting our asses kicked those two are in a good mood.” Joel whispered to Chad. He nodded as they climbed into the back of the jeep. Carter got behind the wheel and Kelsey sat in the passenger seat.

Dana followed Carter in her car. Ryan sat next to her. “Dana, what’s been going on with you lately? I mean, when did you start to doubt yourself as a ranger? Or better yet as a doctor?”

“I… Well… Um… I just… Ryan that really isn’t your business.” She replied.

“Bullshit Dana! You are one of the best doctors I know and without our team wouldn’t be the same. So I don’t know what’s going on with you but you better stop doubting yourself.”

“Shut up Ryan!” Dana exclaimed. Ryan stared at her with wide eyes. Dana had never once lashed out at anyone. He turned to look back out the window and stayed silent the rest of the ride.

Dana parked her car next the lightspeed rover. She walked ahead of the other without saying a word. The others shared glances back and forth then shrugged and followed.

Once inside the base Dana lead the way to the conference room where Angela and the captain were waiting.

“Father, Diabolico and Hadus might be too powerful for us.” Dana admitted as she took her seat. Surprisingly she took the end chair opposite her father. She normally took a side chair so Carter could sit next to her.

“We were monitoring the two of them Dana. Unfortunately I believe you may be right.”

“Ryan did you know anything about Hadus?” Angela questioned. Ryan looked like he went into deep thought.

“I only heard mention of Hadus before. Diabolico and Vypra were talking. Diabolico had said something about bringing Hadus there to help destroy the rangers. Vypra had replied with a quick no. She said that Queen Banshira wouldn’t allow it. Hadus was too powerful to control. Diabolico said that was the reason he wanted Hadus there. He said if Hadus was powerful enough to take down the Talon Galaxy then he was enough to bring down Earth.”

“He took down a whole galaxy?!” Joel asked.

“From what I overheard, he did it by himself.” Ryan replied.

“Is there anything else you know?” Carter said. He was really worried now. This guy sounded much too powerful for them alone.

“I’m afraid his name was never mentioned again.” Ryan looked down.

“Don’t worry Son, you’ve given us more information than we had before.” William Mitchell looked over at his daughter. She seemed so distant and quiet.

“We should try to contact the Talon Galaxy and find out what more information.” Dana suddenly spoke up.

“How do we do that? We don’t know how to contact other galaxies yet, well other than the Galaxy ranger on Merinoi.” Chad blurted out.

“We don’t but Andros does.” Dana informed them. They looked at her confused, all except for Carter. He knew who she was talking about.

“So are we saying call in some help?” Captain Mitchell asked.

“Exactly! We should risk any of our lives. We will need all the help we can get, especially if this guy is as powerful as Ryan says.” Carter concluded. “I know how to reach Andros. He was the red astro ranger.” The others finally knew what Dana meant. Carter knew more rangers than they did, because of his mission with the other red rangers.

“First off, we need to contact other rangers. To warn them about Hadus and Diabolico. They said that they were after the other rangers too.” Kelsey reminded the group.

“Right, thanks for the reminder Kels.” Carter remarked. “I know most of the red rangers and I’m sure they all know how to reach all the others. We all know Wes and Eric as well the galaxy rangers. So let’s get busy.” Carter than made a list of the rangers he knew and of who they would know. Soon they knew who was calling who and they went their separate ways to make those calls.

Dana sat in her father’s office talking to Jason Lee Scott. “I’m sorry to bother you Mr. Scott. My name is Dana Grayson. I‘m the pink lightspeed ranger…”

“Please call me Jason, Mr. Scott is so formal. We are both on the same team here.”

“Right, sorry. Anyway I was calling to let you know that we’ve had a bit of a disturbance here in Meriner Bay. It seems our old foe is back and he brought along some help this time. His brother Hadus. After taking us down they made a comment about taking care of the other rangers. We are calling everyone we know to warn them. Jason, is there a chance you still have powers?”

“I still carry my morpher as does my wife.”

“You’re wife?”

“Yes, Ha ha! I’m a married man. My wife is Kimberly, she was the original pink ranger.”

“Oh wow! I have to met her sometime! You know one pink to another.”

“I understand. I know that I can get a few of us together and maybe come help you all out with this new guy. Kimberly, of course, would come.”

“Can you call anyone else, I’m afraid we are limited to who we know. Carter pretty much made up the list of all red rangers.”

“Sure, I know where most of the first eleven rangers are. I think Tommy and Katherine are the only ones I have lost over the years, but I’m sure someone knows how to reach them.”

“Thanks Jason, you’ve been a big help. We’ll keep in contact with you.”

“Thank you for warning me. I’ll get right on calling the others. I guess I’ll be hearing from you soon. Good luck Dana. Bye.”

“Thanks again. Bye” Dana hung the phone and looked up to see Carter standing in the doorway. “I take it you got Jason.”

“You bet, and guess what else?”

“What?”

“He’s married to the original pink ranger.”

“I knew that. I had enough time to talk to all the red rangers. You’d be surprised at how many red rangers ended up with a pink ranger.” Carter laughed. “Jason and Kimberly, T.J. and Cassie, Leo and Kendrix,…. You and Me.” He smiled. “I know Wes and Jen had a thing going on, just like Cole and Alyssa.”

“You missed a couple. Tommy, Andros, and Eric.”

“Ahhh, Andros is married to a yellow ranger, Ashley. Eric is with another yellow ranger. Taylor I think. She’s from the Wild Force team. As for Tommy, he was kind of evasive about his relationship. Jason said he dated two pink rangers as far as he knew, Tommy was single once again.”

“Two pink rangers!”

“Yeah, he dated Kimberly and what was her name… oh yeah Katherine. Jason said he was glad things didn’t work out for Tommy and Kimberly, since he is now married to her I can imagine. When I implied about Katherine, Jason kind of evaded me as well. He had this strange look in his eyes. I think there is more that story.” Carter rambled on.

“Hmmm that is interesting, but it’s their story. We shouldn’t go digging around. Oh speaking of which, did you reach Tommy and Andros?”

“I got Andros, but Tommy doesn’t live where he used to. Andros said he too lost contact with Tommy.”

“That’s odd, that he would just disappear like that.”

“I know. Andros said he was sure that it had to with his job or something, but who knows for sure. Did Jason say he would contact the others?”

“He said he still talked to all but two of the eleven he knew.”

“Which two? Oh wait Tommy being one.”

“Yeah Tommy. Katherine was the other one.”

“How odd.”

“Yeah. Anyway, let’s go talk to the others and find out if they reached their people.”

“Good idea.” Carter said taking Dana’s hand. He was glad she wasn’t being withdrawn right now, he really hated her being like that.

Dana looked forward not wanting to look at Carter. She secretly wondered if she should tell him that she knew why he was being over protective of her. She knew that he had had the same dream that she did. She knew that he had seen her death in his dream, and she was determined to not let that happen even if it meant leaving the team.