The Tainted and the Broken- Part 2
Author: dream-edge
Title: The Tainted and the Broken
Summary: In an effort to protect Ziggy, Dillon is thrown into te future. A future where everything he knows is drastically different. During his struggle to get home, he finds himself drawn into the twisted, broken mess his best friend has become.
Rating: T
Pairings: Dillon/Ziggy, Doctor K/Tenaya
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or anything related to the franchise.
The Tainted and the Broken
Chapter 2
When Dillon woke up that morning, for a long, blissful moment he thought it had all been one crazy dream. He hoped it, all of it- the more personal Doctor K, a cold, hard-edged Ziggy, a good Tenaya who just happened to be his sister- was just a strange figment of his imagination. All of that hope had crumbled down when he realized this wasn't his room. He had contemplated staying there until either Ziggy kicked him out or the people in this place turned sane again. In the end he had sat up and decided it wasn't worth it.
As he wandered own from the third level to the kitchen, he heard a soft humming, higher and lighter than Gem's or Ziggy's voice. His first reflexive thought was 'What is Summer doing up already?' before he remembered that Summer wasn't here. She was...out. And Gemma was missing; Doctor K just didn't hum.
Tenaya. His sister. And wasn't that still a strange thought.
He entered the kitchen, staring at the young woman leaning against the counter, her eyes fixed on the far wall. "Morning Zig." she called without looking over at him.
"I'll pass on the sentiment." he said, watching as her head whipped around to stare at him. She blinked wide brown eyes at him in a gesture that reminded him rather painfully of Ziggy. "Um...Sorry." she said. "I'm used to Ziggy being the only one up this early. So, coffee?" she asked.
He nodded slightly, moving to sit down at the counter. "Thanks." he whispered. She nodded, starting to hum softly again.
After a long moment of surprising comfortable silence the sound of feet gliding across the floor towards them met his ears. This time Tenaya looked over and smiled at the wild-haired, dead-eyed, too-pale version of Ziggy. "Morning, Zig." she greeted.
He nodded to her, walking forward and accepting the cup of coffee she shoved into his hands. He turned towards him then paused, staring at him blankly. "Oh." Ziggy muttered. "I thought you were a dream."
Tenaya giggled softly. "Drink your coffee Ziggy." she instructed. Ziggy complied, taking a long sip as he continued to stare at Dillon. Dillon decided to ignore him, dropping his gaze to the ink black coffee Tenaya had handed him. After a minute Ziggy turned back to Tenaya, seeming vastly more awake. "Did Gemma come back last night?" he asked.
She shook her head, causing Ziggy to sigh. "If she's not back by 1300, we go save her. Again." he instructed tiredly, seeming like he'd given the order several times before. Tenaya nodded absently, going back to her humming.
Dillon took a deep breath, breathing in the heated fumes from the coffee as he took a good, long look at his friend. He didn't like what he saw. There were dark circles under his eyes, highlighting his dangerously pale skin. His hair was everywhere, the long strands tangled beyond belief and his clothes were rumpled. Ziggy's dark brown eyes flickered towards him as if sensing the observation and despite the sharpness of the gaze, the awareness in them, there was a distressing lack of life in them, a dead look like he'd just given up.
Ziggy frowned at him. "What?" he asked irritably.
He shook his head. "Nothing." he replied. Ziggy didn't look like he believed him. What happened to the Ziggy who trusted whatever came out of his mouth? He really needed to get home.
Gem suddenly bounded into the room, looking all too energetic this early in the morning. "Good Morning!" he greeted with a wide smile. Ziggy groaned softly. "It's too early in the morning to deal with you." he complained. Shaking his head, the Green Ranger walked out of the room, stopping only to slap Gem on the back of the head roughly.
The Gold Ranger winced slightly but continued on into the room. "Gemma get back yet?" he asked, grabbing a bagel and jamming it into the toaster. Tenaya shook her head. "1300, we go get her."
"Where is Gemma?" Dillon asked. Gem starting singing under his breath cheerfully as Tenaya replied. "Gemma is out on recon. She's the one that gets us all of our information on Venjix's moves. She tends to get herself into a bit of trouble in the process."
He nodded as Doctor K walked in, looking like she hadn't slept at all last night. Tenaya looked at her in concern. "Hey, you okay?" she asked, approaching her. Doctor K nodded, looking around. "Where's Ziggy?" she asked, seeming to accept the coffee Tenaya handed her without thought.
"You just missed him." Tenaya told her softly. Doctor K nodded, gave the newest Ranger a small smile, and walked back out. Gem 'oohed' softly once she had left, pointing at Tenaya. The young woman rolled her eyes and ignored him expect for a small shake of her head. "Pervert." she muttered.
Dill arched an eyebrow and decided that once again, he was missing something. "Something I should know?" he asked. Tenaya shook her head but he noticed a slow blush darkening her cheeks. Gem grinned widely. "Oh yeah. Our dear Tenaya here," he said, stepping forward to poke obnoxiously at her side. She glared, flinching back from the touch reflexively. Gem's grin just widened when he finished. "Is engaged."
He leaned back, raising his eyebrows at his sister. "Engaged?" he asked in surprise. He jerked a hand over his shoulder in the direction Doctor K had gone. "To the Doc?"
"That is exactly what we said when we found out." Gem agreed, still grinning. "No one expected it. These two are damn good at keeping secrets."
He didn't doubt that. He looked over at Tenaya. "I'm not sure what to say."
Clearing her throat, she met his eyes. "It's Kat." she told him in an effort to change the subject. "You keep calling her Doc or Doctor K. We named her Katherine or Kat last year. Just... thought you should know."
---
Katherine stopped when she found Ziggy in the rec room, curled up on one of the lounge chairs. She sighed heavily, drawing his attention. "You've been having the dreams again." she said sadly, staring at the circles under his eyes. He shrugged, not seeming concerned as he ran his eyes over her.
"You haven't been sleeping." He accused, his over-protectiveness coming to the forefront. Knowing that he wouldn't let her get away with waving it off, she whispered, "I had something to do."
Ziggy uncurled his long legs, standing up in one smooth, graceful movement that he would never have been able to do two years ago. "You shouldn't work all night, Kat." he muttered, his eyes dancing with concern. She smiled softly when she recognized the old Ziggy in those eyes.
Ziggy Grover wasn't as hard or cold as he acted. His kind heart was still buried somewhere in him, hidden from the rest of the world. He only showed it to his team. He had just been hurt too many times to act the way he had before. His smiles and laughter and sheer life had been traded years ago for cool looks, head slaps, and calm, calculating logic. The years had not been easy on him.
Ziggy Grover was nothing more than a young man broken beyond repair.
And yet, there were times when she caught him with a little smile and warm eyes, and she thought that maybe he wasn't completely lost yet. "I don't want you getting hurt again." She told him with a soft smile. "I examined the energy surrounding Series Black. I have a conclusion."
He seemed to almost perk up, his eyes lightening just slightly. As much as he didn't want to, Ziggy had never stopped caring about Dillon. And it was evident in everything he did, his drive, his conviction; it was all to get closer to the machine that had taken the person he loved away from him, to destroy it. But that need for revenge and the almost aching loneliness was something he allowed only her to see. "What is it?"
"I do not believe forcing Series Black back to his own time will work. It could tear him apart. And if one was to follow basic logic, it would be plausible to say that our time would fall apart as it would seem that Series Black had just disappeared from the timeline." she told him.
Ziggy stepped closer to her, his gaze hardening. Some would interpret the look as threatening but she knew he would never, could never, bring himself to harm any of them. Except for maybe the occasional head slap. Still, she continued. "However, the temporal energy holding Dillon to this time is fading at a relatively steady pace. He should return to his own time soon."
"How long, Kat?" he asked. She shrugged, uncertain in her answer when she told him, "A week, maybe two." She paused in thought then added, "More likely somewhere closer to one week."
He nodded in understanding. He leaned forward, pressing a quick, affectionate kiss to her cheek. "Good work, Kat." He whispered. His own silent way of saying how much he appreciated all of their hard work. He turned and walked past her, out the door.
She turned to watch him leave. "I hope he doesn't break you again Ziggy." she whispered.
---
Dillon looked up when he felt the young man stop in front of him. "Yes Ziggy?" he asked, straightening out of his slouch. He really didn't know how to act around this version of his friend. Ziggy met his gaze with cool eyes. "Kat has come to the conclusion that the temporal energy holding you to this time will wear off and you will be able to go home in approximately one week." He said.
Once that was said he turned and walked away. Dillon clenched his jaw tightly. "Ziggy I am going to ask you a question." He told him, making the young man turn around. "And you are going to give me a straight answer."
Ziggy looked unwilling but nodded. Once he did, a million thoughts raced through his head. So many things he needed to ask, needed to know. What had happened to him? What had happened to the sweet, innocent young boy he knew from before? Finally he asked, "Where's the rest of the team?"
"Gemma's out doing recon." Ziggy said, making him grind his teeth. He should have asked when Ziggy got so damn good at skipping around a question. "That's not what I mean and you know it." he ground out.
Pain flared in Ziggy's dark brown eyes and Dillon immediately regretted asking when his expression turned stricken. But Ziggy answered him before he could take it back.
"They're dead."
The answer was quick and to the point. But there was so much pain in that one simple sentence that he didn't know what to say. Dead? They were all...dead?
Ziggy nodded, his tone harsh when he bit out, "Yes Dillon. Dead." The Green Ranger snapped his eyes closed and turned his head away, making Dillon realize that the memories of their deaths still haunted him. "Summer... Summer died a year and a half ago in an explosion. Scott and Flynn were killed in battle five months ago."
"I'm sorry." he whispered. "I didn't know. I thought they were outside the dome or something. Away on some grand mission."
Ziggy's eyes slid open and he nodded again, slowly. "I know." It was a soft whisper and if Dillon tried he thought he could hear something like an apology in his tone. Ziggy turned to leave again, his eyes shadowed and dark. Although he knew he shouldn't Dillon couldn't help but ask, "Where I am?"
The Green Ranger turned just enough for him to see his eyes again. They were haunted and he could almost see the memories playing out in his mind. The brown eyes glistened with what looked like tears and for a moment he thought he was going to cry. "We lost you first."
Once that was said, Ziggy practically ran from the room. Dillon watched him go, wondering if he should go after him. But he knew that this Ziggy wouldn't want or accept any comfort he offered. He turned away, walking into the garage. Gem was there, typing on a laptop that was perched on the hood of his car, a long cord stretching from hard drive to the engine. Gem's dark eyes flickered up towards him when he entered and wry grin stretched across his lips. "If you keep asking stupid questions, he's going to deck you." he intoned.
Not even trying to wonder how Gem knew that, Dillon sighed and whispered out, "I just wanted to know what's going on. I didn't think...he'd react like that."
Gem rolled his eyes, an unusual action for him and turned back to the laptop. Despite himself, Dillon approached the other Ranger, staring at the numbers rolling down the screen. He didn't get any of it. "What are you doing?"
The Gold Ranger gave him a considering look then told him, "I'm calibrating the shift for when we go get Gemma."
"Doesn't she still have time?"
"If she was coming," Gem said, with that absolute certainty only a twin could possess. "She'd be here by now. And since the boss doesn't want you here alone, Tenaya gets to play babysitter, so only me and Ziggy are going. With just the two of us, we're going to need shift 4."
Dillon wondered if he should be hurt by the mistrust Ziggy had in him but he had already come to expect it from his suddenly severely introverted friend. He let it go and asked something that shouldn't make the people around him cry. "What's a shift?"
The skin around Gem's eyes crinkled in a smile and he patted the hood of his car affectionately. "This is a shift." He said. "It's a tactical land-to-air attack vehicle. It has the ability to change, or shift, forms. The first three are the ones installed in every vehicle; the car, the motorcycle, and the land rover. Only my Jaguar has shift 4, which allows it to change into a fighter plane. I test all the new equipment, that's why it's only uploaded into mine."
He nodded, impressed. "Sounds interesting." He wondered how long it took them to make the program. Gem smiled widely at him. "You should be very proud of your sister. Half the things we have today she created. We wouldn't be here if she hadn't changed sides. Owe her a lot."
Dillon smiled slightly, turning his head to look back at the rest of the building. Yeah, he'd gotten that.
---
Ziggy dropped down onto the bed, breathing deeply in an effort to ease away the stress in his body. Gemma had actually shown about an hour before he and Gem had been set to leave, slightly worn around the edges but altogether in one piece. Her reason for being so late was that she got distracted. What sane 20-something-year-old woman gets distracted while on a deadly mission to gather information in enemy territory?
Oh right. Gemma wasn't sane.
He closed his eyes, letting himself drift off just slightly. Just enough for his nightmares to seize his mind.
He struggled against the arms linked through his elbows, holding him back. Panic rushed through him, freezing him at the same time it urged him forward. He had to get in there, he had to save her. "Let me go!" He shouted, feeling his eyes start to burn.
Scott's voice shouted back in his ear. "We can't!" The Red Ranger sounded choked but determined. Despite the situation he had made up his mind. Ziggy felt his throat close up and he shook his head, struggling against Flynn's hold harder. "We have to help her!" He yelled, feeling his tears slip down his cheeks.
Flynn shifted his attention to Scott for just a moment, allowing him to break his hold. Ziggy ran towards the building as fast as he could, ignoring the shouts calling for him to stop. A few feet from the building the explosion knocked him off his feet. He landed roughly on his side and he rolled reflexively in an effort to wear off the inertia. Once he had come to a stop he propped himself up and looked at what remained of the building. He was covered in rumble and his face had become layered in ash, streaked where his tears slid through.
"Summer!!!!"
Ziggy's eyes snapped open and he took deep breaths. He sat up slowly, brushing away the cold sweat that had collected on his forehead. He threw his legs over the edge of the bed and grabbed his jacket and sunglasses, quickly jogging out into the garage. He slid easily into his Vanquish, slipping his glasses on and starting the engine. The shades shifted, turning infra-red, allowing him to see in the dark.
He pulled the car out and initiated the shifting sequence. He felt the vehicle change around him and the roar of the motorcycle pierced his ears. A minute later the sound was numbed as his glasses grew and covered his head in the form of a helmet. He drove through the city, intent on his destination. When he arrived, he slowly slid to a stop and climbed off. His helmet retreated into the form of sunglasses which he carefully slipped off and tucked into his shirt.
He walked calmly the rest of the way, the grass crunching beneath his feet as he got closer. The light from the fake moon glinted off the water of the lake and shown across the empty area. A shadow fell across his form and he tilted his head up to stare at the monument before him. The monument for their fallen Rangers.
Reaching forward with shaking hands he trailed careful fingers over the groves of the faded yellow helmet. He could still remember watching with an aching heart as it rolled to his feet following the explosion, all that was left of the once proud Yellow Ranger. He could still remember going through the motions as they prepared her funeral. He could still remember bringing his hand up in a perfect salute, could remember how his body jerked involuntarily every time the sounds of the shots from the 21 Gun Salute rang out around him. He could still remember the feel of the tears trailing down his face and the hollow feeling in his heart.
A tight, pain-filled smile crossed his face. "I checked on them last month. The kids you saved, the ones you got out of the building before it exploded. They're still thankful. They know they would have died if you hadn't gone back to get them, if you haven't given up your life." He paused, feeling his throat start to close up. He cleared it quickly and continued. "You saved all 27 people. But still... still...
"I wish you were here Summer."
Chapter 1
Chapter 3
Title: The Tainted and the Broken
Summary: In an effort to protect Ziggy, Dillon is thrown into te future. A future where everything he knows is drastically different. During his struggle to get home, he finds himself drawn into the twisted, broken mess his best friend has become.
Rating: T
Pairings: Dillon/Ziggy, Doctor K/Tenaya
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or anything related to the franchise.
The Tainted and the Broken
Chapter 2
When Dillon woke up that morning, for a long, blissful moment he thought it had all been one crazy dream. He hoped it, all of it- the more personal Doctor K, a cold, hard-edged Ziggy, a good Tenaya who just happened to be his sister- was just a strange figment of his imagination. All of that hope had crumbled down when he realized this wasn't his room. He had contemplated staying there until either Ziggy kicked him out or the people in this place turned sane again. In the end he had sat up and decided it wasn't worth it.
As he wandered own from the third level to the kitchen, he heard a soft humming, higher and lighter than Gem's or Ziggy's voice. His first reflexive thought was 'What is Summer doing up already?' before he remembered that Summer wasn't here. She was...out. And Gemma was missing; Doctor K just didn't hum.
Tenaya. His sister. And wasn't that still a strange thought.
He entered the kitchen, staring at the young woman leaning against the counter, her eyes fixed on the far wall. "Morning Zig." she called without looking over at him.
"I'll pass on the sentiment." he said, watching as her head whipped around to stare at him. She blinked wide brown eyes at him in a gesture that reminded him rather painfully of Ziggy. "Um...Sorry." she said. "I'm used to Ziggy being the only one up this early. So, coffee?" she asked.
He nodded slightly, moving to sit down at the counter. "Thanks." he whispered. She nodded, starting to hum softly again.
After a long moment of surprising comfortable silence the sound of feet gliding across the floor towards them met his ears. This time Tenaya looked over and smiled at the wild-haired, dead-eyed, too-pale version of Ziggy. "Morning, Zig." she greeted.
He nodded to her, walking forward and accepting the cup of coffee she shoved into his hands. He turned towards him then paused, staring at him blankly. "Oh." Ziggy muttered. "I thought you were a dream."
Tenaya giggled softly. "Drink your coffee Ziggy." she instructed. Ziggy complied, taking a long sip as he continued to stare at Dillon. Dillon decided to ignore him, dropping his gaze to the ink black coffee Tenaya had handed him. After a minute Ziggy turned back to Tenaya, seeming vastly more awake. "Did Gemma come back last night?" he asked.
She shook her head, causing Ziggy to sigh. "If she's not back by 1300, we go save her. Again." he instructed tiredly, seeming like he'd given the order several times before. Tenaya nodded absently, going back to her humming.
Dillon took a deep breath, breathing in the heated fumes from the coffee as he took a good, long look at his friend. He didn't like what he saw. There were dark circles under his eyes, highlighting his dangerously pale skin. His hair was everywhere, the long strands tangled beyond belief and his clothes were rumpled. Ziggy's dark brown eyes flickered towards him as if sensing the observation and despite the sharpness of the gaze, the awareness in them, there was a distressing lack of life in them, a dead look like he'd just given up.
Ziggy frowned at him. "What?" he asked irritably.
He shook his head. "Nothing." he replied. Ziggy didn't look like he believed him. What happened to the Ziggy who trusted whatever came out of his mouth? He really needed to get home.
Gem suddenly bounded into the room, looking all too energetic this early in the morning. "Good Morning!" he greeted with a wide smile. Ziggy groaned softly. "It's too early in the morning to deal with you." he complained. Shaking his head, the Green Ranger walked out of the room, stopping only to slap Gem on the back of the head roughly.
The Gold Ranger winced slightly but continued on into the room. "Gemma get back yet?" he asked, grabbing a bagel and jamming it into the toaster. Tenaya shook her head. "1300, we go get her."
"Where is Gemma?" Dillon asked. Gem starting singing under his breath cheerfully as Tenaya replied. "Gemma is out on recon. She's the one that gets us all of our information on Venjix's moves. She tends to get herself into a bit of trouble in the process."
He nodded as Doctor K walked in, looking like she hadn't slept at all last night. Tenaya looked at her in concern. "Hey, you okay?" she asked, approaching her. Doctor K nodded, looking around. "Where's Ziggy?" she asked, seeming to accept the coffee Tenaya handed her without thought.
"You just missed him." Tenaya told her softly. Doctor K nodded, gave the newest Ranger a small smile, and walked back out. Gem 'oohed' softly once she had left, pointing at Tenaya. The young woman rolled her eyes and ignored him expect for a small shake of her head. "Pervert." she muttered.
Dill arched an eyebrow and decided that once again, he was missing something. "Something I should know?" he asked. Tenaya shook her head but he noticed a slow blush darkening her cheeks. Gem grinned widely. "Oh yeah. Our dear Tenaya here," he said, stepping forward to poke obnoxiously at her side. She glared, flinching back from the touch reflexively. Gem's grin just widened when he finished. "Is engaged."
He leaned back, raising his eyebrows at his sister. "Engaged?" he asked in surprise. He jerked a hand over his shoulder in the direction Doctor K had gone. "To the Doc?"
"That is exactly what we said when we found out." Gem agreed, still grinning. "No one expected it. These two are damn good at keeping secrets."
He didn't doubt that. He looked over at Tenaya. "I'm not sure what to say."
Clearing her throat, she met his eyes. "It's Kat." she told him in an effort to change the subject. "You keep calling her Doc or Doctor K. We named her Katherine or Kat last year. Just... thought you should know."
---
Katherine stopped when she found Ziggy in the rec room, curled up on one of the lounge chairs. She sighed heavily, drawing his attention. "You've been having the dreams again." she said sadly, staring at the circles under his eyes. He shrugged, not seeming concerned as he ran his eyes over her.
"You haven't been sleeping." He accused, his over-protectiveness coming to the forefront. Knowing that he wouldn't let her get away with waving it off, she whispered, "I had something to do."
Ziggy uncurled his long legs, standing up in one smooth, graceful movement that he would never have been able to do two years ago. "You shouldn't work all night, Kat." he muttered, his eyes dancing with concern. She smiled softly when she recognized the old Ziggy in those eyes.
Ziggy Grover wasn't as hard or cold as he acted. His kind heart was still buried somewhere in him, hidden from the rest of the world. He only showed it to his team. He had just been hurt too many times to act the way he had before. His smiles and laughter and sheer life had been traded years ago for cool looks, head slaps, and calm, calculating logic. The years had not been easy on him.
Ziggy Grover was nothing more than a young man broken beyond repair.
And yet, there were times when she caught him with a little smile and warm eyes, and she thought that maybe he wasn't completely lost yet. "I don't want you getting hurt again." She told him with a soft smile. "I examined the energy surrounding Series Black. I have a conclusion."
He seemed to almost perk up, his eyes lightening just slightly. As much as he didn't want to, Ziggy had never stopped caring about Dillon. And it was evident in everything he did, his drive, his conviction; it was all to get closer to the machine that had taken the person he loved away from him, to destroy it. But that need for revenge and the almost aching loneliness was something he allowed only her to see. "What is it?"
"I do not believe forcing Series Black back to his own time will work. It could tear him apart. And if one was to follow basic logic, it would be plausible to say that our time would fall apart as it would seem that Series Black had just disappeared from the timeline." she told him.
Ziggy stepped closer to her, his gaze hardening. Some would interpret the look as threatening but she knew he would never, could never, bring himself to harm any of them. Except for maybe the occasional head slap. Still, she continued. "However, the temporal energy holding Dillon to this time is fading at a relatively steady pace. He should return to his own time soon."
"How long, Kat?" he asked. She shrugged, uncertain in her answer when she told him, "A week, maybe two." She paused in thought then added, "More likely somewhere closer to one week."
He nodded in understanding. He leaned forward, pressing a quick, affectionate kiss to her cheek. "Good work, Kat." He whispered. His own silent way of saying how much he appreciated all of their hard work. He turned and walked past her, out the door.
She turned to watch him leave. "I hope he doesn't break you again Ziggy." she whispered.
---
Dillon looked up when he felt the young man stop in front of him. "Yes Ziggy?" he asked, straightening out of his slouch. He really didn't know how to act around this version of his friend. Ziggy met his gaze with cool eyes. "Kat has come to the conclusion that the temporal energy holding you to this time will wear off and you will be able to go home in approximately one week." He said.
Once that was said he turned and walked away. Dillon clenched his jaw tightly. "Ziggy I am going to ask you a question." He told him, making the young man turn around. "And you are going to give me a straight answer."
Ziggy looked unwilling but nodded. Once he did, a million thoughts raced through his head. So many things he needed to ask, needed to know. What had happened to him? What had happened to the sweet, innocent young boy he knew from before? Finally he asked, "Where's the rest of the team?"
"Gemma's out doing recon." Ziggy said, making him grind his teeth. He should have asked when Ziggy got so damn good at skipping around a question. "That's not what I mean and you know it." he ground out.
Pain flared in Ziggy's dark brown eyes and Dillon immediately regretted asking when his expression turned stricken. But Ziggy answered him before he could take it back.
"They're dead."
The answer was quick and to the point. But there was so much pain in that one simple sentence that he didn't know what to say. Dead? They were all...dead?
Ziggy nodded, his tone harsh when he bit out, "Yes Dillon. Dead." The Green Ranger snapped his eyes closed and turned his head away, making Dillon realize that the memories of their deaths still haunted him. "Summer... Summer died a year and a half ago in an explosion. Scott and Flynn were killed in battle five months ago."
"I'm sorry." he whispered. "I didn't know. I thought they were outside the dome or something. Away on some grand mission."
Ziggy's eyes slid open and he nodded again, slowly. "I know." It was a soft whisper and if Dillon tried he thought he could hear something like an apology in his tone. Ziggy turned to leave again, his eyes shadowed and dark. Although he knew he shouldn't Dillon couldn't help but ask, "Where I am?"
The Green Ranger turned just enough for him to see his eyes again. They were haunted and he could almost see the memories playing out in his mind. The brown eyes glistened with what looked like tears and for a moment he thought he was going to cry. "We lost you first."
Once that was said, Ziggy practically ran from the room. Dillon watched him go, wondering if he should go after him. But he knew that this Ziggy wouldn't want or accept any comfort he offered. He turned away, walking into the garage. Gem was there, typing on a laptop that was perched on the hood of his car, a long cord stretching from hard drive to the engine. Gem's dark eyes flickered up towards him when he entered and wry grin stretched across his lips. "If you keep asking stupid questions, he's going to deck you." he intoned.
Not even trying to wonder how Gem knew that, Dillon sighed and whispered out, "I just wanted to know what's going on. I didn't think...he'd react like that."
Gem rolled his eyes, an unusual action for him and turned back to the laptop. Despite himself, Dillon approached the other Ranger, staring at the numbers rolling down the screen. He didn't get any of it. "What are you doing?"
The Gold Ranger gave him a considering look then told him, "I'm calibrating the shift for when we go get Gemma."
"Doesn't she still have time?"
"If she was coming," Gem said, with that absolute certainty only a twin could possess. "She'd be here by now. And since the boss doesn't want you here alone, Tenaya gets to play babysitter, so only me and Ziggy are going. With just the two of us, we're going to need shift 4."
Dillon wondered if he should be hurt by the mistrust Ziggy had in him but he had already come to expect it from his suddenly severely introverted friend. He let it go and asked something that shouldn't make the people around him cry. "What's a shift?"
The skin around Gem's eyes crinkled in a smile and he patted the hood of his car affectionately. "This is a shift." He said. "It's a tactical land-to-air attack vehicle. It has the ability to change, or shift, forms. The first three are the ones installed in every vehicle; the car, the motorcycle, and the land rover. Only my Jaguar has shift 4, which allows it to change into a fighter plane. I test all the new equipment, that's why it's only uploaded into mine."
He nodded, impressed. "Sounds interesting." He wondered how long it took them to make the program. Gem smiled widely at him. "You should be very proud of your sister. Half the things we have today she created. We wouldn't be here if she hadn't changed sides. Owe her a lot."
Dillon smiled slightly, turning his head to look back at the rest of the building. Yeah, he'd gotten that.
---
Ziggy dropped down onto the bed, breathing deeply in an effort to ease away the stress in his body. Gemma had actually shown about an hour before he and Gem had been set to leave, slightly worn around the edges but altogether in one piece. Her reason for being so late was that she got distracted. What sane 20-something-year-old woman gets distracted while on a deadly mission to gather information in enemy territory?
Oh right. Gemma wasn't sane.
He closed his eyes, letting himself drift off just slightly. Just enough for his nightmares to seize his mind.
He struggled against the arms linked through his elbows, holding him back. Panic rushed through him, freezing him at the same time it urged him forward. He had to get in there, he had to save her. "Let me go!" He shouted, feeling his eyes start to burn.
Scott's voice shouted back in his ear. "We can't!" The Red Ranger sounded choked but determined. Despite the situation he had made up his mind. Ziggy felt his throat close up and he shook his head, struggling against Flynn's hold harder. "We have to help her!" He yelled, feeling his tears slip down his cheeks.
Flynn shifted his attention to Scott for just a moment, allowing him to break his hold. Ziggy ran towards the building as fast as he could, ignoring the shouts calling for him to stop. A few feet from the building the explosion knocked him off his feet. He landed roughly on his side and he rolled reflexively in an effort to wear off the inertia. Once he had come to a stop he propped himself up and looked at what remained of the building. He was covered in rumble and his face had become layered in ash, streaked where his tears slid through.
"Summer!!!!"
Ziggy's eyes snapped open and he took deep breaths. He sat up slowly, brushing away the cold sweat that had collected on his forehead. He threw his legs over the edge of the bed and grabbed his jacket and sunglasses, quickly jogging out into the garage. He slid easily into his Vanquish, slipping his glasses on and starting the engine. The shades shifted, turning infra-red, allowing him to see in the dark.
He pulled the car out and initiated the shifting sequence. He felt the vehicle change around him and the roar of the motorcycle pierced his ears. A minute later the sound was numbed as his glasses grew and covered his head in the form of a helmet. He drove through the city, intent on his destination. When he arrived, he slowly slid to a stop and climbed off. His helmet retreated into the form of sunglasses which he carefully slipped off and tucked into his shirt.
He walked calmly the rest of the way, the grass crunching beneath his feet as he got closer. The light from the fake moon glinted off the water of the lake and shown across the empty area. A shadow fell across his form and he tilted his head up to stare at the monument before him. The monument for their fallen Rangers.
Reaching forward with shaking hands he trailed careful fingers over the groves of the faded yellow helmet. He could still remember watching with an aching heart as it rolled to his feet following the explosion, all that was left of the once proud Yellow Ranger. He could still remember going through the motions as they prepared her funeral. He could still remember bringing his hand up in a perfect salute, could remember how his body jerked involuntarily every time the sounds of the shots from the 21 Gun Salute rang out around him. He could still remember the feel of the tears trailing down his face and the hollow feeling in his heart.
A tight, pain-filled smile crossed his face. "I checked on them last month. The kids you saved, the ones you got out of the building before it exploded. They're still thankful. They know they would have died if you hadn't gone back to get them, if you haven't given up your life." He paused, feeling his throat start to close up. He cleared it quickly and continued. "You saved all 27 people. But still... still...
"I wish you were here Summer."
Chapter 1
Chapter 3