The Terran Ranger Saga Volume 6 by Heather Ray (free ebook reader TXT) 📖

the team was reinstated in 2006, Will made a whole new set of more advanced communicators. The old ones still work, though, and all the Rangers kept them in case of emergency. Will, do you read?"

^Hello?^

came a soft voice, ^Trevor, is that you?^

"Trini! What's going on? Anita said Will left a message?"

^Yes. We've been trying to contact the families of all the Rangers. At least, the family members who knew they were Rangers. We have some information that you really should hear. Do you have Anthony with you?^

"Yes, and Kirsten as well."

^Good. We're regrouping as many as possible here. Teleporting now.^

With that, Trevor, Kirsten, and Anthony vanished in streaks of white light.

Chapter Five

Angel Grove, California
March 2025
9:00 am (Western Time)

He felt his heart pounding in his ears relentlessly, yet he didn't pause for a moment. His weary pale blue eyes remained focused upon the shimmering center of power that filled the small closet with an aura of pure silvery-white energy.

That focus of power was the Zeo Crystal. The mysterious crystal shard that housed energy unlike anything else in the universe. That crystal had given the Terran Power Rangers abilities far beyond any human, and even beyond any other team of Power Rangers.

It also exacted a terrible price.

Swallowing hard, he pressed the initiation sequence. Narrow threads of tinsel connecting the Zeo Crystal to five small objects began to crackle with colored light. There were currents of green, blue, yellow, pink, and red light. The light continued to crackle, illuminating the five objects, all lying in a pentagonal shape around the Zeo Crystal.

Suddenly, the light in the room intensified to the point that the entire room flooded with rainbow light. The man quickly shielded his weary eyes with his protective goggles, and watched indifferently as the energy died. Once the room was back to its dim lighting, he pulled the protective lenses from his nose, and pressed the bridge tightly.

"It worked," he sighed, exhaling the breath he didn't even realize he was holding. Trembling fingers began typing at a small keyboard, with alien symbols rather than letters. The computer screen flashed, revealing images to the man and foreign characters. He chewed his lower lip absently as his entire attention focused upon the images on the screen.

"...prodigious," he whispered.

Chapter Six

The Central Access Complex was more crowded than it had ever been. Still, it was deathly quiet, as if the structure itself were in mourning. The large group of people stood in a semi-circle around the main desk, looking around at the incredible hub of the Power Rangers' communication and data analysis. While most of these people had been here before, it was still so disconnected from their daily lives to leave an impression. After all, they weren't Power Rangers. They were merely people emotionally tied to members of the Terran Power Rangers, and in many cases, their children. Their legacy.

Trini Mitchell, the former Yellow Power Ranger and ally of the Terran Rangers for years, sat at a desk, tapping her fingers against the hollow metal nervously. She finally sighed inwardly, and turned around to face the audience she had summoned. Before her stood a band of individuals she'd known for a while. Decades, in some cases.

All the way to the left stood Emily Lee, her eyes still red from crying. Of all the spouses of the Power Rangers, Emily was always the least comfortable with her husband's role as a Ranger. His entire life, Jason seemed to face death in the face. Emily shook slightly, as if shivering from an inner cold at the realization that Jason couldn't outrun death forever. Beside her was her athletic, slender daughter, with vibrant blue eyes that were the very mirror of her mother's. Brittany was mostly still, passing her steady gaze across the entire room, observing the reactions of everyone else. Most of the time she watched her younger brother Andrew, who's hand was tightly squeezed by his mother, and his other hand occasionally brushed away the tears that escaped the wall of anger he constructed after learning of his father's fate.

Standing beside Andrew were David and Emandia Trueheart, the brother and sister-in-law of Tom Oliver, the leader of the Terran Rangers. David and Tom met after high school, but they shared a bond that only brothers can. The devastating news of the Terran Rangers had shaken David to the very core. He leaned weakly against a computer console, cradling his heavy head with both hands with his glasses hanging from his neck. Emandia stood vigilantly beside him, massaging his back in an effort to calm her husband, while trying not to feel intimidated by the awe-inspiring Central Access Complex in which she had never been before.

Devon Oliver, the youngest of the two Oliver boys, sat on the floor of the CAC, sniffling quietly as a river of tears continued to flow ceaselessly. While everyone else in the CAC were previously cognizant of their loved ones' occupation as Power Rangers, he never knew the truth. Now, the truth slapped the boy in his face, brutally yanking away from him the parents he had never truly known or understood.

Sitting beside his younger brother, fulfilling his role as the protective and comforting elder sibling, was Micah Oliver. The tears of loss had long since dried, but his large dark eyes remained moist...with tears of anger. Anger at his loss. Anger at the world's loss. Anger at his parents, for leaving him and Devon behind. Anger at everything, and everyone.

Next was Angela Taylor, the wife of Zack Taylor. After years of remaining emotionally detached from Zack's advances, Angela finally realized she was actually in love with the energetic athlete she'd known from youth, and they married only four years ago. Angela's usually perfect features were haggard and pale, as only the death of a loved one could cause. She stood apart from the other mourners, not seeking the comfort of group misery. Instead, she remained several feet away from the assembly, gnawing on her lip anxiously while she gazed at the dazzling diamond solitaire she wore on her left hand, coupled by the gold and platinum band she received on the day she vowed to love Zack until death do them part. With tears shining in her eyes, she reflected on her life in disgust, wondering what took her so long to realize she had fallen in love.

Nearest to Angela were Alexis and Rocky DeSantos. Both were former active Power Rangers, who were forced out of the team due to injuries. They were wed in 2013, and they held their eleven year-old son Luke between them. Out of the three DeSantos members, Alexis wore her grave, unfeeling expression. Her husband watched her face carefully, knowing full well that the more pain and loss Alexis felt, the less it showed. Now, her calm was almost terrifying him.

During her lifetime, Alexis had lost a great deal. She lost her powers. She lost her sister. Her family fractured in a devastating divorce. She learned to bear it by pulling all the pain within. Rocky knew it wasn't healthy for her, but she managed to come out of each tragedy a little stronger.

Silently, as he thought about how he'd never see his best friend again, he wished he had her resilience.

Next in the semicircle of despair was Tanya Park. Tanya had moved back to the United States from Africa in 2008, and married Adam two years later. During their time apart, Tanya could only perceive the lack of fulfillment in her life. She realized that all the achievements in the world couldn't compare with finding true love. Now that she was separated from her soul mate, all the mature, emotionally stable woman could do was silently pray that things weren't as bad as they appeared. When it came to Adam, Tanya was optimistic...almost to a fault.

Sitting on a nearby table, rocking herself slowly in an effort to bring her stirring emotions under control, was Regina Drew, the eldest daughter of Aisha and Edward Drew. Although neither of her parents were Terran Rangers, she was very close to all of them. Still, despite her familial familiarity with all the Rangers, she couldn't help but feel she was intruding. She didn't belong here, to witness the intense grief displayed quite plainly by those who had lost beloved parents, adored spouses, and cherished siblings. Yet, while she felt slightly awkward, she knew that her place was among this union. She was invited by Will to attend the information session, and she would find out everything the former Power Ranger had to say.

On the same table, lying on his back and staring at the ceiling blankly, was Anthony Monroe. Unlike the others, this wasn't the first time he had lost a parent. When he was just a boy, his father Trevor disappeared inexplicably for two years. During those torturous years, he felt the hole in his heart at every milestone he reached. Every preschool art project he couldn't show his father. Every holiday that seemed empty without his presence. Every time he saw his friends with their fathers. Every time he caught his mother sitting up late at night, clutching her pillow while still sleeping on her side of the bed, as if Trevor would return in the middle of the night.

Nearly every day reminded him of his loss. And now, with the loss of his mother, Anthony could only reflect on how it felt the first time, and shudder. Trevor, on the other hand, didn't allow himself to reflect upon what life would be like without his beloved wife. He knew he couldn't deal with that. The shock of the tragedy was too great. It was almost impossible for the reality of the matter to sink in. Instead, he focused his entire attention on Kirsten, doing his best to comfort his daughter and assure her that the future wouldn't be as bleak as it seemed.

By attending to Kirsten's pain, he could ignore his own. For the moment, at least.

Finally, keeping her large brown eyes steadily focused on her mother, was the young mutant empath Rebecca Mitchell. She remained quiet