The Terran Ranger Saga Volume 4 by Heather Ray (ebook reader browser txt) 📖

she didn't let that slow her down. On her wrist, her silver and yellow communicator reflected the dim moonlight. For some reason, she wanted to get as far away from the Youth Center as she possibly could.

"Tanya!" called a voice from behind. Tanya recognized it instantly, and stopped in her tracks. But she didn't turn around. Adam caught up with her quickly, and lay his jacket over her shoulders.

"Its a bit cold out here," he said.

"Thanks" she said with a weak smile.

"Why did you run?" he asked, "I... I thought we were having fun."

"Oh, we were," she said, "but, it's nearly midnight! If Coppola comes for me in the Youth Center, people could get hurt!"

"You make it sound like you plan on going with him," Adam said quietly. Her bottom lip trembled, and tears began to streak down her dark cheeks.

"I don't want to," she sobbed, "but he won't quit until he has me! I won't be responsible for other people getting hurt because of me. You should get going, Adam. You're not a Power Ranger anymore."

Adam looked away from her, obviously stung by her words. Tanya realized what she had said, and mentally slapped herself for being so harsh. She timidly touched his cheek, and turned his face around so she could look into his dark brown eyes.

"I...I didn't mean it like that," she said, "I just...can't let you get hurt. You don't have to protect me, you know. It's no longer your responsibility."

"Maybe not," he said, cupping her chin with his hand. "Maybe I want to..."

As Adam's and Tanya's faces inched towards each other, they could hear a bell going off from the Youth Center, along with a chorus of happy new years and laughing.

"Happy New Year, Adam Park," whispered Tanya.

"Happy New Year, Tanya Sloan," he answered softly, their lips nearly touching.

"Achem," came a chilling, authoritative voice. "Please step away from Tanya, Human."

Adam and Tanya whirled around in surprise, and Tanya shrieked when she saw the Sandman floating a few inches off the ground, with his hands in the pockets of his full-length trench coat. Adam stepped in front of Tanya protectively.

"I'm not letting you take her!" he yelled. Tanya's eyes widened at the sound of determination in his voice.

"And you will stop me, Human?" Sandman laughed. He quickly pulled one hand out of his pocket, and small grains of sand flew into Adam's face. Tanya screamed as Adam fell lifeless to the cold grass.

"Adam, NO

!!"

"Come, child," said Sandman, grabbing Tanya's wrist. "It's time for us to leave."

"I'm not going ANYWHERE

with you!!" she cried angrily. "Someone, HELP

!!"

Chapter Ten

Inside the Youth Center, all the teenagers toasted the new year with sparkling glasses of apple cider. Kimberly shuddered when she telepathically heard a cry for help. She nearly dropped her glass, and she touched her head with her free hand.

"What's wrong, Kim?" asked Tommy, supporting her with his arm.

She looked up at him, her eyes wide. "Where's Tanya? I...I think I heard her scream..."

"Let's get going," said Tommy, taking her hand and leading her through the crowd. They found Jason and Kat, and Zack and Aisha.

"Sandman's struck again," he whispered. "Let's move."

The six teenagers wove their way through the cheering crowd, and out of the Youth Center. They didn't need to go far to see Tanya struggling with the ochre-yellow demon.

"Its Morphin Time!" yelled Tommy. "TERRA FIRE POWER!!"

"TERRA WATER POWER!!"

cried Katherine.

"TERRA WIND POWER!!"

yelled Aisha.

"TERRA EARTH POWER!!"

bellowed Jason.

"X-Ranger One!" shouted Zack.

"X-Ranger Two!" called Kimberly.

The six Power Rangers ran up the hill, and surrounded the Sandman, Tanya, and Adam.

"So," said the Sandman, "you chose to once again interfere?"

"You got it!" said the Red Ranger. "You're not taking Tanya without a fight!"

"But we do not need to fight," he said with a chilling grin, "I have a proposition for the young Miss Sloan."

The Sandman stepped back, and melted into a round puddle. The rangers watched curiously as an image appeared on the sand. Once it cleared, they saw a middle-aged African couple, sitting on a stone floor behind iron bars.

"Who...who are they?" asked Tanya quietly. "Why are you showing me this?"

"You don't recognize them?" he asked her in a mocking voice, rising from the puddle. "They haven't changed much in the ten years since you last saw them. They are your parents, Tanya. Henry and Agatha Sloan."

Everyone gasped, and Tanya continued to stare at the faces of the people in the image.

"How can I be sure you're not lying to me? Trying to trick me?!"

"Because my word is my bond," he answered, "I have never lied to anyone. After you had fainted, your father accidentally set the house on fire, trying to save you. He told his wife to escape with you, while he held me back. Agatha fled, but after you were safe, she returned, hoping to save her husband. We were all trapped within the consuming flames. I saved their lives. Therefore, they belong to me."

"No one can own another human being!" said Jason.

Sandman laughed. "That is a human rule, Black Ranger. And I am not human. I do not heed your laws."

"What do you want?" asked Tanya.

"It is simple, dear Tanya. If you agree to come with me, your parents will live, and can return to the surface and live out the rest of their lives. If you refuse me, I'm afraid I'll have to keep them as my slaves in your stead. Well, what is your decision?"

Tanya trembled, and sank to her knees. Tears streaked down her face, and she turned from the Sandman to the unconscious Adam, and back again to the Sandman.

"I," she stammered, "I... "

Chapter Eleven

"Well," said the Sandman, a confident smirk wrinkling his grotesque yellow-ochre countenance, "will you come with me, Tanya? Will you trade your life for the lives of your parents?"

Tanya took a deep breath, and shakily rose to her feet. He held her chin up, and stared right into Coppola's murky green eyes. "Yes," she said in a voice barely above a whisper, "so long as you promise to let my parents go, and guarantee Adam's safety."

"Tanya, no!" said the Black Terran Ranger. "You can't trust this creature!"

"Stop your interference!" snapped Sandman angrily, "I agree to your terms, Tanya. The boy is only asleep, and shall awaken shortly. Come."

The Sandman pulled a gloved hand out of his yellow trenchcoat pocket, and held it out to Tanya. She hesitated for a moment, and then touched his hand. As soon as they made contact, they both suddenly disappeared, leaving the six Power Rangers stunned.

"I don't believe she just went with that...thing

!" said Aisha, the Green Ranger.

"Her parents' lives are at stake," said Tommy. "What else could she have done?"

"You're not saying we're giving up on this!" said Jason. "We can't leave Tanya in the hands of that monster! We have to free her, and her parents!"

"We will," said Tommy, lifting the unconscious Adam. "Let's go to the Central Access Complex. We'll signal Billy when we get there."

With that, the Power Rangers, and their friend, disappeared from the slope of a hill just outside the Youth Center.

Chapter Twelve

Tanya's eyes shot open in alarm. She half expected to see the ceiling of her bedroom in the Hillard's house, after awaking from a terrifying dream. But this wasn't a dream. It was her worst nightmare.

Tanya lay upon a large canopy bed, with soft yellow silk drapes surrounding the entire bed. She sat up, and straightened the hem of her yellow party dress. She then peeked out from behind the drapes, preparing herself for the terror that she may be soon seeing. But what she saw elicited no fear whatsoever. Rather, she was awestruck.

The bedroom she was now in was furnished with fine antique furniture, decorated in a fashion most comparable with the Victorian age. The walls and ceiling of the chamber were made of yellow bricks, and there was a large window on one wall, with yellow drapes to match the decor of the rest of the room. It was obviously not the room of a slave girl. She looked out the window, and saw many stalactites hanging from the cavern's ceiling, as clear as the finest crystal. She was obviously nowhere on the Earth's surface.

"Impressive, is it not?" asked a gentle voice behind her.

Tanya gasped and turned around. Her eyes widened when they fell upon a strange young man, with an ochre-yellow complexion. His face and stature was very dignified and handsome, and his long hair, which was exactly the same shade of yellow as his skin, was tied back into a long ponytail. He wore what appeared to be a tuxedo, complete with a long, flowing cape, of matching ochre-yellow. However, what was most surprising was his eyes. Or rather, his lack of eyes. His eye sockets were empty pits of blackness.

"Who are you?" she asked, when her voice finally returned to her. He smiled at her.

"Let me show you," he said, his form melting into a puddle.