Streaks of Purple Saga Volume Four - Heather Ray (little red riding hood ebook txt) 📗

watched as the young woman vanished in a carrier wave of white light.

Mere seconds later, five columns of light heralded the return of the Power Rangers. Without preamble they de-morphed, and congregated around the med-unit.

"How is she?" Tommy inquired.

"She's lucky," Alpha reported. Those two words eased most of the tension the teenagers felt. "Considering the Firebird was running on fumes thanks to the heavy use of laser fire and the Cyclone, the hull shielding wasn't at maximum. She could've been hurt much worse."

"What's the prognosis?" Billy asked.

"Cracked ribs are being knit as we speak. Neck strain due to whiplash, and a dislocated shoulder. Otherwise, just a few bruises. She'll be off the med-unit in less than an hour."

"Great," Billy commented. "Alpha, when you're finished with Kim, please join me in the Zord bay. I'd better begin the diagnostic on the Firebird, and then the Lion."

Trini frowned. "You're not planning on working on the Zords tonight, are you? It's almost midnight!"

Billy shrugged his shoulder. "My father's in Singapore, so no one is expecting me home. I might as well take advantage of-"

"Wait," Alexis interrupted, her eyes slowly widening, "it's that late?"

Zack shrugged. "Yeah? you didn't know?"

"I lost my watch earlier," Alexis recalled, glancing at her bare wrist, "Now I've missed by curfew! Dammit, I'm screwed

!"

Without even a farewell to her friends, Alexis dashed to the teleporter. Jason couldn't resist amused grin as Alexis let her fingers hover over the dozens of buttons on the control panel, staring at the complex device helplessly.

"Here, let me help," he offered. He spared a glance at the agitated Ranger as he programmed the coordinates of her back yard, where no prying eyes would witness her return. "Maybe if you explain that we all got holed up in a monster shelter, she'll go easy on you?"

Alexis snorted indelicately just before vanishing in flash of purple.

Chapter Sixty-One

Aisha felt slightly dizzy as her senses slowly recovered from the trauma of teleportation. Vaguely, she wondered how the Power Rangers could grow accustomed to having their molecules separated, transformed to light, and catapulted to locations far and near.

She grinned ruefully. Trini and Kim... Power Rangers

! It's unbelievable! And I have a pretty good idea who the other five are.

She felt an excited shiver as she began to walk through the torn streets of Angel Grove. She was in on the biggest secret of her generation. The question scientists pondered, police considered, tabloid reporters guessed about, and the general populace gossiped about... and she knew the answer.

Yet her elation slowly tapered as she continued her trek through the ravished block. Enormous footprints left their indelible mark in the grass and pavement, and flattened trees and crushed walls gave testament to the great battle that took place on this very site.

One battle amongst dozens. According to the news, the Rangers tackled the forces of evil on a weekly basis, sometimes even more often. And even though the heroes tried valiantly to protect the public and its property, no battle was won without sacrifice, and scars that didn't heal as miraculously as her own.

Aisha paused just outside the Youth Center, frozen by the sight of the outer wall that had been reduced to rubble. Just a few scant feet from that very spot she came a hair's width from death. She had been foolishly brave, throwing caution to the winds. And once she realized just how much danger she faced, she was positively terrified.

Absently, she rubbed her healed forearm. The Power Rangers had uncanny technology at their fingertips, with the power to heal any physical scar. The seven heroes could return to their more normal lives with no visible evidence of their regular battles. Yet... how often did the Rangers themselves receive such wounds? How often did those seven teenagers

brush so close to death that their lives flashed before their eyes?

When the Firebird first crashed into the sloping hill of the park, for a brief moment Aisha was convinced that the Pink Ranger was dead. It was so disturbing seeing that hero lie still on the medical cot, utterly powerless. Then, Alpha 5 tended to her with practiced ease, as if he served as the team medic on a regular basis.

Kimberly would be in school the next morning; Aisha was convinced of this. She also knew Kim would be just as chipper as she was that afternoon at the Youth Center. She would carry on as if nothing had happened, for the world could never know that Kimberly Hart nearly died in battle. The world could never know Kimberly Hart was a Power Ranger.

Yet Aisha knew. And Aisha could do everything in her power to show her appreciation to Kimberly Hart, as well as Trini Kwan, Zordon, Alpha 5, and the five other Power Rangers. She could keep the monumental secret of their true identities, even from Rocky and Adam, from whom she'd never hidden anything. She could offer her assistance, however meager it might be, if she was ever again given the opportunity.

"Aisha??"

Before she could even answer, Aisha found herself wrapped in an embrace strong enough to lift her off the ground in its enthusiasm.

"Rocky!" she gasped, "You're okay!"

No sooner did he put her down did another set of arms whirl her around, and inspect her carefully.

"Where have you been?" Adam demanded, "We've been looking all over for you!"

Aisha blinked. "Really?"

"Of course!" Rocky huffed. "As soon as the Power Rangers lured that big monster away from the Youth Center, we started searching the neighborhood. No one had seen hide or hair of you! What happened?"

Aisha was rendered speechless as she realized what incredible friends she'd found in Rocky and Adam. They'd risked their lives

looking for her in the throes of a dangerous monster attack. She was confident she could trust them with anything. Still, she couldn't be completely honest with them... for the secret she swore to protect was not hers to tell.

"I... I don't even know how to describe it, " she began haltingly, "One minute, these two black monsters were attacking the Youth Center, and I stupidly got myself involved... "

She rolled her eyes as both boys exchanged a meaningful look. "What? Is that your way of saying 'Aisha's poor judgement strikes again?'"

Adam grinned at her defensive tone. "Not at all. It's just kinda ironic that we all somehow got involved in Ranger business today."

"Really?"

Rocky shrugged. "Chalk it up to the Halloween spirit, I guess. I decided to play the role of the knight in shining armor, Adam took a turn as a thrill-seeking cowboy, and you got your chance to be a Power Ranger."

Aisha was too startled to speak.

"Though it looks like you got the biggest beating, " Adam noted, taking her arm, "You lost your entire sleeve... " His eyes widened in alarm. "..and there's blood splattered all over you."

Rocky peered closer at Aisha's arm, examining her with sudden concern. "Aisha," he murmured, thunderstruck, "where's the scar?"

Aisha shook herself from her daze, and met the demanding dark gazes of her best friends. "I managed to reopen my wound in my fight with those black things," she explained, "I blacked out, but the Power Rangers saved me and took care of me."

"You met more Rangers?" Rocky concluded, "Which ones?"

Aisha grimaced as she uttered the lie. "I don't remember clearly; I was really out of it. I'm pretty sure they took me to their base or something. I don't know where exactly I was, or how long I was there, but when I came to the Rangers were all fighting the monster. This... this voice told me the Rangers had brought me there to treat my injury, and then he sent me back here."

"What did this other guy look like?" Adam inquired.

"I don't know, honestly. The voice was... disembodied." Which isn't really a lie... Zordon doesn't seem to have

a body.

"This is amazing," Rocky muttered, gently running his fingers over Aisha's arm, "There isn't even a hint

of the scar you got in Stone Canyon!"

"You're right," Aisha confirmed, feigning awed surprise, "It's as good as new!"

"You know what this means?" Rocky gushed, his excitement growing, "We don't need to find a replacement for you in the Team Ninja competition next week! Together, the three of us can finally

dethrone Hasper City for the championship!"

Adam grimaced. "I don't think that's such a good idea. Aisha, do you really think you're up to competing? Just hours ago you had fifty-seven stitches in your forearm! You can't possibly be-"

Without warning, Aisha leaned her shoulder into her friend's chest, grabbed his arm, and with a fierce grunt, threw him over her shoulder. With a startled yelp, Adam landed hard on his backside, sprawled limply on the cool grass.

Rocky chuckled as he offered his friend a hand. "You were saying?"

Adam grinned as he stood up, and glanced at Aisha's triumphant smirk. "So... who's free for practice tomorrow after school?"

Chapter Sixty-Two

She felt the icy blue glare before she even saw it. Wincing theatrically, wildly praying

her mother was feeling charitable, Alexis closed the front door behind her.

When she finally did see the fierce eyes, set in a hard, angry mask, Alexis wondered why she didn't try asking Jason to send her directly to her bedroom.

It wouldn't have worked? she would've nailed me to the wall for trying to sneak in!

"Mom, I'm really sorry about missing curfew?"

"It's nearly midnight," Amanda interrupted. Alexis winced again at the furious tone. "You didn't just 'miss curfew', young lady, you are five hours late

. And not only

are you five hours late

, but you didn't even call

me to tell me!"

Alexis grimaced, tensing as her mother stepped closer.

"There was a monster attack

in Angel Grove. A monster

trampled around Angel Grove, and you

were parading around for five hours

without even calling me?"