The Terran Ranger Saga Volume 3 - Heather Ray (chapter books to read to 5 year olds .txt) 📗

Viper Putties," said Katherine. "Not a monster, but they were enough to give us a work-out."

"Hey, guys!" called Adam, who was at the main computer controls, "I think I found something!"

"What?" asked Tom, as the six others crowded around Adam.

"There's...a recorded message here!" he said in surprise. "And it dates...today!"

"Who could send us a message?" asked Kim. "Could it be Zedd?"

"There's only one way to find out," said Jason. "Play it."

Adam nodded, and pressed the play-back button. There was no image on the screen, but a familiar voice came through the speakers.

^Hello? Rangers, this is Will, and I'm in the Moon Palace! Zedd and Rita kidnapped me and my companions, hoping to gain knowledge of the year 2006! They're about to send down a new Godzilla type monster!^

"Will!" shrieked Kim, beaming happily. "He's alive!"

"The monster he spoke about must be the one that attacked us in the tunnels," said Tom, rubbing his chin in thought. He then ran a hand nervously through his short dark hair, and started pacing. "Will's alive, and he and his friends are being held hostage on the Moon. We've got to get up there and save him. He may have been able to contact us, but I doubt he'll find a way to return to Earth. We don't have much time. Who knows how long Zedd will keep Will alive?"

"So, what do we do?" asked Katherine. "Fly up to the Moon in the Mega Terrazord?"

"Well," said Rocky, "first we contact Trini, and let her know Will's alive. She'll probably be able to help us figure out how we can safely teleport Will home."

"I doubt it," said Jason, "I don't think she's ever even been in the CAC before. How could she know how to operate these computers?"

"I wouldn't count Trini out just yet," said Kimberly, activating her communicator. "She may not be Will, but she's a smart woman, and she can figure anything out."

Chapter Twenty-Two

Only a few miles away, in the Lee family's home, Trini Kwan was sitting in the den, absently staring at the television. There was a news report about the Endeavor's disappearance, but none of the "late-breaking news"

was news to her. She quietly dried the salty tears that streaked down her cheeks as she stared at the screen, fearing the worst. Will's dead. End of story.

Trini sighed and glanced over beside her. On the other couch, Emily Lee, Jason's pregnant wife, was sleeping soundly, apparently tired out by today's events. Trini smiled wanly and stood up, and shut the television off.

Enough bad news,

she thought as she made her way to the kitchen. She debated treating herself to a shot of liquor, to calm her nerves, but chose a diet soda instead.

Alcohol never makes a person's problems go away,

she thought miserably, closing the refrigerator door. It only confuses the person, and lets him think all's right with the world.

Trini sighed and opened up the can. As she took a long sip, a familiar six tone signal came from her pocket, and Trini nearly spit out the soda with surprise and excitement. She swallowed, put the can down, quickly made sure Emily was still asleep, and then pulled Kimberly's communicator from her pocket.

"Hello?" she whispered. "Who's there?"

^Trini?^

said Kim's voice. ^It's me, Kimberly. We've just made it to the CAC. And, we have something to show you.^

Trini couldn't help but smile when she heard Kim's cheery voice. It must be good news, or else Kim wouldn't be so bubbly!

"Can you teleport me there now?"

^Where's Emily?^

asked Jason's voice. ^Is she okay?^

"Emily fell asleep about ten minutes ago," Trini whispered.

Trini turned off her communicator, and in a wash of soft yellow light, she found herself in the Central Access Complex. She gasped aloud and she circled around, taking in the view. The numerous computer systems were set up in a circle, all but the main computer, with a screen about five feet by five feet in size. In another corner was what appeared to be a hospital bed, with a few chairs near it, and a few other computer systems, all hooked up to the bed. She continued to look around, and then she turned to her friends, who were watching her from the main computer.

"This place is... amazing," she said quietly. "It's so...big

!"

"Well, it's a little intimidating at first," said Kim, "and it's kinda eerie that Zordon and Alpha aren't here to greet ya, but you get used to it eventually."

"So," said Trini, "what did you want to show me?"

"This," said Adam, replaying the message they received.

Trini's eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her palm when she heard Will's voice. A tear streaked down her cheek, but this time, it wasn't because of sadness.

"He's alive?" she asked, as if she was too afraid to believe it could be true, "Will...is alive?"

"Yes," said Rocky, beaming proudly. "Our man is tough, powers or not."

Trini considered this for a moment, and then turned once again to her friends.

"But, what about that monster he mentioned?"

"Already taken care of," said Kim. "We met Godzilla in the tunnels, and he's history now."

"So, now we go after Will?" asked Trini.

"Yep," said Jason. "But not until we retrieve the Zeo Crystal. Let's do it, gang."

Adam activated the controls, and instantly the tiles moved away from the center of the room, revealing a metallic sphere, about a yard in diameter. Kimberly, Jason, Tom, Adam, Kat, and Zack stepped forward, and stood together in awe as the metallic sphere rose from the tile floor. The sphere slowly opened, and white smoke poured out. Tom hesitantly stepped forward, and reached into the sphere. He held his breath, and withdrew the complete Zeo crystal from inside. The entire crystal glows with a silvery light, and it floated above Tom, and began to spin slowly.

"Its beautiful," comments Trini, who was watching beside Rocky a bit behind the rangers.

"It is," said Jason. "And it's been such a long time..."

Chapter Twenty-Three

"I do NOT

believe this!" Lord Zedd fumed, slamming his staff into the balcony. He turned off his telescopic vision, and clenched his fist angrily, his scarlet rage filling the throne room.

"What?" moaned Rita, who just entered the throne room.

"Where have you been?" he roared. Rita rolled her eyes, and glared at her husband with indignation.

"Where do you think I've been? I've been going through the entire palace, floor by floor, looking for that annoying ex-Blue Ranger. That's what I've been doing. Sheesh, ya never realize how big this castle is until you have to find something in it."

"Well, in case you're interested, that baffoon creature Verdus has failed. Four rangers destroyed him, and they didn't even have the Zeo Crystal! It was a mess!"

"Is his body destroyed?" asked Rita, stepping towards the balcony.

"No," grunted Zedd. "Why?"

"Because, my little Godzilla will return. If his body hasn't been destroyed, that means all he has to do is regenerate whatever was wounded, and he'll be up in a jiffy!"

"Well," said Zedd, rather pleased, "perhaps he's not such a waste after all. But its too late to stop the rangers from reaching the Zeo Crystal. I can't find them anywhere, which means they must be inside the CAC, where my scans cannot reach them. I think I'll start trying to conquer Earth."

"Its about time," she scoffed. "So, what will you do?"

"Watch," said Zedd, creating a small crystal ball in his hand. On it was the image of a middle aged woman, with graying short ebony hair, and a blue business suit. She was sitting at a large desk, apparently reading something.

"Who's that?"

"That is the president of the United States," said Zedd.

"So, what are you gonna do? Kidnap her?"

"No," said Zedd, "I'll send her a message, telling her to surrender the United States to me, or else Verdus will destroy the whole nation, starting with the capital. If we make Verdus grow, he'll be unstoppable!"

Chapter Twenty-Four

In the Oval Office, Amanda Davis, the first female president of the most powerful nation on the planet, was busy reading reports about the missing Endeavor. Even though there were televised reports about the Endeavor's cruel fate, it was not commonly known that a strange castle was upon the Moon, glowing with energy. President Davis stood up from her seat, and walked over in front of her desk, looking at the two couches, where her Secretary of Defense was, along with military generals and scientists.

"Okay, gentlemen," says the president, leaning on the front of the desk. "This report looks like it's saying there's extra-terrestrial life on the Moon."

"That's what it says," said a scientist.

"But, why haven't we seen if before? We've been to the Moon dozens of times, and there's never been signs of life before! Then, a few years ago, an abandoned castle is found, and now you're telling me the owners have returned?!"

Before anyone can reply, the television mysteriously came on, and everyone turned around in surprise when they heard maniacal laughter. The image on the screen was of a red man with a silver exo-skeleton, and silver face mask.

"What's going on here?!" President