Power Rangers Chronic Storm 2: The Shifting Tides

Chapter 35: Forever

Two days had passed since Diane terrorized Terra Venture. During city-wide clean up, the enforcers acquired her body and preserved it inside a cold storage container to bring back home. Between their efforts and that of the Rangers, no civilian suffered any fatal injuries that day. But among the enforcers grew a creeping sense of dread for the journey to come. Finding a way to return home was one matter, but no one could address the question of what would happen once they presented the body of the late Queen for the universe to see.

From the inside of one of Terra Venture's medical facilities, Jason's eyes finally began to open. The harsh sting of the room's lights hit his corneas; his first dose of brightness in over 48 hours. He also felt a delicate, soft sensation inside of his left hand. He turned his head to find Kendrix right beside him, smiling brightly with a few fresh tears hanging off her eyes. The stinging quickly faded.

"Good morning," she said.

Jason looked around at his surroundings before noticing an odd blue tubing connected to his body. He could just barely move his limbs and had lost feeling in many of his body parts; a novel sensation for him. He started to speak with a weakened, rough voice, "So... I'm alive, huh? That's nice..."

Kendrix shook her head before lightly kissing him on the cheek. "Don't ever scare me like that again."

"Don't quite remember... all the details of our battle, but... I'm guessing everything worked out?"

"Yes. It's really over."

"And the others?"

"Doing much better. Ethan's in stable condition, but still bed-ridden. Taylor received a blood transfusion and surgery on her shoulder, so she's in the same boat. Carter needed to get his shoulder looked at too, but didn't need surgery. He still has a few scrapes from the battle and his time spent inside a burning building, but nothing he isn't used to."

Jason looked worriedly upon the bandage on Kendrix' cheek, one of several affixed to her face. He forced his hand up and gently placed it against her face. "And... how about you? Are you doing alright?"

"Oh, this? It's nothing." Kendrix pressed Jason's hand tighter against her cheek. "Most of my body got pretty banged up, but I got off easy compared to everyone else. And I'd gladly do it again."

Jason could feel his hairs stand on end hearing the soft, yet empowering tenor of her statement. But with his glasses on a counter next to him, he could only see a hazy imitation of her smile. He tried to stand himself up, but struggled to make much progress.

Kendrix gently pushed him back on his bed. "Not so fast. I've talked to the doctors and you're nowhere near fully recovered yet. Promise me you won't push yourself until you've gotten more rest."

"Heh, yeah, sounds good. I don't think I've got much of a choice right now anyway... Kendrix, what of my mother? Is she recovering, too?"

Kendrix stood speechless as her lips began to quiver. She gripped Jason's hand tighter as she struggled to voice a proper response.

All the while, Jason's memories began to slowly flow back like a gentle stream. He suddenly remembered the exact moment, the exact second, that his finger pulled the trigger. A moment, a second, he wouldn't soon forget.

"Jason... I'm so so sorry... Your mother, she... she didn't make it..."

"I see." Jason took a deep breath and smiled. "But, it couldn't be helped. It was either her or us, right? There was no other way."

Kendrix tried to compose herself. "R-Right... Hey, I'll be back with some food. You haven't eaten anything solid in days. Get some rest, okay?"

As Kendrix got up and left the room, Jason laid there in silent contemplation. Inside his mind, he kept repeating the statement. There was no other way... There was no other way... There was...