* HOMECOMING *
Part 5
by Naomi Tilley
Trini arrived just before midnight, delivered into the house by her Aunt Miriam. Jason met her in the hallway as she came in, and wrapped her up in a tight hug before she even had the chance to speak.
"I'm sorry," she sobbed, her voice muffled by Jason's jumper. "Jason, I'm sorry...."
"It's gonna be okay," he whispered to her fiercely. "We'll get William back. It wasn't your fault, Trini. Don't blame yourself."
"But I turned my back...."
"We can't watch our kids every second of the day until they're voting age. You didn't do anything wrong."
Trini slid her arms around his waist and held him tightly as he led her into the family room. It was only as they sat down that she realised his left arm was plastered.
"What happened?"
"I broke my arm," he told her softly. "There.... There was sort of an accident....." He faltered, looking into her red-rimmed eyes for several seconds before caving. "Someone planted a bomb in the letter box, and it blew up when I lifted the lid."
Trini felt the blood freeze in her veins as she began to put two and two together. "It happened just after I left with William, didn't it?"
Jason nodded. "Yes. The next morning."
"The person who did that is the same person who took William, isn't it?"
He nodded again, unable to lie to his wife. "I think so."
Trini sat in silence for nearly a minute before speaking again. "You have to get him back, Jason. He's only a baby...."
"I will, I swear it. It's going to be okay, honey."
Jason hugged her tightly, and yet despite his outward certainty, she could almost feel the fear trembling through his body. Drawing carefully away from him, she looked up into his eyes and noticed, for the first time, the almost haunted look there.
"Jason, what is it? You look so frightened...."
He glanced away from her, unable to hold her stare.
"I am," he admitted softly. Trini reached out and grasped his hands, only to discover they were freezing cold. She let his hands go and reached up to lovingly stroke his cheek.
"What is it? Talk to me, please."
He hesitated, wondering where to start, then went on quietly.
"I think that it's Kyle Bennett who is responsible for all of this."
"Kyle Bennett? The Angel of Death? Jason, you caught him!"
"Yes, but the judge dismissed the charges on a technicality. I found out the day that I sent you and William to San Diego. I got a letter. I'm pretty sure it was from him. He bragged about killing Sid, and said he was on his way here to get me. I'm fairly certain he was responsible for the bomb in the letter box, for the letter, for killing Sid and now for kidnapping William."
Trini had gone the colour of ash. "Oh my god.... If that monster has our baby...."
"If he hurts William," Jason whispered furiously, "I'll kill him myself. I don't care if I go to jail for it. I swear to God, I'll kill him." He faltered, then took Trini's hand in his own. His were trembling badly, they both noticed. "I don't think he will hurt William, though. Not yet. He wants me too badly to risk that. He knows he'll never get what he wants if he hurts William."
"Why?" Trini choked out, tears tumbling down her checks in a steady flow. "Why does this man hate you so much?"
"That's what we wanted to know," Jason murmured. "Trini, do you remember back when we were kids? When we were six years old?"
"A little," Trini conceded. "Why?"
"Do you remember ever seeing a man around our school? Someone that gave out lollies to the kids?"
Trini was silent as she thought back, but finally gave a tentative nod.
"I think I remember. I think I took lollies from him a couple of times. But then I told my mother She went into an hysterical fit and made me promise never to take anything from him again."
"Good thing," Jason agreed. "Trini, that man was a child molester. The police never caught him."
Trini stared at Jason for a long moment before stiffening. "Are you saying he did something to you?"
Jason nodded slowly. "Yeah, but I'd totally forgotten about it. Dad had to call his partner to use hypnosis on me to remember."
"Do you remember?"
"Yeah More than I want to. It was on my sixth birthday. Do you remember I was late home? You and Billy and some other kids were there before me."
"Yes, I remember that. Your father forgot to pick you up and you said you got a lift with someone else."
"I didn't get a lift with anyone. I walked home through the park. I was followed. That man.... The one who'd been hanging around the school He followed me. Tricked me into going behind a tree with him... He tried to assault me, Trini."
"Tried?"
"I remembered all the karate lessons we'd had in the Youth Centre. I kicked the son of a bitch in the nuts and bolted. He never forgot, though. I saw him again when I was twelve or so. He knew me by name, then. He had a few words with me in the park. Made some crack about not being satisfied until he'd had me After he left, I didn't see him again. He saw me, though.
Frequently, I guess."
"This man," Trini said softly. "It was Bennett, wasn't it? That's why he's come after you now. He never forgot that you didn't let him win."
"That's about it," Jason agreed. "And you're right. It is Bennett. But it took hypnosis for me to finally make the connections. When he confronted me the second time, when I was twelve, he told me no one else had ever put up a fight before. I guess he could never forget that."
"That's what he wants now, isn't it?" Trini asked fearfully. "He doesn't want to kill you. He wants....."
She trailed off, unable to bring herself to say it. Jason sighed a little and hugged her to him.
"He'd kill me, if he gets the chance. But I'm not going to give it to him. I'm going to get William back, and then make sure that sick bastard never gets out of jail."
Trini slid her arms around Jason and hugged him tightly. "I love you, Jason."
Jason smiled faintly as he returned the hug. "I love you, too."
Jason didn't sleep that night, and Trini slept fitfully, moaning softly in her sleep. For the longest while, Jason sat up, leaning against the back- board of the bed, staring into the darkness. Bennett would not hurt William, of that much he was sure. Bennett had chased him for twenty one years: he would not risk losing his opportunity for the sake of having one child. Jason didn't understand much of psychology, but he understood that.
He also understood that Bennett had to be growing impatient. William might be safe for a few days, but after that Jason's jaw clenched determinedly. He had no intention of waiting that long. Bennett would inevitably set up a trap for him, and he was going to be ready.
Careful not to wake Trini, he slid out of bed and left the room, heading down the hall to his old room. Shutting the door behind him so not disturb anyone else, he switched on the light and went to the closet.
He had taken most of his things with him upon moving to the Academy in LA, and then later to Chicago. Most of what he'd left behind had been packed into boxes and put away in the closet. He could only hope that his parents hadn't assumed what he wanted now to be a piece of scrap metal, and thrown it out.
Silently cursing his useless left arm, Jason dragged out the first of the two large boxes and ripped off the packing tape. Inside were old toys, things that he hadn't laid eyes on since his departure for Geneva when he was eighteen. Jason smiled with mild amusement as he lifted a small African drum out of the box. That had been a present from his uncle, who had often travelled abroad, and one that his parents had regretted. He remembered walking around the house for days after receiving the gift, bashing away on it with little to no sense of rhythm. For the barest instant, he considered putting it aside for William, then changed his mind and shoved it back into the box.
Reminding himself of what he was searching for, he renewed his efforts, rummaging through the box with a steadily growing desperation.
_Why the hell didn't I take the damn thing with me?_
The thought flickered briefly in his mind as he dragged out the second box, tore it open and began to search through it. So intent was he on his search that he didn't notice the door swing open behind him.
"Jason?"
Jason turned around so fast that he lost balance and went down on his butt with a heavy, painful thud. Trini's face creased with concern, and she hurried over to help him up.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.... But what on Earth are you doing?"
"Looking for my communicator," Jason told her. Trini gaped at him.
"Why?"
"Because we're going to need all the help we can get to rescue William and catch Bennett. The crazy bastard is going to try to trap me using William. I'll have to take the chance, but if anything goes wrong, you're to get to the Power Chamber as fast as you can."
"The Power Chamber?" Trini echoed. "Jason, this is ludicrous! That place wouldn't even be operational anymore! And besides that, I don't even know where it is. I've never been there, remember?"
"Maybe, but Billy, Rocky and Tommy know where to go. Trini, I'm through playing this psycho's game. We have to start doing it our way, or we won't see William again."
"I'm not letting you put yourself in the firing line, Jason. David Ashley and Michael Oliver are both experienced officers. They'll get William back safely. There is no reason for you to do anything stupid!"
Jason stiffened, then got awkwardly to his feet, kicking the boxes back into the closet as his anger exploded.
"Is it so stupid to want to get my son back? Are you telling me I'm stupid because I want to see an end to this?"
Trini rose up slowly, moving away from Jason a couple of steps.
"No. You know I'm not. Don't put words in my mouth, Jason."
"I've let this bastard hold the key for too long," Jason snapped. "It's time to put an end to this bullshit."
Trini stared at Jason in growing concern as he walked over to the bed and dropped to his knees to look under the bed. The last time she had seen him in so volatile a state had been during that uncertain time when they had not known whether William would live or die, so sick was he. Then, nothing she had said or done had helped to calm him down. Now, he was in a frighteningly similar state.
He suddenly straightened up, a shoe box clutched in his right hand.
"What's that?" Trini asked softly.
"Treasure box," Jason told her breathlessly as he got up and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I used it from the time I turned eight to put important things into. Well.... As important as things could be to a kid, I guess. You know, baseball cards, money..... lollies that you don't want your parents to find. And, when I was seventeen...." He lifted a chunky ring of metal with a red band out of the box. "My communicator. I'd forgotten about the box. Thank God Mum always made me clean under my own bed."
Trini was silent for a long moment, then walked over and joined him on the bed. "Do you think it would even still work?"
"I don't see why not. Anyway, it's only for an emergency."
"Do you really think we may need to use any of that again? Jason?"
Jason stared for a long moment at the communicator in his hands before speaking. "I hope not. I really hope we don't, because I'm terrified of what might happen if Tommy gets dragged into it. But I won't sacrifice William just for the sake of keeping the secret."
"I'm scared, Jason," Trini whispered. Jason looked down at her, startled.
"What?"
"I'm scared," she repeated, more forcefully. "I'm scared for William, and I'm scared for you, too. I've come so close to losing you so many times, I don't think I can stand it anymore!"
Jason sighed softly and slid his arm around her, pulling her close.
"You aren't going to lose me, Trini. I'm not going to let Bennett win.
This is personal now, and that bastard is going to pay for everything he's done. I guarantee it."
Trini clenched her teeth for a moment, then looked up at him. "I don't want you going after Bennett alone, Jason. Please, whatever happens, promise me you won't do that."
"I promise," he answered softly, but she thought she read a different truth in his eyes and voice.
The next morning
Trini arrived at the Dojo the next morning, feeling sick to her stomach. She hated what she was about to do, but in the end, she'd seen no other way. Jason was right; unless they started playing this sick game on their own terms, William would be lost. And as much as she dreaded the thought of reactivating the power, she knew there was no other way. If something went wrong, and by some terrible twist of fate Bennett did manage to get Jason, they would have no other choice.
She trudged up the steps, and into the building, her stomach rolling. Just inside the doors, familiar shouts reached her ears and a smile nudged its way onto her face. Tommy was teaching a class, and clearly going hell for leather, as usual. She turned down the corridor, and made her way to the main office, away from the classes that were in session.
"Trini?"
She looked around in surprise, and her face lit up at the sight of Adam, as he emerged into the corridor behind her.
"Adam, I thought you were still on your honeymoon!"
"We got home yesterday morning," he explained as they hugged. "Couldn't afford a long one, but we had a good time all the same."
"That's great," Trini said, managing a warm smile. "Where's Tanya?"
"She and Kat were meeting in town today. So, what can I do for you?"
"I need to talk with you, Tommy and Rocky. It's urgent, Adam. It's about...."
She glanced down, and he followed her gaze. A moment later, his eyes widened at the sight of the communicator she held in her hands.
"What...? I mean, how...."
"It's Jason's. He never got rid of it. I'll go and wait in Tommy's office."
Adam nodded. "Sure. I'll collar go and Tommy and Rocky. We won't be long."
Trini nodded, and disappeared through the office door.
Fifteen minutes later, the men were gathered in Tommy's office with Trini, listening to what she had to say.
"It's about William, isn't it?" Tommy wanted to know. "And that psycho that's after Jason."
"Psycho?" Rocky echoed. "What's going on?"
"William has been kidnapped," Trini told them in a trembling voice. "The man that took him.... He's obsessed with Jason. We know he's going to use William to trap Jason."
"So where does the communicator come into it?" Adam asked quietly. Trini looked down at the metal bracelet that she clasped in a vice-like grip.
"If something goes wrong, and Jason is caught by Bennett, he wants us to go to the Power Chamber, and use whatever we have to to stop Bennett."
Silence met the statement. Finally, Rocky spoke, and his voice was laced with disbelief.
"He's gotta be kidding.... Trini, we can't do that! The Power Chamber hasn't been operational for years! We probably don't even have access to the place anymore!"
"Yes, we do."
Trini, Adam and Rocky all looked around at Tommy in astonishment..
"How would you know that?" Adam asked suspiciously. Tommy stared guiltily at the floor.
"I've sort of been making regular trips there to.... you know.... check on everything. The place is still running, the computers are all working.... And the Zeo crystals and Power Coins are all there."
Stunned silence followed, and then Trini spoke softly. "Tommy, when did you last go up there?"
He finally looked up, and there were mixed emotions on his face. "I only went to check up on the place. I didn't activate anything! I swear it!"
"We believe you," Trini assured him. "But when did you go there last?"
"About seven months ago," he confessed. "I've been going up there once a year. Look, it's not something that I decided myself. Zordon asked me before he shut the main power down and left. He asked me himself if I could go there once a year to check it out."
Rocky whistled softly. "Well, I guess we at least know the place is operational."
"You said the Power Coins were still there," Trini said. "I thought they were destroyed."
"No," Tommy answered. "The power was drained from them, but Zordon discovered a way of recharging them. So there's the potential for there to be ten Rangers at any one time."
Trini bit lightly on her lower lip as she looked down at the communicator.
"Our profiles should still be in the computer mainframe, right, Adam?"
"Theoretically, yes," he replied. "As long as there's been some sort of continual power source going through the place. I couldn't guarantee it, though. When are we going to do this, anyway?"
"It isn't definite," Trini answered. "Jason agreed to work with Chief Oliver and David Ashley first, to try and get William back, but if something goes wrong...." She looked up at them, tears in her eyes. "My husband and son are at stake here. I didn't agree with this at first, either. I still don't, to an extent. But Jason's right. If something does go wrong, and Bennett manages to get a hold of him, we may not have a choice! I'm not going to lose them, and if this is the only way, then so be it."
"We're risking everyone finding out," Adam said softly. "Your dad, Tommy.... Jason's parents..... The police.... Everyone."
"Yeah," Rocky said. "Finding out what we did when we were teenagers. That was ten years ago, guys. We don't have to tell anyone where the Power Chamber is, even if they do find anything else out. And it's not like we'll be chosen if the Power Rangers are ever needed again. They'll choose teenagers, not adults. I agree with Trini. If we need to, I say we use it."
"God forbid we should have to," Adam said. "All right. I'll go along with it."
All eyes turned to Tommy. The young man sat in heavy silence before speaking.
"You know that's why I ended up on drugs? Because of the power."
"We know," Trini murmured. "And we're not pushing you into it. We don't want you to take that sort of risk again."
Tommy stared down at the floor. "Everytime I've gone up to the Power Chamber, I've taken the White Power Coin out of the case, and I've come so damn close to using it. That was always my favourite, you know. Being the White Ranger. When Zordon made me the White Ranger, I felt like I'd finally managed to get rid of all the remnants of evil that went with the Green Ranger. I wanted to use it So bad But I didn't. All that stopped me was being scared of what would happen if I did. And I'm more scared of that unknown than I've ever been of anything else." He looked up at Trini. "But that was just myself. It was only me, and nobody else. My fight. Now it's about you and Jason, and your little boy. I wouldn't do it just for myself. But, if that's what it comes down to, I'll do it for you and Jason. And I wouldn't think twice."
Trini leaned forward, and threw her arms around Tommy in a tight embrace. "Thankyou. All of you. I love you guys so much."
Tommy hugged her back, ignoring the dull stab of fear that prodded at him from deep inside.
"We love you, too. You and Jase both. We'll get William back, and we'll make sure that Bennett can never hurt anyone, ever again."
