"We are, but not until later," Tommy replied. "Where's here?"
"A friend's dojo. Why do you think I had you borrow some of Mom's old leotards; we didn't exactly pick up anything for you to spar in."
"Speaking of which," Kim began as she squirmed in her seat, trying to unwedge the burgundy Lycra from the crevices it had worked itself into, "how did your father manage to shrink this so badly? It's even too small for me!"
"That's Dad for you. Boy, was Mom pissed; that was one of her favorites."
"I sure hope you know how to do laundry better than he does." The pair cut through the alley to the main street. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Kim wondered as she eyed the darkened front of the dojo.
"If you're going to kick my butt, I want to be able to land on something soft," Tommy teased.
"I doubt I can kick your butt," she replied.
"You've been out running killer robots that make Dimetria nervous, and I'm out of practice." Tommy tried the door and found it locked. "Where is he? I told him we'd be here at 6:30."
Kim glanced at her watch. It was just that now. "If he's a friend, he probably knows how punctual you are and set the alarm for 7:00."
"Shows you what you know. Uncle John runs a tight ship. If he says eight, he means it; if I want to drive, I have to be on time." Tommy backed away from the storefront and scanned the windows to the apartment overhead. He picked up a pebble and tossed it at the window.
"What are you doing?" Kim gasped.
"Trying to wake him up." He tossed a larger stone. "Yo! DeSantos! You've got company!"
"This is Rocky's dojo?" Kim queried nervously.
"Uh huh. I couldn't exactly get us into the Youth Center at this hour." Tommy hurled up another stone. "Come on, Rocko, wake up!"
"Sh!" Kim scolded. "You'll wake his neighbors!"
"Cut it out before you break my window!" the owner of the dojo and apartment hollered down as he threw open the window.
Kim felt a tug on her heart as she realized how long it had been since she had last seen Rocky.
"Tommy? Izzat you?" Rocky queried as he rubbed his eyes.
"Yes. I told you 6:30."
"I know, but it's you. I set the alarm for 7:15."
Tommy quickly shot Kim a warning look, and she swallowed her giggle. "Just come down and open the door. We don't have a lot of time."
"Aw right, aw right."
Rocky disappeared inside, and a few minutes later Kim and Tommy saw the lights come on in the dojo. Tommy motioned for Kim to slip behind him; she had the feeling he hadn't told Rocky what was going on. She grinned. Rocky opened the door and attempted to tame his sleep-styled hair which had begun to grow out. She noticed that he had rather hastily thrown on the pants from his gi.
"You owe me big time for this, buddy," Rocky grumbled. "You never told me why you had to be here so blessed early."
"Because I have to be at the track at eight."
"So where's this kid you're going to be giving lessons to?"
"Right here," and Tommy stepped aside.
"Hi, Rocky."
Rocky gaped at her in disbelief. "Kim?"
"It's good to see you again," she murmured as she hugged him.
"When'd you get back in town?" Rocky fumbled as he ushered her inside.
"Two days ago."
Tommy had already kicked off his shoes and was stretching out. "Tell you what. Let me go get some caffeine and get some decent clothes on, and we can get caught up while you guys spar."
"Sure, Rocky."
The former Blue Zeo Ranger hurried up the stairs, a million questions darting through his mind.
"Are you out of your mind?" Kim hissed at Tommy once Rocky was gone.
"What?"
"Bringing me here! It's too dangerous. What if the mercytes show up? They could destroy Rocky's dojo... or worse, come back when we're not here and retaliate. Why do you think they torched the motel?"
"Just take it easy, Kim," Tommy soothed. "We'll make sure that the sleazebuckets don't realize he's helping you. They probably haven't had me under surveillance for long. So maybe I come here every morning to work out before going to the track."
Kim just shook her head and sighed. "Where's the back door to this place?" It was startling for Tommy to see the change in her--from woman to warrior. On one level, it hurt to see her so cold and serious. He had tried so hard yesterday to break through that tough exterior; he thought he had succeeded. However, this was how Kim had managed to keep herself alive for over a year; now that he was involved, Tommy couldn't afford to discount it. He had to remind himself that the woman was still in there; it just wasn't her time.
"You ready?" Kim queried, kicking off her shoes as she returned to the main studio. She paused to roll up the legs on the too-large gi trousers.
"Sure am."
"The sooner we wrap this up, the better I'll feel--for Rocky's sake."
Rocky headed back down the stairs, a cup of coffee in hand. Already he could hear his friends' ki-yais and the slap of bare feet against the mats. He couldn't believe it; Kim was back! And it was pretty obvious that she and Tommy were a couple once again. What happened with Kat and Tommy? Although, he had to admit that the two had started drifting apart a while ago. There was that couple of weeks right after Tommy had been brainwashed when it looked like their relationship was going to take off, but nothing seemed to happen. He supposed it really didn't matter; Tommy looked happier than he ever had since Kim left for Florida... and why wasn't she in Florida? Wasn't she supposed to be competing at the Pan Globals? It was the whole reason she left! Yet, in watching the preliminaries last night, he had noticed that she hadn't been there, but it hadn't really registered.
He took a seat on the stairs and sipped his coffee as he watched the two run through a couple of exchanges. Tommy was really out of practice. It was kind of sad to see; he had always been so good. The skills were still there, though; he just needed to start using them more. He hoped Tommy would take time to workout more--he was planning on having Tommy do some guest teaching in return for this favor.
Even more remarkable than Tommy's rustiness was Kim's sharpness. It was obvious she knew a little more karate than she had as a Ranger, but it was her other fighting skills that struck Rocky. There was an edge to her that she had never had before... a coldness and an almost lethal determination.
"Okay," Tommy began, his words disrupting Rocky's thoughts. "Ready for the real thing?"
"I'm always ready for the real thing."
Rocky could tell she was deadly serious. "You come at me as if I was one of the sleazebuckets...."
"They always attack first, Tommy. I've never taken the offensive with them."
"Okay. How's this... halt, intended target! Resistance is futile; you will be assimilated!" To accompany Tommy's teasing words were movements reminiscent of Frankenstein. As Kim glared at him, he caught her around the waist and started tickling her.
"Tommy!" she snapped, clearly not in the mood to play. "We had our fun. This is serious now. Please... this isn't like when we faced Zedd and Rita; I don't want to lose you to these things."
"I know. It'll be all right, Kim. I promise you," he assured her, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek.
"Come at me full throttle--like you would putties or tengas or whatever other goons you faced," she instructed.
What followed next came as close to frightening Rocky as anything he had ever seen as a Ranger. It wasn't Tommy's attack so much--he came at Kim with a devastating combination of kicks and punches--as it was Kim's responses. She met his assault with a ferocity Rocky had never seen in her before, and she wasn't pulling punches. The longer they sparred, the more he could see that she was dead earnest about what she was doing, and this began drawing Tommy in as well. Old reflexes and instincts started kicking in. His moves started losing some of their dull edges. Rocky nearly dropped his mug as Tommy grabbed a practice katana and resumed his attack; Kim rolled away from the sword stroke and came up by the bo staves. She snatched one up and continued meeting Tommy's advance.
"Shit," he whispered in awe as Kim planted the staff and whirled herself around it, catching Tommy in the midsection with both feet. What had happened to Kim to turn her into such a deadly fighter?
Breathing heavily, Kim stood over Tommy, the end of the staff poised above his throat and a foot resting on his sternum. Those were two of the mercytes' weaker points--the casing about the throat was thinner than anywhere else, and a good hit to the chest panel invariable shorted out all sorts of things. It took a moment for her senses to clear... to recall that this wasn't one of the assassins, but her boyfriend--her lover.
"Tommy...." she ventured hesitantly.
"I was right about needing the mats," he joked without humor. "Okay, this gives me a really good idea of where your fighting skills stand... boy, Zedd was lucky you couldn't fight like this as a Ranger otherwise...."
Kim held up a hand to silence him, feeling the hackles on her neck rise. "They're here," Tommy murmured as he scrambled to his feet.
"I'll draw them away from the dojo," Kim responded as she dashed for the back door.
"The vacant lot!" Tommy called after her.
"Would you mind telling me what's going on?" Rocky demanded, abandoning his seat on the stairs.
"Spar with me, Rocko. Make it look like we do this every morning," Tommy ordered in clipped tones--an echo of his former command voice.
"What's going on?" Rocky queried even as he obeyed. Old habits died hard.
"What you don't know won't get you killed."
"Tommy, if you guys are in trouble, I want to help."
"Not this time, Rocky. I should never have come here... I just wasn't thinking," Tommy murmured as he bowed to his friend. It took every once of will power he possessed not to look at the windows.
"Good Lord!" Rocky gulped, catching a glint of silver passing before the school's window.
"Don't draw their attention," Tommy hissed through clenched teeth.
"What are those things? They look like cogs on acid or something."
"Scanners indicate that the intended target is moving north by northeast, approximately 100 meters from our present position," one unit reported, the cold tones penetrating the windows of the dojo.
"Intended target... you mean those things are after Kim?"
"Rocky, don't get involved," Tommy warned. "They're robot assassins sent back in time to kill Kim--and anyone who helps her. I butted in before I knew what was going on--not that knowing would have changed things--but you've got your school to think of. If you get involved, those things could come after you at any time, possibly while you have innocent students around. They don't care who gets caught in the crossfire."
As the hunters moved off, the two ceased going through the motions. Tommy dashed to the window. "Man, I hope they bought this. Look, Rocky, I gotta go help Kim."
"Have you at least called the Rangers?"
"Yes, they're doing what they can to stop these guys at the source. Kim and I just have to keep ourselves alive."
"Don't go out the front," Rocky cautioned as Tommy reached for the door handle. "They may still be watching this place. Out the back, down the alley, and two rights will get you to the vacant lot ahead of those bozos."
"Thanks, Rocko."
"At least let me know how you guys are doing, okay?"
"Sure. I'll be back for my lessons, racing and robots permitting."
The empty lot was a war zone by the time Tommy arrived. The mercytes moved faster than he thought... or there were more of them than he had estimated. Kim dove for cover behind the remains of a brick wall; her shelter shortly erupted in a blaze of light. She rolled clear, coming up with a length of pipe. She swung at the assassin converging on her, smashing it hard in the chest plate and sending it crashing to the ground. She tried to run again, but her feet slipped out from under her, taking her out of the line of fire. To her credit, she continued moving, but always on the defensive. Still, it astonished Tommy to see how difficult it was for the automatons to hit one unarmed human. Either Dimetria highly overrated their capabilities, or being sent back through time affected them more than the Rangers' mentor anticipated. Kim hurled a brick with frightening accuracy and nailed another unit in the face, destroying its optical receptors.
_Two down, six to go._
Tommy knew Kim couldn't keep up her pace forever, and she was rapidly running out of places to duck out of sight for a temporary respite. Also, the longer the battle waged, the greater chance there was of the neighbors waking up, coming out, and possibly being hurt. He knew what he needed to do--Kim had told him all she could about the hunters on the drive over.
It was hard to stifle the sharp ki-yai, but he forced it back as he slammed hard into the back of one of the robots. His momentum carried him forward, and he quickly aimed for the chest panel of the next assassin. However, it was not his intent to take the tin cans one on one. Diving and rolling to dodge a lethal blast, Tommy came up with one of the hunter's weapons and started firing. Guns had never been his preferred weapon as a Ranger, and it had been a while since he had fired one. His shots did only marginal damage.
"Kim, get over here! I'll cover for you!" He lay down a swathe as best he could; Kim arrived at his side a fraction of a second before a probing beam.
"Here," he offered, handing her the heavy gun; this was not the time to try and be macho. "You're a lot better shot than I am--always were."
Kim hefted the weapon far more easily than he had. "You always were better with the sword," she murmured and started picking off her targets with deadly accuracy. She had never taken the offensive before; it was different knowing there weren't living beings inside the suits. It felt good to cut loose at last. Her attackers fell under her marksmanship, and Kim offered silent thanks to the punk who had taught her how to shoot. "By the way, which one did you get this off of?"
"The one with the smashed chest plate. Why?"
"If I shoot him, the gun dissolves too. Whoever the gun comes from, goes last," Kim instructed.
In a matter of moments, the gunfight was over. Kim and Tommy were the only two left standing.
"Did we get them all?" Kim wondered, discarding the weapon before the metal melted. "I think so; I don't see any of them," Tommy replied, eyeing the smoking remnants of their assailants. "Are the assaults always like this? Once you started shooting, they fell awfully quickly."
"This is the shortest attack I've ever been through," Kim answered, "but then, I've never really fought back before. It was always more just doing what I could to get away or simply outlasting them. Their power supply is limited--I have waited them out before--but they have a good three or four hours in them usually. You're right, though; that seemed almost too easy."
"Well, it was after you got the gun. They probably didn't expect you to go for the jugular."
"They'll be expecting it next time," Kim said grimly. "They learn from their mistakes."
"We'll be ready for them," Tommy remarked soberly. He noticed that she was shaking, and he wrapped his arms around her. It wasn't until he caught Kim's concerned glance that he realized that he was shaking too. He smiled bravely as he wiped at the smudges on her cheeks. They stood drawing strength from each other for several moments.
"We should get out of here; I don't think they'll bother us again until tomorrow at the earliest," Kim said at last. As she stepped off to head back to the parking lot, Tommy noticed that she was walking gingerly, favoring her right ankle.
"You're hurt," he said as he hastened over and slipped an arm around her waist.
"It's nothing..."
The fight was behind them, so neither thought to look back. If they had, they would have discovered that Kim had vaporized only seven of their assailents.
"Field Unit Six to Command Unit. Awaiting further instructions."
"Reroute remaining power supply to essential motor functions and assume surveillance mode. Engage cloaking field."
"Field engaged. Unit Six in pursuit of target."
Part VII
John glanced up at the clock as he finished the last of his coffee. It was 7:30. "Watching the clock isn't going to make Tommy get here any faster," Jessica chided gently. "At least he phoned to say that he was staying at the house. It'll take him a while to get across town."
"I know; it's just that...." He didn't need to voice his concerns; he could see them reflected back at him in his wife's eyes.
Suddenly, he heard a car pull up outside, and John was out of his chair in an instant. His relief at seeing Tommy's truck was marred when he saw the condition of the occupants. Bedraggled and smudged with dirt, clothes torn and worst of all Tommy helping a limping Kimberly told him that they had had a busy morning.
"Are you two all right?" he queried as he came out to help.
"We ran into some of my friends," Kim quipped somberly.
"Kim hurt her ankle...." Tommy began.
"I just twisted it; it's no big deal," Kim demurred. "I've sustained worse damage than this."
"Let's get you inside, and Jessica can take a look at it," John recommended. With a sigh, Kim ceased resisting and allowed the two to usher her into a chair. Tommy hovered nearby as his aunt went to fetch the first aid kit.
"Tommy, I'm all right," Kim assured him, giving his hand a squeeze. "Your aunt can take care of me, so why don't you go get cleaned up and changed. You're due on the track in half an hour."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, and I'll join you out there as soon as I'm cleaned up."
As he observed the pair, John shook his head. "How can you be so calm and accepting about all this?"
"It's the only way I've stayed alive," Kim said bleakly. "It's been my life for the last year."
"It's not going to be your life for much longer," Tommy vowed. He bent down to give her a kiss, and she favored him with a sad sort of smile.
"Go on," Kim ordered in a whisper. She waited until Tommy disappeared down the hall before tugging off her shoe, wincing as she did so.
"Okay, let's have a look at that ankle, and... good Lord!" Jessica gasped upon seeing the bloody mess that were the soles of Kimberly's feet.
"There was a lot of broken glass and sharp metal in that empty lot," Kim explained with a shrug. "There wasn't time to put my shoes on. None of the cuts are deep, but I think there might be some glass in a couple of them."
"Why didn't you say something to Tommy; you shouldn't have been walking on these!"
"I suppose I should have... I'm just not used to having someone else to rely on yet. Please, don't tell Tommy, though. It'll only worry him, and he doesn't need the distraction right now."
"I think he likes worrying about you," Jessica murmured, smiling. "All right. Let's clean some of these cuts..."
Kim found herself unable to get the tune out of her head as she emerged from the trailer; well, Tommy had warned her about his aunt's love of music. Jessica had the stereo going almost constantly.
After having her feet tended to and a nice hot shower and a nap, she felt like a new woman _... a woman who's very much in love!_ To that end, she decided to take a little more care than usual in getting dressed. It had been like old times--except for the limited selection offered by her wardrobe. However, there had been a few things in those bags that she had been surprised to find... like the white shorts which had a three inch inseam (if that!) and the hot pink cropped halter. She shook her head, knowing exactly how they had wound up in with her selections. The next time she and Tommy went shopping, she was going to have to pay closer attention to what he was doing. Still, she had to admit that it wasn't a bad choice. The clothes were extremely flattering, and since Tommy had picked them out, she knew he'd like them on her.
As she headed to the infield, Kim felt lighthearted, almost giddy. It was all she could do to keep from skipping. The early morning attack meant that the rest of the day was hers. Normally that meant getting on the bike and hitting the road; if she kept moving, it made it harder for the mercytes to track her down. She wasn't running any more. Angel Grove was her home. This was where she was happiest. This would be where she made her stand with Tommy at her side. There would be time enough for planning later. For now, she was going to watch Tommy's practice, catch a little sun, and maybe the two of them could spend a little more time together.
In spite of her sore feet, there was a spring in her step as she passed Tommy's truck and her motorcycle. It still struck her as funny to think that she owned a motorcycle; that was more up Tommy's alley. She ran her fingers absently across the worn seat and tapped her helmet. She noticed that the paint was chipping off, and she scraped at the black flecks revealing more of the color underneath. Admittedly, she had been impulsive in buying the helmet, but the design had spoken to her somehow. Yet, it stood out like a beacon, which was why she had taken to painting over it. Ultimately, it hadn't mattered what her helmet looked like; the mercytes had always been able to find her. With a shrug, Kim collected her head gear and took it along.
"Better, much better," John murmured as he checked the stopwatch.
"Amazing what a day off can do," Eddie muttered. "Has he had any complaints about the tire?"
"None; I think you got it this time," John replied, "and I think it's more than merely having a break."
"Hey, John!"
Both men looked up at Kim's hail.
Eddie let out a low whistle of appreciation. "What's she trying to do--cause an accident?"
John simply shook his head in amazement. _And she trashes killer robots?_
"Think Tommy can handle her?"
"A lot better than you could." The two fell silent as Kim bounced over.
"How are you feeling, Kim?" John queried.
"Lots better. Jess said I should come down here to the pits to watch Tommy practice," Kim said.
"No problem. You'd be too exposed up in the stands," John agreed, and he heard Eddie bite back a chuckle.
"How's he doing?" Kim shaded her eyes against the glare as Tommy streaked past.
"Really well. I think he'll do fine at the time trials this weekend."
"I'm glad. I was so worried that he'd be too distracted with worrying about me and the mercytes that he wouldn't be able to keep his mind on driving."
"To be honest, I think this is the most focused I've seen him. If you don't mind me saying so, you coming back and working things out--robots included--is the best thing to happen to him." His words made Kim blush.
"If you're going to be in the pits," Eddie interjected into the following pause, "I'd better find you a coverall."
"Any particular reason?" John teased his crew chief.
"So she'll blend in better."
John did his best not to laugh.
Kim was perched on a stack of tires purposefully scraping the paint off her helmet when Tommy pulled in for a break. She had donned the pair of coveralls that Eddie had scrounged for her, and her hair was tucked up into a team cap.
"Hey, Beautiful," he greeted, sweeping her into his arms and kissing her. "Where'd this come from?" He plucked at the jumpsuit. "You sure make it look good, but I think I liked what you had on when you first came down to the pits."
"I didn't know you saw me," she answered. "Eddie thought it'd be better camouflage if I dressed like everyone else here."
"Eddie probably didn't want the crew to fall all over themselves drooling over you."
"Tommy...." She playfully swatted him. "We're going to have to talk about your taste in my clothing."
Tommy shrugged. "Can I help it if I know what I'd like to see you in?"
"Oh, you...."
"What are you working on?"
Kim handed him her helmet. She had almost completely uncovered the vibrant pink bird done in stylized flames against a white background. "I saw no reason to keep it covered up anymore."
"It suits you," Tommy remarked, thinking of her former affiliation with the firebird. "So, when do I get to have a ride on your bike?" It had been a while since he had sold his motorcycle; he had traded it in shortly after he and Kim had first started dating. Side-by-side seating was much more convenient on dates.
"When I get to drive your race car," Kim quipped.
"Okay, hop in."
"What? You're not serious...."
"Sure I am."
"Tommy, I couldn't... your uncle wouldn't want me driving his car!"
"You've driven machines far more sophisticated than this; you could handle it. Besides, Uncle John has headed back to the trailer. Just take it out for a couple of laps."
"Tommy..." Kim protested, albeit a little more weakly. She had wondered what Tommy saw in driving a car in circles really fast. It just didn't make sense to her. "I shouldn't... what if someone on the crew sees? I don't want to get you in trouble."
"They're all busy. Besides, if you wear my helmet and I wear yours," he began, placing his head gear on her then slipping the pink firebird on himself, "nobody will know the difference."
A wry grin tugged at the corner of her mouth. "You don't think the fact that the person in the pink bird helmet is a foot taller than before and completely lacking a figure will go unnoticed? I'm surprised that thing fits you. Although, it is a little large on me. I didn't even care about the size when I bought it."
"Maybe I'll borrow it for luck during the time trials," Tommy teased. "So, are you going for a ride or not?"
"Will I regret this?" she sighed as she allowed him to conduct her to the car.
"You won't know until you try."
Kim's worries about being seen were not unfounded, simply misdirected as emotionless red orbs recorded her and Tommy's every move.
"Okay, let's get this thing parked and get busy," John said as he pulled past the entry gate to the Angel Canyon Speedway. "I'll see if I can pry Tommy out of bed."
"I'm surprised you let him sleep in," Jess remarked teasingly. "Normally, you prefer him to ride shotgun."
"He probably could use the extra couple hours after the past two and half days. Besides, it's not like we had to drive clear across the country to reach the track."
"A good thing, too, since neither one of you can navigate worth a damn."
"Don't worry, dear; you will never be out of a job when it comes to that." Giving his wife a quick kiss, John headed for the back of the RV. He quietly padded through the trailer to the "living room." It gave him a moment's pause to find Tommy and Kim snuggled together on one of the pullout beds. It wasn't like they had done anything... both were still dressed and on top of the covers, so they probably fell asleep watching TV or something. Still, Jan probably wouldn't be too happy if he let that continue. He wondered if he should have a talk with the boy--no, Tommy was hardly a boy. He was a grown man, one who had been a Power Ranger. If that hadn't taught him responsibility and accepting the consequences of one's actions, nothing would. He reached over to tap Tommy on the shoulder--no sense in waking Kim, too--and was caught by a well-thrown elbow. John fell back with a groan, clutching his midsection.
"All right, who... oh geez! Uncle John! I'm sorry," Tommy sputtered, scrambling out of bed to help him up. Kim was also at his side in an instant.
John found it amazing that for two people who had been sound asleep moments ago both Tommy and Kim were wide awake and what he'd call battle ready. "I'm okay. That'll teach me to try and tread quietly around you two."
"I'm sorry. I've gotten in the habit of punching first and asking questions later," Kim apologized. "I guess it's already rubbed off on Tommy."
"Don't worry about it, Kim. I'll know better next time. Anyway, we're at the track. We've got our pit assignment; we need to get set up and find out when you're scheduled for practice laps," John said.
"Give me a minute to get changed, and I'll be right out," Tommy answered, still looking slightly sheepish at having nailed his uncle.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Kim queried.
"We can use every hand we can get for set up," John replied. "I'll see you both in a bit."
After getting the car and the equipment unloaded, Kim found herself somewhat in the way, so she left the team in the pit and wandered around the infield. The stadium was full of noise as other cars were doing laps or warming up. She didn't like it; she wouldn't be able to hear the mercytes' teleportation effect. Those split seconds were often the only advantage she had. She had been on edge all morning; the hunters would be back. It was more than just knowing their schedule; she could feel it deep inside, and this time it wasn't going to be a hit and run. This would be it: the last stand. To that end, she had dressed in her jeans and boots in spite of the heat.
"Kim!"