STRANGERS WITH FAMILIAR FACES

PART THREE

Tommy was performing his least favorite duty. While Billy lay on his stomach on his 'bunk', Tommy cleaned the few cuts that were steadfastly refusing to heal. It was painful for both of them, but they couldn't afford for any of the injuries to become infected.

"You never did answer my question," Tommy stated, trying to distract Billy from what he was doing.

"What question was that?"

"Why you have been so unhappy," Tommy replied.

Billy twisted around to give Tommy a "you have got to be kidding" look. Tommy suddenly realized what he had said.

"I meant before we were kidnapped and brought here," he clarified with a sheepish look. "I pretty well know why you have been unhappy since then."

"You almost had me worried there." Billy said. He fell silent.

"Well? Come on, give. What had been bugging you?" Tommy insisted.

There was a long pause, and Tommy started to think Billy simply was going to refuse to talk about it. Finally in a soft voice Billy replied, "I didn't feel like I was a part of the team anymore."

Tommy looked at him, honestly puzzled. "How can you think that? We depend on you for everything it seems. You are the reason the Power Chamber runs so smoothly, the Zords even exist, and are directly responsible for at least half the victories over Mondo's monsters thanks to your inventions."

"But I'm not a Ranger. I thought I was making the right decision, but then when Rocky got the Blue Ranger powers, I wanted to step forward and tell you I'd changed my mind. But I couldn't. My only comfort was that I could assume the powers if needed in an emergency. Then I tried to assume the Gold Ranger powers and found that the exposure to negative protons had stolen that hope from me. It's not just that I couldn't be the Gold Ranger-I can never be a Ranger again. I felt I had lost the most important part of my life. None of you knew me before I was a Ranger, but I was pathetic. Except for Trini, Kim, Jason and Zack, I had no friends. Even with them I found myself wondering why they let me hang around. Then we became Rangers. I had never experienced the feeling of truly being a part of something, until then. That was almost better than the feeling when morphing. Now it's all gone. I can't stand beside my friends and confront the forces of evil face to face. All I can ever be is a mechanic." The last was nearly inaudible.

Tommy was at a loss for words. He reached out and put a comforting hand on Billy's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I had no idea what you were going through. When I lost my powers I knew I could assume others if they became available. I can't imagine how it would feel to be unable to ever assume those powers again. Are you sure the effect from the negative protons is permanent?"

"It sure looks that way. I haven't felt up to doing a real thorough research into it. I think I'm afraid of what I might find."

"You need to, man. The powers are all different, you might be able to assume the zeo powers. But even if you can't, and I truly believe I can speak for all the rangers present and past when I say this, you will still always be a Power Ranger. Even if you never morph again. No matter where you go or what you do, you will always be part of the team. Let me ask you something: Do you no longer consider Trini or Zack your friends? Do you think less of them because they no longer have the powers?" Tommy asked.

"Of course not!" Billy's answer came so quickly and emphatically it almost startled Tommy. Billy paused a moment, then said, almost as if speaking to himself, "I see what you are getting at. I was attaching too much importance to the powers." His demeanor indicated he was still thinking it over. Tommy stayed silent, giving Billy the time he needed.

"I guess I was not thinking very clearly about this. I also wasn't giving any of you credit for depth of character or loyalty. I feel pretty stupid now." Billy said at last.

"No reason to feel bad about it, we wouldn't take your feelings as an insult. I know how hard it is to lose the powers. It would have been better if you had opened up a little to us and let us help, though. You need to remember you can come to any of us if you need help." Tommy chided him gently.

"I know, but I have a tendency to avoid people when I'm upset. For a guy that's supposed to be a genius, I can be pretty dense sometimes," Billy admitted softly.

"Wasn't it Will Rogers who said 'we are all ignorant, just in different subjects'?" Tommy asked.

Billy turned to give Tommy an incredulous look. Then he suddenly burst into laughter. It hurt his back to laugh, but he did so anyway.

Tommy was completely confused by Billy's reaction. "What? What is so funny?"

"Everything!" Billy laughed, trying to get enough breath to answer Tommy. "It just struck me, I'm lying here, half naked, while you treat my open wounds with rubbing alcohol, discussing the difficulties of losing super powers, and suddenly Tommy Oliver is quoting Will Rogers to me. It is too surreal." He started giggling again.

Tommy looked a little startled, but had to laugh himself. "Yeah, I guess it is kind of weird." He found that once he started laughing, it built in intensity. And the more he laughed, the more Billy laughed.

Until, seamlessly, their laughter turned into the long suppressed tears.

· * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It was such a beautiful day, Kim decided to walk over to Billy's house. She headed out early, remembering that Billy was not a real early bird. She would probably catch him just waking up, with his defenses down, hopefully. Kimberly wasn't too worried. Billy was one of her oldest and closest friends. Unless he was angry with her for breaking up with Tommy, she was not expecting to encounter anything but a pleasant visit. Then she could put Jason's worries to rest and enjoy the remainder of her time in Angel Grove. She only wished Trini, Zack, and Aisha could be here as well. But she could catch up on things with Kat, and finally get to meet the much-talked about Tanya. She was looking forward to that.

She came to the Cranston's door and knocked rapidly. Mr. Cranston, who was obviously on his way out to work, opened it.

"Well, hello stranger. When did you get into town?" he greeted her with a smile.

"I got in yesterday afternoon. You look great! How have you been doing?" she asked.

"Not bad at all. And if I want to keep it that way I'd better not be late for work. Billy! You have company!" he shouted the last upstairs towards his son's room. "He should be right down," Mr. Cranston told Kimberly as he headed for his car.

Kimberly waited just inside the front door. She could hear 'Billy' moving around upstairs.

"Be right down!" The familiar voice brought a smile to her face.

She heard him clumping his way down the stairs. His face lighted up when he spied her standing there, and he advanced with a wide smile.

"Hey, welcome home!" he greeted her with a hug. She returned it enthusiastically.

"Geez, you look good! I can't believe it has been so long. I've missed you," she added.

"I've missed you too. It hasn't been the same since you left. How long can you stay?"

"I have two weeks off. And, believe me, I plan to make the most of it. Don't get me wrong, I am enjoying myself in Florida. But, really, my entire life there revolves around gymnastics. It will be a treat to be a 'civilian' for a time," Kimberly smiled.

"Why don't you join me for breakfast and tell me what you have been up to? My treat," 'Billy' invited.

"Great! Let's go," was Kimberly's enthusiastic response.

They ended up at the Youth Center, where after greeting Ernie and placing their orders they found themselves in a quiet corner where they could talk freely.

"….So, according to Coach Schmidt, I am supposedly on schedule to be in peak condition to compete in the games." Kim concluded her tale of the last few months. "What about you? How are you doing?" she asked after a pause.

"I'm doing great. You know how I enjoy tinkering with all the equipment in the Power Chamber. I can go in there and contentedly lose myself for hours working." 'Billy' replied.

"How are you dealing with the loss of you powers? I know it is difficult. And Jason told me that they had wanted you to assume the Gold Powers, but you weren't able to. Are you okay?" Kim was concerned.

"Yes, really, I am okay. I never was that keen on fighting, I have always preferred intellectual pursuits to physical endeavors. I feel my talents are better suited for more behind the scenes work." 'Billy' assured her.

Kim studied him carefully. Darned if she wasn't having the same very low-grade, subtle uneasy reaction to him as Jason seemed to have. What was going on? This was Billy, for pete's sake. She'd known him forever, she trusted him implicitly. But she felt an almost overwhelming urge to get as far away from him as possible. She decided to cut the visit short and check in with Jason. Something was definitely wrong.

"Um, Billy, I forgot that I had made plans to visit Trini's parents at ten this morning. I better get going if I am going to be on time," she said.

"Oh, okay. I should get to the Power Chamber anyway. Uh, do you think we could get together again later? Maybe I could treat you to dinner?" he asked hesitantly.

"I tell you what, I'll call you later when I have had a chance to get more settled. Okay?" She replied.

"Okay, I look forward to that," 'Billy' responded as he watched her rise from her seat. She gave him a quick smile and headed for the door.

'Billy' watched her go thoughtfully. Her behavior seemed very odd, he found himself wondering if she suspected anything. It might be a good idea to keep an eye on her.

· * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Jason was waiting impatiently for Kimberly to return from her visit with 'Billy'. He couldn't shake the weird feeling that time was running out. That he had no idea what was going to happen when the time did run out didn't change the fact he was experiencing steadily increasing anxiety.

Jason paced around his living room, picking up a magazine from time to time, trying to read it only to toss it down after a couple of minutes. He nearly jumped out of his skin when the front doorbell rang.

"Kim, I've been going nuts waiting for you to get here. Did you see him? Does he seem okay to you? Am I insane?" Jason fired the questions at Kim without giving her a chance to respond.

Kim held up her hand to stop the flow of questions. "Yes, no, and no. Settle down Jason. I've never seen you like this!"

"Sorry. It's just that the tension has been building for almost a week and a half. I don't do as well with mental stress as I do with physical." Jason admitted. "So he did seem a little 'off' to you?"

"Yeah, he did. But I couldn't say why. It is the oddest thing I have ever felt. It was like one of my best friends was lightly covered with a disgusting slime. But so lightly covered you can't even see it. Just sense it. Does that make any sense?" she asked.

"Sort of. I guess the real question is, what do we do?" He replied.

"I was thinking about that on the way over. I think we should talk to the other Rangers first. We have both been away for a time, maybe both of us are jumping at shadows. Besides, we owe them the courtesy of including them in any decision making process. They all have seniority now," Kim mused.

"I agree. But we have to be careful that Tommy and Billy do not get wind of what we are doing. They are the most senior of all, and even if there turns out to be nothing wrong, I don't want to step on any toes." Jason said.

"True. Look, I have already planned to meet with Kat and Tanya tomorrow at Kat's house. Think you can lure Rocky and Adam over there, about eleven?"

"No problem. Tommy had said he was going to go hunting with his brother David tomorrow morning until mid-afternoon. Billy is usually in the Power Chamber. It should be clear," Jason figured. "We should be okay unless Mondo sends down a monster."

"Isn't that always a condition? If he does, well, we will just work around it. I am anxious to see if any of them have noticed anything different."

"You and me both," Jason replied. "And, thank you Kimberly, for being here. I'm sorry to involve you with this problem, but I'm also darn glad to see you."

"What are friends for?" she smiled.

· * * * * * * * * * *

Tommy was working out, going through one of the most energetic katas he knew. He was completely engrossed in the movements, capturing the harmony between body and soul. For a few minutes at least, the horror of recent events faded to the background. In his mind he could be anywhere, someplace warm, bright, and safe, far away from the cold, dark, dank cell. He stretched the kata out to last as long as possible, but eventually he had to come back to reality.

Billy watched his friend enviously. His back was healing nicely, but trying to twist and stretch like that would be inviting trouble. He could mentally remove himself from this unpleasant reality, but it didn't work as well when not using the kata. Imagination was not his strong suit.

The laughing fit, that had turned into a crying jag, a few days before had helped them both begin to emotionally heal from what Mondo was doing to them. The release of their long suppressed rage, hate, pain and fear had left them both with at least a little peace. Despite everything else, they found they were sleeping better, and their temper flare-ups ceased. They were both well aware that Mondo would be back, most likely soon, to have more "fun". They did not need to be wasting precious energy fighting each other.

Tommy finished and dropped down on his "bunk" across the cell from Billy. He was breathing hard and had actually worked up a sweat. But Billy noticed his eyes reflected a sort of inner calm. He had a feeling Tommy was going to need that inner calm to face whatever Mondo had in store next.

"What are you thinking so seriously about?" Tommy asked, noticing Billy's expression.

"Just wondering what is going to happen next. Lets face it, I'm almost healed, so Mondo should be ready to 'play' some more," Billy said.

"I've thought about that. It is driving me nuts that we can't do anything. Maybe this time we should act like we are going along with the program, but try to escape. Maybe we can catch them off guard," Tommy suggested.

Billy thought about that. "I kind of doubt we will catch them that off guard, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to try. We haven't offered much in the way of resistance. Since you are the healthier between us, why don't you go for the cogs and Klank, and I'll try Mondo."

"Sounds okay to me. Mondo shouldn't be too hard, he's a 'king', not a fighter." Tommy agreed.

Though they both knew the chances of escape were somewhere between slim and none, they both felt a little better having a plan. And, who knows, miracles happen every day, just not usually in the Machine Empire Base.

· * * * * * * * * * * *

'Tommy' hurried into 'Billy's' garage lab for their usual meeting. This last week was a school vacation, he had almost forgotten the to show up. He turned and locked the door once he was inside and had ascertained 'Billy' was there as well. He didn't know why exactly, but he had the feeling the two of them were starting to worry the other Rangers.

"About time you got here, I thought you'd forgotten entirely," 'Billy' grumbled.

"I almost did, I guess the memory transfer worked too well, I ended up with Tommy's forgetfulness," 'Tommy' replied.

"No matter. I think we may have a problem, we had better contact King Mondo." One of 'Billy's' first tricks had been to create a 'screen' to protect their transmissions from detection in the Power Chamber. He knew Zordon regularly monitored transmissions throughout the galaxy as a precaution, and they did not need him happening upon one of their transmissions and discovering they were not what they seemed.

He pulled out the special communicator he kept hidden and activated a transmission to the Machine Empire Base. King Mondo first requested an update.

"All the zords are wired, and all but two locations in the Power Chamber. I should have them finished tomorrow, the day after at the latest." 'Billy' reported. "But I think we may have a problem," he added.

"What sort of problem?" King Mondo demanded.

"Kimberly came to visit me this morning," 'Billy' started.

"Who is this 'Kimberly'?" Mondo interrupted him.

"Kimberly Hart was the first Pink Power Ranger. She left the team a few months ago to pursue training as a gymnast and Katherine replaced her. She has known Billy for over ten years. She dated Tommy for about a year. In short, she knows both of them very well. Anyway, she showed up on my doorstep early this morning. I thought I pulled everything off perfectly, but she left rather abruptly. The memories I have of her do not indicate this is a normal reaction. I guess you could say I have a bad feeling about this," 'Billy' concluded.

"'A bad feeling about this'?" Mondo raged. "If you two idiots blow this I will kill you both one piece at a time! I'll make you suffer in ways you could not conceive! I'll make you not only wish to die, but wish you had never been created!" Steam started to come out of Mondo's ears. Both clones were properly worried.

Eventually Mondo settled down. "You," he addressed 'Billy', "get to the Power Chamber and do what you can to facilitate the rapid installation of the final two explosive devices. Does Zordon not have a device that allows those in the Power Chamber to observe activities in distant locations? Then use that device to keep an eye on this 'Kimberly'. You" he indicated 'Tommy' "hang around with them as much as possible today. See if you notice anything out of the ordinary. I want to be ready to spring the trap tomorrow. Get everything in readiness and wait for my command." Mondo signed off without another word.

The two exchanged worried glances. It was almost over, and they were just starting to enjoy themselves.

· * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Kimberly found she did like Tanya a great deal. The girl had a direct, friendly way about her that was extremely pleasant. She was a great addition to the team.

Kat was happy to see the two of them hit it off. She had hoped the three of them could spend some time together while Kim was in town. Though she had had little time to spend with Kimberly before Kim took off for training in Florida, Katherine had felt a strong bond with the first Pink Ranger. And she wanted to better know the young woman who possessed such a kind heart as could forgive Katherine the attempts to hurt her and steal her boyfriend.

"So, what do you want to do today?" Katherine asked Kim when the conversation lagged for a moment.

"Actually, I'm just enjoying sitting around and visiting," Kim said. "At camp the conversations all tend to center around gymnastics, it is a treat to talk about something else. Anything else!" She laughed.

Before anyone could reply, there was a knock at the front door. Katherine opened it to find Jason, Adam and Rocky on the front doorstep. She invited the boys in with a somewhat puzzled smile. What were they doing there?

Kimberly and Jason exchanged a quick glance. Jason turned and locked the front door.

"Kat, is there a back door?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, through the kitchen," she replied automatically.

He went in the direction she indicated and returned in a moment. Again he locked eyes with Kim, and sighed.

"I guess you are all pretty confused. Sorry, we needed to get you all together, but without Tommy or Billy finding out about it," he said.

"Something is wrong with them, isn't it?" Adam asked suddenly.

"You feel it too?" Rocky asked, relief evident in his expression.

"Thank God!" Katherine breathed.

Kim and Jason looked around at the other Rangers in surprise.

"Well, Jase, I guess we won't have too hard a time convincing them something is wrong with the leader of the team," she observed dryly.

They took turns explaining how they had individually come to the same conclusion. But not one of them could explicate why they felt the way they did. But all agreed something had to be done, and soon.

"I would suggest we have Alpha run a scan on both of them. Perhaps they are under some sort of spell," Adam supplied. "He could run it without either of them knowing it was being done."

"That would be a good place to start. Let's all go to the Power Chamber this afternoon. I know Billy is there now, but he usually leaves for lunch at about two." Jason suggested.

They all agreed to meet in the park before going there. There was an undisputed feeling of relief among them, at last they could get to the bottom of things.

· * * * * * * * * * *

In the lower section of the Power Chamber 'Billy' quietly deactivated the auxiliary viewing globe. He had seen enough.

· * * * * * * * * *

Tommy and Billy were resting quietly in their cell. They heard the sound of footsteps approaching and both went to stand at the bars that formed the front of the cell. From the sound of it there was a fairly large group approaching, too large to be just the delivery of their meal. They exchanged a meaningful look-this was it. Tommy reached over and squeezed Billy's hand.

"Good luck," he said softly.

"You, too," came the equally quiet response.

King Mondo, Klank, and a half dozen cogs entered the corridor. Mondo had the whip in his hand, making it obvious what he had in mind.

Klank opened the door and signaled the cogs to enter. Tommy nodded at Billy, then in a flurry of motion attacked the cogs. Billy sidestepped two cogs and Klank, and threw himself at Mondo. The fight was furious, but brief. Klank immediately turned to assist his King, and with the help of two cogs was able to subdue Billy. Mondo then produced a small, deadly looking weapon.

"Stop!" he shouted at Tommy, who looked up then to see how Billy was doing. "Stop this nonsense at once or I will kill him!" Mondo held the weapon to Billy's head. Tommy had no choice but to desist. He glared at Mondo with impotent rage as three cogs grabbed hold of him.

Mondo turned to the sixth cog. "Go ahead," he ordered. The cog approached Billy with a syringe in one hand. Billy saw him coming and struggled, but to no avail.

"What is this?" Billy demanded as the cog administered the shot. "What are you giving me?"

"Just a stimulant. You passed out much too quickly last time," he told the terrified teen. "This will help you stay alert. You wouldn't want to miss anything, would you?" The cogs holding Billy forced him toward the back wall, removed his shirt, and placed him in the restraints.

Mondo turned to Tommy. "I get the feeling you just hate being the observer, am I right? This time I think you should have a more active role." So saying, he tried to place the whip in Tommy's hand.

Tommy dropped the whip as if it were red hot. He turned disbelieving eyes to Mondo. "There is no way I will do this!" he declared.

"Oh, I think you will," Mondo replied. "It is very simple, either you whip him, or I will kill him where he stands." Mondo stepped up to Billy and again placed the weapon to the helpless former Ranger's head. "The choice is yours."

The moment spun out. Tommy was overwhelmed by the helpless rage that consumed him. How could he possibly do this? He found himself incapable of coherent thought or speech. Mondo let him think it over.

Suddenly, a soft voice spoke up. "If I get a vote in this, I'd prefer to be beaten. I can probably survive that. Surviving being shot in the head is considerably less likely."

Billy had managed to twist around enough so he could see Tommy. Tommy couldn't meet his friend's eyes.

"Tommy, please," was all he said.

Tommy slowly bent down and picked up the hated instrument.

"You are to give him eighteen lashes, one for each year of his miserable life. If you try to hold back I will know it, and the lash will not count." Mondo instructed. "You will count the lashes out loud, and believe me, you do not want to lose count."

Tommy made no reply. He tried to shut off his mind as much as possible, to distance himself from what he was about to do. This act went against everything he believed in, everything we believed himself to be. He drew his arm back and dealt the first blow.

Billy had felt the stimulant he had been given start to work. He felt wired, as if he had had five cups of coffee. He was usually careful to avoid overindulgence in caffeine, but the occasions he had, he'd felt like this. It felt as if his nerve endings had been sensitized and an electrical current was running along his neural pathways. That first lash sent pain rocketing through his body and he cried out involuntarily. Oh, God, this was the worst yet. He just hoped he hadn't lied about being able to survive this.

"One."

The next few minutes would be ones neither young man would ever forget. As one was subjected to a mental anguish he could never have imagined possible, the other was subjected to an equal measure of physical pain. In less time than it took to walk across the campus at Angel Grove High, both boys' lives had been changed, possibly forever.

"Eighteen"

Tommy dropped the whip. He turned to Mondo with eyes that burned with hatred.

"Release your companion, and return to your cell." Mondo ordered.

Billy was, unfortunately, still conscious. He was struggling mindlessly against the manacles, sobbing in agony. Tommy had a difficult time releasing him, then had to grab Billy to keep him from collapsing. Tommy could feel his friend's body vibrate with the effect of the stimulant, and shake with the force of his sobs. Trying to keep a grip on him without touching his injured back, Tommy got him back inside the cell. He lowered himself, still holding Billy, to the floor, his legs unable to support them both anymore. He continued to cradle Billy, trying to ease his friend's pain.

"Well, that was indeed the best yet. It will be interesting to see how you both do after this. I will admit, I have been a bit surprised by your resilience." Mondo commented. "Oh, the end of your friends, the Power Rangers, should happen tomorrow morning. After then, there will be no more Zordon, no more zords, no more Power Chamber, and no more Power Rangers. You two will be all that remains. At least for a little while." Chuckling to himself, he left the cellblock with his entourage.

Tommy closed his eyes. "This can't be happening," he whispered to himself. "There must be something we can do."

He forced those thoughts to the back of his mind. Right now, Billy needed him. Tommy maintained his hold on the smaller teen. Billy's sobs had lost their frantic edge, but showed no sign of abating. Tommy held him and murmured words of comfort, trying to help his friend through the pain.

They stayed that way for a long time.

· * * * * * * * * *

Katherine, Kimberly and Tanya waited impatiently in a deserted area of Angel Grove Park, at the spot where they had agreed to meet the boys.

"Darn it, where are they?" Kim fidgeted. "I want to get this over with."

"Here they come now," Katherine supplied, spying the three approaching boys.

"Sorry we're late," Jason said, "We ran into Mr. Kaplan." He rolled his eyes in exasperation with the High School principal.

"Well, lets get going," Tanya replied. "Kim, you can hitch a ride with Kat and me."

With that the five Rangers and one former Ranger turned into pillars of light and teleported to the Power Chamber.

All six immediately turned their attention to Zordon, who looked down at them with a frantic expression. His mouth was moving, but no sound issued forth. Before they could react, they heard an unpleasant chuckle from behind them. They turned to see 'Tommy' and 'Billy'.

"Welcome to our parlor," 'Tommy' said with a sneer. "We have been expecting you."

'Bars' made of pure energy suddenly descended from the ceiling to the floor. They made a circular cage just large enough to contain the six teenagers.

"What are you doing? You guys are under Mondo's control somehow. Fight it! Don't give in to him!" Jason pleaded.

"You don't get it, do you. I'm not Tommy, he's not Billy. They are both incarcerated in the Machine Empire Base. But, three of you have met us both before, just not both at once." 'Tommy' explained.

Adam, Rocky and Kimberly exchanged an incredulous look. These were clones!

"But, how? You stayed in the past 'Tommy'." Rocky stated. "And we blasted you, 'Billy'," he added.

"Oh, I remember what you did to me very well," 'Billy' said. "If I had the time, I'd pay you back personally for what you did. However, I have more important things to do." He picked up an ominous looking device and went to a control panel in the far side of the chamber. He crawled underneath it and went to work installing the device.

"What are you doing?" Adam asked.

"Should I tell them, or let them be surprised?" 'Tommy' asked the room at large. "I think I should tell them. My friend there is planting an explosive device. It is the last of nine such devices, and when they are detonated, they will completely decimate this Power Chamber. In the process they will also do a fine job of terminating all of you, and you mentor too." 'Tommy' looked quite pleased with himself.

"Maybe if we morph, we can get out of here," Rocky suggested quietly. "We should at least try."

They each activated their zeonizer, but they didn't morph.

'Tommy' chuckled evilly. "Won't work. Nice try though. 'Billy' here figured you would try that. There is some sort of interference beam set into the system for that cage that neutralizes your ability to morph. Nifty, huh? I tell you, it helps to have a genius on your side."

The captive Rangers looked at each other in despair. How in the world could they get out of this?

· * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tommy's arms were numb with exhaustion, and both his legs were asleep. He had held his uncomfortable position for an unknown length of time. Billy's sobs had finally abated, though the tremors caused by the stimulant continued. The one time Tommy had attempted to move them, Billy had cried out in pain, so Tommy simply continued to hold his friend, waiting for his pain to decrease to the point he could be moved.

While he waited, Tommy went over what Mondo had told him. There had to be a way to stymie Mondo's plans. But try as he might, Tommy could not see a way.

"So," the voice, soft and hoarse as it was, startled Tommy, he had thought Billy was completely out of it. "So, you want to get out of here?"

"What? Do you have a plan?" Tommy asked gently.

"No," Tommy could feel Billy moving his left arm, seeming to grope for something. "But, I do have a key."

Billy handed the key to the astonished Tommy, who looked down at him with amazement.

"Where did you get this?" A foolish question perhaps, but all Tommy's overtaxed mind could handle at that point.

"Took it off Mondo when I was grappling with him," came the response. "We should move quickly, before he notices it is missing."

"CAN you move quickly?" Tommy asked.

"If it means we get out of here, I can," Billy replied with determination. "Can you help me up?"

Both struggled to their feet. Billy had to steady himself against the wall, and Tommy staggered trying to get his legs to wake up. He finally got his body working as well as he could under the circumstances, and looked over to see how Billy was doing. Billy was unnaturally pale, pain etched deeply in his face and showing clearly in his eyes. But, he was standing, and carefully pulling on his shirt.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," was Billy's response.

Tommy tried the key, and felt excitement surge through him when it worked. He quickly moved to the door at the end of the corridor and repeated the process. For the first time in almost two weeks they stepped out of the cellblock. Thanks to the excitement of their escape, both were suddenly able to ignore their pain and weakness. They moved quickly and quietly toward the area of the Base where they had been taken when they were used to update the clones. They knew there was a teleportation station in that area. They were almost to the throne room when Tommy felt a soft tap on his back.

He turned to Billy, who indicated down a hallway to their right. "The lab is down there, I think," he said.

"So?"

"We should disable those machines if we can. I would hate for anyone else to have this happen to them," Billy said softly.

Tommy nodded in agreement, and they headed down the hall. They entered the deserted lab, and Billy made quick work of finding the vital information centers of each machine. He removed a couple of important looking parts from each, and tore at any exposed wires he saw. Meantime, Tommy searched around until he found a piece of metal about the size of a baseball bat. When Billy was done, Tommy smashed the machines as much as possible, praying no one heard the noise.

When they were finished Tommy checked the hall. So far so good, there was no sign of anyone in the area. They all but sprinted to the throne room, finding it deserted. Billy recognized the device in the far corner from schematics he had seen the in the Power Chamber computer.

"There!" he pointed.

Tommy didn't ask any questions, just followed Billy to the odd looking device.

"This will get us home," Billy explained. "I just need to set coordinates. Where exactly do you want to go?"

"It wouldn't be a good idea to teleport directly into the Power Chamber, I doubt we can, anyway. But that is where we need to go. If we land just outside the Power Chamber,

can we get inside without setting off any alarms?" Tommy mused.

"I can," Billy responded. "I know how to circumvent the security system."

Tommy smiled. "You're awful handy to have around. Let's do it."

Billy leaned over the controls for a couple of minutes, entering information, confirming the location. He turned to Tommy with a triumphant smile.

"Just step this way, we are going home."

Both boys stepped toward where Billy had indicated, and disappeared in a shimmer of light.

· * * * * * * * * * * * *

'Billy' was bustling around the Power Chamber. He had finished setting the last explosive device, now he was setting up the detonator. 'Tommy' helped when needed, otherwise he simply observed the captive Power Rangers.

"You have the memories of the real Tommy, don't they tell you this is wrong?" Jason was trying to get through to the clone.

"Mondo tells me this is right," was the response. "I don't want to know what he would do to us if we fail. What Zedd did was bad enough."

"If you release us and stop what you are doing, we could help you," Adam said. "But if you carry out this plan, you will be beyond all help."

They could all see the confusion in the clone's eyes. There was good in him, had been since he was first created. That goodness was at war with the fear Mondo produced. The battle was decided when 'Billy' walked over.

"Time to call Mondo," he announced.

· * * * * * * * * * * *

Just outside the Power Chamber a portal opened, and two figures leapt out. Billy quickly led the way to a discreet entrance. While Tommy kept a lookout, Billy removed a hidden control panel, and fiddled with the wiring inside. The door slid open and both young men slipped inside.

· * * * * * * * * * * *

"Your majesty, all is in readiness," 'Billy' announced. "The Power Rangers are captive here inside the Power Chamber, as is Zordon. All the explosives are set, ready for me to initiate the detonation sequence. What are your orders?"

"Set the timer and get out of there," was the reply. Mondo's image faded from the screen.

'Billy' punched some commands into the console. "There, detonation is in ten minutes. Let's get out of here," he said, "It's been fun, guys."

'Tommy' turned to 'Billy', but before he could speak, a door at the side of the room opened revealing the real Tommy and Billy. The four of them paused briefly in surprise, then 'Billy' went after Tommy, leaving Billy to deal with Tommy's clone.

Tommy found himself almost too evenly matched against 'Billy'. Tommy's recent period of depravation had weakened him enough to even things out. He found he was going full out, with little success.

Billy was quite obviously overmatched by 'Tommy'. He was only evading blows, not landing any at all. Then 'Tommy' smashed him with a double fisted blow to the back. Billy went down hard with a cry of pain. 'Tommy' closed in for the finish. Something in Billy snapped, he was possessed of an anger he had never known. Three strong kicks later, 'Tommy' lay unconscious on the floor. The captive Power Rangers were astonished.

Tommy had finally gotten the upper hand with 'Billy', a few more blows and he too was unconscious. Tommy looked around to see if Billy needed help, only to see his clone lying on the floor, and Billy working on one of the consoles.

"What is the status?" Tommy asked tersely.

"The detonator has been set, it will blow in about seven minutes," Billy reported.

"Can we stop it?"

"We will have to do it manually. Cut the wires to each device," Billy said.

"Let's do it. Can you get them out of here to safety?" Tommy asked.

"Yep," he punched in some commands. "Done. And I set up a barrier to prevent them from teleporting back in. That should hopefully keep them safe for now."

"Good. Tell me what to do."

With Billy directing, both boys hustled around the Power Chamber, cutting wires on the explosive devices. Then they removed the devices and placed them in a storage container Billy indicated. With only three minutes to go, they still needed to fix the zords.

"We can teleport over there. I will drop the shield." Billy suggested. "The other Rangers will be able to get back here, but we should be finished with the zords before they figure out where we have gone."

They teleported out in twin beams of pure white.

· * * * * * * * * * * * *

Jason was livid. "I can't believe they did this! Sent us out to safety and stayed there themselves. Wait until I get my hands on them."

"It looked like somebody had already 'gotten their hands on them', " Kat observed. "Neither of them looked very well."

"Yeah, and Billy was bleeding," Kim added.

"Will we be able to tell when the shielding around the Power Chamber is dropped?" Rocky asked Adam.

"Yes, our communicators will beep twice. Billy set it up that way," he added.

"Then all we can do is wait."

It seemed an eternity before they heard the twin beeps that indicated they could now teleport to the Power Chamber. Without a word they activated the teleportation controls on their communicators and seconds later were standing in the deserted Power Chamber. Well, deserted except for the voiceless Zordon, powerless Alpha, and two unconscious clones.

Adam hurried up to a console and began to work on getting communications back open with Zordon. Rocky and Jason dragged the two clones over to a corner of the room and activated a containment field. Katherine and Tanya set about reactivating Alpha, and Kim hurried to a side room they used as an infirmary to be sure the "table" was powered up. She figured they were going to need it.

"Rangers! It is good to see you are okay." Zordon's voice boomed out.

"Do you know where Tommy and Billy went?" Rocky asked.

"They are in the zords holding area. There were explosive devices set there as well. My sensors indicate they have successfully removed them all. They should be back here shortly." Zordon reported.

"Ay yi yi yi yi! What happened?" Alpha was back on line.

Before anyone could respond, two beams of white appeared and faded to reveal Tommy and Billy. Billy staggered a little and Tommy hurried to steady him.

"He needs some help here," Tommy said. "Some time on the 'table' is in order."

"Here, I'll take him," Kim offered.

Tommy handed Billy over to Kim's assistance gratefully.

They were finally home.

· * * * * * * * * * * *

Kim sighed deeply. She was waiting for Alpha to get the results on a blood test to determine what Billy had been injected with. Though the "table" was easing his pain considerably, the stimulant was hindering its effect.

It had taken all her control to keep from showing her dismay at the injuries Billy had suffered. She hadn't wanted to upset him with an emotional display, but it was close. How could someone do that to him? The signs of pain still evident on his face tore at her heart.

"Kimberly, I found it. And we do have an antidote, I am preparing a batch now. It won't be long." True to his word, Alpha waddled up a couple of minutes later and administered a shot to Billy. Almost at once the look of pain eased, and he looked at peace.

"Is he okay?" Kimberly was startled by the voice behind her. She turned to see Tommy standing there with a tormented expression.

"He will be fine," she soothed. "Let me take a look at you."

Tommy ignored her and stepped closer to the 'table'. He reached out as if to touch Billy, but the gesture fell short as Tommy sighed deeply. Kimberly had never seen him look so sad.

She gently reached out and guided him to an examination table. "Let me at least run a quick scan over you. You know the rules," she said. Zordon insisted that any Ranger hurt in the line of duty be examined, even if they insisted they were okay. It was a good rule, one that had saved a lot of trouble over the years.

She waved a portable scanner over him and looked at the readings. She sighed, and went behind him to lift up his shirt. He stiffened, but did not move. She examined his back, and consulted the readings again.

"You are okay. A little malnourished, but otherwise healthy enough. Some time on the 'table' will keep your back from scarring," she reported.

"I think I'll just go home," Tommy replied with another long look at Billy. He left without another word.

Adam and Jason came in a couple of minutes later.

"How is Billy?" Adam asked.

Kimberly gave them a quick report, omitting the exact nature of his injuries. Whoever acted as team "nurse" was required to maintain some confidentiality. If the nature of the Ranger's injuries did not pose any sort of threat to the team, it was up to the injured party to disclose the details. During her time with the Rangers, Kimberly had been the team "nurse", she had been told Billy had assumed those duties when she left.

"Is Tommy okay?" Jason asked after Kimberly had finished her report.

"Yes, physically. His mental state didn't look too good though. Is he still here?"

"No, he asked to be teleported to a location near his house. He left his communicator and zeonizer here. We didn't argue with him, Zordon had told us he might do that." Jason looked grim. "This is sure a mess, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is."

Ernie looked over at the group sitting at a corner table in the Youth Center. Usually the teens were animated, talking, laughing, and making plans. Today they sat there in grim silence. And neither Tommy nor Billy was with them. Ernie had not seen either of them in several days. He hoped nothing was wrong.

Jason was deeply troubled. He had tried repeatedly to talk to Tommy and Billy. He was constantly turned away, shut out. He knew the others had tried as well. They could get nothing from either of them, and the entire team was frustrated.

At least the problem of what to do with the clones had been taken care of. Zordon had offered them the option of being returned to Mondo (but with a device implanted in them that would set off alarms if they came back to earth), or being exiled to a distant planet called Seraptus, where exiles from various planets lived communally. The clones had chosen Seraptus, so Zordon had contacted the Acquitian Rangers to arrange the transport. The last they had heard, the clones had arrived there safely.

If only the problem with the real Tommy and Billy could be solved so easily. Jason came to a decision.

"Kimberly, I know that as 'nurse' you are not supposed to divulge information concerning your patients' injuries unless it poses a threat to the team. Well, I feel this is a threat to the team, so I have to ask. Is there something about their injuries that we should know in order to help them through whatever happened to them while they were there?"

Kimberly sat deep in thought for a moment. "They were beaten, you know, like with a whip," she said softly.

The Rangers exchanges unhappy glances.

"The thing is, Tommy had maybe five lash marks on his back, and they were mostly healed. Billy had something like 35-40, the scan indicated three different degrees of healing, meaning he had been beaten three different times. The most recent just before they escaped."

"Why would Mondo beat Billy and not Tommy?" Rocky asked. "No offense intended to Tommy, but he would be the more likely to cause problems."

"Unless he beat Billy to punish Tommy," Jason said with dawning horror. "It would be far harder for Tommy to stand someone else being hurt in his place."

"Oh, God, that would explain his reaction in the infirmary," Kimberly said. "He looked at Billy with so much pain in his expression. I wondered about it then, but put it out of my mind."

"What can we do to help?" Tanya asked practically.

"We need to get them to talk to each other," Jason decided. "Even if they decide they hate each other for what happened, we need to get them to face it."

"How?"

· * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tommy sat on the edge of the cliff on the outskirts of Angel Grove. It was his favorite place to come to think. Not that he had been doing much thinking lately. He had been doing everything in his power to avoid thinking.

He stared out over the city and tried to clear his mind. He was startled by footsteps behind him. Jason sat down on his right, Katherine on his left.

"You're a hard man to find," Jason commented.

"Maybe because I didn't want to be found," Tommy growled in response. "Leave me alone."

"No can do. See, what is happening between you and Billy is affecting the team. We need to do something about it."

"There is nothing you can do. And I am resigning as leader of the team, you should be leader, you always were better at it. No one ever got hurt when you were in charge." The last was nearly inaudible.

"Yeah, people got hurt. Even Billy. You're a great leader, Tommy. You can't give up just because Mondo used your strength against you," Jason said.

Tommy shot him a wary look. "What do you mean by that?"

"Billy was beaten to punish you, wasn't he?" Jason asked gently.

Tommy looked sick. "What makes you say that?" he asked in a tight voice.

"The fact he was beaten several times, and you only once. The fact that I know you well enough to know that would affect you this way. I'm only surprised Mondo figured it out." Jason stated.

Tommy felt curiously exposed, they knew him too well. He felt the pain he had been trying to ignore come back in force. Why were they doing this to him? If they wanted to help they wouldn't hurt him this way. But a part of him recognized that what they were doing was exactly what he needed. His confusion and despair were tempered by the thought that at least they didn't know the worst. There was at least that.

Jason watched the play of emotions on Tommy's face. He hated having to cause his friend pain, but it was necessary if he was to heal. Something told Jason there was still something they didn't know about, something worse than what they already knew.

"There is something you aren't telling us, isn't there? Come on, Tommy, you need to get if off your chest." Jason urged.

"You can tell us anything," Katherine spoke up. "We are your friends, we care about you. Nothing you can tell us will change that."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Tommy said softly.

Jason flinched at the sound of Tommy's voice, it sounded so hopeless. It served to reinforce his belief that Tommy needed to "confess" what had happened. He put a comforting hand on Tommy's shoulder.

"Please, let us help," he said gently.

Tommy couldn't help the tears that came unbidden to his eyes. He knew he needed to tell them what had happened. He realized it was necessary if he was ever to heal and move beyond what happened. He just didn't know if he could get the words out.

"I..I..Mondo.." he couldn't get the words past his locked throat. He took a deep breath. "Mondo forced me to beat Billy the last time," he whispered.

Jason and Katherine exchanged horrified looks. Damn Mondo!

"It wasn't your fault," Jason said comfortingly. "It was Mondo's fault, he did the wrong, not you. Somehow he caught on to the fact that you have an extreme sense of duty, a belief that you have to protect your friends and teammates. That is one of your virtues, your strengths. And Mondo perverted it into something to use against you. You were a victim here, Tommy. It is hard to accept, but you could have done nothing to prevent what he did."

"I'm sure Billy realizes this, too," Katherine added, praying she was right. "You could not have done anything different."

The relief that they understood overwhelmed Tommy. He had been sure they would hate him for what he had done. Their acceptance gave Tommy the confidence to begin to accept what had happened. But there was one more thing he needed.

He needed to know how Billy felt.

· * * * * * * * * * * *

Just outside the Cranston residence two colored columns of light appeared. They dissolved into Adam and Kimberly. They walked up to the front door and rapped sharply. They knew Billy was inside, but apparently he was not going to answer the door. Kimberly was not going to let that stop her. Finding the door locked, she reached up and felt along the top of the porch light. She was rewarded with the key to the front door.

To Adam's amazed expression she explained, "I've known about the key for years, from when Billy and I were kids. Knowing how he and his father are, I figured it would be in the same old place."

She unlocked the door and ushered Adam in. They headed upstairs to Billy's room. The door was ajar, so Kim simply pushed it the rest of the way open. Billy was lying on his bed reading. He looked anything but pleased to see his guests.

"Doesn't a locked door mean anything to you?" he demanded angrily.

"Not when it stands between me and a friend who needs help," Kimberly declared. "And you do need our help."

"No I don't, I'm fine, go away," he grumbled.

"Yeah, you sound real fine," Kimberly said sarcastically. She sat down beside him, her demeanor changed, "I've known you far too long, you can't hide things from me like you can some of the others. What exactly happened to you over there? I know how badly you were beaten, that couldn't be easy to deal with. You need to talk about it."

Billy looked away. "I don't want to talk about it."

"I didn't say anything about 'want', I said 'need'. And you do need to talk about it. Now we could suggest you see a shrink, but about the time you tell them you used to be the Blue Ninjetti Ranger, well, we will be visiting you in a padded room. So, let's avoid that, and you talk to Adam and me." Kim suggested.

"We want to help you," Adam added. "We need you, if not back in the Power Chamber at least as a 'civilian' friend."

"I was beaten, what more is there to tell?" Billy responded. "It was miserable. They did it to get to Tommy, kind of a two for one deal. We both ended up hurting, just in different ways. I suspect it was easier on me, at least it didn't mess with my sense of self. Not like it did Tommy." But didn't part of that statement sound like a lie?

Kimberly gave Billy a searching look. "Are you sure it didn't mess with your sense of self as well? I remember when we were kids, everyone picked on you, and you were the perpetual victim. Then you got stronger, more confident, bullies didn't mess with you anymore. Then Mondo forces you back in the victim role, makes you the helpless pawn in his perverted mind games. That had to hurt worse than the beatings." A look at the expression on Billy's face confirmed she had found the heart of the problem.

He looked away, "I couldn't do anything to stop it. I couldn't even take the beatings stoically. I was reduced to screams, tears. Tommy had to tend to me as if I was a child. It was humiliating, just like when I was younger and bullies would torment me until I cried." Kimberly and Adam hurt to hear the pain in his voice.

"I'm sorry, so sorry you had to go through that," Kim said softly. "But judging from the condition you were in when you got back to the Power Chamber, no one could have endured those beatings stoically. You have nothing to be ashamed of, everyone has a breaking point."

"I suppose. I just had hoped mine was harder to find. Stupid male ego, huh?" he added with a sheepish look.

"Happens with the best of you," Kimberly sighed.

"Do you blame Tommy for any of this?" Adam asked.

"No, I don't. He couldn't have done anything to stop what happened. Like I said, I felt he suffered more than I did in some ways. I think he was blaming himself for events he had no control over. That is why I felt so bad about breaking, it make it even harder on Tommy."

"Think maybe Tommy needs to hear this?" Kim asked quietly.

Billy thought it over carefully. "I haven't even spoken to him since we got back, is he okay?"

"We don't really know for sure. He hasn't been around, and has been as friendly to our inquiries as you were. Jason and Katherine are supposed to be meeting with him now." Adam replied.

"I think maybe I should go there and see how he is myself." Billy said at last.

· * * * * * * * * * *

Tommy was still sitting on the edge of the cliff, flanked by Tommy and Katherine. They had been silent for a long time, simply being with each other in friendship. They heard footsteps approach.

Jason looked up to see Billy standing there. "You guys mind if I talk to Tommy for a bit?" Billy asked.

"No problem, we should be going anyway," Jason replied, looking closely at Billy's expression. Billy looked better than he had in some time, with a determined expression in his eyes.

Once the other two had left, Billy eased himself down beside Tommy. The two of them glanced at each other, and quickly looked away.

"How are you doing?" Tommy finally asked.

"Good, better. You?"

"Okay"

Billy sighed. This was ridiculous, they were as awkward as strangers. "I have been on first dates where I have felt more at ease than I feel right now," he said suddenly. "We need to talk about this Tommy."

"I know, I just don't know what to say to you," he replied. "Do you hate me?" he blurted out.

Billy looked at him incredulously. "Of course I don't hate you. What would give you that idea?"

"My, God, I beat you almost senseless. I can't believe I did that!" Tommy said.

"You saved my life!" Billy declared firmly. "You have forgotten that part. You did it so I wouldn't be killed. I am grateful for that." Billy was faintly surprised to find he really did mean it.

Tommy looked at him with eyes that wanted to believe. "If you feel that way, why have you been hiding away at your house?" he asked.

"I was ashamed," was the soft reply.

"Ashamed? Of what?" Tommy was honestly confused.

"I broke down completely. You had to take care of me, it was humiliating," he said softly.

"Billy, no one could have withstood those beatings. I didn't do that good with the one I got. I found myself impressed with just how tough you really are," Tommy said earnestly.

"You don't mean that," Billy said, more to himself than to Tommy.

"Geez, talk about being tough on yourself. Billy, you broke physically, but you never quit fighting. When you came to after the second beating, the first thing you said was a joke. I was so astonished. Here you looked half-dead, and you are cracking wise. That, my friend, is a tough attitude. You have nothing to be ashamed of." Tommy's sincerity was evident in his voice.

Billy smiled at Tommy, feeling suddenly shy. "Thank you."

"Are you okay now?" Tommy asked.

Billy thought it over. "Yes, I believe I am. Are you?"

"Yeah, I am. I'm ready to get on with life, put this behind me." Tommy stood up. "Guess we better go see the others. They have been pretty worried about us." He offered Billy a hand up.

"You're ready to go back to active duty now?" Billy wondered.

"If they still want me as the Red Ranger, then I'm ready to go back to work. Are you going to resume your Power Chamber duties?"

"Guess I'd better. I think my clone left a bit of a mess to clean up." Billy grinned. "I can be a bit of a slob."

Tommy laughed at that. "Let's go find our friends." He said.

· * * * * * * * * * * * *

The seven friends gathered around the table at the Youth Center were chatting amicably. For the first time in two weeks, all was well with them. Tommy had reclaimed his zeonizer and communicator. Billy was back in the swing of things in the Power Chamber. Tommy and Kimberly had even had a quiet discussion of their past relationship and had decided they were still friends. Things were as close to perfect as they could get in an imperfect world.

"They are showing the new Woody Allen movie at the triplex, I was wondering if you would like to go?" Tommy asked Kat quietly.

Katherine smiled happily. "I'd love to," she replied. She had decided not to mention to Tommy what had happened between her and his clone. She accepted the fact it was not Tommy who she went out with. She would tell Tommy at some point, but not now when he was still feeling a little vulnerable about what had happened.

"Oh, I've heard that movie is great!" Kim enthused. "Maybe I can get someone to ask me to attend it?" She nudged Billy pointedly.

"What?" He had not been listening to their conversation.

"You were getting ready to ask me to the movies," she explained.

"I was? Ouch! Okay, I was. Kimberly, will you do me the honor of attending a movie with me?" He asked.

"Of course, I thought you'd never ask," she demurred as the others chuckled.

"You and me both," Billy muttered.

That produced another laugh and a kick to Billy's shins from Kimberly.

When they had quieted, Tommy suddenly spoke up.

"There is one last thing that is bothering me. Billy, how in the world did you defeat my clone? I mean, he was healthy and you weren't. How did you do it?" The snickers from around the table puzzled Tommy.

"I, um, used a maneuver he was unfamiliar with." Billy was blushing.

Jason snorted a laugh into his hand, while Rocky and Adam had lowered their heads onto their arms to suppress their laughter. The girls were all giggling softly.

"What maneuver was that?" Tommy asked.

"Uh, one that is not exactly regulation," Billy hedged.

Jason couldn't take any more. "He fought dirty! Kicked him in the groin, then in the head. Quite efficient."

Tommy turned to Billy. "YOU fought dirty. I'm shocked. Just shocked." He shook his head in mock dismay.

"I know, that is why I won. 'You' weren't expecting it. It pays to be unpredictable sometimes."

"I guess the important thing is that it is over. We are together, and we're all okay." He held out his right hand.

The other six at the table quickly overlaid his hand with theirs. They looked at each other and very softly said:

"Power Rangers!"

The end.