Chapter 12 – New Discoveries

Hayley glared at the computer in front of her it had been three days! Three days! And she couldn't find any trace of them! "Still nothing?" Asked Trent quietly making her jump she glanced back at him and shook her head no and turned back to the computer. Trent sighed and looked at the readouts Hayley was looking over and tilted his head to the side thoughtful a half formed idea at the edge of his mind. "Are you sure it was a teleport?" He asked finally frowning Hayley looked at him blankly for a moment numbplused. "What do you mean? You've seen the recording! It was an invisa-portal!" She said Trent just shook his head. "I just..." He trailed off frowning and shook his head "Just, check everything ok? Somethings telling me it wasn't."

Hayley start at him for a moment before nodding slowly and turning back to the computer "Im guessing this hunch of yours is thanks to the grid?" She asked sounding faintly amused Trent winced slightly at that "Um...Maybe?" He said embarrassed "Still don't like that its messes with your head do you?" She asked Trent just shook his head no. "I can't help it, with the crystal controlling me like it did its just...Creepy" He said finally Hayley just nodded and continued to type away as the computer began scanning all realistically possible energy traces which when dealing with Rangers was a truly astounding number. She pushed her chair back and got up "Well its going to take a few hours to finish those scans, you should go home and try to get some sleep ill call if anything happens." She said Trent hesitated "Are you sure I can't just stay here for a bit?" He asked she stared at him with a frown for a moment before nodding "You'll have to sleep on the couch Iv got the guest room."

Trent grinned "No problem" He said and disappeared up the stairs out of the lab Hayley sighed and shook her head "Got your work cut out for you with that one tommy" she muttered and with one more glance at the computer headed up stairs to hopefully get a few hours of sleep before the shit hit the fan.

Messagog smirked from his throne he had won! The Dino Thunder Rangers were no more! He had waited several days to make sure that they weren't going to pop back up anytime soon but just as he had hoped hadn't returned to school, supposedly away for a family it would be time to act there was one ranger left but his hosts son would never be able to hold his own for long, he started laughing soon true victory would be his!

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Tommy glanced over at the younger rangers as soon as the teleport dropped them off, but they all seemed fine. "Wow I'll take that over the invisa-portal any day!" Said Conner with a laugh "No kidding," Agreed Ethan "At least it dons't leave you feeling like you just went through the spin cycle." "Agreed." He said "But we do have a monster to take care of, so lets move it." They nodded and took off the short distance down the street to where the Phantom stinger was blasting cars apart.

They didn't bother to announce themselves just went straight for him landing several powerful hits before Phantom could counter blasting ethan into a car and forcing Kira to jump out of the way. "Fools!" it laughed, "I will destroy you!" "Not likely" Answered Dr.O flatly before shattering the ground under Phantom with his staff and blasting it down the street. "Nice shot Dr.O!" Called Conner as he pulled out his blaster and fired several shots at Phantom while the monster was down making it howl before staggering back to its feet and charging Conner with incredible speed, slamming him into the ground before the red ranger could dodge. It raised a claw to attack again only to be hit with a cascade of weapons fire. The smoke cleared to show the Ninjetti rangers had arrived as Conner used the distraction to brake Phantoms grip and jump away making the monster growl in annoyance and send an energy blast at the new arrivals who scattered before the hit landed. A moment later Phantom staggered forward with a shriek of pain as Kira and Ethan attacked from behind only for the monster to take an energy sphere attack from Dr.O "I was wondering when you guys would get here!" Called Kira brightly as she and Ethan rained shots down over Phantom. "You seem to be doing pretty well, sure you even need the help?" Answered Tommy with a laugh there was a flash of light a moment later heralding the arrival of 2 dozen putties. "You just had to say that didn't you?" Said Connor annoyed as he shot past the white ranger to help his team with the sudden influx of opponents. Tommy declined to answer though knocking a putty to the ground instead and blasting another apart but privately had to agree that hadn't been the smartest thing to say.

Dr.O continued to fight Phantom though allowing the other rangers to worry about the putties as Adam and Kim helped him with the monster. Only a minute later through Phantom gave a frustrated screech and retreated through an invisa-portal a few yards down the street. Leaving them to help clear up the rest of the putties with the others.

"Thats a first." Said Billy thoughtful "I can't say we've ever had a monster retreat before. Tommy nodded and turned to look at the unknown rangers they hesitated looking a bit uncertain for all that he couldn't read their expressions through their helmets once more the black ranger was giving him a decidedly strange vibe. "Tommy? Please ask them to come back to the command center." Called Zordon over the comm Tommy nodded to himself and looked back over at the other rangers "Could you come back to our command center with us?" He asked politely. They hesitated again and all looked at their Black Ranger reinforcing Tommy opinion that it was the black and not the Red Ranger that was in command of the team. He seemed to think about it for a moment before before shaking his head no. The Red nodded and turned back to them "Were going to have to decline that offer, we already did speak to him and explain the situation if we need to contact you we know were to find you." He said and they quickly vanished through the same portal that the monster had, he hesitated annoyed "That was too be expected I suppose, return to the command cen ter." "Right" He answered and they telaported away.

On the other side of the invisa-portal the Dino Thunder rangers looked around checking for anyone before demorphing. Conner rolled his shoulders stretching "Damn I think thats the longest Iv ever been in morph." He said and yawned "Ya really." Agreed Kira she glanced over at Dr.O "You alright Dr.O?" She asked curiously he nodded smiling wryly "Im fine, just strange being around my younger self and seeing Zordon again." He said they all when silent at this looking at each other uncertainly at this. "Don't worry about it, its fine" He continued they nodded "right then lets get back to the hotel it's been an interesting day. Unless you lot want to head back to the youth center?" he asked "well if you guys want to come im heading back over i want to see if they come back." Conner and Ethan nodded "ya me too." agreed Conner Tommy nodded "well good luck don't get caught."

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Hayley opened her eyes blearily trying to determine what had woke her before hearing her phone beep. She snatched it up immediately and flipping it open a string of techno babble streamed across the screen it took only a moment for the significance of the message to penetrate her sleep fogged mind once it did though it was only seconds before she was dressed and down the stairs. Startling Trent out of a sound sleep and causing him to fall off the couch with a thud and a yelp he popped up as she disappeared down the secret staircase looking after her in confusion "wheres the fire?" he asked sleepily "We've got a lead!" she called back up. He quickly untangled himself from the blankets and ran down stairs as well by the time he reached the computer Hayley had already pulled up a map of some kind.

It looked kind of like a cross between a thermal image and a topography map showing mostly a even blue green color, but this changed as hayley zoomed in on the soccer field over the space of about 10 yard the colors went from blue green to dark blue then purple and finally black. "Well its more then we had." said Hayley with a grin Trent just looked confused unable to make any sense out of the map. "Ok, but what is it?" he asked "Simple, Its time" she answered grinning. "That area of black and purple? It shows the presence of a particular energy that's only present after time has been manipulated and what we need to do is reopen the portal."