Power Ranger Ninja Storm, Heather Ray [best classic romance novels txt] 📗

thoughts as I try to visualize just what I am capable

of doing if I had to. "And you know what? I might even lie to a totally innocent person I barely know, just to get my hands on the lowlife that hurt my family."

She folds her arms tightly, almost as if she'd gotten a chill. "I...don't know what I'd do," she admitted, turning her face to the sky. "But I should've been more careful. I could've brought him to the hospital...hell, Cam even told me to do that

!"

I set my hands on her shoulders. Here we go again, playing the Blame Game. "Tori, you acted on instinct. You saw a person injured, and you recognized the only way to save him. Do you honestly think a hospital would've even known how to help him?"

She shrugged vaguely in response.

"Trust me, you did the right thing. You're always willing to help someone who's hurt. That's just the way you are." I touch her chin with my fingers, raising her face to meet my reassuring grin. "And that's just the way you should

be. Got it?"

It takes her a while to respond. Her lips purse and eyes blink furiously, trying to fight back the moisture I see collecting at the edges. But finally, she nods. And I think she means it.

"Good." I take a step back, meaning to give Tori some space, when she catches my hand. Surprised, I stare into her misty eyes... but more importantly, I see the beginning of a grin pull the edges of her lips.

It's not the perky smile I'm used to, but I'll definitely take it!

"Thanks," she murmurs.

My smile widens as I throw my arm over her shoulder. "Anytime."

We head back toward Ninja Ops, and we're only half an hour late for practice. Not too shabby, if I do say so myself. Maybe I should look into becoming a therapist when I grow up...

"Dustin?"

"Yeah?"

"When did you get so smart?"

I glance down at Tori, my eyebrow quirking at the curiosity burning in her eyes. "Ouch!" I declare, theatrically pounding my free hand to my chest. "Jeez, Tor, I'm not completely

brain-dead!"

She starts to laugh at my antics, and the sound is just music to my ears. It's the first time she's laughed since our last mission, and it strikes me as I realize how much I missed it.

Part Four: Distraction

Hunter reflects on the changes in his brother.

Author's Note:

This will be an alternative to the events in "Return of Thunder."

injecting some more angst and suspense. This particular installment is in Hunter's voice.

Chapter Five

I watch the sun slowly climb into the sky, the light stretching above the high mountains to cast its warmth on me. Daylight crawls along the landscape, burning away the shadows that lurk amidst the rubble.

I stare out at the devastation, my jaw clenching as the sun reveals the truth. Charred wood. Shredded rice paper. Crumbled concrete. Dilapidated brick walls. Fallen trees. Scorched earth. And the utter silence of emptiness. Not a soul lives in this pothole that was once the legendary Thunder Ninja Academy. All that's left is the skeletal remains of the buildings, and the lingering smell of smoke and ash.

It was my home. It's the only refuge Blake and I have left. The only resources available to us are whatever survived Lothor's unprovoked attack. We have to fend for ourselves, and depend

on ourselves, if we'll ever achieve our goal.

Never has my life been in sharper focus. Never have I had a greater purpose. There is a devil above me, flying high in that blue sky, looking down and laughing at me. Mocking my gullibility. Boasting his

own cleverness for deceiving my brother and me to attack his enemy. Confident that he is untouchable, that all we can do is helplessly glare up at the sky and shake our fists in outrage.

Heh. We'll see who has the last laugh. He might be powerful and cunning, but so are we. His arrogance will be his undoing.

In a few short hours, Blake and I will be standing over Lothor's dead body.

I take a deep breath, welcoming the start of a new day. This

is the day we will make our parents proud.

I jump over debris as I make my way to a small clearing, where I add the box of odds and ends I just collected to the pile of supplies we've scavenged. A quick calculation convinces me that we can carry these meager belongings on our bikes, giving us ultimate mobility in case we have to go into hiding after today's mission. It's a possibility, but I welcome it. I'll risk the wrath of Lothor's generals if it means ridding the universe of that conniving monster. I'll risk anything to feel his blood on my fingers.

Well...almost anything.

"How's breakfast coming, Blake?" When there's no response, I spare my brother a more than casual glance. He's not paying attention to the pot bubbling over the open fire; his gaze is far away as he mechanically stirs the broth.

My eyes narrow. He's been constantly spacing out since we left Blue Bay Harbor. Frankly, a Ninja should never

be so out of touch with his surroundings. If I'd been one of Lothor's goons, I could've snuck up on him and killed him before he even reached for his Morpher.

The thought darkens my mood. I've lost almost everything I've ever valued in my life. My birth parents died before I was old enough to remember them. My real

parents...the people who raised me and first taught me how to fight...were murdered. Sensei Amano and the other Thunder Ninjas have been kidnapped. The Thunder Academy is ashes and broken memories. Everything is gone... everything except Blake.

I'm not going to lose my brother, too. But I have this creeping feeling that he's slipping away from me, leaving me behind. I know

what's distracting him...and it's driving me crazy.

I hover over Blake's shoulder, waiting for him to acknowledge my presence. With each passing second, I grow more and more frustrated.

Then, finally, the spell breaks...but not because of me. Rather, the pot boils over, steaming bubbles burning his skin and pulling him back to reality. With a yelp he draws back, grabs a towel, and pulls the pot away from the fire.

"You okay?" I ask him.

He takes a moment to examine his hand. "Nothing serious," he decides, finally looking up at me. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to have killed you; oh, four times over."

A faint wince as he turns away, pouring ramen noodles into two bowls. "Good thing for me I'm not on your hit list," he quips lamely.

I'm in no mood for jokes. I sit down across from him, taking the bowl closest to me. My eyes never leave him as I take a slow sip of the broth. "Bad

thing for you that we're both on Lothor's list," I snap. I then take a breath, letting my frustration settle. There's really no point in yelling at Blake. Not if I want to make him see reason. "We're on a mission; not a camping trip. We can't afford to get distracted by anything

."

His flimsy grin fails. We've had this conversation before. Several times, in fact.

"You have to focus, Blake. Today's the day we avenge Mom and Dad." I swallow a hasty mouthful, looking up at the sun again. "We're meeting Choobo in a few hours, and from there it's straight into the lion's den. I need you with me, Bro. Physically and

mentally."

Blake stares into his own bowl, and a bitter part of me wonders if he sees yellow noodles swimming in broth, or blonde hair floating in a breeze.

I just don't understand this...obsession

! He's only known her for a few weeks, and most of that time she's been pissed off at him. Why can't he just get over this? Why can't he see that she doesn't fit into the plan? We have a job

to do, dammit!

I throw my bowl in a burst of fury, hearing it shatter against a nearby stone. Blake stares at me, wide-eyed, as I stand up. "Blake, snap out of it."

"What?"

"I said, snap out of it

!" I jab the sky with my finger. "Our parents' murderer

is floating up there, laughing at us, and all you can do is moon over Tori! I hoped you'd get her out of your system when you just had

to visit her before we left Blue Bay Harbor, but it's only gotten worse!"

He glares at me. "Lay off, Hunter...it's not that easy! I care about her, okay? And I hurt her, and it's eating me up inside."

I feel an insane urge to pull my hair out. "For God's sake, Blake, you lied

to her! It's not like you maimed her or something. It's no big deal!" I fold my arms, smirking viciously. "Besides, if memory serves, she was into that surfer guy she was with the last time you saw her. I'd say she's gotten over you. So return the favor."

That was hitting below the belt, and I knew it before I saw Blake lunge forward, fists clenched. Is he really going to hit me? For her

?

He catches himself before he strikes. "Shut up, Hunter," he hisses through his teeth.

I can't keep my fury in check. All control just disappears, and I'm suddenly livid. "Lothor killed our parents

! I cannot believe

you're wasting time worrying about some girl's hurt feelings!"

Blake's eyes hardens. "You can really be thick when you want to be, Bro," he murmurs. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe we should reach out to the Wind Rangers? Maybe they'd be willing

to help us?"

A dry, humorless chuckle rumbles from my throat. "You've got to be joking."

"Why not?" he challenges. "Five Rangers have to stand a better chance than two. And Lothor is our mutual enemy-"

"Like hell