 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Here I thought you were going to open a martial arts school with Jason."
a woman says.
"There's no reason why I can't do that too, mom. I mean I can't always be
on the job. This is something I need to do and the school is something I want
to do. Don't worry." Tommy says.
That's right Tommy Oliver, the Red Zeo Ranger, is now going to be a cop. A
whole new side of him isn't it. A squeal of the loudspeakers and everyone takes
their seats. I won't bore you with long speeches, I hate those. Suffice it to
say that the designated speakers talk about the honor of being a cop and serving
the city, the pride at the new class of Rookies to the Angle Grove Police Department
ad nauseum and so on. Later that afternoon a small group gathers at Ernie's
to celebrate. All the rangers, past and present, are there. Tommy's still in
uniform, and I must say looking very good, drinking one of Ernie's famous juice
shakes and laughing himself silly at something Jason is saying nearly choking
on the drink. His eyes just sparkle when he laughs, his whole face lights up.
"C'mon, Jase, you're gonna kill me if this keeps up." he says, sputtering,
trying not to choke again.
That gets everyone else howling. This lasts well into the night as all the
rangers bask in each other's company maybe for the last time for a while.
A new day dawns and Tommy is up early for his first watch as a rookie cop.
He smiles as he puts his uniform on and checks that everything is in place in
the big mirror. He goes downstairs and eats a quick breakfast, toast and juice,
that's all his stomach can handle right now he's so nervous. On his way out
the door he picks his hat and gun belt up off the table by the door and goes
out to his car. He watches the neighborhood wake up with a sense of renewed
wonder. He drives off to the station. Through the residential section he sees
people getting their morning paper in their robes, young kids playing in the
yard getting an early start. This is going to be a perfect day.
Tommy just makes it in for roll call, his memory is still bad. The others
smirk and giggle at him for nearly being late his first day. Tommy finds a seat
near the back of the room so as not to be seen by the desk sergeant. The veteran
cop runs down the night's events and current happenings. Tommy never realized
all the problems his hometown really has besides the screwy aliens on the moon.
Tommy gets the downtown beat this day which is fine with him. He begins his
patrol through the downtown shopping area.
* This is great. Beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky and no sign of Mondo
or Machina. Maybe this once I can have a day with out trouble. * Tommy thinks
to himself.
Around noon Tommy heads for a convenience store to get something to eat, not
doughnuts and coffee thank you very much. He hasn't acquired that habit yet
and hopefully he never will. When he goes in Tommy hears a familiar voice. Jason
had a similar idea, attack of the killer munchies. Jason turns when he hears
familiar footsteps behind him. He is startled at first, forgetting that Tommy's
a cop now. Something other than an attack of the raving hungries has brought
them to this particular store, though neither knows why. The front door opens
a couple of times as the two friends continue to talk. Tommy is constantly looking
up at the fisheye mirror, making Jason jumpy. Suddenly Tommy stops talking and
watches something that is going on near the register. He looks at Jason and
mouths "Trouble." Tommy slips into the shadows near the back of the store. Jason
heads for the blind spot in the mirror. With long practice familiarity the two
friends edge towards the threat. A masked hold up man is pointing a gun at the
clerk. What Jason and Tommy didn't see was that he has a hostage. The robber
turns when Jason slips on something and curses. Now Jason is under the gun.
Tommy is still coming up behind them so quietly that the robber never hears
him until it's too late. Jason knows his friend's moves so well that he reacts
instantly. He dives on the hostage and knocks her out of the man's grasp. The
robber turns and only sees a blue uniform. His eyes burn with rage as he fires.
The clerk hits the floor at Jason's lunge. Jason rolls to his feet and sees
Tommy tackle the offender. The creep hits the floor cracking his head open and
is unconscious. Tommy's not moving. Something's wrong. Call an ambulance, hurry.
Jason rolls his friend over to check for injuries. His hand touches something
warm and sticky. Look at his hand, it's covered in his friend's blood. Can't
get sick he's still awake.
"Hang on Tommy. The ambulance is on it's way." Jason says, his voice cracking.
"Should've gone for the knees." Tommy croaks.
He tries to laugh but coughs up blood.
"Hush, save your strength." Jason says.
The ambulance finally gets there and takes him away. Jason follows despite
the police wanting a statement. Get to the hospital and call the others.
"Tommy's been shot." he tells them when they arrive.
Fear and sadness in their eyes. Endless wait no one says anything. Jason's
shirt is stained with Tommy's blood, hands covered in dry lifeblood. Hours pass
as the doctors frantically try to save the brave rookie , the strong former
Power Ranger. Finally the surgeon comes out, a grim look on his face.
"There's nothing we can do. He won't survive the day. You can go in and be
with him till it's over." the man says.
The rangers and their families creep into his room. He's so pale, almost as
if he's already gone. They gather around his bedside and keep the final vigil.
Hours pass as it gets harder and harder for him to breath, he never fully comes
around. The rangers don't see Detective Stone at the back of the room on the
verge of tears. Soon Tommy breaths his last and is gone. The tears that were
held at bay flood the eyes of those that knew him best.
"No he can't be gone. This isn't fair." his mother cries.
No one can say anything that will comfort her. She's right it isn't fair.
This was his first day he had so much to learn and so much to give. He shouldn't
be dead. Why did this have to happen? The bastard that shot him has to pay,
has to die for this. Tommy must have justice.
Three days after his death Thomas Lyn Oliver is laid to rest in Silent Angles Cemetery. Cops from all over the city, the Mayor, and at least a dozen other important people gather with his friends and family to say their final good-bye.
Red Ranger Passing
Time to go, Red flash.
Gunshot in the blinding light, Pain.
Too cold now, Something is wrong.
Hurt, confusion, light fading.
Red Ranger Passing.
Death, that final equalizer, has come.
Take him away, too soon.
No one knows what went wrong. Confusion.
He's gone, only the flesh passes away.
The spirit lives forever.
The Red spirit will go on.