Power Rangers Chronic Storm 1: The Axis of Power

Chapter 4: Eagle

Carter and Jason were whisked away to the year 2003 inside the blinding light of the time vortex as the Corinth backdrop behind them vanished. Once more, they chose a period approximately one year removed from when the Wild Force Rangers were active. When the lights faded, they touched ground upon a medium sized city adjacent to a large cove in the shape of a turtle; a feature that granted it the fitting name of Turtle Cove.

The pair found themselves in front of an Air Force base, arriving just as a trio of navy blue fighter planes jetted off with their engines coating the skyline in a roaring, thunderous sound.

Jason pointed to the front gate and Carter nodded. Somewhere beyond the chain linked, barbed wire fence surrounding the deep gray facilities, the pair would find Taylor Earhardt; the former Yellow Wild Force Ranger who returned to her life as an Air Force pilot once her Ranger mission concluded.

Carter watched the lines of Air Force pilots running in tight formations across the grounds as they approached the gatekeeper booth. He heard the loud, snarling orders from the commanding officers pushing the future pilots, audible from even beyond the gate. It took him back to his own Firefighter training all those years ago. The structure, the order, the discipline, it put his mind at ease.

"Excuse us, sir. We'd like to speak with Taylor..." Carter looked to Jason.

"Earhardt," replied Jason.

"Right. Taylor Earhardt, please."

The guard never took his disinterested gaze away from the newspaper he read. "Authorized personnel only."

"I understand, sir," Carter replied. "But if we could just have five minutes of—"

"Authorized personnel only." His statement was firmer.

"I get that, sir, but the situation is critical. Give me the chance to explain and I—"

"Authorized. Personnel. Only." The guard finally glared at the pair before flipping the page on his paper.

Carter sighed. "Chronic Storm, Ranger form!" He activated his Morpher and transformed into the Red Chronic Storm Ranger.

"Jiminy Christmas!!!" The guard nearly fell out of his seat while blinded by the flash of red light. His papers flew into the air, scattering about inside his booth as he scrambled to collect his radio from underneath his messy desk. "Intruders on the premises! Requesting back up at the north gate! I repeat, intruders on the premises!"

Sirens blared all throughout the Air Force base as guards and pilots alike quickly ran to the area from either side of the fence.

Jason swung his head back and forth with panic in his eyes. "W-Wait, we're morphing now!? Shoot, okay okay. Chronic Storm, Ranger form!" He morphed into the Green Ranger. "Are we fighting our way in?"

"Not quite." Carter placed his hands behind his head.

"Huh...? Are we... getting arrested...?"

"For now, yes."

Jason's head dropped. "Aw man... Mother's never gonna let me hear the end of this..."

...

The pair had their Morphers confiscated and were locked up inside an interrogation room near the center of the base. A single rounded bulb on the ceiling illuminated the whole of the room. It created an uncomfortable glare as it flashed against the stiff silver desk they were handcuffed to. They waited inside for what felt like hours to the drum of footsteps clomping just beyond the two-way mirror staring back at them. The steps faded in just as quickly as they faded out, none stopping at the door.