Legacy Rangers (Book Two of the Chosen Universe)

Chapter Twelve

CALEB

Everything was engulfed in flames. Thick clouds of angry black smoke filled the halls. A girl was trying to call for help, but the smoke filled her lungs and she couldn't scream. She looked at him, her eyes pleading. Caleb knew she was going to die. He tried to reach toward her, but she vanished. So did the smoke.

Caleb blinked as his surroundings shifted. Thorn was looking at him with concern. "Caleb? Are you okay?" Thorn asked.

"I... I have to go," Caleb said.

"What's wrong?"

"This is going to sound crazy... But I think someone's in trouble."

"Who?"

"I don't know her... But there's a fire. She's trapped."

Thorn looked like he wasn't sure what to think, but he said, "Take me. Let's see if there's something going on."

Caleb nodded. They raced across town, finally arriving at the house he'd seen. He knew because it was completely engulfed in flames, just like it had been in his mind.

"Crap..." Thorn whispered. "You think someone's inside?"

"I saw her, Thorn... She's trapped. She's barely a teenager."

Thorn took a deep breath. "Stay here. Call 911," he said.

"But you don't have your powers, right?" Caleb asked. Thorn had told him the truth... All of it. Caleb had assured him he understood he'd been manipulated and that it wasn't cheating, especially since Thorn had thought he was dead. "You could get hurt!"

"I'm a Power Ranger, with or without powers. Saving people is what we do." He kissed Caleb before running inside.

Caleb called 911 and tried not to panic. Thankfully, a few minutes later, Thorn emerged with the girl clinging to him. They were both coughing violently, but they were safe.

Caleb rode with Thorn to the hospital. They treated him for smoke inhalation and called his father. Adam arrived quickly.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Just some smoke inhalation," Thorn replied.

"What were you thinking?"

"There was a girl in there. She needed help..."

"Thorn, you don't have your powers! You could have been killed!"

Thorn stared at his father before saying, "Once a Ranger, always a Ranger, right?"

Adam sighed. He pulled something out of his pocket. "Take it," he said. "I talked to Zordon. It should work for you."

"Dad... Is this your power coin?" Thorn asked in obvious shock.

"Until we get yours back, no. It's your power coin. Use it well, Thorn."

"Does that mean...?" Caleb asked.

"If it works, I'll have my powers back," Thorn said.

As soon as Thorn was discharged and in a fairly secluded area, he tried to morph. Caleb watched in fascination as his boyfriend morphed into a super hero before his eyes.

"How does it feel?" Adam asked.

"A little different... But good," Thorn said.

"Good. Trini went home, but she's going to have Alpha teleport her coin here for Maddie. It was never destroyed because the rest of us lost our coins after Jason, Zack, and Trini left, and when they transferred their powers to us, new coins were created... By the time Kat joined, unfortunately, Zordon wasn't duplicating power coins anymore... Anyway, only two of you will be without your powers now."