Time Force Delta Squad: Trapped (S2 Game)

Aiko nodded. "Rolo didn't want to be close to Cody. Apparently that bastard said something to the boy and he won't hardly look at his uncle," she said, sighing softly. "He wouldn't tell me anything, just "Alluka would know" and left it at that." She stepped back and opened the door. "Cody is asleep, though. We had to give him some sedatives in case he woke up, but he should wake in a few hours."

"Yeah, they're in the same room," Aiko said,. "Rolo's bed's just on a different wall. He's facing a window."

"Yeah, they're in the same room," Aiko said,. "Rolo's bed's just on a different wall. He's facing a window."

"Understood." Alluka replies before looking at everyone else here. "See you all soon."

Taking a shaky breath, Alluka opens the door, and goes inside. The first thing she sees is Rolo staring at the window, sitting with his knees close to his chest. Other than a few scratches and bruises, he seems to be alright. Cody though, he’s hooked up with a mask to help his breath, his bandaged arms are placed on each side so he can’t move them, his left leg has been splinted and raised in a sling.

“Oh Cody.” Alluka whispers as she walks nearer, pulling up a chair next to him. She leans over and brushes the hair from his eyes, then running her hand down his cheek, her thumb stroking his cheekbone.

“Alluka?”

Hearing Rolo's voice, Alluka leaves her love be and goes to the boy's side, sitting behind the boy while her eyes remain staring at Cody. "Yes. It is me."

"Glad you're here." Rolo says with a sigh.

"Of course I am. I am not going to leave you behind."

The room falls still. The soft beeping of Cody’s heart monitor fills the silence. Rolo staring at a bird chirping briefly outside the window, and for several minutes he and Alluka are content to watch the sunbeams inch their way across the walls.

It is then Alluka breaks the silence. “When I was a child, I looked up to my parents for wisdom. They carry much knowledge than anyone, providing my sisters and I the need to navigate life. At some point, we are old enough to figure out not everything is what it seems. My parents tried to protect us from being exposed the dangers us Umekians faced. Thievery, political strife from my home planet, massive annihilation. They sheltered us as they could until one Prisoner murdered them, leaving me and my sisters behind.”

Rolo listens to the tale, sensing the similarities between hers and his. He rubs his head out of surprise. “That’s messed up. Were you mad at them?”

"I did at first. I asked them why us, why didn't you tell us about this we could've been prepared. After awhile, I came to a conclusion that they are trying to give me and my sisters the normal life we deserve. To find comfort knowing the four of us have each other to lean on and forge our own paths. There comes a day in every child’s life when we learn that my parents are living beings, that parents make mistakes just like everyone else." Alluka answers with a bittersweet smile, patting Rolo by the shoulder.

"I'm mad at him." Rolo begins a minute later. "I thought Uncle Corduroy tried to save them from the lab fire but he killed them instead. He didn't even come for me because he couldn't remember anymore. He should've told me earlier."

Alluka frowns, angry at Galilee for poisoning the boy into thinking Cody kills them. "You have the right to be. No one expects you to take the news well overnight. It is difficult to process." She explains. "What I can tell you is everyone makes mistakes. We are living beings like everyone else. You can be mad at your uncle but don't allow the darkness to consume you, because you will lead a deep path that will never return."

Rolo mulls it over, considering Alluka's advice. Turning over to look at her fully, he asks, "You're not going to leave me too, right?"

Alluka smiles softly and opens her arms out for Rolo. The boy hugs her immediately and Alluka rests her head above his. "Never."
___

A while later, Cody hears the beeping of medical equipment nearby, his eyes barely cracked open. He tries to remember what happen and why he’s in the hospital wing; he also wonders why he can’t move. He opens his mouth to speak but can’t make anything but a quiet groan for a response.

“Cody?”

Cody tries again to speak. “L-Luka?” He wheezes, his mouth dry and throat hoarse.

“Thank goodness.”

Cody turns his head and manages to fully open his eyes. Alluka is sitting by his bedside. Behind her is Rolo sleeping on the sofa, covered with a quilt. He sees him grumble and rolls away from them both to face the cushion.

“Am I…?” Cody whispers.

“You are okay” Alluka replies softly, her hand on Cody’s chest and rubbing it slowly “Banged up, and a little broken, but whole and alive.”

"And Rolo?"

Alluka takes a deep breath and closes her eyes before opening them. “Rolo has a rough day.” She begins, rubbing his bandaged hand in earnest. “But he is going to be alright.… Physically anyway.”

“Physically?”

“What Galilee said to him must have shaken him to the core. You may have saved his life but he is not ready to speak with you.”

Cody’s facial expression changes from one of a hazy, painless bliss to shocked and disbelief expression. “Galilee told him that I killed Ephraim and Hilda in cold blood. But it’s not the case.” He says, his voice low in realization. “I should’ve known he came back just to mess with my life. What have I done?”

Alluka firms her grip n his bandaged hand. “No. Galilee did this to you and Rolo. He toys with your emotions and you both are left shaken. It is on him.” She says, pausing for a moment before adding. “You can blame yourself whatever you want but I am not going to let you wallow in despair. Not on my watch, you don’t.”

The tears are threatening to fall now. Cody sniffs and blinks rapidly, trying to disperse them before they can trickle down his cheeks. “Think Rolo will forgive me?”

Alluka smiles and brushes a couple of tears off Cody’s face. “I promise you he will. He is a child who is hurt and angry, so he reacts irrationally. That is what children do. They do things they do not mean to make the person who hurt them feel the same way they do. You will look forward to the moment when he runs back into your arms. He loves you after all.”

Cody swallows hard as he nods. After a grueling day, he needs the time to process. Perhaps in due time, he’ll be at a better place. “Thank you.” He acknowledges for everything she has done for Rolo, for him. He'll make sure to repay her continuously. "And I love you."

Grasping his bandaged hand on her own gently, the Umekian kisses his cheek and lightly laid her head on his shoulder. The almost same position like a few years ago. She feels her eyes drifting closed, the exhaustion kicking in. "I love you, too. Thank you for coming back for me."

Cody looks at Alluka, a small smile sliding across his face. He already closes his eyes but fighting it. “Of course I do.” He finishes before he falls to sleep.

Kari laughed at the doctor and stuck her own tongue out in response. "Well, you guys helped too. I couldn't have done it with out y'all. You kept me calm cool and collected the entire time." She said with a slight shrug. "But I have to say, I am beat down and exhausted." She said with a full sigh.

"You guys get some rest. You've earned it after today. We'll keep an eye on both Cody and Tanjiro," Wes said with a smile. "Go."

As the Rangers left for the day, familial tensions were felt with the Blue Ranger and his nephew. One could hope that in time the hurt done to both of them by Galilee will subside, but time would tell. For one Ranger, however, his own heritage was about to come to the forefront.
____________

Three weeks passed for the Rangers, and in that time, Cody and Tanjiro were able to get their injuries healed up. Tan, for the most part, was back on his feet, but even training for long periods of time wore him out, and some occasions he felt useless like when the Rangers would get called out on something small and he'd have to stay back.

Today found the Red Ranger standing at the firing line, trying out the Silver Guardian's weapons. He thought if he could do soemthing outside of being a Ranger, keeping his accuracy up would be the smartest thing. He lowered his weapon and pulled his target in. "Fuck." Shots were all over the target, barely any hitting the center or body.

"Three weeks...I'm lucky to be standing...."

In the weeks follow, Cody does his best to recuperate despite the distance he’s having with Rolo. As painful as his broken heart is, he knows he has to own up to his actions and just be there for the boy. When Rolo’s ready, he’ll find his way back to him. Cody would have grieved alone had his girlfriend and their friends not there for him and his nephew in the first place.

Currently, the Blue Ranger’s at the room in the Med Bay with Alluka beside him, waiting to see if the doctors allow him to resume his duties fully. Even though they are able to speed up the process, some injuries take longer than expected. Although Cody is able to move his arms and leg again, he’s done more damage to them than ever before. The strength the Blue Ranger uses to defeat Galilee has greatly degraded the structure of his bones, muscles, and ligaments. Cody is warned that if he continues getting the same injuries to his arms and legs over and over, he will one day never be able to use them again. Cody sighs, just thinking about it.

"You know, I never seen you this impatient since the time you were waiting for the food Est made a long while ago." Alluka looks at him bemusedly, setting her reading book to her lap.

“I have my moments,” Cody grunts. "I plan to speak with Rolo today following this. Three weeks have gone by and the silent treatment is getting old."

"Children are unpredictable. I am impressed you both made it this far without a blowout of the ages."

"Between school, clubs, and us, he has the balance to keep him occupied. I do feel glad he allows me to pick him up following the first two. He doesn't seem to mind."

"It is a gradual process." Alluka smiles reassuringly, squeezing her boyfriend's hand.

After a few minutes, Cody breaks the silence. "As horrible as it is with Rolo, there's something else that has been haunting me." He says, staring at the tiled floor. "It's a-about K'hysh."

“What do you mean?” Alluka asks.

"I discover her m-message that p-plagues me. K'hysh leaves her w-will to the Commander without telling us. While I get it, she's let down by Time Force. But she doesn't think about how we feel and how her absence have impact us." Cody explains in disappointment, subtly picking on the skin of his hand.

Alluka's eyes widen at the realization. Can it be possible K'hysh disappears on purpose? Because if this is the case, then she is doing a good job. "While I do believe K'hysh is out there somewhere, the possibilities are naught with minimal evidence. As a realist, there comes a time when we have to accept the facts like your discovery."

"So you're basically neutral." Cody assumes, and Alluka responds with a small nod before she leans her head against his shoulder. "Is there something else you learned?"

"For now, no." Cody admits quietly, leaning his head against hers. He recalls briefly a familiar voice calling his name. Even when his tired-addled mind playing tricks on him, he remains unsure if a familiar voice is who he thinks it is. Until then, he lets it go.

Kari spent most of her day searching for their red ranger to do a check in. Coming across the fire ranger, she had finally ended her search. Hearing him speak to himself, she sighed softly and stepped in. "But at least you're standing." She said with a shrug and a smile. "How are you feeling?" She asked stepping up behind him but keeping a safe distance.

Tanjiro sighed softly, looking at Kari. "I'm tired," he said. "Even when I'm sleeping, all I feel is that bullet and the last things that went through my head. I...and then you guys are picking up my slack because I'm not at fighting capacity. I feel real useless."