On with the story!

The man looked at the picture for a long time wondering what the little brat looked like now.

"Mr. Roberts you have a phone call on line two."

Evan Roberts turned his attention away from the picture and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" He answered gruffly.

"Evan Roberts?"

"Yes."

"We found your cousin. She is living in Angel Grove. She was staying at the 'Angel Grove Home for Children' but she has seemed to disappeared."

"I want her found. I don't care how much money it takes. I want her to be found and put into my custody immediately."

"We'll do our best Sir."

Evan hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair. "I'm going to be rich. Filthy rich." He muttered.

"Starfire Disc!"

I flung my newest weapon at the beast and watched as it tore through his skin releasing poison inside him.

Boomerang like object came back to me and I caught it in mid air. The bull like monster screamed in pain and fell over his body exploding.

"Yes!"

I jumped into the air over joyed at my first victory.

I looked around the park quickly before I powered down.

I felt proud of myself, that is until Andros yelled, "Stop simulation!"

I was left in the middle of the simu deck.

"Hey! I wasn't done celebrating my victory." I retorted.

Andros smiled. "You're really good with that disc. I can't wait until you use it on some real monsters."

I glanced down at my watch. "Oh come on Andros. It's time to meet the others at the park."

"Oh yeah. We better get going before they star worrying about us."

I stopped at my room on the way to the bridge to get my laptop. Just incase I got bored.

I tucked in my backpack and when down to meet Andros.

"Ready?"

I nodded and we teleported out.

Zhane and Ashley were playing with a Frisbee and T.J. and Carlos were playing basketball at the court nearest us.

Andros went to play basketball with the boys and I sat down on the blanket and pulled my laptop out.

We were spending the last warm day outside having a picnic. I turned by computer on and worked on a poem that was due for school. About ten minutes later the battery died and the computer turned off.

"Nooo! I didn't save my poem! Please turn back!" I yelled at my laptop ready to throw it.

Ashley and Zhane heard me and came over plopping themselves on the blanket besides me.

"Come Nik. Forget about homework. This is probably going to be the last warm day until spring." Ashley said pulling me off the blanket.

"I just lost 15 lines to a poem that's due on Monday!" I argued trying to get out of her grasp.

"I'll you with it later. Come on!" She pushed me out into the sunshine and put the Frisbee in my hand.

I scowled but waited as she and Zhane formed a triangle I threw it to Zhane and he threw it to Ashley. She threw it to me I really didn't want to play but I figured I had no choice. This went on for a little while until Cassie, T.J., Andros, and Carlos came looking for lunch. I gladly took this opportunity and fell onto the blanket putting my hands behind my head.

"You hungry Nikki?"

I turned my eyes toward T.J. "No not really. I'll eat later."

He nodded and went back to his sandwich.

We spent a few more hours there before finally picking up and heading out of the park.

"Why aren't we going up to the ship?" I asked while trying Zhane to drop the basket in his hands.

He shoved me and I fell into Andros. He stumbled but I caught his jacket and kept him from falling over.

He straightened and looked back at me, "We have to stop at the hardware store and get some supplies."

"Count me out. I'll sit outside and wait." I said quickly. After getting my foot crunched by a wrench I tried to stay out of there. I finally was all healed. No casts, bandages or stitches. I was all in one piece.
I sat on the wooden bench outside the store and let them pile all their stuff on top of me. I glanced in after ten minutes to see what was taking so long and the guy at the check out saw me and jumped.

I looked at him oddly while he glanced at his newspaper and then picked up the phone all the while staring at me.

I shrugged my shoulders and sat down on the bench again. Five minutes later a police car pulled up in front of the store just as the others were coming out. I stood up and walked over to them holding my hands out to take a bag. They dropped one in my arms and I walked back to the bench to get my backpack.

We walked around the corner of the building and teleported away. I dumped my bag in the engine room and went down to my room to finish my book.

Evan sat in his hotel room smoking his cigarette and looking over the adoption papers.

"All I want to do is take my cousin to Chicago. Why all this crap about being a guardian till she dies?"

He muttered signing his name once more. "Well ok. I'll be her guardian till she dies. She can just have an accidental like death and I'll move someplace warm and forget about her."

He grinned at himself amazed with how smart he actually was. Not telling his family ha had survived the crash and staying in Australia. Then hearing about his cousin's death and how much money they had left their daughter. Being her only relative and all it was his responsibility to take care off her now until she turned 18 or died. All that money would be his. Almost a million dollars that he knew of. There was probably a trust fund for the little brat somewhere.

A knock at the door pulled Evan out of dreamland.

"Come in."

The door opened and a detective walked in. "We found her sir."

"Bring her in."

He stuffed his cigarette into his ahs tray and stood up.

"Well we can't exactly."

"Why is that detective?"

"Some owner of a hard ware store saw her outside his store and he called the police after seeing her in the newspaper. They came down to get her but she rounded the corner of the store and disappeared."

"Disappeared? How could she just disappear?"

"I don't know sir I'm just passing on information."

"Was she with any one?"

"Yes. She was with five unidentified teens of about 17."

"She better not be in a gang."

"They didn't look like a gang. Just her friends."

"Well I need to leave for Chicago on Friday for a meeting. I need her brought to me with in that time."

"We can bring her in tomorrow. She goes to Angel Grove high so we can pick her up there."

"Perfect."

"Ready to go Justin?" I called up the stairs.

"Almost. I have to brush my hair." He answered back.

I stood in the front hallway of the Stewart's house waiting to leave for school.

"Justin come on! We have ten minutes to get to school!"

He rounded the corner and flew down the stairs his tattered Chicago Bulls cap on his head.

"You never where that to school. Why start now?" I asked.

Redness seeped into his cheeks as he slowly removed the cap. His hair had been cut short and it looked great.

"What's the problem? I love it. Now you can actually see."

"I hate it. I feel bald."

"Oh come on. You're not anywhere near bald now come on we get detention for being tardy."

He jammed the cap back on and followed me out the door.

We ran most of the way to school and made into our homeroom just as the bell rang.

There was the original announcements and we were dismissed to go to first period.

We barely made it to that one either because I was trying to convince Justin to take his hat off. I finally got him too and I stuffed it into backpack so he wouldn't have a chance to put it back on. We sat in Math throwing erasers around the room waiting for our late teacher. She finally entered looking totally stressed out and we quickly quieted down so we get started. Every one loved and respected Mrs. Daniel, so we tried not to give her a hard time. She had just got the first equation on the board when the door opened to reveal the secretary.

She whispered something into Mrs. Daniel's ear and then left. Mrs. Daniel looked confused as she turned to the class.

"Nikki there is some one in the office to see you. Take your things. You won't be coming back."

Some one to see me? Why wouldn't I being coming back?

I picked up my books and turned to Justin. He looked as confused as I did. I shrugged my shoulders and walked down the aisle. Mrs. Daniel patted me on the shoulder as I walked past.

I made my way down to the office slowly. What was going on?

I opened the door to find a police officer standing there talking to the secretary.

"There you are Nicole. This officer has something to tell you." Our secretary, Mrs. Terrill, explained.

I turned to him uncertainly.

"We have found a living relative. He is waiting to see you. You will be going to live with him."

Just like that! Boom! Pack you're bags you're leaving!

The news struck me hard and I dropped my books to the floor.

"Get your things from your locker Nicole. You will be leaving on a plane for Chicago in three hours." The cop went on picking up my books and putting them in my arms.

I shook my head slowly at first and then faster and more fiercely.

I backed away reaching for the doorknob. I found it and flung the door open. I turned around and ran out of the room and down the hall all the way to the front door. I opened it and ran outside where it had begun to rain. I dropped my math book so I could run faster. I heard the cop yelling at me from behind I picked up speed and ran into the middle of the street. I heard the screech of tires as the car barely missed me. I stood in shock staring at the bumper half a foot in front of me. My hair was stuck to my face and the rain ran down into my eyes. I felt strong arms around me picking me up. I struggled knowing it was the cop.

"Calm down. Knock it off."

I was too tired to argue at that and settled down letting him haul me into the school down to the nurses station.

He dropped me on a cot and draped a blanket around me.

"Don't move." He commanded and went to use the phone.

"Like heck I won't." I mumbled throwing the blanket off.

My sneakers squeaked as I tried to silently reach the door. As soon as I got there the door opened and Ashley and Carlos walked in.

"Nikki what's going on. We saw you out the window. You almost got hit by a car. What the heck were you thinking running out into the street like that?" Ashley questioned her eyes scowling at me.

"And why was a cop chasing you?" Carlos added.

The cop came back into the room then.

"It's time to go. Evan wants to see you before the flight." He said opening the door for me.

"I'm not going to Chicago. Try whatever but you aren't getting me on a plane to Chicago." I said simply, crossing my arms over my chest.

The cop rubbed his temples and Ashley and Carlos stared at me strangely.

Carlos walked over to the cop. "What's going on officer? And who's Evan?"

"He is Nikki's only living relative. She will be moving in with him. He has already adopted her." He answered.

"So you're just taking her. Without even letting her say goodbye?" Ashley said obviously ticked at me and the cop.

"Why should we let her do anything? She ran away from the orphanage almost seven months ago. She's a spoiled little brat and I hope her cousin will be able to straighten her out."

Carlos and Ashley seemed speechless.

"Come on Nicole. It's time to go." The cop said looking at his watch and grabbing my arm.

"Let go of me! I'm not going anywhere! No!!"

I screamed and dragged my feet. Anything to stop him from taking me away.

Ashley and Carlos broke from their trance and walked in front of the cop.

"I'd move if I were you kids. You don't want to get involved." The cop said sullenly walking around them.

"Ashley! Carlos help!" I turned around looking at them as I was dragged farther and farther down the hall.

"We'll figure something Nikki! We promise!" The yelled as the cop led me out to the car.

He stuffed me in the back seat and drove away.

My eyes blurred with tears as we drove through the city. I didn't want to move. And who was this living relative? I didn't have any. And I didn't run away. They weren't even supposed to know I'd ever been there. That's what Zordon told me at least.

We pulled up in front of a fancy hotel and the cop came around to open my door. I got out to tired now to even try to argue. The cop led me upstairs and to a suite. He knocked on the door and put his hand on my shoulder standing behind me.

The door opened and a guy looked down at me and smiled.

"You look just like Elizabeth." He said blowing smoke from his cigarette. I coughed automatically.

He opened the door farther and led me inside. He thanked the cop and gave him a check on his way out.

I looked around at the room. It was dirty and smelled horribly like smoke.

He motioned for me to sit down on the couch. I slowly did and stared at my hands.

"So I guess you're wondering why you're here." He said finally, breaking the silence.

I said nothing and he went on. " I found out you were alive about a month ago when it was on national noise that you were missing. I was living in Australia at the time and I was overjoyed that I had a relative from my cousin's side. I moved back to the U.S. and hired a detective to look for you. I got the adoption papers all settled and now it's legal. You're now officially under my custody whether you like it or not!" He spoke harshly.

He pulled me up by the arm and looked down at me. "You had better shape up. You won't be running away ever again while you're in my care." He dropped my arm, "Having that said, let's go our flight leaves in an hour."

He walked into the bedroom and came back with his suitcase.

"What about my things?" I asked quietly.

"Forget about them. You'll get new stuff."

He grabbed his jacket off a chair and pushed me out the door. He drove his rental down to the air port and we boarded the plane immediately.

I sat deathly silent in my chair staring at my soaked shoes. I was still wet and had become chilled to the bone.

I finally picked up courage and asked, "Why couldn't I say good bye to my friends?"

Evan sighed and hauled me up out of the chair and led me down to the bathroom. He closed the door behind him and grabbed both of my shoulders.

"Listen and listen good. I don't give a crap about your friends or what you're leaving behind. You are starting a new life now. If I ever hear you talking about your friends or trying to reach your friends anyway I'll give you a beating you wouldn't believe."

I was shaken as he led me back to our seats and pushed me into my chair.

I placed my trembling hands in my lap and tried desperately to come up with something in my mind to do.

Here I am on a plane with a cousin I've never met who is a complete jerk and probably abusive. I'm a power ranger and I don't know how I'll ever fulfill my duties there when I can't even talk about my friends.

I glanced out the window as the ground disappeared beneath me.

One big tear fell down my cheek followed by a stream of others. Was I ever going to see Angel Grove again?

Author's note: This story will obviously be continued. Each part will be short, because if I didn't make them short I'd end up not putting the story in until I'm 15. I hope for it to be long and after this little mini series within in my 'White Ranger' series ends I plan to center a few stories around Ashley and the others. Nikki will always be 'I' because I show it through her point of view but I need to use a few others a little bit more. I've got some good ideas in mind. Ok. Ok. I've rambled on enough. You can go now. Thanks for reading!