In the days following, Tommy learned more about his people and the powers that they pocessed. He also studied from an ancient grimoir that had belonged to the original owner of his house. He kept his new powers secret from his friends and younger half-sister.

A few weeks after he had learned the identity of his father, Tommy Oliver was in the Youth Center, scanning the crowds. He sipped one of Ernie's famous Mango shakes as he waited. His eyes narrowed as a man in his mid 20's entered. The man had shaggy black hair, tight, faded blue jeans, a white shirt, and a shabby overcoat. Sunglasses covered his eyes. His loafers made no sound on the floor. Tommy stood up and slipped on a pair of mirrored sunglasses. Then, he placed money on the counter.

"Let's go for a walk." Tommy suggested. The man nodded his agreement.

Tommy and the man sat on one of the picnic tables. The man pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He offered one to Tommy. Tommy accepted the offer.

"Brings back memories, heh?" The man laughed.

"Yep. Those were the days." Tommy agreed. "What's the news, Hazama?"

"Some gold monkey is recruiting cyberjunkies. Offering them better robotic implants and more potent cybermechomein. The name Goldar keeps coming up. He's a friend your yours, right?" Hazama exhaled a line of blue smoke.

"Not really. I thought you took care of the cyberjunkies when you destoried Mr. Halloween and Tony Glek." Tommy flicked away an ash.

"I stopped them, but we never did find the documents. Someone else took over and is still supplying. Interested?"

"Yeah. I wonder what Lord Zedd would want with Cyberjunkies." Tommy mused.

Hazama shrugged. "So, how's life in Angel Grove?"

"Never dull."

"Good. So, how's the rest of them?"

"Pretty good. Kim and Billy are still a little like little sheep at times. I think that comes from serving under Jason for so long. Adam, Rocky and Aisha are fairly good." Tommy sighed.

"Jason. He lead them before you did, right?"

"Yep, a real control freak in my opinion."

"So, you two didn't get along?"

"We did, but he wanted to control our lives even when we weren't in battle. Always had to be in control. Mr. I'm The Boss." Tommy shook his head. "Course, no one can control Akiko. I think the only reason she even listens to me is the fact that I'm her brother. Talk about stubborn."

"And beautiful, right?" Hazama raised an eyebrow.

"And off limits to you. She has her eye on Adam and the rest of the male population of Angel Grove High has their eyes on her." Tommy laughed. "God, I miss working with you. Getting in brawls every night, having shady women sit in your lap......"

"Remember that red head?" Hazama laughed.

"God, yeah. Um, Cherry right? Sheesh, I still don't remember all that happened that night. All I know is that I woke up with a concussion and a naked women in my bed."

"And a very angry Nana. Is she still with you guys?"

"Yep. I wouldn't know what to do with out Nana."

"So, do your friends know about your "shady" past?" Hazama teased.

"No. They know I did some, uh, modeling work, but they don't know about my stint as a P.I. Oh, how's Sam and Sachiko?"

"Fine. Sam still misses his father, but he's adjusting. He loves Hawaii. You know, there will always be a place for you in my agency if you ever get tired of saving the world."

"I'll keep it in mind." Tommy looked over Hazama's shoulder and saw his friends coming towards them.

"Hi, Tommy. Ernie said we'd find you here. Who's your friend?" Kim hugged Tommy.

"Guys, this is Hazama, an old friend of mine. He's visiting from Hawaii. Hazama, these are my friends Billy, Adam, Rocky, and Aisha. My girlfriend Kimberly and my sister Akiko." Tommy made the introductions. Hazama smiled approvingly at the girls.

Lord Zedd looked over the gang-bangers with cyborg weapons attached to their bodies. More and more lately, the Putties have been proving to be unreliable in battle against the Rangers. They served the purpose of wearing down the Rangers before a big battle, but were useless in battle. Maybe the cyberjunkies would work better.

"Goldar, give our new friends their "vitamins"!" Zedd ordered.

"Yes, my Lord." Goldar handed each cyberjunkie a vial filled with an orange liquid. They were poured into small opening in the cyberjunkies' bodies. Their eyes glowed red.

"Make sure Finster has the newest monster ready!" Zedd ordered.

"I'm working on it right now, my Lord." Finster called out from his work shop. "These things take time, you know."

One of the cyberjunkies lurched forward. "More!" He demanded. His arms had been cut off and replaced by mechanical ones that were machine guns.

"Goldar, give him more. We want to keep our new friends happy." Zedd laughed.

Goldar obeyed his master with a look of disgust. Zedd was ignoring the fact that the more cybomechomein those cyberjunkies consumed, the faster their brains turned to mush. We're better off with Putties. At least they can be reused. Goldar thought.

"Goldar, send down the cyberjunkies!" Zedd yelled.

The other Rangers sat around Tommy and Hazama, feeling uncomfortable. They didn't like this "old friend" of Tommy's.

"Oh, Tommy, did I tell you that Goldie Jackson finally took a powder?" Hazama looked up from his lighter.

"No, who did him in?" Tommy looked amused.

"Um, Tommy, was this Goldie a friend of yours?" Kim asked hesitantly.

"Na, Hazama and I busted him awhile back." Tommy explained. "So, who did him in?"

"One of his Hommei-kun*. A baka-imo in for assault. Poisoned the wine one of Goldie's other Hommei-kun planned on serving to him. Killed both of them. Then, the imo hung himself in the showers. Confessed to the whole thing too. The guard said that the wine was almost pure cyanide." Hazama laughed. The other Rangers, with the exception of Akiko, looked confused. What was so funny?

"I figured that's what would happen to him. Musta been a popular wolf, eh." Tommy stubbed out the butt of his cigarette.

"Yep. Gave his Hommei-kun drugs, pornography, the illegal shit, and anything else they wanted."

Just then, the cyberjunkies rematerialized in the park. The first one fired off a salvo of missiles. The Rangers and Hazama were throw from the table.

"What are those?" Aisha cried out.

"Cyberjunkies. Gang bangers who cut off arms and legs and replace them with cyborg parts. They also mainline on this stuff called Cybomechomein. Ten time more dangerous than any other illegal drug out there. Turns their brains to mush." Hazama explained.

"They believe that they're gods, they're so strung out." Tommy added. A cyberjunkie with a knife attached to his arm rushed Tommy. Tommy grabbed it and broke the knife attachment and the cyborg arm off. The man fell, wailing in agony. Unlike Putties, cyberjunkies bled. Then, Tommy broke the man's neck.

"Tommy, why did you kill him?" Billy cried at his leader.

"Cuz it's the only way to handle them. They're gonna die anyway and dying like this is alot better then having your brain slowly fry. I don't like it either." Tommy shook his head sadly. He hated killing, even though he had done enough of it when he worked for Hazama. Sometimes, there was no alternative.

Hazama was also taking out cyberjunkies. He and Tommy had the same emotionless expression on their faces as they fought. It was then, that the Rangers noticed that there was something weird about Hazama. He stronger than any other the Rangers, except maybe for Tommy and Akiko.

"Yes, master." Goldar knew better than to contradict Zedd when he was in this foul a mood.

Just as suddenly as the fight began, it was over. The cyberjunkies vanished from the Earth. The only thing left was a vial of cybomechomein. Tommy picked it up and tossed it to Billy.

"Do you think you could analyze that for me?" He asked.

"Sure." Billy swallowed. "Let's go to my garage. That's where my lab is." He added when he saw Hazama's confused look.

"Oh, OK." Then, he turned to Tommy. "Do you want to tell them or should I?" He whispered.

"Maybe we should do it together." Tommy replied.

"OK. Does your boss know about you?"

"Yeah. Zordon knows everything, including the fact that you're the 8-Man. Ikimashoo."

As soon as they were in the garage, Tommy and Hazama faced the other Rangers.

"Guys, there's something I should have told you about Hazama and myself, but I thought that I'd have the time for you to get to know Hazama before I had to make this announcement. I guess Zedd forced my hand." Tommy paused for a breath. God, he hated addressing people. "I used to work for Hazama as a P.I. Hazama is still one. In Hawaii, now. And, he's not here on a friendly visit. As you know, Zedd is now recruiting cyberjunkies to use in battle. Hazama is here to help us battle this new threat. Since Hazama knows our little secret, he has one of his own that he'd like to share with you. Hazama." Tommy turned to his friend.

The Rangers gasped as Hazama turned from a shabby looking young man into a black and white cyborg with a giant red "8" on his chest.

"8-Man." Rocky gasped. "That's why you could handle those cyberjunkies!"

"Yes." Hazama had changed back into his human form.

"Tommy, Hazama, look at this." Billy interrupted. He handed the results of the tests back. Hazama skimmed them first.

"Chikushoo" He exclaimed. "I don't think Zedd's gonna be using cyberjunkies for very long. This new cybomechomein is twice as potent and twice as deadly."

"Well, that's good news, but what is he gonna do then?" Adam asked.

"I'm a cyborg, not a mind reader." Hazama replied tartly. "He might try to combine Putties and cyborgs together."

"Oh, great, that's what we don't need. Whacked-out claybrains who think they're god!" Rocky slapped his forehead.

Kim cuddled up to Tommy. She wasn't sure if she liked this new, more aggressive side of Tommy, this side she'd never seen before. Tommy smiled at her and placed his arm around her. He looked like the old Tommy she loved.

"So, um, Hazama, do you have anyone special in your life?" Kim asked.

"Yeah. Sam and Sachiko. Tommy, didcha know that Cherry is out of the business now?" Hazama changed the topic.

"No. Why?"

"Her himo turned her into the police and then hired some biker dyke to slice up her face in jail. Ano gejashiku!" Hazama swore.

"Who was her himo?"

"The mayor's son. I guess Daddy doesn't know how his precious little boy makes all of his spending money."

"Why would he do that?" Akiko asked.

"Payback for not giving freebies to certain people and for holding out on him. Or at least, that's what he's said."

"Creep." Aisha frowned.

"My thoughts exactly. To make matters worse, her kids are no longer staying with their grandmother. All of a sudden, she's not a fit guardian."

"That's a load of crap!" Tommy exploded.

Just then, Zordon summoned them to the Command Center.

WELCOME, HAZAMA. The giant floating head said. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR AID IN THIS MATTER.

"You're welcome, Zordon. It's good to be working with Tommy again."

SINCE ZEDD IS GOING TO TRY TO COMBINE THE TWO TECHNOLOGIES, WE WILL HAVE TIME TO CATCH OUR BREATHES. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT TOMMY WANTS TO MAKE A PERSONAL TRIP TO HELP A FRIEND IN NEED.

"Zordon, I wasn't going to ask you to help." Tommy faced his advisor.

"What are you gonna do?" Kim asked.

"Visit Cherry and see if she wants me to "talk" to her himo, er, pimp."

"Just like old times, eh." Hazama laughed. "Ah, yes, the feared Tommy Oliver. You know, some people actually thought that you were the 8-Man. Hey, what ever keeps the creeps in line."

"Tommy, how old were you when you worked for Hazama?" Billy asked.

"I was a few weeks shy of my 12 birthday. I was taking care of a gang banger that was beating an old lady after robbing her of her last five dollars when I met Hazama." Tommy grinned wickedly

TOMMY, ARE YOU READY TO GO? Zordon asked.

"Yeah. I'll be back." Tommy vanished from the Command Center.

Tommy rematerialized in Cherry's hospital room. Her face was covered with bandages with only a small hole for her mouth. "Cherry? It's me, Tommy." He whispered.

"Tommy? What are you doing here? I thought you left town?" Her voice was muffled.

"I did, but I came back when I heard what happened. And, I know who did this to you. Do you want me to handle it?" He offered.

"Oh, God, don't hurt him! If you, I may never see my kids again!" Cherry cried.

"Very well." Tommy teleported out of the room and into Chief Tanaka's office.

"YOW!" The heavy set chief jumped out of his chair. "Tommy? So, you're back. It this just a friendly visit?"

"No. A friend of mine is in the hospital because the mayor's son had her busted for prostitution and had her face all carved up. Then, he takes away the one thing in this world she loves, her kids." Tommy's voice was deadly quiet.

"You must mean Cherry, but why would the mayor's son do this?"

"He was her himo, her pimp. She displeased him. I came to you instead of taking of this myself only because Cherry doesn't want him hurt." Tommy tossed a computer disk onto Tanaka's desk. "I expect results." With that, Tommy teleported back to Angel Grove and the Command Center.

"Well?" Kim asked.

"I turned over some evidence to Tanaka." Tommy said.

"Will it work?"

"It will, it had better." Tommy's voice dripped with menace.

The Rangers shifted uncomfortably. They didn't like the sound of Tommy's voice. Akiko tried to change the topic.

"So, um, guys, did you start those reports yet?" She asked.

"Yeah. Who are you gonna do, Akiko?" Aisha asked.

"Well, Tommy and I are gonna work together since I really don't have any ancestors here. We're doing the guy Tommy was named for. Right?" Akiko turned to her brother.

"Huh, oh yeah. We have all of his old diaries and stuff. I think we still have the clothes he used to wear also. It's all up in the attic somewhere. I don't anyone's cleaned it out since before I moved here." Tommy answered. "It's a mess up there." He added.

"Ai yi yi yi yi!" Alpha exclaimed. "Tommy, I think your evidence just got results. Look!" The little robot pointed to the Viewing Globe. It showed Chief Tanaka leading away the mayor's son in handcuffs. Tommy smiled.

"Anyone in the mood of a juice shake?" Tommy asked. "I'm buying."

"OK!" Rocky yelled. His friends laughed at him. Alpha teleported them just outside of the Youth Center so they could enter like normal people.

After the shakes had been ordered, Tommy and Hazama reveled the Rangers with tales of their days as partners.

".....I still can't believe you took all of those punks out like that, Tommy." Adam said after one story.

"Yeah, especially since you had been shot." Rocky added.

Tommy shrugged. "You know those scars I always told you were from killer bee stings, well, those are the bullet holes. Just ask Nana. Boy, was she mad that time." He laughed.

"I'd hate to see Nana mad." Billy agreed. Even though he didn't believe in VooDooism, he knew there was something about Nana you just don't mess with.

"Hazama, how long are you gonna stay here?" Akiko asked.

"Well, I don't think you'll need my help when Zedd finally unleashes his cyborg Putties, so I guess I'll stay awhile and catch up with Tommy and then head back to Hawaii. I have responsibilities there." Hazama leaned back in his chair.

"You're welcome to stay as long as you like." Tommy offered. "Even Nana would be glad to see you." The other Rangers exchanged grim looks. They didn't like this Hazama. And they didn't like the way Tommy became when he was around the private investigator, aggressive and distant. They didn't want Hazama to stay in Angel Grove.

"Um, Hazama, don't you have to get back to Hawaii soon? I mean, you can't leave your practice for too long can't you?" Kim asked. Tommy shot her a dark look and tensed as he waited for his friend's answer.

"Sachiko and Sam are holding down the fort for me. I don't have any big cases coming up right." Hazama sipped at the shake. "Ernie, do you have anything stronger?" He asked.

"Sure." Ernie dug around in back and pulled out a bottle of old Scotch. He poured some for Hazama and some Tommy. The other Rangers stared at their leader as he nodded his thanks.

"Tommy," Billy whispered. "You shouldn't be drinking that. You're underage!"

"So?" Tommy placed his glass down. "Guys, alcohol doesn't effect me. That's one of the benefits of being Lord Zedd's son, I can't get drunk on Earth liquor."

"Then why do you drink?" Rocky asked.

"I like the taste of Scotch." Tommy snapped and drained his glass. Then, he slammed it down. "If you guys will excuse me." He left. His friends glanced at each other. Things were getting worse.

Lord Zedd fumed at the mass of bloody machine parts in his throne room. That mess was all that was left of his Cyberjunkie army. An onimous red glow filled the room.

"Finster!" He yelled.

"Yes, my Lord?" The small, onion-domed monster bowed.

"Why didn't my new army work!"

"Simple, my Lord. The cybomechomein that is used to maintain the cyborg's body also destroys it. As long as humans are used with cyborg technology, the stimulates will be needed to allow the brain to keep up with the implants. However, these stimulants also ruin the human's brain." Finster explained.

"Can cyborgs and Putties be combined?" Zedd asked.

"Well, Lord Zedd, Putties wouldn't need the stimulants, however, Putties are not alive and do not have a neurological system that can give orders to cyborg parts...."

"I don't care about that!" Zedd roared. "Can you do it?"

"Yes, my Lord, but it will take some time." Finster said meekly.

"Get to work on it!" Zedd ordered.

"Yes, my Lord." Finster scurried off. Once in his lab, he shook his head in dismay. "This isn't going to be easy." He sighed.

The next day in school, Adam approached his leader, who was brooding in front of his open locker. The young, Black Ranger took a deep breath and intruded in on Tommy's thoughts.

"Um, Tommy, can I talk to you for a second?" Adam asked.

"What do you want?" Tommy sounded distant and cold.

"Tommy, we, uh," Adam paused. He hated being the one to tell Tommy the bad news. "Don't want Hazama around here." He blurted out. Tommy spun around and glared at his friend. "We think that he's being a bad influence on you. Look, I mean, you've started smoking, drinking, your temper is really bad now...." Adam's voice trailed off when he saw the look in Tommy's brown eyes. Anger, yes, but something else too. Sadness and disappointment. Adam swallowed as Tommy slammed his locker shut. It was crushed by the sheer force of the blow. Before Adam could say anything else, maybe he never meant to, Tommy stormed out of the school.

"Well, that didn't go very well did it?" Akiko's voice was sarcastic. "Why couldn't you guys leave Hazama alone? He's Tommy's friend, just as you are supposed to be." Billy, Rocky, Aisha, Kimberly, and Adam looked at the ground. They had no reason for their intense dislike of Hazama. "Damn, let's go find him." Akiko sighed.

Tommy ran into the desert. He didn't stop until he was exhausted. He silently cursed Angel Grove and all of its inhabitants. Looks like I just might take Hazama up on his offer. Tommy thought to himself. I don't think I want to stay here anymore. He flopped down onto the ground. The sun was extremely hot, so he scurried under a rock outcropping for shade. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the ache in his heart.

"My Lord, the White Ranger is all by himself in the desert." Goldar informed his master. "Do you want me to take him?"

"Yes, with their leader gone, those Power Punks won't stand a chance against my CyberPutties, once they're finished."

"The White Ranger will be yours, my Lord." Goldar vanished from the moon.

Akiko and the rest of the Power Team searched Angel Grove for signs of Tommy. They regrouped in the Youth Center.

"Well, he's not at the park, or at home. And, he hasn't returned to school. Do you think he could be with Hazama?" Akiko looked up from the list she made.

"No. I called his hotel. Hazama hasn't seen Tommy all day." Billy spoke up.

"How do we know that he's telling the truth?" Rocky interrupted.

"Because he cares about Tommy, which is something I think you guys don't care about. Billy told him about what happened at school right?" Akiko looked at the Blue Ranger.

"Yes." Billy nodded his head. He pulled out a strange gadget. It was the size of a walk-man, but with many more dials.

"What's that?" Adam asked.

"It's a DNA dector. If we had a sample of Tommy's DNA, I could put it in here and use it to locate him." Billy explained.

"Where do you get DNA?" Aisha tilted her head.

"Well, from body fluids, hair strands...." Billy started.

"Hair strands?" Akiko repeated. Billy nodded. "I'm gonna go to Tommy's house and see if I can find his comb. There might be hair strands in there." She stood up and left. The rest of the Rangers followed her.

Tommy's room had white walls with a cushy mint green carpet. Martial arts posters covered the bareness and added color. His bedroom furniture, which came with the house, was from the 19th century. A battered stuffed dragon was propped up against his pillows. Akiko picked up an elegantly carved bone comb and plucked out a few dark strands of hair. She handed them to Billy.

"Thanks." He slid the hair into the dector.

"Doo-itashimahite." Akiko bowed her head. "You're welcome." She translated when she saw the looks on the Rangers' faces.

Just then, the dector lit up. "It's located Tommy's DNA pattern....In the desert." Billy said.

"Why would he go there?" Rocky asked.

"To escape us, I guess." Kim's pretty face wrinkled with a frown.

"C'mon!" Akiko ran out of the room.

Goldar materialized in front of the rock outcropping. He saw Tommy sleeping. "Wake up, White Ranger!" Goldar sneered. Tommy's eyes jerked open.

"What do you want, Goldielocks?" Tommy demanded.

"You!" He pointed his sword at Tommy's throat.

Suddenly, all of the pain and anger Tommy had been feeling lately well up in him. With a snarl, he lunged out from under the outcropping and slammed his fist into Goldar's stomach.

The Rangers followed Billy's new machine deep into the Californian desert. They could here grunts and cries for help as they drew nearer to the battle. Through the dust, they could see Goldar's shiny armor.

Tommy's punched pierced that shiny armor like it wasn't even there. The space monkey flew back. Tommy went after him. His friends stopped short when they saw their leader doing battle unMorphed. Goldar was wildly swinging his sword, trying to fend off Tommy. The sword make a lucky strike against Tommy, slicing deep into his arm and chest. The White Ranger ignored the pain. He pursued Goldar.

"Tommy, stop it!" Kim yelled and placed herself between her boyfriend and the now injured Goldar. Tommy picked her up and gently placed her aside. Suddenly, a white and black blur joined the battle. It was the 8-Man. He held onto Tommy.

"Get out of here now." 8-Man glared at the space monkey. Goldar wisely took the cyborg's advice. With Goldar gone, Tommy relaxed slightly in 8-Man's arms. Kim hesitantly faced Tommy. She saw the massive injury Goldar's sword did to him.

"Oh, Tommy!" She wailed. "You're hurt! 8-Man, can you take him to the hospital? We'll meet you there."

"Yes, ma'am." The 8-Man carried Tommy to the nearest hospital, Angel Grove General Hospital.

As Tommy laid unconscious in the trauma room, his mind wondered. He could see the interior of Zedd's palace on the moon. He was in Finster's lab, looking at a cloth covered object on a table. Finster yanked off the cover and Tommy gasped with disgust. It was one of the cyberjunkies that had been killed by Tommy. It was gray and skeletal looking, but it wasn't a corpse. It was made out of ....putty! It lurched up, its gray eyes lifeless. It took aim with its gun and started wildly shooting everything in the lab. Foul smelling potions in glass vials shattered as smoked filled the air. Zedd zapped the thing into ash...

Tommy jerked awake. He was in a hospital room with his family surrounding him. In the corner, he could see Hazama and the Rangers.

"What happened?" Tommy demanded.

Adam stepped forward. "You were hit by a dirt bike when you went out into the desert, don't you remember?" He lied.

"Oh. Dad, Uncle Josh, Nana, may I have a few minutes alone with my friends?" Tommy asked. His voice was weak.

"OK, but don't over do it." His father advised.

"Guys, I don't think we have anything to worry about from Zedd's CyberPutties." Tommy said once the adults were gone.

"Why?" Kim asked.

Tommy told them about his vision. Bile rushed up into his mouth as he remember the thing on the table. His friends, even Hazama, shuttered as they learned about the CyberPutty's demise. "I don't think Zedd is going to even try another attempt." Tommy added at the end of his tale.

Kim sat on his bed and took his hand into her own. "Tommy, we want to apologize for the way we've been acting likely. I guess we were shocked by this darker side of you and kinda jealous of Hazama. We're sorry."

Tommy looked at his friends. They all had sheepish looks on their faces. Tommy turned to Hazama. He silently urged his friend to accept the apology.

"S'okay. I guess I should have warned you. But, I do want you and Hazama, my only friends in this crazy world, to get along. OK?"

His friends responded by gathering Tommy and Hazama in a tangled group hug. Even the cyborg had to show some emotion then.

FOOTNOTES:

Hommei-kun: "Mr. Favorite" In Japanese it's the boyfriend that spends the most money on a girl. In my story I used it to mean the weaker prisoners who are "lovers" of a stronger one or one who can give them illegal goods.

Baka-imo: Stupid Hick. Baka means stupid or idiot or jerk. Imo is a hick.

Ikimashoo: Let's go.

Chikushoo: Shit, damn, dammit

Himo: Pimp

Ano gejashiku: That asshole!