As the lights returned to normal in the Command Center, seeing an older version of 'Tommy' coming out of the shadows caused quite a stir.

"WOW!"

"The future meets the present," Billy thought aloud.

"Ayi, Ayi," Alpha began.

"Phil . . . Paladar` . . . Whatever . . changed the past!" Rocky commented.

"He sure did!" Aisha said agreeing with her friend.

Kim realized that she had still the gold medallion Phil had given her.

"I still have this!" She said removing the medallion from under her communicator. It rested in the same place her power coin had sat for a long time.

Billy borrowed the medallion, and analyzed it! His findings indicated it was made from pure gold, and was over 3 thousand years old or more.

Their attention returned to the viewing globe as the following week passed rather fast!

Upon getting home from school, Tommy received a rather unexpected greeting from his father.

"Tommy!" Frank Oliver yelled as he heard the door close with a 'bang.'

"Yes, Dad."

"Get in here!"

"Yes," Tommy said poking his head into his fathers' home office. "Phil has called every 15 minutes . . ."

At the very moment, the phone rang!!

"That's probably him, now!" . . . "The jist of his conversation is," .... "Is he home yet?"

"No!"

"Well, tell him when he gets home to get his butt over here."

"Get over there now!" His father ordered, as he picked up receiver.

"Hello."

"He just got home, and he's on his way."

"OK. . . . Bye!"

"Tommy . . . MOVE!" His father growled.

Tommy thought to himself, "Great, he's probably going to flip me again!"

Jogging over to Phil's home, he was surprised to see the elderly gentleman standing next to a white car.

"You drive!" Phil said as he threw the keys at him.

"Where are we going?" The surprised teen asked.

"You'll see!"

*****

After driving to the bank and to the insurance company, they returned home.

"What did I just sign?" Tommy asked getting out of the car.

"I have to go out of town on business for a while, and normally I close the house up. Unfortunately, I can't do that this time.

"Why?"

"Because, I'm watching something for someone!" Phil said as he unlocked the front door.

"What?"

"Ru, come here."

A small gold, white, and black bird flew into the room, and landed on Tommy's shoulder.

"Well, hello!"

The little bird rubbed her body against his cheek, and started to make a sound like a cat purring.

"What kind of a bird is she?"

"She's called an Albino Falcon."

******

As the teens stared at the viewing globe, Adam spoke first . . "Now I understand why she knows us!"

"Yeah!" Rocky agreed.

Tommy was at a loss for words, as he watched the little bird.

Brought back by Phil's words, "I've already discussed this with your father, and it's OK with him."

Tommy was playing with the little bird sitting on his shoulder.

"Tommy," Phil gruffly said, "I've discussed this with your father."

A little embarrassed, Tommy asked "About me taking care of the bird?"

"Yes, and in taking care of the house, too!"

"Bringing the mail, newspapers, and keeping the grass mowed?"

"No, residing here in the house!"

"Live here, full time?" A very surprised teen said.

"Yes!"

"My dad said it would be ok with him?"

"Yes!"

"Sure . . . I'll do it!" Tommy was speechless.

"My taxi comes to get me in about two hours, so if you need to obtain anything from home, you'd better do it now." Phil stared at the teen who was definitely preoccupied by the little bird sitting on his shoulder.

"Tommy!" Phil growled.

"I'll just run home, and get a few things for tonight."

"Go! There are some things that I have to go over with you before I leave."

"Ouch . . . Don't pull my hair, you silly bird." Tommy grumbled as he pulled his hair out of her beak.

"Ru, behave yourself!" Phil snapped at the little bird.

The bird lower her head, and placed her right wing over it.

"That's right, you bow your head and beg for forgiveness!" Phil held his hand out, and she flew over to him.

Once again, she assumed a bowing for forgiveness pose. "Bad Bird . . . Bad Bird!"

Tommy tried not to laugh, but a chuckle escaped his lips.

"Go, Tommy!"

Tommy headed out the front door, and ran home.

*****

"Ru, he's not going to remember you . . . So you can't do those thing right away." Phil said as he ran the pad of one finger gently down her front. "Ok!"

Her right foot came out, and she grabbed his finger, almost as if she understood him!

****

There was a sound on the front porch which signaled Tommys' return.

"That was fast!" Phil indicated surprised at the teens' speedy return.

A little out of breathe, "I just got a few things for the night, I'll get the rest as I need it."

Phil's list of a few things was a lot longer then Tommy expected as the elderly gentleman explained the various things about the house.

There was the security system, the bills Tommy would need to pay, feeding the little bird, and which car he could drive!

"I don't think you're going to want to drive a Model T?" Phil commented as they entered the garage.

"No!"

"And I don't think your father would want you to drive my Lamborghini ?"

"No way!"

"That leaves the mustang!"

The car was a classic Ford mustang convertible, white in color, and in mint condition.

"Catch!" Phil tossed the keys to a teen who had just entered a candy store. "Your father said you like to read?"

"Yeah!"

"Follow me, please!" They left the garage, and headed down a short hallway. "I don't think you'll have too much trouble finding something to read, in here!"

As the door opened, Tommy felt like he had died and gone to heaven. The walls of the room were lined with books, most were first editions.

"Just in case, I've written all of this stuff down . . ."A car's horn interrupted Phils' train of thought. "Oh ... one more thing!"

"What?"

"No drinking, no wild parties . . .!" There was a growling tone in Phil's voice.

"I get the message! I could have taken you to the airport."

"No need, taxis' already here!"

Tommy hadn't noticed the luggage sitting near the front door.

"I'll call in a day or two to see how things are going!" Phil replied as he handed Tommy his notes.

Phil chuckled to himself as he watched Tommy play with the little bird. "If you need to get . . . Tommy, if you need to get in touch with me for any reason, the number is in the notes I just gave you!"

Tommy opened the folder containing Phil's instructions . . .

"Just leave a message on the machine!"

"Ok!"

"I must run, don't want to miss my flight."

Phil disappeared out the front door, following the taxi driver who was carrying his luggage, "Enjoy!" were Phils' last words.

Tommy closed the front door, and slowly turned around, "Yes, thank you. . . finally away from my dad!" His voice echoed with joy.

In one hand, he held two sets of keys, and in the other the folder while a little bird sat on his shoulder.

"Albino Falcon . . . I don't think there is such a bird! You look a lot like a white tiger. Besides, birds don't purr!"

*************

Over the weekend, Tommy stayed close to the house sending most of his time moving things from one house to the other.

After getting settled late Sunday afternoon, he was feeding the little bird when the phone rang.

"Hello!" Tommy said grabbing the phone on the second ring.

"How are things going, Tommy?" Mr. Pal replied.

"Great!

"That's good. How's Ru?"

"I'm feeding her right now!

"Any problems?"

"None so far!"

"Ok, I'm just checking in to see how things are going! I'll call during the week, OK?

"Ok, sure . . . !"

"Tommy, don't forget to break the connection!" The elderly gentleman said as he hung up.

"OK . . . Talk about short and sweet!" Tommy said as he double checked the phone connection.

Little did Tommy know, but the elderly gentleman could see and hear him. Phil chuckled when Ru lifted her right foot almost in a waving motion.

"Yes, I can see you ... Little one! Take good care of the Rangers, and if you need me, you know how to contact me, Ru."

Ru's head bounced up and down as she acknowledged the words only she could hear.

Realizing it was getting late, and he had school the next day Tommy decided to go bed.

As he double checked the locks and the security system, Tommy felt this house was very familiar for some reason. He couldn't put his finger on why!

Both Tommy and Ru had established a routine at night, Ru would fly around the house making sure the doors were closed and locked while Tommy got ready for bed. Then Tommy would read in bed for a while, with Ru sitting on his shoulder. When he went to turn the page, a little bird foot came out almost saying "Hey, I'm not done yet!"

"Not finished yet!" Tommy laughed turning the page back.

Several seconds later, a little bird foot came out again.

"Done?" Tommy chuckled.

The little bird bounced up and down on his shoulder.

"Ok!" He turned the page, and proceeded to fall asleep reading.