The week flew by, at least, for Tommy it did!"

"Tommy, I thought you lived several houses down?" Aisha asked puzzled.

"Nope, I live here now!" Tommy answered as he opened the back door.

The six teens gave him a funny look, as they entered the home.

"Actually, the house belongs to Phil and I'm house sitting, rather bird sitting!" Tommy laughed.

"BirdSitting?" Kim asked just as a small gold, white, and black bird landed on her shoulder. "Well, hello!"

"Tommy, that bird looks like a white tiger!" Adam said staring in disbelief.

"Yeah, I know."

******

The little bird jumped when Rocky dropped his books on the table.

"What am I going to do? My own father doesn't believe me!" Rocky groaned. "They'll take away my drivers license, and I'll send a year in jail for something I didn't do!" His voice rose slightly.

"Rocky, Zordon and Alpha are working on something." Billy stated trying to calm his friend down.

When the phone rang, Tommy hoped it was Phil, because he might have an idea or two . . . but it was his father.

"That's good, right?" Tommy said to his father.

"Yes, it is! Tell Rocky to hang in there."

"Ok dad, thanks." Tommy said hanging up the phone.

"Rocky, dad says that the judge is going to allow the blood alcohol tests in as evidence."

That seemed to cheer Rocky up a little!

Later that night. . .

"Hello. . . . Yes, Mr. Oliver, I have seven teenagers in my house. Young ladies in one room, and the gentlemen in another. . . Of course, they've been properly chaperoned all evening long. . . No, give me their phone numbers, and I'll call them myself...."

After writing all the phone numbers down, Mr. Pal called their parents to assure them that their kids were alright.

"Mr. DeSantos, what happened to Rocky's' red truck?"

"Rocky had a drunk driving accident on Thursday night, and the vehicle was totalled."

Mr. Pal sensed the doubt in Rockys' father's voice.

"I see! He wasn't hurt was he?"

"No . . . neither him or Adam were hurt nor was the other driver!"

Mr. Pal felt rather disgusted at Mr. DeSantos attitude toward his sons' accident. "Well, I'll see that he gets home tomorrow!"

"Yeah, OK!" Mr. DeSantos said without any emotion almost as if he didn't care.

The next morning:

"Guys, wake up!" Aisha said rather upset while shaking Tommy.

"I'm already awake, Aisha!"

"Well, then move or something?" Kim said standing next to her friend with her hands on her hips.

"I can't!"

During the night, someone had covered each of the sleeping teens with a light weight blanket.

"Why?" Kat whined.

Tommy lifted the blanket, and uncovered a small gold, white, and black bird curled up on his shoulder sound asleep!

"My gosh!" Kim said carefully picking up the little bird.

"Well good morning!" Phil said with a chuckle as he entered the library.

"Mr. Pal!" Tommy said surprised to see the elderly gentleman.

"Consider my surprise finding seven teens sound asleep in my house?" He paused for a second, "Don't worry about your parents my dear . . . I've already spoken to them!" The gentleman patted Aisha on her shoulder as he left the room.

"What did you tell my father?" A fearful Rocky said, his voice wavering a little.

The seven teens followed the elderly gentleman into the kitchen, where the smell of pancakes teased their noses and made their tummies growl.

"That you had followed asleep studing with your friends!" Phil replied handing him a plate with several piping hot pancakes on it.

And in the same breathe, Phil asked "What happened to your red truck?"

While they ate, Rocky proceeded to tell the story of what had happened. "Wednesday night, Adam and I were driving home from karate practice when a drunk driver hit them head on. Everytime I would change lanes the other driver did the same. If he had chosen the ditch, either of them might have been hurt or killed. The ditch that ran the full length of Stone Canyon road was more of an embankment and sloped at a 90 degree angle."

Stopping only once, Rocky continued "When the two vehicles hit, beer cans from the other drivers' car landed in mine after the explosion. Adam and I managed to pull the jerk out of the car just in time! I've been charged with driving under the influence, and face a fine and/or jail or both. Topping it all off, my own father doesn't believe me!"

"How did you and Adam get out of the car?" Phil asked already knowing the answer.

"We jumped!" Adam said because Rocky had food in his mouth.

"I see!"

"It was the only thing we could do!" Rocky finally added.

Adam glanced down at his watch, "Yikes . . . we better get a move on . . . or the instructors will be late for the karate performance at the park at one o'clock!"

"Tommy, why don't you drive Adam and Rocky home, and Billy, you see the young ladies home!"

Things started moving rather fast! After the teens left the house, "Theius, do you have anything yet?"

The sloth-like life form appeared almost immediately.

"They teleported from the vehicle." Theius said.

"Figured as much!"

"Is there anything we can do?" Phil asked Theius.

"Athos is talking to Rocky, right now!" The sloth-like creature said as Ru landed on its' shoulder. "Hello, little one!"

The little bird began purring.

"Oh dear, here comes Tommy!" Theius said as he heard a car pull into the garage. The sloth-like creature disappeared.

Ru landed on Tommys' shoulder as he came into the house.

"That was a fast trip to Stone Canyon!" Phil questioned.

"I didn't have to go all the way to Stone Canyon, Adam's car was parked at the high school."

"I see!" Phil said.

"Are the blood alcohol tests going to be entered as evidence?" The elderly gentleman inquired.

"Yes, my dad called and told us last night." Tommy answered pulling a piece of his hair out of the bird's beak. "Ru, let go!"

"I wish I could stay a little longer, but I've got to pick up the mats from Ernie's' before going to the park!" Tommy told Phil.

"That's ok, Tommy . . . You go ahead and prepare for your students' performance at the park."

Tommy headed back to the car, and soon the white mustang pulled out of the garage.

*******

Athos appeared shortly after with the news. "Rocky didn't have to pay any fines or go to jail; however, he never got over the fact that his father didn't believe him."

Before Paladar` could speak the remaining Theians appeared . . . with a request, "They wanted to go to the karate performance!"

As time for the performance approached, the seven beings appeared in the park with their natural appearance hidden, they looked like a group of elderly folks.

As they walking to location, Kendra informed the group of her findings, "There's the boy who was the latest victim of a drunk driver on that road!"

"The boy in the wheelchair!" TaLooze questioned.

"Yes, that's him. . . . He hasn't spoken or walked since that night, eight months ago . . when he and three friends were returning from a match. His girlfriend and the two passengers were killed.

"According to my data, a paradox was formed," Kendra stated with some authority.

"Can the paradox be stopped?" Paladar` asked looking at the printout Kendra had brought with her.

"Yes, it can!" Kendra stated firmly.

Athos stopped and joined Kendra and the pair vanished from sight. Soon, the results of their work could be seen!

The boy once seated in a wheelchair, now stood with his three friends watching the performance.

****

Rocky saw the group of elderly people walking toward them, and made the comment, "A convention of old folks!"

"Rocky, be nice." Aisha snapped.

*****

Applause signaled the end of the performance.

"I can't find it!" Billy yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Find what Billy?" Kim asked.

"The right compound to use with this project I'm working on." The teen in blue groaned.

"Perhaps, my friend can help!" Phil said slightly pushing Theius toward the place where the teen sat.

Introductions were made, and then Theius sat down next to Billy, and inquired as to the project the teen working on.

As the pair worked, it became apparent to Theius that Billy had discovered the right formula.

*******

Sunday came and went, and Rocky's day in court arrived!

The courtroom was a circus, as both attorneys argued!

The judge was attempting to regain control, when the rear doors opened!

Mr. Pal entered, dressed to kill, and behind him two other individuals dressed in pin-strip suits also entered.

"Phillip E. Pal, for the defense, your honor!"

Judge Charles Warner stared in shock at the elderly gentleman who had just interrupted his courtroom.

"Certainly, sir . . . Mr. Pal, didn't you retire from the Supreme Court ten years age?" The puzzled judge asked.

"Yes, I did." Mr. Pal replied putting his briefcase on the table "Do you mind, son!"

Rocky's' attorney moved his things almost immediately.

The other drivers' attorney began to object but was over-ruled by the judge.

"The defense has a witness to this travesty of justice, your honor!" Mr. Pal countered. "I call Mr. James Reynolds to the stand."

******

Mr. James Reynolds entered the room, and after being sworn in, he took the stand. "Mr. Reynolds, please state your full name for the court."

"Mr. James Matthew Reynolds."

"What is your occupation?" The elderly gentleman asked.

"I'm a photographer, . . . photojournalist."

"When you contacted me, you stated that you had evidence critical to this case . . . is that correct?"

"Yes, I do!"

Two other men, also dressed in pin-strip suits, entered the room pushing several VCRs and television equipment.

"Gentlemen, could you please set up the equipment!" Mr. Pal told the men.

Mr. Reynolds handed Mr. Pal several video tapes that he had brought with him.

"What is on these tapes, Mr. Reynolds?"

"I lost my daughter to a drunk driver on that same road over a three years ago, and at the beginning of this year decided to do something about the number of drunk drivers who got off because their victims were teenagers."

"Please continue, Mr. Reynolds."

"I brought several pairs of night vision lens, and built a video system that worked by itself at night. I only had to change the tape once month. If there was an accident or something, the system would set off an alarm . . . letting me know that it had information.

"If you set up this system at the beginning of this year, why has it taken so long for you to come forward?"

The man sat staring at the railing in front of him.

"This is the first time I've left the house since my daughter was killed." He paused for several seconds, "My wife died a year before my daughter did!" His voice cracked as a tear fell from one eye.

"I'm very sorry, Mr. Reynolds . . . I know this must be very hard for you!" The elderly gentleman offered the man his handkerchief.

Accepting the handkerchief, Mr. Reynolds continued. "When I read about this case in the newspaper, I knew I couldn't keep quiet anymore. When your investigator went over the area again on Saturday, I approached him with my information."

"Your honor, I myself have not seen these tapes . . . only my investigator has." Mr. Pal motioned to one of the other men who took tapes and then stood in front of the elaborate setup.

"Please continue, Mr. Reynolds."

"Could you please insert tape one into the left VCR!" Mr. Reynolds instructed the investigator.

"Tape one shows the defendants' vehicle entering Stone Canyon road on the Angel Grove side."

The investigator inserted tapes one and two into their respective VCRs, and then moved aside.

"Tape two shows the plaintiffs' vehicle entering Stone Canyon road on the Stone Canyon side." Mr. Reynolds withdrew a remote control device from his pocket. "And as you can plainly see, the defendant isn't drinking anything." The picture on the TV screen zoomed in on Rocky's' vehicle clearly showing that neither he nor Adam were drinking anything. "The plaintiff on the other hand has several empty cans of beer on the seat next to him, and he is holding a can in his hand."

The prosecutor, Mr. Davis, immediately objected. "Your honor . . how do we know that these tapes aren't fakes or haven't been altered?"

"Mr. Smith, please!" Mr. Pal stated to his investigator.

The investigator produced his identification which informed all parties that he was with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

"Mr. Reynolds, please continue with your testimony."

"As you can see, the defendant attempted to avoid the accident, but the plaintiff appears to counter the defendants' moves. Almost as if he was trying to have an accident!"

"Your honor, speculation on the witnesses' part!"

"Overruled, Mr. Davis, I see no speculation on the witnesses' part . . . it is clear that your client knew what he was doing!"

The judge asked the witness the next question, "How did the two boys get out of the vehicle?"

This was the part the Rangers were dreading!

"Your honor, the defendant and his friend jumped from the vehicle." Mr. Reynolds restarted the first VCR, and the tape clearly showed both Rocky and Adam jumping out of the vehicle, and pulling the plaintiff from his.

The second tape showed the crash of both vehicles, and the empty beer cans flying threw the air, landing in Rocky's' vehicle.

"Based on this evidence, your honor . . . I request that all charges against my client be dropped!" Mr. Pal added, "And his driving record be cleared of this incident."

"Mr. Davis, I hope you don't wish to counter because you'll loose." The Judge informed the prosecutor.

"No . . . your honor . . . I don't!"

"Case dismissed, all charges are dropped." His gavel closed the proceedings.

"Oh . . .before you leave Mr. Jenkins . . . These two gentlemen would like to speak to you!" Mr. Pal informed the plaintiff.

"Mr. Ben Jenkins . . .aka Mr. Benjamin Jones, you're under arrest!" One of the men pulled his identification from his pocket, and he too was with the FBI. "There are six outstanding warrants for your arrest."

"And one other thing, gentlemen . . . Mr. Jones owes Mr. DeSantos a new truck!"

"We'll take care of it, Mr. Pal." The plaintiff was now in handcuffs. "Thank you . . for contacting our office."

"No problem gentlemen!" Mr. Pal handed the bailiff several files, "Your honor, I think you should examine these cases, you'll find them very interesting."

The bailiff handed the files to the judge.

"I notice that these files have release papers on them. Why?"

"I think when you finish reading them, you'll understand." Mr. Pal didn't pull many punches nor did he let the cat out of the bag.

"Mr. Davis, these nice gentlemen are here to see you!"

"Mr. Franklin Davis, the States Attorney General would like to see you regarding several cases of court misconduct and misuse of your position." One of remaining men withdrew his identification, and he too was from the FBI.

The elderly gentleman stood eye to eye with the prosecutor, "You don't want to mess with me, . . . My bite maybe harmless but my bark isn't. I can be just as dangerous as a white tiger!"

*****

Only the seven teens picked up on his reference to a white tiger, thankfully!

Rocky shook Mr. Pals' hand, thanking him for his assistance.

"No problem, Rocky!"

When Mr. DeSantos tried to thank the elderly gentleman, Mr. Pal just blew him off! "Try believing in your son!"

*****

The elderly gentleman had picked up on something else, as he walked back and forth in the courtroom.