Screenplay By Carlton Edward Baird II

Warning: The Following Episode is unedited. It contains adult language, adult themes, and graphic violence. You have been warned.

Tactical Operation Team

Rescue Rangers X

The Short Series

Season Finale Tyrants and Heroes: Part One By Eddie Baird

Introduction

Every big thing has to end somewhere...

Every stone wall has to crumble...

Every sea has to dry...

Every mountain has to tumble...

Every seed withers and dies...

Every big thing has to end somewhere...

Enjoy the end...

Sincerely, Carlton Edward Baird, The Second

[Notice: The Rescue Rangers, Chip, Dale, Gadget, Zipper, Monterey Jack, Foxglove, Tammy, and all related materials are Registered Trademarks of the Walt Disney Company and are used without permission. No infringement whatsoever is meant in this portrayal and those to follow. Wescott Vance Atticas, Dr. Jeremy Manniax, Chax Bennet, Tactical Operation Team Rescue Rangers X and all related materials are copyright 2000 UltraBox Industries. Gemma Kaisya is copyright J.L. Solis, used with permission. Claw Atticas is copyright Seth White, used with permission. THX is a registered trademark 2000 Lucasfilm, LTD. Used without permission. All other brand names and companies are registered trademarks of their affiliated companies. Used without permission.]

[Closed Captioning symbol appears in upper-right hand corner, fades out.]

[Clear rating appears in upper-left hand corner: TV-MA-LVD, fades out.]

[Increasingly higher volume and pitched tone reverbs all speakers.]

[Blue box appears. Words on screen.]

The Audience Is Listening.

[THX logo appears as tone reaches its apex. More words.]

www.thx.com <http://www.thx.com>

[Fade out.]

["Keep Hope Alive" by The Crystal Method begins playing]

[Slow fade in to white screen.]

[UltraBox sides form Cube, Cube spins on screen as words ripple in]

UltraBox Industries Presents

[Slow fade to white and black out.]

[Sudden shots of the Rangers:]

[Chip and Dale connecting a dual roundhouse kick to a rat's skull.]

[Gadget piloting the RangerKestrel through the Chicago skyline.]

[Foxglove casting her Burning Ashes spell.]

[Tammy stunning down thieves with her DHT-2.]

[Zipper flying under gunfire.]

[Monty throwing a lackey over his shoulder into a group of lackeys.]

[Wescott raising himself off the ground with his bo and jump kicking a thug.]

[CG "Tactical Operation Team Rescue Rangers X" logo in center, explodes.]

Chip Elmwood [Chip turns, stances paws.]

Tress MacNeille

[White light flash.]

Dale Oakmont [Dale turns, smiles, slides his feet smoothly.]

Corey Burton

[White light flash.]

Gadget Hackwrench [Gadget turns, looks in thought at the camera.]

Tress MacNeille

[White light flash.]

"Monterey" Jack Colby [Jack turns, bares both fists.]

Jim Cummings

[White light flash.]

Zipper Musca [Zipper turns, flies at the camera.]

Corey Burton

[White light flash.]

Tammy Sorenthia [Tammy turns, loads Eater.]

Noelle North

[White light flash.]

Foxglove Digitalis [Foxglove turns, covers face with wing, reveals face coyly.]

Deborah Walley

[White light flash.]

Wescott Vance Atticas [Wescott turns and holds his fist directly at the camera.]

Eddie Baird

[Quick red fade out.]

Chax Bennet [Chax tilts head to camera, scowls.]

Charlie Adler

[Red scanner beam crosses the screen.]

Dr. Jeremy Manniax [Manniax tilts head to camera, bares teeth.]

Rob Paulsen

[Red scanner beam crosses the screen.]

[Rangers running past spotlights: camera pans 360 degrees around them.]

[Split second shots of all eight Rangers, exploding effect.]

(Iron door closes with Tactical Operation Team Rescue Rangers X symbol)

[Words appear:]

Executive Producer: Eddie Baird

[Fade out.]

[Metallica’s "Enter Sandman" plays. A fiery bo is shown exploding on the left over a red glowing background. A jagged font text appears.]

Tyrants and Heroes

Part One

[Part of the bo blows up as the text changes.]

Written by Eddie Baird and Akira Toriyama

Executive Art Direction: J.L. Solis

[The Bo begins to disintegrate into the fire. The screen is covered in flames as

the final text is written over the embers.]

Special Guests

Peter Cullen as the voice of Claw Hyperion Atticas

K. T. Vogt as the voice of Gemma Kaisya

[The screen is sliced in two directions as the music ends. Suddenly, white text appears on the black.]

This episode is dedicated to J.L. Solis, one of the hardest working staff members at UltraBox. The Rat is Back.

-Eddie

[Words fade out.]

Scene One: Morning Repast

[Fade into Rescue Ranger Headquarters. Once again, we find Wescott Atticas sleeping like the dead in his Hatteras Hammock, when his alarm goes off. Wescott reaches over, but instead of clobbering it, he scowls at it, then goes back to sleep. Suddenly after that, he takes his Zippo lighter and ignites the clock violently ablaze, as it melts into yet another undiscernible puddle of plastic and silicone.]

Wescott: And the sad thing is...That's the highlight of my morning...

[Cut to the breakfast nook. Tammy is humming "What You Won't Do For Love" by Bobby Caldwell as she dishes out pancakes left and right in a rapid succession.]

Wescott: I love that song, Tammy. I didn't know you liked it too...

Tammy: Great minds think alike, Peanut…

Wescott: Damn straight! Give us a cuddle, baby...

[The two squirrels share a tender snuggle and a kiss, one that gets increasingly intimate. As they break apart, Wescott begins another one of his semi-flattering, but bizarre speeches.]

Wescott: Ah...You know you could take away all the mentholated strong minty candies and gums at all the grocery stores in the world and every single bottle of Ballco Cola ever made, but you would still have enough refreshment to go around if the world just had some of your kisses, Tammy...

[Tammy laughs and winks.]

Tammy, in a singsong voice: Flattery won't get you an extra pancake, Wes.

[Wescott flashes his winning smile.]

Wescott: Who cares? At least I tried!

[Chip and Dale appear from the stairs, wiping the grit from their eyes. Dale stifles a yawn.]

Chip: Ah, Tammy, smells like another award-winning breakfast!

Tammy: I try Chipper...I try...

Chip: I thought you stopped calling me that when you joined the group…

Tammy: Old habits die hard...Chipper.

[Chip rolls his eyes. Gadget, Jack and Zipper descend the staircase. Foxglove floats from the rafters.]

Dale: You know? It's kind of funny...About a month ago, it was like Manniax was out for blood...But now, he's just doing petty stuff.

Gadget: Golly...It is kind of uncanny...Like another one of those calm before the storm things...

Wescott: Gadget, PLEASE don't mention storms...I had about enough last summer.

[Foxglove floats into Dale's lap and starts snuggling, with just a light kiss on his cheek.]

Foxglove: And how's my little cutie?

Dale: I can only say it's a good morning because of you, Foxy...

[Something tugs at Chip's jacket.]

Chip: Oh! Hey Wescott! Someone else is up!

[The camera lowers and we see none other than Wescott's cheerful adopted son, Claw Hyperion Atticas. The tiny wolf cub smiles at the leader of the Rescue Rangers and squeaks up to him.]

Claw: Can yewz hewp me up on tew da tabwe?

Chip: Sure thing, cubbie...

[Claw is helped up onto the table where he runs for his father.]

Claw: Daddy!

Wescott: Hey kiddo!

[Wescott snuggles his son.]

Tammy: You know, he really is like you in a lot of ways, Wescott. Headstrong, bold, he knows what he wants…but after all this, he still has a soft side…

Wescott: He's a hearty little tyke, that's for sure.

[The other Rangers smile as breakfast is served. Wescott says grace and the Rangers dig in. Fade to…]

Scene Two: In The WorkLab

[After breakfast. Chip, Dale, Tammy and Foxglove are lounging on the sofa, watching the TV. Jack and Zipper are using RangerVision to log into the Internet. The camera pans to the right and moves down the stairs, and into the WorkLab. We find Gadget and Wescott, hard at work on another invention as Claw watches, awestruck.]

Gadget: So you see, Wescott, The lithium ion pack will power the ThunderGauntlets for a maximum of 40 hours, but when used constantly, they will only last about 30 minutes. Fortunately, you can recharge them at any wall outlet for 4 minutes and keep going. The problem with that is…that’s a four minutes in which you will be completely vulnerable without it.

Wescott: Yeah, right.

[Wescott holds up his soldering iron from the internal wires in confusion. With his other paw he scratches his head.]

Wescott: What all do they do?

[Gadget cleans a stain of oil from her paws with a soiled rag, looking at the squirrel kindly and smiling, finally getting a real chance to explain the project.]

Gadget: For starters, the ThunderGauntlets allow for a range of fire I could never get with the double helix tasers. A single blast of the electric engine will fire a bolt of 600 volts over a mile.

[Wescott steps back, almost falling.]

Wescott: Great Feems of Lightning!

Gadget: Actually, Great Feems of Ranger ingenuity is more like it.

[Claw bounces happily, reaching up for the metal gloves.]

Claw: Mez wanna twy it!

[Wescott smiles at him, puts down his soldering iron and snuggles his son.]

Wescott: Sorry scout, but these gloves aren't your size! I don't know if we have enough stuff here to help build you a pair!

Claw: Aww…

[Gadget puts down her rag, her paws nice and shiny now. She bends down to smile and look Claw in the eye.]

Gadget: Oh come on, Wescott! Let Clawsy-wawsy fire the big shiny glove!

[Gadget winks at the squirrel and Wescott gives.]

Wescott: Huh? OOOOHH, yeah! Okay, son. You win. We'll let you fire the glove!

[Claw stands in disbelief, realizing his chance to prove himself.]

Claw: Weawwy!?

[Wescott and Gadget laugh at the blatantly funny "Clawese".]

Wescott/Gadget: Weawwy!

Claw: Hey! Down't mock mez!

[Wescott secretly shuts off the glove as he passes it to Claw. Gadget holds a trigger behind her back, which goes all the way to the wall ahead of Claw, unknown to him. Wescott smiles at his son, but deep inside he seems to show a bit of regret for this.]

Wescott: Go ahead, Claw.

Claw: Fiwe!

[Claw pulls the trigger, which just clicks. Gadget pulls her trigger and the wall explodes, collapses and falls to the floor in a pile of rubble. Claw stands shocked.]

Claw: Mez did dat?

[Wescott nods approvingly.]

Wescott: Yes you did, son. Way to go!

[Gadget kneels down again and smiles at the eager wolf cub.]

Gadget: You did a great job, Claw. You'll make a good Rescue Ranger yet!

[She huggles him tight. Wescott smiles.]

Claw: Tank yewz, Gadget! Mez gonna work hawd to be wike mez daddy!

[Claw bounds over to the stairs to go tell the others of his astonishing feat. Wescott pulls Gadget aside and looks at her, slightly dampened by what he did.]

Wescott: Gadget, I can’t get over myself for what I just did. I lied to Claw. I really wanted him to blow up that wall himself, but I didn’t want him to destroy the lab in the process. I feel like a total jackass.

Gadget: It’s not all your fault, Wescott. I did too. We’ll think of someway that we can help Claw get what he wants…and I know you above all can help him.

Wescott: I promise I am going to help Claw become a Rescue Ranger…Even if it kills me. Oh! Hey that’s right, speaking of promises…I almost forgot…

[Wescott pulls a pair of eyeglasses from his jacket pocket. The eyeglasses are medium sized, pure silver frames, mildly thin lenses, and they all around look like they cost a fortune.]

Wescott: Gadget? I finally got Tammy’s glasses. I secretly checked the power of her contact lenses, and had these built just for her. I wonder how I can surprise her…

Gadget: You’ll think of something. I know she has wanted those glasses for a long time.

Wescott: Thanks, Gadget…

[Wescott hugs her. Gadget looks slightly surprised, but nonetheless happy.]

Gadget: What was that for, Wes?

Wescott: It was for a lot of things. For helping me when I couldn’t get by on my own, for helping me create more efficient means of defending the group, for being a teammate, even when all was lost…And just for being a friend. Thank you, friend.

Gadget: Anytime. But you know, Wes?

Wescott: Huh?

Gadget: You have been with us for a long time, been a strong role in the team and helped out, almost like a leader in your own right. Why don’t you try out to become a First Class Ranger? It’s tough, but I figure if anyone can do it, it’s you. I’ll even sponsor you to Chip.

[Wescott can’t believe what he is hearing as it seems to echo in his mind, almost an impossible phrase.]

[VO Wescott]: Me? A First Class Rescue Ranger? Impossible.

Wescott: No way. Me?

Gadget: Try it. You might be surprised. You have a hidden talent I have never seen before.

[She smiles and gets back to work as Wescott heads upstairs.]

Gadget, to herself as she watches him leave: Good luck, Wescott…

[Fade to…]

Scene Three: Duty Calls…

[Cut back upstairs. Chip and Dale now have separate remotes for the same TV. A bad idea, but they both asked for it. Tammy sits in the middle of them, with Claw in her lap. Because Tammy is so close to the set, she has her contacts out, in their container on the table. Her green eyes stare up at the large, Sony Trinitron monitor-turned television as Chip flips to WGN-News. Dale, seeing Chip do this, flips to Cartoon Network. Chip flips back and growls openly to Dale. Dale flips again and grits his teeth at his ally. The shot cuts back behind them both to see the screen as it shows a shootout crime scene taped off from what appears to be Greektown to a shot of Quick Draw McGraw dressed as El Kabong, brandishing his guitar. Back and forth the shots go.]

Chip: My turn!

TV: And reports are filing in from all over…

Dale: No, mine!

TV: You mean El Kabong!!

Chip: Mine!

TV: This is quite a messy situation as…

Dale: Mine!

TV: KA-BOOONNNGG!!!!

[As the two chipmunks argue more like children than Rescue Rangers, Tammy begins to shake between them with anger. Claw looks up at her, hoping she doesn’t fling him off of her warm lap in her rage. The camera quick pans to the stairwell as Wescott looks up to see a great opportunity. Tammy’s back is to him. He reaches into his pocket again and pulls out the pair of glasses, smiling to himself. He looks back at her.]

Wescott: And now, by special request, one Tammy May Sorenthia, getting her socks knocked off.

[A buzzing is heard and red lights flash all over the den. Wescott mutters a curse as the others hit the chutes around him. He quickly hides his gift as Tammy approaches.]

Wescott: Shit! Not now!

Tammy: Come on, Peanut! Work to be done!

[Sudden cut to Jack, Zipper, Tammy, Claw, Chip, Dale, and Foxglove descending from the chutes to the Hangar.]

Jack: Wot’s the alarm this toime, Chippah me lad?

Chip: Looks like Armed Theft at 669 North Michigan.

[Wescott comes in a bit late and does not hear the beginning of the briefing.]

Chip: Seems that there’s a burglary in progress at the Sony Gallery of Consumer Electronics.

Wescott: It had better not be Manniax…If he touches those DVD players, I’ll kick his ass so hard it’ll turn around sideways and come out his mouth backwards!

Tammy: That’s a lovely vision, Peanut. Come on, we've got rescuing to do!

[Wescott is yanked by Tammy’s arm.]

Wescott: Jeeze Louise...

[The Rangers group up and climb into the RangerRovers. Chip ignites the engines and fires out the mufflers, as does Wescott. The cars rocket down the hangar, take a left, and out of a secret tube, up from the pavement on Lake Shore Drive. Fade to a CGI RR globe. The wireframe globe becomes a topographical globe of the world, which suddenly zooms into the Americas, then onto the US, over the Midwest, then Lake Michigan and comes to rest as a map of metropolitan Chicago, with the top of the screen facing East to Lake Michigan, extending North to Wrigley Field, South to the Museum of Science and Industry, and West to Interstate 90-94. In the upper left-hand corner of the screen are various scientific-looking graphics. In the lower left-hand corner is text which reads:]

Location: Rescue Ranger Headquarters, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. En Route: Sony Gallery of Consumer Electronics, 669 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. Vehicle: RangerRovers Pilots: Chip Jonathan Elmwood and Wescott Vance Atticas

[A picture of the RangerRovers in wireframe form revolve clockwise in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. The RRX logo appears in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. A green line moves from a blinking blue dot near the Buckingham Fountain, North on Lake Shore Drive, cutting a hard left onto Chicago Avenue, to a blinking red dot over the store. The CG map dissolves to…]

Scene Four: Smackdown at Sony

[A shot of the RangerRovers screeching to a halt, and the Rangers jumping out, armed to the teeth. Wescott and Gadget now sport ThunderGauntlets, yet Wescott is sans his bo, which should be strapped to his back. Surveying the air, Chip starts his move in, DHT-2 drawn.]

Chip: Follow my lead, Rangers!

Rangers: Right!

[All follow Chip, single file into the store. Various Sony goods are on display, some gently smoldering, possibly by enemy gunfire from an apparent earlier show of force. People of various races cower as Jeremy Manniax and Chax Bennet, in their pristine ugliness, hold up the entire store armed with R.P.G. launchers. They sneer at the incoming Rangers. Manniax then looks to Claw, who growls, revealing his sharp toothy maw.]

Manniax: Damn! The Rescue Rangers! And I see that roadkill boy brought his pet mutt with him...

Wescott: I see you still don’t know your butt from a hole in the ground, Manniax. Let’s get him, son…

[Wescott and Claw leap at Manniax who points his rocket launcher at them, loads and fires. Wescott leads the assault and fires his glove at the cat, who falls with pain, tiny sparks surrounding his body. The rocket butts Wescott in the chest, and sends him into the air with it. Wescott rolls off the head of the rocket just before it explodes into the ceiling, causing a massive hole from which the sky is visible. Wescott falls helplessly into Tammy's arms.]

Wescott, dazed: Oh my! Angels! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

[Tammy looks at him as he kisses her deliriously, then blacks out.]

Tammy, blinking: Thanks for the compliment, but you're not dead...yet...

[Claw bites Manniax's left leg and like a vice-grip, refuses to let go as Manniax shakes. Claw growls furiously as the cat wiggles his leg.]

Manniax: Let go, you mange-ridden mongrel!

Claw, muffled: Yewz hewt mez daddy! Mez gonna chew yewz up an’ spit yewz owt!

[Suddenly Dale's nunchaku is seen clobbering Manniax over the head just as Claw jumps away. Manniax sees he is out gunned and out numbered so he throws a small ball onto the ground, clutching a Sony Trinitron television in his claws. The ball emits a large amount of black smoke.]

Chip: A smoke screen!!

Manniax: So long, suckers!!

[The Rangers cough mildly as the smoke clears, Manniax and Chax having evaded them entirely.]

Wescott: Dammit!

Chip: Well, at least he didn't get away with much...Just a TV...

[A shocked rabbit salesclerk approaches the rangers.]

Salesclerk: But the store is decimated! He broke a hole in the wall just to get a stupid TV! That's pathetic...Even for him!

Chip: Hmmm. What does Manniax want with a TV?

Dale: Well, we're sorry we couldn't stop him for you.

Salesclerk: That's okay. At least you kept him from getting anything else, and for that we're still in your debt.

[The Rabbit hands Dale a portable DVD player.]

Rabbit: Here! Have a DVD player!

Dale: Hey tha—

Wescott, whining enviously: Hey I want one too!

[Wescott makes a grab at Dale’s new DVD player, and the two of them tug stupidly at the device. Tammy and Foxglove smack their heads with giant mallets that read in pink and violet respectively, “Tammy” and “Foxglove” respectively. The squirrel and the chipmunk fall the the ground in a heap as Tammy and Foxglove drag them away.]

Tammy/Foxglove: Boys, puh!

Chip: Well, don’t you worry, sir, we’ll catch Manniax if it’s the last thing we do!

[The camera pans with the Rangers back to their cars. Manniax is seen in the shadows whispering, laughing like some satanic daemon.]

Manniax: Trust me...It will be...

[Fade to black with evil laughter. White words superimposed on screen announce.]

Five Days Later

Scene Five: Portrait of a Tammy in Flight

[Fade into Wescott and Tammy snuggling on the couch rather intimately, wrapped in a blanket. Wescott looks into Tammy's eyes and kisses her nose.]

Wescott: Mmm…Have I told you lately just how much I love you, Cocoa Bean?

[Tammy giggles at him.]

Tammy: Not in the last five minutes.

Wescott: Well, for the record, I love you to pieces, sweetie.

Tammy: Not as much as I love you...

[They kiss....for a very long time. Suddenly, Wescott gets a thought.]

Wescott: Hey Tammy, want to go see if you can fly now?

[Tammy blinks at him.]

Tammy: Now? That was kind of sudden.

Wescott: Sure! Why not?

Tammy: Okay.

[Wescott takes Tammy by the paw and leads her out the front door to the deck overlooking Grant Park. Tammy looks slightly unsteady as Wescott looks kindly to her.]

Wescott: Remember, if you don't feel sure about this, we don't have to do it.

Tammy: It's okay, Peanut. I want to learn to fly with you. Just promise me you'll take care of me while we're in the air.

Wescott: I wouldn't do this if I wasn't sure in you, or if I couldn't help you out of it if trouble arose.

Tammy: Okay, let's go.

[Wescott and Tammy step off of the deck and into the air. Tammy grunts slightly as she begins to spin her tail like Wescott is doing, and surprisingly enough, she takes to the air, along with him. Tammy struggles a bit at first, but soon has no problem and is flying through the sky without a hitch. Wescott and Tammy join paws in the air and fly over the Buckingham Fountain. Wescott turns to Tammy and looks in her eyes.]

Wescott: Nothing to it, eh baby?

Tammy: I love this! I just wish we had started doing this a long time ago.

[Wescott winks over to his love.]

Wescott: All you had to do was say the word, sweetie...

Tammy, mildly sarcastic, but good-humoured: The word, sweetie.

Wescott, retorting: Okay then...

[Wescott grabs hold of Tammy and the two of them spin into an ultra fast barrel roll in each other's arms. They kiss and snuggle intimately in mid air, completely unaware of the happenings below. Camera pan down to…]

Scene Six: A Tall, Mousy Stranger

[The sidewalk. A huge dimensional vortex opens, and a figure appears from it. At first it is just a silhouette, but as the vortex vanishes, we see that it is a female mouse. She stands about the height of Gadget, but has distinctly amber hair, slightly bluer eyes, and darker skin, with well-defined muscles. She wears a jumpsuit but unlike Gadget’s, it is tri-coloured, with tan and black top, and violet pants. She also wears a pair of black work boots, and on her tail is a pink bow, which adorns a metal device in the middle. She collapses, obviously exhausted. Cut back up to the squirrels in mid-flight. Tammy suddenly looks down to see the mouse collapsed on the sidewalk, in a gooey green glob of some kind. She breaks her kiss with Wescott.]

Tammy: Hey Wes! Look, that mouse is gonna get flattened!

[Sure enough, up the sidewalk, a businessman, reading a copy of the Chicago Tribune doesn't even notice the mouse he is about to flatten.]

Wescott: Do you think you are strong enough to help me carry her?

Tammy: I'll give it a try...

Wescott: Good deal. Let's go.

Wescott/Tammy: Rescue Rangers Away!!

[The two squirrels descend and quickly upon the female mouse. They try to lift her but they find something stuck to her tight.]

Tammy: Yuk! She's stuck by Wrigley's Freedent!

Wescott: Damn those gum-headed humans! It's still sticky, and it's not supposed to do this at all! It's supposed to moisten your mouth!

[Tammy is unamused at this blatantly stupid parody.]

Tammy: Yeah, moisten your mouth and freshen your breath while you chew. Will you just stop that human before he squishes us all?

Wescott: I'll give him a taste of his own medicine!

[Wescott reaches in his jacket and pulls out a set of bolos, hurling them at the human.]

Wescott: Glue bolos away!

[The bolos whistle through the air and open spewing sticky super glue all over the human's shoes. The rest of the bolos tie around the human’s feet and cause him to tumble over and barely miss the squirrels and the mouse on his way down. Tammy finally yanks the female mouse free of her bonds and shows her to Wescott.]

Human: RRRR!! Damn smart-ass kids! Always setting traps! It must be all those cartoons they watch!

[A distant rimshot is heard as the camera moves back to Wescott, Tammy and the mystery mouse.]

Wescott: Hmm. We have to get her back to headquarters and see if we can't wake her up.

Tammy: Roger that, Wes. Let's go.

[Slow fade into…]

Scene Seven: Meet Little Gem

[The den back at headquarters. Wescott has lovingly prepared a plate of his famous Fire and Smoke Nachos and a glass of Ballco for the mouse. She comes to at last, even if it is a panicked awakening.]

Mouse: Ugh...What hit me? Wait! Where am I? What year is it? Who are you? Help!!

[The mouse struggles to sit up, but fails. Wescott looks at her.]

Wescott: Calm down. You're safe now. My name is Wescott. This is Rescue Ranger Headquarters, Chicago Division. It's the year 20XX. I don't know what hit you, but we helped you out of it.

Mouse: Thank you. My name is Gemma Kaisya. I'm looking for someone but I can't remember who...

Wescott: Oh! Gemma, meaning "Little Gem"!

Gemma, smiling: That's me!

[Wescott looks her over, wondering about where this strange mouse came from...]

Wescott: So where ya from?

Gemma: Well, that's another thing. I don't really know. I just fell into your park with a spliting headache. I guess I must have caught amnesia.

[Gemma shrugs. Wescott smiles at her and helps her up.]

Wescott: Well, just goes to show you that skydiving rots your brain, like public television and educational sites on the Internet. Here, let me take you around headquarters and introduce you to the others.

[Gemma smirks at him as she is led off screen. Fade into…]

Scene Eight: A Cursed Introduction

[Foxglove's Apothecary. Foxglove is working on some strange rod. The rod is made of pewter and has mysterious runes on it. It is about the size of Wescott's bo, with a quartz ball at the top. Seeing the squirrel and mouse approach, Foxglove quickly hides the rod from sight.]

Wescott: Hiya Foxy!

[Wescott goes to give Foxglove a friendly hug. Foxglove delightedly returns it and looks over the newcomer as Wescott did.]

Foxglove: Hey Wes. Who's the mouse?

Wescott: I'd like you to meet Gemma Kaisya. Tammy and I rescued her earlier today.

Foxglove: Gemma, huh? It's nice to meet you, Gemma. I'm Foxglove Digitalis. Welcome to my world...So to speak.

[Foxglove extends her wing to Gemma in greeting. Gemma takes her wing in her paw, but looks around the apothecary, obviously a bit creeped out by Foxglove's magical devices. Foxglove sees this and looks like she regrets-again-ever having started this stupid magical apprenticeship. She curses under her breath.]

Foxglove: Dammit…

Gemma: Excuse me?

[Foxglove starts; mildly stunned Gemma heard her curse. She tries to make a good come back, scratching her back with her left wing, blushing a deep pink.]

Foxglove: Oh. I've just slammed my wing in my book. It hurts really badly. Sorry...

[Gemma doesn’t sound convinced.]

Gemma: Okaaay....

Wescott: Well, I'll catch you later, Foxy.

Foxglove: Anytime, Wes. I'll be here.

[Wescott and Gemma exit. Foxglove grits her fangs and curses again.]

Gemma, off camera: What a weird bat!

Wescott: But I like Foxy…She’s sweet.

Foxglove, to herself: Good job, Foxy. Real good...Now you have an enemy...Like you need any more of them…

[Cut to…]

Scene Nine: Gemma’s First Call

[Wescott and Gemma unbolting the door to the Worklab. Within, Chip, Dale, Zipper and Gadget stand and watch as Claw and Jack jab and thrust aimlessly into the air, the two of them wearing bizarre helmets and gloves. Gemma gets a puzzled look on her face.]

Gemma: What are they doing?

[Claw swipes an upper cut with his left front paw in the air. Jack feigns back. Cut back to Wescott.]

Wescott: Looks like they are using my new RangerVision combat simulator. I designed the program myself. Gadget built the parts and I wired them up.

[Gemma smirks at Wescott.]

Gemma: No kidding. So what are you two? Children of the Brain?

[Gemma looks back at Gadget, who glares mildly at Gemma.]

Wescott: Actually, each of us just use what God provided us with to battle crime.

[Wescott goes back to where Chip and the others are, and points to them in turn. Each one salutes smartly.]

Wescott: Gemma, this is Chip Elmwood; he’s our leader,

[Chip tips his hat to her.]

Chip: Hi there.

Wescott: Here’s our second in command, Dale Oakmont…

[Dale grips her hand.]

Dale: Hiya.

Wescott: Zipper Musca, our main scout…

[Zipper salutes his trademark salute, then squeaks his greeting.]

Wescott: Gadget Hackwrench, our resident inventress and mechanic…

[Gadget nods a little to the other mouse, but doesn’t say anything.]

Wescott: And over there are my adopted son, Claw and our senior advisor, Jack Colby.

[Wescott turns to the others and sweeps his paws towards Gemma in a sign of introduction to the others.]

Wescott: Everyone, may I introduce Gemma Kaisya.

Gemma: Pleased to meet you!

[Gemma smiles at all of them. Claw and Jack quit practicing and take off their gear. Claw notices the newcomer and waves a paw at her.]

Claw: Hewwoz!

Jack: Glad to meet ya, mate!

[Gemma notices Claw’s species and looks over at Wescott like he had flipped his lid.]

Gemma: Umm…don’t wolves eat squirrels?

Wescott: Not Claw. Claw is too cuddly to hurt anyone.

[Claw suddenly pounces Wescott, who promptly cuddles him.]

Wescott: See what I mean?

[Gemma looks at Claw, her skepticism melted away.]

Gemma: Well he is kinda cute; I’ll give him that… So, is there anyone else who lives here?

Wescott: My girlfriend.

Gemma: You mean that other girl who you were with?

[As if on cue, Tammy descends the stairs, wondering where everyone is.]

Tammy: Peanut? Are you down here?

Wescott: Yeah, sweetie. Tammy, this is Gemma Kaisya.

Tammy: Oh hi! You’re awake now. It’s nice to meet you.

Gemma: Likewise, definitely. You guys saved my ass. I’m really sorry I couldn’t be more grateful.

[The buzzer on the wall goes off. Wescott runs to it and answers it.]

Wescott: Yeah, Coltrane?

[Cut to Coltrane at the Museum of Science and Industry. Several cops are surrounding the entrance, firing into the building.]

Coltrane: I hope I’m not calling at a bad time, but we’ve got problems. Manniax is trying to rob the Museum of Science and Industry. Hurry!

[Cut back to the Worklab. Wescott has the phone and is now surrounded by the other Rangers, listening in.]

Wescott: You got it, Coltrane. We’re on the way.

[Wescott hangs up.]

Wescott: Well you heard the man. Let’s rock.

Tammy: Uh, Wes? What about Gemma?

Gemma: Bring me with you!

Gadget: Can we trust her on a mission?

Wescott: I don’t know if we have a choice. Can’t just leave her here alone at headquarters.

Tammy: Okay…Gemma, come with us…But stay nearby. Anything could happen in a fight.

Gemma: Okay.

All, but Gemma: RESCUE RANGERS AWAY!!!!

[Everyone rushes to the RangerRovers. Wescott smiles and twirls his bo in the air.]

Wescott: Man, I LOVE that!

[Fade to…]

Scene Ten: Stalking The Mad Doctor

[A CG RR globe. The wireframe globe becomes a topographical globe of the world, which suddenly zooms into the Americas, then onto the US, over the Midwest, then Lake Michigan and comes to rest as a map of metropolitan Chicago, with the top of the screen facing East to Lake Michigan, extending North to Wrigley Field, South to the Museum of Science and Industry, and West to Interstate 90-94. In the upper left-hand corner of the screen are various scientific-looking graphics. In the lower left-hand corner is text which reads:]

Location: Rescue Ranger Headquarters, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. En Route: Museum of Science and Industry, 57th Street at Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. Vehicle: RangerRovers Pilots: Chip Jonathan Elmwood and Wescott Vance Atticas

[A picture of the RangerRovers in wireframe form revolve clockwise in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. The RRX logo appears in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. A green line moves from a blinking blue dot near the Buckingham Fountain, South all the way to a blinking red dot over the corner of Lake Shore Drive and 57th Street. The CG map dissolves to a shot of the RangerRovers screeching to a halt inside the parking garage. All of the Rangers file out and head up the escalator in double time.]

Chip: Hut! Hut!! Hut!!

Dale: House! House!! House!!

[Chip bonks Dale on the head.]

Chip: Be quiet, Dale!

Dale: Sorry.

Chip: Zipper, you’re the eyes of this operation. Go up the escalator and spy on the activity.

[Zipper quietly salutes and buzzes his way up the electric stairs to the ground floor. Upon seeing that there is some activity up there, he signals for the others to follow, all of whom do just that. Chip signals a halt at the top.]

Chip: Okay, sweethearts, let’s play this one by the books. Wes, take Tammy and your son and head up to the next floor. After you clear it, signal to Jack and Zipper and have them follow you up the stairs to the next floor via the RangerComm. Foxy, take Dale and cut left into the OMNIMAX, see if there’s any hostages. Gadget comes with me. Haul ass!

All: Right!

[Gemma, feeling a bit left out, pouts at the commanding chipmunk.]

Gemma: Hey hot shot! What about me?!

[Chip suddenly notices her. He looks at her like she had lobsters coming out of her ears.]

Chip: Uhh…

[Wescott grabs Gemma by the left arm and hauls her with him.]

Wescott: Later, Gemma. Right now, there’s much arse to smack down…

[Cut to…]

Scene Eleven: Gemma’s Little Surprise

[The Rangers shown scattering to their appropriate sectors. Dale and Foxy move to the OMNIMAX sector, Chip and Gadget cover the back entrance for security, Jack and Zipper patrol the center of the Ground Floor while Wescott, Tammy, Gemma and Claw ascend the escalator silently to the main floor. Wescott looks over his family and the newcomer mouse. He speaks to Gemma.]

Wescott: Can you fire a gun?

[Gemma looks at him with an bit of arrogance.]

Gemma: Of course I can fire a gun.

[Wescott gives her one of his DHT-2s.]

Wescott: Okay then. If things get too rough, use it.

[Gemma confidently gives the gun back to him.]

Gemma: Thanks, but I said that I could fire a gun. I never said that I needed one.

[Wescott gives her an incredulous look, then nods and looks to his teammates.]

Wescott: Okay then people. Keep your eyes on the rise and stay low, look for suspicious characters and prepare to open fire at a moments notice.

[The Rangers nod a silent salute and move around the floor, creeping quietly. Wescott takes a position behind the back of a bench; Tammy heads forward to a large marquee with a map of the entire building. Gemma ducks behind a model of an atom with Claw, then reaches into her jacket, and pulls out a small box with Japanese lettering on it. She then attaches it to one of her odd-looking armbands, which seem like they were made of alien graphite, where it makes a small click. She smiles sternly. Wescott takes the opportunity to contact Chip via the RangerComm from his jacket.]

Wescott: Chip? This is Wescott. How are things going?

Chip: Things are smooth so far, Wes. Dale hasn’t found anything yet. No hostages to speak of. Monty says it’s all good on the ground. It’s eerily quiet. It’s kind of hard to tell what Coltrane called about.

Wescott: Okay. Come on up when you have the chance. Over.

[The other Rangers move their heads all around, looking for anything suspicious. Cut to Claw, who sniffs at the air. Suddenly, his eyes start to go wide and he jitters. Tammy and Wescott look over at him, and become gravely concerned.]

Tammy: Oh…

Wescott: …Dammit!

[Claw’s eyes scan the ground and he sees the object of his sudden craving: A Finnegan’s Ice Cream cart near the entrance to the Coal Mine exhibit, which sells Starbucks Coffee. Claw’s eyes begin to tear up and he starts to drool. Suddenly, the hapless cub darts at the cart, with Wescott and Tammy hot on his heels.]

Wescott, whispering: Claw, no!

Tammy: Too late!

[Claw, with his mighty cub power, pounces upon the Ice Cream cart, overturning it to get at the coffee inside. As he does so, the resounding crash, scares him away from it, alerting some of the thugs within the area. Gemma’s eyes leer as she hears guns being cocked behind her.]

Gemma: RRRR!!!

Thug, in the background: Get ‘em!

[Slow motion shot of Wescott jumping over and pushing Gemma out of the way of a spray of bullets, which then bury themselves in the plants behind her. Wescott looks over her to make sure she’s all right.]

Wescott: You okay?

[Gemma grits her teeth and pushes Wescott out of the way. She clicks a button on her armband. As the thugs approach, Gemma arms up and gets the thugs in a sight that suddenly appears. Immediately, the thugs all have large red laser dots all over themselves.]

Gemma: RED TACTIC CANNON!!

[Suddenly a group of mini missiles shoot out and fly wildly at their targets. The thugs hardly have a chance to fire their guns before the missiles explode upon them, arms, entrails and a shower of blood flying all over the exhibits. Tammy, Claw and Wescott stand, mouths agape.]

Wescott: Shit, dude!

Tammy: Wes!

[The other Rangers, finding the area secure below, follow up the stairs, stopping dead in their tracks at the gory scene.]

Gadget: Oh…my…GOD!!

Chip: Wescott…Please tell me you did not go bloodlust…

[Wescott stands stunned, and turns to Gemma.]

Wescott: No…it was Gemma…

Gemma: Sorry. I didn’t know you weren’t used to this. Where I come from, you die for a nickel.

Dale: Whoa…

Tammy: There’s nothing we can do now. Come on…we have to find Manniax…

[Tammy leads the others onward. Wescott shakes his head at the bodies.]

Wescott: Even I have never done that before…

[Cut to…]

Scene Twelve: Heart Attack

[High above them on the Balcony. Dr. Jeremy Manniax stands alone above them.]

Manniax: Easy come, easy go. I can get more saps to do my work. And yet, the heroes approach.

Chip: Come on, Wes. Just you and me this time.

Wescott: All right. He’s obviously got nowhere to run.

[Chip and Wescott take the wheels in heading off Manniax, who they find, frantically running around on the balcony.]

Chip: End of the line, Doctor Feel-Bad. You’re trapped.

Manniax: Am I, Mr. Elmwood?

[Manniax unsheathes his poisoned cane sword to the two of them. Wescott pulls out his bo and Chip brandishes his bullwhip.]

Wescott: Tango time.

[The three combatants circle. Chip and Wes allow the cat the first strike, with which Chip blocks with his whip tangling around his sword. Chip yanks the sword out of his paws, and the sword whistles through the air. Wescott barely avoids it, but the blade cuts into his jacket as it sings past him. Part of his arm also gets cut, and a light splash of his blood falls to the floor.]

Wescott: Ugh! Dammit!

Chip: Wescott! Sorry!

Wescott: It’s okaaaay….ohh….

[Wescott kneels as the toxin begins to take effect immediately. Wescott holds his arm and his eyes squint painfully. The blood seeps through his jacket, trailing rivulets staining it and making a large red patch where he was hit.]

Chip: You freak!! I’ll kill you!!

[Chip charges the cat anarchist and tackles him into the walk-in heart exhibit. Manniax smiles and back slaps Chip’s face. Chip spits up some saliva.]

Manniax: Interesting choice of places to have a fight, Elmwood. This is probably the place where the poison is headed to right now, along with his pathetically small mind! Your friend doesn’t have much time!!

Chip: Yeah? I’ll just take some more time OUT OF YOUR ASS!!!

[Chip belts his paws across Manniax’s face over and over again. The cat spits up two bloody teeth at Chip, who growls at him.]

Chip: I’ll make you eat those teeth….

[Manniax then suddenly springs his foot paws up at Chip and sends him into the ceiling of the exhibit. Chip remains up there for a few moments and then falls, but flips to land on his foot paws. Chip snarls at the villain, panting lightly.]

Chip: Grrr!!

Manniax: “You better watch out, your face could stick that way…” Wait…That’s a familiar line…Where have I heard that before…

[Cut back to Wescott. Wescott writhes in pain as the toxin slowly courses through him. Tammy runs over to find her boyfriend in his state. Running to him, she checks his pulse, tests his head, and looks at his Monitron; it reads “Health, 51%, Status, Poisoned.” The Health reading then drops to 50%, then 49% as we watch.]

Tammy: Oh Lord…Manniax used the poison on him…Oh Wescott…Please don’t die on me now!!

[Tammy pulls out her sachel of medic supplies and plucks a vial with a green cross on it. The side shown in her paw says “Manniax Antivenin”, and even has a SD picture of Manniax’s head, looking all goofy with spiral nerd glasses. She opens the vial and pours some of the violet liquid into Wescott’s mouth. Wescott sputters a bit and gags. Tammy gives his lips a kiss and he stirs a bit more, finally sitting up.]

Wescott: Tammy, you saved my life!

Tammy: You’ve saved mine I don’t know how many times. Consider this but small repayment, sweetheart.

Wescott: I was right earlier…you ARE an angel…

[Wescott and Tammy share another passionate kiss before the other Rangers come up. Claw leads them up to the site and leaps into Wescott’s lap, licking his face.]

Wescott: Whoa, son! Easy there!

Claw: Daddy! Mez so happy yewz otay!

[Wescott holds both his girlfriend and his son together.]

Wescott: Come on. Let’s give our leader the help he needs.

Tammy: Hold on, Chipper!

[Cut to back inside the heart. Manniax is beating Chip savagely. Manniax throws a right cross to his cheek, an uppercut to his jaw, and finishes with a knee to the groin. Chip stumbles backwards and coughs up a splash of blood. He looks up weakly, and we then cut to Chip’s POV, with fuzzy double vision of Manniax smiling toothily over him. Just as he does this, we see two fists on either side of Manniax as Wescott and Tammy literally feed Manniax a knuckle sandwich. A crunch is heard and Manniax stutters and yelps in a high, squeaky voice. The camera pans down and we see Claw biting Manniax’s crotch. Manniax doubles in pain, holds himself and falls over, unconscious. The crew smiles at their work.]

Claw: Mez did it!!

Wescott: All right, Claw!!

Tammy: Yeah!

[Wescott and Tammy help Chip up, smiling at their leader.]

Chip: Whew…I’m glad that’s over.

Wescott: Yeah. Let’s cart this trash to Coltrane.

[The others join in.]

Dale: Score another victory for the Rescue Rangers!

Gadget: Here here!

Foxglove: I’ll say!

Jack: Roight-o, mate!

Zipper: YAY!!

[All nine of them slap paws together, lower them and raise them in a victory chant.]

All, except Gemma: GOOOOOOOOOO…RANGERS!!!

[Gemma is in the background, looking at them, especially Gadget.]

[VO Gemma:] Who are they really? Why do they help innocents and so brutally attack the wicked? Why does it matter to them? And Gadget? Could she be…is she…the one? Oh, Gadget…I wish I could tell if you were the one…But not now…

Claw, off screen: Aww wight!

[Fade out. White letters in Arial font over black read:]

Five Months Later

Scene Thirteen: A Nice Night Off

[Fade into a shot of a pair of RangerCycles zooming down West Ontario Street. On the green bike, Wescott pilots while Tammy holds onto him tightly, and on the red bike, Dale pilots as Foxglove takes a firm grip of her boyfriend.]

Wescott: Thank God. It’s about time we had a nice night off. A constant string of minor league crimes all over the city, a small racial riot on South Wacker Street, and a chaotic uprising in Chinatown, but finally it’s quiet for some reason. Not that I’m complaining, eh, guys?

Dale: You said it, partner.

Tammy: No kidding, Peanut!

Foxglove: It’s about time!

[The bikes slow and turn at Chicago Chop House. Wescott and Tammy get off their bike, as Foxglove and Dale get off of theirs. Everyone removes their helmets and the girls shake their hair. Fade to inside the restaurant, where the camera then zooms in on the quartet at a table in the dimly lit room. Tammy reads her menu, Wescott fiddles with his palmtop computer, and Foxglove and Dale hold wing and paw, looking into each other’s eyes.]

Tammy: Peanut? I think I’ll have the filet mignon.

Wescott, looking up: Huh? Oh, okay. I still can’t decide. I know I’m really hungry…

[Dale laughs and points something to Wes.]

Dale: Try their porterhouse, Wes. It’s awesome.

Wescott: Okay.

[Wescott looks at the menu. Clearly marked is the price for a porterhouse, fifty dollars. Wescott yelps, his eyes become huge yen symbols, dollar signs and pound symbols.]

Wescott: Dagum it! Fifty bucks for a dirty slab of meat?

[Dale laughs. Foxglove notices this and looks up.]

Foxglove: Well, what do you want, Wes? This is Chicago, after all, and people make money here.

Wescott: Forget it. I’m sticking with Tammy. I’ll have a filet mignon as well…I still don’t have a clue why the porterhouse costs more than the filet mignon…unless they stuff it with 24-karat gold…

Tammy: Yeah, that would be rich…

[Everyone laughs as the view changes to the table. The scene fades from a clean table to a table of dirty plates covered in bits of food and withered parsley. It is obviously after dinner. Wescott looks over his friends and pats his tummy.

Wescott: Now that was a fine steak. A FINE steak.

[Dale picks his teeth as Foxglove flosses her fangs with a soft, mint green string. Dale looks over to Foxglove.]

Dale: Floss?

Foxglove: One can never have enough dental hygiene, cutey…

[Foxglove moves onto Dale’s lap and licks him rather seductively. The camera moves into Dale’s POV as Foxglove swoons sensually into the camera.]

Foxglove: After all, I want to have a clean kisser for tonight...Wouldn’t you like that?

Dale: Whoa…HELLO!!!

[Camera pulls down to them at Navy Pier, near the giant Ferris wheel. Tammy holds a giant panda and Foxglove a huge koala.]

Tammy: It’s really great when we have time off, Peanut…

[Tammy leans over and gives Wescott a quick peck on the lips.]

Wescott: Mmm…it certainly does. If only we knew what kind of mischief that Chip and Gadget were up to…

[Instant cut back to Rescue Ranger HQ. Gadget, Chip, Monty, Gemma and Claw sit almost like zombies at the couches in the den. Monty and Zipper nap gently, with Monty snoring. Gadget and Chip stare vapidly at each other, their eyes bugging out. Gemma tosses a deck of cards into Chip’s hat, which is overturned on the table. Claw yawns loudly, exposing his huge set of teeth. He turns to Gemma.]

Claw: Mez bowed, Gemma!

[Gemma turns over to Claw, just now realizing she’s being spoken to.]

Gemma: Huh?

[Cut back to…]

Scene Fourteen: Disco Dorks

[The others at Navy Pier. They all look at each other, then laugh like total idiots. Wescott conspires to Dale.]

Wescott: Hey Dale, Stayin’ Alive on the count of three!

Dale: Roger that, Wes!

[Wescott and Dale stand face-to-face, stancing fiercely at each other.]

Wescott: One…

Dale: Two…

Wescott/Dale: Three!!

[Without warning, the two of them fiercely kick each other square in the crotch at the same time. They then nod to each other, to make sure no hard feelings, and “Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees from the movie “Saturday Night Fever” starts up. Suddenly, Wescott has a high, soprano voice as he spins and points his index digit to the sky.]

Wescott: Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk,

I’m a woman’s man, no time to talk…

[The camera pans to his left as he dances.]

Wescott: Music loud and women warm, I’ve been kicked around since I was born…

But now it’s all right…that’s okay…and you may look the other way…

[Dale joins in with an equally high voice.]

Wescott/Dale: We can try, to understand, the New York Times affect on man…

Whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother, you’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive…Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin’, and we’re stayin’ alive stayin’ alive…

[They both dance like a couple of disco dorks. From somewhere out in space, a disco ball descends upon them both as people gather around to watch. The boardwalk begins to flash in multi-coloured lights.]

Wescott/Dale: Ah…Ah…Ah…Ah…Stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive…Ah…Ah…Ah…Ah…Stayin’ alii…iiiii…iiii…iive….

[Wescott moves to the side as Dale takes over. His Hawaiian shirt becomes a polyester suit as if by magic. He suddenly wears a gold chain and begins to sing again.]

Dale: Well, now I get low and I get high,

And if I can’t get either, I really try,

Got the wings of Heaven on my shoes

I’m a dancin’ man and I just can’t lose,

You know it’s all right, it’s OK,

I’ll live to see another day,

Wescott/Dale: We can try, to understand, The New York Times’ effect on man…

Whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother, you’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive…

Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin’ and we’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive…

Ah…ah…ah…ah…stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive…ah…ah…ah…ah…

Stayin’ aliiii…iiiiii…iiii…iiive…

[The crowd dances along with the two soprano rodents as Tammy and Foxglove cover their faces with their paws/wings. At the mid-point, Wescott attempts to implement the Ipanema Wings, his own trademark dance, a sort of foot paw slide, from left to right, as he flails his arms to the music. Suddenly, the screen blacks out and a mighty bonk is heard. We then see Tammy and Foxglove, holding their respective mallets, dragging their boyfriends behind them.]

Tammy: Good bonk there, Foxy.

Foxglove: Same to you, Tammy.

Tammy: Come on, let’s cart these disco dweebs home before they decide to devolve into polka.

Dale, dazedly: That’s not a bad idea…

Tammy/Foxglove: Shut up, you!

[Exunt all.]

Scene Fifteen: Tammy’s Silent Resolution

[As the new scene fades in, we see Tammy kiss Wescott’s head, with him fast asleep as she carries him into his room. Inside his room, the light from the moon gently cascades onto Wescott’s hammock, making crosshatched beams of moon shine glitter over his sleeping place soothingly. Tammy places him gently in the cradling safety of the hammock, kneels down and kisses his lips.]

Tammy: Oh, Wescott…Why are you always like this? As time goes on, my love for you gets stronger and stronger…but when are you ever going to be mine forever? I know you don’t ever really think too far into the future, but please just think this one over, my darling…please. I love you…my one and only Peanut…

[Tammy holds his left paw and kisses it gently before leaving his room.]

Tammy: Good night…my sweet Wescott…

[The camera follows Tammy back to her room from the side. Tammy is shown going behind a screen and coming out in her PJs. She slips into her bed and looks up at the moon. The brightness of the moon makes her eyes tear up slightly.]

Tammy: Please tell me he’ll me mine always…Please…

[With this, Tammy lays her head back and falls asleep. The camera fades out, only to fade into…]

Scene Sixteen: The Fall Of The House of Sears

[Wescott’s room. The camera slowly dollies forward to Wescott’s hammock, showing the squirrel muttering in his sleep, fitfully turning and tossing and turning. The camera zooms in on his head slowly as he flails his arms and mutters louder.]

Wescott: Get away…Nooo…Stop…Stay away…

[Suddenly, from behind him, a very loud explosion is heard. Wescott is thrown forcefully onto the floor.]

Wescott: AAAHH!!

[Wescott looks out the window, gasping. The scene cuts quickly to outside, showing Wescott’s eyes turn into tiny discs. The scene cuts again to POV Wescott, watching a monstrous chunk of the Sears Tower fall from the sky in slow motion, onto the street below. Most is not visible from Wescott’s POV but it is definitely felt. As the chunk hits the street, a gut-wrenching bass tremble is felt all over, giving the tree a mild shake. Wescott runs out of his room and runs into the den, screaming.]

Wescott: OOOOOHHHH DAAAAAAAAAAAMMNNN!!!!

[Wescott appears pale as a ghost as Tammy, Claw and Gemma, who wears a pair of Tammy’s borrowed pajamas, join him. Foxglove falls from the rafters and lands gracefully on the couch.]

Tammy: Dang it, Wes! Do you have any idea what time it is?

Wescott: Do you have any idea what building I just saw…BLOWN TO BITS?

All, except Wescott: WHAT?

Foxglove: Are you okay, Wescott?

Wescott: I’m fine! Look out the window!

[All of the others lookout the window, and the opposite side of the Sears Tower is engulfed in flames. The fiery tower’s light turns the sky a daunting shade of red.]

Tammy: Oh…

Foxglove: My….

Gemma: Gosh…

[Wescott looks to Tammy.]

Wescott: Where is everyone else, Tammy?

Tammy: I have no idea! They must have left...without us!

[Claw sees something that the others overlooked on the table, a note. Claw picks it up in his mouth gently and brings it to Wescott.]

Claw: Daddy! Wook at dis!

[Wescott nods to Claw and takes the note. He reads it aloud, the camera cutting to his POV as he reads.]

Wescott: “Guys, Sorry for leaving on short notice but Coltrane called in to report Manniax at the Sears Tower, and we felt we should give you all the night off. See you when we get back. Love, Chip.” Oh no…that’s what it is. Manniax…He did this…

[A slight silence as The Rangers size up their scenario.]

Tammy: What are we going to do, Wes? You’re pretty much in charge here.

Wescott: What do we always do? Hurry up, let’s get dressed and moving.

[The Rangers are shown dressed and leaping into the chutes. Cut to the hangar as the lights turn on. Each of them are shown touching down separately, with one final shot of all of them, standing together as they all jump into the remaining RangerRover. Wescott takes the wheel.]

Wescott: Let’s haul tail!

All: RESCUE RANGERS AWAY!!!

[Cut to…]

Scene Seventeen: Coltrane and Monk: One Night Only

[A pan-down shot of the entrance to the Sears Tower, Coltrane and several other police officers are shown staked out behind S.W.A.T. wagons, and an overturned patrol car. The patrol car smolders as if hit repeatedly with assault rifles. ]

Coltrane, into a walkie-talkie: Repeat, officers down, send backup! Over!

Dispatch, over the walkie-talkie: Copy. Sending reinforcements. Over.

[The camera floats from them to the front entrance of the Sears Tower, and up to the windows, but not inside. We see from the outside various thugs jostling a set of hostages, who have been tied and gagged. Out from the shadows of the elevators steps none other than Manniax’s right-hand toady, Chax Bennet. Chax readjusts the mini-gun he is holding, signals the thugs, and leads them into the elevators to the upper floors. About half of those thugs stay in the lobby, guarding it like hawks. The camera then cuts back, turns around and stops as the RangerRover rolls down the road. The team carefully cuts the engine a distance down the street, files out one by one, first Wescott, then Tammy, then Foxglove, then Claw and finally Gemma, creeping down the lane to Coltrane and the busted cop car. As usual, Coltrane breathes a sigh of relief.]

Coltrane: This is like some sort of habit you have, Atticas. Always saving my hide like this.

Wescott: Yeah, I hear ya, but it’s not just you this time. It’s the others. I don’t know what the heck happened to them.

[A spry young feline girl with hazel eyes appears from the S.W.A.T. wagon, with a clipboard.]

Female Officer: Well, that much I can tell you.

Coltrane: Oh, how silly of me. Wescott let me introduce you to Lydia Monk. She’ll be taking over for me on this assignment.

[Wescott makes his obligatory nod to the pretty cat girl.]

Wescott: Ma’am…

[Tammy smacks Wescott over the head with a huge mallet reading in large pink letters “TAMMY”. The mallet has fourteen brown squirrel head stamps on it, obviously indicating the amount of times she has used it on the hapless boyfriend. Wescott lies crumpled on the street, temporarily incapacitated.]

Tammy: Now, what were you saying, Ms. Monk?

Lydia: Well, from what we can see, your friends are tied to the light tower atop the building. Manniax is charging around them, and there appears to be something attached to them…like a green jar, and a television set. Here, have a look.

[Lydia presents Tammy with a pair of night vision binoculars. Tammy takes them and looks through them. Switch to…]

Scene Eighteen: Making A Flashy Entrance

[Tammy’s P.O.V. and we see Manniax dancing stupidly on the roof of the building, holding a remote control in his paw. Beside him, the Original Five members of the Rescue Rangers lie tied tightly around the television set, which slowly ticks down at 6:29:45. Atop Dale’s head is a large green jar, filled with some kind of gas-like substance. There is a skull and crossbones visible on one side, and the other side reads “DANGER BIOHAZARD”. Switch back to group view as Tammy curses, giving the binoculars back to Lydia.]

Tammy: Damn! It’s the television from the Sony store!

Foxglove: And that bubonic plague sample from the museum…

Tammy: But how? I thought he was in jail!

Monk: He was released on bond three days ago.

[Wescott gets back up.]

Wescott: There’s the justice system for you.

[Claw jumps up into Tammy’s arms as Wescott gets back up.]

Claw: Mez scawed, Tammy!

[Tammy holds Claw tightly, kissing his forehead.]

Tammy: It’ll be all right. Claw? How do you fancy being the hero of Chicago?

Claw: Will mez finawy be a Wescue Wanga?

Wescott: Heck son, if you can help us pull THIS one off, you won’t even be a rookie! You’ll be a Rescue Ranger, Second Class!

Claw: Coowl!

[Foxglove turns Wescott to her.]

Foxglove quietly: Wescott, are you sure we should be letting Claw join us in combat? I mean, it may just be me and all, but this is a crisis! He could get killed for all we know!

Wescott: Have you seen him lately? He’s a lot stronger than his cute frame would admit.

Foxglove: All right…but please take care of him, Wes. After all, he IS your son.

Wescott: Foxy, that’s something I already knew.

[Wescott returns to the group.]

Wescott: Okay, let’s keep it tidy, friends and neighbors. Tammy, Gemma, cover the rear. Claw, help me with the front. Foxy, keep a watch overhead for snipers. We’ll do this one by the books, just like Chip always does. Follow me to the back of the busted cop car, from there, well move to the door, and from there, everyone swing around and keep your eyes peeled.

[The Rangers silently salute one another and begin a quiet trek from hiding place to hiding place, trying to get to the entrance. Without warning, bullets riddle the ground around them.]

Foxglove: Snipers!

Wescott: Take cover!

[The five of them dive under the cop car. The sound of tinkering glass and metal is heard for a few seconds, then nothing. Cut to a view of the five of them under the car.]

Tammy: They’re gone.

Gemma: Are you sure?

Claw: Wet’s go!

[Claw tries to get up, but Wescott grabs him by the tail.]

Wescott: Wait son. I have a better idea. They’re looking down here…so…

[Wescott pulls a flash bang grenade from his jacket pocket.]

Tammy: Where in blazes did you get that thing?

Wescott: NRA Rally. They sell everything there. Close your eyes.

[Wescott pitches the flash bang grenade sideways from the bottom of the car. The puck-shaped device rolls down the street loudly. Cut to the second story of the Sears Tower. We see two shifty eyed rats in trench coats with sniper rifles, their sights lined on the small grenade. Suddenly, the grenade explodes, a blinding white flash being emitted. The snipers drop their guns and grunt, holding their eyes. Sudden cut to the inside of the lobby. The remaining thugs look quickly, seeing the flash. A tall ferret with a cut X mark on his left cheek points, cocking his AK-47.]

Thug: It’s them! Get them!!

Wescott: Open fire!

[Tasers blazing, the team begins a volley of electric blasts upon the thugs in the lobby, entering quickly and carefully weaving around the various plants and seats. The camera focuses on Claw, who ducks under, what else, the Starbucks coffee stand. Bullets sting the metal stand, and rip down the green awning on top of Claw. Poking his head free after the bullets stop, Claw comes close to being clipped by the rain of lead. Claw growls a little.]

[Cut to Wescott looking over to Claw.]

Wescott: Dang it, son! Why did you go ahead?!

[Wescott takes careful aim and fires a volley of bolts at the two thugs who corner Claw. They fall, and Claw runs back to his father’s side, behind a couch on the left side of the coffee stand.]

Claw: Whew! Dat wuz cwose!

Wescott: Be more careful next--- AAAAAAAAGGGHH!!

[Without warning, Wescott is shot in the center of his tail. A huge red spot is shown as a bit of blood spurts from it. Wescott grips his tail and winces.]

Wescott: I’m hit…aaarrrgh…Not my tail…

Claw: DADDY!!

[Claw nuzzles his father.]

Wescott: I’m okay, son, but I’m not going to be in any shape to fly anytime soon. Just be careful. Stay low. Just stay low.

[The camera moves over to an angry Foxglove, who sits beside Tammy and Gemma. Foxglove moves her wings together, which begin to glow.]

Foxglove: We’re not beat yet! Hold them off while I charge up, Tammy!

Tammy: You got it!

[Gemma looks like the entire world has sprouted wings and left without her.]

Gemma: Well…what about me?!

[Tammy and Foxglove look over at her.]

Tammy: Uh…

Foxglove: Well…

[Gemma moves her arm forward, her missile launcher loaded.]

Gemma: Oh, just forget it! RED--

[Tammy holds Gemma’s arm down.]

Tammy: Now, let’s not start that again…

Foxglove: I’m ready. Arctic Chill Factor!!!

[Foxglove moves back her wings and suddenly chills the entire lobby with a frozen blast. All of the thugs in the lobby suddenly freeze completely. Gemma, still completely baffled, looks at Foxglove.]

Gemma: Uh…What was that?!

[Camera zooms in a bit on Foxglove.]

[VO Foxglove:] Dang it! I did it again! Now she’ll think I’m a wacko for sure!!

Wescott: Come on, guys, this crowd will be chillin’ for quite some time.

Claw: Coowl!

[Exeunt with slow fade to…]

Scene Nineteen: A Mad Cat’s Growl

[The roof of the Sears Tower. The original five Rangers are tied to the base of the tall beacon. The five of them are right underneath the plague and it’s timer, the stolen television. Chip, Dale and Jack look as if there faces were scored with a whip. Before them stands none other than Dr. Jeremy Manniax himself. He wields Chip’s own whip in one paw, and his twisted cane in the other, with an evil toothy grin on his face, the kind of grin that just drips evil thoughts.]

Manniax: …So you see, I figured if no one will let me have chaos, I’ll just make it myself!

[Manniax taps the cane to the ground with resolution.]

Gadget: But why? Why do you keep doing these things? It’s like you terrorize the city for nothing!

Manniax: Ah, my dear, that’s the beauty of it. I don’t really want anything drastic. I just take what I need to complete the task at hand. And that task is the elimination of government, authority, and so-called [said with jeering tone] “Justice”. It’s all bull.

Dale: How can you say that?! Justice is what makes cities like Chicago thrive and not become cesspools of sin and corruption! You speak like there shouldn’t be a God!

Manniax: It would seem that way to you, for all you think about is Justice! Your feeble mind has never mingled upon the fact that the same justice that patrols schools and public playgrounds is the same justice that harbors police brutality and the philosophy of “Oops, let’s cover that one up” friendly fire!

[Manniax circles the Rangers with a scowl that would freeze lava. This is one unhappy kitty.]

Manniax: You’ve never had a member of your own family beaten to death in the name of justice, let alone both of your own parents…

[Manniax is now screaming quite franticly, tears pouring from his face.]

Manniax: Let alone in front of you, and in a “case of misjudgment” that was never compensated or even provoked!

[All five Rangers gasp.]

Manniax: That’s right. My parents were MURDERED BY POLICE.

Gadget: No…

Manniax: Yes…it’s the same nightmare that has been rerun through my mind thousands of times…A past I can’t help but face with everyday. When I was ten years old, I witnessed the event…

[Ripple fade to Manniax’s vision of him as a young kit, being swung by his parents in the bright sunshine along a sunny street and sidewalk. Manniax giggles happily. Suddenly, the sky turns red like blood as a squad of police officers, lead by an old female squirrel, who points at Manniax’s parents.]

Squirrel, echoed: That’s them! That’s them! They did it!

[As the squirrel’s voice fades, the police officers run at Manniax’s parents. They scream, as, with batons drawn, the officers brutally take down Manniax’s parents. Several sickening smacking sounds occur as we see the young Manniax watch in despair as his parents are beaten. Ripple back to Manniax ranting before the Rangers. He holds his paws to his face.]

Manniax: This world doesn’t know a thing about real justice! And now that I have the ability, I’ll show them…

[Pan to show Manniax’s back as he practically howls out, overlooking Chicago.]

Manniax, Screaming: What Justice IS!

[Manniax begins to laugh evilly. The very air around the Rangers drips with the coldness of his voice.]

Chip: I just hope that whatever the others are doing, they’re doing it right….

[Sudden cut to…]

Scene Twenty: Another Mystery Mouse?

[Wescott, Tammy and Gemma kicking in a door, Tasers drawn. Wescott screams at the top of his lungs.]

Wescott: PUT YOUR HANDS…

[Dead silence as the camera pans in Wescott’s POV around the room. It appears to be an office cubicle room, which is almost completely barren of life. Even for the disarray caused by the blast earlier, few if any things have been knocked off or out of place. Wescott can be heard off camera.]

Wescott, quiet: …Up?

[Back to normal view. The others scan the area with their eyes. Tammy smirks at Wescott.]

Tammy: Yeah, they’re all terrified now, Wes. Good job.

Wescott: Dagum it…

[In the distance, a faint tapping is heard.]

Wescott: What’s that?

[It is heard again. Gemma points to the opposite side of the office.]

Gemma: It came from over there.

[The Rangers carefully make their way across the office, in the same formation they used earlier, only now Wescott and Tammy lead side by side, tasers drawn from left to right and back again. They approach the sound. It turns out to be a desk, pushed roughly against the wall. Wescott pushes his ear up against the desk and he is thrown backwards when the desk moves forcefully. Wescott yelps a bit]

Wescott: Oww! Whoever, or whatever, is in there is pretty damn strong!

[Wescott rubs the side of his face that was bruised by the shot. Suddenly a familiar male voice, followed by a familiar female voice are heard.]

Male: Whoa, sorry about that, unseen dude.

Female: Shut up! It might be one of them again!

[Tammy investigates the side.]

Tammy: Hello in there?

Female: Don’t come any closer, you bastards! If you know what’s good for ya.

Tammy: I don’t like her tone, even if that might be one of the hostages…

Wescott: What do you mean? We have to save them. What would Gadget say?

[Silence for two seconds, then, obviously…]

All: GOLLY.

[Suddenly, the female voice gets really angry.]

Female: WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!?!

[Wescott responds in monotonic dictation.]

Wescott: Umm…I said “What do you mean, we have to save them, what would Gadget say.’

All, monotonic: “Golly.”

Female, totally pissed: THAT’S IT!!

[A loud slapping sound is heard.]

Female: Don’t just stand there, you idiot!! Tear this thing apart!

[With a loud tearing, the side of the desk is ripped apart, and two mice suddenly appear. The female turns out to be an exact duplicate of Gadget, and the male turns out to be a muscle-bound surfer boy. They stance before the Rangers, angrily. The female draws a wicked looking .357 Magnum Special from a holster on her ankle. She turns to the other mouse, then back to the Rangers.]

Female: You should have done that earlier, numbskull. Now, what were you saying about Gadget?

[The mouse aims the wicked gun at Wescott’s forehead scar. Wescott, feeling threatened, stands before Tammy, drawing his bo.]

Wescott: What’s it to ya?

Female: That bitch ruined my life, that’s what it’s to me!

[Foxglove boldly moves forward. She stands between them.]

Foxglove: Wait a second, wait a second, wait a second!! What is going on here!? Who are you? And what do you know about Gadget?

Female: If you must know, my name is Lawhinnie Hackwrench, Gadget’s sister, and this is my boyfriend, Shaka Baka Anielp.

[A distant rimshot is heard. Wescott drops his bo, his mouth agape.]

Wescott: No way!

Shaka Baka: Way!

All Rangers, except Claw and Gemma: LAWHINNIE?!?

Tammy: That can’t be right! Especially not here and now, during a national crisis!

Lawhinnie: Look, let’s just dispense with the formalities and tell me where my sister is before we have to do something you may regret.

Claw: Daddy, what dat cwazy wady want?

Wescott: Apparently, that crazy lady wants Gadget’s head!

Lawhinnie: Wait…

[Lawhinnie looks over them for a minute.]

Lawhinnie: Who the hell are you? You don’t look like the Rescue Rangers at all!

Foxglove: We may be new members, but we’re all the same group!

Lawhinnie, unimpressed: Riiight…

Wescott: We know who you are though. Gadget often told us about you. You’re nothing but bad news.

[Lawhinnie smiles, somehow flattered.]

Lawhinnie: I’m glad someone has gotten it right. So if you all are Rescue Rangers, why aren’t Chirp and Dull with you?

[The team groans and suddenly, all of them fall on their heads, their legs sticking up in the air. Wescott’s legs twitch a bit. They immediately get back up.]

Tammy: That’s Chip and Dale, and they’re up with Gadget on the roof and we’re trying to…oops…

[Tammy covers her mouth, while Lawhinnie gets a superior expression on her face.]

Lawhinnie: A-ha! Well, then. I guess we’re on the same wavelength. How about that?

[Gemma steps between the two cold sides, along with Foxglove.]

Gemma: All right…I may be new at this, but I can tell you all one thing. This is NOT the way to treat hostages!

Lawhinnie: Who the hell said we were hostages? We could have gotten out of here anytime we wanted! That is, had it not been for some of us…

[Lawhinnie kicks Shaka Baka hard in the shin.]

Shaka Baka: Oww…Dude, that hurt!

Gemma: Anyway…since we’re all looking for Gadget, why don’t we join forces?

[The rest of them think this over. For about two seconds.]

All, except for Gemma: Works for me!

[Wescott shakes Lawhinnie’s paw.]

Lawhinnie: Alright, handsome…

Shaka Baka/Tammy: Hey!

Lawhinnie: We’ll work with you. No sense in getting your collective ass kicked, eh?

Tammy: I beg to differ on that…

[The newly increased team agrees to agree and Exeunt the office. Fade to…]

Scene Twenty-One: A Blocked Path

[Another section of the building. Chax Bennet holds his walkie-talkie in one paw and his AK-47 in the other. His entourages of thugs circling him dangerously like a great white shark in the middle of a slew of tiger sharks.]

Chax: The building is secure, boss. Ha’dly anyone left to bodder us now. The police look like idiots and the only people with the guts to stay put a’ the press an’ the news crews.

Manniax, filtered over the walkie-talkie: Excellent. This will serve those fools of government that maybe anarchy pays.

Chip, distant and filtered: You still can’t win! The police have the building surroun--

Manniax, filtered and distracted over the walkie-talkie: Shut up, pathetic rodent.

Chax: Heh heh…Havin’ sum problems wit’ our guests of honour, boss?

Manniax, filtered: Not really. Call me when anything else happens. Manniax out.

[Sudden cut shot of Wescott leading the rest of the team, Lawhinnie and Shaka Baka included, up the stairwell of the building, all who have weapons have them drawn and ready. Wescott suddenly stops. From the side, a tinkering sound is heard.]

Wescott: Wait…

Tammy: What is it, Wes?

Wescott: I thought I heard something.

[The tinkering is heard again. Wescott points to directly above them.]

Wescott: There it is again…

Gemma: I heard it!

Claw, quietly: Mez tew!

Wescott: Careful now…

[Wescott leads his ragtag band upwards on the staircase. Suddenly, a piercing sound is heard at his foot paws, and small red lights flash.]

Wescott: DAMMIT!! PROXIMITY MINES!! RETREAT!!

[With this, everyone doubles backwards as the stairs explode before them in an intense shower of metal and tile. The team ducks back into the door from the floor below.]

Foxglove: Ugh…What happened?

[Wescott ducks down, in front of her.]

Wescott: Proximity mines. Whenever they sense motion nearby, they go off. I just wonder how Manniax got his crummy paws on those things.

Tammy: NRA Rally?

Wescott: Ha ha. Unfortunately, it looks like those mines took out our only means of going any further…

[The camera pans upward at the gaping hole left in the stairwell.]

Lawhinnie: So what do we do now, Wescott?

Wescott: Well, I can’t fly…

[Wescott tries to spin his tail, and screams in pain. He winces afterwards.]

Wescott: …But Tammy can…

Tammy: Thank God you taught me, Peanut…

Wescott: Do you think you are strong enough to carry a whole person?

[Tammy looks over to Foxglove. Foxglove smiles.]

Tammy: Maybe not alone, but with Foxy’s help, you bet!

[Wescott looks over to Claw.]

Wescott: Claw, you go first.

Claw: Whee!!

[Tammy picks Claw up by his right arm, and Foxglove hovers over him and takes his other arm in her claws, gently. Tammy looks to her partner.]

Tammy: Ready? On three…One…Two…

Tammy/Foxglove: Three!

[With ease, the two girls lift Claw off the ground, up the missing staircase and up to the door to the next level. The camera fades in and fades out progressively, showing a few scenes of each of the other Rangers being air-lifted upwards. Soon, all of the Rangers are tired to a point from the exhaustive search. Sudden cut to…]

Scene Twenty-Two: A Serious Padlock

[A shot of a door. The door reads “Staff Commissary.” Wescott smiles.]

Wescott: There’s bound to be some food and a first aid kit in here. Now let’s see about getting in there.

[Wescott leaps up, not attempting to use his tail due to his injury, and pulls on the doorknob. It doesn’t budge.]

Wescott. Must be stuck. Hey, Shaka Baka, start bashing it a few times. Maybe it’ll come loose.

Shaka Baka: Uh…okay.

[The massive mouse moves forward and begins to pummel the door with his fists. The door reverbs slightly, Knocking Wescott off of the knob, but still it does nothing to help the door move. After Wescott falls down, Tammy steps forward.]

Tammy: Let me give it a shot, Wes.

Wescott: It’s all yours, Tammy.

[Tammy loads up Eater and fires a round of shots up at the center of the door. Surprisingly enough, the shots are deflected as an orange-lighted wave moves over the doors surface. The team ducks as Tammy’s shots go flying all over the place. Part of Lawhinnie’s skirt is seared by the blast as it goes by, heading down the stairwell.]

Lawhinnie, Dammit, squirrel girl! Are you trying to get us all killed?

[Tammy leers at the mouse.]

Tammy: How was I supposed to know there was a shield on it?

[Foxglove steps forward now.]

Foxglove: I don’t think that is an ordinary shield Tammy…let me test it.

[Foxglove pushes her wings into a triangle. Her wings glow violet.]

Foxglove: Oh no…Not again…

Wescott: What is it, Foxy?

Foxglove: Remember what happened at the beach? Remember that door in Fort Macon?

[Wescott and Tammy’s jaws drop simultaneously.]

Tammy: Uh oh…

[Wescott points at the door before them.]

Wescott: That door’s also magically sealed?

[Foxglove tries to be as collected as possible, to keep inside her inner exasperation.]

Foxglove: Afraid so. I’m going to hate doing this but I’m afraid we have no choice, so I hope you all will forgive me.

[Foxglove clenches her wings together at her sides. Suddenly, her body glows an eerie violet light, similar to the one earlier shown. Cut to Gemma. Her eyes just about pop out of her face as she sees this.]

Gemma: What the hell?!

[Foxglove begins to form a ball of light in her paws the size of a regulation baseball. It grows brighter and brighter as Gemma gets more and more freaked out. Suddenly, Foxglove brings it forth.]

Foxglove: Eternal Phoenix!!!

[Foxglove sends out the ball, which immediately takes the shape of a large red bird engulfed in flames. The bird screams before slamming beak first into the door. The bird explodes, only making a ripple in the barrier. Foxglove collapses from shock.]

Foxglove: Noooo…

[Gemma runs over to catch her as she falls. Holding Foxglove’s unconscious body in her paws, she looks up to Wescott.]

Gemma: Wescott…What the freak just happened?!

Wescott: That’s an…OOOOHHH!!

[Wescott, trying to explain to Gemma, suddenly grips his tail tight and screams. His paws are soon covered in the blood from the gunshot wound.]

Tammy: Wescott!!

[Wescott winces, rubs his tail once and straightens up, even though the blood is still dripping, if just a little, from his tail.]

Wescott, through his teeth: I’m cool…but that door’s not gonna budge until we do something drastic to it. I know Foxglove told me never to use this unless it’s an emergency, but if this isn’t an emergency, then I’m a bare-assed monkey on Easter Island.

[Wescott starts to charge up, his fists in front of him. The others around him stare in awe. Tammy reaches for him.]

Tammy: Wes!! You’re gonna get yourself killed in the state your in!!

[Tammy tries to grip him, but jumps back as energy flows all around Wescott, his headfur setting up high, revealing his V-Scar, which glows a fiery red as Wescott builds up energy.]

Wescott, echoed: Endo…

Claw: Daddy! What yewz doin’?

[Wescott’s face becomes lined with stressed vessels as he powers up, the energetic flames rising around him, and all debris surrounding the mighty squirrel being lifted into the air as if there was no gravity at all. Everyone steps back a few paces.]

Wescott, echoed: Kuroken…

[The tension mounts as Wescott’s power surges into the floor around him. Finally with great fury and might, Wescott fires forth his charged energy.]

Wescott, Echoed loudly: Fiiiiiiire!!….YYYYYIIIIIIAAAAAAHHH!!!!

[The energy shoots out in a fiery beam, with a corkscrew secondary beam around it, straight for the door. Instantly the door gives, in an explosive blast of steel and wood. Chips fly in every direction as the hard beam tears it apart. Wescott looks at his accomplishment for a second, then stumbles and falls forward, collapsed.]

Wescott: Ohhh…

[The others look on stunned as Tammy goes forward and picks him up.]

Tammy: Wescott…You sweet, sweet idiot…I don’t know why you do these things….

[Tammy helps Wescott up onto her shoulder while Gemma carries Foxglove into the next room. Cut into…]

Scene Twenty-Three: Taking Down The Commisary

[The new room, the commissary. Upon entry, the group finds themselves facing the sound of guns clicking. The camera shows their faces in horror.]

Tammy: Damn!! Get down!!

[As soon as the team hits the floor behind a bench seat, they are fired upon. Bullets chip the bench easily. Tammy and Gemma lie down the fallen and pick up their arms, Tammy her DHT-2, and Gemma her arm brace.]

Tammy: I guess I’m leader now. Wescott’s pretty much down.

Gemma: Is that a fact?

Tammy: ‘Fraid so. I can’t think of any other way. Claw?

[Claw crawls over to her.]

Claw: Uh huh?

[Tammy reaches to Wescott’s coat holster and takes out his DHT-2.]

Tammy: Take this and help us defend Wescott and Foxglove. We need all the help we can get and I know that you’ll do fine.

Claw: Weawwy?

Tammy: Yes Claw. Now stand guard over them, okay?

[Claw gets up on his hind paws, and holds the gun bravely.]

Claw: Yewz can count on mez!

[Tammy leans down and kisses Claw’s forehead. Lawhinnie looks on with slight anger.]

Lawhinnie: All right, all right. Let’s get on with this…Shaka Baka, stay here with the pup. He might need your help.

[Shaka Baka looks…well, baked.]

Shaka Baka: Huh? Oh, oh yeah, okay…

[Tammy quickly looks to Lawhinnie.]

Tammy: That sounded like a plan!

Lawhinnie: Forget that, let’s go!!

[With this, Gemma, Tammy and Lawhinnie burst forward, Gemma and Tammy blasting their guns madly, screaming at top decibel, followed by Lawhinnie, gunning down the thugs within furiously. Downed immediately are five or so, with three to the back coming forward, AK-47s ablaze as Tammy shocks them, aiming at the knees. Gemma follows suit and puts a few thugs back in the corner out with the arm cannon. Lawhinnie, seeing this, plucks a set of tiny throwing knives from a garter band on her left leg, and hurls the knives at the advancing thugs with a flick of her wrist. Within seconds, the remaining thugs are tied against the wall. Tammy heaves a sigh of relief.]

Tammy: I’m glad that’s over.

[Tammy looks around herself. Cut to Tammy’s P.O.V. and we see bullet-riddled chairs and desks, a dinged-up but still operational microwave, a bent-up fridge, and two vending machines, one for BallCo Cola and the other for cold, microwave sandwiches, soups and other convienience foods. On the counter by the microwave, there is a box with a green cross on it.. The BallCo machine flickers on and off sporadically.]

Tammy: Quite a lucky break, Eh, Gemma?

Gemma: I hope those machines still have some food in them.

Tammy: I’ll check it out.

[With the limberness only a lady squirrel could possess, Tammy pops into the lowest vending door of the food machine, makes a quick dash and pushes around all the contents of that section out the door. Before long, she has emptied the entire machine of its contents. Gemma and Lawhinnie collect what they can: lunch buckets, ham and cheese sandwiches, cold stuffed sandwiches and microwave pasta bowls are pushed back to where Claw and Shaka Baka faithfully guard their friends.]

Tammy: There we are. But I feel like such a thief. How’s Wescott doing, Claw?

Claw: Daddy’s dewing weawwy well!

[We zoom in gently on Wescott. He looks like a train wreck, but somehow he’s starting to stir. He sits up with the help of his son and looks up at his girlfriend.]

Wescott: Baby…you’re the greatest…

[Wescott coughs a bit and moans but manages one of his winning smiles up at her. She smiles lovingly down at him. Lawhinnie looks on in the background with disdain.]

Lawhinnie. Squirrels. Puh.

[Tammy spins around and confronts the Hawaiian mouse.]

Tammy: Hey, you keep your slutty nose out of this, Lawhinnie. It’s not exactly like we come over and bitch at you about how you mistreat poor Shaka Baka over here!

[Shaka Baka looks down at her mentioning his poor treatment. He knows what she’s talking about.]

Shaka Baka: Y’know, she’s like right and stuff…I do feel kinda…oof!!

[Shaka Baka has just been kneed in the groin by his girlfriend. He winces in pain.]

Lawhinnie: You shut up, you hear?

Shaka Baka, in soprano mode: ‘Kay…

[A few seconds later, Foxglove comes back to us. She sits up and smiles.]

Foxglove: What happened while I was out?

Tammy: Nothing much, just a huge firefight, is all.

[Wescott eyeballs the snacks Tammy brings over to the group. Wescott takes to a pasta bowl of ravioli in meat sauce that Tammy has provided.]

Wescott: Well, it’s not YOUR home cooking, but when it comes to a national crisis, I think I can take it.

Tammy: I’ll go get the medical kit over there, Wes. You just sit and eat, okay?

[Wescott simply nods and sits to the cold pasta as Tammy leans down and kisses his forehead, then heads off to the green crossed box. When she gets there, she heaves the box off of the shelf and pulls it back to the group.]

Wescott: Hooray! Nurse Tammy to the rescue!

[Tammy blushes.]

Tammy: I just hope I can live up to that title.

[Tammy quickly moves to Wescott’s tail. She takes some of the alcohol prepping swabs and brushes them over Wescott’s wound. Wescott yelps in response.]

Wescott: Oww! Easy, Tammy!

Tammy: Sorry…this is gonna sting a little, okay?

[Wescott realizes that he could pretty much take the gunshot but when Tammy rubbed the swab on him, that hurt more. Hmm… Sudden shot of…]

Scene Twenty-Four: The Gift

Suddenly, as Tammy tends to his tail, both of her contact lenses drop out of her eyes. Tammy gasps as the tiny pieces of plastic plummet like rocks into Wescott’s pasta bowl with a light splash of the meat sauce.]

Tammy: Oh no! My contacts!

[Tammy tries hopelessly to cover up her eyes. Everyone looks on. The secret is out.]

Claw: Yewz down’t have bwue eyes, Tammy! Yewz got gween eyes!

Tammy: Oh no, I can’t see! What am I gonna do, Peanut?

[Tammy tries to reach out to Wescott, but accidentally sticks her fingers up his nose.]

Wescott: Aack!

[The others laugh at this.]

Lawhinnie: You can pick your boyfriend, and you can pick your nose, but you can’t pick your boyfriend’s nose!

Tammy: Shut up!

[Wescott suddenly remembers something. He reaches into his jacket, sweating, and mumbling hopefully, and pulls out the silver eyeglasses, still safe in their case. He breathes a sigh of relief.]

Wescott: Thank you, Lord.

Tammy: Hmm?

[Tammy looks to him, her green eyes squinting.]

Wescott: Tammy? I know you asked me a while back to get you some glasses?

Tammy: Yeah?

[Wescott smiles and gets up on one knee. He kneels before her and opens up the case to reveal the sparkling glasses. Switch to Tammy’s POV, Wescott is all blurry before her. Wescott reaches and pulls the inexplicable object from the silvery thing and applies it to Tammy’s face. Instant clarity!]

Wescott: I’m sorry it took so long, honey, but you’re worth it.

[Tammy, overcome with joy, wraps her arms and tail around Wescott. She kisses him all over several times.]

Tammy: Oh, you sweet thing! Thank you…thank you so much, Wescott.

Wescott: It’s all I could do to show you how much I care, Tammy. I know it’s not much…

[Tammy smiles, her green eyes radiant with happiness beneath the silvery glasses.]

Tammy: I’ll guard them with my life, Wescott…

[Suddenly, Gemma butts in.]

Gemma: Gee, I hate to ruin a perfectly good romantic, James Cameron-style interlude, dears, but I believe your fellow Rescue Rangers are in some serious shizznit in this building?

Wescott: Oops.

[Tammy sighs.]

Wescott: Well, let’s get moving…

[Cut to…]

Scene Twenty-Five: The Dark Side of the Tower

[Various fading shots of the Rangers busting down doors, helping hostages and climbing stairs continue. Soon the Rangers are shown, exhausted as they approach a door marked “95A”. Gemma reaches the door first, turns against it, her back to it, and slides down to the floor, completely knackered.]

Gemma: Gosh…How long have we been moving?

Wescott: Seems like it took us about 2 hours from arrival to this floor…Hmm..

[Wescott looks up.]

Wescott: Only floor 95? Dagum it! We’re not even to the roof yet?

Tammy: I’m about to die here…I’m not used to this kind of workout.

Wescott: Well, let’s try to get into this…

[Wescott leaps up against the doorknob, but due to his own tiredness, he smacks against it and falls back to the floor with a thud.]

Wescott: Oh…my back…

[Lawhinnie and Shaka Baka both laugh at him. Tammy, in a fit of rage, slaps Lawhinnie across the face.]

Tammy: You better shut up, you hussy. I’m not tolerating you out of the kindness of my heart.

[Lawhinnie smiles at her viciously. Her tongue goes across her lip, but she suddenly goes into shock about it. The taste of blood. Curious, her paw goes up to her lips and chin. Her digits are red! She had the nerve to shed her blood! That did it.]

Lawhinnie: Blood….BLOOD!! YOU MESSED UP MY FACE…YOU LONG TAILED BITCH!!!

[Lawhinnie quickly leaps upon Tammy, and the two girls go into a full on battle. Fists fly, feet swing and cursing ensues. Wescott crawls over and plugs Claw’s ears.]

Wescott: Claw, you don’t need to be hearing this…GIRLS, QUIT IT!!!

[They both stop as Wescott screams at them.]

Wescott: We’re not going to be able to go anywhere until we work together. Lawhinnie, finding Gadget will be a lot harder if there is opposition among us.

Lawhinnie: All right, all right, I’m sorry.

Tammy, sighing: It’s okay, Lawhinnie.

[Wescott cautiously moves his head up to the door. He hears voices inside, but they are inaudible to anyone else.]

Wescott: I hear someone inside…

Tammy: Huh?

Wescott: There’s some guys talking inside. One guy sounds kinda southern…

Tammy/Wescott: Chax.

Tammy: No doubt. Let’s bust ‘em.

Wescott: Okay everyone, this floor’s a particularly bad one. Chax Bennet, Manniax’s right hand toadie is in here. We have to be careful, so everyone use your best weapons!

[Wescott takes up his DHT-2. Tammy cocks and loads Eater, Lawhinnie reloads her magnum, and Gemma puts another cartridge into her arm bands. Foxglove clears her mind, Shaka Baka cracks his knuckles and Claw bares his teeth.]

Wescott: On three…

All: Three!!!

[The combine force of all footpaws crushing the door brings it down hard with a crash. From within, we see a room, half of which is engulfed in void, this area being the epicenter of the blast. Walls are charred black from the explosion, with only a few bookcases in the corners standing. Chax Bennet appears. He smiles at the intruders. The Rangers have drawn their guns on Chax. Shaka bares his fists, while Foxglove glares menacingly and Claw bares his toothy maw.]

Chax: Howdy, Mista Atticas.

Wescott: Evening, Mr. Bennet. I imagine you’re all having a nice little sleepover up here in the Sears Tower. Just thought I would come over, and invite a few of my friends.

Chax: Charmed, ah assure ya’ll.

Wescott: Ok, Mr. Bennet. We can do this one of two ways. One, you can come peacefully, and everyone’s happy, or two, we can cart you home to mommy on a gurney. Your choice. What’s it gonna be, Mr. Bennet?

Chax: I prufuh da third choice mahself. I kill yo’ squirrel tail and Mr. Manniax gets his way…

Wescott: Okay…second choice it is.

[Chax simply snaps his fingers and seven thugs, armed with shock rifles step forward.]

Chax: Duh boss wanted a fair fight…

Wescott: Fine by me. Foxy, Gemma, to the left. Lawhinnie, Shaka Baka, to the right. Tammy, Claw, up with me.

[Wescott, Tammy and Claw move forward. One thug each encroaches on them, with Gemma and Foxglove strafing to the left, and Lawhinnie strafing to the right. A thug for each of them steps forward and the fight begins. Wescott rolls left as his thug moves after him. His first shot is cancelled by a well-placed bolt from the thug’s shock rifle.]

Wescott: What?

[Lawhinnie smirks at him as she fires her gun into a thug’s shoulder. The thug falls, grunting.]

Lawhinnie: You lawful wusses are all alike.

Wescott: Fine.

[As the impending thug gets too close for comfort on Wescott, he clobbers him over the head with the butt of his gun.]

Wescott: That’s using your head.

[Tammy, having matters of her own, finds herself toe to toe with another thug, too close to use her gun, she moves in to grab him under the sides, bends him over her back and suplexes him into the floor. The thug makes a stifled grunt and passes out.]

Tammy: Look out, Claw!

[The unfortunate Claw is grabbed by a thug, intending to capture him. Big mistake. Claw hauls off and wraps his toothy maw around the thug’s arms, causing the thug to release him with a howl. Claw then head-butts the thug in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. Another one bites the dust. As this occurs, the camera moves over to Gemma and Foxglove, who are back-to-back, pinched in by the two armed thugs. Gemma doesn’t feel totally comfortable being this close to a magic user.]

Gemma: What are you gonna do, Foxglove?

Foxglove: What I do best…

Gemma: I was afraid of that…

[Foxglove, true to her word, raises her wings into balled fists.]

Foxglove, echoed: Chill Factor!

[The thug in front of her is suddenly glued to the wall by chilly ice. He shivers and chatters as the ice gets him.]

Foxglove: How was that?

[Gemma doesn’t answer, but instead, from her arm bands, two HUGE blades suddenly appear. They are quite a frightening sight. Gemma smirks evilly, and we think she is going to slash the poor idiot but shink! She picks up the startled thug and hurls him against a bookcase instead. K.O. Finally, the camera shows Shaka Baka ducking under a zap from the shock rifle and landing a nasty uppercut to a thug’s jaw. The thug falls as a tooth gets knocked out. All team members advance on Chax. Suddenly, Wescott slams Chax up against the wall and snarls at him.]

Wescott: Now are you going to take us up to Manniax, or are we going to have to mess up your face?

Chax: Who say’d ah wuz dun?

[Chax snaps another finger and out from the shadows, as if they had previously not existed come four figures, shrouded completely in black. The figures unsheath steely blades, ready for combat.]

Wescott: Shadow Warriors!

Chax: Oh, and don’ botha firin’ guns at ‘em. Been there, dun that.

[Wescott looks totally pissed. He drops his taser and pulls out his bo.]

Wescott: Guys, leave this one to me.

Foxglove: What?!

Gemma: Are you crazy?!

Wescott: These morose morons ruined my 21st birthday. It’s payback time!!!

[Wescott makes a very vulgar sign with the paw holding his bo.]

Wescott: Come get some.

[With this, the Shadow Warriors begin their assault on Wescott, the four of them going right at him, swords drawn. With some effort, Wescott flips away and begins to beam one of them over the head with his bo, felling him. Another Warrior teleports behind him and grabs him by the neck, his blade drawing blood as it is pressed against him. Wescott grunts and performs a reversal, pounding the shadowy figure into the floor. Wescott smirks as a blade begins sailing at his face. Wescott, without flinching, sidesteps and grabs the hilt of the blade and one of the Shadow Warriors suddenly comes into view, trying to wrestle the blade from Wescott’s iron grip. The bold squirrel twists it sideways. A crunching is heard. A sudden cut shows Lawhinnie and Tammy looking wide eyed at him.]

Wescott: You can’t possibly think that you can ruin my birthday party!!! DIE, JERKOFF!!

[Wescott swings the warrior hard. In the spin, faster and faster, the two of them looking like some sort of top. Wescott finally lets go and the Warrior is blasted into space. We see a slow motion shot of the Shadow Warrior yelling as he falls lower…lower…lower…and all we hear is a sickening crunch. Silence ensues.]

Wescott: Happy trails…

[Wescott turns back to Chax, his bo pressed up against Mr. Bennet’s throat.]

Wescott: Where’s the other one, Chax? Is he a pussy like you?

[Suddenly Wescott is butted in the back of the head with the blunt end of a sword. Wescott gets knocked out. Chax tsks at him.]

Chax: Nah…But he’s a helluva lot smatah den yew.

[The shadow warrior picks up Wescott and tosses a black ball at the others. Gas pours out.]

Tammy: Oh no…noooot agaaaaain….

[Everyone falls asleep. Chax laughs.]

Chax: Nighty night, ya’ll….

[Slow fade to the roof of the Sears Tower. Chip, Dale, Gadget, Zipper and Monterey Jack continue to struggle in their binds. Manniax is fiddling with a phone, apparently making bizarre prank calls. The phone buzzes.]

Voice filtered on phone: Hello?

Manniax: Hee hee…Knock knock…

Voice, obviously tired: Who’s there?

Manniax: Orange…

Voice: Orange who?

Manniax: Orange you glad your life will be over shortly?! HA HA HA HA HA!!!

[Manniax hangs up, but continues to laugh. He turns to the Rangers.]

Manniax: And as for you, you Rescue Rejects, you’ll be the first ones to feel my wrath!!

[Chax enters with the Rangers in tow, all of them knocked out. He drops them in front of the mad doctor.]

Chax: Here’s a early Christ Mass present fer yuh, boss.

Manniax: What a lovely gift, my blessed associate. Wescott Atticas…

[Manniax walks over to Wescott’s unconscious form and begins to pelt him constantly in the chest with his fists as Chax holds him up.]

Chax: Whut should ah dew wid ‘em boss?

Manniax: Just launch them across the skyline. I’ve got too much on my hands as is. I’m actually almost sorry I don’t have time to incinerate their bones myself.

[Manniax waves his left paw as he attends his bomb, shooing away the defeated Rangers.]

Chax: Shur ting, boss.

[One by one, Chax hurls the Rangers off the side of the building into the night sky, first Tammy, then Gemma, then Claw, Foxglove, Lawhinnie, Shaka Baka, and finally, after giving him a farewell punch to the gut, Chax slings Wescott off the building. The Original Five simply stare in bewilderment.]

Chip: No…

Dale: FOXY!!!!!

[Dale is in tears.]

Gadget: Who will help us now…

[Fade to black. Large letters appear.]

TO BE CONTINUED…

[Credits roll slowly.]

The End…?

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