Chpt6 Ep7: "The Soulless Ranger"

Chpt6 Ep7: "The Soulless Ranger" is an episode in the series Power Rangers: Omniverse

Plot
Kurt wakes up tied to a chair. His face is still bloody from Hunter's pummeling, and Castiel is there to examine him.

Kurt's vision is blurred as he tries to look around the room.

[Kurt groans]

Castiel: You're right. He looks terrible.

[Groans]

Castiel to Hunter: You did this?

Kurt begins to get clear vision of Cas and Hunter.

Kurt: Cas? What's --

Cas holds up his eyelid examining his eyes.

Kurt:

[Grunts] Wha?-- Let me go Cas.

Castiel: Has he been feverish?

Hunter: Have you?

Kurt: No. Why?

Castiel: Is he speaking in tongues? (to Kurt) Are you speaking in tongues?

Kurt: No. What are you... (scoffs) Are you...diagnosing me?

Hunter: You better hope he can.

Kurt: You really think that this is --

Hunter: What, you think that there's a clinic out there for people who just pop out of Hell wrong? He asks, you answer! Then you shut your hole. You got it?

Castiel: How much do you sleep?

Kurt: I don't.

Hunter: At all?

Kurt: Not since I got back.

Hunter: And it never occurred to you that there might be something off about that?!

Kurt: Of course it did, Hunter. I-I just never told you.

Hunter: What?

Castiel: Kurt... What are you feeling now?

Kurt: [scoffs] I feel like my nose is broken.

Castiel: No, that's a physical sensation. How do you feel?

Kurt: Well, I --

Castiel: Feel.

Kurt: I....I don't know.

Castiel begins to take out his pants belt.

Kurt: What? Uh...

Castiel: This will be unpleasant.

Kurt: Wait...

Castiel: Bite down on this.

Cas makes Kurt bite hold on the belt.

Castiel: If there's someplace that you find soothing, you should go there. In your mind.

Kurt flinches at Cas then he reaches his arm directly through Kurt's abdomen. A sound of sizzle as he reaches deep through his abdomen. Kurt in extreme pain, tries to scream but all he can do is bite hard on the belt. Cas then realizes something and then takes his arm out of Kurt and turns around to face Hunter.

Hunter: Did you find anything?

Castiel: No.

Hunter: So that's good news?

Castiel: I'm afraid not. Physically, he's perfectly healthy.

Hunter: Then what?

Castiel: It's his soul....it's gone.

Hunter and Kurt give out shocked looks.

Hunter: [scoffs] Um... I'm s-- I'm sorry. One more time, like I'm 5. What do you mean, he's got no soul?

Castiel: Somehow, when Kurt was resurrected, it was just without his soul.

Hunter: So, where is it?

Castiel: My guess is... Still in the cage with Michael and Lucifer.

Hunter: So, is he even still Kurt?

Castiel: Well, you pose an interesting philosophical question. You see, right now what we see before us IS Kurt. But, it's what's deep inside him that's gone.

Hunter: Okay, I'm just completly lost here right now.

Castiel: Look at it this way, you humans feel love, hate, fear, happiness. Now imagine all of that in Kurt, gone.

Hunter: So Kurt's just a walking soulless killing machine.

Hunter and Cas look over at Kurt as he too tries to give off a concerned look about the situation.

Hunter: Well why not just get his soul back?

Castiel: Hunter.

Hunter: You pulled him out once.

Castiel: It took several angels to rescue Kurt, and he wasn't nearly as well guarded then. Kurt's soul is now in Lucifer's cage. There's a difference, a BIG difference. It's not possible for a normal angel like myself to go that deep in Hell.

Hunter: Okay, well, there's got to be a way.

Kurt: So, are you gonna untie me or what?

Hunter: No.

Kurt: Listen, I'm not gonna --

Hunter: Kurt, how the hell am I even supposed to let you out of this room?

Kurt: Hunter, I'm not some psycho Ranger. I didn't want you to get hurt. I was just trying to stop the vamps. [sighs and gives a sincere look] I'm sorry. It won't ever happen again. Please let me go.

Hunter: You're kidding, right?

Kurt: Well, what are you gonna do, just keep me locked up in here forever?

Hunter: You say that like it's a bad thing.

Kurt: Okay, fine, look, I get it. I get it, Hunter. I was wrong. But I'm telling you I-I'm trying to get right. It's still me.

Hunter: Is it?

Kurt: Yes. So just let me go.

Hunter: No way in hell.

Kurt: (sighs) I didn't want it to come to this.

Kurt manages to untie himself from the chair and gets up. Hunter and Cas gets their guard up on Kurt.

Kurt continues: You're not gonna hold me, Hunter -- Not here, not in a panic room, not anywhere. You're stuck with the soulless guy, so you might as well try to work with me.

Hunter shaking his head.

Kurt:

Let's fix this.

Hunter slowly moves towards Kurt and says:

I'm gonna be watching every move you make.

Kurt: Fine. Sounds about right to me.

Hunter: Cas, clean him up.

Cas proceeds to heal Kurt from his wounds with a touch of his fingers on his forehead and does so.

Hunter: All right, if we're gonna figure out what happened to your soul, then we need to find who yanked you out.

Hunter: You say you don't know?

Kurt: No idea.

Hunter: Then we start a list. If it's so hard to spring someone out of the box, then who's got that kind of muscle?

Castiel: I don't know. You have no memory of your resurrection?

Kurt: I woke up in a field. That's all I got.

Hunter: No clues? None?

Kurt then mentions one possibly lead: Samuel Campbell, who was also resurrected three year ago. So Kurt, Hunter, and Castiel head to the Campbell Compound.

At the compound, Hunter questions Samuel about his resurrection, but Samuel reiterates that he doesn't remember anything before waking up alive. Castiel then appears to them.

Samuel: So this Castiel? You're scrawnier than I pictured.

Castiel: This is a vessel. My true form is approximately the size of your Chrysler building.

Hunter: All right, all right, quit bragging. So, you were dead, and...

Samuel: And, pow, I was on Elton ridge. Don't know how. Don't know why. I got nothing to hide, guys.

Hunter: Well, you mind if Cas here double-checks?

[Samuel screams]

Christian then hears the screaming and rushes over to Samuel's office with a gun.

Kurt: Whoa, whoa, whoa. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay.

Christian: What the hell?

Hunter: Angel cavity search.

Samuel: I'm fine, Christian. Just give us a minute.

Christian: But --

Samuel: Just give us a minute.

Christian then agrees to leave.

Samuel: What the hell was that about?

Castiel: His soul is intact.

Samuel: What? Of course I have a -- What's going on, Kurt?

Kurt: Whatever dragged me out... left a piece behind.

[Samuel groans]

Kurt: Did you know?

Samuel: No, but I...yes. I knew it was something. I... You're a hell of a Ranger, Kurt, but... the truth is, sometimes you scare me. So, what's the deal here? How do we fix this? How do we get his soul back?

Hunter: We don't know yet, but we have to.

Samuel: Well, I'm here to help, of course. What leads you working?

Kurt: A bunch of dead ends and you.

Samuel: Well, then, we'll just have to dig.

Castiel: Kurt, Hunter... I have to get back.

Hunter: You're leaving?

Castiel: I'm in the middle of a civil war.

Hunter: You better tear the attic up, find something to help Kurt.

Castiel: Of course. Your problems always come first. I'll be in touch.

Cas leaves. Then Kurt and Hunter learn that Samuel is preparing to attack the nest of the Alpha vampire. Samuel seems reluctant to invite Kurt and Hunter along.

Hunter: 'Cause of me right? You don't trust me very much, do you? Especially when it comes to big game like this.

Samuel: That's not true.

Hunter: Okay, well, then, we're in.

Samuel: No offense, but --

Hunter: So you don't trust your own grandson, but you can trust his friend?

Samuel: No, I just don't know you. Not like I know Kurt.

Hunter: All right. You call the plays. 100%. I'm here to listen.

Samuel: [Chuckles] Since when?

Hunter: Big daddy bloodsucker? I ain't gonna miss that. But this is your deal. Okay? I get it. I'll follow your lead. I trust you.

Hunter and Kurt exits the compound and shuts the gate behind them.

Hunter: I don't trust him. Dude's hiding something.

Kurt: What?

Hunter: I can feel it. And if you weren't Robo-Kurt, you'd feel it, too.

Kurt: Huh.

Hunter: What?

Kurt: Just...You. Saying you don't trust your own family.

Hunter: Look, we hang close, we blend in, we see what we can pick up.

Kurt: You think Samuel's connected to this whole soul thing?

Hunter: I still think he's the only lead we got.

Later that night, Hunter tries to break into Samuel's office, but Christian waylays him and they trade insults and threats. Despite the altercation, the next morning Kurt and Hunter join the other Rangers as they all head out to the Alpha Vampire's hideout. They arrive and Samuel orders Hunter and Gwen to stay back and "sweep any stragglers" they flush out, but after Gwen decapitates a stray vampire, Hunter sees the opportunity and heads up to the house where shots are being fired. Bodies are strewn about and Hunter recognizes a weathervane he saw in his vision from the Alpha vampire. Hunter goes around the back of the house and sees the other Rangers, including Kurt and Samuel, loading the Alpha vampire (also from his vision) into the back of a van. He waits until he's alone with Kurt on the road to confront him about it.

Hunter: Things go okay back there?

Kurt: Yeah, fine.

Hunter: Nothing weird huh?

Hunter shakes his head.

[Engine revs]

[Tires screech]

[Engine shuts off]

Hunter quickly gets out of the Impala.

Hunter: I saw you walk that Alpha out the door, Kurt. Now, call me crazy... But that there seems weird.

Kurt: [Sighs] Oh.

Hunter: "Oh."

Kurt: You weren't supposed to know about that.

Hunter: Know what?

Kurt: It's just something Samuel's been doing. Catching things, taking them somewhere, grilling them for info.

Hunter: Grill. As in torture, right? And not telling me -- that was his idea?

Kurt: No, it was mine.

Hunter: Why?

Kurt: Honestly? 'Cause you'd mess it up. You shoot first, ask questions later, and we needed to ask questions.

Hunter: You know, I-I don't care if you've got soullessness or the freakin' mumps, man -- You know better than this! Do you even want your soul back?

Kurt: How does that have anything to do --

Hunter: Have you been to the place where Samuel takes them? I mean, have you been in on these interrogations?

Kurt: No, but I hear --

Hunter: And why? And did it ever occur to you that this is really shady?

Kurt: He's your own grandfather.

Hunter: Yeah. Yeah, a guy who talks a great game. But you can't assume that family means the same thing to him as it does to us. He's not like my dad you know.

Kurt looks away.

Hunter:

Wow. You don't see it, do you?

Kurt: What?

Hunter: You've got no instinct. [Scoffs] I mean, you are seriously messed up.

Kurt: Yeah, thanks Hunter I figured that by now.

Hunter: I'm not kidding, man. Nobody's forcing you to work with me, okay? But if we do this... I drive the bus, I call the shots, and you tell me everything, whether you think it's important or not, because -- trust me -- you can't tell the difference right now. Or, you know what, go -- go with Samuel. See how that goes. It's up to you.

Later that night, Kurt returns to the compound to confront Samuel and insists that he's ready to go with him on these interegations and says that he's left Hunter for good. But Samuel points out that he should focus on getting his soul back first before doing anything else serious. Kurt now upset about this, then leaves his office. Just then outside, he decides to place a GPS tracker on one of his vans and turns out Kurt is still with Hunter just outside the compound to report to him that Samuel still can't bring him to one of the interegations, so they'll just have to find out themselves on where he goes to. It's past midnight, then Kurt wakes Hunter and spots Samuel and others leaving. They trail Samuel which leads them to a warehouse. They manage to stealth their way inside to one of the halls then hears Samuel in one of the rooms.

It reveals to be Samuel talking to someone in a cage cell, strapped in an electric chair with chains around him and injected with dead man's blood through a gallon pump to keep him contained.

Samuel turns on the generator.

[Electricity crackles]

Samuel: Where is it? Answer the question. Where is it? How do I find it?

Electricity surges throught the body of the Alpha vamp but shows to have no effect on him.

Alpha Vampire: Ouch. Stop. That hurts [spoken in a sarcastic manner].

Samuel: This -- This is club med compared to what we have planned for you. I got -- I got all the time in the world.

Alpha Vampire: Well, that makes two of us.

Samuel angered that his interegation isn't working on the Alpha vamp then leaves exits the room towards the other door.

The Alpha vamp laughs then as Hunter and Kurt try to stay away of the room, the Alpha vamp manages to sense them.

Alpha Vampire: Are you two going to hide all night?

Hunter and Kurt pause, stunned to know that the Alpha vamp is aware of their presence.

Alpha vampire: Come on out, boys.

They slowly make their way in the large room with the Alpha vamp strapped down in his cage cell.

Alpha Vampire: How can I help you two?

Hunter: We got some questions for you, skippy, since you're going nowhere fast.

[The Alpha Vampire chuckles]

Alpha Vampire: Don't be so sure.

Hunter: Yeah? Locked down pretty tight. And with all that dead blood rushing through your veins, not sure you got enough juice to fire up that psychic bat-signal of yours, do you?

Alpha Vampire: True. Not near enough "juice" for that... Hunter.

Hunter: I didn't realize we were on a first-name basis.

Alpha Vampire: Of course we are. After all, you were my child... for a time. Hunter, tell me... did you enjoy it?

Hunter: I'm asking the questions here, fright night.

Hunter fires up the generator.

[Electricity crackles]

Alpha Vampire: Argh! You know, when your kind first huddled around the fire, I was the thing in the dark! Your Devil and the Apocalypse may be gone, but I should be the next big thing you should worry about! I've been called by many names throughout the centuries; Drake, Vlad The Impaler. But most importantly you can call me by my true name; Count...DRACULA!

Hunter and Kurt trade stares.

Dracula: Now, you think you can hurt me? I have all night, boys. Anyway, I'm happy to tell you whatever you want to know.

Kurt: Why?

Dracula: Why? Because soon, I'll be ankle-deep in your blood, sucking the marrow from your bones.

Hunter: So you're really it....the first of your species.

Dracula: The very first.

Kurt: But if you're the first... who made you?

Dracula: Now, we all have our mothers. Even me.

Hunter: What does that mean?

[Dracula chuckles]

Hunter: And what's with the big surge of vamps lately? I mean, it's like --

Dracula: Like we're going to war.

Kurt: Why? What's going on? Why did Samuel bring you here?

Dracula then senses something coming from Kurt and sniffs him.

Dracula: You, boy. You smell cold.

Kurt without movement, stares straight at Dracula.

Dracula: Aah now I see....you have no soul. What an oddity. Do you feel how empty you are? What is it like to have no soul? Answer my question boy.

Kurt: You first. You're the one in the cage.

Alpha Vampire: The thing about souls -- If you've got one, of course -- is...they're predictable. You die, you go up or down. But, where do my kind go?

Hunter: All right, enough with the sermon, freak.

Dracula: I'm trying to answer the question. Now, when we "freaks" die... where do we go? Not Heaven, not Hell. So?...

Hunter: I don't know, Disneyland?

Dracula: [Sighs] Little rusty on our Dante, boys?

Kurt then slightly raises his head and figures:

You guys end up at "The Abyss of Evil"....Purgatory.

Hunter looks back at Kurt.

Hunter: Purgatory? Purgatory's real?

Dracula: Oh, stupid cattle. [Chuckles] Of course! And it is filled with the souls of every hungry thing like me that has ever walked this Earth. Now, where is it? THAT is the mystery. And that is what your kindhearted granddaddy is trying to beat out of me.

Kurt: Samuel brought you here... to find out where Purgatory is?

Dracula: I keep telling him -- how would I know such a thing? But he refuses to release me.

Kurt: Why does Samuel care about any of this?

Dracula: He doesn't care. He does as he is told.

Hunter: Well, if the old man's Kermit... whose hand's up his ass?

[Gun cocks]

Before they can learn more, Samuel and other Rangers have caught them and hold them at gun point. They're forced to disarm.

Hunter: Wow, you know, I have seen some stupid in my time, but you take the crown. Putting Jaws in a fishbowl? How do you think that's gonna end? I don't know what kind of game you're running --

Samuel: What, do you think I'm doing this for kicks?

Hunter: I think you've got the rest of these feebs convinced that you're John Wayne. So whatever you're doing, whatever you're hiding... it's gonna put you and everyone around you in the ground.

Meanwhile, a Ranger is standing guard in front of the caged Dracula. But during his long chat with Hunter and Kurt, he's been secretly using his long nails to tear out the straps that has hold him. He manages to break free of them and his cell then goes for a kill on the Ranger.

Samuel and everyone else hears the screaming from the other room. They all join forces again to take on Dracula. In the fracas, they are outmatched by the Alpha vamp and then Christian's neck is snapped in the scuffle. And then Dracula goes for Kurt and has him pinned against the wall.

Dracula sniffs Kurt again.

Dracula: The boy with no soul. I've got big plans for you. It's amazing how that pesky, little soul gets in the way. But not for you. You will be the perfect...animal.

Dracula grows out his monsterous fangs and tries to go for a bite on Kurt, then momentarily, Christian comes up behind him and injects him with dead man's blood. Christian's eyes are now black like those of a demon, and then several more demons show up and take the Alpha vamp away with them. Leaving Hunter, Kurt, Samuel and Gwen in shock. Then...

[Slow clapping]

???: Well, that was dramatic.

They turn around to see...

Kurt: Crowley?

Crowley: Hello, boys. What an unexpected treat.

Samuel: Bring Christian back now.

Crowley: I'm sorry?

Samuel: My nephew! The one you just crammed a demon into!

Crowley: Oh. No. I had him possessed ages ago. Samuel, really. I keep an eye on my investments.

Hunter: Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait. You two know each other?

Crowley: Not in the biblical sense. More of a business relationship, I'd say.

Kurt: (scoffs) You're Crowley's bitch.

Samuel: It's not what you think.

Crowley: It's precisely what you think. That alpha he's caught me is getting him a gold star.

Hunter: Since when do you give a crap about vampires?

Crowley: Since, uh... What's today -- Friday? Since, let's see -- mind your business.

Kurt: You may as well share with the class, Crowley. We know you're looking for Purgatory.

Crowley: So you heard about that?

Kurt: Yeah. You want to tell us why?

Crowley: Isn't it obvious? Location, location, location. I'm a developer. Purgatory is vast, underutilized, and Hell-adjacent, and I want it.

Hunter: What for?

Crowley: Best shut your gob. Employees don't question management.

Hunter: We ain't your employees.

Crowley: Of course you are! Have been for some time now, thanks to gramps. I don't keep Captain Chromedome around for his wit, do I? Samuel knows things. More than any of you, actually. Walking encyclopedia of the creepy and the crawly. And I knew... You two are so hung up on family-loyalty nonsense, he said jump, you'd get froggy.

Hunter: Yeah, well, the game's over.

Crowley: Yeah, well, afraid not, not if you want to see Kurt's soul ever again.

Kurt: You're bluffing.

Hunter: No, Cas says it takes big-time mojo to pull something like that off, and you're nothing but a punk-ass crossroads demon.

Crowley: "Was" a punk-ass crossroads demon. Now? King of Hell. Believe me, I've got the power now. I snap my fingers, Kurt gets his soul back. Or you can be...You, and I shove Kurt right back in the hole. Can't imagine what it's like in there... and I can imagine so many things. So, we clear? Me, Charlie... you, angels. Job's simple enough -- bring me creatures. Aim high on the food chain, please. Everybody wins. It's been a pleasure. See you soon.

Crowley vanishes.

Gwen: You're letting a demon call the shots?

Samuel: Nothing's changed. We hunt. Period. Don't worry about him. I'll take care of it. You trust me or not? Get the van, Gwen.

Gwen leaves the room.

Kurt: Working with a demon, huh? You're not who I thought you were.

Samuel: You don't know anything about me, son.

Hunter: So, what's so important that you're the king of hell's cabana boy, huh? What'd he offer you? Women? Money? Hair?

Samuel: I got my reasons. You gonna make a move, go ahead.

Hunter: Or what?

Samuel: Or nothing. I'm not gonna do anything to you, Hunter. You boys... you're my family. So the way I see it, you got two choices -- Put a bullet in your grandfather or step aside.

Hunter points out a gun on Samuel then Kurt holds down the gun from Hunter.

Kurt: Hunter, don't.

Hunter: He sold us out.

Kurt: I know, just let him go.

Hunter: Why?

Kurt: Get out of here Samuel.

Samuel then agrees and leaves them.

Hunter: We can't work for Crowley.

Kurt: Are you sure about that?

Hunter: I don't think you understand. Demons bone you every time.

Kurt: Oh, no, I get it. I do, believe me. Just running the math -- Do we really have another choice?

Hunter: We could stab him in his throat.

Kurt: And get my soul back how? I'm just saying, seems like we got to play ball, at least for the moment.

Hunter: I have done some stupid things in my time, but punching a demon's clock?

Kurt: Look, just till we find another way.

Hunter: And then?

Kurt: And then we track Crowley down and give that son of a bitch what's coming to him. You with me, Hunter?

Hunter shakes his head in disappointment.