Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers RPM. I am not making a profit by writing this story.
Checkmate
Chapter 1
Flynn was just finishing up patrolling the city when he saw a body buried underneath some rubble. Without thinking twice, he rushed in to help dig the person out and check to make sure he or she was okay.
"Can you hear me? Hold on. I'll get you out. Don't worry," Ranger Blue shouted.
Only, when he got a good look at just who was trapped beneath the rubble, he immediately backed away. As it turned out, the person beneath the rubble was female, and not just any female—it was none other than Tenaya 7.
The metal circuitry in her legs could be seen as clear as day. It was quite obvious that her lower extremities had received the most damage. Now that her arms were free, she easily brushed aside the rest of the rubble on top of her.
"Ranger Blue, wait. You have to help me. Venjix did this to me. He's trying to destroy me!" Tenaya 7 exclaimed.
Flynn had an incredulous look on his face. He fingered the morpher in his pocket, ready to morph at a moment's notice, if necessary.
"Are you daft? Why on Earth would I help you?!" Ranger Operator Series Blue asked.
"It's just who you are," Tenaya 7 replied.
Those words were eerily familiar to Flynn. It was the same reason he gave his father during the Battle of Corinth when he went outside the dome to rescue innocent civilians.
"Aye, well I can make exceptions," the mechanic countered.
"You won't though. Please, you are the only one who can help me," Tenaya 7 stated.
"How do I know this isn't a trap?"
"If this were a trap, we wouldn't be having this conversation because you'd be destroyed."
There was an internal struggle going on inside Flynn. Every fiber of his being wanted to help Tenaya 7—still though, she was his sworn enemy.
"What makes you think I can even help you?" Flynn asked. "Not that I've decided to help you."
"You're a mechanic, aren't you?" Tenaya 7 answered.
"How do I know that I can even trust you?"
"You don't know. You're just going to have to believe me. Or you can choose not to believe me. The choice is yours."
Flynn took some time to think. He carefully weighed his options. While he was contemplating what he was going to do, Tenaya 7 stood there and waited patiently.
"As much as I don't want to trust you, I must admit that you haven't given me any reason not to trust you…so far. If what you say is true, and Venjix is really after you, then I will help you. I just need to go back to base to get some tools, and then I'll be back. Until then, just keep yourself hidden somewhere close by," Flynn said.
"How do I know you aren't just going to go and get your ranger friends?" Tenaya 7 questioned.
"You don't know. You're just going to have to believe me. Or you can choose not to believe me. The choice is yours."
Flynn got in his Hummer and took off. After Tenaya 7 was absolutely certain that the blue ranger had left, she turned on the comm. link on her wrist.
"Stage 1 is complete. He bought it. Tenaya 7 out," she reported.
RPM-RPM-RPM
Back at ranger headquarters, Flynn spoke to Dr. K in private. He told her about everything that had just happened, and what his plans were.
"I have to say, Ranger Blue, that this is completely and utterly reckless!" Dr. K exclaimed.
"Shh! Keep your voice down! I don't want the others to hear!" Flynn said, holding his pointer finger to his lips.
"Why on Earth would you even consider doing this? You can't trust Tenaya 7 as far as you can throw her!"
"You think I don't know that? I know that. I just have to make her think that I don't. The only way to do that is to play along. Now, the other rangers will get suspicious with me being gone so long, so here's what you're going to tell them—my dad got seriously ill, and I went to take care of him until he's better, got it?"
"Ranger Blue—"
"Got it?"
"Got it."
Flynn gave Dr. K a smile that was supposed to reassure her and express his gratitude at the same time. He picked up his tool box, and made to leave the lab.
"Ranger Operator Series Blue, wait." Flynn stopped in his tracks. "Just keep your comm. link off so the other rangers can't contact you. Also, don't morph unless absolutely necessary because we can track you through your morpher. I'll do my best to divert the scanners from your location so the others don't suspect anything. Oh, and one more thing—please be careful," Dr. K said.
"Don't worry. I know exactly what I'm doing," Flynn responded.
"I don't doubt the validity of that statement. After all, I've learned not to underestimate you, but even so, I don't think that'll stop me from worrying."
Ranger Blue put his hand on Dr. K's shoulder, and gave her a reassuring squeeze before leaving the lab and going back to find Tenaya 7.
RPM-RPM-RPM
Flynn returned to where he had left Tenaya 7. He scanned his surroundings, but she was nowhere in sight. Once more, he fingered his morpher.
"Ranger Blue, over here," Tenaya 7 called out.
The mechanic followed the sound of her voice to an abandoned shack nearby. She was sitting down on the concrete floor with her back up against the wall. Her legs were fully extended, and the crackling of sparks could be heard coming from the damaged circuitry in her legs.
Flynn set his tool box down beside Tenaya 7. He crouched down next to her, and began pulling out various tools from his tool box.
"I thought you'd gone back to Venjix or something. I was preparing myself for an ambush," Ranger Blue admitted.
"I told you I'd be here. Besides, I can't go back to Venjix. If I showed my face there, he would've finished what he started and destroyed me for good this time," Tenaya 7 replied.
"So you say."
"What? Don't you believe me?"
"I think you and I both know the answer to that question."
"Yet here you are."
"Yet here I am."
Tenaya 7 clenched her teeth, and flinched as Flynn began working on repairing her legs. A silence fell between the two of them, but it was hardly a comfortable silence. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.
"I have just one question for you," Flynn said.
"My ears are burning," Tenaya 7 replied sarcastically.
"What would you have done if it wasn't me that found you underneath that rubble?"
"I guess I was just lucky."
That was all that was said over the course of the next couple of hours as the blue ranger continued to repair Tenaya 7's damaged limbs. As time transpired, she grew more accustomed to what was going on. She no longer flinched, nor did she clench her teeth. Beads of sweat rolled down Flynn's face as he continued to work on repairing Tenaya 7.
"Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?" she asked.
"Would you rather I stopped?" Flynn asked icily.
"No. I just don't understand why you would trust me."
"It's like you said earlier—it's just who I am."
Tenaya 7's head slumped forward as she nodded off. A subtle trace of a smile was evident on her face.
RPM-RPM-RPM
When Tenaya 7 woke up, the first thing she noticed was that she could actually feel her legs for the first time in a long time. The second thing she noticed was the smell of take out food and…smoothies.
"I've finished repairing your legs. I got some take out and made some smoothies…if you're hungry or thirsty that is," Flynn said.
"No offense, but if you've finished my repairs, why are you still here?"
"I could ask you the same question."
"I told you; I can't go back to Venjix or he'll destroy me. What's your excuse?"
"It's not an excuse. Just because I've finished repairing you doesn't mean that I've finished helping you."
Tenaya 7 arched her eyebrows; she couldn't believe her ears.
"Look, I'm the only one who knows what Venjix did to you. I can't stand idly by and let that happen again," Flynn explained.
"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself!" Tenaya 7 exclaimed.
"Right. As evidenced by you nearly losing all functioning in your legs."
"Do I look like I need a bodyguard?!"
"I can leave if you want. Just don't come crying to me when Venjix rips you apart limb from limb and you need repaired."
Flynn made for the exit, and Tenaya 7 grabbed his arm, stopping him. The features on her face softened as she spoke to him.
"Look, I'm sorry. It's just…weird. This. Us working together. Just yesterday you were my enemy. Thanks though…for fixing me…and for the food…and the smoothies," Tenaya 7 said, giving him a warm smile.
"You're most welcome. If you don't mind, I think I'm going to hit the sack. I'm beat," Flynn said. He motioned to a black sleeping bag. "That's for you, when you're ready to go to sleep—if you even go to sleep, that is."
"Yeah, I sleep. Thank you, Ranger Blue."
Later that night…
Tenaya 7 made her way to the room where Flynn's blue sleeping bag was. He was sprawled out and was sound asleep. She walked closer until she was standing over him. Seconds ticked by as she watched him sleep.
A blaster protruded over her knuckles. She pointed her blaster at the unconscious blue ranger.
"Too easy," she said.
To Be Continued…
A/N: Thanks to Larissa for her beta help. So, this is my first multi-chapter RPM story. I hope you liked it. Make sure to leave me a review and let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Thank you for reading!
