I don't own Power Rangers. Hope you enjoy!
"Spencer, have you seen Mack? We were supposed to leave for our hike twenty minutes ago."
"No, Sir, I've not seen him since last night."
Mr. Hartford pulled up the computer screen, "His tracker is in the house, but security cameras don't show him anywhere." He rewound the tapes, "Spencer, call the rangers, we have a problem."
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"What do you want?" Mack fought against the monster holding his arm.
"We want to make an android army and thought you could help us," the other monster snarled.
"I'm the last person who can help you, believe me. Just a normal human being," Mack responded. The Corona Aurora fixed him and made him human, right?
"You are an interesting specimen. Though you may have some human parts, you also have a great amount of high end technology in your system. If we could copy that data, we'll be able to make our own army of androids. They'd blend in with human life until the time to strike."
"Who are you guys?"
"For now, our names don't matter. We were friends of Flurious. It had been a while since we'd seen him but came to pay him a visit. Once we found out what happened, we decided we'd stay and try to take over the planet ourselves. Once we become rulers, that's when our names will become important."
"You won't get away with it. My friends and I will stop you!" Mack said confidently.
"Yeah right. What can you do if you are locked up here?" Mack was tossed into a cell, "And about your little friends, maybe we'll just have to reprogram you to take care of them?"
Mack sighed as he leaned back, listening to the laughing monsters walking away. One had been mostly black with a bit of green and the other was mostly red with some purple.
'Too bad Norg isn't here to help me out again,' Mack chuckled despite his situation. 'Am I still not really human? What am I then? A machine human hybrid?'
Mack looked around trying to find a way out. He fought with the bars trying to rip them open but failing. He wished he learned more about technology, maybe he could make a signal with his hardware. 'I don't even know how to get to my hardware…'
Mack waited around hoping he'd find a way to escape when someone came back. Maybe sneak the keys away from them or escape when they open the cell.
Mack lost track of time, but eventually the black monster appeared, "Let's go get this over with."
Mack was forced down a plain hallway to a room where he was strapped on a table. He fought against the chains but even with super strength he couldn't get out.
He was scanned and an x-ray like picture was put up on a board nearby. He didn't have a human brain, but most of the rest of him was human. It looked like his bones were made of metal though. Lost in his thoughts about how blood interacts with technology, he forgot he was supposed to be fighting to get out. Soon, a panel was opened in his head, and a USB was plugged in.
"It looks like we are missing one important key," the black one said.
"His creator should have it," the red one responded.
Mack heard evil laughing and then he blacked out. When he came to, he was standing in his yard.
"Mack! Thank God you're alright!" His dad and the team came running out toward him.
He was processing two streams of information. His own, which wanted to go hug his friends, and another, which wanted to steal some kind of information. His body started running toward the house but he fought hard against it. He knelt down holding his head, pain surging through it.
"Mack, what is wrong?" his dad was kneeling beside him.
Mack shook his head and whispered, "get away." A few more seconds and his body pushed his father, "GET AWAY."
Spencer rushed toward Andrew, who was sure he had at least one broken rib.
Mack stood up, "Stop me, please. They messed with my programming and sent me back for information. They want to make an android army."
"Programming?" Dax questioned.
"We don't want to fight you, man," Will admitted.
Rose looked confused, "I thought you were human now?"
Mack kept going toward the house, when Ronny stepped in his way.
"Please don't make me fight you," she put her hand on his shoulder.
Mack flipped her over his shoulder, "Apparently, I'm some fucked up android human mix. Which apparently means, anyone can turn me against you and use me as a fucking puppet."
Dax went after Mack to try to hold his arms, but Mack easily got out of his grip.
Andrew was leaning against Spencer, "We need to get him to the lab, I can analyze his programming there."
"How do you expect us to hold down the one with super strength?!"
"I don't know Will, morph and find a way."
"I think I'm headed to the lab anyway. Shut down access to the computers. Not gonna lie, not sure what I'm looking for, but apparently my body does."
"Why can you talk but not fully control your body?"
"Dax, the movement programming and thinking programming are in two different areas," Rose responded as she blocked a hit from Mack.
"Please morph and fight me," Mack begged, "I'm less likely to hurt you that way and I need to be stopped. They didn't program me well enough if I can fight some of the movements."
The group morphed and fought against the unarmed Mack. He got scratched up but knocked the other rangers down.
Mack knelt down screaming, trying to stop himself from moving.
"There's a panel, open it. Shut me down, something," he begged.
"We can program you, but if you aren't fully android or human, it's trickier to know what to turn off. I don't want to lose you," Andrew yelled from afar.
"You won't lose me." Mack picked up a drive defender that was in front of him. The rangers had stood and went to block thinking Mack was coming after them. However, he yelled out and turned the blade against himself, stabbing right through his stomach. He fell sideways as blood started oozing out from around the weapon.
"Mack! What were you thinking?" Andrew ran even though his chest protested.
"I trust you, dad," Mack coughed blinking slowly, "I had to be s-s-stopped. D-didn't wa-want to be a p-p-puppet." He grew silent as his eyes closed.
Andrew took a second before jumping into action. "Dax and Will, get him inside. Spencer grab the medical supplies. Ronny, clear off the table to set him on. Rose, you and I will work on fixing Mack."
Mack blinked slowly and found Andrew way to close to his face, "Please back up."
"Mack?!"
"Who else would I be?"
"Well, the data they put in you got corrupted, wreaking havoc all over your system. Rose and I had to write up a whole new program for you, using your memories and personality. Again, we weren't sure if it would all work with your human aspects."
"Sir, I don't think he wants to hear about all of that so soon after waking up," Spencer walked up, "It's good to see you awake Master Mack."
Mack slowly sat up and looked around the room, "Where did everyone go?"
"They are up in their rooms sleeping."
Mack noticed the time, "Shouldn't you two be sleeping?"
His dad shook his head, "I didn't want to leave you."
"I've been supplying coffee," Spencer handed out another cup.
"So I've been completely reprogrammed? I don't feel any different. Though I guess I wouldn't realize it either way…"
"Don't worry Mack, we tried to keep you the same as ever."
His hand went to his stomach. "You either are really lucky or you managed to calculate the best place to stab yourself."
"I did see a full body scan of myself," Mack nodded and laid back, "Though, I don't know why you never did one after the Corona Aurora." He sighed, "I'm really tired of finding out I'm not who I thought I was."
"You are my son. That's all that matters."
After a few minutes of Andrew sipping his coffee in silence, Mack spoke up, "We need to find those monsters and stop them. All I know is they want an army and had known Flurious."
"That's something we can work on in the morning. You probably need more rest."
Mack noticed how Andrew moved as he stood, "I hurt you didn't I?"
"No. It wasn't your fault. Just a few broken ribs, I'll heal up quickly. Spencer wrapped me all up."
"I could have fought it harder."
"Mack please listen; it is not your fault."
Mack knew his dad would keep disagreeing so he dropped the subject.
"Do you want to sleep here in the lab, the couch in the lounge, or head up to your room?"
He shivered, "I guess I am still tired. You better get some sleep too."
His dad nodded and helped him stand up. They made their way up the stairs together.
"I'm sorry, I feel like all of the bad things that happen to you are my fault."
"Dad, stop being ridiculous and get some sleep. Human or android, you can't protect your children from everything."
"Alright," Andrew nodded as he opened his door, "Night Mack, I love you."
"Love you too dad."
Mack laid on his bed staring at the ceiling. He was tired but couldn't shut his brain off (well, maybe he could?).
His mind went back to when he found out he was an android. 'Who am I really? Am I just following my programming or do I really make my own choices?'
He hadn't entirely come to terms with being an android when he thought he was turned human. Now he really didn't know what to think. Would he age like a normal human? It had only been a few months since they defeated Flurious, so there wasn't visible aging yet. If he had normal body functions could he have kids? Would they be hybrids too?
Eventually, as the sun was rising, Mack made it back to sleep.
He awoke just after noon to find his friends in the lounge.
"Mack!" Ronny was the first to notice him enter.
"Man, didn't we talk about the self-sacrificing stuff?" Will held his hand out for a fist bump.
"That was crazy man!" Dax jumped.
"I'm glad you are okay," Rose smiled.
"I'm sorry guys."
"We all know it wasn't your fault," Ronny assured.
"We need to go after them, but I'm not sure where they are…"
"Actually, we managed to find the tracking data, so we can find them easily," Rose updated.
"Master Mack, you probably should eat before running off into battle."
"Thanks Spencer," Mack responded grabbing a sandwich off the platter.
"So what now? Do we just charge them?" Dax asked.
"There were only two of them that I noticed, it shouldn't be too hard."
"You just got stabbed yesterday, you sure you should be fighting?" Will leaned against the wall.
"I just want to get this done. And I'm sure you all have things you could be doing other than hanging out here."
"I don't have filming for a few more days, and Ronny's next race isn't until next week," Dax informed.
"It's fall break, so no classes for me."
"I make my own schedule, I'm cool," Will responded.
"Well if you insist on staying, I'd still like to get this over with, then we can hang out. Maybe watch movies or something."
"I'll get the SHARC ready," Spencer announced.
Rose threw Mack his morpher and they headed off.
Two hours later, the group returned to the Hartford home, a little scraped up but in high spirits. They all showered and set up a movie in the lounge.
"Hey guys, Rose and I found the data to track those monsters. We need to set up a plan," Mr. Hartford entered the room.
They all looked around and laughed.
"You are way behind dad, it's already taken care of. Just sit down and watch the movie."
"Spencer?" Andrew looked at the butler who was bringing in popcorn.
"You've slept all day, sir. And I thought Mack was bad sleeping until noon."
"Old people just need more sleep," Mack stuck his tongue out as he made room on the couch for his dad.
Mack was still unsure about a lot of things but he knew he had great family and friends to help him figure it all out.