CHAPTER SEVEN

SAGE

To say that the next training session was awkward was an understatement. Angie was there, and she was trying to act like everything was fine, but Sage could feel how terrified she still was. The attack had seriously knocked her self-esteem back, and she wasn't her usual fierce self. That was dangerous, because Zell would sense her weakness and use it to destroy her, and as they knew too well, if even one of the Chosen perished, they would fail.

On top of Angie's fragile state, Spike was more awkward then he'd been in ages. He was trying so hard to prove he was worthy of inheriting his family's legacy, but he was clearly terrified he'd never be good enough. Lauren stayed by his side, training him herself with a level of patience Sage wasn't sure any of the others could possess. Jayden was normally able to turn off his emotions to do whatever must be done, but Sage could tell this unexpected development had thrown him. He needed time. In addition to that, the Stone Warriors and the Ranger Guard were there to train with the more seasoned Rangers, and the remaining members of Lightspeed Rescue and Operation Overdrive had decided to resume training, too.

Micky was staying close to Liza. Zedd watched the two of them. Sage walked over to him. "Jealous?" Sage asked softly.

Zedd chuckled lightly. "Of Micky? Certainly not," he replied.

"Hey, don't count my cousin out," Sage said with a laugh. "He's pretty charming when he wants to be."

"Liza has no interest in him. We have a connection he cannot touch. And even if she were interested, Micky is not."

"Are you sure? Micky's pretty protective of her."

"As a brother. Micky has no interest in... " Zedd hesitated.

"It's okay. I picked up on that, too."

"I suspect he fights very hard to keep this secret."

"There are no secrets when you're around a Shaman and an incubus. Besides, he's got to know I wouldn't care. I mean, my twin brother is-"

Sage dropped the subject when Micky and Liza approached them. Liza wrapped her arms around Zedd's neck and her legs around his hips before she kissed him. Micky laughed and said, "Get a room, Liza! There are impressionable children here!"

"That had better not be a dig at my age!" Tammy snapped from nearby. She kicked Ollie in the chest to emphasize her point.

"Ouch! Jeez, Tammy, bring it down a notch or twelve, okay?" Ollie asked.

"We don't have time to take this slow, Oliver!" Tammy replied in frustration. "Suck it up and try to hit me back, or find me someone who will."

Zedd and Sage exchanged a glance. "I've got this," Sage said. She walked toward Tammy and said, "Come on. I'll work with you."

Tammy shrugged and followed Sage to a corner where no one else was. They began to spar. Sage was able to keep up with Tammy without actually hurting her. After several minutes of Tammy not slowing down, Sage asked, "What's this really about, Tammy?"

"We need to be better than our best, Sage," Tammy replied, throwing a punch that Sage countered. "And we'll never get there at the rate we're going! Zell isn't waiting! He's here, and him and his people are killing Power Rangers... Our friends... Our family... I refuse to let it happen again!" She threw a kick that nearly connected, but Sage was able to dodge it at the last second.

"Tammy... You're good. You've gotten so much better."

"It doesn't matter. It's not enough, Sage! I watched another Power Ranger die because I couldn't save her! I can't keep letting people get killed for me! I refuse!"

Tammy's hits were flying wildly now. Sage finally threw her body at Tammy, wrapping her arms tight around her until the girl couldn't fight anymore. She kept her like that until Tammy finally stopped struggling and her body went limp. She began sobbing in Sage's arms.

"It's okay, Tammy... Let this out," Sage said soothingly, guiding her outside so no one would see her crying.

"I couldn't save her... Just like I couldn't save my dad..." Tammy whispered.

"None of that is your fault, Tammy. You're one of the toughest people I've ever met. They want you to feel weak. Don't give in to that." Sage loosened her grip.

Tammy nodded. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. We all snap sometimes. You just need to take a deep breath and remember you're strong, and you are not in this alone."

Tammy hugged Sage. "Thanks..." She said softly.

"Anytime. And if you want, I'll give you some extra training. You have the skills, but it wouldn't hurt to perfect them. There's always room to improve."

"I'd like that."

"Then it's a date. We can figure out a schedule later."

Tammy nodded. Sage led her back inside and sent her to the food station to recharge a bit. "That was very kind of you," a voice said behind her.

"Caius?" Sage asked, spinning around. "I didn't expect to see you here today."

"We are at war," Caius replied sadly. "The children are not the only ones who need to prepare." He took his sword and executed a few impressive moves. Caius moved very smoothly with his sword, almost as if it were a natural extension of his arm.

"I don't think you need much practice," Sage said as she admired his skill. "But since you're here... Would you like a partner?"

"I was going to ask Zedd, however Liza appears to have him occupied," Caius replied with a slight smile. "I would be honored to train with you, Sage."

Sage picked up a sword and began to spar with Caius. It was almost like a dance, and she found that they were able to match each other perfectly, move for move. Sage was enjoying herself for the first time in ages. Something about connecting with Caius on this level felt natural. She stopped holding back and just let herself get lost in the movements.

It wasn't until they stopped at least twenty minutes later that Sage realized everyone had stopped to watch them. Dustin was the first to break the awkward silence. He started applauding and cheering, which made the others join in.

"Holy shit, that was amazing," Pierce said.

"For real! You guys have been holding out on us," Zeke added.

"Your skill level surpassed most Samurai I know," Lauren said with respect in her eyes. "How long have you two been training together?"

"We haven't," Sage replied. "This is the first real sparring session we've had."

"That was badass!" Kira said. "You two need to do that more often, because I think we could all learn from you."

"You two make sword play look sexy," Liza said with a laugh. She leaned against Zedd again, who held her close automatically.

"You're both really good!" Brian said. "I wish I was that good. I mean, I thought I was, but watching that display..."

Caius looked a bit embarrassed by all of the attention. "Well, Sage is an excellent partner," he said softly.

"And Caius has been using a sword for several millennia," Sage added. "You're really good with your sword, Brian."

"Thanks, but now I see I can get even better. Caius, can we train one-on-one sometime?"

"Of course, Brian. I trained Quang Bu to use that sword, and it is my duty to train you as well. I know you are every bit the warrior Quin was," Caius replied.

Brian beamed with pride. "Okay, enough. Back to work," Jayden told everyone. They dutifully returned to training.

"Would you like to get some air?" Sage asked Caius.

"That sounds excellent," Caius agreed. They walked outside together and ended up staring up at the sky. Sage was standing very close to Caius, and she realized she liked that...

"Beautiful..." Caius whispered.

"What?" Sage asked, startled out of her own thoughts.

"The stars," Caius explained. "No matter what happens, the stars still shine. Even when one burns out, we see the memory of it... The night sky has always given me hope. I became especially interested in it when I lived among the Mystics. The quiet beauty of the stars was soothing. We would lie on the grass, watching the stars for hours, and it filled me with such peace."

"We?"

"Rose and I," Caius replied sadly. He looked away from the stars and looked into her eyes instead.

"Did you tire of watching them?" Sage asked.

"Not at all... I can still see them, reflecting in your eyes." The way he said that sent a chill through Sage.

Relax, she scolded herself. This is Caius. He has a way with words, but he didn't mean anything by that.

She was forced to stop wondering if she was imagining things when Caleb approached them. "Sorry to interrupt..." Caleb said a bit awkwardly. His eyes were wide and Sage wondered if he'd picked something up.

There isn't anything to pick up, Sage reminded herself.

"Nonsense, Caleb," Caius said, turning to his son. "Is everything alright?"

"I'm not sure," Caleb admitted. "Dora left me a really cryptic voicemail... Something about fifty or more cats surrounding her and not letting her move... I tried to call her back, but she didn't answer."

Caius stiffened. "That does not sound good," he said with a frown. Sage could tell his mind was racing, trying to work out exactly what might be going on with his niece. Caius was brilliant, but without more information, he could only get so far. "I'll see if I can find her," he concluded, clearly worried for her safety.

"I'm coming with you," Caleb said firmly.

"Caleb, we don't yet know what we are walking into-"

"She's my cousin, and she called me for help. I'm going with you," Caleb insisted.

"I'll come," Thorn said from the doorway.

"Thorn, you should keep training... It might be nothing," Caleb said, although it was clear he didn't believe that.

"It's never nothing, and it's better safe than sorry with everything Aunt Kat's been pulling. Zell had Dora once. He might go after her again. I'm going with you, Caleb."

"We both are," Sage decided. "Just in case."

"I suppose it is decided then," Caius said. "Come. We must not waste any more time." He led the way as they began to search for Dora.

DORA

She hadn't been surprised when the first five or six cats found their way to her. Dora attracted cats everywhere she went. However, the further she walked, the more cats had shown up, until a literal kitty army surrounded her, preventing her from moving forward.

"What the fuck is going on?" Dora had wondered aloud. The protective body language of the cats had told her she was in danger, and her own instincts were screaming at her to run, but in her heart, she knew it was too late for that. She'd called Caleb hoping he might have had a vision or something, but she didn't want to worry him, so upon realizing he knew nothing, she'd downplayed how scared she was. After all, if she were really in danger, wouldn't at least one of the four seers in her family have seen something?

Now, however, she understood why the cats had arrived. "Hello, Pandora," a woman's voice greeted her.

Zell had been sending his minions to do his dirty work. With the use of her proper name, Dora knew this was one of his people. The question was, which one?

"It's Dora," she snapped. "And who the fuck are you?"

"Tsk, tsk... Such a mouth," the woman replied, stepping out of the shadows. "My name is Katherine."

Shit! Shit, shit, shit! Dora thought. "I'd say it's nice to meet you, but it's not," Dora replied, trying to mask her fear. She knew entirely too well what Katherine was capable of. Caleb knows you're in trouble... He'll come, she told herself. And hopefully, he'll bring in the cavalry.

"They won't find you in time," Katherine said, apparently reading her thoughts.

Using telekinesis, Katherine moved the cats away from Dora. They went flying, and Dora screamed, "No!" Suddenly, a wind came out of nowhere and created a cushion, catching the cats and gently lowering them to the ground. None of them seemed to be hurt.

"Very nice," Katherine said. "I wasn't aware you could do that."

"What are you talking about? I didn't do anything," Dora said, genuinely confused.

"You didn't know you have powers?"

"I'm a Grant. I see dead people and I have visions. I can't do whatever that was."

Katherine laughed coldly. "Oh, my dear little Demigoddess... You have no idea what you can do. This should be interesting."

Dora realized the psychotic bitch was going to try to provoke her into using whatever powers she believed that she possessed. She braced herself for an attack. Katherine manifested throwing knives seemingly out of nowhere. She began throwing them at Dora. Although Dora's reflexes were strong, one of the knives still hit her in the chest. She cried out in pain but didn't try to pull it out, knowing she'd bleed out faster if she did. She was pretty sure the knife had just barely missed her heart, but she knew she had a good chance of surviving if she got help quickly enough.

"Fight back, Little Demigoddess!" Katherine mocked her.

Dora tried to think up a way to defend herself, but she was really injured, and if the knife shifted the wrong way, it would hit her heart. She had to be careful. She was pretty sure she was screwed as Katherine mocked her again before pulling out a sword and lunging at her. That was when something unexpected happened.

Katherine was ripped off of her. Someone stood, cloaked by the darkness. Strange but soothing music began playing from nearby. "A battle against an unarmed child is hardly honorable," a voice said firmly. "Now, you shall face me instead."

Dora knew that voice, but she couldn't believe her ears. "Deker?" She asked softly. She'd honestly assumed that after Casey granted the troubled former Nighlok and his wife a second chance at life, they'd have fled Angel Grove for a place where the monsters would never find them.

"How dare you interfere, you traitor?" Katherine demanded. Her focus was entirely on Deker now. He'd originally been resurrected by Zell, and had been his most trusted ally. Zell never trusted anyone fully, but he'd treated Deker as his ace in the hole and used him to spy on his less-trusted minions, like Merkhet. Deker and Mora had been the only two bad guys Zell had kept close to him besides her father, living in the same residence. While Mora had been fiercely loyal, Deker had been biding his time trying to stop Zell from the inside. He'd helped Dora and her father escape when he caught Zell trying to violate her, telling them to attack him and run. He hadn't actually blown his cover until he saved Emily's life. Zell had been blindsided by the betrayal, and Dora could tell from the way Katherine reacted to Deker that he was still furious about it.

"How dare you betray the Power Rangers?" Deker retorted. "You have no honor, Katherine. And that I will not stand for!" He began to duel her with his sword. After about two minutes, Katherine vanished, apparently realizing that Deker was far better with a sword than she was.

Deker rushed to kneel at Dora's side. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Super," Dora replied dryly.

"Dahlia... Can you help her?" Deker asked.

A woman stepped out of the trees holding a musical instrument. That explains the music I heard, Dora realized. She was relieved she hadn't imagined it.

"This is my wife, Dahlia," Deker explained.

Dahlia nodded. "Since my return to this world, I have studied magic," she told Dora. "I have been granted the ability to heal through my music. Stay very still, child."

"Dora," Dora provided. "And okay. Thanks."

Suddenly, her father appeared, looking ready to slaughter whoever stood near Dora. He hesitated when he recognized Deker.

"Deker? Is that you?" He asked.

"Indeed. Hello, Ares," Deker replied.

"I am rather relieved to see you here," her father said. "Dora, how badly are you hurt?"

"I took a throwing knife to the chest, but I'll survive," Dora replied.

Dahlia looked at Deker. "It is time to pull out the knife," she said.

Deker removed the knife slowly. It hurt, but Dora could feel herself healing as Dahlia continued to play the haunting melody. Soon, it felt like nothing had happened. "Incredible..." Her father said softly.

"That's better," Dora said lightly. "Thanks. Really."

"Of course," Dahlia replied.

"I grew a bit fond of you during the time Zell held you prisoner," Deker added. "I vow to protect you whenever possible. You have my sacred oath." He bowed his head to her.

"Thank you for protecting my daughter, my friend," her father said. He shook Deker's hand.

"Dahlia and I must leave now," Deker said. "Be safe." He guided Dahlia away.

"That was crazy unexpected," Dora said.

"Deker is a man of honor," her father replied. "He will always protect the innocent, especially now that he is no longer part Nighlok."

"I didn't think him and Dahlia stuck around."

"Until Zell is defeated, I don't think Deker can bring himself to leave. He is exceptionally good at lurking without being seen. He's probably been keeping an eye on you."

Dora wasn't sure how to feel about that, but today, it had come in handy. She decided not to question having Deker as a bodyguard. After all, she owed him a lot. He'd not only saved her from Zell's perversions, but he'd freed her father, too. That was more than she could ever repay.

CALEB

They never made it to Dora. Instead, they found themselves being ambushed by an army of solid gold soldiers. "The Alchemist..." Caleb whispered.

"And probably the Warlock, too," Thorn added.

"Caleb, do you have your sword?" Caius asked.

"Yeah," Caleb replied. "I thought we might need weapons to get to Dora."

"Good. Everyone, stay close to each other. Sage, Thorn, you may wish to morph. Caleb, I suggest calling forth the Chosen armor."

"It's Morphin' Time!" Sage said immediately. "Dragonzord!"

"Mastadon!" Thorn chimed in.

Caleb closed his eyes and focused. The Chosen did not have to call their armor aloud. It appeared as soon as they called it in their minds. "Blue looks so good on you," Thorn said lightly.

Caleb smiled. "Black's sexier," he replied. He knew Thorn was grinning beneath his helmet.

"Let's do this," Sage said, clearly ready for a fight.

Caleb and Thorn naturally worked together, which left Sage to pair off with Caius. They were even more impressive in a real fight, especially since Caius had no armor but still fought like the fiercest of warriors. Caleb hadn't expected that. It was strange to see him in that setting. Caius was generally soft-spoken, gentle, and kind. Of course, it was also kind of cool to know his biological father could turn into such a warrior.

"Look out!" Thorn shouted to Caleb as a golden sword came way too close to his neck. Thorn knocked Caleb out of the way just in time.

"Are you guys okay?" Sage called.

"We're good," Thorn promised as Caleb caught his breath. He hated being the weakest link in a fight, but he also knew he was getting really good with a sword. Caius had been training for millennia, and Sage and Thorn had trained with weapons from the time they were toddlers. Caleb knew he'd catch up eventually.

Things were going alright until Caleb heard Sage scream, "Caius!"

Caleb and Thorn immediately turned their attention to Caius, who had apparently jumped behind them to protect them from an attack. He now had a nasty gash across his chest. He's going to die, just like your parents... Because of you, his mind taunted him.

Thorn sensed Caleb's distress and squeezed his hand before fighting off more soldiers who tried to reach them. Caleb kneeled next to Caius. "This looks bad..." He whispered in horror.

Caius reached toward his arm, touching it gently. "I'll be alright, Caleb," he said. "I am cursed with immortality, remember?"

Sage had apparently had enough. With an impressive blast of power, she destroyed the remaining golden soldiers. Then, she rushed to Caius. Thorn knelt beside Caleb. "Is he okay?" He asked. He and Sage dropped their morphs in unison, and Caleb let the Chosen armor go, too.

"I promise, I shall be fine," Caius insisted.

"Immortal or not, you can still feel pain," Sage said. She began to remove his shredded, formerly white blood-soaked shirt. Most of the buttons still clung together, but the diagonal slash had destroyed the shirt beyond repair.

"Do not waste your energy. It shall heal on its own."

"You're stubborn. Just shut up and let me heal you. I'm not leaving you here in this kind of pain." She placed her hands over the gash and began to heal the wound.

Caleb saw the way Caius looked at Sage. His eyes were more peaceful than Caleb had ever seen them, and he stared at Sage with obvious adoration. How have I never noticed that before? Caleb wondered. Was it new? Was Caius just confused by blood loss and seeing his lost love Rose instead of Sage? Or was it possible that Caius was beginning to feel more than fondness for Sage? Thorn must have noticed, too, because he exchanged a glance with Caleb before saying, "Can I help, Sis?"

"No , I've almost got him fully healed..." She finished healing him before helping him sit up. "Take it slow," she advised. "Even though I regenerated most of it, you lost a lot of blood. You'll be dizzy until your body adjusts."

Caius looked into her eyes. "Thank you, Sage," he said softly.

"It was no big deal. You're immortal, like you said. It's easier to heal immortals. Come on, guys... We still need to find Dora."

"No you don't. She found you," Dora said with a laugh as she approached with Ares.

"Dora! Are you okay?" Caleb asked.

"Yeah... Deker and Dahlia saved me, and then my dad showed up," Dora explained.

"What happened?" Thorn asked.

"Katherine came for me... I think I'd be dead if Deker hadn't gotten involved."

"Oh, Jayden's going to love hearing that he's still in town," Sage said with a laugh.

"I am glad you are safe, Dora," Caius said.

"Brother... What happened to your shirt?" Ares asked, spotting it on the grass.

"The Alchemist sent her golden army," Caius explained, allowing Sage to help him to his feet. Caleb and Thorn stood up then, too. "I was protecting Caleb and Thorn and one of them got to me, but I am healed now. Sage is very good at what she does."

"I guess immortality's not always a curse," Dora said with a smirk.

"Indeed," Ares said. He frowned, and Caleb wondered what his uncle was thinking about. Perhaps it was his Military training, but his uncle was a very difficult man to read. Caleb could rarely guess what was on his mind. He placed his jacket on Caius so he was no longer topless.

"Thank you, Ares," Caius said softly, buttoning the jacket closed.

"Why was Aunt Kat after Dora?" Thorn wondered aloud. "What was she trying to accomplish?"

"She was trying to provoke me into using my powers... Ones I apparently don't already know about. I have no idea what she thinks I can do, but I may or may not have created some sort of wind cushion to save my kitty army," Dora replied. "She sent them flying, I panicked, and all of a sudden, the cushion caught them all. It was weird."

"Strong emotions can trigger latent magic," Sage said. "It happened with Doctor K when Merkhet attacked Ziggy. Doctor K figured out she has magic because of an accidental outburst after Merkhet took something Ziggy had given her, but after that, Doctor K used her scientific mind to figure out how the powers worked so that when Ziggy himself was in danger, she could help him."

"So you're saying I did create the wind cushion..." Dora said.

"Probably. If Kat thinks you have powers, there's most likely a reason for that. I can work with you and try to figure out what you can do. I did it for Jason's sons after finding out Ollie could Shadow Travel and two of the other three were actively showing signs of having magic, too."

"I thought they all had magic."

"They do, but Vinny's wasn't really showing itself at the time."

"Well, I appreciate the offer," Dora said. "If this comes up again, I want to be prepared."

"We should leave this place," Ares said. "Before the Alchemist sends more soldiers."

"He's right," Caleb said. Everyone else began walking away. He hesitated. He was still kind of freaked out. He might still be calling Caius by his name instead of "dad," but he was the only parent Caleb had left. He stared at the spot where Caius had been lying in his own blood.

Caleb felt something slip around his neck. It instantly soothed him. He looked down and realized it was the tiger's eye necklace that Thorn always wore. "Thorn-" he began, knowing the charm had been a gift from his mother.

"Keep it for a while," Thorn said gently.

"But-"

"That charm keeps me grounded when I need it the most. It will protect you and help you find your inner strength."

"I know how much this means to you..."

"It's okay, Caleb. You help me find my inner strength, too. As long as the necklace is helping you, it's helping me, too." Thorn kissed the top of his head protectively.

"Thank you," Caleb whispered, trying not to get overly emotional. He wrapped his arms around Thorn and stayed in his embrace for a minute before they joined everyone who'd started to walk ahead. He held Thorn's hand with his left hand and held the charm with his right. It was incredibly soothing.

Sage looked back at the two of them. She looked surprised to see the charm around Caleb's neck, but one look at Thorn seemed to clear it up for her. She nodded, giving Caleb a reassuring smile before inching closer to Caius and looking ahead again.

They walked together until they reached a taco place. "I'm starving," Dora said.

"Well, then, dinner is on me," Caius said.

"Brother... What, exactly, is a... Taco?" Ares asked, causing all four of the teenagers to laugh.

"Delicious, that's what," Dora replied.

"They generally consist of some form of meat, poultry, or even fish inside of a shell filled with cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, and some sort of sauce," Caius explained. "I do not often indulge in such things, however one of the universities I used to teach at had a taco night every week." They headed inside and Caleb tried to pretend everything was normal. Then again, maybe this was his normal now.

THE NEXT DAY.

LACHLAN

He was having the strangest dream. Lachlan Davies was standing in a room with a bunch of ritual tools. He felt drawn to one and picked it up. He gasped as the blade pricked his skin.

"Awaken, my boy," a voice called to him.

"What's happening?" Lachlan asked nervously.

"You must awaken to your true self. Listen when my voice guides you."

"Who are you?" Lachlan asked.

"All shall be revealed in due time, my boy..." The man stepped out of the shadows and smiled at him reassuringly. "No one knows who you truly are, but I do... And I must say, you grew up even better than I had hoped."

"Do I know you?" Lachlan asked. Something about this man was strangely familiar. It was odd that his skin was blue, but there was something about him that made Lachlan want to trust him.

"Yes, my boy. In your heart, you do. Go now. You have school."

With that, Lachlan woke up. "Wow," he mumbled. "No more late night snacks for you."

"Lachlan! Hurr'up 'fore yer late on yer first day!" His mother called from downstairs. "Are ya up?"

"Aye, Ma!" Lachlan called back. He sighed and dragged himself to the bathroom before his ma came and threw him into a cold shower herself. She'd done it before. That woman did not play games when something needed to be done.

Once he was showered, dressed, and somewhat functional, Lachlan hurried down to the kitchen. He was still getting used to his new house in a new country. Sure, they'd visited the USA over the years, but moving there was an entirely different thing.

"Good morning, Son," his father greeted him calmly as he sipped his morning tea. His father was a very calm, soft-spoken British man. Lachlan had been raised just outside of London, so he generally spoke in the same tone and accent that his father used, but on the rare occasion he got angry, his ma's Scottish accent came out. She was a fiery redhead raised in Scotland who moved to London for university. That was where she'd met his father. They'd fallen in love instantly, and the rest was history.

"Morning, Dad," Lachlan replied. "Morning, Ma," he added.

His ma handed him a plate of pancakes, bacon, sausage, and hash browns. "Eat up. You'll need yer strength fer tha first day o' school," she said cheerfully.

Lachlan ate breakfast quickly so he could head to school. "Are ya sure ya don' wan' a ride, Lach?" His ma asked.

"It's not far," Lachlan replied.

She nodded and gave him a kiss goodbye on his forehead. "Good luck, Lachlan," his father said, patting him on the back encouragingly.

Lachlan grabbed his school bag and walked out the door. He walked a few blocks before he arrived at Angel Grove High School. Lachlan was nervous, but he hoped he'd find a way to fit in at the American high school.

He was looking over his schedule when he slammed into a mass of solid muscle. The impact nearly knocked him down, but strong arms reached out to steady him. "Whoa! Sorry," a boy said. "Are you okay?"

Lachlan looked up into the very handsome face attached to the toned body. "Yeah," he said, embarrassed. "I just didn't expect to run into a brick wall."

The boy laughed, and his smile lit up his entire face. "Sorry... Football, you know?"

"You play football?" Lachlan asked, getting excited. Then he remembered where he was. "Oh... You mean American football, right?"

"Is there any other kind?" The boy joked.

"I believe you all call it soccer... Which is the only sport I play."

The boy didn't seem offended. "Soccer's cool. I play that, too, sometimes. I also do Martial Arts. I'm Micky, by the way."

"Lachlan... Lach for short, if you prefer."

"It's nice to meet you. Are you new? I just started recently myself."

"Yes. My family just moved to the States from London."

"That's cool. Why'd you move?"

"Honestly, I don't know... All of a sudden, about three weeks ago, my parents decided we needed a change. My dad is a scientist, so he asked his company to transfer him to their US division. Ma found a job with a local paper... She's a journalist... And here we are."

"Sometimes, a change of pace is a good thing," Micky said. "Do you want me to walk you to your first class? I've pretty much figured out the layout here."

Lachlan smiled. "I'd appreciate that, thanks," he replied eagerly.

The boys walked together until they reached a classroom. The new school wasn't nearly as intimidating with Micky by his side. "This is your stop," Micky said. "We have lunch together. You can eat with me if you want... I mean, since you don't know anyone."

"That sounds lovely, actually," Lachlan replied. "Thank you, Micky. I appreciate your kindness."

Micky smiled. "Good luck. I'll see you later." He left for his own class.

Lachlan sat down at a free desk and mentally prepared himself to start his first class in this new school.

MICKY

He walked into his science class smiling. Liza caught this and asked, "Who's got you so cheerful?"

"Maybe I'm just in a good mood," Micky said innocently.

"Who's the guy?" Liza asked softly. She was the only person Micky had ever come out to.

Micky sighed. "His name is Lachlan... Lach. And he's sweet and nice to look at and he has an accent that is making me melt..."

"Oooh, an accent? Nice! Where is he from?"

"He's British."

"Sexy. Did he set off your gaydar?"

"A little, but it could be wishful thinking... Besides, I don't date."

"Because your parents were assholes... But they're gone, Micky. Tommy is really supportive of Thorn. I'm sure he'd support you, too."

"I'm not. He doesn't know what to do with me now. If he found out I'm..." He stopped. He couldn't say it out loud.

"A friend of Dorothy? A gym queen? Absolutely freaking fabulous?" Liza suggested.

"Shut up, oh my God..." Micky buried his face in his hands, humiliated.

"Micky, no one can hear me, and even if they did, they wouldn't care. Seriously, Thorn and Caleb are, like, everyone's favorite couple here."

There was no more time to talk as their teacher began the class. For once, Micky was grateful for that.

ZELL

He was very pleased with the way things were headed. Lieutenant Stone had proven fierce and loyal, with the heart of a warrior. Evil or not, that was a useful trait. In addition to him, several former Power Rangers had been captured. Zell had a decent group to pick from. He kept them held in a labyrinth. The Warlock had bewitched their new home so that the basement was an endless labyrinth only Zell and his most trusted followers could navigate.

Labyrinth would have made a much more impressive one, but I suppose this will do, Zell thought. Labyrinth was an immortal Eltarian who'd been around since Zell had been with Serafine. He was part of the Rebellion, but he'd vanished a long time ago. Zell knew why that was, and he was certain Labyrinth was still alive, but he was so deep in hiding that not even Zell could locate him. With that being the case, he'd had to settle for the Warlock's poor imitation of Labyrinth's work. Still, it was more than enough to keep the former Rangers trapped as he debated which ones would serve him best.

One of his favorites was the one he stood with now. "Stay back!" She cried as he got very close to her.

"Or what, my dear?" Zell asked. "What do you think you can do to me?"

"Plenty!" The feisty little blonde thing declared. "Try me!"

Zell decided to take her up on that. "Very well, my dear." He pulled out a heavy ax made of iron and brought it down toward her.

She caught it and said, "Thanks for that! Fist of Iron!" She proceeded to punch him impressively hard.

"How very interesting, my little Pink Ranger..." Zell mumbled as he recovered. "Tell me, does that work with anything you touch?"

"Yes, so back the hell up!" She shouted.

He laughed. Her fiery spirit amused him, especially because she looked pretty harmless on the surface. "Sydney Drew, you shall be my very first new recruit," he decided.

"Like Hell I will!"

"You should be honored, my dear. You have impressed me." With that, he summoned the flames and pushed her into them.

She screamed. He knew she was trying to fight the flames, but she couldn't."I'm from the future," she tried to reason with him. "You'll undo the time line!"

"Nonsense," Zell said. "I may create some ripples, but nothing that will do any real harm. I kidnapped you from after your team retired. Nothing important will be changed by you remaining in this time with me, so long as you don't meet your other selves through time. Trust me, my dear. I know what I am doing."

She didn't give him the satisfaction of begging him to spare her. He was surprised by that, but it only proved she was tougher than she appeared. She finally closed her eyes, accepting what was coming. "SPD... Emergency..." She said softly, almost like a prayer to help remind her of who she was inside. As the last of her light burned away, she smiled at him wickedly.

"Sydney... Evil suits you," Zell informed her with a smile of his own.

"Thank you," she replied, looking at him mischievously. "What happens now?"

"Now, you demonstrate your unique talent for me. I wish to see just how much you are capable of."

"You won't be disappointed," she promised.

"Excellent. Come with me." Zell led her out of the labyrinth and into the main house. He would have a proper room prepared for her at once. She was one of them now.

KIMBERLY

She was exhausted. She'd forgotten how much the last few months of pregnancy took out of a woman. Kimberly touched her stomach and felt the baby kicking her. She smiled. "We're almost done with this part, Little One," she told the baby. She was in her final month of the journey. She could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Her cell phone rang. Kimberly was surprised to see that it was Lieutenant Stone calling her. She picked up right away. "Hey, Lieutenant Stone," she said. "What's up?"

"Kimberly, we need to talk," he replied. His tone worried her.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"This needs to be done in person... Can I come pick you up?"

She wasn't really up to going out, especially since she was supposed to go to the small gym she ran to help with training later, but this sounded bad. "Sure," she said. "I'll be ready in ten minutes."

"I'll see you then." He hung up.

Frowning, Kimberly hurried to get ready to go out. Exactly ten minutes later, she saw Lieutenant Stone's car outside. She hurried out of the house, locking the door behind her after shooting Billy a quick text saying, Had to head out early to help Lt. Stone. See you tonight. I love you!

"Kimberly, look at you... You're glowing," Lieutenant Stone said as she climbed into his car. He didn't seem to be his usual warm self, but the comment was definitely something he'd say.

"Thanks," she said with a smile. "Can I ask what this is about now?"

"Kimberly, I need you to look out the window and tell me what you see."

That seemed like an odd request, but she indulged him, turning her head to the side. "Well, I see the neighborhood... Houses, trees, a few birds flying b-" Her sentence was cut off as a cloth was clamped over her mouth. Kimberly didn't have time to do more than try to scream against it before she blacked out.

JOSH

He arrived home and was surprised to find the house empty. K and Ziggy were with their team, and his father was at the Command Center working on a project with Zordon and Alpha. Kenny had headed to gymnastics early to get in some extra training time... But Josh thought Kimberly would still be home.

He heard a sound coming from the attic. Kimberly never really went up there, so this worried him. He headed upstairs cautiously. "Kimberly?" He called. There was no answer. He tensed, positive he was not alone, and searched the attic for an intruder. Every time he moved, he heard the sound of something else moving. Josh began anticipating the pattern of movement until he was sure he was right on top of the thing. He finally pounced, ready to attack.

The cry of shock that met his attack was squeaky but not especially intimidating. A fuzzy little yellowish-brown creature stared at him from behind big pink sunglasses that had yellow sunflowers attached to the temples. The sunglasses had, presumably, been Kimberly's at some point. The lenses kept Josh from making direct eye contact with the creature. It had pointed ears and chubby cheeks and reminded Josh of...

"A gremlin..." He whispered. "A-are you... Are you a vizu?" He asked.

The creature nodded at him slowly. It looked like it was afraid of Josh. "Don't worry," Josh said gently. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The vizu relaxed slightly. Josh extended his hand toward it and it sniffed him, then stunned him by rubbing its head on his hand affectionately. He knew these things were supposed to be dangerous, but this one just seemed... Cute.

"Are you male or female?" Josh wondered. "Are you a boy?" He asked. The vizu shook its head. "A girl, then?" She nodded eagerly. "Okay, girl... I'm Josh. What are you doing in my house?"

The vizu walked on its cute, stubby legs toward a box. She then nudged it toward Josh. Confused, he opened it. Inside was an oval locket. Josh took the locket in his hands and began shaking as a memory hit him. He'd seen the locket before. "This was my mother's..." He said softly. The vizu nodded at him. He sat down and opened the locket, expecting to find a picture inside. Instead, he found a set of microchips. "What the heck?" He wondered.

The vizu proceeded to curl up in Josh's lap and take a nap. He hadn't expected that, but he found himself petting her. Logic told him he should fear her and banish her with a mirror, but he couldn't do it. She was so gentle and affectionate, and he had a feeling she was trying to help him. Somehow, this vizu was connected to his mother, and she was trying to guide him toward something important.

I'll examine the microchips as soon as possible, he decided. Maybe then he'd finally find some answers. Until he knew more, he decided to keep this to himself. His dad was stressed enough, and K was too practical. She'd either destroy the vizu or study it, and neither seemed like a fair fate to sentence her to. Part of Josh knew this was crazy, but a bigger part didn't care. He would protect her until he had reason to believe he shouldn't.

AJ

She was training pretty hard lately. Not only did it make her happy to participate in gymnastics competitions, but it helped make her a stronger Power Ranger, too. AJ had come into possession of the Pink Energem right after the rest of the Dino Charge team had been attacked at the former Pink Ranger's funeral. AJ knew the history. Shelby had been intelligent but far too arrogant, and that arrogance had caused her to make a mistake that had ended with her boyfriend Tyler's father being killed in the big battle. Tyler had broken up with her in his grief and aside from Sir Ivan, the rest of the team had shunned her. Ivan had removed Shelby from James' funeral before Tyler could see her and get upset, and she'd decided he'd turned on her, too. Her energem abandoned her and they didn't see her after that. Eventually, she'd sent a goodbye text to Tyler before taking her own life. Poor Tyler had found her, but it was too late to save her.

When AJ had joined the battle to save Koda, the Pink Energem had appeared and chosen her. Upon finding out AJ's home life was not exactly ideal, Sage had asked the lawyer, Sellie, to help Chase become her legal guardian. She lived with him now in Angel Grove. She didn't mind. It meant she was close to Koda, who she adored, and she could train under Kimberly Hart, a gymnast she'd idolized ever since she was a toddler.

"You're doing great, AJ," Vikki, one of Kimberly's assistants, told her. "Go on and take five."

"Kenny, you've nailed that move twenty times in a row. Take a break. That's an order," Aaron, the other assistant, said.

"Did Mom check in with any other instructions for today?" Kenny asked. He grabbed a bottle of water, and AJ followed his lead.

"Actually, we haven't heard from Kim since this morning," Vikki replied. "She was supposed to be coming by, but I guess she changed her mind. She's probably exhausted."

AJ watched as Kenny frowned. "Something's not right," he said to her softly. "Mom would have called if she changed her mind."

"Maybe she just fell asleep?" AJ suggested.

"I don't know... I just feel like something is wrong." Kenny pulled out his cell phone. He dialed a number. "She's not picking up... I'll try the house," he said, dialing again. This time, he got an answer. "Hey, Josh... Is my mom around?" He paused. "You're sure?" He paused again. "Call your dad. Mom was supposed to be here for training with me and AJ today. She didn't call anyone to change her plans, but she's not here."

Kenny hung up. "Vikki, Aaron, I think something happened. I'm going to go help Billy and Josh look for my mom," he said.

"Please call us when you know anything," Aaron said.

"I will," Kenny promised. To AJ, he said softly, "Finish your session. If it's a Ranger thing, I'll send Chase to pick you up."

"Be careful," AJ said, giving Kenny a hug. He nodded and headed out.

"I'm sure everything is fine," Vikki said reassuringly.

"Right," AJ replied, but she was just as worried as Kenny. With everything going on, Kimberly might really be in danger, and that thought scared her. She was an awesome coach and an even better person.

She'll be fine, AJ told herself. She's Kimberly. She's tougher than people realize. She forced herself to focus on the rest of her training and tried not to worry too much about the one adult who wasn't on her team that she'd truly bonded with in Angel Grove.

BILLY

He somehow knew even before his phone rang that something was wrong. Billy picked up anyway. "Hey, Josh," he said as calmly as he could manage.

"Dad… Something's going on," Josh began.

"What happened?"

"Kenny said Kimberly was supposed to be at his training session, but she didn't show up, and she didn't call… And when I got home, the house was empty. She's not answering her phone, Dad. She's missing."

Billy felt like all of the air had been sucked out of his lungs. "I'm on my way," he promised. He hung up. "Alpha, send me home immediately… And please track Kimberly for me."

"Of course, Billy," Alpha Twenty-Six replied. He teleported Billy home.

"Dad!" Josh cried, hurrying to him. "Kenny just got here, too." He motioned toward Kenny, who looked paler than usual but was clearly trying to stay calm on the outside.

"Come on," Billy said. "We'll go out looking for her. I asked Alpha to try to track her as well." He led the boys to his car.

They drove for a while, finding no clues whatsoever as to where Kimberly might be. Billy activated the GPS on her phone to try to find her that way, and he followed the signal to a dark alley. "Mom…" Kenny whispered nervously.

"Stay here," Billy told the boys.

"Dad-" Josh began.

"Stay in the car, Josh. We don't know what happened, and you're not walking in there blind. I'm the adult here, alright?" Billy said firmly. He got out of the car and searched for Kimberly's phone.

He found the phone almost immediately. The screen was shattered as if someone had thrown it into the alley. Billy's heart sank as he realized there was no sign of Kimberly. She's still alive, he told himself. If she wasn't, you'd know… Besides, they wouldn't need to ditch her phone if they weren't trying to keep us from tracking her. She's alive. She's alive, and you have to stay calm if you're going to find her.

Billy closed his eyes and took several deep breaths before heading back to the car. "We need to call everyone," he said. "Someone took her."

"What did you find?" Kenny asked.

"Someone threw her phone into that alley. Someone has her, but we're going to get her back. I promise."

Kenny was shaking as he hit a button on his communicator. "Guys… They got my mom. She's missing. Everyone needs to meet at the training center," he said.

Sage replied first. "We'll find her, Kenny," she said firmly. "I'll have Kira call in all Rangers who are currently local."

Billy tried not to allow panic to consume him as he realized Zell more than likely had his wife, and by extension, their unborn baby. He wouldn't lose them. He refused. He would never suffer that sort of loss again. He couldn't survive that.

"Dad… We need to get to Jayden and Dustin's training center," Josh said gently.

Billy nodded. "Affirmative. Let's go." He began driving, forcing himself to focus on the road for the safety of the two teenagers in his car. He had to be strong for them. He couldn't break, not now. We'll get them back… We'll get them back, and everything will be okay, he told himself. He tried to believe that, but it was hard for Billy to be optimistic after everything life had put him through. When he'd been abducted, he'd been gone for three years. He wouldn't let that happen to Kimberly and their baby.

KIMBERLY

She woke up confused. Kimberly blinked several times to try to figure out where she was. "Oh, look who's awake! Good morning, Kimmy," a voice taunted her.

"Where am I?" Kimberly asked against the duct tape that was over her mouth. It came out muffled.

Suddenly, long blonde hair was in her face as someone reached over and ripped the tape off of her mouth. "What was that, Kimmy?" She asked.

"Kat…" Kimberly whispered in horror, recognizing her now.

"Did you miss me? We're going to have so much fun catching up!"

"Where's Lieutenant Stone? What did you do to him?" Kimberly demanded.

"We set him free. He's ours now." Kat laughed and added, "He did a wonderful job of bringing you to us."

Kimberly felt sick. Lieutenant Stone must have been forced into the evil flames Zell used to turn people. She knew he'd never have betrayed her of his own free will. "You won't get away with this! The others will come for me!"

"Of course they will… But we're only hoping to lure one person out today… Call him, Kimberly."

"Call who?"

"Zordon, you idiot! He'll come for you."

"Never! I'll never bring him here for you!"

Kat slapped her across the face. "You'll do what I say or I'll kill that little brat inside of you!"

Kimberly stiffened. Would Kat really kill her child? Looking into her cold, dead eyes, Kimberly had no doubt that she would. "That is enough, Katherine," a new voice said.

"But, Father-" Kat objected.

"Go on your way now." He approached as Kat walked away in a huff. "Kimberly, my dear girl… It is so nice to see you again."

"Zell…" Kimberly whispered.

"You remember. Excellent. Now, my dear, I know how precious you are to my son. After all, you were willing to lay down your life to try to protect him from me. That sort of loyalty is admirable, and it would serve me well to have you on my side," Zell began.

"I'll never work for you, Zell," Kimberly said.

"Not even if it means keeping your little one safe? I don't believe that, Kimberly. In fact, I think you will do anything to protect that child."

"Of course I will. That's what mothers do."

"Then agree to work with me, and I promise, no harm shall come to you or to your child. You will have a place of great honor in my alliance." He touched her face gently, stroking her cheek. "Do not answer yet, my dear. Think about your options. We can talk again in the morning. Until then, please, eat something and get some rest. You need to keep your strength up for the sake of the child."

"What is it you want from me?" Kimberly found the courage to ask.

"I want to raise this child in my alliance, my dear… With your help, of course."

"You want my baby…"

"Yes. I believe that raising a child such as this one will be a great asset to me."

Kimberly didn't try to argue with him. If she played along, he might not hurt her or the baby, and she could escape. She simply took a deep breath and said, "I'm very tired…"

"Of course you are, my dear. Get some rest. I shall visit you again in the morning. I will order the others to stay away from you unless you have need of them… Felina will bring you food and monitor the baby to ensure everything is going well. Should there be an issue, she shall retrieve me."

Kimberly nodded. "I understand," she said.

"Good. Rest now, my dear." He left her alone, locking her inside of the cell she'd woken up in.

Kimberly pretended to sleep, but she was really trying to memorize every detail of the space she was trapped inside of. She'd escape, and she'd find a way to get help. And, somehow, she'd save Lieutenant Stone, too. First, however, she needed to save herself and the baby.

ZORDON

He was ready to run into the rescue. "Zordon, stop this," Caius urged him. "Please, my friend… You know this is what he wants."

"Caius, please remove yourself from the path," Zordon said stubbornly.

"He took Kimberly in an effort to lure you out, just as he did with Tommy. If you go after her, he will destroy you."

"I know what is at risk, Caius!" He snapped. "This is Kimberly. I cannot simply leave her in his clutches, especially while she is pregnant."

"Please, Zordon, listen to reason. Your father knew you would react strongest to him capturing this particular Ranger. He is prepared for you. Do not sacrifice your life for nothing, because you know if he kills you, he will still keep her and the child."

"I know what he can and will do to her, and I won't stand for it, Caius!" He tried to shove past his old friend, his fear for Kimberly's safety overwhelming him.

"Brother… Stop," Zedd said softly as he suddenly joined them. He put a gentle hand on Zordon's arm.

Zordon realized he was shaking. "She needs me, Zedd," he said.

"I know she is in danger, Zordon, but getting yourself killed won't help."

"He took her because she tried to protect me from him! I cannot leave her-"

"No one said anything about leaving her with him, but you cannot be the one to rescue her, Zordon. It is a trap, and it is one I will not allow you to run head-first into."

Zordon sighed. "I have failed her, Zedd… I have failed them all…"

"You have failed no one, Zordon. Your father is in your head right now. Years of being told you were nothing by him is what causes these thoughts, but I know the man you are… You are stronger than this… You are not the frightened young boy you once were."

Zordon began to feel more grounded. Zedd was right, and he knew it. "My apologies, Caius," he said softly. "I was not in the right frame of mind."

"I understand," Caius replied. "I was only trying to protect you, my friend."

"I know." He shook his head. "There must be a way to find her… He has her location cloaked. Even the Alphas couldn't find her… But there must be some clue…"

Caius stiffened suddenly. "I do not understand…" He said softly.

"Caius? What is it?" Zedd asked. "What do you see?"

"Not what… Who," Caius replied.

"Who, then?"

"I do not know who she is… However, she is quite insistent that I must hear what she has to say."

"By all means, ask her what that is."

"She's speaking very rapidly, and I do not believe the words are in English… I am trying to follow along…" He sighed. "Please, slow down," he said gently. He pulled out a notebook and began writing something down.

Zordon studied the words and frowned. "That's Eltarian," he said. "Butchered Eltarian, but still Eltarian. She's saying… 'The heroes are prevented. They cannot enter. Only one of more blood and one of none may enter.' I… I am not sure what this spirit is trying to tell you exactly, but it seems to be a warning."

Suddenly, Caius turned deathly pale, and Zordon knew the spirit was touching him. "Zedd, help me hold him here," Zordon said urgently.

"Save her!" Caius yelled in a voice that was most certainly not his own. "Only two may save her… The witch and the fool… They must! They must save her!" The spirit was frantic, and her grip on Caius was too strong.

"Calm down, and we can help you," Zordon said.

"Save her… She saved his heart. Please save her," she said, slightly calmer.

"Are you talking about Kimberly?"

"Yes… He loves her. You have to save her… He needs her…"

"How do we save her?"

"Your people are blocked… All of you… You're not, but he's expecting you, waiting for you… That won't work… No… No, it can only be the witch and the fool…"

"Who are you talking about?" Zedd asked.

"The witch… And the fool…" She began screaming then, and Zordon knew they'd lost any chance of getting more information from her.

Caius contorted into a position that was not natural and began having a seizure. "Zordon!" Zedd called urgently.

Zordon protectively wrapped his arms around Caius as he continued to seize while Zedd tried to force the spirit's energy out of him. This had never happened before. Caius could end up in bad shape because of a spirit, but Zordon had never witnessed one taking control of his body before. Finally, Caius went terribly still.

"Zordon… Is he… Is he alright?" Zedd asked, panting as he tried to catch his breath.

"Caius… Caius, can you hear me?" Zordon called.

Caius slowly opened his eyes. He looked dead, but his pulse was slowly becoming steady again. "He will survive," Zordon told Zedd. He stood and carried Caius to a healing bay to recover.

"Who was she?" Zedd asked as Caius started to recover.

"Marilyn…" Caius said softly. "Marilyn Cranston… Josh's mother."

"I don't understand… How would Marilyn Cranston speak Eltarian?" Zedd asked.

"She wouldn't…" Zordon said with a frown. "Something very strange is going on here."

"Her message was clear, though. To save Kimberly, we need a witch and a fool… We know several people who could be the witch," Zedd said. "But the fool? What did she mean? An actual idiot… Someone at the start of their journey, like the Tarot card… Both? The new Samurai might qualify. I mean no offense, but he is treated as a fool by most, and he's started a new journey quite recently."

"I wish we had more information," Zordon said. "Her words were too broad… If they are symbolic and not literal, they could mean anyone."

"We must hurry and figure it out," Caius said. "I have the sense that there is no time to waste… Marilyn wants Kimberly safe for Billy's sake. She still loves her husband very much, and she knows Kimberly is the only person who has helped him find peace."

Zordon didn't like this new puzzle piece. It complicated things. He could understand Billy's late wife wanting to help his current wife be safe for her husband's sake, but that still didn't explain why she was speaking in Eltarian. She had seemed frantic and not entirely rational, which was not how Billy described her. Zordon knew there was more going on here, but he couldn't figure out what it was. The only thing he knew was there was precious little time to save Kimberly and her unborn child. He had to focus on that, and would need to worry about the rest of it after they got her back.

THE NEXT DAY.

SYD

She was assigned to bring the tray of food down to Felina to feed to the captured Pink Ranger. On her way, she spotted Mora. The child tensed and looked panicked. "I'm not going back!" She cried.

Syd decided to have some fun. "SPD, Emergency!" She declared, moving as though she was going to capture Mora in one of their containment devices. She laughed as Mora let out a startled cry of alarm. "Relax, Kid," she said casually. "I don't play for that team anymore."

"You… You don't?" Mora asked. She studied her, then gasped in shock. "He turned you!"

"The Great Zell has freed me from the repressive rules of SPD," Syd replied. "I like this world much more. Now I understand why the bad guys are always causing trouble… It's fun."

Mora nodded. "Yes, it is," she said. "Do you want to play with me?" She smiled at her brightly.

"I wasn't brought here to be a babysitter, Kid," Syd replied. "But maybe, if you're a good girl, we'll play some games later…" She walked away, leaving her former enemy behind. She reached the outside of the cell.

"Food for the expecting mother," Syd said to Felina pleasantly.

"Good. You feed her. I have another matter I must attend to," Felina said. She handed Syd the key to the cell.

Syd shrugged. "Whatever… I guess I am a babysitter today," she mumbled. She opened the door and shoved the food inside. "Wake up, Mama," she called. "Gotta keep that baby healthy and all that." She closed the door as Kimberly sat up.

"Now what?" Syd wondered. She looked at her nails, realizing how desperately she needed a manicure, and frowned. She'd have to look her best when they took over the world. Syd let her mind wander from subject to subject, although there wasn't much to think about. The flames had changed her mind, and most of her thoughts turned to evil and chaos now. She thought about all of this with a smile on her face until she heard a sound from inside of the cell.

"Help!" Kimberly called desperately.

"Shut up, Kimberly. No one can hear you," Syd informed her.

"The baby… Something's wrong with the baby," Kimberly said.

"Damnit, if anything happens to the kid, the Great Zell will kill me…" Syd mumbled. She unlocked the door to see what she could do.

As Syd stepped inside, Kimberly stunned her by charging toward her, using the momentum to knock Syd into a wall. Syd fought back, trying to restrain Kimberly without risking injury to the baby. Zell had ordered that the baby remain safe at all costs, but he hadn't said anything about Kimberly.

They went back and forth for a minute before Kimberly paused to regroup. Syd was pretty sure she'd won as Kimberly took several deep breaths. "I'm sorry about this, Syd," Kimberly said before suddenly kicking Syd in the head and making everything go black.

KIMBERLY

She fled the cell, locking Syd inside, and ran down the hallway. She would send someone back for Syd… She couldn't just leave her there. Syd had clearly been turned just like Lieutenant Stone.

"Come on, Kimberly… You can get out of here," she told herself. "Just focus and you'll find a way…" She had to. It wasn't only her life at risk… It was her baby's.

She began wandering through the seemingly endless basement. It took her a while to realize she kept passing the same rooms. "What is this? Some sort of magic?" She asked aloud.

"Precisely," a voice said.

Kimberly spun around to see a man smiling at her. "Hello, Kimberly Hart. I am the Warlock. Welcome to my labyrinth," he said pleasantly.

Kimberly's chest tightened. She knew how dangerous the Warlock was rumored to be. "Why are you doing this?" She asked.

"Working with Zell suits me, currently. That means I keep his little hostages trapped. You're welcome to try to find a way out of here, but it will not work."

"Please… You have to help me. I'm pregnant. I can't let him hurt my baby."

"He won't. He wants that child alive. You, however, he may dispose of once he deems you to no longer be of use to him. I would not cross him if I were you. Pleasant dreams, Kimberly." The Warlock snapped his fingers and Kimberly found herself trapped inside of her cell again. She was alone, so he must have removed Syd.

"No! Damnit!" Kimberly cried out. She smashed her fist against the sealed door in frustration. She wouldn't give up, but escaping was apparently going to be more difficult than she'd anticipated.

I'll find a way out of this, she silently vowed. She had to. She refused to let Zell get his hands on her baby. One way or another, she would escape and find her way back to Billy and their family.