This time, when Team one reached the garage, they didn't meet any newcomers. Instead, they all gathered in a circle around Connor for some last minute instruction.

"Okay, guys, we're going in hot. We have pinpointed the location of his base and we are going to create as much havoc as we can outside it while team two sneaks in. So let's ranger up here and pull out the big guns so we can be ready to rumble as soon as we get there. You guys ready?"

Ten voices answered him. "Ready!"

"Dino Thunder, power up, ha! Triassic Mode!" Connor shouted. A moment later, the Triassic Ranger stood there, enclosed in his Battlizer Armor.

"Shift into Turbo!" Justin yelled. Instantly, a tall, blue Ranger stood in his place. "Hand blasters!" the guy called and his guns appeared in his hands.

"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form, ha!" Shane cried. "Battlizer Mode!"

"Magical Source, Mystic Force!" Xander and Nick cried together. Nick went straight to the Red Dragon Fire Ranger while Xander called on his Mystic Lion Staff, twirling it in his hands.

"Wild Access!" Cole shouted. "Animarium Armor!"

"Jungle Beast, Spirit Unleashed!" Dom yelled. He wielded his Rhino Blade with deadly precision.

"Let's Rocket!" TJ shouted. "Astro Axe!"

"Go, Galactic!" Damon cried. "Quasar Launcher!" The giant gun appeared in his hands.

"Time for, Time Force!" Lucas shouted. "V-2!"

"Lightspeed Rescue!" Joel shouted. "Mega Battle Armor!"

"RPM, get in gear!" Scott yelled. "Street Saber!"

Now eleven Rangers stood ready to fight, ready to die if that was what was needed. Connor swung his leg over his Raptor Cycle. Justin called on the Storm Blaster and he and Shane climbed in. Xander and Nick retrieved their Mystic Racers. Cole brought out his Wild Rider and straddled it, waiting for them to leave. Joel called on the Rescue Rover and he jumped in the driver's seat. Scott, Dom, TJ and Damon also got in, leaving Lucas to ride his motorcycle. Then Connor raced off into the night and the others followed behind; a cloud of dust was the only indicator of their passing.

* * *

Team two was assembling in the woods near the lab. Kai took charge, making sure everyone knew the plan—to wait until Connor gave them the 'go' signal and then, stealth was the key. They knew. Everyone rangered up but left weapons holstered until they were needed.

* * *

Connor's team made no attempt to hide their arrival. Cole's Wild Rider skidded to a stop in front of the fortress, dust and dirt spinning out from under his tires. The others pulled to a stop near him.

"Ready, guys?" Connor asked, catching sight of an army approaching.

Several guys muttered "ready" and then they lined up, ready to take on whatever was coming. And what was coming was scary indeed. Six monsters marched ahead of the vast army of Rinshi.

"Lookie what we have here," a mottled pink and green monster laughed. "An army of power punks who think they can stop us. Well, think again."

"We are going to stop you and then we're going to rescue our friends!" Justin shouted, attempting to make the bad guys think they were the only ones attacking.

"Nice try, boy. We have a present for you." Another monster, blue with gray slash marks all over his body, snickered. He beckoned forward a group of five Rinshi, who bore a pole on which hung a figure.

Connor felt his jaw go slack. Not another one. He couldn't take losing another one. And who would it be? Would it be Kira? Would it be another Ranger, one he didn't know?

A third monster stepped forward and raised his hand. This monster had thick, red, scaly skin and as his hand came up, a jet of red fire burst from his fingertips, spraying the ground under the pole. Flames instantly began to lick upwards towards the helpless captive. Then, in one motion, one of the Rinshi pulled the hood from her face and the Rangers could see who it was.

It was Jen. Her brown hair dangled just above the tongues of fire. She screamed and Lucas seemed to lose it. He jerked forward, racing towards the fire and the girl hanging above it. Ten Rinshi rushed to meet him but Lucas just somersaulted over their heads, landing still running towards his goal.

"Go!" Connor yelled and the other Rangers rushed to do battle as well.

Lucas battled his way through the horde to Jen. He knocked one of the Rinshi away but caught the end of the pole before it could drop and send the girl into the fire. That action seemed to give his opponents an idea, however, and they simultaneously let go of the pole. Jen fell back-first into the flames and her screaming reached a new intensity. Lucas, ignoring the heat and the pain that seared through his uniform, leaned into the fire and gathered Jen up in his arms. He turned and found his way out blocked by the fire monster and twenty Rinshi.

He cradled an unconscious Jen in his arms, refusing to look down at her burns, knowing they would distract him. Using the thumb of one hand, he slapped the communicator button on his morpher.

"Now would be a good time for some help!" he cried.

Before the words were out, Connor came zipping over in front of him and Joel ran up from the other side, both slicing into the enemies before Lucas had time to blink twice.

"Get her out of here! Call Casey or another one of the reserves and tell them to get her out! We'll hold them off!" Connor shouted as he punched and kicked.

Lucas nodded and dashed off, trying his best to not let Jen be jostled too much as he ran.

* * *

Rocky was pacing angrily in a circle. "Reserve. Why am I a reserve? I've done just as much as the rest of these guys. I should be out there. I should be with them."

"Relax, man. They've got it under control." Zack reassured his friend.

"Ummm…they said I'd find you here," a new voice came from the trees. Zack whirled around to face the newcomer. Danny also leapt to his feet.

"Karone?" Carlos asked. "How did you get here?"

"I heard about what happened. They said I'd find you here. I guess since I was only a Ranger for a short while, they didn't think anyone loved me and so they didn't capture me. Tommy told me to bring you guys this," she held out a vial of green liquid. "He said it would boost your powers."

Another new voice came into the clearing but this one came through Casey's Solar Morpher. "Casey, this is Lucas. I've saved Jen and I need you to come help me. Please. You've got to come get her so I can keep fighting."

Casey nodded and turned to go but before he got more than five feet away, Karone was blocking his path. "Before you go, Red Ranger…take some of this. To help you."

Shaking his head, Casey pushed her aside. "When I get back. Not now." He looked around at his team and noticed that he was one short. "Where's the new guy? The green one?"

No one knew. "Find him, guys. Adam, you're in charge. Find him and get ready to rumble if I call. This is it."

Casey ran off into the woods, leaving Karone behind with the other Rangers, minus Ziggy. Adam started to get up to go look for him but then sat back down, deciding he'd better take some of what Tommy had sent for them first.

Ziggy had wandered off for a few minutes to think. He didn't know what had happened but he knew that Summer and Gemma were in trouble. And he wanted to help. Maybe his Shadow Puppets would help…well, he decided, I should probably go back either way.

He turned and walked towards the group in the clearing but as soon as he got close enough, what he saw shocked him.

Author's Note: I know, kind of a cliffhanger but probably not if you are smart. I hope you're liking this story, I'm liking writing it. Hope to update tomorrow, or maybe more tonight, we'll see! Read and review, please!