"What's wrong with me, Sage?" Stanford asked.
Sage typed away on her computer. "My analysis is the same. I cannot detect anything foreign in your system, nor in the Reverb."
"You can't tell me this is normal," Stanford said, holding out his arms. "Shock suits aren't supposed to change colour, are they?"
Sage looked down at the red that had creeped up Stanford's arms. She was unsettled by the change in colour, yet she had no explanation as to why car and driver were changing from purple to red. To make it more unsettling, it was the same shade as the Red Sentients.
"I am sorry, Stanford. But, I do not know the reason. It is true that this is not normal. However, I cannot give you a logical explanation," Sage told him.
Stanford suddenly shot to his feet, throwing the computer to the side and grabbed Sage by the throat. Her eyes widened when Stanford's flickered to a pale yellow.
"You're supposed to be perfect," the prince seethed. "You're supposed to have all the answers. And you mean to tell me you can't find a blasted thing wrong with me?"
The med bay doors hissed open and Vert walked in. He rushed over and pulled Stanford away from Sage.
"What's your deal?" Vert demanded.
Stanford's eyes returned to normal. He gasped, putting a hand to his head. Never before had he felt such raw anger.
"Are you feeling okay, Stanford?" Vert asked in concern.
"No...yes...I'm not sure," Stanford stammered. He pressed the heel of his hand into his forehead, squeezing his eyes tight. "My brain feels like it's about to implode."
"Sherman, Spinner and Zoom were gonna head to town to pick up a few things. Why don't you join them? Take your mind off things," Vert suggested.
Stanford nodded, lowering his hand. "Yeah. Good idea." He looked over at Sage. "I'm really sorry, Sage."
Sage smiled. "You are not yourself. I understand your frustration. I will continue to work to find the cause of your ailment."
Stanford nodded. "Right. Thanks."
Vert patted his shoulder. "You'll be your old self again in no time," he said.
"Yeah. Off to town, then," Stanford mumbled, heading for the door.
Sage stepped up to Vert as Stanford left the room. "His temper seems to have shortened," she commented. "He is more easily provoked."
"We'll keep an eye on him," Vert said. "Do what you can. There must be something going on."
"I will do my best," Sage replied.
Vert gave her a smile before leaving the med bay. When he walked into the garage, the Buster, Chopper and Reverb were gone. Agura knelt beside the Tangler, tightening the bolts on one of the tires.
"Wanna grab a coffee at Zeke's?" Vert asked, walking up to her.
Agura looked up at him and simply nodded. They changed into their street clothes and headed to the diner. They sat in their regular booth and Grace walked over to take their orders. Vert ordered a large soda while Agura asked for a coffee.
"How have things been between you and Stanford?" Vert asked as Grace walked away.
Agura sighed. "He's different, Vert," she started. "I followed him when he stayed behind in the last Battle Zone. I saw the way he fought off the Vandals. He..."
"He what?"
Agura met his gaze. "He fought like Krytus," she whispered.
Grace returned with their drinks before going back to work. Vert and Agura sat in silence for a few minutes, neither one speaking.
"Maybe there was something to that power surge, after all," Vert muttered, sitting back in his seat.
"Stanford's changing, Vert. And it scares me," Agura confessed.
"Hey." Vert reached over and put a hand on hers. "Sage will figure it out."
At that moment, the Reverb drove by the window. Stanford stared through the window at Vert and Agura. He growled and narrowed his eyes as the emerald green flickered to a pale yellow. He threw the car in gear and slammed his foot against the accelerator. Tires screeched as he drove off towards the Hub. Vert and Agura turned just in time to see the Reverb disappear into a cloud of dust.
"Uh oh," Vert grunted.
"Oh no," Agura groaned.
Vert left the money for the drinks on the table and they hurried to their cars. The Buster and Chopper were just pulling up.
"We lost Stanford," Zoom told them.
"We just saw him," Agura said. "He's gone back to the Hub."
"And he drove away like he wasn't too happy," Vert added.
He jumped into the Saber as Agura got into the Tangler. The friends raced off towards the Hub. Stanford was rotating the Reverb's tires when they pulled into their spots. Vert got out and walked over to him.
"Stanford? Can we talk?"
"What's to talk about? Unless you're talking about what I saw at the diner."
Vert glanced at the brothers and Zoom. All they could do was shrug. Stanford finished his work and stood up.
"Being leader wasn't enough for you, eh?" he asked. "You had to go and steal Agura, too?"
"Whoa whoa!" Agura called.
"What? No!" Vert exclaimed. "I wasn't stealing anybody."
"I saw you two at the diner. Fess up. That's the reason why you wanted me out of the Hub," Stanford accused.
"Stanford, where is this coming from?" Sherman asked.
"It was nothing like that," Spinner spoke up.
Stanford turned on them. "Oh, I get it. You were all in on it."
"You've got it all wrong," Zoom said.
Stanford hit the top of the Reverb and it slid open. "No, I've got it exactly right. Weed out the weakest link. I know what you're all up to. Well, fine. Six can play at that game."
Stanford jumped into his car and sped off before anyone could stop him. He headed to the race track. Maybe a few laps would clear his head.
As he zoomed around the course, his thoughts began to clear. But, with clarity came guilt. He knew Vert wouldn't try to move in on Agura. They were probably just talking battle strategies for when Sage detected Krytus again.
The waves of heat seemed to ripple in front of him. Stanford's eyes widened slightly when the Saber shimmered into existence. The red car sped off, daring him to race. Stanford changed gears and picked up the pace. However, no matter how fast he went, the Saber was always too quick.
Stanford growled in anger, hearing Vert's laughter over the radio. The more they raced, the angrier he became. What used to be white on his shock suit turned a jet black as more red spred up his arms and legs. The Reverb began to tremble as its driver's blood started to boil.
"Face it, Stanford. Agura would much rather have me. After all, who doesn't love the leader of the pack?"
Stanford let out an animalistic scream as the sonic cannons and side speakers exploded. The shock wave blasted out in all directions in a circle.
The Hub shook violently, sending the team to the floor. Spinner yelled in pain as the tremor sent him tumbling into the Buster.
"What was that?" Zoom asked, picking himself up off the floor.
Sage came running into the garage. "Is everyone all right?" she asked.
"We're fine, Sage," Vert assured her. "But, what was that?"
"My sensors indicate that it was a sonic boom," Sage answered.
Spinner pulled himself out of the tank. "A sonic boom? At ground level?"
The friends shared the same horrified expression as the same word left their mouths.
"Stanford!" they cried.