A/N: Here's my Christmas gift to all of my wonderful readers and reviewers. Your support has been awe inspiring. I honestly didn't expect this story to gain as much momentum as it has, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your show of support. You guys rock! Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas.
Disclaimer: see chapter one
Five pairs of eyes stared at the destruction that was the race track. The sonic boom had ripped through the pavement, tearing up large chunks of asphalt and earth. Dust and sand still hovered heavily in the air.
Agura made a mad dash for the Reverb. Sparks flew from the busted speakers and cannons. The car looked like it had gone one on one with the Buster, and clearly lost. Agura opened the top and slid inside. She put a hand on Stanford's shoulder, gently shaking him.
"Stanford? Stanford!"
The others ran up just as a moan answered Agura's call. Emerald green eyes blinked open, taking in the demolished race track.
"Blimey," Stanford whispered. "What happened here?"
"We were about to ask you the same thing," Zoom said.
"We heard...or rather...felt the sonic boom," Spinner added, rubbing his still sore head.
"The Reverb...can't do a sonic boom," Stanford grunted, pulling himself from the car.
"It does now," Sherman put in, pointing at the busted speakers and cannons.
Stanford hopped down and stared wide eyed at the Reverb. "What happened to my car?!" he cried.
"Sonic boom," Vert said.
Agura climbed out of the car. "What happened, Stanford?"
Stanford put his hands on his head. "I was doing a few laps to clear my head. But, the more I raced the angrier I got."
"Angry at what?" Spinner asked.
Stanford gave Vert a quick sideways glance before looking away. Vert took a deep breath and looked in the other direction.
"Well, the important thing is you're okay," Agura said.
"Let's get the Reverb back to the garage," Sherman said.
The team slowly moved the car back into the Hub. Once it was parked, Sage got to work repairing the damage. Stanford stood back and watched, not moving from his spot. The others went about their business.
As he watched Sage work, the worse Stanford felt. He still felt the sonic vibrations ripple from his body into the Reverb. He looked down at his hands. What was happening to him? Never before had his emotions affected the Reverb.
"Repairs completed," Sage said.
"Thanks, Sage," Stanford mumbled.
Sage looked at him. "How are you feeling? Are you injured?"
Stanford shook his head. "No, I'm fine. Shock suit absorbed the blast."
Sage's eyes suddenly began to glow. She grunted, holding her head. The others hurried over to her.
"Sage, what is it?" Vert asked.
"I have detected Krytus," Sage replied. She went over to her computer and began tapping at the screen. "Modifying a Battle Key, now." She gave the Key to Vert. "Be careful."
"Always are. Let's roll, guys," Vert said.
The team jumped into their vehicles and raced off into the Salt Flats. Vert's voice sparked over the radio.
"Head in the game, Stanford?" he asked.
"Aces, Vert," Stanford replied.
"Good. Now, let's go get Krytus," Vert said.
He pressed a button and sent the Battle Key flying ahead. A portal opened and the team raced through. Almost instantly, they had to split up to avoid getting sliced in half by laser shields. Tires screeched in protest as the vehicles dodged and swerved around the erratic materializing walls.
Zoom yelled in surprise and swerved to avoid two flying fireballs. They hit a laser wall and were vaporized.
"Locking on to target," Zoom heard a deep voice say over his helmet's built in radio.
"Could use some height on this creep," the scout called.
The Buster appeared around the corner and Spinner immediately lowered the ramp. Zoom flew up the ramp and took to the air. The ramp raised up just as Kyrosys slammed into the back of the Buster. Both vehicles spun wildly.
"What do you see, Zoom?" Vert asked as he fought off Krytus.
"We're a man short," Zoom replied.
"Which man?" Vert asked, fearing the answer.
Zoom scanned the Battle Zone. The purple car was nowhere to be seen. "Vert, I can't see Stanford," he said, voice desperate.
Vert cursed under his breath, seeing the gleam in Krytus' eyes. His heart sank as the Red leader turned and sped away.
"Guys, split up and search for Stanford. We need to find him before the Reds do."
Zoom landed and raced off, followed closely by the Saber. As she drove, Agura's heart hammered painfully with fear. Stanford was out there by himself. She knew he could hold his own, but in his current unstable state of mind, the Reds would have no trouble taking him out.
Pick off the weakest of the herd, she thought. Any predator knows that. She pushed the controls harder, making the Tangler speed up. Where are you, Stanford? Please be okay.
The Reverb spun around a corner, barely missing a laser wall. He didn't know where he was going, all he knew was that a voice was calling to him. He had heard it even before they entered the Zone. He couldn't place the voice, but it was like a siren's call, drawing him in.
Stanford made another sharp turn, the voice getting louder. He turned another corner and suddenly slammed on the brakes. The Reverb jerked to a violent stop. He gasped for breath, staring ahead at the gleaming blades of the Red Sentient leader's vehicle.
"Krytus?" On instinct he activated his sonic cannons. "You're making this too easy."
Krytus grinned darkly. "Go ahead, human. Take the shot," he dared.
Stanford growled, thumb hovering over the trigger. He frowned deeply in confusion. Why couldn't he fire? His brain was screaming at him to blast Krytus into the next Battle Zone, yet his body wouldn't obey.
"What seems to be the problem, human?" Krytus asked.
"Stanford!" Sherman's voice shouted over the radio.
Tires screeched as four vehicles came to a sudden stop as a laser wall cut him off from the rest of the team.
"Stanford, get out of there!" Spinner yelled as the other Reds surrounded the Reverb.
"Take the shot!" Agura shouted.
Stanford looked around at the Red Sentients that had him cornered. Kytren revved his engine.
"Stanford, what are you waiting for? Take the shot," Vert urged.
"I...I..." Stanford stammered.
"He cannot do it," Kyburi hissed gleefully. "He cannot fire on us."
"Stanford!" Vert shouted.
"I'm...sorry," Stanford whispered. He pressed a button and the sonic cannons slid back into the hood of the car. "I can't."
Krytus laughed in dark mirth. Vert slammed a fist against the side of the Saber and growled.
"What did you do, Krytus?!" he roared.
Krytus met his intense glare. "I have won, human," he answered. "That is what I have done." He turned to his team. "Let us go. We have accomplished what we came here to do."
The Reds turned and sped away, leaving behind a dumbfounded Battle Force 5. Stanford threw the car in gear and raced off back towards the portal. The wall lowered.
"Let's go, guys," Vert said. "It's time we got some answers."
