Sage turned when she heard the roar of an engine. The Reverb flew up the ramp and spun to a stop in its spot. Stanford jumped out, slamming his foot against the left front wheel. Sage blinked in shock and worry. Stanford's once brilliant purple shock suit was now a mixture of black and red with a few purple areas still visible. His body shook, with what emotion Sage couldn't tell. Her eyes fell on the Reverb. Its paint was also a mix of black, red and purple. She put a hand to her mouth in worry.
Stanford turned and stormed off, meeting her gaze as he stalked by. Their eyes met. Sage's eyes widened in horror when she saw the pale yellow of Stanford's eyes. She turned around when she heard the arrival of the rest of the team. A door hissed open and closed behind her. She hurried over to Vert as he got out of the Saber. By the look on his face, she knew something had happened in the last Battle Zone.
"What happened?" Sage asked, fearing the answer.
"He had Krytus in his sights," Vert growled, clenching his hands into tight fists. He looked up and locked eyes with Sage. "Stanford let Krytus go."
"That...cannot..." Sage stumbled back as though she had been struck. "There must be...there must be some explanation."
Spinner walked up to the Reverb, taking in the sight of the changing car. When times were down, he usually had a joke, a bad joke, but it helped eased his nerves; though it tended to grate on his teammate's nerves. But, now, words failed him. There was nothing he could say to break the tension. He still couldn't believe it. How could Stanford just sit there and let the Reds go?
"He didn't even try to fire," Zoom mumbled, more to himself than anyone else.
"What's going on, Sage?" Sherman asked. "There has to be a reason. Some logical, reasonable explanation. Stanford wouldn't...couldn't...just let the Reds go."
Vert's gaze fell on the Reverb. His blood began to boil as he glared at the car. He clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth in fury. He turned back to Sage.
"You can't look at that car, at Stanford, and tell us there's nothing wrong with him," he snarled.
"I know something is wrong, Vert," Sage told him. "Do not accuse me of such a thing. I know my brother has implanted something into both Stanford and the Reverb. However, it eludes me. If I could just find it, I would remove it in one of your heartbeats. But, it is protected, hidden, masked within the same data that built the car in the first place."
"How is that possible?" Agura asked. "Hadron energy and red anti-matter are complete opposites. Surely, something of Red Sentient nature would show up in the Reverb's computers."
Sage glanced at the floor. "Krytus is cunning. If there were a way to hide such things, he would find it." Her shoulders slumped. "We are twins, after all."
"You have to find it, Sage," Vert said. "Whatever's wrong with Stanford is messing up the team. If he can't fire on the Reds, what about the Vandals? Or the Red Sark? We can't trust him in Battle Zones anymore, Sage."
"I know," Sage replied hotly. Her frustration was quickly replaced by fear and shame for snapping at her friend. "I will run more diagnostics. I will find what is causing this change. Krytus cannot hide forever."
Vert nodded, glancing away. He looked conflicted, and rightfully so. "I'm sorry, Sage," he whispered.
"Do not be. I understand your frustrations. I, myself have become increasingly short tempered as of late," Sage explained. "I have always excelled at finding and solving problems. However, this is one problem that taunts me."
"You'll find the cause of this, Sage," Agura said. "We know you will."
In the darkness of his room, Stanford listened as the others voiced their votes of confidence. His pale yellow eyes glowed in the dark.
"Think you'll find the problem before the next stormshock, Sentient?" he asked in a low whisper. "Well, then, I'd like to see you try." His shock suit seemed to pulse with energy. "Challenge accepted," he said with a dark grin.
Sage's eyes drifted closed for a moment, her circuits flickering. Her head tipped forward, coming back with a violent jerk. She shook her head, fighting to stay conscious. She put a hand to her forehead, closing her eyes briefly. She had been working nonstop for days without a recharge, and it was starting to affect her work.
She had to find what was causing Stanford to change, before the next stormshock. She feared the portal crossings were speeding up the transformation. Her only solace was the fact that Stanford had gone back to his normal self, albeit a bit more reclusive and withdrawn, but no signs of the infection. She knew it was a false sense of security. Krytus wouldn't be Krytus if he didn't play mind games.
Sage jerked awake again when the Hub's alarm screamed. "Oh no," she whispered in horror. "No, no. Not now. A stormshock cannot be opening now."
The team ran into the garage. "How much time do we have, Sage?" Vert asked.
"T-minus two minutes," Sage automatically answered.
Vert, Agura, Zoom and the Cortez brothers jumped into their vehicles. A noise caught Sage's attention for a brief moment, however it was the roar of the Reverb's engine that made her spin around. Stanford saluted as he drove off, leaving behind a stunned and horrified Sage. She ran to her computer and pressed a button.
"Vert!" she all but screamed. "Stanford is on his way. He must not pass through the portal."
"Ah! Where's your sense of fun, ol' girl?" Stanford's voice came through the radio.
There was something off in his voice. Something darker. The rev of an engine echoed through the Hub.
"Stanford, no!" Vert cried.
"Cheerio, lads! I'll see you lot on the other side," Stanford said.
Sage gasped in terror when the radio went to static. "They are on their own, now," she whispered with sickening dread.
The Buster, Chopper, Saber and Tangler sailed through the portal into a desolate, rocky Battle Zone.
"Fan out and look for the Key," Vert instructed.
"What about Stanford?" Zoom asked.
"Buster and Tangler will look for him. You and me are on Key patrol," Vert replied.
"We'll find him," Sherman promised.
"If he doesn't find us, first," Spinner put in.
"Stanford's not a monster, Spinner," Agura chastised. "He wouldn't fire on his own team."
"Agura's right," Vert agreed. "No matter how much he's changing, he's still Stanford. Let's move."
The team split up and began their separate searches. Minutes ticked into hours as the search for Stanford and the Key continued. The frustrations only mounted up when the Vandals showed up. Zoom grunted as he swerved to avoid getting hit by Hatch's stinger. Vert pressed a button and the Saber's blades swung open. He twisted the steering controls and the Saber was sent into a wild spin. Hatch cried out as he was sent flying.
"Vert!" Spinner's voice called over the radio. "We've got the Key."
"What about Stanford?" Vert asked.
"Nothing on that front," Agura answered, sending Krocomodo flying over the edge of a cliff.
Unbeknownst to the team, a lone vehicle slid to a stop a few feet away, hidden in the shadows of a cliff wall. Pale yellow eyes glowed in the darkness as the sonic cannons activated.
"Let's pump up the bass, shall we?" Stanford asked as he tapped a couple of buttons.
He pressed the trigger and a concussive blast erupted from the cannons. Zoom yelled out in pain and surprise as the Chopper was hit by a sonic blast. He grunted, hitting the ground hard. He rolled a couple of feet before coming to a stop.
"Zoom!" Vert cried.
Zoom groaned, pushing himself up. He looked up, seeing the light of the crystal moon reflect off of a pair of familiar guns.
"Stanford?" he whispered in disbelief.
Stanford grinned darkly, chuckled and sped off. Zoom winced in pain, but managed to get to his feet. Vert beat back Hatch and Sever before driving over to Zoom. The scout rubbed his ribs.
"You okay?" Vert asked.
"I would be...if Stanford hadn't shot me," Zoom replied.
"What?!" Vert exclaimed.
The radio sparked. "Vert, we've lost the Key," Sherman announced.
"The Vandals?" Vert asked.
"No. Stanford," Spinner corrected.
"He's headed back to the portal," Agura said.
Vert looked at Zoom. "I can drive," the scout told him.
He ran for his bike and jumped on, following the leader to the portal. The stormshock roared up ahead. Buster and Tangler were close on Reverb's bumper. Vert and Zoom quickly closed the gap.
"Wait 'til I get my hands on you, Stanford!" Zoom yelled.
"You'll have to drive faster than that, mate," Stanford quipped.
He floored the accelerator and flew through the portal. A low, pain cry echoed through the radio. Buster, Tangler, Saber and Chopper sailed through the portal just in time to see Reverb sputter and spark with red energy. As Zoom sealed the portal, Vert hurried over to the Reverb. He opened the top and jumped inside. Stanford was slumped in the seat, breathing shallow and laboured.
Vert noticed the car's computer flicker on briefly before shutting off again. He stood up and addressed Sherman. "Whatever Kyburi implanted in this thing, I think it's at its last legs," he said.
His head whipped down when he felt a hand clamp around his wrist. Stanford gazed up at him, eyes barely open, emerald green shining with pain.
"Help...me," Stanford rasped. "I...can't...hold it...off...much longer."
"Hold what off?" Vert asked. Stanford's eyes began to slide closed. "Stanford?"
"Virus," Stanford gasped. "Inside..."
"Stanford?" Vert asked as the prince fell limp. "Stanford!"
