Here's the next chapter!
"Oh my god," complained Kim. "I can't believe I'm stuck here with you of all people."
"Well, it's not exactly a bed of roses for me, either," retorted Kat.
The two of them were sitting on the cave floor, with their backs against the wall.
"This is ridiculous," said Kim. She stood up and started pacing up and down the small space.
"Yeah, like that's gonna do any good." Kat stood up as well and tried to pull apart the bars. She was thrown back by the force emanating from their cage.
Kim snorted. "And that did?"
Kat rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Just listen to what I say to do."
"Why should I?"
Kat looked at her and snapped her neck. "Because I'm a ranger and you're not."
This time Kim rolled her eyes. "Please. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even be a ranger."
"Yeah, well, if it wasn't for me, you probably wouldn't be walking right now."
"In fact, if it weren't for me," Kim pointed to herself, "you probably wouldn't even have any friends in Angel Grove. Who introduced you to Aisha? To Billy, to Adam, to Rocky? Huh? And Tommy, you never would've met Tommy."
Kat narrowed her eyes. "I would've found some way to meet them."
"But you wouldn't be as close to them as you say you are. Where've you been for the past few weeks, anyway? What happened to your best friend, Tanya?"
"You have no idea."
Kim stared at Kat for a few seconds and smirked. "You're wrong. I do have an idea." She looked around. "Well, I'm not gonna waste my time here with you. I'll figure out a way to get out of here."
Kat rolled her eyes as she slid to the ground. "Yeah, you do that."
"We have another problem, rangers." Zordon's booming voice echoed in the silent Power Chamber. Alpha was bustling around, helping Billy, while the other rangers were standing, watching Kim and Kat and their captors. The scene swiftly turned to a monster in Angel Grove park.
"Oh no, guys," said Tommy.
"We'll take care of Kim and Kat," said Jason. He gestured to himself and Trini. "They seem to be safe. For now, at least."
Tommy nodded. "It's morphin' time!" He, Tanya, Rocky, and Adam morphed and disappeared in four beams of light.
"Uh-oh," Trini said, frowning at the screen she was poring over.
"What's wrong?" Jason asked, urgently. He and Billy ran over to Trini.
She pointed to the screen. "Does that mean what I think it does?"
"What do you think it means?" asked Jason.
"It means," said Billy, "that we can't get to Kim and Kat that easily. They're being guarded by what seems to be over 100 cogs and the forcefield directly surrounding them is made of pure electricity, meaning that it will negatively react with anyone who possesses a Zeo crystal. Meaning that--"
"Tommy and the others can't save them," interrupted Jason. "That's okay, we'll do it. We could save them."
Trini nodded. "Yeah, let's get them out of there." She and Jason made a move to exit the Power Chamber.
"No," Billy said. "It's too dangerous, at least for right now. We need to find some way to protect ourselves first. We'd be walking blindfolded into a room full of the enemy. We need to figure out a plan." He gestured to the screen. "There's at least a hundred cogs, not to mention whatever else Mondo has cooking up in there."
"So...what do we do?" asked Trini. "We don't have powers. And you said the force field surrounding them would negatively react with a Zeo crystal."
"How would it negatively react?" asked Jason. "Are you sure that it would negatively react with Zeo powers?" He looked at Trini. "We still have our Power Coins. When we left, Tommy used that sword to transfer our power to Rocky, Aisha, and Adam. Do you think--"
"No, Jason, I'm afraid not," Zordon answered before Jason fully formed the question.
"So we're back to square one." He exhaled loudly and leaned over the screen showing Kim and Kat. "How do we get them?"
Kim gave a little whoop of triumph as she watched the rock she threw go through the bars of the forcefield that held them captive.
"What is it now?" Kat asked.
"Nothing you should worry your pretty little blonde self over," Kim retorted.
Kat rolled her eyes and leaned her head against the stone wall. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, but she thought that Kim would at least try to make it a bit bearable for both of them. Kat felt like she was even though she knew she was failing miserably. There was nothing that either of them could do at the moment. They were trapped.
Kim walked backwards as she saw a number of cogs head her way. She stumbled, nearly tripping over Kat in the process. The cogs lined up outside the cage, preventing Kim and Kat a way to see out.
"Great job, Kimberly. Now they're keeping an extra close eye on us."
This time Kim rolled her eyes. She knew she made a big mistake when that rock sailed right between the bars of the cage that held them. But she couldn't figure out how to escape. Kim glanced at Kat over her shoulder. As much as she hated to admit it, she was probably gonna need Kat for this one. Kim didn't have any powers.
She leaned against the stone wall and slowly slid down to the only open seat--next to Kat.
"I think I've got a lead..." Billy said. "Just give me two seconds to check and make sure...YES!"
"What?" Jason asked as he jumped up.
"What is it?" asked Trini.
"See here." Billy pulled up a map of the cave and its surrounding areas onto the screen. "I've picked up a magnetic field that shows all the cogs and where they are stationed. There is an extraordinary amount of electromagnetic energy coming from here." Billy pointed to spot on the map that showed the darkest pink. "And that leads me to believe that this is where Kimberly and Katherine are currently being detained. The green shows the cogs. As you can see here--" he pointed to another spot on the map "they've surrounded Kimberly and Katherine inside the cave and have numerous others throughout the cave and guarding the entrance to the cave."
"So it'll be like hell and back trying to save them without powers," said Jason.
Billy nodded. "Yes, well, I haven't quite worked that part out yet, but, more information is always good, right?"
"Are there any other entrances to the cave?" Trini asked. "Maybe the cogs haven't found another way into the cave. We know all of these caves have some sort of connection. I remember reading about them a while ago."
"Great idea, Trini. I haven't thought about that yet. I'll look into it right now."
There's that chapter. Hope you all enjoyed and please review!