The Weakest Color

Chapter 25: Freedom, or Something Like It

Bridge wondered how he could have been so stupid. With the base in maximum security lockdown, it would take someone with override codes to open the outer doors. Not even the power of the Troobian teleporter could reach him here.

'There has to be another way out,' Bridge thought. Drawing on all his experience as a ranger, he forced himself to remain calm and think clearly. He couldn't afford to panic with the entire base looking for him.

Leaving through the door was out of the question. As far as he knew, only Cruger and Kat had those codes. Even if he found them, they would probably see right through him. He was sure he looked as guilty as he felt.

The crystal felt very heavy in his pocket.

Bridge turned away from the door and headed for the central atrium, away from the megazord core. As he passed a darkened room, something made him stop. His instincts told him that something was wrong, out of place.

Something – someone – stirred in the darkness, muffling a whimper. Blocking the doorway, Bridge turned on the lights and looked at the very last person he expected to see.

"Piggy?"

Piggy prostrated himself on the floor in front of the green ranger. "Please don't kill me! I wasn't really going to do it!"

"You weren't going to do – " Bridge realized the answer immediately. "You came here to tell the rangers about me."

Piggy stalled for time, fidgeting nervously. "No, not really. I mean, it wasn't exactly like that."

"It was exactly like that," Bridge said. He wanted to feel angry, but instead he just felt tired. "Why else would you be here?"

Piggy wracked his brain for a believable story. "Well, I – " Piggy eyed the ranger with fear and something that bordered on hatred. "Fine, I'll tell you the truth. I was going to turn you in and ask the other Rangers to hide me. But can you blame me? I've lost everything. My restaurant, my customers, everything is gone. I'm a fugitive."

Bridge thought about it. He probably would have done the same thing. "Look, Piggy, I know you didn't come through the door like everyone else. You're going to show me a way out."

"And then what?"

"Then I'll let you go, and you can tell the other rangers whatever you want. About me and Broodwing and everything. You might not want to tell them about how you helped me escape, though."

The alien hesitated for a moment before giving in with a resigned sigh. "Okay, okay. I'll do it. This way."

Piggy led him deeper inside SPD. The two flattened themselves against the wall of a wide atrium, hiding in the shadows as a cadet ran by. "How far?" Bridge whispered. The closer they got to the megazord core, the more likely someone was to recognize them both.

"Just little bit –" Piggy cut off suddenly and Bridge looked up.

Z was standing in the hallway, staring at him. "Bridge, what are you doing?"

Piggy wrenched out of his grasp and ran to hide behind the yellow ranger, moving faster than Bridge thought possible. "Help! He's the one you're looking for. He's been brainwashed by the Troobians!"

"What?" Z turned around to face Piggy, who was already beginning to flee.

'I can't let him get away!' Bridge thought, terrified at the idea of being trapped forever in SPD. He couldn't face the Commander's disappointment and fury. He couldn't face Sky! He did it without thinking, acting on pure adrenaline and shot, and Piggy howled and crumpled to the floor, clutching his crippled leg.

"See?" The alien managed between gasps of agony. "Would the green ranger you know ever do that?"

Bridge lowered his arm to his side, keeping a tight grip on the blaster. His hand was trembling so much, he was afraid he would drop it.

A doubt flickered across Z's face. "Bridge, is it true?"

All he had to do was lie once more. He had done the same to Sky and Cruger dozens of times. Only two people knew the truth, Piggy and Boom. No one would believe either of them against the word of a ranger. By the time they unraveled the web of lies and half-truths, he would be gone. But it was lies that had brought him here, made him into a person he despised. A person who could shoot someone in cold blood.

Bridge was done with lying. "I don't want anyone else to get hurt," he said numbly.

Z took a cautious step towards him. "Whatever it is, we can work it out. I want to help you."

"It's too late," Bridge said. "I have the transforming crystal."

"What?" She was silent for a moment. "Then – then it's true. I don't know what Gruumm's done to you, but I can't let you get away with this. SPD Emergency!"

Abandoning Piggy, Bridge dove behind a concrete support pillar. Glimpsing a yellow streak out of the corner of his eye, he fired his blaster and missed by several feet. Z had always been a better fighter and, while morphed, she was strong and faster than he would ever be.

Bridge unclipped his own morpher. He hadn't expected the fight to escalate so quickly. "SPD Emergency!"

The morpher remained dead in his hand. 'I've been disconnected from the morphing grid,' Bridge realized. He barely avoided her next shot, which came so close that it seared across his hand, burning a hole in his glove.

He steadied his hands and fired. Z stumbled and Bridge ran forwards, sweeping her feet from under her with a well-placed kick. She reacted instantly, lashing out with her striker and hitting him hard across the side of his face.

The world spun and, the next thing he knew, he was staring at the ceiling. Z pinned him down, pointing her blaster at him. She unclipped her containment cuffs and demorphed.

"I'm sorry, Bridge, but I'm taking you in," Z said. "Just surrender, it's over."

One of his gloves had come loose. Bridge slowly slid it off his hand, until his fingers touched the cool tile floor. "It'll never be over. Not until SPD or the Troobians have been destroyed."

He had to show her. He had to make her understand.

She expected him to push her away, so he grabbed the fabric of her uniform and pulled her closer. Before she could escape, he reached upwards and touched her face.

The world dissolved in a blur of color and sound. Images flashed by like a movie reel. He saw the streets of Newtech city, dark doorways and alleys that Z had once called home. He heard a younger, scruffier Jack made a joke and felt himself laugh.

'These aren't my memories,' Bridge reminded himself. 'Z is laughing, not me.'

He drew images of the Troobians to the front of his mind. He forced her to see his memories, his experiences. He could feel Z trembling, trying to push him out of her mind. He brushed her consciousness away like a fly.

He felt himself slipping, losing his grip on reality. For a moment, he was no longer Bridge. And then it was Z who stood on the Troobian spaceship, facing the destruction of the Earth. It was Z who pledged her loyalty to the evil warlord, Z who was manipulated and tormented by Broodwing and Mora.

The link had gone on too long. It took tremendous effort to pull his hand away. Z stood frozen above him for a moment, before slumping on the ground next to him. Her eyes were open and unblinking.

Piggy, still lying on the ground, stared at him in horror. "You killed her!"

"She's not dead," Bridge said. He knelt next to her. He didn't dare touch her – it might make it worse. 'This is all my fault. If I had told everyone the truth from the beginning, none of this would ever have happened.' He hadn't meant to hurt her so badly. If there was any chance that his team would have forgiven him before, that was gone now. "Z," Bridge whispered. He wiped away the tears that rose to his eyes. "I am really, really sorry."

Out of the corner of his eye, Bridge saw Piggy trying to crawl away. As he rose to his feet, he staggered slightly before catching his balance. His head throbbed mercilessly and Bridge gritted his teeth, wishing the high-pitched ringing in his ears would disappear. Catching up to Piggy, he pulled the alien upright. Piggy tried to push him away, only to fall back onto the floor with a hiss of pain.

Bridge offered the injured alien a hand. Piggy stared at it like it was a deadly snake that could strike at any minute. "You can't walk without my help," Bridge said, and even Piggy couldn't argue with that. The unlikely pair hobbled down the corridor until they reached a metal hatch, carefully concealed in the floor.

"This is it," Piggy said, pointing down. "It used to be a service conduit, before Broodwing had his spies change the codes." He passed Bridge a crumpled piece of paper and scowled. "This is the code I used to get in. Can I go now?"

Bridge pried the hatch open and peered into the shaft. A ladder led down before disappearing into murky darkness. It might lead outside, or it might lead nowhere. For all he knew, Piggy intended to trap him down there. "One more thing." Bridge dragged Piggy towards a section of pipe protruding from the wall. Handcuffing the him to the pipes, he turned back to the secret passage.

"You can't just leave me here," Piggy cried, tugging on the containment cuffs.

"You wanted to warn the other rangers, and now you'll get your chance," Bridge said. His own voice sounded muffled and far away. Bridge braced himself and descended into the hole, taking each step carefully. The ladder wobbled unsteadily and seemed to go down forever.

The darkness closed in around him, until he could see nothing but a tiny spot of light high above. He kept climbing down. At last, his feet hit solid metal and Bridge saw a tiny interface panel to his side, glowing softly. He punched in the codes and the door slid open with a rusty creak, dropping him onto the soft grass.

He crouched for a moment, listening for approaching footsteps. Taking a deep breath, he threw himself to his feet and dashed for the invisible boundary separating SPD headquarters from the rest of the city. He heard a shout from somewhere to his left. The last thing he saw before teleporting away was Sophie, her face arranged in an expression of almost comical surprise.

A/N: A giant thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter. Over 200 reviews for this story! You guys are amazing. :) Please keep reviewing!