Thank you so much Rah, you pretty much wrote this whole chapter for me! You are so awesome! Anyways, enjoy the last chapter! (sequel will be up soon!)

TJ let out a soft groan as his eyes painfully opened up. What the hell happened to them? TJ reached up to rub a hand on his face, and looked around at the surroundings. He saw Karone, Zhane, Cassie, and Carlos on the floor. There wasn't any sign of Andros or Ashley anywhere. He crawled over to Carlos; who was closest to him at the moment, and started to shake him awake. "Carlos," his voice sounded hoarse, even to his own ears. Carlos started, and shook his head.

"What's going on?" he coughed, bringing a hand up to his eyebrow. Whoever took them, had been rough. The black ranger didn't wait for TJ to respond; he went over to the fallen pink ranger. "Cass," he mumbled, lifting her head up from the ground and placing it on his lap. "Come on...wake up," he said, gently shaking her. "Cassie..." he murmured, placing his lips on her forehead.

Feeling his lips on her forehead, Cassie finally woke up. "Oww..." she said, as her eyes opened up. She had tried to sit up, but Carlos lightly restrained her. He looked at her face, and frowned lightly.

"Looks like you might have a slight concussion," Carlos grunted. "Don't make any quick movements..." he suggested as he lightly, brought her up into his arms. As Cassie tried to make control of her surroundings, TJ managed to bring himself up to his feet and headed for Karone and Zhane. Zhane felt himself wake up, and heard footsteps heading for him. He was in unfamiliar territory, and he felt danger everywhere.

"Its just me," TJ said, when he saw Zhane's body tensed up. He opened up his eyes, and saw TJ looking disheveled. "I don't know where we are," TJ said before he could ask. Zhane looked over towards Karone, and she was close enough to grab onto her hand.

"Karone..." he murmured. She looked extremely pale, "Karone..." he said again. He brought her into his arms, and felt she was warm still. He saw Karone slowly lift her arms up, and they went around his neck. Her eyes fluttered open, and she let out a soft moan. "Take it easy," Zhane advised, bringing her close.

"You ok?" Karone mumbled. Zhane nodded his head, but didn't say anything more. He didn't want Karone to freak out if he told her where he thought they were. Her eyes scanned for her older brother, but there was no sign of him anywhere. She saw that the rest of the team was there, except for Andros and Ashley. "Where's Andros and Ashley?" Karone questioned woozily. Zhane frowned; he had no idea where they could be.

"I don't know..." Zhane murmured.

The rangers moved closer together, all sensing something was very wrong. Suddenly, a light came on above them, temporarily blinding them. Zhane shielded his eyes and was able to make out that the room was almost like an amphitheater. He couldn't tell if there was anyone else there. He reached his hand out and held Karone tighter, just to be on the safe side. From somewhere high above them, a voice rang out.

"Separate them." Panic started to course through each ranger's veins as suddenly hands were grabbing at them, pulling them apart.

"Zhane!" Karone yelped as someone dragged her away from him.

"Get off me!" Zhane roared, trying to fight off his assailant.

Back on the Megaship, Andros appeared on the bridge. His heart was pounding in his chest and he could barely breathe. Ashley walked around a corner to see him there, furiously fiddling with buttons.

"DECA, track that portal," he ordered, not taking his eyes off the console.

"What's going on?" Ashley asked.

"Someone...kidnapped the others...I have to...I have to find them...stop them...I..." he rambled, trying to focus but failing. Ashley reached a hand out and took his in hers.

"We'll find them together," she said as calmly as she could. One of them had to keep a level head if they were going to get anything done. Andros tried to take a calming breath, but all he could think that Karone and the rest of their friends were at the place that had almost killed all the humanity in him. "Andros..." Ashley said.

"I know," he snapped at her. "I just need to get them out of there...fast..." the fear he was feeling was slowly being replaced by rage. He was going to kill every last one of those bastards that harmed him, and now the possibility of hurting the rest of his family. "When we find them..." Andros started, "I want you to stay here," Andros grunted.

"No Andros...our friends, are down there. I am not going to let you face those asshole who did what they did to you by yourself," Ashley argued, starting to loose her cool. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed Andros' hand. "Look...I know what you have to do if you find them...but you can't go alone. Let me help you help our friends..." Andros sighed; he really didn't want Ashley in danger more than any of the others.

"Ok..." Andros broke down. "But when we find the team...you get them and yourself out of there..."

"Only if you are there with us..." Ashley murmured softly. Andros just shook his head, and continued to search for the portal.

Back through the portal, the Rangers were pulled, kicking and screaming from the arena-like room. As soon as they passed through the doorway they were blindfolded. Zhane could hear the blood pumping in his ears as he tried to fight his way free. No matter how hard he tried, the grip on his arms just got tighter. He thought he heard someone laugh behind him and his head snapped around wildly, trying to find the source.

"Who's there?" he called but got no answer. Finally they stopped moving and Zhane was shoved against something cold and hard; it felt like stone. He was still blindfolded as he felt something cold and metallic connect with his wrists.

"Let me go!" he shouted. His protest was met with a stinging sensation against his cheek. Zhane tried to calm down, to keep a level head. It wouldn't do him any good to act irrationally. As he closed his eyes, his ears began to pick up voices. They were faint, almost distant but they were audible.

"They're too old. It won't work."

"They will be conditioned just like the rest."

Zhane's pulse quickened as footsteps drew closer. Before he had time to react, the blindfold had been ripped from his eyes and he was met with cold, steel grey. The person standing opposite him appeared to be a year or two younger than him.

"What do you want?" Zhane asked.

"You." Their tone left no room for interpretation. This was pure torture. Zhane closed his eyes but images of Demios appeared, reviving an old fear within him.

In another room, Cassie found herself dodging swing after swing of a long blade. She dove out of the way just in time. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she spotted a sword lying an arm's length from her. Moving as quickly as she could, she reached for it and blocked her assailant's next blow.

"What do you want with us?" Metal collided and she took a step back. He gave no answer, just another blow.

Not far away, TJ and Carlos were staring at each other. They'd been instructed to fight the other but neither moved. TJ's eyes widened as one of their captors approached Carlos from behind.

"Look out!" TJ yelled. Carlos turned just in time to get hit was a hot iron. He let out cry of pain and fell to the floor, cradling his singed forearm. TJ started to run to his friend's aid when the man lunged at him. He barely escaped.

Back on the Megaship, Andros had finally located the portal. His features were etched in determinism. Ashley thought she saw a hint of Demios flash in his eyes as he started for the teleportation room. She followed after him, half expecting him to protest. He said nothing. They transported to the planet and landed a meter in front of the portal.

"There." Ashley gripped his wrist as they walked towards it. In seconds they'd been pulled through the fabric of space and time, landing in a very famliar place. Andros pulled out a scanner.

"They're inside."

"Let's go."

"Keep an open link with the ship. The minute you see anyone, lock on and get them out. And then get yourself out." His tone was so commanding, all she could do was nod her head. They moved through the facility together, going room by room. Each step sent waves of memories crashing down on Andros but he did his best to block them out. He had to stay focused on his task; saving his friends. His scanner started to beep, signaling they had found a lifesign.

"Wait," he hissed. They watched as a figure walked out of the room. Andros' eyes narrowed as the figure continued down the hallway. Andros darted into the room to find Cassie, alive but wounded. Her eyes opened slowly and she forced a weak smile.

"You found us." He nodded and together, he and Ashley helped her out of the room.

"You have to be quiet," he told her as they reached another room. They could hear muffled groans coming from within. Andros left the girls leaning against a wall and snuck inside. Zhane was still chained to the wall, his body slack. There appeared to be no one else in the room but Andros knew better. He listened for the subtle thump of a heartbeat and spun, sword drawn. The figure appeared, looking shocked to have met the edge of Andros' blade.

"I should have known it was you." Andros let another blow come down, crippling the young woman before him.

This process continued until they had found everyone but Karone. Andros had left a wake of slain bodies behind them but he didn't care. He turned to Ashley.

"Get them out. I will find Karone and meet you back at the ship."

"But-"

"Go." In a mass transport, she and the other Rangers disappeared. Andros let out a slow breath and turned his attention to finding his sister. His task was made easy, almost too easy, by the loud screams coming from his right. He burst into the room to find a man, perhaps a year or two older than Andros forcing himself upon her.

"Get away from her, now." The man looked up, almost glad to see Andros there.

"Took you long enough."

"You're going to drown in your own blood."

"What a large threat, from such a small hack."

"Your comrades are dead. Don't underestimate me." Karone looked out through bleary and swollen eyes at her brother, sword stained with blood.

"You would fight me here...in front of her?"

"I'll fight you anywhere, you sadistic fool." The other man drew his sword and they faced off. Andros seemed to glide around the room, as if his feet weren't even touching the floor. He avoided the other man's sword with ease.

"You're stalling." It was a deliberate taunt. Andros just shook his head and swung his blade. It sliced through his opponent's gut, sending him stumbling backwards. Andros caught sight of the fresh blood and something in him snapped. He lunged at the man, swinging blow after blow until his opponent was nothing more than shreds of flesh and bone. He took a moment to clean his sword before releasing Karone.

"I've got you," he whispered, his tone as gentle as if he were cradling an infant. He led her out of the room and transported her back to the ship. He looked around and ran through the facility, pulling out conduits and power relays. He reached the entrance, set his astro blaster to the highest setting and fired. The blast hit a stripped wire and the entire building went up in flames.

Back on the ship, Alpha had just helped Karone into a bed and was tending to her wounds when Ashley ran in.

"Where's Andros? He said he would come back with her?"

"I don't know Ashley. Karone appeared but there is no sign of Andros." Ashley could feel tears welling up in her eyes as she ran out of the infirmary. She made it to the teleportation room when a figure appeared, covered in soot and ash.

"Ashley, where are you going?" She turned around and flung herself at him.

"I thought something happened to you."

"Nothing happened to me. I'm fine. The school's gone for good. We're all safe." He just held her for a while before she led him to the infirmary.

"How is everyone, Alpha?"

"Ay yi yi. I can treat most of their wounds but...they suffered a lot."

"I know they did, Alpha. I'm going to help them. We'll get through this...as a team."

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