Chapter 33: Control-Alt-Delete
The eerie silence of the Waste was always heavy, with no signs of life. Venjix has made sure nothing had survived, not even the flora, so when Flynn's jeep and Teddie's bike sped along the dust, it could be heard for some distance.
"Are we almost there?" Flynn called Teddie over their communications link as he followed her.
"You sound like Ziggy," Teddie replied. She then angled her head to Cassie, who was holding onto her as they raced through along. "Anything?" she asked, and when Cassie hesitated, Teddie frowned. "Let's stop for a minute," she told the others, and as she heard the squeak of the jeep's brakes, she slowed to a stop too.
"What's wrong?" Scott asked, a hand to his side as they climbed out of the jeep.
"I…" Cassie started, before shaking her head.
"Come on, you've been coming and going from there for months now," Flynn frowned at her. Teddie shot him a warning look when Cassie seemed to close up, avoiding their gaze. She was a far cry from the Siren they had been fighting against.
"I navigated almost entirely through my mask. It was how I got all my information. Maps, blueprints, files," Cassie put a hand to her face, where the scarring was still noticeable. "Without it...I don't have much information to work with," she admitted quietly.
"We've been trying to follow the tracks, but the wind is going to make that impossible," Flynn complained.
"It feels like we're close, but I don't know for sure," Dillon shook his head.
"Without proper landmarks, it's going to be next to impossible to find them," Arianna said as gently as she could. She lifted a hand to shield her eyes from the dust-brown sky, feeling dizzy.
"You came out with them," Flynn reminded Dillon unnecessarily, getting frustrated with their wild goose chase. They'd been out for hours, and hadn't found anything other than the occasional sparse track.
"Tenaya knew the way. I was counting on our tracks to get us back there, if she couldn't," Dillon shot Cassie a glance.
"Is there anything familiar?" Summer asked softly, trying to help their frustrated Black Ranger. They'd been lucky he stayed long enough to search with the team, when Kilobyte had taken her. Dillon looked around; the waste stretched on beyond what he could see, and the tracks he'd spotted cut off, no doubt destroyed by the wind.
"Face it, the tracks are gone! We're gonna be chasing our tails before you know it," Flynn pressed, trying to get Dillon to see reason.
"Look, if you want to give up-"
"That's enough!" Scott shouted before an argument could break out between the pair. "Nobody is-" both he and Arianna let out cries of pain, sinking to the ground. Arianna slumped, unconscious as Dillon caught her.
"Scott!"
"Arianna!" their frustrations were forgotten, and the group gathered around the two immobilised by the pain.
Not leaving anything to chance, the team returned to the lab. Scott and Arianna lay on the cots as Dr. K scanned Scott, and Gemma scanned Arianna, trying to find out what had caused them to collapse.
"Look, it's not so bad now. I'm just gonna go lay down," Scott spoke up, and Gem helped him to his feet. "It's probably just leftover bruises from fighting Shifter yesterday," he suggested, a hand to his ribs.
"I feel better already," Arianna insisted as Teddie tried to stop her from getting up. She was still pale and clammy, and the dull ache in her chest felt like she'd something lodged there. "I'll go rest, I swear," she promised, and reluctantly her friend helped her up. She slowly made her way out behind Scott, just as delicate in her movements, and Teddie joined Dr. K as she checked the findings.
"It's not just leftover bruises, is it?" she asked quietly. Dr. K met her gaze, looking just as concerned.
"Definitely not," she admitted.
As they split up to go towards the steps up to their rooms, both Arianna and Scott stopped as something pulsed. The dull pain started to grow, burning in their chest until they were on the ground. Finally, the pain faded, and got back to their feet, exchanging looks.
"So far I've only determined it's a nano-magnetic transmitter," Dr. K said to the rest of the team standing behind her.
"Which means zip to me, but anything starting with 'nano', does not belong in your chest," Ziggy spoke up, and Dr. K rolled her eyes.
"Is it what I have?" Dillon asked, unable to hide his own concern. "The Venjix Virus?" he pressed. Dr. K looked up at him, still looking worried.
"No, it's not the Virus. But I haven't discovered its exact function," she admitted.
"Scott's not in his room…"
"Neither's Arianna…"
"They aren't in the garage…"
"Or outside," Gem and Gemma ran in, having gone to check on the pair.
"We've looked…"
"Everywhere!" even the Boom Twins were worried, unable to keep up their positive attitudes.
"What?" Teddie frowned. "Arianna could barely walk out of here. How did they get out with nobody realising?" she wondered.
"Start a scan for their-" before Dr. K could instruct the twins, the alarm bared. She went even paler, rushing over to one of her other computers to check. "There's a breach in sector E-12, downtown. Looks like a Venjix signature," she warned.
"Alright. You scan for Scott. We'll go see who came to visit," Flynn told the team.
"We'll call Spencer and Annie on the way," Summer added, before they ran out, leaving Dr. K and the twins to find their missing team-mates. Cassie shifted nearby, wondering just what to do.
"Run!" Shifter bellowed as he chased down fleeing civilians, cackling as he did so. "What a nice day for a disaster!" he laughed. The key he had melded into his shoulder began to turn, allowing him to control a piece of metal that he slammed into a nearby building, almost cleaving it in half.
"Hey metal-head!" Dillon's shout reached him, and he looked around to see the Rangers already Morphed.
"Ah, look what my destruction has just dragged in," he laughed. "You're here, just as I planned!" with that declaration, he attacked. His bulky body was as powerful as it boasted, but it was also fast enough to block each of their attacks and floor the Rangers with strong hits. "I hope you all like surprises. Because I have a big one for you," Shifter bragged as they got back up, regrouping. With a shout, he threw out his arms, and more of the vine-like metal burst out of his chest and wrapped around the Rangers, lifting them into the air.
"I hate surprises," Teddie complained, but as she tried to call on her powers, she was slammed into the ground hard with the rest. Everywhere hurt, and bruises were already forming under their suits, but the team got back to their feet.
"No more playing nice!" Dillon growled. "Lock on target!" he shouted, and they all raised their blasters. However, Shifter lifted a strange remote, laughing to himself, and pressed a button. A moment later, they heard grunting, and their eyes widened as Arianna and Scott staggered into view, both Morphed and moving erratically.
"Scott?" Summer called.
"'Anna!" Teddie shouted as they moved to stand in front of Shifter.
"Get out of the way!" Flynn gestured, baffled by their behaviour.
"I...can't!" Scott could barely force the words out of his mouth.
"Shifter's controlling them!" Dillon realised. "It's that thing in their chests!" he explained to the others, figuring out a reason for the strange device Dr. K had found.
"You learn quickly, Rangers!" Shifter allowed, happy that his work was realised. "And now…" he pressed another button, and Scott grabbed his blaster, aiming it at them. "Do as I command!" he ordered when Arianna stood still for a moment longer. She didn't speak, but didn't struggle either, and when Shifter hit the button on his remote again, she finally did as he commanded.
"Don't do it!" Summer pleaded with him.
"They can't stop themselves," Spencer shook his head. "Focus Shifter, and that remote!" he told the rest of the team.
"He's right. Lock on target!" Dillon raised his blaster, but the two staggered further in front of Shifter.
"We don't have a clear shot!" Flynn groaned, lowering his Cannon.
"The best weapon against the Rangers, is another Ranger! Who knew?" Shifter laughed.
"So many others before you," Annie rolled her eyes. She fired a shot that whistled by Scott, slamming into Shifter, and he staggered back with a cry.
"It's the key inside them right?" Teddie's eyes widened. "Arianna, change form!" she shouted to her friend. While she didn't say anything, Arianna's body began to shift, and melted down into Mercury. The ringing sound of metal echoed as the key landed beside the puddle, before it reformed. Arianna demorphed, and collapsed, as Shifter let out a shout.
"Impossible!" he snarled, before shaking his head. "I still have one of you! Destroy them!" Shifter went to press the button, only to be blasted off his feet. The remote control exploded as it hit the ground, and Scott fell forwards, suddenly in control of his body again.
"Get this thing outta me!" he shouted, and jerked as Annie punched him hard. The key shout of his chest with a flash, landing nearby as Scott sank to his knees. "That was...thanks…" he muttered, trying not to complain about her method.
"Scott!" the rest ran over as Teddie checked over Arianna, who hadn't woken.
"That was brutal," Scott complained.
"Where'd that shot come from?" Flynn wondered as they looked around. Ziggy yelped as he spotted the newcomer.
"Dillon!" he shouted, pointing, and the Black Ranger spun around.
"Tenaya!" relief washed over him as he saw his sister standing nearby, blaster pointed at Shifter as he groaned. "She saved us," he realised, running over and demorphing. "Tenaya!" he grabbed her arm, and she turned to him. Dillon's eyes widened as he saw the circuitry running from her temple, glowing blue.
"Correct," Tenaya spoke, staring blankly at him. Even her voice sounded more robotic. "I am Tenaya 15, Attackbot," she announced.
"No, you're my sister," Dillon grasped her by the shoulders. "Don't let Venjix-" a blast cut him off, and he staggered back, falling back down the steps nearby.
"Dillon!" Summer ran over to him as Dillon put his hands to the bloody burn in his chest.
"Venjix shall rule the world," Tenaya announced, still staring vacantly, and leapt over their heads, vanishing as Dillon watched her, breathing heavily.
"Don't say it, Annie," Spencer muttered as he demorphed and crouched beside Dillon and started to glow. The rest of them looked around as Shifter let out a growl, getting back to his feet as his systems started working properly again.
"Venjix once again proving why I will make a more effective ruler!" Shifter snarled, before he was knocked off his feet by a shockwave of sound.
"You'd think he'd want vengeance against Tenaya, considering everything," Cassie muttered, a hand to her throat as she stood nearby.
"You," Shifter snarled, and she smirked, wiggling her fingers at him. "Working for the Rangers now? I warned Venjix that his use of humans was too poetic to work," he complained.
"Cassie," Teddie called the hybrid. "Can you take Arianna back to the lab?" she asked, and Cassie nodded.
"Of course," she lifted the unconscious Mercurian into her arms, and ran off. Shifter let out a snarl, and the key in his shoulder started to turn again.
"I'll show you all! I will destroy anything or anyone who tries to stop me!" Shifter vowed as he started to grow, smashing the ground around him.
"Let's take this to his level!" Flynn shouted.
"I dunno if I can," Scott admitted, feeling how low his energy was.
"It's okay Scott. We can handle it," Summer told him. They ran off, with Spencer and Dillon following as they got back up, Morphing as they went. Scott hesitated as he watched, and looked down at the key in his hand.
"You can't control me anymore, Shifter," he murmured.
"Found him!" Annie shouted as her Zord flew through the air.
"Locking on target," Spencer nodded. The two fired blasts that bombarded Shifter, making him shout out as they connected.
"I'm heading in," Flynn called, but as they followed, Shifter recovered and blasted them. "Ah! We need more power!" he told the rest.
'I'm showing all weaponry systems go for deployment,' Dr. K contacted them.
"Going for liftoff!" Summer shouted, and both she and Ziggy used ramps to slam into Shifter. Summer's Bear Zord latched onto the key, making him roar as if in pain. Ziggy's spinning Shark Zord slashed across his front, near where Scott had left a mark during their previous fight.
"Clear out, I've got a shot," Dillon told the pair, and when they moved aside, his Wolf Zord blasted Shifter, followed by Flynn's Lion Zord hitting the same place.
"Now it's my turn! You don't mess with our friends!" Teddie shouted as her Swan Zord flew overhead, firing blasts of its own that made Shifter stagger backwards.
'Red energy level climbing. Welcome back Scott,' Dr. K told the Red Ranger, who was already feeling better.
"Thanks Doctor," he grinned.
"Guess we'll have to do this without 'Anna and Scott. Let's put them together!" Flynn shouted. They combined all their Zords, forming the UltraZord, which stood over Shifter.
"Power Supplies at max!"
"Let's do this!"
"Ready?" Flynn called, aiming both his and Scott's weapons as Teddie did the same for Arianna's one.
"Fire!" they shot the final, powerful attack, and Shifter swung out at it, trying to stop it, but it cut through him.
"No!" he screamed, collapsing and exploding. He shrunk down, crashing in the quarry, and the team watched as Scott finished him off with powerful strikes.
"That's one less to worry about," Spencer murmured.
Dr. K flitted around her lab, jumping between searching for what was wrong with Arianna, and examining the keys that she and Scott had been implanted with.
"How are you feeling?" Summer approached Scott, as Dillon glared at the ground nearby, his mind on Tenaya.
"It hurt more when Annie punched me," he muttered, but couldn't help but grin at the Silver Ranger nearby. "But that was better than letting Shifter control me," Scott amended as Annie shrugged, unapologetic.
"I don't get why Arianna has reacted to it in a completely different way to Scott," Ziggy glanced over to the unconscious Mercury Ranger.
"She's Mercurian. Since her genetic makeup is completely different, it must have had some kind of reaction," Dr. K summarised.
"Will she be okay?" Teddie asked, sitting beside her. Dr. K didn't speak straight away, scanning Arianna again.
"She's improving. I believe...as long as she doesn't do anything to alter her genetics - using her Mercurian powers or Morphing, for example - she should be back to normal in a few days," she finally answered, and Teddie nodded, relieved by Dr. K's words.
"Thanks, Doc," she managed a small smile, and Dr. K nodded back.
"What about this?" Spencer peered closely at the key as Gem and Gemma worked on it.
"It's a Control Key. The technology in the key allowed Shifter to control Scott's mind," Dr. K explained as she went to one of her computers.
"Mind control? That's a bit much for robots, don't you think?" Jeremy asked as he stepped inside. Cassie, who'd been quietly watching, immediately turned her head away, fingers running along the scarring on her cheek.
"I fail to see why mind control would be disregarded simply because they're robots," Dr. K blinked at him. Jeremy gave a weak laugh.
"Fair enough. Cass...can I talk to you?" he asked, turning to the hybrid. She didn't speak right away, and they all could see Jeremy growing more nervous.
"Okay," she mumbled, and followed him out of the lab.
"That's bound to be messy," Nora commented as she sat with Arianna as well. She pretended not to see the worried looks Teddie shot her, knowing that the White Ranger had found out about her own messy history with Kilobyte. She wasn't particularly ready for that conversation.
Outside the lab, Jeremy watched as Cassie paced in front of him, keeping her head lowered.
"Do you...remember?" he asked, tilting his head a little. Immediately Cassie turned away.
"There are still blank spots but...yes," she murmured.
"Then you remember me, right?" Jeremy approached her, taking her hand. Cassie pulled away, and Jeremy stared; hurt at her action as she still refused to look at him. "Cass…" he murmured, and she took a breath.
"Just because I was Cassie before, doesn't mean I should be forgiven for what I've done," she shook her head. "I spent months trying to destroy this city. I manipulated people, I tried to destroy happiness for those who are stuck here. I tried to kill Teddie! And right before...I tried to kill you! I tried to kill you, thinking 'what a great way to mess with Ranger White'! I'm a monster, Jeremy," Cassie whirled around, tears in her eyes as she stared up fearfully at him. "Not just because of my actions...what I am," she put a hand to her throat, where she could still feel the robotics moving. "I've Venjix implants in my body. What's still human is destroyed," her fingers went to the scarred skin around her face. "I don't-" she stopped as Jeremy put a hand to her cheek, watching her, and when she didn't pull back, he kissed her.
A weight felt lifted from Cassie's chest as she kissed him back, daring to put a hand on his arm. She gasped against his mouth when Jeremy suddenly pulled her closer, and after a moment, he pulled back.
"I thought you were dead, Cass," he murmured, and the pain in his voice made her chest hurt. "I don't care if you have robotic implants. You're alive, and you're here," Jeremy dared to laugh lightly. "But if you want some space…" he let her go and stepped back. "I'll give you space," he grinned as she stared at him.
"But why? I still did all those horrible things!" Cassie shook her head, baffled.
"You think you're the first?" Jeremy tilted his head a little, almost like Teddie. "Cass. While people may never be able to forgive what happened while you were Siren, what matters is what you do as Cassie, now. The Rangers could probably use your help," he pointed out, and she blinked rapidly.
"I...I don't…" she took a ragged breath and ran her hands through her hair. "Just like that?" Cassie demanded.
"Just like that. Trust me. We've had far worse on the team," he winked. "Right, Heckyl?" Jeremy angled his head as the man in question walked in. He arched an eyebrow, looking from Jeremy to Cassie.
"He's right," Heckyl agreed with a shrug. Cassie watched him, remembering the files she had read on him as well. Remembering what she'd done to him too. "But try to be a little less uncouth about it," he rolled his eyes, headed straight into the lab.
"Trust me. Me, him and Ryan, we all know what you're going through. Them more than me, but still. We have your back. Just help the Rangers if you can. They're kinda helpless," Jeremy winked, and earned a giggle from Cassie.
"Right. Thanks," she nodded.
"I better go. Looked like important work. But if you want to talk or anything…" Jeremy rubbed the back of his head, suddenly awkward. "I'll be here," he told her. Cassie smiled, and reached up to kiss his check.
"Thanks," she whispered, watching the goofy grin spread across his face. It had always been something she loved about him.
"Doc, they've used this thing on Scott and Arianna," Dillon was saying as she returned to the lab. "They're trashed now, right? End of story," he said to Dr. K as she sat down again.
"Wrong," Dr. K shook her head as she turned to him. "It was damaged, not trashed. When we're done, it will be able to interrupt a person's thinking, long enough to capture them," she explained the work they were doing.
"Tenaya," they looked to Cassie as she approached. "Could it work on Tenaya?" she asked, and Dillon's eyes widened as he realised the Doctor's plan.
"Theoretically, yes," Dr. K nodded, getting back up to approach Gem and Gemma, who smiled at her.
"But for how long?" Scott asked, wary about what she'd said.
"I can't be sure," Dr. K admitted. "They were both damaged, but I believe it should work for up to three to four seconds, once we finish here," she told them. "After that, the mind control will cease. I just need time to get it working," she warned.
"I can help," Cassie stepped up, fidgeting. "I helped build all sorts of things...working there. I can help," she said again, more confident this time. Dr. K surveyed her for a moment, before glancing to Gem and Gemma. The twins smiled brightly.
"Okay," Dr. K allowed, and Cassie smiled, relieved.
"Three to four seconds. That's all we need to catch her," Flynn said confidently. His confidence was contagious, as Dillon grinned too, and Summer smiled up at him, taking his hand and squeezing it.
The team didn't have much time before the alarm went off, warning them of another attack.
"We had to combine both keys in order to get it working," Cassie explained as Dr. K held it out to Dillon.
"You've got one key, one shot," the tiny Doctor warned him. Gem handed over a new blaster to use with the key. "Once you've hit Tenaya, you've got-"
"Three to four seconds before we lose control. We know," Flynn nodded, a little impatient.
"Keep an eye on 'Anna," Teddie said to Heckyl and Nora, looking over at the still sleeping Mercurian.
"She'll be fine. Go," Nora shooed her away. Teddie nodded and ran out after the rest of her team, and Cassie looked down at the leftover scraps.
"That was…"
"Awesome!" Gem and Gemma clapped her on the shoulders, making her jump. She managed a small, embarrassed smile.
"Thanks," she muttered, hoping that it was enough.
"Okay, in hindsight, might not have been our smartest move," Spencer commented from the ground. He and Annie pushed themselves up as the Attackbot they had launched themselves at faced them, banging together its massive arms.
"Probably not," Annie agreed, before they were surrounded by Grinders. The rest of the Rangers, minus Dillon, ran in to help fight off the footsoldiers, easily fighting them off.
"Still the same predictive moves," Teddie commented, angling her head to dodge their attacks. She dropped down, sweeping their legs out from under them, and leapt back up as vines burst from the ground around her, grabbing the Grinders and smashing them together.
She then looked around as Ziggy was knocked to the ground by the Attackbot, who had decided to focus on him first. Summer ran in, Morphing as the massive arms forced her down, and Teddie joined in. Leaping through the air, she Morphed, and her boot collided with the Attackbot's face. It reared back, and Ziggy Morphed, joining the pair.
"He's strong," Summer commented as they fought it with punches and kicks of their own, before it used one big arm to hit all three at once, sending them rolling along the ground.
"Ready?"
"Ready!"
"RPM, GET IN GEAR!" Spencer and Annie Morphed too, joined soon after by Flynn and Scott. The Attackbot was fast, and its massive arms knocked most of them flying. Flynn grabbed one, only to be knocked away by the other, and even Spencer and Annie were slammed to the ground.
"We really need to take out those arms," Teddie warned, ramming her shoulder into the Attackbot to free the two. It immediately retaliated with a swing of its arm, and she cried out as she was thrown into a car, hard enough to dent it. Each time the Rangers went up against it, they were knocked away, until finally they were all on the ground. Their energy was drained as their suits did their best to keep them from taking severe damage, and nobody could get back up.
A blast from nearby slammed into the Attackbot, taking them all by surprise, and its arms hit the ground hard enough to crack it. The Attackbot twitched, but couldn't move.
"Everybody okay?" Dillon called as he ran over to them, Morphed as well.
"Yeah, thanks," Scott nodded to him as Dillon helped them up, and they turned back to the Attackbot. "Let's make this personal!" the Red Ranger shouted.
"Right!"
"RPM ENFORCER! Lock on target!" the six combined their weapons as Spencer and Annie did the same with theirs.
"Fire!" they fired powerful blasts, destroying the Attackbot. It didn't last, however, as the Attackbot grew much larger.
"Go, Road Attack!" Scott called on their auxiliary Zord, that transformed into a Zord and dodged each attack from the Attackbot, before crashing into it.
"Let's go!" Annie shouted to Spencer, who nodded. They called on the MachMegazord, and fired an arrow of energy that finished off the Attackbot with help from the Road Attack Zord. The others cheered, running to meet Spencer and Annie, while Dillon stayed for a moment, sighing as he looked at the used up blaster.
Dr. K sighed, scanning Dillon for any updates on the progression of the virus as Summer waited beside her. Cassie watched as well, having just gone through the same.
"Using the Control Key on the Attackbot was the right decision," Dr. K told them, seeing the dejected looks.
"Didn't help my sister much, did it?" Dillon asked, staring up at the ceiling.
"There's still time for that," Summer tried to soothe him.
"Actually...there isn't much time," Dr. K admitted, earning their looks. "It's a little slower for Cassie, but for Dillon...the Venjix Virus has spread to nearly 40% of your body," she told the Black Ranger gravely. "By my calculations, when that number hits 50...you'll begin to lose control to Venjix. I can't stop it…" she said, apologetic. Cassie stared after her as she walked away, and Summer watched Dillon, unable to hide her fear. Cassie took a step back, wondering if there was anything left to do.
I meant to update this yesterday...oops...
I hope you liked it!
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