Chapter 53: Red's Weakness
On the Dark Fortress, Psycho Red was standing on the bridge watching the archived footage of their battles with the Power Rangers. "SPIRAL SABER!" The Red Ranger called out and his saber appeared in his hands. He watched as the Yellow Ranger swung around and her Star Slinger appeared in her hands. Red and Yellow were back to back to each other as they were fighting off their attackers.
Reaching down, he hit a couple of buttons on the console and another battle showed up. Red Ranger grabbed a hold of Yellow Ranger's forearm, pulling her to her feet when she was thrown backwards to the ground. Once she was back on her feet, he leaned forward and she rolled over his back, firing at several Quantrons charging at them.
When the clip changed a third time, it was a battle between the Rangers and the Psychos. Psycho Yellow had thrown a punch at Yellow Ranger's head, but she ducked out of the way. She held her Astro Blaster above their heads, firing several shots into the ceiling and the abandoned warehouse they were fighting in began to crumble. Yellow Ranger immediately turned to her right and kicked Psycho Red in the side, sending him to the ground. Red Ranger grabbed a hold of her, covering her head with his arms. "DECA, GET US OUT!" Red Ranger shouted and they were gone in Red and Yellow flashes.
While he was examining the footage, he hadn't noticed that he was no longer alone. "What are you finding so fascinating?" Psycho Yellow asked.
"More than you know," he replied with an evil cackle.
He showed her the footage he had uncovered. "We get her, we get Red," he informed her, "Once Red and Yellow are gone, the whole team will fall apart."
"And how do you suggest we get her?" Psycho Yellow demanded annoyed.
"I just need you to distract him," Psycho Red replied, "He waits for me to attack, he would never expect you to be the attacker."
Now Psycho Yellow was intrigued. "Then why not just take them both?" she asked.
"I want to break him first," Psycho Red replied.
On the Megaship, Andros and Ashley were just cuddled up on the bed. He had one arm resting over her waist while she held onto his other hand. Her fingers were tracing over the scar on his hand. Andros flexed his hand and she smiled before entwining her fingers with his. "If it weren't for my suit Darkonda would've taken my whole hand off," he commented.
"Well at least it's just another memory," She answered.
"Yeah," he agreed as he rested his cheek on top of her head.
"Do we really have to get up?" she asked with a sigh.
"You and I both know if we don't get up DECA is going to be annoying," he replied, making her laugh and groan at the same time.
She rolled over and buried her face into his neck. "I just want stay like this forever," she commented.
"Well I'd rather be in a bigger bed but I get what you mean," he answered, making her shove him a little.
"Fine, we better get up," she sighed as she pulled the extra blanket around herself and got out of bed.
"You know I've seen everything I don't get why you cover up when you get out of bed," he quipped.
Ashley gave him a coy smile as she grabbed her clothes out of the second dresser drawer. "Well, I'm going to take a shower before our day starts," she replied as she dropped the blanket. With that she slipped into the bathroom without another word.
"You're an evil woman," he answered as he got out of the bed and went after while she laughed and he closed the bathroom door behind him.
Later, they entered the bridge and Ashley made her way over to her station. "Status reports?" Andros asked as he sat in his seat.
"It looks like the power is back to maximum capacity since our last fight," TJ replied.
"There wasn't any permanent damage done to the hyper rush velocity thrusters," Carlos added.
"Business as usual," Cassie put in.
Andros nodded. "Anything with the Psycho Rangers?" he asked.
"Nothing," Carlos replied, "Which is weird."
Ashley nodded in agreement. "It's been too quiet," Cassie commented.
"That's what worries me," Andros replied, tapping his fingers on the console.
"Do you think they're planning something?" TJ asked.
"They could be planning anything," Andros replied, "We should keep our guards up even while on Earth. They don't know who we are in our civilian forms that's the only advantage we have anymore."
"Well Ashley has more of an advantage than all of us," Carlos commented, "They even know how we sound, Ashley doesn't even speak, not even to Morph."
"Yeah but they're learning about her in other ways," TJ answered.
"What we see as an advantage is she never speaks vocally, but she speaks in other ways," Cassie commented, "They could easily pick up on her signals."
Ashley let out a breath as she crossed her arms. Andros reached over and he rubbed his girlfriend's shoulder. "You two better be careful," TJ said suddenly, making Andros look up.
"We're just as careful as you and Cassie are," Andros answered.
"Yeah but you have that weird connection thing or something. Like you two can have a full conversation without speaking a single word," Cassie commented.
Ashley moved so her arms were now around Andros's waist and she had her chin over his shoulder. "They'll be looking for weaknesses, the last thing we need is one of us getting severely injured because they figured out that four out of the five of us are in relationships," TJ explained.
"We're aware," Andros answered.
"And you guys aren't just in relationships, you're part of the team so if something happens to one of you…" Carlos trailed off.
"Well let's just say nothing is going to happen and we just keep our guards up?" Andros suggested.
"You know that's never a guarantee," TJ answered, "Especially Psycho Red, I know all the Psychos are out to get us but Red is out for blood."
"If he knew what you looked like without that helmet he'd be hunting you down on Earth," Carlos put in.
Ashley bit her lower lip and Andros let out a breath. "You have said yourself you never went up against an enemy like this before even as a Space Ranger as long as you have. Come on, Andros, you have to admit what Psycho Red does it has to have you rethink things," TJ commented.
"Why are you guys really coming at Ashley and me about our relationship?" Andros asked, "Yeah, our job is dangerous. I don't remember it being safer when my father had the Morpher. I don't recall his team telling him how dangerous his relationship with my mom was."
"Your mom wasn't a Ranger," Cassie pointed out.
"Your mom wasn't a specific target either," TJ replied.
"You don't know that," Andros objected, sounding a little irritated.
Andros stared at his team, but then he felt Ashley's hand grip his side and he looked at her. "They're just telling us to be careful," she said quietly, "Our situation is different."
"But we ARE careful," He insisted.
"Not enough if they are voicing concerns," she answered.
Letting out a sigh, Andros ran his hand over his face before he got up and left the bridge. Ashley pulled at her fingertips and she let out a sigh.
Later, Ashley made her way down to Earth and into the cemetery. She reached her father's grave and she smiled as she brushed off some of the leaves and dirt from the headstone. "Hey, daddy," she said quietly as she sat down, removing the dead flowers and replaced them with the new ones she brought. She let out a sigh. "I know I haven't visited in a while…life has been…well complicated," She commented. She rested her elbow on her knee and then her chin in her hand. "Things are very different now," she added, "So different…the team is right Andros and I have been a bit careless about our relationship when we are on duty."
She bit her lower lip and pulled her knee up to her chest. "I'm also freaking out a little because of how real this is," she added. She let out a deep breath. "I don't know, I never thought that seventeen I'd meet the love of my life and I actually imagine things, dad. I can just imagine you now you'd probably be freaking out over me having a boyfriend let alone commenting about how serious things are," she commented laughing at herself. For a couple of minutes afterwards, Ashley was sitting silently staring at the headstone. "I do love him though, Andros talks about this thing on KO-35 about this connection his people have when they found that person. I don't think we have that connection; I mean is it possible though? We're only kids," she commented.
Then she had to think about the fact Andros's mother wasn't much older than her when she met Andros's father. Ashley stood up and she let out a sigh as she got ready to go back to the ship when her communicator suddenly beeped. Ashley's heart dropped to her stomach. She forgot to turn it off! Ashley took off through the cemetery, dropping her bag by the headstone.
When she was close to her car, Ashley skidded to a stop when two unfamiliar people stood in front of her. "Well, you just made our job a little easier," the man said with a half-smirk. The woman grabbed Ashley and pinned her up against the wall with her hand around her throat.
"Wait until you see what we have in store for you," she commented.
Ashley struck out with her foot, kicking the woman in the side. The woman let out a grunt and held her stomach. Ashley took this chance and ran through the gates. "GET HER!" Yellow yelled at Red. Red immediately ran after Ashley and after she caught her breath, Yellow was right on his tail.
Ashley ran around a corner but then something grabbed her around her middle and threw her across the sidewalk. Ashley used the momentum and she rolled across the ground going back onto her knees before jumping back to her feet in a guarding stance. "Where are your little friends?" Psycho Red asked with an evil smirk.
"Are we even sure this is her?" Psycho Yellow asked.
Psycho Red turned his head and he walked over to Ashley and the way he strolled over and he looked at the necklace around her neck. "Didn't Astronema mention something about this from her human memories?" he asked, gripping the necklace. Ashley stared at him with a glare and he just chuckled evilly. "She is a Ranger there isn't any doubt, but whether it's the right one, it doesn't matter at this point. We have a Ranger," he added before he ripped the chain from her neck and threw it on the ground.
"You're coming with us," Psycho Yellow said as the two returned their Psycho forms.
Psycho Yellow grabbed Ashley around her neck and torso and the three of them disappeared.
The Rangers were back on Earth just seconds later. "Ashley!" Carlos called out.
"DECA said her signal was around here," TJ told the team.
"ASHLEY!" Cassie shouted.
They were in the cemetery. "Why would she be in here?" Andros asked.
"Her dad's here," Carlos replied.
Cassie rushed through the aisles until she saw Ashley's purse on the ground and the contents spilt everywhere. "Over here!" she called out. She picked the bag up and looked at TJ. "She dropped this," she told them.
"She was running from something," Carlos answered.
"Five guesses who," TJ commented.
Andros looked at the bag and he rushed towards the entrance. "How would they even find her?" Carlos asked.
"If her communicator went off then they were here in seconds," TJ answered.
Andros pushed the gate to the cemetery open and saw Ashley's car still parked out front. "Ashley!" he called out, looking around, "ASH!" Andros sprinted around the corner when the sun bounced off something that caught his attention. Hurrying over to what was on the ground, he bent down and he picked up the necklace he gave her. "Oh shit…" he muttered, his heart dropping to his stomach, "Shit!" Andros stood up and he looked around, hoping for any sort of sign. "ASHLEY!" he shouted.
