Chapter 55: Psycho

Justin was on the bridge looking around in absolutely awe as they led him to the bridge. "How's Andros?" Zhane asked TJ.

"No change, his dad's with him," TJ replied.

Justin got into one of the chairs and immediately started working. "Are you sure about this?" Zhane asked.

"If anyone can find Ashley, Justin can," Carlos replied.

Cassie left the bridge and made her way over to the infirmary.

Alec was sitting in a chair by the medical bed, still holding his son's hand when Cassie entered. "You didn't have to come all the way here," she commented. Alec chuckled lightly.

"When you're a parent, you will understand the lengths you will go for your child," he replied.

Cassie pulled a chair up and sat down. The room was silent except for the machines that were keeping track of Andros's vitals. Alec let out a breath as he touched his son's hair. "Any change?" Cassie asked.

"No," he replied, "And I can only do so much. I can only offer him comfort."

"So you're not keeping him stable?" Cassie asked.

"I'm only offering him comfort," Alec replied.

"So Ashley really is the key," Cassie concluded.

"She is," Alec replied.

Alec rubbed his forehead and let out a breath.

In his mind, Andros was looking around in the black void that he was in. "Hello?!" he called out, his voice echoing. Not only did his voice echo, but it was going up in pitch to a point he had to cover his ears. "Ashley?!" he called out, wincing when the pitch went back up.

Suddenly, Andros felt a hand grip his shoulder and he was thrown onto his back. Andros hit the ground with a grunt and looked up to see a familiar face looming over his. "Hello, Red Ranger," Psycho Red cackled.

Andros immediately rolled to his feet and he was in his guarding stance. "So this is what you look like without your mask," Psycho Red sneered as the two of them circled each other, "A weak human."

"Where's Ashley?" he demanded.

"She's rather tied up," Psycho Red replied.

Psycho Red lunged and Andros dodged. Andros blocked several attacks aimed for his head, ducking and blocking. Psycho Red swung his leg out and kicked Andros in the stomach, sending him flying back and then he hit the ground with a loud thump, knocking the air out of him. "Now to try something out," Psycho Red said laughing as he grabbed Andros's head.

Back on the Megaship, Cassie looked up when she saw Andros's vitals. "What's happening?" she asked. Alec immediately jumped out of the chair like he had been electrocuted.

"Get Zhane!" he ordered her, grabbing Andros's shoulders.

In his mind, Andros had a hold of Psycho Red's arms, working to pry them off his head. "NO!" he shouted.

"Let's have a little look at your ship," Psycho Red commented.

Andros struggled against his Psycho Red's hold on his head, trying to stand back on.

Andros's eyes shot open and Alec just stared at him. His usually light hazel eyes were now a near black color. "DECA, close the doors!" Alec ordered. The doors slid closed and Andros shoved Alec back. "You're the one they call 'Psycho Red' aren't you?" Alec demanded.

"Am I really that easy to read?" Psycho Red demanded, making Andros's voice deeper, gravellier, but an evil smirk appearing on his face as he spoke.

"I know my son, and you're not him," Alec replied.

Psycho Red just smirked at the man. "Where's my son?" Alec demanded.

"He's safe…for now," Psycho Red replied.

Suddenly, there was banging on the door. "Alec! Open the door!" Zhane called out. Alec took this moment of distraction and grabbed Psycho Red from behind.

"DECA, open up!" Alec ordered.

The doors slid open and the other Rangers and Justin rushed in. Psycho Red kicked Alec back against the wall and he swung his fist at Zhane. Zhane ducked out of the way, but then he held up his hands to block another attack aimed at him. The other Rangers grabbed for their blasters. "DON'T!" Zhane shouted at them. They had no choice but watch as Psycho Red kept pushing Zhane out of the infirmary.

Zhane kept ducking and dodging blows thrown at him. "What's the matter, Silver Ranger? Afraid to fight me?" Psycho Red demanded.

"You're not going to make me hurt him," Zhane answered.

"You won't have a choice," Psycho Red told him.

Psycho Red lunged at him again and Zhane grabbed him, pinning him to the wall. "Andros! Wake up!" Zhane called to him. Psycho Red tried to knee him in the stomach but Zhane blocked it.

In the void, Andros was still fighting Psycho Red's hold hearing Zhane calling for him. He let out a grunt of pain from the high pitched ringing in his ears. Andros then had an idea, he had only one shot. "Zhane!" he called out.

Zhane was thrown up against the wall. His head was spinning when his head collided and he slid down a little. His eyes grew wide when Psycho Red went to kick him in the head. He rolled out of the way. "Zhane, what can we do?!" Justin called out.

"If we do anything we risk hurting Andros," Zhane answered.

In the void, Andros concentrated as hard as he could despite the throbbing pain going through his head. "Zhane!" he called out again. Andros closed his eyes tight

Suddenly, Zhane saw an image flash through his head. It took him a second to realize that Andros was telling him something. "No!" Zhane called to him.

Andros was pinned back to his knees. "DO IT!" he shouted.

Alec looked at Zhane. "What is he wanting you to do?" he demanded.

"He wants me to use my Silverizer on him," Zhane answered as he started blocking more attacks.

Andros let out a pained groan. "I can't hold him!" he called out to his friend. Andros concentrated hard. "DAD! I CAN'T HOLD HIM!" he called out.

Zhane got back up off the floor as he had no choice but to kick Psycho Red back. "I could kill him!" he called out.

"Your blaster is the only one with stun capabilities," Carlos answered.

"But we don't know what this could do to him with Psycho Red controlling him," Cassie answered.

Alec rushed over and he put Psycho Red into a headlock. Psycho Red clawed at his arm but Aleck kick the back of his knee, sending him to the floor. "TJ! Carlos! Help me!" Alec snapped.

Zhane watched in disbelief as TJ and Carlos grabbed a hold of Psycho Red's arms, keeping him from attacking Alec. "Do it!" Alec ordered Zhane.

"But…" Zhane started to say.
"If you want to save Andros you do it NOW!" Alec shouted at him.

Zhane was staring feeling his stomach twist. "ZHANE!" TJ shouted at him. Zhane held his arm up.

"SUPER SILVERIZER!" he shouted.

Without morphing, his weapon appeared over his arm. Zhane programmed his weapon to stun before he dropped down to aim it right for Psycho Red's chest. As soon as he fired, Alec, Carlos, and TJ released Psycho Red and they watched as the blast hit him square in the chest, sending him flying back to the ground.

In the void, Psycho Red was thrown back and Andros landed on his back while crying out in agony. Then Andros's eyes were wide when he saw something.

Back on the Megaship, Zhane immediately slid across the floor to his friend's side. "Andros!" he called to him.

"Don't pick him up," Alec ordered as Cassie rushed over to check his pulse.

"He's alive," Cassie assured them.

Andros let out a gasp and he grabbed for Justin. The boy let out a shout of shock and fear, and the others were reason to pounce but Andros was staring up at him. Justin's eyes went from fear to realization before Andros's eyes rolled back and he fell back on the floor again. Alec caught his head before it could collide. "What the hell was that?!" Carlos exclaimed.

"Justin, you okay?" TJ asked.

"He just gave me coordinates to search for Ashley," Justin replied.

The boy immediately jumped to his feet, running back towards the bridge. "We've got this," Cassie assured Zhane. Zhane looked absolutely guilt-ridden as he stared at Andros's unconscious form.

"You did as your leader ordered," Alec assured him.

Zhane put his hand on Andros's chest just to reassure himself there was still a heartbeat. His jaw clenched and he let out a deep breath. Alec gripped Zhane's shoulder, trying to offer the Silver Ranger the reassurance. "You did well, son," Alec assured him.

"I probably just fried every part of his body and it's just not reacting yet," Zhane replied.

"We find Ashley we can heal Andros," Alec assured him, "Andros needed you to free him from that."

Zhane swallowed as he gripped his friend's hand and forearm tightly. "I'll kill Psycho Red myself if I have to," he said. With that, he got up from his spot on the floor and back to the bridge. Alec looked at Cassie before they both got Andros's limp body up and back to the infirmary.