Tense silence continued all the away into the SPD base. Dayu, Daniel, Salem and Kong trailed behind the injured Lauren into the conference room where SPD rangers were seated around a large round table. Commander Tate was standing up next to a monitor which had a frozen image of the failed escort on display, "Take a seat please", the Commander pointed at the vacant seats at the table. The rangers took a seat at the other end of the table, "How are you feeling?"
"Like I caught up in a violent explosion", Lauren replied stiffly, "and full of enough painkillers to down a grown elephant".
Tate shuffled on the spot, looking decidedly unimpressed, "I see your sense of humour wasn't injured".
"Just my pride and most of my limbs", the red ranger said snippily, "can't this wait, all I want to do is have a shower and a long lay down".
Dayu frowned this was the Lauren of a few months ago, slightly bitter and very hostile. Nothing like she had been since she became a ranger, "I'm going to let that go, given the circumstances of the day". Lauren sniffed loudly, demonstrating that she wasn't overly impressed either way.
Before the conversation turned into a sniping session between Tate and Lauren, Bridge stepped in, "I'll keep this as brief as I can", the red ranger began, "since the attack nine hours ago there's only been one sighting of Psycho Blue". He pushed a button on his remote control and the onscreen image change to a map of the city, "His transport was caught on the outskirts of the city heading into a secure compound".
"So he's hiding in plain sight?" Dayu asked, she knew that the north edge of the city was the rich part of town. Residents there had built expensive and sophisticated security around their properties. Nothing short of a full on assault by the Army or a squad of Rangers would be able to breach their defences.
"In plain sight behind a ten foot wall of steel and concrete", Syd stated, "he could be safe inside for several months and there's nothing we could do".
Tate brought up some security footage showing the outside of a large house surrounded by imposing concrete wall. A car pulled up outside the steel doors that were part of the wall "Well look who it is?" Salem's sarcastic comment cut through the red ranger's thoughts.
On the screen they could see Jax heading into the compound. The image also confirmed what he said, the remaining Psycho rangers were back. They could clearly be seen walking through the gates before they slowly closed. Before they did, Dayu was almost certain that Jax looked directly into the camera with a victorious smirk on his face, "Evil bastard", everyone gasped, no one had ever heard Kong swear before, "S-sorry, didn't mean to offend".
"No that's pretty much sums him up", Lauren nodded in agreement,
"Which just leaves you Shiba, where do you fit in with this lot". The red ranger glared daggers at the yellow Ranger, "Anything you feel like sharing with the room?"
Dayu could sense Lauren's anger the yellow ranger suspect that if Lauren had been fully fit, she would've lunged at the SPD yellow, "Why don't you ask Tommy Oliver and find out".
"And supporting and aiding a madman enslaving three worlds and trying to do that same to Earth", Z shot back.
"Enough", Jessi barked loudly, shaking the fittings on the wall, "this is over". She then turned to momo rangers, "Go get some rest". Reluctantly Lauren stood up but not before shooting another glare at Z, Lauren merely gave Z the middle finger and limped away down the corridor. Followed by her other rangers " We arent done here", Z called out, however she wasn't expecting the Geartlinger pointed at her face " Go fuck yourself" Jessi said, she then left herself.
The week after the attack had been long and tiring. Knowing Lauren's terrible state of mind after the attack, Dayu began to worry that she was resorting to self-destructive ways. For whatever reason Lauren had chosen to put some distance between them and Dayu's heart ached to see the red ranger again. It was at that moment that finally realised that she felt more for Lauren than just friendship. At some point during the last few months, she had fallen in love with the older brunette. Without her around, Dayu felt like a part of her was missing, "You still with us Dayu?" Daniel's voice broke through the yellow ranger's thoughts.
"Yeah", she sighed before shaking her head, "no, not really".
"This about Shiba?" Kong asked, "she's still convalescing after a traumatic injury, she'll be back when she's ready".
"Easy for you to say, you're not in lo-" Dayu instantly bit down on her tongue before she could finish that sentence, "I just miss her that's all".
"I think it's more than that", Salem smiled, "I'm picking up on a very strong green coloured aura. Seriously it's like pouring off you, little bit overwhelming if I'm honest".
Dayu's head snapped in the black ranger's direction, furious that he read her aura without her permission. Grabbing the nearest item to hand which fortunately for Salem was a cushion, she threw it at his head as hard as she could, "That's for invading my privacy you douche", she snapped, "how dare you read my aura without asking me?"
"Come on, everyone knows you've been sweet on Shiba for a while", Kong began with a chuckle, "there's a pool going for when the pair of you would actually get together".
A bright blush crept into Dayu's cheek " Had it really been that obvious?", she grumbled. Once she had regained control of her feelings, she raised her head to look at the rest of the team, "So you guys would be cool with us being together?" she asked.
Kong nodded slowly, "As long as it doesn't affect your duties like it has done this week". Dayu mumbled an apology under her breath, embarrassment creeping in again, "Just keep any touchy, feeling stuff to the privacy of your room yeah. Knowing your luck Ji would be the one to catch you". Dayu nodded and suddenly felt a rush of energy surge through her system, she hadn't felt this empowered for a long time. All she needed to do was track down her missing friend and made everything official.
It was perhaps inevitable that the good mood would be spoilt quickly. Less than a minute later their morphers began to buzz but with a more urgent tone than usual, "The emergency signal", Daniel gasped.
Instantly the rangers were on their feet and charging towards the exit "kong here, what's going on?" the blue ranger called into his morpher.
"Big trouble", came Ji's voice through the speaker, "Psycho rangers have shown their hand. A security team have engaged them in the industrial district-"
"Tell them to pull out", Salem snapped, interrupting Ji , "they're weapons will be no match for them".
Dayu felt a little worried, the last time power rangers had faced off against the Psycho rangers their weapons were barely a match for the renegade team. Quite how they had reacquired their confiscated morphers was beyond her. Suddenly her thoughts turned to their missing member, "Wait, what about Lauren?"
"Not here", Kong replied. That didn't fill Dayu with much confidence.
Inching across the roof, she checked every available sheltered spot for any sign of Psycho Rangers. After her second sweep she was satisfied there was no one around. Judging by the radio silence, the others hadn't encountered the renegade rangers either. Dayu took a look over the roof and could see the white suited Salem scampering through the parking lot. From her perch the yellow ranger couldn't see anyone in the area, "Salem I think the lot's clear", she said into the radio, "the roof's clear too".
"Perimeter's secure", Daniel added.
"No one inside either", Kong finally stated, "I think they've gotten away but hold position for now. Dayu if you could spot for us from the roof that would be great".
"Roger that", the yellow ranger stated and began to do a circular route around the roof. Several minutes passed without sight of anything resembling a member of the Psycho's. Her stomach was in knots, all this anticipation seemed to be for nothing but she didn't dare relax. The Psycho rangers had managed to disappear without being seen. They were trained to be the best and could easy sneak up on them at any moment.
After her fourth circuit of the roof, Dayu spotted something moving between two buildings across the street. She only got a brief glimpse but the figure had been dressed largely in black, a hallmark of Psycho's suits, "Salem check across the street, I thought I saw some movement", the yellow ranger stated into the radio.
"Maybe you should check behind you", a heavily accented voice growled behind her. Dayu barely had time to turn around before she was met with a solid kick in the stomach. Rolling across the floor she quickly realised the boot belonged to psycho yellow. She was morphed and ready to fight, "Amateur, you walked right passed me several times", she spat, "now you will pay for your mistake".
Dayu didn't get a chance to think about where Ronnie had been hiding, she was too busy dodging and parrying some powerful blows from the yellow ranger. Her suit absorbed most of the blows but her arms were beginning to ache from just blocking the attack. Dayu quickly became bored of defence and decided to take the attack to Ronnie. She quickly jumped backwards, the sudden movement throwing Ronnie off balance. Dayu hopped onto the roof ledge before quickly bouncing off, landing a solid kick to Ronnie's chest. To her shock, the ranger killer didn't seemed phased, "They said you'd have fight", she chuckled, "normally I like this but I'm in a hurry today".
The yellow ranger barely registered Ronnie drawing her weapon and firing a blast into her chest. She was knocked on to her backside, sliding across the roof until she hit the ledge. Remembering Kong's orders from early she quickly activated her radio, " I have engaged a target, requesting immediate-"
Dayu never finished her sentence as a powerful blow to her helmet instantly cut off her words. It took Dayu a few seconds to clear the spots from her vision, the strike from Ronnie had been so quick that she didn't know if she had kicked her, punched her or struck her with the butt of her weapon. Either way she was extremely thankful for the helmet because without it, that blow probably would've caved her skull in.
Before Dayu could defend herself she felt a strong hand around her throat and she was lifted into the air. Moments later she was dangling over the edge of the building, "Nothing personal", Ronnie chuckled and she released her grip.
The yellow ranger barely had time to register that she was falling. Between the blow to the head and the quickness of the attack, she was halfway to the ground. The factory was only a couple of storeys tall and the suit would offer protection but Dayu knew the impact was going to hurt. She landed hard on her left shoulder onto the lid of an industrial sided dumpster. The solid plastic barely buckled and it bounced Dayu onto the hard concrete floor. For a few seconds Dayu lay perfectly still, counting her blessings that she was in one piece. That soon passed as the searing pain in her shoulder kicked in. Dayu had been in enough scraps in her life to know that it was dislocated. Fortunately the crash landing hadn't caused her suit to lose power. At least if the other Psycho's came upon her then she would have some protection.
The yellow ranger wasn't sure how long she had been lying on the ground for but suddenly her vision was filled with a familiar face, "Dayu, what are you doing down there?" Lauren asked. Dayu was too stunned by her appearance and the pain to formulate a response, "You came to help?" Dayu choked out.
Lauren nodded although Dayu spotted something strange in her expression, something that she couldn't put her finger on.
"Well isn't this sweet", Dayu blood froze, that voice belonged to Psycho Red. As Dayu staggered to her feet she could see the rest of the psycho's closing in on their position.
"Dayu and Lauren!" came the panicked cry of Kong as the other three rangers sprinted around the corner, suddenly Void Knight stepped into gap separating the two teams, her grip tightening on her weapon.
"You really going to do this?" that question came from Psycho pinl, "and who the fuck are you?".
Lauren watched as Void Knight stood in silence for a couple of moments. She noticed the Void Knight slowing raising his weapon, "I am", VK began grimly, "and for what it's worth I am sorry".
What happened next would be burned into the momo rangers memory forever. Lauren's body froze as VK suddenly spun around and aimed her weapon directly at the Psycho Rangers . Five sharp blasts quickly dropped the Psycho Rangers, " I suggest you go now" Void Knight said, he then teleported away. The momo rangers quickly made their retreat. They had survived this time thanks to Void Knight.