"We should confiscate his morpher," said Cassie. The other rangers nodded, but hesitated to take the morpher off the wrist of their leader. Zhane carefully removed it and handed to Carlos. Carlos nodded.
"I'll put it somewhere safe," he said and left the room.
"We need a plan," stated TJ.
They were in the middle of coming up with a plan when Zhane suddenly jumped off the stool he was seated on. He leaned over where Andros lay and called his name. The other rangers gathered round as they saw Andros stir.
"Zhane," he mumbled. Andros opened his eyes, and then suddenly sat up a startled look on his face. "Zhane!" he cried.
"I'm right here, Andros," replied Zhane as Cassie and Ashley forced Andros to once again lie down. Carlos ran in having heard the shout.
"I couldn't…" Andros started.
"Shhh," said Ashley," It's not your fault."
"Astronema has been using Shadorian shackles to control your movements," explained Carlos.
Andros groaned. He raised his hand to rub his eyes, but stopped when he saw again the burns on his wrist and lowered it back down.
"Did you know?" asked TJ. "Did you know about the Shadorian Shackles?"
"TJ!"
Andros closed his eyes. "I've heard about the shackles, but I didn't associate them with the marks on my wrist."
"You should have told us," whispered Ashley.
"I know. I'm sorry," he replied," I'm just used to solving my problems on my own."
"You've never been good at asking for help," said Zhane smiling. "I've been trying to break you of that habit for years."
Andros smiled for a second then it faded to frown. His fingers twitched. The rangers watched as Andros' muscles tensed, his hands squeezed into to fists and his body began to shake.
"Andros!" cried Ashley. Zhane grabbed his arms, TJ his legs as Andros fought against his own body. He squeezed his eyes shut as his struggles became increasingly violent.
"I can't…" he tried to say.
"Fight it!" pleaded Carlos. "You can do it!"
The struggles slowed then ceased, but Andros still shook.
"It hurts," he managed to wheeze out.
****
"Turn up the intensity!" commanded Astronema.
****
The rangers jumped as Andros started to cry out. Tears fell unwilling from his eyes.
"We have to do something!" cried Cassie.
Ashley threw her arms around her boyfriend not knowing what else to do. She lay her head face down next to his on the medical bed. She held on to his warm body even tighter as she felt his shaking increase.
TJ clenched his teeth in worry, and then said "Resisting the spell is leaving him in extreme pain."
He exchanged an anxious glance with Cassie who had put a comforting hand on Ashley's back.
"He can't fight against this pain much longer," she said.
"I know."
They looked towards Zhane.
"But I may be able to help him."
"How?" asked Carlos, but Zhane didn't reply. He gently moved Ashley out of the way then stared through Andros' closed eyelids into his mind.
*Andros!* cried Zhane telepathically. *Andros! * He sent his thoughts along the bond that connected the two, but found it blocked. It was the first time Zhane had tried this since he had woken up and at first he thought the bond had been lost, but then he realized that what he had encountered were the mental shields Andros had erected around his mind. Zhane pushed against the shields.
*Damn it, Andros! Let me in!* he cried.
Even through the strong shields, Zhane could feel Andros' withering pain leak through.
*Please, Andros. Let me help you.*
Andros opened his eyes and gazed into Zhane's. There was a pause then the block was gone. One thought passed from Andros' mind to Zhane's before the pain overwhelmed him.
*I couldn't hurt you.*