Disclaimer: Power Rangers belongs to Disney and the like, which I am not affliated with.
"Conner and Kira are missing," Ethan announced as he walked into the basement.
"No kidding," said Hayley.
"No, I mean, it's worse than that. They got arrested."
"They got what?" Hayley said, whirling around to stare at him. "Please tell me you're kidding!"
"You didn't know?"
"I haven't been monitoring them. We don't have the facilities currently, so I was watching the monster attack, trying to find weaknesses and the like. How'd they get themselves arrested?"
Ethan flashed his most sarcastic smile, one usually reserved for Conner. "They were driving the Raptor Cycles. The police thought they stole them. They have their names on file--think you can hack in, change that?" Hayley nodded. "Great. Anyway, I went to go get them, and they were gone. Cops were clueless."
"Mesogog," Hayley said.
"Has to be."
"I'll check the portal feed, just in case, but I think we both know where they ended up."
"There's something else," Ethan hedged.
She cocked an eyebrow. "How can there be more?"
"Mesogog has Dr. O.," Ethan said. "I mean, you already knew that he took us both, but the thing is, he...has Dr. O. They're doing something to him."
"What do you mean by something?"
"I don't know. I thought they'd killed him. But I guess not. I guess maybe they thought he'd have other uses..?"
"The only reason I can conceive of," Hayley mused, "is--"
The sound of something crashing alerted the two computer geniuses to another presence in the room. A still-morphed Dr. O. was stumbling into the basement, clutching at the railing on the stairs to maintain his balance, but falling to his knees.
"Tommy!" Hayley said, jumping to her feet as the two of them rushed over to help Dr. O. up. "You're okay!"
"You got out," Ethan marveled. "How?"
Dr. O. spoke ruefully, "It wasn't easy. Mesogog has Conner and Kira now."
"We know," Hayley said. "Here, sit down." She pushed him onto a stool.
"The portal that got me here should be able to get me and Ethan back in," Dr. O. said, shaking his head. He looked up at Ethan. "We need to get back there and rescue them."
"No arguments here," Ethan said. "Ready!" His bracelet flashed into his morphed, and he stood to transform, but Hayley held up her hand.
"Not just yet. We need to run a scan on Tommy and make sure he's okay." She put a hand on Dr. O.'s shoulder. "Ethan said they were doing something to you."
"I don't know what they told you they were doing, but they never touched me," Dr. O. insisted. "But I can't say that they won't do something to Conner and Kira. So we should get going, before it's too late."
"He's right," Ethan said to Hayley. Because Dr. O. was right; who knew how much time they had left? Any information he'd received about Dr. O.'s condition had come from Trent, besides. And even though he'd helped get Ethan out, Ethan still didn't trust the White Ranger.
Hayley wore a troubled expression, but she nodded. "If you're sure."
"Dino Thunder, power up!"
"Don't forget the gems," the Black Ranger cautioned the Blue, and Ethan scooped up his friends' Dino Gems. The team was going to be back and better than ever. Things were beginning to look up.
"What does he mean, 'left the fortress'?" Conner asked Zeltrax once the lizard and his number two --three?-- minion had evacuated the premises. "Did Dr. O. escape?"
"Regrettably, I am not privy to that information," Zeltrax said, still staring between the bars at where his compatriots had long since vanished. Then he turned his head, presumably to glare at the Rangers with eyes that they could not see. "And even if I knew, I certainly wouldn't share with the likes of you."
"Oh, and after we've gotten along so well in the past," Conner sneered.
"Bite your tongue, boy," Zeltrax said. "Only my loyalty to my Master, whom has given me life again, has kept me from killing you for your insolence."
"Yeah, I'll believe that," Conner said. He didn't know why he was provoking the guy with the sword; it wasn't like he had any sort of plan for getting them out of here.
"You know, a fat lot of good your loyalty has done you so far," Kira said in a calm, cool, rational voice. Conner cast her a slightly panicked look; because provocation wasn't good from one of them, much less from two of them. But maybe where Conner failed at having a plan, Kira was developing one. "I mean, Mesogog doesn't seem to like you much. He even prefers Elsa over you, and weren't you ranking higher than her?"
"I am a more competent fighter than Elsa," Zeltrax said, but Conner thought he detected a note of uncertainty in the cyborg's voice.
"I've gone against the both of you," Conner said carefully, "and no offense, dude, you leave me pretty out of it, but she absolutely creamed me the last time we fought." He waited for an enraged Zeltrax to lunge at him, but it didn't happen. Their adversary merely stood there.
"I'm sure Mesogog knows about this," Kira continued. "He's probably ashamed that his so-called 'elite' warrior gets his ass kicked by a high school jock."
"Watch it," Conner said. He didn't care what Kira's plan was, personal digs were unnecessary.
"What are you getting at," Zeltrax said.
"Join up with us," she said. "Be one of the winners."
"I will never defy my lord," Zeltrax snarled.
"Because he's done so much for you already," Conner said bitingly. "He's replaced you. By the guy you hate most. Now you can get Dr. Oliver back by taking over his team, the way he's taken over yours."
"You will let me have control?" said Zeltrax dubiously.
"No way," Conner said, at the same time Kira said, "Of course not; Conner's still in charge."
"I will not take orders from a teenager."
"So you won't join us. Fine. How about an exchange?" said Kira. "You help us out of here, and we'll give you what you've always wanted."
"The destruction of Dr. Tommy Oliver?"
"Jeez, one-track mind," Conner mumbled to himself.
"No," Kira said. "Elsa."
Trying not to think about the disturbing mutant tryst, Conner nodded. "That's right. Women happen to be a specialty of mine."
Zeltrax made a harrumphing sound. "I am sure."
"No, really, dude. C'mon, what have you got to lose?"
"Elsa hates me," the cyborg informed them unnecessarily.
"So? Kira used to hate me. Then I worked her over, and check us out now." He slung an arm possessively around her waist, praying she'd play along. "We're madly in love."
"That's right," Kira said, nodding emphatically and leaning into Conner.
"Check that," Conner said proudly. "I've got a gift, dude. Let me work my magic on Elsa, and you two will live freakily ever after."
"I would not betray my lord," Zeltrax said again, but there was the tiniest flicker of hesitance in his voice. "The punishment would be too severe."
"Screw the punishment. Once you have Elsa, the two of you can run off together or something."
"You are sure that this plan of yours will work?"
"Totally," Conner said, giving Kira another squeeze for good measure.
"Then I shall help you. It will be the ultimate betrayal against Dr. Oliver," Zeltrax said, nodding decisively. Conner neglected to mention that he seriously doubted Dr. O. gave a crap about Elsa.
Zeltrax lifted his sword, and through it, released an enormous blast of light that blew the door clear off its hinges. Conner swallowed hard, remembering how the sword had been at his neck not too long ago. He was glad that Zeltrax had opted for the more traditional method of execution.
"After you, babe," Conner said grandly to Kira, sweeping his arm at the exit.
"Don't call me babe," she snapped automatically. Conner just laughed and cast Zeltrax an 'aren't I lucky?' look. The three of them left the cell, and Conner segued into leader mode: "We need an invisoportal the hell out of this freaky fortress. Can you find us one, Zeltrax?"
"There is still an active portal in the main chamber, that should allow you access to downtown Reefside," Zeltrax said. He stepped in front of them. "I am coming with you."
"No way you are," Conner said.
"We have cut a deal, Red Ranger. I do not want you backing out."
"Hey, I'm on the good side. You have my word, dude."
"Do not call me dude." Zeltrax spoke haltingly when he said, "If I remain here after your escape, it will be far less beneficial to your cause."
"You mean that Mesogog is going to beat the living crap out of you," Kira translated. The cyborg didn't dignify this with a response, only confirming their suspicions.
"We can discuss this later," Conner said shortly. "Right now we just have to get out."
And so the motley crew made its way to the main chamber of Mesogog's island fortress.
The Black and Blue Rangers' invisoportal landed exactly where both of them expected it would. Ethan had suspected that one of the goons would be waiting for them, and sure enough, Mesogog and Elsa were waiting. "I see you've brought back the missing Ranger," Mesogog said. "I knew he would trust you."
It took Ethan a moment to process this statement, but when he figured out the implications of it, his heart sank. "Dr. O..."
At that moment, Conner, Kira, and Zeltrax came running in the room. "Ethan!" the two teenagers shouted together. "Don't trust Dr. O.," Conner added.
"Little late for that," Ethan admitted, then tossed his friends their gems. "Here!"
"No!" Mesogog hissed.
Conner and Kira affixed their bracelets to their wrists. "Just like old times," Conner said fondly. He smiled over at Kira. "Ready?"
"Ready!"
"Dino Thunder, power up!"
"No!" Mesogog wailed this time. "Fools!"
Everything was happening at once: Zeltrax's betrayal of Mesogog, Dr. O.'s betrayal of the Rangers, and the transfer of power back to its rightful owners. But before anyone could fully process all of the pieces of the puzzle, the wall behind Mesogog shimmered, and Trent stepped away from it unmorphed, having used his civilian power of camouflage. "White Ranger, dino power," he said calmly.
"What are you doing here," Elsa, Conner, and Mesogog all demanded at once.
The smirk was as obvious as ever in the White Ranger's voice. "I've come for a little father-son reunion," he said, nodding at Mesogog. "Dad."