AN: Sorry about the long wait. I just couldn't get this chapter going. It's not long, but it's something. Hopefully the next chapter will be along soon, but no promises.
SSJZBSAK
Bridge soon figured out what the Greenhead meant when it said it wasn't the only thing hunting him. He had been forced to change his tactic of heedlessly fleeing to stealthily sneaking. There were patrols of Krybots everywhere he turned. Most were just the standard foot soldiers, but there were some Orangeheads. What really worried him were the new Purplehead Krybots. There were three of them he had seen so far and they were hunting together, like a pack of wolves, always somewhere around him as if they could sense him but not see him. Along with the Krybots there were still booby traps all over the place and he wasn't having an easy time dodging them along with avoiding his hunters.
Then things just went from bad to worse. One minute he was running and the next he was falling. He let out an undignified squawk and just managed to grab hold of a tree root. His body jerked to a stop and his injured shoulder screamed with agony causing him to hang by just one hand. Bridge let out a ragged, panicked breath and struggled to get a footing. He glanced down and saw nothing but a black pit and could only imagine that spikes probably laced the bottom. Using one hand to pull himself up just wasn't and option. With both hands he might have the strength, but with only one hand there was no way. He considered just hanging there until he could figure out another way out of the situation, but Good Luck's big bad brother, Bad Luck was out to get him in a big way. A Purplehead Krybot peered into the hole and Bridge could just imagine that if it could have it would have grinned maniacally at him.
"Play time is over Green Ranger." The Purplehead announced.
Bridge watched as it pointed a very large, very powerful cannon at him. He knew he only had one choice. With a quick prayer he let go and fell into the deep darkness below.
SSJZBSAK
It took them a frustratingly long time to get Sky out of the cage. By the time Syd and Jack managed to get him out the sun was beginning to dip behind the mountain. Darkness was creeping across the land and they knew that was only going to make a search more difficult. The wind was picking up and it didn't take them long to realize a storm was moving in. That was just about the last thing they needed.
"I think there's a higher power out to get us and I don't think it's Gruumm." Sky complained. No one responded.
Without RIC they had no idea if they were going in the right direction, but they were going the way the robotic canine had gone. They soldiered on as one by one they each got a flash of instinctive knowledge that Bridge was in immediate danger. It only lasted a minute, but it was enough for them to pick up the pace, even Jack who was resolutely carrying Z. The Yellow Ranger was still adamant about being a part of the rescue and refused to be left behind in a safe hiding spot to be picked up later. Her teammates knew better than to argue.
"Do you think Gruumm is really trying to kill us this time or is he just toying with us? So far we haven't actually run into any deadly booby traps." Syd mused.
"Isn't that asking for trouble Syd?" Sky asked, his words somewhat mocking.
"It's not the same." Syd retorted.
"If you say so."
Syd's retort was lost by a booming crack to their left. Purple energy soared over her head as Sky tackled her bodily to the ground. Both of them scrambled to their feet and to find cover as Jack and Z hide behind a tree. Purple energy seared through the air and Sky felt his stomach ache with the reminder of what that kind of power was capable of doing. Syd heard her two male teammates morph and felt a little more comforted at the fact that she was no longer the only one morphed and ready to fight. Then in unison the three Rangers elevated to SWAT mode. Syd's relief died quickly as another energy cannon boomed its presence as the echo of the first one faded. She and Sky traded hidden looks as the two Purplehead Krybots continued to pound their positions.
"They're not trying to take us out." Jack observed. "They're delaying us."
"Why? Why isn't Gruumm trying to take us all out?" Syd questioned, glancing carefully around the side of her tree. Purple energy buzzed past her head and she jerked back.
"Maybe because he knows he can't." Sky replied. He leaned around the tree and popped off a few shots with his Delta Enforcer before hiding again. "We're too strong of a team together, he's focusing on just making sure one of us doesn't make it."
"Well he's not going to succeed." Jack said in a voice that spoke of his firm resolution to find their wayward teammate. "Now, let's take care of these Krybots."
SSJZBSAK
His whole body ached with a deep throbbing pain that clouded his mind. Without being able to see where the bottom was he had been unable to try a proper landing. In short, Bridge was hurting worse than he had before. He almost didn't want to get up, but he knew that things couldn't get any better if he laid around. On the other side of that particular coin was the fact that things probably wouldn't get worse either.
Bridge forced himself to get up, though a sharp pain in his knee forced him to keep pressure off it. One glance around wiped his previous thoughts out of his mind. The little hole he had fallen into had a tunnel leading out of it and he knew by the perfect shape of it that it was not a natural formation. Now he had a choice. Wait in the hole for either the Krybots to come down and get him or for a rescue of some kind. His other choice was to wander into the tunnel, which would undoubtedly lead him into more danger.
His choice was made for him when a blast of purple energy seared past his head. He dove into the tunnel as more shots came from above. Bridge's heart skipped a beat as he heard the distinct sound of many Krybots climbing down the hole. With his stomach in his throat the injured Green Ranger limped down the tunnel as quickly as he could. He had no idea where it was going, but he knew he couldn't stay and fight a small army of Krybots in the condition he was in. There was only one thing he could do, but he knew in his heart that this was exactly what Gruumm wanted.
SSJZBSAK
Gruumm smirked to himself. The Green Ranger was playing right into his hand. Some might have said he was going through too much trouble for just one Ranger, but the Green Ranger was just one thorn in his side and getting rid of him was at the top of Gruumm's list. Gruumm wanted to see the pesky Ranger suffer as much as possible before he finally gave the order to kill. Once the Rangers were down one Ranger he would turn his attention on one of the other Rangers and take them out one by one.
SSJZBSAK
It was nothing they did, Sky was sure of it, the Purpleheads retreated as if they were dogs being called by a master. No one was injured, but damage had still be done. They had wasted valuable time fighting the Krybots. Now the urgency of the situation was greater than ever. They all had a feeling deep down that Bridge was getting into deeper and deeper trouble.
Jack kneeled down to make sure Z hadn't been caught in the crossfire. He was relieved to find that other than her leg she wasn't hurt anywhere else. Carefully he lifted her into his arms and turned to his other teammates. Sky and Syd were both watching him silently waiting to continue. At his nod Sky instantly took off on point while Syd fell in right behind Jack to watch their backs. They moved at a quick pace, hoping they were going in the right direction. Without RIC to lead them it was hit or miss.
Suddenly Sky held up his fist in a signal to halt and ducked behind a tree. Syd and Jack followed his example waiting for Sky to indicate what he saw. After a moment Sky signaled that there were four targets, but he was unable to sign which kind of Krybots they were. Jack made a move to look around the tree he was crouched behind, but Sky waved him back. None of them dared say a thing as Sky carefully observed their foes. It was four Purplehead and Sky had a sneaking suspicion that it was the same four they had been fighting earlier. What really got his attention was the fact that they appeared to be focused on something on the ground. He could see between their legs and see it wasn't Bridge they were looking at and in fact he couldn't see anything.
After a moment the four Purpleheads were joined by a Greenhead. Normally Sky wouldn't have been able to hear them, but his SWAT mode augmented his hearing. He waited with baited breath hoping to hear something about Bridge.
"So the green brat is down there?" The Greenhead asked.
"Yup, J6-233 chased him down there." One of the Purpleheads said, patting one of the others on the shoulder.
The Greenhead lifted his head to seemingly glare at the Purplehead designated as J6-233. "You better not have hurt him."
"Left him for you sadistic freaks." J6-233 retorted. "We can have our fun with the other ones."
"Gonna call the other Greenies?" One of the other Purpleheads asked.
"And have to share the fun? I think not." The Greenhead replied. "Just shut up and do your job. Don't let those Rangers anywhere close to this hole."
"Oh go suck on some cog oil you stuck up waste of bolts." Another of the Purpleheads growled. "We'll do out job, just make sure to do yours."
Sky felt dread building in his stomach as he listened. These Krybots weren't the average run of the mill dumb as bricks robots they usually fought. These ones had artificial intelligence that made them much more dangerous. Mindless automatons were easy to deal with, but intelligent androids were going to be more of a challenge. Worse was the fact that they had indicated that Bridge was close by and that the Greenhead was going to go after him. His fear was justified as the Greenhead stepped to where the Purpleheads had been looking and disappeared. A hole? My god what have they been putting Bridge through?
Sky made sure that the Purpleheads weren't looking his way before he quickly moved back to Jack and Syd. They needed a plan and quick. He had a feeling that Bridge's time was running out.