Disclaimer: Disney owns the Power Rangers.
Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: I did force this one out in 2 hours. :P
Maresia Eterna: You won't have to bear with him, exactly.
Mz. Daydream: Well, I've done worse to them than this.
C.C.C: You don't say what you wanted to guess, but I think you were right.
Jessica01: Read and find out. :P
Jenny: Well, that first part wasn't too far off...
Funky In Fishnet: Of course Zhane and Karone will understand. The only person to doubt that they would was Andros. :P
TrueRomantic: You can hate Kale even more now!
hmmart: Well, here's the next update.
Amanda: Thanks.
the-power-of-love: Thanks, here's more.
Chapter 24
"Ashley." Andros's voice muttered her name from somewhere in the darkness, startling her with its suddeness. "Follow me."
It was easy now to see that he had once been the leader of the Power Rangers, Ashley thought. The tone of his voice, though very quiet, left no room for argument, and she found herself following the order without a second thought.
"This way," Andros said, his voice little more than a whisper. His hand brushed against her side and she caught his fingers. She let him lead her down the halls without protest; she could find her way through her own home in the darkness, and there was no reason it should be any different for him.
"Where are we going?" she asked, careful to keep her voice low.
"Simudecks," Andros whispered back, pausing to feel for the corner he wanted. "You said the others were there."
"You think they're still there?"
"They should be," he answered, his fingers tightening gently over her own for a moment. He felt her relax, but he couldn't be sure whether the gesture had been for her comfort or his own. "If they're not, they can't have gotten far."
The lights snapped back on then without warning, effectively blinding both of them for several seconds. Ashley exhaled slowly in relief as she took in her surroundings, calming as her eyes readjusted themselves to the light.
"What--"
"Shh," Andros hissed suddenly, halting so abruptly Ashley walked straight into him. Holding her breath, she listened for whatever it was that he had heard, somewhat annoyed to realize that he was the one doing all the work, not because he was, but because she was doing little in the way of helping him.
In the tense quiet, Ashley could now hear what it was that had alarmed Andros. Quiet, measured footsteps echoed just auidibly against the floor. Ashley glanced at the corner to her left apprehensively and drew her blaster as silently as she could, not daring to do anything to give away their presence.
Andros tensed beside her, and Ashley jumped in surprise at the sound of an Astroblaster firing. She had forgotten Andros had been carrying the weapon, but was now immensely glad that he had been as she recognized the voice swearing profusely.
"Stand up," Andros snapped, his voice colder than Ashley thought possible a moment before. "Don't even move, Kale."
"That makes standing a challenge, doesn't it?" his brother drawled, laughter evident in his tone even as he lay sprawled on the floor bleeding from his shoulder. "Your orders need improvement."
Ashley felt Andros tremble with rage, and laid a hand on his shoulder, either to calm him or to hold him back should he move to attack. He was tense from head to toe, relaxing only slightly at her touch.
"Get up, Kale."
Ashley clenched her hand over Andros's shoulder when there was no answer, feeling him start forward. He strained against her hand for a moment and then his shoulders slumped forward as he ceased fighting.
"What have you done?" he demanded, his voice heavy. "Where are the others?"
"Oh, I'm sure they're around here somewhere," Kale said airily. Ashley could practically see his shrug. "I wasn't the one who turned the lights on, after all."
"What were you doing?"
"Telling would take the fun out of it," Kale smirked, thoroughly enjoying the mixture of helplessness and fury that marked Andros's face.
"Get up," Ashley snapped suddenly, striding across the corridor to haul Kale to his feet. He didn't protest as she dragged him up, though he did look mildly annoyed. "Answer the question."
"I don't take orders from you, yellow ranger," Kale snapped coldly. "Either of you."
"You do now," she retorted, twisting his injured arm savagely. "What were you doing?"
Kale tensed, and Ashley wasn't sure whether to be pleased with herself that she'd managed to hurt him. Pleased, she decided when she felt him test the strength of her hold on him.
"Andros! Ashley!"
Ashley knew better than to look in the direction TJ's voice had come from; Kale would certainly take advantage of her distraction. She tightened her grip on his wrists as the other rangers ran up to them, morphed and weapons drawn.
"What happened?" Zhane demanded, quickly scanning the scene in front of him. "Kale did this?"
"Yes," Andros said through clenched teeth, glaring furiously at his brother.
"You look surprised," Kale observed, wincing slightly as Ashley jerked his arm again.
"Why?" Karone demanded, passing Zhane a pair of cuffs. The silver ranger moved forward to secure Kale while Ashley held him still, her grip tightening on him as Zhane approached should he try to escape. Kale didn't protest as Zhane cuffed his right wrist, surprising them all by chuckling quietly as his left sleeve was pushed out of the way.
Andros felt his heart sink as both Zhane and Ashley tensed. Zhane's face was safetly hidden behind his helmet, but as he watched Ashley's face fill with confusion, fury, and then pity, he knew he wasn't going to like what came next.
"Where did you get this?" Ashley demanded, recovering from her shock first.
Kale lunged forward, twisting visciously. The cuffs still attatched to his right wrist whistled through the air as he spun, catching Ashley just her bottom lip. She cried out quietly in pain, her grip loosening. Kale smirked and flung her into Zhane, knocking both of them out of his way.
Andros had started forward the instant Kale had thrown Ashley to the side, but at the blinding flash of red, he stopped cold, slowly filled with dread as he realized what had happened.
Cosmos stood before them, his blood-red armor shining under the Megaship's lights.
Andros could only stare, the dull ache in his heart flaring to life as he realized that everything Kale had drilled into him had been his brother's own doing, yet he had managed to convince Andros that it was his with no effort at all. It was no wonder Kale was always laughing.
Carlos and TJ recovered first, and attacked, weapons raised. Cosmos dodged them easily, and with a laugh, vanished from the Megaship.
"Andros..."
Ashley raised one sleeve to her mouth and grimaced. Wiping the blood away as best she could, she took a step towards him, her hand reaching out for him. He stepped away before he could help himself, the look in her eyes telling him he didn't want to hear what she had to say.
"Andros," she said very quietly, her voice soft enough he doubted any of the others could hear her. "Andros, he... he has... on his arm..."
She stopped and swallowed, her soft brown eyes filled with compassion and sorrow. "Andros, he... he has your morpher."
