Disclaimer: The Power Rangers are not mine.
Chapter 9
Andros stirred, and Ashley smiled a little. Somehow he had managed to fall asleep in his corner, head pillowed on his knees. She doubted that he was comfortable, but any rest was better than none.
He'd hardly be pleased to know that she had spent the last few hours just watching him sleep and so Ashley glanced away, catching Carlos's eye. He smiled faintly at her and pulled himself up with a groan, crossing his arms over his chest when his stomach rumbled.
"Any chance we'll be getting food?"
"No." Andros's voice was soft but caused them both to look at him in surprise; he'd been more awake than they'd thought. "And probably not anytime soon."
"That's just great." Carlos sighed, then his eyes widened. "Oh."
"Don't," Andros growled. "I don't want your pity."
It was hard not to feel for him. Ashley sighed as she remembered how he'd cried the day before. More than anything, she wanted to just hold him until all the pain was gone from his heart. He wouldn't let her, of course. After he'd calmed down, Andros had withdrawn into himself once again, practically ordering her to leave him alone.
Andros stretched, a slight wince crossing his features as he moved his shoulders. "We have to fight him."
"You said you could get us out of here," she reminded him.
"And I can," he said shortly, then held up his left wrist. "Hope that these work in here."
Ashley exchanged a worried glance with Carlos. "How likely is that?" she said finally, not pleased when Andros hesitated.
"If they were of any use to us, he would have taken them."
"Are you sure?"
Andros shot a withering glare in her direction. "Yes."
"I'm not," Carlos muttered. He tried, and then failed, to morph, sinking back against the wall with a sigh. "Fine. It doesn't work."
"So now what do we do?"
Andros ignored her, concentrating hard on his boots. If he hadn't looked so anxious, Ashley would have been irritated. Instead, she was just scared.
"Still no sign of them?" Zhane swore loudly at Deca's negative answer, delivering a solid kick to the back of Andros's seat. "It's been almost a day... What about Darkonda's ship? Have you found him yet?"
"I'm sorry, Zhane," she replied, and he tried not to kick the seat again. He knew she was just as worried as he was.
"Nothing?" Cassie demanded, coming up behind him. She crossed her arms over her chest impatiently, glaring over his shoulder to see the results of the latest scan. "How can they have just disappeared?"
"They haven't," he said distractedly. "Darkonda's ship has a cloaking mechanism."
"So they've disappeared," TJ said. Under his breath, "All thanks to the Red Ranger."
That went too far. Zhane didn't stop to think before whirling around, his blue eyes blazing. "And has it occured to you that if you had been a better Red Ranger, Darkonda wouldn't have them now?"
"Hey, calm down." Cassie stepped between the two of them, forcing them each back a few steps. "This isn't helping us find them."
"But it will help us keep this from happening again," TJ retorted. To Zhane, he added, "We've given Andros more chances than I feel he deserves. He's blown them all and he's made it clear that he doesn't want to be a part of this team anymore than we want him on it."
"Well... he did apologize," Cassie reminded him.
"And all of you were more than willing to accept it," Zhane added. "If you didn't mean it, you could have at least told him so. What he told you yesterday--that wasn't a decision he made lightly. He trusts you."
"Which is why he had to fight Darkonda on his own." TJ shook his head. "I don't believe it."
"Do you just want to be Red Ranger?" Zhane demanded. "Because you won't be, even if you take the morpher away from Andros. If you're supposed to be Red, then you're Red. But you're not anymore. The Power decided you're Blue and there's nothing you can do about it."
"This isn't about that," TJ insisted. "Two of my best friends are being held captive somewhere because--"
"They're my friends too," Zhane cut in. "All of them are."
"I--"
"Deca, any new findings?" Cassie interrupted. She shot sharp looks at both of them, adding pointedly, "If you're going to do this, go somewhere else."
"I think we've said enough." TJ sighed and shook his head. "We'll finish this later."
Zhane made a noncommital noise. "Deca, keep looking."
His feet kicked up a cloud of dust as Darkonda dragged him along. Ashley coughed and Andros grimaced, but he didn't bother to apologize. If he opened his mouth, he had a feeling that he'd find himself emptying his stomach.
Their attempt to overpower Darkonda had failed entirely when he'd shown up with two dozen Quontrons at his disposal. They had still fought for their freedom and now that they had lost, were being hauled across the planet Onyx. The tavern was nowhere in sight, but Andros knew that was exactly where they were headed.
He almost lost his battle not to throw up as they rounded the final corner; the sight of the place made him sick to his stomach. This was the place where he had lost Karone all those years ago, the place where Darkonda had dragged him frequently during the past four months.
"Keep walking," Darkonda growled, when Andros stalled. "Move faster, Red Ranger."
Andros clenched his teeth as he stepped into the tavern, his heart plummeting to the depths of his stomach when the establishment hushed. The silence lasted just a moment, jeers hurtled at him as Darkonda shoved him hard and forced him the rest of the way inside.
He glared around the tavern, his head held high as Darkonda dragged them to the center of the room. He couldn't look away; it would only be worse if they knew how afraid he was.
"The Red Ranger made some friends," Darkonda announced, gesturing to Ashley and Carlos. They glared around the room, just as frightened as he was. "We'll get to them later."
"Start with the girl!" someone shouted, and Andros saw Carlos inch closer to Ashley protectively.
Bile rose in his throat as the call was echoed. Anyone who had tried to take that from him had at least been human... Andros didn't quite manage to repress a shudder as he looked anywhere but at Ashley. He had to do something. He had to.
Darkonda considered that for a few moments, then caught Andros's eye and grinned evilly. "Agreed," he growled. "These two first. The Red Ranger last--and you don't have to worry about damaging him this time. He's gone back on our bargain."
He'd been expecting that.
Andros gulped down his fear and quietly tested how far he could move his wrists apart. Not nearly as much as he would have liked, but he'd have to make it work.
He shot a quick glance at the door. It was closed but not bolted, and he thought Ashley and Carlos were close enough that they could make it out. Darkonda jerked hard on the chain between Ashley's wrists, pulling her forward even more.
Andros didn't wait to see what would happen. "Go," he shouted, and threw himself into Darkonda.
Darkonda dragged Andros down with him as he fell; Andros landed hard on his shoulder and rolled onto his back. He couldn't wait to catch his breath, and so scrambled back to his feet, fists raised defensively.
A quick glance around the room told him that Ashley and Carlos were gone. Andros sighed softly in relief; he'd gotten them into this. At least he'd managed to get them back out.
He didn't have a prayer of winning against all of them, not while he was unmorphed and especially not with a length of chain running between his wrists. Setting his jaw, Andros reminded himself sternly that true Rangers fought even when there was no hope, and besides that... if he had to die, he'd rather die fighting for his freedom than cowering.
They circled around him in a ring, muttering softly between themselves as they surrounded him. Andros turned slowly, unable to keep his eyes on all of them at once. His heart pounded furiously as his eyes darted back and forth, his body tensed in anticipation. He jumped at all the small noises, thinking them the rush of an attacker's feet on the floor.
He didn't hear anything until it was too late. There was a soft tapping on the ground behind him and then he felt a sharp blow between his shoulder blades. Someone caught the chain between his wrists when he doubled over and yanked hard, dragging him forward.
Andros wrapped his hands around the chain and pulled back, struggling to set his feet somehow. They were all around him now, blows raining down on him while he struggled to free his hands. He couldn't, and the swarm closed in on him further.
He couldn't brace his feet when there was another jerk on the chain; he slipped and they dragged him forward over a table. Andros groaned softly when he landed on his stomach, lashing out with his feet when he found he couldn't move his arms.
He felt some small measure of satisfaction when someone grunted in pain. At least he'd managed to hit one person. The feeling vanished when hands suddenly grabbed onto him, holding him down until he could barely breathe.
"What do we do with him now?" someone asked gleefully, and Andros clenched his fists.
"Kill him," Darkonda growled. "Slowly."
Andros bit down hard on his lower lip to keep from reacting, but he couldn't stop the furious thudding of his heart. I don't want to die was the only desperate thought in his mind and he pushed it away angrily, filled with self-disgust.
He couldn't afford fear. He couldn't lie there just waiting for them to kill him. If he died, then he died--but he would not make it that easy for them. Crying out in rage, he reared upwards and threw himself into one last fight.
"Come on," Ashley hissed, tugging hard on Carlos's arm. "If we don't get in there now, there won't be any point in going back for him."
"I don't like it anymore than you do," he murmured back. "But we won't be doing him any favors if we get caught ourselves."
"I know." Ashley sighed and slouched against the wall they'd flattened themselves against. "But..."
"I know."
Ashley growled something under her breath while Carlos peered around the corner another time. "It looks clear," he announced, and drew his blaster. "We have a plan yet?"
"We're not leaving without him," Ashley said sharply, then let out a deep breath. "Sorry."
"Don't worry about it," Carlos muttered distractedly. "C'mon."
Ashley gulped silently as they crept down the eerily still street. Dressed in the bright colors of their suits, they'd hardly blend into the woodwork on a bright, sunny day, but they had no choice. She hated to think what was happening to Andros with every second that they wasted.
The knot in her stomach tightened as they neared the tavern. Whatever was happening had the patrons in an uproar, the shouts audible nearly two blocks away. They sped up.
Ashley almost lost control of herself when they got a good look inside, just barely keeping her anger in check. Somehow, he was still fighting, though she doubted that he would be able to even move in another few moments.
His clothes were torn and bloodied, and his face was a mess. The chains on his wrists had been twisted around the blade of a sword and then pinned up against a wall, leaving him standing on the tips of his toes. He was still struggling, though it wasn't doing him much good.
They watched in horror as one of the many aliens surrounding him drove a fist hard into his abdomen. Andros groaned and coughed, his body straining against the chains.
Ashley started forward and Carlos caught her arm. She glared at him through her helmet, blinking in surprise when he pointed to her empty hands. "Thanks," she muttered, and drew her blaster. "Now?"
"Now."
She didn't think about how badly they were outnumbered. She didn't think about what would happen to her if they lost. Ashley only concentrated on Andros, and how they couldn't abandon him here.
He didn't raise his head as they blasted their way to his side, hardly moving as Carlos cut him down and tossed his body over his shoulder. Ashley felt a lump rise in her throat but forced it back, concentrating hard on the way out.
Darkonda rushed to block them and they charged at him recklessly. Ashley shot at him, distracting just enough that Carlos could slip past with Andros. He rounded on her with an angry shout, but she flipped herself over his head and, as much to her surprise as his, landed neatly on her glider.
Only Darkonda chased after him, the rest of them had had their fun. Ashley sped after Carlos while Darkonda kicked and cursed at the Quantrons to force them to give chase. It wasn't hard to vanish down one of the dark alleys, and as Carlos kept watch, Ashley turned her attention to Andros.
He was fading in and out of consciousness, but something about her caught his attention. She watched him squint at her, his eyes then widening in surprise and astonishment.
"A--ashley?"
"That's me," she murmured, gently stroking his cheek. "Carlos is calling the rest of the team. Don't worry, we'll be out of here in no time."
He gave no sign that he had even heard her. He still was staring at her in confusion, a tiny smile on his face now. "You came back for me," he whispered, and Ashley found herself fighting back tears.
"Of course we did," she told him, her voice harsh to her ears. "Don't you dare try and tell me that you thought we wouldn't."
Andros was silent for a long moment. "Okay," he murmured finally, and pillowed his head on her shoulder as his eyes closed.
