Chapter 16 - Loyalties

The four armored men faced off as a breeze gently rustled the blades of grass on the ground, blowing the few downed leaves away. Chalice drew back on his bow while Garren trained his blaster. G3 and G4 stood their ground firmly. Kamen Rider Garren fire's at the two, causing them to roll in order to dodge. Kamen Rider Chalice took the moment to charge forward. Before G4 could pull the trigger, Chalice used his forearm to push the large weapon up, causing G4 to fire into the air. Chalice slashes at G4's stomach, forcing him to release the weapon and step back. Chalice rushed in for another overhead slash that G4 rolled under. As he rose to his feet, he spun and extended his leg, catching Chalice with a wheel kick. Chalice's head swung in the direction of the blow as he dropped his bow. G4 surged forward throwing a wild haymaker. Chalice stopped the punch but cupping G4's wrist and smashing his five into the bicep of G4. Chalice drew his closest fist to G4 in before smashing the jaw of his helmet with a hammer fist then leaning in with a rear overhand punch. G4 was floored and as soon as his body hit the ground, Chalice slammed his shin into G4's side, causing him to roll along the dirt.

Kamen Rider Garren and G3 continued opening fire on each other as Garren circled to avoid the rapid firing rounds. Garren landed a shot on G3's shoulder before he was able to close the distance. G3 swung his large weapon at Garren who weaved around the attack. Garren countered with a round kick to G3's side then fired blasts into his chest. As he doubled back, Garren fired a final blast between the eyes of his helmet knocking him onto his back.

"Let's kick it up a notch!" Chalice yelled as he slid a card through his bow and drew back on it. As he released it, both G4 and G3 evaded the blast and explosion by rolling. G4 was able to grab his gun and fire on Garren, rippling his suit with bullets. Garren howled in pain before his body was thrown to the ground. Chalice charged forward but was caught from his blind side with bullets. His suit sparked as the bullets bounced off of it.

"You two are aren't that bad, but we have been at this much longer." G4 said. He trained his weapon on Chalice who was struggling to his feet. "This is goodbye!" As G4 yelled, he felt a grip on his foot. Looking down, he saw a black hand reaching through the dirt. "What the," G4 saidas he ripped his boot from the grip. A being slowly pulled itself from the dirt. Exposing its antenna were silver matching it's hard exoskeleton. It's eyes were green and body clad in a black leather trench coat with a hood covering half its head. A flowing halo hovered inches above its head as it grunted. It's jaws opened exposing the razor sharp teeth.

"Command are you seeing this?" G3 asked as he slowly backed up. Hands started to break through the ground repeatedly as more and more rose from the dirt.

"Any plans?" Garden asked.

"Don't do anything brash," Chalice said as he readies himself. The two stood back to back as G3 and G4 did the same.

"Multiple contacts!" G3 yelled "left flank!" As the group looked to the left there were many more emerging from the north. Chalice drew back on his bow and fired energy arrows into three of the oncoming horde. Garren fired his blasts at the closest of the beings.

"We've got to find a way out of here!" Garren yelled as he sidestepped an attack and fired into the back of the insectoid being. G3 and G4 let loose hell upon the oncoming horde. Their bodies were sprayed with bullets but no blood would come from the wounds. Their bodies would only fall before slowly rising back to their feet. Chalice swing his bladed bow, slicing off an arm before driving his boot into its chest. As it fell backwards, it was only moments before the insect was making its way to its feet.

"They don't stay down," Garren said as he and G4 continued to fire into the horde. G3 dropped his gun for his his blade as Chalice pulled his blade in two. The struggle for their survival continued as Chalice and G3 battles back to back. They kept each other close, moving in a tight circle as their parties attacks and counters with slashes.

"This is getting bad," G3 said as he blocked a punch with the flat end of his blade. He slid the blade downward and slashed across the lower abdomen before turning his body to deliver a deadly side kick to the chest.

"They don't stop coming," Chalice said as he cleaved one of the insectoids in half. He then drove his blade through the forehead between the eyes. It's upper and lower halves shook violently before going still. "Run!" Chalice yelled out as he noticed the death of the being created an opening. The four ran to their motorcycles only to find more and more of these things roaming around.

"The entire north is infested I repeat the entire north is infested!" G3 called. "Requesting immediate support!"

"Forget all that, fight through them!" Chalice yelled as he charged forward slashing the two closest mobsters through the midsection, splitting their bodies in half. Garren followed behind him, blasting three more in the head. The two jumped onto their motorcycles under the cover fire of G4 and G3. Chalice drew back on his bow, releasing arrows at rapid fire to cover the two bulky riders. Their engines roared as they gave their vehicles gas and road through the horde.

"What the hell were those things!?" Garren yelled over the engine.

"They're called undead. We don't know their origin or where they come from but we were planning for their appearance." G3 explained.

"We will need you both if we are to defeat this threat," G4 added.

"The hell makes you think we will help?" Garren said.

"We will kill everyone you care about," G4 replied sharply.

"Threaten my family again and I'll…" Chalice began but stopped as six figures came in to view. They were adults and familiar. He shot a glance to Garren who stopped his motorcycle altogether. Chalice stopped not a far in front. "Why are they here?"

"Do you know them?" G3 asked.

"They're our friends," Garren answered as he could see them turn around. Chalice and Garren studied the bruised faces of Aj, Donna, NC, Katrina, Neil and Brian.

"So that's why you wouldn't kill them," G3 made the question sound like as statement. Garren and Chalice sat in silence. "Either way, orders are orders." G3's engine roared to life but before he could ride forward Garren and Chalice stood between them.

"You even think about it and we will kill you and everyone in that bunker." Chalice hissed. The rangers stood confused but ready for another fight. "We will follow your orders only if your people agree to leave them alone, those are our terms and there is no negotiating."

"If I were you, I would definitely consider following. Unless you wish to fight Zed, The Beetle Borges, the other riders and the undead alone," Garren added. The two road off in silence as the rangers teleported out of the area.

The sun slowly descended as the night's moon rose to power. Brian stood outside his back down, eyes fixed on the moon's glow as a gentle wind rustled his hair. He didn't turn to acknowledge the footsteps he heard from the moment she stood at the foot of his stairway before finally making her way down. "I thought you'd still be sleep," he said without turning his gaze from the moon. Donna's face almost began to glow as she stepped into the light. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she drew closer before wrapping her arms around his waist. She dug her face into his back softly.

"I've been awake since you left the bed." Donna said in a hushed tone.

"I'm sorry, I'm just trying to make sense of them coming to help us." Brian said as he trailed off back into thought. The two stood in silence until the doorbell sounded. "Never a dull moment," he said was he turned out of her grip and made his way to the door. As he slowly opened it he was greeted with the smiling faces of Nc and Neil.

"So you are up, see bro, I told you." Neil said.

"That doesn't change that it's twelve midnight and we should all be sleep." NC said. Brian invited the two brothers in.

"Either of you heard from Katrina?" Donna asked as she walked into the room. NC instantly had a wide grin stretch across his lips as he felt Neil's elbow bash into his tricep, signaling him to cut the crap.

"Nah, not sense the fight, Aj either." Neil answered. "You don't think they are.."

"No, Aj is Hez's best friend bro come on." Brian quickly said.

"Speaking of Hez, how is he?" Donna asked.

"Not sure, he's been hard to reach," Neil replied. "I catch him at the gym but something seems off. He's always been focused before but it's like he's on some war path."

"Well then, sounds like we need another squad outing," Brian said with a smile. NC initially winced at the thought of the last outing. Neil simply palmed his forehead and sighed.

"I'm gonna regret it but he has a point," Neil said. A light knock on the door was heard.

"We'll speak of one of the devil's," Brian said as he opened his door, letting Katrina and Aj in.

"Been seeing you guys in the same place together a lot," NC said, his words were instantly met with a side kick to his chest from a visibly aggravated Katrina. He huffed as the air escaped his lung and inhaled deeply to regain his composure.

"Well, good to see the team gets along as fine as ever." Brian said. Katrina sat between Neil and NC, glaring at him through the corners of her eyes.

"So… Why is everyone at my house?" Brian asked.

"Well I figured it was about time to talk about the elephant in the room, the Riders stopping the two even bigger riders from beating our already beaten asses." Aj answered.

"That was kind of baffling," NC said.

"It would be easy if we knew who they were. Like one second they beat the shit out of us and the next they save our asses and stop the Robo Cop looking guys from catching us slipping." Aj pointed out.

"What do we do?" Donna asked.

"We find out who they are," Katrina answered. "It's time we find out if they're on our side or if this is all some sick game."

Morning's light slowly banishing the shadows of the night to a new region. Ren opened his eyes, rolling over on his bed to reach for his glasses. His senses slowly came into effect one after the other until he smelled the boiling eggs and turkey bacon. He stood to his feet, looking at himself in the mirror. His body was covered in cuts and recovering bruises. I should probably wear a shirt, he thought to himself before putting on one of the many dojo shirts. Making his way down stairs he was stopped by the sight of long, curly, brunette hair. Her short stature and pale skin was nothing like his mother's.

"Well you're finally awake sleepyhead," Arianna said with a smile as she looked over her shoulder from preparing food.

"What the…"

"Yo," Ren was cut off by hearing a voice from behind him. As he whipped around, he could see Hez sitting his dining room table.

"What the hell?" Ren asked in shock.

"Did you forget I crashed here bro?" Hez said as he stood up stretching. He was dressed in loose grey joggers and a black t shirt that formed to his bodily shape.

"Oh yea, my bad it's still kinda weird with my parents being gonna for the next few months." Ren said.

"Well someone has to keep an eye on you two before Arianna ends up as Mrs. Olarte." Hez said with a grin. Arianna's dash turned beet red with blush as Ren fought back his own. He averted his gaze from her in fear he wouldn't be able to fight it any longer. Arianna began setting the breakfast table as Ren and Hez moved into the living room.

"Any idea on what those guys may say?" Ren asked.

"Not a clue, I'm hoping they don't take what we said lightly." Hez replied.

"So what do we do?"

"For now, we have to handle the numbers of those things in the north. We can't allow Zed to somehow add them to his side. We have to destroy them all and fast." Hez said with a sigh.

"This would suck solo so we are going to need G4 and G3." Ren said.

"Don't remind me," Hez said before Arianna came into the room. Her smile hadn't faded nor her cheery morning mood.

"Food's ready guys!" She said happily as she skipped back to the table. Ren has a smile plastered on his face while Hez pat his shoulder and returned to the table. Ren followed as they began to eat. Hez and Ren both cut their eyes to Arianna who was seemingly unaffected. By the past events.

"Babe, don't you have any questions about.."

"Nope, none. I've decided to trust you and that's the end of it in my case. Just come back to me in one piece," Arianna cut off Ren as she narrowed her eyes at him. Hez seemingly choked on his food.

"Oh my god are you ok?" Arianna asked as she shot up.

"This romance stuff will be the death of me," Hez said with a hint of comic relief in his voice. Arianna threw a pancake at his head that he thought to duck but found it more pleasing to let it slap him in the face and fall into his plate.

"Weirdo" Arianna said.

"Gotta enjoy life the best way I can," Hez replied.