Wukong began to drift into a daydream. It started off well enough, Then it began to change, suddenly Wukong was standing in what looked like Zedd's pocket dimension. " How did i get here?" Jessi asked,
"I brought you here" a voice said.
Wukong turned around to see a floating tiki head. " Who are you?"
" My name is Gosei, i was the former apprentice of Zordon " Gosei replied,
" Why have you brought me here?" Wukong asked, Gosei chuckled.
"Something is coming Son Wukong, something you and the others have to be ready for " Gosei said,
"What's coming?" Wukong asked, suddenly a explosion knocked Wukong back.
The Monkey King sat bolt upright, gasping heavily to catch his breath. It took him a few seconds to realise he was in the Thunderclap Monastery common room, "Are you alright Wukong?" Zang asked.
"Yeah", he wheezed in embarrassment, "bad dream, that's all", he didn't want to admit that she had been awoken from someone trying to send a message to him, Zang didn't look overly convinced but didn't press the issue, Sandy though had a very pensive look on his face.
The group made their way towards a briefing room where Quanling was waiting, " Sir?" Quanling began, "I didn't realise you had called this meeting."
Gotama snorted under his breath. Fortunately all attention turned towards Gotama and Quan ling, Gotama twisted his head, looking directly at Quan, "Quan Ling I believe the time is right to unveil Project Fire".
"Project Fire?" Quan asked sceptically, "but we've barely finished initial testing".
"Hold on did you say Fire?" Pigsy interjected himself into the conversation.
Quan Long sighed and nodded slowly, she hit a switch on the wall, a light turned on in another room ,revealing a white horse motorcycle, a cloud motorcycle and a blue jeep.
"Vehicles?", Sandy asked.
Wukong stepped forward and inspected the cloud motorcycle, while Zang inspected the horse motorcycle, "So I'm not sure I want to be a guinea pig for a barely tested piece of kit". Wukong said.
Watching this exchange impassively, Sandy wondered if Gotama was making the correct decision, "Sorry to interrupt but we've got a situation brewing", Quan Ling wheezed.
Without missing a beat, the assembled party bundled out the room and scampered towards the central control room. Waiting for them were Ariel and Charlie who were observing a number of monitors. Curiously though there was nothing but static on the screens, "Report Officers", Cruger snapped at the pair.
"SPD?" Wukong asked.
"A Squad know about our surveillance", Ariel replied, "rewind the monitors back by five minutes Charlie". The black Space Ranger did as instructed and swiped backwards on the screens. SPD has taken control of several key security cameras in the vicinity of the compound where A Squad were currently hiding out. Until their reappearance yesterday they hadn't been picked up on any recorded footage, leading B Squad to suspect they hadn't left the building. The ambush in the industrial district changed that theory and this was about to prove it, "Watch very carefully", Ariel added, "starting with the monitor on the far left".
The journey rangers and the rest leaned towards the indicated screen and waited patiently. Several seconds passed until the image suddenly cut out, displaying only static, "I didn't see anything", Sky grumbled, "was there some kind of technical failure?"
"Keep watching", Charlie pointed at the next monitor along as that too suddenly turned to static.
The gathered rangers watched in amazed as one by one the screen blacked out in perfect sequence from left to right until only one remained, "They're systematically destroying the feed", Zang pointed out.
"Thank you Zang for pointing out the obvious", Cruger growled, "how is this even possible?" he directed his comment towards the Special Operations Officers, "these are ordinary traffic cameras, not one installed specially by SPD".
"You train your Officers well Commander", Gotama commented, "unfortunately they are aware that Special Operations is now involved. A Squad worked closely with them on a number of occasions and they will be well aware of our standard tactics".
A feeling of dread washed over Pigsy as he focused on the final screen which had yet to be taken out. He could see a shadow approaching the camera and something told him that he knew exactly who was going to appear. Sure enough his worst fears were confirmed when Dhane appeared on screen, the red monkey waved his hand revealing the Scroll Moments later Dhane strutted away and the image cut out just like all the others.
Wukong felt the intense scrutiny of every person in the room, he didn't need to be telepathic to know what they were thinking, "Just say it", he mumbled, "whatever you want to say just say it".
"I'm sorry Wukong but we have to ask", Ariel began, "have you had any contact with your family in the last 24 hours".
"Nope, why would I ?" Wukong snorted sarcastically, "and something tells me you're not truly sorry".
"I beg your pardon", Ariel cried in shock.
"You've had it in for us from the very beginning", Wukong fired back, " just cause we fought Dhane in the past and my legacy."
"Yeah and look how that turned out for you", Ariel countered. " you've been turned evil once before"
Fury pounded through Wukong's veins and for a brief second he wanted to slap the arrogance and the shit out of the Special Operations Officer. A firm hand on his arm immediately pulled him back from the edge, "Now you listen here", Zang began before realising that he didn't know who Ariel was, "whoever you are, just because you wear a fancy uniform doesn't give you the right to insult people"
"No but this badge give me the right to question a person of interest how I see fit", Ariel flashed her SPD licence in the white rangers direction.
"Ariel Hammond enough", Andros scolded his daughter, "I thought I raised you to show respect to others". The red Space Ranger retreated into herself, mumbling an apology, "Arguing amongst ourselves never works, I learned that from bitter experience, you and i both know that sir" the journey rangers looked at Andros, they noted the haunted look in Andros's eyes, like an old soldier remembering a long forgotten battle.
"Fuck you" Wukong said, the journey rangers meandered away. Despite everything , Wukong still couldn't shake feeling something bad was going to happen. Was dream a prophetic message of a battle to come?. Further down the corridor he heard Sandy announce a party for their victory. Wukong smiled vaguely, the last thing he wanted to do right now was celebrate.
