Chapter 24
She and Dylan walked along a worn out dirt path. "So, did that Nick guy give you any trouble?" he asked her. Maddie frowned and looked down at the ground. "Because if he did-" Dylan began, but was cut off by Maddie. "No, he didn't do anything. He just… is being protective of me, is all. He's one of my best friends, so I don't blame him," she explained. Dylan looked unconvinced, but he didn't object.
Dylan led Maddie to the clearing he had taken her the day before. "Thanks," said Maddie. "For what?" he asked. "I don't know… just for being a good friend," she said. Dylan looked at her with soft eyes. "Maybe we could be more than friends," he said, leaning forward and kissing her on the lips. She didn't know what to do, so she just did what she did with Nick and kissed him back. His lips suddenly feel to her neck, and she felt a bit uncomfortable. "Dylan, I…" she trailed off as he shushed her. His hands began lingering over her body and she pulled away. "Dylan, I'm not ready for this," she said. "But I am," he said and pulled her close to him and put his lips to her neck again. "Dylan, stop!" she yelled, but he kept kissing her. She tried pulling away, but he kept a good grip on her.
"Hey, jerk-face, let her go!" shouted a voice from behind Dylan. Maddie looked past Dylan to see Amber and Adam. Amber picked up a rock and threw it at Dylan. She missed. She picked up another, but Adam grabbed her arm. "Amber, don't," he said. "Let go of me," she said and jerked her arm free and threw the rock at Dylan. This time, it hit his head and he shouted in pain. He let go of Maddie and touched the back of his head and looked at his hand, which had blood on it. "I'll get you for that!" he shouted. "Come on, Maddie!" said Amber. Maddie, Amber and Adam ran into the forest. Amber stopped to pick up another rock, but Adam grabbed her arm before she could pick up the rock. Amber looked up to see Dylan was really close and she forgot about the rock and continued running with Maddie and Adam. Maddie felt a rush of gratitude towards the two kids. If they hadn't come, she'd probably be in big trouble right now.
"This way," said Amber ad lead the way towards a thick part of woodland where there were a lot of boulders and trees close together. "Amber, wait!" called Maddie. Amber let Adam and Maddie go in front of her. Maddie wished Nick were there. She always felt content and safe with him. Why was she always the one to get into dangerous trouble? But whenever something bad happened to her, Nick was always there. "Maddie, hurry!" said Amber. Maddie looked behind them to see Dylan coming towards them, but he was far behind. They climbed over this huge boulder. Amber stumbled and screamed, almost falling back onto some sharp rocks, but Adam grabbed her hand and helped pull her back up. She came up and her face and Adam's were about one inch from each others. Maddie saw Amber's cheeks turn pink and her eyes widened when she saw Dylan coming towards them.
"Come on," Maddie said and they ran to a boulder. They walked behind it that way Dylan wouldn't see them. Dylan rushed past the boulder and Amber poked her head over the top, but Adam pulled her back down and put his hand over her mouth. She objected, but he gave her a warning stare. Maddie remembered she had her morpher and pulled it out. She motioned for Adam and Amber to stay there. "Like I can go anywhere with his hand on my mouth," muttered Amber when Adam removed his hand from her mouth. He glared at her and she just looked down and bit her lip.
Maddie smiled and then tip toed to another boulder and called Nick. "Hello?" said Nick when he answered his morpher. "Nick, we need help. You were right… Dylan is a bad guy, I'm sorry," she said, beginning to cry out of fear. "Maddie, slow down, where are you?" he asked. "I-I don't know," she said. "Dylan tried to…" she trailed off, and she knew Nick knew what she was talking. "Maddie, I'm sorry," he said. "Nick, we're in the woods somewhere," she said. "Who's we?" asked Nick. "Amber, Adam and I," she said, and then explained to him who Adam and Amber were. "Okay, I'll get Chip, Xander and Vida and we'll find you guys," he said. "We'll find you, Maddie. I promise," he said. "I know," she said, and they hung up.
Maddie walked back over where Amber and Adam were. Amber's knee was bleeding badly. "I must have scrapped it when I slipped on the rock," said Amber when she saw Maddie looking at her leg. Amber put her hand over it, trying to stop the bleeding. Maddie took off her jacket and wrapped it around Amber's leg. Amber jumped when it stung. "You okay?" asked Maddie. Amber nodded, but Maddie saw tears of pain swelling in her eyes, but she could also see Amber fighting to hold them back. "Was that Nick?" Amber asked. "Yeah, he, my sister and my two other friends are coming to get us," Maddie explained. "We saw your morpher," said Adam. Maddie stiffened. "We can't believe you're one of the power rangers," said Amber excitedly. "You're the blue mystic force ranger, right?" asked Adam. Maddie nodded. "Don't worry, we won't tell your secret," said Amber. Maddie made a small smile. "Thanks, guys," she said. Suddenly, there was a rustle in the bushes, and they all froze. Then Dylan stepped out of the bushes.
He had a gun with him too. "Dylan, don't do anything stupid," said Maddie in a scared, yet calm voice. Amber grabbed a rock, but Adam made her drop it. "Don't you do anything stupid, either," Adam whispered to Amber. Dylan shook his head. He was about to pull the trigger, but then Maddie said, "Magical Source. Mystic Force!" and powered up. Dylan's eyes widened with surprise. "What? How?" he stammered. "Surprised?" asked Maddie. Dylan was surprised, but that didn't stop him from pulling the trigger. But Maddie was quicker and she made water sprout from the ground and carry him high in the air. He dropped his gun, and Maddie took it and threw it against a boulder to break it.
Dylan came down, and Maddie crossed her arms over her chest. "Leave," she said. Dylan nodded and turned around and ran off as fast as he could.