Dr. K was working frantically in her lab, co-ordinating the search for Gemma. It had been close to an hour since they had realised she was missing. Scott called in as he completed his sweep of the shopping district.
"She isn't here." He informed the doctor. "I've checked everywhere she normally hangs out."
"There was no sign of her at the Orphanage either, Ziggy called in a little while ago." Dr. K informed him. "Move on to the barracks. Hicks wasn't in when Tenaya called, maybe he's there. He probably knows where she is."
As she closed off the communications channel, an alarm sounded. Tenaya rushed in, carrying a screaming Alex. He had been woken by the alarm, and was far from happy about it. She typed frantically with her one free hand.
"The computer's just picked up a massive disturbance in the wastes." Tenaya rushed out as Dr. K came to check the monitor with her. "Venjix is on the move."
"By now I think presuming all this is a coincidence would be foolish." Dr. K remarked. "It appears Venjix is sending a massive force towards the city."
"I've never seen anything like this!" Tenaya shrieked as she checked the energy signature. "He's sending...he's sending everything!"
Meanwhile, Gem was just arriving at the water treatment plant. She had called him a little while ago to tell him to meet her there, to help her stop hybrids from poisoning the water in the plant, but so far he could see no sign of her. Indeed, there was no sign of anything happening at all.
His communicator bleeped, and he was about to answer it when he noticed something lying on the ground a little way off. Sunning over, he found the remains of a broken cell phone. Picking them up and inspecting them more closely, he realised it was Gemma's.
"She was here." He gasped as he started to look around frantically. "Gemma!"
"She can't hear you." A guard told him as he walked into view. "She's nearby."
"You know where she is?" Gem asked him. "How do you...?" His words tailed off as he realised what was happening. Pulling out the scanning visor, he turned it on, confirming his horrible suspicion. Areas on the man's body appeared to flash red as it scanned him.
"You're a hybrid?" He asked, pulling into a guard. "Where is she?"
"She's...taking a little dip." He informed Gem, pointing to the main tank. Others started to come into view, all of them also registering as positive for implants. Looking around, Gem realised he was surrounded.
"Guys, I've found Gemma. She's at the water treatment plant." He told them over the communications link. "I could use a hand here."
Over at the Central Command building, Colonel Truman had just arrived, having been contacted by Dr. K as soon as the army approaching Corinth had been discovered.
"What are we looking at?" He asked as soon as he got into the room. The night staff were scanning the wastes, trying to get a handle on exactly what they were facing.
"It's a full-on invasion." The technical officer told him. "I've never seen anything like it. He's coming himself, but it looks like he's throwing everything at us."
"It looks like there's a Grinder for every man woman and child in Corinth out there!" Colonel Truman exclaimed as he got the visual. "Why are they attacking now? They know they can't possibly get an invasion force of that size into the dome with the shields up."
Just then, Elwood hopped onto the console before him. Colonel Truman looked confused to see the cat there.
"Who let this cat in here?" He snapped. Just then, Vasquez came into the room, levelling a blaster in his direction. "Vasquez?"
"Yes, I'm a hybrid." She informed him. A couple of the other guards levelled weapons at her, only to be taken down quickly as Hicks rushed into the room, levelling them dismissively. They lay on the floor unconscious.
"Hicks? You too?" Colonel Truman questioned them.
"Sorry about this, but it looks like your commission's just been revoked." Hicks told him sarcastically as he started to hook up the device in the briefcase to the main console. "We're sleeper agents. We were activated to make the final moves in the game."
"What are you doing?" Colonel Truman asked him. Vasquez just activated the device.
"We were only able to activate the hybrids one at a time before." She informed him. "Venjix needed to keep our true nature hidden, so he could only risk keeping the conduit active. Once he activated me, I could activate the others as and when they were needed."
"You're the conduit?" Colonel Truman asked her. She smiled at him.
"I just activated the others as and when they were needed." She informed him. "I activated Hicks when we had a little problem with Father Larry."
"You killed him?" Colonel Truman gasped as the weight of what she had said hit him.
"Now with this device we're going to activate every hybrid in the city." She informed him, "Venjix had us infiltrate key points in the city, all leading to this one moment; the moment we open the door."
"You're going to lower the shields!" Colonel Truman yelled. He reached for a blaster, only for Hicks to grab his hand, holding him fast. He felt dread building in him as he watched her deactivate the shields. When Venjix's forces arrived, there would be nothing to stop them marching on the city.
Back at the water treatment plant, Gem was struggling against his attackers. He didn't want to hurt the guards, and he couldn't even think about killing them. They were innocent in their actions, powerless to stop themselves under Venjix's control.
He sent one of them flying with a low-power blast from his sky shift blazer. Dillon arrived on the scene shortly afterwards, plunging into them.
"I see what you mean about needing a hand." Dillon stated as he kicked one of them hard, knocking him over. "Where's Gemma?"
"She's in the tank!" Gem told him.
"I'll keep these guys busy. You get her out!" Dillon told him. Gem nodded and ran towards the tank. He checked the gauge on the outside, seeing that the water level was so high that the safety mechanism prevented the door from opening.
He didn't know where in the tank she was, so he was reluctant to just break in. As he looked down, seeing Dillon struggling to keep his opponents at bay without hurting them too badly, he resigned himself to the fact he didn't have a choice. Powering up his weapon, he fired, tearing open the side. Gallons of water rushed out in the space of seconds.
"Dillon watch out!" Gem called down. Dillon saw the wave coming towards him and leapt into the air as it crashed through, scattering the hybrids. He looked around, satisfying himself that they were incapacitated before rushing to join Gem.
Gem ran into the tank, finding Gemma's body lying limply on the floor. He cut her loose with his Cloud Hatchet, before rolling her onto her back.
"She isn't breathing." He said in a panic. He started to perform CPR as Dillon hit the communicator.
"Doc, we found Gemma." He told them. "Are the others at the command centre yet?"
"Not yet, Scott reported hybrids attacking all over the city." She informed him. "They're making their way back here, but it's taking a while."
"All the hybrids have been activated?" Dillon asked her. Just then, Gem breathed a sigh of relief as Gemma started coughing and spluttered up some water. She was shivering badly, the cold starting to tell on her. "Guys, we need to get out of here. The hybrids have been activated."
"Hicks..." Gemma coughed as Gem put his jacket on her to warm her up. Dillon did likewise, realising that hypothermia could be an issue if they didn't act quickly. "Hicks and Vasquez are hybrids. They did this."
Gem's face contorted into a mask of rage. He had almost lost his sister because of them. Dillon put a hand on his shoulder.
"I know, I understand how you feel, but it isn't their fault." Dillon told him.
"They went to the Central Command building." Gemma informed them. "They were going to activate all the hybrids."
"If they take control of the building, they..."
Gem's words were interrupted and they all looked up as they saw the shields coming down.
"Well I guess we know what they wanted." He remarked. "Come on, we need to get back to the command centre."
With that, he and Gem helped Gemma to her feet, before rushing to the Fury. It looked as though they were going to have to face the final battle a lot sooner than they expected.
Ziggy arrived in the Garage first, teleporting into the main room. He ran to Tenaya's side, throwing his arms around her.
"Thank God you're safe!" She said as she finished kissing him passionately.
"I saw the shields coming down and I got worried." He told them. "Is Gemma...?"
"Gem just called, she's alright." Dr. K told them. "Dillon's bringing them back here as we speak."
Summer's motorcycle sped into the room, skidding to a halt. She threw off her helmet as she rushed over to them.
"Is everyone back?" She asked them. Dr. K shook her head.
"It's become apparent that Venjix has taken control of the Command Tower." She began, her expression communicating the seriousness of their situation. "Without the shields, the city is completely defenceless."
"Not completely." Summer corrected her. "We're still breathing."
Scott's racer sped into the room, also screeching to a halt, narrowly missing Summer's bike. He got out the car and ran towards them.
"I just got a message, Morse Code." He told them. "Dad's been captured. The hybrids are rounding up any humans they find at the Barracks. They're being turned."
"If they already have control of the barracks then that means most of the military's already captured." Summer replied.
"We don't know how many are free and still fighting." Dr. K reminded them. "We have no idea who we can rely on for support. We're on our own."
"A few of the citizens are still fighting." Scott told her. "But on the whole, we have to presume we're on our own."
Flynn arrived at that point, slamming on the anchors, but failing to avoid hitting Summer's bike in his desperate rush to get back. Summer just glared at him, but let it go for just now. Her bike being damaged was by far the least of their problems.
"Its bloody chaos out there, the city's tearing itself apart!" Flynn informed them. "There's some citizens fighting, but the hybrids are over running them."
"I have an idea where we could get some help." Ziggy chipped in, morphing once more. "If we don't have the regular army, it's time to get another one."
"Ziggy, where are we going to get more soldiers?" Scott asked him. He shared a glance with Tenaya, smiling at her. She knew exactly what his plan would be, and while she wasn't exactly wild about it, she knew they were fast running out of options.
"It's probably best you don't know." He replied. "Trust me."
With that, he teleported away, leaving them confused. Dillon was the last to arrive, Gem and Gemma getting out of his car as they came over to them.
"I think I know how to get the hybrids back to our side." Gemma stated, still shivering uncontrollably. "Vasquez told me..."
"Vasquez is a hybrid?" Dr. K asked her.
"Hicks too apparently." Dillon added. Dr. K looked at Gemma a little sympathetically. She could guess what had happened to her, and could guess at how much it had to be tearing her apart. She was the only one that knew that Gemma had gotten together with him.
"We can't worry about that..."
"Vasquez told me that there's a conduit." She continued. "That's how Venjix managed to get the signal to activate the first hybrid into the city."
"Gemma..."
"Venjix is in his body, he's separated from his mainframe." Gemma reminded them. "If we destroy the conduit, you can send out a signal that will deactivate the hybrids..."
"And he won't be able to re-activate them." Dr. K concluded. "Do you have any idea where the conduit is?"
"It's in the command building." Dillon told them. "It's Vasquez; she was the first one active."
"So we have to destroy her?" Summer asked them. "Guys, she's an innocent victim, we can't just kill her!"
"We may not have a choice." Scott replied. "If it's a case of her life or the lives of others..."
"I don't think we have to destroy Vasquez." Gemma told them. "Come on Gem."
The others watched them go before anyone could stop them. Scott turned back to the rest of them.
"Dillon, until Ziggy gets back the Valvemax isn't accessible." He continued with the briefing. "Come on guys, we need to get out there. If Venjix is coming, I guess it's time to say hello."
Over at the Central Command building, Vasquez and Hicks were awaiting their master's arrival when Kilobyte came into the room. Crunch was not far behind him, sticking close to him as a result of his master's orders. Kilobyte knew exactly why Crunch was tailing him, but it didn't concern him greatly.
"What are you doing here?" Vasquez asked them. "The Master didn't tell us..."
"I have a small matter of business to deal with here." Kilobyte interrupted her. "If you would be so kind as to...be somewhere else, that would be appreciated."
"The Master..."
"I am his highest ranking General, now leave us!" Kilobyte barked. Vasquez didn't look at all happy about being dismissed so rudely, but she accepted the slight. She jerked her head to the door at which Hicks followed her to the door.
"So what are you doing here?" Crunch asked him. "Venjix never told me of any orders..."
"Except the order to destroy me." Kilobyte interrupted him casually. Crunch shifted a little uneasily. "I warned you before that this would happen. That is why I must destroy him."
Just then, he held up a hand-held detonator, pressing the switch.
"What did you do?" He shrieked. Kilobyte just laughed.
"I wired the palace before we left." He told him. "I've just destroyed Venjix's mainframe. Now all he has left is that body. If that's destroyed..."
"You traitor!" Crunch shrieked as he called forth his weapon and charged to the attack. Kilobyte called forth his sword and prepared to defend himself.
Vasquez and Hicks arrived outside, taking a seat on the steps at the front of the building, as Elwood padded down the stairs behind them. He hopped onto her lap and curled up, at which Vasquez started to scratch him behind the ears.
"Are you late for something?" She asked as Hicks cast a look down to his watch. "The tank will have filled up by now."
"I'm sure." He replied, feeling the same conflict within him. His mind kept telling him that what he was doing was all that was important, but any time he thought about Gemma his chest felt heavy, and he found it difficult to breathe. Something about what he had done troubled him deeply. He knew that he was human before, and that he had some connection to the Silver Ranger, but what did that matter? Why did he keep thinking about her?
"It'll all be over soon." She told him.
In an alley a little way off, Gem and Gemma crouched behind a trash can. Gemma slipped on a scanning visor, observing Hicks and Vasquez as they talked. She got a broad smile as she confirmed her suspicions.
"It looks like I was right. We can destroy the conduit without much problem." She told her brother. She took off the visor, looking down at the ground as she considered what she wanted to say next. "Gem, could you do me a favour?"
"I'll fight him." He replied. Gemma looked up at him a little surprised, but he looked down on her and smiled. "I figured it out."
"Bu I never told you..."
"Hey, we did share a womb together." He reminded her. "You are only a few minutes older than me."
"Gem, I..."
"It's alright, I understand why you wanted something you didn't share with your baby brother." He responded softly. "I've shared everything with you up until now. I suppose it was bound to happen for one of us sooner or later."
"I'll take care of Vasquez." Gemma told him. With that, they rushed into view, morphing as they did so. Vasquez was the first to notice them, standing up, causing Elwood to hop off her knees.
"I guess you survived your little bath." Vasquez teased her. Gemma just took a step forward.
"I'm not that easy to kill." She replied. "Growing up in Alphabet Soup I've been blown up more than once."
"Hicks, why don't you...?"
"Sorry, but I already have business with him." Gem interrupted her. "He made my sister cry. That's something no one does and gets away with it."
"He did a lot more than that to her." Vasquez told him. Gem just looked to his sister, confirming that he knew she was only trying to psyche him out. He knew despite his instinctive will to hurt Hicks for what he did to his sister that it wasn't his fault. He rushed Hicks, throwing a hard kick into him, sending him flying into the wall. Vasquez looked up to Gemma.
"So I guess we're the ones that dance." She taunted her. "I suppose it was too hard to fight your boyfriend."
"Actually it was just easy to want to hurt you." Gemma replied coldly. "I'm here to destroy the conduit."
"Well..." Vasquez was sent to the floor by a hard punch, blood streaming down her face from her nose.
"You kissed my boyfriend you bitch!" Gemma hissed. "Let's get this over with!"