Chapter 8: New Enemies

A/N: Thankyou to MissDJClassyB and Kahnartis for reviewing this story. I truly appreciate it :)

After the promotion celebration, the next month passed by with little or no incident, Z was civil at least towards the rest of the team, but still did not spend any time with them outside of working hours. For the most part, life was normal.

"Sky?" Sky looked up from his bed, to see Bridge walking into their room.

"Yeah?" Sky responded.

"Have you got any idea where the girls are?"

"Syd and Charlie?"

"Yeah."

"Syd's showering; I have no idea where Charlie is. Why?"

"Syd and I are going out for lunch; I figured she'd be with Charlie."

Most guys would be wary if their best friend and girlfriend were going out to lunch, but Sky knew there was nothing going on between Syd and Bridge. They were just close friends. They had been before Sky and Syd had gotten together; and that wasn't going to change now. "Okay, have fun."

XXX

Charlie hit the punching bag; she was furious. She'd just received word that Brad would not be returning to Earth for another month. He was supposed to arrive next Tuesday, but he'd been delayed. She just wanted to tell him how she felt and hoped he'd still feel the same way. She'd been stupid to panic the way she had and never let him know how she'd felt since she was 15.

She continued to hit the bag, faster and harder. She was determined to relieve herself of this frustration and not let that opportunity elude her once again. Eventually she collapsed onto her green coloured bed, exhausted. She was calmer, but not totally calm. She decided to have a shower. She locked her door, slipped out of her black skin-shorts and her purple sports bra. She paused for a moment in front of her mirror; she didn't like to brag or be arrogant, but she was very proud of her body. She loved her bronze skin, brunette hair, her dark brown eyes; and her thin, but defined features. She was the spitting image of her mother, an achievement she was proud of, even if she did have her father's personality. Her mother was an amazing woman and Charlie was proud to be her daughter. After admiring herself for a few more seconds, she headed toward her and Syd's shared bathroom.

XXX

Syd and Bridge sat at the café; both in blue skinny-jeans (Syd's bright, Bridge's navy), Syd wearing a black blouse and Bridge a navy blue button up t-shirt.

"How's the lady scene going?" Syd quizzed.

"I think you know the answer to that." Bridge responded.

"Bridge, I know you care for Z, but you've got to realise that she's no longer the Z that we used to know. She's been consumed by jealously and hatred. You deserve better." Syd reasoned.

"Syd, you know me. And you know that I'll never turn my back on Z, even if you and Sky have." Bridge told her. "I understand why you can't be friends with her anymore, but I've got to keep trying."

"I know, Bridge." Syd said. "I'm proud of you for the way you treat others. It's just that I don't want you to get hurt is all. We all love you."

"I know. I'm just not ready to give up on her. Not yet."

The two friends smiled at one another, each knowing that the other had their backs no matter what.

"Do you remember the time, that you and Charlie decided it would be a great idea to put trip wires on the entrance to the Rec-Room?" Syd smirked.

"And the trip wires dropped paint on the Commander?" Bridge laughed along with her.

Their reminiscing was cut short by the beeping of their Morphers. Syd got to hers first. "This is Cadet – I mean, Officer Drew. What's going on?"

The Commander's voice replied. "We've got an attack downtown."

"We're on our way." Syd replied.

XXX

When Syd and Bridge arrived in the town centre they saw Sky, Charlie and Z all morphed, but taking an absolute beating, but the enemy was unseen. Just a black blur continuously rushing around causing sparks to fly. They turned to each other and nodded. "S.P.D. Emergency!"

The Blue and Pink S.P.D. Rangers charged at the blur only to be knocked back down in a haze of sparks.

"Sky!" Syd called. "What the hell is this thing?"

"I have no idea!" Sky grunted.

"Whatever it is, we sure are getting our asses kicked." Z said.

"Copy that." Charlie responded.

The Rangers were consistently getting knocked down and then beaten again. It was embarrassing them, to say the least. But they couldn't hit whatever "it" was. The Rangers kept getting hit until they were eventually demorphed. Once the dust settled, their attacker was revealed. He looked much like a Ranger, his suit all black with a large red 'X' across his chest, his helmet consisting of a large, gold dome.

Syd looked up just as Sky tried to stand and fight, but was easily dispatched by the assailant. She screamed his name, the last thing Syd remembered before passing out.

XXX

Syd opened her eyes, on account of the light streaming in through the thin white curtains. She yawned and stretched out across the bed. She sat up suddenly, realising she wasn't in her bed back at the academy. She surveyed her surroundings and did not recognise them. She was in a king-sized bed, in a large room, which had two walk-in closets directly across from her and a door which she assumed was an en-suite to her right. She checked the draw in the bedside table on her right, finding a Morpher she did not recognise and a blaster. She got out of bed, realising she was naked and put on a robe.

Syd walked the hallway of the large mansion, unsure of where she was or what she was doing there. She saw pictures of herself along with Sky, at what she assumed were their wedding. Pictures of the team; without Z, but including Brad and Sarah. She eventually found a mahogany staircase and proceeded to travel down to the first floor of the house. Syd heard a noise coming from what she assumed was the kitchen and continued toward it. With her blaster drawn, she peeked inside and what she saw shocked her. Sky, in black tracksuit pants and a tight white V-neck t-shirt, cooking breakfast. Syd was puzzled to say the least.

"Sky?" She asked, putting her blaster on her thigh holster. "What's going on?"

"I'm making you breakfast, honey." Sky replied, not turning to face her.

With no clue as to what the hell was going on, Syd decided to play along. "See, this is why I love you." She said, snaking her arms around his waist from behind.

"I love you, Syd. Not a day goes by that I'm not thankful that you're my wife."

So they were married! Syd wasn't sure what to think. Was this just a dream? Or was it the future? Just as she started to wonder, her world flashed and turned black. She wasn't here! She had just been in a fight with Sky and the others against that blur! She must be in the infirmary! Her world flashed again.

Suddenly, she was at a table in an interrogation room. The grey walls were familiar. Only, she was the one being questioned. A man walked through the door. It couldn't be, could it? It looked like Wes, Sky's father. He wore a black suit and a white shirt, no tie.

"Sydney, do you know who I am?" He asked her.

"Yes." She replied tentatively.

"What I'm about to tell you is very important." He began. "You need to understand. What you just witnessed, that was not a dream. That is potentially the future, for all of you. Right now, you and Bridge are in the infirmary, fighting for your lives. Sky, Charlie and Z are okay."

"How are you here? How do you know all this?" Syd was in shock. Her heart racing.

"I'm a memory, Bridge's memory. He doesn't know it yet, but his ability extends beyond reading aura and emotion. He's a full-fledged telepath and he can see the future. He and you are currently telepathically linked, which is why you can see the future too. It is imperative that you fight to survive, Syd. Sky needs you. You can have the future that you just witnessed, but you need to fight to survive. Once you wake up, it is important that you do not tell anyone of what you saw or your encounter with me. You may talk to Bridge about it, as he has been told all of what you have. Good luck Syd."

"Wait, Mr. Collins!"

"Please, call me Wes."

"Wes. Sky has done everything he can to be the man that you were. You should be very proud of him."

"I always was and always will be." Wes told her, wiping a tear from his eye. "I'll always be watching over him and Charlie. Over all of you, for that matter."

Wes faded away. Another flash; and then nothing.

XXX

Syd opened her eyes and surveyed her surroundings. She was in the infirmary. Sky asleep at her bedside, Charlie in the corner of the room and Bridge on the bed next to her. She nudged her boyfriend.

"Sky?"

He awoke with a start. "Syd!" He kissed her. "Oh my god, Syd! You're okay!"

Charlie and Bridge also woke up and ran to hug her. Charlie then ran off to get Kat. Kat arrived and checked Syd's vitals, giving her the all clear to return to active duty as soon as the next day.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Syd." Charlie told her. "I would've killed you otherwise." The two laughed at the redundancy of the joke.

Charlie left to get some sleep, whilst Sky stayed with Syd, which she preferred anyway. After Sky had dozed off, she looked over at Bridges bed, where he returned her gaze and nodded. She smiled at him, before turning back to face Sky, curling up in his arms and falling asleep.

XXX

For the next few days, Sky fussed over Syd, making sure she had everything that she required. To be honest, it was cute at first. Now she was tiring of it. She'd started training again the day after she'd been released from the infirmary!

"Sky, babe?"

"Yeah?" Sky replied, looking up from his crime novel.

"We need to talk." She said sternly, sitting down on the couch. Sky looked at her nervously. "I don't want you fussing over me anymore. I appreciate everything you've done over the last few days, but I'm fine! I'm a Power Ranger, Sky!"

"I know, Syd. I just love you so much; and almost losing you scared me half to death."

"I love you too," Syd told him, kissing him on the lips.

"RANGERS REPORT TO THE COMMAND CENTRE" Kat's voice rang over the speakers.

Sky and Syd arrived at the Command Centre shortly after the others and Cruger began to brief them.

"Rangers, the assailant you faced a few days ago is back. We're calling them the Dark Ranger. Whoever they are, they possess the S.P.D. Supreme Ranger Morpher, designed for the next Supreme Commander of S.P.D. after Commander Birdie retires. Apprehend whoever it may be and bring them in."

"Yes Sir!"

The Rangers turned and began their Morphing sequence; "S.P.D. Emergency!"

XXX

The Rangers arrived at the city's central business district and attacked their enemy. Once again they were easily defeated. All except Sky. Sky was able to go toe-to-toe with the enemy for almost half a minute but was also defeated. The battle spilled onto the streets nearby. Z was shot in the chest; and Charlie; both the shoulder and chest. Both went down. The Dark Ranger drew a blade and fought Bridge and Syd simultaneously, slashing the Blue and Pink Rangers and creating sparks from their suits. Sky went up against him a second time; again with no weapons. Sky managed to disarm the Dark Ranger of his sword but was quickly shot three times in the chest by the blaster. The Rangers were all on the ground, unable to stand. The assailant slowly walked up to Sky, placed his blaster on the top of the Red Ranger's helmet as Sky lay flat on his back.

Suddenly, the Dark Ranger was hit with a singular blue blast from above, square in the chest. He was knocked backward, flat on his back. He struggled to stand and instead, teleported away. The Rangers turned around to find their saviour; and saw a tall, muscular man with a sandy-brown buzz cut and a rifle, on the overpass above. He wore a set of mustard skinny jeans and a black casual dress-shirt and stood triumphantly, staring down at the Rangers below.

"It can't be…" Said Charlie, uncertain of whether she was dreaming or not.

End of Chapter 8. Please Review!