Kira skidded to a halt as all her friends, and their newfound allies came into the centre of Cross World City. She prepared herself for the trouble ahead, as she had so many times before, but this time knowing that this time the odds were far greater than she had known. Kaitlin nudged her gently to rouse her attention.
"After this, you tell him." She reminded her. Kira just nodded. The thought of letting Tommy know exactly why she kept coming round to his place, why she had been there through everything he had been through still terrified her. She had made the bet with Kaitlin that at the end, if she made the leap and told JB how she felt, then she would do the same with Tommy.
They looked out over the forces erected before them. Grimlord had thrown all his aces into the pot this time, and it was a virtual army. Hundreds, maybe thousands of creatures were waiting on the order to advance. Grimlord strode to the front, presenting himself to them for the battle.
"We are ready to take over the world!" He roared, raising a roar from his army. The troopers and Rangers didn't flinch though. Tommy just smiled.
"100/1, those sound like good odds don't they?" He asked. He looked to Ryan with a grin. "I bet I take my hundred before you do."
"You're on bookworm." Ryan replied. Grimlord gestured for his forces to attack, following which, they fell upon each other in a frenzy of action.
Kaitlin swung her hatchet, slicing down enemies in every direction.
JB seemed to be an accomplished fighter, swinging his sabre around in a practiced manner and destroying enemies all over.
Ethan was having the time of his life, destroying everything around him. It had only been a few weeks since Cassiday, the only girlfriend he had ever had, had dumped him. She could understand herself the cathartic properties of violence.
Finally, the action ended as a blast sounded off. Kira turned in time to see Tommy, held by the throat, struggling against Grimlord's grip. His left arm hung uselessly at his side, seemingly broken, and he was bleeding from numerous wounds. Kira felt her heart jump into her throat; choking her as she watched the evil dictator hold the man she loved in his grasp, threatening to choke the life out of him.
"ENOUGH!" Grimlord roared. "This world is mine! I've taken your champion!"
Conner looked like he was prepared to do something, but thought better of it. He knew that even with his speed, it was doubtful he'd get there in time. Kira felt her chest tighten, and was thankful for the helmet as tears ran down her face. She would gladly have traded places with him, just so she knew he was safe.
"What do you want?" Kaitlin screamed, sticking close to Kira.
"I want you all to power down and relinquish your powers to me." He replied arrogantly. "Do it now or the legend dies here, a lonely old high school..."
At exactly that point, JB appeared out the air and tackled Grimlord to the ground, before taking them both to the Virtual World. Conner looked to the foot soldiers and smiled.
"I guess it's too much to hope you've all decided to go home." He told them as he powered up into Super Dino Mode. "Are you cool to continue Dr. O?"
"It wouldn't be the first time I had to finish a fight with only one wing." He answered as he too powered up. "Come on guys, let's finish this!"
Meanwhile, in the Virtual World, Grimlord and JB crashed to the ground, rolling down the side of a cliff to a halt. Since he had activated his vortex command as he tackled Grimlord, he hadn't had time to set its destination, meaning that they had ended up appearing several feet above the ground.
JB scrambled to his feet as Grimlord snapped back up, a longsword appearing in his hand. He rolled clear as Grimlord swung wildly, almost striking JB's head from his shoulders. The Trooper drew his lance, facing Grimlord as he prepared a guard.
"Do you really think you're any match for me Trooper?" He asked him.
"I am today." JB told him. "You're never going to get Earth. As long as even one of us is still breathing, you will never win!"
"My minions will take care of your friends." Grimlord responded. "I guess I'll have to deal with you personally!"
Back in the command centre, Jeb was watching the action unfolding, looking between the battle in the streets of Cross World City, and the duel raging in the Virtual World.
"They're really taking a pounding Prof." He commented. "Grimlord's never rolled this deeply before; it really looks like he's throwing all his eggs in one basket this time."
"It seems like he is." Professor Hart agreed. "If JB hadn't acted when he had, Tommy's power would have been more than enough to tear the veil between our worlds."
"Well I doubt that's going to be much comfort to JB once the rest of Grimlord's friends show up." Jeb stated. "I doubt it's going to stay a fair fight for long, and he's all alone in there. If you have an idea, now would be a good time." The professor fell silent for a moment. Jeb could tell that there was something he wasn't saying. "Prof?"
"I've been trying to come up with a way to seal the rift between this world and the Virtual World once and for all." He informed the dog. "The device is almost ready."
"Have you been holding out on us Prof?" Jeb asked him. "Why haven't you given it to the Troopers?"
"The device is still unrefined. It required a lot of energy to use." He replied. "It would exhaust the team's Trooper powers completely. If it goes off and the rift isn't sealed, they would be vulnerable."
"Well it looks like they're circling the drain as it is Prof." Jeb replied, flicking his nose in the direction of the screen, attracting his attention to an image of Ryan and Tommy being blasted through the front of a store. "Is this weapon really as powerful as you say it is?"
"If the three troopers use their energy to power it, it will probably seal the rift for good." Professor Hart told him. "If that happens, Grimlord and his army will be trapped forever."
"Then let's have it!" Jeb yelled. The professor was reluctant, but finally a panel opened, and a silver, spherical device, a little larger than a baseball was revealed. Jeb looked to the professor's screen.
"Tell the others the plan." He stated as he padded over to the panel. "I'll get this to them."
With that, he took the device and turned tail, rushing from the lab. Professor Hart opened a communications link, relaying the information to the others.
Kaitlin was smashed to the ground under the unending assault. Grimlord had indeed sent far more of his forces than they had ever seen. The Rangers and the Troopers were fighting with everything they had, but the numbers were beginning to tell on them. Like it or not, they were close to the end. Ryan and Conner came over to her, helping her up.
"Kaitlin..."
"I'm fine!" She told them. "I'm still in it!"
"Professor Hart just called, he's sending Jeb over with something that could tip the scales in our favour." Ryan told her. "But first he wants us to take this back to the Virtual World."
"That's easier said than done." Conner told them. "How are we meant to do that?"
"Hayley sent us a little gift." Tommy replied, coming over as they huddled together. "When I explained the situation, she said she could utilise Mesagog's invisiportal technology to create a vortex to the Virtual World."
"We could use that right about now." Ryan told him. "Without JB's vortex, we have no other way to do it."
Tommy lifted his one good arm to his helmet, to speak into his communicator.
"Hayley, what do we have to do?" He asked her.
"Just get all of Grimlord's goons into the mall." She told him. "I'll do the rest from there."
"Come on guys, fall back!" Conner called out.
"Where?" Kira asked him. "These guys are everywhere!"
"Head to the mall!" He told them as he started to run. "I'll explain on the way!"
With that, Ryan, Kaitlin and the Rangers broke into a run, heading to the mall, with Grimlord's army in hot pursuit.
JB pressed the attack, his lance rebounding off Grimlord's sword many times as the battle progressed. The evil dictator finally found a gap in JB's guard, striking a telling blow to his midsection. JB staggered away as Grimlord laughed.
"Yuck it up Grimlord, I'll get you soon enough." JB told him. His voice carried a lot more confidence than he actually had. All he wanted was to separate him from his army in Cross World City. He knew that he wouldn't be able to hold out against him for much longer, but as long as he gave his friends time to deal with the rest of Grimlord's forces, his sacrifice wouldn't be in vain. He knew that now Tommy and the Rangers had joined them, the other Troopers would be able to finish what he started.
"You're weakening, I can see it." Grimlord taunted him. "Why, another 20 minutes from now, I doubt you'll even be able to hold that lance, never mind swing it."
"It doesn't matter how much longer I can swing this." JB replied. "The last one will be to pierce your heart, I guarantee it!"
"Why don't you try telling them that?" Grimlord asked, pointing behind him. JB turned to see dozens of Grimlord's troops rushing over the crest of a hill. His grip on the lance tightened.
"Just wait your turn." JB told him. "I'll be right back."
Ryan and Kaitlin arrived at the mall, barging through the doors as the Rangers followed them. Kira wrapped an arm around Tommy as they arrived.
"How are you holding up?" She asked him. She knew that he had the guts to keep going, but he hadn't been able to move his left arm for some time, and it was painfully clear that it was broken in at least one place. He just nodded.
"I'll live." He told her.
"We'll take care of this." She told him. "Just..."
"Don't worry about me, I'm still in this." He told her. "It wouldn't be
the first time..."
"We're all here." Trent cut him off. "You can't last much longer."
"Ethan, you and Dr. O get the people out of here." Ryan told him. "We need the mall clear if we're going to do this."
Just then, a window shattered, and they all turned around, to see Jeb coming through the window. He ran over to Kaitlin, dropping the device by her.
"This is Professor Hart's little gift." He told them. "He said all you need to do is transfer your powers to it once you're in the Virtual World, and then book."
"Thanks Jeb." Kaitlin replied, picking up the device and scratching him behind the ears. "I have a feeling we're going to need this pretty soon."
Just then, Grimlord's army started to arrive. Ryan powered up his sabre.
"I guess we didn't get dressed up for nothing." He muttered. "Come on guys, its go time!"
Back in the Virtual World, JB ploughed through the ranks of Grimlord's forces as the evil dictator watched on. He shrugged off numerous blows that should have felled him, and was, by now, running on pure adrenaline, but he carved a path with frightening fury. Grimlord powered up his sword and rushed him, smashing into his breast plate, sending him flying. JB felt blood welling up in his mouth as he pulled himself back to his feet.
"It's over Trooper!" Grimlord roared, spinning his sword in wide arcs. "Just admit it and give up!"
JB found the thought crossing his mind. He knew that if Grimlord captured him, he would suffer at his hands, and that he would likely wish he was dead long before Grimlord was charitable enough to bestow that merciful death.
"Put the lance down!" Grimlord ordered him. Just then, the air split with lightning, and the rest of Grimlord's army, along with the Rangers and the other Troopers fell to the earth. He saw Kaitlin landing hard, and realised that as much as he was hurting, as hard as things were, his friends now relied on him more than ever.
"Kaitlin, power it up!" Ryan screamed as he rushed over, placing his hands on the device. Kaitlin and Ryan transferred their powers, their armour disappearing as they sacrificed the only protection they had.
"Right guys, let's buy them time!" Conner ordered. "Let's make sure their sacrifice is worth it!"
JB watched as Grimlord looked to the device Kaitlin and Ryan were holding, and began to make his way over. JB's eyes connected with Kaitlin's, and his grip tightened on his lance. He powered up the Laser Lance, and charged, ramming it through Grimlord's chest, piercing his heart.
Grimlord looked down to the powered blade as it impaled him, and grabbed JB's wrist.
"Throw me the device and get out of here!" JB screamed as Ryan and Kaitlin finished transferring their power to the device. Kaitlin's tears started to run down her face.
"JB..."
"Just do it!" He called out. Kaitlin threw it to him, at which JB started to transfer his power. "Go!"
"We need to get out of here!" Ryan told her, grabbing Kaitlin and dragging her away as the portal re-opened. The Rangers held Grimlord's army at bay as Ryan took her away.
JB felt his strength failing as he transferred his power. He looked Grimlord straight in the eyes as his armour started to fade. He watched as Kira dragged Tommy through the portal, meaning all his friends had fled to safety.
"So long Grimlord." He whispered as he pressed the red button.
Back in Cross World City, the Rangers de-morphed as they arrived back safely. Kira held Tommy as he cradled his left arm.
"What about JB?" Ryan asked. Just then, they saw a bright red flash which split the air. Kaitlin fell to her knees as she saw it, knowing what it meant. The device had detonated, but JB was still in the Virtual World. He was now trapped there permanently.
Kira ran over, throwing her arms around her new friend as Kaitlin wept. She had just suffered Kira's worst fear. She had lost the man she loved.
"He saved us!" She wailed as she wept into Kira's shoulder. "He saved us all!"
Ryan came over, putting a hand sympathetically on her shoulder. JB was his best friend, and he too felt her loss.
Just then, they all looked up as the air crackled with energy. The vortex opened, and JB's lifeless body fell from it. Conner and Trent rushed over, catching him as he fell. Kaitlin ran over, her tears threatening to drown her.
"JB?" She shrieked as she shook him. "JB!"
"Ow!" He whispered gently. "Don't ever become a nurse. Your bedside manner sucks."
Kaitlin didn't even respond to the terrible joke, instead clutching him tightly and pulling him into a long, deep, passionate kiss. Conner and Trent just backed away.
"Um...we're both happy to see you too." Conner told him. Kaitlin just ignored them as she parted from the man she loved.
"Kaitlin..."
"If you ever scare me like that again..." She warned him, before kissing him again. Ryan just looked to Tommy.
"Do you think it worked?" He asked. Tommy shrugged.
"You'd have to ask Professor Hart." He replied. "Now, not that I'm a cry baby or anything, but my arm is broken. Can we go to a hospital or something?"