Dillon woke up and immediately felt his body ache. Every muscle in his body hurt and he had no clue how he had gotten back to the Garage. The last thing he remembered was fighting the Grinders and then nothing. Now he was laying here on a table with….a pink bunny?
He pulled the bunny from under his arm and looked at it. He recognized it as Candy's bunny. Looking to his side he saw Candy curled up in a chair next to the table sound asleep. One hand was up to her face, her thumb in her mouth, and her other hand was clutching the sheet that was draped over him.
Sitting up Dillon untangled himself from the wires and a moment later a shrill alarm sounded making Dillon jump. A second later he felt a pair of small hands grab hold of him and a moment later Candy was wrapped around him, looking around, startled by the sudden sound.
Dillon looked for a way to turn off the alarms without putting the little girl down. He couldn't figure out where the plug ins were. However after a few minutes Dr.K came hurrying into the room. When she saw Ziggy and Candy sitting on the table she rolled her eyes before walking over and shutting off the alarms at her computer.
"Candy what are you doing down here?" Dr. K asked.
"Uncle Dillon was alone. I couldn't let him be alone down here." she replied looking at her mother.
Dr. K sighed but couldn't fault her daughter for being worried about Dillon. Everyone else was and Candy was no different.
"What happened?" Dillon asked as Dr. K walked over and began to poke and prod at him, taking his vitals and making notes on her chart.
"Your body rejected your morpher and in doing so sent electrical pulses throughout your body. You suffered seizures as a result and in a few moments I will have you go through a series of physical tests to gauge if there is any damage to your brain. However first I must insist that you return to your room. I will call you down when it's okay to come down." Dr. K replied.
"Aww…Mommy do I have to?" she asked.
"Yes. Now scoot." she said and with a frown Candy headed back upstairs.
Once Dr. K was sure that Candy was upstairs she got started running tests on Dillon. Each one came out perfect. Finally she started her last one.
"And just what is this supposed to do Doc?" Dillon asked as Dr. K attached electrodes which were connected to her computer to his body, a large machine already hovering over him.
"This will send signals to the robotic parts of your body. It will test to make sure that all of them are working in sync with no issues. If they are malfunctioning then it could've caused the malfunction in your morpher. I will have the computer scan each device and inspect it. I should have the full report by at most the end of the day." Dr. K replied as she hooked the last one up.
Walking over to her computer she began to type at her keyboard, staring up at the screens. The machine over Dillon began to buzz and a moment later a green light began to scan over his body. It started at his toes and moved up slowly until finally it reached the top of his head.
Once the scan was complete Dr. K removed the electrodes from Dillon's body. Dillon was considering heading back upstairs to sleep some more since his body ached all over but then he heard voices heading towards the lab. A moment later the team came walking into the room.
"Dillon!" Summer yelled and a moment later Dillon was nearly knocked off the table he still sat on as both Summer and Tenaya threw themselves at him.
"How are you feeling?" Tenaya asked as she hugged her brother.
"I'm okay. A little sore though." Dillon assured both girls.
"Oh! We're sorry!" Summer said pulling away, Tenaya with her
"So what's the diagnosis Doc?" Flynn asked looking to Dr. K.
"I can't be sure just what is going on yet. I'm still waiting for the results. However until I'm sure there will be no morphing." Dr. K replied.
"What?! You're kidding me!" Dillon said looking at the doctor.
"I'm afraid not Dillon. You simply cannot risk morphing again until I am sure the problem is cured. It could very well destroy you." Dr. K replied.
"But I HAVE to help the team! Venjix deserves to pay for everything he's done!" Dillon said, his voice rising.
"Dillon man…calm down. I'm sure it's just temporary. It is just temporary isn't it doc?" Scott asked looking at Dr. K.
Dr. K sighed, "Hopefully."
"Well until then I say we grab some breakfast. Who's up for pancakes?" Ziggy asked and headed to the kitchen.
Twenty minutes later everyone sat at the table while Ziggy flipped pancakes onto plates.
"Candy! Breakfast!" Dr. K called and a moment later Candy came bounding down the stairs in a pair of dark wash jeans and a black v-neck t-shirt, her hair messy around her shoulders.
"Aunt Tenaya can you help me put my hair in a ponytail?" she asked looking at Tenaya.
"No problem kid." Tenaya replied and took the brush and hair tie from the little girl. A moment later she had brushed Candy's curls out and had swept them into a high ponytail.
"Thank you." Candy said smiling at Tenaya.
"You're welcome." Tenaya smiled and lifted the 3 year old onto a chair.
"So how did you choose Candy's name? I mean it doesn't sound like name that either of you would pick." Summer asked turning to Ziggy and Dr. K.
"We were discussing baby names and Ziggy came up with it and I liked it." Dr. K replied.
"I actually came up with it as a joke since she's the one with the sweet tooth. She actually liked it and I guess I kinda liked it too. And here we have Candy." Ziggy smiled.
They all dug into their breakfast but were interrupted as the alarm went off. Instantly all of them were in motion. Dr. K was at her computer searching for the source while the other Rangers were getting ready. Well except for Dillon.
"Don't worry Dillon. I'm sure that Dr. K will have everything figured out soon. The most important thing is your health." Summer said looking at Dillon who was sulking.
"I just…I should be out there Summer." Dillon replied.
"I know. But I have to go. I love you." she said and stood on her tip toes to press a quick kiss to his lips before hurrying to join Flynn and the twins in the Hummer.
"Love you too!" Dillon yelled and with a wave they were gone.
"So what now?" Dillon asked as he sat down beside his sister.
"We wait. They'll be back eventually." Tenaya sighed.
"This is bullshit." Dillon growled and began to pace.
A few minutes later Candy came walking down the stairs. Dillon hadn't even noticed that she had left the room.
Without a word Candy walked over to the small corner where they had some workout equipment. She began to punch and kick at the punching bag that was there. She was small so it didn't move much as she laid blows on it but that didn't stop her. She was determined as she worked.
"Watching Candy play pretend huh?" Tenaya asked as she walked over to stand by Dillon.
"Pretend?" Dillon asked.
"Yeah…didn't you see the morpher on her wrist?" Tenaya asked.
Dillon looked at the little girl again and saw that she did indeed have a morpher strapped to her wrist. It was silver and looked similar to his and Ziggy's.
"Where did she get that?" he asked.
"It's a prototype that Dr. K was working on but she didn't like the design so she scrapped it. It doesn't have any sort of mechanics on the inside. It's just a shell that Dr. K gave her along with a burnt out Engine cell to play with. She does this every time you guys leave. She's never worked this hard but it's no surprise. She's never had the chance to be a Power Ranger before." Tenaya replied.
"So she wants to be a Power Ranger?" Dillon said looking at Tenaya.
"Of course. Her Dad is the Green Ranger and her favorite Uncle is the Black Ranger. Why wouldn't she want to be?" Tenaya smiled.
"I'm her favorite Uncle?" Dillon asked.
"You don't see it? She's worn nothing but black since we got back and last night she came down to sleep beside you and keep you company. I know you have metal in your head but c'mon Dillon not even you're that thick." Tenaya replied.
Dillon couldn't help but smile and walk over to where Candy was 'working out'.
"What's up kiddo?" he asked.
"I'm training." Candy replied pushing a strand of loose hair out of her eyes.
"Training? For what?" he asked.
"To be a Power Ranger! Duh!" Candy replied.
"Oh so you want to be a Power Ranger huh?"
She nodded, "If I get good enough soon I can be one with you and Daddy. I like working with Mommy but I'd rather be like you guys."
"Well would you like me to help you?" he asked.
"Really?!" Candy asked.
"Of course!" Dillon replied.
Dillon and Candy worked on all sorts of things. Before they knew it the team had returned.
"Alright keep your arm up." Dillon said as he adjusted Candy's arm into a defensive position.
"So working hard?" Scott asked as he walked over to where Candy and Dillon were.
"Uncle Dillon is going to help me be a Power Ranger!" Candy grinned.
"It took my mind off of everything." Dillon replied looking at Scott.
Scott nodded, "Well we're about to fill Dr. K in on everything. You coming?"
"Of course. We'll work on this after while? Okay?" Dillon asked looking at Candy.
"Okay! I'll keep working by myself." Candy said and went back to kicking and punching the punching bag.
Dillon and Tenaya joined the others in the lab. Flynn was already giving Dr. K the details of the fight. There had been some sort of Attack Bot with razor sharp barbed wire coils. After a long fight on the ground the Bot had finally grown and they had brought together the zords to stop it.
The twins had just finished giving Dr. K an over excited and highly enthusiastic blow by blow when suddenly an alarm went off and Dr. K jumped.
"What was that?" Flynn asked.
"That would be the results of Dillon's tests this morning." she replied as she grabbed her computer pad. Summer moved closer to Dillon and laced her fingers though his.
"So…what's the diagnosis Doc? Can I morph again or not?" Dillon asked.
Dr. K was silent for a few moments as she looked over the results, "I'm sorry Dillon but I cannot give you that answer. The tests were inconclusive."
"Inconclusive? So what? I just wait longer? You said that they would be done by the end of the day." Dillon replied.
"I am going to run the test again and this time I will inspect the results myself." Dr. K replied.
"Fine. Let's do this." Dillon replied.
Dillon sat back on the table and Dr. K began the tests over again. She hooked up the electrodes and scanned his body again. Once she was done Dillon stood up and she shoved all of them from the room.
"Do not disturb me unless it's a matter of upmost importance. I must look over these results if Dillon is to be returned to full strength." Dr. K said and sealed the room.
Dillon didn't really know what to do with himself so he walked over and popped the hood of his car. There was really nothing wrong with it but he could always change the oil and refill the fluids.
Summer sighed as she watched Dillon work on the Fury, his brows knit.
"He's really shaken up about this." Tenaya said walking over to stand next to Summer.
Summer nodded, "He loves being a Ranger. I know it wasn't exactly his first choice to be one but he really does like being a Ranger. And with those people that died he's more determined."
"Well hopefully Dr. K will be able to find something that-" but she was interrupted as the doctor came running from the lab.
"MORPHERS! GIVE THEM TO ME NOW!" She yelled.
"Dr. K…what's going on?" Scott asked as he pulled his morpher from his pocket.
An instant later she had wordlessly grabbed the Cell Morpher from his hand and grabbed the ones that Flynn and Summer had pulled out.
"K….you have to tell us…why are you taking our morphers?" Ziggy asked.
"I will fill you in in a moment. Now produce your morpher." she ordered.
Ziggy took off his morpher and handed it to her along with Gem and Gemma. Once she had them all in her hands she walked to the lab, the others following. Sitting on one side of the room was a thick safe that none of them had previously seen. She turned the dial a couple of times before shoving the morphers inside, Dillon's morpher already sitting there.
"Okay you want to tell us what the hell that was about now?" Flynn asked.
"Your morphers have been corrupted. That is what caused Dillon's to malfunction and his body to react badly. When I couldn't pinpoint the reason behind Dillon's malfunction I began to look at the morpher and I found that I had overlooked something because it was so small." Dr. K replied.
"What do you mean by corrupt? Like a file was deleted or…?" Summer asked.
"I mean that part of Venjix has been living inside of the morphers. When he downloaded the files he uploaded one that contained bits of his programming into your morphers. It was such a small file that I regretfully overlooked it." she said.
"Inside?" all of them asked at once.
"Yes and I have further bad news." she said.
"How much worse than 'Venjix survived by living in your morphers' can you get?" Scott asked.
"I've come to the conclusion of how Pirnum was invaded by Grinders and Attack Bots." Dr. K said.
"H-How?" Summer asked, the knot at the pit of her stomach telling her it wasn't going to be something she wanted to hear.
Dr. K took a deep breath, "As you all know the morphers use permanent DNA signatures to attach to the Operator. It's a just a theory but I believe that by having your DNA connected to the morphers you are biologically linked to the bio field. Unfortunately since Venjix had corrupted your morphers he had access to your bodies." Dr. K replied.
"Okay so how does that explain things? There was no way that Venjix could've used any of us…he's a computer virus." Ziggy said.
"Except that…Dillon and I are part computer." Tenaya said slowly looking at her brother.
"He used the morpher and the bio field to access the technology in my body to hack into Pirnum's computers and lower their defenses?" Dillon asked.
"Yes and to do so I'm afraid that he had to reinstate the virus in your body." Dr. K said.
"I have the Venjix Virus back in my body?! Are you serious!?" Dillon said.
"No but there is good news. We can inject you yet again with the antidote which should erase all traces of the virus from your body. We'll also vaccinate Tenaya again to be sure that he didn't some how gain access to her. I also will work on the morphers. I should have them back up and running shortly. Dillon, Tenaya, I'll administer the vaccine now." Dr. K said.
Dillon and Tenaya nodded and stayed behind while the others wandered off with Candy being the only exception.
Candy walked over and laced her hands in Tenaya and Dillon's, "This is what Daddy tells me to do when I have to get a shot. If it hurts squeeze my hand." she instructed.
Dr. K smiled and brought over two syringes, shooting one into Dillon's arm and then Tenaya's.
"You did very well." Candy smiled after the shots were over.
Dillon gave Candy a small smile that didn't reach his eyes before turning and leaving the room, Tenaya on his heels.
"Candy would you like to help me here in the lab? You can keep an eye on the alarm system while I debug the morphers." Dr. K said looking at her daughter.
"No thank you Mommy. I have my own work to do." she said looking at her mother before bouncing off.
Dr. K watched as Candy climbed the stairs and made her way to her room, closing the door. She was slightly surprised that her daughter had given up the chance to mess with the computers in the lab. Usually Candy begged for the chance to do anything in the lab. Dr. K had thought that surely Candy would've jumped at the chance to keep an eye on the city's alarms.
What she was working on was a mystery but Dr. K also knew that it would be next to impossible to find out. Candy could keep her lips sealed better than anyone. However as long as Candy didn't burn down the garage or cause real harm to herself or the others she was fine with what her daughter was doing. Whatever that may have been. With a sigh Dr. K headed to the safe to begin debugging the morphers.