Later at night, Eric was leaving the office with Louise, heading for the Brainfreeze to pick up something for dessert. Despite all the warnings, they found that working in the same firm wasn't really negatively impacting their relationship. While it was true that Louise working in the admin department of Eric's firm meant they technically worked together, it wasn't like they were ever constantly in each other's faces. Eric's loathing of being cooped up in an office, combined with his hands on insistence in dealing with clients as much as possible directly, meant he didn't spend a whole lot of time around the admin office.

He was on the cell phone, having a rather strained conversation with one of his PR guys. They had already heard about the attack on the movie set, the second since they had taken the job, and were already working on how exactly they were going to deal with the inevitable press coverage afterwards.

"Alright...Alright, thanks." He groaned as the guy on the other end finished, and hung up the phone. Louise just looked at him.

"Problem?" She asked.

"Yeah, no more than usual unfortunately." He told her. "Elaina's working overtime on this; she was just gently reminding me of the overtime rates...again."

"Surely it can't be that bad?" Louise asked her. He just looked at her sceptically.

"Do you have any idea how much the Ranger thing has affected my outgoings?" He asked her. "I just got the renewal in for the company medical insurance. It's nearly double last year's premium!"

"Well...I guess a fair number of your guys have been getting treatment lately." She conceded. He just shook his head.

"Not to mention my PR guys." He told her. "I swear, the Rangers are doing a good job, but I won't be sorry to see them finish everything and disappear. At least...my bank balance won't."

"Is it really bad?" She asked him. He just looked to her and smiled.

"Well, we're in no danger of starving to death, but I might have to wait a while for the holiday home in Cancun." He answered. As he drew in close to her, he noticed Wayne sitting in a bar a little way off. He was a little troubled by this. It wasn't like Wayne to just walk off a job, certainly not when there had been an attack at his post.

"What is it?" Louise asked, before following his gaze. "Is that...is that Wayne? What's he doing here?"

"Go and get something." He told her, gesturing to the Brainfreeze.

"Eric..."

"I'll deal with it." Eric assured her. He knew that it wasn't in Wayne's nature to just walk off and leave behind his responsibilities. They had both been in the same Marines unit in the Middle East, where it wasn't just an admirable quality, it was a necessity. People's lives relied on each other. If he had walked away now of all times, to go drinking of all things, then there had to be something seriously wrong. A guy that stuck around when they only had a clip of ammunition between them under heavy artillery attack wasn't the kind of guy to just turn and walk away when he was needed without reason.

He headed into the bar as Wayne ordered another drink. He held up a hand.

"I'll have the same." He told the bartender, who went to get him a drink. He pulled up a stool. "Wayne...what are you doing here?"

"I'm having a Jack and coke." He replied. "Then when that's done, I might just have another."

"Wayne, that's not really what I meant." Eric told him. Wayne didn't say anything in response. He just sat and continued drinking. He was completely lost in his own thoughts over what he had seen only an hour or so previously. "Who did you leave in charge?"

"Kyle can handle it I'm sure." Wayne told him.

"Kyle?" Eric asked. He liked the kid, he really did, but he wasn't especially fond of this answer. Kyle was arguably the most qualified for the position given his recent training, but he'd only been back a few weeks from that. Eric didn't doubt the kid's ability, but he would have preferred if he had some back-up and supervision from someone with a little more experience to look over his shoulder. He took a deep breath. "OK, I guess its good experience for him."

He looked to Wayne, who was still just drinking. He took a deep breath.

"Wayne, do you need a little time?" Eric asked him. "Is this about Mikey?"

Wayne didn't say anything. He just looked at him, before turning back to his drink. It was about his son, his Mikey...otherwise known to most of the town as the convicted terrorist "Spider". His life had somewhat imploded lately, the last year especially being one of the worst of his life. His relationship with his son had suffered as a result of all the time he spent with Eric setting up Cerberus. He had to admit for long enough he really didn't get Mike or what he was into, who he was hanging around with. It was as big a shock to him as it was to anyone else when Mikey was unmasked as the mastermind behind the chemical plant attack.

Since then, he'd gone through so much more though. Only weeks after his conviction, he'd escaped from Juvie and disappeared. At least...that's what a lot of people said. However, he hadn't just gone on the run, he'd altogether disappeared for months. No one saw or heard anything from him, and Wayne had tried everything he could to find out anything about where he could have been. When he finally did turn up, he was in the hands of a masked stranger with a lot of powers that seemed all too much like a Power Ranger to be a coincidence.

"Wayne, if you need some time, just say so." Eric told him. "It's going to be tough, but you know I'm here..."

"Yeah, you're here aren't you?" He asked. "You've always been there, right back to our days in the corp."

"Yeah, that's right." Eric replied, sounding a little surprised.

"Just like you've always been there for my family right?" He asked. "You'd never do anything to harm my family right?"

"No, of course not." Eric told him.

"How are things with Louise?" He asked. Eric again was just a little confused.

"They're going pretty well." He told him. "In fact, she's moving in at the end of the month."

"So, things are going well for you. Isn't that nice." Wayne said a little sharply. Eric could detect an accusatory tone in his voice.

"Wayne..."

"You know what I've figured out recently Eric?" He asked him. "I see everything falling into place for you. I see everything working out for you in your perfect little life."

"Wayne, my life..."

"Meanwhile, my son is sitting dosed up to the eyeballs with psychoactive medication trying to sort out God knows what, my daughter barely talks to me, my wife barely even looks at me anymore!" Wayne continued to say angrily. "And you want to know what's funny? Even while I did just as much as you setting all this up, getting Cerberus off the ground, and while I'm watching you set up some dream family, my life is falling apart!"

"Wayne, I get that you're upset." Eric told him. "But this isn't about my family."

"It isn't is it?" He asked him. "How about that little God Daughter of mine?"

"Emma?" He asked him. "Wayne, what are you talking about?"

"I missed out on a lot of what Mikey was doing, and look where it got me." Wayne answered. "I'll bet you don't even know what your precious little girl gets up to when she leaves the house each day."

"Wayne, we've been friends a long time, so I'm going to let this slide." Eric warned him. "If you have something to say, then just say it."

"You know what? I don't think I'll bother. I think I've let your family cause enough damage to mine." He stated, finishing his drink. He got up, heading for the door. "I'm done."

As he brushed past Eric, heading out the door, Louise came in, carrying the bag from Ernie's. She looked to a somewhat confused Eric.

"What was that about?" She asked him.

"I...I really wish I knew." He told her honestly.

The following day, the Rangers made their way to the school soccer pitch. Jordan and Jake were in a huge game against Stone Canyon the following week, meaning they wanted to get in as much training time as possible. They knew it would be the afternoon before they were due on set, and Jordan wanted to run through another couple of play ideas he had to get his team ready for their much more physical form of play.

When they got there, they found that the ground was suspiciously empty. None of the other players were there...nor was the coach.

"Um...are we late or early?" Jake asked.

"Check it out." Emma told them, pointing to some balls which had been left abandoned on the pitch.

"The coach wouldn't leave those out." Troy stated. "I don't think we're alone."

There was a flash of lightning, striking the centre point of the pitch, at which the Psycho Rangers appeared. Jordan and the other Rangers all rushed to position to confront them.

"Very astute of you Red Ranger." Psycho Red stated.

"Where are the other students Xavier?" Troy asked him. Psycho Red just started laughing.

"So, you figured out who our vessels are? Well, that took you long enough." Psycho Red told him. "Don't worry; they're all nice and safe. They're all together nice and cozy in the changing rooms."

"Well, we know who you are, and we know you can be beaten." Noah replied.

"Trust me; Vrak's given us a whole new perspective on things." Psycho Black told them. "So, since we're all here, how about a little five-a-side?"

"Uh...there are six of us?" Jordan reminded him. "You need a goalie."

They didn't answer verbally, instead just rushing towards the Rangers. Troy, Emma, Gia, Noah and Jake only just morphed into Ultra Mode in time to meet the charge. Jordan summoned up his armour, looking around for who he needed to help first.

Seeing Jake taking a shot from Psycho Black's spear, he was about to intervene, before he was sent to the ground by an explosion. He looked up a little way from where he was lying, seeing a new arrival.

She was tall, and slender, with a feminine build. She was completely covered in patterned blue armour, apart from her face, which was grey, with pure white, featureless eyes. She had what looked like green hair made of cabling coming from her head, and was holding a tablet. He looked up at her.

"OK, and you are...?"

"I am..."

"You know what? Save it." Jordan told her, pulling out his Robo Blade. "In about five minutes, it won't make any..."

His words were cut off as Alice blocked the blow with her tablet, kneeing him in the gut, before launching him through the scoreboard. He struggled back to his feet as she converted her tablet into a sword.

"OK, maybe ten minutes." He spluttered as he got ready for his new enemy.

In the Command Centre, Tensou was watching the battle on the viewing screens, rushing around in a panic.

"Gosei, Gosei, the Rangers are in danger!" Tensou yelled. "The Psycho Rangers are back, and stronger than ever!"

"I have seen the scans Tensou." Gosei assured him. "I am more concerned about this new arrival. Our scans have not encountered anything like her."

"Gosei, we need to tell the Rangers to retreat!" Tensou squealed. "The Psycho Rangers' powers...they're increasing as we speak!"

"We must trust in their judgement Tensou!" Gosei told him. "There are more than just their lives at stake."

Back at the site of the battle, Troy took another hard hit, leaving him prone as Psycho Red pressed home the advantage. He looked to the evil Ranger as he kipped back up.

"Your persistence is good sport, but ultimately pointless Troy!" He taunted him. "Your destruction..."

"My destruction will never happen." Troy told him. "Not by your hand anyway."

"You really think you are powerful enough..."

"No, I just think you're too good to do it!" Troy replied as he rushed him, pinning him against the bleachers. "It took me a while to figure it out, why you didn't want to take my moves...that's not Psycho Red is it? That's Xavier!"

"What does it matter...?"

Troy cut him short by unleashing a point-blank power burst that stunned Psycho Red. It took a lot out of Troy too, but he hung onto him desperately.

"It was Xavier, HE didn't want my moves!" Troy told him. "I've listened to my old sensei, all the guys that used to train with us, read the magazines...all of them call him a fake!"

"That doesn't..."

"Even if your programming is forcing him to fight me, it doesn't completely control him!" Troy screamed at him. "He doesn't want my moves because if he does beat me, he wants to do it HIS way! He wants to do it fairly! One-on-one, just the way he was trained! If he wins or loses, he does it on his own merit, no excuses!"

Psycho Red finally managed to shove him off, at which Troy faced him down, running towards him again. Elsewhere, Noah was battling David.

"I know it was your way of telling us, it had to be!" Noah said to Psycho Blue. "You can't control the Psycho Ranger powers, but you can control your performance, you always have been able to!"

Psycho Blue sent him flying with his axe, before pressing the advantage.

"I saw all the vodka in your trailer, I was disappointed in what you've become." Noah told him. He kicked Psycho Blue away as he got up, clashing blades with him. "You're one of the greats! I remember seeing your performance in First Knight! You were critically acclaimed! Sir Sean Connery himself gave you nothing but praise, you were amazing! You just let things get to you!"

"Shut UP Blue Ranger!" Psycho Blue told him, grabbing him by the throat. Noah just struggled against his grip.

"I've read the forum boards, I know your problem started because you weren't getting the same parts." Noah told him. "But all of the actors, the people you worked with...everyone always said you were the best they'd ever worked with, even when you were completely out of your face!"

Psycho Blue threw him aside, and raised his axe to strike.

"Think about it, if you're that good when you're constantly smashed, think how great you'd be if you could just put the bottle down." Noah pleaded with him. "Directors are worried about you, so prove them wrong! Don't punish yourself with your frustrations, punish THEM. Show them they're wrong, make them see what all the critics and your cast mates always have. Show them what I know you can be."

In another part of the stadium, Metal Alice saw the impasse between the Rangers and the Psycho Rangers as she battled with Jordan. She was constantly scanning him, analysing every move he made. Seeing him coming for her, she twisted his blade sharply, sending him tumbling off-balance, kicking him away as she did. She looked to his Robo Blade and then up at him.

"Eltarian technology, I'm almost impressed." She scoffed. "Of course, you're no Eltarian...someone decided to waste such exquisite technology on something so...primitive."

"You think a lot of your own tech don't you?" Jordan asked. "So, what exactly are you anyway?"

"I am Metal Alice." She told him.

"So...you're a robot?" Jordan asked her. "Great, then I don't need to pull any punches!"

As he was about to attack though, he saw her looking to the Psycho Rangers, who all fell to the ground, writhing in agony. He saw this and looked horrified.

"What...what are you doing to them?" He demanded. Before he could get an answer though, there was a blinding light. Xavier, Henrietta, Oliver, David and Felicity were left lying on the ground, unmoving, and where the Psycho Rangers had once been, there were five monsters. They were in the Psycho Ranger colours, but each of them looked nothing like the Rangers they had come from. Jordan felt a jab in the side, and grabbed his side, feeling Metal Alice pull her blade free. She converted it back into her tablet. He looked to his hand, seeing it covered in blood, his blood...she had stabbed him through his armour. Only the armour had stopped the blow being fatal.

"Vrak's little upgrade is now complete." She assured him. She disappeared before Jordan could respond. He turned his attention back to the others, rushing to join them.

"OK Jordan, you're the one that knows about the Psychos." Troy told him. "Is this...?"

"Yup, they did this before." Jordan told them. "And before you ask...yes, it is VERY bad news!"