Chapter 26: Race to Dawn (Part 2)
Natalie stood on the edge of the muddy hill, her eyes narrowed at the orange glow on the horizon, she heard someone walking up behind her turning around she sighed to see it was just Marshall.
"Natalie? Are you ok?" He asked concerned for the poodle.
She gave him a small smile with a nod, "Yes, but you should not be walking, you need to rest."
Marshall sat beside her, "It was you wasn't it?"
"Huh?" Natalie looks at him confused, "Me what?"
"You called Silvex to save me," He says smiling, "You don't work for the FBI do you?"
Natalie chuckles, "What makes you say that?"
"Well Silvex mentioned another being with power, he didn't say who but I get the feeling it's you," Marshall grinned taking a step closer to the edge of the muddy hill. "If you can use your power, why do you hide it?"
"It is for your safety Marshall, if I were to use my power the FBI would detect it. I cannot risk it." She explains as simply as she can, so he understands.
Marshall doesn't notice but the mud around them begins to break, however Natalie notices this and throws Marshall backwards by grabbing hold of his collar.
"NATALIE!" Marshall screams as the edge completely collapses taking the Poodle down with it, he watches in horror as Natalie falls into the raging water below. "Why Natalie! Why didn't you use your power to save yourself!?"
Natalie hears Marshall, but the water pulls her under, she decides to let the water take her. Then there is only darkness.
A figure zooms through the water, catching the poodle. When Marshall looks up, to a piece of land that hasn't been flooded, he can see Silvex pulling Natalie out of the water.
Natalie opens her eyes, coughing a few times. "Y-you did not have to save me, but thank you."
"Dialga forbid Natalie!" Silvex said. "If the FBI are being such a nuisance, I can help you deal with them,"
"We do not need to attached attention to ourselves, it is too risky," Natalie said sitting down, "Even if I were to teleport, it only adds to the Energy already within the Park."
"I have no problem with the FBI. Even if they do catch me, Shadex is a being that can't be trapped or stopped. A shadow is usually an unstoppable force. But if you insist, I'll be there for you when you need me."
Natalie suddenly clutched her head, a vision of the Air-Patroller on fire with Ryder, Skye and Rubble consumed her. "Silvex... Y-you need to save them,"
"Right," Silvex said as he took off. Of course, first he hovered over the group stranded on the mud Island, and teleported them next to Natalie before flying off
Meanwhile, at the wreckage of the Air-Patroller, Silvera, Mark and Michael landed their Helicopter a fair distance away.
"This doesn't look good!" Silvera says grabbing a fire extinguisher, "We need to put these flames out!"
But, a small explosion knocked the Rangers back preventing them from getting close.
"It's too dangerous! Silvera, there's nothing we can do." Mark says grabbing Silvera's shoulders.
Inside the burning wreckage, Skye and Rubble were trying to free a trapped and unconscious Ryder.
Skye hissed when sparks made contact with her skin, burning her fur. "Rubble, if we can't get this off-"
"We have too!" Rubble coughed out, choking on the thick smoke, "Skye look out!" he screamed as a burn piece of metal flung towards her.
Silvex arrived above the burning wreckage of the Air-Patroller.
"Hmm, Maybe..." Silvex said looking to the sky as his eyes flashed silver. A moment later, he growls out in frustration. "No matter what i Do, Death will happen! What Can I- Oh wait there is that."
Skye managed to duck just as the metal went flying over her, Ryder groaned but still remained unconscious. "Rubble get out of here," She told him.
"Skye I'm not leaving you!" Rubble says shaking his head.
"And I'm not asking you, I'm telling you! Get out!" Skye yells pushing him backwards, "We can't all die in here,"
White thunder crashed loudly, the ground shook, everything went white...
Without warning, Lightning struck the Air-Patroller, causing it to malfunction, Ryder lost control and it began to fall from the sky.
It appears time was just rewound for some amount of time... Except something's different... "Hey-ooo!" Silvex said having appeared out of nowhere next to Rubble
Rubble jumped and screamed at the sudden appearance, something wet dribbled down his back legs.
Skye laughed, "Rubble pee'd himself!"
Ryder cleared his throat, "Skye so did you," He pointed to a small puddle surrounding her. "Oh, Silvex it's been some time since we've seen you."
"I got this... OR rather, we've got this," Silvex said as a Shadow formed under him. Silvex glowed Blue and Purple as he slowed the Air-Patroller's descent.
"Robo Dog see if you can regain control," Ryder said, Robo Dog barked and sure enough the Air Patroller was under control, "Thank you Silvex," He smiled, then tried to call Chase, "Chase are you there?" He asks but got static back, "Silvera, can you see if you can track my pups, pup-tags?" he asked speaking into his pup-pad.
"Sure thing mate, is everything ok over there?"
Ryder looked at Silvex, "Yes, we're good now." He smiled, "But we have to find Rocky, he's in no state to be out here,"
"We'll scan the area now and get back to you,"
"Thank you," With that Ryder hung up, "Perhaps you could assist us in finding them?" He asks Silvex.
"I would love to, but I think the after effects of time travel are starting to kick in,"
Ryder nods, "Well thank you for your assistance, it was nice seeing you again."
Back with Pedz, John and the pups. Marshall had just woken up after his near death experience, Zuma was still unconscious.
Marshall made his way over to Rocky, "R-Rocky?"
"Oh hi," Rocky replies laying down, "W-what are you doing here?"
"I wanted to talk to you," Marshall says keeping his distance from the mix-breed.
Rocky tilts head head to the side, "Oh?"
"Yeah, I just wanted to say-"
"We have to get moving!" Pedz cuts him off, picking Rocky up. "The water level is rising, and it's getting darker."
Marshall looked behind him, and sure enough the water was rising. As he went to walk away from it, his paw got caught on a log, resulting with it going through his paw. "Ouch!" He yelped landing on the ground with a thud.
"Marshall!" Chase raced over to him, "are you ok buddy?"
"I-Yeah I'm ok," He lied, struggling to stand up.
But when he did, he lost his balance and tumbled into the water taking Natalie with him.
"Marshall! Natalie!" Pedz and Chase yelled in sync. They watched as both pups were swept away by the water.
To be continued.