Serena took a walk around the fence line of the church yard after her meal, keeping careful watch over the guards and the cameras as she manoeuvred herself into position as close to the crypt as she could get. Since she was going to be essentially breaking in, she wanted to spend as little time in the open as possible.
She saw one of the guards walk past, whistling a little tune to break the monotony of his shift, but couldn't help finding her eyes drawn to the berretta in the holster on his belt. She was used to guns, having been raised on a farm. She had been raised around them from an early age, they were as much an essential tool as a ploughshare or a hoe, but this was different. She had never had a gun turned on her, and she was hoping to keep it that way.
As the camera turned away, she leapt into action, scaling the fence quickly, and positioning herself behind it so it wouldn't catch her as it panned back. From her new vantage point, she took another look around. The crypt was only about twenty feet away, and by the looks of it, she could time her move to get to it so she wouldn't be caught on camera. She just needed to wait a few more seconds...
She leapt down and crept to the edge of the crypt, keeping to the shadows and concealed herself in a corner near it. She got onto the earwig.
"I'm by the crypt." She told Hayley in a whisper.
"Any idea how to get in?" Hayley asked her.
"The door's a big stone slab." She responded with a shake of the head. "Maybe if I had a crane, but something tells me the guards would notice. I'm a Samurai, not David Copperfield."
"Well, you know how I said many of these crypts had booby traps?" Hayley asked as she checked up some details. "Well...some of them also had secret entrances."
"Old Italian guys liked hanging around with their dead ancestors?" Hayley asked her. "That's not creepy at all."
"Well you know I did say they kept treasures in there." Hayley reminded her. "Well, they wanted a way in, just in case they fell on hard times financially."
"So they used their ancestor's crypts as a piggy bank." Serena whispered, looking around for guards. "So you think there's a chance there's an entrance here?"
"Just look for a carving or something out of place." Hayley told her. Serena looked to the intricate carvings all around it, following it around carefully.
"You might have to be a little more specific." She grumbled. "It's covered in carvings. It's some kind of mural. It's a bunch of religious stuff, The Last Supper and that kind of thing."
"Well that all fits for a graveyard." Hayley sighed. "Wait...the guy was called the hornet. Try higher up."
"Excuse me?" Serena asked her.
"Well, I have heard that he was noted for being athletic." Hayley stated. "If he wanted to hide something from people, why not somewhere up high?"
"Just when I thought this was going to be easy." Serena sighed, checking for guards, before climbing the crypt. It wasn't easy, but the carvings provided just enough handholds for her to haul herself to the top, rolling onto the roof. There, she found that it was a perfectly smooth slab of stone, except for a small statue in the middle, only around a foot high. Serena moved closer, and realised that it was a hornet. Inspecting it closely, she saw that it was missing the stinger. Serena just suppressed a little laugh and shook her head in disbelief.
"Do you ever tire of being right?" Serena asked her.
"Not so far." Hayley answered.
"There's a statue of a hornet here." Serena informed her. "It's missing the stinger."
"The Hornet was a duellist." Hayley reminded her. "His sting would probably have been his rapier."
"Well I don't have one of those to hand." Serena commented, extracting her hidden blade. "I do have this though."
She shoved it into the hole, hearing a click, and a mechanism sounding. She looked round as a hidden hatch opened up.
"Did it work?" Hayley asked her.
"Yes." Serena said in a slightly exasperated sigh as she went to the hatch. "I'm going in."
With that, she dropped inside.
Meanwhile, Jayden and the others were in the meeting area of the temple, waiting for Daisuke and the others to come with their refreshments. After a long trip, they were grateful for the hospitality. Mike was sitting in the corner with an apologetic Emily. One of the attendants had prepared him an ice pack for his hand, and had assured him that despite her grip, nothing was broken or dislocated. Kevin came over to Mia, seeing her checking out a mural on the wall, showing among other things, a woman with some Nighlocks. She didn't know why it spoke to her, but something about it just caught her attention.
"It is an old folk tale." Daisuke informed her as he arrived, carrying a little wooden box. "It tells the tale of a woman who made a deal with the Nighlock king to save the life of her beloved."
"She made a deal?" Mia asked him.
"Legend tells that in the name of honour and glory in the eyes of his people, he went on a quest that was destined to end in his destruction." Daisuke informed her. "She made a deal to save his life, but instead, the Nighlock King tricked her and turned her into a Nighlock."
"That sounds like something a Nighlock would do." Mike said as he put his arm around Mia.
"That's so sad." Mia commented, reaching out and stroking the picture with her fingers. "She was willing to sacrifice everything for him. Do they even know what happened to him?"
"I am afraid that part of the legend has been neglected." Daisuke told her.
"I can't explain it, but...I feel like I've met this woman before." Mia answered. Daisuke just smiled.
"Anyway, we have important matters to discuss." He told them, bringing them to the centre of the room, where they all knelt down. Daisuke placed the box down before them and opened it, revealing to them the object inside. It was a simple black, oblong box, with the Samurai emblem embossed on it.
"I'm guessing that's the Black Box." Mike said, pointing to it. He leaned in to Jayden. "I guess your ancestor was more creative with weapons than he was with naming them."
The others tried not to laugh, and Jayden just gave him a little glare, before reaching in and picking it up. It was an ancient device, one that many before him had tried to get working, but so far all had failed. He smiled to think that something so tiny might actually be the weapon that would tip the scales of balance in their favour.
"I hope your friend can reprogram it." Daisuke commented. Jayden just nodded with a smile.
"If anyone can, Antonio can do it." He replied, replacing it in the box. "Thank you Daisuke."
"Now, did someone say something about refreshments?" Mike asked. "I'm starving!"
"Where is Kenzo with that tea?" Daisuke asked as he looked around.
Meanwhile, over in the Shiba House, thousands of miles away, Mentor Ji and Antonio were just quietly watching television when they heard something. The door opened, and Dekker walked in. They both got up quickly, but he held up a hand.
"You are not welcome here!" Mentor Ji snapped. "Leave here at once!"
"I am not here to fight." Dekker assured them. "I am here to warn you. There is a plot against your friends."
"There's always a plot..."
"With the Red Ranger so far away, I have been spending time in the Netherworld honing my skills." He informed them. "When I was there, I learned some troubling news. Arachtheor is back."
"Who?" Antonio asked.
"Arachtheor." Mentor Ji repeated. "A Nighlock so devious and treacherous that Master Xandred banished him from his army."
"He was seen with Octoroo." Dekker informed them as he continued his story. "After convincing a few key figures to talk, eventually I found out that Octoroo has been seen gathering herbs for a Dark Potion. A poison deadly enough to fell even the strongest warrior. It is clear he plans to use it on your friends."
"We have to warn them..."
"He will have already prepared it by now." Dekker interrupted Antonio as he reached for his morpher. "We must go now."
"But they're in Japan!" Antonio reminded him. "They're thousands of miles..."
"I need the Red Ranger at his best for our duel. There is no honour in felling a strong warrior by nefarious means." Dekker told him. "If you do not come with me now, your friends will die."
Antonio's heart froze as he heard this. He was charged with defending the city, but right now, all he could think about was the others.
"We'll never get there in time!" Antonio stated. Dekker just smiled.
"That's what you think." Dekker answered as he grabbed the Gold Ranger and dragged him from the house.
Back in Rome, Serena was inside the crypt, looking around. She was surrounded by plaques, each indicating a reliquary where the remains of a person were stored. She felt a chill just thinking about it. There was something a little wrong with the idea of robbing a grave, but she knew this was necessary.
There were a few chests, which she presumed contained treasures, but she wasn't here for that. What she was here for was at the far end. Making her way over, she saw a large, stone sarcophagus carved into the shape of a man in fine clothing. On his cloak was the image of a hornet. Behind it was a rack filled with swords. Before looking to the rack, she couldn't help looking at the sarcophagus. She ran her fingers over the face of it.
"Serena...?"
"Sorry, I was just distracted." Serena stated. "He was a good looking guy."
"I did say he was popular with the ladies." Hayley stated.
"He seems young." Serena commented. Hayley checked her database.
"He died age 23." Hayley commented. "Given his lifestyle..."
"How I died is not important." Serena heard a voice behind her say in a thick accent. She spun around, seeing a man behind her. He was dressed in black leather riding boots, with tight trousers. He had a white, frilly shirt, and a crimson cloak hanging from his shoulders. At his belt, she could see a rapier. He had long, dark hair, and dark brown eyes. His face was handsome, and his skin smooth and unblemished. He flashed her a little smile. "How I lived is important however."
Serena backed up into the sarcophagus in fright. She couldn't believe her eyes. He stepped forward, taking a little bow.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Alessandro Forachi Di Roma." He said, rising to look at her. "Though my enemies knew me as..."
"Calabrone." She stammered out. "The Hornet!"
"Obviously you have heard of me." He said, seeming impressed. "You know, I never expected a grave robber to be so beautiful."
"Thank...I think." She answered. "Listen, I wasn't planning to rob the place, I just need to look at one of your swords."
"I have many swords." He answered. "Which one?"
She turned and pointed to the katana on the sword rack. He just smiled.
"I remember that one well." He told her. "I acquired it from a woman from the East in my youth."
"You acquired it from a woman?" Serena asked him. He just nodded.
"I believed it to be unusual too." He answered. "What are you checking for?"
"I need to see the signature." Serena told him. "I need to find a particular sword."
"And what if that happens to be the sword you are looking for?" He asked her, moving closer and taking her hand, kissing it. "Would you take it?"
Serena didn't know how to answer that. She was talking to the ghost of the guy whose grave she had just broken into. At least...she presumed it was his ghost. He just smiled. "Your silence speaks volumes."
He turned and walked away, twisting his cloak over his left arm, before turning to face her. He placed a metal mask over his face to protect it, and drew his rapier. As he got into a guard, pulling his cloaked arm in front of him, she could see the emblem of a hornet embroidered into it.
"Choose a weapon." He told her.
"You can't be serious." She muttered. "Hayley?"
"Um...your guess is as good as mine!" She stammered. "Ghosts aren't my field of expertise."
"I will not allow anyone to rob my tomb without payment." He told her. "Even if they are as beautiful as you."
Serena took the katana from the rack, and drew it, preparing a guard. The Hornet led off with a couple of swings and thrusts, which Serena managed to parry, before taking a swing herself. He swung his cloak in a distracting manner, which occasionally caught the blade and pulled it as he countered. Serena blocked the sword, but felt a sharp pain in her ribs as she backed away. She placed her hand on her ribs, finding it covered in blood from a gash. It was then that she saw just beneath his cloak, he was carrying a stiletto which had her blood on it. He just smiled.
"Now you know why they call me The Hornet." He told her. "I have a deadly sting."
Meanwhile, back in the temple in Japan, Kenzo arrived in the room, carrying a tray of tea. He was now dressed in the brown robes of the temple, and his hair styled more sedately. Daisuke just sighed as he saw his son.
"You took your time." He replied.
"Sorry, I was just checking on the food." He told them as he set down the tray of tea. "Anyway, better late than never."
"I suppose so." Mike stated. "I'm parched!"
"Then let us drink to good fortune in our future battles." Daisuke toasted them. Jayden was the first to drink, but as soon as it hit his throat, Antonio and Dekker shot out of a Gap.
"No!" Antonio screamed, knocking over the cups, and sending Jayden's from his hand. They all stared at him.
"Antonio?" Emily screeched. "Dekker! What are you doing here?"
Unfortunately, they were a moment too late. Jayden had already drunk some of the tea. He collapsed to the floor, grabbing his throat and beginning to writhe in pain. Antonio knelt over him and checked on him.
"Jayden!" He screamed.
"The poison is already taking effect." Dekker told them. Just then, a guardian ran in.
"Daisuke, there are Nighlocks in the garden!" He rushed out.
"But Jayden..."
"I'll stay with him." Antonio told the others. "Go!"
They all rushed out, morphing as they went, leaving Antonio, Daisuke and Kenzo alone with Dekker and Jayden.
"There's no time." Dekker told them. "I need to take him somewhere I can heal him."
"What's your game Dekker?" Kevin asked, pulling out his Samuraizer.
"I need him at his best. If he perishes now, I will never get my duel." He told him honestly. "I can save him, but you must trust me."
"Fat chance!" Antonio stated, shoving him away. "You want to heal him so you can kill him?"
"If you care for your friend as I suspect you do, you will know this is the only chance he has!" Dekker replied. "You have my word I will protect him."
Antonio looked between Dekker and Jayden, finding Jayden's eyes. He couldn't speak to tell him what to do, but looking into his eyes, Antonio could see that Jayden knew his time was short. His heart grew cold in his chest as he took a deep breath.
"Take him." Antonio stated.
"But he's a..."
"If we don't let him go Jayden will die anyway!" Antonio snapped at Daisuke. He turned back to Dekker. "If anything happens to him, if you screw us on this..."
Just then, Kenzo and Daisuke were blasted aside. They all looked up to see Octoroo standing there.
"Red Ranger, you will show me your..." His words tailed off as he saw Dekker pick him up over his shoulder. "Dekker? What are you doing here?"
"Try to take him." Dekker beckoned him, taking on his Nighlock form. "If you think you can."
"Curse you Dekker!" He snapped as Dekker disappeared with Jayden. Antonio got up, taking out his morpher.
"That was your poison." He snarled, feeling his body tensing up.
"It was indeed." Octoroo declared proudly. "And without the antidote..."
With a bellow of hellish rage, Antonio morphed and rushed Octoroo, drawing his Barracuda Blade.