Chapter Eight: Training Time

Mia, Kevin, and Mike were sleeping in their cold cells. The sun was just beginning to rise. No one had gotten much sleep over the past couple of days since being kidnapped by Dekker, and last night was no exception.

"Rangers. Wake up, it's time for training." Dekker said as he walked into the room.

"Five more minutes…" Mike grumbled in his sleep.

Dekker walked over to the boys' cell and unlocked the door. The blue ranger was now awake and sitting against the wall. He stood over Mike and waited for him to open his eyes. After a few seconds passed without him waking up, Dekker kicked Mike in the side.

"Ahhh!" Mike screamed in pain.

"I told you to get up. I expect you to listen." Dekker said.

Mike then slowly sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. By now Mia was awake and standing, waiting for Dekker to let her out for training. Dekker walked out of the boys' cell after telling the boys to stay, and walked next to Mia's cell. He unlocked the door and then led all three rangers out of the room.

As they were walking they saw many small rooms containing cells, just like the one they were in. As they got to a hallway cells lined the walls, no one was inside, but it still gave Mia the chills. The whole building was metal and so were the floors. By now, Kevin was positive they were in an abandoned prison. They walked for about five minutes, making their way through mazes of hallways, all lined with cells. They finally reached a very large metal door, without a cell in sight. Dekker opened the door and gestured for them to go through.

Mia walked out first, followed by Kevin and then Mike. When they got to the other side of the door they realized they were outside. Mia looked around and saw green grass everywhere, a small lake off in the distance, and trees surrounding them. Whoever had built this prison had wanted no one to find it, which was why Dekker had chosen this place to hide out.

"Well why don't we start training?" Dekker asked.

He tossed each of them a wooden katana and grabbed one for himself.

"Okay. Who wants to go against me first?" Dekker asked.

After a moment of silence Kevin spoke up, "I guess I will."

Dekker gestured for Kevin to meet him in the middle. Mike and Mia backed up and started to watch. The two men circled around each other for what seemed like hours. They were studying each other, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. After a very long time of waiting Kevin chose to strike. Dekker blocked Kevin and then managed to hit him in the chest then again on his back, causing him to fall flat on his face. Kevin was face down on the grass and didn't appear to be moving. Mia rushed over to check if he was okay.

"Kevin!" Mia yelled, while kneeling next to Kevin's body.

"Kev! Wake up buddy!" Mike said, now kneeling by him too.

"He's fine. I didn't hit him that hard."

Kevin barely stirred, Mike flipped him over onto his back so they could see his face. Kevin opened his eyes and began coughing violently.

"Are you okay?" Mia asked worried.

"Yeah, just got the wind knocked outta me," Kevin began coughing again, "but I'm okay."

"See? He's fine. Now, who's next?" Dekker asked.

***Taken***

Emily awoke in her bed, still feeling the pain from when Dekker had beaten her. It had been a few days, but the pain just wouldn't go away. She was on some medicine, but nothing seemed to help. Her back was killing her, her ankle wouldn't stop throbbing, and her arm felt like a million needles were stabbing her. She looked around her room to see if she had any medicine left to take, and she saw Jayden sitting in the chair beside her bed. He had fallen asleep late last night and he was exhausted. Emily then realized he had fallen asleep holding her hand. She gently removed her hand from his and she very slowly and painfully sat up in her bed. Jayden felt the movement and woke up.

"Hey sleepy head." Emily joked with Jayden.

"Hi. What time is it?" Jayden asked sleepily.

Emily looked over at her alarm clock, "11:00" Emily replied.

"That's probably the latest I've ever slept in." Jayden joked.

"That's kind of sad." Emily giggled. As Emily was readjusting herself to see Jayden better she bent her wrist.

"Ouch!" Emily yelped in pain.

"Are you okay?" Jayden asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Emily saidwhile rubbing her wrist.

"How are you feeling?" Jayden asked. "Besides your wrist."

"I've been better." Emily said, looking at her arm and her ankle.

"Does it still hurt?" Jayden asked worriedly.

"Like hell" Emily laughed.

"Is there anything I can do to make you feel any better?" Jayden asked.

Emily thought for a moment before responding, "Nah. I think I'm okay."

"Well I'm gonna go get something to eat, do you want something?" Jayden asked as he stood up from his chair.

"Sure. Thanks Jay" Emily said as she smiled.

"Then I'll be right back." Jayden said.

Jayden looked down at Emily and was about to leave. He then bent down and gently kissed Emily on the lips. Emily kissed him back, and as Jayden broke the kiss for air he blushed, his face almost as red as his ranger suit.

"Well, I'm gonna go get your food then." Jayden said as he rushed out of the room. He didn't know why he had kissed her, but he was glad he did. Maybe it was Antonio's advice that had given him the encouragement to make a move, but he had done it. And Emily hadn't pulled away in disgust as he feared, she has kissed him back. Jayden was smiling as he walked into the kitchen to see Antonio already up and making lunch.

"Well somebody's in a good mood today." Antonio joked with his friend.

"I kissed her." Jayden said happily.

"You did? For real, on the lips?" Antonio asked.

"Yep. And she kissed me back." Jayden said, his smile growing bigger as the realization set in.

"I knew you could do it." Antonio said happily.

"I just can't believe I actually…" Jayden was then cut off by Mentor Ji yelling from the common room.

"Jayden! Antonio! Come here!" Ji yelled.

Jayden and Antonio rushed into the common room and saw Ji standing in front of the map.

"I think I found them." Ji said.

"Really? That's great! Where are they?" Jayden said excitedly.

"They're in an old abandoned prison. It's pretty deep in the forest though, about a four hour walk." Ji replied.

"Wow. That's pretty far." Jayden said sadly.

"I think you guys should head out there tomorrow. Even if you left now you have no plan, and you wouldn't get there til 3 o' clock. By the time you got back it'd be really dark out." Ji said.

"Si. Your right." Antonio said.

"Then I guess we'll head out tomorrow." Jayden said.

"Until then, we gotta think of a plan to get them out." Antonio said.

"And I have to think of how I'm gonna talk to Em without it being awkward…" Jayden mumbled under his breath.