Kendall was being dragged down the road by the mysterious stranger. So far, she didn't even know his name, but he had grabbed her and started running as soon as the Rangers showed up. She couldn't really stop him without arousing suspicion; it was pretty much the expected reaction of any right-thinking person when monsters showed up in the city. There wasn't too much she could do to help in the field, but just by habit she didn't generally run off as soon as the action started if she was already out here.

"I think...this...should be...far...enough." Heckyl said as he doubled over and started trying to catch his breath. Kendall made a point of doing the same. While she didn't have the benefit of an Energem, she did make an effort to work on her conditioning to be ready for action. Heckyl looked to her, approaching her slowly. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Kendall responded through her breaths. "A couple of scrapes and bruises, but it's nothing that I can't deal with when I get back to work."

"Would you like me to take a look?" He asked her. "I could always..."

"No, thank you." Kendall assured him. "I'm more embarrassed than anything else."

"Embarassed?" He asked her.

"I don't make a habit of playing in traffic." Kendall assured him. Heckyl just chuckled, flashing a bright smile.

"I should think you don't make a habit of being blasted by monsters either." He responded. Kendall couldn't help smiling. If only he knew. She noticed a large tattoo on the side of his neck, in a kind of aquamarine colour.

"That's an interesting tattoo." She said, inspecting it thoughtfully. "Is it Mayan? Aztec?"

"It's...something I thought was a good idea in my youth." Heckyl replied, covering it with his hand. It was only then that Kendall noticed some blood on his wrist. Because of his clothing, she hadn't been able to see if he was hurt.

"You're hurt!" She called out. "Come with me, I have a first-aid kit at work..."

"No, thank you, it's nothing really." He told her.

"Please, I'd really like to take a look, maybe get you a coffee." She responded. "It's the least I can do. You did stop me becoming a greasy spot on Main Street."

"I really need to be going. My ride is not far from here." He said. There was a chime coming from his pocket, at which he pulled out his pocket watch, seeming to stop just short of opening it to check it. He flicked a thumb over his shoulder. "Though if you'd like, I might take a rain-check on that coffee. I'm kind of late for something."

"Of course." Kendall answered, thinking he must have set an alarm for an appointment. Pulling out her business card and handing it to him. "Amber Beach Dinosaur Museum, go in and ask for me."

"Museum director! Very impressive Dr Morgan." He replied.

"It's...MS Morgan actually." She replied, looking a little sheepish. "I never did get around to that PhD."

"Well I didn't either." Heckyl joked lightly, raising the business card. "I'll keep a hold of this. I'll see you later, Pretty Lady."

As he left, Kendall smiled for a moment, watching him go, having to shake herself back to thoughts. Her team was still locked in battle, and here she was concentrating on this stranger? He seemed to fit the bill for the Purple Ranger, but without the Energem she supposed it was something that would have to wait. Right now, the Rangers still had a dangerous monster to deal with. Realising she wasn't far from the museum, she headed off to get to her lab.

Over in San Angeles, Allison and Chase were sitting just on opposite sides of the bars, facing each other. Allison narrowed her eyes as they prepared for their next move.

"GO!" She yelled. They both took a card, holding it, facing outward to their forehead. It was a simple, yet entertaining game termed 'Idiot's Delight'. The objective was simple. By holding the card facing outward to their forehead, each player was unable to see their OWN card, but they could see their opponents' cards. The objective was simply to look at everyone else's card and decide if they believed their card was a higher or lower value. Both she and Chase were laughing as they had been doing this for a while, and were getting a little too into it given the lack of anything else to do in the holding cells.

"Oh, you are in so much trouble." Chase teased her, seeing the three of diamonds on her forehead. She giggled.

"You really think so? You are going down HARD Kiwi Boy!" She told him. They both looked to the cards, at which Chase groaned out loud, seeing he had the two of clubs. Allison threw up her hands in triumph and cheered.

"Australia wins again!" She teased him.

"I guess you have to win at something. Everyone knows we kick your arse at Rugby." Chase replied as they put the cards back. Allison started shuffling the deck as a cop came into the room, carrying some sandwiches and a couple of juice boxes.

"Oh, it's about time I'm starving!" Chase responded as he handed them through. He looked to the "meal" with a little disgust. "Is this it?"

"I'm the only one here. Hartford is hosting a charity football game in the city and all our man-power is there." He told them. "I can't leave the desk to make anything so this will have to do."

"Hartford...ANDREW Hartford?" Chase asked him. The cop just snorted.

"You know any other Hartfords in San Angeles?" He replied. Chase tossed the food onto his bed.

"Get me my phone, let me make a call!" He replied. "If you let me call Andrew Hartford..."

"Yeah, right, I'll let you do that. Is there anyone else you want to call?" He teased Chase. "Angelina Jolie perhaps? Maybe Stephen Hawking?"

"Come on man, just five minutes..."

"You're lucky I haven't smashed that damned phone! It hasn't stopped ringing all day!" The cop snapped at him. "It's been driving me nuts!"

"It's ringing?" Chase asked, suddenly looking worried. "Please, let me..."

"Look, settle down and there'll be another juice box before bed time." The cop warned him.

"Come on man, its important!" Chase rushed out, but his words fell on deaf ears.

"Hey, Chase, let it go!" Allison told him.

"But if my communicator is going off..."

"It's not like you can do anything about it in here is it?" Allison asked him. "I'm sure everyone will understand."

"I hope so." Chase grumbled, sitting down on his bed. "This is a pretty sucky break huh?"

"I don't know. It hasn't been that bad." She told him. "I mean...the accommodations aren't exactly what I was expecting and the food is a little less than Michelin Star but the company's good."

She reached through the bars, taking Chase's hand. He smiled as he felt her hand in his.

"I guess we did get to spend time together." He replied. "You really are amazing, you know that?"

"I definitely like to hear it." She told him as they leaned in, kissing each other between the bars. Chase took a deep breath as he looked to the sandwiches.

"So, what would the lady like, cheese and ham or corned beef?" Chase asked her.

"Corned beef." She replied.

At the site of the battle, Tyler, Riley, Koda, Ivan and Shelby were battling hard against Christie and a horde of viviks. Shelby fought viciously with Christie while her friends kept the Viviks off her.

"Christie, stop this!" Shelby screamed at her. "This is all down to Sledge! He was the one who kept you in that prison!"

"YOU'RE the ones that destroyed all of us! YOU'RE the ones that destroyed half of Sledge's cell blocks, sending his prisoners into space! They never did ANYTHING to you!"

She hacked at Shelby, causing the Pink Ranger to tumble away. Koda and Riley caught her, steadying her on her feet.

"Where the hell are Chase and Phillipe?" Riley complained.

"Phillipe no answer, is communicator off." Koda told him.

"Chase just keeps ringing out." Riley added. "I swear, if he's living it up in some Jacuzzi..."

"Perhaps this is a discussion we can have at a more convenient time?" Ivan suggested, cutting down a couple of his opponents.

"Guys, finish her off!" Tyler agreed, smashing down a few more viviks. Shelby looked hesitant.

"I...I..."

"Shelby, you can't be sentimental about this!" Tyler told her. "I know you liked Christie, but she's going to destroy everything!"

"I don't want..."

"Shelby, we've tried reasoning with her, it doesn't work!" Riley agreed. "You know there's only one thing we can do!"

"If I may interject a thought!" Ivan said as he held off three more viviks. "I don't claim to be the most knowledgeable in modern matters, but did you not say they were clones?"

"What does that matter?" Tyler asked him.

"So they're copies!" Ivan reasoned out. "Shelby, I know you don't want to do this but...that ISN'T your friend! Your friend was destroyed some time ago! That isn't Christie!"

Shelby just looked to the creature. Although it looked like Christie, she had to remind herself that Ivan was right. She had to remind herself that this monster had none of the qualities that she had liked about Christie. Wrench had stripped her of any and all reason and compassion with his torture. She looked to Riley and Koda.

"Give me your weapons." She told them. "Dino Steel! Ivan, can you give us some cover?"

"With pleasure milady!" Ivan told her, powering up three Dino Chargers in his Ptera Sabre. "Final STRIKE!"

He sent a thunderbolt out, which flashed so brightly it blinded Christie and caused her to howl in pain as it burned her. Shelby launched herself into the air with the Triple Spike.

"I'm really sorry Christie." Shelby stated as she came down. "Maybe THIS time you'll get some peace!"

She unleashed all the power she could, putting herself at risk of the backlash to ensure that this time, when Christie fell, there was nothing left for them to resurrect. She turned and looked to her team.

"Monster Ex..."

"Please, not this time." Shelby begged Tyler. He just nodded in agreement.

"Rest in Peace." He said as a replacement for his usual victory call. With that, the Rangers all turned and left, making their way back to the lab. There was no victory for them in Amber Beach this day. Having escaped with the Energem, this day belonged to Fury.

Over in the hospital, Margaret started to slowly come to, after her procedure. She felt like hell, and was still more than a little groggy from all the meds, but as she started to gain more awareness of her surroundings, she felt a hand in hers. Looking to the side of the bed, she smiled to see that Phillipe was there, having sat with her.

"Hey, you're here." She said weakly. Phillipe just nodded.

"There was nowhere else I'd be." He told her. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling like I need about four days of sleep." She told him. Phillipe just nodded in response.

"I suppose that's to be expected." He answered as he looked to her. "I want you to know, as soon as you're ready, I'll take you back to the Embassy. I'll have my doctors look after everything for you. You won't have to worry about a thing."

"Except for the cancer." She replied. Phillipe looked a little dejected to hear her talk like that. They knew the growth was a tumour, but they were still waiting to hear from the biopsy whether or not it had become malignant. He understood why, but he didn't want her to start thinking about all the terrible things that could possibly happen until they knew for sure they were facing them.

"I don't want you to worry about that. All I want you to think about is getting better." Phillipe told her. "I want you back up and about as soon as possible!"

"I don't think it really works that way." She said as she looked to him. Phillipe took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, I...I feel like I've failed you." He stated. Margaret just looked completely confused.

"How?" She asked him.

"According to the doctor, there were other signs." Phillipe replied. "The fatigue, the nausea...you must have...this must have been going on for months and I didn't notice..."

"Hey, you know I've never been one to cry off when I'm unwell." She reassured him. "I was sure I was just tired because I've been trying to keep up with you Mr Energem Bunny."

"But you were sick..."

"Phillipe, when you took that vacation in Barbados a few years back, I spent half my time with my head in the toilet." She chuckled. "The sun isn't my friend. I thought it was heat-stroke!"

"I still feel like I should have..."

"Phillipe, if anyone is to blame it's me. I should have told you if I wasn't well." She answered. "You didn't give me this tumour, and you sure as hell didn't ignore symptoms I never told you I had."

"Well from now on, I want to know if you have so much as a hang-nail!" Phillipe put down flatly. "I mean it Margaret! You are getting better, and that's all there is to it!"

"But..."

"NO BUTS!" Phillipe interrupted her sharply. "From now on, you are the number one priority! No arguments!"

Margaret smiled as she heard this. A doctor came into the room, and looked to Phillipe.

"I'm sorry Your Highness, but you'll really have to go." She told him. "Margaret really needs to rest, and we've already allowed you to exceed the visiting times by a considerable margin."

"I appreciate that. Of course I'll go." Phillipe told her. He squeezed Margaret's hand again as he got up. "I'll be back in a few hours, and I promise...I'll have the juiciest pineapple I can get my hands on."

"My favourite!" She responded. "You really know how to spoil a girl."

"You better get used to it." He answered. "Now, you get some rest. I'll be back as soon as I possibly can."

As he left the hospital, he turned his communicator. As soon as he did, it immediately started blaring. He answered it.

"Sorry, I..."

"Where the FUCK have you been?" Kendall yelled at him. "You NEVER turn off your communicator!"

"I was actually..."

"You know what? I don't want to hear it!" She reprimanded him. "Just get back to the lab! Maybe today won't be a total disaster after all!"

Phillipe knew he had missed a battle, but the way Kendall had reacted, he was sure that something much more serious had happened. He looked back to the hospital. While he regretted anything that happened in his absence, he couldn't feel like he had made the wrong choice. He started running in the direction of the museum, hoping that he could earn the forgiveness of his team.

Up on Sledge's ship, Wrench was making some adjustments to Sledge's blaster. The hulking bounty hunter was pacing like a caged animal, waiting for the adjustments to be made. Thanks to Fury, he finally had an Energem in his grasp!

"Is it done yet?" He roared, causing Wrench to fumble his tools.

"Please, have patience!" Wrench complained. "If I make even the slightest mistake, the power of the Energem could backfire on you and destroy you!"

"I'm sure you'd be all broken up about THAT happening." Sledge grumbled.

"You do still sign the pay checks." He whispered in a voice so low that Sledge couldn't hear him. "Just one more...I think this is it! Now, if I can just test it with..."

"GIVE IT HERE!" Sledge snapped, ripping the blaster from his grip. He turned to Fury, extending a hand. "The Energem!"

"Here." Fury replied, handing it over. Fury loaded it into the housing on the blaster.

"Master Sledge, please let me test it with a weaker power source first!" Wrench begged him. Sledge though, as usual, did not have the patience for such things. He powered up the blaster, seeing the display showing power levels off the scale for anything he had seen in it before. Wrench was relieved that this hadn't caused the whole thing to explode. Poisandra hopped on the spot, clapping in delight.

"Our very own Energem Blaster!" She giggled in delight. "What will we blow up first? How about the Pink Ranger? She's always stealing my colour!"

"No, the Red one, he's the leader!" Curio suggested.

"I think I have a suggestion." Fury chipped in as Heckyl arrived. The curious alien approached them, smiling.

"Ah, I see thanks to our plan you have an Energem!" Heckyl said as he came over to Sledge. "No need to thank me, let's just discuss what we intend to do next...partner."

"Partner?" Sledge responded, brushing Heckyl off. "You didn't do anything to bring this to me! Fury got the Energem!"

"We had a deal Sledge." Heckyl reminded him. Sledge levelled the blaster at him.

"We had a deal, one that you didn't fulfil." He reminded him. "Now, why should I need you?"

"Do it Sledgeums!" Poisandra egged him on. "Let's see what this blaster can do!"

"No! Not this close!" Wrench begged him. "We don't know yet how powerful it is!"

"You're going to shoot me Sledge? Heckyl asked him, walking up closer. "Go on. Let's see what it does. I'm sure it would be...amusing."

They stood, staring at each other, glaring into each other's eyes for a moment. As they stood, facing off, Fury could almost swear he saw something he never had in Sledge before. Sweat seemed to leak from him and run down the armour of his helmet. Heckyl smirked as he held up his hands and started to back away.

"Never mind. I know when I'm not wanted." He told them, turning and walking back towards his cell in the solitary block. He paused in the doorway. "Good luck, my time will come soon enough."

He went inside and sat down, while Wrench activated the lock. As the door closed, he just winked at Sledge.

"Soon enough." He repeated before the door slammed shut. Sledge held his blaster close and started to stroke it thoughtfully.

"One down, nine to go!" He stated.

"NINE?" Poisandra shrieked. Sledge realised what he had said and turned to see her looking completely livid. "You told me if we got an Energem we'd get married!"

"Poisandra..."

"You...you...FIBBER!" She screamed as she started to flail in a fit of temper. She stormed out of the room, at which Sledge rolled his eyes and followed her.

"Oh great, here we go." He responded, holstering his blaster. "Poisandra, my sweet, please wait!"

Meanwhile, down on Earth, in the museum basement, the team was assembled after the day's events. As he arrived, Phillipe walked towards the team, at which Kendall confronted him.

"Oh, so glad you could finally grace us with your presence Your Highness!" She sneered sarcastically. "What the HELL were you playing at!"

"I was..."

"Dude, we totally got played! Sledge put one of his monsters down and now...now he has the Purple Energem!" Riley told him. Phillipe was shocked as he heard this.

"He has?" Phillipe asked. "How?"

"It seems that the wish-cards at the fair actually worked." Ivan explained. "It was one of Sledge's monsters; she just was very selective about how she chose to grant them."

"The wishes...the wishes came true?" Phillipe asked. He couldn't help remembering that he had made a wish himself. He had to wonder how his wish would have been interpreted. He was brought back to the present as Kendall snapped her fingers.

"So what was so important that you decided not to bother helping your team in the battle?" Kendall asked him. He looked to the team sheepishly, knowing that he'd have to tell them.

"I was with Margaret." He told them. "I needed to take her to the hospital. She was hurt today, she broke her ankle jogging."

"Well...as sorry as I am to hear that, you can't do anything for her right now. The doctors can put a cast on without you there..."

"They found something else when they did the x-ray." He told them. "They found a tumour. I've been...with her."

The team fell silent for a moment. They still weren't happy, but it didn't feel like something they could really say anything about. Somehow criticising Phillipe for staying with Margaret moments after finding out she may have cancer didn't seem right.

"I...I'm sorry." Shelby replied. "Is she alright?"

"We're still not sure." Phillipe told her. "They need to analyse their results to know more."

"Let her know we're thinking about her." Riley told him, patting Phillipe's shoulder. "Now we just have to figure out what we're going to do about the Energem."

"Wait...where's Chase?" Phillipe asked them.

"We don't know." Kendall answered. "I've been trying his communicator all day..."

"Hello?" They finally heard Chase's voice say. They all clamoured around the computer.

"Chase?" Tyler asked him. "Why haven't you been answering?"

"Wait...where are you?" Shelby asked, noticing the background didn't look much like any hotel she had seen.

"I'm in jail." He stated.

"WHAT?" They chorused in response. Chase just sighed.

"It's...a long story, but we're in a cell here in San Angeles." He explained. "The desk officer was driven so crazy by the fact he couldn't stop the communicator ringing that he let us answer."

"Why are you in jail?" Riley asked.

"Long story." Chase answered. "Can you guys get us out of here?"

"I'll call my lawyer right away." Phillipe told them, pulling out his cell phone.

"Phillipe's dealing with it. Just do whatever his lawyer says and get back here." Kendall said, pulling off her glasses. "We've got a lot to deal with here."

As they hung up, Kendall looked to the team.

"I don't think I need to explain to you exactly how serious all this is." She told them. "Sledge now has an unbonded Energem in his grasp. Who knows what he'll do with it."

"I have a feeling we'll find out sooner than later." Ivan responded. "In my day, when a general had the position of strength, he attacked before his opponent had the chance to fortify his position. I imagine little has changed in military strategy."

"Then we have to change strategy." Riley answered, thinking about it. "We have to use..."

"Logic?" Tyler suggested. Riley just nodded.

"Until now, Sledge has always come down here, and we fight." Riley reminded them. "He comes here because he knows this is where he'll find us."

"So...?"

"So, we need to go to the one place he WON'T expect us to be." Riley put down, knowing that his suggestion would likely not be a popular one. "We don't give him the chance to dictate the pace of the next battle. We need to go to his ship."

"You want us to go to HIS SHIP?" Shelby asked him, looking at him like he was insane.

"No, he has a point." Tyler concluded. "It's the last thing he'll expect. We don't give him the chance to dictate when the next battle will be!"

"We'll need to wait until we can get Chase back, but we can take the Plesio Zord." Riley told them. "This is it guys...we're officially out of options."

"Alright, but we can't just go in all guns blazing." Kendall answered. "We need to think about this. We need a surprise attack, we need to stop him from even bringing the Energem into the battle, take it out before it's even a factor."

"The only question is how?" Tyler asked.

"Get some coffee on." Kendall replied. "We're all in for a long night."