Chapter Four:

Visiting Ivan

Ivan Callahan sat alone in his prison cell, the TV on the far wall showing a news report of a situation that had been happening in Detroit. He watched with keen interest, watching as a bright blast lit up an alleyway, knocking several police officers backwards.

"That's new," he said, looking closer at the blast.

A beep sounded. "Callahan," a voice said. "You have visitors."

Ivan turned to look at the door curiously. "Again?" he said. He switched off the television and turned as the high security door opened. Gordon Cherry and Commander Roberts appeared once again, this time accompanied by a large musclebound man whose skin seemed to be glowing faintly.

"Well, this is a surprise," Ivan said. "I thought you two had just visited." He looked the large man up and down. "Brought me a cellmate?"

"We need information, Ivan," Gordon Cherry said. He gestured for the large man to step forward. The man looked distinctly uncomfortable and self-conscious. "This is Rio Higueras," he said. "He's been infected by some form of Vader Clan technology."

The large man held out his arm, showing the glow emanating from his skin. Ivan studied the glow for a moment, then looked up at the man's face. "I know you, don't I?" he said.

The man, Rio apparently, scowled and looked down. Ivan smirked. "Yes," he said. "I do. You were on the news a little while ago, while I was in here. You were wanted for a murder, I think."

He studied the anxious look on the man's face. "But that can't be right, can it?" he said. "I know killers, boy, and you are no killer."

The man looked up at him, a mixture of surprise and fear crossing his face. He swallowed, but kept his mouth shut.

"Enough of this," Commander Roberts cut in. "Do you know anything about this or not?"

Ivan's eyes flicked to the military man. "And why do you think I would know anything about it?" he said. "I hated the Vader Clan as much as you."

"We know your followers raided the Fuhrer's bases after his death," Gordon said. "We know you have studied his secrets."

Ivan scowled. "Perhaps," he said. "Though, I'd assume Hallstrom knew more than me on that front. Still," he paused and glanced at Rio again. Even from here, he could feel the power radiating from inside his body. "There was a hidden sanctum," he said. "Deep inside the Fuhrer's base at the North Pole, that only he and his highest-ranking generals knew about." He raised his left hand, the only one he had. "That only our genetic code could access. Perhaps, if you let me out of this little box, I could lead you to it, grant you access—"

"No!" Gordon said.

"Not a chance," Roberts agreed. "You are never leaving this cell for as long as you live. If we need to, we'll use someone like Hallstrom."

Ivan scoffed. "Hallstrom didn't have access to it," he said. "The man might have been top brass for EAGLE, but for us, he was a mere scientist and spy. I had access. The Volcano Mask had access. the Sun Mask had access. When I say only the highest ranking, I mean the highest ranking. In fact," he counted on his fingers, "if I have my death tally right, I am the only living human being left with access to it. Sorry to say it, Mr. Cherry, but your predecessors saw to it that you were left with very little options."

Gordon scowled at him. "We're done here," he said. "Come on."

Ivan's visitors turned and the security door opened.

"If that's what you want," Ivan called after them. "But without me, your friend there's going to be stuck like that forever."

The trio took a lift up to one of the top floors of the prison, where the main offices were located. Upon stepping off, Commander Roberts grumbled in frustration. "I told you that's how it was going to go," he said. "There is no point speaking to that man."

"We had to try," Gordon said.

Rio stood quietly as the pair bickered. He knew the position he was in. One wrong action, one wrong word, and he could go away to prison forever, possibly in a cell just like the one they'd just been in. And if that happened, he didn't want to think about what would happen to Princess Tomas. Or Yoselin, for that matter. She'd put her career on the line for them, and the current situation couldn't be doing good things for her. The best thing he could do right now, for himself and for them, was keep his head down and cooperate.

Commander Roberts let out a long sigh and shook his head. "I'll make a call," he said. "See what we can learn from Hallstrom." He gave Rio a side-eye. "Keep an eye on him."

"Will do," Gordon said. Once the commander had ducked into a nearby office and started shouting into a phone, Gordon turned back to Rio. "Come on," he said. "The cafeteria in this place isn't bad."

Gordon led Rio down to a large room at the far corner. Gordon picked out a chef salad from the bar, while Rio picked up a piece of pizza. The pair sat down next to a window that looked out on New Tech City.

"Don't worry," Gordon said, chewing on some lettuce. "We'll figure this out."

Rio nodded, watching the cars on the street below. "Thank you," he said, taking a bite of his pizza. "For . . . believing me."

Gordon looked up at him. "Of course," he said. He adjusted his morpher a bit. "I know firsthand that things aren't always what they seem. And I took this job to protect people. I want to make sure I know what I'm supposed to be protecting who from."

Rio looked at his hands, still glowing with that strange alien light. "Still," he said. "I was already accused. I wouldn't have blamed—"

His voice caught in his throat, and he swallowed.

"Accused is one thing," Gordon said. "But Ivan was right about one thing. You're not a killer. I can see it in your eyes."

Rio looked up at the ranger. He shook his head, taking in the surrealness of it all. He had barely had time to process all that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. Everything had happened so fast. He could hardly believe he was sitting across from an athlete he had watched compete in the Olympics since before his own boxing career even began. Much less with a piece of alien tech inhabiting his own body like a parasite.

"Plus," Gordon said. "Your sibling and that FBI agent were willing to stick up for you. That's got to count for something, right?"

Rio looked down. "Right." He thought back to that moment, both Yoselin and Princess standing between him and a Power Ranger. He wondered where they both were now, and whether they were both okay.

He took another bite of his pizza. "So, um," he said, trying to be social, something he'd never been good at, "how's the, uh, new gig treating you?"

He gestured to the morpher on Gordon's wrist. Gordon glanced down at it. "It's good," he said. "It's an adjustment after my old lifestyle."

"Do you—"

The door to the cafeteria flew open as Commander Roberts came rushing in. "We need to get back to Detroit, now."

"What?" Gordon asked. "Why?"

"A report just came in," the commander said, holding up a comm. "Aliens landed twenty minutes ago. They've killed at least one officer."

Gordon stared at him. "Vader Clan?"

"Looks like it."

Rio shot straight to his feet, his thoughts on Princess and Yoselin. "We need to go."

For some reason, Gordon seemed to be staring out the window instead of heading out immediately like Rio thought he should be doing. "Um," he said, pointing at the muggy sky. "I think they're coming to us, actually."

Rio followed his gaze. As he did so, the thick cloud cover parted as if forced open. In the sky above, a large reddish ship hovered over the building, rapidly descending.

"Holy—"

Commander Roberts didn't get anything else out before the first lasers struck the city.

Seems like the stats issue has finally been resolved, but reviews are still very welcome.