Abbey could only stare at the floor, shifting her feet as she sat in the chair while the clock painfully ticked away the seconds. Ray sat opposite her, patiently waiting for her head to rise and offer a response. But every time she did, Abbey instead felt like sinking deeper into the chair.

If anything, she should have considered herself lucky. After Gail's stunt in the cafeteria, Goodson had kept a level head as she inquired, remaining unnervingly calm as Whitney raged beside her. The Principal, however, was more concerned with "Abbey's" out-of-character behavior.

All Abbey could do was nod and agree, knowing full well that she could just blame it all on a clone she should never have created. Thankfully, Goodson had insisted on mandatory counseling, letting Abbey speak to the one faculty fully aware of what was going on. Of course, Ray would also have his own feelings on the matter, and they were no doubt adjacent to his wife's barely withheld fury. But if there was judgment coming, Ray never said a word. Instead, he just sat and waited, with an of strange tranquility until Abbey was finally prepared to talk.

"I didn't do it," was the first thing she said. God, how pathetic was that? She'd finally found the nerve to speak, and all she could offer was a denial.

Ray's face remained unmoved as he nodded, "I know."

"I was Gail. The Clone."

"I know."

"She could be anywhere by now! She probably cut and ran the second the meeting was over so no one could catch up to her."

"I know," Ray agreed calmly. "Don't worry. We'll find her."

"Great!" Abbey decided, rising decisively and turning to the door. "So, we're done then?"

But this time Ray shook his head and motioned back to the chair. "No, not yet."

Oh, so it was that conversation. Solemnly, Abbey returned to the seat, her eyes sheepishly resuming their gaze on the floor in a cowardly reluctance to meet Ray's.

"I really screwed up, didn't I?" Abbey said at last.

"What makes you say that?"

"Is that one of your famous questions where you already know the answer?"

"It's a question where I want to know what you think the answer is."

So yes, she had, and yes, Ray thought so; and the shame of that admittance only caused Abbey to sink deeper into the chair. "You and Hilary gave me your trust, and I broke it. Ranger rule Number One; don't use technology for personal gain. And what did I do? I turned to it the second my life got too hard. And it's not like it was to any benefit. Gail's been around for barely two days and she's already made everything so much worse. God, I'm like Frankenstein!"

Then she stopped for a moment, pausing as she realized the common clarification she always had to make.

"The doctor," she added. "People always think the monster's called Frankenstein."

Although, Frankenstein really was a monster anyway so…

Ray simply chuckled, as if reminded of a memory long forgotten. "It's okay, I'm familiar."

At least if he was smiling, he couldn't be too mad, right? His wife on the other hand…

"Hilary's probably furious with me, right?"

"I won't lie to you," Ray admitted. "The last time I'd seen her like that was when an argument with her brother caused a bad guy to get away. Hilary might need some time before she's ready to talk."

And it was entirely warranted. What could Abbey even say? Sorry? How could that cut it? She'd accessed the lab without permission, used technology that she barely understood and wasn't hers, and now a psychotic duplicate of herself was running free around the city doing masters knew what.

"Go on," Abbey decided meekly, bracing for the inevitable scolding. "You can say it. I'm ready."

But again, Ray shook his head. "I don't think I could say anything right now that you haven't already told yourself. You know what you did, you know why it was wrong, and there's not much more that I can add to that."

He wasn't mad, he was just disappointed. And no amount of apologizing or groveling would make that go away. Abbey would just have to learn to live with it for a while. It was the least of what she deserved, and slowly, Abbey nodded in repentant understanding.

"So," she decided quietly. "If there's nothing else you want to say to me, am I able to go?"

But again, Ray shook his head. "Still no, sorry. We still haven't got to what we need to talk about."

"What else is there?" Abbey asked exasperatedly. "I know screwed up making Gail, and there's nothing I can do from inside office to make it right."

"I know you feel sorry for misusing the Digitizer," said Ray. "But what I'm more interested in right now is why. Why did you make a copy of yourself, Abbey?"

Abbey's breath sucked in but didn't relent, her heart stopping as if Ray had found the off switch and flipped it. The one question that she'd hoped he'd never ask. The one she'd desperately hoped to never answer.

Let Hilary be angry with her.

Let Ray be disappointed.

Let Lena be furious and the others uncomfortable.

All of it is still better than having to face the answer to the question.

Because… because…

"Because I had to," Abbey said at last, hanging her head in defeat as her stinging eyes quivered to a blur of weighing tears. "Because how else I was going to keep up?"

"Keep up?"

"With everything!" she blurted out. "Abbey, can you do this? Abbey, I'm stuck; can you help? Abbey, everything's falling apart; we need you! It just feels like everywhere I turn, someone else needs me. And if I don't do it, it won't get done, or else everything will crumble without me."

"That's not true," Ray assured her. "If you can't help, they'll find someone else."

"But there is no one else!" It was as if the dams had burst, as if something in what he'd said had found the shatter point and caused the walls to fall. "Because they know I'll do it. They know always I'll get it done! They always know that they can ask Abbey, it doesn't matter what else she's doing. Because they know that she's always stupid enough to say yes!"

It never ended. It wasn't as if her standards for herself weren't high enough, Abbey knew what needed to be done to go where she wanted. It was a path that demanded nothing but the best. She wanted to help, to make the world a better place. How could she ever turn down a chance to do that?

And all of that was even before considering her Ranger responsibilities. Somehow between school, her homework, and all her volunteering, Abbey had to find time to train and prepare. All in case a monster attacked the city at any given moment.

Who was she kidding? She'd never be able to deal with all that even if there were ten of her!

It was just all too much!

As Abbey sat there and cried, Ray waited patiently, eyes filled with nothing but sympathy as she reached for tissues beside her and slowly began to dry her eyes.

"For what it's worth," Ray comforted. "I don't think your problem is that you say "yes" too much. You've got a big heart; you've got a lot of love to give, and you want to share it with the world. I think the problem is that you don't say "no" enough."

Sniffing up from the tissue, Abbey tilted her head. "What's the difference?"

"People that say yes too much usually can't assess their capacity," Ray said. "They earnestly believe they can fit it all in and can't balance out all they're doing. Usually, they don't realize the mess they're in until it's all falling down around them. But you do know, you know the cost, you know what it's going to do to you. But you take it on anyway."

What else could she do? Be the reason something failed? Be the arbiter of what did and didn't get off the ground? Abandon everyone else's hopes and dreams?

Be the bearer of bad news?

Because Ray was right, Abbey never said no; never. And the few times she did, it always felt like she was abandoning everyone she loved. Like she was rejecting them. And every time, she'd have to brace herself for the fact that they may never speak to her again.

She'd done it when she'd abandoned the Rangers, to this day one of her greatest regrets even after she'd rectified it. But even then, it seemed like in trying to make everyone happy, all she ever did was disappoint them.

"I just…" Abbey shuddered. "I don't want to let anyone down. It just feels like everyone's always relying on me. And if they can't, they have nothing."

And so instead she always took on more, never turned anyone time. All in the hopes that it would mean they'd always like her. Always stay.

Never leave.

"I'm such a hypocrite!" Abbey realized. "Just last week I gave Erika a massive speech about running away, but you know what? She was right. It's all I ever do! I kick the can down the road, just hoping that all my problems will be magically solved by the time I next get to it. And by then there's always a million more of them."

So, she just kept agreeing. Never turning anything down and struggling beneath the weight of everything she was avoiding.

School.

Her volunteering.

Zeke…

Because sooner or later, Abbey was going to have to have that conversation. And boy did she have no idea how to even start with that.

"Having boundaries doesn't mean you don't care," Ray said softly. "It means that you're guaranteeing that what's important can't be neglected. It means you're taking care of yourself so that you can achieve the things you want. So that you can achieve goals that matter to you. The truth is, if someone else's project was going to fail without you, then maybe it was always going to happen. Maybe the only way people will learn to manage without you is if they're forced to. People are resilient and resourceful. They can pick up pieces if you're not there."

"But what if they don't?" Abbey pleaded. "What if they're asking me because I'm the only one who can fix it?"

"Then that's on them for letting it get that far," Ray reasoned. "It's not fair of them to expect you to finish what they started. It's okay to push back. To tell them no. It doesn't mean you're difficult, it doesn't mean you've failed. It means you're human."

Erika was right, Ray was good at making sense, at making it seem so obvious. Of course, knowing it and doing it were two different things. And in the meantime, there was an evil version of her running around Lakeview.

"Now," Ray decided. "I think that should be long enough to keep Principal Goodson happy. And I don't think I'm the only one you need to talk to right now."

Far from it. Hilary, Lena… all of them. Time to start mending bridges and fixing her mistake. And then maybe find ways to stop her from falling for the same trap again.

"Mr. Granger?" Abbey asked as she rose to leave. "Is it okay if I come back? Maybe you can help me start setting boundaries?"

For the first time since Gail had revealed herself, Ray smiled back at her, warmly and sincerely. "Whatever you need," he agreed. "I'm in if you are. Now come on, let's go find Gail before she causes any more double trouble."

For a school afternoon, the Hub was surprisingly quiet. Usually, it was the hangout spot right after the bell, filled with teens eager to procrastinate from the looming shadow of homework. For Miguel, it was usually a place to find company, but today that seemed only fleeting. Lena had been prickly ever since her blow-up at Abbey, a dour mood hanging over her even as she joined them during breaks, and she'd chosen to vanish to the museum straight after school. Erika had run off to band practice, and even if he was around, Miguel had to admit that hanging out with just Zeke was still… weird.

But right, now, he'd take his other teammate's standoffishness over the strangeness with Abbey. Both of them.

It bent his mind just thinking about it; the idea of her being in two places at once. But… was this second Abbey even really her? Or just another person that was otherwise exactly the same?

Urgh.

He'd had brain freezes give him milder headaches But before Miguel could contemplate it any further, the door to the Hub chimed as it opened, and his jaw dropped as Abbey strode in.

Long gone were her usual cardigans and conservative, lace-necked sweaters. Now she was wearing a tight body-con, every inch hugging her figure as turquoise lines traced in a pattern against the black fabric. Her makeup was heavier, her fiery hair tied back to draw attention to her falling neckline, and she was striding toward Miguel with an almost hungry look in her eye.

"Hey," Abbey purred as she reached him, her lips flickering with a satisfied smile as she noticed his speechless expression. "You like it?"

"I… uh…"

"I know right?" she grinned. "Thought I'd try something a little different. Loosen up a little, you know?"

Then her hand crawled across the bench, nails clicking against the laminate as they curled around his finger and she stepped in closer. Her eyes closed, breathing sultrily to inhale his scent before pushing deeper into his space and whispering into his ear, "Why don't you and I get out of here? You know, have some fun?"

Something wasn't right. As hard as Miguel's heart was pounding, incensed by the close proximity of the girl he longed for, another part of his mind held back. A hesitance that was screaming at the wrongness. A heartbeat later, his mind finally caught up, actively recalling the weirdness that they were dealing with all that day.

As the redhead reached up to slyly caress his face, Miguel stepped back, eyes narrowing as he caught the wrist that tried to touch him.

"You're not Abbey."

If she was offended, Gail didn't show it. Instead, her shoulders rolled back, eyes almost elated by the challenge as she slyly stepped away and leaned against the counter.

"You got me," she snickered. "Doesn't change my offer, though. Want to get out of here?"

This was wrong, every bit about this. Whoever this was in front of him, no matter where they came from or how they were created, it wasn't Abbey. This wasn't some shy flirtation or an attempt to explore some mutual feeling. The duplicate knew what she was doing. And she was enjoying it.

"Not with you," Miguel decided, turning to leave and briskly striding out of the Hub. Gail didn't let up.

"So that's it?" she scoffed as she followed him out into the street. "I'm not your pandering princess, so all of a sudden you're not interested? Give me a break, as if you don't want any of this?"

Miguel spun around and glared; gaze matched as Gail stared back with suggestive daring.

"You don't know what I want," Miguel said flatly.

"Oh," Gail replied, almost pityingly. "But I do. I know exactly what you want. I might not be Abbey, every thought she ever had is kicking around in this pretty head of mine. I know what she thinks about you, what she feels. What she wants. And don't think for a moment she hasn't seen all those glances you don't want her to notice. You want this, almost as badly as she does."

All Miguel could do was stare, heart pounding as his mind swirled with a bizarre mix of emotions. Anger, shock. Attraction.

She was right, Miguel had thought about it. He'd thought about it a lot. He'd thought about all the ways he was misreading it, how he was confusing Abbey's friendship for interest. He'd thought of all the ways he'd hurt her in anger about the lies she had no choice but to feed him, and in standing by her enemies for no other reason than petty spite.

He'd thought of all the ways he could make it up to her, to perhaps one day be worthy of something more.

But this… he didn't want this. He didn't just want someone that looked like Abbey.

He wanted her, and all the things that made her special.

"What I want doesn't matter," Miguel said as he turned his back. "Because you're not Abbey."

"Well get used to that," Gail snarled. "Because I'm the real deal, and I'm living her life so much better than she was. She's always so worried about what everyone else is thinking, always so insistent that everyone else came first. Well maybe that's just her problem, and I'm not going to make that same mistake. I'm not going to wait around when I can take what I want instead."

"And what makes you think people will let you?" Miguel replied.

"Who's going to stop me?" Gail laughed as her face twisted into a mocking pout. "You? Do you really think you could stop "sweet, innocent, Abbey?" Please, you needed a moment to even think about who you were talking to. And while everyone else is busy thinking they're talking to the pushover queen, they'll have no idea that I'm getting everything I want."

"You're wrong," Miguel growled. "Abbey will stop you. And so will I."

"Well then," she said darkly. "I guess I'll just have to deal with you first."

Her hand whipped up, Miguel shifting back on instinct as the sharp had swiped down and narrowly avoided him. There was something about the blow, something strong. Something… inhuman.

"HEY!"

Miguel had barely a chance to process what was happening when the command barked across the square as both he and Gail spun around to see it. The duplicate's eyes widened as they reached the source; Abbey.

She stood just in lunging distance, eyes filled with fury as they narrowed in on their duplicate, tight shoulders rising and falling to the pace of growling breaths.

"Get your hands away from him!" she snarled.

"Why?" Gail scoffed. "It's not like you were going to touch him."

"Miguel," Abbey said curtly. "Get out of here, I'll handle this. It's personal."

Miguel stepped back, out of the way but not the vicinity. There was something about Gail, something wrong. Something that told him she was much more than Abbey was bargaining for. And that meant she'd need backup.

"Oh, and what are you going to do?" Gail scoffed. "You squeal in shame the second you have to shove through a crowd. You really expect me to believe that you're ever going to throw so much as a-."

And then Abbey lunged.

Gail barely had a chance to react as the original hurled herself across the distance, launching high into a powerful downward punch. Gail's eyes bulged, barely reacting in time to sidestep as Abbey landed and spun into a swipe. This blow was blocked, and Abbey reeled herself in to snarl at her double.

"You might have come from me," she hissed. "But you don't know me."

"You're right," Gail snickered. "I know better. Because I am better."

From the sidelines, Miguel could only watch, torn between wanting to help and obeying Abbey's command, not knowing whether this was something she needed to do alone.

With a laugh, the duplicate swung out her arm, hurling Abbey off her as both girls stepped back and readied fresh stances. Immediately, both of them lunged in again.

"Miguel!"

The boy whipped around as Lena and Zeke raced toward them, skidding to a stop as they watched the two Abbeys trading blows in their bare-knuckle brawl.

"Which one's which?" Zeke gawked.

"Really?" Lena mused as she eyed Gail's clothes with full judgment. "You can't tell?"

For just a moment, Miguel sheepishly looked away. "Something's wrong with Gail," he said. "She's not acting like Abbey."

"That's because she's not Abbey," Lena confirmed. "Abbey tried to make a clone and accidentally made a computer virus."

"She's just like the monsters Xaviax sends after us," Zeke explained. "She's just pretending."

Wait, so that meant…

Back in the brawl, both girls spun away, Gail lowering her guard as Abbey readied to dive back in. But while Abbey was panting furiously, Gail was barely out of breath.

"Well then," she snickered, shooting a look to the three gawking onlookers. "I guess the jig's up. Feast your eyes, Abbey, this is what true beauty looks like; what you could only aspire to be.

Her body began to shift, a sickly green light pulsing from her body as her shape began to meld and change. The glowing grew almost blinding, obscuring Gail's features as her outline warped and pulsated. Changing; growing. The other three Rangers raced to Abbey's side, the redhead staring in horror as her mirror grotesquely mutated. By the time light faded, what stood before them shared no resemblance to the girl she'd once been.

She was something else.

Something far worse.

What stood before them now was barely recognizable as human. Nauseous scales of seafoam turquoise littered her body from top to bottom, with her hands now a mesh of slender tendrils, almost snakelike as they protruded from the hands like twisted fingers. Her face had contorted into a serpentine visage, with red, slitted eyes glaring out at them beneath a messy mesh of weedlike vines, the same moldy hue of fallen leaves.

"How do you like me now, Abbey?" Gail cackled, her voice now deeper and resonant. "Everything you wish you could be. How do you like what came from you?"

And then things went from bad to much, much worse.

Abbey's eyes could only bulge in sheer revulsion as the monstrous Gail stood proudly before her. She… she'd made that. It had come from her.

No, it was her.

"Abbey!" Lena said sharply. "Whatever you're going through, it needs to wait. Right now, we've got to deal with her. As Rangers."

Lena was right. Responsibility first, personal guilt later. Duty before feelings; finally, something she was good at. Too good at.

But before any of them could move, the square was engulfed with emerald light, the entire area filling with swarming Cyberdrones as they materialized around them. And standing amongst them, was a giant mechanical man, every square inch shiny and metallic.

"You over there," they laughed as they nodded to the monstrous Gail. "Seemed to have a good idea, thought we'd mirror it."

"Seems like Xaviax wanted in on the fun," Lena growled as the four of them snapped back-to-back and their Morphers flashed to their wrists.

"Guys," Hilary's voice sounded through the coms. "I don't know what Xaviax is playing at, but you don't have time to mess around. I've alerted Erika, she's on her way."

At least with their Red Ranger coming they'd have a full team to deal with the double feature.

"Oh, Abbey," Gail chuckled. "Thought you could solve all your problems with the press of a button. Looks like you've simply doubled them!"

"I'll show you trouble," Abbey growled before flicking her eyes to the team beside her and stepping defiantly forward with her keycard gripped in hand. "You guys ready?"

"Ready!"

"Server Force! Login Access!"

The light flared, bursting from the wrists to consume the four with power. Grid surging, the suits enwrapped their limbs, sealing them inside as empowering energy pulsed within and their faces encased behind the visors. As the light cleared, the Blue, Yellow, Dark, and White Rangers stood transformed, ready to pick up the pace.

As the other three Rangers closed in ranks, Abbey's eyes narrowed at the serpentine mockery, watching as Gail maniacally reveled in the chaos unfolding in her wake. All of this, the mess in the streets, all of the panic and confusion. All of this was because of her. Of her creation. It was time to clean up the mess, and there was no way Abbey was letting this second-rate copycat sow havoc in her name.

The other three had already brandished their weapons, huddling tight as they gazed at the surrounding Cyberdrones and the freakish reflective monster as Abbey glared at her monstrous copy from afar.

"You guys deal with the mirror-man, I'll handle Gail," she ordered. "This one's personal."

Then she lunged, leaving her team in the dust as she vaulted toward the cackling Gail. The Security Saber flashed to her hand, glinting in the sun she reached the arc's peak and thundered downwards. Gail swiped upwards, the tendrilled fingertips glowing hot as they crashed into the blade, the collision booming as Abbey flipped back and the monstrous duplicate looked back with gleeful enthusiasm.

"So angry, Abbey," Gail snickered. "Are you sure you want nothing to do with your dark side?"

"I'm nothing like you!" Abbey snarled.

But there was a venomous satisfaction dripping from Gail's voice, a smug vindication as she caught the hollowness in Abbey's voice; the betrayal of a declaration that she herself didn't quite believe.

With a cry of frustration, Abbey lunged in again, sword edge poised right for a thrusting strike. Gail swerved, clawed feet skidding on the concrete as Abbey soared past, all effort thrown at an exasperated offense that left her open and exposed. The perfect victim for the copy to strike.

With a maniacal glee, Gail swiped upwards, the tendrils lashing against Abbey's suit like a flurry of a blazing whip that smashed her feet. The light flared, scorching across the surface as Abbey went flying, crashing into the nearby wall before slumping to the ground.

The Blue Ranger could only groan as Gail sauntered back towards her, amusedly eying her original as she struggled to stand.

"Oh, Abbey, you still don't get it, do you?" the monster cackled. "You can't get rid of me. In fact, without me, you'd be nothing. And now that's exactly what I'll make you."

Lena ducked and dived, weaving between the Cyberdrones as her spear swept low to send them sprawling.

Great! This was just, great.

Sure, Abbey, make a clone of yourself. What could go wrong? It's not like the last digital construct you knew had an existential crisis; that totally couldn't happen if the robot was on your side, right? Because you're such an expert at using the Digitizer.

Beside her, Zeke and Miguel were whirring around, blocking strikes and batting back the horde as they slowly carved through numbers, inching to gain ground as they tried to gain a stable footing. For Lena, every Cyberdrone coming at them only twinged at her nerves. She knew what they were doing, she'd seen it in action all too often as she watched from the other side.

The Cyberdrones were keeping them pinned, letting the Rangers reeve through the chaff to keep them contained until the main event was ready to strike. They needed to be quick, to wrap this up the horde before-.

"You seem to be struggling!" Refractor cackled, "Here's something to reflect on!"

The cavity on the chest flung open, a trio of mirrors unfolding outward as a massive surge of light blasted from the surface. Still huddled together, the three Rangers were helpless victims as the blast hit them, booming into an enormous fireball that sent the trio flying. The three of them thudded to the ground, rolling desperately to their feet as the foot soldiers swarmed around them again.

"Would you look at that?" The monster chuckled. "Looks like you didn't see that coming!"

Great, it had Ender's humor too.

Snapping to her feet, Lena swerved to avoid an eager Cyberdrone, the spear crashing through its chest as she flourished the weapon and readied for the rest. Another group was already coming for her, charging in tight formation with the intent of keeping her from her team. All to keep her busy while Refractor got ready for another blast. Damnit!

The Cyberdrones had got the jump on them, taking advantage of their split attention to keep them scattered. And to make it all worse, Abbey's preoccupation with her inner demon meant they didn't have the Power Bow to form the canon.

One problem at a time, first the Cyberdrones. Then the big scary monster.

Thankfully she soon had help with the first one.

As Lena readied for the next cluster to reach her, a rain of crimson energy seared down from above. The rounds boomed as they landed, bursting into shattering balls of flame that sent the Cyberdrones soaring in all directions. A heartbeat later, Erika somersaulted beside her, fully morphed in her red ranger suit and Security Pistol smoking.

"I ask for one day for band practice and this is what happened," she grumbled, before turning to Lena. "What's going on?"

"Abbey's battling her inner demon," said Lena. "And Xaviax decided we weren't busy enough."

Both girls turned toward the monster, watching as Miguel and Zeke broke free of the writhing horde and made a B-line for Refractor. Eager to get things moving, both boys leaped high and drew pistols opening fire on the monster below.

"Careful," Refractor warned them gleefully. "Wouldn't want a rebound!"

He spun and looked up at them, the cavity opening to reveal the mirrors as the lasers surged downward. The shots met their mark, dead center of the chest and bounding off the mirrored surface. Up in the air, the boys had nowhere to move as both volleys reflected off the monster and peppered back into them. The shots burst into puffs of sparks, smoke steaming from their suits as they dropped to the ground and groaned.

Refractor was practically skipping as he bore down on them, but Lena and Erika weren't wasting any time.

"Don't forget about us!"

Both girls launched high, spear and axe flaring as they lunged while the monster's back was turned and carved a pair of blazing strikes against him. The monster howled, staggering back as the duo flipped around and rejoined the two boys.

"Hilary," Erika warned. "We've got a big ugly in front of us and we're down in firepower. Could use some bright idea right about now."

"It looks like his mirrors are his power source," came their tech expert's reply. "He's vulnerable when he blasts you, so wait for the right moment and then…" Hilary trailed off, less for lack of ideas and more from underlying shame for the rest of the strategy. "… just hit him really hard."

Not subtle, but it was the best they had, already Lena's mind was spinning with calculations for optimal angles of attack. It was possible, their timing just had to be perfect.

"We can do it," she agreed. "Zeke's just going to have to tank the blast."

The Yellow Ranger nodded, hesitant but willing. "I can do that."

"Then get ready," Erika agreed. "Lena, use your reach to take the center, Miguel and I will take the sides."

"Got it!"

"You all done talking over there?" Refractor demanded. "I was promised a challenge, but you've barely made a scratch. You all need to take a good hard look at yourselves!"

The doors opened up, and the four Rangers moved. Zeke launched forward, his shield braced and ready as slammed it down and the trio behind him leaped. The blast boomed from surfaces, crashing into the barrier as Erika, Lena, and Miguel soared above and descended. Spear, Axe, and Saber flared, smashing into the mirrors with all their might as Refractron screamed.

The glass shattered, fracturing into a million pieces as arcing energy burst from the monster's body as he flailed and tumbled backward. The Rangers leaped away, regrouping together, and spinning around as the wall of mirrors fell.

"Looking back, I should have seen it coming!" he bemoaned.

And then his entire body exploded, vanishing in a mighty ball of flames that scattered its form across the ground in a mess of smoking parts.

Abbey dived beneath the blow, sword swinging upwards to parry as Gail went on the offense. The blade sheared against the scaled arm, sparks flickering from the collision as the Blue Ranger rolled to safety.

"Still running Abbey?' Gail mocked. "So typical. And you still somehow think you can beat me? It's no wonder you never get anywhere."

"So what?" Abbey hissed back. "I should just push people around? Take whatever I want no matter what it costs? That's not me."

"But it is," Gail replied. "There's nothing that I've done that you haven't wanted to. The only difference is that I'm not scared of what I want, to do whatever it takes. And you know it, and that's why you're so angry. So frightened."

Abbey could only clench her jaw, holding back the fury as her mind desperately raced for a new battle plan, desperate to ignore all that Gail was saying.

No. It wasn't true. She could never do what Gail was doing. She'd never take the low road with Whitney, she'd never force herself on Miguel. She'd never hurt her friends.

…would she?

No! It was impossible; the monster in front of her was a mistake, some sick joke caused by missing data and glitches in the Digitizer. It was her rushed efforts that were causing this. It had to be!

But even as Abbey tried to deny it, another thought remained unshaken. One that kept repeating despite all other denials. She hadn't just created Gail; Gail had come from her.

She was her.

Seeing the hesitation, the monster gleefully struck, tendrils extending from the hand to lash around and her and wrap on tight. Abbey gasped as the binding squeezed her, pressing her arms to her chest to prevent the weapon from swinging. Then, as the Blue Ranger writhed against her prison, helpless in the monster's grip, Gail slowly began to reel her in.

"Let's face, Abbey," the monster laughed through her hideous visage. "I'm everything you wish to hide. Every part that you hold back in fear of what it makes you. I'm who you are deep inside, and now that I'm free, I'm going to show you just how much better life could be. Of course, if I'm living your life, then I have no need for you."

Then she let go, suddenly tossing Abbey high in a relinquish too fast for the Ranger to react. And then, airborne and helpless, Abbey could only scream as her dark reflection bore down with everything she had.

The green light burst from the sky, searing down on the scattered parts and drawing Refractron together. The pieces glowered, clattering as they moved and slowly reformed as the glowing shape began to swell. Then, with a mighty roar, Refractor was reborn, the four Rangers diving as a thousand tons of metal stamped where they'd been standing and the monster towered over them, rejuvenated at eighty stories tall.

"You guys broke a mirror!" he hooted. "That's nothing but bad luck!"

That was putting it mildly. Abbey was still occupied and her fight with Gail had drawn her even further away. The Cyberdrones may have no longer been blocking the path, but now they had a colossal monster to deal with while trying to free up the Blue Ranger.

Thankfully, Erika was a step ahead of the rest of them.

"We need to split," she decided as she nodded to Miguel and Lena. "We can't form the Megazord without Abbey, which means it's up to you two."

It was a good point, and Hilary had already mentioned a new Zord combo she'd wanted to trial. But as much as Lena saw the logic, Miguel was less convinced. His thoughts were elsewhere, too concerned for his teammates to focus on what was in front of them.

"But what about Abbey?" he said desperately.

Thankfully, Erika knew the answer before Lena snapped something she'd regret.

"The best way you can help Abbey right now is by dealing with that monster," she instructed. "We'll back Abbey up and then come to you."

For a moment, Miguel said nothing, unconvinced as his concern overrode all other reason.

"Miguel," Lena comforted as she nodded up toward the towering Refractron. "The sooner we deal with that, the sooner we can help Abbey. She'd want us to keep the city safe."

She had no idea if it was a convincing argument, or if his sense was starting to return, but slowly Miguel's black helmet turned to her and nodded.

"Okay," he agreed. "Then let's wrap this up quick."

The Dark and Light Rangers turned to face the monster, Erika and Zeke racing off to help their teammate as Hilary's voice cackled in their ears. "Don't worry guys, I've got your back. Deploying Zords."

Their Morpher screens lit up, beacons activating as the screeching wheels echoed in the distance. Seconds later, the two mighty vehicles tore around the corner, both Rangers leaping into the cockpits to begin the merge.

"Shadow-Cycle Zord!" confirmed Miguel. "Maximum Speed!"

"Lightspeed Racer Zord!" Lena called in. "Taking the lead!"

"Alright guys," Hilary admitted. "I'd hoped to run a few more trials before doing this, but as my brother likes to say; there ain't no test like a road test!"

"Right!" both agreed. "Let's bring them together!"

The engines roared, both vehicles gunning to top speed as they pulled together and began to shift. Lena's brakes slammed, rubber burning from the wheels as the white racecar skidded a full one-eighty before lurching up into vertical. As the Zord pitched into position, the entire front section folded out, and Lena's chair whipped backward as the bottom half of the car split into a pair of legs. Just as the Shadow-Cycle took to the air.

The Black Zord folded open as it soared, back-wheel splitting at the seam as a hand emerged from each end and the central body locked into place with Lena's newly formed legs and torso. Both seats shunted through the passage, emerging in a newly formed cockpit as the freshly helmeted head unfolded out from the combined bodies.

"Twilight-Server Megazord!" the two declared in triumph. "Online!"

Spinning around, Refractron stumbled back in amazement as the new Megazord took a giant step toward them.

"What? That's new!" he panicked. "I thought you were just going to mirror what you always do!"

"All systems are go on my end," Hilary told them gleefully. "Why don't you two show him what you've got."

"Right!"

The Megazord surged forward, thunderous footstep quaking beneath as it crossed the gap at blitzing speed.

"You think that'll be enough to stop me?" Refractron demanded. "You look ridiculous. Take a look!"

The doors on its chest began to open, but the Megazord was fast. Final a final bounding leap, the Shadow-Server Megazord's hands smacked down on the handle, grabbing hold and twisting.

"Thanks, but we've got better things to look at," said Lena.

"Maybe you should put that thing away," Miguel agreed.

With a mighty pull, the Megazord twisted, sealing the doors shut as the monster howled in pain. Refractron stumbled back in horror, arms raised in fear as it gazed upon the monochrome mecha.

"Now, now," he pleaded. "Let's look back on this. Maybe you'll see something we missed?"

"I've done all the reflecting I need," Lena snicked.

"Maybe you're the one who needs to self-reflect," Miguel agreed.

The Megazord braced, hands pushed forward as wide barrels emerged from the palms.

"Twilight Server…" the two declared together. "…FLASH!"

With the monster cowering, the twin cannons boomed, searing streams of black and white energy erupting from the barrels and twisting into a deadly helix. All Refractron could do was scream as the beams collided, bursting into a blinding flare that burned right past him and out the other side. As the light faded, the monster was already tumbling.

"I guess all that bad luck was just mine!" he bemoaned as his arms flailed backward.

And then he exploded. Every inch of his body shattered as the flames spewed from within, bursting apart from the inside as the surging heat incinerated within the spiraling column of flame.

"Now that's what I call a road test," Miguel cheered. Beside him, Lena couldn't help but smile, looking down at the city that she'd just defended. Safe, in part, because of her.

The fingers extended, lashing wildly as Abbey ducked and dived for dear life.

It was too much; it was all too much!

No matter what she tried, Gail was just too strong. Every strike was parried, every opening herself up for a counter. Spinning around, Abbey's breathing grew heavier as she stared panting at the monster of her creation, fanged lips smiling back at her without a hint of tiredness.

It was all Abbey could do to keep up, and Gail had barely broken a sweat.

"What's the matter, Abbey?" Gail mocked. "Running out of steam? Or are you finally starting to see the problems with holding back?"

The fingers shot out again with a cackle of maniacal glee, crashing into the ground behind Abbey as she launched herself to safety. The whiplike fingers cracked against the asphalt, energy flaring as Abbey was almost thrown from the ground. All she could do was run, staring in horror at what she'd created.

At the power that she'd unleashed.

"Why are you doing this?" Abbey demanded, "I never wanted any of this!"

"Are you so sure about that?" Gail snickered. "Or maybe this is everything you ever wanted."

"Not this," Abbey pleaded. "Not like this. Please, we're so alike, we don't have to fight!"

Suddenly there was a shift in Gail's posture, her gleeful expression falling from elation to fury as her slitted eyes glared back. "But that's exactly why I have to do this! What did you think was going to happen, Abbey? That there was plenty of room in this world for two of us? What else did you make me for?"

She'd stopped attacking, glaring instead with seething rage as Abbey took the gracious moment to recollect. As Gail continued to glare, her body began to change, the monstrous features slowly melting back as her mirrored face began to grotesquely emerge.

"Look at me!" Gail hissed. "Look at what you made! I didn't ask for this, I didn't ask to be your second-rate! To be the consolation half of your life. And why? Because you never had the spine to let people down! Because you always had to be "sweet, perfect Abbey" who everyone liked. So why should I live in the shadows of that life? Because the answer has always been right there, right in your reach! The solution to all your problems. And just because you're not going to give in to the darkness, Abbey, that doesn't mean that I can't!"

"But that's not us!" Abbey pleaded. "It's not you!"

But the half-human merely twisted, the same sinister satisfaction as the monstrous mutations began to meld back over. "Isn't it?" she scoffed. "Oh Abbey, you really don't know yourself at all, do you?"

The hand struck out, whipping through the air as Abbey swiftly swerved to dodge. Too quick! The first strike soared harmless overhead, nowhere near where she was standing. But now Abbey was in the perfect position, and she was a sitting duck.

The Blue Ranger's eyes widened as the second set of tendrils snapped out and lashed around her, grabbing tight and squeezing as Gail reeled her in. Writing in the grasp, Abbey could feel the coils tightening further and further, immovable cables cutting into her arms. The sword clattered to the ground, hand barely able to hold a grip as Gail pulled Abbey right up close.

"Face it, Abbey," Gail snickered. "As long as you deny your dark side, you'll never stand a chance against it."

She was right.

Gail was too strong; too overwhelming. Abbey was a fool to even think she could stand against it.

Control it…

Feeling Abbey's body slowly loosen in despair, Gail's serpentine smile broadened, sensing the victory within her grasp.

"If it's any consolation," she snicked. "When I'm done disposing of you, you're still going places. Or I will be, at least."

Then she raised her whiplike hand to strike, and Abbey squeezed her eyes shut in for the final blow.

"Hey!"

The air sounded with the ripping of blasters, searing energy echoing downward and booming. Gail screamed as she tossed Abbey away, Red and Yellow beams descending downwards and booming at the monster's feet. Hitting the ground and rolling, Abbey looked up to see Erika and Zeke somersault onto the scene, blaster drawn as they landed and helped her up.

"Miguel and Lena are handling the big guy," Erika explained. "Thought we'd give you a hand with the knock-off."

"Knock-off?" Gail seethed. "Don't you know that the second model always improves on the first?"

But even as her friends stood strong beside her, Abbey could barely stand. The weight in her chest was growing, the heaviness of her head spinning as she struggled to find the will to fight.

Because Gail was right. Abbey had created her. She'd used her. All for a life she couldn't manage on her own, to live the parts that she didn't even want.

"Hey," Zeke said softly, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. We've got you. You don't have to take her on alone."

"It might be your darkness," Erika agreed. "But we're still here to help you."

Slowly, Abbey looked at the morphed Rangers beside her, one that was helping her stand and the other placing herself between Abbey and her monster. Her teammates. Her friends. They were right; the darkness might have been stronger, but Abbey didn't have to conquer it on her own.

And Gail knew it. For all of her power, alone was all she was.

"Well would you look at that," she sneered. "Yet more pitiful friends to bail you of your problems. But just because you've found your cheer squad, that doesn't mean you're getting what you want. Not when you have other problems to deal with!"

She raised her arms to strike, and the three Rangers braced themselves for the offense. Only Gail wasn't aiming at them. With a lightning whirl, Gail whipped around, lashing her tendrilled hands at the rail on the bridge above and cracking against the concrete. The strike flashed on impact with the barrier, sundered railing as the entire bridge quaked. Screeching tires filled the air, sharping brakes slamming as the speeding vehicles swerved the avoid the sudden danger.

And then one went over.

A brown sedan, having lost control slammed into the sundered barrier and toppled over the edge.

"Move!" Erika ordered.

The three Rangers raced like lightning, launching themselves at the plummeting vehicle as they rushed to reach the people inside.

Zeke went low, Power Shield flashing into existence as he braced beneath the car. The bonnet hit first, crumpling as Zeke pushed upwards to slow the fall as Erika and Abbey reached the doors. Neither went for finessed entry, reefing off the hinges and grabbing the two passengers while leaping back to safety. With a mighty roar, Zeke threw the car over his head, letting it crash down behind him as Erika and Abbey landed on either side with their rescued victims bundled safely in their arms.

"Are you okay?" Abbey pleaded to the woman as she slowly placed her down.

"Yes!" the women nodded frantically. "Oh, thank you! Thank you!"

But as the two rescued civilians expressed their gratitude, Abbey couldn't help but turn to where their enemy had stood. Two more people were put in danger because of her thoughtless creation. And now, amid the rescue, that monster had taken the chance to break away.

Abbey's monster was on the loose; Gail was gone.

"I've run a scan," Hilary confirmed. "But so far I haven't been able to locate her."

Down in the lab, Abbey could only stare at screens; at the full display of the city as a pair of intersecting lines moved back and forth without change. Once they'd ensured the crash victims were safe, the trio had split up, joined by Lena and Miguel as they scoured the surrounding area for any trace of Abbey's clone. All of them had come up empty.

"You once found me through my digital energy output," said Lena. "Any chance you could try that now?"

But Hilary just shook her head. "The output you had was consistent, and remember back then you wanted to be found. The constant fluctuations in Gail's form make her harder to pinpoint."

"So, what does that mean?" Erika asked.

"Right now?" Hilary admitted. "It means that she's still out there, somewhere. Honestly, there's a good chance that by now she's long gone."

But as the others stood behind her, spit-balling theories of how they could locate the clone, Abbey remained silent, wide-eyed, and nonresponsive as watched the moving on the screen.

Those innocent people could have been hurt; they could have been killed! Gail had done that, not by accident but on purpose. She'd chosen to put people in danger to get away. She'd put other people's lives above her own.

No… Abbey realized sickeningly. I did that. I put them in danger.

One by one, every head slowly turned to look at her, gradually falling silent as the true reality fell upon them. As Abbey realized what it truly was that she had unleashed.

Slowly, her head turned too, at last finding the remaining ounce of strength to swallow her shame and face the others. All of them stared back, their faces a mixture of shock, terror, and anger.

But all were united in their blame; a blame that she shared with them.

Abbey had no excuse, no justification that could ever make it. All she could do was stare blankly and admit that she'd had no idea what she was unleashing when she'd first switched the device. A monster was on the loose; a monster with no conscience and only the desire to further itself.

Slowly, with the full gravity finally falling upon her, Abbey turned, white-faced, to the screen once more, at last admitting the full guilt of her actions.

"What I have done?"

The vehicle bounced as it rolled along the highway, passengers shaking from side to side as they jostled inside the canopy. None thought anything of it, merely going back to their occupation as the bus's journey continued along. As the sun set, the shadows of the rolling hills grew high, pushing through windows as they folded into the compartment, adding each time to the growing and coming night.

In the backseat, one passage sat pressed into her seat, black hood pulled over her head to keep her stark red hair obscured, dour expression staring at the floor as she curled deeper into her seclusion. With the battle over, all she was left with was a strange feeling of emptiness. No satisfaction, no gratification. Just a void that hung within her, gaping and lifeless.

No victory.

No praise.

Nothing gained from all she'd done.

Just her and the stolen belongings she'd managed to procure, an unshakable half-monstrous visage hidden by the shadows, curled in the back seat of a bus as the shadows of the night grew around her.

Alone.

NEXT TIME:

With the team still shaken from Abbey's transgression, the team races to try and find the doppelganger before she falls into Xaviax's hands. But as Abbey grapples with the evil born from within her, Xaviax sets his sight back on his own renegade program: Lena. As the former villain's original programming reawakens, the team is forced to face the ultimate question: Has Lena's change of heart only ever been temporary?

Could they ever truly trust her at all?

And will Lena's origin be the ultimate arbiter of her destiny?

Find out next time on:

POWER RANGERS

SERVER FORCE

The Ghost in the Machine

Power Rangers: Server Force is a fan-made team of Rangers, and not explicitly based on any other existing Rangers or Sentai property, with artwork character models created through Hero Forge.

Power Rangers- Sever Force updates on Tuesdays and Fridays. If you like what you read, you can always drop a comment to let me know, and don't forget to subscribe/ follow to find out the second I update.