Episode 4:
Flag to the Bull
"And so, with no further fanfare, I can officially declare the Lakeview Science Museum… open!"
The air crackled with raucous applause as Hilary gleefully turned to cut the giant ribbon. The opening had quite a surprising turnout, with people from City Hall, community members, and even a news crew showing up for the event. Not bad for something the council had dismissed as a 'lost cause money pit' only six months prior.
"Dr Hawkins? Do you have a moment for our viewers on Channel Three?"
"Fire away, Cassidy. It's good to see you."
"Some people are concerned that the reopening of the museum will be too expensive for the council's budget; what do you say to that?"
"This museum is more than a place for people to wander and look at cool things," Hilary replied. "This is a building of science and learning. This is a place to inspire the future scientists of tomorrow, a place for people to come and learn about things they never thought possible. To see this place as a one-off cost is simply wrong; it's an investment. In Lakeview's future, and our own."
Pleased with her grab, Cornell nodded for her cameraman to turn off and Hilary finally felt herself relaxing. She'd be happy when her time in the spotlight was over, and she eagerly looked forward to when she could kick off her heels and hide away in her lab for the rest of the afternoon.
"Nice answer," Cornell congratulated. "Should keep those pencil pushers from cutting the funding for a while."
"Thanks, Cassidy. Could you tell I'd been practicing?"
"Careful there Hawkins, people might think I'm passing you the questions." Then, the reporter shot a quick look over her shoulder, scanning for eavesdroppers before leaning closer. "And I don't suppose I could get another comment while I'm here? About a certain trio of primary-colored superheroes?"
Figured. One cocktail evening with her former teammate's sister, and now Hilary had a reporter on speed dial who knew the exact questions to ask. Of course, old friends still had their perks.
"That depends," Hilary said slyly. "Are you asking on or off the record?"
Cornel replied with a simple raise of her eyebrow that matched her amused smirk. "What do you think?"
"In that case," Hilary decided with a knowing smile. "I have no idea who these people are. But as a citizen of Lakeview, I would like to thank them for keeping us safe."
Cassidy rolled her eyes and laughed, finally signaling for her cameraman to wrap things up as the two women bid each other farewell. With the interview done and dusted, Hilary forced herself to return to the buzzing crowd. Just thirty more minutes before she could finally escape to blissful seclusion and free her feet of the damned confinement she'd pushed them into. Turns out she should have listened to Ray when he suggested breaking in the new pair of heels ahead of time. But no, Hilary had been worried about scuffing.
Mentally remaindering herself never to mention this admission to her husband under any circumstance, Hilary checked her watch again as the singular minute ticked over. At this rate, she'd settle just for a moment to breathe.
She should've known better than to even think it.
"Dr. Hawkins?" called another voice.
It was Jessica, her PA. Barely taller than Hilary, even before the high heels she was wearing, Jessica was a good ten years the programmer's junior. With her dark hair pulled in a bun as tightly wound as the rest of her, Hilary had to admit that there was no way the museum would be operating as smoothly without her. Even if she did allow more people into Hilary's schedule than the doctor would have liked.
"There's someone who wants to meet you," Jessica announced before stepping aside and gesturing. "Dr. Hawkins, this is Mr. Davian Scolex."
Oh, so this was the man whose calls she'd been screening.
He didn't look any older than forty, with dark, neatly combed hair and piercing green eyes, Scolex had a face that belonged on a GQ cover. His suit was finely fitted, a royal blue three-piece with a striking red tie knotted neatly beneath the folds. As he stretched out his hand to greet her, Hilary noted his watch, immediately guessing that it probably cost more than her car.
"So, this is the famous Dr. Hawkins that I've heard so much about," he smiled.
"Mr. Scolex," Hilary said politely. "Also nice for me to put a face to a name."
"You're too kind," Scolex replied. "Truth is I've been wanting a meet ever since I heard they named you director. Your reputation proceeds you."
She knew his all too well. When Hilary had first been applying for grad school, Scolex had been a tiny tech start-up, taking interns in hopes of helping his business run above cost. By the time she'd finished her doctorate, Cyberdyne Industries had become one of the most successful Californian tech companies outside Silicon Valley.
Had Doc not given her the chance to work on the Digitizer, she may well have taken the lucrative offer they'd presented to her. But now Hilary was on the other end, with no intention of being pulled into the corporate space.
"Thank you, Mr. Scolex," she said. "I don't think I'm the only one. Everyone I've spoken to since moving here talks about how much you've done for this city."
"Oh, it's nothing," the businessman insisted. "Just a few donations, here and there; nothing more."
Dammit. She'd given him an opening.
"Speaking of," said Scolex, sensing his cue. "I was surprised to learn that you rejected the donation my company offered for the restoration."
Another question she'd been more than ready for.
"And I want to thank you for being so generous," Hilary replied. "Truth is between council budget and government grants, the museum was fully funded before we even began redevelopment. I appreciate the offer, really I do, but it was important to us that it remained a public institution. Corporate donations can sometimes come with… strings attached."
Then she added before he could report offense or argue to the contrary. "Not that we'd expected that from you, we just didn't want to set a precedent. Like I said, it was very generous."
Plus, the more stakeholders involved, the more people Hilary would have to hide her underground lab from. But if Scolex was upset at her reaffirmed rejection, he didn't show it. Instead, he straightened his suit and gave her a camera-worthy smile.
"Fair enough," he decided. "Can't blame a guy for trying, but if the museum does need anything that the council big-wigs won't let you have, all you need to do is ask."
"Thank you, Mr. Scolex," Hilary replied. "I'll keep that in mind."
Dammit, she should have saved her interview with Cassidy for later; now had no easy escape plan. Although…
"Oh, looks like Channel Three needs a repeat of some questions," Hilary lied, nodding over to where Cornell was finishing her piece to camera. "You know how it is, the camera calls."
"Of course, Dr. Hawkins," Scolex smiled, politely stepping aside and gesturing past. "Thank you for your time."
Hilary hurried past, eager to get away before Scolex called out after her.
"And Dr. Hawkins?" he added. "When your tenure as Director concludes, please do drop by my office. I think you'll fit in very well at Cyberdyne."
"We'll see my options when the time comes," Hilary said diplomatically.
Then she hurried back to the reporter, hoping desperately that it would be enough cover to avoid any other 'networking' conversations for the rest of the function. All that required was dodging Jessica's eye, and giving a strong consideration to sticking a 'do not contact' list to her assistant's hand.
The bell clanged, its pitch ringing across the corridors as the hallway flooded with people. End of fourth period was always the biggest surge, students weaving to their lockers for the break and transforming the corridor into a writhing tin of sardines.
For Erika, it was nightmare hour. So many people, and all so close she could barely breathe. And if she didn't get her locker on time? Well, that then meant either standing in the middle of the battling current or sandwiching between her neighbors and suffocating as she tried to reach her things.
On a day like this, Erika opted for the shorter pain of sandwiching. The locker door battered into her as she balanced her books and laptop, trying to ease them onto a shelf in the hope of at least some chance of finding them again.
But all hopes were dashed as she heard the stamping of feet, the clanging of the lockers as a commotion partied right past her. The football players were rushing from class, some of them likely having been kept back, and now were pummeling through to the field. Everyone else was just in their way. Erika's locker slammed shut, the door smacking into her as her things scattered from her grasp.
Laptop and books skidded across the ground as the force dropped Erika to her knees. Her shin hit the hard tile, wincing as a tingle tremored up her knee. And the boys just kept on hooning down.
Idiots.
"Hey!" she called out, snapping to her knees. "Watch it!"
Most kept running on, but one of them turned and Erika's jaw clenched as she saw who it was. Deryck.
Oh, this was really going to make her day.
"What's the problem?" he scoffed. "Can't handle a little tussle?"
"Oh, I can handle a tussle," Erika sneered back. "There's even a trash can over there if you want a reminder."
Something flashed in Deryck's eyes a as murmur rippled through the other students. Erika drew a sharp breath as the wide-shouldered boy began slowly stepping towards her.
"What did you say?"
"I said there's a trash can right ov-"
"I heard you the first time," Deryck snarled. "I was giving you the chance to take it back."
To back down.
Not a chance.
"Why?" Erika replied. "Worried people will figure out where you belong?"
He'd closed in now, stepping into her personal space to loom overheard.
Erika's jaw tightened, her eyelid flickered. She was not backing down. Not losing. Not to him.
"You better watch yourself," said Deryck. "Maybe I'll do something I regret."
"You woke up this morning, didn't you? Seems like you already have."
"Well, it's nothing compared to crossing me."
"You think you're tough? Take a shot, go on; do it."
Deryck growled, nostrils flaring so hard they blew hot air into her face. Erika's fringe shifted at the breeze as she maintained her refusal to blink at his bluster.
"You think I won't hit a girl?" he asked.
"Why?" Erika retorted. "Hoping I won't either?"
By now the crowd had truly parted, forming a tense and silent circle as the two began prowling around each other. Each step timed to the other, neither willing to throw down first or back away.
No one else moved, dared even breathe, everyone watching with bated breaths for what was about to happen.
Come on, Erika felt herself willing. Do it. Throw the punch.
Bring it on.
Finally, someone in the crowd made a noise, calling with exasperated anticipation.
"Oh come," Whitney groaned. "We all know they're not going to do anything. Don't waste your time Deryck, she's gone soft."
A rumble growled in Erika's chest, her next breath sharp as she took the barb.
Yeah, because Whitney was known for backing up her talk with action.
"You want in on this, Whitney?" she snarled at the sidelines. "Because I've got plenty of time for two."
"Please, like I would waste my time tussling with some half-pint loser whose mom won't even come to pick her up when suspended."
Oh, that b-!
Her head whipped around, fist curling so tight it tensed up her entire arm tensed.
"Do you want…" she growled, "to say that again?"
The very same warning Deryck had given her.
Whitney simply scoffed and rolled her eyes. Either she was unaware of the danger she was in, or she just didn't care.
Go on. Say it. Give me a reason.
Whitney was about to open her mouth, presumably to repeat the slur before the chance was snatched from her.
"Hey!"
Abbey boldly stepped into the circle, planting herself between Erika and Whitney. For a moment she and Erika locked eyes, a firm glance that warned her of what was coming. Over her shoulder, Erika could see Zeke and Miguel, both unsure whether stepping in would make things better or worse.
"They're not worth it," Abbey insisted quietly. Then she turned her attention to the others. "Surprised to see you here at all, Whitney. No online flash sales that need your attention?"
"At least all my shoes don't come from thrift stores."
"Whatever."
Point to Abbey. With her parents, the girl could easily afford any designer clothes she wanted. And even with her sustainable habits and tastes, the girl never looked cheap. The crowd knew it too, a misplaced barb that Whitney was not recovering from. Instead, she merely gave her signature eye roll and strode across the circle.
"Way to waste my precious minutes of freedom," Whitney snarled as she passed, and Abbey snapped the back of her hand to block Erika from intervening. Probably wise. Whitney reached the other side and snarled at the onlookers. "Out of my way!"
With one down, Abbey turned her attention to Deryck.
"You're still here?" she snipped.
"You think I care about you, Carmichael?"
"I don't actually care what's important to you," she replied. "But I know that Principal Goodson is just dying to put you on the detention list, and I hear they're doing the gutters this afternoon. Apparently, a whole family of raccoons used them as a bathroom over the weekend. So, what do you say?"
Deryck lurched forward as if for a moment he couldn't stop himself. Then he rocked back, seething out a hissing breath through clenched teeth. Then he snapped his gaze to Erika. "This isn't over."
Fine by her, and Erika nearly pushed back before being stopped again by Abbey's arm. The Blue Ranger shot her a look with a simple message.
Don't. You. Dare.
Deryck stormed off, the crowd parting away like a red sea. Then, with the show finally over, the rest of the onlookers scattered like nothing had even happened. But Erika didn't move, staring at the exit and taking deep, whispering breaths.
She was going to kill Whitney. She was going to find her and make her pay. Slowly. And if she happened to run into Deryck on the way, then all the better.
Then a voice cut through her thought, snapping her back to reality.
"Hey," Abbey said sharply before her voice softened to a more comforting calm. "It's over."
It was only then that Erika realized that Zeke and Miguel were now also standing beside her.
"Man, I hate that guy," Zeke grumbled,
"Never disliked someone so quickly," Miguel agreed. "I was just about to jump in before Abbey did something."
"I'm glad you didn't, the last thing anyone here needs is detention," Abbey replied before shooting a pointed look at Erika. "Or more of it."
Whatever.
"Let's just get some air," Erika said briskly, heading towards the door without even checking the others were following.
At least their regular table was still free, Lena had apparently seen to that.
"What took you guys so long?" she asked bemusedly as Erika slumped down opposite her.
"It was nothing," she grunted.
Zeke arrived next, grabbing the seat beside her before looking up with a smile. "Hey, there's another seat here for you."
But Abbey was already on the other side of the table, almost pointedly beside where Miguel had also just sat down.
"No, that's okay," Abbey replied. "I'll just take this one."
Zeke's gave almost nothing away, save for the slight sinking look in his eyes. Abbey meanwhile gleefully planted herself beside the new boy.
Well, Erika decided as she sullenly unwrapped her lunch and allowed the others to talk over silent sulking for the rest of the break. At least she wasn't the only one in a bad mood today.
"I grow tired of this waiting!"
ArcKnight stormed into the lab, boots thumping the floor as Ender rolled his eyes and looked up from the console.
"Have you considered playing a game to pass the time?" he suggested. "Perhaps some Tetris? Solitaire…? Minesweeper…?"
"I am in no mood for your jests."
"And yet you're the came to me," Ender mused. "I don't know why you're so surprised at what you're getting."
"I came to tell you to hasten the completion of your plans," ArcKnight growled. "I was built to do battle, not waste away on the sidelines."
"But you're such a pretty little wallflower," Ender grinned. "Don't worry, I'm sure someone will ask you to dance, eventually."
ArcKnight scowled, flexing as if to strike before fading away.
"He asks a fair question, Ender," said Xavaix as he too entered the lab. "Even I grow tired of waiting for your latest scheme."
"Then wait no longer, my master!" Ender declared. "I've just received the most excellent news. The perfect time to strike again is almost upon us!"
"Why did you not tell me this before?" ArcKnight demanded. "Why withhold this information?"
"And miss out on such a wonderful show?" Ender giggled. "ArcKnight; it's like you don't even know me at all..."
"Ender," Xaviax rasped. "Now…"
The blue man nodded. "In an hour you will see the perfect window to strike at your enemy, ArcKnight. They will be off-balance; unfocused. Vulnerable. The perfect opportunity for you to try and tear them apart."
"Your battle with them will be most useful to us, ArcKnight," Xaviax agreed. "Take any advantage you can."
The warrior dutifully kneeled in gratitude, rising to immediately head for the door. "I will prepare at once, my master."
Both watched as he left, and Xaviax turned to his monster maker soon after.
"And what of our other scheme?" he asked. "Is your little seedling ready to bear fruit?"
"Where do you think my information came from?" Ender laughed. "And while the Rangers are occupied, it will be the perfect chance to erode at their defenses."
The rest of the day was far from productive. Still fuming from her encounter with Deryck and Whitney, the last thing Erika wanted to concentrate on was math. In fact, algebra was only adding to her frustration, and by the time the bell shrieked in her ears and she pushed through the corridor scrum, Erika's body was getting mighty twitchy. The students were flooding out the doors, eagerly rushing to the weekend that awaited.
Go home, she willed herself, go home before you do something stupid. Because if either of those two bozos found themselves in her path, well…
Her wrist-watched beeped, just as she stepped outside.
Brilliant.
She pulled around the corner and brought the speaker closer.
"Hey, Hilary."
"Hey, Red, we've got some Cyberdrones going crazy downtown," Hilary replied. "No sign of a monster though, so be careful; Xaviax is probably up to something. Others are on their way."
"Alright, I'm on my way. Over and out."
At least now she'd have a chance to blow off some steam. She could pretend that some of the robots had Deryck's stupid head. Cutting the line, Erika wound around the back, out to the other side of the gym where she knew no one would find her. Then she flashed her morpher to her wrist, whipping out the keycard and winding back.
"Server Force! Login Access!"
The suit flashed to her, imbuing her with power as the light engulfed her body. It baked into her skin, blazing like a roaring fire as she vanished into a crimson burst to be spirited downtown. Abbey and Zeke appeared just as she did, both of them morphed into their Blue and Yellow suits as the Cyberdrones turned to face them on arrival.
But they weren't the only ones for long, and the emerald light burst across their view as ArcKnight materialized in front of them.
"You have been a thorn in my master's side for long enough," the warrior warned them. "But all thorns are clipped, eventually."
"You know," Erika sneered back. "I was content to just beat down on some drones, but you're really going to make my day."
"Erika be careful," Hilary warned in her ear, "Ray says this guy's no joke."
"Good," Erika decided. "I'm not in a laughing mood."
"Umm, maybe we shouldn't charge right at the scary robot knight," Zeke suggested.
"He's right Erika," Abbey agreed, "We need a plan of attack."
"I have a plan," Erika replied. "Attack."
Then she took off, wasting no time for them to voice their disagreements as the Cyberdrones surged forward. Soaring overhead, blue energy blasting from Abbey's bow blasted beneath her as Erika summoned her Power Axe and closed in on ArcKnight.
The warrior was ready for her.
He swung up the blade, serrated metal whistling as he sliced to parry her blow. The weapons collided, bouncing off each other as the Red Ranger landed undeterred and pressed on with her assault. She swung again and again, the first one flying wide as she leaped and twisted to empower the second.
And she missed again.
Swing.
Miss.
Swing.
Miss.
Swing.
MISS!
Erika roared into a pirouette, bringing the axe down with all her might as it sundered the asphalt. And still, ArcKnight dodged.
Every time, Erika swung again, and every time she poured more of her strength behind the blow. Every time ArcKnight stepped backward; stepped, not stumbled. Until the Red Ranger was far too over-extended, well away from her Blue and Yellow companions that were holding the wave of Cyberdrones back.
Now she was alone.
"Is this the best that Granger could throw at me?" ArcKnight scoffed as the axeblade sheered past again. "Perhaps I should have waited for him to face me."
"I'm just getting started," Erika snarled.
"Good, because so am I."
With a furious battle cry, Erika swung again, vaulting into a twisting leap to put all her power into a single blow.
Big mistake.
Like a leaf on the wind, ArcKnight sidestepped, letting the attack glide past as Erika's axe fell forward. And she fell along with it.
"All too easy."
He sliced upwards, sparks bursting from her suit as the sword carved across it. Catching her dead center, the blow hurled her backward, tumbling across the cement before finally slamming into a wall.
"Erika, are you okay?" Hilary called into the com. "Your suit took most of the hit, but it's still going."
"I'm good," she wheezed, climbing to her feet.
"Okay, get back to Zeke and Abbey. They've managed to hold back the Cyberdrones, so together maybe you can-"
"No," Erika snarled. "He's mine!"
"Erika, no!"
But the Red Ranger ignored her, diving right back at her opponent.
"Back so soon?" ArcKnight chuckled. "Very well."
"You're going down!"
"I think not. But you are another matter."
This time Erika swung high, heavy, and wide with a clear warning. ArcKnight blocked in kind, sword sweeping up to catch the axe on the haft. Just as she'd hoped.
Her hand snapped to her waist, whipping out the Security Pistol and squeezing the trigger. At point-blank range, ArcKnight had nowhere to go, barrel flashing as the laser burned into his armor. But up that close, the recoil hit her too.
As ArcKnight stumbled back Erika felt the pistol fly from her grip, harmless as it clattered away. Now she was faced with a choice, capitalize on her strike or recover her weapon.
ArcKnight made it for her.
"If you wished to play with fire," he chuckled. "You merely had to ask."
The thin visor on his face began to glow before suddenly flashing in a crimson blast. Out in the open and caught by surprise, Erika had nowhere to go. The energy hit her dead on, passing through before hitting the ground behind. The sparks had barely finished kicking off her suit before the wave exploded behind her and unleashed a shockwave that sent her sprawling. She hit the ground with a painful thud.
Lying flat, Erika's fingers clawed at the ground as she tried to bring herself to stand. But her body was too sore, her energy-sapping fast. All she could do was raise her head, looking up as ArcKnight loomed above her, sword tip glinting at the ready.
"I assumed that a Red Ranger was the greatest prize a warrior could claim," he said coldly. "I was mistaken."
Then he plunged down the blade, and Erika squeezed her eyes as she readied for the strike.
It never landed, sheering instead against a flat, yellow surface that smacked the weapon away. ArcKnight stumbled back, growling in frustration as he glared at the intervener.
"Sorry pal," Zeke grunted, locking his shield back into place. "Not gonna happen."
"If you wish to fall beside her," ArcKnight replied. "Then so be it."
"Aren't you forgetting someone?"
A volley of blue energy soared from out of nowhere and peppered into his chest. Every strike knocked him back, stumbling as Abbey flipped through the air and landed next to Zeke.
"Ready to blast this guy?" she asked, switching to her pistol.
"Yeah!"
Both Rangers opened fire, shots firing wild as ArcKnight was consumed by the barrage. When the smoke cleared, the warrior was still standing, but he no longer held the air of confidence from before.
Finally finding the strength, Erika climbed to her feet and hobbled beside the others.
"We've got your back Erika," Abbey insisted.
But for ArcKnight, the battle was over, and already he was stepping away from the three Rangers.
"Fortune has favored your fate today, Red Ranger," he snarled. "But our next encounter will be your last."
"Oh no, you don't!"
With the last of her strength, Erika lunged, axe held high and ready to strike.
ArcKnight turned, vision meeting hers as he didn't even raise an arm to block. By the time her axe slashed through the emerald energy, he was already gone.
"Get back here!" she roared. "We're not finished!"
"Erika," Abbey tried. "It's over."
The Blue Ranger tried to place a comforting hand on her shoulder, but Erika threw her off.
"He got away," she snarled at her. "You let him get away!"
"Hey!" Zeke replied, placing himself between the two girls. "If you hadn't gone all Rambo on us and left us to deal with the Cyberdrones, maybe we could've taken him down. It's not our fault your butt got beat."
"Guys," Hilary said sternly through the coms. "Take this off the street. With the Cyberdrones gone people might start coming back. And they don't need to see this."
With a furious huff, Erika turned from the others, and the three of them began to make their way to the museum.
On the other end of town, Miguel and Lena were walking home. Abbey and Zeke had disappeared off to do some kind of science experiment, their synchronized watches telling that their project required checking.
With no one else to keep them company, the two new kids had decided to journey together instead.
"How're first week been?" Miguel asked, although the truth was he was trying to make conversation. Abbey had been great at bringing the two into the circle for friends, but Lena had been more than a little quiet. By now, Miguel guessed that he had some topic to discuss with the other three, even Erika, but Lena seemed to be a blank wall; giving him nothing.
"It's been fine," she replied. "The classes aren't hard, and things are running orderly enough. How about you?"
He wished he could say the same. Four schools in, his math was pretty jumbled, and half the time he couldn't pick up a book without the words all jumbling together.
You just have to get through, his foster mom, Jenny, had told him. Start this year off and make it out on the other side.
He could do that. Even if it was taking some work.
"It's okay," he answered eventually. "Abbey offered to help me catch up too, so hopefully I won't be behind for too long."
"Assuming her watch doesn't randomly go off halfway through your study session," Lena added slyly.
Hang on.
Miguel stopped walking, forcing Lena to pause and turn back as she stepped in front. "What's that supposed to mean?"
The girl stopped for a moment as if she hadn't anticipated the question. "What do you mean?"
"Why'd you take a crack at her watch always going off?"
"I didn't mean anything by it," Lena insisted. "Just forget I said anything."
But she did mean something by it, and now Miguel couldn't shake the curiosity for what it was. Did Lena know something about Abbey that he didn't?
"You don't think they're studying together?" he asked.
The girl in front of him opened her mouth, thumbs hooked into the straps of her backpack as she looked away as if trying to find the right words.
"All I'm saying is that she, Zeke, and Erika have a lot of group projects requiring synchronized schedules for the third week of the year," Lena reasoned. "I mean, you've got papers to do by now, how many of them need you to work in a group to that level?"
Miguel paused as he thought back. None of them, not a single one. Although, he wasn't in all the same classes as them, so maybe there was one that was piling the work on?
"It just doesn't sit right, is all I'm saying," said Lena. "But don't mention anything to them, okay? They've been so good to me, to us, since we got here; especially Abbey. I'm sure if it's anything that matters, they'd tell us in time."
"Yeah, you're right," Miguel supposed. "It's probably nothing."
They walked to the edge of Miguel's street, Lena having to go a little further. But as Miguel bid farewell and finished the journey home, he couldn't shake the doubt that was beginning to linger. Like there was something about his new friends that they weren't letting on.