And there she was again. Monster getting away after she'd over-extended, the team barely speaking to her as they debriefed on their own narrow escape. And once again waiting in the training room for a lecture the next day. Erika knew it was coming, and she didn't blame Ray any less for it. Not when she deserved it. Hell, Erika pretty much knew what he was going to say.

It was like she'd learned nothing. One big win and suddenly she'd thought herself the queen of the world; like none of her past mistakes mattered and anything that caused them had disappeared overnight. She'd ridden her high, and let it lead her right into a curb stomp. She should have known that her win against the Dark Ranger wasn't anything more than a fluke. That any victory was going to be short-lived before she went and screwed it up again.

Just like she always did.

Those same things Erika had been berating ever since the previous afternoon; ever since Ray had suggested a training session the next morning to help her work things out. Maybe she could save him the breath, spare him the effort of telling all the things Erika was already telling herself.

. But to her surprise, when the elevator doors dinged behind her just as Erika finished her warm-up stretches, it wasn't Ray who stepped into the room to approach the mat.

It was Hilary.

It didn't seem like an accident either, or that she was there to deliver a message. Wandering barefoot toward the center, she looked like she was ready for yoga, comfortable in her dark leggings and a loose-fitting, zip-up hoodie that was cloaked over her grey and yellow-trimmed tank top. Coupled with the way she'd pulled her blonde hair back into a practical ponytail, Hilary looked ready to train.

"Oh," Erika realized awkwardly. "I didn't know you were coming in here. I was waiting up here to train with Ray and…"

"Ray's busy," Hilary said aloofly, dropping the duffle at her feet before pulling off the hoodie. "You've got me today."

Okay… sure…

Erika couldn't help but scoff, a light chuckle of disbelief as she scanned their tech support from top to bottom. If she were taking a Pilates class, maybe. But this…? Erika had to admit, the woman clearly kept in shape, but Hilary's thing was computers not fighting. She spent her time at a desk with a coffee in arm's reach, not throwing down with robots. Going straight to crossing fists with a Ranger didn't exactly seem like the smartest idea.

"That's okay," Erika said. "I can come back later."

"You came here to train," Hilary retorted. "Backing out already?"

That's when Erika felt the twitch, the instinctive reflex to immediately turn around and answer the sleight against her honor. Two months ago, she'd have done exactly that. Instead, Erika breathed in deeply, feeling the cool air line the walls of her lungs and lull her into a calm response.

"Look, Hilary, no offense," Erika replied. "But teaching to fight's kind of Ray's thing. I don't know if I'm going to get all that much out of a sub."

"What's the matter? Worried you can't keep up?"

"I just don't want to hurt you."

But to that, Hilary's lips just flickered into a smirk as she stepped onto the mat, and her eyes seemed to glint with fresh daring. "Don't worry," she said. "You won't."

Oh, so that's how it was.

It was a dare, an inviting challenge for Erika to prove her wrong. Hilary's eyes twitched a gleeful spark that told Erika she knew exactly what she was doing. B\She was baiting her to fight.

No, Erika's wasn't taking the bait. She wasn't going to make this some dumb brawl about her ego. But at the same time, if the dear Dr. Hawkins was going to be so insistent, then maybe Erika needed to show her why it was such a bad idea.

"All right, Doc," Erika said coolly. "Let's dance."

She gave her shoulders a roll, loosening up her arms as she stepped up to meet the doctor's challenge. Seeing Erika rise to the challenge, Hilary took her stance, slightly sloppy with too much weight to one side.

This was going to be a piece of cake.

"All right, what did you have in mind?" Erika asked as she took her ready position. "Just a few drills to start slow or…?"

But Hilary was already moving. Erika's guard was barely raised as Hawkins struck in fast, blitzing to strike between the gap as she surged with aggressive footwork. Erika's eyes widened, stumbling back in surprise as her hands barely swatted the blow in time. Which was exactly what Hilary had wanted.

So focused on the upper body, Erika had ignored her footing, barely noticing as Hilary stamped forward and hooked her heel behind the teen's ankle. With a sharp tug, gravity swept from beneath her, and Erika thudded to the floor.

What… what just happened?

Erika leaped to her feet, watching as Hilary prowled away, beginning to bounce on her toes in preparation for another bout.

"Looks like I'm not too bad for a sub," she grinned. "Seems there's at least one thing I can teach you."

A lucky hit, that was all it was. And she wasn't getting another.

Erika could see it in her eyes, a gleeful taunting designed to get beneath her skin. But it wasn't going to work. She may not have come as far as she'd believed, but she'd managed to overcome that.

She just had to show her.

Resuming her stance, Erika returned to the center and lifted her guard with a readied, greater distance between them. If Hilary wanted offense; then she'd give her offense.

This time she didn't wait, rushing forward and stamping hard. Watching Hilary sidestep, just as expected, Erika flattened her palm and chopped, swinging into a slice that aimed straight for the collar bone. Hilary's wrist snapped up to block, but she didn't stop there.

As Erika's strike plunged in, Hilary's arm ran along it, grabbing hold as her spare palm snapped in for support. With Erika still moving from the blow, Hilary leaped and twisted, grabbing the arm in an iron grip as her feet crisscrossed to grab the shoulder. And as Hilary dropped, Erika fell with her.

With the perfect leverage and gravity doing the work, Hilary pulled on the arm, contorting Erika's body to slam her chest fist into the mat. Both women landed, the padding thumping as Erika hit it first and groaning as Hilary pressed with her weight to keep her pinned.

And she didn't let go.

Instead, she pulled tighter, straining the muscles as every other movement in Erika's locked in furious protest. All she could move was her unclaimed wrist, slapping it against the surface in submission.

Seeing the signal, Hilary relented, relinquishing the hold as she rolled away and sprung to her feet. By the time Erika had caught her breath, regaining her footing and turning to face her foe, Hilary was already standing in wait, guarding stance near perfect as she beckoned her forward.

"Two to me," Hilary chuckled. "Come on, Red. Is that all you've got?"

What… what was happening?

But Erika didn't have time to think about that. Hilary was a challenge, sure, but she could still take it. The woman liked her throws and locks, so Erika was just going to have to beat her at her own game. Time to see how well she did on the back foot.

This time Erika didn't move, keeping still to watch carefully for movement. Likewise, Hilary's movements had turned cautious, still bouncing while maintaining a careful distance from her opponent. Both watched each other, neither daring to strike first, both knowing that one would eventually have to.

And strike, Hilary did.

With the force of a freight train, the woman rushed forward, leaping into a jumping kick to force Erika back. With her opponent in the air, Erika sidestepped, spinning into a kick to strike while Hilary was exposed. But Hilary landed faster, already twisting with her arms raised to block.

Perfect.

Erika dropped her foot, sweeping down to let her momentum carry as her arms lunged and grabbed for the shoulder. Her hands clamped down, one grasping tight on the clavicle while the other locked Hilary's bicep in a tight grip.

Got you!

Erika pulled with all her might, heaving to spin around and trap her mentor in an arm bar. But Hilary didn't budge.

What?

Erika's eyes bulged, shaking at the trapped limb as Hilary's head turned to reveal her smirking amusement. At the same time, Erika's hand turned cold as suddenly the programmer cracked her neck and her skin began to change. A strange metallic liquid began to flush along Hilary's skin, coating her entire body from head to foot.

"Sorry," Hilary chuckled, a strange tiny reverberation echoing from her voice. "That was mean, but I couldn't resist."

Erika's jaw dropped completely, feeling the surge in overwhelming strength as Hilary casually reached with her spare arm to pick Erika's hands from her shoulder.

There was nothing Erika could do as Hilary's hand grabbed her, peeling off her grip like a banana's skin before effortlessly flicking her away. Erika didn't fly far, hitting the mat one last time and skidding the final distance.

This… this woman… She was incredible!

Of course, that sudden awe and realization did nothing to soften the landing, nor the soft burn on her skin, caused by her skid across the mat. All Erika could do was lie there, dumbstruck at what had just happened, shocked at how their team's tech expert had floored her three times in barely a minute.

Above her, Hilary approached, the liquid metal receding into her skin as she smiled and extended a helping hand. But Erika wasn't ready to take it, shaking her head as she rose to a sitting position and panted heavily to catch her breath. Shrugging, Hilary wandered back to her duffle to retrieve her water and knock back a swig.

"So," she suggested. "Want to guess how I beat you?"

Great, so this was going to be one of those training sessions. She really was right back where she started.

Feeling the sinking weight begin to pull within her chest, Erika sighed as she looked back up at Hilary and glumly admitted, "Because you're better than me?"

But to her surprise, Hilary shook her head.

"I wouldn't go that far," she admitted. "You might still be a rookie, but I'm well out of practice. Given a couple of rounds, you'd probably find ways to pull ahead. Nope, when we threw down back there, I really only had one thing going for me."

Again, Erika couldn't help but scoff, slowly playing the fight as she mentally recounted it, blow by blow. She was just about to bemoan the unfairness, only for it to hit her. Hilary's one advantage was precisely the point.

"I didn't even know you could fight," Erika realized slowly.

"Exactly," Hilary confirmed. "You strode onto this mat thinking it'd be a walk in the park and forgot a really important fact; that I was once a Ranger too."

Of course. She and Ray talked about it all the time. If she could handle a bunch of Cyberdrones, or whatever those things Hilary used to fight were called, then of course she'd be able to hold her own against a couple of punches. Of course she'd be more of a challenge than she let on.

And of course, it wasn't exactly the first time Erika had sized up an enemy and mistaken the danger.

"It's just like yesterday, isn't it?" she admitted, "I got too big for my boots and nearly got fried for it."

"Yeah," Hilary agreed softly, although her tone was admitting and reflective. Slowly, she walked back to where Erika was sitting, kneeling to be at level with the Red Ranger. "Here's the thing, Erika. On that mat, I was your opponent. But more generally? I'm also your teammate. So, you didn't just underestimate a threat, you also dismissed the help that an ally could give you. And if you don't stop to consider the value of your team, then you're always going to end up fighting things alone."

Just as she'd done with Abbey and Zeke. Both were practically begging Erika to listen, but she'd been so hellbent on proving how good she was that she'd left them both in the dust. Left them to fend for themselves while she went to get her butt whooped by a monster.

It was the same story, time and time again. She'd start over, meet new people, and let them get close. And then she'd screw it up, and in her anger, run from the very people who could help. Fighting alone because she felt there was no other option. Feeling like there was no one else who understood the fight.

But already in the last few months, Erika had been shown otherwise. People who understood, or were willing to listen long enough to understand. Friends who stood by her, even when she messed up and pushed them. People who wanted to help her do better, be better.

But for the help they gave, it would still come down to her. And resting on laurels while thinking all the work was done was the best way to fall back on bad habits.

"You're right," Erika admitted. "I should have shown more respect when you walked in this morning. Even if I had no idea you were made of metal."

"Yeah," Hilary acknowledged. "That one was a little mean. For what it's worth, it's been a while since I got that good a workout."

Once again, Hilary offered Erika her hand, and this time the teenager took it.

"You know," Erika realized as Hilary helped her to her feet. "I really wish one of these days I could learn an important life lesson without hitting the mat."

"You'll get there," Hilary said warmly. "And if you keep up that right hook, you'll be hitting it less and less."

And she was. She just needed to honest be far she'd come, and how far she still had to go.

But she couldn't let herself forget that she was still moving.

But in the meantime, Erika definitely wanted another round with Hilary, now that she knew what she was up against. This time she had something to prove.

She was just about to suggest it gleefully when Erika's Morpher beeped inside her bag. She moved towards it, but Hilary held up her hand, instead staring up and calling out. "Ray, what're we dealing with?"

Hang on… he was there the whole time? Erika's face dropped to annoyance as Hilary smirked back at her and Ray's voice crackled over the room's intercom.

"I found out something interesting about our eel friend," he explained. "You might want to come down and take a look."

Zeke and Abbey were already waiting as Erika and Hilary reached the lab. They too, apparently, had been watching the whole time.

Not that she could really blame them.

"Came for the show?" Erika asked as she strode up behind them.

"We didn't mean to," Abbey replied sheepishly. "We had a couple of ideas we wanted to run past Hilary. And then we just kind of…?"

"Watched me get my butt handed to me?" Erika finished as a soft smile crept to her lips and both her teammates winced in guilty agreement. "It's okay, I needed some humble pie. And I bet there's a slow-mo replay we can laugh over later."

"I'll send you the clip," Hilary decided as she learned over the keyboard that her husband was sitting behind. "What's ElectrEel up to?"

"I don't think it was any accident that Erika and Zeke ran into them where they did, yesterday," Ray explained. "I cross-referenced where your fight was with the city's power grid. Check out what I found."

He tapped the keys as a pair of overlapping maps appeared on the screen, merging to form an interconnected web of roads and cables. Then it zoomed in, focusing intently on the crossing where they'd faced down ElectrEel the previous day.

"There were a whole bunch of major cables right under the road," Erika realized. "That wasn't any old junction box that he hit. It was a major one."

"They had the home-field advantage, and we didn't even realize," said Zeke.

"I don't get it," Abbey noted. "So, ElectrEel can tap into the power grid; why? I mean, the power seems good and all, but there's got to be more to it than just getting a boost."

"Something worth looking into later," said Hilary. "Right now, stopping that monster got to be our priority. It's only a matter of time before they show up again and put people in danger."

As if waiting for her to say it, a warning beeped from the terminal, and one of the screens flickered to life to reveal their slithery friend striding downtown.

"Speak of the devil," Hilary grumbled, sliding to the seat beside her husband before turning to the Rangers. "We'll contact Miguel, but in the meantime, you guys better get down there."

Seemed Erika was getting that Round Two earlier than she expected. With a deep breath, Erika steeled herself, turning around to see her two teammates waiting for her, looking at her looks of resolute affirmation.

Of trust.

Last time she'd let them down. It would be the last time, for good.

"You guys ready?" Erika called as her Morpher flashed to her wrist, lifting it high as she whipped out the Keycard.

Both moved without hesitation, stepping toward her in a stance that mirrored her own. "Ready!"

"Server Force! Login Access!"

They moved as one, griding their cards to activate their Morphers as the power of the grid flowed forth. The light consumed them, a burst of primary colors enveloping their bodies as their suits wrapped around their limbs. As the helms formed around their faces and the visors slid before their vision, the teens were well and truly ready, already leaping out toward the battle as they were spirited toward it.

All three soared through the air, somersaulting in unison as they arrived at the scene. The site that greeted them was pure pandemonium, a mess of screaming people fleeing from the ravaged street. Shattered windows, upturned cars, and at the very center was ElectrEel, surrounded by Cyberdrones and cackling as he drew more and more power from the junctions before unleashing upon the open street.

As they surveyed the chaos, a blur of black flickered beside them, and moments later Miguel landed at their side, morphed and ready.

"Rangers, nice to see you again!" ElectrEel laughed. "As you can see, I'm all recharged and all amped up!"

A moment later, there was another flash of green, and ArcKnight appeared at the end of the road, cutting off their escape.

Figures.

"Miguel," Erika decided. "We're going to have a hard time blasting that snake if we've got ArcKnight on our backs, can you keep him busy for us?"

"On it!"

The Dark Ranger leaped into the fray, Dark Saber drawn and ready as he surged toward his foe. ArcKnight barely had time to utter a taunt as his enemy came barreling in, blade clashing as his boots skidded against the asphalt.

One problem was handled, at least for now, and that left them with the big guy. Without any hesitation, Erika turned her attention back to her team.

"All right, guys," she asked. "What's this plan of yours?"

"Hey!" ElectrEel yelled. "Are you here to talk, or are you here to fight?"

His claws snapped toward them, a sharp bolt snaking across the air as the three Rangers dived. They rolled and kept running, vaulting toward their enemy as the bolt exploded behind them.

"Never mind!" Erika decided. "Talk while we fight."

The Security Saber flashed to her hand, taking a mighty swipe as she crashed into the Cyberdrones lines. The first ones fell, clattering to the ground in a burst of sparks as the next lunged to meet her. With barely a second, Erika ducked, flipping beneath a blow before striking at the gap in the defense. The henchman dropped, and Erika readied for another bout.

"I noticed yesterday that he needed to draw on the city's power grid to use a second blast," Zeke explained, as he too punched into Cyberdrone before countering a strike with a sword. "It's like he only had enough power in him for one attack."

"Not only that," Abbey added, "but there was almost no change in the strength of the blast he was throwing at Zeke, and there wasn't any pause between drawing from the junction and throwing what he'd gained at you."

As another Cyberdrone closed in, the Blue Ranger rolled beneath the blow, slicing at the legs to send it face-first into the concrete. Spinning a kick, her boot slammed into another, sending it stumbling back into its comrades as she followed up with a devastating strike.

They were thinning the herd, but they needed them dealt with. While they were tangling with the Cyberdrones, ElectrEel had gleefully continued his journey of destruction down the street, more junction boxes bursting into sprays of sparks as he sucked them dry and hurled the energy out into the air.

Which meant they needed to deal with the footmen, and quickly. Erika shot Miguel a look, seeing him still locked in combat with a determined ArcKnight and in no position to pursue the rampaging monster. Which meant it was up to them.

With barely more than a nod, Erika motioned to the flanks, Abbey and Zeke splitting on her command to begin corralling from the edges.

"That's all well and good," she decided, taking a step back to allow the Cyberdrones to give chase. "But how's that going to help us?"

"It means his capacity's limited," said Zeke. "If he takes in too much without anywhere to send it, he'll overload."

"And I'm guessing you've already got a way in mind to make that happen?"

"Zeke thinks that maybe with some modifications to his shield, he should be able to rebound the electricity back at him," Abbey replied. "We'd just finished explaining it to Ray when you guys came downstairs."

"And Ray just finished explaining it to me," Hilary announced proudly. "Zeke, your shield upgrade is live. Any stray bolts will bounce straight back at him!"

With a cheer, all three Rangers struck into the horde of Cyberdrones, now all clustered together after the trio's careful corralling. Landing side by side, the three of them folded their blades into blasters, leveling the barrels at the Cyberdrones before they began rushing to escape. Then they squeezed the triggers, firing a triplicate of synchronous blasts that converged into a single, mighty ball of fire.

But the Rangers didn't even take the moment to admire their handiwork, backs turned as the blaze flared behind them and they took off after ElectrEel. As they ran, Erika dared a look a Miguel, weighing whether intervening would net them any benefit against the monster.

The Dark Ranger decided for her.

He skidded back, footwork gliding along the asphalt as the Dark Saber danced before him, clashing in defense against ArcKnight's heavy blade.

"I've got this guy!" he insisted. "Go!"

Erika knew better than to argue with her teammate's assessment. He'd taken on ArcKnight before, and he could easily do it again. But it meant they'd have to handle the monster without him.

The three Rangers took off down the road, travailing the path of destruction left in ElectrEel's wake. At least it made him easy to find, and they didn't need to go very far before finding where he'd slithered too.

"This is my favorite of all strategies!" he cackled. "Shock and awe!"

People screamed as they ran and all directions, ducking as they dodged between the bursts from the overloading junctions. Among them, Erika recognized Deryck and Whitney, caught in the crowd as they too tried to get away.

They needed to end this, fast.

"Okay, Zeke," Erika decided. "How much power does this guy need to be kicking out before we can deflect it back?"

"He needs to already be drawing from the junction," Zeke told her. "That way he can't throw out the excess."

"Which means we need to give him plenty of things to shoot at," Erika realized, before turning to the Blue Ranger beside her. "Abbey, hit him with everything you've got. But once you've got his attention, you'll need to get close. If he doesn't see you as a threat, he might not take the chance at splitting fire."

The sky-blue helmet nodded in affirmation. "Got it."

"Zeke," Erika added. "We're going to try and stay close. Hang back and wait for your moment. It's your plan, you'll know when the timing's right."

"I won't let you down!"

"Come on, Rangers!" ElectrEel roared at them. "Don't tell me you're out of juice already?"

Right on cue, he sprayed them with a surge of electricity, all three Rangers scattering as the bolts burst behind them. Abbey switched to her bow without wasting a second, unleashing a volley of arrows that burst on contact.

"Out of juice?" she scoffed. "We're just powering up!"

"Whereas it looks like your lights are running out for good!" Zeke declared.

Erika launched herself into the air, Axe flashing to her hands as she wound back for the strike. ElectrEel stumbled, too distracted by Abbey's onslaught to prepare a counter. The best he could do was stagger, flailing as he desperately tried to avoid the sharp axe-head that sliced as the Red Ranger landed.

The axe hit empty air, but now Erika had him on the ropes. She spun into another blow, ElectrEel stumbling as he continued his desperate retreat. This was just what they wanted, get him scared, get him panicking. Force him to make a mistake, to pull out the depths of his power so they could turn it against them.

In the corner of her eye, Erika saw a flash, the arcing electricity curling around his claw.

Just in time.

Skidding a stop, she pivoted and ducked as the sizzling strike barely missed her chest. But ElectrEel's counterattack hadn't come without cost. Three more arrows split the air, bolts of blue hitting him square on and splashing into small explosions.

"I've had about enough of you!" he snarled. "Time to give you a shock to remember!"

The claw snapped up, the bolt cracking through the air as Abbey dived for cover.

"Missed me!" she taunted, "No need to blow a fuse!"

"I'll show you blown!"

He swung at Erika again, more to keep her back than do damage, before unleashing another bolt. Again, Abbey lunged and rolled forward, the lightning careening past before blasting into the building behind.

But as she did, a scream pierced the air, a frightened cry of someone in danger.

Dammit!

They'd thought they'd got them clear, and that the street was free of civilians. But as Erika whipped around, her heart sank as she recognized the source. Deryck and Whitney were racing toward an alley, diving out of the way as a broken street sign shattered on the ground behind them. Despite being filled with garbage and flooded from a shattered water main, the two had clearly decided that it was still safer than the chaos unfolding in the open.

Great; those two just had to pick the perfect time and place for a morning stroll.

And now they had another problem. Abbey was doing a good job at splitting ElectrEel's attention, but she hadn't seen that Deryck and Whitney were on the scene.

"You seem pretty down," she taunted, flipping to fire off another shot. "Have tried being more positive!"

"I just have to balance out the negative!" ElectrEel roared.

Another bolt released from his claw, missing by a mile as it shattered an overhead powerline. The entire structure groaned, cabling falling from its bindings and soaring down to the ground below. Right to the alley where Deryck and Whitney were running. The alley filled with water!

Erika didn't have time to call a warning, and alerting Zeke would only expose their plan to ElectrEel. Which meant she needed to take the dive and pray to the Morphing Masters that her teammates would see and adapt.

Trust that they'd have her back.

Leaping back from another strike, Erika lunged into the air, vaulting straight for the alley. Even as she landed, she realized that she was out of time. Stopping the duo would only make them easy targets for ElectrEel's lightning, and letting them go would lead them obliviously into the electrified puddles.

Which left only one thing for it.

She landed beside them, barely even shouting a warning before she swung around her arm.

"A Power Ranger!" Whitney cried out.

"Help us!" pleaded Deryck. "The monster is-!"

Both were cut off as Erika picked them up in one fell sweep and tossed them, sending the pair soaring toward the alley wall and right into the nearby dumpster. The container shook as they landed, the force thumping against the wall as the lid slammed shut on top of them. It wasn't pretty, but it would do.

Because Erika now had other problems. Now she was out in the open with nowhere to go.

"You've got to be careful where you charge!" ElectrEel cackled, whipping around to see the perfect target standing in clear view.

"Hey!" Abbey snapped, landing on a ruined car with her bow at the ready. "Don't forget about me. So easily distracted. It's like you only think on a one-track circuit!"

"I'll show you a one-track circuit!"

Come on Zeke… don't fail me now…

ElecrtEel cacked as one hand snapped upwards, electricity surging from a nearby power pole to begin coursing through his body. One arm unleashed a bolt at Abbey, the other unfurling at Erika.

The Red Ranger could only stand there and brace, awaiting the shock that was coming.

And then Zeke lunged between them.

Like a yellow flash, the Ranger launched into the alley, spinning around with his shield held firmly in his grip. The lightning blasted into the surface, and the reflective barrier shone as the bolt rebounded and lanced right back toward ElectrEel. Still blasting at the Blue Ranger, the monster was a sitting duck as the electricity surged right back into him. And then the power had nowhere to go.

ElectrEel screamed, bolts of energy convulsing from his body as the lightning overloaded, blasting in bursts as he relented his assault and stumbled back, flailing. The electricity surged around his body, sizzling at his flesh as the three Rangers leaped together and looked upon their distracted foe.

"Looks like someone can't handle the heat," Erika noted. "So, let's give him a real shock to the system!"

"Right!"

Then they put it together, moving with ease into formation as the weapons locked in place. Abbey and Zeke kneeled beside the canon, bracing as Erika held at the rear with her finger curled on the trigger.

"De-Frag Blaster!"

With the internal overload beginning to die, ElectrEel looked back at the Rangers, and his jaw dropped in horror as he saw the giant cannon leveled down on him.

"Wait!" he wailed, "No need to pull the plug!"

"FIRE!"

The cannon boomed, a twisted helix of primary colors erupting from the barrel as all three shunted back. The energy burned towards its target, ElectrEel all but helpless as it flashed on contact and exploded in a blazing ball of fire. With the barrel smoking, the Rangers retracted their weapons, spinning around in triumph as they made one last check that all was clear. Behind them, ElectrEel could only groan as he fell, body giving out as the last of the lightning escaped his body, and his form shattered in a mighty bang.

The smoke rose into the air, steaming parts splattering across the ground.

But the Rangers knew they were far from done. Allow themselves a quick moment to cheer in celebration, they braced themselves for what was coming next. And sure enough, the green beam pierced down from the sky, enveloping the scattered pieces of the monster and drawing them together once more. As the glow subsided, ElectrEel was revived, eighty feet tall and crowing with glee.

"Don't be too shocked!" he laughed. "You knew this was coming."

"Did we ever," Erika smirked beneath her helmet before looking to her team. "You ready guys?"

Both Blue and Yellow Rangers looked back at her, and even though obscured by their helms, Erika could see the smiles that went with their affirming nods.

"Ready!"

"Don't worry guys, we've got your back," Hilary told them. "Send in the Zords."

The air was filled with familiar roars of engines, tires shrieking, and turbines whirring as the giant vehicles shot into view. With no time to wait, the Rangers leaped to the sky, landing in the cockpits and immediately engaging the sequence. The vehicles shot together, tires smoking as the truck merged with the streetcar and rose to a vertical angle, the jet flipping around to form the chest and helm as the Megazord sequence completed.

"Cyber Security Megazord!" the Rangers cheered. "Online!"

"You might be bigger, but I am too!" ElectrEel warned. "And now I've got more energy to burn!"

As if to punctuate, he unleashed a mighty bolt that blasted through the Megazord's chest. The whole mech rumbled violently, the robotic warrior tumbling back as the Rangers were tossed about the cockpit. Sparks were flying, screens blaring warnings, as she steadied the Megazord Erika uttered a curse beneath her breath.

The big ugly had barely given them a chance to move.

"Looks like his batteries got bigger with him," Zeke realized.

"I'm open to ideas guys," Erika told them. Up ahead, ElectrEel danced with glee, clapping his claws together as remnant sparks danced off his skin. But now they had other problems. The controls were unresponsive, the machine refusing to budge no matter how many times Erika shook them. They were stuck.

"Zeke, talk to me!" she pleaded.

"Systems went into shock," he warned her. "Engaging targeted manual reboots to bring them back online."

"How long will that even take?"

"Hopefully not longer than it takes ElectrEel to blast us again."

"Look at that!" Abbey realized. "He's recharging!"

"His capacitors might have gotten bigger," Hilary confirmed. "But he can't generate any faster."

Erika's mind was spinning at a mile a minute. A slow recharge made him vulnerable, but there was no way they'd be able to ready the Cyber Sword and get to him in the gap. Not while they were his only target, and if they took another hit like that, they were toast.

And then hit her. They weren't the only Rangers anymore. And there was no way Hilary would have passed up that opportunity to make upgrades.

"Hilary?" she asked. "Any chance you decided to give Miguel some upgrades?"

"I wasn't sure if they were ready," came the reply, "but I guess there's no better test than a road test."

Feeling hopeful, Erika switched to a display of the ground below, watching as the Dark Ranger lunged at ArcKnight with a powerful Shadow Strike. The attack connected, slicing across the armor before flashing with a powerful boom, and ArcKnight went soaring back. The warrior rose steadily, likely cursing some warning that it wasn't over, before retreating with a flash of green.

Right on queue.

"Miguel?" Erika suggested. "Want in on the party?"

"If you guys you'll have me, then I'm down to fight!"

But they were almost out of time. The remnant arcs had almost completely faded, and ElectrEel was standing like he was ready to blast them again.

Erika checked the controls. The key systems had rebooted, movement returning and ready for the bout. She just had to hope Miguel could get his timings right.

"Let's fry these circuits!"

"Yeah!"

The mighty sword thundered into the Megazord's hand with a flash of light and the colossal machine lunged at their foe with deadly intent.

"Not so fast!" ElectrEel warned with glee. "Because lightning's always faster!"

The energy crackled between his hands, sharp lines of electricity sizzling between the points as he raised above his head. This would be a big one, and Erika didn't doubt for a second that it would be enough to wipe them out. But the Rangers kept moving, none of them flinching for even a second at their course. They trusted her, and she them.

"Light's out, Rangers!"

He threw down his hands, but never got the chance to blast them.

Not as the air filled with the fresh sound of screeching tires, and a flash of light surged toward the monster. The blast connected, exploding on contact with his chest. Balance thrown, ElectrEel stumbled. And by that point, it was all too late.

The lightning unleashed, thunder booming as the bolt cracked into the sky, harmlessly soaring away as the monster howled in fury. Seconds later, an enormous, enclosed motorcycle surged towards him, black, armored plating glinting in the sunlight as it collided with the monster and slammed it back.

"Yeah!" Miguel cheered. "Thanks for the ShadowCycle Zord, Dr. Hawkins!"

"Don't mention it," Hilary replied. "Rangers, you've got a clear path."

They didn't need to be told twice. With the threat of ElectrEel's attack neutralized, Erika grabbed the throttle and pushed the Megazord into overdrive, picking speed on their advance as they closed in the raise the glowing sword.

"Cyber Power…" the trio called together. "STRIKE!"

The Megazord crossed the path, the sword coming down with a blinding flash as the cleaved right through the monster. The blow was swift, a clean cut that severed the top from the bottom, and all ElectrEel had left to do was scream.

"No! That blacked me out for good!"

He toppled, falling to the ground with a quaking crash, the Megazord standing tall and proud as the Shadow Cycle skidded to a stop beside them. Then the monster exploded, vanishing into a column of righteous flame that shredded every fiber of his being to ash. The fires simmered, fading into smoke, and the mighty machines of the Power Rangers stood there; tall, proud, and triumphant for another day.

A job well done, if Hilary said so herself. The Rangers were working better than ever, and while she still had some work to do on the ShadowCycle Zord, its current state had certainly come in handy.

It seemed Erika had adapted to assessing the team quite well, and Hilary couldn't but smirk knowing that it had been her lessons that helped her get there.

Sure, Ray would have thought of something wise and sage-like, as always. But in spotting the problem, Hilary had seen its source all too well; the same overconfidence that she herself had too often battled with. She knew from personal experience how blinding it could be, and exactly what Erika needed to be shaken to her senses. To teach her to spot it, and to stop it from happening again.

Plus, it'd been good to get a workout in. It'd been far too long since she'd thrown down on a mat, and it was nice to see that she still had it after all these years. Handy if any Cyberdrones managed to corner her.

Popping open her email, the first thing greeting Hilary was a message from a familiar address: . Hilary couldn't help but smile at the codename, clicking open Freeman's email to see what he'd found. The contents, however, were less inspiring.

Checked on the Arc of Covenant; all six are still there and accounted for.

There might be someone else you can ask; I can look into it if you're game.

She didn't know whether to be relieved or annoyed. On the one hand, it meant their old Morphers were still locked up tight, and not in the hands of a supervillain. But on the other, it also left no leads on how Xaviax had obtained the original source code.

For now, they were at a loss.

As for Freeman's other suggestion, Hilary could already feel the dread sinking deeper in as she realized what he meant. The only other person on earth who had anything even close to Doc's knowledge of the Digitizer…

Just before her mind could tumble into a rabbit hole of possibilities, her train of thought was broken by a knocking at the office doorframe. Looking up from the screen, Hilary's heart skipped a beat as she saw who was waiting patiently at the threshold.

Davian Scolex.

His smile was relaxed, an inviting softness that lulled an encouraging sense of trust. Like he had the perfect used car to sell her, or some miracle snake oil to make all her problems disappear.

"Dr. Hawkins?" he asked. "Do you have a moment? I know I don't have an appointment but your assistant said you were free."

Hilary shot a look behind him, eyes flicking to a grimacing Jessica who shrunk away when noticed.

"By all means," Hilary said cautiously. "What can I help you with? Although, if this is about another job offer, you should know that my answer hasn't changed."

"Wouldn't have expected otherwise," Scolex smiled. "I respect your dedication to the public facilities of education. In fact, that's why I've come around. I have a proposition for you."

Still suspicious, Hilary leaned forward as Scolex took the seat before her and slid a piece of paper across the surface. Flipping open the file, Hilary scanned the neatly written brief before looking up at the businessman with a renewed sense of skepticism.

"An energy education program?"

"The world's changing, Doctor," Scolex explained. "Climate change is no longer just a bogeyman, it's here. And we're not transitioning to alternate power sources anywhere near fast enough. Not to mention, years of neglect have left the city's public infrastructure in desperate need of upgrades. Some of it has decayed so badly that it's a miracle that it's still functioning. And now that the city is under attack from these horrible monsters, the consequences are even more apparent."

"You have plenty of money, Mr. Scolex," Hilary pointed out. "I'm sure the city council would be more than happy if you were to co-fund any projects in that area. I'm not sure if you think I'd be able to help sway things for you, I have to work hard enough to get the funding I have."

"See, that's where I do think we can help each other," Scolex replied. "Funding isn't enough, people need to see the value. Change is scary, and people will stick to terrible comforts if it means they don't have to face the uncertainty of a brighter future. But if we could help them see the potential, then maybe people will come around to a new thinking. Of the potential we have to make the world a better place."

Hilary's eyes wafted over the briefing once more, examining the case in greater detail. A new museum wing, privately funded and dedicated to alternative energy. It seemed fantastic, and yet, there was something about it that twinged at her uncertainty. Like a tingle at the back of her neck, a twisting knot in the pit of her stomach.

That it was too perfect, and that there was more than what Scolex was letting on.

"You've certainly given this a lot of thought," Hilary said cautiously. "But what makes you think a new wing will be enough?"

"If there is one thing I have learned in business," said Scolex, "it's that presentation is everything. The revamp of the museum is great, but it's still limited given its public funding. I could help take it to the next level and get the youth of tomorrow flooding through the doors to learn more about the world they live in. That elevated interest would no doubt help you make a case to the city council that the museum is an important investment to Lakeview, and at the same time, it would further push my philanthropic endeavors into public consciousness."

"People learn more about renewables, and Scolex will be the first name on people's minds when they invest," Hilary concluded. "You're trying to put yourself at the front of the line."

"Very few men want to change the world, Dr. Hawkins," Scolex conceded, "unless they already feel that they're the best ones to do it."

And there it was again, that twinge of suspicion, an unease as Hilary caught the glint in his eye. But there was one thing he was definitely being truthful about. Davian Scolex wanted to change the world, and he thought himself the best man for the job. Perhaps the only one.

"It's an interesting proposal," Hilary said carefully. "You understand that I'll have to give it some thought and consider whether the board would go for it. I might be the director, but I'm not the only one with a say here."

"Of course," Scolex agreed, already rising to himself out. "I'll have my people get in touch and answer all your questions."

Hilary rose as well, following to see him out, watching as he gave a wink of gratitude to Jessica as she shied away and blushed with a mixture of flattery and discomfort.

"I look forward to hearing from you, Dr. Hawkins," he told her as he reached the stairs. "I truly hope we can work together to make the world a better place."

And then he walked away, descending the stairs to leave to women standing at the office entrance.

"I'm sorry!" Jessica blathered the moment the entrepreneur was out of earshot, unraveling into a blustering apology as she realized her boss' tense demeanor. "He just showed up, and I had no idea what to do, and didn't think he was just going to stroll in, and, well, I mean, it's Davian Scolex, I wasn't quite sure whether you'd want to me say no and…"

"Jess, it's fine," Hilary assured. "He caught you off guard, it happens. It's not your fault."

And playing it back, no doubt his intention.

"Next time," Hilary suggested, turning to the office with the full intention of combing through the files for any possible hidden agenda. "Tell him that I'm about to leave for a meeting and get him to make an appointment. If I need to deal with him again, I want to be on our terms, not his."

The cups knocked together, the four teens cheering to the toast as Erika's beamed back at her friends. And just like that, it was all back to normal. Smiles and celebration; gathered around a table and enjoying the midday lunch rush.

"Great job guys," Erika congratulated. "You really pulled it all together out there."

"Couldn't have brought it together without a good leader," Abbey smiled. "You knew exactly what we needed."

"You guys had a good plan, and I finally saw sense," Erika replied. "So, let's say it's a team effort and call it a win."

"Man," Miguel grinned. "I can see why you guys love the Zords so much. Driving that thing was a rush!"

"You just wait to see what it's like when they all come together," said Erika. "Then you really get to see them back a punch."

The bell above the Hub's entrance chimed, opening carefully as the new arrival caught Erika's eye. As her three friends continued with their laughter, Erika's breath caught as she saw Valerie step inside, looking around the café in uncertainty.

Abbey seemed to notice as well, and barely a moment later gave Erika an encouraging nod. Slowly, Erika rose, and suddenly all her soaring confidence fled as she walked toward the girl she was sweet on. Yesterday she'd been so certain, so easygoing, and affirmative.

But that was before her big head had reeled her into defeat, and even though she was feeling better, Erika couldn't help but wonder if her assured approach had been a mistake. Was she so certain about whether Valerie was interested? Had she really given her a chance to say no?

Was she just being polite, or awkwardly not knowing what else to say?

As Erika approached, Valerie smiled as she saw her, and Erika's heart fluttered as Valerie stepped closer. It was taking all her effort to hold still the nervous trembling.

"Hey," said Erika, as if all other words had abandoned her in skittish flight.

But Valerie didn't seem the least perturbed, her lips broadening into a warming grin that set Erika's heart alight. "Hey yourself. I was just looking for you. It was about our movie…"

"Oh, right," Erika realized. "Listen, I know I kind of put you on the spot before. And if it's too awkward I get it, we don't have to go…"

"Actually," said Valerie, seemingly catching the drift while her light demeanor remained unchained. "I wanted to let you know that my afternoon plans changed. If you were free and still wanted to go, maybe we could catch a movie now?"

Oh… right…

A burst of nervous laughter released a chest, a fluttering mixture of elation and relief as before she could stop herself, Erika was nodding exactly with a wide, idiotic grin on her face.

"I'd love to!"

"Great!" Valerie smiled, "Want to get a coffee for the run?"

"Tell Dirk to put it on my tab," Erika replied. "I'll just tell the others I'm heading off."

As Valerie turned to the counter, Erika quickly returned to her friends to collect her bag. "Sorry to cut and run but…"

"Don't go having too much fun," Abbey warned her cheekily.

"Me?" Erika scoffed. "Never."

She waved them goodbye, ignoring the teasing kissy faces they were giving her before returning to see Valerie holding two fresh cups of coffee.

"All ready to go?' she asked.

"You bet!"

Linking arms, they turned to the threshold, ready to step out toward whatever awaited them. And that's when the door opened once again.

The first thing to hit them was the smell, a gasping, clawing odor that wafted through with its carriers. Those it followed weren't a pretty sight either, and everyone staggered back, gagging as Whiney and Deryck stepped into the Hub. Covered in gunk, fowl substances oozing off their skin with chunks of things that Erika didn't even want to think of dripping from their hair. Neither of them looked pleased with their predicament.

"Umm… miss… sir…" Dirk greeted, trying in vain to hide his disgust and discomfort as the two teens approached the counter. "What can I… get you?"

"Don't give me that," Whitney snapped. "It was the Power Rangers that did this to us! They threw us into a dumpster!"

Backing toward the door and doing all she could to muffle her laughter at the humiliation of her two least favorite people, Erika couldn't but feel a tiny pang of guilt. Maybe she did throw them a little too hard when getting them clear.

"All of you are celebrating the Power Rangers!" Whitney decreed. "But they're nothing but a menace to society, we'll show you!"

And with that, she spun on her heel, storming out of the café as soon as she'd arrived, shouting back sharply to jolt the nerves of her confused companion.

"Come on, Deryck!"

"Oh, right!"

The beefy boy hurried after her, leaving a stunned audience behind. Moments later, the room erupted into laughter, Erika and Valerie leaning on each other in a desperate bid to stay standing, and Erika shooting a look to see her teammates red in the face, and nearly rolling on the floor with splitting sides.

Well, that's gratitude for you.

"Come on," Erika decided, wiping back a chuckling tear before gesturing to the entrance. "Let's catch the main event."

The two girls strode from Hub, arm in arm, leaving the chorus of laughter behind them. But as those inside remained embroiled in the rambunctious, raucous amusement, there was one in the Hub who remained unmoved. Sitting alone in the corner, hidden by the crowd, Lena spired the three remaining Rangers reveling in their shared, joyous laughter.

Watching.

Wondering.

Wishing.

NEXT TIME:

While slowly adjusting to being part of a team, Miguel's nose for trouble lands him in hot water with Principal Goodson, stuck in detention and unable to help the Rangers when they need him most. Meanwhile, Ray and Hilary begin investigating the mysterious tunnels beneath the city, looking for any clues to Xaviax's plans. But they aren't the only ones who are skulking around in the dark, and it seems someone else has a particular interest in the tunnels beneath Lakeview.

Will Ray and Hilary find more than they bargained for?

Will Miguel find a way to come to his teammates' aid?

And what's Lena up to now, lurking around the Guidance Counsellor's office?

Find out the answers next time on:

POWER RANGERS

SERVER FORCE

Self-Control

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. Until next time, may the Power Protect You.