Episode 24

Where The Heart Is


"Okay," Hilary decided, "this is everything we have. Paper records, timestamps, transcripts; the lot. If it's about Scolex and has been put in an even remotely public file, then right now, it's in front of us."

Lena nodded as she stared at the mess of papers on the kitchen table and narrowed her eyes in contemplation. It was a nightmare to even think about where to start. The little information they had only raised more questions, deepening the already maddening maze as they tried to unravel the intricate web. To find out where Xaviax's endgame was.

He'd been smart; only giving Lena what she needed to know during her time in his service. Either because he suspected an eventual betrayal or simply avoiding a hubristic slip of the tongue, Scolex had actively kept her in the dark. It made Lena wonder just how much ArcKnight and Ender knew as well; if either of them had been entrusted with the entirety of the plan.

"It just makes no sense," Hilary grumbled as she shifted through the papers. "It's like he's bought into half the city, either with his own company or a heap of shell corporations. But while the powerplant, I kind of get, why does he need an ice cream stand on the boulevard?"

"Maybe it's a red herring?" Lena said. "If he knew that people would eventually start digging, then he might have disguised his real intent with a heap of businesses he never needed."

"It would certainly give us more to sift through," Ray agreed. "Flood everything with enough static to make it impossible to know what we're looking at."

"But why Lakeview?" Hilary questioned. "And why now? And why does he need the Digitizer, or me?"

"You mentioned Gideon's contingency hard drive," Lena pointed out. "Did you get any more word on that?"

Ray shook his head, reaching toward one of the files and flipping it open. "Freeman confirmed that nothing was found when his men combed the crash site, or the cave Gideon was hiding in before he attacked us on Prom night. But just because they didn't find it, doesn't mean it wasn't there."

"So, the working theory is that's how Scolex got his hands on both designs for the Digitizer and everything Gideon had been working with," Hilary said. "But it still doesn't tell us either when he retrieved it or how he knew about it. Or for that matter, how he got the baseline coding for the original Data Morphers to build his Dark one."

"Or how long he was laying the groundwork in Lakeview before finally making his move," Lena added. Hilary was right, there was still too much they didn't know. For all they'd put together, their puzzle was still a maze of missing pieces, a canvas with more blank space than paint. All they knew was that Scolex had been messing with the city's infrastructure long before he began his attacks on the city.

"Here's what I don't get," said Ray as they stared at the maze of papers. "Why? He's rich; he's got plenty of social connections and clearly no problems buying his way into whatever industry he wants. What could Scolex possibly gain through all of this that he doesn't already have?"

"Do evil overlords need more motivation to try and take over the world?" Lena asked.

"Well, no. But they still usually have one."

"Make the world a better place…" Hilary muttered. "That's what he said when he first showed up at my office. But Ray's right, that doesn't explain why he can't do that with the means he already has."

The three sat in silence, stumped for any kind of answer as they continued to struggle with the pieces. For Lena's part, she wished knew more, or at the very least had tried harder to learn the overall plan before actively abandoning her old, evil life. And as grateful as she was to Ray and Hilary for continuing to put a roof over her head, Lena was also painfully aware of how little she was giving back.

If she could solve this, or even just figure out a clue to move them forward, she'd at last feel like she was earning some of her keep.

"Maybe we need a break," Ray said. "Get some air, maybe a bite to eat and a coffee? Come back with fresh eyes."

"I think you're right," Hilary admitted, turning toward the window to see the warm, winter light shining outside. Lena couldn't help but agree, and as much as the problem before them was infuriating, she was well aware that she could be spending her Saturday morning at the Hub with her friends. Although, with Abbey and Miguel working and Erika endeavoring to spend more time with Valerie, it could easily just be her and Zeke. And if the team's Yellow Ranger had come to the same conclusion, he would likely have skipped the Hub entirely.

"You know what?" Lena decided, "Why don't you two head out and enjoy the morning? I'm going to see what else I can find. Maybe I can report when you get back?"

Both Ray and Hilary eyed her skeptically, no doubt concluding the obvious flaw that she likely needed a break as well.

"It'll be fine," Lena assured them. "Besides, I've got some tidying up I need to, and it's my turn to cook so I should probably take stock of the food we have. Go on, enjoy the sun. Have some time together without your teenaged, former nemesis looming around your apartment."

Ray and Hilary shared a look, a shared, silent debate on whether to press her any further before conceding to her point.

"Well, don't have too much fun with all of this while we're gone," Hilary decided. "Want anything while we're out?"

Lena politely declined as the married couple strolled out of the apartment, leaving her to the conspiracy files on the table. It may have not been an exciting Saturday morning, but it beat the alternative. With an android brain, the information gathering for Lena's term papers was hardly a challenge, she'd already sped-read through every class novel she'd been given and the math she could do in her sleep. Outside of figuring out how to write a paper without triggering the school's AI detector, Lena's homework was a breeze. But this? This was a challenge, and one that Lena felt compelled to solve. She'd helped build this and contributed to its escalation. She owed it to Ray, Hilary, and the people of Lakeview to bring it to an end, and it started by finding a concrete connection between all the information they could gather.

Lena took one break, just one, rummaging through the fridge and pantry as she decided what cooking she was doing that night. Deep down, she suspected that Ray was enjoying having someone else who could manage in the kitchen, saving him from Hilary's frequently burned, pre-made lasagnas. But even that was a small distraction, taking all of five minutes before Lena returned to the pile on the table to reexamine the file Ray had flipped open.

It was their notes from their visit to Gideon, a collection of Hilary's scrawled bullet points of recollection, and any corresponding files they'd managed to obtain in connection. Lena couldn't help but smirk, thinking of the absolute disdain on her former master's face when confronted by two of the people responsible for his confinement. How she'd have loved to have been there, a fly on the wall, relishing every squirm he made inside the dark little cell his world had become. He'd given Lena life, but as nothing but a tool, and now she was building a true life of her own with the help of his enemies. The irony was not lost on her, and part of her relished it.

But as Lena flipped through the file, another paper caught her eye, a name that she didn't recognize. It was little more than a personnel file, dating back nearly twenty years to the original Project Digitizer. The fact that neither Ray nor Hilary had mentioned was strange enough, but what Lena found as she inspected further was what caused her heart to stop.

Project Codename: Friday
Version 13.93- Mileena

She'd expected to find most of it redacted. Hilary had been able to unseal many of Digitizer's files, but the Project's distant connection to the sinister Alphabet Soup and its own secret plot to destroy the world meant many of the documents were still heavily classified. But to Lena's surprise, she could read this one plain as day. The personnel file was linked to a program within Project Digitizer, aimed at the development of artificial intelligence. Initially designed as automation assistance software, the file contained multiple correspondences from the developer about the program's evolution, noting a possibility that it could develop into true, self-aware intelligence. It was only as Lena got toward the end of the file that two items jumped out at her, stealing a gasp from her chest as it hammered home how it all connected.

The programmer had been conversing with another colleague, seeking advice from a man named Anthony Dyson. The man who would eventually destroy the entire project, empowering and renaming himself Gideon. The final correspondence Hilary had collected was dated one day before Gideon's fated attack on the complex. Lena could only stare at the folder in front of her, wide-eyed in shock as she realized what the file was for, and how it had ended up in Ray and Hilary's collection.

It was about her.

The elevator doors dinged open, and Ray and Hilary blissfully strode back into the apartment after enjoying their morning coffee date. But both of them stopped dead in their tracks as they saw Lena standing there, white as a sheet with the file in her hands. They didn't need to look at the file to know what it was, and as Lena looked up at them, their expressions betrayed the realization of what she'd found.

They knew, and yet, they hadn't told her. And still, despite the knowing that desperately called from the depths of her heart, Lena still felt compelled to ask them. "Who's Edward Chambers?'

At last, Ray and Hilary looked at each other before sighing in guilty resignation.

"I think you should sit down," Ray suggested.

Nodding quietly, Lena did as she was asked. And then, her two former enemies sat down beside her to begin telling her about the man that could best be considered her father.


A regular Saturday morning, and the Hub was its usual, bustling self. All hands were on deck; Abbey Carmichael and Miguel Sanchez were sharing nauseatingly flirty looks as they passed trays between each other, with Valerie Hanson equally making eyes at Erika Nishimura as she wove between the tables to deliver the orders.

But the person in the room with the biggest smile by far was Whitney Whiting. While the start of her year had been far from fantastic (in fact, it had been the most traumatic period of her entire life) all of that was about to change. No more slip-ups, no more messy accidents, no more humiliations. No; today was the day she climbed back on top, where Whitney would prove that those menacing Power Rangers were far from all that dragged them down into the dirt where they belonged.

Today, Whitney had a plan.

"I got your message," Deryck said as he leaped into the seat beside her. "But why do you want my dad's old video camera?"

Whitney rolled her eyes at her companion's density. Did she have to explain everything? "Because," she explained impatiently. "It's a key component to everything."

Which, apparently, was not enough of an explanation. "Everything?" Deryck asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes, you idiot!" Whitney snapped. She leaned in to let a sly smile split between her lips. "I have a cunning plan."

It had stumped her for weeks, how best to get revenge on the Power Rangers for the countless humiliations she'd endured from their presence. How best to show to all the world that they were nothing but a bunch of posers? That they were not, in fact, 'all that'. And then it hit her, all Whitney needed to do was unmask them, to find out who they really were. When everyone saw their so-called heroes without their fancy suits and colors, then they'd see them for who they truly were.

It was ingenious.

The how, however, was another matter. It had only been when Deryck had been stuck cleaning out his parent's attic and had found a strange device, something called a 'camcorder', that the final details of her plan began to emerge.

"Okay," said Deryck. His encouraging nod betrayed how little he was actually following, "so what's the plan?"

Whitney leaned in close, checking over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening. The only person nearby was Valerie, cleaning up the table beside them. But she didn't count, the only people Whitney was worried about were the ones that mattered. "So, I was thinking about how we're best to unmask the Power Rangers, and your dad's little doohickey is the answer. All we have to do is go to where the Power Rangers are, lie in wait, and then grab a shot of them when they take their masks off. It's foolproof!"

"I don't know Whitney," said Deryck as he stared at the camcorder in his hands. "This gadget looks complicated. Why can't we just use your phone to take a photo?"

"I'm not using my phone!" Whitney snapped. "What if something happened to it? My whole life is on this thing. I would literally die!"

"Okay, okay," Deryck conceded. "So, what do we do once we know who the Power Ranges are?"

"Duh!" Whitney replied in exasperation. "We show it to everyone? Honestly, it's like I have to do all the thinking myself."

Deryck's face scrunched, still struggling to comprehend the plan. "Right, sorry Whitney. I just don't see how this is going to help you get back at the Power Rangers."

"Because," Whitney said impatiently. "Once everyone sees that the only people under those masks are a bunch of hopeless nobodies, then they'll go back to paying attention to the people who actually do matter. Like me. And you too, I guess."

"Oh, right," Deryck nodded. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense. So how do we actually find the Power Rangers?"

"We just wait, Deryck," Whitney replied. "They're bound to show up nearby, eventually. Once they're running about the streets in their spandex, we'll be ready. And they'll get what's coming to them…"


The car slowly pulled up along the suburban street, crawling to a stop against the curb as Lena stared out from the rear window. The whole drive, that house had been all that she could think about, wondering what it be like. What would be waiting for her? But now that they'd finally arrived on the outskirts of San Jose, a fresh terror stabbed at her heart, freezing Lena in place as her nerves took full control.

What was she doing? What would she even say? Barely more than two hours ago, it was all that she'd wanted, to go all the way upstate to meet the man responsible for her creation. But now… now Lena had no idea what to do. What she wanted.

Ray and Hilary had been nothing but kind and apologetic when they saw that she'd found the file.

"When you came to me with questions, we tried to do a bit of digging," Ray had told her. "I'd hoped that if we knew more about where you came from, then I could help guide what you were going through."

"But there was a lot of red tape,' Hilary explained. "And a lot of firewalls that I needed to less than legally circumvent. It took time, and once eventually did get ahold of Chambers' file, you'd jumped ship."

"So, you just… kept it?" Lena asked them.

"To be honest, we didn't know what to do," said Ray. "We didn't know whether you wanted to know, or if suddenly bringing up more about your origins was only going to add more to what you were going through."

"We're really sorry, Lena," said Hilary, backed in soft agreement by Ray's nodding. "We never wanted you to feel that we were keeping it from you. We're sorry if we made the wrong call."

"We just hoped that if you ever did want to know," Ray concluded, "that you would feel comfortable enough to come and tell us. We're sorry that you had to find out like this."

In truth, Lena didn't know what to think, still reeling in shock from the revelation that she'd previously never even considered. Until then, Lena had never wondered about the origins of her creations, beyond when Gideon had first manifested her with the Digitizer. She'd always just assumed that she was just one more of his weapons, designed for a specific purpose. She'd certainly never given thought to the idea that she'd been meant for something more.

And yet, with the sudden news that she had something resembling a father, getting into the car and driving to the last known address of Dr. Edward Chambers was all that Lena could think about. Ray and Hilary had agreed without question, immediately grabbing their coats to begin the two-hour drive to Silicon Valley. The whole time, Lena could only imagine what would meet her, who would meet her, and what she would even say when, for the first time in her life, she came face to face with the man who could be best considered her father.

And yet, all of those thoughts vanished from her mind, her memory banks of perfect recall failing in their entirety as Lena stared at the leaf-littered path that led to the forest-green front door. For a long time, the three of them sat in silence, Ray and Hilary patiently leaving Lena to her contemplation as she remained rooted to her seat.

"What do I even say?" she finally asked, feeling the quiver in her chest as she turned to Ray and Hilary for guidance. The married couple shared a look, both equally perplexed as to how to answer before giving their best guess.

"Hi, my name is Lena?" Ray offered.

It was so simple, it was so dumb, but the sheer straightforwardness of his answer made Lena laugh, breaking her from the spiral of tension as Hilary added warmly. "You don't have to say anything at all. If you're not ready, or you need more time, then can always drive back to Lakeview, and come back later."

"But you guys just drove me all this way," Lena protested. "I don't want to waste your time like that."

"It's no waste," Ray assured. "Not if it's what you needed. Just as coming back won't be either if you need that too."

No, they'd already done so much to her. Ray and Hilary been an ear to talk to when Lena didn't deserve it, gave her a roof to sleep under when she had nowhere else to go, and helped her find a purpose when she'd been lost and directionless. They'd already gone to so many lengths to find her answers that Lena didn't even know she needed. And now they had driven all this way, on a whim, so she could see those answers for herself. After all that, Lena could manage stepping out of the car and walking towards a door. She needed to.

"Alright then," she breathed, feeling the soothing coolness settling her chest in a last-ditch effort to calm her nerves. "Wish me luck?"

"Want us to come with you?" Ray offered. The intention was clear in his tone, he was there she needed him, and Hilary too. But only if she wanted it.

"No, that's okay," Lena replied nervously. "Thank you, but I think I need to do this on my own."

Both of them nodded, graciously accepting her answer. "We're right here if you need us," Hilary assured.

Then, thanking them both for all they'd done, Lena steeled herself as she closed the car door behind her to begin the daunting journey toward the door. It was like the path stretched out as she walked it, pulling her destination further and further as Lena stepped heavily in perseverance. But that was still nothing compared to the waiting that followed when she finally reached it; when her knuckles wrapped against the wooden barrier in timing to her heavy exhale. As she waited to meet her maker.

At last, Lena heard the click of the turning latch, and her breath refused to release as the door finally opened. He was dressed casually for a man in his sixties, jeans and a tucked-in t-shirt that assisted the belt on his shrinking hips. His hair was swept back, the receding sandy showing signs of grey at the roots, and his face was starting to surrender to the age of his sixth decade. His soft blue eyes stared at her in confusion through a pair of wide-framed glasses, the lenses just thin enough to stop them making him seem bugged-eyed.

"Dr. Edward Chambers?" Lena asked nervously, a question more to give her time to think than an actual need to confirm.

"That's me," the man replied anyway, still eyeing her from top to bottom with cautious curiosity. "Can I ask who you are?'

She could already feel the tears welling behind her eyes, the shuddered breath holding back the dam as, at last, Lena uttered the terrifying words. "I need to talk to you about your time in Project Digitizer. Specifically Codename Friday?"

Again the man's eyes narrowed, suspiciously searching for a connection between its time of operation and Lena's apparent age. "That was a long time ago. How do you even know about that?"

"Because," said Lena as her lungs forced her to utter the syllables she could never take back. "My name is Lena, um, Mileena, and… I think you might be behind my programming."

Chamber's face dropped in an instant, full short-circuit as it suddenly dawned who was standing in front of him. Lena could see in his eyes all the explanations that were running through his mind; a joke, a prank, a scam. Some twisted test by the government to check his loyalty. And all Lena could do was stand demurely on his doorstep, shying back as every inch of her was scrutinized.

"I… I don't believe it," Chambers gasped, still struggling for words as at last he managed, "How?"

"It's a bit of a long story," Lena admitted.

For a long time, Chambers could only stare at her, struggling to comprehend that his long-abandoned project was now standing before him, as much flesh and blood as Lena's digital construction would allow. And then, finally, he nodded and stepped out of the doorway to open further.

"I think you should come inside," he offered. "Tell me everything."

And so, with a deep breath for courage and an anxious look to where Ray and Hilary were encouragingly watching from the car, Lena stepped across the threshold and began to tell him her tale.


By the afternoon, the Hub had begun to quieten, slowing to a steady buzz as the patrons began trickling out. It had been a busy morning, but now it was done and dusted, with little to do except clear, wipe the tables, and get the floor ready for the rush the next day. Erika had to admit, she did not miss the craziness of the Saturday morning rush, not even a little. As much as she sometimes wished that Valerie didn't have to work those mornings and they could have it together, a few hours alone at the start of the weekend was far, far preferable to running back and forth like mad.

But as the door chimed above her, Erika noted that the calm had settled in early for the day, and by now her friends were gathered around the counter. While still on the clock, they'd definitely hit the waiting end of the shift, casually chatting as the last of the tables slowly vacated.

"Busy day?" Erika asked cheerfully.

"Was it ever!" Valerie groaned. "I don't think I stopped moving until midday."

"You know," Erika mused cheekily. "I was just thinking on the way here how much I wasn't missing Crazy Day."

"Hmmmm," Valerie mused. "Bet you miss the company though."

"Good point," Erika admitted before nodding slyly over Valerie's shoulder. "Speaking of company…"

Behind them, Abbey and Miguel were locked in doe-eyed conversation, grinning and giggling as if no one else was there.

"Aww, look at them," Erika chuckled. "You'd almost be forgiven for thinking they're a couple."

"They are" Valerie giggled. "They just don't know it yet."

Smiling amusedly, the two decided to not disturb, and instead, Erika motioned toward the door. "All ready to go?"

"Pretty much," Valerie agreed. "I'll just tell Dirk I'm heading out, and then we can give these two some alone time."

Yeah, because Abbey and Miguel were going to get so much work done. But before Erika and Val could head off to enjoy their Saturday afternoon, the inevitable struck, and the three communicators in the room beeped synchronously.

"It's like clockwork," Erika groaned. "Could Xaviax consider cutting us some slack, just once?"

"We should let him know you have a date," Abbey replied. "I'm sure he'll understand."

"Don't we wish."

Very gratefully, Val took an IOU from Miguel and Abbey, willingly to stay and finish their shift as the three teens hurried to the back alley and answered the communication line.

"You got three of us here," Erika announced. "What's up?"

"Sorry to interrupt the weekend, guys," Jessica's voice sounded through the speaker. "But it looks like Xaviax's freshest prince is doing a tour of downtown. And I've got to tell you, it is UGLY."

"We'll be right there," Erika confirmed.

"Zeke's already on his way," Jess added. "Ray and Hilary went on an errand and took Lena with them. You guys going to okay on your own?"

"Just like old times," Abbey grinned with a look at Miguel.

Erika rolled her eyes. Abbey wasn't wrong; she and Miguel were still dancing around each other, and now in such obvious moments it was making Erika nauseous. But on the other hand, Zeke's disdain for the idea had morphed into amusement; so she supposed that was progress, at least. "Thanks for the heads-up Jess, we're on our way."

Moments later, Erika and Abbey produced their keycards as their Morphers flashed to their wrists.

"You guys ready?" Erika asked them.

"Ready!"

"Server Force!" they cried. "Login Access!"

The light descended upon them, three columns of red, blue, and black consumed them entirely in transformation. And the light vanished from the empty alley and spirited the three Rangers toward the battle.


Well, today certainly had been productive. Whitney had managed to fit in a manicure, taken all her 'spontaneous' photos out by the park, and she'd even found the contact details of a journalist she could send the Ranger identities to once they were discovered. Everything was coming up Whitney, exactly as it should be.

She'd just finished off her email to Channel 3, making early contact with Cassidy Cornell in preparation for her plan's success, and was just about to enjoy her decaf skim when Deryck suddenly bounded into the Hub.

"Whitney! Whitney!" he insisted. "Check out the live feed! Channel 3!"

Eyeing her companion suspiciously, Whitney opened her socials to see the video that he was talking about. It was a news broadcast, a forty-something blonde standing in front of what looked like a warzone.

"This is Cassidy Cornell with Channel 3!" she announced, in a tone that was surprisingly calm for the chaos unfolding behind her. Whitney recognized her immediately, it was the same reporter she'd been trying to contact. "Coming to you live from downtown Lakeview where just moments ago, this peaceful afternoon has become a monument to mayhem."

The camera panned as something exploded behind her, Cornell flinching to duck as the feed focused on a strange, bulbous creature that looked like a giant toad.

"City advice is to avoid the area at all costs while the situation is brought under control, and citizens are urged to-."

"Cas, look!" sounded the voice behind the camera.

Again, the feed moved, and all of a sudden, four of the Power Rangers somersaulted into view to launch a four-pronged attack against the giant monster.

"This just in!" Cornell advised. "The Power Rangers have arrived on the scene!"

"It's just downtown!" said Deryck, "If we hurry, we can make it."

But Whitney was already up and moving, almost barreling past Valerie and halfway out the door as she called back, "Come on Deryck! This is our chance to unmask the Power Rangers!"

Her car was parked just outside, a fresh ticket under the wiper as Whitney cast it aside and threw herself into the front seat. She was going to get those Power Rangers, even if it was the last thing she ever did.


Erika leaped into a backflip, narrowly avoiding a rain of laser bolts as they burst beneath her. Much as she hated to admit it, this toad was good.

They'd no sooner arrived before Reptoad summoned a fresh horde of Cyberdrones and dropped them in columns that split the Rangers off from each other. The fat amphibian cackled as he bounded away, leaving the Rangers to clean up the swarming henchmen.

But as she dived back, her Axe glowing hot as she crashed into the Cyberdrone lines, Erika realized there was an unnerving feeling, gnawing at the back of her mind. Cyberdrones weren't a challenge, and they wouldn't slow the Rangers down for long. But with the Rangers tied up by the henchmen, the frog was free to bound around as he pleased, causing all amounts of fresh terror. The Cyberdrones were just there to keep them busy, and moments later, Erika's theory was confirmed as Jess' nervous warning sounded through the coms.

"Uh, guys?" she warned them, unable to hide the horrified disgust that was seeping into her voice. "You need to catch up with that thing. He's… I think he's swallowing people!"

Okay, definitely not good!

"We need to clear these creeps!" Erika decided. "Zeke, pull back to Abbey and give her some a boost. Miguel, we need a path!"

"On it!"

She'd have preferred to have brought the others, it would have meant easy access to the De-Frag blaster if they got the monster down. But two Rangers were easier to free up than three, and they'd need Abbey's bow to keep Reptoad contained when he started jumping. Meanwhile, Miguel would still need help to clear the Cyberdrones, Zeke would just have to catch up when he got an opening.

Following the command, Zeke snapped out his blaster, opening fire at short range as he bolted to Abbey's side. As the shield slammed down, Abbey leaped back onto a park bench as black energy began to gather around Miguel. The Dark Ranger surged, his saber carving through Cyberdrone lines, parting them like Moses at the Red Sea.

The way was open, and they needed to take it.

Now!

With footsoldiers scrambling, Erika and Abbey leaped for it, the Blue Ranger unloading with her bow to keep them back. Blasts of energy scattered beneath them, tossing the Cyberdrones in all directions as the Rangers' boots hit the ground. They turned, just for a moment, to see if their opening had been enough to free up Zeke and Miguel. But there were still just too many.

"We've got this!" Zeke insisted.

"Go boil that frog!" agreed Miguel.

Hard to argue with that. Without sharing another word, Erika and Abbey took off, racing down the road to catch up to the bounding monster. They didn't have to go as far as they'd thought, with the nimble, bounding ball having launched down the street. Now he was back to cackling with glee as people frightfully fled in all directions.

Well, almost everyone.

At the edge of the road, there was a woman in her late thirties, well-made up in pink business wear with her blonde her neatly flowing to her shoulders. Standing in front of a scruffy-looking cameraman, she held a microphone in her hand, and both of them looked surprisingly calm for all the unfolding chaos.

"This is Cassidy Cornell with Channel 3, reporting live from Downtown Lakeview," the women announced. "Just moments ago, the giant monster escaped the Power Rangers and has begun a fresh rampage along the main street!"

"Oh!" Reptoad cackled as he spun around and saw them. "Looks like it's time for my closeup! Hey lady, want me to tell you all about being a big frog in a small pond?"

The woman turned in disgust, pausing only to think of how best to respond to such a fowl creature. But that pause was more than enough.

"Seems like you've got a frog in your throat!" Reptoad laughed. "I know the feeling!"

Cornell's eyes widened, horrified in realization as the toad's tongue suddenly lashed out toward her. The woman screamed as it wrapped around her, her body beginning to glow as she suddenly vanished in a flash of light. As the tongue snapped back to the monster's mouth, a tiny ball of light shot in with it.

The cameraman looked on and groaned. "Oh man, again? She'd gonna hate that!"

"Don't think I forgot about you!"

Erika wasn't fast enough, racing to push the man from harm as the tongue lashed out and got him too. As the elongated muscle snapped back and took the ball of light with it, Erika and Abbey skidded to a stop and scowled.

"Okay," Abbey decided. "That's just gross."

"No need to get so hopping mad about it!" the monster snarled back. "Don't worry, there's plenty of room for you."

"I'm not hungry!"

The Rangers split as the monster attacked, Erika leaping low and rolling as the whip-like tongue cracked above her head. Recovering fast, she spun the axe with a flourish before slicing deeply into the monster's chest, glowing axe-head flashing with brilliant light as Reptoad staggered back. As Erika landed the blow, she dived away, perfectly timed to clear the way for Abbey. The Blue Ranger unloaded a torrenting volley of arrows, blasting into the frog with pinpoint precision.

But as Erika reveled in their well-coordinated hit, she realized that they had a new problem. It seemed like the press weren't the only ones who had decided to stick around. For some reason, Whitney and Deryck had approached the area and were now crouched with zero-subtly in the nearby bushes. A strange device, some kind of camera from the early 2000s, was in Deryck's hand as both watched the battle with eager intent.

"Come on, Deryck!" Whitney hissed at him, "Get a clear shot!"

"I'm trying, Whitney, the screen's still black for some reason!"

"You two!" Erika yelled at them. "Get out of here now!"

But it was too late. Having recovered from Abbey's onslaught, Reptoad hucked back before unleashing a huge, glopping glob of spit at the Blue Ranger. Abbey had dived, leaping on the retreat as the loogie exploded beneath her, but it was all the relief the monster had needed. Spinning around, he eyed the two civilians with a delighted grin.

"You look pretty," he purred at Whitney. "Want to meet your prince?"

"Urgh, you?" Whitney replied in disgust. "In your dreams, maybe."

Well, the girl had guile. Erika had to give her that.

"You just have to get to know me," Reptoad chuckled. "Here, give me a kiss!"

The tongue lashed out, and then everything moved at once. Erika and Deryck moved at the same time, the boy leaping in the Tongue's path as Erika skidded beside them to throw Whitney from harm. The tongue lashed into Deryck's chest, his whole body vanishing in the same flash that took the others as it sucked up into Reptoad.

Something clattered at Erika's feet, but she didn't have time to see what it was. Not when she had another problem.

"Try leap-frogging from this!" Reptoad yelled as he spat a giant glob right at Erika.

Having sacrificed her footing to save Whitney, Erika had nowhere to go. The ball of mucus splattered at her feet, booming into a blazing ball that sent a shockwave rippling through her body. The explosion cast her into the air, tumbling along the ground with smoke wisping from Erika's body as her Ranger suit vanished in a crimson flash. Groaning, Erika rose to her feet, only to see the fat toad cackling at her menacingly.

"Uh oh," he mocked her. "Looks like someone is croaking out early."

Erika scowled as she braced herself for what was coming, knowing she'd have no way of dodging his lashing tongue without the aid of her suit. Thankfully, fate intervened. A triplicate of arrows fired from the flank, slicing against Reptoad's body as the monster howled and stumbled back. As Abbey somersaulted into his path, shielding Erika from further assault, Zeke and Miguel arrived to lunge in and join the fray. Bolts of energy hounded from the pistols, shattering at Reptoad's feet as the three Rangers stood tall in solidarity around their demorphed leader.

"I hope those legs can leap fast," Miguel warned. "Because otherwise, you're cooked."

"Looks like this pond just got a little too small!" Reptoad realized as he counted the extra Rangers. "I'm out of here!"

With a flash of light, the monster vanished. Erika stifled a cursing growl as the other three Rangers turned to check on her.

"I'm okay," she said, her eyes now scanning the surroundings for her ungrateful rescue.

Whitney was nowhere to be seen. Probably just as well. After a de-morph that graceless, even someone as self-absorbed as Whitney would have certainly noticed. Thankfully she seemed to have used the opportunity to run. But as the other three powered down and began making their way to the Lab for a debrief, Erika couldn't help but wonder why Lakeview's self-professed princess was even there at all.


Where was she to even begin? Lakeview? Cranston?

At first, Lena had found it overwhelming, having to recount her tale to someone who had none of the intervening details. To everyone else, the people who needed to know already had some of the pieces, enough existing knowledge to help them understand the rest. But as Lena sat in the sitting room and stared at the awestruck Dr. Chambers, she realized that she had no idea what he already did and didn't know.

So, she told him everything. The names she left out, uncertain whether exposing the identities of the Rangers was wise, and admitting that it wasn't her secret to tell, but all else she confessed as the story unfolded. Her initial creation in Gideon's fortress, her quest to destroy the Data Squad Rangers, as well her destruction at Kyle Mason's hands. Of her resurrection of Xaviax's design, and her crisis of conscience that led to her joining the Rangers herself. When Lena finally finished, she sat back in the tense and awkward silence, nervously waiting for Chambers to say something, anything at all that would indicate his feelings about her existence. But for a long time, he just sat there, staring at Lena in wide-eyed astonishment, and after a while, she began to wonder if he'd even taken in anything at all. But eventually, he spoke.

"You're remarkable."

Chambers' proclamation released like a gasp of amazement, his eyes unflinching as he continued to stare at her in study. The positive statement made Lena smile, an anxious blush flushing to her cheeks at the praise. But even as she tried to revel in it, a part of her shied away. The way that Chambers was staring at her wasn't like a father proud of his daughter, but an appreciator would a sculpture or a work of art. Like an object.

"I don't know if I'd go that far," Lena said nervously. "I mean, I am still in high school."

"That doesn't matter," said Chambers. "I mean, just look at you. You're walking, you're talking. You're responding to my every statement, just like any real-life person would. In my wildest dreams, I never imagined that my work would lead to such a convincing simulation. Of that something that appears so… alive."

…Simulation?

The comment caught Lena off guard, a strange statement that she'd never considered. She wasn't human, not technically, and in a sense she'd never really determined what she would be classified as. Android? Digital Construct? They were words that came close, a convenient shorthand to describe her on a whim, but they still fell short of accurately describing what she was. But to be a simulation, that would all but imply that she wasn't… real.

"I'm sorry," Lena corrected, feeling her confidence falter as tried to find the words. "I'm not a simulation, I'm fully real."

"The remnants of your programs are very convincing," Chambers agreed, although his tone began to carry notes of condescension. "Honestly, if I didn't know what you were, I would have been fully convinced. That you can not only mimic actual human responses but determine which ones to use, and when. It's astounding!"

"I don't understand," Lena realized. "I'm not mimicking anything, I am reacting. These feelings, these responses, they're my own. They're authentic."

Chambers shook his head. "They can't be; machines and programs don't work that way. What you are is an incredibly sophisticated pattern recognition software, your responses are so in tune with human interaction that they can pinpoint when to use more nuanced and subtle differences to elicit appropriate reactions. It truly is remarkable."

"This isn't just some automated tree diagram!" Lena snapped. "This is what I feel. My feelings are real!"

But Chambers remained unmoved, instead leaning closer to further indulge his curiosity. As he did, Lena shrunk back on instinct, her flight reflex gnawing at her more and more in ever-increasing discomfort.

"Fascinating," Chambers noted. "Your programming has you convinced of the validity of your responses. Is that what causes them to be so convincing? Curious that your processors can keep up with layered logical sequencing so quickly. It really is like you're almost real."

"BECAUSE I AM!"

Her words cut through the air, and Lena was on her feet before she even realized it. Her breath was slow and heaving, shuddering through every phase as her eyes stung with welling tears. Chambers snapped back, scrambling against the couch as Lena suddenly loomed over him. But it wasn't from fear, merely shock at such an abrupt reaction. At the idea that she could react like that at all.

"You keep acting like I'm not real," Lena seethed. "Like I'm not standing in front of you. You act like I'm an impossibility, that a machine like me that thinks like I do could never happen. But what are you? What's your brain but a computer? What are your muscles, bones, and organs if not machinery? How am I any different?"

"Mileena," Chambers urged her calmly. "I'm sure this is very confusing for you, but I can assure you that those responses, while highly advanced, are still just predetermined pathways that dictate a reaction to mimic human behavior-."

"Then why do I feel it?" Lena demanded. "Why do I feel pain and joy? Sadness and gratitude? How am I able to question my own existence, or whether what I'm doing is even right or wrong? And if none of that is real, why did you program it into me? Why make me like a human if I'll never be one? Or anything like it?"

Chambers could only stare at her. His eyes were wide, like a part of his brain was misfiring from an inability to compute. But as his mouth opened and closed in his struggle to think of an answer, Lena saw the truth. The man was a programmer, nothing more, and would never be able to see her as anything else. Not a human. Not a human. To Dr Chambers, Lena was just a walking advancement of the voice that ran his phone. And that was all she'd ever be to him.

"Mileena, I…"

"LENA!" she said sharply as the tears broke loose to begin streaming down her cheeks. "My name is Lena! And coming here was a mistake."

She turned on her heel before Chambers could move to stop her, not that he had any hope of it anyway. Lena strode from the sitting room and didn't turn back, the world turning to a blur and all sounds nothing but muffled static as she stormed from the house. Ray and Hilary were still on the curb, their faces dropping as they saw hers, and all Lena could remember was throwing the door open and herself in as she told them to drive. Her guardians complied without question, letting Lena crumble in a mess of tears in the backseat as the car pulled away from the house.

When the day began, Lena had never even considered the idea of her father even existing. Now, she wished she'd never even met him at all.


Whitney waited until the street was deserted before attempting to return. It had been a mess; the chaos unfolding, things exploding left and right. When the Red Ranger had grabbed and thrown her, Whitney had only leaped to her feet and bolted. She'd heard the explosion behind her, the Ranger's cry as they were thrown back, but Whitney had taken no opportunity to look back as she'd fled.

But now? Now she had an opportunity. The Power Rangers had failed, let Deryck be eaten and her be cast aside once again. They'd let Ms Cornell and her cameraman be devoured as well. But when those people got free, Whitney knew she'd have new allies in her plan to turn Lakeview against the Rangers. And this was her chance.

When Derryck had been sucked inside the monster, he'd dropped the camcorder. It had clattered to the ground just as the Red Ranger had launched herself in, and with any luck, it had caught the monster's attack. Which meant it had recorded who the Red Ranger really was.

As Whitney crept toward the site, she spied her prize and smiled. It was still there, a little blacked with its cracked casing, but it was nonetheless sitting discarded beneath the ruins of a park bench. The green light was still blinking, showing it was still on.

Now, all Whitney had to do was figure out how this old piece of technology worked and how to get the footage from it, and she'd learned the identity of the Power Rangers.

And then, at last, she would have her revenge.