MMPR Revisited
Green with Evil Infiltration Part 1
Days had passed without food, and water had become a scarce commodity for Jason. His most urgent desire was a shower, along with a first aid kit to tend to his wounds. He drifted in and out of what felt like short catnaps, always vigilant against potential threats from the Green Ranger, Putties, or their unholy collaboration. His prison was a nightmarish circular dome, enveloped in darkness and an oppressive fog. The walls were lined with an energy field that jammed his communicator. The only glimmer of hope lay in his power morpher, confiscated by Goldar upon his arrival. It was the key to his escape.
Each return of the Green Ranger came with taunts, as he held Jason's morpher tantalizingly close. Once, Jason had ventured too near, and the Green Ranger's sword had left a painful reminder. But the thick fog provided a cloak of concealment. Even if the Green Ranger and Putties appeared, he could evade them for a while.
"He's got to be around here somewhere..." Baboo's voice echoed in the dark, startling Jason from his momentary rest. He had likely dozed off for too long.
"He's hiding like the little coward he is," Goldar's contemptuous voice joined the conversation, intensifying Jason's irritation. However, he knew that surrendering to his pride could cost him dearly.
"Should we spread out?" Squat's voice sounded closer than the others, prompting Jason to slowly and quietly back away.
"No, we must proceed to the next phase of our plan," Goldar replied, bringing relief to Jason. "Green Ranger, today is your last chance to locate and eliminate the Red Ranger. We should destroy his power morpher and extinguish any hope he has."
"And where's the fun in that, Goldar?" countered the Green Ranger.
"This is not a game, kid. If you continue to act recklessly, you'll meet the sharp end of my sword," Goldar threatened.
"Quiet down, Goldar. If it weren't for me, Scorpina wouldn't have been revived," the Green Ranger retorted. Jason's thoughts raced as he tried to make sense of this new information. Scorpina? Revived? Anxiety washed over him as he realized that his team was now outnumbered, and he needed to rejoin them as soon as possible.
"Your arrogance will be your downfall," Goldar warned. Jason cautiously peeked above the fog and witnessed Goldar handing his morpher to the Green Ranger. "Don't mess this up." Goldar, Baboo, and Squat disappeared, leaving the Green Ranger alone. Jason watched as the Green Ranger stared intently at his morpher.
"Soon, Red Ranger, you'll be gone forever..."
Meanwhile, in the Angel Grove Command Center, Billy's voice resonated, "There it is again." He furrowed his brow, typing rapidly at the main console.
"What?" Trini inquired, her curiosity piqued.
"It's a signal from Jason's morpher," Billy responded, prompting all the Rangers to gather around the screen displaying unfamiliar data.
"Did you find him?" Kimberly asked, her voice filled with hope.
"Perhaps—not him, but his morpher," Billy replied. "I've been noticing this signal for the past few days. It took me some time to figure it out, but it matches the energy signature of the Tyrannosaurus Power Coin."
"Can you track it?" Zack inquired.
"I'm trying... but I'm encountering some serious issues," Billy admitted.
"What kind of issues?" Zack pressed.
"Technological issues," Billy explained. "Due to the damage inflicted on the Command Center, our teleportation and tracking systems are not functioning at their best."
"Is there anything you can do, Billy?" Trini asked, her tone filled with concern.
Billy fell silent, pondering her question. "I've thought about it, but it's a risky plan. It could potentially make the Power Rangers public enemy number one and expose us if not executed perfectly."
"Zordon," Trini murmured, considering the implications.
"Billy, if we get caught... I mean, the Power Rangers are already under scrutiny. Breaking into a high-security facility would trigger a manhunt," Zack cautioned.
"Exactly, which is why the Power Rangers won't be breaking in," Billy stated, sparking exchanged glances among Kimberly, Trini, and Zack.
At NASADA, the Angel Grove Command Station, one of the world's most heavily guarded and secure facilities, only the elite had access to most of its floors, while non-essential personnel worked outside its confines. The entrance gate was fortified with at least twenty armed guards, and the exits were controlled by a rising gate.
"Billy, I still think this is a really bad idea," Zack whispered urgently into his communicator. Trini, Kimberly, and Zack huddled atop a grassy hill, clad in black attire from head to toe.
"Are you certain they can't see us?" Kimberly questioned.
"Positive. I've scanned the entire area, and you guys are in a blind spot," Billy's voice reassured them.
"That's some comfort," Kimberly responded, though her tone didn't quite reflect it.
"Okay, your 'magic carpet' to Aladdin's palace is on its way," Billy announced, followed by an awkward silence.
"Yeah, Billy, let's avoid the code words," Zack chided.
"So, what's the plan again?" Kimberly asked.
"There's a convoy delivering a shipment to the base. Billy will teleport us into the back of that convoy so we can pass through the gates unnoticed," Trini explained.
"Billy will create a diversion so we can exit the convoy and infiltrate the base," Zack added.
"Why not just teleport directly into the building?" Kimberly questioned.
"It's too risky. Plus, I can't be certain of personnel locations until you're inside. If I teleport you prematurely and you're caught, we'll never get another chance," Billy clarified.
"It's never easy," Kimberly grumbled.
"Don't worry, I've provided you with some gadgets in Trini's satchel. They should make things easier," Billy reassured them. Before Kimberly could investigate the satchel, the rumbling sound of an 18-wheeler approaching NASADA grabbed their attention.
"All right, it's now or never," Zack said, donning his black ski mask, with Trini and Kimberly following suit. "We're ready, Billy," Zack declared, and moments later, they disappeared in flashes of black, yellow, and pink light.
When they reappeared, they found themselves in a cramped, dark, and foul-smelling trailer filled with cargo boxes. There was barely enough room to move. Trini illuminated the space with a flashlight.
"It's like a gym locker room," Kimberly complained.
"What do you guys see?" Billy inquired.
"Just boxes, lots of them," Trini replied.
"Affirmative. Find hiding spots while they unload the crates. Stay out of sight when they open the back," Billy instructed.
"Yeah, okay, let's just move hundreds of pounds of crates," Kimberly muttered sarcastically.
"I think we'll be fine here," Zack said, having noticed that most of the boxes had shifted toward the back of the trailer, leaving a small space for them to huddle behind. Trini and Kimberly made their way to Zack, crouching down beside him.
"We're slowing down," Zack whispered into his communicator. Outside, they could hear muffled voices and the clanking of equipment near the trailer door.
"What is it?" one of the officers asked, his voice tinged with annoyance, possibly due to the odor inside.
"That's above our pay grade, son," one of the drivers replied.
"Isn't it always?" the officer retorted. "All right, looks good. Let it through." The door slammed shut, and the trio breathed a collective sigh of relief that they hadn't been thoroughly inspected. Shortly afterward, the truck resumed its journey.
"All right, you guys are through the first checkpoint," Billy reported.
"Now what?" Kimberly inquired.
"Working on it right now," Billy replied. "I'm hacking into their systems, but it's proving more challenging than I anticipated."
"Seriously? Shouldn't you have worked out the kinks before we started this?" Zack questioned.
"Negative. Their system is highly sophisticated. If it detected me attempting to breach it earlier, it would have heightened its defenses," Billy explained.
"He can do it," Trini reassured her comrades.
"Almost there," Billy said. "Just a little more." The truck slowed down and came to a complete stop. They could hear numerous voices outside. The trailer door slid open, revealing at least a dozen officers ready to unload the cargo.
"This shouldn't take too long, boys," one of them said.
"Yeah, what's an hour of unloading?" another quipped sarcastically.
"Well, because of that, Johnson, you get the privilege of unloading the first crate," the first officer declared. "Any other volunteers? No? Then let's form a line, gentlemen. Get the dollies and lifts." Kimberly, Trini, and Zack remained low as the boxes were gradually unloaded. Then, it happened: a loud bang followed by a series of alarms in the distance.
"What the hell...?" one of the men exclaimed, a sentiment echoed by the others. They all hurried away, leaving behind a cacophony of alarms.
"Code Red – 404, all essential personnel to Gate B," a woman's voice blared over an intercom system.
"All right, guys, the distraction is set," Billy informed them. "You have 90 seconds to reach the next checkpoint. Move!" Zack, Trini, and Kimberly swiftly exited the vehicle, keeping low and pressing their backs against the trailer.
"Where to?" Kimberly asked.
"The checkpoint is 45 feet south. You should see a small alley between two buildings, with dumpsters below a bathroom window. That's where you need to go," Billy directed. Without hesitation, the trio sprinted toward the alley, arriving at the dumpsters.
"Did anyone see us?" Trini panted.
"No, I think we're in the clear," Zack replied.
"Sixty seconds, guys," Billy reminded them.
"Okay, how are we going to get up there?" Zack asked.
"If you guys give me a boost, I can reach it," Kimberly suggested.
"Bring the satchel with you; there's a rope inside that you can drop down," Billy instructed. Trini handed the satchel to Kimberly, who slung it over her shoulder. Trini and Zack formed a human pyramid with their arms, allowing Kimberly to run, jump onto their arms, and be propelled upward. She grasped the window ledge, swiftly pulled herself up, and opened the window, slipping inside.
"C'mon, Kim," Zack urged.
"Twenty seconds, guys," Billy counted down. A rope descended down the building's side, and Trini quickly climbed up, followed by Zack. Once Zack had entered the bathroom, he pulled the rope up, closing the window behind them. The bathroom lay dark and empty, but the sound of heavy foot traffic echoed from outside.
"We're in," Trini reported into her communicator.
"Awesome, okay, now we have to find a more secure room for phase two of my distraction. I can't see anything in there yet, so you guys will have to make good judgment calls until you can get me into a security room," Billy instructed.
"A security room?" Kimberly inquired.
"I'll explain later…" Billy responded. "Alright, outside the bathroom, you'll take a left and head down a hallway. On the right side of that hallway, you'll find stair access – take it down two levels. This will lead you to a sub-basement. Right outside the doors to the sub-basement is a small room – that's checkpoint two. You have three minutes to get there."
"Who needs cardio when you have these kinds of constraints?" Kimberly remarked, shaking her head.
"Alright, Billy – you better be right," Zack added. The three of them moved toward the bathroom door, cautiously scanning the surroundings. There didn't appear to be any sounds of foot traffic, and Zack opened the door to check both sides. "We're clear." They proceeded to the left, keeping close to the wall, until they reached the hallway and the stair access.
"I don't know what's going on – but this isn't a drill," a voice echoed from down the hall.
"Move!" Zack urged in a hushed tone. The trio quickly dashed for the stair access and slipped inside, with Zack pressing himself against the door as they remained silent. Footsteps passed by, and Zack released a sigh of relief.
"Let's go," Trini said, leading them down two flights of stairs. Without any windows to peek through, Trini pressed her ear against the door and closed her eyes. "I don't hear anyone…" Trini reported, not entirely certain of herself.
"One minute, guys," Billy reminded them.
"Good enough for me," Zack agreed. Trini nodded and opened the door carefully. Fortunately, there was no one around. They soon found the door that presumably led to the room Billy had mentioned. As they approached it, they realized it was locked.
"Oh, hell," Kimberly cursed, "Billy, it's locked."
"I figured it would be. Trini, there's a lock-picking kit in the bag," Kimberly and Zack exchanged surprised glances, and Trini reached into the bag, pulling out a box labeled 'For Trini.' She opened it and found two metal pins. Trini inserted the pins into the lock and began working on it.
"Uhm, why do I feel like you've done this before?" Kimberly asked.
"Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to," Trini replied, and the sound of the lock turning clicked. Trini jiggled the handle, and the door opened. "Done." The three of them entered the small room and closed the door behind them.
"You guys cut that one pretty close…" Billy noted.
"Yeah – Trini, you're such a badass," Zack remarked, and Trini laughed as she put the pins back into the satchel.
"Alright, this is the security room I was talking about. There should be a gray box on the wall – it looks like an electricity breaker box in your garage." Trini shone the flashlight around, and they soon spotted the box. Trini opened it, revealing several wires inside. "Okay, there should be an orange and green wire that is connected."
"There," Kimberly pointed out the wires.
"Perfect. Now in the bag, there's a small gray clip. Put it around the wires and clip it shut. This will give me eyes inside the facility." Kimberly reached for the clip, handed it to Trini, and watched as she secured it around the wires.
"Done," Trini reported.
"Alright, give me a minute, and then take it off," Billy instructed. The three of them welcomed the short break, relieved that Billy would be able to provide more precise guidance.
"Can you believe we're doing this?" Kimberly asked rhetorically. "The trouble that we could get into."
"We'll be fine," Zack reassured her. "Just remember, this is for Jason. And we're not hurting anybody by doing this." Kimberly nodded her head.
"It just makes you wonder what's down here. It's so top-secret, but why? I mean, before we became Rangers, I didn't realize how truly beautiful ignorance was. There are just some things you can't unsee or unknow," Trini mused. Silence fell upon them as they contemplated Trini's words.
"Alright, you guys, take off the clip – I'm good." Kimberly reached for the clip, removed it, and placed it back in the bag.
"Okay, you guys are close. Now, it's time for phase 2." Another loud bang resonated through the facility, causing the walls and floor to shake.
"Billy, what are you doing?" Zack asked, alarmed.
"Don't worry about it, just get ready. You're going to proceed down the hall and take the service elevator down two floors to sub-basement 3. There's no stair access to it – only one way in and one way out," Billy explained.
"What are we supposed to do when we're down there? Surely there are still personnel working, even amidst this chaos. We'll be sitting ducks," Trini expressed her concern.
"Not necessarily. When you get to the sub-basement, there's one specific room you need to reach. Right now, I can confirm that no one is in there. But you'll be prepared for that when you get there."
"More toys," Kimberly said with a touch of sarcasm.
"Affirmative," Billy replied. "Alright, you guys need to move; the hallway is clear." The three of them exited the room and hurried down the hallway toward the elevator. They took it to sub-basement 3, and when the doors opened, they found it deserted.
"This is working out too well…" Kimberly observed suspiciously.
"Yeah, don't take it for granted. Keep moving," Billy instructed. They ventured down a long hallway and reached a room that was also unoccupied. At the end of the hall were three doors: one in the center, one to the left, and one to the right.
"Easy," Kimberly began to step forward when—
"Stop!" Billy's voice broke through, causing her to halt abruptly. "Okay, this is where it gets kind of tricky. This is one of the most heavily guarded areas." His words left the three of them puzzled as they couldn't see anyone around. "In the bag, there should be a can that looks like hairspray," Kimberly retrieved it.
"This looks like mine…" Kimberly remarked, scrutinizing the can.
"It was," Billy admitted.
"Billy, this stuff is expensive! I thought I just bought a new can," Kimberly replied, her tone slightly annoyed.
"Kimberly, focus," Zack reminded her.
"Spray the contents in front of you until I tell you to stop." Kimberly shook the can and released a fine spray, which revealed a network of red laser beams crisscrossing the room when they passed through it.
"Whoa," Trini said, impressed.
"My hairspray can reveal laser beams?" Kimberly questioned.
"It's not hairspray," Zack stated, shaking his head.
"Alright, Kimberly, it's your turn. There's a pink rod in the bag; take it and leave the bag with Trini. I need you to maneuver through the lasers, at least halfway. Be careful; if you touch even one of them, it'll trigger additional alarms, and the elevators will be sealed."
"Yeah, but you can teleport us out, right?" Kimberly asked.
"No, because then a camera could capture you guys teleporting out, and they would know the Power Rangers were involved," Billy explained. Kimberly let out a sigh.
"Alright, alright, I got this," Kimberly said as she retrieved the pink-looking rod. "What is this?"
"It's a prototype, but for now, let's call it 'Pterodactyl Thunder Whip'," Billy replied. Kimberly carefully maneuvered her body through the laser grid, and the others watched in amazement as she deftly avoided touching any of the beams.
"It's so weird that people can just bend like that…" Zack observed.
"You're more than welcome to come try it, Zack," Kimberly replied after hearing him. She continued her progress until she reached the middle of the room, where the lasers became more intricate and challenging to navigate.
"Time to use it, Kim. Hold it up and aim it at the blue button on the wall. Once it's hit, the lasers will deactivate," Billy instructed.
Kimberly raised the rod and called out, "Pterodactyl Thunder Whip!" A pink ribbon burst from the rod's tip, extending in a vertical line and hitting the blue button, deactivating the lasers.
"Nicely done, Kim," Trini complimented, patting her on the back. "Which door is it?"
"The center one. So—oh, crap!" Billy's last words jolted the three of them.
"What?" Zack asked, alarmed.
"A technician is coming down the right hallway. I'm not sure what's in that room – perhaps storage – but get inside until it's clear. Go!" Zack, Trini, and Kimberly ran to the right-hand door, opened it, and rushed inside, closing it behind them.
"Is this going to set us back?" Trini inquired.
"It shouldn't… we should be okay," Billy replied, although his reassurance didn't sound entirely convincing. "Just take a break, and I'll keep you posted. Try not to make any noise." Kimberly turned around and gasped, causing Zack and Trini to whip around as well, their eyes widening.
"Whoa…" Zack muttered. Kimberly approached a large tank filled with water, inside of which floated a dismembered hand with electrodes attached to it. Above the tank was a full picture of what the hand once belonged to – the Terror Toad. The label read "Specimen B504."
"What's going on…" Trini muttered, her voice trembling. She gazed from the Terror Toad remains to another tank containing various pieces of the King Sphinx – "Specimen B501." A nearby monitor displayed the full silhouette of the King Sphinx and bore the label "Project Restoration."
"Project Restoration? Is the government trying to recreate Rita's monsters?" Zack questioned.
"Guys, come look!" Trini exclaimed. Kimberly and Zack joined her by the monitor, which displayed the King Sphinx's silhouette and read "43%" complete.