Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter thirty-one of "Running From Here." Ranger action resumes in this chapter. Things are getting absolutely wild now. Stay tuned for chapter thirty-two.
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Chapter 31: Not Their Day
Scorpina, Squatt, Baboo, and the Putties came to the center of the main room. They looked around carefully. The Putties rubbed the tops of their heads. They garbled and gibbered in a soft manner. Squatt and Baboo shook a little bit. Scorpina gripped her sword rather tightly. She narrowed her eyes at the ceiling. She ran her tongue all over the inside of her mouth.
"I have no doubt the others are in the control room trying to get in contact with the Command Center," Scorpina said.
"Then we need to go there!" Baboo shouted eagerly.
"We will, but dinosaurs may be hiding somewhere in here," Scorpina said, looking at him and Squatt. "We must keep our eyes peeled."
"Of course," Squatt said. "What are we, stupid?"
All of a sudden, black and yellow beams hit the floor in front of the villains and Putties. They exploded, knocking them back. Scorpina spotted Zack and Trini holding their Blade Blasters in gun mode. She could see they were standing in front of the doorway leading to the control room.
"You are not getting anywhere near that room!" Zack said in determination.
"We mean it!" Trini added.
Scorpina smirked. "How nice of you to join the party, Rangers! I hope you brought the snacks!"
"We are not in the moods for jokes!" Zack yelled in much ferocity.
"We are here to take you down!" Trini added.
"Come and get us. We dare you," Scorpina threatened, her nostrils flaring.
Zack chuckled. "Oh, we will."
Scorpina and the Putties raced toward their enemies, who responded in kind. Zack punched a Putty in the face and elbowed another in the neck. He grabbed their arms to smack them together. He flipped them over on their backs. Both Putties recovered quickly and did punches to his face. They threw him into the wall beside the stairs. They raced toward him, slamming him against it.
Zack shoved both Putties away with his feet. He curled his hands into fists. He jumped over their heads, landing behind them. He kicked their feet out from underneath them. He was tackled to the floor by two Putties. The other Putties got up and approached their companions holding their quarry. They gave him punches to his stomachs. All four of them pulled him. They tossed them into the air. He landed hard on his side. They proceeded to beat on him with their fists.
Zack got away from the Putties and jumped to his feet. The first and second Putties raced for him. He punched them in their chests, causing them to fall to pieces. The third Putty aimed a fist for his head. It missed when he dove for the floor. He jumped back up and delivered four punches to its head. He grabbed its arm, pulling it back and throwing it into the air. It collided with the fourth Putty. They fell into a heap on the floor in which they went to pieces.
"I guess you clayheads had a nice trip," Zack joked with a snicker. He felt two objects hit him in the back of his head. He looked over his shoulder at pieces of vertebra laying on the floor. He looked at Squatt and Baboo holding bones in their hands. "Hey!"
"Gotcha!" Squatt said with a laugh.
Baboo pointed his finger at his enemy. "As always, watch your back!"
Without warning, Scorpina rushed in from the side and rammed herself into Zack. He stumbled sideways, barely regaining his footing. He saw her rushing at him with her sword held high. He summoned his Power Axe. He held it up, catching her weapon when she brought it downward. She pushed down, forcing him on one knee. She brought her face closer to his.
"You won't win this one, Power Punk!" Scorpina snarled.
"We will!" Zack hissed defiantly. "You can count on that!"
Zack managed to make to his feet. He swung his weapon around, knocking Scorpina's out of her hand. He delivered a series of punches to the stomach. He took her arm, flipping her over on her back. She gave him a kick to the head, knocking him back a bit. She grabbed his throat after jumping to her feet. She kicked the Power Axe out of his hand. She tossed him into the air. He landed next to the remains of the Big One.
Squatt and Baboo went over to the Black Ranger and forced him to his feet. They pulled him forward, throwing him into the wall. Two Putties came to them. The duo took their arms, pulling them back and throwing them forward. The Putties headed for him, slamming him against the wall. He emitted a loud groan before falling to the floor.
The Putties grabbed Zack and forced him to his feet. They held him as Squatt and Baboo approached him. The dimwits charged their hands with lightning. They sent it into him. Zack cried out painfully. They stopped their assault on him. The Putties let go of him, and he dropped to one knee. He panted hard. He gasped when Squatt took hold of his throat and started choking him.
"Look at you, Power Punk!" Squatt said with a laugh. "You are all choked up!"
Without warning, Trini grabbed Squatt and pulled him away from Zack. She attempted to punch him. He deflected her with a swing of his hand. She rushed her fist forward, only for him to catch it in his hand. He flipped her over on his back. Baboo forced her to her feet. He held her steady as Squatt moved his fists in circles while going toward her.
"Here come the punches!" Squatt said excitedly. "Yep, yep, yep!"
Squatt punched Trini in the stomach with one fist. He repeated his action with the other one. He alternated between them while yelling as if he were a maniac. She snarled, shoving him away with her foot. She elbowed Baboo in the face, forcing him to let go of her. She turned around to backhand him across the cheek. She did it again.
Squatt raced for his opponent and jumped on her back. He wrapped his arm around her throat. She took hold of it, flipping him over. He ended up on his back. He kicked her in the head in which it knocked her back. He rose to his feet and gave her three uppercuts to her throat. She hissed with much ferocity and kicked him in the stomach. She swept his feet out from underneath him with a swing of her arm.
"I will see you next fall!" Trini joked with a snicker. She ducked when an energy ball flew her way. It hit Kim's remains, causing them to explode. She spotted Scorpina standing near the Tyrannosaurus bones. "You missed, bitch!"
"I may have, but you won't be so lucky next time," Scorpina retorted.
Trini summoned her Power Daggers. "Shut up, and come get me!"
Scorpina giggled. "I will."
Scorpina and Trini rushed at each other. They swung their weapons, clanging them against each other. Trini kicked Scorpina away from her. Scorpina shot lightning from her fingertips at her. She screamed at her jumping off to the side. She charged at her. Trini leapt through the air, twisting her body and landing behind her. Scorpina skidded to a halt and turned around. She hissed in anger and raised her armed hand to shoot fire from it. Trini moved off to the side, narrowly avoiding it. She raced toward Scorpina with a yell. She delivered an uppercut to the chest once he got to her. Scorpina nearly lost her footing.
"I'd say you're getting wobbly in your old age, Scorpina," Trini joked.
"Never!" Scorpina snarled. "Never!"
Scorpina attempted to swing her sword at the Yellow Ranger, but her enemy kicked it out of her hands. Trini caught her fist in his hand when she tried to punch her. She twisted her arm behind her back. Scorpina saw the stairs wall in the corner of her eye. She ran backward, slamming her against the wall. Trini lost her grip on her and fell down.
Scorpina turned around to watch Trini struggle to her feet. She slammed her fist into his back, which knocked him on his knees. She kicked her multiple times in the stomach. She relished at hearing her groans. She shoved him with her foot. She saw her end up on her back. She put it on her shoulder and pressed down. Trini screamed painfully as she attempted to push the weight off him. Zack flipped through the air and dropkicked Scorpina away from her. Scorpina regained her footing. She snarled as she saw him stand in front of his friend defensively.
"No one steps on Trini and gets away with it!" Zack yelled.
"Shut up, Power Punk!" Scorpina shrieked. "Have some of this!"
Scorpina shot lightning from her fingertips. Zack jumped aside and leapt into the air. He kicked her in the head. She collided with the skeleton stand. She recovered quickly and charged at him. She swung her sword at his head. She missed when he backflipped. He jammed his elbow into her face in which he heard her groan. He pulled her feet out from underneath her.
Scorpina rolled aside when Zack attempted a punch to the head. She got to her feet. She gave him a hard backhand to the cheek. She hit her in the back with her sword before using her foot to shove him. He found himself on his back. She grabbed his throat, forcing him to his feet. She headbutted him three times before throwing him to the floor.
Scorpina spotted Trini coming up behind her in the corner of her eye. She spun around, kicking her feet out from underneath her. Trini ended up on her back. Scorpina charged her armed hand with lightning. She sent it into her enemies. Zack and Trini emitted agonized cries. Scorpina ceased her assault, an evil laugh coming form her.
"Talk about giving torture," Scorpina said. "Come on, Putties. It's time to get the others."
"No!" three voices yelled.
Scorpina spotted Tommy, Kim, and Jason coming toward her. She formed an energy ball in her hand. She threw it at the floor in front of them. It exploded, knocking them off their feet.
"I hope you all had a nice trip," Scorpina commented with a smirk. "Ta-ta for now!"
Scorpina and thirteen Putties headed for the hallway. Eight Putties proceeded to beat on Tommy, Kim, Jason, Zack, and Trini.
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Billy continued to type on the computer in the control room. Lex and Tim watched him carefully. So did John, Ian, and Ellie. Alan stood by the broken window. He held the rifle steady. He kept his eye on Penny and Princess, whom both sniffed at the air. He gasped when they let out warning screeches. He looked toward the others, his breathing hard and heavy.
"Zedd's goons have made it into the hallway," Alan said in fear.
"Oh, shit!" Tim yelled.
"Watch your mouth, Timmy," John scolded and shook his cane at him.
"Sorry, Grandpa," Tim said with a nervous chuckle.
"Cursing is the least of our problems right now," Ian said gravely.
"No kidding," Lex agreed.
"I have to go," Billy said, stopping his typing and jumping to his feet. He put his helmet on after grabbing it. He latched it before curling his hands into fists. "Stay here. I will be back as soon as I can."
"Let me go with you, Billy," Ellie said, her body shaking.
"Me too," Alan added. "You need all the help you can get."
"Okay," Billy said and summoned his Power Lance. He took hold of it with his other hand. "Let's go."
Billy went to the door and opened it. He went through it, followed by Alan and Ellie. They went to the Velociraptors. Penny and Princess tilted their heads, concern filling their eyes.
"Stay here," Alan ordered firmly.
"We will be back as soon as we can," Ellie added.
Billy snorted. "Guard that door with your lives!"
Penny and Princess gave nods and watched the trio head down the hallway. Lex focused her attention on them. She looked at the computer. She raced over to the chair and sat down. She moved up to the computer and started typing. She focused her attention on the screen.
"Lex, what are you doing?" Tim blurted out alarmingly.
"I am going to finish what Billy started," Lex answered swiftly.
"You don't know the Command Center's computer layout!" Tim responded frantically.
"I have to try. If those boneheads get past our friends and catch us, we are in big trouble!" Lex said, panting heavily.
John nodded in agreement. "Lex is right, Tim."
Ian held out his hands. "Let her concentrate."
Tim sighed heavily and nodded at Ian. Lex sped up her typing a tiny bit and swallowed hard. She narrowed her eyes at the screen. She felt her heart speed up somewhat.
"Taking charge isn't an easy thing, Lex. I am proud of you," John said in a very warm voice.
"Someone has to. Since I am experienced at hacking, I might as well try this," Lex responded and bit her lip. "I just hope it doesn't take long."
"I was freaking out when you were trying to reboot the system because Kim was trying with all her might to get in here," Tim commented and eyed Penny and Princess. "Thank God we have those two ladies guarding us."
"You know what they say. Never judge a book by its cover," Ian said, a chuckle coming from him.
"You can never be sure what a person or an animal will be like until you actually meet them. They can turn out nice or mean," John added while placing his cane into the floor.
"If anything, the raptors could easily inflict serious damage on Zedd's goons," Tim pointed out.
"Yes, Timmy," John agreed. "However, they have magic powers. They can probably use it to heal their injuries."
"As for the Putties, they simply fall apart when the Z on their chests is hit," Ian commented, raising an eyebrow. "How could Zedd be so stupid to create such a weakness?"
"Who knows? One thing is clear. Lex must establish contact with Zordon and Alpha before those boneheads get in here," John said seriously. He glanced at Lex, who bit her lip and sped up her typing.