Summary: The Lotus Ninjas and Ekron are captured by the enigmatic Agent Christine, who performs potentially deadly medical experiments on them. Elsewhere, Saldana takes Irma and Aaliyah under her wing.
At Eastman High School, military vans encircled the Lotus Ninjas and Ekron.
"This is the United States military! Do not move or we will open fire!" A soldier shouted through the loudspeakers.
"Remember, Christine wants them alive." The commanding officer ordered. He looked back at the Lotus Ninjas and Ekron. "On the ground and hands behind your heads! Assume the position now!"
A group of armed soldiers closed in on the Lotus Ninjas and Ekron.
"That's odd." Donna remarked as she looked at one of the rifles. "Those weapons look really advanced, almost…alien."
"Not gonna happen!" Ella shouted defiantly.
Ella thrusted her arms forward and incinerated two laser rifles from the soldiers' hands. She then blasted them away with a fiery beam.
"Neutralize them!" The commanding officer barked.
The military soldiers started firing lasers at the Lotus Ninjas and Ekron. But Ekron quickly projected a yellow force field that shielded himself and the girls from the onslaught.
"You just had to tick them off, Ella." Lee said to Ella.
At the commanding officer's signal, one of the armed vans advanced and unleashed a powerful large stun blast at the Lotus Ninjas and Ekron, causing them to scream and collapse to the ground.
"All clear!" One of the military soldiers announced. "I repeat, all clear!"
In the Crete Fortress, Saldana, Irma, and Aaliyah stared intently on the crystal ball filled with swirling white smoke.
"Anything on your daughters, Miss Saldana?" Irma asked.
"We actually thought they were with you when we got here." Aaliyah added.
"This is not good. My crystal ball can't locate them in the city." Saldana responded. "I need to go look for them."
"And we're coming with you." Aaliyah said.
"That won't be necessary." Saldana said. "You and Irma will stay in the fortress where it's safe."
"But we can help." Aaliyah argued. "Those horn-headed freaks are everywhere in the city."
"Aaliyah's right. The aliens have made it dangerous for everyone to be out on the streets after dark." Irma said. "Besides, I can track their auras with my new invention. Something Lee taught me a while ago."
Saldana let out a deep sigh.
"I suppose you're right." Saldana said. "But if we're going to find my daughters, you both need to follow my instructions thoroughly."
"Got it." Irma and Aaliyah nodded.
On the rooftop, Saldana, Irma, and Aaliyah looked down at the bustling city streets, where the Triceratons were marching in formation.
"Lesson one." Saldana said to Irma and Aaliyah. "The art of invisibility."
With a flick of her wrist, Saldana conjured a white wisp of magic that spiraled around herself, Irma, and Aaliyah, and rendered them completely unseen.
"Now, let's down track the girls." Irma said.
In a secret laboratory, the military soldiers rolled the Lotus Ninjas and Ekron in the center of an unknown room. They all are strapped down on the tables arranged in a circle. As the tables tilted upward, a blinding light flicked on that forced everyone to open their eyes just in time to see a shadowy woman approaching.
"Where are we?" Lee asked in confusion.
The military soldiers exited the room.
Ekron trembled with fear.
"Calm down, little Ekron." Christine said as she stepped between Ekron and Ellie.
"Who are you?" Donna asked.
"Let's just say I'm a woman with a curious interest in exclusive projects, Donatella." Chrstine replied. She brandished a syringe filled with liquid. "The ones that caught the government's attention."
"Hold up! How do you know Donna's name and Ekron?" Ella spoke up.
"I know all your names, Rafaela." Christine responded. "And I also know you four are very special."
"But we don't know anything about you. Not even your name." Lee pointed out.
"Very well, Leona." Christine said. "My name is Christine." She glanced at Ekron. "And you, Ekron, are invited to an interstellar party."
The door opened and revealed a militant extraterrestrial human and his troops.
"Now, who's this guy?" Ella asked.
"I'm General Blanque." The extraterrestrial human introduced. "Leader of the Federation."
"What do you want?" Ellie demanded.
Blanque turned his gaze to Ekron.
"What? No, you can't!" Ellie cried.
"Escort the eyeball to the lab Agent Chrstine and Bishop have so graciously provided us with." Blanque ordered his troops.
"Yes, sir." A Federation soldier said.
Two Federation soldiers began to wheel Ekron away.
"No! Ekron!" Ellie cried out.
"The Federation thanks you and your government for the assistance." Blanque said to Christine. "The professor's teleportal device will finally be ours. And with it, the Federation will once and for all annihilate the accursed Triceratons. The Oculo's power will also ensure our victory. You can do as you please with the girls."
"Oh, I plan to," Christine replied with a smirk.
The Federation troops wheeled Ekron down the long hallway.
"Attention all Federation units, we have the Fugitoid and the Oculo. Commence Operation Broken Horn." Blanque commanded through his earpiece.
Back in outer space, several Federation fighter ships emerged from the opening portal and unleashed laser fire on the Triceraton mothership that was still orbiting around Earth.
Inside the Triceraton mothership, Zanramon quickly recognized the Federation fighter ships from his throne room.
"The Federation? Here?" Zanramon exclaimed in disbelief.
A powerful explosive blast sent both Zanramon and Mozar tumbling.
"But that's impossible!" Zanramon yelled furiously as he rose from his throne.
General Blanque suddenly appeared on the viewing screen.
"Caught you with your horns down, didn't I, Zanramon?" Blanque spoke.
Zanramon and Mozar looked at the screen with shocked faces.
"There's nowhere to run this time." Blanque continued.
"We Triceratons never run. We fight as we live, with honor and nobility." Zanramon retorted. He pointed his finger at Mozar. "This is all your fault. Why did you not foresee this attack?"
"But Prime Leader, you ordered me to direct all our resources to search for the Fugitoid and the Oculo." Mozar protested.
"Search no further. They're right here." Blanque said.
Blanque gestured to the Fugitoid and Ekron behind him.
"What?!" Zanramon exclaimed in shock.
"No." Mozar said.
"Surrender now or face certain destruction." Blanque demanded.
"We never surrender, Federation scum. We will fight till the last Triceraton." Zanramon snapped. "All ships attack!"
Several Triceraton fighter ships launched from the motherships and engaged in battle with the Federation fighter ships.
Back on Earth, Blanque observed the battle between his forces and the Triceratons inside the hidden base.
"This is General Blanque. We're done hiding, gentlemen. Deploy all Federation deep cover fighters!" Blanque commanded.
Federation fighters rocketed from the river beneath the Brooklyn Bridge.
"Blast the Triceraton scum to the far side of the galaxy!" Blanque shouted.
Meanwhile, Erin and Aurore watched the warfare between the Triceratons and the Federations on the monitor screen.
"That was his plan from the start." Aurore said angrily. "He intends to keep the Fugitoid and the Oculo all for himself."
"And we were fools to put our trust in him." Erin said firmly.
"What are your orders?" Aurore asked.
"For now, we need to hold off both the Federations and the Triceratons. I know our allies will rescue the Oculo and the Fugitoid. Launch the fighter ships to engage!" Erin commanded.
"Understood." Aurore nodded.
The Cristallum spaceship deployed several Cristallum fighter ships that joined the fray against the Federation and Triceraton forces.
Back in the city, Saldana, Irma, and Aaliyah stood on a rooftop near the river. They stared at the holographic compass-like tracker on the tip of Irma's closed parasol.
"The good news is that the aura signal is under a mile away." Irma stated.
"And what's the bad news?" Aaliyah asked.
"It's coming from the river." Irma answered.
"Fortunately for us, I know a spell that can get us across." Saldana said.
Back in the secret laboratory, Christine powered up the machines that loomed over the Lotus Ninjas.
"Christine, you can't trust that Blanque guy." Lee warned. "I can sense an evil aura on him."
"Honestly, I don't care about the Federation nor the Triceratons." Christine said. "As long as the Federations keep their promise to leave Earth alone, they can wipe each other out for all I care."
A body scanner illuminated Donna with a bright red light, leaving Christine examining the results on the monitor screen.
"Amazing." Christine said with a grin. "Your genetic mana is incredible. It's almost like you were born with it. I have to say, it's waybetter than the other specimen my team found."
"Other specimen?" Donna repeated in confusion.
Christine walked over to the morgue storage cabinets. She pulled and opened the drawer that revealed Mala laying on the table. Mala was covered in bandages with tubes attached to her body.
"Mala!" Ellie exclaimed in shock.
Mala groaned as she reached her hand out to the Lotus Ninjas. But then, she closed her eyes and fainted.
Saldana steered a transparent water bubble beneath the river.
"The girls' auras haven't moved yet." Irma said. "It's possible that they might be unconscious or trapped."
"Either way, I just hope they're okay." Aaliyah said.
Back in the secret lab, the machine pointed its laser scalpel at Ellie.
"After all my years of researching arcane, the mana from you and your fox friend is truly remarkable." Christine said. "With it, I can build an army of super soldiers to control."
Christine walked over to Ellie's table.
"Now, it's time for dissection." Christine said with a sinister smile.
Ellie gasped in horror.
Back in the river, Saldana continued steering the water bubble. She then stopped when she, Irma, and Aaliyah noticed a glowing entrance up ahead.
"What the?" Aaliyah said. "Where did that come from?"
"The tracker shows their auras are inside." Irma said as she checked her scanner.
"Hold on." Saldana said.
Saldana steered the water bubble into the entrance. They found themselves in a docking bay filled with ships, vehicles, and Federation soldiers. The water bubble popped as Saldana, Irma, and Aaliyah leaped out of the water.
"Attention Gamma Squadron, report to docking bay twelve." A Federation soldier announced over the loudspeaker. "Gamma Squadron, docking bay twelve."
Saldana, Irma, and Aaliyah sprinted past behind the Federation soldiers, who were unable to see them in their invisible cloaking. They dashed down the hallways as Irma navigated their path while using her holographic tracker.
Suddenly, the blaring alarms echoed through the hallway. Irma, Aaliyah, and Saldana quickly halted and ducked behind a corner just as a squad of Federation troops rushed by.
"Move out!" One of the Federation soldiers ordered. "The intruders can't have gone far. Spread out and search. Go!"
"Someone must've triggered the alarm." Aaliyah whispered as she, Irma, and Saldana cautiously emerged from the corner.
"We can't stop now." Saldana said.
"I've found them." Irma said. "They're up ahead."
Irma, Saldana, and Aaliyah dashed down through the hallway. Then, they halted to see a Federation guard standing and blocking the double doors at the end of a hallway.
"We must execute our movements with absolute precision." Saldana instructed. She turned to Irma. "Irma, what else can you do with that parasol of yours?"
With a steady aim, Irma released a sparkling violet powder from her parasol, enveloping the Federation guard and sending him into a deep sleep as he collapsed to the ground.
"Nice trick, Irma." Aaliyah grinned.
Back in the secret lab, Christine gripped a syringe in her left hand as she loomed over a terrified Ellie.
"A normal scientist would've given a sedative, but unfortunately, I'm not one." Christine remarked.
"Christine, you land one inch on our sister with that needle and I swear…!" Ella yelled.
"I'm afraid you're not in any position to intimidate me, Rafaela." Christine said. She inched the syringe toward Ellie's wide-eyed face. "Your country appreciates your sacrifice, Michelle."
Ellie closed her eyes in fear as she desperately struggled to free herself from the restraints on the table.
Then, the double doors bursted open with a magical explosion. Christine paused and turned to see Saldana, Aaliyah, and Irma storming into the lab.
"Stay away from my daughters!" Saldana yelled.
Saldana unleashed a powerful blast of white magic that sent Christine crashing into the wall and shattering the syringe she was holding
"What?!" Christine exclaimed with a gasp. "I thought these girls were the only ones with magic." She quickly glanced at the guards lurking in the shadows. "Stop them! They can't interrupt the procedure!"
"Saldana, go free your daughters. We got this." Aaliyah said to Saldana.
Saldana nodded and leaped toward the charging guards. Aaliyah swung her glowing tanto sword and launched white crescent-shaped energy projectiles that knocked the guards against the wall. Irma released thin streams of violet electricity from her parasol and paralyzed the last of the guards on the ground.
Saldana raised her glowing hands and disintegrated the straps binding Ella to the table.
"Thanks for the rescue, mom." Ella said with a smile.
Ella hopped off the table and crumbled the straps on her three sisters with her flames.
"We gotta go save Ekron." Ellie said in worry.
"Don't worry, we will." Lee reassured, placing a comforting hand on Ellie's shoulder.
Donna rushed over to Mala, who was slowly regaining consciousness.
"Donna…" Mala whispered weakly.
"Don't worry, Mala. We're getting you out of here." Donna said as she started to unbuckle the straps.
Christine stood up as her gaze caught the sight of motionless guards lying on the floor.
"Pathetic." Christine muttered with a growl.
Christine approached Saldana. But the Lotus Ninjas quickly stepped in front of their mother as Irma, Aaliyah, and Mala rallied beside her.
"Before we track down Ekron, let's deal with this lunatic." Ella said.
"You read my mind." Ellie said.
With a swift motion, Ellie unleashed a fierce gust of wind at Christine, who narrowly dodged it with a sidestep. Christine seized a nearby strap and lashed it forward, ensnaring Ellie tightly and yanking her close to her. Christine then reached the handle of the circular saw and turned it on.
"Make a move, and Michelle's done for." Christine warned threateningly.
Christine brought the circular saw dangerously close to Ellie's face.
Ellie gasped in fear.
To Be Continued...
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