FicWad

Episode 17: Trapped

Wendy swore under her breath as she pushed through SHU's front gate, struggling against the throngs of students departing the campus. A girl amongst the crowd carelessly swung her purse into the Yellow Ranger's knees, tripping her. Wendy stumbled forward and almost fell, narrowly regaining her balance at the last second. She gave the other girl a death glare, then turned her attention back to the main lecture hall.

As Wendy made her way inside and hastily pushed through the hallway, the other four Rangers sparred in their underground lab.

Kenny swung a punch at Quincy, who saw this attack coming and narrowly managed to block it. He grimaced once the Blue Ranger's fist came into contact with his arm, then reached down to rub the spot he'd hit. Meanwhile, Griffin shouted clumsily as a jab from ALPHA sent him flying off his feet onto the padded training room floor.

"Annnnnnd, that's two minutes," Doctor K said, pressing a button on her stopwatch. She jotted some notes down on her datapad, then moved to meet the others as Kenny helped Griffin back up to his feet. "Excellent work as always, Ran-"

"Recognized: Wendy, B-07," The computerized voice echoed from the lab's intercom, drawing everyone's attention to the entrance as Wendy attempted to slip inside inconspicuously. With the jig up, she let out a nervous chuckle while rubbing the back of her neck.

"Uh, hey…"

"Nice of you to join us, Ranger Yellow," Doctor K said coolly, greeting the Yellow Ranger as she padded further into the lab. "Perhaps you've forgotten, but afternoon training begins at 5:15. You're late."

"Yeah, I know," She replied, glancing down at her shoes for a moment before meeting her gaze again. "Sorry."

"Where have you been…?" Griffin questioned, making his way over before folding his arms. "I waited for you in the library for almost two hours this morning. Y'know, for that Creative Writing assignment you begged me to help you with?"

"I uh, I guess I just spaced. Sorry, Grif…"

"Not to add to the list of infractions, but you also missed morning training," Doctor K added. "Your punctuality has left a lot to be desired recently."

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry!" Wendy said in exasperation. "Jesus! Lay off me, would ya? I didn't mean to piss any of you off. I've just been a bit spacey lately…"

After a momentary pause, Doctor K continued, "...I've no intention of lecturing you, Ranger Yellow. I apologize if I'm coming off that way…though if you have some spare time, would you mind taking a look at your Biochemistry exam with me? You didn't score particularly high, and I'd like to ensure you understand the material."

"No thank you, Doc," Wendy bit out, her ears turning red. "You're not my mother; you don't need to baby me!"

"In that case, you'll get an F, and you owe me two hours of training - minimum!"

"Then BILL me!" Wendy growled, then turned and stormed out while flashing the older woman an obscene gesture. The others watched her leave, then turned to Doctor K, who took a deep breath before exhaling through her nose.

"Well, that escalated quickly…"

"I'll say," Kenny echoed. "Not entirely sure where that came from…"

"I have a few ideas based on Wendy's thoughts just now, but I'll wait until she's ready to unpack all that," said Quincy.

"Right, because you always wait," Griffin shot back sarcastically, rolling his eyes a bit.

"Look, I'm sorry for that, alright? Can we please not fight right now?"

"...You're right," Griffin sighed, plopping down in a chair and twiddling his thumbs anxiously. "Sorry, I'm just worried about her..."

"...I feel awkward!" ALPHA declared enthusiastically, prompting everyone else in the room to facepalm.

"Ugh...c'mon...c'mon, there's gotta be something here…" Delete grumbled to himself as he rifled through a metal drawer in one of the backrooms of Venjix's warehouse hideout. His arm was submerged up to the elbow in an ocean of junk. A pile of fallen items was scattered at his feet. As he searched through the drawer, Alt passed by the room, then stopped to look inside.

"Having trouble?" She teased, hanging in the door-jamb.

"It's fine," Delete told her, peeking over his shoulder at her. "I'm just...looking for...a way to show Control...up!"

He hit his funny bone on the dresser door and then screamed in pain before retracting his arm. More junk leaped from the drawer and plummeted to the floor, and Alt eyed her brother in amusement as he swore under his breath several times.

"I understand your frustration," She told him, strolling into the room and kneeling down to sift through the refuse. "Control's ego is rapidly becoming unbearable. Someone needs to bring him down a peg or two."

"Agreed," He echoed, rubbing his elbow. He knelt down next to his sister, then began his own search. "I intend to create the perfect Attack Bot – that ought to teach our arrogant brother a lesson."

"Indeed...in that case, I suppose I'll leave you to it," Alt stood to her feet, then turned her back to him. She strolled out of the room, but not before adding, "Good luck. If I can't find the key to defeating the Rangers, I hope that you can,"

"The key…" Delete stroked his chin, his sister's words echoing in his head. He glanced down at the garbage pile, then snapped his fingers once his eyes landed on a worn golden key. "That's it!"

"Hey!" Wendy looked up from her phone and spotted a girl her age with mocha-colored skin and dark brown hair standing on the sidewalk of the adjacent street. Having gained her attention, this girl waved her over, saying, "Wendy, over here!"

Wendy made her way over to the crosswalk, then crossed the street once the ready signal flashed.

"Hey, Esther! Sorry I'm late; downtown crowds today are a bitch," Esther laughed, and Wendy gestured up to a weathered-looking building a few blocks away. "Is that it?"

"Yep, that's the Lunar Lodge," Esther confirmed. She pulled off her backpack, then unzipped it, handing Wendy a large sheet of poster board. "Now, let's meet up with the others and save it!"

"Man, I'm borrrrrred…" Kenny drawled, idly flipping through channels on the common room TV as he laid upside down on a couch, his legs draped over the back-end. "There's like, nothing on,"

"Yeah," Griffin replied vacantly as he laid sprawled across another couch to the Blue Ranger's right. "Tell me about it…"

"I can't believe how many channels you guys have here," Quincy remarked from an armchair, eyeing the screen intently as Kenny continued channel-surfing. "So many options...seems like it'd be overwhelming, yeah?"

"Yeah..." Griffin said vacuously, clearly distracted. Out of nowhere, an image flashed onscreen that caught his attention, so he shot up and snapped his fingers. "Ken, go back. That girl looked familiar."

"What channel?"

"65," Quincy told him, prompting the Blue Ranger to remove his thumb from the channel down button and begin pressing the channel up button instead. Once he reached channel 65, he turned his attention back to the TV, and his eyes lit up immediately.

"...for Starview Heights Central News, I'm Milly Deno, coming to you live from downtown." A familiar voice concluded as Kenny's friend reported from the downtown area. "I'm standing just outside the Lunar Lodge, Starview Heights' oldest currently-operating hotel and the site of some interesting happenings as of late."

"Hey, it's Milly!" Kenny beamed with pride, turning to the other two before adding, "She texted me about this the other day; they finally gave her her big break where she works!"

"That's awesome, Ken," Griffin replied, sitting up straighter. He turned his attention to the TV, then scrunched his nose up a bit when he saw something strange in the background behind Milly. "Woah, what's going on there?"

The camera then panned away from Milly, zooming in to focus on a small crowd in the background that had formed around a group of young women picketing. From off-camera, Milly continued, "As you can see, the Lodge is currently the site of an intense protest, launched by a group of passionate citizens opposed to the building plans of Mr. Meaux, the Lodge's new owner. Mr. Meaux recently announced his intention to demolish the hotel, which has been in constant operation since its construction over a century ago. What he intends to do with the property has yet to be unveiled. Still, as you can see, he's not exactly popular with the group congregating behind me."

"Man, check these girls out," Quincy said, gesturing to the small group of protesters. "They're going crazy!" He pointed to a girl with her back to the camera, then continued, "Especially that girl in the yellow sweater, look at her go!"

"Yeah, she's a maniac, alright…." Griffin agreed, only for the girl to turn around to reveal she was none other than Wendy. Surprised, he fell off the couch, shouting, "Wait, that's our maniac!"

"I thought I recognized those girls from somewhere," Quincy remarked as the camera focused on the other young women accompanying Wendy. "Esther, Jenny, and Vicky. They're all part of a club on campus. Apparently, they're dedicated to protecting historical buildings and landmarks the city tries to tear down or build over."

"That explains what she's been so preoccupied with lately," Griffin observed. "Not exactly the sorta crowd I'd expect her to run with, though…"

Before they could ponder any further, their morphers went off, prompting the trio to hop up to their feet and hastily dash out of the common area. In the process, they blitzed past another group of guys making their way inside, earning themselves strange looks as they flew out of the building…

Outside the Lunar Lodge, the situation started getting out of hand. The crowd of onlookers had increased significantly, and the protestors, emboldened by their attention, raised their volume and waved their signs as fast as their arms could muster.

"SAVE THE LODGE! DOWN WITH MEAUX! SAVE THE LODGE! DOWN WITH MEAUX!" Wendy pivoted to refocus her efforts, only to pause momentarily when she saw one of the Lodge's double doors swing open. She elbowed Esther, gaining her attention as a well-dressed businessman stepped out.

"I realize you've taken issue with my ownership, young ladies, but you're causing a disturbance." Mr. Meaux addressed them dispassionately, but the way he looked down his nose at the crowd betrayed his disgust. "I'm afraid I have to ask you to leave the-"

"C'MON, WE'RE TAKING THIS INSIDE!" Esther hollered, earning a shout of approval from the crowd. Jenny and Vicky brushed past Mr. Meaux and burst into the hotel's lobby. Esther quickly followed suite, grabbing Wendy by the wrist and dragging her along. The crowd followed their lead, storming into the building as a frantic Mr. Meaux tried to keep them out fruitlessly.

"What the...hang on!" The businessman whirled around, surveying the now-crowded lobby in exasperation. As several concierges rushed into the lobby and attempted to control the situation, he exclaimed, "This is ridiculous! I demand that you all leave the premises – immediately!"

"I'm afraid that won't be happening," A new, strangely metallic voice said suddenly, emanating from somewhere nearby. "In fact, nobody's going anywhere!"

Out of nowhere, the door to a broom closet burst open to reveal a golden robot with a sizeable arm-mounted blade shaped like a key. Wendy's eyes widened like saucers as it briskly strode over to the front doors, waving its left hand over it to reveal an ethereal lock. It slid its key into this lock, then turned it 180 degrees counter-clockwise. A metallic click sounded through the lobby, and Mr. Meaux titled his head in confusion.

"Just what is the meaning of this?" He brushed past the Key Attack Bot, grasped the door handle, and pulled it towards him. However, the door refused to budge, and his subsequent attempts were similarly fruitless. Mr. Meaux's expression changed from confused to indignant, and he whirled around and jabbed the Key Attack Bot in the chest with his finger. "Undo whatever you just did at once!"

"I'll be giving the orders from here on out, not you!" The robot backhanded the well-dressed Frenchman, knocking him unconscious and eliciting concerned murmurs from the crowd. It snapped its fingers, and an army of concierges dashed into the lobby, then tossed off their uniforms to reveal they were actually Xanadroids. "Xanadroids, round up our guests, would you?"

"Everybody, RUN!" Wendy shouted, finally finding her voice. This whipped the crowd into a panicked frenzy. Everyone scrambled away in different directions, and the Xanadroids nipped at their heels as they vainly attempted to escape. Wendy watched the Attack Bot turn and stomp down a nearby hall, then balled her left hand into a fist. She was about to give chase when Esther grabbed her by the arm, yanking her with her as she and the other club members rounded the corner and dashed down another hall.

"C'mon, we've gotta get outta here…!"

Meanwhile, Griffin and the others halted outside the hotel's rear entrance.

"Doc, we've reached the coordinates you sent!" The Red Ranger said, speaking into his SpyTech Brace. "What's the sitch? Over,"

"Ranger Red, I'm detecting Venjix activity within that hotel," Doctor K informed via the comm-link. "Ranger Yellow is inside, but she has yet to respond to my communiques. Recommend you rendevous with her and neutralize the threat together, over."

"Right. Here goes," Griffin lowered his morpher, then confidently strode to the door and grasped its handle. He moved to pull it open, only for the door to buckle stubbornly against its hinges. His nose scrunched up as he tried again, receiving the same result. "Doc, the door's jammed; I can't open it!"

"Strange...scan it for me. I'll take a look," Griffin promptly obliged her, using his morpher's 'Analyze' function to scan the entrance. "Interesting...there's some sort of invisible Energon build-up surrounding the building, almost like a force-field. I'll try and figure out how to cut through, but in the meantime, I'd suggest you find an alternate means of entry."

"We'll get it done, Doc. Over and out," Griffin lowered his morpher again, then stroked his chin as he stared at the door thoughtfully. "Hmm…"

"...I have an idea," Quincy said out of nowhere, prompting Griffin to turn and face him. As he looked at him expectantly, the Gold Ranger added, "You probably won't like it, though."

Back inside, Esther and the others rounded another corner and ducked into the first door they found, leading to an empty conference room. She closed the door as firmly and quietly as possible, then turned her back to it and slumped down to the floor. A chorus of footsteps echoed from the hallway. She hastily slid away from the glass and into the corner to avoid being seen. The Xanadroids slowed, surveying the hall for any sign of civilians, but ultimately continued their trek, satisfied that they hadn't missed anything.

"Whew! That was close!" She wiped the sweat from her brow, then turned and sighed in relief once she saw that Jenny and Vicky were accounted for. "Okay, everybody's here...wait a sec, where'd Wendy go?"

"I thought she was with you?" Vicky whispered back. Esther scrunched up her nose, then turned to gaze out the glass door to the conference room.

"Well, wherever she is, I hope she's alright…"

"Damn that's a lotta clankers!" Wendy swore to herself as she hid inside a utility closet on the far end of the hall. In her peripheral vision, the Xanadroids' shadows crept along the wall, and she slunk down to the floor to peek through the crack under the door. "Never a dull moment with Venjix around, is there?"

"AHHHHHH!" Esther's voice echoed through the hall, followed by similar shrieks from Jenny and Vicky. "LET US GO!"

"Esther!" Wendy hopped to her feet, pulling back her sleeve to reveal her SpyTech Brace. "Install: CPU!"

Golden light flashed through the doorframe, and the closet door flew off its hinges as the morphed form of CPU Yellow burst into the hallway. Wendy drew her SpyTech Aperture, gripping it tightly as she rounded a corner and gave chase.

"You were right; I hate this plan!" Griffin frowned, folding his arms and furrowing his eyebrows a bit as he and the others stood on the roof of a building adjacent to the hotel. "I mean, there's like, a million things that could go wrong!"

"You have a point, but unless you've come up with something better, I suggest we get a move on," Quincy received no reply, so he shrugged smugly before adding, "Well then, let's give it a shot."

"I swear this is how I die…" Griffin muttered under his breath. He closed his eyes and took a breath, then opened them. "Here goes nothing,"

With that, he backed up, stepping several feet backward. He stopped, then took a few steps forward before breaking into a run. He sprinted ahead, becoming a red blur as he neared Kenny. The Blue Ranger grabbed his Red counterpart mid-run, then tossed him off the rooftop. Griffin morphed in mid-air, then braced himself as he soared towards one of the hotel's top-story windows.

"ALPHA, now!" Quincy hollered, prompting ALPHA to activate his Energy-Shell on Griffin at the last second. The Red Ranger grunted as he slammed into the window, breaking through the energy field surrounding the building and shattering the glass. He landed on the carpet inside, groaning as he rolled into a wall.

"...Well? You still in one piece?" Quincy called after him.

"Ken, flip him off for me, wouldya?" Quincy let out an amused snort, and Griffin quickly added, "C'mon over, guys!"

"Right," Quincy drew his CellTech Blaster, which he aimed at the broken window. He pulled the trigger, launching a grappling hook that sunk into the wall behind Griffin. He thumbed across his morpher's screen, pressing a series of buttons and causing the grappling line to detach from the blaster's barrel. Quincy used the opposite end to attach the wire to a nearby switch box, creating a makeshift rope for him and the others to swing across. "Install: CPU!"

He morphed, then leaped into action, grabbing the grapple line and using it to swing off the roof and into the hotel. Kenny and ALPHA followed suite, and together the quartet of male Rangers began navigating the corridors of the aging building.

"Wendy, this is Griffin! We found a way inside the hotel. Please acknowledge!"

"Wendy here," The Yellow Ranger whispered as she stealthily crept forward. She tailed a group of Xanadroids as they corralled Esther and several other civilians into a banquet hall on the far end of the corridor. She ducked behind a pillar next to the door, then poked her head out for a moment to get a look inside. "The Key Attack Bot's rounding everyone up and holding them hostage. Could use some back-up, over."

"Roger that," Griffin replied. "Making our way to you, over and out!"

"Right then...in the meantime, I'd better introduce myself to our new friend," With that, Wendy stepped out from behind the pillar and pelted the closed door with blaster fire. Wood and glass shrapnel soared in all directions. She burst through the newly-created opening, shocking the Key Attack Bot and its human captives in equal measure.

"Ranger Yellow! How nice of you to join us!" The Key Attack Bot greeted facetiously. It gestured to the Xanadroids under its command, then barked, "Xanadroids, ATTACK!"

"Bring it on, clankers!" As they rushed her, Wendy wasted no time, blasting the Xanadroids left and right. The majority of them fell to her initial volley, but three of the footsoldiers managed to breach the wall of blaster fire and get the jump on her. Wendy blocked their incoming swings with her blaster's barrel, but as they pushed against her with all their might, she struggled to keep them at bay.

"I...won't let you...beat me!" With a mighty growl, Wendy knocked her attackers back, staggering them in the process. She delivered a roundhouse kick to their chests, then dispatched them with a trio of precise headshots. However, the Key Attack Bot managed to sneak up on her while she was distracted.

"We didn't exactly ask for your permission!" It taunted, slashing at her from behind with its key-blade. Wendy hollered in fright and used her superagility to leap out of the way just in the nick of time. She landed on a nearby pillar, then turned and jumped out of the way again as the Key Attack Bot fired a volley of spherical energy projectiles at her. The ornate pillars framing the room rocked with explosions as Wendy rapidly leaped from one to another, running herself ragged as she attempted to evade her opponent's attacks. Just as she was about to go on the offensive again, her foot slipped and she slid a few inches downward, directly into the path of an incoming energy ball.

"OWW!" Her suit sparked as the attack sent her flying onto her back. She landed on the floor with a thud, and her subsequent attempt to stand back up failed as her legs turned to jelly.

"Oh no...not now!"

"What's the matter? Is that all you've got?" The Key Attack Bot walked over to her, grabbed her, and lifted her off the floor. Wendy watched helplessly as her foe hoisted her above its head, then threw her into a chandelier like a dart. Shattered glass cascaded down like jagged drops of rain, and Wendy wheezed as she landed stomach-first and had the wind knocked out of her. "Hahahaha!" The Key Attack Bot guffawed as it towered over her, savoring its supposed victory. It reeled back its key-blade and prepared to deal the finishing blow, saying, "You're history, Ranger Yellow!"

"Like heck she is!" A set of double doors on the other side of the room burst open, revealing the morphed forms of Griffin, Kenny, Quincy, and ALPHA. Wendy's head snapped up, and she watched as her teammates gunned down the remaining Xanadroids and then turned their blasters on the Key Attack Bot. "Get away from her!" Griffin barked.

"...Fine. I've already won, anyway," The Key Attack Bot lowered its arm, then teleported away, but not before adding, "Make yourselves comfortable, Rangers! You're not leaving anytime soon!"

"What's he mean..?" Kenny titled his head in confusion, to which ALPHA shrugged.

"Nevermind that," Griffin brushed him off. He holstered his blaster, then walked over to Wendy and offered her a hand. "You alright, Yellow?!"

"Yeah Red, I'm good," Wendy allowed herself to be pulled up but gently pushed Griffin away when he attempted to help her steady herself. She wobbled over to Esther, then offered the girl her hand. "What about you? Are you alright…?"

"I'm fine. No thanks to you!" She spat, swatting her hand away. "You could've killed somebody just now!"

"I...was just trying to protect you…" Wendy uncharacteristically stammered.

"Well obviously. I mean, that's what you Rangers are all about! But all that flippy dippy stuff? It's unnecessary and reckless!" A woman in the crowd chimed in.

"Yeah, what she said!" A man to her right agreed.

"And don't even get me started on the collateral damage!" Esther continued. "This hotel has stood for over a century, and you nearly managed to destroy it in less than an hour! If you ask me, you're as bad as Mr. Meaux!"

"I-"

"That's enough!" Griffin cut in, wedging himself between the Yellow Ranger and her friend. "Everyone, listen up! Ranger Gold and I'll escort you all to safety, but we'll have to do it in batches. Blue and Silver, you guard the door we came in through! Yellow, you cover the door on the other side! Everyone on the same page?"

"Right!"

"Alright, that's the last of 'em," Quincy watched the last of the civilians rappel out of the building via the grapple-line he'd created earlier, then turned his back to the window and demorphed. Griffin followed suite, and together the two stepped into an elevator and rode it down to the ground floor. The elevator slowed to a halt a few moments later, and the speakers chimed as the doors slid open. They stepped out, then made their way down the hall. Turning the corner, their eyes landed on Wendy, who was sitting alone in the lobby. A frown creased her lips, and her cheek rested on her palm as she stared at a spot on the floor.

"You should go talk to her," Quincy whispered, gently prodding Griffin in the side.

"Right now…?" Quincy nodded, and Griffin turned and began walking into the lobby. He took a few tentative steps forward, only to hesitate just before he'd crossed the threshold. This earned him a light eye-roll from Quincy, who made his way over and gave the Red Ranger a sudden shove. Griffin stumbled out of the hall, then grimaced, rubbing the back of his head. He ambled over to his Yellow teammate, then eased himself onto the seat next to her before clearing his throat.

"Candy for your thoughts?" Wendy blinked and shook her head before turning to Griffin, who presented her with a small piece of candy. She graciously accepted, tossing his offering into her mouth and then scarfing it down. "What's on your mind?" He repeated, eyeing her with slight concern.

"Oh, I don't know. I just...well, I've been thinking about what Esther said," She replied, twiddling her thumbs. She glanced down at her shoes, then looked back up at him and continued, "I've spent so much of my time and energy lately trying to help save the Lodge, and hearing her say all that, it just…cut kinda deep, I guess…"

"I understand. I wouldn't take it to heart, though. People say things they don't mean when they're upset," He then changed the subject, saying, "I'm still not sure why you joined that club, though. Landmark preservation doesn't exactly seem-"

"-like something I'd be into? Well, it isn't," Wendy told him. "But Esther asked me to join, so...I figured I'd give it a go. Besides, ever since we rescued Sonia, I...well, do you remember our conversation that day? The one about dreams?"

Griffin nodded, and she continued, "Well, the thing is...I still don't know what I wanna do with my life. I mean, I literally have no idea, and you guys all know what you want to do after we beat Venjix. You wanna write books, Ken wants to make games, Quincy wants to rebuild Galatia, and ALPHA...well, ALPHA just wants to drink his own weight in Energon." The two shared a laugh, only for Wendy to frown again as she concluded, "But me?... I haven't got a clue."

"Hey, just because we have dreams doesn't mean we have our whole lives figured out," Griffin pointed out. "I mean, I wanna be an author, but that may not work out. I could give up, or even lose interest and try something else. I could move back home after school or wind up staying here. The possibilities, they're endless. And the same goes for you. You may not know what tomorrow holds, but you don't need to run yourself ragged trying to figure it all out at once. God never meant for us to live like that."

"Maybe you're right," Wendy replied. "I just...I don't know. I'm scared of letting everyone down. The others, Doctor K, my Aunt and Uncle, my Dad...you. You're all counting on me, and I take that seriously."

"I can see that, and it's very admirable. But there's no rush – you'll figure out what you wanna do eventually. And when you do, it'll be your dream and nobody else's." She nodded thoughtfully, and Griffin smiled before adding, "Oh, and for what it's worth, you could never let me down...I'm really proud of you."

"...Thanks," Wendy finally said, blushing a bit. "That means a lot, Grif."

"No problem," Griffin rubbed the back of his head, a tinge of red dusting his cheeks. "I uh...well, I'd better-"

"Rangers, come in!" Doctor K's voice echoed from their morphers, and Kenny, Quincy, and ALPHA stormed into the room as Griffin and Wendy rose from their chairs. "I've just received word from Agent Wright. He says the CIA intercepted the following video transmission from the Key Attack Bot to Mayor Gaylyn."

A holographic image floated out of the dial on Griffin's morphed, stretching and expanding into a makeshift screen as footage of the Key Attack Bot began to play.

"Greetings, Mr. Mayor! I am a representative of Venjix, and I happen to have some of your citizens in my custody." The camera panned, revealing Jenny and Vicky, who were tied up and being detained by a quartet of Xanadroids.

"Jen! Vicky!" Wendy growled, clenching her fist so hard her knuckles turned white.

"My demands are simple, Mr. Mayor. Arrange the delivery of one hundred gallons of Energon to the coordinates I've provided within the hour, or these two's blood will be on your hands! Bye for now~!"

The video fizzled out, and Doctor K immediately continued, "We've managed to trace the source of that broadcast; it was sent from a third-floor room of the hotel. The Mayor plans to meet its demands, but we cannot allow that to happen. Find that Attack Bot and terminate it – with extreme prejudice."

"Uhh, I hate to add to our agenda here, Doc, but I'm picking up an inbound Attack Zord," Cheetor cut in. As a countdown timer appeared on the Rangers' morphers, he added, "Tracking the signal now. ETA: three minutes!"

"You'll have to split up, then." said Doctor K. "My preliminary analysis suggests this Attack Zord is quite agile, so I'll downmorph the Rabbit Chopper to counteract it. Ranger Yellow, get prepped for Zord combat. The rest of you, head upstairs and save those hostages! Over and out,"

"Well, you heard the boss," Griffin said, clasping his hands together. He slapped Wendy lightly on the back, then added, "You got this. C'mon, guys!"

"Right! Install: CPU!"

"Hellllllp!" Jenny and Vicky cried as they wriggled against their binds, frantically attempting to break them. "Help us!"

"Save your breath," The Key Attack Bot scoffed as it towered over them. "No one's coming to save you. You're staying right here until the Mayor gives me my Energon. After that, I might let you go...keyword being might."

It doubled over in evil laughter, and the young women exchanged a fearful glance before frowning and looking down at their feet. However, a commotion erupted from the hallway a few moments later, prompting them both to look up hopefully.

"What the…?! Xanadroids, report!" The Attack Bot received no response, so it stepped closer to the door and repeated, "I said, Xanadroids REPOR-"

"We've got your report right here!" Kenny hollered as the door to the room flew off its hinges. The Key Attack Bot wailed as it was knocked off its feet, then watched as its Xanadroid guards collapsed in a heap of severed wires and smoking metal debris. The quartet of male Rangers stormed into the room, training their blasters on their foe as it pulled itself to its feet, disoriented.

"You Rangers never leave well enough alone, do you?"

"Of course not!" Griffin replied. "What kinda question is that?"

"Well obviously it was rhetorical!" ALPHA told him, prompting Quincy to facepalm…

Meanwhile, Wendy used the grapple-line to rappel out of the hotel and onto the roof of the adjacent building. She then glanced down at her morpher, watching the countdown timer as it continued to herald the arrival of the incoming Attack Zord. As she waited, the spinning of a propeller filled her ears, and dust and trash were blown off the roof by the resulting winds as the Rabbit Chopper hovered into view, piloted by Bugz.

"Get in!" The Yellow Buddy-Droid's voice echoed from the Zord's external speaker system, and Wendy wasted no time following her suggestion. She used her superagility to vault into the air, boarded the Zord, and strapped herself into its cockpit. "Haven't seen you since you stormed outta the Lab yesterday. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm feeling much better now," Wendy told her.

"Glad to hear it!" Bugz paused for a few moments, then added, "Not to be bossy, but I think you owe Doc an apology."

"Yeah, I do. I'll do that as soon as we're done here," As soon as she said that, a portal opened in the sky, and an Attack Zord resembling the Key Attack Bot burst through it and landed on the street below. This prompted Wendy to grip her controls and say, "Now c'mon, let's do this!"

Inside, the battle between the male Rangers and the Key Attack Bot raged. Jenny and Vicky watched with bated breath as their rescuers tussled with their robot foe, slicing and shooting it with their weapons while dodging any counterattack it attempted to launch.

"You bastards think you're tough," The Key Attack Bot scoffed. It charged up an attack in its key-blade, then caught them off-guard with a sudden swing. "EAT THIS!"

"WOAH!" Griffin and the others were sent flying by the resulting energy wave, landing on the floor in a heap. The Red Ranger pulled himself to his feet, then turned to his teammates and said, "We won't survive another round of that,"

"Agreed..." Quincy bit out after a small coughing fit. He then shifted his gaze to the Key Attack Bot as it began readying another attack. "We need to finish him off!"

"Eat lasers, clanker!" Wendy grit her teeth as she fired a volley of blaster bolts at the Key Attack Zord, causing its armor to spark and eliciting a groan from the sentient mech. It gurgled in pain as it staggered backward, then let out a roar as it retaliated with its own salvo of energy blasts. Wendy hollered clumsily and performed an impromptu series of evasive maneuvers. She shrieked in fright when it suddenly swatted her Zord out of the air with its key-blade. "Aw crap!"

"Transforming now!" Bugz told her, taking matters into her own hands. "Rabbit Chopper Beast Mode: ONLINE!"

"You're in for it now, you bastard!" Wendy cracked her knuckles, then placed her hands back on her controls and gripped them firmly. "Let's show 'im what for!"

"Y'know, Rangers, I think you're overdue for a vacation." The Key Attack Bot charged a massive orb of energy in its palms, then thrust its hands outward, launching the sphere like a ball. It then swatted the orb with its key-blade as if it were a baseball bat, saying, "Be sure to send me a postcard when you make it to hell!"

"I'm afraid we won't be doing that. Attack Plan Omega!" Griffin snapped his fingers, and the others instantly sprung into action. Kenny used his superstrength to lift a nearby coffee table, which he used as a makeshift shield. As the energy-orb struck its surface and dissipated into wisps of smoke, Quincy and ALPHA front-flipped over the table, catching the Key Attack Bot by surprise. Lasers pinged off its armor as the pair pelted it with blaster fire, and it growled in anger before retaliating with blaster fire of its own. It stomped towards them and raised its key-blade, but before it could swing at them, Griffin supersped behind it, repeatedly slashing it in the back.

"OW!" The Attack Bot was sent flying, landing on the floor as the Rangers regrouped. Griffin and Kenny combined their weapons to form their SpyTech Snipers, while Quincy and ALPHA swapped their CellTech Blasters for their DriveTech Blades.

"SpyTech Sniper: Scope SALVO!" The Red and Blue Rangers pulled the trigger simultaneously, launching two golden beams of light that cut through the Attack Bot like a hot knife through butter.

"DriveTech Blade: Swerving SLASH!" Quincy and ALPHA lunged forward, slashing the Attack Bot's chest diagonally in an 'X' shape. Energon leaked from its wounds, and it sputtered weakly before falling onto its face and exploding.

"Now, you send us a postcard!" Kenny joked. "...provided you can afford the postage,"

This earned him a groan from his teammates, who immediately set to work freeing the hostages. Meanwhile…

"Nice try, you bastard!" Wendy dodged another swing from the Key Attack Zord, then willed her own Zord to vault into the air. "Bugz, let's finish this!"

"Right! Rabbit Chopper: FOOT-FRENZY!" The Rabbit Chopper's foot glowed bright red, and it struck a pose before delivering a flying kick to the Attack Zord's chest. Its armor sparked, and Energon and metal debris cascaded down like rain as it gasped in agony. It fell to its knees and exploded, and the Rabbit Chopper struck another pose once it landed on the street behind its downed victim.

"Alright, we did it!" Wendy removed her helmet, then raised her right hand, pantomiming the act of drawing a pistol. She pulled the 'trigger,' then raised the 'gun' to her mouth and pretended to blow on its 'barrel' before declaring, "Shutdown: COMPLETE!"

"...Well then, that was an unfortunate end," Alt clicked her tongue, then rose from her chair and gave Delete a light pat on the back. "Oh well, you tried your best, brother. My turn, now."

"Yes. Yes, it is…" Delete exited the video feed, then shut off his smartphone as Alt sauntered out of the room. He gripped it as tightly as he could without breaking it, then slammed it down on a nearby table before rising to his feet. "Mark my words, Ranger Yellow: I shall become a god...and when I do, you will pay for your hubris!"

Later – The Lab

"I've spoken to the Mayor; we informed him that the hostages were saved and the situation was resolved," said Agent Wright, his voice echoing from the holoscreen. "Apparently he prepared a shipment of Energon to meet the Attack Bot's demands, but never wound up sending it. I'll have to pull some strings, but I should be able to talk his cabinet into donating it to a worthy cause if you catch my drift."

"Thank you, Felix. As always, your assistance is greatly appreciated," With that, the CIA operative ended the video call, and Doctor K turned in her chair as the door to the lab swung open.

"Recognized: Griffin, B-05, Kenshin, B-06, Wendy, B-07, Quincy, B-08, ALPHA, B-09." The electronic voice echoed from the speakers as the Rangers stepped into the lab, and Doctor K rose from her chair and moved to greet them.

"Excellent work as always, Rangers. Agent Wright just called. He confirmed the hostages made it home safely, and is now convincing the Mayor to reassign the ransomed Energon for our own use."

Griffin gently nudged Wendy, then gestured to Doctor K. He smiled at her encouragingly, and the Yellow Ranger padded her way over to their mentor.

"Doc, I uhm, I'd like to apolpgize for yesterday…" She rubbed the back of her head, then continued, "I was under a lot of pressure and was afraid of letting everyone down. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that, and I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted, Ranger Yellow. I'd also like to apologize for my behavior. I reacted too strongly, and I wasn't happy with how we left things." Doctor K paused for a moment, then offered, "If you'd like to go over your Biochemistry exam, I'm still more than willing to help you."

"I'd like that," Wendy's mouth curled into a smile, and she quickly added, "...Mom."

Doctor K returned her smile with one of her own, then replied, "Alright then. Let's set to work, Wendy."

- POWER RANGERS: CPU -