ã€ŠThe Reluctant Rangerã€‹


 Chapter 1 - Worthy

    A blade slammed into the wooden counter, digging deep into the solid surface as its wielder grinned madly. The man was rather proud of his blades, and loved to demonstrate them in the most destructive of ways, much to the delight of those watching. Some of the other shops were pansy asses about things, insisting you couldn¡¯t handle a blade until you bought it, or winced when you tried a swing.

    Not this shop.

    It wasn¡¯t often that something like this came along anymore, especially given the state of the world at large. People had to take solace in whatever brought them comfort, which was exactly what she was doing! Some might call it silly, but it was her vice of choice and she could honestly say it was better than drugs.

    ¡°Next.¡±

    She hesitantly stepped forward, pushing an errant strand of red hair out of her eyes before adjusting her glasses. When that failed to calm her nerves, Nicole began to fidget with the leather bracer on her left wrist, the nervous habit of rubbing the scar beneath it proving difficult to shake even when covered.

    ¡°Uh, pickup for Nicole Hayes, I have a custom piece to uh¡­ pick up,¡± Nicole finished, lamely.

    The girl behind the counter wasn¡¯t much older than Nicole, maybe nineteen or twenty. She looked as though she had walked off the set of the latest pirate movie, with a heavy longcoat covered in red accent pieces tied off with a belt at her waist. Her blonde hair was up in a ponytail under a red bandana, and a leather pirate¡¯s tricorne topped things off. The only real difference from a traditional pirate ensemble was the steel axe slung over her back.

    Pirate drip was a phrase that Nicole was trying very hard to avoid in her own mind and brought back memories of her own first viewing of the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. Especially with how tan her skin was.

    ¡°Oh yeah, it¡¯s ready cutie, love the accent by the by,¡± the girl said. Nicole¡¯s cheeks warmed at compliments, especially from someone so far out of her league. Especially when her own southern accent was just sublime. ¡°Chuck, gotta run back to grab that custom job.¡±

    ¡°Make it quick, Grace,¡± the man answered. ¡°We¡¯re kinda swamped here.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Grace said, waving him off. ¡°Won¡¯t be but a moment.¡±

    Grace smiled, then winked, turning Nicole into a blushing mess as the woman ducked back through a curtain to where she knew they kept the overstock blades and custom orders. Nicole was left fidgeting with one of the strings of her own outfit, a custom black leather duster set with leather bracers, jerkin and boots to match. All that was missing was just beyond the curtain, and she¡¯d had to wait far too long to get it due to age restrictions on purchases.

    Nicole was fresh out of high school herself, officially a college girl and attending the Anoka-Ramsey Community College. She¡¯d lived in Minneapolis all her life, and out of her admittedly limited choices for college after her failure, she ended up liking the campus there the best. Nicole didn¡¯t have much money to her name, what with how life insurance treated deaths to the invaders following the early days of the war.

    Damn Supreme Court decisions¡­

    That didn¡¯t stop her from attending the Renaissance Faire, she¡¯d been going ever since she could remember because her parents were massive nerds like that and it had honestly rubbed off on her. She¡¯d been working on an outfit to wear for the last two years, and finally she could legally purchase the finishing touch.

    The blades.

    She¡¯d been working with the smith through email for months, a local partner of the traveling shop, making sure all the little touches were just right, and now they were ready. The woman returned with a wooden case and a grin on her face. The owner himself had even paused his presentation with one of the other Renfaire attendees to watch the unboxing, phone in hand, to make sure he could record it.

    Nicole hesitantly lifted the lid and beheld the blades within. The silver shine of good steel greeted her, curved ever so slightly and laced with an intricate damascus pattern. She¡¯d based them off of the Kukri, but with a few of her own touches, like how the blade handles were wrapped in black leather instead of the usual chord. Each handle held a single black opal, which refracted the light beautifully.

    It was just what she needed to perfect her rogue ensemble.

    She¡¯d even had custom scabbards for them made, and arranged for them to be presented with the blades. She gingerly lifted the twin daggers from the case, handling them with the deserved reverence. She gave them a practiced twirl, the balance allowing her to do so with ease. A flick of the wrist and she slashed forward, the imaginary throat slit before her. So easy to handle, and a far cry from the cheap stainless steel pair she¡¯d been practicing with for years.

    They were perfect.

    ¡°I think she likes them,¡± the smith said. Nicole blushed, quickly putting the blades away into their scabbards before working to secure them to her belt. ¡°As you can see, these beautiful blades were forged and prepared by Minneapolis¡¯ very own local rising star, Grace Evans and built to our standards! All our blades carry a lifetime guarantee. We challenge you to break our blades, because we sure as hell try.¡±

    He held the camera on her expectantly, and Nicole sighed, reaching back to one of the blades, drew it in a practiced flourish, and slammed it point first into the wooden table.

    ¡°Now isn¡¯t that just a beautiful sight,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°Never know when you might need to stab an alien bastard, and our blades are up to the task!¡±

    Nicole chuckled awkwardly as he ended the recording.

    Most people didn¡¯t like to talk about that, it was considered bad luck to bring up what was on the horizon, and Minneapolis was still lacking its own defenders. Even St. Louis had a team for fuck¡¯s sake! Three ¡®minor¡¯ attacks, and nobody had been chosen, or however it actually worked. Their city had weathered the storm all the same, even if her family hadn¡¯t.

    That first attack still stuck out in her mind, it was the day the world learned they weren¡¯t alone in the universe. The day the Sylan invaded. They came in massive ships straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster and deployed foot drones of all things. Bipedal machines that alone were actually something a person could survive, but they never came alone.

    They deployed by the thousands.

    Nearest scientists could figure, or at least release to the public, they were mass produced shock troopers meant to soften targets in a way that didn¡¯t invite nuclear response. The ships stayed just in range of major population centers and occasionally tested the waters. There were even running theories that the ships were unmanned save for the biological abominations that were periodically released and the handful of generals that sometimes deployed to face an entrenched target.

    Nicole just didn¡¯t have it in her to care, not after her parents had died in the last incursion a year prior. She shook those thoughts away and stowed her blade, giving a rather curt thanks as she left the shop, much to Grace¡¯s seeming confusion. Just randomly blurting that your life was upended by the invaders wasn¡¯t something she wanted to do to complete strangers.

    So, Nicole wandered for a few minutes through the crowds, barely noting the vendor stalls built to resemble old shops, or the passing performers, before taking a seat at one of the many benches near the food vendors.

    The world was so completely fucked, and she couldn¡¯t even blame it on the boomer generation like her parents had. No, she had the luxury of growing up in a literal alien apocalypse where there was little hope for the future. Sure, the Rangers were holding the line as they always said in their damn interviews, keeping the bastards from overrunning them in a way even the military failed to.

    That first incursion had decimated the airforce of most nations, limiting what could be done. If that first group of Rangers hadn¡¯t emerged in New York when it did, the battle might have been lost on the very first day of fighting. That had been the turning point as the invaders rallied around the city and attempted to put the Rangers down.

    The Rangers won the day and the world hailed them as heroes.

    So few took the time to remember what had been lost over the years, but not Nicole. She¡¯d lost her mother and father, like so many others, and the world instead celebrated the chosen few rather than those lost. All because some primary colored assholes halfway across the country stopped the bloodshed temporarily.

    She still couldn¡¯t believe it had been a year since she lost them. They¡¯d always attended the Renfaire together and this was the first year she was attending without her parents. Her best friend Rebecca was busy with her boyfriend Colin and planned to come with her the following day, yet the void remained. It ate at her, calling ever so sweetly for her to embrace it, all it would take was a simple motion and she would¡ª Nicole sucked in a sharp breath, she¡¯d promised herself she wouldn¡¯t let the memories ruin the day, that she would enjoy it despite the pain.

    She finally had her complete outfit, she was doing something she loved¡­ Then why was she crying? It was so stupid, breaking down in such a public place, but she had almost nothing left. Pretty much everyone she loved was dead and gone, and she had no friends at the college outside of Becca and her boyfriend, and Becca was all but obligated given Nicole had been taken in by Becca¡¯s family after her parents died.

    She¡¯d checked off the latest item on her ever revolving bucket list. Was the next item a book, or show? Whichever, it was so minor in the grand scheme of things. With the Renfaire no longer being something in the future for her to strive towards, everything felt so hollow.

    Was it even worth it? It wasn¡¯t like there was a future for anyone, not with the impending devastation to come. Even if Minneapolis ended up with their own Ranger team, it wouldn¡¯t do much good in the face of such overwhelming might. Maybe she would be better off just checking out on her own terms¡­

    A bitter laugh bubbled up, she¡¯d avoided such depressing thoughts for months, the looming Renfaire helping to keep them at bay thanks to having a goal ahead of her. Now it was here and that was all gone.

    Absently, Nicole noted someone sitting down beside her, their back to the table as they watched one of the food stalls. It was one of the downsides to the Renfaire, unless you locked yourself in a porta-potty, you weren¡¯t getting much privacy.

    ¡°Difficult times?¡± the woman beside her asked.

    Nicole glanced up, the dampness of her cheeks chilling in the late summer breeze. The woman wasn¡¯t truly looking at her, instead she watched the crowd. Nicole could tell that some of the woman¡¯s focus was on her, but she wasn¡¯t anything more than a passing curiosity to the vision of beauty. Like many at the Renfaire, the woman was in a costume that almost made her seem fae-like. There was an ethereal quality to her makeup, changing the shape of her face to be angular in a way that wasn¡¯t quite human in appearance.

    It was good work, accentuated by the elaborate braids woven into her silky hair that was the most brilliant silver that Nicole had ever seen. There was no way it was natural, but it didn¡¯t appear to be a wig either.

    In contrast, the stall bought fairy wings whose cheapness was completely out of place on her elegant royal blue dress. Nicole felt more than a hint of jealousy at the skill it must have taken to manage such a look. Worse, she felt the embarrassment of being in such a sorry state that she drew the attention of the beautiful woman.

    ¡°You could say that,¡± Nicole said, wiping her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s just a tough time for me.¡±

    The woman hummed, still only giving her the barest of attention. ¡°This seems to be a joyous time for most, so why do you not share their mirth?¡±

    Ah, she was playing a bit. Some people did refuse to break character regardless of circumstances when visiting the Renfaire. Normally Nicole found it amusing, but right now it was just leaving her drained.

    ¡°I used to come here every year with my parents,¡± Nicole admitted, because she had nothing to lose by opening up to a stranger, they¡¯d forget about her within a week after all. ¡°I lost both of them to the incursion last year.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± the woman said with a bit of a wince. ¡°I am truly sorry to hear that. Such matters are always full of senseless bloodshed and loss.¡±

    Nicole chuckled, but it was without mirth. ¡°That¡¯s one way to fucking put it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should head home,¡± the woman said, looking off into the crowds. ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem to be a good place for you right now and you¡¯ve lost enough as it is.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll manage,¡± Nicole said, forcing a smile. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll sit by Vegetable Justice for a while, that¡¯s always good for a laugh.¡±

    ¡°The man¡¯s insults were rather amusing,¡± the woman agreed before pulling out a strange phone. ¡°I have about thirty minutes before I have to depart, so if you insist upon not departing, it would be poor form to leave you unaccompanied in your present state¡­¡±

    Nicole blinked, unsure exactly what was being offered, but she was finding it difficult to refuse. It truly was as if she¡¯d encountered someone otherworldly, and she didn¡¯t have much to lose.

    ¡°You know what, sure, why not?¡± Nicole said, getting to her feet before she held out her hand. ¡°My name¡¯s Nicole.¡±

    The woman blinked, looking at the offered hand. ¡°Maraline. Sorry, I¡¯m not one for physical contact with the common masses.¡±

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    Nicole winced, withdrawing her hand. Some people did take that sort of thing seriously after the second plague in as many years. ¡°Sorry. That¡¯s completely understandable.¡±

    ¡°Vegetable Justice then?¡± the woman asked, rising to her feet with a languid grace.

    Nicole smiled, happy that at least some part of her day seemed to be looking up. ¡°Lead the way, m¡¯lady.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Hey kid, know why the fairies are all extinct?¡±

    The little girl threw a tomato at the man sitting behind the wooden cutout wall only to hit the bright red cartoon tomato painted around his face and arms. The cutout was offering the obvious target as the man behind it heckled the young girl who was standing at the five to seven year old line. She was wearing a pink and sparkly princess dress with the same sort of fairy wings that Maraline wore, much to Nicole¡¯s amusement.

    ¡°It¡¯s because I plucked all their wings, ground them up, and snorted them.¡±

    Half the assembled crowd booed the joke as the man cackled, then the girl nailed him right in the face with her last tomato and the jeers turned to cheers almost instantly as everyone clapped for the young girl. Even the man hurling insults joined in as an older boy stepped up to the next line just a bit farther back.

    Such was the way at Vegetable Justice.

    ¡°Does he truly do that to such beautiful wings?¡±

    Nicole eyed Maraline, who was ever the picture of an arrogant noble as she sat there watching the spectacle. The new boy hurled tomatoes at the taunting man, but Nicole¡¯s focus was on the woman that had pulled her out of one of the worst spirals in the last six months.

    ¡°You¡¯re really dedicated to the whole Fae Queen persona, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Maraline turned, her poise unaffected by what should have been an awkward motion. ¡°Whatever do you mean?¡±

    Nicole just shook her head. If the woman wanted to keep up appearances that badly, she wouldn¡¯t try to force her. For all she knew, Maraline was more socially awkward than Nicole could be when not putting on the act. Brains could be weird, something she knew all too well.

    ¡°Sir! Yes, you in the tight shirt,¡± the man yelled, pointing an arm through the hole. ¡°Let me guess, you wear your shirt two sizes too small so people think you work out!¡±

    It was impossible to see his eyes from behind the reflective sunglasses, but the tight shirted man stepped forward, fishing out a few bills before slapping them on the counter. He was handed a dozen tomatoes and started hurling them. The first two hit far off to the side, much to the man¡¯s mounting frustration.

    ¡°Sir, your throws are about as straight as you are!¡± he heckled as tomatoes turned to salsa all around his head in near misses. ¡°You¡¯re so deep in the closet that you¡¯ve found Narnia!¡±

    The last tomato impacted just below his chin and the fuming man stomped off as the crowd laughed. Even Nicole found herself clapping for the Justice guy as once more a child stepped forward to play.

    ¡°Maybe we should get in line,¡± Nicole said. ¡°I never played baseball, but I can throw a mean curve.¡±

    Maraline seemed to consider that, then checked her phone. ¡°Very well, there is yet time.¡±

    Taking that as a win, Nicole led the otherworldly woman around to the main stall and set a twenty on the table. The kid was doing well enough, but they only bought a dozen tomatoes. Nicole was buying a fair bit more, even if she was splitting them with her new companion. It didn¡¯t take long for their turn to come and Maraline picked up one of the chunks of ¡®totally a fruit¡¯ that everyone accepted as a vegetable.

    ¡°I just throw it?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yeah, try to hit me in my big fat head!¡± the man in the quasi stockade yelled. ¡°Not that you could! With wings like those I bet¡ª¡±

    He was cut off as the tomato splattered across his forehead, much to the crowd¡¯s cheers.

    ¡°A trivial task,¡± Maraline said coldly, then threw another, hitting him yet again.

    Holy shit, was this woman some secret world class pitcher or something? How the hell was she managing to hit him again and again? She hadn¡¯t even missed once, it was bad enough that the poor fool inside the stockade had to start ducking.

    ¡°I do not believe that is fair,¡± Maraline said with a frown. The man poked his head up, only to duck again as Maraline nailed another tomato through the hole. ¡°Do you truly fear competence? Where has your bravado fled to, little man?¡±

    ¡°Just because I¡¯m short,¡± the man yelled, only to duck again. ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean that¡ª Ma¡¯am!¡±

    Nicole could only whistle as Maraline exhausted her supply of tomatoes. Hell, she was tempted to give up her own portion just to keep watching an artist at work. Maraline seemed to make the decision for her, taking a step back so that Nicole would have room to throw her own tomatoes. Taking a breath, Nicole eyed the tomatoes, wondering how the hell she was going to follow up that act.

    ¡°Oh thank god,¡± the man muttered as he took his place back in the cutout. He eyed Nicole then grinned. ¡°Where did you even find that girl? Someone who looks like her should not be able to throw that straight!¡±

    Nicole shrugged. ¡°Surprised the hell out of me too.¡± Then she threw the first tomato, missing him intentionally as the tomato burst right below his chin and splattered across his face. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s been playing this game as long as I have.¡±

    Blinking, the man looked almost scared. ¡°Where are they finding you people?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean you people?¡± a dark skinned man wearing the armor of a paladin yelled back. ¡°Come on, nail him again!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, nail me just like you failed to nail your high school crush.¡±

    Her eyes twitched. He didn¡¯t know how close to home that was, or how much she tried to put it out of mind that her best friend had found happiness with an amazing man. She threw, and hit the broadside of the tomato cutout.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you don¡¯t have to aim as low as your standards.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t let the man get to her, that was half the game. Nicole threw again, this one hitting just off to the side.

    ¡°Damn, missing me like you miss your dad after he went to the corner store for milk.¡±

    Nicole saw red as she threw again, but this time he caught the tomato. ¡°Ha! I bet this isn¡¯t the first time a man caught something from you!¡±

    Half the crowd hissed and Nicole stopped playing around. She wound back and threw the tomato with all her might, and hit the bastard right in the eye. The person in the cutout fell back and this time he didn¡¯t get up. Letting out a huff, Nicole turned and began to walk off. Nicole absently bumped into a girl in green robes, muttering an apology as she tried to get as far from the stand as possible. She was only vaguely aware of Maraline following after her.

    ¡°He was rather crass, was he not?¡±

    Nicole took a breath, stopping near the jousting arena. It wasn¡¯t quite time for a show, but the seats were open and she needed to unwind for a moment. Maraline sat smoothly beside her, close, yet far enough to not crowd her.

    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Nicole said after a moment, holding herself. ¡°That last taunt hit a bit close to home. Assholes back in school used to come up with all kinds of rumors about me, and that was similar to a lie this bitch named Tiffany once spread.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Maraline whispered. ¡°It is unfortunate that some humans can be so cruel, however, I can see that you are not one prone to cruelty.¡±

    ¡°How can you know that?¡± Nicole whispered, tears splattering against leather. ¡°You only just met me, how can you just say something like that?¡±

    ¡°Call it intuition,¡± Maraline said with a smile. ¡°Afterall, a fae may speak no lies.¡±

    Nicole couldn¡¯t help it, she laughed.

    <hr>

    Two armored jousters clashed, one taking a hit to the chest that knocked him from his steed as the crowd cheered. Nicole herself had jumped to her feet, shouting exuberantly at the triumphant man in purple armor that could easily have passed for a dragoon in any fantasy tale. There was just something exciting about two horses charging one another while their riders tried to spear one another.

    ¡°I hope that one will live,¡± Maraline said.

    Nicole took her seat once more, feeling much better than she had an hour prior. A batch of loaded tater tots had also helped; comfort food doing what it does best. ¡°He should be fine, this is a performance, not an actual sport. It¡¯s likely all rehearsed in advance.¡±

    ¡°I pray you are correct,¡± Maraline said, then her phone let out a chime and the woman grimaced.

    ¡°Everything alright?¡± Nicole asked.

    ¡°It is time,¡± Maraline said, standing smoothly. ¡°You should go home, and quickly.¡±

    Nicole started a bit at just how serious her tone was, and the sharpness of her gaze. Maraline¡¯s tone brokered no doubt that she wasn¡¯t joking in the slightest. Worse yet, it reminded Nicole of that time the quiet kid in her class had warned her to skip. He¡¯d been arrested the following morning armed with several guns.

    ¡°Are you going to hurt someone?¡± Nicole asked, softly, her words laced with worry.

    The woman hesitated a second too long before giving her a sad smile. ¡°No worse than I¡¯ve done before.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s hand dropped to her blades, now secured with zip ties at her lower back. It was a rule for safety, but now she was really wishing it wasn¡¯t. Nicole couldn¡¯t quite describe what she felt, as though something so beyond her was pressing down with the weight of the world. Maraline didn¡¯t flinch or look away, then her eyes closed and someone screamed.

    Nicole¡¯s head whipped to the side to see what was happening, only to find it had been a kid scared of one of the costumed entertainers. She let out a heavy breath and turned back around, but Maraline had slipped away on her. She frantically looked around, jumping to her feet to look across the crowd but saw no sign of the enigmatic woman.

    Discretion being the better part of valor, Nicole made her way out of the stands and hurried over to one of the park workers and flagged them off to the side.

    ¡°What can I assist you with on this fine morrow?¡±

    Nicole dismissed her irritation at the incorrect use of the word and pressed on. ¡°A woman I was talking to, deep blue flowing dress and makeup done up like a Fae Queen.¡± He just tilted his head at the description, no recognition in his eyes despite having been just a few feet away from the almost breathtaking woman. ¡°She made some comments that implied she was going to hurt a bunch of people here.¡±

    ¡°That is troubling indeed!¡± the man said. He then pulled a radio from his pocket. ¡°Keep an eye out for a Fae woman in a flowing blue dress, it has been brought to my attention that she may mean to harm someone.¡± Some radio chatter followed and he nodded. ¡°The castle guard has been notified.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Nicole said sheepishly. ¡°She just reminded me of someone who was almost a school shooter. I didn¡¯t want to take a chance.¡±

    ¡°And we thank ye for notifying us,¡± he said, patting her shoulder. ¡°Go enjoy the festivities, we¡¯ll handle things from here.¡±

    That would have to be enough, even though the sense of foreboding hadn¡¯t left the air. Nicole wandered a bit aimlessly, as if she could find the woman before the collective efforts of the park security could. She ended up at a knife throwing stall and decided to vent some of her frustrations. She slapped down a twenty on the rough wood and took position.

    The stall worker placed twelve chipped and dulled blades in front of her. ¡°You¡¯ll get two rounds.¡±

    She nodded and took up the first blade. It was one thing she was truly good at, and she let a smirk come to her lips as she let the first throw loose and sunk it into the painted target. More knives followed and soon she was down a dozen blades, eight of which were sunk into the wood, the other four were so dull she hadn¡¯t been surprised she didn¡¯t get them to stick.

    The blades were lined up in front of her again and she shook her hand out, ready for another round when another kid screamed. She was about to ignore it, but further screams followed and that air of dread she had felt grew suffocating. She turned slowly and her blood ran cold.

    Dozens of silver clad automatons were materializing across the field, people screaming and fleeing as the mechanical beasts rushed after them with blades in hand. It was a Sylan attack. Why were they attacking the Renfaire of all places?

    Nicole moved on autopilot as she grabbed one of the throwing knives and quickly cut the zip ties holding her own blades in place, the custom made weapons soon to get tested in a way she never anticipated. She also carried a half dozen throwing knives inside her coat. It took a few seconds to cut the ties on them free as well, but if she was going to survive, she knew she needed her gear available.

    ¡°Can I¡ª¡± Nicole cut off as she watched the stall vendor vanish into the crowd, leaving the knives behind. She scoffed and grabbed the few blades that weren¡¯t in terrible shape and took off towards one of the emergency exits meant for staff. It was her best bet as the main gates would quickly become kill zones.

    She was moving quickly, glad for once at how much effort she had put into her gymnastics career and that even after months of lazing about she was still relatively fit. The hope that she might make it out was thoroughly dashed as another group materialized right in front of her. The machines scattered, one moving inhumanly quick, their bladed arm cutting right through a man¡¯s wooden shield, severing his arm in a spray of crimson.

    The kid behind him screamed in terror.

    Nicole froze, images of her mother dead in the morgue flashed before her eyes, then a snarl came to her lips. Blades flew from her hands, the few throwing knives she had sent into the automaton masses. None of the blades stuck, but it did draw their attention from the cowering kid and squarely onto her.

    Nicole swallowed heavily, drawing her newly acquired blades and fell into a loose combat stance. She was going to die. She knew that, and if that was to be her fate, then she was going to go down fighting. Three of the automatons bounded towards her, bladed limbs coming up to bisect her. Despite that, she was at peace with her end and would meet it head on. She ducked, the blades passing over her head as she did, and struck.

    To her surprise, the blade didn¡¯t just bounce off their armored plating, it bit into the joint between their torso and abdomen. She was sprayed with some pale blue fluid, distracted for just a moment that she had actually damaged one of the invaders. That brief pause cost her, as one of the machines pushed their damaged member atop her, knocking her down to the ground as her glasses flew off her face. Nicole looked up into the glowing ¡®eyes¡¯ of the machine, knowing it was about to kill her.

    The blade came down, then almost seemed to hang there.

    Nicole blinked, wondering if this was the start of her life flashing before her eyes as the world shifted to monochrome around her. The blade was still moving, but so slowly that it would take a dozen minutes to reach her. She tried to move, but found her own body was responding in much the same way, sluggish and unresponsive.

    Was this what happened to everyone when they died? Did their perception slow to the point that they were given a chance to come to peace with their end?

    ¡°Interesting,¡± something said, echoing all around her. ¡°So very interesting.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a physical voice, but rather something that reverberated in her mind. It was coming from everywhere yet also nowhere. Nicole wanted to do something, anything, yet she was completely pinned by whatever was holding her and the world still.

    Images flashed around her, machines cutting down people that were decidedly not human, as these four-armed beings ran for safety. Nicole could only watch as the scenes shifted unfolding in new ways. Costumed defenders rose up on the cusp of defeat, defying the Sylan machines and driving them back. Of machines the size of buildings fighting off monsters of equal stature that brought ruin to their cities.

    ¡°Such a fierce spirit, willing to put yourself at risk to hold the line in defense of others.¡±

    She wanted to clamp her hands over her ears, the voice was borderline painful to hear, as if it spoke just a bit louder her ears would rupture and her brain would start to bleed.

    ¡°I feared this day would never come, but I finally found someone worthy of the power I was once entrusted with.¡±

    If she hadn¡¯t been frozen in place, her mouth would have run dry. Unless Nicole was way off the mark, it almost sounded as if she was about to become...

    ¡°You are worthy to become a Ranger and lead the way to a brighter future.¡±

    The instant that word slammed into her mind, confirming her growing trepidation and fear, her entire reality spun in prismatic colors and everything changed as the world was plunged into a pitch black void.

 Chapter 2 - Ranger

    Nicole blinked as the world came back in a rush, color returning all at once as everything snapped back into focus. The blade was right there, still moving towards her, but it was oh so slow and she could once again move freely. Nicole brought her leg up, planted her foot against the machine, and pushed the bastard away. It was almost effortless, and she used that same motion to hop back to her feet.

    Even with years of gymnastics experience, she couldn¡¯t have explained how fluid that had been, how easily she managed it. The machine crashed into another, both practically crumpling with a deafening crash. She stood, watching as every machine around her all paused in their assault, only to gape in horror as they all turned their full attention onto her.

    ¡°Shit,¡± she muttered.

    She brought her weapons up, and it was then she realized that they were different; changed in ways she didn¡¯t expect. The polished steel had been replaced with some black material that didn¡¯t even appear to be metal, but the edge looked sharper than ever and slightly serrated. Further changes became evident, like how her gloves were no longer fingerless. She blinked at the deep purple accents set within the void of black that lined them. Those accents trailed up her arm, barely visible against the infinite blacks of her skintight suit and the armored layers along it, before vanishing into some bastardization of her former duster coat. More than that, she was now wearing a full coverage helmet that didn¡¯t obscure her vision whatsoever.

    Unfortunately, Nicole didn¡¯t have time to dwell on that further as the automatons all surged as one towards her. She twirled her blades, a fresh confidence filling her as she stepped forward, calm and collected in a way she shouldn¡¯t have been. A flick of her wrist and her new blade bisected the first machine as if it was made of wet newspaper.

    Sparks showered from the strike, and for once she was glad the Sylan only deployed organic creatures to fight their battles when Rangers were involved. Oh, right¡­

    Nicole barely moved as she almost seemed to flow around the machine¡¯s strikes, lashing out with her own weapons in tune with each motion. She felt unstoppable in a very concerning way.

    She was a Ranger now, yet she couldn¡¯t believe it was really this easy to fight machines that had so thoroughly outclassed her just moments prior. She stepped aside from a blow that would have disemboweled her, paying the automaton a passing glance before she kicked, sending the machine into the thinning masses with a deafening crash. That was more in line with what she expected of a Ranger¡¯s power, which meant it was her weapon that was making the difference. Not all Rangers were gifted with bladed weapons, there was one team in New York that all had fantastical crowbars.

    Most of the people had been smart once she had the automaton¡¯s undivided attention, escaping from the battle when the opportunity arose. Others were idiots and had their phones out, hoping to capitalize on the internet fame that came with posting the footage of a fresh addition to the global Ranger teams.

    Nicole didn¡¯t have long to dwell on those thoughts and what they would mean for her before she was right back in the thick of things. Showers of sparks burst forth with every strike of her blades, her kicks sent the machines flying, and she¡¯d never felt such a rush before. She knew that if her head wasn¡¯t covered by a helmet, that everyone would be able to see a manic grin on her face.

    Twitching husks of the automatons laid strewn all around her, severed limbs and puddles of the translucent blue fluid soaking into the packed earth marking her work. The boy that had nearly been cut down was cowering behind a stall and she hurried to him.

    ¡°Hey kid, you¡¯re safe now,¡± she said, surprised at the distortion her helmet gave her voice. ¡°Let¡¯s get you somewhere safe.¡±

    The Renfaire had emptied almost entirely now, leaving the bodies of those killed in plain view. There had to be hundreds of people that were cut down by the invaders, and she was almost one of them. She moved to stow her blades only for them to vanish into motes of light. Not wanting to dwell on that, Nicole picked up the young boy and found him to be almost weightless in her arms as she cradled him close and braced his head against the hard plate covering her chest and pulled what was left of her cloak over him. No boy his age needed to see the bodies, any one of which might be family.

    She ran towards one of the exits where she could see a few of the gawkers still lingering with phones out. Well, if they were going to linger, then they could make themselves useful! The distance closed in a blink and she shoved him into the arms of one of those still recording.

    ¡°Get out of here, it¡¯s not safe!¡± she yelled, pushing them away.

    Nicole wanted nothing more than to leave with them, she wasn¡¯t anyone special, but she¡¯d had power thrust upon her, she was a Ranger now. She had a responsibility to help those that would be powerless otherwise. There was a chance that person might take advantage of the situation, but the same was true of anyone attending the Renfaire.

    Distant screams had her head snapping towards them, zeroing in on a distant struggle where people were still in danger from the machines. She ran, eating up the distance as fast as any car could, just as she was about to jump into the fight, a blinding flash of crimson overtook her vision, leaving her eyes oddly muted as her helmet readjusted its tinting automatically to compensate for the sudden shift.

    A dozen automatons were blown back an instant following the flash, and a woman in red stood, tailcoats flowing in the breeze, a massive axe held in hand. Her helmet was done up almost in the style of a pirate¡¯s tricorne, with her torso resembling a heavy coat with predominantly red coloring.

    Another Ranger had emerged and this one looked deadly as hell. Nicole couldn¡¯t help but stare as the Ranger turned to face her. She wondered just what her fellow Ranger might think of her own appearance. The moment shattered as the Red Ranger threw her axe, the massive weapon ripping through the air. Nicole had enough time for her eyes to widen as the axe sailed past her head and impacted an automaton not far behind her.

    Nicole snapped out of her shock and she remembered where she was. Knowing she needed to get her head in the game, she reached for her throwing knives only to find they weren¡¯t where they had been. Instead, something began to glow between her fingers. Realizing what they were, she threw them, launching the energy blades past the new Ranger and taking out several machines in the process.

    The two women shared a look, their helmets hiding their features but it didn¡¯t matter. Nicole darted forward and Red ran past her, ripping her axe from the shattered machine as Nicole pulled more energy knives from nowhere. She let her momentum carry her into a flip, launching herself up into the air more than two dozen feet and she began to rain blades down upon the assembled machines.

    The Red Ranger wasn¡¯t idle, her own axe parting the automatons like a hot knife through soft butter. The difference between fighting them, even with her new knives, and the power now coursing through her was staggering. It was no wonder the Rangers were holding the line against the invaders with such might at their fingertips, and now she was one of them.

    Nicole landed amidst the shattered remains of the Sylan machines, energy sparking from the damaged portions. She expected to be out of breath, but she didn¡¯t even feel slightly winded. She took a moment to survey the clearing, ensuring that the area was clear, then turned back to her fellow Ranger.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°You good?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± the woman said, taking in her changed appearance. ¡°Holy shit, I¡¯m a Ranger now.¡±

    Nicole chuckled. ¡°Welcome to the club, though I think I only beat you to membership by less than a minute.¡±

    The woman laughed, slinging her axe over her shoulder only for it to vanish into motes of light. ¡°I really hope I get that back, it took me months to make it.¡±

    ¡°You made that?¡± Nicole asked, her eyes going wide.

    Red moved to rub her hair, only to brush against the brim of the hat that was one with her helmet instead. Her shoulders slumped in a heavy sigh. ¡°Yeah, I did, and unless I¡¯m mistaken, I also made your own daggers before they were changed.¡±

    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Nicole muttered. ¡°You¡¯re the girl from the Blade shop?¡±

    ¡°Got it in one,¡± Red said with a chuckle. ¡°The name¡¯s Grace, Grace Evans.¡±

    ¡°Nicole Hayes,¡± she said, holding a hand out. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll be working together going forward.¡±

    ¡°Seems so,¡± Grace said, reaching past her hand to clasp her wrist. ¡°Think we got them all?¡±

    As if she had tempted the universe itself, a deafening crash sounded from beyond some of the food stalls. Both women turned in unison, watching the plume of smoke rise into the sky. No words needed to be said as they took off at a sprint. Rather than run around the structures that held the food vendors, Nicole leapt into the air, clearing them with ease. Grace was right there with her, just a step behind as she landed and almost threw up.

    In the open clearings, people had been killed, but here in the tighter corridors of the vendor shops? It was a massacre. There had to be hundreds dead along the stretch, though she did spot more than a few automatons destroyed in the midst of the slaughter. The people hadn¡¯t just rolled over and died.

    The source of the smoke wasn¡¯t hard to find, rising out of a destroyed shop that had once sold clothes, was some horrific combination of machine and animal. Six mechanical legs held it up, with arms like a crab and the head of a rhino. It was grotesque, bearing multiple attachments that had to be lasers of some type.

    ¡°Oh fuck all kinds of duck,¡± Grace whimpered.

    Nicole could only echo that sentiment, looking at the creature rising up to an easy fifteen feet. It was every definition of a monster. That was when three colored blurs moved to stand before it. One in silver, with a feather affixed to his helm and sword and shield in hand. One in purple with a twirling spear and a draconian helm. The last was as green as the forest, with flowing vines all around her staff that looked ready to reach out and strangle the unsuspecting.

    Nicole shared a look with Grace then they both moved to stand with the others. As one, they all brought their weapons out and settled into combat stances. A chill ran down Nicole¡¯s spine. For the briefest of moments, everything in the world felt complete and whole.

    Five Rangers stood assembled to stand against the monster that had been sent to ensure that thousands of people were slaughtered, so many pointless deaths, and they had a target to take out their aggression upon.

    ¡°All right, Rangers!¡± Silver yelled, his voice commanding as he brought his sword up and a shower of silver light fell over all of them. ¡°Make this dastard pay!¡±

    Nicole yelled, darting aside as the Silver Ranger met the monster head on, blocking its charge with his shield. Despite the mass difference, Silver held firm, his feet digging into the dirt as all forward momentum bled off. Green didn¡¯t waste a moment, sending vines to ensnare the monster as Red hacked into its side. The Purple Ranger leapt high, then brought his spear down upon the creature at the same moment Nicole struck, severing one of its legs at the joint.

    The creature howled in rage and pain, the very air trembling from the sheer force of it. Nicole stood firm, the power coursing through her keeping her steady. A glance at Purple and Red communicated everything they needed to. Nicole struck again, timing her blow to coincide with Purple¡¯s, rending through another leg just as Red took out the third and the creature yowled as it fell over.

    Nicole flipped away from a desperate swipe of a mechanical tail, throwing her energy blades into the joints as she did. The other Rangers weren¡¯t idle, each striking fluidly as if they had all trained together for years. The beast thrashed, tearing vines from the dense earth and surged towards Red despite the missing legs. Grace stood firm, her axe held ready, then at the last moment she sidestepped the clumsy lunge and brought the blade down, severing a claw cleanly.

    Purple then speared the beast through the shoulder, hanging onto the shaft of his weapon as the monster thrashed violently. The spear was torn free by the sheer force of momentum and Purple flipped off of it easily, landing on his feet as he did.

    Silver was keeping the remaining crab claw occupied, blocking each attempt to grab one of the other rangers as he kept as much focus on himself as he could manage. Nicole saw her opening and practically flashed forward, jamming one of her blades deep into the hinge of the claw, the sound of cracking chitin reminded her of the last time she ate lobster.

    Red seemed to catch on to what she was doing at that same moment, and brought her axe down on the joint, shattering it in a spray of gore. Nicole winced, because that was not the color of normal shellfish internals. The scorpion-like tail lashed out again, and Nicole was forced to leap over it just as Green ensnared the entire thing.

    ¡°Purple! Hit the base of this thing!¡±

    The Dragoon styled Ranger didn¡¯t hesitate, twisting in midair as he launched off nothing and drove his spear through the tail, severing it as he did. The rhino head reared back, roaring as it was taken apart piece by piece. Nicole didn¡¯t let that literal opening go unpunished, and flashed forward once more, driving her knife through the creature¡¯s open jaw and into its skull.

    Machinery whirred, and flesh gushed forth dark blood from where it had been cut. The creature gave one final rumbling groan as Nicole wrenched her blade free, then collapsed into a heap. She nimbly stepped back as it fell, falling in line with the rest of the Rangers.

    ¡°I think,¡± Purple said, his voice light and airy and more than a bit breathless. ¡°I think we did it.¡±

    ¡°We won,¡± Red, or rather, Grace, said.

    ¡°We fucking won!¡± Silver yelled, raising his sword up high. ¡°Take that you invading bastards! Fuck you and the ship you rode in on!¡±

    Purple and Silver were rather jovial, but all Nicole could think about was possible stragglers or those that might be bleeding out on the ground. She glanced over at Red, and she nodded, seemingly thinking the same thing.

    ¡°Stow the celebrations for later,¡± Grace said sharply, her axe vanishing behind her once more. ¡°We need to sweep the area for survivors, and deal with any stragglers that might still be trying to hunt down those not fortunate enough to flee.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be ages before paramedics arrive,¡± Nicole added, already in motion before she looked back over her shoulder. ¡°We can celebrate once the dust settles.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t understand what the two men of their new team were muttering, but Green was already using her vines to shift the rubble. Nicole knew to dread the coming drama that would inevitably come as they found their dynamic, but for now she would focus on the task at hand, even if she wasn¡¯t quite sure how she felt about having such responsibility thrust upon her.

    ¡°Deep breaths, Nikki,¡± she whispered to herself, the old nickname bringing little comfort. ¡°You¡¯ve survived everything up until today, even if you didn¡¯t want to, and you¡¯ll survive this.¡±

    After all, she wasn¡¯t the type of person that would luck out and get to die heroically. Oh no, knowing her luck she wouldn¡¯t get to die until there was no hope remaining and all her friends were dead. That¡¯s just how her life seemed to track. Finding someone moving amidst the carnage, she stopped and helped uncover them, her minimal first aid training coming back to mind as she did what she could for them.

    Nicole worked diligently, helping those she could, comforting those she couldn¡¯t. Lingering with those who were beyond help wasn¡¯t an option, not when others were dying around her. At least the blood seemed to just slide off her suit. In one particularly grim case, she had left behind a severed razor limb for a woman to make her own choice.

    Was it bad that she envied her for having the option?

    When the sirens could finally be heard in the distance, and the first responders finally arrived, Nicole took the opportunity to finally sit and catch her breath. She didn¡¯t dare take off her helmet, the last thing she wanted was for her identity to be all over the evening news. Instead, she found herself staring up into the clear blue sky, marveling at how little smoke there was in the air for all the damage done.

    ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll be a bit longer than expected, Mom, Dad,¡± she said to the open sky. ¡°Keep a spot ready for me when my time comes and I can finally rest.¡±

 Chapter 3 - Introductions

    Try as she might, Nicole couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the death and destruction left in the wake of the Sylan attack.  She¡¯d been out there for more than an hour after the battle ended, helping the first responders where she could.  Her lack of training was only offset by her ability to pry people out from under heavy things and follow instructions clearly.

    By the time the Renfaire was secure the sun was beginning to set and Nicole was dead on her feet despite the energy coursing through her like a live wire.  Her team met up near one of the undamaged stalls before one of the firefighters directed them backstage and into an employee rest area.  Nicole tried to ignore the blood splatters on the door, now dried and darkened.

    Inside it was clear that it was hastily abandoned, with cups and plates strewn about haphazardly.  Once the Rangers were inside, the man gave them a polite nod and closed the door behind them.  The Purple Ranger locked the door and nearly sank to the floor with a heavy sigh.  Green and Silver walked off, hopefully checking the rooms down the hall while Nicole busied herself with closing the blinds.

    The last thing they needed was to have their identities exposed through carelessness.

    When the last window darkened, a flash of red shone, and prismatic shapes fell away from Grace who now stood in her Renfaire attire once more.  She smiled as she looked down at the axe in her hand before setting it aside.

    ¡°Thank God, I did not want to lose that,¡± she said.

    Green leaned forward, and it gave Nicole the impression of an impish girl up to something.  ¡°How did you do that?¡±

    ¡°I just thought about going back to normal,¡± Grace answered.

    Considering that, Nicole thought of her Ranger uniform falling away.  At first it did nothing, so she tried thinking harder, putting real intent to the thought.  Her protective shell burst, shattering much as Grace¡¯s had, though the color was an inverse of light that defied what she knew of physics.  She looked down at the daggers she held before returning them to the sheathes along her hips.

    That was when she noticed the watch that now sat on her wrist, the straps set over her bracers.  The body of it looked like any other smart watch, but a band of black traced the face of it that seemed to almost absorb the light.  A quick glance at Grace showed she too was looking at a watch on her wrist, this one sporting a red band.  With a sigh, Nicole moved a hand to her face, the habit of adjusting her glasses when antsy long established, only they weren¡¯t there.

    She¡¯d lost them in the battle, yet they hadn¡¯t returned following her transformation back into plain old Nicole.  More surprising, she realized she no longer needed them at all.  Well, that would save her money on contacts, if nothing else, not that she really wore them given how itchy they got after a few hours.

    Green prisms were followed by silver and purple in short order and soon five strangers stood together in a dim room with the weight of the day hanging between them.  Where did one even begin in such a situation?  The slaughter they had witnessed was one of the most horrific events Nicole ever imagined, and she¡¯d seen plenty of footage from Sylan attacks in the past.

    ¡°Okay, this is just sad,¡± Grace said, taking her tricorne off to set it aside.  ¡°If we¡¯re going to be a team, someone¡¯s going to have to kick this off.  Hi, I¡¯m Grace Evans, and I suppose I¡¯m the Red Ranger.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not native American, are you?¡± the Hispanic girl dressed as a Druid asked with a smirk.

    Nicole snorted, drawing attention to herself that made her want to shrink back into the background.  She hated how unsure of herself she could be, but that was just how things had ended up.  If nothing else, she could get this over with and let someone else quickly fill the spotlight.

    ¡°Nicole, and as you can see, I¡¯m not quite dark enough to qualify as black.¡±

    Her mother had been half Mexican, and her father was the palest Irishman you could ever meet.  Not that her mother¡¯s heritage was immediately apparent given how her own red hair and freckles stood out against skin that never tanned no matter how much sun she got.  That was, of course, the joke.

    The guy dressed as a Paladin groaned as the obvious jokes were thrown around.  ¡°Yeah, it could have been me.  Devon Smith, Silver Ranger.¡±

    Yeah, that would have been unfortunate, given he had one of the darker shades of skin that she had seen in her life.  He kept his hair buzzed short and had a jawline deserving of the classical armor he wore.

    ¡°Ha!  Silver linings!¡± the black-haired Druid said, pulling out a joint before she lit up.  ¡°Kayla Beckham.  Rather fitting that the hippie ended up the Green Ranger, I suppose.¡±

    A few chuckles were had before everyone turned to the last member of their little group.   He was thin and wiry, with lean muscle visible under his stereotypical Dragoon armor.  With the helmet set aside, his brown hair flowed down past his shoulders as he looked back and forth between everyone, still pale from their earlier battle.

    ¡°Jeff Cunningham.  I guess that the powers that be decided I should be purple.¡±

    Grace smiled.  ¡°I¡¯m sure your armor had nothing to do with it.¡±

    Sure enough, his armor had metallic cobalt accents to offset the deep purple.  It was probably a bit of a crap shoot which color the disembodied voice decided to give him.  Apparently purple won out.  Speaking of Jeff, she thought he looked familiar, but not in any obvious way.  Maybe she had seen him out and about somewhere and his face just stuck out?

    ¡°Well, with introductions out of the way,¡± Devon said, stepping into the center of the room.  ¡°What comes next?  I don¡¯t think any of us are actually all that experienced in this sort of thing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement,¡± Nicole muttered.

    Devon glared at her for a moment and she wanted to shrink back, her tongue often got her in trouble and never in a fun way.

    ¡°I imagine either we reach out to another Ranger team, or they¡¯ll reach out to us,¡± Kayla said, pinching the tip of her joint between two fingers before putting it away.  ¡°I can¡¯t see so many teams existing without there being some form of communication between them, especially for larger scale attacks.¡±

    She had a point.  New York had three such teams, and it was no secret that they had some centralized system of coordinating their response between them when the Sylan attacked.  Idly, she rubbed the watch now on her wrist, there was a temptation to see exactly what the new device did, but also no small amount of trepidation at messing with the unknown.

    Curiosity won out as she removed her belt and set it aside then began to fiddle with the watch.  It seemed to be like any other smartwatch upon first glance at the app screen, but there was one icon that stood out.  Tapping it, an option menu was shown before instructions popped up above it.  Sure enough, that was the morpher function, and it even had a quick launch feature.

    She closed out the app, trying to think of the best way to phrase it before an idea came to mind.  With a smirk plastered on her face, Nicole pressed the two buttons along the side.

    ¡°Roll the Dice.¡±

    Her watch glowed, and swirling black light engulfed her for the briefest moment before she felt the power swell within her once again.  A subtle burn tore through her body, taking the weariness of her limbs with it.  She wasn¡¯t sure what that was about, but it faded quickly enough that she didn¡¯t think it was something worth dwelling on.

    The others all turned to face her and were staring as she checked for her new weapons and found them to be exactly as they had once been when she first transformed.  More importantly, her custom blades were still sitting on the table nearby.

    ¡°That answers that,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°Our equipment is locked in after that first morph.¡±

    ¡°Good to know,¡± Grace said, setting her own axe aside.  ¡°Now, how did you do that?¡±

    ¡°And please tell me we don¡¯t need to say that each time,¡± Jeff added with a chuckle.  ¡°Fitting as that phrase is, we might not always have time to shout it when things hit the fan.¡±

    ¡°Phrase is optional,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°There¡¯s an app in there that has instructions.  You can morph in a pinch by double tapping both physical buttons on the watch, or hold them and say a phrase like I did.¡±

    ¡°Roll the Dice,¡± Grace said, and a flash of red with literal D20¡¯s dancing within engulfed her and the Red Ranger stood there once again.

    Kayla whistled.  ¡°Never mind, roll the dice is a good phrase if it comes with those effects.¡±

    ¡°I retract my statement,¡± Jeff said, checking his own watch.  ¡°With how flashy that is we¡¯ll need to be careful about transforming.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Devon shrugged.  ¡°We could just go public.¡±

    ¡°I vote no,¡± Nicole cut in.  ¡°Just look at the Sacramento California team that unmasked.  The government all but conscripted them.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good point,¡± Kayla said.  ¡°Fuck that noise.  If it wasn¡¯t for the literal invaders at the gates I¡¯d be advocating for full on anarchy.¡±

    ¡°Alright, we keep our identities quiet,¡± Devon agreed, albeit reluctantly.  Nicole narrowed her eyes at the man but kept her tongue held.  ¡°We should all exchange numbers, even if the watches can reach each of us, it¡¯s better to have the option.¡±

    ¡°Works for me,¡± Grace said, then wrote her number down on a sheet of paper which everyone was quick to add their own to.  Grace reached for her belt only to pause and laugh.  Her transformation shattered as she reached again for a pouch where her phone was stored.  She stared at it for a moment with a growing frown.  ¡°Shit, my phone¡¯s dead.¡±

    Everyone was quick to check their own devices, Nicole stepped over to the belt she had taken off earlier and retrieved her own from the pouch she kept it in before letting her transformation fall away once more.  Sure enough, the device was dead as could be.

    ¡°That¡¯s a problem,¡± Kayla muttered.  ¡°Don¡¯t suppose these watches come with a contacts function¡­  Oh shit, they do!¡±

    ¡°Then we will make do,¡± Devon said.

    Everyone was quick to enter their team¡¯s information, and that was that.

    Once finished, Grace looked towards the locked door.  ¡°We should probably think about leaving soon before the media arrives and asks too many questions about why a group of larpers that are dressed suspiciously like the new Rangers is hanging around together.¡±

    ¡°I like that plan,¡± Jeff said, setting his helmet back on his head, hiding most of his face.  ¡°Want me to peek out and see if the coast is clear?¡±

    ¡°Good call,¡± Devon said.  ¡°Let¡¯s all get home, decompress, then meet up again in a day or two, barring another attack of course.¡±

    A round of agreement followed and once the coast was clear, they slipped out of the building and through one of the employee-only paths.  The same firefighter from earlier was rather pointedly not watching them depart.  Thankfully a group of costumed people wasn¡¯t too out of place at a Renfaire, but they didn¡¯t take chances until they were well away from the emergency crews.  Nicole had kept both fingers on her watch, just to be safe, but it hadn¡¯t been needed.

    Just as the parking area came into sight, Grace pulled away.  ¡°Mind if I go check on my friends?  I¡¯m worried about them.¡±

    ¡°Oh right!  You¡¯re a vendor,¡± Jeff said with a snap of his fingers.  ¡°I should probably go back as well, see if my jousting partner made it out.  Ken and I got separated early on and I need to see if the big lug made it out.¡±

    Nicole bit her lip as she watched the two double back down the path, a part of her wanting to reach out to the woman that had crafted her blades then fought alongside her.  Yet, the introvert within kept her from doing so.  That just left her with Kayla and Devon, two people she hadn¡¯t gotten to know well enough yet to hold a proper conversation.

    ¡°Anyone need a ride?¡± Devon asked, eyes darting back and forth between the two women and the rather chaotic scene down in the parking area.

    The field was a mess of activity, between people trying to flee and the emergency crews that were continuing to arrive.  A dedicated exit lane had been cleared to get anyone able bodied away from the scene.  One of the Renfaire workers was directing traffic away, paying those filtering out little mind.

    ¡°I do,¡± Kayla said.  ¡°I rode one of the shuttles in, and don¡¯t own a car otherwise.¡±

    ¡°I rode my motorcycle,¡± Nicole added when Devon looked her way.  ¡°I¡¯ll be fine getting back to my dorm.¡±

    ¡°Ride safe,¡± Devon said, slapping a firm hand on her shoulder.  ¡°It¡¯s going to be a nightmare out there after the attack.¡±

    Nicole barely avoided flinching at the contact, she had never liked being touched by men in general.  She turned and waved a bit before making her way across the parking area to where her bike was, leaving the other Rangers behind her.  It felt a bit weird to split up after what they had just gone through, but sticking together wasn¡¯t really an option.

    Her bike was right where she left it, and she took a moment to just breathe.  So much death, and for what?  Nicole¡¯s hands trembled, but she retrieved her helmet and put it on, the motorcycle variant feeling restricted compared to her Ranger helm.  A breathless chuckle escaped as she leaned forward, resting her head on the handles.

    ¡°Look at you, barely holding yourself together,¡± she whispered.  ¡°This is such a fucking mess.  Like, in what universe am I worthy of Power?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t like she expected an answer, and instead simply fired up her bike and joined the departing vehicles.  Nicole knew exactly how dangerous motorcycles could be, which was why she rode them.  As she pulled out onto the highway, she caught a glimpse of Kayla waving from the passenger window of a black pickup truck.  She nodded her helmet to acknowledge her, then peeled out down the highway, ignoring all traffic laws in some dare to the universe to finally bring her time on earth to an end.

    It wasn¡¯t as if there would be police out and about to stop her or anyone else from being reckless, and she was confident she could evade them if there were.

    Even ignoring speed limits, the drive home still took over half an hour due to backed up traffic keeping her from effectively weaving through.  It gave her far too much time to dwell on what she had seen, her thoughts drifting from one bloodied body to the next.  Visions of the dead haunted her the entire way back home.

    The parking for her dorm was half empty, which was a bit of a surprise given the late hour, she expected it to be a hive of activity.  Anoka wasn¡¯t a large city, unlike downtown Minneapolis, but there was still plenty to do.  Given the recent attack, she was a bit surprised at how calm things were.

    She meandered her way through the halls and found her room, opening it almost absently.  She barely remembered the ride back, so consuming were her thoughts.  When she stepped inside, the lights were off and it looked like Rebecca was still out and about.  She hoped she was alright, but she was at least with Colin and was supposed to be far from the Renfaire.  Would Becca and Colin have made it out if they hadn¡¯t canceled their plans with her for the day?

    Nicole flopped onto the couch and just let herself zone out, an almost haze settling on her as she laid in the darkness, the silence ringing in her ears along with the ghostly echoes of the dead screaming in terror.  Visions of blood and death, of callous machines cutting down innocents filled her mind.

    Pressure on her shoulder had Nicole pushing up in a burst of motion, hand dropping to her blade as everything snapped back into focus.  A blonde haired girl stepped back hastily, hands up in the air.

    ¡°Easy, Nikki,¡± she said quickly.

    Nicole blinked, the girl¡¯s thin lips and brown eyes coming into focus.  It took a moment, the flashes of violence fading away in favor of reality before she finally recognized her roommate.  ¡°Becca?¡±

    ¡°You back with us?¡± Rebecca asked hesitantly.  ¡°I tried to call, but it just went to voicemail¡­¡±

    Nicole sat up, a low groan escaping as her stiff joints protested the movement.  Sleeping in her gear might have made sense when camping to give it that authentic look, but it didn¡¯t lend itself to comfort in the slightest.  She pulled her phone from its pouch and pressed the power button.  Nothing.

    ¡°Oh right, it¡¯s dead,¡± Nicole muttered with a frown, trying to think of an excuse for why it wasn¡¯t working that didn¡¯t involve the rangers.  ¡°No idea why since I charged it before I left.¡±

    The lack of any remaining charge could have been anything from the Sylan to the morph itself.  She hopped to her feet and hurried over to the kitchenette and found a spare charger, relief flooded her when a charging symbol appeared on the screen.  It was drained, not bricked.  Maybe the morph must have siphoned it in some way?  Sighing, she opened the fridge, fishing for something to drink.

    ¡°Did you leave before the attack?¡± Rebecca asked, taking a seat on their little love seat and flicking the TV on, quickly finding a news station covering the Renaissance Faire massacre and the appearance of a new Ranger team.  They were so focused on the new Rangers that they weren¡¯t giving the victims the respect due.

    Nicole paused, water bottle in hand.  ¡°No, I was in the thick of it when the bastards arrived.¡±

    ¡°Oh fuck!¡± Rebecca exclaimed, jumping back to her feet and rushing over but stopped short of pulling her into a hug.  ¡°You¡¯re lucky as hell.  Preliminary estimates have the death toll at nearly two thousand.¡±

    The yawning pit in Nicole¡¯s stomach plummeted further.  So many were dead, and all anyone had to show for it was a shiny new Ranger team, one of almost three dozen in the nation.  Something special, but far from unique.  A stopgap in the face of a slow march to subjugation.

    Rebecca¡¯s face fell as Nicole hunched in on herself.  ¡°The news is censoring it, but you saw it all first hand, didn¡¯t you?¡±  Nicole nodded mutely.  ¡°Shit, are you alright?  Is that why your glasses are missing?¡±

    ¡°I watched a man get bisected,¡± Nicole said after a moment, the scene replaying vividly in her mind.  ¡°I watched machines tear through dozens as if their lives didn¡¯t matter¡­¡±

    ¡°That couldn¡¯t have been easy,¡± Rebecca said, stepping closer, hesitantly.  ¡°Do you need a hug?¡±

    Nicole didn¡¯t hesitate, lunging forward and wrapping her arms around her roommate.  They were practically sisters, what with Becca¡¯s family effectively fostering her after her parents died.  Rebecca was the one person in the world that Nicole worried about disappointing.  That thought alone always pained her, now more than ever.  Nicole was afraid of dying and leaving Becca to grieve her, even as she craved the release it would bring.  Nicole sobbed, letting every emotion she had endured out in a torrent.

    All the pain, all the death.

    She was just so goddamn tired of everything.

    Rest wasn¡¯t an option, not anymore.  She was a Ranger, someone expected to stand strong in the face of the endless tide of invading machines.  Worse, now that the city had a team of Rangers, the attacks would become more frequent, almost weekly if the other cities were any indication.

    She knew from interviews that many of the Rangers enjoyed the fighting, but Nicole certainly hadn¡¯t.  Sure, there was a rush that accompanied the sudden power at her fingertips, a power that hadn¡¯t completely receded.  She was forever changed, not quite the same anymore, but it hadn¡¯t done anything to help in the way that she needed.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Rebecca said, pulling away slightly.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me order some pizza, and we dig into the cookie dough ice cream while watching something mindless, see if that helps?¡±

    Nicole snorted, snot shooting from her nose as she did.  That did sound like a good plan in light of everything she had been through.  It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t trust Rebecca enough to tell her about becoming a Ranger, but did she want to burden her with that knowledge right away?  When Nicole offered to share a dorm with Rebecca, her friend was extremely hesitant at first, but she liked the idea of getting stuck with a stranger even less.

    Rebecca wasn¡¯t the worst person to live with, and she didn¡¯t bring any strangers home with her, thank goodness.  Nicole didn¡¯t fancy the idea of some drunk frat boy trashing their dorm, and Becca seemed to be of a similar mind about it, even if she was a bit of a party animal.  It helped that she¡¯d been in a steady relationship for a few years now.

    ¡°Just don¡¯t put any damn olives on the pizza and you¡¯ve got a deal,¡± Nicole said, forcing a smile.

    She wasn¡¯t better, but at least she wouldn¡¯t be alone.

 Chapter 4 - Restless

    Nicole shot awake, sweat dripping from her as she gasped for breath.  Images of glowing mechanical eyes and bloodsoaked severed limbs lingered as the last vestiges of her nightmare retreated back into her subconscious.  The nightmare wasn¡¯t new, but was amplified by the day¡¯s events and made all the more real for it.  Looking around, she was on the couch, in her night shirt and a blanket was tangled around her.

    Right, she was back in her dorm safe and sound.  She¡¯d curled up on the couch with Becca and watched some fluffy comedian on streaming to try and blunt the worst of the trauma.  She must have passed out at some point and Becca let her sleep it off.

    Nicole glanced at the clock and groaned, it was only three in the morning.

    She knew that sleep wasn¡¯t coming again, not with how amped on adrenaline she was.  At least her phone was fully charged and she could zone out while doom scrolling.  There were multiple alerts from the attack that she continued to ignore, some new messages from what seemed to be a new group chat set up between her fellow Rangers, and several solo messages from some of them.  She skipped those and checked the alert from the college.  A breath of relief rushed from her lungs.

    Classes were canceled for the next week, that was one of the few good things to come from the prior day.  Nicole wiped the clammy sweat from her face and got up, heading for the restroom.  She skimmed the group chat, finding most of it was just everyone checking in and a few links to some articles about their debut.

    Not wanting to deal with that mess, she instead flicked to the solo messages.  One was from Kayla, and it was half a dozen pictures of kittens.  That brought a smile to her face, even if she didn¡¯t quite feel it, the gesture was appreciated.

    The second message was from Grace, and wasn¡¯t nearly as pleasant.

    Grace:  Hey Nicole, can¡¯t sleep right now and was wondering if you were up.

    It had been sent less than an hour ago, so she got to typing, letting the other girl know that she was indeed up thanks to some rather vivid nightmares.

    Nicole:  Unfortunately.  I think I¡¯ll be seeing severed limbs and glowing eyes for a while.

    Even if classes were canceled, there was no reason to wake Becca, that girl had already done enough by wasting her evening consoling Nicole.  She¡¯d feel even worse if she accidently woke the poor girl up just because she was feeling restless.

    Grace:  You too?

    Grace:  Well, at least we aren¡¯t alone in the bad dream camp.

    Nicole chuckled and kept typing after washing her hands and face.  She felt a bit bad about reaching out to someone she barely knew, but Grace at least had some sense about her.  She¡¯d been the one to take charge in a way that wasn¡¯t completely asinine, unlike Devon¡¯s showboating attempt at giving orders.  She seemed to care about what actually mattered, and for that reason alone Nicole was willing to step out of her comfort zone.

    Flopping on the couch, Nicole flicked on the TV, grimacing at the late night news playing footage of their fight against the mutant machine.  Watching it from the perspective of whatever idiot had recorded them, it really did look far more impressive than she had thought in the moment.  They looked terrifying, displaying speed and power that would make a mockery of any actual human efforts.

    Shaking her head, Nicole started typing.

    Nicole:  I wish the news wasn¡¯t so obsessed with the idea of new Rangers.  Thousands died and all they care about is a new set of ¡®heroes¡¯ to obsess over.

    Grace:  Thank you!  It¡¯s a fucking disgrace.  Let people mourn, honor the fallen.  We aren¡¯t anything special, no matter how shiny we look on camera.  We¡¯re just people.

    ¡°Just people.¡±  Nicole smiled, leaning back on the couch as she shut off the TV, not caring to watch more footage of what they¡¯d done hours earlier.  She¡¯d no doubt see plenty of combat in the months to come, and she didn¡¯t need to see more of it so soon.

    Nicole:  I ended up just laying down on my couch.  Classes are out for the week so at least I can sleep in or take a nap later.

    Grace:  Which college you go to?  I¡¯m studying at Anoka.

    Nicole sat up straight, staring at her phone.  Grace went to her school?  She¡¯d just assumed the woman had already graduated, or just hadn¡¯t gone to college at all.  With shaky fingers, Nicole began to type again.

    Nicole:  Same.  I¡¯m living in the dorms.

    Grace:  Oh shit.  We could actually meet up easily if that¡¯s the case.  Jeff attends too.  He and I have a class together.

    Biting her lip, she wasn¡¯t sure about inviting Jeff along, but Nicole?

    Nicole:  Pretty sure there¡¯s a diner open, we could get an early breakfast.

    Grace:  You know what, let¡¯s do it.  Meet me in the parking lot in 20?

    Trepidation flooded her system, she¡¯d just gone along with it, but it had quickly turned from something digital into a very real thing, and she wasn¡¯t sure if she was actually up for it.  Nicole wasn¡¯t much of a people person, which was going to be fun the first time the reporters cornered them in their Ranger suits.

    She really hoped that day was far into the future and it was a miracle they avoided it at all while making their escape from the Renfaire.

    Before she could second guess herself, Nicole sent off an affirmative and got back to her feet, padding slowly into her room.  She gave her gear a passing glance, it hadn¡¯t been stored away yet.  It was tossed haphazardly off to the side before she had showered and curled back up with Becca for movie night.  She didn¡¯t need it anymore, not with how her morpher worked.

    Power at the push of a button, enough to stand against the might of another world.

    She was still wearing the watch, which didn¡¯t seem to need charging, likely working off her body heat or whatever science mambo jumbo fueled the Ranger transformation.  She grabbed a basic pair of jeans and a black shirt with some band logo on it that was almost too faded to recognize.  It had been her mother¡¯s and she didn¡¯t have the heart to get rid of it despite the wear.

    She did however grab the belt she¡¯d worn, sans knives.  It was essentially her everyday carry and had been for years.  Her phone slipped into its pouch and she double checked that her keys were on the carabiner.  Before heading out the door she stopped at the fridge and left a note on the dry erase board, letting Becca know she hadn¡¯t been kidnapped or slipped away to do something stupid.  It was a house rule to make sure that they knew where each other were in the event of an emergency.

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    Odds were that she would be back long before the girl woke up, without classes she tended to sleep to noon most days.  From there, it was just a case of navigating the halls and finding Grace.  She wasn¡¯t surprised to see the girl already waiting, leaning against a tree while frowning at her phone.  She¡¯d also gone with simple jeans and a red shirt.

    Nicole had to laugh at that, the joke that Rangers dressed in their colors seemed alive and well.  She picked up the pace, and when Grace saw her, a smile blossomed across her face.

    ¡°I think I found a diner that won¡¯t be a roach fest,¡± Grace said, holding up her phone.

    ¡°Good.  Last thing we need is some extra crunch in our eggs,¡± Nicole said.

    Grace snorted.  ¡°Damn, I had you down as the shy and silent type, but you keep surprising me.¡±

    ¡°I usually am,¡± Nicole admitted, reaching up to fiddle with her glasses only to remember she hadn¡¯t needed them since the transformation.  ¡°Dealing with idiots drains my spoons incredibly fast.  It¡¯s better to just fade into the background most times, but dealing with people I can tolerate is easier.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you can tolerate me?¡± Grace asked, leaning forward with a wide grin on her face.  Nicole pulled back a bit, her cheeks warming even as she looked away.  ¡°I¡¯m honored, truly.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t,¡± Nicole muttered.

    ¡°I reserve the right to be a brat at my whim,¡± Grace said haughtily, pulling her keys out as she stepped over to an older silver car.  ¡°So, ready to hit up the grease trap?¡±

    Chuckling nervously, as if Grace hadn¡¯t just flustered her to hell and back, Nicole stepped around the car.  She had no idea what might have prompted that, as Nicole knew she wasn¡¯t attractive, what with her bulging muscles from years of gymnastics.  Muscles that were as prominent as ever thanks to whatever the Ranger transformation had done to her body.  Just when she thought she might get a slimmer, more feminine, figure too.  She seemed to be cursed with a masculine build.

    She¡¯d been reminded of that fact each and every day through her entire high school run.  It was something she had just come to accept, and it made her wary of Grace, even if she was a bit of a natural flirt, it didn¡¯t make sense.  Sure, they were both Rangers now, but that didn¡¯t really explain it.  The girl was probably straight anyway.

    Shaking off those thoughts, Nicole opened the passenger side door only to stare down at the cluttered seat.  Grace glanced up as she turned the key, her cheeks darkening in the dim light of the car.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said, hastily reaching over to knock the clutter into the floorboard.  ¡°I don¡¯t usually have passengers.¡±

    ¡°I can tell,¡± Nicole said wryly.

    Grace rolled her eyes, turning the key as she did, only for the engine to feebly protest the efforts to start it.

    ¡°Come on you little bastard, not now,¡± Grace muttered, the engine whining as it struggled to turn over.  ¡°You started just fine after a fucking alien incursion, why are you embarrassing me now?¡±

    Nicole snorted, earning her a sharp glare from the blonde before the car finally started, and promptly backfired, startling both of them.  Nicole¡¯s fingers were already on her watch, the reflex somehow already ingrained in her.  It was with shaking hands and unsteady breaths that she pulled away and tried to relax.

    Grace set the car into gear and pulled out of the parking lot, the radio silent as the GPS called out the directions in a robotic voice.  Nicole wanted to pull out her phone and bury her nose in a book, but she didn¡¯t, because that would be rude.  Not that she was making much small talk either.  Why was she so bad at just interacting with someone?

    ¡°You bought those at Artemis Leather?¡± Grace asked as they drove through the deserted streets.  Nicole cringed a bit, because of course her new friend would be better than her at small talk, hell it was in her name!

    ¡°Yeah, all of my pouches are from them,¡± she confirmed, rubbing a hand along the aging leather.  ¡°I pretty much turned it into my everyday carry, much nicer than a purse and far more secure.¡±

    ¡°You packing?¡± Grace asked, taking a turn.

    Nicole¡¯s mind hitched for a moment, then it clicked what Grace actually meant and she had to look away to hide her embarrassment.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t trust myself with a gun,¡± she said softly.

    The truth was, she wouldn¡¯t be alive if she had such an easy out.  Point and click what is basically an off button?  Too easy, both in execution (heh) and practice.  She knew that in one of those darker moments she would have taken it if she could.  And knowing Grace was the one to craft her new blades, Nicole wasn¡¯t about to mention that one of the options she had considered was using them to end her life.

    Any thoughts or plans to follow through were on hold now that she was a Ranger.  She had a responsibility to humanity, one she couldn¡¯t just walk away from.  She¡¯d dedicate the remainder of her time on earth to fighting the invaders, until they were repelled or she fell in battle.  Either way, there would be meaning to what came of her.  That was more than Nicole ever expected, and she was happy for it.

    Thankfully Grace took the hint and dropped the subject.  People were often all too eager to pry into someone¡¯s life when sensitive topics were implied.  The silence lingered all the way to the diner, which was thankfully open.  She was a bit surprised that the city hadn¡¯t been placed under Martial Law like it had following the previous attacks.  Did the advent of a Ranger team change how they handled an area?

    Nicole made a mental note to look into that when she didn¡¯t have to be social with someone.  Grace was going out of her way to be there for her, and she wasn¡¯t going to risk squandering that, even if she had managed to sour the mood already.  Stupid brain, stupid mouth.  She just couldn¡¯t do anything right when it came to people.

    Hell, how was it that she hadn¡¯t run Becca off yet?  Sure, they¡¯d known each other for years, but she just refused to give up on Nicole when everyone else had already done so.  It was too much, and she just wanted it to all go away.

    ¡°Keep a pot going for us, I think we¡¯re gonna be here a while,¡± Grace said to the woman behind the counter, placing a twenty in the tip jar as she did.

    ¡°Of course, hon,¡± she said, her scowl swapping to a bright grin at the sight of the cash.  Two cups were produced and handed directly to them.  ¡°Take whatever table you want, I¡¯ll be with you in just a moment.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Grace said with a bright smile.

    The diner was currently vacant aside from the waitress and a single line cook.  That was just fine if Nicole were to be honest.  They took seats at a corner booth, which let them technically sit next to each other, even if they took opposite sides of the bench.  It also offered a good view of the TV playing one of the national news channels.

    For once it wasn¡¯t showing their own debut and the slaughter that preceded it.  Instead, it was showing footage of the first Rangers, their leader shining in white and silver as he single handedly held off a wave of automata so his team could evacuate the civilians in danger.  He set the literal standard for what it meant to be a Ranger, including what it meant to stand strong until the end.  The Commander of the Sylan fleet, Bartran, had come down to ensure his team was defeated, and though rumors persisted that the White Ranger hadn¡¯t truly fallen, nobody was ever able to find proof that he was still out there.

    ¡°At least it isn¡¯t us plastered on screen this time,¡± Grace whispered.

    ¡°Give it time,¡± Nicole said as the waitress walked over with a fresh pot of coffee and a tray of cream and sugar.  ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± the woman said, pulling out a pad and pen.  Nicole was more than a little amused that she had another five pens ready and waiting in her apron pocket, two of which were really nice fountain pens.  ¡°Can I get you anything to eat?¡±

    ¡°Biscuits and gravy,¡± Grace said, ¡°and bacon, double order.¡±

    A quick scratching of the pen and the woman turned to Nicole.  ¡°Umm, can I get French toast?¡±

    ¡°Sure thing, sugar,¡± the woman said.  ¡°I¡¯ll get that going for you all.¡±

    ¡°I heard them, Gertie,¡± the cook hollered.

    ¡°Oh don¡¯t be so dramatic,¡± Gertie said, walking back to the counter where she began having a heated, yet seemingly good natured argument with the man.

    Nicole smiled, watching the two bicker as the man cooked.  It was people like them that she would be protecting when the time came.  Just normal people living their lives.  Her attention flicked back to Grace, who was watching her with worried eyes while biting her lip.  Taking a sip of her coffee, Nicole could only hope that her fellow Ranger would just let things lie, but at the same time, she knew she wouldn¡¯t.

    It was the whole reason they decided to get away from the dorms after all, to find someplace low key and unwind after the day they had, and the burden thrust upon them.  In theory that was all well and good, but it also meant dealing with her heavy social anxieties.

    Was it bad that she almost wished some Automatons would attack just to get her out of the awkwardness of it all?

 Chapter 5 - Planning

    Nicole¡¯s French toast was a bit burnt, but that didn¡¯t stop her from eating each and every bite of it as slowly as she could, all to avoid the looming conversation that she could tell Grace was just itching to dig into.  Still, she wasn¡¯t an accomplished introvert for nothing, and if there was one thing she was good at, it was avoiding awkward conversations.

    ¡°Still stalling?¡± Grace asked after a moment.  ¡°You¡¯ve been staring at your empty plate for five minutes now.¡±

    ¡°I could stare for another twenty,¡± Nicole answered.  ¡°You underestimate my powers of procrastination.¡±

    Grace sighed, sitting back in the bench seat.  ¡°I¡¯m not going to pretend to know what you¡¯ve been through, we¡¯ve only known each other for twelve hours after all.  Well, unless you count the emails about making your blades.  What I can tell you is that burying stuff only makes it worse in the long run.¡±

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t expect there to be a long run?¡± Nicole muttered softly.  ¡°We¡¯re now soldiers in a war, one I don¡¯t think we can win.¡±

    ¡°Rangers hold the line,¡± Grace said softly.

    Nicole winced, the phrase having been the rallying cry of a failed stand against the machines.  A phrase she now knew came from the vision she had when the Power came to her.  The very same stand the White Ranger made against the Commander that doomed his team, but they saved the lives of thousands for their efforts.  That phrase had been immortalized as a result, as had the team that died fighting.  It was how she expected to die now that she had joined their ranks.

    ¡°It¡¯s a cheery thought, isn¡¯t it?¡± Grace continued.  ¡°Nobodies turned heroes, fighting for the fate of humanity to the bitter end.  I imagined being a Ranger so many times, yet I never actually expected¡­¡±

    ¡°Me neither,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°It¡¯s just so damn hard to care about anything.  I don¡¯t have any family, and prior to yesterday, I had one friend in the entire world.  Everyone else was dead and gone and I couldn¡¯t afford therapy without my parent¡¯s insurance.¡±

    ¡°And now you have purpose,¡± Grace finished for her.  Nicole smiled, but she knew she didn¡¯t fake it well enough.  ¡°Just know you aren¡¯t alone in all of this.  We¡¯ve got each other, and three other teammates besides.¡±

    ¡°Need a top off?¡± Gertie asked, smiling.

    Nicole nodded, sliding her nearly empty cup to the edge of the table.  The TV was back onto local news, and footage of the Renaissance Faire was being shown, mostly cell footage from prior to the attack, and some that Nicole could tell was taken in prior years.  She nearly startled when Vegetable Justice came on screen and she saw herself.  More importantly, that otherworldly woman was there, clear as day.

    ¡°Grace, TV, now,¡± she hissed.

    Grace turned, then grinned.  ¡°Oh cool, you¡¯re on TV.¡±

    ¡°Oh, looks like I got myself a celebrity,¡± Gertie said.  ¡°Hear that Sam?  We got a famous girl here.¡±

    ¡°So what if she was on TV,¡± he grunted, turning the page on a magazine.  ¡°Doesn¡¯t do us any good.¡±

    ¡°Spoilsport,¡± Gertie snapped back, the banter smooth and good natured.  She topped off Grace¡¯s cup then retreated once more, giving them their vanneer of privacy.

    ¡°What¡¯s so special about that woman next to you?¡± Grace asked in a hushed tone the moment she could.  ¡°Something about her looks¡­  Off.¡±

    ¡°She knew the attack was coming,¡± Nicole said, her knuckles clenched white.  ¡°I tried to warn security, but what could they actually do against those monsters?¡±

    ¡°You think she was one of them?¡± Grace asked, glancing back to the screen which was now showing the pair of them fighting off the automatons together.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°It was so damn weird.  First she showed up out of the blue, then she pulled me out of a spiral and accompanied me until I was more or less functional again.  Then she told me to go home and vanished into thin air.¡±

    ¡°Weird,¡± Grace said, crossing her arms as she sat back, her face scrunched adorably in concentration.  Nicole tried to not stare at her well toned arms.  ¡°Think she might have been something related to your powers?¡±

    Nicole blinked.  She hadn¡¯t even considered that as a possibility.

    ¡°She was dressed in blue, but her look was decidedly goth and not quite human, then you end up the Black Ranger.  Maybe she was some apparition of whatever chooses someone to become a Ranger?¡±

    Was it really that simple?  The Ranger powers picking her ahead of time?  If that was the case, then it raised other questions about how those powers knew an attack was coming.  It was far too heavy subject matter for five a.m. and three hours of sleep.

    ¡°Something to consider,¡± Nicole said, hoping to move to a less existentially terrifying topic.  ¡°Think your wardrobe is going to get an infusion of red going forward?¡±

    Grace blinked for a moment, then snorted.  ¡°Half my wardrobe is already red.  How about you?  All in on black?¡±

    ¡°Same problem,¡± Nicole said, a soft smile coming to her face.  This was a much more comfortable line of thought.  ¡°Poor Jeff, he¡¯s gonna be wearing purple all the time.¡±

    ¡°No worse than Devon,¡± Grace said.  ¡°He¡¯s gonna have to settle for heather gray.¡±

    ¡°Or go full sixties sci-fi aluminum foil,¡± Nicole said, her smile morphing into a grin.  ¡°I could see him being that dramatic.¡±

    Grace snorted, a touch of coffee shooting from her nose as she started coughing.  Nicole tried to stifle her laughter as she passed over a bundle of napkins.  Grace accepted it with one hand, flipping her off with the other.  A single moment of levity didn¡¯t make things better, but it certainly helped.

    ¡°You good,¡± Nicole asked, her voice sickly sweet.

    ¡°Fuck you,¡± Grace said, trying to clear her throat.

    Nicole¡¯s mouth worked before her brain.  ¡°Maybe if you ask nicely.¡±

    Grace paused, clearing her throat as she looked away.  Nicole fought down the rising heat of embarrassment flooding her as she desperately fought the urge to get up and start running.  Why had she said that?  She never did something like that around someone she barely knew, especially not around someone she thought was cute!  She was trying exceptionally hard to not think about how attractive her fellow Ranger was.  Sure, Nicole thought she had flirted at the Blades stall, but that was easily explained as her just being friendly.

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    Nicole knew she was unattractive, being a gymnast had left her with a muscle heavy build, one that her fellow students hadn¡¯t hesitated to make fun of her for.  She¡¯d been called all kinds of names, but the favorites were always some flavor of transphobic comments.  She wasn¡¯t even trans, but people still called her all sorts of shit all because she had the strength to compete on the state level.

    The others on her team didn¡¯t push themselves, they wanted to stay petite.  Nicole decided to give the one thing she was good at a shot and it showed.  She wasn¡¯t nearly as bulky as the girl that went onto the nationals after her accident, but Nicole still had well defined muscles over most of her body, since reinforced by the Ranger power.

    Grace had muscle too, but she wasn¡¯t built like Nicole.  Her arms were toned, her shoulders had a bit of bulk as a result, but it was flattering.  Her choice of costume, with the huge ass axe, really brought together the look.  It worked for her in a way it just wouldn¡¯t if Nicole tried it for herself.

    She¡¯d slacked on her training since high school with the intention to lose some of the bulk over the last few months, but every bit of her lost muscle was back now.  It was why she usually wore bulky clothes.  Men¡¯s shirts hid the muscle better than women¡¯s most of the time, and sweatpants were just good overall.  Yet, she hadn¡¯t worn any of that to see Grace.  She¡¯d grabbed a pair of jeans that hugged her form, and one of her mom¡¯s shirts that was cut for women.

    She¡¯d noticed Grace staring at her muscles a few times during the meeting after the fight.    She¡¯d tried to ignore it, to pass it off as idle curiosity.  The guys had been looking too, especially Devon.  He¡¯d been watching the other two girls on the team rather closely.  Kayla seemed receptive of his attention at least.  Nicole wasn¡¯t going to pry into the interests of her teammates, but she also knew that dating coworkers only led to drama.

    One Ranger team in Texas ended up fighting amongst themselves for a week over a love triangle gone sour.

    ¡°I am curious, how do Ranger teams get from place to place,¡± Grace said after a moment, the change of subject obvious, yet welcomed.  Nicole had dwelt too much on her body issues as it was, nevermind her thoughts about her teammate.  ¡°Like, we never see them driving in the streets, they just arrive within minutes of a new crisis.¡±

    ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll find out,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°Maybe another Ranger will mentor us or something.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯d be going really out of their way if they do,¡± Nicole said, sipping her coffee.  The nearest teams were based in Chicago and St. Louis, either case would be quite the trek and would leave their cities under manned.  ¡°If anyone was going to do it, it would probably be a New York Ranger since they have three active teams.¡±

    Outside, the sun was starting to illuminate the horizon, touches of orange and yellow piercing through the sky as it slowly lit up.  They¡¯d been there for nearly four hours now, and even with the coffee, Nicole was starting to feel the exhaustion creep back in.  The bell on the door rang at that moment, and an older couple stepped inside.

    ¡°We should probably go,¡± Grace said, pulling her wallet out.  Nicole watched as she walked up to the waitress, handing her a trio of twenties, and dropped an additional twenty in the cook¡¯s tip jar.  The man saluted her with a spatula while the waitress hugged her with tears in her eyes.  Nicole resolved to make the little diner her new morning stop.

    ¡°Think you¡¯ll get any sleep?¡± Nicole asked as they got back into the car.  A second car was now pulling into the lot and she knew they¡¯d made the right decision to leave when they did.  The waitstaff hadn¡¯t pried, but there were no guarantees that one of the patrons wouldn¡¯t listen in on them.

    ¡°I¡¯ll probably catch a nap this afternoon,¡± Grace said.  ¡°My roomie decided to go home, so I have the dorm to myself at the moment.¡±

    Nicole nodded, Rebecca would likely go spend time with her boyfriend, taking advantage of the break from classes.  Nicole didn¡¯t want to be alone, but until Becca decided to tell her she was ducking out, she didn¡¯t want to leave her alone either.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to swing by my dorm at any time,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°I don¡¯t know what my roomie¡¯s plans are yet, but odds are she¡¯ll duck out too.¡±

    Grace paused, her key in the ignition.  ¡°You sure?¡±

    Nicole nodded.  ¡°Yeah, we should probably know where each other live.¡±

    ¡°You mean the team, right?¡± Grace asked, the car pulling onto the street.  ¡°We never know when the next attack might occur, best to be safe and all.¡±

    ¡°I was more so thinking about other potential issues,¡± Nicole said softly.  ¡°Between the government, and criminals, the last thing we want is to be caught in a situation where we are forced to reveal ourselves.¡±

    ¡°A mugging would be a shitty way to be revealed as a Ranger,¡± Grace agreed.  ¡°Oh fuck, all my weird fantasies about odd situations are gonna involve colorful transformations now.¡±

    Nicole chuckled.  ¡°Oh good, at least I won¡¯t be the only one.¡±

    She¡¯d often imagined what she might do if she was a Ranger, how she could stop someone trying to attack her or Becca with ease.  Now that it was reality she just felt silly.  That initial transformation had done something, not that she could put a finger on it, but something about her was different, and not just physically.

    After fighting some of the scariest things she could imagine, the Sylan invaders, what situations could even compare?  She needed to try some of her gymnastics, see how she moved both morphed and as she was without her new power coursing through her.  She needed to know her limits, needed to start training again, to learn to fight beyond her basic martial arts practice as a kid.

    Nicole¡¯s phone dinged, and she fished it from her pouch.

    Becca:  Hey, you gonna be back soon?

    Nicole:  I¡¯m actually on my way back now.  Need anything?

    Becca:  Nah.  Colin asked me out to breakfast, figured I¡¯d let you know.

    ¡°Well, that answers that,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°Becca¡¯s heading over to her boyfriend¡¯s.¡±

    Grace hummed.  ¡°Good for her.¡±

    Nicole chuckled, putting the phone away before slumping in her seat.  ¡°I feel so underprepared for all of this.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.  I don¡¯t even know how to fight with an axe.  I just chopped wood at my grandpa¡¯s farm on occasion.¡±

    Nicole tried to avoid drawing comparisons between her new friend and a certain social media lumberjack that loved flannel and maple syrup.  Not that the comparison would be unflattering, far from it, but she didn¡¯t need more intrusive thoughts about her new friend.

    ¡°Maybe we should arrange to spar with our fellow Rangers,¡± Nicole mused.  ¡°It would be safer than trying to fight with our weapons and Renfaire stuff.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Grace said.  ¡°Think you can whip up a group chat and send that off?  I¡¯m a little busy keeping us on the road.¡±

    Nicole rolled her eyes, fingers dancing as she typed up what she hoped would be an appropriate invitation.

    Nicole:  Hey, G and I were wondering if everyone wanted to meet up this afternoon.

    Jeff:  I¡¯m game for that.  What was the plan?

    Nicole:  Lunch, and maybe trying out some of our LARPing stuff, see what we can do now.

    Kayla:  Oh, that¡¯s clever!  Anyplace in mind?

    Devon:  There¡¯s a park not far from Anoka, we could go there.  Lots of woods to keep us out of sight and open fields we can use.

    Kayla:  Damn, did any of us sleep?

    Nicole:  Doesn¡¯t look like it.  How about 3pm?

    She watched the affirmations stream in, a smile on her face.  Nobody had disagreed with the suggestion, which was a relief.  She would have felt like an ass if one of them had fought her on it.  Nicole wasn¡¯t a leader, even in group projects she was the silent one that did their portion of the work and usually a bit more to cover for the more social people in the mix.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing it went well?¡± Grace asked.  At Nicole¡¯s inquisitive look, Grace smirked.  ¡°You¡¯re smiling, so I¡¯m guessing everyone is gonna be there?¡±

    Nicole looked away, watching the city go by as they neared the campus.  ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re gonna meet us around three at a nearby park.¡±

    Grace pumped a fist.  ¡°Oh sweet.  That gives us some time to nap.¡±

    A barking laugh escaped from Nicole before she could help herself, the sentiment was very much echoed by her too.  She was exhausted despite the caffeine practically coursing through her veins.  A nap sounded fucking wonderful, then she would get to stretch her legs and see what she could really do.

    Nicole couldn¡¯t wait.

 Chapter 6 - Practice

    Nicole looked across the rolling fields of green and gold, a handful of butterflies flitting about in the afternoon light. A nap had indeed been obtained, granted it was barely an hour, but she felt better than she had at the diner. Grace once again picked her up, opting to carpool rather than take their own vehicles to the same place. When Grace messaged Jeff it turned out he was off campus visiting his family, but would be on time.

    They ate light, grabbing up some burgers on the way to the park. They were the first to arrive, though the others filtered in not long after and soon they set off down the Monarch long trail until they found an appropriate field for their testing.

    ¡°We¡¯re gonna get covered in ticks,¡± Jeff said, eyeing the grass with a wary eye.

    Kayla laughed, the sound almost melodic as she pranced into the field. ¡°You really don¡¯t get out much, do you? This is great!¡±

    ¡°Says the Druid,¡± Grace said, smiling as she shook her head. ¡°If you¡¯re that worried, just morph first.¡±

    Jeff paused mid breath, clearly preparing for another rant that was abruptly cut off at its knees. ¡°Fair point.¡± He looked over the watch on his wrist before pressing both buttons. ¡°So, I just say roll the dice?¡±

    A flash of purple followed and in his place stood the Purple Ranger with his Dragoon themed helm that was covered in horns. He looked at his gloves briefly and the sharp barbs protruding from them, almost in awe, then he stepped into the field without hesitation.

    ¡°Pussy,¡± Kayla said with a smirk, then fell back into the grass with arms outstretched as if it were water. ¡°Great choice of location, I didn¡¯t even know this existed. I think I¡¯m gonna start coming here more often.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it,¡± Devon said. ¡°I loved this place growing up and remembered the fields and thought it might work.¡±

    Nicole nodded along, looking across the stretch of grass as it rippled in the breeze. It really was perfect for their needs, and the odds of someone spotting them depended on how occupied the trails were. Still, as low as the likelihood of someone seeing them might be, it still wasn¡¯t zero.

    ¡°Roll the Dice,¡± Nicole said, throwing a holographic D20 forward as a flash of inverted light enveloped her and brought with it a surge of power. ¡°Shall we begin?¡±

    Grace grinned, pressing her own morpher before speaking the words, flicking her own die, and flashed red. Her helm held the tricorne design of her old outfit and the waist flaps kept an impression of her old tailcoat rather well. ¡°Let¡¯s get to it!¡±

    Nicole grinned, stepping off to the side of the others, facing Grace the whole way as she adopted the karate stance she vaguely remembered. Nicole hadn¡¯t practiced in nearly a decade, and barely advanced to green belt before dropping out. She couldn¡¯t remember if that was anything impressive, but she didn¡¯t think since she at least remembered that brown and black were the highest.

    On the other hand, Grace had said she didn¡¯t have any real fighting experience prior to becoming a Ranger, just that she knew how to swing an axe. Nicole had a theory about Rangers, one she was about to test. The others had morphed, and settled in to watch, all that was left was to kick it off.

    A wasp flitted past Nicole¡¯s helmet, and she was surprised at just what she could perceive of its flight. Each wingbeat was in slow motion, her perception far beyond even her phone¡¯s best slow motion function. It was strange how the helmet was so unintrusive, she could tell it was there, yet it didn¡¯t intrude upon anything in her normal field of vision. Taking a deep breath, Nicole pushed off, her foot digging deep into the soft earth then she was halfway to Grace in the time it took the wasp to flap its wings.

    Grace wasn¡¯t sitting idle, her arm coming up to block Nicole¡¯s punch, which she allowed, flowing into a roundhouse that caught Grace right in her side and sent her tumbling. Something sparked on impact, and Nicole realized that it was some sort of kinetic barrier projected around their suits.

    Shaking that realization off, she fell back into her stance, letting Grace try her hand at a distance closer. It was strange how their enhanced strength and speed worked, something about it felt weird, like she was missing something. She didn¡¯t have time to dwell upon it as Grace crashed into her shoulder first, opting to use overwhelming brute force rather than finesse.

    Nicole found herself tumbling from the impact, each bounce carving through the dirt and rock of the field, each impact throwing sparks. Her journey came to an abrupt stop as her back became well acquainted with an ancient tree trunk as wide as she was tall. Nicole couldn¡¯t help but laugh as she regained her bearings. She hadn¡¯t felt a thing, just a dullness to each hit. After taking a moment to savor the rush of what just happened, Nicole pulled herself free, fingers splintering the bark and wood under her enhanced grip.

    ¡°You alright?¡± Grace yelled, her voice slightly distorted by the helmet.

    She decided to be cheeky, forming her energy blades in hand and flicked them towards her newest friend. Grace yelped, dodging with a bit of a flail as she stumbled and fell on her ass. Kayla cackled, she was morphed but had set her helmet aside and kept her hood down as she watched. She definitely fit the definition of a druid for as much as she seemed to enjoy nature.

    ¡°Bitch!¡± Grace exclaimed, hopping back to her feet, then her axe was in hand and Nicole smiled for a moment, right up until Grace reared back and threw the damn thing right for her.

    Rather than dodge, Nicole stood firm and drew her own curved blades. The axe was moving swiftly, but not so fast that she couldn¡¯t follow it. Nicole¡¯s dagger caught the axe broadside, defecting it just enough to soar past her. The impact sounded like a meteor impact behind her, but she didn¡¯t flinch.

    Rangers didn¡¯t look at explosions after all.

    Grace¡¯s head tilted to the side while Jeff and Kayla cheered. Nicole started to stalk forward, picking up speed with each step forward until she had fallen into a sprint. Grace hadn¡¯t moved from her spot and Nicole was just starting to wonder what she had planned when her hand snapped up, held open as if...

    Nicole¡¯s eyes widened as she dove into a roll, the massive axe sailing just past where she had been and smacking firmly into Grace¡¯s waiting hand. Nicole got back to her feet easily enough, and she couldn¡¯t help but clap for the display.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t know it could do that,¡± Grace said, looking over her weapon. ¡°Think we should all try it?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Nicole said, hurling her daggers into the distance. She focused on where they stuck themselves into the distant tree. Rather than dislodging themselves, they vanished into motes of light and reappeared in her hands. ¡°That¡¯s different.¡±

    ¡°Oh, let me try,¡± Kayla said, her staff appearing in hand in a swirl of multicolored petals.

    It was quite a beautiful display.

    Kayla hurled the staff skyward, and it quickly turned into a speck on the horizon, though Nicole could still see it in perfect clarity as if it was right in front of her. That was probably the most disconcerting part of the whole becoming a Ranger thing, the enhanced senses. She could hear the ants crawling at her feet, each flap of a butterfly¡¯s wing, everything was sharp as hell when she morphed and it was proving to be quite disconcerting even if she was able to tune them out with a bit of focus.

    Nicole was forced to admit that she was now a walking Kungfu movie stereotype.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Soon, Jeff was throwing and recalling his spear while Devon was trying to figure out his own method of ranged attack. Kayla then proceeded to summon her vines, shrug, and wove them into a hammock and took a seat on it with a gentle hum.

    After several minutes of just tossing and recalling their weapons, and Nicole trying and failing to properly juggle her blades, Devon yelled in frustration as he stomped off to pick up his blade again.

    ¡°Why won¡¯t this work?¡± He yelled, lifting up the sword and waving it about. ¡°It works for all of you.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re looking at it from the wrong angle,¡± Nicole said, stepping beside him. ¡°We seem to operate off of some weird fantasy logic, so perhaps you could try a blade beam?¡±

    Devon scoffed. ¡°Like that would work.¡±

    ¡°Maybe give it a try before dismissing what she says?¡± Grace snapped back before forcing herself to relax with visible effort. ¡°Seriously, just chill. We¡¯re all learning here, no need to lash out at your fellow Ranger for trying to help.¡±

    Rather than glare at Grace, he looked to his sword, his expression was hidden by his helmet just like they all were. Even Kayla had put hers back on while they practiced with hurled projectiles, though it had taken a near miss to get the point across. After a few minutes of nothing happening, Jeff and Kayla went back to playing with the recall ability of their weapons.

    Nicole was leaning against a tree, watching Devon closely when Grace stepped beside her.

    ¡°You sure you aren¡¯t just having him on right now?¡± Grace asked.

    Nicole shook her head. ¡°No. I figure it¡¯s something like my throwing knives, he just has to figure out the best way to channel it.¡±

    The area was peaceful, aside from the occasional flash of a thrown weapon, it was a stark contrast to the chaos that they had survived just a day ago. They¡¯d come out changed, with a power no person should reasonably have, but allowed them to protect and save others. Nicole knew she wasn¡¯t worthy of it, few people would be.

    They were all the city had, the only line of defense that would be able to protect the civilians from the Sylan invaders. It was a bit of a joke, even if she was having fun trying out the new abilities she possessed as the Black Ranger.

    ¡°We¡¯re so far out of our element here,¡± Grace said, almost echoing her thoughts. ¡°Even if we train non-stop, will we be ready for the next attack?¡±

    ¡°Probably not,¡± Nicole said softly. ¡°Worse, I expect the casualties to be higher next time.¡±

    Grace¡¯s red helmet turned. ¡°How do you figure?¡±

    ¡°Reading over past attacks,¡± Nicole said. ¡°Typically, places attacked without a Ranger presence use weaker machines and withhold the mutants. When Rangers are selected and mount a defense, those weaker machines aren¡¯t sent in anymore. We¡¯ll start seeing the upgraded models, but in smaller numbers, along with more things like that mutant scorpion.¡±

    Grace made a gagging sound. ¡°That thing looked horrific, with the oozing flesh and metal aesthetic. You would think they looked at some horror films and ran with it just to unnerve us.¡±

    ¡°They might have,¡± Nicole agreed. ¡°What do we actually know about the invaders? We know we¡¯re not the first, someone had to create these powers and point them at the Sylan.¡±

    The vision she¡¯d had of their losing battle against the invaders had been sobering. It showed what they could bring to the field if push came to shove, and it made her wonder why they didn¡¯t just flood the planet and take over. There had to be a reason beyond not wanting the human race to retaliate with nukes and irradiate the planet.

    ¡°Little to nothing,¡± Grace agreed. ¡°Our military did decently enough for the technology gap, but they held air supremacy before the first day was done.¡±

    ¡°Then the Rangers came and the tactics changed with them,¡± Nicole mused.

    There had to be some significance to that, why the invaders were spooked by the appearance of the Rangers. A flash of silver light drew her attention and Nicole found herself smiling. Devon held the glowing sword high, then swung, an arc of energy shooting off across the field before felling several trees.

    ¡°Nice,¡± Grace said, kicking off the tree and walking towards their fellow Ranger. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve all got a ranged option now. That¡¯s a good start.¡±

    ¡°It sure is,¡± Devon agreed, swinging his sword again. Another flash of silver shot off into the sky, disrupting a low cloud as it disappeared into the distance. ¡°I¡¯d say this was a rather successful training session.¡±

    Kayla snorted, then summoned her staff back as she hopped off her vines. ¡°Think we¡¯ve got other tricks related to our forms?¡±

    ¡°What, like Black over there going invisible?¡± Jeff asked, leaning on his spear.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Nicole said softly, focusing on the power flowing through her. Could she do something like that? Invisibility stirred nothing within her mind, but the thought of shadows... She stepped over to the woodline and into the shade of a large tree. Immediately she felt different, almost comforted by the cover of darkness, weak as it was. ¡°Can everyone still see me?¡±

    ¡°Duh?¡± Devon scoffed. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me that was a racist joke.¡±

    ¡°Fuck no,¡± Nicole said, genuinely offended by the implication. ¡°It¡¯s just, being in the shadows feels different to me, almost as if it¡¯s where I belong.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s how I felt when we stepped into the woods!¡± Kayla exclaimed. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re onto something with that.¡±

    Kayla almost skipped out into the field, her staff in hand as she slammed it down, letting the vines flow freely. Nothing seemed all that different from the first fight, at least at first, then she saw that the staff seemed to be taking root in the ground itself. Nicole watched in fascination as the entire thing seemed to blossom in the setting sunlight.

    ¡°Okay, as beautiful as this looks,¡± Jeff started to say, then those roots erupted from the earth and ensnared all four of them in a blink.

    Nicole yelped, falling back, and through the vines, her vision turning monochrome as she landed in the dirt. Shit, what did she just do? How did she even do it? She¡¯d been trapped, needed to get away, to fade back into the background where she would be ignored. Was that it?

    Nicole hopped to her feet and skipped back, her movements still just as physical as ever despite being out of sync with the greater world. The ground somehow didn¡¯t count as something she could phase through, or maybe it was something else preventing her from falling into the earth itself.

    ¡°Shit, where did Black go?¡± Devon asked.

    The others were free of the vines and looking around, Grace especially seemed a bit frantic. Chuckling, Nicole started walking over to them, still out of sync with the rest of the world. She felt a bit sluggish when the light touched her, as if she wasn¡¯t even morphed, which was a fair trade off for being outside the tangible spectrum when shrouded in darkness.

    ¡°Nicole!¡± her friend yelled, hands cupped around the mouth guard of her helmet. ¡°Shit, everyone, fan out. She can¡¯t be far.¡±

    Nicole chose that moment to unclench her hold on that power, and the world came back to color around her as she stepped into the clearing with them. ¡°Why¡¯s everyone yelling? I¡¯m right here.¡±

    Grace spun quickly, jumping back as she did. The others visibly relaxed, Devon¡¯s shield dropping from a defensive stance, and Kayla¡¯s vines calming in their agitation. It was almost sad that they couldn¡¯t see her cheeky smile, it was a really good trick and she was going to experiment with it as much as she could. Something about that feeling told her she could vary the effect and she was eager to test it.

    ¡°Woah, how did you, you know?¡± Jeff asked, gesturing at the open field as he did.

    ¡°Stealth field,¡± Nicole answered. ¡°When the vines grabbed me I felt a need to get away and it clicked. I slipped right through as if they weren¡¯t even there.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s way more than just a stealth field, girl,¡± Grace said as she stepped forward, holding up an open hand. Nicole high fived her, then Grace punched her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t scare us like that again.¡±

    ¡°No promises,¡± Nicole answered coyly.

    ¡°Hey!¡± As one, all five of the Rangers turned to the source of the voice. The man was wearing a tan cowboy hat and matching uniform. He didn¡¯t appear armed, but that didn¡¯t mean much. ¡°You¡¯re destroying protected forests, I¡¯m going to have to... Oh shit, you¡¯re the new Rangers.¡±

    Looking around, they¡¯d made a mess of the field, and some of the forest besides. The sun was setting, the sky beginning to fall into the oranges of the late evening. It was a good start, but she knew they would need to do more if they wanted to be ready. Unfortunately, they had indeed made quite the mess of the area.

    Kayla took the initiative, stepping forward. ¡°Sorry about that. We needed somewhere away from people that wouldn¡¯t be easily seen.¡± She then slammed her staff back into the earth, and her vines spread out. Flowers blossomed across the field. ¡°It¡¯s not perfect, but I can at least ease the mark we leave behind us.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± the man said. ¡°That... I suppose that works, but you¡¯re still out of line.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t happen again,¡± Jeff said, saluting. ¡°Keep up the work, officer!¡±

    Grace nodded. ¡°Yup. We¡¯ll just be on our way now.¡±

    With that, the five of them took off into a sprint, leaving the bewildered park officer in their wake.

 Chapter 7 - Fire

    Adrift.

    That was a good word for how Nicole felt ever since her parents were killed.  She couldn¡¯t even claim a desire for vengeance because even if they were killed during an incursion, it had been human hands that ended their lives.  The Sylan were just the excuse that the real monsters used to justify their crimes.

    Despite becoming a Ranger, her new responsibilities had done little to give Nicole a concrete reason to continue.  All it really did was give her a way to bow out honorably and with purpose.  Dying in the line of duty had a good ring to it, just another fallen Ranger in the grand scheme of a war they were fated to lose.

    She had a feeling she wouldn¡¯t be the last either.

    The automatons were lethal, there was no doubt about that, but those had yet to kill a Ranger in true combat.  It was the mutants that often came with them that posed the real danger, and her team had it easy so far.  The creature they had fought wasn¡¯t particularly strong, and went down to some basic teamwork that was put together on the fly.

    She already dreaded the next attack and the escalation it would no doubt bring.  There were a bunch of theories on the net about why the Sylans chose their targets but few made sense.  It wasn¡¯t like the invaders were some force of nature from another dimension, or mindless monsters.  They were of a  spacefaring race, which meant they had to be intelligent.

    The Rangers were little more than a roadblock to blind conquest.  If that first team hadn¡¯t emerged and drew the invader¡¯s ire the world would have been lost.  Now she was a part of that ongoing war.  A warrior on the front lines.

    So, she found herself wandering the streets late at night, just trying to get some fresh air and hopefully wear herself out enough to actually get some sleep that wasn¡¯t drug induced.  She¡¯d sworn off all sleep aids, and for good reason.  Absently, her fingers brushed the semicolon tattoo on her wrist, then she broke out into a jog.

    Nicole once used running as a way to escape her problems, letting the world fade into a blur as her feet carried her wherever they might.  She tried to ignore the memories of how she used to hope for a mugging gone wrong, or how she still wanted a mugger to try and see what it got them.

    She¡¯d even tried free running a few years back, but a near miss had spooked her parents enough to put a stop to it.  If not for general apathy she might have taken it back up following their passing rather than simply continue her daily jogs through the bad parts of town.

    Things were different following her selection as a Ranger.  Her body practically vibrated with raw power, her feet felt lighter, her steps surer than ever before.  Thankfully there weren¡¯t many on the streets to witness her bout of superhuman footwork as she practically flew across the sidewalk.

    It almost made her itch to get back onto the gymnastic mats and see what she could do with the power she now wielded.  Not that she would, there were too many memories associated with her former passion.  She willed herself to move faster, and she did.  Blocks blurred as she ran, following the curving path of the Mississippi.

    There were almost no stars in the night sky, the city lights drowning out the sight of the Milky Way.  There was one star that stood out, always hanging near the moon in the sky, and sometimes it was even visible during the day.  The Sylan battlecruiser, the source of the invasion forces that she was now charged with fighting.

    She wasn¡¯t sure how long she had been running, or even quite where she was, the sign said she was still on Mississippi Blvd, but that road ran an almost absurdly long distance.  She couldn¡¯t remember passing the dam, but given her current speed, she might just have.  That she was back into the residential areas meant she probably was well beyond it and nearing the end of the road, something she had never managed on any other attempt.

    Nicole emerged from the tree line, wondering how long until she would turn around and head back towards the college when she turned a corner only to look up at a massive plume of smoke that engulfed the night sky ahead of her.  It wasn¡¯t close, not for a normal person on foot, but she wasn¡¯t normal now was she?  She pressed both buttons on her watch and was engulfed in a flash of not-light and suddenly her former speed was as if she had been standing still.

    She must have crossed a mile in mere moments and soon she stood just outside of the Riverside Apartments, two of which were currently ablaze.  Fire crews were just arriving, and it seemed they weren¡¯t the only thing on fire either, a warehouse just behind them was also ablaze, and the source of most of the smoke.

    Her first instinct was to clear the way for the professionals, but she wasn¡¯t a bystander, she was a fucking Ranger.  Gritting her teeth in determination, Nicole hurried over to one of the firefighters that seemed to be directing things.

    ¡°Where do you need me?¡± she demanded.

    The man blinked, be it in surprise or disbelief she wasn¡¯t sure.

    ¡°Uh, we haven¡¯t cleared either building, but some people have evacuated, try asking them if there¡¯s still people inside, I imagine your suit is a bit more protective than ours.¡±

    Nicole nodded, not wanting to waste more time on small talk and hurried over to where people had congregated in the parking lot away from the emergency vehicles.  One person was being held back, screaming hysterically.

    ¡°My son is missing!¡± she screamed.

    Nicole froze for a single beat of her heart, a chill running down her spine at the visceral terror those words held.  That woman was about to lose her entire world, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.  Well, she certainly could do something.

    ¡°Which apartment?¡± Nicole asked, projecting her voice as she did.

    The woman turned, tears streaking down her face as she practically threw those holding her back off of her and lunged right at Nicole, gripping her frantically.  She practically screeched the number, and wasn¡¯t letting go.  Reaching for that feeling she¡¯d barely figured out in the park, Nicole phased out of her grip, the woman stumbled before she looked about in frantic confusion for the now concealed Ranger.  Not wanting to torture the frantic mother, Nicole only took a few steps back before turning visible once more.

    Then she was a blur, bursting through the indicated door only for a blast of flames to wash over her as the draft added an inordinate amount of fuel to the fire.  Not her smartest move, and now the entire living room was fully engulfed.  Right, find the kid first, worry about how to do this shit better later.

    It wasn¡¯t big, not by any stretch, and only three doors led off from the main living room and kitchen space.  The first was open, and led to a bathroom.  The tub was clear, so she phased through the wall, entering the next room without risking any draft from her high speed movement.  Okay, parent¡¯s room based on everything she could see.

    Phasing once more, she crossed the hall and entered the kid¡¯s room.  She immediately heard coughing coming from under the bed, which had small bits of flame catching on the blanket.  She slid down, falling prone even as flames licked at her suit, the heat barely registering through the protective material.  The kid was there, having crawled under his bed for safety.  He must have woken up after the flames reached his room.  Nicole couldn¡¯t help the stab at her heart at seeing just how young the kid was.  He probably wasn¡¯t even old enough to attend school.  How had his mother not gone to get him when the alarms went off?

    Whatever, those would be questions for the proper authorities.

    ¡°Hey kid,¡± she said, smiling before she realized he wouldn¡¯t be able to see it.  ¡°How about I get you out of here before the literal roof comes down on us?¡±

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    He stared, wide eyed at Nicole, unmoving, not even breathing.  Then he grinned.  Sighing in relief that he hadn¡¯t just croaked in front of her, she stood, grabbed the edge of the bed, and lifted it up.  It was practically weightless to her enhanced strength, and she easily tossed it aside.  The kid was scooped up under her arm and she reached back with her free hand, forming a cluster of her throwing knives before using them to decimate the window.

    ¡°Hang on,¡± she said, stepping forward as she shifted so he was cradled in both arms.  Nicole took a brief moment to feel the twinge of fear that came with being up so high, then before she could second guess herself, she jumped.  Wind rushed past as she dropped from the third floor window down to the walkway.  She made sure her legs took the brunt of it, though the kid still let out a startled yelp before he started to cough and giggle at the same time.  People were still holding the mother back, so she reoriented the young boy to sit on her shoulder and walked him over to the waiting group.  ¡°He¡¯s fine, maybe some smoke inhalation.  Make sure the EMTs get a look at him.¡±

    The mother barely heard her, clutching the boy tight as she sobbed incoherently.  One of the others that had been holding the woman back smiled at her, patting Nicole¡¯s shoulder.  She wanted to stay, but there were likely others in need of help, or pets still trapped that she might be able to help.  The firefighters now had water on the worst of the blaze and more trucks were arriving along with the first of the ambulances.

    She returned to where those in charge of the response seemed to be, and they had several suiting up with masks preparing.  They all took one look at her, then at each other before a different person stepped forward from before.

    ¡°Hell of a showing,¡± the man said.  ¡°Name¡¯s Grayson.  I¡¯m the chief over in Maple Grove.¡±

    ¡°Nic¡ª¡± Nicole started only to clamp her jaw shut, her cheeks warming under her helm.  ¡°Uh, pretend you didn¡¯t hear that.¡±

    Chief Grayson laughed, poking at his covered ear with thick gloved fingers.  ¡°Hear what?  You stay in this line of business long enough and that¡¯s the first thing to go with how loud shit can be.¡±

    Nicole couldn¡¯t help but smile, hoping that her slip up wouldn¡¯t get repeated.  Something told her that she could trust him to keep the secret.  ¡°Where do you need me?¡±

    At that question, Grayson shifted his hand to rub the back of his helmet.  ¡°We have limited confirmation of who is and isn¡¯t accounted for.  How able are you to perform recon in the worst of the blaze?¡±

    ¡°Uh, honestly not sure,¡± she admitted.  ¡°Still getting used to things and these powers didn¡¯t exactly come with a manual.¡±

    He chuckled at the lame joke, which was sort of nice of him, she supposed.  ¡°Well, no time like the present,¡± Grayson said, then turned to the inferno.  ¡°Start in there, and if it¡¯s too much come back and let me know, I¡¯ll shuffle people around to make due.¡±

    ¡°You got it,¡± she said, returning her focus back to the blaze.

    Not letting the instinctive fear hold her back, Nicole rushed towards the hellfire and reached out with her senses.  The shadows welcomed her as she let herself shift while in motion, phasing through the closest door without losing her momentum.  She would need to practice more with the limits of that ability, but for now it was far too useful to ignore.  It was time to do some good that wasn¡¯t just breaking machines with her fists, and honestly, this almost felt more fulfilling in some way.

    <hr>

    Ever so carefully, Nicole eased the door open to her dorm.  The temptation to just phase into her room certainly existed, but she didn¡¯t want to chance someone on campus seeing her and doing the basic arithmetic that would follow.  Instead, she was sneaking back in like she was returning from a particularly embarrassing one night stand, which was far more innocuous when college students were involved.

    She probably saw others doing exactly that at least once a week.

    Three more people, and twelve pets were pulled out of the fire after that first kid, and she thanked her lucky stars that she hadn¡¯t been the one to discover the first body, or the second.  An elderly couple had died in bed together, seemingly sound asleep.  There was no way to know if they¡¯d died of the smoke or if something else had ended their time on earth.  Everyone had sort of paused for a moment upon their discovery, and it wasn¡¯t the last of the grim finds.

    Nicole wouldn¡¯t soon forget the sight of a scorched dog, wrapped protectively around her puppies even as her flesh charred.  The mother didn¡¯t make it, nor did one of the three nursing pups.  She¡¯d needed a moment after getting them out to collect herself.  By then it felt like half the city¡¯s fire crews were on the scene and the burden on her to scour every corner was relieved.

    It was sobering, to see so many normal people working to help others, to be reminded how powerless they were in the face of something beyond them.  Yet, they never gave up, didn¡¯t stop until they were sure that everyone was accounted for.  People were tenacious like that, and she felt a bit of pride at being right there with them through all of it.

    Fighting fires wasn¡¯t punching faceless machines, or repelling an invasion, but she¡¯d enjoyed it.  It was something fulfilling, and a very different sort of thrill to what she got while she was out acting as a Ranger.  Despite the depressing sights, the disturbing finds, she wanted more of it.  The sight of that little boy smiling when he realized everything was going to be okay would forever remain seared into her memory.  Chief Grayson had said he worked in Maple Grove, which wasn¡¯t too far from Anoka, maybe he could help her volunteer for more search and rescue work with his department.

    No wonder the Fire Rescue Rangers always seemed so upbeat in interviews, they were always out there, they left the fights to the other teams, and instead focused on helping the people that needed them.  Maybe there was something to that, it certainly wouldn¡¯t hurt to explore those feelings more.

    Maybe she could even bring Grace next time.

    The door carefully clicked shut, Nicole thought she was home free, then the lights all came on at once.  She turned, fists up, ready for whatever ambush was waiting for her within the walls of her own home.  She¡¯d almost expected the strange woman from the Renaissance Faire to be sitting on her couch, so the sight of Becca holding her phone with a scowl on her face was a welcome sight.

    For all of three seconds.

    Nicole swallowed, then tried to force a smile.  ¡°Hey Becca, you¡¯re up early.¡±

    ¡°And you were out late,¡± she countered frostily as she stood up and walked over.  ¡°Never mind that you smell like you¡¯ve been smoking something unsavory.¡±

    Oh shit, she could smell the fire?  So much for the Ranger suit blocking that stuff from getting into her clothes, or something else was at fault there, because she waited till she was halfway back to the dorms before dropping the transformation.

    Then, Rebecca cracked, a muffled giggle-snort followed and she was then laughing.  ¡°Oh shit, your face.  Seriously, you know I can¡¯t smell shit since the plague, lighten up.¡±

    Some of the tension bled out of Nicole, but not all of it.  She knew Becca well enough to know that there was still another shoe to drop.  She crossed her arms, waiting for Becca to calm down.  It took longer than she would have liked.

    ¡°You done?¡± Nicole asked once the laughing was settled back into snickering.  ¡°It wasn¡¯t that funny of a joke.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Rebecca said, pausing to take a breath, ¡°it was funny because you looked like I just caught you in bed with a cute girl.  So, spill.¡±

    Nicole blinked, not having expected that.  Worse, her thoughts immediately turned to Grace¡¯s smiling face and she felt heat creeping up her cheeks.  Nicole tried several times to give voice to her denial, but it came out choked, taking far more attempts than she would have liked and only served to damn her further before she finally got some words out.

    ¡°I just went for a jog, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°To this mysterious girl¡¯s dorm no doubt,¡± Rebecca teased.  ¡°Seriously Nikki, lighten up.  I¡¯m not one to chastise you for sneaking out to see someone.  Hell, I wasn¡¯t even planning to stop by, but I needed a few things and got a bit worried when you weren¡¯t here.  Usually you message me when you¡¯re stepping out.¡±

    Nicole blushed, looking away.  ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t expecting you to be in tonight, so I didn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Nikki, it¡¯s okay,¡± Becca said, her words soft and gentle.  ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m just giving you shit.  I don¡¯t really care why you might have been out so long as it doesn¡¯t result in our dorm getting wrecked.  Have fun, be safe about it, and all is well.¡±

    That only made her face burn, despite having felt none of it the entire time she was practically dancing through the blaze to find more victims.  More so, she wanted to open up to Rebecca, tell her about being a Ranger and her new team.  The only thing that stopped her was the very real fear that it might out other members of her team if she did so.

    She wouldn¡¯t ask her to keep secrets from Colin, she couldn¡¯t do that to her best friend.  Messaging Grace would help, as would setting up another meetup at the diner, she kinda missed the place.  Cementing those plans, Nicole pulled Rebecca into a hug and buried her face in her shoulder to hide the rising heat on her face.

    ¡°What did I do to deserve a friend like you?¡±

    A huff of air escaped Becca as she returned the hug.  ¡°Dummy, you didn¡¯t do a damn thing.  I¡¯m your friend because I chose to be.  You¡¯re worth it all on your own, no qualifiers necessary.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s eyes burned as she tried to bury her face deeper, to hide the tears that she couldn¡¯t stop.  If Rebecca was upset about the growing patch of moisture on her shirt, she didn¡¯t give voice to those complaints, and for that Nicole was grateful.

 Chapter 8 - Department

    Nicole frowned down at her homework, trying to power through the workload her professors thought was acceptable for a week of downtime.  It wasn¡¯t an unreasonable amount for self study, but some people were grieving, or traumatized.  She didn¡¯t get a pass just because she was there, neither did Grace for that matter.  It was all due on Monday, though some professors would be more lenient than others.

    At least there weren¡¯t many fields that actually studied the Rangers or Sylans in any depth.  Most of those were advanced courses on theoretical physics, energy waveforms, or any other words that Becca sometimes casually threw out like Nicole would understand them.  Sure, her best friend might be one of the brightest up and coming researchers, but that didn¡¯t mean Nicole absorbed much knowledge by proximity.

    The thing was, after going out and rescuing people from the fires, Nicole was going more than a little stir crazy.  She wanted to get back out there but she had no idea how to go about it without falling back on running around and hoping to stumble upon another emergency.  That felt a bit too much like patrolling in the superhero comics, which was why it was being held as a last resort.

    Maybe she could try to track down Chief Grayson over in Maple Grove, but that would inevitably result in her being outed as a Ranger.  Nicole wasn¡¯t ready to make that leap just yet.  Hell, she wasn¡¯t even ready to tell Rebecca, and that girl may as well have been her sister.  Continuing to keep such a secret from her didn¡¯t sit well with Nicole, but there were a few outed Ranger teams out in the world and it never ended well for them, at least in her opinion.  She didn¡¯t need that sort of attention or spotlight on her life.

    Not that she thought Rebecca would out her, but she¡¯d also be asking her best friend to keep a major secret from her boyfriend.  That was a burden Nicole wasn¡¯t ready to drop on her shoulders, especially since she had already neglected to tell her right away.

    Maybe she could go down to one of the stations anyway, in street clothes, maybe ask around about classes she could take for first aid and emergency care.  That could even open up a window for her to eventually start volunteering.  Nicole took one more look at her remaining homework, scoffed, and grabbed her belt and pouch before heading out the door.

    Just as she hit the campus proper, she had a thought and a moment later Grace answered her text, offering to join her for a ¡®spontaneous outing¡¯.  She hadn¡¯t talked to any of her fellow Rangers about the prior night, and surprisingly, it barely scored a passing mention on the news.  The fires got a two minute segment on the morning show, and a passing mention on a local news site, and exactly one picture of her had made it to the press.  Funny enough, it was her cradling the boy as she handed him back to his mother.

    She¡¯d bought a paper during her morning jog just so she could pin the cutout on her wall, someday.  Nicole knew she would need to wait until she finally got the nerve to tell Becca and Colin before making a display that either painted her as the Black Ranger, or as her creepiest fangirl in the city.

    Then again, creepy fangirl was probably a good cover.

    It took a few minutes, but Grace was quick to come out to greet her, waving as she approached.  ¡°Nicole!  Thanks for rescuing me from that boring ass essay.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± she said with a shrug.  She tried to ignore that Grace was wearing a black shirt, and hoped that she did the same when it came to her own red tank top.  ¡°Was going a bit stir crazy myself, especially after last night.¡±

    ¡°Last night?¡± Grace asked, tilting her head in thought.  ¡°What happened?  You okay?¡±

    Nicole blinked before she realized what she said sounded worse than it was.  ¡°Oh, nothing bad, just went out for a late jog, ended up coming up on those apartment fires last night.¡±

    ¡°Apartment fires?¡±

    Sighing, Nicole pulled out her phone and the bookmarked article and passed it to her friend.  ¡°Yeah, I ended up helping with the search and rescue.  They got a good picture of me with one of the kids I pulled out.¡±

    Grace scrolled the article, her eyes lighting up at one point, then she apparently reached the comments, and proceeded to burst out laughing.  ¡°Oh my god, that is adorable.¡±

    Nicole snatched her phone back, only to see a new video.  She hit replay and was treated to one of the cats she¡¯d pulled out, swatting her helmet.

    She didn¡¯t even realize that someone was recording that.

    Nicole¡¯s shoulders slumped as her head dropped.  ¡°Great, knowing my luck that will go viral.¡±

    Chuckling, Grace patted her on the back.  ¡°There¡¯s worse things to go viral over.  Remember that one asshole in Texas?¡±

    Nicole grimaced, as it was a reminder that people didn¡¯t become a Ranger because they were paragons of humanity.  No, even the phobic assholes sometimes got picked, then they couldn¡¯t keep their mouth shut while in public.  It brought to question the voice that had claimed her to be worthy.  Did that man hear the same call to action?

    Had Grace?

    Nicole hadn¡¯t mentioned the voice to anyone just yet for fear that she alone had heard those words being spoken.  That she was so desperate for validation she hallucinated the entire thing.  Last night had been the first time she felt like she earned those words, and she was desperate for more of that feeling.  A sense of purpose that was fulfilling beyond scrapping a few machines once a week.

    ¡°So, you mentioned plans?¡± Grace asked after a moment, a smirk on her lips as she leaned in close.  ¡°I¡¯ve got the afternoon free which means I¡¯m all yours.¡±

    Grace punctuated the statement with a wink that had Nicole looking away to hide the warmth on her cheeks that inadvertent phrasing inspired.  It took a moment to school herself, even as Grace stepped back with a soft giggle.

    ¡°Well, I wanted to look into what it takes to become a proper fire fighter,¡± Nicole said, clearing her throat to make sure the next words she spoke carried the meaning she meant for them.  ¡°I felt more fulfillment from helping those people than I did from fighting the Sylans, fucked as that sounds.  Going out there and helping those who can¡¯t help themselves?  It felt more like what a Ranger should be.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s some deep thoughts,¡± Grace said, crossing her arms as she looked up to the overcast sky.  ¡°Well, why the hell not?  You picked out a station to swing by to ask around?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I have one in mind.  Care to give me a lift?¡± Nicole asked before tossing out her own quip.  ¡°Or should we go for a bit of an afternoon run?¡±

    Chuckling, Grace waved for her to follow.  ¡°Come on, we¡¯re burning what passes for daylight in these parts.¡±

    Nicole followed Grace to her car, hopping in the now much cleaner passenger side.  It was funny, she was all but certain running would be faster, but would only invite more questions and some uncomfortable answers if they both showed up on foot.  No, driving was unfortunately safer, even if she still had trust issues after the accident that claimed her grandparents, yet left her unharmed.

    Grace put on some heavy metal, but kept the volume low as they pulled out onto the streets, her GPS already set for the destination.  It was a wonder the invaders hadn¡¯t taken all the satellites out with their opening salvo given how reliant upon them humanity was.  They only hit military targets during the initial incursion, the first Ranger team being a group of National Guard in New York, defending Manhattan as the civilians retreated.

    That actually seemed to be a recurring pattern with emerging Ranger teams, helping to repel an attack in progress, and it fit their own experience.  Both she and Grace had been actively fighting to protect others when the Power came to them, for whatever that meant.  She only hoped she could earn that honor before she fell in the line of duty.

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    One particularly upbeat metal song came on, the lyrics so outlandish that she couldn¡¯t help but laugh.  Grace smiled, head moving with the beat and lips silently following along.  The enthusiasm was infectious between the pair and by the time the second chorus began, they were both animatedly singing along with the lyrics.

    Though she only knew a few of the words, it was freeing and fun.  The next song was no less infectious, though of a completely different style and band.  Their antics continued until they were pulling into the parking lot of the Maple Grove station, their windows rolled down and the music now blaring loudly enough that several of the firefighters stopped to watch the pair with more than a few amused smiles.  Nicole didn¡¯t even care to hide her embarrassment as the music cut off and they got out of the car, still laughing at their own antics.

    Nicole was a bit disappointed that their fun had ended, but it wasn¡¯t like she couldn¡¯t just do so again once they concluded their business at the station.  Grace batted at her playfully, and she let herself stumble slightly rather than respond with a display of athletics that would draw far more attention than she wanted.

    She learned that lesson the hard way back in high school.  It turned out that people don¡¯t care if you¡¯re on the gymnastics team, showboating in the halls was frowned upon, even when someone trips you and the alternative was a painful face plant into the floor.  Pushing that frustrating thought aside, Nicole walked up to the approaching man.  He was fit and deeply tanned, wearing a tight fitting shirt with a department logo on the chest.  He had a few tattoos along his muscular arms, but none appeared to be distasteful.  His black hair was trimmed into a near military buzz, longer on top than the sides and he was clean shaven.  There was something about him that was familiar, but she couldn¡¯t place it.  Was he one of the firefighters she spoke with the prior night?

    ¡°Good afternoon, ladies,¡± he said, his voice deep and firm, with a hint of an accent that she couldn¡¯t place.  Definitely not a local, or at least not locally raised.  ¡°Is there anything we can help you with?¡±

    Grace snorted, though Nicole was a bit confused as to why.  ¡°Cute leading line, but you¡¯re barking up the wrong tree.¡±

    Rather than seem offended, his smile just grew wider.  ¡°Good to know you won¡¯t accost any of these innocent boys, but I¡¯ll make sure to warn the ladies.  So, what brings you here?¡±

    Swallowing, Nicole knew she needed to take the lead.  ¡°I was hoping to take a few classes on first aid and crisis response.¡±

    He nodded, though his expression dimmed slightly.  ¡°All good skills to have.  Are you looking for the basics or something more expansive?¡±

    ¡°Uh, can we start with the basics?¡± Nicole asked, her voice faltering a bit.  Dammit, she was a Ranger, she should be more confident!  ¡°I¡¯d like to eventually learn some more advanced stuff, but the basics work for now.¡±

    He nodded, his expression brightening once more.  ¡°Great!  I take it your friend would like the same?¡±

    ¡°She would,¡± Grace said, her voice amused.  ¡°My friend here had a close experience recently, and wanted to be better prepared in the event something else happened in the future.  I had the afternoon free and this gives me an excuse to put off that essay my history professor wants done.¡±

    ¡°Ah.  Well, you¡¯ve lucked out then,¡± he said, gesturing back at the others.  ¡°I¡¯m actually visiting from out of state.  I¡¯m a crisis trainer based out of New York, and given the recent involvement of a Ranger with search and rescue, I figured it was a good idea to get the locals trained on how to handle having potential support.¡±

    Nicole very carefully kept her face neutral as she listened.  It hadn¡¯t even been twenty four hours and he was already off the plane, ready to teach the people that responded to the same fire she did?

    ¡°Impressive turn around,¡± Grace said, her voice echoing Nicole¡¯s own suspicion.  ¡°Must have been quite the red-eye flight.¡±

    Nicole nodded, looking closer at his shirt, sure enough, it wasn¡¯t for the local precinct like she assumed, but rather one of the New York ones.  More specifically, it was the same precinct that hosted the New York Rescue Rangers, and one of the few unmasked teams not under the government¡¯s thumb.  With that connection made, she now recognized him from her manic research following the fire.

    The man grinned wider as he eyed them a bit more critically.  There was nothing lecherous about his gaze as it swept over them, even if he did linger on their shirts.

    ¡°Bit of advice,¡± he said, his voice now much quieter.  ¡°From one Ranger to another, dressing in your colors is more than a little on the nose.¡±

    ¡°Called it,¡± Grace said with her trademark smirk.  ¡°Though, you¡¯re wrong about the colors.¡±

    That got a smile out of Nicole as well, even if she had just been outed as a Ranger.  ¡°Yup.  I¡¯m the local Black Ranger, she¡¯s Red.¡±

    ¡°It was the hair, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Grace teased with a grin.

    ¡°Ha!¡± he exclaimed, slapping his thigh.  ¡°Good show then, though still a bit too close.  I¡¯d recommend you focus on clothes that are decidedly more neutral than the obvious in the future.  Now, want to fold in with the boys and girls over there?  I wasn¡¯t kidding about being here to teach classes, and I was actually hoping to reach out to you the next time you showed up.  So this works out splendidly!¡±

    Nicole and Grace shared a look and Grace shrugged.  Nodding, Nicole turned back to the out of state Ranger.  ¡°Sure, our afternoon is free, though classes will be resuming soon.  The sooner we can get through things, the better.¡±

    ¡°I can always work on more one-on-one stuff on your own time,¡± he said.  ¡°For now, we have a quick CPR refresher lined up, some general emergency first response medical care, then we¡¯ll get into more fire related stuff as the evening draws closer.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Nicole answered.  It seemed she was going to get exactly what she hoped for, and Nicole found herself looking forward to the lessons to come.  ¡°When do we begin?¡±

    ¡°Right now,¡± he answered before pausing and offering out his hand.  ¡°Oh, introductions, how rude of me.  Lieutenant Carlos Jimenez of the Bronx Precinct.  Better known as the Gold Rescue Ranger.¡±

    ¡°Grace Evans, Red Ranger.¡±

    She reached out, shaking his hand as well.  ¡°Nicole Hayes, Black Ranger.¡±

    He nodded.  ¡°You¡¯ll want to come up with a name for the team soon, before the media saddles you with one.  Or in your case, some company tries to sue you for infringement.  Trust me, sponsorship isn¡¯t always worth it.¡±

    That warning brought Nicole up short.  Sure, they were fantasy themed, with clear inspirations and archetypes in their Ranger suits, but could some company really try to sue them over it?  Stupid question, of course they could, companies sued over stupid shit all the damn time.

    ¡°Thanks for the advice,¡± Grace said, looking back towards the waiting firefighters.  ¡°How do you want to introduce us?¡±

    He hummed, glancing back over his shoulder.  ¡°They haven¡¯t gotten the best look at you yet, so you could morph, but that is probably ill advised since you did just drive up in a car and all.¡±

    ¡°They will probably figure it out anyway,¡± Nicole said with a grimace.  ¡°Especially with you being an open Ranger and all, so maybe we should just own it?¡±

    Grace blinked, biting her lip as she looked back at her car.  ¡°Okay, just hand me your phone so it doesn¡¯t get drained again, we can leave them in the car, and I can park it somewhere a few blocks away if you¡¯re serious about this.¡±

    ¡°Good precaution,¡± Carlos said with a toothy grin.  ¡°Alright, you take care of that, I¡¯ll keep them distracted, and you can join when ready.¡±

    He turned and started walking with purpose, his voice picking up as he did.  Nicole turned to face Grace.  ¡°Are you okay with this?¡±

    ¡°Not entirely,¡± she admitted.  ¡°Still probably the best option so people don¡¯t ask too many questions.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°I should have thought this through a bit more.¡±

    Grace shrugged, getting back in the driver¡¯s side as Nicole took her own seat once more.  ¡°I don¡¯t think either of us expected them to send an actual Ranger like this, or at least not so soon after our debut.¡±

    ¡°All of the above,¡± Nicole said, setting her phone to airplane mode before stashing it in the glove box.  ¡°At least we won¡¯t have to pretend to just be limited to normal human parameters.¡±

    ¡°That is one advantage to all this cloak and dagger stuff,¡± Grace said, then she smirked.  ¡°Which should suit you just fine, miss Rogue.¡±

    ¡°Says the Corsair,¡± Nicole shot back with a smile of her own.  ¡°Maybe we should refer to each other by our supposed classes rather than color while we¡¯re in uniform.  Might keep things clearer.¡±

    ¡°Not a bad idea,¡± Grace said.  She drove for less than five minutes before pulling into a parking lot near a small park.  ¡°This should be good enough.¡±

    Nicole didn¡¯t see any reason to disagree, so she hopped out of the car, stretching as she did.  She barely caught Grace watching her out of the corner of her eye.  Oh, her shirt had ridden up, showing off her overdeveloped abs.  Nicole hurriedly straightened back out, tugging her shirt down in the process.  She hated just how masculine she still looked, and despite her efforts to not work out, it seemed the Ranger powers were content to push her to some twisted ideal.

    ¡°Well,¡± Nicole said, eager to change the subject.  The park was deserted, so she figured it was safe enough.  ¡°Roll the Dice.¡±

 Chapter 9 - Highrise

    ¡°Ah, good timing,¡± Carlos said as Nicole and Grace arrived.  The other firefighters goggled a bit at the sight of two Rangers casually walking up to their station.  ¡°As you can see, we have two Rangers joining us.  Anyone who thinks they might have a hint at who these two are, lose them now.  Learning a Ranger¡¯s identity can be dangerous, both for you and them.  As for why I know¡­¡±

    He brandished some strange device that looked a lot like a cell phone.  ¡°Emergency Rescue!¡±  A flash of gold light followed and there stood one of the most well known Rangers in the country.  ¡°I have some experience in that matter.  My identity is public, theirs is not.  Respect that.¡±

    He got a few nods in response.

    His uniform bore a passing resemblance to a firefighter¡¯s coat, and the helm looked like it had a rebreather built into it.  She knew from her own helmet that it was all for show, her own rogue styling had no functionality, they just bore a resemblance to the outfit she was wearing at the time of her first morph.

    ¡°Alright, first up is a CPR refresher for the lot of you,¡± he said confidently before looking over his shoulder at Nicole and Grace, ¡°and what is likely a first course for the newest Rangers in town.¡±

    Nicole nodded, she hadn¡¯t done a CPR course since her first year of high school and honestly didn¡¯t remember much of anything from it.  It hadn¡¯t been a high priority given she was barely a teenager and was more focused on her gymnastic career.  At least until it crashed quite spectacularly when she messed up her shot at the nationals.

    It was almost ironic that she could probably dance circles around the Olympic level athletes now that she was a Ranger, even without the transformation.  Her midnight run had proven that rather conclusively.

    The regular staff of the station stepped up to a couple of dummies and started the usual compressions, followed by rescue breaths.  A couple of them were familiar from her early morning research while waiting for the adrenaline to fully bleed off.  Of note were two women that almost certainly were featured in a rather steamy calendar she happened upon.

    Nicole frowned under her helmet as she watched them get to work, realizing the problem after several moments.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t going to be able to practice that part,¡± Nicole said as everyone delivered two rescue breaths.

    Gold hummed, tapping a finger on his crossed arms.  ¡°Stick around after, I¡¯ll walk you both through it with helmets off.¡±

    ¡°Strength control will be important too,¡± Grace added.  ¡°We could easily crush a ribcage.¡±

    ¡°Quite true.  That will come down to learning to control your strength even under duress.  Don¡¯t worry, learning CPR is more of a last ditch emergency measure for a Ranger.  You never know when you might have to perform it on a teammate who took a bad hit from a mutant.¡±

    And there was a sober reminder of what awaited them, and what Nicole was attempting to escape from by working with the fire department.  Sure, she knew that being a Ranger would give what remained of her life purpose, but that didn¡¯t mean she would rush to that inevitable end.  She wanted to do everything she could beforehand to make sure it had meaning.

    That problem was put out of mind as she paid attention to the instructions and soon enough it was her turn.  Chest compressions were done, gently, because she had the strength to punch clean through the dummy, and the concrete for that matter, while morphed.  Even with that, she still cleared the airway properly, but the actual breath portion was skipped for her demonstration of skill.

    ¡°Alright, next up is emergency first aid,¡± he declared.  ¡°We¡¯re going to watch a short video on common injuries you¡¯re likely to encounter in the field.  Contrary to what most believe, the ambulance isn¡¯t the first vehicle to arrive on the scene of an emergency call.  We are.  So pay attention, because once the video is done each of you will then practice bandaging those wounds as well as applying pressure to GSWs and other traumatic injuries.  I¡¯d say this class isn¡¯t for the squeamish, but all of you will likely see worse if you make it a year into this career.¡±

    That he didn¡¯t make an exception for the two of them went without saying.  She had already seen worse at the Renfaire, and there was no doubt more blood in her future no matter how good she proved herself to be.  Just the thought of it sent a shiver of revulsion and dread down her spine.

    The video itself wasn¡¯t tame.  It would give kids nightmares, but she had indeed seen far worse in the last week.  A few of the locals even paled when one of the shotgun wounds were shown.  Nicole wished she hadn¡¯t seen worse, but automata slicing a man down the middle was hard to top on the gore scale.

    Then, the scene shifted to just that, the aftermath of some attack in New York playing back with dozens of dead littering the ground.  People were moving through the mess of gore, checking each corpse but Nicole knew that they were dead.

    ¡°That was likely a familiar sight to the Rangers, am I mistaken?¡±

    Nicole shook her head.  ¡°Saw worse at the Renfaire.¡±

    ¡°I thought as much.¡± He said with a nod before returning to the presentation.  ¡°As firefighters, you likely won¡¯t see death on that level, but there is always a chance all the same that you¡¯ll be called to the site of a massacre such as this one.  Those of you that responded to the Renaissance Faire last week can attest to that.  That is the world that we live in, and it is better to be prepared all the same.  You are the front line, fire response often beats the EMTs by minutes.  Police don¡¯t get hands on unless there are no other options and even then have no duty to act.  Corrections Officers have more in common with you than the police, so keep that in mind.¡±

    So much of the presentation wouldn¡¯t apply to them, but Nicole still paid close attention, because it was knowledge that might prove valuable in the future.  Grace was surprisingly attentive for having been roped into things, asking questions that Nicole hadn¡¯t thought of, but made sense once she spoke.

    ¡°Your weapon is an axe, which is somewhat fitting for this line of work,¡± Gold said.  ¡°Just don¡¯t break down doors without ensuring you won¡¯t be the cause of a catastrophic back draft.¡±

    One of the older women among those being recertified winced, likely having a rather poignant example of why that wasn¡¯t a good idea.  Given she wasn¡¯t sharing it, Nicole was afraid to even ask.

    A young man raised his hand and Carlos gestured for him to speak.  ¡°Do those warnings even matter when you¡¯re a Ranger?  I saw Blackie over there take a backdraft like a champ last night.¡±

    Nicole glared at the man through her helmet even as one of his crewmates slapped the back of his head.

    ¡°Dude, you can¡¯t call her that!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± he demanded, rubbing where he had been struck.  ¡°We saw her earlier, it¡¯s not like she¡¯s actually black, so it¡¯s cool.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you have an appointment with HR to learn why that was the wrong answer,¡± a stern voice said.  Nicole turned and was surprised to see Chief Grayson hanging back behind the class along with several others.  It shouldn¡¯t have been a surprise that others might have decided to sit in for the class even if they didn¡¯t need to, what with three Rangers in attendance.  ¡°I believe engine three needs a good, thorough, polish.  I suggest you get on that.¡±

    Taking the hint, the kid jumped from his seat and hurried off.

    Carlos hung his head for a moment, no doubt sighing in exasperation.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be answering any questions about being a Ranger,¡± he said after taking a moment to himself.  ¡°I am an open Ranger, which is rare among us.  I doubt your own local Rangers will be so candid.  I didn¡¯t have the luxury of coming into my powers somewhere off camera.  There were dozens of witnesses and too many cameras besides.  I never had the choice.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Grace said, drawing eyes to her.  ¡°I know what it¡¯s like to have unwanted attention, though not to that scale.  I¡¯m sorry you have to deal with that.¡±

    Nicole wondered what that was about, wishing she knew more about her newest friend.  They hadn¡¯t talked nearly as much as she would have liked, and Nicole wanted to change that.  She didn¡¯t have many people in her life, and if they were going to be Rangers together, then why not get to know her teammates before she lost her life in the line of duty?

    Gold turned back to address the assembled firefighters when a shrill ringing sounded across the building.  Everyone sat perfectly still for a brief instant as it took a moment to register what that ringing meant.

    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there!  Gear up!¡±

    There was a shared look among them before Grayson began snapping off orders lightning quick and the firefighters scrambled to follow them.  Gold joined in, following along with the jargon and codes that went right over Nicole¡¯s head.

    After a moment, Gold turned, addressing Nicole and Grace.  ¡°You feel like getting more hands-on experience?¡±

    Nicole almost replied, her excitement bubbling just below the surface, but she remembered she wasn¡¯t alone and wasn¡¯t just speaking for herself.  ¡°Want to go be a hero?¡±

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Grace turned, and not for the first time Nicole found herself lamenting that the Ranger uniforms hid her friend¡¯s face.  It was so hard to read people without facial expressions to go off of.  Still, she could imagine her friend watching her with eyes that were all too knowing.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Grace said, her helmet nodding.  ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Nicole turned back to Gold.  ¡°Rangers lead the way.¡±

    ¡°Damn right we do,¡± he answered, then literal lights began flashing on his helmet.  Huh, she had thought those were just for show.  ¡°I¡¯ve got the address, let¡¯s show them the meaning of haste.¡±

    Nicole grinned, because she sure as hell could appreciate a good reference.

    ***

    They ran ahead of the engine, smoke already billowing across the horizon.  She was easily blowing past traffic, the speed that her legs carried her defying explanation.  No human should be able to move like a Ranger could, further reinforcing the otherworldly nature of their abilities.

    Nobody actually knew the origin of Ranger powers.  There was speculation that some conquered civilization had developed them and somehow followed the invaders to their next target to help seed a resistance.  That was the leading theory, though Rebecca didn¡¯t seem to buy it.  There were other crackpot theories of course, like the Ranger abilities being from some multi-dimensional entity that was using human imagination and ingenuity to test something, but that came across as more cosmic horror than she wanted to entertain.

    Plus, she was fairly certain she read that book once.

    One of the many skyscrapers that decorated the Minneapolis skyline was gushing black smoke, marring the afternoon sky.  At least four floors were ablaze near the top of the building, and it was spreading.  Her stomach sank when her enhanced vision let her see the people in the windows, then her heart stopped when someone jumped.  Nicole was forced to watch with startling clarity as the woman fell, her clothes smoldering with small flames still clinging to what remained.  Her hair was almost burned away completely, and her face was a splotchy red of burnt skin.

    She vanished behind a nearby building, but Nicole didn¡¯t need to see it to know that she was dead.  Worse, those who had been standing at the windows with her soon followed, all plummeting to their deaths.

    Gritting her teeth, Nicole pushed herself, pulling ahead of the Gold Ranger and jumped five stories in a single bound.  Nicole landed atop one building, rolling to control her momentum before phasing through an AC unit, thankful that she had been in the shade to do so.  Once she was back upright she changed back, keeping her momentum going as she ran forward, aiming for the building itself.

    She jumped, the sensation of soaring through the sky a momentary thrill.  It wasn¡¯t to last, she reached for that sensation once more, then shifted at the apex of her leap despite being in the open sky.  The shift had fought her, almost rejecting her internal plea, but it came sluggishly.  It was enough to allow her to sail the two remaining blocks and through the wall of the burning skyscraper.

    Inside was a hellscape of black smoke and licking flames.  Cubicles crumbled under the intense heat, office furniture melted into puddles.  The charred bodies¡­

    It was sickening, but she had to press on, to save those she could.  There were still floors above that needed to be cleared.  Swallowing the rising bile, Nicole jumped straight up, phasing through the floor as she did.  She continued up until she passed all the way up to the first floor that wasn¡¯t already burning.

    With bulging eyes, Nicole looked around at the sight of two dozen people typing away on their laptops as if nothing was wrong.  The power was out, but they continued as if nothing had happened.  Why the hell weren¡¯t the workers attempting to evacuate?  Fucking hell, she could see the smoke and flames right outside the gods be damned windows!

    Granted, Nicole hadn¡¯t checked the stairwells, and it wasn¡¯t likely that the people that managed to reach them would head up rather than down, but still, for these people to just be sitting around as if it were another Thursday?  Surely they didn¡¯t think the alarms were false¡­

    ¡°Attention dumbasses!¡± she yelled, startling many of them.  ¡°In case you weren¡¯t aware.¡±  She pointed back to the windows behind her.  ¡°The building is on fucking fire!  So get up off your collective asses before you turn to charcoal like the last three corpses I passed on my way here.¡±

    Okay, that was probably a bit over dramatic, but Nicole had zero patience for whatever stupidity she was witnessing.  She did not need to see any more people die today, especially not because of whatever the middle management looking sleazeball was marching over to try and sell her.

    ¡°Excuse me, you¡¯re disrupting the company¡¯s workflow,¡± he said in that tone that was meant to intimidate but was only ever successful if they actually had authority over you.  ¡°I¡¯m going to have to ask you to vacate the premises or I¡¯ll be calling security to remove you.¡±

    Too bad she had to be heroic and couldn¡¯t just throw him out the window.

    ¡°Call them,¡± she said firmly.  ¡°They¡¯re probably a bit busy at the moment.¡±

    To prove a point, she summoned a dozen glowing knives in her hands and flicked them to the window behind her.  The glass exploded and the draft immediately sucked in a thick plume of black smoke through the opening.  The manager paled rather quickly as he tried to maintain his imperious stare.

    He blinked first.

    She shoved him aside, uncaring that he fell on his ass, and marched over to the first row of desks and hopped up on the closest one.  She tried not to take any satisfaction when she heard the laptop under her boot crunch and silently hoped it wasn¡¯t the employee¡¯s personal machine.

    ¡°The fires have reached the floor beneath your feet and are still spreading.  Check the emergency exits, follow your plans and MOVE YOUR FUCKING ASSES!¡±

    The office workers jumped and did as they were told, bolting towards the clearly marked fire exits.  Nicole nodded, looking back at the simpering middle manager.  ¡°Get the other floors moving before the fire spreads further, I¡¯ve got more important things to do than to babysit a simpering piss ant.¡±

    She then phased herself, dropping through the floor.

    He might not listen, but hopefully the word would spread before she finished a cursory sweep and doubled back to ensure that everyone made it out that still could.  Her feet hit solid ground, the carpet having long since burnt to ash.

    The fire was spreading rapidly through the generic office spaces, and Nicole moved, searching for any people that might not have been able to get away from the advancing flames.  She made her way straight to the restrooms, phasing through the door as she did and found them devoid of flame, but filled with smoke.  She passed through the stalls, head on a swivel checking each room in a hurry.

    The floor plans were simple enough, keeping the plumbing centralized for cost saving and simplicity in construction.  She dropped to the next floor and repeated her search and found her first person.  He was unconscious but breathing so she moved him away from the door and pulled his shirt over his face.  Nicole knew she needed to finish the sweep before she got one man down from the thirty-somethingth floor.

    He was the only one she found as she cleared the last restrooms beneath the burning floors, which she wasn¡¯t sure if that was a good or bad thing.  She tried to put the bodies out of mind, having seen too many for such a contained blaze.  Something had to go catastrophically wrong for so many people to die in a fire that only covered four floors.  Those questions would be left to the investigators, she had a civilian to exfil.  Not knowing the exact procedure for a Ranger bringing someone out of a burning building, Nicole slung him over her shoulder in a fireman¡¯s carry and tried to think of what options she had

    Nicole didn¡¯t feel the flames, her suit protecting her from the worst of the blaze, but her charge wouldn¡¯t last five seconds in that level of heat.  She needed a way to create an exit, and the only idea coming to mind was more than a little crazy, and would put others at risk if she hadn¡¯t been as thorough as she thought.

    Time was her enemy here, and she couldn¡¯t brainstorm every possibility, so she opted for the drastic.  She summoned one of her daggers, the otherworldly blade cutting through concrete like Styrofoam as she carved a hole through the inner wall and pried it free.  The new portal opened into the elevator shaft, which was free of flames, but dense with rising smoke.  She adjusted her grip on the unconscious man and hopped into the void.

    Nicole grabbed hold of the cable, the friction sending sparks flying as she used it to control her descent.  It didn¡¯t take long to hit the bottom of the shaft, which was still halfway up the building.  At least from there she could find an exit route that wasn¡¯t engulfed in an inferno that would cook a man alive in mere seconds.

    There was an emergency release for one of the doors just above where she came to a stop, the release working smoothly and soon she was moving through more cubicles towards the stairs.  She pushed into the stairwell and found it nearly packed with people moving to get out.  Those close froze at the sight of her, and she quickly realized there would be no getting out that way, not if she wanted to continue to help with the recovery efforts.

    Plan B.

    She turned, running towards the window and tossed more daggers, shattering the safety glass.  Nicole grit her teeth and jumped through, holding tight to her charge as she fell towards the street below.  The wind whipped her cloak, the hood somehow not flying back from her helmet despite the speeds involved.  Nicole¡¯s feet hit the ground with a heavy impact, the invisible field that protected her costume rippled as her legs flexed to bleed off as much of the force as they could.

    Asphalt splintered into spiderweb cracks around the small crater she formed, more than a few people jumped away from her arrival point.  Thankfully most of them were fire and ambulance crews, not cops, so no risk of someone getting jumpy there.  She would have smiled sheepishly if things weren¡¯t so dire.

    Grace arrived in a blur of red, her form as imposing as ever.  ¡°Ambulances are set up this way, Rogue.¡±

    ¡°Got it, Corsair,¡± she answered, moving to follow.  ¡°Is Gold there or is he coordinating elsewhere?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not far,¡± she said.  ¡°How bad is it up there?¡±

    Nicole glanced back up at the blaze, which was starting to get some water on it now that the trucks were in place.  ¡°The floors on fire are cleared, far too many bodies, unfortunately.  This guy wasn¡¯t far behind them.¡±

    They stopped at one of the ambulances and she handed him over to the paramedics who got him laid out.  Nodding as they got to work, she stepped away, looking for the bright gold that would signify the man that no doubt had taken charge of the scene.  She found him a moment later, gesturing along with a bunch of others in fancy uniforms, one of which Nicole recognized as Chief Grayson.

    ¡°That maneuver was insane,¡± Grace said, elbowing her gently.  ¡°Looked cool as fuck too.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s cheeks heated as she actually thought about what she had done.  It probably did look pretty damn cool now that she thought about it.  Looking off at the camera crews already set up, she had a feeling that she would be able to catch it on the evening news once the situation was under control.

    ¡°Flatterer,¡± Nicole said with a grin.

    Grace shrugged, following along.  ¡°Only speaking the truth.¡±

    Nicole did nothing to hide the smile that brought, not that anyone else could see it.  Still, she could bask in the praise of her teammate later.  There was still work to do, and she was determined to do everything in her power to do what she could to save as many people as possible.

    ¡°Chief, Gold!¡± Nicole called out.  ¡°Point us where we can do the most good!¡±

    Grayson gave her a tired smile even as Gold nodded.

    ¡°Link up with engine seven, they¡¯ll get you kitted out.¡±

    Nodding, Nicole and Grace moved with purpose.  They had work to do.

 Chapter 10 - Cooldown

    Nicole took a seat on the back of one of the engine cabs, the higher ground offering some comfort in the sea of chaos around them. The signage for the Sinclair Institute of Technology stood above, darkened by the lack of power to the now extinguished building. She couldn¡¯t take her helmet off to drink anything, not without risking the nearby reporters plastering her identity all across the evening news. That small fact alone bothered her, not that she was actually thirsty beyond what she normally would be.

    Not a lick of heat had been felt, even from the worst of the flames. It was almost disconcerting at times just how protective the Ranger suits could be. She¡¯d known they could take punishment far beyond anything that humanity had come up with, but it was still startling to actually experience.

    All that power, and humanity was still losing ground to the invaders.

    There were maybe three hundred Rangers worldwide, at last estimate. Of those, barely two hundred actively tried to fight the invaders. Some were like the Fire Rescue team that Carlos hailed from, helping humanity in other ways. Others would use the power to carve out their own kingdoms. Several countries around the world had fallen to rogue Ranger teams over the last five years. Funny enough, the invaders didn¡¯t even target those, probably because they were doing the job for them.

    It was all so damn pointless. Humanity wasn¡¯t going to win, they would lose and whatever goal the invaders had would be fulfilled. Hold the line, it was practically the Ranger¡¯s mantra in interviews, probably because that was all they could do until the duty claimed them.

    A shuddering breath escaped her, because Nicole knew this was to be her own fate. It was so much better than anything she could have ever dared hope for, but the expectations were now higher. She couldn¡¯t just pick a nice summer day to go out peacefully while watching the sky and listening to her favorite music. No, she would die in battle, likely screaming in agony as blades carved her up alive.

    The automatons didn¡¯t treat humans like feeling beings, they carved through them like they were just as unthinking and unfeeling as they were. It was always brutally efficient, the slaughter that followed in the machine¡¯s wake. Many so-called experts had examined attacks on the news, spouting their apparent findings.

    All rubbish.

    If the Sylan wanted to destroy humanity, it would take them five minutes and moderate resources at best. Russia had proven why that method wasn¡¯t being taken, they had launched their full nuclear might against the invaders. Three missiles made it into the air and only one actually managed to strike a target.

    Entire swathes of a continent irradiated, all to destroy one measly squadron of autonomous stunt fighters.

    It was considered the biggest blunder of the One Day War, the first Ranger team emerged not long after and the invasion forces pulled back to observe, to test. Nicole suspected that the invaders were well acquainted with the Ranger transformations, enough so that it gave them immediate pause. It supported the theory that their last target had created the tech and some survivor had found a way to pass it along to a planet that wasn¡¯t as beaten down, that might still have a chance to fight back.

    Pity humans were such poor fits for great power.

    Carlos was off in the distance, his helmet now off as he conversed with someone who looked important. Grace wasn¡¯t far, almost as if she was keeping an eye on her while also giving her some space. Nicole wasn¡¯t sure if that was sweet of her, or some form of condescending. She didn¡¯t really care either way. It was nice to have someone in her life that cared, especially one who wasn¡¯t obligated to do so.

    Rebecca was practically Nicole¡¯s sister at this point, they had been best friends for since Freshman year. She cared, and Nicole knew that, but it didn¡¯t help her own issues. Colin was Becca¡¯s boyfriend, and she only really knew him outside of that because he worked at one of her favorite shops. Nicole had no surviving blood family, and everyone hated her all through school.

    Would Grace continue to just hang out with her if she caught a glimpse of just how broken Nicole was inside? It was a nice fantasy that almost gave Nicole hope for the future. Her old fears were still there, and the idea of opening up again? To get attached to someone who would just toss her aside and spit on her scared the shit out of her. Each time she¡¯d tried to make friends in school, they turned on her. Tiffany was the first among them, and she slowly formed her own little clique that made sure Nicole always remained alone.

    Knowing the truth didn¡¯t stop it from hurting.

    She learned to stop trusting new people a long time ago.

    Nicole wanted to believe that Grace was different, but she couldn¡¯t let herself open up. She couldn¡¯t put herself out there again, only to be hurt. Her body was ugly, only reinforced by the Ranger transformation reshaping her muscles back to their most grotesque. Only the weight of responsibility kept her from ending it that very night.

    With a heavy sigh, Nicole let her eyes drift skyward. The smoke was mostly petering out, but still marred the otherwise pristine blue. Her thoughts were bleak far too often, but what else did she really have? She had her team, and that would have to be enough to last for the remainder of her days, however short they ended up being.

    At least she found something she could do while they weren¡¯t punching robots in the streets. Helping rescue people in emergencies was fulfilling in many ways, it gave her a sense of purpose. Nothing strong enough to keep her darker thoughts at bay for very long, but it was better than sitting in her dark room with nothing but her phone and social media doom scrolling.

    Arguing on the internet wasn¡¯t good for anyone, but it gave her an outlet.

    Fuck it, she wanted something to drink. Nicole hopped off the engine with a deftness that no mortal should possess, and landed on the tip of a single foot without a sound, as if gravity didn¡¯t exist for her. She knew how to do all of that from her time as a gymnast, but it was enhanced with the reflexes being a Ranger brought with it.

    ¡°There¡¯s the hero of the hour!¡±

    Nicole turned, surprised that someone was approaching her with such a boisterous declaration. She half expected it to be some politician looking for a photo op, and the man¡¯s suit was certainly nice enough to give that impression. He was clean shaven, and sported a close cropped head of dark hair which only drew more attention to the deep scar that crossed his right eye. He might have been in his late twenties, maybe early thirties but Nicole couldn¡¯t tell for sure. The only thing she was sure of was to keep an eye on the blonde cop mean-mugging the clearly important black man.

    Grace moved over, a silent offer to be a buffer if needed hung between them. Nicole was grateful for having avoided the bulk of the ¡®adoring¡¯ public so far, but it seemed she would have to finally confront them. Better a single man in a suit than a crowd of reporters shouting their questions in the hope she answered them.

    ¡°Xavier Sinclair,¡± the man said, offering his hand the moment he was close enough to do so. Nicole hesitantly accepted, shaking gently. Under her helmet, her eyes flicked over to the name on the side of the building. As if hearing the unasked question, the man smiled brilliantly. ¡°The very same Sinclair as the company behind us. I can¡¯t thank you enough for rushing in to help my employees, and I can promise you that we will do everything in our power to see to the needs of the families of those who didn¡¯t make it out, which would be far more if you hadn¡¯t been there from what I¡¯ve been told.¡±

    The words almost blended together as Nicole ran them over in her head. He was the owner of the company, the same company where middle management was ordering their employees to keep working despite the building being on fucking fire. It twisted her stomach, but could she really afford to make a scene right now?

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Yeah, she probably could.

    Squeezing his hand just a bit tighter, Nicole put on her most sickly sweet smile under the helmet and let her words drip honeyed venom. ¡°Might want to rescind whatever memo told your floor managers to order everyone to remain at their stations despite the fire alarms and lack of power. Maybe a few more might have survived.¡±

    Nicole punctuated the final statement with a further squeeze before releasing his hand, and didn¡¯t hold back the smirk as he shook his hand out.

    ¡°Yes, well, I can promise that wasn¡¯t my directive,¡± Sinclair said, eyes flicking over to the reporters which now had cameras on the exchange. ¡°I¡¯ll be certain to look into it, you have my word.¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Grace said, grabbing Nicole¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s take another look around to be safe.¡±

    They made their way over to one of the makeshift tents and found a cooler loaded down with iced bottles of soda, sports drinks, and plain water. Nicole grabbed a water and stepped off, looking for a place with a bit of privacy they might use. Grace grabbed a drink of her own and seemed to realize the same conundrum that was currently plaguing her ability to drink.

    No way in hell Nicole was just going to remove her helmet with so many people around, which meant they needed someplace not as easily noticed. Looking up, a rather absurd idea came to mind. Stupid as it was, the partially burned out building was probably their best bet at the moment.

    ¡°Second or third floor?¡± Nicole asked, gesturing to the still smoldering high rise.

    The fire ended up spreading up three more floors and down another two before it was finally contained. She had reported the bodies she saw on her way through, but the true extent of death probably wouldn¡¯t be known for days to come. Thank fuck she¡¯d managed to evacuate those floors before they too were engulfed, she really didn¡¯t want to think about how many might have died if she hadn¡¯t.

    Grace¡¯s head tilted up a bit before she shrugged. ¡°Third. Makes it less likely someone gets lucky and sees our faces.¡±

    Nodding, Nicole crossed the street, then jumped almost straight up, angling herself just enough to land in one of the broken windows. The fire hadn¡¯t spread that low, but they still broke a bunch of the windows and soaked the floor thoroughly to ensure the fire had a harder time spreading in the off chance something caught in the vents or some jackass decided to burn their floor for whatever reason.

    Grace landed beside her a moment later and they quickly found a break room that didn¡¯t have outside windows. The seats were mostly dry too despite the water dripping from the ceiling tiles, which didn¡¯t really matter aside from the odd squishing feel they had when sat in. These mostly lacked that squicky feeling when Nicole flopped down on one of them, then peeled her helmet off.

    Her hair shook free, and she took a deep breath of unfiltered air.

    A red helmet followed, being rested on an empty chair before Grace too flopped into a seat and popped the lid on her bottled lemon drink and took a long pull from it. Nicole found herself staring as Grace gulped it down, her short ponytail matted to her skin by sweat that hadn¡¯t come from the heat. Nicole could just barely make out the muscles in her neck flexing as she gulped the whole bottle down.

    She was gorgeous, everything that Nicole wasn¡¯t.

    Nicole turned away before Grace could notice her creepy staring and drank her own water just as quickly. The cold was harsh, but refreshing, after the events of the last few hours. A welcome reprieve now that the work they could really contribute with was done. They weren¡¯t trained for the rest, but Nicole knew she wanted to learn more so that she could make herself useful outside of being heavily resistant to mundane fire.

    She already planned to attend future classes at the station, maybe even hire on as Nicole rather than the Black Ranger, though that might be a bit too obvious. Maybe Grace would even join her, their less than subtle secret the pride of the station. It was a nice thought, one she didn¡¯t know if she could follow through on, but it still brought a ghost of a smile to her face.

    ¡°Thinking happy thoughts?¡± Grace asked.

    Nicole looked aside, catching her friend very much staring at her, a far less subtle grin on her own face at whatever she had seen. Crushing the now empty bottle and tossing it aside into a trash can overflowing with water that continued to drip from the ceiling, Nicole leaned back with a sigh.

    ¡°Just thinking about how it felt to just help people,¡± she said, dodging part of the question.

    ¡°Yeah, that was pretty fucking great,¡± Grace said in agreement. ¡°Was it that much of a rush last night too?¡±

    The grin spread quickly as Nicole embraced the memories. ¡°Fuck yeah it was. Today though? When I took that flying leap, it was the most alive I¡¯ve ever felt.¡±

    Nicole wanted to experience it again too.

    ¡°Oh no,¡± Grace said, though there was no actual worry in her voice. ¡°You¡¯re becoming an adrenaline junkie. Heaven help you.¡±

    Nicole rolled her eyes, trying to not think about the choice of phrase there, especially when taken with the southern accent. She knew nothing would come of her one-sided crush. Nobody would want her, and especially not someone as awesome as Grace. She was the very definition of her name, no way in hell she would be interested in girls at all, let alone some hulked out girl that would put most bodybuilders to shame.

    ¡°Maybe I should take up base jumping,¡± Nicole mused instead, tossing out the first insane thought she could come up with. ¡°Then again, pretty sure I could jump off this building and land just fine after that earlier stunt¡­¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Grace said. ¡°Uh, maybe wingsuit jumping?¡±

    Nicole chuckled, recalling some of those near miss videos that popped up on social media sometimes. It certainly looked insane, but doing so while morphed would probably take half the thrill out of it, especially with her shade form allowing her to phase through obstacles.

    Nicole hopped up, pulling her hooded cape out in both arms like a bastardized wingsuit. Oddly enough, there might be enough material there to fake it. Nicole let her arms drop as Grace snickered at the display.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stick to fires for now,¡± Nicole finally said. ¡°That hasn¡¯t lost its rush just yet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d certainly hope not,¡± Carlos said, stepping into the room. ¡°Sorry if I interrupted anything, but we¡¯re wrapping up down below and some people wanted to thank you before the bulk of responders cleared out.¡±

    ¡°More sleazy corporate types?¡± Grace asked with a bit of fire in her voice.

    Carlos waved that concern off before Nicole could start to spiral. ¡°No, mostly just the crews that didn¡¯t have to go into the worst of it thanks to you two. We¡¯re also keeping the press away. I¡¯ll handle them so you don¡¯t have to.¡±

    Nicole looked away, the heat rising on her cheeks at how quickly he put her fears to rest. The thought that someone might actually want to meet her that wasn¡¯t just a kiss ass or looking to cover for their fuckups was nice. Hell, nobody had really thanked her for what she had done before. It was still very much a new concept, one she wasn¡¯t familiar with in the slightest. Even at the peak of her competition years, when she had a shot at nationals, she never got any positive affirmation from people that weren¡¯t family.

    Grace chuckled, reaching for her helmet. ¡°Positive appreciation, that¡¯s something I¡¯m not used to. Gonna be weird as hell.¡±

    Nicole turned, her eyes narrowing a bit. Who the hell wouldn¡¯t appreciate Grace? More importantly, where were they so she could smack them for being idiots?

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take long,¡± Carlos said. ¡°Just be warned that a few higher ups with the police and fire side of things will likely want a word too. Maybe the Mayor if he can make it through traffic, which I doubt he will manage given how we set up the cordons, so no worries there.¡±

    Helmet back on, Nicole found herself thankful for that one. She¡¯d actually voted for the guy, and liked what he was doing in general. That would have been awkward as all hell if she actually had to shake his hand and listen to him thank her.

    Carlos walked back to the broken window, the pair following behind him. He glanced over the edge, taking a brief moment to survey the area before stepping over the edge without a single care. Nicole hurried over, her fellow Ranger and friend right beside her. She looked over and found him already walking back towards the tents, with plenty of room for them to do much the same.

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s kinda funny,¡± Grace said, looking down where he had landed.

    ¡°What¡¯s that,¡± Nicole asked.

    Grace chuckled, stepping up to the ledge before she turned back, her helmet framed by the setting sun. ¡°Before this whole Ranger thing? I was terrified of heights.¡±

    The Red Ranger then fell backwards, dropping with the pull of gravity. Nicole watched her fall, completely unconcerned, then at the last moment Grace twisted, and landed on her feet like a damn cat and once again living up to her name. Nicole couldn¡¯t help but laugh, a slight manic lilt to it as she shook her head at the display.

    ¡°Like hell I¡¯m the only junkie among us,¡± Nicole said, then jumped out the window herself, a smile on her face and every intention to survive the fall.

 Chapter 11 - Hospital

    Nicole looked up at the midday sun, her visor tinting itself automatically. A blade danced over her fingers, the dexterity of the Ranger transformation making the trick that once resulted in the occasional cut finger now proving trivial. Another day of training was done, at a different park than the last, and she¡¯d just finished going over her actions with the fire department. It wasn¡¯t a surprise that her team had seen the coverage, the apartment fire might have escaped the majority of the press, but the highrise blaze was all over the morning news.

    ¡°You want us to do what?¡± Devon asked, setting his helmet aside.

    Kayla grinned as Nicole¡¯s attention returned to the conversation at hand. The nature loving girl twirled through the grass before falling back into the tall flowers of the field, letting her morph drop as she did, the green motes of light drifting away into nothing as she embraced nature. ¡°It¡¯s just a little meet and greet at the children¡¯s hospital. We show up, in uniform of course, meet some kids and be inspirational and make their week.¡±

    ¡°A PR event,¡± Devon said, scowling. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I feel about that.¡±

    It was certainly an interesting idea, and after everything that happened with the fire department over the last two days, it wasn¡¯t a bad idea to continue to push the whole ¡®we¡¯re here to help¡¯ thing that Nicole had inadvertently started.

    Having heard enough, Nicole stepped forward, dismissing her own morph as she did. ¡°I think it¡¯s a great idea.¡±

    ¡°Says the girl that did all that crazy shit with the fire department the other day,¡± Jeff said with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m certainly not opposed, but is it really a good idea to put ourselves out there like that?¡±

    Grace shook her head. ¡°Rangers might be protectors against the Sylan threat, but they are still a terrifying thing in the abstract for most. I remember more than a few sermons about how they might be agents of Satan.¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡± Jeff asked. ¡°That¡¯s really not cool.¡±

    Nicole laughed. ¡°Does that actually surprise you? Have you seen how many ¡®the end is nigh¡¯ signs popped up after the Sylan invasion started? Conspiracy theories run rampant, and people look for any answer that might fit their worldview.¡±

    ¡°And posing with sick kids helps us?¡± Devon asked.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt,¡± Grace said with a shrug. ¡°These kids are fighting for their lives, and seeing some local heroes helps keep them hopeful. Trust me, I got really sick as a kid, and someone dressed up to visit the hospital at least once a week. I still remember the various heroes and movie characters fondly and I would love to pay it forward.¡±

    Nicole bumped her hip against Grace¡¯s, a subtle show of support for the woman she was coming to treasure. Grace hadn¡¯t opened up about much of her past, but bits and pieces had filtered through to provide something of a picture of how messed up her life was before she escaped her old home.

    ¡°Did you have a date in mind?¡± Nicole asked with an encouraging smile.

    Kayla grinned, practically bouncing in place. ¡°We could do it today? I talked to someone at the hospital about it and they seemed to be really keen on the idea.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go,¡± Jeff said cheerfully. The man really was a font of positivity, which was rather welcome in these dark times. ¡°I am going to make sure all the kids smile!¡±

    Coming from any other man that might have been creepy, but Nicole was starting to see that Jeff was one of those guys that was just genuinely good. She didn¡¯t want to slap the himbo label on him since he wasn¡¯t ¡®dumb of ass¡¯ but it was getting to be a near thing the more time she spent with the man.

    ¡°Alright everyone!¡± Kayla cheered, gesturing everyone back towards the trail that led to the parking area. ¡°Everyone get in my van!¡±

    ¡°Statements that would be creepy coming from anyone else for five hundred,¡± Devon muttered.

    Kayla just smiled. ¡°Remember, I can manipulate ivy and oak, don¡¯t tempt me.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Devon challenged with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯ve never once gotten a rash from any of that stuff in my life.¡±

    ¡°A tricky one, then,¡± Kayla said, then chuckled. ¡°Sumac it is then.¡±

    Jeff had watched the exchange with a frown. ¡°Why threaten poisons like that when you could provide everyone with strawberries instead?¡±

    The group paused, blinking for a moment.

    ¡°How did I not think of using my ability for food?¡± Kayla said with a haunted expression. ¡°Holy shit, I might be able to solve world hunger with some of the stuff I can do with plants.¡±

    Right, her powers weren¡¯t limited to just making them big and terrifying, she could also adjust different aspects of their growth as well as tweak them to be deadlier. Her comment about ivy and oak wasn¡¯t bluster, she¡¯d been experimenting relentlessly with her abilities, even going as far as to make a venus fly trap acid that could eat through steel like water attacked cotton candy.

    Now Nicole was imagining her teammate turning deserts green with a gesture of her staff, and the image was more than a little mesmerizing, even if it was just her imagination. Shaking off that daydream, Nicole moved with the others towards the waiting van.

    ¡°Do you actually think I could make food?¡± Kayla asked, settling in behind the wheel.

    ¡°Only one way to find out,¡± Jeff said, though Nicole could tell he was just giddy about the idea of unlimited strawberries and other assorted fruits and vegetables. Admittedly Nicole was also excited by the idea and would be eager to help with the testing. ¡°I can see it now, strawberries the size of watermelons, all the potatoes I can eat¡­ Truly a dream.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s flirting,¡± Kayla stage whispered, but Jeff was too caught up in his fantasy to have caught it. ¡°Like, it¡¯s neat that he¡¯s so interested and all, but it is a bit different.¡±

    Grace shrugged. ¡°Just roll with it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, like I¡¯m taking romantic advice from you,¡± Kayla teased. ¡°Get back with me once you¡¯ve done something about your crush.¡±

    With those words, Nicole¡¯s stomach dropped. Of course Grace had a crush on someone, she was just amazing and Nicole was this disgusting mess of muscle that nobody would be able to look at without a curl of the lip. Grace especially was making a rather obvious point of looking away from Nicole¡¯s grotesque muscles that made Nicole wish it was cool enough out to justify a hoodie, or at least long sleeves.

    The discussion stayed centered on the new potential of Kayla¡¯s power, and Nicole was trying to let it distract her, but all she could see was how Grace would take one look at her, then pointedly ignore her for several moments after. The thought of the woman being so repulsed by Nicole¡¯s physical form had her stomach roiling, and it was with a sigh of relief that Nicole hopped out of the van the moment it parked.

    Looking up at the skyline, Nicole was surprised to see Sinclair Industries visible, construction crews already at work repairing the structure. Checking her phone, Nicole saw that they were still a few blocks out from the nearest hospital, which did indeed have a children¡¯s ward. That would give the Rangers plenty of deniability for them to go for a walk, transform, then make their way to the hospital from a slightly different direction.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Stretching, Nicole relished as her joints popped. She was glad to be back on her feet after the ride over, and briefly forgot herself until the breeze rolled over her stomach as her shirt rode up. She barely had a moment to panic and pull it down, but the damage was done.

    A soft sound drew her eye, the source of which was Grace who was once again rather pointedly looking away from her. Pushing the shame aside, Nicole started walking before the rest of the team had a chance to finish disembarking from the vehicle. Her issues were cropping up more than usual and she was simply eager to get to the hospital and hopefully bury her insecurities behind the smiling faces of children.

    Something told her it wouldn¡¯t be that simple.

    <hr>

    Opening the door to the children¡¯s ward, the Ranger team was greeted by nearly two dozen cheering children in hospital gowns. Several moved to swarm them, but others weren¡¯t able to match their enthusiasm. Nicole caught sight of more than a few in wheelchairs, and still others were no doubt bedridden and unable to get up to meet the Rangers.

    Nicole couldn¡¯t help but smile as Grace hoisted two boys from their wheelchairs and onto her shoulders. The pair introduced themselves as brothers and started gushing about how Grace had rescued them at the Renfaire. Looking at them, Nicole didn¡¯t miss how each of them were going to need new prosthetic limbs by the time they were discharged. With how quickly Grace had moved to their side, Nicole had a feeling that Grace had witnessed their maiming first hand.

    ¡°Hey kids, want to see a magic trick?¡± Jeff asked. His spear vanished and in its place was a bundle of purple flowers. Nicole blinked, wondering how the hell the man could manage that. ¡°That¡¯s right, stick around for more, because I¡¯ve got all sorts of tricks up my proverbial sleeves!¡±

    Even as he said that, a mess of cards fell to the floor. The kids all laughed and that was when Nicole realized that Kayla was standing just behind him, making more flowers grow for a group of girls that were mesmerized by the twisting plants coming from her staff. The assorted colors were gorgeous.

    Even Devon had gathered several of the boys to his side, posing heroically with shield and blade for them. She might not have liked how he always had to be the center of attention, but she couldn¡¯t begrudge him of playing it up for the kids.

    ¡°You¡¯re the Ranger from the fire!¡±

    Despite the helmet preventing the little girl from seeing, Nicole smiled wide at the excited exclamation and turned to face her fully. She was stick thin, and bald. One of the doctors must have picked up on her hesitation as they leaned in.

    ¡°She has an aggressive cancer. We¡¯re hopeful, but the odds aren¡¯t good.¡±

    It was like a knife to the heart to hear, but that was why they had come to visit, to lift the spirits of the children that life had decided to fuck over for no damned reason.

    ¡°I suppose I am. I take it you saw me on TV helping save people?¡±

    ¡°I did!¡± the girl confirmed with much enthusiasm. ¡°You were so cool jumping from that building! It was like you could fly.¡±

    Chuckling, Nicole allowed herself to be more animated than usual given the kid couldn¡¯t see her face. ¡°I can¡¯t really fly, but I can fake it pretty well. Wanna see something cool?¡±

    The little girl nodded so fast that Nicole was worried she might get whiplash.

    ¡°Now, don¡¯t try this yourself, I¡¯m using my special Ranger powers to do this,¡± Nicole said, stepping over to the window.

    Then she shifted herself out of the physical world and jumped backwards through the window. The little girl had run up to the glass just in time to see Nicole waving back from the other side, her feet firmly planted on the ledge. She wasn¡¯t about to do the full swan dive for an impressionable girl, but she could at least do a little trick like that.

    ¡°That was so awesome!¡± the girl said.

    Nicole took the opportunity to step back inside and kneeled down to be closer to eye level with the child. She was positively beaming and Nicole wished she had something more interesting to show her, especially with some of the stuff Kayla was doing with flowers for the girls across the room, or how Grace was letting the two brothers ride on her shoulders as she ran up and down the halls.

    The biggest surprise was Jeff knowing dozens of inane magic tricks that the kids were eating up. He was probably the coolest magician in the city at the moment and those kids were getting the show of a lifetime that would only be comparable to the Vegas team and their weekly shows they organized on The Strip.

    Shaking thoughts of Sin City from her mind, Nicole returned her full attention to the little girl that had all but latched onto her. It didn¡¯t make much sense, but her suit didn¡¯t show off her body nearly as much as some others tended to. To a child¡¯s eyes she was just a dark suited Ranger with a penchant for cloak and shadow.

    Not the best role model, but then again, few things were these days.

    ¡°Shifting myself like that makes me light as the air, and slippery as the shadows,¡± Nicole said, playing up her ability. ¡°I can soar on the wind if I try, which is pretty close to flying if you ask me.¡±

    ¡°So awesome,¡± the girl said, her eyes sparkling with joy.

    That look right there made Nicole¡¯s breath hitch. This child was shit upon by life in so many ways, but she still had that spark. It was something Nicole had lost the day her parents died, and even then it had only been hanging on by a thread. Years of bullying that went ignored by the school would do that to anyone.

    If someone who had such a slim chance of survival could still see something worthwhile in the world, then why did Nicole struggle to do the same? It was a heavy question, and one that Nicole wasn¡¯t truly ready to tackle, but she also understood that she couldn¡¯t run from it forever.

    ¡°Never let anyone take that smile from you,¡± Nicole said, trying to keep her voice from breaking. ¡°It¡¯s the most precious thing in the world.¡±

    Ignoring the puzzled look from the girl, Nicole stood. Thoughts of Grace were floating through her mind at that same moment, a smiling face framed with blonde hair. Nicole¡¯s own smile might be forced, but she could take some joy in Grace¡¯s, even if the woman would never direct it at her the way she hoped.

    Not wanting to disappoint the girl that was still standing on somewhat shaky legs, an idea came to mind as Nicole summoned her energy blades. Rather than throw them, she began to juggle with them. They wouldn¡¯t detonate unless she willed it, which made them surprisingly safe, especially with her ability to dismiss them at will.

    Nicole quickly drew a crowd of cheering children, and she couldn¡¯t help the smile under her helm as she let the enhanced dexterity of her transformed state assist her with cheating at the task. She¡¯d barely had any passing skill with juggling, having picked it up early in her gymnastics career on a lark. Now she could perform with the best of them.

    With a final flourish, Nicole tossed all the daggers into the air, then rather than detonate, had them dissolve into a shower of sparkles of inverted light. The kids clapped and cheered, and for once Nicole found her heart light.

    Behind the kids, Grace was clapping too, the boys still on her shoulders holding tight to the brim of the hat that was built into her helmet. Nicole took a deep bow, then in an added flourish, she allowed herself to drop through the floor.

    She touched down in an empty room, the lights were off and the curtains shut. It was clear the room was just waiting to be filled, which made it the perfect place to take a moment to herself. With a shaky breath, Nicole took a seat on the bed, then pulled her legs up and close to her chest. Her head was jumbled, and she needed to get her thoughts in order before she rejoined the others. She considered dismissing her power completely for a moment, but it was like a warm blanket and she needed the comfort and security it brought.

    Nicole didn¡¯t notice the door opening until someone was sitting down next to her and pulling her close. If not for catching the stark red in her periphery, she might have pulled away, or worse, lashed out. Instead she just collapsed against the woman who was quickly coming to mean far too much to her. Nicole¡¯s power shattered like her resolve and she wrapped herself around Grace¡¯s strong form.

    Red light shattered as well, and the pair sat in silence. Nicole hadn¡¯t meant to fall apart, but that didn¡¯t change the reality of it. She was someone barely hanging in there because of the expectations on her shoulders, but explaining that to others would only bring them down to her level. No, she needed to keep it to herself rather than foist her burdens upon others.

    That wouldn¡¯t stop her from taking solace in a quiet moment with her friend, one of the few who truly knew what she was going through, even if she didn¡¯t know the full weight of it.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Nicole whispered, leaving it at that.

    Grace didn¡¯t answer, just pulled her in a bit tighter. It wasn¡¯t what she needed, but it would have to be enough to get her through the day. Nicole would endure, one day at a time, right up until death came for her, and she would die proud that she had made a difference with her time on earth.

    Even if it only amounted to one single person.

 Chapter 12 - Bookstore

    Nicole tossed a ball against the wall, watching as it bounced off and back to her. Grace was scrambling to finish the homework her professors had assigned to make up for the lost week of classes. Meanwhile, Nicole was already somehow done with hers. Kayla was out looking for apartments in Maple Grove because apparently she wasn¡¯t actually a resident of the city, she was just touring the Renfaire circuit.

    Jeff and Devon were helping her with that, which left Nicole with little to do unless she wanted to head down to the fire station, something she was hesitant to do without Grace at this point. It was a nice enough day with only a few rolling clouds in the blue sky and they¡¯d all agreed to take the day off from Ranger stuff unless there was an emergency.

    Thankfully their run in with the park officer hadn¡¯t made the news, but she still felt bad about scaring the man, not to mention the mess they had made of the forest. Nicole caught the ball and sat back on the bench with a groan. Becca was still staying at her boyfriend¡¯s place even if the man was probably at work, so there was little hope there for company. Sighing, she hopped up and checked her phone.

    Avant Garden was open.

    It was a bit of a trek, but being a Ranger meant things, like how she felt energized in a way she hadn¡¯t since her competition days. Nicole dropped her phone into a pouch and took off at a healthy jog. It was probably a bit beyond what a normal person could manage for long, but she wasn¡¯t too concerned about people seeing her. At worst they would assume she was alternating her pace.

    The jog took about ten minutes, Anoka at least felt like a small town more so than most of Minneapolis. It was part of why she chose that campus instead of the bigger one in the heart of downtown. Both were on the Mississippi, but that was where the similarities ended.

    Reaching the store, she paused outside, looking up at the pride flag in the window. It was nice to see so many places being supportive of the community. It was why Rebecca had moved north a few years prior, Missouri just wasn¡¯t safe for her anymore. Nicole could still remember when the shy girl had first arrived for their Freshman year.

    They¡¯d hit it off and things had been great. Nicole was still a bit pudgy around the middle, but she had lost a lot of her weight by then and passed the tryouts for gymnastics despite that. People tried to get Becca to turn on her, to join in the ridicule, but she refused. Then someone learned that Becca was trans...

    The reaction from the school was swift and vicious, despite the protection laws on the books, that didn¡¯t do anything to stem the cruelty of children. Rebecca had pulled her aside, tried to apologize for deceiving her. Nicole had just pulled her into a hug and confessed her own secret, that she liked girls.

    Then Nicole kissed her.

    She smiled at the memory of her first kiss, still not regretting it even after Becca told her that she didn¡¯t like girls like that, but she was flattered. They¡¯d stayed best friends from there, through thick and thin. She knew that she should tell her about being a Ranger, despite her worries about keeping the secret. It wasn¡¯t fair to Rebecca no matter how Nicole handled it, which was why it continued to eat away at her.

    Pushing the door open, she took in the smell of fresh brewed coffee and new books. There were a handful of people on laptops, but the shop was a bit empty compared to the usual crowd. Not surprising, given the attack a few days prior leaving the whole city on edge. People would be spooked for a while, at least until the Rangers proved that they could protect them.

    Until Nicole proved herself to them.

    With a shuddering breath, Nicole walked up to the counter.

    ¡°Oh, Nicole! I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re safe!¡± Kendra said. ¡°Were you at the faire when...¡±

    Nicole nodded mutely. ¡°I was.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± she said, looking anywhere but at her. ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re safe.¡±

    Yeah, safe. She was safer than almost anyone else in the city, and at the same time, more likely to be dead in a year¡¯s time than most of them too.

    ¡°Can I get my usual?¡± Nicole asked. ¡°Gonna check out the book selection while you get that ready.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Kendra said, moving to get to work as Nicole ducked towards the stairs and headed up.

    Usually she would freak out a bit going up the stairs, her fear of heights was oddly specific, but these stairs hit every note of it. They were steep and old, not to mention just a bit too shallow to comfortably place a foot without feeling you might slip and fall back. She felt none of that now, having jumped higher than the rooftop just a day prior. It changed one¡¯s perspective on things and she knew that even if she fell, she would probably land on her feet. Reaching the top, the employee minding the books gave her a welcoming grin even as he continued to unpack the boxes of new arrivals.

    ¡°Welcome back!¡± Colin said. ¡°Sorry things are a bit messy, I¡¯m sure you can understand.¡±

    She could, given the city was still a bit chaotic. Colin was someone she had known for a while, he was two years older than her, and Becca¡¯s current boyfriend. He had sandy brown hair buzzed close and wore a black shirt with the text ¡®I¡¯m the scary trans person the media warned you about¡¯. Funny enough, the three of them had worn that same shirt together to the mall a few years back, and more people insisted Nicole was the only trans person among them.

    Transphobes were fun like that.

    ¡°Hey Colin, I didn¡¯t think you would be here,¡± she said. ¡°How¡¯s Becca doing?¡±

    He grinned. ¡°Not bad. She¡¯s probably sleeping in today, you know how she can be.¡±

    That she did. ¡°Cool, the dorm is just so dead without her there.¡±

    ¡°I know that feeling,¡± he said, pulling out a book from under the counter. ¡°Your preorder came in early, want it now or do you want me to hold it until the official release?¡±

    Nicole eyed the book and snatched it without hesitation. As if that was even a question! Colin chuckled but she was staring at the cover hungrily. She¡¯d gotten into the series on a whim, picking up a copy of the first book just because it was cheap, then came to adore the world and characters. She knew it was the final book in the planned series, and she was very much looking forward to seeing how it ended.

    It was yet another item on her revolving checklist of things worth sticking around for. Something her former therapist had recommended, keeping a list of reasons to stay alive. No matter how petty, be it a TV show, movie, book or even pure spite for someone else. Whatever reasons worked were good enough, and she¡¯d stuck to it.

    Now she had a reason to fight for tomorrow until the future claimed her.

    ¡°Thanks Colin, you¡¯re the best,¡± she said, thankful the book was already paid for because it really wasn¡¯t in the budget right now.

    ¡°I know,¡± he said, leaning against the counter. ¡°So, crazy alien attack aside, how are you holding up?¡±

    Vivid memories flashed through her mind, of a man being bisected, the thundering certainty of her coming death and the peace it would have brought with it, only to have the cold comfort of the grave snatched away and replaced with a mountain of responsibility.

    ¡°Shit,¡± she said simply. ¡°It¡¯s probably a good thing Becca isn¡¯t home, because I¡¯d be waking her with my nightmares.¡±

    Nicole had woken up in a cold sweat more than once, and she knew she wasn¡¯t the only one on the team to do so with how often Grace was there to answer her texts. Hell, she¡¯d even started up conversations with Jeff and Devon at times just to get her mind off things when Grace hadn¡¯t woken from their own nightmares yet.

    Maybe Kayla had the right idea of it with sleep aids and lots of weed.

    ¡°She said you saw some bad stuff,¡± he said neutrally, feeling her out. ¡°Could you afford your therapist, at least once?¡±

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    In truth, Nicole probably could, but she¡¯d be eating ramen for the rest of the month. Her parents had life insurance, but it hadn¡¯t paid out properly due to alien invasion not being a defined cause of death and she didn¡¯t have the money to fight them on it and they knew it. The government wasn¡¯t much better, denying her aid after budget cuts to welfare programs as they attempted to fund new defense measures. She took a settlement and a four year scholarship when it was offered and knew she could only coast off of that for so long.

    It was part of why she didn¡¯t have long term plans, she couldn¡¯t afford them. Once again, fuck the Supreme Court for their decision that life insurance didn¡¯t cover acts of alien aggression unless specified as well as the add on effects of a mass panic caused by said alien attacks. Nicole was offered a basic income supplement and nothing more, and it would expire when she was done with school.

    To make matters worse, she had exhausted her therapy allowances for the year months ago. That probably contributed to how low she had gotten at the Renfaire, but there was nothing she could do outside of finding a job that paid well enough while still allowing her to attend school.

    ¡°Unfortunately not,¡± Nicole said. Hating how that sounded, she decided to tell a half truth to keep him from doing something stupid like waste his own limited funds on a therapist for her. ¡°I¡¯ll be alright, I made a few friends in the aftermath, we¡¯ve been talking about it with one another.¡±

    He just didn¡¯t need to know they were Rangers.

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± he said, smiling in a way that was kind, yet borderline coddling. ¡°I worry about you, you know?¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± she said, stepping forward to hug him. ¡°Let Becca know I miss her.¡±

    ¡°Will do,¡± Colin said. ¡°Now, you¡¯d better get down before your coffee gets cold.¡±

    Chuckling, Nicole did just that, hurrying down the stairs without hesitation. It was only as she reached the bottom that she cursed to herself. Colin was well aware of her fear, and that was a pretty solid red flag that something was off with her. Knowing he would probably ask about that later, Nicole muttered a few curses to herself and headed back around to the counter.

    ¡°I was starting to wonder if you got lost up there,¡± Kendra said, handing Nicole the cup. ¡°Find everything you wanted?¡±

    ¡°I did, thank you,¡± she said, tapping her card to the reader. Nicole knew she would need to do something soon, her savings were rapidly dwindling and her assistance didn¡¯t cover coffee shops. ¡°I¡¯ll see you around.¡±

    Nicole stepped back outside and took a deep breath. It was so unfair that she had all that power, and no good way to use it. She¡¯d considered using her weird stealth trick to get some extra money, but that would raise questions the moment she used it in person as a Ranger, nevermind that Grace would call her on it immediately. Maybe she could find a drug den and crash it or something, the police wouldn¡¯t care if a bundle or two of cash went missing, would they?

    She continued to ponder that as she walked back towards campus, sipping her coffee as she went. She contemplated texting Grace as she stopped at a crosswalk, looking up to see when it would change only for her blood to freeze.

    The woman from the Renfaire was across the street, wearing that same dress and makeup, and just staring right through her. Nicole¡¯s heart began to hammer in her chest as her breathing turned shallow. A harbinger of disaster stood before her, and it had Nicole itching to reach for her morpher so she could defend herself.

    The light changed and the woman stepped forward, approaching her with a languid grace. The hairs on the back of Nicole¡¯s neck stood as a prickling sensation ran down her skin in anticipation of something horrible to come.

    ¡°Peace, Nicole,¡± Maraline said, her voice every bit as silky as Nicole remembered. ¡°I bring no ill tidings with me today.¡±

    ¡°You sure as hell brought them last time,¡± Nicole shot back. ¡°Give me one good reason to not kick your ass for that.¡±

    ¡°That was not done on my order,¡± Maraline said. ¡°Come, walk with me.¡±

    The woman set off, a solemn purpose to her steps. Begrudgingly Nicole followed, but not before she fished her phone from its pouch and pulled up the group chat. It was a bit of a risk, and might serve to piss the eldritch entity, but she wasn¡¯t about to chance going off alone with the fae woman.

    Not when she had a team she could call upon.

    Nicole: Emergency, the weird woman is back.

    Jeff: Who?

    Grace: Oh shit, the one that warned you before the attack?

    Just to prove it, Nicole snapped a quick picture of the woman and sent it to the group chat. It wasn¡¯t a good picture, having been taken from behind, but it showed off her ethereal silver hair as well as the flowing blue dress. She was beautiful and terrible, like the fae of old, and Nicole¡¯s instincts told her that Maraline was every bit as dangerous as those legends portrayed.

    Devon: Wow. She¡¯s Gorgeous.

    Kayla: Keep it in your pants horndog, odds are good she¡¯s Sylan.

    Grace: Not one actual Sylan has been seen outside of a battlefield, so why now?

    Nicole: And why me?

    Nicole added her current address and direction and tucked her phone away, they all had a locator app installed that let each of them track the other. It seemed prudent, though it stopped tracking when they morphed, as their phones were shunted off somewhere, and returned without a charge. It was annoying, but better than the thing just failing outright as the app would still show their last known location.

    Phones were expensive, and hers was already starting to show its age.

    ¡°Have you sufficiently warned your fellows of my presence?¡± Maraline asked, turning down a different road.

    Nicole jumped, barely registering that she was being led towards the Mississippi River. She wasn¡¯t expecting to be called out like that, but the woman had proven herself to be quite perceptive in the past.

    ¡°Figures you picked up on that,¡± Nicole grumbled, shoving her hands into the too small pockets of her jeans.

    ¡°It is only prudent on your part,¡± Maraline said with a gentle bob of her head. The river came into view and the ethereal woman moved to sit at a bench overlooking the rolling waters. ¡°Your planet does have such beauty. It is a shame so much has been marred by your need to expand.¡±

    ¡°Humans are kinda shit like that,¡± Nicole said, standing off to the side where she could keep Maraline in sight while remaining ready to act if needed. ¡°I¡¯m assuming that means you¡¯re a Sylan?¡±

    ¡°You could say that,¡± she said, sounding almost mournful. ¡°I am one of their creations, just as that creature you slew was. Engineered to function on your planet, to prepare the way.¡±

    Engineered? ¡°Like, grown in a lab?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, looking up to the sky. ¡°I was meant to lead the forces being deployed to your planet. When I asked to venture out among the humans, my Commander scoffed, yet allowed it. I wished to understand the people I was meant to conquer, I refused to cause death blindly.¡±

    ¡°So you killed thousands with eyes open instead,¡± Nicole hissed, her anger rising.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Maraline said, her voice somber. ¡°I was told it would be glorious to lead our forces. It was not what I was led to believe.¡±

    The sheer sorrow carried in those words stole the breath from Nicole¡¯s lungs. It might have been an act designed to lure her into a false sense of security, but something about the way Maraline held herself, the way her eyes moved across the scenery... It didn¡¯t feel disingenuous to her.

    ¡°Do you intend to stop?¡± Nicole asked, a touch of hope coloring her words.

    Maraline sighed, leaning back as she looked skyward. ¡°I cannot, no more than you are able to stand aside and do nothing when there is a problem in front of you. It was why you were chosen. We each have our roles defined for us, it was why I asked you to leave before you became embroiled in this conflict.¡±

    ¡°You knew I would be chosen as a Ranger?¡± Nicole demanded, stepping towards her.

    ¡°No,¡± Maraline said, her voice firm. ¡°I did not wish for my efforts to assist you to be in vain. I never expected you to become a Ranger. I would not have wished such cruelty upon one as fragile of mind.¡±

    Nicole wanted to bite back, to insist otherwise, but Maraline wasn¡¯t wrong. She wasn¡¯t in a good headspace, hadn¡¯t been since her parents died, and not much better before then due to school always shitting on her life no matter what she did. Nicole was the last person that should have been made a Ranger, she¡¯d been chosen during a suicidal charge to go out while accomplishing something meaningful. In a way, she still was on that same path, it would simply take a bit longer to see it through.

    ¡°Yet, here I am,¡± Nicole said, hands trembling as she clenched them into fists. ¡°Each time I expected to die, something happened to delay it. I¡¯ve been robbed of that release so many times now.¡± She took a deep breath, a deep anger simmering within then took a step back towards the stairs, ascending them as she spoke her challenge to destiny itself. ¡°Send your armies and monsters. I¡¯ll throw myself at them each and every time, until I can no longer do so.¡±

    At that same moment, her fellow Rangers ran up in plainclothes, arraying themselves out behind her. She felt a swell of pride, having people at her back that would stand with her. A team, unified in a common goal that was bigger than any of them. It allowed her to stand strong against the odds.

    Maraline sighed, rising to her feet with an unearthly grace. ¡°So be it, Nicole. You have made your choice and I shall weep for it. I will see you on the battlefield.¡±

    A flash of green light rippled from Maraline¡¯s core, her form vanishing with it. Had she actually left peacefully? Before Nicole could sigh in relief, a second flash of green nearly blinded her, and two dozen automatons took the woman¡¯s place. The machines spread out, and in the distance she heard someone scream.

    Of course Maraline had lied, she was the enemy of humanity.

    She looked back to her team, eyes tracing over each of them, trying not to laugh that everyone showed up in their proper colors, before she settled on Grace. Her friend smiled softly and nodded, it seemed everyone agreed this was Nicole¡¯s moment to shine. Nicole turned back to face the invader¡¯s minions, her shoulders squared and steel in her spine. She had a purpose, and she would fulfill it. She brought her watch up, the holographic black die floating above it. Nicole grabbed hold and tossed it forward.

    ¡°Roll the Dice!¡±

 Chapter 13 - Flash Mob

    Power coursed through Nicole¡¯s form as her form shifted under the expanding light. Not one of the machines wavered from the flash of light that spanned the visible spectrum. The machines weren¡¯t the same as the ones they fought at the Renfaire, these were sleeker versions, with metallic blue stripes along their shoulders.

    She couldn¡¯t help but smile as she turned all her frustrations upon an acceptable target. Unthinking, unfeeling, and numerous enough that they wouldn¡¯t be exhausted for some time yet. The machines moved to encircle the Rangers, not a one breaking away to attack the fleeing civilians. Their purpose was solely to counter the Rangers at the behest of the woman who had once helped put Nicole back together after one of her worst breakdowns.

    ¡°Keep them contained,¡± Devon yelled, stepping forward with his silver shield raised. ¡°We can¡¯t give them an opportunity to harm any civilians.¡±

    Nicole rolled her eyes, not that anyone could see it and punched Grace¡¯s red shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s wreck their shit.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s certainly a better plan than homework,¡± Grace said, chuckling.

    Nicole grinned savagely, stepping forward at a steady pace, a sureness to her feet that she once carried on the gymnastics mat. An automaton lunged for her, blade coming down. She sidestepped, pushing the limb out of the way and struck with an open palm. The machine¡¯s chest piece dented under her blow and flew back, the others neatly stepping aside to dodge the new pile of scrap as it went over the railing and down into the mighty Mississippi.

    Grace crashed into their formation shoulder first, bowling them over before she brought her axe around in a wide arc, shearing through the machines. Not even two steps to Nicole¡¯s right, thin vines shot through the massed machines before whipping apart, shredding them. Jeff came down at that same moment, blazing purple the only warning before a machine disintegrated under the force of impact, scattering several others from the force of it.

    Nicole moved in a flash, knives carving through the flank as Grace and Jeff decimated the center. Even with the upgraded models, the machines still couldn¡¯t stand up to their team.

    No sooner than those thoughts crossed Nicole¡¯s mind, another flash of light signaled the arrival of more machines just up the walkway. Nicole was already moving to face them as the blue ones moved down the steps to catch them in a pincer, but those that resembled the machines from the Renfaire instead moved towards the town beyond.

    People screamed in the distance, the snap of gunshots ringing out.

    ¡°Silver, handle these bastards,¡± Grace yelled. ¡°Rogue, let¡¯s go show them why we¡¯re the real threat!¡±

    Nicole nodded, punching one machine before spinning to drive her elbow into another. From there blades lashed out, carving through the remainder. With that, Nicole then legged it through the opening she¡¯d just created. She jumped over the descending machines, skipping the two dozen stairs as she did with a flip straight out of her old routine. She landed on the railing above with perfect poise, and sent a dozen blades of prismatic light into the retreating crowd of baseline machines.

    ¡°Showoff,¡± Grace said, taking the stairs six at a time with fleet-footed hops, her axe flashing out to carve any machine that tried to get in her way. The machines that had been sprinting towards the hiding people all paused, turning their focus from the civilians. ¡°That¡¯s right, scrap for brains. Come and get us!¡±

    The gray striped machines let off a warbling screech and surged forward, moving far slower than their counterparts but in greater numbers. Axe and dagger flashed in the sun, cutting through the less durable alloy like tissue paper. There were further flashes that signaled more arrivals, but Nicole couldn¡¯t afford to focus on them, not with so many machines already converging on her and Grace.

    Individually, the machines weren¡¯t much of a threat, but they were swiftly growing in numbers, up from the initial cluster and multiplying at a terrible rate with every new flash of teleportation. Nicole knew it was nothing more than swarm tactics, all to wear them down with a mass of disposable bodies. The Rangers were already scattered, and would likely have to split apart again the moment another group broke away to attack those unable to fight back. Divide and conquer remained a classic for a reason.

    Sirens sounded as flashing red and blue flew down the street, screeching to a halt to block the road. Officers stepped out, moving behind their impromptu cordon and taking aim with their handguns. These officers weren¡¯t equipped to handle an Automaton threat, yet they put lead down range all the same. The people fleeing all instinctively ducked at the discharge, some tripping over themselves and making easier targets for the machines.

    Nicole almost jumped when one of those bullets impacted her shoulder, a spray of sparks shooting off as she jerked back from the subsonic round. Growling in frustration as a machine tried to latch onto her, she grabbed the bastard by the leg, twisting as it slammed into another machine, then threw the mangled automaton towards the police. The husk impacted the nearest car, denting the hood as the officers ducked for cover.

    ¡°Check your fucking fire!¡± Nicole yelled, then hissed as a clawed limb scraped across her back, sending a shower of sparks around her. Even with the kinetic barrier, strikes like that still hurt. Though it hadn¡¯t penetrated her suit, the pressure of each impact was still felt in her flesh.

    Nicole spun, kicking the machine hard and loosed a flurry of small blades at it. The automaton fell in a shower of sparks even as Nicole was forced to dance back to avoid two more. They were fighting an uphill battle and there hadn¡¯t even been a mutant yet!

    ¡°We¡¯re going to get overrun at this rate!¡±

    ¡°Welcome to being a Ranger,¡± Grace said, ripping her axe free before bringing it around to decapitate another. ¡°This isn¡¯t like the old kiddie hero shows, we fail here, people will die!¡±

    Nicole knew the truth of those words, and yet it was only now sinking in just how outmatched humanity truly was. They were deploying these kinds of numbers on a whim, all for an attack that was done out of a petty outburst in response to a speech.

    An elbow strike to one machine, sidestep to avoid a strike, duck a blow, blade through the chest. It was all she could do to keep her focus on the chaos around her as she fought side by side with her friend through a sea of metal and blades. The dance continued as if they had coordinated together for years, enhanced reflexes making it feel almost natural.

    A weight crashed into her from behind, cold machine limbs wrapped around Nicole¡¯s torso and the kinetic barrier sparked from the pressure. Before she could throw the machine off another swiped at her with bladed limbs, sending heavy sparks arcing off of her as she bit back another cry of pain.

    The worst part was how it felt like she was getting beaten with heavy clubs, just along a fine edge. Nothing cutting, but feeling it all the same. Nicole grit her teeth, stowing her daggers in whatever ethereal place they resided when she didn¡¯t need them all so she could grab the machine off her back. Fingers dug into metal with a groan as Nicole twisted sharply, cracking the machine like a whip across the asphalt.

    Not breaking stride, Nicole¡¯s blades reformed in her hands just as she buried one to the hilt within the next machine. She winced as another blade glanced off her suit, ignoring the sparks as her barrier took another hit. She didn¡¯t know the extent of punishment it could handle, but there had to be a limit. The dance continued as she almost entered a trance, the motions becoming less thoughtful and more intuitive.

    Instinctive.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Nicole had cut down dozens of machines but they just kept coming. At least she hadn¡¯t seen another flash in several machines. That thought almost tore a laugh out of her, the absurdity of tracking time by the number of machines cut down breaking her focus.

    It cost her.

    A blade rammed into her stomach, driving the air from Nicole¡¯s lungs as she doubled over, rolling to the side in an attempt to avoid any immediate strikes. She didn¡¯t quite succeed as she coughed, flopping onto her back instead. Above her, two machines with blue stripes loomed, ready to bring their blades down upon her.

    Nicole¡¯s breath hitched, bracing herself for the coming pain and potential end.

    Grace severed the machines in twain with a guttural yell, rending their forms with primal fury. The Red Ranger paused, then offered Nicole a hand. ¡°You good?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right,¡± Nicole asked, wishing she could spit the blood from her mouth as she accepted the lift back to her feet. She must have bitten her cheek at some point in the chaos. Just for spite, Nicole brought her foot down on one of the damaged machine¡¯s head and crushed it like an empty soda can. ¡°There¡¯s no end to them.¡±

    A spear ripped through another, Jeff dropping in a blur of purple as he swung around his spear, pulling it free and swiping across the hoard. ¡°Silver and Green are right behind me, they¡¯ve been keeping the machine hoard contained while I picked off those trying to break away.¡±

    That was good, at least the others hadn¡¯t been as overwhelmed as she and Grace had, but it sounded like there was still a struggle to gain ground on their end. That two of the blue machines had broken through told Nicole all she needed to know.

    Vines arced into the sky momentarily, then speared down into the automatons, clearing space around the trio before Devon burst through the line, one machine clinging to his shield haphazardly as it clawed at his helmet. His shield was held up, the makeshift battering ram putting in work. Once clear, he spun, throwing the clingy machine free and into Kayla¡¯s writhing mass of vines.

    The team stood together once more, each bringing their weapons to the ready as they faced down the hoards of the Sylan invaders even as several of the fallen machines exploded around them. A chill ran down Nicole¡¯s spine as the moment hung there, even the machines seemingly frozen at the sight.

    Glass shattered as half the assembled machines turned their focus onto the hiding civilians. The shift was instantaneous, and none of her fellow Rangers hesitated to spring into action. Jeff sailed over the tide of machines, crashing into one that threatened a bakery that had only opened a few weeks prior. Grace and Devon turned themselves into cudgels, meeting the machines around them to push out and away even as Kayla began to send lashing vines into the masses.

    Nicole didn¡¯t get to pick at random, her focus was squarely on Avant Garden where a machine had just shattered the window, Kendra screamed, but Nicole was already on the move. She phased through the bulk of machines, a hint of shame bubbling up as she realized that could have allowed her to avoid a few hits earlier.

    Materializing behind the machine crawling through the window, Nicole grabbed hold of a leg and threw it back into another approaching automaton. She didn¡¯t have time to appreciate the crash of metal as another jumped up on the counter, blades at the ready. Nicole had already summoned her energy blades and let them loose.

    Bolts of pure energy shredded through the machine while others detonated within, ending the threat before it could claim a victim. Nicole phased inside and landed on the counter top without a sound. Blades formed in hand again, and Nicole sent them behind her, back through the window and into the machines attempting to follow her.

    Down behind the counter, Kendra had ducked down, covering her head even as Colin crouched protectively in front of her, one arm raised to cover her. Colin looked up at her with wide eyes and all she could do was nod to the man before jumping back off and moving back to the broken window.

    No other machine had made it to the window, though she did catch Colin peeking over the counter where hopefully Kendra had also taken shelter. Nicole instead pointed to the rear door, pitching her voice to sound as authoritative as she could.

    ¡°Clear out when you have an opening!¡±

    Even with the distortion of her helmet it didn¡¯t come across as she hoped, but it would have to do. Colin pulled Kendra up and began to move even as Nicole was forced to engage the automatons that continued to move towards her. She barely caught the pair escaping through the rear door between strikes, and Nicole took that as her cue that she could push back into the street once more.

    Nicole was glad to see Colin get away safely, the last thing she wanted was for Becca to lose her boyfriend all because she decided to provoke the alien with an impassioned speech. Not her best moment, but Nicole regretted none of it. She¡¯d meant each and every word.

    With blades in hand, Nicole danced from machine to machine, carving her way back towards her teammates. Blades came for her, yet this time she phased through them. The timing was tricky since she couldn¡¯t unphase until everything in contact with her was clear of anything more solid than dust particles, but after the first few she began to launch retaliatory strikes the moment she dropped her phase.

    Nicole breathed deep with each strike, relishing the flow she settled into. The machines now struggled to touch her, her movements growing just a bit tighter with each exchange. Nicole hadn¡¯t seen a blue striped automaton since the group reformed, which hopefully meant that they were all dealt with.

    Unfortunately the hoards of regular machines just didn¡¯t seem to end and Nicole was already fearful of what the coming Mutant might bring with it. That concern had to be put aside in favor of linking back up with her team. She caught flashes of purple as Jeff leapt from one threat to another, keeping the machines from breaking away. Vines now rose high to cut off one side of the street, with the police holding down the other with a vehicular blockade.

    Silver and Red continued to hold the center melee, keeping the bulk of the hoard attempting to overwhelm them. Nicole focused on clearing paths to each shop on that side of the street, checking for anyone that might be in danger. Colin and Kendra ended up being the only people that were in immediate danger, most having since fled.

    The focus on attacking the Rangers was strange, the Sylan could easily have dropped more groups of machines across the city, keeping them buried under numbers at one site while thousands more slaughtered civilians freely. Yet, that hadn¡¯t happened even once since the first Ranger team appeared.

    The last shop was cleared on her side, and she could only hope that Jeff managed to do the same on his side of the street as Nicole switched her focus to herding the machines towards Devon and Grace. Kayla was focused on maintaining the perimeter, her crowd control skills being amply demonstrated as she drew the circle in as they pushed back the machines. Their teamwork wasn¡¯t the greatest, but everyone settled into their roles well enough.

    No doubt there would be a meeting where they discussed what worked and what didn¡¯t in the days to come, but until then she still needed to focus on the battle at hand. She could nitpick her own mistakes once the danger was past.

    The flow between strikes stalled, and it took an extra step to reach the next machine. Soon that step turned to two and it became clear that the crowd was finally thinning enough that the Rangers would be able to breathe. Kayla¡¯s vines had now encircled the battle in full, save for the police cordon, where Jeff had now stationed himself to defend.

    Considering that handled, Nicole instead shifted and threw herself through the massed machines, turning solid again to slash out when the opening was too tempting to ignore. Grace cleaved one machine just as Nicole emerged through the ranks, solidifying just in time to carve through another as her feet found purchase atop a broken automaton.

    ¡°Welcome back!¡± Grace said, her voice almost breathless as she slung her axe over her shoulder. ¡°Think you got enough in you to finish the fight?¡±

    Nicole wasn¡¯t doing much better, her own breathing heavy, but she didn¡¯t let that mask the smile on her face under the helmet. ¡°Plenty left, especially for these bastards.¡±

    There were maybe two dozen left, all of which were circling their mound of broken machines slowly, none rushing into the fray. Nicole took the opportunity to catch her breath even as her eyes continued to track the machines.

    The vines had since retreated, with Kayla rejoining them from where she had taken over watch, she stumbled, one of the bits of machine under her feet slipping. That was enough for the remainder of the automatons to surge towards them. Jeff crashed into the first, his spear ripping free to swipe widely at the next. Devon shifted to support Kayla, projecting a shield around them as Grace and Nicole rejoined the melee.

    Sparks flew, machines exploded, but it was over just moments later, the last machine falling. Grace¡¯s red boot came down on it, crushing the chest plate and the battlefield fell still. There was a beat where nobody dared break the silence, Nicole¡¯s muscles were still wound, ready to spring at the slightest provocation.

    A single clap rang out, and five prismatic helms turned as one to face the sound. The police officer froze, his hands still together. Then the other officers behind the line of cars joined and the tension broke. Nicole let out a shaky breath of relief.

    So of course that was when something deafening roared out in defiance.

 Chapter 14 - You Cant Park That Here

    Heads turned, frantically looking for the source of the guttural roar. Nicole had feared a mutant would come, and it seemed it finally had, but she couldn¡¯t see it. Worse, they were all worn out from the massive melee, with Kayla barely able to stand after working so fiercely on crowd control.

    The officers were looking around in confusion, and it was only by chance that Nicole had been looking their way when the mutant came sliding around the corner only a block down the road. It had the body of a kangaroo, and much like the real deal, was built like an MMA fighter from hell. The head was much more akin to that of a bull, complete with skewering horns both pointed forward. Worse yet, even on all fours it was easily as tall as the storefronts as a whip-like tail swished behind the beast.

    The creature snorted, blowing white hot steam that ate away at all it touched, save its own flesh. The beast roared in challenge as powerful legs kicked off the asphalt, sending chunks flying as claws easily dug through the surface. Nicole was already in motion, seeing the coming disaster before it crashed into the unsuspecting police line who were still turning to face the unknown threat. There was no time for anything fancy, so Nicole shoved the hapless men and women aside regardless of how she might hurt them, there wasn¡¯t any time to be gentle about it as horns the size of Jeff¡¯s spear angled down towards her. The beast¡¯s eyes locked onto Nicole, pure malice radiating from within.

    Then the monster passed right through her as she phased herself. Steel scrunched and screamed as the creature crashed into the two cars behind her, throwing one aside while the other was simple knocked away. Devon met the creature head on, his shield ringing out like a struck gong. Unlike before, this time he was pushed back by the sheer force of the creature, his feet carving through the road and machine remnants being bowled over.

    Grace and Jeff moved to each flank of the monster, weapons impacting flesh. Nicole wasn¡¯t idle, falling upon the beast¡¯s back, her blades finding easy purchase within the thick hide and spilling blue blood. The monster recoiled from the trio of strikes, only to be immediately pulled back down by a mass of vines. Kayla was barely on her feet, holding her staff tight as she leaned against it, the vines straining against her staff.

    ¡°Do something, quick!¡± Kayla called out, her voice cracking.

    Nicole grimaced at the urgency of her words, not sure what else she could do with a pair of daggers, so she dug one in and threw herself off the side, the dagger trailing a line down the beast¡¯s side. Grace backed away as Nicole phased through a swipe of the clawed hind leg, concrete shattering under the force of the strike. Nicole tried not to think about whether her kinetic shield could have handled the strike.

    The beast forced itself upright, pulling at the vines as it billowed white smoke from its nostrils, the vines almost withering from the acrid substance. Nicole jumped away, as did the others. Kayla, however, collapsed to the ground as her staff clattered beside her, heaving for breath.

    Fuck.

    Before Nicole had a chance to move, Jeff and Devon were at her side, the former was helping her up while the latter projected his shield forward, keeping the noxious fumes from reaching either. Once Jeff had her in a princess carry, her staff now clutched in her arms, he leapt into the sky in a blur of purple.

    The mutant reengaged with Devon, and Grace was supporting him as best she could but the monster was almost pure muscle and brute force. There would be no standing against the thing head on for Nicole, she wasn¡¯t a frontline fighter like those two, so she would instead embody her namesake and be roguish about it.

    Nicole phased, passing through a limb as the beast slammed its claws down on Devon¡¯s shield, then as it tried to backhand Grace, Nicole struck. Her blade sliced through the hide and into a tendon at the joint. The monster wailed, attempting to lash out, but Nicole was once more incorporeal to all it could do. That didn¡¯t stop it from slapping a parked car into one of the storefronts where it kept going halfway through the wall before it stopped.

    Now she really didn¡¯t want to get hit by that thing.

    Devon took advantage, a shining silver sword burning flesh and fur before he was once again put on the defensive, blocking strikes and keeping the beast from lashing out at Grace who very much did not have any defensive skills. Even three on one it felt like they were only making superficial progress, small cuts into tough hide. The monster wasn¡¯t as outright dangerous as the scorpion they had fought before, but it was a hell of a lot tougher.

    From one endurance based fight to the next, and one of their members was already out of action. Jeff crashed into the beast¡¯s shoulder right as Nicole finished that thought, the arm falling limp. He¡¯d already backflipped away, his spear held in a high grip, ready to strike once more.

    ¡°Finally, some progress,¡± Devon said.

    Nicole danced around the beast, rolling over the limp limb it tried to sling at her to land beside Grace. ¡°Kickass is what that was. Now, let¡¯s finish it so we can go celebrate.¡±

    ¡°Please tell me you don¡¯t mean the diner,¡± Devon muttered.

    Jeff actually gasped. ¡°Do not diss the diner! They have amazing chocolate chip pancakes!¡±

    Grace snickered and some part of Nicole wondered if the beast was just being polite by letting them banter, but no, it was pawing at the limp arm and¡ª

    A sick tearing sound reverberated as the monster ripped the limp arm from it¡¯s shoulder looking at it in disgust for a moment. The blood dripped off the limb as the creature snarled and its shoulder tensed.

    ¡°Scatter!¡± Nicole yelled.

    The arm was flung right at their group, impacting hard where they had just been standing. It was a near thing that it missed them and Nicole wasn¡¯t about to try and take that kind of impact with how much her shield had already been strained in the fight. Once again Devon moved to keep the monster¡¯s attention, his shining shield and sword a beacon that seemed to draw the animalistic side of the monster towards it.

    Nicole kept up her strikes, moving around the creature and cutting away at joints and tendons. Blood poured from the stump and Nicole knew it was only a matter of time before it became too much for the creature. With how the beast ripped its own arm off, self preservation didn¡¯t seem to be a thing that the mutants were all that concerned with.

    ¡°Stall or try to end it sooner?¡± Grace asked, her mind also latching onto the same idea.

    Devon muttered under his breath, then brought his shield up just a bit firmer. ¡°Take no risks, but ensure it won¡¯t be a danger to the public.¡±

    Given how it had torn through the streets, thrashed multiple vehicles, and was still standing despite the blood leaking from the limb, it was still very much a danger to everyone present. All it would take would be a single errant motion and a car might sail into the police line, or the reporters which were now arriving on the scene.

    Joy.

    ¡°Once more unto the evening news,¡± Nicole muttered.

    ¡°Bring it home Rangers!¡± Devon shouted, letting his blade shine bright as he held it skyward, then brought it down with a yell.

    The blade of energy impacted the monster¡¯s face, forcing a wince across its face. Jeff jumped high as Grace charged. Nicole didn¡¯t sit idle, stepping sideways before also closing the distance. The one armed mutant swatted at Devon, he deflected the strike with his shield and struck true. Grace ducked the deflected limb, sinking her own blade deep into an existing wound, widening it further. Jeff hit the beast in the chest with a thunderclap of force, driving it to rear back from the impact.

    Nicole wasn¡¯t that nice about things. She jumped, dancing through her friend¡¯s strikes and put one of her blades through the bastard¡¯s eye. The mutant screeched as it reached for the blade she had left behind, stepping back as the Rangers once more made distance.

    A single vine wrapped around the mutant¡¯s ankle, the fiend tripped, falling sideways with enough force to rattle the remainder of the police line. That was all it took to give Grace the opening she needed, her axe impacting the back of its neck with a flash of blazing crimson. Nicole stood stock still at the sight, then her blade moved once more, cleaving through. The beast still stood, staring forward, but Nicole knew it was over long before the head slipped free and the beast collapsed to the ground with a dull impact.

    She turned, looking up to the rooftop where Kayla stood, the vine retreating back into her staff. She dropped to one knee, but held up a thumb even as she gasped. Nicole nodded once towards her as Jeff jumped up to check on her. Nicole hurried over to Grace, dismissing her weapons on the way and offered a high five for her friend.

    ¡°Hell yeah,¡± Nicole said, the tension having turned to excitement.

    Grace chuckled, the hands holding her axe trembling. The weapon dispersed into motes of red light, and she held up an unsteady hand. Nicole slapped it, then bumped her with a hip.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°We won,¡± Grace said softly even as the rest of the team gathered around, offering their own muted cheers.

    The news always depicted the Rangers standing triumphant with the dead mutant in the background. Having fought two now, Nicole had more than a little suspicion that those pictures were just a bit staged.

    ¡°Everyone alright?¡± Kayla asked as Jeff helped her over to the others.

    ¡°I think my everything is bruised,¡± Devon grumbled.

    Jeff chuckled. ¡°No kidding. I don¡¯t see myself getting out of bed for at least two days.¡±

    Nicole could agree with that sentiment. The mutant had been a powerhouse, but it wasn¡¯t smart about using its speed and strength, which gave them the edge needed to pull off the win. More importantly, she didn¡¯t think any of the mechanical soldiers had managed to get their claws into civilians.

    She looked up, finding Grace¡¯s red helm. She smiled, even if her friend couldn¡¯t see it. She¡¯d been in danger, and her teammates had come to help, they¡¯d fought together again, and won in a way that they could be proud of.

    A sharp clap startled her, and all five Rangers¡¯ attention snapped to the source of the sound. A young girl was standing back behind the remnants of the police line, clapping. Others were stepping out of nearby shops, joining in with the revelry, and soon they had a small crowd cheering for them. Colin and Kendra were among them, the jubilation picking up by the second. Nicole looked on, dumbstruck.

    People were cheering for her. Even when she was doing gymnastics, the only ones to do that were her parents, and her two friends. Now, she had an entire crowd, not just clapping politely, but actively cheering! Her eyes burned as she took it all in, and a firm hand fell on her shoulder. Grace stood beside her, visor looking back and she could just barely make out her face underneath. She nodded, then turned back to the crowd, waving as she did.

    Nicole decided she could unpack those feelings later, and followed her friend¡¯s example, putting the approaching cameras as far out of her mind as she could. They had won, and for once she would take pride in the accomplishment.

    <hr>

    ¡°Ow, fuck,¡± Nicole said, shouldering the door to her dorm open.

    Beside her, Grace helped prop her up as they stumbled inside. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to be able to get back to my dorm tonight. I¡¯m fucking exhausted.¡±

    There was no disputing that, it had taken everything they had just to get back to the college after they managed to shake the reporters. Nicole felt like she¡¯d been thrown down a mountainside and into a blender. If Grace felt even half as bad, she wouldn¡¯t want to go any further than absolutely necessary. Nicole glanced across the darkened apartment, glad that it seemed to be empty.

    ¡°Totally getting Chinese delivered, no way I¡¯m up to even microwaving something.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Nicole said softly. Her phone would need charged anyway after morphing with it on her person. ¡°I need a shower, but fuck that noise right now.¡±

    Chuckling, the pair helped one another to the couch. Not that she had much choice given how fucking exhausted Nicole felt at the moment. They flopped down with heavy, and pained, grunts. Nicole knew right then and there she wasn¡¯t getting back up that night, even for takeout. She wasn¡¯t about to voice that, however. Instead, she fished her phone from her pocket and placed it on the wireless charger that Becca had bought for them and grabbed the remote, turning it to the news.

    Sure enough, all the local coverage was about the Rangers making another appearance. What surprised Nicole most was that they had considerable footage this time, at least compared to what happened at the Renfaire. Most of it was shaky cell footage, but there was some store security stuff mixed in as well. The news cameras had gotten in place by the time the big bastard showed up, offering higher quality footage of the climactic showdown or whatever the talking head was calling it.

    ¡°I dashed us some Chinese,¡± Grace said after a moment.

    Nicole blinked, looking at her friend. ¡°Your phone didn¡¯t get drained by the morph?¡±

    Grace chuckled, rubbing the back of her head. ¡°Left it in my car. I figured yours would be dead if you had to morph, so I didn¡¯t want to take that chance.¡±

    Nicole grinned, leaning against her friend as a bit of tension bled out of her. ¡°At least someone on the team has some brain cells. I went off on my own and allowed Queen Bitch General of the Scourge there to find me.¡±

    A loud snort rumbled through Grace, but Nicole didn¡¯t have the energy to react.

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming that¡¯s a reference I¡¯m not getting?¡±

    ¡°Nah, just pissed that she pretended to be my friend,¡± Nicole said softly. ¡°I don¡¯t have many of those, and she caught me at a particularly low point before the attack.¡±

    ¡°What about today?¡± Grace asked.

    Nicole thought back to seeing her across the street, and the conversation that followed. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I would almost think that she was checking up on me. As if one of the invaders might actually be concerned about a random human.¡±

    Grace sat up a bit straighter, jostling Nicole from her comfortable position. ¡°Is it possible that she actually did care?¡±

    ¡°Not a chance in hell,¡± Nicole spat. ¡°She claimed to have been engineered to lead the forces on Earth, yet she had enough volition to come check on me. She has free will, she could walk away if she wanted to, so fuck her.¡±

    ¡°Just because someone can leave doesn¡¯t mean they are able to,¡± Grace said at almost a whisper, reaching her arm around Nicole¡¯s shoulder and squeezing gently. ¡°Until we know her circumstances, what hold they have on her, I don¡¯t think we should discount her just yet¡­ I mean, no civilians were hurt, even with the mutant turned loose at the end.¡±

    That was true, and did seem out of the ordinary. Why waste hundreds of their drones on an attack like that? Yet, the machine that had stood on the counter had more than enough time to kill Colin, yet it had delayed the strike until she arrived to save him. Had Maraline intentionally limited the attack just to spare them the worst of it? Shit, if that was a limited attack, what hope did they have if things got truly serious? That was a sobering thought, and one she was far too tired to entertain at the moment.

    Instead, she just let those thoughts flee, falling into a comfortable doze. A moment later someone dared disturb her from her slumber. She grumbled petulantly, even as her warm cuddle source pulled away.

    ¡°Nicole, food¡¯s here,¡± Grace said. She just grunted in reply, rolling a bit to get comfortable again. ¡°Fine, fine, I¡¯ll get the food, you nap a bit more you adorable menace.¡±

    She hummed in response, then her brain was practically burning as the words registered.

    Someone had called her adorable?

    She must have dreamed it, because nobody was there. Instead, Nicole stretched, every joint cracking as she did, her muscles protesting with a dull ache. Just how long had she been out? Because she should be in far more pain than she was given how she felt earlier. Vaguely, she wondered why she felt like someone was missing.

    Becca was at Colin¡¯s, but that had been for days now, so who¡­

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Someone said from the doorway. Nicole sat up, that voice was familiar, as was the sound of panic coming from the other woman. Nicole was already on her feet, hurrying to the door where Grace held her hands up, taking a step back. Becca didn¡¯t waste a moment, stepping forward and into Grace¡¯s personal space. ¡°No seriously, who the fuck are you? I swear, if you hurt Nicole I¡¯ll¡ª¡±

    ¡°Becca!¡± Nicole said, sliding between the two girls. ¡°Chill, she¡¯s a friend.¡±

    Rebecca blinked, looking Nicole over quickly, then her eyes settled back on Grace, and a damn smirk came to her lips. ¡°Well, looks like I wasn¡¯t the only one getting a bit of private time with a special someone.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t¡ª¡± Grace tried, but Nicole held up her hand.

    ¡°Becca, this is my friend Grace. Grace, meet Becca, my obnoxious best friend and roommate.¡±

    Grace chuckled nervously, offering her hand. ¡°I¡¯d say it was a pleasure, but this is hardly the right foot for that.¡±

    Becca glanced down, and hesitantly accepted it. ¡°You hurt my friend and I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    Grace blinked, and Nicole had to snort. Rebecca was protective to a fault when it came to those in her circle, and disappointing her was near the top of Nicole¡¯s list for why she hadn¡¯t cashed out of the game of life just yet. She¡¯d disappointed enough people as it was, and didn¡¯t want to hurt her as well.

    ¡°Noted,¡± Grace said. ¡°Now, this might be weird to ask, but would you happen to be our dasher?¡±

    Becca rolled her eyes, stepping back out into the hall before retrieving a bag. ¡°Got it right here, and you¡¯re lucky you tipped so well, otherwise I might have doubled back for Colin¡¯s shotgun before delivering this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re dashing right now,¡± Nicole said, then shut her mouth before she blabbed that she knew Colin had been at the center of the attack. Instead she gestured towards the TV which was still displaying news footage of the attack.

    Becca sighed. ¡°I meant to sign out, but I sort of panicked when Colin messaged me that he¡¯d been in the heart of that shitshow. He even got a closeup look at a machine as well as the Black Ranger.¡±

    ¡°He was that close?¡± Grace asked.

    It was a good thing her friend had no aspirations for acting, because that delivery was anything but convincing. Unfortunately, changing the subject would have to wait a moment if she wanted to keep up the charade.

    ¡°He¡¯s okay?¡± Nicole asked softly. ¡°I¡¯ve seen what those things can do¡­¡±

    Rebecca huffed, stepping inside to set the bags down on the counter. ¡°He¡¯s down in the car. I got the dash when I was driving back to his place and didn¡¯t recognize the name.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my bad,¡± Grace said. ¡°This little terror fell asleep after giving me her order.¡±

    Nicole didn¡¯t even recall giving an order, which meant she probably just grunted an affirmative when Grace asked if something was okay or not. Hopefully it wasn¡¯t orange chicken, she couldn¡¯t stand the stuff.

    Nicole shook her head, moving to check the bags. Sure enough there was an order of orange chicken in addition to some lo mein which Nicole was quick to claim. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, care to join us? You could invite Colin up¡­¡±

    ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t want to intrude,¡± Becca said with a mischievous glint in her eye, then they widened in concern. ¡°Wait, why are you both bruised to hell? Shit, were you two in a fight or something?¡±

    Nicole and Grace shared a look, with her friend offering a shrug in answer. She wanted to tell her best friend, she really did, but would that only serve to put her in more danger? It was a real possibility, but at the same time, the support of someone who knew her secret would certainly help, especially if something came up during school hours¡­

    ¡°About that¡­¡± Nicole said, stepping over to the kitchen island. ¡°Pull up a seat, this might take a minute.¡±

    Rebecca raised an eyebrow, glancing from the chair back to Nicole. ¡°If this is some weird sex thing, I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s face heated almost instantly to an inferno as Grace, the traitor, bellowed out a laugh.

 Interlude: Maraline

    Monitors powered off as the General stepped out of the observation room, two drones with orange stripes waited in the halls. They were the strongest of the automaton forces, and so resource intensive that only eight were in service on the ship at the time. They walked in lockstep, their sole task to keep their charge safe. Drones all ran off a simple VI, and lacked any true sapience, as was the case for all of their forces.

    Sterile halls of metal stretched endlessly, with no end nor beginning. The Challenger, as the ship had come to be known centuries ago, was unbelievably vast. Most of it being lab space and production for the incursion forces. It was a vessel of war, designed to conquer and hold any world they came across.

    Such was her home for her first fifteen years and all she had known until they arrived at the blue sphere below. That small world was her entire purpose, the reason she even existed. Much like the many mutants being developed from the life that had evolved beneath them, so too was she engineered for her purpose.

    Maraline had long since made peace with her origins and lot in life, but that didn¡¯t mean she enjoyed it. The political and economic situation on Earth was the perfect storm for the Sylan empire to arrive as benevolent protectors. The people would have rallied to them at the first offerings of matter replication and the elimination of poverty.

    After years of study, Maraline had submitted a lengthy essay on the different ways that the human population could be swayed to their side, how to manipulate their politics to favor them, and so on. Conflict would be minimized, because those in power would cling to it, yet it wouldn¡¯t have taken more than a year to emerge victorious.

    That plan was rejected outright by The Prime Administrator.

    Instead, they were engaging in a protracted conflict designed to limit irradiation of the planet ahead of their inevitable victory. Their tactics had been perfected over millennia, honed on the crucible of a thousand worlds. Each new species integrated into the Empire brought new perspectives and advancements, but only after integration was complete. With a peaceful joining, it rarely took more than a generation, two at most. Conquest inevitably led to three to four generations before integration could even be attempted.

    Yet, she could not grasp why The Prime Administrator had given the order for subjugation rather than integration. It wasn¡¯t like the Earth had an advanced military that could endanger their forces. Even the basic drone design could handle any ground based munitions in common use. Their most advanced aircraft did better, but were still child¡¯s play to destroy, with less than two percent total losses from their squadrons. There had to be logic behind the decision, The Prime Administrator always had a reason for his employed methods, she just couldn¡¯t see them.

    It made her wonder what could be on that primitive rock that had The Prime Administrator so desperate to conquer them rather than just stage a coup and depose their corrupt governments. They did it just two centuries prior with the Amaraks and the Sylan were hailed as liberators. Now the species practically worshiped them for it.

    Why weren¡¯t humans being given that same courtesy?

    She didn¡¯t dare voice those concerns, it was high treason to question The Prime Administrator and she was loyal to her people. The doors opened and she strode forward, shoulders squared just as she had been taught. She was a General of the Sylan Empire, engineered to be a leader of the subjugated people of Earth, Maraline wouldn¡¯t forget that.

    Humanity was a lesson in contradictions, she¡¯d discovered that the hard way during her lessons prior to the initial incursion. One of the Generals, Guiana, served as a mentor. Her own species had opted for annihilation in the face of integration. One of their leaders detonated a graviton device, turning the entire star system into a new black hole.

    Maraline had listened and learned well in those early years as they prepared for first contact. The pair even ventured to Earth on numerous occasions, their many celebrations proving to be all the cover they needed to walk freely among them despite the biological differences. General Guiana had blue skin, yet nobody thought anything of it on All Hallows Eve.

    Renaissance Fairs were another favorite of her mentor¡¯s, as it was a chance to observe humanity openly and even interact with them. Maraline hadn¡¯t seen the appeal, not until this latest venture in preparation for the attack. She still couldn¡¯t understand what had prompted her to reach out to Nicole, even her mentor would have continued on in the face of coming violence, but something had drawn her to the human.

    Nicole was a prime example of why humanity needed a helping hand rather than a firm fist. The poor thing had lost almost everything that mattered in her life, and still soldiered on despite it. Yes, she struggled to find reason to continue, but it was clear that she needed help and support. That she was chosen as a Ranger was just cruel.

    In all past conquests, the Rangers always died during the final stage of the invasion. Twenty-seven past invasions had triggered Ranger response, and in each occasion the Sylan forces pulled back and changed engagement tactics. Maraline held no illusions as to why, even a fool could see that experiments were being performed.

    No doubt Commander Bartran was aware. The man wasn¡¯t scheduled to appear at this invasion until the first Ranger team appeared. Guiana had cursed when the Rangers first fought back, knowing that it meant their invasion just became far more complicated. Maraline hadn¡¯t fully understood at the time, but she did now.

    Nicole was beyond her aid now that she was a Ranger, pitting them against one another until one of them fell in battle. The Sylan forces weren¡¯t invincible, Maraline knew that after Guiana nearly died in battle with the White Ranger of New York. Commander Bartran brought the order, and the team was slated for death. Working together, General Guiana and Commander Bartran had decimated White¡¯s team, yet he proved his stubborn defiance by nearly killing her mentor.

    The woman would remain in a healing stasis for another six months, minimum, assuming she survived at all. Falling to a Ranger was one of the ultimate embarrassments, yet something about the Rangers of Earth were proving to be different. White was just the first of them, Gold followed, then Pink, and now Black might be joining their ranks.

    Anomalous Rangers were a new occurrence, one that had given the Commander pause. Even he hadn¡¯t emerged from that battle unscathed, requiring a shorter stay in a healing pod before he could return to duty. Maraline had been left to her own devices during that time, working to further the plan that had been handed to her by The Prime Administrator.

    Normally a General wouldn¡¯t make an appearance for an attack, but Maraline needed to speak to Nicole, perhaps just one last time. She¡¯d been given a definitive answer, they were enemies and would remain so until one of them fell. That it would be Nicole to fall was understood by both of them in that moment. Nicole¡¯s wish for death¡¯s release still held sway over her mind and nothing she could do would help her now.

    She had allowed her frustrations with the woman to fuel her response, sending far more machines than necessary, and a Mutant along with out of frustration when those machines weren¡¯t enough to trouble them. Yes, Maraline had ordered the automatons to avoid excessive casualties by focusing on property damage and the Rangers themselves, but she hadn¡¯t expected there to be no deaths at all.

    A part of her was relieved that she hadn¡¯t added any more red to her ledger, not that she would ever admit it out loud. The Commander liked casualties, because it always demoralized their foes. Nicole didn¡¯t need further demoralizing, she was already on the precipice as it was.

    If Commander Bartran learned of that in addition to her status as an anomaly, then he would spare no hesitation for targeting those close to her for death. Would that really be so bad? The woman was already fated to die just for being a Ranger, and accelerating that end would only be a mercy, and yet¡­

    Maraline did not wish to see Nicole die.

    That was the truth of it, no matter how she tried to reason around it. Taking a steady breath, Maraline clenched her fists. She couldn¡¯t allow attachments to cloud her vision, she needed to continue to work towards the future where she would have the power to guide humanity in their path to true integration with the Sylan Empire.

    Calm and poise, those were her mask and shield, especially when delivering a report to the Commander. As Maraline stepped up to the door, her twin escort moved ahead, flanking the rather large doorway. She knew the machines were as much her minders as they were protection, but moments such as this only served to reinforce it.

    Maraline didn¡¯t break her stride, and the door slid open, admitting her into the Commander¡¯s sanctum. The room was lined with monitors, and Maraline didn¡¯t miss how many of them were showing her latest blunder. She could only hope that the data gathered was worth the resources expended.

    Others showed the human internet, as well as comment sections and forums for exchanging ideas. Maraline had largely discarded those as useful, but the Commander seemed to find some pleasure in reading the inane ramblings. Looking at his desk, it appeared he was typing away with his lower set of arms, the upper arms holding a display.

    ¡°General Maraline,¡± Commander Bartran said, setting the tablet aside before he stood to his full height. ¡°Report.¡±

    Maraline was tall for a human woman, but she wasn¡¯t completely human. Her genetic structure had integrated all of the traits expected of a warrior of the Sylan people. That included the Commander, who towered over her. His lower arms crossed, muscles flexing against his deep blue carapace as he looked down upon her.

    Out of all of the Generals, he was the one who stood above them. A veteran since the first war, the oldest living warrior of the Sylan Empire. If anything, he was the closest thing she had to a father, being that she was one of his creations. Combining Sylan blood with that of humans, his own blood at that, had led to her creation. She was thankful for the life she had been given and all the opportunity it granted her.

    ¡°Another anomaly confirmed,¡± Maraline said, knowing there would be no hiding it.

    Commander Bartran stood silent for a moment, waiting to see what else she might provide. That was an early lesson that General Guiana taught her, never supply more information than needed, but never withhold anything when asked.

    ¡°The data supports this,¡± the Commander said. ¡°Yet the whole team is above average as well. I trust that matches your own observations?¡±

    It did, though they weren¡¯t as exceptional as the anomalies, they were indeed strong.

    ¡°I can confirm,¡± Maraline said. ¡°The average Ranger would struggle against a dozen blue units, yet they barely lasted longer than the drones.¡±

    ¡°The experiment was a success, then,¡± Commander Bartran said, a grin pulling at his lips to reveal razor sharp teeth. ¡°The Prime Administrator will be most pleased.¡±

    An experiment? This was the first she was hearing about it, but that wasn¡¯t a surprise either. For all that the Earth was to become her world, she had little to do with the conquest the moment the Rangers appeared. Having to withdraw all forces and await the Commander¡¯s arrival still left her bitter.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± a firm voice said. All the monitors shifted, their displays blanking for a moment. A plain face, not unlike the Commander¡¯s own, took shape, the gaps of the displays vanishing as the wall revealed itself to be one unit rather than a dozen separate. ¡°Your progress is noted and valued Commander.¡±

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Both sets of arms dropped to his side as he bowed at the waist. ¡°I live to serve, my Administrator.¡±

    Maraline bowed as well, her angle far sharper than the Commander¡¯s. ¡°Your eminence.¡±

    ¡°General Maraline,¡± The Prime Administrator said, the image panning back. They wore a wide pauldron cape on their shoulders, with heavy armor covering their torso. The being was an enigma, never presenting the same appearance twice. Currently they had high cheekbones and sharp ears that trailed upward, a combination of masculine and feminine traits for the Sylans.

    She pressed her fist to her chest, resisting the urge to bow deeper. ¡°Your eminence, how might this servant be of use to the Empire?¡±

    ¡°That remains to be seen,¡± The Prime Administrator said. ¡°You know our purpose on this insignificant ball of dirt?¡±

    She recognized the trick question for what it was. ¡°The Prime Administrator wishes to seize the planet, no further purpose is required.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± The Prime Administrator said. ¡°You have been given command to further that purpose, so tell me, how did the attack you just committed advance those goals?¡±

    She bowed a bit deeper, already knowing she was walking a knife¡¯s edge. The Prime Administrator could have her killed on a whim, she understood that instinctively. She refused to allow that, there was too much to life, so much to experience. If she had to kiss the heels of her master to get another day in the light of the sun, then so be it.

    ¡°On one of my reconnaissance excursions, I encountered someone I had met before. Conversation was made and it was then that I discovered she was a Ranger. Her team arrived and were set on conflict, so I retreated and sent in a sizable force of drones as well as a mutant in a bid for gathering data on the newest threat.¡±

    ¡°Yet, they managed to quell hundreds of our drones with minimal damage or losses,¡± The Prime Administrator said. ¡°That should not have been possible in the time they managed the task. Then there was the Mutant, hardly extraordinary, yet still a substantial threat.¡±

    The Prime Administrator wasn¡¯t wrong, Nicole and her team of Rangers weren¡¯t typical. The Sylan Empire didn¡¯t fully understand the technology behind the Ranger transformation, but there was a theory being floated by Commander Bartran linking the initial transformation to the form the Ranger adopts. That this team took on the appearances of their costume play, well, the Commander had been rather excited by the finding when she passed it along.

    ¡°Agreed,¡± she said. ¡°It was a sizable expenditure of resources, yet proved that the prior incursion they repelled wasn¡¯t an outlier. I believe we might have an anomaly among them, and if so, the confirmation will make the resources worth using.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± The Prime Administrator said. ¡°Naturally this research will continue. Commander Bartran, put all attacks on new regions on hold. Focus on active teams to avoid creation of new Rangers until a baseline is formed.¡±

    ¡°It will be done,¡± the Commander said. ¡°What resources will be allotted for these tests?¡±

    ¡°Commander, fret not over the resources used, this group now has alpha priority.¡±

    Maraline almost cursed. Alpha priority meant that Nicole¡¯s team now had The Prime Administrator¡¯s personal attention, which meant that their fate was now at their mercy. Unlimited resources were unheard of, as even the initial invasion had set hard limits. This meant that city killers might soon be deployed, not to mention the more advanced drones¡­

    The rest of the conversation was lost in her panic, and she was only vaguely aware of the screens returning to their prior state. Commander Bartran turned back to face her, though it was clear his mind was already razor focused on the task at hand.

    ¡°Continue to monitor this group. I understand you¡¯ve made contact before?¡±

    ¡°I have,¡± she said simply, willing herself to remain outwardly calm.

    ¡°Continue to do so,¡± The Commander said. ¡°Especially this Black Ranger. A true test must be prepared. So much work to be done, but perhaps I¡¯ll be able to take the field for once. It has been some time since I faced a challenge.¡±

    The last time she¡¯d heard that tone from her superior, an entire Ranger team died, and she nearly lost her mentor. What would she lose this time? Her life, or that of someone she hoped could be a friend?

    ¡°Understood, Commander. I shall see The Prime Administrator¡¯s will done.¡±

    ¡°See that you do,¡± the Commander said. ¡°The Empire does not tolerate failure.¡±

    Maraline bowed deeper, then turned on her heel and departed. The drones outside fell into step behind her without a word or command. She knew The Prime Administrator could link into any drone they wished, see with their sensors, even control them if they were on the ship. It meant that they always had to assume she was under observation.

    She lived in a cage, gilded as it might be. Maraline envied humanity in many ways, for they were free to walk in the light of their star at will, to enjoy the world that chance had seen fit to gift them. That the species squandered something so wondrous did not sit well with her. It was why she had thrown herself into planning the subjugation of the species.

    A world liberated of the pollutants slowly destroying it, a people free to pursue the arts and create, that was the vision she held for the world she was destined to rule in the name of The Prime Administrator. Pity she couldn¡¯t voice that, even if she knew that Earth¡¯s creations would be well received throughout the Empire.

    She arrived back at her quarters, looking about at the bare living space. She had everything she needed to survive. Food synthesizers, water, a sonic shower and lavatory. Her bed was a simple surface, molded to fit her body optimally. Survive, but not live.

    Once the Sylan Empire stood triumphant, and she was installed as overseer, then she could have proper accommodations, but not before. At least the machines didn¡¯t follow her inside her quarters, it was her one refuge on the orbiting fortress.

    Sighing, she stepped over to her replicator, getting a glass of cool water before she took a seat at the view screen and activated it. The Earth hung in the expansive void, suspended by nothing more than the primal forces of the universe.

    It was beautiful.

    She wouldn¡¯t be returning to the object of her affections for several days, bringing more chaos and death with her when she did. She didn¡¯t like being a harbinger, and the survivors would resent her rule once the dust settled, no matter how much she improved their lives. She would struggle for at least the first century to maintain order, and would be forced to withhold medical treatments to ensure the population died off naturally.

    She didn¡¯t need people alive that could recount how much better things were before the invaders liberated them, memories often were colored to only reflect the best of times, failing to highlight the hardships that came time and again. It was how many of the problems she would need to solve came to be in the first place.

    At least she could spend a few hours taking in the beauty of it all before setting her forces back into motion. This time she would remain, to observe and lead as she was meant to. She wished to see if the anomaly was the fault of the Power, or the people chosen. An excuse really, all to observe Nicole further. She wasn¡¯t sure what it was about that human that captivated her, and it almost had her wanting to defy orders, knowing it would be the end of her.

    ¡°Maraline, are you available?¡± General Guiana¡¯s stern voice came over the intercom.

    Maraline startled, falling from her chair with an indignant squawk. She was just thankful the view screen hadn¡¯t been on for her mentor to have witnessed it. She would have teased her for decades to come.

    Sighing, Maraline stood back up, changing the view screen from outside the ship, to the labs within. ¡°General, what do I owe this pleasure?¡±

    Guiana sat languidly in a chair, her bushy tail swishing behind her. Little proof of her injuries remained externally, but Maraline knew that she still had several internal issues to contend with. She was barely cleared for labwork, much less anything approaching the field. Her mentor bore only passing resemblance to the Sylan people, with the pointed ears being the main trait. Her skin was covered in a light layer of purple fur, a combination of the Sylan blue and the red furs of her own intended species.

    ¡°Is it really so strange that I may simply wish to speak with you?¡± Guiana asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Also, when do you call me General?¡±

    ¡°Given I just left a meeting with The Prime Administrator and Commander Bartan, formality is my default.¡±

    Guiana grimaced. ¡°Understandable.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve confirmed that the newest team of Rangers contains an anomaly,¡± Maraline continued. ¡°But not just that, the entire team is above baseline.¡±

    ¡°That explains the request for a mutant to be deployed,¡± Guiana said. ¡°The Prime Administrator wanted something that would give the combined forces of the New York Rangers trouble, though it seems the target has been designated as your latest project instead.¡±

    ¡°That is correct,¡± Maraline said, already lamenting the damage to come. ¡°Their eminence wishes to put the team through its paces to see what data can be gleaned.¡±

    Her mentor growled, looking off to the side. ¡°The sequencer has just the thing in the works. It will require three days to be grown, and another two for it to be on its feet and ready to deploy.¡±

    ¡°Timely as ever, General,¡± Maraline said, bowing slightly. ¡°Due to the developments with this team, I¡¯m afraid your plans for Kansas are now on hold.¡±

    ¡°Drat, and here I was looking forward to their Renfaire given I missed out on Minneapolis. Pity that the Commander insisted on attacking it, I liked that one.¡±

    ¡°As did I,¡± Maraline said, then hesitated. Did she tell her mentor about Nicole? Perhaps not directly, but some truth was better than keeping secrets. ¡°I might have even made a friend if not for the slaughter.¡±

    Guiana sat up straighter, a grin on her face. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! Friends are an excellent way to gain knowledge of a species!¡± The excited outburst was nice to see given how gloomy she was during her convalescence. ¡°Oh, please tell me she wasn¡¯t a victim of the attack. That would be horribly tragic.¡±

    Biting her lip, Maraline decided to put it all out there. ¡°More or less tragic than her being our newest anomaly?¡±

    ¡°Shit.¡±

    Yeah, that about summed it up.

    A heavy silence hung in the air, neither quite willing to break it for several moments. Maraline didn¡¯t have what the humans considered parents. The Commander was her father by blood, but she hadn¡¯t met him until the invasion. If anyone could have been said to be a parental figure, it would be Guiana. The closest thing she would ever have to a mother, not that she would ever dare say that aloud.

    ¡°It may be best to break contact,¡± Guiana said softly. ¡°Such a story only ends with you hurt, either physically or mentally. The more attached you grow¡­¡±

    Maraline knew that, but that didn¡¯t make it any easier to accept.

    ¡°I should rest,¡± Maraline said, needing time to think.

    Guiana must have seen that and just smiled knowingly. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be in the lab for the next few hours but should be free for dinner later, if you wish.¡±

    ¡°That sounds lovely,¡± Maraline said. ¡°I¡¯ll see you there.¡±

    The view screen returned to showing the Earth, the world that Nicole seemed so weary of. How Maraline wished she could have helped her see the beauty of it all, the way she saw the world. There was so much Maraline wished to show her, to experience with the girl that had opened up to her. A friendship kindled and ended in the same breath, torn apart by workings beyond either of them.

    All she had wanted was a friend that hadn¡¯t been handed to her, to forge a bond of her own that she owed to nobody. That was all but impossible now, with Nicole being a Ranger and Maraline¡¯s Sylan blood, any hope for a friendship was all but extinguished.

    A true tragedy.

    How she wished that wasn¡¯t the case, but there was nothing that she could do about it. Lamenting things immutable would do her no good, but she couldn¡¯t help herself. She stepped over to her storage space and retrieved a small instrument, one she had acquired on her first visit to the Earth with her mentor before the invasion began. She hadn¡¯t known anything about it at the time, but the pale blue frame inlaid with Sapphires and strings had seemingly called for her.

    The harp was nothing special in the grand scheme of things, but to her, it represented her love of the Earth, painted the color of the skies that she adored. Plucking the strings produced a most wondrous and mesmerizing sound. Standing there, looking at the planet beneath her, playing a song only she knew, she wept for what she would do in the months to come.

    All because she wished to live and grow, to know the beauties that the future would hold.

    She could only hope that Nicole would come to appreciate them too, given time. Of course, that depended on Nicole¡¯s continued survival, despite the odds. Raising her glass to the view screen, she offered a silent wish to the vast unknown that somehow, Nicole would continue to prevail where none who came before her had ever managed.

    ¡°Fight well, my one and only friend,¡± she said softly, and drank, before returning to her gentle strumming as she sang softly. ¡°Live, despite your own wishes. Prevail, despite everything arrayed against you. I will see you again, sooner than you would like, my fated foe.¡±

 Chapter 16 - Pull The Other One

    Pacing back and forth, Nicole tried to build up her courage; it wasn¡¯t working, which was a bit funny.  She could face down Maraline¡ªone of the Sylan invaders¡ªwithout flinching.  Why was her best friend so much harder?  She should just rip the band-aid off, get it over with.  Yeah, that¡¯s what she would do.  She stopped, taking a deep breath as she did and turned to face Rebecca.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Ranger,¡± Nicole said, all of her anxiety pouring into the words.

    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Rebecca said, face completely blank.  Nicole pulled back, glancing from Grace, who was holding up her hands while struggling to keep her mouth shut, back to her friend who had a single eyebrow raised.  ¡°No really, pull the other one.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not bullshitting you, Becca.  I¡¯m the Black Ranger,¡± Nicole said.

    Off to the side, Grace raised a finger from her crossed arms.  ¡°I fancy Red myself.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know you, so stay out of this,¡± Rebecca snapped.

    Nicole pinched the bridge of her nose, she had a feeling that Becca wouldn¡¯t accept it outright, but it was still an annoyance.  She really should have put more thought into it, but she figured there would be a few more days at least.  Nicole was tired and sore from the battle and was trying oh so hard to not get snippy with Becca, because she really didn¡¯t deserve any ire.

    ¡°Becca, you know me.  Why would I lie about something like this?¡±

    ¡°Because you would get a laugh out of it?¡±  She looked around the room, pointedly ignoring Grace who was keeping to herself.  ¡°Like, where¡¯s the camera?  Did Colin put you up to this?  You know Avant Garden was attacked right?  Colin nearly died!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I was kinda there,¡± Nicole said, her anxiety bleeding into irritation.  ¡°Why do you think that I peeled off from the fight?  My friend was in danger.¡±

    Nicole stood there, silently pleading for her friend to believe her.  The fear she had felt when she saw the store being attacked, the cold pit in her stomach that settled as she charged the machines attacking her friend.  Heartburn bubbled up, her throat burning as she stood there, fingers tracing her watch.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do this right now,¡± Rebecca said, hopping off the chair and stomping over towards the door where she paused with fists clenched and shaking shoulders.  ¡°I was worried, you know?  A strange order comes over my app just after Colin calls me about the attack.  He insisted I do it so I could check on you.¡±  She took a deep breath, and Nicole paused in her approach, hand outstretched.  Rebecca looked back, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes.  ¡°I can¡¯t believe you wasted my time like this.  I¡¯m going to go check on my boyfriend.¡±

    Nicole held her arm out, reaching for her friend as she threw the door open.  What else could she do, Becca was leaving, she hadn¡¯t believed her.

    ¡°Roll the Dice,¡± Grace said, casting the entire room in blinding red for a brief moment.

    Rebecca turned, her jaw falling slack at the sight of Grace, of the Red Ranger.  Nicole wanted to smack her face for not thinking of the obvious answer.  She then repeated the words, the flash of black from her own transformation somehow defying the way light should work.  Power surged through her, burning in a way her transformations hadn¡¯t before.

    ¡°See, wasn¡¯t lying,¡± Nicole said sheepishly, hiding how raw her nerves felt.

    ¡°You just weren¡¯t thinking,¡± Grace said teasingly.  ¡°I trust this clears up the misunderstanding?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­  Yeah,¡± Rebecca said.  ¡°How¡­¡±

    ¡°At the Renfaire,¡± Nicole said, reaching up and pulling her helmet off.  ¡°When it was attacked.  We were chosen because we fought back to save others.¡±

    ¡°At least, that¡¯s our theory,¡± Grace added with a shrug.  ¡°None of us are completely sure.¡±

    ¡°You saved Colin,¡± Rebecca said suddenly, stepping forward.  Then, Nicole was engulfed in a hug in a blink.  ¡°Thank you, thank you, thank you!¡±

    Nicole wrapped her arms around her friend, being careful as she patted her back.  It was hard to judge her strength when morphed, which was just another thing she needed to practice with when they met up for more training.  Actually, she could probably practice with Grace regularly, given their proximity.

    ¡°Hey, Becca,¡± Nicole said softly.  ¡°If you ever need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to call.  I¡¯ll come running, now and always.¡±

    ¡°Your phone was dead,¡± Rebecca answered flatly.

    Nicole coughed, looking away.  ¡°Oh right, apparently morphing with our phones on our person tends to drain their battery.¡±

    ¡°Something to keep in mind,¡± Grace said, picking her phone up from where she had set it aside and crossed her arms.  ¡°Power down.¡±

    The effect was like shattering glass, the power falling into motes of light before fading into nothingness.  Grace took a shaking breath, leaning against the counter as she did.  Nicole moved to help, pulling her up and giving her support.

    ¡°You alright?¡± Nicole asked.

    Grace nodded.  ¡°I¡¯ll be alright, the soreness and fatigue just caught back up with me as soon as I dropped the transformation.¡±

    ¡°So, sit down before I drop the morph, got it,¡± Nicole said, chuckling.  She helped Grace take a seat on the stool, then took her own seat and dropped her morph.  The pain and fatigue slammed into her, feeling every bit as bad as it had after the fight.  She let out a heavy groan.  ¡°Oh, that fucking sucks.¡±

    ¡°Told ya,¡± Grace said.  ¡°Got any liquor?  I could use a shot after that.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Rebecca said, shaking her head.  ¡°We don¡¯t keep booze in the house, Nicole¡¯s rule.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a fun drunk,¡± she said softly, recalling the last time she had attempted to take her life.  The alcohol definitely lowered her inhibitions, right to the point she took a knife to her wrist.  Absently, she rubbed the semicolon tattoo she had gotten next to the faint scar.  ¡°Sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°Nikki, you have nothing to apologize for,¡± Rebecca snapped.  ¡°Red, stop making her feel like she¡¯s the bitch here.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know,¡± Grace said softly, her shoulders hunching in on themselves.  ¡°Won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Rebecca said, flopping back against the counter.  ¡°Fuck, my best friend is a Ranger, out there fighting the good fight and saving lives.  That¡¯s just¡­¡±

    ¡°Insane?¡± Nicole asked, a sardonic smirk coming to her face.  ¡°Trust me, I feel the same way.  Like, I¡¯m the last person you would think of being a Ranger.  I struggle sometimes to find a reason to get through the day, and now the fate of humanity is a burden I have to carry.¡±  Nicole¡¯s shoulders slumped as a self deprecating laugh bubbled forth.  ¡°I can¡¯t even carry my own shit, let alone the weight of others.¡±

    Strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her close, the warmth proving to be a small comfort, but a welcomed one.  She leaned into the contact, wrapping her arms around her friend.  Dull thumps resonated through her back as tears soaked into the shirt of the woman holding her.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Grace whispered into her ear.  ¡°You¡¯re not alone.  Not now or ever.¡±

    A second pair of arms came around her, enveloping her in warmth.  ¡°What she said.  You¡¯ve got me and Colin, and apparently an entire Ranger team backing you.  I¡¯d say that¡¯s something, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    Wet laughter followed, and for just an instant, Nicole let herself enjoy the moment.  Maraline might have tried to trick her, but her friends were there for her, and just maybe things would be alright.

    ***

    Rebecca left not long after, heading off to check on Colin.  Nicole would have joined her, but she still felt like hammered shit.  Becca had insisted Nicole take it easy, and Grace had put her foot down in agreement, so they were cuddled on the couch, finishing off their Chinese before it got too cold.

    They had put a movie on rather than watch how the news used their efforts at saving lives to drive up the viewer numbers for their networks.  It wasn¡¯t hard to see why so many celebrities complained about the attention, it was exhausting.

    Instead, they were watching Princess Bride, what could easily be considered one of the few truly perfect movies in the world.  It was something familiar and heartwarming, a movie both of them had seen a dozen times before.  It was relaxing, and she found herself in a half doze while laying with her head on Grace¡¯s lap, who was stretched out on the recliner portion of the couch.

    She could honestly have fallen asleep, if not for one nagging question.

    ¡°Why did you show Becca that you were a Ranger?¡± Nicole asked, her voice soft.  She kept her eyes closed, not wanting to open them even in the dim light of the TV.  ¡°I mean, I could have passed you off as a friend, she didn¡¯t have to know.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Grace said, her voice almost slurring in her weariness as she spoke.  ¡°I¡¯ve seen how you talk about her, Nicole.  She¡¯s practically family to you, so I figured if anyone was safe to show, it was her.¡±

    Nicole stayed silent, mulling that over.  There was more to it, Grace had no issues trusting Nicole¡¯s family, and yet, what about her own?  Had she ever mentioned them before, even once?  She couldn¡¯t recall off-hand a single mention of parents or siblings, and that sent a cold spike through her gut.

    Grace had practically clung to her from the start, which was already weird enough for Nicole.  Nobody did that, especially not with her.  She was a depressed and neurotic mess that was nothing but muscle and bone, no curves to speak of and a bleak outlook on the future.  The only thing that Nicole could think of filled her with dread, and she didn¡¯t want the answer.

    Yet, she couldn¡¯t help herself.

    ¡°What about you?  Anyone worth mentioning?¡±

    There, at least she phrased it in a way that gave Grace an easy out.  There was of course the ever present worry that she had overstepped, that Grace would get up and go back to her own dorm.  Whatever it was about their own Ranger abilities, they recovered from scratches and bruises rather quickly.  That did nothing for the bone deep exhaustion, however.

    ¡°That depends,¡± Grace said eventually, ¡°you want the easy answer, or the truth?¡±

    Nicole struggled to control her breathing, forcing herself to take measured breaths.  It had been years since she had a conversation like this one, she¡¯d known Rebecca since Freshman year, and Colin since Sophomore.  She wasn¡¯t good at the feelings thing, or at deep and meaningful conversation.  She needed to deflect, find some way to put the ball back in Grace¡¯s court.

    ¡°Whatever you¡¯re more comfortable with,¡± Nicole said.

    She gave herself a mental pat on the back, that was a quality deflection if she had ever seen one!  Grace stayed silent for several minutes, the sounds of the movie the only noise aside from their own breathing.  She could always focus, draw on her new senses to hear the world around her in greater detail, but that risked over stimulating her to the point she shut down.

    Instead, she was using it to focus on the drumbeat of Grace¡¯s heart.  It had picked up since she asked her question, and there had even been a palpitation at one point that made her nervous.  She had a sneaking suspicion that she had stepped on a very sensitive topic, and Grace was now fighting with her own anxiety on how much she wanted to share.

    ¡°There¡¯s no comfortable way to talk about it,¡± Grace said.  ¡°My father was a preacher, down south.  You know the type, fire and brimstone, kill the gays¡­  My mother was a good Christian doormat for the man.  Needless to say, I stayed in the closet and pretended to be daddy¡¯s good girl, if only to protect my little sister Sarah.¡±

    Wait, Grace was gay?

    ¡°I planned to get out as soon as I turned eighteen, figured I¡¯d get on with a decent college and use that to build a better life for myself in a way that wouldn¡¯t piss them off immediately.¡±  Grace took a shaky breath.  ¡°Funny how daddy dearest had other plans.  He had some friends, a fellow preacher who had a son a few years older than me, and they thought they would play matchmaker.¡±

    Nicole knew she was supposed to be paying attention to her tragic backstory, but she was still too hung up on the fact that Grace was interested in women.  She had to temper that sudden elation at the discovery with the sobering knowledge that Grace would never be interested in her as anything more than a friend.

    ¡°So, I had to deal with this asshole twenty something when I was barely seventeen putting some of the creepiest moves on me that you¡¯ve ever seen.  Like, I swear his only dating experience was watching some shitty eighties movie at a friend¡¯s house a decade prior.¡±

    ¡°That certainly sounds cringe,¡± Nicole said, doing her damndest to pay attention.  ¡°I¡¯m guessing he went from creep to kill it with fire?¡±

    ¡°Got it in one,¡± Grace said, her hands trembling.  ¡°My mother was our chaperone that night, and drove us back from some of the finest dining in town, you know, the kind of place that microwaves their pasta.¡±

    ¡°I know the place,¡± Nicole said, remembering the times she went there with her parents when they were still alive.  Before they died in the incursion.

    ¡°Right, so we¡¯re in the back seat together while she drives, and he decides to let his hands wander.  I tried swatting him away, but he just got more forceful, and my fucking mother ignored it all.  When he grabbed me¡­  I lost it and just fucking decked him in the dick.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d high five you if I wasn¡¯t super comfy right now,¡± Nicole said.  She still hadn¡¯t opened her eyes, fearful of what she might see if she did.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Grace said with a light chuckle.  ¡°Anyway, that almost caused a wreck.  I made my mother pull over and got into the front seat and left him in the back until we got home.  My father didn¡¯t take the news well, took the little bastard¡¯s side, and got his father involved on top of it!¡±

    ¡°Then what?¡± Nicole asked, dreading the answer.

    ¡°Got my ass beat by two older men, the third was still holding the frozen peas to his piece,¡± she said with a huff.  ¡°I took what little money I had, tossed everything I needed into a backpack and took off.  Thankfully the homeschooling didn¡¯t care if I was separated or not from my parents, and sent my diploma to the new address I gave them, even if it was just a P.O. Box.¡±

    ¡°How did you wind up in Minnesota then?¡± Nicole asked.  ¡°Not exactly a hop skip and jump to get up here.¡±

    ¡°My grandfather knew how to work a forge, it¡¯s how I got the apprenticeship with a smith up north,¡± she said.  ¡°That honestly saved my life, as did some of the assistance programs Minnesota offers.  I¡¯d be dead without them.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here,¡± Nicole said softly.

    Silence fell once more, the sounds of the movie washing over her as Nicole began to doze again, utterly content to be near her friend.  She almost missed it when Grace whispered, as though she were afraid of waking her up.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m glad too.¡±

 Chapter 17 - Breakfast Conversations

    The diner was busier than it had ever been on any prior visit, but then again, it was a Saturday morning. After the attack the prior day, everyone agreed that they needed to keep up with their training if they wanted to keep ahead of the Sylan strikes. Granted, getting everyone up in time was a herculean effort given how exhausted they were. Not even twelve hours of sleep was enough for Nicole, even if four of those hours were on the couch cuddled up with Grace.

    The warmth of human contact had been a most welcome comfort, helping ease away the tension that lingered from everything that had transpired. Rebecca knew she was a Ranger now, which was both a relief and a new source of anxiety. She needed to tell Colin, but wasn¡¯t quite ready. According to Becca he was singing the praises of the Black Ranger and Nicole really didn¡¯t need that kind of hero worship at the moment.

    Thankfully Rebecca was willing to keep her mouth shut until the hero worship died down just a bit, for all of their sakes. Nicole just hoped that Becca could prevent Colin from hyperfocusing and writing a lengthy fanfic about his newest hero before it was too late.

    Nicole¡¯s everything was sore, and she really wasn¡¯t looking forward to the coming training session. Their group was quick to claim their usual booth in the corner, scooting in together in the circular bench. Gertie moved deftly through the crowd, taking orders and bringing drinks while Sam demonstrated his mastery of the flat top.

    There wasn¡¯t much of a rush, as nobody was eager to dive back into training despite how necessary it felt after the close calls they had. Nicole was planning to stick to experimenting with her phasing and how it could be used for movement. It seemed smarter than trying to work on any combat drills, those could wait until after she¡¯d had more time to recover.

    ¡°How are you holding up?¡± Jeff asked. It took Nicole a moment to see it had been directed at Kayla.

    ¡°My insides feel like they¡¯ve been hollowed out a bit,¡± Kayla admitted, tapping her chin for a moment. ¡°Maybe scraped raw is a better term? I definitely overdid it in that fight.¡±

    ¡°Pretty fricking awesome though,¡± Devon said with a smile.

    Kayla looked away from the man, but she was doing a poor job of hiding her own grin.

    ¡°Yeah, it kinda was,¡± Kayla agreed softly.

    Gertie brought over their usual morning drinks, passing them around with a deftness that spoke to years of experience. Nicole was quick to take a sip of her usual coffee order, relishing the sweetness. It was touching that Gertie had taken the time to add the sugar herself, and Nicole wasn¡¯t about to make the mistake of adding sugar before tasting it to be safe again.

    She¡¯d been rather wired the morning after the highrise fire because of that slip up. Getrie had her pad out fountain pen scratching away as almost everyone said ¡®my usual¡¯ and that was it, right up until Nicole¡¯s turn.

    ¡°Oats with pear slices and a side of bacon.¡±

    Gertie¡¯s pen paused in its motions. ¡°Changing it up?¡±

    Nicole shrugged. ¡°I need something that won¡¯t hit my stomach as hard today. Biscuits and gravy is a heavy dish.¡±

    ¡°True enough, dearie,¡± Gertie said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll have all that out to you in a jiffy.¡±

    ¡°Fuck, I didn¡¯t even think of that,¡± Kayla said with a groan. ¡°Oh well, not like we¡¯re going to be doing any of the heavy hitting stuff today anyway.¡±

    ¡°I need to figure out how to swing my axe like it¡¯s a proper weapon,¡± Grace said, staring into her drink. ¡°I¡¯m basically treating it like a glorified club right now. It almost cost me in that fight¡­¡±

    A flash of Grace about to be hit crossed Nicole¡¯s mind and she screwed her eyes shut, forcing a deep breath that was more of a shudder. She didn¡¯t know if Grace¡¯s kinetic shield could take it, and didn¡¯t want to find out. Moments like that were why they needed to fully understand their abilities and how to use them, as well as their own limits. It could mean life or death for any one of them.

    ¡°Is there a chance of finding a trainer?¡± Devon asked.

    Grace shook her head. ¡°Plenty of sword schools, but not axe stuff. Turns out splitting wood isn¡¯t nearly as useful for combat as the movies would have you believe.¡±

    ¡°Most historical axes aren¡¯t that big either,¡± Jeff said.

    Kayla nudged the man. ¡°Bit of a history buff, are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve actually practiced HEMA a bit,¡± Jeff admitted, if a bit bashfully. ¡°Not that it taught me how to jump around with a spear.¡±

    Nicole chuckled. ¡°You could try pole vaulting.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Jeff said, laughing. ¡°But I could introduce you to my group, there are a few that like axes among us, they might be able to give you pointers and show you some resources.¡±

    Devon nodded along. ¡°I didn¡¯t stick it out for long, but it¡¯s where I picked up the basics.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Grace said, taking out her phone. ¡°Send me the details and I¡¯ll check it out.¡±

    ¡°Might be a good idea for everyone to find instructors,¡± Jeff added. ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure who could help Kayla learn to sling vines and harness killer plants.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a few comics that could help there,¡± Grace said.

    Kayla¡¯s eyes sparkled with mirth. ¡°Where do you think I got half my ideas?¡±

    Grace and Kayla bumped fists, but Nicole was a bit preoccupied with her own research. Thumbing through her phone, Nicole checked the local results for knife instructors. Her friends would have a harder time finding instructors for their own weapons, but Jeff and Devon were clearly versed in their own chosen implements to some degree. Grace would be stuck watching online tutorials if the HEMA group didn¡¯t work out.

    Such training probably wouldn¡¯t help Nicole much, but that didn¡¯t mean she wouldn¡¯t try it out once she had a bit more experience with a knife. The real trick would be convincing an instructor that she needed to learn to fight with two blades. Not that it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult, she already had some experience with the basics, but online tutorials often allowed bad habits to form. She knew that much from her former gymnastics career.

    ¡°Hopefully our enhancements don¡¯t dampen the experience,¡± Nicole muttered.

    The group quieted for a moment as their food was brought out. They dug into their meal, Nicole letting ideas flow through her mind of things she wanted to try out with her abilities. She could phase through objects, but couldn¡¯t leave anything behind when she did. That seemed to be a hard limit, and was probably a safety thing to keep her from getting stuck in a wall.

    It was still a limitation, and one she would need to poke and prod to understand it in full. Then there was how her phased state messed with her movement. Physics didn¡¯t fully grasp her when phased and she needed a better understanding of how that worked. Add in how she needed some form of shadow to grasp that state and it could lead to bad situations.

    Nicole made a few notes on her phone about one instructor who had a few videos of himself demonstrating some techniques that looked promising while eating her breakfast. The oats were hardly delicious, even with a bit of cinnamon sprinkled on top. Thankfully the bacon was there to save the day.

    ¡°Shit,¡± Kayla hissed, discreetly pointing at the TV, ¡°I think we got off light yesterday.¡±

    Nicole grimaced as she caught sight of the broadcast, a national station showing off a devastated city block as fire crews worked to put out the blaze. The corpse of a mutant was visible under the spotlights as were several Rangers helping sort through the wreckage.

    ¡°As you can see, downtown Chicago faced a mutant attack, but thanks to the heroic efforts of the Wind Racer team it was dealt with before the damage could spread beyond the initial incursion site. We take you live to the scene¡­¡±

    ¡°Looks way worse than our own incursion,¡± Nicole said.

    The reporter on screen showed the carnage in the light of day. The mutant¡¯s body was already hauled off, their rapid decay making removal a top priority. Minneapolis didn¡¯t have a removal service in place just yet, the Feds were dragging their feet, which meant that the mutant had decomposed a fair bit before a private contractor had managed to get it hauled off. The scene would probably take days to clean up fully.

    The news station switched to a different feed. The Empire State Building loomed in the distance as the Fire Rescue team were directing people away from the battle where the Subway Rangers faced another mutant in the streets. Carlos stood tall in shining gold, protecting the cordon from any machine attempting to break through to the civilians beyond.

    Knowing that Maraline was involved with organizing such attacks disgusted Nicole, but that was her purpose as a Sylan. She was one of their Generals, a leader of their armies. Just because she hadn¡¯t been seen operating in the open didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t active. Passive slaughter was still slaughter, and Nicole was determined to make her answer for everything she¡¯s done.

    Stolen story; please report.

    They were more than lucky that the damage hadn¡¯t been worse, or that there wasn¡¯t another pile of corpses left in the wake of the Sylan attack. The media wasn¡¯t reporting casualty numbers, always keeping it vague when there were deaths. The news wasn¡¯t outright saying it, but they were speaking highly of the swift response of their own team.

    ¡°We need a name,¡± Jeff said.

    Devon grunted, swallowing his food quickly. ¡°Probably. The media loves to name teams and our own theme is a bit on the nose for options.¡±

    ¡°At least we won¡¯t be called the Dice Rangers,¡± Grace said. ¡°Fuckers would have to see us morph first.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s pray that never happens,¡± Devon said in agreement.

    Kayla laughed, almost doubling over at something, but she just held a finger up until she managed to collect herself. Everyone waited, and Nicole managed to finish her meal off while waiting. Finally, she wiped away some moisture from her eyes and sat up.

    ¡°We can be the Fellowship of the Rangers!¡± Kayla said, gasping for breath. Then she mimed holding her staff and brought it down. ¡°Sylans! You shall not pass!¡±

    She actually brought her fist down onto the table with enough force that their plates jumped. Kayla ducked her head almost immediately, her cheeks darkening as she buried her face in her hands. Nicole couldn¡¯t help but chuckle even as Jeff pat the poor woman on the back. Most people seemed to brush the outburst off thankfully.

    ¡°Whoops, guess I got a little carried away.¡±

    ¡°A little,¡± Jeff teased. ¡°Someone should find a video of you slamming your staff and making a meme that says that.¡±

    Kayla perked up, her embarrassment falling away as a huge grin overtook her face. ¡°That would be awesome! You should totally make it!¡±

    It was nice to see the team getting along, having fun despite all the chaos of the prior day. It was a much needed reprieve and one Nicole would enjoy while she still could. Nicole savored the last of her coffee, waving off the offer of a refill as Gertie swooped by. The numbers had thinned a bit but it was still rather crowded and the woman didn¡¯t have the time to stop and be social.

    ¡°We should think about heading out,¡± Grace said, frowning at her phone. ¡°Traffic is gonna be a bitch if we wait much longer.¡±

    ¡°Like it isn¡¯t already,¡± Kayla grumbled. ¡°And here I am stuck driving.¡±

    Jeff patted her on the back. ¡°You¡¯re the one with the van that insisted on giving us all a lift to help save the environment.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s kinda moot with the Sylan out and about,¡± Kayla said with a wave of her hand. Nicole thought she saw something cross the woman¡¯s face but couldn¡¯t quite tell what it was. ¡°Still, I have a van and it has plenty of space, so why not use it?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t argue there,¡± Devon said.

    Jeff nodded along. ¡°To the park?¡±

    ¡°To the park,¡± Nicole agreed, dropping a ten on the table.

    Everyone followed her example, setting various bills down to cover their meals and a small tip that when added together would be something decent. Just because Nicole had never worked a service job didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t appreciate the work they did.

    That didn¡¯t change how rapidly dwindling her own funds currently were. At least she still had money already set aside for her college dorm and tuition. It was getting bad enough that she actually considered dropping out a few times, using that money to get a home and try to find a job instead, but it felt like she would be letting down her parents if she did.

    More so, she would be letting down Becca.

    She would need to make a withdrawal from the insurance payout to make it until her next assistance check at the rate she was going. At least she didn¡¯t have to worry about gas for her bike given how often she and Grace carpooled everywhere.

    Add in her inhuman running speeds and it might just be time to sell it, save on the insurance if nothing else. At the same time, getting a job with the fire department was becoming more appealing the longer she thought about it. It would be a ready source of income for something she was already doing.

    It would mean outing herself to Chief Grayson, but the man didn¡¯t seem like the type to use that against her. She¡¯d feel things out first, but it was too appealing to just discard the idea outright, not with how low her bank account currently sat.

    Kayla¡¯s van was parked out front of the diner, the sight of it rather surprising for someone that didn¡¯t have a residence in the city at the time of the attack. She¡¯d only been visiting for the Renfaire, yet her being chosen as a Ranger meant she was planning to stay. She now had an apartment in Maple Grove and a vehicle chosen specifically to help transport the team.

    Nicole tried not to be jealous that Kayla had the money to just make a spur of the moment decision like that. She certainly wasn¡¯t going to mention to the others that she was suffering financial issues. The last thing she wanted was for her team to take pity on her. Nicole wasn¡¯t going to put her problems on another person dammit!

    Nicole settled into the back row, and was almost surprised when Grace got in on the other side. Devon and Jeff took the next row up, leaving the passenger seat empty beside Kayla. When the car started, some somber music began playing, dark and foreboding. Kayla cursed and quickly skipped it.

    ¡°Sorry, forgot that was on the playlist. We don¡¯t need any of my emo shit playing right now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s cool,¡± Jeff said. ¡°Better than my playlist. I¡¯ve got a bunch of show intros on mine that swing through the gamut of mood swings.¡±

    Nicole snorted. ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯ve got some of those perky Japanese pop songs that are about depression.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, those are fun,¡± Jeff said with a laugh.

    ¡°I like to see the look of recognition in the eyes of guys when they hear the intro to a show meant for little girls,¡± Grace said. ¡°It¡¯s fun hearing their excuses as they try to defend their fragile masculinity.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that shit¡¯s great,¡± Kayla said. A new song began to play and Nicole had to resist the urge to burst into laughter as she recognized the tune as just that. ¡°Perfection.¡±

    Jeff didn¡¯t have any reservations about laughing, then he began to sing along rather proudly about friendship and the wrapping up of winter. Nicole and Grace shared a look and with a mutual shrug, both joined in singing. By the end of the first verse the only one not singing was Devon, who just looked uncomfortable with the whole situation. Kayla seemed to catch onto that, looking up through the rear-view.

    ¡°You okay big guy?¡±

    Nicole couldn¡¯t see Devon¡¯s expression, but she could see how Kayla was looking back at him through the mirror with a frown. Something in Nicole¡¯s stomach twisted, a sense of foreboding that she couldn¡¯t quite shake as Devon seemed to consider what to say.

    ¡°How can you stand to sing that?¡± Devon asked, directing the question at Jeff. ¡°It¡¯s so¡­¡±

    ¡°Fun?¡± Jeff asked. ¡°Dude, lighten up and live a little. The sooner you stop feeling shame for enjoying something the faster you¡¯ll enjoy life.¡±

    Nicole nodded along. ¡°None of us are promised tomorrow, especially as Rangers. We¡¯re fighting for our lives out there, all to try and claw back a future for humanity. Any of us could die in the next incursion.¡±

    ¡°And that justifies acting foolish?¡± Devon scoffed. ¡°You said it! We¡¯re Rangers, we need to be an example for the people, not singing childish songs.¡±

    ¡°Every party needs a pooper, that¡¯s why they invited you,¡± Jeff sang under his breath.

    As if to prove a point, Nicole turned her phone around showing a group of US marines singing the very same song that Devon was bitching about while grinning widely. They were really getting into it, even acting out some of the scenes. It was genuinely amusing seeing some of the strongest looking men that Nicole had ever seen singing along.

    ¡°Point and match?¡± Jeff asked with a giggle.

    ¡°What happened to men actually being men?¡± Devon muttered. ¡°When did society get to be so gay?¡±

    ¡°About four thousand years ago,¡± Grace remarked. ¡°Ever read the Epic of Gilgamesh? Shall we kick the ball forward and talk about Sappho of Lesbos?¡±

    Wow, go Grace. The Epic of Gilgamesh might have been a bit of a stretch as only a few of the original tablets ever referenced more than friendship between the title character and Enkidu, but when did that ever stop people? Even if those tablets were essentially fanfiction of the original it still supported her argument. Name dropping the OG Lesbian was just icing on the cake after that.

    ¡°We¡¯ve always been here,¡± Nicole continued, happy to capitalize on what her friend started as well as throw out some implicit support. ¡°Despite some people¡¯s best efforts to erase us from history, we¡¯ve always been there, and so long as people continue to exist, so will we.¡±

    Devon¡¯s jaw was clearly clenched, and Nicole was tempted to take it farther, maybe mention the two women of the Fire Rescue team that got married over the summer, or how the San Francisco team was one giant polycule, but that felt like it might be pushing a bit too hard. Devon was clearly struggling with acceptance, and trying to force it upon him would only make him lash out harder.

    ¡°Let me guess,¡± Kayla said softly. She¡¯d pulled over at some point, into a fast food parking lot with a wrapped drive through. ¡°You picked that up from either your parents, pastor, or some social media alpha male type?¡±

    Oh no, was Kayla actually suggesting that Devon might be an incel or some shit? Nicole shuddered at the thought, knowing that it could break their team forever. Worse, Devon wasn¡¯t answering her. He just sat there at an angle where Nicole couldn¡¯t see his face. After a few minutes his seat belt came undone and the door was flung open.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Kayla yelled out the door at him.

    Devon didn¡¯t respond, instead heading inside the bigot chicken place leaving the four of them to figure out just what the hell that meant for their team. Grace was biting her lip, looking between the restaurant outside and the open door. After a few moments the door shut on its own, likely a push button given it was a newer vehicle and Kayla let her head rest on the steering wheel.

    ¡°Well, that was all kinds of fucked,¡± Kayla muttered.

    Jeff chuckled darkly. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a level of repression I try to avoid. No wonder he kept trying to present himself as our leader, he probably thought being chosen as a Ranger meant he was the main character.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re all the main characters of our own story,¡± Nicole said. ¡°That doesn¡¯t give you the right to be a dick to your supporting cast.¡±

    Grace snorted. ¡°Tell that to an author. There¡¯s a reason I usually prefer fanfiction.¡±

    ¡°Not just because it¡¯s reliably queer?¡± Kayla asked teasingly.

    Grace¡¯s cheeks darkened as she looked away. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a big part of it too. The other part is that it was one of the few ways I could find queer representation that wouldn¡¯t get me busted by my parents.¡±

    Another tidbit of Grace¡¯s life that made Nicole¡¯s blood boil. Her friend really hadn¡¯t experienced the best childhood, had she? Nicole made a personal note to herself that if she ever met Grace¡¯s parents, she would punch at least one of them if Grace decided to take the high road instead. Her friend needed some form of catharsis in her life.

    In a show of solidarity, Nicole reached out, laying a hand beside Grace¡¯s, an invitation and offer for comfort, but not an assumption. It would be up to her if she was willing to accept it given what had just happened. Nicole was about to withdraw her hand when Grace grasped it and squeezed tight.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± her friend whispered.

    Nicole looked over, ever so slightly, and smiled. ¡°Anytime.¡±

    Kayla hadn¡¯t missed the exchange, now looking between the two of them and then down at their joined hands. ¡°Okay you two, be honest. When did you girls start fucking?¡±

 Art: Firefighter Calendar Photo Shoot

    Not technically a chapter, but still a fun piece of thirst bait a friend of mine drew for the story!  Grace and Nicole pose for a calendar at some point in the near future.  (Likely between volume 1 and 2 as there is a slight time skip.  That''s still a ways off as is, but this is still a fun piece of art that I wanted to make sure to share with each site I post to.  I hope everyone enjoys the piece (And it hopefully doesn''t violate any rules)  Next chapter will post as scheduled!

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

 Chapter 18 - Americas Mall

    A hacking cough rang out as Nicole swallowed hard, forcing air down in a way that felt like she¡¯d been punched in the chest.  She may as well have after Kayla dropped a question like that out of nowhere!  Where did she even get that idea?

    Worse, Kayla was positively cackling at her misfortune.

    ¡°I think you hit the nail on the head,¡± Jeff said, snickering as well.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t,¡± Grace said, her face blood red as she looked between them with wide eyes.  ¡°I mean, not that Nicole isn¡¯t fucking gorgeous, but we aren¡¯t¡ª¡±

    Kayla¡¯s cackling redoubled even as Nicole struggled to get her coughing under control.  She¡¯d barely caught half of what Grace had said, but it had obviously been something that the devilish woman found absolutely hilarious.  Even Jeff was wheezing, the filthy traitor.

    No, that title was reserved for their wayward fifth, who was still in the damn chicken place.  Well, he probably wasn¡¯t coming back, if he did at all.  Fuck, were they going to need to give Carlos a call to see if he could help out in the city just in case Jeff decided to find another team elsewhere?  There was that one team down in Kentucky that he would probably fit right in with, one that most teams across the country disavowed completely.

    That alone was proof in Nicole¡¯s mind that not every Ranger had heard a voice declaring them worthy.  There was no way in hell people like them could be chosen as protectors of humanity.  At least, Nicole hoped that wasn¡¯t the case.

    At least the laughter had calmed down, what with Kayla wiping her eyes of the literal tears streaming down.  Nicole would get her back one day, though she had no idea how the hell that might take shape.  Those were problems for future Nicole.

    That thought brought her up short, when had she started to consider the future like that?

    ¡°Alright, change of plans,¡± Kayla declared.  ¡°I¡¯ve never been to the Mall of America, and I feel like seeing if it lives up to the hype.  That should count as team building, if nothing else.¡±

    ¡°If it stops your baseless ideas, then sure,¡± Nicole said, looking away.

    The idea of her and Grace being together was just laughable, there was no way that someone as amazing as Grace would be interested in her like that.  Nicole almost snorted at her accidental joke about the song, but it was true.  In comparison, Nicole was just a muscled up jock who looked more like a man than even Devon, and he was a literal Paladin.

    Once again Grace wasn¡¯t looking at her, which made sense.  Someone putting the idea in her head must have reminded her that Nicole just wasn¡¯t attractive, even if Grace was gay why would she want someone like her?

    Shaking her head, Kayla put the van back into drive and pulled out of the parking lot, following the directions of the little voice in her phone.  Nicole watched the building behind them, wondering just what was going through their teammate¡¯s head as they left.  Was it just an outburst, or were his beliefs more ingrained than that?

    Only time would tell, but one thing was for sure, Nicole wouldn¡¯t let Grace bear the brunt of it.  Looking forward, Jeff fidgeted in his seat while Kayla remained laser focused on the road ahead.  The ride continued in silence, only the cold instructions of the GPS sounding on occasion.  Pity Kayla hadn¡¯t decided to play more songs that might be fun to sing along with, but the mood was truly shot.

    Hopefully some of the cheer would return at the mall.

    Grace hadn¡¯t let go of her hand despite the accusation, and Nicole wasn¡¯t going to withdraw her offer of comfort.  She supposed that might lend more credibility to the accusation in Kayla¡¯s mind, but what did it matter?  Grace was her friend, and Nicole would be there for her.

    The concrete building that marked the outskirts of the mall loomed large as Kayla pulled into the parking garage.  It took a bit of time to find an open space, especially with it being the weekend and how many people were apparently shopping.  Well, if nothing else it would mean that they wouldn¡¯t stand out.

    Finally finding a spot, Kayla pulled in, setting the vehicle to park as everyone seemed to take a collective breath.

    Up front, Kayla let her head drop to the steering wheel.  ¡°Sorry about that, I never expected that from him.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, me either,¡± Nicole admitted.  ¡°I guess he skipped the chivalry and just went full devotion for his Paladin build.¡±

    Kayla snorted, shaking her head.  ¡°I can¡¯t believe I found that man attractive.  Well, we may as well not let the asshole ruin our day.¡±

    A bit of nervous chuckling followed from the occupants of the vehicle before the four of them stepped out.  Nicole stretched, letting her back pop as she twisted back and forth, groaning in relief as she did.  When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a red faced Grace quickly looking away from her.

    She was about to comment on that, but Kayla beat her to it.

    ¡°Gay.  So fucking gay.¡±  It was said fondly, and with a soft smile on her face as she shook her head, walking ahead.  ¡°Come on then, let¡¯s see if we can do some of that team building shit before your mutual pining results in the necessity for a hotel room.¡±

    Nicole found herself sputtering denials even as Kayla cackled.  Jeff at least had the sensibility to not get involved, but he still laughed with her, shaking his head as he followed along.  Nicole let out a heavy sigh turning an apologetic look on her friend who was still looking anywhere but at her.

    Should she say something?  Was Grace just embarrassed or did she actually see something there?  Nicole wasn¡¯t attractive, not like Grace was, and yet there was no denying that she was turning into a literal gay mess right then and there.  Grace had been confident and flirty at the Renfaire, and yet, now she was all red faced and averting her gaze.  She must have still been flustered from the bomb Devon dropped on all of them, that was the only explanation for it.

    ¡°We should probably catch up with them,¡± Nicole said after a moment.  ¡°How about we do some window shopping, maybe check out one of the bookstores?¡±

    Looking up, Grace¡¯s face was beet red as she silently nodded, following along.  They weren¡¯t too far behind the other pair of Rangers as they entered the mall proper from the east side.  When Jeff and Kayla stopped at the bookstore right inside the doors, Nicole paused, wanting to split up but knowing it would defeat the purpose.

    Kayla must have seen the conflict on her face as she just waved her off.  ¡°Go ahead, we¡¯ll be here for a while so just catch up once you two lovebirds hash things out.¡±

    Nicole frowned, tilting her head to the side.  ¡°Kayla, there¡¯s nothing going on between us.¡±

    The girl chuckled, raising up a single finger with the other hand on her hip.  ¡°Ah, but you want there to be.  Seriously, we¡¯ll be fine and the old grumpy shield needs to dislodge his sword from his ass.¡±

    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t, he might just find a spear lodged there instead,¡± Jeff added with a smirk.

    Kayla blinked, turning to face the Dragoon.  ¡°Seriously?  Between Devon¡¯s deep in the closet levels of revulsion and your jokes, I¡¯m starting to think I¡¯m the only straight one in our team.¡±

    Jeff shrugged.  ¡°Hey, I¡¯m bi, but I do have a preference for girls.  Pity about Devon, he was certainly yummy.¡±

    Kayla barked in raucous laughter.  ¡°He certainly was!¡±

    ¡°I did not need to hear that,¡± Grace muttered.

    Nicole could only agree, but didn¡¯t voice it.  ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll be back in a bit.  Try to avoid burning half the mall down.¡±

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°No promises,¡± Kayla said sweetly before turning back to Jeff.  ¡°So, bi huh?¡±

    Nicole turned and started walking before that conversation could embed itself as a core memory for her future self.  She turned to find Grace with her hands shoved into her pockets and a frown plastered on her face.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Nicole asked as she and Grace entered the elevator.  ¡°You¡¯ve been acting off ever since that asshole opened his mouth.¡±

    Grace was normally so brave and full of confidence, yet she seemed almost shaken.  If it was because of what Devon had said, well, she might just have to be extra rough with him in the next round of sparring, assuming there was a next time.  Grace had grown up with people like Devon attempting to control her life, and she refused to let her friend suffer further.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be alright,¡± Grace muttered.  ¡°Just, between our conversation the other day, and Devon¡¯s bullshit, I¡¯ve got a lot of bad memories floating around the surface.¡±

    ¡°I get that,¡± Nicole said, reaching out with a tentative hand, brushing a pinky against Grace¡¯s own.  She couldn¡¯t help the smile that came when the grip was returned.  ¡°If you ever need to vent, or just need someone to offer silent support, just let me know.¡±

    Grace smiled, and there was something about her eyes that brought Nicole up short.  She¡¯d never really noticed the hints of green deep in the brown, but they were there.  It honestly felt like the first time she¡¯d ever looked into them as long as she had.  The moment passed and Grace looked away once again, heading deeper into the mall.

    Nicole took a breath, attempting to calm her hammering heart as they made their way deeper into the mall proper.  They passed several stores, commenting on things they couldn¡¯t afford, and a few things they probably could, but shouldn¡¯t.  Nicole wasn¡¯t willing to put her new metabolism to the test with pure sugar no matter how delicious it might be.

    ¡°You know,¡± Grace said, watching a roller coaster go by, ¡°I¡¯ve lived here for three years now, and I¡¯ve never come here.  Kinda funny now that I think of it.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s like Florida in a way.  Most people who live there never visit the parks, or the beaches.  Those are left to the tourists.  With the mall, there¡¯s more convenient options for those of us who live here.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Grace said.  ¡°Still, it¡¯s an experience unique to the city.  May as well go just to say you went and all.¡±

    ¡°I suppose,¡± Nicole said, smiling with her friend.  At least the day was looking like it might improve despite Devon¡¯s best attempt at it.  Grace just didn¡¯t deserve to have bigots in her life, not after everything she had been through.

    As they walked, Nicole paused outside of a shop bringing Grace to a stop along with her.  Inside the window was a gorgeous black jacket made from genuine leather that would extend just down beyond her hip.  She couldn¡¯t wear her duster anymore, not with how similar it was to her Ranger look, but this was different enough to not be immediately linked to her masked identity.

    Biting her lip, Nicole almost wept when she looked at the price beneath the display.  Even on sale it was far beyond what she could currently justify spending.  Worse, the mannequin had black slacks with a shirt that had the word ¡°Inferno¡¯ written in flame print across it.  The entire ensemble felt like it was made just for her, as a way to represent her identity as a Ranger, and show support for her friend in Red.

    ¡°Wanna try it on?¡±

    Nicole nearly jumped at the sound of Grace¡¯s voice so close.  Her friend laughed, backing off with her hands up and a smirk on her lips.

    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so distracted.  Come on, it would look amazing on you, I can tell.¡±

    Nicole huffed, shoving her hands into her pockets.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t afford it.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± Grace asked.  ¡°We¡¯re here to have fun, so why not at least try it all on?  Worst that can happen is that we take a few pictures and leave without it.¡±

    Something about that statement didn¡¯t quite ring true to Nicole¡¯s ears, but she let it go.  She trusted Grace to have her back in a fight, so she would take her at her word.  Stepping inside the store a young woman sat behind the counter on her phone barely paying them any attention.  She had bubblegum pink hair and bright lipstick to match.  Nicole bit back a laugh at seeing a proper pastel goth in the wild.

    Grace walked right up to her without any hesitation even as Nicole tried to look anywhere else.  The girl held up a finger as she finished a text but Nicole¡¯s focus was on a bright red shirt with a metal band logo featuring a proper axe.  It was oddly fitting for the color, not that she¡¯d ever heard of the band, but it somehow worked.

    Finally the girl looked up.  ¡°Sorry about that, rents are being a pain.¡±

    ¡°I get that,¡± Grace said with no small amount of sympathy before pointing back at the window display.  ¡°Can you help us find that outfit in my friend¡¯s size?¡±

    The girl looked where Grace was pointing and Nicole realized she was probably sixteen at most, likely working an after school and weekend job while saving up for something.  Nicole had done the same at her age, right up until her parents died and she was fired for taking too long to grieve.

    The girl looked her over for a moment, there was nothing judgmental about her gaze, but it still felt like ants crawling across her skin.  ¡°You look like a medium¡­  Yeah, we should have all that.  Anything in the window is usually stocked and we only set up the display yesterday evening.¡±

    ¡°Awesome,¡± Grace said.  ¡°Come on, Nicole, let¡¯s get you all decked out.¡±

    She could only groan as her friend pulled her over to the first rack, but there was a smile on her face as Grace began to collect everything from the advertised outfit and hand it over.  In a matter of minutes Nicole found herself in a dressing room, wondering just how she¡¯d allowed the situation to spiral so far out of control.

    Looking in the mirror, Nicole had to admit that the outfit did look good on her.  The shirt, though a bit tight, could easily be swapped out for others and the jacket was fairly warm.  Better yet, it would make for a decent riding jacket as well, assuming she kept the bike.

    ¡°You ready in there?¡±

    Nicole nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of Grace¡¯s voice just on the other side of the door.  She started to open her mouth to reply, but choked on her words when she knocked over the rack holding her old clothes.  She managed to catch it before it fell but the damage was done, having made quite the racket.

    ¡°Shit, I¡¯m opening the door,¡± Grace said and before Nicole could protest the light of the shop invaded the changing room, catching Nicole holding the clothes rack in one hand and balancing on one leg to keep everything from falling over.  A giggle-snort escaped Grace before she could cover her mouth.  ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll just¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, no.  The damage is done,¡± Nicole said in resignation.  It wasn¡¯t like a simple fall could really hurt her anymore, but gut reactions were still a thing.  She set the rack back upright and reclaimed her old pants which had fallen off the rack in the tussle.  ¡°So, what do you think?¡±

    Grace paused in her amusement and finally seemed to notice that Nicole had indeed changed into the new outfit.  Grace grinned as she looked Nicole up and down before nodding.

    ¡°Yeah, that looks good on you.¡±

    Nicole rubbed the back of her head, looking away while chuckling softly.  ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a tight fit though.¡±

    ¡°I mean, nothing wrong with showing off your figure,¡± Grace said with a shrug, refusing to look at Nicole as she always did when the subject of her overly muscled body came up.

    Anger bubbled up from deep down, memories of teens in the halls mocking her, of girls taunting her in the showers after gym.  Of Tiffany slipping Nair into her shampoo once¡­  Grace might not have been anything like them, but the attempts at codling her were starting to get old.

    Nicole tried to back away, but the wall was right there.  When had they gotten so close?  Right, the room was just cramped, and Grace was standing halfway in the door.  Actually, she was almost completely inside now and the door was nearly shut behind her.  There really wasn¡¯t much room to work with, the dressing room far too cramped for two people.

    It really wasn¡¯t fair of Grace to do this to her.

    ¡°No making out in the dressing rooms,¡± the pastel goth called out.  Grace stumbled back, pushing the door all the way open where the girl from behind the counter was standing with her hands on her hips.  ¡°I have a spray bottle and I¡¯m not afraid to use it!¡±

    As if to punctuate the point, she revealed that there was indeed a small spray bottle hanging from one of her fingers.  Not wanting to deal with that threat, Nicole attempted to shut the door but Grace was having none of it.

    ¡°Oh no, you¡¯re not changing out just yet,¡± she said with a smirk.  ¡°I¡¯ve got to take at least one picture for the group chat first.¡±

    Was she really going to mock her like that?

    ¡°No,¡± Nicole said a bit more coldly than intended.

    Grace shrugged.  ¡°Okay then, plan B.  We¡¯re buying all of it and you can just wear it to the food court when we all meet back up.¡±

    Nicole was forced to do a double take as her eyes widened.  Grace was sporting a cheeky grin, but Nicole knew that her friend didn¡¯t have that kind of money to throw around either!  She¡¯d seen the price tags on everything, and even with the jacket being the big ticket item, the rest wasn¡¯t exactly cheap either!

    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Nicole started, only to be silenced by a single finger to her lips.

    Grace smiled, if a bit sadly.  ¡°Nicole, we¡¯ve known each other for over a year.  Just because we met in person for the first time when you picked up your order, we still talked a bunch about the commission.  I¡¯m not exaggerating when I say you¡¯re one of the few friends I have.  You really helped me out when you trusted me to make your blades, so let me return the favor and do something nice in turn.¡±

    Nicole bit her lip, every fiber of her being demanding she say no, yet the earnest expression on Grace¡¯s face stayed her tongue.  Seriously, puppy eyes on that woman needed to be illegal.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Nicole said, then reached over to a nearby rack, ¡°But only if you let me buy you this.¡±

    Nicole held up the shirt she¡¯d spotted on the way in, watching as Grace¡¯s face lit up.

    ¡°Deal!¡±

 Chapter 19 - Food Courting

    Grace stared down into her strawberry shake, she twirled a French-fry in the confection then shoved the golden stick into her mouth, chomping away.  Nicole had to stifle a giggle at the sight, even if her reasons for being upset were just, it didn¡¯t stop her from being a cute sort of grumpy.  At least she looked good in her new shirt.

    A message had arrived in the group chat from Devon, a baseless apology that meant less than the bits that made up the data.  All it had done was remind the pair of his earlier actions and set Nicole back into her earlier foul mood.

    Devon was definitely a prick, there was no denying that, but Nicole was determined to keep her friend¡¯s mind off the bastard.  Because that was all they were, definitely.  Nicole eyed her own sundae, getting a bit of chocolate syrup on her fingertip before her hand whipped out lightning fast, and wiped it on the tip of Grace¡¯s nose.

    Her friend squawked indignantly, pulling away as she did.  Nicole giggled, covering her mouth as Grace glared at her from across the table.  Her little move had been superhuman, not that anyone would immediately jump to that conclusion just from casual observation.

    ¡°Of course you realize,¡± Grace said, pulling the straw from her shake, one finger covering the tip.  ¡°This means war.¡±

    The straw came to her lips in an instant, then Grace blew.  Ice cream shot out of the straw, aimed directly at Nicole¡¯s widening eyes.  Rather than dodge or block, a different idea came to mind as she adjusted her position in what felt like slow motion, and opened her mouth just in time to catch the entire shot.

    Sweet strawberry engulfed her taste buds, delicious in every way.  More so even, because it had been delivered by Grace.  She pushed that thought aside, grinning smugly to hide her thoughts on eating something after her friend which she certainly didn¡¯t have a crush on.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that was cute or just weird,¡± Kayla said, setting a small bag on the table.  ¡°Jeff, care to add in your own observations?¡±

    ¡°The nose bit was cute,¡± he said, taking the last seat for himself.  ¡°Not sure I can endorse whatever that was with the shake though, too obviously above human standards to do on the regular.¡±

    ¡°It was fun for a one off though,¡± Nicole said with a wink.

    Dammit, stop trying to flirt with the girl that is so obviously out of your league!

    Grace looked away, likely to avoid second hand embarrassment.  Nicole knew in an instant that she definitely messed up with that and mentally kicked herself again for good measure.  Even Kayla was shaking her head in shame at what she¡¯d just witnessed.

    Nicole dropped her head, poking at her sundae with a sudden lack of appetite.  She distinctly heard Kayla mutter something about being useless, which only made it worse.  Nicole ate what she could of the sundae, all while Kayla snickered.  Really, did she have to be a bitch about it?  It was far too close to what she went through in school for her liking, and hurt all the more because it was coming from her fellow Ranger.

    ¡°Are they both this dense?¡± Jeff asked in a stage whisper.

    Kayla chuckled.  ¡°I think they¡¯re worse.  Fuck it, bandage removal time.  Nicole!  You¡¯re up first under the uncomfortable spotlight.¡±

    Not sure what game was afoot, she almost considered ghosting through the floor below to escape when she remembered that she could only do it while morphed.  So, it was with great pain that Nicole stayed seated, straining to keep her eyes from darting every which way for an exit even as her breathing threatened to turn shallow.

    ¡°Breathe girl, I promise this won¡¯t take long,¡± Kayla said, her voice soft, disarming.  ¡°I just need a straight answer.¡±

    ¡°Not straight,¡± she muttered without thinking.

    Kayla rolled her eyes.  ¡°Yeah, I think everyone who has ever met you not named Grace has figured that out.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Nicole nearly exclaimed, eyes darting from Kayla to Grace.  Wide eyes looked back, staring as they did.  ¡°You didn¡¯t know I was gay?¡±

    ¡°I try not to assume,¡± Grace said, rubbing the back of her head as she looked away.  ¡°I¡¯ve gotten burned before, so I just don¡¯t pry anymore.¡±

    Nicole was all too familiar with that.  She¡¯d almost made that mistake with Becca, and if her best friend hadn¡¯t been so understanding, and flattered, she might have caused a misunderstanding that ended their friendship.  Nicole hadn¡¯t dated since, instead devoting herself to her gymnastics, as well as her studies.

    ¡°I get it,¡± Nicole said with a weak smile.  ¡°I just don¡¯t know why Kayla is bringing it up like this.¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡± Kayla said, blinking.  ¡°Wow, dense and useless both.  Okay, Grace, is Nicole attractive?¡±

    What?  Why would she even bring that up?  Of course she wasn¡¯t attractive!  Nicole knew she was built like a man, with more muscle than a fucking brick shithouse.  No woman would find that attractive, especially not¡ª

    ¡°She¡¯s gorgeous,¡± Grace whispered.

    Nicole¡¯s mind skipped like an old record, screeching to a halt only to double back and replay the last line over and over.  There was no way, it had to be some trick, some ploy¡­  Her brain jumped back to that evening spent on the couch in quiet comfort, brown eyes offering quiet comfort even as she bore her soul.

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Nicole said, her voice trembling.  ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie.  I know I¡¯m hideous.¡±

    ¡°How the fuck do you figure that?¡± Jeff interjected, pulling out his phone for a moment, fiddling with something, then he spun it around to reveal an image of a girl that made her squirm at the mere sight of her flexing muscles.  ¡°I don¡¯t know how you haven¡¯t noticed, but you are the literal embodiment of the muscle girl thirst meme.¡±

    ¡°You constantly have people checking you out,¡± Kayla confirmed with an enthusiastic nod.

    She gestured across the food court where a group of guys all immediately turned away from them.  They were all squirming uncomfortably, as if they had been caught doing something wrong.  Obviously they were checking out Kayla and Grace if they were looking at anyone, definitely not her¡­

    Rolling her eyes, Kayla then gestured just off to her side.  ¡°Your most frequent admirer is sitting right across from you.¡±

    Nicole blinked, then looked back at Grace whose face had turned almost crimson.  There was no way, but¡­  She could do so much better!  There was no reason for someone as awesome and amazing as Grace to take an interest in her.

    Was there?

    ¡°Grace, stop thinking of that time her shirt slipped up and showed off her ridiculous abs,¡± Kayla snapped.  Grace nearly jumped out of her seat, only to glare at their fellow Ranger.  ¡°Better.  Now, tell this poor girl, who has zero self esteem, exactly what you like to look at on her.  Don¡¯t be shy and spare the details either.  If you like the way her ass flexes when she squats, I want to hear you say it.¡±

    ¡°Stop picking on me,¡± Nicole said, her fists balling tightly in her lap.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°It does look nice when she does that,¡± Grace said, glaring at Kayla.  Nicole sucked in a breath as Nicole¡¯s words struck out with the fire of conviction, of a truth being spoken for the first time.  ¡°Her body¡¯s like a work of art, okay?  She¡¯s put so much effort into honing her every muscle into being a tool to her will.  She¡¯s intimidating to watch what with the way she moves with purpose, even if she can¡¯t see it.  I nearly had a heart attack when I flirted with her at the Renfaire.  I don¡¯t even know where it came from, it just slipped out¡­¡±

    That¡­  Where was Grace getting that from?  Sure, Nicole knew she was intimidating, but in the same way that a buff guy about to kick your ass was scary.  She¡¯d figured out that when she punched out Tiffany between classes.  The Nair prank was taking things too far and the mutual suspension had been well worth it.  It¡¯s why they started to focus on name calling over her looks rather than anything physical, it made it so much harder for her to justify taking action against them.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Kayla said smugly.  ¡°Same question to you.  What about Grace gets your engine revving?¡±

    ¡°The fuck is wrong with you?¡± Nicole demanded, eye twitching even as her face threatened to turn redder than her hair.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Kayla said with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.  ¡°Completely sober for once since I was the driver today, and let me tell you, I do not recommend it.¡±

    ¡°Being our driver?¡± Jeff asked.

    Grace snorted even as Kayla said, ¡°Sober.  Now, Nicole, tell us what about Grace has you all flustered. ¡±

    Nicole could feel her eye twitching as she glared at the obnoxious hippie.  She wanted nothing more than to throttle her for making a big show out of whatever farce this was.  It wouldn¡¯t be the first time someone attempted to make fun of her like that and she was trying desperately to push Tiffany¡¯s smug face out of her mind.

    Fine, she would play along, for now.

    ¡°She is the personification of her name,¡± Nicole said, anger coloring her words.  ¡°And I don¡¯t just mean that physically either.  She¡¯s sweet, and kind, and so much more.  She¡¯s the first friend I¡¯ve made in almost five years that has felt genuine and I am absolutely terrified that this is all some game and the rug will be pulled out and¡ª¡±

    Strong arms pulled her close, she hadn¡¯t even noticed the tears until they began to dampen the shirt she was now pressed against.  Grace¡¯s shirt.  That just made her cry harder, and she took comfort in those strong arms.  Nicole knew they were making a scene, but she couldn¡¯t find the energy to care.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t see it, do you?¡± Grace whispered into her ear.  ¡°Just how amazing you are.¡±

    Nicole shook her head vehemently.  ¡°I¡¯m nothing special!¡±

    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Grace said without missing a beat.

    Frustration bubbled up within Nicole, and the words came unbidden.  ¡°I had one friend in school, and she only gave me the time of day because nobody else would give her the same courtesy.  Everyone would be better off if I was gone.¡±

    The words had slipped out before she realized it, the words she never dared speak to another.  Nicole would never say she was suicidal, but she didn¡¯t care if she continued to live or just happened to die.  She¡¯d rushed in to face the Sylan because of that, a death that saved someone more worthwhile would have been something she would have been satisfied with.

    ¡°Nicole,¡± Grace said softly, not an ounce of scorn in her voice as she pulled back so she could look into her eyes.  ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Exactly what it sounds like,¡± Nicole said, forcing a smile.  ¡°I wish I¡¯d gotten to go with my parents.  My life hasn¡¯t exactly been all that great since they died.  I don¡¯t have any plans to help things along, but at least I¡¯ll probably die defending others.  I¡¯ll die as a Ranger.¡±

    Grace blinked, tears trailing down her cheeks and to her chin where they fell in drops to her lap below.  That same lap where Nicole had laid her head just last night following their battle with the Sylan, and that painful encounter with Maraline.  She wanted to take it all back, to spare Grace the truth, but the damage was done now.

    ¡°You really think nobody cares if you live or die?¡± Grace asked, an undercurrent of steel to her voice so strong that Nicole had to look away.  ¡°You¡¯re wrong, because I fucking care.  You don¡¯t get to just drop into my life like that then decide you don¡¯t matter.  You matter to me, dammit!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for barely a week,¡± Nicole muttered.

    The attack on the Renfaire had been on a Sunday, so less than a week really.  They had just one more full day off before classes would resume and life would return to some bastardization of the word normal.

    ¡°In person, sure,¡± Grace said with a shrug.  Right, the emails about the blades, but those were business and rarely turned even remotely personal.  ¡°Funny how going through a few life or death situations can make time irrelevant.  It feels like we¡¯ve been in each other¡¯s lives for a lot longer than that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a well documented phenomena, how crisis situations can bring people together,¡± Jeff added, then grunted as Kayla kicked his shin under their table.  ¡°Right, ruining the moment, I¡¯ll shut up now.¡±

    Nicole snorted, which promptly shot a glob of snot from her nose that proceeded to dangle for all to see.  She froze, eyes wide in horror as Grace looked down from her nose, to the long string of clear fluid, then back up.  Then she was sniggering in barely contained laughter that she promptly tried to hide with a single hand.

    Huffing, Nicole snatched a napkin from the dispenser and wiped up the snot before Kayla had a chance to snap that picture she was trying for.  Only once the offending mucus was cleaned up did Nicole stick her tongue out at Grace.

    She most certainly did not pout after, no matter what photographic evidence might be provided by a fellow Ranger that shall remain unnamed.  If nothing else, her embarrassing moment had managed to get all the attention off her own apathetic outlook on things.  She still didn¡¯t see why Grace was making a big deal about it.  Nicole was a Ranger now, and would one day die in the line of duty.

    That was just how things worked out.

    Nicole wasn¡¯t even disgruntled that fate had handed her a death sentence, but Grace appeared to be genuinely upset that Nicole had such an outlook on things.  Was it really that big of a deal?  Everyone died, it was just a matter of how one departed the world that differentiated things.  She supposed that a person could have an impact while living, but up until she had become a Ranger, there just wasn¡¯t much she could do with her life that might accomplish that.

    The realization hit hard, because Nicole did have the means to impact lives now.  It wasn¡¯t even limited to those on her team either.  How many people might have died in the attacks if she hadn¡¯t become a Ranger?  Sure, others would be better suited to it, but she was the one who decided to go out and work with fire and rescue.  Those lives she had saved were people that would have died otherwise.  Then there were the kids in the hospital, whose eyes glimmered with light at the sight of genuine Rangers coming to visit them.

    In barely a week, Nicole had managed to touch so many different people in a positive manner.  How many more could she manage going forward?  Staring blankly at her melted sundae, Nicole knew that number would only grow the longer she clung stubbornly to life in the face of the coming doom that the Sylan represented.

    She wasn¡¯t alone either, she had a team to back her up.  Just because Devon was a complete dick didn¡¯t mean the others were.  They were all seated at a table with her and not wherever the homophobe had fucked off to.

    ¡°Had enough introspection for all of that to sink in?¡± Kayla asked, pulling her from her own¡­ That.  Before she could glare at Kayla for how perceptive she was being, the girl continued.  ¡°If not, we can keep going until we get it through that thick skull of yours.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Nicole said, sitting back in her seat.  ¡°Never thought I would have a potentially life changing revelation in a fucking food court.¡±

    ¡°Life can be a bitch like that,¡± Kayla said, smiling softly.  ¡°If it wasn¡¯t clear, none of us here want you to leave our lives anytime soon.¡±  She then hooked her chin towards Grace.  ¡°That one especially.¡±

    ¡°Damn right,¡± Grace said, her arms crossed.  ¡°I want more fun times.  I want more quiet moments.  I want to get to know you, because you¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve felt comfortable enough with to actually open up about what happened to me.  I want you to feel safe opening up to me the same way.¡±

    Nicole swallowed heavily, because that sounded awfully like Grace wanted to date her.

    That couldn¡¯t be true though, could it?

    Slowly, Nicole nodded, her hands wringing atop the table.  ¡°Okay¡­  I can¡­  I can work on that.¡±

    Grace reached across the table, taking one hand into her own.  ¡°Every journey has a beginning.  I hope you¡¯ll let me accompany you on this one.¡±

    ¡°I think,¡± Nicole said, voice hitching as she did, ¡°I would like that very much.¡±

    A wide smile split Grace¡¯s face and Nicole found herself mirroring it.  They squeezed each other¡¯s hands, savoring the moment.

    ¡°So damn gay,¡± Kayla said, shaking her head with a warm smile.

    Nicole and Grace kicked her shins in unison, eliciting a pained squawk from their friend before Jeff¡¯s laughter cut in.

    ¡°Karma¡¯s a bitch!¡± he said, laughing.

    Nicole couldn¡¯t help sharing in his mirth, and soon Grace had joined her.  Kayla glowered at them for a moment, but her steely facade cracked, splitting into a smile before she too was laughing right along with them.

 Chapter 20 - Floor Routine

    A lazy Sunday wasn¡¯t really in the cards, not with classes resuming the following day.  Students were clamoring to finish the assignments given to them for the week, procrastinators suffering the worst of it.  Nicole was not one of those people, she¡¯d finished her assignments days ago.

    Nicole woke up bright and early to get a start on the things she had planned the night before.  If she was going to devote herself to the whole Ranger thing, then she was going to make damn sure that she was doing it right, even if that meant digging into parts of her past that still hurt.

    The school¡¯s gymnastics team held their practice on Saturdays, which meant their usual grounds were free and clear for her to take a spin on the mat.  She knew that the Ranger powers enhanced her in strange ways, and her old routines would be a good way to figure out just how far she could take it without the transformation empowering her.  Moreso, those movements and techniques were still useful for combat.

    She¡¯d dug out an old pair of sweats for the occasion, not knowing if the potentially extreme activity might damage her old tights.  It¡¯s also why she was wearing a fairly simple white tank top, not that she¡¯d been brave enough to walk across campus in something so form fitting.  A simple sweatshirt with the college logo was thrown over it to cover her modesty.  She¡¯d braided her hair to keep it manageable and it would be easy to put it into a bun if it was still too unruly.  She also found a pair of old wrist bands to hopefully keep some of the sweat off her hands.

    Her suspicions about the gymnastics hall were proven correct, either nobody thought to use it, or it was too damn early for most people to consider being awake on a Sunday.  Everything was still set up too, which made things easier for her.  She wouldn¡¯t have to waste time dragging everything into place.

    There was a strip of the wall with a full mirror for practicing where one could observe themselves in motion.  She looked at herself, taking it all in.  It was the first time she¡¯d actually stood in front of one and actually looked.  The muscles that had begun to fade were once again as prominent as ever.  Hesitantly, she lifted her shirt up and ran her fingers over the firm abdominals on her stomach.  Becca had once said that her abs were capable of grinding meat, and looking at them in the mirror, she could see it.

    Shaking her head, she let the shirt drop and walked over to the balance beam only to freeze the moment she touched it.  She¡¯d never quite gotten over the hesitation after her first accident, that moment where her mind reminded her that the thing in front of her was a source of pain.  She¡¯d suffered many injuries over the years on such beams, yet it was also the source of her failure.

    Heavy breaths came unbidden, flashes of the seats that should have held her parents flashed through her mind, followed by a hard fall that ended her last aspirations for the national stage and any potential career.  Nicole took a step back and forced her breathing into a pattern.  It helped, though it didn¡¯t stop the hammering in her chest, or calm her racing mind.  The only thing that would manage that was biting the bullet and putting action to her thoughts.

    Rolling her shoulders and forcing a shuddering breath, Nicole hopped up, muscle memory still firmly established from her years of practice.  Her body felt light as a feather, as if she might just float away.  Given how fast she had been able to run, that might very well have been the case.

    An almost manic giggle came unbidden, then just as quickly Nicole took another breath and pushed herself into a handstand.  Again, she didn¡¯t feel the slightest hint of a strain, something she couldn¡¯t say even at the peak of her attempts at the nationals.  She switched to one arm, and again felt no difficulty in the act, the weight of her frame comfortable as she held the pose.

    ¡°This is so weird,¡± she muttered.

    Then, she sprung into motion, falling into the routine that was meant to carry her into the national stage, but she had fumbled during the one attempt that mattered.  Every action came effortlessly, the movements controlled and exact.  She was water in motion, flowing perfection, everything she had needed to be that day.

    It sickened her.

    For all the hard work Nicole had put in for years, then the neglect of the past six months, she was in better form than she ever had been.  It wasn¡¯t fair, and there was no way she could ever compete when she had some alien power fine tuning her entire build to superhuman perfection.  Oddly enough, none of her other Rangers were bulking out, and even then, her muscles just looked as they did at her peak.

    Grace was built too, but her muscles were very much more in line with someone who worked a forge, or swung an axe.  She hadn¡¯t gotten a good enough look at Kayla, but she hadn¡¯t seen any significant muscle on her.  Jeff and Devon were certainly fit as well, but Nicole was fairly sure she had more definition than either of them.

    Nicole stuck the landing, ending her routine without even a hint of a mistake or near miss.  The entire thing had been insultingly easy, she hadn¡¯t even needed to think about things, her focus drifting elsewhere as she went through it.  Grace¡¯s muscles were certainly distracting, but she should have struggled to avoid a mistake.

    A wandering mind had cost her a future, now it didn¡¯t even slow her down.

    Growling in frustration, Nicole vaulted from the beam, flipping through the air as she did, and landed on the floor mat with a heavy impact that she barely felt.  She didn¡¯t stop there, her momentum carrying her into a looping series of flips that pulled the blood to her head and feet yet no lightheadedness or dizziness followed.  That part was a familiar rush and only as she finished the series did she realize she had done so far beyond human norms.

    A dark flash of anger spiked deep within and she launched into a flowing dance, one of her favorites that didn¡¯t require extraordinary skill to pull off, but she had always found relaxing, and more importantly, grounded her each time she performed it.  She looped through the routine over and over, letting the motions center her until she lost track of time.

    A gentle clapping pulled her out of an almost meditative trance.  Her head snapped to the source even as she froze mid motion, a leg extended almost vertically while she balanced on a single toe.  The dark-skinned woman whistled, her clapping coming to an abrupt end.  Nicole quickly got both feet back under her and wondered to herself how she had missed someone slipping inside.

    The newcomer was older, at least forty if the gray in her short cut black hair was anything to go off of.  There was something vaguely familiar about her that Nicole couldn¡¯t quite place.  The woman¡¯s steps were light, almost gliding across the mat as she approached.  She wore tight black leggings and a tank top that bore the school logo, as well as a potential identifier.  The word coach gave her a clearer idea as to who had just gotten the drop on her.

    ¡°Sorry if I startled you,¡± the woman said, her voice light and airy.  ¡°Normally the building is vacant on Sundays so I can fit in a bit of my own practice, so imagine my surprise when I found someone performing a routine that would make the last five gold medalists green with envy.¡±

    ¡°Oddly specific numbers,¡± Nicole said cautiously.

    ¡°Well, considering I was two of those, it stands to reason that I¡¯m speaking from experience,¡± she said with a grin then extended her hand.  ¡°Tanya Bording, Gold medalist for twelve and sixteen at your service.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s eyes widened.  She¡¯d watched all of the gold and silver medal showings for each event for the last dozen Olympics probably fifty plus times each, all to see what worked and what hadn¡¯t for each of them.  That was why the woman seemed familiar, she¡¯d watched her perform more than she¡¯d watched her favorite movie as a kid!

    ¡°Heard of me have you?¡± Tanya said with a smirk.  ¡°With moves like yours, I¡¯m surprised I don¡¯t recognize you.  Did you try out for the course here?¡±

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Nicole blinked, then rubbed the back of her head.  ¡°Ah, no, I didn¡¯t.  I tried for the nationals in high school, but botched my routine.  I sort of stopped trying after that.¡±

    ¡°That had to be a one in a million mistake with moves like yours,¡± Tanya answered.  ¡°Like, I would kill to have you on our team.  You said you failed in high school, how long ago was that if you don¡¯t mind me prying?¡±

    ¡°Six months,¡± Nicole said hesitantly.

    She really needed to get off the subject, especially if the woman began to push.  Three years back it came out that a Ranger was playing professional sports and using their own enhancements to manage to dominate the world class athletes that they were competing against.  Nicole couldn¡¯t recall what sport it had been, but it was decided that if Rangers had that level of advantage, they couldn¡¯t compete.

    ¡°You¡¯ve obviously been keeping up the practice though,¡± she said, frowning.  ¡°You should sign up, I bet you would easily make the nationals this coming round.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t,¡± Nicole said, her eyes burning with tears forming.  ¡°I gave up on that dream.  I¡¯m just here to keep the rust off.¡±

    More to shake the rust off, but Tanya didn¡¯t need to know that.

    ¡°Damn,¡± Tanya muttered.  ¡°I¡¯ll admit, you soundly put every prospective girl I¡¯ve got to shame.  All of the guys too for that matter.  Still, even if you don¡¯t plan to compete, you could always join, maybe light a fire under some of their asses.¡±

    Shaking her head, Nicole smiled to hide the pain.  How she would have loved to hear something like that following her disastrous showing, but no, everyone dropped her like spoiled milk.  She had no interest in trying to recapture any former glory with her Ranger granted abilities.

    ¡°I have other obligations,¡± Nicole said dismissively.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid that between those and my studies, I¡¯m pretty well booked.¡±

    Tanya sighed, her shoulders drooping.  ¡°Can¡¯t blame a girl for trying.¡±

    ¡°I get it,¡± Nicole said, shaking her head with a soft smile.  ¡°If you¡¯d asked me two weeks ago, I¡¯d have jumped on it.¡±

    ¡°Fuck,¡± Tanya said.  ¡°That¡¯s what I get for getting all excited for the Renaissance Faire instead of paying attention to prospective recruits.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s heart skipped a beat as Tanya trailed off, her head slowly turning to look back at the rather busted Ranger.  Looking at the wide eyes of the gold medalist, she knew right then that she had put together the truth.

    ¡°I am so sorry,¡± Tanya said, concern lacing each word.  ¡°You lost someone important there, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Nicole said, brain lurching as she realized that her cover wasn¡¯t blown!  ¡°Yeah, that whole tragedy¡­  I¡¯d rather not talk about it.¡±

    Tanya waved her off.  ¡°Say no more.  I understand.  I¡¯d be dead too if it wasn¡¯t for the Rangers.  The green one with the crazy vines saved my husband and I.  I just wish we could thank her.¡±

    Well, Nicole knew who she was texting at the first opportunity.

    ¡°Yeah, the Red Ranger saved me as well,¡± Nicole said, not lying by technicality.

    ¡°You were there?¡± Tanya asked.  ¡°Shit, I¡¯m doubly sorry for bringing it up then.  I mean, you probably know exactly what it was like to have someon¡ª  Right, shutting up before I shove my foot in my mouth.  Did that once on a dare, don¡¯t recommend.¡±

    A nervous laugh bubbled forth, and she was glad that Tanya was just enough of a scatter-brain to not manage the basic math to figure out that Nicole was a Ranger.  She¡¯d really lucked out there and was quite keen on not pushing that tenuous luck any further.

    ¡°If it¡¯s all the same, I think I¡¯m gonna duck out,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°I¡¯ve got afternoon plans and need a shower after all that.¡±

    She¡¯d worked up a sweat, which from her experience on that late night run meant that she was pushing herself far beyond human limits during that routine.  Tanya must not have stayed silent for long after her arrival, because even thirty seconds of observation would have clued her in that something superhuman was absolutely afoot.

    Her stuff was still sitting by the mirror so she hurried over and started to collect it when she saw she had a message from Grace waiting for her.  With a smile, she quickly opened it only for all rational thought to flee her mind.

    There were several pictures of Grace in a skin tight red tank top, and she was flexing in a way that Nicole could not look away from.  Her arms were toned, demonstrating how fucking built the woman was, but didn¡¯t show nearly as heavily as Nicole¡¯s own.  Grace¡¯s back though, holy hell what was with that definition¡­  Was she drooling?  Honestly, she wouldn¡¯t have been surprised.

    Then there was that message after¡­

    Grace: Bet my muscles are bigger.

    Such a clear challenge, and a request for pictures to be returned.  Could she do that?  It would be bold as hell, but clearly Grace was looking for something bold.  It hadn¡¯t even been a day since they both had their arms twisted by a devil in green and admitted to being interested in one another!  It didn¡¯t feel real yet, and Nicole was constantly second guessing herself, yet it was hard to argue with the pictures in her inbox.  They weren¡¯t dating, at least not in the technical sense.  That night on the sofa certainly felt like a date in retrospect¡­

    ¡°Okay, you can do this Nicole, no pressure or anything¡­¡±

    She looked into the wall length mirror, her red hair braided loosely over her shoulder, then down at her own abs, trying to not grimace at the sight of them even through her shirt.  She¡¯d left her baggy sweatpants on, but her sweatshirt was firmly discarded.  She had on a tight white tank top under it, and it was drenched enough that her sports bra was showing through.  She almost considered taking the shirt off, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it, even in the mostly empty gym.

    Instead, she pulled the shirt up, exposing the glistening skin beneath.  She still didn¡¯t like the sight of her abs, but apparently Grace did.  Nicole could do it for her.  She held up her phone, partially blocking her face to get an angle that she didn¡¯t outright hate, then snapped the picture.  She hurriedly typed a message to her friend while biting her lip, then attached the picture before she could get cold feet.

    And, sent¡­

    Nicole: Here¡¯s me after my workout.

    Nicole: Pic

    Grace: Kasjnrviagvidunbfv

    Nicole: Did you just keysmash?

    Grace: Yes¡­

    Grace: Brain short circuited.

    Nicole couldn¡¯t help the squeal that tore it¡¯s way through her as she did a little tap dance in place.  Fucking score!  Sure, it shouldn¡¯t have been a competition, but if there was one thing Nicole was confident in, it was her muscles.  It was weird having something that had been mocked relentlessly for years suddenly be a positive in her life.  Given all the hateful comments that would continue to intrude upon her thoughts, that would take some time to adjust to.  She was tempted to take a few more pictures, but this time she hadn¡¯t missed the gentle footsteps approaching.

    ¡°Posing for a boyfriend?¡± Tanya asked with a knowing smirk.  ¡°Most guys are intimidated by a gymnast¡¯s build, but there¡¯s the rare few that can appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°I was mocked enough for it in highschool,¡± Nicole said, some of her old bitterness leaking through.  ¡°Someone special has been trying to help me see the beauty in it though.¡±

    ¡°He must be something special then,¡± Tanya said.

    Another ding sounded and Nicole looked down to find another picture from Grace, her face practically glowing with a heavy blush as she bit her lip.

    Grace: Pic

    Grace: Holy hell, you¡¯re fucking hot!

    Grace: Sorry, but goddamn girl!

    Now she was blushing too, shit, she had it so damn bad and apparently Grace did too.  Nicole still didn¡¯t understand that, but as Kayla had said shortly before they all went home, people rarely find themselves attractive.  She just had to trust that Grace wasn¡¯t lying, that she had seen some beauty in Nicole that she herself couldn¡¯t see.

    Turning to regard Tanya, she didn¡¯t even try to hide how happy she was at that thought, that Grace Evans, the amazing woman that she was, saw something in Nicole that she couldn¡¯t see herself.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Nicole said once she felt able to speak again, a dopey grin splitting her face.  ¡°She certainly is amazing.¡±

    Tanya blinked for a moment as it clicked, then she offered out a fist.

    Nicole wasted no time returning the gesture.

 Chapter 21 - Unexpected Encounters

    It wasn¡¯t a date.

    Four simple words, repeated like a mantra within the confines of Nicole¡¯s mind.  She could almost believe it too if she hadn¡¯t just spent over an hour agonizing over what to wear.  Unfortunately, Becca wasn¡¯t going to be back at the apartment until that evening, so she couldn¡¯t pester her for advice.  Not that Nicole had any intention of giving her oldest friend that sort of ammunition.

    She settled on a pair of dark blue jeans and a tank top, this time in black.  Was she playing up her image as a Ranger?  Maybe a little, but her identity as a Ranger was important to her, and it might be the first thing she could be proud of that people couldn¡¯t just mock her for.  There would always be the odd ball out that would decry anything that actually helped the people, but those nut jobs could be safely ignored.

    Even if some of the conspiracy boards could be amusing to read from time to time.

    Elm Creek Park was fairly close, and not one of the parks they had used for their training over the last few days.  That was where she had agreed to meet up with Grace for what was absolutely not a date.  Nicole gave her motorcycle a passing glance before checking her map again and did a few mental calculations.  If she and Grace decided to go somewhere else for a movie or food then two vehicles became a bit of a headache.

    The distance to the park was less than her late night jog, though Nicole would lack the cover of darkness that had allowed her to run flat out.  Still, it wasn¡¯t like a normal jog would cause issues thanks to the endurance that came with becoming a Ranger.

    Nicole swallowed a touch of bile at that thought and took off a bit faster than she probably should have.  Even as her breathing remained steady despite her pace, her thoughts wandered, the steady drumming of her feet on the sidewalks almost proving to be meditative.

    It felt like a slap in the face to every bit of gains made during her gymnastics career.  Even when people mocked her for being muscular, she had still retained pride at the work it had taken to become one of the best in the country.  She¡¯d let that slip away intentionally, only to have it all thrust back upon her once more.

    Gifted power still felt abhorrent to her, having worked so hard for so long to get where she once was.  Still, it was a tool she now possessed, and it afforded her something that Grace found appealing, so she couldn¡¯t look too harshly upon it.  Even if every instinct she had screamed at her to do so.

    Slowing her jog as she reached the public parking area for the park, Nicole caught sight of Grace in the distance.  She was squatting down, being swarmed by half a dozen dogs as she laughed, the canines all attempting to garner her attention.  Nicole had to slow her approach, not wanting to interrupt the moment.  After a moment, a brilliant idea crossed her mind and Nicole got out her phone, switching to the camera app, then started recording the scene.

    A golden lab was attempting to use its tongue to clean out Grace¡¯s nose, despite her half-hearted attempts to stop it.  The other dogs were no less enthusiastic, and Nicole was barely holding back her own laughter at the sight.  Nicole was struggling to keep the camera steady, even as others joined her in laughing at the rather hilarious scene.

    Was this a regular sight at this particular park that nobody seemed concerned about a woman being literally dogpiled?  Grace hadn¡¯t mentioned much of what she got up to in her free time, just that she was working an apprenticeship with a bladesmith on the weekends.  Grace hadn¡¯t mentioned him further, and Nicole was a bit too afraid to pry deeper.  Had he survived the attack on the Renfaire, or was he among the casualties?

    Nicole found a nearby tree and leaned against it, watching as her friend continued to play with the multitude of dogs.  She¡¯d run for miles once again, and wasn¡¯t even winded by the effort.  It would be all too easy to get lost in the thrill such power brought with it, as well as the little voice in the back of her mind whispering that she should use it for her own gain.

    Such was the danger of power, it begged to be used, and tempted its wielder viciously.  She refused to fall into temptation, Nicole was the master of herself, the responsibility was great, but she would rise to the challenge.  Grace had given her a reason to live, to strive and fight for tomorrow.  It was flimsy, and not truly her own, but her therapist had once said that any reason to carry on for another day was reason enough.

    Her reason was now standing, having seen her after several minutes of adorable tomfoolery with the dogs.  They circled and yipped excitedly for a moment as she attempted to break away, then their owners began to call them back, and soon a slobber covered Grace was walking over to her.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Grace said, a shy smile on her face.  ¡°Sorry about that.  I worked part time last summer for a dog groomer, and two of the dogs remembered me, then it sort of cascaded from there.¡±

    Nicole grinned, spinning her phone around to where Grace could see the video playing.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I collected plenty of evidence of your debauchery.¡±

    ¡°Curses,¡± Grace said, kicking the dirt.  ¡°What do you plan to do with such damning evidence?¡±

    Nicole hummed, her cheeks burning as she considered her choice of words.  It would be embarrassing, but she could do it, she charged into a blazing inferno, she faced down Sylan automatons without any power to her name, she could say one damn line that was just a touch flirty.

    ¡°I pronounce you guilty of being adorable,¡± Nicole said resolutely, even as every ounce of her own insecurities raged against her tongue.  ¡°The sentence¡ªto be carried out at my discretion¡ªis to be subjected to cuddles.¡±

    Nicole forced herself to remain still, to not flinch or wilt in embarrassment after such a statement.  It was bold, something she normally wouldn¡¯t do, but it had felt right in the moment, to let her tongue off the leash, to be playful.  How did some people manage to be so smooth about something so damn embarrassing?  Did everyone just fake their calm when flirting with someone they found drop dead gorgeous?

    A few rapid blinks followed her statement, Grace¡¯s head tilting slightly to the side, then she burst into laughter.  Oh come on, it wasn¡¯t that funny!  That was her first intentional attempt at flirting, cut her some slack!  What, did she need to lift her shirt and flex her abs again just to get her to stop?

    Then again, Grace would probably appreciate that.  Nicole was also curious as to what the visual and verbal equivalent of a key smash was and if she could get one out of her friend.  Though, she was almost certain it would be her to demonstrate it, not Grace.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that funny,¡± Nicole said petulantly.  Grace attempted to stifle her laughter, but failed miserably after barely three seconds.  Huffing, Nicole decided she needed to make sure her best weapon was known to be on the table.  ¡°Don¡¯t make me flex on you.¡±

    Grace froze, looking back at her for just a moment, then had the nerve to smirk.

    ¡°Bet.¡±

    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    That just wasn¡¯t fair!  She wasn¡¯t supposed to call her on it dammit!  Nicole¡¯s thoughts flailed for a moment, reaching for something, anything, that she could do to even the scales.  What she arrived at was a simple solution, but one she didn¡¯t want to use too liberally.  It would lose its impact if she did, but at the same time, she had been challenged.

    And a challenge must be answered.

    So, Nicole pushed off the tree, her eyes not straying from her friend who now looked far less smugly confident, that damn smirk having fled.  Grace¡¯s eyes kept flicking down to her arms, which Nicole was flexing just for that reason.  Grace was taller than her by several inches, there was no way to intimidate her properly, but she could channel her former confidence as a gymnast and fake it.

    ¡°Where did your bravado go?¡± Nicole asked, stepping right up to her, a single finger pressing just below her chin.

    Once she was close, she looked up into Grace¡¯s eyes.  The instant that her friend blinked, Nicole moved.  She grabbed Grace and spun the both of them so that Grace¡¯s back was to the tree, and pushed her against it, one arm braced against the trunk as she leaned close.  Her breaths had turned quick and shallow, and it took everything Nicole had to keep up the act.

    It didn¡¯t escape her notice that Grace was slowly sinking lower, right up until she had the height advantage.  She knew it was now or never.  The moment that happened, Nicole took a half-step back, then brought her leg straight up and over Grace¡¯s shoulder to rest against the tree.

    No doubt both of their faces were as red as Grace¡¯s shirt, but she had always wanted to do that to a girl, and now she was, and holy fuck was her heart hammering in her chest.  She knew people were watching, she could hear the fucking wolf whistles coming from the onlookers.  Holy hell, how had she talked herself into doing something so damn embarrassing?

    It was certainly having the desired effect, and she was so off balance that all Grace needed to do was hook a single arm under her leg and she could turn the entire thing around once more, so why hadn¡¯t she?

    The seconds ticked by, and once it was clear that Grace wasn¡¯t about to flip the script again, Nicole smirked then darted forward and pecked a quick kiss on Grace¡¯s nose before almost skipping backwards as if her heel hadn¡¯t been sitting halfway up the tree trunk just moments prior.

    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Grace breathed, her voice a ghost of a whisper even as her chest almost heaved.  ¡°How the hell are you that flexible?¡±

    ¡°Gymnast, remember?¡± Nicole said.  ¡°We had to do all kinds of conditioning to be able to do some of the routines.  That included stretching until we were limber as all hell.¡±

    ¡°That is so not fair,¡± Grace grumbled petulantly.  ¡°I¡¯m going to have to figure out something to get you back for that.¡±

    ¡°Looking forward to it,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°Now, you wanted to show me the park?¡±

    Grace was still beet red when the words settled in and a less inflammatory topic was grasped like a lifeline.

    ¡°Right,¡± she said, gesturing around.  ¡°You¡¯ve already seen the pups, but there¡¯s a few walking trails here and some decent enough sights for how close it is to the campus.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Nicole said, putting her hands behind her back before she leaned forward.  ¡°Feel free to lead the way.¡±

    Grace swallowed, taking one shaky step after another before she settled into a rhythm and walked more assuredly down the path.  Nicole chuckled and fell in line beside her, an idle finger brushing against hers as she did.  Nicole almost startled, the prospect of hand holding of all things somehow more daunting than the stunt she just pulled against the tree.

    Should she do it?  It was just holding hands, there was nothing wrong with it, and hell, she had just kissed Grace on her nose!  Where the hell had that even come from?  Nicole was acting on impulse, just letting herself go with whatever struck her.  She never did that, and yet¡­

    She reached out, her hand catching on Grace¡¯s and they both squeezed.  She risked a glance, and timed it just as Grace had done the same.  Her heart fluttered, skipping a beat, but she didn¡¯t look away.  Grace giggled, and she found herself doing the same even as their shoulders bumped and some of the tension bled away.  Just what was coming over her that she was acting like a damn pre-teen on their first date?

    Nicole was eighteen, soon to be nineteen, she shouldn¡¯t be so easily flustered by a bit of hand holding in the park!  Then again, did she know how old Grace was?  She hadn¡¯t asked, and it hadn¡¯t really come up.  She had a suspicion that she was older, probably closer to twenty based on what she had said that night on the couch, but she couldn¡¯t be certain.

    They walked the trail hand in hand for some time, just enjoying each other¡¯s presence as they went.  Shy glances were shared, and occasionally they caught each other looking and once again fell into being blushing messes.  Two Rangers, staunch defenders against the invaders from the stars, reduced to being complete disasters in one another¡¯s presence.

    It was almost enough to get a laugh out of Nicole, but her words caught in her throat as Grace pulled her off the path and towards a pond full of geese.  She¡¯d done battle with the fierce monsters before, the dreaded cobra chicken as Colin once called them.  Grace pulled a pack of crackers from her bag and it was like someone had told a pack of Chihuahua¡¯s they had treats.

    Dozens of the little bastards nearly swarmed them, and Grace was just calmly breaking the crackers apart and handing them out to the little devils.  Then she handed one over and Nicole wasn¡¯t quite sure what to do with it.  She began to snap it, but they must have sensed her apprehension and fear, because one of the bastards attempted to lunge for it.

    Pity for the creature, but she was a Ranger.

    Her free hand snapped out, two fingers pinching its beak closed with a gentleness that almost surprised her.  She had to blink at how quickly it had happened, her reflexes proving themselves to, once again, be far above human norms.

    Grace chuckled, not one bit surprised by the display of superhuman dexterity.

    ¡°They can be ornery little bastards,¡± Grace said.  ¡°Good on you for reminding them to be patient, though I don¡¯t think I brought enough for all of them.¡±

    ¡°Devil spawn is what they are,¡± Nicole countered.  ¡°They are the unholy union of cobra and chicken.  They are truly a blasphemy most fowl.¡±

    ¡°Oh come on, they aren¡¯t that¡ª¡± Grace cut off and her eyes narrowed.  ¡°Was that a fucking pun?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Nicole said, breaking up the rest of her crackers before tossing them to the birds.  ¡°And even if it was, it certainly wouldn¡¯t warrant any punitive actions on your part.¡±

    Grace groaned, and Nicole counted that as a win.  Grace threw the remaining crackers over her shoulder, sending the demon birds running after them.  Nicole rolled her eyes and followed her friend out of the swarm and back onto the trail.  Grace was attempting to pout, but Nicole didn¡¯t miss how her lip kept trying to twitch up into a smile.

    This time she didn¡¯t hesitate to reach for Grace¡¯s hand and soon they were once again walking off with dopey grins on their faces.  They really were a mess, and it was a bit comforting that Grace was every bit as nervous about everything as she was.  The trail wrapped around most of the park, and it was only as they neared the opposite side from where they started that they caught a sound on the wind.

    Someone was playing something in the distance, a guitar or other string instrument from what Nicole could hear.  She tried to place it, but nothing really stood out to her, the song wasn¡¯t anything she recognized, not that Nicole was all that into music.  She liked listening to a bunch of stuff, but she was content with random playlists or the radio.

    Well, as long as it wasn¡¯t country music.

    A small shudder ran down her spine at the thought of being subjected to that crap, and she was thankful to have grown up far away from where that stuff was the dominating genre of music.  Following that thought, she didn¡¯t even want to consider if there was a Nashville team of Rangers and what they might be styled after.

    Coming over a hill, they were greeted by a wide field with a few shade trees, standard stuff so far for the park they were in, but what stood out was the crowd that had gathered around the performer.  She could see the harp in their hand, being strummed with a gentle care of someone who treasured their instrument.

    The sound was melodious and haunting, but that wasn¡¯t what had brought the pair to a sudden stop.  Nicole and Grace shared a look, one full of conflicted emotions, because there, sitting atop a stump, playing for a crowd of children, was the last person she ever expected to see performing.

    Maraline.

 Chapter 22 - Heated Confrontation

    Okay, so Maraline wasn¡¯t the last thing that Nicole ever expected to see.  She had come to accept that the enemy general had some sort of obsession with her and that she would come after her again.  But rather than at the head of a formation of machines, Maraline was sitting peacefully in a park while strumming a harp for a crowd of children.

    The woman attempting to destroy humanity, one of the few faces that could be linked to the machine menace since the invasion began five years prior, and she was just sitting there.

    Playing an instrument.

    It should have defied all logic, yet it aligned perfectly with how Maraline presented herself.  It was anathema to everything she knew about being a Ranger and their mission, yet she couldn¡¯t deny her own eyes.  Or her ears for that matter.  The melody was downright haunting with its beauty, conveying an immense sorrow and longing to everyone listening.  Nicole was entranced, and not through any nefarious effects either.

    Maraline was just that damn good at playing.

    A gentle nudge drew her attention from the blissful melody.  Grace wore a soft frown as she looked down at the villain as if it was the first time seeing her.  In truth, Grace had only ever seen her right before the fighting started, she¡¯d never seen Maraline acting like a normal person.

    ¡°Something¡¯s off here.  Like, how do we even approach a situation like this?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not currently hurting anyone,¡± Nicole said carefully.  ¡°Maybe we should observe for the moment, and step in only if she starts attacking the crowd.  I don¡¯t want to put the kids at risk if I don¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re right,¡± Grace said, her face pained.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to spook her either,¡± Nicole added, remembering their last encounter.  ¡°She was fine with just me last time, maybe that would hold true this time as well?¡±

    Grace looked from the field back to Nicole.  ¡°Like hell I¡¯m letting you go in there alone!¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t be alone,¡± Nicole said with what she hoped was a reassuring smile.  ¡°I¡¯ll have you watching my back, ready to step in at a moment¡¯s notice.  Don¡¯t forget, the watches have a quick morph option if I need it.¡±

    She tapped the watch for emphasis.

    ¡°This is reckless,¡± Grace muttered, then pulled her into a hug.  ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid and be ready to morph at the first sign she¡¯s up to something.¡±

    ¡°Will do,¡± Nicole said, and approached the scene.

    The crowd was surprisingly dense given it was mostly composed of children who were very much engrossed in the performance rather than their phones.  Their parents were also nearby, similarly entranced by the soft tones of the harp.  Nicole stopped just on the edge of the crowd as she leaned against a sturdy tree.  As the performance continued, Nicole¡¯s fingers brushed the buttons that would signal her transformation, almost as an idle tick.  She refused to be caught off guard, not with the enemy right there, but she couldn¡¯t risk endangering everyone.

    Nicole knew she should do something, especially after the last battle that they had, but something kept her hand from reaching out, to call for help.  Maraline hadn¡¯t opened her eyes, but Nicole could see the sorrow lingering, feel the pain that she was pouring into her music.

    Whatever she was witnessing, it was a genuine display.  Monster she may be, but there was more there, a depth to the woman who had reached out to her.  Nicole had resolved to fight that day, and she still carried that flame within her.

    She didn¡¯t understand Maraline, her persona was very much an enigma in many ways.  She seemed to love the Earth, the planet she was created to conquer.  Maraline spoke so fondly of life, her words carrying a conviction to them that Nicole knew she couldn¡¯t replicate no matter how hard she tried.

    Yet here she was, entertaining the people, bringing emotion with her performance as though she were a master of her chosen instrument.  Actually, there were good odds that she actually was.  Nicole had no clue how long she had lived or practiced her craft.

    The final note strummed, and only then did Maraline open her eyes and smile for the crowd.  Once again Nicole was struck by how genuine that smile was, how much raw emotion was projected through such a simple act.  Many of the children, and all of the adults, clapped for her performance.  Even Nicole found herself clapping along with them.  For a  bare instant the air turned charged as ethereal lilac eyes locked onto her own.  Recognition then flooded her visage and Maraline¡¯s face softened from her winter fae queen persona into something almost human.

    The Sylan stood, harp still in hand, and she approached the waiting Ranger.  Nicole did her best to not appear the aggressor, she didn¡¯t need another disaster so soon after the last.  Maraline continued past her, eyes never once leaving Nicole¡¯s own, then Maraline stopped shortly after passing, and Nicole knew she had leaned against the opposite side of her tree.

    She could probably wax poetic about the symbolism, but that was no doubt Maraline¡¯s intent in doing so.  The woman never seemed to lack purpose in her actions, and she seemed to revel in being cryptic.  Fitting for someone who affected themselves a queen of the fae.

    She was just glad that Grace wasn¡¯t far, watching over her in the event things did kick off.  It didn¡¯t escape Nicole¡¯s notice that Maraline¡¯s new position would allow her to keep an eye on her fellow Ranger.

    ¡°I will admit,¡± Maraline began, ¡°I did not anticipate this encounter.¡±

    Nicole scoffed, looking out at the dispersing crowd, the children who were laughing and smiling following her performance.  Several of the girls were even miming as if they had their own harps.  Just what was the ploy here?  The Sylan killed people, indiscriminately and brutally, yet¡­

    ¡°What is this?¡± Nicole asked, for lack of a better question.  ¡°First you try to reach out to me, then you sic a veritable army on me, and now, just days later, you¡¯re entertaining children.¡±

    A moment of silence followed, the laughter of children in the distance filling the void.  ¡°Once the war is finished, I will be the shepherd of this world.  I wish to understand my charges, to know how to lead them to prosper.¡±

    ¡°Yet you slaughter us,¡± Nicole hissed.  ¡°You invaded us, cast the entire world into a bloody conflict where soldiers weren¡¯t the ones giving their lives.  Why?¡±

    A heavy sigh wafted from the other side of the tree.  ¡°Had I a say in it, we would have chosen a different approach, one of peace and prosperity.  I cannot claim to understand our Administrator¡¯s will, but they set the course, I just followed.¡±

    Administrator?  Was that what they called their leader?  She knew that Maraline wasn¡¯t the top dog, that was obvious, but to hear her actually name the force behind all of the death and chaos?  It sent a chill up her spine and dread settled within her core.  That was the foe she would have to defeat if she was determined to survive to see tomorrow, to keep her promise to Grace.

    So be it.

    Be they man or god, she would find a way to keep that promise.  It wasn¡¯t a realistic goal by any stretch, Nicole knew that, but she was determined to try.  So long as she could stand, she would fight, so long as she continued to breathe she would resist.  That was all she could do, all any of her fellow Rangers could do.

    Strive ever forward in the face of oblivion.

    ¡°You follow the orders of a monster,¡± Nicole spat.  ¡°You would do well to study our history and what we think of those who were just following orders.¡±

    Trilling laughter followed.  ¡°Yes, a lesson that your people have already forgotten in less than a century.  I have little doubt that within two hundred of your years, the people will readily welcome my leadership and lament those of the past that resisted the utopia I will usher in for all.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Only if you don¡¯t teach them what was lost,¡± Nicole said softly.  ¡°I won¡¯t pretend to claim that our civilization is a paragon of freedom, far from it, but we still have some measure of choice.  Tell me, Maraline, are you free to do what you want?¡±

    ¡°Are you?¡± Maraline countered.

    Nicole recognized the bait for what it was and pressed on.  ¡°If you chose to lay down arms, what would happen?  Just how free are you to claim you¡¯ve come to liberate us?¡±

    ¡°I am here now,¡± she said, her voice melancholic.  ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but not right either.  I have freedom, but also duty.  So long as one does not interfere with the other, I am free to indulge my own desires.  Can you claim the same?¡±

    Nicole scoffed, the audacity of that making her blood boil.

    ¡°So what, you entertain a few kids on the weekend to make up for slaughtering thousands?  Does that help you sleep at night?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t sleep,¡± Maraline said.  ¡°I spend my evenings lamenting what I have done, and what is to come, all for the hope of a better tomorrow.¡±

    Nicole could practically feel the power of the Ranger crackling beneath her skin.  She talked of a glowing future just waiting for humanity to accept on groveling knees.  Maraline truly believed that what she was offering was better than what had come before.

    Nicole was having none of it.  ¡°Your ¡®better tomorrow¡¯ cost me everything I held dear.¡±

    ¡°Yet, you have endured,¡± Maraline paused, and Nicole could practically hear the smile in her voice.  ¡°Humanity is tenacious like that, or have you not found someone new to hold fast to?  She is watching us now, is she not?¡±

    Nicole¡¯s blood ran cold at the mention of Grace.  They weren¡¯t dating, not officially at least, but she did care about her fellow Ranger.  If Maraline thought she could just casually threaten her like that, she had another thing coming.

    ¡°You are damn close to crossing a line,¡± Nicole said, her voice filled with cold fury.  ¡°If you truly seek to understand humanity, then you should know why that statement was foolish.¡±

    Maraline hummed for a moment, then abruptly cut off.  ¡°Ah, you think I am threatening your fellow Ranger.  Rest assured that was not my intention, though with you both being Rangers, there is every possibility that you will not live to see the changing of the year.¡±

    ¡°Because of you and your invasion,¡± Nicole snapped.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Maraline whispered.  ¡°Things will not be easy for you, the Administrator has seen to it.  All I can tell you is that you must survive, no matter what is sent your way.  I ask you to prove us wrong, show that tenacity that humanity is known for.  Prove to our Administrator that they can make mistakes.  Let them see that peace was the better option for once, and maybe other worlds will be spared this one¡¯s fate in the future.¡±

    Her words hung heavy, a request spoken earnestly even as a ripple of power flashed through the air.  Nicole knew that Maraline had departed, and soon Grace came to her side once again.  Nicole let herself be engulfed in the warm embrace of her friend, who she so desperately wanted to be something more.  Grace had no doubt heard every word shared, Ranger senses tended to be sharpened far beyond mortal limits in her limited experience.

    Administrator.  The name hung heavily in her mind, spoken of with reverence and devotion.  Maraline referred to them as if they were a deity, with the reverence that a devoted follower of a religion spoke of their god.  Just what the hell was their opponent if they could be referred to as such?  Nicole didn¡¯t want to understand, it felt like to do so would rob her of any hope that remained.

    Yet¡­

    Nicole wanted to do exactly as asked.

    ¡°We need to get back to training,¡± Nicole said.  Grace pulled back so they could look one another in the eyes.  ¡°You heard her, she expects us to do something she believes to be impossible.  How much do you want to bet that we¡¯re about to be put to the crucible?¡±

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Grace said, her shoulders slumping.  ¡°Think Devon will get off his pity party to train with us?¡±

    Nicole considered that, but ultimately dismissed it.  ¡°Who cares if he does?  We¡¯ve got a Ranger on speed dial that¡¯s willing to make house calls who has far more experience than we do, why not just ask him to help us train?¡±

    Grace blinked, then a smile cracked her once serious expression.  ¡°Now that sounds like a plan.  Only one problem with it.¡±

    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± Nicole asked.

    ¡°We have classes in the morning.¡±

    Nicole blinked at the absurdity of it all, that something as simple as classes could compare to the pressing need to hold off the end of the world as they knew it.  Yet, she didn¡¯t want to give up that tie to who she was before the power had come to her.  Nicole Hayes may not have held many ambitions for the future, but she at least understood the need to plan and prepare.

    Which was why she was determined to make these lessons happen.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get in touch with Carlos,¡± Nicole said, firing off a text to the number he had left with her.  A few moments later a reply arrived and she had to fight down a grimace.  ¡°We¡¯ll either be training bright and early before classes, or in the evening after and only on days when he can arrange to visit.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not so bad,¡± Grace said.

    ¡°For the first week,¡± Nicole continued as another message arrived.  ¡°We¡¯re going to be doing both following that.  Apparently he was going to reach out to us regardless once he managed to work out a rotation back home.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Grace said.  ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we should probably start heading back so we can turn in early.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Nicole said, glancing at the time.  ¡°Though, I think we still have time for dinner, if we hurry.¡±

    ¡°Why Nicole,¡± Grace said in a sing-song tone.  ¡°It¡¯s almost as if you¡¯re taking me on a date.¡±

    She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry.  Nicole could read between the lines, see what the day had meant to be before Maraline crashed things, they both knew, but now Grace was all but asking her to admit it.  Well, if Grace was willing to play that game, Nicole would play it right back.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t think it was a date?¡± Nicole said, feigning hurt as she gripped her chest in mock surprise.  ¡°Damn, and here I had gotten my hopes up.  Oh, you wound my ego so.¡±

    Grace snorted.  ¡°Nice try, we both know you¡¯ve been just as nervous and awkward about this as I have.¡±

    ¡°Twin disasters,¡± Nicole agreed enthusiastically.  ¡°Still, can we agree that this was a date?¡±

    Grace bit her lip, looking off to the side for a moment.  ¡°Yeah.  I think we can.¡±

    ¡°Worst first date of my life,¡± Nicole immediately declared.  Grace winced, her shoulders wilting and Nicole abruptly realized her idea was backfiring.  ¡°Alien invaders aside, it was also the best first date of my life.¡±

    ¡°Oh fuck you,¡± Grace said, giving her a playful shove.  ¡°Wait, best and worst?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± Nicole said, rubbing the back of her head.  ¡°Best, worst, and also first date of my life.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    That single exclamation hung in the air, because it was the truth.  Nicole had never been on a proper date.  That day she kissed her best friend and was thoroughly rebuffed?  It was meant to be a date, but ended up being nothing of the sort.  She¡¯d never made another attempt, not with how her school turned on her, then there was the growing depression after losing her family to the incursion last year.

    She¡¯d poured everything into her gymnastics, then lost even that on what was supposed to be the most important day of her life.  Her attempt had come shortly after, and it still pained her that Becca¡¯s parents were the ones to find her.  She¡¯d never even considered dating someone until Kayla barged in like a damn wrecking ball and upended her expectations.

    She¡¯d have to thank the woman for that, despite her better judgment telling her not to.

    Warm arms enveloped Nicole, pulling her close.  She let out a gasp of surprise, but didn¡¯t resist.  Instead, she let herself lean into Grace¡¯s embrace, savoring it.  They stayed like that for several moments, Nicole letting herself enjoy being held by someone who cared about her.

    Then, before she was ready, Grace pulled away.  Nicole wanted to protest, but when she looked up, any such words died on her lips, because they were now quite occupied with Grace¡¯s own.  Dozens of thoughts tried to race through her mind, from how soft Grace¡¯s lips were, to how her legs were threatening to give out on her but Grace had caught her firmly and kept her from falling.

    Because she was falling, wasn¡¯t she?

    Nicole closed her eyes, her head lifting in an attempt to deepen the kiss.  Grace obliged, but didn¡¯t make any attempt to push for something more complicated.  A chaste kiss, perfect for a first between a new couple, Nicole had to admit.  She couldn¡¯t help but smile into it, giggling ever so slightly.

    That set Grace off as well, the pair of them falling into fits of laughter as they separated just enough to not accidentally bump teeth.

    ¡°Another first?¡± Grace asked.

    ¡°Technically no,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°I did kiss a straight girl once.¡±

    Grace shook her head, grinning widely.  ¡°I think we can safely say that doesn¡¯t count.  Which makes me your first gay kiss.¡±

    ¡°And what a first it was.¡±

    ¡°Happy to hear that,¡± Grace said.  ¡°I hope I can provide many more firsts to come.¡±

    ¡°Grace!¡± Nicole exclaimed, her face now on fire.

    ¡°What?¡± she asked with a frown, then her eyes shot open wide.  ¡°Oh shit, I didn¡¯t mean, I meant¡­  Fuck!  But not like that!  God¡ª¡±

    This time it was Nicole that cut her off with a kiss, because as cute as her rambling was, she would probably appreciate being bailed out in such a manner.

 Interlude: Devon

    It was difficult to remain a God fearing man in the modern world, made all the more so in the face of demons posing as invaders from the stars. He¡¯d held firm, taken solace that God had sent chosen warriors to defend the people. He¡¯d believed he lived in the end times, that he was destined for glorious purpose in God¡¯s perfect plan.

    That poor woman was going to die, and he was powerless to prevent it. So, he did what he could to protect the girl about to die in front of him all while frantically praying for salvation from the demons before him. Then he was chosen to be a Ranger, God¡¯s chosen Paladin at that, and all his beliefs were solidified in one crystal clear moment.

    Or at least, he thought it was. Now everything he believed was thrown into question. Was it some test that God was sending him? To allow two homosexual women to become Rangers defied his beliefs, but His plan was perfect¡­

    God didn¡¯t make mistakes, and Devon wasn¡¯t one to question the divine will of his creator. He¡¯d prayed and listened for any sort of guidance, and a news broadcast had drawn his eye. The remains of the machines they had fought were being stored by a corporation ahead of the Federal inspections, one that had a major fire just days earlier. It was worth looking into, and so he had morphed and gone to check out the location, because God would guide him.

    Looking down from atop a building, he spied the storage area where the remains of the Mutant and machines were left in storage. Sinclair Industries had signs all across the area designating that it was a restricted area, yet that wasn¡¯t stopping the group that was currently sorting through the salvage. There were two dozen people down below, but the ones that stood out were those wearing heavy cloaks with hoods.

    ¡°Confirmed blue band,¡± one of the figures stated.

    They were holding up a severed arm of one of the machines, sheared at the shoulder roughly. Likely Grace¡¯s work if Devon had to wager. The part was handed off to another worker who brought it over to a waiting truck. He knew his silver color would stand out against the clear night sky, yet there was little he could do about it.

    The Mutant was almost completely stripped of flesh, the cybernetics within were all that remained of the hulking beast that had so easily swatted them aside. Each of those parts were being carefully harvested for unknown purposes.

    Devon couldn¡¯t help but think that Nicole would be far better suited to the work, and a pain blossomed in his chest thinking about the poor girl that was lost to her own sins. He knew that reaching out in kindness would only be met with resistance, he¡¯d encountered it time and again in school.

    Those thoughts wouldn¡¯t help him in the moment, so he could only leave it in God¡¯s hands. As if taunted by those very words one of the figures looked up and Devon was greeted by the visage of a yellow helm glaring up at him. A Ranger, and one he didn¡¯t recognize from any of the teams he could find online.

    The hooded cloak was thrown aside, revealing their uniform beneath. The make of the uniform was of a military styling, generic enough to not stand out, yet still striking in how it commanded attention. And all of it was directed at him. Four more cloaks were discarded, and a multitude of colors greeted him.

    He was moving before he even realized it, jumping from one building to the next. Five against one were odds he didn¡¯t want to face, not if he could help it. He didn¡¯t have a phone to contact his team, and was hesitant to do so besides given the terms they parted on.

    Devon didn¡¯t dare look back, knowing the mystery Rangers were in pursuit. Their boots impacted gravel behind him, and he feared they would catch up. He was hardly the fastest among his team, Nicole held that honor for distance and Jeff for close quarters, yet he was still faster than Kayla and Grace could move over the rooftops.

    He muttered a silent prayer to guide his feet as he continued his harried escape from the unknown threat. That was when the first flash of searingly bright light shot past him, the attack resembled his own blade beam enough to give him pause. This time he did look back, and each of the enemy Rangers held a rifle of some sort, wholly different from conventional design.

    Whatever they were, he knew better than to risk using his barriers to defend against them. Strong as they could be, he had never tested them against a continuous assault from heavy energy attacks. Yet another weakness he needed to cover with the rest of his team the next time they trained together.

    All of that was assuming he did manage to get away, even as he summoned his shield and affixed it to his back. His cape crumpled in closer, no longer flowing freely behind himself and it was well timed as a shot impacted the sturdy defensive weapon. He stumbled despite the bulk of the energy being dispersed by the suit and shield.

    It was enough for the other Rangers to overtake him.

    His sword appeared the moment he willed it, his shield flashed, already secured to his left arm as he gripped the blade with both hands. The five enemies surrounded him in an instant and Devon took a defensive stance that he¡¯d been practicing. Each enemy Ranger kept their rifles on him with military precision. It was clear this wasn¡¯t a group of random people brought together in a crisis, these Rangers had training far beyond what he had. Devon knew when he was outmatched, and only mercy would see him delivered from the situation.

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose we could talk this out?¡± He asked.

    Yellow stepped forward, and it was only then that he realized that their leader was a woman. ¡°That certainly depends. Do you intend to interfere with our operations?¡±

    That brought him up short. Would they really let him go if he looked the other way? A small part of him knew that the rest of his team would have spat defiance, but he was pragmatic enough to know when he stood no chance.

    ¡°As long as you aren¡¯t a threat to the people of this city,¡± Devon said, the words bitter on his tongue, ¡°I can look the other way.¡±

    Yellow¡¯s helmet tilted as the person underneath regarded him for a moment as he continued to cast his mind for solutions. Silent prayers for deliverance came with them, but if this was his time, then there was nothing he could do about it.

    ¡°Then we have an arrangement, Silver Ranger,¡± Yellow said, raising an open hand into the air before closing it into a fist. The others lowered their weapons and moved into formation around their leader. ¡°Keep to it or there will be consequences.¡±

    The mysterious team then departed, retreating back across the rooftops. Devon waited until they were out of sight, then dropped to his knees, weapons vanishing into silver motes of light as he looked to the night sky, devoid of stars save the one claimed to be the Sylan¡¯s ship. The star that would one day be ripped from the heavens in the final battles of the coming war.

    ¡°Thank you God, for delivering me once more.¡±

    <hr>

    It was hard to believe that mere hours ago he had fought a running battle to escape from a group of Rangers out to silence him. They had no assurances, yet he knew they had some way of enforcing the terms of their agreement. It worried him, and so he had reached out to the only person he could confide in, the very woman that he had saved when the power came to him. She¡¯d readily agreed to meet up with him at one of his favorite fast food place, though she¡¯d been a bit of a temptress about it until he explained why he wanted to go over things in person.

    ¡°That is concerning,¡± she said with a frown. ¡°Do you think we¡¯re in danger?¡±

    Devon shook his head. ¡°Only if I act against them.¡±

    ¡°Then what¡¯s the problem?¡± she asked. ¡°Though, with the issues you¡¯re having with your team, maybe you should consider moving to Kentucky and joining the Knight Rangers.¡±

    He considered it, but despite the shared religious background he knew they would reject him the moment the morph was dropped. They rejected the core teachings to embrace hate, pretenders to the faith.

    ¡°You know why, Tiff,¡± Devon said.

    ¡°I told you, call me Nia,¡± she said, fluttering her eyes a bit. ¡°Everyone calls me Nia.¡±

    He smiled wistfully, it was fun to tease her a bit. ¡°Yes, because there were two of you in the class and the nickname stuck.¡±

    It was a cute story, one he enjoyed hearing from the girl he had saved. Most wouldn¡¯t let a nickname follow them into adulthood, but Nia had owned it to the point she even changed her legal name once she became an adult.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still hung up over those dykes,¡± Nia said with a huff.

    ¡°I¡¯m just struggling to reconcile that I was chosen and so were they,¡± Devon admitted. ¡°Why would God pick me alongside sinners like them?¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    Nia huffed, shaking her head. ¡°Does it matter? You¡¯re a Paladin of God, hold your head high and know that it will be YOU that smites His chosen foes. Everyone knew that God¡¯s enemies would pretend to be aliens, it¡¯s right there in the scriptures.¡±

    He¡¯d heard the sermons, knew that she was right, yet some doubts were inevitable. Grace was a spectacular woman in all regards, yet she held tight to her sins, and unless he was reading things incorrectly, Nicole was much the same. Two mighty Rangers, warriors sent to defend humanity from the Enemy.

    Lesbians, the both of them.

    That wasn¡¯t even discounting Jeff, who was all too eager to prove himself less of a man by singing along with girly stuff. He¡¯d been proud of it, and none of the girls had admonished him. Why were so many willing to debase themselves and forget their roles? Was Jeff truly so childish? And what did it say about Kayla who seemed to approve of it?

    Devon knew he was lucky to have Nia in his life, to help him work through his feelings. She had been there when he first transformed, watched it happen, and was keeping his secret. They had attended church together following the attack, and again over the afternoon. He was still dressed in his Sunday casual, a nice polo and khaki pants. Sure, he had a suit and tie, but that was a bit much for a normal service.

    Oh how he had wished to stand up and declare himself one of God¡¯s chosen before the whole congregation, to show how his faith was rewarded. Yet, he promised he wouldn¡¯t and held his tongue as the others discussed what it would mean to be public Rangers. Devon had to admit that they had a point.

    ¡°I just worry,¡± Devon said, deflecting a bit.

    Nia chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. Come what may, I¡¯m confident you will prevail over every obstacle.¡±

    If only he could believe the same. Nia hadn¡¯t fought against the machines or the Mutants, and Devon knew that he hadn¡¯t fought some of their worst monsters just yet. He¡¯d poured over the footage of conflicts that led to Ranger deaths, and he had seen a glimpse of what the invaders could bring out if they truly wanted a team eliminated.

    The image of the four-armed monster carving through Rangers like they were made of paper would haunt his nightmares for years to come. As much as Devon wanted to believe that he was special, an agent of God, that beast gave him pause. Worse, it had a name.

    Commander Bartran, the mightiest the enemy could send to face them. It was little wonder the Church had adopted his likeness to represent all that opposed God. Only the White Ranger had ever managed to openly oppose him, and he had gone missing following the battle and many presumed the man dead.

    ¡°I hope so,¡± he said simply, returning his focus to his meal.

    ***

    ¡°Sometimes I forget just how degenerate this city can be,¡± Nia said, glaring at a passing pair of men.

    Devon eyed them, wondering if they were a couple or not, unable to completely tell but he also didn¡¯t want to start an argument with her. How could he when half his team seemed to play for the other side? Sure, he could leave, join one of the Ranger teams that fight in the name of God, but that would mean uprooting himself from his home.

    He wasn¡¯t sure he could do it.

    ¡°A true den of sin,¡± Nia continued, huffing as she looped her arm through his. ¡°Perhaps you will be able to help change that once you¡¯ve beaten back the enemy back into Hell.¡±

    Doubtful, but through God anything was supposed to be possible.

    Looking around the neighborhood, Devon wasn¡¯t terribly impressed. Nia couldn¡¯t afford the most lavish of areas and instead had an apartment downtown in St. Paul. He could see obvious gang members on street corners, tags designating that it wasn¡¯t safe for good people to be out and about. Worse, he knew that his own skin color would make police think he was one of them.

    They were watching them as they walked, and Devon couldn¡¯t help but be nervous about the whole thing. Would one of them follow, thinking the pair to be an easy mark, or would they recognize the danger in attacking a random person? That first day after they gained their abilities, he had walked through the worst parts of the city, hoping someone would jump him.

    Not one person had risked it.

    Instead, Nicole went out and rescued people from a fire, setting an example that only brought him further shame now that he knew she lived in sin. She was selfless to a fault, and Grace had joined her the next day, making national news for helping save dozens of people from a high rise blaze that could have been so much worse without their help.

    How could he compare to someone like that?

    As if fate itself had been tempted, Devon caught sight of someone trailing behind them. He didn¡¯t want to accuse them right away of following, yet his own instincts were telling him there was a danger in the air, a threat of coming violence. It was a familiar feeling, having hung in the air during the standoff with Maraline and persisted through the end of the battle with the mutant. It wasn¡¯t until hours later that the feeling fully abated.

    Did he warn Nia? Would she overreact and give away that he was aware of the coming threat? Would that dissuade those attempting something or only serve to encourage them? Devon knew that he would morph if it came down to it, Nia¡¯s safety was more important than any of his secrets.

    Carefully, he cast his eyes around him, watching for anything else amiss. If the guy was following them, others might be waiting for the opportune moment to strike. Nia¡¯s purse would be the obvious target, as would their phones. His watch, that would be another target. There was no way anyone would realize it was more than a smart watch, but those were still worth money.

    Carefully he pulled his own phone from his pocket and typed a quick message on it.

    Nia, we¡¯re being followed. Look offended and take my phone, put it in your purse then smack me.

    He then held the device out, letting his girlfriend read the message.

    ¡°Ha, very funny,¡± Nia scoffed, then she looked up and noticed that his expression was stone cold. He caught the spark of fear blooming in her eyes as she took the phone with shaking hands and placed it in her purse. Absently she seemed to remember to smack him, but there was no force to it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Devon said, letting his hand brush over the watch that doubled as a morpher. ¡°I won¡¯t let any of them lay a hand on you.¡±

    Nia was trembling as she nodded, her steps faltering even as he placed a steadying hand on her back. Up ahead he caught sight of three others, one of which was watching them intently. His eyes then flicked to the man behind them and the thug had the gall to smirk.

    ¡°Duck behind that car as soon as I take my hand away,¡± Devon said, glaring at the men ahead with unblinking determination. ¡°Mind the silver flash.¡±

    The lead thug stepped forward, reaching behind himself for a weapon and Devon withdrew his hand. Nia stumbled slightly, but dove for cover. The instant that he caught sight of the handgun, his fingers were already in place.

    ¡°Roll the Dice.¡±

    Silver light bloomed and raw Power rushed through his veins even as his skin was coated in an armor that felt both thin and impenetrable. It was intoxicating and the closest thing he had felt to being in the presence of God. His sword flashed in hand, shield already affixed to his arm as he stood defiant in the face of the would-be muggers.

    He fully expected the muggers to run at the sight of a Ranger, yet they didn¡¯t even flinch. The one with the gun frowned for a moment, but otherwise didn¡¯t show any signs of distress. Devon didn¡¯t know what to make of it, but as long as Nia stayed out of the way then he wouldn¡¯t need to break anyone while defending her.

    ¡°You know,¡± the man said, smirking. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would be that easy to bait one of you, or to get a bite on our first casting.¡±

    Devon only had a moment to process those words as a flash of blue rippled behind him. He turned sharply, and where their tail had been stood a Ranger in blue, their own uniform more of a military style jacket. Further flashes followed and his heart sank as he realized he¡¯d been the one played. Four Rangers, all in mismatched uniforms stood around him, leaving him completely outnumbered.

    A thud announced another arrival, and atop the car that hid his girlfriend, a Yellow Ranger stood up from her crouched landing.

    ¡°Silver of the Minneapolis Rangers,¡± a woman said, her voice distorted by the helmet. ¡°It would seem we have business with you.¡±

    Sweating under his helmet, Devon regarded the assembled Rangers and knew he was outmatched. If he tried to fight, there were good odds that Nia would get caught up in the struggle, and she didn¡¯t have powers to fall back on.

    ¡°What is it you want?¡± Devon demanded.

    Yellow shook her head. ¡°Oh, it isn¡¯t what we want, but rather, what you want. Tell me, Ranger, what is it that you seek from the power you have been given?¡±

    The image of a crowd cheering for him flashed across his mind, the faithful recognizing him as one of the chosen of God. That had been his dream for the last five years, and yet, it somehow felt hollow now. He¡¯d been shown what it meant to be a Ranger, to stand with the people, to fight against the Enemy. Much as he might disagree with Nicole¡¯s lifestyle, he could still commend her ethics and the resolve she had that allowed her to stand up for them so resolutely.

    He lifted his head, glaring as best he could from under the helmet. He let his conviction speak for him, borrowed as it might be, he still held it as his truth. ¡°I want to help people.¡±

    The Yellow Ranger stood for a moment, their form unnervingly still. He wondered if they would fight him, and he didn¡¯t appreciate the odds that such a fight would mean for him. He could hope that Nia was on his phone contacting his team, but they hadn¡¯t talked about what to do in a situation like this before.

    The Yellow Ranger then moved, her head shaking slightly. ¡°How disappointing.¡±

    And just like that all five of the Rangers took off at a sprint in different directions, leaving him alone with a surprising lack of onlookers on the street. Not wanting to risk discovery, he quickly dropped his morph and hurried over to Nia¡¯s side.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s over, you¡¯re safe,¡± Devon said, making sure to telegraph his movements enough that she wouldn¡¯t startle as he put his hands on her shoulders. She still jumped at his touch, which hurt to see. ¡°Shh, it¡¯s okay. They¡¯re gone.¡±

    He pulled her close, looking around as he wondered just what he should do about the situation. If nothing else, he would need to talk to his team, which would mean addressing the entire mess of a situation. He wanted to stand firm against their sin, yet¡­

    It would be a total betrayal of his team if he did so, and would leave the city vulnerable to the Sylan threat. He couldn¡¯t do that, which meant he needed to swallow his pride and make peace with them despite his misgivings.

    Devon would do just that, and perhaps he could prove himself enough of a paragon of humanity to win one of them over, to show them God¡¯s light and love.

    All he could do was pray for them, come what may.

 Chapter 24 - Return to Normal

    Cereal was almost offensive even as a concept in Nicole¡¯s book. She detested almost every variety, yet some cereal bars were edible. She blamed the insistence that cereal had to be eaten with milk that had soured her on the breakfast staple. Such a vile liquid, with a texture that made her want to heave just thinking about it. Teenagers being the cruel bastards they often were, she was ridiculed for her refusal to drink it in school, because that was all there ever was in the cafeteria. It was so stupid, the things people would find to mock others over.

    All of that, just to justify frying some bacon and eggs rather than open a box of Becca¡¯s sugar filled horror show. Of course, Nicole wasn¡¯t a dick and was cooking up enough for two. The potatoes and onions were left out, because she didn¡¯t have that sort of time before her first class of the day. Even doing as much as she was already risked making her late. Becca didn¡¯t have that worry given her own morning class was an entire period later.

    She was just plating everything up when Rebecca wandered in, bleary-eyed and scratching her stomach under her shirt. Nicole considered teasing her for it, or snapping a quick video to send to Colin, but that only risked accelerating her own teasing, which she was willing to put off as long as possible. So, of course, she already had the camera app opened and the video recording from the moment she heard her bedroom door open.

    ¡°Morning, sleepy-head,¡± Nicole said. ¡°Juice is on the table, give me one more minute to collect the toast.¡±

    ¡°Why the production?¡± Becca grumbled, flopping into her usual chair before blindly pouring herself a glass of juice. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think you got lai¡ª¡± Her comment cut off, all signs of her prior sleep-addled state having fled. ¡°You didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t,¡± Nicole agreed, fighting to keep calm. She knew this was coming, and had been anticipating it since she got home after her date. She¡¯d taken something to help her sleep, and that was that. ¡°I just had a date, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Nicole didn¡¯t dare look up from her plate, she didn¡¯t need to, she knew Becca was grinning like a loon, and would soon be acting like one. Instead, Nicole ate her breakfast and savored the last few moments of peace that would remain of the morning. Naturally she forwarded the video of sleepy Becca to Colin to head off the worst of it.

    Then the squeal came and Becca was excitedly slapping the table while her feet did a little dance under the table. And Rebecca wondered how Nicole had developed a crush on her in high school, the girl was just fucking adorable. All Nicole could do was wait it out, taking a drink of her juice before a bite of toast followed.

    ¡°It was Grace, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Nicole asked after finally calming down, mostly. ¡°Oh my god, I fucking called it that night I caught you both together! How long have you been dating?¡±

    ¡°Since yesterday,¡± Nicole said, her face burning as she continued to eat. She knew the protest was coming, so she headed it off between bites. ¡°It was our first date, and we only just met the day of the attack when we became Rangers.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Becca asked. ¡°Feels like longer, but then again, this whole week off has felt like it lasted months already.¡±

    Nicole didn¡¯t dare mention that Grace was the girl she had been messaging about making her blades. Becca had teased her enough over that and it was far too early to deal with the reaction that bit of news might cause.

    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Nicole said. ¡°I¡¯ve fought the machines twice, been on multiple fire-rescue scenes, and met one of the Sylan generals not once, but twice. It¡¯s just so surreal I don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s been real.¡±

    ¡°It sort of feels like a dream?¡± Becca asked. ¡°I get that, the first few weeks dating Colin felt like that, where I was just waiting to wake up.¡±

    Some days it really did feel like a surreal dreamscape, like attempting to have a pleasant conversation with an alien hellbent on conquering her home all for their own good. Yeah, she didn¡¯t buy that for a second. Humans might be shit, and greedy as hell, but why should she believe some random invader would be any better? Politicians were always selling something, and Maraline was no different.

    Becca chuckled, which lasted just a bit too long to be a passing thought.

    ¡°Out with it,¡± Nicole said, already accepting her fate.

    Rebecca waved her off. ¡°It¡¯s just, think about everything you just said and how absurd it sounds to someone not right in the middle of it all like you are.¡±

    Nicole couldn¡¯t help but snort, because Becca was¡ªas usual¡ªcompletely right. It did come across as absurd. Would Colin even believe her about the conversations with one of the Sylan? Like, why was Maraline so obsessed with her? The enemy general reminded her more of an anime antagonist that was full on yandere for her that it made no sense. Nicole had so many questions and almost no answers to go around.

    There was no point dwelling on it, not when she was missing too many important data points to find the answer. Instead, she focused on finishing her breakfast before she was more than fashionably late. Odds were nobody would really care about the first day of classes back following the attacks, but one could never tell with how pissy some of the professors might be.

    It was actually kind of stupid how the world was just expected to keep marching on despite an alien invasion at the doorstep. People still had to go to work, even for menial office jobs. It was the fucking plague all over again, only on steroids. Hundreds had died at the Renfaire, and their jobs were already posted. Their corporate overlords demanded service. Was it any wonder that there were subsets out there that advocated for total surrender?

    ¡°It really is all flavors of stupid, isn¡¯t it?¡± Nicole mused, finishing her plate. She hurried over to the sink, rinsing it off before tossing it into the dishwasher and grabbing her bag. ¡°Well, back to the grinder of tedious normalcy while the world burns around us.¡±

    ¡°I hear that,¡± Becca said, waving her fork. ¡°It really is sad just how casual everyone has been about the world falling apart around them. Maybe we really do deserve to be conquered if this is how we answer a crisis.¡±

    Nicole winced, because her reasoning wasn¡¯t far off from Maraline¡¯s own arguments. ¡°You assume the grass will be greener under our new overlords.¡±

    ¡°Just musing out loud, but it would be difficult for them to do worse,¡± Becca said. ¡°Depressing as this all is, I should go shower and get ready for my own classes. Who knows, maybe I share one with your fellow Rangers.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you do,¡± Nicole said. ¡°You¡¯ve met Grace, but I think Purple attends, Green doesn¡¯t for sure and Silver is¡­¡±

    ¡°An odd concentration within a single school,¡± Becca said with a frown. ¡°Are you certain that Silver isn¡¯t hidden among our classmates?¡±

    ¡°Never asked,¡± Nicole said with a shrug. ¡°The guy turned out to be a bit of a homophobic prick and fucked off when he realized he was outnumbered four to one on that front with no allies.¡±

    ¡°Ouch,¡± Becca said. ¡°Sounds like the kind of drama I happily avoid.¡±

    Shaking her head, Nicole grabbed one last piece of bacon from the plate and hurried to the door. ¡°Who knows,¡± Nicole called back. ¡°You might already know the prick!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t curse me, you bitch!¡± Becca called out, even as Nicole shut the door, laughing her ass off as she rushed off to her first class of the day.

    <hr>

    Two classes in and Nicole already regretted her decision. What was the point of it all? She was a Ranger, and her time would be better spent honing those skills rather than dealing with an economics formula that was largely invalidated by there being a literal army hovering over their heads. It was all so tedious, sitting there, listening to people drone on and on about things that just won¡¯t matter should they lose the war. Should she fail in the duty that had been thrust upon her by some force that she simply didn¡¯t understand. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Subjects that had once entertained her to learn now rang hollow. Nicole was already considering just leaving for the day, heading back down to the fire station and applying for a job or something. Anything would be better than enduring the boredom she now experienced.

    Nicole grabbed a few items from the cafeteria, then found herself an empty table. She was still mulling over those thoughts when someone joined her, someone she hadn¡¯t expected to see on campus given she certainly didn¡¯t attend with the rest of them. Kayla was quick to arrange things around her, more focused on putting a few sauces on her sandwich than she was on greeting her fellow Ranger. That suited Nicole just fine, she¡¯d spent more time focused on food than she had her education, distracted as she was.

    ¡°So, how did it go?¡± Kayla asked, still not looking up.

    ¡°Great and terrible all at once,¡± Nicole said, waiting for Kayla to take her first bite before continuing. ¡°Had my first kiss with another gay girl, traded wits with a Sylan general, typical first date stuff.¡±

    Sure enough, Kayla almost choked. Served her right after everything she pulled at the food court. Nicole waited for her to calm down, even pushed her bottle of soda over to help her clear things up. Jeff joined them during that time, looking a bit amused at Kayla being the one to be coughing up a storm for once.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bite, how the hell did you manage this one?¡±

    ¡°Maraline crashed my date,¡± Nicole said, picking at her own tray. ¡°Kinda put a damper on things.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± he said. ¡°Did she try to muscle in on you or Grace?¡±

    Kayla coughed even harder and Nicole froze. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Sylan beauty takes an interest in a Ranger,¡± he shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve read worse setups for an enemies to lovers story before.¡±

    ¡°Already telling them about our date?¡± Grace asked, her voice tinged with amusement.

    Jeff blinked, then his grin widened. ¡°She was just telling us about the little threesome you had with the vexing Sylan general that has taken an unhealthy level of interest in our little body builder here.¡±

    ¡°I will crush your head between my thighs,¡± Nicole said, glaring at the man.

    ¡°A worthy death,¡± Jeff said with a sagely nod. ¡°A fate I am sure Grace will become rather familiar with, in time.¡±

    Now it was Nicole¡¯s turn to nearly choke, even if it was just on her own spit.

    ¡°Dude,¡± Kayla said, her voice flat. ¡°Dial it back a bit around the baby gays. They¡¯re still shy about this stuff.¡±

    Just for that comment, Nicole stuck her tongue out.

    ¡°See, she¡¯s already learning how to lesbian,¡± Kayla added with a wicked grin. ¡°Grace must be a good study partner.¡±

    And immediately regretted it.

    There was just no winning against that girl, and yet, Nicole was fighting back a smile. For all that Nicole had endured, she was sitting at a table with three other people that she didn¡¯t hate, trading jokes and just generally having fun, even if some of that fun was at her expense.

    That was a weird feeling all on its own, but none of the teasing felt malicious, even when Jeff commented on her muscles, he made it into a positive trait somehow. So, she would just go along with it, see where things went. She¡¯d promised Grace that she would try to do better, to enjoy life. This felt as good of a place as any to start.

    ¡°So, what was this about Maraline?¡± Kayla asked, reigning in her shenanigans. ¡°No teasing this time, just, why do you keep running into her?¡±

    ¡°I have no clue,¡± Nicole admitted with a sigh, sitting back in her chair. ¡°I mean, I think yesterday wasn¡¯t intended. She was out in the park, playing a harp for a group of kids.¡±

    ¡°Kids,¡± Jeff said in disbelief. ¡°And they were just sitting there listening?¡±

    Grace nodded. ¡°Yup, completely enthralled, but not through any power we noticed. She was just¡­¡±

    ¡°The best harp player we¡¯ve ever heard?¡± Nicole offered.

    Grace nodded in agreement.

    It was strange to admit, but she¡¯d looked up various harp players online after the strange encounter, and none of their performances really compared to what they had heard. They all sounded lacking in comparison. It was like listening to a teenager trying to pull off their favorite metal riff on a fifty dollar guitar with no amp in comparison. Like these masters were playing on a stick with rubber bands.

    That was how otherworldly Maraline¡¯s performance was.

    The worst part, Nicole wanted to listen to her play again, this time without interruptions or expectations. Maybe it would give her some insight into the enigma that was the Sylan general that seemed hellbent on taking over her home. Learning about this Administrator seemed rather important as well, but that was turning out to be a distant second in her own mind.

    ¡°Why does this shit have to be so complicated?¡± Nicole asked nobody in particular.

    Grace pulled her into a half hug. ¡°Life is rarely simple, and we¡¯ve been tossed into the deep end.¡±

    ¡°Putting it mildly,¡± Kayla grumbled.

    ¡°Oh shit,¡± Jeff exclaimed, drawing the eyes of half the dining area. ¡°She¡¯s on VidTube!¡±

    Most tuned out the outburst following that declaration, yet Nicole forced herself to take a deep breath. She wasn¡¯t the center of attention while half the school mocked her, she was just another student that few paid any real attention to. Leaning over as he positioned the phone so everyone could see, he resumed the video.

    The haunting tones of the harp played out from the mediocre speakers of his phone, somehow still carrying every ounce of emotion they had when she heard it in person. And it was the same performance, because when it concluded the last few seconds followed Maraline¡¯s movements and showed Nicole leaning against the tree in the distance.

    ¡°Damn, even second hand that was something,¡± Kayla said, wiping at her damp eyes. ¡°I heard some amazing performers while in Europe, but that was something else.¡±

    Grace nodded. ¡°That was our consensus after looking up some of the best harp players in the world. There¡¯s just something about the way she plays that reaches out to you.¡±

    The table fell into silence, each person considering what the music they had just heard meant to them. Of a more interesting note, someone was recording her performances and sharing them. The channel had dozens of videos, and over a million followers. It boggled the mind, and yet, it was clear that the person uploading them wasn¡¯t Maraline, but someone else. Nicole let herself settle against Grace who wrapped an arm around her in shared warmth.

    ¡°Hey, is there room for one more?¡± a masculine voice asked.

    Nicole turned, pulling herself from Grace¡¯s warmth, only to find one more person standing there with a tray in hand. Devon, the Silver Ranger, wore a contrite expression to go with his inward turned body language, as if he was expecting an attack at any moment. After his previous outburst, he very well might have deserved it.

    The table sat there in silence, all eyes on the man, waiting to see who would take the bullet for the rest of them. It spoke volumes that nobody was quite so eager to do so. Then, Grace cleared her throat.

    ¡°Always room for a member of the team,¡± Grace said before anyone could even ask for clarification, taking hold of Nicole¡¯s own hand as if daring him to call them on it.

    He sighed, and pulled up a chair. Once he sat, he looked at their interlocked hand and didn¡¯t comment on it, but didn¡¯t sneer either. It was a welcome change from his earlier expressed views and Nicole couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he was just holding his tongue despite Grace attempting to goad him.

    ¡°So, what happened with you the last two days?¡± Kayla asked casually.

    Devon sighed. ¡°You probably wouldn¡¯t believe me.¡±

    Nicole snorted. ¡°Does it top a live music show with Maraline as the headliner?¡±

    He blinked, looking across the others, finding no signs they were bullshitting him. Nicole rolled her eyes and Grace nodded even as Jeff rolled the video back and let him watch.

    ¡°Okay, that is weird as hell,¡± he admitted, oddly unmoved by the performance compared to the rest of the team. ¡°I stumbled upon a crime syndicate that was smuggling Sylan tech with the help of a yellow Ranger from out of town.¡±

    There was a beat of silence, Kayla and Jeff seemed surprised at the news of a visiting Ranger, which told them that they still weren¡¯t paying much attention to the local news. Grace and Nicole shared a look before the pair shrugged and went back to their food.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t that have gotten more of a reaction?¡± Kayla asked.

    ¡°It might have,¡± Nicole admitted, ¡°if our Fire and Rescue work wasn¡¯t being overseen by the Gold Rescue Ranger from New York. You know, the same one I mentioned in the group chat?¡±

    ¡°Huh, neat,¡± Kayla said. ¡°That¡¯s cool that you all are getting kick ass mentors, while we just flounder, not jealous at all here.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t read the group chat, did you?¡± Jeff asked.

    ¡°I skimmed it,¡± Kayla said with a shrug, digging back into her food.

    Nicole huffed in exasperation. ¡°He¡¯s going to help us train, as well as teach us how to deal with crisis situations as only Rangers can. It¡¯s why he¡¯s been visiting the city, we just happened to find him before he came looking for us.¡±

    ¡°I think you misunderstood,¡± Devon cut back in, concern writ across his face. ¡°The Yellow Ranger wasn¡¯t helping bust the smugglers. She was working with them alongside an entire team. Worse, they confronted me out of uniform to send a message.¡±

    Oh. Oh fuck.

 Chapter 25 - Training

    ¡°That is concerning,¡± Carlos said, leaning over a claimed table under a pavilion at the same park they had wrecked a little over a week prior. Whatever the training session had been intended for originally was now thrown out the window in favor of a crash course on hostile Rangers and what that meant for the team, as well as the city. ¡°You¡¯re sure this is the Ranger you saw?¡±

    An image was being displayed on a tablet set between them, a bit blurry, but depicting a Yellow Ranger alongside an Orange one. Carlos zoomed in to show a yellow sunburst set against the white of the chest of her uniform which strongly resembled military fatigues.

    ¡°Positive,¡± Devon said. ¡°There¡¯s no mistaking that symbol.¡±

    Carlos nodded, then started flicking through the images, all looking to have been in the aftermath of the same attack. Both Rangers were surrounded by destroyed automatons, directing what looked to be salvage operations, but that was where the similarities ended. There were other people in the fore and backgrounds, armed with military style rifles and wearing tactical gear.

    Nicole looked over the images on her own phone, the packet having been forwarded along their group chat by Carlos. They weren¡¯t wearing any insignia to denote allegiances, but the team itself all seemed to share a common theme which meant they hadn¡¯t been gathered from cast offs. They were organized and determined, something she couldn¡¯t say about her own team just yet, hopeful as she might be for the future.

    ¡°So, who are they?¡± Nicole asked. ¡°A group of evil Rangers or something?¡±

    Carlos shook his head. ¡°Nothing of the sort. You know that we¡¯ve had Rangers die in the line of duty.¡± When everyone nodded, he continued. ¡°What most don¡¯t know is that we¡¯ve also had Rangers desert their teams. Groups like this tend to attract such Rangers, or often approach them for potential recruitment.¡±

    ¡°Not surprising,¡± Grace muttered, her eyes flicking towards Devon for a moment. ¡°Clashing personalities and ambitions could always fracture teams. Add in how power can corrupt, and yeah, makes sense.¡±

    ¡°Speaking from experience?¡± Devon asked, his lips twisting into a snarl.

    Grace glared at him with a thunderous expression. ¡°Grew up in what could best be called a cult that tried to sell me off to a man nearly a decade older than I was, so yeah, I suppose I am.¡±

    He held up his hands in mock surrender, his face now set in forced neutrality, but Nicole could tell that would be a source of contention for some time to come. As long as the asshole didn¡¯t try anything stupid, she would tolerate the prick, but nobody was going to mock Grace in front of her and get away with it.

    ¡°Oh no,¡± Nicole snapped. ¡°You don¡¯t get off that easily. If all you¡¯re going to do is poke and prod because we don¡¯t fit into your worldview, maybe you should just fuck off and join those pricks and spare us the frustration!¡±

    ¡°Enough of that,¡± Carlos said sharply, cutting off any further retorts. ¡°Teams fall when divided, I¡¯ve seen it happen too many times in my years as a Ranger. Devon, two members of my team are married, both women. My best friend is married to my brother. I will not tolerate homophobia in any form, even indirectly.¡±

    Devon looked away, but didn¡¯t protest his words. That was when Carlos turned his attention to Grace and Nicole, his expression less furious but still firm.

    ¡°Change doesn¡¯t happen overnight, and all your snapping at him does is reaffirm the beliefs he has been taught his whole life. Be an example, not a source of strife. Rise above pettiness and prove yourselves more stout of character.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Nicole said even as Grace nodded.

    Devon just looked away.

    With a heavy sigh, Carlos sat back against the bench, eyes drifting skyward. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to have to brief you on external threats beyond the Sylan forces today, so I don¡¯t have much prepared otherwise. I¡¯ll be sure to get some of the reports we have about this group sent to each of you as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Jeff said. ¡°We appreciate all you¡¯re doing for us.¡±

    Carlos smiled, though it was tired. ¡°We try to help new Rangers as much as we can, but there¡¯s only so much we can do before we have to move on.¡±

    ¡°Rangers have to stick together,¡± Kayla said, looking at each member of the team. ¡°Through any strife.¡±

    ¡°Well said,¡± Carlos said before pulling up a photo on his tablet. The image of Maraline was recognizable enough, but the woman next to her was not. She had blue skin and a comfortable smile. She seemed completely relaxed despite the thin sword in her hand. ¡°You¡¯re aware of Maraline, but there are others. First up is Guiana, the Sylan we believe is the ranking General. I only have loose reports from when she fought Yellow¡¯s team about six months ago and a single recording from someone¡¯s cell to back it up. Do not underestimate her, she¡¯s fast as hell and more than a match for any Ranger.¡±

    Nicole stared at the image of the two, wondering when it was taken. Even with the sword in hand, neither seemed to be expecting danger. If anything, it looked like they were at a Renaissance Faire preparing for some type of fencing game.

    ¡°There is one other enemy you need to be aware of,¡± Carlos said, pulling up a blurry photo. The figure pictured had four arms and towered over the Rangers in motion around him. A primal chill ran down Nicole¡¯s spine at the sight, some nameless fear awakening within her instincts. ¡°This is Commander Bartran, assumed to be the leader of the Sylan invasion force here on Earth.¡±

    Nicole swallowed, reaching towards the tablet before she pulled her hand back. ¡°Is there a reason even a picture of the man is making me want to run the fuck away?¡±

    Carlos grimaced, his eyes tracking over each person present. ¡°Probably because he¡¯s only ever taken the field once, and when he did, he left seven Rangers dead in his wake.¡±

    The entire group recoiled at the blunt admission and it finally clicked. ¡°He¡¯s the one who killed the White Ranger and his team.¡±

    ¡°Bingo,¡± Carlos said with a nod. ¡°White was working on building an elite group with the goal of eventually taking the fight to the Sylan. He had a visiting Pink Ranger and two others from her team present at the time. They¡¯d been working together for nearly a year when the Commander struck. Rumors might persist that White survived, but the others weren¡¯t so lucky.¡±

    With a heavy swallow, Nicole accepted the blunt truth that Carlos was trying to impart upon them. If this Commander came for them, they should treat the situation as if they were courting death. Scattering to the winds was probably the safest option, yet the idea of leaving one of her own to die didn¡¯t sit well with her.

    ¡°On that note,¡± Carlos said, getting to his feet, ¡°there is something we can do to help you prepare to face the dangers that are yet to come.¡±

    ¡°How are you going to do that?¡± Kayla asked.

    Carlos grinned, then in a flash of gold, a Ranger stood in his place. ¡°Trial by fire, now come at me and let¡¯s see how you stack up.¡±

    Nicole shared a glance with her fellow Rangers and soon they all formed up.

    ¡°Roll the Dice!¡±

    A prism of color flashed through the vicinity, and their full team stood, transformed and ready. Nicole adopted one of the stances she could remember from her karate classes as a child and a few of the others also fell into loose stances. Carlos walked over, inspecting each of them. He stopped in front of Jeff first.

    ¡°You¡¯ve had some combat training,¡± Carlos said.

    ¡°I have,¡± Jeff said, his purple dragoon helmet bobbing in a nod. ¡°Ten years of Judo, and I took up HEMA a few years back since I liked the whole look that ended up becoming the core of my Ranger motif.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Carlos said. ¡°This goes to all of you, if you have a weapon but no experience using it in a fight, we¡¯ll be working on that. You need to be intimately familiar with each and every tool you might bring to bear in combat. That will be a major focus of this training.¡±

    He moved on, inspecting Kayla next. ¡°You¡¯ve never fought before becoming a Ranger.¡±

    Nicole could almost picture her smiling sheepishly up at the man. ¡°How could you tell?¡±

    ¡°Your fists,¡± he said. ¡°Thumb on the outside, otherwise you risk breaking fingers, Ranger or no. I¡¯ll be running you through some basic karate drills and sparing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a date,¡± Kayla said, cheekily.

    Carlos continued on, seemingly unphased by Kayla¡¯s blatant flirting. He stood in front of Devon next, eyeing how he held his sword and shield. ¡°You¡¯ve had some experience with this arrangement.¡±

    ¡°LARPed for the last five years,¡± he said with a shrug that bobbed his shield. ¡°Also dabbled in HEMA for what it¡¯s worth.

    Next, Carlos stepped in front of Nicole. ¡°Now, I¡¯ve seen you do some fire and rescue stuff, but how well can you fi¡ª¡±

    Carlos barely stepped back, dodging her foot by less than an inch. A few shouts of surprise sounded from her companions, but the whole purpose of the time they were spending in the park was to train, and the fastest way to see where someone needed to improve was to do a practical evaluation.

    So, Nicole put her gymnastics experience to use, snapping off acrobatic kicks and well grounded punches towards the veteran Ranger. He blocked or redirected each and every attempt she made to hit him, but she didn¡¯t let up for a moment. If he wanted her to stop, he was going to have to make her through an application of force.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    She could almost see a grin on Carlos¡¯ face, despite the helmet. Nicole knew she was outclassed, she just didn¡¯t care, not when there was a point to be made. Their acrobatic contest was brought to a sudden halt when Carlos decided it was done. He hooked his arm under her chin, slammed her into the ground, and promptly pulled Nicole into a crippling joint lock before she could recover. She wasn¡¯t in pain, her flexibility was better than ever since becoming a Ranger and she doubted that he could actually make it hurt without breaking something.

    ¡°Good initiative,¡± Carlos said, then nearly jolted in surprise when his limbs, tight from his grapple, contracted as Nicole phased out of his grip. She rematerialized a few feet away but didn¡¯t resume her offensive. ¡°That is quite the handy trick.¡±

    ¡°It has some uses,¡± Nicole answered.

    Carlos moved on from there, glancing over Grace¡¯s loose form. ¡°You have experience with the tools, but not with fighting. We¡¯ll be fixing that.¡±

    Grace nodded yet Nicole could feel the concerned eyes of her girlfriend on her. Much as she wanted to, Nicole she wasn¡¯t going to show weakness just yet. Carlos then moved back to his starting position and Nicole fell back into her original place in the lineup.

    ¡°Each of you will need to be able to fight far better than that if you hope to survive your first months as Rangers. Pay attention when I am demonstrating something, don¡¯t drift off just because you think you¡¯re good enough. It is your life that you are wagering when you do. I¡¯ve lost good friends over the years to hubris, seasoned veterans who knew what they were doing, all because they allowed themselves to grow complacent.¡±

    Nicole shook her arms loose the moment his attention left her. They weren¡¯t in pain, but she had pushed herself and she knew that even if she felt okay, it didn¡¯t mean she was. Grace reached out, taking hold of her free hand and squeezing it, her helmet tilted in question.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Nicole said. ¡°He wasn¡¯t trying to hurt me.¡±

    ¡°Were you trying to hurt him?¡± Grace asked.

    All Nicole could do was nod, because she had been trying to land a blow, to show him that she could do something. She¡¯d only known him for a few days, but he had already earned her respect, and she wanted to show that she wasn¡¯t some helpless girl just waiting for a solution to fall into her lap.

    ¡°Weapons out!¡± Carlos shouted.

    Nicole summoned her daggers even as the rest of the team did as instructed. Well, aside from Devon who already had his weapons summoned, but it sort of made sense for him given his whole knight theme.

    ¡°You know how to use that axe?¡± Carlos asked.

    Grace held the weapon up, regarding it for a moment. ¡°Ah, I know how to chop wood. Did a lot of that before moving up here.¡±

    ¡°Better than I expected,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can find a proper tutor for you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already lined up an instructor,¡± Grace said, rubbing the back of her helmet. She flinched when she realized it was blocking her hair. Nicole giggled, only for Grace to playfully smack her. Kayla chuckled down the line and the moment of levity spread just long enough to lighten the mood.

    ¡°I actually made arrangements with my HEMA group,¡± Jeff said. ¡°We¡¯re all going to join up to learn to fight better.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Carlos said, clapping his hands. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s get started on combat drills, no weapons. I want you all to be able to fight without them, and a lot of the skills you learn from this will translate to your weapon training as well.¡±

    From there, he had each Ranger pair up, and took Devon for his demonstrations. Naturally, Nicole made sure she ended up with Grace, leaving Jeff and Kayla to flirt with one another. It was cute how noble and clueless Jeff could be when it came to himself. Nicole couldn¡¯t wait to tease him about things, but she was waiting for the perfect moment to get a bit of payback for what he did to her. She couldn¡¯t exactly reward Kayla by hitting HIM with the clue by four, that just wouldn¡¯t be fair retribution.

    Carlos demonstrated a basic form that worked through attack and defense in a sequential loop, working with Devon first until it was demonstrated in full with each participant and the entire group was repeating the drill over and over. Nicole couldn¡¯t help but note that it wasn¡¯t meant for combating machines or mutants, but other people.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t for fighting our true enemies,¡± Devon said, pausing after a rotation. ¡°How does this help us fight the machines?¡±

    Before Carlos could answer, Jeff spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s fundamentals. Do not fear the man who knows ten thousand techniques, fear the man who has practiced one technique ten thousand times.¡±

    Kayla giggled, nudging Jeff¡¯s shoulder with her own. ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it, ya goofball. You¡¯re building up muscle memory so that we don¡¯t panic in a fight.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Carlos said. ¡°When a blade comes for your throat I want you to defend, not flail.¡±

    As if to punctuate the point, he brought his arm up in one of the basic blocks he had drilled into them by that point, deflecting some unseen strike. It was a bit flashy of a lesson, but Rangers weren¡¯t exactly known for being subtle.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s get into another set of techniques that are worth knowing.¡±

    Various techniques were shown, and he ran through them like an instructor for a two day self defense class would. Spending just long enough on each one to make sure that the students understood the basics and started to develop some muscle memory.

    She¡¯d taken one such class shortly after her parents were killed, just to try and reclaim some semblance of something in her life. It hadn¡¯t worked, which was partially why she had devoted so much of her focus to her gymnastics only to fall on her face when it mattered most. It didn¡¯t escape her that she was now doing the same with her Ranger activities.

    ¡°This is so weird,¡± Grace said, moving through the motions of a throw, making sure she had each step down before attempting to speed up. ¡°When people think of Rangers, this part of things doesn¡¯t really come up.¡±

    ¡°It rarely does,¡± Carlos chimed in, having overheard Grace¡¯s comment. ¡°Yet, it is essential that a Ranger knows how to fight. There¡¯s only so much you can do with random flailing and superhuman strength.¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t randomly flailing,¡± Devon said. ¡°I know how to fight.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you know the sword and shield well enough to look like you know how to fight with them,¡± Carlos said, summoning his own weapon. It was a hefty looking hammer with a pry bar built in. ¡°But can you honestly say you have extensive experience fighting to the death with these weapons? What about with your bare hands? Have you killed someone with nothing but your fists?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re fighting mutants and machines,¡± Jeff chimed in. ¡°Why would we need to be prepared to kill?¡±

    ¡°Because you never know when someone else will decide to try and kill you instead,¡± Carlos said, his voice suddenly soft. ¡°The world isn¡¯t a cheery, simple place. There are groups that want to welcome the Sylan with open arms, and some of the more extreme members will kill a Ranger if given the chance. The Atlanta team lost a member to a suicide attack by one of those extremists.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re shitting me,¡± Kayla said. ¡°There¡¯s idiots like that out there?¡±

    Carlos shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s idiots of all shapes and sizes, and people of all walks will find things to believe. Just go online and read some of the conspiracy theories out there. Some are convinced that the Rangers are government actors and the invasion is all a false flag operation to curtail our freedom.¡±

    Nicole had to snicker at the sarcasm he had layered into his voice for that last part, hell, she could practically picture the eye roll that went with it. Despite that, she wondered just how widespread those beliefs were, and what role Maraline might have had in spreading them. Was that the entire purpose of her little act? To sow doubt?

    It made an unfortunate amount of sense, and was certainly a valid strategy for a conquest. Information warfare was every bit as important as military might when waging war. At least it was in the games Nicole enjoyed playing when she was younger.

    ¡°That¡¯s so stupid,¡± Grace muttered.

    ¡°Is it though?¡± Carlos asked. ¡°You¡¯re the first documented group that¡¯s had mundane contact with an actual Sylan that didn¡¯t end in bloodshed, how do we know they aren¡¯t trying to flip you to their side? How do we know they haven¡¯t done that in the past with other Ranger teams?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get that impression from her in any of our conversations,¡± Nicole said before amending her statement. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t, she could be a far better actress than any of us give credit for, but she seemed to truly believe every word of what she said.¡±

    ¡°Propaganda isn¡¯t limited to just our side,¡± Jeff said softly. ¡°Just think back to some of our past civilizations. The Spartans and Feudal Japan especially, with the warrior culture, they were willing to do things we would never consider in the name of honor. The Sylan probably aren¡¯t much different. Maraline might very well be every bit the victim in this.¡±

    ¡°Even if she is, it doesn¡¯t mean we show mercy,¡± Carlos added immediately. ¡°In a battle for survival, not every death will be justified. Innocents die, those misinformed of the righteousness of their cause die. It¡¯s nothing new, and each side will believe they are fighting for what is right. Such is the nature of war.¡±

    Right, they were at war. That truth was something she knew, but it really hadn¡¯t settled into her mind just yet. People were fighting to survive, and there wasn¡¯t much normal people could do in the face of the Sylan invaders. The Automatons that made up the bulk of their army were nearly impossible to damage with regular guns, and heavier ordinance was difficult to bring to bear against foot soldiers.

    Nicole had to accept that she was now a soldier, preparing to fight in a war for the future of the human race. The stakes were far too high, and the responsibility was positively suffocating. She reached out, pulling Grace into a sideways hug, taking comfort in the closeness. Her fellow Ranger hugged her back.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Nicole said, stepping back. ¡°I think we¡¯ve talked enough. We¡¯re here to learn to fight, so that¡¯s what we need to be doing. We can worry about other things once we¡¯re sure we won¡¯t be dying on the battlefield to stupid shit.¡±

    Carlos gave a sharp nod of his golden helm. ¡°Well said. Back to work everyone!¡±

    Nicole turned back to her partner, to Grace, and squared up. She knew she had a lot to learn, and she could think of nobody she would rather be going through her training with.

    <hr>

    Nicole practically limped back into her apartment, Grace helping carry her through the threshold. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to do that,¡± her friend muttered. ¡°But no, you had to step in and be all noble and shit.¡±

    ¡°It worked, didn¡¯t it?¡± Nicole said with a chuckle. ¡°A bit of pain now is worth it to remind that asshole to watch his mouth.¡±

    ¡°What am I going to do with you?¡± Grace asked, shaking her head in exasperation.

    Grinning cheekily, Nicole answered, ¡°anything you want.¡±

    In answer Nicole found herself dumped without ceremony onto the sofa. She let out a squawk of panic as she hit the lumpy old thing, her leg hissing its displeasure at the sudden motion. Sure, it hurt, but it had been worth it.

    Looking down at her, Grace crossed her arms. ¡°On a related note, did you really need to juggle your fucking knives like that?¡±

    Nicole pouted up at her girlfriend. ¡°Dexterity matters!¡±

    ¡°Not getting cut up by your own blades matters too!¡± Grace said in exasperation.

    Rolling her eyes, Nicole snaked her good leg out and entangled it with Grace¡¯s and pulled her off balance. She yelped, and promptly fell over, landing atop Nicole in a mess of limbs. The pair struggled for a moment, giggling as they did before Nicole paused, finding Grace¡¯s face so close to her own.

    ¡°Hi,¡± she said, voice barely a whisper.

    Grace looked back, biting her lip as she did. ¡°Hi yourself.¡±

    Becca came out of the bathroom at that same moment, hair up in a towel and toothbrush in her mouth. She took in the scene, blinked twice, then turned around and shut the bathroom door behind her. Nicole looked up at Grace, who was looming over her red-faced with an impressive blush.

    ¡°So, back to my place?¡± Grace asked. ¡°My roomie should be out for the evening.¡±

    Nicole couldn¡¯t help but laugh, nodding her head in agreement.

 Chapter 26 - Firehouse

    Money problems were often the bane of all college students at one point or another. Well, trust fund babies aside. Nicole was no stranger to that pain, having needed to balance her budget constantly to make her government subsidies last long enough to not bankrupt herself before college was finished.

    She rode a motorcycle partly because it was cheaper than a car, and mostly because if she was going to be in a wreck it had the highest chance of her not walking away from it. That fatalistic outlook on life was still very much a part of her, and no amount of positive affirmations from her girlfriend were going to make them go away overnight.

    Rolling into the parking lot, Nicole didn¡¯t attract much attention this time. Not one person was outside at the moment and she found herself unzipping her leather jacket to enjoy the cool autumn air. Despite her issues, she still dressed for the slide rather than the ride, and full leathers with protective gear was a part of it. She didn¡¯t want to walk away from a wreck in enough pain to make her consider finishing the job herself.

    Morbid thoughts aside, Nicole could admit to being nervous. Applying for a job hadn¡¯t exactly been part of her plans, yet if she wanted to collect the money from her work as a Ranger that was exactly what she needed to do. Walking into the Maple Grove Fire Station without her Ranger uniform was nerve wracking, yet she knew it was necessary.

    That she was in full black attire anyway was moot given her mode of transport, and her clothes choice wouldn¡¯t be proof of her Ranger status either way. Taking a deep breath, Nicole pulled the door open and stepped inside. She was greeted with a small room painted in off white, three doors led out of that room, one labeled as a restroom, the other two were marked employees only.

    A receptionist sat behind the nearby desk, typing away at some report or another. Nicole squared her shoulders and stepped up to her, letting the confidence of being a Ranger carry her past her social anxieties to some success. The woman had blonde hair up in a bun and crows feet around her eyes. The nameplate on her desk simply had her last name; Stevens.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Nicole said, having to fight to get the words out without her voice wavering. ¡°I have an appointment?¡±

    ¡°Name?¡± the woman asked.

    ¡°Hayes, Nicole,¡± she answered.

    The receptionist typed away, then her eyebrow rose. She reached over to the phone and hit a few numbers, too few for a full number, but enough for an extension. The phone dialed out for a moment, and Nicole¡¯s enhanced senses picked up ringing somewhere above her. The sound cut off and Nicole tried not to focus on the conversation she could overhear.

    ¡°The chief will see you now,¡± Stevens said, gesturing to the door on her left. ¡°Top floor, office at the end of the hall.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Nicole said, moving to the door.

    The receptionist pushed a button and the door buzzed open. Nicole stepped inside, letting it shut behind her with a click. Her heart hammered at the thought of being stuck inside with people she didn¡¯t know all that well. It was only the knowledge that she could morph and escape through the walls that prevented a full on panic attack from setting in.

    A plaque by the door confirmed that Nicole was in the right place and her nerves ignited anew. Once she stepped through that door, there would be no going back. Someone outside of their circle would know she was a Ranger. The only saving grace was that she wasn¡¯t applying for the job alone, not technically at least. Her girlfriend had already completed her own interview two days earlier.

    Nicole knocked before she could talk herself out of it, and was asked to enter almost immediately. The familiar face of Fire Chief Grayson stared back at her, a smirk came to his lips the moment he laid eyes on her. She knew he had put it together in an instant and could only sigh as she shut the door behind her.

    ¡°I suppose we haven¡¯t done the best job of keeping our secret,¡± Nicole said, gesturing at her all black outfit.

    The man laughed. ¡°Not when you both show up to your interviews in your colors, or list said colors as your favorites in the comments section of the application.¡± Nicole looked away, mostly out of embarrassment, even if making it obvious had been the plan. Take a seat Nicole, this interview is essentially a formality at this point.¡±

    Grayson¡¯s wording didn¡¯t sit well with her, yet she knew there was a reason for it that wasn¡¯t nepotism or favoritism outside of what she could offer the department. They weren¡¯t hiring two firefighters, they were hiring Rangers who would know how to conduct themselves in such extreme conditions.

    ¡°I already know you gave my teammate the job,¡± Nicole said, intentionally leaving Grace¡¯s name out of it. ¡°But I still don¡¯t like the idea that everything is a foregone conclusion.¡±

    ¡°Understandable,¡± Grayson said. ¡°The truth of the matter is that you¡¯re already working for us, just in a different capacity. We need a polite fiction for why we¡¯re paying you for work rendered, hence the interview. You¡¯ll still train with everyone like any other we hire, you¡¯ll just enter the field as Rangers instead.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s face scrunched in a thoughtful frown. ¡°Our identities will be nothing but an open secret in that case.¡±

    ¡°I hate to break it to you, but they already are,¡± Chief Grayson said, steepling his fingers before him on the desk. ¡°Two girls show up, and moments later are replaced by two Rangers at the direction of a third from out of town. I won¡¯t lie. It will be a matter of hours after you¡¯re introduced that everyone on shift is aware you¡¯re the Rangers they work alongside. I can also all but promise that the secret will stay with them.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t guarantee that,¡± Nicole said with narrowed eyes.

    Chief Grayson sighed. ¡°No, I can¡¯t. What I can say is that everyone is aware of the benefits of having Rangers on call to help and that we¡¯ve already had conversations about the necessity of keeping your confidence. Your friend Carlos has been a big help on that front, with real world examples of why keeping identities secret can be so important.¡±

    Nicole sat back, taking a few calming breaths. That Carlos was willing to help her in that regard was touching, but there were few things he could actually do to protect them. Nicole didn¡¯t want to be a public Ranger, the very idea of it scared her deeply. Those close to her would quickly become embroiled in whatever media circus erupted in the aftermath of her being outed. That was the last thing that Becca and Colin needed in their lives.

    ¡°Tabloids offer thousands for a confirmed Ranger identity,¡± Nicole said softly. ¡°I looked it up, and it was quite tempting to out myself just to collect the reward. I never truly considered it because I have family to protect, but others might.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Chief Grayson said softly. ¡°There were always going to be risks to this plan, especially if the two of you never go on calls without the fancy uniforms. How deep this cover of yours goes is up to you. If you agree to be on call as Rangers for the worst fires, but also work as everyone else does for the more mundane blazes, then your identities will be more secure.¡±

    ¡°Yet still flimsy,¡± Nicole said in resignation. ¡°There¡¯s always going to be an element of risk, isn¡¯t there?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Grayson agreed. ¡°So, what will it be?¡±

    Nicole considered the offer for some time, but no matter how she looked at it, there was only one choice that truly worked out in her favor. ¡°I think the option of only pulling out the uniform for the worst fires would be best. Let everyone see me as one of them first and foremost, not as an untouchable Ranger.¡±

    Grayson smiled as he stood, offering out his hand. ¡°Good answer. I look forward to working with you.¡±

    Nicole hopped to her feet and accepted the hand with a firm shake. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to not disappoint.¡±

    ¡°Something tells me you won¡¯t,¡± Grayson said, gesturing towards the door. ¡°Now, how about a tour? Most people tend to get excited to sit inside a fire truck.¡±

    Eyes sparkled at the childish thought, remembering her own fantasies when she was younger. It seemed to be a phase many kids went through, especially after a school visit by a few crews. Huh, Nicole could actually see herself doing something like that, especially after the hospital visit. Perhaps this time she could even manage to avoid a breakdown. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    The pair stepped back into the reception room, the receptionist merely raised an eyebrow as Chief Grayson set a packet down on her desk. ¡°Two new hires in two days, I¡¯d call that a record.¡±

    ¡°Or a monumental coincidence,¡± the receptionist said dryly. ¡°I¡¯ll have them in the system by this time tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± the chief said. ¡°In that case, I look forward to seeing you this Saturday for orientation.¡±

    That gave her two days to either settle her nerves, or work them back up into a frenzy. Nicole wasn¡¯t sure how that was going to work out for her, but she was determined to see the coming job for what it was, a wholly good thing. She would get to do something good, and she wouldn¡¯t be alone, Grace would be right there with her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there,¡± Nicole said, and her smile was only a little forced.

    <hr>

    ¡°Nervous?¡± Grace asked.

    Nicole shrugged slightly. Her nerves were certainly frayed and her stomach was protesting her emotional state, yet she couldn¡¯t tell where the jitters from doing something new clashed with the terror that someone might attach her name to her Ranger persona and plaster it all over the evening news.

    ¡°That should be obvious,¡± Nicole said instead. ¡°We¡¯re putting a lot on the line for this.¡±

    Grace pulled her close in a one armed hug. ¡°We are, but neither of us are facing it alone. We have each other.¡±

    Nicole couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Why does it feel like we¡¯re psyching this up to be akin to facing a Sylan mutant in battle?¡±

    ¡°Because you are,¡± Carlos said, stepping out to join them. ¡°Also, if you¡¯re intending to keep your little secret even remotely under wraps, it might be best to not mention subjects related to the Rangers.¡±

    Nicole looked away to hide her darkening cheeks at the rather on the nose statement. She WAS being a bit lax about things simply due to the familiar company. It didn¡¯t help that Nicole didn¡¯t have much experience with keeping secrets, not to mention a poor track record involving them either. She¡¯d cracked with Becca after just a few days, though Colin was still in the dark. Something told her that he would know sooner than she would like.

    ¡°Are you sticking around?¡± Grace asked the New York Ranger.

    He waved her off. ¡°Not this time. Remember, I greeted the both of you the first time you showed up. That alone will make people suspicious if they realize you¡¯re the same two girls from that day. My being here will only make it worse.¡±

    ¡°Hence why we¡¯re catching you on the way out?¡± Nicole asked.

    ¡°Bingo kid,¡± Carlos said with a laugh. ¡°I¡¯ll be around off and on as you get oriented, but I¡¯ll be keeping a respectful distance when you¡¯re not in uniform.¡±

    That was more than reasonable as far as precautions went. At least the pair had elected to wear clothes that weren¡¯t close to their Ranger colors. Grace was wearing a pink tank top with jeans and Nicole had elected for a blue polo with khaki hiking pants. They would be given a uniform to wear regardless, but that wouldn¡¯t happen until closer to the end of their training.

    Carlos departed and it was with a shared smile that the pair entered the station proper. Several people were gathered around watching something on a TV mounted high on the wall and Nicole couldn¡¯t help but wonder how quickly they could be ready and on the road if a call came in. Chief Grayson wouldn¡¯t be present, he¡¯d made that much clear when setting up their orientation, but that didn¡¯t stop Nicole from recognizing one of the women present from the high-rise fire. She hadn¡¯t gotten her name then, which was probably for the best.

    ¡°Remember,¡± Nicole whispered. ¡°We¡¯ve never met any of these people.¡±

    Grace choked back a laugh. ¡°Right, I was almost ready to say hi to Natalie over there.¡±

    Nicole blinked, surprised that her girlfriend remembered the woman¡¯s name. Then again, they had each spoken to different people throughout that whole mess. Looking the rather fit woman over, it wasn¡¯t much of a surprise that Grace had taken the time to learn her name. Plus, Nicole was certain she¡¯d seen her on a calendar.

    That same woman caught sight of them at that moment and grinned wide. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the fresh meat for the grinder! Get your asses over here and introduce yourselves!¡±

    Her voice had been commanding, and even a month ago Nicole would have wilted from the tone of it. Even her strictest of gymnastics coaches hadn¡¯t sounded half as strict. She had the bearings of a drill sergeant and the build to back it up despite the signs of gray creeping into her brown hair. The tight white shirt she wore only served to accentuate how toned she was and Nicole couldn¡¯t deny that she was very easy on the eyes.

    ¡°Oh no, not two more,¡± one of the guys groaned as his shoulders dropped.

    The woman laughed. ¡°Face it boys, my guns bring all the girls to the yard.¡±

    As she flexed, the truth of that statement was as obvious as the sun in the sky. Then another woman with close cropped black hair slapped her upside the head.

    ¡°Stop teasing the baby gays,¡± she said.

    ¡°Ow, that hurt,¡± Natalie said, rubbing her head. ¡°No need to be a bitch Chelsea, it was just a joke.¡±

    ¡°Still not cool Nat,¡± Chelsea said. ¡°We¡¯ve been married for a decade, you would think you would have grown out of this by now.¡±

    The pair continued to bicker and Grace leaned in close, her voice hushed but not silent. ¡°This was not what I expected when I walked in here today.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not complaining about the free show,¡± Nicole said in turn, letting her words be heard in a surprising bit of playfulness. ¡°I don¡¯t think the boys are complaining either.¡±

    That statement brought the pair up short as Natalie pulled away, ignoring the glare from her wife as she cleared her throat. Obviously that conversation would continue later, but they wouldn¡¯t be privy to it.

    ¡°Right,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m Natalie Dunlap, and this is my wife Chelsea. We¡¯re both Captains and the two ranking officers on the evening shift.¡±

    ¡°Grace Evans,¡± she said, extending a hand.

    Nicole mirrored the gesture. ¡°Nicole Hayes.¡±

    The two captains shook hands with the pair of Rangers, then switched off with quick professionalism. The others were quick to follow suit with their introductions though Nicole knew she wouldn¡¯t remember half of them the following day so she focused on the two captains that seemed determined to be the front facing portion of the introductions.

    It was then that the appraising eyes of both captains fell over them for but a moment. Nicole wasn¡¯t sure what they were looking for, or if they even found it as they directed the pair over to a group of chairs arrayed by the TV. Natalie and Chelsea each grabbed one, spinning it around before taking a seat, their arms resting on the back as they leaned against it. Grace didn¡¯t hesitate to do the same and Nicole mirrored them begrudgingly.

    ¡°Now, what made you both decide to join the department?¡± Chelsea asked.

    Well, the question was expected, but Nicole figured they would ease into things a bit slower than that. She couldn¡¯t give her actual reasons, or even something close to them, so she¡¯d thought about what might work and the answer she¡¯d come up with was far more on the humor side than she originally intended, but it should work.

    ¡°Is it bad that it was the calendars?¡± Nicole asked with a mischievous smirk.

    Natalie blinked, then barked out an uproarious laugh. ¡°Holy shit, first time we¡¯ve hooked a gay girl with those things!¡±

    ¡°Is it?¡± Chelsea asked. ¡°We met during a photo shoot, so I could easily say I hooked you with one.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± Natalie said, still snickering. ¡°We were already employed, just at different departments in the city.¡±

    ¡°And how long did that last?¡± Grace asked cheekily.

    The married captains shared a look, then Natalie shrugged. ¡°Two weeks for us to decide upon which department would be better for us. Another month before my transfer was approved.¡±

    Nicole grinned, the story hit all the right notes for a whirlwind sapphic romance. She couldn¡¯t help but note how her own relationship with Grace had taken off in a similar manner. They came together due to their shared experiences as Rangers, and now they would share their time as firefighters as well.

    ¡°Calendars,¡± Natalie mused. ¡°That explains what got you in the door, but the two of you have a look of determination we don¡¯t usually get from new applicants, let alone those as young as you.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Chelsea said, her eyes far too calculating for Nicole¡¯s tastes. Especially with the secret they were attempting to keep under wraps. ¡°You both lived hard lives, that much is obvious. As much as it hurts to say, but that will be helpful in this line of work.¡±

    ¡°We tend to see death regularly,¡± Natalie said, continuing for her wife. ¡°Ask anyone here about the first time they watched someone die. You¡¯ll have your own story soon enough if you make it through the training.¡±

    Far too many in the room gave solemn nods at that statement.

    ¡°We¡¯re familiar with death,¡± Grace said softly.

    It said something that nobody in the room scoffed at or doubted their statement. The air was heavy from the subject matter and Nicole couldn¡¯t help but consider how much death she had seen in such a short period. How much more would she see before her duty was done?

    A sudden clap made Nicole jump. She glared at Natalie whose hands were still pressed together and Nicole had to slowly move her hand away from her watch and Grace did the same. It was a motion that wasn¡¯t missed by the two captains, but neither commented on it. Nicole raised an eyebrow at the rather sadistic smirk that had come to the woman¡¯s face after startling the pair, or the knowing look that the married couple shared right before Natalie spoke once more.

    ¡°That should do it for introductions. Now, let¡¯s see what kind of shape the two of you are in and what we have to work with.¡±

    Nicole swallowed, already dreading yet another training session on top of the boot camp that Carlos was putting her through, yet she knew it would only do her good in the long run. It was clear that the pair had an indication as to their identities, but they weren¡¯t making a big deal out of it. The other members of the crew didn¡¯t seem as quick on the uptake which gave her some hope that maybe her secrets would be kept safe.

    ¡°Do your worst,¡± Nicole challenged.

    A pair of savage smiles was her answer and somehow she knew she was going to regret her words in the days to come.

 Chapter 27 - Calm

    Nicole stretched out, her joints popping as she did. Despite the soreness, she felt amazing, both physically and mentally. She usually wasn¡¯t one to take an afternoon nap, but her classes had been tedious, and she stayed up far too late with Grace the night before. Not that she was complaining about it, but that didn¡¯t change how stiff she felt after the nap. She¡¯d probably end up doing it again too.

    Pity that Grace¡¯s mysterious roommate was out having their own escapades. Yes, truly a tragedy that Nicole didn¡¯t get to meet her last night. At least they weren¡¯t interrupted by any fires that needed to be put out. Carlos added her and Grace to a group chat for the fire team to reach them if they needed the help, and that chat was blissfully silent of any alerts.

    There was also mention of setting up an account that she could use to bring funds she earned as a Ranger into her civilian life if she didn¡¯t want to properly hire on, but Nicole wasn¡¯t eager to jump on that option. She was genuinely interested in the work as a potential career, but as it stood she had a payment from the city waiting regardless of what she decided.

    She couldn¡¯t help the grin that came to her face as she recalled the rest of the evening, even despite how tired she had been going into it. Nicole had barely been able to focus on classes all day, floating in a pleasant haze. She was also very appreciative of the Ranger powers, like her faster healing, otherwise she would probably be covered in very suggestive bruises all along her neck and jaw.

    Again, not complaining, just an observation.

    The couch in her dorm wasn¡¯t the most comfortable, but she hadn¡¯t planned on the nap either. Nicole just laid down to relax with some streaming in an attempt to unwind after her last class of the day. She would be meeting back up with Grace for supper, so there was no need to stress over things. She still had another hour to get ready for the meal.

    ¡°Hey sleepyhead,¡± Becca said. ¡°Nice nap?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Nicole said, sitting up with a groan. She ran a hand through her hair, attempting to tame it back into something she might be able to braid. Then again, she was going to shower before long, which would render that idea moot. ¡°How was your day?¡±

    ¡°It was alright,¡± Becca said with a teasing smile. ¡°Not as good as your night, though.¡±

    Nicole snorted, even as her cheeks heated to the point they no doubt matched her hair.

    ¡°Sorry, not kissing and telling.¡±

    Becca¡¯s grin widened. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to.¡±

    That was a filthy lie and bait of the highest order. There was no way that Rebecca wasn¡¯t going to poke and prod for all the dirt that she could dig up about her evening. She¡¯d seen her do it with others before, feign disinterest, then watch as the target spilled all the information she wanted and more.

    The problem was, it was working.

    She wanted to talk about things, to gush about how amazing Grace was, and Becca knew it. She would just sit there and wait for Nicole to crack, sipping at whatever was in her cup at the moment. Probably something calming, much as she teased Becca, the girl wasn¡¯t one for drinking on school nights.

    ¡°Get me some damn chai and I¡¯ll spill,¡± Nicole grumbled.

    Becca grinned wider and passed her a still steaming mug of tea. Nicole glared at her smug friend, but accepted the cup anyway. Becca knew her far too well. She took a long sip of the soothing liquid, savoring how it felt on her dry throat. That was always a risk with naps, you either woke up feeling amazing, or wondering what century it was and if you had succumbed to a zombie virus. Nicole was somewhere in between, which probably had something to do with her status as a Ranger.

    ¡°So, what happened after I caught you two on the couch,¡± Becca prompted, scooting forward and crossing her legs in the recliner. It was clear she was doing that to prevent herself from practically vibrating with barely restrained excitement. ¡°You were both gone by the time I finished up, so I¡¯m assuming you ended up back at her place?¡±

    ¡°Something like that,¡± Nicole said, intent on making her work for her gossip. Plus, she didn¡¯t want to kiss and tell too much, even with her best friend. ¡°Grace¡¯s roomie was out for the night, so it seemed the better place to go once I realized you weren¡¯t at Colin¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Sensible,¡± Becca said with a nod as she set her empty cup down. ¡°So, what happened once you got there?¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Nicole asked with a smirk.

    Rebecca squealed, kicking her legs out from under her even as she clapped her hands in a moment of genuine joy. It was infectious, and Nicole found herself having to resist joining in on the jubilation.

    ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you!¡± Becca exclaimed, now flapping her hands excitedly.

    Nicole could only shake her head as she took another sip. Becca was always so adorable when she got excited, part of why she¡¯d asked her out all those years ago. Though, now that they both had someone in their lives, she was glad things worked out the way they did. She could finally stop feeling jealous of Colin for winning Becca¡¯s heart.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to meet her for dinner in a little bit,¡± Nicole said once her friend had started to calm down. ¡°Figure we may as well try to do the whole dating thing right, even if we¡¯ve done a few steps out of order.¡±

    ¡°Nah, you¡¯ve been doing things fairly normal when it comes to queer dating,¡± Becca said dismissively. ¡°Colin and I had like five dates before either of us realized that¡¯s what they were.¡±

    Nicole rolled her eyes, remembering that chaotic time. Becca had been a whirlwind of excitement, finding out that Colin was not only trans like her, but they both were fanfic authors in the same fandom and had read each other¡¯s stuff. Those two became inseparable for weeks until her parents asked how long they had been dating over dinner one night and it clicked for poor, dense, fools that they¡¯d been a couple for what amounted to months at that point.

    So yeah, Nicole¡¯s own experience wasn¡¯t that far off from what others had gone through, at least from her limited sample set. It certainly didn¡¯t line up with any of the romance novels she read, but then again, most of those just followed the same cookie cutter template that all titles that made it to shelves seemed to use these days.

    There was a reason she stuck to reading fanfic, and it had nothing to do with Becca introducing her to it and the wonderful world of shipping. There was something comfy about reading fanfic set in worlds she knew, with characters she already adored. To top it off, they tended to fix the obvious tension and actually ship the characters with someone they had chemistry with!

    And don¡¯t even get her started on various series that build up all this tension and chemistry with another girl, only to throw her at the blandest man possible just to keep the Hets happy. Thank fuck for fanfiction indeed.

    Right, getting side tracked¡­and she was out of tea.

    ¡°I should probably start getting ready for that date,¡± Nicole said, getting to her feet. ¡°Unfortunately, Grace¡¯s roomie is going to be there tonight, so I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to get up to much in the way of gossip worthy shenanigans.¡±

    ¡°You never know,¡± Becca said, chuckling to herself. ¡°She has a car, you can always find a vacant lot or something.¡±

    ¡°And give the cops a free show when they find us?¡± Nicole asked with an arched eyebrow. ¡°No thank you.¡±

    Becca laughed as Nicole hurried off to the shower, a middle finger extended behind her as she shut herself into the bathroom. Nicole had a date to get ready for, and she certainly didn¡¯t want to be late for it. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    <hr>

    Nicole sat red-faced in the passenger seat of Grace¡¯s car. She was trying so damn hard to not think about the prior night, and failing rather spectacularly at it. Becca¡¯s teasing only got worse following the shower when she caught sight of a hickey that hadn¡¯t quite healed in a rather unfortunate spot.

    Stupid Ranger powers working on some things but not others¡­

    At least Grace wasn¡¯t quite aware of the reason she was embarrassed, though she knew something was up, especially if that smirk was anything to go off of. It helped that they had a pleasant evening planned, a casual dinner followed by an evening stroll through the neighborhood. The idea was novel, especially since they wouldn¡¯t need to fear predatory assholes anymore.

    Another thing that the Ranger abilities were quite useful for, she didn¡¯t have to be afraid just walking down the street ever again. Sure, Nicole wasn¡¯t weak even before coming into the Power, but that didn¡¯t mean much when someone pulled a knife or a gun and didn¡¯t offer a choice in the matter.

    ¡°Are you sure the diner is alright?¡± Grace asked, eyes flicking over to her for a moment before returning to the road. ¡°It feels rather basic for a date spot.¡±

    Nicole grasped that thread of conversation like a lifeline. ¡°It¡¯s perfectly fine. Not every date needs to be an elaborate production.¡±

    Grace smiled, but she still anxiously bit at her own lip. Nicole couldn¡¯t help but think about how cute Grace was, how she was trying so hard to do things just for her. She¡¯d never had anyone in her life who went out of their way like that for her, even when her parents were alive she spent more time with Becca¡¯s parents than her own.

    She was so grateful that they had taken her in for the few months after her parents died, especially when they didn¡¯t have to. Getting to room with Becca at college was very much a mutual agreement without a hint of compromise. Becca didn¡¯t have to deal with a potentially transphobic roommate, and Nicole didn¡¯t have to put up with a stranger.

    It was very much an all around win in her book, even if she now wished to room with Grace, but that wasn¡¯t in the cards. Colin had his own apartment, but it was a fair distance from the college which made the logistics there difficult on school nights. Becca would often visit, but not stay beyond the evening.

    The sky was overcast, but to Nicole it was bright and full of promise, all because she had Grace at her side. They could tackle anything, so long as they were together. At least, that was how she felt when she was around her girlfriend. The thought of that had her stomach in knots, the butterflies dancing furiously, not to mention the memories.

    Well, it was a good thing she was already as red as she could get.

    Pulling into the diner, Nicole undid her seat belt, only to have Grace grab her before she could open the door. Her girlfriend leaned over and pecked a quick kiss on her cheek, and smirked when she pulled away.

    ¡°Sit tight for a sec,¡± Grace said, hopping out of the car and circling around, just to open the door for Nicole. ¡°M¡¯lady.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t help but giggle, and held her hand out for Grace to take. She was pulled up and out of the car, not that the Ranger needed the help, and promptly wrapped Grace in a hug.

    ¡°You are just adorkable,¡± Nicole whispered, then kissed her on the nose.

    Making Grace flustered was quickly becoming one of Nicole¡¯s favorite hobbies, as it wasn¡¯t often she got to turn the tables on the older woman. Granted, Grace was only two years older, but that was also something Nicole could tease her about.

    They walked hand in hand into the diner where Gertie greeted them enthusiastically even as Sam grumbled from behind the counter. Things weren¡¯t completely crowded yet, but he was hard at work keeping ahead of the current influx that they were going to add to.

    ¡°Have a seat where ya like sweeties,¡± Gertie said. ¡°Be right with ya¡¯ll.¡±

    Sitting down in what was quickly becoming their booth, Nicole grabbed a menu, but her focus was all too easily taken by the gorgeous woman across from her. She was so focused on that, she almost missed it when the waitress came over for their order.

    ¡°What can I get to quench ya thirst?¡±

    Nicole bit her tongue before she could say Grace¡¯s name and embarrass herself further. ¡°Lemonade, please.¡±

    ¡°That actually sounds really good,¡± Grace said. ¡°Also, a starter order of mild boneless barbecue wings.¡±

    ¡°Comin¡¯ right up,¡± their waitress said with a wide smile. ¡°Enjoy your date, ladies.¡±

    Nicole looked away, unable to hide how flustered she was, even as she felt a thrill at having people know they were on a date and happy for them. She poked at the menu, not quite sure what she wanted to eat, especially with her stomach still doing little flips and twirls. Something light would be best, pasta or a salad perhaps?

    ¡°She knows,¡± Grace said with a smirk, then her expression dropped. ¡°Never would have been able to do this back where I grew up. Half the town would have tried to lynch us before we even got our appetizer.¡±

    And like that, the mood turned somber and Nicole reached out, taking Grace by the hand. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re here, and you¡¯re safe. If any jackass tries to make a big deal out of it, just roll the dice and show them what happens when someone nat-one¡¯s their perception check.¡±

    Grace snorted, covering her mouth, then quickly reached for a napkin. Nicole couldn¡¯t help but laugh, catching sight of the snot that had shot from her nose. She wouldn¡¯t say anything, of course, but Grace gave a half-hearted glare as she wiped it up.

    ¡°Laugh it up, I¡¯ll get you back later,¡± Grace said.

    Nicole grinned wide. ¡°Looking forward to it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah yeah,¡± Grace said, rolling her eyes. ¡°Figures I¡¯d end up falling for a big old nerd.¡±

    Gasping, Nicole clutched a hand to her chest in mock outrage. ¡°Excuse me, I am a jock if anything. How dare you lump me in with the nerds.¡±

    ¡°Says the awkwardly adorable girl that commissioned a pair of fantasy knives for her rogue cosplay.¡±

    Nicole could only answer that by sticking out her tongue, which was timed perfectly for the arrival of their appetizer.

    ¡°Figured out what you want to eat tonight?¡± the waitress asked, eyeing the both of them with mirth filled eyes. ¡°You know, besides each other.¡±

    Gertie grinned as the pair struggled to form words, sputtering incoherently. It was nice being accepted so openly, but holy crap was it embarrassing when people teased her like that.

    <hr>

    Thankfully, the sky hadn¡¯t decided to open up, and the breeze was pleasantly warm for early fall. Anoka was alive with people out and about, enjoying the evening, and they were right there in the thick of it with them. Grace¡¯s comment about being accepted weighed on her mind, taking in how practically every other business they walked past seemed to be showing some sort of pride flag even months after June was behind them.

    Nicole had grown up with all of that as normal, so she couldn¡¯t fully understand where Grace was coming from, and she was thankful for that. Minneapolis was a great city to live in, and Nicole loved it. Despite the fact that the entire planet was under siege, even if that war had taken her parents from her.

    A quick stop off at a popular ice cream chain had Nicole with a strawberry confection while Grace had chosen an abomination of mint and chocolate chip. With a glint of mischievousness to her eyes, Grace prepared a spoonful and held it out for Nicole to sample.

    ¡°I told you, it¡¯s like eating toothpaste,¡± Nicole whined as she ducked away from the spoonful. Cute as it was to feed one another their desert, she wasn¡¯t about to subject herself to such torture as consuming the sin against nature.

    Grace put upon the most offended pout that she could. ¡°Oh come on, I tried yours. Fair is fair.¡±

    The spoon darted forward but Nicole ducked out of the way. Grace angled her strike to compensate, but Nicole once again managed to avoid it. So they danced, moving just a bit too smoothly for normal people, but they were both too engrossed in the game to care about their surroundings. The pair stared at one another, attempting to anticipate their next moves. It wasn¡¯t until a child laughed that the moment broke, both girls blushing as they realized they had gathered a bit of a crowd.

    The sight of phones out sent a mortifying chill through Nicole¡¯s whole body that had nothing to do with the fall weather. She turned on her heel, hurrying down the road with an equally embarrassed Grace in tow. It took a moment, especially after ducking down a side street to get away from their audience before Nicole slowed back down.

    ¡°That was,¡± Nicole stammered.

    Grace nodded, letting out a shaking breath. ¡°Fun, but mortifying?¡±

    ¡°About sums it up,¡± Nicole agreed, her eyes looking about to make sure that there weren¡¯t more people recording their near superhuman antics. Instead, her eyes fell upon a distant building that she hadn¡¯t seen before.

    It was a tattoo parlor of little note, save for the rainbow flag displayed proudly in the window. Nicole couldn¡¯t help the idea that flitted into her mind even as she pushed down the memories of getting her last, and only, tattoo. She pulled on Grace¡¯s arm, bringing her attention back to the moment. Nicole gestured to the shop with the hopes that she could have a happier memory associated with ink and needles.

    ¡°We should totally get some tattoos,¡± Nicole said, grinning up at her girlfriend.

    Grace paused, eyes flicking between the shop and Nicole before a grin spread across her face. ¡°That would be so damn gay of us. Let¡¯s do it!¡±

    As they walked inside, Nicole could only grin at her fortune for having such an amazing woman in her life. Things might be dark on the horizon, and her past full of pain, but her present was looking so damn bright. She bumped her hip into her girlfriend¡¯s as she did, smiling like the dorks they were.

 Chapter 28 - Storm

    It was an hour later, and with an appointment for the near future, that the pair left the tattoo parlor. Ideas abounded and Nicole felt almost lost for choice. The Ranger was currently torn between a sprawling black rose vine, and some Gaelic poetry. She was certainly leaning towards honoring her heritage, even as far removed as it was. Her grandmother spoke the language, and had tried to teach her before she passed. Nicole understood some of it, and the language was beautiful in motion, but it was hell to learn as someone who grew up speaking modern English primarily.

    ¡°I sort of want to get that pirate girl they had in the catalog,¡± Grace said, looking at her right arm. ¡°Add some red accents and it would be a pretty fun hint at my night job.¡±

    Nicole giggled, imagining how that might look, only to get distracted staring at Grace¡¯s flexing muscles. Sure, Nicole¡¯s own were more defined, her figure was born of pushing her body to the absolute limit in her bid for the Olympics, but Grace¡¯s figure was that of practical strength earned through working a forge.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of getting something in Gaelic myself,¡± Nicole said.

    Grace hummed. ¡°You looked at those rose vines for a while too.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but I can only pick one for my first with you,¡± Nicole said with a sigh. ¡°Decisions and all that.¡±

    ¡°Why not both?¡± Grace asked. ¡°Replace the vines with whatever Gaelic you want.¡±

    Nicole paused in her steps as she considered that, the idea sitting really well the longer she thought about it. Their appointment was almost two months out so it wouldn¡¯t be a decision to make right away, but she wasn¡¯t opposed to it.

    The sun was casting the clouds in an orange and purple glow, a near rainbow unto itself that was absolutely fitting to end the day on. Nicole couldn¡¯t help wrapping her arm around Grace¡¯s waist and pulling close. She couldn¡¯t rest her head on Grace¡¯s shoulder due to the height difference, but she could rest it against her muscular arm as a consolation.

    In all practicality, she was about as safe as a person could be, even without Grace there with her, but that didn¡¯t change how Grace made her feel. She hadn¡¯t felt that kind of security since her parents died.

    It was almost enough to bring her to tears, but she wasn¡¯t going to cry, not when she was so damn happy. Sure, they would be tears of joy, but Nicole didn¡¯t want to ruin the moment explaining that to Grace. That warmth that she felt from having people in her life again that cared, especially the growing camaraderie with her fellow Rangers, was something she never experienced with her fellow gymnasts. All those lonely years spent going through high school, and now¡­

    ¡°Nicole, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    A gentle thumb rubbed under her eye, and Nicole wanted to curse her own weakness for breaking down. The concern in her girlfriend¡¯s eyes were almost enough to set her off all over again. She needed to play it off, keep Grace from asking too many questions that might sour the evening.

    ¡°Tears of joy,¡± Nicole said with a soft smile. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just, really damn happy right now.¡±

    Grace didn¡¯t even hesitate to pull her into a hug, fingers trailing up and down Nicole¡¯s back in soothing patterns. She just held on tighter, holding onto her girlfriend for everything she could. She just wanted to be closer, hold her into the night.

    Shit, she was totally going to end up getting a u-haul at this rate, probably before the week was even out if things continued at the pace they had been. Nicole let out a choked laugh at the thought, fingers digging into Grace¡¯s shirt as she did. Fuck, she was falling so damn hard, and she was all for it.

    Thunder rumbled in the distance, but Nicole didn¡¯t care, it could start pouring rain and she would still consider this moment one of the best of her life. More thunder followed, and she knew the storm was about to open up, so she gingerly pulled away from her girlfriend, smiling up with what was no doubt red and splotchy eyes. Nicole didn¡¯t care, even if there was snot running down her nose, she wasn¡¯t about to sour things.

    A flash of lightning lit up the evening sky, and she knew they needed to call an end to the outdoor portion of their date. Grace too had looked up at that reminder, a frown on her face as she attempted to glare mother nature into submission for daring to bring an end to the shared moment.

    ¡°I guess we should get back to the dorms,¡± Grace said.

    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Nicole muttered. ¡°Both our roomies are gonna be there tonight, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Grace grumbled. ¡°I mean, we could always go rent a room somewhere, but that takes money neither of us can really spare.¡±

    ¡°Too true,¡± Nicole grumbled. ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean it isn¡¯t tempting though¡ª¡±

    A piercing scream cut her off, Nicole¡¯s attention snapping down the road. Lightning was still flashing through the clouds as green light faded from the street where a dozen automatons had just appeared. Ice filled her veins and her mind crashed to a halt.

    No, not now, how dare they!

    Nicole snarled, her hand moving to her wrist without a second thought, not even bothering to say the words as she morphed in a void of black. Someone might have seen them, maybe even taken video, but she didn¡¯t care about that, not when there were people in danger.

    The lingering tinge of red in the air told her that Grace had the same idea. Neither waited on the other, bursting into motion to intercept the machines before they could begin to slaughter the civilians so desperate to scramble away from the impending specters of death.

    The crashing thunder in the distance, however, suggested it had already begun.

    Nicole sent her blades tumbling forward, swirling through the air and into the oncoming Sylan foot soldiers before they could reach the screaming crowd. People were running, falling over one another, and there was nothing she could do to help them, not if she wanted to actually save them.

    One person tripped, only to almost vanished in a spray of red, the automatons tearing into them like a pack of ravenous predators. Nicole fell upon the machines with all the fury she felt boiling within, for the people who no doubt were being slaughtered by whatever machines were attacking elsewhere.

    Blades sheared through the gray banded machines without effort, yet for each she cut down thrice more appeared to replace them. It was becoming abundantly clear that this wasn¡¯t going to be a minor incursion, this was a statement to their team that they would never get a moment of peace now that they were Rangers.

    Nicole tried not to spend too much time thinking about how many people might be losing family all around her. She had to focus on stopping the enemy in front of her, save those she could. That was all she could do, even with the power she had.

    She could dwell on those she failed in the days to come, as she no doubt would.

    ¡°Clear the area!¡± she shouted, kicking one machine away even as she caught the blade of another with her own. ¡°Spread the word, barricade yourselves indoors!¡±

    She pushed the drone back, then flicked her wrists to send her blades forward, embedding themselves deep within the metal of the disposable automaton. Limbs lashed out, crumpling the metal of the machines as if it were aluminum foil. Green light flared all around her and Nicole only had a moment for her eyes to widen at the golden bands on the newest arrivals even as their limbs were already in motion.

    Sparks shot from her side as she winced, the pain minor but still enough to distract her, even momentarily. She resummoned her blades, bringing them to bear and threw herself into the masses she found herself in the thick of. Nicole knew she wasn¡¯t a front line fighter, she was meant for battlefield control, keeping the enemy from straying far.

    Mobility was her greatest strength, but that didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t fight. She could keep the enemy focused on her, save lives by making herself a more tempting target. The new machines were far more capable than even the blue banded machines they fought outside Avant Garden. They still weren¡¯t a full match for her, but the numbers were making up the difference.

    Regardless of that, Nicole fought on even as the sky opened up and rain began to fall. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    She phased through the group, summoning blades of inverted light that she sent flying through the air and into a group of machines attempting to break into a building that people were attempting to barricade themselves within. The blades made short work of the drones, yet Nicole was forced to phase once more to avoid reprisal from the gold banded machines.

    Grace was working in the distance, guiding the people away, keeping other machines from cornering them. The problem was, she wasn¡¯t nearly as fast as Nicole was at getting around. Sure, Grace wasn¡¯t slow by any means, but the difference showed. She also had no way of fighting from a distance save for throwing her primary weapon away.

    She wasn¡¯t quite sure what was wrong, at least not at first, but watching Grace work from the few moments she could steal a glance, it suddenly clicked. They weren¡¯t working within their roles in the team. In her eagerness to get started, they had inadvertently fallen into the role that the other should be performing.

    She¡¯d berate herself later for letting her anger get the better of her.

    ¡°Corsair! Switch out!¡± Nicole yelled, phasing through yet another blade.

    A red blur slammed into one of the gold banded automatons, instantly scrapping the machine in a shower of sparks and metal. With axe in hand, Grace cleaved through two others with barely a flick of the wrist. She was a true beast on the battlefield, and Nicole had to admit that sometimes she made it difficult to focus on the fight, but there were dozens of the damn things and there were still civilians that needed to be evacuated.

    With Grace now front and center, Nicole could move to the outskirts and start hemming the machines in. She vaulted over a car and allowed herself a few moments to breathe as she closed the distance with another group of rampaging drones. The adrenaline was keeping the worst of the pain away, but she knew she¡¯d be feeling it tomorrow after taking those hits from the gold banded machines.

    A half dozen blades manifested in her hands and she flung them along, impaling several of the Sylan drones. A barely audible crunch behind her had Nicole shifting, her form phasing out of reality just as the clawed blade passed through where she had been standing.

    Too damn close, not that it was likely to actually damage her with her kinetic shields still remaining relatively fresh. She¡¯d taken several blows throughout the fight, and none of those had done much damage overall. The Ranger suits truly were a marvel and she could only shudder to consider what it would mean if she ever had to fight another Ranger.

    Nicole summoned her main blades to her hands and blocked the follow up blow before cleaving through the machine from shoulder to hip. She¡¯d loved the blades that Grace had crafted for her, and even if the ones in her hand weren¡¯t technically them, they were still based off of them in some way.

    She adored them.

    Even when Grace wasn¡¯t there fighting at her side she would feel like she was present in some way. There was a joke about sword lesbians, or presenting a partner with a blade, that she couldn¡¯t get out of her mind each and every time she took up one of her girlfriend¡¯s blades.

    The machines were continuing to appear in numbers that vastly exceeded the prior attack, a clear escalation that had Nicole almost in a cold sweat as she dreaded what the hoards meant for what the coming mutant might represent. She didn¡¯t have time to dwell upon the coming terror as the one right in front of her continued to swell by the moment.

    There was rarely rhyme or reason behind the attacks from what she had seen from Carlos¡¯ presentation, yet she knew there was a proper intelligence behind the Sylan¡¯s plans. That they understood exactly what they were doing and did have an end goal in mind.

    So how did the current attack fit into that model?

    Unfortunately, Nicole couldn¡¯t take much time to ponder that as she jumped across the street, kicked off a storefront, and came down feet first on another automaton that was trying to rip open a car door where a child had taken shelter. The machine folded upon impact, the snarl on Nicole¡¯s lips invisible behind her helm.

    The door had been shredded completely, any shelter the car might have offered was long since lost. The little girl within stared up at Nicole with wide eyes and a trembling lip. Much as she wanted to be gentle with the clearly traumatized girl, she didn¡¯t have the luxury of time.

    ¡°Sorry about this,¡± Nicole said.

    The girl barely had a moment to blink before being pulled from the vehicle, hoisted over Nicole¡¯s shoulder, and the pair were airborne just as a half dozen machines converged upon the vehicle. She landed atop one of the stores and set the girl down. The little girl let out a piercing wail but Nicole had already flipped backwards off the rooftop.

    She fell into the mass that had come for them, blades flashing out as she rendered the machines down to scrap. Sparing the pile of parts a parting glance, Nicole flung herself towards the next group of machines breaking away from the main melee where Grace continued to fight the mass of advanced automatons.

    Grace was holding down the street, keeping the bulk of the bastards busy with a swirling axe of murder and death that was so very reminiscent of her favorite Tank class from an old MMO she played as a kid. Perhaps Grace had played it too, something to ask her when they weren¡¯t dealing with dozens of murderous machines.

    Nicole¡¯s heart clenched as she thought of her girlfriend alone in the struggle, but she had to trust that she could handle the threat. She was a Ranger just as Nicole was, and that meant having faith that she would see the battle through.

    At least the machines weren¡¯t intelligent enough to hide perfectly functional automatons within the fallen scrap for surprise attacks. Small mercies. Nicole made a note to herself to never even make a joke about it when she next encountered Maraline, because there was no doubt that there would be a next time.

    The Sylan general had an odd fixation on her, had ever since their conversation at the Renfaire. Nicole didn¡¯t doubt that Maraline was speaking the truth as she understood it, but that didn¡¯t make her right. Just looking around, seeing the handful of people that they hadn¡¯t been quick enough to protect, the pools of blood beneath them¡­

    A piercing scream rang out and Nicole was already moving towards it. Her incorporeal form allowed her to tear through the distance, unheeding of any obstacle. A child was running, and two machines pursued their prey with ruthless efficiency.

    Nicole kicked off as hard as she could, her eyes widening when she caught sight of orange bars along the machine¡¯s arms. The machines seemed to pick up on her awareness of how dangerous they were as they accelerated into a blur, running down the child right as she arrived. Wide eyes were the last thing Nicole saw as the machine flung the limp form away.

    Color bled from the world as she watched the child hit a brick wall, red splattering from their wound before the crumpled form fell to the cold concrete. The unfeeling machine stood stoic as if it hadn¡¯t just ended an innocent life, waiting for Nicole to process what had just happened.

    Twin blades pierced into the automaton an instant later before she tore them free with a guttural roar and brought them down upon the second machine. Blades rose to catch her own, yet she sheared through them through force of will. The machine didn¡¯t have even a moment to process what had happened before she was kneeling over the child and Nicole realized how small the girl was.

    Her laurel eyes were open, darting all about. Her breaths were shallow and rapid, high pitched wheezing coming with each one as one hand grasped at her wound and the other reached towards Nicole¡¯s helmet. Fingers grasped at Nicole¡¯s visor leaving a bloody streak across her vision as her tiny hand fell away. Nicole blinked, her mind hitching as she attempted to come to terms with the fact that a little girl who couldn¡¯t be older than eight, had died in her arms.

    Ice ran down Nicole¡¯s spine and into her veins as she stood, cold fury roiling under her skin. Her blades were already back in hand, then buried within another automaton before she consciously realized she had moved to attack it. Nicole grabbed the still glowing eyes of the orange banded machine and pointed it right at the dead child.

    ¡°Is this what you wanted, Maraline? Dead children? Well, IS IT!?¡±

    She tossed the lump of scrap aside and MOVED, her mind detached from reality, instinct guiding her as she cut a swathe through the machines all the way back to Grace¡¯s side.

    Her girlfriend did a double take at her arrival, but there were too many enemies for her to stop and talk about why there was fresh blood dripping from her uniform alongside the falling rain. That was one of the good things about their colors, they both hid blood well even if the uniforms repelled liquid.

    Their friends still hadn¡¯t arrived, but that was fine by Nicole. She had plenty of anger to work through and the mindless machines would do nicely until they decided to throw something bigger at them. Then she could truly let her frustrations out. She wasn¡¯t sure how long the battle had dragged on at that point, nor did she really care.

    With a passing glance at her girlfriend the pair fell upon the masses of machines as they pressed in upon them. Blades crashed and whirled and Nicole let her mind drift away as instincts guided her motions. They needed to make themselves so much of a threat that the machines couldn¡¯t risk rushing after civilians. That was what Nicole told herself as images of that girl flashed before her with each blink.

    Their actions seemed to be having an impact, yet there was still the odd scream. A reminder of her failure to contain the monsters from hurting others. She burned each one into her memory, directed her rage back at the machines ten fold. Lightning continued to split the sky, only she caught sight of something distinctly different from the white bolts.

    A purple streak seemingly danced around the arching patterns before it crashed into the mass of automatons, announcing the arrival of her teammates. Green vines tore into the masses, crushing the machines in droves. The remaining machines seemed to rally, only to find themselves entrapped within a silver dome. Without a spoken word, they fell in together. Their group of five Rangers against the alien invaders, ready to fight back in the war for the fate of humanity.

    So of course that was when the mutant manifested.

    It hadn¡¯t appeared nearby, yet it still towered over the buildings between them. It was best described as a centipede, easily one hundred feet long, if not more, with razor sharp claws and pincers. A creature bred for killing humans, no doubt. The beast let out a cry and tore straight for their glowing dome, crashing through the buildings as if they weren¡¯t even there.

    Nicole watched with mounting horror as it came closer and she realized her size estimates were off by far more than she realized. Worse, the monster was already covered in blood, bits of dripping cloth hanging from those pincers by its mouth as it crashed into the shield and brought Devon to a single knee even as the defensive field wavered.

    That fury that had driven her all this time crystallized in that single moment of iron resolve. Nicole¡¯s grip tightened on her blades as she stared the monster down, taking a measured step forward, ready to confront the beast that may as well have been death incarnate.

    ¡°Rangers, hold the line,¡± Nicole said, steel in her voice as her grip tightened on the blades in her hands. ¡°This bastard is mine.¡±

 Interlude: Commander Bartran

    Commander Bartran had served the Sylan empire through thousands of conquests, having directly fought in hundreds over his millennia of existence.  There were rare few as long lived as he, and his core DNA was incorporated into each subsequent general that was birthed to subjugate a species.  He would never have children of his own, as the capacity to birth or sire was removed from all the generals.  Producing offspring was just asking for a species to rally around the children in a bid for independence.

    He had participated in two such pacifications early in the Empire¡¯s expansion.  His own planet was long since dead, having elected to collapse themselves into a singularity rather than be subjugated.  A pity, but he had come to cherish the role that The Prime Administer granted him.  Maraline was the latest of his charges.  General two hundred and seven that he had personally assisted in the conquest of their chosen planet.

    She was also among the most troublesome.

    Maraline had taken on many of the social traits of her core DNA, and had a strong fascination with the Earthling culture and sought to preserve much of it following the conquest.  He had several talks in private with her about that curiosity.  She often pondered dangerous subjects that bordered on treason.

    Why the Earth needed conquest when they could have instead come as benevolent liberators was a valid question.  The Earth was a prime candidate for such methods, and would have preserved many resources if they followed through.  That did not change their standing orders, however, and Bartran was privy to things that Maraline was not.

    When word came that Rangers emerged on Earth, he wasn¡¯t surprised.  The information on how many Ranger teams had emerged from their experiments was carefully guarded, though some inevitably slipped out over the millennia.  Those rumors paled in comparison to the truth.  Hundreds of worlds, all chosen to drive the conflict that the Source thrived upon.

    Only worlds with technology worth harvesting and minds to drive advancement were spared their wrath.  Enlightened worlds rarely spawned Rangers, making conquest a moot point.  The Earth was one of dozens of worlds on the docket expected to produce Rangers, yet something was different this time.

    The advancements in the technology they used to draw upon the Source didn¡¯t account for the anomalies that kept cropping up.  There was something about the Earth that was different, he just didn¡¯t know what it was.  There were possibilities, but he wasn¡¯t ready to jump to those conclusions.  Thorough surveys of the planet were completed in the lead up to the invasion, and the natives were swift to advance their technologies, yet that didn¡¯t explain anything.

    Details of the original species were before Bartran¡¯s time, but he¡¯d read the reports The Prime Administrator had on the phenomena now called the Source.  The species, referred to simply as The Progenitors, were one of the earliest to fall during the birth of the Sylan Empire, but their protectors were some of the fiercest.

    His birth came during the final years of the struggle, the Sylan Empire finally coming to being when he took to the field.  He was one of many sent into battle, the first sentient mutants deployed by his creator.  The battles with those Rangers were perilous, with many of his batch-mates falling by the day.

    Still, he endured.  Within short order he became known to The Prime Administrator as someone who could stand against the Rangers, he wore that distinction with pride and fought valiantly.  He still remembered the day that the Rangers deployed their fighting machines, styled after many constellations revered by their planet.  Funny enough, one such star in those myriad of patterns was the Earth¡¯s very own.

    The Sylan fleet eventually brought down their greatest fighting machine and Bartran himself tore the Rangers from the remains.  Despite that loss, they fought on in desperation.  Many ships attempted to flee in those final days, yet most were reduced to slag before they escaped the solar system.

    Three remained unaccounted for, one of which had a star drive unlike anything they had ever encountered before.  Their current designs eclipsed it, yet the example had been what spurred them forward with the knowledge of what was possible by harnessing the Source.

    The Prime Administrator desired that power, but only fragments of the technology were recovered.  One such was a damaged device that would bestow its wielder with the Ranger abilities, he¡¯d pried it from that creature¡¯s corpse personally.  The original never functioned again, even after it had been repaired and reverse engineered.  He rubbed at the device hanging from his neck, honored with the task of guarding such a prize.

    Millennia of experimentation was finally paying off, and each time a world manifested, Bartran was sent in to manage the Ranger phenomena.  They could direct it, supply their own altered devices by utilizing the call that went out when people fought back with true courage.  All of the Earth¡¯s Rangers should have belonged to them, yet outliers kept appearing.  He shivered at the wealth of data they had already recovered.

    The human anomalies were powerful, only a step below those first Rangers of the Progenitors.  It was the closest they had ever come to a true repeat of the feats of those that came before.  Yet, they couldn¡¯t do it on command.  The team from Minneapolis was the first to show signs of enhancement among the entire team, with the Black Ranger being their core anomaly.

    He would soon order another team to be sparked, the plans for Kansas would move forward to test the hypothesis.  If he could replicate the power increase across the board, that would be one step closer to finally figuring out how to bestow that power upon their own mutants.  That was the final hurdle to crack, one The Prime Administrator was all too eager to see accomplished.

    It would open the floodgate on advancing their technology further, to grasp for the true goal of his creator.  They would rule everything, everywhere.  The Prime Administrator had caught glimpses of other realities, some long dead, others only now being born.  The Source was just one such universe, a place of pure energy that defied all logic.

    Not to mention all attempts to observe.  Somehow a member of the Progenitor species had stumbled upon it by pure chance and developed it into fantastical technologies, all off their information grids.  Securing full access to a planet¡¯s information grids was always a priority for their forces, it often meant the difference between a swift victory and protracted conquest.

    Humanity¡¯s own grid, the internet, was a treasure trove of truly entertaining things.  Humanity would do well for bolstering the entertainment sector of the Empire once fully assimilated and properly educated.

    Bartran had honed the craft over the course of thousands of worlds across multiple galaxies.  Tens of thousands more were being observed, prodded forward towards a point where they might be of use.  They had to be advanced enough to not see their forces as the coming of the gods, no matter how true it might be.  The Earth barely qualified, some small parties clinging to superstitions.

    It was a good method for securing a world in infancy, but never for long term advancement.  Worlds rich in vital resources were the only places where such methods were deployed, and were thankfully rare.  He did not like it when an entire species dropped to the floor in worship of anything other than his martial might.

    He read over one such theory that the Sylans were demons sent by hell and could only chuckle.  He logged into one of his many accounts and added some fuel to that particular fire so he could watch it burn.  Information campaigns were effective, but it was always entertaining to dabble with his own four hands.

    Glancing across the screens, an alert pinged that his target was in the open.  He glanced at the forces that were in production and found no issues that might delay things.  Another check found Maraline sitting with a now fully recovered Guiana following what should be her final regeneration cycle.  With her occupied he saw no reason to not deploy the forces he¡¯d arranged for the next test.  A simple command and all alerts flagged for the pair were muted.

    He didn¡¯t need her sentimentality getting in the way of results and hard data.  The Earth was producing such fabulous information for their research that there was no need to rush to the final stages of their plans, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to deploy a single city killer early.  He submitted the request to The Prime Administrator and saw it approved in less than ten seconds.  Most of that would be caused by a time delay given The Prime Administrator¡¯s personal ship wasn¡¯t even in the galaxy at present, though it was on standby, ready to make the jump at the first sign of true success.

    Returning his focus to the forces that were now allocated to the offensive, he paused on the city killer class mutant.  Alone it couldn¡¯t destroy a city, but a dozen could.  He had vivid memories of swarms of them rolling through the Progenitor¡¯s final stronghold after their final gambit failed.  Deploying a single one was rare, but this would be worthwhile.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    He would also be deploying a hoard of yellow band drones with the instruction to kill anyone they saw unless directly engaged by a Ranger.  It would be simple and effective for drawing them in.  Every Ranger team felt a duty to defend their people, though some outliers had cropped up among humanity.  He attributed that to the nature of the species and how they could twist their own virtues in such a myriad of ways.

    Bartran knew Maraline would be cross with him, but she would get over it with time.  One pet human wasn¡¯t worth jeopardizing the mission.  With a final confirmation the teleport was initialized and the drones were deployed.  The city killer would take a few additional moments to materialize, a calculated delay as always.

    The Rangers would be tested once more, and if they passed muster, he would take to the field himself to collect their measure.  The drones began to provide their feedback as the two primary targets morphed into their Ranger forms and began to do battle.  Humans died in droves due to the raw numbers, leading to a spike of power from both Rangers.  Intense emotions were good for drawing out greater depths of their connection to the Source, and the readings allowed their models to become ever so slightly more complete with every conflict.

    Drones were seen as their ground forces, but the humans hadn¡¯t seemed to grasp that their true purpose was taking detailed readings of the Rangers they engaged in combat.  That was why a drone attack always preceded new Ranger teams emerging.  All it took was one person to cross the boundary, to touch upon the source, and a new team could emerge.  That one person would cause a ripple that extended to anyone else who was desperate to protect others.  It was an insidious ploy, and Commander Bartran couldn¡¯t help but feel some pride in The Prime Administrator for having solved that dilemma.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the remainder of the team to assemble, and the Commander was pleasantly surprised when Gold joined them.  He was one such anomaly that had outlived their usefulness to the experiment and could be disposed of at will.  This battle would prove to be a grand opportunity to see a potential thorn removed before the next stage of the plan would begin.

    The Rangers fought valiantly, to the point the Commander almost decided to forgo the mutant all together and just go down himself.  Even the yellow models were falling with minimal effort and those were designed to push individual Rangers to their limits.  Truly they were on the cusp of a breakthrough.

    Idly, he touched the device at his neck, wondering if he would soon be able to harness the power it had once demonstrated once upon a time.  Merely recreating the damaged device hadn¡¯t been enough, nor had restoring the original that now hung around his neck.  Whatever the problem was, it didn¡¯t come down to technical matters.

    The device should function just fine, yet it remained ever inert.

    Avoiding a sigh, the Commander turned his attention back to the battle at hand, marveling at the displayed abilities of the Rangers.  Such unique powers were hardly typical, yet each member of the team seemed to possess some unheard of skill.

    Green was the most obvious, commanding plants to become things that completely defied the physical laws of reality.  Truly, the Source was something marvelous.  It powered their main reactor, provided for replication, yet they couldn¡¯t fully harness it even after all this time.  The Progenitors were truly advanced with what they could do, and even after all their conquests, the collective knowledge of the Sylan Empire hadn¡¯t matched that species.

    Black¡¯s ability was far less flashy, yet the utility was unmatched.  It brought her into a state completely outside of standard physics, almost as though she shifted into a parallel reality.  It would make defeating her in combat truly migraine inducing when the time came.

    Silver could project barriers of energy on par with their ship¡¯s own shielding, something he was still relishing collecting data on.  He¡¯d already managed a ten percent efficiency improvement fleet wide from the data collected so far and had hopes of extending that to a one hundred percent increase before he was forced to end the Ranger team completely.

    Purple¡¯s ability was simple movement redirection.  He could cancel his momentum instantly, turning it in any direction then accelerate further from there.  Simple in concept but dangerous in utility once he obtained a better grasp of it.

    Then there was Red.  Seemingly she held no spectacular ability, but it hadn¡¯t escaped his eye.  She possessed more raw power than anyone else on her team, and arguably, more than the entire combined New York teams.  Her manifestation had taken all the latent energy and put it towards pure destructive force.

    Each one would be troublesome on their own, but for all five to manifest like that at the same time meant a pattern, and that was what he sought to recreate.  Rare outliers had abilities in the past, maybe once every other experiment.  Five at once meant they had discovered something, and Commander Bartran was determined to find the causation.

    ¡°Yes, fight on Rangers,¡± he said, watching as they continued to tear through the machines.  ¡°Now, how will you contend with a city killer class mutant?¡±

    The readout finally clicked over and the teleport began, sending the recently awoken monster down into the metropolis to begin its destructive rampage.  Even with all their power, such a beast had taken the Progenitor¡¯s combined machines to defeat.  The Minneapolis Rangers had no such fighting vehicles to call upon.

    Commander Bartran couldn¡¯t wait to see how they handled it.

    The beast roared and the Rangers began to move, yet he was surprised to see Black step forward on her own.  Did she mean to fight the beast without assistance?  Truly marvelous how deep her hubris ran, and he couldn¡¯t help but lament the data that would be lost should she die.  He would need to attend the battle in person so that he could intervene if needed.

    He didn¡¯t need to deal with a General experiencing a bit of rebellious attitude over a dead pet.  Worse, replacing her would be a major setback to the plans as they would need to devote another decade or more to education and socialization that he didn¡¯t want to spare.  The next planet on the docket for Guiana was set to begin data analysis in only another two decades, far too little time for them to prepare a new ruler for the Earth, especially with the further education that would be required for a General birthed after the planet had fallen.  It was so much easier to teach them through interaction with the target species, led by a General who was experienced in avoiding unnecessary attachments.

    Guiana was one such expert, able to endear a General to the species without building ties that would threaten the mission.  Generals attempting to rebel against them in protection of their chosen species were rare, but did happen from time to time.  In such cases, cybernetics could be employed to ensure obedience.  Such Generals were never as effective as those who could think freely, but it was less of a loss than replacing a General outright and Maraline wasn¡¯t crossed with a species that would reject the augmentations.

    The Commander had eliminated three such Generals himself, and ordered cybernetics for a dozen others.  Guiana insisted Maraline was progressing properly, yet he could see a situation where she might decide her pet was worth protecting even if it meant treason.  If he suspected it might come to that, he would need to remove Black before Maraline made that final decision.

    Inputting the coordinates, Commander Bartran took a breath and let the transporter bring him to the surface.  Such teleportation technology wasn¡¯t uncommon in advanced species, but it often took many forms.  The least savory would replicate the original at the destination site, creating a clone.  He had confirmed they were clones easily enough by checking the quantum entanglement within the mind of the transported being.  They were different signatures.

    All such technology was prohibited within the Sylan Empire for anything sentient.

    The technology he was using simply tore a hole in reality, moving him from one location to another.  It was unpleasant, but far faster than the other options they had reproduced.  The only other option that might be preferable was the one employed by the Progenitors using the Source as their power.  He still hadn¡¯t unraveled it, but the concepts defied all reason.

    Thoughts of theory had to be put aside as he arrived planet side.  He was on a building that overlooked the current battlefield where Black was dancing around the City Killer with almost insulting ease.  Idly he pulled up the readouts from his own cybernetics, tapping into the data feed from one of the drones playing dead.

    ¡°Marvelous,¡± he muttered, watching the readings for Black steadily rise.  ¡°Such power is something we haven¡¯t seen since the Progenitor War¡­¡±

    Immediately he requested a direct line to The Prime Administrator.  There was no doubt in his mind that his creator would want to observe in real time.  Such communication was resource intensive, and used sparingly, but this was worth it.  A window opened in his HUD, showing the visage of The Prime Administrator.  He knew his creator could see everything he was witnessing, as well as parsing all the data collected so far and what was being collected in real time.  Such information would no doubt be invaluable for solving the remaining mysteries.

    The battle continued, as did the silence from his creator.

    It was mesmerizing to watch as Black used her ability to avoid all damage from the Mutant, methodically carving it apart.  He wished to test himself against her in combat but knew that to do so would mean a fight to the death.  He would only do so if ordered, because the potential for data was simply too great otherwise.

    So he watched, taking notes on everything he saw that might be of interest even as his creator remained silent.  It didn¡¯t take long for the Mutant to finally fall, leaving the battlefield still and calm as a graveyard.  Hundreds of humans had died, and he had enough data to parse for the next lunar cycle.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough,¡± The Prime Administrator said suddenly.  ¡°This Black Ranger is a threat to our mission and cannot be allowed to continue.  Eliminate her immediately and her team if necessary.¡±

    Bartran only allowed himself a moment to be surprised.  So much potential for data would be lost, but The Prime Administrator knew that.  They must have seen something that the Commander had missed.  He brought a hand to his chest even as he sent a signal to the ship to send his weapon down to him.  The Greatsword materialized before him even as he bowed.

    ¡°By your will it will be done.¡±

 Chapter 30 - Line

    Nicole¡¯s limbs trembled as she drove her blade through one of the connecting tissues of the massive beast even as it lashed out with a deafening cry that shattered glass. Once again she was forced to phase through the retaliatory strike. Given the ease with which the creature could crush stone and steel, Nicole didn¡¯t think her chances against the monster were all that favorable.

    That hadn¡¯t stopped her from fighting. Her friends continued to cut through the remaining machines within the barrier Silver had conjured, keeping the machines from running rampant. Unfortunately Nicole didn¡¯t have that luxury as the centipede tore through buildings like an old Japanese monster movie set.

    People were dying with each building the beast brought down. Their screams were drowned out by the beast¡¯s own wailing and the torrent of rain that continued to batter the city. Nicole put all that aside as blades cut deep between layers of metallic chitin, seeking the tender flesh that the mutant fought to protect. It was a breathtakingly delicate dance that took every ounce of focus Nicole could give. Adrenaline was the only thing keeping her upright as she fought on. She couldn¡¯t rest, not yet, not until the beast was dead.

    Phasing through another angry swipe, Nicole continued to methodically take the beast apart. Much of her anger was still there, simmering deep, but she¡¯d exhausted herself in expressing the rage she felt over the senseless loss of life. Nicole knew she would see Maraline again, and she would make her answer for this atrocity when she did.

    This was far beyond the pale, a war crime by every definition that humanity judged them, not that Nicole could expect alien conquerors to hold to those same standards. No, humanity were in the midst of fighting a war for survival, and Nicole was a soldier in that very battle.

    She phased through a return swipe, her very being fraying at the edges as the claw scythed through where she hovered in the air. There was no pain from it, and she never experienced such fatigue when passing through walls and such, but a living being of such immense power was doing something to her from repeated avoidance.

    Continued attrition wasn¡¯t an option, not if that was the price of avoiding the blows. No, she needed to finish the fight if she was going to survive much longer. Her blades could pierce its flesh, she was able to score hits, sever connecting tissues, but she was struggling to finish the creature off.

    The world narrowed as Nicole focused on the pincers, they jerked in halting motions due to her continued strikes. Feet touched chitin and Nicole kicked off, her blades lashing out as she passed. Blue blood spewed from the wound as the massive claw began to list, then the creature screeched and flailed. The claw snapped off, flying off across the rooftops only to crash down in the distance.

    Despite the crippling blow, Nicole remained in motion, her legs bending as she impacted the asphalt, sending spiderweb cracks spreading for dozens of feet as she kicked off once more. A crater was left behind as she launched forward, her focus singular. The remaining pincer shifted as the beast thrashed but Nicole didn¡¯t falter. Her blades found their mark and the scene repeated itself, another claw flew through the air, shattering a storefront as it tumbled through the rubble and came to a halt.

    The mutant rolled, crushing buildings flat as it did. Despite being flat against the ground, its carapace still towered over the buildings that remained standing. Nicole landed atop one of the few within two blocks. Legs as long as a city bus clawed at the air, pushed at the rubble, and the beast writhed in agony from the lost limbs. It still wasn¡¯t enough.

    Even with the pincers gone, Nicole needed to end it.

    Mind racing, she tried to remember all she could about biology class and the insects covered. All she could think of was the same as dealing with any creature; sever the connection to the brain and bring it down from there. Even if it was just an over-sized insect, it would need to be reinforced to survive the larger carapace and the weight of its own organs.

    Plan of action loosely in mind, Nicole fell from the ledge, then kicked off the wall with everything she had. Brick and concrete burst under the force of her limbs and with a sharp twist, Nicole flipped around just as her feet impacted the flopping worm. Chitin cracked and splintered under the force of impact, driving the beast into the broken earth.

    Crushing jaws came for her, yet Nicole danced around them, shifting her form for a brief moment to maintain momentum. That hollowed out feeling returned, scraping at something she couldn¡¯t put a name to as she came back into the world with thundering footsteps carrying her along the carapace.

    Gasping for breath beneath her helmet even as spots filled her vision, Nicole reached the joint at the base of the creature¡¯s spine and dove between the segments. Blades hacked into the exposed flesh, carving away at the tender weakness left so the creature would remain flexible and mobile.

    The creature thrashed with renewed vigor as she cut deep, then the joint contracted and threatened to crush her. Sparks flew from her suit as Nicole grit her teeth, willing away the impulse to shift and escape, and forced her blades in deeper. Blood and pus spewed forth, drenching her form. Thankfully there was no smell, the helmet doing an amazing job filtering the air as she continued her morbid work until she finally hit something solid and cordlike.

    Even as the creature dropped to the ground unmoving, Nicole continued to carve through the thick strands of connecting fibers. Despite her work the tail end continued to twitch and thrash and Nicole vaguely recalled some detail about secondary brains that some creatures were speculated to possess.

    Nicole bent over as she finally stood, huffing out heavy breaths even as she forced her own rising bile back down. Removing her helmet to vomit did not sound like a good idea in the moment. Her eyes were locked onto the still moving portion of the creature and then she looked down at her knives.

    Maybe Grace would be up to severing that portion, her axe was certainly more suited to such work than her own weapons ever hoped to be. Still, she wasn¡¯t done yet. Stumbling off the fallen mutant, Nicole barely managed to land feet first in the deep sludge that had formed from the ongoing storm.

    Even with that minor miracle, said legs couldn¡¯t support her weight and she fell right over. She barely had the energy to roll onto her back as she stared skyward, the rain still coming down. Once again she was thankful for the helmet filtering out foreign matter, like the water and muck that might have otherwise drowned her.

    Heavy footfalls had her head tilt to the side, the other Rangers moving to join her. She flashed a thumbs up, then went back to trying to keep from passing out. She was mostly successful, in that she didn¡¯t black out until Grace was there, holding her up.

    She wasn¡¯t out for long, coming back out of it with Grace still holding her aloft and helping her over to a bench that was miraculously intact. It was unfortunately segmented to prevent someone from laying on it, which meant she would be stuck sitting up instead.

    ¡°Are you back with us?¡± Grace asked.

    ¡°Barely,¡± Nicole answered. ¡°I got it, right?¡±

    Grace looked back behind them, at the massive creature that was almost as wide as the entire road. ¡°Yeah, you fucking got it.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± she said breathlessly. Nicole was barely clinging to consciousness and knew a nap was in her immediate future. ¡°So much for getting a room tonight. After that, I¡¯m fucking spent.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    Someone coughed and Nicole suddenly remembered they weren¡¯t alone. At least she was wearing a helmet, so nobody else could see her embarrassment. She knew that if she dropped the transformation, she would be out cold almost immediately. That trickle of power was the only thing sustaining her, and even that was at its limit.

    ¡°Well, hookups aside,¡± Kayla said, looking about even as her vines constricted the still flopping portion of the mutant. ¡°Emergency services should be moving in soon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already signaled them,¡± Carlos confirmed. Nicole blinked, wondering when the hell he had arrived. ¡°We should be good to clear out once the police take over the scene.¡±

    ¡°How often do creatures like that show up?¡± Devon asked, looking back at the carcass. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like it on the news.¡±

    Carlos sighed, leaning against the wreck of some car, watching the emergency crews as they hurried into the area, moving to some of the fallen civilians to check them over. ¡°This is the largest mutant I am aware of, almost by a factor of two. This is a concerning level of escalation. Its almost as if¡ª¡±

    ¡°We might have decided to eliminate you?¡±

    Nicole¡¯s head snapped up, sighting in on the deep voice that had spoken those words. Up on a nearby roof, stood a massive figure in black metallic armor. She tried to take in the details, such as the clawed fingers attached to four muscular arms. Their armor was spiked along every potential striking surface, but what drew her eyes was the sword on his back.

    A broad bladed claymore at least a foot wide of that same metal, and almost as long as the armored figure was tall. It was an intimidating sight, a true Black Knight in every sense of the word. Dread crept up Nicole¡¯s spine like spreading ice, and she knew that death had come for them.

    ¡°Bartran,¡± Carlos snarled, falling into a defensive stance. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you graced the battlefield personally.¡±

    ¡°Nearly four years now,¡± Bartran said, voice deep and reverberating within the metallic helm. ¡°You escaped fate that day, but not this time.¡±

    ¡°Finally decided to kill me?¡± Carlos asked, hands signaling something to the law enforcement and other responders. They took the hint and began to draw back.

    Bartran shrugged, then stepped off the building, falling to the ground like a rock, only to barely react to the impact, despite the ground cracking around him. Nicole had felt the vibrations through the bench, which meant that armor had to weigh even more than it appeared to. Fuck, this massive bastard was looking for a fight, and had come for them just as they were too exhausted to contest him.

    Nicole couldn¡¯t even stand up, much less put up a fight against a toddler. They were so completely fucked that it wasn¡¯t even a cosmic joke.

    ¡°For those that do not know, I am Bartran, Supreme Commander of the Sylan Fourth Fleet. Death has come for you today.¡±

    Grace gently extracted herself from Nicole¡¯s flimsy embrace, a small voice deep within Nicole¡¯s very being screaming as her girlfriend stepped forward, axe in hand as she put herself between the armored figure and Nicole. Her stance was loose and easy, yet Nicole didn¡¯t miss the tension in Grace¡¯s shoulder, nor how her axe ever so slightly trembled.

    ¡°Fuck off with that. Either fight us or piss off.¡±

    ¡°What she said,¡± Devon added, his shield held tight. ¡°You want any of us, you¡¯ll have to go through all of us.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kayla added, stepping up beside Devon.

    Jeff moved to flank Grace on the other side, his spear held at the ready. ¡°You have no idea how hard it is to not make a comment about what you could be doing with arms like those, you know?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Kayla hissed.

    Jeff shrugged. ¡°Hey, if I¡¯m gonna fight death, I¡¯m doing it my way.¡±

    ¡°With inappropriate humor?¡± Devon asked.

    Grace shook her head, taking a step forward as she leveled her axe upon the foe before them. ¡°Whatever works. We¡¯re Rangers and we¡¯ll hold the damn line no matter what comes our way.¡±

    Nicole wanted to protest that, but what could she do? She tried to force herself to her feet, but her limbs trembled at the attempt. Heartwarming as the solidarity might be, she wanted nothing more than to scream at being reduced to a spectator. Instead all she could do was hold onto the hope that by taking out the mutant, the others were still fresh enough to stand against the specter of death that had come for them.

    ¡°I admire your bravery,¡± Bartran said, unslinging the blade from his shoulder. ¡°Foolish and misplaced as it is.¡±

    Then, the street exploded and Bartran was right in Grace¡¯s face. Nicole¡¯s heart leapt into her throat as his massive sword came down on her girlfriend. Grace brought her axe up, catching the sword¡¯s blade on the handle, and shifted so it slid along the length and collided with the axe head.

    Grace had to drop to one knee, but she was alive. A boot the size of her torso kicked her down in the next instant and crushed her into the concrete with a shower of sparks. Nicole fell from the bench, barely able to keep herself from landing face first as she reached for every scrap of power she could feel, even if the well seemed to be empty.

    Vines lashed out, grabbing the leg as they attempted to fling the Commander aside yet all they managed was to pull the limb off Grace. At that same moment Jeff dropped from the sky as though he were Cu Cuchulain himself. The spear impacted a pauldron, jerking the imposing figure aside and off balance. Devon pushed himself into the opening, using his shield as a battering ram and put some distance between them as Grace stumbled back to her feet.

    All of that had transpired before the first pebble fell back to the ground from his initial motion. Nicole had barely been able to follow it, and she was by far the fastest of those on her team. She knew they were outclassed, but could they even get away from the force of nature that had come for them?

    Maybe if two of them worked together to stall him, but what good would that do? No, they needed to defeat him. If he was the Supreme Commander, that would put him higher in the ranks than Maraline. Losing him might just cripple the invasion, forcing the invaders to retreat.

    Bartran rolled his shoulder, a wide grin coming to him as he took in the Rangers before him. ¡°Yes, you are certainly troublesome. It is no wonder The Prime Administrator wished for you to all fall today.¡±

    Before anyone could ask what he meant by that, the monstrous man backhanded Devon away. The Paladin crashed into the fallen mutant, leaving a deep indentation in the carapace where a perfectly formed impression held him in place.

    Carlos was there now, fighting with his own weaponized emergency tool. They traded blows, and unlike Grace, he didn¡¯t buckle under the force of Bartran¡¯s attack. Something about that didn¡¯t sit right with Nicole even as she finally managed to get wobbling legs underneath herself. Was there really that much of a difference between Carlos and her own team? What made him so different? Why did Bartran think he needed to eliminate them while letting the other Rangers continue to fight against their invading forces?

    She wanted to help, but try as she might, she couldn¡¯t keep a steady leg underneath herself. She was completely exhausted, she¡¯d given it everything she had and more, and yet¡­ Watching on as Devon¡¯s shield shattered, as Kayla¡¯s staff was cleaved through? She couldn¡¯t just sit idle. She refused to sit there and watch her friends die, not as long as she continued to draw breath.

    Carlos struggled, his battle quickly turning defensive even as the rest of the Rangers attempted to rally. Nicole managed one step, then another, but it was far too slow to make a difference. She couldn¡¯t even form her blades, the trickle of power remaining was far too feeble to manage that much.

    Grace crashed into Bartran, her axe cleaving a furrow into his armor. The man growled, spinning to swing his blade at her with frightening speed. Nicole watched in horror as Grace barely managed to duck the blow, spinning with the motion to bring her axe back around for another strike. One of the man¡¯s four arms caught it by the shaft and the man grinned down at her even as he brought the sword up.

    Carlos attempted to distract the man, but another limb knocked him away. Jeff jumped, but Nicole could already see that he would be too late. Devon¡¯s shield wasn¡¯t reforming, and Kayla couldn¡¯t bring out her vines without her staff.

    With dawning horror, Nicole realized that she was about to watch Grace die. Her wonderful girlfriend who she had only known for a few weeks now, but had become a cornerstone of her life. She couldn¡¯t allow that. Wouldn¡¯t allow that.

    Something broke within her, and Nicole surged forward, her entire body protesting the motion. The distance closed in a blink, and she caught the broadside of Bartran¡¯s blade with her own body. The impact was unlike anything she had ever experienced before, a shower of sparks flew in all directions as the kinetic shield broke and Nicole found herself soaring through the air.

    When she impacted the ground the world went dark.

 Chapter 31 - Anomaly

    The world returned with a snap of searing agony.

    Nicole gasped, only to immediately regret it as her entire torso seemed to protest the action in the worst way. She curled in on herself instinctively, even as her entire body convulsed from the worst pain Nicole had ever experienced in her life. The world fell away for a moment as there was nothing other than the intimacy she shared with torment itself.

    Despite that, she forced her eyes open, the world swam around her and the contents of her stomach came up violently, sending fresh spikes of red hot something through her ribs, which she dimly came to realize were probably broken. Her ears hammered with the ongoing sounds around her, unable to make sense of them.

    Yet, Nicole knew she was needed, it itched under her skin in a way that superseded the pain. Despite the world wobbling and sound washing over her, she rolled over and finally came to see the carnage that had continued without her.

    Carlos deflected thunderous blows that somehow drowned out even the crash of the actual lightning above. The Commander backhanded an axe away and Nicole¡¯s heart lurched at the sight of Grace continuing the battle. Jeff was helping Kayla back to her feet while Devon traded places with Grace. His broken shield was of little use yet he kept on fighting anyway.

    That Nicole had been reduced to a spectator then taken out of the fight so easily made her blood boil even as it spilled from several wounds. A grimace came to her face as she realized her own morph was gone, that she was reduced to being less effective than a normal person with her injuries. With a great effort Nicole brought her wrist up only for despair to swallow her at the sight of a low power warning on the watch face.

    No¡­ No no no NO!

    Was there truly nothing that she could do to help her team as they fought for their lives? Nicole hated feeling helpless, yet that was exactly what she had been for the entire battle. Anger burned deep within, yet there wasn¡¯t anything she could do with it aside for scream at how everything fucking hurt.

    Carlos¡¯ weapon was bent, yet he continued to deflect Bartran¡¯s heavy blows with the damaged weapon. Worse, Grace was right there with him, her axe chipped and splintered, yet she wasn¡¯t giving up. Even Jeff and Kayla had rejoined Devon in attempting to prove even a fleeting distraction for the unstoppable monster that had come for their lives.

    Nicole grit her teeth until they cracked. She refused to allow herself to remain a bystander while her friends fought and bled in an effort to keep her safe. That fury pulsed through her, deep and warm, yet there was nothing she could do with such emotions with how broken her body remained. Even if she could morph again she wouldn¡¯t be of any help!

    With trembling arms Nicole forced them under herself and pushed. Her entire body convulsed even as she heaved, yet Nicole didn¡¯t give in despite her failing body. Instead she focused on the growing warmth within that pulsed in time with her heart. Determination was the only thing that she let drive her, that raw need to stand and do anything.

    The greatsword of the Sylan Commander swung fiercely, and this time Carlos crumbled as his weapon practically folded around the blade and drove itself into his stomach. Sparks flew, yet his morph held as he was flung away. Grace screamed as she brought her axe down, yet the Commander didn¡¯t even pay her any fleeting attention as he caught the blade in one of his spare arms.

    ¡°Truly impressive,¡± the Commander said. ¡°You¡¯ve put up far more resistance than the last team I personally crushed, you should be proud.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll only feel pride when you¡¯re dead on the ground,¡± Grace snapped, letting go of her weapon so she could dance back.

    Bartran turned, a sigh upon his lips. ¡°Then I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be waiting until the heat death of the universe, because I am ageless and serve our eternal Administrator.¡±

    ¡°Big talk,¡± Jeff said, bringing his mangled spear back up. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to write it on your tombstone, you Goro knockoff.¡±

    ¡°You are welcome to try,¡± Bartran said, sounding more weary than bothered by the struggle.

    Jeff was then backhanded by the General faster than Nicole could follow as her heart leapt into her throat as the man suddenly loomed over Grace, her own axe raised high. Time seemed to still as that heat within swelled as if to answer the cold dread that threatened to overwhelm her.

    Feet planted beneath her, Nicole stood even as the storm stood still around her. Wind whipped her soaked hair as blood dripped down her face, all locked in a moment that she was detached from. None of that mattered, not in that moment. Not when Grace was about to die right in front of her!

    Something within Nicole snapped and that warmth that had been building surged forth as Nicole¡¯s world fell into a void that consisted of nothing more than pain itself. Her ribs cracked and popped, her limp arm twisted, and the spinning of her head snapped into focus as every nerve in her body burned as though a live current ripped through her form.

    Broken bones and torn muscles were old companions, yet this moment dwarfed anything she had experienced before. Every nerve in her body lit up with searing agony, and she screamed as broken bones mended themselves, her cries raw and guttural. She¡¯d torn muscles before, broken bones and pinched nerves. This was all of that and so much more, everywhere, all at once.

    Nicole would have begged for death if she didn¡¯t have a reason to continue fighting. Teeth cracked in her skull as she bit down on the scream that wanted to tear its way from her throat only for them to painfully reform a moment later. Her whole body tore itself apart only to reform under the surge that had overtaken her.

    That frozen moment held itself even as the pain began to subside and the void that had consumed her rippled. A blur of black shot forth from within, and Nicole¡¯s fist buried itself deep within the Commander¡¯s stomach. The towering man wasn¡¯t launched away, but he did bend under the force of the impact.

    The frozen rain exploded away from them, the shockwave reverberating through the world as the march of time finally resumed. Nicole took in the sight of her outstretched arm, the familiar brown leather wrapped suit. Her fist was clenched from the punch, and Nicole didn¡¯t need to be told that she was once again in her Ranger uniform.

    The Commander stumbled away, the axe falling from his hand as another came up to his stomach. Nicole straightened up, standing firm even as the heat of pure energy beat in time with her heart, flowing through her with a steady pulse that burned her raw as the power coursed through her every pore.

    ¡°Holy shit,¡± a hollow voice whispered from beside her.

    ¡°Grace,¡± Nicole said softly. ¡°Get the others and make ready. I¡¯ll tag in for now.¡±

    Absently aware of her girlfriend nodding, Nicole stood strong as she stepped forward. Her entire existence was agony, her mind wanted to curl in on itself and escape from whatever she was experiencing. Nicole knew she couldn¡¯t endure it for long, but she didn¡¯t need long, just enough time to take the monster before them down.

    ¡°How?¡± Bartran demanded, a hand still covering where Nicole had punched him. ¡°You had one foot in the grave, yet here you stand once again¡­¡± As he trailed off, his eyes widened. ¡°Of course. Another anomaly in the models beyond the baseline.¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that,¡± Nicole snarled, her blades shimmering into reality as she gripped them tightly. ¡°All I care about is seeing you dead and my team safe.¡±

    ¡°Marvelous,¡± Bartran declared, bringing his own blade up in a three handed grip. ¡°Come then, Ranger. Show us what it is that makes you unique!¡±

    A blade bigger than her came crashing down, Nicole brought her twin blades up and caught the blow, twisting so it fell beside her even as she moved to strike back. The Commander shifted his grip, using his free arm to block the kick Nicole attempted and brought the sword around to strike.

    Nicole shifted, letting the blade pass through her, ignoring the wrongness she felt as her form rippled. Something about it was different now, even with how the power surged through her, that sensation of being hollow was scoured away. Nicole¡¯s entire being was a livewire of unfiltered power, and she intended to bring every ounce of it forward as she brought the enemy Commander down once and for all.

    Daggers lashed out, turning solid mid-swing. Bartran caught them on his gauntlets, scraping against the metal in a shower of sparks as the towering brute pushed them aside. Nicole¡¯s eyes narrowed as she pushed off the ground, twisting around the retaliatory strike with all of her acrobatic prowess. Even then, the blade scraped against her renewed barrier, sparks dancing off the surface of her suit.

    The world itself shuddered at the force of their exchange, struggling to keep up with their movements. Their motions broke the sound barrier, the impacts shook the ground beneath them. Nicole¡¯s very soul seemed to resonate within her, the power building with each moment as she pushed herself beyond her prior limits.

    Bartran¡¯s expression had shifted from indifference to determination as their dance raged on. Everything else fell away as Nicole threw her entire being into defeating the man before her. The voices of all those who had fallen at his hand seemed to call out, demanding vengeance, and she was all too happy to be the vessel that delivered it.

    Even after several weeks as a Ranger the power that she now felt dwarfed anything she had experienced before. She knew that true evil stood before her, and she would face it with everything she could muster.

    Because Rangers held the fucking line.

    All four arms grasped the blade as Bartran raised it high, then brought it down with everything he had. With a snarl on her lips, Nicole brought her blades up and deflected the blow, her arms vibrating as the metal of each ground along one another. Bartran¡¯s blade sunk deep into the earth, not that it would slow the titan down for even an instant.

    Nicole took advantage of the momentum and rushed in close, bringing her blades up to strike at the opening she had created. Bartran¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t fearful, they were full of resolve and determination. It shouldn¡¯t have surprised Nicole when he released his grip on the blade, yet it still took her an instant too long to realize that he had done so.

    Four hammer fists cracked against her uniform, sending a shower of sparks flying as her legs buckled under the force of the blow, yet she did not fall. Nicole brought her blades up and they found flesh, drawing blood for the first time against the monster that was determined to grind humanity beneath his heel.

    Immediately the Commander backed off, jumping three dozen feet back. For a moment the pair just stared each other down, even as Nicole forced herself to remain steady. The heat of her transformation continued to burn hotter with each moment, and Nicole knew she was on a timer for how long she could keep pushing herself.

    The moment broke as Bartran looked down at the shallow wounds that Nicole had left in his flesh. Fingers brushed against the cuts and came back wet with his own blood. Of all the things she might have anticipated, she hadn¡¯t expected the man to laugh.

    ¡°Wonderful,¡± he said, a smile coming to his twisted face, almost manic in its intensity. ¡°Such an interesting specimen, and what marvelous data you¡¯re providing. It is such a pity that you have to die, we could learn so much from continued study.¡±

    Nicole didn¡¯t appreciate that he seemed to regard her as little more than a lab specimen and made that known by falling back into her loose stance with blades at the ready as she took a deep breath to center herself. She wasn¡¯t a heavy hitter, she was nimble and had ways through offense and defense both. Nicole needed to play to her strengths rather than let the experienced Commander direct the fight.

    Aggression was how she needed to play things.

    Nicole eyed the blade still embedded in the ground beside her and briefly considered kicking it as far away as she could, yet that would be too expected. She hooked her foot under it, then flicked her ankle, sending the blade tumbling through the air. Bartran caught it almost absently, eyeing her warily as she shrugged with a smirk under her helm.

    That moment of confusion was the only opening her team needed as Carlos and Grace charged the man from each side, he started to move to counter them only to stumble as his legs were locked down by thin vines. Jeff and Devon came up behind him, hitting both knees. The Commander began to topple even as he deflected the strikes from Grace and Carlos.

    Nicole was already upon him, the opening not wasted. She lashed out with one blade, knowing he had one hand already moving to intercept. Rather than let him deflect, Nicole phased. Her world shifted as the power within pulsed, despite that, he¡¯d still managed to clip her wrist before it turned incorporeal.

    Letting go of the intangible blade as it passed through his body, Nicole made ready to continue her follow up strike as she turned. Something shifted in Bartran as the hairs on Nicole¡¯s neck stood. She brought the second blade around, aiming for his chest, yet the Commander was already in motion to stop her. It was in that moment when the first blade solidified. Nicole¡¯s eyes widened in shock at the sight of her blade now embedded within Bartran¡¯s gut.

    Determination gripped Nicole tightly as she redoubled her effort to drive the second blade home. Bartran¡¯s closed fist lashed out far faster than anything he had managed before and struck against her helm, knocking Nicole away before it could land. She tumbled for a moment before coming back to her feet in a three point stance, her feet and hand carving themselves through the rubble with a shower of sparks. She still had a grip on the remaining blade, yet all she could see was the one still embedded in the Commander¡¯s stomach.

    Nicole tried to call it back, yet it didn¡¯t answer, as though it was no longer part of her power. Bartran¡¯s hand came down to grip the blade as he tried to pull it free, yet it remained stubbornly stuck where she had struck him.

    ¡°Annoying,¡± the Commander said, his voice no longer as heavy. It now wheezed as he breathed out the word. ¡°What ability is this that you can so casually violate physics? Oh, General Guiana will be positively ecstatic to dive into the science behind this application of the Source!¡±

    Nicole¡¯s jaw worked for a moment as she tried to think of something that she could say to that. How the hell was he considering scientific advancements while he had a foot long blade stuck between two of his goddess be damned abs? That moment of levity in the Commander shattered abruptly as a red heeled boot slammed into the embedded blade.

    Grace pushed away even as the Commander let out an aborted cry of what could only be pain. Bartran stumbled, remaining upright through grit teeth as his blade clattered to the broken ground. His hand now clutched at the embedded blade even as dark blood trailed down from torn skin.

    ¡°Yeah, that looked like it hurt,¡± Grace spat, gripping the remains of her axe. ¡°There¡¯s plenty more where that came from you genocidal prick.¡±

    Jeff and Devon stepped up beside them, both of their uniforms carried damage from the battle. Kayla wasn¡¯t far behind, her hood having been torn away and the edges of her jacket portion were heavily frayed. Carlos was the last, though he seemed the most intact he also walked with a limp.

    Nobody had intact weapons, even Nicole¡¯s own remaining blade was chipped from the battle they had fought. Deep within Nicole, that surge of power continued to burn away at her, demanding she give more of herself over to it, to drive herself forward and end the monster that had brought death to so many others.

    Six Rangers stood exhausted, yet their enemy had flagged. Commander Bartran was bleeding and weakened, and Nicole knew they were unlikely to ever get another opportunity like this one if they intended to end the war. Killing him might not be enough to stop it, but no other fighter on the opposing side demonstrated anything close to what he could do.

    They had to end it here and now before he managed to escape and lick his wounds.

    Green light blinded everyone present as visors struggled to adjust and two figures materialized behind Bartran. One was the familiar form of Maraline, yet the other was someone that Nicole had only seen in a still image from Carlos¡¯ debriefing packet. The blue-skinned woman stood nearly eight feet tall and had four whip-like mechanical tails that flowed behind her like tentacles.

    Everything about the woman radiated danger, from her posture to the hardness of her eyes. It was enough to distract Nicole from Maraline long enough that she managed to step forward, placing herself between the Rangers and the injured Commander. That was when Nicole finally noticed that her would-be friend had shed her elegant dress and now wore fitted royal blue armor that clung to her form. If there had been any doubt that Maraline was a warrior, those were thoroughly dissuaded by the stark figure she now cut.

    ¡°I do believe this battle has run its course,¡± Maraline said, her voice cold.

 Chapter 32 - Knifes Edge

    The twin figures of the enemy generals sent fresh waves of panic through Nicole even as her blood seemed to burn within her.  Every nerve in her body screamed that she needed to move, to do something other than just standing still.

    ¡°Generals,¡± Bartran snapped, his voice hitching slightly as his hand closest to the embedded blade twitched.  ¡°You were instructed to stay aboard the Sovereign.¡±

    ¡°That plan changed the moment you allowed yourself to be impaled by an inferior life form,¡± the blue woman said with a sneer.  ¡°Do not repeat Trolgar¡¯s foolishness.  Retreat before we lose our greatest warrior to his foolish pride.¡±

    A leering snarl came to the Commander¡¯s face as he glared back at his subordinates.  He¡¯d kept the Rangers in view, his body still poised and coiled to react to even the slightest provocation.  The same could be said of the two Generals that stood at the third point of their standoff, they too held the poise of warriors ready to fight at the slightest provocation.

    Nicole¡¯s eyes settled upon Maraline, and for the first time she could see the cracks in her usual poise that weren¡¯t visible until she could compare her to the one that no doubt mentored her in the art.  If what Bartran said was true, then Maraline was a baby for their species.  He was tens of thousands of years old, and the other woman, Guiana, had to be up there as well.  There was a sureness to her stance that suggested there was nothing to improve, that she had truly mastered every facet of herself.

    It dawned on Nicole that humanity truly was nothing more than children to these immortal monsters.  Were all of their hopes and dreams nothing more than petulant delusions to them?  Maraline spoke so passionately about her plans for humanity, yet her mentors were beings so far beyond any of them.

    ¡°Why bring her?¡± Bartran demanded, gesturing at the youngest of the invaders.  ¡°We both know General Maraline doesn¡¯t have it in her to harm her pet human.¡±

    Maraline winced, looking away.

    ¡°True,¡± Guiana said.  ¡°Yet that does not preclude her usefulness in your retrieval.¡±

    ¡°I do not require retrieval,¡± Bartran growled.  ¡°Such an injury is not enough to fell me.¡±

    Looking at the wound, Nicole could only imagine the level of surgery needed to remove a weapon that was fused to flesh and bone.  The entire thing would need to be cut away before any treatment could be considered.  Were they able to regenerate flesh and bone?  She had no idea, but one thing was for sure, she couldn¡¯t give them the chance.

    These beings had so little regard for the horrors they unleashed, saw humanity as something to scrape off their boots, and they planned to just leave without paying their pound of flesh?  Nicole¡¯s eyes trailed over the destruction, the bodies no doubt buried in the rubble all around them.  All of that, and they intended to just fuck off without losing anything of value?

    Just the thought of it had Nicole¡¯s teeth grinding as she readied herself to do something truly stupid.  All the power within her pulsed and she launched herself straight for the Commander.  His eyes widened just as Guiana¡¯s narrowed, Nicole¡¯s blade a hair¡¯s breadth from meeting flesh.  Green light flashed and Bartran vanished just as Nicole¡¯s blade would have opened his throat.

    A rending scream tore free from Nicole as she turned to face the remaining invaders.  Maraline looked away, but Guiana didn¡¯t so much as blink.  Her experience showed, and Nicole knew she was the threat that they would need to counter next.  Bartran might be beyond reach but another opportunity had fallen into their laps.

    Guiana drew a thin blade, a rapier of some sort, and lashed out with lightning precision for Nicole¡¯s visor.  Moving with speed that she didn¡¯t know she possessed, Nicole deflected the strike.  The woman¡¯s eyes barely twitched at the deflection and already she had directed her blade into another pinpoint strike, splitting a raindrop as she did.  Nicole¡¯s heart lurched as she barely moved aside, sparks flying from where the blade had grazed her suit.

    Guiana might not be as powerful as Bartran, but she was a hell of a lot faster.

    The blade blurred with motion and sparks shot from Nicole¡¯s suit with every near miss.  She only managed to deflect every third strike at best and could feel the growing strain on the  energy that had allowed her to stand and fight once more.  Blades sparked and clashed as Nicole frantically tried to avoid becoming a pincushion.  Then the next expected strike never came and Guiana stood casually a dozen feet away, leaning against her thin blade.

    ¡°Oh, now that is intriguing,¡± Guiana said, her tone more scholarly than anything like that of a warrior.  Sounds of combat continued from nearby, but Nicole couldn¡¯t spare the attention to see what it was.  ¡°Just what have you done to yourself to allow the Source to filter through your body like that?¡±  Nicole wasn¡¯t certain how to answer that, making the mistake of blinking.  When her eyes opened, Guiana was inches from her helmet.  ¡°More importantly, how have you not combusted into a smattering of atoms?¡±

    Her single blade lashed out, but the Sylan casually stepped aside.  The dance continued as Nicole pushed herself to keep up with the woman¡¯s movements.  None of her attacks managed more than a glancing deflection against the impeccable form of her opponent, even if the thin blade practically sang with each one.  Guiana danced back, a trilling laugh on her lips as she did.

    ¡°You managed to come close to matching the Commander in strength, yet the question remains¡­¡±  Guiana blurred again, clearing the distance in an instant.  ¡°Can I push you to match my speed as well as you¡¯ve matched his strength?¡±

    Dagger met rapier yet again as Nicole could only gape at the incredulity of the statement.  Was this monster truly using their battle as a fucking science experiment?  The burning within Nicole¡¯s core only grew from her anger, the energy surging through her veins.  Nicole reached for it, grabbed hold, and forced it into shape.

    Her missing blade reformed, the act of doing so sending raw agony through her entire form, yet she didn¡¯t waver as she resumed her offensive with both weapons in hand once more.  Despite Nicole¡¯s assault now having redoubled, Guiana didn¡¯t seem to be exerting any more effort than she had previously.

    ¡°My, that is impressive!¡± Guiana cooed as she didn¡¯t even break her stride, dancing between blows like the smoothest dancer in history.  ¡°Pity you don¡¯t have a clue how to properly duel with those weapons.  There is no finesse to your technique, if it could even be called that.¡±

    Impossibly, her speed increased, the strikes coming not only faster, but more precise.  Nicole barely managed to keep up with the new pace and that was when it clicked.  The woman was intentionally pushing her to improve!

    This time it was Nicole who disengaged, panting for breath as she glared harshly under her helmet at the ancient invader.  Guiana took it in stride, keeping to her loose stance.  Nicole understood right then, the moment she actually presented a proper threat to the invader, she would be cut down for the audacity.

    The Sylan wouldn¡¯t tolerate a true threat to their conquest, that was why Bartran had stepped in when he did.  By defeating that creature, Nicole showed that she needed to be eliminated, just as White¡¯s team had once been.  Bartran had failed, so a different enemy had stepped in to finish what he started.

    For the first time, Nicole allowed herself to take in the other battle happening.  Maraline fought with twin blades with an odd recurve that didn¡¯t quite make sense until she danced back, slamming them together where a beam of light joined the tips and she drew it back, forming an arrow that shot forth, impacting the silver shield Devon hastily projected.Stolen novel; please report.

    Kayla had a thin strip of wood in hand that danced with thin vines, ready to lash out, yet heavily diminished from her usual fare.  Jeff¡¯s spear was little more than a half shaft with a point and Grace¡¯s once greataxe was reduced to a single-bladed hand axe.  Worse, they had all formed up around Carlos who was panting heavily, his morph having fallen away at some point in the struggle.

    That plan was now being thrown out the window.  She¡¯d hoped that the combined effort of the team might have been enough to slow down Guiana, yet it seemed that even Maraline was more than a match for her exhausted companions.

    ¡°Starting to realize how futile your resistance is?¡± Guiana asked as though she were commenting on the weather.  ¡°Sometimes it is good to take stock, to realize you¡¯re about to die.¡±

    Gritting her teeth, Nicole focused back upon the invader, anger deep in her veins.  She wanted nothing more than to answer the burning deep in her soul, yet she knew that doing so would only play into the monster¡¯s hands.  Nicole knew that even if she managed a win, Maraline would just step in, and who knew how many other monsters might be waiting up above to come down and continue their work?

    Would Nicole have to fight hundreds that could all cripple an entire Ranger team before they could truly say that they had won?  Just how hopeless was the war if these were the sort of warriors that they could bring to the field?  What the hell were they keeping in reserve?

    Steel flashed and Nicole was back on the defensive, deflecting the strikes aimed at vital areas, wincing as the blade scraped along her shield in those she lacked the speed or skill to properly deflect.  The Sylan General wore a manic grin on her face as she pushed their dance ever faster.

    Nicole tried to steal glances at the other battle that continued on despite them, yet each momentary distraction cost her a hit.  There would be no winning if things continued as they were.  Nicole could feel herself fraying, whatever she had done to get back on her feet wasn¡¯t coming without a cost, and she was not looking forward to the moment it came to collect.  They needed something to even the scales and quickly.

    Carlos was still down, though it was clear that Maraline wasn¡¯t pressing her advantage to the fullest and instead occupied herself with keeping the others from interfering with Nicole¡¯s own battle.  To what end, she had no idea, but it did present an opportunity.  Bartran had called Nicole an anomaly, and Carlos was counted among that number as well.

    Did that mean he could also draw on some other source of power to fuel his morph and recover his injuries?  She wasn¡¯t sure, but it was their best chance at making it through the coming struggle.

    Nicole angled herself, shifting the flow of the battle so her back was to Carlos, sparks flying from each adjustment costing her.  Nicole wasn¡¯t sure how her kinetic field hadn¡¯t collapsed yet, between Bartran and now Guiana she had taken more hits than ever before, yet was still standing.  Each hit pulled at the heat growing within and it was a wonder that the rain wasn¡¯t turning to steam with every drop that fell upon her suit.

    Arms trembled as Nicole brought her blades back up, her breathing labored but steady.  She tried to feel for her heartbeat, but it was practically buzzing with that same warmth that fueled her, burning with such intensity that it scared her.  Every twitch of her muscles sent electricity through her nerves that Nicole could tell should feel like the worst agony ever, yet she endured without flinching.  Just what was it doing to her that she went from struggling to keep up with these monsters to trading blows with them?

    Nicole needed to goad the Sylan into striking hard, to knock her back over to Carlos so they could stand together, but something told Nicole that she was far too experienced to fall for such a simple ploy.  That begged the question of how she was going to get her to follow along even for an instant.

    ¡°You will not be the end of us,¡± Nicole spat, her teeth chattering within her helm.  ¡°I refuse to fall to the likes of you.¡±

    As if the universe was out to slap Nicole, her leg gave out, staggering her as she fought to stay upright.  Just what was happening to her?  Why did she feel so much power but her body was struggling to do as she asked?

    ¡°Oh, is the little Ranger starting to realize what situation she¡¯s in?¡± Guiana asked.  ¡°You¡¯re already fated to die, you know.  That little stunt you pulled will see to it even if I were to withdraw now.¡±

    ¡°Stunt?¡± Nicole demanded.  ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±

    Guiana tutted.  ¡°So crass.  I mean that unfiltered morph anomalies like yourself can sometimes pull off.  It¡¯s always fatal in species as fragile as your own.  The moment it happened I knew you would die, but it is such a rare opportunity to gather data that I couldn¡¯t let you go quietly.¡±

    Nicole turned her eyes upon Maraline, the Sylan who once professed to be her friend.   The question was on her lips, but she didn¡¯t dare give it voice.  Maraline looked away, a single streak of water trailing down from her eye to join the beads of rain upon her.

    A yawning pit opened deep in Nicole¡¯s stomach as the warmth continued to rise.  Had she truly consigned herself to death?  Was all of her efforts for nothing?  No¡­  She refused to accept that, not now.  Not when she finally had so much to live for, not when she could still fight!

    ¡°Ah, determination rather than despair,¡± Guiana said, almost sounding excited.  ¡°Yes, fight until your body rends itself!  Show me the true potential of the Source!¡±

    The lunge was like lightning, faster than her eyes could follow, yet Nicole caught it on her blades, deflecting it up and over her shoulder.  She twisted with the momentum, sending a leg at Guiana¡¯s side.  Nicole expected a dodge, and Guiana was clearly in motion to do so, yet her foot managed to connect.  The Sylan¡¯s eyes barely started to widen before she was sent to the ground with a titanic impact that sent debris dozens of feet into the air despite the ferocious storm above.  Even the rain seemed beaten back for a moment as the wave of force expanded outward.

    Guiana bounded out of the cloud of dust before Nicole had a chance to process that she¡¯d scored a hit, wiping at a thin trail of dark blood that dripped from her jaw.  It was gone the moment the rain cascaded back over her and her sword was raised once more.  The whole exchange of dialog must have concluded, because she didn¡¯t have any further remarks before springing back into the fray.

    Sparks flew as Nicole fought on, desperate to end the battle, to keep her friends safe.  Sparks flew, yet they were now more from the contact of their blades than any strikes against her suit.  Nicole was still growing, now able to match Guiana, yet she knew it was a finite thing.  Eventually she would hit a tipping point and all that power would be the end of her.  It gave her the strength needed, but even then, she didn¡¯t want to fall victim to the fate that Guiana said awaited her.

    Nicole danced around strikes that just minutes ago would have sent her stumbling, retaliated with blows thunderous enough that they briefly beat back the elements, and yet she somehow knew it wasn¡¯t enough.  She needed something more if she was going to beat Guiana.  Something solid brushed against her foot and she barely had an instant to realize what it was before a grin was coming to her face.

    Nicole stomped her foot at the same instant she threw both her knives at Guiana.  The Sylan General swatted them aside, though one scored a thin gash along her cheek as she barely managed to redirect it, yet that left her open to what Nicole had managed to stir up from under the rubble.

    Commander Bartran had retreated, yet there was one thing he hadn¡¯t departed with, and that was what Nicole was now wrapping her fingers around.  The comically oversized greatsword was completely unwieldy to someone of her size, yet in that moment she had the strength of the cosmos itself seemingly coursing through her veins.

    The moment her fingers grasped it tightly, Nicole swung with everything she had.  Her arms protested the force, she could feel how her bones cracked and joints tore, yet she still managed to bring it around into a devastating arc that included Guiana¡¯s torso within.  The woman pivoted, committing to a defense rather than attempt a dodge.  Her blade came up, braced by her free arm, then something deep and purple pulsed through her the moment it made contact.

    Whatever that had been, it shattered with explosive force, knocking Nicole well clear of the site and sent the Commander¡¯s sword spinning into the sky.  Even the storm was pushed back, farther than anything else had managed before.  Nicole found herself bouncing off the rough ground, her suit sparking wildly, only to crash into something unyielding and red.

    Grace stood firm, her axe wedged into a large chunk of concrete as she held on to both her anchor and Nicole.  A surge of affection welled up for her girlfriend and she found herself clinging tightly to the anchor that had come into her life and made it all worth it.  The reason she fought, and would continue to do so, even when others insisted she was fated to die.

    The wind died down after a moment, then the storm came crashing back down with it, drenching the battlefield once more.  There was a crater where Guiana had once stood, yet the woman herself was nowhere to be seen.  Was it too much to hope?  Probably, but at the moment it seemed that the battle might well and truly be over.

    ¡°You fool.¡±

    Or not.

 Chapter 33 - Requiem

    Nicole¡¯s head turned, the action sending a sharp stab through her nerves as she took in the sight of her once friend.  Maraline hadn¡¯t escaped unscathed, her armor was scuffed and dented, and several rips marred her clothes underneath.  Blood leaked from a few wounds, but most seemed superficial at best.

    ¡°The hell was that?¡± Nicole demanded, her voice scraped raw, that electricity now proving to be too much for her body.  She convulsed, falling from Grace¡¯s arms to the hard ground as she no doubt caught her girlfriend by surprise.

    The dreary sky quickly filled her vision even as her whole body trembled, then a helmet of red was looking down and across her body frantically.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do,¡± Grace whispered.

    ¡°Because there is nothing that can be done,¡± Maraline said.  Her arms were raised with open palms as she approached, then she ever so slowly lowered herself at Nicole¡¯s side, kneeling opposite her girlfriend.  It said something for the situation that a blade hadn¡¯t immediately lashed out for the remaining Sylan. ¡°She has tapped into the Source directly, without a filter to protect herself from the destructive energies that empower all Rangers.¡±

    ¡°That sounds bad.¡±

    Maraline turned an unimpressed glare upon Jeff¡¯s cheeky comment.  The Purple Ranger held up his hands in surrender, but Nicole knew that he was ready to spring into action the moment that Maraline proved to have less than noble intentions.

    ¡°An understatement if there ever was one,¡± Maraline said dryly.  ¡°If you were to drop your morph now, your body would tear itself apart from the sudden divestment of power.¡±

    Grace¡¯s helmet whipped between Maraline and Nicole, and she could almost picture the frantic look on her face as she did.  ¡°Then what do we do?¡±

    Maraline bit her lip, looking away as a particularly violent tremor rushed through Nicole¡¯s body, she bit her own lip clean through as she fought down the scream that wanted to tear its way free.  That warmth was now roiling within her core, setting her blood to boil within her veins.  It was the worst pain she had ever experienced, and she knew it was only going to get worse as the seconds continued to pass.

    ¡°I do not know.  We have so few instances of this happening on record, and I was not permitted to view the records.¡±

    ¡°Why help if you don¡¯t have a solution?¡± Grace demanded, and Nicole could hear the tears choking those words.

    ¡°Because I care,¡± Maraline whispered.  ¡°Nicole was the first friend I made that I could truly call such.  I do not wish to see her perish.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem to hold true for the rest of us,¡± Devon said rather harshly even as he cradled his shield arm.

    Kayla elbowed him rather gently, yet didn¡¯t issue a correction.

    ¡°Even if I were to bring her to the Sovereign, I do not know what could be done,¡± Maraline continued, her voice full of mourning.  ¡°The Prime Administrator would order her hooked up to every device we have until she came completely undone in the most horrifying of ways imaginable.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve already given up,¡± Grace accused.

    Maraline bowed her head, the tears falling freely.

    The worst part of it was that all Nicole could do was lay there as the power coursing through her threatened to burn her up completely.  Each pulse sent new tremors through her, Nicole¡¯s mind slowly fraying at how intense the pain had grown without her realizing it.  She really was dying, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

    It was obvious her team was reeling.  Even Carlos had come to join them and he looked like he¡¯d lost a fight with a wood chipper.  Yet, even knowing that, Nicole knew she was worse.  The transformation hadn¡¯t actually healed her, but forced her body back into a working shape by pure force and made her move according to her will.

    How she understood that was something she couldn¡¯t really question at the moment given how she was currently screaming up blood from the latest surge to rush through her.  Arcs of energy were even starting to dance between her fingers and her suit was practically smoking.  Nicole knew she didn¡¯t have much time, and so it was with a monumental force of will that she reached a hand up to Grace¡¯s helmet, cupping it gently.

    She just wished that she could see her eyes one last time.

    ¡°Mayhaps we could be of assistance?¡±

    Heads snapped to the source of the voice, though Nicole¡¯s attempt was more of a slow bob as it fell to the side.  Yellow stood out starkly in the waning storm, with several colors flanking her.  Dimly Nicole recognized them, though her mind struggled to connect the memory to a coherent thought.

    ¡°You,¡± Devon snarled, bringing his own battered weapons back to bear.

    Kayla and Jeff were quick to step up to join him, standing as ready as they could with their damaged equipment.  Even Maraline had taken up her arms, standing protectively over Nicole¡¯s prone form.  The only one that hadn¡¯t stepped away was Grace, who had simply moved to better shelter Nicole from the new arrivals.

    ¡°Me,¡± Yellow said, her voice oddly cheeky.  ¡°Sup little silver, still dating that bimbo bitch?¡±

    ¡°Fuck you,¡± he snarled.

    Yellow laughed.  ¡°Oh, I finally got the little saint to curse, did I?  Adorable.¡±

    ¡°What do you seek?¡± Maraline demanded.

    That brought the banter to a sharp end.  ¡°Hello Conquista.  I¡¯m surprised to see you standing alongside the inferior beings you look down upon.¡±

    ¡°I am not my peers,¡± Maraline said.

    Yellow made a show of looking around the area, gesturing at all the destruction around them.  ¡°I seem to recall you fighting right alongside them up until this one took a sudden downturn.  Feeling sympathy for a single human doesn¡¯t absolve you of your deeds.¡±

    The way this new Ranger switched from irreverent to deadly serious was a bit of whiplash for Nicole to follow.  It was almost as if they were two different people speaking.  The other Rangers with her hadn¡¯t spoken, and simply stood back at a parade rest, as though they were just window dressing on her performance.

    It was also disconcerting to see a second Purple Ranger among them, but it wasn¡¯t as if Jeff had a monopoly on the color.  Orange stood out the most among them, their distracting color serving to ground Nicole¡¯s attention even as the standoff continued.

    ¡°My regard for Nicole extends to all of humanity,¡± Maraline said, her voice dripping with venom.  ¡°Were it my decision, this war would not have happened.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still complicit,¡± Kayla snapped.  ¡°You want to play at being better?  Then be fucking better!¡±

    ¡°I do grieve the senseless loss of life, there is much waste in this conflict that I abhor,¡± Maraline hung her head at that admission.  ¡°Our methods are needlessly cruel for your planet, and I wish it could be different.¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Then be different,¡± Grace said.  ¡°You claim to want to nurture humanity, then put actions to those words.  Show us that you¡¯re different from them.¡±

    ¡°I cannot,¡± Maraline answered, tapping at her neck.  ¡°I am allowed some freedom, but only so long as I act accordingly as a General of the Sylan Empire.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a slave,¡± Nicole whispered, but her words carried.

    Maraline turned shimmering eyes upon her, the depths of despair reflected back made her chest clench.  ¡°You are¡­  Not incorrect.  I value life, and even should I perish, they would just replace me.  So, I endure what I must, so that when it comes time for my rule, I will be there to govern humanity with compassion.¡±

    ¡°The road to hell is paved with good intentions,¡± Jeff said.  ¡°You claim to be better, but you¡¯re every bit the monster as Bartran.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps I am,¡± Maraline said, softly.  ¡°Were I any other Sylan General, you would all be dead.  That is the proof I offer of my compassion.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky that our mandate to end you is currently a secondary objective,¡± Yellow continued, addressing Maraline with that same derision.  ¡°Your friend is dying, and we have a way to save her.¡±

    ¡°Unlikely,¡± Maraline said immediately.  ¡°Even the greatest technology aboard the Sovereign could not stop this process.¡±

    Yellow snorted.  ¡°Oh, is the great Sylan Empire unable to do something to help a single girl?¡±

    The pair continued their posturing, right up until Nicole convulsed again, her every muscle pulling in on themselves violently.  She couldn¡¯t even scream, her lungs had expelled everything they had and her jaw was locked.

    ¡°Enough fucking around,¡± Grace growled.  ¡°If you can help her, then fucking do it already or piss the hell off!¡±

    ¡°See, she gets it,¡± Yellow said.  ¡°Now, would you kindly step aside so I can be of assistance?¡±

    After a tense moment, her companions parted and Yellow was allowed to approach.  She stepped beside Nicole, ignoring the glares from the other, or how Grace kept a tight grip on what remained of her axe.

    ¡°There is just one thing that I would be remiss to not mention,¡± Yellow said, kneeling down as they pulled a device from a pouch.  ¡°It will require the sacrifice of your morpher.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s eyes widened and she wanted to protest, yet she couldn¡¯t form the words, only whimpers that cut off with an aborted scream.  She couldn¡¯t stand the thought of not being able to stand alongside her friends, yet the alternative was death, and leaving Grace alone was simply unacceptable.  It was almost laughable, death would be the easy way out, yet she did not wish for it any longer.  She wanted nothing more than to continue living for the first time in a long time.

    ¡°Do it,¡± Nicole croaked out.

    Yellow nodded.  ¡°When this concludes, we will take you to an emergency vehicle where you will be rushed to a hospital.  Red will be allowed to accompany you and we will ensure you receive the best care that can be provided.¡±

    ¡°She better,¡± Grace snarled.

    ¡°You have my word, for what little that is worth at the moment,¡± Yellow said as she worked quickly, laying out a device on the ground before moving Nicole¡¯s left arm to sit over it.  ¡°I won¡¯t lie, this will hurt.  We¡¯ve only ever done this once before so there isn¡¯t much of a baseline.¡±

    ¡°Just get on with it,¡± Nicole said through grit teeth.

    Yellow chuckled.  ¡°As you wish.¡±

    The device blinked to life and the heat suddenly surged through her core and down the arm atop the device.  It moved like liquid lightning and a honeybadger had hate fucked out back of a crackhouse before shoving the resulting demon spawn right through her blood.  The bitch was right, this was somehow worse than everything that came before.

    The world flickered and cold rain crashed into Nicole¡¯s prone form, instantly sucking all the remaining heat from her body.  The convulsion that resulted from the shock was the worst yet, several grotesque sounds followed bringing fresh pain along with them.

    Mercifully, that seemed to mark the end of the torment from the raging storm of energy that had threatened to consume her.  Unfortunately she now felt completely hollowed out.  Grace was at her side, pulling her into her arms and a princess carry.  Nicole might have been put off by that if she wasn¡¯t quite literally a limp noodle at the moment.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Maraline whispered.  ¡°All of the Source energy was just siphoned from her into that device through her morpher.¡±

    ¡°Neat, right?¡± Yellow said, already moving to pack it away.  ¡°It¡¯s something our research teams came up with, and how a certain anomaly survived your boss¡¯ last assassination attempt.¡±

    It was becoming glaringly obvious that this group of Rangers weren¡¯t mere smugglers, but instead something a lot more connected than they originally figured.  The way Maraline was looking at the device was hard to place, but it almost seemed as if she wanted to dive into the inner workings of it.

    Nicole tried to laugh at how cute it was, but coughed instead, which was quickly followed by a hacking episode that had her vision darkening at the edges and red flecks falling off Grace¡¯s uniform in droplets a bit too thick to just be liquid.

    ¡°Stay with me,¡± Grace whispered.  ¡°We¡¯ll get you somewhere that will help.  Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Nicole said, forcing a smile.  ¡°I¡¯m never worried so long as I have you.¡±

    ¡°Oh God,¡± Yellow groaned as she passed the now glowing device off to another of her compatriots.  ¡°Let¡¯s get the little missy to a proper emergency unit before she kills me by exposure.¡±

    ¡°Not to an ambulance?¡± Devon asked.  ¡°No offense, but the last time we met, you threatened me with my identity.¡±

    ¡°Well, you did poke your nose into matters you shouldn¡¯t,¡± Yellow said easily.  ¡°Relax, I¡¯ve already got what I was after here, there¡¯s no reason for me to threaten anyone at the moment.¡±  Her head tilted as she regarded the Silver Ranger.  ¡°Unless you want me to threaten you, is that it?¡±

    Devon looked away sharply.  ¡°N¡ªno!¡±

    Yellow busted out in raucous laughter.  ¡°Adorable.¡±

    ¡°Can we perhaps move this along?¡± Grace demanded.  ¡°If you hadn¡¯t noticed, she¡¯s sort of coughing her damn lungs up over here!¡±

    ¡°Calm your tits,¡± Yellow said, waving a hand dismissively.  ¡°Just buying time for my friends to secure the rather volatile Source energies before Conquista over there decides eye fucking the pretty lights aren¡¯t enough for her.¡±

    Maraline blinked, tearing her gaze away from said device.  ¡°I am not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Yellow said, cutting the Sylan off.  ¡°Keep playing at being benevolent, first chance I get that isn¡¯t neutral grounds and I¡¯ll put a bullet through your head.¡±

    Yellow leapt into motion before Maraline could follow, and Grace matched her pace.  Nicole expected a hard impact as Grace touched down on solid ground, yet the expected shock never came as Grace landed with a surprising gentleness before bounding off again after the enigmatic Ranger.

    They were quick to cross the police line, leaving several ambulances in their wake.  Nicole could practically feel Grace¡¯s hesitation at trusting this unknown Ranger, yet she carried through with it regardless.  Whatever their intentions, they didn¡¯t appear actively malicious, just a bit of a catty bitch.

    Yellow stopped at a tall building downtown, one that tickled some part of Nicole¡¯s brain with familiarity, not that everything was firing correctly at the moment.  They paused at the door for a moment and Nicole tried to follow the conversation, yet struggled to parse every third word spoken between them.

    A moment later the doors opened and a gurney was rushed out alongside a dozen different medical technicians.  Nicole found herself being set down gently, then several pinpricks along her arms followed as a dozen sensors were swiftly secured in place.  Nicole didn¡¯t have the energy to squawk in indignation when they cut her shirt away to attach something else, it all happened so quickly and soon she was being ushered inside with all due haste.  They entered an elevator and Nicole felt her stomach drop as they went down rather than up.

    The elevator ride lasted for over a minute and she could only wonder how far they were going down when the door finally opened and she was rushed along a long steel hallway lit with harsh fluorescent bulbs.  It was only then that she realized that Yellow had left them at some point, but Grace was right there with her in her red uniform, her vizor cracked yet still intact.

    Her girlfriend also maintained a vice grip on her hand as they hurried along, eventually making it into a surgical room that looked like nothing Nicole had ever seen before, even when they rushed her in after her¡­attempt.  They shifted her over to the table, doctors rushing about as they took notes and began to bring in strange devices that were too reminiscent of sci-fi movie abductions.  Hell, one of them looked like a goddess be damned anal probe!

    Something cool rushed into her veins, finally calming the rawness that persisted from her last ditch efforts to stop Bartran from killing everyone she cared for.  It was a welcome reprieve after everything the last hour had dumped upon her.  Just as she felt the calming chill hit her heart and begin to spread through her entire form, red prisms shattered, revealing Grace with tears streaking down her cheeks.  Grace leaned down, placing gentle lips upon Nicole¡¯s own, barely the ghost of contact, and then they pulled away.

    ¡°I love you,¡± Grace whispered, but Nicole was already slipping away into blissful unconsciousness.

 Chapter 34 - Pain of Loss

    A whimper broke the silence even as sheets stirred.  Raw nerves protested the action as Nicole hissed out a curse through cracked lips and a dry throat.  Blinking open her eyes, she was greeted with a darkened ceiling only illuminated by the dull glow of a monitor.  That awareness brought more of her current predicament to the fore and she shifted experimentally only to bite down on a scream.

    Okay, everything hurt, which was both good and bad news.  The good news was that Nicole was still alive despite her apparent best efforts.  The bad news was that she was in a hospital room and clearly not in any shape to just up and leave.  Just what sort of hospital remained to be seen, given that mysterious Ranger had been the one to guide them.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time Nicole had woken up in a hospital, though she did feel decidedly worse this time.  No doubt the IV drip was providing a fair bit of relief as well, which was extremely concerning.  Given all that had happened, a simple blood transfusion wouldn¡¯t be enough to offset everything that Nicole had endured.  It was a stark reminder that despite her intentions to live, she had done her level best to die once again.

    Even if it was for a good cause.

    That little revelation would take some time to process, as well as some talks with her therapist once she could schedule an appointment.  If it wasn¡¯t for Grace and their shared late night conversations, she probably wouldn¡¯t have the self awareness to admit even that much.

    A gentle snore rang out and Nicole turned her head as carefully as she could, not that it kept it from hurting like a bitch.  What she saw finally brought a smile to her face.  Grace was curled up on a rather expensive looking couch, her head on the armrest and clutching a blanket that had been laid over her.

    The sight was enough to spark a hint of a smile on Nicole¡¯s face even if it hurt to move even that much.  Grace was there with her, she wasn¡¯t alone in some unknown facility where nobody would ever be able to find her again.  That alone was more reassuring than anything else she could think of.

    Just like that the tension fled from Nicole¡¯s form as she settled back on the rather comfortable hospital bed.  Her pain hadn¡¯t really dissipated, but as long as she remained still it was more of a dull hum rather than anything all encompassing.  The entire situation still stank of something that would eventually bite her in the ass, but for the moment things were at the very least going well.

    Even though it wasn¡¯t quite a reassurance, Nicole let herself drift a bit, not quite falling asleep but there was definitely a fog over her thoughts from whatever cocktail they were pumping into her veins.  She wasn¡¯t sure how long it had been since the fight, there wasn¡¯t a TV in the room and it wasn¡¯t like her phone would be in working order either.

    It was after a blink that Nicole was suddenly bathed in light, not terribly bright, but it was clear that someone had adjusted something.  There weren¡¯t any windows present, but Nicole had the vague memory of going down, not up.  Of more interest was the motion that drew her heavy eyes.  A brown-haired woman in a white coat was fussing over a tablet as she checked the readouts of a machine.  She frowned, then turned to face the bed and her eyes widened almost comically.

    ¡°Holy fucksticks you¡¯re awake!¡±

    Nicole couldn¡¯t help it, she laughed, then almost cried out at how much that single little chuckle had hurt.  It wasn¡¯t fucking fair, but there wasn¡¯t anything she could do about it.  That was until a wave of warmth spread through her as the nurse lady waved some weird glowing device over her body, and the pain diminished ever so slightly.  Nicole blinked the sudden tears away and zeroed in on the ID that hung from her coat.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a panacea, but we do have some tech that helps with recovery,¡± Nurse Rivers said, adjusting something on the device.  ¡°A perk of being on the forefront of reverse engineering Sylan tech is that we have all the fun toys.¡±

    Not sure how to answer that, Nicole opted instead to just enjoy the soothing sensation that rolled off the handheld device.  Vaguely she wondered where Grace was, given she wasn¡¯t currently present, but that could wait for just a moment.  Nicole needed some answers, and there were good odds that this woman could provide them.

    ¡°How long?¡± Nicole asked, her voice raspy as hell.

    ¡°Less than a day, Miss Hayes,¡± Rivers said casually, setting the device aside for a moment before stepping over to a fridge.  She grabbed a small bottle of water and popped it open before sticking a straw into it and bringing it back.  ¡°Small sips please, you¡¯re on a saline drip but your throat will be quite dry.¡±

    Following that advice wasn¡¯t hard, Nicole knew from experience how bad it would be and she didn¡¯t want to vomit given how much everything currently hurt. She held each small sip for a moment, letting her mouth soak it up before she swallowed. The water was ice cold to the point it almost hurt, yet it also felt sublime on her parched tongue and throat.  Barely a quarter of the bottle was down before Nurse Rivers was pulling it away despite Nicole not feeling even close to quenched.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get more in a few minutes, but first I¡¯ll give you the essentials,¡± Nurse Rivers said, taking a seat beside the bed.  ¡°You¡¯ve been in our care for about twenty two hours.  Your girlfriend has been at your side for most of that but she¡¯s currently up in the lobby meeting with your friend in green to get an away bag.  She asked if I could sit with you until she was back, given it should only take a moment or three.¡±

    That was understandable given everything going on, and confirmed that Rivers was aware of their Ranger identities, including those that weren¡¯t present in the building from the sound of it.  As concerning as that might be, Nicole was just glad that she wasn¡¯t among actively hostile assholes.

    So of course that was when the door opened and an actual asshole stepped into the room.  Nicole wasn¡¯t going to forget the scar over the man¡¯s eye, or the way he smirked that made her stomach turn.  Xavier Sinclair walked right up to the bed, then gently took the tablet from Rivers¡¯ hands.

    ¡°Interesting, I wasn¡¯t expecting her recovery to be this swift,¡± Sinclair said, scrolling through something on the screen.  ¡°Excellent work, Kelly.  You¡¯ve outdone yourself this time.¡±

    The woman smirked, snatching the device back.  ¡°I¡¯m not one of the foremost experts on Sylan and Source tech for nothing.¡±

    Wait.  ¡°You¡¯re not a nurse?¡±

    Kelly Rivers turned, a wry smile on her lips.  ¡°Not technically.  You¡¯re an unmasked Ranger in a secret corporate facility.  We¡¯re keeping your identity ¡®need to know¡¯ for the time being.¡±

    ¡°I do owe you after all,¡± Sinclair said with a chuckle.  ¡°You did bail our asses out following that prototype malfunction, it was only right that I do everything I could to help you in turn.¡±

    Memories of the fire and people falling from the windows of the highrise were still fresh in Nicole¡¯s mind.  She would never forget the horror of the sight of burned bodies through the three floors that had gone up, and her nightmares ensured those memories would remain fresh.  Here was the CEO of the company just casually confirming that their own research had been the cause of it!

    Yet, he had helped her when it came down to it.  Clearly that mystery Ranger team was working with him in some capacity, be it mercenary or otherwise.  Exploring that rabbit hole would have to wait, given how she couldn¡¯t even move without severe pain wrecking her every nerve.

    No, playing nice was the only option for now, at least until she could morph agai¡ª Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°My morpher,¡± Nicole muttered, her eyes going wide as that decision flitted through her mind.

    Sinclair grimaced, looking away.

    Rivers was far more sympathetic with her expression.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s thoroughly inert now.  Channeling energy like you did should have killed you, but the device we produced could siphon it through the connection your morpher held to you.¡±

    Nicole swallowed down the profound sense of loss that was threatening to overwhelm her.  ¡°Yellow said it had been used before.¡±

    This time it was Rivers who grimaced.  ¡°She wasn¡¯t supposed to mention that.¡±

    ¡°Well she did,¡± Sinclair said with a sigh.  ¡°You would be correct, it was used once before, or rather, a prototype was used to save the last of the first Rangers to step forward to defend the earth.¡±

    ¡°White,¡± Nicole whispered.

    The man smiled, then his entire posture changed as he went from smarmy CEO to battle hardened warrior in an instant.  ¡°Ironic that a black man was picked for the most iconic color of all the Rangers that stood in the face of the inevitable, wouldn¡¯t you say?

    Holy fuck.  Nicole had told off the most famous Ranger like ever and done so without even realizing it.  If she wasn¡¯t currently in the worst pain of her life, she might have laughed at the incredulity of the idea.  At least he didn¡¯t seem upset with her, and it did set her mind at ease a bit when it came to the situation.

    It also meant she could ask the question that had been on the tip of her tongue.  ¡°You never regained the ability to morph, did you?¡±

    Sinclair smiled sadly.  ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.  As far as the Sylan were aware, I died that day.¡±

    ¡°Until Yellow opened her fucking mouth,¡± Rivers muttered.

    Xavier patted Kelly on the back.  ¡°If it helps, they never knew my actual name or face.  I should be safe for the time being.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t stop me from worrying about you,¡± Rivers muttered.

    There was no ignoring the feeling that Nicole was an intruder in what seemed to be a far more personal moment than they intended.  As such, Nicole had fallen silent at what amounted to a rather tender display that Nicole couldn¡¯t tell if it was genuine or for her benefit.

    Thankfully the door opened, disrupting the moment, and Grace returned with a bag slung over her shoulder.  She froze in place as she took in the assembled group, then her eyes drifted over to Nicole and she returned a rather tired smile.

    A blonde missile nearly crashed into the bed, eliciting a pained yelp from the bedridden Ranger.  Grace pulled back almost immediately, her eyes wide and shimmering with forming tears.

    ¡°Fuck, I am so sorry,¡± Grace hurried to say, looking Nicole over.  ¡°Are you okay?  Dumb question, of course you¡¯re not.  You were literally bleeding out of your eyes.  How bad is it?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll live,¡± Kelly said blandly.  ¡°Nicole will see a full recovery by the end of the week, though her Ranger work is effectively done.¡±

    Nicole looked aside, finding the table where her phone and watch sat.  The phone looked to be intact, but it was hard to miss how her morpher was scorched and the screen cracked.  Tears formed in her eyes as she considered how her life was going to change once more.  Her employment with the fire department was likely to fall through now, and Grace no longer had a reason to spend as much time with her.

    Grace was still a Ranger, but Nicole no longer was.  Would the team reject her now?  The thought sent tendrils of doubt through her entire being even as her empty stomach churned.  A firm grip on her hand pulled her from those thoughts and into the eyes of her girlfriend.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Grace whispered.  ¡°You¡¯re here.  You¡¯re safe.  I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±

    A whole body tremor rolled through Nicole¡¯s form, sending jolts through her raw nerves even as she choked back a sob.  Grace smiled softly, tightening her grip ever so minutely before she turned her attention to the pair in the room.

    ¡°What exactly happened?¡± Grace asked, taking a seat on the edge of Nicole¡¯s bed, not once letting go of her hand.  ¡°When we tried morphing while tired it didn¡¯t do anything like that.¡±

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t just tired,¡± Sinclair said wearily.  ¡°Nicole was battered and near death, and she bypassed her drained morpher on top of that.  The morphers regulate the flow of energy so it doesn¡¯t tear your body apart at an atomic level.¡±

    ¡°What Nicole did could be called an unfiltered double morph,¡± Kelly Rivers explained clinically.  ¡°Rangers who have developed a deeper connection to the Source can sometimes dig a little too deep and tap into the unfiltered wellspring.  You are the fifth documented Ranger to do so, and the second to survive.¡±

    ¡°The first was a friend,¡± Sinclair said.  ¡°He was a bit of a meditation nut and tapped into it by pure accident.  Unfortunately he never figured out how to turn it off again and died before we could develop a way to help him.¡±

    ¡°His death was kept out of the media,¡± Kelly said, flicking through something on the tablet.  ¡°We¡¯ve done our best to convince the US Government to keep any Ranger identities under seal.  There¡¯s no way for them to NOT learn of it, as evidenced by how they approached several teams in the early days.  I helped lobby for changes to the rules after that disaster in Houston.¡±

    Right, the team that fought back against the government when they came to register them.  The people of Texas hailed them as heroes for standing up for themselves even after their identities were leaked to the media.  Two of them were killed a week later by a crazy cultist that worshiped the invaders as heralds of the end times.

    That was the mess Nicole was determined to avoid, but now she wasn¡¯t even a Ranger.  How was she supposed to protect herself, let alone others?  Nicole wasn¡¯t even nineteen yet and once again she was being benched due to an injury.  It was her fuck up at the National Qualifiers all over again, only this time it would mean that people died.

    ¡°None of that now,¡± Kelly said.  ¡°Just because you can¡¯t transform doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t be helpful.  Sinclair dedicated himself to working on technology that might allow humanity to fight back once the invaders decide they¡¯ve collected enough data from our species.¡±

    ¡°Oh come now,¡± he scoffed.  ¡°I¡¯m hardly a scientist, that¡¯s why I brought together so many like minds.¡±

    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Grace asked.  ¡°I talked with my team a bit and we confirmed that Maraline intends to do what she can to slow the invasion while everyone recovers.¡±

    ¡°You believed her?¡± Rivers asked with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°I do,¡± Nicole said softly.  ¡°She could have slipped a blade between my ribs at any point while I was convulsing on the ground.  Even Yellow would have failed to stop her if her goal was my death.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s voice had been scratchy at the start, and was downright hoarse by the end, but it needed to be said.  Maraline might be the enemy, but she wasn¡¯t actively malicious.  She was someone sympathetic that might be able to work from within to disrupt things just enough to help.  Throwing that away would be a fool¡¯s decision.

    Smiling softly, Grace grabbed the open water and carefully placed the straw in Nicole¡¯s mouth.  She sipped on it, relishing the cool moisture.  The dull ache was still persistent, and flared up with every motion, but Nicole was growing used to the pain.  She no longer flinched when something stabbed into her from a sudden motion.

    ¡°You¡¯re far luckier than you realize,¡± Sinclair said after a moment.  ¡°Take it from someone who has fought the man, surviving an encounter with Commander Bartran is something to be quite proud of.¡±

    Kelly snorted, shaking her head.  ¡°Nicole didn¡¯t just survive.  She kicked his ass harder than any other Ranger ever managed, yourself included.  Then she went and handed another General her ass on a platter.  The girl¡¯s good, no question about that.¡±

    ¡°Some might call that a miracle,¡± Sinclair said, his voice rather dry.

    A barking laugh tore free from Kelly.  ¡°Like you believe in that tripe.  Nah, what happened was that the unfiltered power had all the limits for safety removed from the new abilities her team had manifested.  That part was easily predicted, that it turned her already esoteric phasing ability into an effective attack was a great result and proved more than one theory of mine.¡±

    ¡°Ever the researcher,¡± Sinclair sighed.  ¡°As you can see, you¡¯ve given us several new areas to explore in our research, not to mention a store of raw Source energy to test.  Who knows, it might even be enough to restore our morphers one day.¡±

    Hope blossomed in Nicole¡¯s chest at that declaration, even if it was far off in the future.  The idea that someone was already working on the solution to her exact predicament was like finding water in the desert.  That didn¡¯t mean she would trust them, not completely, but it was enough for her to relax just a bit.

    They were caring for her, helping her survive what should have been enough to end her time on the blue sphere known as Earth.  That was something Nicole was determined to avoid, and she had her friends to thank for that.  She would learn from her attempt at self sacrifice, learn how to channel that into something more productive and less destructive.

    Nicole would live for the sake of her friends, even if she could no longer stand beside them as equals.  For now, at least.

 Chapter 35 - Secrets Spoken

    Three days had passed since Nicole first woke in the hidden hospital deep below Sinclair Industries. Whatever that strange wand did, Nicole felt better than she had any right to, and the provided physical therapy was almost unneeded. She was being attended to by actual medical staff now, and had only seen Kelly once since their talk while Sinclair was busy with other matters. Again, Nicole didn¡¯t truly trust them, but there was only so much she could do from a hospital bed.

    At least she wasn¡¯t being restricted from having visitors. Grace remained a constant companion through that time, though she was currently up above waiting for the team to arrive. Nicole would be getting released from their care and the entire team promised to be there for when it happened.

    The other side of that coin was that Sinclair and Rivers would be speaking with them again, not that Nicole had the foggiest idea of what it might be about. Despite how forthcoming they had been in the original conversation, it was clear they had ulterior motives beyond helping humanity survive the coming storm.

    Because if there was one thing that Nicole had come to accept after her battle with the Sylan elite, it was that even if all the Rangers of the world were to band together, they would only be able to buy time at best. Bartran was unbelievably powerful, and faster than a normal Ranger by a significant margin. Hell, if it wasn¡¯t for Guiana, he would be the swiftest thing she had ever seen.

    Guiana however, was controlled perfection with a blade, and had the speed to make anyone who crossed her path regret it for the bare instant it took for her to put that needlepoint through their eye. Nicole could hardly believe that she had kept up with such visceral speeds, yet she had not only done that, but exceeded her for the barest of moments.

    The Sylan Empire likely had hundreds of fighters that could be counted in the same power brackets, yet they hadn¡¯t brought them all to this invasion. Just how many conquests were being waged across the stars? Why had their supposed Commander stepped in personally for a backwater like Earth?

    Those were the ideas that plagued Nicole as she got dressed for the first time in normal clothes. She still had a few aches, but they were little more than normal soreness after a hard day on the gymnastics mat. Nicole could have stayed longer, but she wasn¡¯t allowed any visitors in her room, only Grace had been given the exception. She was eager to see her friends again, even if she was worried how they might act now that she had lost her morphing capabilities.

    A gentle knock sounded just as Nicole pulled her shirt overhead. ¡°I¡¯m decent.¡±

    Kelly Rivers stepped in, a gentle smile on her face and tablet held loosely in her arm. The woman was sharply dressed as per usual, though she lacked the white lab coat she had favored on her prior visits. One thing that Nicole noted about her was that despite the rather fancy pants and top, she wore combat boots instead of something that matched.

    The choice in footwear didn¡¯t surprise Nicole much given the nature of the operation Sinclair seemed to be running. If the facility were ever attacked, the researchers would need to be able to evacuate swiftly, fancy shoes would be counter productive at best, deadly at worst.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you up and mobile,¡± Kelly said, grinning as she looked her over. ¡°Still favoring your left side a bit?¡±

    ¡°Not as bad as yesterday,¡± Nicole confirmed. ¡°I¡¯m amazed at how quickly I¡¯ve recovered, even with your fancy tech.¡±

    Kelly¡¯s smile faltered slightly. ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve exceeded my predictions as well, to be honest. I have a few theories about that, but I¡¯m unsure if I should mention them.¡±

    Nicole swallowed. ¡°I¡¯m guessing some of them might make me worry if I knew?¡±

    ¡°Something like that,¡± Kelly confirmed. ¡°Once we know conclusively we¡¯ll inform you of the findings.¡±

    The worry wort within Nicole wanted to go over the worst case scenarios, but that would only lead to madness. For now she would focus on seeing her team again, and after that she could collapse into her own bed, preferably with a warm Grace cuddled up next to her. Thankfully Kelly was quick to go over the discharge process, which was mercifully shorter than an official hospital would be, and included a final sweep with that glow stick of Source powered healing. It didn¡¯t even have a proper name, just a prototype designation that was a string of ten digits and three random letters.

    Needless to say, they weren¡¯t ready for mass production.

    ¡°Alright, ready to head up to the lobby?¡± Kelly asked.

    Nicole nodded. ¡°Ready as I¡¯ll ever be.¡±

    Kelly was quick to exit the room, her stride tight and professional. Nicole followed, her body protesting with the dullest of aches, but she had no issues keeping pace. They entered an elevator moments later and then they were rising. There were no floor displays, Kelly had simply tapped a card to the reader and the thing seemed to know exactly where it was going. Was it a one destination elevator?

    Obviously the basement of their building was a secret, one they didn¡¯t want out, but they hadn¡¯t extracted any guarantees that Nicole or Grace wouldn¡¯t speak about it. Then again, doing so would just invite a Sylan attack against them. Maraline had seemed fascinated with the device that saved her, and it brought some suspicions about the level of research that was actually happening in the depths of their labs.

    Stepping out into the lobby, Nicole blinked when she saw her team arrayed across from two people that had their backs to the elevator. Grace was the first to notice her arrival, but didn¡¯t react other than eye contact, which suggested that things were serious. The lobby was still closed to the public as the building was repaired from the fire.

    A fire that they had caused through a malfunctioning prototype. Nicole tried not to place the blame for that on anyone present, but a part of her really wanted to. So many deaths, and it was all an accident from a prototype bootleg space magic device.

    Of the two figures, Xavier Sinclair was immediately recognizable even from behind, but the other person wasn¡¯t. She was tall, with dark hair and tanned skin. She wore a black leather jacket and jeans, nothing special compared to Sinclair¡¯s fitted suit. Given the way that Devon seemed to be glaring at her, Nicole was starting to get a suspicion as to who she might be.

    The question remained, why were they all meeting the Yellow Ranger out of her uniform?

    ¡°Nicole, it¡¯s good to see you up and about,¡± Sinclair said as he turned. ¡°I¡¯ve already introduced the others to Miss Rentaria here.¡±

    The woman turned, brown eyes filled with mirth. ¡°We¡¯ve met. Hard to forget carrying a girl from danger like that.¡± Her statement was then punctuated with a flirtatious wink. Grace actually growled at that which only set the woman into a fit of laughter. ¡°God, you¡¯re all fun to tease. This assignment is gonna be great!¡± She then thrust out her hand. ¡°Anita Rentaria, Yellow Ranger at your service and on loan to assist in keeping the city safe while you¡¯re down a member.¡±

    Devon hesitantly accepted the hand, still glaring harshly at the woman who had once threatened him out of uniform. With the suspicion confirmed, it only brought up a large number of questions that Nicole wanted to ask, but she would see what information would be volunteered first before she decided to let her displeasure be known.

    ¡°Do we need a fifth Ranger?¡± Kayla asked. ¡°No offense, but you did threaten a member of our team.¡±

    Anita shrugged. ¡°Eh, I wasn¡¯t the one to threaten him. That was Maria.¡±

    Everyone paused whatever they were about to say as Anita¡¯s carefree grin suddenly shifted into a scowl. ¡°Oh no, that bitch isn¡¯t about to blame this on me. I don¡¯t care how much she bitches later about the forced swap, I¡¯m not letting that slide.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Nicole¡¯s mind raced at the completely different tone, facial set, and how she even switched fucking accents. She hadn¡¯t met anyone who was plural before, not in person at least, but she was aware they existed and this certainly seemed like the people she¡¯d talked to online described.

    ¡°Obviously it was you who threatened me,¡± Devon snarled.

    Anita, or rather, Maria, sighed. ¡°Yes, I was out front when the threats were delivered. Though the entire thing was her idea. Anita thought it would be funny to mess with your bitch of a girlfriend.¡±

    ¡°You have no right to call her that,¡± Devon said, stepping into Maria¡¯s personal space. ¡°If you ever¡ª¡±

    It was a case of blink and you might miss it, but Devon was thrown to the ground with an arm pinned behind his back. Several flashes of color spanned the room and even Nicole had reached for the watch that was no longer there. The realization sent a pang through Nicole as she relaxed her hands, unable to do anything about the Rangers ready to fight all around her.

    Maria¡¯s expression remained in place, almost seeming disinterested with what happened.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t do that again,¡± Maria said wearily. ¡°I have problems with men getting close. I¡¯m going to let you up now, but next time I¡¯m breaking something.¡±

    She stayed true to her word and backed off with some speed. Nicole¡¯s team moved almost immediately. Kayla and Grace moved to keep Maria from closing the distance again while Jeff helped Devon back up. Neither Sinclair or Rivers had moved to intervene, and if anything, the pair seemed more amused than anything.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t the two of you do anything?¡± Nicole asked.

    Kelly shrugged. ¡°Honestly? This is going far better than expected. Rentaria volunteered for the assignment before we even asked her. They were informed that it would be up to your team if anything was to be approved.¡±

    Nicole regarded the woman again, who was back to the irreverent displays of Anita, and let out a sigh. ¡°Well, now I¡¯m almost glad I¡¯m benched.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t count yourself out just yet,¡± Xavier said with a smirk that promised something terrible. ¡°There is one more test I wish to conduct before you depart, if you¡¯re feeling up for it.¡±

    Nicole eyed the man warily. ¡°What sort of test?¡±

    A bright yellow flash followed and the Yellow Ranger stepped forward. ¡°He means me. He wants to see if you can still fight despite what happened.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely fucking not!¡± Grace snapped. ¡°She¡¯s not even fully recovered yet for fuck¡¯s sake!¡±

    ¡°All true,¡± Sinclair agreed. ¡°Yet I wish to see if she ended up like me, or if something else is at work.¡±

    Curious at what he meant by that, Nicole held up a hand. ¡°Explain.¡±

    ¡°I will after you have a short spar,¡± Sinclair said.

    ¡°Promise not to hurt you,¡± Anita added cheekily. ¡°If anything I¡¯m hoping you manage to hurt me.¡±

    What? How the hell did they think she could hurt a Ranger in a straight fight? Sure, they had added unmorphed practice into their drills, but the few times she and Grace had tried sparing with such a discrepancy in power, it had ended up being a completely one sided curb stomp.

    ¡°Humor me,¡± Sinclair implored. ¡°It¡¯s the easiest way to confirm one of Kelly¡¯s theories she no doubt mentioned when she wasn¡¯t supposed to.¡±

    Oh, that was such bullshit. ¡°Now I know she mentioned them on purpose.¡±

    ¡°Acting petulant won¡¯t change things,¡± Kelly said.

    ¡°She¡¯s right, you know,¡± Anita said, then her fist blurred out.

    Nicole barely managed to fall back, her whole body ached in protest but instincts took over as Nicole rolled back to her feet and brought her hands up defensively. Yellow¡¯s head tilted a bit and Nicole couldn¡¯t tell if they had switched who was out front or not, but they were now all business with their posture.

    ¡°What the fuck is wrong wi¡ª¡±

    The words were cut off as Nicole was forced to block a rapid punch combo. The impacts stung, but she managed just barely, keeping up with the blatantly telegraphed strikes. It was a small mercy that Yellow was taking it easy on her, ramping up slowly from human norms. There was no focus to spare for how her friends were handling it, but she knew that if it looked truly dangerous that Grace would step in.

    Kicks joined the punches and it was obvious that Yellow was picking up the pace. Nicole raised both arms to catch a roundhouse, then grabbed the leg and shoved the Ranger back. Yellow twisted in the air and landed in a three point crouch, laughing.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Yellow said, standing as she rolled her shoulders. ¡°Think you¡¯re up for more?¡±

    Nicole heaved out a few breaths, already starting to feel rather warm from the exertion. Not that she was about to admit it in front of the assholes subjecting her to this shit. ¡°That¡¯s rhetorical, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Another chuckle and Yellow was back into motion.

    The strike was faster than any of the previous ones, grazing Nicole across the cheek as she barely managed to shift aside. Her eyes narrowed as she tightened her focus, bringing it all down on the arrogant Ranger that was simply toying with her.

    Reaching for the rhythm of Yellow¡¯s strikes, Nicole snaked her own fist out with a discordant blow, striking the Ranger in the rib. Nicole felt the kinetic barrier flex, but it didn¡¯t come close to giving out.

    Nicole danced back almost immediately, playing for distance even as she heaved for breath. Despite the two exchanges taking only a few moments she was still winded as all hell. She turned a harsh glare upon her benefactors, particularly Rivers.

    ¡°That good enough?¡±

    Kelly tapped something on her tablet, then smiled. ¡°I do believe it was. Thank you for putting up with that, Nicole. It would appear that we have some answers for you now.¡±

    ¡°The readings?¡± Sinclair asked, leaning over to view the tablet.

    Kelly flicked through several screens before stopping on one in particular. ¡°The sensors definitely picked up a spike, something we never quite observed with you.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Sinclair said. ¡°Nicole, are you aware of the results of my own spars with Yellow while she is morphed?¡±

    Curious where he was going with that, Nicole shook her head. ¡°How could I be?¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯re unaware of what you just did,¡± Sinclair said with a smile that almost seemed predatory. ¡°You might have lost your morpher, but much of that power has remained with you, changed you. It¡¯s why you healed so quickly, and why Yellow struggled to land a hit.¡±

    Struggled? ¡°She was toying with me the entire time.¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Yellow said, dismissing her morph. ¡°I can assure you, I was doing my best to hit you during that second exchange.¡±

    A shuddering thump hit Nicole in the chest as she sucked in a breath. Were they really suggesting that she could still reach the heights of a Ranger? This had to be some cruel trick, a final jab at her from the uncaring void that was the universe itself.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t Sinclair do all this?¡± Nicole asked carefully.

    The man grimaced, but it was Kelly that spoke up.

    ¡°You severely overestimate Sinclair¡¯s ability. He¡¯s only a hair over baseline, something that¡¯s different about your entire group. It¡¯s why we took an interest in you, you continued to produce Source energy even while unconscious.¡±

    Nicole stumbled back, strong arms hooking under her before she could fall. Just what the hell had happened that she was apparently producing the energy that Rangers used even after her morpher was all but scrap metal. She wasn¡¯t even wearing it, Sinclair had kept the damn thing for research purposes.

    ¡°I got you,¡± Grace whispered, helping Nicole find her feet again. ¡°So what does this mean? That our entire team is different from most Rangers?¡±

    Kelly smiled, though it was a bit rueful. ¡°All Ranger teams have something about them that is unique. It seems to be the one consistent thing across all teams, the lack of consistency in ability. Some are stronger, some weaker, and you lot can channel far more Source energy than others.¡±

    ¡°Another anomaly in the baselines,¡± Nicole muttered, quoting the Commander as she thought back over everything said during the battle. ¡°They always mentioned data while fighting us.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Sinclair said. ¡°It always struck everyone as strange that an entire invasion was halted in the face of a single Ranger team, then few questioned why so many others began to appear to counter the continuing attacks.

    ¡°The leading theory among the Pentagon was that the attacks remained focused on Rangers since they were a known element, yet random attacks against hard targets continued despite the vast majority being aimed at Rangers. Can you guess why that is?¡±

    Nicole thought she was ready for the conclusion, but she was wrong. It made a disturbing amount of sense and everything said to her by the Sylan elite shifted, falling into place in a weave that all lined up almost perfectly.

    ¡°They didn¡¯t stop because the Rangers were a threat, they shifted focus because the Rangers were the goal.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Sinclair said gravely. ¡°They aren¡¯t trying to fight against the Rangers, they¡¯re cultivating them in an effort to study the Source.¡±

 Chapter 36 - Rangers Forevermore

    ¡°Cultivating?¡± Kayla asked.  ¡°That makes it sound like they¡¯re fucking growing us.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t an inaccurate statement,¡± Sinclair said with a sigh.  ¡°We¡¯ve been tracking every attack we can across the globe.  Each new Ranger team appeared during a mass attack against a civilian population.  Some came from civilian populations within, others came from military or police forces, but all had one thing in common.¡±

    ¡°A genuine desire to protect,¡± Kelly finished.  ¡°All Rangers that originated from a Sylan attack have this in common.¡±

    Jeff¡¯s eyes narrowed at the statement, though he didn¡¯t voice whatever had crossed his mind at the time.  One thing that Nicole had realized about the man was that he was far sharper than he let on.  She would ask later, once they were away from the mysterious CEO and his cohort of rather intimidating people.

    ¡°The pause during the initial invasion,¡± Devon said.  ¡°They weren¡¯t expecting the Rangers to appear, were they?¡±

    ¡°Someone did,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°The Rangers aren¡¯t appearing by chance, and something tells me we¡¯re far from the first species that this has happened with, not counting those who originally created the Power.¡±

    ¡°Lead the way, hold the line,¡± Sinclair said.  Nicole¡¯s head snapped to him in an instant, her eyes narrowed in recognition of those words.  ¡°Oh yes, you¡¯re hardly the first to hear something along those lines.  What did you see in your vision?¡±

    Nicole swallowed dryly, visions of horror flashing through her mind.  It was the one thing she hadn¡¯t told her team about, a secret she held close, because she wasn¡¯t sure it had actually been real.  Would her team think differently of her for it?  Would they resent her for keeping something like that a secret?  A firm squeeze on her shoulder reminded her that she wasn¡¯t alone.  Her girlfriend dismissed her morph, smiling down at her with tender affection.  It was enough to bring tears to Nicole¡¯s eyes.  Grace was there with her, and she wouldn¡¯t be alone even after losing her ability to morph.  Her girlfriend hadn¡¯t abandoned her, and was standing beside her.

    Steeling herself, Nicole looked Sinclair right in his amber eyes.  They were cold, calculating, and somewhat terrifying in the same way Bartran¡¯s could be.  This was a person that looked at the big picture, not a man that she could trust to do right by the individual if it didn¡¯t also benefit the whole.

    Still, he had asked a question, and Nicole would answer it.

    ¡°Death, on a scale we can hardly imagine.  Creatures the size of that damn worm in the thousands scouring civilization from the surface of a planet.  A machine making a valiant stand, backed by five Rangers.  Words of encouragement, telling us just that, for a brighter tomorrow.¡±

    Sinclair closed those eyes of his and took a deep breath.  He wasn¡¯t surprised by her statement, not like her own team had been.  It was a secret she had kept from everyone, including Grace, and she felt horrible about it being revealed in such a way.

    ¡°I¡¯d almost convinced myself that it was nothing more than a hallucination or fleeting dream,¡± Nicole said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just a dream, was it?¡±

    Sinclair put upon a gentle expression, though that kindness never reached his eyes.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.  I had a similar vision myself, though I suspect that we each heard from a different specter of the past.¡±

    Five Rangers from ages past reaching out across space and time, how had they managed that?  It didn¡¯t make sense, yet something about the statement resonated with her as truthful.  Nicole didn¡¯t expect to ever get an answer to that mystery, but if a chance ever presented itself, she would pursue it.

    ¡°Wait, this is all ancient aliens stuff?¡± Devon asked.

    Anita snorted.  ¡°Sure is, big guy.  Bet you never thought crazy hair would be right.¡±

    ¡°So what, we investigate the pyramids or some shit for clues?¡± Kayla demanded.

    Jeff chuckled.  ¡°No, that¡¯s too on the nose.  My bet is there¡¯s something like Stonehenge that leads to another universe.¡±

    Grace groaned.  ¡°And on that note we¡¯ve lost the conversation.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Kelly said, openly laughing.  ¡°Nicole, I would suggest you meditate on anything that seems remiss when you match a Ranger in combat.  Practice and focus, and who knows, we might find an answer.¡±

    Nicole nodded mutely, afraid to speak and risk her voice cracking at the hope she now felt.  She wanted to remain useful to the team, to continue the fight against the invaders.

    Despite losing her abilities, Nicole was still a Ranger, and she wasn¡¯t about to back down in the face of adversity.  She would fight and learn, she would push through despite everything currently against her.

    Nicole would survive, and in doing so, help carve a path forward for humanity.

    Business concluded, Nicole moved to rejoin her team when a throat cleared.  Turning back to face it, Sinclair made a gesture.  Kelly stepped over, then handed Nicole a card.  Looking down at it, it wasn¡¯t a business card but the hard plastic of a credit or debit card.  She couldn¡¯t help but blink, looking back up with wide eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯ve contributed immensely to our research,¡± Sinclair said for his¡­ Actually, Nicole wasn¡¯t sure what Kelly¡¯s actual position was; given she appeared to be part research assistant and part secretary.  ¡°Consider that reimbursement for your assistance with that as well as your help with our offices above.¡±

    There was no telling how much was on the card, or where the account the card used was even located.  Nicole was hesitant to accept such an obvious ploy, but she also needed the money and could no longer rely upon her status as a Ranger to help her with the Fire Department.  Apprehension coiled within her, but this could be her ticket out of her current monetary issues.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Nicole said, keeping it simple.  ¡°You probably know exactly how to reach me, so there¡¯s no real point in offering my contact information.¡±

    ¡°A correct assumption,¡± Kelly said.  ¡°We¡¯ll be in touch, that much I can promise you.¡±

    Nicole answered with a sharp nod.  As much as she wanted to distrust them, Sinclair was making sure that his people went out of their way to avoid that.  Nicole might not be offering them the benefit of the doubt, or taking their word at face value, but she could relax her distrust, just a bit.

    Anita didn¡¯t leave with the team, instead staying behind to discuss something with Sinclair.  That too was suspicious, but she wasn¡¯t in a state to question it.  Kayla¡¯s van waited for them where a chauffeur might park a waiting limo.  It was oddly amusing to see the older vehicle just sitting there.

    The team were quick to climb in, taking the same places they had in the ride to the mall just days prior.  Well, Jeff was beside Kayla and Devon had taken a sole seat in the middle row.  Grace quickly shifted, allowing Nicole to lay against her thigh.  She wasn¡¯t one to turn down such an offer and quickly found herself comfortable even as they pulled away.

    The weather was dreary, a slight mist fell even as the temperature hovered just a few degrees over freezing.  It cast the world in a haze, reflecting Nicole¡¯s feelings on the coming days.  The future was uncertain, her place in it even more so.  She would need to learn to fight, no longer having her full Ranger reflexes to fall back upon.  If nothing else, she would be dusting off her Renaissance gear, maybe she could even get Sinclair to source some Sylan grade armor from one of their projects if it allowed her to continue in the field.

    ¡°Well, the last few days was a shit show,¡± Kayla said, eyes carefully on the road.  ¡°How are you holding up, Nicole?  Be honest, none of the bullshit you were putting upon back there.¡±

    ¡°Fucking awful,¡± Nicole admitted.  ¡°My whole body feels raw and hollow.  Whatever I did left a mark on me, that¡¯s for damn sure.¡±

    Grace¡¯s hand found its way to her hair, tracing gentle strokes along her scalp.  The action sent goosebumps racing down her limbs, but the feeling of warmth it inspired was pleasant.  The warmth was different compared to the burning of the rampant energy that nearly killed her only days prior.

    ¡°You¡¯re alive, that¡¯s what matters,¡± Jeff said.  ¡°Plus, you showed those invading assholes just what it means to fuck with humanity.¡±

    That statement reminded Nicole of a question she had been meaning to ask.  ¡°What happened with Maraline after I was taken away?¡±

    Kayla snorted.  ¡°She stood around awkwardly for about twenty seconds before fucking off.¡±

    ¡°Damn.¡±

    So much for hoping that she stuck around long enough for someone to talk to her.  The chance of winning her over to their side was slim, but the fact that she didn¡¯t retreat with the others, that she showed genuine concern?  It gave Nicole hope that there might actually be more to the woman than appearances suggested.

    Maraline had demonstrated that she cared, and the implications that she didn¡¯t have complete freedom of will sat heavily on her mind.  Was there anything that could be done for the Sylan General, or were they fated to fall to one another¡¯s blades?The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Is it true?¡± Devon asked.  ¡°Did you really lose your morpher?¡±

    A crushing weight settled in Nicole¡¯s stomach at the blunt reminder of her situation.

    ¡°It was damaged,¡± Nicole confirmed, her eyes screwed shut.

    Devon¡¯s shoulders dropped as he looked out the window.  ¡°Further proof, I suppose.¡±

    The vehicle jerked slightly as Kayla fought against herself for a moment before turning in her seat even as they continued down the highway.  ¡°The fuck does that mean?¡±

    ¡°That I was wrong,¡± Devon said, sounding utterly defeated.  ¡°I thought I knew how the world was, what my power meant, yet Nicole has proven herself a true hero time and again.  Now, she nearly died protecting us, and it cost her everything.¡±

    ¡°Not everything,¡± Grace said.

    Jeff laughed.  ¡°Damn right, she still has all of us.  I¡¯m not about to let something as inconsequential like losing one¡¯s powers drive a wedge between us.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re a team,¡± Kayla confirmed, eyes watching a cop car as it pulled beside them, then continued on a moment later.  ¡°Powers or not, we stand together.¡±

    Tears filled Nicole¡¯s eyes at the heartfelt determination that her friends were pouring out without reservation.  The only one still silent was Devon who stared at the watch on his wrist.  That was when he slipped it off, holding it up for a moment before nodding.

    ¡°I don¡¯t deserve this,¡± he said, holding it out.  ¡°You would put it to so much better use than I ever could.¡±

    Nicole stared blankly at the silver rimmed watch in his hand, knowing what it meant to make such an offer.  He was willing to give up his own means of being a Ranger, all so she could continue fighting.  The sporadic tears that had pricked at her eyes turned into a steady stream as Nicole choked out a sob.

    She reached out, her hands closing around Devon¡¯s own as she offered him a wet smile.  Nicole could see the apprehension in his eyes, the hesitation.  He didn¡¯t want to do this, but felt that it was the right thing to do.  That alone meant more to her than anything else he could have ever said.  Nicole offered him a subtle nod then closed his hand back around the device.

    As pure as the offer had been, she knew she couldn¡¯t accept it.

    ¡°That morpher is not mine to take,¡± Nicole said softly.  ¡°But it meant more than you could ever understand.¡±

    Devon pulled his hand back, reaching up to rub at the back of his head before a light tap of the morpher against his skull.  He flinched, then sighed as he fixed it back to his wrist.  Silence hung in the air, but it was the genuineness of it all that stuck out most to Nicole.  Maybe there would be a way forward for him to repair the bonds with their team.

    The ride was far less vocal from there, and the speakers weren¡¯t blasting anything that could even remotely start any arguments, just some classics of early 2010s.  It was always hard to criticize the shit that your parents insisted you grow up with, but at least it wasn¡¯t the ancient stuff from the 80s that millennials all seemed to cling to in the same way.

    The world drifted by as Nicole rested her head on Grace¡¯s lap, the gentle motions of fingers on hair and across the scalp helped her relax despite the continued aches from her recovery.  The sudden nudge was unwelcome and Nicole was quick to voice her disagreement.  Unfortunately the next nudge was a bit more forceful, necessitating that Nicole bury her head further into her comfortable pillow.

    Then fingers found her ribs and she squealed.

    Shooting bolt upright, Nicole glared at the woman whose fingers had just struck such a devastating blow.  Grace¡¯s hands were up, and a finger was pointed squarely at Kayla who stood just outside the van door which had been pulled open, letting the cool air blow inside.

    ¡°Grace wasn¡¯t willing to do what was necessary,¡± Kayla said.  ¡°I already dropped off Devon, and Jeff lives here at the dorms with you, so this is my last stop before heading home.¡±

    ¡°One star,¡± Nicole muttered, sitting up.  ¡°I¡¯m review bombing your ass to hell and back for this slight.¡±

    Kayla just grinned.  ¡°Go ahead, I picked you up on my throwaway account.¡±

    ¡°Curses,¡± Nicole muttered, extracting herself from the car proper only to stumble from a numb leg as she stood.  Grace was there in an instant, catching her before anything could happen.  ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Anytime,¡± her girlfriend said with a smile.  ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you inside.  I already got permission from Becca to bunk with you for a few days.¡±

    Nicole groaned.  ¡°Becca¡¯s gonna kill me.¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Grace agreed without a hint of joking or irony.  ¡°She¡¯s been all kinds of pissed and worried since the fight.¡±

    The words were like a backhand across the face, and Nicole lamented that she hadn¡¯t been allowed access to her phone even after it was recharged.  Sure, she had it now, but recent revelations had been enough of a distraction that she hadn¡¯t even considered texting her best friend.

    ¡°I¡¯m a terrible friend,¡± Nicole muttered.

    Grace blinked, then shook her head rapidly.  ¡°Oh, no no, none of that is directed at you.  She¡¯s pissed that you were hurt in the first place.  Kayla and Jeff were keeping her in the loop as best they could, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Still gonna,¡± Nicole muttered.

    Grace sighed.  ¡°Of course you will.  Kayla, drive safe.  I¡¯ll keep everyone in the loop.¡±

    ¡°You better,¡± Kayla said, though it was a teasing tone.  ¡°Nicole, try to get some rest.  I know you can still kick ass, but I can see it on your face that you¡¯re still in pain.  Don¡¯t be like the boys and try to power through it.¡±

    Nicole looked away, because that was exactly what she had been doing.  Kayla chuckled mirthlessly, then got back into her van leaving the couple behind.  Even after her team had given her such vocal support, it wasn¡¯t enough to completely quell her worries.  Those would always persist no matter what.  Even if she got her ability to morph back tomorrow, those doubts would endure.

    Grace was unlocking the door to Nicole¡¯s dorm with a key that she hadn¡¯t given her only for the door to swing open and for a blur of blue to crash into her.  It took a moment for her to realize it was Rebecca, her hair had been dyed again.

    ¡°I was so fucking worried!¡± Becca said.  ¡°I saw bits of it on the news, but I didn¡¯t even know if you were alive until Jeff and Kayla came by.¡±

    Nicole blinked, but Grace headed off her question.  ¡°I asked them if they could keep her up to date.  I didn¡¯t have her number and your phone was a lost cause following the double morph thing.¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s a good thing that she did,¡± Becca said with an adorable pout.  ¡°I was worried sick, you know!¡±

    Nicole winced.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Not your fault,¡± Rebecca said, poking at her sternum.  Nicole could only laugh at how she tried to act tough.  ¡°You were in a coma after almost dying.  I know I can¡¯t tell you to stop fighting, I just¡­  Just let me hug my friend, okay?¡±

    Tears pricked at Nicole¡¯s eyes as she swept Becca into a hug.  It was almost funny, Becca was so much taller than her, yet Nicole was considerably stronger, even before she became a Ranger.  She recalled one time when they were Juniors and some kid stuck gum in Becca¡¯s hair.  Nicole had held her, literally, as she cried into her shoulder.

    So, leaning on those memories, Nicole swept Rebecca into a princess carry and held her close, letting her friend cry it out.  It was almost nostalgic, holding her friend again.  Nicole was stronger now, and Becca felt almost weightless, but her feet weren¡¯t steady, she still had her aches, but Nicole would put up with it for her friend.

    Grace patted her on the shoulder and made her way over to the kitchen where she filled the kettle and set it to boil.  Nicole wasn¡¯t much in the mood for tea, but a bit of chamomile wouldn¡¯t hurt.  Plus, with how Becca was sobbing, she could probably use something warm on her throat.

    Fingers twined through Becca¡¯s hair as Nicole gently massaged her friend¡¯s scalp, humming a gentle tune as she did.  After a few minutes of that, Grace returned with three mugs in one hand and a steaming kettle in the other.  She pulled a coaster over and put the kettle on it before setting the cups out and filling them with steaming hot water.

    The gentle smell of tea filled the air and Grace took the seat beside Nicole, snuggling up against her shoulder, but not invading the space where Becca was situated on her lap.  Nicole accepted the offered cup and Becca finally scooted aside, staying close but maintaining contact.  Moreso, Nicole snuck a glance at her girlfriend and found not a hint of jealousy in her expression, something she was rather appreciative of.

    ¡°I saw you on the news,¡± Becca said after a moment, her voice soft.  ¡°They actually got a pretty good shot of when you transformed again.¡±

    A few days ago, that would have alarmed her far more than it did.  Knowing the government already knew who she was, the only real risk was that someone might leak her identity and she would be forced to go public.  That would be annoying as hell, but she could deal with it.  Hell, maybe Sinclair could even help keep things under wraps.  It almost felt like he was doing exactly that during their conversations.

    Carlos was an open Ranger, so he could probably offer some pointers if her life blew up over it.  Only time would tell.  For now, she would just take a wait and see approach.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to see that,¡± Nicole said, pulling her best friend and sister in all but blood into another close hug.  ¡°Not really much I can say to reassure you there, unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°Just¡­  Can you promise not to do that again?¡±

    Nicole sighed.  ¡°About that¡­  My morpher was damaged, with no way to repair it.¡±

    ¡°Then,¡± Becca asked, her voice almost hopeful.

    Nicole smiled bitterly.  ¡°I don¡¯t intend to stand down.  I¡¯m still stronger than most, and if I¡¯m able, I don¡¯t plan on stopping.  I¡¯m still a Ranger, even without the fancy powers.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re not,¡± Becca pleaded.  ¡°Why do you have to keep going out there, why does it have to be you to risk your life like that?  Are you still¡ª¡±

    Her voice cut off with a whimper, but Nicole hadn¡¯t missed the implied question.  She¡¯d found reasons to live, even if she relapsed from time to time in her old mentality.  Sure, Nicole was throwing herself into danger again, but she wasn¡¯t actively seeking death.

    Nicole had people in her life that genuinely cared for her well being, something she knew before, but didn¡¯t fully understand when it was just her moving in with Rebecca¡¯s parents after she lost her own.  That only lasted a few months, but she always felt like she was imposing on their hospitality.  That was when her spiral started in earnest, when she started letting the insults get to her, because children were cruel.

    Worse, Rebecca¡¯s birth father tried to force himself back into her life, insisting that he would reclaim his son.  Colin almost went to jail when he kicked the piss out of Becca¡¯s sperm donor.  Nicole still looked back on that moment fondly, one of the few bright spots in those days.  There was nothing quite as humiliating for a redneck from down south getting their ass handed to them by a five foot nothing trans man.

    Even with all of that, Nicole hadn¡¯t felt like part of their family, just an inconvenience that they took care of out of an obligation and nothing more.  Now, sitting on a couch in the early afternoon, Nicole felt like she had found a place she belonged, and something worth fighting for.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°But if that is the price for you, or Grace, or anyone else I care about coming home alive, I¡¯d gladly put myself in front of that danger.  The future is worth fighting for, and I can¡¯t be a bystander, not anymore.¡±

    Becca whimpered, snuggling closer as she did.  Grace tossed an arm over her shoulder and pulled Nicole in tight.  Sitting there, wrapped up in the affection of people who genuinely cared for her as she drifted off.

 Chapter 37 - Performance

    Waking up with two girls sprawled across her was not something Nicole ever expected in life, but she was all too happy for it given the circumstances.  Becca¡¯s head was in her lap, Nicole¡¯s own fingers tangled in her hair from where she had been gently stroking her friend¡¯s head.  Grace¡¯s arm was still slung over her shoulder, but her girlfriend¡¯s face was buried in said shoulder and half her shirt was damp with drool.

    Even with the superior healing that Kelly insisted she still possessed, there was more than a little stiffness from the position.  Nicole could only imagine how bad Becca would have it if she spent the whole night there.  That left her with a bit of a conundrum as she didn¡¯t want to wake either of them.

    She started by gently coaxing Grace¡¯s arm up and over her shoulder, setting it on the back of the sofa, then lifting her head away from the rather damp perch it had been resting upon.  Nicole couldn¡¯t help but smile at the sight, even if it did mean she would need to change before getting to bed properly.

    With her girlfriend untangled, lifting Becca was much easier.  Nicole put one hand under her head and another under her knees and lifted, giving her just enough room to get to her feet and keep Becca¡¯s head aloft.  From there, she carried the tall girl with an ease that could only come from the enhancements she still possessed.  She¡¯d done it before, the first time Becca came stumbling back to the dorm drunk along with some of her friends, including their designated sober girl who had done her job admirably despite the underage drinking.

    It was almost nostalgic carrying her back into her room and tucking her in.  Nicole wasn¡¯t about to try and get her changed into pajamas, but she was grateful that shoes didn¡¯t need to be removed.  Becca was very much a boot girl and those things tended to smell ripe after a full day.

    Once her friend was tucked in, she brushed a few loose hairs from her face and Becca muttered something incomprehensible that brought a smile to Nicole¡¯s own.  Once she was content that her friend was nice and cozy, she turned, planning to return to the living room and do the same with Grace, but her girlfriend was already standing in the doorway, a bit bleary-eyed, but otherwise alert and grinning.

    ¡°That was sweet of you,¡± Grace said, pulling Nicole into a hug before she kissed her on the forehead.

    ¡°How much did you see?¡± Nicole asked, fighting off a fierce blush.

    Grace hummed, pulling her along and towards Nicole¡¯s own room.  ¡°Since you put my arm on the couch.  I didn¡¯t want to spoil things for you, so I just played along.¡±

    Nicole found herself pouting, but still snuggled up against her girlfriend as they slipped into Nicole¡¯s own room.  Nicole made sure to change shirts, then as she looked down at the one she had just removed, eyeing the damp spot that still discolored the cloth.  She grinned back at her now red-faced girlfriend as she tossed it at her.

    Grace caught it and promptly pulled the shirt close, snuggling it like a teddy bear while sticking her tongue out at Nicole.

    ¡°Brat,¡± Nicole muttered, not really meaning it.

    It actually felt a little strange to call the much taller woman a brat, given she always imagined someone small when tossing out that insult, even if it was a minor one.

    ¡°Your brat,¡± Grace said, kissing her cheek.  ¡°Now and always, for as long as you will have me.¡±

    Tears pricked at Nicole¡¯s eyes, the tenderness and sincerity of those words hitting her like a sledgehammer, or one of Bartran¡¯s punches.  Somehow she knew that a normal person with a sledge probably wouldn¡¯t do much damage to a Ranger so long as they had time to morph.  Nicole wasn¡¯t certain how durable she might still be, but that was a question to answer later.

    Tangents aside, Nicole snuggled closer to her girlfriend, relishing the warmth spreading through her from that statement.  How did someone answer something like that?  She considered some corny lines, or other such cliches, and really, what was wrong with one of the classics?  It wasn¡¯t like it lost meaning just because a bunch of people agreed that it worked, she would just need to put her own spin on it.

    ¡°Then you had best strap in for the long haul,¡± Nicole finally answered.  ¡°Because I don¡¯t plan on going anywhere without you, even if we¡¯re going into hell itself.¡±

    Because in the end, what was war except for another hell?  Nicole would fight at Grace¡¯s side, no matter what came, and they would see things through to the very end.

    Together.

    <hr>

    Waking up the following morning brought with it something Nicole hadn¡¯t expected, a complete lack of pain.  It was as if the horrific events had never happened and it was almost impossible for her mind to truly wrap around that fact after so many days in an experimental hospital deep underground.  The only thing that truly grounded her was the sound of Grace¡¯s soft snores beside her.

    Nicole snuggled up with her, checking her phone for a moment for any messages.  The group chat was mostly people checking in that they were home safe before turning in.  It was barely ass AM in the morning, which meant she was probably the only one awake anyway.  The next thing that caught Nicole¡¯s eye was an email from the Director of the college that excused her from classes for a week, no doubt courtesy of Sinclair.

    Another favor that the man might call in at any moment.

    Nicole considered trying for more sleep, but she knew that wouldn¡¯t happen.  Instead she just laid back and let herself soak in the presence of her girlfriend and the fact that both of them had survived an event that should by all rights have ended in their deaths.  Bartran was powerful, and fast enough to handle most Rangers on his own, but Guiana was something else entirely.

    And Nicole had matched her.

    Whatever time it took for them to recover, they would seek her out again regardless of if she could morph or not.  Nicole wouldn¡¯t be ready, that much was clear.  She could try to run, but that would be a betrayal of her duty as a Ranger, powers or no.

    ¡°You think too loud,¡± Grace grumbled, her eyes still shut.  ¡°Brain off, sleep more.¡±

    A soft chuckle spilled forth from Nicole, her hand coming up to gently cup Grace¡¯s cheek.  Her girlfriend seemed so peaceful and vulnerable in that moment, but Nicole knew that she could spring up into violence in an instant.  Such was the truth of being a Ranger, even one who no longer held her full might.

    ¡°Sorry.  I¡¯ll try to think less for you.¡±

    ¡°Cheeky,¡± Grace muttered.

    ¡°Just remember you have classes,¡± Nicole whispered.  ¡°You¡¯ve already missed a few days as it is.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the weekend,¡± Grace said.

    Nicole winced, double checking her phone for confirmation.  ¡°It¡¯s actually Monday.¡±

    ¡°Noooo!¡± Grace groaned, pulling a pillow over her face.

    <hr>

    After a hearty breakfast only made possible by waking up ungodly early, Nicole was left with little to do with her time.  Grace and Becca both had classes in the morning and while Nicole considered heading for hers even with the exception, it sort of felt wrong to do so.  Instead, Nicole had done something she hadn¡¯t in a while, she¡¯d added to her everyday belt. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    The blades that Grace had made for her weren¡¯t technically legal to carry in the city, but given the threats that might come for her, Nicole would rather take the risk than be unprepared for an attack.  Nicole had also thrown her duster on to conceal the blades hidden along her back in a twin scout carry.  The leather coat was a warm comfort in the face of the late fall chill.

    Soon winter would hit in full, and Nicole was not looking forward to potentially facing the Sylan without her suit to protect her from the bite of nature.  At least the campus was peaceful while classes were in session, and it also presented an opportunity.

    The gymnastics building should be vacant for another hour, which would be perfect for seeing how her abilities still stacked up.  Stepping inside, she flicked on the lights and grinned.  She would once again have the place to herself for a while.  Nicole ran through her stretches, but intended to keep her normal clothes and weapons on.  If someone complained about boots on the mat¡­  Well, she could deal with that later.

    Nicole also took a moment to set up her phone and hit record.  It would be good to go over things with her team later.  Plus, Grace would appreciate the show, even if it didn¡¯t show off her muscles all that much.  Nicole still struggled to understand what Grace saw in her, but she could only trust that her girlfriend was being honest.

    ¡°We meet again.¡±

    Nicole turned quickly, the air around her whistling as she spun to face the sudden voice.  The instructor, Tanya, stood off to the side, a bemused smile on her face as she stepped out into the open.  Tanya¡¯s eyes trailed over the outfit that was entirely inappropriate for a floor routine, but that smile didn¡¯t falter.

    ¡°Interesting choice in outfit,¡± Tanya continued.  ¡°I do wonder what you might be getting up to in my gymnasium dressed like an assassin on the prowl.¡±

    Nicole shrugged, turning so Tanya couldn¡¯t see her face.  ¡°I wanted to practice some self-defense stuff in my Renfaire gear, figured this would be a good place given how cold it is out.¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course!¡± Tanya said, clapping her hands once.  ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, I¡¯ll just be over here to make sure you don¡¯t slice up my mats with those knives you think are hidden.¡±

    Nicole rolled her eyes, knowing that Tanya knew more than she was letting on.  Nicole had checked the footage the news played, and someone got a decent shot from a helicopter when her morph broke.  It wouldn¡¯t be enough to get a proper ID, but the red hair was rather distinctive even in the heavy rainfall.

    That Nicole now stood before someone with an eye for performance in a fair portion of the outfit her Ranger suit had modeled itself after would only make it worse.  If she was to be busted, better to own it than try to back out and run away.

    The daggers stayed holstered as Nicole fell into one of the routines she had done the day she met Tanya, keeping herself close to human limits to start.  It would still make for a decent marker for her abilities, even without pushing herself to the fullest.  The routine went off easily as it had before, even with the mismatched gear weighing her down.

    ¡°You sure I can¡¯t talk you into competing?¡±

    Nicole shook her head, knowing that the requests would never end, not as long as she appeared so compelling.  She could just out herself, which would put the questioning to a conclusive end, but that also meant another potential end to her already limited anonymity.

    Starting another recording, she fell back into another comfortable routine.  The moment some leering guy showed up, she would probably leave, but while it was just the two of them she would show off a bit.  Once again, there was no difficulty in doing even the most difficult of her old sets, which took a lot of the enjoyment out of doing so.

    Maybe she should try to come up with some new routines that took her new strength and speed into account?  That could provide the challenge that was now lacking.  Finishing yet another routine, she couldn¡¯t help but avoid the calculating gaze of the gymnastics instructor and former Olympian.

    ¡°I have my reasons,¡± Nicole said, taking the opportunity to rotate into a handstand, and when that proved too easy, she shifted to one arm and started doing push ups.  ¡°Think about it.  I¡¯m on medical leave, yet nothing is wrong with me, and I insist I can¡¯t compete.  Why is that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s fairly obvious,¡± Tanya said with a shrug, taking a seat against the wall.  ¡°I mostly want you on the team to push my other idiots into trying harder, even if you can¡¯t compete.¡±  Then, Tanya smirked.  ¡°As an aside, the doors are all locked if you want to truly cut loose.¡±

    It really shouldn¡¯t have surprised Nicole that the woman figured things out.  Competing at the level she had, there were likely other Rangers that tried to worm their way into events they shouldn¡¯t, and leave it to a master to pick those out when they cropped up.

    ¡°I can¡¯t cut loose,¡± Nicole admitted through grit teeth.  ¡°You no doubt saw the stunt I pulled, well, it had consequences.¡±

    Tanya frowned for a moment, then her eyes shot wide.  ¡°No shit?  But the stuff you just did¡ª¡±

    ¡°Are well above human baseline?¡± Nicole asked, her eyes burning as she forced a smile.  ¡°Some things can¡¯t be taken as easily.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you still intend to fight,¡± Tanya asked in a near whisper.

    In answer, Nicole drew her daggers and launched into one of the combat routines she had barely practiced since finding it online.  She really needed to get in touch with some instructors, including that HEMA thing that Jeff mentioned.  Despite the inexperience, Nicole¡¯s actions were swift and decisive, striking at machines that only existed within her mind¡¯s eye.

    ¡°Shit,¡± Tanya said, drawing Nicole¡¯s gaze.  ¡°It¡¯s funny, when we first met I had my money on you being the Red Ranger.¡±

    Nicole couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.  ¡°Sorry to disappoint.  It would be a bit on the nose for the ginger to be the Red Ranger though.¡±

    Tanya tapped her chin, seemingly deep in thought.  ¡°Think there have been Rangers that fell into racial stereotypes before?¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Nicole said, lining up for a new display, her blades stowed once again.  As funny as it might have been to reveal that the original White Ranger was a black man, the fact he still lived was supposed to be a secret.  ¡°I¡¯m going to push myself a bit here, just don¡¯t panic if I hit the mat hard.¡±

    She¡¯d need to be careful, because Nicole suspected that she could jump higher than the ceilings even as she currently was.  Actually, were there any routines that would benefit from her enhancements beyond the aerial stuff?  So, she did exactly that, rolling into a floor routine with as many flips as she could, only she added impossible heights to them.

    There was a thrill to that, even if it was easier than ever to pull off.  Watching the world twist around her at speeds that should have blacked her out, stalling out twenty plus feet off the ground only to come tumbling back to the earth in a controlled fall.  It was thrilling, even if there was no real danger.

    Just for giggles, on one such jump, she touched the ceiling, then let herself fall back to the mat with a heavy thump.  She was laughing even as Tanya came running over, Nicole¡¯s phone in hand.

    ¡°Damn girl,¡± she said, offering her a hand that wasn¡¯t really needed.  ¡°That was cool as shit.¡±

    ¡°Fun too,¡± Nicole admitted, getting back to her feet with a quick kip up.  Nicole reached for that mental switch that would dismiss her transformation almost reflexively, only to pause as it caught up with her that she wasn¡¯t transformed.  That didn¡¯t help how she flinched reflexively, as if anticipating crippling pain once more.  Seeing Tanya¡¯s concerned visage, she smiled softly.  ¡°Hopefully that passes in time.¡±

    ¡°I saw the footage, and it really should have clicked that it was you in hindsight,¡± Tanya said, handing Nicole¡¯s phone back.  ¡°It¡¯s just like getting back into things after an injury.  You¡¯ll get there.¡±

    It was true.  Anyone that competed had injuries from what they did that had to be overcome, and the pain stayed fresh in the mind despite everything being all healed up.  Nicole knew it was all in her mind, but that didn¡¯t make it any less traumatic for her.  Another fight would come, and she would feel that hesitation, and she would move beyond it.

    Because that¡¯s what heroes do.

    ¡°Maybe I will pop in to help motivate your slackers,¡± Nicole said, gathering her things.  She would probably go for a run after, that way she didn¡¯t waste a shower before meeting up with Grace for a double date with Colin and Becca.

    With her phone back in hand, Nicole snapped another selfie, sending it off to Grace as she did.  She was a lot less self conscious than she was when they first met, but that didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t blushing up a storm at the thought of her girlfriend getting excited over pictures of her.  That voice that whispered insults once said in the open wasn¡¯t as loud as it once was, but that didn¡¯t mean it had fallen completely silent.

    It was just that certain compliments whispered in heated moments were much harder to ignore.  That thought alone brought heat to her cheeks and a smile to her lips, even as the blushing emoji reply came in.

    ¡°So, when do I get to meet this girlfriend you¡¯re showing off so much for?¡± Tanya asked with a knowing smirk.  ¡°She¡¯s got to be something special.¡±

    ¡°You have no idea,¡± Nicole said, grabbing her bag.  ¡°I¡¯ve said it often, but she looks pretty good in red.¡±

    Tanya belted out a jovial laugh, giving Nicole a firm slap on the back as she did.  ¡°You really don¡¯t do things by half, do you?¡±

    Images flashed through Nicole¡¯s mind, from her disastrous morph, all the way back to when she stood up for Becca, and everything in between.  Whether it be good or bad, she really did throw herself completely into whatever came her way.  Grace included.

    ¡°Damn right I don¡¯t,¡± Nicole said, and departed for her date.

 Chapter 38 - Noodle Incident

    Nicole had an hour until Grace¡¯s last class let out, which gave her plenty of time to cut loose on the jogging trails.  She would need to rein herself in enough that people didn¡¯t look too closely, but she also knew that a lot of people just weren¡¯t that observant.  Sure, some of the people she ran past probably looked at her a little funny, but most would shrug and forget about it other than an idle curiosity.  That held true for what felt like her entire route, sometimes she would spot a double take from those she passed, not that she bothered to look back at those she left in the dust.

    Confidence was key in getting people to just roll with something.

    If only she had learned that lesson in high school she might have been able to shrug off the comments from those that bullied her and Becca more.  Shaking her head, she made her way back into the dorm and got showered and changed.  She once again picked something that showed off her figure, having bought a few outfits that deviated from her old high school baggy normal.

    She was wearing it for Grace, even if she couldn¡¯t quite see the appeal herself.  Yes, that was a bit hypocritical of her, Nicole would drool over muscle girls all the time, but being one of those girls wasn¡¯t quite the same.

    Her shirt fell a few inches shy of covering her stomach, and had strings for straps to keep it on.  It barely qualified as a shirt, and it was a summer yellow.  She¡¯d also picked out a pair of cloth shorts to go with it that definitely showed off her assets.  Looking in the mirror and trying to imagine her body on anyone else, Nicole could almost see it.

    Shaking her head, she went out into the living room and found Becca, dressed to the nines in an absolutely amazing deep blue dress that tied off around her neck and swept all the way down to her ankles with a split that ran all the way up to her thighs.  To say that Nicole was a bit jealous of Colin at the moment was an understatement.

    ¡°In my humble, lesbian opinion, damn,¡± Nicole said with a grin.

    Becca looked up from her phone, and snorted.  ¡°Talk about pandering to our dates.¡±

    ¡°You got that right,¡± Nicole said, striking a bit of a pose.  ¡°Think Grace will like it?¡±

    ¡°Well, as a straight girl, I can¡¯t comment too much,¡± Becca said wryly, ¡°but I do believe this is a ¡®doy¡¯ moment if I ever saw one.¡±

    Now that was an idea for a Halloween costume, if she had ever thought of one, the only problem would be convincing Grace to dress up as little Miss Go¡­  Eh, they still had another month to go, she could make it happen.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me get a spray bottle,¡± Becca said, smacking Nicole¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°I can see the gears turning already.  Now, are we going to keep our dates waiting?¡±

    Nicole shook her head.  ¡°I just wish we could get someone to take pictures of the looks on their faces.¡±

    ¡°Way ahead of you,¡± Becca said with a smirk.  ¡°I got in touch with Kayla, she agreed to snap a few pictures.¡±

    Nicole was impressed at the forethought, and a bit disappointed in herself for not thinking of it first.  Then again, she wasn¡¯t thinking of much beyond Grace at the moment.  The date had been an idea to spend some time together after Nicole¡¯s extended hospital stay, and well, she wanted to tell Colin so that Becca wouldn¡¯t have to keep a major secret from him if something happened again.

    She hadn¡¯t outright said it, but Nicole knew her friend well enough.  Keeping that secret was eating at her, especially during Nicole¡¯s time in a coma when she couldn¡¯t explain anything.  Well, that was going to end, and hopefully remove a burden that her friend was carrying.  She had enough worries in life as it was without adding some of Nicole¡¯s own on top.

    They left together, drawing more than a few eyes as they did.  Nicole was grateful that almost nobody from their old school ended up in their college, most opting for the larger universities closer to downtown.  That was half the reason they decided to go to Anoka instead, getting away from the assholes.

    Getting out onto the grounds, Nicole was stopped in her tracks as she took in the vision of pure lesbian thirst before her.  Grace had opted to wear a sleeveless black tanktop with a fucking red flannel bandanna around her neck.  She¡¯d paired that with loose jeans that still managed to hug her thighs in all the right places, and a beanie on top of it.

    She had actually¡­

    ¡°Lesbian lumberjack much?¡± Becca muttered, not that Nicole really heard her, transfixed as she was.  ¡°Colin, you look dashing.¡±

    Nicole snapped out of her reverie as Becca closed the distance and kissed her suit clad boyfriend.  The pair started to coo over one another in hushed whispers much to Nicole¡¯s own amusement.  Then Nicole found herself staring again at her own date for the evening.  Grace was biting her lip and looking Nicole up and down in a way that was very much inappropriate.  Not that she was any better, of course.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Nicole said, finding only the one word.

    Grace¡¯s mouth worked for a few seconds, her eyes kept wanting to drift down and that alone sent a thrill through Nicole, because she knew that her girlfriend was only looking because she liked what she saw.

    ¡°Damn,¡± Grace finally got out.  ¡°Are you trying to give me an anime gusher of a nose bleed?¡±

    Smirking, Nicole reached up, running a finger under Grace¡¯s nose and inspected it.  ¡°Hmm, clearly I need to try harder.¡±

    ¡°You can try-hard her all night after we get back,¡± Becca shouted.  ¡°Come on, we have reservations and I don¡¯t want to lose out.¡±

    ¡°Oh, let them be useless,¡± Kayla chimed in from right behind Nicole, getting a startled ¡®eep¡¯ out of her.  ¡°I think it¡¯s cute.¡±

    ¡°You would,¡± Grace muttered.  ¡°I swear, if you send that to¡ª¡±

    A gentle chime from Nicole¡¯s phone was all she needed, because the damage was done.

    ¡°Too late,¡± Kayla said with a coy smile before pushing Nicole along.  ¡°Now go have fun.  You both need it.¡±

    Being pushed towards the car, Nicole and Grace found themselves laughing as Kayla grinned wide.  Colin was driving, and Becca claimed shotgun as was her right, which left the back seat to the pair as they both got buckled in.  The engine fired up, but they didn¡¯t immediately pull away.

    ¡°Are you sure that you¡¯re up to this?¡± Colin asked, turning in his seat.  ¡°You only got out of the hospital yesterday.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Colin,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°I heal pretty fast these days.¡±

    He raised an eyebrow.  ¡°Nicole, I remember you crying with an ice pack on a sprained ankle that took two weeks before you could walk again.¡±

    ¡°I got better,¡± Nicole said, pulling up a video of her afternoon acrobatics.  ¡°Literally.¡±

    He watched the video as it played out, showing her moving with knives in hand, and she caught the moment when the recognition flashed across his face.  His eyes ever so slowly widened, pupils dilating as they trailed up from her phone to look back at her smirking face.

    ¡°Holy shit,¡± he said after a moment.  ¡°You saved my life¡­  Oh god, that was you screaming on the news!  Becca did you¡ª  No, of course you knew, that¡¯s why you were¡ª  Fuck I was such an ass.  I¡¯m¡ª¡±

    Becca cut him off with a quick kiss, chaste but enough to accomplish what was needed.

    ¡°Yes yes, all is forgiven,¡± Becca said.  ¡°Now get driving before we miss our reservation and they give the table away.¡±

    His eyes flicked back to Nicole again, then to Grace before he let out an explosive sigh.

    ¡°As you wish.¡±

    Becca had picked a rather upscale Italian place in the Maple Grove shopping plaza, which was set up to resemble a small town main street in what could only be described as an overly elaborate open air mall.  It was one of the oddities of the city, which shouldn''t come as a surprise that it was in one of the more affluent areas of the Minneapolis suburbs.

    The restaurant was on the edge of the false main street, and was considered a bit of a local treasure.  Nicole had eaten there a handful of times with her parents, and once with Becca¡¯s, but she hadn¡¯t been back in over a year.  It wasn¡¯t that it was terribly expensive, no worse than a chain steakhouse really, but it was enough out of their way to make it inconvenient to travel to.

    Given they were on a double date, that made the drive less of an ordeal especially since it was a special occasion and all.  Colin seemed to be processing the revelation that he had a Ranger in the car rather well, and if he happened to figure out that Grace was also a Ranger, well, he hadn¡¯t said anything about it.

    So, once parked, it was only natural that Nicole and Grace got into an argument over who would get the door for the other.  Nicole stared at her equally stubborn girlfriend, neither willing to yield.  Nicole wished she could just phase through the door, but that would require morphing to accomplish, something she could no longer do.

    ¡°The dangers of lesbian relationships,¡± Colin muttered as he got the door for Becca.  ¡°Come on you two, we¡¯re already cutting it close.  You can figure out who tops on your own time.¡±

    Nicole choked on her own spit.

    ¡°And that answers that,¡± Grace said, though she was just as red as Nicole no doubt was.  Opening the door, Grace got out and circled around, getting Nicole¡¯s door with a flourished bow.  ¡°M¡¯lady.¡±

    Blush deepening, Nicole held out a hand and let Grace lift her from the car, only to be promptly pulled into a tight embrace.  She almost expected to be pulled into an equally deep kiss, but Grace barely pecked her on the lips before wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her along towards the restaurant and out of the autumn chill.

    It almost felt wrong, doing something so mundane as a date after such a major battle that nearly claimed her life, but at the same time, that defiance spoke just as loudly.  Knowing that she could keep living her life despite everything, it helped ground her, keep things in perspective.  Nicole wouldn¡¯t forget who she fought for, friends and family alike, even if they were the family she chose.

    There had to be fifty people waiting to get a table, and a rather lengthy line to see someone at the podium.  They had scarcely been in line for thirty seconds before a commotion at the front of the line was drawing every eye to it.  Nicole, being naturally curious, pulled herself from Grace¡¯s arm for a moment to get a better look ahead. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    It was a young blonde woman, yelling irately at the dark skinned server who was clearly uncomfortable with the situation.  Instantly, anger flooded Nicole at the sight.  There were few things that ignited her fury quite like seeing such things play out in front of her.  Hell, it was that very response that led to her befriending Becca back when they were freshmen.

    Without much thought, Nicole stepped out of the line and stomped up to them, wishing she could reach down for the now missing watch and make a proper show of it.  That didn¡¯t mean that she couldn¡¯t use her enhanced strength and speed to great effect even without her morpher.  She needed to resist the temptation, because abusing her own power like that wouldn¡¯t send a good message.  Just like an old wizard using his power to try to demonstrate that bullying was wrong, by being the bigger bully, it would send the opposite message.

    Just because you had the bigger stick did not give you any reason to flaunt it.

    Once she was on top of them, she realized that the woman was with another dark skinned man with a close trimmed beard.  A young man she immediately recognized and one she hadn¡¯t seen in the flesh for several days.

    ¡°Devon?¡± Nicole asked in surprise.

    Both turned abruptly, and that was when Nicole realized her mistake.  She hadn¡¯t taken the time to see if she recognized the woman as well.  She knew her, alright.  Though it had been many months since she last saw her.  Tiffany ¡®call me Nia¡¯ Hall.  One of the many bitches within their high school that had taken to treating Rebecca like she wasn¡¯t even a person.  One of the women that had lumped her in with her best friend and made sure that she didn¡¯t see anything of worth in her own life.  A woman with so little empathy that she saw nothing wrong with degrading someone who was mourning the loss of their parents.

    Eyes locked, Nicole found herself unmoved.  A year ago she would have looked away, wilted under the woman¡¯s gaze, but now?  She had stared down the Commander of the Sylan forces while bleeding from her eyes under her helmet.  What power did the girl actually hold that could possibly compare?

    Then her brain caught up with her and she made another connection.  This was the girlfriend that he spoke of, and suddenly so many small details made sense.  Given how she was in line with Devon, Nicole couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she knew he was a Ranger.  If so, that meant she was in for a rather interesting confrontation.

    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the tranny filth,¡± Tiffany said with a sneer.  ¡°They let trash like you in here?¡±

    ¡°Still not trans,¡± Nicole said, smirking.  ¡°I get being jealous of my abs, but you¡¯re taking it a bit far there.¡±

    ¡°I am not jealous of you, freak,¡± Tiffany exclaimed.

    She inhaled, clearly ready to let something else out of her repugnant lips, but that was when Grace stepped up beside Nicole, wrapping a protective arm around her.  Becca and Colin weren¡¯t far behind, taking up her other flank.

    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the whore of Central High,¡± Becca said cheerfully.  ¡°I¡¯m glad you seem to have gotten that infection cleared up.¡±  She eyed Devon for a moment.  ¡°At least, I hope she did, for your sake.¡±

    Colin couldn¡¯t help but snort.

    ¡°I want these freaks removed,¡± Tiffany said with her nose in the air.

    ¡°Reservations for Hopwood,¡± Colin said.

    The woman behind the podium, who had been frozen in mortified panic at their exchange, blinked at the statement.  She then realized it had been directed at her.  She skimmed the list, her finger trailing down the page when she paused.

    ¡°Yes, I have you right here,¡± she said, sounding relieved to have something to act on.  ¡°Kevin can show you to your seats.¡±

    ¡°Unacceptable!¡± Tiffany screeched, stepping forward.  ¡°These disgusting vermin insulted me.  I demand they be removed!¡±

    ¡°The only one being a rude ass here is you,¡± Becca snapped.  ¡°Even your boyfriend is slinking away.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s eyes shot wide and she spun on Devon, and sure enough, he had taken several steps away from her.  Nicole watched the trembling anger sweep over Tiffany, like a steam cooker straining for release.

    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, do something!¡± she yelled.  ¡°This was supposed to be a celebration.  For you!¡±

    There wasn¡¯t much to be celebrating, other than the recent battle, unless Devon had done something else of note in the last few days.  One look into his eyes told Nicole all she needed to know.  So, Nicole decided to be a bit brazen, one look at her girlfriend was enough to communicate her intent and Grace grinned in a way that sent chills down Nicole¡¯s spine.

    ¡°What a coincidence,¡± Grace said, her smile anything but kind.  ¡°We¡¯re also here to celebrate.¡±

    Tiffany whipped around, only to find Grace holding up her left arm, the watch on it plain to see, and a perfect match for Devon¡¯s own aside from the accent lining.  While Devon¡¯s had a silver trim, Grace¡¯s bore a thin strip of crimson instead.

    It took a moment for the recognition to settle in, but it eventually did.  Then Tiffany looked first at Becca, then at Colin.  Neither let their arms be seen, leaving that a mystery, and that was when Nicole leaned in to land the killing blow.

    ¡°Mine might be in for repair after fighting two of the Sylan leaders, but I¡¯m far from helpless.  Just ask your knight, if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±

    Tiffany whipped her head around, and Devon for his part nodded firmly, crossing his arms as he did.  ¡°Was it necessary to insult my team like that, Nia¡±

    ¡°For someone so transphobic, she sure loves to use a chosen name,¡± Colin whispered.

    ¡°No fucking way,¡± Tiffany muttered, still looking between Devon¡¯s confirmation and Nicole¡¯s own harsh expression.  ¡°You can¡¯t be¡­¡±

    ¡°Be what?¡± Becca asked.  ¡°Someone who sticks up for those who can¡¯t stand on their own two feet?  That sure as hell sounds like Nicole to me.¡±

    Before the bitch could retort, someone in a nice suit had come over, asking Tiffany to come with him.  Devon seemed torn for a moment before he took a deep breath and didn¡¯t move to follow his girlfriend, much to Nicole¡¯s surprise.  She wasn¡¯t used to guys actually turning their back on their source of regular sex.  Maybe Kayla would give him a shot after all, if he actually managed to clean up his views.  Only time would tell if he could learn and grow.

    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± he said, rubbing the back of his head as they all stepped to the side and away from prying ears.  ¡°I¡¯m guessing you have a history with her?¡±

    ¡°You could say that,¡± Becca said, almost spitting out the words.  ¡°Please tell me that¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve seen that side of her.¡±

    He grimaced.  ¡°No, but I¡¯m hopeful it will be the last.  I just¡ª  She was there with me at the Renfaire, she was going to die right then and there when the power came to me.  It felt almost ordained, you know?¡±

    ¡°What, like some god picked you?¡± Colin muttered.

    Nicole thought back to her own experience, then to the voice that had called out to her.  She knew he hadn¡¯t experienced that part, that he wasn¡¯t one to hear the voices that transcended time itself.  Yet, there did seem to be some sort of intelligence that selected Rangers from those in the crowd.  For all his failings, he was still someone who had jumped in to defend others.

    He was still a Ranger.

    ¡°Devon¡¯s not far off,¡± Nicole said, throwing him a lifeline as she addressed Colin and Becca.  ¡°There is some higher thinking to how most Rangers are chosen.  We just don¡¯t know what it is.  Sinclair had some theories but it¡¯s hard to tell how much of it was actually true.¡±

    Devon grimaced, no doubt recalling that conversation.  The idea that the Sylan were the ones making the Rangers was something that she was struggling to accept, no matter how much sense it seemed to make.  Next time she saw Maraline, she would ask the woman directly.  It wasn¡¯t like it would change much, not with how Bartran had marked her for death.

    ¡°On that cheery note,¡± Grace said.  ¡°I do believe that is our waiter over there.¡±

    Looking over, a man was indeed waiting patiently for them to finish their conversation.  All eyes turned to Colin and the man grumbled before heading over and being directed to follow.  Becca was right on his heels, leaving the Rangers alone for just a moment.

    ¡°Thanks for sticking with us,¡± Nicole said softly.  ¡°I know that couldn¡¯t have been easy for you to watch her walk away like that.¡±

    Devon shut his eyes, taking a deep breath as he did.  ¡°You¡¯re right, it wasn¡¯t easy, but when has doing the right thing ever been easy?¡±

    Nicole smiled, fighting back the memories of her body tearing itself apart.  ¡°Never.  Yet we continue to do it anyway.¡±

    ¡°Rangers should be the example to follow,¡± Devon said, returning her smile with something that might not be entirely faked.  ¡°Sorry again about all of this.  I know I wasn¡¯t the best either, so thanks for giving me a chance.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re trying,¡± Nicole said, offering her hand.  ¡°We¡¯re a team, and as long as I know you¡¯ll have my back, that¡¯s good enough for me.  The rest will come with time.¡±

    Devon took it, squeezing tight.  ¡°Yeah, you don¡¯t have to worry about me.  Rangers lead the way, and you sure as hell gave us an example to follow.¡±

    ¡°We hold the line,¡± she answered with a smile.  ¡°Maybe give Kayla a call, fill her in on what happened tonight.  She could probably use the laugh.¡±

    Nicole had to elbow her girlfriend when she started to giggle.  Devon departed with a smile and nod, and she did not envy him dealing with Tiffany¡¯s bitch ass after getting thrown out of the restaurant.  Nicole was just glad that the situation hadn¡¯t gotten so far out of hand that the police had to get involved.  At least on their end.

    ¡°Well, that happened,¡± Grace said, pulling her into a hug.  ¡°Was that really the bitch from high school you told me about?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately that was one of them,¡± Nicole said with a grimace.  ¡°Small world indeed.¡±

    Grace pulled back, but kept one arm around her.  ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go enjoy the rest of our night.  Put that shit behind us.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± Nicole said, reaching up to feather a kiss on her girlfriend¡¯s cheek.

    A smile was back on her face as they made their way to the booth that Colin had requested.  Already, a large plate of assorted breads had been set out for them, the bread still steaming hot.

    Colin was being an adorable little shit, feeding a piece to Becca as they both struggled not to laugh.  Their waiter was returning with another plate of the bread just as they took their seat.  Nicole smiled and thanked him, then gave her drink order for a lemonade, because she had never had better at any other establishment in all her years.

    Taking up a piece of focaccia, Nicole and Grace proceeded to attempt to out cute Colin and Becca.  To middling success seeing as those two had been a couple for almost four years.  They had more practice at the craft.  It was fun and silly, and proceeded even after their main courses arrived.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Becca said, before the waiter could duck away.  ¡°Can you add a small plate of spaghetti tossed in garlic butter for each of us?¡±

    He raised an eyebrow, but noted it down.

    ¡°What are you up to?¡± Colin asked with a wry smirk.

    She looked away, trying to hide her smile and blush.  ¡°Just a silly idea, but save some room for the pasta.¡±

    Grace snorted.  ¡°This ought to be good.¡±

    ¡°The garlic pasta is pretty good,¡± Becca said.

    Her deflection was a bit obvious, but Nicole wasn¡¯t going to spoil her fun.

    They ate, sharing funny or embarrassing stories as they did, right up until the pasta arrived.  Once the dishes were in place, Becca smacked Grace¡¯s hand before she could dig in.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Becca said smugly, which was never a good sign.  ¡°First, we must establish the rules of this noodle slurping contest.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re challenging two lesbians to a contest involving noodles?¡± Grace asked with the flattest deadpan that Nicole had ever heard.  ¡°I think we¡¯re a bit inexperienced at this.¡±

    Nicole couldn¡¯t help but giggle.  ¡°Grace, think about it for a moment, she¡¯s not the one we have to worry about here.¡±

    Her girlfriend blinked, then her face creased in an adorable frown as she fell into far deeper thought than was strictly necessary, as the answer was fairly obvious, if a bit abstract.  Nicole spotted the exact moment it clicked, laughing as Grace¡¯s eyes shot wide open and she turned a glare upon Colin.

    ¡°Bingo,¡± he said with a wry smirk.  ¡°Ready to lose?¡±

    And lose they did, hilariously so at that.  He ate the pasta at a pace that Nicole could scarcely believe, clearing his plate in less than fifteen seconds.  Grace by comparison hadn¡¯t even finished her second forkful by then.  Becca came in second, to little surprise.  Becca was far too open when talking about her sex life after a few drinks, so Nicole didn¡¯t need to imagine much.

    She finished third, but it was a near thing.  Grace had taken the other¡¯s swift finishes as a challenge and tried her damnedest to not finish last.  Valiant efforts aside, it led to much laughter and a few inappropriate comments that had some old lady at the table across the way glaring at them, which resulted in four tongues being stuck out at her.

    Sitting back, snuggling into Grace¡¯s side with a full stomach, Nicole knew for certain that this was what life was all about, and made it worth living.  She had people worth fighting for, and she was a soldier in the war for survival.  Tonight might have been a night for relaxing and celebrating, but tomorrow, they would prepare for the battles to come.

 Interlude: Jeff

    Step.  Shoulder tensed.  Strike coming wide and low.  Adjust spear.  Impact.  Manageable.  Adjust.  Thrust.  Contact.

    ¡°Point, Cunningham!¡± The judge called.

    Jeff stepped back, a grin on his face as he pulled his helmet up.  His HEMA instructor did the same, only he was breathing heavily under his own protective helmet.  Curtis was in his late thirties, but he was one of the best fighters among the group, and besting him with a spear was unheard of even for unseasoned members of the team.

    ¡°Damn, son,¡± the man said.  ¡°You weren¡¯t bad when you first walked in my door, but these last two months you¡¯ve become a demon with a spear!¡±

    Jeff smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.  Yeah, he could mention how he had fought machine and mutant both alongside his team for the last month.  How Nicole nearly put herself back in the hospital during the first training session after the battle with Bartran.  Yet, he kept that to himself.

    His attention then turned across the hall to where Nicole danced around Devon¡¯s sword and board.  She was quick on her feet even without her transformation backing up her movements.  He knew she did gymnastics, but that only explained part of how supple her movements could be.  Devon strained to keep up, but he was managing it all the same.  It was an impressive improvement compared to their first week practicing.

    They covered one another¡¯s weaknesses, helped each other prevent bad habits from settling in.  The other group caught his eye and he could only smile.  Grace was a powerhouse, but Kayla was proving to be a quick study when it came to evasion and counters.

    Kayla had taken up staff fighting, using a stick the same length as her Ranger staff.  It was unconventional, and it wasn¡¯t like she could sling plants around without morphing, but he had noticed how every plant she touched seemed to shine just a bit brighter afterwards.  Each of their weapons were on the nose, yet nobody had brought it up.  If his peers figured it out, he wouldn¡¯t lie to them, yet there was no reason to hand them the truth of it either.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing, sir.¡±

    Curtis shook his head.  ¡°Whatever you say.  That group you brought in are all monsters.  I¡¯d love to see you enter into some of the official tournaments.¡±

    ¡°If only we had the time,¡± Jeff answered.

    A snort was Curt¡¯s answer as he began to pull off his gear.

    Jeff moved off to the side, doing the same.  He didn¡¯t really need the gear unless they were fighting with live weapons, but that would only serve to broadcast his enhanced physiology.  Nicole¡¯s identity was already frayed even with the help of Xavier Sinclair and his team of doctors that had saved her life.  Being beholden to some secret organization really didn¡¯t sit well with him, especially with the knowledge that they knew who their entire team was under the helmets.

    Just as he was pulling his boots off, someone sat down beside him with a heavy sigh.  He looked up, smiling at Kayla¡¯s sweat matted face.  Strands of hair stuck to her skin, and she was clearly flushed from exertion.  She looked radiant as always, not that he was one to say that aloud.  He didn¡¯t want to appear forward, but he also knew he was bad at reading signals.

    ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± Jeff asked.

    Kayla huffed, throwing a piece of gear aside.  ¡°You¡¯ve fought Grace, you know how she is.¡±

    Glancing across the way, he could only smile as Nicole and Grace teased one another, helping their partner out of the bulky gear.  They were adorable together and it made him wish he could have something half as cute as what they had found.  On the other hand, their final team member sat alone, a consequence of his own choices.

    ¡°Brutal.  Hits like a truck?¡±

    Tracing a hand along her ribs, Kayla chuckled darkly.  ¡°I am so glad we heal faster.  These bruises would suck otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes it still takes too long,¡± he said casually.

    Watching a teammate nearly die still stuck with him, and knowing that she did it to protect them made it hurt all the more.  It was why he was so dedicated to his training.  He didn¡¯t want to ever be the reason that one of his teammates got hurt ever again.  Jeff knew that was naive, but he didn¡¯t like being the weak link.  He would strive ever onward, until his spear could protect everyone from whatever came their way.

    Kayla ran a hand through her hair to pull the matted strands away from her face, then smiled back at him.  He could tell it was a little forced, especially with the way her eyes crinkled slightly.  They had all learned to fake a smile, to put on an act for those around them when times were hard.  He couldn¡¯t exactly tell his friends in school that he was down because one of his teammates almost died fighting the closest thing to a god he had ever met.

    Jeff had tons of useless skills, all from one hyper-fixation or another.  Magic tricks from when he was twelve and had watched this one VidTube creator explain all the tricks and how to do them.  He knew the details of every steam train to ever run in the US.  Hell, he¡¯d placed third in the nationals for a damn card tournament!

    It was why he knew how to handle a spear, but only the basics.

    He regretted not giving that one his all from the beginning, it might have made a difference.  Okay, he was likely deluding himself there.  Bartran was someone who knew their own capabilities intimately, who had fought for a thousand lifetimes.  A literal immortal.

    The Generals beneath him weren¡¯t much different.  Even Maraline had been enough to hold their entire team back while Guiana pushed Nicole to the brink, all to collect some form of data from the battle.

    Then again, Nicole had demonstrated that the Commander was no god, he could bleed, which meant he could die.  Guiana fared better due to her speed and caution, but even she had taken a hit that saw her retreat.  Next time they met, Jeff would see to it that the monsters would die, no matter the cost.

    A gentle nudge at his side had him look up, relaxing the fists he hadn¡¯t realized were clenched tight enough that they could crumple steel.

    ¡°Thinking heavy thoughts again?¡± Kayla asked.

    Was he really that easy to read?  ¡°Hard not to, given everything that happened.  I felt so useless, still do if I¡¯m being honest.¡±

    Kayla regarded him for a moment, her face completely placid and blank.  She presented herself as a nature girl and a bit of an airhead, but he could tell it was a front.  She wore a mask that wasn¡¯t her helmet, just as he did.

    ¡°We survived,¡± Kayla said softly.  ¡°Next time we¡¯ll make sure tgose bastards regret it.¡±

    ¡°My thoughts exactly,¡± he said with a mirthless chuckle.  A heavy sigh followed as he leaned back.  ¡°How much longer do you think this reprieve will last?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m honestly surprised it¡¯s lasted as long as it has,¡± Kayla said.  ¡°It¡¯s like this all over the planet too, not one Sylan attack since the battle.¡±

    It was almost enough to convince some that they might have won, but the ships in orbit hadn¡¯t so much as shifted.  The break was welcome, because they had a hell of an introduction to Ranger life compared to most teams.  All because one of their Generals took an interest in their teammate.  It would have been easy to just blame Nicole, but it wasn¡¯t her fault at all.

    Truthfully, everyone was waiting for the shoe to drop, expecting something major to announce the return of the Sylan attacks.  It was a combination of anticipation and dread that permeated every moment and only grew thicker with each passing day.

    Yet, they wouldn¡¯t let it stop them from living.

    Packing his gear away, Jeff ran through his mental list of things that needed done before he went to bed.  The new expansion was coming out soon, so he would need to go over the card list to prepare an updated deck for the upcoming tournament.  That would probably take most of the evening if he was being honest with himself.

    That meant finishing the Lyger model kit would have to wait, unfortunately.

    He was just about to get up and head for his car when a firm hand came down on his shoulder.  He blinked, surprised to see a pensive expression on Kayla¡¯s face.  She was even biting her lip as she looked away.  He¡¯d never seen her so nervous about something before and his mind raced to figure out what might have her so on edge.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go see a movie,¡± Kayla said softly.  ¡°Could you keep me company?¡±

    An explosive breath left his mouth as his shoulders slumped in relief.  That was it?  A movie?  She was so nervous about asking if he wanted to see a movie with her?  For a minute there he was afraid she was about to admit that Maraline had started visiting her in the night or something.  Jeff hadn¡¯t even realized how tense he was until she spoke the request.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to,¡± he said brightly.  ¡°Did you have your heart set on something, or do you want to wing it?¡±

    Kayla looked at him for a moment, then shook her head.  ¡°As long as it isn¡¯t a Ranger based story, I think I¡¯m burned out on those.¡±

    ¡°Or superhero,¡± Jeff agreed with a chuckle.  ¡°Hits a bit too close to home lately.¡±

    Kayla snickered, dipping her head a bit as she covered her mouth.  ¡°No joke.  Come on, there¡¯s a place with heated recliners not far from here.¡±

    Jeff perked up.  Sure, becoming a Ranger had helped with his intolerance of the cold, but he still didn¡¯t like it in the slightest.  Winter was creeping closer and he wasn¡¯t looking forward to it, even if his skinny frame had bulked up a bit with some muscle. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    A comfortable warmth settled beside him and he savored the human contact.  Jeff had never gotten much in the way of touch based affection from his parents, and had no siblings or cousins, which meant this was something somewhat novel to him.  Kayla pulled away a moment later, getting up to stretch.  Like him, she hadn¡¯t been all that muscular even after the Ranger enhancements, yet she¡¯d begun to put on some definition as well.  It was good to know that they could still improve, that they weren¡¯t static.

    Not that any among them could really compete with the literal marble statue that was Nicole.  At least the girl seemed to be owning it rather than letting it continue to shame her.  He was proud of how far she had come in the weeks since they first met.

    Their final member stood alone, his gear already packed away and he happened to catch Jeff¡¯s eyes.  A flash of something passed through his eyes, then it was gone as the man nodded and headed for the front door.

    Just because he was cute didn¡¯t mean he got a free pass.

    It was hard to feel sorry for the man, but he¡¯d made a few poor choices in life.  Still, if he was willing to put in the work to be a better person, who was he to hold it against him?  People could change and grow and everyone making a genuine attempt at change deserved a chance to see it through.

    Kayla hopped to her feet, slinging a heavy bag over her shoulder as though it were weightless.  That was another thing that was taking some time to adjust to, how simple and mundane things required conscious effort to hold back.  It was why he had improved so much in his training, he could follow his instructor¡¯s every move with minimal effort.  It was an unfair advantage, and one that would teach him bad habits if he weren¡¯t also training all out with his fellow Rangers at every opportunity.

    Outside, Jeff caught sight of Devon talking with someone in a Jeep, then blinked in surprise when he realized it was Anita.  He didn¡¯t seem happy about it, but seemed to accept whatever she offered and hopped in with her.  Not far away, and completely oblivious to that exchange, Grace hopped on a motorcycle behind Nicole, gripping her tightly.  Behind him, Kayla giggled then nudged his side with a mischievous smirk as the motorcycle hummed to life.  Then his fellow Ranger cupped her hands over her mouth.

    ¡°Aww, look who¡¯s riding bitch,¡± Kayla teased.

    Grace flipped Kayla off even as Nicole started laughing.  Grace smacked Nicole¡¯s shoulder playfully and the pair departed on the bike leaving them alone in the parking lot.  Jeff envied them a bit for how easily they interacted with one another.  Granted, Kayla had needed to hit them with a clue by four to get them over that hump.

    ¡°They seem comfortable with one another,¡± Jeff said with a smile.  ¡°A far cry from the two dense idiots at the food court.¡±

    Kayla snorted.  ¡°Yeah, they were kinda hopeless back then.  Almost as bad as someone else lately.¡±

    Jeff blinked, tilting his head.  ¡°Oh?  Some gossip I¡¯m not aware of?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll figure it out eventually,¡± Kayla said, patting Jeff on the back.  ¡°Now, we had best hurry before we get stuck watching a shitty movie or something.¡±

    Laughing, he shook his head.  ¡°Truly a horrid fate.  Very well, lead the way.¡±

    Kayla shook her head and led him to her van, not that he needed the help given they had carpooled.  They had been spending a lot of time together since the battle, helping one another however they could.  He was glad they could be friends.

    Once again, perky pony songs dominated their adventure, the pair singing along with wide smiles and barely suppressed giggles.  It felt strange to him to not be judged for his appreciation of wholesome kids shows, but Kayla wasn¡¯t like that.  She only judged people by the content of their character, not for what they happened to enjoy.

    Well, mostly.  She did have an issue with people that liked certain factions of a tabletop game he wasn¡¯t too familiar with.  She hadn¡¯t gone into detail, but it didn¡¯t surprise him that some people couldn¡¯t understand satire and took it literally.

    Five songs in and they were already pulling up to the theater, which was entirely too soon for his tastes, but they could always sing more on their way back.  Kayla needed help setting up her new appliances that had been delivered earlier in the day and he had offered without hesitation.  Anything for his friends.

    He had only been there once, along with the rest of the team, while they had a meeting during Nicole¡¯s recovery.  Standing in an empty living room was a bit much, and learning that Kayla had lived out of her backpack for the past four years made a lot of sense in retrospect.

    Prying would be rude, so he simply let it be.  Kayla would open up when she felt ready and he was a patient man.  Stepping up to the list of showings, he looked everything over and came away mildly disappointed with the selection.  Two Ranger movies, one of which was filmed using actual Rangers for the transformed sequences.  It was interesting the first time, but this was their eighth movie in three years.

    Two romcoms, a movie about street racing, a remake that would never live up to the original, a giant monster movie, and¡­  Oh, that was just perfect.

    He was grinning when he turned to face Kayla, who was still frowning at the list and clearly hadn¡¯t spotted the movie that had him almost giddy.  So, he nudged her, getting a bit of a glare at first before she caught sight of what he was pointing at.

    ¡°Oh hell yes,¡± Kayla said.  ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was still in theaters!¡±

    ¡°Looks like it might be a late run,¡± Jeff said.

    He was fairly certain the movie was on streaming and coming to physical media soon, which meant it should also be a cheaper showing.  With Kayla in agreement, he punched the code into the kiosk and sure enough the theater was completely empty despite the show starting in ten minutes.  The best seats were picked, popcorn and soda was acquired, and they settled in for what should be two hours of hilarious hijinks involving adorable ponies.

    <hr>

    ¡°That last scene was adorable,¡± Kayla gushed as they rode the elevator up to her floor.

    Jeff was still grinning, even if it wasn¡¯t the first time he had seen the movie, it was the first time they had seen it together.  He loved that they had a shared fandom they could mutually gush over and a part of him wished they had gone further down the rabbit hole the first time it came up, but Devon¡¯s near fatal foot in mouth had derailed the conversation.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad they didn¡¯t go with the traditional ¡®friendship always wins¡¯ plot device to pull it off,¡± Jeff agreed.

    ¡°They save that for the episodes,¡± Kayla said, opening her apartment.  ¡°Anyway, the stove still needs to be hooked up, and I think I got the right plug for it¡­¡±

    Jeff stepped inside behind her and grinned at the sight.  The couch was freshly delivered, and the furniture place was nice enough to assemble it for her, but the hardware store hadn¡¯t been as nice.  The stove stood in the middle of the kitchenette still in its box along with a fridge.  The minifridge she was using up till now would be relegated to the bedroom or something.

    ¡°Already looking more like a home,¡± Jeff said approvingly.

    Kayla set her bags aside, the thump betraying how heavy they actually were.  She didn¡¯t need his help for the muscle, she could probably bench the stove and fridge at the same time with ease.  No, she only needed help because she¡¯d never had to deal with setting up appliances before.

    He knew she was a bit sheltered, but he didn¡¯t know her exact experiences growing up.  The place would need more personal touches, but that could come with time.  Just knowing she chose to stay when she preferred traveling filled him with warmth.

    ¡°Computer, run my ¡®Friendship is Mystical¡¯ playlist.¡±

    A bright and familiar song came across the speaker tucked in the corner of the room and he could only grin as they both began to mouth the lyrics along with the tune.  He still couldn¡¯t believe he met friends that wouldn¡¯t ridicule him for his ¡®childish¡¯ interests.

    ¡°Sorry to ask all this,¡± Kayla said, gesturing at the appliances.  ¡°I¡¯d just rather not pay more strangers to do shit I should be able to do myself.¡±

    As he moved to unbox the stove, he waved off her concerns.  ¡°Hey, anything for a friend.¡±

    ¡°Anything, huh?¡± Kayla asked, a mischievous smirk forming.  ¡°I do have this pesky body I need hidden¡­¡±

    ¡°If you give me a compelling enough reason,¡± Jeff said with a shrug.  ¡°I ain¡¯t no snitch.¡±

    Kayla elbowed him, grinning wide as she did.  ¡°See, I knew there was a reason I liked you.¡±

    Warmth filled his chest at how sincerely she had said those words, they made him want to grab her in a tight hug and spin her around.  He didn¡¯t, of course, doing so without asking would be far too impolite.  He knew full well how most women felt about unsolicited physical contact from men and would never cross that boundary without an invitation.

    Heh, he was almost like a vampire in that regard, only for hugs instead of blood.

    Setting up the stove doesn¡¯t take terribly long, and Kayla had indeed picked out the right plug attachment for the stove.  The fridge went even quicker, and soon enough the kitchen actually resembles a space where a meal might be cooked rather than simply set down momentarily after a delivery.

    He would need to make a grocery run so he could cook a proper meal and break the new stove in properly.  Kayla deserved to have a home cooked meal once in a while rather than something delivered by an app or heated in a¡­  Wait, there wasn¡¯t a microwave anywhere to be seen either.

    Actually, that made sense given the lack of a large enough freezer, but it did call into question how she was eating without any storage.  Was she really eating out for every single meal in her life?  Hell, there wasn¡¯t even a coffee pot either.  With dread he moved to check the cabinets, and found them completely devoid save for a pack of paper plates and a box of assorted plastic silverware.

    Oh, this would not stand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Kayla said almost the same moment the thought crossed his mind.  ¡°Look, I get that you want me to have all the comforts of home¡­¡±

    The way she said it carried so much pain, bringing Jeff up short.  Just what had she endured that brought such feelings to the surface like that?  He didn¡¯t know, but it made him want to comfort her all the more.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I stepped on something uncomfortable,¡± Jeff said.  ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything by it.¡±

    ¡°I know you didn¡¯t,¡± Kayla said with an explosive sigh.  ¡°My parents weren¡¯t the nicest of people.  I¡¯m from a racist shithole of a city on Florida¡¯s west coast.  Let¡¯s just say my parents didn¡¯t take me claiming to be bi so I could stand up for my best friend all that well.¡±

    It was as though his heart twisted in his chest.  How anyone who brought a child into the world could hold something they were born as against them was anathema to him.  His own parents raised him to know that he never needed to come out to them, they would always accept him no matter if he was straight, gay, trans, or nonbinary.  It didn¡¯t matter, they just wanted him to be happy.

    Kayla hadn¡¯t gotten that kind of support when it counted, and it burned.  He wanted nothing more than to find her parents and give them a good tongue lashing about what it meant to care for a child.  He¡¯d never been what might be called a traditional ¡®masculine¡¯ man, what with his tall and thin frame, but now he was a Ranger, and was putting on muscle besides.  He could probably fake a fair bit of intimidation if he wanted to.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re safe here,¡± Jeff said with conviction.  ¡°If you ever feel threatened by them, all you have to do is call.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t just him, he knew that Nicole and Grace would be right there beside them if Kayla¡¯s parents ever tried to be pricks again.  Just as he would be there if Grace ever needed to confront her own.  He didn¡¯t have the full story, but he expected it to be similar enough to Kayla¡¯s given he¡¯d heard it from far too many women online.

    A painful sigh followed as Kayla stepped close, wrapping him in a comforting hug.  He relished the warmth, returning the gesture happily.  Kayla laughed softly at the probably a bit too enthusiastic response, but he was just happy that she trusted him enough to hug him.

    ¡°Jeff, you are far too sweet for your own good.¡±

    Before he could process what she meant by that, Kayla¡¯s face moved close to his own, looking up into his eyes with an expression he couldn¡¯t quite place.  She paused there as if expecting something yet he couldn¡¯t quite figure out what it might be.

    ¡°Far too sweet,¡± Kayla said with a slight smile.  ¡°Kiss me, you noble fool.¡±

    His eyes shot open wide in understanding then nodded mutely.  He barely had a moment before her warm lips pressed against his own.

 Season One Epilogue

    Sylan technology never ceased to impress.  From the lack of any seam or weld line in their automatons to the material perfection of their manufacturing process.  There were no doubts in Kelly¡¯s mind that the Sylan had access to advanced replication technology.  Unfortunately, neither of the recovered wrecks that Sinclair Industries had access to were equipped with such marvels.  No, all she had access to were a handful of trinkets from a crashed scout ship that happened to be manned by two xenoforms and a single stunt fighter that was downed in the One Day War.

    The only stunt fighter downed on that day.

    Pity the pilot of the F-35 that managed it hadn¡¯t survived the battle, just like every other pilot to take to the skies on that fateful day.  Observations of the enemy¡¯s air capabilities were sadly few and far between, which made it difficult to anticipate just what they needed to achieve to have even the most remote of fighting chances once the Sylan stopped playing Monsters and Rangers with humanity and resumed the conquest.

    That was the joke of it all, the Sylan Empire weren¡¯t actually invading them, humanity was nothing more than an experiment, one that was reaching a conclusion if the Minneapolis team was anything to go by.  How the Sylan managed to form that team in the first place was something she hadn¡¯t cracked just yet.

    The year prior they had made a breakthrough, and the hope was that they could circumvent the creation of Ranger teams that were under the thumb of the Sylan Empire.  They needed warriors that wouldn¡¯t falter if their technology held a hidden kill switch.  Xavier was almost certain that it did, not that they had any idea how to actually confirm that theory.

    All they had was a roadmap of theorized steps that they would take if running a similar experiment.  The things they came up with were horrifying, and Kelly knew they were simply playing for time at this point, especially after Nicole¡¯s stunt against the enemy leadership.  Bartran was maimed, but the General Recovery Device they developed was proof that the Sylan had far more advanced healing technology available.

    That Guiana was mobile at all after her last injury was further proof that they were simply playing for time before the Commander took the field once again.  Worse, Guiana¡¯s injury was a complete fluke.  She had come after their recovery team, and Yellow managed a lucky hit when Maria took over for Anita.  That misstep in reading her opponent had cost her dearly, yet there she was, back on her feet like nothing had happened.

    Humanity needed more options, and Nicole might have inadvertently supplied it.  The readings on the Source Storage Device were astronomical.  More energy pulsed within than they had ever theorized possible, and that had come from one Ranger¡¯s abnormal connection to the mysterious exotic effect.

    Having seen the recording from Yellow¡¯s bodycam, Kelly took no small measure of delight in the look of complete surprise on Maraline¡¯s face when she saw humanity¡¯s own results in harnessing and controlling the Source.  Humanity had managed something that even the Sylan hadn¡¯t, Kelly was certain of it.

    Now they just needed to figure out what to do with it.

    She had several projects that might benefit from a ready Source battery, yet only one could see it to fruition.  Frank had his robotics projects, the ultimate goal being the recreation of the vehicles seen in the visions of those that spoke to the echoes of the Progenitor Rangers.  She had little hope that anything would be accomplished on that front.  No, the far more interesting project was the one she was working on in the deepest sub-basement.

    If that saw completion, then there were good odds that humanity would be able to mount an effective resistance when the time came to fight back in truth, when the games ended and death came for their civilization.  They needed soldiers, not resource sinks that would drain their budget dry with nothing to show for it.

    They also needed researchers, and finding promising people was always a challenge.  Thankfully they had feelers at most colleges that offered courses that could lead to understanding of exotic effects like the Source.  One such candidate was interviewing today, and Kelly was to meet with her.

    She stepped into a room overlooking the second floor balcony of the Sinclair Industries building, far above the hidden labs below that appeared on no blueprints.  A young girl sat nervously at a chair behind the table, though she straightened herself the moment the door actually opened.  She smiled brightly in greeting and Kelly felt just a touch of guilt for what she was about to do.

    Linking Nicole Hayes to the Black Ranger hadn¡¯t come from any discovery on their part, but instead from a background check on one of those promising recruits.

    ¡°Rebecca Mills?¡± Kelly asked, already knowing the answer.  Formalities needed to be observed, even when they appeared to be a waste of time.

    ¡°I am,¡± she said, her voice firm and focused as she held out her hand in greeting.  ¡°A pleasure to meet you, Miss?¡±

    A good sign as far as Kelly was concerned.  She quickly returned the offered handshake.   ¡°I am Kelly Rivers, Chief of Research for Sinclair industries.  You came highly recommended by a guest lecturer that visited two weeks past.¡±

    ¡°Doctor Frederick,¡± Rebecca said, taking her seat as Kelly did the same.  ¡°I remember his theories on the energy the Rangers harnessed.  They were flawed.¡±

    Very bold indeed.

    ¡°Quite the statement, and from what he¡¯s told me, you had the background theory to put proof to that statement.¡±

    Rebecca nodded, producing a folder from her bag.  She slid it across and Kelly opened it casually, all to hide her interest in what she might soon discover.  Scanning the document took a few moments, her eidetic memory only did so much for the consumption of data.  She still needed to read it, even if she could recall the page at a glance.

    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Kelly said.

    The further she read into the dissertation, because that was exactly what she was looking at, the more her eyebrows rose.  Looking up, Kelly hadn¡¯t realized how wide her eyes had grown.  This girl had completely turned her own theories on their head and brought order to the chaos that Kelly had been unable to tame despite her best efforts.

    All without any proper testing or experimentations.

    ¡°You do realize we¡¯ll need to confirm these theories of yours through a proper experiment,¡± Kelly said rather carefully.

    The last thing she needed was for the girl to realize how desperate Kelly was to dive into her mind.  There was one concern, and that was how Rebecca hadn¡¯t demonstrated any interest in the Source until Nicole had been chosen.  That she came up with this theory inside of two weeks was astonishing and the potential she represented was far too lofty to pass up.

    ¡°You have something prepared,¡± Rebecca said.

    Interesting how it wasn¡¯t framed as a question.  ¡°I do indeed.  A simple experiment involving something minor.  If your theories are proven, there will be considerable advancement opportunities for yourself, as well as humanity.¡±

    Rebecca stood, her eyes hard.  ¡°I¡¯m not doing this for humanity, I¡¯m doing this for Nicole.  You helped save her, and that is the only reason I¡¯m entertaining your offer.  I want to help restore her morpher, that¡¯s my condition for any assistance I give.¡±

    Kelly smiled.  It was always cute when new hires made demands that they already intended to provide.  If Rebecca could repair Nicole¡¯s morpher, then she could repair Xavier¡¯s as well, not to mention what it would mean for her own project.  Still, no need to signal that the demand was unneeded.

    ¡°That can be arranged,¡± Kelly said.  ¡°Would you be willing to follow me?  The experiment site is in a secure lab, you¡¯ll need my clearance to access it.¡±

    Rebecca¡¯s cold expression didn¡¯t waver as she nodded.  ¡°Lead the way, then.¡±

    Kelly tried to keep her eye from twitching at the choice of words.  Every Ranger knew them, either through the words spoken by White and Pink, and later Gold.  Black hadn¡¯t been active long enough to make an impact with any statements, and now she wouldn¡¯t be recognized without her ability to morph.

    ¡°Does Nicole know you¡¯re here?¡± Kelly asked casually as she led Rebecca to the elevator that would take them to the labs.

    Rebecca shook her head.  ¡°Not yet, but I did leave a note with several people in the event something happened.¡±

    Prudent, but ultimately ineffective when they knew her entire social structure and could easily find out if she visited a lawyer.  People underestimated the reach of the surveillance state these days and the level of infiltration that the government had, never mind corporations.  She knew Rebecca¡¯s entire life history, from the first time she questioned her gender all the way up to what she likely had for breakfast that morning.

    Cornflakes with fresh banana.

    So many asinine laws were passed in the wake of the invasion, and aside from a few holdouts nationwide, America had completely turned into a proper police state.  Minnesota was one such holdout, if just barely.  That was enough for Xavier to select it for his headquarters from the few options without a Ranger team present.

    The elevator ride went without a word spoken, though when the door opened, Kelly was not surprised when Rebecca gasped.  They had traveled hundreds of feet down, far deeper than any infrastructure beneath the city proper.  The research levels were nothing like the hospital level that Nicole had resided upon.

    Here, the floor plan was open, with a high ceiling and many pieces of advanced technology in use throughout.  The walls projected scenes from nature, appearing as though they were windows into a wider world, with depth that couldn¡¯t be replicated with consumer goods.  Several engineers operated holographic interfaces throughout, managing projects on floors far deeper into the facility where they needed the isolation in the event of disaster.

    Like the device that had exploded in the demonstration office above.  It was a one in a billion accident, and was likely caused by the fluctuations in the Source brought about by the selection of a new Ranger team.  It was something that should have been anticipated, but everyone had missed it in the flurry of activity brought about by the failure of a separate experiment.

    They should have gained a second recovery team from that event, but something surged through the fabric of the Source and prevented it, the distortions still lingering even months later.  Further proof that there was more to the phantoms that brought the visions to chosen Rangers.  The idea that their intelligence was preserved for tens of thousands of years was something that Kelly was extremely eager to delve into.  Immortality was a long sought goal of humanity, and many sought religion as a false panacea for the fear of death.  The Sylan had brought proof that biological longevity was possible, and the Source was beginning to show signs that immortality might be obtainable after all. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°Impressed?¡± Kelly asked with a knowing smirk.

    Rebecca¡¯s mouth hung open slightly before it snapped closed.  ¡°You¡¯re far more advanced than you let on.¡±

    ¡°An understatement,¡± Kelly confirmed.  ¡°Though your own theories should help us with several bottlenecks we¡¯ve run into.¡±

    That was the crux of this entire gamble.  Rebecca¡¯s theories were invaluable for further research, the experiment was mostly a formality at this point, but Kelly wanted to see the results in person.  The risk was that if they alienated Rebecca, they did the same with Nicole.  That was half the reason she insisted that Anita work with the Rangers to assist in the wake of Nicole¡¯s own lost abilities.

    Every ounce of good will would be vital.

    ¡°Through here,¡± Kelly said, directing Rebecca into one of the smaller labs.

    Inside was a basic control console that would allow observation of the work being done in a room far below them.  A single spark arced through the space between two prongs, appearing as if it was mere feet away.  It was an unstable reaction, one wrong manipulation would cause it to explode.  Kelly knew that from experience, and it was one of the core reasons their tech hadn¡¯t advanced further.

    ¡°That¡¯s a screen, right?¡± Rebecca asked, almost sounding fearful.

    Kelly chuckled, pulling up some information on her tablet, holographic readings floating off of it now that she was in a secure space.  ¡°Of course it is.  If it weren¡¯t and this turned catastrophic, the entire research level would be at risk.¡±

    Well, this level.  There were several others that were kept distinct from one another in the event of disaster.  One held the Source battery that had been extracted from Nicole, another worked on her morpher, attempting to learn all they could from the defunct device.  Her team was busy with that project and had yet to turn over the full findings just yet.

    ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± Rebecca asked.

    Kelly flicked a particular tab, sending it into the air as a projection.

    Rebecca blinked, looking over the floating display.  ¡°Seriously?  If this goes wrong¡­¡±

    ¡°I am aware,¡± Kelly said softly.  ¡°Yet if it goes right¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rebecca said, stepping forward despite how her voice had trembled.  She eyed the floating display, then the keyboard that hovered right below it.  She reached a hand up, then paused.  ¡°Do I just enter the equation here?¡±

    Kelly nodded, not speaking for fear she might push Rebecca into a mistake.  The girl looked everything over, then found the adjustment for the harmonics of the energy field.  She seemed to hesitate for a moment, then began to enter her adjustments.  The readings sprung up all around Kelly, keeping to the corners of her vision like a game HUD.  She watched as the barely stable field spiked and sparked, threatening to breach the containment field as it flexed under the strain.  It was all too similar to the start of a sci-fi horror story where extra dimensional threats tore free.

    That didn¡¯t seem to concern Rebecca as she continued to adjust the containment field with every spike that hit, keeping ahead of any cascade event before it could truly settle in.  It was artistry in motion, and Rebecca appeared to be learning the interface as she went, which admittedly might have been a bit of a miscalculation on Kelly¡¯s part.  She was about to call it off when the most remarkable thing happened.

    The small spark shifted and fell stable.

    Rebecca let out a shaking breath, taking a step back that almost turned into a stumble.  Kelly barely had the mental capacity to catch her, not that she was all that heavy to someone like her, and helped her back to her feet.  In truth, Kelly was already adjusting a dozen projects in her mind.  This was the advancement she needed to ensure their Hail Mary was even possible.

    Humanity would have a way to stand on her own two feet in the face of oblivion, to be more than cavemen with sticks and a crate of pilfered machine guns in the face of GPS guided missiles.

    ¡°Rebecca Mills, I think this is the beginning of a very fruitful arrangement,¡± Kelly said, her eyes gleaming with possibility.  ¡°Now, shall we discuss numbers?¡±

    ***

    Kelly entered the executive office with trembling anticipation.  She had little doubt that Xavier hadn¡¯t been watching the entire proceedings, but that didn¡¯t excuse the formalities.  Rebecca Mills was now signed on with a seven figure opening contract that would grow to eight figures once results came in.  Hardly an investment considering Sinclair Industries were worth billions through defense contracts alone.

    Not that they had much in the way of liquid assets.  Given the race against the clock, Xavier kept as much money as he could moving.  Sure, new inventions often sold for hefty dividends, but for each of those there were a dozen failures.  Thanks to Rebecca, several of those failures might see new life.

    Speaking of, Franklin Fredrick, head of the robotics division was already present, which was a good thing.  It meant that she could take care of that aspect as well all in one meeting.  He smiled at her as she stepped inside, taking her usual seat at the table.  Unlike other CEOs, Sinclair didn¡¯t have a desk for these meetings, they kept a round table.

    It was the seat of humanity¡¯s resistance after all.

    Their final member was Anita, their former head of security and now leader of their own private Ranger team.  That experiment already paid for itself in dividends now that they needn¡¯t rely on randomly assorted Rangers burned by their teams or lone survivors cast adrift.  The Sylan were rather careful about avoiding that outcome when it came to planning their attacks against already established teams.

    ¡°Kelly, I see the experiment was a success,¡± Xavier said, still looking out the window.

    It wasn¡¯t a true window, as the actual office was in a secure bunker underground, but it resembled the false office above them.  The sight of the city being shown in real time was certainly something, a testament to humanity¡¯s ability to leave their mark upon the world.  Their entire purpose was to ensure that human civilization didn¡¯t fall into the dustbins of history.

    ¡°It will take a few days to sort the data, but yes,¡± Kelly said.  There was no need to pull up the files, all parties present already had them.  ¡°I¡¯m expecting results in a matter of weeks, with new products ready to submit within the month.¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Xavier said, finally turning to face them.  ¡°I¡¯ve already approved funding for the Toy Soldier project as that should prove to be an easy seller.  In addition, I¡¯m giving the Morpher division priority.  I want Black¡¯s morpher repaired, it will be crucial to getting my own functional.¡±

    Kelly nodded.  ¡°Of course.  I¡¯m assigning Rebecca to the Morpher division, and allowing her full access to the Black morpher.  She will be personally motivated to see it to fruition.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Xavier said.  ¡°Full priority, any resource she needs.  We need every soldier we can in the field, and this is the stepping stone forward.¡±

    ¡°That it will also pave the way for Project Legion is a bonus, right?¡± Anita said with a casual grin.  ¡°I can¡¯t wait, because I¡¯m tired of doing the grunt work.¡±

    ¡°Already disliking your temporary team?¡± Franklin asked.

    Anita waved a dismissive hand.  ¡°Nah, I like them just fine.  They don¡¯t like me all that much.¡±

    ¡°Understandable given we did force you on them,¡± Xavier said.  ¡°Hopefully Black is back in action before that resentfulness festers too much.  With Rebecca Mills now in our employ as a protected asset, we need to keep them happy.¡±

    Hardly the worst compromise they¡¯ve had to make over the years.

    ¡°Think Maraline will make another appearance?¡± Anita asked after a moment.

    No, Maria was up front now.

    Xavier grimaced.  ¡°There is little doubt that she will continue to coddle Nicole.  I expect her to make contact again within the month.¡±

    ¡°Rules of engagement?¡±

    Xavier sighed.  ¡°If she is vulnerable to attack, end her.  Regardless of any perceived sympathies, removing an enemy General always takes priority.¡±

    ¡°Well shit, that¡¯s heavy,¡± Anita said, her telltale irreverence making it clear she was back out front.  ¡°I sorta feel bad for the bitch, she looked rather genuine about Nicole¡¯s health back there.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t rely on hopes or dreams here,¡± Xavier said firmly.  ¡°This is war.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll lose Nicole and Rebecca by extension the moment the shot is taken,¡± Kelly warned, not that it needed to be said.  Everyone understood that, but the statement was still necessary so they kept everything in perspective.  ¡°It may be prudent to delay things if we¡¯re on the cusp of something big.¡±

    ¡°All we can do is play it by ear,¡± Xavier said with a sigh.  ¡°Maraline is a potential asset, there is a chance we could flip her.  There is also a chance that she brings Nicole and her team to their way of thinking.  We can¡¯t risk that, even if it alienates them.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Anita said.  ¡°Pertinent points have been raised and addressed.  If the order comes down, I¡¯ll follow it no matter how much it sucks.¡±

    ¡°Noted,¡± Xavier said.  ¡°Fredrick, be realistic.  How viable is Project Titan?¡±

    The man grimaced.  ¡°The Source Battery could power it, but I lack the manufacturing means to make it reality.  We need to crack their replication technology, but none has been recovered as of yet.¡±

    Xavier took that setback in stride.  ¡°Total funding will remain on hold, then.  Continue your research but focus on Toy Soldier for now.¡±

    Fredrick nodded, already adjusting things on his own tablet.  Kelly looked down at her project files, already working through what she would need to do to make each of them reality.  Legion was on the cusp of a breakthrough, and she had just the girl to make it happen.

    ¡°Another matter to consider,¡± Anita said, fingers drumming along the table.  ¡°Nicole still shows promise despite lacking the ability to morph.  Would it be possible to commission some armor and headgear for her to use in the field?¡±

    Kelly paused in her considerations, her eyes turning towards Frederick.  ¡°That would be your purview, I believe.¡±

    Frederick hummed, no doubt checking his own files for something suitable.  Kelly caught herself and barely avoided an audible groan.  Thankfully Anita wasn¡¯t able to read minds, because that woman would have jumped on that pun voraciously.

    ¡°I have some things that were too expensive for the Pentagon¡¯s tastes that might work,¡± he said after several moments.  ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can manage.¡±

    Xavier nodded.  ¡°Then I would say this meeting is concluded.  Keep me up to date on any advancements.  I¡¯ll update our sponsors about possible new products on the horizon, maybe wrangle a few billion extra in funding for it.¡±

    If only.

    Anita and Frederick left without much fanfare, leaving Kelly alone with Xavier for the first time in days.  She set her tablet aside and swept forward, pulling the man into a hug.  He gripped her tightly, then pulled her into a searing kiss that made her knees weak.

    ¡°I missed you,¡± Xavier said, hand cradling her face ever so carefully.  ¡°My darling Cassie.¡±

    She trembled upon hearing her true name, the one she had forsaken for the sake of the world.  Xavier was the only one that knew who she was, her husband once and always, no matter what their legal status might be.  She hated that she had to keep up appearances, hide who she once was, but they needed the trump card.

    Humanity had little hope, just that thin glimmer that they were grasping futilely for.  Even if they managed to repel this current invasion, an entire fleet awaited out in the stars, ready to crush them utterly.  Kelly was one of many secrets held close, they couldn¡¯t afford for anyone else to know the truth.  The surgical team that performed the work were all killed in an accident within hours of departing.  Yet another stain on her soul in the quest for humanity¡¯s future.

    We lost.  There is no sugar coating things.  We only hope that where we failed, you might assist in changing the fate that has befallen your world.  Stand, hold the line, and lead the way as the light through the coming dark.

    A pocket anomaly all of their own.

    <hr>

    Season One End

    <hr>

 Chapter 41 - Fragile Peace

    Mud clung to her uniform as Nicole pulled herself through the muck.  She was determined, because so much rode on this singular moment.  Two months of training, in addition to her schooling and other duties.  Given the relative calm that followed the Battle of Anoka as it had become known, she had needed something to distract herself.

    Hence throwing herself into the training to be a firefighter.  Carlos was back in New York, but he had stuck around for a few weeks following the battle and helped her get a leg up on some of the training required.  She appreciated that especially now that she was prepared to put it to good use.

    She stood, pulling herself from the muck even as it fell from her in clumps and sprinted the dozen feet before she vaulted through the window.  Nicole landed in a sparsely decorated living room where she grabbed the hose from the clip on her hip and put water on the fire.

    Normally the gear that they wore would slow someone down, but she wasn¡¯t an ordinary person.  No, Nicole was a Ranger, and she would prove to all of them that she could lead the way even without her powers.  Flames licked at her, but she was determined.

    The flames died down as she adjusted the flow until they died out.  Next, Nicole ran forward, kicking the door open only for a blast of flame to wash over her.  That had been expected, and Nicole put more water on the flames within.  Once doused, she turned to the closet door and threw it open.  Inside was a bundle of blankets with a small figure huddled within.

    She picked them up and tossed them over her shoulder, pulling the hose with her as she exited.  More water was applied to the reignited flames, but she wasn¡¯t as concerned about that.  Getting the child out was the priority, and she was going to do just that.

    This time, she exited through the front door, where three others were waiting in full gear.  She hurried over to them and set the child down, pulling her mask off as she did.  Nicole was sweating profusely from the heat despite the protective gear.  One of the others helped her get the child laid out, and performed a quick check.

    ¡°She¡¯s not breathing,¡± the man said.

    Nicole immediately adjusted the child¡¯s head, preparing her for CPR.  She knew she couldn¡¯t apply her full strength, not to an adult, much less a child.  That meant that she¡¯d needed all the practice she could get to make sure she didn¡¯t accidentally crush their sternum into their heart.

    She counted off each compression, then delivered two rescue breaths, making sure her head was tilted correctly to keep the airway clear, then resumed compressions.  Three rounds of that ensued before the other man put a hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°She¡¯s breathing, good job.¡±

    Nicole grinned, breathing heavily as she did.  ¡°Does that mean¡­¡±

    Her instructor pulled off their mask, and Carlos smiled back.  ¡°You passed.  Congratulations, and welcome to the team, officially.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t help herself, she squealed and jumped up, pulling the man into a hug as she spun him around.  Carlos was another Ranger who had been something of a mentor to her, visiting from New York to help the Minneapolis team learn the ropes.  The cheeky bastard had apologized for missing her final exam profusely just the night before, yet had made the trip regardless.  Next to him, another took off their mask, and Nicole¡¯s breath hitched.

    Grace looked back, smiling shyly.  ¡°Surprise?¡±

    Nicole let go of Carlos, practically dropping the man as she ripped off her own mask, red braids falling loose as skipped over to her girlfriend, sweeping her off her feet as she did.  Grace giggled, then they met with a passionate kiss, and Nicole¡¯s legs promptly gave out and they both fell to the dirt below.

    Resounding laughter came from all around them, the other firefighters all joining in, including the ones responsible for making sure the training course was properly extinguished.  Sure, it was largely a concrete structure with propane fueled flame jets, but safety was still their primary concern.

    Nicole pulled back, looking down at her girlfriend with hungry eyes.  Grace bit her lip in response.  Before anything could progress, Carlos cleared his throat and Nicole jumped away, her face now on fire.  Right, it was all too easy to lose herself in Grace¡¯s gorgeous chocolate eyes.

    Nicole reared back, then flipped back to her feet with a quick kip-up.  That act was as simple as breathing to her.  As a former gymnast, she was quite agile even without the transformation.  Nicole was fairly certain that the entire team had figured out who she was, or rather, used to be.  Grace as well, though she was only a volunteer while Nicole had gone all in with the training to become a full firefighter.

    Having her morpher damaged during the battle with Commander Bartran of the Sylan Empire had stung, but she was making the most of it despite the brush with death.  Her physical enhancements were intact and she was learning to push herself further each and every day.  Between the combat training with her team and the work she was now doing with the Gymnastics department as an assistant, she was keeping quite busy.

    Actually, was there even a purpose to keeping their identities concealed given Xavier all but confirming that the government knew about their identities as Rangers?  He certainly knew before the whole nearly dying thing.  Thinking on that, what reason was there to keep it concealed from the people that would be trusting her to have their backs?

    Nicole took a few steps back, looking over the men and women around her, and took a breath.  She couldn¡¯t morph, not without her watch, but she could reveal herself all the same, especially with her plan to continue the fight despite her lack of powers.  Those in the department deserved to know why she might not be available at all times.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Nicole said.

    Carlos raised an eyebrow, but Grace just grinned as she nodded.  They¡¯d discussed the possibility, and Grace confirmed that if she made the choice they would do so together.  Nicole grabbed her duffel on the way to the changing room and pulled out the first piece of her new gear.  Xavier Sinclair might be a mysterious asshole that was absolutely involved in some shady shit, but he had come through time and again when it came to helping.

    It wasn¡¯t Ranger grade gear, but it was a fair bit better than what she had when she first fought the machines.  Having to physically change was a pain in the ass, but there was one thing that the fire department had going for it, she learned how to suit up damn fast.  She pulled the outfit on, fastening things into place in a few short seconds.

    Her mask was pulled up, then she settled the helmet gifted to her in place, taking a deep breath through the rebreather.  It was a pale imitation of a Ranger¡¯s uniform, but it was hers and she would own it until her morpher was working again.  Looking in the mirror, she was clad in black, armored gauntlets and shoulder pads set over a loose yet flexible material.  She had a waist cloth set along her belt that was almost a skirt, and a hooded cloak that hung over her shoulders.

    Nicole stepped out a moment later, her nerves playing havoc with her stomach.  There hadn¡¯t been any Sylan attacks since the Commander was injured, which meant she hadn¡¯t been seen in her new uniform by the public even once.  The moment she came into sight of the crew, they stared at her in confusion.

    ¡°So, I sort of lost my ability to morph after kicking the Sylan leadership¡¯s ass,¡± Nicole said, sounding far more timid than she would have liked.

    The news had gotten better footage of the whole thing than she expected, which meant that the Minneapolis Black Ranger was now considered one of the big names in the Ranger game.  That was especially true now that the attacks had all halted.  Two months without a single incursion, yet the ships remained in orbit, ready to resume at some unknown signal.

    A few murmurs picked up between the rest of the crew, though the two captains that had first welcomed them simply nodded in acceptance.  That brought a smile to Nicole¡¯s face as she returned the nod.  Natalie and Chelsea Dunlap were some of the first people to support Nicole when she signed up, and put her through her paces the moment she was cleared to resume her work following her hospitalization at Sinclair¡¯s shady underground medclinic.

    Unfortunately it didn¡¯t appear that everyone believed her, which was somewhat fair given she couldn¡¯t just morph and prove herself, yet it still stung.  Nicole¡¯s work as a Ranger was one of the few things in her life that she had taken true pride in.

    ¡°Roll the Dice.¡±

    Brilliant red swept over everyone, and in Grace¡¯s place stood the Red Ranger.  Her outfit was almost entirely shades of red, from the overcoat to her boots.  The part that stood out was the black pirate hat that sat atop her helmet.  To the casual viewer it appeared that it could easily be pulled away, yet it was firmly affixed to the helmet.

    The other firefighters stood there for a moment, staring blankly in surprise or confusion, then roughly half of them cursed and started reaching into their pockets while the other half laughed and held out their hands.  Luckily Nicole¡¯s new helmet hid from them how her right eye was twitching.

    ¡°You bet on if I was a Ranger?¡± Nicole asked almost incredulously. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Not quite,¡± one of the victorious said.  ¡°About half of us bet on which Ranger you both were.  The other half had bets on who would reveal themselves first and if it would be before or during a crisis.  I won on all counts.¡±

    Nicole pulled her helmet off, red braid falling free, then stuck her tongue out at the man.  That just set the group to laughing even harder.

    ¡°Yeah, Ranger identities really aren¡¯t all that secret, are they?¡± Nicole said with a heavy sigh.  ¡°Hey Grace, how many of our classmates do you think figured it out?¡±

    ¡°Less than you think, more than we would like,¡± the Red Ranger said with a shrug.  ¡°At least we don¡¯t have fan clubs¡­  I hope.¡±

    Nicole frowned.  She would need to ask Colin about that, because odds were that Rebecca would either fib about them, or be running one herself.  She hoped her best friend wasn¡¯t doing that behind her back, but Nicole wasn¡¯t holding her breath.  Becca was certainly the type to jump into something like that if it was already off the ground and running.

    ¡°Funny as that is,¡± Carlos said with a smirk.  ¡°You¡¯re officially a firefighter, how do you feel?¡±

    ¡°Accomplished,¡± Nicole said truthfully.  Her Ranger capabilities weren¡¯t always a benefit to the training, and it helped her learn control when it mattered.  For that, Nicole would be ever grateful.  ¡°It¡¯s funny, all that money on college, and I can¡¯t help but feel I¡¯ll come to appreciate this work far more than anything I learn in school.¡±

    ¡°Say that again after you scrape a motorcyclist off the freeway,¡± one of the men muttered.

    She scowled at him.  ¡°I¡¯ve seen a child cleaved in two right in front of me.  I was there at the Renaissance slaughter, it¡¯s where I first came into the power, if you forgot.  I know what I¡¯m signing up for.¡±

    Several of the firefighters recoiled at her words, as well as the grizzly reminder that she was far from some innocent new recruit.  Nicole had seen death in ways that few others had, and would continue to do so until the duty claimed her.

    Carlos sighed.  ¡°An unfortunate truth.  Firefighters see things most don¡¯t, and the same holds true for Rangers.  This isn¡¯t a life for the faint of heart, and I can promise all of you, Nicole has heart to spare.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s on loan though,¡± Grace cut in with a cheeky grin.  ¡°Since she¡¯s promised it to me and all.¡±

    That brought the mood back to something resembling cheerful and finally Grace dropped the morph, now back in her heavy uniform.  It was strange how clothes could do that with the Ranger transformation, and now that she had to carry her outfit with her, she missed it all the more.    No doubt Sinclair was researching that somewhere in the depths of his lab, but it wasn¡¯t helping her at present.

    ¡°So, how are we celebrating?¡± Nicole asked, glancing between Carlos and Grace.  ¡°You can¡¯t tell me that you two didn¡¯t plan all this out in advance.¡±

    The pair glanced at one another then grinned.

    ¡°How does prime rib sound?¡±

    Nicole turned, finding Fire Chief Grayson standing there with the rest of her team, all helping set out a spread of food that would make anyone envious.  Flicking her eyes between each of them, Devon looked away, Kayla grinned and Jeff was already popping a meatball into his mouth.  And just like that, Nicole¡¯s stomach let out a growl of betrayal.  Because holy hell did that sound really good after the workout she had just had.

    ¡°Well, it would seem we aren¡¯t standing on ceremony,¡± Kayla said, brushing a bit of her black hair out of her face with a casual flick of the wrist before she leaned over.  Jeff blinked as she kissed his cheek.  ¡°Congratulations Nicole, we knew you had it in ya!¡±

    Jeff moved to say something but it came out muffled due to his mouth being full, getting a round of laughter out of everyone present.  Devon pat the poor guy on the back then stepped over.  His eyes glanced over everyone present before he let out a sigh.

    ¡°Guess Anita couldn¡¯t make it,¡± Grace said softly.

    ¡°Seems that way,¡± Devon said dejectedly.

    Nicole wasn¡¯t sure what was going on between the Silver and Yellow Ranger, but she couldn¡¯t help but worry about it.  Anita worked for the Sinclair Institute as one of their own private Rangers, collecting every scrap of Sylan technology they could get their hands on.  Nicole didn¡¯t trust them, but Anita had pledged to help once the attacks resumed.

    ¡°Well, at least there¡¯s good food,¡± Nicole said, offering a soft smile.

    Devon chuckled, looking away.  ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s that.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Is it actually working?¡± Grace asked.

    Once upon a time, Nicole might have struggled to hear that question over the din of the conversations around her, but her senses were sharper than most, and she could listen in on any singular person within the fire house, which helped greatly when she wanted to focus on her girlfriend.

    Nicole nodded, waving a forkful of cheesecake.  ¡°Yeah, I was surprised too.  Never thought that I could light a fire under so many asses just by half-assing things.¡±

    ¡°Never underestimate the power of spite as a motivator,¡± Kayla said.

    The gymnastics team hadn¡¯t appreciated her being brought in as a guest instructor, right up until they saw her perform.  Tanya had been grinning viciously by the end of the routine and inside of a month the improvements shown by the team were astonishing.

    Yet, that again presented a problem.

    Nicole was finding it difficult to justify caring about keeping her identity hidden, especially around people that might be around when she needs to morph in a hurry.  The question of what might happen if there was a fire emergency and they needed a Ranger to go in and get someone was half the reason she wanted to reveal herself to them.  She wasn¡¯t going to dance around things while trying to justify to everyone that she needed to duck out because of a Sylan attack, or explain why Grace went missing in the middle of a major emergency.

    Better to just be open about it and not worry, especially when lives were on the line.  It wasn¡¯t like her identity wasn¡¯t known to the Sylans either.  Eventually the gymnastics team would put the clues together as well.  Everyone of consequence knew who she was already, and if the media found out, she would own that too.

    It was almost funny how quickly her opinions had shifted following the battle and her recovery.  She wasn¡¯t dropping out of school, but Nicole was no longer stressing as much about it all, she no longer felt that she had to attend out of some obligation to her deceased parents.

    That admission alone was rather liberating, not having an obligation she could never live up to hanging over her head was freeing in a way that Nicole hadn¡¯t expected, and it led to her enjoying life for the first time in years.  She had a girlfriend, a bunch of friends, and a team at her back.  It was everything she hoped gymnastics would have been back when she started in high school, but this was real and tangible.

    ¡°When Devon slipped and fell into the pool!¡± Jeff exclaimed, getting a round of laughter for his story.

    Even Nicole found herself giggling along.  ¡°Then, when Kayla tried to help him out¡­¡±

    Said girl flipped her off.  ¡°Yeah, yeah.  He ended up pulling me into the pool with him.  I remember full well, because I was there.  All of us were, so no need to dig it back up.¡±

    ¡°To be fair,¡± Carlos said, hiding his smile behind a glass, ¡°I was not, so I appreciate being caught back up on things.¡±

    ¡°You sticking around?¡± Jeff asked.  ¡°I know you have obligations in New York, but we¡¯ve sort of missed having you around.¡±

    Carlos chuckled, gesturing with his drink.  ¡°For a few days, it¡¯s a nice break from the chaos that New York brings with it.¡±

    ¡°Less Ranger teams too,¡± Devon said.  ¡°Didn¡¯t a fourth pop up last month?¡±

    ¡°Given there have been no Sylan attacks, no.  It was a group of theater kids dressing up for some viral stunt,¡± Carlos said with a sigh.  ¡°We probably lucked out that they weren¡¯t a real Ranger team.  I don¡¯t think the city could handle that level of drama.¡±

    Grace snickered, covering her mouth as she did.  ¡°I am so glad that wasn¡¯t us.  Could you imagine how toxic that might get?¡±

    ¡°Says the LARPer,¡± Carlos teased.

    Grace flipped him off even as Nicole straightened up.  ¡°Hey, she¡¯s an apprentice blacksmith.  That deserves some respect.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough, I¡¯ve seen her crush a Sylan machine with her thighs, I know that¡¯s an argument I would lose.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of,¡± Nicole said, doing her best to not blush at the memory.  Having THAT moment go viral had turned Grace into an overnight meme.  The worst part was that Nicole missed it because she was busy fighting the giant worm bastard.  ¡°Has there been any sightings of Maraline or Guiana since our last major battle?¡±

    ¡°None,¡± Carlos said, frowning.  ¡°Not one attack that we¡¯ve uncovered anywhere in the world for that matter.  Some of the senior Rangers are even speculating that the General might have succumbed to his injuries and the invaders are scrambling to figure out what happens next.¡±

    There was no way they would get that lucky.  No, the alien was simply recovering, and preparing for whatever was to come.  The invasion would likely pick up in intensity from there and the world would suffer for it.

    Screaming had all of their attention in an instant, Nicole jumped to her feet and was already moving before most of the others in the fire house looked more than confused.  The crew stepped aside at the sight of the Ranger running with determination.  She still had to shove aside some of those that seemed to be frozen in place, but once she did she saw what had them so spooked.

    Nicole felt her stomach drop at the sight of two dozen automatons waiting for them.  Worse, each of them bore the orange band that signified they weren¡¯t something to mess with casually.  People were running away, screaming, but her team formed up and stood firm behind her.  She couldn¡¯t help but grimace as she looked over her shoulder as everyone else brought up their watches.  With a firm nod, Nicole pulled her helmet on and made sure it was secure.

    ¡°Roll the Dice.¡±

    A kaleidoscope of colors washed over the parking lot, and soon five Rangers and whatever Nicole counted as, stood defiant in the face of the danger before them.  A few of the fleeing people froze, and soon they were cheering for the now present team of Rangers.  Turning back to face her team, Nicole couldn¡¯t help but strike a commanding pose.

    ¡°Looks like the vacation is over, Rangers,¡± she said.  ¡°Let¡¯s scrap these rust buckets.¡±

    Grace coughed, and the others laughed, a brief moment of levity before facing down the murderous machines that for once weren¡¯t trying to kill every person that twitched.  That alone was concerning, but each passing second was more time for others to get away.

    A blue flash briefly blinded the Rangers, but Nicole already knew what that signaled.  Pulling her arm away, she glared across the way to the newly arrived Sylan.

    ¡°Maraline.¡±

    The invader smiled.  ¡°Hello, my dearest friend.  It has been too long.¡±

 Chapter 42 - Proclamation

    ¡°Parley,¡± Maraline said, holding up her hand.  ¡°I have not come to do battle.¡±

    ¡°Funny way of showing it,¡± Grace said, her helmet shifting to regard the automatons.

    Maraline chuckled, the sound every bit as melodic as Nicole remembered.  ¡°A distraction, should you prove hostile to my overtures.¡±

    Nicole didn¡¯t buy that for a second.  ¡°What gesture of trust do you offer to back your words.¡±

    ¡°Guiana remains in hibernation,¡± Maraline said.  ¡°You shattered her defensive field and nearly cleaved her in twain.  She will not see action for some time, but Commander Bartran has finally awoken.¡±

    Nicole picked up several sharp intakes of breath, but paid them little attention, her focus was focused on the woman before her.  Maraline was looking her over with a level of scrutiny that should have felt inappropriate if it hadn¡¯t been for the growing expression of melancholy on her face.

    ¡°You have not repaired your morpher.¡±

    Nicole shrugged, refusing to show how much the statement and admission hurt.  ¡°These things take time, you know how groundbreaking research goes.¡±

    ¡°If you fight in the coming struggle, you will fall.¡±

    The blunt statement hit hard, but Nicole refused to cower in the face of the coming end.  She might not have wanted the responsibility, but now that it had come her way, she would own it and everything that came with it, power or no.

    ¡°If you truly believe that, then get it over with already,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°You brought the same class of machines that Bartran deployed to kill children.  I¡¯d like to think I¡¯m a more difficult target.¡±

    ¡°So be it,¡± Maraline said, raising her arm at the Rangers.  ¡°Go, my machines, kill them all.¡±

    Nicole reached behind, pulling the twin daggers from their scout carry and brandished them in reverse grips.  One of the machines came right for her while the rest split off to fight her team.  That was fine by Nicole, she had been eager to see how she could compete with the machines now that she was limited.

    There was no probing, the automaton simply moved in for the kill.  The bladed arm came for her throat in a move that no normal human would ever hope to see, let alone stop.  Nicole wasn¡¯t normal, and despite losing her Ranger powers, she was still far above human limits.  Her arm moved in slow motion to her own senses, yet it still caught the Sylan machine¡¯s attack with her own blade.

    A grin spread beneath Nicole¡¯s helmet as not only did the blades that Grace forged for her hold up, but her counter slash slid across the drone¡¯s own armor plating before it bit into a joint.  Her grin immediately dropped into a frown as she saw how shallow the cut was, but it was still a cut.  She could compete with the Sylan¡¯s best.

    The machine¡¯s eyes flashed and the pair dove into their dance of death.  Steel deflected deadly strikes and Sinclair¡¯s armor proved its worth as it sparked against metallic limbs.  Sure, Nicole had dominated the exchange as a Ranger, but being able to hold her own was more than she could ask given she no longer had her abilities.

    She was forced to dodge a strike she would have once phased through, caught a kick on both arms rather than one, and was panting for breath less than twenty seconds into the exchange.  The Orange banded automatons were deadly, she knew that given how they were keeping up with her, yet the mere fact that she wasn¡¯t powerless spoke volumes.

    ¡°I retract my concerns,¡± Maraline said, circling outside of the battle.  ¡°You very well could win in a battle with this machine, were it alone.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s eyes widened as something pricked at her neck.  She dropped forward, metal scraped against her helmet with a screech that she somehow felt in her fucking teeth.  Hitting the ground, Nicole immediately rolled to the side, away from the coming strikes, then sprung back to her feet in a practiced motion.

    Two more orange banded machines had joined the damaged one, putting Nicole at a clear disadvantage.  It almost felt as if Maraline was attempting to show Nicole that she wasn¡¯t up for this fight, which only served to push Nicole to fight harder.

    Darting forward, Nicole feinted a blade towards the damaged machine, their programming pushing them to defend their vulnerable member to preserve their numerical advantage.  A smirk came to her lips as Nicole slipped her blade through the guard of one of the fresh machines and struck..

    There were perks to having a roommate working with Sinclair Industries, and Rebecca was making sure Nicole knew all the vulnerabilities of each Sylan model recovered so far.  The orange models were more durable, with higher output than any other model, but that output required certain joints to be unobstructed in any way, and that was something she could punish.

    Grace might not have made her blades with Sylan steel, but they were still tough as hell by any metric, and they cut deep into the machine, severing the primary cooling line.  She took a blow to the ribs, her armor absorbing the worst of it as she bounced off the ground and hit a nearby wall.  The impact drove the air from her lungs, but she had taken one of them out, which meant it was now two on one instead.

    ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± Nicole asked, pushing herself back to her feet.

    ¡°Ever the fool,¡± Maraline said.  ¡°Yet I will commend you for damaging one of the machines.  It seems the Source changed you more than our models predicted.¡±

    Nicole frowned under her helmet.  Had the Sylan been tracking her despite the lapse in attacks?  That sent all sorts of chills through her that they were able to follow her accurately enough to know that she was still enhanced to any degree.  No, she was not happy about that at all.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting hella stalker vibes right now, you know that?¡±

    Maraline chuckled.  ¡°I¡¯ll admit to having an interest in your well being, my friend, but this was just business as your people say.  I was ordered to keep an eye on you while preparing for the continuing invasion.¡±

    ¡°Let me guess,¡± Nicole spat.  ¡°This is the big pronouncement that it¡¯s back on and soon we¡¯ll be swarmed by mutants.¡±

    ¡°You are essentially correct,¡± Maraline said.  ¡°Now, finish these two machines quickly, if you can.¡±

    And with that order the pair bounded forward, blades at the ready.  Her teammates were still fighting their own machines, and doing fairly well, but it didn¡¯t escape Nicole¡¯s notice that more were arriving to keep the pressure up.  Maraline obviously wanted Nicole kept apart from the others, which only served to strengthen her resolve to finish the fight quickly, despite Maraline¡¯s goading. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Nicole attempted the same feint, and sure enough, the machines adapted, which was the only reason why it actually worked.  She didn¡¯t feint, and struck true on the damaged machine.  Green fluid gushed and Nicole spun, lashing out at the intact automaton with a kick.  It connected, forcing the machine back as she increased the pressure as she focused on using her blades for control and her feet for actual hits.

    Each kick was like hitting a steel pillar, sending shocks of pain up her bones, yet the metal deformed with every impact.  Nicole kept her pace, switched up her tempo just like her instructor had taught her, then once the machine realized the blade strikes were a distraction, they weren¡¯t.  Steel bit into the coolant line and Nicole jump-kicked the now failing machine away before landing at the ready to face whatever Maraline had in store next.

    Blades flashed and Nicole¡¯s eyes widened as she leaned back just as twin swords scraped across the armor protecting her neck.  Maraline didn¡¯t give her a moment to rest, pushing her assault at the same level she had two months prior when fighting Nicole¡¯s entire team.  She hadn¡¯t been able to win that fight, but it had been five on one and she absolutely came out the better among those that walked away.

    Even pushing herself in an attempt to match the viciousness of the attacks wasn¡¯t enough.

    ¡°Come now!¡± Maraline said, her swords moving as a blur, forcing Nicole onto the backfoot.  ¡°If this is all you can manage, then you have no hope of defying us as you are!¡±

    Nicole grit her teeth, a touch of warmth rising in her that slipped through her fingers the moment she reached for it, so this time Nicole left it alone.  Whatever connection she still held to the Source, it wasn¡¯t something that she could rely on at the moment.  Despite all her attempts to harness that power, it remained elusive and tenuous.

    So, Nicole let it simply happen.  She continued to defend, giving ground each time Maraline pressed an advantage, and there were plenty of those given how much Maraline outclassed her at the moment.  Blades continued to scrape against her armor, and she swore to give Kelly a gift basket for getting the stuff fast tracked for her.

    The warmth was slowly growing, and Nicole tried to give it some attention without actually doing anything with it.  Even during the most intense training it never grew to anything more than a slight heat that she could miss if she hadn¡¯t learned to recognize it from when the power nearly tore her apart.

    Yet now it was pulsing in time with her heart, growing stronger with each frantic beat.  There was a fear that it would burn out of control if she didn¡¯t push it away, but she couldn¡¯t let fear rule her, not when learning to harness such power could prove vital for the coming battles.

    Maraline¡¯s eyes narrowed as Nicole deflected a strike, breaking their tempo as she turned to press the offensive.  It was a slim opening, and one that would be all too easy for Maraline to reverse if she so chose, yet she seemed content to let the fight continue as it was.  Nicole couldn¡¯t guess as to what game the Sylan general might be playing, but the longer she held out, the more likely it would be for her team to ride out the assault and join the fray.

    ¡°You are adapting,¡± Maraline said, then broke away.  She peddled back faster than Nicole could follow so she just adopted a defensive posture instead as the General eyed her critically.  ¡°More than that, you¡¯re improving with every movement.  Another theory confirmed.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s eye twitched at the statement, and she decided it was past time to get proper answers.  ¡°What the hell is with the Sylan seeking data on Rangers?  Is humanity nothing more than an experiment for you?¡±

    Maraline sucked in a breath, taking a step back as her eyes widened and drifted towards the machines currently doing battle with Nicole¡¯s teammates.  Something about that had put her on edge, yet it shouldn¡¯t have been a surprise that everyone knew after Guiana said as much.  Data was what drove their actions, right up until Nicole exceeded their expectations and injured two of the three leaders.

    Now, only one still stood, and she was there to fight.  At least, that was how it seemed on the surface.  The way she fought wasn¡¯t nearly to her full potential, Nicole could tell that much, so she needed to test that hunch, and had to do it in a way that wouldn¡¯t put her supposed friend at risk.

    Nicole took a deep breath, the warmth surging with it, then she rushed forward.  All of her focus was on Maraline, ready for whatever the woman might try.  Nicole needed to make it look convincing, if only long enough to get an answer out of her.

    Blades sparked as steel rang out.  Maraline wore a determined expression, but Nicole knew that she was still being toyed with, but that was fine.  That was the only reason Nicole even considered her plan, because Maraline had no need to lull her into a false sense of security, not when she could completely dominate the fight on a whim.

    ¡°You know,¡± Nicole said, the point of a blade passing a hair¡¯s breadth from her visor.  ¡°It¡¯s probably a bit fucked, but I¡¯ve missed this.¡±

    ¡°It pleases me that I can bring you such pleasure,¡± Maraline said, just a bit breathless.

    ¡°Phrasing,¡± Nicole muttered.

    Maraline tilted her head.  ¡°What was wrong with my phrasing?¡±

    Nicole paused, her mouth opening before clamping shut.  ¡°You know what?  Stay innocent, it¡¯s kinda cute.¡±

    Despite the confusion evident on Maraline¡¯s face, their dance continued even as more machines arrived and she cursed herself for flirting with the General.  Nicole caught a hint of blue along a shoulder of a lunging automaton just before Grace cleaved it through and all she could do was grin.  They weren¡¯t sending their best anymore, and likely hadn¡¯t been for some time.  Soon her team would be able to back her up, but something told her that she needed to take advantage of the situation before it slipped through her fingers.  This time, Nicole locked blades with Maraline, then hooked them so she could shift close and slammed her shoulder into the Sylan¡¯s sternum.

    ¡°Talk fast,¡± Nicole whispered.

    Every muscle in Maraline¡¯s body tensed, the woman looking into Nicole¡¯s visor with intensity.  For a moment Nicole worried that she had misread the situation, that she was about to be cut down or run through as Maraline¡¯s expression shifted to anger.

    ¡°You dare!¡± she cried out, then headbutted the helmet.

    Nicole barely felt it, and Maraline seemed unaffected as well.  Before she could question just what that had been, the woman broke away, shifted, and hooked Nicole under a leg before sweeping her off her feet and driving her not just into the asphalt, but through it and into the concrete beneath it.

    The breath was driven from Nicole¡¯s lungs even as the warmth within surged as if in defiance of the attack.  That was when Maraline stood over Nicole, pressing a blade to her throat as she kneeled down, looming over her even as Nicole didn¡¯t dare twitch.  Was it wrong that the situation was a touch thrilling?  The thought fled the moment it had crossed her mind, and she hated that it had even happened.

    ¡°I will seek an opening in the coming days,¡± Maraline said, her voice barely a whisper.  Nicole¡¯s eyes widened as the General continued.  ¡°When we meet again, do all you can to take the item I am attempting to safeguard.¡±  She then stood as Nicole finally sucked in a breath.  ¡°I have learned enough.  You continued to prove an interesting specimen.  Do try to continue to survive.¡±

    A flash of green followed and Maraline was gone.  Nicole took a moment to catch her breath as she took in everything that had just transpired.  She was going to feel that final attack in the morning, there was little doubt of that, but it had been worth it just to get the promise of something from the enigmatic General.

    Nicole pried herself from the damaged parking lot with a groan, bits of stone falling free as she stood.  Her team were still dealing with the automatons, but they were down to the regular models at this point, and they were falling in droves to the empowered Rangers.  Nicole envied that, despite her own abilities being nothing to sneeze at, but it was still a gap she hadn¡¯t been able to close, and likely would never.

    Not until she got her morpher repaired.

    She could only hope Rebecca would have an update, but it was the rare night that she returned to the dorms and they kept their conversations over text to things not related to work.  Well, not the work they did off the open books.  Nicole had already sent Becca a text with a picture of the party being thrown for her after passing the obstacle course.

    Cracking her neck, Nicole moved to join her team in finishing off the remaining machines when another flash of green followed.  Nicole barely had a chance to turn as it let out a deafening road and her eyes widened.

    Maraline had sent a mutant after them, a quadruped with silver scales and a hound like mouth.  Compared to some of the prior monsters, it wasn¡¯t all that special, but it was the tails that had her gaping.  Six of them whipped and coiled as the monster took in the new scenery, each tipped with a sharp barb that dripped something that caused the asphalt to sizzle.

    ¡°Oh that bitch.¡±

 Chapter 43 - Bestial Terror

    The beast snarled, saliva dripping to the ground in thick strings.  Nicole stood stock still, watching as muscles coiled and the beast leaned forward, the tails twitching much like a feline¡¯s.  She didn¡¯t dare move, not when it was clear the mutant was just waiting for a reason to pounce.  It was the first time Nicole would be fighting something remotely like it without her morphing capabilities, and for the first time since becoming a Ranger she felt genuine fear at the sight of a mutant staring her down.

    It was something Nicole hadn¡¯t truly anticipated, though she was certainly coming to understand just how much confidence the Ranger uniform granted.  Knowing that a single bad hit wasn¡¯t enough to end you brought a reassurance with it that was hard to match.  No such safety net awaited her this time.  For all the good that Sinclair Industries armor had done against Maraline, Nicole held no illusions about its effectiveness against a mutant that stood twice her height at the shoulder.

    Six tails snapped, cracking the pavement, then the beast lunged.  Nicole dove to the side, rolling with the landing to spring back to her feet.  She spun and jumped back and just in the nick of time as claws tore through the space she had just occupied.  The world sharpened as Nicole¡¯s focus narrowed, everything else falling away in the face of the danger before her.

    Warmth blossomed as Nicole kicked off the moment her feet hit the ground and her blades flashed, cutting deep into a tentacle as she leapt past only for a second tail to slam across her back as she passed.  One of the six limbs fell limp as Nicole hit the ground hard, rolling for several moments before she managed to right herself and skid to a halt even as the pain of the hit caught up with her.

    The beast thrashed, attempting to bite at the agony that Nicole had inflicted upon it.  Finally teeth found the limp limb and it bit down, and ripped it free with a screeching howl that sent shivers down her spine.  Slitted eyes fell upon her and Nicole barely suppressed a shudder at the raw loathing contained within.  She was bruised and aching, but that wouldn¡¯t stop the beast from ripping her throat out if given the opportunity.

    ¡°Well, come on then,¡± Nicole said, her voice carrying despite the helmet.

    A howl answered her challenge, then thundering footfalls rang out, the asphalt crumbling under the weight of the Sylan monster.  Nicole stood firm, blades at the ready as it moved to pounce.  The moment it was in the air for the strike, Nicole ducked forward, letting her blades cut along the extended paws.

    The skin was tough, and it resisted her blades, but she still managed to draw blood.  The monster stumbled as it landed, a clawed foot barely missing Nicole even as she deflected the lashes from the spiked tails.  The thing was strong, far more than she was at that moment.  One wrong move would be the death of her.

    Not that Nicole would let that stop her from fighting.

    Claws blurred as the mutant spun, Nicole ducked as she felt the torrent of air passing in the wake of the massive appendage.  She didn¡¯t dare attempt another strike, and instead dodged the tails that were waiting for exactly that.  Mutants were always strangely aware of combat in a way that suggested higher thought.

    Knowing they were genetic experiments didn¡¯t help, and she really didn¡¯t want to explore the ethics of what might have been done to make them so smart.  Instead, she blocked more tail strikes, scoring thin trails of blood from a few of the hits.  Something hit her stomach hard, a tentacle slipping through her guard to hit her chest piece full on.  Nicole was launched across the parking lot with tremendous force only to impact the side of the fire station.

    Thankfully Nicole bounced off the side rather than getting stuck, though her back would have appreciated the break.  She landed in a crouch, panting heavily even as the warmth surged with each breath.  The mutant glared at her from across the parking lot and Nicole knew it was getting irritated with her.

    Guttural snarls rumbled as the beast began to glow.  Nicole¡¯s eyes had just enough time to widen as the beast exploded into motion, shattering the asphalt underneath its claws with cataclysmic force.  The distance was closed in a blink and Nicole found her mind working faster than her body which would not follow the directions of her mind fast enough to dodge.

    ¡°Draconic Dive!¡±

    A streak of purple blurred as Jeff¡¯s spear slammed into the neck of the beast.  The Purple Ranger came with it, planting feet against flesh as he rode the toppling beast over.  Nicole let out a heavy breath and the shiver hit her in full as the warmth that had been building rushed through her, dissipating through her whole body.

    ¡°You seemed to be in a tight spot,¡± Jeff said and she could almost see his smile as he struck a bit of a pose.  ¡°We¡¯ve got things from here.¡±

    As if in answer to his words, vines burst forth, covering the beast to hold it down as silver and red converged upon it from both sides, each hacking into one of the whip-tails, severing them as though they were nothing.  The disparity of power was something that turned Nicole¡¯s stomach, but if this was the consequence of fighting so desperately to save her friends, she would own it.

    Nicole pushed herself to her feet just as the beast flexed and the vines tore.  Kayla twirled her staff, then slammed it, green vines rushed towards the mutant, but it lashed out with the three remaining whip-tails, cutting through the vines before they reached it.  Nicole grit her teeth as the beast once again came for her, knowing she was the weak link in the team, the only unpowered Ranger present.

    Nicole didn¡¯t care.

    Despite her weaknesses, Nicole had worked with her team so that she could still help even without the titanic might that a Ranger transformation brought with it, and now it was time to show the results.

    A deep breath followed as she let the warmth flow through her, doing her best to let it happen as it would.  Whatever the Source happened to be, whatever connection that she held with it, it wasn¡¯t responding to her desires, but instead to the need that she experienced in the moment.  And wasn¡¯t that a dangerous thing?

    Her body shifted even as the world slowed around her, the breath slipping free as she moved.  The ache of her injury faded into the background even as claws impacted the ground where she had stood but an instant prior.  Despite that sudden burst of momentum, Nicole¡¯s arms were up, blades held tight as her feet planted themselves, then she took a breath.  The rush of power that followed was almost enough to break her focus, but Nicole kept herself from tensing, and let herself react.

    Steel carved through flesh, spraying green blood through the air.  Nicole¡¯s blades didn¡¯t bite nearly as deep as she would have hoped, but they still cut as much as she needed.  Her feet continued to carry her away, the motions well practiced from her time on the mat.  Blood poured from the wound, having hit an arterial vein.  She held few illusions that a mutant would go down so easily, but Nicole also understood a simple truth.

    She wasn¡¯t alone.

    Devon rushed between them, shield catching the monster as it lunged, and before it finished impacting the braced Ranger, Grace slammed into its side in a blur of red.  Flesh impacted asphalt, shattering it as the monster crashed into a car and crumpled it like a beer can at a frat party.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± Grace yelled out, staring at the wreckage of a familiar car.

    Nicole had to suppress a wince as the monster pried itself from the wreck of her girlfriend¡¯s car, bending some of the last recognizable bits of metal as it shook itself off, slinging green blood all about.  Then Jeff crashed into it, driving the beast down once again with a spear to the back of the neck, demolishing what little remained of the vehicle.  Well, hopefully her insurance covered acts of Rangers, because Grace was going to need it after that.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    The mutant let out a warbling groan before it finally collapsed, limbs falling still.  The collective tension hung in the air as Jeff pulled his spear free, slinging it over his shoulder as everyone watched the beast with mounting anticipation as he hopped off and stepped away.

    Just because the last two months had been peaceful didn¡¯t mean that the Rangers remained idle.  Between Carlos and Sinclair Industries, they had studied hundreds of mutant attacks, and one thing they all knew to be careful of was a beast playing dead.  It was rare, but had ended in a Ranger casualty more than once.

    Grace approached with heavy steps, heaved her axe to the sky, then brought it down, severing the remaining tails in a single cleave.  The mutant didn¡¯t so much as twitch.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s dead,¡± Grace said, then sighed.  ¡°I can¡¯t believe I wrecked my own fucking car like that.¡±

    ¡°You needed a new one,¡± Kayla said casually.  ¡°Let me know if the insurance company gives you any grief, I know a few tricks thanks to my shitbag parents and their incessant bitching.¡±

    Grace huffed out a mirthless laugh.  ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°Well, so much for the celebration,¡± Devon said with a sigh, his eyes drifting down the street.  ¡°Oh goodie, the press is here.¡±

    Nicole followed his gaze and sure enough, there was a line of press at the cordon set up about two blocks down the road.  That half of the people managing it were with the fire department went without saying.  There was little doubt that the coming inquisition would be a pain in the ass, especially with how Nicole couldn¡¯t disappear as easily as the rest of her team.

    ¡°Damn, I missed the fun.¡±

    Everyone turned at the projected voice, looking up at the rooftop of the station.  The Yellow Ranger was perched on the edge, looking down at them.  She gave a cheeky wave, then jumped, doing a quick flip before she hit the ground without a sound.  The sunburst symbol on her chest offset the military style that her uniform carried.

    Which was a stark contrast to how irreverent she could be, at least when Anita was up front.  Maria was the professional one, with a dry wit that could cut deep when she felt like it.  Nicole didn¡¯t have much experience dealing with plural individuals, but she was certainly getting a crash course in it by having to put up with the sporadic woman.

    ¡°You certainly did,¡± Kayla snapped.  ¡°What the hell?¡±

    Anita shrugged, then leaned against one of the intact cars.  ¡°I was at Sinclair Industries when the call came in, and apparently you guys worked pretty damn fast.¡±

    She kicked at a chunk of debris at her feet for emphasis.

    ¡°I had my bodycam on, assuming it survived,¡± Nicole said, then winced as the implications of that hit her in full.  ¡°Maraline was here and brought an announcement with her.¡±

    ¡°That the invasion is back on?¡± Anita asked.  ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s pretty obvious at this point given we were getting reports across the states about fresh attacks all synchronized.  Given the Sylan bitch chose this place, it looks like she¡¯s still obsessed with her little pet.¡±

    A flash of anger struck Nicole at the animosity being shown towards Maraline, even if she couldn¡¯t quite fault Anita for her own feelings.  Maraline and Guiana had fought Anita¡¯s team once before, and injured the elder general enough that she hadn¡¯t been seen until Nicole¡¯s own battle with the enemy leadership.  Not that she ever managed to get the full story out of them, given that whatever Anita had been up to was likely hella illegal based on the broad strokes version she had been given.

    ¡°She also wanted to feel me out,¡± Nicole said, making a mental note not to mention the whole exchange they had with whispered breaths at this moment.  She would tell Grace later, but something told her that needed to be kept as secret as possible.  Nicole could only hope that they hadn¡¯t been picked up by the device.  ¡°She sent three orange bands after me, then fought me herself.¡±

    Anita whistled, which sounded weird when filtered through a Ranger¡¯s helmet.  ¡°I¡¯m surprised you could manage one, let alone three of those in your current state.  We might need you to come in for some fresh readings.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pass,¡± Nicole said with a huff.  ¡°The last four times showed no change.¡±

    ¡°You hadn¡¯t just fought a pitched battle for your life either,¡± Ani¡ªno¡ªMaria said.  ¡°The last time you did that you managed a morph without channeling it through that fancy bit of alien tech and nearly tore yourself apart at a subatomic level.¡±

    Before Nicole could protest further a firm hand fell upon her shoulder.  Nicole turned just enough to take in the sight of her girlfriend¡¯s helmet as she shook her head.

    ¡°Unfortunately, she¡¯s probably right,¡± Grace said.  ¡°That¡¯s not even going into how banged up your armor is after that fight.  Plus, we can make sure Rebecca is there if you¡¯re worried about something not entirely on the level.¡±

    Damn her and that little thing called logic.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll get checked out,¡± Nicole said through grit teeth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Jeff said cheerfully, hooking a thumb back to where the press were waiting behind the police lines.  ¡°We¡¯ll go handle the hounds at the gates.¡±

    Kayla nodded.  ¡°Yeah, we can meet up for dinner at the diner after we¡¯re all done.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± Grace said with what Nicole could tell was a weak smile.

    The Yellow Ranger clapped once.  ¡°Wonderful, that means I don¡¯t have to drag you back with me.  Red, you¡¯re a given, but what about you, Silver?  Care to join us back at our little super-villain lair?¡±

    And Anita was back out front, so much for a reprieve from her exuberance.

    ¡°Not like I have anything else going on,¡± Devon said.

    The way he¡¯d said it brought about a wince from Nicole.  He¡¯d been through a fairly strong upheaval in his life and was genuinely attempting to adjust his worldview in light of recent events.  She knew that he was spending time with Anita off the clock, but was there something more there, or was she using him for some other means?

    Hell, was he letting himself be used?

    Those were thoughts that Nicole didn¡¯t want to entertain, as there was nothing productive down that road, so she let them go and focused on her own predicament.  Namely that she was once more walking into the nest of vipers that was Sinclair Industries.

    Sure, they were helpful, providing her with the armor that had saved her life just minutes earlier, but it was clear there was far more to them than they initially let on.  Despite that, they were also the best shot she had of staying in the fight, as well as getting her morpher back.

    ¡°Then we had best be off,¡± Anita said, then paused.  ¡°Can you still jump like a Ranger, or do you need someone to carry you?¡±

    Scarlet heat creeped up Nicole¡¯s face.  ¡°I don¡¯t need to be fucking carried.¡±

    The Yellow Ranger held up her hands in mock surrender.  ¡°Whoa there, princess.  I was just offering you an excuse to have your girlfriend there carry you.  No need to bite off my pretty little head over it.¡±

    In response, Nicole flipped her off.  Anita just laughed, shaking her head before she jumped back, clearing thirty feet vertically to land atop the building across the street from the station.  Nicole sighed, then started to follow even as Devon jumped after her.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re up for it?¡± Grace asked softly.

    ¡°Not really,¡± Nicole admitted.  ¡°My back plate feels cracked.  Not sure if it was the tentacle across the back or bouncing off the station walls that did it though.¡±

    ¡°Good thing we¡¯re getting you looked at, then,¡± Grace said.  ¡°Now, no bravado.  Do you need a hand getting there?¡±

    She probably could use it, given how everything ached, but the press would catch onto that and she needed to present a strong image to keep morale high within the city.  Especially if the attacks were going to resume their weekly cadence.  So, Nicole broke into a sprint, and jumped towards the rooftop with everything she had.

    She landed with a roll, some of the natural grace that a Ranger possessed having been lost to her, but her time as a gymnast meant she could still fake it rather well.  Grace joined them a moment later and Yellow took that as permission to continue on.

    ¡°That pride is going to cost you one day,¡± Grace muttered.

    Nicole sighed.  ¡°I know.¡±

    Devon looked back for a moment, his thoughts unknown to her, before he followed after Yellow, keeping the pace set by the enigmatic Ranger.  Nicole sighed, then took off to follow, hoping that Kelly had that weird glow stick that helped injuries at the ready.  Something told her that she would need it once they got a look at her throbbing back.

    That lecture was going to suck, but something told her it wouldn¡¯t be the worst part of the day.  No, that would be the interrogation after they viewed her body cam, which hopefully didn¡¯t pick up on their whispered conversations.  She wasn¡¯t sure what would be worse, explaining it, or attempting to lie about it.  Pity she knew her luck wouldn¡¯t be good enough for the device to have been destroyed in the fighting.

    Nicole was never that fortunate.

 Chapter 44 - Examination

    Sinclair Industries had rebounded quite well since Nicole¡¯s first visit, which wasn¡¯t saying much given the building had been on fire at the time.  Some experiment was being demonstrated for a group of shareholders and suffered a catastrophic failure, or at least that was the story that Kelly Rivers had given when asked.

    Nicole knew better than to trust the Chief Researcher at her word, cover ups were the name of the game when it came to clandestine organizations fighting a shadow war against alien invaders.  They would absolutely lie to keep a powerful player friendly with them, and despite Nicole having lost her morpher to her own actions, she could still contribute despite that.

    Regardless of how they felt about one another, it was in humanity¡¯s best interest that she remained fighting fit.  Even thinking it felt incredibly arrogant, yet it was a simple truth.  She had been the one responsible for a two month reprieve, all because she crippled the Sylan leadership in battle.

    Yes, it seemed to be a temporary thing, the healing stick currently being waved over her back was simply derived from something that the Sylan used in their own medical treatments.  Bartran was awake, and Guiana wasn¡¯t likely to be far behind.  The invasion resumed as if it had never stopped, and people were dead because of it.

    At the same time, how many people would see tomorrow because Nicole had brought things to a halt for a short time?  How many might have died if that mutant was allowed to rampage?  Such questions would always invade Nicole¡¯s mind while she sat idle, even if it was for the purpose of recovery.

    ¡°The armor saved your life,¡± a man said.

    Franklin Fredrick, a fake name if she ever heard one, was inspecting his work, a frown on his brow as he examined the cracked backplate.  Nicole couldn¡¯t hear his mutterings as he moved on to the rest of the gear, mostly because Nicole hissed as Kelly switched to a different device, one that brought a bone deep ache to her ribs.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I was afraid of,¡± Kelly said with a sigh.  ¡°Your spine was bruised, which is easy enough to treat, but you also cracked a few ribs.  Yes, a Ranger¡¯s innate healing will help, but you¡¯re going to be sore for a few days.¡±

    ¡°What, the magic wand doesn¡¯t work on bones?¡± Grace asked snidely.

    Nicole was thankful that Grace had come with her into the medical bay.  Devon was somewhere else with Anita, and she really didn¡¯t want to know if there was something more going on between them.  Grace was in the same gear she had worn during the celebratory dinner before Maraline attacked, and was not happy about the situation.

    Kelly snorted.  ¡°Xavier actually vetoed that as a name for the device, much to my disappointment.  Your assumption wasn¡¯t completely accurate, given it does affect bone recovery.  The difference maker is that flesh is more malleable than bone, and as such, bone takes longer to recover.¡±

    It sounded like an excuse for a lack of understanding, but Nicole accepted it readily enough.  If it was an outright lie Rebecca would have called them on it.  Instead, she was looking over the readings being taken from their fancy scanner that could detect how much Source energy was being given off by a person.

    ¡°What¡¯s the prognosis?¡± Nicole asked instead.

    Becca hummed, swiping through a screen that hung in the air as if it was the most familiar thing to her.  The level of technology on display was more than a step above anything on the consumer market, and it was no wonder how Sinclair Industries was staying afloat.  Marketing even a single one of their many ¡®innovations¡¯ would catapult them onto the global stage in ways that few companies could manage.

    ¡°Your levels have nearly doubled since your last checkup,¡± Becca said, a scowl across her face.  ¡°What¡¯s unusual is that it doesn¡¯t seem to be dissipating at all.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Kelly asked, her hand waving through the air.  A display appeared where she had gestured and she quickly brought up the same screen Becca was viewing.  ¡°Now that is interesting¡­  Clearly something has changed, but what?¡±

    The two women turned expectant eyes upon Nicole, she was still laid out on the examination bed as a device ran the healing stick over her back in slow circles.  Each pass brought goosebumps with it, the tingle feeling absurdly pleasant as it dulled the aches within.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Nicole answered, unsure if it was safe to voice what she had experienced.  Did Sinclair also have such a connection to the Source?  Carlos didn¡¯t seem to, so what made her so special?  Was it all an accident that she stumbled upon something so dangerous?  Guiana knew of others, but it didn¡¯t sound like they were human, not with how she mentioned humanity being for lack of a better term, squishy.

    Maraline hadn¡¯t mentioned much, but there was the promise of more information in the future.  She just wasn¡¯t sure when it would be, just that when they next met it would be another fight, this time over something important that Nicole would need to secure.  It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that the Sylan General needed plausible deniability to pass it along.

    ¡°Any unusual sensations during the fight?¡± Kelly asked.

    ¡°Like that heat you mentioned two months ago,¡± Becca added.

    Nicole frowned.  ¡°I did feel a warmth, but any attempts to control it meant it slipped away.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Kelly said.  ¡°Have you tried to just let it happen?¡±

    Nicole nodded hesitantly.  ¡°It¡¯s what I did during the fight.¡±

    ¡°Finally,¡± Kelly said, her voice barely the ghost of a whisper.  ¡°That¡¯s a lead we can explore.  Do you still feel the warmth now?¡±

    Nicole paused, trying to look inward, but she couldn¡¯t feel anything other than the soft pulse of the healing stick as it worked on her.  It was distracting enough that even if the warmth was still there, she wouldn¡¯t be able to feel it.

    ¡°No,¡± Nicole answered, glancing at Becca as she did.

    Her friend¡¯s lips pursed, then she nodded.  ¡°Unfortunate.  Maybe it will return in the next attack.  We¡¯ll be taking further readings following that regardless.¡±

    Because there would be a next time, and within the next week at that.  Nicole¡¯s career as a Ranger was anything but typical.  Hell, she only had her powers for two fucking weeks before she nearly blew herself up.  That was two months ago now.  Things happened so quickly that she¡¯d barely gotten her head around it, then nothing.

    When the giant worm appeared, Nicole had stared it down without fear.  The latest mutant wasn¡¯t anything in comparison, yet it had scared her.  Getting certified with the fire department had served as a decent enough distraction, but now the weight of responsibility was back upon her in full force.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring the magic stick by each night for a while,¡± Becca continued, going over something on a display.  ¡°You will tell me everything you feel, because I can¡¯t help you if you aren¡¯t honest.¡±

    Nicole could only nod in agreement at that as the tingling faded and the table released her.  She sat up stretching, the soreness was still there, but largely diminished.  Of more importance, she could still feel the warmth that gently pulsed through her in time with her breath and heart.  It was almost comforting rather than the harsh reminder of when she had nearly died.

    ¡°Feeling something?¡± Grace asked in a whisper.

    Nicole paused for a moment, then sighed.  ¡°There is a hint of warmth, but nothing like that night.¡±

    ¡°That matches the readings,¡± Becca said with a nod.  ¡°Fredrick, how long until her gear is repaired?¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    The man looked up, her scuffed helmet in his hands.  He spun it about to show where it had been chipped, likely either a tentacle or the damn wall she had hit during the battle.

    ¡°Repaired?  Oh heavens no, this is nothing but scrap now.  Modern armor doesn¡¯t work like that, even Sylan enhanced stuff.  I can clean up the intact pieces, but this plate served its purpose.¡±

    ¡°So how long?¡± Becca asked with a huff.

    Fredrick laughed.  ¡°Please, as if we don¡¯t have a small armory full of the stuff.  I¡¯ll have a set delivered tomorrow morning to your dorm.¡±

    ¡°Please be discreet,¡± Becca added absently.  ¡°There¡¯s going to be enough speculation on the fan sites as it is after today and something like that could attract attention.¡±

    Fan sites¡­  It was bad enough when Becca first brought those up, and worse when she learned that her best friend was a member of one of the bigger ones.  She¡¯d joined shortly after Colin¡¯s close encounter with the Sylan machines, but before Nicole had come out as a Ranger to her.  Rather than simply disappear from the ¡®fandom¡¯ she opted to dive in and keep an eye on things, which was how the truth of the battle against Bartran and Guiana hit the net proper.

    ¡°Fine, you¡¯re getting a new fridge then,¡± Fredrick said, waving a hand flippantly.  ¡°The armor will be packed inside.  I¡¯ll have Anita¡¯s team handle the delivery.¡±

    Becca sighed.  ¡°That works, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°That means I need to be home for it?¡± Nicole asked.

    ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll make sure to be home tonight, so you and Grace can have some alone time.  I¡¯ve been getting plenty with Colin lately regardless.¡±

    Becca punctuated that with a wink, getting a laugh out of Nicole that instantly lightened the mood.  The truth was, Grace was staying with her at the dorm more often than not at this point, especially with Becca having all but moved in with Colin.  The rent was still covered, and Nicole wasn¡¯t dropping her classes like Becca had, so it made sense.

    Grace¡¯s roommate also appreciated the extra space.

    ¡°It will be just like old times,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°I¡¯ve sort of missed having you around.¡±

    ¡°But not enough to invite me back,¡± Becca said with a chuckle.  ¡°Has Grace fully moved in yet, or are you two still pretending you aren¡¯t living together?¡±

    ¡°Eh, we¡¯re keeping a pretense,¡± Grace said with a shrug.  ¡°The faculty frown upon people in relationships living together on site and all that.¡±

    Becca snorted.  ¡°Only for liability reasons.¡±

    Nicole didn¡¯t understand that, but she didn¡¯t really socialize outside of her team and Becca, so there was probably something there she didn¡¯t know about that happened to cause a policy like that to be enacted.

    A chime pulled Nicole out of those thoughts as she checked her phone, finding a message in the group chat.  ¡°Looks like Kayla and Jeff ditched the media and are ready to hit up the diner.¡±

    ¡°You still eat there?¡± Kelly asked with a raised eyebrow.  ¡°We give you a stipend, you don¡¯t need to eat at a grease trap.¡±

    ¡°I like the people,¡± Nicole said defiantly.  ¡°Plus, they¡¯ve been good to us.¡±

    It was the same reason she didn¡¯t just ditch the fire department following her recovery.  Yes, her money problems were effectively over, but Nicole didn¡¯t trust Sinclair Industries to not screw her over.  That money was tainted by their influence, and something told Nicole that it could all be gone in a blink.  She withdrew a couple grand from it and stashed it in her bugout bag just to be safe, but otherwise she hadn¡¯t touched it.

    Kelly shook her head as she dismissed most of the floating displays and Fredrick packed away her armor in a case.  It seemed they were done there, though Becca made no attempt to pack up with them.  Instead, she stood off to the side, biting her lip.

    ¡°Would it be imposing of me to invite myself?¡± Becca asked.

    Nicole smiled.  ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you know who everyone is, but let me check with them first?¡±

    Becca nodded timidly, which was a strange expression on her usually confident face.  Even with all the discrimination in the world, Becca never once let anyone look down on her.  She always stood proud, wanting to be a beacon for others to share in that confidence.  So, Nicole sent off the message and got three confirmations in short order.

    Then a fourth message came in from Anita¡¯s number and Nicole could only roll her eyes.  ¡°Apparently the always late Ranger wants to invite herself.¡±

    ¡°Can we tell her no?¡± Becca asked.

    Nicole snorted before she could help it, a sharp stab from her rib reminded her laughing was a poor idea at the moment as she gripped the point that now dully throbbed.  Grace was at her side, a gentle hand hovering over Nicole¡¯s own.  Nicole smiled back at the look of concern her girlfriend had for her, then gently shook her head.

    ¡°She won¡¯t be coming,¡± Kelly said.  Nicole started slightly, having forgotten the woman was still in the room with them.  ¡°I just sent her an assignment, pity.¡±

    The smirk on her face instantly elevated Kelly in Nicole¡¯s eyes and she gave the woman a curt nod of acknowledgment.  Kelly chuckled and stepped out with her tablet, leaving them alone.  There was a beat of silence in the room and Nicole didn¡¯t know how to process what had just happened.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a first,¡± Becca said with a soft laugh.  ¡°I¡¯ve never seen her play interference with Anita like that.  Usually she enjoys the chaos that woman brings.¡±

    ¡°Devon will probably be disappointed,¡± Grace said.

    ¡°He also has terrible taste in women,¡± Nicole countered.  She hadn¡¯t forgotten how he was dating one of the women that tormented her all through high school.

    Grace sighed.  ¡°He¡¯s trying, but yeah.¡±

    Nicole could almost understand it.  When she had been in school, she latched onto anyone that showed her even a modicum of decency.  Pity most of those people drifted away after bitches like Tiffany got their hooks in them.  Those years had left their mark on her in deep grooves that defined her life for so long.  Nicole was all but certain she would be dead by now, that she would have finally found the excuse she needed to bring her story to a close.

    The day of the Renaissance Faire was meant to be exactly that.

    Nicole¡¯s fingers drifted down to the knives still strapped to her belt in a scout carry.  Grace had spent nearly a year making them, not that Nicole knew it was her at the time.  She commissioned them the year before, knowing the complicated design would take forever to finish, then arranged for more stuff to be added to the order all to have an excuse to keep going from day to day.

    Nicole spent a rather large percentage of her savings on those knives, with only the vague notion that the investment would be worth it.  Her therapist had mentioned keeping a list of things to look forward to, a reason to reach for tomorrow.  In the days leading up to the Renfaire, she had sought more reasons, but aside from a book here or movie there, Nicole hadn¡¯t found anything nearly as substantive.

    It was why she broke down after getting the knives, she knew that she had reached the end of her journey.  She hadn¡¯t even registered that the person on the other end of the emails was Grace, the same cute girl that flirted with her when picking them up.  The same woman that had been chatting with her for nearly a year over email.

    Then Maraline found her crying.

    If there was a single defining moment that explained why she couldn¡¯t hold a grudge with the Sylan General, it was that.  How she had comforted Nicole at her lowest moment, how she had asked her to leave before the coming slaughter.  Nicole hadn¡¯t, and as a result, she became the Black Ranger, setting the pair on a collision course.

    It felt like a lifetime ago, but in reality it was only two months and some change.  With a heavy sigh, Nicole put those thoughts back into the box she tried to keep them in.  She was doing better, she didn¡¯t wonder when she would run out of reasons to keep reaching for tomorrow.  Grace was one of her reasons, the first of many now, but Nicole knew how she would die.

    In battle with the Sylan invaders, a fate that would be shared by everyone that took up the mantle.  Knowing that the Sylan saw all Rangers as an experiment didn¡¯t change her determination.  Just because the invaders gave them the tools to resist didn¡¯t mean they would refrain from using them.  That was why they worked with Sinclair despite how obviously shady it all was.  He recognized the danger and was taking steps to mitigate it, and for that reason she would tolerate a great many things in the name of humanity¡¯s future.

    A firm hand grasped her shoulder and Nicole found herself pulled into strong arms.  She snapped back into the moment, Grace¡¯s arms constricting her in a loving grip.  It was almost enough for her to come undone, only the location prevented it.  Becca joined the hug a moment later and Nicole nearly broke on the spot.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Grace said gently.  ¡°I¡¯m planning to meet up with my mentor tomorrow and I was wondering if you wanted to join me?¡±

    Nicole blinked.  Grace hadn¡¯t mentioned him since the Renfaire attack, and Nicole had never brought it up for fear that the worst had happened to him.  Touching a sore subject was something Nicole tried to avoid, but if Grace was bringing it up¡­

    ¡°He¡¯s okay?¡± Nicole asked, snuggling closer.

    Grace shrugged as she looked off to the side.  ¡°He¡¯s alive, yes, but he was injured in the attack.  He didn¡¯t want me to see him all banged up, but now he can¡¯t really keep up with all the orders on his own.  Being down a leg makes running the forge difficult.¡±

    Nicole screwed her eyes shut, sucking in a deep breath as she processed that.  Another life irreparably damaged by the war, one close to the person that was the light of her life.  It hurt, and made her want to fight all the harder, but there was nothing she could do right then except wait for Maraline to make her next move.

    So, Nicole did the only thing she could think of.  ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡±

    She would live in the moment and treasure each and every bit of time that she could steal away from the coming doom.  Because what better defiance was there in the face of extinction than living?

 Chapter 45 - Forgemaster

    The drive to the forge would take over thirty minutes, and Nicole was thankful that Grace had her music playlist going.  She recognized the song right off as one of Grace¡¯s favorites, though she couldn¡¯t claim the same.  That hadn¡¯t stopped her from listening to it over and over just so she could feel closer with her girlfriend.

    What that meant was that Nicole knew the lyrics, and began to sing along with them.  Badly.  Worse, she was also dancing as best she could in the car seat, making the biggest fool of herself that she could.  Grace might have been in a bad mood after Anita showed up at the apartment bright and early with the delivery of Nicole¡¯s new armor, but she was getting through to her if the small smile blooming was any indication.

    Even after the song was over and the next started, Nicole kept going despite not knowing any of the lyrics.  If it would help cheer up her girlfriend, she was going to do it.  Besides, acting silly was surprisingly fun when you weren¡¯t around people that might judge you.  She could see why Kayla gave zero fucks what others thought of her.

    It was fun.

    Freeing was another word that came to mind.  Nicole was always so closed off before she met Grace, before her life was changed forever by a power so far beyond all of them.  She was a Ranger, one of the few chosen to carry the torch and lead the way.  Grace was the same, though she hadn¡¯t heard the same voice.  That didn¡¯t do anything to change that she was still a Ranger.  Just because it was all in the name of some grand experiment being run by the invading Sylan didn¡¯t diminish the truth of it.

    She knew some of her girlfriend¡¯s story, how her religious family had tried to force her to marry an older man because he deserved a ¡®pure¡¯ wife despite the age gap.  Never mind that the man himself was anything but pure.  Nicole hoped she never met any of them, because she would show them the wrath that a pissed off woman with the strength of a demi-god could bring to bear.

    Another two songs passed, and Grace was now openly smiling, moving slightly with the music as she did and tapping the steering wheel with the music.  She might not have been able to get Grace singing with her, but by the time they arrived at their destination, Grace was laughing as Nicole continued to dance even after getting out of the car to get the gate.

    She was having fun, something that was unfortunately still rather new to her.  It made her wonder what Maraline might say if she could see her finally living life, no longer looking forward to her death.  The intrusive thoughts still came at times, but she was getting better at dealing with them.  Having people she cared for certainly helped.

    ¡°You are ridiculous,¡± Grace said, shaking her head with a wide grin as she undid the lock and pushed the swinging thing open.

    ¡°You love it,¡± Nicole countered, still dancing like a fool even as Grace pulled through and moved to lock the gate behind them.

    Grace muttered something under her breath, far too quiet for Nicole to hear, but she had a feeling it was endearing.  The smile still hadn¡¯t left Grace¡¯s face, even as she hopped back in so they could traverse the lengthy driveway.  Nicole wasn¡¯t sure who the property belonged to, probably the people who made the blades sold at the faire, but Grace was wholly comfortable driving through the tree lined gravel trail.

    The path was covered in dead leaves, most of the trees stripped bare in the face of the coming winter season.  Cold weather warfare was not something Nicole was looking forward to, but it was something she would need to confront regardless.  That thought sobered her as the dancing stilled and Nicole shut her eyes and took a breath.

    Putting the car in park, Nicole hopped out, as she finally took in the place that Grace had wanted her to see.  The smell hit her first, sparking a coughing fit even as Grace laughed, taking in a deep breath of her own.  How she could stomach doing so with such a foul smell was beyond Nicole¡¯s ability to understand.  Off in the distance was a relatively large farmhouse, complete with a southern style wrap around porch that seemed to be completely at odds with what she was used to seeing in the area.

    A classic red barn stood just a bit away from the home, complete with horses that stood inside a fenced off area, which explained the nauseating smell.  That was where the rustic simplicity ended as she turned her attention to the massive steel building that loomed over the property.  The doors were shut, but Nicole somehow knew this was the forge that she was about to get a tour of.

    ¡°Where are yer manners?¡±

    Nicole spun, her hand dropping to her side as she took hold of her blade, tucked away behind the jacket she wore, but Grace¡¯s hand caught her arm before she could draw it.  Her girlfriend just shook her head as she smiled.

    ¡°Good to see you up, old man.¡±

    ¡°So, this is the girl that had you obsessing for nearly a year,¡± the gruff man said, walking along with a heavy limp.  He was wearing a heavy set of coveralls, with a head of mostly gray hair and a thick beard.  Nicole couldn¡¯t tell at a glance that the leg was artificial, but after Grace¡¯s comments the previous night it was rather obvious watching how he walked.  ¡°She certainly looks strong.  You¡¯ve got some muscle on you, Nicole.¡±

    Nicole shrugged.  ¡°I¡¯m stronger than I look.¡±

    He raised a bushy eyebrow.  ¡°Now that would be something to see.  Name¡¯s Chuck, if ye were curious.  Anyway, Grace, you wanted to get back to smithing on the weekends as I understood?¡±

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± Grace said.  ¡°I didn¡¯t want to pressure you while you recovered, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh knock that shite off,¡± Chuck said dismissively.  ¡°Just because one of those bastards took my leg doesn¡¯t mean it was your fault.  You didn¡¯t turn into that shiny Ranger until after I was mauled.¡±

    ¡°Oi,¡± Nicole snapped.  ¡°Why would you just blurt something like that?  What if I hadn¡¯t known?¡±

    The man snorted.  ¡°Like you didn¡¯t what with the way you two were practically eye fucking over there.  Plus, I recognized your knives on the news footage last night.  Anyone who watched Grace obsess over getting them right would.¡±

    Said girlfriend looked away, her face flushed a bright red.

    Nicole let out an exasperated sigh.  ¡°Fine, whatever.  I shouldn¡¯t be surprised how flimsy my identity is after that bastard broke my morph two months ago.¡±

    ¡°You bring the blades?¡± Chuck asked.  She nodded in answer.  ¡°Good, then we can look them over and give them a proper sharpening.  Everything here is built to a high standard, but fighting those mechanical bastards is a bit different than chopping bottles in a backyard.¡±

    Nicole looked away, resigned.  If nothing else it would be nice to get confirmation that her blades were holding up to the stress of fighting things that usually only Rangers would face in combat.  She reached behind her, under the long coat, and withdrew the blades that she now carried with her everywhere out of necessity.

    The car held the case, a fresh delivery from Sinclair Industries, that contained her new set of armor.  It looked about the same as her prior set, but Anita promised that it would hold up a bit better to actual combat than the prior model.  She wasn¡¯t being supplied with the off the shelf components, but high end experimental models.  Rebecca offered to tell her how much each cost, but Nicole didn¡¯t want to know what she really owed those in the shadows.

    ¡°They look better than expected,¡± Chuck said, eyes tracing over the blade as he examined them in the light of the sun.  ¡°A few chips but nothing that looks too compromising.  I¡¯ll give everything a look over while you two have fun.¡±

    Nicole nodded, not quite sure what to say as he walked away with the weapons she relied upon to defend herself and others.  Ever since she had gotten out of the hospital those blades hadn¡¯t left her side.  She never went anywhere without the capacity to defend herself.  Hell, the armor was always in Grace¡¯s car if they left the dorm, ready for the moment the Sylan arrived.  That Nicole was already wearing it when Maraline crashed the party was simply luck.

    It was a form of dealing with her trauma, Nicole could recognize that much even if she hadn¡¯t returned to therapy.  Her next appointment was in a week, in which she would have to discuss the most recent attack, which would mean finally telling her therapist that she was a Ranger.

    To say she wasn¡¯t looking forward to that conversation would be an understatement.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Grace said, once again picking up on the spiral as it set in, ¡°I want to show you the forge, it¡¯s cool as hell.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Nicole chuckled, happy for the distraction.  ¡°I¡¯ve only ever seen them in movies, so I¡¯m curious what this one will be like.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re in for a treat then, modern forges are nothing like the old school stuff, though we do have one of those out back, but Chuck won¡¯t let me mess with it unsupervised.¡±

    Grace led her over to the looming steel building set away from the house, where the old man was retreating towards.  The entry was a basic door set into the side, and Grace unlocked it with a key from her clip and threw it open.

    ¡°Welcome to Chuck¡¯s Funhouse as I like to call it.¡±

    Nicole busted out laughing, shaking her head as she stepped inside only to suck in a breath as she took it all in.  When most thought of a blacksmith, they thought of the traditional medieval styling.  What she saw was instead all sorts of heavy industrial presses, hydraulic systems, and a behemoth of an oven that was currently sitting cold.

    ¡°Hell of a place,¡± Nicole said, looking around.

    There were dozens of blades in various states of completion, including at least a hundred that were actually complete.  The Renfaire was probably when they sold the bulk of their stock, and it was canceled after the first day.  All because the Sylan attacked.  She found a particularly impressive leaf blade, Gaelic engravings covering the broadside of the blade.  It reminded her of a fantasy sword in many ways and she almost expected it to glow if the machines were around.

    ¡°That one was made by Chuck,¡± Grace said, holding out a hand.  Nicole passed it to her girlfriend who held it with reverence.  ¡°The man who was supposed to pick it up was killed in the attack.  He died right in front of me, just seconds before the power came to me.¡±

    The way Grace¡¯s face scrunched up sent a spike of pain through Nicole¡¯s very being.  ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± Grace said, her hands shaking, ¡°I didn¡¯t fight.  I was frozen with fear as he was killed and the power came all the same.  Hearing that you fought back even without the power, that you rushed in without the fear of death?  Knowing that you were actually worthy while I was just a random chance?¡±

    Nicole didn¡¯t hesitate to pull her girlfriend into a tight hug, uncaring of anything else.

    ¡°You¡¯ve proven yourself since then,¡± Nicole said softly.  ¡°You took charge when others thought it a game, you put the people first.  You¡¯re absolutely worthy of being a Ranger, and don¡¯t let anyone tell you otherwise.¡±  Nicole hesitated, taking a deep breath.  ¡°And it wasn¡¯t a lack of fear, it was more seeking death.  I was planning to go home and end my life that evening.¡±

    The sharp intake of breath was almost expected, the choked sob and crushing hug less so, but she really should have known.

    ¡°I obviously didn¡¯t,¡± Nicole continued.  ¡°It took time for me to find reasons to keep going, to give living a try, but I did.¡±  She then leaned forward and kissed Grace on the forehead.  ¡°You were one of many.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Grace whispered, her lip quivering.  ¡°I¡¯m just a coward given power¡­¡±

    ¡°And I was a suicidal girl given a second chance at life,¡± Nicole countered.  ¡°You¡¯ve shown you have the heart of a hero, you¡¯ve stepped up, just like I decided to fight for my own future.  One I hope to share with you.¡±

    Tears fell down Grace¡¯s cheeks, Nicole¡¯s thumb wiped them away in a tender gesture.  They were both messes, with their own demons haunting them, but Nicole knew that if she could find a reason to keep going, then Grace could forge some confidence in herself.

    Whatever forces in play selected Rangers obviously knew she was worthy in her heart, it was just a matter of making sure Grace learned to see it for herself.  If Nicole¡¯s sad excuse for a life had value, then Grace¡¯s must have been worth all the gold in the world.

    <hr>

    Steel met steel as Grace drove the hammer down, the glowing metal sparking with the impact.  Her muscles flexed with each swing of the hammer, rippled with every impact.  The sight was mesmerizing, and Nicole had to make sure her jaw wasn¡¯t slack or dripping drool onto the floor.

    She had power, and her name wasn¡¯t merely window dressing, not with how smooth all her strikes were.  Grace was no stranger to the hammer and anvil, and the smile that played at her lips showed that she enjoyed what she was doing.  The steel was putty beneath her hammer, molding to her will.

    The metal slowly shaped into a blade, being heated and hammered in a methodical way that left Nicole mesmerized.  She could watch her girlfriend work for hours, completely engrossed in the way her arms flexed with each swing and impact.  Elements bent to her will, forged into something new.

    Steam rose from the quenching trough, the oil sparking momentarily with flames as bubbles rose from the bath.  Grace pulled it out after a moment, inspecting the cooled steel and nodded, dipping it back in for a few more moments.

    ¡°Blade didn¡¯t bend or crack,¡± she said with a nod.  ¡°It should be good to move on to be polished up and given a proper handle.¡±

    Nicole nodded, following along to where she stowed the in-progress weapon on a rack.  ¡°There really isn¡¯t much profit in this, is there?¡±

    ¡°Not as much as people think,¡± Grace said with a shrug.  ¡°We aren¡¯t starting from raw ore, which helps.  Using modern steel saves us weeks of work, and we can order to spec.¡±

    ¡°Which allows you to sell for prices people can afford,¡± Nicole reasoned.

    Grace waved her hand back and forth.  ¡°Somewhat.  Yours cost so much because you paid extra for the Damascus effect.  That takes a hell of a lot of work, and is way too damn easy to fuck up.  If even one blade was off, I would have needed to start over.¡±

    That was a sobering thought, but then again, Nicole had spent almost all of her savings on those blades.  She didn¡¯t intend to survive to see next month, so she saw no issue with dropping the money.  She paid for it in the following weeks, but she was doing better now that she was employed with the fire department.  That wasn¡¯t even counting the stipend that Sinclair Industries was providing her for her assistance with their research.

    ¡°Was that a commission?¡± Nicole asked, gesturing at the still warm blade.

    ¡°No, just another blade for the convention trail,¡± Grace said, looking over another length of unworked metal.  ¡°I¡¯ve only worked on three custom jobs, one of which was my own axe.¡±

    ¡°The second being my daggers,¡± Nicole said, wishing she had them with her.  ¡°What was the third?¡±

    Grace paused for a moment, considering her words.  ¡°It was for a movie, which hasn¡¯t released a trailer yet so I¡¯m still under NDA.¡±

    ¡°Not even a hint?¡± Nicole teased.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Grace said.  ¡°As much as I would love to gush about it, your project was far more interesting and time consuming.  Hell, normally we just use the hydraulic hammer for this stuff, but I felt like putting my new strength to the test.  These blades will probably carry a slight premium for it.¡±

    ¡°Especially if you could advertise that they were hand forged by a Ranger,¡± Nicole said with a chuckle.  ¡°I can see it now, rich dumbfucks lining up to buy Ranger forged steel.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t give Chuck the idea,¡± Grace grumbled as she shoved a new strip of metal into the forge.  ¡°He would totally do it.¡±

    ¡°Like hell I would, girly,¡± Chuck shouted.

    Nicole nearly jumped out of her skin, but sighed in relief when she hadn¡¯t reached for the blades that were no longer there.  Grace crossed her arms, smudges of soot flexing alongside her muscular arms.  Nicole resolved right then to record a video as Grace worked on the next blade, for research purposes only, of course.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± Chuck snapped.  ¡°I didn¡¯t take you in as an apprentice just to sell you out.  Yer Granpap would claw his way from the earth and flay me if I did.¡±

    Grace sighed.  ¡°Damn right he would.  I swear he was the only reason they didn¡¯t try to pawn me off sooner.¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Chuck agreed, and suddenly Nicole wondered if she should be listening to this conversation.  ¡°That man was always fiercely protective of his girls, especially his darling granddaughters.  One of the last things he ever asked of me was to watch out for ya, and I had no idea that phone call would lead to taking in a scared girl like that.¡±

    A sniffle tore free from Grace and Nicole moved to pull her into a hug, but Chuck somehow beat her to it despite the bad leg.  Now she felt all kinds of awkward, because this moment had no place for her in it.

    ¡°I just wish I could have brought Sarah with me,¡± Grace whispered.

    Chuck patted her on the back.  ¡°I know.  We¡¯ll find a way to get her, but it has to be on the up and up.¡±

    ¡°Does it though?¡± Grace asked, tears streaking down her face.  ¡°She¡¯s only fifteen, and knowing our bastard of a father, he¡¯s probably pulling some shit as we speak.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Chuck said softly.  ¡°I know you can¡¯t reach out to her, but I still check in on her every now and then.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Grace said with a sigh.  ¡°I still worry.¡±

    His meaty hand slapped her on the back, with more force than Nicole would have been comfortable with, but Grace didn¡¯t even flinch.  He smiled softly, then turned to leave when his eyes locked with Nicole¡¯s own.  They stared at one another for a moment, and he seemed to realize that the moment hadn¡¯t been as private as he assumed.

    ¡°Forget I was here?¡± Nicole asked.

    ¡°Seems so, lass,¡± he said, chucking mirthlessly.  ¡°Take good care of Gracie, otherwise I¡¯ll have to see if my steel can end a Ranger.¡±

    ¡°If it ever came to that I would welcome it,¡± Nicole answered, her words full of conviction.

    Chuck seemed to deflate, as if the weight of the world pressed down upon him as he pinched the bridge of his nose.  ¡°What is with this world and sending children to war?¡±

    He wandered off before Nicole could answer, leaving her and Grace to themselves.  She considered asking more about Sarah, but didn¡¯t want to pry too deep.  Grace would open up in time, and Nicole would be there for her no matter what came.  Instead, she settled back in even as Grace pulled the glowing piece of metal from the furnace and set it on the anvil, ready to bring the hammer down and shape it into something new.  Nicole was happy to just sit and watch, to see her girlfriend in her element.

    There was no place she would rather be.

 Chapter 46 - Standoff

    Grace ended up making three additional blades for future stock before calling it a day. Her girlfriend really needed a shower, but Nicole found she didn¡¯t mind the combination of smoke and sweat coming off of her. She had opted to tie her jacket around her waist rather than wear it following all the hours of work she had put in.

    She¡¯d worked hard and worn herself out, which meant Nicole was the one to drive them home. Grace was snoring softly from the passenger seat, her head resting against the cool glass. Nicole was all too happy to let her relax, not to mention how rarely she got to drive an actual car.

    Motorcycles were dangerous, that was the whole reason she owned one, but the danger was diminished with the enhancements that came from being a Ranger, and that had only grown since her near death due to Source exposure. She doubted that a car going a hundred plus plowing into her would do more than leave her sore for a few days at this point. The other Rangers wouldn¡¯t be as lucky, but they too could shrug off some truly impressive punishment, even without their transformation.

    Turning down the street that would lead to the dorms, Nicole found herself frowning at the near chaos of it all. Her fellow students were running about, some out of fear, others out of obvious anger. She pulled to a stop down the road, giving the campus a wider berth and nudged Grace to wake up.

    ¡°Wha,¡± Grace muttered, stretching in the seat. ¡°Where¡ª¡±

    ¡°Campus, something is wrong,¡± Nicole said, unbuckling herself. ¡°I¡¯m going to go find out what, can you check with the others, see where they are? I¡¯m worried about Becca and Colin.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t often the pair were in the dorm room, especially after Becca took the job from Sinclair Industries, but they had agreed to spend the day while Nicole was out for old times sake. Not that Nicole wanted to think about what they meant by that, but she figured it was rather obvious. Now they were in the heart of whatever this was.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Grace said, already pulling her phone out to dial a number.

    Nicole was out of the car and jogging over to the campus seconds later, zeroing in on a small group of police who were set up, but not taking any actions that might clue her in on what was happening. That was an all too common sight that she had grown used to, it was always the fire and rescue that had to act, because the police never did. She¡¯d done CPR on two people that the police refused to help despite being there for five minutes ahead of them.

    Neither lived.

    ¡°Officer, what¡¯s going on?¡± Nicole asked.

    Oh, her voice came off just a touch demanding. Fuck it, something was clearly wrong and she wanted answers.

    ¡°Piss off, we don¡¯t have time for twenty questions,¡± the officer said.

    Nicole snarled, looking at all the others who were ignoring them. ¡°Clearly none of you are getting off your asses to do anything, which means you aren¡¯t fucking busy. I¡¯m a trained fire and rescue specialist, now give me a fucking sitrep.¡±

    ¡°Arrest her,¡± someone yelled. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to babysit anyone while there¡¯s an active shooter.¡±

    A chill ran down Nicole¡¯s spine as the officer tried to pull her arm behind her, but wasn¡¯t strong enough to make her so much as budge. She had several friends on campus, not to mention family, but Becca was with Colin inside, and Jeff was seeing a movie with Kayla, which meant they were the only Rangers on site, at least until the others rallied.

    ¡°She¡¯s resisting!¡±

    Several officers drew their guns, but Nicole didn¡¯t care even as she took a deep breath. The warmth within swelled as she did, and ebbed as she let it out. Two officers were now trying to pull her to the ground, yet she remained anchored. Three guns were aimed at her, everything turning to molasses as her senses sharpened.

    Then a flash of red interspersed itself between Nicole and the guns trained on her. Sharp retorts sounded and sparks flew from Grace as her kinetic barrier took the bullets like they were nothing. Grace¡¯s posture shifted even as the firm grips that had been on Nicole¡¯s arm released. Had they really just opened fire on someone in line with two of their own?

    Who was Nicole kidding, of course they had.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± Nicole said softly. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure bullets would only sting at this point.¡±

    Grace huffed. ¡°Just let me check you over.¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± Nicole said with a chuckle.

    The guns were still trained on the Red Ranger, but Nicole could see the sudden doubt in the eyes of those who had ordered the arrest. They were sharing looks with one another as it was made clear that she was someone important to the Ranger standing across from them and Nicole took more than a bit of twisted delight as the look in their eyes shifted to one of understanding.

    The knowledge that they had fucked up.

    ¡°Now,¡± Nicole said, turning her attention back to the campus. ¡°Let¡¯s try this again. We¡¯re going to put a stop to this, and you¡¯re going to point me in the right direction before I decide to go through you instead.¡±

    ¡°Bit much,¡± Grace muttered. ¡°What she said. We¡¯re both trained to handle emergency response. I¡¯ve worked with her at the Maple Grove station, now, tell us everything you know.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± one officer said, putting her at the center of attention. She swallowed, but continued, ¡°the best we have is that shots went off about fifteen minutes ago. Someone in the halls screamed and the fire alarm was pulled. It went to shit from there and we¡¯re still trying to get a handle on things while we wait for SWAT to arrive.¡±

    ¡°Lovely,¡± Grace said. ¡°I¡¯m going in. I¡¯ll perform a sweep and subdue the shooter if necessary.¡± Then, in a softer voice, Grace continued. ¡°Hayes, gear up. I¡¯ll need the support.¡±

    Nicole nodded, then hurried off, hopeful that she could make a difference.

    Nicole had taken a moment to change in a less public area and joined Grace shortly after the police put their guns away, though she could feel the concerned looks that were sent their way. Yeah, confronting the cops like that was probably a stupid decision, but Nicole was out of fucks to give before the first trace of condensation was out of the officer¡¯s mouth.

    At least everyone was giving the Rangers a wide berth.

    Thankfully most of the students had cleared out by now, but that didn¡¯t stop her from being on edge. The halls of the college were never this quiet, lending everything a sense of eerie stillness that would have most of her hair standing on end if it weren¡¯t for the skintight undersuit she now wore.

    The latest design from Sinclair was much closer to her old Ranger outfit in feel, though still bulkier than the genuine article. They still hadn¡¯t replicated the kinetic barrier, and likely wouldn¡¯t without a breakthrough that according to Becca should herald the return of her morpher.

    For now, all she could do was hope that they could find the shooter, take them into custody before they killed anyone, or rather more likely, killed more people. Nicole refused to be like the police, she wouldn¡¯t just sit back as people were killed right in front of her. She would find the perp and bring them in, there would be no suicide by cop if that was their goal.

    ¡°I really wish we had a better idea of where the shooter was,¡± Grace said, following behind. ¡°We might know the campus, but that¡¯s still a lot of ground to cover.¡±

    ¡°They might have also slipped out in the chaos,¡± Nicole added. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be hard to do if they just shot the one person they wanted dead then left.¡±

    ¡°Seems cold for a college kid,¡± Grace muttered, but didn¡¯t disagree.

    She¡¯d suffered at the hand of someone else before, she knew how easy it could be to justify hurting someone else. They both did, in their own ways.

    ¡°Get back!¡±

    The high pitched yell was cut off by the crack of a gun, and Nicole picked up her speed, she jumped, practically running along the far wall before she kicked off, rounding the corner in a flash. Two people were staggering away from a bathroom, one of which was visibly limping as the other carried them.

    ¡°Red, help them,¡± Nicole said, still moving.

    She didn¡¯t hesitate to push through the door and winced when another gunshot sounded immediately upon her entry. She didn¡¯t stagger, but the impact against her chest piece was still felt all the same. Weaker than anything the machines or mutants managed.

    She took in the scene, a girl was pressed against the wall with her legs under her. The girl still had the gun raised, but her eyes had blown wide at Nicole¡¯s rather showy arrival. A purse was spilled at the girl¡¯s side and part of her outfit was torn. At her feet was a man, face down in a pool of his own blood. She didn¡¯t want to jump to conclusions, but it was difficult not to, given what she was seeing with her own eyes.

    ¡°Oh god,¡± the girl said, the pistol falling from limp fingers to clatter on the tile. ¡°I shot¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Nicole said softly, putting her hands up. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re safe now.¡±

    The girl laughed deliriously. ¡°Safe, right. I shot someone¡ª¡± Her breath hitched as her fingers tangled in her hair. ¡°At a fucking school of all places¡­ They¡¯re going to arrest me!¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    ¡°Probably,¡± Nicole said, smiling gently under her helmet. She knew enough to say that she would absolutely be taken in for questioning. That didn¡¯t mean that Nicole couldn¡¯t do something. ¡°But they aren¡¯t going to come in just yet, so why don¡¯t you tell me what happened? Maybe the word of a Ranger will help out.¡±

    Then again, she might lie her ass off about what happened. It would be hard to tell, but given they were in a women¡¯s restroom and there was a man between her and the door, it wasn¡¯t much to go on, but it certainly painted a picture. Nicole moved slowly, pressing two fingers to the man¡¯s neck. She couldn¡¯t feel a pulse at all and swore internally as she flipped him over and saw the reason why.

    She¡¯d nailed him right between the eyes.

    ¡°He¡¯s my boyfr¡ª¡± a hoarse sob tore from the woman as she broke down again. ¡°He cornered me with his buddies, demanded I, oh god.¡±

    With a sigh, Nicole moved back to the door and poked her head out. Grace wasn¡¯t far, tending to a wound on a guy¡¯s leg. Seeing the motion, Grace stepped away so that they wouldn¡¯t overhear. ¡°Red, keep those two in sight. This might be a case of self-defense. One dead inside, suspect is a sobbing mess.¡±

    ¡°Shit,¡± Grace muttered back. ¡°They¡¯re not going anywhere, don¡¯t worry. Both of them are demanding to speak with the police claiming they witnessed the whole thing, so you might be onto something.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s stomach twisted, wondering if those people had been involved, or were trying to cover for their buddy. She nodded, then returned to the bathroom and the suspect. Instead of doing anything else, Nicole took a seat beside her. She jumped slightly, pulling away but didn¡¯t go far. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m not here to take sides right now, just listen.¡±

    Nicole moved slowly, touching the gun with a gloved finger before she pulled it away. Watching that, the woman descended into deeper sobs. That continued for several minutes, to the point that Nicole could hear people beginning to arrive outside.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to jail,¡± the woman whispered. ¡°I¡¯d sooner die.¡±

    Nicole was taken aback by the raw emotion poured into those words.

    ¡°You can tell me,¡± Nicole whispered. ¡°Whatever it is, I¡¯ll help keep you safe.¡±

    The woman chuckled darkly. ¡°He promised me that too, told me nothing I told him would ever change that.¡±

    ¡°But something did,¡± Nicole said softly.

    ¡°Yeah, I came out to him,¡± she answered. ¡°I transitioned before puberty, had my surgery just days after I turned eighteen. That was four years ago now. He even smiled and thanked me for telling him, kissed me on the cheek and left for classes. Then, him and his buddies all confronted me for ¡®tricking¡¯ him. They planned to make an example of me. We hadn¡¯t even slept together yet! It was on the table, but I wanted him to know everything about me first. I even had some friends there when I told him, just to be safe.¡±

    ¡°He knew that,¡± Nicole concluded, still processing her fumbling words. ¡°That¡¯s why he waited, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I guess so,¡± she said, shivering as she clutched at her own arms. ¡°They¡¯ll send me to jail, put me in with the men. He said as much when I pulled the gun on him. Told me to just take the beating like the man I really was.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Nicole said, sitting up and offering the woman a hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know what he was smoking, but I can assure you, you¡¯ll never be housed with a man at the jail. If they do, I¡¯ll personally come to break you out. Now, could you come with me so you can give an officer your statement?¡±

    ¡°You promise they won¡¯t arrest me?¡± she asked, eyes shimmering with barely veiled hope.

    Nicole shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t do that. I promised they wouldn¡¯t stick you in there with the male population. You still killed a man, and it will be up to the law to determine if you were in the right or not. All I can promise is that I won¡¯t let them wrong you.¡±

    A sob tore free, but she still accepted the extended hand. Nicole wished she could offer a reassuring smile, but the damn helmet got in the way. ¡°Red, we¡¯re stepping out.¡±

    The door pushed open, Grace¡¯s arm extended as the woman slowly stepped forward and into the hall. She yelped almost immediately as half a dozen rifles were turned on her.

    ¡°Stand down!¡± Nicole yelled. ¡°She¡¯s surrendered and unarmed. Anyone fires and I kick all your asses across the Mississippi and into the fucking Gulf!¡±

    The officers¡¯ heads turned to look at one another before shifting to their team leader who hadn¡¯t so much as taken his eyes off the woman who was still shaking like a leaf, barely able to stay on her feet even with Nicole helping prop her up.

    ¡°Here¡¯s what is going to happen,¡± Nicole continued. ¡°One of you will place her in restraints. The rest of you can secure the scene. I¡¯ll help escort her to the station where she will be allowed to contact a lawyer, or be assigned one, before anyone questions her. I¡¯ll stay with her the entire time to make sure she doesn¡¯t try anything, and neither do any of you.¡±

    ¡°Ranger or not, you can¡¯t dictate terms,¡± the lead officer said. ¡°You aren¡¯t law enforcement.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Nicole said, then drew one of her blades and held it out to point at the man. ¡°What I do have, however, is the bigger stick. Fuck around, please.¡±

    Grace chuckled, stepping up beside her with her massive axe slung over her shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve already got all the suspects in custody. Just take the damn win and get to the finding out part before you get a black eye both literal and figurative.¡±

    There was a muffled conversation that followed over the police band, the team lead hissing into his radio for a moment before the gun dropped with a curse.

    ¡°Jenkins, cuff her,¡± he said. ¡°The rest of you, secure the scene for the investigators.¡±

    It would have been amusing to see the wind taken out of their sails if it hadn¡¯t been because they were deprived of killing a woman that might be every bit the victim as anyone else that was involved in the shooting. Nicole would leave that up to the investigators to determine, but her presence should mitigate a lot of the bad press that would normally be dumped on someone opening fire on school grounds.

    Worse, if she did shoot him in self-defense, there would be a big show of how a responsible gun owner had defended herself, at least until someone uncovered that she was trans, then all bets were off. Nicole could sympathize, as Rebecca had gone through her own trials after coming out and transitioning during high school.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Nicole said once the cuffs were fastened. ¡°I¡¯ll escort you.¡±

    She hadn¡¯t practiced a proper escort before, but when one had superhuman strength and agility, a soft hand on the arm was more than enough. She made it only a few steps before Grace put a hand on her shoulder. Grabbing a jacket that happened to be on the ground, Grace pulled it over the woman¡¯s face.

    ¡°So the press can¡¯t ID you right away,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°Thanks love,¡± Nicole whispered, though she was fairly certain that the woman had overheard her, she just was out of fucks to give at the moment.

    Stepping outside, Nicole wasn¡¯t surprised to see a line of reporters with cameras all swing over to her, or for the crowd to start cheering. She really wasn¡¯t in the mood to deal with them, not to mention that she would be busy with keeping an eye on the girl she was currently parading out in cuffs.

    ¡°Worry about her,¡± Grace said. ¡°I¡¯ll go keep the cameras and drama hounds busy.¡±

    Laughing breathlessly, Nicole wished she could kiss her girlfriend right then and there. ¡°I really fucking owe you for that.¡±

    Grace leaned in close, their helmets practically touching. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to cash in later.¡±

    Practically skipping backwards, Grace set off for the press. Nicole had barely resumed the escort when the woman spoke up.

    ¡°Is she your girlfriend?¡±

    Nicole hesitated for a moment, then decided to just roll with it. If anything it would keep her calm and it wasn¡¯t like their relationship was that well hidden, in or out of costume. Especially out, now that she thought of it, given they¡¯d made out right in the middle of several parks in the city in the last few months.

    ¡°Yeah, been dating since shortly after the power came to us,¡± Nicole said, fudging the truth just a bit. ¡°We¡¯d flirted a bit before then, but once we were both Rangers, it sort of happened.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like such a fairy tale,¡± the woman said, her head bowed a bit. ¡°At least one of us got that.¡±

    Nicole felt for her, she really did, and she was doing a damn good job pushing her buttons on top of it. Still, the least she could do was make sure that the girl was given every chance that would have been denied her if Rangers hadn¡¯t been present.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get there,¡± Nicole said instead. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I would ever find someone, yet here I am.¡±

    ¡°And here I am,¡± the woman mirrored her.

    Fuck, that really was a depressing thought. Still, she had to get the woman to the station and make sure all procedures were followed and that she got proper representation. She¡¯d invested herself in the situation, so she could at least see it through.

    Pulling her phone from the pouch she kept it in, she dialed a number and hoped her friend was available. Becca picked up on the third ring.

    ¡°Black here,¡± Nicole said. ¡°I need a favor.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s up,¡± Becca asked, sounding a bit winded.

    Nicole groaned internally. ¡°You¡¯re still in the room, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yup,¡± Becca said. ¡°I think there was a fire drill or something, but fuck that noise.¡±

    ¡°Mhmm,¡± Nicole said. ¡°Give your boyfriend my regards, but that¡¯s not why I¡¯m calling. There was a situation on campus and I have someone who needs a lawyer that won¡¯t fuck her over just because she¡¯s trans.¡±

    ¡°Give me five minutes.¡±

    <hr>

    As it turned out, Becca could get things moving damn quick. The lawyer arrived in a flurry, having been paid in advance and Nicole overheard that she was one of the best legal advisors in the nation. Said lawyer filed an emergency subpoena for all phone records and pulled the audio from an AI app that claimed it respected a person¡¯s privacy and the recording that shouldn¡¯t exist backed up her story almost to the letter.

    That certainly was a relief and the woman was free to go in under two hours. It felt a bit too neat and tidy, but Nicole wasn¡¯t going to look too deep into it, especially when she had a text from Becca waiting for her on her phone back at the dorm. It was just another example of reasons to not fuck around with Sinclair and his shady cabal.

    Nicole kicked her shoes off and flopped back on the couch instead with a weary sigh of contentment. Coming home always felt amazing, and after spending a few hours with Grace following that mess, she welcomed the moment of peace and quiet for once. The day had been hectic, despite the good moments, and she was just happy to have a moment to herself.

    A warm shower always did wonders for the lingering soreness, which meant she was practically melting into the seams of the couch as she shut her eyes and relaxed. She wasn¡¯t surprised to wake up to the light of the rising sun peeking through the window, or to the smell of brewing coffee.

    Stretching out, Nicole felt her joints crackle and pop and she couldn¡¯t help the pleased groan that followed.

    ¡°I hear someone had an interesting day,¡± Rebecca said.

    Nicole opened her eyes and was greeted by the sight of her best friend offering her a cup of dark ambrosia. She accepted it gratefully, taking a sip of the bitter brew. Rebecca always insisted that the first cup of the day had to be pure, that it helped wake up your mind as much as your body. Nicole didn¡¯t necessarily agree, but she never once won that argument.

    Feeling a bit more awake, Nicole made her way into the kitchen and started on breakfast for the pair. No doubt Becca would want the full story behind the happenings of the prior day, and Nicole could admit that she was also curious about how her research was progressing.

    Well, that conversation could continue over a hot meal.

 Chapter 47 - Stage Presence

    ¡°We¡¯re making a lot of progress¡± Rebecca continued, a massive grin plastered across her face.  ¡°I think I solved the bleedoff effect and Kelly is authorizing more testing tomorrow.¡±

    Nicole nodded along, working on her latest essay as her best friend continued her explanation that Nicole couldn¡¯t hope to follow fully.  She was content to let her best friend gush, as it was always a delight to hear her be so animated about something she was passionate over.  Most of the subject matter went clear over her head, and they both knew it, but Rebecca was good at keeping it to a level that she could engage with.

    The TV was on in the background, but the audio was nearly muted.  More background noise than actually being paid active attention to.  The focus was on a new Ranger team to emerge in Nevada from the attack.  No doubt the Vegas Strip was practically salivating at the idea of a new attraction.  She knew that LA was sending a Ranger to meet with them, and she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they were like her own team, abnormal in strength and soon to be a target.

    Meanwhile in more local news, Nicole had long since grown tired of being one of the common subjects of the evening coverage.  Between her now official job with the fire department, and the renewed Sylan attacks, she was once again the center of the news cycle.  Especially with all the speculation over her new gear.  Even then, such coverage had all grown routine in the two months since that fateful battle that nearly cost her life.

    Being a Ranger wasn¡¯t all it was talked up to be, it was glamorized by the media in a way that she detested.  Nicole was just happy she had friends that understood what that meant.  Rebecca never once made a big deal of it unless Nicole brought it up first, and she always knew to keep it respectful.

    ¡°Any projects you can actually talk to me about?¡± Nicole asked.  ¡°Anita was talking about something on the phone when she dropped off my new armor the other day.¡±

    ¡°Oh right,¡± Rebecca said with a blush.  ¡°Yeah, can¡¯t talk too much, but it might be something that would interest you.¡±

    That sounded intriguing, but Nicole wouldn¡¯t pry.  That was one of the downsides to the deal she had made with Sinclair Industries.  Technically Becca had been scouted for a research position and was still getting credits for her course for it.  It was obviously Sylan tech related, but most cutting edge research these days was, at least according to Becca.

    Instead, Nicole hummed and considered once again switching majors.  She wasn¡¯t finding the course work fulfilling and she couldn¡¯t help but think about how she might not live to see it put to use.  Rangers didn¡¯t die often, but it still happened, and those who fought the Sylan understood that it was a losing battle.

    Any invader that could cross the stars would leave humanity hopelessly outmatched in any form of conflict.  It was only the coming of the Rangers that spared humanity a swift defeat.  Learning that those very powers might be the reason for the invasion in the first place was especially disheartening.

    What hope did they have for the future if they were nothing more than an experiment for this alien threat?  Would they actually conquer the planet should they prevail, or would humanity be reaped in full for resources and the few survivors that slip through the cracks be left with a doomed world?

    ¡°How¡¯s Grace doing?¡± Rebecca asked, looking up from her work once more.  ¡°I swear you spend more time with her than me these days.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s responding smirk was sharp.  ¡°Like how you spend so much time with Colin?  We¡¯re dating, spending time together is part of that.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Becca said, rolling her eyes.  ¡°Just not used to you dating is all.¡±

    ¡°She finally helped me see that I am beautiful in my own way,¡± Nicole said softly.  ¡°I endured years of people telling me how ugly my muscles made me, but she practically worships them.  I¡­  It¡¯s nice, you know, to feel appreciated for my looks and not just my personality.¡±

    Rebecca got up and came around the table, pulling Nicole into a crushing hug.  ¡°Dummy, you were always beautiful.¡±

    Nicole relaxed into the embrace of the girl that was the closest thing she had to a sister.  Acceptance of how she looked hadn¡¯t been an overnight thing, and she was still hesitant to wear dresses, but she had abandoned the baggy sweats that once framed her wardrobe.  Her current spaghetti strap tank top and athletic shorts were a testament to that.

    ¡°Speaking of Grace,¡± Nicole said, ¡°we are meeting up with the others for her birthday.¡±

    ¡°Finally twenty-one?¡± Becca asked with a grin.  Nicole nodded and Becca practically squealed.  ¡°Oh, that¡¯s gonna be such fun.  Make sure you¡¯re designated driver for her and all that.¡±

    ¡°I know how it works,¡± Nicole said, rolling her eyes.  ¡°And don¡¯t worry, we already cleared it with her roomie, we¡¯re crashing there tonight.¡±

    Rebecca huffed.  ¡°Just move in with her already, it¡¯s not like money is an issue anymore and I practically live with Colin these days.¡±

    That much was true, and Grace did spend more time with her than at her own dorm thanks to Becca¡¯s new arrangements.  Would it be a good idea to get an apartment together when they both still attended the college?  Sure, she got a stipend from Sinclair Industries for her donation of the morpher and testing experimental gear, which meant money wasn¡¯t a problem for the first time in nearly a year.

    That was also disregarding Becca¡¯s own salary which Nicole speculated was more than considerable given what she was working with.  Half the reason Nicole moved into the dorms was because Becca needed a roommate she would feel safe around.  With her all but moving in with Colin it was less needed, but keeping the dorm would only be prudent in the event they needed a place to stay on campus.

    Plus there was Grace¡¯s roommate to consider.  She would need to find someone new if Grace moved out and stopped paying her part of the rent.  Technically they could keep paying it as well, but Nicole didn¡¯t know her all that well and Grace rarely brought the girl up.  Hell, Nicole had only met her in passing and didn¡¯t even remember her name!

    No, it was too early to think about all that.

    ¡°Someday,¡± Nicole said instead.  ¡°Ugh, this essay.  Maybe after a nice evening with Grace it won¡¯t be so maddening.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just looking for an excuse to duck out early,¡± Becca teased.  ¡°But hey, at least this form of insanity sounds enjoyable.  I may just call Colin up since I¡¯ll have the dorm to myself tonight.¡±

    Nicole paused as a devious thought came to mind.  ¡°Just remember to disinfect any surfaces you two get busy on.¡±

    ¡°Always,¡± Rebecca said brightly, unaffected by the banter.  ¡°Let me know if you two end up at a hotel because you were both too smashed to make it back here.¡±

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t happened yet,¡± Nicole yelled back brightly, making for the door as she clipped on her belt, then made sure to grab a certain case on her way out.  There was no telling if the next attack would stick to any sort of schedule so it was best to be prepared at all times.

    ¡°Day¡¯s still young,¡± Becca got in just as the door shut.

    Shaking her head, Nicole could only laugh at how Rebecca always had to get in the last word.  She really did love her friend, and was so thankful to have her in her life.  Making her way through the halls, Nicole arrived a few moments later in the parking lot and could only smile at the woman leaning against one of the cars.

    She had her dirty blonde hair up in a short ponytail while wearing a flannel jacket and jeans.  Beautiful and casual all at once, Grace personified her name.  Nicole waved and her girlfriend spotted her, a smile splitting her face as she waved back and ran over.  Grace was quick to stow her phone, and Nicole dropped the case as she jumped into her girlfriend¡¯s arms and let out a delighted squeal when said girlfriend gave her a quick spin.

    She was still giggling in delight as Grace captured her lips in a delightful kiss that sent shivers down her spine.

    Grace pulled back, a dopey smile on her face as she held Nicole aloft with ease.  ¡°Did someone miss me?¡±

    ¡°Every moment we are apart,¡± Nicole answered.

    ¡°Sap,¡± Grace said affectionately.

    Nicole pushed forward, resting her head on Grace¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°Yours.¡±

    Another kiss followed, then they separated, Grace opening the passenger door for Nicole and she hopped in.  Grace vaulted across the hood, getting a snorting laugh from Nicole as she hopped in the driver¡¯s seat and started the car. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Are you ready for this?¡± Nicole asked.

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s my first time,¡± she started, then devolved into giggles.

    Nicole rolled her eyes.  ¡°Yeah, yeah, third time you¡¯ve made that joke this week.  It¡¯s just karaoke night at a queer bar.  At least you¡¯ll be able to get drunk.¡±

    ¡°True, but you can still appreciate the atmosphere,¡± Grace said, patting her leg.

    Nicole had been looking forward to this night for the past two days since Kayla brought it up after one of their training sessions and insisted on it once she realized that it overlapped with Grace¡¯s birthday.  She was hoping it would help everyone keep her mind off of the coming attacks and death that would come from them.

    With her now full certification, Nicole was starting to see more work outside of her Ranger gear, and more of the darker side of the job.  Nicole wasn¡¯t sure if that was going to be a long term career for her, but she was enjoying the work, even when things went bad.

    Her first motorcycle wreck had been a sobering experience, and she could easily have pictured herself in the victim¡¯s position.  Then there was the time she pulled a child from a burning home who wasn¡¯t breathing.  Poor girl didn¡¯t make it, and Nicole had to take some time off and saw a therapist about it.  Even with the worst of it, watching someone clutch their loved one in raw relief, knowing that it was thanks to you that they made it out alive?  Those moments were just so damn fulfilling.

    Grace had completed the volunteer course, and was basically on call, but Nicole was in it for actual employment, even if it would only be part time until she finished college.  It was funny, thinking long term when they were Rangers.  It was almost insulting that she now wanted to live when she had finally landed in a situation where her apathy to life meant she would get her wish.

    Now, she had friends, family, and a girlfriend.  She would fight like hell to protect any of them, but more than that, she wanted to live for them.  Nicole wanted to see the future, see where things went with Grace, and maybe someday grow old with the girl she loved.  That was looking oh so impossible, but then again, she had done the impossible and injured the enemy General.

    She had proven that even the invincible could be brought down with the right tools.

    A sharp flick to Nicole¡¯s ear startled a yelp out of her, she turned a sour glare upon her girlfriend whose eyes were still on the road.

    ¡°No brooding,¡± Grace said.  ¡°We¡¯re going to have a good time dammit, so save it for after we get back home.¡±

    Nicole grumbled, then heaved out a heavy sigh.  ¡°Sorry, just thinking about the future again.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.  You asked me to point out when you were starting to get melancholic, so that¡¯s all I did.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Nicole said, leaning over to kiss her girlfriend on the cheek.  ¡°I just worry, what with the promised return of regular attacks.  I¡¯m expecting them to drop hell on us any day now.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯ll meet them head on,¡± Grace said with unwavering confidence.  ¡°Rangers hold the line, and we¡¯ll do just that, each and every time.¡±

    Nicole smiled, though it was a brittle thing.  She wanted to believe those words, but she still had nightmares about almost losing Grace.  The memory of Bartran standing over Grace, ready to strike her down, still haunted her nightmares.  Even thinking about it was enough to flare up the phantom pains of her nerves nearly fraying at an atomic level.  She wasn¡¯t eager to repeat that experience, but would do so in a heartbeat if it meant saving the lives of her friends.

    She just hoped that Grace would forgive her if she ever did.

    <hr>

    The club itself was less club and more a quaint hang out spot that kept the volume to tolerable levels, which Nicole was grateful for.  As appealing as going to a proper club with the heavy bass might be, she worried that it might lead to some unpleasant flashbacks for some of their group.  Being a Ranger wasn¡¯t a pleasant experience, and despite all of their power, it didn¡¯t mean they always managed to save everyone.

    Watching children be cut down when she was so close to helping would always haunt her, or the time that a father shielded his son from a machine to buy him a few short seconds more.  Scenes like that were becoming all too frequent, and she was starting to be desensitized to it all.

    Nicole didn¡¯t like it one bit.

    A gentle squeeze drew her attention to Grace, whose hazel eyes sparkled with concern.  Nicole tried to wave her off, but she was determined.

    ¡°Just a memory,¡± Nicole muttered.  ¡°From the first time.¡±

    That she morphed.

    The moment that had changed her life for the better was marred by blood and death, and would always be a tainted source for her.  Being happy and alive was great, but the cost was so high, and she often questioned if it had been worth it.  Looking at Grace, she wanted to scream to the world that yes, it had been, but that felt so selfish of her.

    More so, Nicole felt guilty about those feelings.

    How dare she allow herself to take a tragedy that happened to others and use the results to claim happiness for herself.  She knew such thoughts were stupid, that she shouldn¡¯t feel shame for her own joy, that the past was set in stone and couldn¡¯t be changed.

    Anxiety and PTSD was a bitch.

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that Devon couldn¡¯t make it,¡± Jeff said, poking at a plate of boneless wings.  ¡°Kinda kills the whole ¡®team outing¡¯ thing we had planned for this party.¡±

    Nicole shrugged, attacking her own wings with gusto.  He hadn¡¯t exactly blown them off, but it was getting fairly obvious that he and Anita were starting to hit it off.  The problem was that there was a good chance that she was just using him as an ¡®in¡¯ with the team.  Still, the bastard was skipping out on a teammate¡¯s birthday party and that part was what had her irritated.

    ¡°His loss,¡± Grace said, gesturing with her beer.

    Jeff had been smart and arranged for a friend from their Hema group to act as their driver for the evening.  He was one text away, which meant both of them were drinking as they pleased.  It did make Nicole feel out of place given she had only just turned nineteen herself shortly after she wounded Bartran and bitch slapped Guiana.

    Being the baby of the team was a bit of a downer all on its own.

    ¡°Oh shit, the stage is clear!¡± Jeff said, grabbing Kayla by the hand.  ¡°Fingers crossed they have it!¡±

    ¡°Anything but a pony song,¡± Grace groaned.

    Jeff and Kayla both stuck out their tongues as they hurried up.  As the pair began to go through the list, Nicole snuggled up beside her girlfriend, content to enjoy the moment.  Then the music started up and she felt Grace actually stiffen up.

    ¡°Oh no, not this one,¡± her girlfriend muttered, cupping her face in her hands.

    Nicole didn¡¯t recognize the song, which meant it was probably from a later season.  Then the duet knocked everyone¡¯s socks off as they started to sing.  She¡¯d heard them enough in the car going here and there, but it always caught people off guard how good they sounded together.  Their voices were amazing, and she could only sit there and listen to them belt out a childish song together.

    Nicole cheered for Kayla and Jeff as they exited the stage once they completed their duet.  The entire club seemed at a loss, but cheered anyway, even as Grace continued to groan beside her.  Jeff diverted towards the bar for a moment, likely for refills and Grace seemed to take that opportunity, slamming her hands on the table

    ¡°Come on,¡± Grace said, grabbing Nicole by the hand.  ¡°Mics open, let¡¯s go bust out a song.¡±

    ¡°I am not nearly drunk enough to get up on that stage,¡± Nicole said even as she wiped the sauce from her mouth.

    Next thing she knew, Kayla slid a glass over.  ¡°Some liquid courage.¡±

    Nicole eyed it, her gaze narrowing as she did.  ¡°Pretty sure that¡¯s illegal.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re fighting for the fate of humanity,¡± Kayla said dismissively.  ¡°I won¡¯t tell if you don¡¯t.¡±

    Eyeing the cup as if it were poison, Nicole stood abruptly.  She knew that with her issues, it wasn¡¯t a good idea to try any substances, especially not one that impaired people to that degree.  No, she wouldn¡¯t be drinking anytime soon regardless of justification.

    Then, Grace snatched the glass and downed it in one go, smoothly setting it back down with a wide grin and a knowing wink.  ¡°What?  I¡¯ve been to a few college parties, I know how to handle my liquor.¡±

    Dammit, Nicole could just kiss her right then for that.

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Kayla cheered.  ¡°Now get your asses up there and embarrass the shit out of yourselves.  Have some fun!¡±

    Shaking her head, Nicole followed Grace to the stage, unwilling to break contact as they went.  Holding Grace¡¯s hand felt like the lewdest gesture ever, given how the entire room could see them.  That explained all the jokes about holding hands, she hadn¡¯t fully understood them until they were aimed in her direction.

    When they got up on the stage, Nicole froze at the sight of dozens of people paying attention to them, then gulped when she saw the song that Grace queued up.  Her eyes widened as she turned, swallowing heavily as she did.

    ¡°Um, are you sure?¡± Nicole asked.

    Grace grinned cheekily.  ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡±

    Then the music started, and Grace led off with the first part of the duet from one of her favorite movies growing up.  Nicole was entranced by the gentle sounds of Grace¡¯s voice, and it occurred to her that she probably sang for the church she grew up in.  So enraptured was she, that Nicole almost missed the start of her own part.

    She started off, her own voice nowhere near as melodic as her girlfriend¡¯s, and the butterflies in her stomach were quick to fade as the pair fell into their parts, and Nicole found herself uncaring of everyone watching, because she only had eyes for Grace.  As the song wound down, she was lost in those deep brown eyes of hers.

    A sharp whistle snapped her out of it, and she realized with more than a little embarrassment that the entire establishment was clapping for the pair.

    ¡°See, that wasn¡¯t so bad,¡± Grace said.

    Nicole elbowed her playfully, which promptly turned into a spot of wrestling that ended with them almost nose to nose.  The moment hung, as though the very air were charged, and Nicole knew she needed to do something special.  ¡°Happy birthday,¡± Nicole whispered, then looked her directly in the eyes.  ¡°I love you.¡±

    Grace¡¯s eyes teared up and Nicole knew she hadn¡¯t said it too soon.  ¡°I love you too, dummy.¡±

    Capitalizing on the moment, Nicole threw caution to the wind and pulled her girlfriend into a searing kiss and to hell with what anyone else thought.  The cheers morphed into wolf whistles, but she didn¡¯t care, all that mattered was Grace.

 Chapter 48 - Food Drive

    ¡°Hayes, Evans, hang back for a moment.¡±

    Nicole paused, the commanding voice of Fire Chief Grayson catching her off guard.  With Carlos back in New York to help in the aftermath of the latest Sylan attack on his home turf, she no longer had him to act as a reasonable buffer between herself and the local elements.  Thankfully she wasn¡¯t alone, Grace had volunteered each and every day with her, and was doing all the training right alongside her to ensure she was ready to help.

    Moreso, she was concerned about some of the footage that had come out from her recent near death experience and how many people might recognize her when out on the job.

    Then again, most of the department now knew that she and Grace were Rangers, which meant a completely different set of problems.  Nicole had caught more than a few of her fellow firefighters staring when they thought they wouldn¡¯t be caught, but at the same time they were a pair of unusually fit girls that could keep up with the best of the boys.  She wasn¡¯t sure if it was celebrity worship, or just generic horniness that was to blame there.

    The decision to out herself to the team was a calculated one, and she stood by it.  That Grace made the call to do the same meant she didn¡¯t have to endure the attention alone.  Add in the Sylan attack that happened immediately after and it no doubt convinced everyone that no, it wasn¡¯t an elaborate trick.

    Even nearly a week later, not one of her coworkers had leaked her identity.  That alone was more reassuring than any words that could be spoken, and was part of the reason she trusted them nearly implicitly.

    Nicole might have stood at attention, but she was still winded from her drills and more than a little sore besides.  Still not an excuse to be rude, however.  ¡°How can we help you, Chief Grayson?¡±

    Rather than the confidence that Nicole expected, Grayson rubbed the back of his head almost apologetically.  ¡°I know you¡¯re busy with the recent attack, but there¡¯s this charity thing coming up that I think you¡¯d be a good fit for.  Interested?¡±

    ¡°That depends,¡± Grace cut in a bit forcefully.  ¡°What will this event entail?¡±

    Chief Grayson sighed.  ¡°It¡¯s a food drive for the victims of the recent Sylan attacks.  The mayor is asking for various fire and police districts to volunteer some people and you two were the first that came to mind.¡±

    Which meant he wasn¡¯t asking for Nicole and Grace specifically, but for their alter egos.  Better to get the implicit question out of the way before assumptions took over.  ¡°Would we be expected to appear in uniform?¡±

    Of all the reactions Nicole expected, laughter wasn¡¯t it.  ¡°Oh no, nothing of the sort.  Just wear your usual department tees and some comfortable pants.  The biggest headache you¡¯ll be dealing with are a few rich assholes looking for some photo-ops.¡±

    Grace crossed her arms with a scowl.  ¡°That¡¯s still quite the headache, especially for something that is weeks late at this point.¡±

    The chief let out a raucous belly laugh.  ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong, but these things take time to organize.  Just look on the bright side.  The two of you are basically fireproof.¡±  He punctuated that pun with an obnoxious wink.  ¡°Even if you were to tell the Mayor and his biggest donors to fuck off, there¡¯s no way in hell I¡¯m sacking you two.  You¡¯ve saved too many lives for me to even consider it.¡±

    Well, that was¡­  Something.

    ¡°Don¡¯t write a check you can¡¯t cash, chief,¡± Grace said with a chuckle.  ¡°Still, nice to hear you have that much faith in us.¡±

    The chief waved off the comment.  ¡°I¡¯ve seen you both in action, it¡¯s hard not to.  You¡¯re two extraordinary women with hearts in the right place.  Don¡¯t let anyone tell you otherwise.¡±

    Nicole wrapped an arm around her girlfriend, pulling her close.  The hitch in her voice had been slight, but Nicole wasn¡¯t about to take any chances when it came to one of the main pillars of her life.  Sure, she might be able to count several pillars of support holding her life together now, but it was Grace that held that central position.

    Was that healthy?  Probably not, but as with most things in Nicole¡¯s life, it was a work in progress.  She had reasons to seek out the coming dawn, and no matter what they might be, they were worth it if they saw her through.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let her forget it,¡± Nicole said, glancing at her girlfriend from the corner of her eyes.  Then she feathered a chaste kiss upon Grace¡¯s cheek.  ¡°Not now, or ever.¡±

    With cheeks now dusted with crimson, Grace pushed a snickering Nicole away, but couldn¡¯t hide her soft smile fast enough.  Yeah, they were doing all right, all things considered.

    ¡°Ha!  You two are adorable, you know that?¡± Grayson said with a hearty guffaw.  He slapped Grace across her back, getting a soft grunt from her girlfriend in the process before he leaned in and dropped his voice in a conspiratorial whisper.  ¡°Also, if you feel like having your colorful friends drop by, just ask and I¡¯ll make sure nobody catches the ol switcheroo.¡±

    Nicole avoided sucking in a sudden breath, but it was a near thing.  Poker was hardly Nicole¡¯s game of choice, as she could not bluff for shit.  Grace was a bit better, having kept her sexuality secret from her southern gospel parents for years, but the sudden tension in her shoulders was impossible to miss.

    It was no wonder their identities were so damn flimsy if they reacted like that around someone who already knew.  Nicole shuddered to think what she might do when accused by someone that she absolutely didn¡¯t want to know.

    <hr>

    A heavy thump sounded behind the rather reluctant Ranger as she turned from the counter.  There were a bunch of kids that were interested in the fire department, but most of them were over by the trucks.  Nicole was working the counter where most of the adults could pay for overpriced die cast trucks for their kids, or drop off donations.  It was easy enough work, and all the profits would go towards the charity hosting the drive.

    Nicole tried to ignore that said charity was one of Sinclair¡¯s.

    The man himself was present somewhere, not that he had bothered to approach the unimportant girl running one of the donation stands.  That hadn¡¯t stopped him from making eye contact the one time he¡¯d been close enough to do so.

    Grace dropped another bag of ice, breaking it apart so it could be added to the tub of water bottles and soda on offer before leaning back with a groaning stretch that was accompanied with a series of cracks and pops more akin to a mess of bubble wrap being destroyed by an enthusiastic toddler.  Nicole regarded her girlfriend with a bemused eye, hiding her mirth as best she could.

    Which amounted to piss poorly if the responding pout was anything to go by.  Well, she could at the very least extend a peace offering in the form of ice cold fluids.

    With a huff, Grace joined her at the counter, accepting the offered bottle of water gratefully.  ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re adorable.¡±

    Nicole couldn¡¯t help but turn, leaning back against the counter with an amused smile.  ¡°It probably wouldn¡¯t be so bad if you weren¡¯t constantly showing up the rest of the boys.¡±

    ¡°A girl¡¯s gotta show her stuff,¡± Grace said with a huff, then flexed her arm.  Nicole couldn¡¯t help but stare at the coiled muscle rippling across the limb, her mouth going dry to the point she involuntarily licked her lips.  ¡°And that¡¯s the other reason I¡¯m doing it.¡±

    Blinking, Nicole realized she had been set up and spun quickly, resuming her work on sorting the invoices for the donations.  Thankfully the food drive was only accepting cash donations, not mass amounts of expired goods that she¡¯d seen donated the last time her school did something even remotely like this.

    Seriously, where did elementary kids find enough expired cans of red beans to fill a  pallet full of the things?  That had to be someone¡¯s idea of a joke, or they had a relative that worked in a grocery store.  If the prize list hadn¡¯t excluded expired goods as contributions, they would have won handily.

    Rumor was that the beans were instead used for lunch later that week to pad out the chili, but nobody ever proved there was a shred of truth to the whispers.  Hell, the lunch crew themselves probably spread it for their own amusement, their own urban legend that somehow made it onto the evening news.

    ¡°I¡¯ll admit, this isn¡¯t what I expected when we volunteered,¡± Nicole said, trying to put the image of toned muscles flexing with a glistening sheen out of her mind.  ¡°At least the rich snobs are keeping away from the volunteers.¡±

    Grace walked over, and leaned against the counter as she looked across the way.  ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you talked the others into showing up in uniform.¡±

    Nicole turned, letting herself lean against Grace a bit as she regarded the rest of her team.  Jeff, Devon, and Kayla were surrounded by the majority of the rich and important people in attendance, which was a welcome reprieve.  They could deal with Sinclair for once, even if he was putting on an act for everyone.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    A little boy stepped up to the counter, escorted by a police officer.  Said boy wore a guest pass signifying he would be on the stage later for the photo op.  There were a couple of such kids in attendance as guests, all of them having lost a parent or sibling at the Renfaire or during the battle that tore apart half of Anoka.

    It bothered Nicole that they were doing that, but she understood that publicity helped get money to the victims.  That Sinclair was matching every dollar donated, in addition to a rather sizable donation of his own was not lost on her.

    ¡°Hey there,¡± Nicole said, forcing a bright smile even as her heart broke anew once she got a closer look at him.  ¡°What can I do for you today?¡±

    The boy shifted for a moment before the officer sighed.  ¡°He expressed interest in a fire truck.¡±

    ¡°The Black Ranger saved me,¡± the boy said meekly.  ¡°That makes fire fighters cooler than cops because she is one.¡±

    The officer laughed.  ¡°Yes, I suppose it does.¡±

    Grace grinned, handing over one of the larger engines.  ¡°It¡¯s on the house, little one.  Enjoy.¡±

    The kid¡¯s face lit up as he accepted it, professing his thanks before he ran off towards the actual fire engines, a beaming smile on his face despite everything he had been through.  Grace settled in beside her, smiling brightly.

    ¡°There¡¯s some good in the world, despite it all,¡± her girlfriend whispered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember his face,¡± Nicole admitted with some shame.  ¡°Was he the boy that lost his father, or someone I never noticed as I carved through a machine?¡±

    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Grace asked.

    Watching the boy, Nicole decided that it really didn¡¯t.

    ¡°I¡¯m not looking forward to the stage event,¡± Nicole muttered.  Granted, she wasn¡¯t sold on the plan, but for now it was working as intended.

    Grace grimaced.  ¡°Me either.  Like, I get why we need to do it, but I don¡¯t fight aliens for the fame and adulation of the masses.¡±

    No, they fought them because humanity was doomed if they didn¡¯t, and still pretty screwed even if they did.  It was a band aid solution, but it was also the best they could come up with until they knew more about why the Sylan were attacking.  Sinclair¡¯s theories were only just that, and it wasn¡¯t like Maraline was opening up about the grand ambitions of the Sylan armada currently sitting in orbit of the planet.

    Would asking nicely actually get answers out of the woman?  Nicole wasn¡¯t certain, but until Maraline enacted whatever plan she had to get information to them, she wouldn¡¯t know.  It wasn¡¯t worth dwelling on, and Nicole knew she needed to accept that.

    So instead Nicole pushed off the counter and rounded on her girlfriend who was still leaning against it.  It wasn¡¯t often that Nicole took the lead like that, but sometimes it was nice to shake things up.  Grace¡¯s pupils dilated in momentary surprise, then she smiled up at Nicole.  Grace was a few inches taller than her, which made the shift in their dynamic all the more electrifying.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Nicole said, her nose brushing gently against Grace¡¯s.

    Grace pushed forward slightly, their lips brushing gently in a chaste kiss.  ¡°Hey yourself.¡±

    The moment was precious and perfect, which was why she jumped in surprise when something heavy dropped to the counter right beside them.  Nicole spun with her harshest glare, only to be met with the shit-eating grin of the Chief.

    ¡°Sorry, did I interrupt something?¡± he asked completely unapologetically.

    Nicole huffed, pulling away from her girlfriend but not before sending her a look that hopefully conveyed a sense of ¡®we will continue this later¡¯ before finally glaring at her clam-jammer of a boss.  His grin was unrepentant and the harshness of her gaze rolled off him like water off a damn cobra chicken.

    ¡°Nothing that you haven¡¯t watched a hundred times online,¡± Nicole snipped.

    It was a bit unfair, but who hadn¡¯t watched lesbian videos?  Well, straight girls and gay guys probably didn¡¯t have those sort of numbers, but the point stood.

    ¡°You got me there.¡±

    And point proven.

    ¡°How long until the presentation?¡± Grace asked, and thank Sappho for her timely interruption and convenient changing of the subject.  ¡°We¡¯ll need to slip away ahead of time to make it less obvious.¡±

    The Chief just laughed.  ¡°All you two need to do is start smooching again then scurry off hand in hand while giggling.  Nobody will even question if the two of you are the missing members of the colorful set.¡±

    That¡­

    Huh.  Would it really be that easy to hide their exit?  Glancing at her girlfriend, it was clear she was considering the idea.  Nicole shrugged, open to it if she was, and got a beaming smile in return.  Well, it looked like they had their exit strategy, now she just needed to get the nerve to actually deal with the politicians, not to mention avoid the temptation to be fashionably late.

    <hr>

    Sure enough, most people watching them go right back to being all lovey had just rolled their eyes when they made to excuse themselves.  Those same people had immediately started to whisper excitedly when the Black and Red Rangers had arrived on the scene.  Unfortunately, all the rich snobs and politicians had also noticed their arrival as did the news crews.

    Even Minnesota¡¯s Governor had put in an appearance, and unlike the Mayor, this was a man that she practically despised.  That was why she timed their arrival so that they would already be on stage, as were the kids from earlier.  She didn¡¯t want to deal with him in a one on one situation out of the way.  No, she would confront him in the light where all could see.

    When Nicole¡¯s team made room for her, it stopped most of the proceedings.  Nicole was nervous being in front of so many cameras, especially with her makeshift gear on full display.  It was also impossible to hide the Sinclair Industries logo on the breastplate.  No doubt the gossip circles would be abuzz, and Sinclair himself appeared exceedingly giddy at the sight of his company logo on full display.

    ¡°Well if it isn¡¯t the hero of the week,¡± the Governor exclaimed, his smile so fake that even a natural twenty couldn¡¯t have saved it from a perception check.

    At least she didn¡¯t have to smile back, what with the helmet that hid her face completely.  ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure, Governor Burall.¡±

    It really wasn¡¯t, he¡¯d only won the election due to his extreme rants about defending against the Sylan, and then done nothing in the face of the attack that led to Nicole¡¯s parents dying in the chaos as everyone fled in a panic.

    Sure, Nicole understood now better than most that baseline humans could do little in the face of the invaders, but helping the victims of the disaster should have been their highest priority, not increasing funding for the police that couldn¡¯t even dent the baseline model of automaton.

    He was half the reason Nicole struggled for money, what with how he cut off support for victims of the attacks that weren¡¯t directly killed by the invaders.  The aid package was stonewalled in congress, then vetoed by the man when it didn¡¯t include certain things he wanted.  It was still in limbo the last time she checked.

    If only she could go off on the bastard for it, but this was hardly the place.  She couldn¡¯t voice those thoughts without risking the entire charity drive, something that Burall wouldn¡¯t normally support if it was government sponsored.  Hell, if it were up to him most of the money would end up funneled into a fake charity where one of his kids was making seven figures and only ten cents on the dollar went to help the actual victims.

    So if she squeezed his hand just a bit too tightly, who was she to fault such a mistake?  He couldn¡¯t quite hide his wince, but held that false smile though the handshake.  Humans were a bit squishy after all and Rangers often didn¡¯t know their own strength in social settings like a charity event.

    ¡°Quite,¡± he said, a bit strained before he shook Grace¡¯s hand as well.  This time he actually whimpered.  Now Nicole wished they actually were off somewhere kissing passionately instead of dealing with rich assholes.  ¡°Always a pleasure to host our hometown heroes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve met,¡± Grace said.

    Oh, how she could just kiss her girlfriend for that opening and Nicole decided to hell with it with the perception and kicked off the plan a touch early.  ¡°Second for me.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± the Governor said, turning back to her and angling himself so he didn¡¯t block the news camera, ¡°when was this?¡±

    Nicole¡¯s grin inside her helmet was every bit as unpleasant as the bite in her words.  ¡°Shortly after my parents died in the attack last year and you swore you would help the victims,¡± she said, then tapped her chin.  ¡°Only that help never came, now did it?  Something about a veto as I recall¡­¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± the man said, now visibly uncomfortable.  ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of why I couldn¡¯t let that version through¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, I am,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°Something about forcing a provision that would fuck over several people I care about?¡±

    She could admit that pressuring the guy like this was all too fun, but there were limits, even if she was keeping her voice down.  Even the mayor was struggling to keep a straight face at this point and Sinclair had given up on trying.

    ¡°Maybe this will serve as a reminder to our elected officials that today¡¯s neglected may become tomorrow¡¯s Rangers,¡± Sinclair said, patting the man on the back.  ¡°Something I certainly haven¡¯t forgotten, and I am happy to say that I¡¯ll be doubling my current pledge to show that I can put my money where my mouth is.¡±

    ¡°Assuming the money isn¡¯t mismanaged,¡± Kayla muttered under her breath.

    The Governor actually had the audacity to scoff at that and glared at the Green Ranger.  Nicole only wished she could see whatever expression was on Kayla¡¯s face as she pointedly ignored the glaring old man and somehow didn¡¯t break down laughing like her boyfriend had.

    ¡°That is very kind of you, mister Sinclair¡± Nicole said cheerfully before turning to face the Governor once more.  ¡°Thankfully there won¡¯t be a repeat of my own mess with these most recent victims, now will there?¡±

    ¡°No, most certainly not!¡± the Governor declared.  ¡°I¡¯ll see to it personally that the funds raised today aren¡¯t misappropriated.¡±

    Sinclair raised an eyebrow, but kept his mouth shut otherwise.

    Well, if nothing else Nicole could use her newfound fame to ensure nobody else in her city was neglected by the system.  To punctuate that, she turned and left the Governor¡¯s side, walking over to where the most photogenic of the victims had been instructed to sit on the stage and took a knee right in front of them.

    ¡°Hey kids,¡± Nicole said, her voice soft.  ¡°I know what you¡¯re going through, and I want you to know that I won¡¯t let them treat you like I was.  You won¡¯t be forgotten or neglected.  That I can promise you.¡±

    Because Nicole refused to let another kid suffer like she did.

 Chapter 49 - Fanclub

    Nicole stretched, looking over her coursework.  She was bored, and that was always dangerous for someone with the kind of power she held.  She¡¯d tried to keep up with the work, but it was proving difficult to remain focused.  Adrenaline was a hell of a drug and her work as a Ranger gave her a rush unlike even the peak of her gymnastics career.

    With a heavy sigh Nicole rolled out of her seat into a handstand before she stood back up.  Clapping almost startled her as she spun, finding Rebecca in her doorway with a big grin.

    ¡°Smooth as always,¡± Becca said.  ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you doing silly stuff like that again.¡±

    Nicole blinked.  ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Back before,¡± Becca started before she caught herself with a wince.  ¡°You used to do stuff like that all the time.  I remember Aunt Kelly telling you to stop doing flips in the living room when you were supposed to be cleaning.¡±

    Silence followed as Nicole let several memories float back to the surface.  Becca trying to do cartwheels at Nicole¡¯s direction shortly after she came out, how they broke the living room table in the process.  Both of them ended up grounded for it, but Nicole held no regrets whatsoever.  Teaching her best friend things that she¡¯d never gotten to do because everyone thought she was a boy was something Nicole had greatly enjoyed.

    ¡°Those were simpler times,¡± Nicole said with a soft smile.

    Becca snorted.  ¡°Kinda fucked that we can call those simpler times.  Remember all the shit I got when I came out at school?¡±

    ¡°I remember a suspension for breaking Teddy¡¯s nose,¡± Nicole said coyly.

    Laughter broke out almost immediately between the pair.  That suspension had been one of the last moments of levity in the world, before the Sylan arrived.  She could still remember watching the news reports alongside Becca, the fear and terror that she felt watching the machines tear through the armies of the world.

    The hope that surged when the first Rangers appeared in New York and fought back, how the Sylan withdrew in the face of this new force¡­  Now she was one of them, and more aware of the conflict that most people involved.  Then there was Becca, working alongside some of the brightest minds to come up with new ways for humanity to fight back.

    ¡°Say, I was wondering if you wanted to do something that might be amusing,¡± Becca said, and Nicole recognized the tone.

    Crossing her arms, Nicole glared at her friend.  ¡°Last time you had an idea, the school had to be evacuated because all the toilets exploded.¡±

    ¡°Not my fault they couldn¡¯t take a certain chemical mixture,¡± Becca said with a snort.  ¡°No, this is just meeting some people.¡±

    ¡°What sort of people?¡±

    Becca paused, clearly considering her words.  ¡°It¡¯s a group that I sort of joined as a joke, and I think it would be hilarious if you and your friends all went with me.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°What are you trying to rope us into?¡±

    ¡°Just a gathering of people from a group,¡± Becca said evasively.  Nicole started to tap her foot as she crossed her arms.  ¡°You know, a bunch of us who appreciate certain heroes here in the city, nothing more.¡±

    Eyes widening, Nicole¡¯s jaw dropped slightly.  ¡°You want us to meet with a Ranger fan club?¡±

    ¡°Something like that,¡± Becca said, looking away.  ¡°First I did it just to keep track of rumors and stuff, you know, to help keep my best friend safe.¡±

    Given how much footage of the battle with Bartran had made it to the public, that was probably a good thing.  If Becca had been in the center of the rumor mill, she could have easily steered it away from her own identity before shit hit the fan.

    Nicole stepped forward and pulled her best friend into a hug.  ¡°Thanks for watching out for me.¡±

    The hug was quickly returned.  ¡°Anytime.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the real reason you want me to meet this group?¡±

    Becca turned away, her expression bashful.  ¡°Is it bad I only want to do it because it would be funny?¡±

    There was a beat of silence, then a snort escaped from Nicole before she could help it.  Just the idea of having all the Rangers show up to what essentially amounted to a gathering of fanboys was too humorous to pass up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask the others,¡± Nicole said, ¡°but I have a condition.¡±

    ¡°Name it,¡± Becca said without hesitation.

    Struggling to get her laughter under control, Nicole gave into her demand in fits and starts.  It took her a minute to get it all said, but once she did, Nicole wasn¡¯t the only one laughing hysterically.

    <hr>

    The air was cool, though not as biting as it could be for late winter.  She had dressed in a jacket, though it remained unzipped.  Convincing her fellow Rangers to show up hadn¡¯t taken nearly as much effort as she had expected, and everyone had agreed to the dress code she had asked for.  They weren¡¯t arriving together, with Nicole riding in Rebecca¡¯s new car.  At least one of them wasn¡¯t shy about using their newfound wealth for personal benefit.

    Not that Becca was ever shy about that sort of thing when given the chance to show off.

    Shaking her head, Nicole followed Rebecca into a public library, trying to keep her own amusement under control.  She was wearing black jeans as well as a black shirt, but the shirt had very specific branding.  Her own helmet along with her daggers, the shirt having been bought for her by Rebecca some weeks ago as a gag gift.  She¡¯d gotten one for each of them, and now Nicole knew where she had found someone who was making them.

    ¡°Think they¡¯ll figure it out?¡± Nicole asked, eyeing Rebecca¡¯s shirt.

    It was green, with Kayla¡¯s helmet and staff plastered on it.  It was all so hilariously tongue in cheek, and despite the risk to her identity she couldn¡¯t help but be amused.  Stepping inside the library, glorious warmth washed over her.  Rows of books stood ahead of her, framed by polished hardwood.  The counter was to her left, and several meeting rooms adorned the far wall.

    One of those rooms was occupied with several people, the open door showing more than a few wearing colorful shirts.  Smiling, Rebecca pulled her along towards the waiting group.  Most of the members looked up from whatever they were doing when Nicole joined them, though her eyes were on the TV.  It was playing the recent battle with Maraline and her machines outside the fire station.

    It was a stroke of luck that nobody managed to link them to their Ranger identities from that incident, or perhaps this very meeting was to go over the available pictures and video to learn what they could.  Then again, the stack of merch with their likenesses plastered all over it might be the reason for the meeting.  Her attention turned to those gathered, and she was a bit surprised to see that Jeff and Kayla arrived ahead of her.

    That still left Grace, who was working in her forge but promised to join them, and Devon who was finishing up a movie he¡¯d wanted to see, likely leaving out that he was with Anita.  Nicole smiled brightly at all the unfamiliar faces, pleasantly surprised that several women were present and that it wasn¡¯t just a bunch of sweaty guys being creepy about skin tight suits.

    Then again, women could be creepy about that stuff too, and it wasn¡¯t like she and Grace hadn¡¯t messed around in their own suits before the battle with Bartran¡­

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Nicole, Becca¡¯s friend,¡± she said to the group. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Kayla raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t mention that they knew one another.  Jeff however didn¡¯t seem to have the same level of tact as he hurried over and pulled her into a hug.

    ¡°Nicole, good to see you!¡±

    She hesitantly returned the embrace.  ¡°Jeff, it¡¯s been a minute.  How have you been?¡±

    ¡°Living the dream,¡± he said with a grin.  ¡°Have you met my girlfriend Kayla?  She¡¯s a delight!¡±

    Kayla shook her head and moved to join them.  ¡°Why am I dating you again?¡±

    Jeff rolled his eyes and leaned in close, holding up a hand even though he didn¡¯t bother to whisper.  ¡°She only likes me for my streaming accounts.¡±

    Kayla punched his arm and she couldn¡¯t help but laugh as he rubbed it, his grin all the wider for it.  Shaking her head, she turned to the others in the room.

    ¡°Gordon,¡± one man said.

    He was wearing a shirt that featured all five Rangers arrayed in poses that Nicole wouldn¡¯t catch herself dead in.  Seriously, one team from San Francisco does a bunch of poses for the camera and suddenly it¡¯s expected from every Ranger team.

    ¡°Julie,¡± a brunette girl who couldn¡¯t be eighteen said with a happy wave.  ¡°You¡¯re Nicole Hayes, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Nicole froze, wondering how the hell this girl knew her last name.  Becca might have mentioned it, but that question seemed a bit more familiar than a passing familiarity.  Looking closer, Nicole thought she might have recognized her, but it felt like a lifetime ago.

    ¡°I am.¡±

    The girl squealed.  ¡°I was on the gymnastic team with you!  You were such an inspiration to me and I have to say it was bullshit that they didn¡¯t let you have another go after the accident.  You would have totally rocked the Olympics!¡±

    The familiar pang of regret hit Nicole like a brick, that fateful call that told her she¡¯d lost both of her parents to the Sylan attack.  How her grief cascaded into that fateful fall in the middle of her routine, all because she couldn¡¯t stop the tears.  Those tears threatened to fall once more only for a strong hand to fall on her shoulder.

    Nicole looked up, and couldn¡¯t help but cheer up at the sight of her girlfriend¡¯s stunning hazel eyes.  She found herself lost in them for but a moment, then Grace leaned down and kissed her oh so tenderly.  Just a peck, but it was enough to get her out of the impending spiral.

    ¡°Hey, sorry to make you wait,¡± Grace said.  She¡¯d shown up in her own red shirt, just as agreed, which meant only Devon was missing.  ¡°Traffic was hell.¡±

    Nicole rolled her eyes and bumped Grace with her hip.  ¡°At least you didn¡¯t have to ride with the crash test dummy here.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Becca squawked.  ¡°I¡¯ve wrecked exactly once and it wasn¡¯t my fault!¡±

    ¡°Yes, because some idiot put a crash test dummy behind the wheel and pushed it into traffic,¡± Colin said with a grin.  ¡°I still have the video from the news report saved, should I show it to everyone?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Rebecca said, reaching for his phone.  ¡°Unless it¡¯s Ranger related we aren¡¯t talking about it!¡±

    ¡°Aww,¡± Julie said.  ¡°But I wanted to talk shop with Nicole!¡±

    If only she knew¡­

    Nicole pulled on the hem of her shirt, the gesture almost subconscious as she listened to the chatter around her, only able to follow some of it.  Another two slipped in as they all caught up with one another, or made further introductions, and Nicole was slowly beginning to feel overwhelmed.  Grace took her hand and squeezed, pulling her over to one of the tables.

    ¡°There¡¯s more people here than I expected,¡± Grace said, her eyes flicking to the looping cell footage on the monitor where the Red Ranger had just put her axe through a machine.  ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get used to that.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Gordon said, sitting across from them.  Nicole tried to keep the irritation off her face, but she knew she would need to deal with some people at a gathering like this.  ¡°It¡¯s interesting how we¡¯ve had so many new people join up today.¡±

    ¡°Blame Becca,¡± Nicole said with a shrug.  ¡°She¡¯s been trying to talk me into this for weeks now.¡±

    The man hummed, his eyes wandering over to the door where Devon was approaching, his shirt was a heather gray, but it had the Silver Ranger¡¯s helm printed on it just as it should.  Of greater surprise was Anita, wearing a bright yellow sundress with black leggings.

    ¡°And the last pieces arrive,¡± Gordon said.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Grace asked.

    Gordon¡¯s grin turned almost predatory.  ¡°Five new people,¡± he gestured at each of them, then at Jeff.  ¡°All wearing my merch.¡±

    Oh he was the person that Rebecca had bought the shirts off of.

    ¡°Sounds like Rebecca is trying to pull a prank,¡± Nicole said truthfully.  ¡°She does that sometimes.  She¡¯s probably going to have half the room convinced we¡¯re Rangers before the day is done.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s doing a damn good job of it,¡± Gordon said.  He gestured over at Kayla and Jeff.  ¡°It¡¯s just interesting, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Now we just need a goth elf girl to walk in,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°May as well get the nemesis in on this too.¡±

    Without thinking, Nicole¡¯s eyes drifted to the door, almost as if she expected Maraline to stroll up in street wear.  It was a silly thought, but it was proving hard to shake the bizarre experience she¡¯d had outside the fire house.

    ¡°I¡¯d pay to see that,¡± Gordon said.  ¡°So, what do you think of our illustrious Rangers and all the work they do?¡±

    ¡°Black is pretty cool,¡± Nicole said, and a devious idea crossed her mind that she just couldn¡¯t pass up on throwing out there.  ¡°She actually works at the same fire station I do, so I¡¯ve met her and Gold before.¡±

    ¡°No way,¡± Gordon said with wide eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Grace said, grinning.  ¡°I¡¯ve hung out at the station a few times and I¡¯ve seen them around.¡±

    Shaking his head, Gordon glared at the pair.  ¡°I¡¯m calling bullshit right now.  No way anyone would keep quiet about something like that.  Hell, why hasn¡¯t Rebecca brought it up on any of the group chats?¡±

    ¡°I have, actually,¡± Rebecca said, joining them at the table.  ¡°You were just too busy talking about how hot the evil Sylan lady was to listen.¡±

    Gordon¡¯s jaw dropped, working silently for a moment as Becca smirked at the reaction.  Rather than continue, Gordon stood and moved away to stand awkwardly with two other guys that were eyeing them in a way that was a bit uncomfortable.

    Thankfully some of the others in the room had seen the exchange, Julie took the opportunity to sit across from them but not in the same seat that Gordon had vacated.  She offered a sheepish smile, then set a tablet on the table which showed a picture of Nicole in her gymnastics uniform.  She recognized it from a rehearsal just weeks before the conference, and in the background she could see her parents in the stands.

    ¡°Where did you get that?¡± Nicole asked, her voice distant.

    ¡°I took it myself,¡± she said sheepishly.  ¡°I was a freshman that year and you were basically my idol.¡±  She then flicked the picture over to the next in line and Nicole froze.  ¡°Still are.¡±

    Looking back at her was another picture of herself, bloodied and covered in dirt as she  staggered back to her feet right before she engaged the second morph that nearly ended her life.

    ¡°I was one of the people you saved that day,¡± Julie continued softly.  ¡°I never got to say it in person, but thank you.¡±

    Then she deleted the photo.

    Nicole stared blankly as another picture took its place, this one of Kayla sending vines into one of the machines that had been unleashed in that same battle.  Had this girl really just deleted a picture that might have set her up for life?  Nicole barely remembered her, and yet¡­

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a cool shot,¡± Rebecca said, joining them.  ¡°I¡¯d love to get a print of that if you are willing to get some made.¡±

    ¡°I can do that,¡± Julie said, then her smile turned predatory.  ¡°Okay Rebecca, be honest.  Was this whole thing an attempt to convince everyone that your friends here are the local Rangers?¡±

    Grace groaned, cupping her face in her hands.  ¡°Please tell me it wasn¡¯t.¡±

    Rebecca smiled sheepishly, then shrugged.  ¡°Eh, it was worth a shot.  Plus, it was fun to let Julie meet the girl that inspired her to get into gymnastics full time.¡±

    Nicole eyed her best friend who just winked back.  This whole thing had been arranged to get her to meet Julie?  That could have easily backfired so badly!  Yet, the girl could have taken that photo to the press at any point, or just shared it with the group.  She hadn¡¯t, which meant she was being genuine.

    ¡°Always happy to meet a fan.¡±  Nicole then flashed a thumbs up and her cheekiest grin.

    Becca¡¯s head hit the table and Nicole couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    ¡°Alright people,¡± Gordon announced with a clap.  ¡°Now that everyone is here, let¡¯s get this show on the road.  We¡¯ve got a lot of footage to cover, as well as something that hasn¡¯t been seen from a Ranger event before.¡±

    ¡°You mean Black¡¯s new outfit?¡± Julie asked.

    ¡°Exactly so, but let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves,¡± Gordon continued.  ¡°We had an appearance by the unknown Sylan again, and we are really lacking information on her.¡±

    A photo of Maraline was on screen, her blades locked with Nicole¡¯s own.  It was obviously taken from a distance, but the quality was still top notch.  A reporter no doubt, with one hell of a zoom lens.  Nicole recognized the moment as when Maraline was whispering her warning of things to come.

    ¡°Hot damn does she look yandere for Black,¡± Anita said with a whistle.

    ¡°Oh god, not another shipper,¡± Colin groaned, dropping his head to the table.

    Anita cackled, leaning back in her chair as she did.  Nicole glared at the woman but she had the audacity to fucking wink at her.  With a resigned sigh, Nicole settled back in, ready to endure the next two hours of hell as everyone took potshots at her and her friends.  At least she wasn¡¯t in it alone.

 Chapter 50 - Burn Up

    Nicole was ready to get home after all the loops she had just been thrown through.  It was nice that Julie hadn¡¯t outed her or anything, but it was still disconcerting to know that her life could be upended so easily by a single picture taken by someone with malicious intent.  It was a sobering experience.

    Grace was heading back to campus and the others each had their own plans for the remainder of the day.  Nicole wanted nothing more than to head back as well and curl up with her girlfriend, but she also needed to have a chat with her best friend about springing surprises on her like that.

    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Becca said, settling back into the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡°Why not just tell me?¡± Nicole asked, her fists balling in her jacket.  ¡°We could have easily met up with her discreetly, avoiding that whole fiasco.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know she still had the picture,¡± Becca said after a moment, then she put the car back in park and leaned back with a heavy sigh.  ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying when I said I joined them to help protect your identity, but there was another reason I wanted to talk to you away from everything.¡±

    A chill ran down Nicole¡¯s spine, because she recognized that tone.  It was the same tone that Rebecca had whenever she was about to drop a major secret.  The first time Nicole had heard it was when she came out to her.  Rebecca hadn¡¯t even told her parents yet, and she¡¯d stood beside her best friend when she did.

    The next time had been when she was wanting to get physical with Colin and wanted advice that she couldn¡¯t exactly ask her parents about without even more awkward questions arising.  That had led to hours of searching forums and internet articles to filter through the bullshit and find the good advice mixed in with the trash.

    Nicole saw her the following day and only got an embarrassed thumbs up as her answer.

    ¡°Well, lay it on me then,¡± Nicole said.

    Becca sucked in a deep breath.  ¡°I found out my research has been sidelined.  They stopped working on your morpher two days ago in favor of a project I haven¡¯t been read in on, but was apparently contributing to without realizing.¡±

    Things weren¡¯t as bad as they could have been, but that was still a heavy blow to her faith in Sinclair¡¯s sincerity.  That they were still providing her with gear was a good thing, but they were deliberately keeping something important from her best friend.  Yet, something about Becca¡¯s posture told Nicole they weren¡¯t even close to the end of the bad news.

    ¡°More worrying,¡± Becca continued.  ¡°Sinclair¡¯s morpher went missing nearest I can tell.  I think they fixed it without telling me and decided to see how long they could string me along until I caught on.  Given they sent Anita here to watch over me wasn¡¯t a surprise, she¡¯s been shadowing me for days.¡±

    That revelation was enough to turn Nicole¡¯s blood to ice.  Sure, she liked Anita well enough, but it was never a stretch to figure out that she was someone put in place to keep an eye on them.  Given how she had latched onto Devon also suggested a few things that Nicole really didn¡¯t want to be true.

    As much as she wanted to take the knee jerk response, Nicole knew that she needed to keep a cooler head about things.  That and bring Grace in on things.  Jeff and Kayla too for that matter.  After that they could approach Devon without Anita around and hope that he was already suspicious of her and hadn¡¯t fallen for the latest woman that winked at him.

    Then again, maybe he was the one changing her.

    No, best to keep her expectations reasonable and not assume he was magically better than he was when dating Tiffany of all people.  Yes, he had dumped her when she made an ass of herself, but that didn¡¯t change that he still thought she was worth something at the time.

    ¡°I know she¡¯s been spending a lot of time with Devon too,¡± Nicole added.

    Becca grimaced.  ¡°Wonderful.  Okay, leave him out of any discussions, please.  I don¡¯t want to take any chances.¡±

    ¡°What about Colin?¡± Nicole asked.  ¡°Is he safe?¡±

    Biting her lip, Becca looked away.  ¡°I¡¯ve made sure he¡¯s aware of the danger, but there¡¯s only so much someone can do to be cautious these days.¡±

    Given the surveillance state, there really was no way to get around data collection without going completely off the grid.  There was no doubt in Nicole¡¯s mind that Sinclair had the resources to find anyone he wanted to, no matter where they tried to hide.

    Nicole reached out and took her best friend¡¯s hand, offering a soft squeeze of support.  She knew that Becca wouldn¡¯t just quit a job like that, it offered her every opportunity she had wanted.  It was also something she could do that would help Nicole by extension, and if there was one thing she could count on, it was that Becca would always do what she could to support her.

    ¡°Just,¡± Becca¡¯s voice hitched.  ¡°If I ever ask you to come somewhere, or do something, or if I¡¯m in danger¡­¡±

    ¡°Treat it with some healthy skepticism?¡± Nicole asked, putting a smile on her face that she didn¡¯t quite feel.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rebecca said.  ¡°The opportunity is immense, and I¡¯m genuinely helping with the research, but I don¡¯t think they would willingly let me leave.¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re leverage on me,¡± Nicole said, reaching over to pull her best friend into a hug.  ¡°Becca, if you ever feel in danger, or if shit hits the fan, grab Colin and find one of us.  We¡¯ll do our best to keep you safe.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Becca whispered into Nicole¡¯s ear.  ¡°I just don¡¯t know how far any of us could get.  These guys have more resources than you can imagine.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll figure something out,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°Even if I have to fight the world, I¡¯ll keep you safe.¡±

    It was obvious that Sinclair had government backing, but how far that extended was a matter of debate.  She didn¡¯t doubt for a second that he was reporting everything back to those funding his research, but she also knew that he would happily throw them under the bus if it protected his ass.

    Would Nicole find herself fighting the government on top of the Sylan if they came after her family, or would she side against the world itself to keep them safe?  The question was who might join her.  Would her team stand with her if it came to that?

    A part of her toyed with the idea of appealing to Maraline for safety, but even with how strangely helpful the Sylan woman had been over her short time as a Ranger, she was still an enemy combatant set on conquering the Earth.  Maybe if Bartran died of his injuries and she was left in charge of the invasion¡­

    Humanity was far from perfect, and Maraline certainly couldn¡¯t do worse than many of the leaders of their world.  It felt like treason against her people to even consider it, but at the same time, something told her that she couldn¡¯t trust those in power to do the right thing if it meant risking said power.

    Nicole wasn¡¯t sure what she would do, and would probably debate her options right up until shit hit the fan and she had no other choice but to act.  They sat in silence for several moments, then Becca took a shuddering breath and put the car into gear and began the drive home.  Nicole continued to ponder what it meant to be a Ranger, the responsibility that came with it, and the weight of the power she wielded.

    They were just getting back to the dorms when the car shook.  Nicole threw the door open, uncaring of the car still being in motion or her now screaming friend as she watched a massive plume of smoke rise above the eastern horizon.  What the hell had that been?  Did the Sylan swap to bombing tactics, or was this something else?  There wasn¡¯t supposed to be another attack until the day after tomorrow at the earliest!Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Rebecca parked the car not far from where Nicole had made a hasty decision and stormed out, but rather than the expected anger, there was only concern.  Her eyes were also on the smoke, even as she muttered under her breath about distance and some sort of calculation.

    ¡°That was sub lab three,¡± Becca whispered after a moment.  ¡°I was supposed to be there today until they canceled my experiment and gave me the afternoon off.¡±

    Well, that wasn¡¯t at all concerning, and only two days after Sinclair¡¯s morpher went missing?  No, that stank like the horses from the other day.  Nicole¡¯s phone rang, startling her out of her swirling thoughts.  The number was one well familiar to her and she answered it immediately knowing she would get some answers if nothing else.

    ¡°Nicole,¡± she said, simple and to the point.

    ¡°There was an explosion in the industrial sector,¡± the dispatcher said.  ¡°All hands on deck, if you can.  I¡¯m calling Grace in too and the fire is spreading fast.  Think you can get your whole team for this one?¡±

    There was no hesitation as she sent the message on their group chat.  ¡°Can do.  Send me the address you want us to meet and we¡¯ll be there.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± the dispatcher said.  ¡°We¡¯re calling in other departments, but we don¡¯t know if it will be enough.  The National Guard is also on the line as well, and there¡¯s talk of needing to evacuate portions of the city given where this explosion happened.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll do what we can to help,¡± Nicole said.

    ¡°That¡¯s all we can ask.¡±

    He hung up before Nicole could answer and she was left with the weight of her responsibility and the knowledge of the challenge ahead of her.  She turned and gave Becca a soft smile, trying to avoid thoughts of the lives no doubt already lost, and those she would hopefully save in the coming hours.

    Grace¡¯s car flew into the parking lot a moment later and Nicole moved quickly to the trunk which had already popped open.  She pulled out the case that held her gear and turned back to face her best friend.

    ¡°Duty calls,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°Get Colin and go somewhere safe.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Becca said with a smile.  ¡°Now go save lives, hero.¡±

    ¡°Roll the Dice,¡± Grace said, a blinding flash of crimson followed and there stood the Red Ranger.  ¡°Come on, you can change on a rooftop nearby.¡±

    Much as she hated the idea, Nicole couldn¡¯t argue.  They had practiced for this moment and already had a place picked out ahead of time.  Nicole handed the case over to Grace, then took off at a sprint towards the first rooftop.  Two leaps later and Nicole was stripping off her clothes and swapping into the under suit of her makeshift Ranger attire.

    This would be her first time heading into a proper blaze without her morpher, and she could already feel her nerves acting up.  Would she freeze when push came to shove, or would she manage to power on through despite her trepidation?

    At least Grace was there to help with the armor, having a partner cut down on the prep time by minutes and less than sixty seconds after touching down on the rooftop the pair were once again in motion.

    It was a familiar and well practiced routine, running to a blaze, but this time their whole team was coming to join them.  She could see the fires, as well as the occasional explosion from something catching all at once.  This was far beyond anything she normally dealt with as a firefighter, or a Ranger.  It was a disaster in the making and they were one of the few that could hope to make a difference.

    Green, Silver, and Purple joined them enroute and Nicole made sure they landed among the emergency vehicles assembled on the perimeter of the blaze.  Unfortunately landings were one thing that Nicole still struggled with, and despite practice at bleeding momentum in a long fall, she still landed hard enough to crack the concrete and rattle her whole skeleton.

    The rest of her team impacted around her.  Grace fell to a three point stance, axe on her shoulder.  Kayla had vines sprout from the ground and her staff to catch her.  Jeff used his spear to twirl off the momentum.  Devon shone with blinding light as he stood, his armor glinting in the early evening light.

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°Direct us to where we¡¯re needed.¡±

    Two men that Nicole didn¡¯t recognize looked up in unison, apparently having missed their arrival.  She wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if they assumed the impacts were more explosions in the distance.  As if to punctuate that, something burst just behind them.  Nicole turned, glaring at the thick black smoke billowed into the sky and blotted out the sun.

    ¡°Black, Red,¡± one of the men said.  ¡°I know you have the training, so I want the two of you in the thick of it.  Work with the rescue teams to ensure all the employees are out, then join the suppression effort.¡±

    ¡°What about us?¡± Devon asked.

    He considered them for a moment.  ¡°I can¡¯t risk sending you into the fray without knowing how to avoid making things worse.  Join the perimeter and evacuation teams, help us keep this shit situation from getting worse.¡±

    Devon nodded, but Nicole could tell he didn¡¯t like being relegated to a side job.  Unfortunately for him, Nicole didn¡¯t have time to nurse his bruised ego.  With a quick nod at Grace, the pair set off to do what they were trained to do.

    Nearing the fires was an experience, there was little else she could say to describe what she could only imagine a dive into hell itself to be like.  She¡¯d heard it described before, even experienced something like it in one of the worst blazes she had endured in her short time working with the department.

    This eclipsed everything she had experienced before.

    Nicole had endured fire, but for the first time she felt the heat of the blaze licking her suit.  That alone gave her pause, but she would push through, she¡¯d trained with the department in the same suits they did.  Just because she put on a different suit when it came time to deploy didn¡¯t change things.

    Heroes didn¡¯t back down in the face of adversity.

    Landing alongside one of the frontline teams, Nicole wasted no time.  ¡°We have Rangers on the scene.  What¡¯s the situation on the ground?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re trying to reach a building that wasn¡¯t reported evacuated,¡± the man said, pointing towards a wrecked structure.  ¡°The surrounding blaze is too intense to approach, but they¡¯re underground and might still be alive.¡±

    Turning, Grace gave her a sharp nod and the pair set off towards it.  The fire somehow grew worse, and Nicole knew she was sweating inside the suit that was more or less a kitbashed knock off.  Yes, it was doing an extremely admirable job of keeping her from experiencing the worst of the blaze, but it was still mundane tech in the end.

    ¡°This is insane,¡± Grace said, stopping atop a concrete ramp as she looked around.  Visibility was near zero, and it was only due to their helmets that they were able to keep breathing in the thick smoke.  ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll find anyone alive down here.¡±

    ¡°We still need to check,¡± Nicole answered, shouting to be heard over the roaring flames.  She reached for the mental switch that would allow her to phase, but as with every other time she attempted it, there was nothing to grasp.  Rather than lament her lost powers for yet another time, Nicole spun, launching a harsh kick with her momentum.  The reinforced steel crumpled under the force of my foot, flames rushed out in a torrent, washing over her.  ¡°Motherfuck!¡±

    Nicole fell back, rolling for a moment as Grace rushed to her side

    ¡°You okay!?¡±

    ¡°Peachy,¡± Nicole answered, patting herself down.

    ¡°You¡¯re not on fire,¡± Grace said.  ¡°Can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re scorched though.¡±

    Nicole grumbled about that, but pressed into the room, thankful that Sinclair¡¯s suit was actually up to the task.  Said room was full of canisters, many of which were ruptured, the contents spraying out as a rush of fire.  She hissed at the intensity of it, but pressed on, looking for the signs that indicated which way to go for the exit and used them to find the way down.

    Another steel door stood in her way, and Nicole grabbed hold and pulled, straining her enhanced strength to its very limits.  She was feeling the heat right to her core and knew there were limits to what she could endure, even with her enhancements.  The steel groaned and warped, heated by the flames, but not anywhere close to actually melting the metal.  Still, it gave her enough to work with, and slowly the door buckled, then she tore it free with a groaning shriek.

    Oh wait, that had been her screaming.

    Nicole shook her arms out, then turned to face her girlfriend who was standing stock still.  Nicole glanced back at the newly opened door, and the wreck of steel she had left behind.  Right, that probably looked pretty damn neat from an outsider¡¯s view.  Pity nobody would have been able to record it.

    ¡°What?¡± Nicole asked.

    Grace chuckled, rubbing the back of her head.  ¡°Would it be a bad pun if I said that was really fucking hot?¡±

    Nicole¡¯s jaw worked for a moment, then all she could do was sigh as her shoulders slumped.  ¡°Fine, you can have that one.¡±

    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Grace cheered.

    ¡°Yeah, this is hell alright,¡± Nicole said, looking down the stairwell that extended past the door.  ¡°Let¡¯s hope there¡¯s people left to pull out of it.¡±

 Chapter 51 - Drums From The Deep

    The stairs were devoid of smoke, the fire not having made it into the depths of the structure, yet Nicole could tell that all the oxygen had been sucked out by the rising heat.  The emergency lights remained on despite the chaos above which gave her some hope that survivors might be located.

    It was slim, but she had to hold onto it.  There was a reason they directed her towards this location, no normal firefighter would have made it through that inferno, potentially for days.  Chemical fires didn¡¯t burn out until they exhausted their fuel, and some of these were supplied by pipelines that took time to isolate and shut down.

    Automated systems often failed in such disasters and weren¡¯t always widely implemented due to cost savings and deregulation, which meant it took dedicated teams time to isolate every feeder line.  Until then, the blaze would burn unchecked.  Containing it would fall to the emergency responders as well as the rest of her team.

    ¡°This is creepy as fuck,¡± Grace said, following behind her.

    Not for the first time Nicole envied the Daytona Rangers with the headlights on their helmets.  The darkness was cloying, yet her helmet still allowed her to make out her surroundings as they followed the spiraling staircase down.  Yet another feature she would need to thank Sinclair for.

    There were many things that Nicole expected to find at the bottom, but two dead men in full combat gear certainly wasn¡¯t it.  The vault door they were slumped against also rated rather high on the list of things she wasn¡¯t expecting for that matter.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s ominous,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°So, should I rip it open?¡±

    Grace immediately shook her head.  ¡°Oh hell no.  That¡¯s how you kick off a horror film where the zombies get loose.¡±

    Nicole chuckled, but there was no humor in it.  ¡°Yes, zombies fleeing into an inferno.  We live in a world under alien invasion, I highly doubt we¡¯re about to find something like that down here.¡±

    ¡°Your funeral,¡± Grace muttered.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I can just phase through right now,¡± Nicole snapped, then immediately wilted when she heard her shout echo around her.  ¡°Sorry.  Just feeling my lack of power right now.¡±

    ¡°What about your radio?¡± Grace asked.  ¡°Can we call this in and just move on?¡±

    Nicole wanted to slap herself, then reached up to the mic and hit transmit.  ¡°This is Ranger Black reporting.¡±

    Crackling static answered, then a high pitched shriek of feedback as Nicole recoiled from the volume, turning it down as she did.  Sinclair¡¯s helmet was good at filtering noise, but not to the degree of the actual Ranger helms.  Her ears were still ringing when the ground violently lurched, knocking her over with what could only be described as an earthquake.

    Grace had dropped to one knee beside Nicole, hovering over her protectively as the tremors settled.  Slowly Grace stood once more, helping Nicole back to her feet.  Neither spoke as they took stock of the situation.  Nothing seemed changed on their end, which meant something had exploded elsewhere.  Nicole was just about to suggest going back topside when a hiss had their eyes drawn to the steel door.

    The seal had broken, and smoke flowed down the stairwell in a rush, suctioning through the broken seal in the door as it whipped around Nicole and Grace violently.  It only lasted a handful of seconds, but it was enough to unsettle the pair.

    Grace glared at the now open door.  ¡°Why would something like that be hermetically sealed?¡±

    ¡°Zombies,¡± Nicole answered without missing a beat.

    Grace¡¯s helmet turned, and Nicole could just imagine the glare contained within.  ¡°I will so kick your ass if it¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°You said it first,¡± Nicole chided as she approached the opening.  ¡°That said, I¡¯ll be sure to save a few of them for you.¡±

    Grace flipped her off and Nicole laughed as she gripped the massive door and pulled.  Steel strained but Ranger strength won out and slowly the thing opened.  Nicole was grinning under her helmet right up until several red beams pierced the smoke, pointing right at her chest.  She barely had a moment to yelp before the first retorts of gunfire sounded and she jumped away, rounding behind the open door for cover.

    Sentry turrets.

    Whatever the hell this place was, it had lethal security measures!

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not zombies,¡± Nicole said dryly.

    ¡°No shit,¡± Grace yelled over the thundering gunfire.  ¡°What now?¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s safe to say this place would be too dangerous for regular firefighters,¡± Nicole said, turning to face the steel bulkhead once more.  ¡°And something tells me that those guns won¡¯t run out of ammo anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Grace said.  ¡°And here we are without a way to call it in.¡±

    Nicole eyed the door, weighing her options.  ¡°Do we try to push forward, or report back to the Chief?¡±

    As if to answer her, something burst far above them, rattling the structure.  Grace¡¯s helmet turned slowly, then she shrugged.  ¡°Something tells me that they¡¯re pretty occupied up there.¡±

    ¡°They probably have their hands more than full but they have three other Rangers besides helping,¡± Nicole agreed.  ¡°Secret tunnels are not something they should be messing with.  Us either for that matter.¡±

    ¡°Secret tunnel¡­¡± Grace sang gently.  Nicole elbowed her and she laughed.  ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll go inform the crisis coordinators and get put to work elsewhere.¡±

    Nicole nodded even as the facility shook once more.  She looked up, but something felt off about that explosion.  Rather, it felt more like it came from below rather than above.  Another followed a moment later and a sudden dread filled her then the very air seemed to glow a translucent blue.

    ¡°Why do I get the feeling that this situation just got worse?¡± Nicole asked.

    Another tremor, and this time one of the lights fell loose from the ceiling.

    ¡°Because we¡¯re Rangers and that¡¯s our lot in life,¡± Grace said with a groan.  ¡°Dinner tonight says that whatever that was is somewhere behind that door.¡±

    ¡°No bet,¡± Nicole said, moving over towards it.  She drew her knives and Grace matched her with her axe.  ¡°Alright, may as well get to work.¡±

    Each took hold of the massive door, their strength proved to be more than a match for the best that Earth had to offer.  It took a few moments to pull the door open wider, all in the name of having room to work around the active turrets.

    Grace held up her hand, three fingers extended.  She then counted down wordlessly, two, one, fist.  Grace burst into motion with the full speed being a Ranger afforded her, axe in hand as lasers attempted to track her.  A beat later Nicole was right behind her, blades in hand.  Bullets traced after their moving forms, even as one of the guns couldn¡¯t decide which of them it should be tracking.

    That didn¡¯t stop the turrets from firing.  Bullets tore into the concrete, kicking up shards of chipped stone as Nicole moved.  Her breathing was steady, the warmth slowly growing with each breath.  It was as though the fire was still around her, and she could only hope that it didn¡¯t progress to the point where the power cascaded out of control once more.

    Grace hurled her axe, the steel tore through one turret before embedding itself in the ceiling.  Her girlfriend didn¡¯t recall it immediately, and instead continued to move.  Nicole saw the shape of her plan and could only grin.  Leaving that aside, Nicole focused on one of the turrets, dancing side by side as she approached at a lightning pace.

    She jumped, just as Grace¡¯s axe tore free.  It flew through the air with a spin, the red dot from the turret just managed to center on Nicole as it zipped past, catching the gunfire before it continued on to slam into the third turret.  Nicole¡¯s blades lashed out, one jammed into the spinning barrels before the first round could impact her, the other cut the ammunition belt, ensuring that the machine was out of commission.

    Metal screeched as Nicole wrenched her blades free and fell back to the floor below.  Her lungs heaved for air even as the warmth settled back down, but didn¡¯t quite fade completely.  That was concerning, but there wasn¡¯t anything she could do about it at the moment.  More concerning was how the blue glow seemed to be just a touch brighter within. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Ominous,¡± Grace said.

    Whatever it was, it seemed as though it possessed a physical presence that was almost like a mist that twined with the smoke, pulling it to the ground as it twisted in the flashing red emergency lights.  Their helmets filtered most smells out, but there was something in the air that still made it though, which was concerning.

    ¡°The hell is this place?¡± Grace asked.  ¡°It feels like we just walked into a dimension we shouldn¡¯t be in or something.¡±

    ¡°Oh good, it¡¯s not just me,¡± Nicole said.  She hesitated for just a moment, then stepped beyond the destroyed turrets to take in the rest of the facility.  The halls were dark and the air was almost thick and cloying.  Her visor adjusted quickly to the shift in lighting and she could see just fine, but everything was cast in an off-colored hue made worse by the mist that was pooling around their feet.  ¡°Spooky is definitely one word for it.¡±

    ¡°If I see a facehugger I¡¯m screaming,¡± Grace said, stepping up behind her.  ¡°I trust these helmets to handle most shit, but I draw the line at alien parasites and acid blood.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± Nicole said, swallowing to hide her own nerves.

    Though, it would be strange to find something like that running around in a human run facility, but at the same time it would make some sense given Sinclair Industries were doing experiments on Sylan developed technology.  Knowing how much of it was biomechanical in nature, finding a lab attempting to recreate it wouldn¡¯t even be all that strange.

    ¡°A lab like this,¡± Grace said, her head on a swivel, ¡°why the hell would someone think  this is a good idea?  Putting it in the middle of a major city was just asking for a disaster like this!¡±

    ¡°Right?  Minneapolis is a prime target if the invasion picks up,¡± Nicole said, eyes darting to shapes in the mist, her mind finding phantoms in the twisting motions through the sterile halls of steel and white tile.  ¡°Why not just put it in the mountains somewhere far from people?¡±

    Grace nodded along, her axe held in a death grip.  ¡°Imagine some beasts being cloned in here and running rampant through the streets.  They would be doing the Sylan¡¯s job for them!¡±

    Thanks to her near death, she knew that Sinclair had some labs deep in the earth, but this seemed completely at odds with that.  It truly was strange to have a lab so close to so many people.  They were in the midst of an invasion, which made it even more of a risk since population centers would be first to fall.  What could possess whatever group that built this to do something so risky?  It was almost as if¡ª

    Nicole stopped, her eyes widening.  ¡°Shit, what if they built this place here to make it harder for the Sylans to justify attacking it?¡±

    Grace paused just before one of the corners, looking back and Nicole could almost see the look of bewilderment on her face.  ¡°Where did that leap in logic come from?¡±

    ¡°How many would notice an attack in the mountains?¡± Nicole asked.  ¡°Especially compared to how fast we notice an attack here?¡±

    ¡°Or if they set a fire to distract from something,¡± Grace said with dawning horror creeping into her voice.  ¡°Shit, this just got worse.¡±

    Nicole snarled.  ¡°If that fire turns out to have been a distraction for something down here, I¡¯m going to kill whoever is behind this.¡±

    ¡°Get in line,¡± Grace said, then they both froze.

    Something was clicking against the tile, straining her ears.  She could hear it coming in a pattern, each a bit louder than the last.  It was a moment right out of some of her favorite campy horror films, and given some of the things she had fought since becoming a Ranger, it would take something truly special to scare her now.

    Daggers in hand, she stood ready as Grace nodded and held up three fingers, then only two.  One finger remained and then the Rangers moved.  Dashing around the corner with inhuman speed, Nicole kicked off the opposite wall and scanned the hall for the source of the noise.

    She blinked, soaring over a small cleaning drone as it scooted along the floor and nearly stumbled her landing.  The click sounded, spraying a small amount of cleaning fluid onto the floor before resuming its task.  She shared a look with her girlfriend who was currently sprawled out on her ass, barely sitting up on her shoulders.  Nicole couldn¡¯t help it, she started to laugh.  Grace joined in a moment later, and it was nice to let all the tension out.

    Shaking her head, Nicole looked up and in the next instant she¡¯d cleared most of the distance between herself and Grace, her blades streaking through the air ahead of her.  Behind Grace, emerging from the mists, was some mechanical creation with six legs and two bladed arms.  It wasn¡¯t a Sylan machine, but something else.

    Her blades sheared through it like wet paper, then Nicole crashed into it, shoulder first, sending the machine into the far wall with a shriek of abused metal.  Nicole barely had a moment to process how she had done that as that seemed to have kicked the nest.  Dozens of the things flowed out of the darkness, not a single light on them, her visor cycled, settling onto a thermal band where the machines radiated warmth through the cool mists.

    ¡°Incoming!¡± Nicole shouted, bringing her blades back up in a close guard.  ¡°Looks like we¡¯re getting our horror moment after all.¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± Grace said, throwing her axe down the hall where it cleaved clean through one of the machines before recalling it in a way that sheared through another.  ¡°These aren¡¯t Sylan creations, they¡¯re using Earth metals.  We¡¯ll have these cleaned up in seconds.¡±

    ¡°You shall do no such thing!¡±

    The pair paused, Nicole looking up at the ceiling where the voice had originated.  ¡°Then fucking call them off!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the trespassers here,¡± the voice answered.  ¡°Why did you break into our facility?¡±

    ¡°Did you miss the fucking inferno happening up top?¡± Grace shouted, waving her axe as she did.  ¡°We were sent to search for survivors!¡±

    ¡°If you haven¡¯t noticed, we were fine before you ripped down our doors!¡±

    Nicole was quickly growing irritated with whoever was yelling at them, and to punctuate the point she began to walk towards the machines, twirling her blade as she did.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Cutting this conversation short,¡± Nicole said, and cleaved through another machine.  ¡°Evacuate, now.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t jus¡ª¡±

    Nicole cut through another.  ¡°For each excuse I destroy another of your precious knock offs!¡±

    ¡°This is an isolated facility!¡±

    Another machine fell to her blade.

    ¡°Each of those cost¡ª¡±

    Another.

    ¡°STOP!¡±

    Nicole did.

    The lights in the hall came back on, her visor immediately adjusting for the shift to avoid blinding her.  Each machine backed away, stepping to the sides of the wide hall.  Nicole couldn¡¯t help but smirk, especially since it was hidden by her helmet.

    ¡°So, who do I need to talk to about this shitshow?¡± Nicole asked, eyeing the stamped insignia on the machine.  ¡°Oh hell, this really is one of Sinclair¡¯s ops.  Just what did you bastards fuck up to cause the fire above?¡±

    ¡°That is none of your concern,¡± the voice said.

    Grace snorted.  ¡°Given my partner here is wearing Sinclair issued armor, I would bet against that.¡±

    The line fell silent for several moments before someone much more familiar took over.

    ¡°Follow the escort, they will lead you to the shift manager¡¯s office,¡±  Kelly Rivers said.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Nicole said, ignoring Grace¡¯s giggles as they walked down the hall.  ¡°I¡¯d appreciate clearing this up quickly, that fire won¡¯t put itself out.¡±

    ¡°It actually would,¡± a second voice said over the intercom.  ¡°The pipes only have so much fuel to vent between here and the nearest cutoff, which was finally triggered ten minutes ago.  The blaze will cease in less than an hour.¡±

    ¡°That does nothing for everything else on fire,¡± Grace said, irritation right back in her voice.  ¡°What I want to know is who the hell builds a factory underneath a chemical plant?¡±

    A door hissed open and a man stepped out.  He was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and shorts and had messy hair.  Nicole vaguely recognized him from some TV interview she¡¯d seen, mostly because of his horrid fashion sense, but other than that?

    ¡°Welcome to Sinclair¡¯s Robotics, premier contractor for all your robotics needs,¡± Franklin Frederick said.  ¡°We use those chemicals in the manufacturing process, hence the plant above to save on logistics.¡±

    ¡°Cool,¡± Nicole said, crossing her arms.  She knew that a lecture from the big boss was likely in order, but she had her own opinion that she fully intended to cram down his fucking throat for allowing something of this scale to go wrong.  ¡°Now get the hell out, that¡¯s an order.¡±

    ¡°Um, on whose authority?¡± he asked.

    ¡°The pissed off Ranger who was sent in to save your sorry asses.¡±

    Grace stepped up beside her, her axe slung over her shoulder.  ¡°That and the state of emergency declared by the Governor.  Since we¡¯re both part of Minneapolis FD, that means we can and ARE ordering your ass out of here.¡±

    Nicole nodded.  ¡°What she said, now get the fuck out of here before¡ª¡±

    The lights flickered as a dull rumble shook the entire facility.  Nicole spared the disturbance a glance, wishing she had working comms at the moment so she could know what sort of mess was going on above.  Her helmet leveled upon the fallen eccentric man, the lights still flickering despite the rumble having ceased.

    ¡°Sound the evacuation, we¡¯re leaving.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°NOW!¡± Nicole yelled as yet another shudder ran through the building.  ¡°Unless you want to end up buried and make a two minute blurb on the evening news.¡±

    ¡°But, the shareholders¡­¡±

    Was it a bad thing she would rather be in the middle of the blaze above without her Ranger powers than dealing with these idiots?

    ¡°Oh, and while you¡¯re at it,¡± Grace added.  ¡°Explain the blue mist, because like hell that was caused by the shit you¡¯re working on.¡±

    As if invoked by her question, blue sparks crackled through the air as anything inorganic not held down began to float into the air.  The heat in Nicole¡¯s chest was growing by the second, the sensation well familiar to her after the battle with Bartran and Guiana.

    ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± Franklin said just as the whole structure lurched.

 Chapter 52 - Percussive Maintenance

    Nicole fell sideways, physics pulling their best impression of a funhouse mirror even as the energy that permeated the air surged through her.  It was warm, and all too familiar.  The budding warmth surged to searing degrees within her as Nicole let out a muted scream, the sound not quite traveling right through the air.

    Dimly she was aware that she wasn¡¯t touching the ground, but was floating through the air.  Whatever had happened was fucking with everything and anything it came in contact with.  Including Grace, whose transformation nearly blinked out of existence for a moment before it all came crashing back, including the hard ground.

    The air flickered with blue static as Nicole pushed herself upright.  Every inch of her body was on fire, burning as though she was bathing in electrified acid.  Nicole could only grit her teeth and power through, forcing herself upright despite the searing agony.

    Grace groaned, moving sluggishly as she got an arm under herself, her helmet shifted, and Nicole could almost feel those chocolate orbs settle on her behind the visor.  The unspoken question passed between them and Nicole shook her head.  She wasn¡¯t doing well, but that could wait until they knew just what the hell had happened.

    Franklin and Kelly were helping one another back to their feet, though Kelly was frowning at her tablet.  She tossed it aside, the device still sparking with blue light.

    ¡°Well, someone cocked up,¡± Grace said, her legs still unsteady.

    That was an understatement.  Hell, Nicole wasn¡¯t far off from the feeling she had experienced when fighting Bartran.  Before Guiana pushed her to the brink.  Would she need to be hooked back up to some sort of draining device to survive, or was this something she could manage on her own?

    Nicole wasn¡¯t sure how much she could trust Sinclair and his associates, especially given this entire disaster was their fucking fault.

    ¡°An understatement,¡± Kelly Rivers said with a sigh.  ¡°Electronics are fried too.¡±

    Cursing, Nicole checked her phone only to blink when everything was still working aside from her cell signal.  ¡°They aren¡¯t though?¡±

    Kelly sighed.  ¡°None of the computing technology in use at our research facilities use conventional technology.  My tablet was using an advanced substrate based off Sylan technology and powered by a Source derived effect.¡±

    Which only served to confirm Nicole¡¯s own intuition about what had happened.  ¡°How concerned should we be?¡±

    A frown crossed Kelly¡¯s face when her swipe through the air didn¡¯t yield any holographic interfaces.  ¡°Unknown at this time.  We weren¡¯t aware that such a surge could serve as an EMP for Source devices.¡±

    A glance to the side showed the machines slumped over, still sparking.  Their eyes glowed dimly in the emergency lighting even as their limbs jerked with every surge that continued to cycle through them.

    Nicole¡¯s eyes were still watching as one managed to get four limbs under itself and start crawling towards them.  ¡°Uh, are the machines also Source powered?¡±

    ¡°No, but they do have several exotic components.  Why?¡±

    Nicole¡¯s blade was already in motion as the machine lunged towards them, far faster than any of the man-made automatons had moved during their earlier conflict.  Rather than shearing through it, Nicole¡¯s blade deflected off a shimmering field that sent sparks flying.  Her eyes only had a moment to widen before Grace brought her axe down on the machine, tearing through it with some difficulty.

    As if sounding the start of a race, the other machines snapped from malfunction to murder.  Nicole¡¯s world narrowed as she brought her blades back up, deflecting the first strike with ease.  The machines weren¡¯t made of anything better than before, but the addition of a kinetic barrier changed the dynamic of the fight.  Even the Sylan orange models hadn¡¯t sported such a dangerous addition to their kit.

    ¡°Clear the civilians!¡± Grace shouted as she brought her axe around.  One machine went sailing down the hall as two more moved into its place.  Much as Nicole wanted to stand there and watch, she knew that she needed to do as asked.

    Franklin had already retreated back into the room he originally emerged from, but Kelly was standing stock still, her fists clenched.  It was clear that she was locking up in the face of danger, which would make it harder for Nicole to get her to safety.  Nicole managed to reach her just as a machine would have crashed into Kelly broadside.

    Nicole took the hit instead, and attempted to roll only for a cold limb to pin her to the ground as a bladed arm came up.  The only thing that she could think was how fucking absurd it would be to check out because of some accident causing a bunch of piss poor excuses for machines to go fucking nuts.

    Nicole braced for the impact, yet it never came.  Instead, the machine dropped beside her, crumpled from some impact.  Kelly stood over it, panting as she held some smoking device in her clenched hand.  Had that been a hold out weapon of some sort?  Shaking her head, Nicole got back onto her feet and ushered Kelly towards the door, the woman no longer protesting.

    ¡°How do we stop this?¡± Nicole asked.

    Kelly shook out of her stupor with a startled jump.  ¡°I¡¯m not sure.  If only the active models reacted to the surge, simply destroying those effected would work.  If the storerooms are all awake¡­¡±

    ¡°How many?¡±

    A sigh escaped Kelly¡¯s lips.  ¡°We had over fifty thousand produced.¡±

    Nicole was thankful for the helmet so that Kelly didn¡¯t get to watch the blood drain from her face at such a disaster just waiting to happen.  Worse, there wasn¡¯t much they could do about it aside from confirm which it was.

    ¡°Can you check the camera feeds or do we need to investigate one of these store rooms?¡±

    Kelly paused, biting her lip.  ¡°Investigate.  Everything down here uses Source tech, a precaution against EMP attacks.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, lot of good that¡¯s doing us,¡± Nicole snarked.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Kelly agreed.  ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can here.  Head to sub-level three and check room one-seven beta.  That is the closest storage room.¡±

    Nicole nodded, moving back to rejoin the fight even as the door sealed shut.  The entire situation was strange as hell, and Nicole can¡¯t help but look back at the machine that Kelly had somehow taken down.  Whatever struck it wasn¡¯t a blast of energy, it was more akin to when Jeff smacked a drone with the shaft of his spear.  A blunt strike, and one performed using something extraordinarily robust.

    What else was Kelly keeping from them?

    Grace was mopping up the last of the machines, but Nicole could hear the telltale clacking of more just down the hall.  Gripping her blades tight, she steeled herself for the chaos that was to come.

    ¡°This is going to suck,¡± Nicole said as Grace stepped up beside her.

    Her girlfriend huffed.  ¡°Honestly, what the fuck did that explosion do to these things?¡±

    Nicole shrugged as the first of the machines pierced the eerie fog, crawling towards them at a steady and unnerving pace.  ¡°I think Kelly will be trying to crack that question for weeks to come.¡±

    ¡°No doubt,¡± Grace said, then charged into the approaching masses.

    Not to be outdone, Nicole took a deep breath, feeling out the surging warmth as she did.  It wasn¡¯t hurting, not yet, which meant she would hopefully be okay to keep fighting.  Unfortunately, enthusiasm only does so much when one¡¯s weapons can¡¯t quite pierce the kinetic barrier being used by the opposition.

    In that regard, Grace¡¯s axe has a natural advantage, the greater surface area and power behind the swings tore through each machine with far greater ease than Nicole¡¯s own mundane blades to the point that she stowed them after her third exchange and resorted to punching the damn things into the ground, denting the steel floor as she did.

    It was cathartic as hell, and oddly effective.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Flesh meeting a flexible kinetic field that would shatter into malleable steel was a curious sensation, and one that Nicole wasn¡¯t sure how to process.  Her brain kept telling her that it should hurt, that hitting something with the ability to repel bullets should result in her hand being permanently fucked.

    As her fist buried itself into yet another machine, she could only chuckle at the absurdity that was her life.  Here she was, a Ranger in name only at this point, and still keeping up with Grace well enough to not need her to hover for safety.  Nicole knew that she was getting closer to the Source to do so, that if she fought the Orange drones now that it wouldn¡¯t be a contest.

    Nicole lost count as they fought, her breathing calm and measured as she progressed through the encroaching hoards as they pushed deeper into the facility.  They worked for what felt like an hour as they made it to the third sub-level, the density of the machines only serving to grow as they did.

    At least the door was in sight, even if there were yet more of the hoard between them and their goal.  Grace was breathing heavily as she held her axe at the ready and Nicole was honestly feeling worse off.  Her arms trembled from the repeated impacts that could shake foundations, her body protesting against being driven past her own limits for so long.

    Hell, she wasn¡¯t even sure if the Source was running rampant within her, and could only trust that she might morph once more if that was indeed the case.  There was no way to confirm, not without having her morpher back.  Just as they¡¯re making headway, a commotion on the other side of the mass of steel breaks through their own cacophony.

    Nicole frowned at first, then nearly growled when she realized who it was.  Yellow streaked through the muted colors of the machines, using her bizarre rifle that also served as some sort of glaive to make short work of the machines in her own way.

    ¡°Sup,¡± Anita said, waving cheekily.  She didn¡¯t even have the decency to pretend to be as tired as they were.  ¡°Heard you might need some help down here.¡±

    ¡°Or you¡¯re here to keep us from fucking with something important,¡± Grace snapped.  ¡°Let me guess, you already checked the room.¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Anita said, popping the P as she did.  ¡°I¡¯m legit here to help, as is the rest of my team.  They¡¯re clearing out the rest of the base so we can focus on figuring out what the fuck went wrong and make sure everything is safe.¡±

    ¡°What, like a machine might just freak out if activated?¡± Grace asked.

    Anita nodded.  ¡°That is a legitimate concern, yes.¡±

    Nicole swallowed, looking off to the side as she considered the terror that might bring, but she also understood the opportunity.  If they could bring the machines under control, then they would be an effective counter to the Sylan¡¯s own drone swarms.

    ¡°Are you willing to fill us in on the test that went completely FUBAR?¡± Nicole demanded, her voice nearly a growl.

    Emotions were always hard to parse through the uniform, yet Anita was always a special case.  The one thing that Nicole could tell for certain was when the Yellow Ranger¡¯s entire posture shifted, and Maria took front and center.  Such a thing happened the moment the question left her lips, and Nicole knew she was either getting a straight answer, or had just picked a fight.

    ¡°This was the first attempt to empower a morpher,¡± Maria said.  ¡°I do not know if it was a success or failure.¡±

    A shuddering breath rattled through Nicole as she considered the implications.  Would she finally be able to stand among her friends once more, not out of her own perceived obligations, but as a peer?  Even when considering it, the idea was always little more than a hypothetical.  Now it hangs there in the air with a heavy presence that almost felt physical.  The warmth in her chest remained steady, pulsing in time with her heart.

    ¡°Then that should be our priority,¡± Grace said, her helmet angled so she could look at Nicole.  ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Nicole nodded, not trusting herself to speak, to reveal the desperate hope that would no doubt come across with her words.  She turned, looking further down the hall, the direction that Yellow had come from, the direction they would need to go to get to the rather literal bottom of this mess.

    ¡°First thing,¡± Maria said, grasping the steel door.  ¡°We must ascertain if our machines were awakened by the pulse or not.¡±

    Screeching steel rang out as the Yellow Ranger ripped the unpowered door open.  She peered inside even as she gently tossed the massive thing aside as if it were made of paper.  The tension in her shoulders bled away as the woman let out a heavy sigh.

    ¡°No sign of movement,¡± Maria said.

    ¡°Oh thank fuck,¡± Grace said, her axe vanishing into the aether.  ¡°I don¡¯t know if I had it in me to keep that up.¡±

    ¡°They are remarkably tenacious,¡± the Yellow Ranger agreed as she began to walk.  ¡°We shouldn¡¯t see much opposition between here and our goals.¡±

    ¡°Which are?¡± Nicole asked.

    Maria hummed as they walked.  ¡°Reach lab seventeen, report back the status of the test as well as risk assessment for any unpowered personnel entering the area.¡±

    ¡°Sounds sensible,¡± Grace said, but the suspicion was clear in her voice.

    No comment on that was offered, and Nicole elected to keep her mouth shut.  Obviously they had performed all this without Becca on hand, which was likely why something went horrifically wrong, yet they weren¡¯t volunteering information on why she was left out.  Given that, there was no reason for Nicole to let on that she knew they had done just that.

    Stairs led deeper into the facility, and part of Nicole couldn¡¯t help but wonder how things were going topside.  Were her teammates worried?  Who was she kidding, of course they would be.  They had been gone for hours now, not to mention that pulse that no doubt was felt by half the damn city.

    And here she was, working with the people that caused it all in an effort to ensure what exactly?  That the mistake might yield something of value?  It made little sense either way, but what was she going to do?  Nicole needed to keep them on her good side, for her own sake as well as Rebecca¡¯s.

    As they descended the stairs, Yellow held up a closed fist.  All motion stopped as she carefully leaned around the corner, then cursed as bladed talons scraped along her kinetic shield.  Her weapon materialized at the same moment that Grace summoned her axe, but Nicole beat them both to the literal punch.

    The machine impacted the far wall, shorting out as it got back onto its malfunctioning limbs.  An axe came down upon it before it could.  Bolts of energy shot from Yellow¡¯s rifle, peppering another group of machines as they crawled along the walls and ceilings like fucking Xenomorphs or some shit.

    Leave it to humanity to come up with shit that is creepier than the tools of death developed by actual extraterrestrials.  The resulting melee was swift and brutal as all that came before it, and Nicole had two more cuts along her outfit to show for it, though none managed to penetrate her undersuit, once again proving that it was worth whatever Sinclair Industries thought it was and more.

    ¡°Whew, that was fun,¡± Anita said brightly, having taken the front once again.  ¡°You okay over there?¡±

    ¡°Peachy,¡± Nicole muttered, inspecting one of the cuts.  ¡°Good news, the armor works.  Bad news, I still feel every cut and stab through it.¡±

    ¡°Better than the alternative,¡± Anita quipped as she approached the glowing door.  ¡°Time to see what mess awaits us then.¡±

    Nicole shared a look with her girlfriend, receiving a nod as Yellow reached down and shoved the door up and into the ceiling along its track.  The lab beyond was a fucking mess, with sparking electronics surrounded by half a dozen corpses of researchers.  The wall that once stood between the testing chamber and the researchers was obliterated, the shrapnel from that explosion having torn through the soft bodies now strewn at their feet.  It was hardly the worst that Nicole had ever walked in on, but still a sight she hoped to never grow used to.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s fucked,¡± Anita said, her shoulders dropping ever so slightly at the sight of so much death.  ¡°I kinda liked some of these assholes.¡±

    Before Nicole can even begin to think of what she might say to the woman, Anita marched herself past all the bodies and wreckage and right up to the pedestal set in the center of the testing chamber just beyond.  The wall was adorned with a plethora of glowing lights, but what caught Nicole¡¯s attention was the device set upon the pedestal itself.

    ¡°That¡¯s my morpher,¡± Nicole said with barely a whisper.

    Anita paused, then turned her full focus onto the device.  She then lifted it off the raised surface, looking it over.  ¡°Sure is.¡±

    And it was promptly tossed through the air, clearing the thirty feet between them as Nicole snatched it from the air.  She looked it over with trembling hands, then pressed the primary activation button before her nerves grew worse.  The device sat silent, with no hint that it was any more functional than the day it was taken from her.

    Nicole hurriedly strapped it to her wrist, hoping that it was something so simple, but as the seconds ticked on, the nervous anticipation turned to anger and dread.  All of that death and destruction, and they hadn¡¯t even fixed it.  Grace clapped a firm hand on Nicole¡¯s shoulder and with it the guilt hit her twice as hard.

    No amount of death would be worth the return of her morpher.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Grace whispered, pulling her into a crushing embrace.  ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay.¡±

    Nicole wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, barely able to keep her own tears in check.  They stayed like that for several moments as Yellow gave them some space while surveying the room and collecting the ID tags from each of the fallen scientists.  That was something that Nicole was thankful for, she didn¡¯t enjoy retrieving bodies from burnouts, but it was something she had done more than once.

    That never made it any easier the next time.

    Anita stepped over to them and cleared her throat, prompting Grace to pull away.  Nicole could almost picture her girlfriend¡¯s smile behind the helmet, so full of love and understanding that it bordered on pity without ever crossing that line.  The old Nicole would have seen it as such, but she had grown, or at least she liked to think that she had.

    ¡°Bit of advice,¡± the Yellow Ranger said, then her morph shattered, leaving a rather tired looking woman in her place.  ¡°You are far too easy to read, even with the gear.  I personally don¡¯t care all that much, but my boss sure as hell does.  He won¡¯t hesitate to use everything he can to get what he wants.¡±

    Nicole regarded the Ranger, not sure how she should take that statement.  Yellow wasn¡¯t her friend, but the warning appeared genuine.  So, Nicole nodded, taking it for what it was.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Anita said with a weak smile.  ¡°I¡¯m not looking forward to the coming debrief.¡±

    Looking down at the silent device on her wrist, Nicole couldn¡¯t help but echo that sentiment.  With one look back at the devastated room and the wall of lights that somehow hadn¡¯t shorted out during the surge, Nicole turned and began the long walk back to the administrative floor.

    She would try to keep her disappointment concealed, but something told her that she was doomed to fail.

 Chapter 53 - Rumination

    Nicole collapsed into her normal booth, her team taking their own seats around her.  Being unable to report the exact specifics of what she uncovered wasn¡¯t sitting well with Nicole, but what was she supposed to do?  Nicole reported that they found bodies at the site of the accident and left it at that.  Sinclair had the people needed to clean up the rest of the mess he dug for himself.

    At least Sinclair hadn¡¯t shown up and stuck his head in things, she did not have the spoons to deal with that man after the day she just had.  Seriously, Nicole hadn¡¯t been this tired in ages and while she did want to just curl up in bed and relax, she knew that her team had worked hard and deserved some comfort food after that disaster.

    Granted, they had just worked evacuation, but that didn¡¯t mean her team didn¡¯t see their share of corpses.  It was a sad reality of what they had to become, but a weak stomach tended to be one of the first things lost when dealing with their line of work.  She knew the sight of charred corpses would haunt them for days to come and that only time would provide distance from those horrible events.

    The TV in the corner was tuned in to the coverage of the fires and Nicole could only sigh as primary colors flashed on screen.  Fresh vines blocked the spreading flames as Devon carried three people over his shoulders, shining barriers surrounding them as the flames parted.

    Gertie paid it no mind as she swiftly fell upon their table and everyone muttered ¡®my usual¡¯ in near unison.  That Gertie just nodded and turned around spoke to how often the group ended up using the diner as their recovery destination.

    Nobody really said anything as their drinks were brought over, Nicole clutched her coffee like a lifeline, taking slow sips as she glared at the reporter taking a sensational approach to the Rangers and their contribution to containing the blaze.  The fire department never got their full due when she got involved, but at the same time?

    Ranger involvement saved lives.

    ¡°Nah, that there fire was cover fer sometin,¡± Sam said, flipping a pan of eggs with practiced ease.  ¡°It¡¯s all a govmnet covaup I tells ya!¡±

    ¡°Will you shut up?¡± Gertie demanded, bringing over several plates, including Nicole¡¯s own.  ¡°You think every random fire is some shadow government cover up, or the real aliens behind the invasion.¡±

    Sam plated the eggs, then spun with a huff.  ¡°There¡¯s more to this than the Sylan!  I mean come on, it¡¯s not even a clever name!  One pidly sound off from a popular machine race!  It¡¯s like the government just phoned in the first name that came to mind.¡±

    ¡°Is it just me or does his accent drop when he starts ranting?¡± Kayla whispered.

    Grace chuckled.  ¡°Just now noticing that?¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Kayla said, rolling her eyes.  ¡°Unlike you two I don¡¯t practically live here.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s got good food,¡± Nicole said with a shrug as she cut into her country fried steak the moment it was placed before her.  ¡°Plus it¡¯s close enough to campus that I can come here on foot without raising suspicion.¡±

    Grace snorted, shaking her head.  ¡°Says the girl that jogged all the way downtown for a cinnamon roll from the Savory Bake House.¡±

    Nicole looked away to hide the heat flooding her cheeks.  ¡°They have good stuff, and the owners are pretty neat, okay?¡±

    ¡°And we appreciate that,¡± Gertie said with a wink.  ¡°Pay my husband no mind, he likes to play it up for the customers.¡±

    Jeff blinked, looking between the waitress and the line cook.  Gertie just smiled and waved him off as she moved to pick up the remaining plates from their order.  Grace and Nicole shared a knowing look as they struggled to contain their laughter at the gobsmacked expressions on their friends faces.

    ¡°I would not have called that,¡± Devon said with a raised eyebrow.  ¡°She¡¯s far too good for him.¡±

    ¡°I heard that!¡± Sam yelled.  ¡°Next time I¡¯ll salt yer pancakes!¡±

    Devon shivered in revulsion.

    Grace bumped shoulders with Nicole, and the pair laughed as they took their time enjoying the early morning breakfast despite not having slept.  Fortunately Nicole didn¡¯t have anywhere to be for the rest of the day unless there was some major incident with the fires, but there were enough departments on the scene and things were contained, which should mean that the fire chief would keep her on call rather than ask her to continue working.

    ¡°Oh god!¡± Kayla suddenly shouted.  Nicole jumped to her feet, a hand already on her wrist before Kayla let out a whine and dropped her head to the table.  ¡°We¡¯ve got class in the morning.¡±

    ¡°Fuck,¡± Jeff muttered as Devon silently cursed over his pancakes.

    ¡°You might, but Nicole and I are exempt,¡± Grace said smugly.  ¡°We¡¯re employed with fire and rescue, so we have an actual excuse to miss.¡±

    Nicole held up a hand and Grace was quick to return the high five.

    ¡°Lucky bitches,¡± Kayla said.  ¡°Now I regret not signing up with your department.¡±

    ¡°Steady pay and a built-in excuse,¡± Grace said, lifting her cup in a cheer.  ¡°I am so glad Nicole talked me into going with her.¡±

    ¡°More like you just wanted to spend more time with her,¡± Jeff said with a snicker.  ¡°Besides, we¡¯re not high schoolers.  College is a lot more lax with attendance than that cesspit ever was.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the truth,¡± Devon said, leaning back.  ¡°Fuck it, I¡¯m skipping too.¡±

    ¡°To truancy,¡± Kayla cheered weakly, then downed half her coffee in one go.  ¡°I¡¯m going to regret that in a few hours when I lay down.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°I¡¯m hoping to sleep off last night like a bad hangover.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t drink,¡± Grace said.

    Nicole huffed.  ¡°I¡¯ve been drunk before, there¡¯s a reason I don¡¯t drink now.¡±

    Grace hummed, but left it at that.  She knew the reason, that Nicole still battled with her inner demons at times in the dark of the night.  Even now the visions of death were dancing in the back of her mind.  They wouldn¡¯t allow each other to be alone for that very reason, not after having seen the things they did.

    ¡°Well, we should call it here,¡± Grace said, dropping two twenties on the table before she stood.  A hand was offered and Nicole could only shake her head fondly as she accepted the offered limb and let herself be pulled to her feet.  ¡°You guys take care, we¡¯re going to go home and crash.¡±

    ¡°Try to actually sleep,¡¯ Kayla said with a tired wink.  ¡°Just because Nicole¡¯s roomie is spending more time with her boyfriend doesn¡¯t mean you can take advantage of the situation.¡±

    ¡°Like we have the energy for it,¡± Nicole said, fighting back a very real yawn.  ¡°You¡¯ve got our number if something happens.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Kayla said, her smile weak.

    Nicole added her own twenty to the center pile and moved to depart with her girlfriend.  Just as they reached the door Gertie stepped close and sported a mischievous smile as she did.  It immediately raised Nicole¡¯s hackles which only saw Gertie¡¯s smile widen.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s jumpy,¡± the kind woman said.

    ¡°You spend hours fighting that crazy fire and see how you look after,¡± Nicole said, gesturing at the screen just as it switched to footage of her and Grace speaking with the Chief following the worst of the blaze being contained.  ¡°I¡¯d still be out there if the Chief hadn¡¯t ordered me to take a break.¡±

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    Gertie¡¯s eyes flicked back at the screen for a moment, then her hand was on Nicole¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°And we¡¯re proud of you for it.  I just worry you¡¯re not taking care of yourself.¡±

    ¡°As best I can,¡± Nicole answered.

    Grace nodded, pulling Nicole close.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s got me looking out for her as well.¡±

    ¡°That you better,¡± Gertie said firmly.  ¡°Watch out for one another, you two are some of our best customers and I expect to be serving you until I¡¯m old and gray.¡±

    ¡°You already are,¡± Sam yelled.

    Gertie¡¯s eye twitched.  ¡°At least I¡¯m not bald, you old badger!¡±

    The man only chuckled at that as he continued his work, not once having turned his focus away from the food being prepared in front of him.  Knowing that the pair had owned the place together for more than twenty years showed with how well he could work the grill.

    ¡°Take care, you two, and I¡¯ll see you tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°It is tomorrow,¡± Nicole said, then laughed at her own joke.  ¡°Well, we¡¯ll likely see you sometime well after the sun rises.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough sweeties,¡± Gertie said, and pressed a small bundle into her hands.  Nicole knew better than to protest and accepted it gratefully.  ¡°Now go get some sleep, you¡¯ve earned it.¡±

    As Nicole left with her girlfriend, her mind drifted back to the knowing look Gertie had when she looked at the screen.  If the woman did know her secret, she never voiced it, and for that Nicole was grateful.  Sam¡¯s over the top conspiracy theories took on a different meaning in that light, and once again Nicole found herself smiling.

    ¡°She knows,¡± Grace said once they got into the car.

    ¡°Probably,¡± Nicole agreed.  ¡°And yet, it doesn¡¯t bother me.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Grace said after a moment.  ¡°I know your identity is a bit flimsier than mine¡ª¡± Nicole snorted at the ¡®bit¡¯ part of that statement. ¡°¡ªbut it still feels weird to have so many know about us like that.¡±

    Nicole hummed in agreement.  ¡°I mean, the gymnastics coach clocked me, so at this point I¡¯m convinced half the campus knows who we are but are just keeping their mouths shut out of respect for what we¡¯ve done.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Grace said softly.  ¡°I think you¡¯re giving our classmates too much credit there, but what do I know?  This is the first real school I¡¯ve attended.¡±

    ¡°Rumors spread regardless of how much they might hurt, or how outlandish they sound,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°It¡¯s one of the immutable laws of the universe.  Humans sort of suck like that.¡±

    ¡°Yet we fight for them anyway,¡± Grace said softly.

    ¡°We fight to protect the innocent.  That many who aren¡¯t get caught up in those efforts isn¡¯t for us to be concerned about.  We fight because there is nobody else to stand up for them.¡±

    Grace chuckled.  ¡°No need to remind me.  I sure as hell know what I¡¯m fighting for, and that is to have a future with my amazing girlfriend.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s face burned crimson as she looked away, letting herself get distracted by the lights of the early morning hours.  Most people were still sleeping, though many had begun to stir to start their days, especially those who worked downtown.  She hadn¡¯t had that luxury, and instead was only just getting to the point where she could rest.

    A quick shower, likely shared with her girlfriend for expediency, and she would collapse into bed and probably sleep for the next twelve hours.  Nicole seemed to blink and suddenly they were parked at their dorms and it was time to go inside.  Accepting that she had dozed off, Nicole got to her feet and nearly stumbled with how her legs felt like jelly.

    ¡°Stretch it out,¡± Grace said, helping to support her.  ¡°Something tells me we¡¯re both going to be sore as hell tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Nicole muttered.  ¡°Ranger healing will help one of us, at least.¡±

    ¡°Not as much as you hope,¡± Grace said with a sigh.  ¡°We can worry about that later, let¡¯s just get inside first.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mistress,¡± Nicole teased.

    Grace snorted, then Nicole could only yelp as Grace pulled her up and over her shoulder  into a textbook fireman carry.  She then walked towards the dorms, carrying the no longer bleary-eyed Ranger even as she squirmed in her girlfriend¡¯s grasp.

    ¡°Unhand me you fiend!¡± Nicole yelled even as she fought to not laugh.  ¡°This is mutiny.¡±

    ¡°Careful, or you¡¯ll draw the attention of the stoners over by the vending machines,¡± Grace said, angling herself so that she could see a small collection of students that hadn¡¯t noticed them just yet.  ¡°Oh boys~¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡± Nicole hissed.  ¡°You win this one.¡±

    ¡°As is only proper,¡± Grace proclaimed and resumed the trek inside.  ¡°We¡¯ve got to get you tucked in before you pass out again.¡±

    ¡°Shower first,¡± Nicole said, resigned to being treated like a sack of potatoes.

    Opening the dorm door, Grace paused for a moment.  ¡°Do you have the energy for that?¡±

    The lights were already on, which surprised Nicole, as did the familiar giggles coming from the kitchen as the digital click of a camera app sounded.

    ¡°Becca?¡± Nicole squawked as Grace quickly helped her back to her feet.  ¡°Delete that this instant!¡±

    ¡°Oh no,¡± her oldest friend said with a feral grin.  ¡°After the night you just put me through, I¡¯m keeping this.¡±

    ¡°I trust Colin is safe?¡± Nicole asked.

    ¡°Safe as he can be,¡± Becca said.  ¡°And no, I¡¯m not sure where he went after I had him leave town for the next few days.  He¡¯s going to be moving from place to place each night, and only calling as he¡¯s departing.¡±

    ¡°Decent op-sec,¡± Grace said.  ¡°It¡¯s basically what I had to do when I first moved up here and the cult that follows my father kept trying to track me down.¡±

    Another piece of the puzzle, and yet another reason to lay into Grace¡¯s parents should she ever meet them.

    ¡°Speaking of crazy,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°Have you heard anything from Sinclair Industries?¡±

    Becca sighed, shaking her head.  ¡°Nothing yet, just that I¡¯m on paid leave until they sort out this mess.  I did get an apology from Kelly, for what little that was worth.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, they probably don¡¯t know I took this just yet,¡± Nicole said, revealing the watch on her wrist.  ¡°They claimed it didn¡¯t work, and Anita handed it back to me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, those fuckers,¡± Becca seethed as she ran her fingers along the device.  ¡°They did this without me and fucked the pooch for it.  Now they¡¯re going to dump the mess on my lap and ask me what went wrong and I¡¯m going to have to explain something stupidly basic that they no doubt overlooked!¡±

    Nicole could only wince at the rant, even if she wanted to rage.  They had taken her morpher, offered in good faith, and used it to cause a fucking disaster that she had spent the better part of the last twelve hours cleaning up.

    ¡°Do you know what they were working on?¡± Becca asked.

    ¡°Uh,¡± Nicole held up her wrist.  ¡°I assumed it was my watch.¡±

    Becca laughed, though it was a touch manic and rather shrill.  ¡°Oh no.  If they had used your watch for what I think they did, it would either be functional, or exploded.  No, they did something else and I¡¯m really fucking curious as to what that might be.¡±

    ¡°Anita seemed to have a clue,¡± Grace said.  ¡°She was awfully interested in a wall covered in glowing lights.¡±

    Rebecca¡¯s forehead creased in a frown.  ¡°That¡¯s¡­  Less than helpful.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all we got,¡± Grace said, then let out a yawn.  ¡°If it¡¯s all the same, I¡¯d like to get some sleep before Sinclair decides to call us up to somehow try to blame us for cutting down a couple hundred of their security droids.¡±

    ¡°Huh, Fredrick got those working,¡± Becca said with a far off look.  ¡°Ugh, it is too late to consider all this.  I stayed up waiting for you to get home and I am fucking exhausted.¡±

    ¡°I think we all are,¡± Nicole said, her feet a bit unsteady underneath her.  ¡°And unlike my beautiful girlfriend, I didn¡¯t get a magical Ranger bath from dropping my morph.  I really could use a shower after all that.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you absolutely do,¡± Becca called out as she walked back to her room.  ¡°Again, just keep the moaning to a minimum, some of us need their beauty sleep.¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Nicole said, rolling her eyes.  ¡°We all know you¡¯re plenty beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Something, something, flattery,¡± Becca said with a yawn.  ¡°See you two lovebirds later.¡±

    The door shut, the click of her lock being the last thing heard and left the two alone once more.  Nicole was about to speak when a chime sounded and she pulled out her phone only to pale at the notification awaiting her.

    ¡°Becca you bitch!¡±

    Cackling was all she heard as Grace snorted as the uploaded picture of Grace carrying Nicole was now available for all to see on Becca¡¯s social media feed, and the reactions were already pouring in.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Grace said, shaking her head with mirth.  ¡°Shower and sleep now, plot revenge later.¡±

    ¡°It will be horrible,¡± Nicole vowed.

    ¡°Of course it will,¡± Grace agreed.  ¡°You¡¯ll totally get her back for this.¡±

    ¡°Damn right I will,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°Just you wait.  Vengeance will be mine!¡±

    More laughter echoed through the closed door, and Nicole knew she would have to make it grand enough to be remembered, but Grace was also right.  She was barely standing with how tired she was, not to mention how sweaty she¡¯d gotten and the Ranger transformation only did so much for cleanliness.  Shower then sleep, then Becca would rue the coming day!

 Interlude: Grace I

    After the mess that was the last few hours of dealing with that absolute clusterfuck of a chemical fire, not to mention finding out the facility under it was owned by Xavier Sinclair, Grace just wanted to collapse into bed and stay there for the next day at a minimum.

    Nicole was snoring gently beside her in her usual adorable way. Her girlfriend would often deny snoring, but it was on the cute side of the spectrum so Grace always made sure to keep it to teasing and little more. The other problem came when Grace¡¯s phone started to ring. She nearly screamed as she silenced the damn thing and tossed it aside.

    Whoever was calling could wait until a more respectable hour. It wasn¡¯t even noon yet and she hadn¡¯t slept but an hour before her stomach had forced her out of bed and to the restroom. Now she was wide awake and doom scrolling through social media in a vain attempt to drift back off, or she would be if a second call hadn¡¯t needed to be dismissed.

    A long series of dings rang out and Grace groaned as her phone would not fucking shut up. She tried burying her head under her pillow, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Finally, she grabbed the device and unlocked it, looking for what the messages might have been.

    The phone in her hand was almost mocking as she stared at the first of dozens of messages glaring back at her. It was barely past ten am, yet she knew who they were from almost immediately. It had been almost three years since Grace heard from them, and yet they managed to get a hold of her new number. That figured, given she wasn¡¯t able to change her name without publishing it, which would negate the point of it all.

    Why wait until now to look for her? Why reach out when she made it abundantly clear that she wanted nothing to do with them ever again? The only thing Grace could think of was that she had appeared on the news during the school shooting incident. It had to be from before Nicole approached the police, when she slipped away to morph.

    Unknown: Repent, and return to God before your sinful ways lead you to hell.

    That had been the first of the text messages her former family had sent, each one coming from a different number as her phone was flooded by messages from strangers. As the messages continued to roll in, it became clear that they must have gotten their whole church in on the doxing attempt. The most telling of the messages however came from her little sister, whose number was one of the few she actually bothered to enter into her new phone.

    Sarah: I was asked by your former fianc¨¦ to invite you to our wedding. It will be held this Saturday. My future husband sends his regards.

    Fire flooded her veins as she considered the idea that her little sister, who was barely fifteen, was being forced to marry that creep. Worse, it would be legal, because of course the bastards that ran the southern states would keep child marriage legal. Looking online, she found the wedding announcement, and it was scheduled for the coming weekend.

    There was no way in hell she was letting that limp-dicked fuckstick marry her baby sister.

    The problem came from the fact that she was responsible for the safety of Minneapolis, it was her home, and she was a Ranger. She couldn¡¯t just take a week off to go back to Tennessee no matter how much she might wish to. It was bad enough that Nicole was struggling to keep up with them in fights, if Grace decided to travel for this¡­ Being down two Rangers would be a death sentence if a powerful mutant were to be deployed.

    Maybe she could see if Carlos was willing to help cover for her trip¡­ She had his number, which she pulled up as she stepped out into the living room and dialed before she could think otherwise. He picked up on the third ring.

    ¡°Grace? This is unexpected,¡± Carlos said with a half-asleep tone.

    She sighed. ¡°I wish this was a courtesy call, but I had some family thing come up and I was wondering if you could help reinforce Minneapolis while I¡¯m out of town for a few days.¡±

    ¡°I trust Nicole will be going with you?¡± Carlos asked.

    Shit, she knew that she had forgotten something. ¡°I haven¡¯t asked her yet.¡±

    ¡°Might want to do that sooner than later,¡± he said with a soft chuckle. ¡°I¡¯ll ask if anyone else wants to come with, but with the attacks resuming, it might not be easy.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said with a sigh of relief. ¡°Anything you can spare would be appreciated.¡±

    ¡°Not a problem,¡± Carlos answered. ¡°I¡¯ll message you once I hear back.¡±

    The call ended and Grace let out a shaking breath. Okay, that was step one down, which meant she needed to bring it up with Nicole next. She knew expecting her girlfriend to go with was a bit much, but the common courtesy would be to ask.

    Stepping back into the bedroom, Grace could only smile as she regarded her girlfriend¡¯s sleeping form. Nicole always seemed so peaceful when sleeping, and there was no trace of the emotions that always seemed to bubble just beneath the surface. The pain that she kept buried had returned in full force when her morpher was returned. The hope that had blossomed only to shatter in an instant wasn¡¯t lost on her.

    Nicole had found purpose as a Ranger, and now it was slipping away. The lull in attacks had held back the worst of it, but the recent battles only served to reinforce her own inadequacies. She didn¡¯t give those complaints much voice, but it was obvious to anyone that truly knew her.

    Hell, Rebecca only went to work with Sinclair Industries to help Nicole, and they had shut her out over it. The girl was there when they got back, but left shortly after without actually saying anything. Probably for fear of the dorm room being bugged, which she couldn¡¯t fault her for.

    Grace considered waking Nicole right then and there about her plans, but looking at how peaceful she was, and knowing they still had a few days before the wedding, she could let her sleep a bit longer.

    Nicole picked that moment to let out a whimper, rolling over as she reached for the empty side of the bed. Grace¡¯s eyes widened as she hurried back into the covers, letting Nicole pull her back in close with an incoherent affection. Now trapped in the bed, Grace resigned herself to waiting just a bit longer to deal with the problems at hand and shut her eyes.

    <hr>

    Grace stirred, her nose twitching as she rolled over in the bed, only to find herself as the sole occupant. Her eyes opened blearily, confirming the lack of a cuddly girlfriend to snuggle with. A whine was clamped down upon as she grabbed her phone and began to check the messages. She ignored those from the church numbers, and decided to save the group chat for later, and instead focused on the one from her girlfriend.

    Nicole: Hey, in the kitchen making breakfast for dinner.

    Chuckling, Grace extracted herself from the warm covers and stepped out of the small room and into the hall. She considered just heading on in, but nature called. It was a few minutes later that she made it into the kitchenette, feeling a fair bit more awake than she had before.

    Grace wasn¡¯t hungry, not after everything that had just been dumped in her lap, but that didn¡¯t mean she would be rude and refuse a home cooked breakfast. Stretching, Grace once again marveled at how her body had changed following that first morph. She was already in decent shape due to her smithing hobby, but now she was confident that she was one of the strongest people on the planet.

    As much as that should have bolstered her confidence, she knew it paled in comparison to her girlfriend. Once she had been an Olympic contender, and now she was a goddess in the flesh. Just thinking about how her chiseled muscles felt under her fingers was enough to warm Grace¡¯s cheeks with a furious blush.

    Those sort of thoughts were best saved for later in the evening.

    Nicole was fussing over something in the oven when Grace came up behind her, wrapping her in a hug before she kissed her girlfriend on the cheek. ¡°Morning, beautiful.¡±

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Stealing my line,¡± Nicole muttered.

    Grace chuckled, releasing her to finish the meal as she took a seat at the table. The sausage was slightly charred, and she could tell at a glance that the scrambled eggs hadn¡¯t started out as such, but were instead salvaged from fried eggs. At least the biscuits being pulled from the oven looked golden brown and ready, and there was butter and grape jelly already on the table waiting.

    So Nicole wasn¡¯t the best cook around, but it wasn¡¯t as though she was completely helpless in a kitchen. Grace was decidedly the better cook between them, but at the same time, she was only as good as she was because her mother had trained her to be a good little house wife.

    Some things just weren¡¯t worth making from scratch, not when technology existed. They weren¡¯t even Amish, just ¡®traditional¡¯ or some shit. She ate a few bites, but mostly pushed the food around as she considered how best to bring it up to her girlfriend.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Nicole asked, her own breakfast barely touched. ¡°You look like you have a lot on your mind.¡±

    Grace sighed as her girlfriend gave her the perfect opening, and rather than dwell on it and lose her nerve, she slid her unlocked phone across the table so Nicole could see. ¡°Got three dozen texts from unknown numbers. I¡¯m pretty sure they were my family and their church.¡±

    ¡°What the ever loving fuck,¡± Nicole said as she scrolled the messages. Grace could tell the exact moment she got to the text from her sister. ¡°How old is she?¡±

    ¡°Turned fifteen a few weeks ago,¡± Grace said, her voice edged with steel.

    ¡°Fuck that,¡± Nicole said, ¡°you¡¯re going right? We can pack after breakfast and drive through the night.¡±

    Grace blinked. Was it really that simple? ¡°You¡¯re going with me?¡±

    ¡°Of course I am,¡± Nicole said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. ¡°That¡¯s bullshit and I¡¯m not gonna stand by and do nothing while you rush off to protect her on your own.¡±

    Grace was on her feet and pulling her girlfriend into a crushing embrace before she realized it. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Nicole grunted, returning the hug. ¡°Shit, we¡¯ll need to get someone to cover for us if the city is attacked¡­¡±

    ¡°Already called Carlos,¡± Grace said. ¡°He¡¯s seeing if he can get a few Rangers to come for a few days.¡±

    Nicole nodded. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s better than asking Anita.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not,¡± Grace agreed with a grimace. ¡°It¡¯s a twelve hour drive without stops, so we will need to trade off to nap on the way.¡±

    ¡°Noted, though I wonder how fast we could make the trip on foot?¡± Nicole mused as she returned to her plate. ¡°We can run pretty damn fast even without morphing.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Grace said, spearing a bit of sausage. ¡°Though if we have to bring my sister back with us, I¡¯d appreciate the car.¡±

    Nicole paused with a bite halfway to her lips as her eyes looked at nothing. ¡°Point,¡± she said, then shoveled the food down. ¡°Have you texted her back?¡±

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Grace admitted with a frown. ¡°Probably should before we go all in on a rescue attempt.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t need her screaming about being kidnapped,¡± Nicole said. ¡°There¡¯s a chance that they¡¯re just trying to lure you back and that wasn¡¯t even her.¡±

    Grace paused, not having considered that. Would her parents stoop to something like that? Who was she kidding, of course they would! They tried to marry her off at seventeen, and were apparently willing to do the same to their fifteen year old daughter as well. She really couldn¡¯t discount any level of depravity from them.

    Pulling out her phone, Grace sent off a message, asking her a question that only Sarah would know the answer to. The response came almost immediately and Grace¡¯s heart sank. It was her, which meant there was a good chance that they were actually planning to marry her off. She didn¡¯t want to consider the possibility that Sarah was working with them to lure her back to Somerville.

    She considered just calling Sarah and talking to her, but that risked things being overheard by her parents. Showing up in person was the safest option and if the worst happened, she could always morph and fight her way out. Hell, she¡¯d love to see the looks on their faces when the lesbian sinner transformed into one of the heaven sent defenders.

    Of all the wild ideas about the source of the invaders, the religious had come up with some of the kookiest. Rangers were heaven ordained, the invaders were demons, and some god was going to eventually smite them all within seven years of their arrival. Grace remembered those sermons well enough, and now that she was a Ranger herself, knew enough of the background details of the war to simply laugh at the thought of it.

    ¡°Something funny?¡± Nicole asked.

    Grace waved her off. ¡°Just memories surfacing, tempered by new knowledge.¡±

    ¡°Poetic,¡± Nicole said with a grin as she leaned forward adorably. ¡°You should try poetry more often, you¡¯re good at it.¡±

    ¡°I made a smithing pun,¡± Grace said, turning away to hide her blush. ¡°It wasn¡¯t exactly the height of wordplay.¡±

    ¡°Well, I appreciated it,¡± Nicole said with a wink.

    Grace smiled, and resumed her packing. She was glad that Nicole was no longer the depressed girl she had met all those months ago before the Sylan fucked up everyone¡¯s lives. Hell, she owed Maraline for helping set Nicole on the path to recovery. Not that it absolved the woman of her crimes, she was still an enemy commander hellbent on conquering Earth.

    Even if it wasn¡¯t by choice.

    Something told Grace that the woman would be a key player in their own story, that when the time came to sweep their team aside that Maraline would be there to lead the charge. Grace was fine with that, so long as she managed to take the bitch down with her. She didn¡¯t like how possessive the alien seemed of her girlfriend, and that worried her.

    She wouldn¡¯t let Nicole become some invader¡¯s pet.

    Packing for the trip had carried them well into the early evening, but Nicole seemed eager to get out of the city and away from things. Grace knew that Nicole¡¯s lack of a working morpher was weighing on her in light of the renewed attacks. Sure, fighting the latest monstrosity could almost be fun at times, but it still involved gambling with people¡¯s lives. There was a weight to those battles that couldn¡¯t be escaped, a responsibility.

    Checking her messages, a scowl crossed her face when Carlos confirmed that he could make it, but none of his contacts were willing to spare another Ranger to help cover. That left Anita as their only option to even out the team, much as it left a sour taste in her mouth after the whole accident in the lab that set a quarter of the city on fire.

    All for nothing.

    Nicole¡¯s morpher remained inert, and Sinclair Industries would avoid scrutiny for it all. The entire mess ate at her sensibilities, and reminded her all too much of how her own parents never met justice for what they did to her.

    Well, she could certainly do something about her shit gene donors, if nothing else.

    Nicole messaged the fire department about being absent for a day, which they seemed okay with given everything that happened. Once they returned, Grace would work with Carlos to get some fingers pointed towards Sinclair. Even if all he did was sweat a bit, it would be something.

    The last order of business was to alert her professors, not that she or Nicole put much stock into school anymore. There was no future for a Ranger beyond the battlefield, that was a truth that remained no matter how they looked at it. She had to face reality, that unless there was a breakthrough, the Sylan would win through attrition alone.

    That, if the Sylan truly wished to, the entirety of the world¡¯s Rangers could be swept aside in an evening. That is the harsh truth of their situation. Knowing what was to come, Grace was determined to spare her sister at least some grief for as long as she could.

    ¡°You sure we have everything?¡± Grace asked, shutting the trunk.

    ¡°Calm down,¡± Nicole said with a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re going camping in the woods for a week. There¡¯s plenty of snacks and water, not to mention we¡¯re going to pass near Sikeston Missouri, always wanted to try that throwed rolls place I saw on the food channel.¡±

    ¡°As long as we do it on the way back,¡± Grace said. ¡°My sister¡¯s safety comes first.¡±

    ¡°Damn right,¡± Nicole said, hopping in the passenger¡¯s seat. ¡°Now, how many pop songs can I sing along with before you decide to gag me¡­¡±

    ¡°None,¡± Grace said, flicking on some heavy metal from her phone. ¡°We burn with the witches in this Dragula.¡±

    ¡°I can live with that,¡± Nicole said, leaning back, ¡°just so long as we¡¯re both in agreement that there will be no Country.¡±

    ¡°Only Merle or Johnny,¡± Grace said.

    Nicole hummed in consideration. ¡°Outlaw Country is fine, I suppose.¡±

    Chuckling, Grace set the car into motion and their little road trip was underway. The city streets soon gave way to country roads and that special little hell that was small town America. That was always one aspect of Americana most from the cities never understood, just how generic the United States were outside of the bigger cities and national parks.

    Within ten minutes of leaving the city limits Grace could barely tell the current town from the area she grew up in. It was a harsh reminder of where she had come from, and where she vowed to never return. Echoes of people yelling, of hate disguised as love, echoed in her mind. Grace grit her teeth, willing away her own trauma, knowing she would be confronting it all once again.

    Then Nicole¡¯s hand was on her own.

    Tension bled out of her as she took a deep breath. She hadn¡¯t been there in years, but she wasn¡¯t going back alone. If her parents came looking for her, she had friends that would stand with her. She had a girlfriend, someone who was always there for her when her own mind started to screw with her. For that Grace would always be grateful.

    Let them come, she was a Ranger, and they wouldn¡¯t intimidate her ever again.

 Interlude: Grace II

    Trees lined the road, their leaves having long since fallen in the face of the recent freeze.  It was about two hours before sunrise and they were making decent time as they drove past the sign announcing the city limits of the town that Grace had once sworn to never enter again.

    Somerville had barely changed since she left.  The most notable difference was a second dollar shop that had opened closer to downtown.  Used to be you had to drive ten minutes down the highway to find anything resembling a chain store.  She was certain it had been the talk of the town for months.  It shouldn¡¯t have been a surprise that the town still only had one fast food place, the same one that opened decades earlier and was always packed following church hours.

    Not everyone had the patience to drive twenty minutes for microwaved pasta.

    ¡°Damn, this place really is backwoods,¡± Nicole said, looking out the window.

    Grace chuckled.  ¡°They like it that way.  The people around here consider those from the city to be pitied.¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡± Nicole asked, turning to face her with an expression of pure horror.

    Grace nodded, her grip tightening on the wheel.  ¡°It¡¯s drilled into their heads that the cities are full of sin.  Crime is rampant, people different from them get away with everything, it¡¯s all designed to keep them afraid to leave.¡±

    She¡¯d been fed variations of that fear her entire life, yet moving to Minneapolis remained the single best decision she ever made.  It was how she met Nicole after all, and that wouldn¡¯t have happened if she stayed in hillbilly junction.

    A lot of things wouldn¡¯t have happened, and for once she was glad her parents had forced the issue by trying to set her up with that creep.  It was a strange thing to be grateful for, but that had been the catalyst for her life changing for the better, even if it took a hot minute to get there.  Now she was turning down the road to where her childhood home resided, returning freely to the hell she once escaped.

    It was dark, but there were a few street lights attached to their power lines illuminating the long driveway up to the family farm.  Most of those were new, as Grace could only recall the one by the road and the one past the woodline from her own escape.  It meant that the approach was easier to keep an eye on, and that darkness wouldn¡¯t be as ready of an ally on the escape.

    The home was two stories, with a wrap-around porch and a basement and no railings to keep someone from stumbling off it.  There were several barns by the fields of corn and soybeans, not to mention the dozens of heads of cattle spread across the hundred plus acres of land.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised we didn¡¯t set off an alarm,¡± Nicole said, looking around.

    Grace was too, though she didn¡¯t admit to it out loud.  She just knew that to do so would invoke something and actually bring Murphy down on their asses.  She might not believe anymore, but that didn¡¯t mean she wanted to tempt any higher power that might be paying passing attention.  Grace made sure she parked with the vehicle so it would be ready to speed off down the driveway in the event they needed to get away quickly.

    Nicole undid her seatbelt and got out of the car, stretching in a rather distracting way.  She was already wearing one of her undersuits, but had left the armor itself back in Minneapolis given how compromising it would be if discovered.  A black bandana was tied to cover her mouth and her hair was tucked inside a dark beanie.  It was almost amusing seeing her dressed like a classic burglar.  All she needed was the burlap sack.

    Well, she had her belt, with hip pouch and blades, so it wasn¡¯t as if she wasn¡¯t prepared in the event something went wrong.  Grace did much the same, stretching before she tied her own bandana over her face, though she left her car idling out of expediency.  She made sure to gas up in Brownsville before making that final leg, not wanting to stop anywhere near Somerville while they tried to get back north.

    The old house stood tall, imposing in all the worst ways.  The property was passed down her family for generations, with several smaller homes scattered around the farm where the sons of the family would move to with their new brides to start litters of their own.  She couldn¡¯t help but recall her own escapades in the home, first with her grandparents, then when her family moved in themselves.

    That brought a deep pang with it, and she couldn¡¯t help but spare a glance at the old workshop where her grandfather¡¯s forge once stood.  Her father had dismantled it shortly after his passing, all because she took an ¡®unnatural¡¯ interest in the craft.

    Shaking that off, Grace returned her focus to the  house and the old oak tree that still stood tall, as did the thick limb that extended up and over the wrap around porch.  It brought back memories of her escape, as well as a few times when she snuck out to get away for a few hours to mourn the opportunities lost due to her circumstances.

    All of which she had reclaimed with her own hands.

    ¡°Unless they fixed the window in my old room, I can get us into the house,¡± Grace said.  ¡°From there it is just figuring out where my sister is and hoping she¡¯s willing to talk.¡±

    ¡°And if she isn¡¯t?¡± Nicole asked.

    Grace shrugged, already walking forward.  ¡°Worst case, I morph, scoop you up, and run.¡±

    Nicole grimaced, yet nodded all the same.  It was an easy way to get the cops on their asses too.  Unfortunately, being Rangers wouldn¡¯t be a good enough excuse for why they were blatantly breaking the law.  Trying to save her sister from being married off to some youth pastor wouldn¡¯t go over well with the authorities in a town like Somerville.

    Approaching the house, Grace moved off to the side, eyeing the corner pillar of the porch.  Sure enough the handholds she had used to escape three years prior were still quite intact and she was quick to move up them.  She looked down at her girlfriend, ready to make some witty comment, when her girlfriend took a deep breath then elected to jump instead.  She twisted across the air, setting her feet down on the edge of the roof without making a single sound through the entire act.

    ¡°How the hell¡­¡±

    Nicole laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head.  ¡°Former gymnast, remember?¡±

    ¡°That was way more than just gymnastics,¡± Grace said, still in awe at the display.  She was enhanced, sure, but it always amazed her to see just how far Nicole could push things even without her ability to morph.  Grace glanced up to the top of the roof, briefly tempted to try it herself, but elected against experimenting during what was meant to be a covert operation.

    With careful steps, Grace moved to the window of her old room and quickly realized that it was not as empty as anticipated.  There was a single lamp on, illuminating a room rather different from the one that she remembered.  Inside was a blonde that had grown considerably since the last time she saw her.  No longer was she a twelve year old twerp, now she was a young woman.  A young woman attracting the sort of attention that she shouldn¡¯t be getting.

    ¡°Come on Sarah, we¡¯re to be married,¡± Brian fucking Jackson said, ¡°there¡¯s no harm in doing something like this before our wedding.¡±

    Fury ignited within Grace as she looked through the window, the sight of the bastard enough to dredge up every unpleasant memory of the man that she kept buried.  Another memory soon joined them and she was struck with the rather satisfying thought of repeating history, only this time she would have strength beyond human limits behind the blow.

    With some finesse, Grace felt along the window and found that familiar catch that she had once used to get back into her room even though it was locked.  Her parents really had been that lazy after she ran away.  Not wanting to let the depraved show go on within, She slid the window up as quietly as she could.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to suck you off, dickweed,¡± Sarah snapped.  ¡°Like, why are my parents even allowing you in here alone with me?¡±

    The much too old man chuckled.  ¡°That¡¯s easy.  They want to make sure you aren¡¯t a dyke like your sister.¡±

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    Grace could have sworn that the temperature in the room dropped ten degrees in an instant as the realization of what was about to happen settled upon every occupant of the room.  Neither had noticed Grace at the window, but it was abundantly clear that she needed to ensure this creep could never hurt another girl.

    She stepped through the window, a finger to her lips as she looked directly at Sarah for the first time in three years.  She had the same sandy blonde hair as their mother, a trait they shared.  The familiar brown eyes met her own for the briefest moment, pupils dilating wide in recognition.  Her button nose scrunched up and she turned a harsh glare upon the man.

    ¡°There is nothing wrong with my sister being gay,¡± she spat.  ¡°That you think so is reason enough for why you should never have a chance to reproduce.¡±

    His muscles tensed, and Grace was ready to spring into action, but the man relaxed with a heavy sigh instead.  Nicole was coming through the window behind her now, and if it meant having backup, she was willing to let him run his mouth a moment longer.

    ¡°I see you¡¯ve been listening to the liberal media again,¡± he said with a shake of his head.  ¡°All that woke shit is rotting your brain.  You just need to be with a real man and you¡¯ll understand why none of that bologna is true.¡±

    ¡°Because it worked so well on me,¡± Grace said.

    Brian spun around, but Grace backhanded him before he could finish his turn.  He crashed to the floor with a muted thump on the carpet and Grace glared down at his crumpled form dispassionately.

    ¡°I am so tempted to neuter that shitstain,¡± Nicole said, now brandishing a familiar dagger.  ¡°Who¡¯s up for a little amateur castration?¡±

    ¡°Tone it down,¡± Grace said with a chuckle.  ¡°Hey sis, I missed y¡ª¡±

    A muffled grunt escaped her as Sarah slammed into her with a full bodied hug.  Grace could only return the embrace, glad that her sister seemed to genuinely miss her.  She savored the moment, enjoying the warmth of a sibling she genuinely thought she would never see again.

    A groan interrupted the moment, prompting both sisters to look down.

    ¡°Huh, I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re still alive,¡± Nicole said casually, then when the man tried to move he found a dagger pressed somewhere rather sensitive.  ¡°Ah, none of that shit unless you want for free what many trans women have to jump through hoops for.¡±

    Grace wasn¡¯t quite sure where this sadistic side of her girlfriend was coming from, but part of her had to admit it was kinda hot.  The other part of her was just glaring at her out of concern that she found it hot.  Regardless, lesbian hindbrain was winning that one at present.

    ¡°Your girlfriend is scary,¡± Sarah said nervously.

    Grace couldn¡¯t help but grin.  ¡°Damn right she is.  One of the scariest people I¡¯ve ever met, and that¡¯s saying something.¡±

    Not that she would admit to some of the people she had met, like Xavier, Maraline, or Bartran.  Actually, with their connections to the mystery organization that Sinclair ran, she could probably get them to swing custody of her sister.  That would be something to bring up after they got Sarah to safety.  Well, and cleared up the whole underground lab situation.  He was probably pissed at them for some reason, she just wasn¡¯t sure what it might be.

    ¡°Why did you come?¡± Sarah whispered.  ¡°You know they made me send you that text, they¡¯re hoping you would show up.¡±

    Grace snorted.  ¡°Let me guess, they thought I would walk up to the front door.¡±

    Sarah shrugged.  ¡°They didn¡¯t tell me that part.  I think they¡¯re still paranoid after you ran away.¡±

    ¡°They should be scared,¡± Grace said.  ¡°If they¡¯re trying to marry you off to this creep, they deserve to be scared shitless of what¡¯s coming for them.¡±

    ¡°Like my knives,¡± Nicole added cheerfully as she cut a thin line through denim.

    Okay, the psycho act was cute at first, but now her girlfriend was overplaying her hand, not that she would say it aloud unless she crossed a line.  Grace had few doubts that Nicole would knife the bastard if he gave her a good enough excuse, but torture would be a bit much even for her.  Being a Ranger meant one saw a lot of death first hand, that they grew numb to it over time.  Grace wasn¡¯t sure how far she would go had she been the one with a knife in hand, yet that thought didn¡¯t scare her nearly as much as she thought it should.

    The telltale sound of a shotgun racking its slide stilled the room.

    Grace turned to face the doorway, unsurprised to see her father standing there with the classic weapon of all overbearing fathers in hand.  The gun wasn¡¯t pointed at them, not yet, but the implicit threat was clear.  His hair had begun to gray, no longer the deep brown that it could pass for black while his facial hair was decidedly more white than black now.

    ¡°You have some nerve coming back,¡± her father snarled.  ¡°You couldn¡¯t keep your sin to yourself, could you?  Not only have you assaulted a good man of God, you had to corrupt your sister as well!¡±

    Rolling her eyes, Grace turned to face him, though she kept her hands on her watch as she did.  ¡°What did you expect after half your church spammed my private number with texts?  I can only assume you saw me on the news, which goes to show you were all too chickenshit to confront me in person.¡±

    The gun then swung to point at her, only to pause when the bastard at Nicole¡¯s mercy cried out.  Grace didn¡¯t let her father out of sight, but she did turn enough to see Nicole had dug her dagger into the pitiful excuse for a man, though she mercifully missed his dangly bits.  That didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t angled to cut right for them if necessary.

    ¡°Oops,¡± Nicole said, her voice flat and cold.  ¡°My hand slipped.¡±

    In any other circumstance, Grace might have been appalled, but they were being threatened here, and her sister was effectively being held hostage with the intention to gift wrap her for a man nearly twice her age.

    ¡°You¡¯ll regret that,¡± her father said.

    Nicole grinned savagely, letting the knife slide ever so slightly closer.

    Grace bit her lip, not liking how things were quickly spiraling out of control.  ¡°I know you asked if you could play up the sadistic rogue angle, but this is a bit much.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the one with a gun pointed at my child,¡± Nicole countered.  ¡°But, I¡¯ll concede that point if he sets the gun on the floor.¡±

    ¡°Not happening,¡± her father said, and racked the slide again, dropping a perfectly good shell to the floor to join the first that she hadn¡¯t seen fall earlier.  He didn¡¯t seem too concerned about it either, which gave Grace an idea, though it was one that carried a fair bit of risk.  Less so than morphing in the middle of the tense situation, which was why it won out.

    ¡°Sarah, behind me,¡± Grace said, gently coaxing her sister back.  ¡°Father, do you remember what you once told me about gun safety?¡±

    The man furrowed his brow, the question having been enough to distract him for the barest instant she needed.  All of her power went to her feet, and Grace surged forward straight towards the man.  Her hand snapped up, grabbing the slide as her father¡¯s eyes widened, and pushed it back.  The shell ejected just as he failed to pull the now useless trigger, then her palm smashed into his chest.

    Her father was launched back, the slide reset, and now Grace was left holding the gun.  She wasted no time emptying the rifle with a few quick racks, then braced it against her shin, and snapped the shotgun in two.  It had all happened in barely a second, and only then did her sister manage to scream.

    ¡°We need to leave,¡± Grace said.  ¡°Sarah, how fast can you get packed?¡±

    ¡°Packed?¡± Sarah asked, looking panicked.  ¡°Wait, you came to bring me back with you?¡±

    ¡°That was the plan,¡± Nicole said, then she punched the pervert she¡¯d been holding at bay, knocking him out cold.  ¡°I¡¯m gonna need a shower after having to deal with that creep.¡±

    ¡°You and me both,¡± Sarah grumbled as she moved to pull a bag out from under a pile of clothes in her closet.  ¡°I¡¯ve got a bag packed, but there¡¯s a few things I still need to grab.¡±

    ¡°Make it quick,¡± Grace said.  ¡°I¡¯d bet money that our darling mother is already on the phone with the sheriff.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go keep an eye out,¡± Nicole said, moving to the window.  ¡°Give me a shout when you¡¯re ready.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s an interesting one,¡± Sarah said as she watched Nicole shimmy out the window and vanish into the night.

    Grace could only chuckle.  ¡°That she is, and I wouldn¡¯t change a thing about her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you found someone,¡± Sarah said with a soft smile.  ¡°She was the one in black, wasn¡¯t she?¡±

    The question caught Grace by surprise, and her reaction served as all the answer that was needed.

    ¡°She does look good in black,¡± Grace conceded.

    ¡°Knew it,¡± Sarah said, grabbing something from under her bed, then she stared at her phone with a frown.  ¡°Fuck it, I¡¯m not coming back and the only contacts I have are from my shitty school or church.¡±

    ¡°No game saves you care about?¡± Grace asked, then smirked as a frown crossed her little sister¡¯s face.

    Grace had a few games on her own phone that she would be upset to lose her progress on, and at least one gacha game that she¡¯d invested more money than she was proud to admit.  That was the curse of being a baby lesbian in a new city, it provided her an outlet when she needed one, and it didn¡¯t hurt that the game had more than a few canon gays, one of which also helped inspire her to take up the axe and the color red.

    Sarah sighed, and pocketed the phone.  Grace smiled, then helped her out the window.  She¡¯d barely finished exiting the building herself when she caught sight of flashing red and blue lights in the distance, and the growing wail of sirens.  The cops were on their way, and even her plucky new car wouldn¡¯t be enough to escape with.

 Interlude: Grace III

    All she wanted to do was curse as the lights drew closer over the treeline.  It had been a mistake to humor her father for as long as she had, but the damage was done.  Now she had to figure out how they were going to get out of this one intact.  Fighting the police wasn¡¯t an option, and revealing themselves as Rangers would be a disaster they couldn¡¯t walk back from.

    ¡°What was the plan?¡± Sarah asked.

    Grace grimaced.  ¡°Honestly?  Show up in the dead of night and convince you to come back with us.  We didn¡¯t expect that perv to be in the room with you.¡±

    ¡°They sent three cars,¡± Nicole said from above them.  Glancing up, her girlfriend was indeed atop the roof, watching the distant cars as they sped down the driveway towards them.  ¡°Grace, I¡¯ll head down to the car and move it somewhere, then grab our bags.  We can lose them in the corn fields.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯re just ditching my car?¡± she asked, though she had a feeling she already knew.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I can pick it up and carry it,¡± Nicole said, if a bit petulantly.  ¡°Though, you probably could.¡±

    Grace frowned.  ¡°That would mean blowing our cover.¡±

    ¡°Pretty sure it¡¯s already blown,¡± Nicole said, then jumped towards the parked vehicle, twisting through the air in a flip that somehow didn¡¯t defy physics.  That she cleared nearly a hundred feet of distance in doing so left Grace more than a little awed.  Nicole wasted little time hopping in the driver¡¯s seat and peeling away from where they had stashed the car and drove straight into the corn fields.

    ¡°No point hiding it then,¡± Grace said before handing her phone to Sarah.  ¡°Hold onto that for me, the transformation tends to drain the batteries.¡±

    She didn¡¯t give her little sister a chance to ask questions, and hit the buttons on her watch.  ¡°Roll the Dice.¡±

    Her world was consumed in deep crimson as the power rushed through her like a live wire.  It was invigorating in a way that even a line of coke failed to measure up to.  She¡¯d only let herself be talked into it once when drunk at a party shortly after arriving in the city, and she¡¯d sworn off the stuff after.

    ¡°Holy shit.¡±

    Grace turned to find her sister slack jawed and staring.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit different seeing it in person, isn¡¯t it?¡± Grace asked.

    Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t have the time to let everything settle, so she instead scooped her sister up into her arms and jumped as well.  Sarah let out a piercing scream as she held on for dear life, but that soon turned into a whooping cheer from the little adrenaline junkie.

    The landing was as smooth as ever, Grace bent her legs just right to absorb the shock and her sister was barely ruffled.  She had plenty of practice thanks to her time with fire and rescue and it was paying off as she took off at a heavy sprint towards where Nicole had driven the car.  Grace was barely a hundred feet into the cornfield when the trail went completely cold.

    She took a look around only for Nicole to slip through the rows of feed corn a moment later, barely ruffling the plants as she passed.

    ¡°Fuck that was heavy,¡± Nicole said, shaking her hands to loosen them up.  Their bags were currently hung over her shoulder, but there was no indication of what should be bothering her.  ¡°Car¡¯s just past the treeline now.  They shouldn¡¯t find it easily.¡±

    ¡°Did you just carry my car into the woods?¡± Grace asked incredulously.

    How had she even done that?  Sure, Grace was strong as a Ranger, but to pick up a car and carry it?  That just seemed excessive, yet Nicole managed it in such a short span of time without her morph.  She didn¡¯t even want to consider how much damage might have been done to the frame when it was lifted and could only hope that they could drive it away later.

    ¡°Why not just leave me with the car?¡± Sarah asked.  ¡°The two of you could claim to be in the area and saw the lights or something.¡±

    Grace blinked, wondering if it really would be that simple.

    ¡°We¡¯d be risking them finding you,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°I put the car somewhere that they won¡¯t be able to move it without clearing half the woods, and there¡¯s nothing left inside worth fretting over.¡±

    ¡°Then we run,¡± Grace said, adjusting her grip on her sister.  ¡°Think you¡¯re up for not screaming this time?  We¡¯ll be moving fast.¡±

    ¡°Hell yeah,¡± Sarah said with a grin.  ¡°And don¡¯t hold back!  I want to feel the wind in my hair!¡±

    ¡°Great, now she¡¯s treating me like a sports car,¡± Grace muttered, though there was no heat to it.  ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m red, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Sarah glared at her.  ¡°No, it¡¯s because I¡¯m freaking the fuck out and trying desperately to distract myself from everything that¡¯s been dumped on me today.¡±

    Wincing at the vehemence of the statement, Grace could only berate herself internally.  Her little sister was being pressured by a man that had no business being alone in her room with her to do things that were beyond unacceptable.  Now she was fleeing from the law with a pair of Rangers, one of which was her long lost older sister that ran away years prior without a word spoken to her.

    They set off at a run, shifting directions after a moment.  Grace knew they needed to put more distance between them and the farm, and the spotlight of a helicopter soon revealed the reason why.  Three more joined the search moments later and Grace swore under her breath.  How the hell did a town like Somerville have access to four helicopters?

    Were they waiting for a kidnapping?  Or did they know that Sarah was plotting her escape and had some friends in high places prepare for the attempt?  The thought sickened her, but there was nothing they could do about it now.  All she could do was continue to run and hope Nicole knew what she was doing.

    Abruptly Nicole signaled to divert and she followed.  The helicopters were working in a search grid, keeping their window for movement tight.  A snarl escaped from her girlfriend as the formation shifted, and once more they had to adjust to avoid it.  Unfortunately, they might have been unnaturally swift, but they still had to account for an unpowered girl.  They couldn¡¯t go all out, not without risking Sarah¡¯s life.

    Another shift and Grace was beginning to worry.  She could tell that the pilots seemed to know their general location despite the darkened night.  It was overcast, which was initially a boon, but it wasn¡¯t doing much good now that powerful searchlights were upon them.  She could tell that her girlfriend was growing angry, that she knew how effective those techniques were due to her own training with the fire department.  That was likely the only reason they hadn¡¯t been caught yet.

    They continued to move, the searchlights growing ever closer to spotting them with each shift in pattern.  Someone had to be watching them, coordinating the shifting of their grid, and then they burst from the fields and back into open air.

    ¡°Drop your morph!¡± Nicole said sharply.

    Grace did so without hesitation, then blinked in dismay as she realized that they had been herded right back to her old home, and more than that, her father, as well as the perverted youth pastor that he was trying to set them both up with, were on the porch waiting.  The old bastard had even replaced his shotgun with a new one.

    It took a moment for them to notice the three girls, and Grace was grateful that Nicole had thought ahead enough to warn her.  She could feel the eyes crawling across her, but it was the lecherous grin on the bastard of a youth pastor¡¯s face at the sight of her sister that turned her stomach the most.

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    The growing shiner on his eye told her that next time her girlfriend wanted to punch someone, she shouldn¡¯t hold back as much as she clearly had.

    The helicopters circled around, a spotlight fell pointedly upon them as the officer shouted something into their megaphone that couldn¡¯t be understood over the roar of the rotors.

    This was it, they would have to confront the authorities about what happened, and own it.  She knew there was nothing that could be done to persuade the local level officers, but the federal level people would be more likely to listen.

    If nothing else, she could reveal herself as a Ranger and get them to listen.

    ¡°I must say, I didn¡¯t expect to actually need all my paranoid preparations,¡± Brian said, holding a bag of frozen peas to his face.  ¡°Now, hand my bride back over and we¡¯ll leave the rest to the police.¡±

    ¡°Not happening,¡± Grace snarled.  ¡°You¡¯re a vile pig and there¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting you touch my sister.¡±

    Her father laughed.  ¡°He is allowed to touch his bride.  I¡¯ve ensured everything about their union is perfectly legal.  Your sister deserves a godly man to provide for her.¡±

    ¡°Nothing godly about him,¡± Sarah muttered.

    ¡°That¡¯s certainly the truth,¡± Nicole said easily.  She was spinning a blade in hand as she regarded the pair on the porch, eyeing the gun being pointed towards them.  ¡°So, who should I gut first?¡±

    The shotgun slide racked and a cartridge popped out, and Grace almost laughed at how the man was once again repeating his mistake from earlier even with a new gun.  Nicole didn¡¯t have that level of control, she did laugh.

    ¡°Oh please, go ahead and shoot at us.  The only person you¡¯ll hurt is Sarah.¡±

    Grace wasn¡¯t quite so sure of that.  Yes, Nicole was wearing her under armor that Sinclair had gifted her.  It could stop small caliber rounds with little issue, but it still hurt like a bitch from what Nicole had said during testing.  Even if the statement was a bluff, her father did lower the gun slightly.

    ¡°Stop goading the psychopath with a gun,¡± Sarah hissed.

    Several officers that had run into the field after them were running back, guns up as they joined the two corrupt pastors in their standoff.  Spotlights fell upon them from the hovering helicopters as they circled around, the wind harsh as it nearly folded the field behind them.  Orders were being shouted, but nothing could be understood over the cacophony of conflicting directives.  Given their prior experience with the police it was almost a wonder that the officers hadn¡¯t just shot first then asked who it was they just unloaded upon.  Okay, that was a bit harsh, but she was really struggling to see the good when it came to law enforcement.

    ¡°Will you all shut the fuck up!?¡± Nicole shouted and to Grace¡¯s surprise, they actually stopped yelling over one another.  ¡°One person talking at a time or otherwise someone is going to start shooting and I don¡¯t think any of us will like what happens next.¡±

    ¡°Is that a threat?¡± an officer yelled back.

    Something stirred through the air and Grace found herself watching her girlfriend closely.  Nothing was entirely visible, but there was something electric about the air around her as she took measured breaths, the sensation stirred in time with her breathing, making it very clear that she was doing so intentionally.

    Was that the Source?  She knew from Kelly¡¯s readings that Nicole was experiencing elevated levels of the exotic energy after the accident, but was she now able to draw upon them at will?  What did that mean for her abilities?

    Regardless, Grace knew she needed to reframe the situation before it spiraled out of control.  ¡°I refuse to hand over a minor to a pedophile!  If anyone is going to take Sarah, it will be federal agents at minimum!¡±

    The officers paused at that statement, only to jump as the shotgun discharged, sending dirt and grass into the air.  Grace turned, shielding Sarah from the bits that impacted them from the warning shot.  The slide racked, and Grace heard shouting before she could take her sister away, but it all halted as the sky turned a brilliant crimson.

    She barely had a moment to look up as a streak of roaring flame crashed into the nearest helicopter with the force of a falling meteor, and it took Grace a moment to realize that was more or less exactly what it had been.  Whatever the object was, it struck the fields beyond the house and she could only watch as the flames plumed up skyward.

    Her first instinct was to panic, because the fields being on fire was a serious problem, but then she snapped back to her current reality because the police were now more focused on the crashed helicopter than they were on them.  The other helicopters had peeled away to check their fallen compatriot.  It took a moment for Grace to realize that this was the perfect opportunity to flee, despite her training urging her to rush forward and help.

    Nicole didn¡¯t have the same reservations that she did and was already in motion to help with the situation when the first screams were heard in the distance.  She wasn¡¯t sure what that was about, but her confusion was swiftly put to rest as a fucking automaton burst out of the corn rows.  It was flame scorched and missing an arm besides, but Grace knew from experience that didn¡¯t mean much when it came to their lethality against normal people.

    She didn¡¯t hesitate this time, once more pulling on her Ranger form, the reinvigorated power surge tingling to a point that it almost burned under her skin, but she grit her teeth and endured the brunt of it, knowing full well she would suffer further backlash once she dropped the morph.

    ¡°Sarah, run,¡± Grace said, drawing her axe from wherever it resided when not in use.  ¡°Don¡¯t stop, don¡¯t look back.  Use my phone to call Carlos in my contacts, he will be able to help you.¡±

    ¡°Uh, right,¡± Sarah sputtered, then she surprised the hell out of Grace by actually listening.  The girl took off at a full sprint in the opposite direction of the crash.  ¡°Alright, now we just have to put down an unknown number of these bastards and hope they didn¡¯t get an emergency signal off.¡±

    Grace took in the sight as machines continued to emerge from the field, her girlfriend already in the thick of it with her blades reflecting the harsh lights as they carved through machines.  It was awe inspiring, yet she was only one person and unmorphed besides.  Some machines slipped past her, and the police opened fire, as did her idiot of a father.  He¡¯d drawn the attention of one of the robotic bastards, which turned its full attention on her estranged family.

    Surging forward, Grace cleaved through a machine before it could pounce on the man that had nearly shot her just moments earlier.  She didn¡¯t care about her father, but she did care about machines being allowed to thoughtlessly slaughter human beings.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be¡­¡± her father said, his voice trembling.  ¡°The sacred defenders were sent by God to fight demons, there¡¯s no way that¡ª¡±

    ¡°News flash, most of the Rangers are queer,¡± Grace spat and shoved him aside.  ¡°Now piss off, I¡¯ve got a job to do and alien scum to dismantle.¡±

    She left the bastards behind and jumped back into the battle that her girlfriend was neck deep in.  A dozen machines had emerged, all bearing orange bands, and she could see the fields rustling with movement.  They were in for a hard fight, and had no clue how many machines had been on whatever crashed.

    Like, what even were the odds of a Sylan ship crashing on the farm that her parents happened to own?  Something about the situation wasn¡¯t right, but she could worry about it later.   Machines fell at the bite of her axe, fluid sprayed as she cleaved one in twain.  She was a force of nature, fury given form, and she had the perfect outlet for her anger right in front of her.  Grace lost count of how many machines she put down, and the police had elected to ensure the others were safe rather than risk fighting the machines they couldn¡¯t even dent.

    The helicopters continued to circle above, which proved to be a mistake as one automaton made the leap.  It carved into the side, immediately making the craft list from the sudden force.  Grace hurled her axe without thought, recalling it the moment it tore into the drone but before it could impact the craft.

    ¡°We need to push through to the ship,¡± Nicole said, landing beside her.  ¡°If we present ourselves as the threat, those that scuttled off should be drawn back to defend the wreckage.¡±

    The logic was sound, but Grace remained skeptical.  It wasn¡¯t like she had a better idea, so she just nodded and followed Nicole into the maze of corn.  The smoke and flame in the distance served as a beacon and they continued to encounter automatons as they advanced, and were just as quick to cut them down in a flurry of steel.

    The wreckage quickly came into sight, but as they approached it became clear that they hadn¡¯t been the first to arrive.  Another half-dozen machines, these an imposing crimson with black bands, stood in formation around another figure who was digging through the wreckage.  They took hold of something and pulled it free, standing to their full height and Grace realized she was very familiar with the woman that had beaten them to the punch.

    Maraline stood, a blinking device now in hand.  ¡°Pardon the intrusion, but I had to retrieve something vital from the wreckage.  I care not what happens to the rest, you may claim it if you wish.¡±

    ¡°Now I¡¯m curious,¡± Nicole said, steadily approaching the dangerous woman.  ¡°What would get you to leave the comfort of your ship like this?  Clearly that item is of great importance, so why not gloat about it?¡±

    ¡°I am not so crass as to flaunt,¡± Maraline said as she lifted the device as if she were presenting it as a prize on a gameshow.  ¡°Instead, you may play with my minions while I return this to my ship.¡±

    Energy began to swirl around the woman and in the span of a single blink Nicole surged forward faster than Grace had ever seen her move before.  The energy hadn¡¯t finished encompassing Maraline when Nicole grabbed hold of the object, and just as it looked like she might pull it away in time, the light engulfed them.

    Grace had to shield her eyes, but when she opened them once more all she could see were the dozen crimson automatons, which were entirely focused upon her.

    Maraline was gone, and so was Nicole.

    She stood alone in her parent¡¯s corn field, and the strangest sense of nostalgia fell over her as she lifted her axe and shouted her rage unto the heavens as she took the fight to the unknown machine variant with rage on her lips and despair in her heart.

 Chapter 57 - Lost

    The world whipped in a chaotic torrent, up and down were interchanged as Nicole struggled in vain to right herself only to crash to the ground before she realized she was free of the effect. Unfortunately her vision was still clouded by spots, and blinking them away wasn¡¯t helping nearly as much as she hoped it would.

    Worse, everything was spinning from whatever had happened even as her chest burned from her earlier fight. Nicole knew she needed to get up, to be ready to continue the battle, but her stomach lurched instead and she barely managed to keep the contents down as her fingers dug into the dirt beneath her. That thought jarred her from the internal panic as the rest of her senses caught up with the current situation.

    Nicole had expected to end up in a cold space made of metal, yet it was the sounds of birds chirping rather than machines clattering that greeted her. Despite her vision having not recovered, despite what felt like an inferno slowly burning, Nicole continued to take in her surroundings as best she could. Green dominated her sight where the spots were fading, and it didn¡¯t take long for her to realize she was in the woods somewhere, and that it was now daylight.

    ¡°Fan-fucking-tastic,¡± Nicole muttered, forcing herself to sit up.

    The world turned sideways as she did, yet her stomach stayed in place. She grit her teeth to keep from retching. Nicole knew enough that throwing up in such a situation was a really bad idea. All she could do was hope that the nausea passed quickly. Measured breaths were the name of the game as everything slowly settled, the heat bleeding off with them, and finally enough of the spots had cleared for her to get a better look at her surroundings.

    Bugs crawled through the underbrush and in the distance a lizard snapped one up before skittering away. Above, animals she had no hope of identifying howled or cawed, rustling through the dense foliage. The forest wasn¡¯t like anything Nicole knew, but that didn¡¯t mean much to the city girl. For all she knew she was an hour outside of Somerville and Grace was looking for her. Something told her that wasn¡¯t true but a girl could dream. Either she had been unconscious for hours, or she was very far from Kansas now.

    Fuck, was Grace okay?

    With how Nicole no doubt disappeared in a flash of light, Grace had to be losing her shit, and she still had a sister to get to safety. Just the thought of Grace being taken like that hurt her heart, and having to make the call to prioritize the safety of someone else while another you loved was in obvious danger¡­

    Nicole didn¡¯t know if she could make a decision like that. She wouldn¡¯t have much of a window left, and there was nothing Nicole to do to help her at this junction. Worse, she had her own mess to worry about. Maraline was nowhere to be found in her immediate surroundings, which was puzzling, but at least it meant she wasn¡¯t in for an immediate fight with the dangerous Sylan.

    That was when her eyes fell on the hilt of one of her daggers just feet away, half sticking out of the ground. The second wasn¡¯t far and she sighed in relief that she wouldn¡¯t be unarmed in unknown territory. She reached over, grabbing them despite how things still wobbled, and stowed them away before taking another moment to collect herself.

    After a few minutes of just taking it all in, Nicole took a deep breath and pushed herself to her feet. Her gear was roughed up, but mostly intact following the fight with Maraline¡¯s automatons. The sleeve of her shirt was torn, but that wasn¡¯t a surprise even with knife resistant fabric. There was only so much that could be done there and the Sylan blades were far sharper than most Earth made blades.

    At least the armor given to her by Sinclair Industries had held against the Orange banded machines. They were a lot harder to put down without her morphing ability, yet she had still managed to hold her own despite that. Nicole checked her watch, finding it just as dead as it had been when she recovered it from the lab space.

    It was probably too much to hope that exposure to Sylan based teleportation might be enough to jump start it. With a heavy sigh, Nicole picked a direction and started walking. The air was humid, and rather warm, which immediately ruled out being anywhere close to where they had been, or home for that matter.

    ¡°Just what I needed,¡± Nicole said with a sigh. ¡°Why did I leave my phone in the car again? It¡¯s not like I could morph and short it out.¡±

    Not that she was likely to get a signal in a jungle that she was starting to suspect might be on a completely different continent. Food and water would be a problem in short order, and Nicole was thankful that she and Grace had stopped for food barely an hour outside of Somerville. That would buy her time to figure out how dire the situation might be.

    Sure, Nicole could probably kill an animal with a thrown knife, but she didn¡¯t want to do that if there happened to be some people nearby that might be able to help. Looking down at her outfit, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Like hell anyone would trust her at first glance when she came across as a lost assassin from some crummy made-for-tv movie.

    Bits of sunlight broke the thick canopy above, the light growing ever dimmer as time passed. There was some temptation to climb up and try to get her bearings, but Nicole hadn¡¯t seen a stream yet, nevermind the two stagnant puddles which were an option of absolute last resort. Worse, she kept catching glimpses of movement in the brush, which sent her instincts into overdrive. Something was stalking her, but she had no idea what it might be.

    Nicole was almost certain it would come for her after dark, which meant getting a fire together would be paramount prior to then. She was about to start gathering something to start building a camp when a scream tore through the usual sounds of the jungle. Nicole was in motion before fully processing it, and burst through the underbrush with ease.

    A clearing unfolded, still covered by the expansive canopy, yet far more open than anything before. A lazy river cut through the clearing that was barely ankle deep, yet that wasn¡¯t the thing that truly grabbed her attention. Three large cats circled their target, one bleeding from a wound on their shoulder. Silver hair whipped in the wind where it wasn¡¯t matted to their scalp and lilac eyes shone with defiance. There, in the midst of the big cats, stood a panting Maraline, her blades held tight in a defensive stance.

    Nicole had only a moment to take that all in before a fourth cat jumped from the brush, claws extended as it came directly for her. Senses sharpened to a needlepoint as Nicole turned, hands in motion grasped fur and skin, then she slammed it down into the riverbed with a splash, alerting everyone to her presence.

    A dagger was drawn and Nicole slipped it into the back of the cat¡¯s neck, ending the animal¡¯s life in an instant. Warmth surged through her, that nebulous connection to the Source bringing a twinge of strength with it. She tried to hold onto it, to draw it out, but the feeling slipped through her fingers as if grasping smoke.

    The riverbed exploded into motion once more, Maraline slicing through one of the cats almost cleanly even as a second landed upon her back and clawed at her. Nicole froze, staring with wide eyes as she was actually injured by the animal. This was a woman who held off her entire team and Carlos at once, yet she struggled against jungle cats?

    Shaking her surprise off, Nicole rushed into the fray even as the smoldering flames reignited within her. She spun, lashing out with an extended leg and kicked the cat with everything she had. Claws tore free of Maraline¡¯s flesh, earning a sharp hiss from the Sylan general even as she drove her blade into the animal before her. The cat got back up, shaking itself as its limbs trembled under the strain. It looked between the fallen felines and Nicole could almost see the pain in its eyes. Then a leg gave out and the animal let out a pained mewl that made her heart clench.

    These animals had sought them as food, and found themselves prey instead. She wasn¡¯t sure what species they might be, but that didn¡¯t stop her from feeling some measure of pity for them. Maraline gasped as she held her shoulder, glaring at the injured cat. The proud general forced herself to her feet and stepped over to the panting feline.

    It seemed to accept its fate as she plunged her blade into it, ending the fight once and for all. Or so she thought, Maraline turned, raising a blade with her good arm to level it upon Nicole. The General was gasping heavily and it didn¡¯t take an empath to see how hurt she was, yet those lilac eyes were hard.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Do you intend to finish me?¡± Maraline demanded.

    Nicole sighed, stowing her blades as she did. ¡°Yes, I protected you because I¡¯m the only one allowed to end your life.¡±

    She¡¯d spoken the words in the blandest deadpan that she could manage, and it had caused Maraline to blink. Then the woman cracked a smile and actually laughed, only to wince and grip her shoulder as she wobbled on her feet. Nicole moved to her side in a blink, helping to support her without a second thought. Maraline tensed at the contact, but Nicole was careful to be gentle.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got you,¡± Nicole said softly, examining the lacerations from the battle. ¡°That looks bad¡­¡±

    ¡°Feels worse,¡± Maraline muttered.

    A breathless laugh escaped before Nicole could quash it. Maraline glared at her, but it was impotent as she helped her to the edge of the stream. Setting Maraline down, Nicole pulled her facemask off and removed the cloth, for once thankful that she hadn¡¯t bothered with the helmet given to her by Sinclair.

    ¡°This will sting,¡± Nicole warned.

    Maraline grunted in acknowledgment as Nicole dipped the cloth in the stream. She wrung it out, already worrying about how unsanitary it was, but leaving the wound unattended would be worse. She touched the cloth to the wound, and gently dabbed the blood away. Seeing Sylan blood was always a dichotomy, given they bled blue. Still, Nicole worked slowly, being careful to not make the wound worse.

    ¡°Why help me?¡±

    Nicole paused at the question, then continued her ministrations. ¡°I seem to recall this woman who once went out of her way to assist me when I was at my lowest point. It seems only right to pay that kindness forward.¡±

    For a time the only sounds were those of the jungle and the occasional hiss from the woman as Nicole cleaned her wounds. The claws had done a number on her back, and as much as Nicole might have been curious, she knew better than to ask how the Sylan General had managed to be injured by something as basic as jungle cats.

    There was a safer question she could ask, if nothing else. ¡°Any idea where we are?¡±

    ¡°Asia,¡± Maraline answered. ¡°I¡¯m unsure of the exact location, though I would guess we are somewhere in the southwestern portion of Asia.¡±

    ¡°Good of a guess as any seeing as it is daylight out,¡± Nicole said with a sigh. ¡°How the fuck did this even happen?¡±

    ¡°Crass language aside,¡± Maraline said softly. ¡°I do not know.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful.¡±

    Once the wound had been cleaned and was no longer leaking copious amounts of blood, Nicole used the rinsed cloth to cover the wound. She knew that wasn¡¯t a good bandage, something about the fibers getting stuck in the healing wound, but it wasn¡¯t like she had surgical stitches on hand to close it.

    Her training was focused on emergency first aid as a responder, not as an EMT.

    Tying the cloth off, Maraline let out a soft whimper before reaching up to run her fingers over the bound cloth. The light had dimmed noticeably since she first arrived, with the shadows growing deeper by the moment, which meant their time to find shelter was diminished.

    ¡°I thank you for the assistance,¡± Maraline said, pushing herself up with a grunt. Nicole moved with her, ready to steady her if she wavered. ¡°Unfortunately I am unable to call for retrieval, otherwise all of this would have been unnecessary.¡±

    If that wasn¡¯t a loaded statement, but she was showing a degree of trust by revealing that, so Nicole wouldn¡¯t press the issue. That left the important matters to attend.

    ¡°Then we need to establish shelter and a fire, as well as a way to boil water.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Maraline said. ¡°These animals should serve well as a food source, if nothing else.¡±

    Nicole didn¡¯t like the idea of eating a feline, but beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers and all that. It was with some trepidation that Nicole picked up one of the animals and slung it over her shoulder, blood dripping from the wounds inflicted upon it. Maraline nodded, then turned to survey the area.

    ¡°I came from that direction, and you from that,¡± she said, gesturing at each. ¡°That way leads upstream and may be the source of a spring. We should follow the river and look for a small tributary. With luck it may lead to a cavern that we could use for convalescence.¡±

    Nicole hummed in agreement, and began to follow the person that was attempting to kill her just a few hours prior. It was strange to consider, but she truly did think of Maraline as a friend despite everything between them.

    As she stepped away a small group of monkeys dropped down and began to pick at one of the remaining cats, a few bickering over who got first dibs or something. Nicole left them to it, too tired to really care all that much after the last several hours. She really needed to find somewhere that she could just lay down and rest.

    Thankfully that didn¡¯t appear as though it would take long as Maraline paused before a small feeder creek. She kneeled with a bit of effort and scooped some water out before sniffing it. A smile graced the woman¡¯s face as she rose.

    ¡°The water is clean, so we follow.¡±

    Nicole shrugged, which only served to jostle the cat on her shoulders before she squared them and continued on. Though Maraline led the way, Nicole didn¡¯t miss how the woman was growing less sure by every step, or how she had begun to sweat. It was a strange sight, but Nicole didn¡¯t comment, not yet at least.

    The underbrush had darkened significantly when they found the source of the tributary, a small spring that poured forth into a large pool before splitting off in two directions. One ran down to the river, but the other diverted into a massive cavern that would easily shelter them from any storm. Nicole could only grin at the sight, moving to set the cat down when Maraline began to list to the side.

    The movement may as well have been spontaneous, but Nicole was there to catch her, helping the woman to lay down against a sturdy rock. Maraline¡¯s skin was paler than normal, which was saying something, not to mention how she trembled. Nicole was quick to remove her duster and slip it over her friend, then she began to look for anything combustible to get a fire going.

    She didn¡¯t have any flint with her, but Nicole did have two daggers and plenty of rocks. Her survival skills weren¡¯t much to speak of, but she¡¯d played a few games over the years and knew the basics of what was needed.

    Branches littered the ground, which was good enough for her, but everything was soaked through. Nicole checked inside the cave next, and found a handful of drier bits of wood and decaying leaves. There were broken logs further in, but she could grab those once she had something actually burning. The smaller bits would have to do for a start and she would just need to hope that it could be used to catch some of the larger pieces as it went.

    The blades that Grace had forged for her had endured punishment far beyond anything she could ever expect of them, and they continued to serve her loyally. She struck the blade against the stone, letting the sparks fall on the dead leaves until they began to smolder. She cupped her hands, blowing gently, until they extinguished.

    Growling in frustration, Nicole continued to strike her blade, getting more sparks to smolder, but this time she continued until she actually saw flames. More dried out leaves were added, along with a handful of twigs. The fire grew slowly, and Nicole began to add some of the larger hunks of dry wood that she had found, along with a single wet one.

    Only once the fire had built up did Nicole move back with a shaking breath. The sun was almost completely set now, only a dull light remained, but she had done it, she made a fucking fire! Take that mother nature! Nicole turned to where she had left Maraline with a wide grin only for it to fall away almost immediately.

    Maraline had slipped to the side, her breaths coming quick and shallow. Nicole hurried to her side in a panic, checking her over. The wounds weren¡¯t bleeding anymore, but they were still in rough shape, the skin around them was red and inflamed, which couldn¡¯t be a good thing. She picked her friend up and brought her by the growing fire, careful to keep the duster covering her as much as possible. Nicole took the cloth off the wound and to the creek where she cleaned it as quickly as she could, then returned to replace the makeshift bandage.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what else to do,¡± Nicole muttered, her hands trembling as she tied the knot once more.

    Field medicine would be the first thing she looked up upon returning home, just to prevent shit like this from happening again. That and she would be keeping a first aid kit on her person at all times. Flint too for that matter.

    The fire would take time to grow, and Nicole wasn¡¯t sure what she could do to help it along given how everything was damp. Checking deeper into the cave found a mess of dead limbs caught on some rocks on a path that led down into the dark, but she paid that little mind as she brought them to the growing fire.

    Rocks followed, being placed in a circle around the growing blaze, and even found a relatively flat one that might be useful for cooking or something. She rinsed it off in the spring before bringing it to the fire and setting it beside the hot coals. Maraline had stopped trembling, but her breathing was still quick and the cast of the light made it difficult to check her complexion.

    Knowing that she was running out of things to do, she turned to the big cat and drew her knife once more. She wasn¡¯t looking forward to butchering an animal, not that she had the first clue about doing so, but it couldn¡¯t be that hard to find something edible on the animal. Legs were usually good for that, especially the muscles.

    And so, as the night truly settled in, Nicole continued her grizzly task of cutting meat and preparing strips to cook and smoke, all to ensure she survived the coming days. Something told her they were going to need every advantage that they could get.

 Chapter 58 - Cavernous

    It was with squinting eyes that Nicole took in the first rays of the morning light.  At first she tried to roll away from whatever window was letting it in, but a rock dug into her side and quickly reminded her that she wasn¡¯t in her bed, but a cave somewhere on the other side of the planet.  She rose to a sitting position as the events of the night caught up with her, from her sad attempts at carving the cat to cook, to the makeshift smoke rack set over the fire.

    Then her eyes shot open and she looked beside her where Maraline laid.  Her eyes were shut and while her hair was matted from sweat, she was now breathing normally, appearing to be little more than sleeping.  Nicole sighed in relief and ever so carefully moved her bandages to check the wounds for signs of infection.  The woman stirred, grunting at the motion.

    ¡°Who¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just me,¡± Nicole whispered.  ¡°I need to check your injuries.¡±

    Maraline nodded, relaxing in a show of trust that should not have existed between them.  Nicole could only smile at that as she gently lifted her friend and pulled the dried cloth away.  Rather than the expected angry red of an infection, she was instead greeted by a nearly healed shoulder.

    ¡°How?¡± Nicole asked, taking the cloth away completely.  ¡°You¡¯re almost fully healed.¡±

    Maraline blinked, then smiled.  ¡°Oh good, the nanites weren¡¯t affected.¡±

    Nanites?  Weren¡¯t those microscopic machines that every sci-fi show ever always used as a plot device, or for a gray goo doomsday scenario?  Then again, the Sylan were known as a machine empire, so why wouldn¡¯t they have tiny machines in their blood?

    ¡°Is that how you normally heal?¡± Nicole asked.  ¡°Because that is pretty impressive.¡±

    ¡°Not as impressive as whatever healed you,¡± Maraline countered.  ¡°These are only good for superficial wounds and are meant to maintain our biological youth.  They combat natural aging and illness, little more.  With how I was struggling, I feared they suffered the same fate as my other implants.¡±

    ¡°Other implants?¡±

    A chuckle followed.  ¡°Come now, did you truly believe that any biological creation of the Sylan Empire would be without some form of enhancements to push us beyond our physical limits?¡±

    Nicole blushed, looking away as she muttered under her breath about convenient bullshit.  Not that she had any room to talk, what with how her connection to the Source could sometimes come in with a clutch save.  Maraline actually laughed out loud, likely having a similar line of thought about her grumblings.

    As tempting as it was to drop her to the ground, Nicole wasn¡¯t that much of a bitch, especially to a friend that was still recovering.  Instead she turned her attention to the meat that had been left out to smoke.  It certainly looked like jerky, though a bit burnt at points, but she thought the attempt was at least passable.

    Hopefully none of the bits of wood were toxic or some shit.  That would be just her luck, but there wasn¡¯t much choice in the matter, she had no other way to preserve the meat.  She¡¯d cooked a bit of it directly on the rock, and eaten that herself before falling asleep while trying to keep watch over her friend.  Nicole knew they were lucky that another predator hadn¡¯t come for them during her nap.

    The biggest issue was now water.  Sure, the spring was coming directly from the rocks below, which should make it safe to drink given it was being naturally filtered.  As she considered risking it, Maraline washed off the dirt from her hands down the stream, then moved to the small pond and scooped some in her hands, drinking it without hesitation.

    ¡°It is untainted,¡± she said, smiling back at Nicole.  ¡°Feel secure when you partake.¡±

    The vernacular was familiar, and it truly settled in that her friend would be okay, the last vestiges of the weight on her shoulders melting away.  Yes, she remained worried about Grace back in Tennessee, but that was something she lacked the ability to influence at this time.

    Thin gloves came off and Nicole repeated her friend¡¯s actions, washing her hands downstream before sipping from the pool of water.  It was crisp and refreshing, exactly what Nicole needed.  She gulped down a fair bit, having been rather parched following the long night tending to the fire and meat.

    Unfortunately she didn¡¯t have much in the way of collecting the water.  The only thing she could think of was the cat¡¯s stomach and bladder¡ªwhich she only figured out because it leaked piss all over when she was removing organs.  They were currently submerged in the stream a bit further down.  Nicole didn¡¯t have a clue about preserving them, but she didn¡¯t want to throw away potentially useful bits when they might be stuck for days or worse.

    Yes, both she and Maraline were able to do things beyond human norms, but the damaged implants clearly hindered Maraline.  She struggled against jungle cats, even if they didn¡¯t act like any of the cats she had seen in the nature documentaries seen over the years.  Putting that thought aside, Nicole grabbed a chunk of the jerky from the makeshift smoker and handed it to Maraline.  The Sylan bit into it without hesitation, grimacing slightly as she did, but she didn¡¯t complain.

    The jerky was indeed tough, but Nicole chewed on it regardless.  The thick canopy was a problem for keeping track of what time it was, which meant that finding a solid tree to climb should happen at some point to get the lay of the land.  Hell, there might be civilization on the horizon for all she knew.

    First priority was still basic survival and recovery, figuring out where to go next could wait just a bit longer.  Hell, there were probably fruits available in the jungle, but Nicole wasn¡¯t sure they were worth the risk, especially since she had no idea what was good to eat or not.  That wasn¡¯t even getting into the whole ¡®parasites¡¯ thing that she just knew would be an ordeal once she returned to civilization.

    She couldn¡¯t even fall back on Sinclair without eating some measure of crow for strong-arming the man into letting her walk away with her morpher.  If Becca hadn¡¯t been taken off the project, she would have happily left it, but for whatever reason her best friend was reassigned right after making a crucial breakthrough.

    Spite was a powerful motivator, and Nicole was absolutely wielding it in that moment, even if it might bite her in the ass soon.  Shit, Sinclair was totally going to use her disappearance against Becca and the rest of the team.  Would Grace or Becca go right to the man since they probably thought she was being held by the Sylan?

    Oh hell, the Sylan were probably looking for someone to blame as well, especially if Maraline was no longer able to interact with their systems.  Nicole swallowed, her throat suddenly dry despite the water.  She needed to know what might be coming, no matter how bad it might be.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea of how my friends will react, but what about Guiana and Bartran?¡±

    Maraline sat in silence for a moment, chewing away at the meat.  Only once she swallowed did she actually speak.  ¡°You fear reprisal for my disappearance.¡±

    Nicole nodded, the knot in her stomach only grew worse at the question.

    ¡°Then you have little to fear beyond the animosity that already exists,¡± she continued.  ¡°I was acting on my own, and should they learn the ship only crashed due to my intervention, I fear the reprisal that would no doubt come once they learn of my treachery.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s head turned slowly, eyes widening as she took in the visage of the Sylan General beside her.  Had she just casually admitted to treason against her people?  Nicole wasn¡¯t sure she heard that correctly, yet Maraline hadn¡¯t misspoke.  Her words were always carefully chosen and deliberate.

    ¡°You made that ship crash?¡±

    ¡°Quite the coincidence that it crashed in the cornfield where you just happened to be that night, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±

    Nicole couldn¡¯t help it, she laughed.  It was just so ridiculous, and yet it made perfect sense.  Maraline had always seemed to put humanity first, claiming she wanted to be the one that would lead them to greatness.  She professed that she didn¡¯t want the invasion, and now she was acting out.  Nicole reached into her pouch and removed the device that Maraline had taunted her with.  It lacked power, but something told her that it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to make it function once again.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Nicole asked.

    Maraline¡¯s eyes flicked to the device for a moment.  ¡°A memory core, one that I made sure contained a copy of every pertinent file related to our research and military plans for the coming years.¡±

    Nicole stared at the unassuming device with wide eyes.  If that was true, then it could represent a turning point in their conflict, and despite her recent disagreement with Sinclair, it was worth setting everything aside to cooperate again.  With trembling hands, Nicole stored the device back in her pouch, it was too important to risk losing.

    ¡°Why take the risk?  What scared you enough to risk your life like that?¡±

    Her friend smiled, turning to face her.  ¡°The things I have learned during their convalescence have made me¡­  Hesitant to support the goals of the Sylan Empire.  The Prime Administrator only cares about one thing, and that is unraveling the Source and all its mysteries.¡±

    Maraline¡¯s smile had fallen away, replaced with a scowl.  Nicole wasn¡¯t sure what that was about, but she had an idea.  Back when she had nearly died, Maraline was caught off guard that humanity had developed something that could store Source energy.  The detonation of the device notwithstanding.

    Rebecca had arrived back at the dorm dead tired, promising to explain what the hell happened in the morning, but then Grace had her emergency.  In the end Becca agreed to wait until they returned.  Now Nicole was in the dark when she had someone she could actually talk to about this shit that might know something.

    ¡°Pity my best friend isn¡¯t here,¡± Nicole said with a sigh.  ¡°She would probably talk shop with you until the sun set.¡±

    ¡°She must be brilliant indeed,¡± Maraline said.  Coming from anyone else it might have come across as boastful, but Maraline had access to knowledge that far outstripped humanity¡¯s own.  ¡°Humanity has done more in five years to understand the Source than our entire Empire has managed in the past seven centuries.  When I brought this to The Prime Administrator¡¯s attention, they ordered me to prepare for the next stage of the invasion while the Commander recovered.¡±

    Nicole sucked in a breath, memories of her vision flashing through her mind at all that likely entailed.  The monster that had come before Bartran reminded Nicole too much of the beasts from her visions.  They were refined, yet undeniably similar.  How long until thousands of them walked the Earth?

    ¡°The detonation is what I planned to blame for the crash,¡± Maraline said.  ¡°All of our systems were affected by the surge that rippled through the Source.  It was the best cover I could hope for, even if it did take some time to arrange.¡±

    ¡°How likely are they to learn of your involvement?¡± Nicole asked.

    Maraline stared ahead for a moment.  ¡°Without the wreckage or the machines that accompanied me, the odds are minimal.  I acted as I should up until you grabbed the device mid-teleport.  I just never expected you to be dragged along with me.¡±

    ¡°And somehow crashed into the middle of a jungle,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°Speaking of, we should at least try to scope out our surroundings before abandoning camp.¡±

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    ¡°Having a destination in mind would make any journey all the easier,¡± Maraline agreed as she looked off to the side.  ¡°Bring the food with us, I fear there may be scavengers that would rob us while we are away.¡±

    Sure enough, Nicole spotted two of the monkeys from earlier eyeing them from the brush line.  Apparently three dead cats weren¡¯t enough for them, which was all kinds of terrifying to consider.  Nicole piled the fire high with wet logs, hoping that would be enough to keep it going for a few hours, then stored the shitty jerky in her pouch.

    ¡°Pity we don¡¯t have anything to store some water,¡± Nicole said.

    ¡°Then we should not stray far,¡± Maraline agreed.  ¡°I shall remain on the lookout for things we may use.¡±

    Nicole nodded, looking over the fur that was strung up by the fire to dry.  Nicole knew the basics of leather working from idle curiosity, but that was a far cry from making the skin into something of use.  At best it would likely end up a smelly blanket until it rotted too much to tolerate.

    Still, it would help them in the short term and that was the most important thing at the moment.  With a sigh, Nicole joined back up with Maraline and the pair moved back into the thick vegetation that coated the forest floor.  There were bugs everywhere, and Nicole was thankful for how much her outfit covered.  Maraline wasn¡¯t as lucky, given her clothes were more dress than her combat gear.

    Further proof that she hadn¡¯t come to fight them seriously.

    They proceeded through the dense underbrush together, their eyes peeled for anything that might be edible.  While Nicole struggled to navigate through the vines and limbs, Maraline passed through the foliage with an ease that did manage to stir a smidgen of hatred for the woman after the third branch smacked Nicole in the face.  Maraline chuckled, earning a glare from her in return.

    ¡°Okay miss perfect, how are you not getting smacked in the face then?¡±

    Maraline paused, once again showing no offense at the disrespect being leveled upon her.  ¡°You have not spent much time training with your senses deprived, have you?¡±

    ¡°And you have?¡± Nicole asked.

    Maraline smiled.  ¡°Indeed.  It was something General Guiana insisted upon from the moment I emerged from the incubation pod.  I was bred to be a peerless warrior, taught everything I would need to know to rule a world, and ensure it remained within our grasp should anyone try to dethrone me.¡±

    ¡°You were created to be a tyrant,¡± Nicole whispered, her fists clenched.  ¡°Do you even know what it means to be human?  To grow up and learn, to make mistakes and grow?  Have you ever experienced heartbreak?¡±

    This time a frown creased Maraline¡¯s fae like beauty.  ¡°I have made mistakes, and I hope I have learned from them.  This heartbreak you speak of, I assumed that humans died if their heart was damaged enough to break.¡±

    If she hadn¡¯t been someone hellbent on conquest, that statement might have been endearing with how naive it had been.  As it was, it only served as a reminder of how far removed Maraline was from most people.

    ¡°It¡¯s not literal,¡± Nicole explained, taking a moment to ensure she wasn¡¯t about to lean on a snake or something.  ¡°Heartbreak is what happens when we lose something we love, be it temporary or permanent.  I¡¯m sure Grace is feeling something similar right now because she doesn¡¯t know what happened to me.¡±

    Maraline¡¯s head dropped, but she didn¡¯t say anything further, clearly lost in thought.  Whatever, Nicole was okay with that as long as they focused on survival.  The insects were already bad enough, and she just knew that she was going to have a few parasites by the time the sun went down.

    Feeling out the breeze, Nicole picked a direction and followed it upwind, hoping that would keep any predators from finding them too easily.  Maraline followed, silent and lost in thought, but her eyes continued to track their surroundings.

    Neither of them were dressed for a potential jungle trek, but Nicole¡¯s clothes were still practical for a northern climate, not the harsh heat and humidity of the jungle.  She was tempted to pull the undershirt off and tie it to her waist, but that risked leaving her arms vulnerable to injuries.  Nicole had enhanced strength from her own Ranger powers, as well as durability that was likely the only reason she wasn¡¯t getting scratched to hell by all the twigs and vines that brushed her face, not to mention the ant nest she stepped in and was currently swarming her boot.

    ¡°Shit fuck.¡±  Nicole was quick to kick against a tree, knocking most off, only for a snake to fall down.  Her hand snapped out and caught it by the neck just as it tried to bite at her face.  Tossing it aside, she turned a withering glare upon the giggling Sylan behind her  ¡°I really fucking hate the jungle.¡±

    ¡°It does seem to disagree with you.¡±

    Nicole glared back at Maraline, but pressed on in the face of her childlike joy.  Really, the woman truly was the personification of a fae princess meeting a human for the first time.  Knowing what little she did of her origin, it wasn¡¯t much of a surprise.  Hell, maybe she could learn more while they were stranded together.

    ¡°You know,¡± Nicole said as stopped at a leafy plant that reminded her of lettuce.  A quick swipe of her knife and she was assaulted with a vile odor.  She tossed the leaf aside and let out a sigh.  ¡°This would be a good time for us to talk.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware you wished to speak to your conqueror.¡±

    Okay, Nicole deserved that one.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like that your goal is to rule us, but that doesn¡¯t mean that I haven¡¯t noticed you aren¡¯t evil, just that you were raised with certain expectations and beliefs.¡±

    ¡°That much is true,¡± Maraline said, scanning the foliage as they walked.

    Nicole sighed.  ¡°Well, this is a chance for you to explain some of that, and to listen and discuss concerns that might be had about what your goals are.¡±

    ¡°Humans value freedom, this is true, yet few of you are truly free,¡± Maraline started, staring into the dancing flames.  ¡°Nowhere is that more true than America.  Your people have been fed a poisoned view of freedom for so long that you see true freedom as tyranny.¡±

    ¡°You think your rule would be freedom for us?¡±

    Maraline chuckled, the sound like clinking glass.  ¡°Heavens no.  You will chafe at my rule every step.  That will be by design.  I will be seen as a monster right up until the first rebellions.  Humanity may well unite against me, and then my people return in force and meet them at the negotiation table set over my corpse.  Only then will humanity be united, with myself as their common enemy.  Then they will be able to join the Sylan Empire as a vassal rather than a conquered world.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s jaw was nearly on the cave floor.  ¡°Bullshit.  There¡¯s no way Bartran wouldn¡¯t raze the planet for attempting to overthrow you.¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t, because it is part of the plan The Prime Administrator proposed,¡± Maraline said softly.  ¡°Bartran didn¡¯t like it, but the Prime Administrator informed us of the revised plan just days ago.  I¡¯ll be the face of the evil that stole the world from them, and they will unite in hatred of me and once they¡¯ve overthrown me, I¡¯ll be withdrawn after faking my death and a new agreement will be reached.¡±

    ¡°And you bought that?¡± Nicole snapped.  She couldn¡¯t believe how gullible Maraline was about the entire thing!  Hell, that plan was stolen right from one of her favorite anime!  It didn¡¯t work so well for them either.  ¡°Maraline.  If you go through with that plan, you¡¯ll have to die for it to even begin, there won¡¯t be any faking this.  Do you really trust others to then play by your script?  Someone will make sure you don¡¯t get back up!¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll die,¡± she said easily.  ¡°History shows that true change requires sacrifice.  Many will die to see this to fruition, but there is only so much that I can do with the hand I was dealt.  I detest the fact you are unlikely to survive the coming battles, but there is nothing I can do to stop them in my current position.¡±

    ¡°That was why you chose to defect?¡±

    ¡°A rather obvious trap set before me, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± Maraline asked with a soft smile.  ¡°No matter what I do, I will be damned.  The new development with the Source is reason enough for a shift in plans and accelerating the invasion.¡±

    Nicole stood in stunned silence as she considered the repercussions of everything she had just been told.  Were they really throwing Maraline away in an attempt to bring humanity under heel in a less forceful fashion?  Digging deeper felt wrong at the moment, and arguing about it wouldn¡¯t change their current situation.  Instead, she grit her teeth and shut her mouth.  She wouldn¡¯t let Maraline sacrifice herself like that, nor would she let her be executed if she did end up defecting.

    Maraline was her friend, and as such, Nicole would protect her to the full extent of her abilities.

    ¡°Is that an orange?¡±

    Nicole turned, following Maraline¡¯s extended arm as she pointed towards a tall tree in the distance.  Sure enough there were fruit growing on it that sure as shit looked like an orange.  They reached it in moments and Maraline picked up one off the ground, ripping the skin off before smelling it.

    ¡°It will likely taste vile,¡± Maraline warned, still staring at the fruit.  ¡°Citrus fruits require cuttings to preserve flavor.¡±

    Then she bit into the flesh, grimacing as she did.

    ¡°That bad?¡±

    Maraline nodded, but continued to chew.  Nicole picked up her own orange, wary, but decided she couldn¡¯t complain about having found something edible.  She bit into the skin, using that to rip it open the rest of the way.  Already Nicole could tell it was going to be awful, but she took a bite anyway, and it was worse than any lemon she had tried.

    ¡°Well,¡± Nicole said, chewing quickly so she could force the fruit down.  ¡°You weren¡¯t wrong.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Maraline agreed, continuing to eat.  ¡°We should take some with us before we return to our camp.¡±

    Nicole nodded, already moving to pick up a few others where the skin was unbroken.  As much as she hoped to find something a bit easier on the palette, she knew to not get her hopes up.  That they found a fruit tree at all was a minor miracle at that, not that Nicole believed in those.  Unfortunately they lacked the space to carry many, which would mean frequent trips if they couldn¡¯t find something else.

    ¡°Strange that these are even here,¡± Maraline said.  ¡°This is hardly where oranges might have grown by chance.¡±

    Most food consumed by people was cultivated over centuries to grow and change into something more desirable.  Oranges were no exception.  Very few fruits that humans ate were naturally occurring, which meant someone had introduced them to this jungle.

    Not even five minutes later Nicole pointed out another tree, this one held green pears of some sort.  They weren¡¯t quite like the ones she knew from the supermarket, but they were still recognizable.  Which meant that someone once lived in this jungle and seeded the fruit trees for some reason.

    ¡°These pears are more akin to the ones pictured in books dating back hundreds of years,¡± Maraline said, picking one from a low branch.  ¡°Whoever claimed this land is likely long gone and the trees simply propagated without their presence.¡±

    Such an explanation certainly made sense, but Nicole couldn¡¯t help the nagging worry that they were missing something important.  They walked for about an hour, circling away from their chosen camp towards the river in a slow arc, and each discovery was stranger than the last.  Strawberries and blackberries, mangos, corn, potatoes, and carrots.  It seemed with every five minutes of walking they discovered yet more, all mixed in with the various plants of the jungle.  It made little sense, and yet it was all there.

    When they finally reached their camp somewhere close to mid-day, they had their arms full of food to work with, but little in the way of cooking.  Fire roasted would have to do for the moment, but Nicole was already thinking of things she could use to make that could boil water.  The best discovery of all had been wild onions, which would make all the difference in the flavor of what they might be able to prepare.

    ¡°Never thought playing survival games as a kid would come in handy,¡± Nicole said, wiping the sweat from her brow as she deposited the food beside the spring.  The fire was still going so she tossed a few more logs atop it and sat down with a sigh.  ¡°How does your back feel?¡±

    Maraline stretched, flexing her arm as she did.  ¡°Still tender, but I believe that will pass before the sun has finished its descent.¡±

    That was good, the worst thing that could have happened was having her injured and needing continued care the entire time they were stuck.  Still, they needed a longer term plan now that their immediate survival wasn¡¯t in danger.

    ¡°How strong are you without your implants working?¡±

    Maraline paused, a frown on her face.  ¡°As unwise as it might be to admit this, but I am little better than a peak performance human at the moment.  I have no defenses to speak of and my reaction times are abysmal.¡±

    Which explained why those cats had gotten the better of her, and that she wouldn¡¯t be much help when it comes to what was needed next.  Looking up at the trees, Nicole sighed and stood once more.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to see what I can see from up top,¡± Nicole said, smiling at her friend to hide her own concern.  ¡°Will you be alright for a few minutes alone?¡±

    In answer, Maraline waved her off, moving to take a drink of water.  Nicole took that as a dismissal and moved over to the widest of the nearby trees.  She had no clue what type of tree it might be, but it had strong branches and that the trunk vanished into the canopy.  Reaching for the warmth within, Nicole took a few deep breaths and jumped.

    She cleared two dozen feet and grabbed a thick branch, swinging up to perch on it.  Unfortunately she still had a ways to go, given some of the trees had to be hundreds of feet high.  Nicole climbed, jumping where she could, doing things the hard way when she couldn¡¯t, and soon enough she reached the canopy.

    Breaking through to the sky she took it all in, eyes widening as she did.  The jungle extended outwards for dozens of miles, in the distance clouds rained down on the towering canopy, yet that wasn¡¯t what had stolen her breath away.  All around them, stone rose from the ground, completely surrounding the jungle on all sides.  It continued all the way to the ceiling of the cavern that held them where a colossal shining crystal radiated pure light upon the entire expanse.

    Nicole could only swallow as she realized the truth of their predicament.  She had no fucking clue where the hell they actually were.  Worse, there would be no hope of rescue given they were somewhere underground in a cave that defied nature.

    ¡°Fuck all kinds of duck.¡±

 Chapter 59 - Luminescence

    Underground.  How the fucking hell were they underground in a massive jungle in the light of the goddamn day!?  Were they even on Earth or had they somehow ended up across the galaxy or lost to time?  There were endless possibilities when it came to crazy alien tech and freak accidents, and she had no clue where to even begin.

    Nicole forced herself to take a breath.  Panic wouldn¡¯t help them survive and she really needed to be the one to keep a level head given she was trapped with Maraline.  If nothing else, she should be able to formulate a theory, but that was still a stretch.  With their immediate survival covered for the moment, and a distinct lack of options for progressing, they could take some time to consider their next course of action.

    With a final glance at the crystal that was producing what could only be described as artificial sunlight, Nicole descended the tree.  Maraline was waiting for her near the base and she seemingly sighed in relief when Nicole came back into sight.  Putting that aside, Nicole dropped back to the ground and fell back on her ass before pulling her legs up so she could wrap her arms around them.

    ¡°We¡¯re underground,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°The entire thing looks like an artificial terrarium or some shit.¡±

    ¡°Truly?¡± Maraline asked, her own gaze drifted skyward.  ¡°A luminescence stone exists here?¡±

    Nicole looked up.  ¡°Luminescence stone?  I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to need to explain that one to me.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Maraline said, moving to sit beside Nicole.  ¡°They were a prominent piece of technology in the galactic alliance that predated the Sylan Empire and are still in use to this day.  They serve as excellent ways to create farmland in regions where above ground cultivation would be unfeasible.  Desert and tundra prominent areas especially.¡±

    ¡°So, wherever we ended up, that¡¯s Sylan tech up there?¡± Nicole asked.

    ¡°Unlikely,¡± Maraline said.  ¡°As I mentioned, the technology predates our Empire by thousands of years.  This crystal could have come from a colony thirty thousand years past and we would have no way to know for sure.¡±

    ¡°That would predate all known human civilization,¡± Nicole said with wide eyes.

    Maraline laughed.  ¡°It certainly makes one feel small, does it not?  And to think, Commander Bartran has been alive nearly as long.¡±

    Ice splashed down Nicole¡¯s back at the reminder of the enemy commander and what he represented.  Sure, she felt that Guiana was the more dangerous fighter, but there was something about the Commander that set her on edge even after inflicting such a blow upon him.  It happened by chance, all because her blade¡¯s ability lost a limitation.

    Limits¡­

    ¡°Bartran was holding back when he fought us.¡±

    She hadn¡¯t phrased it as a question and thankfully Maraline didn¡¯t try to play word games with her.  ¡°Considerably so.  He has never lost a duel with Guiana for instance, yet she gave you more trouble, did she not?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Nicole admitted through grit teeth.  ¡°Be honest, what hope do we actually have to survive this experiment?  What future does humanity have after this invasion?¡±

    Maraline remained silent for some time, leaving Nicole with nothing but the sounds of the artificial jungle to keep her company.  Contrary to what most would think, the jungle was anything but silent during the day, with birds and mammals of all sorts letting out their calls at all times, creating a chaotic blend of nature sounds that was almost too much to process.

    ¡°Should we fail, humanity has no future,¡± Maraline said.  ¡°Should my treachery be known, this planet will be razed as an example to other worlds.  Despite knowing this, I cannot abide by the plan that The Prime Administrator asked me to begin.¡±

    Could she trust Maraline?  Was the Sylan General being sincere or was this all a ploy to gain more information about Nicole¡¯s abilities?  Maraline was injured and needed help, at least at the start of this mess, and Nicole had provided it.  It would be all too easy to kidnap a Ranger and have an enemy befriend them, learn their secrets, then kill them in their sleep, yet Maraline hadn¡¯t done that.

    Not yet at least.

    Could Nicole take that risk and reveal some of the secrets she held?  Would it make any difference if she did?  Sinclair¡¯s whole mess was something she wouldn¡¯t betray, despite his idiotic experiment nearly ending Minneapolis wholesale.  That left the vision she had when she became a Ranger, the one thing that she could confirm was wholly unique to her experience.

    Yes, others had similar visions, but none were identical so far.

    ¡°What are the odds that the predecessors to the Sylan Empire brought us here?¡± Nicole asked.

    Rather than laugh or call her out, Maraline paused to consider the question.  She could practically see the thoughts swirl behind her eyes as they flicked about.  Her lips moved in some unknown language, be it of Earth or extraterrestrial, Nicole had no idea.

    ¡°As unlikely as I wish to say it is, the presence of a luminescence stone throws several of my theories into question,¡± Maraline stood with a faint grunt and looked about.  ¡°If this is indeed a luminescence farm that fell into disuse, then we should be able to locate the control structure easily enough.¡±

    ¡°You would know more than I,¡± Nicole said, pushing off the tree.  ¡°Though we should probably see about securing our campsite and setting up proper shelter first.  There seemed to be controlled rains further into the cavern.¡±

    ¡°A weather event, truly?¡± Maraline asked.  ¡°Now I can be certain there will be an intact control module located deeper within.  We should be able to ascertain a way out from there.¡±

    Nicole clapped once.  ¡°Great, we have a goal to work towards long term.¡±

    ¡°Indeed we do,¡± Maraline said with a smile.

    Setting out to gather wood for the fire and the tree limbs necessary to prepare a shelter, Nicole was content to work with her friend towards that shared goal.  Maraline moved a bit stiffly but was able to assist in gathering supplies for their shelter.  Despite most of her technology being inactive, she was still as fit as the best humanity could put forward.

    Clay was packed around branches set in the ground, building up a makeshift wall that would protect against the worst of the elements over the night.  Watching shelter building videos wasn¡¯t a substitute for experience, but it did give Nicole the general idea of how it worked.  So, after a few hours of work, they had a rather ugly mess of mud that was built into the cave just enough to provide shelter from the elements.

    Smoke rose from the stone pipe, away from the cavern to avoid poisoning themselves with carbon monoxide and the fire would bake most of the clay in short order.  Once Nicole was sure that everything was functional, she shifted the skin to cover the doorway and sat inside for a few minutes.

    ¡°Are you feeling light headed?¡± Maraline asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so?¡± Nicole answered.  She was a bit tired from all the work, yet that was to be expected.  ¡°How far do you think we are from that control place you mentioned?¡±

    There was silence for several moments before Maraline answered.  ¡°At least half a day¡¯s walk, and I would need to be looking for long eroded signs of entry.¡±

    ¡°Probably an all day affair then,¡± Nicole said, leaning back in the mud hut.  ¡°And even then, we might emerge into the middle of another jungle and still be days away from civilization.¡±

    ¡°In all likelihood,¡± Maraline agreed.  ¡°We will need to prepare ourselves.¡±

    Nicole sighed, wondering how things were back home.  ¡°Will the next attack happen with you being¡­¡±

    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    A mirthless chuckle followed.  ¡°Missing?  Yes.  Commander Bartran is awake, though he is also still in recovery.  I have no doubt that he is well aware that I am unaccounted for and is convinced that I have made my escape or some such folly.¡±

    Nicole could only wince at that.  By grasping for the device, which was what Maraline had expected of her if their shared look had been anything to go off of, Nicole had somehow doomed her friend by accident.

    ¡°You could, you know,¡± Nicole said softly.  ¡°We would do our best to protect you if you wanted to take the opportunity.¡±

    Something shrill and high pitched followed and it took Nicole a moment to realize that Maraline was almost cackling.  ¡°Oh, you have no idea what the Sylan Empire could do if they wanted to crush a planet, and believe me, my defection would be enough to justify it.¡±

    The warning was enough to douse the growing fire within Nicole¡¯s blood.  If anyone understood exactly what the Sylan could do, it was the woman charged with leading their invasion and picking up the ashes.

    ¡°Then enlighten me,¡± Nicole said softly.  ¡°I know you¡¯re here to study the Source.  How does that factor into the invasion?  Where would your superiors draw the line that would lead to them cutting their losses and ending our world?¡±

    ¡°I am unsure,¡± Maraline admitted.  ¡°My own importance is overstated, and I could be replaced by any number of Generals that aren¡¯t currently on assignment.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s eyes widened.  ¡°That¡¯s why Guiana is with you.¡±

    ¡°She was my original partner for the invasion, a mentor so to speak, and the closest thing I have to a mother.  She taught me everything I needed to know in order to carry out my duties as the future Regent of Earth.  Commander Bartran only stepped in after the first Rangers appeared.¡±

    ¡°Which means that you aren¡¯t needed at all,¡± Nicole concluded, her voice turning to a near whisper.  ¡°Were you told that Rangers would be chosen?¡±

    ¡°I was briefed on the Progenitors and how they did something that causes Rangers to appear to stand against us, as well as past examples of such conquests.  There were protocols in place, nothing more.¡±

    It felt sort of weird to be talking about such things with one of the lead invaders, but their circumstances were anything but normal.  Here she was, possibly thousands of miles from home and stuck in an underground jungle likely made by an alien species long since extinct species that was also responsible for the morphing tech in the first place.

    So, you know, no big deal or anything.

    The light of the crystal was starting to dim, which meant that they would soon need to hunker down in their shelter for the night.  While there weren¡¯t likely to be more large predators nearby, each night would increase the odds of others investigating the former hunting grounds of the dead cats.

    Nicole sighed in frustration.  ¡°All of this for what amounts to an oil grab.¡±

    ¡°We have no use for such a primitive¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a metaphor, or allegory, or some shit,¡± Nicole said, throwing her hands up.  ¡°I don¡¯t fucking know!  I just know you¡¯re here killing us for energy, which makes you no better than our own governments honestly.  It¡¯s almost poetic really, karma at its finest!¡±

    Nicole was panting by the end of her rant, still furious at how fucking simple it all was.  They were using the Earth as a lab for testing methods for harnessing the energy that fueled Rangers with jailbroken morphers or some shit.  Rebecca would understand Maraline¡¯s ramblings far better than she ever could.

    A shuddering breath followed as Nicole curled in on herself.  ¡°Sorry.  It isn¡¯t fair for me to take this out on you.¡±

    ¡°It is completely fair,¡± Maraline said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.  ¡°I am someone who willingly worked with those invading your home.  Anger is understandable in this situation.¡±

    Nicole had to bite back her first retort, as it wouldn¡¯t be fair to Maraline.  Yes, she wanted an outlet for all of her frustrations, yet it didn¡¯t feel right to take them out on the sheltered General currently sitting beside the campfire.  She was right, Nicole was fully justified in her anger.  Had Maraline not stepped in, Nicole might have just used her new daggers right then and there, ending her own life before she ever had a chance to wield them in defense of others.

    Before she could prove herself worthy of becoming a Ranger.

    ¡°I am angry,¡± Nicole admitted, almost surprising herself at how easily the words came.  ¡°But not at you.  I¡¯m angry at those who forced this situation, that there is no greater purpose to this war other than research.  Do you even need our resources?¡±

    ¡°We have long since mastered energy to matter conversion,¡± Maraline said, her voice calm as ever.  ¡°We have no need of anything the Earth can physically provide.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t a surprise, but it was yet another reason solidified for why she hated the Sylan.  It would be all too easy for her to extend that to Maraline, to hate the woman who first pulled her out of a spiral that would have ended with her life.  With that in mind, the answer is obvious.

    ¡°I should hate you,¡± Nicole continued.  ¡°Yet I can¡¯t bring myself to do so.  You¡¯re a friend, despite everything that has come between us.¡±

    The silence weighed heavy in the air and for a moment Nicole thought she had overstepped.  Her words carried weight that went beyond just friendship, there was trust there that many would feel wasn¡¯t earned, yet that didn¡¯t change the truth of it.  Nicole trusted Maraline to be genuine with her, regardless of how harsh the truth might yet be.

    What Nicole hadn¡¯t expected was for Maraline to step inside the shelter, settling beside her and near the heat of the flames.  Yes, there was a fire outside as well, but there was something different about the enclosed space and the warmth it provided.

    ¡°I too consider you a friend,¡± Maraline admitted, her voice catching as she spoke.  ¡°I do not know what awaits me, but for now I will endeavor to do what I must to ensure humanity doesn¡¯t lose itself in the coming war.¡±

    ¡°We fight to survive,¡± Nicole whispered, letting her weight fall against her friend.  ¡°It¡¯s what we humans do.  We won¡¯t go quietly into the night.¡±

    A mirthless chuckle followed, almost sardonic in its tone.  ¡°No, I don¡¯t suppose you will.  The tenacity of humanity has been one of the Commander¡¯s frequent complaints as he recovers.¡±

    That bit of news brings a smile to Nicole¡¯s lips, happy to hear that she had a part in being a thorn in the side of the leading bastard behind the invasion.  Or rather, one of them.  There was still the mysterious Administrator that was barely more than rumor, and here she was with the perfect opportunity to learn more.

    ¡°Who is the Administrator?¡±

    A sharp intake of breath followed, but Nicole sat patiently, giving Maraline the time she needed to come up with an answer, or to allow her to pass the question off with silence.  If she chose not to answer, that would be a response all its own, and one that she desperately hoped wouldn¡¯t come.  The way she wanted her friend beside her wasn¡¯t completely benign, she owed her much, and the thought of actually fighting her hurt deeply.

    The silence stretched on, ticking away the limited light that remained of the day.  Nicole was almost resigned to accept that Maraline wouldn¡¯t betray her people when a faint whisper came from her friend.

    ¡°The Prime Administrator is the leader of the entire Sylan Empire, and the one who has determined that the Earth must be destroyed.¡±

    ¡°Then that is who we must aim to defeat,¡± Nicole said, her mind racing as she considered the implications.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand the scope of what is to come,¡± Maraline said, almost pleading.

    ¡°Probably,¡± Nicole admitted.  They were but one planet hoping to hold off a force that could traverse the stars.  The scary part was, she was beginning to feel hope, and such things were dangerous.  ¡°No matter how futile it seems, no matter what comes our way, we will fight.¡±

    ¡°You will die,¡± Maraline nearly cried.  ¡°I did not help you that day just to see you fall.¡±

    ¡°Some things are worth dying for,¡± Nicole said, though Maraline opened her mouth to protest, Nicole pressed on before she could.  ¡°I don¡¯t plan to die.  I intend to fight for a future where we are free to pursue what we want, love who we want, and live how we want so long as it doesn¡¯t infringe on others¡¯ own liberties.  The future you wanted for us sure as hell sounds better than what we have, but your own leaders don¡¯t want that for us.  They want us to die for their research.¡±

    ¡°Which is why I came to you,¡± Maraline said.  ¡°I just don¡¯t know what I can do to stop this.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll figure that out,¡± Nicole said, pulling her friend into a loose side-along hug.  ¡°Now come on, we need to get some sleep if we¡¯re going to find this mysterious control room and get out of here.¡±

    It was their only clue to go on, and it promised to be a long day full of hard hiking and worse searching for a hidden entrance to something long since lost and with only cursory knowledge to guide them.  It was also something they could work towards, which made it important to pursue.

    It was obvious that Maraline was shaken, but that was okay.  She had time to figure things out, to come to terms with what she was doing and what it might mean for her own future.  That would be something she needed to work through on her own, but that didn¡¯t mean she had to face it alone.

    Nicole would stand with her, and she was willing to bet that her friends would do the same once they had the full story.

    ¡°Goodnight, my friend,¡± Maraline said, laying down on the hard ground.

    The rancid smell of the skin covering the door was almost nauseating, but it was keeping the chill at bay, not that it stopped Nicole from taking the place closest to the fire.  As Nicole laid there, she focused on her breathing, on that growing feeling of warmth within her chest.  Whatever the Source was doing to her, it wasn¡¯t abating, it was continuing to swell with each focused breath.

    ¡°M¡¯night,¡± Nicole muttered in return, the sound of distant thunder almost comforting.

    As she drifted, the warmth driving off the worst of the cold, Nicole couldn¡¯t help but ponder what it all meant for her.  Would the strange power be boon or bane?  Would it one day attempt to kill her again, or was she tempering herself to the possible damages?  Only time would tell and Nicole wasn¡¯t sure she was ready to hear the answer.

 Chapter 60 - Thunder

    Nicole woke with a start to the crash of thunder still echoing through their cave.  She heaved out a heavy sigh when she realized what it had been and sat back down against the corner of their makeshift shelter.  Maraline was still sound asleep, and it was hard to accept that the Sylan general could be so vulnerable.  There was a temptation to take a rock and smash her head, deliver a crippling blow to the enemy war effort.  Yet, with the likes of Bartran and Guiana on the other side, it was clear that Maraline wasn¡¯t the major player everyone thought her to be.

    She was just another pawn being used to gain control with the promise that she could become queen if she fulfilled her role correctly.  It was almost funny to consider it like that, but it really wasn¡¯t far from the truth.  Maraline was so convinced of her own right to rule, but it had been taught to her from whatever counted for birth for her.

    Water splashed against her boot and Nicole nearly jumped in surprise, then she gasped in horror with the next flash of lightning.  The small trickle of fresh water they had been using was now a wide stream that flowed down the cavern and into the depths.  Their fire was completely smothered under the rising water, and her heart leapt into her throat at the realization.

    ¡°Maraline, wake up!¡± she shouted.

    The Sylan general was on her feet in an instant at the sound of her name being shouted, her eyes moving in the sporadic light of the flashing lightning.  The pair were out of the shelter in an instant, the water already up to their calves as they looked out at the raging storm, then deeper into the dark cavern where water broke against twisted branches trapped against rocks.

    ¡°This cave is a natural path for the water,¡± Nicole yelled over the thunder.  ¡°We need to leave, find higher¡ª¡±

    Her words cut off as the last crack of thunder hadn¡¯t quieted, and she had just enough time to turn her head and comprehend the crushing wall of water before the flash flood slammed into them both, sweeping the pair away in the unrelenting torrent.

    In her panic, she reached for her watch, which did not respond, only to slam full bodied into the cave wall.  It had been an instinctive action despite not having the morpher for weeks now.  The device remained non-functional, which meant that Nicole was at the mercy of the torrent while she was being swept away to what was almost certain death.

    It really was just like the battle of Anoka all over again, she was in a hopeless situation with everything to lose and nothing left to give.  Somehow Maraline managed to grab her hand and pulled her in close, helping to shield them both from the worst of the impacts.  Nicole tried to grasp the warmth within, but it proved elusive as always.

    Something sharp impaled her side, breaking off as they crashed through wood and stone alike.  Nicole gasped, sucking in a lungful of water on reflex and cursed herself for doing so.  She¡¯d just ensured that she was going to die, even if it had been obvious from the moment the water slammed into her.

    They were both going to die, but they wouldn¡¯t be alone.

    It was strange, Nicole spent so much of her life wanting to die, yet each time she was confronted by death, she defied it.  Now, she had reasons to live.  Grace came to mind without even having to think of her, her smiling face turning into a laugh.  Then her cracked helmet as Bartran stood over her and a protective urge surged over her.

    Protective.

    Latching onto that sensation, she focused on Maraline, ignoring how the jagged rocks continued to hammer into her, one cut her arm, another hit the hand cradling Maraline¡¯s head.  Nicole¡¯s face was scraped raw even as hair was ripped from her head.  She had to focus, she had to protect.

    Her veins burned as power surged through her, unfocused and wild.  It was all consuming heat and electricity, yet she felt invigorated all the same.  It was familiar, and she knew immediately that she had morphed in the same way that she had against Bartran.  She took a deep breath, unhindered by being underwater, the water in her lungs now burned away.  The sense of impending doom ebbing out of her with the surety that she would survive.  Unfortunately, that did little for the fact that she was currently caught in a torrent that was dragging them deep underground.

    She curled tighter around Maraline, confident that her morphed form could take the hits better than her companion¡¯s unprotected form ever could, no matter what biological enhancements the Sylan had given her over a baseline human, her technological enhancements remained offline.  The Sylan general seemed to grasp that much, and curled into a ball within Nicole¡¯s embrace.

    The impacts were dull and muted, and she was tempted to phase now that she could do so again, but she wasn¡¯t sure what might happen if they phased into solid rock with nothing on the other side.  She didn¡¯t have to wonder for long, the torrent had dumped them into open air and it was only with the enhanced vision that her transformation brought with it that she could see at all.

    The cavern was vast, easily over ten miles wide, and they were falling towards a pool of water that was steadily filling.  Maraline gasped now that she actually could, coughing up the contents of her lungs as they fell.  Nicole looked around, finding a high pile of rocks and braced her foot against the water and kicked off.

    It wasn¡¯t as solid as actual ground, but it was still something, and the raw force she could put into the motion gave her just enough leverage to direct their fall.  She turned her back towards the rapidly approaching stone, and let herself crash into it.  The rubble burst apart on impact, spraying rock all around, but Nicole barely felt it even as her kinetic barrier sent sparks flying in all directions.

    She hadn¡¯t been able to appreciate it before, but it was clear that this freeform morph channeled far more power than whatever her morpher managed.  It wasn¡¯t any wonder how she had almost killed herself in the battle against Bartran given the power she could feel swelling within.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Nicole asked.

    Maraline grunted, rolling out of her grip to fall on her hands and knees, heaving up water from their near death experience.  Nicole didn¡¯t seem to have that problem, despite her lungs having filled with water earlier, she was breathing just fine, not even winded.  It remained strange seeing the powerful Sylan so vulnerable, but she wasn¡¯t about to take advantage of it.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re alive,¡± Nicole said, sitting back.  Just because she wasn¡¯t physically drained didn¡¯t mean that she wasn¡¯t dealing with an adrenaline crash from the experience.  ¡°Now, where the hell did we end up?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± Maraline started, only to cough further.  ¡°Unsure.¡±

    Nicole smiled under her helmet.  ¡°The question was rhetorical, I wasn¡¯t expecting an actual answer.¡±

    She took a moment to actually look around the cavernous space they had fallen into, something about it was unnerving, but she couldn¡¯t place it.  It was almost like there was a presence hanging over them, the air heavy with something she couldn¡¯t quite grasp yet familiar all the same.  Once again she was reminded of the time she stood across from Bartran, the aura he seemingly gave off.  She hadn¡¯t been sure it was real or imagined at the time, but now she could say that there was something out there.

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    What that was remained to be seen.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a minute to look around,¡± Nicole said.  ¡°Yell if you need me.¡±

    Maraline nodded, sitting back as she coughed more, then in a surprising display, flashed a thumbs up.  Shaking her head in amusement, Nicole hopped off the pile of rubble to what she hoped was more stable footing, then jumped into the air and turned incorporeal.

    The return of that ability felt as though she had regained a limb once lost, yet she also knew that it was a dangerous monkey¡¯s paw.  The same power currently allowing her to act was also capable of killing her if she drew too deeply.  Already the warmth was growing within, each breath pushing more power into her form.  She would need to drop her morph soon, or it might just kill her this time.

    Hanging in the air, it gave her a good vantage, as well as a chance to take in the space with less immediate danger hanging over them.  The water was flowing into a larger tunnel, moving less swiftly than she expected, which meant it wasn¡¯t a sudden drop into the dark.  That didn¡¯t do her much good, but if she couldn¡¯t find another cave leading back up, that might have been their only chance to get out.

    Their.

    It was strange how she was still considering Maraline like that, yet she couldn¡¯t just abandon her.  For all that they were enemies in a war, she had never once treated Nicole as anything other than a genuine friend.

    Maybe she actually was, but that didn¡¯t change the truth of reality.  There were decent odds that Maraline would be the cause of her death, even if indirectly.  Nicole knew she wouldn¡¯t have it in her to kill the woman who reached out to her when nobody else would.  Not even Grace had extended a hand back then, not that she had a chance to do so, yet Maraline had when there was nothing to prompt her to do so other than her own volition.

    Betraying that trust was never an option, and Nicole wouldn¡¯t consider it even if it meant saving the world.  That might have been selfish, but for someone who had endured the crippling desire to end it all, that hand extended with genuine care meant more than the world.  The only problem was that her world wasn¡¯t just her anymore.  Grace was someone who had become just as important, someone she would sacrifice the world to save.

    The idea was there, and it was oh so tempting, but would Grace forgive her for even considering it?  Humanity was doomed, she was fated to die, but did it have to be like that?  One of her favorite shows had featured an equally hopeless struggle, but nobody ever considered the alternative option.

    Maraline wished to help humanity into a future that their own people would never consider.  Human government had been killing the planet in the name of short term profit for the last hundred years.  Almost anything would be an improvement, so long as there would be a tomorrow for them.

    It would need to be a lengthy conversation, one where everything needed to be put forward, even the darkest truths that the Sylan General knew.  Could they survive the experiments and find a path to a better tomorrow?

    Descending back to the ground, Nicole steeled herself for the coming conversation when something odd caught her eye.  A dull glow, bleeding through a distant pile of rocks.  Putting aside her thoughts, she let herself drop down and made her way back to Maraline who seemed to be doing better.  Her coughing had subsided and she was standing with a frown on her face as she stared up at the water falling from the ceiling.

    ¡°The water has a way to flow that doesn¡¯t look to be instant death,¡± Nicole said, rejoining the Sylan general.  ¡°That¡¯s a last resort, but I did spot something strange.¡±

    ¡°You are not the only one,¡± Maraline asked.  ¡°That water formation was not natural.¡±

    Nicole blinked.  ¡°Felt pretty natural to me.¡±

    ¡°It is old, but the path the water took was unusual,¡± Maraline explained.  ¡°Almost as if it was a straight line to this place.¡±

    ¡°That is strange,¡± Nicole admitted.

    ¡°It is as though something crashed here, long ago.¡± Maraline¡¯s finger rose, then began to trace the air and pointed off into the distance.  Right towards where she had seen the glow.  ¡°Was that where you observed something unusual?¡±

    Nicole could only nod, a strange knot welling up in her stomach.  Just what had they stumbled upon?  Was it truly an accident that they had ended up in this place?  Now that she focused in that direction, she could tell that the foreboding pressure was wafting away from it.  They had barely crested the first hill when Maraline paused, her eyes narrowing at the sight of the glowing light seeping from the fallen rocks against the far wall.

    ¡°We need to investigate,¡± Maraline said.  ¡°No natural meteor would survive such an impact, nor would it glow so long after entry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go first,¡± Nicole said, gesturing at her morphed state.

    Maraline nodded in agreement, but didn¡¯t comment on it.  Neither she nor Maraline seemed keen to bring up her current morphed state and Nicole wasn¡¯t about to admit that she still wasn¡¯t sure how to replicate it at will.  She trusted Maraline, odd as that was to admit, but the rest of the Sylan invaders was a completely different matter entirely.

    Guiana had seemed genuinely interested in her condition, but Bartran wanted her dead just for existing.  If he knew she was able to control the surge of power that led to his near death¡­  He might just wipe out humanity on principle.  The chill that ran through her was more mental than physical, but she put it aside as she stepped towards the strange glow.

    Up close, the rocks were a relatively recent addition, as none of them looked worn from weather or water.  Jagged edges still shone and it was clear they had fallen from the above rock face sometime¡­  Okay, Nicole wasn¡¯t a geologist and had no fucking clue how recent it had happened, just that it was much later than the rest of the rock she had seen on the way over.

    The glow filtered through each gap in the rock slide, the pale light unlike anything she had ever seen before.  She reached out, letting the light wash over her glove for a moment, then sighed.  She was going to have to phase through it to find the source, or risk bringing down the entire cavern¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m going to phase through and drop down,¡± Nicole called back.  ¡°I¡¯ll try to be quick about it.¡±

    ¡°Exercise caution,¡± Maraline answered.  ¡°You know not what awaits.¡±

    Nicole could only chuckle.  ¡°You know me.¡±

    ¡°That is why I am concerned.¡±

    Laughing out loud now, Nicole let herself shift into shadow and began to drop towards the light.  She drifted through what felt like hundreds of feet of stone, but didn¡¯t attempt to abort.  She wasn¡¯t even sure if she could at this point, not without setting down on something solid and jumping back up with all her might.

    The fall ceased abruptly, and the most concerning part was that her feet touched something solid despite still being phased through the rock.  Panic welled up, as she wasn¡¯t sure if she would be able to jump back up even with the solid surface, but the light was also right in front of her now, if angled slightly down.

    With nothing to lose, Nicole stepped forward, finding the footing to remain solid as she walked.  The light grew sharper as she stepped towards it, and idly she thought of the old ¡®walk towards the light¡¯ superstition.  Was she walking towards her death?  Did it even matter given the situation?

    Shaking her head, Nicole kept walking for several minutes until she walked right into something that wouldn¡¯t let her pass through.  She couldn¡¯t see it through the rock that currently occupied her head, so she shifted until she was free of the stone and could see the metal that blocked her way, and the glow that illuminated it.

    Well, at least she had identified the source of the light, but what the hell was a metal door doing in a forgotten¡­  Actually, it made perfect sense if this was the control room that Maraline had been speaking of.  It might have been counted as luck that they had stumbled upon it if they hadn¡¯t nearly died in the process.

    There was just enough room for her to turn solid, and she did so, warmth flooding her form as she did.  Nicole sucked in a breath, attempting to reign in the sudden influx of energy she had drawn upon.  Pushing it out with each breath, she cooled ever so slightly.

    ¡°Hah, maybe I can learn to control it.¡±

    She didn¡¯t get a chance to ponder that as the light pulsed and the door slid open without a sound.  One of the rocks shifted with the now open door, but it didn¡¯t cause a catastrophic collapse either so she would take it.  Just as Nicole was about to step forward, she was stilled by a warm voice.

    ¡°Language Profile Recognized.  Authentication Confirmed.  Welcome Nicole Hayes; Ranger of the Void.¡±