It was dark in the night, Mariner Bay recovering from the demon attack just a day before. None of that really mattered in an orphanage in the outer parts of the city, where a young man finished reading to a group of children.

"Alright, end of that chapter."

"Come on, one more."

The man smiled as he ruffled one of the children's hair. "Tomorrow, Ty. You guys need to get to bed."

A round of groans went up as the group left for their rooms, the man chuckling as one of the workers walked over to him and handed him his jacket. "Nice of you to do this, Ryan."

The man nodded as he slipped his jacket on. "Yeah, least I can do for these kids. They need all the cheering up they can get. I kind'a know what it's like to lose family. Mom died in a freak accident, and my sister..."

"Ryan, don't dwell on the past. How is your father anyway?"

"My dad?" Ryan asked. "God, I haven't talked to him in at least two months. He's fine the last I heard, still working that damn project."

"One that saved this city."

"And got the man I grew up with as a brother killed, Danny. That was Carter leading that team before getting killed, I know it. I doubt even that would make my father see that he's messing with human lives."

The man sighed and patted Ryan on the back. "Get some sleep, Ryan, you need it."

Ryan sighed as he nodded and walked out of the shelter, getting in his car and sighing as he pulled a cigarette from his jacket and lit it. "Damnit, why the hell do all the people I care about end up dead eventually?" he muttered, sucking on his cigarette and breathing out the smoke. "Mom died in that explosion, and sis...what the hell is it about me?"

In Need of a Ranger

Kendrix stood awake and alert at the training course, waiting as Kelsey and Joel arrived on the course. "You two look like you've been missing some sleep."

"Not used to getting up at the crack of dawn," Joel replied, yawning a bit. He looked around at the area and raises a brow. "Different place today, what happened to the old high school track spot?"

"Real training today," Kendrix replied. "Yesterday was a warm up, the real work starts here." She glanced over Joel's shoulder and snapped to attention, saluting as Captain Mitchell arrived. "Sir."

"At ease, Major," Mitchell replied, returning the salute. "Alright, Rangers, as Major Morgan probably told you, this is your first day of real training. We have holo-sims for targets set up, and I want to get a test of your abilities. The major has decided to join you, and I'm hoping her downtime to recover hasn't impaired her much, she's the current record holder on this course." He nodded to Kendrix before pulling out a pair of blasters from the case he was holding and tossing them to Kelsey and Joel. "Sorry about not having any holsters for you two, I'll make sure you have them later today. Ready, Rangers?"

Kendrix nodded, pulling her blaster from the holster strapped to her waist and upper leg and switching off the safety. "Ready to go."

Mitchell smiled as he pulled out a stopwatch. "Well then, timing starts...now!"

The three raced into the mock town, Kendrix blazing through the course while shooting down the holographic targets before they could fire at her. Kelsey and Joel, on the other hand, got hit a few times after being surprised when the targets appeared, falling behind a bit while Kendrix completed the course, Kelsey following soon after with Joel lagging behind.

Mitchell checked his stopwatch, noting the finishing times. "Well, seems you still hold the record, Major. Miss Winslow, not a bad job for your first time through the combat course. Mister Rawlings, you fell behind Miss Winslow by a good five minutes. I'll expect better next time."

"Cap, it's only out first time," Joel replied. "You can't expect perfection."

"No, you're right on that," Mitchell agreed. "But you have to push yourself. You think the demons will have any sympathy when they attack?"

Joel sighed and shook his head. "I guess not. I'll work on it."

"Good...fifteen minute break, then back to the workouts, another course run, and then a hike through the hills. Oh, and Major, Doctor Fairweather needs your help in the labs, they're having trouble with finishing work on the medi-boa's extra systems. I would like it if you went down there while they're on the hike."

Kendrix nodded as she walked away, Joel watching the woman head into the main building. "Cap," he began. "Um, forgive me for prying, but the Major seems to be rather, distant in working with us. You know why?"

"Major Morgan worked very closely with the people you've taken the place of," Mitchell replied with a somber face. "She was close friends with all four of them, and I think she doesn't want to risk that kind of personal loss again. You two best get what rest in you can before you get back to work. You're gonn'a need it."

Meanwhile, in the depths of the hellish dimension that was home to Skull Castle, Dara and Vypra were performing their own training, sparring with each other fiercely. Vypra started to get the advantage, beginning to overpower Dara, but then missed striking and was flung to the ground, the younger of the two poising his fist in a position to smash Vypra's nose.

Diabolico laughed as he clapped, Dara backing off and helping Vypra back up. "Well done, my dear. You're getting much better, enough to best Vypra."

"I do not see the point of this!" the older demoness snapped. "Battling ourselves when we could be ravaging that city, or even the rest of the world! Why this, Mariner Bay?!"

"Hold your tongue," the golden demon replied. "The reason we train ourselves is so that we are ready for anything when we do attack. And the reason we attack Mariner Bay is because underneath the city lies a leyline of energy, the one we need to give Lady Bansheera her form in the mortal plane."

Vypra gave no further argument as Diabolico cocked his head back, hearing a cry from another room. "It seems we have more that just gathering soul energy to deal with."

"Dara, take care of the Prince," Diabolico stated, glaring at Vypra as Dara left the chamber, then walked over and grabbed the demoness by the throat, lifting her up. "Listen, and listen good, witch!" he spat, his face shifting form to one that frightened even Vypra. "I've been forgiving of your remarks until now. You're impatient, and I can excuse that, but I will not tolerate you mock those of us in command of this mission, do you understand?!"

Vypra choked as she nodded, Diabolico's face resuming its normal form as he set her down. "I understand perfectly, my lord."

"Good. I know you have distaste for my daughter, and the fact that we must take care of Prince Impus. However, I suggest you keep these thoughts and feelings to yourself." Diabolico turned and walked off while Vypra rubbed her now bruised neck.

"One of these days," she growled in a low tone. "I will be rid of you, your brother, and your weak 'daughter'." She snarled and stormed off to her chambers, pausing to see Dara taking care of the baby demon Impus, noting that unlike her, the younger demoness was not repulsed by her duty of nursing the infant; she in fact welcomed the task.

"What is it about you, child?" Vypra whispered. "How is it you are not repulsed by that...infantile beast? Even I cannot stand him, how is it you do? What do you see in that thing?"

She sighed and continued to her quarters, slamming the door shut behind her with a wave of her hand. "Why I was assigned to this mission, I will never know...it disgusts me, especially being stuck in this human shell." Vypra growled as she saw her arm involuntarily twitch, fighting to keep it under control. "How is this girl's soul still alive? She should be dead now, just like those others..."

Mitchell sighed as he walked through the halls of the Aqua Base and entered the main lab, noticing Kendrix and Doctor Fairweather working over several weapons. "Sorry if I'm interrupting," he stated. "But I have a list of people I've considered for Carter's replacement, I thought you two might want to take a look and give your thoughts."

Kendrix nodded and took off her glasses as Fairweather took the list, rubbing her eyes. "I welcome the break," she remarked, putting her glasses back on. "How are Joel and Kelsey doing on that hike?"

"Just about back, we've got the simulators ready for training on the Runners."

Doctor Fairweather glanced up from the list as she read it. "Daniel Garrison? Wasn't he one of the people who worked with us on Pyro One?"

"Danny? I remember he nearly had snapped his leg in half from an accident with Pyro's hydro cannons," Kendrix replied, taking a look at the list of names. "All good candidates, but there's someone I can think of that should be considered."

Mitchell looked at the major quizzingly, then shook his head, knowing who she was thinking of. "No, Major. Absolutely not."

"May I ask what's going on?"

"I'm think we should get Ryan," Kendrix stated calmly. "Angela, you remember how high a rating he had."

"You are not involving my son," Mitchell snapped. "That's it."

Fairweather sighed as she set down the list. "Sir, all due respect, Major Morgan has a point. Your son did have an extremely high compatibility rating with the Lightspeed Red powers during the test phases, probably higher than Carter."

"No!" Mitchell repeated. "You leave Ryan out of this, that's final, understood?"

Kendrix sighed and nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Go over the list if you would, and I'd like your recommendations out of those on the list. I'd appreciate if you would return it to my office with your own recommends within an hour." Mitchell turned sharply and left, Angela sighing as she looked at the list again.

"Congrates, you've probably managed to piss him off almost as bad as Ryan did."

"Why won't he let the past be the past?" Kendrix muttered, getting back to work on the weapons. "For god's sake, it was two and a half months ago, long enough time to be bitter."

"I know. but last I talked to Ryan, he's still blaming his father for the whole mess. Sad really," Fairweather mused. "To think an accident like that could tear their family apart. You think he knows about Carter?"

"Wouldn't doubt it," Kendrix replied. "Ryan knew that Carter was next in line for Red, only logical to assume it was him in command during that fight. Hell, I'm still trying to get over it."

Angela sighed and continued looking at the list. "Look, I'll finish up the work on the weapons. You try and unwind or something, you need a break."

Kendrix looked up from her Medi-Boa. "Maybe...Kelsey and Joel should be back from their hike now."

"Get to know them better," Fairweather remarked. "You won't do any good as commander of the team if you can't be familiar with and trust those under your command. Spend time with them, and learn what they're like."

Kendrix nodded and set down her tools, smiling weakly. "Probably right. Thanks, Angela, I'll be back later on to get the simulator programs finally working."

Dara smiled as the baby Impus cooed at her. "Hard to believe sometimes that you're a demon like us," she whispered softly. "You seem so...innocent. You'll learn though, just like I did."

"Dara."

The demoness turned to see her father standing in the doorway, Impus giving his own smile. "Father, what brings you here?"

"I came to see how our charge is doing," the demon replied, walking over and smiling at the infant. "He seems to have taken quite a liking to you, Dara. It should not be long before he matures into adolescence."

"He always cries like he's afraid whenever he sees Vypra, I don't know why," Dara replied. "It's as if, there's something about her that he can sense, but I can't."

Diabolico sighed as he took the baby demon from Dara, holding Impus gently in his arms. "Even demon children fear ill intentions...I fear that Vypra may have her own agendas in this mission, and for her sake, she had best keep them to herself. Dara, I feel that you should have your taste of battle, I want you to lead the attack on the city."

"It will be an honor," the demoness replied, bowing slightly. "Who shall I be taking with me?"

"Jinxer has picked out Lurekan as your lieutenant for this mission," the golden demon answered, setting Impus back in his bed. "You'll need to create some new vampires, and try not to drain yourself doing it. You know your limits."

"I know," Dara stated, walking out of the chamber, Diabolico following her as soon as Impus was asleep. "I'm only half demon, so I can't push my life blood in creating forces like you can. I try to work around that."

"I'm concerned very much for you," Diabolico said with a frown. "You're my daughter, Dara, be that you are half mortal, and I care very much for you, so does Loki. I wish I could say the same for Vypra, but she seems content to be spited by you."

"And Jinxer is a dedicated necromancer, he cares little for the living," Dara finished. "The only one outside our family that seems to have any care for me is the prince, maybe that's why I'm so fond of him."

"Make sure you return to keep your care of him," Diabolico ordered. "Don't risk yourself out there."

"I won't," Dara replied. "I'll be careful, but I won't run from the battle."

"If you come into any sign of danger...leave. That's an order, not as just your father, but as your commander," the demon said again. "I can't spare my lieutenants to death, especially one that's my daughter."

Dara smiled as she held her father's hand. "I promise, I'll come back alive. We'll strike tonight, when they least suspect an attack, and when our vampires will be at their strongest."

Kendrix breathed hard as she did a set of push-ups, a pair of weights strapped around both her arms and her weights, but to her, it was like they weren't even there. "Two fifteen, two sixteen, two seventeen..."

"Hats off, Major, you sure can go a long time without a break."

Kendrix finished off her set at two hundred twenty, then stood up, wiping her brow. "I'm used to it," she muttered. "What about you, Joel? What's your record?"

"In push-ups? About one ten, enough to keep up with stunt-piloting."

Kendrix nodded slightly as she grabbed a water bottle and took a long drink. "With or without weights?" she added, wiping excess water from her mouth.

"Uh, without," Joel replied nervously. "Why?"

"I've got seventy-five pounds strapped around my waist," Kendrix stated. "And I've got no problem doing two hundred and twenty in under fourty-five minutes. What say we start you off with a fourty-five pound belt and see what you can do?"

"Uh, I don't know...I'm not..."

"Do it," the major snapped, tossing Joel a weight belt. "Put it on and start pushing floor, I wann'a see how ready you are."

Joel groaned as he strapped on the belt then leaned down, starting a set while Kendrix counted off and timed him. He got to about thirty five before he started slowing down, having to push harder to make up for the extra weight. "Major, this is starting to hurt."

"Keep going, I want you do get to at least fifty."

Kelsey stare in shock as Joel continued despite the strain. It was another ten minutes before he finally got to the number Kendrix set, then collapsed, breathing hard. "Joel, you alright?"

"Yeah, just a bit sore..."

Kendrix nodded slowly as she checked the stop watch and sighed. "In the time it takes me to do a hundred and ten, you only pushed fifty, with only a fourty-five pound belt."

"Major, I'm not exactly used to this!" Joel replied. "I don't belt weights around my waist, certainly not fourty-five pounds worth..."

Kendrix seemed to have a nasty look in her eye, then shook her head. "Alright, we'll have you start off with a ten pound next time. Probably shouldn't have pushed you that much already. Get that belt off, take ten minutes to rest, then we'll get back to work."

Joel winced as he took the weight belt off, Kelsey helping him to a chair as he grabbed a water bottle. "Damn, why she being so stressed out lately? It's only our first real day on the job."

"I'm sorry for pushing you," Kendrix stated as she looked back. "We're all under a lot of stress here, sometimes I forget not everyone is used to it. But my point stands, you have to work yourself to be ready. You two were extremely lucky that day you saved me, the vampires didn't expect you two to arrive using the powers. Next time, we won't have that surprise."

She sighed as she walked over to a set of weights and picked up a pair of fifty pound hand weights in each hand, shocking both Kelsey and Joel as she lifted them both with what seemed like very little effort.

"Holy shit, what are you, Supergirl or something?!" Joel spat in amazement. "You're lifting a hundred pounds like it's nothing!"

Kendrix stopped, checking the weights and knowing he was right; she was lifting a good hundred pounds, and she wasn't feeling any strain. "The Saber's powers," she whispered. "They're still with me..."

"Side effect of long term exposure to the powers," the woman quickly stated. "They start strengthening your muscle structure after a long enough time."

Mitchell sighed as he sat in his office, silently looking at an old photo of him, Carter, and his son, Ryan Mitchell. He had no idea really what Ryan now doing, save that he was still with the fire department. It had been two months since they'd last even spoken, ever since a tragic accident, one that had led Ryan to abandon Lightspeed, the military, and go into being a fire fighter.

Mitchell had told himself back then it was for the best, that Ryan would be safe from harm in a way. The nightmare that had been his wife's death still burned in his mind, and the loss of his youngest, his daughter, had pushed his fears over the edge. He knew both had been no accidents, but couldn't bear to tell Ryan what he not just suspected, but knew.

He knew the rift between him and his son had started long before he was brought onto Lightspeed. Two years ago, he had used several favors to get Ryan pulled out of his original assignment to the ECD on Terra Venture. Ryan had been extremely bitter over it, but accepted being reassigned to Mariner Bay at the Lightspeed Project.

Then four months ago, Kendrix had been brought from Miradon, with a recommendation from Robert Stanton as someone to help Lightspeed's research. It turned out to be the biggest breakthrough in developing Ranger powers for the project, and Ryan had been one of the test subjects for the Lightspeed Red armor, the other being Carter Greir, the man who had died protecting the city.

He knew that Kendrix was right, Ryan was possibly the only one who could be equipped with the powers and be able to use them to their full ability. Looking at his list, he shook his head. "No, I'm not involving him again...it was a mistake the last time...one I won't make again."

Joel winced as he rubbed his sore arms, stumbling to his quarters to rest for the hour he had before they were supposed to train on some simulators. "God, what a nightmare...starting to think I was right, I'm regretting this job."

A knock at his door made him look back. "Uh, come in."

The door slid open to reveal Doctor Fairweather, the woman glancing up at Joel. "Joel Rawlings, right? I came to drop this off, it's a data disc to go with your sim training later on."

Joel raise a brow as he took the disc from Angela. "Uh thanks...say, didn't I see you with Kendrix earlier?"

"Yes, we work in the research labs together. Oh, I'm sorry, I'm Angela Fairweather."

The man smiled as he accepted Angela's outstretched hand. "Joel...though, you already know that," he chuckled. "You're a researcher here?"

"Head of research and development actually," Fairweather stated. "I'm mostly working on weapons development and getting the Runners ready for action when they're needed, but I do help Kendrix do work on the Lightspeed powers when needed, she's the real brains behind them though. I should get going, you probably wann'a get to work on the disc."

Joel smiled as he sat down. "No, stay if you like. I could use some company, and you explain some things about this job for me. These, Runners, what exactly are they?"

"Large machines for heavy action," Angela explained. "You're the Green Ranger, so your Runner is Aero-Three, it's our air unit."

"Air unit...so it needs a pilot."

"Yes, I believe you said you were a stunt flier, that should definitely be an advantage for you," Fairweather replied, gesturing to the disc. "Control manual and all the information for Aero-Three are on there, so you should study it before actually test piloting the Runner."

Then man chuckled as he set the disc down on a table. "I'll take a look at it later. Uh, maybe you could--"

A loud klaxon cut Joel off, the man resisting a curse as he jumped up from his seat and bolted out the door, Angela following behind him. "Jeeze, why of all times, now?!" he muttered, racing to the bridge of the aqua base. "What's up?"

"Demon attack," Mitchell stated as Kendrix and Kelsey arrived. "We've already got fires going on down the bay front, I want you three to get in there and stop the attack so that the fire fighters and medics can handle the wounded."

"Aye," Kendrix replied, nodding to Joel and Kelsey before racing down the hallway to the humvee and getting in, waiting for the other two to join her before tearing off down the tunnel leading to the surface. "First real action, you two. Keep sharp, and don't going dying on me."

Dara smirked as her vampires slaughtered people in the streets, then turned to see the jet black armored humvee of the Rangers turn a corner and screech to a halt, the Rangers getting out and drawing their weapons. "So, you came after all."

"Who are you?!" Kendrix demanded as she trained her aim at the demoness.

Bowing with flourish, Dara laughed. "I am the Lady Dara, daughter of Lord Diabolico, the commander of our forces. I'll assume you are the leader of your, Rangers. Perhaps I should have my vampires leave you to me, but after seeing you in battle, I'd rather they take you all out, and then we'll see if there's anything left to keep fighting."

Kendrix frowned as the vampires moved to charge them, setting her blaster to full power. "Target the vampires, full charge, and keep your aim tight."

"No arguments here!" Joel replied, the three firing away as the vampire army swarmed towards them, felling several of the undead minions. "Damnit, there's too many of them!" the man yelled as he dodged a vampire that jumped at him, then shoved his blaster in the back of its head and fired, the ghoul blasting apart into ashes.

"This is not happening again!" Kendrix screamed, her eyes blazing with a sharp pink light as she kicked a vampire hard, sending it flying back and into a fire hydrant. "Rangers, let's jet!"

Kelsey and Joel didn't understand the cry, but knew what it meant as Kendrix activated her morpher and transformed into Lightspeed Pink, the two other Rangers energizing their own armor into form. "How do we fight these things in close combat?!"

"Specialized weapons," Kendrix replied, holding out her hand while energy coursed through her arm. "Medi-Boa!"

The caduceus-styled weapon forming, Kendrix swung down hard with it, swatting away a vampire, then thrusting out and impaling another. "Get them out, the onboard computers should tell you how to call your weapons!"

Joel frowned as he caught a vampire in the head with a blast from his sidearm, then let the armor's computer download weapons info into his mind. "This best work," he remarked as he holstered his blaster. "Aero-Blades!"

Energy coursing down both arms, Joel found himself with a pair of blades that were mounted to his forearms, slashing with them hard and not only decapitating, but dismembering the vampires as well. "Oh yeah, now this is what I'm talkin' about!"

Kelsey back flipped away as a group of the vampires attacked her, catching one of them with a kick. "Tonfa? What's a Tonfa?"

"It's like a police nightstick," Fairweather stated over the coms. "They can be energized to act like blades, I suggest you get them called out now."

"When in Rome," the woman muttered, crossing her arms. "Tonfa Strikers!"

The weapons energized into form, shafts of the Tonfas running along the length of Kelsey's arms before she quickly swung them out and slammed the ends of the Tonfas into the faces of a pair of vampires. "Oh, hell yeah! I could definitely get used to this!"

Dara snarled as she watched the Rangers slaughter her forces, then snapped her fingers, a wicked looking sword appearing in her hand. "Pink Ranger, how about a one on one!"

Kendrix slammed away a vampire before turning to see the demoness walking towards her, then raised her Medi-Boa and stabbed back to catch another vampire in the heart. "Challenge accepted," she spat, pulling her weapon forward and racing towards Dara. "Come and get your throat cut!"

Dara smiled as she deflected the woman's blow, dodging the bladed end of the Medi-Boa as Kendrix brought it up to cut at the demoness. "Impressive, human. But I doubt even you can keep up with me."

Kendrix roared while dodging a swing, kicking Dara hard in the gut and throwing her back. "Just try me!" she screamed, racing towards the demon as the armor of the Pink Delta Ranger seemed to overlap her own form. "You're gonn'a find I'm not as easy to deal with as you think!"

Dara gasped as she backed away, turning to Lurekan and nodding. "The battle's yours!"

"With pleasure!" the demon bellowed, firing a barrage of blasts from his hands and sending Kendrix flying to the ground. "Not so tough, now are you, human?"

"Major!" Kelsey cried, energizing her Tonfas and slashing hard on a pair of vampires before running over to help the Pink Ranger. "You alright?"

"I'll be fine," Kendrix replied with a groan, struggling to get up. "Just let me rip that thing--"

"Major, get your team out of there!" Mitchell's voice screamed over the coms.

"Captain, we can handle it..."

"Morgan, get your team out of there, now, that's an order!"

Kendrix snarled as she glared at Dara, then nodded to Kelsey, running for the humvee as they signaled to Joel to fall back. "Just for now," she whispered. "This isn't the end of this."

The armored vehicle tore off as Kelsey took the wheel and kicked down the accelerator, Dara smiling as she watched the three Rangers retreat. "Cease for now," she ordered, her vampires regrouping to listen to her orders. "We'll attack later, this is just a warm up."

"We should press the attack," Lurekan stated. "Slaughter these humans while we have the chance!"

"You will do as I say, and I say we hold off for now!" Dara snapped coldly. "We have time before this world must be decimated, let's enjoy making them suffer like this.

The demon sighed and bowed. "As you command, my Lady."

Kendrix winced as Doctor Fairweather finished wrapping her side in padding and bandages, rubbing the bruises on her arm. "I don't know what got into me..."

"For a second, it looked like your armor started to change to another design," Angela remarked. "Might have been some kind of power surge or something. You should be alright when those regenerators finish their job. Until then, rest."

Kendrix smiled weakly and nodded, pulling her shirt on over the wrappings and grabbing her jacket from the chair it had been thrown on. "Thanks." She sighed and slipped the jacket on as she left sick-bay, walking down the hall to see Mitchell talking with Kelsey and Joel. "More training to do?"

"Simulator work for the Runners," Mitchell replied. "They need to get trained on them, and you need to as well. I'm hoping this fall back the demons have pulled will give us time to get you checked out on Medi-Two."

"Captain, I think a bigger concern is getting a Red Ranger," the major stated. "Without a Red Ranger, we don't have a pilot for Pyro-One, plus we do still need a Blue Ranger, for Aqua-Five. Without those two Runners, we don't have a gestalt."

Mitchell sighed. He had been putting this off, but he couldn't anymore. "I know...you were right, Kendrix."

"Sir?"

The man smiled and patted Morgan on the shoulder. "That's not important. You three get some rest, you start the simulators in two hours. I'll be back to the base soon, I've got something I need to take care of."

"Uh, where are you going, Cap?" Joel asked as Mitchell walked off.

"To visit some family."

Diabolico paced back and forth before Lurekan and Dara, his eyes constantly locked at his daughter. "You fell back when the advantage and battlefield was yours. Why?"

"Father, I felt it best to make sure that our victory would be secure. They retreated to their base, and it's under the waters, a place demons cannot go."

"The girl has a point," Jinxer remarked from his place in the doorway. "We demons cannot be touched by water, or we are burned, just like vampires. Even if she is half-human, the Lady Dara would be extremely weakened to go in the waters of the bay."

Diabolico nodded as he looked to Lurekan. "Very well, explanation accepted."

"My lord," Vypra snapped. "She failed in her task, all three of the Rangers escaped alive!"

"Hold your tongue!" the golden demon bellowed as he spun and glared at the demoness. "While my daughter did not succeed in killing them, their leader, the Pink Ranger, has been injured badly, and that Ranger is the one we need focus on! I take it you saw what happened when she began to push her abilities."

"Another armor appeared briefly over her own," Loki replied. "None that I recognize though."

"It's one that I do," Diabolico stated, turning to Vypra. "It is the armor of the Ranger of Heart, meaning that woman once held the powers forged by Alahyde! If Dara had pressed the attack, it's very possible that those powers would have re-manifested themselves completely, and the mission would have been a total disaster! Now do you understand why Dara falling back was a smart thing, Vypra?!"

The demoness said nothing, then nodded slowly. "I apologize, Lord Diabolico, for my comments."

"Good. You will join my daughter on the next attack. With your combine might, along with the vampires, you should be able to defeat the Rangers and kill them. They are only three, so as long as the Pink Ranger is taken out first, the other two will easily fall."

Ryan Mitchell sighed as walked out the front doors of the orphanage, his friend walking alongside him. "I have to feel sorry for those new kids. What happened anyway?"

"Attack," Danny replied, sighing. "Parents got caught in that demon attack, and there was nothing the medics could do."

Ryan sighed again, then looked down as his beeper went off, the man swearing softly. "Speaking of which, guess what that probably means?"

Danny shook his head and patted Ryan on the shoulder. "Best get going. I'd help if I could, but..."

"I know," Ryan remarked. "We'd both be better off if that had never happened."

"Not your fault, or anybody's."

Shaking his head, Ryan smirked slightly. "Actually, it was my father's fault. I best get going."

Danny sighed and nodded as Ryan ran to his car. "Good luck on this one."

It was twenty minutes before Ryan arrived at the station, but almost as soon as he was there, the alarms went off, Mitchell suiting up and getting on the large truck as it drove off, hoping that this time, he wouldn't see so many dead bodies.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the scene, an apartment building burning furiously. The word was that some idiot had been messing with matches and started the blaze, but Ryan knew that it was just a cover. No simple match fire could be this bad.

"Get it moving!" he shouted as he jumped down to the ground. "Hoses up, start spraying now!"

"Sir, there's someone on the fifth floor still!"

Ryan turned at looked upwards. Sure enough, there was a boy screaming out for help from a window. "Damnit! Get the ladder out, I'm going up there!"

"Ryan, it's burning up like nuts, you'll never make it!"

"I'm not letting that kid burn to death up there, do it!"

As the ladder on the fire truck was extended, Ryan quickly ran up it, entering the building, then kicking down the door of the room he had entered through and ran through the flames, opening the door of the room where the boy was. "Come on, I'm getting you out of here!"

The boy ran to Ryan, Mitchell holding him tight as he ran out of the room, then saw that the blaze was even worse than before. "Ah, damnit! This is definitely no match fire!" he exclaimed, racing back into the room. There was no way to get back to the ladder, and the hall way was burning to a cinder. Ryan looked around, then locked his glance on the window, looking at the boy in his arms, then pulling his radio out. "Guys, I can't get back to the ladder, get a net down by the third window from where I went in, I'm coming out!"

"Moving now!"

Ryan put his radio back, then turned to see the fire approaching, the boy starting to scream in fear. "Hang on kid, this is gonn'a be a rough ride!" Mitchell stated, racing at the window and smashing through it as he jumped at it shoulder first. He held tight to the child as he saw the safety net below, yelling as they hit. "Ah, crap!"

"You are completely insane, you know that?!"

Ryan smiled as he was helped off the net, one of the paramedics on hand taking care of the boy. "Yeah, it comes in handy," he remarked, then looked back at the building. "That's no match fire in there, blaze like that had to be arson or something."

"My money's on demon attack," one of the other firemen remarked dryly. "Building's lost, there's no way we can get this out to do any real good. Best bet is to contain it till it dies."

Ryan swore as he pulled his helmet and mask off, throwing them down to the ground. "Damnit! That's the second time we've been able to do almost nothing!"

"Hey, don't look now, but..."

Ryan turned to see a black limo pull up, a man in full dress uniform getting out from the rear left side and walking towards the group of fire fighters. Ryan knew the face all too well, turning away as the man approached them. "I've got nothing to say to you."

"Ryan, look, I know we haven't been on good terms, but--"

"Haven't been on good terms?" Mitchell snapped as he spun around, his companions knowing it was best to leave him and the older man alone. "I have not said a word to you in two months, and for a damn good reason, Captain!"

"Son..."

"Don't call me that! I am not your son, not anymore!"

William Mitchell frowned. He had figured his son would be rather upset to see him, but not this bad. "Look, I know you blame me for what happened two months ago. Daniel's leg was injured and--"

"It was your order that caused it!" Ryan spat angrily. "If it hadn't been for your orders, none of it would have happened, and you damn well know it!"

"Look, would you put aside the past and listen to me!" Mitchell yelled, finally getting Ryan to quiet down. "This fire you are handling right now was labelled a 'match fire', but you and I both know that it wasn't such. This was caused by the demons, but the higher ups don't want to cause a massive panic right now, not after what happened last time."

"Carter's dead, isn't he?" Ryan asked coldly. "He was Lightspeed Red when that first attack happened, and he's dead know, I know it was him!"

Mitchell sighed and nodded. "He was killed, yes...protecting Kendrix. Ryan, I have something I need to discuss with you, in the limo..please."

Ryan frowned, nearly refusing, then nodded. "Alright, it better be good."

The captain nodded as the both entered the back seat of the limo, Mitchell sighing as he started. "You already know that Carter was killed in that first action...something not so well known is that Kendrix was the only survivor of the original team. Before you ask what she was doing out there, Ila is missing, we suspect the demons have something to do with it. Kendrix has the most experience with the powers, so she volunteered to take Ila's place."

"You're only fighting with one Ranger?!"

"We have new Rangers for Green and Yellow, but they aren't up to speed," Mitchell continued. "Look, I know we rarely see eye to eye, especially after what happened, but I need you for this mission."

"Need me for a mission," Ryan repeated mockingly. "I'll tell you about being needed for a mission. I was supposed to be on Terra Venture, I was being trained for space conditions when you pulled in some favors and had me reassigned to Lightspeed! For two years, I put up with it, the failed experiments, the tests for battle machines. Hell, I was even one of your guinea pigs when Major Morgan came back from Terra Venture and helped you make your breakthrough with powers. After what happened, you had me taken off the roster, so I left the military and joined the fire department. Now you want me back again?!"

"Ryan, this isn't for me!" Mitchell replied. "This is for the people on that team! The new Rangers aren't soldiers, they don't have the experience you do, we don't even have a full team again! You are the only person with enough experience with the Red powers to take them up!"

Ryan frowned as he shook his head. "You have some goddamn nerve! While you've been playing Power Ranger, people have been dying! When is that going to get through to you?!"

"It got through to me when Angel Grove happened!" Captain Mitchell snapped back, the man calming himself down from the outburst. "Look, Lightspeed isn't for some government goose project, it's to not only stop these demons but save people."

"They didn't save that kid," Ryan spat harshly as he glared at his father. "Did they?"

Mitchell sighed, knowing what Ryan was referring to "No," he whispered. "We didn't."

"Well then, let me tell you something. While you've been experimenting and having your fun in that aqua base of yours, I've been busting my ass for the past two months, saving lives. Your Rangers, on the other hand, haven't done much good. Your first team is dead except for Kendrix, and those people who died were some of my friends!"

"Son, I know, but the city and the project need you."

"Don't call me your son!" Ryan yelled in anger. "You got Carter killed, along with Julie, Garret, and Chao. Your crusade nearly cost Kendrix her life, now you have two new suckers to die for you, and you wann'a drag me back into it! I saw what your 'mission' is about, and I say to shove it up your ass!"

"Ryan, listen!"

The man snorted and flung open the limo door, getting out, then turning back to glare at his father. "I have nothing else to say to you, Captain Mitchell. Good night!"

As he slammed the door shut, Ryan stormed off to rejoin his fellow firemen, his father watching in despair, knowing that as his son once again walked away from his life, the one chance Lightspeed had walked away as well.