"GREEN!" Yellow screamed "DID ANYONE CATCH THAT?"
"Negative, I'll Check on Green, yellow watch law enforcement and ensure they're safe." Blue responded. He begun to inspect Green looking at the spot of impact and trying to judge where the angle of attack came from.
With so much going on I pretty much forgot I was here. Everything was so fast paced that I forgot my life was in real danger in this situation.
Cliff spoke "What is going on? Could anyone even follow any of that at all?"
"Looks like they took out the big one, but there is another one in here the Green one screamed out 'Enemy' so it could only mean that it may be something we can't see." Spider said.
Can't see? I wouldn't be entirely sure about that.
Trigger began to voice his opinions. "How long are they going to keep us in here? Maybe we could be some use." He turned to look around himself, "Maybe we could try form a defensive position where all sides is being watched?" Trigger was a slightly shorter man, he was actually older than I was, however despite that was never really upset that I rank above him, that's also mainly because whenever he gave out some advice I would listen. Our team had some heated moments, but they were all trustworthy people.
Jen started correcting him "That wouldn't work as from what sarge said, conventional weaponry doesn't work on these guys, and given it was able to fling the Green one I have a feeling we may just die if it attacks us."
"You guys couldn't see it?" I asked. Without a doubt, there was something there it was hard to see but it was unmissable.
Everyone turned to look at me, The Rangers included. Blue immediately began to start talking "Can you actually see this thing? Why didn't you say anything earlier, Green was just taken out by-"
"Wait a moment Blue" Red said calmly. "You can't exactly control it can you?"
"I think I've only managed to activate it 3 times in my entire life." I responded
"Well today I'm going to need you to use it again"
"I think I'm out of the loop, what are you two talking about-"
Just as Cliff finished saying his sentence again the shadow appeared briefly on a building.
"UP THERE ON THE BUILDING, IT'S ON TOP OF THE BUILDING" I start screaming.
Without hesitation the remaining 3 Rangers begin to light up the top of the building.
"Did we get it?" Yellow asked cocking her head to the side. She put her shotgun blaster over her shoulder, giving way to a more relaxed pose.
"I'm not entirely sure. I could only see a vague figure of it" I responded.
"Red, are you sure we should even be listening to a civilian of all things?" Blue questioned, looking at me; no, analysing me. The doubt on his face visible even through his helmet.
"I'd take his opinion seriously considering he has a C.O.D.E factor so what he is seeing is likely better than what we're seeing. " Red said leading to a deafening silence. The members of my squad all turned to look at me, most was surprised or even doubtful - but Red spoke in an assured manner. "Well, I would have assumed they would have known. This is life and death though, so I'm going to need you to work with me."
It was a wound that cut deep. It was a reminder of my failure to join the Ranger Program. The reason why I was even in the police force in the first place is due to my failures and yet.
"Besides blue, he's not exactly a civilian, he's law enforcement they have a duty to protect this city too."
Yet I felt more ready than I have ever felt in my life.
"I can't teach you anything right now but you're going to have to feel out pathways of something unfamiliar to you, and channel that energy through your body. Think of yourself as a conductor for electricity."
I tried concentrating hard but I felt absolutely nothing. I opened my eyes just to see everyone still staring at me and I shake my head in disappointment. But before I can vocalise anything I see the vague shadowy blur again.
"BEHIND YOU! BEHIND!" I screamed, however I was too late as yellow manages to get a shot off not before getting hit in the side sent flying into the buildings from the opposite side of Green, who still hasn't recovered at all. The building she was sent into also began to collapse on her the rubble and dust spreading everywhere even bouncing of the smaller barrier we was trapped in.
"Is she dead?" Jen asked horrified.
"She's survived worse, but this isn't ideal at all." Red responded.
"Red! This isn't working! We need a better plan than relying on this guy! It's just me and you! Whatever this thing is, it is taking us out in a singular hit, Green hasn't even made a single sound, and this is likely the thing that got pink as well. I know yellow is tougher than most of us but there is some sort of strange property with this villain, you felt that too when it came close right?" Blue was just throwing out point after point and Red's leadership was being thrown into question. So I stepped up.
"But I still saw it."
"What good will that do us-"
"BUT I SAW IT STILL!" I found myself yelling, maybe it was the stressful high intensity situation, maybe I just felt tired of feeling so useless, but if I can help I wasn't going to let this moment pass by, not for a moment. "Just before it attacked I saw it, I'm not sure how exactly to activate my ability, but I'm sure I'd be able to see it."
"And you're going to gamble all of our lives on a risk like that?"
"I'm willing"
Now this is unexpected but Jen actually spoke up. the remaining police force also voiced their opinion.
"I'm not entirely sure where her confidence comes from, but so far his callouts has been pretty accurate." A Young recruit dubbed "Rookie" contributed.
Spider and Cliff also seemed to nod in agreement, leaving only Trigger the one who hasn't given his take on the matter.
Blue just stared at the ground for a moment, then turned to look at me, "We only get 2 more chances, once it takes me and red out, we're done for."
"Yes sir!" I responded "Now somebody please teach me how to do this."
"Red's analogy of a conductor isn't entirely wrong but you're going to think more specific than that. You'll feel a burning sensation, not painful but warm, you'll have to try and direct that to your eyes, which is where I presume your factor lies." He shifted into a battle ready position and Red followed suit. "Tell us when to fire and we'll shoot exactly where you tell us to."
I concentrated again, closing my eyes I can't see what's happening but I need to make this work.
"You're glowing" Spider said. I immediately opened my eyes and the glowing faded. Everyone looked disappointment at Spider. "Shit."
I have a quick look at my surroundings and I saw the villain, plain as day, in a weird running position as if it was getting ready to take off.
"TO YOUR LEFT, " Without hesitation Red and Blue fire in that direction, the villain evaded it then slowly was fading out into the shadowy mass. "Keep firing going further left! It's trying to escape!" They kept on firing one or two shots connecting and slowing the villain down significantly. "Hey looks like you go-" Before I can finish my sentence, I blacked out.
---
"Kyle!, KYLE! PLEASE KYLE!"
I stood up immediately, Jen was holding me in her arms and the barrier was gone. I had to understand what happened here.
"How long- "
"58 seconds, you was only out for 58 seconds, nobody could see the villain anymore after you Red said something like 'he knew it was a risk and it was his fault'. The villain tried to launch at you, the barrier absorbed the first blow"
"First blow?"
"Then it tried to attack again, but this time blue used his speed to take the hit for you as he managed to guess the trajectory of the attack."
Sure enough as I sit up, Blue is lying not even 10 feet away from me. Red stands alone aiming at all angles.
"You're up? I'm not feeling entirely confident in my plan now I'll be real with you. But if you're able-"
"I'll make myself able"- I grunted, my head hurt slightly but it was already fading. "I'm going to concentrate again!"
"Good, focus on just trying to be a conductor, picture yourself as a battery if you have to; some people find that imagery helpful."
I hadn't noticed it before but Rookie, Jen, Spider, Trigger and Cliff formed a defensive circle around me as I closed my eyes and concentrated. I began seeing faint little lights around me, and one really strong red light coming from the direction of where red is standing. I concentrated more, my reach had to extend to where the villain currently is, it won't do much good to try and detect it at the last moment, like I was doing before. I was getting lost in this new world, it felt somewhat familiar and warm, Then, I felt something foreign, I opened my eyes and turned to look. And the villain was there, poised in his running position. It must've noticed that I saw it because it immediately begun to launch. "STRAIGHT AHEAD RED" Red Fired his blaster dead at the villain but the momentum carried it to slam into red. But unlike everyone else red didn't get sent flying but instead managed to fire another shot. The villain jumped away to hide behind buildings and I lost him again. I broke past the formation to run to him. "RED!"
"I don't know what kind of trick the villain is using, I feel incredibly exhausted as if I used up all my energy. Just stopping him in that moment took everything I had. It seems like there is still much more to learn about villains than-" He fell to his knees but I managed to catch him. " I didn't manage to land the finishing blow, he should be much slower now however I'm sorry I couldn't give you another chance."
"You've given me the best chance I could hope for! Hey! Stay awake!"
"Not exactly what I meant. Take this-" He presented an odd looking watch, "this should enable you to use the blaster to finish the job. I would've shown you how to do it but I have a feeling you already know." He began to glow and de-transform out of his suit just leaving him in casual clothes.
"Damn I didn't know The Red Ranger was a brother." Spider said in complete shock.
He's shown his face before you just got to look at the super special inside episodes of 'Get to Know the Rangers' and it's also on the Ranger wiki. But now is not the time to bicker with my team. I put on the watch, and will full confidence assume a wide stance.
If I remember from the special episodes they actually demonstrated how they transform, it's not biometrically locked but instead locked behind a specific set of hand motions that nobody will simply be able to remember by simply seeing it once. However I've woken up each morning, day after day repeating this exact hand formation dreaming of being the Red ranger.
I naturally started doing the hand movements.
"RED POWER!" I yelled as I twisted the dial on the watch.
Soon enough my body was enveloped in a bright red light and the suit managed to form around me.
I grab the blaster from red and felt the suit strengthen me, able to move in ways I don't think I would be normally able to move in. I move with speed, I begin to track down where I last saw the villain move to but it wasn't there. I head back to where my force was.
"Kyle?" Jen asked, looking concerned.
"I'm going to need to concentrate for a moment if I want to pin this thing for good, it was so injured I doubt it can come at full speed. Red likely knew this and trusted me with this." I put my hand on her shoulder. "I'll do my very best in order to finish off this villain I'm just unsure if I will be able to pinpoint it."
Trigger broke his silence from before "Then we'll give you one last chance. I'll act as a body shield for you, if it gets me first it should give you time to finish it off."
It was unexpected to be honest, I would need the help again as if it was to notice me, but that would be putting Trigger at risk.
"I don't think I can let-"
"You think you're invincible just because you got that suit on? Look around you, the Rangers was defeated! As your elder let me do this for you just this once."
I was stunned into silence, that was the first time Trigger used his age over me. "Fine, but I intend to get the villain before it comes to that."
"Show me what you got Kyle Road."
He walked to be in front of me, not too close to where I can't aim the blaster, but close enough where he was acting as a shield. He was really serious about this. I started turning and he turned with me, ensuring he was the first to get hit. I began concentrating, feeling that warm sensation again and seeing just 5 distinct lights, a fading red light, and into the distance, that foreign feeling again. I try to analyse it further and it was an almost violet light. I open my eyes, I tap Trigger and subtly point to where I'm about to turn. He immediately positions himself and I look dead at the villain. It noticed immediately that I was staring at it as it launched before I was ready to fire. I managed to get a shot off before the villain made impact however it's momentum carried it into Trigger. With the force of two people neither of us was even pushed, however the villain was still alive.
"KYLE!"
Point blank I blast the villain in the head.
"Now that's disgusting." Trigger said. It seems that everyone can see it now. Just to ensure that the Villain cannot get back up I start blasting more shots into it.
"Think you can beat the rangers?" I blasted
"Think you're better than the red ranger?" and again.
"Think you're better than humanity?" and again.
I felt completely drained, but I still had enough energy to kick the villain one more time before losing all my muscle power. I hit the floor like a brick, and the last thing I heard was Jen saying "You've done enough now". Everything faded and once again I blacked out.