The Storybook Dimension

See disclaimer.

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The Weakest Color

Chapter 4: Through Another’s Eyes (Divide and Conquer pt. 2)

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The scientists screamed and fled in all directions as the monster tore through the barricade. Ignoring them, he used his claws to rip through yet another door, and stalked onwards. He cared nothing for their fates, or whether they lived or died.

Snatching a fleeing human as she passed, he looked into her tearful eyes, her pleas falling on deaf ears. She struggled and cried, unable to escape his powerful grasp. He spared her a single glance, and cast her aside. She didn’t have what he was searching for.

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The Polaris Optics factory was a massive, metallic structure at the very edge of Newtech city. The sprawling complex produced the glass lenses that were essential components of so many modern machines, and was usually a bustling hive of workers, scientists and supervisors, all devoted to producing the innovative products that had made Polaris an leading inter-galactic corporation.

Today, however, the buildings were echoingly empty, the employees no where in sight. Jack hoped that they were alright, and had either escaped, or hidden themselves away in the recesses of the compound. A clean-up team would be sent later to search for survivors. His job was simply to secure the area; however, SPD was rarely so late in responding to an attack.

They had arrived hoping to catch the aliens outside, before they had a chance to enter the complex. However, as Jack surveyed the entrance, the only signs of an attack were the broken glass scattered across the ground, and the loud blaring of an alarm. These criminals were faster and more efficient than usual, and he and Bridge would have to work quickly to catch up to them.

That wasn’t a problem. After all, they were Power Rangers. Stepping through the broken panes of the door, Jack cautiously entered the front lobby, Bridge trailing behind him. Once inside, the Green Ranger removed his glove and made a sweeping motion with his hand.

The auras of the krybots materialized immediately, but that of their leader proved to be more elusive. Bridge just couldn’t seem to get a lock on him; his aura kept appearing and disappearing, fading in and out of existence. ‘Two personalities?’ Bridge hypothesized. ‘One evil and one good? Or maybe he cans teleport.’

Gruumm seemed to be able to teleport his minions between the Earth and his spaceship, but Bridge had never heard of a machine which would allow someone to teleport themselves over short distances. The process simply required too much mechanical assistance to be feasible. ‘It could be a genetic power. Or maybe…’

Bridge suddenly remembered that Jack was impatiently waiting for him to say something, an exasperated look on his face. The red ranger obviously wanted to finish this as soon as possible. Bridge shrugged. He would oblige him, and ponder the details some other time.

“They went that way,” he said, pointing down a dark hallway. Jack nodded, activating his flashlight, and together they ran down the passageway, keeping a lookout for any sign of Gruumm’s soldiers.

–

Reaching out with his senses, Bridge finally found the monster, somewhere in the lower levels of the complex. He brushed against its mind, hoping for some piece of information that would aid the Rangers in the upcoming battle. And, for a single precarious moment, he found himself looking through another’s eyes.

A clawed hand lifted the precious lens out of its case, acting with surprising gentleness. The monster lifted it up to light and examined it, allowing the sunlight from the skylights to glint through the lens, diffracting a rainbow pattern onto the walls around him.

Locks were no obstacle to one such as him. He had been created for a single purpose, to steal a tiny, fragile piece of equipment which was valued by his mistress more than a thousand lives.

Bridge tried to remain longer, to seek more answers, but the criminal’s thoughts and perceptions were like quicksilver, and he could no longer maintain the contact. Abruptly coming back to himself, he had to run to catch up to Jack, having fallen behind during his mental sojourn.

“Wait!” Bridge said, “This way!”

Jack changed direction without question and they hurried down the narrow stairwell.

–

Finally arriving at the storage room, Jack and Bridge burst through the door, only to find the monster waiting for them, holding their prize in-between his sharp claws. “Is this what you want, Rangers?”

Jack took a cautious step forwards. “Just put the lens down, and we won’t have to hurt you.”

The criminal laughed cruelly. “I am Invisor, and it is you who should be worried about getting hurt!” He threw a metallic sphere into the air, and the area between him and the rangers was immediately filled with krybots.

Jack rolled his eyes. These aliens never seemed to learn.

Dispatching the first wave of krybots with a quick volley of laser fire, the two rangers engaged the rest hand-to-hand. Working together, they managed to defeat the krybots in record time, and turned to face the would-be thief.

–

Now alone, Invisor growled and lunged at the two rangers. Dodging out of the way, Jack and Bridge rolled into defensive positions, holding their guns as shields. Quickly taking aim, they fired their guns but even as the blasts approached their target, the monster disappeared.

“Okay,” Jack said, looking around warily. “Where’d he go…”

“I can’t sense him!” Bridge replied, a note of fear in his voice. “No, wait! Jack, behind you!” The red ranger spun around, but not fast enough. The monster silently materialized just within striking distance and attacked, sending Jack flying into the air.

Jumping in front of his fallen teammate, Bridge sent several shots at Invisor, in the vain hope that one would actually hit. His opponent simply laughed, and disappeared once more.

Bridge stood with his gun ready, a look of intense concentration on his face. Using his empathic powers, he reached out with his senses, searching for even the slightest trace of evil. “Got you!” he said, shooting the exact instant the monster reappeared. Sparks flew off Invisor’s damaged armor, and the thief staggered backwards, clutching his shoulder.

“You will pay for that, ranger!” He hissed, crossing his arms in front of its body. There was a horrific series of snapping noises, and the alien screamed in pain as his body morphed into a new form, a shape even more terrifying than the last. “Wow!” Bridge said, eying the bony spikes now covering his opponent’s body. “And I thought you were ugly before!”

The thief growled something incomprehensible in reply, and lunged at Bridge. The green ranger brought his sword up into a defensive position, only to be swatted aside like an insect. Flying into the wall, he collided with the shelves and lay on the ground, momentarily stunned.

“Bridge!” Jack shouted in warning, and Bridge instinctively rolled to the side, even as the shelves fell in a rain of glass and equipment. Bridge glanced at the place where he had just lay, which was now smoking and covered with some kind of corrosive green chemical.

The monster laughed manically. “This is the end, Power Rangers!”

“I don’t think so!” Jack replied boldly, moving to challenge the monster. He spared a concerned glance for his teammate. “Are you alright?”

“I think so.” Bridge replied, getting to his feet and limping across the room to stand next to the Red Ranger. Jack nodded. “Then let’s get this guy!”

–

The Rangers attacked with their swords, mirroring each others’ movements. For a moment, they seemed to be gaining the upper hand, as Invisor was forced to retreat, defending against their strikes with his claws.

Ducking away at the last second, the criminal moved so quickly that the rangers momentarily overbalanced, propelled by the momentum of their attack. They spun to face Invisor, but he had already disappeared.

Jack sighed inwardly. ‘If only we had a way to see him!’ Examining his surroundings , his eyes lit on the fallen shelves and the chemicals spilled across the floor. ‘That’s it!’ He realized, in a sudden flash of insight. “Bridge! Keep him busy for a moment. I have a plan!”

“Right!” Bridge said, and waited for Invisor to reappear. Sensing the thief was easier this time, so he was ready when it reappeared beside them. The green ranger attacked with his sword, hoping to engage the monster in close combat, and thus distract him from Jack.

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Knowing that he had little time, the red ranger sprinted towards one of the walls, and grabbed a jar of green sludge. ‘Let’s see him become invisible with this on his armor.’

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Out of the corner of his eye, Bridge saw Jack grab the jar, and immediately realized his teammate’s intent. ‘I’ve got to keep Invisor from disappearing!’ He thought, renewing his attack with the sword. Blocking the strike with an armored arm, the monster grabbed the blade and twisted, forcing Bridge to drop the weapon. Bridge backed up a step.

‘I can’t use my gun at this range.’ He thought quickly. ‘But Jack needs more time!’ Seeing no other choice, he attacked the monster hand to hand, but the instant his hand impacted the creatures armor, Bridge was stricken with a new, terrifyingly vivid vision.

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To Be Continued

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