Blue stood still, his chest heaving as the heat of the jungle pressed down on him, suffocating and relentless. Sweat clung to his skin beneath the suit, every breath feeling like it dragged through wet fabric. His suit's systems whined, warning indicators flashing faintly across his HUD. The Overcharge had pushed everything to the brink, and now, his systems struggled to keep pace. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him, each movement a painful reminder that his options were wearing thin. And they were still out there—hunting him.
His mind raced, grasping at a plan. He needed higher ground—somewhere to get a vantage point, to see them before they saw him. Instinct told him that was his best move. He just needed one good position, one spot to survey the battlefield and regain control.
"Nova," Blue rasped, struggling to keep his voice steady. "Get Kassens on the line."
"Already done," Nova replied, her voice crisp, though he could sense the tension simmering beneath the surface. There was a faint crackle of static before General Kassens' voice cut through, sharp and immediate.
"Blue, I need a status update."
Blue exhaled, steadying himself as he prepared to report. His eyes darted toward the treetops again—he needed to move soon. "Four Rangers engaged," he began, his voice calm despite the pounding of his heart. "They've deployed Grid abilities. Sync rates confirmed above 50%. Black's Overcharge ability is spent."
He paused for a second, running through the details in his head before continuing. "Pink has two decoy charges left—four total if Red's grid boundary is in effect. Red's deployed two boundaries, so she's got three remaining. Yellow's camouflage was disrupted during the fight, but it'll be back online soon—minutes at most."
His gaze flicked around, scanning the dense foliage as he continued. "Their suits are damaged, but they're still in fighting condition. They're nowhere near out of this. They've still got plenty of gear left." Blue clenched his fist, his frustration bubbling up. "I've burned through most of mine."
Kassens was silent for a moment, and Blue could hear the faint murmurs of operations officers in the background relaying orders. "Tactical teams are moving into position… armor units standing by… aerial sweep ready for engagement…"
Blue forced himself to focus, to keep his mind from straying to the exhaustion gnawing at his limbs. He couldn't afford to slow down. Not now.
"I'm moving toward higher ground," Blue said finally, his tone urgent. "I can get a better visual from up there. I need to see them coming if we're going to make this work."
The silence on the other end was broken by the sharpness of Kassens' response. "Negative, Blue. You're not going to higher ground."
Blue stiffened, caught off guard by the force of Kassens' words. "Sir, if I can get a better vantage point—"
"I said no," Kassens snapped, cutting him off mid-sentence. "You're not here to get a better view. You're here to secure the situation. We don't need confirmation anymore."
Blue's jaw tightened, his frustration rising. Higher ground was the key—he could control the fight if he could just see them first. But Kassens' voice was unwavering, and he wasn't leaving room for debate.
"Rapid response teams are in a clearing, five clicks due south of your position," Kassens continued, his tone cold and direct. "My teams are forwarding the exact coordinates to Nova now. Automated armor platforms and infantry are already setting up in the treeline, with aerial response units ready to sweep in if things escalate. You're heading there to help secure the Rangers. We're bringing them in for interrogation."
Blue blinked, the mission's shift hitting him like a gut punch. "Bringing them in?"
"That's right," Kassens replied, his voice sharp and unyielding. "We're pacifying the Rangers and securing their morphers. Once we cut off their escape, they'll either power down voluntarily, or we'll bring them in by force. Either way, we get those morphers, and once we have them, we'll get the answers in debriefing. This isn't about figuring out if they're real, Blue—it's about neutralizing the threat."
The directive landed on Blue like a sledgehammer. The mission had shifted, and there was no time left for caution or second-guessing. This was about action, pure and simple. The weight of it pressed heavily on his chest.
"Sir, a full encirclement might push them into a fight," Blue warned, his voice tight with urgency. "If we box them in, they won't have a choice but to escalate. Their firmware is over ten years old—they won't be able to verify orders, check friend-or-foe tags, or reach any kind of backup. They'll have no connection to the systems we rely on. It'll be direct communication only."
Nova quickly added, her voice crisp and analytical. "That makes them unpredictable, General. Red's instinct will be to protect her team at all costs. Without access to updated protocols or FOF checks, she won't trust us. She'll see any move as a threat."
Blue's pulse quickened, knowing full well what that meant. Red was the type to shield her team, even against overwhelming odds. "They're Rangers, sir. If they think they're being cornered, they'll fight back—hard."
There was a brief silence on Kassens' end, and Blue could hear him exhale sharply. "I hear you, Blue, but we don't have the luxury of playing it safe. We've got to act before they regroup or adapt to the situation. You know what they're capable of. We can't let them slip away. We're taking them down."
Blue gritted his teeth. "Understood, sir."
"Good. Now haul ass, Blue," Kassens barked, his tone sharp and unforgiving. "Five clicks due south. Coordinates are already with Nova. Meet up with the response teams and lock this down. We'll cut off their escape, and once we do, they'll either power down or we bring them in by force. You know the drill."
"Sir, a full encirclement might push them into a fight," Blue warned, his voice tight with urgency. "If we box them in, they won't have a choice but to escalate. Their firmware is over ten years old—they won't be able to verify orders, check friend-or-foe tags, or reach any kind of backup. They'll have no connection to the systems we rely on. It'll be direct communication only."
Nova quickly added, her voice crisp and analytical. "That makes them unpredictable, General. Red's instinct will be to protect her team at all costs. Without access to updated protocols or FOF checks, she won't trust us. She'll see any move as a threat."
Blue's pulse quickened, knowing full well what that meant. Red was the type to shield her team, even against overwhelming odds. "They're Rangers, sir. If they think they're being cornered, they'll fight back—hard."
There was a brief silence on Kassens' end, and Blue could hear him exhale sharply. "I hear you, Blue, but we don't have the luxury of playing it safe. "This isn't just about containing a small group—if these Rangers get the chance to mobilize, we're looking at a planetary threat. If they power up a Zord, or worse, form a Megazord, the entire region could be decimated. We can't risk them escaping, or they'll destabilize everything. The threat has to be pacified now, before they get the chance to regroup. You've got five clicks to get in position. Lock this down before it spirals."
Blue gritted his teeth. "Understood, sir."
"Good. Now haul ass, Blue," Kassens barked, his tone sharp and unforgiving. "Five clicks due south. Coordinates are already with Nova. Meet up with the response teams and lock this down. We'll cut off their escape, and once we do, they'll either power down or we bring them in by force. You know the drill."
Blue's stomach knotted. Forcing Red into a corner, knowing she'd defend her team to the bitter end, didn't sit right with him. His instincts screamed that this was about to escalate, that a lot of people weren't going to make it home today. And tomorrow, a lot of families were going to demand answers.
"Roger that," Blue forced out, his voice tight as the weight of the situation pressed down on him. His muscles tensed, bracing for what he knew was coming.
"We'll secure the morphers and deal with the rest afterward. Now move it!" Kassens snapped, his voice a cold reminder of the stakes.
Blue nodded, though Kassens couldn't see him. His mind raced, his body already aching from the strain, but there was no room for doubt. The jungle ahead felt thick, almost oppressive, and with five clicks standing between him and his former team, Blue knew what he was walking into. No FOF checks, no backup—just raw instinct and survival. Red wouldn't back down, and if they forced her into a corner, this would turn into a fight neither side could avoid.
Nova's voice broke the heavy silence, her tone soft yet urgent. "Blue, escalation is inevitable. Red will protect them. She won't back down."
"I know," Blue muttered, his jaw tightening as he pushed forward. "I know."
Every step felt heavier, exhaustion settling deep in his bones. His suit groaned in protest, and each footfall seemed slower than the last, but he couldn't stop. The Rangers were out there, and soon, he'd face them down in the clearing.
With a deep breath, Blue steeled himself for the inevitable.
It was going to get ugly, and fast.