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we’re still here || ranger para

TAGGING→ Bianca, @syriafraye, @pieceofreeses, @griffinsayoc, & @rangeredup

WHEN→ Wednesday, March 8th, 2017

WHERE→ Command Center // Shadow Island

GENERAL NOTES→ With the help of Syria, Bianca and Reese face off with Griffin on Shadow Island and successfully save him and long-time prisoner Dr. Oliver. (title inspiration)

Before becoming a Power Ranger, life had been so black and white for Bianca. She had never once been lost in her ambitions, which was one of the many reasons she was such a determined individual. Understanding who she was as a person and who she could trust grounded her. But the morning she woke up in an abandoned cabin on Shadow Island had changed that. Honestly, it was becoming a ‘one thing after another’ situation where she was constantly running into problems and after Reese had told her about Syria’s suspicious involvement in the entire Rangers versus Devone and his army situation, she had come to the conclusion that she genuinely couldn’t trust anyone. Not even her teammates. Just as she had learned to not believe what anyone says, she had learned that desperate times call for desperate measures. She’d rather not be working with Syria, not until she could further understand why her roommate was in this mess in the first place but they needed to save Griffin and Dr. Oliver. It’d been over a month since he was kidnapped by Devone and now he was serving as an evil Power Ranger. She was afraid that they were already too late, but Bianca liked a challenge and wasn’t going to lose hope. “Are you guys ready? We’ve been sitting on this for way too long,” Bianca complained to Syria and Reese, her nerves getting the best of her. She wracked her fingers through her long dark hair and paced the floor of the Command Center. “How does teleporting even work? Is there a machine we need to get into or do we just… hold hands?” she asked the other brunette in the room, a judgemental tone creeping in her voice. She puffed up her cheeks and blew out a long air. Pull yourself together, B. You’re a Power Ranger and Power Rangers don’t get to be immature or have bad days. You guys are here for the same reason: to save your friend. Clenching her teeth to avoid another negative, impatient comment, she flashed a gentle smile at Reese and Syria and shook her head. “Sorry, I’m a little bit nervous so you’ll have to excuse my attitude. But seriously, it is time to go,” she added in a friendlier tone. They had trained extensively for this moment ever since they got their butts kicked by Griffin the week prior and for the first time since joining the team she felt prepared. She didn’t need to trust anyone to believe that they could pull this off.

Reese felt as if he hadn’t had a single moment to catch his breath starting from the moment they woke up on Shadow Island. Thus began the norm of having more questions than answers. The answers were slowly coming to the surface, but it seemed like at every turn there was a new task at hand. One minute Reese found out he was given super natural abilities, and the next he’s having to use those abilities to take down a horde of lizard humanoids. Reese finds out Griffin is under the control of Devone, and before he knew it he was volunteering to infiltrate his secret lair. When Eury and Rory attempted this task they ended up in the medical bay getting the silent treatment from Kat, so he knew he had no choice but to do it right the first time. He couldn’t fault the girls for their heroic attempt, but he knew going rogue was a recipe for disaster. Luckily, Bianca and Reese had Syria, who could give them the ins and outs of the camp. The idea of trusting her after finding out she was Devone’s daughter caused his stomach to twist in knots, but she was their only shot at getting onto the island undetected. Bianca’s voice pulled him from his own thoughts and fears, “I’m ready to go, B,” he nodded, rubbing his hands together as if to get all the last minute jitters outs. Reese let out a small chuckle as Bianca asked about teleporting. “I dunno maybe we have to jump into a big spinning wheel like in Austin Powers,” he shrugged with a crooked grin before turning to face the scientist. “You heard the lady it’s time to move."

Syria listened to Bianca speak as she fiddled with the device; making last minute adjustments. She had to remain focused on the task at hand. Otherwise she’d probably let her doubt settle in. Syria knew that time was against them. Yet, with time not being on their side. She had to make sure here calculations were on target one mistake and they all could end up in her Father’s throne room. And Syria knows no one wants to pay her father a visit. “I am just going over a few lose ends before we leave.” Syria paused for a moment to look at Bianca and Reese. “Before we teleport any where. You guys do have a plan right? You aren’t just making this up as you go along?” She asked raising her eyebrow at them. Yes, she did realize the they have been training for a while now and never really wanted to become power rangers in the first place. But still Syria didn’t regret creating the serum with Dr. Oliver. Earth needs heroes and they just so happen to have been chosen by Dr. Hillard. She just hoped that they were more than ready for this mission. Sighing a little as she went over one last adjustment. “Teleporting is pretty easy. Do you guys not have the ability to teleport yet? Because most of the rangers before you could teleport. Though most villains were smart enough to make sure that they could teleport into their secret hideout.” She looked over at the other two and wondered if she was confusing them. “Umm… anyway this device will not only get you two to the island but it will do so you won’t be detected.” Syria said turning to face them fully. “As for teleporting, let's just say that I am a portkey. So, holding hands or onto a limb would be a good idea.” Syria said before taking a deep breath.

Bianca narrowed her eyes at Reese and bumped him with her hip playfully, attempting to feign annoyance but deep down knowing that she was genuinely appreciative that Reese was able to keep his sense of humor intact despite the crumbling world around them. They needed that if they wanted to stay sane. “Trust us, Syria, we have a plan. I’ve been working on it for an entire month and with the intel that we’ve received from Eury, Rory, Arlo and you, I guess, we were able to train to our best ability,” she explained carefully, unsure of whether or not she was convincing Syria or herself. “Griffin hasn’t had an encounter with the Pink Ranger and it will throw him off guard. I have the advantage of flight which will serve as an element of surprise for Devone and his army who shouldn’t even know that I exist. But Reese has to lure him to me and he can’t be morphed.” Her anxiety grew at the thought of Reese having to go into Devone’s camp unmorphed but they had discussed his role earlier in the week and being the brave, selfless person he is, he had agreed to go along with it. “Nothing is foolproof, obviously, which is why we will be using our communication links in the case of an emergency at which point backup will come in. Dr. Hillard has it all worked out with Wes and his boat. Regardless, I am not leaving that island unless I have Griffin and Dr. Oliver with me. We can figure out how to fix him in the safety of Command.” She arched a suspicious eyebrow at Syria when she labeled herself as the portkey to teleporting to Shadow Island, but closed the distance between their bodies and linked her arm through the other brunette’s. “I can fly but I can’t teleport. Hopefully Kat will help us upgrade soon because I see it being a useful tool,” she described. She wondered how many powers they could potentially develop; she already had flight and perhaps psychic abilities but she wasn’t ready to share that information with anyone yet. Especially not now. She had a mission to focus on! “Thank you,” she softly spoke to Syria. Although concerned (and somewhat betrayed), about Syria’s connection, Bianca was grateful that she was helping them out. “Come on, Reese! It’s morphin time!” she cheered to keep up morale, extending her hand out towards the blonde for him to grasp.

Reese struggled to keep a smile from cracking as Bianca playfully hip bumped him. He knew there was nothing funny about their situation, but he had learned to embrace good humor in dark times. When his powers emerged, it was goofing off with Rory that showed him they weren’t anything to be afraid of. They were apart of him now, whether he liked it or not. Reese was positive that Dr. Hillard wouldn’t approve of him using his water based abilities like a super soaker, but given the fact he didn’t ask for them in the first place, that called for a little give and take. Reese nodded and pointed his index finger towards Bianca. She was the idea women here. Once he volunteered for the mission they went over the plan time and time again. Reese knew his role. Going into the belly of the beast unmorphed was terrifying, but he had a sizable advantage. Before the battle against the Black Ranger, Reese had defeated Devone’s henchmen outside the Brooklyn Museum with the help of the Yellow Ranger. Plus, this time it was personal. “No worries, Syria. We’re not winging this one. My last two battles were ambushes. I’m just glad this one is on our terms. I’m hoping for round two with those lizard dudes. They’ve probably missed me,” he nodded with a shrug, his easy grin stiffened as Bianca reminded him of the gravity of their operation. She always managed to reel him back into reality’s orbit. “And I’m not leaving without Bianca, so either all of us get off or none of us.” Reese reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She had come a long way since that night in the medical bay, and Reese was going to make sure this contact with Griff wouldn’t end the same. “Ready, B!” He cheered trying to match her enthusiasm. He gave the scientist a grateful nod, still unsure how much he could trust her involvement with both sides, but thankful nonetheless for her help.

Syria could see Bianca bump Reese playfully out of the corner of her eye. Biting her lower lip to try and fight the smile that made it’s way on her face. It was good that Reese kept his sense of humory. With having witnessed all the horrible things her father has done. She know that they were going to have to find ways to keep their sprites up. She just hoped that her father wouldn’t break anyone. Because that is one of his favorite things to do. Shaking those thoughts from her mind. Syria turned to lock eyes with Bianca’s. She didn’t need to know the details of their plans. Syria just wanted to know that they had one. She believed that Bianca would be working on something for a month. “That sounds like solid plan. Griffin does seem to have moments of clarity. Though he’d never want to admit to something being wrong.” Syria though for a moment. She knew of a way to have Reese sneak around the Island and be undetected. Taking a breath as to ready herself for what is to happen next. “As long as you two are clare on what the plan is. I’ll get you both on and off the island safely. Though I’ll have to linger back. It would sent a red flag my father’s way if I teleported from the Island with you guys.” Syria looked from Bianca to Reese, “I really do hate those overgrown lizards.” She said shaking her head at the thought of them. “Alright hold on tightly and in 3.. 2.. 1” Syria teleported them to the Island.

Bianca pressed her lips together when Reese declared that they were all in this together. She didn't want him or any of the other Rangers to put their lives in danger by facing off with Griffin. But she also didn't want Griffin to be stuck on Shadow Island with Devone. He was convinced that he was bound to be evil- something that upset Bianca deeply. It wasn't his fault that he was injected with the Ranger serum after all. Instead of resisting Reese’s commitment, she nodded her head in his direction then squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened her eyes again, she observed the grey sea, sky, and beachfront. Dropping Syria and Reese’s hands, Bianca morphed into her Pink Ranger suit, the protective exoskeleton molding over her body perfectly. At first morphing made her uncomfortable, but now- just like her powers- it was as natural as it possibly could be. “I think we are far enough away,” Bianca said, noticing the faint voices of soldiers and slave laborers. She squinted her eyes and looked into the distance, seeing where Devone’s camp had set up. It looked quite elaborate, with workers buzzing around and hauling large logs of wood. It appeared as if they were building an elaborate housing system and Bianca wondered just exactly what Devone’s plans with it were. “You two should probably go now. Remember, use the communicator if you need backup,” she warned Reese in a serious tone. “To remain discreet, just say ‘funny girl’ and I’ll be on my way with Sawyer, Eury, and Rory making their way to the island as fast as possible.” Catching her breath, Bianca gave Reese a quick hug and a firm pat on the back. “Good luck.” She squeezed Syria’s shoulder to acknowledge her appreciation before hiding behind a nearby cluster of boulders and rocks.

Reese took a deep breath and closed his eyes, and by the time he opened them they were on the familiar shores of Shadow Island. However, the work camps made this trip undeniably more sinister. Reese didn't have much time to dwell on that as a grin pulled at his lips upon seeing Bianca as the pink ranger. "Pink definitely looks good on you, funny girl, but you're right. The sooner we get started the sooner we can take Griff and Dr. O home." As far as Reese was concerned there weren't any other options. Eury and Rory had infiltrated the island once, and even if their plan was admittedly less thought out, Reese wasn't going to let their pain be for nothing. He wouldn't let Griffin hurt anymore of their friends. Once the pink ranger left them, be turned to face Syria, "How should we do this? I can cloak myself, but the longest I've done it is an hour. Think we'll need more time than that, or do you have something up your sleeve?" He asked, ready for any suggestions.

Syria watched the others reaction to being teleported the Island. It has changed since the last time Reese or Bianca has been here. And the changes that have been made make the Island even creepier then it is. Syria hated being on this Island. But, it is where her father operation is. So, she had little choice in the matter. Hell, she even had to pretend to act like she was looking at this Island as a place to set up her new lab. Syria listened to both Bianca and Reese. Nodding her head in agreement. “Alright, let’s go find Griffin. If we are lucky maybe He’ll be training with Dr. Oliver.” Sighing a little Syria looked at Reese. “I know that there are going to be some things you’ll see that might make want answers. And I’ll try to answer your questions. But, sometimes I don’t even have those answers.” Syria looked around the grounds quickly. “There are some human volunteers. See they are the once wearing the coveralls. I can get you a pair to look like you are a volunteer. Then all you have to do is follow me to where Griffin trains.” Syria said pointing out some of the people in coverall. Taking a deep breath before she moved to grab a pair of coveralls for Reese. “Sneaking around with this should be easy.” She said handing him the coveralls. Let me know when you are ready and will make our way to where Griffin is.

Reese observed the island as Syria spoke. The fact that she wouldn’t have all the answers didn’t surprise him. Even though she was related to the mastermind behind all this, Devone didn’t seem like the kind of guy to give up his plan in entirety. Still, being vulnerable on Devone’s territory was enough for Reese to err on the side of caution. He took the overalls from Syria and slipped the uniform over his clothes. Reese buckled the straps on his shoulders and turned to face the scientist, “How do I look? Do I look like an evil henchman?” He asked completing the look with an exaggerated scowl. Reese visibly stiffened as a man with recognizable dark eyes passed them with a wheel barrow full of supplies. He didn’t notice he was staring until the man glared at him, and Reese focused his attention from the familiar looking man back to his apparel. “Sorry I thought I saw somebody I knew…” he mentioned with a shake of his head. The man’s familiar features that mirrored Eury’s was stuck inside his brain, but he couldn’t dwell on that now. There was a much larger mission at hand. “Alright. Let's go find Griff,” he nodded ready for Syria to lead the way.

Syria tried not to smile at Reese as he asked her how he looked. “You’ll pass. Though I really don’t think the scowl works for you.” Syria raised an eyebrow at Reese. “Hmm… I hope that you don’t know anyone here. But if you think you do see someone you know. Just let me know and I’ll find out if they are here out of their own free will or if they are being forced to be here.” She spoke quietly. Syria leads Reese in to the cave. “Sorry, they use a part of the cave for training.” She spoke and they made their way through the caves tunnels. They made their way through the caves passing by some more human volunteers and Cylatrons guards. Syria did her best to hold herself like a soldier would. But there was something that was bothering her. She couldn’t put her finger on it. Instead she just kept moving forward. “There are just up ahead. I can hear that they are training.” Syria said before heading into the cavern where Dr. Oliver was training with Griffin.

Griffin bounced around on his toes, sweat pouring from his face as he kept his eyes trained on Dr. Oliver. Their sparring sessions had taught Griffin more than he wanted to admit in his current state, but the pride he felt every time he got a shot in on his teacher was proof enough. The longer their training went, the more likely Griffin was to get the drop on his sparring partner thanks to the limited diet and water that Tommy had access to, but Griffin loved it all the same. "You're weak, old timer," he taunted like he often did as he turned and landed a spinning kick that sent Dr. O to his knees. They'd been at it for hours, and even though he knew they should take a break, he was too worked up stand completely still. He was finally getting to show himself to Devone and become more integral in his plans. All the time spent learning to use his powers and fists were paying off. Walking over to his bottle of water, Griffin picked it up and drained over half of the bottle in one long drink. Looking from the bottle to Dr. O, Griffin shook his head and tossed the plastic bottle and what little water was left in it in his teacher's direction. He needed the guy to be able to spar more later after all. Hearing someone behind them, Griffin spun around ready to give Devone a progress update, only he was greeted with someone else entirely. "What are you doing here?”

"I don't think it does either. It kinda hurts my jaw," Reese chuckled, rubbing at his cheeks. In all honesty his plan was just to keep his head down and blend in as much as possible. Syria's reaction wasn't at all what he expected. His first instinct was to believe that, being Devone's daughter and all, Syria would want to keep the identities of her father's volunteers as mysterious as possible. That wasn't in line with the person he had gotten to know since arriving in New York, and though he knew it was best to keep her at an arm's distance, he chose to believe Syria was showing him her true colors right then. Words failing him, he gave her a thankful nod. As they approached the caves, Reese focused on keeping his breathing steady. The caves had consumed too much time in his nightmares. He wasn't going to let it get to him any longer. They approached the training center right as Griffin knocked his opponent onto his knees. The scene that played out was typical as to how Griff was presenting himself, powerful and vengeful, however; Reese remained hopeful when Griffin gave, the man he now recognized as Dr. Oliver, the last of his water. His shoulders squared as their unwanted presence was detected. "We're taking Dr. Oliver home, Griffin. I want you to come back too." That last part almost died on his breath, but Reese chose to speak directly to the last bit of his friend that remained inside Devone's super soldier.

Tommy leaned forward on his hands, struggling to catch his breath as a mix of sweat and blood dripped down his face. He shook his head at Griffin's words, unable to form any of his own in his current state. Griffin's techniques were still primarily driven by rage, but he was getting better — a fact both good and bad in his case. On one hand, it meant he got to live, but on the other... he was honing the skills of a man intended to bring the world to it's knees. Truthfully, he'd rather die than let that happen, but he'd known Griffin for years now. His best friend had coached him all through high school, and the last thing Griffin Sayoc was was a lost cause. He could be saved, and for as long as that was a possibility, Tommy would keep going. “Is--” he panted, pushing himself up. His back ached from the strenuous activity, and his knees were sore from pressing into the hard ground, but he would not give in. Spitting a mouthful of blood to the ground, his eyes followed Griffin to his water bottle. “Is that all,” he winced at the pain shooting up his spine. Inhaling deeply, he pushed through the pain. “You got?” He mustered up a smirk, entirely grateful when Griffin passed the bottle. Tossing his head back, Tommy drained what was left of the water and basked in relief. “Thanks, man,” he spoke, struggling to his feet and setting the now empty bottle aside. Stretching a bit, he had learned to stay silent during Devone's visits. He had enough scars to last him a lifetime. His brows rose, however, when they were met with none other than Syria and Reese Marshall. Licking his lips, he bit back a grin. The cavalry had arrived. “Reese,” he nodded appreciatively, a hint of knowingness in his eye. “I see she's chosen well.”

Syria frowned when Griffin brough Dr. Oliver to his knees. She hated watching them train. Though her father seemed to love it. Especially when Griffin cause Dr. Oliver a lot of pain. Shaking her head from side to side to keep the memories of all the times she had to patch Dr. Oliver up after Griffin did a number on him. Syria stepped forward, “Griffin the serum that was used on you was supposed to not have worked. This is who you really are. You know in your heart that you are nothing like my father.” Syria looked at Dr. Oliver real fast before looking at Griffin. “Your friends won’t give up on you. They are all willing to fight for you.” Syria said knowing that Griffin wouldn’t like these turn of events. Though she could have easy pretended that Reese broke in here. But, Syria wanted to bring Dr. Oliver home just as badly as everyone else does. She turned to Dr. Oliver “How are you holding up? You ready to get out of here?” She spoke smiling a little at the doctor.

Griffin shook his head and laughed a humorless laugh as Reese spelled out what they were after. "Are you kidding me?" he asked like it was a joke that he wasn't in on. The last couple of people that came trying to find Dr. Oliver had left bloody, bruised, and empty handed, and yet here was Reese standing there to try and do the same. "You should have asked your sister and Eury how that worked out when they tried it. He's not going anywhere." It was only after Syria spoke that Griffin realized she wasn't there on her father's behalf like he'd assumed. Not even that, she wasn't even there on his side. He'd trusted that she was part of Devone's cause ever since he'd joined it, and now he saw he'd been double crossed. "It doesn't matter how he's doing, and he's not going anywhere." Griffin repeated with an angry tone as he glared at his fellow Nexonian. "And you aren't either. Just wait until your father hears about this. He'll kill you if I don't first."

Reese stood a little taller as Dr. Oliver recognized him. In the time since becoming a ranger he had learned a lot about the man, and as far as Reese was concerned the doctor had a lot to teach him, along with the rest of the rangers. It was time for him to come home. "Thank you, sir," he nodded trying to fight a proud smirk from breaking through his serious demeanor. Blue eyes panned from Tommy to Griff, and the laugh that came from within his friend caused his spine to tingle. It's what he expected from Devone himself, not his friend who he used to watch football and play videogames with. Reese took a single step in Griffin's direction when he mentioned Rory and Eury's rescue attempt. He saw red as he was face to face with the maniac who sent them to the medical bay. "I know exactly how that went. Why do you think I'm here? This ends now, Griffin." This was good, all he had to do was poke the bear a little more, and lure him out into the open. Then Griffin's dark eyes turned to his companion. Reese was hoping that Griff would be so focused on his own presence that he'd be able to draw him out while Syria tended to Dr. Oliver; however, that didn't seem to be the case as Griff was enraged by Syria's presence too. Reese felt his armor prickling beneath his skin, desperate to protect him, but he kept it at bay. Right now this wasn't the white ranger against an adversary, it was just Reese Marshall standing up for his sister, and his friends hurt in Devone and Griffin's wake. "You're not going to hurt anybody else. Can't you fight your own battles without calling in Daddy Warsucks?" He taunted hoping to draw the heat away from Syria.

Tommy's eyes flickered back to Griffin, reading his reactions carefully. The initial relief that had come vanished as the boy's temper visibly grew, and instinctively, his muscles tensed as he prepared to step in. Tommy kept his breathing even, observing the way Griffin's nostrils flared as his next-level arrogance began to take over. He was irritated rather than scared, that much Tommy knew, but once the first threat was thrown something snapped. His hand shot forward, gripping Griffin's arm with more force than he'd managed since his capture. Locking eyes with the younger man, Tommy's expression darkened. "Don't," he growled in warning. He wasn't foolish enough to believe he could actually win, but the threat did not come lightly. If it meant giving Syria and Reese even a split chance of escape, he was prepared to give his every last breath to defending them. He felt his own rage brewing in the pit of his stomach, but he focused on centering that emotion, using the excess adrenaline that flowed through him to draw strength and stability. His eyes glistened with determination, and though it came as a surprise, Tommy gave nothing away as the news of Eurydice and Rory's failed attempt at rescue reached him. All it accomplished was renewing his faith in the fact that whatever these two were up to — they had a plan. Tightening his grip, he headed one last advisement. "I'd listen to your friends if I were you. Like I said, the good guys always win." Shoving him off, Tommy flashed Syria smug grin, but remained cautious to keeping Griffin within view. "Better now that you're here," he glanced back at his team. "But I never doubted you," turning to Reese, he gave him a pointed look. "We'll talk about the 'sir' stuff, back home. I'm guessing your sister's waiting." Scratching the back of his neck, the idea of home seemed to sink in for the first time. If they pulled this off, he'd hopefully never have to see these dungeons again. His face smoothed over, and the thought of it all nearly choked him up. "I've got someone too."

Syria made herself stand tall. She was used to being on the end of her Father’s anger. But not Griffin’s. Though she was sure that one day she would have be dealing with it herself. Knowing that she wasn’t the daughter her father really wanted. That Griffin was more like a son to her father then she’s ever be a daughter. Syria kept her eyes focused on Griffin only breaking her stare when Reese or Dr. Oliver spoke. “Griffin, you need to realize that this person you are becoming isn’t really you. It’s the person my father wants you to become. And the person he wants is a mindless soldier that will follow commands blindly. You no more important to him than I am. He could easily replace us both. Don’t be fooled by whatever fancy words he has been using. Let us help you. I know that the serum is messing with your brain.” Syria spoke as she kept a her mind focused on Griffin’s. Normally she didn’t enjoy reading other’s minds, or keeping her mind link with someone unless they wanted the mind link (or trusted her). But this was a matter of being aware of Griffin’s next move and saving both Dr. Oliver and Griffin. Shaking her head a little. “I know that I am good as dead as soon as my Father finds out I betrayed him. But, I am willing to sacrifice my life if it means saving others. Including you Griffin.” Syria said knowing that she is probably making him even angrier. Sighing Syria thought about telling Griffin that he was meant to be the Yellow ranger. Not Sawyer. But with Reese around. She was sure that little bit of information would get back to Rory. And Syria kept that from Rory for a reason. “Come on Griffin I am probably one of the one people that understands how you feel. Come home and we’ll figure it out.”

Griffin took pleasure in the anger he saw in Reese. It was obvious he knew exactly how the confrontation with Eury and Rory had gone, and Griffin was ready for round two. "And you think you can take me? Here of all places? Look around, Reese. I've got the high ground." Griffin had no idea what kind of love affair was going on between Dr. O and Syria, but the whole thing infuriated him. All three of them were so smug, acting like they were on their way to a victory, but he had something to say about that. Crushing their dreams would feel even better than it normally did. Getting sick of hearing Dr. Oliver's condescending Mr. Miyagi impression, Griffin balled his fist up and swung, hitting his sparring partner square in the nose. The solid sound or bone cracking was worth the pain that shot through his own knuckles. He was outnumbered at the moment, but he knew that could all change in a hurry. All he had to do was get the attention of the Cylatrons outside, and the scales would tip back in his favor. "I thought you understood me, but you don't. You lie just like everyone else. They'll never accept you," he spat in Syria's direction. He felt betrayed more than he ever would have expected. She claimed to know what it was like to try and deal with all the turmoil Nexus had heaped on their shoulders, the feeling of living up to the unfavorable expectations they carried by being half breeds, unwanted by both sides of the war. The common ground and understand that he'd taken comfort in during the insane past couple months suddenly vanished. "They're using you to try and take down your dad, and you picked the wrong side."

Blue eyes narrowed as Griffin continued to taunt Reese. “I look around and I see you hanging out in a cave with a bunch of weird lizards. I’m not scared of them and I’m not scared of you!” His voice raised for the first time since entering the cave, but he chose to channel that anger into something more productive. He wasn’t going to let his anger cloud his judgement. Seeing Dr. O summon enough energy to stand up to Griff was incredible, but Reese should have known it was too good to be true. Reese no longer held himself back from morphing into the White Ranger, and wasted no time lurching towards Griff, pushing him away from the doctor and Syria, before cloaking himself from view. Reese revealed himself near the exit of the training arena, “Over here, big guy!” He waved, “But you’re gonna have to catch me first,” he barbed before sprinting head first out of the caves trying his best to follow the same path he took with Syria.

Griffin was surprised when he heard Reese raise his voice at him. He rarely saw his former friend loose his cool like that, and to Griffin, it was a sign that he was getting to him. He wanted Reese to feel the same anger that had been brewing inside Griffin for months. He was ready to prove once again that any of the rangers didn't stand against him. The moment that Reese shifted into the white ranger, Griffin knew he was getting his wish. The shoved knocked him back and couple feet, and when he regained his balance, Reese had vanished. "Come back here and fight like a man," he shouted out as he morphed into his own black armor as he chased after Reese. "Even your sister's got more balls than you." Griffin fired energy blasts at the white ranger's retreating back, trying to knock him off his feet, and stop him from the track star act he was doing.

Reese’s stomach dropped as he caught a glimpse of the black ranger before running off. Suddenly he was reminded of his first run in with the black ranger along with the rest of the team, and the way he had to sit out of baseball practice for two days as a gift for catching an energy blast the wrong way. A little voice that sounded an awful lot like Dr. H whispered in the back of his mind, that just because the rangers needed more training to harness the strength of the sum of their parts, doesn't mean that they are inferior to Devone and his budding army. Reese charged ahead, dodging the blasts of energy meant to knock him down. Every so often he'd cloak himself from sight, and reappear in a different spot in Griff's vision. "Are you telling me you don't like playing a little hide and seek?" He hollered before disappearing yet again. "I thought we were having fun!" Reese didn't appear again until he saw the opening of the cave, his metaphorical finish line, and sprinted towards it, avoiding the debris created by the black ranger's energy blasts. Once they were out in the open, and Bianca greeted the black ranger he hung around for a moment before making his way back into the caves to assist Syria with Dr. O.

Bianca paced the small stretch of the island she had sanctioned herself to in order to stay hidden from the human volunteers and cylatrons that were busy laboring away to construct Devone’s camp. She consistently pulled up the electronic dash on the visor of her helmet to check her vitals (unsurprisingly, her blood pressure was higher than usual) and reference the time. It had been nearly twenty minutes since Reese and Syria had ventured into the camp and she began to worry whether that was a normal amount of time to be sneaking into an evil mastermind’s base or if it was an abnormal amount of time, in which case she needed to be bold and run in after them to help. She didn’t want anyone to get hurt and no one had to if her plan panned out the way she had initially hoped. To her relief, she caught a flash of white and black in her peripheral vision, alerting her to Reese and Griffin’s presence. It’s now or never, Bianca. You’ve got this. Drawing in one long, deep breath, she firmly planted her feet on the ground, squared her shoulders, and placed her hands on her hips. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Black Ranger,” she greeted in a deeper tone than normal, hoping her cover wouldn’t be blown by Griffin recognizing her voice.

Griffin chased after Reese, taunting him about the fact that he was running away from him like a coward. "Even your sister put up more of a fight than you." He wanted combat, not a track meet. Hurling bursts of energy at Reese's retreating back wasn't near as satisfying as squaring up toe to toe would be. It wasn't until he spotted the pink ranger standing, waiting, that he realized Reese might not have been quite as dumb as he'd thought. He'd brought backup. Backup that sounded a lot like a child trying to impersonate their dad's deep voice, but backup all the same. "You going to try and run too?" he asked. If this was a trap he was being led into for a two against one, he was more than ready. No matter how many of his color coded friends showed up, Griffin wanted to take them all on. Flashes of going up against Eury and Rory the week prior entered his mind, but he didn't have time to deal with any memories. He wanted a fight, and he finally had one. Seeing how unlike Reese this new pink figure was standing in one place, Griffin fired a blast of energy at her chest before she could take off. "Because I am sick of running after cowards."

Bianca didn’t have super speed nor did she have the best reactionary time to escape the shock of energy Griffin had sent catapulting towards her chest. Thankfully this time around she had her armour to cushion the blow and instead of being knocked off her feet like the last time they saw each other in person, she simply stumbled backwards and yelped as the wind left her lungs. She had spent hours upon hours researching telekinesis in the command center and with the guidance from Professor Hillard, she had learned enough to know how to work around it to her best ability during battle. It was all part of the preparation for this mission and had been what she’d worked on since Arlo had convinced her to join the team and save the world. She still wasn’t so sure about the saving the world part, but her once wavering confidence was now stronger than ever before. Bianca crouched down and pretended to need a moment to recover, bending her knees and placing her hands on top of them. Within a second though, she had pulled her bow from the holster on her back and aimed the loaded weapon at Griffin’s thigh. With her eyes narrowed on her target, she released the string and sent the arrow whizzing through the air before it made contact with his thigh. “Sorry,” she muttered under her breath, sprinting to close the distance between them, slamming her body into his to knock him onto his back while he was still caught off guard. “Listen here, Griffin,” she started, using all of her strength to pin his shoulders to the ground. “You need to overcome the serum that Devone injected into you. Your family and friends are going to help you.”

Griffin glanced behind him to see if Reese was preparing to jump him, but as he did he missed seeing the pink ranger pull out her bow. It wasn't until the sharp pain hit his thigh that he realized his mistake. Every time he squared off against any of the rangers, they seemed to be getting stronger as they mastered their powers. The pink ranger was no different. Jerking the arrow out of his armor, Griffin barely had time to brace himself before his opponent slamed into him, knocking him off his feet. He'd been sacked by plenty of linemen when playing football, but despite the smaller size, the ranger packed more of a punch. Her words infuriated him more than anything. How did everyone think they knew what he needed? They knew nothing. "I'm right where I'm supposed to be," he said as he gathered strength and threw the pink ranger off of him. "You're the one that doesn't belong." Griffin scrambled to his feet and executed the same spinning kick he'd been practicing on Dr. Oliver moments ago. "You think you put on that suit and got powers out of nowhere?" Pulling his axe from his suit, Griffin didn't take his eyes off the pink ranger again. He'd learned his lesson there. "You're the one being used."

Bianca winced as Griffin pushed her off of him, sending her body rolling across the jagged rocks and sand on the ground. Shaking her head, she pushed herself up to her feet only to be knocked back down with a swift kick to her side. “I was meant to have these powers,” she argued, crawling away from him as quickly as possible until she could clamber back upright. “The powers that I have are going to save the world from the man who did this to you.” Her words were falling so quickly from her lips she was afraid he wouldn’t understand. How would she be able to communicate with him long enough to get through to him? Syria and Dr. Hillard had both described that Griffin, despite being influenced by the evil ranger serum, was still capable of experiencing moments of clarity. She had witnessed that in the alley all of those weeks ago. Remembering how gentle he had been, how scared of the world he was and who he’d become made her heart feel heavy. Knowing that she needed to move before it was too late, she crossed back towards the black ranger and channeled all of her energy in executing hand to hand combat. She carefully dodged all angry swipes from his axe, twisting her limber body to avoid his blows. Her right fist smashed against the chin of his helmet which probably did more damage to herself than him, but she paired it with a solid kick to his groin. “Sorry again,” she apologized through ragged breaths. Lastly, Bianca grabbed Griffin’s right wrist and spun herself around so her back was to him, squeezing as hard as she could to wrestle the weapon from his hand. “Stop resisting!” she shouted.

Griffin had never been more thankful for his suit than when a solid foot hit him square between the legs. Without his armor, he likely would have been down for the count, and even though he knew that, it was hard to celebrate that fact when his opponent added a punch to the jaw and went for his weapon. "Stop everything," he grunted out as he tried to shake the pink ranger's grip from his axe. Of all the rangers he'd faced, this one reminded him more of a hyper puppy that refused to give up. It irritated him to put it mildly. Kicking the back of the pink ranger's knee to try and knock her down and break the hold, Griffin regrouped. Letting go of his axe, he used the newly acquired space to regain the advantage. Sending jagged rocks flying in her direction like miniature missiles with his mind, Griffin was ready to end things. He'd had it with everyone trying to 'save' him and tell him what was best. He needed to squash this pink armored bug, and the follow it by finding Reese, and kicking his ass too. Channeling his rage and anger, Griffin lifted up a boulder and hurled it at the pink ranger with a force he didn't know he possessed.

Bianca struggled to hold onto Griffin’s arm but realized that there was no way she could match his strength. He had been training significantly longer than she had, even beyond being injected with the serum. Griffin was an athlete and although she knew she was stronger than most expected considering her petite size, she couldn’t restrain him on her own. Hope was not lost on her, however. This was precisely why she had arranged backup with Sawyer, Rory, and Eury. “I’m never going to stop!” she yelled, falling back to the ground after the black ranger’s boot slammed into the back of her knee. To her surprise, he dropped the weapon and she foolishly allowed herself to believe that this was his moment of clarity. A huge smile broke across her face and she reached up to pull her helmet off and reveal her identity, but before she could she was attacked by a wave of debris from the shore. “Ah!” she screamed, shielding herself with her arms from the sharp rocks that Griffin had sent her way with his special ability. A sinking feeling settled in when she took in the boy in the black suit in front her. Though she couldn’t see his face, she could feel the anger radiating off of him which sent uncontrollable shivers up and down her spine. He wasn’t near experiencing a moment of clarity- far from it, to be honest. Her chest tightened and anxiety consumed her as she missed the opportunity to page her fellow teammates to request their help. Instead, she froze in the same spot on the ground and watched the boulder hurl through the air towards her. She didn’t think about hopping to her feet and flying to avoid it, though if she had she probably wouldn’t have had the speed required to escape in time. The massive rock crashed into her body, accompanied by the outrageous force of telekinetic energy Griffin possessed, pinning her frame to the ground. It felt as though her chest was going to cave in from the weight of the boulder and she struggled to push it off of her. When it finally rolled away, she drew in quick breaths, crying at the pain that radiated through her body. Slowly blinking open her eyes, she gasped at the destruction the rock had done to her helmet. There was no way she’d be able to call for help now, for the glass visor was busted and the electronic dash was displaying an angry ‘error’ screen. She was at a complete loss and felt like a failure. Why were they not capable of saving him? They had tried numerous ways to accomplish this one thing and it had proved time and time again to be impossible. In the end, they would never be good enough. They didn’t have the strength and agility to fight with Griffin and that meant that he was never going to come back to them. Even if he did, how would any of them recover from the doom that was to come? How would she be able to look him in the eyes and ever trust him if he kept trying to kill her and her friends? The error message on her dash beeped shrilly in her ringing ears. “Deactivating suit. Goodbye,” it stated in its computerized tone before her gear disintegrated from her body. Panicking, Bianca was left bare and vulnerable in her street clothes.

Watching the boulder collide with the pink ranger, pinning her to the ground, Griffin took a minute to savor his victory. Another ranger trying to knock him down, and another one stopped in their tracks. Devone had told him to be ready when the moment came, and Griffin felt a sense of pride in living up to what was asked of him. With each battle he entered, it got easier for him. The small voice that used to tell him to hold back out of fear of hurting people was all but gone. Rory, Eury, Reese if Griffin ever managed to find where he'd disappeared to, and now the pink ranger. Walking over to ranger sprawled out on the ground and barely moving, he was ready to gloat and use her as leverage to stop Reese from playing hide and seek, when he saw the suit disengage completely. "Bianca?" Griffin shoved the boulder further out of the way like it was the shadow the large rock cast that was making him see things. Logically he knew that someone had been inside the pink suit he'd gone up against, but he never expected it to be her. Suddenly the weird apologizing every time she landed a blow made more sense. "What are you..." Griffin didn't even begin to know how to complete all the questions running through his head. Seeing Bianca laying there in pain, it brought him back to the first time it had happened in the alley way. She'd been so scared, but hadn't wanted him to leave despite it all being his fault. He'd hurt her then, and he'd done so again only this time was worse. He'd done it on purpose. Sure he hadn't known it was her in the suit, but would that have stopped him? Suddenly he wasn't so sure. "Bianca?" he said again softer as he bent down to the ground. His hand trembled as he reached out to brush her hair back from her face. He knew it was her, and yet there was still a part of him that hoped it was all a mistake. "Are you okay? Can you move?"

Bianca gazed forlornly at Griffin’s approaching body, cursing this island and the alien tyrant that had hurt him in the first place. She was overwhelmed with a sense of loss, though she knew that it wasn’t appropriate for her to feel that way. Liam or Rory or even Sawyer and Aspen, yes. But her? What was she other than the girl who caused too many noise complaints on the floor he was in charge of advising? Perhaps she was just sad that she couldn’t be the hero that they needed to get their friend back, but deep down she acknowledged that she was disappointed that she had failed him herself. She’d made a promise to him, after all. She would save him, no matter how hard it would be. Maybe if she had trained harder or strategized better she wouldn’t have ended up the exact same place that they had started. “Please don’t,” she warned in a soft voice, flinching as he announced her name and kneeled beside her. Was this where he stabbed her like he had Eury? Rather than ending their battle once and for all, however, Griffin gently swept the hair from her eyes and asked her if she were alright. She was sent back to that day in the alley once again, witnessing his moment of vulnerability. “Griffin?” she dared to ask, her heart racing in her chest at the thought of it actually being the same boy she’d met during Welcome Week. Or was he playing some twisted game with her? Tears welled up in her eyes and began to stream down her cheeks. “What’s your favorite movie?” she dumbly questioned, blinking away the tears furiously. She needed some sort of confirmation that the black armoured man was truly back to normal.

Griffin saw the fear in Bianca's eyes and heard the tremor in her voice. It was what he'd been trying to accomplish in one way or another for weeks at Devone's request, but in that moment it was the last thing he wanted. Unmorphing from his black ranger suit, Griffin let her see that it was him beneath it. Of course lately seeing his face didn't mean anything in the way of reassuring people, but for the first time in a while, he wanted it to. "Braveheart. No question," he said as the corner of his lips tugged up into a half smile. "But are you sure you want to talk about that now? You're hurt." Looking around, Griffin was glad they hadn't attracted too much extra attention, or at least not enough to have anyone or anything rushing their way. His head was swimming with enough information without adding anyone else to it. He'd hurt her again, and would have done worse if he hadn't have snapped out of it when he did. He didn't want to think about what would have happened if he hadn't. "What are you doing here?" he asked as his eyes found hers again. "And when did you become a power ranger?"

Bianca inhaled sharply, catching her breath in the back of her throat as his black suit retracted from his body. There was no way that she had pulled this off… Responding to her question and following up with a genuine smile (she hadn’t seen one of those in months), it dawned upon her that this was the real Griffin. It had been so long that she’d had almost forgotten what it felt like to have him look at her like she wasn’t the worst, most annoying person in the world. She laughed at his next statement, shaking her head in disbelief. How could he care that she was hurt right now? Sure she may have developed a few bruises and scratches but the minute she’d seen the warm look in his eyes she felt like she was on top of the world. “I am okay,” she reassured him. “I promise.” She didn’t want him to worry about her, especially not now after he’d had finally made a breakthrough with the serum. Her muscles ached as she pulled herself up into a sitting position, but sat up nonetheless as if to prove her point. “I told you that I don’t give up easily,” she reminded him, sharing a gentle smile that reached her eyes. “I was chosen like the others but I needed a little extra convincing to get me to join. Dr. Hillard and I thought it’d be best to keep the pink ranger off of Devone’s radar and I’m glad that plan worked because I don’t know how else we would have pulled you out of the effects of the serum.” Her head was spinning as she attempted to catch him up to speed, but there was so much to tell and it wasn’t fair for her to dump a load of information on him all at once. They could wait until they returned back to the mainland for that. Alternatively, Bianca locked her arms around Griffin in a warm embrace and hid her face in the crook of his shoulder, holding onto him as tightly as she could manage. “Third time’s a charm, eh?” she joked as she weaved her fingers through his thick curly hair and squeezed her eyes shut, allowing the problematic world around them melt away for just a few moments. She thought that they deserved that at the very least. “It’s really you.”

Griffin welcomed the embrace and wrapped his arms around Bianca's slender frame. He didn't know what he'd done to deserve it, but with all the information swimming around in his mind, he let the hug ground him. He tried desperately to focus on her and block everything else. He couldn't lose himself and risk hurting her again. "I'm so sorry," he said softly as he clung to her. "I'm sorry," he repeated over and over. He didn't think he would ever be able to say it enough. All the things he'd done replayed in his mind, all the people that he'd hurt. As he much as he wanted to stay there, he knew it wasn't safe. Not only because they were squarely in Devone's territory, but because he didn't trust himself. He'd had moments when he'd fought through the cloud of darkness before, but it never lasted. "We can't stay here." Griffin reluctantly leaned back from her. "It's not safe." Through his thunder cloud of thoughts, another one occurred to him as he remembered punching Dr. O in the face just minutes before. "Dr. Oliver," he said as he looked back the direction that he'd left him. "He's here. We have to get him out too. We can't leave him here. God, I've been terrible to him." The shame he felt was almost overwhelming. He knew that getting Tommy back home wouldn't make up for all of it, but it was all he had.

Bianca couldn’t begin to understand how badly Griffin probably felt. He had caused quite the ruckus since their initial trip to Shadow Island and had seriously worried his family and friends. Eventually he would have to accept that the people who truly cared about him would forgive him for all that he had done, though. She had told him once that people are capable of forgetting what one’s said and done, but they will never forget the way that they made them feel. Once upon a time his jovial spirit and goofy personality had the ability to make her smile at the drop of a hat. Simply having him hug her back, even apologize to her, was enough to evoke the same feelings she’d had for him before he became the black ranger. Bianca disentangled herself from his embrace, nodding her head quickly. “I know it isn’t. Reese and Syria went back inside the camp to help break Dr. Oliver out but I can’t exactly use my morpher to communicate with him now,” she explained, looking at the busted piece of technology that was secured to her waist. “Hey, don’t do that to yourself,” she warned softly, using her hand to tilt his chin up so he would look her in the eyes. “You were not in control of your actions, Devone was. All of us understand that, including Dr. Oliver.” She paused for a minute, gazing past his shoulders at the camp that she knew Reese, Syria, and Dr. Oliver were most likely still in. “Look, I don’t know this place like you do. We need to come up with a plan to get all of us out of the camp and we have to do it quickly before anyone notices that Reese and I are here. Do you have any ideas?”

Griffin swallowed hard and tried to fight off tears that stung the corners of his eyes. He didn't have time to feel sorry for himself or dwell on everything he'd done. He couldn't. Looking into Bianca's dark eyes and seeing no hatred reflected back at him, he nodded his head. He didn't fully believe that he wasn't responsible himself, but he could see that she did. In that moment, it was enough for him to cling to. Griffin knew that letting Bianca just walk right into the caves would never work. They had to be smart about it. If Devone even suspected that something was going on, they'd all be dead right where they stood. Too many people had seen him chasing after the white ranger and then tangling with the pink one, and nothing short of defeating them was ever acceptable in Devone's eyes. Losing was never an option. "I know you have no reason to trust me," he began as a plan started to form in his head. Taking in their surroundings and the distance they had to go to get back to the others, there was only one way to get them both there unharmed, but it was asking a lot. "But I need to put these on you." Griffin unhooked a pair of cuff like shackles that were used for other prisoners on the island before Devone fully got into their heads. He looked from the unforgiving metal in his hand and back up to Bianca's face. "If they believe you're my prisoner and I'm taking you into a cell, no one will think twice about it. It's the only way."

Bianca’s eyes widened as Griffin extended a pair of rusty shackles towards her, slowly piecing together his idea before the words even left his lips. She hated that there was a part of her that told her to run, a part attempting to convince her that he had been pretending to be his normal self again just to turn her into a prisoner like Dr. Oliver. Devone would love if his evil ranger had captured one of the good rangers who were trying to interrupt his overtaking of the earth. Yet she stifled that warning voice in her head, replacing it with happier thoughts. She could trust Griffin, even if it meant taking a huge leap of faith. She hadn’t made it this far to simply give up and she knew that he needed to see that he still had someone on his side. Though she didn’t want to have to put her acting skills to use to pose as a captive, she admitted that it was a good plan and it was definitely their best shot at returning home in one piece, all together. “Okay,” she murmured, reluctantly holding her hands out.

Griffin could see her reluctance, and after everything that had happened, he would have been more surprised if there had been none. He had done nothing but hurt everyone around him ever since his first run in with Devone. He wouldn't have judged her if she'd taken off and left him in the dust, but he knew it was the only way. When she held out her hands and accepted his plan, Griffin clasped the metal around her wrists. "This will all be over soon." He tried to reassure her with a soft squeeze of her hand before he stood up and wiped all emotion off of his face. He couldn't let her down again, and that meant convincing everyone that he was the same person who had been around the camp for months. He was Devone's right hand man in a lot of ways, and he didn't want to give them a reason to doubt that. "Come on," he said loudly as he grabbed Bianca's arm and pulled her towards the caves. "I'm sick of you rangers showing up here and getting in my way. It's time to teach you a lesson." Gone was the soft reassuring tones he'd been using, and in its place was the cold and angry mask he'd been stuck behind. "Let's go." Griffin continued to pull her along the path and through the tunnels. He wanted to reach the others not only to get everyone back home safely, but also because he didn't fully trust himself. At least with the others around, they could try and stop him from hurting anyone again. Griffin didn't so much as slow down until they finally reached Dr. Oliver and the others. It wasn't until he was completely sure that they were only among allies, that he released the hold he'd had on Bianca's arm. "Are you okay?" he asked as he uncuffed the shackles. He didn't want her to have to wear them for a second longer than necessary.

Bianca clenched her teeth when the cuffs were secured to both wrists, hating the dehumanizing effect that they had. When his found hers in a reassuring squeeze, her anxieties began to wear away and she followed him as he led her through a system of tunnels that now existed in the caves. When she had been here the first time, the caves were what one would expect- dark, cold and humid. Now they had been restructured to resemble a grid of connected corridors. Other volunteers and soldiers trudged through the tunnels and Griffin made sure to make a scene of treating her as another infiltrator of the camp, another human who would be locked behind the bars before an unfortunate and miserable death. Her blood ran cold at the sight of the cells that they passed and although they were too dark to see if anyone were occupying them yet, she knew that if her team didn’t intervene with Devone’s plans this camp would be filled with innocent people. Even the other soldiers were potentially good people. Griffin had been forced to work alongside Devone with some type of drug and she wondered how many others were under similar potions. She peered warily at the taller man beside her, shivering each time his deep voice barked at her. The minute they stepped foot into Dr. Oliver’s cell she let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding. Relief flooded her when she saw she now had Reese and Syria back by her side, a precautionary thought. Luckily Griffin uncuffed her the minute they were inside. She felt suffocated by the cold metal, as silly as it seemed. “Yes,” she answered in a calm voice, hovering close to his side. “Thank you, Griffin.” Turning to look at the others, she shrugged her shoulders and let out an excited giggle. “We did it! He’s broken through the serum. Now we need to get out of here. Syria, can we teleport back to command?” she asked hopefully, itching to get out of the disturbing camp.

Reese felt his stomach twist as Griffin toted in Bianca like a prize catch. Before he could even take a step towards the duo, Griffin was unlocking the shackles, and it took a moment for what that meant to finally sink in, but once it did he excitedly charged towards Giff and Bianca. Unsure who to hug first he wrapped his arms around both in a tight hug. “It’s good to have you back, man,” he nodded, giving Griff’s shoulder a squeeze before pulling away from his friends. “Good work, funny girl,” he smiled at Bianca, anxious to get off of the island and back to command. “I’m with B. Let’s get outta here,” he replied, rubbing his hands together and turning to face Syria, knowing she was the girl with the plan. “And Syria? Thanks. We couldn’t have done this without you.” Trust was something that needed to be earned, but helping bring Dr. O and Griffin back to the city safely was a heroic start.

Tommy squeezed his eyes shut, his vision clouded by stars from the heavy blow. He hadn't known what he expected, but the massive amount of force behind the hit had left him reeling and dazed. His entire face throbbed in pain as the blood flowed freely down his face, dripping steadily to the ground, but still, his concern stayed with Syria and Reese. He used the back of his red-stained hand to wipe, gingerly, at the wound, but it was useless. “That could've gone better,” Tommy tried a joke, but winced at the use of his muscles. Carefully, he slipped his shirt off and gently dabbed it gently at first, before holding it to his nose. The laceration Griffin had left stung upon contact and he could tell from the tightness around his face that it was swollen, but a broken nose was manageable. Exhaling slowly, he blinked to clear his sight just as Griffin returned with who Tommy assumed was a freshly coined power ranger. Immediately, his muscles tensed at the sight of chains but his fears were quickly calmed when it was Bianca who spoke. He let out a sigh of relief. “You had me going there,” he spoke through his shirt. “I thought I was gonna have to take this punk back to school.” Stepping forward, his hand fell to Griffin's shoulder and he caught his eye. “Welcome back, man.” No hard feelings. He looked around the room, appreciative of his saviors. “And thank you. All of you.” He looked from Reese to Bianca to Syria and paused on her. His heart sank at the sight of her, understanding that this could never be a total victory. His jaw tightened at the thought, and he shuffled over to her. “They couldn't have done it without you,” he said, wrapping his arms around her as a way to express his gratitude. “He won't be happy.” The silent question lingered between them.

Griffin expected Reese to clock him one as he rushed over, but he knew that he wouldn't fight back even if he did. He couldn't blame anyone for wanting to smack him around, but when instead he was embraced in a hug, Griffin relaxed the slightest bit. He still didn't know what was going to happen or what anything meant for him anymore, but he got the first hint that maybe he could come back from all of this after all. Glancing up at Dr. O, Griff saw the mess he'd left of his face and quickly let his eyes fall back to the ground. The dried blood and bruises were impossible to ignore. He couldn't face him, not after how he'd acted. He didn't know if he could face any of them again. Instead of joining in, Griffin stood quietly and let the others celebrate as he tried to focus on remaining present. It wasn't easy when the guilt over what he'd become threatened to overwhelm him, but he couldn't lose himself again.

Syria kept her eyes on Dr. Oliver. Having gotten used to taking care of the former green ranger whenever training ending with him getting injured. She shook her head little at him joking around. But didn’t mind it. It was a why for the doctor to keep his spirits up. Syria’s attention left the doctor at the sound of footsteps drawing closer. It wasn’t Reese. He already returned to join them in waiting for Bianca and Griffin. Her eyes narrowed at the sit of shackles on Bianca’s wrists. But when Griffin took off the shackles, Syria let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Syria listened to everyone. Somewhere in the back of her mind she thought that they could have done this without her. But thought it would be better left unsaid. “ I am just trying to make a few wrongs right again. I know that’ll I’ll have to earn your trust again. But I am on your side. No, matter what happens. I’ll always be on your side guys.” Syria said looking from Bianca to Reese and Griffin. Dr. Oliver already knowing what she would be willing to sacrifice to keep everyone safe. Syria was a little taken aback when Dr. Oliver hugged her. Though she returned the embrace with a sigh as she whispered to him, “He’ll be pissed. But it’s nothing I can’t handle. Saving you and Griffin is more important to me.” When she let go of Dr. Oliver Syria looked over at Griffin. Slowly walking over to him. “You’re still fighting the serum aren’t you? Do you feel any pressure on your brain? Because if you do we might need to relieve the pressure on your brain.” Sighing as she looked around at everyone. “Which mean brain surgery.” Syria spoke, not sure if she could handle this task.

Bianca bit her lip nervously at the sight of Dr. Oliver. She didn't actually know him, but after doing some casual snooping around Kat’s home, Bianca learned about their relationship and how special he was. She could tell by his forgiving nature and father-like guidance that he was a good guy and was happy to help break him out of this camp. By the looks of it, he definitely needed medical attention. He was in rough shape, and she sensed that majority of the scars and bruises that littered his body were a result of Griffin’s anger induced state. The guilt and shame was exuding off of him and she again wished she could find a way to explain to him that it wasn't his fault. Sure it was technically him who was going around and hurting people, but he literally had no control over that. There was a lot of science that went behind it, most of which she didn't understand, but she'd communicate it to Griffin once they were back home. She returned Reese’s group hug, wrapping her arms around her two friends quickly. “I couldn't have done it without you and Syria,” she reciprocated the sentiment, nodding her head in agreement when Reese continued to share his gratitude with Syria. The concerns expressed by her roommate, however, made her heart skip a beat. “What do you mean?” she inquired in a worried voice. Syria didn't even have to explain further to her- obviously the serum didn't just wear off, Bianca had simply been able to induce a moment of clarity. Fear seeped into her bones at the realization that Griffin could very easily transform back into the brainwashed super soldier Devone had made him. “How are we going to do that? I don't even think Dr. Hillard knows how to perform brain surgery and there's no way we can bring him to a hospital.”

Syria sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. “Well we could use my lab. But first I really think that Reese she get Dr. Oliver to command. So he can receive medical treatment and see professor Hillard. I am sure that she is worried about how this mission is going.” Syria looked around for a moment before continuing, “Reese you should be able to use the device that I made to get us here. All I have to do is set it so you guys can teleport home.” Cracking her neck out of nerves. She stopped to think for a moment. How was she going to pull this off. She did have a device that was like an MRI machine. So, she would be able to she see if there was anything causing pressure on Griffin’s brain. But how would she get rid of it? Syria didn’t have healing powers. Yet she could try the healing serum, even though it was still untested. “Brain surgery is serious and I do have a device that is similar to an MRI. (Though it is kind of like a hand held device.)” Sighing a little before she continued. “Once we find out what is causing the pressure. We’ll need to think of a way to deal with it. I don’t having any healing powers. I only have the ability to read other people’s minds and then there is my dark magic. Which if they are anything like my father’s they will be only destructive. I don’t really know if they could be helpfully here.” Syria said as she looked from Bianca to Griffin. “What do you guys want to do?”

Reese struggled to keep the look of surprise off his face when Syria mentioned brain surgery. Ever the optimist, he hoped Griff's moment of clarity would be enough to break through the serum, or maybe that some sort of antidote could be whipped up in Syria's lab. However, he didn't have time to waste being scared for his friend as he was given the task of making sure Dr. O gets back to command safely. Reese was silently thankful that his presence wasn't needed for the brain surgery. Even some episodes of Grey's Anatomy managed to make him queasy. "I can do that," he nodded. "Will you be able to get back without it," he asked, taking the offered device, and turning to face Dr. Oliver. "Let's go home," he smiled. "Syria's right. We can't leave the welcoming committee waiting."

Releasing a slow breath, Tommy nodded in agreement, gradually resigning to her choice. Despite her origins, Syria was one of the good ones. He stepped aside to clear her path, lifting his head when she suggested taking him back. Any other time, he'd have fought it, but in his current state, he wouldn't make it far. "She's right. I'm dead weight," he simplified. "Besides, you've made it this far. Might as well let you save the world," he tried to grin but winced instead. Glancing to Griffin, his chest ached for the boy. Coming down from the destructive high was excruciating. The things he had done would follow him forever, and the guilt that weighed down on him... it was unbearable. It was something that still, to this day, haunted his dreams, and he wouldn't wish that on anyone. "Whatever happens, don't sweat it," he assured him, stepping closer so that only Griffin could hear. "You're forgiven." Patting his arm lightly, he joined Reese's side a fresh wave of concern washing over him. "Brain surgery? I don't like the sound of that," he licked his lips, looking to Syria for guidance. He shook his head at Bianca's sentiments and pondered the situation. "Kat's incredible at everything she does, but she's not that kind of doctor." Turning to Syria, he wondered, "Are you sure you can go this?" It was risky, but he'd seen her do incredible things. Reese and Bianca were standing here now largely because of her. Looking between them, he trusted their judgement. Crossing his arms across his chest, his head pounded as he tried to process it all. His eyes landed back on Griffin and he reached out to steady himself by leaning against Reese's shoulder. "It's up to you, bud. Your body, your call. But I think you're in good hands. We'll be waiting for you when you get back... be safe," he turned his attention to the girls. "If you get into a pinch, the power will protect you. Trust your instincts and follow your gut. With any luck, you'll be back before dinner." Tapping Reese's shoulder, he was ready. "Alright, man. Let's get out of here." He felt terrible for leaving them there, but he'd meant what he said. They had each other, and together, they could get through anything. As for him — he was going home.

Griffin looked over at Syria like she was speaking another language. She might as well have been for how much sense it made to him. Brain surgery? She couldn't be serious, and yet he didn't think Syria had ever made a joke in her life. He doubted she was going to start now. "What?" was the eloquent reply he came up with. His head throbbed as he tried to remain in the moment, but he was thinking more like grabbing a couple Tylenol, not letting a college freshman go poking around in his brain. Magic or not, the idea of it was terrifying. "You want to do brain surgery? You're not a doctor. You're not even a nurse. You're the reason that this happened to me, and now you want to poke around in my head?" Maybe this was how they were going to get rid of him for everything bad he'd done. He'd hurt Bianca, Rory, Dr. Oliver, and almost killed Eury. Maybe this was what he deserved. They couldn't win against him in a fight, so they'd come up with another way. They'd slice him open and kill him right there in Syria's lab. No one would even blame them since they were pretending it was for his own good. They were the 'heroes' after all. Recognizing that his thoughts were beginning to spiral in darker directions, Griffin swallowed hard and decided that he had to put some trust in them. He'd asked Bianca to trust him when she had no reason to, and now it was his turn to step up to the plate. "We have to go before anyone finds us." He tried not to think about where they were going and why, reminding himself that he didn't have any choice. He wasn't happy about it, but with how he felt himself slipping away again, he knew they had to do something now before it was too late.

Syria set the device before handing it to Reese. “I can teleport us back to command when we are done here. If we have any issues, I am sure Bianca will let you know that she needs help.” She said nodding her head at Reese and giving Dr. Olive a small smile. Syria looked at Griffin as he spoke. There was no real reason that any of them should trust her. Including him of all people. Griffin was right she was the reason he was the way he is now. Only if she was able to stop her father from taking him that day. He would have been the yellow ranger, not Sawyer. But then they would be saving Sawyer right now. Signing a little at the thoughts running through her mind. “No, I am not a doctor, nor am I a nurse. But I did help create the serum and I am the only person her with photographic memory. Also I am the person that invented the devices in my lab. So sadly I am the only person we have that can do this right now. Trust me when I say that I wish we had another option.” Syria spoke looking from Griffin to the others. Syria wasn’t confident that she’d be the person that could pull this off. But she was pretty sure that she was the only her that could possibly do it. If the odds were in her favor. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes for a moment. Syria wasn’t really sure about this. But she agreed with Griffin. “Let’s quickly head to my lab.” Syria said before leading them to her lab.

Bianca waved to Dr. Oliver and Reese before they transported from the cell and back to command. Although she was relieved to know that they had escaped the camp safely, fear preoccupied her mind with the inescapable surgery Griffin had to have. She flinched at his resistance, involuntarily scooting closer towards him in case she needed to attempt to stop him from running. Whether they liked it or not, they had to accept Syria’s expertise on the subject. Bianca knew that she was insanely intelligent and while she didn’t have the experience to back it up, it was all they had to work with. Syria’s careful, calculated words echoed her own thoughts and before she knew it they were travelling through another set of tunnels towards what was apparently her roommates lab. Fortunately for her, these seemed to be travelled less often and they didn’t run into one of the alien tyrants that stalked this place, or worse yet, Devone himself. The lab was significantly better than the cells where prisoners like Tommy Oliver were stowed away. It reminded her of their medbay they had in command; high-tech devices that even the most advanced hospitals in the nation didn’t have were arranged carefully on the blacktop counters, notes were drawn on a whiteboard pinned to the wall, and an uncomfortable surgical chair sat in the middle of the room beneath an ominous fluorescent light. Bianca rubbed her exposed arms with her hands, hoping to get rid of the goosebumps that dotted her skin. She approached one of the tables and observed the small-scale MRI machine. It was essentially a handheld device, almost like a scanner that was used in grocery stores. How did Syria have the ability to make things like this? She didn’t doubt that she was smart but where would she have gotten this technology from in the first place? So many questions swarmed her head but she knew she’d have to save them for later. “Is this the device?” she prompted, carefully holding it up.

Griffin followed along in silence. He hated everything about what he was walking into, but then again he hated the person he'd become. Even though he would have gladly picked anyone else in this world and all others, his life was going to be directly in Syria's hands, and there was nothing he could do about it. Walking into the lab, Griffin couldn't focus on just one thing. His nerves were running too high, and there was too much to look at. There were devices and high tech equipment all over the place. Seeing Bianca pick up some scanner looking thing, he looked from it to Syria and back again. For a potential torture device, he expected at least a spike or two attached to it. "Let's get this over with," he said as he climbed into the chair with a false bravado. He was terrified, but his pride wouldn't let him show it. Devone's words about showing no weakness and Nexionians being superior echoed in his mind. To keep his hands from trembling, Griffin gripped the arms of the chair, and tried to squash down the growing urge to run for the door.

Syria was thankful that the path leading to her lab was not heavily guarded. She wondered if how her father work showed itself through how his lair was set up. But that really didn’t matter. They would have to come up with there own conclusion as to what could be revealed here. When they arrived at her lab she quickly made her way over to where her lab coat was. Quickly she put it on as the others looked around her lab. Syria looked over when Bianca asked her if the device she was hold was the mini MRI machine. “Yes, that would be the one.” Syria said making her way over to where Griffin was in the chair. “Alright, I’m going to start scanning now. Are you comfortable?” She asked Griffin. Once Griffin confirmed that he was comfortable she turn on the device and started to scan Griffin’s brain. Syria took into account how Griffin’s behavior was when the serum was working. If she was right the serum messed around with his emotions. So, Syria started by scanning the frontal lobe. “Hmm… there does seem to be a shadow on part of the frontal lobe and the temporal lobe.” Syria said looking from Bianca to Griffin. “There the parts of the brain that play a part in our control over our emotions.” Syria paused for a moment. “Which would explain why Griffin became aggressive quickly.” Syria looked at Bianca quickly to see if she understood what was being said. Not that she doubt Bianca, Syria just didn’t want to confuse anyone. “So, any question or would you like us to get started.”

Bianca curiously watched Syria start the MRI scanner and hold it up to Griffin’s head in amazement, hoping that the results would show nothing abnormal and they could teleport back to the dorms like she had originally planned. However, Bianca saw the tiny screen on the device pinpointing a mass located in his frontal lobe. The explanation that Syria provided for the results of his scan made sense, yet Bianca couldn’t help but feel like all of this was a nightmare that she was trapped in or worse, some sick joke they were trying to pull on her. Would she really put it past Sawyer to arrange a plan as excessive as this? In this moment, she wished that the cameras would come out, Syria would yell that she was on the revamp of the revamp of Punk’d, and Griffin would ruffle her hair playfully. But that wouldn’t happen. This was their reality now. When Syria asked if they were ready to get started, she swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded her head. She wanted to be helpful, and though she didn’t have the magical abilities that Syria possessed, she could certainly be a pillar of support for Griffin during this stressful period of his life. Turning towards the wash station to clean her hands and soak sterilized towel, Bianca prepped herself for whatever this brain surgery would consist of. She returned back to Griffin and cautiously sat on the edge of the chair, feigning a level of confidence that she didn’t necessarily have but desired to. “Look, I know that you’re scared,” she spoke in a quiet voice, pressing the cool towel against his face. “But you have to let her do this if you ever want to be completely normal again. If she doesn’t remove the growth it can overtake your entire brain, Griffin. Call me selfish but that’s the last thing I want to happen.” Pausing to draw in a steadying breath, she flashed him a gentle smile before uttering two simple words, “Be brave.”

Griffin took a deep breath and tried to calm himself as Syria and Bianca went about getting ready. "If I die, could you tell everyone I'm sorry?" he asked as he wiped his hands on his pants. His palms were sweaty from nerves more than actual heat. "Not that I'm sorry I died, but you know, for everything I did." He took another breath and leaned his head back against the head rest and closed his eyes. Maybe if he blinked hard enough everything would magically be over. Maybe he'd wake up from the nightmare of his life. Feeling the cool towel against his face, Griffin opened his eyes and found Bianca looking back at him. As she gently wiped the dirt from his skin and tried to reassure him, he suddenly remembered being a kid on Nexus. He'd been terrified after he was discovered hiding, and Ariana hadn't shown any fear as she'd reached over and wiped a smudge of dirt from his face. She'd given him strength just like Bianca was now. A look of confusion briefly washed over his face before he hide it again again and chalked the memories away to his life flashing before his eyes. After all, the odds of him making it through having his head screwed with by an alien freshman seemed close to none. "Be brave," he repeated like that would somehow help him. "Right. I can do that." Taking another deep breath, Griffin let go of the arm rest he'd been gripping and turned his hand over, silently hoping that Bianca would take his.

Syria sighed before putting the device down on a counter. While Bianca washed her hands Syria went to go grab a few supplies that they would need. She was still unsure of herself. It didn’t help that this was going to be the first time she tried using her dark powers for anything. Syria was still not sure any good would come from that type of dark magic. But she could hope that maybe they would work differently for her. Shaking her head a little as Griffin spoke. She hoped that she wouldn’t screw this up and end up killing him. But Syria knew that little voice in her head (that sounded a lot like her father) would remind her that she was going to screw this up somehow. After Bianca was done getting ready. Syria went over to wash her hands and while she did that tried to gather some kind of confidence. Taking a deep breath to ready herself for what she was about to do. Syria quickly set up what she needed to set up for this. Quickly she double checked everything to make sure it was in order. “Alright, it seems I have what we need. Now I am going to put you under. So you won’t feel anything.” Syria said as she looked at Griffin. “I promise that I won’t let you die on me.” She looked over at Bianca for a quickly moment. “I assume that you’d want to hold his hand during this.” Thinking that it would be helpful. Just incase Griffin wakes up during. He can squeeze Bianca’s hand. “Ok, I am going to put the IV in. So you are going to feel a pinch.” Syria said before acting on that task. After she did that, Syria went back to grab the device. She focused on Griffin’s mind. Seeing if she was able to pick up any thoughts. Once she was sure he was out Syria spoke to Bianca. “He is out, so I am going to start alright.”

Bianca nodded her head optimistically as Griffin repeated her words, lacing her fingers through his and grasping his hand tightly without hesitation. She ignored the way holding his hand made her skin tingle and heart race, choosing instead to focus on the IV drip Syria was inserting into his other arm. She pressed her lips tightly at the other brunette’s suggestion but agreed with the logic behind it. Hopefully there would be no waking up during surgery; she wasn’t so sure squeezing a hand would suffice in that precise moment of panic and pain. Bianca stared at Griffin, not knowing what more to say to him. She wanted to apologize for taking so long to save him; for the fact that he was even put through this nightmare. Before she knew it, his eyes were fluttering shut as the sedative circulated through his bloodstream. Taking a mental snapshot of the peaceful state he was in, Bianca looked back to Syria with determination in her dark brown eyes. “Go ahead,” she stated, eager to get this done with. She engrossed herself in the act of holding Griffin’s hand instead, gasping as she felt a strange sense of warmth radiating from his skin. Perhaps his body temperature was raising due to the work Syria was performing on his brain. Whatever it was, it sent chills up and down her spine and made her squeeze his hand even harder, nervously waiting for the procedure to be completed.

Looking at the mass with the mini MRI device, Syria would be able to tell if her powers were working on it. She still was doubting her abilities. Knowing that from watching her father use his dark magic powers. That they weren’t meant for healing, only destruction. Syria quickly looked up at Bianca holding Griffin’s hand in a vice like grip. Smiling a little at the gesture. Before she fully started to concentrate on the mass. Slowly Syria gathered her dark magic. Focusing the light purple energy on the mass that was putting pressure on Griffin’s brain. As Syria looked through the mini MRI device at the mass she noticed that it was slowly being inclosed in a very light energy. That energy started to slowly shrink the mass. ‘Am I doing this?’ Syria thought to herself. ‘But, that energy isn’t a light purple. How could this be my powers?’ Syria was slightly confused and shock that her powers seemed to be working. Yet, something felt off about this whole thing. Syria couldn’t feel her powers shrinking the mass. ‘Why can’t I feel my powers working if the mass is shrinking?’ She thought. Still not sure if she was the reason that the mass was slowly but surely shrinking down in size. Syria was still not sure is she was the one shrinking the mass down in size. But, she continued to focus her dark magic on until it was no more. “The mass is gone now.” Syria said, still slightly confused that her powers might have actually worked on getting rid of it. Syria looked at Bianca. Asking her silently if wanted to take a look at Griffin’s brain.

Bianca’s eyes found the concentrated look on Syria’s face but the pressure of situation drew her attention back to Griffin, who was sound asleep, for majority of the procedure. Was it even a procedure? Syria hadn’t even made an incision in his head to extract the mass, but Bianca was aware that Nexonians possessed powers that she couldn’t wrap her head around yet. She could feel the shift of energy in the room once Syria had activated her abilities and zoned them in on his brain; it almost reminded her of what it felt like when she found out that Griffin had telekinetic powers in the alley way. Her hands began to sweat in her overwrought state but suddenly their alien scientist announced that the mass was gone. Reluctantly releasing Griffin’s hand and standing up to peer over Syria’s shoulder at the MRI scanner, she gasped at the image that was now displayed. Just a half an hour ago an angry dark mass clouded the frontal and temporal lobe, and now it looked entirely normal. “You did it,” she murmured in disbelief, an easy smile playing at the corners of her lips. “Thank you, Syria.” Her words, though simple, expressed the immense appreciation she had for the other girl. Returning to Griffin, Bianca pushed his hair back to feel his forehead and slipped two fingers to his neck to check his pulse. “No fever and a normal pulse,” she continued, still dismayed at the fact that Syria was capable of doing such a thing. A loud scraping sound on the other side of the door pulled her from her state of wonder. “We need to leave!” She had no clue who was on the other side or if there even was someone. Regardless, they couldn't spend a minute longer in this camp. It was beginning to make her sick. She watched Syria remove the IV from Griffin’s arm before she used all of her strength to hoist his body up from underneath his arm. “Syria,” she heaved, “Grab his other arm, okay? Let's go home.”

Syria was still taken back by how the mass in Griffin’s brain was healed. She was almost positive that her powers had nothing to do with that. Though maybe she was wrong, maybe her powers were the reason why the mass was gone. Though she was relieved that Griffin would be able to go back to his life. Well, normal as any Nexonian could life with Devone still being a huge threat. Shaking her head a little, Syria looked at Bianca. “Don’t thank me. He was only here because of me in the first place. I just wanted to make things right.” Syria forced a small smile. Still not sure what really happened. Yet, she would have to focus on that later. “That is a good sign. He should wake up in a few hours or maybe minutes. If he still has any powers left. Though I am sure Professor Hillard could test for that.” Syria said before her thinking was interrupted by a loud scraping sound. She nodded in agreement as she moved to take out the IV as quickly but carefully as she could. Muttering as she went about how she hate those giant metal lizards. Syria was a little shocked at first that Bianca strength. Then she remembered that the serum must have made all of them stronger than a normal human. “Alright” Syria quickly grabbed Griffin’s other arm trying to take some of Griffin’s weight off of Bianca’s shoulders. “Let’s get you both back to command.” Syria said right before she teleported them all back to command. Once she got them there safely Syria helped Bianca bring Griffin to a nearby bed. “Alright, I’ve got to get back before anyone realize that both Dr. Oliver and Griffin are gone.” She said quickly looking at Bianca. “I’ll keep you guys posted on what’s happening back at Shadow Island. And if my father is going to go on a rampage because he lost both Griffin and Dr. Oliver.” Syria sighed before waved before teleporting back to Shadow Island. Where her father was most likely going to be waiting.

Bianca sighed as Syria helped hold Griffin up, allowing her to snake her arm around Griffin’s back and support his head to her best ability. She silently cursed their height difference but it was only mere seconds that she had to keep him upright, for Syria had teleported them to the medical bay in their Command Center. “Sorry,” she grimaced as she awkwardly shifted to get him on one of the hospital beds. Bianca prevented herself from insisting that Syria stay and not transport herself back into that hostile environment. If Devone wanted war with them, by all means he was welcome to come knocking on Katherine’s front door. No one should have to sacrifice their safety to try and stop it from happening. Her nightmares indicated that no matter what they did, he would come for them anyway. But this man she had yet to meet in person was Syria’s father and no matter how skeptical it made her feel, there was no point in trying to stop her from going back. “Okay. Be safe.” She twinkled her fingers in a small wave and the other brunette disappeared in the blink of an eye. Wiping the sheen of sweat from her forehead, Bianca placed her hands on her hips and took a brief moment to thank todos los dioses for getting them out alive. The events of the day had happened so quickly, yet the clock on the wall indicated otherwise. It had been hours since her mission had begun and that’s not including the month of preparatory work that it took. To say she was drained was an understatement and her own sore body yearned for a couple of ice packs in the wake of that vicious battle, but it could wait. Though it had been quite the struggle to have gotten to this point, Bianca was ecstatic to have made it. Glancing down at Griffin, she smiled affectionately and placed her hand on top of his once again. “You are so worth it.”

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