Power Rangers Zenkaiger

Bloody SPD

Zenkaiser entered the SPD Delta Base and immediately headed towards the dispatch center, a room where you confirmed your return from a patrol, but she was stopped by the voice of Kat Manx, "Officer Park", the chief scientist began, "you're wanted in the briefing room".

Dread filled the Zenkaiser and she hesitantly followed Kat towards the elevators. Mentally she had resigned herself towards a quick return to containment. If she couldn't get along with the team then her mission for the Supreme Commander was pointless. The elevator doors opened and the pair stepped inside. Silence descended on the elevator until a soft ding indicated their arrival on the top floor. Inside the command center, Cruger, the B Squad and the rest of the Zenkaigers were already waiting. Jessi immediately sought out Z but the yellow ranger refused to make eye contact. Zenkaiser could almost feel the simmering anger from the brunette, even from this distance. Feeling deflated once again, Jessi tried to turn her attention back to the briefing but the towering presence of Cruger blocked her vision, "You're late", he growled.

"My apologies Commander", Jessi replied as politely as she could and offered him a salute, "I'm still getting used to filling out the bureaucratic SPD paperwork". A small snort of laughter emanated from the corner of the room. The sharp glare Sky gave Syd told her it was the pink ranger who found that funny.

"Hmm", Cruger practically snatched the tablet from her hand and began to read, "this hasn't been filed with the desk Sergeant yet?"

"Didn't get a chance Sir, Doctor Manx told me my presence was needed immediately", Jessi lied smoothly, her face a total blank mask.

"I see", Jessi wasn't sure if the Commander brought her excuse but as he placed the tablet on his desk, she knew that he wasn't going to question it further. For now at least.

As the Commander loaded up the briefing, Jessi could see out the corner of her eye that Z was staring in her direction. "For the benefit of our newest additions can someone recap the last assignment we were working on", Cruger said to the B Squad.

"Ooh I've got this one", Bridge raised his hand enthusiastically, drawing an eye roll from the rest of the room, "we were gaining intelligence on the Gangler crime family".

"The Patranger's enemy?" Jessi asked, "I didn't know they had a presence in the city now".

"They haven't really", Sky fielded Zenkaiser's question, "they've attempted to gain a foot hold in the city two years ago but the Patrangers managed to stop them". Jessi nodded. "Last I heard that bust sent three of their top Generals to containment and the rest of them scuttling back to where ever they came from".

"Things have changed", Cruger said and Jessi immediately picked up on the hidden context of his statement. "After the Scorpion Cartel was driven out of Corinth, the Gangler's moved into their turf which allowed them to regroup. They used Grumm's invasion to sneak under our radar and set up a few operations in Newtech again".

"What kind of operations are we talking about?" Syd asked, "must be pretty serious to get the B Squad involved".

"Last time they were heavily involved in drug running and stealing", Jessi interjected, "they wanted to use Newtech as a stopover point so they could continue their drug route towards DC. If I recall Patrangers were sent in to prove a point, I believe they were the words you used Commander", she added with a triumphant smirk.

Cruger growled, leaving Jessi feeling extremely satisfied with getting her own back on the canine. "Whilst I'll admit a show of force worked last time, this is different. The Gangler's aren't running drugs, they're running people".

"Illegals?" Bridge questioned.

"Hookers is more their style", Jai shrugged, "preying on the venerable, usually the young girls that are dependent on their drugs". The B Squad looked at him in surprise, "What I read ", Jai said, "just not as much as Beau does".

Cruger nodded sadly, "Yes that was a tough time for all of us but that mission was flawed", he said firmly, "that's why we're having this briefing today". He pulled up a map of the city, focusing on the area down by the city airport, "Our intelligence is telling us that the Gangler's have opened a brothel just outside the airport. That allows them to bring in girls from outside the city as well as clients quickly. Some have come all the way from the West Coast, that's how far their reach extends". He allowed that to sink in for a few moments before continuing, "Our plan is to send one of you in undercover as a sting".

"Alright when do I start", Jessi interrupted the Commander. There was silence as Cruger stared back at the Zenkaiser, "What? After all, I'm not SPD they don't know me"

"Which is exactly why you can't go in", Cruger said firmly, "every effort was made to keep your identity safe but we can't run the risk that someone in the operation could ID you. Plus I think you're forgetting Officer Park that you're not cleared for field work yet".

"Come on Doggie that's crap and you know it", Jessi snorted, "you could sign me off right now if you wanted to". Anger swelled inside the Zenkaiser, trust issues between her and the rest of the room were beginning to swell, "Who are you planning on sending in then?" she asked hotly.

Jessi could see that Cruger wanted to chastise her but the Commander knew her too well. Once she got in this pig headed frame of mind, nothing was going to penetrate that fog, "Since this mission calls for female, responsibility will fall to Officer Delgardo as the most senior available officer".

That really boiled Jessi's blood, " Seriously?" Cruger's silence told its own story, "Z is a very capable Officer but going undercover requires specialist training, something which none of the team has taken". She caught Z's eye and Jessi could tell that the yellow ranger was undecided whether to thank her or shout at her.

"That will do Officer Park", Cruger growled.

"I won't be silenced on this", Jessi spat, "so what's my role in this assignment". Once again there wasn't a response from the Commander, "Yeah nothing, that's what I thought".

"Commander I think it would be prudent bring Jessi into this", Sky interrupted Jessi's rant. The Zenkaiser suddenly thought hell had frozen over. Never in a million years did would she think that Sky Tate would stand up for her, "Her knowledge and experience could be invaluable in the field in some capacity, even if it's to get Z up to speed".

"The decision has been made Officer Tate", Cruger replied firmly.

Jessi snorted angrily and shook her head in frustration, "Forgive me Sir but what was the point of me being here if I'm not needed?" She gave him the middle finger, "I believe my shift ended twenty minutes ago and I know how SPD feels about overtime".

She turned and stomped out the room, fuming from the snub from the Commander. Since she was now off duty there was only one way she wanted to unwind, by consuming a vast amount of alcohol. Had Jessi turned around, she would've noticed the concerned face of Z sticking out the Command Center.