Ch. 9: Countdown to Rescue

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At Grid Battleforce-
"If your scientist buddy Nate doesn't come alone soon, the Yellow Ranger will no longer work for you," the robotron threatened.

Zoey...I can save her, Nate thought as he quickly gathered up his things, including a little project he'd been working on.

As he approached the address given by the menacing robotron, his heart pounded with a mix of fear and determination. His mind was consumed with thoughts of Zoey's safety and the dangerous situation she was trapped in. With each step, he clutched the little project he had been tirelessly working on, hoping it could be the key to saving his friend.

Quietly, he peaked through a window and saw what looked like a portal. He also saw Zoey in the corner being guarded by Blaze and Roxy. Scrozzle and Kali were working on the portal device. Summoning his courage, Nate took a deep breath and steeled himself for what lay ahead. "I'm here, just like you said," he declared, his voice quivering only slightly as he stepped into the lair of darkness. His heart ached to see Zoey in such a vulnerable state, her usually fierce spirit momentarily subdued by the dire circumstances.

"Nate! Don't, get out of here!" Zoey exclaimed, her voice laced with concern and desperation. She didn't want Nate to risk his life for her, but he couldn't abandon his friend in her time of need. Ignoring the warning, Nate mustered a defiant smile, determined to be a beacon of hope for Zoey.

"I won't leave you behind," he replied, his voice resolute. "We'll get through this together." As Scrozzle and Kali turned their attention to Nate's arrival, a sinister grin crept across Kali's face. The Black Ranger relished the opportunity to taunt Nate, knowing that he cared deeply for his friends and their safety.

"Do as we say, and once you're done you and the Yellow bunny can go free," Kali said. Nate's resolve only strengthened in the face of Kali's wickedness. With a quick glance at the little project in his hands, he knew it held the potential to turn the tide in their favor. He just needed to figure out how.

Nate's heart raced as he faced Scrozzle and the evil Kali. The room's dimly lit walls seemed to close in on him as he struggled to maintain his composure. "What do you want with me?" he asked, trying to sound confident despite his fear.

"Build a body powerful enough to hold Evox," Scrozzle replied coldly, his metallic voice sending shivers down Nate's spine. "You should have everything you need here."

Approaching the table of sinister-looking equipment, Nate couldn't help but wonder how they had gathered such advanced technology. "How... did you get all this?" he asked, trying to buy some time.

"Some of it we found lying around the Cyber Dimension, but most of it I stole bit by bit from under you before you realized who I was," Kali answered with an unsettling, evil chuckle. Her eyes gleamed with malice, leaving Nate unnerved and on guard. His mind raced, considering his options.

"What if I refuse?" he then asked defiantly, trying to resist the overwhelming pressure bearing down on him.

"Then Kali will kill you, and the Yellow Ranger will join us," Blaze spoke up, holding corrupted Morph X. "We'll add lion DNA to her blood and she will be on our side."

Kali's POV
No! I know Nate won't let that happen, but I wish there was some way I could help. I'd never wish this on anyone, let alone one of my friends. It's horrible sitting on the sidelines and not being able to stop myself from obeying Evox.

My inner turmoil intensified as I struggled to resist Evox's malevolent commands. The overwhelming desire to be free clashed with the cruel reality of my situation. A relentless mental battle raged on, leaving me torn and trapped between loyalty to my friends and the unforgiving chains of Evox's control.

Nate, the brilliant and inventive genius, sighed with reluctance, yielding to the daunting task that lay ahead. With grim determination, he began the laborious process of constructing a sinister body for Evox, an imposing physical form to house the malevolent entity's wicked ambitions.

In the midst of this, Zoey attempted to persuade Nate to abandon this endeavor. Her voice was filled with genuine concern and hope for his salvation. However, Scrozzle had no tolerance for any resistance. With a sinister grin, he commanded Roxy and Blaze to silence Zoey's compassionate plea. Before she could utter another word, they ruthlessly muffled her voice, sealing her heartfelt plea behind a cruel gag.

As the portal neared completion, the chilling atmosphere thickened with anticipation. Nate's hands moved with skill and precision, finalizing the construction of Evox's ominous robot body. "There. Now let Zoey go," Nate demanded once he finished.

"Ah ah. Not yet. First we need to see if it works," I said as I carefully picked up the robot body. I set it up and started up the machine.

Please don't work...

"Haha! Yes, it's working! Soon Master Evox will have a new body!" Scrozzle's joyous exclamation echoed through the dimly lit warehouse, and I could feel the power surging within me as I stood alongside my fellow evil allies, eagerly awaiting the moment Evox would emerge. However, before he got to it, Nate took out a blaster and shot the portal, causing Master Evox to once again be trapped in the Cyber Dimension. "No! Stop him!" Scrozzle exclaimed as Nate stood in front of the robot. The Morph X turned back to normal and transformed Nate into the Gold Ranger.

Okay, that's pretty awesome.

Unfazed by Nate's newfound powers, I stepped forward with a cocky swagger, the darkness of Evox's control fueling my every move. "So what if you're another Ranger? I'll still kill you!" I declared, my voice dripping with malice as I started fighting him.

"Come on, Kali, snap out of it! You're not evil," he tried to reason with me.

"He's not the only new Ranger," came a voice I didn't recognize. In moments, Nate was soon joined by a new Silver Ranger.

"This is getting too much for me," Scrozzle said as he teleported away. Then, the other three Rangers showed up.

"I'm with Scrozzle on this one," Roxy declared coldly as she followed suit, teleporting away, with Blaze shadowing her departure. Now, it was me against them.

"Cowards!" I exclaimed in frustration. "No matter. I don't need them, now that I'm stronger. I'll kill you all by myself and then Master Evox will make me second in command!"

Nate ran over to Zoey and freed her as I fought the others. In a last-ditch effort to retaliate, I unleashed a barrage of dark energy attacks, but it wasn't enough. The Rangers managed to dodge and counter my moves. Finally, they struck me with a powerful collective blow, knocking me unconscious.

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