Power Rangers Dino Super Charge- Betrayed

Chapter 5- Graphite Danger

The warm, sunny air was crisp and cold, making Ivan, Tyler, and James shiver as they ventured out into it.

"Let's search for Prince Phillip now," Ivan suggested. "We can check the place where the council usually meets. The one with the archway made of tough, marble shells."

"Speaking of that, whatever happened to Shelby?" Tyler asked. "She just disappeared."

"We can keep a lookout for her while we're searching," James replied.

"Okay." Tyler looked a bit sad. "But before she betrayed Kendall, and even after that, I feel the same way about her that Chase does about who he just confessed for."

James patted his son on the shoulder. "She'll be fine. But we have more to worry about than her. As far as we know she's not in any immediate danger right now."

Tyler nodded. "Okay."

Ivan led the way as they continued on down the street toward the council meeting place belonging to the embassy of Zandar. Along the way, they kept an eye out for Shelby, but no sign of her ever came up. When they got there, they immediately went into sneak mode.

"How can we get in without being seen?" Tyler asked his dad.

"I don't know," he answered. "We can try the back. There might be an opening there."

Tyler felt chills all along his spine as they slowly edged around the wall. If this failed and they had to retreat, they would have to run back to Chase's house to fetch their Energems, which would put Kendall in more danger than ever. She had enough problems already without another attack. However, that led to another question floundering around in his mind. Why had the Dark Energem picked the Purple Energem to curse and left the others alone? If it had picked another Energem or not cursed any of the Energems, they wouldn't be in this horrible mess. But as long as Kendall wasn't completely protected by all of them, she was entirely vulnerable. They would just have to hope that Chase would protect her.

Cut it out, Tyler! The Red Ranger snapped back to reality as his father motioned for him to follow them into the embassy. I just hope this will work.

The back door was just the right size to fit each of them. As they slowly slipped inside, the hall grew wider, and many doors could be seen on the side. Four on the left, three on the right. At the end of the hallway, a curve went to the right in place of another door.

"Wait, I know this place," Ivan whispered, pushing in front of them. "The second and third doors on the left and right are decoys, designed to confuse thieves. They lock the second you close them behind you and lead to endless darkness. The fourth door on the left doesn't lead to anywhere I know about, but the first door on the right leads to Prince Phillip's office. We can start there, then search the Council office in the other first door."

"You're a genius, Ivan," Tyler exclaimed.

"Let's just hope it doesn't backfire," James said as they filed into the office.

Everything about the office seemed dark and bleak. The metal-like desk and overhead lights seemed sinister. There was also no one in sight.

"Start looking, he could be anywhere," Tyler murmured quietly.

"Or right here," the Prince growled, materializing in front of them and morphing. "Where are your Black and Purple friends? I thought they would come with you."

Anger flared in Tyler's eyes. "Did you really expect that we'd tell you?"

"I know you wouldn't. But I do know that you extracted an Energem from the one I sent after you. He told me everything, including their location. I guess you didn't know me as well as you thought," he added, noticing their startled faces.

"We'll do the same to you that we did to Riley!" James roared.

"I think not. You will tell me what you're trying to get the Energems for and in exchange..." He glanced at Tyler and the Red Ranger was sure that he was glaring at him from under his helmet. "... I will tell you what has happened to Shelby."

"What?" Tyler gasped. He leaned forward to speak to the others. "Guys, we have to do it. She's in danger, I know it."

"I agree," Ivan said. "But if we tell him, he'll stop us from getting his Energem and Koda's."

"Tyler might be right, though," James pointed out. "From the way he's talking, he may have been manipulating Shelby the whole time just to destroy Kendall's Energem, then done something else to her. We need to tell him."

"Fine." Ivan glanced at him angrily. "The combined powers of the other Energems will be able to revitalize the Purple one, so we're trying to get all the Energems ack so we can combine their powers."

"Thank you, Rangers," Prince Phillip laughed. "As for your friend..."

"Where is she?" Tyler snapped.

"If you haven't already guessed, I was controlling her mind the whole time. If you want to know what happened to her, see for yourself." Prince Phillip raised his hand and all of a sudden, the Rangers' vision changed and the Prince disappeared, replaced by a dark image of the woods. In the vision, Tyler peered closer and gave a gasp of surprise. The light form of Shelby was blindly running through the dark forest, slowing down with every step. Suddenly she cried out, falling to the ground as a gunshot rang out through the air, then the landscape collapsed beneath her, burying her beneath the soil.

Tyler snapped out of his vision. "The Prince is gone!"

"And Shelby's in trouble!" Ivan added. "We have to go get her!"

"But there's hundreds of acres of forest out there!" James protested. "We'll never find her!"

"Yes, we will. She's near where your box of memories is buried. I saw it." Tyler couldn't resist a grin. Ivan did always have the sharpest eyes.

"Lead the way, Tyler," his dad declared.

Tyler knew the way to the chest by heart. By the time they got there, the sun was just starting to set. James glanced around. "Where is she?"

"No idea," Ivan murmured.

"Wait." Tyler looked around. "I remember this. Look!"

Laying a few yards away from where the box was buried was Shelby's name tag, with the faint outline of a triceratops on it.

"Shelby!" Memories of Kendall being buried in the flaming pile of wood flooded through his mind and he shook them away. "I won't let the same thing that happened to Miss Morgan happen to her!" He got down on his knees and began scraping at the dirt with his hands, not caring about the sticks digging into his skin. Ivan and James flanked him, also digging in the dirt. Tyler gasped as his hand hit something that felt like skin. He grasped it completely and drew back in horror as Shelby's arm came into view. He reached deeper and soon, they uncovered Shelby's body completely. James checked over it and found no trace of wounds other than scars.

"Whoever shot at her must have missed, but she fell into the trap," he reported. "She's fine. I think we got her out before her captor came back."

"Where did Prince Phillip go anyway?" Tyler asked as he lifted Shelby out of the dust.

At that moment, James's communicator began beeping like crazy. He took it out and held it up for all of them to see. It was Chase.

"Guys, get back here quick!" he gasped out. "Prince Phillip just broke into the house and left. I tried to fend him off, but I couldn't. He didn't take any of the Energems, but he got Kendall!"

"We're on our way!" Ivan shouted. "We've got Shelby too. Tyler will bring her back to your house while you join us to get Miss Morgan back!"

James shut off the communicator as Tyler grabbed Shelby and lifted her off the ground. "Let's go!" They took off running, Tyler rushing to the front, as they made their way back to civilization and hit the streets.

And down at the other end of the street, racing through the sunset light, was Prince Phillip, with Kendall's body clutched roughly in his arms. Right behind him, hot in pursuit, was Chase, panting heavily as he ran after the Prince. His face temporarily turned towards the other Rangers.

"Help me!" he yelled desperately. "We can't let him get away! He's going to kill her!"