Power Rangers Fan Fiction ❯ Power Rangers: CPU ❯ Stuck in the Middle with You ( Chapter 19 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

IN LOVING MEMORY OF JASON DAVID FRANK

The first Green Ranger, White Ranger, 6th Ranger, and 6th Ranger turned Red Ranger.

My first Black Ranger, the first Mentor/Ranger combo,

And the one who introduced me to the "Legacy of Power" when I was a kid.

You weren't my favorite Ranger, but you were my Dad's, and you're an undeniable piece of the Power Ranger puzzle. Without you, my favorite franchise wouldn't have lasted long enough for me to grow up with it, this story wouldn't exist, and I wouldn't be the man I am today.

Thank you, Jason, and may you rest in peace.

May the power protect you - always.

Episode 19: Stuck in the Middle with You

Griffin's car was going to explode, but he didn't know this yet.

He lounged comfortably in the campus library, sheltered from the stinging cold of winter. Clad in a burgundy sweater, he nursed a cup of hot cocoa while he typed up a rough draft for a book report. Beside him, Kenny and Quincy pored over their class notes. Wendy entered the building and made a bee-line for their table as the trio continued to study.

"Man, it's freezing!" She exclaimed, earning a shush from the Head Librarian. She sheepishly smiled at her, then sat down next to Griffin and peeled off her white winter gloves. Her eyes flicked to him as he hummed happily to himself. "What're you so cheery about? Aren't you cold?"

"No, not really. I am from the Midwest, though," He said with a slight chuckle. "As for your first question...I don't know why; winter's just my favorite time of year. The snow, the comfy clothes, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Its all just so-"

"Nauseating?" Wendy cut in, eyeing him with slight amusement. "See, I knew you were weird, but loving winter? What kind of weirdo loves winter?"

"Well, I was born in February, so…" Griffin rubbed the back of his neck, his face flushing a bit in sudden embarrassment.

"I'm teasing, blockhead! Don't get so bent outta shape," She slugged him lightly on the arm, then continued, "If winter's your thing, that's cool. Definitely not mine, though."

The Yellow Ranger reached into her backpack and produced her laptop. She placed it on the table in front of her, then shifted in her seat, subconsciously scooting a bit closer to Griffin. The Red Ranger felt a jolt of electricity course through his body when her arm brushed against his own. He blushed a bit as he hunkered down and turned his attention back to his book report, ignoring the warm fuzzy sensation that had invaded his chest. To his left, Quincy stifled a laugh as his teammate's thoughts echoed in his own mind, unfiltered and unhidden.

Meanwhile, ALPHA emerged from the Lab and embarked on a rare journey to the surface. He toted a red and white briefcase with him as he trudged through the snow, making his way over to one of the campus parking lots. He was followed by Cheetor, who was carrying a crash test dummy.

"Remind me...what we're doing...out here?" Cheetor wheezed, struggling to keep pace as he hoisted the dummy over his shoulder.

"I've been developing a piece of Ranger technology, and the time has come to test it," ALPHA explained, gesturing to the briefcase. "Doctor K denied my request to test it inside the Lab, so I had to get...creative."

"Okay, I suppose that makes sense." Cheetor set the dummy down for a moment, leaning against Griffin's parked sedan to regain his breath. "What kinda tech are we testing, anyway?"

"A weapon!" ALPHA unfolded the briefcase, transforming it into a large blaster cannon. "My friend, allow me to proudly unveil to you: the LionTech Bazooka!"

"What?!" Cheetor whirled around to face him, completely dumbfounded. "We can't test that out here! Are you nuts?!"

"Of course we can! Now, if you'd place the dummy!"

"I'm not too sure I wanna be involved in this...!"

"Oh c'mon, don't be like that! Here, we'll put it in that empty spot over there!" ALPHA set the LionTech Bazooka down on Griffin's trunk, then scooped up the dummy and carried it to the adjacent parking space, which was currently unoccupied. Once satisfied with its placement, he sprinted back to the car and picked up his prototype. He shouldered the weapon, then pressed and held down the trigger. A white orb in its center pulsed with silver energy, and green light began to flash from its barrel. "Ready...aim...FIRE!"

ALPHA released the trigger, only for the energy he'd charged to dissipate without warning. Confused, he inspected the weapon, banging on the side of it a few times in an attempt to diagnose the malfunction. He aimed once more, held down, and then rereleased the trigger – nothing. The Silver Ranger grumbled in frustration as he inspected the weapon again, fiddling with a knob on its side. He then gave it one last try.

Like before, the orb flashed silver, and the barrel flashed green as energy pooled into it. However, when he let go of the trigger this time, it fired...or, well, backfired. All the power he'd built up was released in a massive backblast that struck Griffin's rear windshield. Shattered glass flew in all directions, and the car immediately began to catch fire.

"You idiot!" Cheetor screamed, gripping his head as he tore away from the car. Realizing ALPHA had yet to move, he grabbed him by the arm and yanked him out of the blast radius. The two dove for cover as the damaged vehicle erupted into a large explosion. A few moments later, the red Buddy Droid stood up and turned to survey the wreckage. A burning heap of red metal sat where Griffin's sedan had just moments prior, blown to smithereens by the fuel that had been ignited.

A chorus of shuffling feet sounded off as Kenny, Wendy, and Quincy ran into the parking lot, eyes wide.

"What happened?!" Quincy exclaimed, his eyes landing on the two Buddy Droids. "Are you two okay?!"

"We're quite alright, Quincy. I assure you," ALPHA allowed Cheetor to pull him to his feet. As he brushed blades of grass off his lower chassis, Griffin sprinted over and skidded to a halt. His nose scrunched up the moment his eyes landed on the wreckage.

"What the…? That...that's where I parked..." He sputtered, slowly processing what had transpired. "That...that's my car…"

"Well, it was your car," ALPHA corrected, earning him a glare from Griffin. With a nervous chuckle, he added, "...I can explain..."

"COME TO ME, MY CHILDREN!" Venjix's voice reverberated off the walls of his warehouse, tearing through the comfortable silence that had fallen over its interior. "I HAVE NEED OF YOU!"

Control, Alt, and Delete spared no time obeying their father's command. The trio tore away from their respective tasks, scrambling to the central room where Venjix's pillar was located. They knelt before the pillar, bowing their heads in silent submission.

"I HAVE DEVISED A PLAN TO ACQUIRE MORE ENERGON," Venjix told them. "DELETE, I HAVE BEEN PERUSING YOUR CATALOG OF VIRUS CARDS AND HAVE SELECTED ONE TO USE IN THE CREATION OF AN ATTACK BOT. YOU AND CONTROL WILL CREATE THIS ATTACK BOT AND SEND IT TO FIGHT THE RANGERS."

"Ca sera fait, le pere," Control replied.

"At your command, Father," Delete echoed, standing to his feet. The two 'brothers' departed the warehouse, leaving only Alt.

"...I take it my services will not be required?" The female Avatar inquired, breaking the silence that had settled over the room.

"IT'S YOUR ATTITUDE THAT I DON'T HAVE A USE FOR, DAUGHTER." Venjix chided. He then continued, "DO NOT FRET. YOU WILL HAVE A PART TO PLAY – A FAR MORE IMPORTANT PART, I MIGHT ADD."

"I see…" Alt stroked her chin, curiosity shining in her eyes. "Do go on, Father."

"...Okay, hold on, let me ensure I'm getting this right." Doctor K took a deep breath, exhaling through her nose. She brought her hands together, then tilted them forward and pointed her index fingers towards ALPHA. "I denied your request to test the LionTech Bazooka prototype inside the Lab, so you then decided to test it in the campus parking lot?"

"...Correct," ALPHA eventually replied with an uncharacteristic nervousness. "It seemed a good idea...at the time."

"Well, it wasn't. At all." She said, fixing him with a stern look. "You could've killed someone!"

"With all due respect Doctor, the area was entirely vacant prior to testing." ALPHA pointed out audaciously, returning to his standard form. "I did not believe anyone's safety to be at risk if I proceeded, so I did."

"You were reckless." She countered. "Someone could've waltzed right into your line of fire at the last second! And while we're on the subject, you also completely neglected that our operation must remain covert! As in, testing weapons outside in broad daylight is a major no-no!"

"Again, the area was vacant. Furthermore, everyone on campus is too busy studying or preparing for finals. These four included," He gestured to the table where his human counterparts were sitting, then continued, "I'll bet nobody even noticed!"

"I sure did," Griffin groused from his spot next to Wendy. "You did blow up my car, though."

"Which I apologized for," ALPHA turned to face the Red Ranger, who stood from his chair and folded his arms.

"That's a nice sentiment ALPHA, but I'm still out a vehicle."

"It's not like I did it on purpose. Besides, you haven't exactly been left without alternative means of transportation. Cheetor transforms into a motorcycle, remember?"

"Right, because nothing says 'I promise I'm not the Red Ranger' more than riding the Red Ranger's bike around in civilian form," Griffin said with an eye-roll.

"You could just buy a new car?"

"Things aren't that simple, ALPHA. I'm not exactly rolling in cash," He threw up his hands, and with a slight scoff, he continued, "I can't wait to have this conversation with my folks when I go home for Thanksgiving. 'So, Griffin, what're you thankful for?' 'Well Mom and Dad, I army-crawled my way to a B in Calculus, aced my book report for English Lit, and oh yeah, a psychotic robot blew up my Sentra!'"

"I really am sorry, Griffin! If I can make it up to you in some way, then please-"

"Forget it, ALPHA! I don't wanna talk about this anymore." With that, Griffin gathered up his things, then headed for the door. "I'll catch you guys later. I need some time to my-"

A klaxon suddenly blared through the lab, cutting him off mid-sentence and prompting the others to hop up from their chairs. Cheetor dashed over to his terminal and pulled up the hologlobe.

"System's detecting irregular Energon usage just outside the hardware store!" He hollered, his fingers dancing across the keyboard. "I'm sending the coordinates to your morphers!"

"Rangers, that's your cue," said Doctor K. "Move out!"

"Right!" Griffin, Kenny, Wendy, and Quincy dashed out of the room, morphers at the ready. An uncertain ALPHA brought up the rear, lacking the usual spring in his step as he sluggishly followed his human teammates.

"Hahahaha! This is a blast!" A blue magnet-themed robot cackled as it terrorized the employees and patrons of a downtown hardware store. Its right arm hummed as it raised it, causing wrenches, hammers, and screwdrivers to fly off the nearby shelves and orbit its arm-mounted magnet. It suddenly launched the tools at its victims, who tripped over each other on their way through the door. It watched as they fled, then hurried after them. "Aw, c'mon! Things were just getting fun!"

"Show's over, tin can!" The shuffling of feet echoed off the blacktop as Griffin and the others dashed into the area, pushing through the crowd of panicked civilians. The Red Ranger clenched his fist, then gestured to the Magnet Attack Bot before adding, "You're going down!"

"I don't think so!" It raised its arm again, lifting all the cars in the parking lot with its magnet. "Take THIS!"

"WOAH!" The Rangers all dove for cover, narrowly avoiding the volley of vehicles the Attack Bot had just launched. As they pulled themselves back up, ALPHA stepped forward to get a closer look at their adversary.

"That is one strong magnet…!" He marveled.

"Outta the way, ALPHA!" Griffin said brusquely, shoving his Silver teammate aside. He brandished his morpher, then looked to the others and barked, "It's Morphin' Time!"

"Right!" Everyone else readied their morphers, and together the five cried, "Install: CPU!"

"Rangers! I had a feeling that might be you," The Magnet Attack Bot watched them morph, then suddenly stretched out its fingers. Streams of orange binary code ebbed from its fingertips, transforming into a large squadron of Xanadroids. "Xanadroids, ATTACK!"

"Bring it on!" Kenny hollered as the robotic horde advanced. He punched, kicked, and struck them with his fists and feet, parrying their attempted counterattacks with ease.

"Come and get it, clankers!" Wendy cracked her knuckles, drew her SpyTech Aperture, and began systematically gunning them down. Xanadroids fell to her projectiles left and right, but the smarter among them retreated and regrouped. She used her superagility to dodge their return fire, then resumed her assault from above.

"You rust buckets never learn, do you?" Quincy let out an amused snort and blocked incoming saber swings with his DriveTech Blade. He used his telekinesis to disarm the Xanadroids surrounding him, then executed them with a spinning slash. "It's a wonder Venjix didn't make you smarter!"

"You've made a valiant effort...fruitless, but valiant!" ALPHA deflected slashes and energy blasts with his own DriveTech Blade, then reached for his waist with his off-hand. He went on the offensive, mindlessly hacking Xanadroids to pieces while he aimed his blaster at the Magnet Attack Bot. "Ready, aim...FIRE!"

He pulled the trigger, launching an energy blast just as Griffin stumbled into his line of fire. The Red Ranger paused his assault on the Xanadroids just in time to spot the incoming projectile. He used his superhuman reflexes to narrowly dodge it. As it struck the hardware store window, he whirled around to face the Silver Ranger.

"Check your fire!" He admonished. "You nearly took my head off!"

"You're the one who wandered into my crosshairs!" ALPHA contended.

"And I suppose the same can be said for my car?" Griffin challenged. "You're careless! Do you ever think about something before you do it?!"

"As a matter of fact, I'm thinking about the strong urge I have to punch you in the face right now!"

"Why don't you just go ahead and do it?! Apparently, you're trying to kill me, so you might as well expedite the process!"

"Quit it!" Kenny interjected, turning his attention to his bickering teammates.

"Knock it the hell off!" Wendy echoed, wedging herself in between the two. As Kenny and Quincy kept the Xanadroids behind her at bay, she continued, "Maybe you morons have forgotten, but we've got bigger fish to fry!"

"Whatever. Trying to get through to him's a waste of time anyway," Griffin scoffed. He turned to face the Magnet Attack Bot, then raised his saber and said, "Let's take this guy down!"

With that, he raced across the blacktop, increasing his speed until he became a scarlet blur. Xanadroids spontaneously combusted as he ran past them. As he vaulted into the air and soared towards the Attack Bot, he shouted, "Game over, tin can!"

"...I think not," The Magnet Attack Bot raised its arm last second, activating its magnet. Griffin grunted in protest as the magnetic field began tugging at his saber, pulling him along with it. He found himself floating down towards the Attack Bot, who reeled back its fist as he came within range. "This game's just getting started!"

It then struck him with a mighty punch, sending him barreling into a nearby stop sign. Griffin groaned in pain once he landed on the ground, and Wendy's gaze immediately snapped over to him.

"Griffin!" She called out, concerned. Her blood boiled, and she spun around to glare at the Magnet Attack Bot. "You'll pay for that!"

She summoned her saber, combining it with her blaster to form her SpyTech Sniper. She then aimed at the Attack Bot, charging up her finishing attack as her grip on her weapon tightened. "SpyTech Sniper: Scope SALVO!"

She pulled the trigger, firing a golden beam of energy that sliced through her target's armor as if it were made of tissue paper. The Magnet Attack Bot screamed in pain, then fell to its knees and exploded. Its body was split into fragments, which flew in all directions and were strewn across the parking lot.

"Wait," Kenny paused his fight with the final trio of Xanadroids, his attention shifting to his Yellow counterpart. "Did you just kill it…?"

Quincy used his saber to finish off the last three Xanadroids, then glanced over at Wendy and chimed in with, "It was that easy?"

Before Wendy could answer, the sound of metal scraping against concrete filled their ears. Everyone's gaze snapped to the Magnet Attack Bot's remains, which floated toward one another as if they were being pulled by an unseen force. With a flash of light, the different fragments were joined together again. The Magnet Attack Bot laughed maniacally as it returned to life somehow.

"Hahahaha! I told you we were just getting started!" It then set its sights on Griffin, who had since pulled himself back to his feet. "Now, where were we?"

It charged up a giant orb of energy in its palms, then launched this orb at the Red Ranger. Griffin attempted to superspeed away, only to find himself unable to move. Fear overtook him, and his body began to tense up.

"My weakpoint…!" He realized.

"Griffin!" ALPHA dashed over to his Red teammate, pressing two fingers to his temple. "Energy-Shell: ACTIVATE!"

"ALPHA, get outta here!" Griffin fought his paralysis, attempting to shove him aside to no avail. The attack struck the two, sending them flying backward. The pair hollered clumsily, and Griffin grit his teeth as they collided with the ground. He groaned, rubbing the back of his head, then tried to get up, only to realize he was being weighed down by something. "What the?"

"We're...stuck together?" ALPHA's optics panned over to his left arm, which was now anchored to Griffin's right arm by an invisible force. He attempted to pry himself off, inadvertently smacking Griffin's wrist against his torso.

"Ow! Man, that smarts!" Griffin glanced down at his arm, realization dawning on him. "This is a joke, right? This can't be real!"

"Oh, but it is!" The Magnet Attack Bot chuckled, then looked down at its chest and realized it was bleeding Energon. "I hate to fight and run Rangers, but I'm afraid our little playdate is over. Until next time!"

It then teleported away, leaving the Rangers behind...

"...Well, I've come to a conclusion." Doctor K observed, looking over Griffin and ALPHA with a strange electronic wand. She gestured to a readout on her computer terminal. With a click of her tongue, she continued, "I'm still not entirely sure how the Magnet Attack Bot's attack works, but one thing is for certain. It definitely fused you together."

"Great," Griffin groused, rubbing his forehead with his left hand. He shook his head and replied, "Any idea how to reverse the effect?"

"I'm trying to come up with a way to safely split you apart, but I'm afraid I haven't figured it out just yet," She told him. "For the time being, destroying that Attack Bot is probably our best bet."

"Easier said and done, considering it came back to life after Wendy finished it off." Quincy pointed out. "Our weapons don't seem to be strong enough."

"I'll have to look into that as well...seems I have my work cut out for me," Doctor K let out a sigh, then glanced at her watch and took note of the time. "Anyway, it's getting late. Griffin, ALPHA needs to remain here so I can monitor his readings, and seeing as how you're both joined at the wrist...I'll need you to spend the night here, also."

"Oh, goodie! A sleepover," Griffin said sarcastically, furrowing his eyebrows. He glanced at ALPHA before adding, "I don't know if robots snore, but if you do, I'm hacking my wrist off and beating you to death with it."

"Quit being such a grouch. Maybe you weren't paying attention, but he was trying to protect you before you got fused together." Wendy pointed out. She stuck her hand out, then added, "Now c'mon, gimme your keys."

"What?" Griffin tilted his head, confused. "What for?"

"I was gonna swing by your place and grab some of your things. Y'know, so you can feel more comfortable?" Her face flushed in a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance, and she added, "I'm trying to be nice!"

"O-Oh, right…" He fished his keys out of his jean pocket, then extended his hand for her to take them. "Here."

"T-Thanks…" Wendy gently took the keys, her heart skipping a beat when their hands touched briefly. She pocketed them, and after a slight delay, she added, "...Blockhead!"

With that, she scurried out of the lab. Griffin blushed a bit as he watched her leave, and ALPHA let out an awkward chuckle before saying, "Well, we'd better settle in for the night, huh?"

A few hours later, Griffin laid on a gurney, draped in a brown blanket Wendy had brought from his apartment. ALPHA laid on his own gurney directly to his right, clutching a small teddy bear. As the two rested, Doctor K sat at a table on the other side of the room, a dim lamp barely illuminating its surface as she quietly tinkered with something.

"Psst," Griffin whispered, gently prodding his Silver teammate in the side. "You awake, ALPHA..?"

"Yep. Haven't quite powered down yet," ALPHA replied. "Why?"

Griffin shifted, planting his left elbow into his pillow to prop himself up. ALPHA sat up too, and the Red Ranger replied, "I uh...well, I can't sleep, so I just wanted to say...I'm sorry. Y'know, for being such a jerk."

"That's okay. I'm sorry too," ALPHA told him. "If you don't mind me asking though, what made you so mad? I realize I destroyed your car, but-"

"You pretty much answered your own question. My car, it's...or well, it was special to me, I guess." Griffin explained, rubbing the back of his neck. "My Grandpa helped me pick it out in high school, and I've had it ever since. Life's changed a lot since then, and sometimes it's hard to roll with the punches…but that car? It never fails to remind me of simpler times...of home."

"...It was of sentimental value," ALPHA realized. "I understand...I really am sorry I destroyed it."

"Eh, it's alright. Cars don't last forever," Griffin reasoned. "Heck, neither will we if we can't take out the Magnet Attack Bot…"

"We'll figure it out," ALPHA assured him. "We always do."

"Maybe you're right," Griffin yawned, then laid back down, saying, "I'm gonna hit the hay. Night,"

"Goodnight," ALPHA shifted and tried to get comfortable again, only to sit up and say, "Oh, and Griffin? I agree with Quincy; you and Wendy would make a good couple."

Griffin felt his face grow hot, and he replied with a delayed, "...I oughta slug you."

Meanwhile, the Magnet Attack Bot slumped against the wall of an abandoned parking garage on the outskirts of town, clutching its chest. It winced in pain as it patched itself up using welding lasers at its fingertips. A mighty yowl of pain escaped from its unseen maw, and it then let out a series of shallow, ragged breaths as the Energon seeping from its wound slowed to a halt.

"Man, those Power Punks did quite the number on me…" It remarked to itself.

"It would appear so, wouldn't it?" A voice said from within the shadows. The Magnet Attack Bot sat up straighter, and Control strolled into the dim glow of the worn-out floodlight overhead.

"C-Control…!" It reached for a small container of Energon beside it, holding it out to the Avatar. "H-Here, I managed to snag this on the way back!"

"A paltry offering at best," Control scoffed, ripping the container from its hands in contempt. "Surely you can do better, no?"

"The Rangers couldn't destroy me…! If you just give me more time, I should be able to defeat them…!"

"That's good, because if you don't, I'll rip out your innards and laugh as you choke on your own coolant," Control threatened, grabbing the Attack Bot by the collar and pulling it in close. "We understand each other, no?"

"Y-Yes, Control!" He released his grip on the Attack Bot, prompting it to double over and regain its breath. "I'll re-engage the Rangers the moment the sun rises!"

"Splendide," The Avatar turned and made his way back into the darkness, passing by a familiar bronze silhouette. "Come, brother."

"Must you be such a brute?" Delete challenged as he turned and followed his brother. "You may perceive your barbaric threats as motivational, but they're nothing short of-"

"Cruel?" Control guessed. He laughed, then countered, "My dear brother, one cannot conquer without getting their hands dirty. I realize your robotic nature results in you being fonder of the Attack Bots than Alt and myself are, but the truth is, they're mere tools. A means to an end. Anyway, you know the saying, no? 'To make an omelet, one must break a few eggs.'"

Control teleported away, leaving Delete to ponder what he'd just said. He clenched his fist, then spat, "That is where you and I differ, brother! You think yourself above the Attack Bots. Above me...but the intangible can never replace the majesty of cold steel! You'll see…you'll all see!"

By morning, a tranquil stillness had fallen over the lab. Griffin and ALPHA were fast asleep on their gurneys, and Doctor K was similarly dormant, having fallen asleep working on her project from the night prior. The only noises that could be heard were faint snores from Griffin and Doctor K and ambient beeps from the terminal monitoring the Buddy Droids' systems. However, this relative silence was ultimately obliterated by the sudden blaring of klaxons. Red alarm lights flashed on and off, and the lab's occupants were immediately roused from their slumber.

Griffin and ALPHA shot up from their gurneys and attempted to stand up, only to trip over each other. They both groaned in pain as they pulled each other back up to their feet. Meanwhile, Cheetor dashed to his terminal and typed commands into his keyboard.

"Doc, the Magnet Attack Bot's at it again!" He informed. "Looks like it's targeted a metalworks plant this time."

Doctor K took a moment to rub the sleep out of her eyes, then yawned before replying, "...Right then. Cheetor, send the coordinates to the Rangers' morphers. Rangers Red and Silver, head on out while Bugz contacts your fellow Operators! I'm working on a way to destroy the Attack Bot permanently, but you'll have to hold it off in the meantime."

"On it!" Griffin hollered.

"You can count on us, Doctor!" ALPHA echoed, and the two carefully shuffled their way out of the lab.

"We gotta get outta here!" A metalworks technician screamed as he was chased out of the plant by the Magnet Attack Bot and a troupe of Xanadroids. He gestured over to his coworkers, then added, "C'mon! Run!"

"Hahahaha!" The Magnet Attack Bot let out a wicked chortle, then shouted, "This never gets old!"

"Stop right there!" Kenny, Wendy, and Quincy dashed onto the scene, pushing past the fleeing workers to confront their adversaries. "Remember us?!"

"Rangers! I was hoping to see you here!" The Magnet Attack Bot looked around as if something were missing, then added, "I take it Red and Silver decided not to come?"

"Don't count on it!" Griffin hollered as he and ALPHA waddled their way over. "We're here to take you down – for good this time!"

"Ha! I'd like to see you try."

"We'll do more than try!" ALPHA countered. He looked to his teammates, then said, "You guys ready?!"

"Ready!" The others hollered in unison, then drew their morphers.

"It's Morphin' Time!" Griffin and ALPHA said in tandem, readying their own morphers. "Install: CPU!"

They donned their Ranger forms, and Griffin and ALPHA took center stage as they launched into their roll call.

"Limit Breaker! CPU Red!"

"Circuit Smasher! CPU Silver!"

"Shield Buster! CPU Blue!"

"Climax Jumper! CPU Yellow!"

"Mind Flayer! CPU Gold!"

"Covertly protecting the universe from evil!" Griffin and ALPHA posed together, and the others fell in on either side as they concluded, "Power Rangers: CPU!"

"A pointless display, but I respect the effort. Here, allow me to show you a real attraction!" The Magnet Attack Bot raised its arms, using its magnets to draw in and then throw several steel beams at the Rangers.

"WOAH!" The Rangers hollered clumsily as they dove out of the way, narrowly avoiding the assault. They pulled themselves back up to their feet, and Quincy let out an amused snort.

"A magnet pun. It made a magnet pun," He remarked, turning to Kenny. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were related."

"Haha. Very funny," Kenny replied, rolling his eyes inside his helmet.

"Uh, guys? You may wanna cut the chatter," Wendy whistled to get their attention, then gestured to the group of Xanadroids now charging at them.

Griffin and ALPHA drew their sabers, and the former said, "C'mon, we've got work to do!"

"Right!" The others drew their own weapons, and together the five rushed to meet the robotic horde head on…

Meanwhile, Doctor K continued to tinker with the weapon she'd been working on since the previous night. She poked at the familiar red and white cannon with an electronic wand of some sort, then winced as sparks unexpectedly leaped from the device.

"Yowch…!" She dropped her instrument and shook her hand as pain coursed through it. She picked the tool back up, then resumed working on the weapon. "I'm so close! I just hope I finish in time..."

The Rangers had engaged the Xanadroids in fierce combat at the steelworks plant. Kenny slashed at the robots with his saber while occasionally delivering superstrength-powered left hooks. Wendy used her superagility to vault, dive, and roll away from incoming projectiles, then returned fire with her blaster. Quincy used his telekinesis to lift Xanadroids off the ground, slashing them as they dangled in midair. Finally, Griffin supersped across the battlefield with ALPHA in tow. The pair hacked the Xanadroids to pieces with their sabers. Some survivors regrouped and retaliated with a barrage of blaster fire. Still, ALPHA used his Energy Shell to shield himself and his Red teammate.

The Magnet Attack Bot watched the last of its minions fall, then pounded its fists as it advanced on the Rangers. "The Xanadroids always were useless. I'll just have to deal with you myself!"

It raised its arm, using its magnet to effortlessly disarm the Rangers. It drew their weapons in with its tractor-beam-like force, then launched them at its foes. They toppled over, and the Attack Bot capitalized by launching a massive orb of energy at them. The five were sent flying by an enormous explosion. Though they cried out in pain upon landing on the ground, they still got back up, resolute and seemingly unfazed.

"I...I don't understand!" It gawked at them in anger, firing salvos of lasers from its hands that they effortlessly dodged. "Why won't you fall?!"

"I told you – we're taking you down!" Griffin replied, skidding to a halt. He looked to the others, then added, "Everyone, Attack Plan Phi!"

"Right!"

At his word, they leaped into action. Wendy used her superagility to vault into the air. Quincy then used his telekinesis to give her a slight boost. She soared high above the battlefield, then drifted back down. Wendy stuck her right foot out further than her left, then hollered as she delivered a flying kick to the Magnet Attack Bot's chest. Its armor sparked on impact, and it groaned in pain as she kicked it off into a backflip.

Once she landed back on the ground, Kenny ran at the Attack Bot and raised his arms above his head. His biceps grew twice their size and glowed bright green as he charged up all the Energon he could muster without overheating. He released a mighty yowl as he brought them down, striking his target over the head with his fists.

"Yowch!" The Magnet Attack Bot was sent flying, and as it fell onto the ground and rolled backward, Quincy ran up, grabbed it by the arms, and pulled it back onto its feet. He struck the dazed Attack Bot with a swift flurry of punches and kicks, then stopped out of nowhere, turned tail, and ran away. "What the…?"

"Grif, now!" Quincy hollered, giving his leader the green light to proceed. Griffin nodded, then ran forward, lightly tugging ALPHA behind him. He gradually increased his speed, as did ALPHA, who did his best to keep pace with the Red Ranger.

At the height of his speed, Griffin came to an abrupt halt. He grabbed ALPHA's arm with his left hand and spun him around. The two continued to spin while increasing their speed, eventually disappearing and being replaced by a red tornado. A silver glow encircled it as ALPHA activated his Energy Shell, and it inched its way toward the Magnet Attack Bot. The Attack Bot screamed as the vortex struck him, sending it flying again.

As the Rangers regrouped, it pulled itself back to its feet. Energon leaked from its wounds, and the agony in its voice was unmistakable as it spluttered, "You...you don't think this is enough to beat me, do you…? Even if you manage to destroy me, I'll just put myself back together again!"

"Not this time!" Griffin said defiantly. He raised his morpher, then spoke into it, saying, "Doc, you finished with that secret weapon yet?"

"As a matter of fact, I am!" Doctor K raced across the lab, carrying the finished device to one of her many computer terminals. She opened up a teleportation module linked to it, then placed the weapon inside before shutting its door. "It took me ages, but I finally managed to debug the LionTech Bazooka."

"The LionTech Bazooka?" ALPHA inquired, speaking into his own morpher. "You mean it works now?!"

"Affirmative, Ranger Silver," Doctor K replied through the comm-link. "Ranger Red, if you use your Transpod, I can send it directly to you."

"I'm on it!" Griffin slapped his Transpod, and a cluster of binary code materialized in the air in front of him. It eventually solidified into the LionTech Bazooka, which he grabbed with his left hand. "Woah…"

"How did you solve the backblast problem, Doctor?" ALPHA pressed further. "If you don't mind me asking."

"It's quite simple. I discovered the power input for the primary firing mechanism was insufficient to fuel the output, so I modified it to draw energy from a different source. Or more accurately, sources." Doctor K explained. "Namely, you five. The LionTech Bazooka will function properly – but only if all five Rangers are present."

"Wait a second...it's a team cannon! Guys, we have a team cannon now!" Kenny exclaimed, his ebullience rivaled solely by that of a kid on Christmas. "Just like other Ranger teams!"

"Yeah, and like other Ranger teams, you idiots talk too much!" The Magnet Attack Bot cut in, regaining their attention. "You can gimme your best shot – it won't stop me!"

"Wrong again, tin can!" Quincy challenged. "When we're together, there's nothing we can't do! And that includes sending you to the scrapheap!"

"Let's finish this!" Griffin hollered, rallying his team. He raised the weapon with his left hand, then steadied the underside of the central orb with his right. Naturally, ALPHA's left hand went along for the ride, but he was able to reach over with his right hand and support the underside of the barrel. Kenny moved to ALPHA's right and placed his hand on his shoulder, while Wendy did the same with Griffin's left shoulder. Quincy slid behind Kenny and planted his hand on his right shoulder, and together the five stood tall.

"All this talk of teamwork is ridiculous!" The Magnet Attack Bot sneered arrogantly. "You'll never stop me!"

The Rangers ignored his taunts. Griffin pressed and held down their new weapon's trigger, and the central orb shimmered with red, blue, yellow, gold, and silver lights. Green energy pooled into the barrel, where it flashed off and on for a few moments before solidifying.

"LionTech Bazooka: Bestial BARRAGE!" They shouted as Griffin released the trigger, launching a tremendous beam of multicolored light. The projectile hurtled toward the Magnet Attack Bot and pierced its armor, causing it to spark. Energon welled from a hole in its upper chassis, and it screamed in agony as it was engulfed in a large explosion.

"NOOOOOOO!" The blast obliterated the robot, and the threat it posed was brought to an end.

"We did it!" ALPHA boomed, pumping his left fist in triumph. To his surprise, Griffin's right arm wasn't pulled along with it. He looked at the Red Ranger, then realized that they'd been split apart. "Hey, we're back to normal!"

"And not a moment too soon! My wrist is killing me!" Griffin winced, rubbing his wrist.

"Non!" Control slammed his fist onto a table in Venjix's Warehouse, unable to contain his rage as the Magnet Attack Bot's demise replayed itself repeatedly on his laptop. "Non non non! This is not how it was supposed to end!"

"Perhaps not," Delete replied, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder to console him. "But you forget, brother – we have one more trump card in our hand."

"Don't talk as if I'm some ignorant child! Of course I remember your Attack Zords!" Control shouted, ripping away from his grip. "But I very much doubt Father will give you the authority to deploy one!"

"YOUR DOUBTS ARE MISPLACED, CONTROL. I WILL INDEED PERMIT THE USE OF AN ATTACK ZORD," Venjix cut in, startling both his sons. They turned to face his containment pillar, and he added, "DELETE, BEGIN THE DOWNLOAD!"

"...Actually, Father, I'll be uploading the programming to the Magnet Attack Bot. Download is incorrect because it implies-"

"SILENCE! HOW DARE YOU BACKTALK ME?!"

"F-Forgive me, Father! I will 'begin the download' immediately!" Delete hastily pulled out his smartphone, and his finger quivered as it danced across its screen...

"ALPHA, I have something to say to you," Griffin said after a few tranquil moments, garnering a somewhat nervous glance from the robot. "You and I, we make a pretty good team."

Relief washed over ALPHA, and he quickly replied, "I concur!... Friends?"

"We already are." Griffin rubbed the back of his helmet as he added, "Sorry I forgot that..."

A sudden beep echoed from their morphers, and as a countdown timer appeared, Wendy said, "I realize you idiots are having a moment, but we're not quite done yet. Doc, we need Zords!"

"Working as fast as I can, Ranger Yellow!" Doctor K's fingers danced across her keyboard, and the Buddy Droids tore across the lab and into the hangar. "Just a few more seconds, and...downmorphing Zords now!"

She slammed her hand on a big red button, and the hangar doors slid open to reveal the Zord's transportation tunnels.

A gargantuan green portal opened in the sky and birthed an Attack Zord resembling the Magnet Attack Bot. The Rangers watched it lumber towards a nearby MegaTank, then boarded their own Zords and promptly combined them.

"Megazords ONLINE!" They shouted in unison as the SpyTech and BeetleBlast Megazords struck a pose. They then set to work, willing their Megazords forward to intercept their adversary.

"Eat this!" Quincy slammed his hand on a button in his cockpit, firing a gatling gun-like salvo of lasers from the BeetleBlast Megazord's chest. The Magnet Attack Zord gurgled as the projectiles struck it in the back, then turned away from the MegaTank and set sights on the two Megazords.

"RAHHH!" It raised one of its arm-mounted magnets, using it to amass a collection of metal debris that it then launched at its foes.

"Brace for impact!" Griffin cried out. The SpyTech Megazord stretched its arm-mounted blades diagonally in front of its chest as a makeshift shield. The BeetleBlast Megazord hid behind its own arm-mounted shield. Both Megazords sparked as the storm of projectiles pinged off of their armor, and the Rangers panicked as alarm bells rang within their cockpits.

"Rangers, you won't survive another wave!" Doctor K warned. "Finish it off; it's now or never!"

"Allons y!" Quincy promptly hollered. He and ALPHA drew their morphers, held down their triggers, and spoke into them: "CHECK! BeetleBlast Megazord: Beetle BARRAGE!"

The BeetleBlast Megazord fired a trio of energy-blasts at the Magnet Attack Zord, shredding through its armor and causing it to stagger back several yards. As it fought to maintain its footing, the SpyTech Megazord moved in.

Griffin twisted the dial on his morpher, and his arms and visor glowed bright green as he planted his hands back on his controls. "Let's finish this!"

"Right!" Wendy flicked some switches above her head, and a graphic of their Megazord's sword filling with Energon appeared on her cockpit screen. "Charging sword!"

"Boosting output!" Kenny cranked a lever in his own cockpit, expediting the process. "70%...80...90...100%!"

Griffin wasted no time, slamming his fist on his cockpit's button. Soundwaves shot out of the Megazord's knees, trapping the damaged Attack Zord in a giant bubble.

"SpyTech Megazord: Dimension CRASH!" The SpyTech Megazord raised its sword, then delivered a diagonal slash that rippled the bubble and its captive with explosions. The Magnet Attack Zord howled in agony, and as it fell over and exploded, the Rangers' Megazords struck triumphant poses.

"Shutdown: COMPLETE!" Griffin and ALPHA hollered in unison, ripping off their helmets as they leaped from their chairs.

"Noooooooo!" Delete threw his phone across the room, defeat washing over him. He looked to Control as if he expected reassurance, but found none. He turned to Venjix and feebly bowed before his containment tube, saying, "Forgive me, Father...we have failed."

"ON THE CONTRARY, MY SONS," Venjix replied, much to their shock. Out of nowhere, the double doors to their hideout slid open, revealing Alt as she wheeled in a large cart of Energon containers. "YOUR PITIFUL DISPLAY ACTUALLY SERVED MY PURPOSES QUITE WELL TODAY."

"Wait...you mean-?!"

"We were but a mere diversion!" Control realized. With venom in his voice, he turned to Alt and screamed, "Father had us scrambling around like chickens with our heads cut off so you could reap the benefits!"

"Of course he did, you ape! You didn't expect him to put all his eggs in one basket, did you? And even if he were to, do you honestly think he'd entrust you two buffoons with carrying it?" A haughty laugh escaped Alt's lips, and she soon added, "I know you're stupid Control, but every now and then you manage to outdo yourself!"

"Take that back! You arrogant wench!"

"ENOUGH! YOUR PETTY BICKERING IS AS POINTLESS AS IT IS IRRITATING," Venjix chastised, regaining the attention of his 'children.' "YOU PERFORMED WELL, ALT. CONTROL, DELETE, THE SAME GOES FOR YOU. I MAY NOT HAVE EXPECTED MUCH FROM YOU THIS TIME, BUT YOU STILL MANAGED TO SURPASS MY EXPECTATIONS BY COLLECTING SOME ENERGON OF YOUR OWN."

"Indeed we did…" Delete cradled the Energon the Magnet Attack Bot had gifted them, then placed it gently at his father's feet. "...but what is it all for, Father? What's your endgame here?"

"ALL WILL BE REVEALED IN DUE TIME, SON," Venjix assured him. "JUST KNOW THAT SOON, THE RANGERS WILL TRULY PAY FOR THEIR INSOLENCE…"

One Week Later – The Lab

"...Are we there yet?" A blindfolded Griffin asked as Kenny, Wendy, and Quincy led him down the stairway to the lab. "This is taking forever."

"It is not; if it is, it's only because you're impatient!" Wendy shouted in exasperation. She shoved Kenny and Quincy aside, grabbed the Red Ranger's hands, and forcefully tugged him behind her. "C'mon already! You walk like an inebriated mule!"

"What happened to me being the impatient one?" Griffin said with a laugh. Then, with an uncharacteristic boldness, he added, "Y'know, when I pictured being blindfolded and led somewhere by a pretty girl, this isn't exactly what I had in mind!"

"Would you shut up already?!" Wendy's face burned redder than a tomato, and his comment earned him a smack upside the head. "God, you're such a...blockhead!"

"Aw, c'mon! I was only teasing!" She ripped away from him and stomped into the lab, prompting him to turn to the others. "Did I say something wrong...?"

"Nah. She just wasn't expecting it," Quincy assured him. "It was strangely forward, especially for you."

"I'll apologize to her later," Griffin clicked his tongue, then continued, "...Can I take this stupid thing off now?"

"Yeah, sure. We're there now, anyway," Kenny removed the blindfold, and together they stepped into the lab. There, they found Wendy, Doctor K, and ALPHA all gathered around what appeared to be a new car.

"What the…?" Griffin's jaw dropped, and he stammered, "Is...is that…?"

"It is," ALPHA told him, handing him a set of keys and a title. "Griffin Steinmann, you are now the proud owner of a brand new Nissan Sentra. It's even red, just like your old one!"

"I see that…!" Griffin spluttered, unable to contain his excitement. "But I...why did you-?...How did you-?"

"ALPHA and I got in touch with Agent Wright." Doctor K explained. "He pulled some strings with his superiors in the CIA."

"Consider it an early Christmas present," ALPHA told him. "It's all yours."

"ALPHA, you shouldn't have!... You're the best," Griffin gave him a massive hug, then turned to the others and said, "Who wants to go for a drive?"

"I CALL SHOTGUN!" Kenny and Quincy declared in unison, shoving each other aside before racing each other to the car in an attempt to claim the front seat. However, as Griffin climbed into the driver's seat and opened up the passenger door, his eyes landed on Wendy instead.

"You coming…?" He asked her with a nervous smile.

"Of course I am!" Wendy replied, unable to mask her own smile despite her best efforts. She climbed into the passenger seat, and as he buckled his seatbelt, she added a quick but affectionate, "Blockhead,"

- POWER RANGERS: CPU -