Part 5.
TWO YEARS AGO... 2020
(James and Natsuki are seen in a church in Suffolk, Liberty City. They're attending a funeral for Jerry, director of WOOHP. Mark is seen up front, giving his eulogy.)
Mark: I worked with Jerry for around five years, since I was 12. I was closing in on my thirteenth birthday, which also meant I was looking at being decommissioned from the KND. Tommy Oliver liked my determination in the KND and suggested to Numbuh 5 that I'd be transfered to another organization. That organization was, of course, the World Organization of Human Protection. Jerry helped me be the KND's eyes and ears on the ground against Father and his organization. He oversaw most of my training and was the one who suggested to Tommy that I'd be promoted to the Order of the Storm. I have Jerry to thank for my success here. I'll miss him dearly. Thank you.
(Mark leaves the podium and returns to James and Natsuki.)
Announcer: And now we will hear from WOOHP's new director, Ethan James.
(Ethan approaches the podium.)
Ethan: Thank you.
(James and Natsuki turn their attention to Mark.)
James: You and Jerry must have been very close if he recommended you to the Order.
Mark: He was a good man.
Natsuki: Never really knew him, but I heard some good things about him. I thought it would be fair if I came to pay my respects.
Ethan: I met Jerry about ten years ago. He looked into my software developments and was pretty interested. He asked me to help develop biometric lockpicks and other gadgets that would make the spies' missions much easier on them. When I heard the attack on Los Santos claimed his life, I offered to fill the void. Jerry was a good man. I'll never be him, but I'll do everything I can to keep his agency alive. Thank you.
(Sometime later, after the funeral, Mark is seen walking with Ethan at WOOHP's Liberty City branch.)
Mark: If Father's about to activate a deatomizer, I should at least go with the girls to back them up. I can provide sniper cover while they make their way to the target and shut it down.
Ethan: Are you sure?
Mark: It's the least I can do. I owe it to Jerry and to his top spies.
Ethan: Alright. Good luck.
(Mark meets up with Sam, Clover, and Alex, who are about to board a chopper to their mission.)
Mark: Ladies, I'll be providing sniper cover while you deactivate that deatomizer.
(The four board the chopper.)
PRESENT DAY. EREWHON. 2022.
(Mark is seen taking inventory on his loadout before launching an operation to free the civilians captured by Sentinel. Nene approaches him.)
Nene: Sparrowmon and Mervamon are ready to go. Are you?
Mark: Not yet. Trying to figure this contraption out.
Nene: Is that a sensor grenade?
Mark: If it is, it must be a new model. I've never seen it until now.
Nene: Hmmm. (Looks at the grenade) Yeah. That is. Some friends at WOOHP sent Devon some of those for field testing. Watch this.
(Nene takes the grenade from Mark.)
Nene: Watch. You tap this button and throw it.
(Nene throws the grenade, and it reveals positions on Mark's HUD.)
Mark: That's cool.
Nene: W.H.O.O.P. always gives the best when it comes to new tech.
Mark: That they do. I always remember the stuff Sam, Alex, and Clover always get on they're missions
Nene: You'll have to tell me about some of those missions sometimes. For now though, we have to get going.
Mark: Right. Let's move.
(Scene cuts to Mark and Nene meeting with Devon and the Rangers)
Devon: You're here. Good.
Mark: Sorry I was held up. Learning about some new toys I got.
Zoey: Well you might get a chance to get some of those to use.
Ravi: We managed to track down the truck full of the hostages. Intel tells us they head into a cave. We gonna go in there, take out the enemy and free the hostages.
Mark: I can get behind that.
Nene: We'll have to be careful how we proceed. One wrong move and the hostages are done for.
Devon: Don't worry Nene. We'll be careful
(The heroes all move forward and soon arrive in the cave)
Mark: All right. Stay quiet and low.
(The heroes start to move in. They soon come across a couple of mercs)
Nene: I see 2 up ahead.
Mark: Devon. Take the one on the left, I got the one on the right.
(The two line up shots and take out they're targets)
Devon: Good shot. (The heroes keep on moving forward. After clearing out a few more mercs, they soon arrive in a room)
Nene: What's all this?
Mark: ! Guys get behind cover!
(The heroes all quickly hide)
Zoey: What is it Mark?
Mark: *Points* Look.
(The heroes all look at what Mark is pointing at, and they all see on the far side, Scrozzle on a computer, and a number of mercs are carrying vials of blood. One gives it to Scrozzle)
Merc #5: Here you go sir.
Scrozzle: Ah! Excellent! I'll just take that vial and screw this tube onto it.
(Scrozzle takes the vial and screws it onto the tube. He starts to extract the blood into his computer and it charges a type of raygun.)
Scrozzle: The ray is fully charged. Now, place these items on the floor there!
(Scrozzle hands the merc a rock and a Basher Bot's blade. The merc places it on the floor. He gets clear.)
Scrozzle: Now, stand back and let the fun begin!!
(Scrozzle fires the ray at the items, creating more Putties and Basher Bots. The heroes watch in shock.)
Mark: So that's how they got their hands on an army of Putties and Basher Bots.
Scrozzle: Now... (places a gear on the floor) Watch this!
(Scrozzle fires the ray at the gear, creating an army of Cogs from it.)
Mark: What? What are those things?
(Scrozzle approaches the mercs.)
Scrozzle: Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the Cogs. The Cogs were the primary attack unit for the Machine Empire. They have no fear and are far more versatile than the Putties here.
Mark: What? The Machine Empire? I heard of them. They tried to destroy the Earth with that one Zord, Serpentera.
Nene: And all of those people. Their blood is being used to resurrect past armies?
Mark: We need to free those people.
Devon: And I have a bone to pick with Scrozzle. Let's do it.
(The heroes step out of cover and confront Scrozzle and the Sentinel mercs.)
Mark: Hey! You didn't think there were intruders in here, did ya?!
(Scrozzle sees the heroes.)
Scrozzle: How did you get in here?! This facility is for authorized personnel only!
Devon: What I'm wonder is how you escaped custody!
Scrozzle: You'll never know! So long!
(Scrozzle teleports away with the reanimator ray, leaving the heroes to deal with the enemy forces.)
Nene: Well, looks like we'll need to deal with these guys before we can free the captives!
Devon: We got this! IT'S MORPHIN TIME!!
Rangers: ACTIVATE BEAST POWER!!! HA!! (Morph) UNLEASH THE BEAST! Transport! Sabers!
(The Rangers take their sabers and the begin to fight the enemy forces.)
Nene: Reload! Mervamon! Sparrowmon! DIGIFUSE!!
(Mervamon and Sparrowmon Digifuse.)
JetMervamon: JETMERVAMON!!!
(JetMervamon flies up fires her Heartbreak Shot at numerous Sentinel Mercs and Cogs, taking them out. Nate and Steel take out a group of Putties and Basher Bots and the other heroes take on the rest. Nate looks at the platforms the hostages are being kept.)
Nate: Wait! Those platforms!
Steel: What's going on?
Nate: Those platforms are actually teleporters! I recognize them from our lessons about the Blood Gulch bases!
(Nate and Steel approach the platforms.)
Nate: Scrozzle must have had them repurposed to place these people into suspended animation. If I can return these platforms to their true function, we can teleport these people to safety!
(A round of gunfire misses Nate and Steel. The two turn around and see numerous Sentinel Mercs rushing at them.)
Steel: You get to work, bro! We'll hold them off!
Devon: Do it, Nate!
Nate: On it! Keep them off of me!
(Steel regroups with the others for the fight while Nate works on the platforms. JetMervamon and Steel blast numerous Putties to nothing. Mark takes out numerous Sentinel Mercs. The Rangers defeat a large group of Basher Bots and Cogs. Nate continues to work on the platforms. Nene approaches him.)
Nene: Need a hand?
Nate: Of course. Stand by that console and flip the switch when I say to.
Nene: On it!
(Nene stands near the switch. Nate rewires the platform power supply.)
Nate: Almost there... (Completes the reprogramming) There! Now!!
(Nene flips the switch on the console and the captives are teleported away.)
Nene: Woah!
Nate: It worked! Phenominal!
Nene: Did you set the correct coordinates?
Nate: Yes. I did that while I was rewiring the teleporters. Now c'mon! The others need us!
(Nate and Nene regroup with the others.)
Nene: JetMervamon, the Basher Bots and the Cogs! Finish them off!!
JetMervamon: HEARTBREAK SHOT!!
(JetMervamon blasts the Basher Bots and Cogs to nothing. The Rangers fire their blasters, finishing the Putties. Mark kills the last merc in the room.)
Devon: Good work, guys!
(Suddenly, a smoke grenade rolls into the room and goes off, filling the room with smoke. The heroes have a hard time seeing through it. The smoke clears and Mark is shocked to see the culprit.)
Mark: Walker?
Walker: Mark! I gotta say, kid, it's good to see you again!
Mark: Wish I could say the same, if you hadn't tried to kill me earlier.
Walker: The years haven't been that kind, that's for sure. I'm just wondering why you're picking on my dear friend Scrozzle.
Mark: He's using blood from innocent people to resurrect fallen armies! And you're okay with this?!
Walker: Sorry, kid. In these tough times, you gotta do what you must to keep the peace. Now, I don't know what you or those guys at Grid Battleforce have in mind, but I'm afraid I'm gon' hafta kill ya now.
Devon: I don't think so, Colonel Walker!
(Walker prepares to shoot Devon, but suddenly, something strikes his back and he falls to the ground, immobilized. Ty Lee is seen after he falls.)
Ty Lee: Everyone okay?
Mark: You blocked his chi?
Ty Lee: It won't keep him down for long!
Nate: Then we better take the teleporters!
(The heroes hop onto the teleporters and teleport away.)
Walker: ..... (Gets back up) Till next time then, Grid Battleforce. (The heroes are all seen in back in Erewhon.)
Nate: We made it!
Mark: Talk about cutting it close...
Devon: Too close. That's why we need to hit them where they live. We'll need to hit every Wolf base on Auroa. With that, we'll everyone along for the ride. Section, Ty Lee, you'll be with us from now on.
Ty Lee: We can do that, Commander.
Section: Let us know when we strike.
Devon: Will do. And I'd like to thank you for your help, Ty Lee.
Ty Lee: Well, I figured I'd make it right to all of you after the war.
Devon: And Suki was right to let you join the Kyoshi Warriors.
Mads: Well, if you're done, Woods found one of those bases you're all talking about.
Woods: There's one in the higher elevations. If we get up there and place pressure on those assholes, we'll be able to clear that base pretty quick. However, they have those rustbucket drones guarding the fucking place.
Devon: The Rangers and I will handle the drones while you and the other take those Wolves. We'll leave at dawn, everyone. Get some rest.
(The heroes go their seperate ways to get some rest before the first major battle.)
TO BE CONTINUED...