Power Rangers: CPU

Ep. 1: Venjix Rising

The year is 201X. Starview Heights – a city on the West Coast of the United States – is experiencing massive growth, thanks to an experimental energy source known as Energon. This breakthrough in clean energy has brought the city notoriety and commerce...but it is about to be exploited. For there is a great evil looming over us...one that has threatened our race before.

"Aw crap, I'm late, I'm late, I'm laaaaaaaaaaaaate!"

Griffin Steinmann grit his teeth and drove down the road as fast as he could without speeding. It was early evening – rush hour, to be precise – and he was late. He groaned at every red light and stop sign but eventually arrived at the mall where he worked. He pulled into a parking spot and put his car into park, then killed the engine and exited the vehicle.

"Forty-five minutes late," The twenty-year-old observed as he glanced down at his watch. His mouth curled into a scowl, and as he made his way over to the building, he muttered, "Rob is gonna KILL me!"

"Griffin, where've you been?!" His boss demanded as he slipped through the front door of Jungle Karma Pizza. He poked his head out of the kitchen as the youth entered the restaurant's dining room, then said, "You were supposed to be here almost an hour ago!"

Griffin rubbed the back of his head and replied, "I know, I know, I got stuck in-"

"I didn't ask for excuses! Now, come hop on Subs with Nate! We've had five call-offs in the last hour, and we're up to our necks in orders!"

"I, umm..." Griffin took a breath, then pulled his company-issued ball-cap onto his head and added, "Y-Yes sir,"

He pushed into the kitchen, then clocked in and washed his hands before joining his coworker Nate at the sub station. He pulled his gloves on just as the receipt printer spit out a ticket, which he plucked out of the printer. He studied the order on it, then sighed as he began prepping the sub.

"This is gonna be a lonnnnnnng shift,"

"You have GOT to be kidding me..."

After the longest eight hours of Griffin's life, he was free to go home – almost, anyway. Right as he was walking out, his boss had grabbed him by the arm and asked him for a favor – namely, he wanted him to take some paperwork and drop it off in the mall owner's office. His instincts had told him to refuse the request, but after his late arrival, he couldn't really afford to push his luck. As such, he'd accepted the paperwork and made his way to the nearest elevator.

"This is...y'know what? It's fine," He told himself as he stepped inside and pressed the button for the basement. He stuffed the paperwork under his arm and removed his ball cap, then ran a hand through his short and unkempt brownish-blonde hair before replacing it. "I'll just drop it off, hurry back upstairs, and leave. No-fuss, no muss,"

A few seconds later, the elevator came to a halt. The speakers dinged, and the doors slid open to reveal the basement. Griffin retrieved the paperwork from underneath his arm, stepped out into the hallway, and then made his way toward the owner's office.

"Mark," He said, rapping on the door to the office with his knuckles. He didn't get a response, so he tried again. "Mark? It's me, Griffin. Y'know, from the pizzeria...?"

He still didn't receive a response, which caused him to furrow his eyebrows. "I'm here to drop off some paperwork from Rob, alright?... Look, I know you're probably busy, but we're about to close, and I don't wanna get locked-"

Metal clanging echoed through the hall, cutting him off mid-sentence. He turned away from the door and peeked around the corner, where the sound seemed to have originated from.