»»---Echo---««

Chapter 22 - Slate

*✧ ───────── ✧*

"Are you aware of our security measures?"

"I know," Sky said, and we began to remove all the items from our belts and vests, "All reflective surfaces are to be covered and remain covered the entire interrogation."

Sky handed me a piece of tape and blacked out sunglasses. I covered my SPD badge and slipped the glasses over my eyes before following him down the hall to the interrogation cell. Prisoners reached their arms out as we passed, and Sky pulled me to the left side of the hallway by the arm.

"These guys are brutal," he whispered.

"Yeah and this is just the top level, a.k.a the better behaved convicts."

Sky sighed, "Then what could we be in for with Mirloc?"

I didn't answer.

We continued down the darkening hallway sticking close to the wall to avoid the arms of the prisoners. The farther we went, the calmer the inmates seemed with many having a look of melancholy in their eyes. At the end of the hall stood the interrogation cell, and to my relief Mirlok sat chained to the chair he sat in. Two chairs and a table sat outside the cell directly across from the prisoner.

"Visitors? What a rare treat."

Sky scoffed, "This isn't a social visit. We're here on official SPD business to ask you some questions."

I sat down, placing my dim holo pad on the table to look over while Sky continued to walk around the interrogation room. I opened up Mirloc's file, ready to record the interrogation as best I could.

"What a rude young man you are, now I don't think I'll talk to you at all."

"Oh you'll talk," Sky said, "I've got all the time in the world."

It felt almost eerie, going from being the one Sky was interrogating to helping him with an interrogation.

"You're a tough one aren't you? All business, no nonsense."

"Nevermind about me," Sky said, "Several criminals have been sighted-"

Mirloc turned to me, "Ah. You're Gruumm's warrior. Did you finally flee from his clutches or did he kick you from his group?"

Sky slammed his hand down onto the table beside me, drawing the prisoners attention back to him, "Several prisoners have been sighted. Criminals that are exact duplicates of aliens we have already captured."

"I don't see why I should tell you anything."

I leaned forward, "What's it going to take to get some information out of you?"

Mirloc sat back in his chair, "I don't ask for much. I will give you information if you give me something for my collection."

"Okay whatever, deal. But no mirrors."

"Of course," Mirloc chuckled, "You say you are looking for several criminals, but did you see them all together?"

Sky shook his head.

"Then it sounds like you're dealing with that scoundrel Slate."

"Blank Slate?" I asked, "I thought he was holed up out in the Prime sector on an identity theft charge?"

"Well he got out, and he's rolling with Gruumm now."

"Wait, who's Slate?" Sky asked.

Mirloc answered, "He's a copycat criminal who is capable of mimicking the exact likeness of others. All he needs is a data scan of their genetic code. My guess is that Broodwing is more than happy to supply him that, for a price."

Sky began to stalk around the cell again, "So we're not up against a bunch of old criminals, just one new one."

"Precisely," Mirloc smiled, "Oh, and don't forget our deal."

"If you told me the truth, I'll keep my word."

Sky began to walk towards the door, I grabbed the file off the desk to follow when something pulled me back. I stopped dead in my tracks. The deep pull in the back of my mind made me turn back to the prisoner in the cell, "You are telling the truth, aren't you?"

Mirloc said nothing, pulling against the chains that left him tethered to the chair.

I turned back to leave, but couldn't ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach that something bad is about to happen.

*✧ ─ ✧*

We filled everyone in when we got back to base.

"A copycat criminal," Kat said, "Fascinating. I'll have to go back over the battle footage to learn more."

Jack clapped his hands together, "So all we gotta do is catch this Slate guy and we're golden."

We stopped in front of Crugers desk, "Good job cadets, you didn't fall prey to Mirloc's tricks."

"Not a problem sir," Sky said, "We just kept focus on the task at hand."

I wasn't focused now. I was trying to figure out what happened in the cell.

From the monitors, Bridge yelled out, "Jack! It's Sinuku!"

"More like a Sinuku wannabe," Syd scoffed, "Though I don't know why anyone would wanna be him. He's totally ugly."

"That's gotta be Slate," I said.

"How much do you remember about him?" Cruger asked.

"Not much sir," I sighed, "He was in prison for most of my time with Gruumm."

"See what you can find out," Cruger said. I nodded and turned back to the monitors as the Rangers left for battle.

It was hard trying to work while the battle played on the monitors, every once in a while I would look up, seeing the others get taken down by Slate.

"Kat, send the runners!"

Kat tapped on her computer, "On their way."

The Rangers took down Blank Slate in the zords, but before they could contain him a bright purple blast knocked Jack's morpher out of his hand. My heart dropped. She was there. Morgana was there.

Morgana blasted Blank Slate with a surge of power, causing an entire gang of his copycats to appear beside him.

"Kat, I have to go help them," I said, looking anxiously at the screens.

Kat shook her head, "You're not cleared for that."

I sighed, watching as the Rangers kept getting knocked back by Mora and her gang of copycats.

"They're getting overwhelmed, if we don't help them-"

"Kat," Cruger said, getting up from his desk, "Deploy my ATV. Echo," he said, turning to me, "Do you have your sword?"

I had been practicing this, I reached behind me pulling the energy into that spot in my hand and letting it pull my sword to me seemingly out of thin air.

Cruger nodded, "Stay out of the main battle, you're only there for support."

"Yes sir."

Kat sighed, "Be careful."

I gave her a small smile before following behind the commander and into battle.

»——•——«

Don't forget to vote, comment, and add me to your reading list to get updates on Echo <3

and as always I hope y'all are safe and happy and may the power protect you!