Power Rangers: CPU

Ep. 20: Founder's Day Fallout

Episode 20: Founder's Day Fallout

Griffin took a deep breath as he looked himself over in his bedroom mirror. Soon, it would be time to face the Founder's Day Ball and all the danger and intrigue awaiting him there.

He studied his reflection and took note of his appearance. His white dress shirt, black dress vest, and matching dress pants were smooth and unwrinkled, freshly pressed by the local dry cleaners. His face was clean-shaven, and his brownish-blonde hair was neatly styled, parted to the right, and lightly teased with pomade.

He took another breath, then tightened his red neck tie and took a moment to admire himself in the mirror.

He fiddled with the strap of his golden wristwatch, then noted the time – 7:28pm. His gaze drifted off, and his mind began to wander...

"Thank you for assembling on such short notice, Rangers," Doctor K had addressed them as they stepped into her lab a few days prior. She turned to Agent Wright, then added, "Agent, the floor is yours."

"Right then. Thank you, Doctor." Agent Wright cleared his throat, then turned to face the Rangers. "As you are all aware, your mentor reached an agreement with my superiors in the aftermath of the ARC incident. The terms of this agreement allow your team to continue its operations against Venjix so long as you answer to and carry out the occasional favor for the CIA...I've been sent here today to request one of those favors."

He paused momentarily, reaching into his suit jacket and producing a manila folder which he then opened to reveal four white envelopes. Each had the words 'Top Secret – For Eyes Only' scrawled onto them in red ink and stamped with the CIA's seal. He handed one to each of the human Rangers before continuing.

"This week marks the 100th anniversary of Starview Heights' founding. To celebrate, Mayor Gaylyn will be hosting the annual Founder's Day Ball at city hall. The higher-ups in Langley fully expect Venjix to crash the party, so I've arranged for you four to attend in the interest of protecting city officials. ALPHA will pull security on the roof and provide backup if needed." He explained. "Enclosed in your envelopes are tickets to the event and dossiers detailing basic mission parameters. Your identities must remain secret, as always. The last thing we wanna do here is cause a panic, so you'll have to conduct yourselves as covertly as possible."

Griffin and the others shared an anxious look. Agent Wright hastened to add, "I realize I'm asking a lot of you, but you've yet to let me down, and I'm confident that won't change anytime soon. My superiors demand I maintain a layer of emotional distance regarding this posting, but if I may speak candidly..."

His voice trailed off, and he recomposed himself before concluding, "It has been a privilege to serve as your handler and an honor to serve with you."

"Thank you, Felix. I can assure you, the feeling is mutual." Doctor K offered him a warm smile, which he returned before exiting the lab. She turned to the Rangers, then said, "I suggest you go home and get some rest. The ball begins Friday night at eight o'clock sharp. Good luck, Rangers."

"We won't let you down, Doc," Griffin assured her, though his voice betrayed his uncertainty...

Griffin shook his head as he snapped out of his trance and back into the present. He turned away from the mirror, shifting his attention to his desk as he searched for something.

"The envelope! Where did I put the envelope...?" He opened its drawers one by one, sifting through their contents in hopes of locating the missing item. When he opened the fifth and final drawer, he immediately wished he hadn't.