As the team worked on reboarding, a shadow loomed in their midst. Staggering, hungrily looking at Chris. Katie stepped into the light, the serum taking over her mind. Internally, she was geared for the fight of her life as her mind was still thinking and concious even though death had set in. "I can't do this." she mumbled. "But I need to feed.."

"Chris.." The moan shook him and the others to the core. "Chris honey, I need you. Your warm sumptous lips...." Chris looked at the others and growled an order. "Get back inside."

"You ain't gonna stay and fight her?" Rick crowed.

"No, but we need to get you and Donna in safe haven." Rick had tears in his eyes, knowing what Chris might attempt. "Chris. NO."

He only smiled. "Rick. I want to do this. I need to do this. But you and Donna must go on and keep alt alive. Promise me that." Rick fought back tears as Donna tugged at his shoulder. "Good bye" Chris whispered, as Katie came walking up.

The scream followed , one so loud birds flew from their perches. Rick angrily put his fist into a wall. "I'm gonna get that bastard." he growled. "Who?" Donna asked.

"Dr. Maximillian. He got everyone into this. He's probably got an antivenom in his lab." Rick said. "I'll come with you." Donna said as Rick shook his head no. "I'm going alone. I have scores to settle with him."

Diablo began to panic as he saw a figure on the monitors. "Sir...sir.." Maximillian only looked at it and smiled. "So he has got the guts to try to take me down does he? We will see about that , yes." Diablo only raised an eyebrow. "You want a confrontation with him?"

 Max held up a vial. "Seeing as he wants this more than life itself, I'm pretty sure he'll try his weak little barganing tactics." Walking to a console, he flipped a switch. "Once more into the chasm, dear freind." Floors began falling away at Rick's feet as he scrambled to stay level. Taking a leap, he grasped at the edge of the doorway, biceps straining under the weight. Pulling himself up with a grunt, he continued on through the hallways.

"Six doors." Rick breathed. "Wonder what he's got behind them." He soon found out as mountains of zombies poured out of the first two, forcing him forward. A mallet came out of the second one, nailing three ghouls and turning them into lumps as Rick dove for the final two. A mechanical skeleton hand came out as Rick left through the right door.

"He want's to get Dragon's Lair on my ass, he's made a serious mistake."

Maximillian only laughed. "Oh I'll be getting Dragon's Lair on you. But never the way you intended it!" He flipped more switches. Rick walked into another room. It was dark, but the smell of death hung over like a bad omen. Lights illuminated the room, almost by magic, to show all the alt mmpr regulars hanging from the room, almost like a trophy room. Rick frowned. He didn't allow himself to show any of the emotion running through him.

"Bravo! Such a strong Ranger!" Max began to applaud. "I have greatly underestimated my foe." He activated a lever. "Now I must kill him outright! He's right at the outer peremiter of the room!"

The door crashed down. Rick screamed in japanese the Red Racer's battle cry. "I am the Warrior, Red Ranger!" Max promptly charged him with a saber, slicing at his head. Rick sidestepped and backflipped to the other side of the room. "Excellent!" Max swung at him again and got the blade stuck in the floor. Struggling he began to try to get the blade out of the tile just a hard boot broke the blade. "Now you and I are gonna have a little chat." 

"But you wouldn't kill people?" Max begged off. "Noo?"

Rick picked up a syringe of Zombie serum. He quickly slammed Max to the ground, putting a knee across his shoulders. "No. I don't kill people. I make them pay for their crimes." The needle plunged into Max's neck. Tears began to run down his face. "I beg you..don't do this...it's inhuman."

"You should have thought of that before killing Chris and Katie." The plunger pressed down and Max began to scream. Within minutes his skin had turned a pale white as rigor mortis set in. "Your punishment is to walk the streets as you are now...praying for a quick end." 

Looking around at the counters, Rick quickly located the antivenom and rushed back to the hideout. Chris and Katie had been caught, just like he had asked Donna to do. "Guys, I have no clue how this works, but I know to inject it. "

Rick sat slumped over a chair, sound asleep. Chris and Katie ran downstairs and began walking heavily as Rick sat up with a start. "Who's there?"

"We're here to take you." Chris said with a ghoulish like grin.

"To grab a burger!" Katie laughed. "The antidote worked! We're back to our old selves!" Rick could only smile as the two hugged him. "You're a hero!" Rick shook his head. "Nahh. Your sacrifices made you two the hero's. Let's go get you that burger." As they walked out, Katie asked, "Hey, what happened to Max?" Rick's expression never changed. "Oh, he was arrested and given a life sentence." 

"In a jail?" Katie asked. Rick made a shot motion with his hand. "Zombie Juvi Hall. Don't worry, if he gets out of hand, there's a new band of Alt'rs in town that are gonna take care of it."

"What about us?" Donna asked. "What are we gonna do?"

Rick's grin was blinding. "Retirement."

They walked off, laughing into the sunset, freinds not by blood, but by choice, and it was forever.

The End