The Spectrum Force/Rachel Summers by Heather Ray (ebook reader macos .txt) 📕

"No sweat," she assured herself aloud, rising to her feet. She leaned flat against the wall, and watched as the two Shadows searched the other side of the chamber. While their backs were turned, she slowly made her way towards them, moving as quietly as a cat. But before she could strike, the one closest to her turned around. Rachel managed to deliver a quick hit to its face with her right elbow, startling the creature a bit. The other Shadow immediately became amorphous, and therefore intangible. Rachel continued her attack on the stunned Shadow, following up her initial attack with a quick blow to its stomach with her knee and a snap-kick. Then, the other Shadow materialized behind her, and grabbed her by her forearms. It lifted her clear off the ground, and held her over its head. Rachel's head tilted back, until she could see the ground behind the Shadow. As luck would have it, she noticed a flash of purple light. Only a few yards behind the Shadow was her Spectrum Stone, half-buried in dirt. Rachel yelled when she realized the Shadow was carrying her out of the chamber.

"Oh no you don't!" she shrieked, struggling with all her might. She managed to stick the Shadow's blood red eye with the sharp heel of her white sandal, stunning the creature. In instinctively became amorphous, letting Rachel drop the seven feet to the ground. She landed on her back painfully, but she wasn't too injured to quickly recover. When she did, she noticed the other Shadow, that she had attacked first, was coming towards her at a frighteningly quick speed. Rachel remained on her back, and waited for the creature to run within her reach. When it did, she raised her knees to her chin, and pushed up with her hands, launching her feet into the creature's chest. It became amorphous before her feet could hit, so she ended up leaping to her feet. She quickly caught her bearings, and ran to where she had seen her Spectrum Stone. She found it, and slid it onto her finger, just in time to create a Spectrum Shield around her body before the relentless Shadow Warriors could attack.

"Now you're in trouble," Rachel said with a grin, "Spectrum Sync... PURPLE!!"

The energy bubble encasing Rachel Castaneda was filled with blinding purple light. Then, the bubble exploded, reducing the two Shadow Warriors to ashes. The Purple Enforcer smiled at her work, and floated off the ground.

"I've got to find Chris!" she said, "There's no telling what the Denebians will do to him!" *Guys, its Rachel. Do you hear me?*

Not far away, the five other members of the Spectrum Force walk slowly through the winding tunnels of the underground labyrinth, searching for any clue to their leader's whereabouts.

"This is hopeless!" cried Craig in frustration, "These tunnels are endless! We'll never find anything here!"

"Well," said Jocelyn, "look on the bright side: at least we haven't bumped into trouble yet."

"If we did, then we'd know that we're going in the right direction," Matt pointed out.

*Guys,*

rang a voice in their heads, *it's Rachel. Do you hear me?*

"Did you hear that?" asked Keith, "Rachel's okay!" *We hear you, Rachel.*

*Where the heck are you?*

thought Craig.

*I... I don't know. I fell through a hole up in the alley, and I ended up here. I'm in a cave, but there're tons of them!*

*Is Chris with you?*

asked Tamara.

*No, but he's somewhere down here. So is Phoenix.*

*Who?*

asked Matthew.

*Phoenix is some kind of super-powered woman that the Denebian Empire has been trying to capture. I don't know exactly what's going on, but she's in trouble. She's also a telepath. If we call out to her, maybe she'll hear us.*

*But, we've never 'mind-spoken'

with anyone other than another Enforcer,*

thought Jocelyn. *We don't even know her psi-print! How will we find her?*

*Search for a really powerful human mind. That'll be her. I'll see you soon.*

"Okay, gang," said Keith, "let's give it a try. We're looking for a very powerful human mind..."

Rachel Summers, the young woman granted the power of the nearly all-powerful Phoenix, has survived many challenges throughout her young life. She has thrown asteroids out of orbit with an after-thought, or even reconstructed the human DNA double-helix instantly. But presently, Rachel is fighting with all her might, merely to stay conscious. She could feel the drain on her powers, and the bond that she created with Christopher Greyson, in order to keep him alive, is making her even weaker. She is so dizzy, she nearly misses a soft telepathic whisper.

*Hello?*

it said. *Can anyone hear me?*

Rachel's bright green eyes widened instantly when she realized the voice wasn't coming from Chris. Rather, it was someone whom she has never mind-spoken with.

*Yes, I hear you,*

she responded. *Who are you?*

*I'm the Green Enforcer, a member of the Spectrum Force. Are you Phoenix?*

*Yes,*

thought Phoenix, perking up a bit. *Where are you?*

*We're in the tunnels, but we can't seem to find you.*

*Listen to me, Green Enforcer. I'll try to send out a telepathic signal to lead you to me, but in my weakened state, I don't know how long I can keep it up. You'd better hurry, because I'm the only thing keeping Christopher alive, and I can't do it for much longer!*

*Roger Wilco!*

*What?*

*Nothing. Nevermind.*

The telepathic connection was broken, and Rachel looked around her. The battery that was being charged with her Phoenix energies was glowing with fiery energy, and she could feel the emptiness from within. But, her own life-force wasn't in danger. The Phoenix Force will keep her alive, even without her guidance. But, she would need to remain conscious in order to maintain the link with Chris. Rachel muttered a silent prayer, asking for the strength to send out the beacon, while at the same time keep Chris alive. This was no easy job, but Rachel Summers prided herself in her ability to do the impossible.

The Yellow, Blue, Green, Orange and Red members of the Spectrum Force continued to walk through the narrow tunnels beneath the city of Langstrum Alps. The Green Enforcer, who has been unusually quiet the past few minutes, stopped walking.

"Guys," he said, "I've made contact with Phoenix."

The remaining members of the Force turned around in surprise.

"Really?" asked Tamara, "Is she okay?"

"Where is she?" asked Jocelyn.

"Is Chris with her?" asked Craig.

"Easy, gang!" said Matt, holding up his hands, "I've still got her psi-trace. I think she's trying to lead us to her. We'd better hurry up, though. She said Chris' life is at stake."

The Spectrum Enforcers all took on a grim expression, as they linked their minds telepathically. Through the link, Matthew relayed the information Phoenix had given him at the speed of thought, as well as the exact print of the psi-trace she was leaving behind. When the link was broken, the five heroes hurried in the direction of the source of the psi-trace. Matthew called out to the remaining member of the Spectrum Force, who was lost somewhere within the maze of tunnels that surround him.

*Rachel? Can you hear me?*

*Matt?*

came the reply. *What's going on?*

*Where are you now?*

*In the tunnels! I have absolutely no idea where I am!*

*I established communications with Phoenix. Follow this psi-trace...*

Matthew transmitted the message to the Purple Enforcer.

*I'll meet you there!*

was her reply, and she broke communications. Matthew, and the four other Enforcers, sped through the tunnels as quickly as they could, desperately hoping they weren't already too late.

Meanwhile, within the crystalline sphere that imprisons her, the mysterious