Episode 4: Fire Starter

Rylee knelt before a man in shadow sitting in a large chair. He tapped his fingers repeatedly on the arm of his chair waiting patiently for his subordinate to speak.

“Forgive me commander, I thought for sure that Ch- Gorge could handle the assignment,” Rylee proclaimed to the man in shadow.

“This is the second time now that you have failed to reclaim the driver,” The commander said clenching his fist over the arm of his chair, “To believe that you were defeated by a mere child.”

“I promise sir, it won't happen again,” Rylee pleaded.

“I know it won't,” The commander returned, “You're off the assignment. You are not to pursue the worm any longer.”

Rylee gasped, “But sir I-”

“Commander if you please,” Fury interrupted, “Perhaps one of my agents could be able to take up the pursuit in Madam Spite's stead.”

“Derek, what are,” Rylee began only to be silenced by Fury.

“Please speak to members by code name while dealing with business that concerns Memory Extraction Terminal Access, or META for short,” Fury stated, “Was that not the agreement... Vainglory?”

“Indeed,” The commander returned, “As for your agent Fury, which did you have in mind?”

Derek raised his hand in front of face and snapped his fingers, “... Flame.”

{Insert Opening Theme - Extreme Dream}

The time was ten to three, school had been over for a while and Alex was kept after school to clean his fourth period class as punishment for falling asleep constantly.

Alex stood hunched over the broom he was using to clean the room, “Damn, this sucks,” He sighed.

“Then how about you stay awake in class next time?” Sarah said sitting on top of a desk, “Seriously, you're too slow.”

“Why are you still here anyway?” Alex asked.

“Ms. Foster had to run a few errands,” Sarah returned.

“Yeah, I know that,” Alex stated, “that's still doesn't answer my question.” “someone had to make sure that you didn't run off.” Sarah retorted.

“Like I'd do that,” Alex whispered.

“Jeez, you're pathetic you know that Darwin?” Sarah proclaimed.

Alex remains silent and continues sweeping.

“What, no retort?” Sarah asked with a slight grunt.

“Sarah, I'm really not in the mood right now,” Alex returned.

“Oh...?” Sarah asked raising an eyebrow, “Well, good.” she concluded, crossing her arms and sitting back on the desk. As she leaned backward, her cellphone began to ring from her bag.

“Hello?” Sarah said as she answered her phone, “Well I'm a bit busy at the moment,” She said glaring at Alex, “Oh... tomorrow? I see, alright, just don't go overboard like last time.”

“Thank god it's Friday,” Alex whispered to himself.

“I heard that,” Sarah exclaimed.

“Whatever!” Alex shouted back.

“Sorry, so yeah anyway,” Sarah said going back to her phone.

After Alex finished cleaning and after Sarah yelled at him a few more times, he went home without saying another thing to her or anyway one else. As he walked through the door of his apartment, he dropped his bag on the floor and collapsed on the couch.

“Ugh,” He sighed grabbing the remote for the TV in front of him. He flipped on the TV and clicked through a few channels before shut it off again and dropping the remote on the floor.

“Come on!” He said burying his head into the couch. He rolled over and dropped his left arm over the edge of the couch, resting his right arm over his chest, “There's just no end to her is there?” He said letting out a yawn, “At least I can get a break from her for a bit. I'll just take to tomorrow to relax for a bit I guess.”

The next day at around ten o'clock in the morning, Alex was lying across the couch flipping through channels on TV when the phone rang. Alex got up from the couch and stumbled over to the phone on the other side of the room.

“Hello?” Alex said picking the phone of the receiver.

“Good afternoon Alex, it's Sampson,” Sampson said from the other end of the line, “I was wondering if you could come down by the station sometime today if you could.”

“Today?” Alex pondered, “Sure, might as well. I've got nothing to do anyway, I could head over right now if that's okay.”

“Alright, I'll see when you get here.” Sampson said leaning back in his office chair, “say half an hour?”

“Sure, I'll head out now,” Alex stated looking at the clock on the wall.

“Alright, see you in a bit,” Sampson proclaimed hanging up the phone.

“Yeah, see ya,” Alex returned doing the same. --- Downtown in a clothing store in Ardent's shopping district, Sarah stood outside by a changing room.

“Are you down yet?” Sarah ask banging on the door a bit.

“Just about,” A voice called from the other side of the door.

“Madison seriously, is this guy even worth it?” Sarah asked letting out a sigh, “I mean this is what, the third one this week?”

“Come on, help me out here. You should know what it's like right?” Madison retorted.

“What are you getting at Madison?” Sarah said raising an eyebrow.

“You know, that one guy you keep going on about,” Madison returned, “Al, or something. The one you said you were crazy for?”

“Gah!” Sarah exclaimed, “Wait, you honestly don't think...”

“Well how does this look?” Madison said opening the door, revealing her wearing a long pink dress with frills.

“Like a doll,” Sarah stated grabbing a bunch of random things from the hangers, “Here try these ones,” She added shoving the clothes into Madison's hands and pushing here back into the change room.

“Wait, but these are-” She began as she was quickly interrupted.

“I don't care!” Sarah cut in as she slammed the door in Madison's face, “And in case you forgot, I said that he drove me crazy!”

“How many did you pick out?” Madison asked.

“You know what, I just going to step out for a bit okay, I'll be back in a second,” Sarah said as stormed off to the exit off the store and walked out the front door.

“Alright, now tell me again who I'm looking for?” A man asked into his cellphone as he turned the corner.

“I swear she is going to make me lose it,” Sarah bickered as she turned the corner bumping into the man on his phone.

“Hey watch where-” The man exclaimed before taking in a deep breathe.

“Oh sorry, my bad,” Sarah quickly said as she ran past the man.

“... Actually, never mind,” The man said into his phone as a small smirk formed on his face, “I just found them.” --- Down at the police station Alex walked in through the front door, Sampson was standing by the door to his office waiting for him to arrive.

“Alex, it's good to see you,” Sampson said walking up to Alex and patting him on the shoulder.

“Yeah, same.” Alex returned, “So, what exactly did you call me down here for?”

“Come right this way and I'll show you,” Sampson said gesturing down the hallway.

The two walked down a long corridor to the garage of the station. Sampson opened the side door and walked through as Alex followed.

“Just a bit further,” Sampson said as he came up to a small garage door. “Now Alex, what makes an officer as effective as they are when they're called on to aid the public?”

“Ah... their vehicles?” Alex answered.

“Exactly, we wouldn't get anything done if we had to walk everywhere,” Sampson said pulling up the door to the garage, “and the same is true for you,” He concluded as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a remote. He hit the red button on the remote as what sounded like the hum of a motorcycle filled the room.

A black motorcycle rolled out of the garage. The bike had two large red X's along both sides of it and a similar X pattern to Alex's Star Runner form's mask adorning the windshield.

“Alex, I present to you the X Cyclone. May it be your noble stead as you ride into battle,” Sampson proclaimed handing Alex the remote.

“Yeah, it will,” Alex returned taking the remote from Sampson.

“Chief, we've got a one-oh-five alert downtown,” Marcoh called from Sampson's radio.

“A Dopant?” Sampson answered.

“Yeah, and by the report, it's a big one,” Marcoh verified.

“Alright, over and out,” Sampson stated shutting off his radio, “Alex.”

“Right, I'm on it,” Alex proclaimed jumping on the bike.

“Oh, and if any officers give you any trouble, show them this,” Sampson instructed handing Alex a leather wallet.

“What is it?” Alex asked opening the wallet to reveal a silver badge.

“A freelancer license, it proves that you a registered and under the supervision of the police,” Sampson stated, “Basically, as long as you have this, no one outside the law can touch you.”

“Right, got it, and thanks,” Alex said revving the engine of the X Cyclone and driving out of the garage.

“Your welcome!” Sampson exclaimed, “and good luck.”

“Alright, here goes,” Alex said pulling out the Star and Runner memories as his driver materialized around his waist. He slammed both memories into the corresponding slots on his driver, “Henshin.”

“Star! Runner!” The driver called out as his Star Runner armor formed around him.

“Here we go,” Alex said turning a corner.

--- Back downtown, a being covered in flames had Sarah backed up against a wall.

“So, you're the one that has the boss in such a hot tizzy?” The being covered in fire asked asked grabbing Sarah by the throat, “I'm going to enjoy this,” He added licking his lips, “more then you could imagine.”

{End of Part A} -- {Start of Part B}

The man covered in fire tightened his grip on Sarah's throat.

“What's the matter cutie?” He asked taking in a deep breathe, “Cat got your tongue?”

Sarah gasped for air as she attempted to break free from the man's grip. “I...” Sarah murmured as the roar of a motorcycle filled the air.

Alex turned a street corner and drove right up to the dopant that held Sarah hostage.

“Hm?” The Dopant looked behind him and gawked at Alex, “Well, this is interesting,” He proclaimed looked back at Sarah, “It appears my nose must be playing tricks on me,” He concluded as he lowered Sarah to ground.

“Sarah? What's she doing here?” Alex thought to himself as he spotted the unconscious Sarah. “That hostage you have, let her go!” Alex demanded.

“Oh, you mean this one?” The dopant asked raising Sarah to Alex, “Why do you care if I do? You don't know her do you?”

“Shut it, just let her go!” Alex barked.

“Very well then,” The Dopant smirked. He then stepped back and proceeded to throw Sarah up into the air, “Catch!” He cackled as he sent Sarah flying.

“Crap!” Alex exclaimed as he revved up the engine and drove up to catch Sarah. Alex then leapt into the air as his motorcycle took control of itself and drove past the Dopant. Alex cought Sarah and landed on the otherside of his opponent.

“Hey?” Alex asked as he shook Sarah awake.

“Hm?...” Sarah grunted as her eyes opened.

“You alright?” Alex asked as he held Sarah in his arms.

“Yeah.” Sarah said as she looked into the eyes of Alex's mask.

“That's good,” Alex returned.

“Aw, how touching,” The Dopant said mockingly, “Now if you don't mind, I'd need to kill you now.”

“Get out of here,” Alex instructed to Sarah putting her on her feet.

Sarah got back on her feet, “But-”

“Just go,” Alex interrupted, “I'll handle this guy,” he added with a smirk under his mask.

“Wait, who are you?” Sarah asked.

“A friend,” Alex said, “Now get out of here!”

“Right, I got it,” Sarah stated running off from the battle.

“How heroic,” The Dopant spat, “Letting her get away while you stay and fight, you're either really courageous or just really really stu-” The dopant was cut off by Alex dashing over to him and ramming fist into his face cocking neck head until it was about to break.

“Shut your mouth,” Alex said glaring angrly at the Dopant.

“Gladly,” The Dopant said as he sent a burst of fire out from his body sending Alex flying back.

“Who the hell are you?” Alex barked at the Dopant.

“My associates call me Flame,” The dopant returned twisting his neck back into place “however today I'll simply be known as your executioner... Subject X.”

“He's not even phased by my attack, I'll need to try a different method,” Alex thought to himself as he removed the Star and Runner memories from his driver and replaced the them with Blade and Kicker, “Let's give this a try.” Alex said as he split apart the slots on his driver.

“Blade! Kicker!” The driver called out as the Star Runner armor was replaced with Blade Kicker and the Blajalibur formed in his hand.

“I'll make this quick,” Alex said as he pulled out the Blade memory and inserted it into the hilt of his sword.

“Blade! Maximum Drive!” The memory called out as Alex swung the sword over his shoulder and locking on to the outside of the armour on his lower right leg with the flat side of the blade facing the Dopant.

“Alex stretched his right leg forward and waited about three seconds for the memory to charge before hitting the button on the side of his belt and leaping into the air.

"Full Blade Kick!" Alex exclaimed as the sword swung around as Alex delivered a side kick to the Dopant only to have his kick simply phase through his opponent.

“What?” Alex gawked puzzled as fell to the ground on the other side of the Dopant.

“You honestly didn't expect a steel based memory to work against a flame based one did you?” The Dopant asked rhetorically.

“Steel... based?” Alex asked as he stumbled to his feet.

“Wait, you don't know?” The Dopant asked as he turned to Alex, “Most if not all memories have a different element in which their power is based on. There are some that do not require them but for the most part they do. For instance, mine uses a flame base while the two that you are currently using both use a steal base. Fire is needed to create steal, and therefor steal is inferior to fire, get it?”

“Wait, why are you telling me this?” Alex asked.

“Because, it's just not fun to fight an opponent on a lower level,” The Flame Dopant proclaimed, “Tell you what kid, I'm in a good mood today so I'll show mercy. Brush up on your homework a little bit and then come and find me within the next twentyfour hours, if not, I'll find you.”

“Wait, we're not finished here!” Alex barked.

“Oh, and I wouldn't waste any of the little time you have,” the Flame Dopant warned as he began to fade away “You wouldn't want anything to happen to that cute little girl friend of yours now would you?”

“Like hell I would,” Alex yelled as he charged towards the Dopant as the last few sparks he left behind burnt out. Alex then came to a grinding halt, “damn it,” he shouted punching the air.

In that same second, his cell phone rang.

“Sampson?” Alex said as he read the caller ID. He flipped it open and hit the pick up button, “Hello?”

“Alex, we lost the signal. What happened?” Sampson asked.

“He... he got away,” Alex explained, “Anyway, since we're on the subject, I'd like you to look into something. It seems that these memories have more to them then we thought.”