Flames of the Past #4: A Tangle of Lies (A Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 16

Kai grunted as he tugged at the bars over the window inside his cell. "Come on!" he puffed. "Oh, where's Cole when you need him?"

The bars didn't budge and he drew back with a sigh. There's gotta be some way out of here! he thought. He paced around the room, scanning the walls, the floor, the ceiling. When he found nothing useful, he turned toward the cell door. For the hundredth time, he sped forward and rammed into it. He jerked backward with a gasp, struggling not to lose his footage. The door didn't open.

Kai groaned in frustration. "Can I give up now, Dad?" he shouted at the ceiling. With another groan, he slumped onto the floor. He leaned his back against the cold wall, gripping his hair. What am I going to do? he wondered desperately. While I'm stuck in here, Skylor's up there defenseless against Sleete.

It wasn't fair. He hadn't done anything wrong. It should be Sleete locked up in here, not me! Lifting his head, Kai glimpsed around the room again. But there's no way I'm getting out of here. This place feels like it was built for war.

Maybe the team will come around, he thought optimistically. Yes, of course they will. They'll help me out of here... right?

"Of course they will," Kai laughed to himself. He scratched the ground beside him. "Yeah, yeah, they'll come back... They won't leave me. They're my family." He laughed again, continuing to mumble incoherent things to himself. He had to, to keep himself from panicking. Already, he felt jittery from being alone for too long. He needed to feel another person beside him. He needed to see his family, he needed to see if they were okay. He needed to see Lloyd, or Nya. Just don't leave me down here forever, he silently begged the world.

He felt the lack of social interaction would kill him before Alec could even think about doing it himself.

Kai's head snapped up as he heard voices from the cell door.

"You have ten minutes." Kai recognized his guard's voice. He jumped to his feet as the door opened.

Instantly, his spirits lifted as Nya stepped into the cell.

"Nya!"

Nya's eyes softened as she saw him. "Oh, Kai," she breathed.

The siblings ran closer and wrapped their arms around each other. Kai held tight to his sister, relief swamping over him. "I feel like it's been forever," he whispered.

Nya broke away from him to meet his gaze. She instantly noticed the pain in his eyes and the tremble in his smile. Oh, Kai, what did they do to you? she wondered.

"Y-you're here," Kai went on, somewhat desperately. "T-that means you believe me, right? You believe I'm innocent, don't you?"

Nya took hold of his hands. "I'll always believe you, Kai," she promised.

Kai's smile stretched from ear to ear. He let out a relieved, exaggerated laugh. "I knew you would," he said. "I-I knew you guys wouldn't leave me all alone."

Nya's face fell. "Kai, it's... just me," she admitted. "The others believe you did it."

Kai's smile faded again. "Oh..." He looked away, thinking for a few seconds, then turned back to his sister. "You've gotta do something, Nya," he pleaded. "You gotta help me out of here!"

Nya rubbed her nose. "I know, I know," she huffed. "But it's kinda difficult when that man in that video looks a lot like you! How did Sleete do that, anyway?"

"I know how!" Kai gasped out, suddenly remembering his earlier encounter with Clouse. "It was magic! Clouse made a clone of me!"

"Whoa, whoa, magic?" Nya echoed in confusion. "Clouse?"