Salt: A Ninjago story

5: Breakfast

'Yeaaah...' Lloyd drew out the word, there was still more to tell.

'Yeah?' Cole asked inquisitively.

'Well, I tried to take the girl. We could've interrogated her or turned her... and then they obviously gave chase'

'Obviously' said Jay dryly as everyone else listened with worried looks.

'I ended up dropping the girl. She came around too quickly. I got away. But, something very peculiar occurred'

'Peculiar how?' Cole leant forward.

'The ten ninja multiplied; by twenty maybe even more' he lowered his voice to a worried whisper, a confused look fell across his face 'there were hundreds of them'

Cole slumped back in his chair and everyone looked to him. He rubbed his forehead 'hundreds from one settlement?'

Jay added 'Maybe the whole precinct is a training ground? It's not exactly on radar; they could be doing anything out there. Who'd know?'

Zane stood to leave 'I can set up some scanning and surveillance on the area. We need to start monitoring it'

Cole added 'Maybe we should all go out there tonight. Just to check it out'

'Tonight?' Lloyd questioned. His mind, although tired and reeling from his escape, was more focused on someone else. If they all went tonight he wouldn't be able to see her. He had made a breakthrough. She had talked to him and he needed to understand her and to banish his fears over her new found piety. Mostly he wanted to gaze into her eyes and hold her cup for her to drink from 'sorry, what was that Cole?'

'I said, why not tonight?'

'Oh, right. Yes, sorry. They'll be on high alert after my idiot move, so it might be worth just lying low for a few days.

'Dammit I just want to get out there... But you're right' Cole replied 'Zane if you can rig whatever surveillance equipment you can without anyone becoming suspicious, we'll observe first. Jay you can help'

Jay jumped up excited for the task 'We're on it' and left the room with Zane.

'Kai, we'll need to understand the area. Can you start analysing the location maps? I want to know all the accessible routes into and out of the area'

'Absolutely' Kai replied and got up to start.

'I'm gonna turn in, if you don't mind?' Lloyd looked at Cole.

He nodded, but added 'If you could just pinpoint the settlement location for Zane, Jay and Kai, then you can sleep'.

'Sure' Lloyd replied and left the room with Kai to catch them up.

Nya took a long breath and sat back in her chair. Glancing across to Cole she found him already looking at her, or through her. She smiled 'y'ok?'

'Uh... yeah, yes' he shook his head as if to wake himself 'I don't think the coffee's working this morning and stood up, gathering the empty mugs.

Nya turned to watch him at the sink. Something was off. It wasn't like Cole to be distant 'Cole?'

'Yup?'

'Something's up'

'What? With you and Jay?'

'No. We're good... Something's up, with you'

'...aah' He turned back to washing the mugs.

'You wanna talk?'

'I'm not sure that would help'

'On a scale of 1-10 how worried should I be?'

Cole laughed 'Worried? No! It's nothing bad'

'Well then, it will probably be easy to get off your chest then'

Cole turned to Nya, folded his arms and leant back on the sink 'Well, you make it sound so easy' and lowered his voice 'but its kind of personal Nya'

Nya raised an eyebrow 'We couldn't be closer Cole, let me help'

'It's not anything really' he said gently.

'Ok. Well if you change your mind, you know where I am' Nya stood and gave Cole a final smile before leaving the room.

Cole dropped his head and sighed 'Ugh, jealousy is not a good trait Cole' he whispered. He poured the last of the coffee from the jug and headed to his room. It had been years since he last acknowledged his feelings for Nya. He knew he would always feel something for her, but recently he found his own singularity a source of frustration and looked at his best friends relationship with his old crush as a source of desire in itself. They had what he wanted, an unbreakable closeness. From something as simple as holding hands in the light of day, to the darkness of night, entwined in damp sheets. He knew what they had and it fuelled his need even more.

As he came to his door, he found it ajar. He stopped and slowly pushed it open. Nya was in his room. Turned away from him she looked at papers on his desk. This was fine normally, Nya always poked around his drawings, but why was she here now, they had just talked. She did not turn, though she must have known he was there 'Nya?'

'Cole... We are alone'

'Uhhh...?'

'I don't think it's by chance you sent the others off'

'Um' He didn't know what to say. This was strange, not like Nya at all 'What do you mean?' Nya remained turned away.

'I know your problem'

'Oh...'I wouldn't look at me either frankly, he thought to himself.

'You want me' She turned and started to walk slowly forwards, stopping inches from him. He was feeling strange himself. Not quite right. Tired, so tired. He moved off and sat on the bed. Nya followed. 'Lie down' he did as she said.

His eyes flickered 'Nya, it's not what you think...' Nya's face hovered above his as his eyes closed and his mind swam through a deep fog.

Nya's words were quiet, far away 'I'm right here for you Cole' she whispered as he slipped into unconsciousness.