Salt: A Ninjago story

12: Crazy, Stupid Love

'Definitely' Cole agreed releasing a long sigh. He looked back to where they had left the Chief, to see he had scarpered and the door closing behind him 'Hey!' Cole shouted turning to go after him, but Zane placed a strong hand on his chest to stop him.

'Let him go. He doesn't know anything. I was monitoring his heart rate and responses. He was telling the truth'

'It doesn't absolve him though...' Cole grumbled.

'No. It does not. But we know where he lives, so to speak and I am sure he is living in fear of you right now... so let him go'

Cole gave Zane a sly smile 'I was pretty hard on him wasn't I?' to which Zane gave a small non-judgemental nod.

'And you're normally such a big softy!' Jay chimed in sarcastically.

'Get out of here you two...' Cole waved his hand at Jay and Nya and then shouted after them '...and find something helpful'

'We're on it!' they both replied as they hurried out of the room.

Now it was just the two of them, Cole and Zane stood in silence. Cole, because he was all shouted out and Zane because that was his way 'I can't quite believe what's happening' Cole said quietly.

'Hmm. That is interesting' Zane replied.

'How so?' Cole asked quizzically.

'Well my friend. You are quick to accept all matter of outside forces intent on ripping the fabric of our world apart, yet you seem perplexed by matters of the heart?'

Cole sighed 'don't you see Zane? Harumi exists in one form in our world. She tried to rip it apart and pretty much kill us all, including Lloyd. It's not that I am perplexed by matters of the heart, more that Lloyd can have so much heart that he can see past all that and still care about... her'

'Well when you put it like that, it makes more sense. Is it a bad thing? Is he wrong to care for Harumi?'

'Yes!' Cole replied forcefully '...No... I don't know. Maybe that's why I'm perplexed?'

'You cannot hold good will against a person' Zane added.

'No, no you can't. Maybe he can help me understand, because I sure as hell can't figure it out myself'

Zane placed his hand on Coles shoulder 'we will take him home. Listen to him and care for him. He will need this time and he will need his friends'

'That's all we can do' Cole replied.

'We should get back to Lloyd' Zane suggested and they made their way to his room 'you know I have some very delicious stew I made this morning waiting for us'

Cole smiled 'Where do you find the time to do all this?' he said in awe and added 'Lloyd will appreciate it I'm sure' Cole knocked before pushing the door open to enter Lloyds infirmary room. The bed was empty. Cole tried to ignore the cold flush that washed through his body and looked to the bathroom 'Lloyd?' He called forcefully and knocked on the door.

'There is no one here' Zane stated 'I do not hear Lloyds footprint'

'Where the hell is he?' Cole said panicked.

'Come with me' Zane said as he left the room.

Momentarily motionless, Cole was at a loss, then... 'Harumi' he said through gritted teeth and ran after Zane who was jogging down the corridor, already heading to the female wing on the other side of the infirmary.

The guards at her door stopped them, confused at their urgency and insistence on seeing Harumi 'She has not left the room, we have not left our posts' they insisted.

'Is there a window?' Cole asked incredulously.

One of the guards nervously fumbled with his keys and went to unlock the door 'but its got bars...' he added with a hint of hope in his now panicked voice.

Cole smashed forward onto the door as the guard turned the key. Zane and the two guards fell through after them and they all stood in the silent empty room. The bars on the window and the glass itself were burnt through and still exuded a green haze.

'Shhhhhhhhhh...it!' Cole angrily swiped at the air and clenched his fists in anger 'Not on my watch!' and he threw himself at the small window and squeezed his large frame through.

'Cole!' Zane shouted after him as he disappeared 'we're five storeys up!'

Cole poked his head around the window meekly 'uh yeah, I realise that now. Any chance you were going to follow me and do an ice slide or something?'

'Absolutely, yes. That is exactly what I was going to do' So Zane followed through the window to rescue his headstrong friend, his sensors working to find traces of the elopers. Until this point, Lloyd had been foolish, but had not broken any laws. Zane feared for his friend. This one bad choice could have lasting consequences for him if they didn't find him immediately and try to smooth it over. Aiding a felon to escape from prison was bad. He thought about the Prison Chief. This he could use against them all.