Darkness from Within #5: Uneasy Trust (A Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 31

Come on, Cole, you can do this! Cole grunted as he jerked himself into the desk leg multiple times, hearing the contents on top of the desk rattle. Just a little—he grunted again—more...

Thud.

Cole stopped, panting, and turned his head to find Lloyd's pencil holder on the ground. Struggling to reach it, he strained his fingers from behind his back until the object met his touch and he grabbed it. He felt around the pencils and pens until he felt the sharp point of a scissor. Yes!

Clutching the utensil, Cole twisted it around and slipped his fingers into the hold. Closing his eyes and holding his breath, he began snipping the ropes around his hands.

To his relief, he slowly felt the ropes loosen from his wrists. Got it!

Cole drew his hands free from behind his back and tore the cloth from his face before rising to his feet. Panic rose inside of him as he stared at the door. Kai!

Breath quickening, the black ninja stumbled across the room and burst through the door. He glanced down the hall up and down until he heard footsteps. Turning around, he spotted Lloyd and Garmadon coming down the hall toward him. The father and son moved slowly, each one with their arm around the other.

Fury suddenly exploded inside of Cole. Before he had time to be afraid, he gave a vicious snarl and rushed down the hall toward the green ninja, lunging at him. He barreled Lloyd away from his father and pinned him to the ground, hissing. Lloyd's eyes widened in alarm and he let out a gasp.

"What did you do to him?" Cole snarled, jerking the green ninja. "Where is he?"

Cole tensed as he waited for Lloyd to snap back or kick him off, but the green ninja went completely limp under Cole's grip. He coughed, wheezing for breath as he stared up at the black ninja with fear in his eyes. Cole felt surprised. What's wrong with him?

"Cole!" Garmadon barked, gripping Cole's shoulders and heaving him off his son. "What are you doing?" He crouched beside Lloyd and helped him back to his feet, glaring at Cole as Lloyd leaned on his shoulder. "Has everyone turned against my son?"

Cole drew in a shaky breath, taking a step back. "B-but where's Kai?" he whimpered, his anxiety returning.

"I don't know," Garmadon spat. "And I don't care." Then he turned his head toward Lloyd. "Come on," he murmured, guiding his son forward. "Let's get you to bed."

Cole took another step back as the two swept past him. He briefly caught Lloyd's eye, but all Cole saw in his gaze was shock. Utterly confused, the black ninja turned and headed down the hall, glancing around wildly.

Where is he? he wondered, his fear rising. Lloyd couldn't have killed him. He couldn't have!

Cole's pace quickened with every empty hallway he saw. Heart beginning to pound, he hurried down the hall and burst into Kai's bedroom.

Empty.

Cole's breath quickened in panic. No...

Mind whirling, the black ninja fled out of the room. His gaze traveled down the hall all ways, desperately searching for any sign of his friend. He stumbled forward, his fear nearly blinding him. Then he hurried back the way he saw Lloyd come from. He's gotta be somewhere, he tried to convince himself. He gulped as a dark thought crossed his mind. The remains of him, at least.

Cole drew to a halt at the end of the hall. He felt his heart break and he lowered his head. It's hopeless, he thought. Lloyd's at least ten times stronger than Kai. Cole's throat tightened. He never stood a chance.