Brother of Wind {Book 7: Hands of Time}

Chapter 8

The dark sewers were full of the kidnapped people and the Vernillion guards plus the Time Twins.
"All these tunnels under the city look the same, huh? Pretty confused, I'll bet." Acromix said.
"It's a secret lair. It's supposed to be hard to find." Krux retorted.
"Yeah, but not for us." Acronix said.
"I'll figure it out in a second." Krux fiddled with his map.
"Oh, get with the time, brother. My new BorgWatch has built-in GPS, the, uh..." Acronix looked at his watch.
"What's wrong?" Krux asked.
"Um...nothing. Just respecting your feelings about tradition and--" Acronix said. They were lost.

"No service. That's why I don't get with the times. The old ways are still superior. Follow me!" Krux charged doen the path.
"I hope things are going this well topside." Acronix said.

. . .

"Yes! Operation Heavy Metal's so good the ninja don't even know what's up. Nothing will stop us!" Raggmunk exclaimed. The Ninja showed up.

"Way to jinx it." Blunk retorted.

Jay exited his vehicle and looked up at building scaffolding littered eith the Vermillion.
"Last one up is a rotten ninja." Jay called.
"Clear off as many snakes as you can!" Kai shouted.
"Wow! Total snake invasion!" Dareth exclaimed. Kai jumped up the levels, kicking one Vermillion apart.
"Why am I so good? It's a curse, really." Kai boasted. The snakes regenerated.
"Oh, great." Kai was kicked off but Nya caught him.
"Nya, what are you doing here?" Kai asked, bing pulled up.

"I came to warn you about the metal-stealing snakes, but it looks like you already know." Nya said.

"How's Zane?"

"He's, uh..." Nya looked down.

"Avocados are not vegetables! Fifty three, eleven!" Zane shouted.

"Uh, we're still working out some kinks." The Vernillion combined into an even bigger soldier. It jumped towards Nya. She dodged and it fell down, breaking the scaffolding. They still regenerated. What a nuisance.

"Spleen sauce, cow box!" Zane shouted.

"That's right, bring it on." Ronin said on the ground, fighting the Vermillion. The large snake grabbed Ronin out of his Mech.
"Oh, boy. Feel free to jump in, Dareth." He ssid.
"Sorry. My back's totally jacked again." Dareth hid behind a car.
"These guys took your trophies." Ronin said.
"Brown Ninja vengeance!" Dareth yelled. He jumped into the armous and punched whatever he could see. He twirled out of the snakes and hit Ronin back.
"Aah, my leg! I think you broke it!" Ronin cried.
"Gotta get more snakes!" Dareth yelled.

"Nya, where you going?" Kai asked as his sister kept climbing upwards.
"Come on!" Nya called.
"Jay, Cole, let's go!" Kai said. They jumped up towards the top of the building.
"So, does anyone have a plan?" Jay asked as they made it to the top. Vermillion warriors joined them.

"Welcome to Ninjago!" Nya shouted up in a crane. She hit back the warriors with the steel beams.

"No! They failed! And we haven't collected nearly enough metal yet." Blunk exclaimed from afar.
"No, you haven't." Machia said.
"Uh, was she here the whole time?" Raggmunk asked.
"Your plan didn't just have a stupid name. It was also a stupid idea. So now, it's my turn." Machia decided.
"Commence with Operation Blackout. That should buy the time you'll need to collect more metal. Assuming you don't mess that up as you did this." She Hissed.

"Operation Blackout. Good name." Blunk said.

. . .

"You're worried?" Misako asked as her son paced around.
"You have no idea." Morro said.
"Master Wu looks pale." Lloyd said.
"No. I mean you are worried about Cole, Jay, and Kai." Misako said.