The Glade and Its Glitch: Book 2 Allies or Enemies

Chapter 32

"Glitch. Come in Glitch."

With a snarl, the young boy clicked the button to accept the call. It was from Devin, and Glitch recalled telling the man not to contact him unless their experiment was completed. "This had better be good. I told you that you'd better have the solution to our little problem the next time you contacted me."

"I don't, but Cass and I received the bounty hunter. He's working on it right now."

"Then why are you calling me?"

"I wanted you to know. Plus, you are technically my employer, I feel it right to keep you up to date with the event we are working on."

"I can't argue with that. But I told you not to contact me. I have enough on my plate and I don't want to be concerned with what you're working on at every point in time."

"Fine. My wife and I will focus on the project. I won't call you again."

"And please for the love of The First Spinjitzu Master, stop calling her 'your wife'. I know you're married, you don't have to rub it in."

"You're just jealous I'm in a happy relationship," Devin enjoyed making the teen squirm. "What about Quake? She's kinda cute right?"

"That's gross. First of all, because you're a grown adult. Second-"

"What? Cooties?" Devin teased.

Glitch let out a puff of air, "No. Second, I don't like Quake. Never have, never will."

"Well, she sure seems to like you."

He scoffed. Glitch never found interest in girls. Even when he was back at the Glade he leaned towards the boys. TJ. Glitch and TJ used to be friends. But once TJ became good friends with Skye and Carrie, Glitch drifted away. And once he drifted away, his hunger for power grew.

"Go away, Devin." Glitch hit the button to end the call. The passion with which he hit the button was filled with anger.

"What did that button do to anger you in such a way?" Commander walked in.

"What do you want?" Glitch sneered.

"To talk. You seem tense."

"Oh really? Do I?"

"She does like you, you know. I've seen it, even in the few times I've met her."

"Well, I don't like her."

"She watches you like a lost puppy. You're the only reason she joined this cause. Why would an elemental master join you?"

"Because they agree with me!" Glitch stood up, his anger boiling over.

Keeping her cool, Commander raised an eyebrow. "Oh? They agree with the destruction of their power?"

"They agree with equality! And unity!"

"You are destroying unity. The Glade was fine. They were united. They worked together. Powered people, and powerless people alike."

"Then. Why. Are. You. Here."

"Because at least you have a cause. What is Huntress' plan? What was her cause? What drives her? Nothing."

Standing up straighter, Glitch smiled proudly.

"But. At least her team is united." Commander changed her tune, causing Glitch's smile to immediately fade. "At least she has a strong army. At least she had someone to teach her what to do. At least she knows what she's doing. At. Least. She. Is. A. Good. Leader."

"Just good doesn't cut it." Glitch tried to defend himself, yet it was a lost cause.

"Strong. Brave. Powerful. Everything, you are not."

Glitch stepped back slightly, hurt.

Commander turned and left the room.

He forced the hurt down. . He didn't even care for Commander that much. She liked to involve herself in his business, and give input where it wasn't wanted. But deep down his feelings were still hurt. So he stopped himself. Have no feelings. That was his motto. If you don't get attached it doesn't hurt to leave

"I don't care. I don't care about anyone. Look at me! I left the Glade! My home! My friends! My family!" Glitch's voice wavered. "See?! I don't care about anyone. I don't care about them." It was a lie. He thought about them every day. His father was invading his dreams. Causing old memories and feelings to surface. Glitch's dreams were causing problems and becoming distractions.

Most dreams were problematic and distracting at this point. From Huntress', to Sunbeam's, to Cole's, to Jay's, to Lloyd's. Just about everyone was having horrible dreams. All of them were suppressing emotions. Huntress' about her brother, Sunbeam's about Listener, Cole's fear about Soar and what he's doing, Jay's about Nadakhan, and Lloyd's about Huntress and the Glade.

"I left the Glade. And I'm strong because of that." Glitch scowled. "I'll fight the Glade. I'm not scared," he yelled to no one in particular.

"Devin and Cassandra will complete the experiment. The true power of Vengestone will be harnessed." He grabbed a dagger and slammed it into a table beside him. " I won't stop until every last elemental master is powerless."

A map lay on the stabbed table. A simple map of Ninjago with two circles drawn in red. Once surrounding a forest, and another around a mountain. Glitch had driven the knife straight through the circle around in the woods. Coincidentally, or maybe not, it was the woods where the Glade's home lay. The circled mountain near it was where the ninja's monastery sat.

Glitch ripped the knife out of the paper, making a bigger hole. Again, almost by accident, the knife sliced through the mountain as well.

"And no one will stop me."