Assassin's Joy

Earpiece

Two years, and Cole hadn't followed through his orders. 

Two years, and Cole had only fallen harder for the blue ninja.

Two years, and Cole could only watch Jay be in love with someone else.

Two years, and Cole wasn't doing his monthly reports anymore.

Two years, and Cole was scared that something would happen to him.

Two years, and Cole's never been happier.

Maybe, the way he had grown up wasn't good at all. The others showed him what it meant to have a family, one that wasn't worried over if one of them was going to live to the next day, one that tried to keep things together without giving up on anyone, one that would follow each other to the ends of Ninjago and back. 

Maybe, the ninja could keep making Cole feel happy and safe. Assassin's Joy never brought happiness, only fear and pain. There was nothing he could do that would make his superiors happy and satisfied with his work.

Maybe, just maybe, Cole could leave Assassin's Joy...

Cole sat up quickly, his breathing quick. He knew they couldn't read his thoughts, but he didn't want them to even get the idea that he was thinking of leaving. 

If he left, he and everyone he loved would be murdered. Cole would be forced to watch them kill the ninja, one by one, slowly and painfully, while he was tied up and begging for them to spare the others. 

He was trapped and there was nothing he could do.

Cole snuck down to the empty kitchen. The bounty was on autopilot while everyone slept.

He opened the fridge and grabbed the cake Zane had made the day before. He cut himself a slice and put the rest away, sitting at the table. He ate slowly, staring at a stain on the table. 

Even if Cole could leave, it wasn't a good idea. He knew they had bugged him somehow. He couldn't tell anyone about them nor could he plan taking them down, since he talked to himself too much for that to work. 

Shutting his eyes, he pushed the half-eaten slice away and put his forehead against the wood. 

He hated the life he had growing up. He wanted to get rid of the memories of everything they did to him, the memories of everything he did to others. He wanted to be free, free of the pain, free of the worry, just free. 

But he didn't know how to.

"I want my mom," he mumbled, his voice cracking.

"What was that, young one?"

Cole's head snapped up, his eyes darting around. He couldn't see Alek, but he knew he was there. Only Alek called him young one.

"Oh, I'm not there. When you fell asleep in the park last night, we took you back to the base and installed a little earpiece inside of your ear. That way, we can speak to you and hear what you hear or what you say."

He clenched his fist, narrowing his eyes at the stain. "Why?"

"You've been a ghost. You haven't been keeping up with your reports. You haven't completed your mission."

"I'm waiting for the right time," Cole lied. Electricity coursed through his body, causing him to grip the table and pant.

"You can't lie to us, young one."

Cole didn't say anything, panting heavily. He put his face against the wooden table and shut his eyes. 

"Heh. You have three months. If you fail, you'll be put into the pit to rot. Remember, Cole, you were once our top assassin. You were praised and seen as a hero by many of our members, don't you miss that?"

"Get out of my head."

"Excuse me?"

Cole stood up, punching the table so hard it broke. "Get. Out. Of. My. Head."

"I'll keep in touch. Do not fail me."

Alek then went silent just as Jay walked into the room, rubbing his eyes.

"Cole? What's going on?"

"Nothing."

Jay flicked on the light, frowning when he saw the table broken at Cole's feet. "Cole..."

"What?" Cole's tone was harsh, something Jay's never heard directed toward him.

"What's going on? You're—"

"I'm fine." Cole grabbed the plate and threw the cake into the trash. He threw the plate into the sink and stormed out.

Jay flinched as he heard the plate break and walked over. He sighed, cleaning the shards of glass out of the sink. "What's going on, Cole?"