Assassin's Joy

Informing the Others

Life was moving so fast, yet so slow. Griffin had officially been made a ninja at Wu's request (which was good for the mission he was sent on (which he didn't want to go through with, but had no choice)). Cole and Jay were an official couple, which made the two so very happy. 

Zane was still digging up information on Assassin's Joy with the help of Pixal and occasionally Jay, who's the only person he told about it. The more they dug up, the more they saw how many ties there were to this organization to everything. 

It would be impossible to take down, but the three agreed that it needed to be done. These people were not good people, someone needed to stop them.

Zane paced his room, flipping through files. 

"Perhaps the others should know," he mumbled to the air. "Pixal, Jay, and I can only do so much on our own."

"I agree," Pixal's voice rang through Zane's head. "We can't move forward without help. I believe that Cole will be vital to our mission."

Zane nodded in agreement. "Could you call a meeting?"

"Of course."

"Ugh, Zane. Why do we have to be here?" Kai asked as he arrived (very late might I add).

"After Cole's attempt, I started to do some research." Zane held up the note. "Something about what he said didn't make sense to me."

Cole tensed up and looked at the floor. Jay put his hand on his back, gently rubbing circles on it. 

"What didn't?"

"When Cole mentioned that he was unworthy of us because of his past and how his guilt was suffocating."

"Sorry to interrupt, but what do you mean by attempt?" Griffin asked, genuinely confused.

"Shortly before you arrived, Cole attempted to take his own life."

Cole reached up and touched the stump of where his ear had been. "Where are you going with this, Icicle?" 

"I spent hours watching security footage in search for an answer. I stumbled across the footage of you breaking the table." Cole winced, but Zane paid no mind to it. "You were speaking to yourself, which in itself, is normal. However, what wasn't normal was the way you spoke and held yourself."

"Wait, Cole was the one who broke the table?"

"Sorry."

"I ran a program on the footage that picks up any sound that the camera was unable to properly pick it. Somehow, there was someone speaking to you. I didn't recognize the voice, so I ran it through a different program. The website only gave me his name, Alek Richman, and where he works. However, it was shortened to AJ, a company I've never heard of."

"His last name's Richman?" Cole looked up at Zane.

Zane nodded. "Yes. I asked Pixal to do some research on what AJ is, as I had to stop to make dinner. From her research, we learned that Richman works for a place called Assassin's Joy. Assuming, since he was speaking to you, you have some sort of ties to this place."

"More than I want."

It was like the other ninja weren't there as the two stared each other down before Zane nodded. 

"From what I've learned, hardly any of the members of Assassin's Joy signed up for it. I can only assume the same is true for you."

Cole shrugged. "Alek found me when I was seven. I didn't know what I was getting into." Cole paused then looked back at the floor. "But I didn't know that what they had me do was wrong until I moved in with you all."

"I see."

"Zane, what are you trying to say?" Kai interrupted. "That Cole's some kind of bad guy?"

"Cole is not a bad guy." He looked back at Cole. "You were sent here by Assassin's Joy to gather intel on us and eventually kill us because we were seen as a threat, weren't you?"

"I was."

"Then why haven't you killed us?"

Cole shrugged. "You showed me how family should be. The only memories I have of my mom is of her in the hospital, slowly dying. My dad was always busy and he eventually left me in a park. Then Alek and the Big Man took me in and took care of me. They weren't the best, but they raised me. I didn't know how kind people around me could be until I met you. I got attached."

"Why haven't you said anything?" Kai accused loudly.

"I couldn't! I still can't."

"He's simply confirming what I ask him. He isn't giving us details."

"Zane," Lloyd started. "What do you suggest we do?"

"I suggest we take these people down. I fear for all of our safeties."

"Then that's what we'll do." Lloyd looked at Cole, smiling gently. "And Cole, I forgive you."