Chapter 8

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"What do you mean Alfonso's dead?" Kai demanded as he raced after Jay.

Jay shook his head. "Me, Zane, Cole, and Pixal went to check in on him and—"

"And he was dead?"

"And he was dead! Lying in his own blood!"

"And there was no one around?"

"No. And the guard patrolling said he didn't see anything!"

Kai bit his lip. "So what do we think happened?" he questioned. "Was it suicide?"

Jay threw his hands up. "How would he get a knife?"

Muttering in reply, Kai quickened his pace until they reached the dungeon. The guards let them pass and they headed toward Alfonso's cell. They found Zane, Pixal, and Nya outside the cell door, and, after a moment, Cole and the senseis joined them.

"Well, let's see it," Nya prompted.

Zane nodded and led the way inside. The others followed, and Kai found it just as Jay had described.

Alfonso lay on the cold, stone floor; red streamed from his mouth and puddled around him. A knife stuck out of his chest.

Nya cupped a hand over her mouth. "Oh, my God..." she whispered as Jay placed an arm around her.

Wu stepped closer to the dead man. "You found him like this?" he asked.

"Yes," Zane replied.

"Who would kill this guy?" Cole wondered.

Kai crouched beside Alfonso and gripped the knife's handle. Everyone cringed as he tugged it free, followed by a fresh rush of blood. Shaking the blade clean, Kai turned to Zane. "Is there a way you can check for fingerprints?"

Zane nodded and took the knife from him. A blue light shone from his eyes as he scanned the weapon. The others waited silently, but found only confusion crossing Zane's face.

"What is it?" Pixal inquired.

Zane scanned it once more before looking up at the team again. "There are no fingerprints," he said.

"What?" Wu blurted as the others murmured to each other.

Zane raised his shoulders. "Only Kai's from just now."

"I don't like this," Garmadon muttered.

Cole crossed his arms, scanning the group. "Well, I have my suspicions on who did it," he grunted.

"What do you mean?" Jay asked.

Cole stared at him. "It couldn't have just been anyone," he started. "It had to be someone the guards would let in. One of us. The only one of us who isn't here."

Kai glanced around as the others did the same. Himself. Jay. Nya. Pixal. Wu. Cole. Garmadon. Zane.

Besides Misako and Laurie, the only one missing was...

"Lloyd," Garmadon growled.

Wu rested a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Now, we don't know for sure," he soothed.

"Don't we?" Cole challenged. "You heard how he talked about torturing Alfonso earlier. I bet that's why he left the meeting early. He gave it a go, lost his temper like he so often does, and..." He gestured to Alfonso.

"Lloyd wouldn't," Kai protested.

Cole raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't he?"

Kai took a breath and went silent.

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