Salt: A Ninjago story

12: Crazy, Stupid Love

Nya looked out of the small square window of Harumi's cell and contemplated all that had happened.

The extensive surveillance equipment that Zane had set up had revealed nothing, apart from the fact that the Shadow Ninja knew it was there. It seemed obvious to Nya that a Shadow had been sent to the Island to destroy their means to watch them. While risky, destroying the control room was more thorough than trying to find every single device. The destruction of their vital equipment was bad enough, but they had also managed to confuse and trick all of them into seeing and believing realistic hallucinations. They had split the team up and diverted their attention from the real target, the Control Room. It could have been any one of them that went to intercept, but it had been Kai and now he was missing.

The timing of the attack at the temple seemed just too coincidental, happening just hours before the attack at the prison. They obviously needed the team distracted and blind so they could carry out the attack here... whatever its purpose was.

She noticed some green fabric under the bench and picked it up. Lloyds' tunic. She closed her eyes in despair for him. Where have you let yourself go Lloyd? This is where he had been that night, before he had followed the shadow ninja to its settlement; that night and many others it would seem. Lloyd had kept his secret close, she had had no idea; nobody knew. Harumi was a snake and she had Lloyd trapped in her hypnotic gaze... No, that was an affront to the Serpentine; she looked up and nodded an apology to the spirits of the elders. There were no words for how she felt about Harumi. Nya kicked out at the bench and it flew across the room. The two cups that sat on it were flung aside, smashing on the hard floor.

She couldn't quite figure out why they had infiltrated the prison. To release Harumi? Kill Lloyd? Lloyd was taken down but Harumi remained when she could have escaped. Was she really in love with Lloyd? Nya could not let herself believe that. But she could believe the two attacks were linked. In fact she was sure of it and it was very likely they had Kai. Without surveillance they would have to go in blind. But her team were the best and the Shadows of the Northern suburb wouldn't see them coming. But she had to be sure.

She left the cell to meet up with the team. She found them having a heated conversation with the Prison Chief. She called Jay over and he broke away from the group.

'Everything ok?'

'Yeah. As can be' she replied and looked towards Cole and Zane 'What's going on here?'

'Oh, the Prison Chief thinks it's impossible to guard against Ninja attacks'

'Well I'm inclined to agree with him...' Nya replied.

'Well, yeah. Obviously. But Cole is pissed and wants to blame someone, so y'know...' He trailed off to look back at Cole looming over the Chief.

'I'm sure the Chief could do with hearing a few home truths... I mean what the hell was he doing? Allowing Lloyd to visit Harumi. Let a ninja in, there's gonna be trouble'

'Well that's the thing, he says he didn't know anything about it'

'Really? How could he not have known?' Nya questioned 'what about the guards? Someone must have known'

'Of course someone must have known. That's just it. It seems like there's more going here than you'd first think'

'It all stinks and I'm sure it links back to that first Shadow Ninja. I'm going to follow the intruder's path. I'm certain it will lead to the Northern suburb and the same shadow settlement that Lloyd discovered, but I have to be sure. Will you join me Jay?'

'Of course' Jay replied. He took Nya's hand and led her over to the group. Cole, still animated was spitting rage at the Chief, who was no pushover, but was starting to sweat and weaken under the tirade. Zane stood silently; cool to the looks the Chief flicked towards him, hoping for a voice of reason. Jay turned Cole away from his heated discussion to talk and Zane followed, giving the chief a lingering stare as he moved away 'Guys, Nya and I are going to track the intruder. But I'm worried about Lloyd. He's pretty confused and upset. D'you think it'd be best to take him back to the temple straight away? Get him as far away from Harumi as possible?'