Chapter Nine arrives! The last one left off on a tense moment, so have fun reading! Honorary shoutout to Loki God of Evil. Yeah, long time reviewer, thank you so much! Drive safe, hang up your coat, tuck your kids into bed and never vote Trump. Enjoy :)
The ninja's mission to the Lightning Phantom's base was scheduled for early afternoon, so the ninja were spending their time training. Sweat beaded on Cole's forehead as he sparred with Jay. The two were familiar with each other's fighting styles and Cole liked fighting Jay. It reminded him that there was always someone whose ass he could easily kick.
"How are you after your dad left?" Cole asked as he lunged at Jay's chest. Jay jumped backwards and attempted to kick Cole's legs out from under him, but failed.
"I'm good." He said brightly. Cole frowned. It didn't even sound like Jay was faking a good mood, and Cole knew how bad of an actor he was.
"You sure?" He asked curiously. Jay nodded, and kicked out at Cole's chest, causing him to stumble.
"Come on Cole, get your head in the game!" The blue ninja joked. "About my dad, we didn't have a huge personal connection, and I'm sure he's fine. I'll go back and see him when all of this is over." Cole nodded, and held out his hand to Jay. Confused, Jay took it. Cole swiftly stepped forward and flipped Jay onto his back.
"Don't let your guard down, blue ninja." Cole smirked. There was the sound of a gong. The doorbell. Jay went over to the window and peered out. He grinned.
"Hey boulder brain, it's your girlfriend!" Cole rolled his eyes and pulled on his shirt. Jay smiled as he watched Cole hurry to the door. "Good luck." He grinned, and went over to the window to watch.
...
"Seliel, hey." Cole smiled. "I didn't expect you until later."
"Yeah, I got into work early." Seliel said. "Listen Cole, I looked into what you told me and I... found something big." Cole frowned. Seliel seemed a little unnerved
"What sort of 'big'?" He asked. Seliel shook her head.
"Just, just read it." Seliel pushed a few papers into Cole's hands. He turned the top one over. It seemed to be some sort of personal file. He looked at the name.
Ruth. C. Brookestone (B Hemmingway).
Cole looked up at Seliel. "My mother." He said. Seliel nodded, and Cole continued to read. Most of it was just general information, date of birth, spouse, children. Cole winced, and hoped Seliel hadn't read his middle name. He continued until he saw a paragraph he wasn't looking forward to.
Cause of Death
Cole sighed and read:
Hit and run 'accident'. Driver: Luke Cunningham. Tracked down five miles from accident site. Arrested and charged with manslaughter. Refused to answer to anything but: The Lightning Phantom.
Cole gasped, and almost dropped the files. He looked at Seliel with wide eyes.
"Cunningham's file's in there as well." She said. "He disappeared age twelve after a nasty run in with some childhood bullies, and was spotted ten years later, getting beat up by some blonde woman. CCTV photo, on the file."
Cole hurridly flicked over the papers and saw the photo. The man was blonde and was indeed being beat up by a blonde woman who bore a striking resemblance to...
"It's her." He murmured. "Ennergise Gordon." Seliel frowned in confusion.
"Who?"
"I'll tell you later." Cole carried on reading. Cunningham had been missing for ages, been beat up by Jay's mum eight years before running over his own. It was a mystery for sure. Cunningham's involvement was definitely a key factor.
"Bloody hell!" Cole gasped. "Thanks so much Seliel! This will be great for our mystery!"
"Good." Seliel said. "Well, I better be going. Have fun solving your mystery." Cole nodded, and Seliel turned to leave. Cole turned to go back inside.
"Cole?" He turned. Seliel was looking over her shoulder at him.
"I'm sorry about your mother." Seliel's green eyes looked sad. "I know what it's like to lose a family."
"So am I." Cole told her. He turned and went back inside.
...
"Hey Kai, Lloyd, we've-" Kai and Lloyd jumped and span round, Lloyd facing Cole at a very direct angle. They had been training with staffs, which Lloyd had accidentally dropped.
"Hey Cole!" Kai said, grinning a big false grin. "What is it?"
"Err, I've got some info on the lightning phantom." Cole said. "I think we should review it together."
Sure." Lloyd said. "Go get Zane and Harumi and the others. We'll be down."
"Yeah..." Cole left and Lloyd let out a sigh of relief.
"Come on." He said, picking up his shirt and pulling it over his head. "Let's go see what Cole found out."
Kai watched him leave. "Yeah, that was close." He muttered, going over to his own shirt.
Lloyd stiffened a little. "I don't know what you're talking about." He said. "Come on, this is probably important." He left.
Kai shrugged. "Maybe." He muttered, and pulled his own shirt over his head.
...
"The Lightning Phantom is a man named Luke Cunningham." Cole told the ninja. Their reactions were as expected - shock, disbelief, wonder. Cole placed Cunningham's file on the table in front of his friends, and it was quickly snatched up by Nya.
"Where did you get this?" She asked suspiciously.
"Records office in the city." Cole told her. "I have a friend who works there."
"Hmm, friend eh?" Jay smiled. Everyone glared, and he ducked his head. This was serious.
"Cunningham disappeared back when he was twelve, after a nasty run in with some bullies. He briefly re-appeared ten years later, getting his ass kicked by someone whom I suspect is Jay's mum." He gestured to the photo, and everyone crowded round to see.
"I agree Cole, this is Ennergise Gordon." Zane told them. Jay looked down at the first photo he'd ever seen of the woman who gave birth to him. He whistled.
"My mum was BADASS!" He exclaimed. "Go on, what happened to Cunningham?"
"This was probably after he started work as the Lightning Phantom." Cole continued. "We still don't know much his obsession with the Master of Lightning, but he seems to want to track them down pretty badly. Cunningham was off the radar for another eight years before he ran over my - a woman." Cole felt himself clamming up, but took a deep breath and carried on.
"He was arrested for manslaughter, but managed to break free and disappeared again." Cole said. "He probably went to build that-"
"Here's the woman he killed!" Jay exclaimed. Cole felt his heart stop as the ninja crowded around Jay to see.
"Ruth. C. Brookestone, married, one child. Bloody hell, she died in front of her son!" Kai gasped. "Married to... his eyes widened and he looked up at Cole, who felt sick. "Lou Brookestone."
"That, that's your father, isn't it?" Harumi asked quietly. She didn't need to enquire further, her answer was on Cole's face, plain as day.
"Bloody hell, I had no idea your mother was dead!" Jay gasped.
"It doesn't matter." Cole told him. "It happened when I was nine, I hardly remember, can't we just-"
"But right in front of you too..." Nya noticed how red Cole's ears were, a bad sign. "Guys..."
"And she was killed by the same guy who took my mother, this has got to be connected!" Jay went on. Cole couldn't take it.
"No it doesn't!" Cole snapped. "I don't see why my effing mother matters so much, she's dead, Cunningham's alive, he ACCIDENTALLY killed her! It doesn't effing matter!" Cole stormed out, unable to keep the tears in his eyes any longer. The ninja were left staring after him.
"Should I..." Jay asked.
"No." Lloyd said. "Let me." He got up and left after Cole.
...
Cole sat on the edge of the floating ground, wiping his eyes furiously. He couldn't believe that, after years of keeping his secret, it was finally out there. He kicked the ground angrily.
"I would tell you to be careful, but since you have an elemental dragon and Airjitzu, I'm going to let it slide." Cole looked up to see Lloyd coming over to him. He scowled.
"What are you doing here?" He muttered.
"Well, when one of your friends rushes out of the room, upset because everyone found out that their mother died, you ignore the natural instinct to leave them be." Lloyd came and sat down next to Cole.
"Or, they decided to send you because your dad's dead." Cole said. "Well, we've all lost at least one parent in one way or another. I don't see why you're special."
"And I don't see why you are either." Lloyd said. "You knew about all our families, and what Jay's been going through these past few days... I know why you never told us Cole."
"And why was that?" Cole stared out over the desert.
"You didn't want us to think that you were weak, that your mother's death was some kind of chink in your armour that needs to be protected."
Cole was surprised, he hadn't even thought of that. "Yeah? What would you know about being weak? Everyone knows about your parents, and forgives you for it because you're the green ninja! The enormous destiny on your shoulders that you never chose, yeah, what hidden weaknesses do you have?"
Cole was being sarcastic, but Lloyd knew what he had to do. Calmly, he pulled his shirt over his head and showed Cole his back.
Cole gasped. "Bloody hell, how long has that BEEN THERE?!"
"It was Morro." Lloyd told him. "He did this while I was in his captivity. It didn't hurt while he... possessed me, but every time I lie down now..." He put his shirt back on and turned to face Cole, who was still shocked.
"We all have hidden secrets and weaknesses, Cole." He said. "And we all worry others will think that we're weak. I never intended to tell anyone about this, Kai found out by accident. I've kept it from everyone, because I feel like it's my burden to bear. And your mother is the same. Your secret's out, so I think I'll reveal mine."
Cole shook his head. "You don't have to do that Lloyd."
"Yes I do Cole. It's not healthy to keep this to ourselves."
Cole smiled. "Thanks Lloyd."
"Come on." The green ninja said, standing up. "I believe we have a date with the Lightning Phantom."
